USA Update

THOMAS FRANK knows what he is getting into at Tottenham.

But it could now become a lot tougher for Mikel Arteta.

Plenty of Tottenham supporters will now be demanding that Ange Postecoglou’s replacement proves he is a level above the Aussie who ended the club’s 17-YEAR trophy drought.

Yet while the Dane will need to have some “frank” conversations, that Europa League victory in Bilbao will have an equally big impact six miles down the Seven Sisters Road.

Suddenly, after Son Heung-min lifted the trophy into the Basque night air, Spurs are not Spursy any more.

Rival supporters can no longer mock their empty trophy cabinet.

It might have been the worst European final in history, secured by the scrappiest of goals, against a Manchester United side destined to be remembered only for their ineptitude.

Yet Spurs are proven winners, at last.

But there is one club in the capital which does appear to have forgotten how to get over the line.

Arsenal have been London’s best, by a street, for three seasons.

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Boss Arteta has fostered a sense of purpose building a formidable unit and restoring, even enhancing, the bond between the club and its  fans — however much pre-game anthem  “North London Forever” can grate.

Yet while Spurs, Chelsea and Crystal Palace all lifted silverware this term, just as West Ham did in 2023, the Gunners’ best shots have fallen a fraction short of their targets.

Plenty of Arsenal fans will insist they do not care. Of course, they will.

Arteta’s men have come close to  lifting the Prem crown, twice shaded out by Manchester City before being the only threat to champions Liverpool over the past ten months.

It was Arsenal who went deepest in the Champions League, too, putting Real Madrid to the sword before being ousted by Paris Saint-Germain, the new kings of Europe.

But Bukayo Saka’s admissions this week of his feelings of “hurt” at the triumphant scenes he witnessed in Bilbao, Wroclaw and Wembley were a window into the true reality.

There comes a point when being the best of the rest is not enough.

And those trophy lifts by Son, Enzo Fernandez and Marc Guehi mean that moment may have been reached.

Arteta’s faith in the underlying numbers, in the expected goals metric and other analytical and statistical tools, is unquestioned.

But he appears to be a believer in the “one more heave” theory of football management.

A couple of key additions — with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko clearly identified as the priority acquisitions for around £115million for the pair — to bolt on to what he has, and that will be enough. Except it might not be.

Arsenal under Arteta are all about control and, at times it feels, to the exclusion of imagination and spark.

But their rivals might be breaking the glass. City’s £108.4m early summer spending spree has been a statement of intent.

Liverpool are likely to have German ace Florian Wirtz and left-sided full-back Milos Kerkez in to add to Jeremie Frimpong who is already through the door.

Chelsea are ready to splash more of Todd Boehly’s seemingly limitless cash.

Arteta knows the fans will now expect him to deliver on his promises.

His only trophy came five years ago, with an FA Cup final win over Chelsea in an empty stadium during the unprecedented aftermath of the pandemic.

Like a tree falling in the Amazon rainforest, some will ask if a Wembley win when there was nobody there to watch it really happened.

Arsenal were unexpected challengers three years ago, leading the way until the last week of April when they hit the wall.

The following campaign they were only overhauled in the final fortnight.

Yet last term, hindered by injuries, red cards and some refereeing  shockers, they were never really within touching distance of the Anfield side.

Failure to reinforce significantly in the January window, despite the  manager’s public pleading to the board, was critical.

That teams were terrified of Arsenal’s set-piece prowess was unquestioned.

Yet that threat significantly dissipated after centre-back Gabriel limped off against Fulham at the start of April.

Too many supporters have bought into the conspiracy theories, too.

The belief that “they” — whether that be the Premier League, FA, Uefa or PGMOL — are all part of a wide-ranging anti-Arsenal pact.

Allowing that to fester risks giving players a get-out clause as well when things, as they do in football, go against them.

It all adds up to extra scrutiny on Arteta from the first kick of  the 2025-26 season. More questions. Additional demands and expectations.

Answer all of them and he can  book a modelling session with the statue maker.

But stumble again and it may be the beginning of the end.

