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Kendall Jenner nearly bares all in her cover shoot for the 10th anniversary issue of Love Magazine. Her spread, shot by Alasdair McLellan in London's Hampstead Heath park, includes scenes where she's swimming topless in a pond. (Why not?) Katie Grand, Love's editor-in-chief, shared a photo of Jenner wading in the water, wearing nothing but bright red underwear. 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. 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. Kendall also frees the nipple in a video editorial accompanying her cover shoot. When she isn't stripped down, she's wearing luxurious looks, like a voluminous dress by Brit designer Richard Quinn (a new fashion favorite) retro-inspired Fendi coordinates with a headscarf. This content is imported from YouTube. 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. As a style star who doesn't shy away from risqué, sheer, nearly-nude looks on the red carpet, the skin-baring shoot is business as usual for Jenner. (Remember her naked dress streak at Cannes Film Festival this year alone, courtesy of Alexandre Vauthier and Schiaparelli?) Left: in an Alexandre Vauthier mini dress; Right: in a Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown. Getty Images Jenner also opened up to Murray Healy up about how much her life has changed in the spotlight. "I feel very, very blessed and I think that I live a very extraordinary life," she said. "I wouldn’t change it for the world but there are days where I wish I could walk outside and nothing would be like how it is right now. Kendall is one of many famous faces covering Love for its 10th anniversary issue. Other iterations feature Adwoa and Naomi Campbell, Ariel Nicholson, Beth Ditto, Uma Thurman, and model Talea Lischetzki. 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. Kendall's fellow It Girl, Gigi Hadid, also graces the covers with this very interesting masked look. 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. 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. 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>Kendall Jenner has completely freed the nipple for her latest glamour shot, posing fully topless in a racy image for Love magazine. The 22-year-old reality TV star is one of the models featured in the magazine's 10th anniversary issue. Jenner is seen semi-nude while swimming around in a pond wearing just a red swimsuit bottom in the photo. "I'm like, OK, now I'm the badass f**ked-up girl," Jenner says about the photoshoot, according to Love magazine's Instagram account. The publication's editor, Katie Grand, bravely posted the full, uncensored photo of Jenner's breasts on her personal Instagram account - seemingly in violation of the social network's anti-nudity rules.<doc-sep>Kendall Jenner — who's historically been pretty opposed to bras — is once again freeing the nipple, this time in a photo shoot for Love magazine's 10th-anniversary issue. As Love editor Katie Grand posted on Instagram, photographer Alasdair McLellan shot the model swimming around in a pond wearing just a red swimsuit bottom. As it turns out, this is just one of several "characters" that Kendall was playing for different photo shoots. In the others, she can be seen posing with a teddy bear and a '60s beehive wig in front of a stormy background and smiling at the camera while a colorful coat floats behind her. “I was wearing a brown wig, crazy makeup, and they were like, OK, hold this teddy bear. And the next one — I don’t smoke cigarettes, so they light this cigarette and they’re like, can you hold it? And I’m like, OK, now I’m the badass f*cked-up girl,” Kendall said about her photo shoot, according to an Instagram post by Love magazine. That video also shows extended clips of Kendall swimming in the pond, playing with pearl necklaces, and walking around in a field for her photoshoots. Previously, Kendall has talked about being a proud proponent of #FreetheNipple. “I really don’t see what the big deal is with going braless. I think it’s cool and I really just don’t care!" Kendall declared in 2016. "It’s sexy, it’s comfortable, and I’m cool with my breasts. That’s it!" "Lately, it's like I'm either braless or I have my bra out," she added three months later. "I'm all about freeing the nipple. [...] I just think it's cool to show off what's under your shirt — whether that's a cute bralette or just skin."<doc-sep>Kendall Jenner has always loved showing off her breasts in braless or see-through looks. Now she’s gone completely topless for ‘LOVE’ magazine and we’ve got the sexy pic. It’s no secret Kendall Jenner loves showing off her boobs. She’s constantly seen in sheer tops that flaunt her nipples or going braless in tight shirts. Now she’s upped the ante for LOVE magazine by going completely topless. The 22-year-old is the UK fashion mag’s cover girl for their bi-annual fall/winter 2018 issue and her photos inside do not disappoint. She flaunts her bare boobs while floating in a lake while wearing nothing but a pair of red bikini bottom undies and perfect makeup. The water is definitely chilly as her chest appears quite perky in the photo that dropped on Aug. 7. We knew something racy would be coming soon as LOVE’s Editor in Chief Katie Grand posted a video of Kendall topless in an English pond, floating around in between posing on July 27. She captioned it “Shooting with Kendall at Hampstead Ponds” and Kenny sure is game because the water looked cold and murky in the North London ponds which are frequented by numerous bathers in the summer months. She’s seen in the video laughing while treading water while topless. It was Katie who revealed the topless pic of Kendall on her Instagram page. LOVE has always been a go-to place for celebrities to do topless yet tasteful shoots. Models Emily Ratajkowski, 27, Ashley Graham, 30, Alexa Chung, 34, Stephanie Seymour, 50, and other fashionistas posed either topless or totally nude for the mag’s 18th edition in August of 2017. The artsy pics were done by legendary French photographer Patrick Demarchelier. Kendall’s own sister Kim Kardashian, 37, posed full frontal nude in a series of pics by Steven Klein for the mag in their Spring/Summer 2015 editorial, so Kenny’s just joining the club. Kendall from Love by Alasdair A post shared by Katie Eleanor Grand (@kegrand) on Aug 6, 2018 at 6:23pm PDT While the pics of Kendall are super sexy, she got serious with the magazine in an interview where she revealed that her anxiety issues got the better of her in 2017. “Last season I didn’t do any shows,” she revealed. “Just ‘cause I was working in LA and I was like ‘Oof, I can’t right now – I’m gonna go crazy.’ I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.” She didn’t divulge exactly what triggered the panic attacks, but it was enough to make her cut back on her heavy workload.<doc-sep>

KENDALL Jenner has posted completely topless and immersed in water for provocative magazine, Love. The world’s top-paid supermodel, 22, wore just a pair of red lace knickers for the sexy shoot, where she was photographed in London’s Hampstead Ponds. Jenner appears on the cover of Love’s 10th anniversary issue, in a slightly more PG pose. In a revealing interview with the magazine, Jenner revealed she was “on the verge of a mental breakdown” last year, which led her to take a break from the runway. Jenner - who has previously spoken about her battle with anxiety - said she deliberately took time away from the catwalk, before eventually returning for June’s Versace show in Milan. “Last season I didn’t do any shows. Just ‘cause I was working in LA and I was like ‘Oof, I can’t right now — I’m gonna go crazy,’” Jenner said, in an interview with Love. Jenner also said she felt “very, very blessed” about her life. “I think that I live a very extraordinary life,” she told Love. “I wouldn’t change it for the world but there are days where I wish I could walk outside and nothing would be like how it is right now.” Meantime, Kendall — who has her nipple pierced — has previously said she hates wearing a bra because “I’m not embarrassed by my body”. “I really don’t see what the big deal is with going braless!,” the former Victoria’s Secret model wrote on her blog last year, in a post titled “Free The Nipple”. “It’s sexy, it’s comfortable and I’m cool with my breasts. That’s it!” Jenner said. “It’s also a fun way to show off my different nipple rings! I think it’s cool and I really just don’t care.” Jenner is dating Australian NBA star Ben Simmons, 22. Over the past few months, Jenner and Simmons have been seen everywhere from DUMBO House in Brooklyn to upscale bars Poppy and Peppermint Club in Los Angeles, even shopping for groceries together at Erewhon, an expensive health supermarket. At the time, a source said the on-again, off-again couple seemed to be acting “coy” and “exchanging glances, [but were] by no means all over each other”, according to Page Six. Last month, a source told E! that Jenner and Simmons were “hanging out” and “keeping things casual”.

By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Disaster Management Authority has issued red alert in six districts in the wake of heavy rain triggering landslips in many areas. The red alert has been issued in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargod and Palakkad districts. The police have been instructed to hold announcements in areas vulnerable to landslide and flash flood to take adequate precautions for people. The officials of various departments which deal with disaster management have also been instructed to be alert. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has forecast heavy (7-11 cm in 24 hours) at a few places and very heavy rainfall at isolated places on Thursday, heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on Friday and heavy rainfall at isolated places from Saturday to Monday. Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea along and off the Karnataka, Kerala, coasts and near Lakshadweep as strong winds and high waves are likely along the coast. The condition of the sea is likely to be rough to very rough along these coasts and over East Central, West Central and South West Arabian Sea. Further, orange alert has been issued in Idukki, Kottayam and Alappuzha districts where officials of various departments have been advised to stay alert. The Central Water Commission also warned that the water level in major rivers are likely to increase as a result of heavy rain, which trigger flash floods and landslide in vulnerable areas. An emergency response team is already in the area where rain triggered landslide in Kozhikode and another team from the National Disaster Response Force, Arakkonam, will be reaching here soon, said SDMA member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose. Alert in Sabarimala Pilgrims have been advised to avoid travelling to Sabarimala on motorbikes, three-wheelers, and open vehicles as part of the opening of the temple for monthly poojas which will be held between Thursday and Tuesday. In case of any eventuality, the control room at Pathanamthitta Collectorate (0468 - 2322515) has to be alerted. Fishermen warned not to venture into the sea Thiruvananthapuram: The IMD has warned fishermen not to venture into the sea. ‘’Sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough along and off Kerala, Karnataka coasts and over Lakshadweep area. Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea along and off Karnataka, Kerala coasts and over Lakshadweep area,’’ IMD said. CM issues directives, NDRF to arrive soon Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday instructed the Chief Secretary and the District Collectors to take urgent measures to tackle monsoon-related havoc. A 48-member NDRF team will soon reach Kozhikode, one of the worst-affected districts, he said. A second team will arrive in the state as a reserve force to handle contingencies. The Transport and Labour ministers are monitoring the situation in Kozhikode district, the CM said. Curbs between Makkoottam and Perumbadi till July 12 Kannur: All modes of vehicular traffic between Makkoottam and Perumbadi of Kodagu district in Karnataka on the Thalasserry - Mysuru inter-state highway have been banned till July 12, said the Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu District. During this period, those who travel from Thalasserry to Mysuru via Kodagu can opt for the Mananthavady-Tholpatty-Kutta- Hudikkeri-Gonikkoppa-Thithimathi-Mysuru route, release said. Fisherman’s body recovered Malappuram: The body of a fisherman, who went missing in the sea off Ponnani, was recovered on Thursday. Kuttyamunte Purakkal Hamza, 65, of Tanur went missing after his fibre boat capsized at Ponnani on Wednesday. The body washed ashore at Chavakkad on Thursday. Hamza’s family will be given financial assistance of C20 lakh. C10 lakh will be given from Fishermen Welfare Fund Board. Arts garden in Pattambi submerged Palakkad: In Pattambi, the folk and traditional arts garden in Thiruvegapura was submerged. The rise in the water level in the Thootha River was the reason for the submerging of the folk art garden. The first phase of the garden had been completed at a cost of C1 crore. There were two landslides near Pothenthode in Kadappara and one in Mannanakayam. The DTPC has imposed a ban on tourists at Adyanpara and Keralakundu waterfalls. Earth slips at Cheerakkuzhi, Kuthiran Thrissur: Two houses were partially destroyed in a minor earth slip at Cheerakkuzhi on Thursday early morning. The houses of Kalarikkal Manoj and Thattil Jimmy were destroyed partially as a rock fell on the buildings. Meanwhile, in the heavy rain an electric post fell on a school bus at Palakkal Angadi in Thrissur Town on Thursday morning. The 22 students of Sacred Heart School escaped unhurt. 1 drowns, families evacuated in Malappuram Malappuram: One person died and another went missing as rain wreaked havoc in Malappuram on Thursday. Landslides and flash floods were also reported in different parts of the district. Mohammed Suneer, 23, drowned Pulpatta near Manjeri when he ventured into a stream to see the flash flood and he accidently fell into it. Several families were evacuated in the district following landslides.<doc-sep>In Tripura, water levels continue to remain high. 38,000 people are in relief camps. At least 12 people have died in flash floods in the north-east in the last three days. The weather office has predicted more rain today. The Assam Disaster Management Authority said seven districts and 1.66 lakh people are affected, while 35,000 are in relief camps. Train services to Barak Valley and Tripura were affected, mainly due to landslides at five places. In Manipur, five people have died due to flash floods; 59 relief camps have been set up. In Tripura, with water level in many rivers still high, over 38,000 people are sheltered in relief camps. The National Disaster Response Force or NDRF has sent 160 personnel and 45 rescue boats from Odisha, Ghaziabad, New Delhi and Kolkata for rescue operations in the north-east. In Kerala, 19 people died in the last 24 hours due to heavy rain. Heavy rain also led to a landslide in in Kattipara village in Thamarassery, leading to the death of a 9-year-old and two other About a week ago, heavy rains lashed Mumbai, affecting air and local train services. Indian Navy personnel were on standby in those parts of Mumbai that saw flooding. Several low lying areas were waterlogged. Here are the highlights on the weather in Kerala and Northeast: Jun 15, 2018 21:11 (IST) The flood situation in Assam deteriorated drastically today with nearly four lakh people affected across seven districts of the state. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 3.87 lakh people have been affected in Hojai, Karbi Anglong East, Karbi Anglong West, Golaghat, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar districts in the first wave of floods to have hit the state this year. Jun 15, 2018 18:01 (IST) At least 1,066 families have so far been evacuated to safer places in Mizoram, state disaster management and rehabilitation department officials today said. The officials said that the worst-hit villages were south Mizoram Lunglei district's Tlabung town and its surrounding villages like Lamthai, Tipperaghat and Serhuan where 700 families were shifted to safer places after their homes were inundated by the flooding Chhimtuipui river along the Mizoram-Bangladesh border areas. Jun 15, 2018 14:02 (IST) Death toll in Kattipara landslide rises to 8. Search and rescue operations continue as 6 people are still missing: ANI Jun 15, 2018 13:38 (IST) Weather Update All IndiGo domestic flights and 5 more flights arriving/departing at/from #Chandigarh Airport stand cancelled due to poor visibility. - ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2018 Weather Update Jun 15, 2018 13:04 (IST) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb had paid a visit to relief camps and assured all help to the people Jun 15, 2018 12:42 (IST) Levels in Heval river have risen, following heavy rains in Shivpuri, Uttarakhand on Thursday Night Jun 15, 2018 12:38 (IST) IMD has predicted rainfall at isolated places in Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri and Nainital districts from 15-17 June, ANI reported Jun 15, 2018 11:41 (IST) The Assam Disaster Management Authority said on Thursday evening that seven districts have been affected, 1.66 lakh people are affected, over 35 thousands are in relief camps. Jun 15, 2018 11:25 (IST) 6 Dead In Flash Floods, Landslides In Tripura, Manipur, Assam Flash floods and landslides have killed six people in Tripura and Manipur. Torrential rain in last 24 hours have crippled normal life in Assam Flash floods and landslides have killed six people in Tripura and Manipur. Torrential rain in last 24 hours have crippled normal life in Assam Jun 15, 2018 10:48 (IST) In Manipur, ex-gratia of Rs.5 lakh each has been announced. 59 Relief camps have been opened Jun 15, 2018 10:30 (IST) Kerala has a forecast for heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next five days, especially in northern parts of Kerala. More relief camps are expected to be opened up in the affected districts. Jun 15, 2018 09:46 (IST) Tripura's State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) stated that 217 houses were damaged across the state and 25,106 people from more than 6,000 families were sheltered in 180 relief camps. Jun 15, 2018 09:10 (IST) Kolkata was hit by heavy rain this week. The weather office recorded 15 mm rainfall in Kolkata. Heavy rain and thunderstorm also lashed other parts of Bengal. Eight people were killed in lightning strike in different districts in southern part of the state, news agency ANI reported. Jun 15, 2018 08:45 (IST) Three days ago, heavy rains and gusty winds lashed many parts of Karnataka, disrupting normal life, as southwest monsoon advanced vigourously. Jun 15, 2018 08:42 (IST) Gushing rain water flooded low-lying areas and water entered several houses in Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode, causing serious damage to them. Property loss and widespread damage of crops were reported across the state. Major dams have reached their maximum storage capacity and the level at various rivers has risen. Authorities asked people living downstream of Kakkayam reservoir in Kozhikode and Neyyar dam in Thiruvananthapuram to remain vigilant. Jun 15, 2018 08:28 (IST) An official of the Tripura Disaster Management Control Centre said that around 50,000 people of over 10,000 families took shelter in around 200 relief camps in different parts of the state mostly in northern Tripura. An official of the Tripura Disaster Management Control Centre said that around 50,000 people of over 10,000 families took shelter in around 200 relief camps in different parts of the state mostly in northern Tripura. Jun 15, 2018 08:20 (IST) Floodwater in Assam's Cachar district. Floodwater in Assam's Cachar district. Jun 15, 2018 08:17 (IST) ANI had tweeted a video of a bus moving through a flooded road in Kozhikode #WATCH: Earlier visuals of a bus moving through a flooded road in Kozhikode following heavy rain. #Keralapic.twitter.com/v4snhqBfy1 - ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2018 Jun 15, 2018 08:09 (IST) Major dams in Kerala have reached their maximum storage capacity and the level at various rivers has risen. Authorities asked people living downstream of Kakkayam reservoir in Kozhikode and Neyyar dam in Thiruvananthapuram to remain vigilant. Jun 15, 2018 08:04 (IST) IMD officials in Guwahati and Agartala said that the Southwest Monsoon has already covered most of the northeastern states, but private weather forecaster Skymet said it has covered mainly the eastern half of the region whereas the western part still awaits its arrival<doc-sep>Landslides and flash floods in Kerala kill five including three kids A red alert has been issued in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargod and Palakkad. news Rains Five people, including three children, died in the flash floods and landslide at Kattipara, Thamarassery in Kozhikode. Heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in several places in rural Kozhikode. A red alert has been issued in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargod and Palakkad. Five areas in Kozhikode and Malappuram witnessed major landslides. The places affected in rural Kozhikode included Kakkayam, Pulluramppara, Kattippara, Karinchola and Chamal. Four houses were swept away in Thamarassery, and it is feared that people are still trapped in the slush. However, rescue operations have been hampered due to heavy rains. Houses were also swept away in Kattipara. Eleven people are reported to be missing. Owing to the heavy rains, the Makkoottam Churam road in Kannur has been shut till July 12, as the road was swept away in the flood. Roads have also been blocked in some parts of Kozhikode and Wayanad due to the landslide. The disaster management cells of Kozhikode and Wayanad have asked quarries to stop operations. Ministers E Chandrasekharan, TP Ramakrishnan and AK Saseendran are monitoring the situation at Kozhikode District Collectorate. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been called in for rescue and relief work in hilly areas. In Thamarassery, authorities have reportedly asked people living downstream of the Kakkayam reservoir in Kozhikode and Neyyar Dam in Thiruvananthapuram to remain alert as the shutters of the dams may be opened any time to release the excess water, according to PTI. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on his Facebook page that a 48-member team of the NDRF will be immediately dispatched to Kozhikode and that another team of the NDRF will be stationed in the state to face any other rain-related emergencies. "The transport and commerce ministers under the leadership of the Revenue minister are observing the situation in Kozhikode," the CM wrote. Schools have been shut in many districts of northern Kerala. 24-hour helplines: Kozhikode collectorate - 0495 2371002 Thamarassery taluk - 04952223088 Kozhikode taluk - 0495 2372966 Loyilandy taluk - 0496 2620235 Vadakara taluk - 0496 2522361, 0495 2371002 District Emergency operations number- 1077<doc-sep>

By Express News Service KOZHIKODE: Incessant monsoon rain that lashed north Kerala with a fury since Tuesday triggered landslides and floods, killing six people, including three children, and left over 10 people missing on Thursday. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the hilly areas of Kozhikode district and was engaged in relief and rescue operations along with efforts to trace the missing people. Unusual rainfall, ranging up to 24 cm that lashed parts of Kozhikode and Malappuram in a span of 24 hours, was cited as the major cause of the landslides and floods. ALSO READ | CM Pinarayi Vijayan issues instructions, NDRF to arrive Red alert has been declared in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargod and Palakkad districts. Due to continuous rain, disaster management authorities have warned of more landslides and floods in the coming days. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vjayan directed the Chief Secretary and District Collectors to take immediate steps to tackle rain-related calamities. MALAPPURAM One person went missing at Nilambur even as landslides and flash floods were reported from different places of the district. Another person had gone missing on Tuesday. District collector Amit Meena said he has sought Navy's help to carry search for the missing persons. Meanwhile, 13 families were evacuated following flash flood at Mathilmoola in Nilambur taluk. WAYANAD As many as 1,030 people from 380 families have been shifted to various relief camps. Due to the possibility of landslides, vehicular movement has been banned along the Perumbadi- Makkoottam stretch of the Mysore-Thalassery inter-state highway till July 12 .Wayanad District Collector AR Ajith Kumar has also directed authorities to open the shutters of Beechanahalli dam in the wake of water levels rising rivers and streams. Relief camps have been opened in as many as 15 centres across the district. KANNUR People have been evacuated from flooded and vulnerable places in Kannur to the relief camps being set up at different places. As many as 82 persons from 17 families of Kiliyanthara were taken to the relief camp at Kiliyanthara school. Traffic between Kottiyur Boyce town and Mananthavady was also disrupted in a wall collapse. Thalasserry town was worst hit as rain water flooded roads, shops and houses. KASARGOD Six houses in Kasaragod taluk and one house in Manjeshwaram were damaged in heavy rain. Widespread crop loss was also reported in the district. The body of a 60-year-old man, who fell in a stream on June 11, was found at Shirubagilu on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Baduvankunhi of Patla village. Following incessant rain, district collector Jeevan Babu K declared holiday to all educational institutes in Vellarikundu taluk on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: Just days after the dastardly attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama, several Pakistani websites have reportedly been hacked by India hackers. According to a report in Times Now, an Indian hacker group, called Team I Crew, hacked these websites and shared the list on various social media platforms. The hackers also claimed that this is one of biggest cyber attack launched by Indian hackers on Pakistan. After the hacking , the attackers left a message, 'We will never forget #14/02/2019'. The cyber attack was dedicated to the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in the Pulwama attack . On February 14, an explosives-laden SUV rammed into a convoy carrying CRPF personnel in Pulwama. The attack killed 40 CRPF soldiers. The Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad took responsibility for the attack. The list of Pakistani websites hacked include: https://sindhforests.gov.pk/op.html https://mail.sindhforests.gov.pk/op.html https://pkha.gov.pk/op.html https://ebidding.pkha.gov.pk/op.html https://mail.pkha.gov.pk/op.html http://kda.gkp.pk/op.html http://blog.kda.gkp.pk/op.html http://mail.kda.gkp.pk/op.html https://kpsports.gov.pk/op.html https://mail.kpsports.gov.pk/op.html http://seismic.pmd.gov.pk/op.html http://namc.pmd.gov.pk/op.html http://rmcpunjab.pmd.gov.pk/FlightsChartFolder/op.html http://ffd.pmd.gov.pk/modis/op.html http://radar.pmd.gov.pk/islamabad/op.html https://badin.opf.edu.pk/14-02-2019.php A report in Pakistani newspaper Dawn claimed that the websites of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry and Army were also hacked. The newspaper reported that the Foreign Ministry website was not functioning properly. Users from other countries such as Australia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Britain were not able to access the website.<doc-sep>Users from Australia, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and the Netherlands reported facing difficulty in accessing the site (Photo: ANI | Image for representation) The official website of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reportedly hacked on Saturday. The foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said complaints were received about the site being inaccessible by users from several countries. Sources told Dawn that the cyber attack is believed to be originating from India. "The IT team is currently occupied in thwarting the hackers' onslaught," he was quoted by Dawn as saying. Faisal said that the foreign ministry's website is functioning without any glitches in Pakistan. However, users from Australia, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and the Netherlands reported facing difficulty in accessing the site. The hacking of the website of Pakistan's foreign ministry comes after a ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday that killed 40 CRPF personnel after a suicide bomber attacked the convoy with a vehicle laden with explosives. The convoy comprised 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based terrorist group, claimed the responsibility for the attack which left the bus extensively damaged in the blast. Over 50 countries have condemned the barbaric attack and expressed support to India in its fight against terrorism. Following the deadly assault, India revoked the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan. Reflecting the outrage in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modion Friday said, "The blood of Indians is boiling." He issued a clear warning to Pakistan, declaring that the "guardians" of the perpetrators of the Pulwama terror attack will be "definitely punished." Also read | 58 nations condemn Pulwama terror attack, US names Pakistan Also read | Pay your tributes to Pulwama attack martyrs here Also watch | Exclusive: Mapping Masood Azhar's hideout in Pakistan<doc-sep>New Delhi: The official website of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry and the Army were hacked on Saturday night, making it inaccessible to users outside the country. According to a report in Dawn, the Foreign Ministry website was functioning without any hassles in the country. However, spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said users from Netherlands, Australia, Britain and Saudi Arabia are unable to access it. "The IT team is currently occupied in thwarting the hackers' onslaught," Dawn quoted Faisal as saying. The report further said that Pakistan believes that the attackers were of Indian origin as "a team of Indian hackers had defaced the official website of PPP in June 2017". "That same year, in December, the official website of Karachi police was hacked and defaced, allegedly by Indian hackers," it said. The Pakistan Army website too was inaccessible. "The owner of this website (www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk) has banned the country or region your IP address is in (IN) from accessing this website," the message on the site read. The incident comes three days after the Pulwama attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed after an explosives-laden SUV rammed a convoy on Thursday. Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the attack. While the government has slammed Pakistan over its terror links, the neighbouring country has denied charges.<doc-sep>Several Pakistan government websites were reportedly hacked with messages dedicated to martyrs of Pulwama terror attack. Several Pakistani websites including many government sites were reportedly hacked by "Team I-Crew", which claims to be an Indian hacker group, days after the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir. According to several media reports, a list of the hacked websites is being circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms claiming that "Pakistan has faced it's worst cyber attack in history, in last 72 hours" While DNA cannot verify the claims of the message, a number of websites with gov.pk domain IDs mentioned in the list displayed this message and appeared to have been hacked. We will never forget #14/02/20193," is the message splashed across one such website. "Dedicated to the martyrs sacrificed their lives in #PulwamaTerrorAttack," is another text on the website. This comes a day after the official website of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also reportedly hacked. Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal had said complaints were received about the site being inaccessible by users from several countries.<doc-sep>

Days after the terror attack in Pulwama, several Pakistani websites were reportedly hacked by "Team I Crew", which claims to be an Indian hacker group. "We will never forget #14/02/20193," is the message splashed across one such website. "Dedicated to the martyrs sacrificed their lives in #PulwamaTerrorAttack," is another text on the website. A list of the hacked websites is being circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms claiming that "Pakistan has faced its worst cyber attack in history, in last 72 hours" Outlook cannot verify the claims of the message. However, a number of websites with gov.pk domain IDs mentioned in the list, do appear to be hacked. On Saturday, the official website of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also reportedly hacked. Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal had said complaints were received about the site being inaccessible by users from several countries. The hacking of the website of Pakistan's foreign ministry comes after a ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday. In one of the worst-ever terrorist attacks in India, a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber blew up an explosive-laden vehicle near a CRPF convoy on Thursday, killing at least 40 personnel. More than 2,500 CRPF personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed in the Srinagar-Jammu highway around 3.15 pm. Over 50 countries have condemned the barbaric attack and expressed support to India in its fight against terrorism. Following the deadly assault, India revoked the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan. Here's the list of some of the 'hacked' websites: https://sindhforests.gov.pk/op.html https://mail.sindhforests.gov.pk/op.html, https://pkha.gov.pk/op.html https://ebidding.pkha.gov.pk/op.html, https://mail.pkha.gov.pk/op.html http://kda.gkp.pk/op.html, http://blog.kda.gkp.pk/op.html, http://mail.kda.gkp.pk/op.html, https://kpsports.gov.pk/op.html, https://mail.kpsports.gov.pk/op.html, http://seismic.pmd.gov.pk/op.html http://namc.pmd.gov.pk/op.html http://rmcpunjab.pmd.gov.pk/FlightsChartFolder/op.html http://ffd.pmd.gov.pk/modis/op.html http://radar.pmd.gov.pk/islamabad/op.html, http://pjm.pmd.gov.pk/cache/op.html http://202.163.66.44:811/14-02-2019.html http://www.urbanunit.gov.pk/upload/14-02-2019.php https://opf.edu.pk/14-02-2019.php For in-depth, objective and more importantly balanced journalism, Click here to subscribe to Outlook Magazine

