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Posts sharing a black and white photograph online claim to show former German Chancellor Angela Merkel as a teen, sitting beside former British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The text on the photograph states, “How likely is it that three childhood friends grow up to govern three different countries?”.

This is not the first time that the picture has surfaced online and spurred confusion, amassing 725,000 views in a post shared on X on 25 July.

However, although the photograph is a real one, the allegations are fake.

Apparent inconsistencies

To begin with, there are a number of inconsistencies which serve to discredit the claims made.

Although the post’s caption lists Merkel, May and von der Leyen as featuring on the picture, the photograph on the bottom-right is in fact a headshot of the former Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė and not of von der Leyen.

Additionally, although von der Leyen served as a member of Merkel’s cabinet between 2005 and 2019, she has never led a country, contradicting the text on the photograph.

Tracing the picture

By conducting a reverse image search, Euroverify found that the photograph originates from an article published by Time Magazine in 2015. At the time, Merkel had just been handed the publication’s prestigious Person of the Year prize.

The caption of the picture featured in the Time Magazine article states that Angela Kasner — Kasner is Angela Merkel’s maiden name — is featured on the left of the picture, at a 1972 New Year’s Eve party in Berlin.

Although Euroverify was unable to identify who the other girls featured in the picture are, the European Commission has previously confirmed to the media that von der Leyen is not in the photograph. 

On Reddit, one user shared a picture of von der Leyen as a teenager, which Euroverify can confirm is authentic, having featured in other articles published by outlets including the Daily Mail.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian officials told Euroverify that Grybauskaitė is not present in the picture either.

Additionally, childhood pictures of Theresa May featured in the Daily Mail and other outlets do not resemble either of the other two teenage girls in the photograph. 

Where did these leaders spend their teen years?

Euroverify was able to detect the photo on social media being shared with false claims circulating on social media as early as 2018.

Back then, users made no mention of von der Leyen, instead asserting that it was Grybauskaitė, who grew up in the former Soviet Union, who was featured in the picture.

The leaders who allegedly feature in the photograph grew up in different countries and locations.

Born in 1958 to German parents, Ursula von der Leyen spent her early years in Brussels before her family moved back to their homeland in 1971, after her father became involved in national politics.

Meanwhile, although Angela Merkel was born in Hamburg, her family moved to East Germany when she was three months old.

Theresa May, who served as the UK’s Prime Minister between 2016 and 2019 — namely tasked with negotiating the UK’s exit from the European Union — spent her childhood years in Oxfordshire.

These kinds of false allegations bear the risk of discrediting European institutions and member states through unfounded claims.

The post Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s shocked facial reaction after strikeout is going viral appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were victorious against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, but the spotlight quickly shifted from the scoreboard to Shohei Ohtani’s expression after one of the most surprising moments of the season. In a 5-4 win at Great American Ball Park, the Dodgers slugger struck out four times—an unprecedented moment in his career—and his stunned facial reaction to one filthy strikeout instantly became a viral phenomenon.

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The Ohtani strikeout moment came courtesy of Reds starter Nick Lodolo, who fanned the designated hitter three times. One particular at-bat sent social media into a frenzy. After swinging through a vicious breaking ball, Ohtani froze at the plate with wide eyes and an open mouth, clearly stunned by what he had just missed.

The Talkin’ Baseball podcast captured the moment on X (formerly known as Twitter) with the caption that summed it up perfectly.

“Nick Lodolo had Shohei seeing ghosts”

That post quickly racked up over 46,000 views and sparked hundreds of memes, jokes, and fan reactions. The viral moment reminded fans that even MVP-caliber players are human.

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Headed into the game, Ohtani boasted dominant 2025 numbers with a .273 batting average, 38 home runs, and 73 RBIs. His four-strikeout performance was not only rare—it marked the first such game of his career—making the shocked reaction even more noteworthy. Lodolo, meanwhile, finished with 10 strikeouts, drawing praise across social media for his dominant outing.

Despite the Japanese superstar’s tough night at the plate, the Dodgers rallied late. A clutch two-run homer by Tommy Edman in the seventh inning gave Los Angeles the lead. The Reds had jumped ahead with early home runs from Jake Fraley and Noelvi Marte, but Cincinnati’s bullpen faltered in the late innings.

The Lodolo vs. Ohtani matchup became the highlight of the night. The Dodgers phenom finished 0-for-5 with an uncharacteristic four strikeouts, while Lodolo’s stuff drew praise for its movement and deception. The southpaw’s dominant outing delivered fans a viral moment and a rare bit of levity during a tense divisional stretch.