Thomas tanking

IT has taken only four games but Thomas Tuchel seems to have brought the England squad together — just not as he planned.

The tough-talking German was supposed to be the missing ingredient after all the near-misses under Gareth Southgate.

But after watching the miserable displays against Andorra and Senegal, it seems the players were united in not really wanting to be there.

And that was before Tuchel brought his dear old mum into it.

Brits love sport

GREAT to see a near-full house at Lord’s on Wednesday for the first day of the World Test Championship final.

The weather wasn’t great and plenty would have wanted Australia and South Africa to BOTH lose.

But further proof  Brits will turn up for the opening of an envelope if there’s a sporting event inside.

Riots before World Cup

RIOTS on the streets of Los Angeles and elsewhere.

The Marines and National Guard called in, plus  a crackdown on unwanted visitors.

Who says the Americans aren’t getting prepared to host the World Cup a year out?

LOVE Island fans have insisted that one Islander should be removed from the villa after his ‘disgusting’ behaviour.

30-year-old Harry has come under fire after his shock betrayal on the show after ditching partner Shakira in bed for a night of passion with Helena in the Hideaway.

Eroteme

Eroteme

But his antics have been slammed by viewers who have called upon show’s producers to step in and have him removed from the villa.

Many fans have been left unhappy with the way he disregarded Shakira’s feelings and how he continued to say one thing to her and another to Helena as he attempted to bat their feelings off one another.

Taking to X – formerly Twitter – one fan grumbled of Harry: “Harry is disgusting.”

A second went on to pen: “Harry’s acting like this and hes…thirty?”

Someone else wrote: “Harry.. you lie now but trust your time will come when movie night arrives.

“Switching the script on every convo you have is gonna come back to BITEEEEE.”

“Harry is NOTTTTT the man i thought he’d be, he is a walking, talking RED FLAG,” added a fourth.

As another insisted both he and Helena should be removed for their antics, saying: “I want Helena and Harry OUT. Out NOW!!!!

“Love island producer you know you see knocking the door b****!”

In shock scenes tonight blonde air hostess Helena Ford, 29, and semi-pro footballer Harry Cooksley, 30, snuck off for some alone time – leaving their partners reeling.  

The duo were seen planning their rendezvous earlier in the evening and Harry is seen telling Helena to tap his foot on the way out of the bedroom. 

A source previously told The Sun: “This is the fastest sleepover in the Hideaway in Love Island’s twelve series history – and what a gorgeous pair to do so.

“In the past, producers had to invite Islanders to use the breakout bedroom which meant the love nest was generally not used until couples became more established.

“But producers have changed the rules of the breakout bedroom so it can be used at any time, without an invite.

“It means Helena and Harry could take advantage of the ‘no invite needed’ and explore their connection.

“The scenes will play out later this week, but bosses are unlikely to show anything too naughty, as is the show’s usual approach.”

Eroteme

HARVEY ELLIOTT reminded Arne Slot of his capabilities after his stunner for England U21s helped get their Euros defence off to a flyer.

The star, 22, has warned Liverpool he’s not prepared to “waste” his career sitting on the bench.

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Harvey Elliott celebrates his opener as he showed what he can do[/caption]

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Charlie Cresswell soared to nod England’s clincher[/caption]

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Alex Scott wore a chin strap to protect his injured jaw[/caption]

And he showed his potential suitors exactly what he is capable of as his strike helped down Czech Republic at the MOL Arena in Dunajska Streda, Slovakia.

Elliott ensured England led at the break and Jonathan Rowe doubled their advantage shortly after the restart.

But Czech hit back instantly to set up a tense second period, but the Young Lions secured the 3-1 win thanks to Charlie Cresswell, who along with Elliott are the only survivors from the triumphant 2023 team.

Omari Hutchinson looked the liveliest as Lee Carsley’s side started strongest but they failed to build on that as momentum swung for the Czechs.

Alarm bells were ringing when Vaclav Sejk just missed Martin Suchomel’s low cross and they survived another scare when James Beadle pushed over the unmarked Stepan Chaloupek’s header.

There was another let-off when a corner found Patrik Vydra free in the box and his strike deflected off Jarrell Quansah but Beadle came to the rescue again.

