UR MAG

TheMilwaukee Brewersare too cheap.

Too foolish, trading away their ace.

Too reckless, trading away their young star third baseman.

Surely, this will be the year their luck finally runs out, leaving their fans drowning their sorrows in beer, stuffing their faces with cheese curds, and screaming every time they hear, "Go Cubs Go," at Wrigley Field.

The Brewers hear the mockery, the taunts, the ridicule and the malice.

Their reaction?

"Honestly, we just don't care," Brewers outfielder/DH Christian Yelich says. "It's the same story every year."

MLB spring training 2026: Sunshine, good vibes in Arizona and Florida

So go ahead, bring it on, but please, don't take it personally if they laugh in your face.

"It's funny to us, because we don't feel like we're underdogs," Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick said. "We know we didn't go out and spend a lot of money, so that can kind of give you the underdog edge.

"But it's still a little weird to us because we win every year."

Indeed, the Brewers have dominated the NL Central for the past eight years. They've won three consecutive division titles, four of the last five, and in five of the past seven full seasons (excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season). They have averaged 92.6 victories a year since 2020, including a franchise-record and major-league leading 97 victories last year.

And not once was there a single season in which they were preseason picks to win the division.

"I don't mind it, it comes with the territory," Brewers GM Matt Arnold says. "If people want to overlook us, that's fine. Really, we embrace being underdogs here."

Now, here they are this year, without ace Freddy Peralta, and without starting third baseman Caleb Durbin, joining that Brewers tradition where Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes and All-Star closers Josh Hader and Devin Williams were dumped the past three years.

This was a winter where their hated rivals, theChicago Cubs, spent $209 million in free agency, while also acquiringMiami Marlinsfront-line starter Edward Cabrera in a trade.

The Brewers spent a grand total of $6.5 million.

The Cubs filled their third-base spot by signing Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract.

The Brewers filled their vacancy with Luis Rengifo on a one-year, $3.5 million deal.

So, is anyone shocked that the Cubs are heavy favorites to win the NL Central, even running away with it?

The Brewers simply shrug their shoulders, yawn and grin.

"We kind of defy what's going on," starter Brandon Woodruff, 33, the longest-tenured Brewer, tells USA TODAY Sports. "We're not supposed to be doing what we're doing with our payroll and our market.

"You see what we spend, and it's like how we going to win again. Then, you think, well, we did that last year without spending, we can do it again."

What's new?

The Brewers are always counted out in March, and in October, everyone's scratching their head and wondering how they pulled it off?

"I get it, we're a small market, everyone keeps writing us off," Brewers All-Star closer Trevor Megill says. "The top team is the Dodgers, and you hear everyone saying, 'How are we or anyone else going to beat them this year?' Well, people forget we're the ones who won the most games last year."

In many aspects, the Brewers are the Major League Baseball Players Association's dream team. They're a perennial playoff team year after year despite a bottom-10 payroll, proving a salary cap isn't necessary for small-market teams to win.

"Our team is a great example of why you don't need a salary cap," Megill says. "Get creative. There's more than one way to win a baseball game. Just because you pay guys all of that money, doesn't mean they're going to the playoffs.

"Growing up watching 90's baseball and the Yankees were doing exactly what the Dodgers are doing. Everyone thought it was cool because it was happening in New York. But now that it's the West Coast, everyone seems to have a problem with it. I think it's great for baseball that we have a team that's willing to go out there and spend, while teams like us that are underdogs to write their own stories.

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"Growing up, it was the Angels. Who the hell were the Angels in '02 (winning their first World Series)? They still do the damn rally monkey nearly 30 years later. So, when teams like that pull it off, it's great for baseball."

The Brewers, simultaneously, can be the union's worst nightmare, too, proving you don't have to spend big bucks in free agency. They had the second-lowest payroll among all playoff teams last year at $115.1 million, a cool $206 million less than the Dodgers.

The Brewers have only two players earning more than $10 million this year with outfielder Christan Yelich ($26 million) and Woodruff ($22.025 million). Exactly half of the Dodgers' team is earning at least $10 million, including eight players in excess of $20 million.

"We prove," Frelick says, "that you don't need to sign 10 players to $100 million deals to be good and to compete."

No, but it sure does help, covering up any mistakes with money.

