SEATTLE — Exit from the World Cup has prompted uncertainties around the future of the U.S. men’s national team’s coach, Mauricio Pochettino. On Monday night, after a decisive 4-1 loss to Belgium, the Argentine remained ambiguous about his continuation with the team.

“In the coming weeks, conversations with the federation will be possible if they wish,” Pochettino remarked after the match. “Right now, it’s time for some rest, reflection, and discussions with the federation to determine our next steps. I’m very happy with what we’ve achieved, and we’ve formed a strong relationship, but discussing my future isn’t appropriate at this moment.”

Prior to the World Cup, U.S. Soccer reportedly proposed extending Pochettino’s contract through the 2030 World Cup.

Yet, Pochettino’s desires seem torn. He has publicly stated his interest in returning to manage in the English Premier League, which raises questions about his commitment to leading the U.S. team.

During his brief time with the national team, Pochettino embraced American culture and appeared to relish his coaching role at the World Cup. However, a full four-year commitment involving rigorous qualifications would significantly differ from his current experience. Having been at the helm for just 18 months, Pochettino benefited from the U.S. team’s automatic World Cup qualification as the host country.

The idea of coaching a host nation, clearly, was part of the allure for Pochettino.

Perhaps the 2028 Copa America, which is likely to be held in the U.S., will be part of the carrot to come back, as well as the fact that many of the same players Pochettino has built relationships with will play huge roles at the 2030 World Cup, which is to be played largely on the Iberian peninsula and in Morocco.

Another factor is that most European club jobs are filled at this point in the cycle. AC Milan, a club that seemed to have some interest in Pochettino, filled its managerial role with Ruben Amorim.

Pochettino, who lived mostly in Barcelona and London during his time managing the U.S., would also need to consider whether he wants to move stateside. With a shiny new facility open in Fayetteville, Ga., the next USMNT manager could work out of the Atlanta suburb.

Raleigh, North Carolina’s mayor, is contemplating a new strategy to curb juvenile delinquency—a curfew for minors. This consideration comes in response to the unsettling chaos and violence that marred the Independence Day weekend, culminating in multiple shootings and fights involving teenagers across the nation.

The events prompted Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell to express her concerns to WRAL News. She is now seriously considering instituting a curfew for individuals 17 years old and younger as a preventative measure.

“As Mayor, I am grateful for the Raleigh Police officers’ swift response to juvenile violence on the evening of July 4 and the morning of July 5,” Cowell remarked. She emphasized Raleigh is not immune to the surge in youth violence seen across the country. The mayor believes in engaging with youth, their families, educational institutions, and the community at large to uncover the underlying issues and align on more effective strategies.

Among the measures being contemplated is adopting a youth curfew for those 17 and under, a strategy already in place in other North Carolina cities. The mayor has indicated that city officials are considering various options, which will be on the agenda for discussion at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

News Media has reached out to Cowell’s office.

Around 5,000 teenagers showed up in Brier Creek and another 5,000 in Glenwood South, with half residing outside the city, the Raleigh Police Department said Sunday.

Raleigh police officers initially responded just after 10:05 p.m. Saturday to reports of a fight near a movie theater and nearby stores. The incident stemmed from a “teen takeover,” a social media-driven phenomenon where massive crowds of youths coordinate to suddenly congregate at public spaces like beaches, malls, or restaurants.

A large fight broke out, followed by gunshots. One adult was shot and another was injured by shattered glass caused by the shooting, police said. A juvenile was found with a gun and detained, but investigators don’t believe the teen was one of the shooters.

Hours later, at 1:35 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to multiple shootings. Six people were shot but were expected to survive.

At around 4:30 a.m., two people were shot following a fight at a gas station, police said. They were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests were made.

Investigations into the shootings are ongoing, police said.

In a Monday post on X, Cowell called teen takeovers a “disturbing national trend.”

“Now in #raleighnc . Grateful to @raleighpolice for bringing back order & protecting public. @raleighgov & whole community have work ahead to engage with youth to prevent future occurrences,” she wrote.

An Instagram post from Milk Bar, a bar in the Glenwood South area, said the actions of a few ruined the peace for patrons in the area.

“While we had zero safety incidents inside Milk Bar, we made the proactive decision alongside other businesses to close our doors, to protect our patrons and staff from the surrounding unrest,” the post states. “Gun violence and reckless behavior have no place in our nightlife scene. WE CAN DO BETTER, RALEIGH!”

