Archive June 11, 2025

LA mayor announces curfew amid protests over Trump’s immigration crackdown

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has announced a curfew for part of the United States’s second-largest city amid protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The curfew applies to 1 square mile (2.6sq km) of the downtown area, and will be in effect from 8pm on Tuesday to 6am on Wednesday (03:00 GMT to 13:00 GMT Wednesday), Bass said.

“Many businesses have now been affected or vandalised. Last night, there were 23 businesses that were looted, and I think if you drive through downtown LA, the graffiti is everywhere and has caused significant damages to businesses and a number of properties,” Bass told a news conference.

“So my message to you is: If you do not live or work in downtown LA, avoid the area. Law enforcement will arrest individuals who break the curfew and you will be prosecuted.”

Bass said she expected the curfew to remain in effect for several days, but stressed that the order only applied to a small portion of the city, which covers 502 square miles (1,300sq km).

“I think it is important to point this out, not to minimise the vandalism and violence that has taken place there – it has been significant – because it is extremely important to know that what is happening in this 1 square mile is not affecting the city,” Bass said.

“Some of the imagery of the protests and the violence gives the appearance that this is a city-wide crisis, and it is not.”

Bass’s order came as protests against the Trump administration’s raids on suspected undocumented migrants entered a fifth night in Los Angeles, and as demonstrations spread to dozens of other US cities, including New York, Chicago and Atlanta.

Trump’s immigration crackdown and deployment of the National Guard and Marines against protesters have drawn condemnation from California officials, who have accused the president of abusing his authority and fanning tensions.

In an address to Californians on Tuesday night, California Governor Gavin Newsom blasted Trump’s use of military force as a “brazen abuse of power”.

“That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder, and the president – he did it on purpose,” Newsom said.

Newsom, who has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s deployment of troops against his wishes, said the president had unleashed a “military dragnet” targeting “dishwashers, gardeners, day labourers and seamstresses” rather than violent criminals.

“That’s just weakness – weakness masquerading as strength. Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities, they’re traumatising communities, and that seems to be the entire point,” Newsom said. “California will keep fighting.”

“If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin colour, then none of us are safe,” he added.

“Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.”

Reporting from a vigil against the raids in Los Angeles, Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo said that protesters are rejecting the Trump administration’s characterisation of the raids as being aimed at violent criminals.

“Many of the people we have spoken to here say that they are wrong – that they are working people who have come to this country to find a better life,” Bo said.

“That’s why most of the people who are here are extremely angry, and they are demanding an end to the raids.”

Bo said the activists she spoke to also stressed the need to keep the demonstrations peaceful.

“This is something that we’ve been hearing over and over,” she said.

“They say that the main reason they need to be peaceful is because violence gives Donald Trump an excuse to use the military, to the use National Guard on the streets of Los Angeles.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump doubled down on his decision to mobilise troops against protesters amid growing condemnation.

“Generations of army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness here at home, like is happening in California,” Trump told US Army soldiers during a visit to Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

“As commander-in-chief, I will not let that happen. It’s never going to happen.”

As Trump’s tariffs loom, Southeast Asia’s solar industry faces devastation

Bangkok, Thailand – A brief text message informed Chonlada Siangkong that she had lost her job at a solar cell factory in Rayong, eastern Thailand.

The factory operated by Standard Energy Co, a subsidiary of Singaporean solar cell giant GSTAR, shut its doors last month in anticipation of United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs on solar panel exports from Southeast Asia.

From Monday, US Customs and Border Protection will begin imposing tariffs ranging from 375 percent to more than 3,500 percent on imports from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

The punishing duties, introduced in response to alleged unfair trade practices by Chinese-owned factories in the region, have raised questions about the continuing viability of Southeast Asia’s solar export trade, the source of about 80 percent of solar products sold in the US.

Like thousands of other workers in Thailand and across the region, Chonlada, a 33-year-old mother of one, is suddenly facing a more precarious future amid the trade crackdown.