The ProSnap Deluxe Camera Fallout 76 is still getting steady updates. Although a lot of the current playerbase is apathetic to the patch schedule given that the damage has been done, Bethesda is slowly but surely working toward a better 76, which will make one hell of a "[Something] of the Year Edition." The recent huge Massive Appalachia expansion is part of that plan. Building on the base that Bethesda set up several weeks ago, patch 8.5 is by comparison a sleeker build, but adds in a few big things. The ProSnap Deluxe Camera is the most important bit of functionality, as it not only adds in Fallout 76's own twist on photo mode, but it also ties it all together with a questline called "Bucket List" that tasks you with taking pictures. Other changes include those contentious repair kits (basic ones are found in the premium Atomic Shop, while improved kits are "not in the shop," according to Bethesda), more bug fixes (one day it'll run smoothly! ), and junk balancing (oil cans and trays/cans give you aluminum instead of steel now). Bethesda contends that repair kits, which were met with backlash at their announcement given that the team originally said that they wouldn't be adding in gameplay-advantage microtransaction items, are merely a "convenience," and since you can earn atoms (premium currency) from limited challenges, it's okay. Bethesda says that if the kits offer too much of an advantage they'll take them out, but given the subjectivity of that statement that's a clear justification to keep them in. If you want them out, you'll have to protest it. Consider this my rebuttal and call to remove them as soon as possible. Bethesda's Pete Hines originally stated as a response to whether or not gameplay-impacting microtransactions would enter the game, "no. Only cosmetic," and I'd like to see them stick to that. Patch 8.5 will run you 2GB on consoles and 1GB on PC. I sure hope you aren't running out of space! Patch 8.5 Notes [Bethesda.net]<doc-sep>Originally expected last week, the ProSnap Deluxe Camera is now available in Fallout 76 after a slight delay. As we previously reported, you’ll need to search the Appalachian region for the camera. You will find it on the body of a tourist who perished just after the Great War. This also opens up the Bucket List questline. Here, you’ll be picking up where the dearly departed left off by taking scenic photos of Appalachia. When aiming the camera, it will display the names of nearby locations and creatures it recognizes, which will help matters. Camera related challenges focused on taking scenic snapshots will also be available upon obtaining the ProSnap Camera. Along with the new camera comes two forms of single-use Repair Kits: basic and improved. The basic version is available for purchase through the Atomic Shop for 50 Atoms. You can buy Atoms from the shop to grab one of these kits or use the Atoms you have already earned. The Improved Repair Kits will not be available in the shop. These are instead earned by completing in-game content such as “killing the Scorchbeast Queen,” according to Bethesda. Repair Kits offer a way to fix an item in the field, and are considered a convenience option. The development team said if it finds the item offers any sort of competitive advantage, it will take necessary steps to ensure the advantage is removed. Bethesda also made balance adjustments for select Aluminum items and applied the usual bug fixes. Full notes for Fallout 76 patch 8.5 are through the official website, but we’ve popped in the notes for the main features below. Watch on YouTube Fallout 76: Wild Appalachia – patch 8.5 highlights Highlights ProSnap Deluxe Camera : Find and equip this new functional Camera to snap photos more easily than ever before, begin the “Bucket List” quest, and complete Camera-related Challenges. : Find and equip this new functional Camera to snap photos more easily than ever before, begin the “Bucket List” quest, and complete Camera-related Challenges. Basic Repair Kits : New single-use consumables that can be used to repair one item to 100% Condition without using any crafting materials. You can visit the Atomic Shop to purchase Basic Repair Kits. : New single-use consumables that can be used to repair one item to 100% Condition without using any crafting materials. You can visit the Atomic Shop to purchase Basic Repair Kits. Improved Repair Kits : New single-use consumables that can be used to buff one item to 150% Condition without using any crafting materials. These are rare items that can be earned by completing some types of in-game content. : New single-use consumables that can be used to buff one item to 150% Condition without using any crafting materials. These are rare items that can be earned by completing some types of in-game content. Balance Adjustments: Aluminum Trays, Oil Cans, and Empty Cans now provide Aluminum when scrapped and we’ve increased their base Cap values. New Features ProSnap Deluxe Camera Functional in-game camera you can use to fill your Photomode Gallery with snapshots of your adventures. Can be equipped and favorited like a weapon. Use the “Aim” button to look through the Camera’s lens, and then press the “Attack” button to snap a photo. You can use a Tinker’s Workbench to build a ProSnap Deluxe and apply mods, like lenses. The Camera uses Film to take photos, and you can use the Tinker’s Workbench to craft additional Film. When you take aim with the ProSnap Deluxe, it will also display the names of nearby locations and creatures it recognizes in the viewfinder. Learn to craft a ProSnap Deluxe Camera by finding a broken one on the corpse of a tourist who met their end in the Wasteland. Once you’ve acquired a Camera, you’ll begin the new “Bucket List” quest, which allows you to finish the tourist’s photography collection, if you so desire. Many new Camera-related Challenges have been added to Fallout 76 that you can complete using your ProSnap Deluxe. New Consumable Utility Item – Repair Kits Repair Kits are new, single-use consumable items which will immediately restore the Condition of an inventory item. Basic Repair Kit Each Basic Repair Kit you own can be used to restore one item in your inventory or Stash to 100% Condition. Basic Repair Kits do not consume any of your crafting materials when repairing an item. Additionally, they cannot be crafted, dropped, sold to vendors, or traded with other players. After acquiring a Repair Kit, use it by opening your Pip-Boy, finding an item that you’d like to repair, selecting the “Inspect/Repair” option, and then choosing “Repair Kit” The number of Repair Kits you own will be displayed to you on the “Repair Kit” button in the “Inspect/Repair” menu. Basic Repair Kits are unlockable in the Atomic Shop using Atoms you’ve purchased or those you’ve earned by completing in-game challenges. Developer note: If you purchase Basic Repair Kits by entering the Atomic Shop from the game’s Main Menu, they will be added to your most recently played Character’s inventory. Prior to purchasing Repair Kits, please ensure you’ve logged into a world with the character that you’d like to receive them. Improved Repair Kits Each Improved Repair Kit you own can be used to buff one of the items in your inventory or Stash to 150% Condition. Like Basic Repair Kits, Improved Kits cannot be dropped, crafted, traded, or sold, and do not use any of your crafting materials when consumed. Improved Repair Kits are not available in the Atomic Shop. They are rare items you can earn by completing in-game content. They are currently dropped as loot by the Scorchbeast Queen and may be added as rewards for other types of in-game content in the future. If you own both Basic and Improved Kits, you will be prompted to select which type you’d like to use when repairing an item. Design and Balance Junk Aluminum Oil Cans now each grant 1 Aluminum when scrapped, rather than 1 Steel, and the can’s base value has been increased from 9 to 13 Caps. Aluminum Trays and Empty Cans now each grant 2 Aluminum when scrapped, rather than 2 Steel, and their base values have each been increased from 1 to 10 Caps. If you’re just getting jumping in, here’s 21 things you should know before playing Fallout 76.<doc-sep>

Fallout 76 got a new update that lets players find ProSnap Cameras around Appalachia. In this guide, we'll offer several different locations for the camera and explain how to complete its associated Bucket List quest. Fallout 76 ProSnap Tourist Camera Locations The hardest part of actually starting the Bucket List quest is finding the Broken ProSnap Camera to trigger it. ProSnap Cameras can be found on the bodies of tourists that look like this. They generally have odd names like Anne or Ansel. Broken ProSnap Cameras can be found at a number of high-profile locations including: Wavy Willard's Waterpark Landview Lighthouse Camden Park Giant Teapot Kanawha Nuka Cola Plant Lobby Uncanny Caverns Tyler County Fairgrounds Point Pleasant Mothman Museum Ohio River Adventures Dock Phillipi Graveyard Miner's Monument Point Pleasant Colonel Kelly Monument Palace of the Winding Path Beckley Workshop Finding a ProSnap Camera is a very tedious process, so our best advice is to choose one of these locales and server hop until a tourist spawns. The good news is, once you find the camera the first time, you can always buy another one from a vendor. Bucket List Quest Walkthrough Once you find a tourist, loot its Broken ProSnap Deluxe Camera and Bucket List to trigger the Bucket List quest. To start the quest you'll need to craft the Camera and at least one roll of Camera Film. Supplies crafted, open My Bucket List from the Notes section of your inventory. The goal of the quest is to take pictures of the seven locations not listed as DONE in the note. You'll notice that, once you open the map, each of these spots is highlighted like so. Just go to the area and follow the objective marker to the location. The ProSnap Deluxe Camera is equipped like a weapon. Use the left trigger to zoom and right trigger to take the photo. Take each photo in the locations shown below. If progress doesn't trigger, try taking multiple photos or unequipping and re-equipping the camera. The feature is new, so it can be a little wonky. 1) Harper's Ferry Old Armory 2) Freddy's House of Scares 3) Red Rocket Mega Stop Sign 4) Pumpkin House 5) Dolly Sods Campground Welcome Center 6) Valley Galleria Skylight 7) Berkeley Springs Castle Take all seven photos with your camera, and you'll get the PhotoSnap Deluxe 105mm Lens as well as a plan for a Postcard Collage Poster. That's all you need to know about the Bucket List quest in Fallout 76. Fallout 76 is available now on Xbox One, PS4 and PC. What are your thoughts on the ProSnap Camera and the Bucket List Quest in Fallout 76? Are there any big locations we missed? Tell us in the comments section!

Hack: Just like any other Bollywood star kid, Masaba Gupta who is the daughter of veteran actor Neena Gupta also wanted to pursue acting Just like any other Bollywood star kid, Masaba Gupta who is the daughter of veteran actor Neena Gupta also wanted to pursue acting. However, her mother discouraged her from the beginning as revealed in an exclusive interview. And to make sure that she does not get carried away, Gupta reveals that she also asked Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan she had met on a flight to convince her. However, after reciting the incident in the interview, the 'Badhaai Ho' actress called them 'cheap and mean' for assuring that they would help by giving her their numbers but then never attended her calls. WATCH | "My Friends, Including Mahesh Bhatt Never Gave Me Work": Neena Gupta Opens Up On 'grudges' With Bollywood Prior to this, she also alleged that her good friends too never gave her work. She said, “Mere apne logo ne mujhe kisi ne kaam nai dia. I am so close to Soni, Mahesh Bhatt... Mahesh ne kabhi mujhe kaam nahi dia, kabhi bhi nahi dia. Kisi ne bhi nahi diya, I wonder why..” she rued adding, “I am too shy to ask, maybe that's why.” READ: After 'Pink', Boney Kapoor To Remake Ayushmann Khurrana's 'Badhaai Ho' in Four South Indian Languages Meanwhile, on the work front, the actress was last seen in 'Badhaai Ho'. The comedy-drama is directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma and is jointly produced by Vineet Jain, Hemant Bhandari and Aleya Sen under the banner of Junglee Pictures and Chrome Pictures. Through the trailer, one understands that the concept is different and is not something that has been touched upon before. In India ‘Log Kya Kahenge’ is a major crisis and this movie seems to be focussing on that. Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.<doc-sep>Neena Gupta was one of most important actors in the parallel cinema movement in the 1980s and a contemporary of Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Dipti Naval. She had a successful run on TV as well. However, post Badhaai Ho, the actor has not only got a new lease of life but is experiencing a ‘fandom’ not seen before. In an interview to Rajeev Masand, she spoke candidly on her status as an unwed mother, advice she gave daughter Masaba at the start of her career and getting work in Bollywood. On the question of being bringing up Masaba without a conventional family, Neena honestly accepted that she felt guilty and that she thought it was a selfish act on her part. She said: “Very much. All the time. I feel it was a very selfish act on my part. Some of my friends told me it won’t be fair on part of the child, but kaun sunnta hai uss waqat, blind hotey hain (who listens at that age, people are blind). I also feel sad because she was lonely. I wish I had another child but circumstances weren’t like that).” Also read | ‘Kalank exists so we can forget Zero’: Internet responds to Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt’s film with hilarious memes, 2.6 IMDb rating On the question that she has, in the past, said that though she doesn’t regret her decision she advises youngsters to not follow her example as it still a tough decision to make. Neena said: “Yes, very hard. Nothing much has changed. You and I are the minority in this country. The majority is the same. What has changed? This (the decision to be an unwed mother) also people should not do what I done. It is very tough and it is not fair on the child.” Neena also spoke about the advice she gave Masaba at the start of latter’s career. She discouraged her from taking up acting. Neena said: “I told her ‘If you want to be an actor then you go abroad. Jis tarah tumhara shakal hai, body hai, tumhe yahan Indian milieu mein bahot kam role milenge (The way you look, the way you body is, you will get very few roles in the Indian milieu) even if you become a good actor. So tumko woh heroine nahin milegi. Toh Hema Malini nahin banoge, Alia Bhatt nahin banoge (You will never become a heroine, you will never become Hema Malini, you will never become an Alia Bhatt)’.” Neena played a mother to two grown up sons, one of them being actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who gets pregnant in her middle age. Badhaai Ho, directed by Amit Sharma, made at a reported budget of Rs 29 crore has gone on to mint an estimated Rs 221.44 globally. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10<doc-sep>A month after Masaba Gupta and Madhu Mantena filed for divorce, the former's mother and veteran actress Neena Gupta opened up about the same. Seven months after announcing their trial separation, Masaba and Madhu mutually filed for divorce in a family court in Mumbai.Neena Gupta shared that the decision came as a shock to her and opened up about the advice she gave to her daughter.She told Masaba, like any normal mother, to not take any decision in a rush. Neena asked her to think about it because she and her husband both loved Madhu and still love him. Neena added that she feels Madhu is a very nice man and they still love him. Neena said that Madhu and Masaba thought about it, but it was a very big shock to her.<doc-sep>

Designer Masaba Gupta’s divorce with husband Madhu Mantena was indeed a shocking affair. Now, Masaba’s mother and Badhaai Ho actress Neena Gupta broke her silence on the issue and said that it came as a big shock. Ace designer Masaba Gupta and Madhu Mantena’s decision to be separated came as a huge shock. Masaba’s mother, actress Neena Gupta who recently went on to grab her first Filmfare awards in the Critics Best Actor Female category finally spoke about the issue and admitted that she had advised Masaba to not to rush into the decision. Neena Gupta revealed that, “Like a normal mother, I said don't take any decision in a rush. Think about it because my husband and I, both loved Madhu and still love him. He's a very nice man and we still love him.” She further revealed that the decision had indeed come as a big shock to her. She went on to say that, “But... nahi bana toh nahi bana...Humne bola socho isko, aisa nahi hai ki immediate decision liya, they thought about it. It was a very big shock to me." Masaba Gupta and Madhu Mantena announced their separation last year and the duo then went on to file for divorce on March this year. They had released a joint statement which said, “After much thought and consideration, we have come to an amicable conclusion on all matters. We have decided to move forward separately and get divorced.” Their joint statement further read as, "We are two individuals who respect and care for each other and have made our own choices. We would appreciate if we are given our privacy in this time.” On the workfront, Neena Gupta who was last seen in the Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Badhaai Ho, will soon be seen in the starrer Panga. Neena Gupta was also recently seen in the popular Zoya Akhtar directorial web series Made In Heaven which starred Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur and Jim Sarbh in the lead roles. Credits :India Today Read More

Nintendo came out with the big guns for its pre-recorded E3 conference this morning, delivering updates on a couple of veteran franchises while also bringing some new titles to its Switch console. We didn’t get a ton of big surprises, but what Nintendo showed off was certainly exciting to a lot of fans. The bulk of the presentation was (as expected) devoted to the intimate minutiae of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which is arriving at the end of the year and will bring the biggest cast to the game ever, with some new characters arriving alongside the entire cast of the series’ previous iterations. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Super Mario Party and Fortnite were probably the biggest highlights, but let’s take a look at everything they talked about. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate One of the crazier parts of this announcement included the fact that Nintendo has made a redesigned GameCube controller, which will be compatible with the game and will be supporting your old GameCube controller somehow as well, presumably with a dongle. Available December 7, 2018. Super Mario Party Alongside the new gameplay content, Super Mario Party is going to integrate some weird multi-Switch gameplay that will allow users to play together across multiple Switch consoles and merge their screens together. Available October 5, 2018. Fortnite Available now for free download. Other stuff In addition to the big-gun trifecta of game announcements, Nintendo also shed some light on other titles coming to the system, which has realistically had a pretty tiny game library since launch. Fire Emblem Three Houses Coming spring 2019. DRAGON BALL FighterZ Coming 2019. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country New update available September 14 for Expansion Pass members. Other titles announced during the Nintendo Direct included Daemon X Machina, Overcooked! 2, Killer Queen Black, Hollow Knight and Octopath Traveler. In terms of the new Pokémon titles, Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, they will be available November 16 and people will be able to buy a $99.99 combo that includes the Poké Ball Plus controller, as well. So that’s it; no Metroid Prime news, no Animal Crossing for Switch, no other big teases — but there’s certainly a good chunk of titles to keep Switch owners excited for a while. We’ll be at E3 checking out some of these new titles this week, so stay tuned for more from us on the ground in Los Angeles.<doc-sep>I'm not going to quibble with Nintendo's policy, now long established, of addressing fans directly through a pre-recorded showcase at E3 rather than going through the rigmarole of a live event. Nor am I going to dispute that the Nintendo Direct videos that have proliferated through the gaming year to offer roundups, announcements and deep-dives work well for both Nintendo and its community; nor argue that it is a bad idea to spread these moments around rather than concentrate them in a single info-burst in June. They make Switch feel like the bustling, exciting platform it absolutely is. I do think Nintendo missed an opportunity yesterday, however, with an E3 Direct that will have left everyone but the hardcore followers of a single one of its game series cold. Nintendo has chosen to put a square focus on a single game at the last few E3s, which worked superbly with Zelda: Breath of the Wild two years ago and with Super Mario Odyssey last year - but these were games with a broad appeal offering much new to discover and explain, and still neither of them got the relentless and granular focus that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate enjoyed over 25 minutes, more than half of yesterday's broadcast. Now, Smash is a very popular game with a rabid following, but it is also an iterative and technical fighting game and, thematically, it is almost the definition of an inside joke - an indulgent bit of fan service that revels digging up, dusting off and remixing obscure characters from ancient games. All of which means that, outside that fanbase, passing interest in it is almost non-existent. Does this image make you feel exhausted and confused? Then Nintendo aren't interested in talking to you this year. At other times, the Direct format actually works brilliantly for a game like this. Nintendo can feel sure that it is speaking to a truly invested audience in terms they understand about stuff they care about, rather than having to rely on third-parties who may or may not know what an Assist Trophy is to interpret the information for them - and without worrying about boring passing trade. E3 is different. It's all about passing trade; it's a chance to talk to the entire gaming world. It is, fundamentally, a storefront, not a community address, and losing sight of that has consequences. The consequence for Nintendo is that it looked closed off yesterday. The Smash section of the broadcast was a deluge of arcana, technicalities and in-jokes. The big reveal, the introduction of Ridley as a fighter, may well have been the fulfilment of a long-held dream for the Smash community, but it will also have meant nothing to anyone who hasn't played Metroid games from the 90s. I don't think Reggie's house really looks like this. It wasn't just about Smash, either. It's great that Nintendo is committed to keeping a certain kind of classically Japanese game at the heart of its offering, but beginning the presentation with a spiritual successor to Armored Core and a Xenoblade expansion pack was perhaps a little too keen to please the otaku among us at the risk of losing everyone else, especially since Xenoblade - and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, much as it pains me to say it - looks so hopelessly dated. Somehow, despite Reggie Fils-Aime speaking dreamily of "countless play possibilities", Switch was left looking like the console for a particular species of ageing nerd. This from a company which, a decade ago, at the height of Wii mania, thought it had left us nerds behind for good. Not that I want a return to those days. Nintendo itself certainly rued them as it fought to get fans back on side during the Wii U era. But Switch is already bigger than that; the console's natural, sells-itself appeal, and the brilliance of many of its games, have taken it way beyond Nintendo's rather narrow definition of fandom. In fact, Nintendo has one killer mass-market game lined up for this year, a game that has the power to unite kids, casuals and nostalgic fanboys: Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, a rare reinvention for this tradition-bound series that is poised to capitalise on the Pokémon Go phenomenon. It's possible that Nintendo would have liked to have saved this for E3, too, but was overruled by the Pokémon Company - at any rate, it was revealed in Japan a couple of weeks ago, and a dry recap from Reggie hardly hit the spot. (It's also not Nintendo's fault that the reveal of a version Fortnite, the biggest game in the world, for Switch had been leaked.) It fell to a rather neat-looking new Mario Party, of all things, to show Nintendo's warm and inventive everyman side this week. We're now ready to love Mario Party again. I said that Switch sells itself, and that's true; in fact, I don't think this off-putting Direct and a slightly dry 2018 release schedule will hurt its fortunes one bit, and I'm sure both Smash and Pokémon will sell by the million at the end of this year. But with Switch reaching beyond its core constituencies for the first time in years - beyond its fans, beyond kids and families, beyond the hardcore to people who just, you know, like playing video games - this would have been a great moment to strike, to excite, to show that Nintendo were thinking big and invite us to join them. But instead, it chose to subdivide its audience even further, zeroing in on the people who are still in love with a 16-bit dinosaur. Or whatever Ridley is. It was a great opportunity, and Nintendo fluffed it.<doc-sep>

The weeks and months leading up to E3 are rife with rumors and speculation, and this year has certainly been no different. We're still several days away from E3 2018, and a number of surprise announcements have been inadvertently revealed ahead of the show thanks to various leaks, with more seemingly trickling out by the day. Even Nintendo's notoriously tight-lipped nature hasn't prevented rumors and leaks from spreading. Before Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee were formally unveiled, rumors had swirled that Switch's Pokemon RPG would be inspired by Pokemon Yellow and launch this November--both of which turned out to be true. Similarly, speculation has been rampant that the massively popular Fortnite would be revealed for Switch at E3. That would make for a truly surprising announcement, although its impact may have been diminished now, as a Switch version of Fortnite was listed by the Korean ratings board. There are many other unsubstantiated reports still lingering around Switch. One of the most prominent says that Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios is working on a Star Fox game, although it won't be a rail shooter like traditional entries in the series; rather, rumor has it that the game is a racer in the vein of F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing. A recent trademark filing has also led to rumors that Nintendo will announce an N64 Classic mini console. It won't be much longer until we find out if there's any truth to these rumors. Nintendo's E3 presentation is scheduled to air at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET on June 12, just before the expo formally begins. We still don't have much clue as to what Nintendo will show off during its E3 briefing, but you can catch up on all of the games it has confirmed for Switch and 3DS. You can also read up on when and how to watch Nintendo's E3 conference. Fortnite Coming To Nintendo Switch A Korean ratings board listing has revealed what could be an E3 surprise: A Nintendo Switch port of Fortnite. The listing doesn't specify which of the game's modes--Save the World or the phenomenally popular Battle Royale--will be included, but it's hard to imagine the latter would not make the cut. Overcooked 2, Paladins, And More While 4chan leaks are not especially reliable, a photo has surfaced that may in fact be real. It shows names for a variety of Nintendo Switch games that will apparently be advertised around the E3 show floor. This includes already-confirmed games like Mario Tennis Aces, but it also shows Fortnite (which, as noted above, looks to be real), Paladins, and Overcooked 2. Whereas Fortnite and Paladins would be ports of existing games, Overcooked 2 has not yet been announced--and it's possible that it could also come to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in addition to Switch, if it is indeed real. Star Fox Is Getting A Racing Game Called Grand Prix The Star Fox franchise hasn't seen much activity in recent years save for the Wii U game Star Fox Zero, but that may change in the near future. According to leaks published around the internet and a report from Eurogamer, Retro Studios--of Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns fame--is at work on a racing game called Star Fox: Grand Prix. Reddit user DasVergeben claims it will feature elements of F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing, with an adventure mode and hub world. N64 Classic Edition Will Be Announced While not E3-specific, there have been rumors about an N64 Classic Edition since the release of the NES Classic. With both that system and the subsequent SNES Classic proving to be huge successes, it would be no surprise to see Nintendo continue the trend by bringing a mini version of the Nintendo 64 to the market. Trademark filings have also suggested it's something Nintendo is at least considering, and Nintendo would be the ideal place to reveal its existence.

Supporters have their meals in the backdrop of huge cut-outs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran, late Jayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and other leaders, during a public rally of the BJP-AIADMK-PMK alliance, in Chennai. (Image: PTI)<doc-sep>CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid foundation stones for five national highway projects in Tamil Nadu worth Rs 5,010 crore and for the Rs 5,150crore state-of-the-art terminal for import of Liquefied Natural Gas at Ennore near Chennai.At a function in Kilambakkam near Chennai, Modi inaugurated via video-conferencing two road projects , including two-laning of 122 km section of NH-38 that goes via Vellore, Thiruvannamalai and Viluppuram districts, and four-laning of 32km Avinashi-Tirupur-Avinashipalayam section of NH-381, in Tirupur. districtFoundation stones were laid for four-laning of 116.5km Vikravandi-Sethiathope-Cholapuram-Thanjavur section of NH-36 in Viluppuram, Cuddalore, Ariyalur and Thanjavur districts, six-laning of 36-km-long Karaipettai-Walajapet section of NH-48 in Kancheepuram and Vellore districts and strengthening of existing carriageway of Gudiyatham bypass and Vellore bypass on NH-75 in Vellore district.The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation the electrified Erode-Karur-Trichy and Salem-Karur-Dindigul sections of the railways. Electrification of the sections cost Rs 321 crore.According to ministry of petroleum and natural gas, LNG from Ennore terminal will be transported to customers en route by pipeline right up to Tuticorin in South Tamil Nadu via Puducherry and Trichy. A pipeline has been laid to Bengaluru via Hosur to reach LNG to more industrial customers. The imported LNG will benefit Manali refinery, fertiliser plants, petrochemical plants and power plants, besides gas-based industries and transport sector.Tamil Nadu Banwarilal Purohit, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and others were present.<doc-sep>Chennai Central railway station to be renamed after MGR: Modi announces This announcement by the Prime Minister came at an NDA public event. news Election The Chennai Central Railway Station will be renamed after former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an NDA political rally in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Tamil Nadu to officially launch the National Democratic Alliance’s poll campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at a rally at Kilambakkam, in Kanchipuram district, PM Modi announced that the Chennai Central Railway Station would be renamed after former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MG Ramachandran. It is unclear however whether this change of name can be done with General Elections about to be announced any day now. The announcement was made in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam, BJP state chief Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan. The PM also praised MGR and said that he had visited MGR's birth place in Sri Lanka. The announcement comes at a time when the elections are just about to be announced and Modi's speech made it clear that the NDA has decided to co-opt MGR and Jayalalithaa's legacies into their election campaign. “We are also seriously considering that flights to and from Tamil Nadu will have inflight announcements in Tamil,” he said. The promise of in-flight Tamil announcements also appears to be a bid to placate Tamil sentiment in the run-up to the Lok Sabha Elections. The BJP-led Centre has been accused multiple times of trying to impose Hindi on southern states. This is the fourth visit of the PM to Tamil Nadu in less than 40 days. On this visit, the Prime Minister launched several schemes, and unveiled projects in roadways, railways, and energy sector worth Rs 5010 crore. Following the government event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched the National Democratic Alliance’s poll campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the same stage. The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the BJP formalised their “mega alliance” for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections on February 19. The BJP will be contesting from five seats in the state. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who announced the alliance, said, “All parties in alliance in Tamil Nadu will work together to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance and our confidence is all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will be won by NDA in the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”<doc-sep>

Continuing its name-changing spree, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has decided to rename Chennai Central Station after former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MG Ramachandran. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kancheepuram on March 6. The prime minister was in Tamil Nadu, addressing his first rally in the state after BJP inked a poll pact with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Son of the soil, Bharat Ratna MGR lives on in the hearts of crores of people. Inaugurated a statue in his honour and also announced the decision to rename Chennai Central Station after him. NDA will always work hard to fulfil the dreams of MGR. pic.twitter.com/mpdULpCU2C — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 6, 2019 During his speech, PM Modi said MG Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, is one of the most respected icons of India. “I am happy to share that we have decided to rename Chennai Central station after the great MGR,” said PM Modi. "We are also seriously thinking about ensuring that flights to and from Tamil Nadu have inflight announcements in Tamil language," PM Modi said. The prime minister had on December 30, 2018, announced the renaming of the Ross Island as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep. The renaming was done to mark the 75th anniversary of the Tricolour hoisting by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose there. Before that, the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had changed the name of Faizabad district to Ayodhya district and Allahabad to Prayagraj. The names of Haryana’s Gurgaon and Chhattisgarh’s Naya Raipur were also changed to Gurugram and Atal Nagar, respectively by the then BJP-rules state governments.

A 15-year-old girl had tried to share the image with her mother via AirDrop — an iPhone file-sharing method that uses Bluetooth to share photos with nearby devices — but also made it available to nearby passengers by accident. The plane had already began taxiing, but the pilot returned to the gate after being notified of the photos, delaying the flight an hour and a half while the incident unraveled. The girl and her mother were questioned by Alameda County sheriff's deputies but were cleared of any crime. Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, said the girl and her mother were extremely embarrassed, and that he'd never heard of anything like this happening on a flight, the Mercury News reported.<doc-sep>A JetBlue flight from San Juan to Tampa was diverted when the outer layer of the plane's windshield shattered. (180514) -- CHENGDU, May 14, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Flight 3U8633, operated by Sichuan Airlines, prepares to conduct emergency landing after a mechanical failure in Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 14, 2018. Part of the cockpit window broke as the Airbus A319 flew over Chengdu. The plane was en route from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality to Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. It was forced to divert to an alternate airport in Chengdu. All passengers are safe, although the co-pilot sustained injuries to the face and waist, and another crew member was slightly hurt during the emergency landing. After the landing on Monday morning, the airline has arranged another flight to take the passengers to Lhasa. (Xinhua/Wan Bi) (ry) (Photo by Xinhua/Sipa USA) The engine on a Southwest Airlines plane is inspected as it sits on the runway at the Philadelphia International Airport after it made an emergency landing in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 17, 2018. (Amanda Bourman via AP) (CNN) — Hawaiian Airlines Flight 23 en route to Maui began with an alarming photo and ended with a stench that led to an emergency landing. Passengers boarded the flight Friday morning from Oakland International Airport to Maui’s Kahului Airport. The plane was supposed to take off at 7 a.m., but it was brought back to the gate because a 15-year-old girl accidentally airdropped a picture of a fake crime scene to passengers, according to CNN affiliate KGO-TV. The picture showed a mannequin face-down on the ground surrounded by crime scene numerical markers. KGO-TV A photo of a mock crime scene frightened passengers on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 23 on Friday, August 31, 2018. Sgt. Ray Kelly with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office told KGO about 15 passengers viewed the photo and “believed that the picture was threatening.” It was found that the girl was just trying to airdrop the photo to her mom, Kelly said, but because she airdropped using bluetooth, people in range of her phone had the option of accepting and viewing the photo. “The young girl was very embarrassed,” Kelly told KGO. “She was upset, we explained to her she was not in trouble, there was no crime that was committed here.” Flight 23 was ultimately delayed for nearly an hour because of the mishap, but the craziness didn’t end there. Illegal pepper spray discharged on passengers As the Boeing 767 was airborne, passengers seated near the front of the plane told the flight crew they smelled something unpleasant, according to a statement from Hawaiian Airlines. Being cautious, the airline said the flight crew declared an emergency so they could get priority handling once they landed in Hawaii. The 12 affected guests temporarily were moved to seats further back of the plane, and went back to their original seats once the smell was gone. Turns out the smell was from a can of pepper spray that a passenger brought aboard the plane illegally that accidentally discharged, the airline said. Pepper spray is prohibited on planes in carry-on bags, according to the Transportation Security Administration. First responders treated the 12 passengers and three flight attendants for respiratory issues. All were released, the airline said. Authorities questioned the passenger who brought the pepper spray on board, the airline said, and are investigating the accidental discharge. “We sincerely apologize for the inconveniences aboard (Hawaiian Airlines Flight 23),” the airline said. Flight 23 had a somewhat happy ending, though. Besides an apology, the airline said all 256 passengers were given a $500 travel credit.<doc-sep>Update: The same flight experienced a medical emergency when pepper spray was released. Fifteen people received treatment upon arrival in Maui. OAKLAND — A 15-year-old girl sharing a grisly mock crime scene photo from one of her high school classes with her mother caused a Hawaii-bound flight to return to the gate Friday morning when the photo went out to other passengers, authorities said. The teenager and her mother were not allowed to continue on when Hawaiian Airlines Flight 23 to Maui finally departed about 90 minutes late, Oakland Airport spokeswoman Keonnis Taylor said. They instead were rebooked on a flight for Hawaii on Saturday, she said. The flight had pushed back from the gate when the pilot made the decision to turn it around, Taylor said. Authorities, who originally said the two passengers were college students majoring in criminal justice and sharing multiple pictures from a class, did not identify them. They were questioned and released by Alameda County Sheriff’s Office deputies. They determined no crime had been committed, sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly said. Deputies first received reports about the incident around 7:20 a.m. Kelly said the girl used her phone’s AirDrop app to send a mock crime scene photo of a body used in her med-biology class to her mom sitting next to her. AirDrop is a feature that allows Macs and iOS devices to share files. But by using the method, the files also can end up on other nearby phones — in this case, the phones of other passengers, Kelly said. Those passengers alerted flight attendants, who showed the image to the pilots. The captain made the decision to notify authorities and return to the gate, Kelly said. “Given the circumstances, everyone did the right thing,” Kelly said, adding that he’d never heard of anything similar happening on a flight. “The girl had good intentions, but other passengers saw it as a threat. People were being highly vigilant.” Kelly said the two “were obviously embarrassed about what occurred and they did not mean to inconvenience other passengers.” Deputies were waiting for the two when the plane returned to the gate, Kelly said. Once they learned the details of what happened, they were released. The sheriff’s office will file an incident report with federal officials, but the agency sees no reason the two should be restricted from flying, Kelly said. “I imagine they will think twice about AirDropping photos,” Kelly said. “Especially on an airplane.”<doc-sep>

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A Hawaiian Airlines Maui bound flight was brought back to the gate at Oakland International Airport after it had alredy begun taxiing due to a photo airdrop mishap. 15 passengers received a photo they thought was a threat. It turns out the photo wasn't real.Hawaiian Airlines Flight 23 was supposed to take off at 7 a.m. but was delayed nearly an hour and a half after 15 passengers received a picture of a mock crime scene with a nylon bean bag type mannequin. "Passengers viewed that picture, believed that picture was threatening, alerted the flight crew who in turn notified the pilot," said Sgt. Ray Kelly with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.The Alameda County Sheriff's Office says the airline called them in to investigate the potential security threat. "We quickly deciphered that this incident was a 15-year-old girl that was trying to air drop a mock crime scene photo to her mother," said Kelly.The 15-year-old was using air drop via blue tooth. Sgt. Kelly says based on her phone settings people within range of her phone had the option of accepting and viewing the photo as well. "The young girl was very embarrassed. She was upset, we explained to her she was not in trouble, there was no crime that was committed here," said Kelly.It was ultimately the pilot who decided to return to the gate after the plane had begun taxiing. "It doesn't look real but certainly I understand why poeple alerted the folks on the plane," said traveler Rovianne Leigh. "I think it's important to look objectively and try to figure things out before jumping to conclusions," said traveler Wendy Peters.In an emailed statement, Hawaiian Airlines tells ABC7 News, "In order to resume the flight and minimize the inconvenience to our guests, the teenager and the family were re-booked on a later flight while the incident was investigated. "The other passengers went on to Hawaii following the nearly hour and a half delay.The Sheriff's Office says the mom and daughter will fly to Hawaii Saturday. "She has a good heart, she didn't want to inconvenience all those people so very remorseful," said Kelly.The Sheriff's Office spokesperson says this was a learning lesson for everyone involved. At the end of the day he says the system worked as it should with passengers playing their part in alerting the flight crew.

