Tonight marks the conclusion of Didier Deschamps’ remarkable 14-year journey with the French national team, Les Bleus.

During his tenure, Deschamps led France to numerous triumphs, including a coveted World Cup victory. He also guided them to the finals of another World Cup and the European Championship, not to mention clinching the Nations League title along the way.

Kylian Mbappe, often viewed as the stylistic counterpart to Deschamps in football, has openly expressed his admiration and affection for the departing manager.

In a heartfelt message on X, Mbappe shared, “You who gave us so much. We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed.”

He continued, “Summing up what you contributed over 14 years is no easy task, given how instrumental you were in the revitalization of this team. While your greatness wasn’t always fully appreciated, rest assured that both time and history will rightfully honor you…”

‘Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage for so many years.

‘I feel privileged to have been able to stand alongside one of the greatest legends of our country, and I hold only excellent memories of everything we lived through and accomplished together. I wish you the best in your new adventure, and thank you again for everything you brought to this jersey that means so much to us.’

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Meteorologists predict that the smoky haze caused by Canadian wildfires, which has been dominating the skyline across the Northeast, will mostly dissipate from the New Jersey area by Sunday. This clearing is anticipated just in time for the World Cup final, aided by thunderstorms sweeping through the region.

Despite this optimistic forecast, warnings regarding unhealthy air quality persisted across a large portion of the United States on Saturday. At MetLife Stadium, the venue for the final match, heavy rain and thunder unfolded. State police advised spectators to vacate their seats and seek shelter. As rain poured from above, ponchos were distributed to volunteers and staff scrambling for cover under the consistently murky gray sky that had lingered for several days.

On Saturday, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill cautioned residents about the potential for severe weather conditions, including damaging winds, tornadoes, flash floods, and large hail. The storms impeded schedules, halting Spain’s training session against Argentina at a nearby location due to nearby lightning. FIFA maintained communication with local authorities to evaluate the dual impacts of the wildfire smoke and severe weather on the match conditions at MetLife Stadium.

Storms will help clear the air

Tyler Roys, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, stated that the passing storm front should largely clear the Northeast of smoke before the Spain versus Argentina final. The World Cup matches are held at MetLife Stadium, temporarily branded as the New York/New Jersey Stadium, which features an open-air design.

Roys further commented, “There might be a hint of lingering smoke creating some haze, but it would be barely noticeable. The thick smoke causing significant air quality issues isn’t expected to affect New York City or much of the Northeast.”

Meteorologist says the air quality for the game ‘won’t be dangerous’

WFLA-TV Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist Jeff Berardelli, in Tampa, Florida, echoed that, saying the storm front would “sweep the atmosphere clean,” leaving only a thin smoke that World Cup spectators may still smell in the air.

The air quality index shows an improvement from unhealthy air for sensitive groups on Saturday to “moderate” air quality Sunday in East Rutherford, which means little to no health risk for the general public.

“It won’t be dangerous anymore,” Berardelli said. “It’s going to be dramatically better.”

Temperatures are forecast to be around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), with light breezes and low humidity for the start of the final.

“You couldn’t have asked for much better weather for the World Cup,” Berardelli added.

Both Roys and Berardelli expect the heavier smoke Sunday to be concentrated closer to the fires, hanging over parts of the Midwest and the Great Lakes region.

Wildfires have been igniting across Canada and northern Minnesota this month. Berardelli said they are burning longer and faster because of climate change. The Canadian Wildland Fire Information System showed hundreds of active fires Saturday.

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McDermott reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

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Smoke from wildfires raging in Canada continues to loom over parts of the United States, prompting forestry specialists to suggest that Canada could diminish some wildfire severity by embracing more decisive forest management strategies.

This transnational issue has climbed to the top of the political agenda, with President Donald Trump implicating Canada for inadequate forest maintenance. He hinted at integrating the financial toll of the smoke into tariffs on Canadian goods, heightening economic tensions.

“Canada’s failure to properly care for their forests is subjecting the U.S. to unwelcome and unhealthy air,” Trump asserted in a Truth Social post. He announced plans to discuss the matter with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, criticizing Canada for disregarding essential forest management and debris removal, deeming it “Willful Negligence.”

Weighing in on the conversation, Andrew Hale, a Canadian fellow with Advancing American Freedom, criticized Canada’s wildfire strategies for neglecting crucial forest management priorities.

“Canada has a policy of not keeping reservoirs. They also will not cut firebreaks and will not thin their forests,” Hale told News Media. “This is the result of the undue influence of environmental groups who are firmly politically motivated and have divorced themselves from science and good stewardship. Canada and the rest of North America is suffering as a result,” he said.

