Well-known ESPN presenter will not be returning to the network
His departure follows a $50 million lawsuit filed against him.
The lawsuit included allegations of sexual battery and assault.
Sharpe had stepped down from his commentator role on ESPN's First Take in April after the lawsuit was initiated.
He recently settled a separate lawsuit with an ex-girlfriend who had accused him of rape.
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Reuters
12 minutes ago
- Reuters
Reds turn to Zack Littell in quest to give bullpen a breather vs. Cubs
August 5 - Right-hander Zack Littell will face a tough task as he makes his Cincinnati Reds debut in Tuesday night's game against the host Chicago Cubs. A trade-deadline acquisition last week from the Tampa Bay Rays, Littell (8-8, 3.58 ERA) will start the middle contest of a three-game series against the team that rests atop the National League wild-card standings. Littell will take the mound for a Reds team that has seen its bullpen taxed of late due to back-to-back games in which the starting pitcher did not make it past the second inning. Rookie Chase Burns saw his start Saturday night scrapped after an inning due to heavy rain that postponed the conclusion of the Speedway Classic in Bristol, Tenn. Five relievers threw the remaining eight innings in a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Monday starter Nick Lodolo left the series opener against the Cubs after just 1 2/3 innings after the left-hander developed a blister on his left index finger. Five relievers went the rest of the way for the Reds, who won 3-2 and sit three games behind the NL's third and final wild-card berth. Cincinnati manager Terry Francona told reporters Lodolo already was looking better in the locker room. However, because the pitcher previously has dealt with blister issues, Francona added the team likely would "err on the side of caution" with him. Littell, 29, will make his first career start against the Cubs, although he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in six relief appearances. He has yielded just three hits, a walk and an unearned run while striking out seven over 5 2/3 innings. Earlier in the day Monday, Francona told MLB Network Radio that trading for Littell helps the ballclub on two fronts. It also lets the Reds move starter Nick Martinez to the bullpen. Martinez threw 2 1/3 innings after Lodolo's injury. "Speaking kind of honestly, we thought the price for relievers was just going berserk," Francona said. "And we thought, well, Nick Martinez is as good or better than any of these guys. So let's just try to get a starter, and I think it's going to help us." Chicago also had its starter go down early in Monday's loss. Right-hander Michael Soroka, acquired last week from Washington, left after two innings with discomfort in his pitching shoulder. After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters Soroka would go to the injured list. Shota Imanaga (8-4, 3.25 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cubs on Tuesday. The left-hander won his only start against the Reds on June 9, 2024, allowing just two runs on five hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in a 4-2 road victory. The Reds have struggled against lefties this season. Their hitters are batting only .222 against them, the fourth-lowest average in the majors. Outfielder Austin Hays, however, is hitting .368 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 57 at-bats against left-handers. The Cubs hit the Reds well in the first two series of the season, sporting a .290 average (61-for-210) and 10 homers through the first six games, of which they won four. However, Chicago managed three hits, one off its season low, in Monday's loss. "We didn't hit," Counsell said. "It's as simple as that. ... Just not going to win many games with three hits." Pete Crow-Amstrong has hit .375 (9-for-24) against the Reds this season, with two homers and 10 RBIs. --Field Level Media
The Guardian
21 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘Children are entering a hellscape': the terrifying film about grieving parents taking on social media giants
In 2020, Amy Neville found her 14-year-old son Alexander dead in his bedroom. He had taken what he thought was an oxycodone pill, bought – according to Neville – from a drug dealer he met on Snapchat. The pill was a fake, laced with fentanyl. Four years later, his mum stood up in the California high school where Alex would have been a student to warn other parents and teenagers about social media. 