Jussie Smollett is facing prison time and the implosion of his career if it turns out he lied about being the target of a hate crime, legal and public relations experts say. “The best thing that Jussie can do is pray and pray a lot,” said Ronn Torossian, founder of 5W Public Relations. “If he made it up, he has big problems in both the court of law and the court of public opinion.” The “Empire” star claimed he was beaten up on Jan. 29 by two men who used racial and homophobic slurs. Smollett’s co-stars and colleagues on “Empire,” celebrities such as Ellen Page and Zendaya, and public figures such as Sen. Kamala Harris rallied behind the actor, releasing statements of support. However, Smollett’s account is now being challenged, with police investigating whether or not he paid two acquaintances, Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, to stage the attack. Chicago police confirmed on Tuesday that they received a tip from someone claiming to have seen the three men together in an elevator of Smollett’s apartment building on the evening of the attack. However, later in the day, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted that the tip was unfounded. If Smollett falsified a police report, the charge is a Class 4 felony in Illinois, and carries a potential sentence of one to three years in prison. Smollett could also be ordered to pay restitution to compensate for the cost of the Chicago Police Department investigation. “It’s a very, very, very serious situation,” said Phil Turner, a former federal prosecutor who now works in criminal defense in Chicago. “He’s got some very significant exposure.” Smollett told police that two men attacked him at 2 a.m., poured bleach on him, and put a noose around his neck. He also claimed they told him that it was “MAGA country,” a reference to Donald Trump’s campaign slogan. Chicago investigators are now seeking to speak with Smollett. Federal investigators are also probing a threatening letter that was sent to the “Empire” set. The letter included homophobic language and contained a white powder, which was later determined to be a crushed painkiller tablet. Should that letter turn out to be fake, federal prosecutors could also pursue a mail fraud charge, legal experts say. Andrew Weisberg, a former prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, said Smollett could get probation, assuming that he has a clean record. But he also said prosecutors may face pressure not to be lenient. “It’s a very high-profile case,” he said. “Prosecutors tend to be tougher because everybody’s watching. … I think they may come down hard, in terms of not reducing it to a misdemeanor.” Steve Greenberg, a Chicago defense attorney, said prosecutors could also file a charge of obstruction of justice. He said it was likely, though, that Smollett would be allowed to plead to a misdemeanor, and not serve jail time. “They’re not going to ruin a guy’s life over this,” Greenberg said. “People make false reports all the time to the police. They get in a DUI, they call police and say, ‘My car was stolen.’ Ninety percent of the time, even if they’re charged with a felony, those people end up pleading to a misdemeanor.” Smollett has retained two criminal defense attorneys, Victor Henderson and Todd Pugh. They have denied that Smollett staged the attack, and said he will continue to cooperate. “His lawyers may be having a psychiatrist examine the guy so they could prepare some kind of psychiatric defense,” Turner said. Smollett, like celebrity fabulists such as Lance Armstrong and Ryan Lochte, may see endorsement opportunities and roles dry up if he is found to have been untruthful. Public relations experts say he will need to demonstrate that he’s learned a lesson. “If he made this up, he broke the trust of a lot of his fans,” said Ray Drasnin, founder of Purple Penguin PR. “Say you lied and you’re sorry for that lie. Apologize to the people who have supported you, promise to make it up, and find a cause that’s near and dear to your heart and devote yourself to it.” Richard Levick, chairman and CEO of LEVICK, said people shouldn’t rush to judgment regarding Smollet and cautioned that there are still, in the words of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, “too many unknown unknowns.” Yet if Smollett did fabricate the attack, Levick says he needs to be more proactive. “He needs to get ahead of this as much as he can,” he said. “He needs to go see the police. He needs to apologize. He needs to make the announcement about what happened instead of letting the facts leak out. If he lied, there’s no excuse, but there may be some explanation.” © 2019 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC<doc-sep>Jussie Smollett staged attack to 'promote career' says officer 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. Star of hip-hop TV drama “Empire” Jessie Smollett handed himself in to police in the early hours of Thursday morning after the Chicago Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved felony criminal charges against him. These charges are for disorderly conduct and filing a false police report, police said on Wednesday, February 20. Speaking to a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson alleged Smollett had paid two brothers thousands of dollars to beat him in a staged racist and homophobic attack. What jail sentence is the Empire actor facing if guilty? Superintendent Johnson told a news conference earlier today: ”Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.” He alleged the actor paid $3,500 to the brothers to stage the supposed hate crime. Superintendent Johnson further alleged: ”This stunt was orchestrated by Smollett because he was dissatisfied with this salary. He concocted a story about being attacked.” Read More: Jussie Smollett: Who is Jussie Smollett? What has he been charged? Jussie Smollett attack Jussie Smollett: Charles Barkley tells shocking joke "We gave him the benefit of the doubt." If convicted, the 36-year-old actor could face a prison sentence of one to three years. The attack was blamed on two apparent Trump supporters whom Smollett claimed had struck him and put a noose around his neck. Superintendent Johnson also claimed Smollett had first tried to gain attention by sending himself a threatening letter filled with "racial, homophobic and political language." Jussie Smollett attack: Chicago police held a press conference today on the allegations Jussie Smollett attack: Smollett faces up to three years if he is found guilty<doc-sep>Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) CHICAGO — Jussie Smollett was released from the Cook County Jail on Thursday afternoon after paying a $100,000 bond — fewer than two hours since he appeared in court on felony disorderly-conduct charges. Smollett, who had turned himself in to police around 5 a.m., was ushered out of the jail around 3:45 p.m. with corrections officers, his lawyers and a large bodyguard who attempted to shroud him from a massive crowd of media waiting for his release. Officers pushed members of the media out of the way to make safe passage for Smollett amid a scrum of network cameramen and reporters. The “Empire” star — charged with staging a hate crime and then filing a false police report about it, claiming he was the victim — entered into a waiting black SUV, where his family was inside, as reporters shouted questions. Smollett did not answer. The “Empire” actor faces one to three years in prison if convicted of the charge.<doc-sep>Play video content TMZ.com Jussie Smollett's going from "Empire" star to "punk ass bitch," IF it turns out he staged the homophobic, racist "attack" -- so says Reza Farahan who adds ... an apology won't be nearly enough payback. We got the "Shahs of Sunset" star out Monday in L.A. and he didn't pull a single punch in his assessment of the latest Jussie news. Reza tore him to pieces as soon as we brought up the story TMZ broke -- that the Osundairo bros. told cops Jussie rehearsed the "attack" days before it all went down in Chicago. Watch the clip ... Reza's anger came pouring out because he says he had passionately defended Jussie.<doc-sep>

Jussie Smollett could face prison time if it turns out he lied about being the victim of a recent alleged attack. On January 29, the “Empire” actor came forward saying that he was beaten up by two men who were using racial and homophobic slurs against him. He also said the men poured bleach on him, punched him, and put a rope around his neck. Police were unable to find images of the attack after looking through surveillance cameras in the area. Now, authorities are investigating the possibility that the attack was staged. If convicted, Smollet could face a prison sentence of up to three years. Or, he could also be sentenced to probation. Smollett is set to appear in court for a bond hearing on Thursday afternoon, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office. In a statement, Smollet’s attorneys are reported by Variety as saying, “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked… Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.” Since news of the possible staging of the attack surfaced, police have uncovered other claims about Smollett that threaten his credibility. For example, in 2007, Smollett is reported to have posed as his brother after being stopped for a suspected DUI. According to USA Today, he signed his brother’s name, Jake, on the court summons. He was subsequently sentenced to three years probation. Investigators are also looking into whether or not Smollett had any part in the creation of a threatening letter that was sent to the “Empire” set one week before the alleged assault. In an interview last week with Good Morning America, Smollett said that that he believed the letter was linked to the assault he reports to have been a victim of. According to Variety, “Should that letter turn out to be fake, federal prosecutors could also pursue a mail fraud charge, legal experts say.” Speaking to the outlet on Wednesday, Andrew Weisberg, a former prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, said, “It’s a very high-profile case… Prosecutors tend to be tougher because everybody’s watching. … I think they may come down hard, in terms of not reducing it to a misdemeanor.” Steve Greenberg, a Chicago defense attorney, however, said that he does not believe Smollett will serve jail time. Greenberg told Variety, “They’re not going to ruin a guy’s life over this… People make false reports all the time to the police. They get in a DUI, they call police and say, ‘My car was stolen.’ Ninety percent of the time, even if they’re charged with a felony, those people end up pleading to a misdemeanor.” On Tuesday, multiple outlets reported that Smollett’s scenes from upcoming episodes of Empire have been “drastically” cut in light of recent developments in the case. Please note, this post will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

By CHRISTOPHER KIDANKA More by this Author Tanzanian security organs are working round the clock to solve the puzzle surrounding the dramatic abduction of billionaire Mohammed Dewji in Dar es Salaam early Thursday morning. Dar es Salaam Special Zone police commander Lazaro Mambosasa said armed kidnappers whom he described as “white men,” suggesting they were foreigners, grabbed Mr Dewji, Tanzania’s youngest billionaire, at the Colosseum Hotel at dawn as he headed into a gymnasium. Sources close to the investigation told The EastAfrican that they suspected the hand of foreigners working with locals, but the motive of the kidnap was yet to be determined. By midday Friday, 30 people were reported to have been held by the police for questioning in connection with the crime. Mr Mambosasa said the number was likely to rise as investigations continued. He did not name those in police custody, but on Thursday he had indicated that the initial arrests involved security staff of the Colosseum Hotel: five guards from G1 Security and the security manager. CCTV footage Advertisement The police also visited the Yacht Club on the shores of the Indian Ocean, where Mr Dewji is believed to a member, to study CCTV footage. The management, however, said he did not go there on the day he disappeared. Mr Dewji was abducted as he went into the exclusive Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club in Oyster Bay, an affluent neighbourhood in Dar. Eyewitnesses say masked men arrived in two vehicles and parked outside the hotel before Mr Dewji got there around 5am. A taxi driver said that as Mr Dewji drove in, two white men got out, seized him, forced him into one of the cars and sped away while shooting in the air. The Dar es Salaam police chief said footage retrieved from the hotel’s security cameras was not clear. What is known is that Mr Dewji drove himself to the gym from his residence, on Laibon Street, Oyster Bay. Information gathered from a Colosseum Hotel staffer has it that the businessman usually drives himself to the gym for routine morning workout. Net worth Mr Dewji is the owner of Mohamed Enterprises Tanzania Ltd (MeTL), a conglomerate that has a footprint in at least five African countries. He deals in textiles, beverages, edible oils and cereals. For decades Mr Dewji has been involved in sisal plantations that he acquired from the government. Forbes magazine estimates his net worth at $1.5 billion. He is a major shareholder of Tanzania’s premier league champions, Simba Sports Club, with a 49 per cent stake. Simba is one of Africa’s oldest football clubs. In the early 2000s, Mr Dewji was one of the top sponsors of Simba during which time the club reached the last eight of the African Champions League in 2003. Mohammed Dewji often turns up to cheer on Simba Sports Club at the Dar stadium. He has a 49 per cent stake in the club. PHOTO | COURTESY He served as a Member of Parliament for Singida Urban constituency between 2005 and 2015. He is popular for providing clean water across the constituency and constructing Chama cha Mapinduzi offices across Singida Region. Mr Dewji also runs the Mo Dewji Foundation, which provides scholarships to outstanding high school graduates seeking further education. -Additional reporting by Florian Kaijage and Emmanuel Onyango. ------------------------------------------- Other unresolved kidnappings in Tanzania<doc-sep>Tanzanian billionaire businessman Mohamed Dewji was on Thursday morning abducted as he walked into a gym, the police said. Dar es Salaam police chief Lazaro Mambosasa confirmed the abduction saying security forces were on high alert hunting for the kidnappers. Mr Dewji, popularly known as Mo, was abducted as he walked into the exclusive Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club, in Oyster Bay, an affluent neighbourhood in northwest Dar es Salaam. According to eyewitnesses, unknown men arrived in two vehicles and parked at the hotel before Mr Dewji got there. A taxi driver nearby said when Mr Dewji appeared, the car parked inside flashed lights before the two white men alighted and seized him. They then sped off while shooting in the air. Advertisement Related Content “There were two white people involved, we are yet to establish the motives behind abduction," Mr Mambosasa said, adding that investigations are underway. The police chief said three people have been arrested and are being questioned. He added that all country's entry and exit points are being manned by the police. Dar es Salaam regional commissioner Paul Makonda cautioned the public against speculation. Mr Dewji is the owner and chief executive of the multibillion-dollar Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Ltd (METL Group). He is also the main sponsor of the Tanzanian premier league club champions, Simba. He is a former member of parliament for Singida Urban for the ruling CCM party.<doc-sep>“They came in a car to the hotel and started shooting in the air before they took him away,” regional police commissioner Lazaro Mambosaso told CNN. “We are questioning the staff who were on duty at the time.”<doc-sep>

By FLORIAN KAIJAGE More by this Author Tanzania police have arrest at least 30 people as investigations into the kidnapping of billionaire Mohammed Dewji Thursday continue. Mr Dewji, popularly known as Mo Dewji, was abducted by an armed gang on Thursday morning as he entered a gym at a luxury hotel in Oyster Bay, northwest Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam police chief Lazaro Mambosasa says 12 people are being questioned in connection to the abduction of the popular tycoon businessman. Mr Mambosasa said among those in police custody are three employees of the Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club and five guards from the G1 Security firm who were manning the facility when the incident occured. The hotel's security manager is also being held for questioning, the police chief added. According to eyewitnesses, unknown men arrived in two vehicles and parked at the hotel before Mr Dewji got there. A taxi driver said that when Mr Dewji appeared, the car parked inside flashed lights before the two white men alighted and seized him. The gang then fired in the air and sped off. The shooting sent the guards scampering away, the taxi driver added. Mr Dewji, 43, is the owner and chief executive of the multibillion-dollar Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Ltd (METL Group). Africa's youngest billionaire is also the main sponsor of the Tanzanian premier league club champions, Simba. He is a former member of parliament for Singida Urban for the ruling CCM party. Police said Mr Dewji drove himself to the hotel, some 2km north of his residence on Laibon Street, Oyster Bay. -Additional reporting by Mwananchi.

Swanson will not be put in the concussion protocol and is day-to-day, said Braves manager Brian Snitker after a 5-1 loss to the Red Sox. Swanson was hit by an 85 miles per hour pitch from Rick Porcello. Swanson stayed down for a moment but got up to take first base. He was attended to by a trainer halfway down the base line.<doc-sep>article Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson was out of the starting lineup for Wednesday’s home finale against Boston after being hit on his helmet Tuesday night. Swanson was hit by an 85-mph slider from Boston starter Rick Porcello in the second inning of Tuesday night’s 5-1 loss to Boston. Swanson was knocked to the ground but rose quickly before a member of the Braves’ medical staff examined him. Braves Manager Brian Snitker said Swanson had ringing in his ears but “passed all the tests” and will not be placed in concussion protocol. Advertisement Charlie Culberson who entered as a pinch-runner and remained in Tuesday’s game at shortstop started Wednesday afternoon’s game in place of Swanson.<doc-sep>Swanson got up and began making his way toward first base, but was removed from the game. He experienced soreness and some ringing in his ears. Tests showed no signs of a concussion. Swanson wasn’t available for interviews after Tuesday’s game or before Wednesday’s. Snitker said the quick turnaround from Tuesday night’s game to Wednesday’s noon start was an additional reason for keeping Swanson out of the lineup. “That’s the main thing I told him: ‘Knowing you’re not going to play, you can sleep another hour,’ ” Snitker said. Charlie Culberson started in Swanson’s place at shortstop.<doc-sep>ATLANTA, GA - JULY 28: Shortstop Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves swings and misses during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at SunTrust Park on July 28, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) What will this series against the Red Sox tell us about the Atlanta Braves? What will this series against the Red Sox tell us about the Atlanta Braves? by Dalton Skaggs Danbsy Swanson was hit in the helmet by a wild slider on Tuesday evening. Are we seeing more of this or is it our imagination? It looked like the Atlanta Braves could exhale just a bit as their starting shortstop was moving around nearly normally after being hit in the back of the head by Rick Porcello during his first AB on Tuesday. That said, Swanson still agreed with the decision to remove himself from the game after walking down the line to tag first base before being relieved by Charlie Culberson. But lately, it’s been…noticeable: Ronald Acuna was hit on the elbow. Ender Inciarte on the lower forearm. Swanson in the head. Freddie Freeman in recent weeks. Kurt Suzuki… all over. Even as I’m writing this… Preston Tucker just got hit. Suzuki (11) and Tyler Flowers (8) lead the team – again – in HBP’s accepted. Freddie Freeman and Inciarte are next at 6 apiece. Acuna – despite having played only in 87 of Atlanta’s 138 games – is tied with Johan Camargo and Ozzie Albies with 5. It Could Be Worse The Braves as a team have been hit 56 times. That was actually just 14th in all of baseball prior to Tuesday’s games. The Padres, Twins, and Rockies have been plunked the least (29, 33, and 40 times prior to Tuesday). The Rays, Rangers, and A’s are on the painful end of the spectrum (83, 76, and 68). 83 HBP’s… that’s one in better than every other game for Rays’ hitters. The current opponent of the Braves – the Red Sox – rank 3rd in baseball in the number of opposition batters hit by their own pitchers (64). I’m guessing that the Rays are a favorite target of theirs, given the quantity of games these teams play against one another. The White Sox (73) and Twins (70) are the clubs dealing the most damage. The Giants (38), Rays (42), and Reds (43) have been the kindest, with Atlanta tied for 4th least (44). The Rays should get a “turning the other cheek” award for getting hammered while batting and for avoiding contact while pitching. In terms of individual “Ball Magnets”, Carlos Gomez – yes, he’s a Ray – gets the award: he’s been hit 20 times so far this season. Brandon Nimmo, John Jay, and Derek Dietrich (in a lot more plate appearances than Gomez) are tied for 2nd with 18. Suzuki is merely tied for 17th on that list. The Not-So-Good-Hands People “Pitchers who rake” are good things. “Pitchers who plunk” … not so much. There are 3 major league starters with 15 HBP’s committed at this point in the season: Charlie Morton, Cole Hamels, and Jakob Junis (Royals) with 15. Lucas Giolito of the White Sox has 14. Tuesday night’s starter for the Red Sox, Rick Porcello, just joined the leaders at 15: Swanson was his 14th victim; Tucker #15. The Braves may choose to avoid digging in this weekend, too, as the Diamondbacks’ Zack Godly has 12… though he managed to avoid all Braves’ batters when these teams met on July 13th. The Marlins’ Jose Urena (a recent Public Enemy #1 in Braves’ Country) has hit 11 batters. That’s tied for 7th overall. Julio Teheran leads the Braves with 8 HBP… tied for 18th in the majors, while Kevin Gausman has 7 and Dan Winkler — in just 1/3rd as many innings as Teheran — has 4. Overall, you’d have to suggest that the Braves’ pitchers are certainly not head-hunters by any stretch, and despite recent serious (or serious-looking) plunks, their batters are not getting nailed any more than the hitters on other clubs. That much is good news… now the trick is to see if the Braves can get through the rest of the year while avoiding injury by this vehicle.<doc-sep>

Atlanta Braves News Braves blow late lead, suffer disappointing loss to Red Sox The Atlanta Braves took a 7-1 lead into the eighth inning in Wednesday’s series finale but still came out on the wrong side of a 9-8 loss to the Boston Red Sox. No point in dwelling too much into the details. If you are looking for a silver lining then this is it. Acuna’s 8th leadoff HR sets franchise record Another silver lining, Ronald Acuna Jr’s impressive rookie season continues to get more impressive. Acuna launched his eighth leadoff home run of the season against the Red Sox setting the single-season franchise mark. Freddie Freeman gets a day off as Braves take on Red Sox He made a clutch appearance late, but Wednesday’s game was the first time all season that Freeman wasn’t in the starting lineup. Dansby Swanson ‘feels OK’ but not in lineup after being hit on head Dansby Swanson was hit in the head by a pitch in Tuesday’s game but escaped without a concussion. Still, he was not in the lineup after the quick turnaround for Wednesday’s series finale against Boston. MLB News Tommy John Surgery Recommended For Shohei Ohtani The Angels have recommended that starter Shohei Ohtani undergo Tommy John surgery after an MRI revealed additional damage to his ulnar collateral ligament. Ohtani was sidelined due to a second-degree UCL sprain but worked his way back for one outing last week. He looked good until suffering a sudden drop in velocity during the third inning. That led to the MRI and Wednesday’s announcement. Ohtani seemed to take the news in stride crushing a pair of home runs in Wednesday’s game. Mike Rizzo Suggests Dave Martinez Will Return As Nationals Skipper Despite the Nationals’ disappointing season, Mike Rizzo suggested to the media on Wednesday that it is likely that Dave Martinez will return as the team’s manager in 2019. Nola to face Braves twice after rotation shuffle The Phillies shuffled their rotation for this weekend’s series against the Mets to ensure that Aaron Nola will get two starts against the Braves in the season’s final 11 games. Nola is 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA in three starts against Atlanta this season.

The suspect’s bag containing sharp-edged weapons (Express Photo) The suspect’s bag containing sharp-edged weapons (Express Photo) Vadodara police on Saturday said that a class X student of a Vadodara school has confessed to killing a class IX student, whose body with 22 stab wounds was found in the school toilet on Friday. According to the police, the class X student did not know the victim, and he murdered him to bring disrepute to the school. The prime accused, whose bag containing several sharp-edged weapons was found on a terrace adjacent to the school building, was detained from Valsad — nearly 200 km from Vadodara — and brought here for questioning on Saturday. Being a juvenile, police were not directly involved in questioning the accused, and an NGO was roped in for it. “The accused had decided to defame the school and took the extreme step (of murdering the class IX student). He did not even know the name of the victim and showed no remorse or regret of what he had done,” Assistant Commissioner of Police (Vadodara City) S G Patil said. “A day before he committed the crime, the accused had not brought his homework and showed another classmate’s homework to the teacher. On being scolded by the teacher, he misbehaved and entered into an altercation. The matter was then taken to the principal, where he misbehaved with the principal too. Other teachers also scolded him. He then decided to defame the school by killing a student,” said Patil. Also read | Class IX student found dead with 22 stab wounds in Vadodara school “Though he is just 16 years old, but he is mature enough to have committed such a crime. We are going to seek court’s nod to get him tried as an adult,” Patil added. According to the police, the accused has a medical history of mental illness. He possibly acquired the sharp weapons from his father who owns a coconut water stall. A police source had said on Friday that in one of the CCTV footage recovered from the school, the 15-year-old victim and the suspect were seen “walking hand in hand from the ground floor to the first floor” — the scene of the crime. The 15-year-old victim, who stayed with his uncle in Vadodara city, had taken transfer to the school this year after completing his initial schooling from another school in the city. He had been to school just for a day before he was killed. “He had joined the school just day before yesterday, and did not talk about any friends or enemies or any kind of a fight at school,” the boy’s father, who runs a tea stall at a village in Anand district, told The Indian Express on Friday. Meanwhile, parents of the victim protested outside the school, demanding strict action against the school authorities for not providing enough security to the students. Police had to be deployed outside the school and in the locality where the accused lives to avoid any untoward incidents. Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Jagruti Pandya also reached the school to take stock of the situation. She called for adoption of stricter security measures by the schools to avoid a repeat of such incident. Pandya, later, met the family of the victim.<doc-sep>Bharti School, Vadodara Key Highlights The 16-year-old wanted to see the school closed when he killed Tadvi, who he met a couple of minutes before The boy told police he was agitated as a teacher had scolded him for not doing his homework Police said the boy even removed his shirt before stabbing Tadvi so it wouldn’t get stained VADODARA: Dev Tadvi (14), who was hacked to death in a bathroom at Bharti School in Vadodara’s Wadi area, fell victim to the design of the 16-year-old accused who wanted to disgrace the school. The accused wanted to disgrace his school for being reprimanded by a teacher. The 16-year-old wanted to see the school closed when he killed Tadvi, who he met a couple of minutes before, in the bathroom of Bharti School on Friday. The accused revealed this to police after he was held from Valsad on Friday night. The boy, who was at his aunt’s house in Valsad, told police he was agitated as a teacher had scolded him for not doing his homework two days before he committed the crime. “He felt insulted and wanted to get the school closed. He then planned to kill someone in the school so it would be forced to shut down,” said an official. Police said the boy’s planning was almost foolproof and that if two schoolboys hadn’t been in the washroom and seen him commit the crime, the killer would not have been identified. Police said the boy even removed his shirt before stabbing Tadvi so it wouldn’t get stained. After stabbing Tadvi, the accused fled to his aunt’s house and changed his clothes. When his father came to know of the incident, he boarded a bus with his son and reached Valsad. However, by the time they reached Valsad, the two boys who were witness to the crime, had revealed the killers identity. As soon as the duo reached Valsad they were nabbed with the help of local police there, said police. “Tadvi collapsed after the first stab, but the perpetrator repeatedly stabbed Tadvi in his neck,” said ACP S G Patil.<doc-sep>The accused student came under the lens after he was spotted in CCTV footage entering the washroom along with the victim. (Photo: ANI) Vadodara: A Class 10 student was held in the connection with the killing of a junior student in a school in Vadodara, a police official said on Saturday. The body of the 14-year-old boy, a Class 9 student, was found with 10 stab wounds in the washroom of the school on Friday. The 17-year-old accused, a student of the same Shree Bharati Vidyalaya located in Baranpora area, was held in Valsad town in South Gujarat late Friday night, Vadodara police Commissioner Manoj Sashidhar told news agency PTI. According to a report in Hindustan Times, the accused allegedly planned the murder to force the school to shut in revenge after he received a scolding from his teacher. “The accused wanted to take revenge on the school and wanted it to shut down. He found the victim when he reached the school on Friday. The victim could have been any student,” Sashidhar said. Earlier, the police had claimed that a scuffle between the two students resulted in the murder of the Class 9 student. Also Read: Body of Class 9 boy with stab wounds found in Gujarat school washroom The accused student came under the lens after he was spotted in CCTV footage entering the washroom along with the victim. Police officers said the Vadodara murder suspect is mentally tough and had shown no remorse for the murder, Hindustan Times report added. The victim had joined the school only a week ago and was staying with his maternal uncle. His parents live in Gujarat’s Anand tow, police had said. The gruesome murder was a chilling reminder of the murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur, who was found dead in a pool of blood, with his throat slit, in the washroom of Gurgaon's Ryan International school on September 8, 2017. Gujarat Child and Women Welfare Board chairman, Jagruti Pandya, held meetings with officials of the district education department, the city police commissioner and others and sought a report over the incident. Pandya said they will try to understand the psychological condition and emotional state of the accused before taking any decision on his future. (With PTI inputs)<doc-sep>A Class 9 student was stabbed to death allegedly by a senior over a dispute inside a toilet of his school in Gujarat’s Vadodara city on Friday, police said. The murder evoked comparisons to the killing of a seven-year-old in Haryana’s Gurugram last year that emerged as a test case for juvenile jurisprudence. An official from the Vadi police station said the body of the 14-year-old was found inside the first-floor toilet near Class 10 with “multiple wounds all over his body inflicted with sharp weapons”. Four students questioned by police said they saw the senior, who is on the run, stabbing the victim, commissioner of police Manoj Shashidhar said. Preliminary investigation has revealed that there was a dispute between the murdered boy, who was a new entrant, and the other student for the past couple of days. “The exact reason behind their dispute is not known yet,” Shashidhar added. Police said a school bag, which belongs to the accused, was found on the terrace of a temple near the school building with weapons, including three big knives, and a bottle filled with chilly powder water. Another 12-inch long knife was found near the body of the boy, an officer said. The 12-inch blade that was found by the body of the Class 9 student. (HT Photo) An administrator of the school said Class 9 student had taken admission from this academic year, which began a fortnight ago. The administrator said the classes for secondary section starts at 12pm but the victim and the accused arrived at the school early when the session for primary standards was on. “Around 11.50am, a group of primary students informed some teachers about the boy lying in a pool of blood. He had breathed his last before the ambulance could reach,” the school official added. Last year, the seven-year-old Gurugram boy was also allegedly killed by a senior student. A Class 11 student was accused of slitting the throat of the Class 2 student in a school toilet on September 8, 2017.<doc-sep>

