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Utah governor: Suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting refusing to cooperate with authorities

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Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer is “not co-operating” with authorities and has not confessed to carrying out the shooting, Utah’s governor Spencer Cox has told US media.

Suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody some 33 hours after Kirk, a 31-year-old right-wing activist, was shot dead in Orem on Wednesday.

Speaking to ABC News, Cox, a Republican, said people around Mr Robinson had been co-operating with the investigation.

Cox appeared on various US news outlets on Sunday morning, where he also reiterated concerns regarding social media in the aftermath of Kirk’s death.

The governor was also asked about a New York Times report alleging Mr Robinson had spoken to others after the shooting via the Discord messaging platform, including allegations that he joked about being the gunman.

Cox told ABC News: “All we can confirm is that those conversations definitely were happening, and they did not believe it was actually him.

“It was, it was all joking until, until he, you know, until he admitted that it actually was him.”

Mr Robinson was arrested on Thursday night after surrendering to police.

Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University at an open-air event held by Turning Point USA – the organisation he co-founded – when he was shot and killed.

The event was part of the American Comeback Tour, which was a speaking engagement that took him to several college campuses throughout the US.

Cox previously told the Wall Street Journal that Mr Robinson, a Utah native, was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology”.

When questioned on it during CNN’s State of the Union programme on Sunday, he said the information was offered by the suspect’s friends and family.

“There’s so much more that we’re learning and so much that we will learn,” he explained, adding that when official charges are filed, there will be “much more evidence and information available then”.

The governor said among those co-operating with authorities is Mr Robinson’s roommate, who he said was also his partner.

He said the partner did not have have any knowledge about the alleged shooting, had been “incredibly co-operative” and was working with investigators “right now”.

He also confirmed that the partner was currently “transitioning from male to female”, but, when asked by CNN, said that authorities do not yet know if that is relevant to the investigation.

An affidavit from the state of Utah confirms that Mr Robinson was arrested on suspicion of the crimes of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice.

He is currently being held without bail at Utah County Jail.

“We’re interviewing all kinds of people – everyone that knows him – and trying to learn more about what the motive actually was,” Cox said.

Following Kirk’s death, Cox has been prominent in calling for unity in a bid to ease political tensions, and has made repeated comments criticising social media.

He previously called social media a “cancer” and told CNN the US had “to get phones out of the classrooms” and better efforts to hold platform owners to account.

He called Kirk’s shooting a “direct assault on America” and said Americans needed to “look in the mirror and decide, are we going to try to make it better, or are we going to make it worse?”

Kirk’s widow, Erika, on Saturday gave a tearful address in which she thanked first responders for their efforts and vowed that her “husband’s voice will remain”.

A memorial service will be held on 21 September at the 60,000-seat State Farm Stadium in Arizona, the state where Kirk lived with his wife and two children.

Kirk, a controversial figure in US political discourse, was one of the highest profile right-wing activists in the US and a trusted ally of US President Donald Trump.

Turning Point USA aimed to spread conservative ideals at liberal-leaning US colleges, and played a key role in getting people to vote for Trump and other Republican candidates in the election last year.

Kirk was a strong supporter of gun rights, vehemently opposed abortion, was critical of transgender rights and promoted false claims about Covid-19.

His supporters said he was relatable and understood their concerns. But his views drew fierce liberal criticism, with his detractors calling his comments deeply offensive to some minority groups, including LGBT people and Muslims.

Trump reassures foreign investors following ICE raid on Korean plant

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President Donald Trump on Sunday said foreign workers sent to the United States are “welcome” and he doesn’t want to “frighten off” investors, 10 days after hundreds of South Koreans were arrested at a work site in Georgia.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the 79-year-old Republican wrote: “I don’t want to frighten off or disincentivize investment.”

Some 475 people, mostly South Korean nationals, were arrested at the construction site of an electric vehicle battery factory, operated by Hyundai-LG, in the southeastern US state of Georgia on September 4.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials alleged South Koreans had overstayed their visas or held permits that didn’t allow them to perform manual labor.

The Georgia raid was the largest single-site operation conducted since Trump launched a sweeping immigration crackdown across the country.

Though the United States decided against deportation, images of the workers being chained and handcuffed during the raid caused widespread alarm in South Korea.

Seoul repatriated the workers on Friday.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called the raid “bewildering” and warned Thursday that the raid could discourage future investment.