In Provo, Utah, prosecutors are working to convince a judge to advance the case against a man accused of killing Charlie Kirk. As the preliminary hearing unfolds, expected to span a week, Tuesday’s proceedings are set to feature crucial law enforcement video and a recorded statement from the accused’s roommate.

Opening on Monday, the court proceedings have yet to produce any groundbreaking revelations. However, they represent the most comprehensive presentation of evidence thus far against Tyler Robinson, a 23-year-old facing charges of aggravated murder in the death of Kirk, known for his alliance with former President Donald Trump.

During the hearing, Christopher Bagley, a former officer from Utah Valley University, provided testimony describing the moment he witnessed the shooting. He recounted that the conservative activist Kirk was addressing a large audience at the university on September 10 when the incident took place. Bagley revealed that he subsequently located a gravel rooftop nearby, where he believed someone had been positioned to take a shot with an unobstructed view of Kirk’s location.

“It looks like a sniper pad,” Bagley remarked as he presented his findings to the court.

Tyler Robinson has yet to enter a plea regarding the charges. His legal team has remained silent on his guilt or innocence but has made attempts to eliminate the possibility of the death penalty, though these attempts have not been successful so far.

Court will hear statement from defendant’s roommate

If prosecutors follow the order of an exhibit list they submitted earlier this year, they will present a video from the Washington County sheriff’s office from Sept. 11 — the day Robinson turned himself in — and recorded testimony from Robinson’s roommate.

Prosecutors allege Robinson confessed in a note left for his roommate, who was also his romantic partner, that read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

Robinson also reportedly texted his roommate that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred,” prosecutors have said.

Prosecutors have also said they plan to present DNA evidence linking Robinson to the suspected murder weapon, autopsy findings, witness statements and video of Kirk’s killing. In addition, they are expected to argue the shooting endangered others at Kirk’s campus event — an aggravating circumstance that could make the crime punishable by death under Utah law.

Kirk’s family briefly left the courtroom

Monday marked the first time Kirk’s parents, Kathryn and Robert, and widow, Erika, were in the courtroom since the case began.

Robinson’s parents also were present, sitting a few rows behind the Kirks. Robinson sat quietly between his attorneys throughout the hearing, looking at the prosecution’s exhibits on a monitor and occasionally taking notes. His wrists were shackled to a chain around his waist.

Prosecutors showed several graphic videos of Kirk’s shooting, including of the moment he was shot and security administering first aid, as they made their case to state District Judge Tony Graf.

Kirk’s family briefly walked out of the courtroom twice — when Bagley started testifying about Charlie Kirk’s arrival on campus and again when prosecutors introduced the videos. Each time, they returned.

Prosecutors have a low bar

The proceeding resembles a minitrial, but prosecutors need only demonstrate that there are reasonable grounds to believe Robinson killed Kirk and should stand trial. The standard is lower than for a trial, where prosecutors must prove guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Prosecutors, as a result, should have little trouble advancing their case, said Mark Kouris, a former prosecutor and state judge in Salt Lake City.

“This standard is extremely low and the chances of them not getting through it are, quite frankly, almost nothing,” said Kouris, now an adjunct professor at the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law.

Defense attorney Kathryn Nester repeatedly objected to evidence introduced by prosecutors. She was mostly overruled by the judge.

When she asked Bagley about finding an empty pistol holster on the ground after the crowd fled, he acknowledged he never took custody of the holster and didn’t know whether it had been fingerprinted.

Utah is an open carry state, meaning people can carry guns openly or conceal them without a permit.

Graf sided with the defense to block the introduction of a compilation of surveillance videos from Utah Valley University because some had been altered to zoom in or had circles drawn around individuals. Prosecutors said they would try again Tuesday to introduce that video with the alterations removed.

Erika Kirk says court proceedings are a ‘painful reminder’

Before his death, Kirk and the organization he co-founded, Turning Point USA, galvanized the conservative youth vote to help Trump win a second term.

The Republican president has said he hopes Robinson receives the death penalty.

Erika Kirk said during her husband’s memorial service that she forgives Robinson.

Ahead of Monday’s hearing, she thanked supporters in a statement for their kindness and prayers.

“Every court proceeding serves as a painful reminder of his death,” she wrote, “and the loss that has irrevocably impacted our lives and the lives of his children.”

___

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.