But England took the lead against the run of play thanks to great work from skipper James McAtee.

The Manchester City ace kept alive Tino Livramento’s looping cross and he pulled it back from the byline for Elliott to run on to and rifle home.

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England skipper James McAtee fends off Vaclav Sejk[/caption]

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England beat Czech Republic 2-0 two years ago to begin their journey to European glory and the omens were looking good for a repeat moments after half time.

Twinkle-toed Livramento, the best performer for the Young Lions, produced a bit of trickery before his low cross was flicked towards goal by Rowe.

It looked to be a relatively comfortable stop for goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, but instead he bundled it into his own net.

However, hopes of a seventh-straight Euros clean sheet were quickly extinguished as Czech produced an instant response.

A dangerous cross from captain Vaclav Sejk was nodded home by Daniel Fila and suddenly the Young Lions were on the back foot.

Carsley’s men stood firm to weather the storm and began to look lively on the counter after the introductions of Ethan Nwaneri and Jay Stansfield.

Arsenal teen Nwaneri was straight into the twists and turns as Carsley’s men started to turn the screw.

And they got their reward when Cresswell rose highest to head home Alex Scott’s corner late on to get England off to a winning start.

Bournemouth midfielder Scott certainly let his feet do the talking – as he played with a chin strap o protect his broken jaw.

They now travel to Nitra on Sunday knowing a victory over Slovenia would cement them a spot in the knockouts.

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Jarell Quansah and Tino Livramento hail Jonathon Rowe’s goal[/caption]

EACH week, around three million people clock off from their jobs and start a second, unpaid, role as a carer.

This unsung and often invisible army of helpers keeps the nation functioning, providing vital support to elderly or disabled family members and friends.

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Rumana Akthair is an IT security apprentice for Virgin Media O2 and a carer[/caption]

Estimates vary but between seven to nine per cent of the workforce also have caring responsibilities, with charity Employers For Carers saying that 59 per cent of these are women.

Not-for-profit organisation Carers UK estimates that two-thirds of us will become a carer at some point in our lives, with up to 600 people a day quitting work to do this.

However, juggling such responsibilities with work is a huge challenge.

Studies show that 44 per cent of carers in employment have developed mental or physical health conditions, while a quarter have reduced their working hours in order to cope.

It is Carers Week, with employers being urged to identify carers within their workforce and put support in place to retain them.

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said: “It takes two years on average for someone to identify themselves as a carer.

“As a result, they often don’t come forward for support in the workplace and can miss out on vital help.

“This is why we encourage employers to raise awareness among managers and staff.”

This year’s Carers Week theme is Caring About Equality, highlighting that those looking after family members or friends face a greater risk of poverty, social isolation and poor mental and physical health.

Helen added: “One of the main drivers of poverty is the difficulty of combining paid work with unpaid care.

“We are urging more employers to go further in adopting more carer-friendly measures in the workplace and make a difference for those able to juggle work and care.”

One of the main ways employers can support staff is with flexible working.

Research from insurance agency the Phoenix Group found that two in five working carers would not have a job without flexible working.

Alongside this, an increasing number of firms are offering paid carer’s leave.

While the Carer’s Leave Act 2023 gives employees the right to five days of unpaid leave, Virgin Media O2 offers five paid days while the TSB gives 70 hours each year.

Rumana Akthair is an IT security apprentice for Virgin Media O2 and a carer.

She supports her dad who has mobility issues, a heart condition and diabetes, and also helps her mum, who is a carer herself and lives with arthritis.

Rumana, 35, from London, said: “Co-ordinating medication, attending appointments and managing day-to-day care requires flexibility, often during working hours.

“However, my employer is incredibly supportive, and with the flexibility afforded, the impact on my work is limited.

“We need broader recognition that caring comes in many forms and can include supporting friends, neighbours and extended family.

“The level of understanding and support has made a real difference, not just to my professional growth, but to my overall wellbeing.”

Nisha Marwaha, a director at Virgin Media O2, said: “Carers already have a lot on their plates and we want our people to be able to support friends and family without worrying about taking time off work or not getting paid.

