MON SIX

SANTA CLARA, CA – "That was fun."

Those were the first words uttered bySam Darnold, who looked as if he'd barely broken a sweat, as he approached his postgame riser Sunday evening,the Seattle Seahawks quarterback a Super Bowl championfor the first time in his singular eight-year career afterhis team's 29-13 beatdownof theNew England Patriots.

Couldn't have been much fun for the New York Jets. Or Carolina Panthers. Or Minnesota Vikings. Those NFL franchises have all had Darnold on their roster at some point during his peripatetic career but don't now. Those clubs have also combined for zero Lombardi Trophies since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger … and will carry that collective doughnut for another year while Darnold, now a two-time Pro Bowler, is fitted for his first ring.

Sunday also couldn't have been all that much fun for Baker Mayfield. Or Josh Allen. Or Lamar Jackson. Like Darnold, they were all first-round drafts picks in 2018. Unlike Darnold, who was also a member of the San Francisco 49ers when they were NFC champions in 2023, that trio has combined to win three league MVP awards … while making zero Super Sunday appearances.

Super Bowl 60: Check out best photos from Seahawks vs Patriots

"I didn't not believe that I would be (the first 2018 QB champion)," Darnold smiled. "It's special, man. And it's not about that – to me, it's never been about that. I'm just doing the best that I can. Because, every single day, I want to be the best quarterback for theSeattle Seahawks– that's really what it comes down to."

Mission basically accomplished.

Darnold didn't exactly deliver a signature performance Sunday, completing half of his 38 throws for 202 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown strike to tight end AJ Barner that broke the game open in the fourth quarter.

Yet Darnold also bucked his early career reputation for carelessness with the ball that carried over from his time at USC – instead protecting the pigskin, not committing a turnover (he didn't have one in the playoffs after leading the NFL with 20 in the regular season) and only taking one sack. Meanwhile, his New England counterpart, Drake Maye – an MVP finalist in 2025 – had three giveaways while getting bagged six times by Seattle's swarming defense, not that Maye could be blamed for the constant jailbreaks he faced.

"I didn't have my best stuff today, but the team had my back – our defense and special teams," said Darnold, whose unspectacular performance was perfectly sufficient for a Seattle juggernaut that didn't need anything more from him.

"We just played how we always play, we were resilient and we came out on top. So, it was pretty special."

Yet his success was also special for Seahawks players who have universally come to adore their quarterback even though he hasn't been on the roster for even 11 months.

"Unbelievable story. I don't think there's a quarterback in NFL history that's done what he's done – to go through the things that he's had to go through," saidwide receiver Cooper Kupp. "To believe in himself, to overcome everyone that told him that he wasn't that guy anymore, that he couldn't be a starter.

"I'm so thankful I got to know who Sam Darnold is as a person, because it explains everything that's happened in his career."

Added kicker Jason Myers, a teammate of Darnold during his rookie year with the Jets: "He's just one of the guys, he's just great in the locker room. I knew he'd fit in right away when we signed him here."

And with two years left on his contract and a loaded team at his back, perhaps this only the beginning of Darnold's dominant era.

"I don't think it's really hit me yet, to be honest with you," Darnold said of his career-defining moment to date.

"But it's special – this group is why it's special, the connection all of us have as players, the love that we have for each other."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Seahawks' Sam Darnold: From Jets castoff to Super Bowl 60 champion

When it comes to turning a brand event into a full fashion moment, nobody does it better thanAlessandra Ambrosio. The supermodel brought her unique brand of confident edge to the recentRay-Banevent in Doha. For this occasion, she stepped out in an applause-worthy black latex skirt, which looked awesome on her.

Alessandra Ambrosio attends Ray-Ban event in stunning high slit latex skirt

Have a look at Alessandra Ambrosio inthe high slit latex skirthere:

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The high-waisted black latex calf-length skirt had a thigh-high slit that instantly grabbed attention, adding an extra dose of panache to the look. Alessandra Ambrosio made onlookers gush by pairing the skirt with a stylish, bright red-hued top with a body-hugging silhouette. The modern top also had a rather high neckline, adding an elegant twist to her look. She also added matching boots and gloves to complete the look.