With the win, the club moved to 63-45, maintaining a 4.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West. Despite a 10-13 record this June, the team remains in control of the division and looks poised for another postseason run.

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What made the moment stick wasn’t just the numbers—it was the expression. The reactions to Ohtani’s stunned face reflect the universal feeling of being humbled, even for the best. Fans connected instantly, and in the world of baseball where every stat is scrutinized, it was his facial reaction that stole the show.

Related: Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow gets brutally honest on tough start vs. Reds

Related: Dodgers optimistic about Tanner Scott’s injury return timeline

Nick Wright shuts down LeBron James – Nikola Jokic team-up rumors after cryptic boat photo goes viral: “He’s got a ton of players in Europe” originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Fox Sports’ Nick Wright is one of the NBA talking heads who has always sided with LeBron James in arguments, and LBJ has often shown his respect and affinity for Wright.

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Commenting on the recent Instagram post by Nikola Jokic‘s agent, where he is on the boat with LeBron and his business manager Maverick Carter, Wright says that he is absolutely sure that the photo or the meeting they had has nothing to do with Bron possibly teaming up with Joker and wearing a Denver Nuggets uniform next season.

“I can report unequivocally that this tweet or Instagram caption was about LeBron playing on the Denver Nuggets next year is unequivocally 100 percent false. There is a zero percent chance that LeBron is on the Nuggets a year from now. That’s not my opinion. I know that,” declared Wright.

Not about LeBron or Jokic

Speculations arose when Misko Raznatovic posted a photo of himself with James and Carter on a boat in Saint Tropez, France. Raznatovic captioned the post, “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2025.” This made internet users think that they were hatching some plan either about James himself or Jokic, who is Misko’s client.

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That’s because not only will LBJ be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 NBA season, but Joker could very well be the grand prize in the 2026 free agency after he declined to sign an extension with the Nuggets this offseason.

Rumors ran wild after Raznatovic’s social media post, whether about James going to Denver, Jokic going to the Lakers, or the two of them planning to team up. But Wright thinks the post isn’t about that.

“I think he was not the subject of the Instagram post,” added Nick. “I think Maverick was. LeBron made it pop the way it did…That man on the boat represents most of Euro Basket, essentially, and a lot of international players, I think.”

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Related: “I was a little embarrassed about how the fans treated me” – Larry Bird on why it was tough coming to Boston as Pacers head coach

It was likely about Carter’s league

It was reported last January that Carter was hired as an advisor by a group of investors seeking to raise $5 billion to start an international basketball league composed of six men’s teams and six women’s teams that would play around the globe.

If that plan is to materialize, then the group would need international talent to fill the teams. There is no man better to get help from than Raznatovic, who owns BeoBasket, one of the top player agencies in Europe. Wright’s co-host Chris Broussard agreed with him.

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“He’d probably love to play with Jokic, but I don’t think this is what it’s all about. I think his buddy Maverick Carter, who is starting an international league and this agent, doesn’t only have Jokic, he’s got a ton of players in Europe. I think that’s what this was about, laying the groundwork for that league, have a little fun by throwing breadcrumbs to the people,” said Broussard.

Many say that everything King James does is calculated. He also said that he does not randomly allow himself to be captured in a photo that goes public. That one may not be different. But as Brou said, he was probably having fun by making his critics think too much about nothing.

Related: “Ain’t nobody doing that again” – Dominique Wilkins says LeBron James’ 20-year dominance will never be replicated

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.

Mikel Brown Jr. is emerging as one of the most anticipated incoming freshmen in college basketball. Louisville basketball’s incoming 5-star point guard has been going viral all offseason for his gold medal run and offseason training.

Recently, former Louisville Cardinals legend and current NBA superstar Donovan Mitchell held his annual basketball camp for the best players, and Brown is going viral once again for his explosiveness and elite playmaking.

The Cardinals’ backcourt is expected to be one of the best in the nation as Brown will be joined by Adrian Wooley, Ryan Conwell, and Isaac McKneely. Brown’s dominant performances during the FIBA U19 World Cup and what he just displayed this past weekend not only prove that Pat Kelsey’s squad is destined for a Final Four run, but that Brown has a legitimate shot at being one of the best players in college basketball next season.

Related: Former Louisville basketball star sends legendary praise to Mikel Brown Jr.

Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. is already turning heads before he plays a single game

The now 6-foot-5 point guard displayed tremendous explosiveness at Mitchell’s camp and showed he has the strength, speed, and athleticism to dominate next season. Brown went viral for one clip, specifically when he played 1v1 basketball against a top-five point guard and a Villanova commit, Acaden Lewis.