A Class 10 boy was detained for allegedly killing a Vadodara teenager. Highlights Class 10 student detained for the stabbing of Vadodara boy Accused teen didn't do homework, wanted to shut school, say police Teenager who was murdered had joined the school only a week ago The Class 9 student found murdered in the washroom of a school in Vadodara was killed by a senior student who wanted to defame the educational institute, the police said.The Class 10 student did not even know the victim, who was a year junior to him and who had taken admission in the school in Baranpora area only a week ago, news agency PTI said.The Vadodara police had initially said it was a "fight between two students" which had led to the "gruesome attack". They zeroed in on the 17-year-old after he was spotted in the school's CCTV footage entering the washroom along with the younger boy.The Class 9 student was found dead at the washroom of the school on Friday. He was stabbed in the stomach at least 10 times, the police said. The postmortem report is yet to come.Last year, a seven-year-old was found murdered at a school in Gurgaon, near Delhi. The incidentevoked nationwide outrage, following which the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, which arrested a senior student. The agency said he had killed the child to shut down the school and postpone examinations. The body of the seven-year-old was found outside the school washroom last September, his throat was slit.The 17-year-old has been held under the Juvenile Justice Act. Jagruti Pandya, chairperson of the Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said his mental condition will be examined to know what prompted him to allegedly kill his junior.The teen arrested in the Gurgaon murder case will be tried as an adult, the Juvenile Justice Board had said after questioning him. He is currently awaiting trial.The murdered boy's family had alleged that some boys had stabbed him 'during lunch break". The principal said the murder had taken place when the senior students, who attend the school in the afternoon, came in. The body was found around noon. Sharp weapons and a bottle carrying chilli powder were found in a schoolbag lying near a temple not far from the school. Senior police officer RS Bhagora said they suspected that the accused left the bag there after the murder.The teenager was a new student - he had joined the school a week ago and was staying with his maternal uncle. His parents live in Gujarat's Anand town, the police said.

michaleheim/Shutterstock Online retailer pet food retailer Chewy.com filed to go public on Monday, April 29. The Florida-based company was acquired by PetSmart in 2017 for $3.3 billion Chewy will be the latest tech "unicorn" to IPO after Lyft and Pinterest. Read about Chewy.com at Markets Insider. Online pet food retailer Chewy.com filed its S-1 IPO registration document with the SEC Monday in its bid to become the latest tech unicorn to hit the public markets. Chewy.com is just the latest "unicorn," or private company worth more than $1 billion, to take steps to go public in what is expected to be a particularly active year for IPOs. TradeWeb, Lyft and Pinterest have IPO'd so far, with each raising over $1 billion in fresh capital while allowing for existing investors to exit. Chewy.com was acquired for $3.3 billion by private equity-owned PetSmart in 2017 as the brick-and-mortar retailer struggled to develop an online strategy. Somewhat controversially, PetSmart then spun-off 16.5% of the shares of Chewy.com to a separate entity raising the ire of bondholders. While pricing for the IPO has not been set, Chewy.com looks sure to attract a multi-billion dollar valuation. The valuation may be as high as $4.75 billion according to CNBC, which cited a report from S&P Global Ratings. IPOs have had a mixed record so far this year. Pinterest is up more than 70% from its IPO price of $19 while Lyft is down significantly, falling 18% from its IPO price of $72. Lyft-rival Uber is set to go public as early as May with a potential valuation of as much as $90 billion. Chewy.com, which will trade under ticker CHWY, has also reported significant losses. The company reported a net loss of $268 million in 2018 on sales of $3.5 billion. The IPO will be underwritten by investment banks Allen & Company, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley. NOW WATCH: What happens to your body when you drink too much coffee<doc-sep>The year of the initial public offerings (IPO) continues. After a relatively quiet 2018, this year is starting off with a bang for companies looking to make their public debut. Social media platform Pinterest, ridesharing bigwig Lyft, and video conferencing specialist Zoom Video Communications have all made their public debuts, while others like business communication platform Slack and meat-substitute creator Beyond Meat are waiting in the wings. Now e-commerce platform Chewy.com -- which specializes in pet food and supplies -- is ready to join the fray. The company has taken the preparatory step of releasing information about its business by filing an S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Here are five things potential investors should consider. A dog sitting in the doorway with its owner standing nearby. Image source: Chewy.com. 1. Things we know Chewy is following an unusual path to get to its market debut. The online retailer of pet supplies is currently owned by privately held PetSmart, which acquired the company in 2017 for an estimated $3.3 billion in an effort to augment its brick-and-mortar sales. At the time, it was the largest-ever acquisition of an e-commerce business. As part of the IPO, PetSmart plans to remain the majority shareholder. Looking to make it easy for investors, Chewy will simply drop the "e" from its name, adopting the stock ticker CHWY. Chewy wants to take advantage of a trend among recent tech IPOs. The company plans to consolidate control of its shares by issuing two classes of common stock. Class A shares will carry 1 vote per share, while Class B shares -- those reserved for insiders -- will have 10 votes per share. 2. Things we don't know The company has yet to divulge plans regarding which of the major stock exchanges Chewy will trade on or how much the company hopes to raise with its stock offering. While the filing indicates Chewy is hoping to raise as much as $100 million from its public offering, that amount is typically a placeholder in the regulatory filing. The final amount the company raises will be dependent on investor interest in the company. Previous estimates indicated Chewy has a valuation in a range of $4.15 billion to $4.75 billion, though we don't yet know how many shares the company plans to float. Story continues 3. Revenue is skyrocketing Chewy provided an unusually long financial history in its regulatory filing, with select data going back to 2014. The company generated revenue of about $204 million in 2014, and Chewy more than doubled that figure every year through 2017, when it produced revenue of $2.1 billion. In 2018, revenue of $3.53 billion grew 68% year over year. This growth was driven higher not only by new shoppers but also by existing customers buying more products. Chewy's sales per active customer grew from $223 in 2012 to $334 in 2018. The company began its Autoship subscription sales -- allowing pet owners to receive repeat orders at regular intervals -- in 2014, with initial sales of $115 million. That grew to $2.3 billion in 2018. Subscription sales account for 65.7% of Chewy's total net sales in 2018, up from 61.5% in the prior year. 4. Profits are elusive It isn't just the revenue that has been growing. Losses have increased almost every year since 2014, peaking at $337.8 million in 2017 but declining to $267.8 million last year. There is good news, however. Chewy's loss from operations declined to 7.6% of net sales last year, an improvement from 16.1% of sales in 2017. That indicates that as revenue grows, if the company continues to practice spending discipline, it should eventually reach profitability. 5. A potentially lucrative opportunity Revenue for the U.S. pet industry is expected to top $75 billion in 2019, according to the American Pet Products Association, a leading nonprofit industry group. Chewy noted in its regulatory filing that the pet supplies industry, like many others across the globe, is experiencing a rapid shift from in-store sales to online purchases. Currently, e-commerce represents an estimated 14% of the pet food and supplies market (as of 2017), up from just 5% in 2015. That number is expected to grow to 25% of the market by 2022. Chewy believes it is perfectly positioned to capture additional sales as that trend continues. There's more to come It's important to note that while Chewy has revealed much in its bid to go public, there are still a number of things the company has yet to divulge. Expect additional updates to the company's regulatory filings in the weeks to come. More From The Motley Fool Danny Vena has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.<doc-sep>

Chewy.com, the online pet product retailer owned by PetSmart, filed documents with regulators on Monday to prepare for an initial public offering. Chewy reported $3.5 billion in sales for fiscal 2018, up from $2.1 billion in 2017. For the same period, it reported a net loss of $268 million, narrowing from a net loss of $338 million. Chewy did not state how much it expects to raise in the offering. Previous estimates have pegged its valuation at between $4.15 billion and $4.75 billion, according S&P Global Ratings. PetSmart acquired Chewy in 2017 for roughly $3 billion to add an online business to complement its store base, as trends shifted online. But as the two business lines diverged, PetSmart transferred part of its stake in Chewy in a move that set the groundwork for a potential IPO. The equity transfer sparked a lawsuit from some of the company's lenders, which PetSmart settled earlier this month. Following the IPO, PetSmart will remain majority owner of Chewy. It will use proceeds from the IPO for working capital and general corporate purposes, according to the filing. Chewy was founded in 2011 by Ryan Cohen and Michael Day. It has distinguished itself from many of its competitors with customer service that includes 24/7 access and two-day shipping of online orders. Since its sale to PetSmart, Chewy has expanded its private label and launched "Chewy Pharmacy," an online pet pharmacy. Cohen last year stepped down as CEO of the company. He was succeeded by Sumit Singh, formerly Chewy's chief operating officer, who previously served as director of Amazon Fresh and worked for Dell. Chewy joins a long list of unprofitable companies that have either filed for or are planning IPOs, including Uber, Pinterest and SurveyMonkey. Last October, the percentage of unprofitable U.S. companies that went public reached 83%, topping numbers seen even in the dot-com bubble. As a pet retailer, Chewy's IPO plans sparked jokes Monday afternoon on Twitter referencing one of the most famous unprofitable victims of the dot-com frenzy − Pets.com. Tweet Chewy, which will list under the ticker "CHWY," has hired Allen & Co., J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley to help lead its IPO. WATCH: How IPO millionaires are impacting real estate in San Francisco

What's the story? Ahead of the clash against KKR at Chepauk, MS Dhoni recollected Andre Russell’s carnage the last time his team hosted Kolkata at Chennai in IPL. In case you didn't know... After completing their two-year ban, Chennai Super Kings returned to IPL last season. Last season, they played their only home at Chennai against KKR. The visitors were in a spot of bother when they lost five wickets just for 89 runs. Then came Andre Russell who smashed CSK bowlers all around the park and scored 88 runs off 36 balls which included 11 massive sixes. It helped KKR cross the 200-run mark. A cameo from Watson and an aggressive half-century from Sam Billings ensured Chennai chased down the huge target. The heart of the matter Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni recollected Russell's carnage He also stated that he had an idea on how to set up fielding against such monster hitting. Dhoni was full of praise for the KKR superstar all-rounder. And here is what said: “After KKR game last year, I had to go through the full nightmare. I had to remember the Russell carnage where I was lost for fielding options. I had four fielders inside the ring apart from the keeper and bowler and five other fielders were outside of the ring. But he was hitting everything to the stands. I was left wondering how could someone hit big sixes like that,” The KKR match winner has proved his hitting ability this season as well. He has won three matches almost single-handedly for his franchise with his brutal hitting. Now he is back to the ground where he stunned CSK last season. What's next? The high profile clash between table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings will be played tonight at 8.00pm in Chennai. Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on IPL purple cap, points table, schedule, news, live scores, orange cap and fantasy tips.<doc-sep>IPL 2019: When Andre Russell’s brutal power-hitting astonished MS Dhoni Dre-Russ smacked 11 sixes in KKR's last match against CSK at the Chepauk. Almost a year back on April 10, 2018, Andre Russell unfolded utter mayhem in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) camp at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, popularly known as the Chepauk. The hulk-like Windies batsman was in a different zone that day, representing the Dinesh Karthik captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The right-hander ended up scoring 88 runs from a mere 36 deliveries. En route the blistering knock, he clobbered one boundary and as many as 11 sixes. The knock took the Knights to 202 in 20 overs, though the visitors ended up losing the game by five wickets with one ball remaining. However, that knock is still etched in the memories and MS Dhoni, who was the Super Kings; captain that day, remembers every bit of the rather inhuman knock from the Jamaican. Dhoni lauds Andre Russell In his recently released documentary ‘Roar of the Lion’, the Jharkhand-born wicketkeeper expressed his astonishment over Russell’s brutal power-hitting prowess. “Kaun aisa banda hai jo itna 6 maarta hai?” (who else smashes those many sixes? ),” the 37-year-old Dhoni was quoted as saying. During that knock, Russell came to bat after the fall of the fifth wicket with the score at 89 in 10 overs. He shared a 76-run stand with Karthik and the latter had the best seat in the house as he saw Russell demolish the CSK attack. It goes without saying that Dhoni, standing behind the stumps, was a concerned lot as Andre kept muscling the cricket leather with sheer authority. In the meantime, KKR also was happy with Dhoni’s words for Russell. The official Twitter handle for the Men in Gold and Purple mentioned that MSD’s praises mean the Knights’ batsman is really doing a great job. Moreover, it also showed excitement surrounding today’s match between CSK and KKR, the two table toppers in this edition’s Indian Premier League (IPL). Here is KKR’s tweet [interaction id=”5cab79054869a837e2d1f6bb”]<doc-sep>It remains to be seen whether MS Dhoni succeeds in silencing Andre Russell at Chepauk. | Photo Credit: AP While the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed several breathtaking moments, one cricketer who has hogged the limelight with his consistent yet insane performances is Andre Russell. One of the vital cogs in Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) squad over the years, Dre Russ has single-handedly won the first four matches for KKR. As Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on KKR at Chepauk on Tuesday, CSK released a video where MS Dhoni opined about Russell’s ability to clear the ropes at will. When CSK and KKR last met at Chepauk, Russell smashed a 36-ball 88 – an innings which comprised of 11 sixes. Recalling the monstrous knock, Dhoni said in a video posted by CSK’s official Twitter account, “Do I have to go through the full nightmare? Do I have to recall that knock again? We get 9 fielders, there is the bowler and the keeper. Rest of the fielders are outside the circle. Nobody is allowed outside the ground. Wo kaun aisa banda hai jo itne chhakke maarta hai? (Which batsman hits so many sixes? ).” The #Yellove matchday routine! Tune in and watch The Super Kings Show now on Star Sports 1/1 HD! #WhistlePodu #CSKvKKR pic.twitter.com/wGvFM328fq — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 9, 2019 Barring KKR’s previous match, which Dinesh Karthik’s men won against Rajasthan Royals, where Russell didn’t get to bat, the West Indian has been in sublime form where he has pulverised most of the bowlers. Despite batting lower down the order, Russell has scored 207 runs from 4 innings, and has been hailed as the Most Valuable Player of the 12th edition. It remains to be seen whether Dhoni, who remains to be one of the wisest cricketers in world cricket, manages to silence Russell as the two sides once again meet each other in Chennai. As far as the points table is concerned, KKR and CSK are sitting on the top two spots, with the former at the No. 1 position as a result of a better net run-rate. In overall head-to-head tally, CSK have an 11-7 lead over their rivals. Both teams have several quality spinners at their disposal. While CSK have Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja in their squad, KKR too, boast of a quality spin attack in Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav. CSK suffered a big blow with the injury to their formidable all-rounder Dwayne Bravo - who suffered a Grade 1 hamstring injury during Chennai's game against Mumbai Indians. New Zealand bowling all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijn replaced Bravo for CSK's last game against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), where he claimed two wickets for 37 runs.<doc-sep>

MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings will come up against in-form Andre Russell when they host Kolkata Knight Riders in a blockbuster Indian Premier League (IPL) contest at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday. The last time when Russell turned up at the Chepauk, he took apart the CSK bowling attack en route to a stunning 36-ball 88 which included 11 humongous sixes. Despite Russell’s innings, Chennai won the match by 5 wickets and one balls to spare. Ahead of the clash between two teams in the ongoing edition of the tournament, Dhoni was seen recollecting that particular innings from Russell, in a video uploaded by CSK on social media. In the video, Dhoni is heard saying: “Do I have to go through the full nightmare again? Mujhe phr se Russell ki wo innings yaad karni padegy (I will have to remind myself of that innings from Russell). “ “We get nine fielders and then there is the bowler and a keeper. Rest of the fielders are outside the circle. Nobody is allowed outside the ground. Wo kaun aisa banda hai jo itne chhakke maarta hai? (Which batsman hits so many sixes?).”. The #Yellove matchday routine! Tune in and watch The Super Kings Show now on Star Sports 1/1 HD! #WhistlePodu #CSKvKKR 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/wGvFM328fq — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 9, 2019 Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led CSK, which beat Kings XI Punjab here on Saturday rather convincingly, will be wary of the Dinesh Karthik’s KKR. The Knight Riders are also coming off an all-round clinical win over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday night. With two teams having an array of top-notch spinners, the onus would be on the batsmen to counter them, given the nature of the pitch at MA Chidambaram stadium. All eyes will be on the batting line-ups and how they go about neutralising the spin threat. How the Super Kings handle the in-form Russell threat will be watched with keen interest.

After nearly three full rounds of the 2019 Draft two West Virginia University Mountaineers have been picked to play in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers selected quarterback Will Grier with the 100th pick of the draft. Grier threw 37 touchdowns and for more than 3,800 yards this past season. ESPN NFL analyst Adam Schefter tweeted the Panthers had Grier graded as a first-round talent on their draft board but were able to wait until nearly the end of the third round to pick him. Immediately after that selection the New England Patriots selected WVU offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste with the 101st pick.<doc-sep>The 2019 NFL Draft opens Thursday night in Nashville. Teams have spent months scouring the nation and studying countless hours of film in hopes of finding the players that will best fit them. As many as six former Mountaineers will be among those players. But what’s best for a team isn’t necessarily best for the player. Most draft projections focus on what player would best serve a particular team. In this analysis, we’re going to explore the what team would be the optimal outcome for each WVU prospect, not necessarily the other way around. Yodny Cajuste (offensive tackle) Draft projection: Round 3 Ideal landing spot: Cleveland Browns A redshirt senior who started the past two seasons in WVU, Cajuste might be the most day one ready of the Mountaineers prospects. No team needs a day one starter to step in at tackle more than the Browns. Yodny Cajuste has started all 1️⃣2️⃣ games at tackle this season en route to being named to the All-Big 12 Second Team! #HailWV pic.twitter.com/29GkRBVxjx — West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) November 30, 2017 Trending: Rich Rodriguez Allegedly Had Wife And Girlfriend On Arizona Sideline During Same Game The retirement of future Hall of Famer tackle Joe Thomas before the 2018 season left the Browns with a gaping hole at left tackle, one they filled by starting undrafted rookie free agent Desmond Harrison last year. This is obviously less than ideal for the Browns but more than ideal for Cajuste. Cleveland doesn’t have a first round pick after dealing it to the New York Giants in the Odell Beckam Jr. trade, so if the Browns were to land Cajuste with their second or third round selection, the former Mountaineer could slide into the starting lineup at left tackle from the get go. The fact that the offense will be built around second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield with similar spread concepts WVU ran would make a smooth transition for Cajuste. Will Grier (quarterback) Draft projection: Round 3 Ideal landing spot: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 🔥👀 Sideline cam of Will Grier silencing the Texas crowd with game winning 2 point conversion + Horns down 🏈💀 (via @cfbonfox) pic.twitter.com/OEhfpJGc9y — Fanatics View (@fanaticsview) November 4, 2018 No other West Virginia prospect has a greater divergent potential draft range than Grier. Sirius NFL Network analyst and former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis believes Grier is the second-best quarterback in this draft. Others, such as ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay, don’t have him as a top 5 QB prospect. Grier spent five seasons on college campuses and was a starting quarterback for 2 ½ of them. While he isn’t an ideal day one starter (few rookie quarterbacks are), his learning curve likely is less steep than even top prospects like Dwayne Haskins from Ohio State, who has less than 20 career starts. The Buccaneers offer a unique combination of factors that make it the ideal home for Grier. The Bucs do still have former first overall pick Jameis Winston. But the shine has definitely worn off the former Heisman Trophy winner as he enters his fifth NFL season. Winston, who will play 2019 on the final year of his rookie deal, has been widely inconsistent on the field and a hot mess off of it. The organization still has a desire to see him succeed, but no longer is willing to wait for it. The team’s last gasp effort to turn Winston into a franchise quarterback was the hiring of Bruce Arians as head coach. Arians’ coaching has led to success for NFL quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer. The Bucs hope that magic will translate to Winston, but Arians has no mandate to push Winston if Arians doesn’t think it’s going to work. If Grier lands in Tampa, he can start the season as Winston’s backup while absorbing the tutelage of Arians’ quarterback wisdom. If the Buccaneers season breaks down similar to recent history, Grier could take over late, gaining valuable experience towards being the Tampa starter in 2020. As the old saying goes the Eye in the Sky doesn't Lie. This notion that Will Grier's arm strength is lacking for the @NFLDraft is just pure BULL. Perfectly placing a ball 60 yards in the air to a sub 4.4 WR in Full Stride discredits any truth to that BOOM! #HailWV pic.twitter.com/wcYPunNJGh — WolfMan (@Wolfley64) April 24, 2019 Having Mike Evans as a number one receiver certainly doesn’t hurt as a quarterback landing spot. Gary Jennings (receiver) Draft projection: Round 3-4 Ideal landing spot: Los Angeles Chargers Jennings had plenty of highlights during an extremely productive WVU career, none higher than his game-winning touchdown catch at Texas last season. But Jennings was viewed more as solid than flashy with the Mountaineers, with receiving mate David Sills tallying more touchdown glory. Gary Jennings with the 😜 face on his way to a 60-yard TD. Savage. #WVU pic.twitter.com/BDpzUD31JG — Geoff Coyle (@GFCoyle) September 4, 2017 The idea of Jennings as merely a possession receiver turned a bit after running a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. His combine, coupled with desirable height-weight combo (6-1, 214) made more than a few NFL scouts go back to the WVU game film to get a second look at the two-year starter. During his WVU career, Jennings showed an ability to seamlessly complement a fellow productive pass catcher. The Los Angeles Chargers made a playoff run last season led by potential future Hall of Fame quarterback Philip Rivers. But an inordinate about of Rivers’ production was linked to Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen. Allen had 1,196 yards receiving but no other Charger had more than 700. Jennings strong hands and ability to secure contested balls would complement Allen and give Rivers a solid second or third option. David Long (linebacker) Draft projection: Round 4 Ideal landing spot: Pittsburgh Steelers Long is the Mountaineers only early departure, leaving with a year of eligibility remaining. He probably would have benefited from another season in Morgantown, but his stock is high enough in 2019 that the decision isn’t outrageously misguided. Long is an ultra-quick pass rusher who’s lateral quickness is an opposing quarterback’s nightmare. His initial step makes him a difficult stop from a tackle’s perspective and closing speed is an asset in finishing the play. The biggest question mark for Long at the next level is size. At 5-11, 227, Long lacks the length and weight/strength of a prototypical NFL pass rusher. The former WVU linebacker would benefit from a year of special teams duty and an off-season in an NFL weight room. The Steelers present Long with this best-case scenario. Pittsburgh’s defense relies heavily on pressure created by its outside edge rushers. Currently, the Steelers have former first round picks Bud Dupree and Pro Bowler T.J. Watt handling outside linebacker duties. Watt appears to be a long-term mainstay and potential superstar in Pittsburgh. Dupree, on the other hand, is likely neither. The ex-Kentucky linebacker is on the final year of his rookie contract. While not terrible, Dupree hasn’t lived up to his first round pedigree and it’s likely the Steelers move on from him after this season. The combination of Dupree being short term, and Watt being long term, is perfect for Long. He could be a special teams contributor as a rookie, while simultaneously learning the Steelers complex defensive scheme and adding bulk to his frame. That would allow him to enter 2020 as a potential starter at OLB. David Sills (receiver) Draft projection: Round 4-5 Ideal landing spot: Green Bay Packers Sills story is well-known: Offered a scholarship as a quarterback in eighth grade by USC; started his college career at WVU as a quarterback before finishing his freshman campaign as a contributing receiver; transferred to junior college to give the quarterback dream one more shot; returns to WVU to become one of the most prolific receivers in school history. Now the question: What will the next chapter read?<doc-sep>For most of the run-up to this NFL Draft, Kyler Murray, and Dwayne Haskins were the field’s consensus top two quarterbacks. And why not? Oklahoma’s Murray possesses ungodly athleticism, and Ohio State’s Haskins has the big frame and big arm to make a career QB evaluator drool. Murray just had one of the best college seasons of all time, beating Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa in a historically good Heisman race. Haskins was the third man invited to the Heisman ceremony, because he had the best passing season in Big Ten history. Otherwise, the class felt like a big jumble. Different evaluators liked different players as their QB3, with Duke’s Daniel Jones and Missouri’s Drew Lock getting attention. But outside of Murray and Haskins, I don’t think any has as good a chance to be a quality pro QB as the fifth QB picked, West Virginia’s Will Grier, whom the Panthers picked 100th overall, just before the end of the third round. 1. History says you should value college production by QB prospects. Aside from Murray and Haskins, Grier out-produced everyone. Research from SB Nation’s Bill Connelly shows it’s been close to impossible for QBs to be more efficient in the NFL than they were in college. That makes sense, because beating NFL defenses (even with NFL teammates) is way harder than beating 19-year-olds. Connelly puts Grier in the top statistical tier of 2019 QBs, with Murray, Haskins, and nobody else. Among FBS passers invited to the NFL Combine, Grier was third in career Marginal Efficiency and Success Rate — numbers from Connelly that assess how efficiently a QB’s throws move his offense. In both, Grier trailed only Murray and Haskins. If you prefer traditional stats, Grier averaged 9.7 yards per throw in 2018 (fourth in FBS) and had a 37-to-8 touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio. He was behind Murray in yards per throw and passer rating, but ahead of everyone else in the draft. 2. Grier ran West Virginia’s air raid offense brilliantly. Especially now, the skills he flashed in Morgantown should translate to the NFL. The air raid is known for juicing the stats of ordinary QBs, and for years — at least until around 2017, when Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes went 10th overall — air raid QBs were consistent flops in the NFL. Despite Mahomes’ epic success and the Rams making a Super Bowl with former Cal air raider Jared Goff, some evaluators still question if air raid systems can translate. But the NFL is different than it was even three or four years ago. Every team runs some version of a spread offense. The last two Super Bowls have been chock full of college-style schemes. An NFL team put an air raid coach (who’d just gotten fired from Texas Tech) in charge because it wanted his schemes. That coach, Kliff Kingsbury, comes from the same Xs-and-Os lineage as Grier’s WVU coach, Dana Holgorsen. Both are part of the Hal Mumme and Mike Leach tree. But Holgorsen is not as obsessed with the pass as most other air raid disciples. Holgorsen’s version of the air raid puts a relatively heavy emphasis on the run. WVU passed on 51 percent of its plays in 2018, while NFL teams passed on 55 percent. The system Grier ran is more NFL-like than the one Leach has at Washington State, which passed on 71 percent of its plays in 2018. When Grier became WVU’s QB in 2017, the Eers jumped from 69th to 24th in throws per game. Holgorsen decided Grier was worth building an offense around. WVU was 31st in Offensive S&P+ the year before Grier took the field. In 2018, the offense moved to No. 9 in S&P+. The air raid probably improved how Grier looked in at least one area. Pro Football Focus graded him as college football’s best QB when blitzed in 2018. The air raid prioritizes quick throws behind offensive linemen who are spread apart to force blitzers to take long paths to the quarterback. But Grier was a standout in ways all his own, too. Sometimes, the air raid uses quick passes to insulate QBs who don’t throw hard. Yet PFF graded Grier the best QB in the country on go routes and noted his immense success on deep balls: Will Grier threw the deep-pass better than most this season. pic.twitter.com/CtSfieN2u5 — PFF Draft (@PFF_College) January 3, 2019 What Grier lacks in a cannon, he makes up for what accurate ball placement, as on this touchdown loft to David Sills V: West Virginia played poorly when Grier wasn’t on the field, most notably during a Camping World Bowl loss to Syracuse. Connelly writes: The whole “system QB” debate has become less useful with former “system QBs” like Patrick Mahomes II and Jared Goff thriving in the NFL, but Grier has seen that label quite a bit. He spent his last two seasons in Dana Holgorsen’s QB-friendly system, with two QB-friendly wide receivers (David Sills V and Gary Jennings Jr.) lined up wide. When Grier sat out, though, WVU’s production plummeted, suggesting this production was not merely about the system at hand. And he’s got experience and proven pocket presence that neither Haskins nor Murray can match. He’s proven far more than [Duke QB] Daniel Jones, too. Just saying. But again, he clears the statistical bar. The rest of the scouting report is up to you. Previously, Grier averaged 7.5 yards per throw as a redshirt freshman at Florida. That’s still one of the best figures by any Gators QB since Tim Tebow. Oh, and Grier is fun. Sports should be fun. Behold him running for a game-winning two-point conversion at Texas in 2018, then flashing a perfect Horns Down as he taunts the burnt-orange crowd: WILL GRIER. 2-POINT CONVERSION WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE. This man's got ice in his veins, y'all. pic.twitter.com/CQikTxeA8J — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 3, 2018 Outstanding technique. Outside of Murray and Haskins there’s no QB in the draft who produced more in college — or is easier to envision fitting in the NFL — than Grier. He spent 2017 and ‘18 putting up excellent stats in a system the NFL has spent the last few years becoming increasingly open to emulating. That’s more than most QBs can say.<doc-sep>

West Virginia sports betting enthusiasts will no doubt be watching the annual spectacle that is the NFL draft. It kicks off tonight in Nashville with the first round, and the three operational West Virginia sportsbooks will be tuning in. After round one, the event continues on Friday with rounds two and three, and four through seven on Saturday. Coverage will be live on NFL Network and ESPN. A few West Virginia players hope their names get called and WVU could see as many as six players chosen. Probably the most prominent name expected to land on an NFL roster is quarterback Will Grier. There’s a slim chance he could be selected late in the first round, but will probably slide to the second. With an aging Eli Manning, the New York Giants are believed to have an interest. The G-men hold the sixth, 17th and 37th picks in the first two rounds. Others have noted that the New England Patriots may have an interest in Grier backing up Tom Brady. One former opposing Big XII coach believes Grier is ready to take the next step to the NFL. Baylor coach Matt Rhule commented on Grier to The Dominion Post: “Will Grier is as pro-ready as anybody I’ve ever seen. No one made more calls on the line than him. He reminded me of Baker (Mayfield) the year before.” If he’s chosen on Thursday, Grier will become the first Mountaineer taken in the first round since 2016. That year, the Raiders took free safety Karl Joseph 14th overall, and he remains on the roster. Breaking it down: Quarterback Will Grier (6′ 2″, 217 pounds) – A highly thought of quarterback who passed for 7,354 yards for the Mountaineers as a junior and senior. That included 71 touchdowns and 20 interceptions and a completion percentage of 66%. Neither Sports Illustrated nor NFL.com has Grier going in the first round, but the second or third seems like a likely scenario. Sporting News has Grier ranked 58th among all players, the fifth quarterback on the board. Chad Reuter, of NFL.com, has Grier selected in the third (73rd) to the Patriots. However, others believe he may be the third-best quarterback and is pro-ready. Alex Kirshner, at SBNation.com, wrote: “Grier ran West Virginia’s air raid offense brilliantly. Especially now, the skills he flashed in Morgantown should translate to the NFL.” A run on QBs could see him taken earlier than expected. Top offensive prospects Along with Grier, a few more players are expected to be on NFL draft boards and chosen. Here’s a look at who to watch out for among this weekend’s offensive selections. Yodny Cajuste (6′ 5″, 321 pounds) – This offensive tackle has good size at a position that is always a need. He generally received praise from draft experts and CBS Sports predicts him going in the third (70th) to the Cleveland Browns. ESPN noted: “Yodny Cajuste, from West Virginia, has a wide frame and is strong enough to wall off defenders in the run game.” The second-best WVU prospect after Grier could be a nice pickup for a team to anchor the O-line. David Sills (6′ 3″, 211 pounds) – This wide receiver put up great numbers as a two-year starter with 2,097 yards and a massive 35 TDs. Teams will be hoping that red-zone dominance continues in the NFL despite some drop issues. The Draft Network said: “Has had some hard bounces off the fingertips and palms, not nearly effective as a body catcher when needing to put the ball in the cradle in traffic. Plucks the ball and shows excellent high point abilities. Large catch radius thanks to length.” CBS projects him going to the Detroit Lions in the fourth round (117th). Other offensive possibilities Gary Jennings (6′ 1″, 209 pounds) – Another Mountaineer wide receiver who accumulated 2,294 and 17 TDs in his four-year career. He has speed and big-play potential. USA Today noted: “If your favorite NFL team is looking for a complete pass-catcher who put up big numbers on the field throughout his college career, West Virginia’s Gary Jennings just might be your man,” Look for him to go in the fourth or fifth. CBS projects the end of the fourth to the Miami Dolphins (137th). Trevon Wesco (6′ 3″, 267 pounds) – He caught 366 yards with a lone TD in 10 games at tight end for the Mountaineers. With limited skills as a pass catcher, Wesco could be a solid-blocking TE.

