Lionel Messi hits late winner against Porto to push Inter Miami to verge of qualification at FIFA Club World Cup.
Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup with an exquisite free kick to inspire Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over two-time European champions Porto.
The Herons trailed 1-0 at the break, but Telasco Segovia tied it two minutes into the second half off a cross into the box from Marcelo Weigandt.
Then it was time for the 37-year-old Argentinian to add a trademark goal to a resume that already assures he’ll go down as one of the game’s greatest stars.
Samu Omorodion scored on a penalty kick in the opening minutes after a video review for the Portuguese club’s first goal of the tournament.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi scores their second goal from a free kick [Dale Zanine/Reuters]
Both teams were held to scoreless draws in their opening Group A matches.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano praised his side’s performance level against a side regarded as among the elite in Europe.
“We were working really, really hard against a team that have a lot of quality and a high level, but today, we showed to the world and to ourselves that we can compete against any team,” Inter’s Argentinean manager said.
“This match, the first half was very, very good, also. The players understood that they can do it. When we are together, when we are next to our teammates, we can do something amazing.”
Inter Miami’s Telasco Segovia scores their first goal [Dale Zanine/Reuters]
Messi was taken down just outside the penalty area by Rodrigo Mora on a run down the middle of the field.
The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was chanting “Messi!” Messi! Messi!” before his left-footed blast cleared the Porto wall and ripped the net in the top right corner in the 54th minute.
Inter Miami returns to South Florida on Monday, knowing a victory over Brazilian club Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium will lock up its spot in the Round of 16.
In desperate need of a win, Porto closes out group play against Egypt’s Al Ahly at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Aneesh Veeravatnam from Simi Valley, California, has elected to remain in-state to swim and study at the University of California, Santa Barbara beginning next fall.
“I am extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to UC Santa Barbara! I would like to thank Coach Jax, Coach Mark, and Coach Zach for giving me this opportunity to continue my academic and athletic journey at such a prestigious school. I would also like to thank all of my friends, teammates and coaches who have supported me along the way as I would be nowhere without them. lastly and most importantly I would like to thank my family for putting up with me for the past 16 years and loving me through both the highs and lows of my swimming and academic career. LETS GO GAUCHOS!!”
Veeravatnam is graduating from Royal High School where he competed four years with the varsity swim team. He does his year-round swimming with Canyons Aquatic Club. In high school swimming, he won the 100 fly and was runner-up in the 100 back at the 2025 CIF-Southern Section Division II Championships, clocking PBs in the 100 free (47.37 relay leadoff), 50 back (23.00 relay leadoff), 100 back (49.16), 50 fly (22.92 leadoff 50), and 100 fly (48.53). Two weeks later, he notched a PB in the 200 fly (1:47.72) the day before heading to the California CIF State Meet in Clovis. There, he placed 6th in the fly (48.91) and 14th in the back (49.84).
Veeravatnam kicked off long-course season at a Canyons meet over Memorial Day weekend, taking home lifetime bests in the 800 free, 100 breast, and 50 fly. At Southern California’s Juge Age Group Championships, he had significant drops in the 50 free (-1 second), 50 back (-.9), 100 back (-.8), 200 back (-1.9), 100 fly (-.5), and 200 fly (-.7). He now has Summer Juniors cuts in the 100/200m back in addition to his 200y fly.
Best times (SCY/LCM):
200 fly – 1:47.72 / 2:07.00
100 fly – 48.53 / 56.38
200 back – 1:47.99 / 2:06.55
100 back – 49.16 / 58.07
Veeravatnam’s best times would have placed him in the “A” finals of the 100 back (along with Gauchos Matt Driscoll, William Cussimanio, and Taisei Saito) and 200 fly (with Bryden Thielenhaus and Justin Wong), and the “B” finals of the 200 back and 100 fly, at the 2025 Big West Conference Championships. UC Santa Barbara won their inaugural BWC title this season, having moved from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation at the start of 2024-25. Veeravatnam will join fellow Californians Seth Collet, Diego Castaneda, Henry Heit, and Lucas Hubbard in UCSB’s class of 2029.
