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The Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Premier League 2025-26 preview No 16: Nottingham Forest
Guardian writers' predicted position: 12th (NB: this is not necessarily Will Unwin's prediction but the average of our writers' tips) Last season's position: 7th There is a sense they will need to be better in possession and dominate games because playing twice a week, once European competition begins, is especially difficult for a team who are chasing the ball and playing on the counter. The system has worked well for Nuno Espírito Santo in the past, but there is a sense evolution is required to keep Forest ahead of the game. Pre-season has brought an early shift in style and the change has been enthusiastically welcomed within the club. One problem has been evident: they are struggling to score. Forest played seven friendlies, scoring once and enduring five goalless draws. It was not ideal preparation for building on an incredibly successful year, but everyone will forget as long as early points are picked up. A lack of chances being created has not been the issue, more composure in front of goal, which could lead to another striker being welcomed. The loss of Anthony Elanga is a problem much time over recent weeks has been spent trying to solve. His electric pace was instrumental in Nuno's plans and finding a direct replacement is difficult when the predecessor probably could challenge for an Olympic sprinting medal, but there are high expectations of Dan Ndoye after his club-record signing. Considering everyone expected Morgan Gibbs-White to join Tottenham for £60m, the fact he has stayed and signed a new three-year contract is incredible news for the club. Evangelos Marinakis has received plenty of criticism since Forest's promotion, but deserves credit for single-handedly taking on the role of convincing Gibbs-White to commit at the City Ground. Forest fell short in the hunt for the Champions League as tiredness crept into a shallow squad late on and are waiting for more depth to be added. A full-back, midfielder, winger and striker remain on the shopping list. Nuno can do no wrong after leading Forest into Europe for the first time in 30 years. There is plenty of quiet charm to the former goalkeeper, who keeps things simple around the training ground and is respected by everyone who comes into contact with him. He may want to push on from finishing an incredible seventh, but maintaining the stability he has brought is the most important thing. Balancing domestic and continental competitions will be imperative because it is a fine balance for a mid-table side. The former Arsenal sporting director Edu has joined the wider group as global head of football. It may explain why the Brazilian/Botafogo market has been further explored, as does the close relationship between Marinakis and John Textor, but the wider effect is yet to be seen. The Gibbs-White saga with Forest complaining about an alleged illegal approach by Tottenham, and the wait to find out whether the club would be in the Europa League or Conference League, ensured things were not calm. Forest were granted planning permission to expand the City Ground to 35,000 by constructing a new 10,000-seat stand. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Ndoye is their record signing and the decision to spend €40m on the Swiss winger was not made lightly. A replacement for Elanga was needed and Ndoye was quickly targeted after shining with Bologna, helping them reach the Champions League and gaining some European experience. At 24, there is room for improvement, which fits the club's transfer strategy. He is not as quick as Elanga, but his stats are impressive, including scoring eight goals and creating another four in 30 Serie A appearances last season. An eagerness to test himself in the Premier League was key to the move. Zach Abbott signed a new four-year deal during the summer and is extremely highly thought of at the City Ground. He was given a surprise first start at right-back in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, having started in his more regular centre-back role against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, and will be eager to build on the experience. The 19-year-old has been part of the first-team squad for the past couple of seasons but has made three appearances and is yet to appear in the Premier League. Considering the increase in matches caused by European qualification, it feels inevitable he will get more opportunities. Taiwo Awoniyi helped keep Forest in the top flight with crucial goals in his first season. Fitness and form have since caused the Nigerian problems, and it has not helped him that Chris Wood has become one of the finest strikers in the Premier League, limiting Awoniyi's chances. It combined to leave him with two goals from 32 games last season. Awoniyi looked sharp in pre-season, giving the impression his physicality, speed and finishing could again be an asset to Nuno, but will need an early goal to ignite his confidence.
WIRED
11-08-2025
- WIRED
This $50 Bluetooth Speaker Has Lights and Floats!