'We give our kids these smartphones. We let them have these apps. And that is the equivalent of dropping them off in the worst neighbourhood in our area.' Neville is featured alongside other bereaved parents in Can't Look Away, a terrifying new documentary about kids and social media directed by Matthew O'Neill and Perri Peltz, based on extensive investigative reporting by Bloomberg News journalist Olivia Carville. It follows American families who are filing lawsuits against social media companies and campaigning for stricter legislation; they are represented by the Social Media Victims Law Center, a crusading legal firm run Matthew Bergman, a lawyer so charismatic he could probably play himself in a Hollywood movie. The conversation around teenagers and social media has evolved beyond kids using their phones at the table. In his 2024 bestseller The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt warned of the links between young people's mental health and smartphones. Last month, the technology secretary Peter Kyle apologised for the delay in legislation to keep children safe online. Australia plans to ban social media for under 16s from December. In Can't Look Away, the agony on parents' faces as they tell their stories, and relive the trauma, is hard to watch. Toney and Brandy Roberts filed a lawsuit against Meta over the death of their 14-year-old daughter Englyn in 2020; she killed herself after watching a video of a mock-hanging on Instagram. 'The social media companies know that our children are so vulnerable,' Brandy tells the camera. 'I feel that the only way that they're going to be forced to change is through a lawsuit. So that's why we're joining this fight.' When I talk to the film's directors before Can't Look Away's UK premiere, they do not mince their words. O'Neill says he previously had no idea how extreme the content that children are exposed to on social media is. 'It's so much more than just addiction, or screen time, or wasting time. What young people see is so different because of the algorithms. What they're being fed, what they can't look away from, this is not what they're searching for. Children are essentially entering into a hellscape that adults don't know about.' Algorithms decide what you see on social media, based in part on what you have previously liked or commented on, and how much time you've spent on other posts. If you linger on a piece of content, the algorithm will feed you more of the same. What that means is that teenagers don't have to actively search for harmful material for it to appear in their feed. A 13-year-old girl might look for healthy eating advice and end up down a rabbit hole of pro-anorexia content. 'It can very quickly turn very dark,' says O'Neill. Mason Edens was 16 when he broke up with his girlfriend; normal teenage stuff his mum Jennie DeSerio thought. In his heartache, Mason turned to TikTok, searching for phrases such as: 'My girlfriend broke up with me.' In the film, his mum plays one of the depressing videos that ended up in his feed. It shows a gun in a hand, then an image of blood splatter and the words: 'My hand. My head.' Mason killed himself in November 2022. Jennie doesn't believe that he'd ever searched for the term 'suicide' on TikTok. O'Neill says he was shocked by Mason's feed: 'This is not someone crying. It's not just sad music. It is an image of a gun going into a hand with the exhortation to blow your effing head off. That is not content that a product should be feeding to a child. I think we could all broadly agree on that as a society.' Is it possible, I ask, for the social media companies to filter out harmful content? 'If Meta knows what I want to buy before I buy it, there's no way they can't figure out how to make sure children aren't fed content that demonstrates how to die by suicide.' After screenings of Can't Look Away, the film-makers often ask the kids in the audience if they have ever watched a suicide on social media. 'Almost all the hands go up,' says co-director Peltz. In America, 95% of 13 to 17-year-olds use social media. In 2022, social media companies made an estimated $11bn from advertising directed to under 18s in the US. The longer kids are glued to it, the more billions the companies make, which means there is a huge incentive to design sticky algorithms, says Peltz. 'Why are they feeding children material that they can't look away from? Because it keeps children on their sites for as long as possible. And we know from whistleblowers that that is a business plan. This is not an accident. They are prioritising time on screen over safety.' The film features interviews with such whistleblowers, who say companies have been warned that their products harm children. Arturo Béjar held senior positions at Facebook and Instagram, and became increasingly alarmed by their parent company Meta's own research. In one poll, one in eight 13 to 15-year-olds said they had received an unwanted sexual advance on Instagram in the past week. Béjar emailed his concerns to Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and other top executives. He says he never received a reply. Can't Look Away tells the heart-breaking story of Jordan DeMay, a popular, outgoing 17-year-old from Michigan who killed himself after being blackmailed in a sextortion scam. In March 2022, he received a message on Instagram from someone he thought was a girl his own age. After some flirting, Jordan sent her nude photographs. Immediately, the threats started: send money or we'll share the photos with your friends and family. Less than six hours after the first of these messages, Jordan was dead. Sextortion is one of the fastest growing cybercrimes. Peltz is keen to share with parents the advice she has picked up from several professionals about how to protect children. 