In his post, Trump described the circumstances for temporarily allowing foreign experts into the US to build “extremely complex products.”

Chips, Semiconductors, Computers, Ships, Trains, and so many other products that we have to learn from others how to make, or, in many cases, relearn because we used to be great at it, but not anymore,” Trump wrote.

“We welcome them, we welcome their employees, and we are willing to proudly say we will learn from them, and do even better than them at their own ‘game,’ sometime in the not too distant future,” Trump added.

Korea’s trade unions have called on Trump to issue an official apology.

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Controversy erupts as India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match ends without handshake ritual | Cricket News

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Dubai, UAE – The wide-ranging ramifications of an ongoing political standoff between India and Pakistan have led to a controversial conclusion of the archrivals’ cricket match at the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, where India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that his squad opted against shaking hands with their opponents as a mark of protest.

When Sunday’s Group A fixture between the South Asian archrivals was confirmed after long deliberations from the Indian government, fans and experts had hoped that the on-field action could help cool the off-field heat.

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Yadav, though, crushed all expectations by saying his team’s thumping seven-wicket win in the T20 match was a “perfect reply” to Pakistan in the wake of the intense four-day cross-border conflict that brought both countries to the brink of an all-out war in May.

“Our [Indian] government and the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] were aligned on the decision to play this match. We came here just to play the match and gave them [Pakistan] a perfect reply,” Yadav told the media shortly after the match.

What happened at the end of the India vs Pakistan match?

Yadav, who hit the winning runs for India, walked off the field alongside his batting partner, Shivam Dube, without approaching the Pakistani captain and team for the traditional post-match handshakes.

Pakistan’s players trudged off in a group and waited for the Indian squad and support staff to come out and shake hands, as is the norm at the end of cricket matches.

However, the Indian contingent only shook hands with each other before walking into their dressing room and shutting the door as the waiting Pakistan players looked on.

Why did Indian team refuse to shake hands with Pakistani players?

The Indian captain was asked to clarify his team’s actions and whether they were in contradiction with the spirit of the sport.

“A few things in life are above sportsman’s spirit,” the 35-year-old swiftly responded.

“We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and with their families, and dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor.”

Yadav was referring to the Indian armed forces’ multiple missile attacks on six locations inside Pakistan.

India said the missiles were in response to the April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir in Pahalgam, in which 26 men were killed. An armed group called The Resistance Front (TRF), which demands independence for Kashmir, claimed responsibility for the attack, but India had alleged Pakistani involvement.

Two days later, Pakistan responded to the missile strikes by attacking military installations across its frontier with India and Indian-administered Kashmir, striking at least four facilities.

The conflict ended four days later, thanks to an internationally-brokered ceasefire.

While the exchange of aerial fire came to a halt, the diplomatic ties between the neighbours remained suspended, and the political tension spilled over into cricket when the fixture between India and Pakistan was announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

Did India break any rules by not shaking hands?

As a result, the match was played under a highly charged political climate, and when both captains did not indulge in the customary handshake at the pre-match toss, the focus swiftly shifted to the interactions between the teams.

However, Al Jazeera has learned that the match referee, Andy Pycroft, had asked Yadav and his counterpart, Agha, to skip the pre-toss ritual.

“The match referee requested both captains to not shake hands at the toss,” an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), requesting anonymity, told Al Jazeera after the match.

Match officials also granted India permission to skip the post-match handshakes with Pakistan, but did not inform Agha or his team, according to the source.

This resulted in an awkward-looking post-match scenario, where the Pakistani players followed Yadav off the pitch and waited for the Indians to emerge, only to watch them shut the dressing room door.

How did Pakistan respond?

Pakistan’s manager Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a protest against the Indian cricket team’s actions with Pycroft, who is an International Cricket Council (ICC) accredited match referee.

“The umpires had allowed the Indians to walk off the field without shaking hands for which the match referee apologised after the protest of our team manager,” the official said.

Additionally, Pakistan captain Agha did not speak at the post-match captain’s chat with the host broadcaster in a mark of protest.

Mike Hesson, Pakistan’s head coach, confirmed that Agha’s refusal to show up for the talk and the media briefing was a “follow-on effect” of the Indian team’s actions.

“We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, but our opposition did not do that,” Hesson said.

“We sort of went over there to shake hands, and they had already gone into the changing room.”