“This support is vital to creating an environment where everyone can be their best at work and help their loved ones when they need them.”

Find out more at carersweek.org.

HOW TO BE A CARE CONFIDENT EMPLOYER

• Encourage employees to identify themselves as carers. Include questions about caring in staff surveys or enable self-declaration through a self-service HR system or online form.
• lAsk carers about their support needs, including what type of help they would like in the workplace.
• lUse a clear definition of caring and carers – and include this in workplace policies to encourage take-up of support.
• Introduce a carer policy in your company or organisation, outlining in one place all the support available.
• Educate managers so they are equipped to identify and support carers in their team. Include caring in manager training and create a line-manager toolkit with guidance on what to do if an employee has caring responsibilities.

PATERNITY LEAVE IS A DAD JOKE

PATERNITY leave in the UK is the worst in Europe, according to campaign group The Dad Shift.

New fathers are entitled to a fortnight off at £187.18 a week, though many firms pay more.

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Mike Shepard, management director, of the Britain’s most family-friendly firm Mars UK[/caption]

Mars UK was recently recognised as our most family-friendly firm, offering dads 26 weeks off at 90 per cent of normal pay.

Ahead of Father’s Day, Mars revenue management director Mike Shepard, dad to Sterling, four, and Conrad, seven months, shares his advice for firms to get it right.

EVOLVE WITH THE PARENTING JOURNEY: From navigating school commitments to becoming a grandparent, the parenting journey spans decades, so flexibility isn’t a one-time fix, it’s a continuous dialogue.

It’s one thing having an enhanced parental leave policy, but leaders’ active encouragement is key to removing any stigma.

CHAMPION MEANINGFUL LEAVE: Business leaders can lead where policy lags by introducing enhanced time off and normalising fathers to take it.

REDEFINE THE RETURN-TO-WORK EXPERIENCE: Coming back from parental leave isn’t about “slotting back in”. It’s an emotional, mental and logistical adjustment.

Start conversations early about flexibility, priorities and working style, leading with what will best suit a family’s new reality.

MAXIMISE PERFORMANCE AND WELLBEING: It’s hard to support what you don’t know, so encourage open dialogue.

Vital to the success of my own team’s productivity is them feeling safe voicing what works for them, whether it’s flexible hours, hybrid working or changes in responsibility.

USE PEER GROUPS TO DRIVE CHANGE: Internal parenting networks are powerful tools.

Foster these groups to build a community and spark ideas that can drive meaningful change from within.

LOVE ISLE IS A TITLE MYSTERY

LOVE ISLAND, hosted by Maya Jama, is back on our screens and it is not just the hot bods grabbing our attention – but also their day jobs, and what they mean.

Online searches for “marketing engineer”, “payroll specialist” and “energy broker” jumped more than 5,000 per cent last week, according to data from jobs forum RateMyApprenticeship.

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The careers of Love Island contestants are leading to new job searches[/caption]

Co-founder Oliver Sidwell says: “Seeing someone on screen talk about a job you’ve never heard of sparks curiosity, and that’s what we’re seeing now.

“Roles like marketing engineer or energy broker are not on the radar for most school leavers, but should be.

“These are well-paid, in-demand jobs and don’t always require a university route.”

IT’S BEST TO ASK … AND FAST

JOB applicants should try to ask questions early in an interview to steer it in a direction that plays to their strengths.

That is the advice from Dr George Sik, of psychometric testing firm Eras, as the number of job vacancies in the UK plunged to its lowest level in four years with just 781,000 up for grabs.

As competition for positions intensifies, Dr Sik suggests good questions to put to your potential employer, which include, “What are the most important goals for this role in the next six to 12 months?”, “What challenges or changes is the team currently navigating?” and, “What makes someone exceptional in this role, as opposed to just good?”

He adds: “These questions show initiative and let you reframe the interview.”

But leave it too long into the chat, and Dr Sik warns: “By that point, it’s too late to influence the direction of the conversation.”

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A FATHER played on his phone in a “good mood” while being quizzed by cops over the death of his baby daughter, a court heard.

