2024 – Page 1071 – Wealth World News

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is urging the House’s agriculture committee to reject the Exposing Agriculture Trade Suppression (EATS) Act in the 2024 farm bill over concerns the Chinese Communist Party(CCP) will continue dominating control of the U.S. pork industry.

‘The Chinese Communist Party has been stealthily encroaching on the U.S. agriculture industry for some time now,’ Luna told Fox News Digital in a statement.

On Friday, Luna will send a letter to the committee warning the EATS Act could undermine state laws and standards for agricultural production, posing a threat to American farmers in the pork industry while benefiting foreign-owned companies.

‘If the House Agriculture Committee adopts this harmful proposal, it will hurt thousands of American farmers, and substantially benefit foreign-owned farms that have come to dominate the domestic U.S. pork industry — especially pork production in the United States under the control of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing,’ Luna wrote.

Opponents of the bill, like the Humane Society of the U.S., argue it would effectively roll back nearly 1,000 local animal welfare laws that would create ‘the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens, baby veal calves and breeding pigs, while threatening other animal welfare laws, such as those dealing with cruel puppy mills and the slaughter of horses, dogs and cats for their meat, as well as wildlife trafficking.’

Luna agreed.

‘The EATS Act is simply a veiled attempt by these foreign-owned corporations to subvert the will of American voters, who chose to adopt a series of measures through ballot initiatives and state lawmaking to allow more space for animals raised for food production,’ Luna’s letter states. ‘The EATS Act proposes to unwind these legitimately enacted animal housing standards, and the Chinese government, with its profound level of control of pig production in the United States, stands to reap a substantial benefit.’

Several GOP represenatives signed onto the letter with Luna: Matt Gaetz, Jeff Van Drew, Byron Donalds, Andy Biggs, Nancy Mace, Matt Rosendale, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Bob Good.

They wrote that they are ‘gravely concerned about infiltration of American pork production by foreign adversaries, principally the CCP.’

Smithfield Foods, a Virginia-based pork producer, is wholly owned by the CCP, the letter notes, and controls nearly 26% of the U.S. pork market. The big meat producer also supports the EATS Act.

‘A Brazil-based agribusiness giant, JBS, controls an additional 14% of pig production, meaning just two foreign companies control production and distribution of 40% of the U.S. pork supply,’ Luna added. ‘That level of foreign control is unprecedented in any other sector of American agriculture. Rather than do their bidding in the upcoming Farm Bill, we should be working to reduce this level of penetration in our pork industry so that we can restore the dominance of domestic pork producers in our homeland.’

In January, a GAO report detailed the findings of its investigation of the Biden administration’s failure to track Chinese investment in U.S. farms.

The report revealed the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has failed to consistently share timely data on foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land as required under the 1978 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA). Further, Pentagon officials told investigators that USDA needs to regularly provide more up-to-date and specific AFIDA data, according to the report.

USDA’s most recent data suggests that, as of 2021, foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land grew to approximately 40 million acres. Additionally, Chinese agricultural investment in the U.S. increased tenfold between 2009 and 2016 alone.

Fox News’ Thomas Catenacci contributed to this report.

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Politics

WATCH: GOP lawmakers confront leftist protesters who interrupt anti-communism event

House Republican lawmakers confronted a small group of leftist protesters on Thursday after the activists attempted to interrupt their press conference urging President Biden to keep Cuba’s terror designation in place.

Four Cuban-American lawmakers – Reps. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., and Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. – were just minutes into their press conference outside the U.S. Capitol when two members of the group Code Pink and one other person abruptly stepped in front.

The protesters were holding signs that said, ‘Take Cuba off Terror List’ and refused to move from the area in front of the lawmakers’ display when asked.

‘I wish the average Cuban could have the same privilege that you’re having right now,’ Salazar told the activists. One shot back, ‘Well, thank you for giving us the privilege.’

Salazar continued, ‘You know, I love this, because if we traveled to Cuba now, and you and I go … you will not be able to come close this close to the Capitol and speak your mind and have a dialogue like we could be having right now, because they will either put you in jail or put you back on a plane back to Miami.’

‘Isn’t it beautiful over there?’ the protester replied.