Indian and Pakistani players stand for their national anthems before the start of the match [Fadel Senna/AFP]

Why are handshakes important in cricket, and what’s the protocol?

As per the norm in cricket, the two on-field players of the team batting second shake hands with the fielding team and the umpires before walking off.

And in what is now a common practice in all international cricket matches, the batting team then enters the ground to shake hands with their opponents.

It offers both sides to end the match on a friendly note and exchange words of encouragement.

In the same manner, both teams’ captains shake hands before the toss, which takes place 30 minutes before the start of play.

The toss is conducted by the match referee on the pitch and usually broadcast live.

Both captains and the match referee can also indulge in a pre-match chat regarding team lineups or any other matters of mutual interest for both teams.

The match referee can also meet a captain, head coach or manager of either team before the match.

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav (C) tosses the coin at the start of the Asia Cup 2025 Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 14, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha at the coin toss [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]

What have the tournament officials said about the incident?

The move was lamented by the ACC chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the PCB.

“Utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship today,” Naqvi said in a post on X.

“Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports.”

Al Jazeera has reached out to the ACC for a comment on the revelation that both captains were asked not to shake hands at the toss.

The ACC has not yet responded to the request.

Pakistan and India are likely to meet again in the Asia Cup if both teams qualify for the Super Four stage.

India have all but qualified after two wins in two games, while Pakistan face the UAE in a must-win fixture on Wednesday.

Should both teams win their respective games, their Super Fours match will take place on Sunday in Dubai.

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BBC looks into Afghan maternal mortality rates following reduction in US aid

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Yogita LimayeSouth Asia and Afghanistan correspondent

Aakriti Thapar / BBC Abdul Wakeel stands looking at the camera while holding his daughter and with his young son standing next to them, against a rural backdrop and blue sky in Shesh Pol in the north-eastern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

When Shahnaz went into labour, her husband Abdul called a taxi to take them to the only medical facility accessible to them.

“She was in a lot pain,” he says.

A 20-minute drive away, the clinic was in Shesh Pol village in Afghanistan’s north-eastern Badakhshan province. It was where their two older children were born.

Abdul sat next to Shahnaz comforting her as they drove over gravel tracks to reach help.

“But when we reached the clinic, we saw that it was closed. I didn’t know it had shut down,” he said, his face crumpling with agony.

Warning: Readers may find some details in this article distressing.

The clinic in Shesh Pol is one of more than 400 medical facilities that closed down in Afghanistan, one of the world’s poorest countries, after the Trump administration cut nearly all US aid to the country earlier this year, in a drastic and abrupt move following the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

A single-storey structure with four small rooms, white paint peeling off its walls, the Shesh Pol clinic has USAID posters tacked up everywhere with information and guidance for pregnant women and new mothers.

Aakriti Thapar / BBC Shesh Pol maternity clinic is pictured with a sign in front of it, it's a small building in a rural looking part of the village in north-eastern Badakhshan province.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

Shesh Pol maternity clinic is one of hundreds of medical facilities forced to close as a result of US aid cuts in Afghanistan

It doesn’t look like much but in Badakhshan’s mountainous, unforgiving terrain, where a lack of access has been a major reason for historically high maternal mortality rates, the clinic was a critical lifeline, part of a wider programme implemented during the tenure of the US-backed government in the country, to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.

It had a trained midwife who assisted around 25-30 deliveries every month. It had a stock of medicines and injections, and it also provided basic healthcare services.

Other medical facilities are simply too far from Abdul’s village, and it was not without risk for Shahnaz to travel on bumpy roads. Abdul also didn’t have money to pay for a longer journey – renting the taxi cost 1,000 Afghani ($14.65; £12.70), roughly a quarter of his monthly income as a labourer. So they decided to return home.

“But the baby was coming and we had to stop by the side of the road,” Abdul said.

Shahnaz delivered their baby girl in the car. Shortly after, she died, bleeding profusely. A few hours later, before she could be named, their baby also died.

Aakriti Thapar / BBC Abdul gestures as he speaks while stood next to the grave of his newborn baby. The grave is marked by a collection of rocks and foliage against a background of trees, river and blue sky in the village of Shesh Pol.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

Abdul spoke to the BBC about the traumatic deaths of his wife and newborn baby, who are buried in Shesh Pol

“I wept and screamed. My wife and child could’ve been saved if the clinic was open,” said Abdul. “We had a hard life, but we were living it together. I was always happy when I was with her.”

