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Watch : "Dirty John's" Real-Life Victim Speaks Out The long con is over. Bravo's hit series Dirty John ended its eight-episode run on Sunday night, depicting John Meehan's (Eric Bana) violent demise at the unlikely hands of Debra Newell's (Connie Britton) youngest daughter, Terra (Julia Garner). Based on the hit podcast from Wondery and the L.A. Times and the six-part L.A. Times article written by Christopher Goffard (who also penned an installment of the show), Dirty John has become one of Bravo's most successful shows ever, breaking ratings records for the network. Given the too-crazy-to-be-made-up storyline—a sociopath cons a businesswoman he met online, mayhem ensues—it's easy to think that the show had to have embellished or made up certain parts of the story to ramp up the drama for TV. But fans of the podcast know all too well that when it came to John Meehan, anything was possible.<doc-sep>Debra Newell discovered too late the deceptions of John Meehan, a serial con man she married after a 2-month courtship — inspiring Bravo's Dirty John Warning: This article contains spoilers about the real-life events dramatized in Bravo’s Dirty John. The red flags in her relationship with John Meehan went up early, but Tonia Bales was slow to see them. Get push notifications with news, features and more. His stated age and the birthdate on his driver’s license didn’t match. After a two-year courtship, he didn’t invite his family to their 1990 wedding — and in watching the wedding video by herself later, Bales overheard for the first time that his college friends called him “Filthy John.” His dismissive explanation: “They’re just drunk. It means nothing.” “He was charming, and he seemed very interested in me, and of course that always feels good,” Bales tells PEOPLE of their early days, when she was a nurse and Meehan was attending law school, before he abruptly opted to change careers and let Bales support him during his transition. By the time of their 2002 divorce, after Meehan got another woman pregnant, Bales, then a mom to their two girls, had learned he was expert at hiding secrets, including his past arrest for cocaine trafficking. She’d found his mother’s phone number and reached out. “This is Tonia. I’m married to your son John,’ ” Bales said. “She [his mom] was totally quiet. Then she said, ‘Oh Tonia, I knew you would call me one day.’ ” “That just led to the whole conversation that he’s changed his age, he altered his name, he’s been arrested before, he’s been lying and cheating and messing around with other women his whole life,” Bales says. But that was far from the end: Meehan’s deceptions would grow much darker — and more deadly. US_NEWS_DIRTYJOHN-3_3_LA TNS_preview From left: John Meehan and Debra Newell | Credit: Courtesy Debra Newell A New Mark? In 2014, Meehan found Debra Newell on an over-50 dating website, Newell tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. Their two-month courtship led first to marriage and then to tragedy, inspiring the hit scripted Bravo series DirtyJohn, itself adapted from a same-named podcast from the Los Angeles Times. A companion documentary, Dirty John: The Dirty Truth, premieres Jan. 14 on Oxygen. Newell, a wealthy and successful interior designer looking for love after four failed marriages, “couldn’t wait to spend my evening with him,” she tells PEOPLE of their initial connection. “He’d tell me how beautiful I was, ask me about my day and rub my back,” Newell says. “I was infatuated with him.” • For more on the real-life romance and surprising revelations that inspired Dirty John, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this week’s issue, on newsstands Friday. Her four adult children were not. They quickly became skeptics as Meehan, who by then claimed to be an anesthesiologist just back to Southern California after a year volunteering in Iraq with Doctors Without Borders, moved in with their mother, evaded questions about his past, started driving only her cars and then tried to distance Newell from her kids. They hired a private investigator who validated their fears: Not only had Meehan never attended medical school, he had a felony rap sheet that revealed he’d served time in California and Michigan for stealing narcotics from hospitals where he worked as a nurse and had swindled and terrorized multiple other women he’d met online. In fact, Meehan had only been out of prison for a few days before his first date with Newell. “I was in shock,” she says. “And I was scared and angry.” Dirty John real life: John and Debra's Wedding in Vegas.Courtesy Debra Newell From left: John Meehan and Debra Newell | Credit: Courtesy Debra Newell A Troubling History The year before that first date in 2014, Meehan was arrested after police followed up a complaint by another woman he’d pursued and extorted for money, police investigator Julia Bowman tells PEOPLE. The woman was a wealthy writer who had encountered Meehan in a hospital where she was recovering after surgery, and he falsely portrayed himself as her anesthesiologist. “She wakes up to see a man in scrubs at her bedside and he gives her his phone number and says, ‘If you have any issues following your surgery, give me a call,’ ” says Bowman. “He has a type,” she explains. “He would meet as many women as possible and then find the one that is the wealthiest, and then attach to that person.” Contact between Meehan and the writer led to a relationship and he “convinced her to wire him all of her money in two separate bank accounts that totaled almost $40 million,” Bowman says. Before the money was in Meehan’s hands, however, the woman balked. An alarmed friend searched his name online and found “all these women who were trying to warn other women that he had extorted them and stalked them,” says Bowman. • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Meehan “was able to dismiss every allegation — ‘This was just a bad breakup’ or ‘She’s jealous of me,’ ” Bowman says. But after he learned the woman had blocked the transfer, a financial tussle broke out as Meehan spent the cash she’d already given him — $30,000 — cut her off from her family and wreaked havoc on her life with threats and demands. When police intervened to arrest Meehan, he was driving a car apparently extorted from another woman and living in a cluttered RV that he’d conned from a third woman, according to the former investigator. (He eventually pleaded guilty in the case to stalking, burglary and being a felon in possession of a handgun.) In the freezer of his RV police found Meehan had stashed a backpack that contained a revolver, ammunition, binoculars, duct tape, zip ties, a GPS unit and capsules of cyanide — what Bowman calls “pretty much a killing, kidnapping kit.” “He seemed like he was someone who was very experienced in doing exactly what he was doing,” she says. “It just seemed so calculated and polished.” Meehan succeeded thanks in part to that level of calculation and polish and expert exploitation of his targets. “A lot of times women think they’ve put themselves in this position or that it’s their own fault that they’ve gotten into this relationship and it got messy, or that the person will eventually leave them alone, and that’s not the case,” Bowman says. “The problem with stalking, the thing that makes it so volatile,” she says, “is that you don’t know how a stalker is going to respond.” • Read the shocking tales of people lured into cults and controversial groups in PEOPLE’s True Crime Stories: Cults, available now on Amazon and wherever magazines are sold. A Con Man’s Demise In the case of Newell, her children’s discoveries made her realize she did not really know the man she had married. She sought an annulment of their Las Vegas vows, even as Meehan tearfully told her he deserved a chance to prove he was innocent of any accusations. His pleas prompted a short reconciliation. And then Newell went into hiding, and Meehan responded with a violent turn. He filed for divorce himself, demanding half of Newell’s income and ownership in her business. He lit her Tesla on fire, emailed nude images of her to her family and began to stalk her, repeating the same terroristic tactics he’d used before. “I lived in constant fear,” says Newell. On Aug. 20, 2016, for reasons that remain unclear — whether out of desperation or revenge, hoping to track Newell down or punish her — Meehan waited outside the Newport Beach apartment of her daughter Terra and attacked her. Terra, though injured, successfully fought him off — kicking his knife from his hand, then grabbing it herself and stabbing him in the chest, forehead and eyes. Meehan died four days later. “It’s poetic justice in the strongest degree,” Orange County prosecutor Matt Murphy tells PEOPLE.<doc-sep>Before Dirty John was a star-studded Bravo series, it was a podcast. But before that, it was Debra Newell's life story. She was a real person who became embroiled with the real John Meehan until it ended with the bloodiest conclusion of all: Meehan attacking Newell's daughter Terra, who killed him in self-defense. Now that that has played out on the show, it's natural to wonder: what does Debra Newell think of the Dirty John show? Some of the toughest moments of Newell's life were depicted on the Bravo series, but she ultimately approved of how they were handled. "Overall, seeing my family's story out there has been a good [experience] because the good people won!" she told Forbes, before explaining that she believed they went through all this for a reason: to help others. That was why it she wanted her story told in the first place. She thought if other women could see it as something of a cautionary tale, it might help them avoid the same fate. But while it was important for Newell to share what happened, everyone in her family wasn't on the same page. Though she didn't name names specifically, Newell told Us Weekly that some of her relatives were hesitant to get involved with the series. However, since it was going to happen with or without their involvement, Newell preferred to be included. "Wouldn't it be better if we were able to have an opinion or share our story?" Newell said. "At that point, it was pretty easy." Rich Fury/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images That allowed Newell to meet with the cast and visit the set to see how it compared to the real home she shared with Meehan. She told Bravo Home & Design that she loved the look of the condo and "thought it was close in style [to my actual house at the time]." However, the color scheme was a little different: Newell favored glam blacks and golds, while the show went for a more neutral, beachy look. Newell also shared multiple lunches and chats with Connie Britton, who starred as the fictionalized Debra Newell on the series. While talking to Us Weekly, Newell described being played by Britton as a "dream come true" and praised the accuracy of the performance. She felt Britton nailed her mannerisms and the way she spoke, but also tried to get into her mindset by asking her thought-provoking questions about love. Newell thought that Eric Bana did a good job of portraying Meehan as well, though she was conflicted in her reaction to him. She said she didn't know whether to slap him or kiss him. "I have a little bit of mixed feelings here," she said. "He played the part very well." Newell was able to get her story out there while remaining involved behind the scenes, which may have helped the show stay truthful — even if a detail here and there (like the sets) was altered for the adaptation. She told Us Weekly that the process of filming the show was a "whirlwind," but it seems to have been ultimately positive. After a very frustrating first birth experience, this Deaf mother wanted a change. Will the help of two Deaf doulas give the quality communication and birth experience this mom wants and deserves? Watch Episode Four of Romper's Doula Diaries, Season Two, below, and visit Bustle Digital Group's YouTube page for more episodes.<doc-sep>

Spoilers ahead. Dirty John, Bravo’s new true crime show based on the Wondery/Los Angeles Times podcast of the same name, is a stunning reminder that you can’t be too careful when it comes to online dating—or meeting someone new anywhere, for that matter. The show, which premiered on Nov. 25, derives from L.A. Times reporter Christopher Goffard’s detailed research on what happened to Newport Beach-based businesswoman Debra Newell when she fell in love with a man named John Meehan, who turned out to be a con artist. In 2016, Debra’s daughter Terra stabbed John in self-defense after he showed up with a knife and attacked her in the parking lot of her apartment building. He died four days later. On Nov. 13, the real life Debra and her family walked the red carpet for the world premiere of Dirty John, which resulted in this: (L-R) Eric Bana, Connie Britton, the real Debra Newell, Juno Temple, and the real Terra Newell. Getty Below, a breakdown of what some of the major characters of Dirty John look like in real life: Debra Newell (Connie Britton) Bravo | Getty The Friday Night Lights and American Horror Story alum was one of the first stars to be attached to the Bravo adaptation. “I didn’t have to be convinced at all, because I was really pulled in by the story,” Connie said at Vulture Festival on Nov. 17. “And I was intrigued it had already been pulled into the zeitgeist… I just jumped right in.” The real Debra’s interior design business is called Ambrosia Interior Design (it’s Madeira on the show), a company she founded in the 1980s. She’s currently listed as the president and owner of Ambrosia Home, based in Nevada. John Meehan (Eric Bana) Bravo | Michigan Department of Corrections Per Christopher Goffard’s reporting and the podcast, the real John had “seduced, swindled and terrorized multiple women” from 2005 to 2014, aka from when he was released from prison in Michigan until he met Debra. In most of these encounters, court records showed, he posed as a doctor when in reality, he was a former nurse anesthetist who was hooked on surgical painkillers. Arlane Hart, Debra’s mother (Jean Smart) Bravo | Getty The real Arlane had lost a daughter more than 30 years before the events of Dirty John. Part of the podcast’s fourth episode, “Forgiveness,” dives into Arlane’s grieving process following the death of Debra’s older sister Cindi, who was killed by her own husband Billy Vickers with a gun. Veronica Newell, Debra’s daughter (Juno Temple) Actress Juno Temple plays Veronica, based on Jacquelyn, in Dirty John. Bravo For the show, Bravo changed the name of Debra’s other daughter from Jacquelyn to Veronica. Jacquelyn has apparently taken a back seat throughout the TV show’s development compared to Debra and Terra, who appeared on various programs earlier this year to promote their Dateline NBC special and was recently on E! ahead of the Bravo show’s premiere. Terra Newell, Debra’s daughter (Julia Garner) Bravo | Getty In a January 2018 interview with Meghan Kelly, the real Terra explained how she defended herself against John in her building’s parking lot. It wasn’t self-defense training (she had never taken any classes up until that moment), but her love for The Walking Dead. “When I got the knife from him, I just stabbed him,” she said. “I didn’t give it a second thought, I just thought it’s him or me. And then also, the last one was to the head, and I think that’s like, oh, the zombie kill.” Cash, Terra’s Australian Shepherd As detailed in the podcast’s final episode, this good boy was with Terra on the day John attacked her in 2016 and even “lunged for” John’s ankles during the struggle. After the incident, Cash was allowed to ride in the ambulance with Terra and was with her throughout her recovery. These days, you can find Cash hamming it up on his own Instagram page (managed by Terra). If you only have time for a quick video (versus endless browsing on his Insta feed), might I suggest this sweet video of Cash courtesy of Dateline? A very small creature plays a very big role in Friday’s #Dateline.

The 2018 ESPYs are here. Get the rundown on what time the show starts, the red carpet info, how to watch the show online, award recipients, and additional show details. Read on below for all the info. ESPY AWARDS 2018 DATE AND TIME: The awards show date for the ESPYs is July 18, 2018, as the show generally takes place during the month of July. The show will run from 8 – 11 p.m. ET. It’s the 26th edition of the show and is being held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. ESPYS 2018 CHANNEL ON TV: The awards show airs on the ABC Network. You can find here access to the ABC channel finder and locate your local station. ESPYS 2018 RED CARPET TIME & CHANNEL: The ESPY Awards may air on ABC, but the red carpet is on the ESPN channel. The special 2018 ESPYS Live on The Red Carpet airs from 5 – 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and from 7 – 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. HOW TO WATCH THE ESPYS ONLINE: If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch ABC live on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services: Hulu With Live TV: In addition to their extensive Netflix-like streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live TV channels, including ABC (live in most markets). You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of ABC on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app. If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which has many shows available after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials). Sling TV: ABC (live in select markets) is included in the “Sling Orange” plus “Broadcast Extra” channel bundle. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of both packages, and you can then watch ABC live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app. If you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on. ESPYS 2018 HOST: This year’s awards show is being hosted by recently retired, professional race car driver, Danica Patrick. She is the first female in the history of the show, to ever host the ESPYs, according to NJ.com. Last year’s host was Peyton Manning. JIMMY V. PERSEVERANCE AWARD RECIPIENT 2018: The 2018 recipient of the Jimmy V. Perseverance Award is Jim Kelly. Kelly is receiving the honor for his battle with cancer. PAT TILLMAN AWARD FOR SERVICE RECIPIENT 2018: Jake Woods is this year’s recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service. MUHAMMAD ALI HUMANITARIAN AWARD 2018 FINALISTS: These finalists include WWE Superstar John Cena, Seattle Seahawk Doug Baldwin, Golden States Warrior Kevin Durant and Houston Texan J.J. Watt, according to Last Word on Pro Wrestling. The winner will be announced at the 2018 Humanitarian Awards on ESPN, on July 19, 2018. The Humanitarian Awards air from 7 – 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. ARTHUR ASHE COURAGE AWARD RECIPIENTS 2018: This year’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award recipients are the survivors of former US gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar’s sexual misconduct and assault incidents over the years. According to Newsweek, they are receiving the awards in recognition of their bravery for speaking out against Nassar.<doc-sep>The 2018 ESPY Awards, presented by ESPN, are set to take place tonight, Wednesday, July 18. It’s the moment I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for. If you didn’t know, ESPY stands for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly. The annual award show is all about honoring sports and athletic achievement, both on an individual and team basis. BASIC INFORMATION Date: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 Start Time: 8:00 PM ET TV Schedule: ESPN Live Stream: WatchESPN Location: Los Angeles, California Venue: Microsoft Theater Host: Danica Patrick PHILADELPHIA EAGLES NOMINEES The Eagles have been nominated for three awards this year. You can still vote by clicking the links below. Best Play - The Philly Special I mean, how can this one not win? Everything about this play is incredible. Doug Pederson having the balls to go for it on 4th-and-goal from 1.5 yards out against one of the best coaches of all-time in Bill Belichick. Nick Foles suggesting the play to Pederson. An undrafted free agent rookie running back taking a direct snap to toss to a third string tight end who would then throw a pass to a backup quarterback. The play even has a great nickname. Should be a no-brainer. Best Team - Philadelphia Eagles The Eagles went 13-3 and won the Super Bowl despite missing Carson Wentz, Jason Peters, Darren Sproles, Jordan Hicks, and Chris Maragos. They had unreal chemistry. If you’re putting emphasis on the “team” part, the Eagles were an amazing team. It took incredible teamwork to do what they accomplished. Best Championship Performance - Nick Foles Foles completed 28 of his 43 passing attempts (65%) for 373 yards (8.7 average), three touchdowns, one interception, and a 106.1 passer rating in the Super Bowl. The one pick wasn’t even his fault as much as it was a tipped ball. It was a spectacular championship performance. (As a bonus, you can also vote for Zach Ertz’s wife, Julie, to win best female athlete.) ESPY ODDS Sports Betting Experts put out some odds for the awards. Best Championship Performance Kevin Durant: -300 Nick Foles: +300 George Springer: +600 Donte DiVincenzo: +750 Best Team Golden State Warriors: +100 US Women’s Ice Hockey: +450 Philadelphia Eagles: +600 Washington Capitals: +600 Houston Astros; +750 Villanova Wildcats: +750 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: +1500 Best Play (No odds available.) Best Female Athlete Chloe Kim: -350 Mikaela Shiffrin: +350 Sylvia Fowles: +500 Julie Ertz: +1000<doc-sep>

The annual ESPY Awards—Excellence in Sports Yearly—take place on Wednesday evening, with some of the biggest names in the sporting world set to be honored in Los Angeles. The majority of awards at the ESPYs are voted on by fans online, but in this year's edition—the 26th in the history of the ceremony—some accolades have already been decided. Jim Kelly will receive the Jimmy V Award for his battle against cancer, while the victims of Larry Nassar will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in recognition for their bravery in speaking out against the former US gymnastic coach. Finally, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School coaches Aaron Feis, Scott Beigel and Chris Hixon will be posthumously awarded the Best Coach Award for giving their lives during the tragic shooting on February 14. Here's everything you need to know about this year's event. When are the 2018 ESPY Awards and where can I watch them? As has been the case since 2008, this year's ESPYs take place at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, with former IndyCar star Danica Patrick set to become the first woman to host in the history of the event. While ESPN owns the event, the awards have been broadcasted by ABC over the last three years and this year's edition will be no different. Coverage begins at 8p.m. EST, with a live stream available online at Watch ESPN and on the Watch ESPN app. Who are the 2018 ESPY nominees? There are numerous awards up for grabs, ranging from individual accolades to team gongs. Houston Rockets guard James Harden, Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Houston Astros star Jose Altuve are on the shortlist for best male athlete. Winter Olympic medallists Chloe Kim and Mikaela Shiffrin are among the nominees for the best female athlete, along with Minnesota Lynx's Sylvia Fowles and USWNT's Julie Ertz. The U.S. Women's Hockey gold medal match against Canada and Shaun White's gold medal run are among the nominees for best Olympic moments, while Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell are in with a chance to be named best breakthrough athlete of the year. Kevin Durant could win the best championship performance award after inspiring the Warriors to a third NBA title in four years, but faces competition from Houston Astros star George Springer and Villanova's Donte DiVincenzo. The Warriors and the Astros, along with the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Eagles, are also in the race to be named best team of 2018. Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings' dramatic win over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game and the Vegas Golden Knights' success over Winnipeg Jets to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals are among the nominees for moment of the year. Is it too late to vote for the 2018 ESPY Awards? No, voting is still open and fans can find the full list of nominees online and submit their votes here.

The New York Jets have released their first official depth chart of 2018. A few things of note stick out to me. Bilal Powell is second string behind Isaiah Crowell. This seemed inevitable given the team’s comments about not changing Powell’s role over the offseason, and the Jets will probably take a feed the hot hand approach, but it would be cool if for once the best back on the team was listed #1 on the depth chart. As expected given the developments of the preseason Neal Sterling will be the Jets #1 receiving tight end. Eric Tomlinson is listed as first string but he is there mainly to block. Jermaine Kearse is listed as a starter at wide receiver, ahead of Quincy Enunwa. I’m not sure if this is just a gesture of respect for the season Kearse had last year, or a sign of some uncertainty regarding Enunwa’s health, or if the order doesn’t much matter since the top three or four receivers may all be rotating depending on health, opponent and game situations. However, if Jermaine Kearse ends up getting more snaps than Quincy Enunwa when they are both healthy that would be a miscalculation on the Jets part. Enunwa is clearly the more talented and explosive receiver. Derrick Jones is listed behind Juston Burris. This may just be a sign of respect for the veteran over the youngster, but if Burris gets more snaps than Jones that would be a mistake. I’m not sure Burris is even an NFL caliber cornerback. Jones hasn’t yet proved he is either, but I’d like to see him get the opportunity to prove he is this year if the alternative is Burris getting snaps. It’s interesting the Jets list Trenton Cannon as second string at both returner positions. The Jets don’t usually list more than a first string returner. This may be reading too much into that, but it may indicate the plan is to ease Cannon into the role, and Andre Roberts is with the Jets only as long as it takes to get Cannon ready as the primary return man. I’m not quite sure how much to make of the depth chart, as at times it appears the Jets’ coaching staff doesn’t take it very seriously, but for what it’s worth, here it is. What are your thoughts? OFFENSE QB Sam Darnold 2. Josh McCown RB Isaiah Crowell 2. Bilal Powell 3. Trenton Cannon FB Lawrence Thomas OT Kelvin Beachum , Brandon Shell 2. Brent Qvale OG Brian Winters , James Carpenter 2. Dakota Dozier , Ben Braden C Spencer Long 2. Jonotthan Harrison TE Eric Tomlinson 2. Neal Sterling 3. Jordan Leggett 4. Chris Herndon WR Robby Anderson , Jermaine Kearse 2. Quincy Enunwa , Terrelle Pryor 3. Charone Peake , Andre Roberts DEFENSE DE Leonard Williams, Nathan Shepherd 2. Henry Anderson , Folorunso Fatusaki NT Steve McLendon 2. Mike Pennel OLB Josh Martin , Jordan Jenkins 2. Jeremiah Attaochu, Brandon Copeland ILB Darron Lee , Avery Williamson 2. Neville Hewitt CB Morris Claiborne, Trumaine Johnson 2. Buster Skrine , Darryl Roberts 3. Parry Nickerson , Juston Burris , 4. Derrick Jones SS Jamal Adams 2. Terrence Brooks 3. J.J. Wilcox FS Marcus Maye 2. Doug Middleton SPECIAL TEAMS K Jason Myers P Lachlan Edwards H Lachlan Edwards PR Andre Roberts 2. Trenton Cannon KR Andre Roberts 2. Trenton Cannon LS<doc-sep>FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Two rookies are listed as starters on the Jets’ depth chart for Monday night’s opener against the Lions. One of them is quarterback Sam Darnold. The other has gotten somewhat less attention. That would be defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd, a Canadian who played at Simon Fraser in British Columbia and later Division II Fort Hays State in Kansas before being drafted in the third round by the Jets. Now here he is, slated to line up for the first time on “Monday Night Football.” Could he have imagined being in this position say, a year ago? “I would say back then I kind of went by the idea that you have to fake it until you make it,” he said after practice on Friday. “It might be something you believe inside. You may not share that with everyone you meet, but it definitely was a goal I was working toward, so right now everything is working according to plan.” Shepherd said there was no precise moment at which he thought he might secure a starting role. Rather he just kept showing up for work, and eventually figured out based on practice hierarchy where he stood. On one hand, Shepherd said that despite the magnitude of Monday’s stage, “At the end of the day, it’s still football.” On the other hand, he admitted there will be some nerves. “Most definitely, yeah. That’s a great part of the game, for sure.” Subscribe to Sports Now newsletter By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Coach Todd Bowles said the team liked what it saw on his college film, and that he has continued to impress since arriving in the spring. Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said Shepherd has been “checking all the boxes” for a defensive lineman’s required skill set. Bowles laughed when someone asked him whether Shepherd has the same sort of “even-keel personality” as Darnold. "Shep is completely different,” he said. “A D-lineman and quarterback mindsets are completely different. He's been a joy to coach and to be around. He works hard. He doesn't take a play off and doesn't take a day off and we like that about him.” Shepherd acknowledged the step up from Division II “definitely felt different,” but he credited the coaching staff with preparing him and other rookies for the transition. The 6-4, 315-pounder also credited defensive linemates such as nine-year veteran Steve McLendon. “What I appreciate about some of the veterans, especially Steve, is the standards that they have, and how they’re able to help raise the bar for us every day and just keeping that on our minds,” he said. Shepherd said he is too focused on the present to think about how far he has come, preferring to wait until winter for such thoughts. What does it say about him that he has gotten this far? “I would say that for anyone, whatever you’re doing, sometimes you’re going to have different opportunities to do different things,” he said. “Whatever those opportunities are, make the most of them, because you never know how things are going to pan out for you.”<doc-sep>For our first Inside the Numbers installment of the season, and in honor of rookie quarterback Sam Darnold's starting assignment in Monday night's season opener at Detroit, we're strolling down memory lane to see how other Round 1 quarterbacks have fared in their Green & White debuts. There have been only five other Jets first-round QBs, and in trying to compare big apples to big apples, only one other time did a rookie QB start a season opener. That was a mere nine years ago, when fellow Southern Cal product Mark Sanchez won his pro debut, which was also Rex Ryan's pro head coaching debut, by 24-7 over the Texans in Houston. It's easier said than done to dial up a similar game plan for Darnold and the Jets on Monday, but the plan back on Sept. 13, 2009, is a great model for any rookie. Sanchez threw 31 passes and went unsacked while the Jets also ran 42 times for 190 yards, converted 10 third downs, posted a 462-183 yardage advantage, and won the takeaway battle 2-1. Here's how the other four first-round QBs fared in their first starts, none of which came in Jets openers: Joe Namath, 1965 Times were different in the Sixties, when Namath, despite arriving in New York to much fanfare, didn't play in the season opener by coach Weeb Ewbank's decision, then came on in relief of Mike Taliaferro the next week in the home-opening loss to Kansas City. Namath's first start was Game 3 at Buffalo, a 33-21 defeat in which he completed 19 of 40 for 287 yards, two TDs and two interceptions. His first win as a starter didn't come until Week 9 at Boston, with his first home win following in Week 10 vs. Houston and the legendary George Blanda. Despite the careful rookie season, Joe did play in 13 of 14 games. Richard Todd, 1976 Todd's first year was Namath's last with the Green & White. And similar to Namath's introduction 11 years earlier, Todd played in 13 of the 14 games as a rookie. After the Jets opened 1-6, Todd got his first start in Game 8 at Buffalo and fashioned a 19-14 victory in which his modest line read: 6-of-20 for 87 yards, one TD (to WR David Knight) and two INTs. Ken O'Brien, 1983 Joe Walton was perhaps the most careful of all Jets coaches when provided with a first-round signalcaller. O'Brien, the Jets' 24th overall pick in the '83 draft, did not play a down as a rookie as Todd started all 16 games and backup Pat Ryan saw limited action. Then in '84, Todd was gone, Ryan got the starting nod, and O'Brien didn't even take his first snaps until the final drive of Game 8 vs. Kansas City and didn't get his first start until Game 12 at Houston (19-of-36, 226 yards, 1 INT) and his first starting win until Game 15 vs. Buffalo.<doc-sep>NFL cut down day is over. Now it’s time to form the 10 man practice squad. The Jets and other NFL teams will select 10 players each with practice squad eligibility from among the hundreds of players who passed unclaimed through waivers. We’ll be tracking all of the Jets practice squad signings below as they come in. 2018 New York Jets Practice Squad Brandon Bryant , Safety. Undrafted in the 2018 NFL supplemental draft, Bryant had a strong ending to the preseason. Could be a factor in the safety rotation by next year. Frankie Luvu , OLB. Undrafted free agent in the 2018 NFL draft class, Luvu was a surprise cut. Had a strong camp, at times running with the starters. Might be in the plans as a situational pass rusher of the future. Deontay Burnett , WR. Undrafted free agent in the 2018 NFL draft class, Burnett had a very strong preseason with the Tennessee Titans, catching all eleven passes he was targeted on. Former USC teammate of Sam Darnold . De’Angelo Henderson, RB. A poor man’s Maurice Jones-Drew , and a personal favorite of mine, Henderson is a height challenged running back and a sixth round choice of the Broncos in the 2017 NFL draft. Henderson could challenge for playing time soon. Anthony Wint , ILB. Undrafted free agent from the 2018 NFL draft class. A smallish inside linebacker without much in the way of cover skills. Difficult to see this guy developing into a meaningful contributor. Perhaps could be useful on special teams. Jeremy Clark, CB. A giant cornerback bigger than any safety on the roster, nearly big enough to be a linebacker. Drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL draft, Clark spent most of the 2017 season on the sidelines injured. Nico Falah , OL. Undrafted free agent from the 2018 NFL draft class. An undersized center/guard and another USC teammate of Sam Darnold . Falah spent time in the Tennessee Titans camp this preseason. John Wolford , QB. Undrafted free agent from the 2018 NFL draft class. Got some playing time in the fourth preseason game, and also attended Jets rookie minicamp. This one is a puzzler. Wolford showed nothing in the preseason game, was not highly regarded coming out of college, and in my opinion there were a number of significantly better QBs that cleared waivers. Dieugot Joseph , OT. Undrafted free agent from the 2017 NFL draft class. Joseph is a bit undersized, raw, athletic, long armed left tackle project. Originally signed by the Chicago bears, he also spent some time with the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings. A lottery ticket with some raw athletic tools to try to develop into an NFL left tackle. Bronson Kaufusi , DL. A third round pick by the Baltimore Ravens from the 2016 NFL draft class. A bit of a tweener in the Jets defense at 6’ 6”, 275 pounds. Missed the entire 2016 season with a broken ankle. Played three games for the Ravens in 2017. One thing that will never be relegated to a practice squad is the incredible Great American Twitter Widget. You can follow all the Jets related tweets throughout the day below. .<doc-sep>

Todd Bowles and the New York Jets release their official Week 1 depth chart for the 2018 NFL season. The wait is over. Not only are we out of the mystery that August provides, the regular-season rigid schedule that is the National Football League is now firmly entrenched. The feeling hits us hard now that the official Week 1 depth chart has been released. On Tuesday, the New York Jets pushed the chart out per its PR department with little fanfare and few surprises. Listen, it doesn’t matter who’s listed as the starting back. Isaiah Crowell, Bilal Powell and even Trenton Cannon will all receive time. I wouldn’t even be surprised if Cannon eventually takes the chunk of the work during some of the games in which he catches fire on a run or two. While his one-cut vision within the zone scheme leaves a ton to be desired, his raw talent is better than anybody at the position on the chart. At widout, Jermainse Kearse over Quincy Enunwa means very little. Both Enunwa and Kearse can play the slot in the 11 personnel look. Neal Sterling, for all intents and purposes, is the No. 1 receving tight end. The only question that remains is whether or not Enunwa plays a lot of the Y in three wideout looks. In this case, Enunwa, Kearse, Robby Anderson and Terrelle Pryor will all be split out wide with no tight end on the field. Defensively, young Nathan Shepherd is the official starter alongside Leonard Williams and Steve McLendon in the interior of the D. Buster Skrine is obviously the third and slot corner, but who’s No. 4? It appears as though that slot is all Darryl Roberts. When the D goes big nickel or big dime, who is that third safety, Terrence Brooks or Doug Middleton? Seeing J.J. Wilcox third string might be the most surprising aspect of the initial chart. For now, Dan Bailey remains unsigned. Jason Myers remains the kicker. The New York Jets officially open the 2018 NFL season on Monday Night Football as they travel to Detroit to take on the Lions.

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced they are expecting their first child on October 15. The news of the royal baby came just five months after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot in Windsor on May 19. Kensington Palace released a statement saying: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019. "Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public."<doc-sep>Max Mumby/Indigo Getty Images Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are officially expecting their first baby!! Because keeping up with the news is hard, here’s everything you need to know about the future Lord or Lady Mountbatten-Windsor (more on that title below) in easy-to-use cheat-sheet form. This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Meghan is due this spring. As of the announcement day (October 15), Meghan was 12 weeks along in her pregnancy, and she was feeling “quite well” after her 12-week scans. She’ll give birth in the spring, probably around April, which means that her baby and Prince Louis will only be a year apart in age. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Harry and Meghan went to Zika-prone countries on their tour, but they took all the precautions. The announcement came while Meghan and Harry were literally on the plane to their first royal tour, and two of the countries they visited were Fiji and Tonga, which both had Zika virus. Apparently, they got medical advice before they left though, and with the help of doctors, they decided it was safe to go. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. A spokesman said there is no change to their programme in Fiji and Tonga next week despite FCO advice that pregnant women should not travel to the region because of its moderate zika risk. They said they had sought medical and advice and decided to go ahead with their plans. — Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) October 15, 2018 There’s already speculation on what the name will be. It’s practically a tradition at this point that people in England bet on the future royal baby’s name. As of right now, the top contenders for the new kiddo are super traditional, like Alice, Arthur, Philip, Victoria, and Diana. One name definitely not in the running? Samantha, the name of Meghan's half-sister. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Bookmakers Ladbrokes make Samantha a 100-1 outside bet for the royal baby name. Most bookies make traditional royal names eg Alice, Arthur, Philip, Victoria - and, of course, Diana - their early favourites. — Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) October 15, 2018 They spilled the beans at Princess Eugenie’s wedding. In slightly awkward news, it turns out that Meghan and Harry actually told his family they were having a baby *at* Princess Eugenie’s wedding, which is like...weird. But hey, when you’re excited, you’re excited! Me, if someone tried to spill their baby news at my wedding: Max Mumby/Indigo Getty Images This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The child won't be a prince or a princess unless Queen Elizabeth makes an exception. Harry and Meghan’s children will fall right behind him in the order of succession, making this baby seventh in line for the throne when it comes. Whether it’s a girl or a boy, it won’t have the prince or princess title because of a rule created in 1917. Basically, Prince Harry’s kids will be too far removed from Queen Elizabeth to have the Royal Highness title. But she could step in and change that if she wanted. The rest of the royal fam is very pumped about it. Kate Middleton and Prince William, unsurprisingly, are really pumped for Meghan and Harry. Actually, the exact word was delighted, according to a source. Queen Elizabeth is also “delighted for the couple,” and Meghan's mother Doria is “very happy” to be a grandma. S’cute! Max Mumby/Indigo Getty Images There was actually some controversy over the announcement. Meghan and Harry chose to announce their news on October 15, which is actually International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. It’s a day to recognize pregnancy loss and infant death due to SIDS, miscarriage, and stillbirth. People on Twitter were not too happy that the most high-profile baby announcement of the year came on that day of all days. Meghan and Harry plan on raising their kids in the country. According to a source who spoke to Us Weekly, Meghan and Harry don’t plan on raising their kids in the hustle and bustle of London. Instead, they like the idea of living at their home in the Cotswolds, which is about two hours outside the city. “No one bothers them there,” the source said. “They’re excited to raise children in the country.” People think Meghan is hinting at her due date with her rings. One very observant royal fan on Twitter pointed out that during a recent royal engagement, it looked like Meghan was wearing a ring with three different birthstones on it. Here’s a picture of the ring. Getty Images And here’s what that person’s theory was: This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Im hoping Meghan’s stacked rings represent their birthstones and Baby Sussex is an April baby. Meghan’s birthstone-green peridot Baby Sussex birthstone-diamond Harry’s birthstone-blue sapphire pic.twitter.com/VBB9qjGlVi — A R I A (@DuchyofSussex) October 20, 2018 That would mean the royal baby would be due in April, but it’s just a piece of jewelry, so who knows? This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. People are also assuming the baby will be a girl. For basically no reason at all, people around the world think Meghan and Harry are having a girl. One person during the royal tour actually told Harry, “I’m predicting it’s going to be a boy,” and Harry laughed, responding with “Everyone is predicting it’s going to be a girl.” Again, there’s no proof that this is actually true, but that’s what people are speculating. Samir Hussein Getty Images During an earlier stop on the tour, Harry even revealed that he *wants* it to be a girl. Someone told him “I hope it’s a girl,” and he said “So do I,” which is really sweet and adorable and very Harry of him. Harry and Meghan plan on not spoiling their kid. According to royal expert Omid Scobie, Meghan and Harry intend to “bring up children who know the values of normal things in life.” Like, they’re going to make sure they’re as close to regs people as royal life will allow. “Meghan will take her kids on a subway. They’ll have chores and jobs one day,” Scobie told Us Weekly. “They won’t be spoiled.” Meghan's considering a home birth, skipping the famous Lindo Wing photo. A source who spoke with Vanity Fair said that Meghan is thinking of skipping the legendary Lindo Wing photo op after she gives birth. The reason? She might not even have the baby in London. Apparently, they might have the baby in Windsor, where they’ll be living at the time. That makes total sense, but it’d be a major departure from how Kate and Diana delivered their kids. This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. But! In a quick plot twist, in January, a different source told The Telegraph, “Staff at the Lindo Wing have been asked not to take holiday in April.<doc-sep>One source tells me it isn’t that the duchess is feeling poorly, but they’re trying to ‘pace’ her given how many engagements are coming up. The couple are due to undertake 76 on the 16-day tour. It is unlikely Meghan will do many engagements on Fraser Island due to the terrain<doc-sep>

Birthday twins? Pregnant Duchess Meghan might give birth on Princess Charlotte’s birthday, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “She is due on or around May 2nd,” the insider says. “Meghan is a couple days just shy of her 15-week mark.” Prince William and Duchess Kate’s daughter, now 3, was born on May 2, 2015. They are also parents of sons Prince George, 5, and 5-month-old Prince Louis. Kensington Palace confirmed on Monday, October 15, that the former actress, 37, and Prince Harry are expecting their first child together. “Harry and Meghan have known about the pregnancy for a while,” the source notes. Just days earlier, the couple attended Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank. The newlyweds exchanged vows in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the same location the parents-to-be had their own nuptials. Harry and Meghan, who recently kicked off their their first international tour together in Australia, will be staying at Nottingham Cottage when they become a family of three. “They really enjoy living in the Cotswolds and having their own space. They love living in the country. They spend their days outside and are able to move around more freely,” the source tells Us, noting that the pair — who often go on long walks with their dogs — haven’t been to London too often recently. “They both love their home there and are excited to raise children in the country.” Reporting by Jennifer Peros For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube! For the latest beauty and style trends, subscribe to our new podcast "Get Tressed With Us" below!

Cristiano Ronaldo is a 33-year-old forward, but results from his Juventus FC medical examination show he is as fit as a 20-year-old, according to Spanish publication AS. The world soccer superstar has a lower body fat percentage than the average athlete in his sport, has a higher muscle mass, and can sprint faster. Ronaldo recently cost Juventus $130 million when he left Real Madrid for the Turin club — but it looks like he's already proving to be a bit of a bargain. Read all of Business Insider's soccer coverage for the 2018-2019 season here. Cristiano Ronaldo has completed his medical examination at new club Juventus FC and the results are in — he is performing like a 20-year-old. The Cristiano Ronaldo effect is already being felt at Juventus. The 33-year-old forward was bought for a $130 million fee earlier this month and whipped fans into a shirt-buying frenzy. He has sent the club's stock price soaring and he prompted millions of new people to follow Juventus via social media portals like Twitter and Facebook. It is clear Juventus has already got value for money in the soccer deal of the summer, but now it looks like Ronaldo could prove to be an even bigger bargain — and it's all because he is apparently as fit as a player 13 years younger than he is. That's the line coming from his medical report, as three key statistics indicate he remains one of the most impressive athletes in world soccer. Spanish sports publication AS reported that Ronaldo's medical evaluation shows he has just 7% body fat, which is 3% lower than the average for a soccer player. Additionally, Ronaldo has a 50% muscle mass, which is 4% greater than average. Furthermore, Ronaldo reached a maximum sprint speed of 33.98 kmh during the recent 2018 FIFA World Cup — a speed which is amongst the highest that was registered at the tournament, according to AS. So what does this mean? It's simple, really. It means Ronaldo is as fit as a 20-year-old soccer player — as fit, perhaps, as recent World Cup winner Kylian Mbappé, who turns 20 later this year. It is unclear what the main reasons for Ronaldo's extraordinary fitness levels are. However, his famous diet — which includes fish, lots of vegetables, and fresh fruits — together with his incredible dedication to training, will likely be big factors.<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Sign up to FREE email alerts from Mirror - Sport - Real Madrid Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Cristiano Ronaldo has completed his medical with Juventus following his £105million switch from Real Madrid in the summer transfer window. The outlay is huge considering the Portuguese is now 33 years old, and you would think, very much in the twilight period of his remarkable career. But the results of Ronaldo's medical suggest the price tag isn't as inflated as it would seem, after it was revealed that the striker has the physical capacity of a 20-year-old. Yes, you did hear that right. The Portuguese is in such good shape that he can exert the equivalent of a player a staggering 13 years his junior. (Image: Juventus FC via Getty Images) Three incredible statistics emerged from the medical referring to his body fat, his muscular mass, and his speed. According to the report, the Real Madrid legend has seven per cent body fat, which is around three per cent less than the average professional. (Image: Juventus FC via Getty Images) The Portuguese also has a muscular mass of 50 per cent, which is around four per cent higher than the average professional. And finally, Ronaldo recorded a top speed of 33.98km (21.1mph) at the World Cup, which was the fastest clocked by any player in the tournament. Incredible.<doc-sep>Cristiano Ronaldo has completed his medical at Italian club Juventus following his £100m move from Real Madrid – with his test results raising some eyebrows at the Allianz Stadium. Ronaldo turned 33 in February and yet Juve’s medical staff found that the striker actually has the physical capacity of a 20-year-old. According to reports in Italy, three key statistics prove that Ronaldo has the physical capabilities of a player 13 years his junior. The medical found that Ronaldo has just sever per cent body fat – which is around three per cent less than the average professional. Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances Show all 7 1 /7 Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances Here are the moments at Real Madrid when he has bent the biggest European nights his way. Getty Images Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances 29 April 2014 vs Bayern Munich It feels strange looking back four years on but Real Madrid had a desperate quest for their 10th Champions League title – la Decima – and many backed Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich to knock them out in the 2014 semis. But Real won 1-0 at home and when the teams returned to the Allianz Arena, Guardiola made a fatal miscalculation, leaving his team too open. So Ronaldo destroyed them on the break, scoring twice in a 4-0 win to send Real through to the Lisbon final. UEFA via Getty Images Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances 24 May 2014 vs Atletico Madrid It was not his best performance as Real Madrid struggled to break down a tenacious Atletico Madrid side who came within seconds of winning. But even then Ronaldo was there at the end, scoring the confirming fourth goal from the penalty spot, running away with his shirt off. By winning the European Cup in his homeland, and providing the defiing image, he had made it his night. Getty Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances 12 April 2016 vs Wolfsburg It was not his best performance as Real Madrid struggled to break down a tenacious Atletico Madrid side who came within seconds of winning. But even then Ronaldo was there at the end, scoring the confirming fourth goal from the penalty spot, running away with his shirt off. By winning the European Cup in his homeland, and providing the defiing image, he had made it his night. Real Madrid via Getty Images Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances 28 May 2016 vs Atletico Madrid Just as he had in 2014, Ronaldo ensured that he provided the defining moment of Real's 2016 Champions League final win, putting away the decisive penalty at the end of the shootout in Milan after Juanfran had missed for Atletico. Ronaldo did not have the best game, bur no one remembers that now. Getty Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances 12 April 2017 vs Bayern Munich Away at Bayern Munich in the 2017 quarters, Real were struggling and up against it, and only a missed penalty stopped them from going 2-0 down. But the game turned when Ronaldo received Carvajal's cross, swivelled and volleyed the ball into the bottom corner, a masterful finish. He scored another that night and three more in the thrilling second leg to make sure. Getty Images Cristiano Ronaldo's finest European performances 3 June 2017 vs Juventus Retaining the Champions League was meant to be impossible but Real Madrid did it in 2017 and Ronaldo, of course, was front and centre of the Cardiff final. He scored Real's first and third goals and while they were not his best - or even the best of the game - he now had back to back winners medals, and not many can say that. Getty Images His muscle mass meanwhile stands at 50 per cent, again higher than the average professional player, this time by around four per cent. And finally, the top sprint speed he recorded at the World Cup – 21.1 mph, a result he replicated during his medical – was quicker than any other player at the tournament. “I'm going to try to show that I am a top player, as usual. I'm going to work hard in training,” Ronaldo said upon signing for the club. “I don't think I have to show what I am more than that - you know my stats. But I am very ambitious and I like challenges. I don't like to stay in my comfort zone, I like to seize new challenges. “After the experiences in Manchester and in Madrid, I'd like to mark the history of Juventus. I like challenges, again, and I hope everything will go very well.”<doc-sep>

CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s Juventus medical reportedly showed that he is as fit as a 20-year-old professional footballer… despite being 33 himself. The Portuguese superstar completed a shock £99 million (AU$175.5 million) move to Italy after deciding to call time on his stellar Real Madrid career. Cristiano Ronaldo arrives on at the Juventus medical centre. Source: AFP Ronaldo had previously claimed that biologically he was 23-years-old, meaning he can play to his high standards for at another four years. But according to AS, the ace’s medical in Turin showed that he could knock another three years off that biological age. It’s said that Ronaldo clocked in with just seven per cent body fat – with the average professional carrying between ten and 11 per cent. Ronnie was also recorded as having 50 per cent muscular mass – four per cent more than the average professional. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal runs with the ball. Source: Getty Images The ace is fitter than most 20-year-olds and has a low body fat percentage than most professional footballers Despite crashing out of the World Cup in the first knockout round to Uruguay, Ronaldo proved he was still one of the best around with some incredible performances. And not only that, the former Manchester United favourite also put in the fastest sprint of the tournament at a whopping 33.98km/h. Cristiano Ronaldo (C) scores an amazing overhead kick in the Champions League quarter-final against the team he now plays for. Source: AFP His fastest speed in 2017 was 33.25km/h, scarily meaning that Ronaldo could actually be getting better. He also jumped an astonishing 2.3m in the air when he scored a bicycle kick against Juve in the Champions League, and fans of the Italian champs will be hoping for similar performances when Ronaldo dons the famous black-and-white strip this term. This story originally appeared in The Sun.

A Definitive Edition of Divinity: Original Sin 2 is coming to PS4 and Xbox One in August - a three-hour demo is actually available now on Xbox One, for free, via Game Preview - and to PC as a free upgrade (although it will be considered a separate game). It's a similar deal to the Enhanced Edition for Divinity: Original Sin 1. We knew that; what we didn't know was how DOS2 will be enhanced, but now we know more. Apparently there are 45 pages of changes documented internally, developer Larian told USgamer at a preview event this week. Some of the more significant changes include reworking the weaker Act 3 section of the game - rewriting it, re-voicing it and re-scripting it. The game's Journal is being redone, there's going to be a new tutorial, and there will be a Story Mode difficulty for people who want to breeze through without the combat challenge. Larian has also made a new feedback system, personified as Feedback Billy, for the game. There will be a party inventory system to alleviate sifting through everyone's bags, PCGamer added, plus some quirky-sounding DLC about a squirrel strugling with an existential crisis - in DOS you can talk to pets, remember. Console versions of Divinity: Original Sin 2 will have radial menus to handle items and abilities, and there's the neat touch of being able to hold down the A face-button on Xbox, and presumably X on PS4, to see all interactable objects in the local area. A detailed list of changes is coming soon, apparently. Divinity: Original Sin 2, released last autumn on PC, was one of the finest role-playing games in years. Rick Lane even went so far as to call it "Larian's masterpiece" in Eurogamer's Divinity: Original Sin 2 review.<doc-sep>Bandai Namco took to Twitter during E3 2018 to reveal the release date for Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The official Twitter account for Bandai Namco US announced that the RPG will launch onto consoles on August 31 of this year. It was initially revealed that Divinity: Original Sin 2 would be heading to console in early April. At the time it was announced that the game would hit consoles in August. Publisher Bandai Namco explained that the console edition will feature "a user interface tailored for console," four-player online co-op, and two-player split-screen co-op support. Hervé Hoerdt, vice president of marketing and digital at Bandai Namco Europe, previously said, "We are extremely pleased to bring this outstanding title to our lineup by offering new epic adventures to console gamers with the deepest RPG worlds ever created." Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke added, "It was very important to us to have Divinity: Original Sin II distributed by a team that understands how to bring RPGs to a broad audience. With Dark Souls and The Witcher, Bandai Namco demonstrated they know how to do exactly that and so I'm very happy we’ll have their support." Divinity: Original Sin 2 originally released for PC on September 14, 2017. GameSpot gave awarded the game a glowing 10/10 with reviewer Brett Todd saying, "Its immaculately conceived and emotion-wrought fantasy world, topped by brilliant tactical combat, make it one of the finest games of the year thus far, and it has to be regarded as an instant classic in the pantheon of RPG greats.”<doc-sep>

Larian Studios has announced that its excellent, sprawling RPG sequel Divinity: Original Sin 2 will be heading to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on August 31st. As previously revealed, Divinity: Original Sin 2 will be coming to consoles in a new Definitive Edition guise, offering a variety of upgrades and additional features beyond those seen in last year's critically acclaimed PC version - although, beyond Larian's assertion that these changes are "about 45 pages long", they've yet to be detailed in any specific fashion. Divinity: Original Sin 2 unfolds in the world of Rivellon, long abandoned by the gods, where "an oppressive order that wields a forbidden magic is rounding up mages". At the start of your adventure, you've a choice between six unique characters, each with their own backstories, personalities, and quests - a "haughty but heroic" lizard, an elven assassin, a possessed musician, a mercenary ex-solider, a rebel-turned pirate dwarf, and an undead member of the long-forgotten Eternal race. That breadth of options, which just keeps expanding as the game progresses, is especially welcome given that Divinity: Original Sin 2 is designed to cater for up to four players in online co-op, and two-player co-op via split-screen. You can explore the world together, or split up to search for clues, and there's even a slight touch of competition with party members vying to become the new Divine in Rivellon's godless world. You can read more about what makes Divinity: Original Sin 2 so special, as you impatiently wait for August 31st, in Eurogamer's Essential review.

Noah Graham/Getty Images Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic will be out for his team's game Thursday against the Detroit Pistons with an ankle injury, per Dwain Price of Mavs.com. Doncic arrived in the NBA to great fanfare in 2018. In his final season with Real Madrid, he won the Euroleague title and was its MVP. He also collected three Spanish league titles with Madrid—all before his 20th birthday. Somehow, Doncic has exceeded expectations in the NBA. Through 49 games, he's averaging 20.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 35.2 percent from three-point range. Despite Doncic's solid contributions, the Mavericks face an uphill battle in the race for the playoffs. At 23-27, Dallas is 4.5 games back of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Losing the Slovenian guard won't make a return to the postseason any easier. Until Doncic comes back, the Mavs will turn to Jalen Brunson as their primary playmaker, and Devin Harris will likely handle the ball as well. In addition, Dallas is short-handed Thursday after a seven-player deal with the New York Knicks sent Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews to the Big Apple. The Mavs will get Kristaps Porzingis, Trey Burke, Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr. in return.<doc-sep>AUBURN HILLS – Bruce Brown’s defensive tenacity earned the rookie guard a regular spot in the Detroit Pistons starting lineup before Tuesday. Due to recent defensive lapses, Brown came off the bench during his team’s 115-105 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Whether or not he’s starting Thursday, Brown’s defensive disposition must revert to how it has been most of the season. Dynamic rookie Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks visit Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit) to face a desperate Pistons team gradually sliding further out of the final playoff spot. “He was minus-23 (Tuesday), so that says something,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “Bruce has got to get back to his defensive acumen … and not have the mistakes defensively he’s had last couple of games.” Brown had started the previous 17 games and 24 altogether. With Reggie Bullock out (sprained ankle, game-time decision for Thursday), Casey inserted Glenn Robinson III into the starting lineup for his defense and replaced Brown with Langston Galloway for his offense. Plus, he felt Brown could use a break. “You got to get amped up every night as a rookie for some of the best offensive players in the world,” Casey said. “That takes a toll. “We’re not down on Bruce. It’s just a normal part of the year for a young player. We understand it, we try to help him with it, whether it’s cutting his minutes back a little bit. It’s not effort whatsoever, because he’s playing as hard as anybody. It’s just the little mental mistakes you make when you’re not as sharp mentally or focused.” Casey noted the Pistons have played 48 games, close to two college seasons. Brown was limited to only 19 games last season at the University of Miami due to injury. “I don’t know if it was a rookie wall or whatever, just the concentration and attention to detail, shooting the gap when he’s not supposed to shoot the gap, weak in it when he’s supposed to be strong with it,” Casey said. “All those things young fellas usually (do) when they’re mentally fatigued a little bit. But he’s going to be a really important piece for our program.” The Pistons, during a 106-101 loss at Dallas Friday, used Brown, Bullock and Galloway on Doncic in the first half before having Stanley Johnson defend him in the second half. Doncic is coming off a career-high 35 points in a loss to Toronto, when he recorded his second career triple-double (12 rebounds, 10 assists). He scored 32 vs. Pistons, giving him back-to-back 30-point games for the first time. “He’s not your typical rookie,” Casey said. “He was one of the best players in the world coming over here (after four years in Spain), MVP of the league over there. He’s played a lot of basketball against men that physically tried to put him on his butt. “He reads every situation perfect. He reads the tags, reads the coverages. That’s not your typical rookie. We have to make sure he understands there’s resistance, there’s a body in front of him, he feels the body, and not let him play like he’s on the court by himself doing ball-handling drills like there’s no resistance. Be physical without fouling.” Brown spent much of his time Tuesday at the point because Ish Smith missed essentially his fifth game in a row (adductor tightness). “That’s his eventual position, so we wanted to look at it,” Casey said. “I thought he did a decent job. “That position until Ish comes back is going to be fluid. (Brown) is in the mix.”<doc-sep>Detroit Free Press staff Detroit Pistons (21-28) vs. Dallas Mavericks (22-27) When: 7 p.m. tonight. Where: Little Caesars Arena. TV: Fox Sports Detroit. Radio: 97.1 FM (Pistons radio affiliates). • Box score Game notes: With the polar vortex freezing the Midwest, tickets are as low as $4 for tonight's game. The Pistons have been almost as cold as the temperatures the past few days, losing four of their past five. One of those losses includes a defeat at Dallas, where likely rookie of the year Luka Doncic scored 32 points on Friday. ... The Mavs are acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks in a blockbuster deal agreed to Thursday afternoon. The Knicks are getting Dennis Smith Jr., Wes Matthews and DeAndre Jordan from Dallas, so the Mavs will be extremely short-handed against the Pistons. Injuries: Ish Smith is out (abductor); Reggie Bullock (ankle) is playing; Doncic (ankle) is out. More:Blake Griffin was ready for the Pistons. They weren't ready for him Breaking:Blake Griffin is an NBA All-Star for 1st time since 2015 Twitter updates Live updates for mobile users. Download our Pistons Xtra app on iTunes or Android!<doc-sep>

Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic is an All-Star according to Detroit Pistons Head Coach Dwane Casey. Read more about the coach’s comments. Dallas Mavericks fans were left feeling snubbed when the All-Star starters were announced last week. Luka Doncic may only be a rookie, but he is more than deserving of being an All-Star. The fans came out and supported it too. Luka received over four million votes, but it was not enough. The starters for the Western Conference are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Paul George. Fans can read more about Doncic’s snub here. Luka can still be an All-Star this season, though. The reserves will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 31. Doncic is as deserving as anyone. His numbers are superb, and the fan vote should count for something. The coaches have the say on the All-Star reserves, though. At least one coach believes that Luka Doncic should be part of the game according to his recent comments. Coach Casey supports Luka Detroit Pistons Head Coach and reigning NBA Coach of the Year Dwane Casey had plenty to say about Luka Doncic and the Mavericks when the Pistons visited earlier this week. Fans can listen to his full comments here. Coach Casey saying that Luka is an All-Star is important. If fans what to see him in the game on Feb. 17, they have to rely on the coaches to vote him in. One voicing his support could lead to others joining in. The coach’s votes are due on Tuesday. Luka did not hurt his chances by making history on Sunday evening against the Raptors. He became the youngest player ever with 30-plus points in a triple-double. Hopefully, the rest of the coaches are with Dwane Casey and vote Luka Doncic into the All-Star game this season. It is another opportunity for Luka to make history. Dallas Mavericks fans are ecstatic about the 19-year-old, and he truly is taking the NBA by storm. Stay tuned to The Smoking Cuban for updates on Luka Doncic’s All-Star candidacy and everything fans need to know about the Dallas Mavericks.

NEW YORK (AP) — Your ability to watch and use your favorite apps and services could start to change — though not right away — following the official demise Monday of Obama-era internet protections. Any changes are likely to happen slowly, as companies assess how much consumers will tolerate. With net neutrality rules gone, AT&T and Verizon can give priority to their own movies and TV shows, while hurting rivals such as Amazon, YouTube and startups yet to be born. The repeal of “net neutrality” took effect six months after the Federal Communications Commission voted to undo the rules, which had barred broadband and cellphone companies from favoring their own services and discriminating against rivals such as Netflix. Internet providers such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast had to treat all traffic equally. They couldn’t slow down or block websites and apps of their choosing. Nor could they charge Netflix and other video services extra to reach viewers more smoothly. The rules also barred a broadband provider from, say, slowing down Amazon’s shopping site to extract business concessions. Now, all that is legal as long as companies post their policies online. The change comes as broadband and cellphone providers expand their efforts to deliver video and other content to consumers. With net neutrality rules gone, AT&T and Verizon can give priority to their own movies and TV shows, while hurting rivals such as Amazon, YouTube and startups yet to be born. The battle isn’t entirely over, though. Some states are moving to restore net neutrality, and lawsuits are pending. Also, the Senate voted to save net neutrality, though that effort isn’t likely to become law. For now, broadband providers insist they won’t do anything that would harm the “internet experience” for consumers. Most currently have service terms that specify they won’t give preferential treatment to certain websites and services, including their own. However, companies are likely to drop these self-imposed restrictions; they will just wait until people aren’t paying a lot of attention, said Marc Martin, a former FCC staffer who is now chairman of communications practice at the law firm Perkins Coie. Any changes now, while the spotlight is on net neutrality, could lead to a public relations backlash. Companies are likely to start testing the boundaries over the next six months to a year. Expect to see more offers like AT&T’s exemption of its DirecTV Now streaming TV service from customers’ mobile data limits. Rival services like Sling TV and Netflix count video against data caps, essentially making them more expensive to watch. Although the FCC issued a report in January 2017 saying such arrangements, known as “zero rating,” are probably anti-consumer, the agency did not require companies to change their practices right away. After President Donald Trump appointed a new chairman to the FCC, the agency reversed its stance on zero rating and proceeded to kill net neutrality. Critics of net neutrality, including the Trump administration, say such rules impeded companies’ ability to adapt to a quickly evolving internet. But consumer advocates say that the repeal is just pandering to big business and that cable and phone giants will now be free to block access to services they don’t like. They can also set up “fast lanes” for preferred services — in turn, relegating everyone else to “slow lanes.” Tech companies such as Netflix, Spotify and Snap echoed similar concerns in regulatory filings. The battle isn’t entirely over. Martin said broadband providers probably won’t mess with existing services like Netflix, as that could alienate consumers. But they could start charging extra for services not yet offered. For instance, they might charge more to view high-resolution “4K” video, while offering lower-quality video for free. The fees would be paid by the video services, such as Hulu, and could be passed along to consumers in higher subscription rates. More than 20 states sued the government to stop the repeal, as did the public-interest group Free Press and the think tank Open Technology Institute and Firefox browser maker Mozilla. Washington and Oregon now have their own net neutrality laws, and a bill is pending in California’s legislature. That’s another reason companies are likely to move slowly, at least at first. “They don’t want to add fuel to the fire,” Martin said.<doc-sep>The end of net neutrality is here; here's what that means for you Advertisement The end of net neutrality is here; here's what that means for you Share Shares Copy Link Copy The way the internet is regulated in the U.S. is changing. The controversial repeal of Obama-era net neutrality protections officially took effect Monday, despite ongoing efforts from members of Congress, state officials, tech companies and advocacy groups to save the rules.The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines in December to repeal the rules, which were intended to prevent internet providers from blocking, speeding up, or slowing down access to specific online services.The order required the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, which the FCC announced receiving last month. In a statement at the time, FCC chairman Ajit Pai framed the upcoming repeal as removing burdensome regulations. "Now, on June 11, these unnecessary and harmful internet regulations will be repealed and the bipartisan, light-touch approach that served the online world well for nearly 20 years will be restored," Pai said in a statement last month.An FCC spokesperson told CNN this week that the timetable is proceeding as previously announced. "June 11 is significant because it will be the first time in the over 15-year battle over net neutrality that the FCC will have essentially no role in preserving an open internet and overseeing the broadband market," Gigi Sohn, a counselor to former FCC chairman Tom Wheeler and a staunch supporter of net neutrality, told CNN.The concern among net neutrality advocates is that the repeal could give internet providers too much control over how online content is delivered. It may also make it harder for the next generation of online services to compete if they have to pay up to be placed in a so-called internet fast lane. "Those 'fast lanes' will put those who won't or cannot pay in the slow lane, making the internet look a lot like cable TV," Sohn says.Speaking on "CBS This Morning" Monday, Pai says the Federal Trade Commission will prevent companies from trying to slow the speed of a competitor's content. "We've empowered the FTC to take action against any company that might act in any competitive way," he said. "The consumer is going to be protected and we preserve the incentive for companies to build out better, faster, and cheaper internet access. "But even those who oppose the repeal say very little is likely to change right away given pending litigation and possible legislation to settle the issue. "Nothing will change the next day," says Kevin Werbach, an associate professor of legal studies at Wharton and former FCC adviser. "Companies are not going to take any major action to change their policies until it's resolved. "Last month, the Senate passed a measure to preserve the net neutrality rules. On Thursday, with the official repeal date looming, dozens of senators sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan urging him to schedule a vote on the issue.A collection of advocacy groups has called for "mass online actions" on June 11 to once again call attention to the issue and pressure Congress to act. "It's an uphill fight," says Chris Lewis, vice president of Public Knowledge, a tech advocacy group that has urged the House to take action. The Republican-led House, and President Donald Trump, are both thought to be unlikely to back the Senate's measure.More than 20 states have filed a lawsuit to stop the net neutrality repeal. Several states, including New Jersey, Washington, Oregon and California, have gone so far as to push legislation to enforce the principles of net neutrality within their borders.This local legislation could lead to a legal showdown, however.A spokeswoman for the FCC previously directed CNN to a section of the final order for net neutrality, in which the FCC asserts authority to prevent states from pursuing laws inconsistent with the net neutrality repeal. "It's patently illegal for the states to make their own internet policy," Roslyn Layton, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute who served on Trump's transition team for the FCC, said last month.The general uncertainty around the future of net neutrality is likely to extend through much of this year, if not longer, according to those pushing for legislation and litigation. "We'll see what happens after the election," Lewis says.<doc-sep>

Net neutrality is no longer the law of the land. The Federal Communications Commission on Monday put into effect a new rule called "Restoring Internet Freedom," which replaces net neutrality, the Obama-era regulation that ensured internet service providers like Comcast (CMCSA) and Verizon (VZ) treat all websites and content equally. Net neutrality ended six months after the FCC voted to scrub the previous rules, despite widespread public opposition to the decision. Supporters of net neutrality argue the regulations blocked internet providers from slowing down content from rival sites or services, and kept them from charging more for bandwidth-heavy streaming services like Netflix (NFLX). Even though net neutrality is dead, don't expect to see immediate changes, said Evan Greer, deputy director of Fight for the Future, a digital rights advocacy group. "The big ISPs know that they're being watched -- by Congress, by the courts and by their customers," she said. "They're not going to roll out harmful paid prioritization plans, site blocking or throttling right away. But starting today they have the legal ability to do so at any time they choose." Greer predicts that ISPs will first create packages that seem favorable to consumers, such as providing one of their own services for free while tacking on a fee for a rival service. "Consumers won't notice the shift at first, but over time the internet will become unrecognizable," she said. "There will be more centralization and less choice." Here are three things to know about the end of net neutrality: States and advocacy groups are still fighting to save it More than 20 states sued the government to stop the repeal, as did the public-interest group Free Press, think tank Open Technology Institute and Firefox browser maker Mozilla. Washington and Oregon now have their own net neutrality laws, and a bill is pending in California's legislature. "The public is outraged and fighting tooth and nail to get Congress to overrule the FCC -- and it's likely that that will happen before ISPs can do too much damage," Greer said. The FCC says the new rules will benefit consumers FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who voted in favor of repealing net neutrality, said on CBS This Morning the "Restoring Internet Freedom" rule will be "tremendously positive" for consumers. Pai argued that net neutrality created a disincentive for internet services to invest in their networks. In his view, removing the rule will open the floodgates to corporate investment, ultimately providing faster and more widespread internet access. Yet critics say companies are likely to invest simply because they now believe they can ramp up prices and earn more money from consumers and websites. The FTC will now handle consumer issues with ISPs Net neutrality gave the FCC authority over internet providers, which now is being handed back to the Federal Trade Commission, Pai wrote in an article for CNET. "The FTC is empowered to take action against any company that engages in any anticompetitive conduct," Pai also told CBS This Morning. Yet critics say that's a mistake, arguing that the FCC has the expertise and ability to regulate the internet industry, given that the agency's bailiwick is communication networks. Others point out that the FTC, which oversees consumer protection for every corner of the U.S. economy, already has its hands full. --With reporting by The Associated Press.

Weather MA Weather: Nor'easter Start, Stop Time; Increased Totals Here are the latest details for what looks to be a formidable non-snow nor'easter. Reply Saturday will be end-to-end rain as the nor'easter dumps what forecasters are now saying is up to 3 inches of rain and brings up to 65 miles per hour wind gusts in parts of Massachusetts. The National Weather Service released start/stop times for the precipitation, expected to be primarily rain for the vast majority of Massachusetts. Some higher terrain in Western Mass. could see snow. The rain will be falling when most of us wake up. The NWS said it'll start around 4 a.m. It will probably end while you're sleeping, too, anywhere between 12-6 a.m. Sunday. The World Series has moved to Los Angeles for Games 3, 4, and, if necessary, 5, which run Friday-Sunday, so the Red Sox aren't in danger of getting rained out. The coastal winds are going to be intense, whipping around at up to 65 mph. Anyone in Central and Eastern Mass. can expect wind gusts of at least 35-40 mph. There's a high wind warning on Cape Ann and Cape Cod, with more weather watches and warnings likely to follow in advance of the storm. Power outages are possible. Subscribe to your local Patch to get the latest storm updates and other nearby news.<doc-sep>BOSTON (CBS) – Consider it an appetizer for winter. A little nor’easter refresher course before the big tests over the next several months. A windy and wet coastal storm, yup a nor’easter, is headed our way for Saturday. While this storm won’t be nearly as impactful as some of our most recent nor’easters (see last spring), there are a few potential hazards to be aware of. TIMELINE The precipitation will race in quickly late Friday night, arriving first along the South Coast just after midnight. The shield of rain will completely envelope southern New England by dawn and race up into Central and Northern New England during Saturday morning and afternoon. Heaviest rain will fall between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. with still several hours of lighter precipitation on either side. The rain tapers to showers by Saturday evening and continues (scattered) overnight. By Sunday morning, we will see a steady drying trend and some sunshine emerging in spots. RAINFALL, INLAND FLOODING Expecting between 1-2 inches of rainfall on average in southern New England.’ This will likely cause some brief, localized, urban/poor drainage flooding and street flooding during the late morning and early afternoon timeframe. SNOWFALL While there is a chance of some brief, wet snow mixing in Saturday morning, the majority of the snow and accumulation will be confined to elevated areas of New England. Best chance of a few inches in Massachusetts would be in the Berkshires. There is a higher risk of a light snow accumulation in the Green and White Mountains with perhaps as much as 6” in some of the highest peaks. WIND Winds will be gusty all day on Saturday, strongest in elevated areas and along the Coastline. Inland, low elevation: 20-40 mph gusts Inland, elevated areas: 30-50 mph gusts Coastal plain and most of Southeastern MA: 30-50mph gusts Cape Ann, extreme coastal Essex County, Cape Cod and the Islands: 40-60mph gusts Some pockets of wind damage will occur, exacerbated by the foliage still being on most of the trees. COASTAL FLOODING Tides will be running astronomically high this weekend coming off a full moon. Highest risk of coastal flooding will be during Saturday afternoon’s high tide cycle (1:40 p.m. in Boston). Flooding will largely be minor with just scattered pockets of splash over and beach erosion. Seas will build to 10-15 feet just offshore. As always, please stay tuned to WBZ-TV and CBSBoston.com for updates leading up to and during the storm on Saturday. Follow Terry on Twitter @TerryWBZ<doc-sep>Weather MA Weather: Details On Approaching Nor'easter We are likely to get hammered, but forecasters are anticipating we avoid the first major snow of the year. Here are the details. Reply A nor'easter will indeed hit New England this weekend, but forecasters are saying to expect primarily rain, not snow. Lots and lots of rain. One to 2 inches of rain is expected to fall over the weekend, accompanied by wind gusts of between 40-60 miles per hour. The storm is expected begin Saturday morning and last into Sunday morning. Though the storm isn't "likely match the impact of the late-October storm from 2011, it will still pack a punch," according to AccuWeather. That pre-Halloween storm saw a lot of heavy, wet snow. That isn't expected to be the case this time around, but this year's storm could still produce a ton of power outages due to the wind. It's going to be in part energized by what was Category 5 Hurricane Wilma. The temperatures in the eastern part of the state are expected to be in the high 40s and low 50s, so we'll dodge the first snow of the year. Good thing, too, because that area is expected to get the worst of the wind and rain. There still could be some snow - especially in higher terrains in Western Massachusetts.<doc-sep>At a Glance Conditions become more favorable for coastal storms along the East Coast in the fall. Recent examples of late-October coastal storms include a powerful Northeast storm just last year, a nor'easter in 2014 and "Snowtober" in 2011. Not all coastal storms are considered nor'easters, which feature northeasterly winds off the Atlantic Ocean. A nor'easter is forecast to slide up the East Coast during October's final weekend, and while that may seem early for a coastal storm, these storms are typically most common from fall through early spring. Recent examples of late-October coastal storms include a powerful Northeast storm just last year, a nor'easter in 2014 and "Snowtober" in 2011. Not all coastal storms are considered nor'easters, which feature northeasterly winds off the Atlantic Ocean. Last October's Northeast storm was one example of a coastal storm that wasn't technically a nor'easter. (MORE: What Is a Nor'easter?) Oct. 29-30, 2017 A powerful Northeast storm rapidly intensified Oct. 29-30, 2017, producing damaging winds that downed trees and triggered more than 1 million power outages, as well as flooding rainfall from New England to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Winds in parts of New England, mainly near the coast and in mountain locations, gusted over 70 mph, including a gust to 93 mph at Mashpee, Massachusetts, 115 mph atop Mount Mansfield, Vermont, and 131 mph at the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire. By Oct. 30, over 1 million customers were without power in the Northeast, according to poweroutage.us. Power outages in Central Maine Power's area of responsibility were more than double those from the destructive 1998 New England ice storm, previously the highest number of outages in the utility's 119-year history. The Portland Press Herald reported 186 power poles were broken in central Maine during the storm. There were 345 reports of wind damage during the event, primarily in New England, but also in New York's Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, northeastern Pennsylvania, the mid-Atlantic states and near the lakeshore of Lake Ontario. Reports of wind damage (blue dots) from the Oct. 29-30, 2017, Northeast storm. There were 345 total wind damage reports received by local National Weather Service offices during the event. (NOAA/NWS) Heavy rain triggered both flash flooding and river flooding, particularly in New England. More than 4 inches of rain triggered flooding in the Mount Washington Valley of northern New Hampshire. Flooding washed out a section of U.S. Highway 2 near the New Hampshire/Maine border. Water from the swollen Androscoggin River overtopped the nearby Shelburne Dam, raising fears the dam would fail, WMTW-TV reported. This Eastern storm underwent bombogenesis from a weak area of low pressure in the Carolina Piedmont to a strong low in the Saint Lawrence Valley. Its central pressure dropped 29 millibars in just 21 hours, from 8 a.m. EDT Oct. 29 to 5 a.m. EDT Oct. 30. Bombogenesis is a rapid deepening of pressures in a storm, which rapidly increases winds near the center of the storm. Scientifically, bombogenesis is defined as a drop of 24 millibars in 24 hours. In fact, the central pressure set an October record in Albany, New York, illustrative of the unusually strong nature of this inland storm for the time of year. This storm system received an injection of moisture and energy from ex-Tropical Storm Philippe as well. Oct. 21-23, 2014 A strong nor'easter tracked up the East Coast from the mid-Atlantic to New England Oct. 21-23, 2014, bringing coastal flooding, heavy rain and enough wind to take down trees and knock out power to thousands. Trees were downed in Boston and surrounding areas as winds gusted as high as 60 mph. Coupled with wet soil and trees that were still mostly in full leaf, the gusts were strong enough to snap large branches and drop them onto the roads, or cars, below. Local power companies reported about 11,000 customers without power in Massachusetts at the height of the storm – the most outages for any single state affected by this storm. Up to 5 inches of rain fell in some areas as well. In the Boston area, water rescues were required as drivers attempted to navigate flooded roadways, according to local reports. The New Jersey coast also felt the impacts of the nor'easter. Some people had to be rescued from their cars after roadways became flooded. At least one waterspout was spotted as well. Hail as large as three-quarters of an inch fell in Brick Township, New Jersey, according to local National Weather Service reports. A woman was killed by a falling tree in Baltimore after rain combined with breezy conditions. On New York's Long Island, more than 10,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm, NBC New York reported. (RECAP: Nor'easter Pounds New England: Thousands Without Power, Schools Closed in Massachusetts) 'Snowtober': Oct. 29-30, 2011 This rare, major October snowstorm dumped more than a foot of snow from northeastern Pennsylvania to southern Maine Oct. 29-30, 2011. Incredibly, parts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire saw more than 30 inches. Trees were damaged and power lines were downed by the heavy, wet snow, causing more than 3 million to lose power. In some of the hardest-hit areas, power was out for more than a week. Playing a role in the tree damage caused by "Snowtober" was the fact that many trees still had their leaves. Satellite image from Oct. 30, 2011, showing the swath of snow produced by "Snowtober" from West Virginia to southern New England. A storm event review by NOAA said that 39 direct and indirect deaths were blamed on the storm. The name "Snowtober" was widely used to refer to the storm by those following it on social media and elsewhere. (MORE: October Snowstorms Have Destructive Reputation) PHOTOS: Northeast Storm October 2017<doc-sep>

Weather MA Weather: Weekend Nor'easter Possible It doesn't necessarily mean the first snow, but there's one variable that could swing things. Reply What's scarier in the days leading to Halloween than a potential nor'easter? Early forecasts are already tossing the word around for a storm that could make its way up the East Coast this weekend. This weekend's possible nor'easter doesn't necessarily mean the first snowstorm of the year. While there could be high-terrain snow in Western Massachusetts and northern New England, Central and Eastern Massachusetts would likely see a miserably cold, windy stretch of rain. The National Weather Service said one variable to keep an eye on would be low temperatures. Friday could see the coldest air of the season, the NWS said, and, "If this air hangs around into the weekend, it'll be interesting as to possible outcomes [with] a potential Nor'Easter on tap." The forecast is still early, and Weather.com says its possible the storm's impact is minimized if it stays offshore. If it does hit, it could ruin outdoor and travel plans during the last weekend of October. "A period of heavy rain is most likely along the coast," AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey said. "Coastal areas may have to contend with beach erosion and flooding at time of high tide. Wet snow is possible over the higher terrain across the interior. Impacts from gusty winds from the strengthening storm could be a factor throughout the region." There is also the potential for significant snow to impact the northern part of the region midweek, according to AccuWeather. That's likely to not impact Massachusetts - or Game 1 of the World Series Tuesday night at Fenway Park, where it could be in the low 40s.

The turmoil at Tesla Inc. reached a fever pitch Friday, as news emerged that two senior executives will leave Elon Musk’s electric-car maker a matter of hours after he smoked marijuana during an hours-long interview with a comedian. Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton gave notice Tuesday that he was resigning less than a month into the job, according to a filing. Tesla’s stock plunged, then extended declines after Gabrielle Toledano, the head of human resources who’s been on a leave of absence, told Bloomberg News that she won’t rejoin the company. Morton, a former CFO for computer-drive maker Seagate Technology Plc, joined Tesla one day before Musk tweeted that he was considering buying out some investors at $420 a share and taking the company private. The CEO abandoned that effort 17 days later, and in the process drew a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission and a series of lawsuits alleging market manipulation. “Since I joined Tesla on August 6th, the level of public attention placed on the company, as well as the pace within the company, have exceeded my expectations,” Morton said in the filing. “This caused me to reconsider my future. I want to be clear that I believe strongly in Tesla, its mission, and its future prospects, and I have no disagreements with Tesla’s leadership or its financial reporting.” Tesla shares fell as much as 10 percent to $252.25 as of 9:46 a.m. in New York, the steepest intraday drop since June 2016. The company’s 5.3 percent bonds plummeted 4 cents, their biggest-ever decline, to 81.75 cents on the dollar, a record low, according to Trace bond price data. Tesla has long struggled with high turnover among its senior executive ranks, and its finance team in particular has gone through significant tumult lately. In the first quarter of this year, the company lost Morton’s predecessor, Eric Branderiz, and Susan Repo, who was treasurer and vice president of finance. CFO Deepak Ahuja retired in 2015, only to return in 2017 after his successor, Jason Wheeler, quit after just 15 months. By leaving, Morton walked away from a $10 million new-hire equity grant that would have vested over four years. Musk, 47, sipped whiskey during a more than 2 1/2-hour podcast with comedian Joe Rogan late Thursday that touched on everything from flame throwers and artificial intelligence to the end of the universe. While he said he was “not a regular smoker of weed,” he took a drag from what Rogan described as a joint containing tobacco mixed with marijuana, which is legal in California. “It’s quite hard to run companies. Especially car companies,” Musk said. “It’s very difficult to keep a car company alive.” The Leadership Brief. Conversations with the most influential leaders in business and tech. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Contact us at [email protected].<doc-sep>Tesla stock plunged 9 percent on Friday after a bizarre podcast in which CEO Elon Musk smoked weed and sipped whiskey, and two high-profile executives abruptly announced they were leaving the company. Musk has found himself at the center of a lot of buzz in recent months, including some questions about whether he’s been using drugs — legal or illicit — and he may have provided the answer himself during a Thursday night podcast by comedian Joe Rogan. Musk smoked what Rogan described as a joint containing a mix of marijuana and tobacco. “I’m not a regular smoker of weed,” the Tesla chief executive told Rogan and his podcast listeners. The U.S. Air Force launched an investigation into the matter as Musk's SpaceX has multiple high-value contracts with the military branch, CNBC reported on Friday. The episode quickly added to the growing controversy over the South African-born executive’s behavior in recent months and increased concerns that Musk might be using other drugs. In an emotional August interview with The New York Times last month, the CEO said he was working as many as 120 hours a week, admitting that friends were worried he was facing exhaustion. The Times also quoted sources claiming that some members of the Tesla board were worried about Musk’s use of the sleeping drug Ambien. Then, last month, rap singer Azealia Banks, a friend of the singer Grimes, whom Musk has been dating, claimed in a tweet that she saw Musk high on LSD at the time he tweeted about taking Tesla private. That short-lived plan has triggered an SEC investigation, as well as at least two lawsuits filed by short-sellers who claim it resulted in losses of hundreds of millions of dollars. Whether Musk has been using drugs, is suffering from exhaustion or, in his words, is struggling through an “excruciating” time of his life, his behavior is raising flags — and also appears to be contributing to the growing loss of talent at the California carmaker. Over the summer, Tesla’s head of engineering, Doug Fields, someone Musk once described as “one of the world’s most talented engineering execs,” unexpectedly quit. Now, two other key executives, including human resources head Gabrielle Toledano and Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton, are out the door. Morton’s departure was particularly surprising considering he joined Tesla only a month ago — a day before Musk’s infamous tweet suggesting he had “funding secured” to take the carmaker private. Though Morton said “I believe strongly in Tesla,” in a regulatory filing released Friday, he also noted that, "Since I joined Tesla on August 6th, the level of public attention placed on the company, as well as the pace within the company, have exceeded my expectations.” Later on Friday, Musk announced a series of promotions to fill a variety of open positions including president of automative and vice president of people and places. Musk has never been shy about public exposure. Like President Donald Trump, he is fond of expressing himself on Twitter but, much like the president, those tweets haven’t always generated the response he apparenttly expected. Two months ago, Musk got into a flame-war with Vernon Unsworth, a British diver who helped rescue a youth soccer team from a flooded Thai cave. The Tesla CEO had offered to send a mini-submarine to assist in the rescue, something Unsworth dismissed as a publicity stunt. The dispute quickly escalated, with Musk referring to the diver as “pedo guy,” slang for a pedophile. Unsworth threatened to sue and Musk subsequently apologized. But in an unexpected turn this week, Musk revived the dispute, this time referring to Unsworth as a “child rapist,” and urging him to sue. “Musk will be sued — not because of his hopes, but because he deserves to be sued,” responded the diver’s attorney, L. Lin Wood, adding that “Elon Musk’s ongoing campaign of publishing vile and false accusations against Mr. Unsworth is outrageous.” Musk has been picking other fights, deriding the media and, during a May conference call to discuss first-quarter earnings, cutting off several analysts, dismissing their questions as “boring.” Musk’s irreverent behavior has been seen by many of his followers as refreshing. But it is beginning to take its toll on the car company he helped found. The company’s stock has always been volatile but it has grown even more so, bouncing sharply, up or down, after many recent tweets. It neared a record after Musk posted about taking Tesla private, then fell by double digits just days later. This week, it took another fall as Musk renewed his attack on Unsworth. At the same time, its high-yield bonds tumbled to record lows. But Tesla has a history of bouncing back, and there were signs this week that investors are being buoyed by increases in production at the company’s Fremont, California, assembly plant — and the announcement, by Musk, that Tesla’s three product lines were the three best-selling EVs in America last month. That gives the CEO credibility on what matters most to many investors: his promise of profits for the second half of 2019 after years of heavy losses. But not everyone is calmed by those numbers. Funds run by Black Rock voted in favor of a recent shareholder proposal that would have required the carmaker to appoint an independent chairman. The measure failed to pass. Meanwhile, Tigress Financial Partners analyst Ivan Feinseth told Reuters that Musk “should not tweet about things outside of car production and the auto industry.” Referring to the SEC probe over the aborted privatization plan, Feinseth added that “the board, even though it is friendly to him, has now been put in a position where the internal governance of the company has been questioned.” While a sip of whiskey and a hit off a joint may be precisely what some executives need after a tough day at the office, Musk’s behavior appears to be making things tougher for himself, and for Tesla. CORRECTION (SEPT. 7, 2018, 11:55 A.M. ET): An earlier version of this article misspelled the first name of the comedian who hosted the podcast. He is Joe Rogan, not Josh.<doc-sep>Some states like California, where Rogan's podcast is recorded, have legalized the plant for recreational use. However, marijuana is still illegal according to U.S. federal law. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rolled back President Barack Obama-era policies in January that previously dictated the Justice Department would not pursue cases against those who violated federal marijuana laws in states where pot had been legalized. Tesla also asks that you do your part by following safety and health rules and practices and reporting (either openly or confidentially) accidents or any unsafe equipment, behavior (such as use of illegal drugs) or conditions to your manager, supervisor, Human Resources or the Legal Department. Violence and threatening behavior are not permitted, and under no circumstances should you bring a weapon to work. Employees should report to work without being under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol. The use of illegal drugs in the workplace will not be tolerated. One could argue Musk was representing Tesla as its CEO during the interview. By imbibing alcohol and marijuana, he was "under the influence" while at work. In an email to The Guardian, Musk said, "Our policy allows trace amounts of THC [an ingredient of cannabis] during work times, provided they are below the safety limit (much like a minimum alcohol level)." This isn't the first time there's been concern about Musk's drug use. Tesla board members have also raised concerns over Musk's consumption of recreational and prescription drugs, according to The New York Times. In particular, sources told the publication that Musk's use of sleeping aid Ambien may be having a negative effect, causing him to ramble on Twitter. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company's shares were down as much as 9 percent on Friday morning and closed down 6 percent.<doc-sep>

Tesla shares slipped lower in pre-market trading Friday following news that a key short-seller is suing the clean-energy carmaker for allegedly misleading investors over plans to take the company private and a radio interview that raised further questions over the judgement of founder and CEO Elon Musk. Short sellers lament burn, Tesla burns cash, Musk burns weed ... Tesla Inc. (TSLA) - Get Report shares plunged to the lowest level in five months Friday following news that a key short-seller is suing the clean-energy carmaker for allegedly misleading investors over plans to take the company private and a radio interview that raised further questions over the judgement of founder and CEO Elon Musk. Shares extended also declines after the company said its chief accounting officer, Dave Morton, had resigned after less than a month in the job. Andrew Left, who runs Citron Research, filed his suit against Tesla at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco Thursday, alleging Musk "artificially manipulated the price of Tesla securities with objectively false tweets in order to 'burn' the Company's short-sellers" when he sent his now infamous "taking Tesla private. Funding Secured" message on August. 7. News of the suit, one of seven that targets the Palo Alto, Calif.-based group, was soon followed by an appearance from Musk on the Joe Rogan podcast, in which he smoked marijuana, drank whiskey and told the comedian during the two and a half hour interview that it was "very difficult to keep a car company alive." "I'm not a regular smoker of weed," Musk said. "I don't actually notice any effect. I don't find that it is very good for productivity." Tesla said the company's accounting functions will be overseen by CFO Deepak Ahuja and the group's corporate controller, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "Since I joined Tesla on August 6th, the level of public attention placed on the company, as well as the pace within the company, have exceeded my expectations," Morton said in the statement. "As a result, this caused me to reconsider my future." "I want to be clear that I believe strongly in Tesla, its mission, and its future prospects, and I have no disagreements with Tesla's leadership or its financial reporting," Morton added. Tesla shares were marked 9.9% in the opening minutes of trading Friday before paring the decline to around 6.3% and changing hands at $263.46 each, a move that takes the stock to the lowest level since April 2 and some 37% from the $420 price that Musk indicated he had funding support to purchase the shares in the open market. Musk's public behaviour since the August Tweet has raised serious questions over his ability to run a public company, with the billionaire founder himself telling the New York Times last month that the past year has been the "most difficult and painful" of his career. Since that interview, however, Musk has courted controversy -- and added to his increasingly active legal calendar -- by reviving a spat with Vernon Unsworth, a British diver who was part of the rescue team that extracted twelve Thai boys from a local football team, along with their coach, trapped in a cave beneath the Doi Nang Non mountain on the border of Myanmar. "He's an old, single white guy from England who's been travelling to or living in Thailand for 30 to 40 years, mostly Pattaya Beach, until moving to Chiang Rai for a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time," Musk told Buzzfeed in an email earlier this week in which he referred to Unsworth as 'child rapist'. "There's only one reason people go to Pattaya Beach," Musk allegedly told Buzzfeed. Unsworth's attorney, Mark Stephens, have vowed to sue the billionaire for libel. Musk is also facing a probe from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over the August Tweets, with Fox Business News reporting Thursday that one of them is Roel Campos, a former SEC commissioner and partner at the Hughes, Hubbbard and Reed law firm, while other reports suggest he's also drafted Steven Farina of Williams & Connolly. "There's only been two car companies in American history that haven't gone bankrupt," Musk said during the podcast interview. "That's Ford (F) - Get Report and Tesla."

The House just voted in favor of blocking Trump’s national emergency. The Democratic-controlled lower chamber voted 245-182 to approve a resolution that would terminate the national emergency, sending the measure over to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain. Both the House and the Senate will need to approve the resolution by a simple majority for it to ultimately pass. The measure was backed Tuesday by an overwhelming number of House Democrats as well as 13 Republicans, though not enough to reach the lower chamber’s veto-proof 290-vote threshold. Democrats are hoping to use this resolution to stymie Trump’s emergency declaration, which they argue bypasses the spending authority Congress is granted by the Constitution. As part of the National Emergencies Act of 1976, Congress has a legislative check it can use in an attempt to block an emergency. All the resolution needs is a simple majority of lawmakers in both chambers to approve it. Now that the House has passed this measure, what remains to be seen is whether the Republican-dominated Senate will do the same. The 47-member Democratic caucus in the upper chamber will have to stay united and convince at least four Republicans to join them. And even if the resolution passes both the House and the Senate, the White House has already signaled that Trump would veto the measure, which would mark the first veto of his presidency. (Trump has threatened a veto plenty of times before without going through with it.) White House officially issues veto threat on resolution to terminate Pres. Trump’s National Emergency declaration, per @betsy_klein pic.twitter.com/NasvVvU328 — Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) February 26, 2019 What happens next The Senate will take up this resolution in the coming weeks, where the scrutiny will be on Republican lawmakers who’ve expressed concern with the precedent this emergency declaration could set for future Democratic presidents. Because the resolution falls under the purview of the National Emergencies Act, the Senate is required to hold a vote on it within 18 days. Already Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have indicated that they will vote in favor of blocking Trump’s emergency declaration, with Lisa Murkowski indicating that she’s “likely” to do so as well. If Democrats are able to swing one more Republican to their side, it’s probable that the resolution will actually clear both chambers of Congress, only to be vetoed by the president. Since establishing a two-thirds veto-proof majority for the measure in both the House and the Senate is highly unlikely, the resolution is ultimately expected to fail. Democrats, at that point, could continue their fight against the national emergency declaration in the courts.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — Today’s House vote to reverse President Trump’s national emergency declaration for his border wall will tell us a lot about how Republicans might break when it comes to special counsel Robert Mueller’s ultimate findings. A test vote on the rule of law? (Can a president bypass Congress if he doesn’t get his way?) Check. A test vote on the separation of powers? (Which branch of government gets to tax and spend money?) You betcha. A test vote on the number of Republicans willing to break away from Trump? If you’re not going to vote against the president on this matter – bypassing Congress’ will on build a border wall – you’re never going to vote against him. NBC’s Marianna Sotomayor reports that the House vote is expected between 5:15 pm ET and 6:15 pm ET, and the legislation reversing Trump’s national emergency declaration has 230 co-sponsors (including one Republican), so it will pass. Once the legislation clears the House, the Senate has 18 days to vote on it. Guess which GOP senator has come out against Trump’s national emergency? Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who just happens to be up for re-election in 2020. Michael Cohen plans to make some news As it turns out,President Trump picked quite the week to be thousands of miles away in Vietnam. In addition to the House vote on his national emergency declaration, former Trump fixer/attorney Michael Cohen is testifying on Capitol Hill – in three different settings: Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee (closed meeting) Wednesday before the House Oversight and Reform Committee (open) Thursday before House Intelligence Committee (closed). And it looks like Cohen is willing to make some news, especially on Wednesday, a knowledgeable source tells NBC News: “Cohen will describe behind the scenes eyewitness, personal observation anecdotes which include lies, racism and cheating as a private businessman when Cohen worked for him for ten years.” “He will also reveal information about Trump's financial statements.” “Cohen will discuss his motives for lying and why he decided to tell the truth publicly for fear of his family and country.” “Did anyone tell him to lie? Cohen will discuss this as well. In Trump world no one talks in declarative sentences.” Replacing Rahm It’s Election Day in Chicago, where a whopping 14 candidates are running to succeed outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Political observers in the Windy City say an April 2 runoff featuring the Top 2 finishers is virtually guaranteed, since no one is expected to get the 50 percent-plus needed to win outright tonight. Indeed, breaking into the 20s probably gets you in the runoff. The top candidates vying to replace Rahm are Cook County Board of Commissioners President Toni Preckwinkle, former Clinton Commerce Secretary and Obama Chief of Staff Bill Daley (whose father and brother served as Chicago mayor), former assistant U.S. attorney Lori Lightfoot (who co-chaired the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force), and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Oh, and get a load of this potential headache: NBC Chicago reports that any of the Top 3 finishers can file for a discovery recount if they’re within 5 percentage points of the candidate ahead of them. 2020 Vision: Bernie’s eyebrow-raising answer on releasing his tax returns In Bernie Sanders’ otherwise solid performance at last night’s CNN town hall – it helps having run for president before! – this exchange on his tax returns stood out: CNN: Will you release 10 years of your tax returns? As you know, Elizabeth Warren has decided to do that. SANDERS: Yes. CNN: What was the delay? Why haven't you done that so far? SANDERS: Well, you know, the delay is not -- it'll bore -- our tax returns will bore you to death. It's simply -- nothing special about them. It just was a mechanical issue. We don't have accountants at home. My wife does most of it. And we will get that stuff out. CNN: So when do you think we'll be able to see your tax returns? SANDERS: Sooner than later. CNN: What does that mean? SANDERS: Soon. [snip] CNN: And why didn't you do it the last time around? You were under a lot of pressure to do so. SANDERS: I wasn't under a lot of pressure. I didn't end up doing it because I didn't win the nomination. If we had won the nomination, we would have done it. CNN: All right, Senator, but... SANDERS: But, again, I don't want to shock you, Wolf. They're very boring tax returns. CNN: And we'll look for to seeing them. SANDERS: OK. Our takeaway: It doesn’t take an accountant to make PDFs of past returns filed to the IRS. What is he nervous about? On the 2020 trail today Joe Biden has a conversation with historian and author Jon Meacham at the University of Delaware. Data Download: -19 percentage points That’s the margin among independent voters who agree that “The country would be better off if our political and economic systems were more socialist,” (37 percent) and those who disagree (56 percent). According to the poll conducted by the Republican firm Public Opinion Strategies – the GOP half of the NBC/WSJ poll – 45 percent of all registered voters agree that the U.S. would be better off if it were more socialist, including Democrats by a 77 percent-to-19 percent margin (+58). But a majority – 51 percent – disagree, including GOP respondents by a 14 percent-to-83 percent margin (-69). Key swing groups also disagree, such as white suburban women (-17) and those living in potential 2020 battleground states (-12). Bottom line from Public Opinion Strategies pollster Neil Newhouse: “The president’s State of the Union warning against a shift to socialism makes sense given these poll results.” The poll was conducted February 16-20 of 800 registered voters, and it has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points. Tweet of the day One reason House Republicans are citing to oppose the resolution to overturn President Trump's national emergency declaration is they haven't had time to review the bill. It is one page and about 70-80 words: https://t.co/1BkbT1meKu — Susan Davis (@DaviSusan) February 25, 2019<doc-sep>President Trump will likely have to issue his first veto to keep in place his national emergency declaration. But based on what we know now, the veto is unlikely to be overturned. The House voted 245-182 Tuesday to overturn Trump’s declaration, which would free up money to build more physical barriers along the U.S-Mexico border. Thirteen Republicans joined 232 Democrats to vote yes. But that was the easiest part — it gets progressively harder for opponents of Trump’s emergency from here. Next, the resolution goes to the Senate, where it needs only a simple majority to pass. If the resolution passes the Senate, Trump will presumably veto it, in which case a two-thirds majority would be needed in each chamber to override the veto. The Senate looks likely to pass the resolution, but not by a veto-proof majority. Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins, both of whom break with Trump more than most other Senate Republicans, and North Carolina’s Thom Tillis have already said they will back the resolution. Assuming all 47 Democratic senators vote “yes” (this is a safe assumption, none have signaled they will break ranks), one more Republican defection would allow the provision to pass. And there are more than a dozen Republicans who have raised concerns about Trump’s declaration, with many of them casting it as an overreach of executive power that they worry will set a precedent for the next Democratic president. In terms of additional Senate defections, I’m looking for four kinds of senators who would be more likely to join with Democrats. First, there are the more moderate Republicans, both of whom are accounted for: Collins and Murkowski are expected to vote for the resolution. (There aren’t many true moderate GOP members left in the Senate.) More moderate Republicans were clearly more likely to break with Trump in the House on Tuesday. The 13 Republicans who voted “yes” with the Democrats had an average Trump Score of 83 percent, well below the average among the “no” votes, 94 percent. (Of course, plenty of Republicans with relatively low Trump Scores, in the mid-to-high 80s, voted “no” also.) Second, keep an eye on the GOP senators who are the most electorally vulnerable in 2020, running in states that Hillary Clinton either won or narrowly lost. Again, Collins falls in this bucket, but so too does Tillis. Colorado’s Cory Gardner and Arizona’s Martha McSally, who haven’t tipped their hands yet, also qualify. For these senators, showing some independence from Trump might be smart politics. In the House, the average Republican to break with Trump on Tuesday came from a district with a FiveThirtyEight partisan lean of about R+16; the average “no” Republican came from a R+28 district. Then, there are the statesman senators, such as Tennessee’s Lamar Alexander, Utah’s Mitt Romney, and Nebraska’s Ben Sasse. They like to project images that they are above partisanship and instead act in the national interest. I would not be surprised if one of these men joins the Democrats. Finally, watch Utah’s Mike Lee and Kentucky’s Rand Paul, who I would categorize as kind of maverick-y in the Senate. So let’s assume at least one of those Republicans joins Collins, Tillis and Murkowski and this bill passes the Senate, but is then vetoed by Trump. That veto is likely to stand. Only 13 of the 195 House Republicans who voted on the measure joined with the Democrats, far below the more than 50 House Republicans who would be needed for a veto override. Even if all of the Republicans in the most competitive districts who voted with Trump this time around decide to vote with the House Democrats in the next vote, the resolution would still need more than two dozen additional votes from Republicans to pass the House. Those would have to come from members in clearly conservative districts (those that lean more than 10 points toward the GOP). That is unlikely, particularly since Republican voters overwhelmingly support Trump’s national emergency policy. In the Senate, 20 Republicans would need to join Democrats to override a Trump veto, but there aren’t nearly that many GOP members who come from purpleish states and break with Trump relatively often. I made a list of every Senate Republican that somewhat resembles the Republicans who voted “yes” in the House and I got only 10 names: Murkowski, Collins, Rick Scott, Mike Braun, John Kennedy, Josh Hawley, Steve Daines, Patrick J. Toomey, Lindsey Graham and Ron Johnson. And it’s hard to imagine even some of those 10 voting to overturn a presidential veto. In short, on the national emergency policy, Trump’s party is not totally unified behind him, but for now, they appear to be unified enough. House votes to end Trump’s national emergency<doc-sep>WASHINGTON – The House voted 245-182 Tuesday to block President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency along the southern border, but Democrats didn’t win enough support from Republicans to overcome Trump’s threatened veto. Only 13 Republicans joined all Democrats in backing the measure, even though many had warned against the declaration. GOP Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington said she was “100 percent in favor of President Trump’s wall" but Congress shouldn't give up its power delegated by the Constitution. "When that power is delegated to the executive or judicial branches, representatives become elected bystanders and ‘We the People’ no longer have a voice," McMorris Rodgers said. The GOP-controlled Senate must weigh in on the "privileged resolution" within 18 days. Vice President Mike Pence and legal experts discussed the emergency declaration with Republican senators during their weekly caucus lunch Tuesday. Several senators said afterward they were still processing the information. “One thing that’s not in debate in our conference – we really do think there’s a crisis at the border,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “There are different points of view about how to address that.” Trump declared an emergency this month after Congress sent to the president a bipartisan funding bill that failed to meet his demand for $5.7 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump took the action to free up billions from other sources to pay for the barrier. Democrats have said the declaration is unconstitutional and are using a provision from the National Emergencies Act to try to halt the president. "If the president is successful in getting his way on this, rest assured he will come back, he will try this again, probably on other issues, as will future presidents. The Congress must step up," said Rep. Joaquin Castro, the Texas Democrat leading the effort. Hours before the vote, Trump formally threatened to veto the legislation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the core of the Constitution that lawmakers swore to uphold is the separation of powers between the three branches of government. "Perhaps it’s time for our country to have a civics lesson," Pelosi said before the vote. "Our founders rejected the idea of a monarch." As the resolution moves to the Senate, here's what you need to know: Which Senate Republicans have said they’ll support the measure? The national emergency has been controversial for Republicans, many of whom warned the president his move could set a bad precedent. But it is unclear how many will publicly oppose the president and vote to terminate the order. On Monday night, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, announced he would vote in favor of a resolution that disapproved of the national emergency in an op-ed in the Washington Post. "As a U.S. senator, I cannot justify providing the executive with more ways to bypass Congress," Tillis wrote. "As a conservative, I cannot endorse a precedent that I know future left-wing presidents will exploit to advance radical policies that will erode economic and individual freedoms." GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have also indicated support for the measure in its current form. Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, said Tuesday night she was "seeking assurances that the money will not come from Arizona military construction projects" for her vote. Will the resolution pass the Senate? After passing the House on Tuesday, the resolution must be taken up within 18 days by the Senate, where its future remains unclear. Most legislation that comes up in the Senate requires 60 votes to pass. However, because this resolution is considered "privileged," it needs just 51 votes, increasing the chances of passage. There are 47 Senate Democrats – none of whom have spoken against the resolution – so if the Democrats stay unified only four Republicans would need to cross party lines. Tillis, Collins and Murkowski already have said they would if the legislation remains the same as it was introduced. Why does this resolution get special treatment? Normally legislation comes up for a vote at the discretion of the speaker or majority leader. That means if a lawmaker introduces legislation the leadership doesn't want to deal with, the bill may not be brought up for a vote. But because this resolution comes from the National Emergencies Act, once it is introduced it must come up for a vote. Are there other options? If Congress is unable to halt the national emergency through the legislative process, members could still file lawsuits, a move Pelosi did not rule out during a press conference last week. California and 15 other states have already filed a lawsuit over the declaration, arguing it exceeds the power of the president and unconstitutionally redirects federal money that would have gone to their states. And the liberal watchdog group Public Citizen filed a lawsuit on behalf of Texas landowners who were told their property would be seized for the wall. Contributing: Deborah Barfield Berry, John Fritze, Alan Gomez, Christal Hayes Donald Trump declares national emergency to free up billions of dollars for border wall 16 states sue Trump over national emergency declaration, border wall The Wall: An in-depth examination of Donald Trump's border wall<doc-sep>

WASHINGTON — The House passed a resolution Tuesday evening that would terminate President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency, voting 245-182. Thirteen House Republicans joined Democrats to vote in favor of the resolution. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Joaquín Castro, D-Texas, is intended to stop the president's use of billions of dollars in existing federal funds to build a wall on the southern border without congressional approval. The Senate, where the vote is likely to be close, is required to hold a vote within 18 days on the resolution, which Trump can veto if it passes Congress. "We’ve got 230 co-sponsors," Castro had said in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Tuesday morning — more than the number of votes needed for passage. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina on Monday evening became the third Republican to say that he plans to back the resolution once it reaches the upper chamber. "As a U.S. senator, I cannot justify providing the executive with more ways to bypass Congress," Tillis wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post. "As a conservative, I cannot endorse a precedent that I know future left-wing presidents will exploit to advance radical policies that will erode economic and individual freedoms," he added. "These are the reasons I would vote in favor of the resolution disapproving of the president’s national-emergency declaration, if and when it comes before the Senate." Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, have also both indicated that they would vote in favor of the resolution. That leaves one more GOP vote needed for passage in the Senate, which would be an embarrassment to the president. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has said that he supports Trump's declaration, wouldn't definitively say Tuesday whether he thinks the president's decision is legal. He said that Senate Republicans had had a "robust, vigorous discussion" about the move's legality during their closed-door lunch earlier in the day, which was attended by Vice President Mike Pence and a lawyer from the Department of Justice. "Well, we're in the process of weighing that," McConnell told NBC's Kasie Hunt when asked if he thought the declaration was legal. "The lawyer was there to make his argument, there were some counter arguments. I haven't reached a total conclusion about (it).... but we had some real serious lawyers in there discussing that very issue." Under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, Congress has the ability to try to end an emergency status instituted by the president. Once it passes the House, the measure would be sent to the Senate, where — unlike most legislation — GOP leaders could not block it from reaching the floor. Federal law requires that the Senate take up the House-passed resolution within 18 days. Assuming all Senate Democrats supported the resolution, only four Republicans would need to defect for Democrats to secure the 51 votes needed to send it to the president’s desk. Administration aides have already made clear Trump would veto any effort that interfered with his declaration, and the measure is unlikely to attract anywhere near the GOP support needed to overturn a presidential veto.

With Charles Leclerc sitting comfortably atop the timing screens for Ferrari, putting together the end-of-day Formula 1 testing report with around 20 minutes left on the clock seemed like a safe bet. Although Leclerc remained P1 for Ferrari, a minor rewrite was required after a surprise name popped up into second place with a couple of quick lap times. Lando Norris’ first run in the new McLaren MCL34 car ended on a real high. He initially went P2 after lapping six-tenths off Leclerc’s time before managing to shave another 0.3 seconds off his PB in the final five minutes. He may have been running on a softer compound tyre than Leclerc (C4 to C3), but it was nevertheless a time that caught the attention of those in the Barcelona paddock. Two days down, two P2 finishes, and two 100-lap days. For starters, things have been very encouraging for McLaren. We’ve seen how a difficult pre-season can act as a warning sign of things to come, particularly in the past two turbulent years. 2017’s opening test acted as the first fracture in the final break of McLaren’s relationship with Honda as issue after issue limited its running. While 2018 was more encouraging, there were still a number of teething problems that foreshadowed the difficult season to follow. This time around though, things have been going far more smoothly – acting as another key shift compared to recent times for the team – as both Norris and teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. have hit the ground running with the new car. Pace is always hard to judge this early on, making mileage the key stat teams can take comfort in. And if you’re McLaren, compared to recent years, it makes for very good reading indeed. After Sainz managed 119 laps on Monday, Norris racked up 104 today to give the team a cumulative total of 223 for the first two days of running. Last year, the team managed only 88 laps through the first two days in Barcelona, and ended the test with a final total of 260, largely thanks to a mammoth final day in which 161 laps were completed. The third day saw Fernando Alonso only manage 11 laps as snow hit the circuit, so this figure will likely have been higher. McLaren is already ahead of the curve compared to where it stood in its final year with Honda. It managed only 69 laps through the first two days of testing in 2017, and ended the first four tests on 208 laps. The team may trail Ferrari (326), Mercedes (313) and Renault (232) for laps, but given its recent struggles, to be sitting fourth on the mileage charts will come as a boost to everyone at the team, as well as easing any nerves the team may have had coming into pre-season testing. The final point is particularly crucial to Norris, for whom every lap is key entering his rookie F1 season. “It’s good to know that we can get through pretty much a whole day with no big problems,” said Norris. “But it’s only day two. I’m sure we’re going to run into a couple of problems at some point, but it’s just making sure I guess that we can get through this whole test. We know what the problems might be on the car that could come up, so it’s just making sure we figure them out before Australia, and none of them pop up, knowing that we could have fixed it at some point over these couple of weeks. “It’s good confidence from myself and from the team, knowing that there’s not a lot to keep chasing up on and keep checking after every run. I think for the team side as well, it’s good for them, knowing they’re going to be confident getting through every run plan possible through every day.” Norris also said he could note an improvement in the team’s mood compared to last year – perhaps unsurprising given that 12 months ago, every press session with then-racing director Eric Boullier seemed to start with words to the effect of “what happened to cause the breakdown…” “I definitely think it is an improvement from last year,” said Norris. “Obviously I wasn’t the driver last year, so wasn’t as integrated as what I am now. But in terms of seeing everyone, the motivation from everyone, how they work as a whole group and a family pretty much, it definitely seems to be going in the right direction. “It’s not perfect, but I think some of the problems that we have had or some of the niggles that we’ve had to overcome have been ironed out slowly. It’s just trying to make sure everyone works in the right direction and in a positive way, but it’s still going to take a bit more time before I think everyone is working together in the correct way. “But it’s going in the right direction, which is the main thing.” Norris cautious optimism echoes the feelings that came out of McLaren at its car launch last week. The team isn’t looking to make massive statements or set its goals sky high, but instead focus on doing the best job it possibly can and work on what it can control. And that this stage, mileage is king – so the team deserves credit for that. And Norris wasn’t looking to make any sweeping declarations about the step the MCL34 car has made over last year’s troublesome MCL33 when asked it the new model had resolved many of its predecessor’s issues. “It’s a different car to last year, there’s a lot of different things - but also the car is very different in terms of aero I guess compared to last year with the [regulation] differences,” said Norris. “Some things we’ve improved on from a car perspective, but there’s a lot to work on, a lot of stuff that we’ve learned over the last couple of days that we need to fairly quickly develop and improve on for the rest of the test, but also going into the first race. “It’s hard to say if all the problems are gone. There are still some things that we struggle with. It’s not a perfect car, for sure. “But I think so far, so good, and between Carlos and myself, we’re reasonably happy with how everything felt so far.” So far, so good indeed. The goal for McLaren will now be to build on this solid foundation and carry this early promise through pre-season.<doc-sep>Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets as Ferrari made an impressively fast start to F1 2019 on the first day of pre-season testing. "I couldn't have hoped for a better first day," said the German. "Unbelievable." But while anticipation is building for another blockbuster battle between Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull this season, it was McLaren who emerged as the Scuderia's closest challengers on Day One. World champion Lewis Hamilton was only ninth quickest. Mercedes did, however, complete a combined 150 laps after Valtteri Bottas ran in the morning session. Mercedes: Hamilton in best ever shape Williams set to miss Day Two of test F1 Testing: Live on Sky Sports F1 Sebastian Vettel was quick. Very quick. Ferrari and Vettel's flying start trumps McLaren Vettel flew out of the blocks to set his fastest time, a 1:18.161 just before lunch, a benchmark that didn't look likely to be challenged before Carlos Sainz's eyebrow-raising late surge in the MCL34. In the closing stages of a fascinating first day, Sainz lapped within half a second of Vettel - an encouraging feat for a McLaren team so desperate for improvement this year. But this was still Ferrari's day. Vettel also posted the most laps -170 - while his fastest time was two seconds quicker than anything we saw at this stage last year. Two Ferrari-powered teams, meanwhile, in Haas and Alfa Romeo occupied third and fifth through Romain Grosjean and the experienced Kimi Raikkonen respectively. Red Bull enjoyed a solid first day with Honda engines, with Max Verstappen fourth and over a second off Vettel's eye-catching pace but also racking up over a century of laps. "So far so good," said the Dutchman. "Everything was working quite well, we did quite a lot of laps. I'm happy about that but it's still the first day. "We're happy and we'll keep improving. Like everyone else we still need to learn the car, still need to learn the engine." The biggest enigma were Mercedes as the world champions opted for longer runs, failing to trouble the leading times all day. Bottas and Hamilton split the running for the Silver Arrows, only slotting into eighth and ninth with a fastest time of 1:20.127. Renault also appeared to be holding something back, with Nico Hulkenberg and new recruit Daniel Ricciardo surprisingly propping up the timesheets. Williams, meanwhile, didn't get out on track at all and have also ruled themselves out of Day Two - meaning the Grove team are set to miss a quarter of F1 Testing. F1 Testing: Day One, Test One Timesheet Driver Team Total laps Fastest tyre Fastest lap Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 169 C3 1:18.161 Carlos Sainz McLaren 119 C4 1:18..558 Romain Grosjean Haas 65 C3 1:19.159 Max Verstappen Red Bull 128 C3 1:19.426 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo 114 C3 1:19.462 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 77 C4 1:19.464 Sergio Perez Racing Point 30 C3 1:19.944 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 69 C2 1:20.127 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 81 C2 1:20.135 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 65 C2 1:20.980 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 44 C2 1:20.983 Compound 2=2019 Medium tyre Compound 3=2019 Soft tyre Compound 4=2019 Hypersoft tyre Day One at Barcelona in quotes Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari "I couldn't have hoped for a better first day. Unbelievable. If we can maintain the level of enjoyment and fun that I found on the track today and saw in people's faces the last couple of months then I'm positive and hopeful for the future." Toto Wolff, Mercedes "I've seen [Vettel's] time and the time was very quick." Christian Horner, Red Bull "It's a very good starting point [for the Honda engine]. The installation looks great, it's beautifully integrated into the car and we're hopefully going to see exciting progress through the year." Zak Brown, McLaren "It's been a good first day. We're coming off a very difficult few years and obviously last year's first day of testing didn't go to plan and today has." Franz Tost, Toro Rosso "[Honda] have made big progress over the winter - from the reliability side as well as the performance side," Day One at Barcelona in pictures McLaren were quick even before the green light - Carlos Sainz was first onto the track ahead of Valtteri Bottas Lewis Hamilton had the morning off for Mercedes, but completed 81 laps in the afternoon alone. Romain Grosjean ground to a halt at the final chicane. He only completed 65 laps. Kimi Raikkonen caused two red flags, one early on after spinning into the gravel. Daniil Kvyat enjoyed an encouraging return to F1, within a tenth of the Red Bull. Get the dedicated Sky Sports F1 channel - the exclusive home of all live F1 next season - for £18 a month in HD with no contract. Get Sky Sports F1.<doc-sep>McLaren Renault fastest top speed but Mercedes still cruising After two days of Formula 1 preseason testing, Renault are leading in the top speed stakes as Lando Norris recorded the top speed in the McLaren of 337 kph but it is pretty obvious that Ferrari and Mercedes, in particular, are yet to unleash their best. Top Speeds In a report published on the official F1 website, stats Honda in second on 229 kph which was recorded by Max Verstappen on the first day of testing in Spain. Notably, Mercedes were slowest at around 326 kph, suggesting that for now they are simply in cruise-mode and when they do crank it up they are likely to tickle the 340 kph and perhaps even break it. Racing Point are also likely to benefit from the extra horses when they are made available, as the RP19 with Sergio Perez at the wheel looked like a handy piece of kit. Ferrari is sure to have some added oomph in their bag of tricks and of course, it will be interesting to see what Honda’s ‘party mode’ has in store. For now Renault… (make that their customer team McLaren) are fastest down the main straight, but that is likely to change in the forthcoming days. Data Gathering Ferrari are the only engine supplier with six cars running during the first Formula preseason test in Barcelona, which makes them top of the all-important data collection stakes during the first two days of on-track action. Renault and Honda are each supplying two teams each while Ferrari have three as do Mercedes, but with the Williams no show they lost out on the extra data acquisition. Thus Ferrari-powered cars have covered over 300 laps around the Spanish Grand Prix venue, next best are Mercedes on just under 250 laps racked up during the first two days.<doc-sep>

Lando Norris says there is “good confidence” in McLaren after getting through the opening two days of Formula 1 pre-season testing without encountering any “big problems”. The 19-year-old rookie turned in an impressive day for McLaren as he logged 104 laps on his way to finishing just three tenths off the pace of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on Tuesday, adding to the mileage Carlos Sainz racked up on the opening day. Barring a brief stoppage for Sainz on Monday due to a loss of power, McLaren has run largely issue-free in a stark contrast to winter tests of previous years. “I managed to do some longer runs, something I haven’t managed to do so much of in any other tests so far,” Norris said at the end of his first day behind the wheel of the MCL34. “So for myself it’s good to know that we can get through pretty much a whole day with no big problems. “But it’s only day two. I’m sure we’re going to run into a couple of problems at some point, but it’s just making sure I guess that we can get through this whole test. “We know what the problems might be on the car that could come up,” he added. “So it’s just making sure we figure them out before Australia, and none of them pop up, knowing that we could have fixed it at some point over these couple of weeks. “It’s good confidence from myself and from the team knowing that there’s not a lot to keep chasing up on and keep checking after every run. “I think for the team side as well, and it’s good for them knowing they’re going to be confident getting through every run plan possible through every day.” Norris drove McLaren’s 2018 challenger during seven practice sessions last year and is confident the team has made a step forward with its MCL34, though he stressed it is “not a perfect car”. “Some things we’ve improved on from a car perspective,” Norris explained. “But there’s a lot to work on - a lot of stuff that we’ve learned over the last couple of days that we need to fairly quickly develop and improve on for the rest of the test and going into the first race. “It’s hard to say if all the problems are gone. There are still some things that we struggle with. It’s not a perfect car, for sure. But I think so far, so good, and between Carlos [Sainz] and myself, we’re reasonably happy with how everything felt so far. “These next few days, the car is probably never going to look perfect. We’re trying to explore every area we can to make sure by the end of this test, we know the correct direction to work and develop the car in. “So throughout the season, we know where to push the car or what areas we really have to develop to become better or make the car faster.”

Georgia lawmaker to resign after using racial slurs on new Sacha Baron Cohen show (ABC News) Georgia lawmaker to resign after using racial slurs on new Sacha Baron Cohen show originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A Georgia state legislator handed in his resignation on Tuesday amid fallout over a controversial television appearance in which he exposed himself on camera, used racial epithets and appeared to speak in a mock-Asian accent. Republican Rep. Jason Spencer caved to mounting pressure for him to step down after an appearance on Sacha Baron Cohen's new Showtime series, "Who Is America?" "Rep. Jason Spencer has written to Speaker Ralston to announce his resignation from the Georgia House of Representatives effective July 31," a spokesperson for the Georgia House of Representatives told ABC News in a statement Tuesday. This image released by Showtime shows Jason Spencer in a scene from the series 'Who Is America,' starring Sacha Baron Cohen. In the episode featuring Spencer, Cohen poses as an Israeli military expert who persuades Spencer to take part in several out (The Associated Press) He submitted his resignation via email at around 11 p.m. EST. Spencer, who lost a primary election in May, could have remained office through the November election. In the TV episode, which aired Sunday, Spencer is seen using multiple racial slurs, including the N-word, and exposing his bare buttocks while shouting "USA!" and "America!" for what he thought was a counterterrorism video. Spencer apologized for what he called a "ridiculously ugly episode," but initially refused to step down. PHOTO: Sacha Baron Cohen arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif., March 4, 2018. (Evan Agostini/Invision via AP, FILE) This image released by Showtime shows Jason Spencer in a scene from the series 'Who Is America,' starring Sacha Baron Cohen. In the episode featuring Spencer, Cohen poses as an Israeli military expert who persuades Spencer to take part in several out (The Associated Press) "Sacha Baron Cohen and his associates took advantage of my paralyzing fear that my family would be attacked," Spencer said in a statement. He said he was told that the tactics would deter "what I believed was an inevitable attack." Cohen posed as an Israeli military expert who convinced Spencer to participate in over-the-top behavior. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had called for Spencer's resignation, and the state's governor, Nathan Deal, said he was "saddened and disgusted" by the video. "The actions and language used by Jason Spencer are appalling and offensive," Deal said in a statement Monday. "There is no excuse for this type of behavior, ever, and I am saddened and disgusted by it." Story continues The actions and language used by Jason Spencer are appalling and offensive. There is no excuse for this type of behavior, ever, and I am saddened and disgusted by it. — Governor Nathan Deal (@GovernorDeal) July 23, 2018 Spencer's resignation came just hours after Georgia's secretary of state, Brian Kemp, won the state's Republican nomination for governor on Tuesday, defeating Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in a runoff election. Both candidates had urged Spencer to resign. "Rep. Spencer's words and behavior are hurtful, insensitive, and completely unacceptable. At the very least, he should issue a public apology for this shameful incident," said Kemp, who is backed by President Donald Trump. Editor's note: Republican Rep. Jason Spencer is a Georgia state legislator. An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to him as a member of Congress. ABC News' Briana Montalvo contributed to this story.<doc-sep>Jason Spencer, the Georgia Republican lawmaker who was fooled into repeatedly yelling a racial epithet on the comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s television series, intends to resign effective July 31. The decision was announced early Wednesday in an email from the office of David Ralston, the Georgia House speaker. It was the first real-world consequence of Mr. Cohen’s Showtime series, “Who Is America?” The show has pranked a long list of sitting and former lawmakers, including the former Vice President Dick Cheney; Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Republican of California; and the former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The episode featuring Mr. Spencer aired on Sunday, and he initially resisted calls to resign, even from within his own party. Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, said in a post on Twitter on Monday that “the actions and language used by Jason Spencer are appalling and offensive.” Mr. Spencer lost his primary in the spring in his bid for a fifth term and initially said he would serve out his final five months, but the drum beat became too loud. [Sacha Baron Cohen is duping Republicans. Is he the James O’Keefe of the left?] By the time the speaker’s office announced the resignation, a fierce bipartisan effort to cast Mr. Spencer out of office had taken shape. It was clear that he would face sustained public and private pressure, and black lawmakers had planned a state Capitol news conference for Wednesday morning to demand that Mr. Spencer step aside.<doc-sep>This image was removed due to legal reasons. A Georgia state lawmaker resigned on Mond ay night after he was featured screaming the n-word, using a racist fake Asian accent, and exposing himself on the latest episode of Sacha Baron Cohen’s show Who Is America? Advertisement State Representative Jason Spencer, a Republican, officially resigned around 11 p.m. last night, ABC News reported. His resignation will be effective July 31. Although he’d lost a primary race, he could have stayed in office through the November election had he not shouted racial epithets like “sand nigger” while Cohen, who was posing as an Israeli military officer, convinced him he was learning counterterrorism strategies. And yeah, it got pretty uncomfortable to watch the lengths Spencer was willing to go to in the set-up, including pulling down his pants and chasing Cohen around as a tactic to intimidate potential terrorists with “being seen as gay.” Lest you allow even a modicum of sympathy to boil up, it’s worth a reminder that Spencer is a really bad guy. During the state debate over removing Confederate statues, he threatened a black female colleague that she could “go missing” for her advocacy on the issue, and sponsored an anti-burka bill he spun as an “anti-masking statute” on the Showtime show. While the worried debate about the ethical implications of the show drag on, there is something gratifying about seeing the absolute worst players in politics lose for once.<doc-sep>"My fears were so heightened at that time, I was not thinking clearly nor could I appreciate what I was agreeing to when I participated in his 'class'," he said.<doc-sep>

Georgia state lawmaker Jason Spencer resigned Tuesday night after he was lured into exposing both his racism and his buttocks on Sacha Baron Cohen's new Showtime series, "Who Is America." In a terse letter to Georgia State House Speaker David Ralston, who called on him to resign following Sunday's airing of the second episode of Cohen's show, the representative stated, "This email/letter is to serve as an official resignation notice to your office that I will be resigning my post effective July 31, 2018." Ralston said the legislator "disgraced himself and should resign immediately," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. GOP Gov. Nathan Deal said in a tweet: "There is no excuse for this type of behavior, ever, and I am saddened and disgusted by it." Spencer appeared in a segment in which Cohen portrays an Israeli military expert who is making a video about how to mount a personal defense against potential terrorists. In one scene Cohen's character urges Spencer to draw attention to an unfolding attack. The lawmaker responds by shouting the n-word. In another, Cohen says that Muslim extremists are religiously repulsed by human buttocks. He persuades Spencer to fend off an attacker by charging at him backwards ― he shouts "USA!" and "America!" ― with his bare bottom exposed. Rep. Jason Spencer speaks at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta on Feb. 28, 2018. Alyssa Pointer / AP file Spencer also speaks with a mock Asian accent while pretending to take so-called up-skirt photos from under a Muslim woman's burqa. Spencer apologized, but for Georgia's top Republicans it was the last straw. In 2016 he was accused by civil rights and Muslim advocacy groups of trying to ban religious headgear. Cohen, meanwhile, has racked up a string of gotcha videos with politicians for "Who Is America." His subjects so far include former Vice President Dick Cheney, Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The show has railed against gun violence and religious intolerance by attempting to portray some leaders, mostly Republicans, as clueless.

E ight fire engines and 58 firefighters are currently battling a fire at a tower block in Mile End. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) say half of a flat on the 12th floor of a tower block is alight in Wellington Way, Mile End. The Brigade received over 90 calls to the fire and were first called at about 12.30pm. Crews from Bethnal Green, Shadwell, Stratford and Whitechapel are in attendance. Forty people were forced to flee the tower block as smoke billowed over east London. No one was injured in the blaze. At this stage, the LFB say the cause of the fire is unknown. Tower fire: The blaze at the block in Mile End / @claireux Rebecca Lovell, who lives around the corner from the fire, said she was on her bike before she could smell smoke. Her partner told her it had been on the news, so she cycled to the scene. The 45-year-old said: "I live close to it, but I didn't see what happened. From speaking to police they say the whole building was evacuated and the fire is under control." She added: "I just saw one side of the building with damage. It didn't look like there was cladding on it, but I'm not an expert about that. I didn't see people in distress outside, but I think that might be because it was a few hours ago, people were quite calm." Ms Lovell said that after the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, she was concerned the fire could have been worse. She said: "I just thought 'I hope it's not another Grenfell Tower' . Everybody is very alert when you hear there's a fire in a tower block. Fortunately everybody got out ok." Muhbeen Hussain wrote online: "There is a Tower Block in Mile End, London on fire. Fire fighters are attending to it. Pray that everyone is getting out safe." "Emergency services are attending but the fire seems to be very much ablaze." Flat blaze: The tower block on fire in Mile End / @claireux Jagmail Singh, 35, of Bow Food & wines, said: "Someone came running in the shop saying there was a fire across the road. "I called the fire brigade straight away but they said they'd already received lots of calls on it. The road is still closed off with the police at the moment." Blaze: The fire at the tower block in Mile End / @MuhbeenH Mr Singh said he was shocked to see it happened so close to his work, and said at one point he could see eight fire engines travelling to the scene. The fire was under control by 2pm, a LFB spokesman said. A spokeswoman for LAS said: "We were called a 12:36pm today to Wellington Way, Mile End to reports of a fire. “We sent an incident response officer and an ambulance crew to the scene. We also dispatched our hazardous area response team (HART). "We assessed three people at the scene but did not take them to hospital.” Mile End Fire - In pictures 1 /17 Mile End Fire - In pictures Tower fire: The blaze at the block in Mile End @claireux Flat blaze: The tower block on fire in Mile End @claireux @MuhbeenH via @CamRoberts1 @felicityhall @felicityhall @felicityhall @quirkandfolly Damage to the outside of a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA A fire fighter looks at the damage to the outside of a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA Emergency service vehicles near a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA A fire fighter looks at the damage to the outside of a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA Emergency services block access to Wellington Way, Mile End, east London, where a fire broke out on the 12th floor flat of a high-rise block PA The exterior of a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA Damage to the outside of a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA People look at the damage to the outside of a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA Damage to the outside of a high-rise block in Wellington Way, Mile End, in east London, after a fire broke-out in a 12th floor flat PA Earlier today London firefighters appeared at the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry to give evidence about the blaze that claimed 72 lives. Sixty firefighters were in attendance at the blaze / @MuhbeenH David Badillo, part of the North Kensington crew which arrived first at the inferno last June described crying "every day" after learning of the death of a 12-year-old girl he tried to save.<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Get email updates with the day's biggest stories Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Residents fled in terror as their tower block caught fire, sending flames shooting out of windows and smoke billowing into the sky. 60 firefighters fought with the blaze at the 22-storey Grafton House in Mile End, Tower Hamlets in east London - less than 10 miles from Grenfell Tower which caught fire so catastrophically just over a year ago. About 44 residents fled the tower block after the fire broke out inside a 12th floor flat. A further two people were helped out of the building from the ninth floor and led to safety by the London Fire Brigade. Eyewitnesses captured dramatic scenes with their mobile phones as flames shot out of the flat and smoke that billowed up the side of the high-rise was visible for miles. Eye witnesses described the "panic" as more than 40 residents scrambled out onto the street just after 1pm. Do you live in the building? Email [email protected] (Image: @ingrid_oev/Twitter) (Image: PA) Support worker Mohammed Aden, 35, was sleeping in his tenth floor flat when the blaze began just after 12 noon. He said: “I was asleep and I got the knock, I could hear shouting. “We all ran down the stairs and got out; some people were almost crying. “I’ve lived in the flat for nine years, but I’m not comfortable living there after Grenfell. “There was a fire in October last year, but there was no response like today." (Image: PA) He added: “Fire safety must be increased. "It scares me living on the tenth floor; I have a phobia now.” Electrician Andy Manu, 27, was working on the 12th floor when the blaze began. He said: “An old man came out and said he could smell smoke. “People began rushing outside, everyone got out quick.” Another resident, who asked nor to be named, said: “They took out all the gas from the building, so it must have been a cooker. “It’s just paranoia; the building itself had the cladding removed 10 years ago. “There was a panic, you could see it in peoples' eyes.” More than 90 calls were placed to 999 after the fire started at about 12.30pm, with eight fire engines and 58 firefighters being sent to tackle the inferno. The blaze was brought under control just before 2pm. This comes as a public inquiry continues into the Grenfell Tower fire in west London last June in which 72 people died. Grafton House has 130 flats spread over 22 floors, with between four and six on each level, according to a fire risk assessment carried out after the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The brick and concrete building, completed in 1970, does not have a fire detection system or a sprinkler system as of last year, and it has a dry riser that allows firefighters to pump water to upper floors, the report states. There are two smoke detectors on every occupied floor which do not sound an alarm but automatically open vents on the floor where they were activated, the report adds. It has one central staircase and two lifts. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Eight fire engines and 58 firefighters and officers were called to a flat fire in Wellington Way, Mile End. "Half of a flat on the 12th floor was alight. Around 40 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. "The Brigade’s 999 Control Officers took more than 90 calls to the fire. "The Brigade was called at 12.28pm and the fire was under control at 1.51pm. "Fire crews from Bethnal Green, Shadwell, Stratford, Whitechapel and surrounding fire stations are at the scene. "The cause of the fire is under investigation." There were no immediate reports of any serious casualties. Police have cordoned off part of Wellington Way to the public and are urging residents to make their way to the nearby Merchant Street community centre for advice. Photos posted on Twitter around 1.10pm appeared to suggest firefighters were gaining the upper hand on the blaze, showing a smaller cloud of smoke that was no longer black. The cause of the fire is unknown. A fire risk assessment for Grafton House, owned by Eastend Homes, was carried out in March 2017, just months before the Grenfell Tower tragedy which left 72 people dead in June last year. The report states a "stay put" policy - similar to the one criticised in the wake of the Grenfell disaster - was in effect in 2017. It says: "Full alarm systems with smoke detection and sounders will not be installed as a matter of course as this will detrimentally affect the effectiveness of the 'Stay Put' advice." The report adds: "The evacuation procedure for Eastend Homes Housing Blocks recommends that unless a fire breaks out in the residents' dwelling, the residents should remain within their property until London Fire Brigade has attended the site and the fire has been dealt with." The building had no sprinkler system at the time of the report, carried out by Whale Fire Limited on behalf of Eastend Homes, and there were no fire extinguishers in any common areas of the building. It said "at the time of the inspection there were structural features identified within this block that could promote or assist the spread of fire", including flat entry doors that were not fire resistant. It also cited concerns about people smoking near the staircase, security gates protecting flat doors, and items stored in common areas being potential fire hazards. The assessment was due to be review in March this year. Mirror Online has contacted Eastend Homes for comment.<doc-sep>"When we see one fire we just get shocked, because we think that our house might go up as well," she said.<doc-sep>Fire crews tackled a blaze at a high-rise block of flats in east London that sent smoke billowing across the capital. Around 60 firefighters were called to the blaze on the 12th floor of the building in Mile End on Friday afternoon. London Fire Brigade said it received more than 90 calls to the scene at around 12.30pm. It said most of a three-roomed flat in the 21-storey building was damaged along with part of the balcony of the floor above. Around 44 people left the building, in Wellington Way, before firefighters arrived and a further two people were led to safety. There were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is being investigated. Footage posted on social media showed smoke and flames billowing from the windows of the flat as firefighters used an aerial ladder platform.<doc-sep>

More than 50 firefighters tackled a blaze at a residential tower block in east London. Emergency services were called to the fire in Grafton House, in Mile End, at around 12.30pm on Friday. London Fire Brigade (LFB) said half of a flat on the 12th storey of the tower had caught alight, while flames had also spread to a small section of the 13th floor. Around 44 people left the building before emergency crews arrived on scene, while a further two were led to safety by firefighters. LFB said there had been no reported injuries during the incident. A spokesman for London Ambulance Service said three people were assessed at the scene, but no one was taken to hospital. The fire sent a large plume of smoke billowing into the air, which was visible across the capital. Authorities said the brigade's 999 control room received more than 90 emergency calls from members of the public in relation to the incident. LFB announced the blaze had been extinguished by 1.50pm. Jamila Noor who lives in the tower block next door with her husband and three children, said she would not stay put in her flat if a fire broke out in her building if she felt she could get out. “We see one fire we just get shocked, because we think that our house might go up as well,” she said. “That's how it is when you live in tower blocks. One is affected, everything is affected.” East End Homes, the housing association responsible for the block, said there were no injuries and all residents had been safely evacuated. “Everybody is safe, some residents have gone to a nearby community centre where they are getting support and refreshments,” a spokesman said. The organisation declined to say whether any residents would need to be rehomed as a result of the fire. Elected Tower Hamlets mayor, John Biggs, said the council was in “regular contact” with the housing association and was offering “support and assistance. “Very grateful to the emergency services for their response,” he added on Twitter. Most of a three-roomed flat on the 12th floor was damaged by the fire and part of the balcony of the 13th floor was also damaged. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Additional reporting by PA

The internet has had time to percolate and digest Donald Trump‘s Twitter attack on the Koch brothers this morning, and the reactions are too numerous to count and too varied to summarize. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see some of the best/worst reactions. So here they are! Of course, there were the burns. We all know why Trump is really attacking the Koch brothers. Their current net worth is over $50 billion. — Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) July 31, 2018 Trump vs. the Koch Brothers: most unsympathetic showdown ever? American politics is turning into an all-heel wrestling act. https://t.co/oR8V4JvcPK — Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) July 31, 2018 The Koch brothers "love my tax and regulation cuts" is a very useful admission, coming from an alleged economic populist and scourge of the financial elite. https://t.co/nx4XH2Qxu2 — Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) July 31, 2018 Fake Republican billionaire hates real Republican billionaires. https://t.co/Xi99xo0vc3 — Windsor Mann (@WindsorMann) July 31, 2018 Charles & David Koch have dedicated their lives to advancing freedom. They've also given billions to medical research, the arts, the environment, criminal justice reform, and poverty prevention. Billions. Donald Trump has dedicated his life to advancing Donald Trump. — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 31, 2018 4) Pretty sure that a bunch, if not the majority of, Koch businesses are US-based, not foreign. But even if that weren't true, they're still right about tariffs and your silly farm-country bailout that would have been avoidable if you hadn't kicked off a trade war in 1st place. — Liz Mair (@LizMair) July 31, 2018 Just as a reminder, Donnie, the Koch brothers net worth exceeds uours by an order of magnitude. They could buy and sell your broke ass with their pocket change. Now go look up "order of magnitude" and get outside and polish David's Land Rover, Biff. https://t.co/1R9wZim7uc — Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 31, 2018 I fondly remember the days Republicans blasted Harry Reid for publicly attacking two private citizens, Edward and Charles Koch. But as cults of personality dictate, they are now fair game for attacking. — Joe Cunningham (@JoePCunningham) July 31, 2018 And the humor. I think Powerful Trade is when you buy a folding chair from Walmart and then smash it over the cashier's head. https://t.co/apMQXFFkx7 — Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) July 31, 2018 Here's more white on white rich man violence. When will the horror end?! https://t.co/fXgDYfN8W4 — (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) July 31, 2018 I hope the koch brothers buy fox news & replace the entire lineup with joe and mika — Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) July 31, 2018 The “makes you think”-ers. This morning alone, Trump has come out against the NRA, and showed the beginning stages of Koch Derangement Syndrome. He's basically that one progressive friend you don't talk to anymore. — Johnny Internet (@brodigan) July 31, 2018 "OK, Mr. President, you've turned against major-league football, Harley Davidson, and the families of war veterans. Who's next?" "The Kochs." "But Mr. President, they're on —" "GET MY PHONE" https://t.co/8vdpYDk6vU — Paul Wells (@InklessPW) July 31, 2018 Please, please, please, keep saying things like this! It would be AMAZING to see your base and @FoxNews turn on the Koch brothers! https://t.co/LFe9W2Zg6t — David Gorski, MD, PhD (@gorskon) July 31, 2018 Trump is the Dems dream organizer: Picks a fight with Koch, does parody of tax cuts for the rich, threatens a shutdown. Next thing he'll be snatching kids from parents and defending betrayal of country. Oh. Wait. — Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) July 31, 2018 Old enough to remember when the Koch brothers were bogeymen to the left. Time to update the paperbacks @kenvogel & @JaneMayerNYer https://t.co/AEwdCUJu8g — Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) July 31, 2018 3. The morning after proposing a new $100 billion tax cut for the rich, @realDonaldTrump tells the Koch Brothers on Twitter that he “made them richer!” https://t.co/KF3hUDi0kA — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 31, 2018 The mix… Three takeaways from this: 1. Message to all big money donors . . . Stop supporting us & we will try to destroy you! 2. The last part of his tweet was an arrogant admission that the tax cuts were indeed for the ultra wealthy! 3. Vulnerable @GOP will cringe at seeing this! ? https://t.co/DYEAwyUs2e — Proud Navy Veteran ?️? (@naretevduorp) July 31, 2018 *grumpy old socialist yells at greedy capitalists* https://t.co/RnERo5DMAs — Jordan Thomas (@WyoFire) July 31, 2018 The Kuck Brothers better check themselves before they wreck themselves & get with the @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse – punks. — Sam Nunberg (@NunbergSam) July 31, 2018 The inevitable… Kock brothers, more like cuck brothers amirite! ☺️? — Red Notabot Pillington ?? ?❌ (@1234flyingninja) July 31, 2018 The Kuck Brothers better check themselves before they wreck themselves & get with the @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse – punks. — Sam Nunberg (@NunbergSam) July 31, 2018 The SMH. 90% of the record money being raised by the RNC comes from small individual donors. The Koch Brothers are close to becoming politically irrelevant. https://t.co/fCrCATrCCQ — Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) July 31, 2018 Today’s interesting fact: First time Trump has used "globalist" in a tweet. https://t.co/6JJoryqSYd — Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) July 31, 2018 The official response. Response: “We support policies that help all people improve their lives. We look forward to working with anyone to do so.” – James Davis, Spokesman for the Koch Network https://t.co/HyrypqR7qs — Blake Burman (@BlakeBurman) July 31, 2018 The BEST response. Since January, Trump has pushed for tariffs and trade wars, is talking $12 billion in new aid to farmers, signed a $1.3 trillion omnibus, and the annual deficit’s approaching $1 trillion. And we’re surprised the Koch network isn’t staying on board?https://t.co/p5oLnaMC6W — Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) July 31, 2018 And the “well of course”… And the tweets keep on coming. Watch the clip above, courtesy of NEWS [Featured image via screengrab] — Follow Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) on Twitter Have a tip we should know? [email protected]<doc-sep>The Koch political network remains generally opposed to many Democratic policies and does not want to see leaders like Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, return to power if the Democrats triumph in the midterms. But those who know Mr. Koch’s thinking said that his criticism of Mr. Trump reflects the vast political and personal gulf between the two men. They also echo the widely held beliefs of many conservatives who worry that Mr. Trump is inflicting long-term damage on their cause, and on the country. Mr. Koch’s unease is a reflection of the wider discomfort and disorientation inside the Republican Party since Mr. Trump stormed the presidential primaries in 2016 and knocked out every candidate the Koch network had supported. Mr. Trump all but ran against elements of the Koch agenda in 2016, promising support for entitlements, infrastructure and the military. In some ways he has governed like a conventional pro-Koch Republican, especially with some of his cabinet picks like Scott Pruitt, his former chief at the Environmental Protection Agency. But his language on trade and immigration ran counter to the Kochs. And like some other right-leaning organizations and intellectuals, Mr. Koch and his organizations have struggled to find their place in a political party they barely recognize and whose political fortune is now wedded, for better or worse, to Mr. Trump’s. Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars that the Koch network has spent on politics in recent years, Mr. Koch has always been unnerved at seeing portrayals of himself as a Republican kingmaker, people close to him have said. And over the last few years the Koch brothers, two of the world’s wealthiest men, have tried to cultivate a worldly, civic-oriented image to counter the Democratic Party’s attacks on them as self-interested corporatist puppet masters. Koch Industries, the global energy conglomerate, also began a national marketing campaign to try to soften its image.<doc-sep>President Donald Trump on Tuesday attacked the billionaire Koch brothers, calling the businessmen and longtime conservative activists a “total joke” and “two nice guys with bad ideas.” “They want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed, I’m for American first and the American worker — a puppet for no one,” Trump tweeted. Trump’s criticisms come a day after Charles Koch told reporters that Trump’s trade policies would be “disastrous.” Meanwhile, the powerful Koch network of political donors said it would not back a Republican candidate in North Dakota who they view as insufficiently critical of Trump and his economic decisions. Charles and David Koch have poured millions of dollars into ads and advocacy over the years, typically for conservative candidates and causes. They backed Mitt Romney in 2012, but did not support either Trump nor his opponent, Hillary Clinton, in 2016. David has now retired from the group. But in a rare interview with reporters on the sidelines of donor conference Monday, Charles discussed his dismay over the Trump administration’s moves on trade, spending and immigration, including Trump’s use of protectionist economic policies, including tariffs. “Any protectionism at any level, certainly at a national level, is very detrimental,” Charles Koch told reporters at the event in Colorado Springs, Colo. “There are scientific and historical reasons. I mean, every nation that has prospered is one that didn’t engage in trade wars.” Charles Koch suggested that he would only back politicians who support a free trade, business-friendly agenda—even if that meant backing Democrats. That aligned with the announcement Monday by the Koch-backed group Americans for Prosperity that it would not back Republican Representative Kevin Cramer in North Dakota because of his support for a $1.3 trillion spending bill that increases funding for domestic and military programs, as well as his reticence in taking on the White House over tariffs. “If this were 2016, we likely would have gone ahead and endorsed,” Americans for Prosperity President Tim Philips told backers Monday, according to CNN. “But we’re raising the bar.” Trump’s policies on trade in particular have provoked ire among some Republicans, especially those in states most affected by retaliatory tariffs enacted by China, Canada, the European Union and beyond. The Trump administration announced last week a $12 billion spending plan to support farmers, particularly Midwestern soybean producers. On Monday, Freedom Partners, another Koch-backed organization, released an ad directly targeting farmers, asking them to reject Trump’s policies because farmers “want trade not aid.” Disclosure: Time Inc., TIME’s parent company, was acquired by Meredith Corp. in a deal partially financed by Koch Equity Development, a subsidiary of Koch Industries Inc. Get our Politics Newsletter. The headlines out of Washington never seem to slow. Subscribe to The D.C. Brief to make sense of what matters most. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . 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Now that Kim Jong Un is his fast friend, President Trump has decided to pick a fight with some truly nefarious operators—the successful American businessmen and political donors Charles and David Koch. At least Mr. Trump and MSNBC now have something in common. Mr. Trump tweeted Tuesday that the two free-market evangelists “have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade. I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas.” The President’s former and once-again political strategist Steve Bannon piled on with a threat to Republicans on CNBC that if “you take Koch money, it’s going to be toxic. We are going to let people know that if you take Koch money there’s a punishment.” Potmac Watch Podcast Congratulations to the Kochs. They’re receiving such thermonuclear attention because they’ve decided not to bow to Mr. Trump on trade, immigration and other issues that the brothers and their political network count as crucial to economic liberty. Unlike many Republican candidates for office, they can afford to take a position independent of Mr. Trump. And they have the money and passion to have some influence. This is good for the country and the Republican Party. Mr. Trump overreacted as ever to reports of what can only be described as the mildest criticism from Charles Koch at a weekend gathering of Koch allies and operatives in Colorado. (David Koch recently retired.) Some on the scene criticized Mr. Trump’s trade agenda, although Charles Koch noted that the “divisiveness” coming from Washington began “long before Trump became President.” Mr. Trump may also still be sore that the Koch network was neutral in the 2016 presidential campaign, though it did help elect GOP majorities in the House and Senate. But he and Mr. Bannon seem especially peeved that this year these donors aren’t supporting Republicans who have turned protectionist on trade and nativist on immigration, or who support more government spending. In particular, they’ve been reluctant to support Kevin Cramer, a Trump favorite running for Senate in North Dakota. They’ve said nice things instead about Democratic incumbent Heidi Heitkamp, who is running as a free trader opposed to the Trump tariffs that have punished the Farm Belt. They’re also cool on Lou Barletta, a Trumpian Republican running for Senate in Pennsylvania. Mr. Trump wants to remake the GOP in his policy image, and he’s having considerable success in primaries. The GOP rank-and-file like what Mr. Trump has accomplished, and so his tweets and endorsements carry weight. The problem comes in general elections when some of those Trumpian candidates have lost among a larger electorate. Recall that Roy Moore cost Republicans a Senate seat in Alabama, and Trump-endorsed Senate candidate Corey Stewart is a likely loser in Virginia in November. We’ll see how well the Bannon strategy of making the election a referendum on Donald Trump works this year. As for those “bad ideas” the Kochs have, they’re the reason for whatever governing success Mr. Trump has had so far. Pro-growth cuts in tax rates, deregulation and originalist judges have been the most successful parts of the Trump agenda. And they were Koch beliefs when Mr. Trump was still donating to Bill and Hillary Clinton. The President gets credit for winning the election and making the policies happen, but the Kochs also gave his agenda major support over the last two years. Contrast that success to Mr. Trump’s immigration agenda, which has gone nowhere in Congress; his ill-thought border enforcement that ended up in the debacle of family separation; and the tariff assault that has so far raised costs for U.S. consumers and producers without any compensating trade opening. Whose ideas are the “bad” ones? The GOP coalition is big and fractious, and it needs a robust debate unless it wants to become small and monolithic. The GOP has been a free-trade party for decades because trade has promoted prosperity for the most people most of the time. Pro-trade stalwarts shouldn’t roll over simply because Mr. Trump has resurrected some economic nostrums from the Hoover Presidency. Republicans who disagree with Mr. Trump need the donor and political support to do so. And the Kochs and other donors are right not to reflexively endorse Republicans who think they can trash pro-growth economic policies and still count on donations from the success of those policies. As for Mr. Trump, he ought to understand his real political opponents aren’t the Kochs.