“We were all shocked. The next day, they told us not to come to work and would not pay for compensation,” Chonlada told Al Jazeera.

US officials say Chinese producers have used Southeast Asian countries to skirt tariffs on China and “dump” cheap solar panels in the US market, harming their businesses.

US trade officials have named Jinko Solar, Trina Solar, Taihua New Energy Hounen, Sunshine Electrical Energy, Runergy and Boviet – all of which have major operations in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia or Vietnam – as the worst offenders.

Solar panels are pictured on the roof of a building in Bangkok, Thailand, on August 9, 2017 [Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters]

Thai solar exports to the US were worth more than $3.7bn in 2023, just behind Vietnam at $3.9bn, according to the latest US trade data.

Standard Energy Co’s $300m facility in Rayong had been in operation for less than a year, producing its first solar cell to great fanfare in August.

“I’m baffled by what’s just happened,” Kanyawee, a production line manager at Standard Energy who asked to be referred to by his first name only, told Al Jazeera.

“New machines have just landed and we barely used them, they’re very costly too – a few million baht for each machine. They’ve also ordered tonnes of raw materials waiting to be produced.”

Ben McCarron, managing director of the risk consultancy Asia Research & Engagement, said Southeast Asian manufacturers are facing a serious hit from the US turn towards protectionism.

“There are suggestions that manufacturing might exit Southeast Asia entirely if tariffs are introduced either in a blanket way, or that specifically address Chinese-owned manufacturing capacity in the region,” McCarron told Al Jazeera.

“The implications are significant for these countries; Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia accounted for about 80 percent of the US’s solar imports in 2024,” McCarron said, adding that “some manufacturers have already begun shutting down and moving out of the region”.

Unfair advantage

US officials and businesses have accused China of giving its solar firms an unfair market advantage with subsidies.

China was the largest funder of clean energy in Southeast Asia between 2013 and 2023, pouring $2.7bn into projects in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to Zero Carbon Analytics.

The American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, a coalition of seven industry players, was among the loudest voices to lobby for a sharp rise in levies on Chinese imports.

Without a reprieve from the notoriously unpredictable Trump, companies affected by the tariffs have little recourse apart from the ability to file an appeal once a year, or after five years, once a “sunset review” clause takes effect.

Some observers believe the sector may never recover.

“It’s not just the low-skilled labour that was affected by the trade war; many workers in the solar cell supply chain are technicians, skilled labourers,” Tara Buakamsri, an adviser to environmental organisation Greenpeace, told Al Jazeera.

“Even if you make a lot of savings, solar cell exporters would still need to cut down on these skilled workers.”

Others take a more bullish view, arguing that, once the dust has settled, Chinese solar firms will drive the supply of products needed to meet regional emissions targets.

While Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam welcomed Chinese solar companies in part due to the large sums of up-front investment on offer, they are all also seeking to meet more of their energy needs with cleaner sources.

Before Trump entered office with his tariff agenda, Thailand had announced plans to become carbon neutral by 2050 and produce net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065.

Thailand
Employees of a solar farm company take notes in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, on October 3, 2013 [Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters]

“A slowdown [or halt] in solar exports as a result of US tariffs may supercharge efforts in Southeast Asian markets by Chinese solar companies, which see the region as a critical and well-aligned destination for green technologies,” McCarron said.

“Leftover supply from slowing exports could be absorbed by domestic markets in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, particularly if governments use the situation as a cost-effective opportunity to rapidly accelerate policy initiatives that stimulate domestic solar.”

For Southeast Asia’s solar companies, survival is also likely to depend on governments cutting red tape and loosening the control of oil and gas monopolies over the energy mix.

At the same time, the US’s exclusion of Southeast Asian solar imports could hamper the shift towards greener energy in the world’s top economy.

