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The move comes months after the company emerged from a Chapter 11 reorganization. WASHINGTON — Budget carrier Spirit Airlines said Friday that it has filed for fresh bankruptcy protection months after emerging from a Chapter 11 reorganization. The no-frills airline said it intends to conduct business as normal during the restructuring process, meaning passengers can continue to book trips and use their tickets, credits and loyalty points. The company said its employees and contractors would still be paid. Spirit President and CEO Dave Davis said the airline's previous Chapter 11 petition focused on reducing debt and raising capital, and since exiting that process in March "it has become clear that there is much more work to be done and many more tools are available to best position Spirit for the future.“ In a quarterly report issued earlier this month, Spirit Aviation Holdings, the carrier's parent company, said it had “substantial doubt” about its ability to continue as a going concern over the next year — which is accounting-speak for running out of money. Spirit cited “adverse market conditions" the company faced after its most recent restructuring and other efforts to revive its business. That included weak demand for domestic leisure travel, which Spirit said persisted in the second quarter of its fiscal year, and “uncertainties in its business operations” that the Florida company expects to continue “for at least the remainder of 2025.” Known for its no-frills, low-cost flights on a fleet of bright yellow planes, Spirit has struggled to recover and compete since the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising operation costs and mounting debt eventually led the company to seek bankruptcy protection in November. By the time of that Chapter 11 filing, the airline had lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020. When Spirit emerged from bankruptcy protection in March, the company successfully restructured some of its debt obligations and secured new financing for future operations. Spirit has continued to make other cost-cutting efforts since — including plans to furlough about 270 pilots and downgrade some 140 captains to first officers in the coming months. The furloughs and downgrades announced last month go into effect Oct. 1 and Nov. 1 to align with Spirit's “projected flight volume for 2026,” the company noted in its quarterly report. They also follow previous furloughs and job cuts before the company's bankruptcy filing last year. Despite these and other cost-cutting efforts, Spirit has said it needs more cash. As a result, the company said it may also sell certain aircraft and real estate. And as discount carriers struggle to compete with bigger airlines — many of which have snagged budget-conscious customers through their own tiered offerings — Spirit is attempting to tap into the growing market for more upscale travel. It is now offering flight options with tiered prices, the higher-priced tickets coming with more amenities. The company pointed to the new strategy again on Monday. Spirit’s aircraft fleet is relatively young, which has also made the airline an attractive takeover target. But such buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during the bankruptcy process. Spirit operates 5,013 flights to 88 destinations in the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, Panama and Colombia, according to travel search engine Skyscanner.net Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Research suggests ocean pH will drop from 8.1 to 7.3 by 2300, making the water 10 times more acidic than today. WASHINGTON — They are the ocean's most famous apex predator. But something is eating at them - acid. Rising acid levels in the world's seas will dissolve sharks' teeth - that's according to a new study. Research suggests ocean pH will drop from 8.1 to 7.3 by 2300, making the water 10 times more acidic than today, according to the IPCC. So to find out what that means for these fish, scientists collected teeth shed naturally by the sharks at this aquarium in Germany. They placed them in water with the same pH level currently found in our oceans, and in water with the pH levels expected in 2300. After eight weeks, they noted much more damage on the teeth placed in the higher acid solution. "We discovered that oceanic acidification can damage shark teeth and we've known for many, many years that it corrodes also the shells of mussels and also coral skeletons, but we discovered that also shark teeth are affected," says Maximilian Baum, the study’s lead author and a researcher from Heinrich Heine University. The reason for the projected rise in ocean acid levels? Climate change. "As humanity, we are bringing a lot of CO2 emissions in our atmosphere and a lot of it goes to the sea in carbonic acid, and this makes the sea more acid," says Baum. Sharks are well known for regrowing their teeth. They are continually replacing them as each set gets worn down by wear and tear. But this ability might not save them. "Sharks can replace their teeth, this is one (bit of) good news. But they have to produce new teeth and this could be harder in more acidificated water and we also know that it sometimes takes maybe months or years to use one tooth and to replace it, so one tooth is exposed for a very long time to seawater," says Baum. Without their teeth, these ocean hunters will struggle to catch their prey. But its not just the survival of sharks that could be threatened - the impact will be felt throughout the entire ecosystem. "The sharks have a key role in marine ecosystems. If sharks are missing we can see top-down effects on all other marine species, so they are very, very important for coral reefs, for seaweed areas, and we need sharks for a healthy ocean and we need a healthy ocean for a healthy planet and a healthy ecosphere," says Baum. Damage to the teeth included cracks and holes in the enamel, and corrosion to the roots. The study was published in the journal 'Frontiers in Marine Science'. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