Look at the Dodgers. They dropped $72 million last season on free-agent closer Tanner Scott, who flopped in his first year. What do they do? Turn around and throw another $69 million at closer Edwin Diaz this winter, pushing Scott to a setup role.

"I don't have any problem with teams spending money as a player, that's what you want to see," Woodruff said. "Obviously, the Dodgers have more money than anybody. They're the juggernauts of Major League Baseball. But you're not going to get mad at them for spending money.

"It shows the rest of the league, hey, maybe you can spend a little more money here, too."

While the Dodgers may be driving Bentleys and Mercedes to their ballgames, with the Brewers getting around in Jeeps and pickup trucks, the two teams have averaged more than 90 victories a season, with four division titles in the past five years.

They just have different styles of getting there, with the Brewers having to trade away potential free agents and prospects to get what they desire, while the Dodgers can reach into their bank account.

"It's crazy, but I feel like the money doesn't really matter," Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz says. "The biggest payroll doesn't mean that you're going to win ballgames, and the lowest payroll doesn't mean that you're going to be the worst team in the league.

"I feel like we kind of use it as a chip on our shoulder a little bit. We just show up, handle business, and see where we are at the end of the season."

Says Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn: "We just drown out the outside noise and play our game. Once you're on the field, it's just baseball, not how much money you're making."

$765,000,000: Juan Soto, New York Mets (2025-39)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $700,000,000: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (2024-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $500,000,000: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (2026-39)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $426.5 million: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (2019-2030)* includes extension

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $365 million: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (2020-32)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $360 million: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (2023-2031)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $350 million: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres (2023-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $341 million: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets (2022-31)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $340 million: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (2021-34)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $330,000,000: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (2019-31)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $325 million: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins (2015-2027) – traded to New York Yankees in 2017

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $325 million: Corey Seager, Texas Rangers (2022-31)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $325,000,000: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (2024-35)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $313.5 million: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox (2024-33) - traded to San Francisco Giants in 2025

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $300 million: Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies (2023-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $292 million: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (2014-2023)* includes extension

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $288,777,777: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (2024-34)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $280 million: Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres (2023-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $275 million: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (2008-2017)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $260 million: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies (2019-26) - traded to St. Louis Cardinals in 2021, traded to Arizona Diamondbacks in 2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $252,000,000: Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers (2001-10)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $245 million: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals (2020-26)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $245 million: Anthony Rendon, Los Angeles Angels (2020-26)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $240,000,000: Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers (2026-29)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $240 million: Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels (2012-2021)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $240 million: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners (2014-2023) – traded to New York Mets in 2019

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $225 million: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds (2012-2021)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $217 million: David Price, Boston Red Sox (2016-2022) – traded to Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $215 million: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (2014-2020)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $215 million: Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers (2020-28)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $214 million: Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers (2012-2020) – traded to Texas Rangers in 2013

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $212 million: Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves (2023-32)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $210 million: Corbin Burnes, Arizona Diamondbacks (2025-30)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $210 million: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals (2015-2021)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $209.3 million: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners (2023-34)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $206.5 million: Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks (2016-2021) – traded to Houston Astros in 2019

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $200 million: Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins (2023-28) - traded to Houston Astros in 2025

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

MLB's $200+ million contracts

$765,000,000: Juan Soto, New York Mets (2025-39)

Still, the Brewers are constantly faced with money decisions, and budgetary concerns. The Dodgers can spend $240 million on outfielder Kyle Tucker to replace Michael Conforto and not even blink. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio paid only $223 million for the entire franchise.

The Brewers hated the idea of having to trade Peralta, their homegrown and lovable two-time All-Star who went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA last season. Yet, he's a free agent after this year, and when they couldn't reach an agreement on a contract extension, they felt the urgency to trade him. They sent him and reliever Tobias Myers to the New York Mets for prized pitching prospect Brandon Sproat and shortstop/center fielder Jett Williams, who immediately became the Brewers' No. 3 prospect.

"Losing Freddy was tough," Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby said. "Here's a guy who helped create a really awesome starting rotation here, and just a pitching culture. He was a huge piece of our success, and a model for everyone."

While everyone anticipated that Peralta likely would be traded once Woodruff accepted his $22.025 million qualifying offer, the trade of Durbin to the Boston Red Sox was stunning. Durbin, who finished third in 2025 NL Rookie of the Year balloting hitting .256 with a .721 OPS, exemplified the Brewers' blue-collar, gritty team. He was traded along with infielders Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler for left-handed pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan and infielder David Hamilton.