Thomas Holford, 24, is accused of shaking his baby girl to death.

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Everleigh Stroud died a year after being rushed to hospital in Kent[/caption]

The five-week-old baby was rushed to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital after the ordeal at her home in Ramsgate, Kent.

Everleigh Stroud remained there in a vegetative state until she died over a year later in 2022 – aged 14 months.

Her dad had been living with her 16-year-old mum at time and pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November last year.

He denies murder and causing actual bodily harm.

Everleigh’s injuries, which ultimately led to her death in hospital on May 27, 2022, included catastrophic brain haemorrhages and multiple bone fractures.

Jurors heard that while it is accepted by Holford that he inflicted them, he disputes the prosecution case that he intended to kill Everleigh – or cause her really serious harm.

Holford also denies a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that mum Casey Stroud had left Everleigh in Holford’s care while she went to stay with a friend on the night of April 20 to celebrate her birthday.

When she returned, on the morning of her 17th birthday, she found her daughter grey in colour with marks on her face.

While Everleigh was rushed to hospital, Holford was questioned by police in the family living room.

But jurors heard that he was “very relaxed” and in “quite a good mood” while detailing the events of the previous night.

He repeatedly used his phone, and at one point in a conversation, the first-time dad asked a sergeant to pick a game for him to download from his app store.

PC Darren Smith, who recorded his interactions with Holford on his body-worn camera, told the court: “When he entered the room he seemed to be in quite a good mood.

“He didn’t seem to be showing any emotion. He was quite easily conversing with me.”

The court heard – and watched the footage – of Holford describing having fed Everleigh two or three times during the night and settling her to sleep.

Holford said he recalled hearing her “whimper”, but thought she was just dreaming.

The dad said he didn’t see any bruises on his daughter until a “very upset” Casey had woken him.

He also referred to his low mood and an upcoming appointment with the community mental health team.

Asked by prosecutor Eloise Marshall if the defendant’s demeanour had changed during their conversation, PC Smith replied: “Not to any drastic amount.”

Ms Marshall then asked: “What was he actually doing while you were talking to him?”

The officer responded: “Mainly playing on his mobile phone.”

In much of the footage, Holford could be seen holding the device between his hands.

At one stage, Holford recalled how he feared he had swaddled Everleigh “quite tightly” when she whimpered.

He then told PC Smith: “It’s weird. Before I had a kid, I just thought ‘kids are just kids’.

“Then, you have a kid and it’s like, ‘Woah, step back’. It puts everything into perspective, doesn’t it?

“Before, I didn’t feel like I had a purpose. I wasn’t working. But now I feel everything has just fallen into place.”

Holford also revealed that he had smoked cannabis at around 10am the previous day, and would use it daily in the morning for a stomach issue.

A small amount of herbal cannabis, along with a grinder, was found in the “untidy and crammed” bedroom he had shared with Casey and Everleigh.

Holford was arrested and taken to Margate Police Station.

PC Smith told the jury he heard the defendant “speaking freely” of how he was often told by his girlfriend on waking that he had been “verbally aggressive” towards her – but had no knowledge of doing so.

Sgt Benjamin Patterson also gave evidence about his interactions with Holford, who he described as being “very interested in his phone, very relaxed and distant”.

During cross-examination, Holford’s barrister, Jo Martin KC, suggested the dad’s presentation could have been “a delayed reaction”, which PC Smith agreed could be the case.

However, when she suggested Holford had been talking “randomly” while in the custody cell, PC Smith replied: “He was calm the whole time I was with him. I couldn’t work out his mindset at all.

“Over the whole day, he was on a level. I don’t remember seeing any emotion – something that seemed strange considering what had happened.”

Jurors also heard that in visits to the family home by health workers on March 30 and April 6, Casey said Holford was doing most of the night feeds so she could rest.

It was also noted that he “really helped out” and was happy to do so.

The trial continues.

BRITTANY MAHOMES has made a major personal announcement.

The wife of NFL star Patrick has revealed a decision over her the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback’s future.