He doesn’t even have a photo of Shahnaz to hold on to.

There’s no certainty the mother and baby would’ve survived if they’d been treated at the clinic, but without it, they didn’t stand a chance, underlining the undeniable impact of US aid cuts in Afghanistan.

For decades, America has been the largest donor to Afghanistan, and in 2024, US funds made up a staggering 43% of all aid coming into the country.

The Trump administration has justified withdrawing it, saying there were “credible and longstanding concerns that funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including… the Taliban”, who govern the country. The US government further added that they had reports stating that at least $11m were “being siphoned or enriching the Taliban”.

The report that the US State Department referenced was made by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). It said that $10.9m of US taxpayer money had been paid to the Taliban-controlled government by partners of USAID in “taxes, fees, duties, or utilities”.

The Taliban government denies that aid money was going into their hands.

“This allegation is not true. The aid is given to the UN, and through them to NGOs in provinces. They identify who needs the aid, and they distribute it themselves. The government is not involved,” said Suhail Shaheen, the head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha.

BBC visits closed down US-backed clinic in Afghanistan after aid cuts

The Taliban government’s policies, especially its restrictions on women, the harshest in the world, have meant that after four years in power, it is still not recognised by most of the world. It’s also a key reason donors have been increasingly walking away from the country.

The US insists no one has died because of aid cuts. Shahnaz and her baby’s deaths are not recorded anywhere. Neither are countless others.

The BBC has documented at least half a dozen first-hand, devastating accounts in areas where USAID-supported clinics have shut down.

Right next to Shahnaz’s grave, villagers who had gathered around us pointed to two other graves. They told us both were of women who died in childbirth in the past four months – Daulat Begi and Javhar. Their babies survived.

Not far from the graveyard, we met Khan Mohammad whose wife, 36-year-old Gul Jan, died in childbirth five months ago. Their baby boy Safiullah died three days later.

Aakriti Thapar / BBC Khan Mohammad is pictured sitting outside a building with his family against a blue sky in the village of Shesh Pol.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

Khan Mohammad also lost his wife and newborn after the Shesh Pol clinic shut down, leaving his children without a mother

“When she became pregnant, she would go to the clinic for check-ups. But midway through her pregnancy it shut down. During the delivery she had a lot of pain and blood loss,” Khan Mohammad said. “My children are sad all the time. No one can give them the love of a mother. I miss her every day. We had a sweet and loving life together.”

A roughly five-hour drive from Shesh Pol, in Cawgani, another village where a USAID-backed clinic closed down, Ahmad Khan, the grief-stricken father of Maidamo showed us the room in their mud and clay home where she died giving birth to baby Karima.

Aakriti Thapar / BBC Ahmad Khan looks at the camera with a grieving expression, as he's pictured in a head-and-shoulders portrait against a light coloured wall.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

Ahmad Khan blames the US decision to pull funding after his daughter Maidamo died during childbirth

“If the clinic had been open, she might have survived. And even if she had died, we would not have had regrets knowing the medics tried their best. Now we’re left with regret and pain. America did this to us,” he said, tears rolling down his face.

In another home a few lanes away, Bahisa tells us how terrifying it was to give birth at home. Her three other children were born in the Cawgani clinic.

“I was so scared. In the clinic, we had a midwife, medicines and injections. At home I had nothing, no painkillers. It was unbearable pain. I felt like life was leaving my body. I became numb,” she said.

Her baby girl, named Fakiha, died three days after she was born.

Aakriti Thapar / BBC Bahisa and her daughter wear head scarves while looking at the camera as they're pictured at home against a wall and window with a red curtain.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

Bahisa had to give birth without access to painkillers, a midwife or medicine after the Cawgani clinic closed

The closure of clinics in villages has resulted in a surge of patients at the maternity ward of the main regional hospital in the provincial capital Faizabad.

Getting to it, through Badakhshan’s treacherous landscape is risky. We were shown a horrifying photo of a newborn baby, who was delivered on the way to Faizabad, and whose neck snapped before he got to the hospital.

We had visited the hospital back in 2022, and while it was stretched then, the scenes we saw this time were unprecedented.

In each bed, there were three women. Imagine having gone into labour, or just having gone through a miscarriage, and not even having a bed to yourself to lie in.