Earlier this week, four Republican members of Michigan’s congressional delegation — Reps. Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar — sent a letter to Carney saying residents in their state were once again experiencing unhealthy air because of smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires.

“We are done accepting apologies in place of action,” the lawmakers wrote, accusing Canada of underinvesting in forest thinning, fuel reduction and prescribed burns while calling for measurable plans to reduce future wildfire smoke crossing the border.

The criticism comes as Canada’s own Senate has reached a similar conclusion on one point: while it says climate change is making wildfire seasons longer and more severe, the country also needs to do substantially more to prepare its forests before fires ignite.

The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry released a report in June titled Canada on Fire: The Catastrophic and Escalating Effects of Wildfires on Lives and Communities after holding 17 meetings, hearing testimony from 79 witnesses and receiving 23 written briefs from scientists, government officials, Indigenous leaders and industry experts.

The committee concluded that Canada’s three most recent wildfire seasons demonstrated that climate change was accelerating fire behavior “beyond the capacity of existing systems.” At the same time, it found that prevention efforts have not kept pace with the growing threat.

Much of the report focuses on what experts call “fuel management” — reducing the amount of dry grass, dead trees, fallen branches and other vegetation that allows small fires to become large, destructive wildfires.

“Several witnesses agreed that prescribed fire is the most important risk-reduction tool for helping to manage or slow wildfire on the landscape and restoring ecological integrity,” the report said.

One witness, Paul Hessburg, a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, said that climate change is making wildfire conditions worse but does not eliminate the value of proactive forest management.

“The punchline is, with climate change, these conditions will intensify with less snowpack, more fires, bigger fires, hotter fires,” Hessburg told the committee. “The question is: Can we restore resilience? We can. We can bring back these elements and put the governors back into the landscape that historically regulated the flow of fire.”

Jason Hayes, a senior research fellow in energy and environmental policy at the Heritage Foundation, said the practical solution is to spend more time managing forests before fires begin rather than relying primarily on emergency response after they start.

“The best thing to do is get out, space and thin, do prescribed burns and recognize that these are renewable resources,” Hayes told News Media. “If we did that, then we would have much less intense wildfires.”

Hayes acknowledged that carrying out those recommendations across Canada would be far more difficult than simply identifying them. He said many fires burn in remote areas of northern Ontario and other parts of Canada that are difficult to reach because they are far from roads and population centers.

“You have to fly in, and it’s just difficult to do,” Hayes said.

Witnesses to the Canadian Senate committee also warned that Canada faces practical challenges beyond forest management, including shortages of wildfire-management expertise and an aging fleet of firefighting aircraft. The report cited testimony that provincial fleets still include 22 older CL-215 aircraft and that at least 20 aircraft require immediate replacement.

News Media has reached out to the Office of Prime Minister Mark Carney but did not receive a comment in time for publication. 

Bunnie Xo sparked excitement on social media this past Friday after revealing her stunning new residence to comedian Matt Matthews. This unveiling came mere hours after she finalized her divorce from musician Jelly Roll.

“Matt seeing the new house for the first time,” Bunnie captioned a video showcasing her elegant home tour, highlighting the fresh chapter in her life.

As they entered a spacious room lined with shelves, Matt was visibly taken aback. “What is this?” he inquired, prompting Bunnie’s off-camera response: “Closet and makeup room.”

The disbelief didn’t end there. Matt’s eyes widened before he playfully rolled atop a massive bed, proclaiming, “Girl! This is nice!” He later dubbed the lavish home “f–king stupid!” in admiration of its opulence.

Outside, Matt couldn’t contain his surprise beneath an outdoor shower head. With humor tinged with envy, he shouted, “It’s a whole shower! Outside? I am so poor!”

In another clip, Matt quipped, “I live in a trailer compared to this!” while checking out a mirrored room with floral wallpaper.

As he entered another shelved space, he gushed in disbelief, “This is for shoes?” At one point, he joked, “I’m not even happy for you!”

The influencer could be briefly seen at one point, wearing a black bikini top while conducting the tour.

Bunnie, 46, captioned the clip on Friday with a simple laughing emoji.

In the comments thread, fans were quick to congratulate the “Dumb Blonde” podcast host on her new home.

“Could you imagine giving young Bunnie a tour of that home 🥲🥹♥️ CONGRATULATIONS beautiful every version of you has existed and hurt to be where you are now ♥️♥️♥️,” one person gushed, while another wrote, “i want a tour 😭.”