"It's difficult because Durbin represented how we played, what we were about," said Brewers manager Pat Murphy, the two-time NL Manager of the Year, who received a three-year, $8.95 million contract after the opening of camp. "He was as excited about getting on base by a hit-by-pitch as he was getting a line drive hit. He was all about just getting on base for us.

"I know we got a lot of pitching depth, and you look at the future, but it's still tough. I always want to remember this deal was about the big picture."

The deal certainly raised eyes throughout the industry, even with the Brewers replacing Durbin with the signing of Rengifo to a one-year, $3.5 million contract. Yet, inside the clubhouse, they didn't blink. They've watched Arnold work his magic over the years, stealing pitcher Quinn Priester from the Red Sox last season (13-3 with a 3.32 ERA) and hitting the jackpot by acquiring Vaughn from the White Sox, who hit nine homers with 46 RBI and a .869 OPS in 64 games.

"It's kind of how it is here," Brewers center fielder Blake Perkins says. "They make these trades every year, and everyone gets a little skeptical like, 'I don't know about this,' and they work out great.

"The big thing they do here is their due diligence on the type of people they want in the clubhouse that mesh well with everybody. They're big on that. Everyone's talented in this game, but they make sure everyone meshes well seamlessly. This team is perfect for me."

Said Arnold: "We're not looking for Boy Scouts everywhere, but you've got to have the right guys, guys that are willing to compete and play hard. There's a certain brand of player that we're looking at who fits in our clubhouse."

It's this culture why Woodruff says it was a no-brainer to accept the qualifying offer as a free agent to return to Milwaukee. He loves the city. Adores the fans. And feels completely at peace in the clubhouse.

"There's no place I'd rather be," said Woodruff, the Brewers' 11th-round draft pick in 2014. "Everyone gets it here. I know we've traded away some pieces, but the front office does a great job here. They don't make moves just to make moves. Sometimes the public doesn't necessarily see it, but they always have a reason behind it.

"I mean, they're obviously trying to set up moves for the future and to keep us competitive, but at the same time, we know how to win baseball games."

They've got the NL Central flags to prove it.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Brewers keep showing MLB you don't need big money to win

It's not happening anytime soon, his love of the game keeps him around. It's a privilege to have played as long as he has.

On top of that, as a Black-Canadian player, Reaves takes pride in being a role model to the kids that look like him that aspire to play hockey.

"I think it's an honor to be a Black player in this league and have younger Black players look up to you and kind of look at you and say, 'you know, I could do that, too.' I think that's important to have representation there," Reaves told USA TODAY Sports. "I think when kids don't see them represented, it's harder for them to kind of engage and get into that sport. So, you know, that's just a way for younger kids to kind of get involved."

The game has evolved to where Black players in the NHL have become more common, although the sport remains predominantly white. It's across both genders, too.

Laila Edwards just recently showed the world on the center stage that Black women can do it, too. She broke racial barriers to become thefirst Black woman to play for Team USA ice hockey, score and win a gold medalat the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan.

Reaves, as the rest of the world, has taken notice.

"I think it shows how quickly the game's growing. You know, women's hockey has taken off over the last 10 years especially," Reaves told USA TODAY Sports. "I think it's really started to grow, and people are starting to take notice of the talent and to see someone like that representing their country and winning a gold medal is even more special."

The game grows when representation and diversity is showcased on the biggest stage and history is acknowledged. The Sharks recently held an in-game "Black Excellence Celebration" highlighting the Black history in their franchise.

The team was established in 1990, and their logo was designed by a Black man: Northern California-based artist and former Stanford basketball player Terry Smith. He was one of the many recognized.

"It's a cool thing to see how quickly the game's growing, and obviously, obviously, there's room for more growth, but there's room for more growth in a lot of areas of different sports and organizations and job sectors," Reaves said. "I think it's cool to recognize those people have kind of paved the way for everybody."

Relive USA's thrilling gold‑medal OT win and celebration over Canada

Growing the game

Sharks general manager Mike Grier, who played 14 NHL seasons, became the first Black general manager in league history in 2022. He also played for San Jose for three seasons from 2006 to 2009.