Triple talaq ordinance will do more injustice to women, says Asaduddin Owaisi Describing the ordinance as anti-women, Owaisi said it was also in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. news Triple Talaq MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said the ordinance passed by the Union Cabinet making triple talaq a criminal offence will do more injustice to Muslim women. Describing the ordinance as anti-women, he said it was also in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. The Hyderabad MP said the Supreme Court, in its verdict on triple talaq, had stated that if a man pronounces triple talaq, the marriage does not get dissolved. "Then for what do you want to punish him?" he asked. Owaisi said the burden of proof will lie on the woman, doing further injustice to her. On the provision that the husband has to provide subsistence to the woman, he said how a man jailed for three years can give her subsistence. "Marriage in Islam is a civil contract and making it penal offence is completely wrong," said the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President. Owaisi, also a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said that in his personal opinion the board should challenge the ordinance in the Supreme Court as there were strong grounds to do so. The MP said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi was really concerned about the welfare of women, he should bring a legislation for 24 lakh women who have been deserted by their husbands. "These 24 lakh women, including 22 lakh Hindu women, are married but they are not living with their husbands," Owaisi said. He alleged that the ordinance was a tactic of the Modi government to divert people's attention from spiralling prices of petrol and diesel, devaluation of rupee, lack of jobs for youth, instability in Kashmir and the failure of governance.<doc-sep>The Congress argued that the government had not defined subsistence allowance or quantified the amount. The Congress argued that the government had not defined subsistence allowance or quantified the amount. The BJP-led government’s decision Wednesday to promulgate an ordinance to ban the practice of instant triple talaq drew sharp criticism from the Opposition Congress and sections of the Muslim community, but for different reasons. While the Congress said there was lack of clarity on the subsistence allowance clause in the proposed law and criticised the provision that puts the onus of proving pronouncement of instant triple talaq on the woman, Muslim leaders like Asaduddin Owaisi said it was wrong to make instant triple talaq a penal offence. Incidentally, the Congress made a perfunctory mention of the penal provision in the ordinance. When the Bill was listed for consideration in Rajya Sabha earlier this year, the party had expressed reservations over the provision for a three-year jail term for a Muslim man giving instant triple talaq to his wife. It has diluted its position since then after the government made it clear that it will add a provision of bail for the accused before trial. On Wednesday, the Congress argued that the government had not defined subsistence allowance or quantified the amount. Read | Government brings in ordinance to make instant triple talaq a penal offence “What is the definition of Subsistence Allowance for Muslim women and children? What is the method of calculating it and how would it be quantified? Will Subsistence Allowance be in addition to maintenance granted to a Muslim woman under Section 3 and Section 4 of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 or will such ‘maintenance’ be deducted from subsistence allowance or will a Muslim woman be entitled to only one of the two?” Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said. Besides, the Congress asked why should the onus of proving instant triple talaq be on women. “Post Supreme Court judgement in Shayara Bano’s case, pronouncement of instant triple talaq is void and illegal. The Modi government has now proposed that the onus of proving the pronouncement of instant triple talaq would be on the victim. For a hapless woman undergoing the rigours of social inequity, it will remain the subject of a long drawn-out litigation because the accused husband will always deny the pronouncement of instant triple talaq,” he said, adding this is one more way to “harass Muslim women and children”. READ | Triple talaq Ordinance passed: What are the provisions? “Why can’t this law envisage a ‘presumption in favour of the woman’ putting the onus of proof on the husband to establish that instant triple talaq was not pronounced by him? But the Modi government won’t do it, for it wants to keep the triple talaq issue alive as a vote-catching exercise,” he said. Referring to the penal provision, the Congress said women’s groups have raised a question on who will pay the maintenance or subsistence allowance once the husband is in jail and asked “why should the woman and children not have a right to proceed against the estate, movable and immovable property, of the husband?” Owaisi, on the other hand, said the ordinance is “anti-Muslim women” and called it a violation of the right to equality enshrined in the Constitution. “If a Muslim is going to be charged under this ordinance and if the courts find him guilty, he will be sentenced for three years… whereas a non-Muslim man, if he is charged under a different Act, he will be sentenced for one year. Isn’t this a grave violation of the Constitution?” Owaisi, chief of the AIMIM and MP from Hyderabad, said the burden of proof also lies on a “poor Muslim woman” and asked “who will come and give evidence in favour of her”. On subsistence allowance, he said “in which world is this government living… he will be in prison and he will give allowance?” “In Islam, marriage is a civil contract and putting a penal provision… making it a criminal offence is completely wrong. It is disproportionate,” Owaisi said. “If someone kills someone by rash driving, the sentence is two years… This is going to cause more injustice,” he said. He said he hopes the All India Muslim Personal Law Board challenges the ordinance in a court of law. The Supreme Court, he said, has said that pronouncement of triple talaq will not mean divorce. “What then are you punishing the man for? Where will he pay maintenance from if he is in jail?” Owaisi said.<doc-sep>'In Islam, marriage is a civil contract and bringing penal provisions in it is wrong,' AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Hyderabad: Minutes after the Union Cabinet approved ordinance making triple talaq punishable, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi called the move “unconstitutional”. “This Ordinance is unconstitutional. The ordinance is against the Constitution's right to equality as it is being made only for Muslims. All India Muslim Personal Law Board and women organisations should challenge this ordinance in the Supreme Court,” said the Hyderabad MP. “This ordinance will not provide justice to the Muslim women. In Islam, marriage is a civil contract and bringing penal provisions in it is wrong,” Owaisi added. Triple talaq is the Islamic practice of divorcing by uttering the word “talaq” thrice in any form – spoken, in writing, or over electronic communication. “Cabinet has today approved an ordinance on Triple Talaq. The core component of this Ordinance is that an offence will be cognisable only when the FIR is filed by the victim wife or her close relations by blood or marriage,” Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad informed on Wednesday during a press briefing. Also Read: Cabinet approves ordinance making triple talaq punishable offence Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Owaisi said: “I demand from PM that this national requires a law for those married women, who are 24 lakh in number, their husbands in their election affidavit say they are married but the wife is not living with them. PM should bring a law for those deserted married women.”<doc-sep>

Asaduddin Owaisi HYDERABAD: AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday described the ‘ triple talaq ’ ordinance as a ‘bad law’ and unconstitutional. “This ordinance will do great injustice to Muslim women and it will be used to send Muslim men to jail,” he said adding that this ordinance should be challenged in the court. “What the government has done is to divert the attention of the public from the rising petrol prices. There are corruption charges in Rafale deal. In the states going to polls in the near future, the BJP has no chance of winning,” he said. Owaisi also commented that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also bring a law against men who desert their wives. Reacting sharply against the cabinet approving an ordinance on triple talaq, Owaisi chose the occasion to bring focus to the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned in his affidavit that he was married. However, it is public knowledge that Modi has been staying away from his wife without a divorce. “There are 24 lakh women deserted by their husbands, including a ‘bhabhi’ from Gujarat,” he said. On the triple talaq ordinance , Owaisi said: “This ordinance is against the Muslim women. This ordinance will not provide justice to the Muslim women. In Islam, marriage is a civil contract and bringing penal provisions in it is wrong.” “This nation requires a law for protection of those married women who are deserted by their husbands,” he said. Owaisi pointed out that there are 24 lakh such deserted women. “The husbands in their affidavit say they are married but the wife is not living with them. PM should bring a law for those deserted married women,” he said. “The Triple Talaq ordinance is anti-Muslim. We have always maintained this stand. This ordinance is against the Fundamental Right of Equality. This is a law specifically against Muslims. (AIMPLB) All India Muslim Personal Law Board and women's groups should challenge the ordinance in the Supreme Court. Modi govt wants to trouble the community, it isn't about justice,” he said. Owaisi questioned the wisdom of the government in bringing in such an ordinance. He said three years imprisonment in a triple talaq case itself showed that the government was discriminating against communities. “In Islam, marriage in a civil contract. The government cannot bring in criminal provisions for it,” he said. Asaduddin Owaisi also argued that the burden of proof on the triple talaq would be on the woman. He pointed out that so long as the man was in jail, the marriage would not be annulled. Moreover, the husband who is in jail is supposed to pay subsistence allowance to the woman. How is this possible?” he questioned. The Hyderabad MP said the husband would plead before the police that he had not uttered ‘triple talaq’. “In that case, he would escape the law,” he pointed out. Owaisi said if the PM was so concerned, he should first allocate Rs 1,000 crore for deserted women’s welfare. On RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement sounding that the RSS was not against Muslims, Owaisi said his statements were just an attempt to get some ‘respectability’. “I challenge Mohan Bhagwat if he will reject what Gowalkar has written in his bunch of thoughts and Sarvarkar had written.”

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has declared a state of emergency over flooding along the Ottawa River and other waterways. In the declaration, the mayor's office says the water levels pose "an ongoing threat" to property, health and safety of nearby residents. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement forecasting up to 35 millimetres of rain in the capital region by Saturday. The mayor's office says the combination of already high water levels and further rainfall give rise to a situation that "constitutes a danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm." Watson says about 400 soldiers with the Canadian Armed Forces are expected to assist with flooding efforts in the city. He says the declaration will help city crews, volunteers and residents in affected areas, which are mainly in outlying suburbs.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Flooding: Ottawa declares state of emergency, army sending troops Flooding: Ottawa declares state of emergency, army sending troops Photo by Jean Levac / Postmedia News Article content Faced with an increasingly dire flooding situation, Ottawa declared a state of emergency Thursday afternoon. At a 4 o’clock news conference, Mayor Jim Watson said the army was sending 400 troops and Premier Doug Ford had pledged provincial support. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Flooding: Ottawa declares state of emergency, army sending troops Back to video “We can no longer do it alone,” Watson said. A number of factors led to the emergency declaration, according to the city: extensive snowmelt from the Ottawa River’s northern regions, a “significant rainfall” advisory issued by Environment Canada for overnight Thursday night, through Friday and into Saturday, and a forecast from the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board that waters could rise 11 centimetres above May 2017 flood levels over the coming weekend. City manager Steve Kanellakos said the city simply doesn’t have the capacity to handle what might happen in the weeks to come, which is why he went to the mayor to suggest declaring a state of emergency. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “The number of requests for help is increasing and the flooding threat is imminent,” Kanellakos said. The incoming Canadian Forces troops were expected to start providing help Friday in western communities, as West Carleton, Constance Bay, Dunrobin and Fitzroy Harbour appeared to be the most threatened so far. Canadian Forces officers were already embedded in the city’s emergency operations centre and troops were also planned to be available to help in Britannia and Cumberland. Photo by Tony Caldwell / jpg Anthony Di Monte, the general manager of emergency and protective services, urged people not to show up in flood-impacted communities to sightsee to avoid impeding city officials and soldiers trying to provide aid. The city was set to open three emergency community support centres on Friday where visitors would be able to speak to representatives from the community and social services department and Ottawa Public Health. Representatives from the Canadian Red Cross and The Salvation Army could also help to triage residents’ needs, answer resource questions and follow up on resident inquiries or direct them to the appropriate service. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The city is tracking costs, but it’s focused on helping residents who need it. The state of emergency allows Watson to approve spending without going through the regular approval process. “It’s not the time to be the bean-counter,” Watson said. “We’ve got to help the people first before we worry about the bills.” Across the river, the City of Gatineau had registered 636 people as flood victims as of Thursday evening. The registration was open to those living in areas affected by the flooding, who have suffered damage to their homes or buildings or who have had to evacuate or were expected to evacuate shortly. The total includes 542 adults and 94 children from 306 households. About 150 of the registered residences are around hard-hit boulevard Hurtubise, another 135 are from the Pointe Gatineau district, and close to 20 are from Masson-Angers. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content City crews were laying rock fill on Gatineau’s boulevard Fournier on Thursday night in anticipation of rising water. About 20 Navy personnel were helping Gatineau firefighters with evacuations by water. “The situation is changing by the hour,” the city said Thursday. Gatineau had opened two victim support centres at the Jean-René-Monette community centre at 89 rue Jean-René-Monette and the Masson-Angers service centre at 57 ch. Montréal Est. Sandbags were available at sites across the national capital region, and maps were available online. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for much of the nation’s capital calling for “significant rainfall” on Friday. The national weather watcher said rain, heavy at times, would move into the area Friday morning and continue into Friday evening. Total rainfall amounts of 20 to 35 millimetres were forecast to fall by Saturday morning. Further upstream and to the west through central Ontario from Renfrew and Lanark counties and across to Georgian Bay, a heavy rainfall warning was issued with amounts in local areas as high as 50 millimetres. The heavy rain was associated with a Texas low that was expected to track across southern Ontario on Friday. Ottawa residents who need help on their properties to prepare for the expected flooding were asked to call 211 or phone 1-877-761-9076 to get in touch with Team Rubicon Canada and Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (OVSAR). Both organizations were ready to help residents prepare sandbag walls or clean up where needed. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The City of Ottawa continued to ask for volunteers to help with flood preparations, and instructed those interested to report to the Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Centre between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, or the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum or Ron Kolbus Centre between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday. Downstream at Hawkesbury, 95 kilometres east of Ottawa, residents were nervously circulating a rumour that police were about to close the bridge to Quebec — the only such bridge between Ottawa and Montreal. The reason: Quebec’s Ministry of Public Security was evacuating homes along the Rouge River in case flood waters break through a hydroelectric dam. If the dam were to break, a torrent could sweep downhill to the Ottawa River at L’Orignal, which is just upstream from Hawkesbury and its bridge.<doc-sep>As river levels continue to rise across much of eastern Ontario and western Quebec, a number of communities have declared states of emergency to help mobilize provincial and federal resources. Ottawa River levels have — or are expected to — surpass those of May 2017 and won't peak until Tuesday or Wednesday. Ontario Ottawa The City of Ottawa declared a state of emergency on Thursday and asked both the Ontario and federal governments for assistance. Canadian Armed Forces members descended on the city the next day to help sandbag people's homes and critical municipal infrastructure. Residents near the Ottawa River in Cumberland, a community in Ottawa, shore up their properties against the rising water. (Judy Trinh/CBC) As of Saturday afternoon, nearly 20 homes had already been evacuated because of severe flooding, according to the City of Ottawa. Clarence-Rockland Downstream and east of Ottawa, the City of Clarence-Rockland also declared a state of emergency on Friday as river levels are set to rise 40 to 50 centimetres above 2017 levels. Parts of the city were hard hit in 2017, with entire streets turning into canals. Canadian Armed Forces troops were set to arrive in the area Sunday to help sandbag. Canadian Armed Forces members help sandbag areas in Rockland on Sunday, April 28, 2019. (Jean Delisle/CBC) Alfred and Plantagenet Following Ottawa and Clarence-Rockland, the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet declared a state of emergency Saturday morning. Residents are being told to pick up needed sandbags at the Municipal Garage at 1963 Hotel de Ville St. in Lefaivre, Ont. Horton Township The township in Renfrew County that borders the Ottawa River declared a state of emergency early Friday morning. Sandbags and sand are available for residents at the Horton Sand Dome, 2253 Johnston Rd. or people can call the municipality directly to have them delivered. McNab/Braeside The small township of fewer than 8,000 people nestled in between Arnprior and Renfrew in Renfrew County declared a state of emergency on Friday. Hydro One crews were on the ground to help residents with power-related concerns, according to the township. Whitewater Township Anyone needing sandbags in the area can pick them up at 1798 Westmeath Rd. and sand is being deposited at various sites, the township said. Officials are urging people to have 72-hour emergency kits available with enough food and water for that time. Laurentian Valley Township of Laurentian Valley Mayor Steve Bennett declared a state of emergency Saturday night as water levels continued to rise. Residents can fill sandbags at George Matheson Park, 630 Forest Park Rd. Township of Greater Madawaska The township is warning residents that flooded roads may affect evacuation efforts and not to drive into areas that could become impassable. Sand and sandbags are available for residents who need them at three locations: Griffith Fire Hall, 25991B Highway 41, Griffith; Old Brougham Yard, 145 Flat Rd. ; Calabogie Fire Hall, 12470B Lanark Rd. County of Renfrew The county is under a flood warning and declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon. The county extends from Arnprior in the east, to north of Algonquin Park and encompasses the five municipalities above that have already declared states of emergency: Horton Township, McNab/Braeside, Whitewater Township, Laurentian Valley, and Greater Madawaska. The county has to contend with three major river watersheds: the Ottawa, Bonnechere and Madawaska Rivers, all of which are at high or record-high levels. Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet declared a state of emergency on Sunday afternoon. The town has closed Centennial Park on the Petawawa River and Petawawa Point where that river meets the Ottawa River. Rantz Road is closed near Highway 17 and River Drive is open to local traffic only. Quebec Papineauville Downstream of Gatineau, Papineauville declared a state of emergency on Friday. Nearly a dozen areas are isolated and in immediate danger of flooding, the municipality said. The declaration will be in place until at least Wednesday, but it could be extended, Mayor Christian Beauchamp told Radio-Canada. Val-des-Monts Val-des-Monts declared a state of emergency more than a week ago, on April 19. The area has already seen significant flooding and troops began helping fill sandbags Thursday. Residents who still need sandbags can visit the municipal garage at 1570 route du Carrefour. Pontiac The Municipality of Pontiac suffered severe flooding and tragedy early on when a 72-year-old woman died after she drove off a washed-out road early in the morning on April 20. The scene of a washout in Pontiac at rue de Clarendon and chemin Bronson Bryant. A 72-year-old woman was killed when her car went off the washed-out road early in the morning on April 20. (Jérémie Bergeron/CBC) Around 500 homes may have to be evacuated, Mayor Joanne Labadie said. Some of those residents may be able to stay at the Tim Horton Camp des Voyageurs in Quyon, Que. which has space for 108 people . Grenville-sur-la-Rouge The municipality is doubly affected by flooding, sitting at the base of where the Rouge River meets the Ottawa River. This image, taken from a helicopter, shows water flowing in the Rouge River near the hydroelectric dam at Bell Falls. (Radio-Canada) It is also 23 kilometres downstream of the Bell Falls and a dam Quebec's Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said was in imminent danger of failing on Thursday. A day later, Mayor Tom Arnold declared a state of emergency. The dam has so far held up, despite a nearly ninefold increase in water flowing over the falls. The Bell Falls dam, on the Rouge River, 16 kilometres north of the Ottawa River, has been in danger of rupturing as the water level surpassed the dam's capacity by noon Thursday. (CBC) Boileau On Wednesday, the municipality declared a state of emergency that was set to last five days. As of Sunday afternoon, there was no information on whether the state of emergency had been extended. Mayo The community on the edge of Lac La Blanche has already experienced flooded roads. Quebec's transportation ministry closed a section of Chemin Rivière Blanche in the area because the road had deteriorated, according to the municipality. Residents living along that stretch of road were urged to evacuate. Saint-André-Avellin<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email The County of Renfrew, located west of Ottawa, declared a county-wide state of emergency on Sunday afternoon as water levels along the Ottawa, Bonnechere and Madawaska rivers continue to rise and flood its communities. Ottawa River levels in the county are currently higher than the historic peak levels seen during the 2017 floods. WATCH: Lighthouse at Pembroke Marina scuttled by Ottawa River’s rising waters 0:30 Lighthouse at Pembroke Marina scuttled by Ottawa River’s rising waters Lighthouse at Pembroke Marina scuttled by Ottawa River’s rising waters – Apr 29, 2019 “I would ask that residents continue to be diligent of the safety for themselves and those around them in these difficult times, and that residents can be assured that the County of Renfrew along with all impact municipalities in the county are making all efforts to provide support where and when needed,” Warden Jennifer Murphy said in a news release from the county. Story continues below advertisement Five municipalities within Renfrew County — Whitewater Region, Horton, McNab/Braeside, Laurentian Valley and Greater Madawaska — have already declared states of emergency in recent days. The county is also under a flood warning. I am very proud of the commitment that @RenCtyParamedic's are showing to resident's across @RenfrewCounty, responding in flooded areas, checking on vulnerable people and supporting flood relief efforts 24/7. #dedication pic.twitter.com/mHXH9WTftN — ChiefMNolan (@ChiefMNolan) April 27, 2019 Military troops were helping with flood relief efforts in Horton on Saturday, according to an update late that same day from the Canadian Armed Forces. The latest forecast from the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board on Sunday morning predicted water levels in Chats Lake, near Arnprior, will continue to rise another 26 centimetres before peaking on Tuesday. In Pembroke, located further north upstream, water levels have also surpassed the 2017 peak in that area. They are projected to increase another 16 centimetres before peaking on Monday. View image in full screen The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board’s latest forecast of water levels along the Ottawa River, posted on April 28 at 9 a.m. Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board / http://www.ottawariver.ca/forecast.php As of publication, the City of Pembroke has not declared a state of emergency. Story continues below advertisement The cities of Ottawa and Clarence-Rockland, the neighbouring Township of Alfred and Plantagenet, and three municipalities in the Outaouais are also under states of emergency due to flooding.<doc-sep>

Send this page to someone via email The City of Ottawa has declared a state of emergency as water levels along the Ottawa River are expected to rise above the flood levels in 2017 that were “devastating” to many communities bordering the river, Mayor Jim Watson announced on Thursday afternoon. The municipality issued a plea for help to the provincial and federal governments after assessing new weather and river level forecasts for this coming weekend. Ralph Goodale, federal minister for public safety and emergency prepardnessO, confirmed Thursday evening the Government of Canada is sending help, “including support from the Canadian Armed Forces.” Environment Canada earlier on Thursday issued a special weather statement warning of “significant rainfall” in the Ottawa area totalling 20-35 millimetres between Friday morning and Saturday morning. This heavy precipitation coupled with the spring snowmelt has the Ottawa River Regulating Committee forecasting peak floods reaching 11 centimetres above 2017 levels in the Britannia/Lac Deschenes area on Sunday. Story continues below advertisement While the city has enough sand and sandbags to set up around properties at risk of flooding, it no longer has enough manpower or time to meet residents’ needs in the face of the “worsening forecast,” officials said. “Our staff and volunteers have been at it for many days now, but we can no longer do it alone,” Watson said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Our staff and volunteers have been at it for many days now, but we can no longer do it alone," Watson said. The municipality hopes to have about 400 members of the military helping out on the ground, with the first troops arriving on Friday morning, city officials said. The communities most threatened by rising water levels include Cumberland, located east of downtown Ottawa, and Britannia and Constance bays, located west of the downtown core. WATCH: Homes along Ottawa River left flooded 0:43 Homes along Ottawa River left flooded Homes along Ottawa River left flooded – Apr 25, 2019 As of 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, the city had received a total of 180 service requests from homeowners — about 60 a day — according to senior staff. Story continues below advertisement As recently as Wednesday morning, city staff felt they had enough resources to cope with the rising water levels along the Ottawa River — but, with the new forecasts, the flooding situation changed “almost in the blink of an eye,” city manager Steve Kanellakos told reporters. “The requests for help is increasing and the flooding threat is imminent,” he said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The requests for help is increasing and the flooding threat is imminent," he said. Kanellakos couldn’t say how long the City of Ottawa will be in a state of emergency, which gives the municipality the authority to approve spending for emergency purposes without going through the normal tendering processes. “If the flooding is severe, there could be weeks of recovery operations, but our commitment to residents is the city will be there to help,” Kanellakos said. READ MORE: Volunteer efforts continue as Ottawa River rises The mayor and city staff thanked the more than 1,200 volunteers who have “tirelessly” helped fill sandbags and supported other flood preparation efforts over the past week. They said the city still needs folks to lend a hand in the coming days. “Ottawa has a lot of heart and these volunteers come out over and over again, just as recently as the tornadoes last fall,” Kanellakos said. Volunteer check-in locations can be found on the city’s website. City officials urge residents to steer clear of volunteer and military operations over the weekend. Story continues below advertisement Province, feds express support Watson said he spoke to both Goodale and Ontario Premier Doug Ford earlier on Thursday. In a statement issued Thursday evening, Goodale said he had accepted a formal request for federal assistance from Ontario’s Solicitor General, Sylvia Jones. “Citizens can rest assured that help will be provided,” Goodale said. “I strongly encourage impacted residents to follow the directions and advice of their municipal law enforcement and first responders.” READ MORE: Ottawa city council votes to declare climate emergency Ford, in a statement, said he will be coming to the national capital on Friday to tour the flooded areas and meet with residents. “Anything Ottawa needs to help affected families and support city staff on the ground, the Province of Ontario will be there to support them,” the premier wrote.

“We’ll back a truck up and get it on in here,” Mr. Pompeo said with a glare. Just before the hearing began, the White House announced it was delaying an invitation to Mr. Putin to meet with Mr. Trump this fall in Washington. A statement by John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, said the follow-up meeting between the two presidents should take place at the conclusion of the special counsel’s investigation into Russian election interference — “after the Russia witch hunt is over, so we’ve agreed that it will be after the first of the year.” Russian officials had not yet committed to the invitation. In his testimony, Mr. Pompeo sought but fell short of assuring senators that the United States would never acknowledge Russia’s annexation of Crimea. He did not directly answer whether sanctions to punish Russia for seizing the Ukrainian peninsula would remain in place in perpetuity. Instead, Mr. Pompeo repeatedly restated United States policy, saying that after the Helsinki summit meeting, the stance on sanctions “remains completely unchanged,” and that “no commitment has been made to change those policies.” But he did not speak to whether Mr. Trump had signaled any willingness to reconsider or modify them. Mr. Menendez told Mr. Pompeo that American citizens and their elected officials have heard more about what happened in the closed-door Helsinki meeting from Moscow than from their own president. “We don’t know what the truth is because nobody else was in the room where it happened,” Mr. Menendez said. On the election interference in particular, Mr. Pompeo told the committee that the president accepts the findings that the Russian cyberattacks took place and that he “has a complete and proper understanding of what happened.”<doc-sep>Sen. Ed Markey, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said today's hearing with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shed little light on what happened during President Trump's one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. "At the end of the day, we now know more about the substance of the conversations between Donald Trump and Michael Cohen than we know about the substance of the conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin," the Massachusetts Democrat said. He added: "That's the dilemma that the American people have a right to know what the President is doing in their name in protecting the national security of our country."<doc-sep>WASHINGTON – Congressional hearings aren’t usually must-watch TV. But Wednesday’s Senate grilling of Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump’s secretary of state, could have viewers on the edge of their seats. That’s because Trump has angered European allies, held a private tete-a-tete with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pushed ahead on tariffs that are controversial with many lawmakers. All of this could make for political fireworks when Pompeo visits Capitol Hill. Trump’s meeting in Helsinki with Putin is likely to dominate the hearing. More than a week later, it’s not clear what, if anything, the two men agreed to during their two-hour, closed-door conversation. Here’s your guide to watching Pompeo’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: So many Russia questions, so little time Russia has been a fraught topic since Day 1 for the Trump administration. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded, in a report in January 2017, that the Kremlin interfered with the 2016 presidential election in an effort to bolster Trump's prospects. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating Russia's role in the presidential contest – and whether Trump's campaign colluded with Putin's government. Trump seemed to exacerbate those concernslast week when, standing next to Putin at a joint news conference, he downplayed the U.S. intelligence assessment of Russia's role in the election and suggested he believed Putin's assertions that Russia didn't meddle. Trump has since walked back those remarks, but Pompeo will almost certainly be pressed to detail Russia's past and current efforts to undermine American democracy. The bigger question about the Trump-Putin summit will be: What did Trump say to the Russian leader in private, before their public news conference? . “All of us are worried about what was promised," said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a member of the committee. "I mean whether it has to do with military exercises, troop placement, NATO expansion, we just don’t know." And Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., another committee member, said he plans to ask about Trump's decision, announced last week, to invite Putin to Washington for a second meeting this fall. Coons said he does not think it's "wise to invite President Putin to American soil" and will press Pompeo on the possible risks. Those questions may have Pompeo squirming. For one thing, it's not clear how much the secretary knows about Trump's private conversation with Putin. The only people in that meeting were the two leaders and their interpreters. More broadly, Pompeo will need to demonstrate a realistic assessment of the threat Russia poses to the U.S. and its allies, without seeming to contradict Trump or appear disloyal. Remember the North Korea summit in Singapore? Before Trump had his private meeting with Putin, he held a closed-door session with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in June. The two men later signed a vaguely worded document in which the North Korean leader affirmed his commitment to the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” But what does that mean? North Korea has begun dismantling key facilities at an airport rocket launching site, suggesting that it is complying with its pledge to Trump in Singapore, a U.S. monitor reported Monday. Yet other signals coming from North Korea have raised questions about the country’s commitment to denuclearization. In July, when Pompeo went to North Korea for a follow-up meeting, North Korean leaders called the confab “regrettable” and accused Pompeo of making “gangster-like” demands to give up the country’s nuclear weapons. Senators want answers on where the denuclearization talks are heading. “It’s nice to see some small real action by North Korea, but frankly so far the actual consequences of the handshake photo-op summit in Singapore have been preciously few,” Coons said. Coons said it’s admirable that Pompeo remains upbeat and positive about what can come out of the agreement, “but there’s many more things that North Korea can and should be doing to lay out a timeline toward verifiable, irreversible denuclearization.” Will there be an Iran summit? Senators are expected to have lots of questions about the administration’s policy on Iran after Trump’s Twitter tirade against that country late Sunday night. "NEVER EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKE OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE," Trump wrote in all-capital letters. The White House said Trump was responding to a threat by Iran President Hassan Rouhani, who earlier in the day warned that America must recognize that “war with Iran is the mother of all wars.” On Tuesday, just a day and a half after his tweet, Trump shifted his tone. He told a veterans’ group in Kansas City, Missouri, that his administration is ready to talk about a new nuclear deal with Tehran, prompting speculation that his bellicose rhetoric might be a tactic to get Iran back to the negotiating table. The United States and other world powers signed a deal with Iran in 2015 that was designed to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons. But Trump pulled out of the agreement in May, calling the pact signed by the administration of President Barack Obama “a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made.” Senators are looking to Pompeo to provide clarity on the Trump administration’s Iran policy. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., told reporters that Trump needs to consult with his foreign policy team and come up with a strategy for dealing with Iran, “as opposed to tweets that aggravate the situation.” What's with the attacks on U.S. allies? Before Trump’s make-nice meeting with Putin, he berated, embarrassed and provoked several important U.S. allies. He accused Germany of being “captive to Russia” because of that country’s support for a pipeline that would bring Russian natural gas through the Baltic Sea to central Europe. He criticized British Prime Minister Theresa May over her handling of Brexit, the withdrawal of England from the European Union, and voiced support for her rival, Boris Johnson. And he lambasted NATO allies over what he said was their inadequate spending on defense, even privately threatening to abandon the alliance. Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican who chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, seemed exasperated by Trump's attacks on American allies and what he called “the continual undermining of Americans’ view of NATO, purposefully." "Toward what end?” Corker said Tuesday when asked what he would focus on during the Pompeo hearing. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., echoed that frustration. “I want to know what he’s going to do to repair the damage that’s been done to the trans-Atlantic alliance,” Murphy said. “Some of it is irreparable, but we have to have an action plan.” Trump's aggressive trade policy Republicans have long been squeamish about the president’s stance on trade, a central GOP plank before Trump became the party’s standard bearer. They didn’t like his decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. They’re nervous about his efforts to re-negotiate NAFTA. And many of them dislike his tariffs imposed on foreign competitors in an effort to gain leverage and strike better trade agreements. That discomfort ratcheted up Tuesday when Trump announced $12 billion in federal aid to farmers who have been hurt by retaliatory tariffs levied by China and other countries. Several lawmakers said that's an expensive fix for a problem Trump created. “Our farmers have been in nonstop saying they want trade, not aid,” Corker said. He said Trump’s tariff policies have put farmers “in the poorhouse,” and now his solution is to put them on welfare. "What a terrible policy," Corker said, adding there is no money to pay for it. There are several farm-state senators on the Foreign Relations Committee who want to know how far the Trump administration plans to go with the trade war. Other lawmakers have expressed concerns about whether other economic sectors, such as energy and auto industries, also will get federal help for retaliatory tariffs that hurt their bottom lines. More:U.S. senators to grill Mike Pompeo on closed-door Trump-Putin meeting More:Trump says he 'gave up nothing' in Putin summit but offers no specifics<doc-sep>

