Russia's Foreign Ministry criticized the U.S. on Thursday for describing WNBA star Brittney Griner as "wrongfully detained," saying the claim shows disrespect for Russian law, according to AP.
Why it matters: Griner, who has been imprisoned since February, pleaded guilty this month to drug charges that carry up to 10 years in prison. Her trial is set to resume Tuesday; it's unclear how long it will last.
MLB attendance entering the All-Star break is down for 23 of 30 teams compared to the same time frame in 2019, representing a league-wide decrease of 6.4%.
Why it matters: The reasons for the decline are varied, but assuming the pace holds this will be the fifth consecutive non-pandemic-restricted season with declining attendance.
The National League looked like it may finally break the American League's winning streak at the Midsummer Classic Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. Then the rest of the game happened.
Game recap: The NL came out swinging in the first, notching four hits and two runs against Rays fireballer Shane McClanahan. They'd record just one more hit all night in an eventual 3-2 loss.
High-tech track spikes like those being worn at this week's World Athletics Championships have ushered in an era of blazing fast middle-distance runners (800-10,000 meters).
How it works: These "super spikes" — introduced by Nike in 2019 and adopted more widely in 2021 — improve runners' efficiency with a combination of cushiony foam and rigid carbon-fiber plates in the sole.