Grier and Reaves were recognized with other Sharks alum including Mike McHugh, Dale Craigwell, Derek Joslin, Justin Bailey, Evander Kane, C.J. Suess, Joel Ward, Anthony Duclair, Givani Smith and Sharks Audio Network analyst Jamal Mayers.

Mayers believes the game will continue to grow in the next five to 10 years.

"I think it's heading in the right direction. I think that it's kind of going to mirror society," Mayers told USA TODAY Sports. "I think that, you know, you're going to see more kids of color, you're going to be seeing more Asian kids. You're going to see more non-whites playing hockey, as we continue as a sport to make it more inviting, more inclusive, not only for the players, but for the parents that are in the stands, that are part of it, and it becomes normalized as the numbers go up."

Mayers played 15 seasons in the NHL. The league looked different then compared to now. He played from 1996 to 2013 and, Mayers admitted, it wasn't all good.

"I'd be lying if I sat here and tell you that there weren't things that happened over the course of my career," Mayers said. "I think that I got to a point, like, three or four years into my career, where I let go of feeling the responsibility of showing, proving that I'm a good teammate, I'm a good player, I'm all these things."

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He added: "If people were to think that I was a bad teammate or a jerk or whatever, or, you know, it had nothing to do with the color of my skin, I got rid of that and just was able to just sink into just being myself."

Mayers felt the pressures but had a support system and teammates that would stick up for him, he said. His emphasis was on ensuring the environment surrounding the sport is welcoming to Black people and other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

"The reason why I do the work is because maybe there's a kid out there, or parents out there, that are like, I'm not putting my kid in that environment, or maybe the kid is like, I don't need this. I don't want to do it anymore. And we're losing kids from playing the game because they don't feel welcome," Mayers said.

He added: "Hopefully, that families and kids feel like there's a space, place for them in the game. And to me, it's important for the game to grow, to make sure that all kinds of people are accepted and want to be part of it."

Reaves nearing retirement? Not so fast

Reaves said he takes care of his body so that he can play as long as he can. He takes pride in his last name being paraded on the back of his jersey.

"It means a lot," Reaves said. "When I was growing up, I always wanted to play a sport, whether it was football or hockey. You know, a teacher asked me what I wanted to be, and I said I wanted to be a professional athlete. And she told me to change my answer, because it wasn't realistic. Well, it was realistic to me, and I took a lot of pride in what I've done over my career. See, I wear that, I wear that front crest with more pride, but with the back crest with a lot of pride, too."

The 39-year-old has played 16 seasons in the NHL for theSt. Louis Blues,Pittsburgh Penguins,Vegas Golden Knights,New York Rangers,Minnesota Wild,Toronto Maple Leafsand now the Sharks.

He was traded to San Jose during the offseason and the Winnipeg native said he wakes up with a smile on his face every morning to be playing there.

His career has seen everything but a Stanley Cup championship. His chase for that coveted title is still alive and keeps him motivated to stick around for another couple of years, especially now in San Jose.

"This team, the way it's starting to be built, there's a lot of opportunity in the next couple of years to do that. And you know, I would love to be around for it," Reaves said. "A couple years, I'm hoping, as long as my body holds up, you know, which it's been great this year. Yeah, I would love to play for another year or two, at least."

He added: "This is an exciting time in San Jose, you know, with the players that have come here and the team that we started to build, it's hard not to be excited about this team."

Throughout his career, he's been a physical player and an enforcer for teams. But it's a style that can take a toll on the body. However, Reaves doubled-down that he isn't contemplating retirement.

"Hopefully it's not in the next year or two," he told USA TODAY Sports. "But you know, the fact of the matter is, you know, when you turn 40 and you played like I have your whole career, you know, it comes in at some point. I've been very, very fortunate. But yeah, no, I'd love to hold on for a couple more years."

Reaves is not thinking too far ahead, though, so getting to the 20-year mark is up in the air.

"I don't know if I've thought that far. I think at this point it's, you know, getting through this season, getting a good summer of training again, and then getting through the next one," he said.

He added: "I'm trying not to think too far ahead, because, you know, this year is still very exciting."