Instagram / brittanylynne

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes with Sterling, Bronze and Golden Raye[/caption]

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The couple have been together since childhood and have three children together[/caption]

She has told of their family plans, ruling out having a fourth child, for now.

Brittany gave birth to their third baby, a daughter named Golden Raye, in January.

The childhood sweethearts are also parents to Sterling, four, and two-year-old Bronze.

She opened up on her personal life in an interview with WHOOP.

The NFL Wag was discussing falling pregnant with three children in the space of four years.

And she suggested that Golden Raye would be her last – for the time being anyway.

“We’re done, we’re done for a while. Three,” she said.

“I don’t know, I mean, I feel like you can never say you’re done.

“But I think three is all I need.”

The loved-up couple met as teenagers and started dating in 2012.

The three-time Super Bowl-winner and his former college soccer player wife have been together ever since.

They went to different schools before marrying in 2022 in a romantic Hawaiian wedding.

The Chiefs star told earlier this year that it would be unlikely they have a fourth child.

“I’m good with three for right now,” he said in January.

“We’ll see down the line, maybe. But my goal was always three.

“So, we’ve had three. And we’ll stick there for a while and see if we need to come back and get another one later on.”

Earlier this month, Mahomes also told how his wife inspires him to perform on the field.

“I admire my wife Brittany’s confidence,” he told People.

“Whether it’s in business, or supporting our family, she always leads with strength and purpose.

“That kind of confidence is powerful; it pushes me to be better every day.

“Confidence isn’t something that you just wake up with one day.

“It’s about staying committed to your goals, trusting yourself and the people around you.

“Putting your best foot forward with every opportunity you get.”

See how the famous family has changed through weight loss.

A CLEVELAND Browns quarterback has been predicted to be part of a stunning trade exit amid Shedeur Sanders’ roster cut speculation.

The Browns have a logjam at the quarterback position and will need to make a release or possibly a trade decision during the summer.

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Cleveland Browns fifth-round pick quarterback Shedeur Sanders smiles during rookie minicamp last month[/caption]

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One of the Browns’ four quarterbacks has been tipped for a surprise trade exit[/caption]

Cleveland took two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft in third-round pick Dillon Gabriel and fifth-rounder Sanders.

The rookies are part of a quarterback room that also features veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.

It’s expected that one of the quarterbacks will be released or shipped away, and a football media personality thinks that one of the first-year players is a fit for a specific team.

Former NFL quarterback-turned football analyst Kurt Benkert shared that the Miami Dolphins were interested in drafting Gabriel and wanted to select him before he landed in Cleveland.

But with Gabriel reportedly struggling in workouts with the Browns, Benkert believes the Oregon Ducks product is a clear fit for the Dolphins.

“I wouldn’t be shocked to see the #Dolphins trade for #Browns QB Dillon Gabriel at the end of the preseason,” Benkert wrote on X.

“They liked him a ton and saw him as an incredible scheme fit with athletic upside and were going to take him a few picks later, but then the Browns drafted him (per source).”

The Dolphins ended up trading their No. 98 pick away after Gabriel wasn’t available.

Miami eventually drafted a quarterback when they selected Quinn Ewers in the seventh round.

Benkert then wrote about the Ewers’ pick.

“Nothing against Ewers, they took him at a spot they liked – but it’s believed the preference was Gabriel earlier in the draft.”

The Dolphins do have a starting quarterback in 2023 Pro Bowler Tua Tagovailoa, but his health is a concern after he suffered another concussion last season.

It’s more likely, however, that the Browns will part with either Flacco or Pickett instead of either Gabriel or Sanders, who has had cut fears surrounding him.

Cleveland would be wise to keep and develop the two rookies, as the franchise doesn’t have Super Bowl or even playoff expectations.

The franchise is coming off a disappointing 3-14 season in 2024.

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Browns third-round pick quarterback Dillon Gabriel talks to the media during rookie minicamp[/caption]

The Browns are tasked with the last day of mandatory minicamp on Thursday.

Then, they will prepare for training camp, which usually takes place in late July.

Cleveland will then have to decide on who stays on the 53-man roster for the upcoming campaign.