MOBILE, Ala. — An 18-year-old Navy recruit from Alabama has died during boot camp in Illinois. 18-year-old Navy recruit Kelsey Nobles. U.S. Navy Spokesman Lt. Joseph W. Pfaff says Kelsey Nobles, of Mobile, died Tuesday after collapsing during training at the Navy Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. Nobles’ father, Harold, told WKRG-TV that doctors say she went into cardiac arrest. He says she passed out after her physical fitness test. He says she was taken to a civilian hospital where she was pronounced dead. Nobles describes his daughter as a young woman who was “the sweetest soul” and “had the biggest heart.” He says she was full of energy and would give anyone anything, even her last dollar. Pfaff says the Navy is investigating. This is the second death under similar circumstances at the boot camp in the past few months.<doc-sep>“For me, I’m just like, what’s wrong? These young people are so excited about serving their country and going into the military. Are they doing enough to check them? Does physical testing need to be more in-depth?” Harold Nobles wondered.<doc-sep>The tragedy marked the second sudden death at the facility in recent months. A young recruit died at the Navy's boot camp training center in Illinois last week, marking the second sudden death at the facility in recent months, authorities confirmed Sunday. Seaman Recruit Kelsey Nobles, 18, died on Tuesday shortly after she collapsed at the Navy Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, the force's only boot camp center. She was two weeks shy of graduation. A U.S. Navy spokesperson confirmed the young woman's death in a statement on Sunday afternoon, calling it a "tragic loss." "The Navy, and Recruit Training Command, take the welfare of our recruits and Sailors very seriously and are investigating the cause of this tragic loss," LT Joseph Pfaff, PAO for Navy and recruit training command, told ABC News in a statement. "Our thoughts are with Seaman Recruit Nobles’ family and friends during this tragic time." Nobles, a native of Alabama, was completing her final physical fitness assessment when she collapsed, Pfaff said. She received first aid care and was transported to Lake Forest Hospital, just north of Chicago, where she died. Pfaff declined to say if Nobles had a pre-existing condition that may have been waived in order for her to join. Another recruit, 20-year-old Kierra Evans, of Louisiana, died under similar circumstances at the boot camp facility earlier this year. She collapsed during a physical assessment on Feb. 22 and was transported to a nearby hospital where she died hours later. She was set to graduate the following week. Evans celebrated the beginning of her military journey in a Facebook post on Jan. 2. "In so little time everything has happened so fast. Yes I will miss just walking in my mommy’s room just to talk or admire how much I love to just be in her presence," she wrote. "But now I am apart of the U.S. Navy and Chicago is where I belong for 8 weeks. To all of my closest friends that stood by my side through it ALL I love you all so much and will be back soon." Pfaff said both deaths are under investigation.<doc-sep>GREAT LAKES, Ill. -- An 18-year-old Navy recruit died during boot camp in Illinois this past week.Spokesman Lt. Joseph W. Pfaff said Kelsey Nobles of Mobile, Alabama, died Tuesday after collapsing during training at the Navy Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. Nobles went into cardiac arrest after her final physical fitness test and was taken to a civilian hospital, where she was pronounced dead.Nobles' father Harold told WKRG-TV that his daughter was "the sweetest soul" and "had the biggest heart." He said she was full of energy and would give anyone anything, even her last dollar. "The Navy and Recruit Training Command take the welfare of our recruits and Sailors very seriously and are investigating the cause of this tragic loss," Pfaff told the Navy Times in an email. "Our thoughts are with Seaman Recruit Nobles' family and friends during this tragic time. "Nobles' death is the second under similar circumstances at the facility in the past few months. Kierra Evans died while undergoing her own physical fitness test in February, a week before she was set to graduate.<doc-sep>

Mobile, Ala. — An 18-year-old Navy recruit from Alabama has died during boot camp in Illinois. Spokesman Lt. Joseph W. Pfaff says Kelsey Nobles, of Mobile, died Tuesday after collapsing during training at the Navy Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. Nobles' father, Harold, told CBS affiliate WKRG-TV that doctors say she went into cardiac arrest. He says she passed out after her physical fitness test. He says she was taken to a civilian hospital where she was pronounced dead. Kelsey Nobles graduated last year from Baker High School in Mobile, Ala. WKRG-TV Nobles describes his daughter as a young woman who was "the sweetest soul" and "had the biggest heart." He says she was full of energy and would give anyone anything, even her last dollar. Pfaff says the Navy is investigating. This is the second death under similar circumstances at the boot camp in the past two months. According to the Military Times, Seaman Recruit Kierra Evans was pronounced dead at a hospital after she collapsed following physical training Feb. 22. "For me, I'm just like what's wrong?" Harold Nobles told WKRG-TV. "These young people are so excited about serving their country and going into the military. Are they doing enough to check them? Does physical testing need to be more in-depth?" The station reported that Kelsey Nobles graduated last year from Baker High School. "Kelsey was highly respected and admired by her classmates, teachers and peers," the school said in a statement. "She made a remarkable impact on the Class of 2018 as well as Baker High School. Kelsey will be greatly missed."

Update (2:40 p.m.): McCoy's now signed a financial aid agreement with Texas, Horns247 reports. USC five-star early enrollee Bru McCoy entered the transfer portal Thursday afternoon, 247Sports reported. Rated as the No. 9 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite for the 2019 class, McCoy is one of the more unique prospects of a generation. He’ll play receiver in college, but his pass rushing potential has been compared to players like Von Miller. McCoy’s decision to transfer comes on the heels of Kliff Kingsbury leaving the Trojans as offensive coordinator a little over a month after officially taking the job. USC granted McCoy a release from his LOI and McCoy will surely appeal with the NCAA for immediate eligibility through a waiver, much in the way Tate Martell will do so at Miami. This decision, made shortly after enrolling at USC, is a momentous one. Not only does this affect recruiting and roster management, but this builds on a mounting narrative of dysfunction at USC while personifying issues with the NCAA’s transfer system. The shockwaves of McCoy’s choice will reverberate in multiple ways. We explore those below: What This Means For USC McCoy opting away from USC at the cost of a year of eligibility is a massive blow to the Trojans’ 2019 class and the perception of the program. A California native who grew up rooting for USC, McCoy should’ve been a lock when it came to staying home. That McCoy would opt out of USC so early in his Trojan tenure raises a lot of questions about the program. Kingsbury's departure played a large role in how this occurred – and we’ll get there – but mostly McCoy’s exit signifies how shaky Clay Helton’s hold on the Trojans has become. McCoy, just a few weeks removed from his commitment, decided it’d be in his best interest to transfer away, potentially costing himself a year of eligibility in doing so. That does not speak well to the perception of USC, especially when you consider this player grew up with a favorable impression of the Trojans. USC will be fine at receiver next season. Fellow five-star Kyle Ford joins an already elite group on campus. But McCoy's departure impacts much more than the Trojans' on-field product. It’s an indictment of the program’s current lackluster status. NCAA's Transfer Policy Takes Another Dent We’ve seen a shift toward player agency in the transfer process with the implementation of the transfer portal. While it’s far from an ideal solution, the portal does give a player the right to explore transferring and to talk with any school – regardless of conference affiliation. Beforehand, they needed permission from their school to contact anyone. At the same time, McCoy’s situation is a shining example of the flaws that come with the transfer process. McCoy wanted to play for Kingsbury. He would’ve thrived in that offense, a wide-open passing attack that puts the ball in the hands of its playmakers. But just an hour or two after committing to USC on national television, McCoy found out Kingsbury had taken an NFL head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals. 247Sports, which was on hand for McCoy’s reaction, saw the shock in McCoy’s face. But as an early enrollee who’d signed his paperwork prior to the announcement, McCoy was stuck. He’d been promised tutelage under a certain coach, and less than 24 hours later that coach was living in Arizona. This is yet another example of the transfer process harming student athletes. McCoy, who will now likely need to sit a year due to NCAA transfer policy, would’ve probably made a different decision had he been given all the information. And while Kingsbury is free to pursue millions on the NFL level, McCoy could well wallow as a redshirt freshman without the opportunity to play. This is despite the fact McCoy could help almost any program from the jump. Isn’t there something wrong with that picture? The NCAA needs to adopt some sort of common-sense policy that would allow players who signed to at least freely explore other options without penalty if their coach leaves within a certain time period of their signing. This rings especially important considering the amount of coaching movement that occurs after the Early Signing Period. It’s the right thing to do. Expect situations like McCoy’s to continue a drumbeat for change that’s already swirling in college athletics. What McCoy Means For Texas The simplest discussion point with this scenario is Texas. McCoy will fit into a role similar to what Lil’Jordan Humphrey had last year. McCoy, shifty in the open field with a powerful frame (6-foot-3, 212 pounds), does a lot of the same things that made Humphrey a devastating slot weapon despite a body type that belies (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) a different skillset. And while McCoy lacks polish at either of his two potential positions – he played quarterback until eighth grade – his athletic traits project him as a potential star no matter where he lines up. Given a year in Texas’ strength and conditioning program, something McCoy’s never had in high school due to injuries, McCoy will emerge as a physical freak wherever his body takes him. Adding McCoy to the 2019 class would also elevate the Longhorns’ haul to an elite level. Texas would jump from fifth to third in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings, according to 247Sports’ Class Calculator.<doc-sep>247sports.com Bru McCoy, a 5-star athlete who signed a letter of intent on Jan. 6 to play with USC, reportedly will instead transfer to Texas. Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel reported Friday that McCoy will start taking classes at Texas next week after being admitted to the school and signing a financial aid agreement. Per 247Sports, McCoy had 25 offers and made visits to USC, Texas, Alabama and Washington. He chose USC but entered the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 24. Chris Swanson of usc247.com offered reported rationale behind McCoy's decision-making: "McCoy was all set to commit to Texas before the 2019 All-American Bowl but was convinced to commit to USC by former Trojan offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury at the last minute. After Kingsbury was hired away to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, McCoy apparently soured on the idea of wearing cardinal and gold." Kingsbury signed a deal with the Arizona Cardinals just two days after McCoy signed a letter of intent with the Trojans. Ranked as the ninth-best overall prospect in the class of 2019 by 247Sports' composite rankings, the 6'2", 205-pound McCoy should make an instant impact for the Longhorns. He starred at linebacker and wideout in high school, but it remains to be seen what he would do on the collegiate level. Ultimately, McCoy is a huge steal for Texas given his versatility and potential. The question is whether McCoy has to sit a year due to NCAA transfer rules. He can petition the NCAA to let him play in 2019, per Gerard Martinez of 247Sports: Video Play Button Videos you might like However, there's no guarantee he'll win the petition. If he doesn't, Texas will have to wait until 2020 to see him suit up. If McCoy does win and plays starting in 2019, he'll join and up-and-coming Texas team that just beat No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and finished No. 9 in the Associated Press poll. If he plays wideout, then he'll join a talented offense that includes quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who have may have hinted at his happiness regarding the McCoy news: Ehlinger threw 25 touchdown passes and completed 64.7 percent of his passes last season en route to leading Texas to a 10-win season. Second-leading rusher Keaontay Ingram, No. 2 wideout Collin Johnson and No. 3 wide receiver Devin Duvernay will also be back. No. 1 pass-catcher Lil'Jordan Humphrey will not, but McCoy can help fill that void.<doc-sep>College football has seemingly been taken over by transfer portal talk this offseason. Players like Kelly Bryant, Tate Martell and Jalen Hurts have driven up interest by entering into the portal before landing at new schools for next season. USC's Bru McCoy, however, is taking it to the next level. The five-star wide receiver has made waves by hitting the transfer portal, despite never having played a snap as an early enrollee from the 2019 recruiting class. It's not hard to figure out why, of course. Kliff Kingsbury had a remarkably brief stint with USC as the team's offensive coordinator before taking the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job. It's obviously not a situation a player wants to find himself in, so McCoy is trying to nip it in the bud. McCoy was one of the few wins USC had in recruiting this season. The next step, of course, is to potentially transfer and then seek out a waiver from the NCAA so he wouldn't have to miss a year. That last part is up in the air, but the NCAA has been a bit more malleable as far as waivers go. On Friday's "Off the Bench," Danny Kanell and Raja Bell talk about McCoy's potential transfer and what it could mean that players are transferring so early. They talk about how the portal has impacted college football, and they add that we shouldn't expect McCoy's transfer to be the end of it. Listen and Subscribe to Off The Bench with Kanell & Bell: iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn<doc-sep>

Bru McCoy might be ready to pick up that Texas Longhorns hat after all. Early this month, McCoy committed to the USC Trojans over Texas in a ceremony at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, leaving the burnt orange hat neglected on the table. But days after McCoy enrolled as USC, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left to take the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals. As a result, McCoy entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal on Thursday afternoon. So what’s next for McCoy? Schools like Texas are now free to contact McCoy and the Longhorns are the expected landing spot if the former consensus five-star prospect decides to leave Los Angeles. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger certainly seems to know something: The looming issue is the National Letter of Intent that McCoy signed in December — the penalty for a player not completing their freshman season at the institution that received that NLI is losing one season of eligibility and not being able to compete for one year. To receive a release from the NLI, McCoy needs to submit an NLI release request to the USC athletic department and the NCAA Eligibility Center. After receiving the release request, the Trojans athletic director and director of compliance would have 30 days to render the NLI release decision. In that scenario, if USC decides not to grant the release, the McCoy family would have the option of appealing the decision to the NLI Committee. Texas has actually been in this position before — in 2016, numerous Baylor signees requested their release from the institution in the wake of the sexual assault scandal that resulted in the termination of head coach Art Briles, among others. Wide receiver Devin Duvernay, now set to enter his senior season at Texas, never had his paperwork submitted to the Big 12 office, so his NLI was deemed invalid. Other Baylor players, like his twin brother Donovan, had to wait until Baylor officially released them from their NLIs. In all, four former Bears signees joined the Longhorns program and were eligible for the 2016 season — the Duvernay brothers, offensive guard Patrick Hudson, and offensive tackle JP Urquidez. Given the circumstances of the scandal that engulfed Baylor, releasing those players from the NLIs seemed like a clear-cut decision. USC would likely receive some negative publicity by declining to release McCoy from his NLI due to the departure of an assistant coach, but it is a different situation and the appeals process could take some time if it comes to that. If McCoy does leave USC and come to Texas, he has a window to enroll for classes during the spring semester. Friday is the fourth class day and the end of the official add/drop period. It’s the last day that undergraduate students can register with the approval of the registrar. The 12th class day falls on Feb. 6 — National Signing Day, coincidentally enough — and that’s the last day that an undergraduate student can add a class except for rare and extenuating circumstances. So look for this story to develop quickly in regards to whether McCoy enrolls at Texas, though it may take longer for USC to make a decision about whether to release him from his NLI. Update (Thursday 8:36 p.m. Central): My apologies here, folks — since McCoy enrolled at USC and was therefore considered a student athlete, he’ll have to petition the NCAA for a hardship waiver, which seems extremely unlikely. And does help explain this tweet:

The U.S. government’s steel and aluminum tariffs went into effect — and they have already created an international furor. So mission number one is accomplished. The tariffs were intended to upset the applecart of an obsolete world trading system that is politically dangerous and economically disastrous. But there is more to do. ADVERTISEMENT First of all, it must be understood that these tariffs are aimed at redressing U.S. national security and they are a response to a serious decline in U.S. production and capacity in these two industries. Worldwide overproduction and overcapacity in both metals have undermined the U.S. industries. There is an estimated 400 million tons of excess steel capacity in the world (about 25 of total capacity). That has hurt the U.S. industry badly in terms of price, profit, and employment. The situation in aluminum is even worse. In 1993, the U.S. had 23 operational aluminum smelters. Today it has five. Some 90 of primary aluminum consumed in the U.S. is imported. Both metals are the very heart of national security. Steel is of course used in every aspect of the military, including land vehicles, seagoing ships, missiles, guns, and more. Equally important: Steel is an essential component of our civilian infrastructure for use in ports, bridges, and the auto industry, to name just a few. The same goes for aluminum, a metal prized for its light weight and electrical conductivity. Aluminum is used in aerospace, in the automotive industry, and as a key component in our national electrical grid. No nation can claim to be a superpower if it is not self-sufficient in these two vital metals. The tariffs have already had a positive effect on the U.S. economy. In Ashland, Kentucky, Braidy Industries broke ground on a new aluminum rolling mill. The mill, a $1.3 billion project, will create 550 new jobs. Those workers will earn average annual pay of $65,000, in a depressed Appalachian county where the median pay is around $44,000 a year. Elsewhere in Kentucky, Century Aluminum is preparing to hire 300 more workers as aluminum demand rises. On the steel side, Nucor is planning to open a new $240 million steel mill in central Florida, creating 250 jobs, while U.S. Steel is restarting production and rehiring 500 laid-off employees in Granite City, Illinois. European misunderstanding and confusion The Europeans are up in arms. European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom has called the U.S. tariffs a “dangerous game” and told BBC News, “We cannot just take these tariffs and stay silent.” The EU is reported to have prepared a 10-page list of potential tariffs they could impose against U.S. goods. There are three points I would make to my good friends in Europe. First, the steel and aluminum tariffs are not directed at the European nations, nor any other nations. They are designed to ensure that the U.S. has the capacity to produce the steel and aluminum it needs. Loss of capacity in the last 20 years has been a very real problem for U.S. industry. To rebuild capacity, we need a U.S. market in which companies can earn a decent profit. Tariffs are the simplest way to achieve that end. Secondly, in spite of the Malmstrom chaos and other rash statements emanating from European capitals, the Europeans actually do quite a good job of safeguarding their own steel industries. The three major European steel producers, Germany, France, and Italy, all operate their steel industries to ensure that net imports are very close to zero. In other words they run their industries at very close to self-sufficiency. The U.S. is simply seeking to do the same. Finally, the European leaders are living in the past. As a French actress said, “Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.” And neither is the world of trade. The Europeans would like to go back to the harmony of the 1950s, when free trade did indeed lift many boats, including the boats of the U.S. and western European economies. But today, China’s huge economic, political, and military potential is changing the fundamental equation. Overcapacity in both industries has been caused by China’s relentless effort to expand production and dominate these two industries, among other critical industries too. We need a new solution to deal with this problem. We simply cannot allow one nation to drive other nations out of essential industries. That’s why upsetting the applecart is a great starting point. The European Union is an organization dedicated to meetings, talking shops, and bureaucracy. But those talking shops, including the World Trade Organization, the G7, the G20, and the EU, cannot force change when one large nation (China) feels no pressure to change. The U.S. has to take the lead. U.S. unilateral action is not only working to improve our economy. It will force change on the international community in a way that 100 years of talking would not do. President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE’s tariffs are winning support in Congress on both sides of the aisle. The industrial benefits will win further support in the heartland. While this president may sometimes appear isolated, there is large and growing support for his positions on trade. Surprisingly enough, even the director-general of the World Trade Organization, Roberto Azevedo, is beginning to see which way the wind is blowing. On Thursday in Paris, he told the press: “you could say that the shake-up in the global trade debate has been positive…People are talking about these issues again. They are testing old certainties, revisiting assumptions, and questioning how rules and institutions can be improved.” The next decade will be very interesting times in the world of trade. Jeff Ferry is research director for the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), which is an organization that advocates on behalf of U.S. manufacturing, agriculture and labor.<doc-sep>TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping leave a business leaders event at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 9, 2017. Donald Trump urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to work "hard" and act fast to help resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis, during their meeting in Beijing on November 9, warning that "time is quickly running out". / AFP PHOTO / Nicolas ASFOURI (Photo credit should read NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump pose for photographs at the White House October 11, 2017 in Washington, DC. The United States, Canada and Mexico are currently engaged in renegotiating the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) QUEBEC CITY, QC - JUNE 08: Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau (R) speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump during the G7 official welcome at Le Manoir Richelieu on day one of the G7 meeting on June 8, 2018 in Quebec City, Canada. Canada will host the leaders of the UK, Italy, the US, France, Germany and Japan for the two day summit, in the town of La Malbaie. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) President Donald Trump leaves the White House on May 25, 2018 in Washington, DC., for a trip to Annapolis to address the U.S. Naval Academy graduation ceremonies. (Photo by Oliver Contreras/SIPA USA)(Sipa via AP Images) (CNN) — Republicans on Capitol Hill were fuming after the White House abruptly announced it would begin imposing steel and aluminum tariffs Friday on US allies Canada, Mexico and the European Union. The move Thursday came after Republicans had tried to convince the administration for months to target China with tariffs rather than US trading partners, and it could trigger Republicans on Capitol Hill to consider taking action against their own President on trade. “I disagree with this decision,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican who had quietly tried to convince Trump to hold back on the action, said in a statement. “There are better ways to help American workers and consumers. I intend to keep working with the president on those better options.” RELATED: Trump hits allies with metal tariffs; Mexico, EU and Canada vow to retaliate The clear – and public – break between the President and top congressional Republicans had been simmering for months, with weeks of behind-the-scenes efforts to walk back, or just water down, what Trump and his team pledged to put in place. But Thursday’s move underscored the depth of the divide between the two sides of Pennsylvania Avenue, even as a legislative counter to the action was far from a sure thing, aides said. For Republican lawmakers, the administration’s decision came as a surprise, according to several senior GOP aides. Republicans didn’t get wind that it might be coming until Wednesday evening, and the White House briefing for congressional staff didn’t take place until after the announcement. One Republican senator, who asked not to be identified, complained Thursday about President Donald Trump’s decision to impose the tariffs, 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminum imports. “I don’t like trade wars. There are no winners in trade wars. And this scares me,” the senator said. For his part, Trump has largely maintained his own posture on tariffs – one he highlighted with a single two-word tweet on Thursday: “FAIR TRADE!” – on the grounds that he was pursuing “reciprocal trade,” even amid warring factions over the efficacy of the strategy inside the White House. The exemptions for allies that had been initially proposed were considered a potential piece of the ongoing negotiations with Canada and Mexico over a revised North American Free Trade Agreement, negotiations that have continued in fits and starts for months. But with a resolution far from clear, and despite the Capitol Hill pushback, the tariffs were set to go into effect at midnight. House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady released a statement that said the tariffs “are hitting the wrong target.” “When it comes to unfairly traded steel and aluminum, Mexico, Canada, and Europe are not the problem—China is. This action puts American workers and families at risk, whose jobs depend on fairly traded products from these important trading partners. And it hurts our efforts to create good-paying US jobs by selling more ‘Made in America’ products to customers in these countries,” the Texas Republican’s statement said. The news Thursday reinvigorated discussions about whether Congress would intervene, a point that had been put to rest months ago when the Trump administration announced it would impose new steel and aluminum tariffs across the board only to turn around and issue a wide list of exemptions to allies – which Republicans applauded – while it negotiated. Still, congressional options are limited. Over the last several decades, Congress has outsourced key trading decisions to the executive branch, and taking back that power would require a serious, united front from GOP leaders in a midterm election year. “I call on the administration to continue the exemptions and negotiations with these important national security partners to find a solution and address the damage caused to American exporters. And the administration will need to come to Capitol Hill to provide answers about the indiscriminate harm these tariffs are causing our local businesses,” Brady said. Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, put it simply: “This is a big mistake.” “These tariffs will raise prices and destroy manufacturing jobs, especially auto jobs, which are one-third of all Tennessee manufacturing jobs. I have urged President Trump to focus on reciprocity – do for our country what our country does for you – instead of imposing tariffs, which are basically higher taxes on American consumers,” the Tennessee Republican said. Bad news that @POTUS has decided to impose taxes on American consumers buying steel and aluminum from our closest allies--Canada, the EU, and Mexico (with whom we run a trade surplus on steel). In addition to higher prices, these tariffs invite retaliation. — Senator Pat Toomey (@SenToomey) May 31, 2018<doc-sep>(CNN) — President Donald Trump is launching a global trade war, and Trump country could take much of the heat. In the wake of new tariffs, car plants from Michigan to South Carolina and Alabama could pay more for the steel they use to make engines and auto parts. Whiskey from Kentucky and motorcycles made in Wisconsin, meanwhile, will shortly be subject to retaliatory tariffs from Europe. The Trump administration on Thursday announced that it would impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico and the European Union. All three have pledged to swiftly fight back with tariffs of their own. The President wants to impose the 25% tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminum in order to protect jobs in those industries. But the taxes will raise prices for downstream companies that use those materials in their products. Retaliatory tariffs from US trading partners, meanwhile, are devised to inflict maximum pain on Trump-supporting areas to encourage the President to back down. Congressional Republicans have already started raising the specter of job losses in their states. “These tariffs will raise prices and destroy manufacturing jobs, especially auto jobs, which are one-third of all Tennessee manufacturing jobs,” Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, said Thursday. He called the new tariffs a “big mistake.” Tennessee, which voted for Trump in 2016, has roughly 350,500 manufacturing workers, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state has multiple auto plants, including a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, a GM factory in Spring Hill and a Nissan factory in Smyrna. “There is a lot of concern here about the impact it would have in Tennessee,” said Bradley Jackson, president of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Retaliatory tariffs from Canada, Mexico and the EU could also impact red states. That’s by design. Experts say the list of US goods that will be targeted by Europe is intended to hurt states that voted for him. Tariffs on whiskey will affect jobs in Kentucky, the home state of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Tariffs on motorcycles will affect Harley Davidson, which has its headquarters in House Speaker Paul Ryan’s native Wisconsin. “They’re pretty savvy about this,” said Ross Denton, an international trade specialist and partner at law firm Baker McKenzie. “It’s quite a calculated process.” The EU hopes that if lawmakers face job losses in their districts, they will try to pressure Trump to change his policies, Denton said. US agricultural products from red states are also in the line of fire for retaliatory tariffs. Mexico said it will slap trade penalties on American pork, for example. Pork production is concentrated in North Carolina, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Missouri. All of those states except Minnesota and Illinois voted for Trump in 2016. “The Europeans and Mexico have targeted industries that have politically prominent locations,” said Brad Setser, senior fellow for international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. “They’ve followed the standard playbook on how to retaliate effectively.” Our allies know that farmers are a sympathetic demographic in the United States, and a blow to them carries political costs, said Gary Hufbauer, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. In the meantime, the threat of a trade war with China looms large. Earlier this week, the White House said it is moving forward with tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods as punishment for intellectual property theft. China has previously said it would respond to this action with tariffs on $50 billion worth of US exports, including soybeans. Soybeans are big business in Midwestern states like Iowa, where Trump has strong support. The Chamber of Commerce, which opposes the tariffs, has warned that the Trump administration’s trade policies will be felt in largely Republican areas. “The current approach will deliver the greatest economic pain to precisely those areas of the country that the administration and the Congressional majority are counting on for continued political support,” Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue said in an internal memo obtained by CNNMoney.<doc-sep>Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said the government is looking at offering support to steel and aluminum workers impacted by U.S. tariffs. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum that would apply to Canada, Mexico and the EU. To minimize the harm done to those sectors, Freeland said she wanted to assure workers the government will come to their aid — though she didn't say how or when. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that he's already reached out to Canadian steel and aluminum producers to talk about upcoming short-term challenges. When asked if the help would resemble the $867 million in loans offered during the U.S.-Canada standoff over softwood lumber, Freeland called the two situations "very different, but the principle is the same." Since the tariffs are different, she said the impacts and subsequent government response will be unique to steel and aluminum workers. Foreign Affairs Minister says government bailout possible for steel, aluminum producers Politics 1:37 Chrystia Freeland told CBC Radio's The House the government will support Canadian metal workers from the fallout of U.S. tariffs. 1:37 In August, the government threatened legal action against the U.S. if negotiations on softwood lumber remained stalled. The Conference Board of Canada estimated the duties on softwood lumber duties would cost Canadian producers $1.7 billion a year and cost 2,200 jobs. But now the focus has shifted to metal. "The end game is for the United States to remove its illegal and completely unjustified tariffs," Freeland told CBC Radio's The House. Canada and U.S. slap each other with tariffs The National 6:00 Washington says it will hit Canada with tariffs on steel and aluminum. In response, Ottawa is retaliating with a long list of surtaxes on U.S. imports. 6:00 Canada is countering the U.S. move by imposing dollar-for-dollar tariffs of its own, worth $16.6 billion, on everything from steel and aluminum products to maple syrup, beer kegs, hair lacquers, whisky and toilet paper. The government has given two weeks for Canadians to weigh in on the list before tariffs take effect on July 1. But Freeland made it clear the goal is to get the tariffs repealed. "I believe common sense will prevail," she said. "People don't do things that hurt themselves for that long." The House 10:04 Interview - Chrystia Freeland After the U.S. announced it was slapping import tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, Canada counter-punched by imposing dollar-for-dollar tariffs of its own on a long list of U.S. products ranging from steel to maple syrup. Not only is Canada fully engaged in a escalating trade battle with its southern neighbour, it's all happening after a near breakthrough in the NAFTA talks. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland joins us to discuss what comes next. 10:04 Alberta prepared to write cheque for Trans Mountain, but not yet Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has been pushing the federal government to act in order to complete the controversial expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press) Alberta is keeping their game plan for the Trans Mountain pipeline closed to the public — for now. Premier Rachel Notley told The House her province has agreed to indemnify the federal government up to $2 billion for increases in construction costs on the expansion. Details on the specific situations that would prompt Alberta to get involved remain foggy, but Notley said the province wouldn't necessarily be on the hook for the full amount. "It's not a guarantee that we would be putting in the full $2 billion by any means," she said. Morneau says government is buying Trans Mountain pipeline Politics News 2:21 Finance Minister Bill Morneau explains the reasons behind the government's decision to buy the Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5 billion. 2:21 She said Canadians will know more details in the coming weeks and months, but it's "a long ways down the road" before Alberta gets financially involved. "Our amount of money does not become payable until the project is complete," she said. The Liberal government announced this week that it will buy Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline and related infrastructure for $4.5 billion, and could spend billions more to build the controversial expansion. Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the project is in the national interest, and proceeding with it will preserve jobs, reassure investors and get resources to world markets. He said he couldn't state exactly what additional costs will be incurred by the Canadian public to build the expansion, but suggested a toll paid by oil companies could offset some costs and that there would be a financial return on the investment. Kinder Morgan had estimated the cost of building the expansion would be $7.4 billion, but Morneau insisted that the project will not have a fiscal impact, or "hit." The House 7:04 Interview - Rachel Notley Alberta Premier Rachel Notley shares her thoughts on Ottawa's move to buy the Trans Mountain pipeline. 7:04 Government culture a roadblock for auditor general recommendations Auditor General Michael Ferguson holds a press conference following the tabling of his reports in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 29, 2018. (Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Canada's auditor general says his work has made one thing clear: the government has a culture problem that makes meaningful change difficult. Michael Ferguson released his spring audits on Tuesday, which included scathing criticisms of the government's performance on the Phoenix pay system, Indigenous services and the military justice system. It's not the first time many of these problems have been highlighted in Ferguson's reports — and that, he said, is the problem. "I think it is time for me to say... OK, we need to have better responses to our recommendations," he told CBC Radio's The House. He pointed to the Phoenix failure and the decades-long struggle to improve education for First Nations children as two issues that perfectly illustrate what he calls challenges with the inner workings of government. "[It's] not just because of a policy breakdown, there's something in the culture of government that's causing that."<doc-sep>

US tariffs: Steel and aluminium levies slapped on key allies Published 31 May 2018 image copyright Reuters image caption The EU has threatened "all necessary measures" in response The US is to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from key allies in Europe and North America. The US said a 25% tax on steel and 10% tax on aluminium from the EU, Mexico and Canada will start at midnight. The move immediately triggered vows of retaliation from Mexico, Canada and the EU, which called the tariffs "protectionism, pure and simple". The UK said it was "deeply disappointed" by the US decision, which followed weeks of negotiations. The tariffs will hit products such as plated steel, slabs, coil, rolls of aluminium, and tubes, raw materials which are used extensively across US manufacturing, construction, and the oil industry. EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said it was a "bad day for world trade", while European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said the move was "totally unacceptable". The EU has "no choice" but to bring a case before the World Trade Organization and impose duties on US imports, he added. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the tariffs were an "affront" to the longstanding relationship between Canada and the US, especially to the "thousands of Canadian soldiers who fought and died alongside their American comrades-in-arms" in Afghanistan. He said Canada plans to levy tariffs on American products worth about $13bn starting 1 July. It is also planning a challenge at the World Trade Organization. He said: "We have to believe that at some point common sense will prevail but we see no sign of that in this [US] action today." What American products will be affected by retaliation? media caption Trudeau: Canada not US national security threat Canada said it would put 25% tariffs on certain types of American steel, as well as a 10% tax on other items, including yoghurt, whiskey and roasted coffee. Mexico's Economy Ministry said it is planning new duties for steel, pork legs and shoulders, apples, grapes, blueberries and cheese. Europe had previously outlined a list of items, including US bourbon, cranberries and jeans, as targets for retaliation. How did this start? US President Donald Trump announced plans for tariffs on foreign steel and aluminium in March, justifying them on national security grounds. He has argued that global oversupply of steel and aluminium, driven by China, threatens American steel and aluminium producers, which are vital to the US. Since the announcement, South Korea, Argentina, Australia and Brazil have agreed to put limits on the volume of metals they can ship to the US in lieu of tariffs. The US granted temporary exemptions to the EU, Canada and Mexico amid negotiations over limits. That deadline was due to expire on 1 June, having already been extended by a month. What did the US announce? US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the sanctions from Paris, where he had been negotiating with EU leaders who were trying to avert the tariffs. Mr Ross said talks had not made enough progress to warrant a further reprieve either for Europe or for Canada and Mexico, which are in negotiations with the US over North America's free trade agreement. Mr Trump has the authority to lift the tariffs or alter them at any time, he added. "We continue to be quite willing and indeed eager to have discussions with all those parties," Mr Ross said. Analysis: Theo Leggett, BBC business correspondent The Trump administration is determined to wring concessions from its trading partners around the world - and it's prepared to do so in belligerent style. The President believes cheap imports harm US industry and cost US workers their jobs. On the campaign trail, he promised them a fairer deal - and it seems he's happy to risk a trade war to get what he wants. In fact, he has previously suggested that trade wars are "good, and easy to win". So will it go that far? Certainly, the EU and Mexico seem prepared to retaliate - and Canada has hinted it in the past might take action as well. So it's not looking good. But if you look at Washington's dealings with China - its key target on trade - things seem less clear cut. On several occasions the rhetoric between the two sides has been ramped up, threats have been made, then positions have softened. So far, an all-out trade war has been avoided. And China has made some concessions.

Dwyane Wade is 37 years old, but he can still put the Miami Heat on his back. Wade hit a ridiculous game-winner against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, banking in a 3 after his original attempt was blocked with one second remaining. Even Wade seemed surprised by his buzzer-beater. The circus shot left the Golden State players stunned, and the reaction on social media was similar. One of the few times I've genuinely seen Dwade that surprised after a shot. And off one leg like Kobe hit on him for gw years ago. For him to do it in his last year. Nothing but respect.. #onelastdance — Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) February 28, 2019 Aight now @DwyaneWade...don’t come down to Houston with that nonsense tomorrow night!! 😂🤣😂 #OneLastDance — Chris Paul (@CP3) February 28, 2019 Wow Dwade — David West (@D_West30) February 28, 2019<doc-sep>On Wednesday night, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade hit an incredible game-winning 3-pointer to beat the Golden State Warriors by a score of 126-125. After the game, Wade’s close friend, Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul, reacted to the shot on Twitter. [xyz-ihs snippet=”HN-300×250-Image”] Aight now @DwyaneWade…don’t come down to Houston with that nonsense tomorrow night!! ??? #OneLastDance — Chris Paul (@CP3) February 28, 2019 The Rockets and Heat face off on Thursday night in what is likely Wade’s last ever NBA game in the city of Houston. The two teams already played each other this season in Miami on Dec. 20. The Heat won that game, 101-99, behind 22 points from Josh Richardson. Paul has mentioned how much Wade means to him and how close the two truly are. “D-Wade, I mean he is a brother to me,” said Paul. “Everything, from the injury he had, we all went to Chicago and worked out with him, to my wedding, his wedding, birth of our kids. We say it all the time, but we’re not just NBA friends. There’s a lot of guys in this league that are just teammates or NBA friends. But we all are a lot closer than that.” Throughout their careers, Wade and Paul have played each other a total of 21 times, with all of their matchups coming in the regular season. In those games, Wade has averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game while winning seven of the games. As for Paul, he has won 14 of those 21 games while averaging 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game. The two played together on the 2008 United States men’s national basketball team, which won a gold medal at the Olympics. Wade was that team’s leading scorer at 16.0 points per game while Paul led the team in assists per game with 4.1. Houston and Miami’s Thursday night matchup is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. EST. [xyz-ihs snippet=”HN-300×250-TextnImage”]<doc-sep>Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul had some words for friend and Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade after the latter hit a game-winning buzzer beater to oust the Golden State Warriors. Via Twitter, Paul asked Wade not to put up his clutch game when they face tomorrow night in Houston. Aight now @DwyaneWade…don’t come down to Houston with that nonsense tomorrow night!! 😂🤣😂 #OneLastDance — Chris Paul (@CP3) February 28, 2019 Per Bleacher Report, below is Wade’s game-winning shot. At first, the Warriors seemingly shut off every chance at a shot. But at the last minute, Wade got a clean look and tossed the ball into the hoop — one foot behind the 3-point line. Miraculously, the ball went in much to the delight of the Heat crowd. FATHER PRIME FOR THE WIN pic.twitter.com/GDkoOFVVi4 — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 28, 2019 The Warriors, for their part, were left heartbroken. They knew they put on their best defensive stance. But Wade, considered a legend in the game, single-handedly beat them. It certainly is a good proof that Wade has a whole lot of gas left in the tank. But as he announced before the season started, this will be his final year in the NBA. Paul, one of Wade’s closest friends, knows that the 37-year-old is capable of elevating his game to an elite level on any given night. His game-winner to give the Heat a victory over the Warriors isn’t just a stroke of luck. It’s an NBA icon putting his best foot forward.<doc-sep>

Dwyane Wade hit one of the most epic game-winners of his storied career on Wednesday night, and the NBA world couldn’t get enough of it. The shot came with just seconds left on the clock, and even though Wade was off balance when he heaved the shot towards the basket, it hit its mark and the Heat got a much-needed win over the Golden State Warriors, 126-125. It didn’t take long for other stars around the league to get their Twitter fingers going to admire Wade’s epic shot. Aight now @DwyaneWade…don’t come down to Houston with that nonsense tomorrow night!! ??? #OneLastDance — Chris Paul (@CP3) February 28, 2019 [xyz-ihs snippet=”HN-300×250-Image”] Wow Dwade — David West (@D_West30) February 28, 2019 This Is What He Does!!! Congrats @DwyaneWade for doing it once again ?? #Legend pic.twitter.com/RL7YwF19f7 — Mike Miller (@MikeMiller_13) February 28, 2019 Even Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union got in on the social media celebration. While Kevin Durant didn’t head to Twitter, he did have some words of admiration following the game. Kevin Durant on Dwyane Wade’s game-winner and his career. This was KD’s last game against Wade. pic.twitter.com/rADkSVZ7cE — Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 28, 2019 “He made a tremendous play,” Durant said following the game. “You don’t even think about shooting that type of shot and winning the game that way.” Every game that passes now moves Wade, his fans, and the entire league closer to the end of his career. A game-winner like this, against what is widely considered to be the best team in the league, is truly special. Hopefully, there are a few more magical moments in store for Wade and the Heat before the end of the 2018-19 season. [xyz-ihs snippet=”HN-300×250-TextnImage”]

The action was intense last night (Sat., June 2, 2018) at Bare Knuckle FC live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Cheyenne Ice and Events Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. To watch Bare Knuckle FC in its entirety click here. From 18-second knockouts to five-round barn burners, we’ve compiled all of the highlights below. It’s a tremendous hodgepodge of furious uppercuts, overhand rights, bloody faces, and all the bare knuckle fun you can handle. The sickest finish of the evening went to boxer Sam Shewmaker when he leveled former Bellator MMA fighter Eric Prindle with one overhand right just 18 seconds into the first round. It’s exactly the type of finish you would picture when thinking of bare knuckle boxing. Bare knuckle boxing veteran Bobby Gunn improved his ridiculous record to 72-0 in a 41-second knockout win over Irineu Beato Costa Jr.. Gunn went to the body early and Costa Jr. immediately went down. The finish looked a little funny, but you can judge for yourself. Former UFC fighter Bec Rawlings cashed in during a co-main event appearance opposite Alma Garcia, eventually finishing the bout via doctor’s stoppage at the end of the second round. Former UFC brawler Joey Beltran made an appearance last night in a wild bout with 90-fight MMA veteran Tony Lopez. Beltran battered Lopez early at almost every turn, but a bloody Lopez refused to go away and piled on his own offense in the fourth and the fifth. In the end, it was Beltran who escaped the Fight of the Night candidate with the win. Hopefully this wasn’t the only time we get to see Bare Knuckle FC. The price tag was well worth it and nearly every fighter showed up to throw heavy bombs. The pace between bouts was really nice, too. Bare Knuckle FC should be returning this September. For complete Bare Knuckle FC results and coverage click here.<doc-sep>CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Bare-knuckle boxing, last practiced with fanfare on American soil when legendary champion John L. Sullivan was knocking out men in the 1880s, made its official return Saturday night. Billed as the first legal, sanctioned and state-regulated bare-knuckle event in U.S. history, the 10-card bout got underway at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center in front of a sellout crowd of 2,000. A potentially far bigger audience watched the pay-per-view telecast. Fighters wearing gauze wrapped around their hands but with knuckles exposed paraded in the “squared circle,” specially designed for the event that prompted threatening phone calls, according to promoter David Feldman. “One guy said, ‘I’m going to welcome you to Wyoming with a bullet in your head,’ " Feldman, founder of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, told USA TODAY Sports. "Just a lot of junk that came our way. "I know that most people are just talking, trying to scare me off, and I didn’t want to take it seriously. But you never know what may happen.’’ With a K-9 patrol dog trained to detect explosives on hand, the event went off without a hitch. The fight card included 15 mixed-martial arts fighters, four boxers and one kickboxer — all established professionals, Feldman said. A co-main event featured two women, MMA fighter Bec Rawlings of Australia and boxer Alma Garcia of Denver. The other co-main event featured Ricco Rodriguez, a former UFC heavyweight champion. Seven of the 10 fights were decided by knockout or technical knockout, and only three fights went beyond the third round on a bloody night. In the co-main events, Rawlings won in a second-round TKO and Rodriguez won by decision. Bryan Pedersen, chairman Wyoming Combat Sports Commission, responded to critics who call bare-knuckle boxing barbaric and objected to Wyoming sanctioning the event. (Feldman, the promoter, said 28 other states refused to do so.) Noting that bare-knuckle fighters can use only their fists, while MMA fighters and kickboxers can strike an opponent in the head with their elbows, knees and shins, Pedersen said, “That’s something where we can just look at and say, ‘This (bare-knuckle boxing) is going to be a safer sport than the two that we already regulate.' ’’ But precautions were in place for what was expected to be a bloody event. Two ringside doctors, rather than the standard one, were on hand, and two ambulances were parked outside the center. Feldman said the show cost $500,000 to produce and he expressed confidence that fans would get their money’s worth. Tickets were priced from $50 to $200 and the pay-per-view telecast was available for $29.99 on outlets such as fite.tv. “Not everybody wanted us here, but now that we’re here they’re welcoming us,’’ Feldman said before the fight. “We’re getting a tremendous response all around the world. It’s just unbelievable.’’<doc-sep>CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Blood covered the face of D.J. Linderman, who was trading punches in a heavyweight bout that drew cheers from the crowd. Then a ringside physician emerged. The man climbed into the ring at the end of the second round and inspected Linderman’s pulverized face. The right eye looked swollen shut. The nose kept bleeding. Assorted cuts oozed blood. When the bout ended moments later due to doctor’s stoppage, Arnold Adams, the winning fighter, theatrically kissed his bare knuckles. Indeed, knuckles took star billing Saturday night at the Ice and Events Center during a 10-fight card that was billed as the first legal, sanctioned and state-regulated bare-knuckle boxing event in U.S. history. “This is my baby, this is what got the job done,” Adams said later, admiring the knuckles of his left hand, the source of a punishing jab. “Every time I threw it, it touched him and the whole crowd went ‘ooooh.’” That sound, and the sight of bare knuckles hitting faces, figures to be spreading fast. Wyoming is set to host up to five more bare-knuckle events this year, and a handful of other states have expressed interest in sanctioning shows like this one. No more than 2,000 people could squeeze into the Cheyenne arena that sits across the street from the Stage Coach Motel and next door to the now-shuttered Hitching Post Inn. But the event was available on pay-per-view, and the fights generated buzz on social media thanks to the likes of the knuckle-kisser and his bare-knuckled buddies. With their hands wrapped with tape and gauze but knuckles exposed, the fighters kept the ringside physicians and viewers alert. Seven of the 10 bouts were decided by a knockout or technical knockout, and only three of the fights went more than three rounds. The bloody affair surely will stoke opposing sides in the moral fight over bare-knuckle boxing. In 1889, The Marquess of Queensberry Rules that mandate the use of gloves in boxing came into effect in the USA. That also was the year of the last major bare-knuckle heavyweight world championship, won by the famed John L. Sullivan. Traditional boxing became the law of the land and part of a culture that produced legendary fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and Rocky Marciano. The bare-knuckle brawlers were for the past 129 years relegated to the shadows. Until now. Wyoming has became the first state to sanction bare-knuckle fights. Opponents of the state’s decision — and those who believe that boxing without gloves is barbaric — might have contributed to threatening phone calls fight promoter David Feldman said he received. So Feldman said he decided to bring in a K-9 patrol dog at a cost of $1,500 a day. “One guy said, ‘I’m going to welcome you to Wyoming with a bullet in your head,’” said Feldman, president of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships based in Pennsylvania. “Just a lot of junk that came our way. “I know that most people are just talking, trying to scare me off, and I didn’t want to take it seriously. But you never know what may happen.” It turned out the only people who looked to be in harm’s way were on the fight card — 15 mixed martial arts fighters, four boxers and one kickboxer. That includedtwo women, one a mother of two. Bec Rawlings elicited loud and slightly lusty cheers as she brawled with Alma Garcia before winning on a second-round technical knockout. The cheers grew even louder when a heavyweight bout between Joey Beltran and Tony Lopez turned into a blood bath. And Sam Shewmaker, another heavyweight, sent the audience into a frenzy with his only punch — an overhand right that dropped burly Eric Prindle just 18 seconds into the fight. It was a glimpse into a sport looking to burst onto the mainstream and emerge from a shadowy operation. Underground since 1889 Official boxing records show Bobby Gunn has fought 32 times, won a cruiserweight title and faced off against Roy Jones Jr. and James Toney before losing to those former heavyweight champions. But the records say nothing about what has made Gunn a driving force behind what happened in Cheyenne. The bare-knuckle fights that all but disappeared from public view in the USA after 1889 simply moved underground, according to Gunn, who sported an unofficial record of 71-0 before the festivities moved into a legitimate venue Saturday. Empty warehouses, auto body repair shops and basements have served as venues for organized bare-knuckle fights, Gunn said. Video found online shows Gunn knocking out Jay-Z bodyguard Ernest Jackson — at an undisclosed site, of course. “One time I fought and literally one wall separated me from a grocery store,” Gunn told USA TODAY. “And here’s people in line buying cereal and meat, oblivious to the world what’s going on behind that wall next door. “It happens all the time throughout America. It’s been here before I was born, it’ll be here when I’m dead and gone. But I’m hoping that the sanctioned, legalized sport will take these young fighters and give them a platform to get paid professionally and not have to hide in the shadows anymore.” Gunn disputed the notion that the sport is barbaric. “These are not barroom brawls,” Gunn said. “These are not street fights. A bare-knuckle boxing fight, that’s arranged (as) two men coming to compete for money or it could be for pride or reputation.” Years ago, Gunn shared all of this with Feldman, 47, the son of a legendary boxing trainer. Intoxicated by the possibilities, Feldman took on what he soon considered the fight of his life — to bring bare-knuckled boxing into the mainstream, and to potential pay-per-view customers. While Feldman can talk at length about the charms and technicalities of bare-knuckled boxing, he also says, “This is for the guys that really want to fight, the guys that have fight in their system and in their blood. It’s all about the fight.”<doc-sep>"I’m the boss I’m the boss I’m the boss,” says Bobby Gunn, the defending champion of bare-knuckle boxing, repeating a mantra from the film Raging Bull to himself just moments before taking the stage for the first legal, state-sanctioned gloveless fighting event in U.S. history. “Come on big fucker—let’s go.” Walking out to Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” in front of a screaming sold-out crowd of 2,000 beer-drinking, cowboy-hat-wearing locals at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center on the outskirts of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Gunn, 44, takes the stage, squaring off against his younger and larger opponent, Irineu Beato Costa, Jr., a. heavyweight boxer from Sau Paulo, Brazil. Standing just feet apart, Gunn and Costa raise their fists in a blood-stained steel circular ring built for this event, a striking image in U.S. sports history: no boxing gloves. “Knuckle up!” one of the two referees yells. Gunn, long used to fighting bare knuckle in underground illegal brawls with no time limits, is now forced to take a more aggressive approach in the event’s fast-paced two-minute rounds. Charging Costa, he throws a penetrating left hook to the liver, dropping him within seconds. After Costa manages a wobbly rise, Gunn then rushes him again, this time going for the kill—another deep shot to the liver topped by a final overhand right hook to the temple as he falls. The crowd roars. Costa lies crumpled on the ring. The fight is over. In only 41 seconds, Gunn has proven why he is the champion of this sport, demolishing his opponent with the precision of a surgeon, the victory and body shots so quick the internet will later wonder how he did it. But for Gunn, it’s just another victory to add to his lifetime 72-0 record in bare knuckle, only this time with a crucial twist—he won in a legal arena in front of a pay-per-view audience around the world. “I thought this would get legalized,” Gunn says, smiling, the cameras flashing. “Just not in my lifetime.” “Come on big fucker—let’s go.” After decades of fighting in underground illegal bare-knuckle brawls from alleyways to empty warehouses across the U.S., Gunn has finally achieved a victory he never expected—defending his title in the first legal, state-sanctioned bare-knuckle fight in U.S. history. On Saturday night in an ice and roller-skating arena adorned with advertisements for construction companies and giant American flags, Gunn and 19 other fighters from pro boxing, MMA, and street brawling entered the ring to resurrect one of America’s oldest sports. The ten-card event featured a mix of up-and-coming contenders like former UFC star Bec Rawlings along with aging pros like former UFC heavyweight Ricco Rodriguez, everyone fighting in five, two-minute rounds while wearing nothing on their hands but wrapping about an inch below the knuckles. Jacob Byk/Wyoming Tribune Eagle AP Legalized for the first time in U.S. history by the Wyoming State Board of Mixed Martial Arts in March, bare-knuckle fighting features rules similar to pro boxing—punching only, a standard eight-count, a three-knockdown rule—but with a crucial twist: no gloves allowed. The skin on skin contact makes for a bloody spectacle. But, also, according to rising research, it likely results in a surprising benefit—fewer concussions. “In MMA, I can grab your head and ram it against my knee,” says promoter David Feldman, a former boxer who has worked for seven years to legalize bare knuckle, getting rejected by 28 states before Wyoming finally agreed to sanction it. “How is that legal and bare knuckle isn’t? With bare knuckle, there is a perception of it being a more dangerous sport—but it’s actually safer.” Going into the bare-knuckle event on Saturday night, no one really knew what would happen—the sport had not made headlines in the U.S. in over 120 years. Once one of the most popular pastimes in the U.S., bare-knuckle boxing was practiced by immigrants competing in makeshift arenas in cities like New York and Boston in the 19th century, the sport’s greatest champion, John L. Sullivan, rising from his job as a plumber to become an international star, visiting the White House at the request of Theodore Roosevelt. John L. Sullivan, left, fights in a bare-knuckle bout in 1900. Getty Images But even Sullivan’s greatest bare-knuckle match—a $20,000 bout near New Orleans in 1889—was illegal, the gloveless sport covered by press but never sanctioned by a state due to its perceived brutality. In 1892, when the U.S. legalized gloved boxing as a less bloody and seemingly more civilized form of combat—the gloves resulting in less precise hits and fewer cuts—bare knuckle disappeared from the spotlight entirely. The sport, however, never really went away. Practiced for cash in underground illegal arenas from after-hours gyms to abandoned buildings, bare knuckle has recently grown into more mainstream popularity as a possibly safer alternative to boxing. Similar to the difference between rugby and NFL football, bare-knuckle fighters hit each other with less force to keep from breaking their hands—the self-governing aspect of the sport resulting in superficial skin-on-skin cuts but seemingly fewer concussions. “We’ve done blunt-force trauma impact studies and concussion studies,” Feldman says. “This makes sense.” Bobby Gunn Getty Images In 2008, the comeback of bare knuckle began when Gunn fought for Feldman on a pro boxing match in Arizona. Introduced to the illegal sport by Gunn—a veteran underground bare-knuckle brawler in addition to being a pro boxer—Feldman saw business potential. In 2011, he featured Gunn in a bare-knuckle boxing event sanctioned by the Yavapai Tribe at the Fort McDowell Casino in Arizona, the event held on Native American land outside of the jurisdiction of state lawmakers. Bobby Gunn and Dreyton Jackson during an underground bare-knuckle fight on September 12 somewhere on the East Coast of the United States. Getty Images The bare-knuckle fight was expected to draw around 50,000 viewers on livestream pay-per-view, making around $500,000. Instead, it attracted so many online requests they crashed the system, leaving Feldman and the victorious Gunn with no money but a glimpse of the sport’s potential.<doc-sep>

AP CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The first ever state-sanctioned bare-knuckle boxing match got a bloody ending Saturday night — and a big response from a raucous crowd. Arnold Adams, a 32-year-old MMA heavyweight, pounded ex-UFC fighter D.J. Linderman's face into a bloody mess in front of 2,000 rowdy fans at a hockey rink that usually hosts birthday parties and skating lessons in Wyoming's capital. Tens of thousands more tuned in for the pay-per-view event, which featured 10 bouts, including four heavyweight fights in a tournament format. Fans were lined up outside the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center more than an hour before the first major bare-knuckle event in the U.S. since 1889. Forrest Peters, from Cheyenne, was among those in attendance. He came to cheer Estevan Payan — who served in the same Army unit as Peters — and to witness history. "With the bare-knuckle fighting and everything, having them bring it back for the first time in over 100 years, you knew it's pretty exciting to see," Peters said, "and especially having it here in Cheyenne, kinda out here where the West is still a little wild." Payan, of Tempe, Arizona, didn't disappoint, flooring Omar Avelar at 1:57 of the opening round of a 145-pound match. The quickest knockout occurred when Sam Shewmaker used one punch, an overhand right, to send Eric Prindle to the canvas 18 seconds into their heavyweight bout. "It felt like hitting a home run," said Shewmaker, a fourth-generation stone mason from the tiny central Missouri town of Gravois Mills. "I didn't think I would be able to catch him that early, but luckily I did." Shewmaker has been an amateur boxer for years, and when he heard about the Wyoming event, he tried out and earned a chance to compete. "I never dreamed that it would be legal to be able to do this," he said. "I've been in plenty of illegal bare-knuckle fights. I mean growing up where I did, in the area I did, it's kinda rough, but people are gentlemen about it, too. You can fight, you get up, you're done, you shake hands and you go get a beer." Bec Rawlings, a 29-year-old from Brisbane, Australia, won the only bout of the night featuring women, stopping Alma Garcia with a TKO in the second round. Rawlings noticed little difference from fighting with gloves. "It felt the same to get punched as in an MMA fight, which is what my background is," she said. "The difference was my knuckles more — when I punched her, I felt it a little bit more. Other than that, it was really nice just to let go and showcase my boxing skill and not worry about a takedown or a kick. "It felt like the rawest form of combat sports to just go out there and throw your hands and let loose." Tony Lopez lost the most entertaining fight of the night, a five-rounder against fellow Californian Joey Beltran. The crowd was on its feet and roaring as the two heavyweights traded punches and slugged it out to the end, with both men bruised, cut up and bloodied. "The knuckles was nothing," the 44-year-old Lopez said. "... I've always wanted to fight with no gloves. Got a chance to do it here." Beltran and Shewmaker joined Ricco Rodriguez and Maurice Jackson in the semifinals of the heavyweight division tournament, which will be held in September, also in Cheyenne. Heralded underground bare-knuckle heavyweight Bobby Gunn also fought, knocking out Irineu Beato Costa Jr. in 41 seconds. Cheyenne resident Bryan Pedersen, an MMA fighter and former state lawmaker, successfully sponsored a bill in 2012 to create a state board of mixed martial arts — the first state to do so. While MMA was thriving, bare-knuckle competition wasn't even considered when the law was passed. However, Wyoming jumped at the chance to host Bare Knuckle Fight Championships action after 28 other states passed. The International Boxing Hall of Fame said the last significant bare-knuckle bout was July 8, 1889, when John L. Sullivan went 75 rounds to beat Jake Kilrain. Even that event was illegal and had to be staged under the cover of secrecy as most states had outlawed the non-gloved version of boxing. Fighting was forced underground until 2011, when the Yavapai Nation sanctioned a match that Gunn won over Richard Stewart at the tribe's reservation in Arizona.

WWE's Super Show-Down in Australia will feature 10 matches, and the results will have short-term ramifications for both Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live. The show is this Saturday, Oct. 6. While most of the card seems predictable, there are some very intriguing matchups that even our group of wrestling marks had trouble picking winners for. We've done our best to correctly predict the winners of Super Show-Down (which means we'll get them completely wrong). If video is more your thing, you can watch the predictions over on our Facebook page. Here's every WWE Super Show-Down match with our team's picks. THE UNDERTAKER VS TRIPLE H For the last time ever, Undertaker will take on Triple H. Everyone seems to think the Undertaker will continue his dominance of Trips on Super Show-Down, but Phil seems to think having Shawn Michaels in his corner will get Triple H the victory. Bob - Taker Phil - Triple H Rocco - Taker CEDRIC ALEXANDER (c) VS BUDDY MURPHY - CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH Cedric Alexander has had the Cruiserweight title since WrestleMania, and Bob doesn't see that changing with this show. However, Phil and Rocco believe the hometown boy, Buddy Murphy, is ready to get the strap. Bob - Cedric Phil - Buddy Rocco - Buddy THE NEW DAY (c) VS THE BAR - SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH This feud has just begun and we all can see it continuing after Super Show-Down, with New Day narrowly getting the victory to retain their Tag Team Championships. Bob - New Day Phil - New Day Rocco - New Day NAOMI & ASUKA VS THE IICONICS Another case of the hometown wrestlers picking up the win. We all feel it'll be a perfect moment for Peyton Royce and Billie Kaye (The IIconics) to get a much-needed victory in Australia. Bob - IIconics Phil - IIconics Rocco - IIconics BOBBY LASHLEY & JOHN CENA VS KEVIN OWENS & ELIAS Probably the easiest match to predict: it's hard to see how John Cena loses his first match back since WrestleMania. Elias and Kevin Owens are almost "loss-proof" meaning they can handle a defeat. Bob - Cena/Lashley Phil - Cena/Lashley Rocco - Cena/Lashley DANIEL BRYAN VS THE MIZ - WWE #1 CONTENDERS MATCH It was tough to choose a winner here, as either wrestler could come out on top and become the new number one contender for AJ Style's WWE Championship. Bob feels its Daniel Bryan's time, while Rocco and Phil believe the story of Miz getting over on Bryan using heel tactics will continue. Bob - Daniel Bryan Phil - Miz Rocco - Miz AJ STYLES (c) VS SAMOA JOE - WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH/NO DQ AJ Styles has had an impressive run as WWE Champion, and Bob and Phil feel it will continue. With WWE 2K19 coming out next week with AJ as the cover star, it's easy to see Styles going over. Rocco, however, feels Samoa Joe needs the victory and will pick up the belt here. Bob - AJ Phil - AJ Rocco - Joe CHARLOTTE VS BECKY LYNCH (c) - SMACKDOWN WOMENS TITLE MATCH Becky Lynch won the SmackDown Women's title less than a month ago, so none of the crew believe she's losing it to Charlotte in Australia. Whether Becky get herself disqualified or the two have a double countout, Lynch will walk out still the champ. Bob - Becky Phil - Becky Rocco - Becky RONDA ROUSEY & THE BELLA TWINS VS THE RIOTT SQUAD Rocco believes The Riott Squad are prime to defeat Ronda Rousey and The Bella Twins in their six-woman tag match. Bob and Phil think he's crazy. Bob - Rousey/Bellas Phil - Rousey/Bellas Rocco - Riott Squad THE SHIELD VS THE DOGS OF WAR The main story of Monday Night RAW has been whether or not Dean Ambrose will turn on his Shield brethren. Bob and Phil don't believe it'll happen in Australia, but Rocco seems to think the Dogs of War will somehow get the upper hand. Bob - Shield Phil - Shield Rocco - Dogs of War<doc-sep>1 of 5 Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz Q: Both of these Superstars are deserving of a WWE title shot. Which one would you rather see win at Super Show-Down and why? KB: Bryan will get his soon enough, but it's been far too long since The Miz got his chance at the top. His first and only WWE Championship reign was a disaster due to his lack of readiness for that spot. He has grown leaps and bounds since main-eventing WrestleMania 27. The first time it was clear that The A-Lister had taken the next step as a wrestler was his match with a newly signed Styles, and I would love to see what the two can do together now. It would be a fantastic contest and perhaps set up for The Miz to get well-deserved respect with a world title reign. The Bellas and Ronda Rousey vs. The Riott Squad Q: Which member of The Riott Squad do you think will win the women's title first and why? KB: The stable is named after Ruby Riott for a reason. She's the most complete star of the trio and clearly the most comfortable in the ring. While I do see good things coming in the future for Sarah Logan as well since she is finally getting comfortable, there's a big gap between the leader of the stable and her two friends. That was on full display in Riott's match against Rousey on Monday. In fact, it's almost a shock that she hasn't already won the women's title. Her work with Charlotte earlier in the year as well as with Bayley and Sasha after the move to Raw has proved she's one of the company's best all-around performers. Triple H vs. The Undertaker Q: On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you for this supposed final match between these two? Explain why. KB: I'll say a 2. I don't think the match will be a disaster, but I'm not interested in seeing any more of the modern iterations of HHH and Taker. The Deadman especially has been falling apart in the ring, so he needs to keep this short and sweet while Hunter stretches every match out an extra 10 minutes. I'd rather their last match was at WrestleMania 28.<doc-sep>THE biggest professional wrestling event in Australian history will take place this Saturday when WWE Super Show-Down lights up the MCG. With a crowd of around 70,000 set to pack out the Melbourne Cricket Ground, it will surpass 2002’s Global Warning Tour show at Marvel Stadium which saw over 56,000 people in attendance. Headlining the show is a blockbuster seen at three WrestleManias but now billed to be for the last time ever - Triple H versus The Undertaker. To add to the intrigue, Shawn Michaels will be in his long-time friend’s corner, while Kane will join the Deadman. LIVE BLOG: Follow WWE Super Show-Down with results and videos Here’s your guide to WWE Super Show-Down including start time, match card, predictions, rumours and more. WHAT TIME DOES WWE SUPER SHOW-DOWN START? WWE Super Show-Down takes place on Saturday 6 October, with the pre-show starting at 6:30pm AEST and the main show starting at 7pm AEST. Gates are open from 4:30pm AEST and the show will end at 11pm AEST. To watch WWE Super Show-Down, subscribe to the WWE Network or order the Pay Per View on Main Event. The WWE Super Show-Down is coming this Saturday 6 October. Source: Supplied WHICH MATCHES WILL THERE BE AT WWE SUPER SHOW-DOWN? Here is the full match card for WWE Super Show-Down. - The Undertaker (with Kane) vs. Triple H (with Shawn Michaels) - The Shield (Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins) vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre - WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (No Count-Outs, No Disqualifications) - Ronda Rousey and The Bella Twins (Nikki and Brie) vs. The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan) - Smackdown Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair - John Cena and Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens and Elias - Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz (Winner earns a future WWE Championship Match) - Smackdown Tag Team Championship: The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston and/or Xavier Woods) (c) vs. Cesaro and Sheamus - Asuka and Naomi vs The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) - WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Buddy Murphy FULL PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS OF WWE SUPER SHOW-DOWN MATCHES The Undertaker (with Kane) vs. Triple H (with Shawn Michaels) A fascinating match between two WWE legends added another wrinkle when Kane and Shawn Michaels were announced to be in the corners of The Undertaker and Triple H, respectively. In a segment on Monday Night Raw last month, The Undertaker confronted Michaels, who he retired in 2010 via a WrestleMania match. The Heart Break Kid has not wrestled since, unlike most wrestlers for whom retirement is merely temporary. Yet respected wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer reported recently that Michaels will indeed be coming back to wrestle, potentially in a tag team match with Triple H against The Brothers of Destruction at the Saudi Arabia Crown Jewel show in November. The match in Melbourne could theoretically be used to set up the tag match. It would be surprising if The Undertaker was to lose a singles match to Triple H, having beaten him at three WrestleManias. Michaels’ involvement could cause it, but it seems more likely Undertaker will win at the MCG, and then Kane will take the pinfall in Saudi Arabia. Predicted winner: The Undertaker The Undertaker faces Triple H at WWE Super Show-Down. Source: Supplied The Shield (Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins) vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre The intrigue here is whether Dean Ambrose will turn on his Shield brethren. Before his recent long-term injury, Ambrose was expected to turn against Seth Rollins to set up a WrestleMania match. With Reigns the arguable face of the WWE and Rollins having previously turned on The Shield, it would make sense for Ambrose to be the one to do so - because we know one of them eventually will. The question is whether now is the right time, given the trio only reunited after SummerSlam. Now feels too soon. Predicted winner: The Shield WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (No Count-Outs, No Disqualifications) Picking a winner in matches like this is dependent on how important you think this show is in the grand scheme of things. The Greatest Royal Rumble, for example, was a massive show back in Saudi Arabia in April. Yet that and shows like the Super Show-Down are in this middle ground where they’re bigger than regular touring shows, and certainly a lot bigger than the usual Australian tour shows, but not quite a major pay per view. At GRR, no championships changed hands - the vacant tag titles that ended up with Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy excepted. Then you’ve got the fact that this show starts at 5AM US east coast time. The US audience is still WWE’s biggest, so would it be strange to switch one of the top titles when not many fans are even awake to see it? Based on that, it makes sense for AJ to retain. It’d be great to be proven wrong and see a major title change in Melbourne though. Predicted winner: AJ Styles Ronda Rousey and The Bella Twins (Nikki and Brie) vs. The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan) Ronda Rousey returns to Melbourne for the first time since her UFC 193 loss to Holly Holm. Will we see another massive upset here? Well, potentially, because the key here is what this match is building towards. Quite clearly Rousey and the Bellas are bigger stars than the Riott Squad, but it has been reported that one of the main matches at the upcoming all-womens show Evolution will pit Rousey against Nikki Bella. If so, Nikki turning on the Raw Women’s Champion and causing the team to lose would make sense here. But that could also happen after the match is won, or indeed on an episode of Raw closer to Evolution, or indeed never and they just go into a match as friends. Just be aware it could happen. Predicted winner: Ronda Rousey and The Bella Twins<doc-sep>0 of 6 Credit: WWE.com Less than three weeks removed from Hell in a Cell comes WWE's latest special event entitled Super Show-Down 2018, emanating live from the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia this Saturday. Unlike Greatest Royal Rumble from earlier this year, WWE has done a commendable job of hyping the show in recent weeks and making each match feel meaningful. Some are certainly more important than others, but on the whole, the pay-per-view has promise and the potential to be thoroughly entertaining. The Undertaker vs. Triple H will headline the event in what is being billed as a "last time ever" encounter. The addition of Shawn Michaels and Kane to ringside for that bout all but guarantees it will be a spectacle and could possibly set the stage for another outing involving those four down the road. Elsewhere on the card, The Shield will have their hands full with the dastardly trio of Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre while the long-running rivalry between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe over the WWE Championship will culminate in a No Count-out, No Disqualification match. Additionally, Ronda Rousey, Daniel Bryan, The Bella Twins, The Miz, John Cena, Kevin Owens and other notable names being a part of the card will make this one of WWE's most star-studded lineups in recent memory. That combined with the electric atmosphere in Melbourne will surely help give Super Show-Down a WrestleMania-like vibe. In order for the show to be deemed a success from a storyline standpoint, the outcomes should not be as obvious as they seem. As the event draws closer, now is the time to offer to make bold predictions and attempt to anticipate what will happen in the night's biggest matches.<doc-sep>

October is a busy month for the WWE, and it begins in Australia with the Super Show-Down Live from the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Sydney this Saturday, Oct. 6. The Super Show-Down will feature title matches, returning WWE Superstars and a whole lot more. There are currently 10 confirmed matches with four title bouts that can shape the path of Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live heading into Evolution, Crown Jewel and Survivor Series. Here is every match confirmed so far for WWE Super Show-Down. Note: This list is subject to change CEDRIC ALEXANDER (c) VS BUDDY MURPHY - CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH The Cruiserweight title is on the line as Cedric Alexander takes his six-month reign into battle against the hometown hero, Buddy Murphy. These two had a feud over the summer that ended with Alexander retaining his title, but will Murphy come out on top with the home field advantage? THE NEW DAY (c) VS THE BAR - SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH After The New Day dispatched Rusev Day at Hell in a Cell, The Bar were next in line to try to take the SmackDown Tag Team championships. This is the first title opportunity on SmackDown Live for The Bar, and they hope to put the hurting on The New Day. NAOMI & ASUKA VS THE IICONICS More hometown wrestlers get the spotlight at Super Show-Down as The IIconics take on Naomi and Asuka in tag-team action. Over the last few weeks, The IIconics took turns defeating Naomi, leading to Asuka coming in for the save and making a new friend in the process. Can the combined might of Peyton Royce and Billie Kaye take out a former champ and Asuka? BOBBY LASHLEY & JOHN CENA VS KEVIN OWENS & ELIAS John Cena is set to return to the WWE at Super Show-Down, teaming with Bobby Lashley against Kevin Owens and Elias. KO and Elias have tussled with Lashley and his manager Lio Rush over the last few weeks, but everyone will be waiting to see how Cena performs after being away from a WWE ring for so long. DANIEL BRYAN VS THE MIZ - WWE #1 CONTENDERS MATCH The match between Daniel Bryan and The Miz may have the biggest implications for SmackDown Live moving forward. These rivals have been at odds for years, and now it's time for the two to fight for a chance at the WWE Championship. The Miz has come out on top in recent weeks using "heelish" tactics, but can Bryan overcome the A-Lister and his growing desire to cut corners to win? AJ STYLES (c) VS SAMOA JOE - WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH/NO DQ Samoa Joe took his feud with WWE Champion AJ Styles to the next level, threatening the champ's family by visiting them while The Phenomenal One was on SmackDown. After a controversial finish at Hell in a Cell, SmackDown general manager Paige has made the title match between Styles and Joe a No DQ and No Countout contest, so there has to be a winner in Australia. CHARLOTTE VS BECKY LYNCH (c) - SMACKDOWN WOMENS TITLE MATCH Becky Lynch captured the SmackDown Women's Title from her former best friend Charlotte at Hell in a Cell, but the Irish Lass-kicker continues to have a mean streak as she lauds her victory over the rest of the women in the SmackDown locker room. Can Charlotte humble Becky and re-capture the title, or will Lynch continue to dominate the competition? RONDA ROUSEY & THE BELLA TWINS VS THE RIOTT SQUAD The Riott Squad has made Ronda Rousey and The Bella Twins' lives a living hell on Monday Night RAW, but the six women will all face off in a tag match in Australia. As the RAW Women's Champion, Ronda looks to put The Riott Squad in their place after they attacked her friend Natalya. THE SHIELD VS THE DOGS OF WAR The war between The Shield and The Dogs of War rages on, as the six top stars on RAW square off. The story here is whether Dean Ambrose will betray his Shield brethren after the Dogs of War brought up some great points about his time injured last week. While Ambrose continues to say he'll go into battle with the Shield no matter what, but will that end here? THE UNDERTAKER VS TRIPLE H The Undertaker and Triple H have had some memorable battles in the past, but their meeting at Super Show-Down will be their final encounter.

Steer like this to stay out of accidents in the snow TOPSHOT - A city worker drives through the flooded street during Hurricane Sally in downtown Pensacola, Florida on September 16, 2020. - Hurricane Sally barrelled into the US Gulf Coast early Wednesday, with forecasts of drenching rains that could provoke "historic" and potentially deadly flash floods.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the Category 2 storm hit Gulf Shores, Alabama at about 4:45 am (0945 GMT), bringing maximum sustained winds of about 105 miles (165 kilometers) per hour. "Historic life-threatening flooding likely along portions of the northern Gulf coast," the Miami-based center had warned late Tuesday, adding the hurricane could dump up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain in some areas. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) Why snow and blackouts in Texas are a preview for all of us Storm chasing photographers take photos underneath a rotating supercell storm system in Maxwell, Nebraska on September 3, 2016. Although multiple tornado warnings were issued throughout the area, no funnel cloud touched down. / AFP / Josh Edelson / XGTY RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / Josh EDELSON" / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS == (Photo credit should read JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images) Why hurricanes are so hard to predict IN SPACE - In this handout photo provided by NASA, Hurricane Patricia is seen from the International Space Station. The hurricane made landfall on the Pacfic coast of Mexico on October 23. (Photo by Scott Kelly/NASA via Getty Images) Larry Pierson, from the Isle of Palms, S.C., purchases bottled water from the Harris Teeter grocery store on the Isle of Palms in preparation for Hurricane Florence at the Isle of Palms S.C., Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Mic Smith) The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on NOAA-20 acquired this image of Hurricane Laura at 2:20 a.m. Central Daylight Time on August 26, 2020. (CNN) — Gov. Roy Cooper will declare a state of emergency Wednesday for the western part of North Carolina, the governor’s office said in a statement. The announcement follows heavy rains that slammed the mountainous area Tuesday and Wednesday, causing mudslides and forcing evacuations and road closures – including a portion of Interstate 40. “Our emergency response and transportation crews have been working through the night to keep North Carolinians safe as conditions deteriorate,” Cooper said. ” … this storm isn’t yet over. I’m urging people to keep a close eye on forecasts and flood watches, and asking drivers to use caution especially when traveling in our western counties.” The emergency declaration will help the state coordinate its response and “prepare for any additional impacts,” the statement said. In the last 24 hours, 4 to 7 inches of rain slammed parts of a region that had been hit by frequent rain for a couple of weeks. And in the next couple of days, there will be a threat of flash flooding as storms persist, the governor’s office said. McDowell Co. experiencing most significant flooding since 2004 during Hurricane Frances/Ivan; some WNC areas have seen 15-16" of rain in past 2 weeks. Add'tl 1-2" rain likely in mtns today, continuing chance for flooding/landslides. Saturated soils=downed trees #BeReadyNC! #ncwx pic.twitter.com/ozcPh0iOT1 — NC Emergency Management (@NCEmergency) May 30, 2018 Residents and businesses near Lake Tahoma Dam appear to have dodged potential disaster Wednesday, after emergency officials called off evacuations. Heavy rains and a landslide in nearby mountains had “compromised the integrity” of the dam and triggered urgent calls for mandatory evacuations, McDowell County emergency officials had said earlier. The dam was “at risk of imminent failure,” officials said. The National Weather Service also cited reports from officials that water was spilling around the sides of Lake Tahoma Dam and that evacuations were ongoing. Kathy Kmonicek/AP Water flows from the Lake Tahoma Dam in McDowell County, north of downtown Marion, North Carolina. But later, officials said Lake Tahoma had been inspected and deemed safe and a mandatory evacuation was being canceled. “The emergency at Lake Tahoma has been canceled. The evacuation order is no longer in effect. The engineer has performed a safety inspection and determined that the evacuation order is no longer needed,” according to a statement on the McDowell County 911/Emergency Management Facebook page. “Please remain alert for additional updates, as additional rainfall is expected this afternoon. We appreciate the public’s understanding during this storm.” There was also a mandatory evacuation of downtown Old Fort in McDowell County because of flooding, the governor’s office said. The National Weather Service said a flood warning in McDowell remains in effect through 4:30 p.m. The governor’s office said Lake Tahoma and other dams, including Lake Lake Lure, Tuxedo and North Fork Lake are being monitored. NCDOT captured this video this morning near the Buncombe/McDowell county line where last night's mudslide temporarily closed part of I-40. https://t.co/K29ltktJNf — NCDOT (@NCDOT) May 30, 2018 Landslides, flooding and outages Deadly subtropical depression Alberto, the storm system that has been drenching the Southeast, has caused landslides, evacuations and flash flooding. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has been assessing damage and removing debris caused by mudslides, washouts and flooding on interstates, highways and local roads. It has been assessing damage caused by mudslides washouts and flooding on interstates, highways and local roads. Roads have been closed in Avery, Buncombe, McDowell, Watauga, Henderson, Rutherford, Macon, Polk, Mitchell, Transylvania, Gaston, Catawba and Iredell counties, the governor’s office said. Matt Burkhartt/Asheville Citizen-Times-USA TODAY/Sipa Biltmore Avenue in Asheville, North Carolina. In Rutherford County, the Town of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock Village declared a state of emergency amid high water levels in the Rocky Broad River, officials said on the town’s Facebook page. “Following more than six inches of rain overnight in many areas of Western North Carolina, numerous residents are without power this morning in the Lake Lure area, as many trees are down and roads blocked,” Lake Lure said in a Facebook post. Barricades are set in place for safety purposes. Please do not try to go around the barricades and travel through high water. (Note: no one was injured). #Asheville #AvlNews #WNCFloods pic.twitter.com/xuBcXNNjee — Asheville Police (@AshevillePolice) May 30, 2018 Hickory Nut Falls Campground and the Rivercreek Campground have been evacuated, the town said. “The Town has had to repeatedly open the floodgates just to balance the continually rising river levels from the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge,” Lake Lure said. “Residents living along the river and in other low-lying areas or areas prone to landslides are urged to take higher ground immediately.” There is also a flash flood emergency in Marion, where 4 to 6 inches of rain has fallen, CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen reported. Life-threatening flash flooding is being reported along the Catawba River and its tributaries there. The city of Asheville reported road and park closings and school delays Wednesday. It is managing water releases from the North Fork Reservoir Dam. In Buncombe County, a licensed care facility and mobile home parks were evacuated, according to the governor’s office. More than 6,500 power outages in western counties were reported. Search and rescue teams were deployed. Most outages were in Henderson, McDowell Cleveland, Buncombe, Swain and Transylvania counties. At Blantyre, moderate flooding is expected at the French Broad River later Wednesday, the governor’s office said. We have issued a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for MCDOWELL COUNTY in NC. Flash flooding, landslides, and rapid rises on waterways are an IMMEDIATE threat to life and property. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE unless you are fleeing flood waters. THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. — NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) May 30, 2018 Alberto weakened to a subtropical depression Monday, but millions of people in parts of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky were still under flash flood watches for much of Tuesday. “Alberto weakened to a subtropical depression on Monday night. However, heavy rainfall from Alberto will spread into northern Georgia, the western Carolinas, and Tennessee on Tuesday, increasing the threat of flash flooding in those areas,” the National Weather Service said.<doc-sep>As remnants of Subtropical Storm Alberto spread into the Great Lakes region, people were keeping a weary watch on dams and hillsides Thursday as rains from the storms have triggered floods and mudslides in the Appalachians of the Southeast. In the North Carolina mountains, one of those landslides was blamed for a gas leak that destroyed a home, killing two people. Boone police Sgt. Shane Robbins said the landslide resulted in the "catastrophic destruction" of the home Wednesday afternoon because of a gas leak. And in Virginia, rescuers were searching for three people feared to have been swept away by floodwaters. In central Virginia, a swift water rescue team was searching for two people who were seen being swept away by a flash flood's torrent of muddy water Wednesday night, according to a news release from the city of Charlottesville. By early Thursday, was no sign of the missing couple. North of that, authorities were searching roadside woodlands for a third missing person. The Madison County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post Thursday morning that rescuers were searching for a missing person after getting a report of a female in the water. The post said the person was reported missing around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and the search had been ongoing overnight. Crews work the scene of a structure collapse in Watauga County, North Carolina, on May 30, 2018, in this photo posted to social media by the Boone Police Department. Boone Police Department Elsewhere, four North Carolina dams being closely watched by a state team of special engineers were holding up, Gov. Roy Cooper said Wednesday. But Cooper went ahead and declared a state of emergency for his hard-hit mountain counties, saying the forecast for the rest of the week calls for isolated heavy rainstorms that could instantly cause flooding in areas that have had 20 inches of rain in the past 15 days. "This storm isn't yet over. I'm urging people to keep a close eye on forecasts," Cooper said. Alberto, while still spinning like a classic tropical storm, has managed to make its way since a Memorial Day landfall in the Florida Panhandle to just outside of Chicago. Forecasters said it would still bring rain and gusty winds to the Great Lakes this week. Alberto's heavy rains have been widespread. Scattered flooding was reported in several states from Alabama through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, the Carolinas and Virginia and West Virginia. In Hopkinsville, Kentucky, high winds and heavy rains gave Sherry Key a fitful night's sleep. "I have dogs and they're terribly afraid of storms, so they were on top on top me all night," said Key, an airport office manager. The worst of the flooding was in the Appalachian Mountains. Up to 7 inches of rain caused flooding in Helen, a mountain town in Georgia, the National Weather Service said. CBS affiliate WGCL-TV of Atlanta, Georgia, reported that several roads in that German-styled tourist destination were shut down because of the rising water. No injuries were reported. Two deaths had been reported during the storm's passage. A television news anchor and a photojournalist were killed Monday in North Carolina while covering the weather, when a tree became uprooted from rain-soaked ground and toppled onto their SUV, authorities said. WYFF-TV of Greenville, South Carolina, said news anchor Mike McCormick and photojournalist Aaron Smeltzer died. In the mountains of North Carolina, two Department of Transportation workers survived a close call when their dump truck was swept away by a mudslide in McDowell County while trying to clean debris from an earlier slide. The men were able to climb from the overturned truck and stand on its side in the Catawba River until they were rescued, Cooper, the governor, said. Authorities in Cuba say Alberto left four people dead there as the storm drenched the island in heavy rain. Interior Minister Julio Cesar Gandarilla said late Tuesday they died as a result of "recklessness" during the storm. He gave no details. The deaths occurred as authorities worked to contain an oil spill in central Cuba's Cienfuegos Bay that followed the flooding of nearby oil refinery.<doc-sep>Thousands of people have been evacuated after mudslides left a dam in North Carolina in danger of "imminent failure", officials say. Residents near Lake Tahoma, in the state's western mountains, were "being asked to flee", America's National Weather Service said, following heavy rain and flash flooding caused by Storm Alberto. Around 2,000 people are thought to be affected. Forecasters warned the leftovers of the Atlantic hurricane season's first named storm are still capable of causing treacherous flooding as heavy precipitation spreads deeper into the nation's midsection. Flash flood watches were in effect for parts of several states from Alabama to Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, the Carolinas, and Virginia and West Virginia. McDowell County Emergency Management deputy director Adrienne Jones said the dam had not failed, but an engineer who inspected the scene was concerned enough to order the evacuation until the dam could be thoroughly examined. Ms Jones added that about 200 residents were in three shelters, set up nearby. Five minor injuries had been reported during water rescues as creeks and streams overflowed their banks and rock slides closed roads, she added. The storm caused more than 25,000 power outages in Alabama on Tuesday, a day after making landfall in Florida. Many of the outages were caused by trees rooted in soggy soil falling across utility lines. "We've had a lot of rain, but we got lucky. It was a constant rain but not a heavy rain," said Regina Myers, emergency management director in Walker County northwest of Birmingham. Subtropical storm Alberto rolled ashore in the Florida Panhandle before quickly weakening to a depression. ✕ Storms batter America's east coast In Cuba, flooding damaged an oil refinery and caused crude oil to spill into Cienfuegos Bay as the remnants of Alberto continued to drench the island in heavy rain. State-owned TV showed authorities using barriers on Tuesday to try to contain the spill from the Cienfuegos refinery in central Cuba, about 150 miles southeast of Havana. In North Carolina, a television news anchor and a photojournalist were killed earlier this week when a tree became uprooted from rain-soaked ground and toppled onto their SUV as they covered the storm. WYFF-TV said news anchor Mike McCormick and photojournalist Aaron Smeltzer were killed. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire.<doc-sep>

(CNN) — Two people died Wednesday after severe weather caused a landslide in western North Carolina. Heavy rains pummeled the western part of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday, causing mudslides and forcing evacuations and road closures. Another person is missing in north-central Virginia. Initially, two people were missing, according to authorities in Albemarle County. Floodwater swept away their Toyota Prius around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, when Ivy Creek topped its bank, creating a flash flood that swept away the Prius and another car. Witnesses watched as two occupants managed to exit their vehicle before being swept away, according to Dan Eggleston, the county’s fire rescue chief. The vehicle was located, Eggleston said in a news conference. Authorities recovered one of the bodies on Thursday afternoon, according to Albemarle County Police, marking the fifth death due to weather. The other person is still missing. The occupant of the second car escaped and was rescued, Eggleston added. “Ivy Creek’s normally a very docile creek, but with 8 to 10 inches of rain … it turned into a swollen, raging river,” he said, “and it just tossed and turned both of those vehicles.” County authorities carried out at least 10 water rescues overnight, Eggleston said. Two people were found dead in the rubble of a home in Boone, North Carolina, according to the Boone Fire Department. A landslide caused a gas explosion that leveled the house, said Shane Robbins, the Boone Police Department spokesman. unknown/Boone NC Police Department A search and rescue ensued after two people were reported in the structure in Boone, North Carolina. The deaths are the legacy of a storm named Alberto, which made landfall earlier this week as a subtropical storm and has since drenched the states in its path. On Monday, two journalists from South Carolina-based CNN affiliate WYFF were killed in Polk County, North Carolina. A tree fell on their SUV as they covered the hazardous weather, the station said. Millions still under flash flood watches While the storm had weakened by Thursday, it was still dumping rain across large swathes of the country, according to CNN meteorologists. More than 9 million people were under flash flood watches Thursday morning, including Baltimore and Washington. Ellicott City, Maryland, which was devastated by flooding earlier this week, is also under a watch. The weather conditions prompted North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to declare a state of emergency Wednesday for the western part of the state. “This storm isn’t yet over. I’m urging people to keep a close eye on forecasts and flood watches, and asking drivers to use caution, especially when traveling in our western counties,” Cooper said in a statement Wednesday. The emergency declaration will help the state coordinate its response and “prepare for any additional impacts,” the statement said. In 24 hours, 4 to 7 inches of rain slammed parts of a region that had been hit by frequent rain for a couple of weeks. And in the next couple of days, there will be a threat of flash flooding as storms persist, the governor’s office said. Landslides, flooding and outages The North Carolina Department of Transportation has been assessing damage and removing debris caused by mudslides, washouts and flooding on interstates, highways and local roads. Several towns in western North Carolina reported high water levels, power outages, downed trees and blocked roads. The city of Asheville reported road and park closings and school delays Wednesday. It is managing water releases from the North Fork Reservoir Dam. Alberto made landfall Monday as a subtropical storm in the Florida Panhandle and weakened to a subtropical depression later that day. But it brought heavy rainfall, drenching parts of northern Georgia, the western Carolinas and Tennessee on Tuesday, increasing the threat of flash flooding in those areas, the National Weather Service said. After moving into the Tennessee Valley, the system is forecast to head into the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center. About 2 to 6 inches of rain are expected from Alabama to the western Great Lakes and from northern Florida to the mid-Atlantic coast through Wednesday, the hurricane center said. Click here to track the storm Hurricane season is set to begin officially Friday. CNN’s Nicole Chavez, Tina Burnside and Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.

An avalanche tore down a mountainside in Colorado’s Summit County and slumped across Interstate 70 on Sunday afternoon amid peak after-ski traffic, forcing state highway authorities to close one of the nation’s main east-west transportation routes. Colorado Department of Transportation snowplows and Summit County emergency crews raced to the scene between Frisco and Copper Mountain shortly after 5 p.m. Snowplows cleared I-70 within 90 minutes. “It hit the road. There were no cars buried. No injuries,” Colorado State Patrol Trooper Tim Schaefer told The Denver Post. “It was more than a dusting of snow. There was also tree debris on the road,” Schaefer said. Snow debris from Avalanche slide today on I-70 #SumCo pic.twitter.com/0dBmiFnEoU — SCSOPIO (@SummitSheriffCO) March 4, 2019 CDOT officials issued a bulletin saying westbound lanes of I-70 were closed at Frisco “for safety reasons” as crews rushed to the blocked area along eastbound lanes. State Patrol officials said eastbound I-70 was closed at Exit 196, near Copper Mountain. By 6:30 p.m., traffic was flowing again. Multiple agencies raced to the scene along I-70 at dusk, creating a snarl of flashing red, blue and yellow lights, surrounded by blocked vehicles. Heavy snow across the high mountains created conditions favorable for avalanches. While avalanches frequently block Berthoud Pass west of Denver and Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Silverton in southwestern Colorado, avalanches typically do block traffic along I-70, one of the nation’s main east-west transportation routes. CDOT crews try to control avalanches in areas where roads cut through steep terrain. This avalanche was not set off deliberately as part of “avalanche control” work, Schaefer said. “With all this heavy snow, and everything falling this fast, CDOT does their best,” he said. “This is a big storm. There’s a lot of snow in the high country now. They did a good job of clearing that road.” Avalanche danger scale A live look at Colorado’s avalanche danger scale, provided by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center:<doc-sep>There are two sides to every snowflake. As skiers celebrate a winter chock-full of fluffy powder, Colorado forecasters and transportation workers have dealt with a wave of historic avalanches this week that flooded highways with feet of snow, making for ungodly commutes and dangerous conditions. Three major avalanches Thursday — at Vail Pass and near Copper Mountain — marked the third day of major snowslides this week, shutting down Interstate 70 for hours, trapping cars and rupturing a natural gas line. The threat of more slides forced the Arapahoe Basin ski area to close Thursday and delay Friday’s opening, while Copper and Breckenridge limited their operations. Avalanches also spilled rivers of snow and tree debris onto the interstate through Summit County on Sunday and Tuesday, closing both eastbound and westbound lanes of traffic for hours. “We are seeing avalanches run longer than they have in 50 years in some cases,” said Spencer Logan, a forecaster for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. “We’ve gotten a lot of snow on the mountains and it is starting to come down.” RELATED: Snowstorm pushes Denver above average monthly snowfall total for first time in 25 months Thursday’s first avalanche brought 6 feet of snow down onto the highway overnight, mostly over the westbound lanes at Vail Pass. One truck was caught in the slide, though officials said the driver was not seriously injured. Nobody was hurt in the second avalanche, which occurred at about 5 a.m. near Copper and severed the gas line. The third avalanche came crashing down around 3:50 p.m., burying a stretch of Colorado 91 between Copper Mountain and Leadville, about a mile from the ski resort. Three vehicles were partly buried in that slide, though no people were reported injured. Historic avalanches Colorado has notched 2,000 avalanches so far this season, including 288 in the past week, said Ethan Greene, director of the CAIC. Most of these are not enormous, he said, but the total that are significant is very unusual, he said. “These are 1-in-30 to 1-in-50-year kinds of avalanches,” he said. The avalanche danger is not only serious, it’s historic. This is the first time in about 12 years that the CAIC has elevated multiple zones in the state to 5-out-of-5 “extreme” avalanche danger, Greene said. Extreme avalanche danger in the central Colorado mountains – via @NWSBoulder. Colorado Avalanche Information Center says "Do not travel in the backcountry. Historic avalanches expected to valley floors." For additional information visit https://t.co/2Nu3YzOs3r #cowx pic.twitter.com/moVf90as3l — JeffcoColorado (@JeffcoColorado) March 7, 2019 To put it in perspective, he said, over the past five or six years, “extreme designations account for only about 1 percent of the forecasts we put out.” Thursday, state officials elevated the danger to its highest levels for the Aspen, Gunnison, Sawatch, Vail and Summit county zones. “Travel in, near or below avalanche terrain is not recommended,” Friends of CAIC tweeted Thursday. “Keep it simple and just AVOID the backcountry.” Avalanche danger is high (level 4 of 5) for the Steamboat and Flat Tops, Front Range, Grand Mesa, North San Juan and South San Juan zones. Six people have died in avalanches this season, according to the CAIC. It’s the most in five seasons, but close to the long-term average, Greene said. The season, however, isn’t over yet. “We’re definitely concerned about the safety of people in the backcountry,” Greene said. “Given the conditions, and the amount of time left in the winter, there probably will be other accidents.” So will these avalanches continue? Forecasters say it’s difficult to project. “A lot of what we do is forecast over fairly short time frames,” Greene said. “Over weeks and months is really hard.” The weather could warm up quickly, he said, which could mean wet avalanches. Or we could go into a more gradual warm-up. “It could be almost anything at this point,” Greene said. Chris Bianchi, a meteorologist for Weather Nation and a Denver Post contributor, said more snow in the coming days certainly won’t help. He described avalanches as kind of like a snow version of Jenga. Storms are piling up 15 to 20 inches of snow at a time, followed by a three-day break — when ice can form — and then another 15 to 20 inches of snow falls on top of that. And repeat. Eventually, those layers loosen up. “That is a worst-case scenario,” Bianchi said. Classic El Niño conditions coming from the Pacific Ocean all winter have created nonstop waves of moisture, Bianchi said, leading to above-average snowfall in Colorado’s high country. Snarling traffic These major avalanches — starting Sunday near Copper Mountain — have snarled traffic and caused miles-long backups along I-70, one of the nation’s main east-west transportation routes. Tracy Trulove, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation, said her team has been working round-the-clock throughout the state. She had been up since 1 a.m. Thursday, dealing with the latest wave of avalanches. “This has been an extremely hectic week,” she said. While I-70 has garnered much of the attention, there have been other avalanches across the state that have required CDOT’s attention. “And we’re not a big team,” Trulove said. The highway is the main thoroughfare for skiers and boarders coming from metro Denver and the Western Slope. And that means many have been stranded in mountain towns such as Frisco and Silverthorne. “Sunday, it was horrible,” said Nathan Cornelius, an employee at the Wyndham Hotel in Frisco. Sunday happened to be Cornelius’s first day on the job. And it was rough. “People weren’t so much mad at us,” he said. “They were just mad in general.” Skiers who just spent hours and hours sitting on the highway had come to the hotel looking for a room. But there were no rooms — not there, not anywhere in town. “So people slept in the parking lot in their cars,” Cornelius said. “Including myself.” The next day, it took him 3.5 hours to drive from Frisco back to his home in Georgetown. With more road closures Thursday, the hotel saw a steady stream of bookings, he said, but nothing close to Sunday level. Not yet, anyway. “This time,” Cornelius said, “I was smart enough to reserve a room.” Avalanche danger scale A live look at Colorado’s avalanche danger scale, provided by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center:<doc-sep>A backcountry guide leading a group of skiers near Jones Pass died in one of the more than 30 avalanches reported in Colorado’s high country on Thursday. Powder Addiction employee Hans Berg, 48, was killed in an area where the avalanche risk was high Thursday and Friday and was under an avalanche warning until Saturday morning. “This is scary stuff. Avalanches are running bigger than many (of) us have seen in our careers,” the Colorado Avalanche Information Center posted on Instagram. The warning also applied to Vail and Summit County, Sawatch, Aspen, Gunnison, Grand Mesa and Steamboat and the Flat Tops. “This is not the time to try to outsmart Mother Nature,” the Colorado Avalanche Information Center posted. The warning advised people to avoid traveling in, near and below avalanche terrain. There have been an unprecedented 226 reported avalanches — natural and triggered by blasting to reduce the danger — in the past week, CAIC said. Thursday was the first time that four backcountry zones — Vail and Summit County, Sawatch, Aspen and Gunnison — were rated as extreme danger since the avalanche center began its 10-zone forecast 12 years ago. CAIC classified the slide that killed Berg as a 4 on scale of 5 for its size, width and destructive force. Slides of similar size and power were reported Thursday near Copper, Leadville, the West Elks and near Twin Lakes. One ruptured a gas line near Copper Mountain that shut down Interstate 70 between Frisco and Copper, and another buried the interstate over Vail Pass. Powder Addiction said in a Facebook post that the slide was triggered by two nonguided skiers on a dangerous slope above its guided group. “The Powder Addiction group was skiing in accordance with standard operation procedures in a well-known and frequently skied area,” the Facebook post says. “The Powder Addiction family is distraught by Hans’ passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with Hans’ family and friends during this heartbreaking time.” Berg’s death is the second avalanche fatality in Colorado this week and the seventh this year. Scott Spencer, 53, was killed in a slide Sunday near Telluride. CAIC downgraded the risk in the areas under the avalanche warning to high Friday morning. U.S. 6 over Loveland Pass remained closed, as did the nearby ski resort Arapahoe Basin. Upper elevation areas of Breckenridge, Keystone and other I-70 resorts were inaccessible much of Thursday as ski patrol blasted slopes to mitigate avalanche danger. An inbounds avalanche was confirmed at Breckenridge Ski Resort about 12:30 p.m. Friday on an expert-rated trail off the Imperial Express SuperChair, the Vail Daily reported. Spokeswoman Sara Lococo said no guests are believed to have been injured. U.S. 550 over Red Mountain Pass remained closed. No travel has been allowed on the treacherous, winding San Juan Mountains highway after massive avalanches dumped 30-plus feet of snow, trees and debris on the roadway. U.S. 50 over Monarch Pass and Colorado 91 on Fremont Pass reopened Friday. The National Weather Service in Boulder said heavy snow was moving into the central and northern mountains Friday afternoon. “Expect slow travel, with whiteout conditions possible at times, along the I-70 stretch from Glenwood Springs to Vail Pass to Georgetown,” the weather service said. Most of Saturday and Sunday are expected to be dry, though slow-moving, southerly storms could deliver more snow to Colorado beginning Monday and continuing into Friday. Despite the danger to mountain drivers and backcountry travelers, the almost nonstop snowfall since the start of March has boosted Colorado’s snowpack to 129 percent above average for the water year, according to data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Since March 1, the number of inches of water equal to the amount of snow that has fallen has skyrocketed from just above 14 inches to more than 17. That puts the 2019 water year as the fifth largest since 1987 and on track to reach or exceed its peak before the spring snowmelt. The southwest corner of the state has particularly benefited from recent precipitation. The region was at 138 percent of its median Friday and 231 percent of last year’s snowpack as of March 1. The Arkansas basin, which encompasses Pikes Peak and Colorado Springs, was at 136 percent of its median and 192 percent of last year’s average. No part of the state is considered to be in exceptional drought, and less than 1 percent is rated as in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Just over half of Colorado is in moderate or severe drought, and another 31 percent is abnormally dry.<doc-sep>

State officials catapulted their gauge of avalanche danger to the highest level after Colorado notched 2,000 avalanches so far this season, and a series of avalanches swept over Interstate 70 near Vail and ruptured a natural gas line in Copper Mountain on Thursday. Officials are describing the avalanche danger in the state as “historic.” “We are seeing avalanches run longer than they have in 50 years in some cases,” said Spencer Logan, an avalanche forecaster for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. “We’ve gotten a lot of snow on the mountains and it is starting to come down.” The center upgraded its avalanche danger scale to “extreme” for Vail and Summit County, Sawatch, Gunnison and Aspen. Logan said that some of the avalanches have plunged thousands of vertical feet and are knocking out huge trees. In an average winter season, CAIC records around 3,000 avalanches. This year, there have already been 2,000 avalanches, even though the most active period for avalanches is in the spring when the snow melts, Logan said. “We’re shaping up for an interesting spring,” he said. A number of factors have triggered a surge of major avalanches the past week, Logan said. The recent snowstorm that began Wednesday night dropped 20 inches of dense snow in a matter of hours, said Tracy Truelove, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation. A heavy new layer of the heavy dense snow on weaker layers of lighter snow creates prime avalanche conditions, Logan said. On top of that, high westerly winds can topple the recent shelf of snow into an avalanche. Forecasts also call for upcoming rain, which often increases the probability of slides, he said. Because of these factors, the CAIC increased its avalanche danger scale to extreme, he said. So far this season, six people have been killed in avalanches. “Do not travel in the backcountry. Historic avalanches expected to valley floors,” the CAIC says. The agency is warning people to avoid all avalanche terrain. At this level, the likelihood of avalanches caused naturally or by humans is “certain,” according to the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale. Two giant avalanches near Vail and Copper Mountain on Thursday morning triggered the closure of Interstate 70 in both directions from Vail to Frisco. There is no estimated time the highway will be reopened. Colorado Department of Transportation crews closed both eastbound and westbound I-70 for more than nine hours Tuesday when officials triggered an avalanche on Mount Bethel that spilled 8 to 15 feet of snow across the roadway. The work was done to mitigate unexpected avalanches. On Sunday, an avalanche tore down a mountainside between Frisco and Copper Mountain, sending snow and tree debris across I-70. Skiers trying to return to the Denver were delayed for several hours Sunday night. EXTREME Avalanche Danger (5 of 5) and an Avalanche Warning for Vail and Summit County, Sawatch, Gunnison and Aspen zones. Do not travel in the backcountry. Historic avalanches expected to valley floors. #CAICSummit #CAICSawatch #CAICAspen #CAICGunnison pic.twitter.com/xQuOXw6wTf — CAIC:Statewide Info (@COAvalancheInfo) March 7, 2019 Avalanche danger scale A live look at Colorado’s avalanche danger scale, provided by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center:

We're at the end of E3 2018, and that means the press conferences are wrapping up soon. Many have already taken place, but one of the biggest--Nintendo--is still to come Tuesday morning. That means a lot of gaming news, reveals, and trailers for Nintendo Switch in addition to everything we've already learned. Here's when all of the conferences start and where you can watch livestreams and liveblogs. EA Play was the year's first event on Saturday, bringing news about things like Battlefield V and Respawn's new Star Wars game. Microsoft followed with a jam-packed press conference that featured dozens of games. Bethesda offered details on the highly anticipated Fallout 76 and confirmed numerous other games--including The Elder Scrolls VI and its rumored sci-fi game Starfield. Devolver Digital also held an E3 press conference on Sunday. Square Enix followed these on Monday morning with a shorter-than-expected broadcast; Ubisoft took its turn on Monday afternoon with a reveal of Assassin's Creed Odyssey and a surprise Star Fox crossover. Sony's presentation brought a new Last of Us: Part II trailer and more. And Nintendo wraps things up today with a briefing that is expected to have a lot of news about the new Super Smash Bros. Below we've laid out the exact schedule, complete with start times, for all of this year's press conferences. We'll be streaming all of these press conferences here on GameSpot as well as on Twitter. The show itself runs June 12-14, and like last year, it's open to the public--here's how to get tickets. For an idea of what to expect from the show, check out all the games confirmed for E3, as well as all the companies at the show. We've also rounded up the biggest E3 rumors to give you an idea of what might be announced. E3 2018 Press Conference Schedule Saturday, June 9 Electronic Arts (EA Play) -- 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST (4 AM AET on June 10) Watch livestream Follow live blog News roundup Sunday, June 10 Monday, June 11 Tuesday, June 12<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Get email updates with the day's biggest stories Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Video game fans are eagerly anticipating next week's massive E3 event in Los Angeles as all the latest titles will get revealed in a flurry of press conferences. We've run down a list of the games we're expecting to see for the three main consoles in a separate piece, but if you're just looking for the timings, you've come to the right place. While E3 caters to the hardcore gamer, you may just be a casual observer interested in when the next Forza or Call of Duty is coming out. These will all be covered in the tentpole events from the big manufacturers and game development studios - be warned that there's a substantial time difference between California and the UK so many of the events are happening at not-so-sociable hours. Whether you're a Sony PlayStation 4 , Microsoft Xbox One or Nintendo Switch gamer - these are the times and dates you need to be marking on your calendar. E3 2018 press conference schedule guide Saturday, June 9 Electronic Arts (EA) conference: 9:00pm UK time (1:00pm Pacific Time in the US). Will last approximately two hours. (Image: Getty) When is E3 2018 XBox? Sunday, June 10 Microsoft Xbox conference: 9:00pm UK time (1:00pm Pacific Time in the US). Will last approximately two hours. (Image: Getty) Monday, June 11 Bethesda conference: 2:30am UK time (6:30pm Pacific Time on June 10 in the US). Will last approximately two hours. Devolver Digital conference: 4.00am UK time (8:00pm Pacific Time on June 11 in the US). Will last approximately one hour. Square Enix conference: 6:00pm UK time (10.00am Pacific Time in the US). Will last approximately two hours. Ubisoft conference: 9:00pm UK time (1:00pm Pacific Time in the US). Will last approximately two hours. PC Gaming Show conference: 11:00pm UK time (3:00pm Pacific Time in the US). Will last approximately one to two hours. Tuesday, June 12 Sony PlayStation conference: 2:00am UK time (6:00pm Pacific Time on June 11 in the US). Will last approximately two hours. Nintendo Switch conference: 5:00pm UK time (9:00am Pacific Time in the US). Will last approximately one hour. (Image: Getty) How can I watch the E3 live stream? The best place to watch most of the E3 events is on either YouTube or Twitch. The video sharing websites have dedicated E3 streams which will be covering all the big conferences and showing plenty of other news and gameplay clips from the event. The daily PlayStation , Nintendo , Xbox and WB Games livestreams may stream separately on their respective channels. Stay tuned to Mirror.co.uk's Tech section as well because we'll have plenty of content coming from the show floor. What are you looking out for at E3?<doc-sep>Microsoft’s E3 2018 press conference has come and gone, leaving Xbox diehards with new games to look forward to and dates to circle on their calendar. Halo Infinite, Gears of War 5, Forza Horizon 4, Cyberpunk 2077, and a new game from FromSoftware are just some of the games that received exciting trailers and release dates during Microsoft’s press conference. 15 world premiere titles and 18 exclusives were shown during Microsoft’s keynote, which Phil Spencer kicked off by talking about gaming’s unifying qualities. So much happened during this year’s Xbox conference, but here are the biggest and best announcements you need to know about. Halo Infinite brings Master Chief back Halo Infinite is the sixth game in the franchise, and is set to bring Master Chief back to the franchise. A brief cinematic trailer for the game played at the beginning of Microsoft’s keynote, but no other information was given. Cyberpunk 2077 trailer A trailer for Cyberpunk 2077, the long-anticipated game from CD Projekt Red, the development team behind The Witcher franchise, has arrived. The trailer demonstrates the anarchic future that citizens are forced to live and survive within. There are fancy cars, futuristic looking guns and tons of opportunity to hang out with cool-looking hackers. There’s still no release date information at this time, meaning that hopeful fans will have to wait a little bit longer, but the trailer should be enough to go on for now. Devil May Cry 5 announced Capcom is introducing a new entry into the Devil May Cry series, and Hideaki Itsuno, the game’s producer, says it’s one of the best in the series. Devil May Cry 5 is the first game in the series since Devil May Cry 4, which was released in 2008. Devil May Cry 4 was followed by Ninja Theory’s DmC: Devil May Cry in 2013, but Devil May Cry 5 is the next official game in the main franchise. Nero, Devil May Cry 4’s star character, will return as a playable character. Devil May Cry 5 will be released in spring 2019. Just Cause 4 announced A trailer for Just Cause 4 confirmed what we’ve known for a few days already: Just Cause 4 is in the works. A trailer for the game returned the series to its roots, promising tons of explosions for players. There are some new additions, however, like a tornado that players will have to contend with during their missions. The game’s darker atmosphere is a slight deviation from the rest of the franchise, but an intriguing turn nonetheless. Gears of War 5 announced Gears of War 5 is the next game in Microsoft’s Gears of War franchise, and a new cinematic trailer provides a little tease on what players should expect. Gears of War 5 is a direct followup to 2016’s Gears of War 4, and is the first title following Microsoft’s acquisition of the title from Epic in 2016. The game will again follow Gears hero Kait Diaz, and is said bring the game back to where it all began. Gears of War 5 launching in 2019 for Xbox One. The Division 2 heads to Washington, D.C. next year The Division 2 will take place in Washington, D.C. — and the game’s tone may be a little too on the nose. A cinematic trailer for the game asked how a city and civilization is supposed to protect themselves when the enemy is coming from within and a corrupt government looms. The gameplay trailer, however, focused on a forested area within the city that reeks of post-apocalyptic vibes. A crashed Air Force One plane can be seen deteriorating in the distance. The trailer focused heavily on combat between two groups of players in an abandoned parking lot somewhere in the city. More Washington, D.C. statues could be glimpsed as the trailer came to an end, but the trailer focused heavily on players’ ability to wander around fallen historical monuments. The Division 2 will launch on March 15. Dying Light 2 announced Dying Light 2 is the next game in the open-world zombie survival franchise. A trailer for the game debuted during Microsoft’s E3 press conference, with a more in-depth look at gameplay airing directly after. The game returns players to the post-apocalyptic world, but introduces a few new ideas. Players’ decisions will directly influence the game and shape the society they live in, according to one developer. Chris Avellone, who has a long history as a writer and designer on games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 and Fallout 2, is joining the game as a narrative designer. FromSoftware’s next game is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the next game developed by FromSoftware. It’s best described as a bloody action game, and a cinematic trailer for the game demonstrated just what players can expect from the game. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is coming to PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One in 2019. For more information, watch the video below. Microsoft opens new studio, acquires other studios Microsoft’s Phil Spencer announced that the company is acquiring a few different studios, and announced a new studio called The Initiative. The Initiative will be led by Darrell Gallagher (former head of Crystal Dynamics), Spencer said. Gallagher left Crystal Dynamics earlier this year to join Microsoft’s executive leadership team. Undead Labs (State of Decay), Compulsion Games (We Happy Few), Ninja Theory (DmC: Devil May Cry) and Playground Games (Forza) are all now a part of Microsoft Studios, Spencer said.<doc-sep>

E3 2018 is finally here — almost. Even though the actual show doesn’t start until Tuesday, Sony, Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Nintendo, Bethesda, and basically every other big name in gaming will be taking the stage at some point in the next few days to kick off the conference with a slew of announcements. New games? Fancy trailers? Actual gameplay footage? Maybe even release dates? All that and more awaits. Here’s when / where you can watch the biggest events and what you can expect from each. Monday, June 11th Square Enix When: Monday, June 11th at 10AM PT / 1PM ET What: Square Enix is showing up at E3 for the first time since 2015. We know that Shadow of the Tomb Raider and the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts III will be getting some time in the limelight. But Square Enix also has a game based on Marvel’s popular Avengers franchise in the works. And what’s a better time to announce that than after the height of Infinity War hype? Plus, there are rumors of new entries in the Just Cause and Life Is Strange series. And maybe, just maybe, an update on the possibly mythical Final Fantasy VII Remake (or even Final Fantasy XVI). How to watch: Watch Square Enix’s video presentation on Twitch or YouTube Ubisoft When: Monday, June 11th at 1PM PT / 4PM ET What: Expect a more formal reveal of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (which was teased already), a first look at The Division sequel that Ubisoft previously announced, the AC: Black Flag-inspired Skull & Bones that Ubisoft announced last year, and hopefully, some more concrete gameplay and information on the long-awaited Beyond Good & Evil 2. How to watch: Watch Ubisoft’s live stream on Twitch or YouTube. PC Gaming Show When: Monday, June 11th at 3PM PT / 6PM ET What: A grab bag of general PC gaming news, PC Gamer is promising “more unannounced games, unrevealed trailers, and new footage than any previous year.” How to watch: Watch the showcase live on Twitch or YouTube. Sony (PlayStation) When: Monday, June 11th at 6PM PT / 9PM ET What: Sony’s been pretty clear about its E3 plans, promising appearances from Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us Part II, along with news from other independent and third-party developers. (Expect Destiny 2’s new Forsaken expansion to pop up here as well.) But there could be surprises, too: God of War DLC? Horizon Zero Dawn sequel? Something new from Bloodborne developer FromSoftware? We’ll have to wait and see. How to watch: Watch Sony’s live stream on Twitch or YouTube. Tuesday, June 12th Nintendo When: Tuesday, June 12th at 9AM PT / 12PM ET What: Smash Bros. for Switch. Pokémon for Switch. Fortnite for Switch. Metroid Prime 4 for Switch. Probably some other surprises for Switch. Maybe that Switch Fire Emblem game Nintendo keeps vaguely mentioning? Basically, expect Switch news. How to watch: Watch the Nintendo Direct on Twitch or YouTube. Update June 11th, 10:00am: Archived ended keynotes. Previous keynotes: Saturday, June 9th Electronic Arts When: Saturday, June 9th at 11AM PT / 2PM ET What: We’ve already got a pretty good idea of what to expect from EA. We’ll be getting some much deeper looks at Anthem and presumably more from the already announced Battlefield V. A wild card? Star Wars, which is coming off the poorly received Battlefront II loot box scandal from last fall. Oh, and sports. Definitely lots of sports. How to watch: Watch EA’s live stream on Twitch or YouTube. Sunday, June 10th Microsoft (Xbox) When: Sunday, June 10th at 1PM PT / 4PM ET What: Microsoft already has the hardware, with the Xbox One X winning out as the most powerful console on the market. This year at E3, expect to hear a whole lot about the games, and specifically Microsoft’s big three franchises: Halo 6, Forza Horizon 4, and a new Gears of War. Plus, assume that Crackdown 3 will show up. How to watch: Watch Microsoft’s live stream YouTube, Mixer, or Twitch. Bethesda When: Sunday, June 10th at 6:30PM PT / 9:30PM ET What: Rage 2 and Fallout 76 are locks, having already been announced, but Bethesda has tons of franchises that could show up at E3. Fans are champing at the bit for any news on the Elder Scrolls 6, and it’s been a few years since the company brought back Doom.

The Stand (1994 miniseries) type TV Show network ABC It’s finally official: Stephen King’s apocalyptic novel The Stand is becoming a new limited series. The 1978 fan favorite has been greenlit as a 10-episode event series for the streaming service CBS All Access. “I’m excited and so very pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform,” King said in a statement. “The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they’re doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorable and thrilling. I believe it will take viewers away to a world they hope will never happen.” The Stand is arguably the godfather of the modern post-apocalyptic drama — before there was The Walking Dead or The Road or Mad Max, there was The Stand. The story follows a group of survivors after a plague kills off most of the world’s population. A synopsis accompanying the release explains: “The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.” stephenking_thestand Credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images; Doubleday This new adaptation has been in development for years by writers Josh Boone and Ben Cavell. Boone will also direct the project. “I read The Stand under my bed when I was 12, and my Baptist parents burned it in our fireplace upon discovery,” Boone said. “Incensed, I stole my dad’s FedEx account number and mailed King a letter professing my love for his work. Several weeks later, I came home to find a box had arrived from Maine, and inside were several books, each inscribed with a beautiful note from god himself, who encouraged me in my writing and thanked me for being a fan. My parents, genuinely moved by King’s kindness and generosity, lifted the ban on his books that very day. I wrote King a cameo as himself in my first film and have been working to bring The Stand to the screen for five years. I’ve found incredible partners in CBS All Access and Ben Cavell. Together with Stephen King, Owen King, my longtime producing partners Knate Lee and Jill Killington, we plan to bring you the ultimate version of King’s masterwork.” The Stand was previously adapted into a generally well-received 1994 ABC four-episode miniseries, with a cast that included Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, and Laura San Giacomo. “With over 400 million books sold around the world, Stephen King is one of our greatest living authors and The Stand is widely considered the crown jewel of his work,” said Julie McNamara, executive vice president of original content at CBS All Access. “Millions of fans have been waiting for a modern interpretation that delivers on its depth, scope and ambition. We are thrilled to be working with Stephen, Josh, Ben and a dedicated team working passionately to bring this brilliant material to life.” There’s no casting on the new project as of yet. What’s particularly smart and restrained in this era of networks trying to maximize popular brands is that the project will be a limited series — it’s easy to imagine outlets wanting to turn The Stand into something that would run for years, like how CBS tried to stretch out King’s Under the Dome. There’s no premiere date yet, but given the announcement timing and the fact that the scripts are done, a 2020 date would seem likely. The news comes as King’s classics are enjoying a cinematic resurgence, with a new big-screen version of Pet Sematary coming April 5 and a sequel to 2017’s blockbuster IT coming Sept. 6. Related content:<doc-sep>Famed author Stephen King's post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel, The Stand, returns to CBS All Access as a limited TV series. The streaming service allows online viewers to watch live, current and old CBS programs. The network has yet to announce a start date for The Stand. Confirming the project at Winter Television Critics Association presentation in Pasadena, California, the network previewed The Stand as part of its upcoming 2019 show offerings, reported the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday. "I'm excited and so very pleased that 'The Stand' is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform," said King in a statement. "The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they're doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorable and thrilling." The Stand is a post-apocalyptic story about a battle between good and evil. King previously adapted his 1978 novel as a four-part miniseries that aired in 1994 on ABC, reported the Times. Josh Boone, known for directing the well-received The Fault in Our Stars (2014) feature film starring Shailene Woodley and The New Mutants (2019), will write and executive produce the TV series. Ben Cavell of CBS' SEAL Team will co-direct current incarnation of The Stand with Boone. Boone described his attraction to King's 1978 horror/fantasy novel, which King and his publishing company re-released in 1990 with some restored text, revisions and updated pop culture references, according to Biblio.com. Perhaps Boone's homage to King best describes why he became a horror film maker. "I read 'The Stand' under my bed when I was 12, and my Baptist parents burned it in our fireplace upon discovery," Boone in the CBS All Access statement. "Incensed, I stole my Dad's FedEx account number and mailed King a letter professing my love for his work. Several weeks later, I came home to find a box had arrived from Maine, and inside were several books, each inscribed with a beautiful note from god himself, who encouraged me in my writing and thanked me for being a fan." Previously, CBS produced other King story adaptations, including Under the Dome, which ran for three seasons. Among the other CBS All Access shows lined up for the upcoming season are The Good Fight starring Christine Baranski; Star Trek: Discovery starring Sonequa Martin-Green and a highly anticipated reboot of The Twilight Zone. Jordan Peele, originally known for his comedic skits and productions as Key and Peele with Keegan-Michael Key, and a 2017 Academy Award winner for Get Out, will produce The Twilight Zone, which debuts on CBS All Access on April 1. He won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay—the first African-American to do so.<doc-sep>

Set in a world decimated by plague, “The Stand” follows 108-year-old spiritual leader Mother Abigail and a band of survivors as they struggle to rebuild a democracy. Randall Flagg, a supernatural being turned tyrant, threatens their peace with militarized forces. “I’m excited and so very pleased that ‘The Stand’ is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform,” King said in a statement. “The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they’re doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorable and thrilling. I believe it will take viewers away to a world they hope will never happen.” CBS announced Wednesday that it will adapt Stephen King’s 1978 novel “The Stand” into a 10-episode series for CBS All Access, directed by Josh Boone. For Boone, who directed the 2014 film “The Fault in Our Stars,” the book is more than a chilling tale of societal collapse. It’s a story that sparked rebellion and lifelong admiration for King’s work. “I read ‘The Stand’ under my bed when I was 12, and my Baptist parents burned it in our fireplace upon discovery,” Boone said in a release. “Incensed, I stole my dad’s FedEx account number and mailed King a letter professing my love for his work. Several weeks later, I came home to find a box had arrived from Maine, and inside were several books, each inscribed with a beautiful note from god himself, who encouraged me in my writing and thanked me for being a fan. “My parents, genuinely moved by King’s kindness and generosity, lifted the ban on his books that very day,” Boone continued. “I wrote King a cameo as himself in my first film and have been working to bring ‘The Stand’ to the screen for five years.” In a Twitter post about the series, King called out Boone by name. CBS All Access is going to do a new miniseries--and a new vision--of THE STAND. I'm really happy that Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) is involved, along with a boatload of other talented people. — Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 31, 2019 The network has yet to announce a release date or casting. The novel was previously adapted in 1994, when ABC produced a four-episode miniseries with performances from Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Laura San Giacomo and Rob Lowe. Jenni Todd can be reached at [email protected]

A man with a criminal background was charged with murder just hours after a former Iowa State University champion golfer turned up dead in a pond on a golf course. Collin Daniel Richards, 22, who police said has no known address and, according to court records, was kicked out of his grandparents' house a year ago, was charged with first-degree murder in Celia Barquin Arozamena's stabbing death Monday. Police found her body at Coldwater Links public golf course near Iowa State University in Ames, where she apparently went golfing alone Monday morning. Richards purportedly made statements to an acquaintance recently "to the effect of having an urge to rape and kill a woman," according to a criminal complaint made public Tuesday. Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds described the killing as "a random act of violence" during a brief court hearing for Richards Tuesday morning. "The state believes him to be a flight risk, also believes him to be a danger to the community," Reynolds said during the hearing. The judge granted her request to set bail at $5 million. It's rare, obviously. It's still very troubling that something like this would happen in broad daylight in a community that is as safe as Ames is. Richards appeared in court in shackles and made no statements. He was ordered to return to court Sept. 28 for a preliminary hearing. Attorney Paul Rounds of the Story County Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent Richards. "I hope people reserve judgment until after the trial," Rounds told ABC News when reached by phone, declining to comment further. The slaying sent shockwaves from the nation's heartland to Barquin Arozamena's hometown of Reocín, Spain, where civic leaders joined residents in a moment of silence at noon on Tuesday. The Reocín City Council also declared three days of mourning for the young woman and released a statement condemning the "vile act" that took her life. "She was a really hard-working girl who was deeply loved by the whole town," Reocín Mayor Pablo Diestro told the Spanish sports website Marca.com. "It's a tragedy. We can't believe it." Cmdr. Geoff Huff, head of the Ames Police Department's criminal investigations division, said at a news conference Tuesday, "It's rare, obviously. It's still very troubling that something like this would happen in broad daylight in a community that is as safe as Ames is.” He added: "It's an awful thing that's happened. I'm not sure what else I can say." Barquin Arozamena, a native of Spain, was recently named Iowa State’s female athlete of the year. She had turned pro this past spring after completing her college golfing career. Earlier this year, she qualified for the U.S. Women's Open in Alabama, one of the LPGA Tour's majors. The Ames Police Department opened a suspicious death investigation Monday morning when golfers found Barquin Arozamena's cellphone, ball cap and golf bag on the ninth hole fairway of the golf course "with no one around it," according to a police statement. Golfers had seen Barquin Arozamena on the golf course earlier but told police she had disappeared, prompting a search for her, officials said. Officers were called to the golf course about 10:24 a.m. and found the woman's body a half-hour later in a pond near where her golf bag was discovered and determined she had been assaulted, according to the criminal complaint. "Based on the scene investigation, the victim sustained several stab wounds to the upper torso, head, and neck," the criminal complaint stated. Police searched the golf course and stopped a man walking on a trail leading into a wooded area who identified himself as an acquaintance of Richards. A K-9 unit tracked the victim's scent to a homeless encampment on the banks of Squaw Creek in the wooded area adjacent to the golf course, according to the criminal complaint. Police were searching the camp, which consisted of two tents, when Richards approached them. "Officers observed that … [Richards] had several fresh scratches on his face consistent with fighting, and also noted [he] attempted to conceal a deep laceration to his left hand, which he attempted to bury in the ground," the criminal complaint reads. Police also contacted an acquaintance of Richards who told them the suspect showed up at his residence near the golf course Monday afternoon and that he "appeared disheveled and covered in blood, sand and water," according to the complaint. The man told police Richards left his house after bathing and washing his clothes, the complaint stated. Two other witnesses told police that Richards asked them for a ride to Jefferson, Iowa, and had given them a knife, according to the complaint. While driving to Jefferson, Richards told the men he needed to return to the homeless encampment because he forgot his tent, according to the complaint. When they arrived at the golf course, they noticed police swarming the area, the complaint reads. Richards got out of their vehicle and approached police officers searching the tent encampment, the complaint states. Police said they recovered a knife that Richards allegedly gave to two witnesses, according to the complaint. Police also found two pairs of blood-stained shorts in Richards' backpack. Several law enforcement agencies, including the Iowa State University Police Department, assisted in the investigation. "I don't know a lot of the details yet but it's just a horrific, horrific senseless death," Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds told reporters Tuesday at the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines. Reynolds' statement was echoed by Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen. "We were deeply saddened to learn yesterday of the death of Celia Barquin Arozamena. Celia was a dedicated student in civil engineering. She was a talented student athlete and an acclaimed golfer with a bright future," Wintersteen said in a statement Monday. "Celia was a champion and a proud ambassador for Iowa State. Our hearts are with Celia's family and friends as we grieve her passing. It's a terrible, tragic and senseless loss. "In these moments, we recognize our own mortality and realize that each day is a gift," Wintersteen said. "I hope everyone will take time today to meet with their friends and loved ones, value those connections and feel thankful that they can do so. A bright candle in our Cyclone Nation no longer shines, and our community and the world are less for it." Barquin Arozamena claimed the 2018 Big 12 Championship with a three-shot victory in April, according to the university, which called her one of the most accomplished golfers in the school's history. She was finishing her civil engineering degree this semester. The death of Barquin Arozamena prompted the Iowa State women's golf team to withdraw from competition at the East and West Match Play tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to return to Iowa to mourn the former teammate, the team said in a tweet. The team was scheduled Tuesday to play for the tournament title. "We are all devastated," Christie Martens, Iowa State head women's golf coach, said in a statement. "Celia was a beautiful person who was loved by all her teammates and friends. She loved Iowa State and was an outstanding representative for our school. We will never forget her competitive drive to be the best and her passion for life." Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard added: "Celia had an infectious smile, a bubbly personality and anyone fortunate enough to know her was blessed. Our Cyclone family mourns the tragic loss of Celia, a spectacular student-athlete and ISU ambassador." Barquin Arozamena qualified for the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament in Shoal Creek, Alabama, in May but did not make the cut after the first two rounds. The university’s Athletics Department said it plans to honor her memory at a football game Saturday at the school's Jack Trice Stadium, which is across the street from where police found her body. Funeral arrangements are pending. "I'm just kind of surprised," ISU freshman Isaac Sachse told ABC affiliate station WOI-TV in Des Moines. "First it was the kidnapping and now this. It's kind of horrifying," he added, referring to the death of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts, who was allegedly killed by 24-year-old Cristhian Rivera while on her routine jog through farm country earlier this summer. Richards has a criminal record, according to court documents. He has pleaded guilty to charges of domestic abuse, assault, theft and public intoxication in the past, the records show. In September 2017, he was arrested on suspicion of breaking into his grandparents' house, according to court records. Richards told police he had broken into the house to retrieve his belongings after his grandparents had kicked him out, records show. Richards’ most recent arrest occurred in July when he was taken into custody on suspicion of public intoxication after police found him passed out at a convenience store in Ames, according to records. ABC News' Matt Foster contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Collin Daniel Richards, 22, has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 22-year-old Iowa State golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena. Barquin Arozamena, who was found dead Monday night at a golf course per The Des Moines Register, was the reigning Big 12 champion and Iowa State's Athlete of the Year. According to The Register, Barquin Arozamena was found at the Coldwater Links golf course in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State Women's Golf tweeted a statement from the Athletic Director after Arozamena was found. Iowa State president Wendy Wintersteen also released a statement regarding Arozamena's death. With her college eligibility up, Arozamena played in the U.S. Women's Open of the LPGA Tour in June. The team withdrew from the East and West Match Play tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to return to Iowa. It would have played for the tournament title on Tuesday. "We will never forget her competitive drive to be the best and her passion for life," Iowa State women's golf coach Christie Martens said in a release via CBS News.<doc-sep>

A 22-year-old man has been charged with murder in the killing of a former Iowa State University student-athlete who was found dead Monday at an Ames golf course, police said. Collin Daniel Richards, who authorities said has no known address, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Celia Barquin Arozamena, Ames police said late Monday night. Barquin Arozamena, the 2018 Big 12 champion and Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year, was found dead Monday morning at the Coldwater Links golf course, authorities said. The civil engineering student was assaulted before she died, police said. In a statement on Twitter, ISU President Wendy Wintersteen said she was deeply saddened to learn of Barquin Arozamena's tragic death. She was a "talented student-athlete and an acclaimed golfer with a bright future." "A terrible, tragic, senseless loss," Wintersteen said. Police responded at 10:24 a.m. to the golf course for a report of suspicious circumstances after golfers found a golf bag with no one near it on the course. Officers then found a body "some distance away," police said in a statement. Earlier in the day, Ames Police Cmdr. Geoff Huff released few details during a news conference at City Hall, declining to comment on where the body was found or what injuries the golfer suffered. He called on the public to contact police if they saw anything suspicious. "The public should be very wary right now," Huff told reporters. "Right now, all leads are important." Richards was booked early Tuesday morning in the Story County Jail, where he was held with no bond. He did not yet have an attorney who could be reached for comment. In a news release, Iowa State head women's golf coach Christie Martens called Barquin Arozamena a "beautiful person who was loved by all her teammates and friends." FOLLOW THE REGISTER on FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE Download our app for your smartphone and tablet: iPhone | Android "We will never forget her competitive drive to be the best and her passion for life," Martens said. A native of Puente San Miguel, Spain, Barquin Arozamena had an infectious smile and a bubbly personality, Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. She volunteered as an ISU ambassador, he said. Barquin Arozamena, who exhausted her eligibility at Iowa State in 2017-18, was called one of the most accomplished golf players in ISU's history. She became the second ISU women's golfer to earn medalist honors at a conference tournament when she earned the 2018 Big 12 Championship with a three-shot victory in April, the university said. Ranked No. 69 nationally by Golfweek, Barquin Arozamena ended her college career with her fourth straight NCAA Regional appearance and earned All-Big 12 Team honors for the third time — the second player in ISU history to earn that achievement. MORE: Death of golfer found at Ames course considered 'suspicious,' authorities say The university's career leader in stroke average, Barquin Arozamena became the third Cyclone women's golfer to compete in the U.S. Women's Open Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over the summer, the college said. Iowa State athletics plan to honor Barquin Arozamena at Saturday's football game against Akron. Her funeral arrangements were pending. Agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation were assisting Ames police with the investigation. DCI Assistant Director Mitch Mortvedt called the investigation Monday afternoon "very preliminary." After the body was found, Iowa State University sent an alert to students. Officials asked the public to stay away from the course, located at 1400 S. Grand Ave. in the Story County city. No one answered the course's phone Monday afternoon. The course was expected to be closed Monday and possibly Tuesday, Huff said. Authorities asked anyone with information to call police at 515-239-5133 or the department's anonymous tip line at 515-239-5533. Tipsters can also contact Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa at 515-223-1440.