When it comes to mind, body and spirit, Reaves said "everything is right."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Ryan Reaves takes pride in career, being a Black player in NHL

Bell was revealed as an analyst for the Buffaloes ahead of the 2026 season as the program revealed its defensive coaching lineup on Saturday. Former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve is now leading the Buffaloes defense followingthe departure of defensive coordinator Robert Livingston to the Denver Broncos.

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Bell last played in the NFL in 2024 when he returned for a fourth season with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played 139 games across nine seasons in the league after starting his career with the New Orleans Saints before joining Cincinnati ahead of their run to the Super Bowl in the 2020 season. He played one season in Carolina in 2023 before coming back to the Bengals.

Earlier in the week, Colorado said that Sapp had resigned from the coaching staff "to pursue other opportunities." Sapp was an analyst during the 2024 season and was the team's pass rush coordinator in 2025. After a nine-win season in 2024, Colorado was an abysmal 3-9 in 2025.

Longtime college football and NFL assistant Clancy Pendergast is also now a member of Colorado's coaching staff. Pendergast was a defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs before serving as defensive coordinator for both Cal and USC in the 2010s.

Germany Iran US Israel

A massive explosion rocked the Iranian capital on Sunday morning as the Israeli military said it was targeting the "heart" of the city after stating it cleared the path to the capital Tehran the day before. Meanwhile, Iran pressed on with its retaliation campaign targeting U.S. military bases in Gulf states.

The demise of Khamenei, who had no designated successor, will likely throw Iran's future into uncertainty and exacerbate already growing concerns of a broader conflict. But it has also been giving hope to Iranians who have suffered from political repression.

Speaking on Sunday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recognized the complexities of the situation. In recognition of the legal ambiguity of the U.S. attack, Merz said that, globally, international law was being respected less and less and there was little point in lecturing allies.

He said the Iranian regime was a "terrorist" one, endangering its citizens and the region and therefore Germany essentially agreed with the goals of the U.S. action.

"The Federal Government shares the relief of many Iranians that this mullah regime is now coming to an end," Merz said. "Together with the United States and Israel, we share the interest in ending this regime's terror and stopping its dangerous nuclear and ballistic armament."

The evolution of the situation was hard to predict, the German chancellor said. Not only is it unclear how far Iran is willing to go with its counterattack, but also "we do not know whether the plan to bring about political change from within through external military strikes will succeed."

To reduce risks, Merz set out four principles his country would pursue in its further actions the region: creating a new order in the Middle East in which all neighbors recognize Israel's right to exist; pursuing a treaty that commits Iran to ending its nuclear and ballistic missile program; supporting the future economic development of Iran and helping Iranians to freely determine their future.

World leaders urge resumption of talks

Fears about the conflict spreading were amplified on Sunday, when British Defense Minister John Healey said Iranian missile and drone strikes came within a few hundred yards (meters) of a group of 300 British military personnel in Bahrain, and that two missiles were even fired in the direction of Cyprus, where the U.K. has bases.

"We don't believe they were targeted at Cyprus, but nevertheless, it's an example of how there is a very real and rising threat from a regime that is lashing out widely across the region, and that requires us to act," Healey told Sky News.

He said British planes will intercept any Iranian drones and missiles they see.

Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis posted on X that reports suggesting missiles had been fired toward Cyprus are not valid and that "there is no indication whatsoever that any threat to the country has occurred."

Top diplomats from the 27 European Union nations are holding an emergency meeting Sunday to discuss the situation around Iran and the next steps for the bloc.

"The death of Ali Khamenei is a defining moment in Iran's history. What comes next is uncertain," said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Sunday. "But there is now an open path to a different Iran, one that its people may have greater freedom to shape."

Pope Leo XIV said Sunday he was "profoundly concerned" about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and urged both sides to "stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss."

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During a U.N. Security Council on Saturday, the U.N. chief and many countries urged a halt toattacksand a return to negotiations to prevent the conflict from expanding further into the region and beyond.

Secretary-General António Guterres told the council that everything must be done to prevent an escalation. "The alternative," he warned, "is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability."

Perhaps cautious about upsetting already strained relations with Trump, many nations, including several in the Middle East, refrained from commenting directly or pointedly on the joint strikes but condemned Tehran's retaliation.

The 22-nation Arab League called the Iranian attacks "a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability." That coalition of nations has historically condemned both Israel and Iran for actions it says risk destabilizing the region.