WASHINGTON – Things got heated and tempers flared at times as senators grilled Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday on topics that included U.S. policy on Russia and North Korea. For three hours, the nation’s top diplomat faced a barrage of questions from members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Here are five key moments: Playing offense on Crimea Anticipating that Pompeo would be quizzed about Crimea, and perhaps trying to dispel suggestions that it’s soft on Russia, the Trump administration went on the offense. Shortly before the hearing started, the State Department issued a “declaration” stating that the U.S. rejects Russia’s annexation of Crimea and calling on Moscow to end its occupation of the territory. Then, right on cue, Pompeo referenced the declaration in his opening remarks to the committee. “I want to assure this committee that the United States does not and will not recognize the Kremlin’s purported annexation of Crimea,” he said emphatically. Russia will see no relief on Crimea-related sanctions until it returns control of the Crimean Peninsula to Ukraine, he added. The declaration reaffirmed what has long been U.S. policy on Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. But putting out the statement in advance gave Pompeo some ammunition as he faced lawmakers who are still outraged over President Donald Trump’s deference to Russian President Vladimir Putin at their summit last week in Helsinki, Finland. Trump-Putin ‘secret’ meeting still secret Going into the hearing, senators from both parties made it clear they wanted Pompeo to provide some insight into what happened during Trump’s private, one-on-one meeting with Putin at the Helsinki summit. But no matter how often they asked – and they asked again and again – Pompeo dodged. “Presidents are entitled to have private meetings,” he said. Pompeo did say that U.S. policy toward Russia has not changed as a result of the meeting and that "no commitment" was made to ease U.S. sanctions. Beyond that, details of the secret meeting remain mostly secret. One reason? The only people in the room other than the two world leaders were their interpreters. And they're not talking. More Russia sanctions? Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been clamoring for more sanctions on Russia amid the uproar generated by Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki. Pompeo essentially endorsed additional sanctions during Wednesday’s hearing. Asked by Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, whether he believed additional sanctions would be one way to discourage Putin from interfering in this fall’s election, Pompeo responded: “I do, senator. If we can find the right places and the right leverage points … I think it would be constructive to head down that path.” Several proposals already are in the works. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., are pushing legislation that would impose new sanctions against Russia for interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and to discourage them from doing it again. Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also are working on legislation that would place new sanctions on Russia’s debt and energy and financial sectors. Corker uncorked The committee’s Republican chairman, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who at times has expressed dissatisfaction with Trump in the bluntest of terms, wasted no time in venting to Pompeo. In his opening remarks, Corker declared that senators have “serious doubts” about how the administration carries out foreign policy and suggested the White House “is making it up as they go.” Later, he and Pompeo had an intense exchange when Corker suggested that Trump intentionally creates distrust in institutions like NATO. Pompeo took issue with Corker's characterization and argued that Trump has been tougher on Russia than the previous administration. "I notice that you are not responding to what I'm saying,” Corker said. “I think I've responded to everything,” Pompeo insisted. “No, you didn’t,” Corker shot back, which prompted Pompeo to say they just disagree. "No, we don't disagree,” Corker said. “Let's run the transcript." Menendez’s ‘soliloquy’ Pompeo also had a couple of heated exchanges with Sen. Menendez. As the hearing was concluding, a frustrated Menendez said his conclusion from Pompeo’s three hours of testimony was that “this administration is increasingly not transparent” and that when it comes to North Korea, “we have no agreements on anything.” “The best I can glean is that they understand what we mean by denuclearization, but they have not agreed to that definition,” Menendez said. Pompeo responded by accusing Menendez of delivering “a political soliloquy.”

Nick Saban is set to add a former Florida State defensive coordinator to Alabama’s coaching staff. Saban is hiring Charles Kelly for a defensive coaching position, a source confirmed to AL.com. An Ozark, Alabama native and ex-Auburn defensive back, Kelly was Tennessee’s safeties coach and special teams coordinator last season after serving as Florida State’s defensive coordinator from 2014 to 2017. Kelly, who began his coaching career at Central-Phenix City in 1990, turned down an offer to be Mike Locksley’s defensive coordinator at Maryland earlier this week, according to Football Scoop. VolQuest first reported about Alabama being set to hire Kelly. Matt Zenitz is an Alabama and Auburn reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mzenitz.<doc-sep>Tennessee assistant Charles Kelly will join the Alabama football staff, The Tuscaloosa News has confirmed. VolQuest.com, Tennessee's Rivals site, was the first to report the move. Kelly was the Vols’ special teams coordinator and safeties coach. His role with the Crimson Tide hasn’t been announced. Kelly originally turned down the opportunity to work for former Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley at Maryland as the Terrapins' defensive coordinator to stay at Tennessee. Alabama defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi previously departed Tuscaloosa to become the Cleveland Browns' defensive line coach. He's the only confirmed loss from Alabama's defensive staff in 2018. Kelly succeeded Jeremy Pruitt as defensive coordinator at Florida State. He was linebackers coach for the Seminoles in 2013 while Pruitt was the coordinator, then became coordinator from 2014-17. His defenses ranked in the top 25 nationally during Kelly’s last three seasons. FSU was No. 18 in 2017 with its 333.1 total yards allowed per game. It led the nation in sacks in 2016 (3.92 per game) and was No. 22 in total defense (349.1 yards allowed per game). In 2015, FSU was No. 9 in scoring defense (17.8 points per game) and No. 19 overall (336.9 yards allowed per game). FSU won the ACC in 2014, starting 13-0 before losing in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Kelly was at Georgia Tech prior to FSU. He coached several positions there. Kelly was interim defensive coordinator in 2012, was defensive backs coach from 2010-12, cornerbacks coach from 2008-09 and special teams in 2007. Kelly split time as defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator at Nicholls State from 2002-05. He was at Eufaula (Alabama) High School in 2000 and 2001 as an assistant coach after spending 1999 at Henderson State as the defensive coordinator. Kelly was at Jacksonville State from 1994-98. He coached the running backs and defensive backs for a season each to start. Then, he was the offensive coordinator for a season and the defensive coordinator for two seasons. In 1993, Kelly worked at his alma matter, Auburn, as an assistant coach. He played as a defensive back there from 1986-89. Kelly’s first coaching job came in Tuscaloosa. He worked at Central High School from 1990-92.<doc-sep>MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 29: Kyler Murray #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners is sacked by Christian Miller #47 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) Alabama Football: Two more new hires and a new name in the mix Alabama Football: Two more new hires and a new name in the mix by Ronald Evans Alabama football fans are anxious for Nick Saban to hire a high profile Defensive Coordinator, but does the Crimson Tide already have what it needs? Assuming all the frequently reported, new Alabama football hires are correct, Nick Saban has already infused his staff with four new hires. New for the Crimson Tide offense are Steve Sarkisian and Kyle Flood. On defense, Saban has added Sal Sunseri and Charles Kelly. The biggest staffing question remaining unanswered is the Defensive Coordinator position. It is generally believed Pete Golding will at least be a co-DC. Nick Saban is believed to highly value Golding’s coaching skills. Numerous insider reports state midway during last season, defensive play-calling was mostly turned over to Golding. Admittedly, some Alabama football fans find no reassurance Golding was making calls while the Sooners and Clemson ran up massive yards. A more prevailing fan opinion is trust in Nick Saban – in all things. Saban’s faith in Golding is enough to satisfy most Crimson Tide fans. Nick has not yet put together all the 2019 staffing pieces and questions remain. Is Saban still looking for a high-profile DC? Dave Aranda has been rumored to have been approached by Saban. Aranda seems to be a stretch given LSU has already shown a determination to never get outbid for his services. Another popular name, though not matching Aranda’s profile, is Washington’s Jimmy Lake. Lake is co-DC for the Huskies and the highest paid assistant ever on the Washington staff. Depending on which insider you choose to believe, Lake did or did not interview for the Tide DC position. Also, he did or did not receive an offer, which he did or did not turn down. Washington message boards are filled with assurance Lake is not leaving the Huskies and will get another nice raise in the process. With no current Aranda buzz and apparently no chance for Lake, Nick Saban may or may not be chasing another high-profile DC. The recently reported hiring of Charles Kelly may mean Saban already has a co-DC to pair with Pete Golding. Some Alabama football fans question if a Golding – Kelly duo can revitalize the Crimson Tide defense. Kelly had many FSU detractors in his four seasons as the Seminoles DC. Kelly spent 2013 coaching FSU linebackers. He was DC and defensive backs coach for the Noles in 2014-2017. He spent last season working for Jeremy Pruitt at Tennessee. Some Crimson Tide fans are concerned Golding lacks sufficient DC experience at the Power Five level. Kelly can bolster that deficiency, as can Sal Sunseri who spent a season at Tennessee as DC. Golding actually has considerable DC experience, though at a much lower level of competition. Golding worked as a DC for nine seasons before coming to Tuscaloosa. Those nine seasons were spent at Tusculum, Delta State, Southeastern Louisiana, and Texas-San Antonio. Golding’s 2017 UTSA defense was a top ten FBS unit. Given Nick Saban is widely recognized as a defensive Guru, luring guys like Aranda or Mike Elko last year, may never be possible. Any Alabama football DC must run Saban’s defense and Nick will never relinquish total control of a Tide defense to an assistant. Is the Golding – Kelly combo a done deal? Absolutely not. Stay tuned to Bama Hammer for the latest updates.<doc-sep>TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 17: Jaylen Waddle #17 of the Alabama Crimson Tide pulls in this touchdown reception against Jay Howard #20 of the Citadel Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Alabama football coach, Nick Saban has been busy. Even without any official announcements, it has been widely reported the Tide has five new coaches. Check out the backgrounds of the two latest additions. Three days Bama Hammer discussed new Alabama football coaches. At that time the new hires totaled three, Steve Sarkisian, Sal Sunseri and Kyle Flood. None of the new staff additions had been officially announced but all appeared locked into new opportunities working for Nick Saban. The pace picked up Sunday with two more names being widely reported as new hires for the 2019 staff. The most recent additions are Charles Kelly and Charles Huff. Again, there has been no official announcement but Kelly and Huff appear to be done deals. Charles Kelly is perhaps the better known of the two. He is leaving Tennessee to join the Crimson Tide. Prior to working for Jeremy Pruitt last season, Kelly was the Defensive Coordinator at Florida State. Kelly is an Alabama native, played at Auburn and coached at Jacksonville State early in his career. He has coached defensive backs, linebackers and special teams players in his career. He spent seven seasons on the Georgia Tech staff before going to FSU. Some insiders believe Kelly will become co-DC for the Crimson Tide. The most recent Alabama football staff addition is Charles Huff. Huff had worked under Joe Morehead for three seasons, two at Penn State and this past season at Mississippi State. His specialty is running backs and he is expected to assume the same role for Alabama football. Huff’s highest profile star pupil was Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley. There is some insider chatter Huff might be in line for a co-OC role with the Crimson Tide. Adding Huff to the Alabama football staff means Joe Punninzio can be reassigned. Pannunzio has considerable special teams and tight ends coaching experience. There has been a rumor Pannunzio is interested in moving into an off-field role on Saban’s staff. Another name surfaced on Sunday night as a possible hire as wide receivers coach. Virginia Tech assistant coach Holmon Wiggins may also interview with the Crimson Tide. Holman has been wide receivers coach for the Hokies for three seasons. He is from Los Angeles and played football at New Mexico. Prior to being in Blacksburg, he was the wide receivers coach at Memphis for three seasons. he has also coached running backs in stints at Illinois State and Tulsa. The open Tide wide receiver coaching slot had appeared to be going to either Lance Taylor or Butch Jones. Now Nick Saban has three coaches from which to choose. Hokies’ fans believe Holman will join Temple as Offensive Coordinator. The latest on the recruiting trail is a visit with Crimson Tide commit Khris Bogle. Soon to be Alabama football coaches, Charles Kelly and Sal Sunseri recruited Bogle for Tennessee and Florida.<doc-sep>

Alabama has hired two new coaches, a former Big Ten head coach and someone who had already worked for the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban. Saban has hired ex-Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood to be Alabama’s offensive line coach while Sal Sunseri is expected to be hired for a defensive coaching position on the staff, sources confirmed to AL.com. The 47-year old Flood, who went 27-24 in four seasons as Rutgers' head coach from 2012 to 2015, had been with the Atlanta Falcons since 2017 and spent the last two seasons working with the coach set to be hired as the Tide’s offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian. Flood had transitioned to a senior assistant role with the Falcons in January after two seasons as the team’s assistant offensive line coach. This is Flood’s first college job since receiving a one-year show cause penalty from the NCAA’s Committee of Infractions for “lack of oversight” during his tenure at Rutgers. The show-cause penalty expired last September. Flood will be taking over for Brent Key, who left to take the offensive line coach job at Georgia Tech. Sunseri will be returning to the Tide after previously working at Alabama from 2009 to 2011 as the team’s linebackers coach. The 59-year old Sunseri was Florida’s defensive line coach last season after three years as the Oakland Raiders' linebackers coach. He also previously worked as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator. Saban wanted to hire Sunseri as the Tide’s defensive line coach last year after Karl Dunbar left for the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to sources, but Sunseri had just been hired at Florida and didn’t want to back out of that. Alabama ultimately hired Craig Kuligowski away from Miami. Sunseri’s son, Vinnie, recently accepted a graduate assistant spot on the staff at Alabama. Ian Fitzsimmons of ESPN Radio first reported about the hiring of Flood. Bama Online first reported about the expected hiring on Sunseri. Matt Zenitz is an Alabama and Auburn reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mzenitz.

How many stagehands does it take to rescue Beyonce from a malfunctioning stage in Poland? We're gonna guess ... ALL of them, if they wanna keep their jobs -- but, yes, Bey and Jay-Z's On the Run II crew had to help her make a safe exit Sunday night in Warsaw. The couple's floating stage got jammed in the up position at the end of the show, making it impossible for Beyonce to pull off a quick and graceful exit. Instead, they brought out a ladder to help her get down what looks like a good 10-15 feet. She didn't seem exactly convinced it was safe. Can't really blame her, especially because she was descending while rocking thigh-high boots!<doc-sep>She and husband Jay-Z have arrived in Warsaw, Poland, on their On The Run II concert tour. But all did not go smoothly towards the end of their show on Saturday night. The elaborate flying stage that's featured as part of their performance malfunctioned leaving Beyonce stranded. No way down: Beyonce found herself wstranded after the elaborate flying stage malfunctioned at her and Jay-Z's On The Run II Tour gig in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday night Caught on tape: A fan Kuba Kuca quickly realized what was up and started videoing the conundrum facing the superstar. He then posted the video to YouTube Not sure: Stage hands brought the ladder on stage and propped it up, extending it to reach the flying stage. But despite encouragement, Beyonce initially seemed reluctant to use it As the singer, 36, stood around, with no way down to the stage proper, stage staff gathered to discuss the situation before coming up with a ladder. A fan Kuba Kuca quickly realized what was up and started videoing the conundrum facing the superstar. He then posted the video to YouTube. Stage hands brought the ladder on stage and propped it up, extending it to reach the flying stage. But despite encouragement from a stagehand, and a group of nearby fans chanting her name, Beyonce initially seemed reluctant to step onto the ladder to make her way down. After more discussions and a little bit more positioning, the Crazy In Love hitmaker finally decided to step onto the ladder Steady as she goes: She gingerly put a heeled boot on a rung. A stagehand placed a supportive hand under one of her arms Not ideal: Given her skimpy costume, it wasn't the most decorous procedure Careful: Nearby fans shouted her name in encouragement as Beyonce slowly made her way down Mission complete: Fans cheered as she made it to the bottom Kept her cool: Beyonce then walked off stage with a jaunty swagger After more discussions and a little bit more positioning, she finally took it in her stride in her high heels and tiny black bodysuit costume. Fans cheered as she made it to the bottom and then walked off stage with a jaunty swagger. The Crazy In Love hitmaker and rapper Jay-Z, 48, recently completed the UK leg of their tour before heading to continental Europe. They are traveling with quite an entourage including their three children - Blue Ivy, six, and one-year-old twins Rumi and Sir.<doc-sep>Travis Barker has revealed that he was in the throes of a prescription drug addiction before his plane crash in 2008. The crash, he said, served as his "rehab." ABC/WDTV "People are always like, 'Did you go to rehab?' " he told Men's Health. "And I [say], 'No, I was in a plane crash.' That was my rehab. Lose three of your friends and almost die? That was my wake-up call. If I wasn't in a crash, I would have probably never quit." Back in 2008, the private plane Travis was on crashed upon take off in South Carolina. His friends Chris Baker and Charles "Che" Still were killed, as were the two pilots. Travis and pal Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein escaped the engulfed plane, but Travis was burned on 65 percent of his body. He spent three months in the hospital and underwent 26 surgeries and countless skin grafts. One year after the crash, DJ AM died of an overdose. Travis, who is now dating Kourtney Kardashian, is the last remaining survivor of the crash, and he's yet to step foot on an airplane since that incident. Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock The Blink-182 drummer admits to smoking an "excessive amount of weed" before that fateful night, and says his opioid tolerance was so high that he'd come to during surgeries. Once he eventually got home, he flushed everything down the toilet. Then, he had to start his life… again. "I was told I wasn't going to run again because I had so many grafts on my feet, and there was even talk of me never playing the drums again," he said. "As soon as I could walk, I could run. As soon as I could move my hands and my hands healed, I was playing drums. And now I'm in better shape than I've ever been." The crash, he notes, didn't just take a toll on his body, but also on his mind, as he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. He went to therapy for his survivor's guilt, as well. "I was dark," he says. "I couldn't walk down the street. If I saw a plane [in the sky], I was determined it was going to crash, and I just didn't want to see it." Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock In time, he learned to deal with the events of that day. "It's gotten better the further I get away from it," he says. "The closer I was to it, it felt like I was closer to the bad stuff than I am to the good stuff. I felt closer to the experience of trying to escape, [to] being in an accident and being burned, trying to grab my friends from a burning plane. That haunted me for a long time. And as long as I was closer to that than this good stuff, I was always thinking about that. Now it's been so many years, it's getting easier for me. There are days where I'll wake up and never think about it." He even vows to one day get on an airplane again.<doc-sep>

During Sunday's Poland stop on Beyoncé and Jay-Z's "On The Run II" tour, the unthinkable happened: The Queen (and her husband,) got trapped on stage and had to be rescued via an emergency ladder. You can watch the moment play out on video captured by a fan below. At first, everything seems normal. Beyoncé and Jay sing "Young Forever," the show's closing song, standing atop a platform rising from the stage. Home videos play in the background, and it takes a bit of time to notice that while the couple finishes up their final song, the raised platform isn't returning to stage level. In short: They're stuck. But like the professionals they are, Beyoncé and Jay smiled and thanked the audience for showing up. "Please give it up for the dancers, and please give it up for the crew and everyone that puts this thing together," Beyoncé said, perhaps throwing a bit of shade in the midst of the stage malfunction. All this is happening while crew members secure a ladder that the couple then climbs down to safer grounds (seen at the 6:48 minute mark in the video below.) The video below provides a closer look at Queen Bey preparing to leave the platform. After some clear hesitation, she effortlessly climbs down the ladder while wearing stiletto boots. The floating stage had a malfunction and got stuck at the end of the show so Beyoncé had to use an emergency ladder in order to leave. #OTRII #Warsawhttps://t.co/0SZOq3BsLe pic.twitter.com/StBMX8xxN4 — BEYONCÉ LEGION (@Bey_Legion) July 1, 2018 Thankfully this malfunction occurred during the final song of their "On The Run II" set, meaning it wasn't much of a disruption. Still, that didn't stop folks from making jokes about the situation. Poland has a long history of people doing things in an unconventional manner in order to succeed. Tonight @Beyonce joins them by taking an emergency ladder to leave the stage ❤️ #beyhive #otr2 #OTRIIWarsaw #OTRII pic.twitter.com/6dUj27vo0d — Marta Poslad (@MartaPoslad) June 30, 2018 lol at that one time a bunch of polish people got together to applaud beyonce after she won a battle with a ladder — patryk 🏳️‍🌈 (@thepatrykzieba) July 1, 2018 I know Julius was shaken the FUCK up seeing Beyoncé go down that ladder in heels https://t.co/eNau8V2l4i — Rodrigo (@rodrigorefined) July 1, 2018 I’m cackling at this only Beyoncé can make climbing down a ladder sexy sjdhsjdja pic.twitter.com/c3ffID6YLm — ollie t (@olstaylor) July 1, 2018 It's only a matter of time before the BeyHive memorializes the ladder in one way or another.

Most products from the 1970's — green bean jello, lettuce molds— don't deserve a reboot. The rainbow Pride flag might be the lonely exception. Portland designer Daniel Quasar recently launched a Kickstarter for his newly designed LGBTQ Pride flag. Quasar has crafted a flag featuring multiple new colors, each representing a gender identity/sexual orientation, as well arrows, suggesting forward cultural movement. SEE ALSO: 5 ways parents can talk to kids about LGBTQ identity "When the Pride flag was recreated in the last year to include both black/brown stripes as well as the trans stripes included this year, I wanted to see if there could be more emphasis in the design of the flag to give it more meaning," Quasar explains on his Kickstarter page. The new design Image: Daniel quasar/kickstarter The traditional LGBTQ pride flag, designed in 1978 by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker, included 6 colors. Quasar decided to keep the original colors in deference to the flag's history, and add others to modernize it for 2018. The half size stripes represent trans folks (light blue, light pink and white), marginalized People of Color (brown, black) as well as those affected by AIDS (black). "The trans flag and marginalized community stripes were shifted to the Hoist of the flag and given a new arrow shape. The arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the left edge shows that progress still needs to be made," Quasar says. Not everyone is in love with the design. "The New Rainbow Flag is a Design Disaster — But a Triumph for Inclusiveness," Quartz writes. Some have accused the designer of adding too many colors in an effort to be inclusive, creating chromatic chaos and destroying the flag's simplicity. Still, the flag is a victory for those who care about representation — and us goths who prefer a more somber palette. As of Wednesday, Quasar had already passed his $14,000 fundraising goal. The designer explained he needed $12,500 for production and shipping costs, with the remainder divided between processing fees and stickers. Those who donate $10 or more will get a Pride flag, in addition to stickers and a digital pack.<doc-sep>A designer has come up with a new Pride flag that xe believes is more inclusive and progresive. Daniel Quasar is based in Portland, Oregon, US. Quasar identifies as a ‘queer non-binary demiguy’ and prefers xe/xem/xyr pronouns, reports LGBTQ Nation. Xe created the flag following earlier adaptations to the existing, six-stripe rainbow flag first created by the artist Gilbert Baker. Last year, a flag with additional black and brown stripes was created, to represent people of color. A further design including the colors of the trans flag has also been suggested. Quasar’s designs incorporates both of these. Xe is now looking to find the funds to create and ship the flags. Xe launched a crowdfunding Kickstarter campaign on Thursday. Within two days, it has raised over half of its $14,000 target. Should it hit its target in the next 13 days, Quasar will begin shipping flags out to supporters. Xe says the money is being raised because creating a custom-made flag is expensive, and a bulk order will significantly reduce costs. ‘We still have movement forward to make. There still is work to be done’ Quasar calls the flag a ‘reboot’ of the original Pride flag – with an emphasis on ‘inclusion and progression.’ ‘We still have movement forward to make. There still is work to be done. I wanted to highlight that’, xe says. ‘The trans flag and marginalized community stripes were shifted to the Hoist of the flag and given a new arrow shape. The arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the left edge shows that progress still needs to be made. ‘We need to always keep progress moving forward in all aspects of our community.’ Xe says the stripes represent the following: ‘Background: LGBTQ 6 full sized color stripes representing life (red), healing (orange), sunlight (yellow), nature (green), harmony/peace (blue), and spirit (purple/violet). ‘Hoist: 5 half sized stripes representing trans individuals (light blue, light pink, white), marginalized POC communities (brown, black), as well as those living with AIDS, those no longer living, and the stigma surrounding them (black).’ ‘I’m not trying to replace the current rainbow Pride flag’ Quasar told GSN the instant success of the crowdfunder was unexpected: ‘I really wasn’t expecting any of this when I made the design. I just like to design things and wanted to do this one night. ‘I am very surprised by what has happened and very grateful for the support I’ve gotten. People have been really amazing and I’m just happy to see it resonating with so many individuals. ‘The only thing I would say, to those saying I shouldn’t change the flag… I’m not trying to replace the current rainbow Pride flag. This is just another option to have along side the many other flags that we use to show Pride. ‘If someone feels compelled to use it, then cool. If not, then that’s cool too. I know it’s not meant for everyone, and that’s fine. Like I said, it’s meant as a supplement, not a replacement.’ What do you make of the design? Leave your comments below. See also<doc-sep>

An artist’s conception of a more inclusive rainbow pride flag is picking up steam online. Created by queer, non-binary artist Daniel Quasar, the new “progress-focussed” flag incorporates black and brown stripes, as well as elements of the transgender flag. Advertisements The artist, who prefers the pronoun xe, created the flag by incorporating other recent adaptations of the six-stripe rainbow flag first created by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker. “We still have movement forward to make. There still is work to be done. I wanted to highlight that,” Quasar explained. “The trans flag and marginalized community stripes were shifted to the Hoist of the flag and given a new arrow shape. “The arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the left edge shows that progress still needs to be made. “We need to always keep progress moving forward in all aspects of our community.” The light blue, pink, and white stripes on the left come from the transgender flag, while the brown and black stripes represent people of color “as well as those living with AIDS, those no longer living, and the stigma surrounding them,” xe wrote. A Facebook post Quasar wrote explaining the new design has been shared more than 3000 times, with much debate over whether a new rainbow flag is needed. “I am very surprised by what has happened and very grateful for the support I’ve gotten. People have been really amazing and I’m just happy to see it resonating with so many individuals,” xe said. “The only thing I would say, to those saying I shouldn’t change the flag… I’m not trying to replace the current rainbow Pride flag. “This is just another option to have alongside the many other flags that we use to show Pride.” A Kickstarter campaign the artist created to create and send out physical copies of the new flag has raised over $20,000, surpassing the original target of $14,000.

