NEW YORK — Former New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin joined ESPN’s SportsCenter on Saturday to discuss the Knicks’ thrilling 105-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals, forecasting a historic atmosphere at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 as the series shifts to Manhattan.
The Knicks erased an early double-digit deficit and held off a late Spurs rally to secure their second straight road win, extending their franchise-record playoff winning streak. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns led the charge, with Brunson posting 20 points, six assists and five steals, and Towns delivering 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Lin, who experienced the electric “Linsanity” run with the Knicks in 2012, expressed deep excitement about the franchise’s return to the Finals after decades of near-misses. Speaking with Scott Van Pelt alongside analyst Tim Legler, the former point guard highlighted the passion of Knicks fans and the significance of hosting playoff games at the world’s most famous arena.
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“I think it’s going to be the most insane environment. I genuinely feel like it’s going to be something,” Lin said, predicting the Garden’s reaction to the team’s 2-0 series advantage.
Game 2 Thriller in San Antonio
The Knicks trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half but mounted a comeback fueled by stout defense and timely scoring. They built a late lead before the Spurs mounted a furious rally, forcing a tense finish. Brunson’s clutch free throw and Victor Wembanyama’s missed potential game-winner at the buzzer sealed the narrow victory.
The win marked the third time in NBA history a team has taken a 2-0 lead in the Finals with two road victories. New York has now won 13 or 14 straight playoff games, depending on exact streak metrics, showcasing remarkable resilience under coach Mike Brown.
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Towns, who has been a focal point in matchups against Wembanyama, contributed mightily on the boards and in the paint. Postgame reactions on “Inside the NBA” included pointed analysis from Shaquille O’Neal regarding Wembanyama’s late-game comments about feeling “blurry” in key possessions.
Lin’s Perspective as Knicks Legend
Lin’s appearance carried extra weight given his iconic, albeit brief, tenure with the Knicks. His 2012 run captivated the league and brought renewed hope to a franchise long starved for success. Now, watching from the broadcast booth, Lin reflected on the current team’s potential to end the championship drought.
The former guard emphasized the unique energy Knicks fans bring to the Garden. With the series returning home, expectations are sky-high for Games 3 and 4, where the Knicks will aim to build an insurmountable lead. Lin’s comments underscored the emotional investment of the fanbase, which has waited since 1973 for another title.
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Analysts like Tim Legler joined in breaking down the tactical elements, noting the Knicks’ defensive improvements in the second half and their ability to limit transition opportunities for the Spurs. The panel also discussed Wembanyama’s growth curve and the challenges posed by New York’s physical frontcourt led by Towns.
Series Outlook and Home-Court Momentum
Heading into Game 3 on Monday at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks hold a commanding position but face a Spurs team capable of bouncing back at home later in the series. San Antonio showed fight in Game 2, with contributions from role players like Julian Champagnie keeping them competitive.
The atmosphere at the Garden is expected to be electric, building on the buzz from earlier playoff rounds. Fans have already demonstrated their dedication, with reports of strong turnout and energy even during road games. Lin’s prediction of an “insane” environment aligns with historical precedents for championship-caliber crowds at MSG.
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Brunson has emerged as the unquestioned leader, blending scoring, playmaking and defense. His postseason heroics have drawn comparisons to Knicks legends of the past. Towns’ integration into the roster has provided the necessary size and versatility to counter elite big men like Wembanyama.
Broader Context for Knicks Franchise
This Finals appearance represents a culmination of years of rebuilding. After decades of mediocrity following their last title, the Knicks have assembled a roster blending experience, youth and grit. The addition of key pieces around Brunson has transformed them into contenders.
For Lin, the journey resonates personally. He expressed pride in the organization’s progress and the fans’ unwavering support. His comments serve as both celebration and motivation, reminding players and supporters alike of the special connection between the team and the city.
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What Lies Ahead
Game 3 will test the Knicks’ ability to close out series at home, where they have been nearly unbeatable in these playoffs. The Spurs must find answers offensively, particularly in generating consistent three-point shooting and easing pressure on Wembanyama.
Broadcast coverage and fan anticipation are at a fever pitch. With Lin and other alumni voicing support, the narrative around this series emphasizes legacy, resilience and the pursuit of glory in New York.