A third joked, “Never felt so poor . Let me come live in a closet or something.”

Bunnie’s house tour dropped just hours after news broke that she settled her divorce from Jelly Roll, 41, after nearly ten years of marriage.

The former couple kept many of the details of their split confidential, but according to TMZ, the “Stripped Down” author will reportedly be given a one-time lump sum payment from her former husband.

Per the outlet, the former couple will split various assets, including vehicles, homes, an aircraft and intellectual properties.

According to TMZ, the settlement includes a stipulation that neither party publicly speak ill of each other.

The Grammy winning musician — also known as Jason DeFord — filed for divorce from Bunnie (aka Alisa DeFord) on May 18 in their home state of Tennessee, citing the standard “irreconcilable differences.”

Since then, Bunnie has announced via her podcast that the former couple still plans to have a baby together — before being seen making out with 24-year-old reality star Dylan Wolf at Jelly Roll’s Nashville bar earlier this month.

There doesn’t appear to be any bad blood between the exes, however, as Jelly Roll interrupted his own show at the Saratoga Springs, NY, stop of his Little ASS Shed Tour in June to tell the audience that “Me and my wife are best friends. We will always be best friends.”

Speculation has emerged that Chloe Fineman’s exit from Saturday Night Live wasn’t on the friendliest of terms, following revelations about the true nature of her departure.

Yet, an insider with ties to the show assured Daily Mail that such rumors are unfounded, even as the 37-year-old comedian publicly shared her decision to leave the beloved variety show.

On Thursday, Fineman took to Instagram to mark the end of her chapter on the NBC sketch platform, expressing that after ‘seven wonderful seasons,’ it felt like the right moment to move on, coming just weeks after the curtain closed on its 51st season.

It had been said that the actress formed close bonds with some castmates but did not mesh with everyone as a source for Page Six claimed: ‘Chloe could rub people the wrong way at times.

“She formed strong bonds with several cast members, although not everyone felt the same connection.”

While some of Fineman’s fellow cast members voiced public support on her social media announcement, insiders suggest that those sentiments did not echo across the entire ensemble.

The insider said: ‘Some cast members felt like she expected people to accommodate her and assumed everyone would adjust to her schedule and preferences.

‘It wasn’t some huge feud or anything like that.’

As mentioned earlier, a source close to the variety show told Daily Mail these claims were not true. Fineman’s representatives did not comment.

It was also recently revealed that a career opportunity came up and Fineman abruptly made the decision to move on from the show.

The star had made the decision to leave SNL just hours after she was offered a role on David E. Kelley’s new Netflix drama titled Myron Molitar according to Page Six on Friday. 

An industry insider told the publication that it ‘all unfolded in one day… It happened very quickly.

‘Chloe went back and forth, but it was a smart move — she knew she couldn’t say no.’

Fineman had a lot of momentum early on in her SNL stint but newcomers like Ashley Padilla and Veronika Slowikowska have quickly made a name for themselves with the former expected to be promoted to the main cast after a breakout season. 

The source explained: ‘After seven seasons on the show, and with all the new faces, it was probably the best move for her.’

Fineman’s exit came at an interesting time as cast departures, additions, and changes are usually made in August. 

‘It’s really hard to leave SNL but it does feel like the right time,’ the talented impressionist wrote on Instagram Thursday.

‘I’m going to miss it a lot. But the people who work there are my family and that place is my home, and I know I’ll never be too far away.’

Fineman went on to write that the job was ‘the greatest privilege of my life’ and she’s ‘forever in debt’ to creator Lorne Michaels.

‘Every day I was lucky enough to be surrounded by the best people in the business, and I was constantly amazed watching them work,’ the half-Jewish funnywoman – who boasts 1.5 million social media followers – wrote.

‘Sewing a JoJo Siwa costume in 10 hours. Writing a cold open at 2pm on a Saturday. Finishing the VFX of a video minutes before dress (I don’t know if “finishing VFX” is the right technical term but you get the idea).’ 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Fineman’s rep for comment, but did not immediately hear back. 

The Northern California native originally joined the talented ensemble in 2019 for the 45th season, and she was promoted to repertory player two seasons later in 2021.

Fineman was known for her impersonations of celebs like Drew Barrymore, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Britney Spears, Timothée Chalamet, Julianne Moore, Kim Cattrall, Jennifer Coolidge and Anna Delvey.

She will also be remembered for Snack Homiez with Sabrina Carpenter and her Domingo sketches with Marcello Hernández.