“Thailand’s solar cell production is heavily export-driven and the US has historically been a major export destination,” Pavida Pananond, a professor of international business at Thammasat Business School in Bangkok, told Al Jazeera.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,203

Here’s where things stand on Wednesday, June 11:

Fighting

  • Russia launched a large-scale drone-and-missile assault on Ukraine, killing one person in Kyiv and two in the southern port city of Odesa. At least 13 people were injured.
  • A Ukrainian drone attack on a petrol station in the Russian city of Belgorod killed one person and injured four others, the region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s attack on Kyiv was “one of the biggest” in the three-year-old war. It caused several fires and damaged buildings, including St Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage landmark.
  • In northeastern Ukraine, the governor of Kharkiv, Oleh Syniehubov, said the region’s defence council decided to order the mandatory evacuation of seven villages.
  • The Ukrainian military said that Russia launched 315 drones and seven missiles at Ukrainian cities in total. Ukrainian air defenders shot down 213 drones, two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles, the military said.
  • Ukrainian forces also engaged in 167 firefights with Russian troops across multiple fronts on Tuesday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
  • The Russian Ministry of Defence said that air defence units shot down 109 Ukrainian drones from Monday night into Tuesday.

Prisoner exchange

  • The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed a “second group of Russian servicemen was returned from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime” after a prisoner exchange took place on Monday. They will now undergo “treatment and rehabilitation”, the ministry said.
  • Zelenskyy said Ukraine also received prisoners in the “first stage of the return of our injured and severely wounded warriors from Russian captivity”.
  • “The exchanges are to continue,” Zelenskyy added. Both sides are expected to release more than 1,000 prisoners each, under an agreement struck at talks in Istanbul, Turkiye, last week.
  • Ukrainian families of missing soldiers said they are anxiously awaiting information as the exchanges continue.

Politics and diplomacy

  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz denounced Russian “terror against the civilian population” of Ukraine after Moscow’s heavy drone and missile strikes.
  • United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the US will reduce military aid to Ukraine in the upcoming defence budget.
  • “This administration takes a very different view of that conflict. We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation’s interests, especially with all the competing interests around the globe,” Hegseth said.
  • The European Commission proposed an 18th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting its oil revenues, banks and weapons industry.
  • Russian authorities have arrested opposition politician Lev Shlosberg, and charged him with discrediting the Russian army after he called the war on Ukraine a game of “bloody chess”.
  • Finnish Minister of Defence Antti Hakkanen alleged that a Russian military aircraft violated Finland’s airspace, prompting an investigation by the Finnish Border Guard.

One year to World Cup, are Tuchel’s England regressing after Southgate era?

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Thomas Tuchel’s demand for England to play with a smile backfired badly as the head coach and his players felt the full fury of their own supporters after an embarrassing defeat to Senegal.

It is exactly one year to the start of the 2026 World Cup, and if this abysmal performance is a realistic indicator of England’s hopes next summer, then the German will need to conjure up a miracle in the next 12 months.

No discernible plan. No identity. No improvement – arguably even a regression – since Sir Gareth Southgate stepped down after defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin.

England’s Euro 2024 was a tournament of big moments, such as Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick in the win against Slovakia, rather than big performances.

This has continued under Tuchel – but minus the big moments.

The brave new era has been a false start, despite three wins against modest opposition, and even Tuchel must have been shocked to experience the hostility aimed in his and his team’s direction by those fans who remained inside the City Ground at the end of this 3-1 loss.

He may offer up the mitigating circumstances as he made 10 changes from the 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Andorra, plus this was a friendly at the end of a long season. But it was still a sobering, alarming evening as Senegal outclassed England.

England fans turn on Tuchel

It was not meant to be like this – not after only four games – but England’s fans have made their displeasure clear about the direction the team are taking under Tuchel since he succeeded Southgate.

The sound of fury was heard when Cheikh Sabaly killed England off with Senegal’s late third, the anger rising again when the final whistle went moments later.