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 Fortnite season 6 release date is drawing near, with only a few days until the big Battle Royale update drops. Epic Games will release Fortnite season 6 on Thursday, bringing with it new skins, challenges and potentially updated map locations. This also means Wednesday is the last full day for Fortnite Battle Royale players to grab as much season 5 cosmetics as possible before it ends. And ahead of the Fortnite season 6 release some new skins for Battle Royale look to have been revealed.<doc-sep>FORTNITE Season 6 has finally arrived which means a plenty of map changes and skins, but more importantly, a new Battle Pass and a fresh set of challenges. This season players are working their way towards the tier-100 Dire Outfit, but what are the first week's challenges and how do you solve them? Here's all you need to know... 4 Week 1 challenges revealed Credit: Epic What are the Fortnite Season 6 Week 1 Challenges? Free Pickup a Legendary Item in different matches (3) - (5 Battle Stars) Regain health from a Cozy Campfire (15) - (5 Battle Stars) Stage 1: Seach Chests (3) - (3 Battle Stars) Battle Pass Apply Shields (500) - (5 Battle Stars) Stage 1: Land at Junk Junction (1) - (1 Battle Star) Dance under different Streetlight Spotlights (7) - (10 Battle Stars) Eliminate opponents in different Named Locations (5) - (10 Battle Stars) 4 Dance under streetlight spotlights locations revealed Credit: Epic Fortnite hidden loading screen secret Battle Star location As was the case with Season 5, anyone who completes the full list of challenges will be able to secure the first week's loading screen. The loading screen in question should be an un-progressed Calamity Skin in Paradise Palms with the hidden Battle Pass star located faintly in the background. It can be located above the tractor in the desert east of Paradise Palms but will only become available once all week 1 challenges have been completed. Once collected the game in question must be finished otherwise it won't register. 4 Fortnite's Week 1 loading screen Credit: EPIC What is Fortnite and does the video game have an age rating certificate? Fortnite is an online video game set in a dystopian world where 98 per cent of Earth's population suddenly disappears. Living conditions have become unbearable and zombie-like creatures roam the Earth in this sandbox game where players are among the remaining two per cent fighting for survival. After the apocalypse, "survivor bases" were set-up and each player is in charge of looking after these bases before trying to find a way to return Earth to normal. Fortnite, certified for those aged 12 and over, also includes a mode called Battle Royale in which 100 online players are put in a battlefield to fight until death - when just one player remains. 4 Fortnite Hidden Battle Star can be found on this part of the map Credit: EPIC How many children play Fortnite and why are their parents worried? While there is no exact figure on how many children play the game, data collected up to late January showed 45million people playing Fortnite across PC, Xbox One and PS4. Many parents are concerned about the harmful effects that the long playing duration and violent content is having on their children. A thread on forum site Reddit summed up concerns with one parent saying the game "promotes strategic thinking" but their child has started to "slam doors when he used to be pretty laid back". In a This Morning poll asking if parents were worried about the effect the game had on their children, 59 per cent voted no as opposed to 41 per cent who said yes. What is Fortnite? Fortnite: Battle Royale is a version of Fortnite, a video game released by Epic Games in July 2017 The online game is set in a post-apocalyptic world, based around a battle for survival Fortnite offers two distinct modes: player versus environment 'Save the World' and the more recent player versus player game Battle Royale The game starts with 100 players leaping out of a plane on to a small island, fighting each other until no one is left Fortnite has proved a massive hit with more than 3million kids The game is free and kids can team up with a friend, a group of friends or compete as a duo or squad Matches can last up to 20 minutes Though it's a multiplayer shooter, no graphic violence is depicted What's the latest in the world of Fortnite? ROCK ALL NITE Fortnite update leaks with NEW skins that look like The Rock and Lebron James SEE YOU IN COURT Apple has to face Epic Games in court over Fortnite ban KICKING OFF Neymar in Fortnite TOMORROW – how to unlock footie star's new skins and rewards NITE TIME Fortnite DOWN for update 16.20 – patch notes and when is game back? OVER NITE Fortnite DOWN – game goes offline for users in mystery outage EGGSELLENT Where to forage Fortnite Bouncy Eggs in Spring Breakout to unlock free pickaxe How has Fortnite turned some players into celebrities? Fortnite is one of, if not the most popular game streamed live on social media platform Twitch, according to stats from SullyGnome. Tens of thousands of viewers log on to watch superstar players like Tyler "Ninja" Blevins play, Forbes reports. Tyler is reported to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a month from his 100,000 Twitch subscribers. Darkness Rises announcement trailer unleashes the full corruption of the cube We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.<doc-sep>Fortnite: ‘Kevin’ the cube dissolves into Loot Lake 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. Fortnite season 6 is fast approaching and with only days until the release date one popular fan theory may have just been confirmed. On Friday Epic Games confirmed that Fortnite season 6 would be launching later than anticipated. Previously it was thought Fortnite season 6 would have a release date as early as Tuesday September 25. This is because an in-game countdown in Fortnite showing how much time was left until season 5 ended previously put today as the current Battle Pass end date. But this has since been changed after Fortnite makers Epic Games confirmed that season 6 release date will be Thursday September 27. The news came days after the Fortnite cube event reached its big finale last Wednesday, melting into Loot Lake. There have been many theories surrounding Fortnite season 6 and the Fortnite cube event. One popular theory was sparked after the Fortnite week 10 loading screen was leaked. Fortnite season 6 - Has Epic Games just confirmed a major Battle Royale theory? The Fortnite week 10 loading screen for season 5 shows Brite Bomber touching the purple cube. But while she looks apprehensive to be touching it, her reflection in the Fortnite cube shows something much more sinister. Brite Bomber’s reflection in the Fortnite cube shows her with an evil looking smile and her clothes changed-up. Instead of Brite Bomber sporting her typical Unicorn T-shirt the image reflected in the cube shows a dragon T-shirt. Fortnite season 6 - The first Fortnite season 6 teaser has been revealed by Epic Games This sparked theories among the Battle Royale community that Fortnite cube could cause an evil mirror universe to emerge. And maybe an alternate reality for Battle Royale has been confirmed by Epic Games today. On Monday September 24 the official Fortnite Twitter published the first ever Fortnite season 6 teaser. The teaser shows a Fortnite season 6 skin, with a metallic looking llama and a cool pair of sunglasses. Fortnite season 6 - Fans have theorised about the cube sparking an alternate reality for Fortnite Alongside the teaser the Fortnite Twitter account posted: “All great parties need a DJ. 3 days to Season 6.” The image also has a Fortnite cube-like purple tint to it and shows the lightning that caused the Fortnite cube to spawn. Miniature versions of the runes that the Fortnite cube burnt into the Battle Royale map can also be seen adorning the teaser image. All this seems to hint that the Fortnite cube event isn’t quite done and something else big will be happening with what it left behind in Loot Lake. Maybe the DJ llama is the alternative universe version of the regular Fortnite llamas? And maybe, just maybe, this Fortnite season 6 teaser is backing up the mirror universe theory. Supply llamas are a part and parcel of the Battle Royale experience, offering items and weapons to players when they break inside it. Maybe the DJ llama shown in the Fortnite season 6 teaser is the alternate universe version of that? Turning something that is cute looking and inactive into something that is instead cool and is far from passive, being the life of the ‘party’? Fortnite season 6 - More teasers are set to be revealed by Epic Games this week<doc-sep>

Fortnite: ‘Kevin’ the cube dissolves into Loot Lake Fortnite season 6 leaks are gathering pace with arguably the biggest pre-launch update dropping today. Fortnite season 6 will be out on Thursday and ahead of it the official Fortnite Twitter account has been posting teasers. Each day this week new Fortnite season 6 teasers have been revealed - one of a DJ llama, one of a bandito cowgirl and another of a new wolf skin. All of the Fortnite season 6 teasers have shown the Fortnite cube in the background and featured cube-related imagery. All three Fortnite season 6 teasers have shown the lightning that spawned the Fortnite cube and the runes it burnt into the Battle Royale map. However, there is still plenty of mystery surrounding Fortnite season 6 with fans unclear what exactly Epic Games has planned. Ahead of the Fortnite season 6 launch one huge leak has hinted at some big features coming in the next Battle Pass. As reported in a post by FortniteIntel, the PlayStation Store icon for Fortnite season 6 looks to have been leaked ahead of its launch. Fortnite season 6 - Leaked skins and a new feature look to have been revealed Front and centre of this alleged PlayStation Store icon is the bandito cowgirl that featured in the second Fortnite season 6 teaser. It also features the DJ llama seen in the first Fortnite season 6 teaser as well as a new and previously unseen Wild West skin. But the leaked Fortnite season 6 image also appears to confirm two new features. The DJ llama is seen with a pet dog riding on its back, appearing to confirm the previously leaked pets feature for Fortnite. Fortnite season 6 - The PS Store icon for Fortnite season 6 has been leaked It’s unclear how the good boy will work in Fortnite season 6 - whether it will act like back bling or be something entirely new and unique. While the new Wild West skin is seen riding on what looks like a pink, inflatable llama. This may all-but confirm a new way for players to traverse the Battle Royale map that is coming with Fortnite season 6. The latest leaks come as it was revealed that Fortnite on PS4 will finally be getting crossplay. Fortnite season 6 - The bandito cowgirl featured in the second Fortnite season 6 teaser The beta for Fortnite PS4 crossplay begins today with it hopefully getting launched in full during Fortnite season 6. Announcing the news in a blog post, PlayStation CEO John Kodera said: "Following a comprehensive evaluation process, SIE has identified a path toward supporting cross-platform features for select third party content. "We recognize that PS4 players have been eagerly awaiting an update, and we appreciate the community’s continued patience as we have navigated through this issue to find a solution. Fortnite season 6 - The first season 6 showed a DJ llama

Bhaiyyuji Maharaj, an Indore-based spiritual guru who advised heavyweight politicians and enjoyed cordial relations with senior leaders across party lines, shot himself dead today. Maharaj was at home when he shot himself in the right side of his head. He was taken to Indore's Bombay hospital, where he breathed his last. The Madhya Pradesh Congress has asked for a CBI probe into his death. Sources said there was a suicide note. This, sources say, is Maharaj's suicide note. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed grief at the news of Maharaj's demise in a Marathi tweet. : . . . . Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) June 12, 2018 Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said Maharaj "judiciously mixed spirituality with development", but never dabbled in politics. In April, Maharaj was accorded MoS status by the Madhya Pradesh government. But he didn't accept it. "A post holds no importance for a saint", the news agency IANS quoted him as saying. "All he has ought to think of is service to the people. When a post or status does not touch your mind, intellect or conscience, why think about it." READ | Bhaiyyuji Maharaj: A model, spiritual guru and political heavyweight In 2012, the then-Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh took the services of Maharaj to get Anna Hazare to call off a hunger strike over the drafting of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Just hours before his death, Bhaiyyuji Maharaj tweeted birthday greetings to Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union minister for rural development, panchayat raj and mines. My best wishes to Shri @nstomar Ji on his birthday,current Minister of #RuralDevelopment, Panchayati Raj and Mines. May God bless you with a long and prosperous life and may you continue to work towards empowering every Indian @narendramodi @ChouhanShivraj @PrakashJavdekar pic.twitter.com/y1uoiiW2XL Bhaiyyuji Maharaj (@bhaiyujimaharaj) June 12, 2018 GURU TO POLITICAL HEAVYWEIGHTS Bhaiyyuji Maharaj's real name was Udaysinh Deshmukh. He claimed to derive his spiritual lineage from Nath Sampradaya, a mystical branch said to be initiated by Lord Shiva. Deshmukh...drives zippy cars, rides horses, dabbles in martial arts, and on weekends, can be found at his 200-acre farms near Indore...He reads people's minds and body language and uses a combination of techniques to sort out problems, but doesn't charge fees and won't accept offerings. He is also married, has a daughter and even writes poetry. - Excerpt, profile from India Today magazine archives (2003) A former model, Maharaj was a consultant to heavyweight politicians like former Maharashtra chief ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde and Vilasrao Deshmukh. He used a combination of techniques - Vaastu, gemology, meditation, aura healing - to help sort out problems. Although Maharaj's main ashram was in Indore, he enjoyed a large following in parts of Maharashtra. He married Dr Ayushi Sharma in April 2017. He has a daughter from his first wife, who passed away in November 2015. VIDEO REPORT | Spiritual guru Bhaiyyuji Maharaj shoots himself dead<doc-sep>Bhaiyyuji was offered cabinet post by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in April. Bhaiyyuji was offered cabinet post by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in April. In an apparent suicide, spiritual leader Bhaiyyuji Maharaj was on Tuesday found dead with a gunshot wound in his temple at his Silver Spring Colony residence in Indore. In a short note believed to be left behind by him, Bhaiyyuji talked about stress and being fed up with life, but did not spell out a reason for the same. The 50-year-old was a former model and worked as a marketing executive before taking to preaching, a calling that gave him immense clout and a following cutting across political lines, mostly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. It was Bhaiyyuji who mediated between Anna Hazare and the UPA government during his anti-corruption fast in 2011 in Delhi and was also invited to break then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s fast the same year. Bhaiyyuji appears to have been active on Twitter minutes before he is said to have shot himself with a pistol. Also read | Politicians across party lines pay tribute to spiritual leader Bhaiyyuji Maharaj Bhaiyyuji Maharaj’s alleged suicide noteFamily members and aides have told police that about 15 minutes after noon, they heard a gunshot from Bhaiyyuji’s room. They say they tried to get into his room and the adjacent one, but he did not respond despite several knocks. When the door was broken open, he was found with a bullet wound in the temple. Police said Bhaiyyuji was rushed to Bombay Hospital in the city, where he was declared dead. Read Also: Computer Baba, among five, granted Minister of State status in Madhya Pradesh: Who are they? Indore DIG Harinarayanchari Mishra said there were half a dozen people at home, including Bhaiyyuji’s wife and mother, at the time of the incident. Mishra said a suicide note, written in English and talking of “stress”, and a pistol were recovered from the room. The note, as per police, said: “Somebody should be there to handle duties of family. I am leaving to (too) much stressed out, fed up.” Earlier the DIG told The Indian Express that family dispute was the probable reason behind the suspected suicide. Investigators have ruled out foul play. The Congress, however, demanded a high-level probe into the suicide. Party spokesman Manak Agarwal claimed that ever since Bhaiyyuji refused to accept the perks that came with a minister of state status given to him by the state government recently, people linked to the BJP had been putting pressure on him to work for the party. Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh said Bhaiyyuji’s last Facebook posts gave no indication he was stressed. Bhaiyyuji had lost his wife Madhvi, who belonged to Aurangabad in Maharashtra, in 2015. After publicly talking about taking sanyas, he had married a much younger disciple, Dr Ayushi Sharma, in April 2017, taking his followers by surprise. He had said he was marrying for the second time because he had a young daughter. Now a teenager who studies in Pune, the daughter was reportedly unhappy with his decision to remarry and there was talk about dispute over his property. Bhaiyyuji had courted another controversy when, in 2017, a Mumbai-based woman had accused him of “dumping” her. She had written a book on him after visiting him in Indore, but he had distanced himself from her. Bhaiyyuji was born ‘Uday Singh Deshmukh’ to a family with a lot of landholding, in Shujalpur, Madhya Pradesh, in 1968, and worked in a private company and modelled for clothes. Unlike other preachers, he remained married when he adopted his new role, and lived with his wife and daughter. He was known for driving expensive cars and leading a lavish lifestyle, neither of which impacted his following. The Shri Sadguru Datt Dharmik Evam Parmarthik Trust that he formed in Indore was the headquarters of his spiritual activities, and he conducted his activities from a sprawling ashram at Bapat Square in Indore. Over time he also took to development, agriculture and educational activities in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. One of the areas of his work was stopping suicides by farmers. He used to occasionally appear on religious shows of regional television channels. In April, he was among the five spiritual figures and saints to be offered MoS status by the state government. After there were allegations that two of the saints had got the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government to give that position, in lieu of dropping a yatra to expose corruption in planting of saplings along the Narmada, Bhaiyyuji had declined perks like car and house that go with the MoS status. In 2016, the spiritual leader had been miffed with the Madhya Pradesh government after he was not invited to an event held in Indore ahead of the grand Simhasta Kumbha held in Ujjain. He had said the wasteful expenditure on the event was not justified. There had also been reports of him planning to convert to Buddhism, but he had denied the same. Chief Minister Chouhan had later called on him. Soon after, Bhaiyyuji and his followers had claimed that his car was attacked by stone-pelters in Pune, where he had gone to meet his daughter, for calling expenditure on the religious function “wasteful”.<doc-sep>

Maha CM, ex-prez, Thackerays among followers of godman Self-styled spiritual leader Bhaiyyuji Maharaj dies of gunshot wounds INDORE: Spiritual guru Bhaiyyu Maharaj (50), known for the massive following he enjoyed in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and among leaders from across the political spectrum, shot himself dead at his Indore home on Tuesday.The model-turned-godman, who had played a key role in getting social activist Anna Hazare to end his 2011 agitation for Lokpal at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and who was invited in 2013 by Narendra Modi (then Gujarat CM) to Ahmedabad during his Sadbhavna fast, left behind a suicide note which read, “Somebody should be there to handle the duties of the family. I am leaving to (sic) much stressed out, fed up.”Two months ago, Bhaiyyu Maharaj had, along with four other ‘sadhus,’ been included by the BJP government in MP in a panel for conservation of the Narmada and offered minister of state status. But he refused, saying, “Posts mean nothing to sadhus.” Born Uday Sinh Deshmukh, the guru had modelled a brand of clothing before turning to spirituality.The guru counted among his followers most of Maharashtra’s top leaders, including CM Devendra Fadnavis, late Vilasrao Deshmukh, and the Thackeray family. Former president Pratibha Patil and singer Lata Mangeshkar were frequent visitors.Sources told TOI the guru’s household was expecting the arrival of Kuhu, Bhaiyyu Maharaj’s daughter from his first wife, at 12.30pm on Tuesday. At 12.15pm, the godman went to Kuhu’s study, sat on her beanbag, and then got up and shut the door. Moments later, a gunsshot was heard. “The room was locked from inside. Apart from his mother and wife (Ayushi), three servants were present in the house.They broke open the door and rushed him to hospital,” Indore DIG Harinarayanachari Mishra.Forensic experts found one bullet at the crime scene — it had apparently gone through his head. And on the desk were his last words, scrawled and signed on a spiral notepad. The DIG said: “The exact reasons for his stress are yet to be known. There was mention of property issues.”Sources close to the guru said he had been suffering from depression for some time. His first wife Madhavi passed away in November 2015, after which he married Dr Ayushi Sharma, a native of Shivpuri, on April 30, 2017.The second page of the suicide note mentioned Bhaiyyu Maharaj’s last wish of handing over responsibility of his assets and property to his close associate Vinayak, who has been working with him for decades, the DIG said.Only a few minutes before his suicide, the guru had posted a tweet on Mahashivratri. In his last message at his Indore ashram, he wrote on a blackboard: ‘Trust is everything to a person/if that is broken, there is no bigger downfall’.Bhaiyyu Maharaj was declared dead at Indore’s Bombay Hospital, where hundreds of followers gathered. Collector Nishant Warwade said the guru will be cremated on Wednesday with state honours.“Guruji’s mortal remains will be kept at his ashram in Sukhlia area for followers to pay tributes from 9am to 12pm. The final rites will be performed at 1pm at Meghdoot crematorium,” said Sharad Pawar, a trustee of Bhaiyyu Maharaj’s Shri Sadguru Datta Dharmik Evam Parmarthik Trust.

Moving air — that’s the through line across most of Dyson’s products. The vacuums, fans, hand dryers, hair driers — at their heart, they all the do the same thing. Same goes for the new Dyson Airwrap, which has figured out a way to leverage vacuum power into hair curling. Here’s how Dyson describes it, At the heart of this story comes a radical idea: harness Dyson’s digital motor to create a phenomenon known as the Coanda effect. The Coanda effect occurs when a high-speed jet of air flows across a surface and, due to differences in pressure, the air flow attaches itself to the surface. Taking advantage of this principle, Dyson’s team of aerodynamicists created a way to style hair using only air combined with heat. That’s engineering talk for a device that shoots air through a half dozen holes, wrapping hair around the cylinder. Then, like a standard curling iron, it uses heat like a standard curling iron — though this one is much less hot than cheaper models, potentially saving your hair (and skin) in the process. All of which is to say it’s not this: Dyson says it spent six years researching/testing the product, which seems to be on-par with the company’s high engineering standards. No surprise then that the Airwrap isn’t cheap. The kit starts at $500, with the “complete” version running $550 for multiple hair types.<doc-sep>“This will break the internet,” said Jen Atkin, the founder of Ouai Haircare and stylist to several Kardashians. Her excitement was not for a celebrity makeover or magazine cover but for the latest product introduction from Dyson: the Airwrap, a tool that can curl or smooth or dry hair. “My reaction was, like, this is so incredible,” she said. Ms. Atkin is a brand ambassador whose job is to whip up interest in the new product and to educate interested parties on its use. The Airwrap release follows the introduction in spring 2016 of the Supersonic, the doughnut-shaped hair dryer with a $399.99 price tag that was Dyson’s first foray into the beauty market. A Google search for Dyson Supersonic and “worth the hype” yields more than 9,000 results. So one may expect the Airwrap to be met with a similar blend of curiosity and excitement. But unlike the Supersonic, whose features are familiar to anyone who has used a standard blow dryer, the Airwrap requires a certain measure of coaching.<doc-sep>Our editors independently selected these items because we think you will enjoy them and might like them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY . Gone are the days when a glamorous blowout required a hair dryer, a round brush and a curling iron. Dyson's latest invention consolidates everything you'll need into one tool: the Airwrap styler. The company — previously best known as a reliable maker of household appliances — burst onto the beauty scene in 2016 with its impressively light and quiet Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, which has earned mixed but generally positive reviews. (And let's be real: Critics were mostly skeptical of the $400 price tag. (Note: If you're curious about it, Nordstrom Rack has one on sale right now for $250.) Now, after much anticipation, Dyson has launched another tool: a multiuse styler, which can dry your hair while it curls it. Magic? Nah, just science. Engineers at Dyson started the process by looking at how people currently curl their hair. Dyson Airwrap Styler, $499, Sephora This is also available on Ulta and Neiman Marcus. "The old-fashioned way of doing curls is to put (hair) around an iron or use a round brush where you get all tangled up," James Dyson, the British inventor and famed founder of the company, explained to TODAY Style. "Both of those methods have a problem — one tangles the hair and the other damages the hair. "We knew — or we thought — that we could make hair go around a barrel using air flow," Dyson added. "It's a thing called the Coanda effect. ... Because if you could, you could make curls by just getting air to follow around the cylinder. (The hair wraps up) and then you just pull it out, so there's none of the tangling." For people who have spent years twirling strands of hair around a piping hot curling iron, that might be a hard image to grasp. But imagine this: You hold out a section of hair with one hand and the styler in the other hand. The circulating airflow whisks your hair around the barrel — yes, all on its own — and, after holding for a few seconds, creates the curl. The best part? It's designed to work on damp hair. So that means you're able to dry and curl your hair at the same time. Yes ... it's that easy. TODAY There is heat involved, but a computer in the tool monitors the temperature 40 times per second, making sure hair doesn't reach the point where it's being damaged. "It's a problem-free way to curl the hair, which hasn't been possible in the past," Dyson said. Of course, all that technology comes at a price. The Dyson Airwrap styler, which launched Tuesday, October 9, costs $499.99 for the basic kit with a mix of the curling barrel attachments, plus brushes and a drying attachment. The drying attachment is basically a smaller version of the Supersonic hair dryer, while the brush attachments can be used to straighten or add volume to the hair, depending on what style you're trying to achieve. Or, if you just like using the round brush to create curls, that's an option, too. (The $549.99 version comes with all of the attachments.) TODAY editors, writers and experts take care to recommend items we really like and hope you’ll enjoy! Just so you know, TODAY does have affiliate relationships. So, while every product is independently selected, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the revenue. There's definitely a learning curve. After years of twirling hair around a curling iron, it's strange to let the tool do the work. Tyler Essary/TODAY Dyson said his company will continue to look for innovative solutions in the beauty industry. "It's an area that interests all of us, all of the engineers," he said. "Because they love using technology to do interesting things. And perhaps this is the one area where technology hasn't really been used. And there are lots of lovely, interesting problems — how to make hair curl is actually a very interesting engineering problem. So we love doing it from a professional engineering point of view. But also, it's really, really important to people. And it's important to people to clean their homes, so vacuum cleaners are not unimportant, but beauty is of even greater importance to people. And I understand that. "So in a way, it's more fun doing beauty products because you get a more immediate, visceral reaction — a pleasure you don't always get with vacuum cleaners." For a more affordable curling tool one editor loves, check out this gadget that curls hair in under 10 minutes. This story was originally published Oct. 9, 2018.<doc-sep>

For people with stick-straight hair, the only hope for creating envious curls is heat–and lots of it. But any heat over 300 degrees Fahrenheit can cause permanent damage to your hair. It’s the latest engineering challenge getting a solution from Dyson, which has spent the last few years broadening the array of tech it designs. The British engineering company’s new styling tool, the Dyson Airwrap, aims to combat this problem by using tightly controlled streams of air that never go above 300 degrees. Similar in form to Dyson’s Supersonic blow-dryer, the Airwrap uses a clever piece of physics called the Coanda Effect–the same phenomenon that creates aerodynamic lift in airplanes. In the Airwrap, high pressure air comes out through six tiny slots on a cylindrical barrel. The Coanda Effect causes the air to flow in a circular motion around the barrel, creating a mini vortex. When you place the device near a section of hair, the strands automatically wrap around it. The heat then causes the hair to curl. According to Dyson, the effect is that it’s far easier to style your hair at home. Without the hot metal of a curling iron near your face, you can easily avoid burns, and because the device works best when your hair is 85% dry, styling goes a lot faster. The stylist and Dyson Ambassador Larry King estimates using the Airwrap could cut down on the time he spends styling individual clients in his salon in London by about 40%. But maybe more crucially, without heat damage. The Airwrap comes with a whole set of attachments–along with the Coanda-enabled curlers, the kit also includes multiple kinds of brushes that blow your hair as you brush, aligning your individual strands to reduce frizz. There’s also a blow-dry attachment that looks like a hollowed-out oval, just like the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, so you have everything you’d need to style in one kit.

LONDON — Police officers and counterterrorism officials in Britain were investigating attacks on five mosques Thursday, including one in which a man took a sledgehammer to smash the windows of a house of worship in Birmingham, England. After the authorities received reports overnight of the sledgehammer attack in north Birmingham, a similar episode was reported nearby, according to the West Midlands Police. Officers discovered damage to two other sites and received a further report later on Thursday morning, all from places of worship within a few miles of each other and in an area with a large Muslim community. “The motive behind the attacks, which are being treated as linked, is yet to be established, but West Midlands Police and the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit are investigating,” the statement said. Birmingham is one of Britain’s largest cities and home to one of its biggest Muslim communities: More than one in five people there have declared Islam as their religion.<doc-sep>In a press conference held outside the Witton Islamic Centre, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: "What we have today is broken windows, but what people are doing who are breaking those windows are trying to break [is] our spirit, and break the cohesion that exists between all the people of the varied faiths and diverse community that we have here in the West Midlands.<doc-sep>Police are investigating another mosque attack in Birmingham after five Islamic centres were targeted across the city. Officers were called to a madarasa on Cromer Road, Balsall Heath at 6.30am on Saturday following reports of criminal damage. CCTV footage is now being examined to determine what happened to the mosque. An investigation, involving counter-terrorism officers, was launched after five mosques had their windows broken with a sledgehammer in the early hours of Thursday morning. Although officials are not linking the attack to the other five acts of vandalism in the city, investigations continue. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 May 2021 Boats are seen at Southsea Moorings in Portsmouth REUTERS UK news in pictures 25 May 2021 York Glaziers Trust employees Kieran Muir (left) and Emily Price (right) remove a stained glass window panel at the start of a new five year, £5m project to conserve York Minster’s South East Transept and its medieval St Cuthbert Window PA UK news in pictures 24 May 2021 Dark rain clouds above an oast house at Bewl Water reservoir near Lamberhurst in Kent during one of the rainiest Mays on record, with the UK seeing 131 per cent of the usual month’s rainfall already PA UK news in pictures 23 May 2021 The Premier League trophy with the Manchester City club colour ribbons on, at Etihad Stadium, prior to the last Premier League match of the season. City will finally pick up the trophy after they won the league on 11 May Getty UK news in pictures 22 May 2021 Gary Kenny lifts the Buildbase FA Vase Trophy after Warrington Rylands won the FA Vase Final against Binfield at Wembley Stadium Getty UK news in pictures 21 May 2021 A family buffeted by the wind whilst crossing the the Millennium Bridge in London, with wind and rain forecast to ravage the UK on the first Friday that people have been allowed to meet in large groups outside in England PA UK news in pictures 20 May 2021 Devon And Cornwall Police Demonstrate Their Skills For Policing The G7 Summit Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 May 2021 An employee stands before a costume for the Queen of Hearts by Bob Crowley on display at the Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London PA UK news in pictures 17 May 2021 Passengers prepare to board an easyJet flight to Faro, Portugal, at Gatwick Airport after the ban on international leisure travel for people in England was lifted following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 16 May 2021 Emergency workers at the scene of a suspected gas explosion, in which a young child was killed and two people were seriously injured, on Mallowdale Ave Heysham which caused 2 houses to collapse and badly damaged another PA UK news in pictures 15 May 2021 Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters let off smoke flares, wave flags and carry placards during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause as violence escalates in the ongoing conflict with Israel, in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 14 May 2021 Member of staffs tighten screws and paint a Marlin skeleton, before it goes on display at the Natural History Museum in London, as the museum prepares to reopen to the public on 17 May, following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 13 May 2021 A worshipper at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Mordon, south London, ahead of Eid al-Fitr. The celebration marks the end of the Muslim month of fasting, called Ramadan. PA UK news in pictures 12 May 2021 A couple have wedding photos taken in Westminster, London Getty UK news in pictures 11 May 2021 The sun rises on Coquet Island, off Amble on the Northumberland coast, where as many as 35000 seabirds cram onto this tiny island to breed PA UK news in pictures 10 May 2021 Newly elected for a second term Mayor of London Sadiq Khan during his signing in ceremony at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on London’s Southbank PA UK news in pictures 9 May 2021 People mill around St. Michael's tower on top of Glastonbury Tor as it is seen through blooming yellow rapeseed on a day of mixed weather in Glastonbury, Somerset PA UK news in pictures 8 May 2021 Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford elbow bumps newly elected MS Labour candidates Elizabeth Buffy Williams, Rhondda, left, and Sarah Murphy, Bridgend & Porthcawl Labour, right, as they meet in Porthcawl, Wales PA UK news in pictures 6 May 2021 A group of five Sisters from Carmelite Monastery in Dysart cast their vote in the Scottish Parliamentary election at Dysart Community Hall, West Port, Dysart PA UK news in pictures 5 May 2021 Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer (centre) with West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate Liam Byrne (far right) and Labour Deputy Leader, Angela Rayner (far left) during a visit to Birmingham, whilst on the election campaign trail PA UK news in pictures 4 May 2021 Artists Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey stand within 100 oak saplings which form part of a living art installation entitled Beuys' Acorns by the UK-based artist duo, outside the Tate Modern in London PA UK news in pictures 3 May 2021 Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie feeds the Gentoo penguins during a visit to Edinburgh Zoo on the campaign trail for the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary Election on May 6 PA UK news in pictures 2 May 2021 Chelsea players celebrate their fourth goal during the Women’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich, at Kingsmeadow Stadium in south west London.<doc-sep>

CCTV footage has emerged showing a man smashing the window of a Birmingham mosque during a string of “abhorrent” attacks in the wake of the Christchurch shootings. The video shows a vandal in a hoodie shattering a window at Witton Islamic Centre with an object believed to be a sledgehammer before running away from the building. The mosque was one of five in the city targeted on Wednesday night, prompting West Midlands Police to launch a terrorism investigation. The force said it was treating the attacks as linked. Suspected Islamophobic hate crimes have been reported across the UK following the massacre of 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand by a suspected white supremacist. Mosques around the world were to remain under heightened security for Friday prayers this week. Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' Show all 16 1 /16 Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562600.bin REUTERS Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562599.bin REUTERS Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562598.bin AP Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562597.bin GETTY IMAGES Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561983.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562261.bin AP Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561923.bin REUTERS Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561921.bin GETTY IMAGES Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561882.bin GETTY IMAGES Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561982.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561985.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561986.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561987.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561988.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561984.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561981.bin Getty Thousands of people including New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern gathered near the Al-Noor mosque, where most of the victims were killed in the Christchurch attack, as the country held two minutes of silence a week on from the atrocity. The Islamic call to prayer was broadcast on national television and radio. Imam Gamal Fouda, who led the prayers at Al-Noor, told worshippers: “We are broken-hearted, but we are not broken.” In London, Scotland Yard said officers had increased patrols and were working Muslim communities and faith leaders to give security advice. Metropolitan Police commander Mark McEwan said: “This approach will continue [on Friday] as well as over the week ahead with policing tailored in response to local community concerns and needs. This has specifically taken into account Friday prayers and vigils in response to the attack in New Zealand. “There continues to be no intelligence linking the appalling events in Christchurch with the UK, however we understand how some people will be feeling concerned and vulnerable.” A police officer collects forensic evidence from the broken window of a mosque in Albert Road, Birmingham (PA) London mayor Sadiq Khan, speaking after a meeting between Muslim leaders and police at the capital’s City Hall on Thursday night, said: “Mosques should always be sanctuaries, places where people feel safe to worship and practise their faith in peace.” The Muslim Council of Britain praised the increased security efforts, which spokesman Miqdaad Versi said were “very reassuring”. “We’ve seen a number of cases over the last week of actions targeting Muslims,” he added. Two people in Rochdale were charged earlier this week after allegedly racially abusing after a taxi driver while referencing the Christchurch attack. Greater Manchester Police has arrested five other people for suspected hate crimes since the shootings, including a man who called the gunman a “hero”. In Oxford, Thames Valley Police launched an investigation after swastikas and suspected references to the New Zealand massacre were spray-painted on a school. A Muslim man was attacked with a hammer by men shouting Islamophobic abuse outside an east London mosque on Friday, and a teenager in Stanwell, Surrey, was stabbed in an alleged far-right terror attack on Saturday. ✕ Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Farooq Aftab, a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, stressed the need to be alert to danger. “We have heard what’s going on in Birmingham, and we have to be on our guard and we have to be vigilant,” he said. West Midlands Police has stepped up patrols around Islamic centres as detectives investigate the mosque attacks.