Likewise, you'll have to keep your expectations in check when it comes to bass. Despite its festive LED light show, it's not a party speaker. You'll hear some lows, and if you place the speaker on a large surface like a non-marble kitchen counter, you may feel them. For its size, I have no complaints. Moreover, if you place the StormBox Mini+ in a corner or up against a wall, the boundary gain effect can offer significant bass enhancement. Tribit's newly added, app-based EQ function is worth experimenting with. The available nine-channel custom equalizer is overkill for such a small speaker, but I've got to hand it to Tribit: If you're going to offer an equalizer, you need to let people save their favorite mixes, and this lets you save 15 of them. I had better luck with the five built-in presets (Music, Audiobook, Classical, Rock, and Jazz). Stay Close for Calls Photograph: Simon Cohen The speakerphone function works well. That said, the gain on the built-in mic is a tad on the low side. If I moved further than about two feet from the speaker, my voice became a lot fainter. Other reviewers have tested the StormBox Mini+ for phone calls and noted that the speaker disconnected. I had no such problems. I also had no problem summoning Siri. A long press on the multifunction button was followed by two tones, one to confirm the long press and a second to let you know Siri was now listening. Tribit claims you'll get 12 hours of playtime on a single charge (you'll need 2.5 hours to charge it from empty). If you keep the volume at 50% and turn off the LED ring, you'll probably get pretty close to that number. In my testing, using a variety of volume levels (mostly above 50%), with the ring lit continuously, it was closer to 9.5 hours. These aren't the best specs for a portable speaker, but given that you can get almost a whole day out of a charge, they aren't a deal-breaker, either. The StormBox Mini+ has no shortage of competitors in the portable Bluetooth speaker market. You can go smaller and less expensive with the Soundcore Select 4 Go, you can spend more for slightly better sound in UE Wonderboom 4, and the sky's the limit for more powerful options, including the excellent JBL Flip 7 ($150), Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ($150), and Marshall Middleton ($320). However, I'd argue that for its unique combination of price, sound quality, and features, you'd be hard pressed to find another waterproof model that checks as many boxes.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Influencer Breaks Spine Attempting Nicki Minaj Stiletto Challenge
Originally appeared on E! Online Never try to walk a mile in Nicki Minaj's heels. Russian influencer Mariana Barutkina lived out the cautionary tale after trying the viral stiletto challenge—which sees users attempt to balance in heels while striking a pose to Minaj's 'High School'— and subsequently fracturing her back just weeks after giving birth. 'I decided to start blogging,' Mariana wrote in an August 1 Instagram post alongside the video of her toppling off her kitchen counter, 'and here I am leaving the doctor diagnosed with Th9 compression bending uncomplicated fracture of the body.' As the influencer joked, 'the irony? Karma? Or just life, which always tests our strength at the most unexpected moment.' Mariana's spill saw her attempting to balance on a saucepan and a canister of baby formula stacked on top of a kitchen counter. Although she managed to maintain her balance for a few minutes, the video quickly took a turn when she fell backward off the high countertop. More from E! Online Ozzy Osbourne's Cause of Death Revealed Jamie Lee Curtis Has Strong Reaction to Critics of Pamela Anderson & Liam Neeson's Rumored Romance Jack Osbourne Shared Update on Relationship With Sister Aimee Weeks Before Ozzy's Death But despite the minor back fracture, Mariana admitted that the spill was worth the claim to fame. 'Because of one video, which was unsuccessfully filmed, I woke up a popular person,' Mariana added in a subsequent post. 'More than 50 people sent me my reel from different publications today.' And the mommy blogger assured that she and her newborn were doing fine in light of the fall. 'I'm doing great, following the guidelines and now living in 'star' status,' Mariana continued. 'Whoever worries about my child is also calm, he has two nannies and while I was filming one of them was with him.' Mariana's fall is far from the only accident to go viral as of late. Earlier this summer, a Savannah Bananas baseball player Robert Anthony Cruz had a taste of social media stardom after a failed attempt at a backflip during a live CNN broadcast. As the clip made rounds around the internet, Robert assured he was not only OK—but in on the joke. 'Hey guys, for the record you have my full permission to laugh,' he wrote in an Instagram Story July 24. 'I can't not laugh every time I watch it, too. With the sound, it's crazy.' While Mariana and Robert were able to get through their viral moments mostly unscathed, keep reading for more celebrity health scares… Nikki Garcia's Breast Implant InjuryLupita Nyong'o's Uterine FibroidsSuki Waterhouse's HerniaBrian Austin Green's Perforated AppendixAdam Devine's Long-Term Injury From Childhood AccidentJason Tartick's Back InjuryMatt Kirschenheiter's Heart AttackTracy Morgan's Medical EmergencyChristy Carlson Romano's Eye InjuryAmy Schumer's Cushing SyndromeCasey Fitzgerald's Neck Injury From Hockey Skate BladeHailey Bieber's Blood ClotJustin Bieber's Ramsay Hunt SyndromeJamie Foxx's Brain Bleed & StrokeEmilia Clarke's Brain AneurysmCori Broadus's StrokeShailene Woodley's Health Battle For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Solve the daily Crossword
TimesLIVE
02-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
AU helicopter crashes in Somali capital, state-run media reports
A military helicopter from the African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at the airport in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday and was engulfed in flames, the state-run SONNA news outlet reported. The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties. An AUSSOM spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. "We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter," Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. "The smoke entirely covered the helicopter." AUSSOM has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country's military counter Islamist group al Shabaab. The al Qaeda affiliate has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia's internationally recognised government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law.
MTV Lebanon
02-07-2025
- General
- MTV Lebanon
African Union helicopter crashes in Somali capital, state-run media reports
A military helicopter from the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at the airport in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday and was engulfed in flames, the state-run SONNA news outlet reported. The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties. An AUSSOM spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. "We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter," Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. "The smoke entirely covered the helicopter." AUSSOM has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country's military counter Islamist group al Shabaab. The al Qaeda affiliate has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia's internationally-recognised government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law.