'Talk to your child. Tell them, 'If this ever happens to you, do not be afraid to come to us.' It's very specific advice that can make a major difference.' Can't Look Away ends with some real-life courtroom drama in Los Angeles. Amy Neville, the woman whose son took the fake oxycodone pill, is the lead plaintiff in a case against Snapchat by parents whose children died or were injured after allegedly buying fentanyl-laced drugs. Their lawsuit claims that Snapchat's design makes it an ideal marketplace to sell illegal drugs, with its disappearing messages that make it difficult for police to trace illegal activity. Another feature is Quick Add, which suggests other users to add. Laura Marquez-Garrett is a lawyer at the Social Media Victims Law Center and explains how it works. '[A dealer will] just find one high school kid in your area. You add them, and then you add all their friends, and then you add their friends.' In a courtroom showdown, Snap Inc's defence relies on a piece of US legislation drafted before Zuckerberg hit puberty. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 has for years acted as a shield (or a get-out-of-jail card, depending on your perspective) protecting social media companies from liability for user-generated content posted on their platforms. In court, Snap Inc's attorney describes the platform as a tech-service provider, like a phone company. You wouldn't sue a phone company if a drug deal was made over the phone. The back-and-forth between the lawyers and the judge is a gripping intellectual tennis match. Peltz tells me that parents often feel powerless. 'But this is not a blame-the-parents situation. Companies need to make the changes so that these sites are responsible and are safe for children to be on. Parents can't be expected to keep up with their children when it comes to digital advances. It's time for these companies to stop blaming parents.' As for teenagers, people can be judgmental, she says. 'I think it's human nature to say, 'Well my child wouldn't buy drugs online.' Or, 'My child couldn't be sextorted.' The answer is that we can all hope that our children won't do things like that. But children are children. We all know about the frontal cortex, that it doesn't get fully developed until your 20s. Children make mistakes. They should be allowed to make mistakes and not have to die as a result.' Can't Look Away: The Case Against Social Media is in UK cinemas and streaming on from 8 August In the UK, the youth suicide charity Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141 or email pat@ and in the UK and Ireland Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 988 or chat for support. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at
The Independent
42 minutes ago
- The Independent
Transfer news live: Isak's agent speaks out, Arsenal battle Liverpool, Man Utd offered Sesko alternative
Newcastle United remain in the headlines due to the interest in striker Alexander Isak. The 25-year-old has been trying to force a move away from the club amid ongoing interest from Liverpool but Newcastle are holding out for a massive fee having rejected Liverpool 's first bid. Manager Eddie Howe says the situation is 'far from ideal'. Nevertheless the club are searching for a potential replacement and have now made a second bid for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, after their first was deemed not good enough by the German side. Manchester United, who are hopeful of securing a No 9 of their own, are considering their own move as the two clubs will battle it out over the closing days of the window. Elsewhere, Ruben Dias on the verge of agreeing a new contract with Manchester City, Nicolas Jackson is set to leave Chelsea this summer, while Arsenal are aiming to bolster their forward line by signing Crystal Palace 's Eberechi Eze. Palace want a fee in excess of £60m which is the amount of Eze's release clause but the Gunners are running out of time to trigger it. LAFC agree deal for Son LAFC have reached an agreement with Tottenham to sign Son Heung-min. The Evening Standard says the deal could be worth £20m which would become the record fee paid by an MLS club surpassing the £16.6m fee paid for Eammanuel Latte Lath by Atlanta United. The 33-year-old leaves Spurs with 173 goals in 454 appearances and a Europa League winners medal after ending the club's 17-year trophy drought in his final game. Mike Jones5 