A 4.3 magnitude earthquake was reported off the southern Oregon coast about 4:16 a.m. Tuesday. The quake happened west of the Oregon-California border, about 200 miles west-southwest of Pistol River, Ore., the U.S. Geological Survey reported. No tsunami warning was announced and there were no reports of damage. Four more earthquakes were recorded in the same area. The other earthquakes ranged from magnitude 4.5 to 5.6, according to the Geological Survey. The last earthquake was reported at 6:44 a.m.<doc-sep>Ring of FIRE: 10 earthquakes strike USA off coast of Oregon FREE for the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. In the early hours of July 24, 10 quakes hit the southern Oregon coast – mainly between 5.16a local time and 10.22am. The most powerful was a strong 5.4 magnitude quake which hit at 7.44am, according to reports from the US Geological Survey (USGS). Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center, said that there is no risk of tsunami from the earthquakes which struck about 126 miles west of Crescent City, California. However, the tremors could be part of a much more serious problem and that the Ring of Fire could be ready to unleash devastating quakes. The Ring of Fire is the largest and most active fault line in the world, stretching from New Zealand, all around the east coast of Asia, over to Canada and the USA and all the way down to the southern tip of South America and causes more than 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes. Experts know that the Ring of Fire has to potential to unleash some catastrophic quakes – recent tremors in Mexico and Japan give evidence to this. And a series of relatively strong quakes could push it over the edge. Earlier this year, John Vidale, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, said that the Ring of Fire could be on the brink. The Ring of Fire He told the LA Times: "A 5.3 could be damaging if it was right under our feet. “It's right on the edge of being an earthquake that could be dangerous. It's a reminder that we need to be ready in the future.” Also running through Oregon is the San Andreas fault – which begins near Cape Mendocino, California, continuing along Oregon and Washington, and ending as far north as Vancouver Island, Canada. Experts have previously warned that minor earthquakes along this fault line could trigger a devastating one. Geologist: Very high threat Pacific Ring of Fire could erupt soon<doc-sep>A series of earthquakes have shaken a region of ocean off the west coast of the US. Scientists have detected a cluster of 11 earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 2.8 to 5.6 on the Richter scale. The cluster occurred on the seabed at the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate, around six miles (10km) underwater. This plate forms part of the Cascadia subduction zone, which runs from Northern California to British Columbia. Previous studies have warned this geological spot of weakness has the potential to deliver an earthquake much stronger than the infamous San Andreas fault. Seismologists say a full rupture along the 650-mile-long (1,000 km) offshore fault could trigger a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and an accompanying tsunami. Scroll down for video A series of earthquakes has shook a region of ocean off the western coast of the US. Ten earthquakes were detected, ranging in magnitude from 2.8 - 5.6 on the Richter scale The latest spate of earthquakes were clustered some 126 miles (203 km) off the coast of Crescent City, in California. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has not issued a warning over the recent shakes, stating that they do no pose a risk of a tsunami. Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center, said quakes of this calibre are not serious, and occur fairly often off the coast. The largest of the earthquakes occurred at 7:44 am (10:44 am ET/3:44 pm BST), and was large enough to qualify as a 'moderate' earthquake. Earthquakes of this magnitude on the Richter scale are categorised as 'causing damage of varying severity to poorly constructed buildings. 'At most, slight damage to all other buildings will be felt by everyone.' The Juan de Fuca tectonic plate is one of the smallest in the world, and is under constant strain from the Pacific plate. For around 300 years, Juan de Fuca has been pushed down, slowly submerging beneath the much larger Pacific plate. This geological activity has caused the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) 'megathrust' fault, which is a 650 mile (1,000 km) long line that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California. Eventually, the Juan de Fuca will be pushed underneath the North America plate, causing the region to sink at least six feet. The cluster occurred on the seabed at the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate around 6 miles (10km) underwater. Running from Northern California to British Columbia, the Cascadia subduction zone can deliver a quake that's many times stronger than the infamous San Andreas fault According to seismologists, the end result of this movement could be one of the biggest earthquakes in recorded history. 'Cascadia can make an earthquake almost 30 times more energetic than the San Andreas to start with,' Chris Goldfinger, a professor of geophysics at Oregon State University told CNN. 'Then it generates a tsunami at the same time, which the side-by-side motion of the San Andreas can't do.' The Cascadia could trigger a catastrophic 9.0-magnitude quake, with the shaking lasting anywhere from three to five minutes, scientists claim. WHAT WILL CAUSE THE KILLER CASCADIA QUAKE? The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) 'megathrust' fault is a 1,000km-long line that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California. It separates the Juan de Fuca, a 700-mile chunk in the Pacific Ocean, and North America plates. For more than 300 years, the two plates have been pushing against one another. Eventually, the Juan de Fuca will be pushed underneath the North America plate, causing the region to sink at least six feet. Advertisement 'In this case, three minutes – and I've been in a 9 in Japan – three minutes is an eternity,' said professor Goldfinger. 'It is a very, very long time.' Professor Goldfinger claims the west coast of the US would lose bridges, highway routes and that the coast will probably be entirely closed down. As a result, it would be difficult to get around, with rescue crews overwhelmed. Federal, state and military officials have been working together to draft plans to be followed when the 'Big One' happens. These contingency plans reflect deep anxiety about the potential gravity of the looming disaster – upward of 14,000 people dead in the worst-case scenarios, 30,000 injured, thousands left homeless and the region's economy setback for years, if not decades. As a response, what planners envision is a deployment of civilian and military personnel and equipment that would eclipse the response to any natural disaster that has occurred thus far in the US. There would be waves of cargo planes, helicopters and ships, as well as tens of thousands of soldiers, emergency officials, mortuary teams, police officers, firefighters, engineers, medical personnel and other specialists. 'The response will be orders of magnitude larger than Hurricane Katrina or Super Storm Sandy,' said Lieutenant Colonel Clayton Braun of the Washington State Army National Guard. A magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan in 2011 (pictured) gave greater clarity to what the Pacific Northwest needs to do to improve its readiness for a similar catastrophe HOW ARE EARTHQUAKES MEASURED? Earthquakes are detected by tracking the size, or magnitude, and intensity of the shock waves they produce, known as seismic waves. The magnitude of an earthquake differs from its intensity. The magnitude of an earthquake refers to the measurement of energy released where the earthquake originated. Magnitude is calculated based on measurements on seismographs. The intensity of an earthquake refers to how strong the shaking that is produced by the sensation is. A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California on Thursday at 10.30am According to the United States Geological Survey, 'intensity is determined from the effects on people, human structures and the natural environment'. Earthquakes originate below the surface of the earth in a region called the hypocenter. During an earthquake, one part of a seismograph remains stationary and one part moves with the earth's surface. The earthquake is then measured by the difference in the positions of the still and moving parts of the seismograph. Advertisement The Cascadia could deliver a huge 9.0-magnitude quake and the shaking could last anything from three to five minutes, scientists claim. Oregon's response plan is called the Cascadia Playbook, named after the threatening offshore fault — the Cascadia Subduction Zone Oregon's response plan is called the Cascadia Playbook, named after the threatening offshore fault — the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The plan has been handed out to key officials so the state can respond quickly when disaster strikes. 'That playbook is never more than 100 feet from where I am,' said Andrew Phelps, director of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. A magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan in 2011 gave greater clarity to what the Pacific Northwest needs to do to improve its readiness for a similar catastrophe. 'The Japanese quake and tsunami allowed light bulbs to go off for policymakers,' Mr Phelps said. Much still needs to be done, and it is impossible to fully prepare for a catastrophe of this magnitude, but those responsible for drafting the evolving contingency plans believe they are making headway. HOW DO SCIENTISTS TRACK THE CASCADIA? The Cascadia earthquake fault zone lies underwater between 40 and 80 miles offshore of the Pacific Northwest coastline. Earthquake scientists have listening posts along the coast from Vancouver Island to Northern California, and have been using ships to drop off and later retrieve ocean bottom seismographs. These record for up to a year right on top of the fault zone. However, they have detected few signs of the grinding and slipping they expected. The Cascadia Initiative (CI) is an onshore/offshore seismic and geodetic experiment that takes advantage of an Amphibious Array to study questions ranging from megathrust earthquakes to volcanic arc structure to the formation, deformation and hydration of the Juan De Fuca and Gorda plates It is 'a puzzle,' according to University of Oregon geophysics professor Doug Toomey. Two teams have been examining the area. A joint Japanese-Canadian team dropped instruments offshore of Vancouver Island, while Toomey's team is in its fourth year of deployments.<doc-sep>

A 4.3 earthquake struck at 5:16 a.m. Tuesday about 133 miles west of Gold Beach, according to the USGS. GOLD BEACH, Ore. — Seven earthquakes were recorded about 130 miles west of Gold Beach, Ore., Tuesday morning. A 4.3 earthquake struck at 5:16 a.m. about 133 miles west of Gold Beach, according to the USGS. It was first reported as a 5.0 quake. As of 9 a.m., six more earthquakes were detected in the same area hours later ranging from 3.2 to 5.6. All the quakes were about six miles deep. Seismologist Seth Moran with the U.S. Geological Survey said the quakes happened within the weaker Gorda plate. The plate was basically being scrunched by the ones around it and broke. "For sure there is some squeezing happening," he said. But does all that squeezing mean a bigger quake is next? Could it trigger a Cascadia Subduction Zone quake? The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a roughly 600 mile long fault off Oregon and Washington's coast. It's the point where the ocean plate and the North American plate are locked together. And when they finally release, it will create not only a tsunami but also a large earthquake. The good news, when it comes to a Cascadia Subduction Zone quake, Moran said the swarm is in no way a precursor. "If there was something leading toward this... we would expect to see those earthquakes lining up much more along the subduction zone itself in the area where the big earthquake would release," he said. Moran said the quake swarm does show the plates offshore are active, which means the Cascadia fault is likely active too. The last big earthquake to hit our area was 317 years ago. Scientists say we are about due for another one.

Time: 9:30 PM CST Channel: TSN3 Radio: TSN1290 The Winnipeg Jets are playing the Los Angeles Kings in Los Angeles so Team No Sleep will rise again. The Jets are coming off of an impressive win against the talented Calgary Flames while the Kings are...not so impressive. The Jets still need to be careful though because it only takes one goal to win a game and one goal to lose a game (sorry, I spent Sunday coaching elimination games so this is my headspace). The Jets will need to continue to make do with their rag-tag defence for a couple more weeks if I am counting correctly when it comes to injuries. Now, the Jets could welcome Joe Morrow back into the lineup tonight, but I am not sure there is anyone in the Jets lineup who has earned the right to be scratched and would be unless their name is Sami Niku and he has been playing really well. This game has a lot of potential to be a really late, boring game where not much happens and it ends with everyone asleep on their couch...or it could be a really exciting game where a lot happens and everyone is jumping around their living rooms. Hope for the latter, but expect the former because that would be the Kings.<doc-sep>How to Watch Game Time: 7:30 PM Pacific TV: Fox Sports West Radio: iHeart Radio The Opposition: Arctic Ice Hockey What to Watch Imagine that you have a hockey team. And that hockey team currently sits at number one in their division. And yet you’ve lost five of your last 10, and people are wondering what, specifically, is wrong with your team. Congratulations, you have the Winnipeg Jets. Despite being one of the top teams all year, there’s some justifiable angst in the Jets fan base. Between perplexing lineup decisions, injuries to the blue line (including the very large, very physical Dustin Byfuglien), and Connor Hellebuyck looking downright human at times, the Jets are feeling less “embarrassment of riches” and more “yikes” about their recent play. I don’t know, though, man. From down here, “good but flawed” feels really nice. Anyway, the Jets can score. They can defend. They can hit. They can outskate you. Even with Patrik Laine only — only — OnLy — “only” — having 29 goals — and again, remember, Anze Kopitar only just hit the 20 goal mark on Saturday — the Jets have no problem putting the puck in the net. Nine players are in the double digits for goals, led by Mark Scheifele with 34. Their power play is fourth in the league (25.6%) and while their penalty kill is decidedly just okay (23rd in the league, 79.3%), what does it matter when you can so easily outscore your mistakes? Perhaps the only saving grace for the Kings tonight, aside from whatever late-season malaise is making the Jets look meh and sending their fans into a tizzy, is the Jets’ middling road record. They’re 18-16-0 on the season when on the road, with losses in five of their last 10 away games. Their road power play is still fairly good — sitting in 13th place in the league (19.1%) — and their road penalty kill (81.6%) is even better than their home penalty kill (76.9%), At this point, we know what the Kings are. They’re deeply flawed, poorly coached, and completely demoralized. They’re on autopilot waiting for the season to end, from the looks of things. The Jets are going to want these two points — they’re only one point ahead of the Nashville Predators, and would probably like to extend that lead. It’s not going to be an easy game. And while the Kings came away with a 4-1 win the last time these teams met, led by a strong performance from Jonathan Quick, that feels like an outlier that should not be counted. Plus, there’s this: Dusting this off, because it's a Funny Tweet, but it also applies tonight. A loss in any fashion to Winnipeg officially eliminates the #LAKings from playoff contention. https://t.co/z4oP76iaia — Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider) March 18, 2019 Lineup Notes #NHLJets morning skate in LA line rushes Laine-Scheifele-Wheeler Connor-Hayes-Ehlers Tanev-Lowry-Little Perreault-Copp-Hendricks Beaulieu-Trouba Kulikov-Myers Chiarot-Niku — Jamie Thomas (@JamieThomasTV) March 18, 2019 Brossoit starts. Hendricks in for Roslovic against the Kings tonight. Roslovic is healthy, just coaches decision. #NHLJets — Jamie Thomas (@JamieThomasTV) March 18, 2019 Hello from Jet City El Segundo. Quiet optional skate at TSC. No line rushes. Wait for the song. — Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider) March 18, 2019 Kings back at it early (for a Sunday) at TSC. Fwiw, Kovalchuk has been on a line with Carter and Brodzinski in drills. — Curtis Zupke (@curtiszupke) March 17, 2019 Quick, Watch This<doc-sep>The sight was brief but emblematic. Brendan Leipsic, listed at 5 feet 10 and hardly known as a fighter, ended up tangled with Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tyler Myers, who appears every inch of his listed 6 feet 8. It happened when tempers boiled over in the second period, and the metaphor was clear. The Kings weren’t going down without a fight Monday night. Matched against a big, fast Winnipeg team that is working toward a Central Division title, they offered up pushback in the opening 40 minutes and gave themselves a fighting chance at the end. But a hairy finish dissolved into an ugly truth: The Kings were officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 3-2 loss at Staples Center. It was a foregone conclusion, but it hit home in its formality. Advertisement “It’s definitely a sour taste,” center Anze Kopitar said. “This whole year has been disappointing. ... Not one guy in this room should be just OK with what’s been going on this year.” Kopitar pointed out that the Kings still have something to compete for in terms of players trying for jobs and established players showing they “want to keep playing in this league.” They got some of both with goals by Sean Walker and Dustin Brown, while Leipsic was representative of some late-season toughness. He assisted on Walker’s first-period goal and drew a penalty that resulted in Brown’s second-period tally. Leipsic took exception to an apparent trip toward the end of the second period that produced another set of scrums as both teams displayed some unusual edge for teams that play only three times a season. Leipsic is among those trying to establish himself, and the cold reality of the team’s elimination stamped the Kings’ 16th loss in 18games. “It sucks,” Leipsic said. “You always want to be in the mix. But that’s the reality — we’re not going to be this year. [We] still have a lot to play for … myself included. So take care of business the last 10games and see what happens.” Brown got the Kings to 2-all with a power-play goal, his 19th goal of the season. He was able to walk in the puck some on the left side against a stickless Brandon Tanev and beat Jets goalie Laurent Brossoit with a shot under the glove. Walker’s third goal this season was a shot that deflected off Tanev’s skate, off the crossbar and into the goal in the first period. Leipsic made it happen when he spotted Walker on the right side and then curled to the net to screen Brossoit. Advertisement Walker is among the young defensemen the Kings need to play down the stretch, a point made further by the benching of Dion Phaneuf for the third time this season. Matt Roy, another defenseman prospect, also got noticed when he induced a tripping penalty, but Roy was also on the ice for Winnipeg’s first goal. The Kings were ultimately felled by a goal from Myers on a pinpointed shot to the upper right corner of the net on a two-on-one just as a Jets penalty expired with just more than three minutes remaining in the second period. Goalie Jack Campbell stood little chance on it in only his second start since Feb.25. The Jets also got goals by Kevin Hayes and Kyle Connor after the Kings played them evenly in the opening minutes, only to fail to register a shot in the first 16 minutes of the third period. Asked about showing fight against Winnipeg, Kopitar said: “That’s a good team, but a pretty good fight gets us to 3-2 in the end. It’s not good enough.” Advertisement Sign up for our daily sports newsletter » [email protected] Twitter: @curtiszupke<doc-sep>Winnipeg goaltender Laurent Brossoit deflects a shot from the Kings’ Matt Roy (81) during the second period of Monday’s game at Staples Center. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Sami Niku #83 of the Winnipeg Jets takes an interference penalty on Brendan Leipsic #14 of the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Los Angeles Kings loses the puck between Mathieu Perreault #85 and Laurent Brossoit #30 of the Winnipeg Jets during the second period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Winnpeg’s Brandon Tanev, left, and the Kings’ Matt Roy react to a check during the first period of Monday’s game at Staples Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Los Angeles Kings’ Brendan Leipsic, left, and Winnipeg Jets’ Nathan Beaulieu (88) are separated by a referee during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Sami Niku #83 of the Winnipeg Jets attempts a wrap around on Jack Campbell #36 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Mark Scheifele #55 of the Winnipeg Jets keeps the puck from Derek Forbort #24 of the Los Angeles Kings and Jack Campbell #36 during the first period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Blake Wheeler #26 of the Winnipeg Jets makes a pass in front of Anze Kopitar #11 and Jack Campbell #36 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Sean Walker #61 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates his goal to tie the game 1-1 with the Winnipeg Jets during the first period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Kyle Connor #81 of the Winnipeg Jets scores a power play goal past Jack Campbell #36 of the Los Angeles Kings, to take a 2-1 lead, during the first period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Brendan Leipsic #14 of the Los Angeles Kings and Nathan Beaulieu #88 of the Winnipeg Jets are held apart by the linesman during the second period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Laurent Brossoit #30 of the Winnipeg Jets makes a save in front of Matt Roy #81 of the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Dustin Brown #23 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates his goal with Anze Kopitar and Brendan Leipsic #14, for a 2-2 tie with the Winnipeg Jets, during the second period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Dustin Brown #23 of the Los Angeles Kings scores on Laurent Brossoit #30 of the Winnipeg Jets as Brendan Leipsic #14 skates by the crease, for a 2-2 tie, during the second period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) The Kings’ Alec Martinez shows his disappointment after Winnipeg’s Tyler Myers (57) scored the go-ahead goal during the second period of Monday’s game at Staples Center. It proved to be the game-winner in the Jets’ 3-2 victory. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Dustin Brown #23 of the Los Angeles Kings attempts a shot in front of Kevin Hayes #12 and Dmitry Kulikov #5 of the Winnipeg Jets during the second period at Staples Center on March 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Winnipeg Jets’ Tyler Myers, right, controls the puck in front of Los Angeles Kings’ Alex Iafallo during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Winnipeg Jets’ Kevin Hayes (12) celebrates his goal with teammates Nikolaj Ehlers, center, and Ben Chiarot (7) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Winnipeg Jets’ Kyle Connor, left, scores past Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, front right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Winnipeg Jets’ Kyle Connor, center, shoots against Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, right, as Matt Roy, left, defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, left, stops a shot from Winnipeg Jets’ Sami Niku during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Winnipeg Jets’ Kyle Connor (81) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Los Angeles Kings’ Sean Walker (61) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit, right, gives up a goal on a shot from Los Angeles Kings’ Dustin Brown, not seen, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 18, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)<doc-sep>

114-Word Recap The Los Angeles Kings picked the wrong team to battle in a one-goal game: the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets improved to 18-6-4 in one-goal games this season, edging the Kings 3-2. The Jets have 90 points and a three-point lead over Nashville atop the Central Division. The Kings have now lost five straight home games, dropped six of seven overall and 16 of 18. They were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. At 58 points, the Kings are last in the Western Conference and have the second-fewest points in the NHL. However, if the season were to end today, the Kings would have a 13.5% chance to land the top pick in June’s Entry Draft. The Game 71 Scoring Jets 1. Kings 0. Jets 2. Kings 0. Jets 2. Kings 1. Jets 2. Kings 2. We LOVE a power play goal pic.twitter.com/IuYoqQoK2q — FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) March 19, 2019 Jets 3. Kings 2. The Third Period Kyle Clifford showed the only fight the Kings could muster at the 2:48 mark in the third. This Kings would not get their first shot on goal until the 16:10 mark of the third and were outshot 10-2 in the period. A fitting way for the Kings’ playoff chances to end. Next: The Kings host the San Jose Sharks at Staples Center on Thursday. Quotables Willie Desjardins: “Well, that’s always disappointing [on being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs]. It’s never the way you start a year, it’s the one thing you never want to happen. That’s a tough thing today. It’s not something that we’ve been focused on. We’ve been more focused on just game-by-game trying to get things going.” Anze Kopitar: “Well it’s definitely sour taste. Thoughts? This whole year has been disappointing and now we’re eliminated officially and not one guy in this room should be okay with just what’s been going on this year. With that being said, there’s 10 games left and there’s guys that are trying to stay in the lineup, there’s guys that are trying to prove themselves in the league, and there are guys that are older and want to keep playing in this league, so there’s lots to play for.” Postgame Interview with Brendan Leipsic after tonights tough matchup against the Jets pic.twitter.com/grcrGIXpIl — FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) March 19, 2019 Paul Maurice on Tyler Myers’ goal, the team’s strong third period, and more following tonight’s win in Los Angeles. #WPGvsLAK pic.twitter.com/Kqk0Ew3pT3 — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) March 19, 2019

Law enforcement officers from dozens of agencies are among the hundreds expected to attend Wednesday’s funeral for Gwinnett County Officer Antwan Toney. Toney, 30, was shot and killed Saturday while responding to a call in the Snellville area. The California native worked for nearly three years for the Gwinnett police department. Following the funeral, officers are expected to participate in a procession from a Lawrenceville church to a funeral home in Peachtree Corners. Traffic delays are likely in the area beginning shortly after noon. Here are the details: Funeral details for Officer Toney Where: 12Stone Church, 1322 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville, GA When: 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Parking: The parking lot for 12Stone Church will open at 9:00 am. New Bridge Church (next to 12Stone) will allow for overflow parking if needed. Those who park at New Bridge Church will be taken to 12Stone Church via buses. The main parking lot area (the parking lot located in front of the main entrance to the building) at the 12 Stone Church campus will be shut down at 10:15am (after the arrival of the family and hearse). Procession: Following the services, there will be a procession beginning at 12Stone and concluding at Crowell Brothers Funeral Home at 5051 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Peachtree Corners. The procession will consist of the hearse, family, Gwinnett County Police Department personnel, and other officers from the law enforcement community. Members of the community may line the streets for the procession. Route: Exit 12Stone campus and turn right towards SR316; Turn right onto SR316 West; Exit onto Sugarloaf Parkway and turn right; Turn left onto Peachtree Industrial Boulevard; Turn right into Crowell Brothers Funeral Home<doc-sep>After the funeral, members of the community honored Officer Toney and lined the procession route between the church and the funeral home. LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Gwinnett County community gathered to honor the memory of Gwinnett Police Officer Antwan Toney, shot and killed in the line of duty on Saturday. The service began at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville at 11 a.m. Bagpipes played "Amazing Grace" as Officer Toney's casket made it's way to the front of the church. Huff made opening remarks and Officer Spellman gave an emotional eulogy. Then those who loved Officer Toney shared their testimonies. Toney's sister, Carla Johnson spoke first and spoke about the bond between a big sister and little brother. followed by Officers Smith and Walsh. The South Precinct B-Cycle officers will walk onto the stage and and stand post behind the officers during their remarks. Toney's cousin, Prez Blackmon, gave an emotional tribute to his family member in song -- in a medley that began with "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Barbara Streisand. Officials from the Gwinnett County Police Department and Georgia Governor's office honored Toney with three posthumous awards, including an Honorable Service medal, the Purple Heart Medal and the Medal of Valor. Following the remarks was the Presentation of Awards, followed by a rendering of Honors. Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers presented an award medal to Toney's mother. After that, a Rendering of Honors, including a presentation of the colors and a firing party. Taps was played and Chief Butch Ayers presented an American flag to the family. The officers did the ritual of Last Call before the family was dismissed for the procession to the funeral home. Officer Antwan Toney was killed while investigating a suspicious vehicle near Shiloh Middle School on Saturday. He had been with the Gwinnett County Police Department for nearly three years. PHOTOS: Procession, funeral for fallen Gwinnett Officer Antwan Toney 1/34 2/34 3/34 4/34 5/34 6/34 7/34 8/34 9/34 10/34 11/34 12/34 13/34 14/34 15/34 16/34 17/34 18/34 19/34 20/34 21/34 22/34 23/34 24/34 25/34 26/34 27/34 28/34 29/34 30/34 31/34 32/34 33/34 34/34 1 / 34 The southern California native had celebrated his 30th birthday a few days earlier. Prior to joining the department, he worked as a security guard Gov. Nathan Deal has ordered flags at the Georgia State Capitol to fly at half-staff to honor Officer Antwan Toney. Toney was gunned down when he responded to a call regarding a suspicious vehicle on Saturday afternoon.<doc-sep>» GALLERY: Mourners pay respects along Antwan Toney's funeral procession Credit: Channel 2 Action News Credit: Channel 2 Action News “He wasn’t just my brother in blue, he was my brother outside of work,” said Officer Martele Smith, who met Toney three years ago when both were in training. “Anything I planned, he was always there. Anything he planned, I was always there.” He recalled Toney’s playfulness — the karate kicks in the South precinct parking lot, his unmistakable laugh. But when it came to policing, he was all business. “Today was a good day to do some work” was Toney’s mantra, repeated daily, Smith said. “Even when off work, we’d talk about work,” he said. October 20, 2018 Lawrenceville - Copy photo of Gwinnett Police officer Antwan Toney on Saturday, October 20, 2018. A Gwinnett County police officer was fatally shot near Snellville on Saturday afternoon, according to the department. The officer, identified as Antwan Toney, died after he was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center, the department announced. (Photo provided by Gwinnett Police Department) Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC A career in law enforcement had been his dream since childhood. Toney’s eldest sister, Carla Johnson, recalled him playing with his miniature police cars as a kid in Tustin, California, where much of the family still lives. “He never lost that childlike audacity,” said Johnson, describing their relationship as “Lincoln on a penny. Stuck together and brown.” October 24, 2018 Lawrenceville - Police motorcycle procession escorts the hearse carrying Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney outside 12Stone Church on Buford Drive on Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney, 30, was shot and killed Saturday while responding to a call in the Snellville area. The California native worked for nearly three years for the Gwinnett police department. A funeral was hold at 11 a.m. Wednesday at 12Stone Church, 1322 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. HYOSUB SHIN / [email protected] Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC She was on the phone with her brother when he got the call reporting a suspicious vehicle near Shiloh Middle School in Snellville. The next call Johnson received was from Toney’s superior, telling her there had been a shooting. Just one week earlier, Toney summoned the family to Las Vegas to celebrate his 30th birthday. “In true Antwan fashion it was big, it was bold, and it was Vegas,” Johnson said. MORE: Hundreds attend visitation for Gwinnett officer RELATED: Man accused of killing cop is dead Memories like that will always bring a smile, but it was her brother’s example that Johnson said will sustain her family as they mourn the loss of their linchpin. “I won’t give up on my dreams because you never did,” she said. For Toney’s other family, the loss is nearly as staggering. A born leader, according to his fellow officers, he spoke often about his desire to one day become chief of police. Smith, Toney often told his friend, would be assistant chief. “He always told me, every day, ‘I’ve got your back,’ ” Smith said. October 24, 2018 Lawrenceville - Stan Rainey holds a sign to show his respect during the procession of slain Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney outside 12Stone Church on Buford Drive on Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney, 30, was shot and killed Saturday while responding to a call in the Snellville area. The California native worked for nearly three years for the Gwinnett police department. A funeral was hold at 11 a.m. Wednesday at 12Stone Church, 1322 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. HYOSUB SHIN / [email protected] Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC Smith was working an incident on Ronald Reagan Parkway Saturday when he heard his friend’s voice over the police radio, telling the dispatcher he had been shot and needed an ambulance. Officer Ryan Walsh was the other officer on the scene. At Wednesday’s service, he admitted discomfort with public speaking. Like most people in law enforcement, he is reluctant to show any vulnerability. But Toney could bring down anyone’s guard, creating a scene of raw, heartfelt emotion as Walsh, surrounded by colleagues from the south precinct, fought back tears as he memorialized their friend. “It broke our hearts to lose you, you didn’t go alone,” said Walsh, reading from a poem. “Because part of us went with you, the day God called you home.” Maj. Everett Spellman said Toney was a positive influence to his fellow officers, “a stone soldier.” “When Officer Toney walked out that door, there was no hatred in his heart,” Spellman said. “He didn’t fight because he hated the suspects. He fought because he loved the community that was behind him.” Smith said Toney knew how to to talk to a suspect. His sister credited his natural empathy, coupled with an earnest desire to “earn the trust of the citizens he served.” Those citizens will never know what’s been lost with Toney’s death, Walsh said. October 24, 2018 Lawrenceville - Peyton Williams, 11, holds a flag to show his respect during the procession of slain Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney outside 12Stone Church on Buford Drive on Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney, 30, was shot and killed Saturday while responding to a call in the Snellville area. The California native worked for nearly three years for the Gwinnett police department. A funeral was hold at 11 a.m. Wednesday at 12Stone Church, 1322 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. HYOSUB SHIN / [email protected] Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC But they were plenty grateful, demonstrated by the hundreds of people who lined up for miles along the funeral procession route. Mary Anne Supic, of Dacula, heard Johnson’s eulogy and felt compelled to join the throng on Buford Drive as they awaited the hearse carrying Toney’s flag-draped coffin. “This country needs solidarity right now,” she said. “I think there’s great unity today for someone who deserves our gratitude.” Wednesday was hard, Smith said, and the grief won’t subside anytime soon. “It’ll be hard not seeing you at roll call,” he said, speaking to Toney. “It’ll be hard not hearing your voice, ‘242 Bravo, Badge 1808.’ “ “But we’ll always remember that smile,” Smith continued. “We won’t forget it.”<doc-sep>

Image 1 of 25 ▼ The Gwinnett County officer killed in the line of duty has been laid to rest. Officer Antwan Toney was shot and killed Saturday while responding to a call about a suspicious car. The service took place Wednesday morning at 12Stone Church on Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. Officer Toney's flag-draped casket arrived at the Lawrenceville church by horse-drawn carriage. "We little knew that day God was going to call your name. In life, we loved you dearly. In death we do the same," said Officer Ryan Walsh, Gwinnett County Police Department. With heavy hearts, hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Georgia gathered to pay tribute to a fallen comrade. "Today, our hearts are heavy due to the loss of Officer Toney who was a beloved family member, a role model, a friend, and an excellent police officer," said Major Everett Spellman, Gwinnett County Police Department. Officer Toney graduated from the Gwinnett County Police Academy in 2016 realizing his life-long dream of becoming a police officer. "My family is dealing with a devastating and incomprehensible loss that we could have never foreseen," said Carla Johnson, officer's sister. Saying their lives will be forever changed with her brother's passing, Officer Toney's sister, grateful family, and friends all came together just two weeks ago to celebrate Officer Toney's 30th birthday. "My family and the world has lost one of the most genuine and kind human beings there ever will be at just 30 years old Antwan lived a life more full than most," said Johnson. Gwinnett County Police officers shared fond memories of their colleague during his time on the force. "There was not a day that Toney walked in roll call and did not have a smile and a positive attitude to do police work," said Officer Martele Smith, Gwinnett County Police Department. Pastor Chris Huff shared a message the officer posted on Facebook about a year ago in which he expressed his love for the job. "He said ‘I can't believe a year ago I started into this rewarding profession. I can't say this is for everyone. I've laughed and smiled. I've felt sadness many times. I even cried a few times. I've saved many lives and I've gotten to meet some amazing people in the process, but I will say that I take pride in what I do and I am so blessed to be able to do it,’" said Pastor Chris Huff. Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers awarded the late officer an honorable service medal, medal of valor and the purple heart medal recognizing the young officer for his exemplary service during his years on the force, paying the ultimate sacrifice in service to his community. "Antwon Toney badge 1808 died doing what he loved serving citizens and making Gwinnett County a safer place and for that, he will never be forgotten," said Chief Ayers. After the service, a police escort paraded Officer's Toney's body to Crowell Brothers Funeral Home. During that procession, Georgians lined the road to say goodbye to the fallen officer. MORE: The shooting, the manhunt, and arrests Officer Toney was six days shy of his third anniversary with the Gwinnett County Police Department. He had been with the department since October 26, 2015, and graduated from the Gwinnett Police Department’s 94th Academy on April 21, 2016, along with 25 other cadets. This was Officer Toney’s first job as a sworn law enforcement officer, Police Chief Butch Ayers said. Prior to joining the department, he worked as a security guard. Officer Toney is originally from Southern California, where his family still lives. MORE: Remembering Gwinnett County's Officer Antwan Toney

Late last year, Google announced a new payments app for the Indian market which gave users the ability to transfer funds to nearby users without any special hardware. Since its debut, Tez has seen a lot of popularity, but now it’s being rebranded to fall under Google Pay’s umbrella… Google says that since its launch less than a year ago, Tez has racked up big numbers. Apparently, the app has been used by 22 million people with a whopping 750 million financial transactions in that time. Now, Tez is getting merged into Google Pay, eliminating the Tez name entirely. An update to the Tez app rolling out now rebrands the app to Google Pay, unifying it under the same name as the Google Pay app that the rest of the world already uses. However, this version of the app still offers all of the same functionality that Tez currently has, and interestingly, Google will be bringing some of Tez’s elements to other regions in Google Pay. We have learnt that when we build for India, we build for the world, and we believe that many of the innovations and features we have pioneered with Tez will work globally. The world has certainly taken notice of India’s digital payments success and our deep investments here with Tez. Many governments are asking us to work with them to bring similar digital payments innovations to their countries. To make this happen, we will be unifying all of Google’s payment offerings globally. Starting today, Tez will now be called Google Pay. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:<doc-sep>Readying its digital payment service for India, Tez, for a global roll out, Google on Tuesday renamed the app as Google Pay and introduced new features that could soon help its Indian users get instant “pre-approved” loans from some banks. “Building for India has often meant Google building for everyone all around the world,” Caesar Sengupta, Vice-President, Next Billion Users initiative and Payments, Google, said at its annual Google for India event here. “At the moment, nothing is changing about the experience in India other than the name,” he said, adding that Google is working with a few of India’s top banks — HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Federal Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank — to offer pre-approved, instant loans to their customers, right from within Google Pay. This feature will roll out to eligible users within the next few weeks, Google said. With the roll out of this feature, eligible users will see a notification telling that that they are pre-approved. Next, the users would have to decide how much they want to borrow, and how quickly they would like to repay. Finally, after reviewing the terms of the loan, the bank will deposit the money in their bank account instantly — without the need of any additional paperwork, Google said. “In coming weeks and months, Google is making Pay even more useful through expanding the places users can pay in-store and online, expanding services for merchants, and working with the banks to provide instant loans to Google Pay users,” Mr. Sengupta said. Google launched the Tez app in India last year and since then over 55 million people have downloaded the app and more than 22 million people and businesses actively use the app for digital transactions every month. Google Pay works with all major banks in India on BHIM UPI (Unified Payments Interface).<doc-sep>Google has renamed its UPI payment app in India from Google Tez to Google Pay. While this does bring it under Google's recently consolidated payment services, Google Pay in India will continue to use the UPI protocol instead of the NFC-based system used in other countries. Apart from the name change, Google also announced that Google Pay in India will soon allow users to request an instant, pre-approved bank loan directly from within the app. Customers will be able to request a loan from Federal Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank. Users will be able to choose the amount and the period over which it will be paid back and the amount will be deposited directly without any paperwork. The bank loan feature will be rolling out in the next few weeks. Users will be informed with a notification when the feature is available to them. Google is also working on integrating Google Pay in India with various service providers. Current list of partners include Dish TV, redBus, Mi.com, Goibibo, FreshMenu, BookMyShow, Jet Airways, Nykaa, Reliance, Croma, FoodPanda, and Zerodha. Google Pay, née Tez currently has 22 million active users, with 750 million transactions being made so far since the service launched in September of 2017. The service uses India's UPI, or Unified Payments Interface, which enables direct money transfer from the sender's bank account to the receiver's with the UPI app acting as a bridge. The service is free of charge and only requires the sender's and receiver's banks to support UPI and the users to have created a UPI ID. UPI is currently the fastest growing payments systems in India.<doc-sep>

New Delhi: In a bid to increase its market share in India’s payments market, Google today rebranded its payments app Google Tez into Google Pay, introduced new features and widened its scope with new tie-ups. At its annual event Google for India, the tech giant announced its partnership with private banks to facilitate pre-approved loans instantly to Google Pay customers. Using the Google Pay app, customers will soon be able to get loans from HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Federal Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank. “In the coming weeks, these customers will be able to use Google Pay to take out a customised loan amount from their banks, with minimal paperwork, and once they accept the bank’s terms, the money is deposited securely and instantly by their bank, into their bank account," Google’s general manager (payments) Caesar Sengupta said. Launched first in India last September as Google Tez, the re-branded Google Pay will now be offered in other countries too. Google said it will be unifying all of Google’s payment offerings globally. “The world has certainly taken notice of India’s digital payments success and our deep investments here with Tez. Many governments are asking us to work with them to bring similar digital payments innovations to their countries," Google said. Your simple, secure payments experience remains just the same. Everything you love about Tez is now moving to #GooglePay. #GoogleForIndia pic.twitter.com/RQCmOQqGjw — Google Pay India (@GooglePayIndia) August 28, 2018 Google says it has 22 million monthly active users on Google Pay who have made over 750 million transactions with average annual transaction of 2 lakh crore. As its expands the scope of Google Pay, the service will soon be available at over 2,000 online merchants and e-commerce websites including Redbus, BookMyShow, Mi and Goibibo, besides over 15,000 retail stores like Big Bazaar, e-Zone, and FBB. View Full Image Google CEO Sundar Pichai had said Tez is central to the company’s India strategy and also key to its global payments push. The payments app has localized, supporting several Indian languages, and is chasing young users with games that offer cashbacks. Paytm remains India’s largest digital payments company claiming to have 150 million app downloads. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Get the latest Spurs news direct to your inbox! Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Tottenham have released their new home kit - with a hidden code on the inside of the collar. The numbers represent the co-ordinates of Spurs' new stadium as the north Londoners prepare for life in their fresh home. Tottenham left White Hart Lane at the end of the 2016-17 campaign and spent a year playing their home games at Wembley last term. But they will be back to the site of their traditional home this season as they bid to challenge Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. (Image: xxxxxxxxxxx) The new strip is consistent with Spurs' classic white kit, with a dark blue collar and block at the bottom of the shirt. Spurs have also released their new away kit - a dark blue shirt with light blue sleeves. (Image: xxxxxxxxxxx) (Image: xxxxxxxxxxx) Tottenham kick off their season with a trip to Newcastle before hosting Fulham in their first home game at their new ground.<doc-sep>Tottenham fans have noticed a major problem with their new kit Tottenham's new kit was released this morning Tottenhan Hotspur finally revealed their new kit for the upcoming season this morning. Nike have once again provided the Lilywhites with an understated jersey, but this time with the added feature of the bottom of the shirt seamlessly fading into the blue shorts. Advertisement It is a slick look, bound to go down well with many of the younger fans who will want to buy the entire kit. However, many Spurs fans have pointed out quite a glaring issue with the new kit that could make watching their Champions League matches an eyesore. Tottenham have a tradition of wearing white shorts in the European competition. They will still adhere to that tradition next season, which has many fans concerned that the new addition of the fade might look ridiculous. Now do one with the white European shorts so Nike can see the crimes they’ve committed https://t.co/UxDuemVnUd — The Tottenham Way (@TheTottenhamWay) July 19, 2018 Advertisement It’s not too bad with the blue shorts, but it’s gonna look apocalyptically shit when we play in Europe in all white . . . — jamie (@merchantofshite) July 19, 2018 Are Spurs wearing white shorts in Europe? Will look odd if they do! — Mark Gray (@saintlymark) July 19, 2018 Advertisement<doc-sep>T ottenham today unveiled their new kit collection for the 2018-19 season - the final London club to release their strips in what could be an expensive campaign for fans. The price for the new Spurs kit could reach a whopping £160 - but that is not as much as the £169.85 that Chelsea supporters could pay for their shirt, shorts and socks. Arsenal fans could fork out £157. Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal all offer the same kit worn by their players, with replica shirts also available at a cheaper price. The replica Spurs kit is available for £110, Chelsea’s will cost £109.85 and Arsenal’s is priced at £92. Tottenham unveil new 2018/19 kit The replica West Ham kit is available for £98, Fulham’s shirt is priced at £96, with Crystal Palace having the best priced kits in the capital at £87.97. West Ham stars past and present unveil 2018/19 kits Tottenham’s new home shirt displays the club’s postcode (N17) and the co-ordinates of the centre circle of their old White Hart Lane stadium in its collar. Nike Spurs are set to play the first competitive game at their new stadium against Liverpool on September 15.<doc-sep>TOTTENHAM fans have hit out at "lazy" Nike as their new away strip is EXACTLY the same as Barcelona's training kit. The Premier League side unveiled both their home and away shirts yesterday, much to the disappointment of supporters. 2 Tottenham fans have noticed something odd about the club's new away kit Credit: Getty - Contributor Fans are up in arms over the latest design and claim it wasn't worth the wait. Not only that, it will cost a staggering £90 to buy the "elite" away jersey. Even the shorts appear identical to those of the Barcelona training kit. Fans took to Twitter to vent their frustrations over the lack of creativity, although rival supporters joked it could even help them win silverware. 2 Barcelona's training kit is identical to Spurs' away shirt Credit: EPA Nike have literally no creativity whatsoever. Tottenham’s away kit is literally Barcelona’s training kit ffs pic.twitter.com/gNGk1ptotK — James (@JamesAnnenberg) July 19, 2018 FC Barcelona's training kit = Tottenham's matchday kit. Nike. pic.twitter.com/vYBqtZl4LA — Parker (@Robertonical) July 19, 2018 In other news, Nike gave Tottenham Barcelona's training kits😂😂😅 pic.twitter.com/wZM4KtYO55 — Alhaddy (@AlhassanAlhaddy) July 20, 2018 Nike hinting at greatness coming to North London. We are the famous Tottenham!! — Zeus With electrostatic Lightning😬 (@ThisGuyIsaac_) July 20, 2018 Tottenham unveil new home and away kits with futuristic Twitter reveal One said: "Nike have literally no creativity whatsoever. Tottenham's away kit is literally Barcelona's training kit." Another joked: "When you realise Nike didn't give a s*** about Tottenham's new kit to the point that they just gave them Barcelona's training kit." A Spurs fan was trying to find the positives by claiming: "The football world is a superstitious place-- maybe they're trying to conjure up a little Barca magic in the white side of North London." But rival supporters found the funny said with another writing: "Nike: Why bother about Tottenham's away kit when we can just give them Barcelona's training kit?"<doc-sep>

Tottenham have unveiled the home and away kits for the 2018-19 season — their first season in their new stadium. Spurs have been using social media to update fans on the progress of the ground, and now another piece of the puzzle for this coming campaign, with supporters now knowing what kit the players will take to the field in. The launch of the two strips was marked by a 104-second video, that focused on the building project currently being finished at their old White Hart Lane site, with Nike adding the tagline 'Built to Rise' in a nod to the arena. Harry Kane and Dele Alli pose in the new Tottenham home and away kits for 2018-19 Son Heung-min and Jan Vertonghen posed for the camera in the new top for 2018-19 Defender Davinson Sanchez and Lucas Moura model the away kit for the north London side Tottenham unveiled their home threads for the coming season using the tagline 'Built to Rise' Striker Harry Kane, fellow England star Dele Alli, Christian Erkisen and Son Heung-min all appear at the end of the video modelling the two kits. The club later released photos of a number of stars donning the new threads, including Jan Vertonghen, Kane, Son and Davinson Sanchez. The home top, still sponsored by insurance company AIA, has had a navy fade introduced to the bottom of it, which blends into the shorts. The away effort is predominantly that same colour on top, save for turquoise sleeves, while the shorts of the same green-blue hue wrapped around the outside. Spurs players won't fail to recognise each other from the knee down either, judging by the bright blueish socks. To spot any supporters in the full kit may prove more difficult however, with the full 'elite' kit to set you back £160, with a top worth £90, shorts worth £55 and socks coming in at £15. The regular, non-fitted version of the top is still £65 on its own. The north London club also took the opportunity to showcase some of their training range Christian Eriksen, Kane, Alli and Son all appeared in a video used to promote the new range Spurs also took the opportunity to show off their new range of training wear for the campaign, as they prepare for life in their new stadium. Still undergoing construction, Spurs will play their first home game of the season at Wembley against Fulham. They will move into their new ground in September, when Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side are set to be the first

Back on May 8, news broke that Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna had been arrested and charged with domestic violence in Toronto. Since then, Major League Baseball had Osuna on administrative leave while undergoing its own investigation. MLB has concluded its investigation and ruled that Osuna will serve a 75-game suspension, which is retroactive to May 8. MLB also announced that Osuna agreed to not appeal the decision. "My office has completed its investigation into the allegation that Roberto Osuna violated Major League Baseball's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy on May 8, 2018," said commissioner Rob Manfred. "Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Osuna violated the policy and should be subject to discipline in the form of an unpaid suspension that will expire on August 4." Manfred offered no further comment. The Blue Jays have issued a statement saying they respect the decision by the commissioner and also offered up no further comment on the pending legal matter. Though we don't have details on what transpired and led to Osuna's arrest, it's obviously an ugly situation. Osuna's suspension is one of the longest one doled out by Manfred under the Domestic Violence policy. Jose Torres got 100 games and Hector Olivera got 82. Osuna, 23, has a 2.87 ERA with 104 saves in his career (parts of four seasons). He was an All-Star last season. This year, he's giving up nearly half his pay for the 2018 season.<doc-sep>Share this Story: MLB slams door on Blue Jays closer Osuna with 75-game suspension MLB slams door on Blue Jays closer Osuna with 75-game suspension Article content ANAHEIM, Calif. — Apparently Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred didn’t feel he needed a judge or a jury to decide on the future of Roberto Osuna. So as the court proceedings surrounding an assault charge facing the Blue Jays closer drag out in Toronto, Manfred got ahead of the law on Friday, issuing a 75-game suspension to the 23-year-old Mexican-born star. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or MLB slams door on Blue Jays closer Osuna with 75-game suspension Back to video It is believed to be the third-longest suspension levied under MLB’s domestic violence policy, which was instituted in 2015. And it was the latest blow to the Jays, albeit a case with implications reaching far beyond the baseball diamond. “It’s been a big loss. In my opinion he’s one of the better ones out there,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said on Friday. “But there’s more important things than happen on the field … hopefully everybody gets the help they need.” The suspension – without pay – is back-dated to May 8, the day Osuna was arrested by Toronto police and charged with assault of a woman. He was immediately placed on administrative leave by MLB, a process that was extended five times until the suspension was handed out. It’s clear that there was a negotiation involved between Manfred’s office, Osuna and the MLB players’ association. In a statement, the commissioner said that Osuna “accepted” the suspension. He also waived the right for an appeal, no matter what happens with the court proceedings. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Statement from the Toronto Blue Jays regarding Roberto Osuna. A post shared by Toronto Blue Jays (@bluejays) on Jun 22, 2018 at 3:33pm PDT Both MLB and the Jays have been tight-lipped about the Osuna situation but Manfred acknowledged in a statement that it was active in its investigation of the case. There has been some suggestion that the commissioner’s office had contact with the alleged victim. “My office has completed its investigation into the allegation that Roberto Osuna violated (MLB’s) Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy,” Manfred’s statement read. “Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Osuna violated the policy and should be subject to discipline in the form of an unpaid suspension.” The Jays, who have slid through the standings since Osuna was charged, issued a brief release on the suspension, saying it supports Manfred’s decision. Not that it had much choice. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “As this remains a legal matter, the club will have no further comment at this time,” the Jays statement reads. Osuna made his first court appearance earlier this week with his next date not until July 9. At this week’s proceeding, his lawyer said his client plead not guilty. There are many reasons for the Jays struggles this season but having one of their bonafide stars unavailable because of the charges is among them. Since the suspension, the Jays have struggled to a 15-23 record and fell a distant 17 games behind the American League East leading New York Yankees. Osuna appeared in 15 games for the Jays this season earning nine saves with an ERA of 2.93. Just a year ago, he was on the verge of being named to the American League all-star team. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Osuna will be eligible to rejoin the Jays on August 5 when the team is in Seattle to meet the Mariners. “I don’t have much reaction other than you take what MLB does and trust that and live with it,” Gibbons said. “Let everything go through its course.” NO SIGN OF DONALDSON If the Jays are planning to ship Josh Donaldson around the July 31 trade deadline – and indications are that is the case — a potential sales job is getting more difficult by the day. The injury-prone third baseman did not accompany the team to California, will not join them in Houston on Monday and Gibbons said he “hoped” the 2015 MVP will be available for a series against Detroit next weekend. Out with “calf tightness” Donaldson has been on the DL since May 29 and has missed 21 games, this after missing 18 earlier in the season. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content For his latest rehab assignment, Donaldson has been in Florida. He had hoped to return to the lineup last week but felt the calf couldn’t withstand the pain when he attempted sprinting drills at the Rogers Centre. While a genuine star in the league, it remains to be seen how wary potential buyers for the pending agent given he also spent a large portion of the 2017 season on the DL. NO FAMILY AFFAIR Barring the need for more roster shuffling on the weekend — and the way things tend to play out with this team, who could be surprised at that? — Jays rookie Lourdes Gurriel Jr. won’t get the opportunity for what promised to be an emotional reunion with his older brother Yuli in Houston. The siblings defected from Cuba together to build a baseball life in North America and Yuli got off to a rousing start as a member of the World Series champion Astros last season. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Lourdes, meanwhile, has shuffled between the Jays, double-A New Hampshire and triple A Buffalo. A home run (his third of the season) on Thursday wasn’t enough to keep the younger Gurriel around, however and the younger Gurriel was optioned back to the Bisons on Friday to make room for Steve Pearce. AROUND THE BASES Pearce, who was out for 43 games with an oblique strain was in left field for his return Friday night. He also batted at the top of Gibbons’ order which prompted this classic from the manager when asked why? “Well, we don’t have a leadoff hitter.” … The return of Sam Gaviglio from paternity leave required another move and Danny Barnes exited with what the team is claiming to be left knee tendinitis … The Jays aren’t doing anything with pitcher Aaron Sanchez – for now. Thursday’s starter, who left after just one inning of work with a bruised index finger, still hopes to make his next scheduled start. “It’s tender, we’ll see how it is over the next couple of days,” Gibbons said. Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Toronto Sun Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Toronto SUN, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of The Toronto Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>ANAHEIM, Calif. – In simple terms, Major League Baseball suspended Roberto Osuna for 75 games before the criminal proceedings against him reached resolution because its investigators dug up enough information that any court outcome would not have impacted the decision. Guilty or not under law, commissioner Rob Manfred ruled Friday that the Toronto Blue Jays closer is guilty of violating baseball’s joint domestic violence policy, demonstrating once again that a player doesn’t need to be convicted by the former to be the latter. The discipline, retroactive to May 8 when Osuna was arrested and charged in the assault of a woman, is the third longest handed down under the plan, trailing only the 100 games issued to Padres pitcher Jose Torres and 82 games given to former Braves outfielder Hector Olivera. In its wake, the Blue Jays gained some clarity into Osuna’s baseball future – his ban runs through Aug. 4, and under the collective bargaining agreement players suspended 51 games or more can be assigned to a minor-league team for 15 days during its duration. But the issue of whether it’s fair for leagues to act in an extrajudicial manner once again came up for debate, especially since Osuna had his first court hearing Monday, as the Crown gave his attorney Domenic Basile disclosure of its evidence. Basile said the 23-year-old intends to plea not guilty and he plans to meet with the Crown to seek a resolution to the case ahead of a July 9 hearing, and some privately questioned why Major League Baseball jumped the gun. Unfairly skewing the public perception of Osuna before the court ruled was another talking point. Important to understand is what Major League Baseball ruled Osuna to be guilty of under terms of the joint policy embedded in the collective bargaining agreement. Under the CBA, domestic violence “includes, but is not limited to, physical or sexual violence, emotional and/or psychological intimidation, verbal violence, stalking, economic control, harassment, physical intimidation, or injury.” Furthermore, “a single incident of abusive behavior in any intimate relationship, or a single incident of abusive behavior involving a female member of a player’s family who is domiciled with him, may subject a player to discipline under this Policy.” So, whatever happened in the early hours May 8 that led police to arrest Osuna, must have qualified. Now, Major League Baseball cannot simply suspend a player based on an arrest, as the policy states that it has “the burden of proving that the player committed a covered act.” That’s where the investigation part comes in and intriguingly, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported that league officials are believed to have spoken to the complainant. The policy allows players to challenge discipline and send the matter to an arbitration panel but Major League Baseball’s release stated that Osuna “accepted” the suspension, which wouldn’t have happened had he and the players association contested the decision. Osuna will also participate in a “confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program supervised by the Joint Policy Board” that oversees the program. For all those reasons, whatever happens in court – Basile said Monday he’d be“working in a manner that I’m hoping to avoid a conviction,” while also factoring in potential work visa repercussions for the Mexico native – wouldn’t impact baseball’s decision-making. Now, whether the policy is fair and just is another discussion, and that would be up to the players to raise the next time the CBA, which runs through 2021, is up for discussion. Barring a change,“you take what MLB does, trust that and live with it,” said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “Let everything go through its course. You knew something was coming down. Hopefully that all gets worked out, both sides, and everybody gets the help they need and everything works out fine for all involved.” All of that, along with the criminal proceedings, are still to be settled. Beyond that, the bigger questions loom for the Blue Jays, such as whether Osuna should pitch for them again, how their fanbase would react to that, and if Toronto is the right place for him to get the second chance everyone deserves. For now, Major League Baseball’s judgment has been rendered.<doc-sep>

Major League Baseball has suspended Toronto Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna through Aug. 4 for violating the league's joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. MLB announced the suspension — which is retroactive to May 8 and will cover a total of 75 games — in a release on Friday. The league says Osuna has agreed not to appeal the suspension and he will participate in a confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program supervised by the joint policy board of MLB and the players' association. Commissioner Manfred announced today that @BlueJays pitcher Roberto Osuna has accepted a suspension without pay through 8/4/18 for violating the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. The unpaid suspension is retroactive to 5/8/18 and covers 75 games. pic.twitter.com/NettIJlCjw —@MLB_PR The 23-year-old Osuna is facing an assault charge and had been on paid administrative leave by MLB since being arrested last month. The Blue Jays said in a statement that they "support the decision by the Commissioner's Office." Statement from the Toronto Blue Jays regarding Roberto Osuna pic.twitter.com/Utmt48QSqL —@BlueJays Osuna appeared in 15 games (15 1/3 innings) for Toronto this season, allowing 16 hits, five runs and one walk while earning nine saves. He has not pitched since May 6, two days before he was put on administrative leave. He is 8-13 with a 2.87 earned-run average and 104 saves in his four-season career with the Blue Jays. 'Hopefully it all gets worked out' "I don't have much of a reaction other than you take what MLB does and trust that and live with that and let it go through its course," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said before Friday night's road game against the Los Angeles Angels. "We knew something was coming down. Actually, it took a while. Hopefully it all gets worked out on both sides and everyone gets the help they need and everything works out fine." Osuna's lawyer, Domenic Basile, said in court in Toronto Monday that Osuna intends to plead not guilty to the assault charge. Osuna's case is scheduled to return to court July 9. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was asked before Toronto's game against the Angels in Los Angeles Friday if knowing the length of the penalty helps the team. "I guess that helps," Gibbons said. "We've kind of moved past that anyway and made do with what we've had." Osuna will lose about $2.54 million US of his $5.3 million salary.

The NASCAR 2019 Daytona 500 will be held Sunday, February 17, 2019 (2/17/19) at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. William Byron, 21, and Hendricks Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, 25, will start in the front row for The Great American Race. They comprise the youngest front row in Daytona 500 history. Get your NASCAR gear Here's what you need to know about the race: What: Daytona 500 When: Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019 Where: Daytona International Speedway Time: 2:30 p.m. Eastern TV: Fox Livestream: fuboTV (free trial), Fox Sports Go Channel finder: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish Here's the starting lineup: 1. William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports 2. Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports 3. Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing 4. Joey Logano, Team Penske 5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Roush Fenway Racing 6. Clint Bowyer, Stewart-Haas Racing 7. Paul Menard, Wood Brothers Racing 8. Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing 9. Matt DiBenedetto, Leavine Family Racing 10. Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing 11. Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing 12. Kurt Busch, Chip Ganassi Racing 13. Bubba Wallace, Richard Petty Motorsports 14. Ryan Blaney, Team Penske 15. Chris Buescher, JTG Daugherty Racing 16. Jamie McMurray, Spire Motorsports 17. Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports 18. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports 19. Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing 20. Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing 21. Ryan Preece, JTG Daugherty Racing 22. Ty Dillon, Germain Racing 23. Daniel Suarez, Stewart-Haas Racing 24. David Ragan, Front Row Motorsports 25. Parker Kligerman, Gaunt Brothers Racing 26. Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing 27. Landon Cassill, Starcom Racing 28. Erik Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing 29. Daniel Hemric, Richard Childress Racing 30. Brendan Gaughan Beard Motorsports 31. Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing 32. Corey LaJoie, GO FAS Racing 33. Matt Tifft, Front Row Motorsports 34. Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports 35. Brad Keselowski, Team Penske 36. Ross Chastain, Premium Motorsports 37. Cody WareRick, Ware Racing 38. BJ McLeod, Petty Ware Racing 39. Tyler Reddick, Richard Childress Racing 40. Casey Mears, Germain Racing<doc-sep>Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images The starting order for the 2019 Daytona 500 will be completed Thursday night during the Gander RV Duels at Daytona International Speedway. William Byron and Alex Bowman earned spots in the front row for Sunday's Daytona 500 by recording the best times in qualifying, but the rest of the starting positions don't get determined until Thursday's duels. Duel 1 determines the odd positions in the starting order, with the winner of the duel moving into the No. 3 spot on the starting grid. Duel 2 decides the drivers in the even numbers of the starting order, with the victor of that race slotted into the No. 4 spot on the grid. Duel 1 begins Thursday night's racing at 7 p.m. ET, while Duel 2 is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET. Duels Starting Grid Video Play Button Videos you might like Duel 1 1. William Byron 2. Jimmie Johnson 3. Daniel Hemric 4. Martin Truex Jr. 5. Brad Keselowski 6. Paul Menard 7. Kyle Busch 8. Kevin Harvick 9. Tyler Reddick 10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 11. Daniel Suarez 12. Chris Buescher 13. Ryan Newman 14. Ryan Truex 15. Ryan Preece 16. Matt DiBenedetto 17. Bubba Wallace 18. Matt Tifft 19. Parker Kligerman 20. Landon Cassill 21. Cody Ware Duel 2 1. Alex Bowman 2. Chase Elliott 3. Joey Logano 4. Clint Bowyer 5. Austin Dillon 6. Denny Hamlin 7. Erik Jones 8. Ryan Blaney 9. Aric Almirola 10. Kurt Busch 11. David Regan 12. Michael McDowell 13. Casey Mears 14. Jamie McMurray 15. Brendan Gaughan 16. Kyle Larson 17. Ty Dillon 18. Ross Chastain 19. Corey Lajoie 20. BJ McLeod 21. Joey Gase Can Blaney or Elliott Repeat as Duel Winners? There can only be one repeat winner of the duels Thursday, as Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott are both part of Duel 2. A year ago, Blaney captured Duel 1 after recording the 15th-best qualifying time a few days before, while Elliott took Duel 2 from the fifth starting position. Both drivers have had decent trips to Daytona so far, as they both finished in the top 10 of The Clash and are starting in the top 10 of Duel 2. Elliott is in better shape on the Duel 2 starting order, as he lines up in the second position and is part of the most successful team at Daytona through the first week of Speed Weeks. John Raoux/Associated Press Elliott's Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman have already secured their spots on the front row for the Daytona 500 and Jimmie Johnson won Sunday's Clash event. Blaney, who is one of two Team Penske drivers in Duel 2, is one of many racers hoping to unseat Hendrick Motorsports from the top of the grid before Sunday's main event. The good news for Blaney is he'll have an ally in Joey Logano alongside him for most of the race, which should make drafting a bit easier. However, Blaney still has to put himself in a good position to succeed during the final few laps, when every driver is fighting for his own personal gains. More Drama in Store for Johnson and Menard? The 2019 NASCAR season is only a week old, but there's already been some drama involving a few drivers. With inclement weather nearing the track during the end of The Clash, Johnson made contact with Paul Menard on his way into first place. Johnson chalked the incident up to strictly racing, per Pete Pistone of MRN.com: "It was really just a racing thing," Johnson said. "I was going down into Turn 1 and it was looking darker and darker. I saw my move and I had to take it." Menard, who has criticized Johnson in the past, wasn't happy with Johnson's antics, per Motorsport.com's Charles Bradley: "Jimmie pulled down, I moved down a little bit, and the next thing I knew I’m getting turned in the left rear," Menard said. "Jimmie does that a lot at these tracks, it’s unfortunate." Johnson and Menard are separated by four starting positions in Duel 1, and after Sunday's confrontation, all eyes will be on the pair of drivers. Sean Gardner/Getty Images Based on Hendrick's success at Daytona, Johnson is expected to be at the front of the field alongside Byron. Although Menard, who races for Wood Brothers Racing, doesn't have a teammate to help him draft, he should receive a good amount of assistance to get back to the front and challenge Johnson, which will strum up plenty of drama as the race progresses. Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.<doc-sep>

Sunday’s Daytona 500 single-car qualifying set only the front row for the “Great American Race” — Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron (Busch Pole Award) and Alex Bowman will lead the field when the green flag drops Feb. 17 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The qualifying speeds, though, set the lineups for Thursday’s Gander RV Duel races at Daytona (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the twin 60-lap races that determine the full starting lineup for the 61st running of the Daytona 500. PHOTOS: The best of the weekend Duel 1 is typically comprised from the odd-numbered drivers on the Daytona 500 qualifying speed chart — first, third, fifth, etc. Duel 2 is then the even-finishing drivers. NASCAR officials, though, ensure an even number of Open, non-Charter teams in each duel race. The results of those two races will determine the cars that qualify for the Daytona 500, and where they line up on the grid. The winner of Duel 1 will start the Daytona 500 in third place, second place starts fifth, and so on through the inside row. The winner of Duel 2 will start the Daytona 500 in fourth place, second place starts sixth and so on through the outside row. MORE: William Byron wins Busch Pole for Daytona 500 Additionally, Tyler Reddick and Casey Mears locked themselves into the Daytona 500 field by virtue of being the fastest two Open cars during qualifying. Below is the starting lineup for each Duel race. * denotes Open, non-Charter team DUEL 1 LINEUP STARTING POSITION DRIVER TEAM 1. William Byron Hendrick Motorsports 2. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports 3. Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing 4. Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing 5. Brad Keselowski Team Penske 6. Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing 7. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 8. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing 9. Tyler Reddick* Richard Childress Racing 10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing 11. Daniel Suarez Stewart-Haas Racing 12. Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing 13. Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing 14. Ryan Truex* Tommy Baldwin Racing 15. Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing 16. Matt DiBenedetto Leavine Family Racing 17. Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports 18. Matt Tifft Front Row Motorsports 19. Parker Kligerman* Gaunt Brothers Racing 20. Landon Cassill StarCom Racing 21. Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing PROJECTED DUEL 2 LINEUP

"We gave them a little bit of extra light, they still had light, they looked in good health. Then of course when we departed, all we could think about was how we were going to get them out.<doc-sep>Rick Stanton and John Volanthen are the British cave diving experts who first located the missing Thai soccer team and now are charged with helping bring them out in what is expected to be a treacherous, multi-day journey through narrow passageways. The story of the Thai soccer team and their coach, who have been trapped in Tham Luang Cave area in northern Chiang Rai province since June 23, 2018, has produced heroes – among them Stanton and Volanthen – and tragedy, as a Thai Navy Seal, Sgt. Major Saman Gunan, lost his life valiantly trying to deliver oxygen canisters. Stanton’s full name is Richard Stanton. The two British cave divers have been referred to as the “A Team” in their field. A third British cave diver, Robert Harper, is also involved in the Thai cave rescue of the boys, ages 11 to 16, and their coach. Six of the boys had been rescued by 10 a.m. Eastern time on July 8, 2019. On July 7, 2018, Thai officials indicated it was “D-Day” and said the cave rescue was beginning. The Thai Navy Seals, who are assisting in the cave rescue, posted this photo before it launched: Who are Rick Stanton and John Volanthen? How did they get involved in cave diving? Here’s what you need to know: 1. Stanton & Volanthen Found the Boys Huddled in the Cave & Took a Video Seen Around the World Rick Stanton and John Volanthen already helped perform one miracle: They discovered the boys, still alive, inside the bowels of the cave after the soccer team had been missing for nine days. They had arrived in Thailand three days after the boys were first reported missing. Now, they are part of the team that will try to guide the boys out. The video footage the men took of the moment they located the boys in the cave warmed hearts around the world. According to the Guardian, Bill Whitehead, vice chair of the British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC), said Stanton and Volanthen “were pushing ahead with the other divers following on behind, creating dumps of air bottles. They managed to dive the last section and get through into the chamber where the missing party were on a ledge above the water.” Rescuers find Thai boys who were trapped in cave for nine daysFootage of the moment 12 missing boys and their football coach were finally located in a flooded cave in Thailand. They had been missing for nine days Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube ► bit.ly/guardianwiressub Rescue of boys trapped in Thai cave could take months, military warns ► theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/03/rescue-of-boys-trapped-in-thai-cave-could-take-months-military-warns Support the Guardian ► theguardian.com/supportus The Guardian ►… 2018-07-02T19:02:06.000Z “How many of you?” the men asked the boys. They responded “Thirteen!” “Thirteen?” says Volanthen. “Brilliant.” One of the men told the boys the rescue would have to wait at that time, saying: “Not today. There’s two of us. We have to dive. We are coming. OK? Many people are coming. We are the first.” Now, the expert cave divers from Great Britain “will guide the trapped football team and their coach out of the flooded Thai cave with support from Thai Navy SEALs,” reports ABC.net.au. They are part of a much larger team. According to CNN, five SEAL divers from Thailand and 13 international divers are involved in the rescue. NewsChannelAsia reports that more than “90 divers participated in the Sunday evacuation. About 50 of them came from different countries across the world and the rest are Thai.” 2. Rick Stanton Is a Retired Firefighter Who Became Interested in Diving as a Teenager Rick Stanton, 57, became interesting in diving when he wasn’t much older than the Thai boys are now. He hails from Coventry, England, where he is a retired firefighter, according to ABC.net.au. He’s been a cave diver for more than 35 years. The site reports that he was only 16 or 17 when he became entranced by diving after watching a television program called Underground Eiger, which featured cave diving. Today, a widely regarded world expert in cave diving, Stanton is a popular speaker on the topic, according to Divernet. “When people see a blank wall, they think it’s the end of the cave,” he explained to Divernet of cave diving. “They’re already at their limit and want to find an end so they can say: We can go back now. But you need to look closer, as if you had a second pair of eyes.” According to Divernet, at university, he joined the caving and diving clubs and started diving in a Yorkshire River. He told the publication that cave diving is about an interest in caves first, saying, “Diving is just a means to an end, a way of getting to bits of cave you can’t get to otherwise.” He compared diving a cave to a jigsaw puzzle. He said in the 2007 article that he had been a firefighter for 18 years. He described how he approaches a dive in the interview, saying, “I see myself doing the dive, not like a film or a snapshot but in critical segments, what I’m doing at set points, how I’m doing it, and what happens if something goes wrong.” You can read the full Divernet interview with Rick Stanton here. 3. John Volanthen Is an IT Consultant Who Runs Marathons John Volanthen, at 47, is the younger of the British cave diving pair. According to ABC.net.au, he is an IT consultant from Bristol, England. A profile of him says he “first started caving with the Scouts in 1982,” and is of partial Swiss descent. He is called “Volleyball” as a play on his name. According to The Guardian, Volanthen is a computer engineer and marathon runner. Both men are part of the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team. In 2013, Volanthen told The Sunday Times, “The flight response now isn’t always appropriate. Panic and adrenaline are great in certain situations but not in cave-diving. The last thing you want is any adrenaline whatsoever.”<doc-sep>THE hero Brit diver who found 12 Thai boys trapped in a flooded cave has today admitted he had doubts over whether the lads would survive the rescue mission. Rick Stanton, from Coventry, spoke of his relief at finding the children alive after they had been in the dark tunnel network in Chiang Rai for over a week. 5 Rick Stanton, centre left, discussed his fears over the dangerous rescue operation at Heathrow Airport today Speaking to reporters at Heathrow Airport, the brave diver said his initial elation of discovering the Wild Boar football team and their coach was quickly “tempered with uncertainty”. He said: “Initially of course (I felt) excitement, relief that they were still alive. “As we were coming down the slope we were counting them – and we got to 13…unbelievable. “We gave them some extra light. They still had light. They looked in good health. “But of course when we departed all we could think of was how we were going to get them out. “So there was relief tempered with uncertainty.” 5 Rick said his initial happiness at discovering the lads alive and well was 'tempered with uncertainty' Credit: Dan Charity - The Sun 5 Members of the British Cave Rescue Council at Heathrow Airport Credit: Reuters Rick was joined at the news conference by other members of the British Cave Rescue Council who were at the “forefront of the rescue effort”. Asked about the difficulty of the mission, the experienced cave diver admitted that the extraction process was “too detailed” to explain at such short notice. However, Rick did admit that the rescue team did have doubts over whether the boys would survive the operation. He said: “This is completely uncharted unprecedented territory – nothing like this has been done. So of course there were doubts. “But I knew we had a good team with good support from the Thai authorities and the national caving community and rescue organisations. 5 Rick found the trapped boys along with fellow British diver John Volanthen, left. Credit: Dan Charity - The Sun 5 All 12 boys and their football coach were rescued during a three day mission Hero British diver John Volanthen who helped in Thai cave rescue returns to UK “So we had the best that we could do to make a plan work.” Rick found the youth football team along with fellow British cave diver John Volanthen, 47. The boys were soon joined by Australian doctor Richard Harris, known as Harry, who spent days with the youngsters checking them over and reassuring them before their dramatic evacuation. And John said that Dr Harris' Aussie accent helped calm the children during the terrifying ordeal, reports the Adelaide Advertiser. He said: "Dr Harry, the Australian doctor, he's very good, he's got a very good bedside manner, he's got a very bouncy Australian accent, and they seemed to find that quite relaxing and reassuring." The boys and their coach planned to explore the cavern complex for only about an hour before treacherous flood waters rose to trap them for more than two weeks, one of the boys' fathers said. MOST READ IN NEWS 'GOBSMACKED' Queen 'gave Harry OK for Oprah series after misleading pitch about soldiers' ROD LIDDLE Ousting right-on National Trust boss is a victory against wokery DRUMMER DEAD School Of Rock star dies at 32 after being hit by car as Jack Black mourns HOUSE ABOUT IT You won't believe what this ordinary London home looks like on the inside Exclusive TOM'S LEGACY Captain Tom Moore — who raised £39m for charity — left family £73k in will JABS HOPE Scientists 'crack cause of blood clots linked to Covid jabs & know how to fix it' All 12 of the boys and their 25-year-old coach were brought to safety over the course of a three-day rescue. They had gone into the Tham Luang cave in the northern province of Chiang Rai on June 23, for a quick excursion after football practice, when a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels. "He told me that as soon as they finished practice they went to play at the cave. They thought they'd only be an hour," Banpot Korncam, father of the 13-year-old captain of the "Wild Boars" team, told media. "While they were inside the cave it rained, water flowed in and everyone took off," Banpot said. Dramatic video shows Thai Navy Seals carry out trapped football team on stretchers through dangerous cave system We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Get email updates with the day's biggest stories Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice There are calls for the British divers who helped rescue 12 schoolboys and their football coach from a flooded Thai cave to be honoured. Rick Stanton and John Volanthen were the first divers to reach the group nine days after they went missing in the underground network in northern Thailand. The pair, along with a number of other British elite divers had flown to the region to assist at the request of Thai authorities. On Tuesday the last of the Wild Boars football team were brought safely to the surface and taken to hospital. (Image: SWNS - BRISTOL) (Image: SWNS - BRISTOL) (Image: SWNS) (Image: Facebook) The British rescuers were said to be "all alright" and resting after the gruelling operation. Writing on Twitter, former Conservative Party treasurer Lord Ashcroft suggested Mr Stanton and Mr Volanthen could be awarded the George Cross or George Medal for their bravery. The George Cross is the highest civilian honour in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Others called for the pair to be given knighthoods for their "heroic efforts". Businesswoman Tracey Follows tweeted: "Knighthoods for the British divers involved please. True bravery and superhero status." (Image: Getty Images AsiaPac) (Image: REUTERS) Other figures paid tribute to the rescue team, including Oscar-winning US actress Marlee Matlin. She tweeted: "Oceans of gratitude to the British Thai cave divers and Navy SEALs who got all 12 boys and their coach out of the cave." Former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote on Twitter: "Proud of the England Football team .. But that's just sport .. More proud of the 7 British divers that have helped save all those boys lives in Thailand.." The elite divers joined the vast search after the group disappeared in the Luang Nang Non Cave, Chiang Rai province, on June 23. (Image: REX/Shutterstock) (Image: AFP) Mr Stanton, a fireman from Coventry, aged in his 50s, was made an MBE at the end of 2012. He previously said his greatest achievement was helping rescue trapped British soldiers from a cave in Mexico in 2004. Mr Volanthen, an IT consultant in his 40s and based in Bristol, was also part of a British team with Mr Stanton which reportedly set a world record for a deep underwater cave dive in Spain in 2010. Mr Volanthen's mother, Jill, told the Daily Telegraph: "We are absolutely so proud, but my sympathy is with the wife and family of the diver who lost his life. (Image: REUTERS) Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now "I would like to thank everybody for all their team work to get the lads out, it is absolutely lovely." Bill Whitehouse, vice chairman of the British Cave Rescue Council, told the paper: "We have heard from them that they are all alright, but information is pretty sparse. "When we heard that all the boys and the last diver was out that was a brilliant moment." "Right now they will be absolutely knackered and it will be a question of having something to eat and drink and then falling over."<doc-sep>

Chiang Rai, Thailand (CNN) A British diver who first discovered 12 schoolboys and their coach stranded on a ledge in a flooded cave in Chiang Rai, in northern Thailand, has described the moment he first saw them -- and played down suggestions he was a hero. Retired fireman Rick Stanton and fellow diver John Volanthen found the children deep within the cave nine days after they went missing. Stanton was speaking at a news conference at Heathrow Airport outside London Friday, alongside fellow British divers Josh Bratchley, Chris Jewell and Connor Roe, Irish diver Jim Warny and cave rescuers Mike Clayton and Gary Mitchell. Divers and rescuers from the Thai cave mission arrive at Heathrow Airport Friday. From left to right: Chris Jewell, Mike Clayton, Rick Stanton, Lance-corporal Connor Roe, Josh Bratchley, Gary Mitchell and Jim Warny When asked how they felt when they discovered the young football team alive in the Tham Luang cave complex, Stanton replied: "Initially, of course, excitement, relief that they were still alive. As they were coming down the slope, we were counting them until we got to 13. Unbelievable," he said. "We gave them a little bit of extra light, they still had light, they looked in good health. Then, of course, when we departed, all we could think about was how we were going to get them out. So there was relief, tempered with uncertainty." He declined to go into detail about how his team rescued the children, saying it was "too detailed for this point in time." Rescue personnel carry a member of the "Wild Boars" Thai youth football team on a stretcher during the rescue operation inside the Tham Luang cave. "The most important thing to have was a full face mask which had been applied inside with positive pressure to enable them to breathe and to be relaxed enough so not to feel any anxiety during the process," he said. "There was a lot of chaos but we were so task-orientated, focused, and we blanked that out and carried on with the job in hand, step by step, until we achieved success." "Are we heroes?" he said. "No, we were just using a very unique skill set, which we normally use for our own interests and sometimes we are able to use that and give something back to the community." Jewell said the diving conditions "were extremely challenging. There was poor visibility and responsibility for another human being's life." "The Thai authorities took a lot of steps to divert rivers on the mountaintop which we believe bought us as lot of time to get this outcome," he said. Former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan died during the operation while replenishing oxygen canisters. British diver helped pinpoint boy's location British caver Vern Unsworth, 63, who lives in Chiang Rai, was instrumental in linking up the Thai authorities with the British experts. "I was actually scheduled to go into the cave on June 24 anyway," Unsworth told CNN in an interview in Thailand. "I got all my gear ready, and I was going in to do a solo trip just to see what the water levels were like. And I got called out at 2 o'clock Sunday morning, and I was there for the whole 17 days." Unsworth's role in the rescue was also pivotal because of his intimate knowledge of the Tham Luang cave system, which he describes as his "second home" after spending the past six years exploring it. He had been involved in cave rescue operations in the UK before, but "nothing on this scale." It was Unsworth who initally pinpointed where he thought the Wild Boars team would be waiting. They were found 200 meters away from that point, which was "probably around about the best place they could have been," he said. The flooding of the cave could not have been predicted, he said, as the floodwater had come through three to four weeks earlier than last year. "These kids were just totally unlucky. Wrong place, wrong time," he said. "It happened very quick. You can't blame the coach, you can't blame the kids." Race against time In the early days of the search operation, Unsworth said he quickly realized that outside expertise was required, and advised the Thai authorities to bring in specialist cave divers who had dealt with similar rescues in the past. "It was a race against time," he said. "They needed world class divers and that's what we got."

Tugboats dock the oil tanker "Daniel" carrying crude oil imported from Iran at the Port of Zhoushan in Zhoushan city, east China's Zhejiang province, 8 March 2018. Imaginechina | AP Images China and India are both unlikely to completely cut off Iranian crude imports, energy analysts have said, despite the imminent threat of U.S. sanctions. President Donald Trump's administration announced Monday that buyers of Iranian oil must stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions. The move, which took many market participants by surprise, ends six months of waivers which had allowed Iran's eight biggest buyers of crude to continue to import limited volumes. International benchmark Brent crude traded at $74.26 Tuesday afternoon, up around 0.3%, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) stood at $65.93, almost 0.6% higher. "Iranian exports will not actually reach zero," analysts at Eurasia Group said in a research note published Monday. "China, which imports approximately 500,000 bpd (barrels per day), will make considerable cuts in the near term. For Beijing, securing the trade agreement with the U.S. is the top priority, and China will not link Iran oil imports to the trade talks." China 'can't and won't back down' China is Iran's largest crude oil customer, with total imports last year of approximately 29.3 million tons or about 585,400 bpd, according to customs data sourced by Reuters. That's roughly 6% of China's total oil imports. On Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry reportedly said it had formally complained to the U.S. over its decision to end waivers on sanctions of Iranian oil imports. Beijing said it was resolutely opposed to the move, adding its energy cooperation with Tehran is lawful and reasonable. Alongside India and six others, China was one of the eight global buyers of Iranian crude that won exemptions from the U.S. last November. Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017. Fred Dufour | AFP | Getty Images The dispute over importing Iranian crude adds another fault line to increasingly fraught ties between Washington and Beijing. The world's two largest economies have been locked in a protracted trade war, souring business and consumer sentiment and battering financial markets. Nonetheless, despite the threat of sanctions and a heightened risk of further complications in the long-running trade conflict, analysts at Eurasia Group said they expect China to continue buying Iranian crude, perhaps as high as several hundred thousand barrels per day, to save face. "We think that China can't and won't back down this time and we could easily see an increase of Chinese oil imports from Iran up towards maybe 1 million bpd," Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB, said in a research note published Tuesday. "There will also be an increasing amount of oil exports out of Iran which will go 'under the sanctions radar'… It will drive Iran closer to China and enable China to settle yet more oil in renminbi," Schieldrop added. India's ties with Iran are 'significant and historic' India will likely take a similar position to China, Eurasia Group analysts added. New Delhi is the second-largest importer of Iranian oil, after Beijing. "New Delhi will cut imports substantially but probably maintain approximately 100,000 bpd of Iranian imports paid for using a rupee payment system. This is less an energy security decision than a political one." "In the past several months India has worked hard to significantly diversify its energy sources in preparation for this situation. But India's ties with Iran are significant and historic, and New Delhi will work hard to maintain some links," Eurasia Group analysts said. Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan gestures as he brief the media about the achievements of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship in past 4 years at Shastri Bhawan on June 6, 2018 in New Delhi, India. Vipin Kumar | Hindustan Times via Getty Images<doc-sep>Read Also NEW DELHI: India will stop importing crude oil from Iran following the US move to end sanction waivers, and will use alternate supply sources such as Saudi Arabia to make up for the lost volumes, top officials and industry sources said on Tuesday. The Trump administration on Monday decided not to renew waiver that let countries like India buy Iranian oil without facing US sanctions. "Until the waivers are not restored, I don't think India can buy oil from Iran. We will stop importing oil from Iran," a top official said.New Delhi is likely to press the US government for continuation of oil import beyond its expiry on May 2 in talks scheduled later this month, he said. "But purchases cannot be made in anticipation. We will not be importing any oil from Iran. "India was the second biggest buyer of Iranian crude oil after China. It bought some 24 million tonnes of crude oil from Iran in the fiscal ended March 31 (2018-19). Iran supplied more than a tenth of its oil needs.The shortfall will be made from alternate supply sources available in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait , UAE and Mexico.Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan in a tweet said "a robust plan for an adequate supply of crude oil to Indian refineries " is in place. "There will be additional supplies from other major oil-producing countries; Indian refineries are fully prepared to meet the national demand for petrol, diesel & other petroleum products," he said.The oil ministry too in a statement said that a plan was in place to ensure supplies of crude oil from May when the waiver ends.Indian Oil Corp ( IOC ) chairman Sanjiv Singh said refiners import crude oil from a wide range of sources and had been lining up alternate supplies for the past months.The US was to take a decision on waiver extension this month and Indian refineries had prepared plans for all eventualities. "We have alternate sources lined up to make up for any shortfall," he said.US President Donald Trump last year withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and revived a range of sanctions against the Persian Gulf nation. It, however, granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries - China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy, and Greece - but with a condition that they would reduce their purchases of Iranian oil.The waiver began in November 2018 and was to expire on May 2.India had agreed to restrict its monthly purchase to 1.25 million tonnes to get the waiver. But since it had made robust purchases in the period prior to November 2018, India's overall crude oil imports from Iran totalled nearly 24 million tonnes in 2018-19 as compared to 22.6 million tonnes bought in 2017-18. "We have optional volumes (over and above the term contracts) from a number of suppliers which we can exercise to make up for any shortfall from Iran," Singh said. "We can also go to the spot (or current) market to source crude. ""As far as Indian Oil is concerned, supplies will not be a problem. We have already lined up alternate sources," he said, adding the impact of the US decision may reflect on global oil prices which may temporarily go up.IOC has the option to take 0.7 million tonnes of crude oil from Mexico on top of its committed purchase of 0.7 million tonnes during the year. From Saudi Arabia, it has an optional volume of 2 million tonnes on top of a term contract of 5.6 million tonnes.Similarly, it has optional volumes of 1.5 million tonnes from Kuwait and another 1 million tonnes from the UAE. "We have all the supplies tied up and I think globally crude will be readily available but it is difficult to say what the impact will be on price," he added.The price of Brent crude , the global oil benchmark, gained 0.6 per cent to $74.46 a barrel, the highest in almost six months. It had risen by 3 per cent on Monday.When Trump first pulled out of the nuclear deal, oil shot up to over $85 a barrel and it fell to near $50 after the US administration unexpectedly granted the waivers.US sanctions on Iran's oil buyers snap back next month that will block the American financial system for importers.India, the world's third-biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran in 2017-18 was its third-largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of total needs.Trump in May withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, re-imposing economic sanctions against the Persian Gulf nation. Some sanctions took effect from August 6, while those affecting the oil and banking sectors were to start from November 5, 2018. A six-month waiver was granted that was to expire on May 2.Iran was India's second biggest supplier of crude oil after Saudi Arabia till 2010-11 but Western sanctions over its suspected nuclear programme relegated it to the seventh spot in the subsequent years. In 2013-14 and 2014-15, India bought 11 million tonnes and 10.95 million tonnes, respectively from it.Sourcing from Iran increased to 12.7 million tonnes in 2015-16, giving it the sixth spot. In the following year, the Iranian supplies jumped to 27.2 million tonnes to catapult it to the third spot.Iranian oil is a lucrative buy for refiners as the Persian Gulf nation provides 60 days of credit for purchases, terms not available from suppliers of substitute crudes -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Nigeria, and the US.<doc-sep>Trump said electing Biden would crash the markets. It didn't WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 12: U.S. President Donald Trump departs on the South Lawn of the White House, on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump is traveling to the Army versus Navy Football Game at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images) A Tesla car charges at a Tesla Supercharger station on April 26, 2021 in Corte Madera, California. Tesla will report first quarter earnings today after the closing bell. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) An Amazon.com Inc. delivery driver carries boxes into a van outside of a distribution facility on February 2, 2021 in Hawthorne, California. Jeff Bezos said February 1, 2021, he would give up his role as chief executive of Amazon later this year as the tech and e-commerce giant reported a surge in profit and revenue in the holiday quarter. The announcement came as Amazon reported a blowout holiday quarter with profits more than doubling to $7.2 billion and revenue jumping 44 percent to $125.6 billion. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images) This photograph taken on March 3, 2021 in Zurich shows a sign of Swiss banking giant UBS on their headquarters. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, attends the 2019 annual shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, May 3, 2019. (Photo by Johannes EISELE / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images) CEO at Verizon Media K. Guru Gowrappan appears at the 2019 Verizon Media NewFront on April 30, 2019 in New York City. IMAX CEO: Box office sales in Asia bode well for US theaters Economist: Work from home will be the future for a 'lucky minority' markets now future of work from home Indeed Chief Economist Jed Kolko_00005106.png This photograph taken on April 26, 2021 in Paris shows a physical imitation of the Bitcoin crypto currency. In this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, traders work around stock monitoring systems on the trading floor, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in New York. Inflation worries rattled Wall Street on Wednesday, pulling the Dow Jones Industrial Average more than 680 points lower and placing the major stock indexes on track for their worst week in more than six months. (Courtney Crow/New York Stock Exchange via AP) A visual representation of the digital Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin on December 07, 2017 in London, England. Here's why used car prices are so high Crude prices up as US vows to stifle Iran on oil exports (CNN Business) — China is pushing back against the United States’ decision to broaden its crackdown on Iranian oil exports, deepening the uncertainty in the global oil market. Beijing on Monday slammed the Trump administration’s announcement that it would stop exempting several countries from its sanctions on buying oil from Iran. China is one of the world’s biggest importers of Iranian oil, along with India. “China opposes the unilateral sanctions and so-called ‘long-arm jurisdictions’ imposed by the US,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said during a press briefing Monday. “Our cooperation with Iran is open, transparent, lawful and legitimate, thus it should be respected,” he added. The sanction waivers were granted to China and seven other countries last year. They are set to expire May 2. China wasn’t the only one of those countries to rebuke the Trump administration’s latest decision. “Turkey rejects unilateral sanctions and impositions on how to conduct relations with neighbors,” that country’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Monday on Twitter. The sanctions could have significant consequences for those two countries in particular. Analysts say China and Turkey will struggle the most to reduce their Iranian oil supplies, particularly within such a short time frame. “I think China and Turkey will be the two that will be the most worrisome, and will be the most vexed by this action,” said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service. He described the US move as “very disruptive.” “I don’t think we saw this as becoming zero tolerance so quickly,” he added. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that countries continuing to buy crude oil from Iran beyond the May deadline would have to face the consequences. “We’ve made clear if you don’t abide by this there will be sanctions,” he said. Still, analysts say China is unlikely to completely stop importing oil from Iran. “We are debating whether or not China will cease their imports. We’re leaning towards they won’t,” Matt Sallee, portfolio manager at energy investment firm Tortoise, told CNN Business. India, meanwhile, said it will be able to offset the reduction in Iranian exports, even though it has previously said that it only recognizes sanctions by the United Nations. “There will be additional supplies from other major oil producing countries,” India’s petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Twitter overnight. “Indian refineries are fully prepared to meet the national demand,” he added. Iran is the South Asian nation’s third-largest supplier of crude oil, behind Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Washington’s decision not to renew the sanction waivers sent US oil prices shooting up nearly 3% on Monday. Brent crude, the global benchmark, also surged 3.4% to hit $74 a barrel for the first time since early November. That spike is likely to continue, since the cutting off of Iranian supply adds to ongoing issues with other major suppliers like Venezuela and Libya. Monday’s announcement “moves oil markets into much tighter territory for the remainder of the year,” said Shin Kim, head of supply and production analytics at energy research firm S&P Global Platts. “The market’s spare capacity will largely be spent covering for Iran,” Kim said, adding that the heightened risks to global supply means “oil prices will be higher.” CNN Business’ Matt Egan contributed to this report.<doc-sep>“We’re going to zero,” Mr. Pompeo said. “We’re going to zero across the board.” The United States and China have been closing in on an agreement that would cover a wide range of trade issues. Negotiations are expected to continue over the next two weeks, first in Beijing and then in Washington, to resolve several sticking points, including removing current tariffs. If those gaps are bridged, the two sides will look to schedule a signing meeting between Mr. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China in May or June, said a person who has been briefed on the talks and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss them. Any move by Beijing to keep buying Iranian oil — which analysts predicted China almost certainly will find some way to do — would force the United States to decide whether to impose sanctions on Chinese financial institutions, which are increasingly important in the worldwide economy. China could also set up a new vehicle as an alternative to using the current banking mechanisms, as the European nations have done to keep doing some business with Iran. “Iran sanctions are going to be a big challenge for the U.S.-Chinese relationship,” said Jason Bordoff, the director of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and a former energy adviser to President Barack Obama. He added that if Chinese imports do not drop quickly, the American sanctions could be applied to Beijing’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China. The United States and China are already at odds over an incendiary case involving Iran sanctions. In January, Canadian authorities arrested a top Chinese technology executive, Meng Wanzhou, at the Vancouver airport at the request of American officials. The Justice Department is seeking her extradition to face charges of helping her company, Huawei, evade sanctions on Iran in a scheme that involved tricking American banks. That case has been criticized by Chinese officials, who have said it is motivated purely by politics. It also heightened fury and grievances from the Chinese government over sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran in the administrations of both Mr. Obama and Mr. Trump. Chinese companies have many business ties to Iran.<doc-sep>

The United States on Monday said it will not extend sanctions exemptions to countries importing oil from Iran when they expire in early May. It means countries and companies trading with Iran without Washington's consent risk US sanctions and getting cut off from the American financial system. Washington had reimposed sanctions on Iran in November last year after President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the landmark nuclear deal struck between Iran and six global powers. But the US had granted waivers, known as significant reduction exceptions (SRE), which allowed India and seven other countries to continue importing a reduced quantity of Iranian oil for six months ending May 1. At the time, the US said it would temporarily allow eight importers to keep buying Iranian oil and that it would expect them to keep cutting Iranian imports in the months ahead. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said then that the temporary waiver was because the countries "have demonstrated significant reductions in their crude oil and cooperation on many other fronts and have made important moves towards getting to zero crude oil importation" from Iran. The US move now to scrap waivers is intended to bring Iran's oil exports to zero and deny Tehran its main source of foreign revenue. Iran's exports of crude in March totaled about 1.3 million barrels a day, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Shipments already came down from as high as 2.5 million barrels daily in April last year. High reliance India is one of the countries likely to be the hardest hit by the US decision. India is the world's third-biggest oil consumer, but its energy needs are primarily met through imports. The South Asian nation imports almost 80% of its oil requirements and Iran is its third-largest supplier, contributing over 11% of its crude oil demand. In the fiscal year 2018-19, India imported about 23.5 million tons of Iranian oil. Still, refiners in India, Iran's top oil client after China, had almost halved their Iranian oil purchases since November when petroleum sanctions came into force. While it's not impossible to find other sources of oil, observers say it would raise costs and potentially strain India's partnership with Iran. India's imports of Iranian oil come with attractive terms, including 60-day credit and low freight and insurance costs, say analysts. And New Delhi might find it tough to find an alternative supplier at such competitive terms. Also, the Trump administration's move prompted a spike in global oil prices, which hit their highest since November on Tuesday after Washington's announcement on Iran waivers. An increase in oil prices is likely to put pressure on India's fiscal and current account as well as drive up inflation. India is the world's third-biggest oil consumer, but its energy needs are primarily met through imports 'Robust' plan Although Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj last year said "India follows only UN sanctions and not unilateral sanctions by any country," local media reports suggest that India will stop importing crude oil from Iran and will try to find alternative sources to make up for the lost volumes. "Until the waivers are not restored back, I don't think India can buy oil from Iran. We will stop importing oil from Iran," a top official was quoted by Indian business daily livemint as saying. India's petroleum ministry also issued a statement assuring of a "robust" oil import plan starting from May. "The Government of India has put in place a robust plan to ensure that there is adequate supply of crude oil to Indian oil refineries from May 2019 onwards. There will be additional supplies from other major oil producing countries from different parts of the world," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. "The Indian refineries are fully prepared without any problem to meet the national demand for petrol, diesel and other petroleum products in the country," the ministry added. India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted on Tuesday, saying that the country will get additional supplies from other major oil producing countries to compensate for the loss of Iranian oil. Following the US decision, India may try to increase its supplies of oil from countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Reuters last week reported that Indian refiners are increasing their planned purchases from the nations of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Mexico and the United States to hedge against loss of Iranian oil.

Kamala Harris confirmed that she smoked marijuana in college, and she did inhale. On Monday the senator from California sat down with popular radio program The Breakfast Club to talk pot. Following her pitch to legalize cannabis, she was asked if she has ever used any herself. She admitted to using in college. “I have. And I did inhale,” joked the Democratic frontrunner, alluding to comments made by Fmr President Bill Clinton, who said he tried marijuana but did not inhale. “It was a long time ago, but yes, I just broke news,” Harris said, adding, “I think that it gives a lot of people joy, and we need more joy.” She confirmed that it was a joint that she smoked. What tunes was she listening to? Harris responded in a way that touched her Californian roots saying, “Oh yeah, definitely Snoop. Tupac for sure.” She said that she believes that marijuana needs to be legalized, for many reasons, with research on the substance being a priority. During her pitch on marijuana she remarked, “But I am absolutely in favor of legalizing marijuana. We’ve got to do it. We have incarcerated so many particularly young men and young men of color in a way that we have not for the same level of use of other young men,” said Harris. “And we’ve got to deal with that in addition to dealing with the fact that not all drugs are the same, and when we’re talking about marijuana.” You can watch the interview for yourself below:<doc-sep>One of the Democratic presidential candidates for 2020, Senator Kamala Harris, on Monday said that she used to smoke marijuana while listening to rappers Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg in college. However, things did not quite add up as the California senator graduated college in 1986, years before the rap artists released their breakthrough albums. Harris made the statement during a radio interview on 'The Breakfast Club', where host Charlamagne tha God egged her to reveal more details about what music she listened to in college. "What was you listening to when you was high? What was on? What song was on?" he asked during the interview. To which she replied with: "Definitely Snoop, Tupac for sure." No, Kamala Harris didn’t tell @breakfastclubam she listened to Snoop Dogg and Tupac before they came out. She acknowledged she smoked weed in college. She never said that was the only time she ever smoked. Later when asked if she ever listened to Snoop while high, she said yes. pic.twitter.com/UNCbbl5fC6 — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 13, 2019 Tupac Shakur's debut album, '2Pacalypse Now', was released in 1991, while Snoop Dogg's 'Doggystyle' debut came out in 1993, although he recorded with Dr. Dre in 1992. Presenter Snoop Dogg speaks about 2017 Inductee Tupac Shakur onstage at the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on April 7, 2017 in New York City. Debuting on HBO Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 8:00 pm ET/PT (Getty Images) The California senator, who was born in Oakland, graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1986, and later attended law school in California at the Hastings College of Law, earning admission to the California bar in 1990. However, Harris wasn't there just to regale the host with her "got high" escapades, but said the objective was to legalize marijuana as the law against it leads to many young men, particularly young men of color, being arrested. She also said that she inhaled. "I have. And I inhaled. I did inhale. It was a long time ago, but yes. I just broke news!" the senator said. "You know, I joke about it – half joke – but half my family's from Jamaica! Are you kidding me?" "We have incarcerated so many, particularly young men – and young men of color – in a way that we have not for the same level of use, other young men. And we've got to deal with that," she said. U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) (C) speaks during a news conference on immigration in front of the U.S. Capitol May 23, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images) Harris has always advocated the use of recreational marijuana. Recreational marijuana use has been legalized in at least 10 states in the country and the District of Columbia, while thirty-three states have legalized medical marijuana. However, cannabis use continues to be illegal under federal law. Multiple presidential candidates before Harris have claimed to have smoked marijuana when they were young, including former President Bill Clinton. When Clinton was a presidential candidate nearly 29 years ago, he had admitted that he had smoked weed, however, he insisted he "didn't inhale," according to the Daily Mail. Libertarian Party's 2016 presidential nominee Gary Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, had also admitted to being a regular marijuana smoker. He, however, said that he stopped using the drug during the presidential campaign: "I want to be completely on top of my game, all cylinders." Former President Barack Obama speaks at a rally to support Michigan democratic candidates at Detroit Cass Tech High School on October 26, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Getty Images) Former President Barack Obama has also been famously open about drug use. The Democrat, in his memoir, once recalled his teenage friendships in a group he called 'The Choom Gang.' "I inhaled frequently. That was the point," Obama told NBC News in 2006. President Donald Trump, however, has said that he has never taken an illegal drug or even drunk alcohol, except for communion wine.<doc-sep>It began as a lighthearted moment. Senator Kamala Harris, the California Democrat and former prosecutor who announced her presidential candidacy last month, revealed on a popular radio show this week that she had smoked marijuana during her college years at Howard University in Washington. But after a viral tweet ignited backlash from marijuana activists and conservatives, Ms. Harris faces accusations that she fabricated parts of her story. In the midst of answering simultaneous questions about what music she listens to, she appeared to some to say she listened to rap artists like Tupac and Snoop Dogg as she smoked in college, though neither released an album until after she graduated. Conservative news outlets feasted on what they portrayed as an embarrassing gaffe, with the popular morning show “Fox & Friends” even dedicating a segment to it Wednesday morning. Less partisan media outlets also publicized the supposed controversy, with some alleging that it was further proof Ms. Harris, who is likely the most viable black woman ever to run for president, was playing up parts of her identity in order to impress black voters.<doc-sep>

There was a time not too long ago in which political candidates would not admit to past use of marijuana and would certainly not acknowledge having listened to rap music in their younger days. Kamala Harris, the Senator from California who is running for president in 2020, did both in an interview this week, although the timeline of the music she enjoyed at the time has been questioned. Harris appeared on The Breakfast Club radio show Monday and spoke at length about the subject of drug policy, per the New York Post. Harris was known for being tough on drug offenders when she was a prosecutor, although she is now in favor of marijuana legalization. "We need more joy," Harris said about her position on marijuana. When asked if she had ever smoked marijuana herself, Harris replied "yes, and I did inhale," in reference to then-candidate Bill Clinton's much-mocked proclamation during the 1992 presidential campaign that he had used the drug as a college student but had not inhaled. "It was a long time ago," Harris said, laughingly adding that "I just broke news." But another part of the interview raised questions. The hosts asked her what music she was listening to at the time she was partaking in marijuana. "Definitely Snoop, Tupac, for sure." Sen. Kamala Harris says she has smoked pot and supports marijuana legalization https://t.co/hth7ggYRmb pic.twitter.com/75gm0naRpj — CNN (@CNN) February 11, 2019 However, as pointed out by Twitter user @JoshIeecs, Harris couldn't have listened to either of those rappers in college for a good reason. Harris graduated from Howard University in 1986. Neither Snoop Dogg nor Tupac was yet an active artist until many years after that. "Tupac's first album came out in 1991," the tweet said. "Snoop's first album came out in 1993." It's possible that Harris was misremembering which music she enjoyed in college, or perhaps that she used marijuana while listening to those rappers long after college, as Harris never categorically states in the interview that she never used marijuana later than her undergraduate days. There's also a chance that Harris didn't actually listen to rap back then and, when asked about it on a hip-hop-associated radio show, decided to just name the first two vintage rappers that came to mind. Harris went on to state that she currently enjoys the music of Cardi B, especially the song "Be Careful." It's certainly not the worst gaffe ever committed by a candidate, and once again, it would have been impossible to imagine as recently as 10 or 15 years ago for a presidential contender to be drawn into a controversy over which rap music they favored while getting high in college in the 1980s.

Betting Odds: Houston Rockets at Toronto Raptors Spread: Raptors -3.5 Over/Under: 228.5 Time: 8 p.m. ET TV Channel: TNT >> All odds as of 1 p.m. ET. Download The Action Network App to get real-time NBA odds and track your bets Kawhi Leonard vs. James Harden. Kyle Lowry vs. Chris Paul. The stars are all out tonight in Toronto in this marquee showdown. Is there any value in tonight’s spread or total? Our analysts discuss. Betting Trends to Know The Rockets opened as 4.5-point underdogs. This is just the eighth regular-season game that Houston has been an underdog when both James Harden and Chris Paul are expected to play. The Rockets went 5-2 straight-up and against-the-spread (ATS) in the previous seven games. — John Ewing The Raptors are coming off one of their worst shooting performances of the season, shooting 38.5% from the field in their loss against the Pistons. Since 2005, teams with a win rate of 70% or higher that shot less than 40% from the field in their last game are just 165-198-5 (45.5%) ATS, and just 66-92-3 (41.8%) since 2013. — Evan Abrams The Rockets have won five consecutive games straight-up, all by relatively small margins; their biggest win was just 11 points. The Rockets will now travel to Toronto on normal rest to face the Raptors to try and extend their streak. Since 2005, teams that have traveled to Toronto on normal rest while on at least a five-game winning streak have had success ATS, going 19-9 straight-up (67.9%) and 17-9-2 (65.4%) ATS north of the border. — Abrams Mears: How I’m Handicapping Tonight’s Game Finish reading this entire article absolutely FREE in our app GET OUR FREE APP If you take the year-long metrics for each team, this game shouldn’t be anywhere close to Raptors -3.5, which suggests Toronto is about a point or less better on a neutral court. The Raps on the year have a +5.2 point differential (third-best in the NBA), while the Rockets are at +2.0 (11th). And yet, the Raptors haven’t quite looked at their full powers lately. They’re just 2-2 over their last four, dropping games to the Magic and Pistons. What’s been going on? It could just be a minor blip — it’s a long season after all — but the bench has been problematic. Last season, the Raps bench was perhaps the best in NBA history, easily ranking first in the league in efficiency. This year, they’re down to 20th in the league. It’s been a bit rough lately; take the Portland game the other day as an example. In that win, the starters all posted positive plus-minus marks, with Marc Gasol and Pascal Siakam leading the way at +23 and +19, respectively. Those are incredible numbers, and if your starters are getting that type of lead against other starters, you’re a really good team. But the game was close, mostly because every bench member got outscored by double digits in their minutes. Norman Powell, Jeremy Lin, OG Anunoby and Pat McCaw all got significant minutes, and those guys are a far cry from last year’s unit of Fred VanVleet, Delon Wright and Jakob Poeltl. The Marc Gasol trade seemed like a home run for the Raptors, but the bench argument is a fair one. It was already hurting, and they traded depth in Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright and C.J. Miles for the All-Star big man. It was still a good trade, and depth matters less in the playoffs (which is what this team is rightfully optimizing for), but it could hurt them in covering regular-season numbers. With that said, tonight they’ll face the most top-heavy team in the league in the Rockets, whose bench ranks literally last in efficiency. Houston’s bench this season is shooting a league-low 40.4% from the field and 31.4% from 3-point land. Thus, I’m not sure Toronto’s current bench weakness will really be magnified in this particular affair. Gasol has been a nice addition for them, and that new starting lineup has blitzed opponents to the tune of a +36.9 point differential. They definitely have the firepower to hang with the Rockets, and they have the best combination of defenders in the league to throw at Harden and CP3. So far this morning, the Raptors are getting 52% of the bets and 72% of the money, and yet the line has moved from Toronto -4.5 at open to -3 currently. There’s value at that number as it sits now, but I would grab it early, as the money discrepancy will likely push it back up later. — Bryan Mears Editor’s note: The opinions on this game are from the individual writers and are based on their research, analysis and perspective. They are independent of, and may not always match with, the algorithm-driven Best Bets from Sports Insights.<doc-sep>The Houston Rockets are 5-0 straight up and 2-2-1 against the spread over their last five games including upset wins over Golden State and Boston. The Rockets will try to pull off another upset on Tuesday night when they visit the Toronto Raptors. Houston is a 3.5-point road underdog on the NBA odds in Toronto at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last three games as an underdog the Rockets are 3-0 SU and ATS. Houston Rockets Notes The Rockets believe that they are peaking at the right time. After going 1-3 SU and ATS in their previous three games including two disappointing road losses against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets beat Golden State 118-112 in Oakland without James Harden as 12-point underdogs. That win has sparked Houston’s current five-game winning streak, and the team is averaging 118.2 points per game over that stretch. On Sunday, the Rockets beat Boston comfortably in a 115-104 victory. The last 10 games between Houston and Toronto have been split evenly with both teams going 5-5 SU and ATS per the OddsShark NBA Database. Toronto Raptors Notes Toronto’s backers have been disappointed over the team’s last eight games as the Raptors are just 1-7 ATS, but overall Toronto is playing well with a 9-2 SU record over its last 11 games. Entering Tuesday’s action behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the top spot in the Eastern Conference but five games ahead of the Indiana Pacers in third, Toronto is starting to look pretty firmly nestled into the two-seed with the postseason right around the corner. The Raptors are 27-6 SU and 14-19 ATS at home this season. Rockets at Raptors Betting Total Tuesday night’s total is set at 228 points at sports betting sites. The OVER is 6-1 in the last seven games between the Rockets and Raptors. Houston is currently going off as the second favorite behind Golden State to win the Western Conference, and Toronto is the second favorite behind Milwaukee to win the Eastern Conference. This should be a great test for both of these teams as they look to keep building momentum before the playoffs begin and it could even end up being an NBA Finals preview. For more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify or listen to it at OddsShark.libsyn.com.<doc-sep>

Two teams with championship aspirations will go head-to-head when the Toronto Raptors host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. Entering the game, the Raptors sit second in the Eastern Conference, while the Rockets have climbed up to fifth in the ultra-competitive West. The meeting between the two teams is the second - and final - of the season, as the Rockets pulled off a two-point win over the Raptors in Houston back in January. The game will also serve as a showcase for two of the league's top players in James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, who should get plenty of opportunities to go at one another. How to watch Rockets at Raptors Date: Tuesday, March 5 Tuesday, March 5 Time: 8:00 p.m. ET 8:00 p.m. ET Location: Scotiabank Arena -- Toronto, Ontario, Canada Scotiabank Arena -- Toronto, Ontario, Canada TV: TNT TNT Streaming: fuboTV (try it free) fuboTV (try it free) Live stats: GameTracker GameTracker Odds: Raptors -3 Odds and analysis Check Sportsline's NBA pick sheet for all your daily odds. Who wins Rockets vs. Raptors? And which side of the spread can you bank on in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rockets vs. Raptors spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $4,000 on its NBA picks this season, and find out. Storylines Rockets: After a slow start to the season, the Rockets have been playing much better basketball lately, as they are finally fully healthy, and James Harden isn't required to single-handedly carry the team on the offensive end. Come playoff time, Houston could be a legitimate threat to the defending champion Warriors - and the rest of the league. Raptors: The Raptors have some things to figure out before they're ready for the start of the NBA's second season in April. They continue to integrate center Marc Gasol into the rotation following his deadline acquisition, and coach Nick Nurse has been tweaking the lineup in order to maximize his team's potential. So what are the optimal NBA DFS tournament lineups for tonight? And which player is a must-roster? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete optimal tournament lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash big on NBA DFS. Game prediction, pick This one is a close call, but the line slightly favors the Raptors, and that is the better bet. The Raptors are one of the league's best teams at home (28-12), while the Rockets are just average (16-16) on the road. Plus, the Raptors have one of the best potential James Harden-neutralizers in the league in Kawhi Leonard, who should be able to prevent an absolute outburst from the reigning NBA MVP.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) slightly advanced the ball Wednesday on a federal sports betting framework, but stopped short of proposing legislation. Schumer offered a federal sports betting framework that would, in part, require bookmakers to purchase official league data and give leagues control over what wagers are offered. The framework also includes a requirement for casinos to share anonymously betting trend information with leagues and government bodies. The league-friendly provisions from Schumer are not surprising, as the four major pro sports leagues are headquartered in New York. Equally unsurprising was the joint statement from the NBA, MLB, and PGA Tour that came out just hours after Schumer released his proposal: “As legalized sports betting spreads across the states, there is a need for consistent, nationwide integrity standards to safeguard the sports millions of fans love. We strongly support the legislative framework outlined by Senator Schumer and we encourage Congress to adopt it.” Gaming opposed to federal sports betting framework Schumer’s proposal comes on the heels of Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) last week renewing his call for federal legislation to replace PASPA. Hatch co-authored the previous federal sports betting ban that ended in May when the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. “With the Supreme Court’s ruling, it’s incumbent on the federal government to take a leadership role and provide the necessary guidance to prevent uncertainty and confusion for the leagues, state governments, consumers and fans alike,” Schumer said in a statement. The American Gaming Association advocated before and after the Supreme Court ruling for states to be allowed to craft their own legislation. AGA senior vice president of public affairs Sara Slane made a statement soon after Schumer’s release: “The casino gaming industry shares Senator Schumer’s goal in preserving the integrity of sporting events and providing consumer protections. Federal oversight of sports betting was an abject failure for 26 years only contributing to a thriving illegal market with no consumer protections and safeguards. New federal mandates are a nonstarter. “The casino industry is working with stakeholders to ensure the proper protections for consumers, and the integrity of bets and sporting contests are included in state policy, universally implemented by all operators in those states, and overseen by effective state and tribal gaming regulators.” How to put a genie back in a bottle Schumer’s statement left plenty of room for interpretation. It did not include actual legislation that he intends to put forward and encouraged states to include its principles. “As state legislatures develop new legislation in the weeks and months ahead, I hope they will take these principles under consideration,” Schumer said. Schumer did express support for federal efforts to pass a sports betting framework. Hatch again promised forthcoming legislation last week, just as he did in the wake of PASPA’s repeal. The retiring senator has not yet produced a bill and Congress is nearing the end of its legislative year, with little time before the midterm election and ensuring lame-duck session. Legal sports betting now operates in Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, and Mississippi. It will start Saturday in West Virginia, and by fall in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. As more states move to legalize sports betting, trying to apply federal guidelines to their disparate laws could prove at best challenging and at worst impossible. Press contacts for Schumer and Hatch did not respond to requests for additional comment.<doc-sep>Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) became the latest member of Congress to put forth specific suggestions for a federal framework for sports betting Wednesday in a memo first provided to ESPN. Schumer's suggestions include the idea that all sports books only use official league data to determine outcomes and that the leagues themselves should be involved in determining what bets would be accepted. Schumer also suggested leagues would have to reasonably step up monitoring, but did not mention so-called "integrity fees," the idea that leagues should be paid a portion of bets on their sport to be paid back for ratcheting up security associated with sports gambling out in the open. Schumer also puts forth more obvious suggestions such as making it illegal for anyone under 21 to place a sports bet in any state, requiring entities taking bets to responsibly advertise away from youth and to properly disclose dangers of betting, as well as to reporting suspicious activity and share information among sports books, the leagues and state regulators that could help uncover anything that compromises the integrity of games. Suggesting that legal books would have to use official data could be a huge revenue stream for leagues, but some could also be strongly opposed, reasoning that requiring official data would give the leagues a monopoly and not integral to the sanctity of a bet. "As a New York sports fan - especially my Yankees and Giants - and a senator, my priority in the wake of the Murphy v. NCAA decision is making sure the integrity of the games we love is preserved, that young people and those suffering from gambling addiction are not taken advantage of, and that consumers that choose to engage in sports betting are appropriately protected," Schumer said in a statement. "With the Supreme Court's ruling, it's incumbent on the federal government to take a leadership role and provide the necessary guidance to prevent uncertainty and confusion for the leagues, state governments, consumers and fans alike." Three states -- Delaware, New Jersey and Mississippi -- have taken bets since the Murphy v. NCAA, et al decision, which in May overturned the federal ban on state-sponsored sports betting as a result of the Professional and Amateur Sports Act (PASPA) of 1992. New Jersey, whose fight enabled the overturning of the law, has been the most progressive, as the only new state that has offered a mobile product thus far. Schumer's suggestions are what the sports leagues have advocated for -- a national framework so that each state, while they can decide on their own whether they want to take on sports betting, won't be able to make their own rules. "The stakes are too high -- legal sports betting laws must be crafted and executed in a careful and thoughtful way," Schumer said. "As state legislatures develop new legislation in the weeks and months ahead, I hope they will take these principles under consideration. I also support the efforts in the Congress to debate and develop bipartisan federal legislation that would adhere to these principles. The integrity of sports is too precious to not protect as best we can." Given the priorities of Congress and with only four full months left to the current session, it is highly unlikely that any type of bill will be pushed through. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has said he will be introducing sports betting legislation in the coming weeks, and Congressman Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey) introduced sports betting legislation in December.<doc-sep>

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Chuck SchumerSchumer says Senate will move on Biden's infrastructure agenda in July Senate confirms Biden pick to lead Medicare, Medicaid office Pelosi presses for Senate action on Jan. 6 commission: 'No time to waste' MORE (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday laid out specific proposals for a federal outline for sports betting Wednesday. In a statement sent to The Hill, Schumer suggested that leagues should be involved in deciding which bets are deemed acceptable, but that they should also heighten monitoring. Schumer also suggested that sportsbooks use only official league data to determine betting outcomes. ADVERTISEMENT ESPN was the first to report the details of the release. The framework cites the recent Supreme Court case, Murphy v. NCAA, which allowed states to legalize sports betting. Schumer said a federal framework is needed to avoid “prevent uncertainty and confusion for the leagues, state governments, consumers and fans alike.” His proposal involves specific recommendations under the three pillars of “protecting young people and those suffering from gambling addiction, protecting the integrity of the game, and protecting consumers and individuals placing bets.” Specific recommendations include prohibiting anyone under age 21 from betting and prohibiting advertising targeted at young people. The recommendations also include preventing athletes, coaches, officials, teams or league representatives from taking a financial stake in a wager. "As a New York sports fan — especially my Yankees and Giants — and a senator, my priority in the wake of the Murphy v. NCAA decision is making sure the integrity of the games we love is preserved, that young people and those suffering from gambling addiction are not taken advantage of, and that consumers that choose to engage in sports betting are appropriately protected," Schumer wrote. Not included in Schumer’s recommendations are so-called “integrity fees,” or the payments leagues would receive as a portion of bets on their sport in return for improving security around sports betting. “The stakes are too high — legal sports betting laws must be crafted and executed in a careful and thoughtful way," Schumer wrote in the memo. "I also support the efforts in the Congress to debate and develop bipartisan federal legislation that would adhere to these principles. The integrity of sports is too precious to not protect as best we can,” he continued. In a statement, the American Gaming Association wrote that the casino gaming industry shared Schumer's goal "in preserving the integrity of sporting events and providing consumer protections." "Federal oversight of sports betting was an abject failure for 26 years only contributing to a thriving illegal market with no consumer protections and safeguards. New federal mandates are a nonstarter,” the association continued. “The casino industry is working with stakeholders to ensure the proper protections for consumers, and the integrity of bets and sporting contests are included in state policy, universally implemented by all operators in those states, and overseen by effective state and tribal gaming regulators.” GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant HatchDrug prices are declining amid inflation fears The national action imperative to achieve 30 by 30 Financial market transactions should not be taxed or restricted MORE (Utah) has also stated his intentions to introduce sports betting legislation. Hatch, in May, said he intends to introduce legislation to "protect honesty and principle in the athletic arena.” His office noted the bill would "establish fundamental standards" including protections for consumers and states that decide not to legalize sports betting.

A U.S. Air Force F-15C jet fighter on a routine training mission crashed earlier today off the coast of Japan. The pilot ejected and was quickly picked up by search and rescue forces, who transported him to a local hospital. In a public affairs release posted on Twitter, the U.S. Air Force’s Kadena Air Base stated that on June 11, 2018 at 6:26 AM local time, a F-15C belonged to the 44th Fighter Squadron, 18th Wing crashed about 50 miles south of the Japanese island of Okinawa. U.S. and Japanese search and rescue units on the island immediately scrambled. The pilot was picked up by a Japan Air Self Defense Force search and rescue helicopter operating from Naha Air Base. Rescuers transported the pilot to the U.S. Naval Hospital at Camp Foster, where he is reportedly in serious condition. According to Japan’s NHK news network, the pilot suffered a broken leg. Kadena Air Base says the the F-15C was involved in a routine training mission. Japan’s Daily Yomiuri says that the plane was involved in a training exercise with seven other aircraft. The incident is the fourth crash involving a Okinawa-based F-15 since 2002. In each of the four cases, the pilot survived. A fifth accident in 2011 involved a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-15J; the pilot was never found. As a result of today’s accident, the 18th Wing has “temporarily paused” local F-15 training operations to “review operational, maintenance, and safety procedures with unit personnel.” The base also says it will convene a board of officers to determine the cause of the incident. Four F-15 Eagles from the 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons at Kadena Air Base, October 2017. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Omari Bernard Kadena Air Base is on the Japanese island of Okinawa, which is located just 457 miles from mainland China. The island is heavily militarized, with U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps bases stationed there in addition to the Japan Self Defense Forces. The 18th Wing at Kadena is one of the largest U.S. Air Force units based outside American territory. The wing operates more than 80 planes, including the 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons of F-15C Eagles, the 909th Air Refueling Squadron flying KC-135 Stratotankers, the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron with E-3 AWACS, and the 33rd Rescue Squadron that flies HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters. Introduced in the mid-1970s, the F-15C Eagle is an air superiority fighter designed to destroy other airplanes in air-to-air combat. The U.S. Air Force has 244 F-15Cs in service around the globe. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>The pilot was rescued by Japan Air Self-Defense Force Search and Rescue and was in serious condition at the hospital, Kadena posted on Twitter.“Our hearts and prayers go to the pilot and his family as they go through this difficult time,” it said.<doc-sep>TOKYO (Reuters) - A U.S. military F15 fighter jet crashed in waters off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, where the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan are based, during a routine training mission on Monday, U.S. Forces Japan said in a statement. The pilot, the only person in the aircraft, ejected successfully and was recovered by search and rescue crews, the statement said. A board of officers would investigate the incident, it said. Many residents of Okinawa associate the U.S. military bases with crime, accidents and pollution and want them moved off the island. A series of emergency landings and parts falling from U.S. military aircraft have highlighted safety concerns. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government is moving ahead with a contentious plan to relocate the U.S. Marines’ Futenma airbase from an urban area in central Okinawa to the less populated Henoko district of Nago city in the island’s north.<doc-sep>

A U.S. Air Force base in Japan has temporarily grounded its F-15 Eagle fleet following a crash early Monday that left the pilot in serious condition. The Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, said in a statement that an F-15C assigned to the 44th Fighter Squadron of the 18th Wing crashed at approximately 6:26 a.m. in the waters south of Okinawa. The pilot "successfully ejected and was rescued by Japan Air Self-Defense Force," the Air Force said. The pilot was transferred to U.S. Naval Hospital on Camp Foster and is in serious condition, the statement added. ADVERTISEMENT Officials said the cause of the crash is unknown. It occurred during a “routine training mission," the Air Force said. "A board of officers will conduct a thorough investigation, examining the facts and circumstances that led up to the accident to determine the cause," according to the base. The base said it has "temporarily paused F-15 local training operations while the 18th Wing reviews operational, maintenance and safety procedures with unit personnel." The incident is the latest in a series of aviation mishaps over the past year that have left 18 airmen and crew dead and dozens more injured. That includes a T-38 crash that killed a pilot in November in Texas, a C-130 aircraft crash that killed nine people near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia in May and an F-16 crash April 4 in Nevada that killed an Air Force Thunderbirds pilot. To address the crashes, the House Armed Services Committee this week will hold a hearing on the recent uptick in aviation accidents, which are at a six-year high, according to a Military Times investigation. And earlier this month the House moved to establish an independent commission to study military aviation safety, including it in its annual defense policy bill.

Monsanto says Roundup is safe and can't be linked to individual cancer cases. (CNN) — On bad days, Dewayne Johnson is too crippled to speak. Lesions often cover as much as 80% of his body. Doctors have said they didn’t expect him to live to see this day. But Monday marks a milestone: Johnson, 46, is the first of hundreds of cancer patients to see his case against agrochemical giant Monsanto go to trial. Courtesy Dewayne Johnson Johnson, a former school groundskeeper, regularly used Roundup and claims it gave him cancer. CNN reported last year that more than 800 patients were suing Monsanto, claiming its popular weed killer, Roundup, gave them cancer. Since then, hundreds more non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients have made similar claims, Johnson’s attorney, Timothy Litzenburg, said. He now represents “more than 2,000 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma sufferers who used Roundup extensively,” he said. Johnson, a father of two in California’s Bay Area, applied Roundup weed killer 20 to 30 times per year while working as a pest manager for a county school system, his attorney said. Johnson’s case is the first to go to trial because, his doctors claim in court filings, he is nearing death. And in California, dying plaintiffs can be granted expedited trials. And there’s a lot riding on this case, which could set a legal precedent for thousands of cases to follow. Report on Roundup ingredient in dispute The big questions at stake are whether Roundup can cause cancer and, if so, whether Monsanto failed to warn consumers about the product’s cancer risk. In March 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said the key ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” “For the herbicide glyphosate, there was limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans for non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” the report states. “The evidence in humans is from studies of exposures, mostly agricultural, in the USA, Canada, and Sweden published since 2001. In addition, there is convincing evidence that glyphosate also can cause cancer in laboratory animals.” But Monsanto long has maintained that Roundup does not cause cancer, and that the IARC report is greatly outnumbered by studies saying glyphosate is safe. “More than 800 scientific studies, the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the National Institutes of Health and regulators around the world have concluded that glyphosate is safe for use and does not cause cancer,” Scott Partridge, Monsanto’s vice president of strategy, said in a statement. We have empathy for anyone suffering from cancer, but the scientific evidence clearly shows that glyphosate was not the cause.” Monsanto Vice President Scott Partridge “We have empathy for anyone suffering from cancer, but the scientific evidence clearly shows that glyphosate was not the cause. We look forward to presenting this evidence to the court.” Monsanto spokeswoman Charla Lord said regulatory authorities help ensure Roundup is safe. “The safety of each labeled use of a pesticide formulation must be evaluated and approved by regulatory authorities before it is authorized for sale,” she has said. The National Pesticide Information Center – a cooperative between Oregon State University and the EPA – said studies on cancer rates in humans “have provided conflicting results on whether the use of glyphosate containing products is associated with cancer.” Many more cases to follow Johnson’s case – and hundreds of similar cases against Monsanto – have been filed in various state courts, Litzenburg said. Many other cases have been filed in federal multidistrict litigation, or MDL. Courtesy Dewayne Johnson Johnson had lesions on most of his body, a doctor said. MDL is a procedure similar to class-action, in that it consolidates pre-trial proceedings for the sake of efficiency. But unlike a class-action lawsuit, each case within an MDL gets its own trial – with its own outcome. In other words, one MDL plaintiff might get a large settlement, while another plaintiff might get nothing. It’s not clear when future state or MDL trials will begin. One advantage of filing in state court – as Johnson did – instead of through MDL is that state courts might produce an outcome faster. And in Johnson’s case, time is critical. “Mr. Johnson is angry and is the most safety-oriented person I know,” his attorney said. “Right now, he is the bravest dude in America. Whatever happens with the trial and his health, his sons get to know that.” CNN’s Theresa Waldrop contributed to this report.<doc-sep>A Californian groundskeeper with terminal cancer is set to become the first person to take agrobiotechnology giant Monsanto to trial, claiming that the company has suppressed the cancer risk of its product for decades. DeWayne Johnson, 46, who has just a few months left to live, will take the stand against Monsanto in San Francisco County Superior Court. The landmark trial is scheduled to begin June 18. Read more Johnson, a father of three, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 42. He had earlier worked for a school district, “where his responsibilities included direct application of Roundup and RangerPro, another Monsanto glyphosate product, to school properties,” the lawsuit claims. “Monsanto does not want the truth about Roundup and cancer to become public,” Johnson's attorney, Michael Miller, said in an interview with the Guardian. “We look forward to exposing how Monsanto hid the risk of cancer and polluted the science.” The corporation attempted to bar experts, hired by Johnson, from testifying and his legal team from using certain research. Monsanto insists that the cancer the man suffers from hasn’t been caused by exposure to its products. According to the order signed by San Francisco Superior Court judge Curtin Karnow last week, some of Monsanto's requests were granted. However, the judge allowed Johnson's lawyers to deploy various peer-reviewed studies and expert evidence during the trial. #Monsanto sues California over weed killer cancer warnings as it 'violate the First Amendment' https://t.co/Ip0J9s9NPA — RT (@RT_com) November 15, 2017 The state of California and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO), have previously labelled glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. However, US and EU watchdogs haven’t banned the chemical from widespread agriculture use. Monsanto has rejected all allegations and scientific findings of carcinogenicity of the chemical. In the meantime, around 4,000 plaintiffs have filed similar lawsuits, claiming that they or their relatives were sick from the exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section<doc-sep>

California man is the first of hundreds of plaintiffs to see Monsanto in court. A California man is the first of hundreds of plaintiffs to see his day in court with Monsanto in a lawsuit alleging that its weed killing product Roundup gave him cancer. Jury selection began Monday in California Superior Court in DeWayne Johnson’s suit against the agrochemical giant. Johnson worked for a school district and regularly applied Roundup on campuses dozens of times a year. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in August 2014 at the age of 42. His case has been fast-tracked through the court system because of his failing health. Johnson has suspended his chemotherapy treatment because the side effects were so severe, according to court documents. His doctors have told the court they don’t expect him to live through 2019. Johnson’s lawyers did not return ABC News requests for comment. Lawyers for Johnson say in court documents that Monsanto championed false data and attacked legitimate studies that revealed possible dangers of using its Roundup weed killer. The case could set a precedent for hundreds of other cases against the maker of the weed killer. There are more than 400 cases against Monsanto in San Francisco courts alone. At issue is the chemical Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that is used in more than 750 products sold in the United States. The National Pesticide Information Center says that Glyphosate has carcinogenic potential when administered in high doses to laboratory animals. Studies on cancer rates in humans have had conflicting results. A Monsanto representative tells ABC News that more than 600 published medical peer-reviewed studies have found no link between Roundup and cancer. “It has been studied extensively throughout the world over and over again, the conclusions are unequivocal," Scott Partridge, vice president of Global Strategy at Monsanto, told ABC News. “In a real-world environment, there is no association between the use of Glyphosate and cancer.” Once a jury is seated, the trial is expected to last four weeks.