Aakriti Thapar / BBC Zuhra Shewan wears a green head scarf and medical mouth covering while sat on a hospital bed with three other patients.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

Zuhra Shewan (left) suffered a miscarriage at Faizabad hospital, where patients severely outnumber beds

It’s what Zuhra Shewan, who suffered a miscarriage, had to endure.

“I was bleeding severely and didn’t even have a place to sit. It was really hard. By the time a bed is free, a woman could die bleeding,” she said.

Dr Shafiq Hamdard, the director of the hospital, said: “We have 120 beds in the hospital. Now we’ve admitted 300 to 305.”

While the patient load is swelling, the hospital, too, has faced sharp cuts in its funding.

“Three years ago our annual budget was $80,000. Now we have $25,000,” Dr Hamdard said.

By August this year, there had been as many maternal deaths recorded as there were for the whole of last year. Which means that at this rate, maternal mortality could increase by as much as 50% over last year.

Newborn deaths have already increased by roughly a third in the past four months, compared with the start of the year.

Razia Hanifi, the hospital’s head midwife, says she’s exhausted. “I have been working for the past 20 years. This year is the toughest, because of the overcrowding, the shortage of resources and the shortage of trained staff,” she said.

Aakriti Thapar / BBC A head-and-shoulders portrait of Razia Hanifi wearing a white head scarf and medical mouth covering in a corridor on the hospital's ward.Aakriti Thapar / BBC

Midwifes like Razia Hanifi face extremely tough working conditions amid shortages of staff, which are likely to worsen after the Taliban banned midwifery training for women

But no reinforcements are coming because of the Taliban government’s restrictions on women. Three years ago, all higher education, including medical education was banned for women. Less than a year ago, in December 2024, training for midwives and female nurses was also banned.

At a discreet location, we met two female students who were midway through the training when it was closed. They didn’t want to be identified for fear of reprisal.

Anya (name changed) said they both were in graduate courses at university when the Taliban took over. When those were closed in December 2022, they began midwife and nursing training, as it was the only path left to getting an education and a job.

“When that was also banned, I became depressed. I was crying day and night, and I wasn’t able to eat. It’s a painful situation,” she said.

Karishma (named changed) said: “There is already a shortage of midwives and nurses in Afghanistan. Without more being trained, women will be forced to give birth at home which will put them at risk.”

We asked the Taliban government’s Suhail Shaheen how they can justify bans which effectively curb access to health for half the population.

“It is our internal issue. These are our issues, how to handle them, how to consider them, how to take decisions, this is something internal. That is up to the leadership. Based on the needs of the society, they will take a decision,” he said.

With their access to medical services severely restricted, by wave after wave of crushing blows, for Afghanistan’s women, their right to health, and life itself, is at grave risk.

Additional reporting, photography and video: Aakriti Thapar, Mahfouz Zubaide, Sanjay Ganguly

Top image shows Abdul with his daughter and son in Shesh Pol.

Israel escalates bombing of Gaza City as Rubio visits

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Israel intensifies Gaza City bombing as Rubio arrives

Boxing world mourns the loss of former champion Ricky Hatton at age 46

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British boxing icon Ricky Hatton has died at 46, sparking tributes from across sport.

Former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton has died aged 46, Greater Manchester Police in the United Kingdom have confirmed.

Hatton, who was known to fans as “the Hitman”, was discovered at his home in Hyde, near Manchester, early on Sunday morning. Police said: “Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45am [05:45 GMT] today where they found the body of a 46-year-old man. There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”

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The Manchester-born fighter became one of Britain’s most celebrated boxers, winning world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight. During a 15-year professional career, he secured 45 wins from 48 bouts before retiring in 2012.

Hatton’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from the sporting world.

Former England and Manchester United midfielder David Beckham posted on Instagram: “Ricky was one of a kind. Just heartbreaking.” Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury wrote: “RIP to the legend Ricky Hatton. There will only ever be one Ricky Hatton. Can’t believe this – so young.”

Football figures also paid respect to the lifelong Manchester City supporter. Before City’s Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday, the Etihad Stadium held a minute’s applause, with fans chanting his name.

City manager Pep Guardiola described him as “a true champion” and “part of the Man City family”. Wayne Rooney, who once carried Hatton’s belts into the ring, said on X that he was “devastated”, calling him “a legend, a warrior and a great person”.

Hatton’s career featured memorable victories over Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo, while his only defeats came against boxing greats Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

In recent years, Hatton remained close to the sport. He attempted a comeback in 2012, fought in an exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, and earlier this year announced plans to face Eisa Al Dah in Dubai. He also spoke openly about his battles with depression and featured in the 2023 documentary Hatton, which explored his personal struggles and mental health.