Ambrosio went for a glam makeup look and accessorized with thick gold hoop earrings and stylish Ray-Ban sunglasses. This look once again proved that any event can turn into a runway with the right fashion choices.

Originally reported by Mehak Walia onThe Fashion Spot.

The postAlessandra Ambrosio Stuns in High Slit Latex Skirt at Ray-Ban Eventappeared first onReality Tea.

America didn't get just one halftime show thisSuper Bowl Sunday. It got two.

WhileBad Bunnytook the stage as the NFL's official 2026Super Bowl Halftime Showperformer, a competing "All-American Halftime Show" was organized by the MAGA-friendly organization, Turning Point USA, to celebrate "American culture, freedom, and faith."

"MAGA just got owned by Bad Bunny," one commented online.

America didn't get just one halftime show thisSuper Bowl Sunday;it got two

Image credits:TPUSA

Turning Point USA (TPUSA) staged theAll-American halftime show on Super Bowl Sunday, February 8, with a country-heavy concert and a strong dose of red-white-and-blue imagery.

The show was a direct rival to the NFL's official Bad Bunny performance and also a tribute to Charlie Kirk, TPUSA's slain founder, who wasassassinated by a rooftopsniper last year.

The hour-long spectacle was headlined by Kid Rock and featured performances from Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.

"This one's for you, Charlie!" TPUSA host Jack Posobiec said as the show began.

Image credits:Turning Point USA

Brantley Gilbert was the first in the artist lineup, followed by Gabby Barrett and Lee Brice.

Closing the show was Kid Rock, whokicked off his performancewith his rap hitBawitabaand then segued into Cody Johnson's hit songTil You Can't.

Kid Rock introduced the song by saying he woke up one night with the track stuck in his head and felt there was "a verse that still needed to be written for this song."

"There's a book sitting in your house somewhere that could use some dusting off," he sang his self-written version onstage. "There's a man who di*d for all our sins hanging from the cross. You can give your life to Jesus and he'll give you a second chance. Till you can't."

The patriotic spectacle was headlined by Kid Rock and featured performances from Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett

Image credits:Turning Point USA

Charlie Kirk's wife and thenew CEO of TPUSA, Erika Kirk, was absent during the controversial All-American Halftime show.

She previously said her late husband would have been "so stoked" with their "pro-America" halftime show because he wanted to be "in the forefront of the culture war."

"He would be fist-pumping at this … And what better way to honor him than to just get in the middle of this and be able to offer an alternative to families," she toldFox Newsearlier this month.

Image credits:Turning Point USA

A tribute video was played for Charlie Kirk during the All-American Halftime Show, complete with a slideshow showing photos of Charlie, Erika, and their family.

"I want to honor God in all that I do," a voiceover of Charlie was heard saying. "I want to be a great husband, a great father, I want to serve this country. I want to try to continue to lead this movement."

Netizens slammed the All-American Halftime show, calling it a "Redneck Halftime!" and "Temu Halftime."

"Not being able to speak even a little spanish or vibe with the music is low IQ as fuck hahaha," one said, while another quipped, "Grandpa still calling himself kid lol."

"Was this concert at the Dollar Tree 🌳 Parking lot lmfao," wrote another.

"Turning Point USA having its own halftime show is actually a great idea," read one comment. "It's like handing toddlers an iPad so they stop melting down and everyone else can enjoy the real halftime show in peace."

"You can give your life to Jesus and he'll give you a second chance. Till you can't," Kid Rock sang onstage

Image credits:Turning Point USA

Running in parallel with the All-American Halftime Show was the NFL's Super Bowl LX show, during whichBad Bunny performed some of his biggest hitsfor the screaming crowd.

Lady Gaga andRicky Martin also made appearances, and a real-life bride and groom said "I do" in the middle of the performance.

Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, and Karol Gshowed up as surprise dancersas well.

Bad Bunny made history by becoming the first musician to perform a Super Bowl Halftime Show entirely in Spanish. But he did have one message in English displayed on a billboard at one point: "The only thing more powerful than hate is love."