As the Knicks prepare for their homecoming, the focus remains on execution amid the roar of the Garden crowd. Lin’s words capture the sentiment: an environment unlike any other, poised to propel the team toward its ultimate goal.
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The series continues with high stakes. A strong showing in New York could put the Knicks on the brink of their first championship in over 50 years, while the Spurs will fight to extend the series and leverage their home advantage in potential later games.
Black Cat Syndicate Limited (BLCAF) Q4 2026 Earnings Call July 29, 2026 9:00 PM EDT
Company Participants
James Bruce – MD & Director Nicholas Dwyer – Chief Financial Officer
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Conference Call Participants
Stewart Walters Richard Knights – Barrenjoey Markets Pty Limited, Research Division Paul Hissey – MA Moelis Australia Securities, Research Division
Presentation
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Stewart Walters
Hello, and welcome to MarketOpen Direct Connect. I’m your host, Stuart Walters, and we’re joined here today by James Bruce, Managing Director; and Nick Dwyer, Chief Financial Officer of Black Cat Syndicate, ASX code BC8. James and Nick will discuss the company’s fourth quarter financial year 2026 quarterly and activities results and participate in a live Q&A post presentation. [Operator Instructions] A copy of this webinar will be available on MarketOpen and Black Cat’s communication channels within the next 24 hours. James, Nick, welcome to Direct Connect, and over to you.
James Bruce MD & Director
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Thanks, Stuart, and welcome, everybody. Thanks for joining us today. Black Cat’s had a successful year of ramping up production and very pleased to present these results to you. We produced 91,000 ounces in the year. We’ve got $105 million cash on the balance sheet, no debt and no hedging. The company since we listed has increased in share price 19% per annum. And the — I’m pleased to — for those of you who don’t know the company, I’ll just give a quick snapshot.
We’ve got 2 assets in production at Paulsens and Kal East. These hubs have ramped up well over the last 1.5 years. Kal East is continuing to ramp up. At our Coyote project, we’re drilling at the moment. And we’ve also got the Mt Clement Critical Minerals project, which is near to Paulsens. During the June quarter, some of the highlights were that we processed 428,000 tonnes of ore to produce 20,800 ounces
The committee of five women and four men will announce their latest interest rate decision at 12:00 BST, with a hold the widespread expectation.
The Bank rate is the MPC’s primary tool for maintaining the rate of rising prices – inflation – at a target of 2%.
The latest official figures show inflation in the UK was 2.6% in the year to June, down slightly on the previous month but still above its 2.3% target.
The inflation rate is likely to go up in July, as millions of households in Scotland, England and Wales feel the impact of a 13% rise in domestic energy prices.
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The increase was the result of the impact of the Iran war on wholesale energy prices.
Conflict in the Gulf, and uncertainty over the chances of a lasting truce, hang over the MPC’s meeting and decision this month and in the months ahead.
Many analysts expect interest rates to be unchanged in the foreseeable future, with the possibility of the next change being a rise.
“A new government finding its feet, and the situation in the Middle East becoming increasingly uncertain, mean that a hold on [the] base rate decision would be a welcome dose of stability,” said Katie Horne, from savings platform Flagstone.
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“People have had more than enough uncertainty over the past year, and even a temporary pause eases the pressure a little.”
Shell’s profits for the second quarter of the year have more than doubled after the Iran war pushed up oil prices.
The oil giant’s profits for the April-to-June period reached $9.84bn (£7.37bn) – up from $4.26bn at the same point last year.
The price of oil has soared since the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran due to major disruption to global supplies of oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) through the Strait of Hormuz.
Shell chief executive Wael Sawan said the company’s “operational performance enabled very strong results during another quarter of severe disruption in global energy markets”.
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Together with its profits of $6.92bn for the first three months of the year it means Shell has seen a 70% surge in first-half earnings.
Shell and other energy giants such as BP and Norway’s Equinor have seen bumper profits this year, partly down to trading on oil price swings.
Before the conflict began, the price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, was around $73 a barrel.
Since then, it has peaked above $120 but also fallen back below $100 as speculation has swirled over when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.
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These big movements in the oil price can widen the gap between buying and selling prices which typically enables traders to make bigger profits.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Welcome to Pulmonx’ Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Please be advised that today’s conference is being recorded. I would like now to turn the call over to Webb Campbell, Investor Relations. Please go ahead.