In a heart-stopping scene on New York’s East River, NYPD body camera footage has vividly captured the dramatic rescue of eight passengers trapped in a seaplane. The passengers found themselves in peril after their aircraft’s landing went awry.

A one-minute clip, rife with tension, shows officers swiftly pulling up alongside the stricken plane. Moments earlier, the seaplane had struck the river’s surface, shedding one of its vital pontoons in the process.

Members of the NYPD Harbor Unit can be witnessed charging across the water, expertly securing the wounded craft with a rope. Despite the seaplane’s dangerous tilt, they maintained a calm demeanor while carefully guiding the passengers to safety.

With urgency, and amid the unsteady plane’s rocking, officers ensured each passenger was accounted for. They efficiently assisted them, one by one, from the vulnerable plane onto the narrow, secure edge of the NYPD patrol boat, demonstrating commendable bravery and professionalism.

The incident unfolded just after noon on Sunday. The Blade-operated seaplane, which was returning from the Hamptons, experienced a harsh landing, abruptly transforming what should have been a routine return into a precarious predicament.

Bodycam footage begins as the police vessel races toward the downed aircraft, whose left wing is already sitting noticeably lower in the water.

As the patrol boat approaches, one officer directs the captain of the police boat to pull alongside one of the aircraft’s pontoons so passengers can be evacuated as quickly as possible.

A rope is then passed between the seaplane and the NYPD vessel, securing the two craft together and preventing them from drifting apart while the rescue gets underway.

‘How many people have you got?’ one officer asks as he steps onto the pontoon beside the aircraft.

The captain assures the officer that there were no serious injuries.

Within seconds, officers begin ushering passengers from the cabin.

One by one, they carefully step onto the aircraft’s float before climbing across the narrow gap and onto the patrol boat, where Harbor Unit officers steady each person and help them safely into the cabin.

Several passengers are seen wearing bright yellow life jackets as they cautiously make their way across while officers repeatedly reassure them that help has arrived.

Throughout the rescue, the atmosphere remains remarkably calm despite the precarious position of the aircraft.

Once everyone has been evacuated, police again confirm that all eight passengers have been accounted for and that nobody remains inside the aircraft.

The footage also captures the professionalism of both the Harbor Unit officers and the seaplane crew as they work together to keep the damaged aircraft stable while the evacuation unfolds.

Later scenes show the partially submerged aircraft still floating in the East River before it is eventually secured and towed away.

The rescue came after the Kodiak 100 single-engine turboprop developed trouble while returning to Manhattan from East Hampton Town following the July 4th holiday weekend.

Among those onboard were Khloe Todd, 16, and her 75-year-old grandmother, Ada Todd, who had been returning from a birthday celebration in the Hamptons.

Earlier footage obtained by the Daily Mail from inside the aircraft captured the terrifying moments following the hard landing.

Khloe said she initially believed the aircraft was making a routine landing before hearing a loud thud and feeling the plane suddenly leaning sharply onto its left side.

She heard the pilots repeatedly shout ‘mayday’ before ordering everyone aboard to put on their personal flotation devices.

‘I’ve never taken these before,’ Khloe told the Daily Mail. ‘I was like, we’re landing in the water, you know, obviously it’s going to be a little bumpy.

‘But I didn’t expect it to be that bumpy. So then I see everyone is shouting ‘mayday, mayday, mayday,’ open your life vests.’

She said another passenger with aviation knowledge helped reassure those onboard that they would survive.

‘There was a guy behind us who knew about planes, who was telling us, ‘We are okay, we aren’t going to drown, everything will be okay,” she said.

Khloe also said her grandmother, who has pre-existing spinal problems, suffered a head injury during the hard landing.

Video recorded by witnesses on shore showed the aircraft striking the choppy river before listing heavily as emergency crews rushed toward it.

Blade Air later told the Daily Mail the hard landing was likely caused by rough water created by ferry traffic combined with weather conditions following Saturday night’s thunderstorms.

‘There were a lot of ferries in the vicinity and there may have been wind at the last second,’ a company source said.

‘The waves they create can be a problem as you try to land on the water.’

Blade said the impact cracked one of the aircraft’s struts connecting the pontoons to the fuselage, causing damage to one of the floats.

The flight was being operated by Acadian Seaplanes on behalf of Blade.

The aircraft, manufactured in 2022 and registered to Del Air Sky, was later righted and towed to a dock near East 23rd Street before passengers collected their belongings and continued to their destinations by car.

The incident remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the NYPD.