Image credits:Turning Point USA

The Puerto Rican artist made the same statement during his Grammy speech, in which hecalled out ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)on music's biggest stage.

US President Donald Trump wasquick to share his thoughtson Bad Bunny's performance, calling it "absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!"

"It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn't represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence," he wrote on his Truth Social website.

Image credits:Turning Point USA

"Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World," he continued

After calling the show a "'slap in the face' to our Country," he added that there was "nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show."

A tribute video was played at the All-American Halftime Show for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk

Image credits:Turning Point USA

Among thosecriticizing Bad Bunnywas also influencer Jake Paul, who lives in Puerto Rico.

The boxerslammed the Latin superstara couple of hours before he took the stage.

"Purposefully turning off the halftime show. Let's rally together and show big corporations they can't just do whatever they want without consequences (which equals viewership for them)," he wrote on X.

The influencer called Bad Bunny "a fake American citizen performing who publicly hates America" and added, "I cannot support that."

"Someone posted a clip and everyone in attendance looked miserable," one commented on the All-American Halftime Show

Travis Kelceattended the 2026 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California. However, the star NFL player arrived without his fiancée,Taylor Swift. The tight end was spotted in a sleek black suit paired with sunglasses. He was looking sharp and stylish as he smiled during the presentation of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Despite his polished appearance, fans were surprised to see him at the high-profile event without the pop icon by his side. The sighting comes amid recent headlines surrounding Swift, following the release of her text messages with Blake Lively, which further intensified her ongoing feud with Justin Baldoni.

Taylor Swift skips Super Bowl as Travis Kelce goes solo amid Blake Lively texts drama

Travis Kelce Looks Vibrant at The Super Bowl ? LX [2026]https://t.co/holRii3Pjbpic.twitter.com/Soqs9gAand

— infopedia (@infopediadaily)February 9, 2026

Travis Kelceattended the highly anticipated Super Bowl in 2026. It was held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8. The Kansas City Chiefs star was spotted arriving in a tailored black suit, styled with sunglasses, looking sharp and composed. However, his fiancée, Taylor Swift, did not attend the game.

The news comes after Swift andBlake Lively's text messageswent public, in which the singer reportedly referred to him as a "b***h," sparking fresh headlines. This isn't the first time the singer has skipped accompanying Kelce to pre-game parties or appearances. In the past, Swift has occasionally missed games due to professional commitments and scheduling conflicts.

Kelce attended the event where Bobby Wagner received this year's award for his excellence on and off the field. The 36-year-old athlete previously earned the same prestigious honor in 2020. While the NFL star is preparing for more Super Bowl appearances, Swift is also enjoying a busy season in her career. She recently released the music video for her song "Opalite" from the hit studio album "The Life of a Showgirl." The video features a 90s-themed aesthetic and includes several celebrity cameos.

The postTravis Kelce's Solo Super Bowl Run Amid Taylor Swift's Blake Lively Text Dramaappeared first onReality Tea.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — As rising global temperatures speed up the melting of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, it's set off a boom of ships taking routes that previously were frozen and not traversable.

The increase in marine Arctic traffic, which received increased attention as President Donald Trump pushed for the United States to take overGreenland, has come with a heavy environmental cost: black carbon, or soot, that spews from ships and makes the ice melt even faster. Several countries are making a case for ships in the Arctic to use cleaner fuels that cause less pollution in meetings this week with international shipping regulators.

Glaciers, snow and ice covered in the soot emitted by ships have less ability to reflect the sun. Instead, the sun's heat is absorbed, helping to make the Arctic the fastest warming place on Earth. In turn, melting Arctic sea ice can affectweather patternsaround the world.

"It ends up in a never-ending cycle of increased warming," said Sian Prior, lead adviser for the Clean Arctic Alliance, a coalition of nonprofits focused on the Arctic and shipping. "We need to regulate emissions and black carbon, in particular. Both are completely unregulated in the Arctic."