Speaking of which, Hernández wrote in the comments section: ‘Congrats Carlotaaaa!’

Repertory player Sarah Sherman posted no less than 13 sobbing emojis.

Featured player Jane Wickline commented with a pink heart emoji: ‘Congrats Chloeee!’

Featured player Ben Marshall posted a sobbing emoji and wrote: ‘SNL legend.’

‘YOU KILLED IT!’ former SNL staffer Molly Kearney commented with three red heart emojis. ‘Congrats buddy.’ 

In Living Color alum David Alan Grier posted blown away and sobbing emojis with the dramatic comment: ‘No, no, noooooooooo!’

And SNL alum Ego Nwodim posted three clapping emojis and wrote: ‘Congratulations Chloe!’

Nwodim left the show last summer and Bowen Yang left after the December 20th episode this past season.

Fineman has quietly carved out a film career after appearances in White Noise (2022), Babylon (2022), Megalopolis (2024), Despicable Me 4 (2024), Summer of 69 (2025) and Freakier Friday (2025). 

Fineman will next portray Marisa in Josh Greenbaum’s pickleball comedy The Dink – premiering July 24 on Apple TV – alongside Jake Johnson, Ben Stiller, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris and Patton Oswalt.

The Big Mouth actress’ other upcoming films include Brian Swibel’s comedic thriller The Very Best People, Jamie Babbit’s rom-com sequel Red, White & Royal Wedding and Joey Power’s indie rom-com Love Language.

Britain is on the brink of a political shift as Andy Burnham, the incoming Prime Minister and newly appointed Labour leader, delivered a speech on Friday criticizing the economic policies established by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. He promised to strengthen public control over key services, marking a decisive move leftward from the era of outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Set to officially assume his role as prime minister on Monday, Burnham highlighted what he described as “a series of wrong turns” made during the 1980s, a time when centralized political power handed over economic control to private enterprises. His candidacy for party leader faced no opposition, backed by 379 Members of Parliament.

In his address on July 17 in London, Burnham emphasized, “The country surrendered control of the essentials—housing, water, energy, transport—and it left people burdened with higher costs,” as his speech transcript reveals.

He argued that the last four decades of neoliberal economic policy had been harsh on working-class and industrial communities, traditionally Labour supporters. Burnham framed his rise as the most pivotal political moment in the UK in four decades.

“The government I lead will confidently lay that path out starting next week,” Burnham declared. “That is why this change today is the most significant change moment in our politics for 40 years.”

Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, said Burnham’s speech offered a clear ideological signal but little detail about how his government would carry it out. “With Burnham, there is a lot of light and heat, but not much actual substance,” he added. “We are all still waiting to see what that substance might be.”
 

Mendoza said, “If he thinks Britain has been on the wrong track for the last 40 years, what is the right track? Is it socialism of a past kind? Is it some form of statism? What does he actually intend to do?”

Burnham’s speech offered the clearest indication yet that the former Greater Manchester mayor intends to move the party away from Starmer’s more cautious economic positioning and toward greater state ownership, expanded council and social housing, giving more power to regional government and increased state involvement in essential services.

Burnham said Labour would no longer attempt to imitate the right and far-left parties. “We won’t try to out-Green the Greens or out-Reform Reform.”

Although he did not explicitly advocate returning Britain to the 1970s or refer to the late Lady Thatcher by name, free-market critics portrayed his attack on her reforms as an effort to revive the state-dominated economic policies that preceded her government.

Britain experienced the Winter of Discontent in 1978-79, when millions of workers participated in widespread strikes over pay that disrupted daily life. The strikes left trash uncollected, reduced hospital services and affected public transportation. The unrest is widely seen as a major factor in the election of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservatives in 1979 as voters turned against the unions and the Labour government of that time.

The Adam Smith Institute responded to his speech by publishing a lengthy defense of the Thatcher era, highlighting reductions in income and corporate tax rates, privatizations, rising homeownership and fewer days lost to labor strikes.

“Since you mentioned the 1980s, Andy Burnham, here’s a reminder of what was achieved,” the free-market think tank wrote before listing economic indicators it said improved during the period.

According to the free-market think tank, the top rate of income tax fell from 83% to 40%, the basic rate dropped from 33% to 25%, and corporation tax was reduced from 52% to 35%. It said inflation declined from a peak of 21.9% in 1980 to 2.4% in 1986, while the number of working days lost to strikes fell from 29.5 million in 1979 to 1.9 million in 1990. The institute also said homeownership rose from 55% to 67%, the number of individual shareholders increased from 3 million to 11 million, and national debt fell from 47% of gross domestic product to 28%.