Bob Levey/Getty Images It took less than an inning for controversy to envelop Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox. Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Spencer Is the Real Winner of the Boston Marathon Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season NBA Squads Brought the Heat with Bench Reactions This Year Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Nation’s Top-Ranked H.S. Teams Will Play for a National Title Is 20-Year-Old Undefeated Ryan Garcia Boxing's Next Superstar? Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points MLB Players Are Getting Wild Inspiration for Their Cuts Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Carsen Edwards Put on a Show vs. the Defending Champs Gabe Kalscheur Is Early Breakout Star of March Madness Barrett, Brazdeikis Lead Canadian Hoops Revolution to March Madness UM's Ignas Brazdeikis Is the Villain of March Madness OBJ's Trade to Cleveland Has the Browns Hyped Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Right Arrow Icon It appeared as if Jose Altuve tied the game at two in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run homer, but replay review called him out because of fan interference. A fan made contact with Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts' glove as he made a leaping attempt at the wall, and that was enough for the replay decision to be an out. The play was more complicated than a straight-up fan interference, though, because it was Betts who leaped into the crowd rather than a spectator blatantly reaching into the field of play. Altuve was visibly upset with the call, and the fans at Minute Maid Park vehemently booed as they watched what could have been a tie game turn back into a 2-0 Boston lead.<doc-sep>Troy Caldwell thought he had just been part of a funny moment at an Astros playoff game when his phone started blowing up with friends sending him pictures and videos of him nearly catching what he thought was a first-inning Jose Altuve home run ball. Then, he noticed that crew chief Joe West, who was manning the right-field line in Wednesday's critical Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, had called fan interference and ruled Altuve out. COLUMNIST: Astros wronged by call on fan interference, only on HoustonChronicle.com As a lengthy review dragged on, Caldwell had a sinking feeling that he might be in trouble. The review upheld West's original call that Caldwell interfered with Red Sox rightfielder Mookie Betts. Just like that, a potential game-tying home run was ruled an out. Two batters later, the Red Sox got out of the inning without suffering any damage except for what Caldwell was experiencing in the front row of Section 152. "I'm going to need security to escort me out of here if the Astros don't come back to win this," said Caldwell, who grew up in Houston but currently lives in Atlanta and flew to town just for this game. NOT ESPIONAGE: Astros were doing surveillance against Indians, Red Sox, MLB says West said neither the ball nor Betts' glove had crossed the railing when the interference took place. "Here's the whole play," West said. "They hit the ball to right field, he (Betts) jumped up to try to make a catch, a fan interfered with him over the playing field. That is why I called spectator interference." Caldwell disagreed. "I didn't reach over the wall; I was on this side of the line," Caldwell said. "I don't understand what happened. I know the rules, and I didn't reach over the line." Rule 3.16 states that: "No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence" unless "it is clearly intentional." West says that rule isn't applicable, because - in his view - Betts didn't reach into the stands. "I think you know what I think of Joe West right about now," Caldwell said. At least early in Wednesday's game, Caldwell had the support of Astros fans sitting around him, who were busier yelling at West than they were bothering Caldwell. Pinkerton's Barbecue sent out a tweet during the game urging fans around Caldwell to buy him a beer and offered him free barbecue. "I promise you I didn't do anything wrong," Caldwell said.<doc-sep>The most controversial moment of the 2018 MLB playoffs happened Wednesday night, when the hands of two fans and a call from Joe West changed a two-run home run to an out by fan interference. Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros was denied his game-changing homer, and the Boston Red Sox ended up winning Game 4 of the American League Championship Series by a score of 8-6. West’s call on the field — out by fan interference — stood after a replay review. Notably, it wasn’t confirmed, meaning that there was no clear or convincing evidence to change it. After the game, many Astros players, as well as manager A.J. Hinch, wanted to know why MLB didn’t have a definitive camera angle that would have clearly showed if the fans had reached into the field of play while grabbing at the ball. Hinch even made a joke about it, referencing the recent cheating accusations that have been made against the Astros. “Yeah, earlier we started the day with do we have too many cameras in the park. So, yeah, I wish we had an angle that was perfectly along the fence line that would show. That’s the one camera we don’t have.” Well, it turns out that we may have had that definitive camera angle all along — sort of. Screen shot from TBS of why they likely didn’t have a “definitive” look at Betts glove in the crowd pic.twitter.com/HZKuqMRhSW — Mike Ferrin (@Mike_Ferrin) October 18, 2018 If that be-jacketed security fellow had leaned about 12 inches to his right, it sure looks like we would have a clear view of where the fans’ hands were, and if they were in the field of play. As it does, the focus now turns to preventing something like this from happening again. Thus far, the options include installing many more cameras at every ballpark to ensure a clear view of every single thing that happens, or to remove the fans from the equation entirely. Story continues Neither of those seem very likely, which means we’re left with the replay system MLB installed in 2008 and has tried to improve on ever since. MLB has done what it can (or what it thinks it should) to prevent situations like this from happening. It changed the rules, despite initial pushback, to bring replay to the game. It’s given every umpiring crew an additional member to issue rulings on replay. It’s continued to expand the list of reviewable calls. Fans reach as Mookie Betts attempts to catch a would-be homer hit by Jose Altuve. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) And yet, despite multiple camera angles and a dedicated person in the booth Zaprudering every single frame, this still happened. Not just the disputed play, but a person leaning over and getting in the way of a vital camera angle. There is still a call that no one can verify as right or wrong. And while the frustration is real and understandable, it’s also part of baseball. There are still things no one knows, and can ever know. Information that’s just out of our reach. Mysteries of the game that will be talked (and argued) about for years. Even with all the technology of today, all the information and camera angles, we’re still having the same argument that fans have been having for a century. What actually happened in that moment? And players are still saying the same things, too: This needs to be changed, this should be fixed, it’s unfair, etc. The only difference between now and 100 years ago is that now we have technology that makes us feel like we can and should know the unknowable, and deep frustration when full knowledge of baseball remains just beyond our grasp. Anyone upset at how baseball has been changing should dive into this controversy and wrap it around themselves like a security blanket. Because these situations have always been part of baseball, and they probably always will be. – – – – – – Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @lizroscher. More from Yahoo Sports: • 2003 rape allegations cost Kobe spot on film festival jury • Controversial call wipes out Astros home run • NFL owners take a knee in waning anthem controversy • Dan Wetzel: Gymnastics scandal secrets may finally go public<doc-sep>It might not be a Jeffrey Maier or Steve Bartman situation, but Astros fan Troy Caldwell added another controversial fan interference moment to the MLB playoff lexicon during Game 4 of the ALCS. With one out and one on in the first inning, Jose Altuve launched a ball to right field that appeared to go over the wall for a home run. But as Mookie Betts leaped into the seats to try to make the catch, Caldwell reached for the ball, too, seemingly forcing Betts’ glove closed in the process. The video replay upheld umpire Joe West’s fan interference call, and Altuve was ruled out. “I was pretty positive I was going to be able to catch it,” Betts said after the game. “But when I jumped and reached my hand over, I felt like someone pushed my glove out of the way.” So, what would have been a two-run homer instead became out No. 2. The Astros would go on to lose by two. Caldwell is a lifelong Astros fan who trekked from his current home in Atlanta back to Houston for Game 4. He was steadfast in his belief he did nothing wrong. “I don’t understand even what happened,” Caldwell told the Boston Globe. “I was over the line and the ball hit — I had my hands out, you can see it. I got like 800 pictures that already came to me — but I’m over the line and I put my hand out and the ball hit my hand. “I never touched his glove. I don’t understand why it wasn’t a home run.” On a closer review of the video, he may have a case, although it isn’t exactly clear. Caldwell, wearing a bright orange shirt and a vintage Reagan-Bush ’84 hat, did reach for the ball. But it may have been the man next to him, wearing a blue shirt, who interfered with Betts’ glove. Regardless, Caldwell had a few choice words when asked his opinion of West. “[He’s] a joke,” Caldwell said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for the paper. That’s about the worst call I’ve ever seen. That ball was gone, no matter what. My hand wasn’t over the yellow.” The Astros had a chance to get those runs back in the bottom of the ninth, when Alex Bregman flared a ball into left field with the bases loaded. But Andrew Benintendi made a spectacular catch, likely saving two runs and giving the Red Sox a 3-1 series lead. If only.<doc-sep>

HOUSTON (AP) -- Jose Altuve was sure he'd hit a tying home run for the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series. He thought it was a double, at least, when he watched the ball ricochet back onto the field. Then, he saw the signal: He was out, and couldn't believe it. Altuve's potential homer was wiped away when umpire Joe West ruled that fans reaching for the ball interfered with Boston right fielder Mookie Betts attempting to make a leaping catch. Now Houston's chances to repeat as World Series champions are nearly out of reach after an 8-6 loss Wednesday night that put the Red Sox ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven matchup. ''I normally don't get mad at the umpire's call. That one, I was a little upset,'' Altuve said. ''All of a sudden, it wasn't even a double, it was an out. Two runs the game ended up ... that make me a little bit more upset.'' Denied Altuve's two-run drive in the first inning, the Astros wound up falling two runs short. ''That's just a tough call right now,'' said Houston's George Springer, who later homered over that same wall. ''I understand it's not easy to make that call. You would like to see a two-run homer be a two-run homer, especially to tie the game.'' West, the crew chief working the right-field line at Minute Maid Park, signaled fan interference after Betts was unable to make a jumping grab. Fans made contact with Betts' glove, though it wasn't clear if they had reached over the fence. The call stood after a replay review that lasted 3 minutes, 13 seconds. Altuve was ruled out and Springer was sent back to first base. West told a pool reporter the ball had not crossed the top of the wall when ''the spectator reached out of the stands and hit him over the playing field and closed his glove.'' Betts, one of the best defenders in the majors, said he had it all the way. Story continues ''That was a ball I could catch. I'm 100 percent positive I was going to be able to catch that one,'' he said. ''I jumped and went over, reached my hand up, I felt like somebody was kind of pushing my glove out of the way or something,'' Betts said. A fan wearing an orange Astros jersey, who identified himself as Troy Caldwell, insisted he wasn't reaching out over the yellow line atop the 7-foot-high fence when the ball hit his hand. ''That ball was gone no matter what,'' said Caldwell, a lifelong Astros fan from Houston who now lives in Atlanta. The play came on the same day MLB cleared the Astros of any wrongdoing after a credentialed Houston employee was caught pointing his cellphone into the opposing dugouts during playoff games in Cleveland and Boston. Astros manager AJ Hinch cracked a joke when asked if there were enough cameras at the ballpark to properly review plays like Altuve's hit. ''Yeah, earlier we started the day with do we have too many cameras in the park,'' Hinch said, smiling. ''So, yeah, I wish we had an angle that was perfectly along the fence line that would show. That's the one camera we don't have.'' Altuve had both hands on his helmet in disbelief while standing on second base, where he stopped when the play ended. Hinch went out to discuss the situation with West, who had a brief consultation with the rest of the six-man umpire crew before the play was reviewed. ''Jose pays the biggest price because the trajectory of the ball looked like it was going to leave the ballpark. But we assume - and you can assume a lot with Mookie because he's an incredible athlete - we assume he's going to make this spectacular catch jumping as high as he can into the crowd,'' Hinch said. ''Changed that whole inning.'' While Betts didn't say anything to the fans after the disputed play, Caldwell said he immediately started getting texts that he had cost Altuve and the Astros a home run. Altuve said he had nothing against Caldwell, and would do the same thing as a fan and try to catch a ball. ''As long as the Astros come back and win this we'll be all right,'' Caldwell said during the game. They didn't, and now are facing elimination. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

NEW YORK — Keith Thurman was a few minutes removed from successfully defending his WBA welterweight title, although it was a harder return fight than he might have imagined — the bruises on his face and swelling under both eyes serving as representations that fighting Josesito Lopez was anything but a warmup fight. Coming off a 22-month absence from the sport, "One Time" wanted to end Saturday night's fight inside six rounds. Instead, he had to go the distance in a hard-fought victory, which he won by majority decision (although the one judge who scored it a draw was definitely being overly generous toward Lopez). MORE: Join DAZN and watch more than 100 fight nights a year Taking the podium in a bright yellow Champion hoodie for his postfight press conference at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Thurman made a quick opening statement to the media and then fielded a few questions before making a candid admission. "There was a little insecurity of taking risks," Thurman said as he assessed his performance. Later in the press conference, he added: "That's what I'm going to take away from [Saturday night], is that Keith Thurman needs to have the confidence to take a little bit more risk in the battle, on the battlefield." Thurman explained that opportunities to piece together a jab-hook combination were there for him several times throughout the fight, but that "I just wasn't giving it the oomph that I really could've." Thurman did score a second-round knockdown of Lopez via a slick, step-back left hook, but not taking more risks possibly gave "Riverside Rocky" the opening to deliver a hellacious seventh round in which he had the champion backpedaling, reeling, hurt and in some serious trouble. Still, Thurman rebounded quite well in the eighth round, getting the bounce back in his step and putting together stinging combinations over the remainder of the fight to remain undefeated (29-0, 22 KOs). "I believe, and I've always believed, that I will find a way to victory," Thurman said. As Thurman continued speaking to the press, he said that he has learned a great deal from some of his boxing peers, such as Jeff Lacy, "Winky" Wright, Chad Dawson, Andre Berto and none other than Floyd Mayweather Jr. "I was at all of [Mayweather's] fights of his six-fight contract with Showtime, and what I learned from just being a spectator is if you want to be champion of the world, you need to win seven rounds — seven out of 12," Thurman said. He added seconds later: "I never said it out loud to all of you, but I will [Saturday night] — Floyd Mayweather is the best-ever seven-round fighter and with hard work, determination, grit and a will to win, he never — including when he let Marcos Maidana fight Marcos Maidana's fight — he never let a human being get more than five rounds in a 12-round fight." From watching Floyd Mayweather, Keith Thurman learned that you need to win seven rounds to be a winner in boxing. pic.twitter.com/YUJbA9w9QN — Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) January 27, 2019 Thurman plans on doing that, too — win more rounds to win more fights to remain undefeated and be recognized as one of the all-time greats — but if you combine his self-assessment after beating Lopez and the valuable lesson Mayweather taught him, perhaps "One Time" needs to take more calculated risks to win those seven rounds per fight en route to more decision wins. Perhaps taking more calculated risks will lead to Thurman ending fights via stoppage, too. He does have deceptive power at 147 pounds. The 30-year-old Clearwater, Fla., native might get the chance to take more calculated risks later this year. Thurman spoke during the lead-up to Saturday's fight about wanting to fight two bouts in 2019 — his "get-back year." He also said that he would love for one of those fights to be against Manny Pacquiao or the winner of the Shawn Porter-Yordenis Ugas bout on March 9. Thurman vacated the WBC title because of injuries last spring, paving the way for Porter to score a unanimous decision over Danny Garcia to grab the gold in September. When Sporting News asked Thurman during the press conference if he'd rather have the fight against "Pac Man" or a shot at regaining his strap, which could spell a rematch against Porter, "One Time" first answered diplomatically. "They're both on my radar. At the end of the day, I’d probably take either one of those [fights]," he said. As he thought about it a few seconds longer, Thurman fine-tuned that response — sort of like he did an hour before as he made in-ring adjustments with precision. "Fighting a legend, I just feel like the clock is ticking," Thurman said of the 40-year-old Pacquiao's time left in the sweet science. "Mayweather is out of the game and if I have such an opportunity, it might prioritize fighting some of the younger fighters in the sport of boxing today." After his win over Josesito Lopez, SN asked Keith Thurman who he’d rather face next, Manny Pacquiao or the winner of Shawn Porter vs. Yordenis Ugas. This was his answer. pic.twitter.com/mNxbQfdYLB — Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) January 27, 2019 Whether in a unifying fight against Pacquiao or the winner of Porter-Ugas, or in possible 2020 bouts with fellow welterweight champs Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, Thurman will get to take calculated risks. After all, he might have to in order to stay undefeated and prove himself as the top welterweight in the game.<doc-sep>Keith Thurman has heard it all. During a nearly two-year absence from boxing to allow injuries to heal, the native of Clearwater, Fla., had to hear his moniker “One-Time” mocked by critics. “Some of them were humorous,” the unbeaten welterweight champion said this week. “I was called Keith ‘Sometime’ Thurman and Keith ‘Once Upon A Time’ Thurman. I thought that was creative.” The jokes over Thurman’s inactivity will end Saturday when he returns to the ring to meet Josesito Lopez of Riverside, Calif., at Barclays Center. Brooklyn-based Adam Kownacki takes on Gerald Washington in a heavyweight bout, while Claudio Marrero battles Tugstsogt Nyambayar in a featherweight clash. All three bouts will be televised live on Fox and Fox Deportes. Thurman hasn’t fought since March 4, 2017, when he earned a split decision over former champion Danny Garcia to add the WBC belt to his WBA welterweight crown. At age 28, Thurman was at the top of the division and in the prime of his career. But after taking a year off following elbow surgery, Thurman injured his left hand during training to the point at which he couldn’t jab without pain while wearing 16-ounce gloves. It took nearly another year for the hand to heal sufficiently to allow him to fight again. Meanwhile, with Thurman out of the ring, welterweights Terence Crawford, Shawn Porter, and Errol Spence Jr. emerged as belt-holders in the 147-pound division. Now Thurman begins his quest to reestablish himself against Lopez, who is 36-7 with 19 knockouts and has faced notable champions like Canelo Alvarez, Marcos Maidana and Andre Berto. “I’ve been out of the ring for two years,” said Thurman, who is 28-0 with 22 knockouts. “I was 28 years old the last time I fought. I’m 30 now. It was disappointing missing some of those years. Luckily, I’m still in my prime with tons to give. “I’m stepping back in the ring against Josesito Lopez to remind the world who Keith Thurman is, what it looks like when he’s fighting, how entertaining I can be and that I’m an elite fighter at 147.” The welterweight division is one of the most talented in boxing. Crawford (34-0, 25 KOs) is the WBO champion; Spence (24-0, 21 KOs) owns the IBF belt, while Porter (29-2-1, 17 KOs) is the IBF king. Thurman is technically the WBA champ, but is sharing the belt with interim champ Manny Pacquiao, who is coming off a win over Adrien Broner last weekend. Thurman already owns a win over Porter but suggested he may take on another contender before a mega-fight with one of the champs. “I just believe for the sport of boxing and for a lot of the top fighters and top contenders, this is a great moment to be part of a beautiful sport,” he said. “I’m looking forward to my return and I’m going to give you guys a good show.” Lopez doesn’t plan on being a walkover. “I’m always in tough battles because I don’t shy away from them,” he said. “I’m in a tough fight this weekend, but I’m more than ready for it. I feel like I’m at a championship level. I prepared well and I have no excuses.” Thurman said his left hand may need “monitoring,” but is fit. “I just want my health to hold up because I want to be an active fighter at the top of the welterweight division once again,” he said. Kownacki, a native of Poland who moved to the United States when he was 7, needs a win to continue his climb up the heavyweight rankings. “Every fight keeps getting bigger and bigger,” said Kownacki, who is 18-0 with 14 KOs. “I was an amateur when Barclays Center first started and now I’m the co-main event. I hope the next time here I’m the main event. That’s the goal.”<doc-sep>Keith Thurman returns to the ring after 22 months off and puts on a show with Josesito Lopez, as Thurman wins by majority decision. (1:32) Opening Bell: Thurman back in business NEW YORK -- After a 22-month layoff because of right elbow surgery followed by a left hand injury, welterweight world titlist Keith Thurman finally returned and is back in a business in a major way. In a highly entertaining fight, Thurman retained his belt for the fifth time, winning a majority decision over tough-as-nails Josesito Lopez on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Thurman then said something that should have come as no surprise: He wants a fight with secondary titlist and living legend Manny Pacquiao, who kept his version of the 147-pound title one week earlier in a wipeout decision over Adrien Broner. Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), the fighting senator from the Philippines, has vowed to keep facing top opponents and not look for soft touches. The fact that he is now aligned with Premier Boxing Champions, as is Thurman, means it would likely a relatively easy fight to make, especially if Pacquiao does not get the fight he really wants: a rematch with Floyd Mayweather should he come out of retirement for the bout, as Mayweather has said is possible. Thurman is also interested in a rematch of a defense he had against Shawn Porter in 2016 because he would like to regain the belt he had to vacate during his injury layoff. Porter wound up winning the vacant belt last March. Pacquiao-Thurman, however, is a much bigger fight, and Thurman knows it. Pacquiao, who is technically Thurman's mandatory challenger, is 40 and probably not going to be around for too much longer, meaning time is of the essence. "Manny Pacquiao is not going to be here for the years to come. Just fighting a legend, I just feel like the clock is ticking," Thurman said during his postfight news conference. "Later this year, if that fight presents itself, I would definitely be open for negotiations, and I would love an opportunity to fight a legend. "He's not the young Manny Pacquiao that he once was, but he still is a great, world-class fighter. If we get that fight, we'd be happy to do it for ourselves and the fans." Dan Birmingham, Thurman's longtime trainer, also would like to see the fight with Pacman, calling him "a formidable challenge for anybody. We would love that fight. It's an exciting fight, and I think the fans would love it." Pacquiao is also interested in the fight, according to Sean Gibbons of Pacquiao's MP Promotions. "Senator Pacquiao is looking at all good fights at 147 pounds," Gibbons told ESPN. "Keith Thurman is an undefeated world champion. He definitely warrants consideration to fight. Thurman holds wins over Danny Garcia and current WBC world champion Shawn Porter. It would be an exciting fight." The prospect of that fight was almost washed away during the seventh round, in which Lopez nearly stopped Thurman, who survived and went on to win 117-109 and 115-111 on two scorecards, with the third judge surprisingly scoring it 113-113. Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, of Clearwater, Florida, definitely deserved the unanimous call. He scored a clean knockdown with a left hook in the second round, easily won the first five or six rounds and certainly won at least a couple of rounds in the second half of the fight. Also, per CompuBox data, he landed 130 more punches than Lopez (247-117). Keith Thurman survived a tough fight with Josesito Lopez on Saturday and now has a legend in his sights. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II However, Lopez was dominant in the seventh round and was rewarded with 10-8 scores from all three judges, even without a knockdown. Most viewed the fight as a mismatch on paper, with Lopez being hand-picked for Thurman's return because even though he's a hard worker and an entertaining fighter, he usually has failed against top opposition, including in knockout losses to Canelo Alvarez, Andre Berto and Marcos Maidana. But Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), 34, of Riverside, California, fought one of his best fights and, to his credit, didn't complain about the decision, even though he and trainer Robert Garcia felt the fight could have been stopped during Lopez's seventh-round onslaught. "I felt like if the same would have happened to me when I hurt him, they would have stopped it in a heartbeat," Lopez said. "It sucks that I don't feel like I got a fair shake. But I'm OK with my performance. ... [Referee Steve Willis] could have easily stopped it, but maybe he was one punch away." Said Garcia: "Josesito landed so many good punches that round that if the ref would have stopped it, I don't think there would have been too many complaining. Keith is a strong survivor. He did whatever he had to to survive that round." Thurman gave it up to Lopez for his tenacity and go-for-it fight plan. "The straight right hand was snapping my head back. It wasn't rocking me over and over again, but my chin was not tucked well enough," Thurman said. "I was standing too straight up. He was really committed to lunging and taking risks. "At certain times, you don't know what a referee is going to do. And I was moving, and I felt like my movement was evidence that I was A-OK, because it was a tremendous amount of movement. And a lot of fighters that are not A-OK are gonna end up sitting on the ropes and are gonna end up taking those punches. And then, in that moment, even if the fighter doesn't go down, the ref has to really stay in there and think about it and most likely stop the fight. ... There was a moment, obviously, when it could've been one punch away maybe at least into a knockdown. If it was devastating enough, landed clean enough, it could've been a knockout." It wasn't a knockout, however. Thurman won fair and square, and perhaps the reward will be a Pacquiao fight.<doc-sep>That is because since March 4, 2017, when he scored a split decision over Garcia at Barclays, Thurman has been everywhere but in a boxing ring. He spent time in Japan, got married in Kathmandu, and spent four and a half months in Nepal with his new bride, Priyana. Internet whispers, if such things exist, abounded that Thurman’s injuries were not all that serious and that at age 30, he had simply lost his appetite for the ring after having won versions of the welterweight title in his last two fights, against Garcia and Porter.<doc-sep>

Keith Thurman (L), Lennox Lewis and Josesito López (R) attend Fox Sports and Premier Boxing Champions Press Conference Experience on Nov. 13, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images) Early in the first round of a 2014 fight with Keith Thurman, Leonard Bundu switched from a conventional stance to southpaw. At 40 years old, Bundu had 14 years on Thurman and much more experience at the highest level of boxing. Southpaws are frequently difficult for conventional boxers to handle, and when a right-hander switches unexpectedly into a left-handed stance, it can cause confusion. Thurman, though, showed the poise and wisdom of a grizzled veteran. When Bundu switched left-handed, he did, as well. He baited Bundu and dropped him with a perfect counter left, the first serious punch of the fight he threw. The crowd at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas roared. It wasn’t the last time that crowd would make its feelings known during that fight, but it was the last time it cheered in unison. Thurman thoroughly outboxed Bundu over the next 11 rounds and won every round on all three cards to take a unanimous decision. The crowd wasn’t impressed and boos filled the arena. Never, though, did it deter Thurman, who fought with the understanding that he could land a shot against Floyd Mayweather in his next bout. “I had a lot of booing — a whole lot of booing — throughout that match but I didn’t let those boos dictate how I was going to be victorious,” said Thurman, who returns to the ring on Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the first time in nearly two years when he meets Josesito López for the WBA welterweight title in the main event of a show televised by Fox. “I always flash back to the words of my original trainer, Ben Getty: ‘Smart fighters win; dumb fighters lose.’ He never said, ‘Strong fighters win; weak fighters lose. Fast fighters win; slow fighters lose. Smart fighters win. Dumb fighters lose.’ I learned from him to make smart decisions in that ring and not to let anyone else, especially a crowd, dictate to me how I should fight.” The irony is that Thurman has been one of the sport’s most telegenic fighters. His power is among the best in the welterweight division and he has both the understanding to set up shots and the speed to get through narrow openings. Story continues He hasn’t fought since taking a split decision over Danny Garcia on March 4, 2017, in Brooklyn, a bout that drew a peak audience of 5.1 million on CBS. Before that, he defeated Shawn Porter in a compelling battle on June 26, 2016. He had surgery on his elbow, injured his right hand and got married since fighting Garcia, accounting for his inactivity. Lopez wouldn’t under most circumstances be expected to provide a serious threat, but it’s always hard to predict how a fighter will fare with a long time out of the ring. Thurman said he’s seen the effects of his lay-off in his preparations. “This training camp has just been basically re-amping everything,” he said. “I can definitely tell I’ve been out of the ring and out of touch with the sport for a long time. At the same time, though, I’m Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman and I know this sport like the back of my hand. I’m grateful being back doing what I love to do.” He’s 28-0 with 22 knockouts and is a massive favorite to remain unbeaten by defeating Lopez. If he wins, he’ll be the front-runner to face Manny Pacquiao later this year, assuming Pacquiao doesn’t fight Floyd Mayweather. Pacquiao seemed to indicate that he isn’t all that optimistic by taking a little jab at Mayweather, who watched him dismantle Adrien Broner on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden from a front-row ringside seat. “I only want to continue to fight the best,” Pacquiao said. “If Floyd can no longer fight at my level, then of course he should stay retired.” In the locker room following the fight, Pacquiao said “of course” he would be interested in a fight with Thurman if Thurman won and a Mayweather fight couldn’t be made. “The reason I signed [with the Premier Boxing Champions] is to be able to get all of those fights for the fans,” Pacquiao said. Thurman would be eager for the challenge if it presented itself.

The Cleveland Cavaliers responded well last night against the Los Angeles Lakers, and that game could be one they look back on. The Cleveland Cavaliers came into their last game against the Los Angeles Lakers losing 12 straight games. In last night’s matchup, though, they were a whole lot better than they were in other games in that horrid losing stretch. In that 12-game losing streak, Cleveland was being outscored by 18.3 points per game, per NBA.com. Against the Lakers on the road (granted, LeBron James wasn’t playing but their variety of playmakers is still a tough test), Cleveland led virtually the whole way en route to a 101-95 win, as they played much more sound on both ends of the floor. The Cavs played good transition defense for most of the game, and that forced L.A. into a considerable amount of unnecessary shots and turnovers. Cleveland’s off-ball defense (rotations after ball-swings in particular), was much better than in recent games before against the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets, in which Cleveland conceded 140 and 141 points and a combined 53.2 percent shooting rate, respectively (per NBA.com). Against the Lakers, the Cavs had significantly less defensive breakdowns, and were effective in helping the helper on the majority of occasions. That led to the Lakers only making seven three-pointers in the game on 34 attempts, per ESPN, and Cleveland held key L.A. catch-and-shoot specialists Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Josh Hart in check, while making players such as Brandon Ingram (31.0 percent from deep on the season) shoot from three in bad spots. Ingram and Kyle Kuzma did make some tough shots, but Cedi Osman and others were much sharper in their coverages of key playmakers. Credit Alec Burks for making it tough for Ingram on a number of occasions as well. Yes, Kuzma and Ingram combined for 51 points, but Lonzo Ball, Hart and JaVale McGee (who is very effective as a rim runner and putback specialist) combined to shoot just nine-of-29, according to ESPN. Caldwell-Pope also shot just two-for-nine; Cleveland has often had trouble defending catch-and-shoot role players like him, and credit the Cavs for being much more disciplined in their closeouts and not being out of position nearly as much. On the offensive end, the Cleveland Cavaliers were under control, and did not allow the Lakers to speed them up often. Collin Sexton, Alec Burks, Osman and Tristan Thompson all were effective in not trying to force things and letting the game come to them, while Cleveland consistently got good shots from sufficient ball-swings creating good matchups. Sexton was very good overall, as he was patient in finding his spots, and got Ball over-extending a bit and used change of pace well in this one as well as other recent games, as our own Jackson Flickinger highlighted. Sexton has done a much better job of changing speeds in the halfcourt the last couple games. It's been good to see. — Jackson Flickinger (@Akron_Jackson) January 14, 2019 Sexton had 17 points on 50.0 percent shooting, and finished well near the rim after nice patience in settled situations. He also showed more progression as a passer, as he was not forcing things as much in the interior, and finished with three assists but could have had several more last night. Sexton was a Cavs’ game-high plus-16, too, per ESPN. Burks, despite reportedly being in the middle of trade rumors likely because of his expiring contract, has continued to make good decisions in settled offense and is a stabilizing presence on the floor. He had 17 points, including seven-of-eight from the foul line, and had four assists (while having no turnovers). His 13 rebounds were a major bonus as well. Osman was not forcing the action as often as he’s often done in other games, and his patience in getting mismatches was encouraging. While he can be erratic in having tunnel-vision at times when driving which leads to bad shots, he was much more efficient yesterday and used the rim well to shield shot blockers away. Those nuances are crucial for him to reach his ceiling as a very solid NBA starter. Just like his last meeting against the Lakers, Osman had 20 points, to go with eight rebounds and a plus-minus of plus-12. This game really showed the full array of Osman’s game as a scorer, and it’s another game he can build on. Thompson did what he’s been doing most of the season against L.A., as he was physical on both ends on the glass and as a screener for Cleveland’s playmakers. He set the tone in the paint with 15 points on 50.0 percent shooting, while having 14 rebounds and two blocks. Thompson also deserves a good amount of credit for McGee only having two points in 23 minutes, according to ESPN. Rodney Hood (who reportedly could be on the trade block as well due to his expiring contract) also deserves some credit for his workmanlike 18 points and three assists yesterday. Like Osman, he played at a nice controlled pace in the halfcourt, and had some timely cuts leading to easy baskets for the Cavs that were a solid lift throughout the game. I’d like to see him have this sort of assertiveness more often. Cleveland had all of their starters in double-figures, which was huge. The Cavs’ bench did not have their biggest production of the year, as they only combined for 15 points, but energy plays from players such as Jaron Blossomgame and Jordan Clarkson on the road for a team dealing with a barrage of injuries helped. I wouldn’t expect Clarkson and Matthew Dellavedova to only have 12 points and four assists between the two of them very often, either. With how depleted Cleveland is currently, this sort of game could be the blueprint for them for how to stay in games and give themselves a chance. The ball movement was good for most of the night, and the Cavs’ defense had significantly less breakdowns.<doc-sep>Five things to take away from the Lakers’ 101-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night at Staples Center: 1. It was the worst loss of the season for the Lakers, plain and simple. It was unimaginable to see the Lakers drop a game to the hapless Cavaliers, a team that entered the game having lost 12 in a row, a team that still has the worst record in the NBA at 9-35. The Lakers all talked about being frustrated. Advertisement But frustrated about what? Their effort? Their inability to make shots? Their constant isolation plays? Their unwillingness to pass, to move and to cut? For the Lakers to trail by 15 points in the first quarter to the Cavaliers was unbelievable. The Cavaliers were coming off a 28-point beat-down at Houston. Whether or not LeBron James is out because of a sprained left groin or Rajon Rondo is out recovering from surgery on his right ring finger, the Lakers know they must play more inspired basketball. “We got to hang our heads high no matter what,” Kyle Kuzma said after the game. “At the end of the day, it all starts with effort. I keep saying it and it was clear tonight. But for us, that’s what it is. Sign up for our daily sports newsletter » » “Obviously you’re not going to make every single shot. That’s impossible. But we just have to continue to play hard, get in the gym tomorrow and keep working and be confident that our work ethic is going to translate to the court.” The Lakers are 3-7 without James and Rondo, falling into a tie with the Utah Jazz for eighth place, and final playoff spot, in the Western Conference. 2. Why were the Lakers just tossing up errant three-pointer after errant three-pointer after errant three-pointer? Advertisement Their best three-point shooters — Kuzma, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — were a combined five of 29 from long range. As a team, the Lakers shot only 20.6% (seven for 34) from three-point range. Kuzma started off missing five three-pointers and finished two for seven. Ball was two for eight and Hart one for eight while Caldwell-Pope missed all six he attempted. The Lakers are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA, their 33.5% shooting ranking 27th. Advertisement Yet they still just jacked up all those three-pointers against the Cavaliers. 3. Ball was approaching a triple-double after three quarters with 13 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, but he didn’t get one. Ball was aggressive in all phases of the game through three quarters. But that all changed in the fourth. He wound up with just one more rebound and one more assist in the fourth. He took just one shot and that was a three-pointer. Advertisement The Lakers need Ball to be more aggressive and attack for the team to be successful. 4. The Lakers had just 21 assists on 36 made field goals, a sign of them not only just missing shots but of their unwillingness to share the basketball. 5. If there was one positive for the Lakers it was that they turned the ball over only 11 times. [email protected] Advertisement Twitter: @BA_Turner<doc-sep>LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Wins have been hard to come by for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, so coach Larry Drew has been focused on the incremental signs of progress. Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Drew saw those little things help put the Cavaliers into the right side of the win column. Cedi Osman scored 20 points, Collin Sexton added 17 and the Cavaliers ended a 12-game losing streak with a 101-95 victory on Sunday night. ''Any time you go through a rebuilt process you're going to have bumps in the road, that's to be expected,'' Drew said. ''But the most important thing for this group is that they learn and there is growth. We understand where we are and who we are, and the most important thing for us right now is just to continue to grow every game we play.'' Tristan Thompson had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Alec Burks had 17 points and 13 rebounds as the short-handed Cavaliers split the two-game season series by forcing the Lakers into a choppy game. Los Angeles was 7 for 34 on 3-pointers, 16 for 27 from the free throw line and had 11 fast-break points. Kyle Kuzma had 29 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost two straight and five of their past seven. Brandon Ingram scored 22 points and Lonzo Ball had 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. ''No disrespect to the Cavs, but they're still an NBA team and for us we can't take anything lightly, especially in this league,'' Kuzma said. ''Because we're all professionals and you can lose on any given night if we don't bring the effort, and that's what happened tonight.'' Burks delivered an emphatic dunk after Ingram couldn't handle a defensive rebound to help the Cavaliers re-establish control after Kuzma scored five straight to cut the Cavaliers' lead to 84-79 midway though the four quarter. Sexton drove for a layup and Osman hit a floater during a quick 6-0 run, which allowed the Cavaliers to hold off another late push by the Lakers. Kuzma hit a 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining to trim the margin to 96-93, but Burks made both free throws with 16 to play. Story continues ''When they did score, we continued to play,'' said Cavaliers forward Rodney Hood, who had 18 points. ''We didn't look around and we didn't cave in.'' The Cavaliers had a 10-0 run in the third quarter after Kuzma hit a floater to pull the Lakers within 51-50 early in the period. Burks and Osman hit 3-pointers to bookend the push, and Cleveland was able to sustain a 10-point margin going into the fourth by holding Los Angeles to 8-for-26 shooting. ''When we're playing like that and playing together it's fun,'' Sexton said. ''I felt like tonight we had fun and it's been a long time since we had fun.'' STEP FORWARD It was a modest night for Sexton, making 7 of 14 shots and adding three rebounds and three assists. Drew was most excited that the rookie from Alabama committed one turnover in 33 minutes. ''He made some really good decisions,'' Drew said. ''He made some really smart plays that probably a month ago he probably wouldn't make, so I saw growth tonight.'' SLOW START The Lakers trailed 32-24 after the first quarter, the fifth time in the past six games they allowed at least 30 points in the opening period. Lakers coach Luke Walton said he would consider lineup changes to stop the trend. ''By the end of games we're doing a nice job of stabilizing our defense and getting the stops we need, but we can't just keep giving up 30 points to start the games,'' Walton said. TIP-INS Cavaliers: Osman scored eight of the Cavaliers' first 13 points. ... The Cavaliers made 56 percent of their shots in the first quarter (14-for-25 shooting). . Former Laker Jordan Clarkson had nine points and two assists. Lakers: Michael Beasley had eight of the Lakers' 20 bench points. ... The Lakers were out-rebounded for the fourth straight game. UP NEXT Cavaliers: Visit Portland on Wednesday. Lakers: Host Chicago on Tuesday. --- More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports<doc-sep>The Los Angeles Lakers set out in pursuit of LeBron James wanting to give his tenure in La La Land a much different feel than he had with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the past season. To the front office’s surprise, his 10-game absence from a groin injury sustained on Christmas Day has been nothing different from what the Cavs were during his four-year tenure in The Land. The Cavs were a putrid 4-23 in games without James during his last four-year run. The Lakers just dropped another game against those same Cavs, this time without a Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love on the court, making matters that much worse. Without James, they are 3-7, dropping from fourth place after a Christmas Day win to a tie for the eighth spot with the Utah Jazz at 23-21. Lakers head coach Luke Walton expressed belief in his roster, a young one that is navigating a tough stretch without its star player on the floor. “I believe in this group, and I believe that this group will play better and we’ll start winning games,” said Walton, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. General manager Rob Pelinka didn’t seem to share the same optimism, dwelling on what feels like hitting rock-bottom after a loss to the team with the worst record in the league. Rob Pelinka doesn’t look too happy after loss to the Cavs… (via @LoJoMedia)pic.twitter.com/yec5JABkcK — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 14, 2019 A Lakers source had told Bill Oram of The Athletic prior to the start of the season of the fragility of this roster, saying it could take as few as 10 absences from James to get this team out of playoff contention. That prognostication couldn’t have been more accurate, as the Lakers now fight for their lives, splitting hairs with the Jazz in hopes to cling onto the playoff picture. Upon his return from a groin injury (still set to be re-evaluated this week), James will once again be tasked with spearheading this team into playoff contention, much like he did at the driver’s seat of a one-man train that pushed for a fourth seed in the East and trucked the weight of the entire team to another NBA Finals appearance. Seems like things have not changed that much at all, despite the intent from this front office.<doc-sep>

LeBron James left a gargantuan hole in the Cleveland Cavaliers, who reached last year’s NBA Finals with him, and sport the league’s current worst record without him. LeBron has now left a similar void in the Lakers, who fell to 3-7 since their superstar went down with a groin injury, losing to his former team, 101-95. “Right now we’re playing for positioning within the playoffs,” Kyle Kuzma said. “We just dug ourselves into a bigger hole right now.” With one of the Lakers’ worst losses of the season, they are now tied with Utah for eighth place in the Western Conference. Cleveland (9-35) entered the night on a 12-game losing streak. Despite that baggage, the Cavs were much more assertive from the jump, taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. The Lakers’ frustrated head coach is now mulling a change to his opening five of Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and JaVale McGee. “We might have to do something to the starting lineup right now,” Luke Walton said. “Every game it feels like we’re giving up 30-plus points in that first quarter, so we’ll take a closer look a that.” The Lakers (23-21) had their chances but never regained the lead. In spite of a furious 18-point, seven-rebound fourth quarter from Kuzma, L.A. could not get its deficit any lower than three. Dancing right around 'em pic.twitter.com/iuvZJ01j67 — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 14, 2019 And while Kuzma finished with a game-high 29 points and nine boards, he was far from impressed by his own display. “As a team, we need to be more engaged in the sense of having effort,” Kuzma said. “That starts with me. I played like crap today. Not bringing that energy — that’s what we need to compete and play in all these games.” The purple and gold received solid individual performances. Brandon Ingram added 22 points, while Lonzo Ball pieced together 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. But the Lakers’ team offense — which ranks last in the league since James’ injury — could not take advantage of the NBA’s worst defense. L.A. shot just 39.6 percent from the field, 20.6 on 3-pointers and 59.3 on free throws. “Frustrating loss,” Walton said. “We have to play better. We have to make shots. We have to make free throws. But like I’ve said, I believe in this group and I believe that this group will play better and we’ll start winning games.” Luke believes the team will play better and considers changing the starting lineup for Tuesday's game. pic.twitter.com/m3sjNRgs4l — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 14, 2019

Who do Liverpool need to sign to re-claim the title? Keep up with all the Reds news with our free daily newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Mo Salah is proving his world-class pedigree – by resisting the temptation to act like a superstar. That was the message from Jurgen Klopp as he took aim at critics starting to question the Liverpool icon’s contribution. Salah has scored just twice this season, prompting ­suggestions he is misfiring or even trying too hard to replicate his record-breaking form of last term. Yet the Reds boss said that he could not be happier with Salah, describing the ­Egyptian’s displays in the last two games – against Tottenham in the Premier League and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League – as among the best of his Liverpool career. (Image: PA) And that, he said, is ­because Salah knows that to be world-class, work ethic comes above superstar status. “The PSG game was one of his best, 100 per cent,” said Klopp. “Defensively, he was ­outstanding the last two games. I’ve said a few times, without the three forwards in running mode, we have no chance. “These things are so ­important. People say you are a world-class player, but you still have to defend like in the first game of your career. You need to be brave for that.” (Image: REUTERS) Ironically, Klopp is ­considering giving Salah a rest against Southampton on Saturday, suggesting it is time to offer Xherdan Shaqiri his first start. “Everyone loves Shaq – without playing plenty of minutes. That is more my mistake than his. He has done everything to play. I made different decisions, but his time will come, that is for sure,” Klopp added. But the German also recognises Salah has worked harder than at any time in his Liverpool career to offer defensive resilience and attacking threat and so needs a break. (Image: REUTERS) “Mo knows that I am more than happy with him in this moment. There is no doubt about that. “Bobby [Firmino] took a while before he got credit for his work rate,” he explained. “I don’t want to make defenders out of them, but they have to be in the right position. “On the defensive side, perfect, and it is so important in these games, especially as that says everything about him – that he is ready to work for the team.” Klopp insisted he does not need to speak to Salah to stop him being anxious about scoring, because he knows the goals will come. (Image: Andrew Powell) “It’s much too early to be thinking about something like that and you have to make a big thing of it,” he said of the claim Salah is trying too hard to score. “Last year, three in six, this year two in six. Wow, that’s a crisis. Yes, there were a few chances where he could have scored. But last year he missed chances. “It’s much too early to make something of it and talk to him constantly about what and when and stuff like that. So long as he is working as he is, everything will be fine. “Will it be 40 at the end of the season? Nobody knows. But we don’t have to talk about this even though everyone else wants to. And that’s why we don’t do it.”<doc-sep>LIVERPOOL -- Jurgen Klopp said he is not worried about Mohamed Salah's start to the campaign and believes the forward is being harshly compared to last season's standards. Salah broke the Premier League record for most goals scored in a 38-game season in 2017-18 and has started the follow-up campaign with two goals in six appearances. He began last season, his first at Liverpool following a move from Roma, with three goals in six outings and then went on to score 44 times in all competitions. "Of course, of course everyone expects that [he matches last season's form]," Klopp said at a news conference on Friday. "We don't expect that. We want him to score as often as possible. It is completely normal everyone expects that." When told about Salah's start to this season compared to last, Klopp added: "Wow, that's a crisis. "No one remembers that, it is really no problem. We constantly have to deal with new situations. "People are very positive about this player, this player, and I have to decide do I talk to them about them or not, do I leave him alone in this situation, but everything is fine really." Salah committed an error during Tuesday's 3-2 win over Paris Saint-Germain when he gave away possession in the buildup to Kylian Mbappe's equalising goal.<doc-sep>The 26-year-old has gone three games without finding the back of the net and his boss is upbeat that he will soon overcome the challenge Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Mohamed Salah ‘is still a threat’ to oppositions despite his drought in front of goal. The Egypt international who notched 44 goals across all competitions last season has failed to find the back of the net in his last three games – his joint-longest run without a goal since joining the Anfield outfit. Also, in Tuesday Champions League game against Paris Saint Germain, the forward made an error that helped Kylian Mbappe's equaliser before Roberto Firmino’s stoppage-time winner. "The defensive side the last two games were outstanding, perfect," Klopp told Sky Sport. "It is so important in these games especially. That says everything about him that he is really ready to work for the team in these moments. "It is a completely normal for an offensive player when you have times that you don't score. He is still a threat, made fantastic situations in both our last games. He is in a good shape. Article continues below "Finishing is something you can never take for granted." Salah will be hoping to get on the scoresheet when Liverpool play host to Southampton in Saturday’s Premier League outing.<doc-sep>

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has backed Mohamed Salah amid his mini goal drought, saying it is "completely normal" for even the best attacking players to struggle at times. The Egypt international scored 44 goals in all competitions for the Reds last term, but he has only two in six so far in 2018-19 and has not found the net in his last three appearances. Per Glenn Price of ESPN FC, Klopp said he has no concerns about his star forward and praised Salah for his defensive work recently: "On the defensive side, the last two games he was outstanding. It is completely normal there are times when an offensive player does not score. Finishing is something you can never take for granted. I never do that—only supporters can do that. We want him to score as often as possible. It's really no problem. But with Mo, everything is fine." Jean Catuffe/Getty Images Even without Salah at his best Klopp's Liverpool have begun the 2018-19 season with six wins on the bounce. Their most recent victory was against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, when Roberto Firmino netted a last-minute winner to seal a 3-2 victory. The Reds are back in Premier League action against Southampton at Anfield on Saturday. In the corresponding fixture last season Salah netted twice in a 3-0 victory. Video Play Button Videos you might like As a result of his heroics in 2017-18, the 26-year-old is among the finalists for the 2018 Best FIFA Men's Player award: The winner will be decided on Monday at a ceremony in London. Should Salah win he will be the first Liverpool player ever to win the FIFA gong in any of its guises.

Australia: Scott Morrison announces election will be held in May top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Australians go to the polls next month to decide the 46th Parliament of Australia and the next prime minister. All 131 seats in the House of Representatives are up for re-election along with 40 of the 76 seats in the Senate. Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s conservative Liberal-National coalition will be aiming to win a third three-year term but the Labor Party is making a major push to return to Government, having been out of power since 2013. Who will win the May federal elections? What are the KEY issues? Recent polls show Prime Minister Scott Morrison could be set for a bruising defeat to the Labor Party. There are several key reasons behind this including the party’s inaction on climate change, according to business expert Fiona Reynolds. Ms Reynolds is CEO of the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which encourages investors to invest responsibly and ethically. Australia election polls 2019: Climate change could play a big role in campaigning She told Express.co.uk: “Australians want strong action to be taken. Climate change is linked to health outcomes. “Australia has experienced extreme temperatures and the impacts of climate change are visible across the country. “In particular, Australians are concerned about the Great Barrier Reef and the loss of coral due to rising water temperatures, plus the impact of drought on farming communities.” Labor has promised to reduce pollution levels by 45 percent on 2005 by 2030 if it gets into power. Australia election polls 2019: Bill Shorten heads up the Labor Party The party’s Climate Change Action Plan outlines a commitment to 50 percent renewable energy for electricity by 2030 as well as greener transport. The Liberal Party is offering a Climate Solutions Package to ensure Australia reduces its global emissions targets of 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Ms Reynolds says Labor’s more comprehensive approach to environmental issues means it “is seen to be the party that will tackle climate action”. What are the other issues? The Australian general election is also expected to be fought on factors such as the economy, inequality and the fragility of the current administration. Australia election polls 2019: Workers call for better wages and job security in Melbourne<doc-sep>We now know that the next federal election will take place on May 18. To guide you through the campaign, our “state of the states” series takes stock of the key issues, seats and policies affecting the vote in each of Australia’s states. We’ll check in with our expert political analysts around the country every week of the campaign for updates on how it is playing out. Victoria Nick Economou, Senior Lecturer in the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University For the first time in many contests, Victoria is shaping up as a crucial battleground in the 2019 federal election. Normally there are few marginal seats in Victoria that involve a contest between Labor and the Liberal Party. In recent times, there’s been more interest in Labor’s battle with the Greens in the inner-city seat of Melbourne, and the election of the independent Cathy McGowan in the rural seat of Indi (McGowan will not be re-contesting this seat in 2019). If the Victorian state election held in November 2018 is any guide, the historical pattern where few marginal seats change hands will be broken. Labor could be on the verge of a landslide in Victoria. Even before a vote has been cast, the 2018 federal redistribution has already created a new Labor seat in Melbourne’s suburban north-west – to be called “Fraser” – and the previously Liberal seat of Dunkley is now notionally Labor. If the anti-Liberal swing that occurred in the state election was replicated in the federal contest, other Liberal seats would also fall. In the 2016 federal election, Labor won a two party vote of 51.8%. In the 2018 state election, Labor’s statewide two party vote was 57.3% – a difference of 5.5 percentage points. If we see a similar swing in the federal election, Labor would gain Chisholm, LaTrobe, Casey and McEwen, with Deakin and possibly Flinders also being won. There was more bad news for the Coalition out of the 2018 state election. The state district of Mildura in Victoria’s rural far north-west, previously held by the National Party, was won by independent Ali Cupper. Mildura comprises about half of the federal seat of Mallee, whose sitting member, Andrew Broad, has since resigned over an internet sex scandal. This formerly safe National seat is now clearly vulnerable – particularly to a high profile local independent. In the half-senate election, meanwhile, arguably the most significant contest will involve the Derryn Hinch Justice Party. In all likelihood, Labor will win two seats, the Greens will secure one seat, and the joint Liberal-National ticket ought to secure two seats. The final seat will be battled over by the Coalition and a host of minor parties, of which the Hinch party will be the most prominent. Indeed, Derryn Hinch himself is up for re-election and this may well be reason enough for the Hinch Justice Party to prevail. New South Wales Chris Aulich, Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra Most political analysts argue that the forthcoming federal election will be won or lost in Queensland. While there may be more marginal seats in contention in that state, there are a number of ongoing issues which play out both nationally and in NSW which might influence the election result. The first is the tension between conservative and moderate Liberals. This tension underpins the challenge by independent Liberal Zali Steggall to former PM Tony Abbott in the Sydney seat of Warringah. The contest also highlights election funding. Steggall is receiving support from Get Up!, which has targeted “hard right” Liberals Abbott and Dutton. Abbott holds his seat by 11%, but in 2016 this result was achieved against challenges from Labor and the Greens and not such a strong, local candidate from the right. AAP/PETER RAE A second issue relates to the poor performance of the Nationals in the recent NSW elections, when many traditional National voters switched their votes to independents or to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party. This suggests that the regional seat of Cowper might now become more marginal, especially since the Nationals’ Luke Hartsuyker is not recontesting. Independent Rob Oakeshott is trying for a second time to win, although he will need a swing of more than 4.6%. Third, many voters have been angered by the overthrow of sitting prime ministers and in Malcolm Turnbull’s seat of Wentworth showed this anger by preferring independent Liberal Kerryn Phelps over the endorsed Liberal candidate, Dave Sharma. Much interest now focuses on whether Phelps’ vote will evaporate as anger wanes. Sharma is a strong candidate but Phelps has made a significant contribution to parliament, especially in sponsoring the “medevac” legislation. There are few marginal seats in NSW that might be exposed by a swing away from the government, but in Gilmore, retiring Liberal Ann Sudmalis won in 2016 by just 1,503 votes. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has intervened by making a “captain’s call” in nominating former Labor President Warren Mundine, so this seat is likely to be close. Other marginal seats in NSW include Robertson and Banks held by the government by less than 2%, and the Labor-held seat of Paterson. Queensland Maxine Newlands, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at James Cook University Queensland is a Liberal National stronghold. At the last federal election, the Coalition picked up 21 of 30 Queensland seats. The Australian Labor Party picked up eight seats, and Katter’s Australian Party was re-elected in the seat of Kennedy. Labor’s win over the Coalition in Herbert in North Queensland gave them their only Queensland seat outside of the state’s metropolitan area. Queensland’s population is concentrated along the southeast corridor that stretches from Brisbane to Ipswich and Toowoomba, so funding allocations are a divisive issue in regional and rural Queensland. The concentration of much of the state’s infrastructure into one corner has seen the minor parties – Katter’s Australian Party and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party – set up offices in Townsville CBD in recent years. The message is clear, vote for them and they will look after the North’s interest. With Labor hanging onto Herbert by a mere 37 votes, the candidate with local interests will be key. The first woman to hold Herbert, incumbent Cathy O’Toole, is a born and bred Townsvillian. She will face the Coalition’s Philip Thompson – last year’s Queensland Young Australian of the year. While the two locals battle it out, the minor parties will be the ones to watch. AAP/MICHAEL CHAMBERS Katter’s Australian Party, Palmer’s United Australia Party, and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation will be in a three-way battle for preference votes. One Nation benefited from Clive Palmer’s absence from the 2016 election, picking up a 13% swing in the northern suburb of Bluewater (in the seat of Herbert). This year the spoils will need to be split. For the Greens, the Adani coalmine and Great Barrier Reef will be key issues. National and local support from Stop Adani and GetUp! Australia’s campaign will take a local concerns to the national level. GetUp! also have their sight on another seat: the minister for home affairs Peter Dutton’s electorate of Dickson. Dutton has a stronger majority than Herbert’s Cathy O’Toole, but he too is a high profile scalp. Unlike O’Toole, Dutton has held the seat for nearly two decades. Over the past 18 years, the Coalition under Dutton has seen their majority dwindle with a margin of just 1.7% in 2016. With a 5.1% swing away from the Coalition in favour of Labor at the last election, Labor candidate Ali France will be a strong contender. Whatever happens on polling day, Queenslanders will probably stay with form, and vote with the Coalition. Whether the Coalition will secure more than 21 seats will depend on its local focus on jobs, the environment and who can close the divide between the metropolitan south and the rest of Queensland. Western Australia Ian Cook, Senior Lecturer of Australian Politics at Murdoch University Until budget night, the GST issue in Western Australia looked as if it had gone away – finally. West Australian folk are as sick of it as everyone else. Scott Morrison’s government committed to a GST top-up for Western Australia and introduced a floor into the system that will mean that Western Australians won’t be punished as much for not having poker machines outside casinos. Last night’s budget and a A$1 billion dollar shortfall for Western Australia means that the issue might come back. The point about the ongoing resentment toward the GST split is that it was, and is, a manifestation of the perennial complaint of West Australians: that, apart from the income generated from resources, no one in Canberra cares about Western Australia. While the GST short-fall affects all states, Labor will work hard to get WA voters to believe that the latest GST problem is another sign that the Liberals don’t care about us. That’s federal politicking in Western Australia. And Canberra has really cared lately. Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, brought his shadow cabinet to Western Australia two weeks ago to reassure us that a Labor government would really care, and will spend billions on infrastructure and other projects in the state. Last week Scott Morrison came to announce that a Liberal-National government would spend another A$1.6 billion on roads and rail in addition the A$4.7 billion WA got for its GST top-up. Western Australia Treasurer Ben Wyatt, like everyone else, sees the recent visits and promises and the budget as signs that the major parties are very interested in Western Australian seats. Well, some seats. For the Liberals it’s Cowan and Perth. For Labor it’s Hasluck, Pearce, Swan, Stirling and Canning. Pearce is particularly interesting because it is Western Australia star Liberal, Christian Porter’s, seat. But there’s always the matter of Durack and O'Connor being held by the Liberals when they should be National Party seats. They’re huge regional seats that the Nationals hoped to win (Durack) or win back (O'Connor) in the last election but didn’t. South Australia Rob Manwaring, Senior Lecturer in Politics and Public Policy at Flinders University South Australia is rarely a game-changer in Australian federal elections, but there are some key clashes taking place in the state. While the issue of who forms government might not be decided in the driest state in the country, a few electoral contests will tell us a good deal about the state of the parties, and the mood of the electorate. The most marginal seat in SA is Boothby, with conservative Liberal Nicolle Flint sitting on a nominal lead of 2.8%. If the voters are keen to punish the Liberals, then Flint may not be able to capitalise on first term incumbency. Critically, GetUp! have targeted Flint, and will be hopeful after their success in Tasmania last time round. There are other key seats, far less marginal than Boothby, that could also tell us something about the extent of voter dissatisfaction with the Morrison government. In the seat of Sturt, currently held by the ubiquitous, but now retiring Christopher Pyne, the Liberals only have a nominal margin of 5.8%. Pyne has not left the preselected James Stevens much time to gain name recognition in the constituency. Stevens is SA Premier Steven Marshall’s former chief of staff. In other circumstances, the Liberals might hope to claw back the seat of Mayo – currently held by the Centre Alliance’s Rebekha Sharkie. Sharkie was caught up in the citizenship crisis, and beat Georgina Downer in a byelection. Downer is back again, drawing on some significant support, and will hope that she can make better inroads than her byelection effort. Economically, South Australians will be concerned that the state is treading water. Energy, climate breakdown, cost of living concerns, and also the dead fish of the Menindee are key issues preoccupying the SA electorate. Given the Liberal leadership crisis, the voters may well be unforgiving. Tasmania Richard Eccleston, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Institute for the Study of Social Change at the University of Tasmania Michael Lester, researcher and PhD student at the Institute for the Study of Social Change. Tasmania has emerged as an electoral battleground in the early “faux” election campaign. There have been multiple visits by Coalition and Labor frontbenchers with a long list of project funding announcements and promises.<doc-sep>

Bill Shorten has appealed directly to Labor supporters to have conversations with fellow Australians about the party’s policies, laughing off “angry ranting” headlines in the Australian newspaper. The Labor leader referenced a column by the business journalist Terry McCrann which was headlined “Vote Shorten and Bowen for the end of the world”. “Let me put it beyond any reasonable doubt – I wish to make it clear today that Labor has neither an apocalypse policy or an Armageddon agenda,” Shorten said. “It’s not that angry ranting articles are going to decide this election. It’s actually the conversations that we have with our fellow Australians. It’s the policy work. It’s the vision of Australia. It is understanding what’s happening in the kitchens and lounge rooms of Australia that will matter.” Shorten’s comments indicate he intends to walk the line between taking on the Murdoch media directly as Kevin Rudd has done in more recent years and ignoring critical coverage. Shorten recently politely declined to meet with Rupert Murdoch, saying he would deal with local management as he did with other media outlets. Both leaders addressed rallies on the first Sunday in the election. Shorten made his comments at a rally in the Sydney seat of Reid, where he highlighted Labor’s cancer plan and pledged $50m for Stage 2 of Concord hospital’s redevelopment. The Labor leader has visited the seat three times in as many days, after the Liberal MP Craig Laundy announced his retirement shortly before campaigning began. At a rally in Brisbane, Scott Morrison pledged $58m for 10 industry training hubs in regional Australia, including 400 vocational education and training scholarships. He said a re-elected Coalition government would create an additional 250,000 jobs for young people over the next five years. “If a young person isn’t in a job by their early 20s, their risks of living a life on welfare skyrocket,” Morrison said. “It’s so important that we give young people those opportunities to get a job. You want to ask me about this election? It’s about jobs. Because people matter.” Scott Morrison at an election launch rally in Brisbane. The PM focused on youth jobs and mental health funding to address youth suicide. Photograph: Adam Taylor/AFP/Getty Images Morrison focused much of his stump speech on youth jobs and the government’s commitment to mental health funding to combat youth suicide with 30 more headspace centres, 20 of which will be in regional centres.. “It is combating the difficulties and challenges and anxieties. In the questions and uncertainties in the pressures,” Morrison said. “Ensuring our young people can have hope in a beautiful and long life. More than 400 young people taking their own lives. It’s a curse in our country but it’s a curse that we can break.” Shorten accused the Morrison government of planning to cut $2.8bn in funding from public hospitals. Labor has promised $1.8bn to restore the federal component for health funding back to 50-50% with the states, as opposed to the Coalition-imposed current ratio of 45-55% and to add another $1bn for emergency departments and new wards. Shorten also accused Morrison of cutting $715m from hospitals in his time as treasurer. “After six years of cuts to health, the Medicare patient freeze, the cutbacks and the increased out-of-pockets to see the doctor, after six years of cuts, they are getting ready to do it all again,” Shorten told the rally. The health minister, Greg Hunt, said the new national hospitals agreement would provide an additional $31bn in public hospital funding from 2020-21 to 2024-25, taking overall funding during this period to $131bn. “Bill Shorten’s hospital proposal does not mean more money for hospitals,” Hunt said. “As we’ve seen over the last 3 years, the extra Commonwealth funding has meant the states and territories have reduced their funding to hospitals.”

NEW YORK -- A major theme of Friday's pitching matchup at Yankee Stadium when the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees continue their four-game series will be the long road that Nathan Eovaldi and Jonathan Loaisiga took to reach the mound. For Eovaldi, is it his fourth start with the Tampa Bay Rays after a second Tommy John surgery. For Loaisiga, it is his major league debut with the New York Yankees after a quick ascent through the minors following Tommy John surgery and missing two seasons. The Yankees opened the series with a 4-3 victory Thursday when Gleyber Torres hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning off Blake Snell. Torres leads all rookies with 13 homers and 33 RBIs, and the Yankees are 11-3 in their last 14 games and 11-2 in their last 13 home games. Matt Duffy homered for the Rays, who are on a seven-game road losing streak after striking out 15 times. The Rays also are 4-10 in their last 14 games overall. Eovaldi, who was 23-11 with a 4.45 ERA in 51 appearances (48 starts) in two seasons for the Yankees, is 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA in his first three starts for the Rays. Though he said his velocity is coming back, he is averaging 97 mph on his fastball, which is roughly the same he averaged on the pitch with the Yankees. "For sure, the fact that I've been throwing the ball good as it is (is nice)," Eovaldi said Thursday. "So I'm going to try to keep doing that with my fastball command and really make sure I execute the off-speed pitches and get them down. Other than that, when you step between the lines, it's about going out there and competing." "I know Nate really appreciated his time here, but, no, I'm not overly concerned," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. "He's been so focused on what he's doing and kind of his surroundings, and he's thrown the ball well for us since he's gotten back. I think that focus won't change, and it won't change just because he's facing a former team." Story continues Eovaldi last pitched Sunday in a 5-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners when he allowed three runs and four hits in five-plus innings. He allowed a solo homer to Nelson Cruz and a two-run homer to Mike Zunino while throwing 102 pitches, his most since Aug. 4, 2016, against the New York Mets. "I feel like I've been throwing the ball well," Eovaldi said. "I've been recovering better now that we've been getting into kind of a five-day routine of things. I feel like my arm really hasn't been as sore as when I first started from my rehab." Eovaldi is the 35th player to pitch after multiple Tommy John surgeries and the 13th to start a game. He is facing the Yankees for the first time. He is 10-4 with a 3.73 ERA in 24 appearances (23 starts) at Yankee Stadium. Eovaldi was one of those young low-cost pitchers the Yankees were hoping to develop. Now Loaisiga is one as he fills in for Masahiro Tanaka, who injured both hamstrings last Friday against the New York Mets. Loaisiga is pitching above Double-A for the first time and is 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 combined starts with Double-A Trenton and Class A Tampa this season. He attended spring training with the Yankees after being added to the 40-man roster in November. "I'm excited to see him pitch here," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "It's a guy with a really good arm, really simple athletic delivery, and I think a big reason why he's the guy we chose is that we feel like his stuff is excellent, but his delivery is low-maintenance enough that it should allow him to step up." The 23-year-old originally was signed by the San Francisco Giants in 2012, and the Yankees signed him in February 2016. He was 8-1 in the Dominican Summer League in 2013 but did not pitch again until 2016 because of Tommy John surgery. "It's been a tough road for me to get here, and now it's about enjoying this moment and this opportunity and trying to help this team win," Loaisiga said through an interpreter. "I'm focused on winning; it's everything for us and I'm looking forward to it." Loaisiga is the 15th native of Nicaragua to appear in the majors and the 11th pitcher. He is the first native of Nicaragua to appear in a game for the Yankees. The career leader in wins by a Nicaraguan is Dennis "El Presidente" Martinez. Martinez won 245 games from 1976 to 1998 with Baltimore, Montreal, Cleveland, Atlanta and Seattle, and Loaisiga is aware of his impact. "He's a baseball ambassador," Loaisiga said. "You look up to him as a kid, because he's proof you can make it to the big leagues. For us, it's following in his footsteps, and hopefully doing well and representing Nicaragua well."<doc-sep>After last night’s come-from-behind 4-3 win, the New York Yankees will debut a pitcher fresh out of the minors against an old friend pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. Jonathan Loaisiga will get the ball for the Yankees, making his first MLB appearance and first above Double-A Trenton. Loaisiga is just 5 feet 11 inches tall and 165 pounds, but he features a mid-90s fastball with a curveball and changeup. Loaisiga went 6-1 in 10 minor league starts this year with a 58-4 K/BB ratio in 45 innings, so he’s clearly got the stuff. He’ll rather surprisingly get the first crack at replacing Masahiro Tanaka in the rotation. The Rays counter with former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi. He has made just three starts since his elbow injury with the Yankees way back in 2016, but he has looked really good so far as one of just two healthy full-time starters on this Rays club. He threw six no-hit innings in his first start back, and is sure to be eager to face his old team at Yankee Stadium tonight. Yankees vs. Rays tonight at 7:05pm on WPIX and WFAN pic.twitter.com/usNgbMa0YQ — Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) June 15, 2018 The #Rays lineup for tonight with Nathan Eovaldi starting on the mound: Duffy DH Bauers 1B Ramos C Wendle 2B Adames SS Smith CF Arroyo 3B Refsnyder LF Field RF — Neil Solondz (@neilsolondz) June 15, 2018 How to watch Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY First pitch: 7:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time TV broadcast: WPIX Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 For updates, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram, as well as like us on Facebook.<doc-sep>NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Loaisiga pitched three-hit ball over five impressive innings to win his major league debut, and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0 on Friday night. Didi Gregorius homered off ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, and Gary Sanchez broke out of a long slump with a three-run double in the eighth. Giancarlo Stanton had a sacrifice fly for New York, which improved the best record in the majors to 45-20. Jonathan Holder, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Adam Warren each worked an inning to finish the four-hitter. Loaisiga (1-0) was called up from Double-A Trenton to fill in for injured starter Masahiro Tanaka. The 23-year-old righty, who walked only four batters in 45 minor league innings this year, struggled a little with his command, issuing four walks while striking out six. With two outs in the fourth, the Rays loaded the bases but Loaisiga — the 15th major leaguer from Nicaragua — regrouped and struck out Christian Arroyo behind the support of 45,112 roaring fans at Yankee Stadium. Pitching against his former team, Eovaldi (1-2) allowed only two runs over the first seven innings until the Yankees chased him in the eighth. He was charged with five runs and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings during his first career outing against New York. He struck out five and walked one. It was Eovaldi’s fourth outing since coming back from a second Tommy John surgery. The right-hander pitched for the Yankees from 2015-16, going 14-3 in 2015. With one out in the eighth, Eovaldi gave up consecutive singles to Aaron Judge and Gregorius before issuing an intentional walk to Stanton. Johnny Venters entered and struck out Greg Bird before Sanchez’s bases-loaded line drive to right field skipped past a diving Johnny Field to make it 5-0. LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE The Yankees traded RHP Chad Whitmer to Milwaukee for $59,000 in international signing bonus pool money. That raises New York’s available total to $5,061,000 for the signing period that starts July 2. The 23-year-old Whitmer, a 10th-round pick in the 2017 draft, went 3-0 with a 3.79 ERA for the Gulf Coast Yankees last season in rookie ball. SKIPPING LEVELS According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Loaisiga became the first Yankees player to make his major league debut without appearing in a Triple-A game since INF Ramiro Pena on April 6, 2009, at Boston. The last Yankees pitcher to accomplish the feat was Chase Wright on April 17, 2007, against Cleveland UP NEXT Yankees ace Luis Severino (9-2, 2.27 ERA) tries Saturday to improve to 6-0 at home this season. Tampa Bay is expected to open with right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek on another “bullpen day.”<doc-sep>Happy Fathers Day, friends! Our recap crew was stretched a bit thin today so here you’ll find a brief summary, largely courtesy or Mr. Twitter, and a few observations. If you saw something in the game worthy of further discussion, tell us about it in the comments. The Rays did all their scoring in a three run second inning, stringing together several hits: Now Gomez shoots one by Andújar down the 3rd bass line for an RBI double. Rays have a chance for a big inning here. Still no outs — Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 17, 2018 Duffy comes through with a 2-RBI single. Gets thrown out at 2nd but big time hit to give the #Rays a 3-0 lead — Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 17, 2018 As for the defensive side, the Rays had a true bullpen day, running out five pitchers. Wilmer Font got the Rays in the fifth, giving up one run on a solo homerun. Just the one run against Font as he works a little longer today. pic.twitter.com/Fp0vjJzzLp — Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 17, 2018 Jose Alvarado followed, and he was just a tad shaky but kept the score 3-1. Chaz Roe, Diego Castillo and Sergio Romo followed and were all impressive against the strong Yankee line up. Wilmer Font since coming over to the #Rays: 4 ER in 16.1 innings pitched. That’s a 2.24 ERA. Pretty good. — Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 17, 2018 Walking the 1st batter has not been a successful practice for #Rays relievers — Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 17, 2018 Some other thoughts: Did Willy Adames do something to irritate MLB umpires? I could swear he is getting squeezed at the plate, and not just losing out an the really close calls but on several occasions getting the short end of some pretty badly missed calls. Seeing these tweets confirms some of my suspicions Adames has been getting absolutely no help from the umpires since being recalled — Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 17, 2018 Call hurts #RaysUp Strike 2 should be ball 1 Top 2 Sabathia vs Adames 8% call same 3.1in from edge pic.twitter.com/ieinpfFm9Z — Rays Strike Zone (@RaysUmp) June 17, 2018<doc-sep>

The Yankees and the Rays haven’t faced each other since New York’s home opener at the beginning of April. Now they’ll play each other seven times over the next 11 days. The good news is that the Rays are hovering below the .500 mark, and this should be a winnable series. Game One: Domingo German vs. Blake Snell German has been part of the Yankees’ rotation for a month now, and he has been on quite the rollercoaster ride so far. He got off to a great start, tossing six no-hit innings against Cleveland. However, he followed that performance up with two six-run games. He is coming off of one of his better starts, though, having held the Mets to three runs with nine strikeouts during his last outing. German will square off opposite of Blake Snell, who happens to be one of the Rays‘ two starters. He is putting together a great season (2.30 ERA, 0.98 WHIP). Snell limited the Mariners to two hits last week, and has surrendered just three runs over his last five starts. Game Two: Jonathan Loaisiga vs. Nathan Eovaldi This promises to be an interesting game. There was a lot of speculation about who might replace Masahiro Tanaka in the rotation after he went down with double hamstring sprains last week. Although he only has 25 Double-A innings under his belt, the Yankees decided to call up Jonathan Loaisiga. This could end up being just a spot start, or he could stick around while Tanaka mends. The young right-hander started the season in Tampa before earning a promotion. He has a 3.00 ERA over 45 innings pitched in 2018. There could be worse teams to make your MLB debut against. Loaisiga will face off against our old friend Nathan Eovaldi. This will be just his fourth start since making his way back from Tommy John surgery. He no-hit the Athletics through six innings during his season debut, but has surrendered seven runs in the two starts since then. Game Three: Luis Severino vs. TBD Since Chris Archer is dealing with an abdominal strain (and recently suffered a setback), it’s difficult to predict who will pitch for the Rays over the weekend. Ryan Yarbrough started the day after Eovaldi’s last outing and gave up four earned runs against the Blue Jays. He could get the nod. It‘s no secret that the Rays have had their relievers start games, and have used their bullpen for entire games. The Yankees will likely face them all over the weekend. One thing that we do know for sure is that Severino will start Saturday’s game for New York. He has been dominant this year, with his only rocky outing coming against Boston on April 10th. Game Four: TBD vs. TBD Seems like a questionable decision for the Rays to throw TBD out there two days in a row. This should be CC Sabathia’s start if the Yankees stay on rotation. Unfortunately, the squad will fly to DC for 1.5 games the following day and it’s unclear who will pitch in either of those games just yet. Stay tuned.

Sign up for our What's On newsletter to keep your finger on the pulse of an ever-changing Manchester Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Around 40,000 people took to the streets of London on Sunday for the annual Virgin Money London Marathon. And with so many people running you may have known someone who took part in the gruelling 26.2-mile race. While you may have been able to get a glimpse of a friend or loved one on TV, or from the pavement as they run past, it won't give you an accurate indication of their times and how they are doing. However this year you can check results and check each runners times by simply checking a website or downloading a mobile phone app. You can use the live tracking page on the Virgin Money London Marathon website to check the finish times and results and 5km split times of all the runners. Simply search for them using their surname, first name or running number. The Virgin Money London Marathon 2019 app also provided event week and race day information for athletes and spectators. It also lets you find and track runners who took part in the race as well as times, results and leader board positions. To download the app iPhone users can download it HERE and Android users can download it HERE. The marathon took place on Sunday morning with the first elite athletes starting just after 9am. The mass race started at around 10.10am. Runners headed from the start lines at Blackheath and made their way through the likes of Greenwich, Tower Hill and Canary Wharf, before heading up The Mall past Buckingham Palace to finish. If watching thousands of runners complete the London Marathon has you inspired to get running there is still time to enter this year's Great Manchester Run. Europe's biggest 10k race - which also now incorporates a half marathon - sees tens of thousands of runners take part each year, from those who do it for fun to club and elite athletes. The event is one of the best supported and flattest races of its kind in the country. The half marathon costs £45 per entry and the 10k costs £38. To sign up for this year's event, click HERE.<doc-sep>F riends and family cheering on loved ones as they run the London Marathon can follow their progress using a tracking tool via the official app and online. Spectators can download the app on iPhone and Android devices to track runners during the race. The live tracking facility is also accessible via the official London Marathon website. The app, powered by technology firm TCS, has been redesigned for 2019 and contains tailored advice for runners and spectators. London Marathon 2018 1 /25 London Marathon 2018 Tens of thousands of people took part in the unseasonably warm marathon Getty Images Sir Mo Farah sits on the ground after coming third in the Elite Men's race EPA Katie Price ran the marathon dressed as a pair of lungs to show her support for the British Lung Foundation Getty Images A runner uses a shower to cool off during the race PA A runner collapsed at the finish line after completing the grueling 26 mile race PA Amazing image shows marathon runners race across Tower Bridge PA Participants run across tower bridge as boat glides beneath them PA Man douses himself with water during the hottest marathon on record REUTERS The Men's Elite race kicked off at 10 am Flying high: This man set off on the race dressed as a butterfly Tim P. Whitby/ Getty Images Journalist Bryony Gordon and plus size model Jada Sezer run marathon in their underwear to promote body confidence Tim P. Whitby/ Getty Images Australia's Madison de Rozario appears delighted to win the Women's Wheelchair race EPA David Weir (left) in action during the Men's Wheelchair marathon as the sun hits Buckingham Palace PA Sir Mo Farah finishes third in the Men's Marathon after a grueling race PA Britain's David Weir, left, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's wheelchair race AP Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot (centre) celebrates winning the Women's London Marathon alongside second placed Kenya's Brigid Kosgei and third placed Ethiopia's Tadelech Bekele PA Britain's Lily Partridge crosses the finish line in the Women's elite race REUTERS Britain's Mo Farah and Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge in action during the men's elite race REUTERS The Elite Men reach the halfway point, as seen from Tower Bridge PA Wishful thinking? A fun runner dressed in costume despite warm weather warnings Tim P. Whitby/ Getty Images Eight legs or two? A man with an octopus outfit during the race Tim P. Whitby/ Getty Images Experts advised runners not to aim for their personal best as the temperature was expected to rise to 23C Tim P. Whitby/ Getty Images Caged beast: this runner was on the move in a warm looking outfit Tim P. Whitby/ Getty Images Participants were offered more water and ice than usual during the race due to the harsh conditions Tim P. Whitby/ Getty Images Vivian Cheruiyot wins the Elite Women's race, with Buckingham Palace looking glorious in the background Getty Images It includes a detailed interactive map showing the start area, finish area and several new points of interest on route. The app also offers Race Day information such as details of live bands and pub venues along the course, split times, leaderboard positions and live results throughout the day. The tracking page online will show also show results on Race Day. Runners are searchable by surname or running number and updates will appear as they cross the timing mats at 5km intervals. The page will show an estimate of the runner's location based on pace. You can track runners from 7am on Sunday. The app is handy for those who want to spot their loved ones from the crowd on race day but is also a great tool for those who are unable to make it into London and want to keep tabs on individual runners.<doc-sep>Wearing a fitness tracker during a marathon may add up to 11 miles to a runner’s race, a study has found. Ahead of Sunday’s London Marathon, research suggested several trackers do not provide wearers with accurate information on the distance they have covered. Consumer company Which? tested the reliability of 118 fitness trackers and smartwatches. It discovered the Garmin Vivosmart 4 – which costs £119.99 – was the least reliable gadget tested. It added 10.8 miles to the marathon distance, meaning that by the time the device had clocked 26.2 miles, runners would have in fact run 37 miles. Samsung’s Gear S2 was also found to miscalculate the distance according to the research, saying the wearer had reached marathon distance only after they had run 36.2 miles. Recommended What I learned from running the hottest London Marathon on record The Misfit Ray, Xiaomi Amazfit Bip, Fitbit Zip and Polar A370 were all also named as devices which carried runners past the 30-mile mark in testing. Meanwhile the Huawei Watch 2 Sport watch – which is available to purchase for £179.99 – took seven miles off the correct distance, indicating runners had completed it after just 18.9 miles. Of the several Apple watches tested, the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS – which retails between £279 and £379 – was the least reliable, saying the marathon distance target had been hit at 22.8 miles. In order to test the fitness trackers and smartwatches, Which? used a calibrated treadmill to compare the accuracy of the gadgets when logging steps and when recording distance travelled. Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?, outlined the importance of ensuring fitness trackers are not “jeopardising” the finish times of marathon runners. “Our tests have found a number of models from big-name brands that can’t be trusted when it comes to measuring distance, so before you buy, make sure you do your research to find a model that you can rely on,” Ms Hitchins said. In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: London Marathon 2016 In pictures: London Marathon 2016 A runner dress as a Stormtrooper from the movie, Star Wars during the London Marathon Getty Images In pictures: London Marathon 2016 A pair of runners supporting Water Aid compete dressed as a camel during the London Marathon Getty Images In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Performers entertain the crowd ahead of the London Marathon Getty Images In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Athletes begin the mass start during the London Marathon Getty Images In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Charlotte Purdue of Great Britain passes Big Ben during the London Marathon Getty Images In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Runners cross the finish line on The Mall at the London Marathon Getty Images In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Runners pass next to the Shard building during the London Marathon Reuters In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Athletes prepare as they arrive ahead of the London Marathon Getty Images In pictures: London Marathon 2016 Runners pass Big Ben during the London Marathon Getty In pictures: London Marathon 2016 A runner in fancy dress during the London Marathon Getty Images A Garmin spokesperson explained that the sports brand’s Vivosmart 4 watch may not have fared well in the study because it does not feature GPS. “The Vivosmart 4 is an all-round smart fitness activity tracker used to monitor wellness, health and fitness for a range of activities,” the spokesperson said. “As the Vivosmart 4 does not incorporate GPS, our recommendation for someone who is running long distances such as a marathon would be to choose a tracking device such as our Forerunner range, which is dedicated to running and incorporates GPS.” A Huawei spokesperson said ”individual runner variances” may have affected the study’s findings. “With regards to running indoors, as this particular test was carried out on a treadmill, the algorithm of Huawei Watch 2 Sport calculates the user’s stride length from the acceleration sensor data while running at different speeds.” For all the latest news on the London Marathon, click here.<doc-sep>The London Marathon is very nearly with us again, one of the biggest distance-running events in the world, bringing together people of all ages and abilities on one course. Such an epic 26-mile undertaking means that entrants need all the support they can get, and thanks to advances in technology it's now a great deal easier to track your friends' progress than it was back in 1981, when the Marathon was born. So whether you're at home, on the go, or spectating around the course, here are a few tips on how to follow your runners throughout the day. Official app and online tracker The Virgin Money London Marathon ran its own mobile app, powered by TCS, for the first time in 2015, to make it easier for friends and family of participants to track the race as it progresses. The service was available on Android for the first time in 2017, having previously been an iPhone exclusive, while last year's was downloaded 360,000 times. New features for 2019 including tracking an unlimited number of friends and family, with progress monitored every five kilometres.<doc-sep>

London Marathon 2019: Thousands of runners are taking to the streets today London Marathon: Eliud Kipchoge wins elite men’s race The London Marathon is one of the biggest events in the global running calendar, where thousands of athletes, amateurs and celebrities will run 26.2miles through the capital’s streets. Donning dress-up outfits, carrying heavy items and raising money for charity are all part and parcel of the London Marathon’s spirit. Here’s all the information you need to know about today’s sporting event. Race Route The marathon will start in Blackheath and will track east through Woolwich for three miles before turn west through Greenwich past the Cutty Sark. Runners will then cross the river at Tower Bridge before passing around the Isle Of Dogs and through Canary Wharf, before turning west again. The last stint sees competitors pass London Bridge, run along Embankment to Parliament Square before finishing on the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. The full route can be seen on the official Virgin Money London Marathon map further down the page. London Marathon 2019: Official London Marathon course map What time does the marathon start? As there are different events for varying abilities, the race has a staggered start. The official start times for the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 28 April are as follows: 9.05am – Elite Wheelchair Races 9.10am – World Para Athletics Marathon Championships Ambulant Athletes 9.25am – Virgin Money London Marathon for Elite Women 10.10am – Elite Men and the British Athletics and England Athletics Championships for Men and Women and the Virgin Money London Marathon Mass Start How to track friends and family who are running If you know your loved one’s pace, you can have a look on the official website here to see around about where they will be depending on the time per mile. You can also track your friend, family member or even famous runners such as Mo Farah on the Virgin Money London Marathon tracking page. This page has been up and running from 7am and you can search either by surname or running number to find and follow your runner as they travel through the course. Updates for where the runners are will appear as they cross the pre-set timing points at 5km intervals. The page will also display an estimate of the runners' location based on their pace. London Marathon 2019: Sir Mo Farah is taking part in the London Marathon this year How to watch the marathon You can check out Express.co.uk’s guide to watching the London Marathon in the city here. You can also catch the action live on TV and Radio - courtesy of the BBC. Live coverage will be shown from 8.30am until 10am on BBC2, and from 10am until 2.30pm on BBC1. From 2.35pm until 5pm live coverage will be available via the BBC Red Button, and highlights from the day of racing will be shown from 6pm on BBC2. London Marathon 2019: Around 40,000 runners are taking part this year Chris Evans advises caller on how to deal with marathon nerves

Police say that the victim approached the church after the incident to post a formal complaint against the priest. (File) Police say that the victim approached the church after the incident to post a formal complaint against the priest. (File) A rape case against a priest belonging to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has been filed in Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district of Kerala. The complainant, a married woman of two children, alleges that the priest in question, Binu George who was in the Mavelikara diocese of the church at the time, raped her inside the church office in Koipally in 2014 after calling her to solve a family matter. “They spoke for about half-an-hour regarding the family dispute. Then he closed doors and sexually assaulted her,” said a crime branch officer in charge of the investigation. Police say that the victim approached the church after the incident to post a formal complaint against the priest. After several consultations, he was reportedly transferred to another church in Ranni in another district. But the priest reportedly continued harassing the victim by sending her lewd messages and spreading rumours about her, said the officer. A case of rape under section 376 (2f) of the IPC has been charged against Fr George and will be investigated by the crime branch of the Kerala Police. It is not clear whether the accused priest is still based in Ranni. The case comes just weeks after another married woman accused four priests belonging to different dioceses of the Orthodox church in Kerala for blackmailing her over a ‘confession’ she made in church and sexually assaulting her over the years. The priests have been booked for rape by the crime branch. The woman’s husband, in an interview to the Indian Express, said he wants the accused priests to be defrocked so that they are made an example of before the community.<doc-sep>Kerala Orthodox church 'sex-for-silence' row: Crime Branch books 4 priests for rape Four priests viz. Fr Abraham Varghese, Fr Job Mathew, Fr Johnson Mathew and Fr Jaise George have been booked. news Crime The Crime Branch (CB) in Kerala on Monday booked four priests of the Malankara Orthodox church on charges of rape and molesting a woman. A man from Thiruvalla had alleged that five priests of the church had been sexually abusing his wife for several years, after one of them threatened her using her confession secret. Four priests viz. Fr Abraham Varghese, Fr Job Mathew, Fr Johnson Mathew and Fr Jaise George have been booked on charges of rape and molestation. The case was registered against the priests after the investigating team recorded the survivor's statement. According to CB sources, Fr Job Mathew is accused of blackmailing the survivor using her confession secret way back in 2009. While the survivor's husband has accused five priests, sources in the department say that the survivor has named only four priests. The survivor had reportedly confessed about her relationship prior to her marriage to Fr Job, after which, he allegedly threatened that he would disclose it to the survivor's husband. Subsequently, more priests began to threaten her and demand sexual favours. On Friday, days after the case came to light, state DGP Loknath Behera directed the CB to initiate a probe into the issue. This development comes in the wake of mounting pressure on the state police for not having registered a suo motu case, despite the survivor's husband revealing to the media that his wife was sexually abused. The survivor's husband had also alleged that despite him complaining to the Church months ago, it took no action against the accused priests. Meanwhile, the Church relieved the accused priests from their official duties and sent them on leave, instead of proceeding with disciplinary action or reporting the crime to the police. Police finally intervened after criticism arose even from National Commission for Women (NCW) and Communist leader VS Achuthanandan writing to the state DGP to initiate a probe into the allegations.<doc-sep>A woman has accused 5 priests of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of sexually abusing, blackmailing her. Five priests in Kerala are being investigated over allegations that they sexually assaulted a woman for almost 20 years in a cycle of abuse and blackmail. Two of the priests today approached a court for protection from arrest. The woman's story was exposed when an audio clip of her husband complaining to a church official was posted and circulated online. The 36-year-old man has alleged that the priests, who are based at the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kottayam, sexually abused and blackmailed his wife for years. It started when, as a teenager in the 1990s, the woman was allegedly forced into sex by a priest. She confessed to a second priest, who allegedly blackmailed her into sex. Speaking to NDTV, her husband said when she reached out to the priests for help, they threatened and assaulted her. "The main culprit, the Father, promised to marry her and continued to manipulate her. The Father was a student at that time. Even after finishing his seminary and becoming a priest, he continued the same pattern. Even after we got married in 2006, the priest continued to sexually abuse my wife, blackmail her, saying that he would tell me everything. I got to know all this only in February," the husband said. Then two more priests threatened her and forced her into sex, the woman has reportedly told the police. The woman has recorded her statement with the police and provided horrifying details about the role of priests who allegedly used her confessions to blackmail her. The police have filed a rape case against the four priests. No arrests have been made yet. "We have filed cases of rape against the priests because though this may appear consensual, there is blackmailing involved. And this amounts to rape. There are several procedures involved before the arrest, which includes the statement to the court. Arrests will follow," a senior crime branch official told NDTV. The woman's husband alleges that he is under immense pressure from the church and its followers. The woman is currently with her parents. While the police has recorded her statement, the church has not heard her yet, according to the husband. In another case, a nun has filed a complaint against a Roman Catholic Bishop Father Mullakal in Jalandhar, alleging that he sexually abused her several times between 2014 and 2016. However, it was the bishop who filed a first complaint saying that he was being threatened after he took disciplinary action against the Sister. The police have filed a case of rape against the bishop. Christianity is the country's third-biggest religion according to the 2011 census, with approximately 28 million followers or 2.3 percent of the population.<doc-sep>

Kerala church sex-for-silence case: Survivor tells cops how her story unfolded from 1999 Police officers told TNM that her declaration to the Church will not stand in a court of law. news Crime The controversy surrounding sexual abuse allegations against five priests of Malankara Orthodox Church in Kerala has turned murkier. On Monday, Mathrubhumi News aired portions of a declaration said to be hand-written by the survivor, in which she mentions five priests of the Orthodox church. This document was reportedly given to the Church by her husband along with his complaint two months ago. However, a senior police officer with the Kerala Crime Branch who is part of the investigation told TNM that the statement will not stand in a court of law. He added that the ‘declaration’ that hinted at consensual relationships was only half the truth as there are clear signs of abuse in each of these ‘relationships’. "This declaration cannot be considered as proof, it is only one that was given to the Church. We have recorded the survivor's detailed statement, in which she has said that one of the priests threatened her using her confession statement, based on which, we have booked them," the officer said. The survivor had on Sunday given a statement to the Crime Branch, that is investigating the case. A senior officer in the Crime Branch, part of the investigation team that has now booked four priests for rape and molestation, however said that the declaration given to the Church does not hold any legal importance. According to sources in the Crime Branch, the survivor's relationship (prior to her wedding) with Fr Abraham Varghese began in 1999. She was a minor then and Abraham was studying to be a priest. Though the priest got married, he wanted her to continue the relationship, according to her statement. It went on after her wedding too. In 2009, during her child's baptism, she reportedly confessed to another priest about her relationship with Fr Abraham Varghese. He in turn, is alleged to have threatened her and demanded sexual favours. Following this, she confided in another priest Fr Job Mathew who was also her friend. TNM does not have details of the nature of her complaint against him. The fourth priest that she has mentioned in her complaint is a counsellor who works with the church. During the course of counseling, this priest is also alleged to have sexually abused her. From December 2016 onwards, the counsellor had asked the woman to book themselves in five star hotels. The survivor told the police that unable to afford the hotel bills, she was even forced to borrow or steal money from her family. The Crime Branch has booked four priests Fr Abraham Varghese, Fr Job Mathew, Fr Johnson Mathew and Fr Jaise George on charges of rape and molestation.

"We're going to have to wait until the flood waters recede until we know the full expanse of the toll on the people of Mozambique," OCHA co-ordinator Sebastian Rhodes Stampa said.<doc-sep>BY Xolisani Ncube THE death toll from the Eastern Highlands floods has skyrocketed after a whole village, police station and government complex at Rusitu in Chimanimani were swept away as hundreds of people remain unaccounted for, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said yesterday. Rescue workers continue searching for survivors one week after Cyclone Idai ripped through the southern Africa countries of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, leaving many dead and property destroyed. Addressing a Press briefing at State House last night, Mnangagwa declared two days of national mourning starting tomorrow in respect of those who perished in the disaster. “As we now know, we have lost many citizens, with the human toll set to reach several hundreds,” he said. While visiting the worst affected areas in Chimanimani and Chipinge on Wednesday, Mnangagwa was greeted by horrific accounts of “many who continue to grieve the loss of loved ones, and are living in the hope of recovering their remains”. “In Rusitu, I saw with unmitigated disrepair big boulders recklessly strewn on what used to be a resettlement, a banana market and even a police post. In respect of the latter, both the serving officer and prisoner were washed away alongside other government structure and private residences. The resettlement was completely washed away and the remains of the occupants unaccounted for to this day,” he said. Mnangagwa said from tomorrow, citizens will take time to remember the victims of the cyclone. “We expect all citizens, both individually and collectively, and in different ways which are informed by their faiths, beliefs and cultures to remember our entire dear departed by way of prayers and in whatever other forms and practices,” he stated. Chimanimani district and some parts of Chipinge, near the border with Mozambique, bore the brunt of Cyclone Idai and have been cut off from the rest of the country, with rescue teams still battling to reach some marooned people. Mnangagwa said while the search for the missing people continues, his administration would focus on recovering and decently burying any bodies or remains still outstanding. He said government would ensure adequate food relief to affected families and communities between now and the next harvest and provide free medical services to those affected by the cyclone. Government will also provide temporary shelter to victims of the cyclone and safe clean water. Do you have a coronavirus story? You can email us on: [email protected]<doc-sep>BY BLESSED MHLANGA The death toll from Cyclone Idai rose to 98, while 217 people were confirmed missing as relief efforts intensified yesterday after the weather abated with officials trying to ascertain the devastation that has created a humanitarian crisis and left a trail of destruction. Information ministry said 102 people were injured while 42 are marooned. He said most infrastructure, including roads and bridges had been washed away in Chimanimani, but the army had cleared some roads allowing aid to reach victims. Rains have also dissipated enough to allow the army and other well-wishers to deploy helicopters for air rescue although large parts remained inaccessible by road. The ministry said President Emmerson Mnangagwa was making plans to visit Manicaland today while the leader of the opposition MDC Nelson Chamisa toured some of the affected areas yesterday and made donations of blankets, food and clothing which he said were from the members of his party. The scale of destruction will become clearer as relief workers make their way into the most affected areas. Chimanimani district, which is near the border with Mozambique and bore the brunt of the cyclone, has been cut off from the rest of the country. Torrential rains and winds whose speed topped 170km per hour knocked down power and communication lines and swept away roads and bridges in the mountanious region while Chipinge and parts of Masvingo were also devastated. Mnangagwa, who cut short his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the weekend to deal with the disaster, described the devastation as the worst in the history of the country and that its effects will be felt for a long time. “The human toll has been horrendous, far exceeding what we have seen or experienced before in our history as a nation,” he said yesterday. “We know others were killed in their sleep from swift and unexpected rock falls which demolished their homes and other forms of institutional shelter, still others met their tragic fate from overwhelming landslides which suffocated, before swiftly burying them under. We believe to this day many still lie unrecovered beneath mounds of debris that hit them with such overwhelming fury in their sleep that they stood no chance.” Mnangagwa said he would be going to Manicaland to lead relief efforts already underway. “No efforts or resources will be spared to reach all those in distress, any extra life lost is one too many. I shall be leaving for Manicaland tomorrow (today) to acquaint myself with and personally lend weight to rescue efforts already underway,” he said. The President said the UAE had since dispatched aid and appealed to the international community to join relief efforts. On his part, Chamisa told NewsDay that he had been met with decaying bodies, families trapped on islands and mountain tops with no access to help or aid. “What we have seen here is heart-breaking, bodies are decomposing because relatives are either unaware that their relatives are dead in and some cases they are cut off from where the deceased are,” Chamisa said from Nyanyadzi Hospital in Chimanimani. “We are appealing to the international community to come to the aid of our people, most of them have no homes to go back to, their homes have been washed away, some are still trapped on islands and our reaction as the State is very slow and, painfully, could be leading to the loss of more lives, we need help.” Chamisa said the State had been caught napping and had failed to prevent the calamity. “We have been caught napping and this just exposed how behind we are in quick response. People could have been evacuated, but instead they were told to close their doors. Some were swept away in their sleep and sad stories of children who were retrieved hanging from trees on the river bed,” he said. Mozambique’s President Felipe Nyusi said on national radio that the number of people killed in the storms and floods caused by the cyclone in the country could exceed 1 000. Villages had disappeared and bodies were floating in the water, he said in a report by Reuters. “Everything indicates that we can register more than one thousand deaths,” he said. The Red Cross described the damage on Beira, which felt the first impact of the cyclone, as horrifying. “The scale of damage caused by Cyclone Idai that hit the Mozambican city of Beira is massive and horrifying,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a statement yesterday. In a related development, Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) said its supply stations have been affected by flooding. The stations have either lost power or their pumping equipment flooded and that it was unable to provide water to people serviced by the affected water supply stations. “Stations that have been affected are mostly in the Save Catchment, which covers mostly Manicaland, and Runde Catchment which mostly covers Masvingo,” Zinwa said in a statement. “Stations that stand affected in Save Catchment are Murambinda, Checheche, Birchenough Bridge, Nyanyadzi, Chakohwa, Chibuwe, Matendeudze, Biriwiri, Murambinda, Buhera, Nyanga, Tanganda, Zimunya and Mutasa.” “Also affected are Gutu, Zaka, Mutimurefu and Ngundu Water Supply stations in Runde Catchment.” The water authority said it shall be providing potable water to the areas using tanks and water bowsers until normal service was restored. Meanwhile, the United Nations, in statement by Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the secretary-general said it was ready to work with Zimbabwean authorities in response to the humanitarian disaster. “The United Nations expresses its solidarity with the Zimbabwe authorities and stands ready to work with them as they respond to the humanitarian needs resulting from this disaster,” the statement read. Local organisation, Green Building Council of Zimbabwe yesterday urged the corporate world to assist affected families. “In the wake of the disaster, we want to exhort corporates, especially mining companies to support the communities that have lost their loved ones and homes. As Green Building Council of Zimbabwe, we are co-ordinating the relief effort on behalf of mining companies and other corporates and would like to appeal to the entities to extend a helping hand,” Memory Mugova, Green Building Council of Zimbabwe general-secretary said in a statement. Do you have a coronavirus story? You can email us on: [email protected]<doc-sep>

The death toll in Mozambique after a cyclone tore through southern Africa and triggered devastating floods has jumped to 417, and the situation remains critical. The storm has also killed 259 in Zimbabwe, and that number was expected to rise, relief agencies said. In Malawi, 56 people died in heavy rains before the onset of Idai. That puts the total death toll at more than 700. The disaster is so widespread it can now be seen from space. A photo by the European Space Agency shows the flooding covering a wide area in the vicinity of the Buzi River in Mozambique. Cyclone Idai lashed the Mozambican port city of Beira with winds of up to 170km/h last week, then moved inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi, flattening buildings and putting the lives of millions at risk. In horror scenes, witnesses have described the sight of “300 to 400” bodies washed up on a highway in Mozambique as aid agencies scrambled to help survivors of a tragedy of “biblical proportions” visible from space. “The situation is getting better, still critical, but it’s getting better,” Land and Environment Minister Celso Correia said on Saturday, adding that it was becoming easier to work on the ground. “But unfortunately the number of dead is increasing, we have now 417 people [in Mozambique] who have lost their lives.” The storm’s rains caused the Buzi and Pungwe rivers to burst their banks. United Nations Office for the co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday that the Buzi and Zambezi rivers were at risk of breaking their banks again. “We’re going to have to wait until the flood waters recede until we know the full expanse of the toll on the people of Mozambique,” OCHA co-ordinator Sebastian Rhodes Stampa said. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Friday that cases of cholera have been reported in Beira, a port city of 500,000 people. Both Correia and Rhodes Stampa said that cholera and other waterborne diseases were not yet a problem, though floodwaters were dirty and the risk of disease spreading was high. Cholera is spread by faeces in sewage contaminating water or food, and outbreaks can develop quickly in a humanitarian crisis where sanitation systems are disrupted. It can kill within hours if left untreated. To help the crisis in southern Africa, donate to Doctors Without Borders, which has teams on the ground in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, The International Rescue Committee, which has deployed medical staff and supplies to a mobile clinic in Zimbabwe, or Save The Children, which has delivered 56 tonnes of aid to Mozambique.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of a Buddhist inmate in Texas whose request that his spiritual adviser be present in the execution chamber had been denied. In a brief, unsigned order, the court said that Texas may not execute the inmate, Patrick H. Murphy, “unless the state permits Murphy’s Buddhist spiritual adviser or another Buddhist reverend of the state’s choosing to accompany Murphy in the execution chamber during the execution.” Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil M. Gorsuch said they would have allowed the execution to proceed. In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote that the state’s policy of allowing only Christian and Muslim chaplains to attend executions amounted to unconstitutional religious discrimination. “The government may not discriminate against religion generally or against particular religious denominations,” he wrote. “In this case,” he wrote, “the relevant Texas policy allows a Christian or Muslim inmate to have a state-employed Christian or Muslim religious adviser present either in the execution room or in the adjacent viewing room. But inmates of other religious denominations — for example, Buddhist inmates such as Murphy — who want their religious adviser to be present can have the religious adviser present only in the viewing room and not in the execution room itself for their executions.”<doc-sep>(CNN) — The Supreme Court agreed Thursday night to halt the execution of a Texas inmate, Patrick Henry Murphy, after he argued that the state was refusing to allow his Buddhist spiritual adviser to accompany him into the chamber. “The State may not carry out Murphy’s execution,” the court said in an unsigned order, “unless the State permits Murphy’s Buddhist spiritual adviser or another Buddhist reverend of the State’s choosing to accompany Murphy in the execution chamber during the execution.” Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch would have denied the stay. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote to explain why he voted to grant the application. “The government may not discriminate against religion generally or against particular religious denominations,” Kavanaugh wrote. The case marks the second time in recent weeks that the justices have been asked to put an execution on hold because a prison policy allows Christian or Muslim chaplains who are prison employees to be present, but not advisers of other religions. The prison forbids advisers of other denominations who are not prison employees into the chamber out of security concerns. The cases pit an inmate’s claims of religious liberty against prison officials who say the requests are meritless and simply last-ditch attempts to avoid execution. Murphy, on death row for the murder of police officer Aubrey Hawkins in 2000, was scheduled to die at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, but the court stayed the execution after 9 p.m. In a flurry of last-minute petitions, lawyers for Murphy said the state violated his religious liberty because it blocked the Rev. Hui-Yong Shih from being present in the execution chamber. Back in February, in a strikingly similar case out of Alabama, a deeply divided Supreme Court split 5-4 and allowed the execution of an inmate, Domineque Ray, go forward despite the fact that Ray argued that his religious freedom rights were violated when the prison barred his imam from being present at the execution. The Alabama prison only employed a Christian chaplain. The conservatives on the court said they acted because Ray had waited too long to seek review. But Justice Elena Kagan wrote a scathing dissent, joined by the three other liberal justices on the bench, calling the majority’s move “profoundly wrong.” “Here, Ray has put forward a powerful claim that his religious rights will be violated at the moment the State puts him to death,” Kagan wrote, saying that the treatment “goes against the Establishment Clause’s core principle of denominational neutrality.” She said her colleagues in the majority should have allowed the lower court to hear the claim in full. Supporters of religious liberty also heavily criticized the Conservatives’ vote. Writing for the National Review, David French called it a “grave injustice.” In explaining his vote in the Texas case Thursday night, Kavanaugh offered one reason – in a footnote – that might explain why he voted in favor of Murphy after he had cleared the way for Ray’s execution. “I conclude that Murphy made his request to the State in a sufficiently timely manner, one month before the scheduled execution,” Kavanaugh wrote. Kavanaugh also said that states had two options going forward: allow all inmates to have a religious adviser of their religion in the execution room or allow inmates to have a religious adviser, including a state-employed chaplain, only in the viewing room, not the execution room. “What the State may not do, in my view, is allow Christian or Muslim inmates but not Buddhist inmates to have a religious adviser of their religion in the execution room,” he said. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had argued in briefs that the court should rule against the inmate because “he is dilatory, he fails to show likely success on the merits for a variety of reasons, he fails to show irreparable harm” and that the prison’s execution protocol that prohibits chaplains who are not employees from the execution chamber has been in place since July 2012. Paxton said the policy is meant to ensure the “safety and security” of the execution process. The case prompted a friend of the court brief filed by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit law firm. Lead lawyer Eric Rassbach said he was filing the brief to “clarify the law” because he was concerned that the “time-compressed nature” of the appeal could “obscure” important religious liberty issues at stake, and that the justices were sure to face similar petitions in the future. “The right of a condemned person to the comfort of clergy – and the rights of clergy to comfort the condemned – are among the longest-standing and most well-recognized forms of religious exercise known to civilization,” he wrote. “Texas is no doubt capable of making this accommodation if required to do so,” Rassbach added. After the court acted, Rassbach issued a statement. “Religious liberty won today,” he said. “The Supreme Court made it clear that the First Amendment applies to every American, no matter their faith.”<doc-sep>After the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of a Buddhist man who wanted his spiritual adviser present, the American Civil Liberties Union questioned the court’s apparent inconsistency in ruling against a Muslim on Alabama’s Death Row in February. Alabama executed Domineque Haim Marcelle Ray on Feb. 7 after the U.S. Supreme Court denied his request for a stay based on the inmate’s request to have his Muslim spiritual adviser at his side when he died. This week, it was a similar situation with a Buddhist on Death Row in Texas. The Supreme Court agreed Thursday night to halt the execution of a Texas inmate, Patrick Henry Murphy, after he argued that the state was refusing to allow his Buddhist spiritual adviser to accompany him into the chamber. The court said, “The State may not carry out Murphy's execution unless the State permits Murphy's Buddhist spiritual adviser or another Buddhist reverend of the State's choosing to accompany Murphy in the execution chamber during the execution." “This is good news, but we can’t forget this is the same court that denied a Muslim man the same right just last month,” the ACLU said . “People of all faiths are entitled to religious freedom.” Ray had requested that his volunteer chaplain, Yusef Maisonet, imam of Masjid As Salaam in Mobile, be allowed to pray with him in the execution chamber before he was put to death. Ray filed a lawsuit claiming that the ADOC’s denial of the request violates federal law and the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on government establishment of a religion.<doc-sep>

The Supreme Court blocked the execution of a Texas inmate on Thursday after state officials declined to let his spiritual adviser be present for the moment of his death. Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael KavanaughDemocrats: Roe v. Wade blow would fuel expanding Supreme Court Klobuchar offers tribute to her father, who died Wednesday Conservative justices split in ruling for immigrant fighting deportation MORE voted with the court's liberal justices to halt the execution of Patrick Henry Murphy, convicted for the murder of a police officer, after the state of Texas refused to allow his Buddhist spiritual adviser to be present in the execution chamber. A Texas state policy forbids chaplains who are not state employees from being in the same room when the execution is carried out. ADVERTISEMENT "As this Court has repeatedly held, governmental discrimination against religion — in particular, discrimination against religious persons, religious organizations, and religious speech — violates the Constitution," Kavanaugh wrote in his concurring opinion. "The government may not discriminate against religion generally or against particular religious denominations. "In this case, the relevant Texas policy allows a Christian or Muslim inmate to have a state-employed Christian or Muslim religious adviser present either in the execution room or in the adjacent viewing room," Kavanaugh continued. Buddhists or members of other denominations, he noted, "can have the religious adviser present only in the viewing room and not in the execution room itself for their executions. In my view, the Constitution prohibits such denominational discrimination." Two other conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, ruled that the execution should proceed, according to court documents. Murphy, who was first imprisoned for aggravated assault, escaped prison as a member of the "Texas 7" gang of criminals. The group killed a police officer, Aubrey Hawkins, while robbing a sporting goods store on Christmas Eve of 2000. Murphy was convicted of capitol murder in the case. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) celebrated the stay of Murphy's execution in a statement released on Twitter. "This is good news, but we can't forget this is the same court that denied a Muslim man the same right just last month," the ACLU tweeted, referencing a case in which an Alabama man was denied a stay of execution by the Supreme Court. "The only real difference between Domineque Ray's and Patrick Murphy Patrick Erin MurphyThe Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Divided House on full display Mast fends off Democratic challenge to retain Florida House seat Supreme Court rules that large swath of Oklahoma belongs to Indian reservation MORE's requests to have clergy members of their own faiths at their executions is that Ray is a Muslim and Murphy is not. The Supreme Court's divergent rulings once again suggest that Muslims are not treated equally."

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — As the search for a missing University of Iowa student continues, much has been made of a startling statistic on missing persons in that state. Forty-eight Iowa juveniles have gone missing so far in July, a development that has sparked a flood of social media warnings and theories. However, that number becomes less shocking in a review of missing persons statistics. Heavy regional news coverage of the disappearance of Mollie Tibbetts, 20, of Brooklyn, Iowa, about 60 miles east of Des Moines, has led to more focus on missing children. While a missing child is certainly cause for worry, concern has morphed into rumors that make it appear as though every child who goes missing is the victim of abduction or sex trafficking. ► July 28:University of Iowa student goes missing, hasn't been seen 10 days ► April 19:Cops: Teen who helped search for missing friend was his killer ► April 12:An autistic teen is missing. Why it's a common problem for families. One Twitter user, Shannon Kelly of Chicago, posted this: "19 boys and 17 girls between the ages of 13-20 went missing within a 10-day period in Iowa. Don't think it can't happen to you. It's happening across rural and urban Iowa, especially in towns close to I-80. Be alert. Stay safe. And if you see something, say something." The post has been retweeted more than 5,000 times and received more than 5,000 likes. Interpreting this data is a bit more complicated. In 2017, 4,311 Iowa juveniles were reported missing to the national missing persons clearinghouse, said spokeswoman Medina Rahmanovic of the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The average: about 12 kids a day. The number includes people younger than 18 who are not considered lost, kidnapped or endangered in some way. The majority of missing children or teens are believed to have run away, Rahmanovic said. ► Jan. 23:Suspect agrees to plea deal in Holly Bobo murder ► Dec. 11:Dad frantically searches for missing son on Oregon streets Each entry on the Department of Public Safety's website is a separate incident, not a separate person, which makes the data more difficult to interpret. A single juvenile can be listed in several cases throughout the year, depending on how often the youth goes missing. "We have juvenile runaways who run multiple times," Rahmanovic said. "One juvenile can run three or four times, and that contributes to that big number." In South Dakota, the Attorney General's Office maintains the missing persons clearinghouse. Unlike Iowa, its website does not list specific reports but does include statistics. ► Dec. 1:Missing Florida teen found safe in New York, police say ► July 2017:Loved ones struggle to make sense of missing men's brutal deaths In 2015 in the state, 1,472 missing children reports were made. More recent data was not available. "While this number can vary every day, I would say that the number of active missing on any given day has risen from over the last few years," Attorney General spokeswoman Sara Rabern said in email. "My current estimate would be ... 40 to 65 children missing at any given time." Across the USA in 2017, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children said it assisted law enforcement and families with more than 27,000 cases of missing children. That averages about 75 a day. More than 9 in 10 were runaways, and 1 in 7 of those youth were likely victims of sex trafficking, the center said. Of those, 88% were in the care of social services when they went missing. Strangers kidnap about 100 children, a fraction of 1% of missing-children cases, according to the Polly Klaas Foundation, a Petaluma, California, nonprofit dedicated to child safety and the recovery of missing children. Polly Klaas, 12, was kidnapped Oct. 1, 1993, from her Petaluma home; her body was found two months later. The FBI's National Crime Information Center missing-person numbers, which encompass all ages, back that up. About 2.5% of more than 650,000 cases opened last year involved suspected abductions, a little more than 45 a day nationwide. At the end of the year, about 88,000 of all missing-persons cases remained active, which could include cases not closed from previous years. The FBI did not state how many of those open cases were suspected kidnappings. While sex trafficking may not be the cause of every missing person case in either Iowa or South Dakota, it is a problem. The National Human Trafficking Hotline recorded 74 reports of human trafficking of all ages in Iowa in 2017 while 16 reports of human trafficking were made in South Dakota in the same year. ► July 2017:Podcast finding new clues and reviving 11-year-old abduction case ► July 2017:Grad student charged with kidnapping missing Chinese scholar Nationally, more than 8,500 cases were called into the hotline in 2017. A little more than three-quarters were sex trafficking; much of the rest was labor trafficking, a form of modern-day slavery that includes forced labor. South Dakota's annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally also has been a draw for sex traffickers looking to exploit victims. At last year's rally, nine men were arrested during a sting. Sex trafficking is a real problem that deserves serious scrutiny, but many recent posts on Twitter and Facebook can spark undue fear. ► May 2017:What Tennessee teacher accused of abducting student did on the run ► April 2017:Remains of missing Michigan teen found in grave, arrest made High-profile cases also can stir interest in missing children who are at risk. The Iowa Department of Public Safety has received many calls about missing persons statistics since Tibbetts' disappearance, Rahmanovic said. "Unfortunately, events like Mollie's have to happen to get people to start looking at missing persons," she said. Follow Katie Nelson on Twitter: @katienjourno Related ► March 2017:Arizona dad ponders son's fate in lost-at-sea mystery ► December 2016:Body found believed to be that of ex-'Bridalplasty' contestant ► November 2016:Missing son of Rep. John Conyers found alive ► September 2016:FBI renews search for California student missing 20 years ► February 2016:Lauren Spierer search warrants to remain sealed, judge says<doc-sep>The father of missing Iowa jogger Mollie Tibbetts has "reluctantly" returned to his home in California as the investigation into his daughter's mysterious disappearance continues. "Very reluctantly, I'm being told I sort of need to do this," Rob Tibbetts told ABC affiliate KCRG in Cedar Rapids. "We've called this sort of a halftime, a break." Mollie Tibbetts, a 20-year-old rising sophomore at the University of Iowa, vanished the evening of July 18 while jogging in the rural farming town of Brooklyn, a close-knit community of about 1,500 residents. The disappearance was completely out of character for her, said Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of field operations for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, at a news conference last week. The state agency has formed a task force with the FBI and the Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office to investigate. Authorities encouraged the missing jogger's family to return to their day-to-day lives, Rob Tibbetts told KCRG, adding that he still feels confident his daughter will be found. "I still feel that way, we all feel that way, that's why it's difficult," Rob Tibbetts said. "I want to be there when she arrives." Though he returned to California this weekend, Rob Tibbetts told KCRG he'll return to Iowa as soon as there are any developments in the case. He also said he wants to spread the word about his missing daughter across the country, KCRG reported. Laura Calderwood, Mollie Tibbetts' mother, told ABC News last month there are "no words to describe how you feel when you don't know where or how your child is," calling it "excruciating." The public can submit anonymous tips on the website findingmollie.iowa.gov. "We are asking everyone to reflect back on the days prior to her disappearance in hopes of recalling details about any persons or vehicles in the area," Mortvedt told reporters last week. "Individuals who commit violent crimes often display behavior that is recognized by those with whom they live, work, attend school or are in otherwise close relationships with." Mortvedt warned that such behavior could include: Changing normal routines, changing sleep patterns, an unexplained lack of contact on July 18 or 19, unexplained injuries, getting rid of a car or unexpectedly cleaning a car. "It is often in cases like this that people may have information that they do not initially share for a number of completely understandable reasons, for example: They do not initially feel that it was important or assumed that somebody else may have already informed law enforcement," he said. "We encourage you to provide whatever information you may have."<doc-sep>

As the search for missing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts continues, much has been made of a startling statistic on missing persons in that state. Forty-eight Iowa juveniles have gone missing so far in July, a development that has sparked a flood of social media warnings and theories. That number, however, becomes less shocking when you review missing persons statistics and criteria in both Iowa and South Dakota. MORE:Missing Rapid City man located Heavy regional news coverage of Tibbetts' disappearance has led to more focus on missing children. While a missing child is certainly cause for worry, these concerns have made the rounds on social media and morphed into rumors that make it appear as though every child who goes missing is the victim of abduction or sex trafficking. One Twitter user posted: "19 boys and 17 girls between the ages of 13-20 went missing within a 10-day period in Iowa. Don't think it can't happen to you. It's happening across rural and urban Iowa, especially in towns close to I-80. Be alert. Stay safe. And if you see something, say something." The post has been retweeted more than 5,000 times and received more than 5,000 likes. The actual interpretation of this data is a bit more complicated. In 2017, 4,311 juveniles were reported missing to the national missing persons clearinghouse, Iowa Department of Public Safety spokesperson Medina Rahmanovic said. This averages out to approximately 12 kids per day. The number of juveniles who go missing includes people under age 18 who are not considered lost, kidnapped or endangered in some way – in other words, the majority of children or teens who go missing are believed to have run away, Rahmanovic said. MORE:Sioux Falls Police say missing children found safe What makes the data even more difficult to interpret is the fact that each entry on the Department of Public Safety's website is a separate incident, not a separate person. A single missing juvenile can be listed in several entries throughout the year, depending on how often they go missing. "We have juvenile runaways who run multiple times," Rahmanovic said. "One juvenile can run three or four times, and that contributes to that big number." In South Dakota, the Attorney General's office maintains the missing persons clearinghouse. Unlike Iowa, its website does not list specific reports, but does include statistics. In 2015, 1,472 missing children reports were made. More recent data was not available. "While this number can vary every day, I would say that the number of active missing on any given day has risen from over the last few years," Attorney General spokesperson Sara Rabern said in an email. "My current estimate would be ... 40 to 65 children missing at any given time." More:Update: Missing Lincoln County woman has been found and is safe While sex trafficking may not be the cause of every missing person case in either Iowa or South Dakota, it is indeed a problem. The National Human Trafficking Hotline recorded that there were 74 reports of human trafficking in Iowa in 2017, while 16 reports of human trafficking were made in South Dakota in the same year. The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis has also been a draw for sex traffickers looking to exploit victims. At last year's rally, nine men were arrested during a sex trafficking sting. Despite the fact that sex trafficking is a very real problem that deserves serious scrutiny, many recent posts on Twitter and Facebook do not accurately reflect the truth of Iowa's missing persons list and can spark undue fear. Of course, high-profile cases can also stir interest in those children who are missing and really are at risk. The Iowa Department of Public Safety has received many calls about missing persons statistics since Tibbetts' disappearance, Rahmanovic said. "Unfortunately, events like Mollie's have to happen to get people to start looking at missing persons," she said. More:Missing teenager found Saturday night by good Samaritan, police say

Snapping three-day losing streak, Jet Airways shares surged over 13 per cent in intraday trade on Tuesday amid strong speculative buying by retail investors on hopes of higher returns. The Jet Airways stocks have slumped over 45 per cent in last three trading session after the airline temporarily suspended operations as it failed to secure emergency funds from the lenders. Paring previous session losses, the Naresh Goyal-founded airline shares gained as much 13.08 per cent to hit an intra-day high of Rs 174.95 on the National Stock Exchange against the previous close level of Rs 154.60. The analyst sees this move as purely speculative in nature as it is not backed by any fundamental. In a similar trend, Jet Airways share price rose 11.57 per cent in intraday trade to Rs 172.50 on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The scrip opened a tad higher at Rs 158.80 against the previous closing price of Rs 154.60. Data from BSE showed that there was a surge in volume trade with 31.03 lakh shares changed hand over the counter as compared to the two-week average of 27.16 lakh shares. The exchange data indicated that foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and fund houses continue to reduce their exposure to crisis-hit airline. They reduced their stakes in the company to 3.58 per cent and 1.47 per cent, respectively as on March 31, 2019, from 9.65 per cent and 4.96 per cent respectively in the year-ago period, according to a Mint report. At the same time, retail investors, who traded in lot sizes of less than Rs 1 lakh, increased their stakes in the company to 11.42 per cent as compared to 4.9 per cent as of 31 March 2018, the leading daily reported. Also Read: Jet Airways crisis: AITUC urges government to absorb employees of cash-strapped airline Jet Airways, which sits on the debt of more than Rs 8,500 crore, has shut down operations temporarily after it failed to secure emergency funds from the lenders. Last week, Jet Airways had asked lenders to release an interim fund of Rs 400 crore which was turned down by the SBI. In the latest development, the company's Non-Executive Non-Independent Director Nasim Zaidi has submitted his resignations "due to personal reasons and constraints of time". Last week, Independent Director Rajshree Pathy had also resigned from the board of the cash-strapped airline. Meanwhile, State Bank of India, leader of the seven-member consortium of domestic banks to Jet Airways, has started the bidding process for stake sale in the airline. While banks are hopeful of a successful bidding process, but they are also reportedly looking for resolution outside the insolvency law framework if the bidding for stake sale in the embattled airline does not bear fruit. Etihad Airways, TPG Capital, Indigo Partners, and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) have reportedly shown interest in buying a stake in Jet Airways. The details of initial bidders are expected to be cleared on May 10. Reports also suggested that billionaire Mukesh Ambani-backed Reliance Industries is also eyeing a stake in the airline. Also Read: Naresh Goyal's firm had Rs 260 crore cash when financial crunch hit Jet Airways Edited by Chitranjan Kumar<doc-sep>Running into debt of more than Rs 8,500 crore, Jet Airways has shut down operations temporarily after lenders decided against extending emergency funds for its survival. New Delhi: Ending a three-day losing streak, shares of Jet Airways (India) surged nearly 10 percent at close of trade on Tuesday on value-buying at lower levels. The scrip jumped 9.90 percent to close at Rs 169.90 on the BSE. During the day, it zoomed 12.19 percent to Rs 173.45. At the NSE, shares advanced 8.30 percent to close at Rs 167.55. On the traded volume front, 45.27 lakh shares of the company were traded on the BSE and over four crore shares on the NSE during the day. In the early trade, the scrip, after a positive opening, jumped 11.57 percent to Rs 172.50 on the BSE. At the NSE, shares zoomed 13 percent to Rs 174.95. In the past three days, the scrip plummeted 40.94 percent. It hit its 52-week low of Rs 132.20 on Monday. Running into debt of more than Rs 8,500 crore, Jet Airways has shut down operations temporarily after lenders decided against extending emergency funds for its survival. Cash-starved Jet Airways, which has around 23,000 employees, has delayed payment of salaries to the employees, including pilots.<doc-sep>Mumbai: Jet Airways shares have been quite resilient through all the crisis over the past few months. On Wednesday evening, the 25-year-old beleaguered private airline informed stock exchanges that it would suspend operations temporarily . When markets opened on Thursday, Jet Airways’ shares were, of course, in free fall. The stock touched a 52-week low during trading and eventually closed the day 32% down. Still, it does appear that the company’s shareholders think this isn’t really the final call to deboard. “Investors think there is still value to be found and people are pinning their hopes on the outcome of the bidding process for the airline," said an analyst requesting anonymity. Jet Airways has a market capitalization of ₹1,862 crore even after Thursday’s fall, and an outstanding debt of more than ₹7,000 crore, as on 31 December. Considering that the airline has shut operations, it seems unlikely any buyer will cut a deal that has positive implications for existing shareholders. In light of this, the resilience in Jet Airways’ shares is surprising. History is not in their favour either. When Kingfisher Airlines Ltd had temporarily suspended operations on 20 October 2012, the markets still gave its shares a value of ₹900 crore. Eventually, the shares turned out to be worthless. However, even in that case, note that the KFA stock had tanked about 40% six months prior to the temporary suspension. In Jet Airways’ case, its shares have increased by 10% in the last six months until Wednesday. While the airline may have possibly taken its last flight ever on Wednesday, investors’ hopes are still flying high. And even if Jet Airways were to revive, its capacity is not expected to bounce back quickly. Edelweiss Securities Ltd analysts wrote in a report on 8 April, “We assume that Jet Airways will eventually lose 50 planes to lessors, which would swerve its fleet size down to 73 in financial year 2021." Further, it’s not as if the outlook on profitability was bright. A Bloomberg poll of analysts was expecting Jet Airways to post a consolidated net loss of ₹460 crore for FY20. This is after reporting a massive ₹2,916 crore net loss for FY19. Meanwhile, other airlines are set to gain at the expense of Jet Airways. SpiceJet Ltd and InterGlobe Aviation Ltd shares have already risen by 53% and 33%, respectively, so far this year. InterGlobe runs IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share. According to Kotak Institutional Equities, “Disruption of Jet Airways’ capacity can lead to temporary demand-supply mismatch, particularly going into peak summer demand." Needless to say, for Jet Airways’ shareholders, news flow on the stake sale process will be crucial to watch out for hereon. Lenders have told the airline the bidding process will conclude on 10 May. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now! !<doc-sep>Jet Airways share price plunged for third day in a row to the lowest level in 10 years. Jet Airways shares plunged for third day in a row to the lowest level in 10 years after it temporarily halted operations on Wednesday as it failed to secure emergency funding from the lenders. Jet Airways share price fell as much as 19.34 per cent intraday on the BSE to Rs 132.20. On the National Stock Exchange, Jet Airways share price slumped as much as 23.17 per cent to hit a 10-year low of Rs 126.65. In the last three trading sessions, Jet Airways shares has slumped as much as 47.33 per cent on the National Stock Exchange. (Also Read: How To Initiate The Refund Process On A Jet Airways Ticket) The debt-laden Jet Airways failed to secure emergency funding from the consortium of lenders led by State Bank of India and had to shut down all its operations temporarily. Since no emergency funding from the lenders or any other source is forthcoming, the airline will not be able to pay for fuel or other critical services to keep the operations going. Consequently, with immediate effect, Jet Airways is compelled to cancel all its international and domestic flights, Jet Airways said in a statement on Wednesday. Also Read: Air India Can Hire Jet Airways' Co-Pilots, Not ''Costly Captains'': Indian Pilots' Guild Jet is saddled with $1.2 billion in debt and it has not paid its pilots, lessors, technical and ground staff in at least last three months. Also Read: SpiceJet Hires More Than 100 Jet Airways Pilots, Cabin Crew: Report Jet Airways today said that its non-executive and non-independent director Nasim Zaidi has quit the board citing personal reasons and time constraints. Also Read: Jet Airways Employees Considered Taking Over Airline: Pilots' Union Before joining the Jet Airways board in August 2018, Mr Zaidi had served as civil aviation secretary and chief election commissioner. Also Read: Jet Airways' Employees Seek President's Intervention For Salary Dues "This is to inform you that Nasim Zaidi has submitted his resignation as a Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director of the company with effect from April 21 due to personal reasons and constraints of time," Jet Airways informed stock exchanges in regulatory filings. Also Read: Crew Of Jet Airways' Last Flight Pose For A Final Photo As of 12:05 pm, Jet Airways shares traded 12.32 per cent lower at Rs 143.70 on the BSE, underperforming the Sensex which was down 0.73 per cent. Trading volume in Jet Airways shares was higher than usual as 37 lakh shares changed hands on the BSE compared with an average of 21 lakh shares traded daily in the past two weeks.<doc-sep>

Shares of crisis-hit Jet Airways continued its losing streak for the third straight session on Monday, with stocks slumping over 45 per cent in last three days on the BSE, after the airline temporarily suspended operations on Wednesday as it failed to secure emergency funds from the lenders. Extending previous session's losses, the airline's shares plunged as much as 23.17 per cent to hit a 10-year low of Rs 126.65 on the National Stock Exchange. In a similar trend, Jet Airways share price fell as much as 19.34 per cent in intraday trade to hit fresh 52-week low of Rs 132.20 on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Paring most of early losses, the scrip closed trade at 154.60, down 5.67 per cent. According to data available with BSE, there was surge in volume trade with 56.18 lakh shares changing hand over the counter as compared to two-week average of 21.11 lakh shares. The stock saw surge in selling after the company announced temporary suspension of flight operations after the State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders rejected the airline's plea for emergency funds. Last week, Jet Airways had asked lenders to release an interim fund of Rs 400 crore which was turned down by the SBI, on behalf of the consortium of Indian lenders. Jet Airways owes nearly Rs 11,261 crore to banks, which includes Rs 7,251 crore from domestic lenders and Rs 4,000 crore to its foreign lenders and unpaid interest amount of Rs 1,000 crore. "Since no emergency funding from the lenders or any other source is forthcoming, the airline will not be able to pay for fuel or other critical services to keep the operations going. Consequently, with immediate effect, Jet Airways is compelled to cancel all its international and domestic flights. The last flight will operate today," Jet Airways had said in the filing. In the latest development, the company's Non Executive Non Independent Director Nasim Zaidi has submitted his resignations "due to personal reasons and constraints of time". Last week, Independent Director Rajshree Pathy had also resigned from the board of the cash-strapped airline. Now, all eyes will be on Jet Airways' board meeting on Tuesday where the management will discuss the way forward for the airline. On Saturday, Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube along with Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, the airline's chief financial officer Amit Agarwal, and representatives of pilots, engineers, cabin crew and ground staff unions met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at his residence in Delhi on Saturday. Dube said that the minister assured to look into the cash-strapped airline's issues. Meanwhile, shares of InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) closed 4.22 per cent lower at Rs 1,489.10, while SpiceJet shares plunged 8.15 per cent to settle at Rs 125.15 amid surge in crude oil prices after a report suggested that the United States may stop sanction waivers to nations buying oil from Iran. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Romelu Lukaku has given Manchester United a dream start in tonight’s game against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes. Trailing 2-0 from the first leg at Old Trafford, this injury-hit United side are now 1-0 up on the night thanks to this cool finish from Lukaku from a tight angle. The Belgian was played in after some poor PSG defending, but he took full advantage and has given the Red Devils hope of progressing this evening with what could be a crucial goal. Watch a video of Lukaku’s strike below as he made it five foals in his last three games for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side…<doc-sep>Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has matched a hugely impressive record of club legend Cristiano Ronaldo in today’s game against Paris Saint-Germain. The Belgium international has already bagged himself two goals this evening at the Parc des Princes, making it six goals in his last three games for Man Utd. Lukaku first @ManUtd player to score two in three successive games since Ronaldo in December 2006. — Simon Stone (@sistoney67) March 6, 2019 And, as noted in the tweet above by Simon Stone, Lukaku has spread those goals out nicely, netting two in each of those three games, making him the first player to do so for the club since Ronaldo all the way back in 2006. This is quite something from Lukaku, who is proving to be an important player for the Red Devils despite not featuring as regularly this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has tended to prefer Marcus Rashford at centre-forward since he replaced Jose Mourinho back in December, but tonight he’s used both of them up front together. It’s paying off so far as Lukaku’s brace means United lead 2-1, though they still need one more to go through to the quarter-finals on away goals.<doc-sep>Lukaku, who was on a hat-trick, let Rashford smash home a stoppage-time minute penalty to knock Paris Saint-Germain out of the Champions League 'This is your time' Romelu Lukaku told Marcus Rashford “this is your time” before the youngster’s 94th-minute penalty against Paris Saint-Germain sent Manchester United to the Champions League quarter-finals. United, who trailed 2-0 from the first leg, beat PSG 3-1 to book their place in the last eight of the competition. 2 Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford were excellent in Paris Referee Damir Skomina awarded Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men an injury-time penalty after Diogo Dalot’s shot struck Presnel Kimpembe’s arm. And Lukaku, who was on a hat-trick, had no problem with Rashford, 21, taking the spot-kick, which he smashed past Gianluigi Buffon. It was the second successive game where the Belgium striker passed up the opportunity to complete his hat-trick after Paul Pogba’s late penalty miss in a 3-2 win over Southampton last weekend. And despite his failure to secure the match ball at the Parc des Princes, Lukaku was delighted for Rashford. 2 Marcus Rashford kept his cool from the penalty spot He told beIN SPORTS: “I was happy that he scored. He came to me and wanted to shoot. “I said ‘man, this is your time. Do it for yourself and us.’” Lukaku and Rashford have linked up well playing in a front two against Southampton and PSG in the past week. LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS GLORY Now Capoue and Foyth have shown Kane what can happen if you leave Tottenham NEWS Woeful De Gea stat, Solskjaer 'not at Man United's level', Rashford abused after final LIVE Transfer news: Poch Tottenham talks, £18m Leicester deal, Bayern sign English defender shameful Marcus Rashford receives 'over 70 racial slurs' and reveals teacher among abusers Finished Solskjaer ‘not Man United standard’ with Conte ideal replacement after final loss INQUIRY Questions will be asked of Solskjaer after 'master' Emery nullified Man United DRAMA Man United stunned by Villarreal as Solskjaer's search for silverware goes on shocker De Gea's commitment doubted as he concedes 36th straight pen and misses in EL final NEW BLOOD Zidane 'decides to leave' Madrid with immediate effect as Khabib calls for Conte GOAL Only Messi scored more, Moreno gets assists like Kane and could end United trophy hope Rashford’s speculative shot was spilled by Buffon and tapped in by Lukaku to give United a 2-1 lead in Paris. United’s two-goal hero added: “I like it more because Marcus and I, we are dynamic, we have a lot of running in us and we score goals. “It has been nice to play with him. When we played against Southampton, he made it so much easier for me and I scored two goals.”<doc-sep>Few goalkeepers have matched the achievements of Gianlugi Buffon in the history of football. After so many successful years in Italy with Juventus, the Italian stalwart opted for a new chapter in his career in the summer by joining Paris Saint-Germain. And the 41-year-old has been a resounding success, offering serious competition to Alphonse Areola and producing world-class performances. In the build-up to the second-leg tie with Manchester United, there were rumours that PSG would be offering Buffon a new two-year deal in the French capital. However, the Italian produced a very unexpected error in the game after talks of an extension had done the rounds on social media. Romelu Lukaku had opened the scoring in the Parc Des Princes, before an equaliser by Juan Bernat shortly after following poor defending by Eric Bailly. But Lukaku would strike again, pouncing on an uncharacteristic spill from Buffon after a long-range effort from Marcus Rashford. You can watch the footage below. VIDEO https://twitter.com/GMS__Football/status/1103393649075908615 So out of character for Buffon. Rashford also proving that sometimes, shooting from distance really can pay dividends in more ways than one... News Now - Sport News<doc-sep>

Manchester United sealed their most famous victory since Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2013 departure against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night. The Red Devils were without a number of first-team regulars - including Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial - and had a mountain to climb following their 2-0 defeat in last month’s first leg at Old Trafford. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men recorded a hugely-impressive 3-1 victory in the French capital, with Marcus Rashford’s controversial late penalty sending the visitors through to the Champions League quarter-finals. United were on the verge of being knocked out of the competition until referee Damir Skomina pointed to the spot following a VAR review. Diogo Dalot’s speculative shot struck Presnel Kimpembe on the arm and, following a lengthy review, Skomina decided it was worthy of a penalty. Rashford then stepped up to smash the ball past Gianluigi Buffon, whose mistake earlier in the match had allowed Romelu Lukaku to score the second goal of his first-half brace. There were jubilant scenes from the United players and coaching staff when Skomina blew the full-time whistle. This was a remarkable victory that very few people had seen coming. However, Lukaku showed real class shortly after the final-time whistle by going up to a distraught Kimpembe and consoling him. Watch the video here… Lukaku saw that none of Kimpembe’s teammates were around the 23-year-old defender, so United’s in-form number nine decided to give some words of support instead. Lovely stuff from the Belgian. A classy gesture. Lukaku has form for this time of stuff, though. This isn’t a one-off. Back in October 2017, Lukaku consoled 18-year-old goalkeeper Mile Svilar after his mistake cost Benfica. Lukaku obviously cares about his fellow professionals and it’s great to see him consoling his opponents. Wouldn’t football be a much nicer sport if more players were like Romelu? News Now - Sport News

Probable starters: Suns - De’Anthony Melton, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Dragan Bender, Deandre Ayton Bulls - Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Otto Porter Jr., Lauri Markkanen, Robin Lopez Even though both of these teams have less than 20 wins at this point in the season, they have young and appealing starting lineups that should make for a fun matchup tonight. Will it be Booker’s Suns or LaVine’s Bulls that pull off the win at Talking Stick Resort Arena? Let’s find out right now.<doc-sep>Bulls vs. Suns Prediction The Phoenix Suns own a dreadful 17-54 record, but they’ve also won six of their last 10 games. Listed as a small home favorite tonight, will they beat the struggling Bulls and also cash for bettors in the process? Tip-off for tonight’s game is set for 10:00 p.m. ET. Game Snapshot 547 Chicago Bulls at 548 Phoenix Suns 10:00 p.m. ET, Monday, March 18, 2019 Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Our NBA Live Odds page pulls spreads and totals from multiple different online sportsbooks so you can compare betting odds to ensure you’re getting the best line. Public Betting Trends According to oddsmakers from online sportsbook BetNow.eu, the Suns are 3-point favorites to beat the Bulls. The total, meanwhile, sits at 228.5 points and as of this writing, 76% of the public betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Suns to cover the point spread. Chicago Bulls Fantasy Spin Zach LaVine (knee) needed 18 shots to score 18 points on Sunday, making seven field goals with two 3-pointers, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in 29 minutes. Despite the lackluster line, fantasy owners have to be thrilled that LaVine is playing despite a recent knee injury. He was also earning praise from coach Jim Boylen, who said on Sunday, "[LaVine] is becoming is an elite player in our league who’s a creator, receiver, strong decision maker and on top of that he’s improved his defense." The Bulls' schedule isn't great with three games in each of the next three weeks, but as long as he's active LaVine is an obvious play in weekly leagues. Phoenix Suns Fantasy Spin Devin Booker scored 40 points with five rebounds, 13 assists, one block, seven turnovers and three 3-pointers in 41 minutes during a 138-136 overtime win at New Orleans on Saturday. The Suns got lucky in this one with the Pelicans calling for a timeout when they ran out, so Booker hit the go-ahead free throw. The Suns have won five of their last eight games and they're only 2.5 games "up" on the Bulls for top lottery odds. Booker has played excellent ball lately as a top-25 player since the break, so keep him locked and loaded. NBA Betting Trends Chicago The Bulls are 1-4 against the spread in their last five games overall and are 9-19 at the betting window in their last 28 games when playing an opponent with a losing record. Phoenix The Suns have covered in seven of their previous eight games and are 5-2 against the number in their last seven home games. Prediction This is a pure fade-the-public situation for me. As you can see from above, the Suns have been covering at an excellent clip while the Bulls have not only struggled ATS over their last five games, they were also blasted last night in Sacramento. Anybody paying attention to Phoenix’s last 10 games will take a flier on a team that has played well and is only laying three points at home but this feels like a trap game. The Bulls are 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games in Phoenix, while the underdog has cashed in 10 of the last 12 meetings between these two teams. After getting embarrassed last night, I like Chicago to play its best game while an over-confident Suns squad stumbles. Monday NBA Prediction: Chicago Bulls +3<doc-sep>Against another bottom five team in the Phoenix Suns, the Chicago Bulls finally snapped their losing streak. The Bulls were just the better team, controlling the whole game and holding Phoenix to a TS% of 52.9% with just 43 points in the first half. They picked it up in the second half but some of those points can be accounted for garbage time when the game was already decided. The trio of Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and Lauri Markkanen all scored double digits with latter duo dropping 17 points apiece. But the leading scorer for the Bulls was Robin Lopez. Against one of his former teams, Lopez scored a team high 24 points and grabbed 5 offensive rebounds as he shot an efficient 11 of 14 from the field. It was evident Chicago wanted to get Lopez involved early and often as they ran multiple post up plays for him. Lopez was a big part of the Bulls big start to the game, going 4 of 5 from the field in the first quarter for 8 points. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. The play starts with Kris Dunn on the left wing waiting to give an entry pass to Lopez. He posts up a bit higher than he usually does but Lopez gets the ball from Dunn with ease. As soon as he gets the ball, you can sort of tell where Lopez is going. His entire body isn’t in front of Deandre Ayton. He gave up a lot of space to Ayton on his left and with Shaq Harrison moving to the other corner, the baseline is open. Lopez gets the ball and quickly spins to his right towards the hoop. Ayton reacts quickly and does well to not let Lopez move inside to the front of the hoop. Just when it looks like his drive to the basket is stopped, Lopez stops right when he gets to the restricted area and spins back to his left. With Ayton already committed underneath the hoop, there is no other Sun protecting the rim. Lopez is able to keep his body in front of Ayton and shots a hook shot as he slowly falls away. It was a wily and savvy move by Lopez to get a high percentage shot from a post up which started near the three-point line. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Like the last play, this one starts with Dunn being the guy with the ball. This time it’s a Dunn-Lopez pick and roll which is the main action. Lopez sets a screen on De’Anthony Melton and with Dragon Bender not stepping up, Dunn has a clear lane towards the hoop. Melton does a great job of fighting through the screen and gets back to Dunn as soon as he gets into the lane. With Melton on his right hip and Bender right in front of him, Dunn decides to jump to his right towards the hoop for a layup attempt. He’s able to get there mostly due to Bender initially not putting his hands up to block nor alter his shot. Bender does it a bit late and Dunn is able to get the shot off. But the ball goes way high off the glass and hits the front of the rim. While Dunn was taking the shot, Lopez was rolling towards the rim with nobody stopping him. As soon as Dunn’s shot hits off the backboard you can see Lopez’s eyes light up as he knows a rebound opportunity is coming. Again with no Sun there to box him out, Lopez is able to grab the ball right when it comes off the rim and slams it with one swift motion. Bender jumped back to grab the ball but the idea of him getting the rebound with one hand was quickly shut down by Lopez, who bounced off him and dunked the ball. It was a nasty putback dunk and it produced a golden reaction by Cristiano Felicio on the bench. Tired: watching Bulls-Suns Wired: watching Cris Felicio watch Bulls-Suns pic.twitter.com/pcDL2BWAwR — Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) March 19, 2019 Lopez was featured often in this Bulls offense, and he rewarded Jim Boylen’s faith by taking advantage of Phoenix’s young big men: finding space to shoot his patented mini-hook along with crashing the glass.<doc-sep>What: Phoenix Suns host the Chicago Bulls When: 7:00 p.m. AZ Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena Watch: Fox Sports Arizona Listen: 98.7 FM Probable starters: Suns - Tyler Johnson, Devin Booker, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dragan Bender, Deandre Ayton Bulls - Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Otto Porter Jr., Lauri Markkanen, Robin Lopez UPDATE: Tyler Johnson (sore right knee) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (left thumb sprain) have been ruled out of tonight’s game. Assuming De’Anthony Melton and Mikal Bridges would start instead. Bulls OffRtg - 104.6 (29th), DefRtg - 112.5 (28th), NetRtg = -8.0 (27th) When speaking on the Chicago Bulls this season, the first thing that needs to be brought up is Zach LaVine’s all-around improvements. LaVine is averaging 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1 steal on 46.7/37.2/83.0 shooting splits. The former UCLA Bruin has raised his point totals by 7 (16.7 — 23.8) while also taking a leap in playmaking. I’ve seen many on NBA Twitter try to compare LaVine to Booker, but I don’t really see it when you notice how massive a step Booker has taken as a facilitator. LaVine actually matches up well with Donovan Mitchell, who is also averaging 23 points and 4 assists per game. Both LaVine and Mitchell are high-usage guards with not a lot of offensive firepower surrounding them, but when they get hot it’s hard to stop them at all. Expect Kelly Oubre Jr. to draw the assignment of guarding LaVine early and often. Slowing him down will be critical for the Suns’ to keep this positive momentum with winning flowing. Next up on the list is my X-factor for tonight’s game, but also for the Bulls’ entire rebuild: Lauri Markkanen. The Finnish sniper hasn’t really taken a big “leap” just yet but he’s already putting up close to 20 points per game in his second season. Without LaVine on the team, Markkanen seriously could be close to 25 ppg instead of 18.7. The Suns went with Josh Jackson at No. 4 overall back at the 2017 Draft over names like De’Aaron Fox and Markkanen. Former GM Ryan McDonough didn’t really consider the U of A stretch 4 because they still believed in the development of Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, and we’ve seen how that’s gone the past 18 months. If Phoenix lets Markkanen get wherever he wants on the floor, that spells trouble against this Bulls team. The prospect they thought could be a Markkanen type in Bender will have to hold his own early and often. Finally, I would be remiss not to talk for a moment here about Bulls head coach Jim Boylen. If you want to see the polar opposite sideline demeanor from Igor Kokoskov, watch Boylen when he gets animated. After firing Fred Hoiberg, Chicago signed Boylen and it was rocky with long practices and reportedly running suicides. The relationship seems to have grown since then, though, because LaVine just paid his ejection fines this weekend from his spat with Clippers coach Doc Rivers. This Bulls squad is full of promising talent and interesting personalities who actually match up well with the surging Suns. If Phoenix comes out slow, it could be a rough one. Suns OffRtg - 104.8 (27th), DefRtg - 113.2 (29th), NetRtg = -8.4 (29th) Devin Booker seems to be thriving right now and willingly giving viewers a sneak peek of what’s to come in Year 5. Over his last six games, Booker is putting up bonkers numbers that are even better than James Harden. Booker - 32.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 10.3 FTA; 48.1 FG%, 38.5 3PT%, 87.1 FT% Harden - 30.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 9.3 FTA; 40.4 FG%, 25.4 3PT%, 87.5 FT% As you can tell, that really is Harden 2.0 that Booker is currently pulling off. Booker is snapping out of his cold stretch from beyond the arc while also continuing to convert at the rim early and often at a 65 percent clip. If Booker can keep this up over the final 11 games of the season, there should be some serious consideration for Booker to be in consideration for Western Conference Player of the Month for March or April. And it should make Suns fans giddy as well because Booker could be making the true star leap right now. Suns PR just announced that Kelly Oubre Jr. is questionable for tonight’s game with a thumb sprain, but he’s been vital to the Suns’ recent success. Only three players are averaging at least 20 points and 2 steals per game since the All-Star break: Bradley Beal, Harden and Oubre Jr. Pretty impressive list to be a part of. Oubre Jr. also seems to have found a long-term home in the Valley. His strengths continue to be maximized by Igor Kokoskov’s staff, which is awesome to see. Over 40 percent of his shot attempts since mid-February have come from inside the restricted area. For an athletic wing like Oubre Jr., that’s one of the easiest shots for him. It’s very impressive, especially with the month-long stretch we’ve already witnessed, that Oubre Jr. continues to stuff the stat sheet defensively while pouring in the points as a secondary option alongside Booker and Deandre Ayton. If Oubre Jr. can’t go tonight, that will be a big blow to the Suns’ chances. For someone who wasn’t valued highly with the Wizards, his absence actually would matter with the Suns. We’ll see before tipoff if “Samurai Papi” ends up starting. The Suns’ X-factor for tonight’s game has to be Deandre Ayton. Phoenix’s first No. 1 pick in franchise history has battled through adversity recently and showing some real improvements defensively. In a one-on-one matchup versus Robin Lopez, this is where he should feast. Almost all of the other assignments are equal, but the difference between Ayton and Lopez is definitely huge. Kokoskov and Co. needs to feed the Bahamian big fella early and often in this one, as he could be the difference in a closely contested game.<doc-sep>

On a back-to-back and 3rd game in 4 nights, the Bulls still managed to have enough...uh...spirit to beat the Phoenix Suns 116-101 to finish out their road trip by snapping a 5 game losing streak. There was no tanking strategy employed by the Boylen Boys in preparation for this marquee context between 2 teams in the bottom-four of the standings. Otto Porter was out with a shoulder injury but by all accounts that was legitimate. The rest of the starters, including Zach LaVine, were all available. That included Robin Lopez, who was dominant to the tune of 24 points and 7 boards. His lineups were a team-high +24 in his 26 minutes of action. This has been a huge chunk of the Bulls' offense tonight. A TON of post ups, watching Robin Lopez back down his man. It's working but it's a Pyrrhic victory. Lopez was 7-of-9 in that first half, led the team in shots and points. pic.twitter.com/qJOPzQ0vKB — Stephen Noh (@StephNoh) March 19, 2019 Lopez was key behind a 34-20 first quarter edge that for the rest of the game saw the Bulls lead rarely get near ten. The purportedly more important players like Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen did wind up joining in on the action in the 2nd half, both with 17 (Markkanen on 15 shots, LaVine on 10). Both teams shot terribly from distance, the Bulls going 4-16 and Suns at 7-26. But the Bulls outscored them by 20 in the paint. Toughness. Shaq Harrison got the surprise start for Porter, I guess maybe trying to use REVENGE GAME motivation? It likely didn’t help with floor spacing, but he did do this late. The Suns are drawing up some elite tank plays after timeout. pic.twitter.com/8uF1PkWb3T — Stephen Noh (@StephNoh) March 19, 2019 This was during the ‘key’ moments where the Bulls lead did shrink a bit with their awful bench in, but the starters came back in for the final 6 minutes to secure things. Then Boylen called timeout with under a minute which annoyed his second opposing coach in 3 games. The Suns have had some ‘big’ wins lately too, but they also had several players out in this one due to injury (I won’t bother researching the veracity of them). Plus they, like the Bulls, are just a non-playoff team playing out the string since the trade deadline and these games have no meaning. I only pay attention to see if the team is embarrassing enough to force the Bulls to do a coaching search this offseason. Tonight, not so much, due to...uh...Robin Lopez, cool. I know tank-humpers are especially upset that they didn’t start Cristiano Felicio with one shoe on or something, but while this was a game against a fellow bottom-4 squad, I think we’ve learned this team can lose to anybody and weird results happen in these pointless contests (Cavaliers won tonight, for example), so have faith?

