The Lakers have already taken an injury hit before they take the court for the regular season.

THE biggest great white shark ever recorded in the Atlantic has been caught by scientists.

Researchers say the 14ft, 1,653lb predator known as Contender could help unlock one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries.

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A 14-foot, 1,653-pound great white shark named Contender was tagged by scientists[/caption]

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Contender travelled to the remote Gulf of St. Lawrence, one of the furthest northern pings[/caption]

The colossal shark, estimated to be around 30 years old, was first tagged by marine research group OCEARCH in January about 45 miles off the Florida-Georgia coast.

His satellite tracker only “pings” when his dorsal fin breaks the surface.

And last week, it did just that, near the remote Gulf of St. Lawrence off Canada’s Labrador Peninsula.

Researchers say that makes Contender “one of the furthest northern pinging sharks that we’ve had.”

All summer and fall, the giant predator has been gorging on seals to bulk up for his return south in winter.

Chris Fischer, founder and expedition leader of OCEARCH, said: “Only a couple have made it that far north.

“An animal like that, spending the summer and fall up north – what are they doing?

“Well, a lot of what they’re doing is preparing for the winter.”

Fischer said Contender is “putting a lot of pressure on the seals, eating seals constantly, swimming in front of seal colonies, trying to put on some weight before he proceeds back down to Florida for the oncoming winter.”

And that seal-slaughtering spree is doing more than just feeding the shark.

“The byproduct of putting that pressure on the seals is really good, they’re guarding our fish stocks,” Fischer said.

“We know that if the white sharks are in front of the seals putting pressure on them, they eat one-fourth as much per day.

“If that white shark’s not there, those seals go out and they wipe out all the fish.”

Contender’s northern adventure also highlights the great white’s adaptability.

“White sharks have the capacity to warm themselves and be in cold water, but they have to have a lot of food,” Fischer explained.

“Like horses in winter – as long as they have food, they’re fine. If they run out of food, they freeze very quickly.”

Contender briefly surfaced off Natashquan, Canada, on September 29, followed by a “z-ping” on October 2 – a fleeting signal too brief to pinpoint his exact location.

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Scientists hope Contender’s movements will help identify great white shark mating sites[/caption]

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The shark’s movements over the next year could offer crucial clues[/caption]

Tagged just months ago, the shark represents hope for a species once devastated by overfishing.

“We wiped out the sharks so badly in the seventies, eighties, and sixties – we got down to nine percent of our population,” Fischer said.

Now, Contender could help scientists solve a mystery that has eluded them for decades: where great whites mate.

“These big mature males are hugely important because they can help us understand where and when mating is occurring,” Fischer said.

Unlike females with complex two-year migratory cycles, “the male white sharks basically have their whole year revolve around mating.”

“There’s never been a white shark mating site identified anywhere in the world in any one of the nine populations,” he added.

“It would be a first.”

The shark’s movements over the next year – especially in spring 2026 – could offer crucial clues.

Early signs point to the southeastern United States as a possible hotspot.

Despite his massive size, Contender could grow even larger, possibly topping 20 feet as he ages.

“It’ll be really interesting to watch Contender this year,” Fischer said.

“I want to know where Contender will be in March of 2026, in April of 2026.

“I think that could be a massive clue for identifying where they mate.”

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Despite his massive size, Contender could grow even larger[/caption]

A TRANS woman facing jail for sexually assaulting a Snapchat date by hiding her male organs has insisted: “He must have known.”

Ciara Watkin, 21, was convicted of duping the young man into believing she was a biological female during their short sexual relationship.

She performed sex acts on him but wouldn’t let him touch her below the waist.

Watkin told him that she was “on her period”, but later texted him to say she had a “massive secret”, her trial heard.

When she revealed she was trans he replied: “WTF. So you have a d***? OMFG. I feel ill,” before reporting her to the police.

She was convicted of sexual assault and is due to be sentenced today at Teesside crown court.

But ahead of the case she told The Sun: “He must have known I’m not female. He knew all along I was trans and at first chose to ignore it.

“His mum knew and all his mates who met me knew, so how could he claim to be the only one who didn’t?

“I am not finished with this – I have a strong case that I have been unfairly prosecuted and I’m prepared to make a legal case for that.”

Watkin spent the night with the man during which she performed sex acts on him, the court heard.

Prosecutor Paul Reid said: “The defendant had concealed from the man that she had a penis, during their brief relationship.

“The man told the police that if he had known Watkin was transgender, he would not have consented. He said: ‘I don’t swing that way’.”

Watkin, of Thornaby, Teesside, denied two counts of sexual assault and one of sexual assault by penetration but the jury took just 75 minutes to find her guilty in August.

Judge Peter Makepeace warned her that “the overwhelming likelihood is custody”.

Eight suspects fled a property where police uncovered a sophisticated cannabis crop, with a potential street value of $15 million, growing in gardening igloos.

Próximo presidente da República poderá indicar três nomes para Corte mais alta do Judiciário brasileiro

The Democratic gov was asked after an unrelated event Wednesday what she makes of her GOP foe’s attempts to tie her to mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist Assemblyman from Queens.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer bragged that the government shutdown is actually positive for Democrats the longer it goes on.

“We love the Italians,” the president said. 

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Resultados animam, mas especialistas alertam que evidências são fracas; dieta é baseada na redução de carboidratos e aumento da ingestão de gorduras “boas”