Webb Campbell Gilmartin Group LLC
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Good afternoon, and thank you for joining today’s call. Joining me from Pulmonx are Glen French, President and Chief Executive Officer; and Derrick Sung, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Earlier today, Pulmonx issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter-ended June 30, 2026. A copy of the press release is available on the Pulmonx website.
Before we begin, I’d like to remind you that management will make statements during this call that include forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements contained in this call that relate to expectations or predictions of future events, results or performance are forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements, including, without limitations, those related to our operating trends, commercial strategies and future financial performance including long-term outlook and full year 2026 guidance, the timing and results of clinical trials, physician engagement, expense management, market opportunity, guidance for revenue, gross margin, operating expense, cash usage, commercial expansion and product demand, adoption and pipeline development are based upon our current estimates and various
State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, has raised Rs 4,691 crore by selling Tier 1 bonds to domestic investors at a coupon rate of 7.75%. This is the bank’s first Basel III compliant Additional Tier 1 bond for the current financial year.The bonds have a five year call option when SBI can buy back the bond and with each anniversary date thereafter, the bank said.
As oil prices surged, treasury yields took notice, raising inflation worries in the market. Traders are keeping a watchful eye on the Federal Reserve’s expected decision to maintain interest rates today. Nonetheless, traders are fully anticipating a hike in September, with a solid possibility of another increase before the year’s end.
SBI chairman C S Setty, said that the bond attracted a wide participation of investors with did kinds bids demonstrating the trust investors place in the country’s largest bank.
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“This issue attracted a robust response from investors with bids of more than 2 times against the base issue size of Rs 3,000 crores. The total number of bids received was 89 indicating participation from diverse set of qualified institutional bidders. The investors were across provident funds, pension funds, mutual funds, banks etc,” SBI said in a statement. Based on the response, SBI accepted Rs 4,691 crore at a coupon rate of 7.75% payable annually. The bonds are rated AA+ with stable outlook from Crisil and Care Ratings.
Glen Hansard, the Irish singer-songwriter who won an Academy Award for the song “Falling Slowly” and fronted the rock band the Frames for more than three decades, died early Wednesday in a motorcycle crash near his native Dublin. He was 56.
Irish police said a man in his 50s died following a single-vehicle motorcycle collision in the west of Dublin, on the R109 Lower Road between Tinkers Hill and Rugged Lane. Emergency services were alerted to the crash shortly before 4:30 a.m. local time. The motorcyclist was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later, according to a police statement, which also appealed for any witnesses to come forward.
Hansard’s management company, ATC Management, confirmed his death in a statement. “With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard who passed away, in the early hours of this morning, following a road traffic accident in Dublin,” the statement said. “Glen’s family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time. The family is grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene.”
Born and raised in Dublin, Hansard left school at 13 to begin busking on the streets of the Irish capital before forming the Frames in 1990. The band became a fixture of the Irish rock scene over more than three decades, with Hansard as its frontman and primary songwriter throughout. He later released a series of successful solo albums, including 2012’s “Rhythm and Repose” and 2015’s “Didn’t He Ramble,” the latter of which earned a Grammy Award nomination for best folk album.
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Hansard’s international breakthrough came through film rather than music alone. He had his first notable acting role playing a member of a Dublin soul band in the 1991 movie “The Commitments,” directed by Alan Parker. That early acting experience helped position him for the role that would define his career to a global audience: the lead in the 2007 independent film “Once,” directed and written by his friend and former Frames bassist John Carney.
“Once” followed a struggling Dublin street musician who falls in love with a young Czech immigrant, played by Markéta Irglová, with whom Hansard also formed the musical duo the Swell Season. The film, shot on a modest budget using handheld cameras, became a critical and commercial success. Hansard and Irglová wrote and performed all of the movie’s original music, including its centerpiece duet, “Falling Slowly,” which won the Academy Award for best original song at the 80th Academy Awards in 2008.
Accepting the Oscar alongside Irglová from presenter John Travolta, a visibly stunned Hansard told the audience, “What are we doing here? This is mad.” The moment became one of the more memorable acceptance speeches in Academy Awards history, capturing the improbability of a low-budget Irish film about two street musicians earning Hollywood’s top honor for original song.
Hansard’s road to the role was itself unconventional. Irish actor Cillian Murphy had originally been cast to star alongside Irglová, but when he withdrew from the project, Carney turned to Hansard, who had already composed the film’s music. Hansard later recalled that Murphy had reservations about some of the songs he had written for the project, a detail Hansard shared with characteristic humor in later interviews about the film’s origins.