The German was meant to usher in a fresh atmosphere after Southgate’s eight years in charge, but Tuchel was made noisily aware that England’s followers do not like what they have seen. They expected to have more to be optimistic about a year out from the World Cup.

We have already seen paper aeroplanes, the time-honoured sign of Wembley’s boredom, against Latvia and Albania. Here at the City Ground, where England were welcomed ecstatically before kick-off, fans cut straight to jeering, with shouts of “disgraceful” as the players made their way off.

This is still a tenure in its infancy, but there is no doubt Tuchel is feeling some heat after an uncomfortable few days that saw the Three Lions flirt with humiliation against Andorra before being well beaten by their visitors.

Veteran Kyle Walker had an uncomfortable night against Senegal and switched off for Ismaila Sarr's equaliserGetty Images

Time catches up with Walker & Henderson

Tuchel, perhaps understandably, made 10 changes for the friendly with Senegal, but there are few decisions he has taken since assuming control that can be described as successful.

Others, meanwhile, have been simply head-scratching.

The recall of Jordan Henderson, who turns 35 next week, was mystifying and raised questions about whether Tuchel believes he has enough leaders in his squad, even flagging up the veteran’s influence in training.

The Ajax midfielder made his first start for England since 17 November 2023 against Andorra but had little impact or influence. Surely this experiment with a fine international servant is over.

And if ever a player performed in the manner that suggested his England career is coming to a close, it was the cruel exposure of 35-year-old Kyle Walker against Senegal on his 96th appearance.

The right-back was the first player to appear for England aged 35 or over since Frank Lampard in June 2014.

Walker, who has struggled on loan at AC Milan from Manchester City, switched off at the far post when Ismaila Sarr equalised for Senegal and was then booked for a wild challenge before being subsequently targeted by the visitors.

What does this say about Tuchel’s opinion of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who saw his former Liverpool team-mate Curtis Jones selected ahead of him at right-back against Andorra, with Walker then preferred on Tuesday night?

Tuchel is clearly unconvinced by the new Real Madrid’s signing’s defensive qualities, but surely he offers more than the fading, slowing Walker and a midfielder in Jones pressed into service in his position.

Chelsea captain Reece James is another right-back option, but Tuchel chose to deploy him as a makeshift left-back against Andorra.

On current evidence, there can be no place for either Henderson or Walker at the World Cup. Time has caught up with them.

Striker Ivan Toney was summoned from Al-Ahli and the Saudi Pro League as Tuchel tested out alternatives to the ever-reliable Harry Kane, but the former Brentford player was called into action only in the 88th minute at the end of this Senegal setback.

No identity and no improvement

Do England have any clear identity under Tuchel? Has there been any noticeable improvement since he took over?

It’s early days, but the answer on both counts must be an emphatic “no”.

England, as they did under Southgate and others, comfortably and unspectacularly see off the game’s minnows in qualifying, beating Latvia, Albania and Andorra with Tuchel in charge.

Even then, alarm bells have been ringing, especially when England struggled to overcome Andorra, ranked 173rd in the world and just above Grenada and Nepal, in their third World Cup qualifier.

These are the sort of results and performances that led to condemnation of Southgate, even though he took England to successive European Championship finals.

Tuchel has not been able to inspire any sort of upturn in quality. But there is also no obvious direction of travel under him so far.

The coach who employed three central defenders with wing-backs at Chelsea has yet to use this tactic with England, and time is running out before the real action starts at the World Cup next summer.

Tuchel has been robbed of the influence of the injured John Stones and does not seem totally sold on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, so he is going through the card of alternatives, with Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah the latest cabs off the rank against Senegal.

Jude Bellingham, who has yet to find his best role under Tuchel, was frustrated to see a late goal disallowed against SenegalGetty Images

Tuchel has yet to nail down the best position to utilise the prodigious talents of Bellingham, who once again showed the flash of temper that boils beneath the surface when he had a late goal disallowed against Senegal.