Peyton Kerby, Freestyler and IMer, Commits to Swim for Queens University Starting in 2026-27 Season

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By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam

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.

Peyton Kerby of Flower Mound, Texas, has committed to swim and study at Queens University, beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. She trains year-round with Lakeside Aquatic Club and attends Keller High School.

Kerby, who specializes in freestyle and IM, publicized the commitment on SwimCloud:

I am beyond thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to continue both my academic and athletic journey at Queens University of Charlotte! This is truly a dream come true, and I am so grateful for everyone who helped make this possible. To my amazing parents, your constant love, support, and sacrifices mean the world to me. I couldn’t do this without you. A huge thank you to Coach Jason, Coach Dan, and everyone at Lakeside for welcoming me and always pushing me to grow. Thank you to Coach Jeff and the entire Queens coaching staff for giving me this opportunity to be a part of building the Royals legacy! And above all, all glory to God for guiding me every step of the way. GO ROYALS!

The future Royal specializes in middle-distance freestyle as well as both IM events. Her lifetime bests all date back to 2023, when she posted times of 1:54.95, 5:02.93, and 17:19.00 in the 200, 500, and 1650 free, respectively, along with 2:12.31 in the 200 IM and 4:29.88 in the 400 IM.

She wrapped up this past short course season at Speedo Sectionals in Justin, which were both held in early March. Her top finish came in the 1000 free, where she placed 43rd in 10:52.27. She also took 57th in the 500 free (5:17.93), 80th in the 400 IM (4:44.08), 86th in the 200 free (1:59.47), and 87th in the 200 IM (2:14.87).

Many of Kerby’s top swims from the 2024–25 season came at the NT COPS 43rd Annual Greater Southwest Invitational in January, where she clocked a 5:12.38 in the 500 free and 4:39.15 in the 400 IM.

She owns season bests of 1:59.19 in the 200 free and 2:12.54 in the 200 IM, both from separate meets in December. Notably, she hasn’t raced the mile in over a year and a half.

Top SCY Times:

  • 200 Freestyle: 1:54.95
  • 500 Freestyle: 5:02.93
  • 1650 Freestyle: 17:19.00
  • 200 IM: 2:12.31
  • 400 IM: 4:29.88

Queens University is a Division I school in North Carolina, is led by 16 year head coach Jeff Dugdale. At the 2025 ASUN Championships, the Queens women finished third out of seven teams

At the 2025 conference meet, which offered ‘A’ and ‘B’ finals, it took times of 1:52.08 and 5:04.88 to make the top 16 in the 200 and 500 free, while times of 2:05.97 and 4:32.88 were required in the IMs. This means she enters as an immediate scoring threat in the 500 free and 400 IM, assuming she is able to approach near her PBs.

In the 1650 free, her PB of 17:19.00 would have placed her sixth last year, garnering a whopping 13 points for the Royals. That event is where she will likely have the most impact when she arrives on campus next fall.

According to the team’s 2024–25 depth chart, Kerby’s bests would have situated her second in the 1650 free, fifth in the 400 IM, sixth in the 500 free, eighth in the 200 IM, and ninth in the 200 free. Junior Katherine Bailey was the swiftest miler with the 16:57.52 clocking that earned her bronze at the ASUN Championships.

Kerby joins Emily Heintz and Grace Marsaa in committing to the university’s recruiting class of 2030.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Freestyler & IMer Peyton Kerby To Swim For Queens University Beginning In 2026-27 Season

Easily Transport Heavy Loads with the Rottweiler E-Trike

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California’s intriguingly named Puckipuppy has unleashed a heavy hauling electric trike called the Rottweiler that boasts a 960-watt peak motor, torque sensor, 55-mile battery and full suspension.

The company says that the Rottweiler was designed to solve e-trike problems such as “weak power under load, bumpy rides, unstable turns, tricky reversing…”

Its 750-W motor peaks at 960 watts to deliver “plenty of power for hills and heavy loads” though the top pedal-assist speed is limited to 15 mph (25 km/h). This is pretty common for e-trikes, though we have seen models that crank up to 20 mph when unlocked.