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Most of the water on our planet dates back four and a half billion years, meaning it is older than the Sun. It’s even possible that the molecules of the water you drink today once supported the first amoebas, hydrated dinosaurs, or quenched the thirst of Alexander the Great’s armies.
This is because water is a finite resource, existing in a closed cycle on Earth. Like energy, it is neither created nor destroyed—it simply transforms. Today, we face the challenge of managing this cycle sustainably. To aid in this mission, we now turn to technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize its use and enhance purification processes. In this article, you will discover how AI helps with:
AI as an ally in the water cycle
Artificial intelligence has become a critical tool for managing the water cycle, optimizing every phase from collection to treatment and distribution. Its ability to analyze vast amounts of data in real-time boosts operational efficiency, minimizes waste, and helps predict issues like leaks or system overloads. Furthermore, AI contributes to more sustainable water use by lowering energy costs and enhancing water security in a world of rising demand and scarcity. Here are some of its most promising applications.
Optimizing treatment in water plants
AI is revolutionizing water treatment by fine-tuning processes like chemical dosing and quality control. Systems automatically adjust parameters based on water conditions, improving operational efficiency. AI can also predict the presence of contaminants, allowing for quicker responses. Moreover, it learns from historical data, anticipating changes in raw water quality—such as variations in turbidity or contaminant levels—and autonomously adjusts processes. This helps maintain consistent quality standards.
An example: The PRISTINE project, coordinated by ACCIONA, coordinated by ACCIONA, which developed virtual sensors (Soft Sensors) that estimate emerging contaminant concentrations (ECC) in real time. Previously, this was only possible in labs. Installed on an Edge device at the pilot plant, it uses data like flow, pH, and turbidity to automatically adjust treatment processes, keeping pace with growing ECC regulations without lab intervention.
Wastewater management
AI boosts the efficiency of wastewater treatment by automating processes and predicting potential issues. It analyzes both historical and real-time data to optimize energy and chemical use. AI can detect anomalies in sewage networks, preventing blockages and overloads, which reduces environmental impact. This allows treatment plants to recover resources like reusable water and biogas more effectively while cutting costs.
An example: Severn Trent Water in the UK has implemented AI to optimize wastewater flow and prevent overflows. The system forecasts weather conditions, adjusts pumping stations accordingly, and controls water flow to minimize the risk of flooding.
Leak detection and prevention
Water leaks cause significant resource losses. AI systems monitor pressure and flow in real-time, allowing for early leak detection. Predictive algorithms analyze historical data to forecast potential future leaks, enabling companies to take preventive action. This not only prevents water loss but also reduces the cost of unexpected repairs, improving overall network efficiency.
An example: In the US, the Hydro-Logic CivilSense project combines skilled field teams with advanced AI to monitor and detect leaks with 93% accuracy. The goal is to reduce unbilled water losses and operating costs in aging supply systems.
Improving efficiency in water resources management
AI is essential for efficiently managing water resources, predicting demand based on factors like climate, population, and agriculture. Algorithms optimize water distribution to prevent waste and ensure efficient usage. This is particularly crucial in water-scarce areas, where AI helps maximize availability for agriculture, industry, and urban use by better managing reservoirs and irrigation systems.
An example: In California, AI is used to predict water demand in both agricultural and urban areas, adjusting distribution based on climate and population factors. This is especially important in regions prone to drought.
Reduction in energy consumption for water pumping
Water pumping is one of the most energy-intensive tasks in water management. AI can optimize pumping schedules by predicting demand and adjusting operations to off-peak times, reducing energy consumption without compromising water availability. Additionally, smart systems can optimize pumping routes, which not only cuts operational costs but also reduces the carbon footprint of water management.
An example: The DIGIDEL project addresses challenges in desalination and water treatment with advanced AI algorithms. Under the RELEWAT initiative, Reinforcement Learning algorithms are used to optimize energy consumption in pumping wells, allowing them to adjust supply according to fluctuating demand and energy costs.systems, allows wells to adapt supply according to water demand and energy variations.
These applications are just the beginning of how AI will enhance sustainability in the water cycle. If you would like to explore more about the potential of AI and new technologies in biodiversity, check out this article.
Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world
Donald Trump has said there could be new talks with Iran in the “near future” and that he would decide whether to join Israel’s attack on the country “within the next two weeks”.
The statement by the US president on Thursday appeared to signal that he was slowing down his decision about entering the war, even as American military assets speed to the region amid fears of an imminent escalation.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” the president said in a statement read by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday.
Leavitt also confirmed that the US had kept open its negotiations with Tehran during days of missile exchanges between Iran and Israel.
“Correspondence has continued,” Leavitt said in response to a question about whether Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff had been in contact with Iranian officials.
The comments from the US came after seven days of conflict, which began when Israel launched an attack on Iran in what it said was a bid to destroy the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme.
The US has assisted Israel in shooting down Iranian missiles fired at its ally and the Pentagon is rushing more military assets to the region, with speculation mounting that Trump was preparing to authorise bombing raids to hit Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility.
On Wednesday, Trump said he was considering strikes within days. “The next week is going to be very big — maybe less than a week,” he said.
The possibility of more US-Iran negotiations comes as Britain, France and Germany prepared to hold talks with Iran’s foreign minister on Friday in Geneva, as part of the last-ditch push effort to prevent escalation of the conflict.
“It’s better dealt with by way of negotiations than by way of conflict . . . The risk of escalation across the region is obvious,” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday. He added that the UK “completely” recognised Israel’s right to self-defence, “but the principle is that we need to de-escalate this”.
European capitals have stepped up contingency plans for the US entering the conflict since Trump acknowledged on Wednesday he “may” enter the war.
The UK government confirmed that David Lammy, UK foreign secretary, would attend the meeting in Geneva, after holding talks with Marco Rubio, his US counterpart, in Washington on Thursday.
The gathering in Geneva with Iran’s Abbas Araghchi is a revival of the “E3” format, under which Britain, France and Germany — the European signatories to a 2015 nuclear accord Tehran signed with world powers — have sought to resolve the country’s stand-off with the west.
The aim of the meeting would be to agree a framework to restart monitoring of Iran’s nuclear programme, but with international monitors granted unfettered access to facilities. Another issue on the table will be whether Iran would be willing to make a commitment to cut its ballistic missile stockpile.
A crisis over Iran’s nuclear programme erupted after Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018. Tehran responded by expanding its activity and has been enriching uranium to levels close to weapons grade, although it says its nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes.
The Trump administration held five rounds of indirect talks with Iran before the diplomatic process was upended by Israel launching its strikes on Friday — days before a sixth round of negotiations was scheduled.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposes the diplomatic efforts, said he launched the war to prevent Tehran developing nuclear weapons.
Iran’s foreign ministry confirmed that Araghchi will meet his British, French and German counterparts, the first high-level face-to-face diplomacy with Tehran since Israel launched its attacks on Iran.
French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot told journalists on Thursday: “We have expressed our willingness to take part in negotiations aimed at securing from Iran a lasting rollback of its nuclear programme and its ballistic missile programme.”
He said: “Negotiation remains today the only way to achieve a lasting rollback of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme.”
The E3, which was heavily involved in efforts with the Biden administration to revive the 2015 accord, had been largely marginalised by Trump as he sought to pressure Iran into a new deal.
Satellite imagery showed a large whole in the Arak reactor building’s domed roof
Israeli jets have bombed a nuclear reactor under construction in central Iran during a wave of air strikes on the seventh day of the conflict between the two countries.
The Israeli military said it targeted the Arak heavy water reactor’s core seal to stop it being used for “nuclear weapons development”.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the reactor was hit and that it contained no nuclear material.
Spent fuel from heavy water reactors contains plutonium suitable for a nuclear bomb.
Iran – which says its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful – agreed under a 2015 deal with world powers to redesign and rebuild Arak so it could not produce weapons-grade plutonium.
The following year, the IAEA said Iran had removed Arak’s calandria, or reactor core, and rendered it “inoperable”.
The global nuclear watchdog’s latest quarterly report from late May said minor civil construction work was ongoing at the reactor, and that Iran expected it to be commissioned this year and to start operating in 2026.
The Israeli military said Iran’s government had “deliberately ordered [workers] not to complete the conversion… in order to exert pressure on the West”.