Share this Story: SIMMONS: Navratilova and Evert big believers in Mississauga's Bianca Andreescu SIMMONS: Navratilova and Evert big believers in Mississauga's Bianca Andreescu Article content The world is just beginning to open up for Bianca Andreescu. The possibilities, in truth, are almost endless, and likely historical for the emerging Mississauga tennis star. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or SIMMONS: Navratilova and Evert big believers in Mississauga's Bianca Andreescu Back to video This isn’t like Daniel Nestor beating the No. 1 player in the world, Stefan Edberg, at Davis Cup 27 years ago in Vancouver. That was one Canadian night, one moment to remember. This isn’t like Genie Bouchard’s jump to No. 5 in the world in 2014 when all the draws and the breaks seemed to go her way. This isn’t like Milos Raonic and his impenetrable serve and the wondering about whether the rest of his game and body can keep up with his power. And as much as there is excitement about the growth in young Denis Shapovalov’s game, he has yet to have tournament success anywhere close to what Andreescu ended up earning last week at Indian Wells. This is about today and about tomorrow. And about next year and the year after for the 18-year-old. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content There is a place for Andreescu to climb to, especially after winning on Sunday, beating the three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber, winning a women’s tournament in a sport where no single woman has completely dominated since Serena Williams won eight of 13 Grand Slams between 2012 and 2015. Since then, 15 Slams have been played with nine different players winning. There is no one dominant player in the women’s game. There is no Big Three — three all-time greats, the way the men’s game has been dominated for too long. And there’s a place for Andreescu to make her mark in the professional game. This was not a one-match fluke win for Andreescu at Indian Wells. That can happen in tennis sometimes, usually for a match or a day, but rarely for longer than that. Pretty much anybody can beat anybody once at that level. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content It’s what happens in the next match and the match after that truly matters. But on her way to Championship Sunday, Andreescu beat Garbine Muguruza, the former Wimbledon and French Open champion, and took out Elina Svitolina, who has been No.3 in the world, before the title win over Kerber, who has been No. 1 in the world before. All this coming after Andreescu was a wild-card entry into the tournament. That doesn’t happen much in big-time tennis. But it leaves a mark as her name becomes national and should soon grow to household status. A big win can leave an impression on the tennis world, the way Shapovalov’s win over Rafael Nadal at the Rogers Cup managed a few summers back. At the time, John McEnroe predicted there would be a major in Shapovalov’s future — and there may still be one. But there hasn’t been much indication from the early returns that Shapovalov is ready to play with the best in the men’s game. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content McEnroe didn’t comment on Andreescu’s win, but both Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova did. “Every time we thought, ‘This is it, she doesn’t have the game or she doesn’t have the belief or the legs,’ she just kept proving us wrong,” said Navratilova on British television. “It was a coming-of-age tournament. Bianca really came out of nowhere and she deserved to win. She played amazing tennis. This one is here to stay. I’m looking forward to seeing her develop into an even better tennis player.” Said Evert: “What really impressed me here was when she called her coach to come down. “She said, ‘I’m exhausted,’ but then said, ‘I really want to win this badly.’ I’ve never heard a women’s player say that to a coach before.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Andreescu was ready to quit, physically beaten up, feet in pain, and somehow she wouldn’t allow herself to succumb. “I won’t forget that,” Evert said. Now she becomes part of the list we follow in a country that used to ignore tennis. For a while it was Nestor and doubles tennis and that was about it. Then it’s Raonic and his serve, hoping his health would be right. Then Shapovalov, who is impossible to take your eyes off of. Then young Felix Auger-Aliassime, and all that athleticism. And on the women’s side, there was Bouchard and the constant questions about whether she can ever be truly relevant again. More Canadians than ever before we’ve had to think about or care about. This week, it’s Andreescu in Miami, coming off the win at Indian Wells, a victory at a tournament beyond anything Raonic or Bouchard have ever won before. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content And with that, leaving a huge impression: She’s not one-dimensional. She’s not a giant serve or an athletic backhand or tremendous with speed. She’s a tennis player with way more game than her age, with a natural aggression, with a giant forehand and a touch-like drop shot. With a bag full of tricks, she plays mature tennis as a teenager. This shouldn’t be one-and-done tennis. She even shocked her coach, Sylvain Bruneau, who called her win at Indian Wells “a little above my expectations.” She shocked her coach, shocked those of us who were paying attention. This is just the beginning for Bianca Andreescu. The future is hers — and ours. [email protected] twitter.com/simmonssteve Share this article in your social network<doc-sep>Open this photo in gallery Bianca Andreescu plays a backhand against Germany's Angelique Kerber during their women's singles final on Day 14 of the BNP Paribas Open on March 17, 2019, in Indian Wells, Calif. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Bianca Andreescu has turned Carling Bassett-Seguso back on to Canadian women’s tennis. Andreescu won her first WTA Tour event Sunday when she upset eighth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany – the defending Wimbledon champion – 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. The 18-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., became the first wild-card entry to capture the tournament title and first teen to do so since American Serena Williams in 1999 and 2001. Andreescu has been the talk of women’s tennis this season, having won 28-of-31 matches. The Canadian began 2019 ranked No. 152, but has jettisoned up to No. 24 in the world as of Monday. Story continues below advertisement Audacious Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu sending shock waves through world of women’s tennis Andreescu still has some work to do to join Bassett-Seguso and Eugenie Bouchard as the only Canadians to crack the top-10 women’s rankings. Bassett-Seguso reached that lofty plateau in March 1985 when she was ranked No. 8 overall, but has no doubt that Andreescu’s best tennis remains in front of her. “I think she’s going to continue to improve,” Bassett-Seguso said from Florida on Monday during a telephone interview. “This girl seems like she has building blocks. “She’s making me watch again. This obviously brings a lot of excitement and awareness (to Canadian tennis) and she seems like she’s a really solid girl so I think it’s great. I wish her all the best, I’m right in her corner.” Bassett-Seguso has some friendly advice for Andreescu: Stick with what’s working. “At the end of the day, it all comes down to the passion of what you’re doing and being happiest doing it,” she said. “If you’re not passionate about it, then it becomes a job … I mean, the world is her oyster now, just be happy doing it. “Just continue doing what she’s doing. It seems like what she’s doing is working … listen, don’t mess with it. Once you start thinking, that’s when the mistakes start coming. It’s got to be repetitive, it’s got to have motion. Once it doesn’t work any more, that’s when you change that motion.” Bassett-Seguso has no concerns about Andreescu being able to handle the spotlight and attention she now commands. Story continues below advertisement “She’s done her due diligence coming up to this,” Bassett-Seguso said. “Eighteen is a good age because she’s done the whole junior thing and gone to tournaments in places like Japan where there’s the whole language thing and you’re away from home. “She obviously has a good head on her shoulders because she’s only 18 and going from Japan right through the (BNP tournament) draw just shows you right there she’s really done what she’s needed to do. If I were to put my money on it, I’d think she’s going to do just fine.” Bassett-Seguso, 51, won two WTA singles events and a pair of doubles titles during her career and in 1984 reached the U.S. Open semi-finals. She was named the WTA’s most impressive newcomer in 1983 and Canada’s top female athlete in 1983 and ‘85. The Toronto native, Canada’s top-ranked women’s player from 1982-1986, was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998 and three years later became the first female tennis player named to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 2003, Bassett-Seguso was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and she went into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.<doc-sep>We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.<doc-sep>Open this photo in gallery Bianca Andreescu obliterated Garbine Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, in the quarter-finals, 6-0, 6-1. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Heading into the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, Calif., last week, there was a sense that Bianca Andreescu had already left her mark at the tournament. The Canadian teenager, a wild-card entry into the BNP Paribas Open, turned heads as she stormed through the first four rounds, dropping only a single set. She’d knocked off a pair of top-50 players along the way. Everyone was talking about her, from the media to the fans to her counterparts on both the men’s and women’s tours. Her task in the quarters on Wednesday, however, was decidedly more difficult: Getting past Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, in a top-tier tournament. No one would have batted an eye if Andreescu had gone down in straight sets. As she had been all week, and pretty much all season, she was up against a more experienced player of higher ranking. But what the audacious Canadian did sent shock waves through the tennis world. As the youngest quarter-finalist there in a decade, she obliterated Muguruza 6-0, 6-1 in a near-perfect match that took just 52 minutes. Story continues below advertisement “I just went out there, went for it,” Andreescu said afterward. “I didn’t focus on who was on the other side. It really helped me.” The way she pulled off that signature victory served notice to her WTA Tour competitors. She showcased a unique mix of spin and pace while putting Muguruza off kilter. Her shot placement was precise, she sliced, her point construction appeared next-level and her use of deftly placed drop shots was ruthlessly effective. On Friday, Andreescu did it again, advancing to the final with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory over No. 6 seed Elina Svitolina. On Sunday, she beat eighth-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to claim the title. Andreescu began 2019 ranked No. 152 in the world, and has shot up more than 100 spots, playing to an astonishing 26-3 record in combined WTA and Fed Cup play this year, making headlines almost weekly. She’s top four on Tour when it comes to main draw victories this year, and her list of accomplishments is dizzying. When the next WTA rankings come out Monday, Andreescu will have vaulted into the top 40. She reached the ASB Classic final in Auckland, beating former world No. 1s Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams on back-to-back nights. She won her first WTA title at a US$125,000 Challenger in Newport Beach, Calif. She then made her second WTA semi-final in Acapulco, which earned her a wild card to Indian Wells. The only other wild cards to make the semis at Indian Wells were Serena Williams and Martina Hingis. The burst of attention is reminiscent of when other young Canadians first broke onto the scene in recent years, becoming the talk of the tennis world, such as Milos Raonic, Denis Shapovalov and Eugenie Bouchard. Andreescu’s promising play prompts the same questions asked about her compatriots. Can she maintain the level needed for consistent success in this unforgiving individual sport? How will she handle the attention and the pressure? Will she be the first Canadian to earn a Grand Slam singles title? Story continues below advertisement The 18-year-old oozed confidence during a midwinter interview in Toronto. She was kicking back with her parents and her dog inside the Tennis Canada office at Aviva Centre, where she’ll be a headliner at this summer’s Rogers Cup. Her dark, bobbed hair was styled, while makeup and long lashes highlighted her brown eyes. She wore a casual Nike outfit – navy pants and a fitted black top with rose-gold lettering and maroon sneakers. Her parents settled onto the couch beside her, grinning at each other, while her tiny toy poodle Coco, wearing a fuzzy pink sweater, wriggled across their laps. For a fleeting moment as she snuggled the little brown dog, the woman currently captivating the tennis world actually acted like a kid. “I can remember watching other Canadians make their big breakouts and saying, ‘Hey Mom, when is it going to happen for me?’ Remember that mom?” says Andreescu, as her mother nods with a smile. “Hey, believe me, I know not every day is going to be rainbows and butterflies like this. There are ups and downs; that’s part of tennis. But I’m up for the challenge.” The 5-foot-7 teenager is unique in countless ways, from the variety in her game to her punishing use of drop shots, or the spin she can put on the ball. She wears a coiled hair elastic around her bicep, causing the overjoyed company that makes them to send her a box. She rescues stray dogs off the street while travelling to Romania, and finds them homes. Romanian fans also support her, waving their flags at her matches and speaking with her in Romanian afterward. As with several other Canadian tennis stars, Andreescu has roots outside Canada. Her parents immigrated to Mississauga in 1994 from Romania, where her father, Nicu, was a mechanical engineer, and her mother, Maria, had completed a master's degree in economics. “We arrived in Canada with two suitcases and that’s all,” Andreescu’s father says. “We had a great first impression when we arrived, having come from a former communist country. We wanted to go to Canada and start a new life and have a better future for any kids we might have.” Their only child was born in Mississauga in 2000. They lived there until Maria moved back to Romania for a brief 2½-year stretch to open a trucking business, bringing her daughter, then 6, along. Nicu stayed in Toronto to work as a tooling engineer at an automotive company. Andreescu had spoken a little Romanian with her parents in Canada, but moving to Romania pushed the youngster to speak and write in the language daily in school. Story continues below advertisement Her parents recall a highly active little girl who was relentlessly on the move, running, jumping and showing off on the monkey bars.<doc-sep>

Years from now, it may be a footnote in the long, successful tennis career of Bianca Andreescu. But for now it is part of the origin story of Canada's newest, emerging superstar. Playing in her first career final against the established Angelique Kerber, Andreescu called for her coach during a break in the gruelling and decisive third set. "My feet are burning. I can barely move out there," she told her coach, Sylvain Bruneau. Bruneau reminded Andreescu of her mental and physical toughness, imploring her to push through. Andreescu responded with five powerful words. "I want this so bad," she told her coach. WATCH | Coach pleads with Bianca Andreescu to keep battling: Bianca Andreescu tells coach during pep talk, 'I want this so bad' Sports 1:07 Andreescu's 3rd set conversation with coach Sylvain Bruneau was the turning point in her match as she went on to break the next game and eventually win her 1st career WTA title. 1:07 She then returned the court and surged toward her historic victory, besting Kerber in the final of the prestigious BNP Paribas Open 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at Indian Wells, Calif. Afterwards, she said the third-set meeting with her coach gave her chills. "That moment was everything to me. At that point I was like mind over matter, that's what helped me win." Michael Downey, Tennis Canada CEO, said Andreescu's on-court words will become legendary. "That was a memorable line I will never forget," Downey said. "It's an example that will be repeated by coaches around the world when they're trying to instill fight in their players. This young kid has fight." WATCH | Andreescu has "biggest win in Canadian tennis history": Andreescu delivers 'biggest win in Canadian tennis history' Sports 1:35 Tennis Canada's Tom Tebbutt tells CBC Sports why Bianca Andreescu's win at Indian Wells is the most historic Canadian victory in tennis. 1:35 Her mental toughness combined with her skill has Downey and others in the tennis world predicting big things. "She's got game. She's got what we call a multi-core game," Downey says. "You know she can do lobs. She can hit the ball hard. She's got a great serve. Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest female players of all time, told BT Sport: "Every time we thought this is it, she doesn't have the game or she doesn't have the belief, the legs, she just kept proving us wrong. It was a coming-of-age tournament. This one is here to stay. I'm looking forward to seeing her develop into an even better tennis player." Andreescu's win marks the the first time a wild card (a player who doesn't qualify but is invited by sponsors or tournament organizers) has won this tournament. "I was actually really dizzy in the locker room because there were so many thoughts and emotions going through my body," she said. "It has been a crazy ride, truly a Cinderella story." I can’t put into words what all of this means to me.Being able to have my name amongst so many great champions is beyond remarkable.Thank you for everyone’s support!All those tough times are worth it if you believe there will be good times ahead #bibirisen #flyingB #thankful #omg pic.twitter.com/EYsEYkpkDY —@Bandreescu_ Wild cards don't win tournaments. They are just happy to be invited. "Hopefully this moment can be a great inspiration for many young athletes because, like I always say, if you believe in yourself anything is possible," Andreescu said. The win netted the teenager $1,354,010 US and saw her climb the WTA rankings 36 positions to 24th. What's most refreshing about this 18-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., is she can't seem to comprehend her quick rise in the tennis world. WATCH | Highlights from Andreescu's historic win at Indian Wells: One Year Ago Today: Bianca Andreescu caps remarkable run with Indian Wells title Sports 2:19 One year ago, 18-year-old Bianca Andreescu stunned the tennis world as she upset world No. 8 Angelique Kerber 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, to win the BNP Paribas Open, becoming the youngest player to win the tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. 2:19 Her emotions after her victory and during a lengthy post-match news conference appeared genuine and devoid of familiar clichés. Andreescu is bringing Canadians along in real time as she plunges head first into stardom. "I've watched all of these players play on television so many times," she said, shaking her head. "It's surreal to be able to play them in front of huge crowds at such a prestigious tournament."

No matter how old we grow, the lessons taught by our teachers can never be forgotten. They build the foundation for our moral values and nurture children with their love and care. This Teachers day, tell your lovable teachers how much you adore them. Feel proud and honoured to celebrate Teacher’s day.Here we have listed a few quotes, messages and whatsapp status that you can send your teachers on this Teacher's Day 2020:"If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher." - Dr APJ Abdul Kalam"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." -William Butler Yeats"Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers." - Josef Albers"Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world." - Malala Yousafzai"You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth." - Khalil GibranThe best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book. Thank you for being a wonderful teacher. Happy Teacher's Day!Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions. Thank you for helping me become the person I am today. Happy Teacher's Day!A teacher nourishes the soul of a child for a lifetime.A Teacher presents the past, reveals the present, and creates the future.Teacher, you have always challenged me to work hard and get good grades. I will always remember you. Happy Teacher's Day!Thanks teacher for making my world so perfect. Happy Teacher's Day!The best teachers don’t give you the answer, they spark within you the desire to find the answer yourself. Happy Teachers Day!I am grateful to be your student. Thank you for challenging me to be my best and instilling in me a passion for learning. Happy Teachers Day!My child’s future is so much brighter because of you. Thank you for being an outstanding teacher. Best wishes for Teachers Day.Keep calm and study on. Happy Teachers’ Day!You deserve recognition for all the sacrifices that you make, you are more than a teacher to me and I THANK YOU!Today I celebrate you for being selfless, devoted, hardworking, and the wisest person in the classroom. I am grateful to be your student. Happy Teacher’s Day!Admiration, devotion, education, inspiration and compassion are what you have. So I give you a toast to you, my teacher, because you deserve to be celebrated.Having a teacher like you is a blessing from above. Thank you for changing my world.Thank you for being my child’s second parent and a fantastic mentor. Happy Teachers Day!Wishing you joy and happiness, you are an amazing teacher, and you only deserve the best.You are the spark, the inspiration, the guide, the candle to my life. I am deeply thankful that you are my teacher.Books, sports, homework and knowledge, you are the pillar of our success and in the classroom, you are the best.Even though my grades may not always be the best, I assure you that having you as my teacher makes me truly blessed. For now I know that you’ll never give up on me, Thank you for helping me be all I can be. Because of you I can see that my future is bright, Above all you taught me to shine forth my light. Happy Teachers Day my teacher!On this day we honor teachers like you, Who give of themselves in all that they do. So thank you my teacher for all that you gave, And I promise to try my best to behave!Warm wishes to the teacher who is a great example and who taught me so much. Thank you for giving your love and your 110%.Because of you a bright future is within my grasp. Thank you for inspiring me.From ABC’s to red, white and blue, from history and mathematics too, all I want to say is a big THANK you!Teachers' Day is celebrated as a tribute to the valuable contribution made by teachers to the society by imparting knowledge and enlightening and shaping the career of students. Celebration of Teachers' Day is fairly popular in many countries across the world and is even acknowledged by UNESCO.For students, Teachers' Day is an occasion to pay reverence and gratitude to teachers for their selfless effort in shaping their career and enriching the education system in the process.When is Teachers' Day celebrated? The date for celebrating this special event varies from country to country across the world. In India, Teachers' Day is celebrated on the 5th of September every year, whereas, China celebrates this event on 10th September every year. The celebration in each country is generally correlated to either significant personalities or achievements of milestone in the field of education. India celebrates Teachers' Day on September 5 since 1962 as it is the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, a prominent thinker, philosopher and an educator. Across the nation tributes are paid to noted scholar and former president Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan to celebrate his birth anniversary. Dr Radhakhrishnan believed that "teachers should be the best minds in the country".Most of the schools and institutions make elaborate preparations for the celebrations. The ceremony usually kicks off with a warm Teachers' Day speech paying respect and thanking teachers for their contribution. This is often followed by a range of colourful cultural programs, feast and other activities which make the event special and memorable.A few traditional ways of celebrating the event include presenting colourful flowers, beautiful Teachers' Day cards or gifts to the teacher as tokens of love and admiration. But students often try innovative ways and ideas to celebrate Teachers' Day.Some rely on creative and attractive Teachers' Day greeting cards adorned with captivating and touchy quotes and messages to convey the indebtedness unfailingly and also to capture the wonderful moments of the event. Others select lovely and popular Teachers' Day quotes to convey their inner feeling of love for their teacher.Sending animated or e-greeting card is also a rage in the contemporary times.<doc-sep>Happy Teachers’ Day 2018 Wishes Images, Quotes: Salute To All The Teachers Of The Nation. Happy Teachers’ Day 2018 Wishes Images, Quotes: Salute To All The Teachers Of The Nation. Happy Teachers’ Day 2018 Wishes Images, Quotes, Messages, SMS, Status, Greeting Cards: Teachers are someone who mould your life and shape your personality. They not only impart knowledge but also ignite your imagination to build a better future for yourself. On September 5, students celebrate this day to honour their teachers. In India, this day is also celebrated to honour Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India. To honour his contribution towards teaching, his students suggested that his birthday be celebrated as ‘Radhakrishnan Day’. But Dr Radhakrishnan refused it and instead, came up with a suggestion – “Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers’ Day.” ALSO READ | Teachers’ Day 2018: Speeches by famous personalities on Teachers’ Day On this special day, wish your teachers with these lovely messages and cards. * Dear Teacher, Thanks for inspiring me; Igniting my imagination; And instilling in me – a love of learning. Happy Teachers’ Day! ALSO READ | Happy Teachers’ Day 2018 Wishes: Inspirational Quotes, Status, Messages, SMS for teachers day Every year, on September 5, to mark the birth anniversary of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, people across India celebrate Teachers’ Day. Every year, on September 5, to mark the birth anniversary of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, people across India celebrate Teachers’ Day. * T-Talent E-Education A-Attitude C-Character H-Harmony E-Efficient R-Relation Wishing you a glorious and Happy Teachers’ Day! ALSO READ: Teachers’ Day 2018: Importance, Significance And History Of Teachers’ Day Celebration in India Students make cards for their teachers and perform songs and dances for them to thank them for their tireless efforts and love. Students make cards for their teachers and perform songs and dances for them to thank them for their tireless efforts and love. * To someone who has taken the time to listen to my concerns, guide me on the path to knowledge, and reassure me on my life’s path. Happy Teachers’ Day! We cannot deny the importance of teachers in our lives – they play an important role in shaping the way we think and perceive things. We cannot deny the importance of teachers in our lives – they play an important role in shaping the way we think and perceive things. * A teacher is the Lamp Of the Nation. Salute to all the teachers of the nation. Happy Teachers’ Day. ALSO READ: Teachers’ Day 2018 DIY Gifts Ideas: 5 handmade gifts to make them feel appreciated Teachers’ Day is the perfect time to let your teachers know that their efforts and hard work are appreciated and have not gone unnoticed. Teachers’ Day is the perfect time to let your teachers know that their efforts and hard work are appreciated and have not gone unnoticed. * The way you teach… The knowledge you share… The care you take… The love you shower… Makes you the world’s best teacher… Happy Teachers’ Day! ALSO READ: Happy Teachers’ Day 2018: Why is Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s Birthday Celebrated As Teachers’ Day? Teachers play a vital role in shaping our future. Teachers play a vital role in shaping our future. * Be A Candle, Be A Light, Be A Twinkle, Be A Hope, Be An Inspiration, Be A Great Teacher Forever! Happy Teachers’ Day! How are you surprising your teacher on this special day? How are you surprising your teacher on this special day? * The joys of learning come from you, for you make things simply wonderful to know… Happy Teachers’ Day! Let your teachers know their impact on your life. Let your teachers know their impact on your life. * Better Than A Thousand Days Of Diligent Study Is One Day With A Great Teacher… Happy Teachers’ Day!<doc-sep>It is that time of the year again when you gear up to thank your favourite teacher for being your guiding light. Teaching taught by our favourite and some not-so-favourite teachers as well haunt your minds forever. The lessons that seem boring and longish during school-time, seems to be the anchor all our lives.Wish all your teachers and gurus a very Happy Teachers Day with these heart-melting messages. Send them these appreciation notes for the hardwork they have done because all they asked in return was your success!The best teachers don’t give you the answer, they spark within you the desire to find the answer yourself. Happy Teachers Day!My child’s future is so much brighter because of you. Thank you for being an outstanding teacher.A heartfelt thank you to all the teachers who spend their time, energy, and love to care to educate our children. Happy Teachers Day!Thank you for giving me the tools to dream big and to reach success. Happy Teachers’ Day!Pushing me to reach my potential led me to dream big and do extraordinary things. Thank you my teacher!Thank you for lighting, guiding and showing me the way. Happy Teachers’ Day!Because of you a bright future is within my grasp. Thank you for inspiring me.Thank you for your patience, putting up with me, and encouraging me in every way. Happy Teachers Day greetings to you!You are caring, enlightening and the greatest teacher I have ever had. I am so fortunate to learn from you.Happy Teachers day! You are the reason why I am what I am today. Thank you for being my mentor and my role model. "I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit." - John Steinbeck, Author"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called 'truth'. " - Dan Rather"Having been an educator for so many years I know that all a good teacher can do is set a context, raise questions or enter into a kind of a dialogic relationship with their students" - Godfrey Reggio"One good teacher in a lifetime may sometimes change a delinquent into a solid citizen" - Philip Wylie"I am a teacher. It's how I define myself. A good teacher isn't someone who gives the answers out to their kids but is understanding of needs and challenges and gives tools to help other people succeed. That's the way I see myself, so whatever it is that I will do eventually after politics, it'll have to do a lot with teaching." Justin Trudeau"The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see. "–Alexandra K.Trenfor"Every great leader is a great teacher, and the greatest leaders seize every opportunity to teach well." –Albert Mohler"A good teacher is like a good artist. They go right to the most difficult part of whatever’s going on." –Bruce Nauman"Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual. If the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for me." - A. P. J. Abdul Kalam"I am a teacher. It's how I define myself. A good teacher isn't someone who gives the answers out to their kids but is understanding of needs and challenges and gives tools to help other people succeed. That's the way I see myself, so whatever it is that I will do eventually after politics, it'll have to do a lot with teaching." - Justin Trudeau"I have learned that, although I am a good teacher, I am a much better student, and I was blessed to learn valuable lessons from my students on a daily basis. They taught me the importance of teaching to a student - and not to a test." - Erin Gruwell"One time, the teacher was the storehouse of knowledge. That will no longer be so. So what would a teacher do? A very good teacher will play the role of augmenter. Also, the teacher will be located anywhere and helping students." - Shiv Nadar<doc-sep>Untitled Carousel_1 Read Also Read Also Teacher’s Day is celebrated on September 5 every year in India. This date marks the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was the first vice-president of India. The first Teacher’s Day was celebrated in the year 1962.On Teacher's Day, people remember Dr Radhakrishnan's great contributions to the country. On this day, people honour all the teachers who have contributed to their lives.The students in school and colleges organise special functions to make their teachers feel special. People celebrate Teacher’s Day by sending greeting cards, wishes and messages on Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms.To celebrate our teachers, here are some pictures, GIFs, quotes or cards to send those whose guidance has helped you in life.1. Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if 5 September is observed as Teachers’ Day2. The worst sinner has a future, even as the greatest saint has had a past3. The end-product of education should be a free creative man, who can battle against historical circumstances and adversities of nature4. God is the Soul of all souls - The Supreme Soul - The Supreme Consciousness.5. Reading a book gives us the habit of solitary reflection and enjoyment6. God lives, feels and suffers in every one of us, and in course of time, His attributes, knowledge, beauty and love will be revealed in each of us.7. The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves8. When we think we know, we cease to learn9. Books are the means by which we build bridges between cultures10. Knowledge gives us power, love gives us the fullnessYou are someone who has taken time to listen to my problems and provide solutions for the same. Thank you!.. Happy Teacher's Day!Thanks for being an excellent educator and a friend simultaneously. Happy Teacher's Day!Thanks teacher for making my world so perfect. Happy Teacher's Day!Dear teacher, you have been a great mentor. Lots of thanks and a happy Teacher's Day. !Wishing joy and happiness to the teacher who deserves everything best in life. Happy Teachers Day! !You have taught me the true meaning of life!.. Sending my love and wishes to the most remarkable teacher.... Happy Teachers Day! !Teachers deserve all respect from society as they are the spark plug of life’s vehicle. So, Happy Teachers Day.Happy Teacher's Day. I can’t express how blessed I feel when I see teachers who love money and not their job.We will always be thankful to you; for all the hard work and efforts that you have put in, to educate us. Happy Teacher's Day!Teacher, you always showed us the right path. Whatever little we have achieved in my life because of you only. Thank you for being our guide and mentor. Happy Teachers Day!You are not only our teacher you are our friend, philosopher and guide. All molded into one person. We will always be grateful of your support. Happy Teacher's Day!<doc-sep>

Happy Teachers’ Day 2018: Greetings and Quotes for teachers’ day | Photo Credit: PTI Happy Teacher's Day. India celebrates September 5 every year to honour our teachers. From sending messages to teachers to special awards, different people celebrate teacher's day in a different manner. With social media like Facebook, Whatsapp and e-greeting cards - it is easy to send out a personalized thank you to your teachers. Here is a list of greetings, status, quotes and messages that you can use to send out your thank you. Thank them and make them feel special with these thoughtful messages to make their day a little special. Teachers' Day is celebrated across the country on September 5, in the fond memory of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.We might not be able to meet our Teachers on this occasion but, we can send them our wishes and thank them for their efforts.This Teachers' Day send warmth and love to the person who has taught you not just the Geography or Chemistry lessons but, the lessons of life. The lessons which has left an indelible impression on your mind. Teachers' are our mentors and guide who help ignite our curiosity and imagination.They believe in us,when we doubt our capabilities. Help us in building our characters.Shape us in becoming an ideal citizens of the country. They truly help us in every way possible.Teachers' day celebration is a wonderful opportunity for all the students to do something for their teachers in their respect and honor. Express your love to the person who has selflessly help you build who you are today. Here are some quotes, messages and Greetings for the Teacher of your life. Quotes on Teacher's Day “Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.” – Aristotle Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions A teacher a day will bring future success coming your way. Happy Teachers Day! Roses are red, Violets are blue, Thank you for being my teacher, And for everything that you do! Sending my love and warmth to you, You have not only been a wonderful teacher but also friend, philosopher and guide May you have a memorable Teachers Day! Dear Teacher, Thanks for making us what we are today. Happy Teacher’s Day! I was slow. Your are understanding. I caught with the rest. Thinking teaches you are my best. Success is your blessing,teacher. I would always be thankful to you. Best of me, reminds me of you. Happy Teachers’ Day! You are not just a teacher but, a true inspiration to me. You did not just do your job,but a lot more than this.Thank you teacher and have a wonder Teacher’s Day 2018 For Teaching Children lessons, To help them as they grow. Let this gift remind you, You’re the best teacher we know! Students all across the country observe this day to pay respect to their teachers. It is truly said that teachers are like back bone of our society. Send these heartfelt messages to your mentors.

This post contains spoilers for the Season 5 premiere of Jane the Virgin. Jane the Virgin’s Season 4 finale ended with a revelation that has been called “jaw-dropping,” “heart-stopping,” and “the most shocking TV twist ever.” I’m not sure I’d go that far, but the reappearance of presumed-dead Michael Cordero (Brett Dier) was certainly one of Jane the Virgin’s boldest surprises to date. Michael’s death midway through Season 3 changed the tenor of the drama, triggering a years-long time jump and eventually driving Jane (Gina Rodriguez) into the arms of her baby daddy, Rafael (Justin Baldoni). Now everything has changed again. Advertisement Rafael does the honor of explaining Michael’s return just a few minutes into the Season 5 premiere: “He has amnesia.” Well, of course he does! Amnesia is a classic soap-opera and telenovela trope, where a bonk on the head can change a character’s identity and open up brand new dramatic avenues for the writers—in the case of Jane the Virgin, potentially reconfiguring the show’s central love triangle. Even if you ignore all of the clues leading up to Michael’s reappearance, the plot device is so predictable and cliché that it should have us rolling our eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Except that Jane the Virgin thrives on clichés, and if you’re most concerned with the logistics of the twist—how did Michael get amnesia, why did everyone believe he was dead, what the heck has he been doing for four years—then the show is rolling its eyes at you. Literally. We learn most of those logistics in a flashback, where the imprisoned crime lord Rose breezes through the explanation: She used a toxin to slow Michael’s heart rate, sent in her own EMT drivers, then blackmailed or bribed or otherwise “incentivized” the coroner to fake the death certificate. As for the amnesia, “electroshock therapy focused on the hippocampus and temporal lobe,” she explains dismissively, eyes drifting skyward. Who cares? He’s back! Advertisement It’s Michael himself—sorry, “Jason,” named after Jason Bourne—who fills in the other blanks. “Four years ago, I woke up in a field in Montana with no memories,” he tells Jane, speaking in a slow, decidedly un-Michael drawl. “Some lady was there, said I should start over. The lady said that I was in a whole lotta trouble, so I didn’t know if I was a good guy or a bad guy.” There’s no faking it, either, since Rafael got a DNA test. This isn’t a long-lost twin or some stranger in a hyper-realistic mask. This is Michael. But it’s also not Michael. Get Slate Culture in Your Inbox We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Jane the Virgin usually sells its most absurd plot twists by grounding them in real emotions, and that’s exactly what it does here, even as the writers get hand-wavy about the plot mechanics. (“There’s so much we don’t know about the brain, it’s really not an exact science,” says the neurologist they visit.) To pull off the twist requires full commitment from the entire cast: Dier playing “Jason” as an entirely different person who can’t meet Jane’s gaze, Baldoni playing Rafael as quietly supportive even as the character’s entire future with Jane is thrown into jeopardy, Jaime Camil playing Rogelio as gleeful at the unlikely resurrection of his best friend—and so self-deluded he believes the sight of him will bring Michael’s memory back. Advertisement Jane the Virgin thrives on clichés, and if you’re most concerned with the logistics of the twist, then the show is rolling its eyes at you. It’s Rodriguez, though, who gives her best performance to date in this episode, delivering a seven-minute near-monologue in which Jane cycles through every conceivable emotion—sadness at being forgotten, anger at “Jason” even as she realizes that it’s not his fault, confusion about whether this means she’s still a widow or still married or something else—spiraling out while insisting, repeatedly, that she’s fine. She acts as a kind of mouthpiece for the writers—which she is, in a way, as the one telling the story. “What is the story even about now?” she asks her mother and grandmother, listing all the crazy things that have happened in her life, including her husband’s sudden death. “Obviously, that is a very easy detail to just change on the screen. And then my husband died—delete delete delete, done. Delete delete delete, not a widow.” Advertisement Advertisement As that mouthpiece, Jane more than anyone else acknowledges the absurdity of the amnesia twist, bitterly joking that she can just join the “My Husband Came Back from the Dead” support group. Recognizing how ridiculous it is to pull the amnesia card is what allows the show to transcend it: Being a widow has become a key part of Jane’s identity as a character, and that can’t be waved away the same way the exact details of Michael’s condition can. Just like the twist of Michael’s reappearance, the news that he lost his memory and has a new identity doesn’t delete anything that has come before. It just casts it in a different light.<doc-sep>Tonight is the night! Jane the Virgin is *finally* back on television, and we can’t wait. If you don’t know when and where the show is on, don’t worry, we got you. What Time and Channel Is It On? The telenovela will air on Wednesday, March 27, at 9 p.m. ET on The CW. What Will Happen When [Spoiler] Character Makes His Return? NOTE: DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU AREN’T UP TO DATE. Fans were certainly shocked when they learned that Michael (Brett Dier) was not dead, after all! “Within 45 seconds, you’ll find out what happens with Michael,” the actor said during a PaleyFest Los Angeles Jane the Virgin panel on March 20. “It’s gonna cause a lot of problems. It’s gonna be great and emotional and you’re gonna love it. Y’all are gonna flip.” Jennie Snyder Urman — the show’s producer — added, “It will change things a lot for a lot of characters.” Valerie Macon / Getty Images Will Gina Rodriguez Direct More Episodes? Yes, she will! Gina Rodriguez — who plays the main character Jane Villanueva — directed the premiere episode where she also had to memorize seven pages of dialogue. LOL, no biggie. “It’s trippy. It was an incredible experience,” she gushed. “If it wasn’t for Jennie, I wouldn’t have this newfound journey … it’s a dream to direct.” So, what was the 34-year-old’s reaction when she learned Jennie wanted her to do her monologue in one take? “It was kind of like a battle, people told me I couldn’t do it,” she said. “And so we did it, and it’s long. It’s a culmination of what’s happened with Jane in that moment. It was incredible to do it. It’s always an awesome challenge. I feel like a giant and it’s a crazy experience. I’ve directed a show outside Jane and that’s not the experience.” Is This The Show’s Final Season? Unfortunately, yes. In April 2018, the CW announced that the show will end after this season. However, there is a Jane the Virgin spinoff coming titled Jane the Novela. Jennie confirmed in January that Gina will be the narrator on the show and it’s been described as a telenovela anthology where each season is based on a different fictional novel “written by” Jane. “I’m excited because it’s a different world, but it’s a similar tone,” Jennie exclusively told Life & Style. “There are different characters, but it shares a sense of whimsy and magical realism and narration. I think more fans of Jane will recognize things but also be transported into a totally different world.” Vincent Sandoval / Getty Images Will We Ever Meet The Narrator? According to Jennie, we will find out who he really is before the show wraps up. She also revealed that there have been “hints” throughout the show as to who he might be. Hmm … sounds like we better go back and rewatch! Season 5 of Jane the Virgin premieres on The CW Wednesday, March 27, at 9 p.m. ET.<doc-sep>Jane The Virgin returns Wednesday with the start of it's fifth and final season, and it's slated to be dramatic. Season 4 ended last spring with a wild cliffhanger that implied Michael, who died in Season 3, may really be alive and well. So what exactly happened, and is Michael (played by Brett Dier) back for good? Fans will find out at least some of what they need to know in the first episode, and the wait for the premiere is finally over. Jane The Virgin, the final season, premieres Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET. That's 8 p.m. CT. The episode, as usual, will be an hour long, and will be hosted on The CW. In the first episode, questions will be answered quickly, according to the show's creator Jennie Snyder Urman in an interview with TV Guide March 20. She also explained the seeming return of Michael will have a huge effect on both characters and plot for the rest of the final season. While the first episode is sure to set up a long-range storyline for the rest of the season, fans are expecting to negate or prove theories they've held since Michael was first seen alive again. A handful of theories explain Michael's disappearance could be an undercover mission for the police department, and if Jane knew of anything, her safety would be in danger. Viewers also want the new series to answer a series of questions like "How did Rafael know Michael was alive?" and "What does this mean for Jane and Rafael's pending engagement?" Most importantly, maybe "Do Jane and Michael still love each other?" When viewers left Jane last season, she'd just seen Michael for the first time and looked as if she saw a ghost. Before that, though, she was expecting to become engaged to Rafael, the unintentional father—remember, way back in Season 1, she was wrongfully artificially inseminated—of her first child, Mateo. The final season is sure to include flashbacks to both her relationship with Rafael and with Michael throughout the series, as a series-long question has now been reopened: which of the two men will she choose to spend her life with? Though Jane originally chose Michael, she was on a path for happiness with Rafael after his death. Will it all be uprooted?<doc-sep>SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched the fifth and final season premiere of “Jane The Virgin.” It took five seasons but the CW’s take on a telenovela finally delivered one of the biggest genre tropes: amnesia. Picking up immediately from where the third season left off, Jane (Gina Rodriguez) was confronted by the fact that Michael (Brett Dier) was actually alive, after Rose (Bridget Regan) faked his dead, burned off his fingerprints and put him through electroshock therapy of his hippocampus and temporal lobe so that he would forget who he was. “Amnesia was the thing that first entered us into that space with Rogelio’s telenovela, and so once we knew Michael/Jason was coming back, amnesia felt like the right move in terms of just how to create so much drama for the finale season — and also the emotional toll of how someone you love looks at you like a stranger felt very exciting but also challenging, in terms of how to ground that,” showrunner Jennie Synder Urman explains. Once Urman knew that was where she would be taking Michael, she knew the most important part of the storyline would be taking seriously “the trauma of him waking up and not knowing who he was.” Awakening in Montana years earlier, Michael didn’t know if he was a good or bad guy and chose to make a new life for himself, rather than search for the answers about who he really was. Now calling himself Jason, he prefers dogs over cats, isn’t much of a talker, and called everyone from his wife to his mother “ma’am.” “We had to recreate everything. And how would you do that if you didn’t know if you were a good person or a bad person? You wouldn’t be talking all of the time because you’d be afraid of what you may say that could be bad or incriminate you in some way or give away something that you don’t know,” Urman says. “So that made us think about him as somebody who was just sort of keeping his head down, quiet and observing — just sort of watching people for cues and things. That made him a more internal person because he’s lived without any kind of sense of history, memory — anything — to hold on to.” Urman notes that this also allows Dier to tap into different parts of himself as an actor and gives the show a new relationship to explore — because he’s “this new character, but she’s looking at him as her husband.” “It raises interesting questions about the soul and soulmates and what makes a person,” Urman continues. “If we’re a collection of the stories we tell about ourselves, or if we’re actually what’s essentially there — and how experience molds us.” Michael’s return has thrown Jane for a loop, and going forward, Urman shares, she will focus on trying to stimulate his memories. She believes if he is around familiar people, places and things it will spark something, so she will put some of her life on pause to take him around and tell him stories of their past. But, Urman says, she is still going to keep him at some emotional distance because “obviously he’s different and she’s different,” and things are further complicated by the fact that she is with Rafael (Justin Baldoni) now. “It’s part of the journey — what does Jane owe this person [and] how can she help him, while also preserving her sense of herself and her family and where she is in her life. How does it not take over her life? The answers to that are not easy, and they keep changing,” Urman says. The season premiere saw Jane spiral into the stages of grief once again upon living with the shock of her dead husband’s return, culminating in a seven-and-a-half page monologue that Urman wrote and Rodriguez performed (and directed) in a oner. Urman admits that before she writes anything she thinks about how she would feel if she were in the character’s shoes, and when it came to this monologue, “it was such a complicated well of emotion in terms of memory and your heart and what you owe them and who you are now and who you were then,” she explains. She also felt like because the revelation was “so huge,” it deserved to be shown in a “new, fresh way” than anything else on the show. “It’s about all of the range of human emotion that you would have in that instant,” Urman continues. “Trying to keep things together, gradually falling apart, finding the humor in it, finding the tragedy, finding the sorrow, finding the irony — all of those levels — because it’s such an unimaginable thing that has happened. It’s an outpouring.” Although Jane “let it all out,” so to speak, in the final season premiere, that is not to say her newfound grieving process is complete. “It keeps changing as the character changes and as the circumstances change and as the expectations change and as the relationship between her and Jason changes. This is the first,” Urman says. In a pivotal final season premiere scene, Jane walked into Rafael’s work “telling him she loves him, just like in the pilot when she came into Michael’s office,” Urman points out. “It was a way to really invigorate the love triangle, but tell totally different stories,” she says. Going forward, Michael’s reemergence in their lives will be a disruptive influence, but it is one that will dissipate from the spotlight as the initial shock wears off and people settle in back into their relationships. Storylines such as Rogelio’s (Jaime Camil) new show and relationship with River Fields (Brooke Shields), as well as Petra’s (Yael Grobglas) broken heart over J.R. (Rosario Dawson) will become “more present in the second episode and beyond because life goes on,” Urman shares. “The other characters’ storylines start to take off.” And just because the show is a take on a telenovela does not mean Urman will focus her whole final season on characters’ relationships.<doc-sep>

[This post contains spoilers about the Jane the Virgin episode, "Chapter Eighty-Two."] The final season of Jane the Virgin is finally here! Obviously, this is incredibly bittersweet for all of us. We're out here waiting on all of the answers to the questions we were left with at the end of season four, but also want to cling onto this series for as long as possible. To further complicate our feelings, the show's creators have been pretty transparent about the fact that they're going to emotionally destroy viewers with plenty of little winks at the first season. So far, they're doing an impeccable job. The season premiere felt like one long episode of déjà vu. Well, unless you're Michael, Jane's husband who has returned from the dead and has a case of amnesia. As far as he knows, Michael is a guy named Jason who woke up in a field in Montana with no memories. He now speaks with a slow drawl, and seems to have also lost his sense of humor and love for cats. Jane spends a lot of the episode unsuccessfully trying to refresh Michael's memory, and the rest of it grappling with what his return means for her novel, her personal identity, and her relationship with Rafael. For everyone who still has a functioning memory, the following tiny details may have felt familiar. Luisa's Powdered Donuts Sin Rostro, AKA Rose, is still in jail. But that doesn't mean she can't mess with everyone on the outside while she's there. In an attempt to reconnect with Luisa, instead of just sending a letter or making a phone call, she has a TON of powdered donuts delivered. The CW If you remember correctly, Luisa and Rose would always eat powdered donuts after sleeping together during their affair. When Rose visited Luisa in the mental hospital she was committed to in the first season, she brings a sleeve of powdered donuts as a sugary white flag. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work. This time, Rose stepped it up by sending baskets of vegan powdered donuts. (BTW, Luisa is apparently a vegan now, in case you missed that little clue from our beloved narrator.) Jane's Yellow Dress In the middle of all of the Michael/Jason drama, Jane visits Rafael on the first day of his new job to tell him that she still loves him and wants to stay together. Normally, this move would seem a little over the top, but when your husband comes back from the dead and you’re about to move in with your fiance-to-be, it’s nice to keep everyone in the loop. The CW The dress that Jane is wearing in this scene is actually significant, because it's a nod at the yellow dress that Jane wore to visit Michael at his job to tell him that she loved him in the very first JTV episode. I guess yellow is the color to wear when you're about to let somebody know about a huge decision you've finally made? Noted. Jane visiting Michael at work in the first episode. The CW It's probably also important to note that the scene where Jane visits Michael in the pilot ends with a warning from the narrator that everything is not what she thinks, and that the decision that she felt very confident about making in that moment may change in the future. Knowing this show...this is some serious foreshadowing. A Magical Outdoor Kiss After Jane spills her heart to Raf, the two share a very telenovela kiss outside. There's music, and a flower petal even falls from the sky. The CW If this feels familiar, it's because this scene looks a lot like the first time Jane and Raf ever kissed after she broke up with Michael in "Chapter Six." Ah, memories! Except, there's only one little flower petal this time instead of a sky full of them like in the first season, which feels a bit sus, no? The CW While you try to decide if you're team Rafael or Michael/Jason, please enjoy these Twitter reactions from Jane the Virgin fans who are in the same damn boat.

Two BJP lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh exchanged blows and hit each other with shoes during an official meeting on Wednesday after a fight over placement of names on foundation stone. The incident took place in UP's Sant Kabir Nagar in full public view and in the presence of journalists. The fight broke out after BJP MP Sharad Tripathi asked why his name was not included on the foundation stone for a local road. Rakesh Baghel, one of the MLAs from the district, said it was his decision. The argument then quickly devolved into obscenities with Baghel daring his opponent to ask the questions "to his shoe". Soon, Tripathi started bashing the other with his shoe and Baghel responded in kind as well. They were also throwing fists and abusing each other. #WATCH Sant Kabir Nagar: BJP MP Sharad Tripathi and BJP MLA Rakesh Singh exchange blows after an argument broke out over placement of names on a foundation stone of a project pic.twitter.com/gP5RM8DgId — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2019 Police officers attending the meeting had to intervene to end the fight.<doc-sep>A video grab of the scuffle on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) A video grab of the scuffle on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) An argument between two elected representatives in Uttar Pradesh over names on foundation stones for projects turned ugly Wednesday after BJP MP from Sant Kabir Nagar, Sharad Tripathi rained blows with his shoe on Menhdawal BJP MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel. The fracas, videos of which surfaced on social media, erupted at a meeting in the district collectorate comprising not just senior administration and police officers but Ashutosh Tandon, the BJP minister in charge of the district, who attempted to stop the fight. Watch video: BJP leaders come to blows at party meet in UP The videos show Tripathi (47) hitting Baghel (30) with his shoe after they argue over the foundation stone. Baghel then rises and tries to assault Tripathi when police officers step in, separated the two and escort Tripathi out of the conference room. Minutes after the incident, Baghel’s supporters gathered outside the collectorate demanding action against the MP. Police even had to lock Tripathi in a room after Baghel’s supported tried to force their way into the district office and were eventually pushed out by police using batons. Baghel’s supporters were still protesting outside the collectorate late Wednesday, many demanding “revenge”, even as police managed to escort Tripathi out. Raveesh Gupta, District Magistrate, Sant Kabir Nagar, who was part of the meeting, told The Indian Express, “The dispute between the MP and MLA erupted during a meeting on names on the foundation stone for some development projects. The situation is under control now.” Superintendent of Police, Rakesh Tomar said, “While no complaint has been received, we are conducting an inquiry into the incident and action will be taken against anyone found guilty.” BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey called the entire incident “ashobhaaniya” (improper) and “atyant Amariyadit” (extremely undignified) and said Tripathi and Baghel have been summoned to Lucknow. While Baghel could not be contacted for comment, Tripathi said: “I regret the incident and feel bad about it. What happened was against my normal behaviour. If I am summoned by the state chief then I will put my point across.” In the videos, Tripathi is heard arguing with Baghel that his name was missing from foundation stones of development projects in Menhdawal, which is Baghel’s constituency. When Tripathi questions Public Works Department engineers at the meeting over the issue, Baghel interrupts and says, “Ask me about this, I have put in the stones.” As the argument continues, Baghel threatens Tripathi and says, “Juta nikalen? (should I take out my shoes)”, when Tripathi removes his own shoe and repeatedly assaults Baghel, who in turn defends himself and uses his fists. Tripathi and Singh are both first-time elected representatives. Baghel, whose constituency adjoins Gorakhpur, is a product of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, an outfit started by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Sources in Sant Kabir Nagar said his vehicle still flies the flag of the Hindu Yuva Vahini. Tripathi, is from an old BJP family in UP. His father Rama Pati Ram Tripathi has held several party posts and was head of the state BJP unit from 2007 to 2010.<doc-sep>By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Two BJP lawmakers – an MP and an MLA — hurled expletives and rained blows on each other during an official meeting on Wednesday. The incident took place at the Sant Kabir Nagar district coordination meeting convened by top public officials to review development projects in the area. State minister for medical education Ashutosh Tandon and journalists were also present in the meeting. The lawmakers put their ‘party with a difference’ to utter shame just ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. WATCH: BJP MP thrashes party MLA with shoe, gets slapped BJP’s Sant Kabir Nagar MP Sharad Tripathi and Rakesh Baghel, one of the MLAs from the district, were involved in a scuffle after Tripathi asked why his name was not included on the foundation stone for a local road and Baghel said it was his decision. The argument then snowballed into obscenities with Baghel daring Tripathi to ask the questions “to his shoe”. An infuriated Tripathi then took out his shoe and lashed out at Baghel. The MLA responded by slapping the MP till the people present in the meeting separated the two. The entire episode was captured on camera. Baghel, who represents Menhdawal assembly constituency, is also associated with the Hindu Yuva Vahini, the right-wing group founded by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The state BJP leadership condemned the act by the two leaders calling it gross indiscipline.<doc-sep>A commonly heard phrase when people disagree with each other is that they 'traded barbs'. However, two BJP legislators took it many steps ahead today. Barbs escalated to shoes! In a bizarre video that is going viral on social media the argument between two BJP lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh escalated to such a level that one started hitting the other with a shoe. The incident happened at a District Action Plan Committee meeting at the Sant Kabir Nagar Collectorate. A disagreement broke out between BJP MP Sharad Tripathi and BJP MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel. The disagreement became a thrashing. It started raining shoes on MLA Rakesh Singh courtesy Sharad Tripathi. However, Tripathi did not take the 'shoewer' silently, he hit back by slapping the MP. Watch the video here: #WATCH Sant Kabir Nagar: BJP MP Sharad Tripathi and BJP MLA Rakesh Singh exchange blows after an argument broke out over placement of names on a foundation stone of a project pic.twitter.com/gP5RM8DgId ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2019 The reason for the 'shoedown'? The two lawmakers were arguing over the placement of names on a foundation stone of a project. Also present in the august house were UP minister of technological and medical education Ashutosh Tandon, district panchayat head, DM as well as officials from different departments and members of the district panchayat. Not only did they engage in fisticuffs, but also showered abuses on each other. When the present ministers and the police tried to mediate, they were paid no heed to. "The meeting was underway when the brawl broke out between the BJP MP and MLA over some issue related to PWD. We could not even complete the meeting. This is highly condemnable. We were trying to discuss things about development, members and officers were also present," an eyewitness told news agency ANI. Baghel has not taken the situation lightly. The MLA and his supporters protested outside the District Magistrate office demanding the arrest of BJP MP Sharad Tripathi. Sant Kabir Nagar: BJP MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel and his supporters protest outside the District Magistrate office demanding arrest of BJP MP Sharad Tripathi with whom Baghel was involved in a brawl earlier today. pic.twitter.com/8DxFd85WOc ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2019 The state unit of the BJP has taken note of the 'condemnable incident'. Giving a statement, MN Pandey, BJP UP president said, "We have taken cognizance of this condemnable incident and both have been summoned to Lucknow. Strict disciplinary action will be taken." (with inputs from JV Shivendra Srivastava)<doc-sep>

The fight escalated after a verbal duel over taking credit for a newly laid road in the district’s Mehdawal area. Two elected representatives of the ruling BJP came to blows during the district planning committee meeting here on Wednesday evening in full public glare. The incident took place when the planning committee meeting was underway at the collectorate in the presence of minister in-charge of the district, Ashutosh Tandon. The party State president Mahendra Nath Pandey took “serious” cognisance of the incident and summoned both the lawmakers to the State capital. “I have taken serious cognisance of the incident and have summoned both of them to Lucknow. Disciplinary action will take as per the party discipline,” said Pandey. “The incident is ‘ashobhniya’ (indecent) and ‘amaryadit’ (indignified),” he added. BJP MP from Sant Kabir Nagar Sharad Tripathi and MLA from Mehdawal, Rakesh Baghel, got involved in a verbal duel over taking credit for a newly laid road during the district planning panel meet. After a brief exchange of words, laced with abuses, both came to blows with one of them using a shoe to thrash the other, leaving officials and party leaders stunned. UP's Sant Kabir Nagar BJP MP Sharad Tripathi attacked local BJP MLA Rakesh Baghel with shoe during a public meeting after an altercation began over MP's name missing from inauguration plate. pic.twitter.com/BL6RiMTLkX — Piyush Rai | ‏‎پیوش رائے (@Benarasiyaa) March 6, 2019 The video clip of the incident surfaced on TV channels. A senior police official present in the meeting intervened to pacify the two and restore order as tempers ran high. In the meantime, Tandon, the State medical education minister, left the place. The video shows Tripathi getting furious, complaining that his name was missing from the foundation stone for a road in the district’s Mehdawal area. Asked to comment, BJP district president Set Bhan Rai said, “The minister called me and told me about the clash between the MP and the MLA during the meeting as I was somewhere else. The State BJP president also asked me about the incident.”

By Will Graves Associated Press Boston — Sam Mikulak’s feet hit the mat and a guttural scream soon followed. Winning national championships never gets old for the best American gymnast of his generation. Yet the title the 25-year-old captured Saturday felt different. Eighteen months ago an Achilles injury threatened to derail the former Michigan Wolverine's career. Back issues that popped up last week left him wary. A shaky performance during the opening round on Thursday fueled his angst, or at least close as the relentlessly optimistic Mikulak gets to angst. Mikulak knows all too well the potential he’s shown during a half-decade in the spotlight hasn’t exactly turned into the results he wants on the world stage. Listen hard enough and you can hear the clock ticking on his time as the standard bearer for the U.S. men’s program. So he arrived at the new Boston Garden for finals ready to send a message. Not just to the guys who will be his teammates when the Americans head to Qatar for the 2018 world championships in two months, but to himself. “I really wanted this day to be a proving myself type of day,” Mikulak said. Done. Pumped at the start and emphatic at the finish, Mikulak’s total of 87.750 was more than two points higher than the 85.150 he managed on Thursday, and the combined total of 172.900 was nearly five points clear of defending national champion Yul Moldauer. Perfect? No. Better? Absolutely. The two-time Olympian finished with the top scores on floor exercise, high bar and parallel bars to become the first American to win five national titles since Blaine Wilson ripped off five straight crowns from 1996-2000. “It’s a wonderful stepping stone,” said Mikulak, who was a seven-time NCAA champion at Michigan. “It definitely feels good. I think this is the favorite one that I’ve won so far just because I feel like I’m at a different place in my confidence, in my gymnastics and being able to ride this going into world championships will definitely set me off feeling a little more confident. And I’m just excited for what we got as a team.” Having the charismatic Moldauer showcasing the form that could make him a legitimate challenger to Mikulak sooner rather than later helped. The 21-year-old is dealing with a disc problem in his lower back and looked out of sorts on Thursday when he finished in a tie for ninth. Altering his routines slightly to take some of the pressure off his back, Moldauer scored 85.450 on Saturday to sprint all the way to second. Allan Bower finished third, followed by Donothan Bailey, Alec Yoder and Akash Modi. Moldauer was behind all of them coming into the finals before hitting all six of his routines in a remarkably resilient display. “You’re going to have a rough day but you can’t hold onto that,” Moldauer said. “You have to come forward from it. However you react is how you’re going to perform in the future. Just knowing that I could reset and come out and perform how I wanted to perform really helped me and helped my confidence and helped know that I could do it.” If healthy, Moldauer and Mikulak are virtual locks to make the five-man world championship team when it is announced next month. After that, however, men’s program high-performance director Brett McClure will have his work cut out trying to piece together a squad capable of taking on the international elite. “We’re not in first, obviously,” Moldauer said. “But I think we can be on the podium. If we can get our strategy right, if we can get our routines to be as clean as possible, we can be up there.” The men’s program is in the midst of a generational shift. Mikulak is the only member of the 2016 Olympic team that finished a disappointing fifth in Rio de Janeiro still competing. Yet the next wave is still finding its footing. The Americans won just a single medal at world championships last year and Modi acknowledged the uneven display the group as a whole put on during the first day of competition is nowhere close to what will be required if the U.S. wants to nudge itself back toward the world’s elite. Whoever makes the team, McClure’s biggest challenge will be making sure the men are sharp from the get-go. “We missed an opportunity to perform under a pressure situation (on Thursday), in an arena, on a podium,” McClure said. “I feel the energy tonight was much more focused. The realization kind of set in, ‘Oh yeah, that’s right, we’re getting ready for a world championships, we’re getting ready to qualify to the Olympics so let’s get it done. There were promising signs on Saturday, with Mikulak leading the way. He placed part of the blame for Thursday’s bumpy display on a lack of energy both on the podium and in the stands. He seemed intent on changing it from the second he saluted the judges before his floor exercise. The momentum built over the next two and a half hours, leading to the celebratory fist pump to his contingent of friends and family sitting in the first row after drilling his high-bar dismount. “We wanted to be high energy the whole time,” Mikulak said. “So we were like ‘Even if you don’t feel it, fake it till you make it’ and I think we made it.”<doc-sep>Defending champion Yul Moldauer finished second at 168.150, and his University of Oklahoma teammate, Allan Bower, placed third at 166.950. In a thoroughly dominating performance, Mikulak claimed the senior men’s crown, notching a 172.900 two-day all-around mark for his fifth national title, recapturing his perch atop the US men’s gymnastics throne. The last male gymnast to win five US Gymnastics Championships was Blaine Wilson from 1996-2000. For stretches during Saturday’s US Gymnatics Championships at TD Garden, it felt like Sam Mikulak was participating in a different sport than his competitors. Most were playing checkers. Mikulak was playing chess. “I have to say this is probably my favorite [national championship] that I’ve won so far,” said Mikulak. “I feel like I’m at a different place in my confidence and my gymnastics. Being able to ride this going into world championships will definitely set me off feeling a little more confident.” Mikulak is one of seven American male gymnasts who will make the trip to Qatar this October. The team was announced following Saturday’s medal ceremony. Joining Mikulak will be Moldauer, Bower, Akash Modi, Donothan Bailey, Alec Yoder, and Cameron Bock. Advertisement Mikulak, 25, of Newport Coast, Calif., peeled off a string of four straight gold medals at nationals beginning in 2013. Last year, an Achilles injury limited him to just two events. On Saturday, Mikulak proved he was as capable as ever. “We knew the first day was really not the day we wanted to have,” said Mikulak of he and his US Olympic Training Center teammates. “We all came together and said, ‘Hey, we’re a bunch of college guys, let’s come together like we’re a little college team and let’s have fun with this. Be high energy the whole time, even if you don’t feel it. Fake it ‘till you make it.’ I think we made it.” Advertisement Mikulak’s first pass of the day came during his graceful but challenging floor routine. It involved completing a 2½ twist into an immediate tucked double front, which he executed with precision. Sam Mikulak executed his floor routine with pointed and precise movements. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff Mikulak closed the exercise with a triple full, receiving a 14.350 and setting the tone for his triumphant afternoon. After scoring a 13.650 on the pommel horse in the preliminary session Thursday evening, Mikulak flexed his bulging muscles with a stellar 14.950 on Saturday, punctuating the performance with two big claps and a fist pump. Mikulak’s suspended rings routine went off without a hitch. Then it was onto the vault where he spiraled through the air, landed with a slight hop, and flashed his pearly whites to the crowd. He walked away with a 14.250 to show for his efforts. The full Sam Mikulak experience was on display during the fifth rotation at the parallel bars. Mikulak was up last in a group comprised of five US Olympic Training Center members and Cypress Academy’s Colin Van Wicklen. Mikulak spent most of the rotation passionately shouting words of encouragement toward his USOTC teammates. “The first day, we’re all trying to stay conservative and not really get too loud, but I think that’s kind of where we thrive,” said Bailey. “Today we were a lot more together, a lot louder, and that helped a lot.” When it was Mikulak’s turn on the apparatus, his gait changed entirely, a stern expression and furrowed brow replacing his supportive smile. He proceeded to wow the crowd of 3,321 in attendance with a routine that definitively set him apart from his peers, receiving a 6.4 for its difficulty. Advertisement Ever a beacon of positivity, Mikulak emphatically pumped both of his fists, saluted the crowd, and let out a loud yelp of near epic proportions.. “I definitely put myself out there to exude as much energy to everyone as I could,” said Mikulak. “We huddled up before quite a few events and before the meet. Everyone’s saying different things, everyone’s picking each other up. You could tell that everyone wanted to be a part of it today.” Mikulak’s final event — the horizontal bar — was merely a formality. Unsurprisingly, he stuck the dismount. Sam Mikulak makes a release move on the horizontal bar, the final result of which was a mere formality in his fifth US Gymnatics national title. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff “I just felt relieved,” he said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself today because I did not want to have a similar performance as Thursday.” Mikulak also claimed gold medals for his high-marks on parallel bars (29.550), the horizontal bar (28.400), and the floor exercise (29.100). Moldauer entered Saturday in sixth place after a strained showing in the prelims. He reverted back to his old self in the final session, sticking most of his passes in a smooth floor exercise and jumping up to second place by the start of the fifth rotation. “It definitely fueled me, but I knew it couldn’t take over my emotions,” said Moldauer on how his performance Thursday impacted things on Saturday. “I just had to accept it and then reset and come here like I didn’t compete Thursday.” Advertisement Bailey and Yoder, who claimed gold in the pommel horse, rounded out the top five. The final podium for the US senior men's competition at the US Gymnastics Championships at TD Garden: (left to right) Akash Modi, Donothan Bailey, Yul Moldauer, Sam Mikulak, Allan Bower, and Cameron Bock give a final salute. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff Senior Men’s final results At TD Garden All-around — 1. Sam Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif., 172.900; 2. Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo., 168.150; 3. Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz., 166.950; 4. Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif., 166.800; 5. Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind., 166.550; 6. Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J., 165.550; 7. Cameron Bock, Tustin, Calif., 163.200; 8. Colin Van Wicklen, Magnolia, Texas, 163.050; 9. Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa., 162.800; 10. Kanji Oyama, Huntington Beach, Calif., 162.150; 11. Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla., 161.300; 12. Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis., 161.050; 13. Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, 160.550; 14. Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill., 159.950; 15. Kiwan Watts, Richmond, Va., 159.500; 16. Tanner Justus, Cypress, Texas, 158.650; 17. Anthony Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., 158.300; 18. Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas, 157.800; 19. Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn., 157.750; 20. Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla., 157.650; 21. Jacob Moore, West Bloomfield, Mich., 157.450; 22. Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif., 156.500; 23. Seth Delbridge, Floyds Knobs, Ind., 153.500; 24. Jake Brodarzon, Paramus, N.J., 150.600; 25. Kyte Crigger, Manassas, Va., 148.350; 26. Jalon Stephens, Shreveport, La., 109.850. Floor exercise — 1. Sam Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif., 29.100; 2. Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo., 28.750; 3. Kanji Oyama, Huntington Beach, Calif., 28.650; 4. Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz., 28.350; 5. Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J., 28.300; 6. Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla., 28.250; 7. Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif., 28.150; 8. Jacob Moore, West Bloomfield, Mich., 28.050; 9. Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa., 28.000; 10. Cameron Bock, Tustin, Calif., 27.650; 10. Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis., 27.650; 12. Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind., 27.550; 13. Colin Van Wicklen, Magnolia, Texas, 27.500; 14. Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill., 27.450; 15. Kiwan Watts, Richmond, Va., 27.400; 16. Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, 27.350; 17. Anthony Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., 27.200; 17. Tanner Justus, Cypress, Texas, 27.200; 19. Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas, 27.150; 19. Kyte Crigger, Manassas, Va., 27.150; 21. Sebastian Quiana, Oradell, N.J., 27.050; 22. Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla., 26.600; 23. Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif., 26.400; 24. William Jeffreys, Raleigh, N.C., 26.000; 25. Jake Brodarzon, Paramus, N.J., 25.650; 26. Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn., 25.500; 27. Seth Delbridge, Floyds Knobs, Ind., 25.300; 28. Tyler Schaal, Miami, Fla., 22.950; 29. Alex Diab, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 13.900; 30. Jalon Stephens, Shreveport, La., 12.050. Advertisement Pommel horse — 1. Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind., 29.850; 2. Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz., 29.200; 3. Ellis Mannon, Indianapolis, Ind., 28.850; 4. Sam Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif., 28.600; 5. Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif., 28.050; 6. Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J., 27.950; 7. Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo., 27.300; 8. Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif., 27.200; 9. Stephen Nedoroscik, Worcester, Mass., 27.100; 10. Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa., 26.950; 11. Tanner Justus, Cypress, Texas, 26.800; 12. Cameron Bock, Tustin, Calif., 26.650; 12. Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Calif., 26.650; 14. Jacob Moore, West Bloomfield, Mich., 26.250; 15. Kanji Oyama, Huntington Beach, Calif., 26.100; 16. Anthony Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., 26.050; 17. Kiwan Watts, Richmond, Va., 25.950; 17. Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill., 25.950; 17. Colin VanWicklen, Magnolia, Texas, 25.950; 20. Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla., 25.900; 21. Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis., 25.700; 22. Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla., 25.650; 23. Seth Delbridge, Floyds Knobs, Ind., 25.200; 24. Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn., 25.100; 25. Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas, 24.800; 26. Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, 24.500; 27. Jake Brodarzon, Paramus, N.J., 22.950; 28. Kyle King, Mesquite, Texas, 21.650; 29. Kyte Crigger, Manassas, Va., 19.950; 30. Tyler Schaal, Miami, Fla., 19.700; 31. Jalon Stephens, Shreveport, La., 8.300. Still rings — 1. Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, 29.200; 2. Alex Diab, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 28.950; 3. Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo., 28.650; 4. Sam Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif., 28.600; 5. Donnell Whittenburg, Baltimore, Md., 28.550; 6. Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla., 28.500; 7. Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz., 27.600; 8. Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind., 27.550; 9. Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J., 27.350; 10. Cameron Bock, Tustin, Calif., 27.250; 11. Colin VanWicklen, Magnolia, Texas, 27.150; 12. Kanji Oyama, Huntington Beach, Calif., 27.000; 13. Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn., 26.900; 14. Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis., 26.600; 15. Tanner Justus, Cypress, Texas, 26.500; 16. Jalon Stephens, Shreveport, La., 26.300; 17. Kiwan Watts, Richmond, Va., 26.250; 18. Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif., 26.050; 18. Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas, 26.050; 20. Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill., 26.000; 21. Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa., 25.850; 22. Tyler Schaal, Miami, Fla., 25.400; 23. Jake Brodarzon, Paramus, N.J., 25.150; 24. William Jeffreys, Raleigh, N.C., 24.700; 25. Jacob Moore, West Bloomfield, Mich., 24.650; 26. Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla., 24.550; 27. Seth Delbridge, Floyds Knobs, Ind., 24.300; 28. Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif., 24.050; 29. Kyte Crigger, Manassas, Va., 23.900; 30. Anthony Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., 23.750. Allan Bower, of Chandler, Ariz., attempts to stick the landing on his vault attempt. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff Vault —1. Anthony Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., 29.550; 2. Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo., 29.150; 3. Colin Van Wicklen, Magnolia, Texas, 28.900; 4. Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla., 28.700; 5. Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif., 28.650; 5. Sam Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif., 28.650; 7. Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J., 28.600; 8. Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz., 28.400; 9. Kiwan Watts, Richmond, Va., 28.300; 10. Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill., 28.200; 10. Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis., 28.200; 12. Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas, 28.150; 13. Kyte Crigger, Manassas, Va., 27.900; 13. Jacob Moore, West Bloomfield, Mich., 27.900; 13. Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif., 27.900; 16. Jake Brodarzon, Paramus, N.J., 27.750; 17. Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa., 27.650; 17. Sebastian Quiana, Oradell, N.J., 27.650; 19. Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind., 27.600; 19. Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, 27.600; 19. Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn., 27.600; 22. Tanner Justus, Cypress, Texas, 27.550; 22. Seth Delbridge, Floyds Knobs, Ind., 27.550; 24. Cameron Bock, Tustin, Calif., 27.400; 25. Kanji Oyama, Huntington Beach, Calif., 27.150; 26. Tyler Schaal, Miami, Fla., 26.600; 26. Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla., 26.600; 28. William Jeffreys, Raleigh, N.C., 26.450; 29. Alex Diab, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 13.650; 30. Jalon Stephens, Shreveport, La., 13.600. Sam Mikulak executes a release move on his parrellel bars routine, which earned top marks in the rotation. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff Parallel bars — 1. Sam Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif., 29.550; 2. Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif., 28.350; 3. Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo., 28.100; 4. Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind., 27.950; 5. Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, 27.800; 6. Cameron Bock, Tustin, Calif., 27.750; 7. Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz., 27.550; 8. Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa., 27.400; 9. Anthony Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., 26.950; 9. Donnell Whittenburg, Baltimore, Md., 26.950; 9. Kanji Oyama, Huntington Beach, Calif., 26.950; 9. Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Calif., 26.950; 13. Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill., 26.700; 14. Colin Van Wicklen, Magnolia, Texas, 26.550; 15. Seth Delbridge, Floyds Knobs, Ind., 26.500; 15. Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J., 26.500; 17. Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla., 26.400; 18. Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas, 26.250; 19. Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis., 26.100; 19. Sebastian Quiana, Oradell, N.J., 26.100; 21. Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn., 26.050; 21.<doc-sep>

Mikulak attracted plenty of attention Thursday evening at TD Garden, but for reasons that fail to account for age. The affable 25-year-old conquered the parallel bars, logged a stellar floor routine, and survived a scare on his final test — the pommel horse — en route to a first-place finish and a score of 85.150 in the first of two sessions for the senior men. Hailing from Newport Beach, Calif., Mikulak was the all-around champion at the US Gymnastics Championships four years running beginning in 2013. The streak was snapped last year when Mikulak suffered an Achilles injury, limiting him to just two events at the competition in Anaheim. Many figured his best days as a gymnast had passed. Sam Mikulak is midway through his twenties, making him a pariah of sorts in a sport known for its youthfulness. .@SamuelMikulak leads the senior men's all-around standings after night one. He's got the top score – a 14.750 – on floor. #USGymChamps pic.twitter.com/nPWdRSRS90 — USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 17, 2018 Akash Modi of Stanford University finished in second place at 84.100, excelling with a successive three-release sequence on the high bar. The University of Oklahoma’s Allan Bower placed third with an all-around score of 83.850. Mikulak hopes for higher energy levels and a more fiery atmosphere when competition resumes for the senior men at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. “I just felt like we didn’t have any energy today,” he said. “I don’t know how everyone else was, but I think the fact that I’m in first right now speaks to [that] it wasn’t too good of a day for anyone. I’m hoping we can all turn it up with a little more energy going into Saturday. We’ll have a bigger crowd and a little more meaning and purpose.” Reigning champions often hold themselves to high standards. On a night of competition riddled with bobbles and slip-ups, Mikulak felt he was part of the mediocrity despite his favorable position on the leaderboard. Akash Modi, currently in second place, competes on the horizontal bar. Maddie Meyer/getty “I think it was kind of a wash,” said Mikulak. “You don’t want to win on days like this. I want to be able to slam routines and have it come down to the wire. That’s when it’s really exciting and intense because everybody’s doing their best, and you want to beat people at their best, not because you were the best loser.” Mikulak makes it a point to please fans, and drew the night’s loudest cheer after completing an evening-best floor routine for which he received a 14.750 mark. Mikulak beckoned the crowd to shower him with love, and they obliged. His performance on the parallel bars was equally impressive, receiving a sterling 6.1 mark for the difficulty of the routine and an 8.2 for execution. Still, Mikulak knows his showing Thursday would have been unacceptable had it come in international competition. Though garnering high marks for difficulty on his high bar routine, Mikulak fell while attempting the Cassina, a move he hadn’t flubbed in six months. The pommel horse provided its own unique challenges. “Usually I step up: left hand, right hand,” said Mikulak, who lost his grasp and had to re-start at the apparatus. “For some reason [tonight], I went right hand, left hand. It was like, ‘What are you doing?’ I can’t really be mad because that was the weirdest thing. That should be a very easy fix.” The World Gymnastics Championships are set to take place in Qatar this October, and Mikulak knows he’ll have to ratchet up his intensity if he wishes to thrive. “This would have been a very disappointing World Championship performance for sure,” he said. “Got another chance, and that’s just the mindset I have going into this next day.” Modi was one of the few gymnasts able to gain some semblance of consistency Thursday, finishing top-five in four of six events. For the 23-year old from New Jersey, this week in Boston represents a chance to carve out a spot on the plane to Qatar. Modi was an alternate at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. “I would say high bar was the only routine that felt very good today,” he said. “Other than that, just working out the kinks. Overall, 6-for-6, good consistency, and nothing that I was really ashamed of.” Defending champion Yul Moldauer failed to deliver a clean program, stepping out of bounds on his first tumbling run on the floor exercise.

Major Nikhil Handa, who is currently posted in Nagaland's Dimapur, was arrested from Meerut's Daurala district on Sunday and was brought to Delhi for further questioning. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Indian Army Major Nikhil Handa, who was arrested on Sunday from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the murder of the wife of a fellow officer, was 'obsessed' with the woman and wanted to marry her. Handa murdered her on Saturday when he found out she was unlikely to reciprocate his feelings, the Delhi Police said. The deceased Shailza Dwivedi, wife of Major Amit Dwivedi, was attacked by Nikhil Handa with a knife in his car, then thrown out of the vehicle and run over, police said. Read: Army Major's wife found dead with throat slit in Delhi's Brar Square Major Nikhil Handa, who is currently posted in Nagaland's Dimapur, was arrested from Meerut's Daurala district on Sunday and was brought to Delhi for further questioning. During an argument, he attacked her with a knife, threw her out of the car and drove over her. Shailza Dwivedi was murdered when she had gone for a physiotherapy session at the Army hospital. She was picked up from there by Major Handa. Also Read: Major arrested in Army officer's wife killing knew her since 2015, say police CCTV footage from outside the Army Base Hospital in the cantonment area showed Shailza Dwidevi getting into a car. Her body was found in the area half-an hour later. She was run over, but the police found that her throat was slit before that. In the CCTV footage, a Honda City car was seen, "in which there was only one person" the police said. Police said, Major Handa reached Delhi on Saturday and asked Shailza Dwivedi to meet him. During the drive, they had an argument. He was obsessive and pressured her to marry him and when she refused, "he stabbed her with a knife... he pushed her from the car and ran over her body to make it look like an accident," an officer said. The car, the police said, has enough evidence of the crime -- bloodstains, more than one knife etc. Cops found a Swiss knife, which had prints all over it, the police said. He tried to clean the car with towels, but there were traces of blood still, an officer said. "It looks like he slit her (throat) suddenly," he said. Major Handa and 30-year-old Shailza Dwivedi had met in 2015 in Nagaland when her husband was posted there. They kept in touch even when she came to Delhi along with her husband who was transferred to the capital. They talked continuously on phone, though he was the one who called her more often, the police said. Major Dwivedi once walked in during a video call between the two. "He confronted his wife and Nikhil and warned him not to talk to his wife or come to his house," said an officer of the Delhi Police during a press conference on Sunday evening. Major Handa was arrested after Major Dwivedi revealed his suspicion to the police and subsequent investigations were made. "We raided many places overnight for Nikhil Handa. We tracked his movement. We found out he went towards Meerut. He resisted a bit when asked to join the investigation," the police said. The police said Major Handa had been out of touch with everyone lately, including his family. He had even gotten himself admitted in a hospital "because of migraines". Further investigation in the case is underway, the police said.<doc-sep>The Delhi police have arrested accused Major Nikhil Handa in the murder case of Army Major's wife Shailaja, who was found dead on Saturday, with her throat slit. A team of Delhi police was dispatched after suspect's Honda City car was spotted in Meerut. The accused was soon arrested and brought to Delhi. According to the police, Shailaja was last seen with an unidentified man in a private car. He ran her over to disguise the murder as an accident, the police said. The cops have also found some evidence in Shailaja's phone, which point out to some kind of estrangement between her and the murderer. Major Nikhil Handa is accused in the murder case of Army Major's wife Shailaja. Photo: Puneet Kumar Sharma Indian Army Major Amit Dwivedi's wife was found dead on Saturday afternoon with her throat slit and body run over by the killer's vehicle on Brar Square, close to Delhi Cantonment metro station. The deceased had left home in the morning for a physiotherapy session at the Army's base hospital in Delhi Cantonment. Shailaja Dwivedi and her husband Amit Dwivedi tied the knot in 2009 and have a six-year-old son together. An official vehicle assigned to the Army Major dropped her to the hospital. However, when the vehicle went to pick her up, the driver was told that major's wife didn't come for physiotherapy. At around 1:30 in the noon, her dead body was found near Delhi Cantonment metro station. Passersby informed the police about an unidentified woman's body lying on the road. After the police reached the crime scene, they found that the 30-year-old woman's throat was slit by a sharp-edged weapon. The Army Major is posted in Dimapur, Nagaland. The two tied the knot in 2009 and have a six-year-old son together. ALSO READ: Police identify key suspect in murder case of Army Major's wife<doc-sep>An Indian Army Major was arrested on Sunday from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut for his alleged involvement in the murder of a fellow officer’s wife, who was found with her throat slit near the Delhi Cantonment Metro station, police officials said. A day after the body of 35-year-old Shailza Dwivedi, wife of Indian Army Major Amit Dwivedi, was found on an isolated road near Brar Square, police said they had arrested Major Nikhil Rai Handa from the army’s cantonment in Meerut as he was trying to flee. A police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Handa was “obsessed” with Shailza and was enraged because she had been snubbing his advances and was trying to distance herself from him. Shailza’s family, too, accused Handa of stalking her. Her brother, a lawyer in Amritsar, alleged that Handa had mistaken his sister’s “friendly behaviour” as a signal that she liked him. The police were initially informed that Shailza had died in an accident. When they inspected her body, the officials discovered that she had been attacked. During his questioning, Handa said Shailza was “over-obsessed” with him and had been pressuring him to divorce his wife and marry her, the official said. The arrested army officer has confessed to killing Shailza, saying he committed the crime to “get rid of her”, he added. Madhup Tiwari, joint commissioner of police (western range), said they were investigating the claims made by Handa. “What we know so far is that the army officer was obsessed with the woman. We will question him further,” said Tiwari, adding that Handa used a pocket knife to slit Shailza’s throat. Shailza, who had reportedly participated in Mrs India Earth pageant in 2017-18, and Handa knew each other since 2015, when her husband was posted in Nagaland’s Dimapur, the police said. The two would meet during official functions and social gatherings there, they said. Shailza returned to Amritsar from Dimapur with her six-year-old son after her husband was transferred to Delhi for an official training. Her husband is being sent to Congo on a United Nations mission, the police said. Deputy commissioner of police (west) Vijay Kumar said the pocket knife used in the crime has been recovered along with a bigger knife from Handa’s Honda City car that he was driving at the time of the crime. About the sequence of events leading to Shailza’s murder, the DCP said that the two had a telephonic conversation at about 8am on Saturday and decided to meet outside the Army Base hospital in West Delhi. Handa’s son is admitted in the hospital, while Shailza was visiting the hospital for physiotherapy. Around 11.30am, the two met and they left in the Honda City car that Handa was driving. A police officer associated with the probe said that an argument broke out between Shailza and Handa while they were driving around in the Delhi Cantonment area. “Handa turned violent, took out the pocket knife he had kept in the car and slit Shailza’s throat. As he stopped the car, Shailza came out and fell on the car’s bonnet. When she started walking, Handa rammed the car her from behind. She fell on the road. Handa ran the car over her. The body was dragged for a few metres. Handa sped away, leaving Shailza to die,” the officer said, adding that Handa had cleaned the blood on the knife and the car’s bonnet using a towel. After the crime, Handa went to the hospital to meet his son and wife. He did not tell them about the crime. From there, he went to his parents’ home in Saket and told them that he had been involved in an accident. He then visited his uncle’s home in Chittaranjan Park. “When Handa saw on news channels that the police were looking for him, he fled to Meerut and spent the night in army’s mess,” the officer said. The police said Handa had come to Delhi from Dimapur on June 4 on the pretext of getting medical treatment at the army hospital for his migraine problem. He got himself admitted at the hospital before leaving for Amritsar, where he stayed for three-four days and met Shailza. After returning to Delhi, he admitted his son to the hospital for treatment of a stomach-related disease, they said. “We are questioning Handa to ascertain what exactly triggered him to kill Shailza. He will also be quizzed to know if he had planned the crime in advance,” said the joint commissioner of police. Shailza’s body has been handed over to her family members after autopsy at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital. The family left for Amritsar with the body on Sunday evening.<doc-sep>Army Major, Nikhil Handa (C) (in red t-shirt), was arrested in relation to the murder of another Major's wife from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut. NEW DELHI: After an 18-hour manhunt, city police on Sunday morning managed to arrest Major Nikhil Rai Handa, the officer suspected of murdering Shailja Dwivedi (35), the wife of another Major in the Indian Army , on Saturday afternoon. He was arrested from Meerut . A common friend of the couple, Handa (39) had fallen in love with Shailja during their posting in Dimapur , Nagaland , and had been pursuing her. Unable to handle rejection, police claimed, he planned to kill her in cold blood. He came to the Army Base Hospital on Saturday to meet her one last time and slit her throat with a knife inside his Honda City car, they said. He then threw her body onto the road and ran her over twice to pass off the death as an accident. Her body was found around 1.28pm near Brar Square, Delhi Cantt , on Saturday. TOI was the first to report on Sunday that a Major in the Indian Army was the prime suspect. Special commissioner (law and order) R P Upadhyay confirmed the developments. "Handa had fled to Meerut after the murder. Six teams were formed to track him down. He was caught after an extensive probe revealed his location," Upadhyay told TOI. The police said Handa had stayed overnight at the Army mess in Meerut and planned to dispose of the car at the local scrap market there. The police pieced together the sequence of events that preceded the murder. Shailja was not just a homemaker, but also an active participant in social welfare activities. In 2017, she was a finalist at Mrs India Earth pageant, where she won the title of "Mrs Earth Creative" too.<doc-sep>

Major Nikhil Rai Handa was nabbed from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on Sunday and his interrogation was on. Major Nikhil Rai Handa was nabbed from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on Sunday and his interrogation was on. THE DELHI Police arrested an Army officer, Major Nikhil Rai Handa (40), from Meerut on Sunday in connection with the murder of another Army Major’s wife in the Capital. Shailza Dwivedi (35), wife of Major Amit Dwivedi, was found dead at Brar Square, near Delhi Cantonment Metro station, on Saturday. Police said her throat had been slit and, according to eyewitnesses, she was thrown out of a vehicle which then ran over her. Joint Commissioner of Police (western range) Madhup Tiwari said they were questioning Handa. Police sources said preliminary questioning suggested that Handa was “obsessed” with the victim. “He told us that the woman was forcing him to marry her,” said a police source. According to police sources, Handa and Shailza got to know each other through Facebook in 2015. Later, after they became friends, she reportedly introduced him to her husband in Dimapur, where both the officers were posted at the time. While Handa was earlier posted in Meerut, he was transferred to Dimapur about a year ago. His family lives in Saket, in South Delhi. About two months ago, Dwivedi came to Delhi for a training programme. According to Shailza’s brother, Dwivedi was scheduled to join a UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan. “When Handa tried to go beyond mere friendship, Shailza started ignoring him. Reports of my sister having an affair with him are completely false,” Shailza’s brother told The Indian Express. On Saturday, Handa reportedly called Shailza to the Army Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment, where he had taken his son for treatment. According to police, Shailza went to the hospital at 10 am. She left the hospital half-an-hour later and was found dead around 1.30 pm. Police said she had been visiting the hospital for the last four days for treatment of her ankle. According to police sources, Handa has said that he picked up Shailza from outside the hospital. While they were driving around, they reportedly had an argument and he attacked her with a knife, after which she jumped out of his vehicle and started running. Police sources said Handa then mowed her down, before fleeing the spot. DCP (west) Vijay Kumar said Handa’s movements near the hospital and Delhi Cantonment Metro station had been corroborated with the help of CCTV footage. “He killed her between 12.30 pm and 1.15 pm. Her mobile phone, which he threw, is yet to be recovered,” said Kumar. Police said Dwivedi had raised suspicion that Handa may be behind the crime, following which a police team was set up to find him. “Handa had switched off his mobile phone, but the team picked him up from Meerut Cantonment area. His car was recovered from the Army Mess in the cantonment,” said Kumar. Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination revealed that the victim was hit on the head with a blunt object, and her throat slit. Police said the body has been handed over to her family, who have left for Amritsar to perform the last rites. Shailza and Amit Dwivedi got married in 2009 and have a six-year-old son. They stayed at the Army quarters in Naraina.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 23: Dakari Johnson #44 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots the ball before the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) OKC Thunder seek additional cost cuts via trade of Dakari Johnson to Orlando Magic for Rodney Purvis Although not a big trade OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti’s move to trade Dakari Johnson was no less important. Although Johnson’s contract isn’t large ($1.4 million) as per Bobby Marks the move clears $2.6 million off OKC’s luxury tax. In terms of specifics the Thunder are said to have also sent cash Orlando’s way. Rodney Purvis was a desirable trade partner since his contract is non-guaranteed which allows the Thunder to waive him from the roster. Dakari Johnson flashback: Thunderous Intentions has consistently pointed to the big man’s game not suiting the current tenor of the NBA game. For Johnson it’s been a long, difficult journey upon his arrival to the National Basketball Association. The former Kentucky Wildcat was selected by the OKC Thunder 48th in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft. For the next two seasons Johnson played entirely with the OKC Thunder affiliate OKC Blues. OKC Thunder trades C/PF Dakari Johnson to Orlando Magic for non-guaranteed PG/SG Rodney Purvis pic.twitter.com/iZ0g7oK58b — Major Sports Alerts (@sports___alerts) July 20, 2018 Facing primarily his peers DJ performed well and was considered a G-League top star. Likewise each of DJ’s three Summer League appearances were highly successful. That said, the overriding takeaway was Dakari was an excellent big man under the basket with a game perfectly suited for the old generation of centers. Simply put, perhaps Johnson was unlucky based on when he entered the league. The Orlando Magic are reportedly going to cut Dakari Johnson and no doubt will utilize some of the cash the OKC Thunder sent to help in this endeavor. Beyond his old school game DJ is unfortunate given the front court is loaded in Orlando. The Magic drafted center Mohamed Bamba this year to join last season’s draftee Jonathan Isaac And, while Orlando have been seeking to rid themselves of Nikola Vucevic for what seems an eternity it still doesn’t bode well for DJ. Again, Purvis (also primarily based in the G-League) is likely to be cut and was desirable to OKC given his non-guaranteed contract. Can’t imagine this will be the last move made this offseason by GM Sam Presti. Afterall, he still has Kyle Singler to deal with — right?<doc-sep>UPDATE Dakari Johnson has been traded again, as he’s now being sent to the Memphis Grizzlies, according to Woj. There, Johnson will reunite with former Wildcats guard Andrew Harrison, who Johnson went to back-to-back Final Fours with at Kentucky. The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded former Kentucky forward Dakari Johnson to the Orlando Magic, according to Shams Charania. Oklahoma City is trading Dakari Johnson to the Orlando Magic, league sources tell Yahoo. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 20, 2018 Johnson has been with the Thunder since the start of his NBA career. He played for their G-League team in each of his first three years of professional basketball, but also jumped up to play NBA ball for 31 games last year. He started six of those games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds while shooting 56 percent. Johnson played at Kentucky for two years. He started 18 games in the 2013-14 season, averaging 5.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. On the 2014-15 38-1 team, Johnson came off the bench and averaged 6.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. Johnson will join fellow former Wildcat Isaiah Briscoe in Orlando. What his role will be in Orlando is unclear. The Magic are well-stocked in big men, including Mohamed Bamba, Timofey Mozgov and Jonathan Isaac. Be sure to go ‘like’ our Facebook page and follow our Twitter page for the latest Kentucky Wildcats news.<doc-sep>Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press While much of the significant player movement for the 2018 NBA offseason is already over, the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly not done dealing just yet. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Grizzlies sent forward Jarell Martin and cash considerations to the Magic in exchange for big man Dakari Johnson on Monday. This isn’t the first time Johnson has been traded this offseason, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reported Friday the Kentucky product was part of another deal. The Oklahoma City Thunder traded him and cash considerations to the Magic in exchange for Rodney Purvis. The Thunder selected Johnson in the second round of the 2015 draft, and he split time between the NBA and G-League last season. He appeared in 31 games with six starts for Oklahoma City, averaging a mere 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds a night as frontcourt depth. Johnson is just 22 years old and will attempt to establish himself in a new environment as depth behind Marc Gasol on the Grizzlies. As for Martin, he was a first-round pick in the same draft as Johnson and played collegiately at LSU. He appeared in a career-high 73 games with 36 starts for the Grizzlies in 2017-18 and posted 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds a night. He also shot a passable 34.7 percent from three-point range and can theoretically stretch the floor and take advantage of openings created by Orlando’s frontcourt of Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba.<doc-sep>

The Thunder have reportedly traded Dakari Johnson to the Magic in exchange for Rodney Purvis, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. The news was first reported by A. Suave Francisco on Twitter. The Magic will send Rodney Purvis to the Thunder for Johnson, league sources said. https://t.co/xPVLpFdvzE — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 20, 2018 The move to trade Johnson does not appear to be that much of a surprise as he played sparingly for the Thunder last season after averaging just 5.1 minutes in 31 total games. The Thunder were also likely motivated to trade Johnson to dump his $1.4 million guaranteed salary for next season. Meanwhile, Purvis is due $1.4 million next season as well, but it is non-guaranteed. Johnson, the No. 48 overall pick by the Thunder in the 2015 draft, is expected to be waived by the Magic once the deal is complete as the Thunder are also sending the Magic cash to cover his $1.4 million salary. Prior to spending last season with the Thunder, he played primarily for the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League where he averaged 15.4 points and eight rebounds and 2.2 assists in 99 games. With the arrival of Dennis Schroder in the Carmelo Anthony trade, it’s quite clear that the Thunder would like to play uptempo and Johnson does not necessarily fit that style of play. Although he wasn’t a significant member of the Thunder, he is coming off of a solid Summer League performance. In three games, he averaged 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and three assists per game. Johnson played two seasons at Kentucky in college.

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks is all you need to hear to know that this was a big-time matchup. Each team came in looking to make a statement, but it was Kentucky that walked away with the win. From the tip, both teams came out playing strong defense and made life hard on the offensive end of the floor, as it was 4-4 at the first media timeout. The Cats settled down and started running their offense, which led to a lot of open looks. Unfortunately, they just weren’t making them. Kansas started heating up and had built a 10-point lead, 16-6, with just under 10 minutes left in the half. Thankfully, Kentucky has a guy on the team named Reid Travis, and he came ready to play. He fueled the Cats’ comeback as they quickly made it a 20-17 ballgame. Each team would make their runs to close out the half, but the Cats would head to the break down 33-30. After the break, Kentucky came out and just like they have done the previous two games; they had a burst to start the half as quickly took a 35-33 lead. The Cats in the second half were much better offensively and seemed to be under control, whereas in the first half, they seemed to be rushing themselves. That flow allowed them to build up a 52-44 lead. Kansas kept battling, and with just under eight minutes left, they hit a three-ball to make it a three-point game, 52-49. But Kentucky closed out the game strong and never let Kansas any closer, as the Cats got a 71-63 victory. Thoughts on the game Reid Travis was the spark Early in the season, Travis was the reason we were winning games with his consistent play night in and night out. However, once SEC play started, Travis struggled with the length on the bigs he was matched up with. In this one, he wasn’t facing the length SEC bigs have,and he took advantage of it as he finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds (7 offensive rebounds). When Kentucky went down 10 early, he came in and made huge plays to spark to Cats. Travis also made a huge impact on defense, as he kept Dedric Lawson from taking over the game. Lawson is Kansas’ go-to guy, and he did get 20 in this one, but he did so on 7/18 shooting with one turnover and four fouls. Travis did better defensively than most expected him to do in this matchup. PJ Washington continues his hot streak The last eight days have seen three of the best performances in the career of PJ Washington as he was a dominant force at Auburn, backed it up against Mississippi State, then dominated again when Kentucky needed every bit of it vs Kansas. PJ finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks, an assist, and a steal. He was locked in from the start and was able to take advantage of the much smaller defenders he was matched up with. PJ Washington is the first Kentucky player with at least 20 points and 13 rebounds in a win against an opponent ranked in the Top 10 of the AP Poll since Michael Kidd-Gilchrist vs. #4 Louisville on December 31st, 2011 — Corey Price (@coreyp08) January 27, 2019 If this is the PJ that UK gets the rest of the year, look out. Keldon Johnson showed up in the second half The first half for Johnson was not his best performance but he came back out in the second half looking to make an impact. And that’s exactly what he did. He made big plays all throughout the second half, including 3/3 shooting from deep, including the dagger with three minutes left. Johnson finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, joining Reid Travis and PJ Washington with a double-double. This was the first time that three players on Kentucky recorded a double-double since DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, and John Wall did it. Ashton Hagans continues to gain confidence We all know just how good Hagans has been on the defensive end of the floor, and he continued that vs. Kansas, as he came up with three steals and made life hard or the Kansas guards. However, Hagans is starting to look for his shot more and more and in this one he had 12 points to go along with eight assists and some of his points came in different ways. Ashton Hagans is the first Kentucky player with at least 12 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals in a win against an opponent ranked in the Top 10 of the AP Poll since John Wall vs. #10 North Carolina on December 5th, 2009 — Corey Price (@coreyp08) January 27, 2019 He still got to the rim and made free throws, but he also knocked down a big three and hit a nice step back jumper late in the shot clock. If he continues to improve his shot, he will be almost impossible to stop. Tyler Herro impacted the game in other ways Herro has been one of UK’s better scorers over the last several games, but in this one,his shots weren’t falling, which happens to everyone. However, not everyone does what he did, and that is impact the game in other ways. He was able to hold LaGerald Vick, arguably the best scorer Kansas, has to 10 points, and six of those came in the last minute on desperation threes. Herro locked him up for 40 minutes. Herro also crashed the glass as he came down with 5 rebounds. He was also getting the ball to his teammates in position to score, as he accounted for five assists. A very solid performance by Herro, even though his shots weren’t falling. Where was the bench? Recently, the team has been getting very solid production from the bench. But not in this one, at least on the offensive end. Aside from the five blocks by Nick Richards, the bench gave the Cats nothing on offense.<doc-sep>No. 8 Kentucky overcame a 3-point halftime deficit and outscored Kansas by double digits in the second half of Saturday's marquee SEC/Big 12 Challenge game to score a 71-63 win over the ninth-ranked Jayhawks. Kansas (16-4) started fast and Kentucky (16-3) started slow, which led to KU building a double digit lead early on in the first half. But as the Wildcats struggled to create offense, veteran Reid Travis came alive and willed his team to wake up, grabbing layups, smashing dunks and giving UK life it lacked but so desperately needed. In the second half it was back-and-forth, with Kansas riding Dedric Lawson to a tussle. But the Jayhawks didn't get much help elsewhere, as senior Lagerald Vick, who finished with 10 points, was mostly quiet down the stretch. PJ Washington led the Wildcats with 20 points and Reid Travis, Keldon Johnson and Ashton Hagans finished in double figures. All the more impressive for Kentucky is that it did not shoot the ball particularly well. Kansas outshot the Wildcats from deep, making 9-of-23 attempts to Kentucky's 4-of-18 from 3-point range, but UK manhandled its way to a win. It outrebounded the Jayhawks 50-33, outscored them in the paint 38-20, and collected a bonus 18 points off second-chance opportunities that ultimately provided the difference in the game. The game itself was a bit of a microcosm of the season -- for both programs. Kansas began its season by winning 10-straight and looking every bit the caliber of its preseason No. 1 billing. The Jayhawks have faded since, however, losing four of their last 10. An injury to big man Udoka Azubuike, the lack of production from the center position, and lack of consistent 3-point shooting has caught up to Bill Self's squad. Kentucky has taken quite an opposite path, much like it did on Saturday. It started slow -- losing to Duke to open the season and getting off to a 10-3 start overall -- but has since surged. It has now won six straight on the season dating back to Jan. 8, and whatever proverbial corner people often reference when talking about teams improving has seemingly been turned for John Calipari's Kentucky team. We suspected as much this past week with wins over ranked Auburn and ranked Mississippi State, but a decisive victory over KU could prove to be an inflection point of when things started trending upwards. "We are getting better," Calipari said. "We're taking that gradual climb." If you're having trouble viewing the updates, click here.<doc-sep>Kentucky and Kansas basketball entered Saturday night's top 10 matchup as the two winningest programs in college basketball history. Add one more to the Wildcats' total. No. 8 Kentucky pulled away in the second half to down No. 9 Kansas 71-63 at Rupp Arena. Three Wildcats (Reid Travis, 18; PJ Washington, 16 and Keldon Johnson, 15) finished with double-figure points as Kentucky won its sixth straight game. FINAL STATS: No. 8 Kentucky 71, Kansas 63 For Kansas, player of the year candidate Dedric Lawson led the way with 17 points — but it came on 6-of-16 shooting. Both teams came out of the gates slow and shot less than 40 percent from the field for the game. The Wildcats jolted ahead for good behind a 22-10 run right out of halftime, and they finished 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the final two minutes to clinch the victory. Follow along below for the full in-game recap of Saturday night's blueblood battle between Kentucky and Kansas: Kentucky-Kansas: STAT PREVIEW Kentucky Kansas Record 15-3 16-3 AP Rank 8 9 Points per game 80 78.1 Opponent points per game 67.5 70.2 Strength of schedule rank 34 1 Field goal percentage 48.6 48.1 3-point percentage 35.7 35.6 Rebounds per game 38.4 38.2 Assists per game 14.3 13.9 Steals per game 6.9 7.4 Turnovers per game 13.7 13.2 Kentucky Kansas preview, prediction, keys to the game Can Kansas get Kentucky off the glass? Kentucky is one of the best teams in the country on the boards. The Wildcats are the fifth-best team in the nation in total rebound percentage, collecting 57.1 percent of all available rebounds. They’re also the ninth-best team in offensive rebound percentage at 37.9 percent. If that weren’t enough, Kentucky has held opponents to 28.9 total rebounds per game — the third lowest amount in Division I. Kentucky defeats Auburn, 82-80 Kansas is quite a bit behind, with a total rebound percentage of 51.6 (ranked 130 in the country) and an offensive rebound percentage of 29.2 (ranked 163). Without Udoka Azubuike and his 6.8 rebounds per game (second on Kansas only to Dedric Lawson), that problem is only exacerbated. Since the Jayhawks have the 114th-best offensive rating in the country — they average just 107.5 points per 100 possessions — they can’t allow the Wildcats to dominate on the boards, or a lack of possessions will come back to haunt them. Kentucky needs to limit fouls The Wildcats average 16.2 fouls per game, which is the 43rd-lowest in the country. Yet against Duke, they racked up 25, and against Seton Hall, they had 21. It’s no surprise that the Wildcats lost both matchups. Duke had 28 points from free throws against Kentucky, while 24 Seton Hall had 24 of its 84 points come from the line. There’s a bit more of a margin of error for this against Kansas, which shoots 64.2 percent from the line (266th in the country), but if you put any team on the line 20+ times, they’re bound to make you pay. Tennessee tops Andy Katz's Power 36 3-pointers will be sparse (but key) When looking at 3-point attempt rate (what percentage of field goal attempts are 3-pointers), Kansas ranked 314th at 32.6 percent, and Kentucky ranks 340th at 29.9 percent. Combined, the two teams have only taken 676 3-pointers this season. Savannah State leads Division I with 754 3-point attempts on the year. But when they do take 3-pointers, both teams are slightly above average from deep. Kentucky hits 35.7 percent, while Kansas is at 35.6. RELATED: It's time to consider we counted out Villanova way too early For Kansas, a lot of that success is owed to Lagerald Vick and Devon Dotson. Vick’s 45.7 percentage from deep leads the Big 12, and he’s doing it while taking an average of 6.7 attempts per game. Dotson only averages 1.9 attempts per game, but hits at 41.7 percent, making him a constant threat. While the Jayhawks don’t rely terribly on their 3-point prowess, all three of their losses came when they shot below 32 percent from beyond the arc. Only one of those saw an inordinate number of attempts, as Kansas took a season-high 28 3-pointers against Arizona State. Prediction: Kansas will need a big game from Lawson or Vick to come out of Lexington with a win. In all likelihood, Kentucky’s depth, dominance on the glass, and home court advantage will provide the edge for the Wildcats. SCORE PREDICTION: Kentucky wins, 78-73 How we're doing with these predictions We're at 6-6 on the season, but we can feel a hot streak coming. Michigan State vs. Iowa (Jan. 24) Our pick: Michigan State Result: Win Kentucky vs. Auburn (Jan. 19) Our pick: Auburn Result: Loss Virginia vs. Duke (Jan. 19) Our pick: Virginia Result: Loss Virginia Tech vs. Virginia (Jan. 15) Our pick: Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Result: Loss Ohio State vs. Michigan State (Jan. 5) Our pick: Michigan State Michigan State Result: Win Virginia vs. Florida State (Jan. 5) Our pick: Virginia Virginia Result: Win Kentucky vs. North Carolina (Dec. 22) Our pick: North Carolina North Carolina Result: Loss Gonzaga vs. North Carolina (Dec. 15) Our pick: North Carolina North Carolina Result: Win Kansas vs. Villanova (Dec. 15) Our pick: Kansas Kansas Result: Win Gonzaga vs. Tennessee (Dec. 9) Our pick: Gonzaga Gonzaga Result: Loss North Carolina vs. Michigan (Nov. 28) Our pick: North Carolina North Carolina Result: Loss Duke vs. Auburn (Nov. 20)<doc-sep>PJ Washington, Reid Travis and Keldon Johnson all register double-doubles as the No. 8 Wildcats knock off the No. 9 Jayhawks 71-63. (1:48) LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Between the two of them, No. 9 Kansas and No. 8 Kentucky played eight top-30 recruits from ESPN's 2018 class in their Big 12/SEC Challenge matchup on Saturday. Yet the crux of the battle, won 71-63 by Kentucky, was staged in the paint, where Dedric Lawson (20 points, 15 rebounds) and Reid Travis (18 points, 12 rebounds) fueled their respective squads. They're two of the best big men in America. They're also both transfers who sought -- and found -- greener pastures after they left their former schools. "It was a big decision," Lawson said of his choice to leave Memphis in 2017 before sitting out last season due to NCAA rules. "It's something you dream about as a kid. I cherish most the opportunity to play against PJ Washington. He's like a little brother to me. It was fun. But like you said, we wanted to get the win." A sea of reporters three rows deep fenced in Travis after his team's win. He said he left Stanford last summer to join Kentucky as a grad transfer in part because he craved moments such as the one he experienced Saturday in Lexington, where thousands showed up to watch ESPN's College GameDay earlier in the day. "It was a big part of it," Travis said. "For me to put in a lot of work, I wanted to play against the best players in the country, wanted to play on the best stage in the country. This was the best place for me, and I think tonight really showed that." If you listen to some of college basketball's coaches and commentators, you might think Lawson and Travis -- and others like them -- are part of the problem. In recent years, reports of 700 transfers per year have been touted by the game's old guard as proof that a weaker generation of players can't handle tough coaching. Those folks will also tell you that young people aren't as resilient as they used to be. But Saturday's exciting matchup between a pair of premier players (and transfers) offered another example to rebut the false narrative that has percolated in college basketball. Reid Travis is guarded by Dedric Lawson in Kentucky's win on Saturday. AP Photo/James Crisp Yes, coaches at all levels have valid concerns about the stability of their programs, knowing that their best players might transfer. It's a more pertinent concern for non-Power 5 coaches, who wonder if their top athletes will become grad transfers and blossom in final seasons at schools that play on national TV. But the 700 transfers are also 700 stories. They're 700 different reasons. They're 700 difficult choices. Any suggestion that they all fit the same profile is unfair. Yet that's how coaches describe them. On Saturday, Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin praised senior Justin Jenifer for staying with the Bearcats all four years. "People talk about guys quitting, and there's 700 transfers in college basketball," said Cronin, who was hired from Murray State in 2006. "Justin Jenifer told everybody in Baltimore, 'I'm going to play in Cincinnati, and I'm going to show you!' Instead of quitting and transferring, he said, 'I'm going to get better, and I'm going to do what the coach is asking me to do, and I'm going to believe in the coaches.'" These false badges of honor that coaches pin to the jerseys of players who refuse to transfer are the same ones they leave on their desks when they bolt for new jobs and leave behind the players they recruited. The coaches who leave schools do it for the same reasons Travis and Lawson sought fresh starts: They want to enhance their careers. Lawson and his brother, K.J., left Memphis for Kansas after Tubby Smith demoted their father, Keelon Lawson, and a team blessed with talent finished 19-13 and lost in the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament. Lawson, perhaps the best player in a top-10 matchup on Saturday, has never been to the NCAA tournament. Today, he's the leader of a Kansas team seeking its 15th consecutive Big 12 title and a legit NBA prospect. Those are opportunities he did not have at Memphis. But when Lawson first came to Lawrence, he got into a fight in practice, and coach Bill Self called him into his office and told him that he couldn't do that and expect to keep his scholarship. Then, Self left Lawson home when the team went to Italy for a foreign tour. That punishment changed Lawson. It made him a better leader. It made him re-evaluate himself as a player and a young man. This season, he might win the Wooden Award. Do you think he made the right choice to transfer? Travis endured a heartbreaking knee injury as a sophomore at Stanford, where he earned all-Pac 12 first-team honors as a redshirt junior. The Minneapolis native worked as hard as any player in the country during his time with Stanford. He returned from that injury and matured into a potent power forward. After he made just 46 percent of his free throws in the 2014-15 season, Travis turned to technology for assistance. A group of techies at Stanford designed a free throw virtual-reality simulator that allowed Travis to put on a pair of goggles and shoot free throws in simulated road environments throughout the offseason. This year, Travis has made 72 percent of his free throws. But his growth and hard work led him and his team only to the NIT. When he worked out for NBA teams last summer, they told him he'd benefit from another year against better competition. Travis didn't leave Stanford because he had a problem with his coaches. He didn't leave because he was a wishy-washy 20-something who couldn't make up his mind. He left for the same reasons Cronin might one day leave Cincy. For the same reason John Calipari left Memphis.<doc-sep>

Rupp Arena was the loudest it’s been in quite some time, and rightfully so, as the nation’s eighth & ninth best teams met on the hardwood for an SEC-Big 12 clash. The eighth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats played host to the ninth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks for the right to make a significant jump in the AP standings. Both offenses struggled early, with Kansas taking the slight 33-30 edge into halftime. The Wildcats were much more efficient to start the second period, making 4-7 baskets for 11 points to the Jayhawks’ six points. Behind the efforts of their front court, as well as the defensive back-bone that is Ashton Hagans, Kentucky went on to claim their best victory of the season, 71-63. Big Blue Nation Shows Up 24,387 people were in attendance for Saturday night’s match-up, the highest total this season for a Kentucky game in Rupp Arena. Fans were lined up hours before tip-off, anxiously waiting to walk through the entrance and find their seat in the basketball sanctuary. Big Blue Nation was the loudest it’s been in quite some time, even bringing vibrations to press row. The effort by fans was mirrored by each Kentucky player, which should warrant such turnouts even more as the remainder of the season unfolds. Travis & Washington Answer the Call With Udoka Azubuike sidelined for the Jayhawks on Saturday, Kentucky’s top-priority was to attack the painted area on offense. Starting forwards PJ Washington and Reid Travis answered the bell, combining for 38 points and 25 rebounds in the contest. Kentucky needed their two veteran big men more than ever on Saturday and they absolutely came through. Not only did they bring it on offense, but they also threw bodies at Kansas’s Dedric Lawson. Though the KU star had 20 points, nearly every shot he took was contested. Receiving offense from the UK duo was something Big Blue Nation had seen before. This sudden urge on the defensive side of the ball, though, is a significant plus. Hagans Sounds Off Ashton Hagans continues to “wow” fans during his freshman campaign at Kentucky. The sensational point guard scored 12 points, dished out seven assists and picked up three steals in Saturday’s winning effort. His ability to command the offense and still contribute maximum effort at the defensive end may remind some of Gary Payton. That’s exactly the type of player the Wildcats need to lead their team as they enter the heart of SEC play. Offense Struggles in First Half Kentucky was absolutely brutal when attempting to execute their offense in the first half. The Wildcats shot 33% from the field and failed to make any of their eight three-point attempts. Kentucky was lucky to find themselves down just three points at the break, as the heavy lifting from Travis kept them afloat. As Kentucky enters a tough slate of road games next week, first-half struggles should be atop the list of issues to be fixed. Give credit to Kansas, however, as they came into this game with a KenPom top-10 defense, and they looked every bit of it as they smothered Kentucky on the perimeter. Kentucky won’t face many teams with as much backcourt talent and depth as Kansas has. But as good as they were, the Wildcats still did enough to come away victorious. Up next for the Wildcats will be a trip to Nashville where they’ll face the Vanderbilt Commodores on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 9 pm EST.

Taylor Rapp may not have ended up as a 1st round pick but he’s officially an NFL player now after being taken by the Los Angeles Rams with the 29th pick in the 2nd round (61st overall). Rapp becomes the 2nd Husky safety in the past 3 drafts to be taken in the 2nd round joining Budda Baker who went 36th overall in the 2017 draft. Coming into this past season Rapp was viewed as one of if not the best safety prospect in the country. He certainly lived up to the hype on the field as he was named 1st team all Pac-12 and either a 1st team or 2nd team All-American by almost every outlet. Rapp finished 2018 with 59 tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 INTs but missed the Rose Bowl due to a hip injury. Unfortunately for Taylor, the hip injury was an issue in pre-draft workouts and a 4.78 40-yard dash caused him to drop to a fringe 2nd/3rd round prospect on many draft boards. However, Rapp’s functional playing speed is clearly much better than his straight line speed and it seems difficult to imagine he won’t be an incredibly productive NFL player with his combination of elite coverage skills and sound tackling. You can check out our interview with Taylor from earlier this week here. Congrats to Taylor and we look forward to seeing him represent the UW in the NFL for many years to come!<doc-sep>Taylor Rapp, a 6-foot, 208-pound safety from Washington, was taken with the 61st overall pick in the second round by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2019 NFL Draft. Rapp, who had one more season of eligibility left at Washington, declared his intentions to turn professional the day after the Huskies lost to Ohio State in the 2019 Rose Bowl. Rapp also follows what has now become a bi-yearly tradition for the Huskies when it comes to their defensive backs. In the off-years for the past six seasons, at least one Washington secondary player has been picked in either the first or second rounds. In 2013, Desmond Trufant went No. 22 overall to Atlanta. In 2015, Marcus Peters went to Kansas City with the No. 18 overall pick. In 2017, Washington saw three of their defensive backs go in the second round: Kevin King to Green Bay, Budda Baker to Arizona, and Sidney Jones to Philadelphia. Rapp's UW secondary teammate Byron Murphy was taken 33rd overall by Arizona in the second round. The Huskies have also had two other players already drafted: Kaleb McGary in the first round to Atlanta and Drew Sample in the second round to Cincinnati. From NFL.com: "Rapp's family has Chinese ancestry, but he is a dual citizen between the United States and Canada. He promised his brother, Austin, that he would play major college football -- a promise that has been fulfilled. He was an All-Washington pick from Bellingham that earned top 25 safety recruit grades from scouting services. Rapp broke his left hand in spring practices his freshman year, but played with a cast. That toughness impressed on coaches his willingness to fight through adversity, and he eventually won a starting role on defense in 10 of 14 games played in 2016 (53 tackles, four interceptions, two pass breakups). Rapp was the Pac-12 Championship Defensive MVP after intercepting two passes in the contest, returning one for a score. He also was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and a Freshman All-American for his efforts throughout the season. He started 12 of 13 games played as a sophomore, garnering first-team All-Pac-12 honors (in academics as well as on the field) and posting 59 stops, 3.5 for loss, two sacks, and an interception. Multiple All-American honors came his way in 2018, as did another first-team all-conference nod after he made plays around the line of scrimmage (59 tackles, six for loss, five sacks) and in coverage (two interceptions, five pass breakups while also finding himself around the ball (three fumble recoveries)." At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis earlier in the year, Rapp didn't run a 40 but reportedly ran one in the mid-4.7's during Washington's Pro Day. Rapp jumped 35 inches in the vertical jump, 115 inches (9 feet 7 inches) in the standing broad jump, and lifted 225 pounds 17 times in the bench press. He did run a 3.99 pro-shuttle (20-yard), 6.82 3-cone (L Drill), and a 11.33 60-yard shuttle. Here's what ESPN's Todd McShay says about Rapp, who he has as the 42nd-best player available in the draft. "Rapp's pro day 40-yard dash time (4.76) is a concern. That said, he's an instinctive safety who plays faster than his timed speed and is an excellent athlete -- his three-cone (6.82) and short shuttle (3.99) results at the combine were outstanding. Rapp tracks the ball well, has above-average ball skills and is an above-average open-field tackler."<doc-sep>Getty Images Just when it appeared the Rams might trade out of the entire draft, they finally made a pick. They selected Washington safety Taylor Rapp with the 61st overall choice. The Rams began the night with a choice in the second round (No. 45 overall) and three in the third (No. 79, 94 and 99). They traded the 45th overall pick to the Patriots for the 56th and 101st picks. They traded the 56th overall pick to Kansas City for picks 61 and 167. Finally, they found their guy in Rapp. Rapp’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, denied a report earlier Friday that Rapp has a hip flexor issue that was a concern to some teams, and the Rams obviously believed in Rapp’s long-term health with his selection.<doc-sep>With the 61st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams selected Washington safety Taylor Rapp. Rapp isn’t a stellar athlete as a strong safety, but he offers a lot of value in run support. He is one of the best tackling defensive backs in this year’s class, as he has the strength in his frame to consistently bring down ball carriers. He also takes good pursuit angles to ball carriers, and he has good instincts as a tackler. Though not incredibly rangy, he has solid hip fluidity when covering tight ends and some running backs. The Rams have a lot of talent on their roster, and they added even more of it by selecting Rapp. He is a hard-hitting safety who will boost their secondary.<doc-sep>

The Rams have finally made a pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, selecting Washington Safety Taylor Rapp. Here is the breakdown of the pick. After watching 60 other names get called by other teams, the Los Angeles Rams finally sent a representative to the podium themselves on Friday. Seven-time Pro-Bowler Orlando Pace was the iconic Ram asked to announce the pick, and with the selection, the NFC champions took Washington Safety Taylor Rapp. Without question, Rapp was definitely one of the best players left on the board, and it’s hard to disagree with Los Angeles for taking a risk on him. Dane Brugler had him as his second-ranked safety overall, putting him over players like Darnell Savage (who went first round) and Jonathan Abram (drafted on Day 2). Rapp is a physical ball hawk who has a high football IQ, all elements that make him a fit for Sean McVay‘s team. His downside is that he has below average speed for a safety, running a 4.78 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. Safety may seem like a bit of a luxury pick since the Rams have John Johnson and Eric Weddle, who they signed this offseason slotted to start. But Rapp may have been the best prayer left, and taking the best player available is a recipe for winning football games. With a lot of picks left, they have the opportunity to fill needs in good time, so there’s no reason to panic over this selection of Rapp. For now, they add a quality football player in Rapp to their defensive back room that has the potential to work out for the best in the long run. Moving on from Lamarcus Joyner in the offseason wasn’t the easiest decision in the world by the Rams, but from a financial standpoint, it was certainly the right move to help them address other areas. Plus, the argument can be made that if Joyner were still around, Los Angeles never would have considered Rapp in the second round at No. 61, so in a way everything happens for a reason, right? Even if Rapp needed a little extra time to develop as a rookie while adjusting to playing at the NFL level, the good news for the Rams is they’re in great position to allow this to happen if necessary thanks to the Weddle signing, as discussed before.