Brown went to his left, took two powerful dribbles down the lane, and threw a monster of a tomahawk dunk over Lewis. Brown’s athleticism is skyrocketing this offseason, accompanied by a growth of a few inches, as he now stands at 6-foot-5.

He is ranked as high as the No. 1 point guard in the 2025 cycle and the sixth-best player in the recruiting class. He has proven this entire offseason why he is regarded as highly as he is and is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Brown is also seen in multiple clips showing off his shot creation and ability to score at an elite level. The 5-star guard is coming off screens, utilizing his lethal side step and creating just enough space to get his shot off over his defenders. The guard looks nearly unstoppable.

The ability to flip a switch and drive through the lane, tomahawk over defenders, or splash deep 3-pointers while executing contested side steps is what projects him to be one of the best players in the nation next season.

Brown is showcasing many skills this past weekend, but one that has become one of his favorites is his ability to hit defenders with a three-dribble combo. He attacks the rim with his first dribble, pulls back, then executes a hesitation dribble, and finishes with a step-back 3-pointer. He is doing this in multiple clips and all under control.

This incoming freshman is a type of talent Louisville hasn’t had in a long time. He is going to be the team’s leader, and if the Cardinals do make it to the Final Four it will be because Brown led them there.

The 18-year-old guard continues to prove this offseason that the hype is real. While everyone is waiting for it to translate to the real games of the 2025-26 season, Brown is showing everyone that they don’t have to wait, and he is going to dominate.

Related: Louisville basketball’s Mikel Brown Jr. proves he’s the best PG in college basketball

For all the latest on Louisville basketball’s offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.

At Big Ten Media Days, some of college football’s biggest stars were featured in online content. One video doing the rounds this weekend includes a heap of praise for the Oregon Ducks uniforms.

Posted by @strictlyfootball on TikTok, several Big Ten athletes attending the media event were asked which university, besides their own team, had their favorite jerseys. Turns out, the Ducks were a majority favorite.

At the end of the video, the final count was thirteen votes for Oregon’s uniforms, two votes for UCLA’s uniforms, and two votes for USC’s uniforms: all programs that joined the Big Ten in the past three years.

The players that voted for Oregon’s uniforms commonly said they grew up during the era when Oregon became known for their on field fashion sense (starting in the early 2000’s and continuing to this very day thanks to a close partnership with sportswear brand Nike and it’s Oregon alumni founder, Phil Knight). Several athletes also commented that Oregon was as “obvious” choice for the best looking jerseys.

“Oregon, obviously,” said Maryland defensive back Jalen Huskey.

“It’s going to be Oregon. They have some serious drip,” said Wisconsin center Jake Renfro.

“You’ve got to go with Oregon. You’ve got to go with Oregon,” said Wisconsin cornerback Ricardo Hallman.

“I think just because, coming up as a kid you always saw Oregon. Know what I’m saying? The whole colorway. So I’ll go with Oregon,” said Maryland offensive lineman Isaiah Wright.

“All the jerseys in the Big Ten are great but imma have to go with Oregon,” said Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome.

MORE: What Oregon Ducks’ Dan Lanning, Teammates Said About ‘Unbelievable’ Dakorien Moore

MORE: Kirk Herbstreit Predicts Which Cleveland Browns Quarterbacks Won’t Be Cut

MORE: Updated Recruiting Rankings After Oregon Ducks Land 5-Star Commitment

MORE: How Quarterback Bo Nix Performed In Denver Broncos’ NFL Training Camp So Far

One Duck was interviewed for the viral video, edge Matayo Uiagalelei, and the Oregon star chose USC’s uniforms due to his proximity to the campus as a kid growing up in Bellflower, California.

The reasoning from athletes for picking UCLA and USC boiled down to the two uniforms being classics in the college football landscape.

Last year, the Oregon Ducks debuted their “Generation O” line of uniforms. The collection served as an ode to the decades of sportswear innovation in partnership with Nike, and a fresh start aesthetically entering a new conference, with father-son design duo Van Horne Brands conceptualizing each look.

The uniforms released under “Generation O” include the “Gang Green” (apple green with yellow detailing), the “Mighty Oregon” (white jersey with yellow pants and green and yellow detailing), the “Heroes” (yellow and black uniform designed by the Lanning family for cancer awareness), the “Fly Era” (all black uniform with silver and green detailing), and the “Warp Speed” (all white with silver detailing).

The Ducks are expected to use the newly release uniforms for a few more seasons, but Oregon’s equipment team often has some surprises up their sleeves.