Code Pink is an antiwar group that has staged several demonstrations in and around the U.S. Capitol complex in the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Malliotakis, whose mother is a Cuban refugee, pointed out that Cuba has close ties to Iran, which backs groups like Hamas.

‘Instead of standing here protesting our press conference, you should be at the southern border, or maybe standing at the other side of the ocean where we’re seeing Cubans fleeing in makeshift rafts,’ she said. ‘And maybe you can learn about what’s actually happening in communist Cuba, because you’re using a privilege that we only have here in the United States and the Cuban people do not have.’

‘You will be jailed, you will be beaten, you will be killed, if you do what you’re doing right here, protesting in freedom, if you do it in Cuba. . . . It’s ironic that we stand here with signs supporting a communist regime that does all those things.’

At one point, another protester holding a Spanish-language sign got close to lawmakers, prompting police officers to attempt to intervene. The House Republicans stopped her from being taken away and instead asked her to move to a space that didn’t raise security concerns.

The demonstrators did not move for the duration of the press conference.

At least one of them appeared to be Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin, who has been seen in the halls of Congress in recent weeks participating in various protests, including a Gaza ceasefire demonstration with progressive activist and actress Susan Sarandon.

Malliotakis called her a ‘professional agitator.’

Benjamin confirmed her attendance at the event and said in a statement to Fox News Digital: ‘Politicians like these have been pushing the same tired position for over 70 years, and the only result has been impoverishment of the Cuban people. If they really cared a whit about Cuban families, they would call for measures to ease shortages, including lifting sanctions and taking Cuba off the terror list.’

Cuba was designated as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1982 ‘because of its long history of providing advice, safe haven, communications, training, and financial support to guerrilla groups and individual terrorists,’ according to the U.S. State Department.

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Politics

Joe Biden, you’re no Harry Truman

It was clear from President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address that his staff was going for a come-from-behind victory in the style of President Harry Truman.

This was the message of the left-wing media after the speech last night.

Unfortunately, neither Biden’s staff nor the elite media have apparently studied Truman. They have no idea what he did in 1948 to win re-election against all odds.

The Biden team knows what was brutally reinforced in a recent New York Times poll. Their candidate is behind. His policies are not working, and his cognitive problems are worsening.

At a minimum, this State of the Union unified the professional Democrats and made it virtually impossible to launch a dump Biden movement. However, this came with a cost for Biden.

In 1948, the country had voted four times in a row to put Democrats in the White House (all four were for Franklin Delano Roosevelt). The transition from a wartime boom to a peacetime economy had been difficult. Truman’s commitment to civil rights alienated a large part of the South. His commitment to stopping Soviet expansion had also alienated the most liberal wing of his party.

Gov. Strom Thurmond was mounting an independent segregationist campaign. Former Vice President Henry Wallace was running as a progressive dedicated to creating a more socialist America and appeasing Russian dictator Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. President Truman looked doomed to defeat.

In fact, by September, Truman was sufficiently behind the Republican nominee, Tom Dewey of New York. Gallup announced it was no longer going to poll, because the presidential race was over.

But Truman had been counted out before. During his 1940 re-election campaign to represent Missouri in the U.S. Senate, the Kansas City and St. Louis Democratic Party machines decided to defeat him. He was a reformer they could not control. Truman had virtually no money but took one driver and crisscrossed Missouri. He pounded away at the machines and made the election a choice between a courageous independent senator and the party bosses of Missouri’s two biggest cities. Against all odds and expectations, Truman won.

So, Truman knew how to run an intense, aggressive underdog campaign – and he did.

Biden imitated this aspect of the Truman mystique in his 2024 State of the Union – and it worked in achieving two goals.

First, it demonstrated Biden could still give a major, energetic, hour-long speech. (This was reinforced by the way in which he gradually left the House Chamber while energetically chatting with supporters).

Second, the steady chants of ‘four more years’ and the standing ovations likely neutralized the Democrats who have been considering whether Biden could be talked into retiring or replaced at the convention. At a minimum, this State of the Union unified the professional Democrats and made it virtually impossible to launch a dump Biden movement.

However, this came with a cost for Biden.

The bitterly partisan nature of the speech also reinforced Republican and independent support for President Donald Trump – and enthusiasm for defeating Biden.