"Return to your senses ... and deal with your neighbors with reason and responsibility before the circle of isolation and escalation widens," Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the United Arab Emirates' president, told the Iranian theocracy on Sunday.

Condolence messages

On Sunday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin blasted Khamenei's killing, which he called "a cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law."

"The blatant killing of the leader of a sovereign state and the incitement of regime change are unacceptable," China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.

"These actions violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations."

He said attacking a sovereign state without U.N. Security Council authorization undermines the foundation for peace established after World War II.

Protests and celebrations

At least nine people were killed in clashes with police Sunday after hundreds of protesters stormed the U.S. Consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, authorities said.

Hundreds of Iraqis wore black and waved flags belonging to Iran-backed Iraqi militias and red flags that symbolize vengeance in the Shiite Muslim faith as they marched across Sadr City to decry the killing of Khamenei.

Demonstrations were also held from New York to Berlin and beyond by members of the Iranian diaspora and their supporters, celebrating the end of Khamenei's rule.

Iranians in Berlin and Vienna were seen cheering and dancing on Sunday in celebration. Some of the demonstrators waved flags of the Iranian monarchy, with Israeli and U.S. flags also on display. Hopeful Iranians also took to the streets in multiple U.S. cities.

Ciobanu reported from Warsaw and Metz from Ramallah, West Bank. Reporters around the world contributed to this report.

Though the outbreak was concentrated in Gaines County, a community an hour away, Wells, who heads Lubbock's public health department, needed more staff to respond to numerous exposures at local pediatricians' offices, urgent care centers, restaurants and day cares.

"We were really relying on staff that aren't hourly, because I can work them for 80 hours if I have to, which is horrible," Wells said. In emergency planning meetings with the Texas Department of State Health Services, she pleaded for roughly $100,000 to hire temporary workers to help her exhausted staff.

"I was like, can I just have money so that if I need a few hours of work from a retired school nurse who we've worked with before, I can just pay them?" Wells said.

The answer, she said, was consistently "no." The state did send a few travel nurses from other areas to help, but no extra funding.

To stop a measles outbreak from escalating out of control, public health workers have to snap into action, contacting every person exposed to the virus as fast as possible, determining their vaccination status or health risk, and then try to woo them into either getting vaccinated or staying home for three weeks in quarantine.

Wells pulled at least half of her staff to work the outbreak response on top of their other daily duties.

What's the real cost of a measles outbreak?

Wells couldn't estimate what it cost the Lubbock Health Department to contain the virus before the outbreak, which began in a mostly unvaccinated Mennonite community in late January of last year, ended months later.

Since 2019, more than two-thirds of counties and jurisdictions have reportednotable drops in vaccination rates, an NBC News/Stanford University investigation found. Among states that track MMR rates, more than half their counties — 67% — fall below the level needed to stop a measles outbreak.

An alarming new report calculates the price tag for the U.S. if those rates continue to fall.

If measles vaccination rates continue to drop just 1% annually for the next five years, the cost to the U.S. could reach $1.5 billion a year, according to a new report from theYale School of Public Health.

Armed with existing county-level vaccination coverage data, Yale researchers used mathematical models to calculate predicted increases in measles cases, hospitalizations and their associated medical and societal costs.

Based on their projections, $41.1 million would be needed each year to cover patients' basic medical needs, including health insurance, and $947 million for public health response efforts such as surveillance and contact tracing. Lost productivity in the workforce, the report found, could reach $510.4 million each year.

Dr. Dave Chokshi, chair of Common Health Coalition, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public health group that partnered with Yale for the project, said a measles outbreak reverberates through all parts of "the health ecosystem."

The human consequences of measles outbreaks "are important for us to face very squarely," said Chokshi, who was previously health commissioner of New York City. "But we also wanted to make it clear that there are economic consequences, including employees absorbing lost work, public health departments that are stretched too thin to respond, and health care systems straining to shoulder the burden of emergency response."

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. Since then, outbreaks here and there have generally been stopped quickly. But backsliding vaccination rates have increased the risk of massive eruptions and now threaten the nation's measles elimination status.

In late January 2025, as President Donald Trump was taking his second oath of office, measles cases were beginning to spread in West Texas. Under his presidency, following the guidance of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the administration has not strongly endorsed vaccines as a way to end such outbreaks.

Instead, the messaging on childhood vaccination has focused on "personal choice" rather than public health necessity.