The Rottweiler features a stop-and-hold parking brake

Puckipuppy

Riders benefit from a responsive torque sensor for power as soon as they pedal down, plus 7-speed Shimano shifting for more flexibility during the ride. A handy reverse button – an industry first – takes some of the stress out of backing into a garage or parking spot. And the trike’s 720-Wh battery is reported to offer between 40 and 55 miles (64 – 88.5 km) of per-charge range.

A low-step 6061 alloy frame makes for easy access, and a padded seat with backrest aims for rider comfort. Puckipuppy has paired a suspension fork with dual shocks to the rear to help smooth over bumps along the way, while chunky fat tires will see this beast tackle a variety of surfaces without grumbling.

The trike is rated for hauling a maximum payload of 500 lb (226.8 kg), including the rider and cargo – which could be groceries, kids or camping gear. It features a funky ‘butterfly’ handlebar with center dash that “better matches the natural angle of your arms and allows multiple grip positions” while promoting an upright riding stance. This dash area is home to a 4.7-inch color display for quick status checks on speed, battery level, PAS mode and lighting.

"The Rottweiler features an ergonomically designed butterfly-style handlebar. Compared to traditional straight or curved bars, it better matches the natural angle of your arms and allows multiple grip positions"
“The Rottweiler features an ergonomically designed butterfly-style handlebar. Compared to traditional straight or curved bars, it better matches the natural angle of your arms and allows multiple grip positions”

Puckipuppy

The Rottweiler rolls on 20-inch wheels wearing 4-inch fat tires, and rather than the rear wheels spinning at the same speed during turns – which can cause slipping or tipping – this model employs a rear differential for safer handling. Stopping power is provided by hydraulic disc brakes, plus there’s a one-touch parking brake as well. Rounding out the key specs are dual-beam front lights and rear lighting with turn signaling.

The Rottweiler is available now and carries a ticket price of US$3,349.99 – though there’s currently a promotion running that shaves a thousand bucks off. Either way, that’s a good deal more expensive than the similarly powered (but folding) XP Trike2 750 from Lectric, but in the same ball park as Velotric’s Triker model.

Product page: Puckipuppy Rottweiler

Housing Market: Key Predictor of Recessions at Historic Low Following Pandemic

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The housing market is long been seen as an early warning sign for recessions, and one data point in particular has caught the attention of Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi.

In social media posts on Sunday, he noted that Moody’s own leading economic indicator that uses machine learning has estimated the odds of a recession in the next 12 months are now at 48%.

Even though it’s less than 50%, Zandi pointed out that the probability has never been that high previously without the economy eventually slipping into a downturn.

A crucial component in the Moody’s indicator comes from the housing market.

“The algorithm has identified building permits as the most critical economic variable for predicting recessions. And while permits had been holding up reasonably well, as builders supported sales through interest rate buydowns and other incentives, inventories of unsold homes are now high and on the rise,” Zandi warned.

“In response, builders are pulling back, and permits have started to slump. They are now as low as they’ve been since the pandemic shutdowns.”

Last month, the Census Bureau reported that residential building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.35 million, down 2.8% from the prior month and down 5.7% from a year ago.

In July, Zandi singled out the housing market for concern, escalating it to a “red flare” as home sales, homebuilding, and house prices were getting squeezed by elevated mortgage rates.

While the 30-year fixed rate has since come down from near 7% to about 6.3%, it’s not clear yet if that’s low enough to revive builders or how much it will continue to drop. On Sunday, Zandi said all eyes should be on August permit data, which will come out on Wednesday.

“They are sure to provide another reason why the Fed should and will announce a rate cut later that day,” he predicted.

In fact, Federal Reserve policymakers have already started worrying about the housing market. Minutes from the central bank’s July meeting revealed concerns about weak housing demand, rising supply, and falling home prices.

And not only did housing show up on the Fed’s radar, officials flagged it as a potential risk to jobs, along with artificial intelligence technology.

“In addition to tariff-induced risks, potential downside risks to employment mentioned by participants included a possible tightening of financial conditions due to a rise in risk premiums, a more substantial deterioration in the housing market, and the risk that the increased use of AI in the workplace may lower employment,” the minutes said.

Permits aren’t the only housing market data point to follow. The economist Ed Leamer, who passed away in February, famously published a paper in 2007 that said residential investment is the best leading indicator of an oncoming recession.

On that score, the data doesn’t look good either. In the second quarter, residential investment tumbled 4.7%, accelerating from the first quarter’s 1.3% decline.

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