There are four big differences between 1948 and 2024.

First, Truman simply had the job of reassembling enough of the Roosevelt coalition to win a narrow victory. There is no comparably large reservoir of votes from which Biden can draw.

Second, President Trump is no Dewey. Trump will carry an aggressive, enthusiastic, and intense campaign that seeks to reinforce Americans’ disappointment with Biden and move us back on track for a better future.

Third, the problems of the country are far more divisive and hostile than they were in 1948. The reaction on the left to Biden using the term ‘illegal’ to describe the man accused of killing Laken Riley gives you a sense of how hard it is going to be for Biden to cope his own political ecosystem.

Finally, the State of the Union was the wrong place for this bitterly partisan speech. It should be a time for the president of the United States to address all Americans – not for the Democratic Party nominee to address his partisan supporters. Hearing the elite media tout the Truman analogy, I went back and read Truman’s 1948 State of the Union.

Biden began his speech with three consecutive attacks on President Trump and Republicans – on Ukraine, Jan. 6, and abortion.

Compare that bitter partisanship, which alienated every Republican listening, with Truman’s opening:

‘We are here today to consider the state of the Union.

‘On this occasion, above all others, the Congress and the President should concentrate their attention, not upon party but upon the country; not upon things which divide us but upon those which bind us together – the enduring principles of our American system, and our common aspirations for the future welfare and security of the people of the United States.

‘The United States has become great because we, as a people, have been able to work together for great objectives even while differing about details.’

Despite what the elite media says, Joe Biden is no Harry Truman.

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Politics

Biden campaign launches $30 million ad buy following aggressive, political SOTU

President Biden’s presidential re-election campaign on Friday launched a $30 million ad buy following his State of the Union address Thursday night, as the president heads out on a battleground state tour.

The ad spending is more than Biden’s campaign spent in all of last year, his deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty said.

Flaherty said in a statement on social media that Biden had the best fundraising hours of this cycle after his State of the Union, claiming it set a record for fundraising for an incumbent Democrat without giving numbers.

‘The dumbest thing you can do is underestimate Joe Biden,’ Flaherty wrote on his X account.

Republicans have slammed Biden’s aggressive speech as ‘divisive,’ ‘partisan’ and an ‘utter disgrace.’

‘I thought it was the most divisive State of the Union from the most out-of-touch president in American history,’ Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., told Fox News. ‘I thought it was bizarre.’

The president visited Pennsylvania on Friday, and also plans swings through Georgia, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Michigan over the next week as he prepares to face-off against former President Trump.

Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Arizona and Nevada.

‘We firmly believe that this race is going to be won on the ground across key states that afford multiple pathways to 270, and everything we are doing this month to kick off the general election is grounded in that premise,’ said Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said, according to Reuters.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Sports

Mike Tyson’s return to boxing, clues to what we might see

When news of Mike Tyson’s fight against Jake Paul made headlines Thursday morning, it left some scratching their heads about whether Tyson’s return to the boxing ring was real. After all it has been more than three years since we last saw Tyson box in an exhibition, and his last professional fight was in 2005.

In Tyson’s last exhibition fight, he faced Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center on Nov. 28, 2020. Tyson, who was then 54, looked aggressive from the outset and stalked Jones, 51, through most of their eight rounds. The fight was held without spectators because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Jones remained on his feet when the final bell rang — and three former WBC champions scored the bout a draw. USA TODAY Sports scored the fight 78-74 for Tyson.

Early on, Tyson resembled his old self, charging after Jones and unleashing powerful punches. He nailed Jones with several powerful shots. Jones looked hurt in the second round after absorbing another shot to the body.

But after that, Jones frequently kept Tyson in a clinch to help neutralize Tyson’s power — and survive to the final bell.

Mike Tyson’s return to boxing, use of toad venom

Even before the fight began, there was plenty of drama leading up to that Saturday night. At Friday’s weigh-in, Tyson said a psychedelic drug known as toad venom played a part in his return to boxing at the age of 54.

“I took the medicine and the medicine told me to get into shape,’’ Tyson said, referring to psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT during an interview on the day of the official weigh-in. “It really blew my mind. It told me to come back and start getting in shape.’’

Tyson weighed in at 220 pounds and Jones weighed in at 210 pounds.