A RARE virus that killed Gene Hackman’s wife is spreading in the United States, warn health experts.

The rodent-borne disease can cause a range of debilitating symptoms including flu-like illness, headaches, and vomiting.

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There was an investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in Santa Fe[/caption]

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People get hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and mice, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva[/caption]

Nevadans have been urged to take steps to prevent exposure to hantavirus following two recently confirmed cases.

That takes the total cases in the U.S. since records began in 1993 to nearly 900.

People get hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and mice, especially when exposed to their wee, poo, and saliva.

It can also spread through a bite or scratch by a rodent.

On Tuesday, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) released a statement on the latest cases.

Urging “caution,” they advised “Nevadans to take steps to prevent exposure to hantavirus following two recently confirmed cases.

“As warmer weather arrives, people will be more active in areas such as sheds, barns, trailers, garages, and cabins where deer mice have nested or left droppings.

“NDOW reminds the public to be cautious in these areas or other structures that may have been closed up during the winter months.”

Melissa Bullock, state medical epidemiologist, added, “We urge people to be aware of any signs of rodent activity and to take precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to hantavirus.

“Anyone who has been in contact with rodents, nests or droppings and subsequently develops symptoms consistent with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome should see a health care provider immediately.”

It is believed that the virus can live up to four days depending on the environment.

There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection, according to the American Lung Association.

It added, “However, if the virus is caught early and the patient receives medical care in an intensive care unit (ICU), they will likely improve.”

While hantavirus infections are thankfully rare, the tragic death of Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Academy Award winning actor Gene Hackman, has increased concern about the disease.

The concert pianist, 65, was found dead alongside her husband and one of their dogs on February 26.

The bodies of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa were discovered at the couple’s Santa Fe home after maintenance and security workers called the cops.

New Mexico officials later confirmed that Arakawa had died of the rare hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

FLUID IN LUNGS

HPS is a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs.

Dr. Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s chief medical investigator, said in February following the discovery of Arakawa, that once fluid is inside and around sufferers’ lungs, it’s a life-threatening situation.

She said, “At that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment.”

But – confusingly for victims – HPS is a disease that can start to show at any time from one to eight weeks after contact with an infected rodent.

Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said people suffering HPS will show symptoms including fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

It said, “Hantaviruses found in the Western Hemisphere, including here in the U.S., can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

“The most common hantavirus that causes HPS in the U.S. is spread by the deer mouse.”

SPREAD BY RODENTS

However, according to Uinta County in Wyoming, there are four rodents in the United States which carry hantavirus, including the deer mouse.

The others include the white-footed mouse, found throughout southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic and southern states, the midwestern and western states, and Mexico.

The cotton rat, found in the southeastern U.S. and down into Central and South America, is another rodent to be wary of.

The rice rat, which is slightly smaller than the cotton rat, lives in marshy areas and is semi-aquatic. It lives throughout the southeastern U.S. and Central America.

The CDC said that HPS can be deadly, as “38% of those who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.”

BLEEDING

Americans should also be aware that Hantaviruses cause two syndromes.

Aside from HPS, there is hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

People infected with the latter may have flushing of the face, inflammation or redness of the eyes, or a rash.

They can eventually suffer from internal bleeding and acute kidney failure.

OTHER CASES

As of the end of 2022, 864 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the United States since official surveillance began in 1993.

These were all laboratory-confirmed cases and included HPS and non-pulmonary hantavirus infection, said the CDC.

Since then, there have been seven confirmed cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in New Mexico in 2024, plus two in Nevada so far this year.

Hantavirus caused three recent deaths in California, reported the Los Angeles Times in April.

Three people in Mammoth Lakes died after contracting the same infection that killed Gene Hackman’s wife.

Of these three fatalities, only one person had multiple mice in their home, said health officials.

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The deer mouse is one of four rodents described as a hantavirus carrier[/caption]

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Cotton rats also carry the potentially fatal disease[/caption]

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Marsh Rice Rat, a semiaquatic rodent usually found in the wetland habitats, such as swamps and salt marshes, carry the disease[/caption]

Ruch also hosted ‘HGTV House Party.’