The second season of the Mike Macdonald era will coincide with a new quarterback's arrival in Sam Darnold, who is fresh off a career year with the Minnesota Vikings. SEATTLE — Seattle Seahawks (10-7) Expectations The second season of the Mike Macdonald era will coincide with a new quarterback's arrival in Sam Darnold, who is fresh off a career year with the Minnesota Vikings. But with two of the Seahawks' top three receivers from last year — D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett — now catching passes for other teams, it may take some time for Seattle's aerial attack to reach its stride under first-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. As a result, the Seahawks hope a rushing attack that finished with the fifth-fewest yards in the league last season can improve this year. Much of that is contingent on whether Kenneth Walker III can bounce back from an injury-shortened season, as well as whether a revamped offensive line with first-round pick Grey Zabel on the scene can do a better job of creating running lanes. As for the Seahawks' defense, Seattle allowed the 14th-fewest yards per game in 2024, and that should only be aided by the arrivals of veteran defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and cornerback Shaquill Griffin. Second-round pick Nick Emmanwori should buoy a secondary that yielded the eighth-fewest yards per attempt last season, thanks in large part to another banner year from two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon. The Seahawks should be a steady bunch, but their playoff hopes could very well be contingent on whether the San Francisco 49ers bounce back from a down season. QB Sam Darnold, WR Cooper Kupp, QB Drew Lock, CB Shaquill Griffin, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, OL Josh Jones, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G Grey Zabel, DB Nick Emmanwori, TE Elijah Arroyo. Key losses WR D.K. Metcalf, QB Geno Smith, WR Tyler Lockett, TE Noah Fant, LB Dre'Mont Jones, S Rayshawn Jenkins, DT Roy Robertson-Harris, OL George Fant. Strengths Adding Lawrence to the mix should bolster one of the NFL's most stingy defensive lines, one that combined for the eighth-most sacks (45) in the league last year. He joins a group that features Jarran Reed and 2024 first-round pick Byron Murphy II. Last year's sack leader, Leonard Williams, is back, too, as are edge rushers Boye Mafe and Derick Hall. That trio combined for 25 sacks a season ago, a total that could increase now that Lawrence is on the scene. The Seahawks' secondary remains stellar, too, with Witherspoon and Riq Woolen among the league's best at cornerback. Weaknesses Zabel, who is expected to start the season at left guard, enters the picture with plenty of pedigree as the No. 18 overall pick in this year's draft. But the rest of the interior offensive line is a bit of a concern for the Seahawks. Anthony Bradford has won the starting right guard job ahead of his third season, and second-year center Jalen Sundell appears to have beat out Olu Oluwatimi, who did not play in the preseason while dealing with a back issue. Bradford has started 21 games the last two years, but Sundell has none to his name. Considering the Seahawks' offensive line yielded 54 sacks in 2024, it would go a long way if Bradford and Sundell could solidify that unit. Camp development Fourth-year wide receiver Dareke Young has all of two career NFL catches to his name, but he has stood out among a group including both veteran and unproven reserve wideouts. The 6-foot-2, 224-pounder has impressed with his ability to win 50-50 balls during practices, and may earn a spot on the Seahawks' opening week roster because of it. Fantasy player to watch Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off his first career 1,000-yard season and could be in for another successful campaign catching passes from Darnold. Smith-Njigba was the Seahawks' most-targeted player in 2024, and that is likely to be the case again in 2025 after the subtractions of D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, as well as the addition of veteran wideout Cooper Kupp. BetMGM Sportsbook Win Super Bowl: 60-1. [embedded content] Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

The Chiefs tight end and Grammy-winning singer attended the Nebraska-Cincinnati game at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night. KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift were seen in public for the first time since announcing their engagement this week when the Chiefs tight end and Grammy-winning singer attended the Nebraska-Cincinnati game at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night. Kelce, who played football for the Bearcats, spent plenty of time on the field during warm-ups in a red-and-white striped sweater before retreating to a suite for the game. He was joined there by Swift and several others shortly before kickoff. In a five-photo joint post on Instagram on Tuesday, Kelce and Swift revealed their engagement after a courtship that lasted for about two years. The Chiefs did not make Kelce available to reporters this week, and Swift publicist Tree Paine only confirmed that the engagement ring was an old mine brilliant-cut diamond from Kindred Lubeck. The Chiefs are preparing to play their season-opener against the Chargers next Friday night in Sao Paulo, Brazil. One of Kelce's best friends, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also was on hand for the game, perhaps to take in the sight of another No. 15 wearing red and white. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has been compared to the three-time Super Bowl MVP ever since taking over in Lincoln, not only because they look similar but because they also were the same jersey. Others on hand included Kelce's older brother, Jason Kelce, the retired Philadelphia Eagles center who now works in TV and co-hosts the popular “New Heights” podcast with Travis, and Chiefs safety Bryan Cook. All of them attended Cincinnati. There were no doubt plenty of supporters for the Huskers, though. Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt's son, Dawson, is a linebacker for Nebraska, while defensive line coach Terry Bradden helped Kansas City to reach five Super Bowls. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.