Emma Schubart, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society who previously worked at the Adam Smith Institute, told News Media that Burnham’s speech demonstrated what she described as a fundamental misunderstanding of taxation and economic incentives.

“The biggest takeaway is that he comes across as pretty economically illiterate,” Schubart said in an interview Friday. She called Burnham’s “demonization” of Thatcher polices “strange and needless.”

Schubart argued that Burnham’s message was internally contradictory because he presented his leadership as a national renewal while proposing to dismantle reforms associated with the 1980s.

“He keeps saying he’s bringing a renewal to the U.K. and a new chapter,” she said. “But then he also says, ‘We’re going to go back to the ’70s.’ You have to pick one.”

Burnham nevertheless insisted he would be a “pro-business leader,” while calling for greater public control of essential services, new powers for regional governments and closer cooperation with private businesses.

The ideological shift presents an immediate political gamble. Burnham must unite Labour’s competing factions, reassure financial markets and respond to Reform UK’s growing challenge — all while taking office without winning a national election. 

Mendoza warned that Burnham’s effort to appeal to the left could complicate relations with the Trump administration. “The government could most definitely clash with the United States under Burnham’s vision, because the voters he is trying to bring back into his tent include many of those who are deeply hostile to America.

“If he adopts U.S.-friendly policies, he risks alienating the voting coalition he is trying to create,” he continued. “But if he decides to pick fights with the United States, he risks damaging British national security and the alliance with America, which matters far more to the country than any electoral coalition.”

Burnham is expected to be sworn in as prime minister on Monday by King Charles III.

Fantasy baseball enthusiasts have found themselves in a tight spot this season, as the third base position has become a barren wasteland. Managers are desperately trying to patch up their rosters to cover this glaring deficiency.

Those who missed out on acquiring a top-tier player from the outset are now confronting an almost complete absence of offensive output, which is severely impacting their team’s performance in the rankings.

With a drastic decline in available talent, clinging to hopes that Alec Bohm or similar late finds might turn fortunes around seems unrealistic.

In the current competitive arena, tackling the challenges of the third base requires a proactive stance, with vigilance toward the waiver wire being crucial.

This task has transformed from a leisurely weekend activity into a relentless, daily pursuit, aimed at extracting every bit of potential from the remaining pool of players.

If you check your league’s waiver wire and find Nationals infielder Curtis Mead sitting out there unclaimed, you need to add him to your roster immediately.

The young infielder has completely transformed his approach at the plate this year, providing a legitimate, high-impact offensive surge that can single-handedly rescue your infield metrics. Through 80 games, Mead boasts an incredible .502 slugging percentage with 17 home runs and 44 runs batted in across 259 at-bats.

This breakout is entirely sustainable based on his underlying data profile. Mead is generating a spectacular 131 weighted-runs-created-plus, meaning his overall offensive production is 31 percent above the league average.

He pairs that with a premium .365 weighted on-base average (wOBA) and a career-high 11.9 percent barrel rate. By lowering his strikeout rate to an impressive 18.6 percent and maintaining a 42.6 percent hard-hit rate, Mead is making authoritative contact every night. He represents the absolute premier target to cure your third base headaches.

If a savvy league mate has already beaten you to Mead, your pivoting strategy might want to shift immediately to recent Athletics call-up Tommy White.

The former collegiate standout has hit his way into the big leagues after showcasing serious raw power throughout his professional development.

During his 2026 minor league campaign, White posted a strong .303 batting average with 10 home runs and 64 runs batted in over 314 at-bats. This translated to a heavy .489 slugging percentage and a highly productive .834 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).

Plus, his career minor league track record is equally reassuring, featuring a steady .279 average and 129 runs batted in over 194 games.

He also kept his strikeout rate down at a disciplined 14.3 percent. And if you’re looking for a cherry on top of that sundae, White plays his home games at Sutter Health Park, a notorious hitter-friendly environment that significantly inflates offensive metrics.

Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting

Fantasy championships are not won by managers who accept mediocre production and wait for luck to change. If your third base slot is tanking your roster, get aggressive and work the waiver wire.

Grab Curtis Mead for steady, elite production, or gamble on the raw power of Tommy White before the rest of your league wakes up right now.

Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy , catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Ch. 87) weekdays from 6-8 p.m. and dominate your leagues with the latest baseball news and advice from Fantasy Alarm.