Tyson indicated he lost 100 pounds during his training regimen, which started with 15 minutes a day on the treadmill. He called his first day of sparring “disastrous.’’

“During that session of boxing when I was getting shellacked, never once did I say, ‘What the (expletive) am I doing here?’ I said, ‘Woo, I belong here.’ ”

After the fight, Tyson admitted to smoking marijuana before he fought Jones.

‘It’s just who I am,’’ he said. “It has no effect on me from a negative standpoint. It’s just what I do and how I am and how I’m going to die. There’s no explanation. There’s no beginning, there’s no end.”

Mike Tyson’s pay-per-view revenue

The Jones-Tyson exhibition generated more than $80 million in pay-per-revenue for a fight that was priced at $49.99. According to Tyson’s Legends Only League, the match sold more than 1.6 million PPV buys.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Sports

WATCH: Lionel Messi scores goal in Champions Cup match

Lionel Messi comes to Inter Miami’s rescue again, sparking a thrilling comeback.

Messi scored in the 51st minute to bring Inter Miami back into the match against Nashville SC in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 matchup on Thursday night.

Messi’s shot snuck into the left side of the net, after an assist by Luis Suárez to cut Nashville’s deficit to 2-1. Suárez scored a stoppage time goal as Miami escaped Nashville with a 2-2 first-leg draw.

Here’s the highlight of Messi’s goal against Nashville:

It’s Messi’s fourth goal of the season, and his third in two consecutive matches.

Messi stretched his hands out wide to celebrate, before hugging midfielders Sergio Busquets and Federico Redondo, and high-fiving Julian Gressel.

Messi finished celebrating with a hug to Suárez, and a prayer to the sky.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Sports

Caitlin Clark dishes on draft decision, why her game resonates

Indiana has a fever, and the only prescription may be Caitlin Clark.

After dominating the college basketball world and smashing its records, the Iowa superstar will soon make her way to the WNBA, where she will likely land as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

While there was some thought that Clark was considering staying at Iowa under a fifth year of eligibility, she ultimately announced her decision to enter the draft Feb. 29. According to Clark, that decision didn’t come easy.

Speaking with Robin Roberts on the March 7 episode of ‘Good Morning America,’ Clark explained her mindset to enter the draft and leave Iowa behind.

‘I think there’s pros and cons to both sides, and that’s what made the decision so difficult,’ Clark said. ‘It was almost a win-win, but at the same time, a lose-lose, because I was giving up something.

‘I’m just kind of ready for the next chapter and a new challenge in my life. But, I thi…nk the reason that I decided to announce it when I did is to have that closure, especially ahead of Senior Night.’

Clark put an exclamation point on a sensational college career by passing ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich’s record for the most points in Division I history during that senior night matchup vs. then No. 2-ranked Ohio State. Iowa would also win the game, 93-83, and continue to march towards the tournament.

Opinion: Caitlin Clark’s legacy is set in stone, even without a championship

As far as her next step goes, Clark is all but a lock to go No. 1 overall in the WNBA draft to the Indiana Fever, and she knows that fans will be lining up to see the next season of the Clark show.

‘I think it’s just the style of basketball that I play, but I think also people love the fire, and the emotion that I have and the smile I always have on my face. …

‘People love the long shots, people love the good passing, people love the fire.’

Next up for Clark and the Hawkeyes is March Madness, where they’ll look to finish the job after coming up just short vs. LSU in the 2023 national championship game. Expect Caitlinsanity to continue until the music stops.

Caitlin Clark on breaking NCAA scoring record

On March 3, Clark passed Pete Maravich as the NCAA’s all-time leading scoring in basketball in a win over Ohio State. Clark knew the moment was just about as perfect as it could go.

‘We’re playing the No. 2 team in the country, on Senior Night, on the home court, you can’t really script it any better,’ she said.

Caitlin Clark court logo

On Feb. 15, Clark set the record for the most points in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history in typical Clark fashion: She pulled up from way, way downtown, draining a 3-pointer vs. Michigan.

Not soon after, Iowa immortalized the moment by putting a decal on the floor of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena from where Clark nailed the shot. Even Clark was a bit surprised by how far she hit the shot.