In December, France, Germany, the Solomon Islands and Denmark proposed that the International Maritime Organization require ships traveling in Arctic waters to use "polar fuels," which are lighter and emit less carbon pollution than the widely used maritime fuels known as residuals. The proposal includes steps that companies would take to comply and the geographic area it would apply to — all ships traveling north of the 60th parallel. The proposal was expected to be presented to the IMO's Pollution Prevention and Response Committee this week and possibly another committee in April.

A 2024 ban on using a type of residual known as heavy fuel oil in the Arctic has had only modest impacts so far, partly because of loopholes.

Concerns about shipping pollution are overshadowed by geopolitics

The push to reduce black carbon, which studies have shown has a warming impact 1,600 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year span, is happening at a time of conflicting interests, both internationally and among the countries that have coastlines in the Arctic.

In recent months, Trump's periodic comments about the need to "own" Greenland to bolster U.S. security have raised many issues, from Greenland's sovereignty to the future of the NATO alliance. Pollution and other environmental issues in the Arctic have taken a backseat.

Trump, who has calledclimate changea "con job," has also pushed back against global policies aimed at fighting it. Last year, the IMO was expected to adopt new regulations that would have imposed carbon fees on shipping, which supporters said would have pushed companies to use cleaner fuels and electrify fleets where possible. Then Trump intervened, lobbying hard for nations to vote no.The measure was postponed for a year, its prospects at best uncertain. Given that, it's hard to see the IMO making fast progress on the current proposal to limit black carbon in the Arctic.

Even inside Arctic nations, which are most impacted by black carbon and other shipping pollution, there are internal tensions around such regulations. Iceland is a good example. While the country is a world leader in green technologies such as carbon capture and the use of thermal energies for heating, conservationists say the country has made less progress on regulating pollution in its seas. That is because the fishing industry, one of the country's most important, holds huge sway.

"The industry is happy with profits, unhappy with the taxes and not engaged in issues like climate or biodiversity," said Arni Finnsson, board chair of the Iceland Nature Conservation Association.

Finnsson added that the costs of using cleaner fuels or electrifying fleets have also prompted resistance.

"I think the government is waking up, but they still have to wait for the (fishing) industry to say yes," he said.

The country has not taken a position on the pending polar fuels proposal. In a statement, Iceland's Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate said the proposal was "positive with regard to its purpose and basic content," but that further study was needed. The statement added that Iceland supports stronger measures to counter shipping emissions and reduce black carbon.

Arctic ship traffic and black carbon emissions both rise

Soot pollution has increased in the Arctic as cargo ships, fishing boats and even some cruise liners are traveling more in the waters that connect the northernmost parts of Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Russia, Norway, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Between 2013 and 2023, the number of ships entering waters north of the 60th parallel increased by 37%, according to the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum made up of the eight countries with territory in the Arctic. In that same period, the total distance traversed by ships in the Arctic increased 111%.

Black carbon emissions have also increased. In 2019, 2,696 metric tons of black carbon was emitted from ships north of the 60th parallel compared with 3,310 metric tons in 2024, according to a study by Energy and Environmental Research Associates. The study found that fishing boats were the biggest source of black carbon.

It also found that the 2024 ban on heavy fuel oil would only result in a small reduction in black carbon. Waivers and exceptions allow some ships to continue using it until 2029.

Environmental groups and concerned countries see regulating ship fuel as the only way to realistically reduce black carbon. That is because getting nations to agree to limit traffic would likely be impossible. The lure of fishing, resource extraction and shorter shipping distances is too great. Ships can save days on some trips between Asia and Europe by sailing through the Arctic.

Still, the path known as the Northern Sea Route is only traversable a few months of the year, and even then ships must be accompanied by icebreakers. Those dangers, combined with Arctic pollution concerns, have driven some companies to pledge to stay away — at least for now.

"The debate around the Arctic is intensifying, and commercial shipping is part of that discussion," wrote Søren Toft, CEO of Mediterranean Shipping Company, the world's largest container shipping company, in a LinkedIn post last month. "Our position at MSC is clear. We do not and will not use the Northern Sea Route."

The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.