Kerala floods LIVE updates: IMD says no heavy rain warning in state for next four days; 22,034 more people rescued on Sunday. Auto refresh feeds IMD withdraws red alert for Kerala for Sunday, reported DD News. Only three districts —Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Ernakulam — are on orange alert. All other districts have been issued yellow and green alert, hinting likely rainfall at some places. The 33 deaths reported during the day took place in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. The death toll due to rains and floods in Kerala has gone up to 368 (since monsoon began), as 33 more deaths were reported on Saturday even as around 58,000 people were rescued in different parts of the state. With mass evacuation from Kuttanad region beginning, the number of people shifted to relief camps across Kerala has crossed 8.45 lakh. The displaced people have been accommodated in 3,746 relief camps across the state. A Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) official said that 2,10,119 people from Alappuzha have been sheltered in 678 camps across the district and neighbouring areas till 8 pm on Saturday. The maximum number of relief camps is in Thrissur district, where 1,99,720 people have taken shelter. The services at the Kochi international airport, which is among the busiest in the country, have been suspended till 26 August after flood water inundated the runway.The decisions were taken at a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's apex body to handle emergency situation, headed by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha. In the wake of massive floods in Kerala, the Centre on Friday decided to open Kochi Naval airstrip for use by commercial aircraft by Monday and deploy five more choppers, taking the total number of aircraft used for rescue and relief to 96. Bus services between Karnataka and Kerala will begin plying as Kerala State Road Transport Cooperation has restored all its services to Kerala sector, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Trissur, Palghat, Calicut, Cannanore and Thiruvananthapuram (except Kasaragod), reported News18. The first service starts at 4 pm to Thiruvananthapuram from Bengaluru on Sunday. The Alappuzha police have arrested five people, who have refused to lend their houseboats for rescue operations in the Kuttanad region, where a massive evacuation is on following flood in the Pampa river. The arrests were made on the direction of Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran, who hails from the district. Earlier the district administration had warned that it will seize boats and arrest the owners if they did not cooperate with the authorities. The administration has so far seized 35 houseboats. More than 2.10 lakh people have been evacuated from the district till 8 pm on Saturday. The operation has resumed in the morning by pressing more boats into action. Kerala has been receiving financial aid from various state governments across the country. The social media has also helped in the collection of funds from individuals and organisations. Anbodu Kochi or Do for Kerala and Kerala Bleeding were some of the organisations that have opened collection centres in Ernakulam and Bangalore respectively to collect items like baby food, sanitary napkins, mosquito repellants. People in Mumbai gather essential items to be sent to flood-hit Kerala on Sunday. People from Mumbai gather essential commodities to be sent to flood-hit Kerala The number of people evacuated from flood-hit areas has gone up from 4.5 lakh at 8 pm on Saturday to 8,46,680 till 9 am on Sunday, according to Kerala State Disaster Management (KSDMA) control room officials. In all 2,076,40 families have taken refuge in 3,734 relief camps across the state. The officials said that 39 people who were missing are yet to be traced. Over 130 people who were injured in the flood are admitted in various hospitals. 2,076,40 families have taken refuge in 3,734 relief camps across the state: KSDMA The Kerala state committee of the IATA Agents Association of India has launched a helpline to provide assistance to those travelling to and from Kerala in the wake of the flood devastation. The suspension of operation in the Cochin International Airport has affected large number of people, especially the non-resident Keralites who normally take their annual holiday during the Onam festival season. The helpline numbers are 9846166668 and 9995049243. IATA Agents Association of India launches helpline to provide assistance to those travelling to and from Kerala In Tamil Nadu, an almost 100-year old bridge over the Kollidam river in Trichy, that connects Srirangam with the mainland, finally collapsed at midnight on Saturday, three days after cracks had developed in two of its pillars. The old steel bridge had been in disuse since 2015 when a new bridge was constructed adjacent to it keeping in mind its age and condition. It was only being used by pedestrians and two-wheelers, that too rarely. The gushing waters of the Kollidam (a distributary of the Cauvery), with a flow of 1.7 lakh cusecs, had finally sounded the death knell to the bridge. Authorities who been monitoring the situation since the cracks developed were predicting its imminent collapse. ( Inputs by Mydeen Abdul Kadar/101Reporters) Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh tweeted on Saturday mourning loss of lives in Kerala. "Deeply saddened by the loss of valuable lives & mass destruction caused by the Kerala Floods. @UPPolice prays for the safety & well being of people of Kerala in this hour of grief. I appeal to all UPPolice Personnel to voluntarily donate 1 day salary for #KeralaFloods relief," he said. Kovind also praised the relief agencies for their response and commitment. President Ram Nath Kovind spoke to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor P Sathasivam on Saturday to inquire about the flood situation in the state. He expressed satisfaction that the Union and state governments were working in synergy in the rescue and relief operations in the state. He acknowledged the grit and resilience of the people of Kerala in coming together and assured that the entire nation was with them. Alappuzha District Collector S Suhas claimed that 97 percent of the people marooned in the flooded Kuttanad region have been evacuated and efforts are on to rescue the remaining. According to Suhas, 2,25,000 people from the region, which lies below the sea level, have been rescued. About 100 houseboats, 35 other large boats and four junkars have been deployed for the evacuation. He said that the district administration has launched a sector-wise search to identify people stranded in isolated places. At Chengannur in Alapuzha district, at least 5,000 are stranded, according to revenue officials. Thousands of people in flood-hit areas in Kerala are battling all odds to survive as the death toll has touched 197 in the past 10 days in the second spell of monsoon fury since 8 August. Many are still stranded in their homes with no food and sheaths of water around them at various places in Alapuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts. The Railways has cancelled at least 18 trains, partially cancelled nine and diverted Sunday's Kanyakumari-Mumbai CST Express train via Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Dindigul and Erode. In a tweet, the defence ministry said that approximately 23,213 people were rescued by the armed forces on Sunday. More than 2,000 people were provided with medical aid. Twenty-two landslides were cleared and connectivity restored at 42 locations. Fifteen temporary bridges were also constructed by the Indian Army. West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo has appealed for help to those affected by the floods The National Cadet Corps' unit in Kottayam has rescued over 100 people, and has also provided relief to about 3,000 people in various regions of Kerala, News18 reported. The toll due to the devastating rains and floods in Kerala increased to 370, as two more deaths were reported on Sunday with rescue operations continuing in the worst affected districts of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur. “The flooding has definitely brought to light the existence of illegal stone quarries or a large number of unauthorised constructions on river beds,” Professor Madhav Gadgil said to PTI. "In this sense, it is definitely a man-made calamity where intense rainfall and human intervention have made it a serious disaster."<doc-sep>Kerala floods live updates: Over 10 lakh in relief camps; Centre declares disaster 'calamity of severe nature' Kerala got some respite from rain on Monday but the state faces the huge task of rehabilitation. 223 deaths have been reported and 10.28 lakh people are staying in 3274 relief camps, of which more than one lakh are kids below 12 years of age, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Stay with us for all live updates.Read Less<doc-sep>Kerala Flood: Rescue Operations Continue for Kerala Flood Victims Aug 20, 2018 10:10 PM IST India India Share Kerala is recovering, but teams still plan to go on rescue missions. They are using inflatable boats for the rescue operations. The Orissa based team, rescued about 2000 people in one day. Cottonhill School, Kerala is functioning as a Government aid centre. Rescue operations in a flood-ravaged Kerala require precise coordination. Army personnel travel to rescue 300-400 people who are still stuck.<doc-sep>

Crowds gather to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra on January 3, 2018. India is to restrict the number of daily visitors to the Taj Mahal in an effort to preserve the iconic 17th-century monument to love, its biggest tourist draw. Millions of mostly Indian tourists visit the Taj Mahal every year and their numbers are increasing steadily as domestic travel becomes more accessible. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINIQUE FAGET (Photo credit should read DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images) TOPSHOT - An Indian woman sits inside her houses immersed in flood waters in Ernakulam district of Kochi, in the Indian state of Kerala on August 10, 2018. - Flash floods have claimed at least 27 lives in the southern Indian state of Kerala, officials said on August 10, prompting the US to advise its citizens to stay away from the tourist hotspot. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) Indian volunteers and rescue personnel evacuate local residents in a boat in a residential area at Kozhikode, in the Indian state of Kerala, on August 16, 2018. - The death toll from floods in India's tourist hotspot of Kerala increased to 77 on August 16, as torrential rainfall threatened new areas, officials told AFP. (Photo by - / AFP)-/AFP/Getty Images (CNN) — As devastating floods hit India’s southern state of Kerala, thousands scrambled up to the higher floors in their buildings and crouched together on balconies, waiting desperately for help. And then, finally, the rescue boats came. Fishermen, who had loaded their boats onto trucks, voluntarily traveled to Kerala’s inner towns and villages, inundated with more than 10 feet of water. Most people gave them a hero’s welcome, grateful to be evacuated after a long wait. But others have hurled insults and abuse at the volunteers. Marion George, a 47-year-old fisherman, reached a home in the city of Kollam on Friday with a family of 17 trapped inside. When he told them that he was there to help them, he was asked, “Isn’t this a Christian boat?” Sugam Pokharel/CNN Fisherman Marion George says Hindu Brahmin flood victims would only let him rescue them if he did not touch them. When he replied that, yes, he was a Christian, the men in the family refused to get in his boat and waved him away. The men were from India’s highest Hindu caste, Brahmin, and would not go near George, despite their desperation. Five hours later, George was back in the same neighborhood and saw the same family calling for his help. He docked his boat close to their home but was again told by the men that they would only board if he did not touch them. “Normally, their attitude is like this only. We just thought that in this situation, they would have changed,” George said. Sugam Pokharel/CNN A volunteer fishermen rests on his nets in an evacuation operation in Kollam, India. George estimated that he rescued 150 people over two days until his boat was too damaged to continue. CNN spoke to several other fishermen who also reported being insulted and treated suspiciously by victims they were trying to help. The Kerala state government has said that more than 2,800 fishermen have been involved in the relief effort. More than 300 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced, as torrential rains triggered the state’s worst flooding in nearly a century, destroying homes and roads. People are clinging to anything that floats to get them out of their homes. People refuse to leave their homes There is also an issue of trust in strangers. People have been reluctant to leave their homes and belongings behind out of fear that they will be robbed. Arun Michael, a fisherman in Kollam, saw the news of the flash floods on TV on Wednesday last week and decided to help. On Thursday morning, he loaded his 32-foot boat onto a truck lent out by the local police and he and three others made their way to the district of Pathanamthitta. Sugam Pokharel/CNN Fisherman Arun Michael with his daughter, Andrea Marie, after he and other rescuers evacuated more than 1,500 people over three days. Over the next three days, Michael evacuated more than 1,500 people. He navigated his boat through strong currents and rising water levels, reaching flooded homes and helping people climb in. On the last day, he evacuated a total of 600 people. “What happened now, can happen to anyone.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank arrive at Windsor FREE now and never miss the top Royal stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The royal wedding cake is being created by Sophie Cabot, who is part of Eugenie’s father, Andrew, Duke of York’s Pitch At Palace initiative to help boost the work of entrepreneurs. Sophie began work on the special cake in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. The cake will be made up of three tiers of red velvet and two of chocolate sponge. These will be covered with butter cream, white icing and decorated with sugar for an added autumn theme. The cake will contain up to 400 eggs, at least 53 packs of unsalted butter, 15kg of organic self raising flour, and 20kg of sugar. Ms Cabot admited the nerves were kicking in as she told Sky News: "I'm used to baking on a much smaller scale, so it's a challenge. "I've got butterflies but at the same time I'm just overjoyed and so excited. "You know when I start getting going with the baking and start with the sugar work the nerves go because I just get so engrossed with what I'm doing and just love it so much so I feel very very honoured that they have selected me to do it really.” Princess Eugenie wedding: Sophie Cabot spent this week making the red velvet cake Royal wedding cakes have traditionally been extravagant fruit cakes. Prince William and Kate Middleton opted for the traditional choice for their 2011 nuptials, which was made by baker Fiona Cairns and featured edible flowers. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle broke the trend after having a lemon elderflower cake created by pastry chef Claire Ptak at their wedding in May this year. Why has Princess Eugenie also chosen unconventional wedding cake? Chinelo Awa, the founder of Good Cake Day, told Express.co.uk red velvet cake is a “must-have” for couple’s seeking a unique wedding cake. Princess Eugenie wedding: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose a lemon elderflower wedding cake She said: “The magic of red velvet is that it satisfies the cake cravings chocolate and non-chocolate lovers alike. “Add to the fact that the cream cheese frosting balances the slight acidity of the velvety, moist and dense sponge to create a truly unique and delicious flavour combination, red velvet becomes a must have for any couple who want a unique and delicious wedding cake.” Ms Awa added more people are now choosing more unconventional wedding cakes rather than the traditional fruit cake. Princess Eugenie wedding: The royal will marry Jack Brooksbank on Friday<doc-sep>A spectacular five-tier wedding cake will be the stunning centerpiece at the luncheon reception to mark Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's royal wedding on Friday A spectacular five-tier wedding cake will be the stunning centerpiece at the luncheon reception to mark Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank‘s royal wedding on Friday. Cake designer Sophie Cabot started baking the red velvet and chocolate creation at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, and revealed it will contain up to 400 eggs, at least 53 packs of unsalted butter, 33 lbs. of organic self-rising flour and 44 lbs. of sugar. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Around 850 guests at the luncheon reception at Windsor Castle will feast on the confection, which will consist of three tiers of red velvet and two of chocolate sponge cake covered with butter cream, white icing and decorated with sugar work with an autumnal theme. Other ingredients include vanilla essence, vanilla bean paste and red food coloring to give the cake a distinctive look. Cabot, 33, told reporters she felt “very honored they have selected me” after she brought cake samples for the royal couple to try during their first meeting over the summer. “The couple were very relaxed, very comfortable. I got the feeling the cake was something they were very excited about,” she said. “It was a fun meeting as well because I don’t think it’s every day you have a meeting about cake and you get to try cake.” The baker, whose business is based in Fulham, west London, said she “was nervous, but at the same time really, really excited,” about being chosen. “They were very excited about having red velvet, during the tastings, red velvet and chocolate came out top.” “It’s a lovely thing to have at this time of year as well – it’s a nice, rich cake.” 9921422p Sophie Cabot | Credit: REX/Shutterstock “Not one cake is ever the same and this was extra because of the time of year and they wanted to keep it so seasonal – it was a real joy.” Serpentine Summer Party 2018 - Arrivals Credit: Dave Benett/Getty Cabot started creating the cake in July, crafting the detailed sugar flowers and foliage, from ivy and acorns to white flowers and maple leaves, which will decorate the five-tiers of the cake. “With such a big cake you need to start well in advance especially with all the sugar work, so it was important to get going quite quickly,” she said. Cabot added: “There are a lot of eggs involved and a lot of butter, obviously, just for the sheer amount of people who hope to have a piece of cake.” 9921422e Sophie Cabot | Credit: REX/Shutterstock “It’s a lot of ingredients, it’s a huge scale, it’s a bit different for me. I’m used to baking on a much smaller scale – it’s a challenge,” she added.<doc-sep>It marks the second royal wedding of the year, following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who tied the knot back in May.<doc-sep>Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank to break tradition with this royal wedding detail The royal family are in a treat! Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s royal wedding reception sounds like it will be quite the celebration! The couple are set to host a two-day party in Windsor on Friday and Saturday, and there’s one part the groom has been particularly involved with – the drinks. As European Brand Manager for Casamigos Tequila, the brand founded by George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman, Jack knows a thing or two about drinks, and has commented on the drinks set to be served to the royal family and other prestigious guests at their nuptials. Jack Brooksbank has been in charge of choosing drinks for the royal wedding The 29-year-old said that he “is in charge of choosing drinks” and confirmed that a selection of bespoke Casamigos cocktails have been created for the event and will be served to guests throughout the wedding weekend. Although details are yet to be confirmed about exactly what tequila cocktails the guests will drink, example recipes on the brand’s website include margaritas, bellinis and even Casa Rosé, which adds a shot of tequila and rose liqueur to a glass of rosé wine. MORE: George Clooney and wife Amal will not attend royal wedding after months of speculation The tipples are a stark contrast to the Pol Roger champagne that was served at Prince Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding in May, although we’re sure champagne and wine will also be on offer for guests to raise a toast to the newlyweds. The couple will serve tequila cocktails at the royal wedding Princess Eugenie and Jack have also opted to break tradition with their wedding cake, opting for an autumnal red velvet and chocolate confection instead of customary iced fruit cake. The couple have asked Sophie Cabot to make their five-tier cake, which consists of three tiers of red velvet and two of chocolate sponge cake covered with butter cream, white icing, and decorated with sugar work with an autumnal theme. STORY: What is Princess Eugenie's net worth? Loading the player... Get the lowdown on Eugenie and Jack's wedding After a number of meetings with the couple to finalise the design, the professional baker began working on the cake in July, creating detailed sugar flowers and foliage, from ivy and acorns to white flowers and maple leaves, which will decorate the cake. Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.<doc-sep>

Tequila cocktails and a huge red velvet cake will be on the menu at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding tomorrow. The tequila brand that Jack works for has confirmed that the groom has been put "in charge of choosing drinks" and that a selection of bespoke cocktails have been created for the event and will be served to guests throughout the wedding weekend. Jack is the European brand manager for a tequila company co-founded by George Clooney. But while Jack has been working on the drinks list, deciding on the wedding cake has been a joint effort. Cake designer Sophie Cabot was chosen to make the five-tier red velvet cake after producing biscuits for a Pitch@Palace event hosted by Eugenie's father, the Duke of York. Image: Cake designer Sophie Cabot was chosen to make the five-tier red velvet cake Ms Cabot said she felt "very honoured they have selected me", and said both the bride and groom wanted to get involved in the cake tasting. Image: The cake will contain up to 400 eggs and at least 53 packs of unsalted butter She said: "The couple were very relaxed, very comfortable. "I got the feeling the cake was something they were very excited about. "It was a fun meeting as well because I don't think it's every day you have a meeting about cake and you get to try cake." The cake will consist of three tiers of red velvet and two of chocolate sponge covered with butter cream, white icing and decorated with sugar work with an autumnal theme. It will contain up to 400 eggs, at least 53 packs of unsalted butter, 15kg of organic self raising flour, and 20kg of sugar. Image: The cake will be decorated with sugar work with an autumnal theme Speaking in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace, Ms Cabot did admit the nerves have been kicking in. She said, "I'm used to baking on a much smaller scale, so it's a challenge. "I've got butterflies but at the same time I'm just overjoyed and so excited. "You know when I start getting going with the baking and start with the sugar work the nerves go because I just get so engrossed with what I'm doing and just love it so much so I feel very very honoured that they have selected me to do it really."

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted by a sweeping majority a resolution condemning Israel for killing Palestinians in Gaza and rejected a US attempt to pin the blame on Hamas. The resolution put forward by Algeria, Turkey and the Palestinians secured 120 votes in the 193-member assembly, with 8 votes against and 45 abstentions. The resolution came in response to a similar resolution being vetoed by the United States in the 15-member UN Security Council earlier this month. The resolution deplores Israel's use of "excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force" against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza. Australia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Togo and the Solomon Islands joined the United States and Israel in voting against the resolution. Germany abstained. Deaths and injuries More than 120 Palestinian protesters in Gaza have been killed by Israeli soldiers since late March, as well as nearly 4,000 injured. Israel blames Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, for inciting the protests. No Israelis have been killed. The resolution goes further in requesting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres develop proposals "on ways and means for ensuring the safety, protection and well-being of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation, including ... recommendations regarding an international protection mechanism." The idea of an international protection force was put forward at meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul last month, but would need the support of the UN Security Council where the United States has a veto. The resolution also calls for "immediate steps towards ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip." Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the strip in 2007. The blockade and Israeli offensives in Gaza in 2008 and 2014 have turned Gaza into a humanitarian catastrophe, with the UN warning it will be unlivable for its 2 million inhabitants by 2020. The resolution did condemn rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, but did not explicitly mention Hamas. About 70 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza on May 29, most of which were intercepted by Israel's missile defense system. Read more: 'General disregard' for Palestine, says UN coordinator in Gaza Reaction from Israel and US Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon told the General Assembly before the vote that in supporting the Arab and Islamic backed resolution UN members were supporting a "terrorist organization" and "empowering Hamas." The United States sought to add an amendment to the resolution blaming Hamas for "inciting" violence. The amendment received 62 votes in favor, with 58 against and 42 abstentions. However, it failed to get the two-thirds majority needed to be adopted. US Ambassador Nikki Haley called the resolution biased against Israel. "For some, attacking Israel is their favorite political sport. That's why we are here today," said Haley. "I wish everyone supporting this one-sided resolution would put as much energy into encouraging President Abbas to the negotiating table," she said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is a rival of Hamas and has imposed punitive measures on Gaza. In recent days he has faced protests in the West Bank from Palestinians opposed to his policies against Hamas. Palestinians officials have said they no longer view the US as a neutral arbiter in any negotiations with the Israelis since US President Donald Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there in May. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Palestinian PM Rami Hamdallah targeted The convoy of Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah of the West Bank-based Fatah group was targeted as he made a rare visit to Gaza on March 13. The Palestinian Authority said it held Hamas responsible, having failed to provide adequate security. Hamas claimed the attack was aimed at hurting efforts to achieve unity and reconciliation. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Land Day march Some 30,000 Palestinians took part in the first of the demonstrations on March 30, marking Land Day, named for the 1976 Arab protests against Israeli plans to expropriate land. Some demonstrators ran at the border fence and 16 were killed by Israeli troops with others injured, and some dying later. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Netanyahu: 'We will hurt them' Speaking on April 9 in the Israeli town of Sderot, near Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We have one clear and simple rule and we seek to express it constantly: If someone tries to attack you — rise up and attack him. We will not allow, here on the Gaza border, them to hurt us. We will hurt them." How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Protesters injured Palestinians ran to help a young man injured during the border protest on April 13. Stones had been thrown at border guards and the Israeli troops fired on the demonstrators. Some 45 Palestinians died and hundreds were injured between March 30 and April 27. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Boy killed on April 20 Protest continued on April 20th, with some Palestinian protesters using kites to transport Molotov cocktails and firebombs over the fence. Israeli snipers killed at least four more Palestinians on April 20th, including a 15-year-old boy. The UN Middle East envoy dubbed the killing "outrageous." How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year May 15: US Embassy officially moved to Jerusalem from Tel-Aviv US President Donald Trump's daugher Ivanka is part of the delegation that opened the new US Embassy in Jerusalem. The transfer of the embassy triggered a fresh wave of protests in which 62 people were killed. The deaths have considerably heightened tensions in the area. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year US no longer seen as partner in Middle East negotiations As the US celebrated its embassy move from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem, Palestinian protests escalated. The events coincided with the 70th anniversary of the foundation of modern-day Israel, and Nakba Day, when Palestinians recall those who fled or were expelled as Israel was established. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year More than 60 people were killed in protests Palestinians carried away a protester injured on May 15th after demonstrations marking the 70th anniversary of Nakba. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Palestinian youths run from tear gas Hamas official Salah al-Bardaweel said on Palestinian television that all but 12 of the dead were members of Hamas. Mahmoud Abbas the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization is planning to pursue a war crimes complaint against Israel at the International Criminal Court. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Israeli airstrikes pound Hamas military targets in Gaza Following an increase in cross-border violence in mid-July, Israel pounded Hamas military targets in Gaza, while Palestinian militants fired more than 170 rockets and mortars into Israel. Two Palestinian boys, aged 15 and 16, were killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to Gaza's health ministry. Three Israelis were injured after a rocket landed on a residential home in the Israeli city of Sderot. How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year Israel temporarily closes its Kerem Shalom cargo crossing with the Gaza Strip Days later, Israel blocked all fuel and gas transfers through the Kerem Shalom crossing with the Gaza Strip for six days "in light of the continued terrorist attempts of Hamas." Israel's defense ministry said essential food and medicine deliveries would still get through. The crossing had been shuttered to commercial trade a week earlier. Non-binding resolution Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour called the US amendment blaming Hamas as "games and gimmicks" and urged ambassadors not to be "fooled" by the US proposal. "We need protection of our civilian population," he told the General Assembly before the vote, adding that the resolution was "intended to contribute to a de-escalation of the volatile situation." General Assembly resolutions are non-binding and there is no veto, but they carry political weight. Turkey's Ambassador Feridun Hadi Sinirlioglu said the resolution was "about taking sides with international law" and showing the Palestinians that the world "does care about their suffering." The General Assembly last held a contentious vote against the United States in December, when it overwhelming rejected Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there. cw/se (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters) Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.<doc-sep>The United Nations General Assembly voted Wednesday to blame Israel for violence in Gaza last month, rejecting a U.S. amendment that would have condemned Hamas as well. The 193-member assembly approved the resolution by a vote of 120-8, with 45 nations abstaining. The measure, sponsored by Palestine, Turkey and Algeria, comes roughly a month after dozens of Palestinians were killed during protests along the Gaza border. Prior to voting on the full text, the assembly voted on a U.S. amendment to condemn Hamas. While the measure received support from a narrow majority, it did not earn two-thirds support, and failed. ADVERTISEMENT The assembly went on to approve the original resolution. #UNGA adopts resolution on Protection of the Palestinian civilian population with vote of 120 countries in favour; 8 against; and 45 abstentions. https://t.co/COtk2FGIlX pic.twitter.com/nl94JKJTxc — United Nations (@UN) June 13, 2018 U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley Nikki HaleyCoalition of human rights groups calling for boycott of Beijing Olympics Trump critics push new direction for GOP Pollster Frank Luntz: 'I would bet on' Trump being 2024 GOP nominee MORE voted against the motion, and sharply denounced the vote as "morally bankrupt" in a statement. #BREAKING: Ambassador Nikki Haley reacts to the adoption of a biased @UN General Assembly resolution targeting #Israel: pic.twitter.com/HurXg7oWvO — US Mission to the UN (@USUN) June 13, 2018 Haley expressed optimism, however, about the number of countries that supported the U.S. amendment to condemn Hamas. “We had more countries on the right side than the wrong side. By their votes, those countries recognized that peace will only be achieved when realities are recognized, including Israel’s legitimate security interests, and the need to end Hamas’ terrorism,” she said. ADVERTISEMENT The resolution attributes violence and casualties since March 30 to Israeli forces. It also condemns the use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians, and calls for Israel to open “access into and out of the Gaza Strip.” Violence in Gaza escalated in mid-May, when Israeli forces killed at least 60 Palestinians. The killings coincided with the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. The Trump administration has uniformly blamed Hamas for the violence. Haley also applauded Israeli forces for their "restraint" in the wake of the bloodshed. "No country in this chamber would act with more restraint than Israel has," Haley said at a May 15 U.N. Security Council meeting. "In fact, the record of several countries here today suggest that they would be less restrained." Haley's comments came as the U.S. blocked a Security Council resolution calling for a probe into the violence.<doc-sep>

The U.N. General Assembly condemned Israel on Wednesday for excessive use of force against Palestinian civilians and asked U.N. chief Antonio Guterres to recommend an "international protection mechanism" for occupied Palestinian territory. The General Assembly adopted a resolution with 120 votes in favor, eight against and 45 abstentions. It was put forward in the General Assembly by Algeria, Turkey and the Palestinians after the United States vetoed a similar resolution in the 15-member U.N. Security Council earlier this month. The General Assembly text condemned the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israeli civilian areas, but did not mention Hamas, the group that controls Gaza. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but carry political weight. "The nature of this resolution clearly demonstrates that politics is driving the day. It is totally one-sided. It makes not one mention of the Hamas terrorists who routinely initiate the violence in Gaza," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the General Assembly before the vote. The United States failed in a bid to amend the resolution with a paragraph that would have condemned violence by Hamas. "By supporting this resolution you are colluding with a terrorist organization, by supporting this resolution you are empowering Hamas," Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the General Assembly before the vote. Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Togo joined Israel and the United States in voting against the resolution. More than 120 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza border protests since March 30. The largest number of deaths occurred on May 14, the day the United States moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Amid international condemnation of its use of lethal force, Israel said many of the dead were militants and that the Israeli army was repelling attacks on the border fence between Israel and Gaza. Washington has maintained Israel's right to defend itself and refrained from joining calls for Israeli restraint. Palestinians and their supporters said most protesters were unarmed civilians and Israel used excessive force against them. "We need protection of our civilian population," Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour told the General Assembly before the vote, adding that the resolution was "intended to contribute to a de-escalation of the volatile situation." "We cannot remain silent in the face of the most violent crimes and human rights violations being systematically perpetrated against our people," Mansour said. The resolution asked Guterres to report back within 60 days on proposals "on ways and means for ensuring the safety, protection and well-being of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation, including ... recommendations regarding an international protection mechanism." In December 128 countries defied President Donald Trump and voted in favor of a U.N. General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Colby Covington, one of the UFC’s most notorious trolls, has an image to uphold. But according to UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith, who will challenge Jon Jones for the title at UFC 235, ‘Chaos’ is rather timid behind closed doors. Smith got into a Twitter exchange with Covington last week and, speaking to Luke Thomas on a recent episode of The MMA Hour, ‘Lionhart’ explained why he reacted so hostile to the former UFC interim welterweight champion. “The only reason I said anything in that situation to Colby is because, a month ago when Colby was going off about losing his own title shot, he threw me under the bus almost to defend himself for needing one,” Smith said, per MMA Fighting’s Shaun Al-Shatti. “Like, ‘Well, Anthony Smith got one and he’s a piece of shit, so why can’t I get one?’ And I just, it’s the same with the Luke Rockhold thing. Like, I just hate people that are just assholes for no reason.” Covington has insulted just about every fighter on the UFC roster, and the 30-year-old has become somewhat of a wanted man in Brazil after calling Demian Maia’s countrymen ‘filthy animals’ in his UFC Fight Night 119 post-fight interview in 2017. According to Smith, however, Covington acts like a ‘scared cat’ when the cameras aren’t rolling and revealed that the American Top Team product has to distance himself from other UFC fighters in private. “My manager owns a gym in Chicago, so when we were both there fighting on that card (at UFC 225), I just trained at my manager’s gym because it’s more comfortable there,” Smith said. “Typically, I would stay in the host hotel with everyone else. But it’s not anywhere close to where the hotel was — it was a significant jaunt away. So I’m there working out and Colby comes in, because he has to find somewhere as far away from UFC fighters as he can get to train, not knowing that it’s owned by one of the managers of some of the guys in the UFC. And then he gets there and he’s the most skittish person I’ve ever seen. “He looks like a scared cat when he’s not around all the cameras — and I understand what he’s doing, I get it, but he’s put himself in a position where he can’t just be a normal person in normal places anymore because he’s pissed everybody off. So, he has to hide off in the corner of the gym the whole time and keep looking over his shoulder because he doesn’t know who wants to come in and slap him in the back of the head, and that’s how he is away from the cameras and everyone else. And that’s my only issue, is that he’s just attacking people who are not in his way. It’d be like me attacking ‘55ers. Like, what’s the point of that? I don’t understand how that puts you forward in your career anymore.” Covington was expected to challenge former teammate Tyron Woodley in a welterweight title unification bout, but the controversial UFC star was passed over by top-three contender Kamaru Usman, who will fight ‘T-Wood’ in the UFC 235 co-main event. UFC 235 also features a headlining light heavyweight championship bout between Jones and Smith, with the blockbuster event scheduled to take place next month, March 2nd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.<doc-sep>Anthony Smith has heard enough from Colby Covington. The 30-year-old light heavyweight, who challenges Jon Jones for the 205-pound title at UFC 235, made a point to fire back at Covington earlier this month on Twitter after Covington took a seemingly random jab at Jones. And for Smith, there was more behind the exchange than just defending his next opponent from one of MMA’s foremost online trolls. “The only reason I said anything in that situation to Colby is because, a month ago when Colby was going off about losing his own title shot, he threw me under the bus almost to defend himself for needing one,” Smith explained Monday on The MMA Hour. “Like, ‘Well, Anthony Smith got one and he’s a piece of shit, so why can’t I get one?’ And I just, it’s the same with the Luke Rockhold thing. Like, I just hate people that are just assholes for no reason.” its played out, Colby. Its not funny anymore. Stop throwing shade at my fight. Also, I heard you have a issue with me getting a title fight... next time I see you, we should talk about that. Or you gonna tuck your tail and hide in the corner of the gym like you did in Chicago? — Anthony Smith (@lionheartasmith) February 14, 2019 Smith went on to elaborate about the Chicago aspect of his tweet. He said he ran into Covington in an unexpected way during UFC 225 fight week last June — and the interaction proved to be telling, to say the least. “I don’t have any issue with Colby and I’ve never had any issue with Colby,” Smith said. “The Chicago thing that I was talking about was when Colby started really trash-talking everybody that wasn’t in his lane. It kinda changed how he has to act around people, because he doesn’t even remember who he’s offended and who he’s upset, so he can’t do the things that regular fighters do, like train in the host hotel with everyone else. “My manager owns a gym in Chicago, so when we were both there fighting on that card (at UFC 225), I just trained at my manager’s gym because it’s more comfortable there. Typically, I would stay in the host hotel with everyone else. But it’s not anywhere close to where the hotel was — it was a significant jaunt away. So I’m there working out and Colby comes in, because he has to find somewhere as far away from UFC fighters as he can get to train, not knowing that it’s owned by one of the managers of some of the guys in the UFC. And then he gets there and he’s the most skittish person I’ve ever seen,” Smith continued. “He looks like a scared cat when he’s not around all the cameras — and I understand what he’s doing, I get it, but he’s put himself in a position where he can’t just be a normal person in normal places anymore because he’s pissed everybody off. So, he has to hide off in the corner of the gym the whole time and keep looking over his shoulder because he doesn’t know who wants to come in and slap him in the back of the head, and that’s how he is away from the cameras and everyone else. And that’s my only issue, is that he’s just attacking people who are not in his way. It’d be like me attacking ‘55ers. Like, what’s the point of that? I don’t understand how that puts you forward in your career anymore.” Smith challenges Jones on March 2 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a perfect 3-0 as a UFC light heavyweight, having notched consecutive stoppage victories over Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua, and Volkan Oezdemir.<doc-sep>

Anthony Smith is not a fan of Colby Covington “Lionheart”, who is set to face Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 235 on Mar. 2, didn’t hold back on the controversial welterweight After a Twitter exchange with Covington a few weeks back, Smith decided to address the issue on The MMA Hour on Monday. 🙄 its played out, Colby. Its not funny anymore. Stop throwing shade at my fight. Also, I heard you have a issue with me getting a title fight… next time I see you, we should talk about that. Or you gonna tuck your tail and hide in the corner of the gym like you did in Chicago? — Anthony Smith (@lionheartasmith) February 14, 2019 “The only reason I said anything in that situation to Colby is because, a month ago when Colby was going off about losing his own title shot, he threw me under the bus almost to defend himself for needing one,” Smith explained (transcript via MMA Fighting). “Like, ‘Well, Anthony Smith got one and he’s a piece of shit, so why can’t I get one?’ And I just, it’s the same with the Luke Rockhold thing. Like, I just hate people that are just assholes for no reason.” Anthony Smith went on to explain that he had a run in with Covington last June during UFC 225 fight week. From that interaction, Smith believes the Covington persona we all see online and in interviews is not the same off camera. “My manager owns a gym in Chicago, so when we were both there fighting on that card (at UFC 225), I just trained at my manager’s gym because it’s more comfortable there. So I’m there working out and Colby comes in, because he has to find somewhere as far away from UFC fighters as he can get to train, not knowing that it’s owned by one of the managers of some of the guys in the UFC. And then he gets there and he’s the most skittish person I’ve ever seen. He looks like a scared cat when he’s not around all the cameras — and I understand what he’s doing, I get it, but he’s put himself in a position where he can’t just be a normal person in normal places anymore because he’s pissed everybody off. “So, he has to hide off in the corner of the gym the whole time and keep looking over his shoulder because he doesn’t know who wants to come in and slap him in the back of the head, and that’s how he is away from the cameras and everyone else. And that’s my only issue, is that he’s just attacking people who are not in his way. It’d be like me attacking ‘55ers. Like, what’s the point of that? I don’t understand how that puts you forward in your career anymore.” UFC 235 takes place Mar. 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Anthony Smith challenges Jon Jones for the light heavyweight championship. This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 2/19/2019. This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Purdue is a game away from the Final Four. The last time this happened was my sophomore year in West Lafayette. We beat Dayton, Oklahoma, and Gonzaga in a classic broken bracket to be the higher seed in the regional final in Albuquerque. We faced off against Wisconsin for the fourth time that year and lost 64-60. We had beaten them in West Lafayette, but lost to them in Madison, Chicago, and Albuquerque. It was a frustrating end to a surprising run and probably the closest Gene Keady came to a Final Four. Now we get to play a pseudo-home game in Louisville instead of out west. There was a partisan crowd in the YM Center even with a lot of Tennessee fans in attendance. Now that their tickets have flooded the market I fully expect it to be Mackey South even with Virginia being the No. 1 seed. Virginia Cavaliers From: Charlottesville, VA Date: Saturday, March 30, 2018 Tip Time: 8:49pm Location: Louisville, KY Arena: KFC Yum Center (22,090) Television: TBS Online: March Madness On Demand Radio: Purdue Radio Network SiriusXM Satellite: XM (Ch. 381); Internet (Ch. 968) Live Stats: bit.ly/PurdueLiveStats Odds: Virginia by 4.5 KenPom: 1 NET: 1 2017-18 Record: 31-3. 17-1 ACC (ACC regular season & Tournament champions) 2018-19 Record: 32-3, 16-2 ACC (ACC Regular Season champions) Opponent Blog: Streaking the Lawn Series with Purdue: Series Tied 1-1 Last Virginia Win: 98-79 at Virginia on 11/29/2000 Last Purdue Win: 61-59 at Purdue on 11/29/2006 NCAA Tournament History: 23 appearances, 1981 and 1984 Final Four Coach: Tony Bennett (251-89 in 10th season at Virginia, 319-122 overall) Tony Bennett and Matt Painter are generally regarded as two of the best coaches in America to have never made a Final Four. One will make it tomorrow night. Bennett has built Virginia into a regular season National power, but has struggled mightily in March. This is only his second Elite Eight and he has the black mark of the worst NCAA Tournament loss ever coming last year vs. UMBC. Still, this is his fourth season of 30 wins in the last six. He also has four ACC regular season titles in that span. As if it wasn’t enough of a bad sign, he was an assistant on that Wisconsin team coached by his dad that eliminated Purdue in its last Elite 8. Simply put, Virginia is the best of the best. Their defense gets it done, allowing a miserly 55 points per game, three points better than the next best team (Michigan). Aside from two regular season losses to Duke they only lost to Florida State in the ACC Tournament. Their defense is like a boa constrictor, and I would liken them to a team Ryan Cline is very familiar with: Carmel High School. Carmel has won three class 4A state championships, including one a week ago, by playing stifling defense and making very few mistakes with the game on the line. They seem like an overwhelming opponent unless you have a Duke level of raw talent. In commons opponents they beat Wisconsin by 7, Maryland by 5, Florida State by 13, Virginia Tech by 22 and 6, Notre Dame by 27 and 6, but later lost to Florida State by 10. This is not a team that is going to beat itself. Even its offense is efficient as hell rating second on KenPom in adjusted offense only behind Gonzaga. They have a very specific system that functions with ruthless efficiency on both ends of the floor. Indiana native Kyle Guy (15.1 ppg) and De’Andre Hunter (15.2 ppg) lead them in scoring along with Ty Jerome (13 ppg). Those three guards are ruthlessly efficient, all shooting over 40% from three. If you foul them, they are going to hit free throws and they won’t turn the ball over. Mamadi Diakite, Jacks Satl, and Jay Huff are their top post players, but this is not a team with a strong inside presence. They rebound as a team (Braxton Key leads them at 5.5 rebounds per game) and take care of the ball. If anything, they are super Purdue in that they are a bunch of interchangeable parts where eight games average four points or more per game. That’s what really stands out to me. This team is just so damned efficient on both sides of the ball. Duke beat them 72-70 by grinding it out and prevailing with superior talent. They won game two by shooting 62% from three on the road. Florida State beat them by shooting 56% from the floor and dominating the glass. Purdue needs to win this game by hitting threes and speeding them up a bit. They are a team that is dead last in tempo in KenPom (353 of 353). Purdue is slightly faster at 263. You saw in their Sweet 16 game with Oregon that they are not afraid to grind it out and play in the 50s. It does not bother them at all. The thing is, it doesn’t bother us, either. Cline and Carsen Edwards need to stay hot from three. Cline was incredible against Tennessee and played the game of his career. Edwards personally dispatched the defending national champions in round 2. We need them to be on while Matt Haarms keeps up his good run. Let’s not discount Nojel Eastern and Aaron Wheeler, either. This is a matchup of two teams that play a similar style. Both teams are going to be tough and fight for every inch of the floor. Purdue has the superstar in Edwards, however. He might be the difference.<doc-sep>After a nail-biter against Oregon in the Sweet 16, top-seeded Virginia tips off against No. 3 Purdue Saturday in the South Regional Final of the Elite 8. Here’s Howie Kussoy’s prediction for the highly anticipated March Madness matchup. No. 1 Virginia (-4½) over No. 3 Purdue (8:49 p.m., TBS): The Cavaliers scored 53 points to make it to the Elite Eight. The Boilermakers needed 99. Who do you think is more likely to make its opponent awkwardly bend to its style? Who has done it better than any team in the past decade? Virginia’s time has come. After winning four ACC titles in six years, and claiming the top seed in the NCAA Tournament each time, Tony Bennett finally has the right balance to bring Virginia to the Final Four for the first time since 1984. Through their first three tournament wins, the Cavaliers have uncharacteristically struggled shooting, but a team that hit 41 percent from the perimeter all season is due to get back on track. Meanwhile, Purdue star Carsen Edwards’ habit of forcing bad shots will reach an all-time high against a defense built upon frustrating players into such shots. The previous tournament games were pressure. This is the one the Cavaliers have always wanted. This season: 30-30-1 2011-18 record: 224-189-8<doc-sep>Virginia faces Purdue on Saturday in the South Regional final with a trip to the Final Four on the line. No. 1 seed Virginia advanced to its second Elite Eight in four years after it beat No. 12 seed Oregon 53-49. Virginia had zero points off the bench and scoring came evenly from its starters. Ty Jerome led the team with 13 points, and Mamadi Diakite scored the least with seven points. Tony Bennett is looking to get to his first Final Four and bring the Cavs back there for the first time since 1984. No. 3 seed Purdue won an overtime thriller against No. 2 seed Tennessee on Thursday. The Boilermakers had a 25-point in the second half before Tennessee stormed back, but Purdue was able to prevail 99-94. Carsen Edwards scored a game-high 29 points, but Ryan Cline stole the show late, hitting seven 3-pointers in the game. Purdue is averaging 13.3 3-pointers made per game in the tournament, the highest of all teams remaining, and hitting them at an incredibly impressive 44 percent. Let's take a closer look at this crucial showdown and see who our experts are picking to advance to Minneapolis next weekend. Viewing information When : Saturday, 8:49 p.m. ET : Saturday, 8:49 p.m. ET Where : KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky : KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky TV : TBS : TBS Live stream: March Madness Live and fuboTV (try for free) Predictions, picks So who wins Purdue vs. Virginia? And which side of the spread cashes well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Virginia vs. Purdue spread you should be all over Saturday, all from the model that's up more than $4,000 on top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.<doc-sep>In the best game of the NCAA tournament, the Virginia Cavaliers topped the Purdue Boilermakers 80-75 to advance to UVA’s first Final Four since 1984. The crowd dramatically favored the Boilermakers, which was to be expected as West Lafayette is signifcantly closer (three hours to Charlottesville’s 7.5). Purdue won the tip and Cline picked up where he left off against Tennessee with a big three. Despited a valiant effort from Grady Eifert to sell a flop in the post, Diakite backed his man down and got a jumper to go to make it a one point game. Haarms returned the favor on the other end in the paint to give Purdue a 5-2 lead, but a strong drive in the lane from Jerome ended with a bucket off the glass. Edwards got on the board with a three to put the Boilermakers up 8-4 with 17:53 left in the half. Another Diakite bucket was answered with an Edwards three, but Guy hit a step-back long two to make it 11-8. The first miss for either team came on the next possession as Edwards couldn’t get one to go, but Jerome’s three with two seconds left in the shot clock caromed off the stanchion. Purdue hauled in the rebound, but Eifert and Edwards ran into each other and Hunter came away with the ball and foul (on Eifert). Guy’s three ball wouldn’t fall, but another big grab from Hunter found Diakite for a monster dunk and a one point game. Two empty possessions for Purdue — sandwiched around a transition three attempt from Jerome — gave Virginia a chance to take its first lead, but Hunter’s jumper sailed wide. Cline got another three to go with a hand in his face and two seconds on the shot clock to put Purdue up 14-10 with 13:45 to play. Hunter got on the scoreboard with a two through contact, and a huge block from Diakite gave the ball back to the Hoos down just two. Virginia couldn’t capitalize, and Aaron Wheeler appeared to get another three to go for the Boilermakers as the shot clock horn sounded. After a review, the bucket was waived off for the shot clock violation. Virginia couldn’t tie the game up after Guy’s drive to the bucket rolled off the rim, and Eric Hunter Jr. hit Purdue’s fifth three of the half to put the crowd favorites up 17-12 with 11:12 to play. Two free throws from Edwards gave the Boilermakers a seven-point lead, and Key’s three attempt sailed long. The two squads traded turnovers, and Wheeler’s three attempt gave Purdue a double-digit lead with 9:46 remaining. Guy drew a foul shooting three and made two of the free throws to cut the lead back to 22-14. Purdue finally missed a shot, and Diakite’s fourth bucket of the half cut the deficit to six. Edwards hit the Boilermakers’ seventh three of the first half (on 10 attempts) to make it 25-16 with just under eight minutes to play. Clark found Jerome off of a screen for a much needed three — Virginia’s first of the game — to make it 25-19, and Edwards missed on the other end to give the Hoos the ball back. Jerome tried to get his second straight three to drop, but it went off the rim and harmlessly to Purdue. Virginia went on a fouling spell with a questionable call on Jerome negating a steal and Clark getting called for his second. Purdue was unable to take advantage of the extended possession as Haarms passed it harmlessly out of bounds. Jerome’s floater in the lane wouldn’t connect, but, after a miss from Cline, Salt cut the Purdue lead to four with a shot off the glass. Jerome canned another three to cut the deficit to one with 4:47 to play, but Edwards cut into the lane and hit a jumper to make it 27-24. Hunter responded with a jumper of his own, and another three from Edwards returned the Purdue lead to four points with 3:44 to play. Two misses from three from Purdue were answered with a miss from beyond the arc from Diakite, but the Hoos came up strong defensively. Guy appeared to roll his ankle with 2:09 left in the first half and had to leave the court. Salt was fouled on an offensive rebound and put back attempt, and the senior big man made one of two at the line to cut the deficit back to three. Edwards couldn’t get a three to drop, and another offensive rebound by the Hoos led to a Diakite layup to make it 30-29 with one minute left in the half. After a huge defensive stand, the Hoos held for the last shot of the first half. A foul by Hunter Jr. gave Virginia just 1.1 seconds to inbounds the ball, and Diakite was unable to get a long two to fall as the Hoos headed into the half down 30-29. Being down one at the break was frankly remarkable considering Purdue shot 8-for-18 (42%) from three in the first half, while Virginia shot just 2-for-12 (17%). Diakite led the Hoos with 10 points in the first half on 5-for-8 shooting, and Jerome added eight points. Clark was sound with the ball, dishing out four assists, and Virginia only had one turnover in the first half. Virginia shot 41% from the field in the first half, and dominated Purdue 14-2 in points in the paint and 7-3 in second chance points. Edwards led Purdue with 16 points on a blistering 4-for-8 mark from beyond the arc, and the Boilermakers had good ball control themselves with just three turnovers. Guy started out the half with a three off of a screen to give Virginia their first lead of the game at 32-30. Haarms was met by Salt and Diakite down low, leaving his shot short off the rim, but Jerome was unable to extend Virginia’s lead as his floater didn’t connect.<doc-sep>

UVA and Purdue have both been counted out too many times. And despite the talk, Virginia has looked every bit like a National Championship contender after a slow first twenty minutes of the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Purdue has outshot every opponent thus far. Tonight, Virginia’s top-5 defense takes on Purdue’s top-5 offense, and one of them books a ticket to the Final Four. Purdue vs. UVA Date: Saturday, March 30 Time: 8:49 p.m. ET Location: Louisville, KY TV Channel: TBS Live Stream: fuboTV – start your 7-day free trial #3 Purdue The Purdue Boilermakers entered the NCAA Tournament with tremendous expectations to make a deep run and maybe even reach the Final Four. After blowing out both Old Dominion and reigning NCAA champions Villanova, that expectation seemed grounded in reality. The, in their first true test of the tournament, the Boilermakers ran out to a 12-point halftime cushion over #2 Tennessee before relinquishing the lead and seeing regulation end deadlocked. But Purdue has good players all over the floor, and in overtime, they proved that, pouring in 17 points from a variety of players. Carsen Edwards has looked like the tournament’s best player after leading Purdue to a 23-9 regular season record to share the Big Ten championship. They weren’t successful in the Big Ten tournament, losing in the quarterfinals, but that didn’t change the perception or expectation for this team. Matt Painter has already taken Purdue one step further than last year, but when you can smell a Final Four, Elite Eight just doesn’t sound good enough. To win, Edwards, Cline, and Haarms will have to bring their best for a full 40. #1 Virginia A year removed from the most shocking and humiliating NCAA Tournament loss of all time, for any team, UVA never faltered in their opening game against Gardner Webb. Down 14 in the first half and six points at halftime, UVA’s season’s vets regrouped at the break and went on a Goliath-sized run in the second half to put any concerns to rest. March Madness will have to wait one more year for a potential 16-over-1 upset, and Virginia made sure of that. Coach Tony Bennett’s side then went on to destroy #9 Oklahoma in the second round to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, where they dispatched a dangerous Oregon offense by a mere four points, but always appeared in control. They were arguably the country’s top college basketball team in 2018-2019, posting a 29-3 record and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference for the second season in succession. With doubts dwindling and confidence rising, the only team standing between them and the Final Four is quite possibly the hottest-shooting team in March Madness. But if there’s any team that can bottle them up, it’s Virginia. Both programs are gunning for their third Final Four in school history – and first trip since the 1980s. It’s one of the best head-to-head matchups this tournament could have produced, and everything is on the line. We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying results from Watkins Glen International on August 4, 2018 They’ll race later this afternoon. First, they’ll set the grid with two rounds of knockout qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. View the full Watkins Glen Xfinity Series starting lineup below. This is the first time on the track for most of the field. There were two rounds of practice on Friday. However, due to the rain most teams elected to remain in the garage. Cup drivers in the Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen: Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Aric Almriola Watkins Glen Menu: NXS TV | Prac | Qual | Race Round 1 Xfinity Qualifying It’s a 25 minute session in round 1 of NASCAR Xfinity qualifying at Watkins Glen International. The top 12 will advance to round two. 16 minutes remain, Brian Henderson has cut a left rear tire into turn 1. He’s 27th on the board but he lost the tire at the flag stand. He made no contact but the red flag is out for debris and the car stopped in turn 1. 10 minutes remain, Tyler Reddick has looped it. No caution but Brad Keselowski is hard on the brakes to avoid it. That lap is a wash for Keselowski who heads to the pits. Many cars are running laps in bulk. That’s not normal for qualifying. Due to the lack of practice yesterday, a few teams have decided to make this a bit of a practice session. 5 minutes remain, Joey Logano leads the round. Clements sits in the bubble. The point leader, Christopher Bell is making his first start at Watkins Glen International. He’s won the last three Xfinity races but he sits 28th on the board. With 4 minutes remain, he’s getting ready to make another run. The lack of practice yesterday isn’t helping his situation. Under a minute to go, Bell is in! He jumps to 12th. Sadler gets bumped out of the top 12. Joey Logano wins round 1 of NACSRA Xfinity Series qualifying. Stephen Leicht is the lone car to be sent home following the first round of qualifying. Round 1 Results: 1. Joey Logano (72.154); 2. Justin Allgaier (72.667); 3. AJ Allmendinger (72.894); 4. Ryan Truex (72.924); 5. Ryan Preece (72.942); 6. Daniel Hemric (72.954); 7. Aric Almirola (73.029); 8. Kyle Larson (73.031); 9. Austin Dillon (73.076); 10. Brad Keselowski (73.156); 11. Cole Custer (73.244); 12. Christopher Bell (73.299); Round 2 Xfinity Qualifying It’s a short 10 minute session in the final round of qualifying. The top 12 from the previous round will make a run for the pole. Ryan Preece is the first car on the track. 7 more cars follow. Joey Logano returns to the top of the board. It’s quicker in this round, a 71.710 for Logano. 1 minute remains, Brad Keselowski has returned to the track for a final attempt at the pole. Half the lap is complete, Keselowski is trending in the green. Final corner, he’s in the green by a tenth. Keselowski cooks the final corner! The rear end steps out, he shuts it down and coasts to the pit lane. Joey Logano takes the pole in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Watkins Glen International! The Zippo 200 featuring the NASCAR Xfinity Series will air later today at 3PM. View the full Watkins Glen starting lineup for the NASCAR Xfinity Series below. NASCAR Xfinity Series Starting Lineup Watkins Glen Pos | Driver | Time 1. Joey Logano 71.710 2. Brad Keselowski 72.073 3. Kyle Larson 72.294 4. AJ Allmendinger 72.513 5. Daniel Hemric 72.526 6. Austin Dillon 72.669 7. Ryan Truex 72.789 8. Ryan Preece 72.824 9. Aric Almirola 72.866 10. Justin Allgaier 72.905 11. Christopher Bell 73.142 12. Cole Custer 73.221 13. Elliott Sadler 73.301 14. Austin Cindric 73.465 15. Jeremy Clements 73.505 16. Matt Tifft 73.533 17. Kaz Grala 73.598 18. Justin Haley 73.660 19. Ryan Reed 73.681 20. Brandon Jones 73.977 21. Alex Labbe 74.047 22. Scott Heckert 74.33 23. Ross Chastain 74.402 24. Mike Skeen 74.468 25. Michael Annett 74.606 26. JJ Yaley 74.659 27. Tyler Reddick 75.050 28. Ryan Sieg 75.090 29. Victor Gonzalex Jr 75.808 30. Tommy Joe Martins 75.867 31. Timmy Hill 76.338 32. Garrett Smithley 76.681 33. Jeff Green 77.153 34. David Starr 77.641 35. Chad Finchum 78.413 36. Brian Henderson 78.520 37. Joey Gase 78.956 38. Josh Bilicki 79.907 39. Spencer Boyd 80.084 40. Vinnie Miller 80.659 41. Stephen Leicht 78.413 More Related: Watkins Glen Results: August 5, 2017 (NASCAR Xfinity Series) Related: NASCAR Cup Series Starting Lineup: Watkins Glen Related: AJ Allmendinger is running his first Xfinity Series event in five year this weekend at Watkins Glen Links Watkins Glen International | NASCAR<doc-sep>The pole-deciding round of qualifying lasted ten minutes and Kyle Busch was the first driver to put up a time, pacing WGI at 125.427mph. Chase Elliott appeared to have the pace to best Busch, but after getting extremely wide out of the final corner, he fell 0.003 seconds short. It was Busch’s teammate Denny Hamlin who knocked him off the number one spot with a 125.534mph lap. No one was able to match him with the Joe Gibbs Racing cars in the closing minutes with Hamlin and Busch on the provisional front row. "Yeah, he's usually pretty good at this stuff," said Hamlin of beating Busch. "I knew once the 18 and 9 had went and I went behind them and they said I was P1, I thought we had a real shot at it. It's amazing to me how well Kyle hits his marks and does not make mistakes, especially on a one-lap qualifying get it done moment. While I feel I make quite a few more mistakes and take repetitions to really maximize the speed out of my car, he does it right away." A frustrated Elliott had to settle for third, and he was well aware of what could have been. “Very frustrating. I hate that. Feel like I had a real opportunity to grab pole today,” he said. “That sucks.” Read Also: Watkins Glen starting lineup in pictures Round 1 Michael McDowell went to the top of the charts early in the first round of qualifying, but with 14 minutes remaining, Elliott surged to the top if the board at 125.126mph. He remained there for the remainder of the session. But the real battle was around the bubble. In the closing seconds, the final transfer position changed hands often and rapidly. Ultimately, it came down to Jimmie Johnson and Truex. Johnson bumped Truex with under a minute to go, but Truex was able to respond and he knocked Johnson back out. The margin between them: 0.008 seconds. “There’s a lot of places you can give it up or make up time when things are going your way,” said the seven-time series champion. “Our car is very comfortable to drive … we will race well.” Notably, Kevin Harvick was forced to abort his lap after wheel-hopping down into Turn 1, forced to settle for 16th on the time sheets. In fact, three of the four Stewart-Haas Racing drivers failed to advance with Clint Bowyer 19th and Kurt Busch 21st. The drivers who advanced into the pole round were as follows, in order from fastest to slowest: Elliott, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Truex, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, A.J. Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Ryan Blaney, McDowell and Kasey Kahne.<doc-sep>Chris Trotman/Getty Images Denny Hamlin will start from the pole position at the 2018 Go Bowling at Watkins Glen on Sunday after posting the top qualifying speed of 125.534 mph and time of 70.26 seconds Saturday. Kyle Busch was right on Hamlin's bumper with a lap time of 70.32 seconds to earn a spot on the front row. Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson round out the top five. Here's how the entire lineup for Sunday's race will start, via NASCAR.com: Row 1: Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch Row 2: Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr. Row 3: Kyle Larson, Joey Logano Row 4: Aric Almirola, A.J. Allmendinger Row 5: Erik Jones, Kasey Kahne Row 6: Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell Video Play Button Videos you might like Row 7: Jimmie Johnson, Paul Menard Row 8: Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick Row 9: William Byron, Brad Keselowski Row 10: Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman Row 11: Kurt Busch, Chris Buescher Row 12: Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman Row 13: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon Row 14: David Ragan, Matt Kenseth Row 15: Parker Kligerman, Matt DiBenedetto Row 16: Bubba Wallace, Ty Dillon Row 17: Cole Whitt, Ross Chastain Row 18: Josh Bilicki, Spencer Gallagher Row 19: Landon Cassill Busch comes into this race with all the momentum in the world. The runner-up for last year's championship overcame a failed inspection after qualifying last week to win the Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono after starting 28th. He increased his lead in the overall standings to 58 points over Kevin Harvick. Hamlin, who is ninth in the playoff standings, won his first pole of the season and is in search of his first victory since September 2017. NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck also noted Hamlin did something on Saturday he's never done in his career: Starting in the second row, Elliott continues his strong showing at Watkins Glen this weekend. He posted the fastest time during Saturday's final practice at 70.83 seconds. Truex, who is the defending champion at this event, is starting next to Elliott. He's seeking his third straight victory on a road course. The reigning Monster Energy Cup Series champion is third in with 762 points and can close the gap on Busch atop the rankings. Watkins Glen's road course is going to serve as good preparation for the playoffs. NASCAR added the unique track to part of its 10-race championship format this year, though it will come in the form a modified Charlotte Motor Speedway. This marks the first time a road course will be featured in the playoff, which should only add to the drama because of how difficult these tracks can be. Matt Kenseth, for instance, has 39 career Monster Energy Series wins. None have come on a road course, though he nearly ended that streak with a second-place finish last year. The 46-year-old will need to be on top of his game to change his luck Sunday as he starts from the 28th position.<doc-sep>

NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results from Watkins Glen International on August 4, 2018 The 2.454-mile road course hosts Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying. Tonight, they’ll set the starting lineup for Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen. View Watkins Glen qualifying results below. The qualifying session was delayed by just under 30 minutes. It’s a late start at the New York road course. Watkins Glen Menu: MENCS TV | Prac 1 | Prac 2 | Qual | Race Round 1 Watkins Glen A 25 minute session kicks things off in round 1. The top 12 advance to the final round. Logano is one of the first cars on the track. However, he heads right back for the pit lane without turning a lap. 20 minutes remain, Suarez leads round 1 so far. The time is a 71.298. Here’s a surprise, Michael McDowell jumps to the top of the board. McDowell has a best finish of 12th at Watkins Glen. 12 minutes remain, Kyle Busch goes to 2nd on the board. Chase Elliott sits at the top. 2 minutes remain, Kevin Harvick sits outside the top 12. He wheel hopped into turn 1 and aborted his lap. The time is up, flying laps will count. Jimmie Johnson bumps Martin Truex Jr outside of the top 12. Truex is already on a hot lap as is Harvick, they both sit outside of the top 12. Truex bumps Johnson! Harvick is just short. Harvick was in the green until he approached turn 6. Chase Elliott wins round 1 of Watkins Glen qualifying! Johnson and McMurray both stated that they wheel hopped going into the corner. Johnson missed a transfer spot by less than a tenth of a second. Round 1 Results: 1. Chase Elliott (70.489); 2. Kyle Busch (70.736); 3. Erik Jones (70.754); 4. Martin Truex Jr; 5. Joey Logano; 6. Denny Hamlin; 7. Kyle Larson; 8. AJ Allmendinger; 9. Aric Almirola; 10. Ryan Blaney; 11. Michael McDowell; 12. Kasey Kahne; Round 2 Watkins Glen The top 12 times from round 1 are reset as they each make a run for the pole in the final round of qualifying at Watkins Glen. It’s a brief 10 minutes session in round two as the sun sets in Watkins Glen, NY. Kyle Busch didn’t run a single qualifying run in the two rounds of practice earlier today. However, everyone in the garage says he has the car to beat. Is it fast enough for the pole? Kyle Busch is the first car on the race track for his qualifying run. It’s a 70.320 for Busch, that’s the fastest lap of the day. But, the track is cooling off, they will all be fast. Chase Elliott uses every inch of the race track off turn 7, Elliott misses the pole by .003. Hamlin to the top of the board, 70.260. Denny Hamlin takes the pole position at Watkins Glen International! View the full 2018 Watkins Glen starting lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series event below. Watkins Glen Qualifying Results August 4, 2018 – MENCS Pos | Driver | Best Time 1. Denny Hamlin 70.260 2. Kyle Busch 70.320 3. Chase Elliott 70.323 4. Martin Truex Jr 70.418 5. Kyle Larson 70.687 6. Joey Logano 70.721 7. Aric Almirola 70.820 8. AJ Allmendinger 70.891 9. Erik Jones 70.897 10. Kasey Kahne 70.897 11. Ryan Blaney 70.951 12. Michael McDowell 70.969 13. Jimmie Johnson 71.085 14. Paul Menard 71.146 15. Jamie McMurray 71.161 16. Kevin Harvick 71.167 17. William Byron 71.194 18. Brad Keselowski 71.196 19. Clint Bowyer 71.211 20. Ryan Newman 71.233 21. Kurt Busch 71.235 22. Chris Buescher 71.235 23. Daniel Suarez 71.298 24. Alex Bowman 71.387 25. Ricky Stenhouse Jr 71.406 26. Austin Dillon 71.589 27. David Ragan 71.617 28. Matt Kenseth 71.871 29. Parker Kligerman 72.038 30. Matt DiBenedetto 72.201 31. Bubba Wallace 72.224 32. Ty Dillon 72.328 33. Cole Whitt 72.791 34. Ross Chastain 73.436 35. Josh Bilicki 73.750 36. Spencer Gallagher 73.809 37. Landon Cassill 74.934 Watkins Glen Post-Qualifying Inspection This is another enhanced weekend. It’s a similar to last week at Pocono where 13 cars failed post-race inspection. With the enhanced schedule, there’s less inspections. Just like last week, there were no pre-qualifying inspections. However, they are doing things a bit different this week at Watkins Glen. Instead of inspecting the cars directly after qualifying they will impound them. The cars will be rolled and locked until the morning.

Mullally and Offerman, an incredibly hilarious couple who have been married since 2003 and recently co-authored “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History,” led the women through a storytelling exercise during which they told stories about their own “first” experiences. We saw Hannah G., the content creator, struggling to create content. But for the most part, this was actually one of the better challenges we’ve seen in recent seasons — what should be the women’s most scripted moments turn out more authentically natural than expected.<doc-sep>After a slog of a premiere, The Bachelor got back to the basics for episode 2. No live viewing parties. No former contestants. No tributes to Chris Harrisons. A lot went down in Week 2. A new villain emerged, conversations were interrupted and Colton kissed a lot of women. But before we get into all of that, let’s recap our bachelor’s night… Grading Colton’s performance First we get a self-shot message from Colton, who, of course, has no shirt on. He’s still in bed, but his beard is perfectly trimmed and I’m pretty sure he’s wearing foundation. Either that or the dude has perfect skin — a possibility I’m certainly not ruling out. Colton tells us the plan for the first group date: He’s taking the group to a theater, where the lucky women will tell a story about “our first,” which isn’t vague at all. Colton is excited, and, frankly, that’s all that matters. The next time we see our bachelor, he’s at the theater, where celebrity couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally are waiting. We’re not even two episodes in and Colton has Becca beat in the “celebrity guest” department. Last season’s guests included Wayne Newton, Lil’ Jon and the Baha Men. Ron Swanson’s got them all beat. At the 13:25 mark of the episode, we get our first mention of Colton’s virginity. Honestly, that’s 13:20 later than I thought we’d get it. Colton is telling the story of the first time he told his teammates he was a virgin… “So for most of my adult life, I had a secret: I was a virgin. And as an athlete, I thought I had to fit this mold. I made up lies, and I was uncomfortable speaking my truth. One day I get to the locker room, and a veteran asks me. He says, ‘How many girls have you slept with?’ So I sat there sweating. What’s a good lie? Is it one? Four? Ten? A hundred? What am I gonna do? It finally came out of my mouth and I said, ‘zero.’ And I didn’t know what the reaction was gonna be and I was expecting to get ridiculed. And the first thing that I heard was, ‘wow, man, that’s really cool.’.” Colton brought the house down, though I feel like we’re at the point where Colton could just say anything and this group of women will applaud him. I’m like 95% sure an Austin Powers impression would have drawn a similar reaction. Afterward, Colton kisses just about everyone on the group date. OK, so it was only Demi, Elyse and Hannah G., but it felt like he was kissing everyone. After a few heartfelt conversations, he awards the group date rose to Elyse because she showed him “a different side” of herself during the date, which is a curious thing to say about someone he’s had exactly one conversation with prior to the date. Literally any side she showed him would have been a different side of her. Whatever. The next time we see Colton, it’s time for his first solo date, which will be with Hannah B. Expectations are high… “This is the first one-on-one of my journey,” Colton says. “I want it to be great. I don’t want it to be good. I want it to be great.” I’m sad to report that the date was not great. It wasn’t even good. Things started off well enough before Colton came up with the idea to do a toast, which Hannah B. did not seem excited about. After struggling to come up with anything interesting to say, she went with “Roll Tide.” Honestly, it wasn’t a bad save. It got a laugh out of Colton. Colton tried his best to make Hannah comfortable, but it wasn’t happening. I’m thinking he should pop his shirt off. You know, just to ease the tension Here’s what he says instead… “I just want you to be comfortable in who you are and be real. At the end of the day, I’m here focused on finding somebody I’m going to spend the rest of my life with and somebody willing to go the distance, so I just want you to know that.” Now, I’m not a relationship expert by any means, but I feel like when the person you’re on a date with is feeling a little uncomfortable, you don’t start talking about spending the rest of your lives together. It’s a bit weird. Here’s how Hannah responded to that… “Yeah. Well … good.” Welp. Should’ve just taken his shirt off. “Do you wanna get in the hot tub?” Colton asks. That’s our boy. The hot tub does not solve a thing. Hannah is still an awkward mess and interrupts Colton mid-sentence to pick an eyelash from his face. She asks him to make a wish on the stray lash. If he’s thinking like I’m thinking, he’s wishing for this date to end It doesn’t and Colton points out that Hannah seems uncomfortable. She denies it while looking super uncomfortable, and it’s at this point where Colton probably realizes he made a huge mistake taking her on the first solo date. After a commercial break, we find out that there’s a nightcap to this never-ending date. Colton says if Hannah doesn’t open up, she’s going home. So what does Hannah do? She asks him why he’s a virgin, of course. Now we’re forced to listen to Colton explain (for the millionth time) that he was too focused on football instead of his own personal life — or whatever. Hannah deserves to go home just for bringing this up again. He should have kept the sloth. Hannah explains how she was also planning on waiting to get married before losing her virginity but it didn’t. Apparently, that was enough to get Colton back on the Hannah B. bandwagon. She gets a rose. Maybe bringing up the virginity thing wasn’t a bad strategy, after all. It’s time for the second group date, so we cut to Colton chopping wood for no reason in particular. We’ve got a summer camp thing going on and we find out the group will be split into two teams that will compete for the right to stay at the camp overnight. The losing team goes home. Not HOME home. But back to the mansion. The Bachelor pad, if you will. Comedian Billy Eichner is the special guest. Why he’s slumming it on The Bachelor is anyone’s guess, but he deconstructs the entire premise of the show with one throwaway line: “I’m glad you waited to have sex until you found someone who could successfully do a three-legged race,” he tells Colton. The red team wins the competition, and thank god for that because I don’t recognize any of the women on the yellow team. We cut to night time and Colton spends some one-on-one time with a handful of lucky ladies. The conversation is pretty boring, to be honest, but Colton gets a couple kisses off. He kisses Katie after the two bond over being competitive. He kisses Caelynn after they bond over visiting children’s hospitals. And then he holds hands with Heather after they bond over being virgins. (At this point, I’m pretty sure I could get Colton to try to kiss me if given some one-on-one time. Just bring up his virginity, visiting kids or being really mature for your age, and he’s ready to go. Every conversation this season has been centered around one of those topics.) At the end of the night, Heather gets the group date rose for being open with Colton. Her reward: She gets to sleep on an uncomfortable cot like the rest of the girls. Congrats. After another commercial break, we get a 15-second shot of Colton taking a shower. No words are spoken. It’s just Colton showering and then we cut back to the mansion where the women are preparing for the cocktail party/rose ceremony. I feel dirty having watched that. Tune in tonight to see me shower…probably — Colton Underwood (@colton) January 14, 2019 After some cocktail party drama (more on that later) Colton hands out his roses. There are no surprises.<doc-sep>THE BACHELOR - "Episode 2301" - What does a pageant star who calls herself the "hot-mess express," a confident Nigerian beauty with a loud-and-proud personality,; a deceptively bubbly spitfire who is hiding a dark family secret, a California beach blonde who has a secret that ironically may make her the BachelorÕs perfect match, and a lovable phlebotomist all have in common? TheyÕre all on the hunt for love with Colton Underwood when the 23rd edition of ABCÕs hit romance reality series "The Bachelor" premieres with a live, three-hour special on MONDAY, JAN. 7 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Rick Rowell) SYDNEY, BRIANNA, ERIN, COLTON UNDERWOOD, HANNAH G., DEMI, ALEX D., KIRPA, LAURA, ANGELIQUE, COURTNEY, CATHERINE The Bachelor continues with Colton taking his dates to Camp Bachelor. Here’s how to watch The Bachelor season 23, episode 2 live, on TV and online. The Bachelor goes camping this week, so find out how to watch The Bachelor online or live this week, as the ABC series is just getting started with its shenanigans. Monday’s episode features plenty of awkward situations for the contestants. First, they have to get up on a stage in Hollywood and tell stories about their first time—which sounds like way too much information to share on national TV, unless they’re talking about their first time going to a Red Lobster or something. After that, then the show whisks them off to another of its slightly corny set pieces. This one is modeled after a summer camp, with former TruTV star Billy Eichner playing the camp counselor and putting them through a series of challenges. Colton, meanwhile, gets to do the grilling. If he doesn’t make a reference to propane and propane accessories, this will be a disappointment. Plus, someone has a secret. Because somebody always has a secret on The Bachelor. So will there be figurative fire, literal fire, or just crying in this week’s episode? Below is all the information you need to watch The Bachelor online and live Monday to catch the first episode. Here’s how ABC officially describes the episode: It’s show time in Los Angeles, as eight bachelorettes join Colton at the venerable Regent Theater. Mullally and Offerman share the news that each of the ladies must prepare a monologue about a memorable “first-time” experience, which will be presented in front of an audience of 200 people. The couple, who are themselves huge Bachelor fans, offers unconventional advice and off-beat performance tips. Colton leads off the night with a candid monologue about the first time he revealed the truth about his virginity that allows the women to take some risks with their own stories. Night one rivals clash and one assertive bachelorette caps off her performance by kissing Colton! He ultimately rewards one experienced woman, who could teach him something about love, with the group date rose. Hannah B. gets the birthday gift of a lifetime, scoring the first one-on-one date of the season. She and Colton share a scenic horseback ride in Los Angeles’ scenic Vasquez Rocks National Area Park and a romantic, relaxing soak in a secluded hot tub, but she struggles to open up. Their dinner on the deck of the iconic ocean liner, The Queen Mary, will offer her another chance to convince Colton their connection is worth saving. Colton mans the grill at “Camp Bachelor” as 12 anxious women arrive at the getaway spot, which offers summer camp experiences. Eichner divides the bachelorettes into two teams, facing off in three different, no-holds-barred challenges: a relay race, a canoe race and a game of tug-of-war. The winning team gets to stay for a “sleepaway camp night” with Colton. One woman tries to find the courage to share an embarrassing secret with the Bachelor. How will that affect his opinion of her and if she is ready for real commitment? The tense cocktail party ignites an earlier feud between a young vixen and a more experienced woman, as the temptress stirs the pot by leading an unassuming Colton away for a private “relaxation” session, interrupting his chat with the other bachelorette. This little trick prompts the abandoned lady to spend the rest of the night in hysterical tears. Will the drama turn Colton off to both women? Four heartbroken bachelorettes go home as the remainder celebrate continuing on the journey to capture Colton’s love. And here’s how you can watch “2302” live, on TV or via live stream: Date: Monday, Jan. 14 Start Time: 8:00 p.m. Episode: “2302” TV Channel: ABC Live Stream: Watch on the ABC website or app. For the latest The Bachelor season 23 spoilers and news, plus more on everything happening in TV, follow the Television category at FanSided.<doc-sep>

Have I underestimated Colton Underwood? Because his latest tweets have shown more self-awareness than I originally thought was there. Take what he wrote after last week's premiere, "I know the virginity thing is overplayed.... hang in there! You will find out other things about me, I promise." A Bachelor who actually gets it? Can you believe? And then there's this tweet from earlier today: "Tune in tonight to see me shower...probably." And he's right—literally the first thing we see after Chris Harrison says, "Tonight on The Bachelor..." is a shot of Colton in the shower while someone shouts, "He's so hot!" The point is, I like a self-aware Bachelor, and this gives me hope that the season might exceed expectations after all. The contestants, however, should probably channel some of that energy from Colton because things are getting banana nut crunch in the mansion. So let's get right to it, shall we? Read our recap for episode two, below, and be aware: Spoilers ahead. We open with Colton talking about the day ahead via a selfie video. It's a new format for The Bachelor, and I have a feeling it's just an excuse to sneak in one more shirtless scene. Meanwhile, Chris Harrison arrives at the mansion to drop off the first date card and a little advice: Take advantage of any time you get with Colton. This wisdom is especially important for Demi, Bri, Tracy, Elyse, Hannah G., Nicole, Onyeka, and Catherine, who all have the first group date of the season. Today's a damn good day to fall in love. —Chris Harrison They all arrive at a theater to a big reveal: Comedians and married couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally are leading today's date. They ask the women share a story about a "first time" in their life. Oh, God, this is a nod to Colton's virginity, isn't it? We can't make it 30 minutes without someone bringing up this man's sexual history. My hunch is confirmed as soon as Megan talks about the first time she had sex—or as she puts it, "fucked someone." Nick then describes the first time he "plucked the blossom" of a woman, which is really just a story was about gardening…I hope. "I wasn't sure I was there for the right reasons." —Megan Mullally After a brief writing break, everyone presents their stories to an audience of about 200 people. Colton kicks it off by talking about his virginity. (Of course.) Elyse's tale is about how she's always dated old men—until Colton, her "first" younger guy. Demi thinks it's "so brave" for Elyse to admit this because "there's no advantage to being an older woman here." Demi, What. The. Actual. Hell. I was rooting for you. We were all rooting for you! Nicole describes the first time she dated a white guy, and it's tragically cut short for Hannah G.'s snoozefest about getting her first-impression rose. All we know about Bri's story is that it's about the first time she "felt comfortable" in her own skin.

Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook Twitter ITALY (CBS/CNN) — Officials have released a video showing the moment George Clooney’s scooter collided with a car. The 57-year-old actor has since been released from an Italian hospital after being involved in a motor accident Tuesday. George Clooney Involved In Scooter Accident In Italy He was thrown over the top of his scooter after being hit by a Mercedes in Olbia on the island of Sardinia. Clooney told a friend it’s “good to be alive” after the road accident. He told his friend, CNN contributor John Avlon, that he was going 65 mph when the other driver cut in front of him, hitting him head-on. The film star smashed the windshield with his head and flew 30 feet from the car, Avlon said Clooney relayed to him. The driver of the Mercedes hit Clooney after failing to stop at a turn, according to Alberto Cicognani, a Carabinieri officer. Cicognani told CNN he had spoken with Clooney, who said he was “fine” and would resume filming of a miniseries based on “Catch-22,” the Joseph Heller book, in a couple of days. Giovanni Mannoni, a police commander in Olbia, said the actor did not suffer any serious injuries or break any bones. He added that Clooney would be monitored by hospital staff as an outpatient for 20 days. According to Mannoni, the accident took place at 8:15 a.m. local time on the SS125, a street in the area of Olbia-Murta Maria. VIDEO: Woman Rescued After Car Submerged During Monsoon Storms In Arizona Clooney was escorted to the Giovanni Paolo II hospital in an ambulance and accompanied by police officers. No irregularities were found in a scan, and Clooney left the hospital at 10 a.m. Mannoni said police are looking into the causes of the accident. Clooney, who is married to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, has a home on the Italian mainland at Lake Como. The star’s rep released a statement saying, “George was treated and released from an Olbia hospital. He is recovering at home and will be fine.” The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.<doc-sep>The footage — which was caught on a surveillance camera and published online by Italian newspaper Corriere Della Ser — shows Clooney flipping off of his vehicle after he slams head-on into sedan on a road in the island of Sardinia.<doc-sep>Getty The moment George Clooney's scooter collided with another vehicle in Italy was caught on video. Corriere TV posted the scary footage. While there is a time code partially covering the accident, it appears that a vehicle was stopped in the oncoming lane where Clooney hit it head-on. Watch! The driver of the other vehicle, Antonello Viglino, has shared his side of the story. He told DailyMail.com, "I didn't see anything, I had the sun on my eyes. I was about to turn, I just got over the line." According to TMZ, Clooney was riding the scooter at 60 mph when a car reportedly pulled right in front of him near Costa Corallina in Sardinia. Clooney, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the scooter and flew 20 feet in the air. Photogs were able to snap pics of the car, which had a broken windshield. Clooney was also seen being treated on the side of the road before being transported to a hospital. DailyMail.com reports Clooney's helmeted head smashed into the windshield. A source told the site, "The accident happened in a very tourist area, so at that time there was not much traffic. Those who saw it will have probably thought of a normal accident also because Clooney's scooter is a normal scooter, there are lots of them around." Clooney did not sustain life-threatening injuries and was discharged from the hospital the same day, leaving with wife Amal. Though he had no fractures, there was reportedly trauma to his pelvis, hip, and knee, which should heal in three weeks. His rep confirmed the accident to “Extra,” saying, “George was treated and released from an Olbia Hospital. He is recovering at home and will be fine.”<doc-sep>Actor George Clooney slammed his motorbike into an oncoming car that turned suddenly into his lane Tuesday (July 10) and was thrown several meters (yards) in the air on the Italian island of Sardinia, according to video of the crash. “He is recovering at his home and will be fine,” Clooney spokesman Stan Rosenfield told The Associated Press in an email. Surveillance video of the crash, apparently taken by a fixed security video, was obtained late Tuesday by the newspaper Corriere della Sera. It shows a blue Mercedes veering into oncoming traffic apparently to turn into a residential compound near Olbia. The video shows what is reported as Clooney’s scooter crashing into the car while another scooter alongside him manages to veer around it.<doc-sep>

In the security camera footage, the 57-year-old actor is seen riding his scooter up the road on the Italian island of Sardinia on Tuesday George Clooney's Scooter Crash Caught on Shocking Video, Actor Seen Thrown Into the Air Video of George Clooney’s scooter crash has emerged showing the moment his morning commute could have turned deadly. In the shocking security camera footage, obtained by Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, the 57-year-old actor is seen riding his scooter up the road on the Italian island of Sardinia on Tuesday. The star was traveling at what appeared to be high speed when he collided head-on with a dark-colored car. The impact of the crash threw the actor high into the air and he landed on the ground. American Film Institute's 46th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to George Clooney - Roaming Inside George Clooney | Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI The father of two was taken to the emergency room of John Paul II hospital after complaining of “a slight trauma to the pelvis and bruises to one leg and an arm,” according to La Nuova. He also reportedly underwent an MRI. His wife, Amal, rushed to his side but, after he was given the all clear, they left the hospital together in a private car, La Nuova added. A rep for Clooney told PEOPLE he “was treated and released from an Olbia hospital. He is recovering at home and will be fine.” Clooney is currently in Sardinia to shoot his Hulu limited series Catch-22.

(Reuters) - Texas Governor Greg Abbott unveiled a $110 million program intended to increase school safety by putting additional trained marshals inside schools and more closely monitoring social media for threats in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting earlier this month. Community members stood in support as students and administrators returned for the first day of class since a deadly mass shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, U.S., May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Pu Ying Huang The plan was announced nearly two weeks after a 17-year-old armed with a shotgun and pistol killed 10 students and educators at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area. It followed a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February in which 17 people, mostly students, were massacred. “Everybody in this entire process and everybody in the state of Texas never wants to see another occasion where innocent students are gunned down in their own schools,” Abbott told a news conference in Dallas on Wednesday. The proposed funding works out to about $20 per student in a state that has about 5.5 million students enrolled in its public schools. The 40-point plan, which followed meetings last week between Abbott and education and law enforcement officials, calls for enhanced mental health resources for students and new metal detectors for extra security at schools, Abbott said in a statement. The Texas Democratic Party issued a statement condemning the governor’s plan, claiming that he failed to directly address gun crimes that occur in the United States. “Nothing in Abbott’s plans address the reality that it is too easy for a weapon to end up in the hands of someone wanting to cause harm,” Texas Democratic Party chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement. Abbott is an ardent defender of the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Soon after the shooting at Santa Fe High School he said that any proposed legal changes that he would consider to improve school safety would “protect Second Amendment rights.” His proposals include eliminating a rule that requires some school marshals to store their weapons in a safe while on campus. Abbott said he would ask lawmakers to consider legislation to allow law enforcement, families, school staff or a district attorney to file a petition seeking the removal of firearms from a potentially dangerous person only after legal due process was provided.<doc-sep>(CNN) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott unveiled a plan Wednesday to improve school safety, including allowing law enforcement officers to take breaks and fill out reports in schools and increasing the number of armed school marshals in classrooms. “This plan is a starting point, not an ending place,” Abbott told reporters in Dallas less than two weeks after authorities say a teenager shot and killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School. “This plan puts the state on a pathway to ensure healthier families, safer schools and safer communities in the state of Texas.” Known as the governor’s School and Firearm Safety Action Plan, the 40-page list of recommendations includes more than $120 million in funding from various sources for increased law enforcement presence in schools and training for armed marshals. “As one Santa Fe student said … arming teachers and not knowing who is armed, that is what we need,” Abbott said. “When an active shooter situation arises, the difference between life and death can be a matter of seconds. Trained security personal can make all the difference.” Abbott proposed “collaborative working agreements” between schools and law enforcement to include schools on regular patrols, allow officers to take breaks at schools and provide them with rooms to fill out police reports. “My plan increases the number of school marshals by training more school marshals this summer at no cost to schools and by proposing increasing the number of school marshals per campus,” he said. The governor’s plan calls for up to one marshal for every 100 students, allowing the marshals to carry their firearms and streamlining their training. The plan was announced a day after Santa Fe High students returned to the school south of Houston for the first time since the May 18 shooting. One Abbott proposal subject to legislative approval is a change to Texas’ gun storage law. Currently, prosecutors can file a misdemeanor charge against a gun owner who failed to secure a weapon when a child under 17 gains access to a “readily dischargeable” firearm from that person’s property. Abbott proposed changing the age limit to 18. The accused Santa Fe High shooter is 17. In addition, the governor – a strong advocate for Second Amendment rights – said the state would make about 100,000 gun locks available free of charge to Texans but use of the devices would not be mandatory. The plan also recommended $20 million for the expansion of mental health screening and services to help identify and remove students who pose “imminent threats of harm.” The proposal includes strategies for “hardening” school buildings by reducing entrances and exits and the installation of “active shooter alarm systems” that would prevent students and staff from rushing out from classroom into the path of a shooter. Implementation of the plan would be left up to individual schools districts, Abbott said. Abbott’s announcement followed a series of roundtable discussions between the Republican governor and shooting victims, parents, school officials, law enforcement experts and others on ways to curb violence in the classroom. Abbott said some proposals could be implemented by the start of the next school year. In a statement, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence co-president Kris Brown criticized Abbott’s plan, asking, “What are you planning to do about the guns?” Brown said it is “frighteningly easy for dangerous people to get access to a gun, and this proposal does little to stop that.” Abbott’s proposals were prompted by the slaying of 10 people and wounding of 10 others at Santa Fe High. Authorities said student Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17, walked into the school with a shotgun and a pistol and killed eight students and two teachers. Charged with capital murder of multiple people and aggravated assault on a public servant, Pagourtzis has not entered a plea. The governor’s sessions last week focused on gun regulations, mental health issues, the causes of gun violence and victims and their families. One of the participants, Round Rock police Chief Allen Banks, spoke of the dangers of allowing “somebody that is not proficient” with a firearm “in a position … where they’ll have to use deadly force.” “Training has to be paramount,” Banks said. Others spoke about the shortage of counselors to identify potential warning signs of violence in students. On Tuesday, Santa Fe High students, staff and parents attended a general assembly at the school with Abbott.<doc-sep>It was no surprise that the proposals presented on Wednesday by Mr. Abbott, who is running for re-election this year, were heavily skewed toward hardening schools and bolstering campus security and mental health programs, while failing to endorse any significant new restrictions on gun ownership or sales. Mr. Abbott is a staunch gun rights advocate who has urged Texans to buy more guns. And he is governor in a state where polling indicates that far more Republicans — the party that controls every major political office in Texas — blame mass shootings on failures of the mental health system than they do on the failure to pass more gun laws. A series of round tables on school safety organized by Mr. Abbott after the Santa Fe shooting excluded most influential gun control and teachers’ organizations, and were seen by many as stacked against any significant tightening of gun laws. Ed Scruggs, vice chairman of Texas Gun Sense, a nonprofit gun violence prevention group, said that Mr. Abbott’s proposals were “not enough to really tackle the issue of gun violence and keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.” Mr. Scruggs, the only gun control advocate to take part in the school safety round tables, called the governor’s failure to support background checks for all gun purchases “a missed opportunity.” But he said he was encouraged that Mr. Abbott was open to a red flag law, and that he had endorsed tougher gun storage laws. Polls conducted by the University of Texas and The Texas Tribune have shown wide support among both Republicans and Democrats in the state for background checks on all gun sales, a measure that would eliminate the ability to purchase firearms in person or online from private sellers without the standard F.B.I. check on the buyer’s criminal, domestic abuse and mental health background. But seven times as many Texas Republicans blame mass shootings across the United States on mental health system failures as on gun laws, a University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll found in October 2017. The same poll indicated that five times as many Republicans in the state believed that more guns would make the country safer than those who believed that they would make it less safe.<doc-sep>

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the National Rifle Association convention in Dallas, Texas, May 4, 2018. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) Texas governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday introduced a plan to prevent more gun violence from hitting his state’s schools. The Republican governor’s “School and Firearm Safety Action Plan” outlines 40 strategies to prevent shootings, including identifying students with mental-health issues, providing schools with active-shooter training, beefing up school-security staffs, and adding more police officers to schools. “This plan is a starting point, not an ending place,” Abbott said as he announced the plan at the Dallas School District headquarters. “It provides strategies that can be used before the next school year begins to keep our students safe when they return to school. School discipline should be tightened for students who cause trouble, and schools should monitor social media to keep an eye on potential threats, the plan recommends. The governor is also asking the state legislature to enact a “red flag” law, which would allow a threatening person to be stripped of his firearms through a legal process before he could use them against innocent people. The $110 million plan, a result of days of discussions between Abbott, victims, parents, teachers, law-enforcement officers, legislators, and others, already has $70 million in funds available, and the governor’s office plans to ask lawmakers to make up the gap. A young gunman shot up Santa Fe High School near Houston, Texas less than two weeks ago, killing ten people. In November, another shooter killed 26 at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, during the Sunday morning service. Abbott said he may call a special session for state legislators to vote on some of his safety proposals if there seems to be enough support. “When an active-shooter situation arises, the difference between life and death can be a matter of seconds,” he said. “Trained security personnel can make all the difference.” Gun-control activists were not satisfied with Abbott’s proposals and demanded that he push lawmakers to regulate firearms more strictly, saying the problem is that guns are simply too easy to get. The answer to gun violence “isn’t some deep-seated secret,” said the Brady Campaign to Reduce Gun Violence. “It’s the fact that it’s frighteningly easy for dangerous people to get access to a gun, and this proposal does little to stop that.” Send a tip to the news team at NR.

Long before Florence started grinding its way across the Carolinas, weather satellites were peering down from space to capture detailed images of the storm — now downgraded from hurricane to tropical-storm status — and to help meteorologists track its path and intensity. Weather satellites are operated by the U.S. and several other nations. But many of the Florence photos are coming from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-16, or GOES-16, an American satellite that, since 2016, has been gazing down at the planet's surface from its geosynchronous orbit some 22,000 miles above the equator. (Geosynchronous means it matches Earth's orbit.) The satellites have transformed the way weather watchers and government officials track potentially deadly storms. Before satellites, there was no way to track a storm like Florence, said Chris Knowlton, assistant director of the Inner Space Center at the University of Rhode Island. When a powerful hurricane struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900, it became the deadliest natural disaster in American history, killing roughly 8,000 people "because they didn’t know it was coming,” Knowlton said. Thanks in part to satellite data, meteorologists were able to issue detailed warnings about Florence days before it made landfall — and to predict with uncanny accuracy just where landfall would occur. “It’s one of the greatest tools we have today,” Knowlton said of satellite data. “We can say that they’re coming, where they’re going to make landfall, where people should evacuate.” NOAA's DSCOVR satellite captured this view of Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Helene, Tropical Storm Isaac and Subtropical Storm Joyce NOAA Weather satellites captured data about Florence while it was still far out in the Atlantic Ocean, before land-based weather radar could track it or specialized “Hurricane Hunter” airplanes operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) could reach it, said Joel Cline, a meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center. “They’re an immense help over the open ocean. That’s how we knew this storm came off Africa, Cline said, adding, “Out there where you don’t have Hunters, you’re telling ships to leave for their safety.” Knowlton said GOES-16, which is operated by NASA and NOAA, has “amazing capabilities.” It has far greater image resolution than the previous generation of satellites, he said, and it can better determine how storms form. The most important advance is the speed at which the satellite can take pictures. Knowlton said GOES-16 can capture images three times faster than its predecessor, GOES-14. "Having five minutes between pictures instead of [15] is huge," he said. "You can see it developing features. You can see the eyewall expanding or getting smaller." Weather satellites take pictures in daylight and, with the help of infrared cameras, at night. They gather information about a hurricane’s structure and wind speeds and help gauge the threat of flash floods when a storm hits land. The satellites can also measure the humidity around a storm and even the temperature of ocean waters. “The ocean is the heat source that drives the engine of the hurricane,” Knowlton said. Florence, which made landfall in North Carolina early Friday morning, has caused severe flooding and widespread power outages and has been blamed for at least six deaths. Want more stories about the environment? FOLLOW NBC NEWS MACH ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND INSTAGRAM.<doc-sep>Update for Thursday, Sept. 13: Hurricane Florence was downgraded to a Category 2 story late Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center, with is still forecasting massive rainfall and flooding for those directly in the storm's path. Visit our sister site Live Science for the latest Hurricane Florence forecast. As Hurricane Florence makes its way toward the U.S. East Coast, several satellites are monitoring the dangerous storm system with a variety of instruments. From tracking wind speeds, rainfall and temperatures to capturing breathtaking views of the spinning monstrosity of a storm, a fleet of satellites run by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is providing weather forecasters with the tools they need to keep people safe. Some of the most incredible views of Hurricane Florence so far have come from the International Space Station, where European Space Agency astronaut and skilled photographer Alexander Gerst has been snapping gorgeous images of the hurricane's eye from 250 miles (400 kilometers) above the Earth. [Hurricane Florence in Photos: See the Massive Storm from Space] The GOES-East weather satellite, also known as GOES-16, captured this infrared image of Hurricane Florence nearing the East Coast on Sept. 12, 2018, at 1:37 p.m. EDT (1737 GMT). (Image credit: NOAA) While space station astronauts provide what are arguably the most impressive views of Florence from space, the most useful data and information about the storm comes from robotic spacecraft that orbit the Earth. The GOES-East satellite, also known as GOES-16, is one of the most high-tech weather satellites currently in orbit. Launched in 2016 as part of the joint NASA-NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Program (GOES), this satellite hovers above Central America and provides continuous, high-definition imagery of the entire Western Hemisphere. See more GOES-East carries two Earth-observation instruments. Its primary instrument, called the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), records images of the Earth in 16 different spectral bands that capture infrared, near-infrared and visible wavelengths of light. See more Another instrument on GOES-East, the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), detects lightning flashes and storm updrafts, which "really helps the forecaster with what is called situational awareness," Steven Goodman, a program scientist for NOAA, said in a prelaunch press conference on Nov. 17, 2016. The GOES-West satellite, also known as GOES-15, has also managed to snap a few images of Hurricane Florence from the spacecraft's geostationary orbit above the Pacific Ocean. The GOES-15 weather satellite captured this view of Hurricane Florence on Sept. 11, 2018, at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT). (Image credit: NOAA) Like GOES-East, GOES-West is equipped with a multispectral imager that records visible and infrared wavelengths of light. The satellite also has an atmospheric sounding instrument that measures the temperatures and moisture levels throughout the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is dedicated entirely to measuring, mapping and predicting rainfall. Data from the GPM Core Observatory satellite — a joint project between NASA and Japan's space agency — uses a microwave-imaging instrument and radars to generate global, 3D precipitation maps every 3 hours. See more Data from the GPM mission "is used to unify precipitation measurements made by an international network of partner satellites to quantify when, where and how much it rains or snows around the world," NASA officials said in a description of the mission. "The GPM mission contributes to advancing our understanding of Earth's water and energy cycles, improves the forecasting of extreme events that cause natural disasters, and extends current capabilities of using satellite precipitation information to directly benefit society," the description reads. See more To measure temperatures in and around storm systems, NASA's Aqua satellite uses an instrument called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The Aqua satellite, which launched in 2002, collects information about Earth's water cycle, "including evaporation from the oceans, water vapor in the atmosphere, clouds, precipitation, soil moisture, sea ice, land ice, and snow cover on the land and ice," NASA officials said in a description. The Suomi NPP satellite captured this infrared image of Hurricane Florence on Sept. 12, 2018, using an instrument known as the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). (Image credit: NOAA/NASA/NRL) When it isn't blowing our minds with incredible "Blue Marble" and "Black Marble" photos of Earth from space, NOAA's Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite also plays an important role in forecasting hurricanes and other weather systems. Launched in 2011, Suomi NPP orbits Earth 14 times per day while measuring temperature, pressure, cloud coverage and moisture levels around the globe. In addition to the visible-light images and weather data, Suomi NPP also helps climate scientists study climate change by mapping ozone levels, thermal radiation, wildfires and more. See more In a public advisory issued today (Sept. 12) at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Hurricane Florence — a life-threatening, Category 4 storm — is now expected to make landfall over North Carolina or South Carolina on Saturday (Sept. 15). Parts of coastal North Carolina could see up to 40 inches (100 centimeters) of rain, which could produce "catastrophic flash flooding and significant river flooding," according to the NHC advisory. For the most up-to-date information on Hurricane Florence and other major storms, visit nhc.noaa.gov. Email Hanneke Weitering at [email protected] or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.<doc-sep>Hurricane Florence is heading toward the U.S. East Coast, and the Category 4 storm is expected to make landfall in North Carolina or South Carolina by Saturday (Sept. 15). NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are keeping tabs on the storm with a fleet of weather satellites, while astronauts have photographed it from the International Space Station. The NOAA's GOES-East satellite has been keeping a constant, watchful eye on the hurricane from its geostationary orbit above the Western Hemisphere, and the latest imagery is both amazing and terrifying. See recent satellite images and animations of Hurricane Florence from space here. This article will be updated periodically with the newest views. [Hurricane Florence in Photos: See the Massive Storm from Space] See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more See more NASA Watches Hurricane Florence From Space (and at Sea Level) Email Hanneke Weitering at [email protected] or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.<doc-sep>Hurricane Florence, the vast storm meteorologists and astronauts alike have been tracking, made landfall this morning (Sept. 14) near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. And cameras aboard the International Space Station managed to catch incredible footage just a few minutes after the storm's landfall. Government weather satellites captured this image of Hurricane Florence shortly after its landfall Sept. 14, 2018. (Image credit: NOAA) At the time, the storm carried winds of about 90 mph (145 km/h), making it a Category 1 storm, but that ranking belies the hurricane's massive clouds and the downpour it is visiting on the coastline, with some areas already drenched in 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain. Yesterday, the European Space Agency released a short video of astronauts aboard the space station watching the storm out of the cupola armed with powerful cameras to capture its giant knot of storm clouds. See more In the video, the astronauts expressed awe at the size of the storm, while also pointing out Isaac, a former tropical storm now making its way through the Caribbean. Satellites also continue to monitor Hurricane Florence as it passes over North Carolina to help meteorologists make more accurate predictions of how the storm will impact people living in the region. Right now, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center is predicting that Florence will become a tropical storm tomorrow (Sept. 15) over South Carolina, continue northwest to eastern Kentucky, then swing northeast and track over most of New England early next week. Email Meghan Bartels at [email protected] or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.<doc-sep>

Update for Thursday, Sept. 13: Hurricane Florence was downgraded to a Category 2 storm late Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center, with is still forecasting massive rainfall and flooding for those directly in the storm's path. Visit our sister site Live Science for the latest Hurricane Florence forecast. Hurricane Florence, on its way across the Atlantic Ocean toward North Carolina, dominates photos and video from the International Space Station, where astronauts are using wide-angle lenses because of how far the storm extends. The eye of category 4 Hurricane Florence is "chilling, even from space," according to German astronaut Alexander Gerst, who posted this image to Twitter on Sept. 12, 2018. (Image credit: A. Gerst/ESA/NASA) "Watch out, America!" German astronaut Alexander Gerst wrote on Twitter this morning (Sept. 12). "#HurricaneFlorence is so enormous, we could only capture her with a super wide-angle lens from the @Space_Station, 400 km [250 miles] directly above the eye." "Get prepared on the East Coast, this is a no-kidding nightmare coming for you," he added. [Hurricane Florence in Photos: See the Massive Storm from Space] From aboard the International Space Station, Alexander Gerst uses a special super- wide-angle lens to capture an image of the enormous Hurricane Florence barreling toward the East Coast. He posted this image to Twitter on Sept. 12, 2018. (Image credit: ESA/NASA) Gerst and American astronaut Ricky Arnold captured the Category 4 storm and its swirling eye up close in images posted to Twitter this morning, emphasizing its epic scale and their thoughts for people in its path. "#HurricaneFlorence this morning with Cape Hatteras #NorthCarolina in the foreground," Arnold wrote this morning. "The crew of @Space_Station is thinking of those who will be affected." Another view from astronaut Alexander Gerst of the eye of Hurricane Florence, posted to Twitter on Sept. 12, 2018. (Image credit: A. Gerst/ESA/NASA) Florence is set to reach the coastline of North and South Carolina early Friday (Sept. 14), according to NASA and the National Hurricane Center (NHC), a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Winds this morning reached 130 mph (200 km/h) and will likely strengthen before it arrives, officials said. For the Carolinas, the NHC predicts a "life-threatening storm surge and rainfall." An image taken by NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold of Hurricane Florence in the Atlantic Ocean, approaching the Carolinas on Sept. 12, 2018. (Image credit: Astro_Ricky/Twitter) Quick on Florence's heels, two more powerful storms are crossing the Atlantic, tracked by NASA satellites: Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Helene. Helene will likely wear itself out before hitting land, the NHC said in its latest forecast, and Isaac, which has been downgraded from a hurricane, is on its way to the Caribbean, officials said. From the International Space Station, Alexander Gerst warns the East Coast to get ready for Hurricane Florence in this photo posted to Twitter on Sept. 12, 2018: "This is a no-kidding nightmare coming for you." (Image credit: ESA/NASA) But Florence is at the front of the line, and is certainly at the forefront of astronaut thoughts and those in the U.S. Southeast "Ever stared down the gaping eye of a category 4 hurricane?" Gerst wrote. "It's chilling, even from space." Astronaut Alexander Gerst provides a view straight down into the eye of Hurricane Florence, headed toward the U.S. Southeast as of Sept. 12, 2018. (Image credit: A. Gerst/ESA/NASA) Email Sarah Lewin at [email protected] or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

Apple Apple Event It's not enough that your iPhone stores your credit card information. Apple wants to be on your physical card too. Apple on Monday introduced Apple Card, a new credit card that will live both virtually in Apple's Wallet app and in the physical world as a minimalist-designed, laser-etched titanium card. The virtual card will become available in the US this summer. Now playing: Watch this: The Apple Card is Apple's new no-late fee credit card The tech giant said it sought to toss out many of the things people don't like about credit cards by doing away with late fees, annual fees and international fees, as well as penalty interest rates. "While we all need them, there are things about the credit card experience that could be so much better," Apple CEO Tim Cook said at a press event Monday while introducing Apple Card. Looking to turn heads in the payments world, Apple will offer cash-back rewards daily to Apple Card customers, a change from monthly rewards from most other cards. Customers will be able to get 3 percent cash back for purchases made directly with Apple, 2 percent via the virtual card and 1 percent when using the physical card. Apple's announcement comes about four years after the company introduced Apple Pay, a service that was pitched as a way to kill off your wallet and physical credit cards, instead letting you pay with your phone. "People have dreamed of replacing these for years," Cook said of credit cards during a 2014 press event that included the unveiling of Apple Pay. He pointed out then that cards are easy to lose and cumbersome to use. But adoption of mobile payments like Apple Pay have been slow. Less than a third of iPhone owners have used Apple Pay at least once, according to a study by PYMNTS.com. That situation, even after years of the company pushing Apple Pay to more retailers and websites, likely caused Apple to decide it needed to do something else if it wanted to grow in payments and build up usage of its mobile wallet. It also follows along Apple's plans to bolster the services it offers you. The company already offers a streaming music service, cloud storage and games and apps. And that's how what was once old -- and mocked by Tim Cook -- is new again for Apple. "Frankly, I'm underwhelmed," Ted Rossman, industry analyst at CreditCards.com, said in a statement Monday. He added that customers will likely get more cash back and without having to use Apple Pay regularly with a card like the Citi Double Cash, which offers 2 percent cash back on all purchases. Apple teamed up with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard to release the new card, which will be accepted worldwide. The new partnership will allow Goldman to continue growing its customer base into the mainstream, after it's previously catered to businesses and wealthy clients. The bank has already introduced Marcus, a site offering online consumer banking and loans. First published at 10:45 a.m. PT. Updated at 12:18 p.m. PT: Adds more background throughout.<doc-sep>Apple today revealed a brand new service called "Apple Card," a new digital and physical credit card that users will be able to sign up for right from their iPhone. Apple says this sign-up process takes just a few minutes and then they can start using the ‌Apple Card‌ right away in stores, in apps, or online worldwide. Apple partnered with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard for ‌Apple Card‌. After spending, ‌Apple Card‌ will give users simple real-time views of their latest transactions and balance in the Wallet app. ‌Apple Card‌ uses machine learning and Apple Maps to label transactions with merchant names and locations. Purchases are then automatically totaled and color coded through categories like Food and Drinks, Shopping and Entertainment, and more. At the end of each week and month, the Wallet app will show what users spent to help visualize their past finances. The company will also provide 24/7 customer support through Messages. Anyone who uses ‌Apple Card‌ will receive a percentage of every purchase amount back as "Daily Cash," the card's rewards program. Every time users pay with ‌Apple Card‌ they will receive 2 percent Daily Cash back, and if they make a purchase directly with Apple they'll get 3 percent Daily Cash back. Daily Cash is immediately added to the user's Apple Cash card in the Wallet app, and can be used anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. play ‌Apple Card‌ has no fees associated with it, and the company says that "‌Apple Card‌’s goal is to provide interest rates that are among the lowest in the industry and if a customer misses a payment, they will not be charged a penalty rate." As with Apple's other services, the company promises that ‌Apple Card‌ is completely secure and private. A unique card number is created on ‌iPhone‌ for ‌Apple Card‌ and stored safely in the device’s Secure Element, a special security chip used by ‌Apple Pay‌. Every purchase is secure because it is authorized with Face ID or Touch ID and a one-time unique dynamic security code. The unique security and privacy architecture created for ‌Apple Card‌ means Apple doesn’t know where a customer shopped, what they bought or how much they paid. There will also be a physical ‌Apple Card‌ for shopping at locations where ‌Apple Pay‌ is not accepted. The card is made out of titanium, has no card number, no CVV, no expiration date, and requires no signature. ‌Apple Card‌ launches in the United States this summer.<doc-sep>

At Apple’s “show time” services event today, it announced a new Apple Card credit card, promising to improve things about the credit card experience with simpler applications, no fees, lower interest rates, and better rewards. To get an Apple Card, users will be able to sign up on their iPhone in the Apple Wallet app and get a digital card that they can use anywhere Apple Pay is accepted “within minutes.” Customers will also be able to track purchases, check balances, and see when their bill is due right from the app. There will be a physical titanium card, too, but there’s no credit card number, CVV, expiration date, or signature. All of that authorization information is stored directly in the Apple Wallet app. Apple also says that it’ll use machine learning and Apple Maps to label stores that you use in the app, and use that data to track purchases across categories like “food and drink” or “shopping.” Instead of a points-based reward program, Apple Card gives cash back rewards in the form of Daily Cash, which is applied straight to your Apple Card to spend or put toward your purchases. Apple is offering 2 percent cash back on purchases made through Apple Pay using an Apple Card, and purchases from Apple will get 3 percent cash back. Purchases made through the physical card will get just 1 percent cash back, though. As rumored, Apple is partnering with Goldman Sachs for Apple Card, with Mastercard handling payment processing. Additionally, the company is promising that there will be “no late fees, no annual fees, no international fees, and no over limit fees” with the Apple Card and “lower interest rates” with no penalties for missing payments, with APR rates ranging from 13.24 percent to 24.24 percent based on credit. (The company also notes that “late or missed payments will result in additional interest accumulating toward the customer’s balance.”) Like many of Apple’s products, privacy is a big push here. “Apple doesn’t know what you bought, where you bought it, and how much you paid for it,” said Jennifer Bailey, VP of Apple Pay. All of the spending tracking and other information is stored directly on the device, not Apple’s servers. The company also promises that “Goldman Sachs will never sell your data to third parties for marketing and advertising.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs had an interesting draft. It hasn’t even been 24 hours since the Toronto Maple Leafs finished up their draft and I’m already hitting you guys with another article. Bear with me though. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the rest of the NHL won’t draft again until next year so I’m trying to squeeze in as much as I can. Anyways, the 2018 NHL Draft just finished up. And it was absolutely wild. Teams made gambles and went off the board almost right away, such as when the Montreal Canadiens took Jesperi Kotkaniemi third overall (projected 8-12th) and the Arizona Coyotes took Barrett Hayton at fifth overall (projected 15-25th). As for my personal mock draft, there were so many off-the-board picks that I didn’t get a single one right after the first two (Dahlin to Buffalo and Svechnikov to Carolina). Without a doubt my worst mock draft ever. Instead of going over the entire first round, I’m going to bring you guys some light on the topic of the players the Leafs drafted through seven rounds and give you an idea on what to expect from them.<doc-sep>DALLAS, TX - JUNE 23: (l-r) Kyle Dubas and Brendan Shanahan of the Toronto Maple Leafs handle the draft table during the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 23, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) The 2018 NHL Entry Draft has come and gone, and the Toronto Maple Leafs made a number of interesting moves. The weeks leading up to Draft Day and the days which followed have been chaos. To cover every avenue, the Editor in Leaf staff has been working around the clock to make sure no stone is unturned. Because of this, it’s quite easy for a few pieces to slip through the cracks. And we can’t have that! So, here’s a brief roundup of some steaming hot draft-related content for your reading pleasure. Enjoy! Evaluating Every Pick Let’s kick this thing off with the granddaddy of it all. The Leafs held 9 picks in this year’s draft (although they entered with 8) and boy, they made use of them. Once we veer into the weeds of the 4th round and beyond, prospects begin popping up that we’ve never heard of. If that’s the case for you, Alex broke down each and every Leafs pick from Friday to Saturday. Give it a read! “First of all, Dubas continuously preaches the importance of depth and proves it whenever he’s at the helm for a draft. In 2015, he traded down from 24th overall and turned it into two second rounders and a third rounder. He followed the same path this year, trading down from 25th overall to 29th overall and also receiving the 76th pick from St. Louis in the process. Second of all, he took somebody from the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds, the team that he managed for several years and essentially built.” Livin’ on the Bode Wilde Side Just want to give Josh a quick shout out here for his wonderful choice for the title. Anyway, this piece was written prior to the draft, centred around whether the Leafs should zero in on defence prospect Bode Wilde. We all know now that Wilde fell to the Islanders at 43rd, so alas, Dubas will not be living on the Wilde side. Still, Wilde is an intriguing prospect, one who now occupies the Eastern Conference. It’s valuable to get the low down on a guy who could potentially be helping Lou Lamoriello exact revenge on his millennial usurper. Take a gander. “Bob McKenzie of TSN reported a few days ago in the below tweet that Wilde will not play for Michigan. It’s surprising that he chose to de-commit. With the Wolverines, he had the opportunity to play for a strong collegiate program. Oddly enough, he wasn’t the only NHL Draft prospect to de-commit. Fellow USNTDP defenseman, Mattias Samuelsson also de-committed from the Wolverines. Instead of playing collegiate hockey, he could potentially play in the OHL. Per McKenzie’s tweet, Wilde’s OHL rights are owned by the Saginaw Spirit. Saginaw is only a 1 hour and 15-minute drive from his hometown. So if he opted to play in the OHL, he would be able to play in front of his family consistently.” 2017 Draft Round-By-Round Recap Again, Alex knocks it out of the park. The 2017 draft was a mixed bag for the Leafs. On the bright side, they were blessed by the gods when Timothy Liljegren dropped all the way into their laps at 17th overall. On the other hand, they spent later-round picks on complete unknowns in Ryan McGregor and Ryan O’Connell rather than rolling the dice on undersized skill. The piece is an interesting case study on Mark Hunter‘s method of scouting. Not to mention, it’s worth a read. “Growing up as a Maple Leafs fan, McGregor’s totals from his draft year didn’t exactly jump off the board at you. But, he had plenty of reasons to select him. McGregor plays a very strong two-way game. He also seems to possess above-average leadership qualities, being named an alternate captain at the age of 17. McGregor had a successful season this year, putting up 32 points in 50 games. He also really turned in on in the playoffs, putting up 10 points in 12 games for the Sting. McGregor will now return to the Sting for next season. It will be interesting to see how he develops in what is now his fourth year in the OHL.” Best Late-Round Draft Picks in Leafs History Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, right? Well, this article is less of a hard lesson and more of a building point. While the Leafs haven’t exactly had the best drafting record throughout their history, there are certainly a few gems. Particularly in the later rounds. In this piece, Josh goes through some of the notable ones from year’s past. Check it out! “The best late-round pick in Maple Leafs history is Tomas Kaberle. The Czech national wasn’t a stellar two-way defenseman when he was taken in the eighth round of the 1996 NHL Draft by the Maple Leafs. Prior to draft day, he had only registered two assists in 27 games with HC Kladno. Yet, the Maple Leafs saw promise and they weren’t wrong. In Kaberle’s last season with HC Kladno, he developed offensive skills. In 47 games played, he posted 4 goals and 19 assists. His success with HC Kladno in the 1997-98 regular season led to the Maple Leafs front office bringing him to Toronto for the 1998-99 season.” Thanks for reading! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled to the site as we ramp up coverage heading into free agency. #Tavares2018, baby! Woooooo!<doc-sep>Rasmus Dahlin, D: Obviously. Dahlin is considered a generational talent on the blue line and he was always going to go No. 1. He'll immediately step in and become a difference-maker for Buffalo, who desperately need an impact defenseman. | Story Andrei Svechnikov, RW: Another no-brainer at No. 2. Svechnikov is the best forward prospect of the class thanks to his lethal offensive skill set. He's got flash in the offensive end, but he also plays a strong two-way game and -- at 6-foot-2 -- is a big body who can bring physicality and drive the net. | Story Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C: It appears the Canadiens made their selection based on immediate need over best available player. Kotkaniemi is considered by many to be the best center in this class thanks to his two-way play-making ability. He's a smart, responsible player, but the No. 3 spot might be a little bit high for him. Brady Tkachuk, LW: Tkachuk going at No. 4 is a bit generous, but he's a good player with a valuable combination of size and skill. He plays with a high motor, plenty of physicality, and is relentless on the puck. He's a solid 200-foot player. Barrett Hayton, C: Hayton going in this spot is a major surprise. He's considered a good two-way prospect who has a lot of intangibles and can do a lot of things on the ice. However, there are some concerns about his goal-scoring ability and many scouts had him outside of the Top 10. Filip Zadina, RW: Zadina is arguably the second-best goal scorer in this draft, so the Wings are pretty lucky to get him in this spot. The Czech winger is a dynamic offensive force with a deadly scoring touch. He's got great puck control and a phenomenal release on his shot. But he's also a two-way player with a high hockey IQ both on and off the puck. Quinn Hughes, D: This is a great pick for Vancouver, who need an impact defenseman. Hughes is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, but he's a great player. He's smart and skilled on both ends of the ice. He's got good speed, handles and puck-moving ability to help push play up ice, making him an exciting two-way threat. Adam Boqvist, D: Bovqist is an exciting offensive-minded defenseman with the skill set of a forward. He's a great skater and can create plenty of opportunities for his teammates in the offensive end. He's got some work to do to develop his defensive game. Vitali Kravtsov, RW: Kravtsov is a dynamic winger with fantastic scoring ability. The Russian brings a mix of speed, size, skill, and grit and he should be a decent offensive piece for the Rangers to add to their long-term rebuilding effort. Evan Bouchard, D: I really like this pick for Edmonton. They address a need while also taking one of the best players on the board. Bouchard is has an all-around game on the blue line. He has excellent hockey IQ and situational awareness. He's a strong skater and dynamic two-way player that is almost as good at shutting down opportunities in his own end as he is at creating them at the other end. Oliver Wahlstrom, RW: Wahlstrom is an explosive offensive force that has an incredible shot and could be a prolific goal-scorer in this league for years to come. He's an excellent skater and puck protector, but he's got to work on the defensive side of his game. Noah Dobson, D: The Islanders get really good value here. Dobson is a big, strong two-way player that projects to be a reliable and productive presence on the blue line. He's got a big shot that could make him a power-play force. He's smart, has good defensive awareness and can play in all situations. Ty Dellandrea, C: Well, this is surprising. Dallas clearly liked Dellandrea, who is a solid two-way hockey player that brings intangibles and leadership, but this is a generous spot for him. Dellandrea was ranked outside of the top 20 by just about everyone. Joel Farabee, LW: Farabee is a 200-foot player that brings skill, smarts and instincts to the wing. He's a good skater with nice finishing ability. He'll need to get stronger, but he's got potential to be a very good all-around player. Grigori Denisenko, LW: Denisenko is a great skater with the ability to make plays and snipe. He's not the biggest winger -- he's only 5-foot-11-but he plays hard and is a goal scorer with an edge. He's got plenty of highlight potential. Martin Kaut, RW: The Czech winger has size at 6-foot-2 and brings a very quick shot and good passing ability. He's probably not a superstar, but he can be a valuable complementary piece offensively. Ty Smith, D: Smith is a prospect that the Devils hope will help their defensive corps down the road. He's a smart, sound player with great skating ability, and he's got good defensive instincts. He'll have to develop his offensive game a bit more to become a legitimate two-way threat. Liam Foudy, C: This seems to be a little bit of a reach by Columbus at No. 18, but Foudy is one of the fastest skaters in the draft. He's also one of most athletic players in the class, as his mother was an Olympic sprinter and his dad a CFL player. The Blue Jackets are banking on his ability to harness that raw athleticism and develop his two-way game a bit more. Jay O'Brien, C: O'Brien was considered a bubble first-rounder but he goes inside the top 20 to the Flyers, who clearly saw something they liked. The American playmaker has a pretty offensive skill set down the middle, and he'll hope to develop further at Providence College. Rasmus Kupari, C: He's a smart, two-way winger that's probably better in his own end than he is in the opponent's. He's a good skater and has speed, but he's not an overly dangerous offensive player. Ultimately, he could end up turning into a valuable depth piece on an NHL roster. Ryan Merkley, D: Merkley is a guy who probably would've went a lot higher if it weren't for character concerns. He's a guy whose attitude and gamesmanship has dragged down his stock, but it's a high risk, high reward sort of pick from San Jose. He's on the smaller side at 5-foot-11 but is a dynamic offensive defenseman who's dangerous with the puck on his stick. He'll need to work on his defensive capabilities. K'Andre Miller, D: Miller has size at 6-foot-4 and is a great athlete. He's very quick and strong, but he's a pretty raw talent at this point. He's only two years removed from converting from forward to defenseman, but if he can develop his game in college this could be a really good pick by the Rangers, who traded up to pick the American. He's got a high ceiling. Isac Lundestrom, C: This a safe, solid pick by the Ducks. Lundestrom is a powerful, smart center who can do a lot of things right. He may not be the most explosive or exciting talent in the class, but he brings a complete game and the potential to be a front-end impact player. Filip Johansson, D: This is an off-the-board pick by Minnesota. Johansson was projected to be a second-rounder and there's not much about his game that really jumps off the page, but he could turn into a serviceable defenseman. Still, seems like a reach here and there were players with more upside still on the board. Dominik Bokk, RW: This is a good value pick for St. Louis, who traded with Toronto to get into the spot. Bokk is a German winger with high-end offensive ability, including quick hands, good vision and a shot capable of finding small openings. He's a guy who is very capable of roasting a defender one-on-one. Jacob Bernard-Docker, D: Another surprising off-the-board pick here. Bernard-Docker isn't the most exciting pick and he wasn't projected to be a first-rounder, but he's a smart, solid player who can be a top-four defenseman one day.<doc-sep>

The Leafs have completed their 2018 NHL entry draft, the first with Kyle Dubas officially as the man in charge. What can we take away? I want to start off by saying: I do not watch junior hockey, I am not any kind of a scout, and I rely on what I read to learn about this stuff. Prior to draft day, I had only heard of the Leafs’ first three picks (Rasmus Sandin, Sean Durzi, and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev). So these are very much armchair observations. Let’s roll. First off, the complete list of players the Leafs selected, with links to our posts on them: 1. The Veleno Pass. Rasmus Sandin deserves his own bullet, and will get the next one, but the decision everyone is going to Monday-Morning-Quarterback is the decision to pass twice on centre Joe Veleno (the Leafs traded down from 25th to 29th to pick up a third-rounder; Veleno was selected 30th.) Joe Veleno was this year’s surprise falling candidate; he was ranked 14th on Bob McKenzie’s pre-draft ranking, which is usually the standard for what the league is thinking (though this was a wild first round.) He was granted exceptional player status to play in the CHL as a 15-year-old, a status previously only granted to Connor McDavid, John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, and, uh, Sean Day. While his goal-scoring hasn’t exactly wowed in the QJMHL and he’s not at all in the McDavid/Tavares class, he looks like a solid threat to be an NHL two-way C. Yet he dropped. Obviously for a player to fall like Veleno did, a lot of teams have to not pick him, and so it was. By the time the Leafs’ pick came up, Veleno seemed to be pretty clearly the highest-ranked player left on the board (Ryan Merkley, a popular boom-bust pick, was gone at 21, to San Jose.) Kyle Dubas declined to take him. There’s no way the Leafs weren’t entirely aware of Veleno, and they clearly made a conscious decision not to choose him. Why, we can’t know yet, but it’s a choice that they made eyes open. Let’s hope they’re validated. 2. Rasmus Sandin! Okay, let’s give Sandin the attention he deserves. Sandin is a smart player who moves the puck well and is perceived to be an excellent OHL defender. While junior defence is a different animal than the professional species, the fact is that the Leafs have long been long on zippy, cool playmakers and maybe less so on genuinely good defenders. Sandin also isn’t relying on giant size to do it, since he’s a smaller player. That might be something he has to overcome, but it also means he’s not the typical junior defensive defenceman who uses an early growth spurt to smother fellow teenagers and then struggles against adults. He’s not much of a shooter but can pass. Sandin feels like an unspectacular pick, in some ways, because he lacks a real standout talent; his brains allow him to outstrip his physical skills. As our own Kevin Papetti put it, he’s greater than the sum of his parts. Hockey sense is supposedly the hardest thing to teach, and in what looks very much like the Draft for Hockey Sense, Sandin stands as the poster boy. 3. SDA! I am irrationally excited about this pick. (It is irrational to get excited about pretty much any pick after the early first round. Each year I find a player and do it anyway.) Peterborough Petes centre Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, whose name I am gradually learning to spell, is very small, as well as the youngest draft-eligible player. His September 15, 2000 birthday was one day short of rolling him into the 2019 draft. He’s a project. In addition to being young, he’s 5’9” and weighs approximately 0 lbs. He’s been accused at times of being a perimeter player, which is probably natural for someone who has the mass of a feather. At the same time, his vision and playmaking are reputed to be excellent, he puts up 0.75 PPG, and he’s very much a boom-or-bust pick. That’s what I want in the third round; go for someone with an outside chance to be interesting. I’ll be watching you, SDA. Or at least, reading reports until you show up on the Marlies. 4. Small bodies, big brains. The recurring word again, and again, and again in this Leafs draft was smart. Kyle Dubas wanted smart players.

Saint-Etienne vs PSG: TV channel, live stream, team news & preview After their midweek heroics against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Thomas Tuchel's side face another difficult away trip Paris Saint-Germain will aim to continue their recent run of success when they visit Saint-Etienne’s Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Ligue 1 duty on Sunday. Heading into round 25 of action in France’s top flight, PSG command a 10-point advantage over Lille at the summit, though their attentions turned to Europe in midweek as they impressively eased past Manchester United 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash. Saint-Etienne were also in action over the course of the week, playing host to Strasbourg in an encounter that saw them run out 2-1 winners. The fourth-placed side could really step up their Champions League hopes with a win. Game Saint-Etienne vs Paris Saint-Germain Date Sunday, February 17 Time 8:00pm GMT / 3:00pm ET TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch In the United States (US), the game can be watched on beIN SPORTS, while it is available to stream via beIN SPORTS CONNECT US TV channel Online stream beIN SPORTS beIN SPORTS CONNECT In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4K UHD. It can be streamed on BT Sport Live. UK TV channel Online stream BT Sport 1 / BT Sport 4K UHD BT Sport Live Squads & Team News Position Saint-Etienne players Goalkeepers Vermot , Ruffier, Moulin, Bajic Defenders Polomat, Saliba, Kolodziejczak, Silva, Perrin, Debuchy, Subotic, Panos Midfielders M'Vila, Ait Bennasser, Vada Forwards Cabella, Diony, Khazri, Gueye, Nordin, Salibur, Monnet-Paquet, Beric, Abi Saint-Etienne striker Lois Diony is back after suffering a cut to his foot in midweek that prevented him from playing against Strasbourg. Given that Robert Beric stepped in to score one and assist the other, he is not guaranteed to start. Head coach Jean-Louis Gasset, who was once assistant to Laurent Blanc at Parc des Princes, otherwise has few major concerns, though January signing Valentin Vada is out. Ex-Arsenal man Mathieu Debuchy is set to be recalled. Possible Saint-Etienne starting XI: Ruffier; Perrin, Subotic, Kolodziejczak; Debuchy, M’Vila, Ait Bennasser, Gabriel Silva; Cabella; Beric, Khazri Position PSG squad Goalkeepers Buffon, Areola Defenders Kehrer, Thiago Silva, Kimpembe, Bernat, Marquinhos, Dani Alves, Kurzawa, Dagba, N'Soki Midfielders Verratti, Draxler, Di Maria, Paredes, Nkunku Forwards Mbappe, Choupo-Moting, Diaby Paris Saint-Germain are again without Neymar and Edinson Cavani, leaving them short of offensive options beyond Kylian Mbappe. Thomas Meunier continues to miss out with concussion while there are some doubts over Marco Verratti. With a busy fixture list, which will see them host Bordeaux in midweek, rotation in the starting XI seems likely. Possible Paris Saint-Germain starting XI: Areola; Dagba, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Kurzawa; Paredes, Dani Alves; Diaby, Draxler, Di Maria; Mbappe Betting & Match Odds PSG are 3/5 favourites with Bet365. Saint-Etienne can be backed at 17/4, while the draw is priced at 10/3. Click here to see more offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more. Match Preview Paris Saint-Germain enjoyed a terrific week, largely thanks to a 2-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, which puts them in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2016. Thomas Tuchel’s men made light of the absence of Neymar and Edinson Cavani to run out winners thanks to strikes from Presnel Kimpembe – his first for the capital club – and Kylian Mbappe. The result and the maturity of the performance has heightened the expectation that PSG are serious challengers for the European crown, although the former Dortmund boss was eager to keep his side’s feet on the ground. “We know we are capable of winning, but they are capable of winning in Paris as well,” he said in the immediate aftermath. “That's what sport is all about, particularly when we are playing football and in the Champions League. Now of course we will enjoy this but tomorrow we start preparing for the game against Saint-Etienne. “We cannot rest on our laurels and start thinking about the quarter-finals as it is only half-time in the tie.” Experienced full-back Dani Alves, meanwhile, was rather more forthright in his aim. Article continues below “I think we have to lose the virginity in the Champions League this season once and for all. We are working hard for it,” he said. Indeed, Ligue 1 is virtually tied up for the Parc des Princes side, who can afford to channel their efforts towards Europe.<doc-sep>PSG won their 20th league game of the season on Sunday as a superb Kylian Mbappe volley was all that separated them from fifth place, Saint Etienne. The away victory extended PSG’s lead atop Ligue 1 to 12 points with two games in hand and showed they were capable against one of the divisions better sides without key personnel such as Neymar, Cavani and Meunier. The following article will analyse how Thomas Tuchel’s side overcame opponents who have proved hard to beat for other French sides in 2018/19. Lineups Home side St Etienne lined up in a 3-4-1-2 formation with former Newcastle midfielder Remy Cabella in the No.10 role behind strikers Wahbi Khazri and Romain Hamouma. Manager Jean-Louis Gasset made two changes from their last outing (a 2-1 win over Strasbourg), the most notable of which being Mathieu Debuchy slotting into a centre-back position at the expense of Neven Subotic. The visitors played in a 3-5-2 system with veteran Dani Alves and youngster Moussa Diaby supplying the width as wing-backs. Left-back Juan Bernat sat into a midfield role alongside new signing Leandro Paredes and Julian Draxler. Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the side that beat Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford last Tuesday. The use of wing-backs As opposed to his predecessors Unai Emery and Laurent Blanc in Paris, Thomas Tuchel has been extremely open to tactical versatility in his first season in charge. The use of wing-backs in either a back three of back five, in particular, has been common practice in Ligue 1. Angel Di Maria, Juan Bernat, Lurwin Kurzawa, Thomas Meunier and Christopher Nkunku have all been used as wing-backs at different times and against St Etienne Dani Alves and Moussa Diaby took up the role. Both proved useful attacking outlets on their respected wings but both at times were exposed in defensive areas. 19-year-old Diaby shined brightest out of the two. His movement down the left-hand side proved too quick and lively for St Etienne centre-back Debuchy and he found much more joy than Alves did in the penalty area. The system was just as dependant on the back three as the wing-backs. In the first half, centre-backs Silva, Marquinhos and Kehrer completed more passes than anyone, with a combined total of 179. For times in the match, the visitors got caught in a rut of passing it around the back with no intent or pace with Paredes the only realistic passing option. The wing-backs started too high when PSG were trying to progress play from deep and this is an aspect of their game Tuchel should try to improve. In possession, the wing-backs typically played very high up the field as shown by the image below in which the team shape is a 3-3-4. That’s not to say Diaby and Alves weren’t completely averse to defensive duties. Tuchel deployed several of the traditional hallmarks of a three at the back system. These included the right and left hand-sided centre-backs splitting wide to receive the ball from the goalkeeper and the wing-backs joining the back three to form a defensive bank of five when under pressure. That being said, Alves is not as defensively savvy as he once was and made a couple of silly fouls on the night whilst Diaby’s positional awareness wasn’t as strong in defence as it was going forward. Though Thomas Tuchel is obviously a talented manager and has changed the tactical adaptability of this PSG side for the better, the use of wing-backs was largely ineffective. Diaby and Alves were anonymous for large spells which put more burden on a midfield severely lacking in creativity. When Alves was pushed into a central midfield role later on in the game he provided the assist for Mbappe’s goal which perhaps demonstrates to the manager that, at this stage of his career, the Brazilian should play more as either a No.10 or right winger. The movement of Mbappe As mentioned before, PSG lacked creativity from the midfield on the night with Julian Draxler, in particular, having an appalling game. One of the bright spots from an attacking point of view was, as always, Kylian Mbappe who scored the decisive goal as well as completing three dribbles and taking three shots. Playing in a front two alongside Angel Di Maria, Mbappe drifted onto his natural right-hand side when trying to create play around the penalty area. This freed up space for Di Maria and Draxler (who should have scored just before the hour mark) in the 18 yard box. As usual, the Frenchman drifted in the space between the central defender and the left-sided defender to good effect. His pace, trickery and movement off the ball are unparalleled by anyone in French football at the moment and he shone once again in Saint Etienne. The service that was supplied to him in the first half was pretty inadequate, however, as Alves and Diaby struggled to make an impact and Draxler was lacklustre. Mbappe once again proved himself as one of Europe’s elite forward players and perhaps the most important cog in Tuchel’s machine at PSG. His movement and speed was arguably the only attacking positive to take from the game for the visitors. PSG’s press Another aspect of PSG’s game Thomas Tuchel has improved since his arrival is the press. The side no longer simply enjoy meaningless possession and use the pace and aggressiveness of players such as Mbappe and Draxler to cut down passing lanes. The away team played with constant energy and bite even if the quality in attack was subpar in the first period. When pressing St Etienne’s defensive three, PSG would go forward in groups of four resembling a rectangle or rhombus. Due to the deep positioning of debutant Leandro Paredes throughout the game, that pressing four typically consisted of Bernat, Draxler, Di Maria and Mbappe. In the image below, PSG have just cleared their lines from a set piece and the backline (including wing-backs) is pressing high whilst the front four all get close to the St Etienne defensive three. Overall, this nullified any threat of the ball being delivered back into the penalty area or even a sustained spell of possession starting again for the home side. PSG also pressed high with their back three/five. When St Etienne tried to deploy their full-backs or wide midfielders for width in their 3-4-1-2 system PSG would create defensive overloads in tight spaces with even Mbappe dropping back in some cases. St Etienne struggled to find their feet on home soil and crumbled when attacked with more purpose and momentum in the second half. It was a disappointing outing from a side who have managed to cause French football’s big teams some problems this season. Conclusion PSG were far from their best in St Etienne but via their forward press and obvious star quality up front, they managed to scrape to an admittedly deserved victory. They asserted their dominance early on and if Draxler had buried the two chances he had either side of half time the night could have been a lot less nervy for the visitors. St Etienne will look to rebound from this disappointment with a trip to Dijon next weekend before travelling to Marseille in two weeks time. PSG, meanwhile, will look to continue their dominant form in Ligue 1 with a midweek game against Montpellier and then a home game against Nimes on Saturday. If you love tactical analysis, then you’ll love the digital magazines from totalfootballanalysis.com– a guaranteed 100+ pages of pure tactical analysis covering topics from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and many, many more. Buy your copy of the February issue for just ₤4.99 here, or even better sign up for a ₤50 annual membership (12 monthly issues plus the annual review) right here.<doc-sep>Kylian Mbappe hit a superb second-half winner as Paris St Germain triumphed 1-0 at St Etienne to go 12 points clear at the top of Ligue 1. Five days on from his strike in the 2-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg victory at Manchester United, the 20-year-old France international registered his 19th league goal of the season with a delightful volley in the 73rd minute. PSG, once again without injured pair Neymar and Edinson Cavani, had gone close to scoring six minutes earlier through Angel Di Maria, while Julian Draxler was denied by a fine Stephane Ruffier save earlier in the half. Kylian Mbappe picked up from where he left off at Old Trafford by downing St Etienne Mbappe broke the deadlock with 17 minutes left to play to send his side 12 points clear MATCH FACTS St Etienne: Ruffier; Debuchy, Perrin, Kolodziejczak, Gabriel Silva; Aït-Bennasser, M'Vila; Monnet-Paquet, Cabella, Hamouma; Khazri. Subs: Polomat, Saliba, Diony, Nordin, Salibur, Beric, Moulin Manager: Jean-Louis Gasset PSG: Areola; Kehrer, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Bernat; Diaby, Dani Alves, Paredes, Di Maria; Draxler, Mbappe. Subs: Buffon, Kimpembe, Kurzawa, Nkunku, Dagba, Nsoki Goals: Mbappe 73 Manager: Thomas Tuchel Advertisement As well as being 12 points clear of second-placed Lille, Thomas Tuchel's men also have two games in hand. St Etienne remain fifth. The first save of the contest was made by Alphonse Areola in the 11th minute when the PSG goalkeeper dealt with a low Kevin Monnet-Paquet strike at the near post. As the visitors started to show some threat, Draxler turned magnificently before firing wildly into the stand, and a fierce hit from Mbappe - who it appeared should have been flagged offside - was turned behind by Ruffier. Dani Alves was next to try his luck on the St Etienne goal, producing an effort similar in quality to Draxler's shot, and Juan Bernat then sent the ball wide from Moussa Diaby's cut-back. After Monnet-Paquet had a weak shot gathered by Areola, Wahbi Khazri came to the fore in a bad-tempered conclusion to the half. In an off-the-ball incident, Leandro Paredes - making his first PSG start - went to the turf holding his face having run past Khazri, who it appeared had put his hand on the Argentinian's body. The game was held up for a period before Khazri escaped without punishment - but he was then booked moments later by referee Benoit Bastien for something he said. Tensions started to boil over as the Ligue 1 champions got frustrated with the home side Mbappe's side were struggling to break down St Etienne in the first hour of the game Ten minutes into the second half the away side carved out a good opportunity as Mbappe found Draxler and the German's shot was well saved by Ruffier. The ball went just wide of the PSG goal in the 62nd minute as Gabriel Silva, under pressure from substitute Colin Dagba, failed to steer it in. The champions were then back on the front foot, with Mbappe volleying over and Di Maria curling an effort just wide. And the deadlock was subsequently broken when Alves lofted a pass towards the box and Mbappe met it with a sweet connection that sent the ball into the top corner. The closest St Etienne came in their search for an equaliser was Monnet-Paquet driving an attempt over the bar in the 84th minute.<doc-sep>

A moment of magic from Kylian Mbappe gave Paris Saint-Germain a hard-fought 1-0 win at Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1. The reigning champions and runaway leaders bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Lyon at the start of the month by beating Bordeaux 1-0 last weekend, however, Thomas Tuchel's team were short of their best once more at Stade Geoffroy Guichard. Mbappe dazzled in the 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United on Tuesday but found the going tougher in a line-up without the considerable talents of Neymar, Edinson Cavani, Marco Verratti and Thomas Meunier. 19 - Kylian Mbappé 🇫🇷 is the first French player to score 19 goals in his first 18 games of a Ligue 1 season over the last 45 years. Unsane. @PSG_English pic.twitter.com/fJRQgL0AyB — OptaJean (@OptaJean) February 17, 2019 Yet he settled matters with aplomb in the 73rd minute, swivelling to guide Dani Alves's lofted pass into the top corner on the volley. It was the act of a player a class apart from the rest – much like PSG, who are 12 points ahead of Lille at the summit with two games in hand. The same combination that undid United in midweek were to the fore again, with Angel Di Maria storming forward on the break in the 20th minute to play in Mbappe, whose shot was beaten away at the near post by Stephane Ruffier. Mbappe felt the effects of a robust challenge from Romain Hamouma, who had a shot blocked by PSG captain Thiago Silva late in the first half after Thilo Kehrer's misjudged headed clearance. Ruffier smothered a shot from Julian Draxler at close quarters in the 55th minute, Di Maria and Mbappe having combined on the end of Marquinhos' excellent raking pass. Juan Bernat's replacement Colin Dagba was quickly into the action with a last-ditch challenge to deny Saint-Etienne wing-back Gabriel Silva, with Kevin Monnet-Paquet going close from the resulting 63rd-minute corner. Di Maria should have done better when he skewed wide two minutes later, leaving Mbappe to majestically show him how it was done. He showed a more pragmatic side as he joined substitute Layvin Kurzawa in being booked for kicking the ball away in stoppage time - PSG closing out a result that denied Saint-Etienne a move into the top four. What does it mean? Any team in the world would miss Neymar PSG's wonderfully composed win over Manchester United won deserved plaudits but this grasping and increasingly forced performance underlined that victory at Old Trafford came despite the absence of their star forward and not because of it. NEYMAR OUT FOR MAN UNITED SECOND LEG - FATHER Cavani's return will also be welcomed as centre-forward duties weighed a little heavily on the mercurial Mbappe until he produced another picturebook moment in a career already stuffed with them. Masterful from Marquinhos The Brazil international's shackling of Paul Pobga at Old Trafford underlined how swiftly he has developed from emergency midfield option to a dependable holding player in his own right. Marquinhos was back in his natural centre-back role here, unfurling a wonderful range of passing and appearing the coolest under pressure as the hosts launched their second-half forays. A Rolls Royce of a player. Close shave for Bernat The willingness of PSG's players to undertake unfamiliar roles and operate with flexible tactics has been a symbol of their development under Tuchel. Bernat started sharply enough on the left of a midfield three but was found wanting when a rare opening fell his way in the box. After his booking for fouling Mathieu Debuchy early in the second half, a 56th-minute challenge on Timothee Kolodziejczak was, at best, ill-advised and Tuchel had seen enough. What's next PSG tackle their rescheduled Ligue 1 home game against Montpellier on Wednesday – the first of three games in the space of six days at the Parc des Princes. Saint-Etienne travel to Dijon on Friday.