‘It’s just kind of crazy; when I first went out there and looked at it, I was just like, ‘This has to be in the wrong spot,” Clark said with a laugh. ‘It just seems way further back from where I shot it from.’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Sports

NHL trade deadline: Who’s left to move on Friday’s final day

General managers for some of the NHL’s best teams were busy on the final two days before Friday’s trade deadline.

The Carolina Hurricanes won the Jake Guentzel sweepstakes late Thursday night.

A day earlier, the Vegas Golden Knights acquired the Calgary Flames’ Noah Hanifin, the top defenseman who was available on the trade market. That follows their trade for Washington Capitals forward Anthony Mantha on Tuesday.

Also off the market: Vladimir Tarasenko (Florida Panthers), Adam Henrique (Edmonton Oilers), Casey Mittelstadt and Sean Walker (Colorado Avalanche), Alex Wennberg (New York Rangers) and Anthony Duclair (Tampa Bay Lightning).

Here’s who still could be in play before the 3 p.m. ET Friday trade deadline:

Forward Frank Vatrano, Anaheim Ducks

General manager Pat Verbeek already got a first-round pick and other draft picks by moving out Henrique, Sam Carrick and Ilya Lyubushkin, all pending unrestricted free agents. Vatrano has term left on his deal. He’s a first-time All-Star this season with a career-best 29 goals. That includes 11 power-play goals and two short-handed ones.

There are other players who could be moved on Friday to add intrigue to the trade deadline. Here’s a look:

Forward Tyler Toffoli, New Jersey Devils

The Devils made a coaching change, but it’s looking less likely that they’ll make the playoffs. Contenders would be interested in pending UFA Toffoli, who has 26 goals this season and had 34 last season. He was held out of the lineup Thursday night.

Forward Pavel Buchnevich, St. Louis Blues

He has a year left on his contract, so the Blues don’t have to move him now. He’s on pace to top his career best of 30 goals and would satisfy a team’s need for a top-six winger.

Defenseman Jakob Chychrun, Ottawa Senators

His name is out there because the Senators are loaded with top-notch left-shot defensemen and they have signed Jake Sanderson long term. Chychrun has another year left on his contract. General manager Steve Staios said he isn’t actively pursuing anything with Chychrun but said, ‘We’re getting a lot of interest in all of our players.’

Forward Jason Zucker, Arizona Coyotes

He plays with an edge and would fit in a team’s middle six. He was Evgeni Malkin’s linemate in Pittsburgh.

Defenseman Matt Dumba, Arizona Coyotes

He longer brings the offense, but he’s a right-shot defenseman, averages 20 minutes a game and has 150 hits. But he and Zucker sat out Thursday.

Forward Reilly Smith, Pittsburgh Penguins

He hasn’t had a strong season in Pittsburgh, but he did win a Stanley Cup last season in Vegas.

Forward Tyler Johnson, Chicago Blackhawks

The pending unrestricted free agent won two Stanley Cup titles with the Tampa Bay Lightning and has 116 games of playoff experience.

Defenseman Erik Johnson, Buffalo Sabres

He’s being held out of the lineup. He won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Sports

Messi, Suarez score as Inter Miami equalizes late in Champions Cup game

There’s always enough time for Inter Miami when Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are on the pitch – even in the final minutes.

Messi scored a goal in the 52nd minute, while Suárez’s header in the fifth minute of extra time helped Inter Miami storm back to finish a 2-2 draw against Nashville SC during the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup match on Thursday night at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tenn.

Both teams have MLS games on Sunday, before the second leg of their Round-of-16-matchup Wednesday at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC Concacaf Champions Cup highlights

Messi’s sidekicks from Barcelona also came through in clutch moments – none bigger than Suárez, who rose above the defense to use his head on a pass from Sergio Busquets.

Inter Miami fell behind 1-0 after four minutes, and 2-0 just two minutes after halftime. They were without Jordi Alba, another Barcelona star who orchestrated two of Messi’s goals this year but was out with an illness. They lost Leo Campana, Suárez’s backup, to a foot injury in Wednesday’s practice before the game. They traded away defender DeAndre Yedlin to FC Cincinnati earlier in the week. There were a lot of holes to fill, but Inter Miami’s star power prevailed again.