Bellingham can be a threat as a number 10, a conventional midfield player, or even pushed forward close to the striker. He can even operate in wider positions.

The problem for Tuchel is working out which role is best and settling it within England’s team.

The coach seems no further forward in working out his attacking options, seemingly throwing selections at the wall and seeing what sticks.

He picked Kane, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Noni Madueke against Andorra. Kane was joined by Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze for the loss to Senegal.

Kane and Saka look starters but elsewhere looks a puzzle, with the possibility that Manchester City’s Phil Foden could come back into the picture if he starts next season well.

Tuchel has widespread and attractive alternatives – but he currently seems well away from working out what is best for England and what system to use.

Twelve months may seem like a long way away, but time passes quickly and it once again flags up the wisdom of Tuchel deciding to start work on 1 January despite being appointed in October.

Was this three wasted months when time was of the essence for him and England?

England captain Kane moved to provide context when he told BBC Radio 5 Live: “This is only the manager’s second camp and we have a lot of young players and inexperienced players at this level and international football is different to club football. But these aren’t excuses, this is the reality. We have to be ready for the next season.”

‘World Cup is not next week’

Is it all bad for Tuchel and England? Not at all.

England have won their three World Cup qualifiers and he still has 12 months before his impact can truly be measured.

And, at the heart of it all remains captain Kane, who scored his 73rd England goal on his 107th appearance.

He has scored in all four of England’s games under Tuchel – the first time a player has netted in each of an England manager’s first four matches in charge.

Kane clearly enjoys playing under Tuchel, with 48 goals in 49 appearances under the German (44 at Bayern Munich and four for England), with this his best goals-per-game record (0.98) under any manager in his entire career.

Tuchel is also still upbeat, despite recent evidence, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is a tough learning, but we need to stay calm. We need to accept the criticism and get better.

“We took a very serious approach with the line-up against Andorra to give the signal that this is what counts, and here we made a lot of changes to let them show what they show in training.

“I felt we played with a bit of relief and more risk when we were 2-1 down. We had combinations and through balls. This shows me that the expectations we have of ourselves are holding us back.

“The World Cup is not next week. We have two more games in September and then we meet again in the World Cup season. We need these kinds of matches to learn.”

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Rodgers reveals secret wedding on first day with Steelers

Reuters

New Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has revealed he had a secret wedding earlier this year.

The NFL’s four-time Most Valuable Player spent months contemplating his future before deciding to sign a one-year deal with the Steelers.

Rodgers signed his contract on Saturday and in a picture posted by the team on social media, he had a black band on his wedding ring finger.

The 41-year-old held a news conference on Tuesday after spending his first day training with the Steelers and one of the last questions was about the ring.

“Yeah, it’s a wedding ring,” said Rodgers.

Asked how long he’s been married, he added: “It’s been a couple of months.”

Rodgers was released after a disappointing second season with the New York Jets, becoming a free agent for the first time in his 20-year career.

He had visited the Steelers and reportedly received an offer from the New York Giants, but in April, Rodgers said that he was “open to anything”, including retirement.

The 2011 Super Bowl winner previously said that he delayed his decision because of personal reasons and, earlier in Tuesday’s news conference, he said: “I was dealing with a lot of things in my personal life.

“Some things improved a little bit, where I felt like I could fully be all in here with the guys.

Who is Aaron Rodgers’ wife?

Rodgers, who spent the first 18 years of his career with the Green Bay Packers, has had a number of high-profile partners during his NFL career.

But he has not been married previously and did not share any further information about his wife on Tuesday.

Speaking to The Pat McAfee Show in December, he said he had a girlfriend named Brittani while discussing Christmas shopping.

When one of the co-hosts joked about whether it was singer Britney Spears, Rodgers replied: “Not Britney Spears, no. This is Brittani with an ‘i’.”

Speaking to Pat McAfee again in April, Rodgers added that he is “in a serious relationship”.