The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Subscribe today to get the latest headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Leicester City have a tough game to start the season with a trip to Manchester United. The odds will be against Claude Puel's side to end City's pretty dismal opening day record in the Premier League. Of the 12 seasons City have spent in the Premier League, they have only won two of them, along with five draws and five defeats. But after the game at Old Trafford, the fixtures – on paper at least – seem to become a bit kinder to City. Here we take a look at when Puel's side will face the 'Big 6' - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – this season. 11 August : Man United v Leicester City 1 September : Leicester City v Liverpool 20 October : Arsenal v Leicester City 8 December : Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur 22 December : Chelsea v Leicester City 26 December : Leicester City v Man City 30 January : Liverpool v Leicester City 2 February : Leicester City v Man United 9 February : Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City 27 April : Leicester City v Arsenal 4 May : Man City v Leicester City 12 May : Leicester City v Chelsea Note: Fixture dates could change Get in touch with your thoughts on Twitter or Facebook , or by leaving a comment below. For the full list of Premier League fixtures, please click here<doc-sep>The Foxes will be aiming to push further up the table after narrowly securing a top-half finish in 2017-18, but they have a difficult start Leicester City will be aiming for an improvement on their recent seasons as they gear up for the 2018-19 campaign. Premier League champions in 2015-16, the Foxes have struggled to build on the form that delivered them the title, finishing 12th and ninth in the subsequent two years. Claude Puel managed to turn things round after taking the reins from Craig Shakespeare last October and he'll be hoping to continue that work in the upcoming season. Goal brings you a complete guide to Leicester's 2018-19 pre-season and Premier League fixtures, with dates, venues and all you need to know about the preparations. Leicester pre-season fixtures Date Match Time (UK / US ET) Venue Jul 21 Notts County 1-4 Leicester 3pm / 10am Meadow Lane, Nottingham Jul 25 Leicester 0-0 Akhisarspor 5pm / 12pm Stadion Lind, Villach Jul 28 Udinese 1-2 Leicester 2pm / 9am Worthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt Aug 1 Leicester 1-1 Valencia 7:45pm / 2:45pm King Power Stadium, Leicester Aug 4 Leicester 1-1 Lille 5pm / 12pm King Power Stadium, Leicester The World Cup having concluded on July 15 and the tournament schedule meaning that, for many clubs in the Premier League, pre-season plans must be squeezed into a short window. Leicester kicked off pre-season with a 4-1 win over League Two side Notts County and will prepare to host La Liga giants Valencia at the King Power Stadium on August 1. They finish off with a match against French side Lille a week before the new Premier League campaign kicks off. Leicester 2018-19 squad numbers Squad number Position Player 1 GK Kasper Schmeichel 2 DF Danny Simpson 3 DF Ben Chilwell 5 DF Wes Morgan 7 MF Demarai Gray 8 FW Kelechi Iheanacho 9 FW Jamie Vardy 10 MF Andy King 11 MF Marc Albrighton 13 FW Ahmed Musa 14 MF Adrien Silva 15 DF Harry Maguire 17 GK Eldin Jakupovic 18 MF Daniel Amartey 19 FW Islam Slimani 20 FW Shinji Okazaki 21 MF Vicente Iborra 22 MF Matty James 23 FW Leonardo Ulloa 24 MF Nampalys Mendy 25 MF Wilfred Ndidi 28 DF Christian Fuchs 29 DF Yohan Benalouane 30 MF George Thomas 31 DF Callum Elder 32 MF Harvey Barnes 33 MF Fousseni Diabate 34 DF Josh Knight 37 FW Layton Ndukwu 38 MF Hamza Choudhury 45 DF Sam Hughes - DF Jonny Evans - GK Danny Ward - MF James Maddison Leicester's 2018-19 transfer activity Leicester were on the receiving end of a major cash windfall after they accepted a £60m bid from Man City to sign star Riyad Mahrez, after denying him the move earlier in the January transfer window. The Foxes have already been busy in the transfer market, signing Jonny Evans from West Brom for £3.5m, James Maddison from Norwich for a hefty £25m and Ricardo Pereira from Porto for £22.5m. Transfer activity in Position Player Transferred from Fee Date DF Jonny Evans West Brom £3.5m July 1 DF Justen Kranthove AFC '34 Free July 1 MF James Maddison Norwich City £25m July 1 DF Ricardo Pereira Porto £22.5m July 3 FW Ryan Loft Tottenham Free July 14 GK Danny Ward Liverpool £12.5m July 20 DF Louis Ramsay Norwich City Free July 23 Transfer activity out Position Player Transferred to Fee Date DF Elliott Moore OHL Loan July 1 DF Joshua Debayo Cheltenham Town N/A July 1 GK Ben Hamer Huddersfield Town N/A July 1 DF Robert Huth Released N/A July 1 MF Sammie McLeod Released N/A July 1 MF Dylan Watts Shamrock Rovers N/A July 1 DF Connor Wood Bradford City Undisc. July 1 GK Cameron Yates Released N/A July 1 FW Riyad Mahrez Manchester City £60m July 10 MF Harvey Barnes West Brom Loan July 25 GK Daniel Iversen Oldham Athletic Loan July 26 Leicester 2018-19 Premier League fixtures The Foxes have been handed a tough start to the season, with an away game against Manchester United setting them on their way. Article continues below Newly promoted Wolves are the first visitors to the King Power Stadium in matchday two, with games against Southampton and then Liverpool to follow. A trip south to Bournemouth completes the opening five games of their schedule. Leicester's full Premier League fixture list can be seen below.<doc-sep>Thank you for following Thursday's Leicester City LIVE blog from LeicestershireLIVE. We got started with the big news of the day - the Premier League fixtures announcement. The League releases next season's fixtures at 9am, and we were across every angle of the news that you've all been waiting for and brought you the dates of City's big games. Aside from that, we had all the latest on the prospective transfer of James Maddison to the Foxes. Tottenham Hotspur are battling with City for the Norwich starlet, so dropped the latest on that front in the blog. Rest assured we had every scrap of Foxes news covered below. Get in touch with your thoughts on tomorrow's blog on Twitter or Facebook, or by leaving a comment below.<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Click to play Tap to play Sign up to our newsletter for daily updates and breaking news Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up here! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice The Premier League have released the fixture list for the 2018/2019 season. Former Cambridge United goalkeeper Will Norris and Wolverhampton will start life in the Premier League at home to Marco Silva's Everton. The former U and Royston shot-stopper won promotion from the Championship last season alongside another former Cambridge keeper in John Ruddy. Champions Manchester City, meanwhile, will be new Arsenal manager's Unai Emery's first opponents when the top-flight season starts on Saturday, August 11. The Manchester derbies take place at the Etihad on November 10 and at Old Trafford on March 16. The full fixture list is below, and further analysis can be found here. Matchday One 11/08/2018 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Cardiff City 11/08/2018 15:00 Arsenal v Manchester City 11/08/2018 15:00 Fulham v Crystal Palace 11/08/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Chelsea 11/08/2018 15:00 Liverpool v West Ham United 11/08/2018 15:00 Manchester United v Leicester City 11/08/2018 15:00 Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur 11/08/2018 15:00 Southampton v Burnley 11/08/2018 15:00 Watford v Brighton 11/08/2018 15:00 Wolverhampton v Everton Matchday Two 18/08/2018 15:00 Brighton v Manchester United 18/08/2018 15:00 Burnley v Watford 18/08/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Newcastle United 18/08/2018 15:00 Chelsea v Arsenal 18/08/2018 15:00 Crystal Palace v Liverpool 18/08/2018 15:00 Everton v Southampton 18/08/2018 15:00 Leicester City v Wolverhampton 18/08/2018 15:00 Manchester City v Huddersfield Town 18/08/2018 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham 18/08/2018 15:00 West Ham United v A.F.C. Bournemouth Matchday Three 25/08/2018 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Everton 25/08/2018 15:00 Arsenal v West Ham United 25/08/2018 15:00 Fulham v Burnley 25/08/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Cardiff City 25/08/2018 15:00 Liverpool v Brighton 25/08/2018 15:00 Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur 25/08/2018 15:00 Newcastle United v Chelsea 25/08/2018 15:00 Southampton v Leicester City 25/08/2018 15:00 Watford v Crystal Palace 25/08/2018 15:00 Wolverhampton v Manchester City Matchday Four 01/09/2018 15:00 Brighton v Fulham 01/09/2018 15:00 Burnley v Manchester United 01/09/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Arsenal 01/09/2018 15:00 Chelsea v A.F.C. Bournemouth 01/09/2018 15:00 Crystal Palace v Southampton 01/09/2018 15:00 Everton v Huddersfield Town 01/09/2018 15:00 Leicester City v Liverpool 01/09/2018 15:00 Manchester City v Newcastle United 01/09/2018 15:00 Watford v Tottenham Hotspur 01/09/2018 15:00 West Ham United v Wolverhampton Matchday Five 15/09/2018 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Leicester City 15/09/2018 15:00 Chelsea v Cardiff City 15/09/2018 15:00 Everton v West Ham United 15/09/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Crystal Palace 15/09/2018 15:00 Manchester City v Fulham 15/09/2018 15:00 Newcastle United v Arsenal 15/09/2018 15:00 Southampton v Brighton 15/09/2018 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool 15/09/2018 15:00 Watford v Manchester United 15/09/2018 15:00 Wolverhampton v Burnley Matchday Six 22/09/2018 15:00 Arsenal v Everton 22/09/2018 15:00 Brighton v Tottenham Hotspur 22/09/2018 15:00 Burnley v A.F.C. Bournemouth 22/09/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Manchester City 22/09/2018 15:00 Crystal Palace v Newcastle United 22/09/2018 15:00 Fulham v Watford 22/09/2018 15:00 Leicester City v Huddersfield Town 22/09/2018 15:00 Liverpool v Southampton 22/09/2018 15:00 Manchester United v Wolverhampton 22/09/2018 15:00 West Ham United v Chelsea Matchday Seven 29/09/2018 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 29/09/2018 15:00 Arsenal v Watford 29/09/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Burnley 29/09/2018 15:00 Chelsea v Liverpool 29/09/2018 15:00 Everton v Fulham 29/09/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Tottenham Hotspur 29/09/2018 15:00 Manchester City v Brighton 29/09/2018 15:00 Newcastle United v Leicester City 29/09/2018 15:00 West Ham United v Manchester United 29/09/2018 15:00 Wolverhampton v Southampton Matchday Eight 06/10/2018 15:00 Brighton v West Ham United 06/10/2018 15:00 Burnley v Huddersfield Town 06/10/2018 15:00 Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton 06/10/2018 15:00 Fulham v Arsenal 06/10/2018 15:00 Leicester City v Everton 06/10/2018 15:00 Liverpool v Manchester City 06/10/2018 15:00 Manchester United v Newcastle United 06/10/2018 15:00 Southampton v Chelsea 06/10/2018 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Cardiff City 06/10/2018 15:00 Watford v A.F.C. Bournemouth Matchday Nine 20/10/2018 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Southampton 20/10/2018 15:00 Arsenal v Leicester City 20/10/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Fulham 20/10/2018 15:00 Chelsea v Manchester United 20/10/2018 15:00 Everton v Crystal Palace 20/10/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Liverpool 20/10/2018 15:00 Manchester City v Burnley 20/10/2018 15:00 Newcastle United v Brighton 20/10/2018 15:00 West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur 20/10/2018 15:00 Wolverhampton v Watford Matchday Ten 27/10/2018 15:00 Brighton v Wolverhampton 27/10/2018 15:00 Burnley v Chelsea 27/10/2018 15:00 Crystal Palace v Arsenal 27/10/2018 15:00 Fulham v A.F.C. Bournemouth 27/10/2018 15:00 Leicester City v West Ham United 27/10/2018 15:00 Liverpool v Cardiff City 27/10/2018 15:00 Manchester United v Everton 27/10/2018 15:00 Southampton v Newcastle United 27/10/2018 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City 27/10/2018 15:00 Watford v Huddersfield Town Matchday 11 03/11/2018 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Manchester United 03/11/2018 15:00 Arsenal v Liverpool 03/11/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Leicester City 03/11/2018 15:00 Chelsea v Crystal Palace 03/11/2018 15:00 Everton v Brighton 03/11/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Fulham 03/11/2018 15:00 Manchester City v Southampton 03/11/2018 15:00 Newcastle United v Watford 03/11/2018 15:00 West Ham United v Burnley 03/11/2018 15:00 Wolverhampton v Tottenham Hotspur Matchday 12 10/11/2018 15:00 Arsenal v Wolverhampton 10/11/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Brighton 10/11/2018 15:00 Chelsea v Everton 10/11/2018 15:00 Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur 10/11/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v West Ham United 10/11/2018 15:00 Leicester City v Burnley 10/11/2018 15:00 Liverpool v Fulham 10/11/2018 15:00 Manchester City v Manchester United 10/11/2018 15:00 Newcastle United v A.F.C. Bournemouth 10/11/2018 15:00 Southampton v Watford Matchday 13 24/11/2018 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Arsenal 24/11/2018 15:00 Brighton v Leicester City 24/11/2018 15:00 Burnley v Newcastle United 24/11/2018 15:00 Everton v Cardiff City 24/11/2018 15:00 Fulham v Southampton 24/11/2018 15:00 Manchester United v Crystal Palace 24/11/2018 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea 24/11/2018 15:00 Watford v Liverpool 24/11/2018 15:00 West Ham United v Manchester City 24/11/2018 15:00 Wolverhampton v Huddersfield Town Matchday 14 01/12/2018 15:00 Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur 01/12/2018 15:00 Cardiff City v Wolverhampton 01/12/2018 15:00 Chelsea v Fulham 01/12/2018 15:00 Crystal Palace v Burnley 01/12/2018 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Brighton 01/12/2018 15:00 Leicester City v Watford 01/12/2018 15:00 Liverpool v Everton 01/12/2018 15:00 Manchester City v A.F.C.<doc-sep>

Leicester face a trip to Manchester United on the opening day of the 2018/19 Premier League season. The Foxes go to Old Trafford on August 11 before welcoming newly-promoted Wolves to the King Power Stadium in their first home game on August 18. A tricky-looking festive period sees Leicester at home to Tottenham on December 8 before going to Chelsea on December 22 and then hosting Manchester City on Boxing Day. There's also a run of games against Liverpool (a), Manchester United (h) and Tottenham (a) early in 2019. The season finishes with home matches against Arsenal and Chelsea, either side of a trip to Manchester City. August 11: Manchester United (a) 18: Wolves (h) 25: Southampton (a) September 1: Liverpool (h) 15: Bournemouth (a) 22: Huddersfield (h) 29: Newcastle (a) October 6: Everton (h) 20: Arsenal (a) 27: West Ham (h) November 3: Cardiff (a) 10: Burnley (h) 24: Brighton (a) December 1: Watford (h) 4: Fulham (a) 8: Tottenham (h) 15: Crystal Palace (a) 22: Chelsea (a) 26: Manchester City (h) 29: Cardiff (h) January 1: Everton (a) 12: Southampton (h) 19: Wolves (a) 30: Liverpool (a) February 2: Manchester United (h) 9: Tottenham (a) 23: Crystal Palace (h) 26: Brighton (h) March 2: Watford (a) 9: Fulham (h) 16: Burnley (a) 30: Bournemouth (h) April 6: Huddersfield (a) 13: Newcastle (h) 20: West Ham (a) 27: Arsenal (h) May 4: Manchester City (a) 12: Chelsea (h) Get the dedicated Sky Sports Premier League channel to watch 126 live games next season. Find out more. Mobile users will once again be able to see in-game goals and match highlights. We expect to bring you details of the first batch of live Premier League fixtures - those to be shown on Sky Sports in August and September - at the beginning of July.

The 25th-ranked LSU Tigers (15-3, 5-0 SEC) look to continue their impressive winning streak this afternoon as they head to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Mizzou Tigers. Mizzou currently have a 10-7 (1-4) record, albeit with good wins over Oregon State, UCF, and Illinois. LSU notched their eighth win in a row Wednesday night, a sluggish ten point victory over Georgia that gave Coach Will Wade more to criticize than to speak praise. “We played pretty decent defense for 27 minutes. The problem is, that’s not going to get it done when you play really good teams in our league,” Coach Wade explained to the media Friday. “We need to be able to play for a complete game. That’s something we’re focusing on – playing for a full 40 minutes. We’ve got to be able to sustain our defense and sustain what we’re doing for longer stretches.” “We weren’t disconnected. We were a little bit discombobulated,” Wade continued. “We weren’t in our right mind. We were a little bit out of whack, but we were hopefully able to get some of that stuff corrected yesterday with the guys. Hopefully we play better tomorrow.” While any performance that leads to a double digit win should usually be praised, Wade is right in being concerned about giving up 82 points to, by KenPom’s metrics, the second worst offense in the SEC. Mizzou’s offense isn’t particularly much better than Georgia’s, but they play an above average defense and dictate one of the slowest paces in basketball, a direct clash with LSU’s faster style. The Mizzou Tigers are headlined by sophomore Jeremiah Tilmon. The 6’10” center has already recorded four double-doubles this season and is averaging 9.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. “It will be a challenge for us on the road. The big kid Tilmon is really good,” Coach Wade spoke of Mizzou’s players. “When he gets going for them, they’re a totally different team when they play inside out. (Jordan) Geist, the point guard is a good player. He can really shoot it.” Jordan Geist, a senior, leads Mizzou in scoring with 13.3 points per game as well as assists with 3.2 per game. This afternoon’s de-facto SEC/Big XII Challenge clash will tip off at 5pm in the Mizzou Arena and will be televised on the SEC Network. You can also listen in to the game at 98.1FM and join the discussion in the comments below. Projected Missouri Tigers Starting 5 #15 Jordan Geist - 13.3 PPG, 3.2 APG, 32.1 MPG #13 Mark Smith - 12.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 29.6 MPG #23 Jeremiah Tilmon - 9.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 23.1 MPG #24 Kevin Puryear - 8.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 26.3 MPG #4 Javon Pickett - 7.8 PPG, 1.3 APG, 23.6 MPG Projected LSU Tigers Starting 5 #3 Tremont Waters - 14.2 PPG, 6.1 APG, 3.0 SPG, 31.3 MPG #4 Skylar Mays - 13.3 PPG, 2.3 APG, 30.3 MPG #0 Naz Reid - 13.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 23.1 MPG #14 Marlon Taylor - 7.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 22.3 MPG #1 Ja’vonte Smart - 10.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 28.0 MPG<doc-sep>If you’ve been gambling long enough, you know that nothing is guaranteed. No matter how likely it seems that your bet will cash, there’s always room for the improbable, the downright ridiculous. LSU opened as a 3-point favorite against Missouri and closed as a 6-point favorite on the road, but found itself down by 14 points with just over two minutes left in the game. Missouri bettors had to be feeling great expecting the home team to close he last two minutes out strong. Enter the improbable. Junior guard Skylar Mays scored nine consecutive points to bring LSU within five points with just over one minute to go in regulation. By the 30 second mark LSU had rattled off a 15-1 run and trailed 70-71. At this point not only were spread bettors sweating, but anyone who had the total at 142.5 was in the danger zone. LSU had a chance to take the lead with free throws at the end of regulation, but Emmitt Williams split the two freebies and sent the game into overtime at 71 apiece guaranteeing that the game would go over. Overtime wasn’t much better for Missouri as LSU started to find their rhythm and pull away. Enter the downright ridiculous. With LSU up by 85-80, Jordan Geist missed 3-pointer that should’ve ended the game until this happened… BAD BEAT 🚨🚨🚨 Missouri (+5.5) led by 14 with 2 minutes to play LSU tied it with 2.2 seconds, it goes to OT Missouri fouled with .9 seconds left in OT and LSU wins 86-80🤮 pic.twitter.com/ClwfrapTDb — BettorIQ (@BettorIQ) January 27, 2019 A foul… with 0.9 seconds left in the game, by the guy who just missed the 3-pointer and ran across the floor to commit said foul. The ultimate “What are you thinking” moment. Just to recap, LSU went on a 30-10 run from the 2:14 mark in the second half for all of this to happen. LSU went on to split the free throws, but anyone who thought they would escape with a win after one of the most wild comebacks of the season only walked away with a brutal beat to remember for a long time.<doc-sep>In last year’s two-point loss at LSU, Waters got the ball when everyone in the building knew he’d get the chance to beat Mizzou. He delivered with a runner in the lane with 19 seconds left, good for the game-winner in a close contest. MIZZOU GUARD DEPTH UPDATED, 4:15 p.m.: Mizzou has confirmed that sophomore guard Mark Smith is unavailable for today's game after suffering a sprained left ankle Wednesday at Arkansas. Watson is expected to start in his place, which will mark the freshman’s first college start and the first change to Cuonzo Martin’s starting lineup this season. Watson’s production has been sporadic. He had consecutive 12-point games in nonconference play then went quiet until a seven-point first half at South Carolina two weeks ago. He played only eight minutes Wednesday at Arkansas and had two turnovers (two) than field goals (zero). Pickett, another starter sidelined at Arkansas, was officially listed as “active” on Friday, which means he should be available Saturday. Pickett is in uniform and going through pregame warmups with the rest of the team. Smith has been one of the nation’s elite 3-point shooters this year. For a team that ranks last in the SEC in scoring, his loss would be costly. LSU FRONTCOURT ADVANTAGE<doc-sep>

After facing as large as a 14 point deficit, the LSU Tigers forced overtime and managed to steal their ninth straight win over the Missouri Tigers by a score of 86-80. LSU keeps on rolling to improve to 16-3 (6-0 SEC) while the Mizzou Tigers have fallen to a 10-8 (1-5) record. Both teams of Tigers slogged their way through a sloppy first half, LSU seemed to play better but Mizzou got a majority of the lucky bounces. LSU shooters could only convert two of their eleven first half three point attempts, the second of which was matched by a Mizzou three pointer at the very end of the first half to send both teams to the locker rooms with 33 points. Naz Reid scored six points in the first three minutes of the second half to retain a 39-38 lead. LSU’s shooters heavily struggled from that point, only converting two shots from the field over the next twelve and a half minutes of game play. At 3:20 left in the game, Mizzou led 68-54 after a Javon Pickett layup. Skylar Mays solely went on a 12-2 run, eventually sparking a 15-1 LSU run over the last 2:08 of regulation. After Mizzou failed to extend a 71-70 lead, Tremont Waters held the ball for the last possession of the game, and attempted a layup. He was well contested by Jeremiah Tilmon, and missed the shot. Emmitt Williams attempted to rebound the miss, but was questionably fouled and granted free throws, only the second of which he would convert. I guess if Mizzou didn’t want a ref influencing the game, they should’ve just played better. Twice the Tigers of Missouri took a three point lead to start overtime, but LSU hadn’t come back from 14 points down to let it all go now. Ja’vonte Smart hit back-to-back three pointers to regain the lead for LSU, and the Bayou Bengals made five of their next six free throws to put the game away. Skylar Mays was far and away LSU’s key weapon this evening. He led LSU in scoring with 24 points, including an incredible 12-2 single man run that gave his Tigers the spark to complete the comeback. That game is lost and stays lost in the scoring drought on previous teams, so to see them claw back like that—on the road, most notably—is very encouraging and something we frankly haven’t seen from LSU in recent memory. On a horrible night of 28.1% three point shooting, freshman Ja’vonte Smart came through late in the second half and overtime to finish with 14 points on 4-of-9 three point shooting. His last pair of three pointers gave LSU the go-ahead lead in overtime. Tremont Waters and LSU’s performance usually go hand-in-hand, and his 1-for-7 shooting in the second half was no exception. Regardless of that struggle, Waters was able to finish with 13 points, 3 steals and 9 assists, falling only an assist short from another double-double. The Tigers of LSU will seek their tenth straight win in College Station, Texas Wednesday night. They’ll take on the 8-10 (1-5) Texas A&M Aggies, who just beat Kansas State to win their first home game in the last five.

The high-stakes battle for power in the state and the Centre unfolded across Andhra Pradesh, which simultaneously elected its Lok Sabha and Assembly representatives on Thursday, with widespread violence between party workers of regional giants Tirupati: The high-stakes battle for power in the state and the Centre unfolded across Andhra Pradesh, which simultaneously elected its Lok Sabha and Assembly representatives on Thursday, with widespread violence between party workers of regional giants — the Telugu Desam Party and YS Rajashekar Congress Party. Allegations of distribution of money and EVM malfunctions, the scale of which is under debate, drew considerations from the Election Commission regarding repolling in certain constituencies. A total of 2,395 candidates battled it out for 175 Assembly seats. Voting percentage had touched 75 percent across the state by 6 pm, and was expected to rise to 80 percent as polling was still underway and long queues were reported in some booths. In some constituencies like Puthalapattu, the inter-party clashes turned so violent that polling had to be stopped at 3 pm. The decision about repolling here and at any other places will be taken on Friday, in consultation with the Election Commission of India, the state's Chief Electoral Officer, Gopalakrishna Dwivedi said in the post-poll press conference. EC in the dock Even without the fact that it had allowed itself to be drawn into the state's political drama, the EC had a rather terrible polling day of putting out defences against allegations of large-scale EVM failures. The night before Phase 1, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu met with Dwivedi at the secretariat in Velagapudi, Amaravati. During the meeting, Naidu protested against the alleged bias by the EC in favour of the Opposition YSRCP, especially in the transfer of key officials. Naidu also accused the EC of playing into the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On polling day, YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy pointed to this meeting to allege that the chief minister was threatening the EC. Naidu has demanded repolling at places where EVMs did not work. He told the local media that 30 percent of the devices malfunctioned and as a result, polling started up to three hours late at many places. "Even technologically advanced countries are not using EVMs... a voter doesn't get the satisfaction of voting through ballots when they are voting on the EVMs. They don't ensure transparency. EVMs are not correct for the voting process. Today, there are reports of EVM malfunctioning from many booths," he said. "Some news channels are reporting that 30 percent of the EVMs are not working, which is not correct. In total, we have 45,959 booths, and we are using around 92,000 EVMs, of which we have got 344 issues and 25 are still pending," said Dwivedi. But embarrassingly, he could not cast his vote due to technical issues with the EVM at the Undavalli polling station in Tadepalli, which falls under Mangalagiri Assembly constituency, despite making it there at 7 am. He went later on in the evening to cast his vote after the EVMs there were restored. Bloody ballots Sporadic incidents of violence between party workers continue to be reported across the state with casualties on both sides. YSRCP workers allegedly attacked Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, who went to inspect a polling booth in Guntur's Sattenapalle constituency. Another TDP minister's husband and sister were injured in a violent clash between factions in Atahobilam in Kurnool. Allegations against opposing party workers came thick and fast from Narasraopet, Eluru in West Godavari, Jammalamadugu in Kadapa District and Mydukur. A viral video of the alleged attack by Eluru TDP MLA Badeti Bujji on YSRCP party workers in West Godavari district's Sanivarapupeta grabbed the nation's attention — diverted as it was with the first phase of polling held across 20 states and Union Territories — to the brawling between the two biggest state parties. A bloodied party worker was seen asking, "Is it right for an MLA to do this? Is he an MLA or a rowdy? Why does he have a gunman? To beat people up? We have come here to vote. Four people came in a car to hit us." In another dramatic incident, Jana Sena Party Assembly candidate Madhusudan Gupta damaged EVMs at Gooty in Anantapur district, ostensibly protesting the alleged partisan manner in which polling officials were conducting duties. The police arrested him. Now and five years ago The electoral outcome in Andhra Pradesh is set to become a watershed in moulding the course of national politics and is a 'Do or Die' battle for both Naidu and Opposition leader Jaganmohan Reddy. For Naidu, who is gearing up to hand the reins of Andhra Pradesh reign to his son, Nara Lokesh, in order to be able to play a bigger role in the national level if the opportunity arises, a strong showing in his own backyard is imperative. Jagan, who narrowly missed the bus in the 2014 state elections (TDP had a narrow lead of less than one percent over its rival in votes polled), cannot afford to sit in the Opposition for another five years. The son of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and popular Congress leader YSR Reddy, may find it difficult to keep his flock together without power. But over the past five years, YSRCP has been steadily gaining strength, probably best evidenced by the mass exodus from the TDP ahead of the election, when 23 of MLAs and three MPs switched to the YSRCP. Also by expertly egging on the TDP to take on alliance partner BJP over the granting of special status to the state, Jagan forced the TDP out of the Central government. YSRCP now promises to deliver what TDP couldn't despite its cosy relationship with the Centre and ministerial berths in the Union government. Jagan is intent on scuttling Naidu's national aspirations by aligning with Telangana chief K Chandrashekar Rao, who is batting for a federal front. The TRS and YSRCP, having openly exhibited their camaraderie initially, toned it down and desisted from open overtures.<doc-sep>Andhra Pradesh Assembly Election 2019 Voting LIVE Updates: After YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had threatened the Election Commission, TDP released a video of Naidu's meeting with Chief Electoral Officer Gopalkrishna Dwivedi, in which he lodged a protest claiming that the poll panel was biased towards YSRCP. Auto refresh feeds This is the first time since Telangana was carved out of the state that Andhra Pradesh will vote in Assembly elections on Thursday, 11 April. The election will be held simultaneously with the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls. As many as 2,118 candidates are in the fray for the Assembly election. Apart from Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the YSR Congress Party, Congress, BJP and Jana Sena are also contesting. This will be the first time in its 37-year history that TDP is contesting without any allies. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is seeking re-election for the ninth time from Kuppam constituency in Chittoor district. His son Nara Lokesh is making his electoral debut from Mangalagiri. Over 3.5 crore voters — 1,94,62,339 men, 1,98,79,421 women, 3,957 transgenders and 10.15 lakh first-time voters — will vote in 175 Assembly constituencies. The state has 56,908 service voters, while 5,323 NRIs from the state are also registered as voters. Voters standing in queue at polling booths at 6 pm will be allowed to cast their votes past the closing time. Voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm. But in the seats affected by Left-Wing Extremism, mostly those bordering Odisha and Chhattisgarh, polling will end at 4 pm. In the 2014 Assembly election, TDP won 101 seats, YSRCP 68, BJP four, Navodayam Party 1 and an Independent candidate won one seat. The Congress didn't bag any. In the 2014 Assembly election, TDP had won by a margin of just 0.2 percentage points. TDP won a vote share of 44.6 percent and YSR Congress got 44.4 percent of the votes. EVMs in booth no 153 in Raptadu Assembly constituency in Anantapur district failed to work, The Hindu reported. EVMs in polling booth no 101 in Visakhapatnam East constituency was also not working, according to the report. The contest for the post of Chief Miniser of Andhra Pradesh is between TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress Party’s Jagan Mohan Reddy. An hour into voting, polling has yet to start at a booth at Gujarati Mandal School in Vijayawada, according to The Times of India . Jana Sena Party candidate Madhusudan Gupta has been arrested for damaging an EVM at a polling booth in Gutti town in Anantapur district. He was protesting against the alleged partisan manner in which polling officials were conducting duties. "I'm very confident, people are looking for a change, vote without fear," he added . “Vote for change, vote without fear," YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy told NDTV . Reddy has been attacking Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for not fulling his election promises from 2014. Gupta was angry with the polling staff for not displaying the names of the Assembly and parliamentary constituencies properly. The police said he had lifted the EVM and thrown it on the floor. The machine was damaged in the incident. Jana Sena Party leader Madhusudan Gupta, who has been arrested for damaging a voting machine, threw the EVM on the floor at a polling station in Gutti in Guntakal Assembly constituency of Anantapur district, the police said, according to News18 . In the wake of reports of faulty EVMs, Chandrababu Naidu has reiterated his demand to have the voting machines with paper ballots. Voting has been delayed in a number of polling booths in Andhra Pradesh due to malfunctioning EVMs, forcing people to wait in queues, braving sultry weather. At the 163rd booth in Kadapa city, the button representing the 'fan' symbol did not respond, The Hindu reported. In the 106th booth in Mydukur also, the 'cycle' symbol was unresponsive. Polling booth officers changed the EVMs immediately on complaints. TDP candidate Aravinda Babu was attacked allegedly by YSR Congress activists in Narsaraopet Assembly constituency, The Hindu reported. The police had to lathicharge workers of both parties to quell the clashes. Ironically, Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Gopala Krishna Dwivedi was unable to cast his vote at Tadepalli Assembly constituency in Guntur district due to malfunctioning EVMs. Reports are coming in that people are leaving polling booths without voting returning home. In a statement, the YSR Congress claimed its party leaders in Icchapuram are being forced into jails by the police in collusion with the TDP. "Booth numbers 41, 42 and 43 in Rajahmundhry rural constituency have been forcibly occupied by TDP cadre, and they are not allowing voters to exercise their franchise freely," the statement reads, according to The Indian Express . YSR Congress leader Matta Raju was attacked allegedly by TDP workers outside a polling station at Indira Colony High School in Eluru Assembly constituency in West Godavari district, The Times of India reported. Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan defended his party leader ​Madhusudan Gupta, who was arrested for damaging a voting machine in Gutti in Guntakal Assembly constituency. "How do we know who broke the machine?" he said, according to India Today, even though there's a video of Gupta throwing an EVM on the floor at the polling booth. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister has demanded repolling at the locations where EVMs did not work. He said 30 percent of the voting machines had malfunctioned, because of which polling started nearly three hours late at many places. Eluru TDP MLA Badeti Bujji allegedly led an attack on YSRCP party workers in West Godavari district's Sanivarapupeta. In a video going viral on social media, a bloodied party worker can be seen asking: “Is it right for an MLA to do this? Is he an MLA or rowdy? Why does he have a gunman? To beat people up? We came here to vote. Four people arrived in a car to hit us.” Clashes between TDP and YSRCP party workers are being reported from various places of Andhra Pradesh.<doc-sep>There were delays in polling in several places in Andhra due to glitches in EVMs (Representational) Voters queued up in considerable numbers at polling stations to exercise their franchise as voting to elect 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha members in Andhra Pradesh began at 7 am today. In many places electronic voting machines or EVMs had glitches resulting in some delay in polling, an official told news agency Press Trust of India. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his family members voted at a polling station in Undavalli village in the state capital region Amaravati. His son Nara Lokesh is the TDP candidate from Mangalagiri Assembly segment that covers Undavalli. YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy cast his vote in his native Pulivendula in Kadapa district, from where he is seeking re-election. State Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi cast his vote in Tadepalli and said there were complaints about technical glitches in EVMs in about 50 places. Technical teams were on the job to rectify the defects and enable polling, he said. There are a total of 3,93,45,717 registered voters in the state, including 1,94,62,339 male, 1,98,79,421 female and 3,957 transgenders. Of the total, 10.15 lakh are first-time voters in the age group 18-19. As many as 2,118 and 319 candidates are in the fray for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats respectively. Polling would end at 5 pm in the Maoist-affected areas, mostly those bordering Odisha and Chhattisgarh.<doc-sep>After multiple delays throughout the day, mostly due to malfunctioning of EVMs, voters wait in queue at polling booth No. 37 in Christianpet even at 10.40 pm at Tadepalli town of Mangalagiri constituency in Guntur district on Thursday. (E. Tejo Roy) Vijayawada: Three persons died in clashes between YSRC and TD workers in Rayalaseema during Thursday’s elections to 175 Assembly segments and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh. Clashes were also reported between the two main rivals in the the volatile Rayalaseema and Palnadu regions. There were incidents of EVM damage and stone pelting in many centres. The voting percentage was put at 80, which will be revised on Friday. This is higher than the 78.4 per cent registered in 2014. Polling was affected by about 400 EVMs malfunctioning across the state, and voting was expected to continue till midnight in Mangalagiri where minister and TD candidate Nara Lokesh, the son of AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, is contesting. Long queues were witnessed at almost all the polling booths across the state as early as 7 am. Many of them were disappointed when EVMs did not function. Polling was delayed by three hours at some centres, forcing voters to suffer under the scorching sun. Both TD and YSRC had approached CEO and accused each other of malpractices and rioting. TD has demanded repolling in 200 booths. The YSRC said two of its activists were attacked with sickles by TD cadres and killed in Veerapuram of Tadipatri constituency in Anantapur. The TD said its activist Siddha Bhaskar Reddy was killed by YSRC cadres in Veerapuram. The YSRC said its supporter B.R. Venkatrami Reddy of Thambalapalle of Chittoor district and Pulla Reddy died when they were hit on the chest with a stone during clashes. A total of 3,93,45,717 voters were registered in the state, 1,94,62,339 male, 1,98,79,421 female and 3,957 transgenders. About 10.15 lakh are first-time voters in the age group 18-19. Mr Naidu and his family cast their vote at a polling booth in Undavalli. Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan reportedly broke the queue and voted in Patamata. YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his family voted in their family bastion Pulivendula in Kadapa district. After casting the vote, Mr Reddy told the media that his appeal was vote without fear and vote for change. Asked about Income-Tax raids, he said unaccounted money was bound to invite action. About the transfer for the DGP, he said the EC had not considered the YSRC’s genuine demand. He said that in 2009, the TD had complained to the Election Commission to change the DGP and the EC has conceded the demand and shifted the DGP in undivided AP. “In the same spirit of democracy we have complained but the EC did not respond,” he said. Mr Kalyan said about 10 per cent of EVMs did not function across the state and it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair poll without any confusion.<doc-sep>

An impressive turnout of over 73% was recorded on Thursday in the single phase assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh amid stray violence involving the ruling TDP and YSRC cadres that reportedly left three people dead. Incidents of EVM damage and stone pelting marked the high octane polling that saw a large number out of the over 3.97 crore eligible voters turning up braving the scorching summer heat. Polling was held on Thurday simultaneously for 175 Assembly seats featuring 2,118 candidates and 25 Lok Sabha seats having 319 contestants. Here are the live updates: 5:15 pm Nara Lokesh, IT minister and TDP National General Secretary, who created a buzz with his decision to contest the elections, is traling from his constituency, Mangalagiri. Sitiing MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy of YSRCP is leading here with a margin of 9482 votes. This, despite Mr. Lokesh's promises that the renowned handloom sarees of Mangalagiri would receive international recognition and despite laying foundation stone of IT giant HCL to strengthen the job sector. Mr. Lokesh, son of CM Chandrababu Naidu, was formally inducted into the party in 2014. 5:10 pm Anantapur district registered 62.08% voting till 5 p.m. 116 EVMs malfunctioned and of them 50 had to be replaced, while the remaining were repaired. Voting was delayed between 30 minutes to 3 hours. 5.00 pm Polling percentage in the Assembly consituencies of Visakhapatnam district at 3pm was 45.79%. Chittoor district witnesses 57.6% polling, while Kadapa district witnesses 56.44% polling by 3 pm. 4.30 pm TDP worker hacked to death outside polling booth Chinta Bhaskar Reddy, a Telugu Desam Party worker, was hacked to death near polling booth No.197 at Veerapuram in Tadipatri constituency of Anantapur district on April 11. The clash followed an alleged attempt by some 15 TDP supporters to capture the booth. District Election Officer G. Veerapandian said TDP and YSR Congress Party workers indulged in clashes somewhere in Veerapuram village, but ran into the polling station and chased each other. Outside the polling booth the TDP worker was beaten to death. Three YSR Congress Party supporters were injured. Read more 1:50 pm Polling staff delete 125 votes on EVMs in Masula The polling staff has reportedly deleted at least 125 votes that were polled on the Electronic Voting Machine after they have learnt that they did not clear the votes casted during the mock poll drive in Machilipatnam assembly segment. On being learnt about the deletion of their votes, a few voters managed to turn up to the polling booth to poll again. 12:40 pm Polling is peaceful in Naxal-hit Odisha-Andhra border. Outside vehicles are thoroughly frisked before entering the constituency. Since Odisha witnessed an IED blast in Wednesday night, EVMs were sent to the polling booths only on Thursday morning. 12:15 pm Telugu Desam Party worker Chinta Bhaskar Reddy hacked to death near polling booth No.197 at Veerapuram in Tadipatri constituency of Anantapur district. 12:10 pm At Yanametla village in Sattenapalli Assembly constituency, YSRCP workers allegedly manhandled Assembly Speaker and TDP candidate Kodela Sivaprasada Rao. In the resulting altercation, Mr. Rao had his shirt torn and had minor bruises. His gunman also suffered small injuries. He later entered a polling booth and shut it from inside. Police forced it open and brought him out. He fainted but regained consciousness after some time. MLC Buddha Venkanna was taken into custody at Mallikarjunapeta in Vijayawada city as he staged a protest against the disruption of polling cause by faulty EVMs. 12 noon Large-scale malfunctioning of EVMs reported across Visakhapatnam Polling for parliamentary constituencies and Assembly segments in Visakhapatnam district began on a peaceful note, with no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the district till around 11 a.m. on Thursday. Brisk polling was seen at most places with voters forming long queues outside the polling stations right from 7 a.m. The common complaint was the malfunctioning of EVM s, resulting in delayed start of the poll process at some booths. 11.40 a.m. Jana Sena candidate arrested for damaging EVM Jana Sena candidate Madhusudhan Gupta being arrested in Gooty for breaking an EVM, on Thursday. | Photo Credit: Ramesh Susarla Voting in Anantapur district got delayed at most of the places registering 10.62% by 9 am, violence raised it head at several places on Thursday. While Guntakal Jana Sena Party candidate Madhusudan Gupta was arrested for breaking an EVM at Gooty, in Singanamala (SC) constituency there were clashes between YSR Congress and TDP followers in Jangampalli village of Yellanur mandal.

The F.B.I. on Wednesday arrested a Navy veteran suspected of sending two envelopes to the Pentagon this week that contained raw materials for the deadly poison ricin. The man, William Clyde Allen III, was detained at a home in Logan, Utah. Two envelopes addressed to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and to the chief of the United States Navy, Adm. John Richardson, set off alarms in a mail screening facility outside the Pentagon on Monday. No one was injured. Defense officials had suspected that the letters contained ricin, but a Pentagon spokeswoman said on Wednesday that they actually contained castor beans, the raw material from which ricin is made. She said the F.B.I. was investigating. Another letter suspected of containing ricin was sent to President Trump at the White House on Monday, but was intercepted by the Secret Service. In a statement, the Secret Service said no one was injured.<doc-sep>A man was arrested in Logan, Utah, on Wednesday in connection with suspicious letters sent to President Donald Trump and other officials that were initially suspected of containing the deadly poison ricin, law enforcement sources and prosecutors said. The substance was later determined to be castor seeds, from which ricin is derived. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah said federal prosecutors "authorized a probable cause arrest in the ricin case" and that William Clyde Allen III, 39, of Logan was taken into custody. It's unclear when a complaint will be filed. A spokesman for the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, Doug Davis, said in an email that there was an operation in Logan and “there are potentially hazardous chemicals involved,” and he said the public was being asked to stay away from the area. “No wider threat to public safety exists at this time,” Davis said. Three suspicious letters, two addressed to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and another to Trump, were initially suspected of containing the poison ricin and were intercepted at mail processing centers or other locations, officials and sources said Tuesday. Law enforcement officials said Wednesday the letters did not contain ricin, which is made from castor beans, but instead contained a primitive form or precursor that is not very hazardous. "According to our preliminary analysis, the substance was castor seeds, from which ricin is derived," Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Dana White said in a statement about the two letters at the Pentagon mailing center. "The FBI is still investigating." U.S. Defense Department personnel, wearing protective suits, screen mail as it arrives at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Oct. 2, 2018. Thomas Watkins / AFP - Getty Images Allen enlisted in the U.S. Navy in October 1998 and left the service in 2002, the Navy said. He was listed as a damage control fireman apprentice, according to the Navy. Two years after his Navy tenure ended, he was charged in a child sex-abuse case involving two girls with whom he had an unspecified "relationship of trust," according to The Associated Press, citing court documents. He later pleaded guilty to lesser neglect and abuse charges and did not have to register as a sex offender. That same year, a woman filed a protective order against him in a separate case, the AP reported. He disputed her allegations, the details of which are not public, but agreed to the protective order. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated assault and served about 2½ years in prison, authorities said. He was released in 2011. The letters to Mattis and Richardson were intercepted at a mail facility on the Pentagon campus but not within the main building itself, Pentagon spokesman Christopher Sherwood has said. Mattis is not in the country but is on an overseas trip meeting with European officials. On Tuesday Secret Service said in a statement that it intercepted a "suspicious envelope" addressed to the president. That envelope was intercepted at a location outside of the White House, the Secret Service said. Sources have said that all three letters were believed to be connected. Also on Tuesday, a suspicious letter addressed to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was received at his campaign headquarters in Houston, law enforcement sources have said. That letter, which contained a “white powdery substance” is not believed to be connected to the others, sources said. Logan is a city of around 48,000 about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City.<doc-sep>A former member of the Navy was taken into custody in Utah on Wednesday on suspicion of mailing envelopes filled with a suspicious substance to top federal officials, including President Trump. The man, identified as William Clyde Allen III, 39, was taken into custody in Logan, about 85 miles north of Salt Lake City, according to local FBI spokesman Doug Davis. “No wider threat to the public safety exists at this time,” Davis told the Logan Herald Journal. “As it is a pending matter, that’s all we can say at this time.” Two envelopes sent to the Pentagon, one addressed to Defense Secretary James Mattis and the other to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, contained a return address that linked them to the former sailor, officials told Fox News. Meanwhile, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told reporters traveling in Brussels with Mattis that the substance sent to the Pentagon was castor seeds, not the deadly poison ricin, as originally suspected. Ricin is part of the waste “mash” created when castor oil is produced. If it is made into a partially purified material or refined, ricin can be deadly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another envelope was addressed to Trump at the White House. A tip from the White House led officials at the Pentagon to discover the envelopes sent there. They were delivered Monday to an off-site mailing facility. The Secret Service revealed late Tuesday that it had received a “suspicious envelope” addressed to the president the day before. The agency said the envelope “was not received at the White House, nor did it ever enter the White House,” adding that the agency was “working jointly with our law enforcement partners to fully investigate this matter.” A fourth envelope was sent to Sen. Ted Cruz’s Houston office. With wires<doc-sep>

A Utah man has been arrested and accused of attempting to send a crude form of the poison ricin to President Trump and to the Pentagon, authorities confirmed Wednesday. Melodie Rybach, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City, said that William Clyde Allen III, of Logan, was taken into custody after federal prosecutors "authorized a probable-cause arrest in the ricin case." She added that a criminal complaint would likely be filed in federal court Friday. The arrest came one day after Pentagon officials said two envelopes that tested positive for ricin were isolated at a Pentagon mail screening facility and sent to the FBI. The envelopes were addressed to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the chief of the Navy, Adm. John Richardson. A senior defense official confirmed to Fox News that Allen is a Navy veteran who served for four years, between 1998 and 2002. He worked as a damage control fireman apprentice. On the same day, the Secret Service disclosed that it had intercepted a suspicious envelope addressed to Trump, but noted that the envelope did not enter the White House. No injuries were reported in either incident. Earlier Wednesday, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said that a preliminary analysis showed that the envelopes contained castor seeds, from which ricin is derived. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if castor seeds are swallowed the released ricin can cause injury. It is not clear what was specifically in the envelope sent to Trump. The Associated Press, citing court documents, reported that Allen was charged in 2004 in a child sex-abuse case involving two girls with whom he had an unspecified "relationship of trust." He later pleaded guilty to lesser neglect and abuse charges and did not have to register as a sex offender. That same year, a woman filed a protective order against him in a separate case. He disputed her allegations, the details of which are not public, but agreed to the protective order. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated assault and served about 2 1/2 years in prison, authorities said. He was released in 2011. Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and Kristin Brown and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Share this article via flipboard Share this article via email Share this article via messenger Sorry, this video isn't available any more. It’s official, BTS have made their Grammys 2019 debut and while it was no doubt a huge moment for the band, they made it all about their devoted fans. The iconic k-pop boy band had the pleasure of presenting the best R&B album award at the Staples Center awards ceremony on Sunday. Before they announced the winner, the band took a moment to thank their loyal Army for making their Grammys dreams actually a reality. They said: ‘ Growing up in South Korea, we always dreamed of being on this stage. BTS are living their best lives at the Grammys tonight (Picture: Getty Images) ‘Thanks for making our dreams come true. We’ll be back.’ And our hearts have melted. BTS then revealed that H.E.R. won the coveted award for her critically-acclaimed self-titled EP and it seems she has huge appreciation for the band, as she briefly bowed to them while making her way up the stage. What a moment. It seems their dreams really did come full circle as RM had earlier revealed they’d love to meet H.E.R. along with Travis Scott and Lady Gaga. Speaking on the red carpet, the ICON singer also said of BTS’ new album: ‘I say I’m nervous. But I believe that we’ll do our best. ‘We’ve been working. We’ve been working very hard. It’s going to be real soon. [It’ll be] paying off for the fans.’ The singer added: ‘We keep ourselves. We stay in our lane. We do what we love to do. It’s still great, it still feels amazing. But we’re just trying to keep it chill. We’re not like a long time owners of this.’ Grammy awards 2019 winners' list Album of the Year Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves Best Rap Album Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy Best R&B Album H.E.R. - H.E.R. Best Rap Song Drake - God’s Plan Song of the Year Childish Gambino - This Is America Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - Shallow Producer of the Year, Non - Classical Pharrell Williams Best Rap/Sung Performance Childish Gambino - This Is America Best Rap Performance (Tie) Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, & James Blake - King’s Dead Anderson .Paak - Bubblin Best Rock Album Greta Van Fleet - From the Fires Best Rock Song St. Vincent - Masseduction Best Metal Performance High on Fire - Electric Messiah Best Rock Performance Chris Cornell - When Bad Does Good Best Urban Contemporary Album The Carters - Everything Is Love Best R&B Song Ella Mai - Boo’d Up Best Traditional R&B Performance (Tie) Leon Bridges - Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand PJ Morton - How Deep Is Your Love [ft. Yebba] Best R&B Performance H.E.R. - Best Part [ft. Daniel Caesar] Best Latin Jazz Album Dafnis Prieto Big Band - Back to the Sunset Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album John Daversa Big Band - American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom Best Jazz Instrumental Album The Wayne Shorter Quartet - Emanon Best Jazz Vocal Album Cécile McLorin Salvant - The Window Best Improvised Jazz Solo John Daversa - Don’t Fence Me In Best Reggae Album Sting & Shaggy - 44/876 Best Dance/Electronic Album Justice - Woman Worldwide Best Dance Recording Silk City & Dua Lipa - Electricity [ft. Diplo and Mark Ronson] Best Contemporary Classical Composition Kernis - Violin Concerto Best Classical Compendium Fuchs - Piano Concerto Spiritualist Best Classical Solo Vocal Album Monteverdi - Songs of Orpheus Best Classical Instrumental Solo Kernis - Violin Concerto Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance Laurie Anderson - Landfall Best Choral Performance McLoskey - Zealot Canticles Best Opera Recording Bates - The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs Best Orchestral Performance Shostakovich - Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 Producer of the Year, Classical Blanton Alspaugh Best Engineered Album, Classical Shostakovich - Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 Best Pop Vocal Album Ariana Grande - Sweetener Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Willie Nelson - My Way Best Pop Solo Performance Lady Gaga - Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?) Best Country Song Kacey Musgraves - Space Cowboy Best Country Duo/Group Performance Dan & Shay - Tequila Best Country Solo Performance Kacey Musgraves - Butterflies Best Music Film Quincy Jones - Quincy Best Music Video Childish Gambino - This Is America Best Regional Roots Music Album Kalani Pe’a - No ’Ane’i Best Tropical Latin Album Spanish Harlem Orchestra - Anniversary Best Regional Mexican Music Album Luis Miguel - ¡México Por Siempre! Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album Zoe - Atzlán Best Latin Pop Album Claudia Brant - Sincera Best Spoken Word Album Jimmy Carter - Faith: A Journey for All Best Children’s Album Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats - All the Sounds Best Folk Album Punch Brothers - All Ashore Best Contemporary Blues Album Fantastic Negrito - Please Don’t Be Dead Best Traditional Blues Album Buddy Guy - The Blues Is Alive and Well Best Bluegrass Album The Travelin’ McCourys - The Travelin’ McCourys Best Americana Album Brandi Carlile - By the Way, I Forgive You Best American Roots Song Brandi Carlile - The Joke Best American Roots Performance Brandi Carlile - The Joke Best New Age Album Opium Moon - Opium Moon Best Song Written for Visual Media Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Ludwig Göransson - Black Panther Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media The Greatest Showman Best World Music Album Soweto Gospel Choir - Freedom Best Roots Gospel Album Jason Crabb - Unexpected Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Lauren Daigle - Look Up Child Best Gospel Album Tori Kelly - Hiding Place Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song Lauren Daigle - You Say Best Gospel Performance/Song Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin - Never Alone Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Steve Gadd Band - Steve Gadd Band Best Immersive Audio Album Eye in the Sky: 35th Anniversary Edition Best Remixed Recording HAIM - Walking Away (Mura Masa remix) Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Beck - Colors Best Historical Album Various Artists - Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris Best Album Notes Various Artists - Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris (David Evans) Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package “Weird Al” Yankovic - Squeeze Box: The Complete Works Of “Weird Al” Yankovic Best Recording Package St. Vincent - Masseduction Best Arrangement, Insruments and Vocals Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter - Spiderman Theme Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Capella John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists - Stars and Stripes Forever Best Instrumental Composition Terence Blanchard - Blut Und Boden (Blood And Soil) Best Alternative Music Album Beck - Colors Best Musical Theater Album The Band’s Visit Best Comedy Album Dave Chappelle - Equanimity & the Bird Revelation MORE : Offset can’t keep his jaw off the floor as he watches wife Cardi B perform at the Grammys 2019 MORE : Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry pay tribute Dolly Parton at Grammys 2019 with powerhouse performance<doc-sep>BTS is going to the GRAMMYs! The massively popular Korean boy band will present at the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, a spokesperson for the group confirmed to ET on Monday. And they're not just presenting -- BTS is also up for a golden gramophone themselves! In December, the boy band received a nomination for their first GRAMMY award, becoming the first-ever K-pop act to receive the distinction. The news comes following their massive year of global expansion, including high-profile collabs with artists like Steve Aoki, Desiigner, Andrew Taggart and Nicki Minaj. BTS' Love Yourself: Tear, and the album's art director, HuskyFox, were nominated in the Best Recording Package category, which celebrates the visual look of an album. While the award itself will be officially presented to the art director (and not the musical act), it's still a major move for the group! Behind The Scenes of BTS and Steve Aoki's 'Waste It On Me' Music Video This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. If you are using ad-blocking software, please disable it and reload the page. Behind The Scenes of BTS and Steve Aoki's 'Waste It On Me' Music Video Last November, Jimin, J-Hope, Jungkook, Jin, V, Suga and RM became the first K-pop group to perform at the American Music Awards. Their eight-episode documentary series, Burn the Stage, was released in March, and in May, they won Favorite Social Artist at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. Their single, "Fake Love" was released in May, followed by their new album, Love Yourself: Tear, which debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart -- making it their first No. 1 album in the US. In June, the group was included on Time Magazine's "25 Most Influential People on the Internet" list. August brought the start of their 2018 world tour, as well as the release of BTS' second compilation album, Love Yourself: Answer, with seven new songs. The album also debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart, becoming their second of the year to do so. In October, Time magazine again featured the band, this time as their "Next Generation Leaders." The boys broke another record in November, with the release of their concert film, Burn the Stage: The Movie, became the highest grossing event cinema musical production, beating out One Direction's 2014 movie. The band has certainly grown over the past few years. During their visit to the GRAMMY Museum in September, RM opened up about the group's evolution. "Five years ago, we were talking about school for three albums. Then we talked about youth for three albums. Then folks grew up," he said, noting their shift toward the Love Yourself cycle. “Our attitude towards life changed... The story the world needed most was love.” One thing that hasn't changed, however, is their dedication to their fans. “The fans gave us the wings that allow us to be where we are,” V gushed of ARMY. “That’s why we have that special relationship.” See more on BTS' massively successful year in the video below. Most Memorable BTS Moments of 2018 This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. If you are using ad-blocking software, please disable it and reload the page. RELATED CONTENT: BTS' V Releases New Solo Song, 'Scenery' New BTS Concert Film Will Be Biggest Event Movie Release In History! BTS' Big 2018: 11 Times the K-Pop Boy Band Broke Records and Made History Related Gallery<doc-sep>Their Billboard 200-topping album Love Yourself: Tear, released in May, is nominated at the Grammys in the best recording package category. The artwork was directed by HuskyFox’s Doohee Lee. In the past, BTS’ Suga (Min Yoongi) has expressed interest in attending the Grammys. During the group's appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in the fall, when the host asked what goals are left for the guys to accomplish, Suga offered, "Go to the Grammys." Tear is up against four other albums: Mitski’s Be the Cowboy, with art directed by Mary Banas; St. Vincent’s Masseduction directed by Willo Perron; The Chairman’s The Offering, directed by Qing-Yang Xiao; and Foxhole’s Well Kept Thing, directed by Adam Moore. The 61st Grammys will be hosted by Alicia Keys and broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles and air on CBS on Sunday night. The performance lineup includes Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Janelle Monáe, Miley Cyrus, H.E.R., Brandi Carlile, Shawn Mendes, Kacey Musgraves, Dan + Shay and Post Malone with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Almost immediately following the initial news report, the hashtag “BTXxGRAMMYS” began to trend as Twitter reacted to the announcement.<doc-sep>

BTS' big moment is here! The K-pop group made their GRAMMYs debut at the 61st annual awards show, as they took the stage to present the award for Best R&B Album on Sunday. "Growing up in South Korea, we always dreamed about being on the GRAMMY stage," RM said to big applause, promising ARMY that they'd be back "next year." The group then presented the nominees, before belting out H.E.R. 's name. ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images BTS was also up for a GRAMMY award themselves, and earned the distinction in December of becoming the first-ever K-pop act to be nominated by the Recording Academy. The news came following their massive year of global expansion, including high-profile collaborations with artists like Steve Aoki, Desiigner, Andrew Taggart and Nicki Minaj. BTS' Love Yourself: Tear, and the album's art director, HuskyFox, were nominated in the Best Recording Package category, which celebrates the visual look of an album (Willo Perron for St. Vincent's Masseduction won instead). While the award itself was officially presented to the art director (and not the musical act), the nomination was still a major accomplishment for the group. The group told ET ahead of the awards show that they were hard at work on new music for their fans. "We stayed up all night to work for our next album," RM said. "Right before the flight, we stayed up all night." See more on BTS in the video below. RELATED CONTENT: BTS 'Stayed Up All Night' Working on New Music Before the 2019 GRAMMY Awards (Exclusive) Here's Why Bradley Cooper Won't Be Joining Lady Gaga at the GRAMMYs BTS to Present at 2019 GRAMMY Awards

Paul Brandus Opinion columnist Left, right, left, right: The political pendulum swings back and forth in America. George H.W. Bush gave way to Bill Clinton, who gave way to George W. Bush. Bush was succeeded by Barack Obama, who was succeeded by Donald Trump. If this kind of past is prologue, then Donald Trump will be replaced — in either 2021 or 2025 — by someone on the left. And you can’t get much further left than Bernie Sanders, the feisty, white-haired septuagenarian and democratic socialist who ventured into enemy territory, aka Fox News, for a town hall Monday night in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. “Not everybody thought I should come on this show,” the Vermont senator told hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. No kidding. The Democratic Party is refusing to hold any of its 12 primary debates on the network. Kudos to Fox for inviting him and kudos to Sanders for accepting. It’s unlikely that any Fox viewers will ditch Trump for the Sanders camp. Sanders, after all, said he disagrees with pretty much everything the president stands for. He called Trump “dangerous,” adding that “I don’t think the American people are proud that we have a president who is a pathological liar.” I’m betting that clip won’t show up on “Fox & Friends,” which regularly serves up Trump’s morning nourishment of sycophancy and bootlicking. Read more commentary: You don't have to be 37 like Pete Buttigieg, but age should matter in the 2020 campaign If you don't want Trump to win in 2020, make sure he faces a serious primary challenge Sanders & Lee: Congress just told Trump to get US out of Yemen. Next, Afghanistan? But Sanders and Trump actually do have some things in common. As a congressman nearly 30 years ago, Sanders voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement, that Trump campaigned against and said he'd fix (he tweaked it and renamed it the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and Sanders says it's not good enough). Sanders also opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership from which Trump withdrew, and he opposed normalizing trade ties with China. In 2016, Trump proved that trade is an issue with traction, particularly in the Rust Belt. Sanders thinks he can do even better. A health care surprise in a Fox News setting Sanders also got traction — and dealt his Fox hosts a surprise — on health care. Baier asked the audience, which he said was politically diverse, if they would be willing to give up their private insurance for government health care. Lots of hands went up, and the room erupted in cheers. That probably wasn’t what Baier figured would happen. Sanders pressed his advantage, asking a member of the audience why anyone should be satisfied with the U.S. spending so much more per capita on health care than other advanced nations — yet getting so little in return. “Thirty million people have zero health insurance,” he pointed out. He forgot to mention that Republicans have spent a decade whining about Obamacare, while failing to come up with anything better. Republicans even controlled the House, Senate and White House between 2017 and 2019, a golden opportunity, but did nothing. Anyone who thinks they’ll come up with something in 2021, as Trump now vows, well, keep sipping that orange Kool-Aid. The reaction was more predictable when Sanders refused to condemn abortions that occur right up to the moment of birth. He said they’re rare (which really isn’t the point), and should be between “a woman and her physician, and not the government.” For that he got a few jeers. No apologies for being rich Hours before his Fox appearance, Sanders tweaked Trump by releasing 10 years of tax returns. Trump has famously stonewalled on releasing any of his, claiming (falsely as usual) that he can’t release them while under audit. Sanders’s adjusted gross income last year was $561,293, after raking in more than $1 million in both 2016 and 2017 — pretty good for a democratic socialist — and, when pressed about the fact that he was wealthy, he sounded just like the rich guys he likes to attack: "This year, we had $560,000 in income," Sanders said. "In my and my wife's case, I wrote a pretty good book. It was a bestseller, sold all over the world, and we made money. If anyone thinks I should apologize for writing a bestselling book, I'm sorry, I'm not gonna do it.” Then he turned the tables: “Why don't you get Donald Trump up here and ask him how much he pays in taxes? President Trump watches your network a little bit, right? Hey President Trump, my wife and I just released 10 years. Please do the same.” Too old? 'Follow me around' MacCallum seemed to toss everything but the kitchen sink at Sanders, trying again and again to nail him for something, anything, just one slip, pretty please? He swatted her away like a gnat on a hot summer night. In fact, for a guy born three months before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor (that’s 1941 for the history-challenged), Sanders seemed as mentally agile as any other candidate. Questions about his age — he would be 79 on Inauguration Day 2021 — are legitimate. Asked if he was up to the job, Sanders said simply, “follow me around the campaign trail." That was a good answer, but I’m not sure Americans would really elect someone about to enter his ninth decade of life, no matter how spry he appears to be. On the other end of the age range, I’m not sure they’d elect a guy who looks like he still gets carded buying booze, either. No disrespect to either Sanders or the latest entrant into the Democratic free-for-all, 37-year-old Pete Buttigieg, but perhaps a Goldilocks candidate — not too old, not too young — would be just right. Paul Brandus, founder and White House bureau chief of West Wing Reports, is the author of "Under This Roof: The White House and the Presidency" and is a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors. Follow him on Twitter: @WestWingReport<doc-sep>The audience at a Fox News town hall erupted in cheers and applause when asked by moderator Bret Baier if they would support Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSenate competitiveness bill includes B authorization for Bezos space company Sanders wants government to get 'piece' of US semiconductor companies in exchange for aid Poll: 51 percent oppose Sanders-led resolution to block weapons sales to Israel MORE's (I-Vt.) "Medicare for All" proposal. "I want to ask the audience a question here. ... How many are willing to transition to what the senator says, a government-run system?" Baier asked before the crowd burst into cheers. Bret Baier just polled the Bernie Town Hall audience who would be willing to switch to #MedicareForAll. It backfired spectacularly. pic.twitter.com/dQJ9gfQ137 — jordan (@JordanUhl) April 15, 2019 The question comes a week after Sanders introduced updated Medicare for All legislation in the Senate. His proposed bill would largely eliminate private insurance and institute a single-payer system managed by the government. The updated version would also include coverage for long-term care, such as nursing homes, which is not covered by Medicare currently. Home- and community-based care would also be covered. A number of other 2020 Democratic candidates, including Sens. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisBiden, Bass press for police reform after meeting Floyd family Biden, Harris condemn surge in antisemitic incidents Mexican president: FAA safety downgrade meant to benefit US carriers MORE (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOn The Money: Biden administration launches trade dispute against Canadian dairy industry | Warren urges Biden to replace Fed's Quarles Warren urges Biden to replace Fed's Quarles in testy exchange Warren offers bill to increase IRS budget to .5 billion MORE (D-Mass. ), have endorsed Sanders's legislation. ADVERTISEMENT The White House blasted Sanders's proposal, however, adding to its past criticism of single-payer plans. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sarah SandersTrump expected to resume rallies in June Andrew Giuliani planning run for New York governor Trump appears at Sarah Huckabee Sanders campaign event MORE Sanders called the plan a "total government takeover of health care that would actually hurt seniors, eliminate private health insurance for 180 million Americans, and cripple our economy and future generations with unprecedented debt." Republican leaders have also blasted the bill, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSchumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission GOP leaders face new calls to boot Greene MORE (R-Ky.) saying it won't happen under a GOP-controlled Senate. Despite criticism, a number of polls have shown both Democratic and Republican voters support Medicare for All. One such poll conducted by The Hill in October showed a majority of Republicans supported single-payer health care. Another poll conducted in January showed that 56 percent of American voters supported such an insurance system. The video of Sanders on Fox quickly gained attention online Monday, with many pointing to the applause and past polling as examples of support among even conservatives for Medicare for All. Sanders agreed to a Tax Day town hall on the network, moderated by the "Special Report" anchor Baier and "The Story" anchor Martha MacCallum. In March, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez announced that the network would be barred from hosting any of the party's primary debates. Democratic presidential candidates are not precluded from appearing on Fox News for interviews or town halls, however.<doc-sep>Moment or Movement: the impact of cameras on changes in policing (CNN Business) — A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. You can sign up for free right here. Oliver Darcy writes: Trump raised eyebrows on Tuesday morning when he tweeted another complaint about Fox’s news division. “So weird to watch Crazy Bernie on @FoxNews,” he wrote. “Not surprisingly, @BretBaier and the ‘audience’ was so smiley and nice. Very strange, and now we have @donnabrazile?” Notice the “we?” Journalists were quick to point that Trump was suggesting that he and Fox are the same entity. Talk about a Freudian slip… Bret Baier’s response The Fox anchor tweeted: “Thanks for watching Mr. President — we’d love to have you on a town hall soon — or even an interview on @SpecialReport —it’s been awhile. We cover all sides.” As Politico Playbook noted, Baier has been seeking an interview with Trump for years… The president’s interviews on Fox are “almost always with friendly commentators like Sean Hannity or Jeanine Pirro.” Trump’s criticism continued on Tuesday night: He claimed that “many Trump fans & signs” were outside the town hall, and there were “big complaints about not being let in – stuffed with Bernie supporters. What’s with @FoxNews?” According to the local paper, however, “Fox reached out to various political and local groups in the area and mined requests to attend after it publicly announced the event.” Trump supporters were in the audience. All of this just shows how Fox’s viewer-in-chief reacts – angrily – when the network makes space for critical voices. Meanwhile, WaPo’s Philip Bump wrote about how “fleeting” the Sanders moment was – Sean Hannity and many, many others criticized Sanders after the town hall ended… Other Dems are open to Fox As The Daily Beast’s Scott Bixby wrote, “Sanders’ successful appearance last night may have cracked the wall in candidates’ opposition to appearances on the network.” Fox is certainly pointing to the ratings to persuade other 2020 contenders. Bernie drew 2.55 million total viewers, making it the “top-rated such event in the 2020 election so far,” Mediaite wrote. For comparisons’ sake, the same time slot averaged 1.88 million viewers the previous Monday. So, with all that in mind, Pete Buttgieg might be the next Dem to participate. On Tuesday, his campaign confirmed that it is in talks with Fox about a town hall. Oliver Darcy has the details here. Campaign spokesperson Lis Smith said last month on “Reliable” that the South Bend mayor’s media strategy is “talking to everyone…” → Per the Beast’s Gideon Resnick, three other candidates — Eric Swalwell, Tim Ryan, and Julián Castro — are also interested in the Fox town hall format… → CNN’s next town hall event has five candidates back to back next Monday night… Lowry’s take Brian Lowry writes: In the last few days both Bill Hemmer and Bret Baier have chafed at on-air criticism of Fox News from Tom Perez and Bernie Sanders, respectively. But it’s self-serving at best — and a little disingenuous — for those anchors to downplay the concerns expressed about Fox News as an organization or its primetime hosts. If Fox is serious about hosting Democrats through the election cycle, its anchors are going to have be a bit less snowflake-y about such criticism… James Murdoch is doing WHAT! ? “What’s Next for James Murdoch?” THR asked on Monday. The story had lots of answers… And even more came out on Tuesday. With his brother Lachlan Murdoch running FOX, James is doing his own thing… The WSJ’s Ben Mullin wrote Tuesday about Murdoch’s plans to invest in a comic book publisher called Artists, Writers and Artisans. “The value of storytelling is only going up, and AWA is uniquely positioned to create a tremendous platform for writers and artists,” Murdoch said. Then, later in the day, a team at the FT dangled this info: Murdoch’s “new portfolio” of media companies “could include a liberal-leaning news outlet.”The paper, citing “people with direct knowledge of his plans,” said Murdoch “wanted to distance himself from the conservative media outlets controlled for decades by his father but had yet to decide how exactly he would invest in the news media. His options range from a liberal news website to a digital magazine focused on culture, society and lifestyle.” Murdoch lieutenant says NYT story was a ‘rancid hatchet job’ Murdochland was quiet when the NYT published its three-part investigation of “Planet Fox” two weeks ago. But one of Rupert’s top execs, News Corp CEORobert Thomson, has something to say. In a Tuesday evening speech, he “dismissed the NYT’s investigation as a ‘rancid hatchet job’ that was ‘distant from the truth,’” according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Thomson called it “multi-generational muck-spreading in which the facts were incidental, if not accidental, and the journalistic jaundice and corporate self-interest were fundamental.” Hmmm, which facts? I don’t see any corrections on the story! Notre Dame, the day after Wednesday’s cover of Libération shows the charred inside of the cathedral. Despite all the damage, the fire is out; “it’s amazing that so much was spared;” and “all of Paris is united in the effort to rebuild,” Chris Cuomo said on “Prime Time.” A few notes: – “The most egregious examples of misinformation” about the fire – attempting to blame “racial or religious minorities for the outbreak” – originated “in the darker corners of the internet, but many found bigger audiences on social media,” CNN’s Gianluca Mezzofiore wrote Tuesday… – Charlie Warzel made this point about the crazy conspiracy theories: “The first rule of this internet hellscape is that everything is mined in support of the broader narrative. Doesn’t really matter what’s happening…it’s all just ammunition for the info war.” – Donie O’Sullivan’s latest: YouTube’s algorithmic suggestion that the fire was linked to the 9/11 attacks shows, once again, that tech companies have a major “live” problem… – Per Taylor Nicole Rogers, “Victor Hugo’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ has become the best-selling book on Amazon France…” The long wait… This week is one awfully long “stand by for news” until the redacted Robert Mueller report is released on Thursday morning… All the major TV networks have made plans for special coverage… – Here is Joe Pompeo’s look at journalists handicapping “Mueller’s moment of truth…” (VF) – Kevin Liptak and Kaitlan Collins’ latest: “Trump anticipates Mueller’s vindication but aides fret about his temper…” (CNN) Twenty years since the Columbine school shooting… A credible threat was lodged against Columbine High School and other schools in the area on Tuesday, days ahead of the 20-year anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. It is yet another demonstration of how the country has changed since then. On Wednesday, CNN’s Brooke Baldwin will be sharing a special segment that brings survivors from Columbine and Parkland together. Wayne Drash is authoring the companion story for CNN.com — a continuation of “The Loneliest Club.” Baldwin told me: “The idea was to have bookends of two terrible tragedies in our nation’s history. What have we learned, what’s changed.” FOR THE RECORD – Twitter chief Jack Dorsey’s “mea culpa tour” continued at TED 2019…Emily Dreyfuss has an excellent recap of his vague comments here… (WIRED) – Dreyfuss tweeted later: “It’s hard for me to express how frustrating it was to watch @Jack’s talk at TED today. I was frustrated, the audience was frustrated, he was frustrated, the people he was talking to were frustrated. It was a whole frustrating thing!” (Twitter) – Read more of Tuesday’s “Reliable Sources” newsletter… And subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox… – Via Claire Atkinson: “After decades of HBO sponsorship, looks like Netflix is taking over Bryant Park movie night.” With HBO moving from Bryant Park to Hudson Yards, this makes sense… (Twitter)<doc-sep>

How do you get a Fox News audience to enthusiastically cheer for "Medicare For All?" If you’re Bernie Sanders, the answer is simple — go there. Sanders stepped onto the cable channel for a town hall on Monday and worlds, for a moment, collided. More importantly, though, everyone walked away just fine. During his recent media tour earlier this year, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey talked to podcast host and Ringer CEO Bill Simmons about how the platform can leave many users with “filter bubbles and echo chambers.” Said Dorsey, "If you follow only the perspectives you want to hear, it constantly emboldens your own view." We exercise physically — put our body through physical discomfort, so we can better ourselves physically. In that same way, intellectual exercise, through intellectual discomfort, can lead to bettering ourselves intellectually. The April 15 event was a win-win for Sanders and for the cable news network — both from an intellectual and a strategic perspective. This is what happened on Monday, when Sen. Bernie Sanders became the first Democratic presidential candidate this election cycle to participate in a town hall on Fox News. The April 15 event was a win-win for Sanders and for the cable news network — both from an intellectual and a strategic perspective. For Sanders, the intellectual exercise of fielding questions from Fox anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum — in exchanges which were both fair and occasionally combative — allowed him to craft his policy positions in a more challenging environment. Healthy, nuanced debate is important, and a great test for a candidate who, if he succeeds in the primary, will have a far more unwieldy sparring partner in the general election. But there is another reason why this was a win for Sanders, and it’s a strategic one — Fox News’ audience is not monolithic in its conservative beliefs. Sanders knows this. When he was asked recently on “The Daily Show” about why he agreed to go on Fox News, Sanders said: “It is important to distinguish Fox News from the many millions of people who watch Fox News.” . @BernieSanders is doing a Fox News town hall. But why? Full interview: https://t.co/aS7j3DmNQh pic.twitter.com/EIwTgEGh6I — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 5, 2019 So — who watches Fox News? While it’s true that Fox News over-indexes as a go-to media outlet for Republicans, there are certainly Democrats and Independents tuning in as well. According to a 2017 Pew survey, while 43 percent of Fox News’ audience identify as conservative or lean Republican, 10 percent identify as liberal or lean Democrat. A 2018 Suffolk University poll found that while 67 percent of respondents said they were Republicans, that left one in three that leaned Independent or Democratic. And these are big numbers. Yes, Fox News averaged 1.4 million viewers in its total day numbers during the first quarter of 2019 — but this is just based on Nielsen’s data, and as I’ve written before, the actual number of cumulative viewers is significantly higher. That means the town hall was seen by millions of voters Sanders had the chance to appeal to. And appeal to them he did, as evidenced by this viral moment when Bret Baier asked the audience how many people would be willing to switch to a health care system more inline with Sanders' Medicare For All proposal. The response was clear. Raise your hand if you're sick and tired of your private health insurance company. We need Medicare for All. #BernieTownHall pic.twitter.com/3euHRCjqn9 — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 15, 2019 But the other side of this is the benefit to Fox News. Yes, it’s smart strategically for Fox News, which knew there would be a guaranteed amount of interest due to the inherent entertainment value. But the event’s more important benefit was as an intellectual exercise for its viewers. By exposing its viewers to a perspective they may not see or hear very often — by inviting discomfort — Fox was doing a massive service for its audience. (Although, it should be noted, Tucker Carlson’s viral segment from January railing against the ruling class was Sander-esque at times.) For once, Fox News viewers weren't hearing about Sanders’ positions from a primetime host or a three-minute segment; they were hearing about his positions from him, unfiltered. And they may have bristled at what they heard. But that sort of healthy intellectual discomfort is far too rare on both traditional and social media platforms.

A look at each horse in the 2019 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, listed in post position order. (The number next to the horse’s name denotes their program number.) 1. WAR OF WILL Trainer: Mark Casse Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione Record: 8-3-1-1 Last 3: 9-1-1 Post: 1 Odds: 15-1 Subscribe to Sports Now newsletter By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Was No. 1 on some Derby lists before flopping in the Louisiana Derby, finishing ninth as the 4-5 favorite after stumbling badly when the ground broke out from under him a few strides out of the gate. Falls short on speed figures, and never faced the 3-year-old heavyweights. Post 1 is winless since 1986, and he won’t end that drought. 2. TAX Trainer: Danny Gargan Jockey: Junior Alvarado Record: 5-2-2-1 Last 3: 2-1-3 Post: 2 Odds: 20-1 Former maiden claimer always shows up and was a solid second to highly rated Tacitus in the Wood. Gelding has blossomed for Gargan with three strong figs in stakes. Pedigree says he should handle 1 1/4 miles, and his big price could inflate the trifecta and superfecta. Hasn’t beaten a standout, though, so I can’t see him winning. 3. BY MY STANDARDS Trainer: Bret Calhoun Jockey: Gabriel Saez Record: 5-2-2-1 Last 3: 1-1-3 Post: 3 Odds: 15-1 Came out of nowhere to upset Louisiana Derby at 22-1 after breaking his maiden in his fourth start. Speed figure was good, with final furlong a quick :12 2/5 after rally from midpack. Positives: Never been out of the money, and training brilliantly at Churchill. Negatives: Not on short lists of likely winners, and hasn’t faced any top 3-year-olds. Maybe third or fourth, but that looks like his ceiling. 4. GRAY MAGICIAN Trainer: Peter Miller Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke Record: 8-1-3-2 Last 3: 2-2-5 Post: 4 Odds: 50-1 Ran second in a very weak U.A.E. Derby, which earned him 40 Derby points. That’s too bad, because many of the horses who didn’t qualify are much better than this guy. His only win was at a mile in November at Del Mar, and his speed figures are poor. Don’t give him a second look. 5. IMPROBABLE Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Record: 5-3-2-0 Last 3: 2-2-1 Post: 5 Odds: 5-1 Serious buzz about him lessened after close seconds in the Rebel and Arkansas Derby. Stamina questions arose after he was caught late by Long Range Toddy and failed to overtake Omaha Beach. City Zip not known for siring distance types, although Improbable’s dam is by Belmont winner A.P. Indy. Pedigree expert Lauren Stich doesn’t like this underlay’s chances, and neither do I. 6. VEKOMA Trainer: George Weaver Jockey: Javier Castellano Record: 4-3-0-1 Last 3: 1-3-1 Post: 6 Odds: 15-1 Exploited a strong speed bias to cruise by 3 1/2 lengths in a so-so Blue Grass, whose winner hasn’t taken the Derby since 1991. Never has run a bad race, and can’t argue with anybody who likes him at 20-1. His company lines are unimpressive, and my gut feeling is he doesn’t class up with the top 3-year-olds. Won’t be betting on him. 7. MAXIMUM SECURITY Trainer: Jason Servis Jockey: Luis Saez Record: 4-4-0-0 Last 3: 1-1-1 Post: 7 Odds: 8-1 Speedy colt is 4-for-4 by 37 3/4 lengths, so how can you knock him? C’mon, this is the Derby, where nothing is ever taken at face value. Former maiden claimer stole the Florida Derby on an easy lead, and that won’t happen Saturday against all the other quality speed. I think he’ll run strongly to the top of the stretch and fade, but I can’t fault you if you think he’ll keep going. Siding against him. 8. TACITUS Trainer: Bill Mott Jockey: Jose Ortiz Record: 4-3-0-0 Last 3: 1-1-1 Post: 8 Odds: 8-1 Hall of Famer Mott is 0-for-8 and never in the money in the Derby, but this colt represents his best chance ever. Imposing gray by top sire Tapit has a strong distance pedigree, and this midpack runner has strong late-pace figures. Seems very likely to handle 1 1/4 miles, and count on the brilliant Ortiz to deliver a smart ride. A serious contender, and I’ll be happy with 7-1 or 8-1. My pick to win. 9. PLUS QUE PARFAIT Trainer: Brendan Walsh Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. Record: 7-2-1-2 Last 3: 1-13-5 Post: 9 Odds: 30-1 Struck it rich in Dubai by winning the $2.5 million U.A.E. Derby after running 13th and 5th in minor preps in New Orleans. Dubai field was very weak (runner-up Gray Magician is 1-for-8). Plus Que Parfait was second in a stakes at Churchill last fall, so at least you know he likes the track. That won’t be nearly enough. Throw him out. 10. CUTTING HUMOR Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Mike Smith Record: 6-2-2-1 Last 3: 1-7-2 Post: 10 Odds: 30-1 His career highlight was winning the Sunland Derby on the New Mexico/Texas border. John Velazquez, Pletcher’s main guy since the Nineties, jumps off to stick with Code of Honor, which isn’t much of a recommendation for this colt. Ruling out Pletcher at a huge price is risky, but I don’t think he’ll bring him his third Derby trophy. 13. CODE OF HONOR Trainer: Shug McGaughey Jockey: John Velazquez Record: 5-2-1-1 Last 3: 3-1-4 Post: 12 Odds: 12-1 Trouble-prone colt had no chance behind slow fractions in Florida Derby, where he closed OK after rough start. Weak speed figures, and if his connections weren’t Hall of Famers Shug and Johnny V., he’d be an even bigger price. Had a perfect set-up rallying off hot pace in Fountain of Youth, his best race. Seems better suited to shorter distances than to 1 1/4 miles. 14. WIN WIN WIN Trainer: Michael Trombetta Jockey: Julian Pimentel Record: 6-3-2-1 Last three: 2-3-1 Post: 13 Odds: 12-1 Deep closer slipped into the field by passing tired horses in Tampa Bay Derby (third) and Blue Grass (second). His best race was a romp in an ungraded 7-furlong stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in January. If you’re spraying around with longshots in trifectas and supers, he might be worth using for third and fourth, but don’t waste your money on a win bet. 15. MASTER FENCER Trainer: Koichi Tsunoda Jockey: Julien Leparoux Record: 6-2-2-0 Last 3: 2-4-1 Post: 14 Odds: 50-1 He’ll be the first Derby runner bred in Japan, and it doesn’t sound as if his trainer is aiming high. “I hope he comes back from the race safely most of all,” Tsunoda said. “I feel lucky to be able to race my horse in Kentucky.” Japan’s passionate bettors will put many yen on him, and they won’t get any back. He deserves a participation trophy for making the 13,000-mile round trip. 16. GAME WINNER Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Joel Rosario Record: 6-4-2-0 Last 3: 2-2-1 Post: 15 Odds: 9-2 The 2-year-old champ and winter-book Derby favorite lost some luster after close seconds in the Rebel and Santa Anita Derby. Maybe they’ll set him up to peak on Saturday, or maybe he’s not the star many thought he was. Doubting a gritty Baffert horse is dangerous, but this colt’s grinding style rarely wins the Derby. I’ll use him in exactas, but I think he’s more likely to be second or third than first. 17. ROADSTER Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Florent Geroux Record: 4-3-0-1 Last 3: 1-1-3 Post: 16 Odds: 5-1 Surged late to win Santa Anita Derby with change-of-pace tactics. The word last summer was that he was Baffert’s best 2-year-old before throat surgery ended his season prematurely. Solid pedigree for 1 1/4 miles, and should be ready to peak in third race off layoff. He’s extremely dangerous, even if post 17 is 0-for-40 all-time. Would be no surprise if he gave Baffert a record-tying sixth Derby. 18. LONG RANGE TODDY Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Jon Court Record: 8-4-1-1 Last 3: 6-1-3 Post: 17 Odds: 30-1 Few had heard of him until he jumped up and upset Bob Baffert’s highly touted (and probably overrated) Improbable in a division of the Rebel. A distant sixth in the Arkansas Derby, failing to cope with post 11 and a sloppy track.<doc-sep>Bob Baffert, the Hall of Fame trainer of Triple Crown winners American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018, has three horses in the Kentucky Derby. The most promising is Game Winner, winner of the Breeder's Cup Juvenile in 2018 and runner up in the Santa Anita Derby this past April. His other two horses, Roadster (the winner of the Santa Anita Derby) and Improbable (a son of City Zip, who is looking for his first win as a 3-year-old) are among the top betting choices.<doc-sep>Bob Baffert, the Hall of Fame trainer of Triple Crown winners American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018, has three horses in the Kentucky Derby. The most promising is Game Winner, winner of the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile in 2018 and runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby this past April. His other two horses, Roadster (the winner of the Santa Anita Derby) and Improbable (a son of City Zip who is looking for his first win as a 3-year-old) are among the top betting choices.<doc-sep>

NOTE: These picks were made prior to the news that Omaha Beach has been scratched from the Kentucky Derby. The 2019 Kentucky Derby is just days away, and while Omaha Beach may be your morning-line favorite, several horse racing experts and other notable figures in Louisville don't believe he's the only horse worth watching Meet the field:Check out the Kentucky Derby 2019 post position draw, jockeys, odds Big news:Omaha Beach out of the 2019 Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby longshots:5 underdog horses who could win you big money Ed DeRosa, TwinSpires.com Winner: By My Standards Long shot I like: Tax Comment: I thought By My Standards looked great in the Louisiana Derby, Gabriel Saez knows where to put this horse. At 20-1 he's my pick. Jason Frakes, Courier Journal Winner: Roadster. On the board: Omaha Beach, Improbable. Long shot I like: Tax. Comment: I'm a sucker for a story, and Roadster's is one of the best - from 2-year-old phenom to throat surgery to qualifying for the Derby in his last chance. Justify took care of the "Curse of Apollo" last year. Now it's Roadster's turn to take care of the "Curse of Post Position 17." Gentry Estes, Courier Journal Winner: Roadster On the board: Game Winner, Tacitus, Win Win Win Comment: No horse has ever won in the 17th spot in the Kentucky Derby, but a lot of people said last year Justify couldn't win it after not racing as a 2-year-old, so I think we're going to buck another trend here. Gary Graves, Associated Press Winner: Omaha Beach Long shot I like: Plus Que Parfait Comment: Omaha Beach is a good horse that has shown it can get out in front face and run well on many different services. Top 10:The definitive (and totally arbitrary) list of best Kentucky Derby horse names Kent Spencer, WHAS 11 Winner: Omaha Beach On the board: Tacitus, By My Standards Comment: I know Omaha Beach is the favorite, but let's be honest, the favorite has won six straight. I look for Omaha Beach to make it seven. Kent Taylor, WAVE Horses I like: Omaha Beach, Improbable, Code of Honor and Win Win Win Bet on Baffert?Bob Baffert is a great trainer, but betting on his horses is a risk' Fred Cowgill, WLKY Winner: Improbable On The Board: Roadster Long shot: By My Standards Comment: Improbable faced huge adversities in the Arkansas Derby. Labored in the gate before the start, likely should’ve been scratched. Did not like blinkers. Raced four wide on a wet track that favored inside speed, still finished a gutty second to possible Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach, who had it all his own way. Oaks draw:Check out the Kentucky Oaks 2019 post position draw, jockeys, odds Bill Doolittle, Insider Louisville and Louisville Magazine Horses I like: Code of Honor, Omaha Beach, Tacitus Comment: Code of Honor has trained very well in Kentucky and stands a nice-odds chance to catch – and maybe pass – Omaha Beach in the final quarter mile of the 145th Run for the Roses. Or maybe not. Tacitus is a cool-looking gray in the morning light. Kentucky Derby tickets:You can still buy Kentucky Derby tickets. But it'll cost you Greg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville Winner: Improbable Long shot I like: Cutting Humor Comment: I like Improbable – great post position draw and has been improving every week. Draw analysis:Breaking down winners and losers of the 2019 Kentucky Derby draw Vince Tyra, University of Louisville Athletic Director Winner: Game Winner On the board: Improbable, Tacitus. Comment: Emotionally, I'm for Improbable with the local connection to Starlight Racing... but for what I do, Game Winner is my pick for Saturday. More picks:Free Brisnet past performances for 2019 Kentucky Derby contenders Jonathan Lintner, horseracingnation.com Winner: Game Winner On the board: Tacitus, Omaha Beach Long shot I like: Spinoff Comment: I expect a hotter pace than most, and that should set up for Game Winner, who is a gift as the second choice in this race as he cycles back into top form. Naturally, Omaha Beach deserves higher consideration over a sloppy track. Tim Sullivan, Courier Journal Winner: Game Winner Long shot I like: Maximum Security Paul Rolfes, Journalist Horses I like: Tacitus — The unexpected scratch of favorite Omaha Beach has handicappers scrambling. Of all the Derby contenders working out this week, this colt who is unbeaten as a 3-year-old has been training great.

Social media lit up with news that the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings confirmed they would meet at KeyArena for a pre-season game in October . Chris Daniels from KING 5 News shared more about the announcement. He also provided an update about the Seattle Arena situation, saying the vote on the final Arena lease and development agreements in still on track for September 17th, and explained what this means for Seattle's NHL team, which is awaiting final approval from the league.<doc-sep>For the first time since the 2007-2008 season, the NBA will host a game in the city of Seattle. The league announced its preseason schedule Monday, and on October 5, the Golden State Warriors will take on the Sacramento Kings at Seattle’s KeyArena, becoming the first NBA teams to play there since the Seattle Sonics became the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2008 offseason. The game will constitute a homecoming of sorts for Warriors forward Kevin Durant, who played his rookie season in Seattle. Back in February, when the idea to play a preseason game in Seattle first surfaced, Durant voiced his support. “That would be amazing, hopefully that goes through,” Durant told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I mean, the fans of Seattle definitely deserve basketball and that would be amazing. So, I’m looking forward to that.” Kevin Durant will return to Seattle a decade after he debuted there. (AP Images) Seattle is considered a frontrunner to land the NBA’s next available franchise. KeyArena to undergo NBA- and NHL-friendly renovations in late 2018 In December 2017, the Seattle City Council approved a proposal for a $600 million renovation project on KeyArena (which is now up to $700 million), to better optimize it to host a new NHL or NBA team. The project is scheduled to take two years. The plans entail turning the arena in a “top third” revenue-producer for the NHL and NBA both, according to the Seattle Times. “The brilliance of this building and what they’ve designed is that … if you’re the NBA, and you want to move to Seattle at some point or another in the future, you do not have to spend a billion dollars on a new arena,’’ said Tim Leiweke, CEO of Oak View Group, one of the project’s funders. “You walk into an arena and maximize your revenue streams as if you were moving into your own arena, without spending a billion dollars.’’ Leiweke has also repeatedly said that he’s not trying to but the cart before the horse in terms of the NBA’s decision to expand to Seattle, but rather, just wants to be ready should the time come. The renovation plans would expand spectator capacity to 17,400 for NHL and 18,600 for NBA games. More from Yahoo Sports: • NFL HOF reportedly considering requiring inductees to show up • Dak Prescott on ‘Get Out’ mural: ‘Everybody has their own opinion’ • Terez Paylor: Tyrod good for Cleveland? Just ask the defense • Dan Wetzel: How Jim Tressel scandal sheds insight on Urban Meyer situation<doc-sep>Seattle hoops fans still show up to support the NBA, even though the beloved SuperSonics have been gone for more than a decade now. On Tuesday morning, tickets for the preseason game between the reigning champion Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings at KeyArena on Friday, October 5th went on sale. Within the first hour, fans of the green and gold had purchased 12,000 tickets. The hunger for world class professional men’s basketball is still alive in the Emerald City. From the Warriors: "The Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings preseason game scheduled for October 5 at KeyArena sold over 12,000 tickets in the first hour this morning. There are still tickets still remaining, but don't wait. Go get your tickets now!" — Kevin Shockey (@KevinShockey) August 7, 2018 Tickets went on sale at 10 am Pacific Time for the first NBA game of any kind in Seattle since April 2008. As of this afternoon, a smattering of single seats were still available in the lower bowl. KeyArena’s official capacity for basketball is 17,072. It’s likely the game will be a sellout by the end of the day. Update from @Warriors—— The #October 5th NBA EXHIBITION game at #Seattle’s #KeyArena between GSW and Sacramento is now “close to being sold out”. It is scheduled to be the last public event at the Key before demolition. Tickets went on sale this morning.#NBA #NHL @KDTrey5 — Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) August 7, 2018 Since the Seattle club, which had played in front of this Northwest crowd for 41 seasons, left for the plains of Oklahoma, Sonics fans have had a bitter and often cold relationship with the NBA. The desire to see the club return, though, has long burned fierce. In 2013, in preparation for a new arena and the potential to buy and relocate the Sacramento Kings, over 44,000 fans pledged to purchase season tickets and multi-game packages in an effort to demonstrate the passionate fervor for basketball that still existed in the city. “[This game is] just a great opportunity for the NBA and Seattle to get to know each other again.” - Brian Robinson On the verge of a new arena deal that would see the interior of KeyArena completely demolished and replaced with a building with a larger footprint and nearly twice as much space, the city and developer have been courting a potential NHL franchise. The league authorized a season ticket drive to gauge hockey fan interest, and in March the sports world was stunned when 25,000 deposits were placed within the first hour. The day ended with 33,000 deposits and 4,000 on a waiting list. This was noticed not only by the NHL but by the NBA as well. A dearth of professional winter season sports in Seattle is calling out to be capitalized upon. Today’s sales continue to underscore that point. Speaking with KOMO News in line at the KeyArena box office, Sonics Rising’s Brian Robinson called the game “a great opportunity for the NBA and Seattle to get to know each other again.” He further offered, “I think people have a lot of emotions around the NBA’s departure, and I think we’re going to go in, and we’re going to heal, and get excited and get ready for the next chapter in bringing the Sonics back.” Though the Kings will coincidentally represent the “home” team in the preseason match, the Warriors front office was quick to set the event in motion. Golden State president Rick Welts is a Seattle native and one time ballboy for the Sonics. He had looked at opportunities for the Dubs to play in the preseason in Seattle in the past, but nothing had come together until now. It’s only fitting that Kevin Durant, the last superstar drafted by the Sonics to take the court for them, will return to play in front of this rabid crowd. The city is expected to approve the project for the arena renovation at Seattle Center next month, a significant milestone in a saga that dates back nearly 20 years, prior to former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s purchase of the Sonics. Schultz would eventually sell the team to the Oklahoma City interests because of an inability to get a new arena done. The Warriors-Kings game will be the last event held at KeyArena, an apt closing of one chapter and start of another.<doc-sep>

When the news surfaced that the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings were going to play an NBA preseason game in Seattle, it seemed a bit like a cruel joke. NBA’s Warriors, Kings set preseason game at Seattle’s KeyArena So the league that yanked a 41-year-old franchise with a championship to its name out of Seattle wants to stage an exhibition game in the last scheduled event in the very building that was deemed unfit to house an NBA team 10 years prior? And the game would include Kevin Durant, the star of the final Sonics team, going up against the franchise that nearly became the new Sonics before the NBA put its foot down to prevent Sacramento from having its team ripped away like Seattle already had? The Friday, Oct. 5 game at KeyArena isn’t a prank on Seattle’s basketball fans, however. On the Warriors’ end, scheduling the game was more about a Seattle native, Golden State president and CEO Rick Welts, trying to bring the league back to where he first fell in love with the game. “He was kind of on a mission to get some kind of basketball back to Seattle,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers told Danny, Dave and Moore on Monday. “He was a ballboy (for the Sonics), he was reared in the NBA in Seattle and has great roots there, so he was kind of the impetus on our side. (We) didn’t need much convincing. … There was no need to push – it was pretty easy to say, ‘If we can get it done, let’s go.’ “We’re excited – everyone’s excited and hopefully it will give the fans up there some taste of the NBA.” Myers, who has ties to Seattle himself from his days working as an agent in the league and through a brother that attended UW, said the preseason game isn’t so much about taking the temperature on whether the NBA would be successful if it returned to the city. That much is already clear to him. “There’s hurdles to get over (in bringing an expansion team to Seattle), but I don’t think Seattle needs to sell itself on how great of a city it is – in any aspect, whether it’s the economy, the people, the appetite for sports,” he said. “… When the conversation (of NBA expansion) comes up, you have to think it has to be at the top or near the top of the list of cities in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.” You can hear the full interview with Myers, who also talked about Warriors guard and former WSU Cougars star Klay Thompson, in this podcast from Monday’s show. Tickets for the Warriors-Kings game at KeyArena went on sale Tuesday.

For those that weren’t already confused by Warner Bros. and DC’s superhero movie strategy, the studio is turning things up a notch. It’s moving forward with a standalone film based around the Joker, which will star Joaquin Phoenix as the iconic villain. The as-of-yet untitled film will be directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover, War Dogs), and will reportedly start shooting this September. “But wait,” you may be asking yourself, “wasn’t there recently news that Jared Leto was getting his own Joker movie?” Yes, in fact, there was! But you see, this is a different Joker movie, one that will reportedly be released under a different DC label than the studio’s flagship superhero movies like Justice League and Wonder Woman. Part of the idea here is for filmmakers to be able to experiment with DC’s characters: the budget for Phillips and Phoenix’s Joker film is said to be around $55 million, far below the hundreds of millions other superhero movies have to work with, with a quick turnaround planned that could put it in theaters as early as next year. An “exploration of a man disregarded by society,” the film is described as “not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.” Fun! Don’t get me wrong — doing fresh and inventive things with characters like this is certainly interesting, and given how uneven the Warner Bros. and DC films have been thus far, some sort of rethink is welcome. Unfortunately, this new film doesn’t sound like a full-fledged pivot as much as it does the beginning of a series of add-ons. Aquaman and Wonder Woman 2 are both arriving over the next 18 months, and the studio seems to ping-pong on whether Matt Reeves’ upcoming Batman film will, or won’t, be part of the broader DC cinematic continuity. All of which points to a situation that could just be downright confusing for moviegoers. Will we see multiple Jokers just years apart? Will audiences be more open to that than they were to seeing a young Han Solo just a few years after watching old Han Solo? When the broader franchise architecture seems this scattershot, do these questions even matter? It looks like audiences may be able to find out the answers for themselves starting next year.<doc-sep>Warner Bros. has given the go ahead on Todd Phillips’ “Joker” origin film with Joaquin Phoenix closing his deal to star. Variety first reported that Phoenix was in talks to play the Clown Prince of Crime. As soon as his deal was finalized, the studio gave the greenlight to a September start date with a budget in the moderate $55 million dollar range. Phillips (“The Hangover” franchise) is on board to co-write and direct. Jared Leto most recently played the Joker in “Suicide Squad.” According to insiders, the Oscar-winner will not only will be back for the “Suicide Squad” sequel, Warner Bros. is also developing his own standalone movie that will be separate from Phoenix’s Joker project. Scott Silver will join Phillips as a co-writer on the film, which will delve into what it took for the Joker to become a mastermind criminal. Sources say the story will take place in the ’80s and have more of the look of a gritty crime drama than comic-book movie. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the greenlight.<doc-sep>Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Joaquin Phoenix will be playing the Clown Prince of Crime in Todd Phillips' Joker Origin Movie and now, there are reports floating around that the story will have a pretty big Batman connection. The new rumors seem to go with the recent rumblings that the new Joker movie could have a connection to Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman film, but that has not been confirmed at this time. As with all rumors, we'll have to take this one with a beatarang to the throat for the time being. With San Diego Comic-Con on the way, some news about Joaquin Phoenix's Joker Origin movie is expected to be announced at the convention since DC practically has Hall H to themselves this year. There have been rumors for the last several weeks that point to Robert De Niro taking on a role in the origin tale, though he is reportedly not set to play the character with the big Batman connection. The new rumor suggests that Thomas Wayne will play a pretty large part in the Joker Origin story. The report reads. "As for De Niro's role, I don't think he's playing some canon type character. I don't think he's playing like a local TV host or something like that, who's maybe broadcasting about the Joker. I'm not entirely sure. I do know that one character who's going to have a big role in this is Thomas Wayne." While it isn't clear who will be playing Thomas Wayne, it more than likely will not be Robert De Niro, according to the new report. If Bruce Wayne's father is going to be in the Joker Origin movie, how will he be utilized, especially if the part is supposed to be pretty big? It is entirely possible that the movie will also serve as an origin story for Batman as well, but with an obvious focus on the Joker. If this rumor about Thomas Wayne in the Joker Origin movie is true, this could be the tie-in to Matt Reeves' The Batman as well. A few weeks ago it was rumored that the two DC projects could be related, but it wasn't exactly explained. The main argument was that DC Films and Warner Bros. are looking for a new actor to take on the role of Bruce Wayne, so it would make sense to have him and the Clown Prince of Crime in the same world to possibly meet up later on down the line. While this Joker Origin movie news is exciting, there are many DC fans who believe that it's time to start focusing on other characters in the DC universe. There are a lot more heroes than just Batman and Superman, so why not give more of them a shot? However, those attitudes could change after the release of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker Origin movie and The Batman. You can learn more about the possibility of Thomas Wayne having a large part in the Joker Origin movie at the Collider YouTube channel.<doc-sep>

DC's spin-off movie focusing on the early life of the Joker had been rumored for some time, but this week it was finally confirmed that it was happening and that Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Walk the Line) will take on the lead role. Now Phoenix has spoke about his decision to play the Clown Prince of Crime. In an interview with Collider, Phoenix spoke about his process in choosing a role, and how he was impressed by director Todd Philips. "I take a lot of time and consideration when making decisions and what I'm gonna work on, always," he said. "So, in some ways, the process, which is obviously reading a script and meeting a filmmaker and then continuing to have meetings and discussions with Todd." "I think he's very impressive and he seems to have a very interesting understanding of this world and what he's trying to say," Phoenix continued. "And so there is something very appealing about that and working with him on this particular project. It feels unique, it is its own world in some ways, and maybe, mostly, it scares the f***ing s**t out of me or something. It might as well be the thing that scares you the most." Phoenix went on to suggest that the Joker origin movie wouldn't be a standard mainstream superhero adventure. "I wouldn't quite classify this as like any genre," he said. "I wouldn't say it's a superhero movie, or a studio movie. It feels unique, and I think more than anything, and probably the most important thing, is Todd seems very passionate about it and very giving, and so that's exciting. "I think, underneath the excitement of these films, and the size of them, there are these incredible characters that are dealing with real-life struggles. And sometimes that is uncovered and exposed, and sometimes it isn't, and so I always felt, like, there were characters in comics that were really interesting and deserve the opportunity to be kind of studied. And so I think that's what Todd sees appealing about this idea." Philips is best known for the Hangover movies, and he has also co-written the script for the Joker film. This week it was reported that it will have a budget of around $55 million, which is well below what other DC movies have cost to produce. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film is "meant to be darker and more experimental in tone and content (at least as experimental as a studio can be with established brands such as DC), which is described as being akin to a crime drama." The new Joker movie does not currently have a release date and is separate from the other one starring Jared Leto. Phoenix's movie will reportedly have no impact on Leto's portrayal of the Joker in future movies--including Suicide Squad 2 and his standalone film.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has been out for a few weeks now, and Treyarch has just released the game’s biggest patch yet. While the company has been consistently updating the game and fixing minor issues, this patch, out today, Oct. 30, aims to fix some of the larger balancing issues in the game, such as weapons that are too strong or operators that are getting played a little too often. Most importantly, this patch looks to fix some of the spawn issues that players have been running into since the game’s launch. This patch also addresses the game’s Blackout and Zombies modes, but the main focus of the changes is on the multiplayer-side of things. It’s also worth noting that this patch only applies to the console versions of the game for now. A specific PC patch will be released shortly after with specific changes for that platform. For a full look at all the changes coming to Black Ops 4, you can check out Treyarch’s official patch notes. Gun Game has arrived One of the most popular modes in the Black Ops series — and online shooters in general — Gun Game has made it’s way to Black Ops 4. The mode gives every player a specific set of weapons, and every time you get a kill, your weapon changes. In most modes, the player to work through all the weapons first wins. But in the upcoming Chaos Domination version of the mode, players will still be tasked with earning 150 points by capturing zones, all while their weapons swap. This should make for not only an unpredictable mode, but also a great addition to Black Ops 4’s set of multiplayer modes, at least until it goes away on Nov. 6. Spawns should be improving One of the most frequent complaints about Black Ops 4’s multiplayer online is about the spawn system. Players are tired of situations where they spawn in directly in front of enemies, or even occasionally in the same spot as an enemy. Thankfully, Treyarch has heard fans’ frustrations and is working on a solution. With this patch, the developers are taking a look at spawns across all maps and specifically changes the way players spawn on Slums, Summit, Firing Range, Frequency, Arsenal and Icebreaker — some of the biggest offenders. While this should help things out, Treyarch is careful to mention that this is an ongoing solution and that this isn’t the only fix we’ll see in the near future. Weapon balance is getting a lot of changes Just about every gun in every category is getting a change or two in this patch, but let’s try to sum things up. Assault Rifles, overall, are getting a little less powerful when used for running and gunning, a role that Treyarch wants SMGs to be the clear favorite for. Speaking of which, SMGs are getting some tweaks to make sure that no one gun in the category presents itself as the obvious favorite over the others. Sniper Rifles got some damage buffs to help them better compete with the Paladin, the weapon class’ best gun. Tactical Rifles got buffs to help make them usable, while LMGs got a couple of nerfs because they were a little too usable. Finally, Shotguns were changed the least, but you should get one-shot killed by the MOG 12 slightly less often, as it had its range shortened. Operators are getting some balance changes There are a lot of changes here, in fact, with seven operators in total getting tweaked. Ultimately, these are almost all nerfs. Rather than trying to buff every operator to help out some of the least-played characters, Treyarch has opted to simply nerf the top performers. That means things like Recon getting a Sensor Dart that doesn’t last as long and 10 percent less damage for Nomad’s dog. Stim shot is slowing down a little In a change that’s likely to affect almost everyone, Stim shot, the piece of gear that allows you to shoot from the hip while healing yourself, is going to take a little longer to actually do the healing. This will make players a little more exposed and help some of the other gear options become a little more viable.<doc-sep>The new Black Ops 4 update 1.04 is out now When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks UPDATE: Today's Black Ops 4 1.04 update comes with a huge list of changes, which can now be found in the official patch notes posted at the bottom of this article: ORIGINAL: Treyarch has not formally announced its release yet, however, a new Black Ops 4 update is out now on PS4 and Xbox One. The new Call of Duty build went live within the last hour and looks to be a large file size on consoles. According to fans online, the new Call of Duty update is as big as the last one, weighing in at 11GB on PS4, and 12GB on Xbox One. Full patch notes have yet to be released for the new Black Ops 4 update, although, they are expected to be shared later today. Treyarch has confirmed previously that they would be making changes to weapons, as well as adding new bug fixes. One notable tweak is the return of the Gun Game, which should be available to everyone after they have downloaded the new Black Ops 4 update. Call of Duty Black Ops 4 1.04 will be going live in all regions and will be required to continue playing online.<doc-sep>Treyarch has released another update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. This one balances Zombies mode and launches the Black Market across all platforms. At Black Ops 4's launch, Zombies was slightly unfair for anyone tackling the mode solo or in a team of two. This new update primarily makes the game mode a little bit easier for players who don't have a full team of four, but it also adjusts Elixirs that were either overpowered or underpowered. According to the update's patch notes, solo players and two-person teams will now earn experience more quickly, and last zombie bleed-out time will be twice as long. Hellhounds also won't spawn as often in Blood of the Dead and Classified during mixed rounds, and players will be able to use four unique Elixirs per round from now on. The update also makes the Black Market live across all platforms, so every Black Ops 4 player can now start earning the items offered in Operation: First Strike. The Black Market contains items specifically for multiplayer and Blackout, including signature weapons, gestures, outfits, calling cards, tags, stickers, and new characters. Starting October 27, a limited-time Halloween event will go live that offers cosmetic items with a "spooky seasonal" theme. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 October 26 Update Patch Notes General Black Market Black Market and Operation: First Strike now live on all platforms. Resolved a delay in displaying Black Market reward images in the After Action Report. Miscellaneous General stability fixes and improvements across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Blackout. Zombies Gameplay Doubled the bleed-out timer on the last zombie per round from 5 to 10 minutes. Increased the XP earn rate in solo and 2-player matches. Reduced frequency of Hellhounds that spawn on mixed rounds in Blood of the Dead and Classified. Elixirs Increased maximum unique Elixir usage per round from 3 to 4. Decreased cooldown time on Common, Rare, Legendary, and Epic Elixirs. Decreased effective time on Aftertaste Elixir. Reduced effectiveness of Head Scan Elixir. Increased cooldown time on Classic Elixirs to balance increased last zombie bleed-out time. Adjusted cooldown for all Elixirs in Rush Mode. Corrected the Elixir cooldown reduction effect granted by the Time Slip Perk. Challenges Resolved an issue preventing players from completing the “Coming Through” Challenge. Resolved an issue where the “Up Close” and “Death Slider” Prestigious Challenges would reward the same Calling Card. Miscellaneous Resolved a crash that occurred when triggering Brain Rot on underwater Zombies. Multiplayer Miscellaneous Resolved an issue where joining a match after a round switch would record a Loss if your team lost the match. Create-a-Class<doc-sep>

The latest patch for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode is here, and there isn’t anything too groundbreaking about it. But the mode is getting a few important bug fixes and quality-of-life updates. Perhaps the biggest change is coming to the mode’s armor, which is going to let a little bit more damage pass through now. While complaints about the mode have been limited, players with armor that’s a little bit too strong has come up a few times from the community. The way Blackout’s audio works will also be changed. The system has been reworked to give players a better idea of which direction the footsteps they’re hearing are coming from, something that’s critical to staying alive in any battle royale game. This patch was all part of Treyarch’s Oct. 30 update to Black Ops 4, which included a ton of other — non-Blackout — changes to the game. These changes are only for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at the moment, with a PC-specific patch on the way in the near future. Playlists 100-Player Solos added to Featured playlist. Maximum player count set to 88 for Duos and Quads. Audio Tweaked settings to ensure friendly teammates’ footsteps are now quieter than enemy footsteps. Adjusted footsteps for all Armor types in first-person and third-person to give better directionality and distance information. Resolved an issue that occasionally caused footsteps to be silent. Resolved issues that caused footsteps to become muffled when they shouldn’t be. Armor Armor now allows more damage to pass through to areas of the body that have damage multipliers, such as the head or upper chest. For example, headshots now do more damage against Level 3 Armor. Character Missions Unlocked remaining Specialist Character Missions (Battery, Firebreak, Nomad, Prophet, Ruin, Seraph) “Item Found” Notifications To tag an item for your teammate, approach the Item and select the bottom center command on your Command Wheel. This will display the Item in text on your team’s HUD and highlight the item in the world for your team. Increased the brightness of Items when a teammate tags them as “Item Found” via the Command Wheel. Increased duration that Items tagged using “Item Found” are displayed in the world to your team. Calling Card Challenges Resolved an issue where completing Dark Ops Challenges would not unlock their associated Calling Card. Resolved an issue where certain Challenges rewarded the same Calling Card. UI Resolved an issue where the Altimeter could disappear during Infiltration. Resolved an issue where incorrect Inventory items could be shown while spectating another player. Miscellaneous

Brett Kavanaugh's high school yearbook has pages dedicated to each graduating high school senior. Kavanaugh's page includes references to the "Keg City Club" and "100 kegs or bust." WASHINGTON -- Amid accusations of sexual assault against a woman while in high school, the high school yearbook of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has prompted more questions about his character. Kavanaugh graduated from Bethesda’s Georgetown Prep high school in 1983. Washington, D.C.-area attorney Seth Berenzweig received the yearbook from a woman who did not want her name revealed. Berenzweig says she brought it forward after seeing Judge Kavanaugh’s repeated denial of engaging in inappropriate behavior with a then 15-year-old girl at a high school party. “The question of integrity and character and fitness,” said Berenzweig. “There’s information here that appears to potentially be inconsistent with what the judge said earlier this morning.” The yearbook has pages dedicated to each graduating high school senior. Kavanaugh’s page includes references to the "Keg City Club" and "100 kegs or bust." “[He's] someone who apparently may have had a reputation for some heavy drinking,” said Berenzweig. Kavanaugh’s page also includes a reference to the ‘Devil’s Triangle’, one possible interpretation of which is slang for a sexual situation involving two men and a woman. The allegations against Kavanaugh are that he attempted to sexually assault a woman at a high school party during his junior year. Published reports and the alleged victim’s recollection is that another Georgetown Prep student, and friend of Kavanaugh’s, named Mark Judge was also present in the room during the alleged assault. Judge’s yearbook page includes this quote, “Certain women should be struck regularly, like gongs.” His page also references “100 kegs or bust” and “Alcoholics Unanimous [Founder].” “It raises questions and I think the purpose of the disclosure of this is not to attack Judge Kavanaugh, not to attack his credibility. But just to make sure the American people and the Senate Judiciary Committee have all the information available when considering this lifetime appointment,” said Berenzweig. PHOTOS: Brett Kavanaugh's high school yearbook 1/3 2/3 3/3 1 / 3 Just a day after The Washington Post published the account of Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges that Kavanaugh attempted to sexually assault her while they were both in high school, the Senate Judiciary Committee moved to postpone the confirmation vote for Kavanaugh. Following a four-day hearing earlier this month, Kavanaugh and his accuser will now publicly testify at a hearing on Monday. The federal appeals court judge was chosen by President Donald Trump to succeed retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. President Trump said Tuesday he would continue to back Kavanaugh, and he does not think an FBI investigation of allegations against him is necessary before the hearing. "We’re looking to get this done as soon as possible," Trump told reporters at the White House. "It’s a process, speaking for all of the Republicans, we want to give everybody a chance to say what they want to say." The public hearing has been compared to the testimony of Anita Hill, who accused Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment in 1991. It comes just weeks before the November midterm elections.<doc-sep>A 2015 clip of Brett Kavanaugh making a joke about the elite Maryland high school he attended has resurfaced at an inconvenient time for the Supreme Court nominee. Kavanaugh faces allegations of sexually assaulting a woman along with the help of a friend when they were all teenagers at a high school party. Kavanaugh and the friend, Mark Judge, attended Georgetown Prep. Kavanaugh and Judge are also accused of being involved in gang rapes at parties while they were in high school. In 2015, Kavanaugh joked that "what happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep." A 2015 clip of Judge Brett Kavanaugh making a joke about the elite Maryland high school he attended has resurfaced at an inconvenient time for the Supreme Court nominee. Kavanaugh currently faces allegations of sexually assaulting a woman when they were both teenagers with the help of one of his friends from school. The woman, Christine Blasey Ford, alleges Kavanaugh attempted to force himself onto her at a party in the early 1980s. Kavanaugh's friend, Mark Judge, is accused of being his accomplice in the alleged act. Additional allegations against Kavanaugh and Judge were brought to light on Wednesday. A woman named Julie Swetnick, who's represented by Attorney Michael Avenatti, alleges Kavanaugh and Judge were involved in the gang rape of girls at parties when they were in high school. Swetnick also claims both were at a party as teenagers where she was gang raped. Kavanaugh and Judge both attended Georgetown Prep, one of the top high schools for boys in the DC area, and graduated in 1983. Judge is the author of two memoirs, "Wasted" and "God and Man at Georgetown Prep." In both, he details the drinking and debauchery he took part in while at Prep. While delivering remarks at the Columbus School of Law in March 2015, Kavanaugh made a jocular reference to his alma mater: "We had a good saying that we’ve held firm to to this day as the dean was reminding me before the talk, which is what happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep. That’s been a good thing for all of us." Both Kavanaugh and Judge have both vehemently denied Ford and Swetnick's allegations, which could derail Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. Kavanaugh and Ford are set to testify on her allegation before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Judge last Tuesday issued a statement claiming he had no memory of the alleged assault involving Ford and said he did not wish to testify, rejecting calls from Senate Democrats for him to do so. Barbara Van Gelder, Judge's lawyer, on Wednesday doubled down on this in the wake of Swetnick's allegations and said Judge is not "publicly talking about these matters during the pendency of the confirmation process." Meanwhile, Judge has reportedly fled the Washington, DC, area as a result of the accusations he faces and is holed up in a beach house in Bethany Beach, Delaware.<doc-sep>CNN has obtained the 1982 calendar entries submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. It was first reported by USA Today. Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies during the second day of his US Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing to be an Associate Justice on the US Supreme Court, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, September 5, 2018. - President Donald Trump's newest Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is expected to face punishing questioning from Democrats this week over his endorsement of presidential immunity and his opposition to abortion. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 04: Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh is sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy on the court left by retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) US President Donald Trump surrounded by staff speaks from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, remarking on the United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement on October 1, 2018. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, is being accused of sexually and physically assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a party during his high school years. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the allegations, but his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, says there was one other person in the room when the alleged incident took place: Kavanaugh’s then-classmate, Mark Judge. The fate of Kavanaugh’s nomination is hanging in the balance as Republicans and Democrats debate allowing a full investigation to take place. Judge, a journalist and filmmaker, has also denied that the incident took place. “It’s just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way,” Judge told The Weekly Standard in an interview on Friday. CNN has been unable to reach Judge for comment despite repeated attempts. Now that Judge’s recollection of the alleged event could become a focal point for all those looking into the accusation, flags have been raised regarding his own past writings. Judge wrote the book “Wasted: Tales of a Gen X Drunk,” where he details his experiences of extensive drinking while attending Georgetown Preparatory School. Judge writes that he is “shocked” about what he got away with in high school – recalling beach parties that hundreds of people would attend. At another point he describes his high school as “positively swimming in alcohol.” Judge also references a “Bart O’Kavanaugh,” who he writes vomited in someone’s car. It has not been confirmed whether this is a reference to Kavanaugh. Separate from his book, Judge – in a 2013 piece for The Daily Caller – says of former President Barack Obama that he “doesn’t have just a streak of the feminine in him; he seems to be a woman, and a feminist one at that, with a streak of man in him.” In the same Daily Caller article, he compares Michelle Obama with Laura Bush, writing: “With her love of violent movies, her fixation on fitness and death glare that appears when she doesn’t like what she’s hearing, Michelle is actually more man than her husband. Oh for the days when president George W. Bush gave his wife Laura a loving but firm pat on the backside in public. The man knew who was boss.” In 2015, Judge writes in Splice Today about what he calls “damseling,” which he describes as “making a woman a passive damsel in distress who needs rescuing.” “Of course, a man must be able to read a woman’s signals, and it’s a good thing that feminism is teaching young men that no means no and yes means yes. But there’s also that ambiguous middle ground, where the woman seems interested and indicates, whether verbally or not, that the man needs to prove himself to her. And if that man is any kind of man, he’ll allow himself to feel the awesome power, the wonderful beauty, of uncontrollable male passion,” he wrote. Georgetown Preparatory School yearbook Attorney Seth Berenzweig, a Virginia-based lawyer who otherwise has no connection to Kavanaugh or the allegations, was given a copy of the high school’s 1983 yearbook by an individual who requested anonymity. The yearbook features captions such as “Do these guys beat their wives?” and “Prep parties raise question of legality.” In the yearbook, Judge’s page included the quote: “Certain women should be struck regularly, like gongs,” citing Sir Noel Coward. “The person who contacted me wanted to make sure that all information is available to the American people,” Berenzweig said. “It’s not meant as an indictment or an attack on Judge Kavanaugh or the person who is accusing him. The only interest is in making sure that the American people have all of the information, as well as the representatives on Capitol Hill, so that they can make a fully informed decision on such a critical lifetime appointment to the United States Supreme Court.” A public hearing on the allegations against Kavanaugh is set for next Monday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. CNN’s Jessica Schneider, Annie Grayer, Tammy Kupperman, Mary Kay Mallonee and Geneva Sands contributed to this report.<doc-sep>‘‘I thought he might inadvertently kill me,’’ Ford, a 51-year-old research psychologist in northern California, told the Post about Kavanaugh. ‘‘He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.’’ In a letter she sent to California Senator Dianne Feinstein, Ford detailed a night in the early 1980s when she was “corralled her into a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County.” When Christine Blasey Ford came forward with sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, she named a second man as well. Ford said she escaped Kavanaugh’s grip when his friend, Mark Judge, “jumped on top of them, sending all three tumbling.” Both Kavanaugh and Judge were “stumbling drunk,” Ford alleged. Advertisement Kavanaugh has denied Ford's allegations, as has Judge, who told the New York Times that Kavanaugh was a ‘‘brilliant student’’ who loved sports and was not ‘‘into anything crazy or illegal.’’ RELATED: Brett Kavanaugh, accuser will testify before Senate panel Judge, who was Kavanaugh’s friend and classmate at Georgetown Preparatory School in Maryland, is now a conservative writer. And in a 1997 book, titled “Wasted: Tales of a GenX Drunk,” he wrote about his teenage alcoholism and private school culture filled with debauchery. Renamed “Loyola Prep” in the book, Judge writes that “drinking was one of the major forms of recreation at Prep.” “Seniors would often go directly from class to a bar,” he wrote, noting that the drinking age was 18 at the time. Judge wrote that his “immersion into alcohol began at the end of [his] sophomore year, during beach week.” Beach week, which came at the end of the school year, was a “week-long bacchanalia of drinking and sex, or at least attempts at sex,” he wrote. Judge wrote that one of his classmates had his parents sign off on a beach house for the group and the only chaperone was an 18-year-old who bought the teenagers alcohol. The group was “flanked by girls” as teenagers from other Catholic high schools rented adjacent homes. Advertisement “The first thing we did was throw a party,” Judge wrote. At one point, a girl asks Judge whether he knew a “Bart O’Kavanaugh.” “Yeah. He’s around here somewhere,” Judge writes, adding that he “passed out on his way back from a party.” The same girl then tells Judge her father did not want her going to beach week because “[f]ifteen-year-old girls should not be alone at the beach.” When Judge returned to school as a junior, “drinking became a pleasure central to my life,” he wrote. Once, with his parents away for the weekend, he threw a big party at his house. So big that “[b]etween eleven and midnight a steady stream of kids poured through the front doors,” he wrote. “Cars lined up and down my street and beyond,” Judge wrote. “I recognized seniors from Prep, and sophomores, then saw faces I had never seen before.” Later in the book, one of Judge’s friends remarked that the school had added a graduation requirement, knowing students “go out and get tanked every weekend.” Material from the Washington Post was used in this report. Aimee Ortiz can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @aimee_ortiz.<doc-sep>

A former classmate of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has come under scrutiny after he was implicated in a sexual assault allegation against the judge. Christine Blasey Ford alleged that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in 1982 when both were in high school, alleging that his classmate and friend Mark Judge was in the room when the alleged attack occurred. Ford, now a 51-year-old research psychologist in Northern California, has accused Kavanaugh and Judge of locking her inside a bedroom at a house party, after which Kavanaugh allegedly pinned her down on a bed and tried to remove her one-piece bathing suit and the clothes she wore over it while Judge looked on. Both men have denied the accusation, with Judge telling The New York Times that he never witnessed such an attack and that such behavior would be out of character for Kavanaugh and his peers at Georgetown Preparatory School. Judge's own writings about his time at the boys' school have come under scrutiny, writings in which Judge, now a journalist and author, described spending his high school days "swimming in alcohol" and lusting "after girls" from nearby Catholic schools. While none of Judge's memoirs make any mention of the incident described by Ford, or any other alleged sexual assault, some have argued that they paint a picture of what Judge and Kavanaugh's teenage years were like, in addition to providing some insight into what the journalist's attitude toward women might be. Even Judge's high school yearbook has come under the microscope, with The Washington Post pointing out that his own yearbook page includes a quote from Noel Coward that appears to support violence against women. "Certain women should be struck regularly, like gongs," the quote reads. In two memoirs, Judge also reportedly described attending a "masturbation class," having "lusted after girls" and attending alcohol-fueled parties. In one memoir, titled Wasted and written in 1997, Judge mentions "Bart O' Kavanaugh" who gets drunk, passes out and throws up in a car. While it appears to be a reference to Brett Kavanaugh, Judge has not confirmed it as such. In his 2005 memoir, God and Man at Georgetown Prep, Judge wrote that the school was "positively swimming in alcohol," adding that his class "partied with gusto–often right under the noses of our teachers," according to CNN. In the same book, the journalist also wrote about forming the building blocks of his career by co-publishing an underground newspaper in his senior year, which focused on documenting his school's party scene. In one issue, a music teacher at the school was pictured at a bachelor party "chugging a beer, surrounded by a group of us with raised mugs, sitting down while being entertained by [a] stripper," The Post reported. Judge has said that his high school experiences sent him down a path toward alcoholism, which he said he recovered from once he rediscovered Catholicism. In writings in the years since he graduated from high school, Judge seemed preoccupied with issues surrounding femininity and sexuality. In one column written for The Daily Caller, Judge wrote that former President Barack Obama was the "first female president," asserting that the U.S. leader had more feminine traits than masculine. He also claimed that former first lady Michelle Obama was "more man than her husband" due to "her love of violent movies, her fixation on fitness and death glare that appears when she doesn't like what she's hearing." The journalist has also written about sexual assault, railing against men accused of the act. In a 2017 piece for the website Acculturated, Judge wrote about historic sexual assault allegations against conservative Senate candidate Roy Moore, writing: "There's never any excuse to rape" as he described the crime as being "almost akin to murder because the rapist kills a part of the human soul." And yet Judge went on to write: "And yet, what women wear and their body language also send signals about their sexuality." The journalist also wrote in 2015 for Splice Today about an "ambiguous middle ground" in which he said that rape could somehow be confused with shows of masculinity, arguing that "today's social justice warriors" simply "don't like a sexy damsel in distress. "Of course, a man must be able to read a woman's signals, and it's a good thing that feminism is teaching young men that no means no and yes means yes," Judge wrote.

The magical kingdom of director Guy Ritchie's "Aladdin" is being revealed. The live-action film dropped its first teaser trailer Thursday. It came a day after Will Smith, who plays Genie, showed off the film's poster featuring the magical gold lamp. The teaser set ups the menace Aladdin (Mena Massoud) faces finding the lamp, which grants wishes courtesy of Genie. A menacing voice refers to the street-wise character as "a diamond in the rough" before showing him about to take hold of the lamp. Smith has still not been revealed as Genie. The star teased that his magical character was stuck inside the gold lamp when he showed the poster on his Facebook page Wednesday. "LEMME OUT!! :-)," Smith wrote. "Can’t wait for y’all to see Me BLUE! More:'Aladdin' casts its live-action Princess Jasmine, Aladdin and Genie at last "Power Rangers" star Naomi Scott (she played the Pink Ranger in the 2017 film) has the coveted role of Princess Jasmine. Smith has big shoes to fill playing the part made famous by Robin Williams in 1992's animated classic "Aladdin." Last September, Smith posted a photo of himself with his cast members on the set. He promised he was "gettin my Genie on." The live-action version hits theaters May 24, 2019.<doc-sep>Disney has unveiled the first teaser trailer for Guy Ritchie’s live-action adaptation of the beloved 1992 animated film, which stars Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, and Will Smith as the Genie. Earlier this year at CinemaCon, Disney executive Cathleen Taff teased Smith’s take on the character that Robin Williams had memorably portrayed. “No one can replicate the iconic performance by Robin Williams, and we wouldn’t want them to,” she said. “Let’s just say, he’s a little Fresh Prince, a little Hitch, and a whole lot of attitude.” (So, is this a Hitch prequel/sequel?!)<doc-sep>Will Smith shares Aladdin poster revealing Genie’s lamp Will Smith, who will be playing the iconic Genie character in Disney’s upcoming live-action Aladdin film, has shared a new poster revealing Genie’s lamp and teasing that you should choose your wishes wisely. Smith shared the poster, which you can check out in the gallery below, on his Facebook, saying: “LEMME OUT! Can’t wait for y’all to see Me BLUE!” The Aladdin cast includes: Two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith (Ali, Men in Black) as the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s Jack Ryan) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (Homeland) as the Sultan, the ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (Homeland) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards. RELATED: Disney’s Live-Action Aladdin Has Wrapped Production Aladdin is directed by Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) from a screenplay by John August (Dark Shadows, Big Fish) based on the 1992 animated film Aladdin and stories from “One Thousand and One Nights.” The producer is Dan Lin (The LEGO Movie) with Golden Globe winner Marc Platt (La La Land), Jonathan Eirich (Death Note) and Kevin De La Noy (The Dark Knight Rises) serving as executive producers. Eight-time Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid) provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Oscar-winning lyricists Howard Ashman (Little Shop of Horrors) and Tim Rice (The Lion King) as well as two new songs written by Menken and Oscar and Tony Award-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen). Aladdin was nominated for five Academy Awards and won two, including Best Original Score and Best Original Song for “A Whole New World.” Based on the Middle-Eastern folktale Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, the 1992 animated film was co-directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, who had previously-directed The Little Mermaid and would go on to make other Disney classics, including Hercules, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog, and Moana. It famously featured Robin Williams as the film’s genie, along with Scott Weinger as Aladdin, Jonathan Freeman as Jafar, Linda Larkin as Princess Jasmine, Frank Welker as Aladdin’s monkey pal Abu, plus Douglas Seale as The Sultan, and Gilbert Gottfried as Iago. Aladdin will arrive in theaters on May 24, 2019.<doc-sep>

Will Smith just made some faithful Disney fans’ dream come true! On Wednesday, the "Suicide Squad" star posted the first poster for the remake of the musical "Aladdin," in which he’ll be playing the wise-cracking genie! The post features smoke trailing out of a thin, ornately decorated lamp set upon a rock from behind which light exudes. “Choose wisely,” the tagline reads, along with the month of the film’s 2019 release — May. Smith also hinted that his character is going to share some physical similarities with Robin Williams’ take on the wish-granting character in the 1992 film. “LEMME OUT!! Can’t wait for y’all to see Me BLUE!” he captioned the fun image. This teasing post from the 50-year-old actor isn’t the first regarding the forthcoming Disney project. Back in Sept. of 2017, he shared a photo on Facebook featuring some of his castmates on the production including Mena Massoud (playing Aladdin), Naomi Scott (playing Jasmine) and Marwan Kenzari (playing Jafar). Aladdin is just one of several live-action adaptations in the works from the House of Mouse, they are also hard at work on "Mulan" and "The Lion King." This exciting post comes just weeks after Smith posted a clip of himself bungee jumping out of a helicopter into the Grand Canyon to mark his 50th birthday, which his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, later admitted to ET that the stunt definitely tested her faith. “It was a really great moment for me, because it's one of those moments where your faith is truly tested,” she said at a Careers in Entertainment event, co-sponsored by the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation. “When I saw him fly outside the helicopter, that's when I got a little nervous because I didn't know that was happening, it wasn't actually the jump." "Aladdin" arrives on May 24, 2019.