Nashville’s offside call spoils 3-1 lead

Before the equalizer from Suárez, Nashville’s Shaq Moore was ruled offside after VAR, negating a goal that would have given them a 3-1 lead in the 83rd minute.

Nashville coach Gary Smith considered both sequences as “defining moments” that could determine which side advances in the Champions Cup.

“We’ve been given for five occasions, and we scored two. And most times we’d say that’s enough, but not against Miami,” Smith said of Nashville’s opportunities in the match.

Lionel Messi suffers left leg injury, finishes Nashville match. Will he play vs. Montreal?

Messi finished the game despite injury – his legendary left leg was kicked by the calf area, causing his ankle to twist with about 10 minutes remaining in the match. Messi also got his right hamstring massaged during the first half.

It’s unclear whether Messi will play in Inter Miami’s next match at home against Montreal CF on Sunday. Nashville is also in action, hosting L.A. Galaxy on Sunday.

“Leo finished the game. He’s tired. He’s fatigued. That’s why he was getting massages. But he is fine,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said after the game.

Lionel Messi ‘is the show’

Smith applauded Nashville’s intensity, which was also on full display when they fell to Inter Miami 1-1 (10-9 penalty kicks) during the Leagues Cup final last August.

“There’s a slightly different edge and feel when Lionel Messi is in town. He is the show and an exceptional individual,” Smith said. “It squeezes a little bit more [out of you], of course. It’s not always easy to get to those heights … in such a prestigious tournament. The guys left everything out there.”

What is aggregate in soccer?

The aggregate score in soccer is the combined number of goals scored by two teams in a series of games.

As far as the Concacaf Champions Cup is concerned, that aggregate score is over two games. Each team plays one home game in the two-leg knockout rounds.

In a situation where the two teams are tied on goals after the second leg, the team with the most away goals will advance via the away-goal tiebreaker. If the two teams are tied on goals as well as away goals, then the game will be decided in extra time and/or a penalty kick shootout.

Inter Miami might have tied Nashville SC on Thursday night, but heading back to their home stadium with two away goals gives them a slight edge.

Luis Suárez goal: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 2

Inter Miami’s comeback is complete: Luis Suárez scored in extra time in the final minutes, and Inter Miami will likely leave Nashville with a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Champions Cup match.

The second leg is Wednesday at Inter Miami.

It’s the third goal Suárez has scored in his last two matches.

Shaq Moore goal ruled offside: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1

Nashville’s Shaq Moore delivered a goal in the 83rd minute, but VAR ruled the goal offsides.

Moore connected on a left-footed shot into the left side of the net, and Nashville nearly had a 3-1 lead in the final minutes.

Instead, the score remains 2-1.

Messi goes down with left leg injury, but stays in game: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1

Messi’s leg was kicked in the lower leg area, causing his left ankle to roll after being kicked by Nashville’s Lukas MacNaughton, who was following through on a kick of the ball.

Messi stood on the sideline after being tended to by trainers, drinking a bottle of water before coming back into the match with about 10 minutes remaining.

Messi, Suárez faceoff against Nashville player: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1

Tempers are flaring, and Lionel Messi is mixing it up.

Messi stepped in as Inter Miami’s Luis Suárez was bickering with Nashville’s Aníbal Godoy in the 67th minute.

Messi had some words with former MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar after the sequence dissolved.

Inter Miami threatens in 63rd minute: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1

Diego Gómez was taken down just outside the penalty box and Inter Miami was awarded a free kick. Lionel Messi’s free-kick attempt was booted out of bounds by Nashville for a corner kick, which did not find the head of a Miami player in the box.

Inter Miami goal negated after offside: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1

Inter Miami’s Diego Gomez found the back of the net in the 57th minute, but was ruled offside.

The goal comes off the board for Inter Miami, who nearly tied the match early in the second half.

Lionel Messi goal highlight: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1

Messi’s shot snuck into the left side of the net, after an assist by Luis Suárez.

Jacob Shaffelburg scores second goal: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 0

Nashville’s Jacob Shaffelburg has scored in the opening minutes of both halves, this time in the 47th minute.

Messi gets hamstring massage on sidelines

Something to monitor: Lionel Messi received some treatment on the back of his right leg earlier in the match.