In the first two months of 2026, there have beenmore than 1,000 confirmed cases of measles, nearly half of the 2,281 in all of 2025. Ninety-four percent of the people infected were unvaccinated.

According to a recent analysis from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the initial financial hit to a community from a measles outbreak is about $244,480. That's the money local and state public health departments can expect to pay for resources like vaccine clinics and staffing until the outbreak is over, said study author Bryan Patenaude, an associate professor of health economics.

"We know the ingredients that go into dealing with a measles outbreak, how many cases wind up becoming severe and seeking care, because they have to be really well-traced and documented," Patenaude said.

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The report, which was posted in Octoberon medRxiv, a site that releases research before it's gone through peer review, tracked measles outbreaks in 18 states since 2004 (not including the 2025 cases in Texas, Utah and Arizona).

On top of the upfront cost, each additional case of measles averages $16,000 a pop for contact tracing, medical expenses and quarantine monitoring. Five measles cases could reach $324,480, while an outbreak of 50 might cost $1 million, the Johns Hopkins report estimated.

In 2019, Clark County, Washington, experienced an outbreak of 72 measles cases. Health officials spent hours making certain that people adhered to quarantines.

"We brought in staff from the state, the CDC, even from other jurisdictions as far away as Idaho to help us with the case investigation and contact tracing," said Dr. Alan Melnick, the public health director for Clark County. The team contacted people who were quarantined every day. Ultimately, 87% of subsequent measles cases occurred among people who'd been quarantined, Melnick said.

An assessmentfound that productivity losses from the relatively small outbreak in Clark County soared to over a million dollars.

The measles vaccine is free in the U.S.

"The public should be aware of what a good deal vaccines are," Melnick said, "because they save a lot of money in addition to saving lives."

As a former California legislator, pediatrician Dr. Richard Pan helped strengthen state vaccine requirements following a 2015 measles outbreak linked to Disneyland. "People need to recognize that there's a tremendous cost to these outbreaks," he said. "That cost, by the way, is being borne by American families."

South Carolina is wrestling to contain the country's largest single outbreak in more than a generation. Spartanburg County has been on high alert since fall, with at least 1,000 cases and possible exposures in fast food restaurants, stores, medical clinics and a government office.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health wouldn't divulge how much contact tracing, mobile vaccine clinics and increased staffing have cost.

A department official said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had approved a request to redirect several hundred thousand dollars previously allocated for emergencies.

"Additionally, South Carolina requested and received $100k from CDC available for vaccine-preventable disease responses," Louis Eubank, deputy incident commander for the South Carolina Department of Public Health, said in a statement to NBC News. "South Carolina and the CDC continue to discuss additional funding needs and resource support."

A senior official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC sent $8.5 million to seven areas of the country experiencing measles outbreaks over the past year, but declined to say where or give additional details.

"Amounts were awarded based on requests from the state or local health agency and availability of funding at CDC," the person said.

As the South Carolina outbreak spilled over into North Carolina, Dr. David Wohl, a global health and infectious disease specialist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has scrambled to prevent a surge beyond the 23 cases already confirmed.

"There's so many people working on this in my health care system," Wohl said. "I can't tell you how many calls, how many hours, how stretched people are."

Intangible, indirect costs

The potential economic burden of measles outbreaks is easily calculated. The personal cost of having children unprotected against the world's most contagious virus is impossible to measure.

Hundreds of people infected with measles over the past year — more than 1 in 10, according to the CDC — have been hospitalized with dangerously high fever, pneumonia, trouble breathing and dehydration.

Mothers and fathers have spent countless, blurry hours by their child's bedside. Most recovered. Some are left with the long-term consequences of encephalitis — inflammation of the brain that can lead to seizures, blindness, deafness and learning disabilities.

Rarely, measles can hide in the body for a decade before re-emerging by attacking the brain and nervous system. The condition, calledsubacute sclerosing panencephalitis, is almost always fatal.

Two little girls in Texas, ages 6 and 8, died of measles much sooner, within weeks of their diagnosis.

While the economic consequences of measles outbreaks are real, the human impact cannot be ignored, Chokshi said. "Behind every number is a child struggling with a devastating illness, or a family reckoning with an unexpected hospitalization, and, in the worst circumstances, a death or a long-term consequence from what is a preventable disease."