“I have off-the-field stuff going on that requires my attention,” he added.

“I have personal commitments I made, not knowing what my future was going to look like after last year, that are important to me.”

What else did Rodgers say on first day?

After visiting the Steelers, Rodgers has said that he remained in regular contact with head coach Mike Tomlin before informing him of his decision.

The 53-year-old is the NFL’s longest-serving current head coach having been in charge at Pittsburgh since 2007.

He led the franchise to a sixth Super Bowl win in 2009, before losing the big game to Rodgers’ Packers in 2011, and the Steelers have not had a losing record in Tomlin’s 18 seasons in charge.

Asked why he chose Pittsburgh, Rodgers said: “It starts with Mike Tomlin. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time.

“The rapport that fell in between me and Mike made it to where, as I was going through my personal stuff, that there wasn’t any other option for me. It was here or not play [retire].”

Only Peyton Manning (five) has been named the NFL MVP more times than Rodgers, yet a second Super Bowl win has eluded him.

Asked what a Super Bowl win with Pittsburgh would mean, Rodgers said: “It’d mean a seventh championship for the city. That’d be great.

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Rodgers marks first day with Steelers by revealing secret wedding

Reuters

New Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has revealed he had a secret wedding earlier this year.

The NFL’s four-time Most Valuable Player spent months contemplating his future before deciding to sign a one-year deal with the Steelers.

Rodgers signed his contract on Saturday and in a picture posted by the team on social media, he had a black band on his wedding ring finger.

The 41-year-old held a news conference on Tuesday after spending his first day training with the Steelers and one of the last questions was about the ring.

“Yeah, it’s a wedding ring,” said Rodgers.

Asked how long he’s been married, he added: “It’s been a couple of months.”

Rodgers was released after a disappointing second season with the New York Jets, becoming a free agent for the first time in his 20-year career.

He had visited the Steelers and reportedly received an offer from the New York Giants, but in April, Rodgers said that he was “open to anything”, including retirement.

The 2011 Super Bowl winner previously said that he delayed his decision because of personal reasons and, earlier in Tuesday’s news conference, he said: “I was dealing with a lot of things in my personal life.

“Some things improved a little bit, where I felt like I could fully be all in here with the guys.

Who is Aaron Rodgers’ wife?

Rodgers, who spent the first 18 years of his career with the Green Bay Packers, has had a number of high-profile partners during his NFL career.

But he has not been married previously and did not share any further information about his wife on Tuesday.

Speaking to The Pat McAfee Show in December, he said he had a girlfriend named Brittani while discussing Christmas shopping.

When one of the co-hosts joked about whether it was singer Britney Spears, Rodgers replied: “Not Britney Spears, no. This is Brittani with an ‘i’.”

Speaking to Pat McAfee again in April, Rodgers added that he is “in a serious relationship”.

“I have off-the-field stuff going on that requires my attention,” he added.

“I have personal commitments I made, not knowing what my future was going to look like after last year, that are important to me.”

What else did Rodgers say on first day?

After visiting the Steelers, Rodgers has said that he remained in regular contact with head coach Mike Tomlin before informing him of his decision.

The 53-year-old is the NFL’s longest-serving current head coach having been in charge at Pittsburgh since 2007.

He led the franchise to a sixth Super Bowl win in 2009, before losing the big game to Rodgers’ Packers in 2011, and the Steelers have not had a losing record in Tomlin’s 18 seasons in charge.

Asked why he chose Pittsburgh, Rodgers said: “It starts with Mike Tomlin. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time.

“The rapport that fell in between me and Mike made it to where, as I was going through my personal stuff, that there wasn’t any other option for me. It was here or not play [retire].”

Only Peyton Manning (five) has been named the NFL MVP more times than Rodgers, yet a second Super Bowl win has eluded him.

Asked what a Super Bowl win with Pittsburgh would mean, Rodgers said: “It’d mean a seventh championship for the city. That’d be great.

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  • American Football