“The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,” it added.
Black-and-white aerial footage of the attack released by the military appeared to show a bomb hitting the domed roof of the reactor building and several large explosions from Arak, which about 250km (155 miles) south-west of Tehran and is also known as Khondab.
Daytime video broadcast by Iranian state TV showed two large plumes of white smoke rising from the facility. It also cited Iranian officials as saying that the site had been “secured in advance” and that there was “no contamination resulting from the attack”.
Also visible were what analysts identified as destroyed distillation towers belonging to the adjacent heavy water production plant. The IAEA said it had no information indicating that the heavy water plant was hit.
Reuters
Iranian state TV broadcast footage showing smoke rising from the Arak facility
The Israeli military also announced on Thursday that its fighter jets had struck a “nuclear weapons development site” at Natanz.
It is the location of Iran’s main plant producing enriched uranium, which is used to make reactor fuel for power stations but, if further enriched, can be used in nuclear weapons.
The first wave of Israeli strikes last Friday destroyed the above-ground part of Natanz’s Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP), where cascades of centrifuges were enriching uranium, as well as electricity infrastructure at the site.
Rafael Grossi, the IAEA director general, told the BBC on Monday that while there was no sign of a physical attack on the underground centrifuge hall at Natanz, the sudden loss of power was likely to have severely damaged, if not destroyed, the centrifuges operating there.
Four buildings were destroyed in a separate attack on Friday on the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre, he said. But very little, if any, damage was visible at Iran’s underground enrichment plant at Fordo, he added.
President Donald Trump is said to be weighing up whether the US should participate in a strike on Fordo because it is the only country with a conventional bomb large enough to destroy it. Sources told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that his mindset was that disabling the facility was necessary.
In 2018, Trump abandoned the nuclear deal with Iran, saying it did too little to stop its pathway to a bomb, and reinstated US sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy.
Iran retaliated by increasingly breaching the restrictions – particularly those relating to the production of enriched uranium.
In its quarterly report, the IAEA expressed concern that Iran had amassed enough uranium enriched up to 60% purity – a short, technical step away from weapons grade, or 90% – to potentially make nine nuclear bombs.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said on Friday that it was targeting the Iranian nuclear programme because “if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time”. He did not provide any evidence.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said on Sunday that Israel had “crossed a new red line in international law” by attacking nuclear sites. He also insisted that Iran’s doctrine was “rooted in our belief in the prohibition and illegitimacy of nuclear weapons”.
Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons, although it neither confirms nor denies this.
The Israeli air strikes have also destroyed Iranian military facilities and weapons, and killed senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.
Iran’s health ministry said on Sunday that at least 224 people had been killed, but a human rights group put the unofficial death toll at 639 on Thursday.
Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel in response to the air strikes that have killed at least 24 people, according to the prime minister’s office.
Luxury brands have retreated back to their safe space of exclusivity, having explored new avenues to win customers during COVID. The only problem is, to win and retain the next generation of shoppers they must marry their need to remain elusive with a consumer who wants to share everything online.
These companies have no time to waste. According to a spring update on the sector from Bain & Co, the industry is losing speed relatively quickly.
The study released Thursday shows the sector’s worth was €1.5 trillion ($1.7 trillion) in 2024, though for Q1 of 2025 estimates are shrinkage of 3% compared to last year.
Even last year, personal luxury goods was one of the categories which marked the most notable slowdown, knocking from €369 billion in 2023 down to €364 billion in 2024. That marked its first contraction in 15 years—with the notable exception of the pandemic.
And the gap between winners and losers in the luxury sector is also growing, added the author’s writers Claudia D’Arpizio and Federica Levato.
The gap between the top 75th percentile and the bottom 25th percentile performers increased by 1.5 times in Q1 2025 compared to a year earlier, with market leaders continuing to charge ahead while the bottom 20% to 30% of the sector continued to report a reduction in growth.
Part of the problem is consumers are wrangling with what Bain & Co describes as the “value equation”—basically, are they getting enough—be it experience, social and cultural kudos, or workmanship—out of the purchase for the elevated price they are paying?