Messi misses free kick before halftime: Nashville 1, Inter Miami 0

Inter Miami faced a 1-0 deficit just four minutes into the match. And in the final minutes of the first half, they were unable to tie it.

Messi’s free kick collided into the wall of Nashville players, and Julian Gressel’s rebound was saved by the Nashville goalie.

Inter Miami missed opportunity: Nashville 1, Inter Miami 0

Messi and Suárez nearly had an opportunity in the penalty area in the 37th minute, but Messi was unable to get a shot off.

Federico Redondo yellow card: Nashville 1, Inter Miami 0

Inter Miami rookie Federico Redondo was given a yellow card in the 26th minute after his left elbow connected with Nashville’s Jacob Shaffelburg, who scored the first goal. It’s Redondo’s debut with Inter Miami after recently signing with the club.

Shortly after, Inter Miami’s Noah Allen and Nashville’s Shaq Moore – who assisted on the first goal – collided for a headbutt, leading to a brief stoppage in play.

Hany Mukhtar misses strike in 23’: Nashville 1, Inter Miami 0

Hany Mukhtar’s strike in the 23rd minute was saved by Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender, just outside the right side of the net. Mukhtar winded up with a shot after some traffic near midfield with Inter Miami trying to maintain possession.

A few updates since Messi’s miss: Nashville 1, Inter Miami 0

Inter Miami’s Luis Suárez missed a header close to the net after a Messi corner kick. Nashville’s Alex Muyl came flying in with a header, but was hit high and out of bounds. And Suárez missed another shot attempt from the left side. We’re now in the 20th minute.

Messi misses his shot: Nashville 1, Inter Miami 0

Lionel Messi’s first shot of the game didn’t have enough bend. Messi connected with a left boot just before the 13th minute, but was wide left.

Jacob Shaffelburg goal: Nashville 1, Inter Miami 0

Welp. Inter Miami is down in the opening minutes into tonight’s Champions Cup match. Nashville’s Jacob Shaffelburg scored in the fourth minute to take a 1-0 lead, thanks to an assist by Shaq Moore.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC live stream?

The Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC match will kickoff at 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. CT) at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The match is available in English on FS2 and in Spanish on TUDN.

TICKETS: See Messi and Inter Miami in person vs. Nashville SC

Leo Campana has foot injury, out for Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

Inter Miami will be without Jordi Alba (illness) and Leo Campana, who has come off the bench to relieve Luis Suárez during the last two matches. Campana suffered a foot injury in Wednesday’s practice, a team spokesman told USA TODAY Sports, and was omitted from Inter Miami’s lineup.

Add the fact right-wing defender DeAndre Yedlin was traded to Cincinnati, and Inter Miami’s depth will be tested.

Some good news: 21-year-old Argentine midfielder Federico Redondo will make his Inter Miami debut alongside Sergio Busquets. And veterans Noah Allen and Julian Gressel will fill in for Alba and Yedlin defensively.

Messi, Inter Miami arrive for Concacaf Champions Cup match vs. Nashville SC

Check out these photos and video from Inter Miami’s arrival before their match against Nashville SC at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tenn.

Check out Inter Miami jerseys for Concacaf Champions Cup match vs. Nashville SC

Inter Miami will wear their pink jersey kit for tonight’s game, which feature the CONCACAF Champions Cup logo on the sleeve.

SHOP: Get the latest Messi and Inter Miami gear from the MLS Store

Will Messi play in Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC game?

Lionel Messi is in Inter Miami’s starting lineup for tonight’s Concacaf Champions Cup match against Nashville SC. He even posted about it on Instagram earlier Thursday.

Here are the starting lineups for Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC:

Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba won’t play against Nashville

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino was coy when asked whether Alba even made the trip to Nashville: ‘They’ll have to ring his doorbell at home to see if he’s here.

Nashville MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar will play vs. Inter Miami

Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar, the 2022 MLS MVP is in the starting lineup for tonight’s match, despite a recent hamstring injury.

“He’s back in the group and working, and there certainly be a thought about where and how he might be used [Thursday],” Nashville coach Gary Smith said of Mukhtar, who got hurt Feb. 22 during the first leg of their Champions Cup matchup against Dominican team Moca FC.