Ed Zurga/Associated Press The second round of the 2018-19 NFL playoffs gets underway Saturday. While 24 of the league's teams are prepping for free agency and the NFL draft, eight are still alive in the race for Super Bowl LII. In the divisional round, we will get to see the four teams that were out of action and on bye over Wild Card Weekend. These teams—the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams—have notable advantages. Not only are they all playing at home, but they are all as well-rested as can be at this point in the year. However, the host teams in the divisional round also have a bit of rust to knock off. The teams who advanced past Wild Card Weekend—the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles—have been in playoff mode for the past month or so. In the case of Indianapolis, which is on a 10-1 run, it's been win-or-go-home for several months. All of this adds up to some strong competition and some intriguing storylines for the divisional round. We're going to dig into some of those storylines here. First, though, let's take a look at the full schedule and the latest odds and over/unders, according to OddsShark. Video Play Button Videos you might like Divisional-Round Schedule, Odds and Over/Unders Saturday, January 12 Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs When: 4:35 p.m. ET TV and Live Stream: NBC and NBC Sports App Line, Over/Under: KC -5.5, 57 Prediction: Colts 30, Chiefs 28 Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams When: 8:15 p.m ET TV and Live Stream: Fox and Fox Sports Live Line, Over/Under: LAR -7, 49.5 Prediction: Rams 28, Cowboys 24 Sunday, January 13 Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots When: 1:05 p.m. ET TV and Live Stream: CBS and CBS All Access Line, Over/Under: NE -4, 47.5 Prediction: Patriots 31, Chargers 28 Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints When: 4:40 p.m. ET TV and Live Stream: Fox and Fox Sports Live Line, Over/Under: NO -8, 51 Prediction: Saints 33, Eagles 24 Todd Gurley Still Dealing with Knee Injury Rick Scuteri/Associated Press If the Cowboys hope to pull off the upset over the Los Angeles Rams, one course of action would be to put the pressure on quarterback Jared Goff. This is what the Eagles and the Chicago Bears did in December, and both picked up wins. While C.J. Anderson has proved to be more than a serviceable runner while Todd Gurley has been dealing with his knee injury, he isn't the MVP-caliber player Gurley is. Luckily for Dallas, they may only have to deal with Anderson. If Gurley does play, he may not be at 100 percent. He does, however, plan to give it a go on Saturday. "I'm really just eager to get back on the field and then just see how it responds," Gurley said, per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk. "Then, hopefully we have some new questions next week and not about the knee." We'll see just how much of a factor Gurley can be Saturday night. Colts Picking up Steam? The Colts are the hottest team in the NFL, and not just because they blew out the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round. They have been rolling since starting the regular season 1-5, only losing once since then. The running game, which amassed 200 yards against Houston, has continually improved. As has the defense. While the talent on the field is doing its part, a lot of the credit has to go to head coach Frank Reich and his staff. Reich has brought the best out of quarterback Andrew Luck. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has done the same with his squad. Former Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy believes they are going to put a ton of pressure on Kansas City. Dungy said the following, per Matthew VanTryon of the Indianapolis Star: "It's going to be interesting to see who feels more pressure. All of those guys [on the Chiefs], what they‘re hearing is you haven't won a playoff game in so long, you haven't beaten the Colts in the playoffs. What's going to happen? In the last few games, their defense has given up leads. The Colts have the pressure of playing on the road and the Chiefs have the pressure of history." Don't be surprised if the Colts upset the Chiefs in Arrowhead. Mahomes Excited for Opportunity Luck has performed in the playoffs before. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has not. There will be a lot of pressure on the second-year quarterback, but Mahomes is not intimidated. "Every playoff game is big," Mahomes said, per Matt McMullen of the team's official website. "For me, this is my first playoff game. I'm excited just to be here and to get the opportunity to go out there and win games like this. When you're growing up, you want to go and play games like this." This isn't quite the biggest stage—Mahomes and the Chiefs will have to win two more games to get there—but it is big enough. It will also go a long way to showing just how good Mahomes can be. The Texas Tech product was brilliant in the regular season, passing for 50 touchdowns and more than 5,000 yards. However, playoff football is different, and Mahomes will be dueling with a quarterback in Luck who is also playing at an MVP-caliber level. One thing is for certain. Everyone involved on Saturday afternoon should be excited for the game.<doc-sep>Jamie Squire/Getty Images We've reached the divisional round of the 2018-19 NFL playoffs, with eight teams left standing in the quest to win Super Bowl Llll. After advancing out of the Wild Card Round as No. 6 seeds, the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles will look to pull off another upset against the top teams in their respective conferences. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams will all begin their postseason journey after first-round byes. Ahead is a quick breakdown of all four of this weekend's matchups, with a closer look at what a win for each of the eight remaining teams would mean for the playoff picture. Divisional-Round TV Schedule Saturday, January 12 Video Play Button Videos you might like AFC: Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:35 p.m. ET (NBC) NFC: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Ramis, 8:15 p.m. ET (Fox) Sunday, January 13 AFC: Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots, 1:05 p.m. ET (CBS) NFC: Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints, 4:40 p.m. ET (Fox) Odds and Bracket Scenarios No. 6 Colts at No. 1 Chiefs (-5.5) Ed Zurga/Associated Press If Indianapolis wins: The Colts went 9-1 to close out the regular season after an inauspicious 1-5 start then upended the No. 3 seed Texans 21-7 in the Wild Card Round. Andrew Luck is being protected by one of the best offensive lines in football, running back Marlon Mack rushed for a season-high 148 yards against a Texans defense that had not allowed a 100-yard rusher all season, and the defense has held the opposition under 20 points in three of its last four games. A trip to New England or Los Angeles awaits if they can pull off another upset. If Kansas City wins: As well as the Colts are playing, the Chiefs are still the favorites in this one. As usual, it will come down to whether the high-powered Kansas City offense can outscore its opponent. The Chiefs led the NFL in points (565) and total yards (6,810) on offense while ranking near the bottom of those categories on defense at 24th in points allowed (421) and 31st in yards (6,488). The Chiefs would play host to the winner of the Patriots and Chargers matchup. No. 4 Cowboys at No. 2 Rams (-7) Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images If Dallas wins: The Cowboys won seven of their last eight games to claim the NFC East title then squeaked out a 24-22 victory over the Seahawks in their wild-card game to advance. Getting Ezekiel Elliot and the running game going against Aaron Donald and the Rams front seven will be the key for the Cowboys, as they look to avoid putting too much on the shoulders of quarterback Dak Prescott. An Eagles win over the Saints would give the Cowboys home advantage in the NFC championship game if they progress. Otherwise, they would head to New Orleans. If Los Angeles wins: Frankly, it would be a major upset if the Rams don't advance to the NFC title game. The health of running back Todd Gurley will be one of the biggest storylines heading into the game. He was limited to 76 yards on 23 carries in Week 14 and 15 before sitting out the final two games of the regular season with a knee injury. If the Rams and Saints both win, it would set up a rematch of Week 9 in New Orleans when the Saints came away with a 45-35 victory. The Rams also lost to the Eagles at home in Week 15 by a score of 30-23, so there would be something to avenge there as well. No. 5 Chargers at No. 2 Patriots (-4) Maddie Meyer/Getty Images If Los Angeles wins: In 15 NFL seasons, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has reached the AFC title game just once—all the way back in 2007 when a then-undefeated Patriots team won 21-12. The AFC championship is not on the line this time around, but it's the same two teams doing battle. The Chargers beat the Ravens in Baltimore last weekend 23-17, moving Rivers one step closer to that elusive Super Bowl appearance amid one of the best seasons of his career. A Colts win in the other AFC matchup would give the Chargers a home game in the AFC championship. Otherwise, they would travel to Kansas City where they beat the Chiefs by a slim 29-28 margin in Week 15. If New England wins: Ho hum. The Patriots have appeared in each of the past seven AFC championship games, advancing to the Super Bowl four times and winning two titles during that span. This year's team went 11-5, which marked their worst record since 2009, though they were a perfect 8-0 at home. That should make them big fans of the Colts on Sunday, as an Indianapolis win would afford them another home game if they advance. Otherwise, they will be forced to take to the road, where they went just 3-5 during the regular season. No. 6 Eagles at No. 1 Saints (-8) Sean Gardner/Getty Images If Philadelphia wins: A victory would add to the already unlikely legacy of Nick Foles. The best backup quarterback in football marched the Eagles down the field in the fourth quarter against the vaunted Bears defense for the decisive score, and a Cody Parkey missed field goal punched Philadelphia's ticket to the divisional round. As the No. 6 seed, the Eagles' path to the Super Bowl will be all road games. They were 4-4 on the road during the regular season, moving above .500 on the year with their win last week. If New Orleans wins: The Saints have the biggest point spread of the week, and that's not surprising considering they already dismantled the Eagles once this season with a lopsided 48-7 victory in Week 10. Drew Brees lit up the Philadelphia secondary in that game with 363 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Mark Ingram added 103 yards rushing on 16 carries and two touchdowns of his own. The Saints have home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, though they went just 5-3 at home during the regular season. Odds courtesy of OddsShark and current as of Jan. 10.<doc-sep>One round of the 2018 NFL playoffs is in the books. Now we're previewing the divisional game slate with a rundown for each matchup from Dan Graziano, score predictions from our NFL Nation reporters and Football Power Index projections from ESPN Stats & Information. Plus: Key matchups to watch from Matt Bowen, what to know from a sports betting perspective by Rob Nelson of ESPN Stats & Information, officiating nuggets from Kevin Seifert and more. Jump to a matchup: IND-KC | DAL-LAR LAC-NE | PHI-NO SUNDAY'S GAMES Point spread: NE -4 | Matchup quality: 76.5 (of 100) The Patriots at home in January coming off a bye feels like easy money. Philip Rivers is 0-7 in his career against Tom Brady, and the Patriots are tried-and-true playoff blue bloods. But these Chargers are 9-0 this season when they've had to travel outside of Los Angeles. Flying to Baltimore last week, back home Sunday night and back to New England this week might bother some teams, but it's not likely to make much difference to Anthony Lynn's road warriors. Will Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley have an ingenious new game plan to combat Brady and the New England running game, as he did last week against the Ravens? And what aspect of the Chargers' diverse offense will Bill Belichick scheme to take away? It may be now or never for Rivers, who has his best team in years and a chance for a sweet late-career addition to his legacy. -- Graziano FPI win projection: NE, 65.0 percent. The Patriots are the smallest favorite in this round, according to FPI, but were also the only team to go undefeated at home this regular season. New England finished fourth in offensive efficiency (78.4) and second in defensive efficiency (80.5) at home, according to FPI. Rivers was second in the NFL in QBR in road games during the regular season (81.3) and posted a 78.3 at Baltimore in the wild-card round. Matchup to watch: Belichick vs. Rivers. Let's keep an eye on the coverage schemes and rotations Belichick draws up to limit Rivers' ability to throw intermediate cuts off high-low concepts. In the Chargers' playbook, Rivers can work two-level reads inside, which puts defenders in conflict -- and that leads to open windows. New England's linebackers and secondary must take away his ability to make high-percentage throws with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams on inside breaking routes. -- Bowen Betting nuggets: The Chargers have won outright in each of their past five games as an underdog and are led by Rivers, who is 6-1 ATS with four outright wins in seven career postseason starts as an underdog. As for the total, eight of the Patriots' past nine games have gone under. -- Nelson Officiating scouting report: Referee Ron Torbert's regular-season crew threw the second-lowest total of flags (13.7 per game) this season. That increases the likely possibility of a low-flag game. The Patriots finished the season tied for seventh in the NFL with 113 penalties. The Chargers ranked No. 14 with 124. -- Seifert Eric D. Williams' pick: The Bolts will have to play a near-perfect game on the road to earn a victory. However, with a veteran coaching staff and two edge rushers, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, who can pressure Brady, the Chargers have a chance to pull off the upset. The key for the Chargers will be limiting mistakes and scoring touchdowns on offense. The Patriots allowed 4.9 rushing yards per play during the regular season, tied for third worst in the NFL, which bodes well for Melvin Gordon. New England also allowed 59 passing plays of 20-plus yards in 2018, so the Chargers' receivers should create some explosive plays down the field. Chargers 24, Patriots 21 play 1:30 Woodson: 'Upset brewing in Gillette' NFL Live's Tedy Bruschi and Darren Woodson explain their picks for the AFC divisional matchup between the Chargers and Patriots. Mike Reiss' pick: The Patriots' defense has been a different unit at home (where the team is 8-0) and that will ultimately be the difference-maker against a Chargers team that is dominant outside of Los Angeles County. The Patriots are well-rested and healthy coming off the playoff bye, and players felt like Wednesday's full-pads practice was an important one for them to ramp things up for a physical game. Meanwhile, the Chargers are banged up in some key spots (running back, for one) and will be making another flight across the country after playing in Baltimore on Sunday. Patriots 27, Chargers 20 In case you missed it: MMA obsession is toughening up the Chargers' receivers ... 'Money Badger' Michael Badgley continues to make clutch kicks for Chargers Point spread: NO -8 | Matchup quality: 60.4 (of 100) To get to last year's Super Bowl, the Eagles had to win two home playoff games. To get to this year's big game, Nick Foles & Co. have to win three road playoff games. One down and two to go, with the help of a Soldier Field upright, but this week's trip to the Superdome may be the toughest test yet. They'll see a rested Saints team that finished in the top five in the league in rushing and passing offense for the second year in a row. If the Saints' offensive line can keep the Eagles' defensive front from wrecking the game with the pass rush, Drew Brees should have plenty of time to pick apart Philadelphia's decimated secondary. New Orleans would be wise to build a big lead, though. Based on the past two postseasons, the last thing you want to do is put the ball in Foles' hands late in a close game. -- Graziano FPI win projection: NO, 80.9 percent. The Saints are the biggest favorite of the weekend, thanks largely to their offensive prowess at home this season. Brees posted a league-leading 89.7 Total QBR in home games this season, the second highest since ESPN began tracking QBR in 2006 (Aaron Rodgers, 90.5 in 2011), leading the Saints to the second-best offensive efficiency in home games (85.0), according to FPI. One ray of hope for Philadelphia is that the Saints had a 30.4 defensive efficiency at home, second worst in the league. Matchup to watch: Brees vs. Avonte Maddox. Maddox is an aggressive corner with the transition speed to break downhill on the ball. He's going to close in a hurry. But that also leads to opportunities to run double moves at the young cornerback. If Maddox is sitting on the slant or the quick out -- like we saw in the wild-card matchup against Chicago -- look for Brees to target the rookie with a double move over the top. -- Bowen Betting nuggets: The Eagles have won outright in each of Foles' past six starts as an underdog, with four of those wins coming in the postseason. As for the total, the over is 9-0 in the Saints' nine postseason games played in Superdome. -- Nelson Officiating scouting report: Referee Carl Cheffers' crew gets two of the least-penalized teams in the NFL. The Saints had the second-fewest penalties (109), and the Eagles ranked No. 6 (112). Officials did nab the Saints for 20 defensive pass interference (DPI) calls, second most in the league, but Cheffers' regular-season crew made the second-fewest such calls (nine), and overall had the lowest combined total of DPI, illegal contact and defensive holding (27). -- Seifert play 1:18 Can the Eagles' secondary shut down the Saints' receivers? NFL Live's Tedy Bruschi and Darren Woodson explain their picks for the NFC divisional matchup between the Eagles and Saints. Tim McManus' pick: The Eagles are playing their best ball of the year and are 4-0 since Foles came in for the injured Carson Wentz. The defense was gashed for 546 yards and 48 points by New Orleans in Week 11, but it has since stabilized, yielding 15 points total over the past two games. This will be a much closer game, but the home-field advantage the Superdome provides will come into play and tilt the game the Saints' way. Saints 27, Eagles 24<doc-sep>

Ryan Clark says that the difference for the Chargers is going to be Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram's ability to close the pocket on Tom Brady. (1:06) With the conclusion of the wild-card games, the playoff field was reduced to eight teams. The Super Bowl is just two wins away! Let's reset the field, breaking down the divisional weekend games with early projections from ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI). Jump to a matchup: IND-KC | LAC-NE PHI-NO | DAL-LAR AFC Saturday, Jan. 12 | 4:35 p.m. ET | NBC | Arrowhead Stadium | Tickets Early FPI projection: Kansas City, 71.7 percent Colts' best chance to win: Run the ball the way they did in their wild-card win over the Houston Texans. Houston was the third-best run defense in the league in the regular season, allowing an average of 82.7 rushing yards per game, but the Colts ran for 200 yards in their 21-7 victory Saturday. Kansas City was the 27th-best run defense in the league in the regular season, allowing an average of 132.1 rushing yards per game. If Marlon Mack, who had a franchise-record 148 yards against Houston, and the Colts' line can run the ball the way they did in the wild-card round, they might be able to control the game and keep the ball out of Patrick Mahomes' hands. FPI chances to make the Super Bowl Saints 49.8 percent Chiefs 46.9 percent Rams 35.7 percent Patriots 26.3 percent Chargers 16.3 percent Colts 10.5 percent Cowboys 8.6 percent Eagles 5.9 percent Chiefs' best chance to win: Honestly, there are all kinds of possible answers here: Find a way to get pressure on Andrew Luck, stay away from the kinds of costly defensive penalties that have hurt them all season, protect Mahomes and let him do his thing. But the most important part of this game for the Chiefs might be psychological. Andy Reid's past playoff failures (11-13 record in playoffs) are an unfortunate part of his otherwise sterling legacy, and the memory of last season's 18-point home collapse against the Titans is still fresh. The Chiefs have been the better team all season and need to play like it. Stat to know: The Colts allowed a league-low 18 sacks in the regular season (and none Saturday). But the Chiefs' defense tied for the league lead with 52 sacks in the regular season. Something's got to give, and the game could be decided by how that's resolved. Bottom line: The only quarterback who threw more touchdown passes this season than the Colts' Luck (39) was the Chiefs' Mahomes (50). Both of these teams are capable of explosive plays downfield, but with Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton battling an ankle injury, the Chiefs should be the more explosive team in this matchup. Indianapolis' impressive defensive front is going to have to play as well as it has all season to both confuse and contain Mahomes. No one has done that all season. Sunday, Jan. 13 | 1:05 p.m. ET | CBS | Gillette Stadium | Tickets Early FPI projection: New England, 62.1 percent Chargers' best chance to win: Generate pressure with their front four. The smart (though somewhat injury-driven) strategy Sunday by Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to use seven defensive backs against a run-heavy Baltimore Ravens team seemed to confuse and rattle quarterback Lamar Jackson. But the main reason it worked was the way the Chargers' defensive line was able to get to Jackson. Seven defensive backs isn't likely to work against the Patriots, but if Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram & Co. can move Tom Brady off his spot, that's historically the way to beat New England in the postseason. ESPN/NFL Next Gen Stats Patriots' best chance to win: A healthy Rob Gronkowski. The bye week is critical for teams, in part because it allows their banged-up and injured players extra time to heal. That might not be more important for anyone than it is for the Patriots' tight end (47 catches, 682 yards, three TDs), who hasn't looked like his dominant self for most of this season. The Chargers will be a legitimate challenge for New England on both sides of the ball, but a healthy Gronk is the kind of matchup-buster who can make a difference in a close game. Can he find that old Gronk magic in time for one more run?

Stuart Baxter has announced his Bafana Bafana starting line-up to face Madagascar in the COSAFA Cup quarterfinals. Read: Xulu Proud To Be Named Bafana Captain Baxter's charges enter the competition at the last-eight stage and will face Madagascar, who finished top of Group A with two wins and a draw. Maritzburg United defender Siyanda Xulu has been named Bafana's captain for the tournament, while SuperSport United goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse has been handed the start between the sticks. Newly signed Chippa United forward Gift Motupa is joined in the attack by Ryan Moon, Luther Singh and Siphesihle Ndlovu. Here's how they will start: Starting XI: Pieterse Xulu, Modiba, Fielies, Madisha, Makaringe, Maboe, Singh, Ndlovu, Moon, Motupa. Subs: Bvuma (GK), Khubeka (GK), Ngezana, Mako, Meyiwa, Webber, Mosiatlhaga, Links, Foster. Madagascar: Randrianasolo Rafelambolasoa, Fetraniaina, Baggio, Razafindrasata, Adrianarimanana, Marcio, Mario, Bourahim, Sandratriniaina, Adrianavalona. Content hosted by iono.fm<doc-sep>Bafana Bafana will roll out the excuses of missed chances and opponents who came to defend, but in the end their 4-3 penalties Cosafa Cup defeat against Madagascar in Polokwane was just another in a long line of disappointing results for the national team. Bafana had their best chances to kill off their first game of the competition in the first half at Peter Mokaba Stadium. Madagascar, having kept a clean sheet, completely shut down any attempt to play in the second, where they spoiled effectively, clattering into clashes and clipping at heels. Still, that's the sort of impediment a Bafana side of this much promise needs to be able to overcome. SA lacked urgency and composure as the chips were laid down in the second half. All the South Africans' neatness from a week's preparation with this youthful combination was good for nothing as far as points on the board were concerned. The hosts now, as they did last year in Rustenburg, suffer the ignominy of going into the plate section. Bafana coach Stuart Baxter's XI promised much, laid in a 4-3-3 with the Mraitzburg United trio of Fortune Makaringe behind Lebohang Maboe and Siphesihle Ndlovu in the middle. But up-front there was a question mark, with Luther Singh on the left and Gift Motupa in the middle, but Ryan Moon seemingly wasted on the right. The coach had identified Madagascar's physicality, and the pace of their wingers, Jaotomo Bourahim on the left and Tsito Razafindrasata on the right, as the dangers. It was a decent first half for the South Africans almost completely shutting out a team with the advantage of having played in three group games. Still gelling, Bafana created three clear chances, though, frustratingly, never came close enough with any of them. Singh's low ball into the area found Maboe, whose first-time shot was wide. Moon's clever chip over the top from midfield picked out the as intelligent run of Singh, who advanced and shot straight at goalkeeper Jean Randrianasolo. Maboe was played down the right of the area, and his shot also picked out Randrianasolo, when he had Motupa inside. Baxter put right his strange deployment up-front when he brought on a winger, Abednigo Mosiatlhaga, for Motupa to play on the right and moved Moon to centre-forward. Soon after, Bourahim showed his pace streaking past Xulu down the left and struck at goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse. If Madagascar had been cautious in the first half, they went into turtle mode in the second. Bafana needed to score to take the pressure off. Aubrey Modiba collected a loose ball from Singh's corner and cracked it against the left upright via the slightest of deflections. Baxter's remaining substitutions, Jamie Webber and Lyle Foster for Tariq Fielies and Maboe, came very late, in the 85th. In the shootout, for Bafana Motjeka Madisha, Foster, and Modiba were successful. The Webber hit the post before Singh produced a weak effort saved by Randrianasolo. For Madagascar, Rabeson Fetranianina hit the post off Pieterse with their first kick. Then Andoniaina Andrianavalona, Rakotoharisoa Baggio, Andriamirado Andrianarimanana and Tobisoa Sandratrinianina all scored. * Marc Strydom is in Polokwane as a guest of Cosafa<doc-sep>Bafana Bafana will take on Madagascar during the Cosafa Cup quarter-finals in Sunday (3pm) at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. The knockout stage gets under way on Saturday afternoon when Zambia tackle Namibia and that match will be followed by an encounter between Lesotho and Swaziland while Zimbabwe and Botswana will battle out on Sunday. All matches takes place at New Peter Mokaba Stadium. The quarter-final stage was completed by Botswana who thrashed hapless Mauritius 6-0 in their Group B clash to register their biggest ever victory in international football. The matches are expected to pull a sizeable crowd with entrance to the World Cup stadium free and with Bafana Bafana seeking to avoid an embarrassing quarterfinal exit for the second year running. If Bafana get past unfancied Madagascar‚ they will meet the winner of the clash between Zambia and Namibia in what will be a tough semifinal while failure to progress will see Stuart Baxter’s men drop to the Plate competition. South Africa claimed the Plate section in 2017 after losing to Tanzania in their quarterfinal game. On Friday‚ Botswana scored four goals inside the opening 26 minutes against a limp Mauritian side at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium. A tired-looking Mauritius could not handle the pace of the Zebras players‚ but also lacked organisation at the back as the Botswana had the freedom of their penalty box. Onkabetse Makgantai netted the opener within three minutes‚ before Karabo Phiri added the second. Thatayaone Kgamanyane was gifted a third when a Mauritian defender cleared the ball into his path‚ and he showed great composure to side-foot past the goalkeeper. The fourth goal was scored by Kabelo Seakanyeng‚ who moved joint top of the scorers charts in the 2018 Cosafa Cup with a third of the tournament to draw him level with Mozambique’s Luis Miquissone. Mauritius started the second half with a bit more energy in their play‚ but fell further behind when substitute goalkeeper James Caserne completely missed his punch from a corner and Botswana fullback Tshepo Maikano turned the ball home. It was 6-0 on 70 minutes when Makgantai got his second‚ profiting as Caserne dropped a routine catch and the Botswana forward scored into an empty net. He also joins Miquissone at the top of the scorers charts. Angola and Malawi played to a 0-0 draw in their other Group B fixture on Friday‚ a game littered with missed chances. Cosafa Cup‚ Quarter-Final Fixtures 02 June: Zambia v Namibia (3pm)‚ Lesotho v Swaziland (5.30pm) 03 June: South Africa v Madagascar (3pm)‚ Zimbabwe v Botswana 5.30pm‚ all matches at New Peter Mokaba Stadium)<doc-sep>

Bafana Bafana starting XI revealed ahead of Madagascar clash Baxter has named a youthful squad mixed with some experience ahead of his side's Cosafa Cup clash against Madagascar on Sunday South Africa national team coach Stuart Baxter has named his starting XI for Bafana Bafana’s Cosafa Cup quarterfinal against Madagascar. The clash promises to be an exciting affair with the islanders having surprisingly reached the business end of the tournament at the expense of the more fancied Mozambique. Barea as they are more affectionally known have registered two wins and a draw on their way to the last eight. Nonetheless, the Bafana mentor is certainly taking nothing for granted as he explained ahead of the game that Madagascar would not be an easy team to beat. The 64-year-old was most notably concerned of the pace of the Madagascar attack. This has subsequently led him to name an exciting squad with an abundance of youth and skill. Most interesting, is the fact that Baxter has named four Maritzburg United players in his line-up, with Siyanda Xulu captaining the side, which is just reward for the work they have done during the season. Baxter has also opted to give youngster Luther Singh a shout along with one of the PSL’s most lethal forwards in Gift Motupa as well as Kaizer chiefs striker Ryan Moon upfront. There is however no place in the match day squad for Orlando Pirates full-back Innocent Maela. The defender has needed to be withdrawn from the competion after picking up an injury and has been replaced by Paseka Mako. Here is South Africa’s starting XI: Article continues below R. Pieterse, S. Xulu, A. Modiba, T. Fielies, M. Madisha, F. Makaringe, L. Maboe, L. Singh, S. Ndlovu, R. Moon, G. Motupa. Subs: Bvuma (GK), Khubeka (GK), Ngezana, Mako, Meyiwa, Webber, Mosiatlhaga, Links, Foster Meanwhile, kick-off is set for 15:00 at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

Brett Kavanaugh’s page in his high school yearbook offers a glimpse of the teenage years of the man who is now President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee: lots of football, plenty of drinking, parties at the beach. Among the reminiscences about sports and booze is a mysterious entry: “Renate Alumnius.” The word “Renate” appears at least 14 times in Georgetown Preparatory School’s 1983 yearbook, on individuals’ pages and in a group photo of nine football players, including Judge Kavanaugh, who were described as the “Renate Alumni.” It is a reference to Renate Schroeder, then a student at a nearby Catholic girls’ school. Two of Judge Kavanaugh’s classmates say the mentions of Renate were part of the football players’ unsubstantiated boasting about their conquests. “They were very disrespectful, at least verbally, with Renate,” said Sean Hagan, a Georgetown Prep student at the time, referring to Judge Kavanaugh and his teammates. “I can’t express how disgusted I am with them, then and now.”<doc-sep>Brett Kavanaugh's definitions of terms he used in his high school yearbook came under the microscope during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. Kavanaugh's use of the terms "devil's triangle" and "boofed" in his yearbook entry were questioned as part of probe into accusations by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her at a high school party in 1982. According to Kavanaugh, the line "Have You Boofed Yet?" in his yearbook entry "refers to flatulence. We were 16," he responded when questioned as to the definition by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Urban Dictionary, however, defines "boofed" as anal sex. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted that the Urban Dictionary definition, not Kavanaugh's, was the one she recalled from attending high school in the 1980s. Urban Dictionary has the definition of "boof" that I recall from high school in the 1980s and it wasn't flatulence, fwiw https://t.co/887GTEqe5L — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 27, 2018 Kavanaugh was also questioned about the appearance of the term "devil's triangle" on his yearbook page. The Supreme Court nominee said that it was a reference to a drinking game played with his friends. The Urban Dictionary definition, however, states that it refers to sexual intercourse involving two men and one woman. After Kavanaugh stated his own meaning, the Wikipedia entry for the "devil's triangle" was updated to include a definition stating: "a popular drinking game enjoyed by friends of judge Brett Kavanaugh." The addition was made from an IP address from within the House of Representatives. @babysussex I smell a rat. Harry said the baby has changed so much over the past two weeks...which was when the Queen visited them..hmmm. — Gunner (@Gunner85489116) May 8, 2019 However, New York Times reporter David Enrich tweeted that interviews he and his colleague Kate Kelly conducted with Kavanaugh's Georgetown Prep classmates revealed that Kavanaugh's definitions of both "devil's triangle" and "boofed" were "not true." Based on extensive interviews by me and @katekelly with Kavanaugh's former Georgetown Prep classmates, what he just said about the meanings of "boofed" and "Devil's Triangle" is not true. — David Enrich (@davidenrich) September 27, 2018 Under questioning, Kavanaugh said his yearbook was a "disaster," adding that "some editors and students wanted the yearbook to be some combination of Animal House, Caddyshack, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Speaking at a Senate Judiciary Hearing Friday, where members will vote on whether to approve Kavanaugh's nomination, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said: "I don't believe 'boof' is flatulence and I don't believe 'the devil's triangle' is a drinking game." Following Friday's hearing, after a request from Republican Senator Jeff Flake, a full vote on Kavanaugh's nomination was put on hold and the White House called or a supplementary FBI investigation. The probe is likely to include speaking to Kavanaugh's high school friend Mark Judge, who could shed light on the yearbook entries. A classmate of Kavanaugh's at Yale University further called into question the nominee's claims about his drinking habits as a young man. Writing in a statement on Sunday, Chad Ludington said that, during the time he knew him, Kavanaugh was a "frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker" who was "often belligerent and aggressive" when under the influence of alcohol." On Thursday, Ford appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee and claimed that Kavanaugh held her down on a bed, groped her, tried to remove her clothes and held his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming. Ford said she feared Kavanaugh was going to rape her before she was able to escape. In his response, Kavanaugh gave a furious denial, claiming the allegations were part of a Democratic conspiracy cooked up in response to President Donald Trump winning the 2016 election. As the FBI investigation continued in the following week, one of Kavanaugh's former classmates said that the nominee has absolutely misrepresented the meaning of the term "devil's triangle." "I was shocked when I heard that,"Jamie Roche told CNN on October 3. "Those words were commonly used, and they were references to sexual activities. If you think about the context in which you might hear those words, the way that he described them and the way that they are defined, they are not interchangeable. I heard them talk about it regularly." Update (09/28/18): This story was updated to include comments from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Friday. It was further updated to include details about a supplementary FBI investigation being requested. Update (10/01/18): The article was updated to include a written statement from one of Kavanaugh's Yale classmates, Chad Ludington. Update (10/04/18): The article was updated to include comments from one of Brett Kavanaugh's former classmates.<doc-sep>

WASHINGTON -- In a heated exchange with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh dismissed the scrutiny of phrases in his high school yearbook as an "absurdity. "Democratic senators have been bringing up Kavanaugh's yearbook as they question him about Christine Blasey Ford's allegation of sexual assault when they were teens. Kavanaugh denies the allegation.Though some had speculated that the phrase "devil's triangle" referred to a sexual act, Kavanaugh claimed it was a drinking game involving three glasses arranged in a triangle.The phrase "FFFFFFFourth of July," also speculated to refer to sexual acts based on a tweet by attorney Michael Avenatti, was an inside joke over the way a classmate pronounced an expletive, Kavanaugh said. "Judge -- have you boofed yet?" referred to passing gas, and "Beach Week Ralph Club" was a reference to vomiting, Kavanaugh said.Kavanaugh also apologized to a high school acquaintance whose name was in a yearbook entry written by him and others with the word "alumnius" after, presumably a misspelling of "alumnus".Kavanaugh called Renate Schroeder Dolphin "a good female friend" whom people in his social circle "would admire and went to dances with." He said the yearbook reference "was clumsily intended to show affection and that she was one of us. "He said the media has falsely interpreted the term "alumnus" as being related to sex. He said it was not, adding that he and Dolphin "never had any sexual interaction at all. "According to reports, Dolphin had initially been one of 65 women to endorse Kavanaugh after the sexual assault allegations came to light from Christine Blasey Ford. Dolphin withdrew her endorsement after Ford's accusation came to light.

It is that time of year again. NFL Draft season is fast approaching, and with the Steelers currently out of the playoff picture now, it could come sooner than we would have liked. The Steelers, currently, would be picking 19th in the 2019 NFL draft, so we will go by those rankings, and take it for what it is, strictly saying. The Steelers needs are defined as such: ILB CB EDGE S WR IOL Those are your six “main” needs if you will, others being more minor, like IOL and WR, probably will not be addressed very early, especially with the depth of guys being there this year. The Steelers thus will focus on defense, and the biggest thing they need is playmakers, so let us make it happen, how about it? Round 1: DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia Maybe he won’t test out of the building, but after all the defensive back play the Steelers have seen this year, they should go after a guy who has the strongest fundamentals you could ever ask for, right? Well, if they indeed do want to go that route, Baker fits the mold about as good as anyone. And, here it is, Baker brings the aggressiveness that really only Sean Davis has in the secondary right now. I am here for that. DeAndre Baker is a damn good CB too. I have him just outside my Top 5, but I don’t doubt that he could slip in there as my rankings evolve. He’s just so solid, sticky as hell, and straight up feisty. This dude is gonna be a good NFL CB. #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/DGTxVW4lgn — Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) December 22, 2018 Why would Baker be so appealing, though? This guy has ball skills and the aggressiveness he has makes him a fantastic press corner. Those are two things Tomlin will know he needs next year, as both are incredibly lacking from this team’s CB corps this year. Baker can make plays on the ball and tracks it well, including the impressive stat of leading the NCAA in pass deflections this year. I am huge proponent of thus going out and grabbing him. Many have tried, none in the past two years have succeeded. Receivers covered by 18 forget what touchdowns are. The best CB in the country is Deandre Baker and it isn’t close. pic.twitter.com/SzxLTNiWvl — blakejmorgan (@blakejmorgann) October 15, 2018 Baker’s mirroring could use work, as he can be overly aggressive with his feet and be susceptible to getting burnt, but he is so sticky and has the recovery technique down. Obviously, he is not an athletic specimen that the Steelers would usually go after, but I am honestly just fine with that due to how good he is. Baker can play in the nickel or outside, and even more importantly, is a great run defender and tackler. That is one of the nicest things you can have in a “Steelers” CB type, and none fit it better than Baker, so I would certainly look out for the Steelers interest for him. This is a great fit and overall, just a fantastic player who can fill a hole. Round 2: Juan Thornhill, Safety, Virginia You want to pair Sean Davis with a guy who just about everything you would want in a safety? I give you Juan Thornhill, who has crazy good ball skills and processing ability. His instincts are a little slow still, but his speed and range is better than you would think. Wanna see how good his ball skills are? Check this out: There are not 32 players better in this draft than Juan Thornhill. Some team is gonna get a very good player. Dude has out of this world ball skills. #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/eQmXuUVZgq — Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) December 16, 2018 This is a pretty stupid good adjustment on the ball and it is all because he reads the QBs eyes incredibly well. Good processing, and the flip of the hips is so fluid. Thornhill will give you that fluidity that you want in a single-high, but he has the length to also play in the slot in man. He is not always great against bigger guys, but he can press them more than well enough to able to thrive in a Tampa 2, man coverage based system like Tomlin’s. He really does excel in run defense, though. Thornhill tackles well and has amazing angles. He has the aggressiveness to play down in the box as well. The Tomlin to Virginia pipeline should be strong here, and I have no issue with that if Thornhill is the ultimate pick at safety, even after Edmunds was picked a year earlier.<doc-sep>You knew it wouldn’t take long for the mock drafts to catch up to the potential wide receiver situation in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are potentially facing a future without wide receiver Antonio Brown. NFL writer John Clayton put out a new 2019 NFL mock draft for the Washington Post and he looked at the Steelers’ pick as the wide receiver who will replace Brown With the No. 20 overall pick, Clayton has the Steelers taking North Carolina State wide receiver Kelvin Harmon. Here’s what Clayton has to say about the pick. It’s likely the Steelers could end up with two first-round picks this year as a result of trading away star wide receiver Antonio Brown. If that happens, they will be looking for defensive help at inside linebacker, edge rusher and cornerback. But a Brown trade would leave them in need of a wide receiver to pair with JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Harmon is the best available here. Harmon is an interesting pick for Pittsburgh. He’s got legitimate NFL size at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds and strong hands. He’s a strong receiver who is less about speed and more about solid technique and route running. He’s also an exceptional blocker which is another plus for Pittsburgh. Most look at the Steelers and assume defense will be the pick here. But no matter how badly Pittsburgh might need a cornerback or linebacker, If Brown leaves the team’s draft needs will have to change. Harmon isn’t the top wide receiver in the draft but with N’Keal Harry already off the board, Harmon might be the most impactful guy available.<doc-sep>A week ago, we all assumed Kyler Murray was going to play baseball. Then, last Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Murray was expected to declare for the 2019 NFL Draft. On Sunday, more reports emerged: The Oakland A's were trying to convince Murray to stick with baseball and a decision could be reached by Monday. If this was 2012, Murray wouldn't even consider declaring -- he was a top-10 pick of the Oakland A's and he'd be lucky to go in the third round of the NFL Draft. Which is exactly what happened to Russell Wilson. But Wilson's sustained success, and with what Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson accomplished as rookies, Murray is absolutely a first-round talent. And Murray's addition to this draft class could hasten a run on quarterbacks by teams desperate for them. It's why we have the Jaguars and Redskins trading up for one, and why four quarterbacks are off the board after 11 picks. In other mock-draft news, we have the Steelers drafting a wide receiver since is sounds like Antonio Brown has played his last game in black and gold. Alright, let's get to all the picks. 1. Arizona Cardinals Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State. On a team chock full of holes, edge rusher isn't at the top of the to-do list. That said, it's hard to pass on a talent like Bosa, who can take over games. There isn't an offensive linemen worth taking this high and the Cardinals find themselves in full-on rebuild mode less than a year after hiring Steve Wilks and drafting Josh Rosen in the first round. 2. Jacksonville Jaguars (mock trade with 49ers) Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State. The Jaguars get their franchise quarterback, which officially ends the Blake Bortles era in Jacksonville. The only question becomes how long before Haskins, who finally declared for the draft, assumes the starting job full-time. 3. New York Jets Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky. Is Josh Allen the best pass rusher in the draft? That will be decided in the coming weeks and months, but no one did more for their draft stock than Allen, who returned to Kentucky for his senior season and went off. After seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in 2017, Allen gained 10-15 pounds of muscle and put up 14 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss and was pretty much unblockable. 4. Oakland Raiders Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama. Williams might be the second-best player in this draft, which is why the Raiders are taking him here even though defensive tackle isn't an immediate need. Williams has been one of the most dominant players in college football, and this is after sitting behind Da'Ron Payne (a Redskins first-rounder last spring) in 2017. Oakland needs an edge rusher but Williams is a one-man pocket-collapser from the interior. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State. Burns is a long, lean, explosive pass rusher. At 235-240 pounds, the concern is whether he's strong enough to play the position at the next level, but Burns isn't just a speed rusher; he's also strong, and has the frame to get stronger. Jason Pierre-Paul had 12.5 sacks but he ranked 80th among all edge rushers, according to Pro Football Focus. 6. New York Giants Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma. General manger Dave Gettleman sure sounds like he's content to bring Eli Manning back for another season but imagine the Giants offense with Murray under center, Saquon Barkley in the backfield, and Odell Beckham and Evan Engram running routes. Woo boy. 7. San Francisco 49ers (mock trade with Jaguars) Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson. Ferrell was one of the stars of the best defensive line in college football, and he finished his junior season with 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. There may be questions about Ferrell's flexibility compared to the other first-round pass rushers but there's no denying his Clemson production. In fact, on first downs during the 2018 season, Ferrell ranked among the top-10 players in the country in sacks (5), hurries (12), hits (10), knockdowns (5) and pressures (17). 8. Detroit Lions Byron Murphy, CB, Washington. When it's all said and done Murphy could be the first cornerback taken. He's an athletic playmaker with game-changing ability. Darius Slay had a good season for the Lions but coach Matt Patricia could use a top-flight cornerback on a defense that ranked 31st against the pass, according to Football Outsiders. 9. Buffalo Bills Ed Oliver, DT, Houston. Kyle Williams is retiring and Oliver, considered a top-5 pick during the college season, would be a steal here. There are questions about his size, and whether he can hold up over a 16-game season, but he's consistently disruptive in both the run and pass game. 10. Denver Broncos Daniel Jones, QB, Duke. Is Case Keenum the answer in 2019? New coach Vic Fangio said Keenum is the Broncos' quarterback "right now." Either way, we know general manager John Elway would love to upgrade the position. There's a reason he was closely watching Justin Herbert this season and now that he's returned to Oregon, Elway could turn his attention to other draft-eligible passers. After a good 2018 season, Jones could improve his stock with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. 11. Washington Redskins (mock trade with Bengals) Drew Lock, QB, Missouri. Alex Smith suffered a gruesome injury in November and it's unclear if the 34-year-old will be fully recovered by training camp. Lock has the best arm of this quarterback class -- he reminds us of Jay Cutler -- and he would answer at least one of the looming offseason questions for this franchise and its beleaguered fanbase. 12. Green Bay Packers Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida. Polite, who had a breakout season at Florida, has an explosive first step and off-the-chart physical abilities. His knack for getting in the backfield was unrivaled at times this fall. And while Kyler Fackrell has had a breakout season in Green Bay, Clay Matthews is 32 and in the final year of his contract. 13. Miami Dolphins Greedy Williams, CB, LSU. With four quarterbacks already off the board, the Dolphins bolster their secondary. Williams may not be the most polished cornerback in this draft class but he is insanely athletic and has all the tools to become a great player. 14. Atlanta Falcons Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson. Grady Jarrett was a beast this season but he could use some help along the defensive line. And Lawrence could end up being the best player to come from this dominant Clemson defensive line. 15. Cincinnati Bengals (mock trade with Redskins) Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama. The Bengals' offensive line ranked 22nd in the league, according to Football Outsiders and the team can move on from Cordy Glenn without incurring any dead salary-cap charges. Williams has consistently been a top-10 pick in our mock drafts but Kyler Murray has thrown the top half of the board into upheaval. Meanwhile, Cincy gets a player who they can pencil in at left tackle for the next decade. 16. Carolina Panthers Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama. Eric Reid was signed a month into the season but he quickly became one of the Panthers' best defensive backs. His contract is up, which is the case for safety Mike Adams, who will turn 38 in March. Thompson is the best safety in the class (he's expected to officially declare for the draft on Monday), and he can be a game-changer in centerfield. On a unit lacking depth in the secondary, Thompson would be a solid choice. 17. Cleveland Browns D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss. Metcalf is the best wide receiver in this draft and he'd give Baker Mayfield another downfield playmaker alongside Antonio Callaway. And this offense -- with Jarvis Landry, David Njoku and Nick Chubb -- would immediately be considered one of the AFC's best. 18. Minnesota Vikings Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas St. Is it too early for the Vikings to look for a quarterback? That was rhetorical, mostly because Kirk Cousins is one year into a three-year, $84 million -- all guaranteed -- deal. And since Cousins isn't going anywhere, Minnesota has to do a better job of protecting him.<doc-sep>

With the 2018 season all but over barring a Super Bowl between a team that should not be there and a team no one wanted to be there, attention is already starting to move towards the NFL draft. Mock draft boards are starting to emerge from some of the more well-known names in the field and although the most notable name in the business is now in charge of the Oakland Raiders, there are still plenty of other “expert” opinions on offer. Each and every Wednesday for the next 13 weeks, we will bring you a selection of the latest mock draft projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers from around the NFL draft community. Expecting most of these offerings will be ultimately prove to be somewhat off the mark, they should at least unearth a number of players worthy of further evaluation. Starting with a selection of 12 mock drafts, there is already a level of consensus among our experts, with all of them perhaps unsurprising predicting the Steelers will take either an inside linebacker, a cornerback or wide receiver. Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network - LB, Devin Bush, Michigan “Bush has outstanding play speed and he fills a need for the Steelers’ defense.” Bucky Brooks, NFL Network - CB, Byron Murphy, Washington “He is a terrific player and I know some people say, “he hasn't played that long,” but when you've seen him on tape, he does everything that you look for. He’s physical, he has great ball skills and he can play with a variety of techniques. For a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers that are transitioning in the back end, he is the ideal selection at 20.” Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports - WR, A.J. Brown, Ole Miss “The Steelers snag another receiver whose last name is Brown. A little awkwardly coincidental. Whatever. Anyway, Brown is a muscular, yards-after-the-catch specialist with deceptive long speed.” Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports - CB, Deandre Baker, Georgia “Baker may not be the athlete that Greedy Williams or Byron Murphy is, but he put up better college numbers. He shows good long speed, smooth hips, and the ability to change direction. He was rarely targeted during his senior season in part because his mirroring technique was superb. The Steelers missed on 2016 first-rounder Artie Burns and desperately need to upgrade the secondary.” Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN - LB, Devin Bush, Michigan “A complete player for today’s NFL. He made the calls. He was the quarterback of this defense. He’s a great kid. His father was a first round pick coming out of Florida State. Think about with Devin Bush, we talk about it with Devin White, the two Devin’s. Fly to the ball, great range, sideline to sideline speed. Devin Bush for the Steelers, he just looks like a Steeler, he does everything the Steelers want. Committed, focused on the game of football, loves the game of football, passionate and productive and consistent and reliable. For me, if he’s there, he’s one of the better picks of Round 1.” Dan Kadar SB Nation - LB, Devin White, LSU “Because Ryan Shazier’s future is still unknown, the Steelers could turn to the draft to get a linebacker. White isn’t quite the player Roquan Smith was in last year’s draft, but he’s close. White excels at finding the ball carrier and making strong tackles.” John Clayton, Washington Post - WR, Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State “It’s likely the Steelers could end up with two first-round picks this year as a result of trading away star receiver Antonio Brown. If that happens, they will be looking for defensive help at inside linebacker, edge rusher and cornerback. But a Brown trade would leave then in need of a wide receiver to pair with JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Harmon is the best available here.” Matt Miller, Bleacher Report - LB, Tre Lamar, Clemon “The middle of the defense needs work in Pittsburgh—especially if they’re going to be chasing Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson four times a season. Enter Tre Lamar, the heart and soul of the Clemson linebacker corps. Lamar will need to prove to scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine that he has the speed to handle sideline-to-sideline duty, but his tape is very impressive as he shows the instincts and football IQ to shut down offenses between the tackles.

Spain's 2018 World Cup squad: Who joins Ramos & Iniesta in 23-man list? La Roja will be among the favourites in Russia and coach Julen Lopetegui has a wealth of talent from which to choose. So who has made the cut? Spain are a team on form. By thrashing Argentina 6-1 in Madrid at the end of March, Julen Lopetegui's side extended their unbeaten run to 18 games, and they will be one of the fancied sides in Russia this summer. European champions in 2008 and 2012 and World Cup winners in 2010, Spain disappointed in their last two major tournaments – crashing out in the group stages of the 2014 World Cup and losing in the last 16 of Euro 2016. Coach Vicente del Bosque bowed out after the continental competition and Lopetegui took over, leading La Roja in an impressive qualifying campaign as they topped Group G with nine wins and a draw from their 10 games. Article continues below A 1-1 draw with Germany in Dusseldorf and then the resounding victory over Argentina in March continued the Basque boss' unbeaten record and Spain have been identified as one of the principal candidates to lift the trophy in Moscow this July. Lopetegui has now decided which players to take to Russia and Goal has a look at who made the cut, as well as who didn't. Who made Spain's 23-man squad? Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is Spain's undisputed first choice these days after Lopetegui decided to dispense with former captain Iker Casillas, and young Athletic Club shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga will be his reserve in Russia, with Pepe Reina bringing experience to the panel. In defence, Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique have both been included. The Real Madrid captain is Spain's skipper, while the Barcelona centre-back is also extremely important for La Roja and is bowing out after the World Cup. In the full-back positions, Barca's Jordi Alba and Madrid's Dani Carvajal are also guaranteed of their places in the squad this summer. Players able to cover in several positions are always useful, meanwhile, and that makes Nacho a sensible inclusion - the dependable Madrid man is able to play all across the back line. Arsenal's Nacho Monreal and Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta are similarly versatile and Alvaro Odriozola has earned his place after starring for Real Sociedad. Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets is back in the fold and on the plane to Russia, along with his club colleague Andres Iniesta, who is leaving the Catalan club this summer and has said he will probably retire from international football after the World Cup. Madrid pair Isco and Marco Asensio are also key for Lopetegui, along with Manchester City's David Silva and Bayern Munich's Thiago. They are all assured of their places in the 23-man list, and they are joined by Atletico Madrid duo Koke and Saul, with Lopetegui a big admirer of both players. Further forward, Diego Costa will be in competition with the likes of Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas, Valencia star Rodrigo and Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez . Who didn't make the Spain squad? Given the impressive depth of talent at Lopetegui's disposal it was inevitable that a number of high profile stars would be omitted and one of the biggest names to miss out is Alvaro Morata, whose form since joining Chelsea has been disappointing. Morata's team-mate Marcos Alonso has been one of the best wing-backs in the Premier League over the past two seasons, but does not fit into the picture for Spain, while Rodri and Dani Parejo, who were in the squad for the Germany and Argentina friendlies, are not included. Another Chelsea star, Pedro, has fallen down the pecking order for La Roja, while Manchester United's Juan Mata has also drifted out of the scene since the arrival of Lopetegui. Mata's club-mate Ander Herrera has never quite forced his way into the national team and is an unsurprising omission. Marc Bartra, now at Betis, has featured under the Basque boss, but the former Barcelona defender is some way down the list and will be watching at home this summer, along with Liverpool's Alberto Moreno. David Villa returned to the fold last year in a friendly, but his comeback was cut short by injury and the New York City FC striker is not likely to feature again for the national team. Another veteran, Athletic's Aritz Aduriz, also seems surplus to requirements following a run of appearances in 2017. Atletico's Vitolo and Napoli's Jose Callejon, who both featured against Russia last November, are absent, along with Gerard Deulofeu, the Barca winger shipped out on loan to Watford after a disappointing first half of the season with the Catalan club.<doc-sep>Last updated on .From the section World Cup Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has not made Spain's 23-man World Cup squad. The 25-year-old scored 11 goals in his debut season at Stamford Bridge and was a last-minute substitute in Saturday's FA Cup final win. Julen Lopetegui has named four Premier League players in his squad, with David de Gea, David Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Nacho Monreal all included. "Including four players up front was not something we wanted to do," said manager Lopetegui. "We have opted for three other players who had different assets." Spain begin their campaign against Portugal on 15 June in Sochi. Former Real Madrid striker Morata last played for the 2010 world champions in November 2017 when he scored once in a 5-0 win over Costa Rica. Despite his omission from the squad, the striker went on Twitter to wish his countrymen "lots of luck" in the tournament. Morata's Blues team-mates Marcos Alonso and Cesc Fabregas join Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin in also missing out on selection. There is room, however, for Morata's predecessor at Chelsea, with Diego Costa named among the strikers travelling to Russia. Real Madrid and Barcelona supply 10 players between them, with veteran Barca midfielder Andres Iniesta included following his final appearance for the Catalan giants on Sunday. BBC Euro Leagues Football Show analysis James Horncastle: "While Morata was Lopetegui's guy at under-21 level, you can't begrudge the manager overlooking him when he hasn't really played or lived up to expectations. Iago Aspas and Rodrigo have had good seasons. You get the impression Morata doesn't feel hard done by from his tweet." Julien Laurens: "When you look at Spain's World Cup squad, there was no way Cesc Fabregas deserved to be there. He's not as good as the other players in his position." Spain squad: Goalkeepers: David de Gea (Manchester United), Pepe Reina (Napoli), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Bilbao). Defenders: Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Nacho Monreal (Arsenal), Alvaro Odriozola (Real Sociedad), Nacho Fernandez (Real Madrid), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea). Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Isco (Real Madrid), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), David Silva (Manchester City), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid), Koke (Atletico Madrid). Forwards: Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), Rodrigo Moreno (Valencia), Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid).<doc-sep>Álvaro Morata has paid the price for an indifferent season at Chelsea after being left out of Spain’s 23-man World Cup squad. The striker has become a peripheral figure at Chelsea since the January arrival of Olivier Giroud and will not be involved in Russia after the Spain coach Julen Lopetegui went with Diego Costa, Iago Aspas and Rodrigo as his strikers. “It’s always a difficult decision,” Lopetegui said. “There wasn’t anything negative about [Morata]. But we thought there were other players in the position who could help us.” “Best of luck in the World Cup,” Morata wrote on Twitter. “I’ll be supporting and cheering through the end, as always.” Instead of picking a fourth striker, Lopetegui opted to take eight defenders, including Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal, the only other surprise on the list. Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso and Marc Bartra were among the defenders left out. The squad features six players from Real Madrid and four from Barcelona. The Madrid players will report to the team’s training camp later than the other players because of their Champions League final commitments against Liverpool. Meanwhile, England’s Group G opponents Belgium have picked Christian Benteke despite his lack of goals for Crystal Palace in their preliminary 28-man squad. The striker, who scored just three times in the Premier League last season, got the nod from Roberto Martínez while Liverpool’s Divock Origi misses out. The Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan reacted to missing out of the squad by announcing his international retirement. In a message on Instagram, he wrote: “Very reluctantly my international career comes to an end...I’ve always done everything I could to represent my country Being yourself can be bothering ...From this day on I will be the first fan...” Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne were all included but there was also no place in Martínez’s squad for Everton’s Kevin Mirallas. Spain squad Goalkeepers: David De Gea (Manchester United), Pepe Reina (Napoli), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Bilbao) Defenders: Jordi Alba (Barcelona), César Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Nacho Monreal (Arsenal), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Nacho Fernández (Real Madrid), Gerard Piqué (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Álvaro Odriozola (Real Sociedad) Midfielders: Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona), Jorge “Koke” Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), Saul Ňiguez (Atletico Madrid), Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), David Silva (Manchester City), Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid), Francisco “Isco” Alarcón (Real Madrid) Forwards: Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo), Rodrigo (Valencia), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid) Belgium squad Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Matz Sels (Newcastle United) Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Laurent Ciman (LAFC), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Christian Kabasele (Watford), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Jordan Lukaku (Lazio), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur) Midfielders: Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian) Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Dries Mertens (Napoli)<doc-sep>Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad - Final 23-man lists Speculation has been rife as to who should make the cut for their country, but which players exactly will be participating? The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia begins on June 14 and ends on July 15, with 32 squads from around the globe taking part in football's most prestigious tournament. Of the 32 teams taking part, 20 of those will be making back-to-back appearances, including reigning champions Germany, while less recognised national sides such as Iceland and Panama are making their first appearances. Similarly, fans of the beautiful game will see star household names such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo represent their respective countries, but will also have the privilege of discovering new faces as coaches look to break in a new generation of younger players. Article continues below Speculation over which players should be 'on the plane' has been rife amongst those eager to see their favourite players turn out for their nations – but spaces in national squads are limited. So, how many players make the cut and who exactly who is going to Russia? Goal has all the answers. When will the World Cup squads be announced? FIFA require the final 23-man squad lists to be finalised on June 4 at the latest, although many countries have chosen to announce their teams in advance. While the FIFA deadline is in place it is at the discretion of each national team coach as to whether they wish to reveal their plans before those dates. Which teams have qualified for the World Cup? The full list of 32 teams qualified for Russia 2018 is as follows: Group A Group B Group C Group D Russia Portugal France Argentina Saudi Arabia Spain Australia Iceland Egypt Morocco Peru Croatia Uruguay Iran Denmark Nigeria Group E Group F Group G Group H Brazil Germany Belgium Poland Switzerland Sweden Panama Senegal Costa Rica Mexico Tunisia Colombia Serbia South Korea England Japan Every confirmed World Cup 2018 squad Group A Russia's 23-man final squad: Igor Akinfeev, Vladimir Gabulov, Andrey Lunev; Sergei Ignashevich, Mario Fernandes, Vladimir Granat, Fyodor Kudryashov, Andrei Semyonov, Igor Smolnikov, Ilya Kutepov, Aleksandr Yerokhin, Yuri Zhirkov, Daler Kuzyaev, Aleksandr Golovin, Alan Dzagoev, Roman Zobnin, Aleksandr Samedov, Yuri Gazinsky, Anton Miranchuk, Denis Cheryshev, Artyom Dzyuba, Aleksei Miranchuk, Fyodor Smolov Saudi Arabia's 23-man final squad: Mohammed Al-Owais, Yasser Al-Musailem, Abdullah Al-Mayuf; Mansoor Al-Harbi, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Mohammed Al-Burayk, Motaz Hawsawi, Osama Hawsawi, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Omar Othman; Abdullah Alkhaibari, Abdulmalek Alkhaibri, Abdullah Otayf, Taiseer Al-Jassam, Hussain Al-Moqahwi, Salman Al-Faraj, Mohamed Kanno, Hatan Bahbir, Salem Al-Dawsari, Yahia Al-Shehri; Fahad Al-Muwallad, Mohammad Al-Sahlawi, Muhannad Assiri Egypt's 23-man final squad: Essam El Hadary, Mohamed El-Shennawy, Sherif Ekramy; Ahmed Fathi, Abdallah Said, Saad Samir, Ayman Ashraf, Mohamed Abdel-Shafy, Ahmed Hegazi, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Elmohamady, Omar Gaber; Tarek Hamed, Mahmoud Shikabala, Sam Morsy, Mohamed Elneny, Mahmoud Kahraba, Ramadan Sobhi, Trezeguet, Amr Warda; Marwan Mohsen, Mohamed Salah, Mahmoud Elwensh Uruguay's 23-man final squad: Fernando Muslera, Martin Silva, Martin Campana, Diego Godin, Sebastian Coates, Jose Maria Gimenez, Maximiliano Pereira, Gaston Silva, Martin Caceres, Guillermo Varela, Nahitan Nandez, Lucas Torreira, Matias Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur, Carlos Sanchez, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Diego Laxalt, Cristian Rodriguez, Jonathan Urretaviscaya, Cristhian Stuani, Maximiliano Gomez, Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez Group B Portugal's 23-man final squad: Anthony Lopes, Beto, Rui Patricio, Bruno Alves, Cedric Soares, Jose Fonte, Mario Rui, Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro, Ricardo Pereira, Ruben Dias, Adrien Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Mario, Joao Moutinho, Manuel Fernandes, William Carvalho, Andre Silva, Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gelson Martins, Goncalo Guedes, Ricardo Quaresma Spain's 23-man final squad: David de Gea, Pepe Reina, Kepa Arrizabalaga; Dani Carvajal, Alvaro Odriozola, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Nacho, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jordi Alba, Nacho Monreal; Sergio Busquets, Saul Niquez, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, Andres Iniesta, David Silva; Isco, Marcio Asensio, Lucas Vazquez, Iago Aspas, Rodrigo, Diego Costa. Morocco's 23-man final squad: Mounir El Kajoui, Yassine Bounou, Ahmad Reda Tagnaouti, Mehdi Benatia, Romain Saiss, Manuel Da Costa, Badr Benoun, Nabil Dirar, Achraf Hakimi, Hamza Mendyl; M'bark Boussoufa, Karim El Ahmadi, Youssef Ait Bennasser, Sofyan Amrabat, Younes Belhanda, Faycal Fajr, Amine Harit; Khalid Boutaib, Aziz Bouhaddouz, Ayoub El Kaabi, Nordin Amrabat, Mehdi Carcela, Hakim Ziyech Iran's 23-man final squad: Alireza Beiranvand, Rashid Mazaheri, Amir Abedzadeh; Ramin Rezaeian, Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh, Morteza Pouraliganji, Pejman Montazeri, Seyed Majid Hosseini, Milad Mohammadi, Roozbeh Cheshmi; Saeid Ezatolahi, Masoud Shojaei, Saman Ghoddos, Mehdi Torabi, Ashkan Dejagah, Omid Ebrahimi, Ehsan Hajsafi, Vahid Amiri; Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Karim Ansarifard, Mahdi Taremi, Sardar Azmoun, Reza Ghoochannejhad Group C France's 23-man final squad: Alphonse Areola, Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda; Lucas Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, Benjamin Mendy, Benjamin Pavard, Adil Rami, Djibril Sidibe, Samuel Umtiti, Raphael Varane; N'Golo Kante, Blaise Matuidi, Steven N'Zonzi, Paul Pogba, Corentin Tolisso, Ousmane Dembele, Nabil Fekir; Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Lemar, Kylian Mbappe, Florian Thauvin Australia's 23-man final squad: Brad Jones, Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic; Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Matthew Jurman, James Meredith, Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury; Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, Robbie Kruse, Massimo Luongo, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic; Daniel Arzani, Tim Cahill, Tomi Juric, Mathew Leckie, Andrew Nabbout, Dimitri Petratos, Jamie Maclaren Peru's 23-man final squad: Carlos Caceda, Jose Carvallo, Pedro Gallese, Luis Advincula, Pedro Aquino, Miguel Araujo, Andre Carrillo, Wilder Cartagena, Aldo Corzo, Christian Cueva, Jefferson Farfan, Edison Flores, Paolo Hurtado, Nilson Loyola, Andy Polo, Christian Ramos, Alberto Rodriguez, Raul Ruidiaz, Anderson Santamaria, Renato Tapia, Miguel Trauco, Yoshimar Yotun, Paolo Guerrero Denmark's 23-man final squad: Kasper Schmeichel, Jonas Lossl, Frederik Ronow; Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen, Mathias Jorgensen, Jannik Vestergaard, Henrik Dalsgaard, Jens Stryger, Jonas Knudsen; William Kvist, Thomas Delaney, Lukas Lerager, Lasse Schone, Christian Eriksen, Michael Krohn-Dehli; Pione Sisto, Martin Braithwaite, Andreas Cornelius, Viktor Fischer, Yussuf Poulsen, Nicolai Jorgensen, Kasper Dolberg Group D Argentina's 23-man final squad: Nahuel Guzmán, Willy Caballero, Franco Armani; Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi, Federico Fazio, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Rojo, Marcos Acuna, Cristian Ansaldi, Eduardo Salvio; Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria, Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Manuel Lanzini, Gio Lo Celso, Maximiliano Meza; Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala, Cristian Pavon<doc-sep>

La Roja are looking to win their fourth major title in the last 10 years in Russia but have opted to leave out Chelsea's record signing Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has missed out on being named in Spain's squad for the 2018 World Cup. The former Real Madrid forward has struggled for form in the second half of his first campaign at Stamford Bridge, scoring 15 goals in 47 appearances for the Blues having joined for a club record £60 million ($80.5m) in the summer of 2017. Morata has previously scored 13 goals in 23 appearances for La Roja, but the likes of Diego Costa, Iago Aspas and Rodrigo Moreno have been preferred by head coach Julen Lopetegui. The former Real Madrid and Juventus striker took his omission well, tweeting minutes after the announcement that he wishes Spain "the best of luck at the World Cup" and that he'll be "supporting and encouraging the team until the end always". Muchísima suerte en el Mundial!! Desde ya estaré apoyando y animando hasta el final como siempre!! — Álvaro Morata (@AlvaroMorata) May 21, 2018 The 2010 winners have followed England's lead in naming their 23-man squad well ahead of time rather than an extended provisional roster as they look to win their fourth major tournament in a decade. David de Gea is set to start in goal after another fine season for Manchester United, with Clasico rivals Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique the established centre-back pairing. Arsenal's Nacho Monreal is preferred to Chelsea's Marcos Alonso to provide competition for Jordi Alba at left-back while Real Madrid duo Dani Carvajal and Nacho will fight it out for a place on the opposite flank. Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and David Silva are likely to be Lopetegui's first-choice midfield trio, with Isco deployed slightly further forward. Atletico Madrid are represented by creative duo Koke and Saul Niguez while Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara and Madrid pair Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez provide options off the bench. Most of the 32 nations who will feature at Russia 2018 have named their squads already, with Spain last out the blocks of the big guns following Belgium's announcement earlier on Monday morning . They will be hoping to better their group stage exit in 2014 when defeats to Netherlands and Chile caused the holders to be the first team eliminated from the Brazil finals. Spain's full 23-man squad: Goalkeepers: Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Club), David de Gea (Manchester United), Pepe Reina (Napoli) Article continues below Defenders: Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Cesar Azpiliqueta (Chelsea), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Nacho Fernandez (Real Madrid), Nacho Monreal (Arsenal), Alvaro Odriozola (Real Sociedad), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Midfielders: Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Isco (Real Madrid), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid), David Silva (Manchester City) Forwards: Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), Rodrigo Moreno (Valencia), Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid).

The Texas Supreme Court struck down the city of Laredo's plastic bag ban—a decision that will likely overturn similar bans in about a dozen other cities, including Austin, Fort Stockton and Port Aransas. The court ruled Friday that only the state has the authority to regulate solid waste disposal in Texas. In the 19-page opinion, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote that the Texas Constitution prohibits city ordinances from conflicting with state law. "Both sides of the debate ... assert public-policy arguments raising economic, environmental and uniformity concerns," Hecht said. "We must take statutes as they are written, and the one before us is written quite clearly. Its limitation on local control encompasses the ordinance." The Laredo Merchants Association sued the city in March 2015 to overturn the ordinance, arguing that state law pre-empts the bag ban. The move was supported by 20 state senators and representatives, all Republicans, that filed an amicus brief in support of the merchants for an earlier appeal of the case. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also backed the merchants. A press release from his office states that the ruling "effectively invalidates unlawful bag bans across Texas." "I hope that Laredo, Austin, and any other jurisdictions that have enacted illegal bag bans will take note and voluntarily bring their ordinances into compliance with state law," Paxton said in a statement. "Should they decline to do so, I expect the ruling will be used to invalidate any other illegal bag bans statewide." In a statement after today's ruling, Laredo mayor Pete Saenz called the decision a "major blow to all Texans who want to see a cleaner, healthier and more beautiful state." He said that banning plastic bags helped protect the environment, reduced clean-up costs and "beautified" the city. He also said that Laredoans quickly adapted to bringing their own bags to stores. "Single use plastic bags have contributed to flooding, mosquitoes, costly clean up for local governments, and disruption of sensitive ecosystems and wildlife," Saenz said. "Laredo's ordinance helped reduce clean up and repair costs to our storm water, sewage and water utilities systems. It also beautified our city and helped wildlife with it." He encouraged residents and all Texans to continue bringing reusable bags, straws, cups and containers to stores. Environmental groups were disappointed by the court's decision. "Plastic pollution is harming wildlife, marring the beauty of our cities, and threatening our health, safety and economy," said Environment Texas executive director Luke Metzger in a statement. "Nothing we use for five minutes should pollute our environment for hundreds of years. We call on major retailers, like HEB and Walmart, to continue observing the ban in these cities and ask the Legislature to remove the preemption statute."<doc-sep>The court's ruling resolves a long-standing question over whether local governments may impose such bans, as cities including Austin, Fort Stockton and Port Aransas have in recent years The Texas Supreme Court handed a loss to local government on Friday, ruling that a Laredo ban on plastic bags violates state law. The decision imperils other cities' bans across the state. The court’s ruling resolves a long-standing question over whether local governments may impose such bans, as cities including Austin, Fort Stockton and Port Aransas have in recent years. It comes a year after a legislative session marked by challenges to the power of local governments. City ordinances cannot conflict with state law, the court said in a unanimous holding, stating clearly that its intent was not to wade into the "roving, roiling debate over local control of public affairs" but simply to resolve the legal question at hand. "Both sides of the debate... assert public-policy arguments raising economic, environmental, and uniformity concerns," Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote for the court. "We must take statutes as they are written, and the one before us is written quite cleary. Its limitation on local control encompasses the ordinance." READ MORE: The unanimous holding delivers a blow to proponents of local control, and likely means an end to the other Texas cities that impose similar local regulations. The Laredo Merchants Association sued the city back in March 2015, arguing that the city’s ban on single-use bags conflicted with a state law regulating solid waste disposal. But the question stretches back even further than that. In 2014, then-Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a non-binding opinion advising that bag bans are legal if they are not aimed at “solid waste management.” That murky phrase, which appears in the Texas Health and Safety Code, has become the fulcrum for debate on the issue. The Laredo case, which made its way to the Texas Supreme Court in January, has focused on that semantic difference. Lawyers for the city, led by former Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright, argued that the bags are not garbage and are therefore are not covered by the relevant state law. Lawyers on the other side, who have been joined by the Texas Attorney General’s Office, argue that they are. While arguments have seemed to center on semantics, the court’s decision is likely to have major implications for local control issues across the state. A long list of lawmakers have weighed in on the case, including by filing friend-of-the-court briefs. Twenty Republican state lawmakers filed a brief against the ban in an earlier appeal of the case. And state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, a Laredo Democrat, told the Texas Supreme Court she supports the city’s ban.<doc-sep>The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that a plastic bag ban in Laredo goes against state law. So, what does that mean for Austin's bag ban? AUSTIN -- After the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that a plastic bag ban in Laredo goes against state law, many are wondering what this means for Austin's ban on plastic bags. A city spokesman told KVUE their lawyers will look at the ruling and determine how this could affect the single use bag ban in Austin. Here’s a statement from the city spokesman: The City Law Department is reviewing this decision to determine how it might impact Austin’s regulations. The City’s single-use bag ordinance has been in place since 2012 and has served as a model for engaging stakeholders to develop effective local legislation. RELATED: Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo told KVUE she believes Austinites will continue to bring their own bags, no matter what happens to the local ban. "We've had our ban in place since 2012, and so you know customers are used to bringing their own tote bags to the store. And stores are used to not supplying free bags, and so I think that culture shift here in the City of Austin has already happened, and it’s for the good. I talk to people who continue to remark on what a difference it's made," said Tovo. She feels the ban has made a positive difference. "I'm still confident that we can hang on to our regulations. I think they're important, I think they're good for the stores, I think they're good for our environment and I think they're good for consumers,” said Tovo. Environment Texas Canvass Manager, Kelly Bartsch also agrees there are positive benefits to the ban. "We're calling on retailers to do the right thing and stick to providing reusable options for their consumers," said Bartsch. But District 8 Council Member Ellen Troxclair disagrees with the ban. Here's her statement: This is yet another example of government micro-managing our lives with detrimental unintended consequences. A City of Austin report cited that the bag ban led to an increase in reusable plastic bags in the recycling stream, higher cost to consumers, and unforeseen expenses to retailers. I'm glad to hear of the court's ruling and hope it means that we will have one less regulation in Austin soon as well. The Texas Public Policy Foundation also said they are satisfied with the ruling and hopes change will occur.<doc-sep>The plastic bag bans helped reduce litter, protected wildlife and cattle and made stormwater management easier, environmental advocates say. Are you a Texan who hates having to take reusable shopping bags on your grocery run? Rejoice, for your time has come. After a new Texas Supreme Court ruling, your store could soon be stocked with all the plastic bags your heart desires. Want to double-bag that lollipop? Go for it! Hell, triple bag it. In the last decade, at least 11 Texas cities — including Fort Stockton, Austin and Brownsville — have enacted laws banning single-use plastic bags at retail stores. The Laredo Merchants Association challenged Laredo’s ordinance in 2015, arguing that its ban was out of line with state law. On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the trade group, striking down plastic bag bans across the state. The ruling is the latest volley in state leaders’ escalating war on local control. When Denton passed an ordinance to ban fracking in 2014, the Legislature stepped in, banning all bans on fracking to avoid what Governor Greg Abbott called a “patchwork of local regulations.” When Austin voted for stronger background checks for rideshare companies in 2016, the Legislature once again passed a statewide law that effectively voided part of the city’s ordinance and pre-empted other cities from following suit. The justices seemed reticent to frame Friday’s ruling as another vote against allowing cities to set their own policy. “The roving, roiling debate over local control of public affairs has not, with increased age, lost any of its vigor,” the ruling stated, but the “judges have no dog in this fight.” “City ordinances cannot conflict with state law,” the justices wrote. “The wisdom or expediency of the law is the Legislature’s prerogative, not ours. We must take statutes as they are written, and the one before us is written quite clearly. Its limitation on local control encompasses the ordinance.” According to the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act, local governments may not restrict or prohibit “the sale or use of a container or package.” The Laredo Merchants Association and other opponents of the local bans argued that the city’s ordinance violated this state law. Ultimately, the argument boiled down to whether a plastic bag can be considered a “container or package.” Attorneys with the city of Laredo argued that the law applied only to waste, not in the case of prohibiting bags before they become trash. “This is a huge victory for deadly pollution in our state.” The ruling puts the decision to provide plastic bags squarely on retailers. Environmental groups are calling on major stores such as H-E-B, Target and Walmart to continue operating without bags at locations where the local bans were enacted. A spokesperson for H-E-B, which operates 340 stores in Texas and Mexico, did not immediately return a request for comment. In response to a question on Twitter, the company wrote, “We will thoughtfully evaluate the issue to ensure we’re making the best decisions for our customers and the communities we serve.” A broad coalition of groups — including ranchers, cotton farmers and environmental advocates — came together to support the cities’ bag bans, arguing that plastic bags are a threat to the environment and bad for business. The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association supported the ban because plastic bags can cause costly damage to equipment and reduce the quality of the crop. Plastic bags pose a threat to wildlife and cattle, and also clog drains. Austin’s Solid Waste Management Department estimated that the city spends $330,000 to $805,000 annually to clean up litter and pay for infrastructure maintenance expenses caused by plastic bags. “The only people that benefit from this [ruling] are the [Texas] Chemical Council and the petrochemical industry that make billions off destroying our land and water,” said Andrew Dobbs, legislative director at Texas Campaign for the Environment. “This is a huge victory for deadly pollution in our state.” Anti-regulation advocates applauded the decision. Rob Henneke of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an influential conservative think tank in Austin, said the ruling had “everything to do with reining in lawless city governments” and “reaffirms the ancient principle that City’s [sic] may not pursue their policy goals by any means necessary.” Attorney General Ken Paxton said the ruling “sends the unambiguous message to all local jurisdictions in Texas that they do not get to simply ignore laws they don’t agree with.” Dobbs urged retailers not to return bags to their stores. “Retailers have the power to keep this benefit to our environment going, to decline to bring back these useless, dangerous products that cost them money,” he said. His group also plans to push for legislation that would give more control to local governments.<doc-sep>

The Texas Supreme Court handed a loss to local government on Friday, striking down a Laredo ban on plastic bags. The decision imperils about a dozen other cities' bans across the state. In a decision viewed as one of the court’s most highly politicized of the term, justices ruled unanimously that a state law on solid waste disposal pre-empted the local ordinance. That decision drew immediate responses from both sides of the aisle, with high praise from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who had weighed in against the bans, and condemnation from environmental groups, which had argued the ban kept at bay the harsh environmental damage brought by plastics. The court’s ruling resolves a long-standing question over whether local governments may impose such bans, as cities including Austin, Fort Stockton and Port Aransas have in recent years. Friday’s unanimous holding makes those bans unenforceable as well and likely tosses the issue over to the Texas Legislature for debate. The court said in a unanimous holding that its intent was not to wade into the "roving, roiling debate over local control of public affairs" but simply to resolve the legal question at hand. "Both sides of the debate ... assert public-policy arguments raising economic, environmental, and uniformity concerns," Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote for the court. "We must take statutes as they are written, and the one before us is written quite clearly. Its limitation on local control encompasses the ordinance." The Laredo Merchants Association sued the city back in March 2015, arguing that the city’s ban on single-use bags conflicted with a state law regulating solid waste disposal. But the question stretches back even farther than that. In 2014, then-Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a nonbinding opinion advising that bag bans are legal if they are not aimed at “solid waste management.” That murky phrase, which appears in the Texas Health and Safety Code, has become the fulcrum for debate on the issue. The Laredo case, which made its way to the Texas Supreme Court in January, has focused on that semantic difference. Lawyers for the city, led by former Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright, argued that the bags are not garbage and are therefore are not covered by the relevant state law. Lawyers on the other side, who have been joined by the Texas Attorney General’s Office, argue that they are. While arguments have seemed to center on semantics, the court’s decision is likely to have major implications for local control issues across the state. It’s a loss for local governments, said Bennett Sandlin, executive director of the Texas Municipal League. “Plastic bags are the perfect case for why different geographies need different sets of rules,” Sandlin said. “This is a sad day.” A long list of lawmakers have weighed in on the case, including by filing friend of the court briefs. Twenty Republican state lawmakers filed a brief against the ban in an earlier appeal of the case. And state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, a Laredo Democrat, told the Texas Supreme Court she supports the city’s ban. In 2017, state Sen. Bob Hall filed a bill that would have prevented Texas cities from enforcing bag bans. Now that the court has ruled, the issue is likely to become one for legislators to take up. Justice Eva Guzman urged lawmakers to do just that in a concurring opinion Friday. “The legislative branch, not the judiciary, bears the unenviable task of making complicated policy decisions that balance the benefits of uniform regulation and the myriad burdens (financial or otherwise) that may be imposed on taxpayers, businesses, and the environment,” Guzman wrote. She added, “I urge the Legislature to take direct ameliorative action. ... Standing idle in the face of an ongoing assault on our delicate ecosystem will not forestall a day of environmental reckoning—it will invite one.” Kelly Harragan, who wrote a brief on behalf of the Turtle Island Restoration Network, said the court may revoke cities’ bans, but businesses and consumers still have the power to aid the environment. “Customers still have a choice. Customers can still bring their own bags and should still bring their own bag — once you’re in the habit of doing it, there’s no extra burden,” she said. “Companies can also decide that they still don’t want to offer single-use bags.” Environmentalists urged stores to do just that. "Plastic pollution is harming wildlife, marring the beauty of our cities, and threatening our health, safety and economy.

Twitter has suspended the account suspected of making go viral the misleadingly edited video of the Lincoln Memorial confrontation involving some Catholic high-school students, an Indian elder and a black hate group. According to a report on CNN Business on Monday evening, Twitter suspended the account of @2020fight shortly after the network began asking questions about its truthfulness and some odd characteristics that suggested it might be a foreign troll. The account posted a minute-long video Friday evening showed a selected portion of the confrontation with the caption, “This MAGA loser gleefully bothering a Native American protester at the Indigenous Peoples March.” The video already had appeared on the Instagram account of a bystander but, CNN wrote, “it was @2020fight’s caption that helped frame the news cycle.” That version of the video, which did not show what had happened before and which context has caused numerous publications and pundits to walk back their condemnation of the boys from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky, was viewed at least 2.5 million times and retweeted at least 14,400 times, CNN Business reported, citing a cached version of the tweet. In addition, numerous news outlets that then made the confrontation the biggest story of the weekend asked @2020fight about the video and who held the rights to it. Rob McDonagh, an assistant editor at Storyful, told CNN the @2020fight video was the main one pushing the social media outrage. According to CNN, the account claimed to be the tweets of a woman named Talia living in California, who set it up in December 2016 and identified herself as “Teacher & Advocate. Fighting for 2020.” However, CNN reported, its profile photo was a blogger based in Brazil — a violation of Twitter’s terms of service, which bar impersonation. There were other suspicious factors, according to Molly McKew, an information warfare researcher who saw the tweet and shared it herself Saturday. She said she “later realized that a network of anonymous accounts were working to amplify the video,” CNN wrote. “This is the new landscape: where bad actors monitor us and appropriate content that fits their needs. They know how to get it where they need to go so it amplifies naturally. And at this point, we are all conditioned to react and engage or deny in specific ways. And we all did,” Ms. McKew told CNN. Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters Copyright © 2021 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.<doc-sep>Twitter has suspended an account with thousands of followers for violating its policy against “fake and misleading accounts,” after it posted a brief clip of the now-notorious encounter between a Native American elder and several high school students wearing Make America Great Again hats. The @2020fight account, which had more than 40,000 followers before it went offline, shared a minute-long video of the incident between Nathan Phillips, a Native American veteran, and protestors from Covington Catholic High School at the Indigenous Peoples March last week. The video sparked an outcry on Twitter, with many users calling the students racist and pushing for their personal information to be leaked online. The clip shared by @2020fight was retweeted more than 14,000 times and racked up 2.5 million views. The account was suspended on Monday afternoon, however, after CNN Business noticed the account was not authentic. The account had a profile picture of a Brazil-based blogger, despite claiming to be run by a California schoolteacher named Talia. A Twitter spokesperson, after confirming the account had been suspended, did not tell TheWrap how long the account would be offline. Also Read: National Review Apologizes to Covington Catholic Students “Deliberate attempts to manipulate the public conversation on Twitter by using misleading account information is a violation of the Twitter Rules,” the spokesperson added. The @2020fight account was a frequent poster before its suspension, averaging 130 tweets per day since it was opened in late 2016, according to CNN. Molly McKew, an information warfare researcher, told CNN the account’s video was amplified by a network of bot accounts. Twitter, like many other social platforms, has looked to combat the spread of fake news following the 2016 U.S. election. The brief video outraged many this past weekend, with many users blasting one teenager for smirking in Phillips’ face. A GQ writer called on his followers to doxx the teenagers — a claim he later retracted — and a Vulture writer expressed his wish to see them die. Hollywood producer Jack Morrissey tweeted a graphic image (inspired by “Fargo”) imaging the Covington students being fed into a wood chipper, something he later apologized for. Comedian Kathy Griffin also called for her followers to doxx the teenagers. “I want NAMES. Shame them,” tweeted Griffin. A much longer version of the incident later caused many to reconsider how they viewed the situation, though. A widely-shared article from Robby Soave at Reason.com on Sunday indicated the students, rather than intentionally invading Phillips’ space, were approached by him as he was banging a drum. The two-hour long video, as Soave pointed out, also called into question whether the students chanted “build the wall,” as Phillips claimed, or said anything racist. Also Read: Covington High Student Says He Never Sought Staredown With Native American Elder Julie Irwin Zimmerman, writing in The Atlantic on Monday, said the incident provided a test — one that she initially”failed.” “Will we learn from it, or will we continue to roam social media, looking for the next outrage fix? Next time a story like this surfaces,” Zimmerman wrote. “I’ll try to sit it out until more facts have emerged. I’ll remind myself that the truth is sometimes unknowable, and I’ll stick to discussing the news with people I know in real life, instead of with strangers whom I’ve never met.”<doc-sep>Twitter suspended a suspicious account that spread a misleading video of a white Catholic high school student wearing a Make America Great Again hat and a Native American man standing face-to-face on the Lincoln Memorial last week — and a tech expert told CNN Business that a network of anonymous accounts worked to make the video go viral. The account claimed to belong to a California schoolteacher, but after the outlet found that the profile photo was of a Brazil-based blogger, it asked Twitter about it — and then the social media giant suspended the account Monday afternoon. More from CNN Business: The account, with the username @2020fight, was set up in December 2016 and appeared to be the tweets of a woman named Talia living in California. "Teacher & Advocate. Fighting for 2020," its Twitter bio read. Since the beginning of this year, the account had tweeted on average 130 times a day and had more than 40,000 followers. Late on Friday, the account posted a minute-long video showing the now-iconic confrontation between a Native American elder and the high school students, with the caption, "This MAGA loser gleefully bothering a Native American protester at the Indigenous Peoples March." That version of the video was viewed at least 2.5 million times and was retweeted at least 14,400 times, according to a cached version of the tweet seen by CNN Business. Then new video emerged that told a far different story Journalists pounced on the clip, claiming that student Nick Sandmann got in the Native American man's face and that Sandmann's classmates from Covington (Kentucky) Catholic High School surrounded Nathan Phillips — who was beating on a drum and chanting — and were mocking and trying to intimidate him when apparently all he wanted to do was head up the Memorial steps. But additional video emerged — which @2020fight did not include, CNN Business said — showing that, in fact, it was Phillips who approached Sandmann and his classmates, and he had plenty of room to head up the steps prior to the face-to-face standoff. The Covington students had attended the March for Life, which coincided with the Indigenous Peoples March, and Sandmann said in a detailed statement blasting "outright lies" that beforehand he and his classmates "noticed four African American protestors" who made "direct derogatory insults at our school group. The protestors said hateful things. They called us 'racists,' 'bigots,' 'white crackers,' 'faggots,' and 'incest kids.' They also taunted an African American student from my school by telling him that we would 'harvest his organs.' I have no idea what that insult means, but it was startling to hear." Additional video bears out Sandman's latter claim. The suspicious Twitter account with the misleading video was the main viral driver Rob McDonagh — an assistant editor at Storyful, which vets online content — told CNN Business he was monitoring Twitter on Saturday morning and that the @2020fight video was the main version of the incident social media users were sharing. Multiple newsrooms, including some national American outlets, reached out to @2020fight asking about the video, the outlet added, noting that's one indicator of how viral the clip had become. McDonagh added to CNN Business that he believed the account was suspicious due to its "high follower count, highly polarized and yet inconsistent political messaging, the unusually high rate of tweets, and the use of someone else's image in the profile photo." Molly McKew — an information warfare researcher who shared the @2020fight video tweet herself Saturday — told the outlet she soon realized a network of anonymous accounts were working to make the video go viral. "This is the new landscape: where bad actors monitor us and appropriate content that fits their needs," McKew added to CNN Business. "They know how to get it where they need to go so it amplifies naturally. And at this point, we are all conditioned to react and engage or deny in specific ways. And we all did." CNN Business said it was unable to reach the person, or people, behind the suspicious account and that it blocked the outlet's reporter soon after CNN Business told Twitter about the account. What's the latest? President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday morning that Sandmann and his classmates "have become symbols of Fake News and how evil it can be." "They have captivated the attention of the world, and I know they will use it for the good - maybe even to bring people together," Trump added. "It started off unpleasant, but can end in a dream!" Nick Sandmann and the students of Covington have become symbols of Fake News and how evil it can be. They have captivated the attention of the world, and I know they will use it for the good - maybe even to bring people together. It started off unpleasant, but can end in a dream! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2019 Trump also tweeted Monday night that Sandmann & Co. "were treated unfairly" and "smeared by media" with "false" stories. To that end, a number of journalists and other notable figures reversed their initial positions and apologized for jumping the gun on the false narrative — while others simply deleted their incorrect posts castigating the students over the incident. An entertainment company cut ties with one of its workers after he tweeted that he wanted the Covington students and their parents to die. Two Covington students spoke out against the media Monday via a YouTube video, saying they've been the victims of doxxing and death threats and that "some of these threats include that we should all be locked in the school and it should be burned to the ground, the school being bombed, school shooting threats." CBS News correspondent David Begnaud noted in a video segment that the incident did not take place as originally reported:<doc-sep>

Twitter suspended a suspicious account Monday reportedly responsible for framing the initial media narrative around the Covington Catholic High School students’ confrontation with Nathan Phillips. The social media platform suspended the account with the username @2020fight for suspicious activity after CNN Business alerted Twitter that, while the account bio said it belonged to a California school teacher named Talia, the profile’s picture was that of a blogger from Brazil. Analytics revealed that @2020fight’s post of and caption for a minute long video of the confrontation between the Covington students and Phillips became the main version of the video shared on social media, shaping a narrative that accused the students of bigotry. (RELATED: Catholic Leaders Publicly Condemned School Boys At March For Life, But Remain Silent After Videos Proved Their Innocence) “This MAGA loser gleefully bothering a Native American protester at the Indigenous Peoples March,” @2020fight’s caption for the video read. The account’s bio described the account user as “Teacher & Advocate. Fighting for 2020.” The account user tweeted an average of 130 times each day to more than 40,000 followers. The account reportedly violated Twitter’s rules, which forbid “fake and misleading accounts.” “Deliberate attempts to manipulate the public conversation on Twitter by using misleading account information is a violation of the Twitter Rules,” a Twitter spokesperson told CNN Business. Rob McDonagh, assistant editor of an online content vetting service called Storyful, noted several suspicious characteristics about @2020fight, including its “high follower count, highly polarized and yet inconsistent political messaging, the unusually high rate of tweets, and the use of someone else’s image in the profile photo.” More suspicious still was the fact that, according to information warfare researcher Molly McKew, a network of anonymous accounts was amplifying @2020fight’s post of the video across social media. The account’s video did not show what preceded the encounter between Phillips and the students, and therefore did not reveal that a black supremacist group called the Black Hebrew Israelites initially accosted the students with profanity and racial slurs before Phillips and his colleagues also approached and confronted the high school students, who tried to drown out the two other groups’ insults with school cheers. Nevertheless, Twitter users retweeted @2020fight’s truncated video and its caption at least 14,400 times and viewed the video at least 2.5 million times. So influential was @2020fight’s post that members of the media reached out directly to the owner of the profile in the course of reporting on the incident. McDonagh said that @2020fight’s post was the primary version of events shared on social media. The post was so successful in helping to shape the narrative that scores of journalists, public officials, priests, bishops, nuns, dioceses, and even the students’ own school publicly denounced the children without reaching out to them for their version of events or waiting for further information about the incident. “This is the new landscape: where bad actors monitor us and appropriate content that fits their needs. They know how to get it where they need to go so it amplifies naturally. And at this point, we are all conditioned to react and engage or deny in specific ways. And we all did,” McKew said. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Odisha and Kerala on Tuesday on brief visits to inaugurate various development projects and also address BJP rallies as the party prepares for Lok Sabha polls. The BJP has heightened efforts to make inroads in both states in recent years. Modi is first scheduled to visit Odisha, where he will arrive in the morning. Modi will be visiting Balangir district in Western Odisha, where he will dedicate a multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) in Jharsuguda and a new railway line between Balangir and Bichupali around 10am. Modi is then scheduled to address a rally in Balangir's Patharchepa ground by 11am. Interestingly, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will not be attending Modi's official programmes as he has alternate events scheduled. Patnaik is scheduled to address a farmers' meeting during the time of Modi's visit. A minister in the state government is expected to be deputed to attend Modi's official programme. During an earlier visit of Modi to Baripada on January 5, Patnaik was absent. Patnaik's decision to abstain from attending Modi's programmes has given risen to speculation he wants to appear equidistant from both the BJP and Congress. Modi will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram after his visit to Odisha. He is scheduled to fly by helicopter to Kollam district after 5pm to inaugurate the Kollam bypass, built at a cost of nearly Rs 352 crore. The bypass is 13km long and is expected to reduce travel time between Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to be present at the event. Modi is then scheduled to address a rally of BJP workers in Kollam. BJP workers from Mavelikara, Kollam and Alappuzha are expected to attend the rally. Later in the evening, Modi is scheduled to pray at the revered Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Modi's visit comes in the wake of months of protest by the BJP and groups affiliated to the RSS against the Supreme Court decision on allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala temple.<doc-sep>Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and state BJP leaders at the Raipur airport after he made a brief stopover en route to Odisha. The prime minister arrived at the Swami Vivekanand Airport here at around 8:40 am by a special aircraft and stayed for a couple of minutes before leaving for Balangir in neighbouring Odisha, a government public relation official here said. Baghel, former chief minister Raman Singh, senior BJP leaders and officials welcomed Modi at the airport, he said. The PM left for Balangir at around 8:45 am on board an Indian Air Force helicopter, he added. "It was a warm meeting with the PM. He congratulated me," Baghel told reporters later. It is the first time Baghel is meeting the PM since he led the to a landslide victory in Chhattisgarh in the Assembly polls held in November. On the way back, PM Modi will arrive at the Raipur airport in the afternoon and after about a 5-minute break, he will leave for Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, the official said.<doc-sep>A thousand trees have been cut ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Odisha on Tuesday, leading to three government departments shifting blame on to one another, reported The Indian Express. The trees were cleared to make space for a temporary helipad in Balangir for the Prime Minister’s use. Narendra Modi will be flagging off the inaugural run of a train on the Khurda-Balangir railway line from Balangir station. Balangir Divisional Forest Officer Sameer Satpathy told reporters on Sunday that the trees had been cut without obtaining permission from the forest department. “When our staff tried to stop the cutting of trees, the site in-charge said that there had been strict instructions from higher authorities to make space for the helipad,” Satpathy was quoted as saying by Odisha TV. He valued the trees at Rs 2.5 lakh. A spokesperson for the East Coast Railways said that the Railways merely owned the land, but it was the Public Works Department that had carried out the work. PWD personnel claimed they had “no idea” who had cut the trees. The trees in question had been planted under an urban plantation programme in 2.25 hectares of Railways land, of which 1.5 hectares of land was cleared. There was no vacant space for the Prime Minister’s helicopter to land, Balangir Superintendent of Police K Siva Subramani was quoted as saying by The Hindu. The Indian Express reported that the Odisha government was criticised for attempting to clear land to set up a brewery in Dhenkanal in November. Local women had clashed with the police and the local administration after hundreds of trees had been cut down at the time.<doc-sep>Naveen Patnaik was not part of PM Modi's event even during his last visit on January 5. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official programme during his visit to the state on Tuesday. Official sources said he will be occupied with state government programmes. During his visit to Odisha, PM Modi is scheduled to launch several projects on Infrastructure development, Connectivity and Ease of Doing Business. PM Modi will also inaugurate a new railway line. He is expected to speak at a rally later. Naveen Patnaik will not be part of any of the events. Sources in the chief minister's office said one minister may be deputed to attend the Prime Minister's official programme. He was not a part of PM Modi's event even during his last visit on January 5. Ahead of the general elections, both the leaders have been attacking each other's government, though PM Modi did not name BJD or Naveen Patnaik in his speeches, Congress has alleged that PM Modi has maintained a soft stance towards Naveen Patnaik and his party, particularly after BJP''s defeat in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattishgarh. Sources in the ruling BJD said Naveen Patnaik prefers not to be seen with the Prime Minister at this juncture since the party has been maintaining equal distance from both the BJP and the Congress.<doc-sep>

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official programme during his one-day tour to the state Tuesday as he would be busy in state government programmes, official sources said. Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official programme during his one-day tour to the state Tuesday as he would be busy in state government programmes, official sources said. The prime minister, during his visit to Bolangir in Western Odisha, is scheduled to launch several projects on infrastructure development, connectivity and ease of doing business. Modi will also dedicate Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Jharsuguda and new railway line to be inaugurated between Balangir and Bichupali. After attending the official programme, Modi is expected to address a public rally at Patharachepa ground in Bolangir at 11.45 am. However, Patnaik will not be able to attend such function as he will remain busy at the state government's "Krushi Odisha" programme. Patnaik will address farmers at the meeting. Both the prime minister and the chief minister are scheduled to attend programmes in different areas of the state at 11 am. However, sources in the chief minister's office said, one minister may be deputed to attend the prime minister's official programme. Last time, when Modi visited Baripada in North Odisha on 5 January, Patnaik was not present there as he was attending an official programme at Puri. Odisha'a Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick represented the state at the function. However, the chief minister had attended the official function of Modi when he came to Khurda near Bhubaneswar on 24 December. Ahead of the general elections, both leaders have been attacking each other's government, though Modi did not take the name of ruling BJD or Patnaik in his speeches at those programmes. Modi, however, on his public meetings at Jharsuguda and Talcher on 22 September, 2018, had criticised Patnaik and his government. The Opposition Congress has alleged that Modi has been maintaining soft attitude towards Patnaik and his party particularly because of the BJP's defeat in three states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattishgarh. Sources in the ruling BJD said Patnaik prefers not to be seen with the prime minister at this juncture as the regional outfit has been maintaining equal distance from both the BJP and the Congress.

Text size Tesla (TSLA) stock shot higher on Tuesday after CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to reveal that he might take the company private at $420 a share. As of early Wednesday afternoon, Tesla's stock price had only given up a small amount of those gains, as markets continued to digest what Musk's Twitter bombshell could mean. Details remain scant. But we've got answers to your questions about this latest twist in Elon Musk's Tesla saga. Who wins if Tesla goes private? Current shareholders would be one winner, as they’ve already seen Tesla's stock price climb. And if the $420 takeout price actually materializes, they will have notched some swell gains. The most obvious beneficiary, however, would be Musk himself. Musk has spent plenty of his own money buying the company’s stock at prices much lower than the level at which shares are currently trading. And Tesla going private would free management, most importantly the free-wheeling Musk himself, from the restraints imposed on publicly traded companies. He’s far from the first CEO to bemoan the short-sighted, quarter-to-quarter attention span of the market. Who loses if Tesla goes private? The first loser that comes to mind are the short sellers — investors betting against the stock — who have surely felt the squeeze as Tesla enjoyed a pair of double-digit gains in recent weeks. On the other hand, Musk telegraphing what the stock price might be does provide a handy way for them to cap their potential losses—losses that in other cases could be theoretically infinite. But even believers in Tesla could be losers if it does go private. It wasn't too long ago that some were mentioning Tesla as the next Apple (AAPL), and even comparing its cars to iPods. If Tesla goes private, the chances of it earning a $1 trillion valuation, like Apple did last week, go out the window. Musk could end up in the loser column if a deal falls apart, of course. Some have already argued that his unconventional methods, coupled with past sparring with short sellers, could be seen as stock manipulation by regulators. Was Musk's tweet legal? We just don’t know yet. Bears are arguing that Musk has no intention of going private, and that he’s just trying to manipulate the stock to hurt shorts and improve the company’s financial position. There's no evidence that's the case. Still, Former SEC chairman Harvey Pitt called the announcement "extraordinarily unusual," which might be an understatement. The fact that there are even questions about the legality of his moves highlights the unorthodox nature of his tactics, and the need for more details. Now, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the SEC has reached out to Tesla to find out if Musk's tweet was factual, and why the announcement was made in a tweet and not a regulatory filing. Why is Elon Musk talking about Tesla going private right now? The timing is curious. Tesla's stock price soared after it reported earnings last week, and with a few well placed apologies, made investors forget Musk's bad behavior during the company's previous conference call. Tesla's stock had even gotten an early bump on Tuesday from news that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund had taken a stake in Musk's company. From a purely stock performance level, Tesla didn't need Musk to say anything. Still, Musk seems frustrated with the baggage of being a public company, and he wouldn't have to answer the continued questions about Tesla’s balance sheet, demand for the Model 3, and the durability of its technological edge if the company were to go private. How much would Tesla be worth if it went private? If we’re going by Musk's Twitter post, then Tesla would go private at a takeout price of $420 a share, almost a 23% premium over Tuesday's closing price — even after the spike that followed Musk's tweets. That would put its enterprise value at about $81 billion, by most calculations. Some argue $420 is too low, while others think that figure is overly aggressive. The funding sources and are still unclear, but it’s worth noting that spikes in Tesla’s stock price have considerably improved its financing position. What other companies have done what Musk wants to do? Few other big public companies have gone private in this way. There is the fairly recent example of Dell, which was taken private in 2013 by founder and substantial stakeholder Michael Dell. But that was a conventional leveraged buyout. The company later went public again as Dell Technologies (DVMT). It's likely Tesla’s takeout would be anything but traditional. What would happen to current shareholders if Tesla goes private? Musk has said he doesn’t want to shut shareholders out of Tesla just because it goes private. "My hope is *all* current investors remain with Tesla even if we’re private," Musk said in one tweet. He said he wants to create a so-called special purpose vehicle, one that would allow for existing shareholders — those who don’t accept the final takeout price — to periodically exchange or sell their shares. But analysts are fairly skeptical of this model, which doesn’t seem to have any precedent among public companies that have gone private. Musk himself plans to retain about a 20% ownership of the company. Will this really happen? It's anyone’s guess. Musk has plenty of motivation to make it happen, but without more facts, no one can say how feasible the deal structure and financing looks. Sign up to Review & Preview, a new daily email from Barron’s. Every evening we’ll review the news that moved markets during the day and look ahead to what it means for your portfolio in the morning.<doc-sep>Tesla CEO Elon Musk stunned investors Tuesday with a string of tweets saying he is considering taking the company private, in what would be the largest deal of its kind. "Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured," Musk said in a tweet shortly before 1 p.m. Musk discussed the plans further in a blog post later Tuesday. From there Musk tweeted several times. In responses to questions on Twitter, Musk said he will ensure the prosperity of shareholders "in any scenario." If Tesla went private, current investors could keep their stakes in Tesla through a special fund, or sell their shares at $420, he said. Shares jumped after Musk's first tweet, trading as high as $371.15 before giving back gains. Later the stock was halted for more than an hour. When it reopened shares surged more than 10 percent. Tesla shares were already trading higher on a report of a new stake from the Saudi Arabia sovereign wealth fund. In the past year, the stock has traded as low as $244.59 in April and as high as $389.61 in September. The electric car maker went public in 2010. Its current market value is $61 billion. At a share price of $420, the company would be worth $71.3 billion. Although Musk mentioned funding in his initial tweet, a blog post from Tesla did not include any mention of financing. CNBC also contacted a number of Wall Street banks and none of them was aware of any transaction or had committed to funding a leveraged buyout of Tesla. The Securities and Exchange Commission also declined to comment on the matter. However, companies are allowed to use social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to announce news, the SEC said in 2013. Musk also said he does not currently have a controlling vote in the company and wouldn't expect a single shareholder to have one if the company were private. He said he had no intention of selling his stake, and he said he would remain as CEO.<doc-sep>Getting out of Tesla at $420 per share might not be a bad thing for retail investors who own the popular stock that has a cult-like following. Indeed, Elon Musk's plan to take Tesla private could force retail investors to decide if they want to stay invested in the electric-car maker if – and it's a big if – the CEO's offer, which was made public in an unorthodox string of Twitter tweets earlier this week, ever happens. Musk, the visionary and often controversial CEO, said he would consider converting Tesla into a private company at a price of $420 a share and that it is his hope that "all shareholders remain." And while there are scant details as to how this corporate transition might be structured and how Main Street investors might be involved, Musk himself tweeted that "shareholders could either sell at 420 or hold shares & go private." Given a choice, investors should "take the 420 and go," advises Rob Arnott, founder and chairman of Research Affiliates, a firm that manages money for big institutional investors. Arnott's call is based on valuation. Tesla, which has reported only two profitable quarters since going public in June 2010, is an overpriced stock, Arnott says, one that he dubs a "micro bubble." "You have to use exceptionally aggressive growth assumptions to justify Tesla's current stock price," he says, adding that investors should be ecstatic that they have a possible "exit strategy" at $420 a share, which is about 20 percent higher than Thursday's close of $352.26 following a 5 percent drop. Tesla went public at $17 a share more than eight years ago. More:Report: SEC examining Elon Musk tweets about taking Tesla private More:Elon Musk creates stir: Tesla could and should go private, CEO says More:Tesla board endorses CEO Elon Musk's stunning plan to consider going private Those that want to stay invested in Tesla if it's taken private must be "committed" investors who believe in a profitable future for the high-profile electric-car maker, as owning a stake in a private company gives people less access to their money than a publicly traded stock that can be bought and sold on a traditional stock exchange such as the Nasdaq, says Kevin Landis, CEO and chief investment officer at Firsthand Funds, a tech-stock focused investment firm. In general, privately run companies only allow investors to access their money one or two times a year. And that limitation is a lot different than being able to call your broker or use a mobile trading app to sell a stock in seconds. "It's like buying a painting or a piece of real estate," Landis says. "You just bought an asset that is not liquid." Musk, however, has also broached the idea of creating a "special purpose fund enabling anyone to stay with Tesla." How that type of investment might work is unclear. Current Tesla price targets at big Wall Street firms such as J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley, which are $308 and $291, respectively, are well below where the shares are trading now. JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade, says investors who opt to follow Tesla into the private market would be "taking on a whole new level of risk." A private company, he explains, is not required to file quarterly updates to Wall Street regulators, which makes it much more difficult to "track the company" and get up-to-the-second data on what the company is worth.<doc-sep>

CEO Elon Musk tweets that he is considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share. Tesla (TSLA) - Get Report CEO Elon Musk just dug his heels in even harder on a tweet that's raised legal and ethical concerns, including from a former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Tesla shares, which were halted for more than an hour, rose more than 11% to over $381 apiece after trading resumed at about 3:45 p.m.. Musk tweeted: "Investor support is confirmed. Only reason why this is not certain is that it's contingent on a shareholder vote." Just before that tweet, there was this: "Def no forced sales. Hope all shareholders remain. Will be way smoother & less disruptive as a private company. Ends negative propaganda from shorts," Musk tweeted Tuesday afternoon. This seems to be a strong implication that maybe Tesla is actually exploring a sale that would take the electric car company private. Tesla has not made any official announcement on a sale whatsoever. Those two tweets came hours after the initial tweet, which read as follows: "Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured." The stock rallied as much as 8% on that tweet, as a $420 per share valuation would be a huge premium over the current share price. But trading was halted at around 2:10 Tuesday, making the closing price $366.94, a 7% intraday gain, because the tweets raise a legal concern. Former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt told TheStreet in a telephone interview just after the tweet that if the purpose of the tweet was to boost the share price, and it was untrue, that is considered securities fraud. "What occurred here is highly unusual," Pitt said. "If this were solely an effort to artificially move the price of the stock, it would be manipulative. And if the claims [in the Tweet] aren't true, it would be fraud." Musk sent a letter to all employees addressing the issue . In the letter he said, "a final decision has not yet been made, but the reason for doing this is all about creating the environment for Tesla to operate best." Musk had a series of tweets after the initial tweet, and before the latest. Here are those tweets: "Am super appreciative of Tesla shareholders. Will ensure their prosperity in any scenario," he wrote. Musk was asked whether he would retain control over the company if it were taken private and tweeted his response. Tesla is one of the most shorted stocks on the market and Musk has used Twitter as his instrument to taunt shorts in the past. Musk has repeatedly said that Tesla will not need to raise capital this year in spite of the fact that the company still isn't profitable. Tesla's shares have risen almost 25% over the past five sessions following the company's earnings release on Aug. 1. Earlier Tuesday it was reported that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund had built an undisclosed stake in the electric vehicle maker, with the Financial Times estimating the stake at between 3% and 5%. Emails to Tesla about the validity of Musk's comments were not immediately returned. Read more on Tesla's future from TheStreet.

2 of 12 Illustrated by Abbie Winters. Taurus April 20 to May 20 It’s time to get creative, Taurus — and, in an uncharacteristic move, you’re going to love getting your hands dirty this month. Your fifth house of pleasure will shine brightly until the 23rd. In that time you could come across a new way to marry your passion with a pay cheque. Your money planet, Mercury, passes through your fifth house from the 6th to the 22nd. It’s an excellent time to fuel your finances, and the best news of all is that it’s going to be fun. Do what you can to tap into the magical combination of inspiration and cash flow. After the 23rd, the sun moves into your sixth house of health and work. What might seem like a happy accident could actually lead you to create a comprehensive game plan. You know what you love to do — and how to do it better than anyone else. So, let your plans take shape around your preexisting passions. Doing so will make it that much easier to stick with the plan in the long run. Mars, your planet of spirituality, is out of bounds until the 24th of the month, so your ongoing faith exploration has some time to wrap up. The warrior planet moves back into your 10th house of career between the 6th and 22nd. You’ll feel nudged to go the extra mile at work. And, when it's time to clock out, people will be drawn to you, thanks to your planetary ruler, Venus, moving into your seventh house of relationships on the 9th. Even though you'll be a hot social commodity, don’t let yourself get burned out between work and friends. It’s intoxicating to be social, but recognise when you need your alone time.<doc-sep>Read what your sign's 2018 horoscope predictions have in store for you or check out the Aries personality profile. How are you feeling, Aries darling? If the past few weeks have been a bit hectic, this summer’s back-to-back retrogrades and exhausting eclipses are definitely to blame. But we’re finally over the hump — and after all that wild energy, September will feel like a big breath of fresh, revitalizing air. So inhale, fire babe: You deserve some tranquility. A new emotional cycle begins on Sunday, September 9, when the moon in Virgo aligns perfectly with the sun, which will also be in Virgo. New moons are connected to beginnings, so let this lunation help you sort through your feelings. Although our emotions are often abstract and difficult to communicate, September’s new moon will encourage you to create intelligent systems to support your inner-world. Your schedule should reflect your values, Aries: If something is causing you extreme stress or anxiety, work with this lunar phase to inject joy into your calendar. A major cosmic occurrence takes place on Wednesday, September 12, when Jupiter, the planet of expansion, forms a powerful bond with transformative Pluto. Although this planetary connection is somewhat rare, as these outer planets won’t meet again until 2022, this is actually the third — and final — alignment of 2018’s three-part series. Jupiter and Pluto first connected on January 15 and April 14, and September’s bond will complete this story. Your schedule should reflect your values, Aries: If something causes you anxiety, work with this lunar phase to inject joy into your calendar. Think back to these dates: What was happening? Who was involved? And, most importantly, how have you grown? With Jupiter in your intimacy zone since October 2017, no doubt there have been some very major shifts this year. Celebrate your evolution mid-month. The journey hasn’t been easy, but now, you know it was worthwhile. The sun shifts into Libra on Saturday, September 22, kicking off a brand new astrological season — and this isn’t any old solar motion. Libra energy has a significant impact on your chart: Whereas your sign represents “me,” Libra symbolizes “we.” In other words, get ready for some serious interpersonal happenings. The sun always illuminates the truth, so for the next few weeks, don’t be surprised if important information about relationships come to light. When the full moon in your own sign electrifies the sky on Monday, September 24, you’ll be ready for either commitment or closure. Now more than ever, you’re beginning to understand your value, so be sure to apply that strength to your partnership. Don't be afraid to fight for what you want, Aries darling. After all, you’re the warrior of the zodiac. Make sure your mane is as indestructible as your spirit with Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance, a mega-moisturizer shampoo that cleans and revitalizes your locks. It may not be able to repair all your bonds — but hey, at least it can remedy the ones your head. Courtesy of brand/Rosemary Donahue Read more stories about astrology: These are the signs you're most compatible with romantically: Find Aliza on Instagram, Twitter, and her website.<doc-sep>ARIES March 21 to April 20 You usually resist looking deep into your secret desires, but this is exactly what you should do. Be honest and admit who or what you need in your life – and then make it happen. An emotional planet pairing boosts family forgiveness. If you are single, love sparks fly when “S” reads out your name. 1 TAURUS April 21 to May 21 Of all the positive aspects in your chart, Jupiter takes the lead – smoothing over problems between partners and helping teams of any size to start again and, this time, to double their success rate. If you are looking for love, a friend who has recently got much fitter has someone special in mind for you. GEMINI May 22 to June 21 Emotional goals are powered by Neptune, while practical ambitions get a lucky boost from Jupiter. A career role that seemed out of reach is moving closer. A relationship that faltered gets back to its best and some prize-winning news could help. A Leo whose name starts with“B” is your best source of luck. CANCER June 22 to July 22 You will get a brilliant opportunity to say what you want, rather than echoing the views of others. A new family set-up has a special place for you that you will love. Later, romance takes over and the magic of the moon gives partners exhilarating ideas for the future which they will want to share. LEO July 23 to August 23 A moon of secrets infuses your chart with mystery. It makes you irresistible in a new workmate’s eyes. If you are already attached, Neptune makes you more emotional and a partner will respond well. Clever Mercury prepares to move on and gives you a set of brilliant ideas for a book. Phone Meg’s live psychics on 0905 005 8102 (£1.50 per min + your phone providers access charge. 18+ only) or to pay by credit/debit card call 08000 356 684 or mobile users call 020 7111 6406. Text a psychic. Just text MEG then a space and your question to 84122 (£1 per message. Max 3 per reply). Calls cost £1.50 per min plus your telephone company’s network access charge. You must have bill payers permission. Calls recorded for your protection, Max call duration 19 minutes for 0905 number. Over 18’s only. These services are for entertainment only. SMS cost £1 per received message, max 3 messages per reply. UK only. To opt out of free promo messages call Helpline: 020 7111 6210. SP: Inveroak.com, PO BOX 10015, CM1 9HH. VIRGO August 24 to September 22 Jupiter brings you luck in threes, via three meetings, messages or potential new partners. You have to decide which fits your life best, then make it work for you. There is new respect in some older or wiser eyes. Stick with a plan as barriers to its success should clear away. Your best reply to gossip is a cool smile. LIBRA September 23 to October 23 When you show you can make compromises but that they must be fair to everyone, it sends a powerful message. Job-wise, when you hear someone talking about the work they do, you will be inspired, especially if it is connected to the health world. The strongest source of luck for a group of friends is a radio show. SCORPIO October 24 to November 22 Brainy Mercury goes as far as it can in your success zone. Your ability to get others to work for you without seeming too bossy is a valuable career skill, as profitable results will soon show. Love feelings can be hard to decipher but being patient is the smartest tactic. Luck pays a double visit to door No 103. SAGITTARIUS November 23 to December 21 Jupiter’s influence focuses on your hidden talents, ranging from telling jokes to getting serious about science. This surprises colleagues and friends and enriches your life. Love-wise, the moon intensifies emotions and promises passion. Before a family discussion, be sure you have all the facts. CAPRICORN December 22 to January 20 It is all about relationships – talking about your feelings and thoughts in a way that lets others in. If you are in love, this can remove secret doubts. If you are single, give someone a chance, even if they are not your type. Career-wise, working with a close friend is a challenge but more than worth it. AQUARIUS January 21 to February 18 Today turbo-boosts your wellbeing sector, so sign up for a fitness scheme, in person or just in your mind. As soon as you do, you are halfway to success. Jupiter sets big goals and Neptune softens usual self-criticism, so when a love opportunity opens up, you will be ready. Some family news adds a lot to your day. MOST READ IN FABULOUS ROYAL RAGE Meg dramatically FIRED Archie's nanny after mystery 'incident' in the night HAZ ENOUGH Harry 'will be a BROKEN man when breaking Queen's heart finally hits home' MYSTIC MEG May 27: Believe in yourself and people around you will take note Comment MERCY MUROKI Fake tan is not racist. But Meghan Markle, skin bleaching is Exclusive BELLE'S HELL I self-harmed at 13 after being called an ‘ugly s**g’, says Belle Hassan OH BABY I gave birth to a huge 12lb 9oz baby - he was so big TWO docs had to pull him out PISCES February 19 to March 20 With rich creativity around, you can express your ideas in ways that engage others. As for romance, all you have learned comes into play to protect your love future. Single? What starts as a friendly chat about TV leads to a great date. Luck is strongest when you are shown round a house full of character.<doc-sep>Read what your sign's 2018 horoscope predictions have in store for you, or check out the Gemini personality profile. Alright, Gemini, here’s the deal: Your planetary ruler, Mercury, hasn’t been on its best behavior lately. Even though it’s technically no longer retrograde, you’re likely still feeling the implications of its backward spin. The past few weeks have been defined by frustrating miscommunications and emotional meltdowns, and let’s be honest — you’re absolutely exhausted. Thankfully, a new moon in Virgo on Sunday, September 9 serves up some much-needed respite. This lunation will encourage you to create energetic boundaries as it shifts your focus away from the haters and toward your foundation. Double-down on your domestic sensibilities, Gemini darling: Repaint your bedroom, invest in new furniture, or simply clean your bathroom. Changes to your environment will feel great and are guaranteed to fuel some much-needed revitalization. After all, it’s easy to feel scattered when your living environment is also in disarray. You’ll enjoy a well-deserved energy boost. Expansive Jupiter links up with transformative Pluto on Wednesday, September 12, creating an extremely auspicious (and very karmic) connection in the sky. But don’t be surprised if this alignment triggers major déjà vu: These planets connected twice already in 2018 (on January 15 and April 14). For you, these planets illuminate some seriously emotional sectors of your chart, so get ready for all the feels. But don’t worry, Gemini: this internal awareness will actually feel extremely restorative. If you’ve been holding on to toxic relationships or destructive patterns, you’ll finally be ready to release your grip. The past is only linked to the future through the present, and under this sky, you’ll be inspired to celebrate the present. After a few weeks of hibernation, you’ll resume your social butterfly lifestyle on Saturday, September 22, when the sun moves into Libra, a like-minded air sign. Libra’s energy activates the area of your chart linked to creativity, performance, and — perhaps most importantly — fun. Under this sky, you’ll enjoy a well-deserved energy boost, inspiring you to schmooze up a storm. And since you’re one of the most charming signs of the zodiac, don’t be surprised if all that networking also attracts some exciting romance. You’ll love exploring your curiosities, especially those between the sheets. Finally, the month concludes with a full moon in Aries on Monday, September 24. This lunation lights up the area of your chart connected to extended community, which will help you reach an even broader audience. During this lunation, consider expanding your scope. Ask yourself, how can social media help you connect with peers who reflect your values? While it's true that the Internet is more than just selfies, a few shameless pictures also never hurt anyone. Strut your stuff with Natasha Denona Lila Eye Shadow Palette, a gorgeous eye shadow palette featuring 15 dynamic shades that will be sure to generate buzz. Courtesy of brand/Brittany Theophilus Read more stories about astrology: These are the signs you're most compatible with romantically: Find Aliza on Instagram, Twitter, and her website.<doc-sep>

ARIES March 21 to April 20 You have a natural ability to handle others in shrewd but friendly ways, bringing together couples and teams. Now try being your own matchmaker and approach that newcomer with business links to football and fashion. When the moon moves at midday your money skills get sharper and home plans look good. 1 TAURUS April 21 to May 21 Your chart is passionate but practical and love choices you make can feel huge but fit perfectly. Be your authentic self and speak your true thoughts, instead of saying what others want to hear. Communication style at work matters more than what you say, so watch your body language and get to the point. GEMINI May 22 to June 21 The Mercury/moon connection gives you a blend of sharp ideas and charm. You are the problem-solver and with a tactful style that keeps people onside at home and at work. Venus, in your gambling chart, tempts you to take a chance on romance with a super-sexy newcomer. CANCER June 22 to July 22 As the moon backs your deepest dreams and personal goals, you have an accurate eye to pick perfect team-mates – or a lover – from the crowd. Close off sceptical outside opinions to focus on getting a group of amateurs to play like professionals. The sun gives you the best chat-up lines but do use them fairly. LEO July 23 to August 23 Your chart of intuition is switched on and you connect well with others. Talk about a cause you care about and your ideas will be in demand. Best of all, someone so special will be listening. One more try can turn warm affection into love that matches mind, heart and spirit. Phone Meg’s live psychics on 0905 005 8102 (£1.50 per min + your phone providers access charge. 18+ only) or to pay by credit/debit card call 08000 356 684 or mobile users call 020 7111 6406. Text a psychic. Just text MEG then a space and your question to 84122 (£1 per message. Max 3 per reply). Calls cost £1.50 per min plus your telephone company’s network access charge. You must have bill payers permission. Calls recorded for your protection, Max call duration 19 minutes for 0905 number. Over 18’s only. These services are for entertainment only. SMS cost £1 per received message, max 3 messages per reply. UK only. To opt out of free promo messages call Helpline: 020 7111 6210. SP: Inveroak.com, PO BOX 10015, CM1 9HH. VIRGO August 24 to September 22 The sun’s power in your sign brings out an amazing new you, with the glamour, style and stories to tell that dazzle everyone you meet. In love, this inspires partners to extra honesty and a wonderfully different way of showing commitment. Single? You can shrug off second-best love and to find passion paradise. LIBRA September 23 to October 23 You are travelling further than you realise in romance – close to meeting a partner halfway. One final push and a deal can be sealed. If you are still a love-seeker, a beautiful voice is your first and strongest clue. Hopes you hid that were linked to transforming how you work are finally ready to be shared. SCORPIO October 24 to November 22 However deep you feel you have gone in love, you can go deeper and discover fascinating aspects of yourself. Then turn them into positive partnership qualities. If you are single, your new love is a fan of vinyl music and vintage style. A lot of talking at work and home is no substitute for clear decision-making. SAGITTARIUS November 23 to December 21 A moon of makeovers, plus the outrageous ideas of rebellious Uranus, make this a day for trying all that is new – including a daring job that puts you in front of an audience wearing unusual colours. Whatever you would usually do, try the opposite and partners will be enthralled. CAPRICORN December 22 to January 20 Daydreams of a new career are no longer enough. You are ready for real-life action. There is much to learn and even more to gain. Work on confidence and promote your skills. Love that sometimes seems designed to test you now gives you one of its biggest rewards, while a new name adds wealth to family life. AQUARIUS January 21 to February 18 With so many positive planet-aspects in your emotional chart, expect love to treat you well and it will.

An unexpectedly strong weekend at the inaugural Thai MotoGP ended with Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi third and fourth respectively, both crossing the line within 1.6s of ending Yamaha's record win drought. Rossi, starting from the front row, was top Yamaha for 18 of the 26 laps - leading the race before being re-passed by Marc Marquez (Honda) and also Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) on lap 11. The Doctor remained a part of the four-way lead group to the finish, but didn't have the pace to attack in the closing stages and lost out on a podium by just 1.1s to Vinales. "For me, this is the best race for Yamaha in the second half of the season. This is so important," Rossi declared. "It was a lot better, because we fight in the top group. At the end, unfortunately, we are always struggling a little bit too much with the tyres. But today we are not far. "I'm not very happy because I want to try to go on the podium. But today Maverick was stronger." Rossi added that he didn't suffer physically in the extreme heat and described the grand prix as like a cycle race, with the field bunching together while conserving their tyres. "I feel very good [physically] and I arrived at the end of the race with enough power to fight," he said. "But I tried for all the race to save the tyres, like everybody, because it's more like a cycle race now: "Everybody waiting, sometimes one rider will push for two laps and all the other guys follow, but after they slow down and another one tries to lead. Now you never push for all the race. "Unfortunately, I tried, but in the last laps I was more in trouble [with the tyres] and I miss these two or three tenths. "During the weekend Maverick followed another way with the set-up. He was able to ride that type of bike and maybe saved the tyre in a better way. So Maverick was a bit stronger than me at the end." While Rossi's best lap was just 0.029s from the new Buriram record by winner Marquez, it was set on lap 4. Vinales' best lap was 0.1s slower than Rossi, but set on lap 16. Either way, Sunday marked Yamaha's first podium since before the summer break. Now Rossi is eager to find out if Buriram was just a blip, or if Yamaha have found something to be competitive in all four remaining rounds. "Now we need to understand how much is this track, or how much we improved the bike," Rossi explained. "For me, on paper, this track was not a Yamaha track. I expected to suffer a lot more and to be, for example, stronger in Misano. But in Misano we struggled. So it's difficult to understand. "But we feel better with the bike [here], me and also Maverick are strong. Maybe we improved a little bit, but now we have to see in Motegi. "For me, more than the layout of a track, it’s the difference in the grip of the asphalt that helps us more or less at the moment. "The next four races will be very important because we have to try to be stronger and competitive in all the different tracks. Because Honda and Ducati are strong everywhere." Dovizioso is now 22-points clear of Rossi in the contest for second in the world championship behind Marquez, with Rossi in turn 26 ahead of Vinales.<doc-sep>Full MotoGP qualifying results from Thailand Marc Marquez has edged out a surprise challenge from Valentino Rossi to take the first-ever pole position at the inaugural Thailand MotoGP round. The Repsol Honda rider was forced to graduate through Q1 after missing out on the top ten at the end of FP3 following a late crash in this morning’s session. But the extra track time seemed to give the reigning MotoGP world champion an advantage having set his fastest lap of the weekend in the first session with a 1m 30.031s. Using that additional track knowledge, Marquez bolted to the front with his opening Q2 lap only to see Rossi surpass him to take provisional pole position for Movistar Yamaha despite the Japanese manufacturer’s recent performance woes. But with Marquez on a fresh tyre for his final Q2 run, the Repsol Honda rider duly delivered with a 1m 30.088s to snatch pole position from the Italian rider by 0.011s. Andrea Dovizioso completes the front row, 0.139s off Marquez, to lead the Ducati charge alone with Jorge Lorenzo sitting out the remainder of the Thailand MotoGP round following his heavy highside crash in FP2. Maverick Vinales secured the front of the second row for Movistar Yamaha despite appearing agitated during Q2 while switching bikes in the pits ahead of his second run. Vinales still saw off Cal Crutchlow on the LCR Honda with Andrea Iannone completing row two for Suzuki. Dani Pedrosa heads up row three for Repsol Honda, unable to replicate his pace having topped the pre-season test at the Chang International Circuit earlier this year, with Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco in eighth place. COTA #2 - Tremendous Turn 1 Video of COTA #2 - Tremendous Turn 1 Danilo Petrucci edged out Pramac Ducati team-mate Jack Miller, with the Australian rider effectively losing his final qualifying lap after coming close to contact with Marquez. Marquez’s fellow Q1 graduate Alex Rins claimed 11th for Suzuki with Alvaro Bautista completing the fourth row for Angel Nieto Ducati. Franco Morbidelli was the unlucky 13th-place rider having missed out from progressing in Q1 by just 0.002s behind Suzuki’s Rins, with fellow MotoGP rookie Takaaki Nakagami one spot back for LCR Honda. Bradley Smiths joins them on row five for Red Bull KTM, having been held up by Hafizh Syahrin on his final fly lap, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro heading up the sixth row in 16th in front of Karel Abraham (Angel Nieto Ducati) and Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Fighting back from a broken collarbone injury sustained at Misano, Pol Espargaro will start the Thailand MotoGP race from 19th place for Red Bull KTM ahead of Avintia Ducati duo Jordi Torres and Thomas Luthi with Aprilia’s Scott Redding completing the grid.<doc-sep>'The problem is we don’t know why' - those were the words Valentino Rossi after a better than expected opening day for Yamaha at the inaugural Thai MotoGP. Rossi and team-mate Maverick Vinales arrived at Buriram braced for a tough event, having struggled badly last time at Aragon, been ranked eighth (Vinales) and twelfth (Rossi) at the pre-season Thai test and fearing the revised (harder) rear tyres would magnify their ongoing grip problems. Instead, Vinales and Rossi were first and second in FP1 - after fitting new tyres at the end of the session - then second (Vinales) and ninth (Rossi) in the afternoon. But lap times were very close and Rossi was only 0.3s from the fastest lap of the day, by Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso "The bike is the same, but today we suffer less, so it's better," began Rossi. "For some reason we have a lot more difference between our good and bad tracks. The other bikes are more balanced, always the same. "Aragon was a disaster because we didn’t have any grip. Here, on paper, we have to suffer, but today less than what we expect. So we are a bit more competitive. "FP1 was fantastic because we were first and second, but also because a lot of top riders didn't put the new tyre. So I think that this is not the reality, but anyway we can stay in the top ten this afternoon for try to go directly into the Qualifying 2 and try to make a better result compared to Aragon. "I know that Maverick made some bigger modifications to the balance of his bike. Me, personally, we worked more normally. I don’t know if it's because of [the modifications], but Maverick today is fast – this morning, this afternoon. Especially this afternoon when I think that 95% of the riders made a time attack. He's second and have also a good pace." But the biggest worry for Yamaha, experiencing its longest win drought in MotoGP, is that the factory still doesn't fully understand why they do better at some tracks and struggle badly at others. "I don’t know... We don’t know," Rossi said. "You go on the track [here] and it looks like the bike has more grip, so you can push more. Aragon was very difficult, but why? I don’t know. "The problem is that we don’t know! Also Yamaha don’t know!" Rossi, who also tried a new Yamaha fairing , added that he wasn't surprised by the change in Michelin tyres relative to the test. "I expected this modification by Michelin because in the test no tyre can make 25 laps. Not just us, for everybody. The lap time was a lot faster, but the tyre after 10-12 laps started to lose parts. So it was not possible to race with those tyres. "So, like happens in other tracks where it's very demanding for the rear, like Austria, they bring a tyre that is more hard. So you have less performance, it's a bit more difficult to ride, but can make all the race. I think it's the right choice, also for the safety." The nine-time world champion also said he's happy to have another race in SE Asia. "Here the passion for MotoGP is very high, they have money and it's something new. So it's good that we come here more times. Anyway, the major part [of the season] is still in Europe. But I like to race here. Also a little bit less people in the paddock! So more easy!"<doc-sep>FREE now and never miss the top F1 stories again SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top F1 stories again When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The Japanese heavyweights have been plagued with issues on the M1 bike all season. Rossi is now 23 races without a win after his Aragon horror show last time out. Yet the veteran ace says he’s aiming high in Buriram. "After so many European races, it's time to go to Thailand," said Rossi. We will do our best to make it a good race weekend Valentino Rossi "We did a pre-season test there in February. “Buriram is not one of my favourite circuits but it will be another important weekend to improve our bike and a good opportunity to meet the Asian fans, who are very passionate about MotoGP. "As always, we will do our best to make it a good race weekend. “My goal is to return to the fight for the podium and get some good results overseas." Valentino Rossi is eyeing glory in Buriram After a torrid time in qualifying, Rossi rode from 17th on the grid to eighth in Aragon. His team-mate, Maverick Vinales, started in 10th but finished 14th last time out. And Vinales reckons things can only improve in Thailand. "Aragon was sincerely a GP to forget,” Vinales explained. Maverick Vinales was fuming after the Aragon Grand Prix “Now I want to just look forward and be as focused as possible to finish the season in the best possible position. "We will start the Asia tour by going to Thailand first. “The Chang circuit is very demanding because of the high temperatures. “But it makes me very happy to ride there as it will be the first time we get to race in Buriram. Valentino Rossi's Yamaha M1 bike has been plagued by issues<doc-sep>

Valentino Rossi admits his front row start for the Thailand MotoGP has come as a pleasant ‘surprise’ after the Yamaha rider’s recent struggles on the M1. Rossi narrowly missed out on pole by only 0.011s to Honda’s Marc Marquez at the Chang International Circuit on Saturday as the Italian rider sealed by far his best qualifying result for some time. The 39-year-old is confident that he can have a strong race on Sunday, but Rossi says he is doubtful his qualifying result will serve as a turning point this season. “It is like a surprise for us because in the test we were quite in trouble here in this track but we arrive yesterday and did not feel so bad in the practice,” said Rossi, whose team-mate, Maverick Vinales, qualified fourth. “When I start with a good level, it looks like our bike this time will make the tyre work in a good way, so it is also more easy to make the right decision. Today we worked well with the team and we followed the right way and also from the morning to the afternoon, I improved a lot my pace. “At the end it is a shame to lose the pole by a small distance, but considering in the last races I always start from the fourth or the fifth row, and in Aragon I was 18th, it is a great result for Saturday,” he added. “We arrived here with some small modification for the acceleration, but on paper we did not expect that it is a lot better. I hope, with all my heart, that we can be strong in all the tracks, but unfortunately I think that it is the track and the tyre.” COTA #3 - VIP STYLE Video of COTA #3 - VIP STYLE Rossi feels he can challenge for the podium on Sunday after gaining confidence from his race pace in FP4. “From yesterday to today, we worked hard to try to improve the balance, to create more grip, and I am not so bad because I feel good; I am not so bad in braking and I am happy to start in the front row, but I am also happy for my pace in FP4 because also with the used tyre I am quite strong,” he said. “From Aragon, in reality we modified something but the bike is very similar, so maybe it is just the better marriage between the tyre, the M1 and this track. Now we have to confirm tomorrow because you never now, so try to make a good race and fight for the podium.”

How will the Texans use their picks in the 2019 NFL draft? We’re breaking down every selection below. After surrendering its 2018 first rounder in the Deshaun Watson draft-day trade in 2017, the Texans are back in the first round. Houston holds the No. 23 pick in the 2019 draft after winning the AFC South last year at 11–5. The Texans lost to the Colts in the AFC Wild Card. How will the Texans use their picks in this year's NFL draft? We’re breaking down every selection below. Here's the full list of picks the Texans hold in the 2019 draft, which will be updated as each selection is made. Round 1, Pick 23 (No. 23 overall): Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State Andy Benoit's grade: B- The Eagles leapfrogged the tackle-needy Texans to take developmental blocker Andre Dillard, so Houston took the next most enticing development project in Howard. Scouts believe Howard, who will make the transition from Alabama State to the NFL, will need help with his technique. It’s a little surprising the Texans would invest in a project given that bigger school players like Jawaan Taylor and Cody Ford were still on the board. After all, the Texans are a playoff-caliber club and Deshaun Watson, who took far more hits than an NFL QB should, needs protection NOW. But obviously the Texans looked closely at all the tackles in this year’s draft. Howard, who could play on the right side (across from where most of the league’s best defensive ends reside), was the man they chose. Round 2, Pick 22 (No. 54 overall): Lonnie Johnson, CB, Kentucky Andy Benoit's grade: C+ Houston’s deficiencies in outside coverage were costly in the playoff loss to Indianapolis. Johnson is a long-bodied raw talent who will often be asked to play to safety help, which sounds liberating but can be challenging depending on the offensive design. If he doesn’t pick things up quickly, he’s still of value, since corners Bradley Roby and Johnathan Joseph are in contract years. Also, Aaron Colvin is under contract for three more years but can be cut for $6.75M savings after next season, which means Houston could lose all three starting corners next offseason. Round 2, Pick 23 (No. 55 overall): Max Scharping, T, Northern Illinois Andy Benoit's grade: B- From Houston’s side of things, the analysis for first-round pick Tytus Howard can essentially be applied here, with the additional note that the Texans now have an insurance policy at a position of dire need. Both men will make the roster (obviously), the question is how soon can both start? Round 3, Pick 22 (No. 86 overall): Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego State Andy Benoit's grade: C- Warring is a freakish, high-upside, under-the-radar prospect for a Texans team that drafted two tight ends last year—Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas—and found distinct roles for both of them. With Ryan Griffin in a contract year, the team appears to be looking for insurance and long-term options. Round 5, Pick 23 (No. 161 overall): Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas Round 6, Pick 22 (No. 195 overall): Xavier Crawford, CB, Central Michigan Round 7, Pick 6 (No. 220 overall): Cullen Gillaspia, FB, Texas A&M See every NFL team's 2019 picks by clicking the links below. Arizona Cardinals | Atlanta Falcons | Baltimore Ravens | Buffalo Bills | Carolina Panthers | Chicago Bears | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Dallas Cowboys | Denver Broncos | Detroit Lions | Green Bay Packers | Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts | Jacksonville Jaguars | Kansas City Chiefs | Los Angeles Chargers | Los Angeles Rams | Miami Dolphins | Minnesota Vikings | New England Patriots | New Orleans Saints | New York Giants | New York Jets | Oakland Raiders | Philadelphia Eagles | Pittsburgh Steelers | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tennessee Titans | Washington Redskins<doc-sep>The 2019 NFL Draft is underway in Nashville, and FTW’s lead NFL writer Steven Ruiz is grading picks and offering analysis on how each player will fit with his new team. No. 23: Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State Analysis: Tytus Howard is an impressive ball of clay, but he’ll need time to be molded into a contributor, and I don’t know if the Texans have time to wait for that to happen. Or the coaching staff to make it happen. Maybe Howard is the next Terron Armstead. Or maybe he’ll be the next athletic tackle who flames out of the league in three years. I’d be more comfortable betting on the latter. GRADE: D No. 54: Lonnie Johnson, CB Kentucky Analysis: Lonnie Johnson has all the tools to be a good NFL cornerback, but his tape is … not great. There are some embarrassing reps on all over it. Maybe the Texans coaching staff will unlock his potential but this was a risky pick. GRADE: D+ No. 55: Max Scharping, OT Northern Illinois Analysis: I actually like this pick more than Houston’s first-round pick. The Texans needed to address the offensive line, and they’ve done so in the first two picks. My only concern is that both Tytus Howard and Max Scharping are projects, and Deshaun Watson needs more protection now. GRADE: B- 86. Texans: Kahale Warring, TE San Diego State Analysis: We’re officially at the “project” portion of the draft. Kahale Warring is a phenomenal athlete who doesn’t really know how to play football. He has a high ceiling but an even lower floor. GRADE: C Read all our grades for the first round of the NFL Draft.<doc-sep>COLUMBIA, MO - OCTOBER 27: Cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. #6 of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates with teammates and fans after the Wildcats defeated the Missouri Tigers 15-14 to win the game at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) LONNIE JOHNSON CB, Houston Texans B+ The Houston Texans had consecutive picks in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and the first of those two picks went to the secondary. After a bit of a wait since their first-round pick, the Houston Texans were back at it on Friday night by selecting Lonnie Johnson from Kentucky with the 54th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, adding to their secondary, which was much-needed. Houston drafted for a big need on their roster with the 54th overall pick, adding him to a draft class which already included offensive tackle Tytus Howard, the Texans’ first-round pick at 23rd overall. Drafting Johnson is big for the Texans because they needed to add to the secondary in the worst way because they’ve lost some veterans at the position after not re-signing them in free agency. The former Kentucky Wildcat cornerback stands at 6-2 and weighs in at 213 pounds, Johnson had a second-round projection by NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein, but he did write he expects Johnson to become a starter in the NFL. In reading about Johnson, he’s not the most polished cornerback in this draft, but many believe he has the athleticism to become a solid player in the league. The Texans have gained a player who in his last game of his collegiate career against Penn State totaled four tackles, and three of those were solo tackles. For his final collegiate season, Johnson totaled 23 tackles (17 solo) with one forced fumble and one interception, along with four passes defensed. In another big-time game, Johnson fared well against the Georgia Bulldogs as he had another four-tackle game (two solo). The depth chart for the Texans at cornerback also includes: Aaron Colvin, Johnathan Joseph, Johnson Bademosi, Jermaine Kelly and Deante Burton. This was a must-needed pick by the Texans and one they should be happy with drafting in the later stages of the second round. As always, time will tell with this draft choice, but improvement was made at cornerback, and that is all that can be asked for.<doc-sep>STEVEN CANNON/Associated Press STRENGTHS —His rare combination of size (6'6", 327 lbs) and athletic ability has scouts less worried about his level of competition after seeing him move in space. —High football IQ with the ability to catch on and learn multiple positions with no issues. —Has the base and drive power to be an immediate impact run-blocker at right tackle. —Can match speed rushers and mirror to force them around him. —A four-year starter who still has room to develop his technique with his best football ahead. WEAKNESSES —Plays unbalanced and gets caught leaning and opening an interior pass rush. —Struggles with late hands when he has to hand fight. —Slow to process stunts and twists. —Wide striker leaving his midsection open for rushers' hands. Video Play Button OBJ's Trade to Cleveland Has the Browns Hyped Le'Veon's Power Move Pays Off After Signing Massive Deal with Jets WR Metcalf Looks Ready to Destroy NFL Combine or Take Down Thanos Friends to Foes, Ex-UGA Teammates Meet in Super Bowl Cooks Gave a Super Gift to This Rams Employee Mahomes Loves Ketchup as Much as Torching Defenses Bears Hoping to Ride Club Dub to the Super Bowl The Worst Fantasy Football Punishments for Last Place NFL Players Bring Soccer Traditions to the NFL JuJu Is a Man of the People Bills Superfan 'Pancho Billa' Continues to Inspire Happy 26th Birthday to OBJ 🎉 Mahomes Is 'Showtime' Off the Field Too Thielen's Ride from Underdog to Record-Breaking WR Shanahan and His Son Carter Are Hyped for Carter V Browns Winning Off the Field with Community Service Conner's Journey from Beating Cancer to Starting RB Does Donovan McNabb Deserve Your 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Vote? B/R Fantasy Expert Matt Camp Gives His Picks for Keep or Release After Week 2 Does Hines Ward Deserve Your 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Vote? Right Arrow Icon OVERALL Max Scharping (selected No. 55 overall by the Texans) is a bit of a developmental project, but he could work his way into a lineup soon thanks to his length, size and athleticism. His pass pro technique does need attention, but he's good enough to get by while learning the ropes at right tackle. GRADE: 6.30 (ROUND 3 — FUTURE STARTER) PRO COMPARISON: Brian O'Neill<doc-sep>

Don Juan Moore/Getty Images STRENGTHS —Still shows the athletic ability and footwork of a tight end after moving from that position as a redshirt freshman. —Could have potential at guard and right tackle while developing into a left tackle in the NFL. He has already shown the ability to get to the second level and move linebackers. —Level-of-competition questions will come up, but Howard handled himself very well at the Senior Bowl and against Auburn. —Excellent mover who shows natural athleticism when asked to slide, mirror or pull in both run and pass blocking situations. —Feet never stop moving at the point of attack, which allows him to be an impactful drive blocker. —Pad level and body control are very good. WEAKNESSES —Limited playing time and experience playing tackle. Howard did not start playing tackle until his sophomore year of college. —A lack of upper-body strength shows up on his punch. A lack of lower-body strength shows up when he is asked to anchor. As a result, he is exposed by the bull rush. —You can tell he has added a lot of bulk very quickly. Needs to convert bulk to strength. —Hand use is developing but still needs a lot of work. Needs improvement on counters against chops. Video Play Button OBJ's Trade to Cleveland Has the Browns Hyped Le'Veon's Power Move Pays Off After Signing Massive Deal with Jets WR Metcalf Looks Ready to Destroy NFL Combine or Take Down Thanos Friends to Foes, Ex-UGA Teammates Meet in Super Bowl Cooks Gave a Super Gift to This Rams Employee Mahomes Loves Ketchup as Much as Torching Defenses Bears Hoping to Ride Club Dub to the Super Bowl The Worst Fantasy Football Punishments for Last Place NFL Players Bring Soccer Traditions to the NFL JuJu Is a Man of the People Bills Superfan 'Pancho Billa' Continues to Inspire Happy 26th Birthday to OBJ 🎉 Mahomes Is 'Showtime' Off the Field Too Thielen's Ride from Underdog to Record-Breaking WR Shanahan and His Son Carter Are Hyped for Carter V Browns Winning Off the Field with Community Service Conner's Journey from Beating Cancer to Starting RB Does Donovan McNabb Deserve Your 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Vote? B/R Fantasy Expert Matt Camp Gives His Picks for Keep or Release After Week 2 Does Hines Ward Deserve Your 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Vote? Right Arrow Icon OVERALL Howard might get the developmental label because he's coming from a small school, but he's closer to ready for the NFL than you might think. If drafted by a team that places a premium on the tackle moving upfield and battling more speed than power rushers, he could be an instant starter. His upside is perhaps the highest of any tackle in the class. GRADE: 6.80 (ROUND 2—ROOKIE STARTER) PRO COMPARISON: Terron Armstead