For a “long period” luxury brands were trying to enlarge their customer base to be more inclusive, D’Arpizio tells Fortune. This was really reinforced in some categories with “entry items like streetwear, sneakers, and even beauty—all the categories that could have been more relevant for young people, but also with people with less discretionary spending.”
That strategy “overcorrected” she added, with brands overly relying on iconic design or experiences, reducing their pace of innovation and hence, leading consumers to question if their spend is really worth it.
“So last year we had a big loss of customers—around 50 million less customers buying luxury product—in particular in the younger generation, and a big drop on customer advocacy,” D’Arpizio continued. “What is happening now that the brands are trying to fix that, and trying to reignite this relationship with these customers without losing their exclusivity.”
Exclusivity in the online age
Shifting back to exclusivity is a more difficult ask when younger consumers are known as the social media generation for their propensity to post online.
Gone are the days of galas with no cameras, of designer handbag back rooms with no filming allowed: It’s all available on a For You Page within moments of ending.
“Luxury has always been about showing off,” D’Arpizio, who is Bain & Co’s lead for the global fashion, luxury goods vertical, continued. “The previous generation was showing off wealth and showing off accomplishments in life, now it’s more showing off of your of your personality or your ability to choose your aesthetics, your quality of life.
“There is a big need, in particular in Gen Z, for sharing. This sharing means expressing their personality … but also a desire of conformity. These are two forces that are contradictory but in reality are a big driver for luxury consumption because luxury brands can provide this conformity, but then inside the luxury brand, mixing and matching, choosing your own style, developing your own style, creates your self-expression.”
She continued: “Social media has provided a huge impulse to luxury consumption because the potential of sharing with a larger audience has created both more customers but also in augmentation of their communication strategies and so they have a broader reach.
“So yes, they want to be exclusive, but they know the power of social media.”
Create Music Group (CMG) has formed a new joint venture with Star Trak Entertainment, along with co-founder Rob Walker.
Originally launched in 2001, Star Trak Entertainment was founded by Rob Walker and producer duo Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes.
The joint venture marks the official relaunch of the imprint.
In addition to co-founding Star Trak, Rob Walker was the longtime manager of The Neptunes, served as a talent agent at UTA, and co-founded Billionaire Boys Club and its Ice Cream clothing line with Pharrell Williams and Japanese fashion figure Nigo.
His decades-long career spans music, fashion, and brand development alongside some of the industry’s most notable acts.
The deal marks the latest in a series of recent partnerships for Create, which was valued at $1 billion following a $165-million investment round last year.
Last month, Create swooped for independent electronic music label Monstercat and launched a joint venture with Ty Dolla $ign and his EZMNY Records label earlier this month.
In April, Create Music Group acquired Berlin-headquartered independent music company !K7.
Through the partnership with Star Trak, Create said it will provide worldwide distribution, technology, and marketing services.
Star Trak quickly rose to prominence through releases with acts such as Clipse, N.E.R.D., and Snoop Dogg.
With RIAA certified hits such as Drop It Like It’s Hot by Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams, Grindin by Clipse, and She Wants to Move by N.E.R.D., Create noted that “Star Trak has long been known for shaping early-2000s hip-hop and R&B culture”.
“This isn’t just about bringing Star Trak back – it’s about building a new chapter- rooted in where we’ve been, and built for where we’re headed.”
Rob Walker, Star Trak Entertainment
“This isn’t just about bringing Star Trak back – it’s about building a new chapter- rooted in where we’ve been, and built for where we’re headed,” said Rob Walker, co-founder of Star Trak Entertainment.
“The energy and vision that helped shape a generation is entering a new era. With Create as our partner, we’re giving artists the space to move differently, think bigger, and tap into an ecosystem of brands and collaborators that Star Trak has cultivated over the years.”
“We are honored to partner with Rob as he kicks off the next chapter of Star Trak.”
Kyle Bartelman, Create Music Group
Kyle Bartelman, Director of Global Corporate Development and M&A at Create Music Group added: “We are honored to partner with Rob as he kicks off the next chapter of Star Trak.
“Rob’s creative vision and industry experience will uniquely position our artists for success with their music and beyond. We’re excited to have Star Trak join the CMG family, and we can’t wait to support Rob and the next wave of Star Trak talent.”