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A stage adaptation of “Once” later opened on Broadway, where it won eight Tony Awards, including best musical, further extending the reach and legacy of the story Hansard had helped create.
News of Hansard’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans and public figures across Ireland and beyond. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said he was deeply saddened to learn of the musician’s passing. “A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland’s cultural landscape over many years,” Martin wrote on social media. “My sincere sympathies to his family, friends, and fans.”
Fans shared memories of Hansard’s music and performances across social media platforms throughout the day, with many recalling his decades of busking, touring and songwriting that predated his Oscar win and continued long after it, as he remained an active and beloved figure within Ireland’s music community.
Hansard is survived by a young son, who was 3 years old at the time of his father’s death. Details regarding funeral or memorial arrangements had not been announced as of Wednesday afternoon, with his family requesting privacy in the immediate aftermath of his death.
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Hansard’s career spanned more than three decades, from his earliest days busking on Dublin’s streets as a teenager to international recognition as an Academy Award-winning musician and actor. His influence on Irish music, and on the broader tradition of singer-songwriters blending intimate, personal storytelling with folk and rock instrumentation, is expected to be remembered as a defining part of his legacy in the days and weeks ahead as tributes continue to emerge from collaborators, fellow musicians and fans around the world.
Dr. Anthony Fauci invokes his Fifth Amendment right during a Senate hearing, stating he will not answer questions from S Rand Paul.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of using taxpayer-funded staff to pursue more than $1 million in personal cash awards during the COVID-19 pandemic, allegations Fauci declined to address as he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment.
The exchange came during a contentious hearing Wednesday, where the former White House COVID advisor had been subpoenaed to appear before the Republican-led committee by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
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Hawley accused Fauci of directing federal employees to help secure lucrative awards while millions of Americans were grappling with the pandemic.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., speaks in front of a board with an image of Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and medical advisor to several U.S. presidents, as Fauci (not pictured) attends a U.S (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
“You were using federal employees with taxpayer money to apply for and solicit cash prizes for you personally, cash prizes totaling over $1 million,” Hawley said. “You did all of that during the pandemic, didn’t you?”
Rather than respond to Hawley’s questions, Fauci repeatedly said, “On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.”
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Anthony Fauci testifies under subpoena about his role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic at a U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., July 29, 2026. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
Hawley then pointed to what he described as internal emails from Fauci’s staff, including one from former chief of staff Greg Folkers discussing a nomination for the Dan David Prize. According to Hawley, the email asked federal employees to bolster the COVID-19 section of Fauci’s nomination by providing language detailing his pandemic response.
“We’re working on this nomination for the Dan David Award for Fauci,” Hawley read from the email. “We need to beef up the COVID part.”
Hawley alleged the Dan David Award carried a $900,000 cash prize and claimed Fauci used federal employees to help obtain it. He further accused Fauci of using government staff and resources to pursue at least eight additional cash awards, including honors from the Partnership for Public Service, the Adelson Prize, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Academy of Medicine and the CDC Foundation.
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“In fact, you turned your staff into a full-time application machine,” Hawley said. “You actually wrote to people and said, ‘Do you think maybe I’d qualify?’”
Hawley also alleged Fauci used eight separate federal employees on government time to assist with the award applications, asking whether the claims were true.
Fauci again declined to answer, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, something he did more than 100 times over the course of the hearing.
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A member of the U.S. Capitol police removes David Schertler, the legal counsel of Anthony Fauci at the direction of the chairman of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Rand Paul, during a hearing on Capitol Hill in W (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
Although the retired infectious disease expert was granted a presidential pardon by former President Joe Biden, critics have argued he could still be prosecuted if he commits perjury while testifying under oath.
In his opening remarks, Fauci accused Paul of having an “obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution.”
“The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, behind bars, unquote,” he said.
Hawley told FOX Business that Fauci “has zero rights under the Fifth Amendment” because of his pardon.
“He got rich while people were dying,” Hawley said. “He used federal employees with taxpayer money to apply for and solicit cash prizes. He needs to answer for it.”
Fauci said he invoked the Fifth Amendment on the advice of his legal counsel, while acknowledging that doing so was difficult for him.
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