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC predictions

Safid Deen, Lionel Messi reporter: Inter Miami 3, Nashville SC 0

Nashville will play Inter Miami close early, but Messi and Inter Miami are well-rested and coming off a heater against Orlando City last week. Messi scores once, and has an assist to Luis Suarez, while one other Inter Miami player, let’s say Julian Gressel, finds the back of the net in a 3-0 win.

Jacob Shames, Nashville SC beat writer for The Tennessean: Inter Miami 2, Nashville SC 0

Even if Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge don’t play, Nashville’s defensive structure still will frustrate Messi and Suarez, but Inter Miami’s superior talent will overwhelm when it’s all said and done. But if Nashville is at or close to full strength, can it generate offense to match? In that regard, there’s little to go off of.

How did Inter Miami and Nashville SC get here in Concacaf Champions Cup?

Inter Miami’s win in the Leagues Cup qualified them for a berth into the Round of 16 in the Champions Cup tournament.

Nashville SC outlasted Dominican team Moca FC 7-0 on aggregate to advance.

What is the Concacaf Champions Cup?

Compared to other soccer tournaments, it’s like the CONMEBOL Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League.

The winner qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.

What happened when Messi last visited Nashville?

Messi and Inter Miami hoisted the League Cup trophy after beating Nashville 1-1 (10-9 in penalty kicks) on Aug. 19, 2023. It was Messi’s seventh match with Inter Miami last summer, and the win marked Inter Miami’s first championship in its four-year franchise history.

Messi scored in the 23rd minute. Nashville’s Fafá Picault scored in the 57th minute. And both sides were inches away from winning it in the final minutes of regulation before needing 22 total penalty kicks to decide it.

Both teams last met on Aug. 30, playing to a scoreless draw.

When is Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC second leg?

Inter Miami and Nashville each have a regular-season match Sunday before the second leg of their Champions Cup matchup.

Nashville hosts the L.A. Galaxy at 3 p.m. ET, while Inter Miami will host CF Montreal at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The second leg of their matchup will be at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium on March 13 at 8:15 p.m. ET.

Concacaf Champions Cup: Recent winners

2023: Club León
2022: Seattle Sounders FC
2021: CF Monterrey
2020: Tigres UANL
2019: CF Monterrey

Competition was known as the Concacaf Champions League from 2008-2023.

Will Lionel Messi play in the Paris Olympics?

Could Lionel Messi’s jampacked schedule include a trip to Paris for the 2024 Olympics?

Argentina coach Javier Mascherano is hopeful, but he knows Messi, 36, has plenty to consider.

Mascherano, who coaches Argentina’s under-23 team, said he had conversations with Messi about being one of three possible overage players to join Argentina’s Olympic roster.

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Sports

Cam Newton says he could have gone to jail for viral fight at youth camp

Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton admitted the fight he was involved in at a 7-on-7 youth football camp could have gotten worse and said he could have ended up in jail.

The 2015 NFL MVP spoke about the incident on the latest episode of Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘The Big Podcast,’ and said when something triggers him, he immediately reacts and that’s an issue to him. The fight was started by something someone said, Newton alleged, even though coaches who were in the fight allege that the former quarterback started it and apologized for it afterward.

Regardless, Newton said the situation could have been worse for himself at the invitation-only camp and tournament in Atlanta.

‘Somebody is going to say something triggering to you and it just takes one time,’ Newton said. ‘It ugly, because I could be in jail, somebody filing a lawsuit.’

Newton was asked earlier about how the situation was able to unfold, and he responded it was because people have easy access to him. The 2010 Heisman Trophy winner has been in other altercations at events before.

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‘That’s not the first time that happens, and honestly knowing my world, that we probably won’t be the last,’ he said. ‘It could have gotten ugly on both sides.’

On his YouTube show ‘4th & 1 with Cam Newton’ following the incident, he apologized for the fight taking place. He told his school football players or people who view him as a role model to use the fight as an example of how quickly things can escalate for someone.

‘I let my emotions get the best of me, and it should not have been called for. Simple,’ Newton said. ‘And with that, I apologize to anybody affected—that’s Steph, that’s TJ, that’s their organization, that’s C1N, my organization, that’s my players, my parents, my staff members.’

No charges were filed by either sides of the fight.

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