August 2025 12:01 Villa & Newcastle to fight for Calvert-Lewin? Reports in the UK suggest that Aston Villa, Newcastle and AC Milan are three clubs considering a move for former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The 28-year-old is a free agent after his Everton contract expired, and it is suggested he could be a cost-effective option for both Villa and the Magpies, with both covering only his wages. Mike Jones5 August 2025 11:51 Leipzig using Ekitike fee as benchmark? Reports from Germany suggest that RB Leipzig will use the fee Liverpool paid for Hugo Ekitike as a reference point for their valuation of Benjamin Sesko this summer. Ekitike completed a £79m move to Liverpool earlier in the window, with Leipzig expected to demand a similar sort of fee for their Slovenian striker. Newcastle have submitted a bid of €75m (£65.5m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in add-ons, Sky Sports News reported, but that bid was rejected for being too low. Mike Jones5 August 2025 11:40 Dortmund 'have reservations' over potential Sancho deal Borussia Dortmund have some reservations over a potential deal for Jadon Sancho due to the fact that neither Chelsea nor Man Utd see a future for the winger at their clubs. Sancho has been a success at Dortmund over two spells and is even said to be willing to take a pay cut to re-join the German side. United would reportedly let him leave for a fee similar to the £25m that Chelsea refused to pay. Mike Jones5 August 2025 11:28 Who is Rio Ngumoha? Liverpool's teenage sensation ready to star in Premier League It is quite the statement to say that, amid a £269m outlay to bring in players with the quality of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool's most exciting prospect this season comes in the form of a developing teenage striker. Yet that is the building hype concerning 16-year-old forward Rio Ngumoha and the quality his possesses at such a young age. Then again, hype is one thing but performing on the pitch is another and in this arena Ngumoha is showing why football fans are getting excited about his future. Who is Rio Ngumoha? Teenage sensation ready to star in Premier League The 16-year-old has lit up Liverpool's pre-season and is being backed to break into the first team this year Mike Jones5 August 2025 11:17 Man United's new stadium plans already delayed by dispute Manchester United 's bold plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium beside replace Old Trafford have already hit a major hindrance. Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled drawings earlier this year for a new venue to replace the tired existing ground, which has been poorly maintained under the Glazer family's ownership. The plans included major new housing, leisure and retail space around the ground to transform the area into an attractive destination that offers visitors more than just football. Man United's new stadium plans already delayed by dispute with freight train company Jim Ratcliffe wants to regenerate the space around United's new stadium but the club are struggling to negotiate with a local land owner Lawrence Ostlere5 August 2025 11:02 West Ham secure Callum Wilson's signature West Ham have reportedly agreed a deal with free agent Callum Wilson, who left Newcastle after his contract expired at the end of June. The 33-year-old is believed to be signing a one-year deal with the Hammers, according to Sky Sports News. Mike Jones5 August 2025 10:50 Ugochukwu & Broja to join Burnley Lesley Ugochukwu has been 'authorised for [a] medical at Burnley after permanent deal [was] agreed with Chelsea' reports Fabrizio Romano. The midfielder will join former Blues striker Armando Broja at Turf Moor after Burnley also agreed a deal for the Albanian, with that move worth around £20m. The fee for Ugochukwu remains unclear. Lawrence Ostlere5 August 2025 10:41 Newcastle to look at Watkins & Wissa if Isak leaves Newcastle will look at Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins if given encouragement that a deal can be done, according to the Daily Mail. Watkins would be available for around £60m, though Newcastle would likely try and reduce that fee. While the signing could act as a replacement for Alexander Isak, the club are also still targeting Brentford forward Yoane Wissa, who is reportedly valued at £50m too. Mike Jones5 August 2025 10:31 Arsenal duo set for exit door? Jakub Kiwior and Fabio Vieira could be set to leave Arsenal this summer, with reports linking them both to moves away from the Emirates. Kiwior is pushing to play more with Porto thought to be interested, though Arsenal rejected an offer from an unnamed club last month according to Fabrizio Romano. And Vieira - who spent last season on loan at Porto – has been the subject of an approach from German side Stuttgart, who want to sign him on a permanent deal, according to David Ornstein. Lawrence Ostlere5 August 2025 10:21