Support Local Journalism. Join the Cleveland Scene Press Club Local journalism is information. Information is power. And we believe everyone deserves access to accurate independent coverage of their community and state. Our readers helped us continue this coverage in 2020, and we are so grateful for the support. Help us keep this coverage going in 2021. Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing membership pledge, your support goes to local-based reporting from our small but mighty team.<doc-sep>A Toledo news station has explained why a video of its anchors and reporters overusing teen slang exists. In a post attributed to its newsroom, CBS affiliate WTOL 11 said that the “admittedly” cringe-worthy video was goofy “by design.” The video went viral on Twitter when a user in disbelief posted the off-air message for students at Toledo Public Schools (TPS). References to slaying all day, yeeting, and staying woke open the clip, which also includes mentions of a “Gucci breakfast,” “Bye, Felicia,” “lit,” “okurrrrrrr,” and “turnt.” “Yaaaas! Toledo weather gonna be v lit during testing week,” weatherman Chris Vickers says at one point in the video. “A hundo-p chance of success.” “The intent from the very beginning was to help TPS students take the tests and to get the district the funding it needs,” Brian Lorenzen, WTOL's general manager, said. “This was one of several messages provided by area leaders and media outlets meant to show support and provide encouragement.” “It’s all about the kids and being relatable to them. We wanted to do something encouraging and fun,” said morning traffic anchor Steven Jackson. “By doing this, not only are we empowering students, but we’re strengthening our community.” “I showed this video to my middle school kiddos this morning before testing and they absolutely LOVED it!” Jessica Kuohn, a TPS teacher, told WTOL. “They were all cracking up and asked if we could watch it a second and third time before testing! If you’ve never seen a large group of kids laugh hysterically, you’re missing out on life!” Beth Fullerton, a teacher at an Arkansas high school, wrote to the station to thank them: “I personally would like to say thank you to you and the rest of the anchors at your television station for having the courage to stand up and do something that teachers have been doing for years.” The post from WTOL responding to the video on Thursday, titled “It’s time to spill the tea on WTOL’s cringe-worthy video,” makes clear why the station took on the task of motivating students. “Here is the ‘word’ when it comes to our video originally made exclusively for Toledo Public Schools students, which has since gone viral. We’ll try not to be too ‘extra’ in our language. Here’s the ‘real talk’: TPS has had two consecutive failing grades on the Ohio state report card,” the post reads. “800 TPS students were absent during the 2018 Ohio state test.” “There are fears that a third consecutive failing grade could lead to a state takeover of the district,” it continues. “That was the landscape facing Toledo Public Schools and our community as thousands of TPS students got ready for state testing this week.” In Ohio, public school systems in cities like Dayton and Columbus are also worried about state takeovers, which have taken place in Youngstown, East Cleveland, and Lorain, Ohio. A 2015 state law allows the state to appoint CEOs to run struggling school districts. The law is currently being challenged at the Ohio Supreme Court, with the Youngstown, Ohio, school board and school employees’ unions arguing it strips local leaders of authority. Bipartisan legislation has also been proposed to change the laws. Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Betsy DeVos Says She Wants to Keep Schools Safe and Equitable. Her Policies Tell a Different Story<doc-sep>Holy Toledo did WTOL spark a lot of criticism Wednesday, after a video of members of its news crew spouting youth-skewing slang went viral on social media. But the Toledo, Ohio, CBS affiliate offered an explanation for the video on Thursday, saying that the clip was “admittedly ‘cringe-worthy,'” but made for a good cause: to “encourage students to show up and be ready for” state testing that’s taking place for Toledo Public Schools students this week. The video sent “Toledo” into the trending topics on Twitter on Wednesday night, thanks to a number of eyebrow-raising lines dropped by the news-crew members. Also Read: Watch Kid Storm Live News Set to Fart on Weatherman (Video) Such as, “Good morning, TPS students, it is testing week, and it’s time to slay all day.” And, “Stay woke, be on fleek, and get that Gucci breakfast.” And, “Weather’s gonna be turnt, right, Chris?” A number of members of the Twitterati reacted as one might expect. Also Read: L.A. Weatherman Creates His Own Storm, Huffs Off Camera “My hometown of #Toledo is trending on Twitter. At first I was like ‘oh my God, was there an awful disaster or emergency? !’ Turns out, it was so much worse….,” wrote one critic of the video. “Toledo is no longer part of Ohio,” another voice chimed in. “As if Toledo doesn’t already have enough to be embarrassed about,” lamented another Twitter user. Also Read: CBS Weatherman Eats Cat Vomit on Air, Hilarity Ensues (Video) “Not a great look for Toledo,” another voice weighed in. “Yes this is real. Toledo is cancelled,” wrote another commenter. But, an article posted to WTOL’s website Thursday explained that the video, which was produced for Toledo Public Schools students and never aired on the station, was crafted in an effort to help remedy a distressing situation for Toledo Public Schools. Also Read: Local News Anchor Apologizes for 'Martin Luther C--' Mistake (Video) “TPS has had two consecutive failing grades on the Ohio state report card,” the article noted. “800 TPS students were absent during the 2018 Ohio state test.” WTOL went on to say, “There are fears that a third consecutive failing grade could lead to a state takeover of the district.” “The intent from the very beginning was to help TPS students take the tests and to get the district the funding it needs,” WTOL general manager Brian Lorenzen explained. “This was one of several messages provided by area leaders and media outlets meant to show support and provide encouragement.” Also Read: Dallas Morning News Lays Off Dozens in Company-Wide Restructuring “It’s all about the kids and being relatable to them. We wanted to do something encouraging and fun,” added WTOL Morning Traffic anchor Steven Jackson. “By doing this, not only are we empowering students, but we’re strengthening our community.” The station added that “cringy moments” aside, teachers who showed their students the video reached out to the station, including one who “told us that her students asked to watch it a second and even a third time.” Watch the video, and read some of the comments it generated, below. My hometown of #Toledo is trending on Twitter. At first I was like “oh my God, was there an awful disaster or emergency? !” Turns out, it was so much worse…. https://t.co/MCzgjPd4kx — Pamela Rae Schuller (@PamelaComedy) March 28, 2019 Toledo is no longer part of Ohio https://t.co/CIQMZcZw3E — Dillon (@dillon10canter) March 28, 2019 As if Toledo doesn’t already have enough to be embarrassed about https://t.co/cqufasT65e — Abby (@keller_2018) March 28, 2019<doc-sep>The team’s idea? A message of encouragement riddled with exaggerated teen slang that has since gone viral, prompting reactions ranging from utter shock to disdain. Amid the flurry of responses, WTOL removed the video from its Facebook page, but it was too late. Clips of the segment had been widely shared on Twitter, with one video totaling roughly 3 million views as of early Thursday. Soon after, Toledo was trending with more than 16,000 mentions.<doc-sep>

Toledo news anchors are turning into memes overnight after they were very "extra" with their on-air segment during Ohio's state testing week. WTOL-TV (Channel 11's) morning news team broke out all the slang it could Wednesday to try to speak to its younger audience and encourage them during a difficult testing week. “Good morning, TPS students, it is testing week and it’s time to slay all day,” WTOL’s Melissa Andrews says early on. “YEEEET!” co-anchor Tim Miller follows up. “Stay woke, be on fleek and get that Gucci breakfast.” “GOOAALS!” Andrews said. “Say ‘Bye, Felicia’ to that testing stress. Weather's going to be turnt." We'll say no more. Get ready to cringe on what could be the best or worst of a corny news segment. The news station dished the tea on the video made exclusively for students after it went viral online. They said more than 800 students were absent during the Ohio state test last year and fear a third consecutive failing grade could lead to a state takeover of the district. The goal was to encourage more students to show up and be ready for those tests, said Brian Lorenzen, WTOL general manager. “The intent from the very beginning was to help TPS students take the tests and to get the district the funding it needs,” Lorenzen said. “This was one of several messages provided by area leaders and media outlets meant to show support and provide encouragement.” The segment anchors said the video was admittedly cringe-worthy by design. “It’s all about the kids and being relatable to them. We wanted to do something encouraging and fun,” said Steven Jackson, WTOL morning traffic anchor. “By doing this, not only are we empowering students, but we’re strengthening our community.” For those out of the loop, here's a list of slang words mentioned and what they mean: Slay: To greatly impress. Yeet: An expression of excitement. Gucci: Good, chill, cool or awesome. Stay woke: Being aware of your surroundings and things going on, with a particular focus on social injustices. On fleek: Flawlessly styled or looking great. Goals: The object of a person's ambition or effort. Turnt: Excited or energized. Lit: When something is turned up. Okurr: A way of saying "OK" while adding sass and/or humor. Famously used by rapper Cardi B. V: Short for very. srahal@detroitnews.com Twitter: @SarahRahal_

If you’re feeling bold and want a summer full of software bugs, you can now download the iOS 12 public beta through Apple’s public beta website. From there, you’ll want to navigate to the iOS tab, download the profile, and install it. The new OS features a few intriguing features that you’ll want to try, including Memoji (for iPhone X users), a Screen Time function that will tell you how long you spend on your device, and a completely reorganized group notifications system. There’s also group FaceTime and improved phone performance. As always with the public beta, we warn you not to download it on your main device. Save it for a tester phone or iPad. If you really do want to play around on the only phone you own, make sure you back up all your data in case iOS 12 completely derails everything. The final version of the OS should be out later this fall after Apple’s annual iPhone event.<doc-sep>Apple's iOS 12 public beta is now available to everyone with a willingness to test the new software on their iPhone and iPad. Its big highlight is that it'll make your older devices faster, according to Apple. The iPhone 6 Plus, for example, is 40% faster at launching apps, 70% faster at launching the camera app, and 50% faster at displaying the keyboard. There are also a bunch of front-facing features, including Grouped Notifications, Group FaceTime, and ARKit 2 for multiplayer gaming – so much room for group activities. iOS 12 first impressions: 10 specific ways iOS 12 can change your daily life Memoji, the personalized Animoji that are supposed to look like you or 'the real you', according to Apple, are also part of today's iOS 12 public beta. They can even be used in FaceTime and Group FaceTime. There's a new Measure app and refreshes to Apple News, Stocks, Voice Memos and even CarPlay. iPads get updated to iPhone X-like gesture controls, likely making room for new 2018 iPad Pro models. Just don't expect every feature to launch with iOS 12 public beta. We're likely going to be waiting for Siri Shortcuts, which can be programmed to specific apps. Siri will understand that "Find my keys" should ring your Tile tracker, for example. We'll have to wait for this perk until a later beta update or the final version of iOS 12. Apple typically tests out new iOS public beta updates for just under three months, leading up to the final version at new iPhone launch events.<doc-sep>As we recently noted, the iOS 12 public beta has been released for those interested in trying iOS 12 before it officially launches later this fall. In other words, you don’t have to be a registered Apple developer in order to install iOS 12 prior to its public debut. The public beta process is for anyone wishing to take the software for an early test drive. In this hands-on walkthrough, we’ll guide you through the iOS 12 public beta install process step-by-step for your eligible iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Will my device work with the iOS 12 public beta? The iOS 12 public beta works with every device that was compatible with iOS 11. This includes the following devices: iPhone iPhone X iPhone 8 Plus iPhone 8 iPhone 7 iPhone 7 Plus iPhone 6s iPhone 6s Plus iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus iPhone SE iPhone 5s iPad 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation 10.5-inch iPad Pro 9.7-inch iPad Pro iPad Air 2 iPad Air iPad 6th generation iPad 5th generation iPad mini 4 iPad mini 3 iPad mini 2 iPod touch iPod touch 6th generation Backing up your device Apple recommends using iTunes to back up and archive your data for safekeeping. When you download and install iOS 12, remember that you are using in-development software, which is bound to have some bugs. That said, I’ve found iOS 12 to be fairly solid and stable for a beta, but if possible, it’s recommended that you install the iOS 12 public beta on a secondary device instead of your primary iPhone or iPad. Video walkthrough Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more iOS 12 videos How to install the iOS 12 public beta Step 1: From your eligible iOS device, use Safari to visit Apple’s public beta website. Step 2: Tap the Sign Up button. Step 3: Sign in to the Apple Beta Program with your Apple ID. Step 4: Tap the Accept button in the bottom right-hand corner of the Agreement page. Step 5: Tap the iOS tab. Step 6: Tap the enroll your iOS device link. Step 7: Tap the Download profile button. The profile area of the Settings app will now open Step 8: On the Install Profile page, tap Install in the upper right-hand corner. Step 9: Tap Install on the Consent page. Step 10: Tap the Install button at the bottom of the page. Step 11: Tap Restart to reboot your iOS device Your iOS device will reboot with the iOS 12 public beta profile installed Step 12: Once your device reboots, open Settings → General → Software Update and you should see Checking for Update. Step 13: Tap the Download and Install button. Step 14: Tap Agree in the bottom right-hand corner of the Terms and Conditions page. This will begin the download process. Step 15: Once the download is complete, tap Install Now to begin the install. Note that you will need at least 50% battery or be connected to a power source to install iOS updates. Despite the amount of steps, installing the iOS 12 public beta is a straightforward process. Most of the steps involve taps to confirm the update. In general, I find that the installation process takes around 20 minutes or so, but much will depend on the speed of your wireless network. Be sure to watch our hands-on video of 100 new features found in iOS 12 in order to become better acquainted with the new beta software running on your device. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:<doc-sep>

Photo : Justin Sullivan ( Getty Images Happy beta day! Apple has finally released iOS 12 to the non-developer masses—assuming you didn’t use a crafty trick to get your non-paying-self enrolled in the beta a few weeks ago. If you’re ready to test out Apple’s latest and greatest version of iOS, assuming the company has worked out some of the kinks that might otherwise upset your favorite apps, getting your hands on iOS 12 is easy. Again, a caveat that iOS 12, while fairly stable (at least in my experience over the past few weeks), might cause you grief with apps you love or rely on throughout the day. YMMV, as they say. Back up your device Before you begin your adventures in beta land, make sure you’ve recently backed up your device. If you do that through iCloud, odds are good that your iPad or iPhone has a pretty recent backup already—assuming your device has been on a wifi connection over the last day or so. You can also run a backup manually if you prefer. Just open up Settings, tap on your your name or face, tap on iCloud, tap on iCloud Backup (scroll down a bit), and tap on Back Up Now. Easy as pie. You can also connect your device to your desktop or laptop computer and run a manual backup through iTunes, a bit more old-school of a method, but just as solid. Go to Apple’s Beta Software Program website Ready? All you have to do to get your hands on the iOS 12 public beta is to head on over to Apple’s Beta Software Program website and tap “ sign up” or “sign in.” I recommend doing that on Safari on your iOS device. Even if you have already signed up before, pull up the website on Safari on your iOS device. That’s important, because you’ll be given a link to download a beta profile to your device once you authenticate into the site, and the entire process seems to work the best in Safari—go figure. As part of the beta profile installation process, you’ll be asked to restart your device. Do that. Photo : Apple Grabbing the iOS 12 beta from Apple Once your iPhone or iPad resets, authenticate in to your device. Make sure your device is connected to wifi (and has a pretty good connection, at that). Then, pull up the Settings app. Tap on General, and then tap on Software update. You should see an option to download and install the beta. Tap that, sit back, and let the process chug. Once it downloads and you confirm you’re ready to install it, it’ll get to work and you’ll have the brand-new (test) version of iOS 12 after a bit of time. Have fun!

“Why haven’t they let him go?” Mr. Kislakci asked. “What are they doing in the consulate? We don’t know.” He said that Turkish authorities had been informed and were following the case. An employee who answered the phone at the Istanbul consulate late Tuesday, who declined to give his name, said that the consulate was closed and that he had no information. When asked specifically whether Mr. Khashoggi had been detained in the consulate, he said, “We heard the same thing, but we don’t know.” The Saudi embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. For decades, Mr. Khashoggi was one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent journalists. As a young man, he interviewed Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and he went on to cover successive Saudi kings. He was often seen as close to the Saudi government and counted on to champion its policies and ignore its scandals and abuses. At times, he served as both an official and unofficial adviser to senior Saudi officials. But last year, as many of his friends were arrested and the already limited margins of freedom of expression inside the kingdom shrank, Mr. Khashoggi went into voluntary exile, dividing his time between the Washington, D.C., area, London and Istanbul and publishing articles that criticized the increasingly authoritarian rule of Crown Prince Mohammed. He frequently wrote op-ed columns for The Washington Post. Those articles turned him into a pariah with the Saudi government and the defenders of Crown Prince Mohammed, who accused him of receiving cash from foreign governments to tarnish the kingdom’s reputation. Mr. Khashoggi’s wife had remained in Saudi Arabia while he was no longer able to return freely. Their separation had led to a divorce, and he wanted to remarry to a Turkish woman.<doc-sep>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A journalist critical of Saudi Arabia's crown prince in columns for The Washington Post has gone missing after visiting the country's consulate in Istanbul, the newspaper said Wednesday. Jamal Khashoggi's personal website bore a banner saying "Jamal has been arrested at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul!" without elaborating. The Post described the journalist's friends as being worried "after losing contact with him" Tuesday. Saudi officials in both Washington and Riyadh did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press. However, 33-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's rise to power has seen a slew of businessmen, politicians and activists detained. "We have been unable to reach Jamal today and are very concerned about where he may be," The Post's international opinions editor, Eli Lopez, said in a statement. "It would be unfair and outrageous if he has been detained for his work as a journalist and commentator. We hope that he is safe and that we can hear from him soon." Khashoggi, 59, is a longtime journalist, foreign correspondent, editor and columnist whose work has been controversial in the past in the ultraconservative Sunni kingdom. He went into a self-imposed exile in the U.S. following the ascension of Prince Mohammed, now next in line to the throne to his father, the 82-year-old King Salman. As a contributor to the Post, Khashoggi has written extensively about Saudi Arabia, including criticizing its war in Yemen, its recent diplomatic spat with Canada and its arrest of women's rights activists following women being allowed to drive in the kingdom. A satellite news channel founded by Jamal Khashoggi in 2015 stayed on the air for less than 11 hours before being shut down. Mohammed Al-Shaikh / AFP - Getty Images file "The arrests illuminate the predicament confronting all Saudis. We are being asked to abandon any hope of political freedom, and to keep quiet about arrests and travel bans that impact not only the critics but also their families," Khashoggi wrote May 21 for the Post. "We are expected to vigorously applaud social reforms and heap praise on the crown prince while avoiding any reference to the pioneering Saudis who dared to address these issues decades ago." On Tuesday, Khashoggi entered the consulate to get paperwork he needed. His friends never heard back from him, sparking the concern. Turkish officials could not be immediately reached on Wednesday morning. The Saudi national was known for his interviews and travels with Osama bin Laden between 1987 and 1995, including in Afghanistan where he wrote about the battle against the Soviet occupation there. In the early 1990s, he also tried to persuade bin Laden to reconcile with the Saudi royal family and return home from his base in Sudan, but the al Qaeda leader refused. Khashoggi maintained ties with Saudi elite and launched a satellite news channel, Al-Arab, from Bahrain in 2015 with the backing of Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal. The channel stayed on the air for less than 11 hours before being shut down. Its billionaire backer later found himself arrested in the Ritz-Carlton roundup overseen by Prince Mohammed last year. "Presently, Saudi citizens no longer understand the rationale behind the relentless wave of arrests," Khashoggi wrote in an Aug. 7 column. "These arbitrary arrests are forcing many into silence, and a few others have even quietly left the country." He offered this advice to the kingdom: "There is a better way for the kingdom to avoid Western criticism: Simply free human rights activists, and stop the unnecessary arrests that have diminished the Saudi image."<doc-sep>ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Turkish and Saudi authorities gave conflicting accounts on Wednesday about the whereabouts of Saudi commentator Jamal Khashoggi, who moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his views and has not been seen nearly 30 hours after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi’s Turkish fiancée as well as a close friend contacted by Reuters said he had disappeared after entering the diplomatic mission on Tuesday to secure documentation of his divorce so that he could remarry. The fiancée, who asked not to be named, said she had waited outside the consulate from 1 p.m local time (1000 GMT) and called the police when he had not reappeared. Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Khashoggi was still in the consulate and the government was monitoring the situation. “Our relevant authorities are in contact and engaged in negotiations with their (Saudi) counterparts. I hope this issue will be resolved with ease,” he told reporters. Saudi Arabia’s Consulate General in Istanbul said in a statement that Khashoggi had left the consulate building, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported. It said the consulate was working with Turkish authorities “to uncover the circumstances” of his disappearance. A Saudi official also denied that Khashoggi was in the consulate. “Mr. Khashoggi visited the consulate to request paperwork related to his marital status and exited shortly thereafter,” the official said. “He is not in the consulate nor in Saudi custody.” His fiancée, who returned to the consulate on Wednesday after waiting for 12 hours the day before, repudiated that claim. Slideshow ( 6 images ) “If this was true, where is he? Where is he? If he went home, no, I went to the house and didn’t find him. Where is Jamal?” she told Reuters. Turkey has had strained relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states since June 2017, when Ankara stood by Qatar in a regional row. Arab states cut trade and diplomatic ties with Qatar over alleged links to terrorism, which Doha denies. Turkey has also worked with Iran, Saudi Arabia’s arch-rival in the Middle East, to try to reduce fighting in northern Syria, and Iranian and Turkish military chiefs exchanged visits last year. The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that it was monitoring and seeking information on Khashoggi’s disappearance. “We are closely following reports of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance and continue to seek information,” a State Department official said. FAMILIAR FACE Khashoggi, a familiar face on political talk shows on Arab satellite television networks for years, has lived in self-exile in Washington, D.C., for more than a year after he said the authorities had instructed him to stop tweeting. As a journalist, he interviewed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden several times in Afghanistan and Sudan, and served twice as editor of Al Watan newspaper. Slideshow ( 6 images ) He advised Prince Turki al-Faisal, former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to the United States and Britain, and has also been close to billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Over the past year, Khashoggi has written regular columns in the Washington Post criticizing Saudi Arabia’s policies toward Qatar and Canada, the war in Yemen, and a crackdown on dissent and the media and activists which has seen dozens of activists, intellectuals and clerics detained. “I have left my home, my family and my job, and I am raising my voice,” he wrote in September 2017. “To do otherwise would betray those who languish in prison. I can speak when so many cannot.” Ali Shihabi, head of the Arabia Foundation in Washington which regularly supports Saudi policy, expressed concern on Twitter about the reports. “Jamal and I have not seen eye to eye on many issues but having him go missing like this is awful,” he said. Mohamad Soltan, an Egyptian-American activist who sees Khashoggi regularly in Washington, told Reuters that Khashoggi was in the United States on an O-visa, a temporary residency visa awarded to foreigners “who possess extraordinary ability” in the sciences, arts, education, and other fields and are recognized internationally, and had applied for permanent residency status. All public protests are banned in Saudi Arabia, as are political parties. Labor unions are illegal, the media are controlled and criticism of the royal family can lead to prison. Dozens of activists, clerics and intellectuals have been arrested in the past year in a crackdown on potential opponents of the kingdom’s absolute rulers. Among them was economist Essam al-Zamil, a friend of Khashoggi’s, who was charged this week with joining a terrorist organization, meeting with foreign diplomats and inciting protests. Scores of businessmen were detained last November in Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel in a separate campaign against corruption, unnerving some foreign investors. Most were released after reaching financial settlements with the authorities.<doc-sep>

A Saudi journalist known as one of the country’s most outspoken critics has gone missing after visiting its consulate in Istanbul, raising fears about his safety. Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi commentator who writes a regular column for the Washington Post, entered the Saudi Arabian diplomatic mission in the Turkish city after midday on Tuesday for a visit relating to filing a divorce before he can remarry. His Turkish fiancee, who waited outside for him for 12 hours on Tuesday, said he had failed to come out and called the police. “I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know if he’s inside or if they took him somewhere else,” she told Reuters by telephone from outside the Saudi mission in Istanbul, where she was waiting for a second day. A spokesperson for the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on Wednesday said the journalist remained inside the Saudi consulate. Ankara was monitoring the case and had raised the issue with their Saudi Arabian counterparts, the spokesman said, expressing hope that the issue would be resolved. A statement from the consulate to the Saudi state news agency said it was carrying out follow-up investigations and coordination with the Turkish authorities to disclose the circumstances of Khashoggi’s reported disappearance. With more than 1.6 million followers on Twitter, Khashoggi is a prolific commentator in print and on television. He was famous for interviewing Osama bin Laden several times and also served as a media aide under Prince Turki al-Faisal, when the latter was director general of the Saudi intelligence agency. He left Saudi Arabia more than a year ago to live in self-imposed exile in the US, where he spoke out against the new leadership of the de facto ruler, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. In one of his articles published last year, he said he had left the country to raise his voice. “To do otherwise would betray those who languish in prison. I can speak when so many cannot,” he wrote. The veteran journalist had previously expressed concerns about his safety. Khashoggi told the Wall Street Journal after leaving Saudi Arabia: “It was becoming so suffocating back at home that I was beginning to fear for myself.” Saudi authorities detained scores of businessmen – including members of the royal family – in the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh, in what was billed as a campaign against corruption. Among those held in detention was prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owned al-Arab news channel, an Arabic-language service run by Khashoggi. Alwaleed had been critical of King Salman’s moves to empower his son, the crown prince. The Washington Post’s opinions editor, Eli Lopez, said in a statement that the newspaper had been unable to reach Khashoggi and was concerned about his whereabouts. “We are monitoring the situation closely, trying to gather more information. It would be unfair and outrageous if he has been detained for his work as a journalist and commentator,” Lopez said. Jason Rezaian, a commentator for the Washington Post whose imprisonment in Iran drew international attention, wrote in support of his fellow columnist Khashoggi. “Over the past year, Saudi authorities – led by crown prince Mohammed bin Salman – have claimed to be undertaking a process of reform. “Troubling developments from the community of activists inside the country, however, tell a vastly different story. “Those pushing for change – whether they are women’s rights activists, journalists or ethnic minorities – report being systematically harassed by the authorities.” A US state department spokesperson said they had seen the reports from Istanbul and were “seeking more information at this time”.

Out of 4,000 cities and towns in India, where about 300 cities have a population over 1,00,000 and seven cities have a population of more than 3 million, only 3 cities of Maharashtra – Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai – are the most livable places in the country. Pune ranked first, Navi Mumbai second and New Delhi 65 in Ease of Living Index launched by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 13, 2018 The latest ranking of 111 cities on the Ease of Living Index released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Monday claims that only said cities are most preferred, most livable and provide for most comfortable options to the people. If it has to come to that one state that offers it all then it has to be Maharashtra because four cities from this state made it to the top 10 list. The National Captial New Delhi was ranked a lowly 65 on the index. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which have a number of big cities, found no representation in the top 10 and this comes as no surprise after a series of attacks, acts of horror, violence against women and kids was at an all-time high in the said cities. What surprises most people is that Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh made it to the top 10 list. MP's capital Bhopal was ranked 10th, while Raipur was placed at the 7th spot. Indore, which is also India's cleanest city was ranked 8th on the list. The Ease of Living Index is an initiative by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to draft a list of cities and asses them on the basis of liveability vis-a-vis global and national benchmarks. The motive is to encourage cities across the country to indulge in healthy competition and reach the top. The cities are ranked on four factors - institutions and governance, social infrastructure (education/health), economic factors and physical infrastructure.<doc-sep>Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai from Maharashtra were ranked today India’s three most livable places on the government’s inaugural ‘Ease of Living Index’, where the national capital came at 65th place out of total 111 cities. Capital Delhi was ranked 65th on livability index among 111 major cities in the country, while it came last in the health category. The ‘Ease of Living Index’, the first-ever exercise undertaken by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, ranked the country’s major cities on the basis of four parameters -- governance, social, economic and physical infrastructure. Releasing the index, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the assessment was first of its kind globally in terms of scale and coverage, and the ranking marks a shift to a data-driven approach to urban planning and management and promotes healthy competition among cities.<doc-sep>NEW DELHI: Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai are the most livable cities, according to the ranking of 111 major cities on livability index released by the urban affairs ministry . While three cities from Maharashtra have made it to the top 10 list, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which have high number of big cities, could not make it to the first 10.The capital cities of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have found place in the top 10. Rampur in Uttar Pradesh is at the bottom of the list.This is the first-ever exercise undertaken by the government to rank cities on their "ease of living" parameters. Though initially there was plan to cover 116 cities, both 100 smart cities and those with more than one million population. Four cities - Howrah, New Town Kolkata and Durgapur - did not participate in the survey. Moreover, Naya Raipur and Amaravati did not fit into the parameters as these are Greenfield cities.The ease of living framework covered four areas - institutional, social, economic and physical, which were broken down into 15 categories and 78 indicators. Evaluation of cities was done on a 100-point scale across 78 indicators. While institutional and social parameters carried 25 points each, a maximum of 45 points were allocated for the physical parameters and the rest five for economic parameters.<doc-sep>

Pune ranks first in the Ease of Living Index launched by Housing and Urban Affairs. (File) Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai from Maharashtra were ranked India's three most livable places on the government's inaugural 'Ease of Living Index', where the national capital came at 65th place out of total 111 cities. Rampur in Uttar Pradesh figured at the bottom of the livability index released by the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. Chennai has been ranked 14th, while Kolkata did not participate in the survey. Kohima (Nagaland) and Patna (Bihar) were also placed in the bottom-three. In the top-ten, the three cities from Maharashtra were followed by Tirupati, Chandigarh, Thane, Raipur, Indore, Vijayawada and Bhopal. Varanasi is at 33rd place, Ahmedabad at 23rd and Hyderabad at 27th. This is the first-ever exercise undertaken by the ministry to rank the country's major cities on the basis of four parameters of ease of living - governance, social, economic and physical infrastructure. The ministry said evaluation of cities has been done on a 100-point scale across 78 indicators - institutional and social pillars carried 25 points each, 5 points were given for economic pillar and 45 points for the physical pillar. Releasing the index, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said this assessment is first of its kind globally in terms of scale and coverage and the ranking marks a shift to a data-driven approach to urban planning and management and promotes healthy competition among cities. No city from Uttar Pradesh or Tamil Nadu figured in the top-ten. While Rampur is ranked the lowest, those in the bottom-ten also include Kohima, Patna, Bihar Sharif, Bhagalpur, Itanagar, Pasighat, Kavaratti, Saharanpur and Silvassa. Srinagar is ranked 100th, Jammu at 95th, Panaji 90th, Aligarh 86th, Gurugram at 88th and Meerut is 101st. Ghaziabad is ranked 46th and Rai Bareli is at 49th. After the ten most livable cities, Karim Nagar (Telangana) has been ranked 11th, followed by Tiruchirappalli, Bilaspur, Channai, Jabalpur, Amravati, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Surat, Vasai-Virar city, Nashik, Solarpur, Ahmedabad, Ujjain, Coimbatore, Erode, Hyderabad, Madurai, Tiruppur, Jainpur, Nagpur and Gwalior among others.

WASHINGTON — The Air Force secretary, Heather A. Wilson, said on Friday that she would resign after two years of reining in Trump administration plans for a widely criticized Space Force and overseeing a branch of the military that is involved in lengthy air campaigns over Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Ms. Wilson, one of the highest-ranking women at the Pentagon, had been considered a potential successor to Jim Mattis, who stepped down as defense secretary in December. Instead, she announced in a resignation letter that she would become president at the University of Texas at El Paso, after a vote by the university’s Board of Regents. She plans to remain at the helm of the Air Force until May 31, allowing time for a “smooth transition,” she wrote in the resignation letter, which was first reported by Reuters. “American higher education needs strong leaders to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” she wrote. “It has been a privilege to serve alongside our airmen over the last two years and I am proud of the progress we have made restoring our nation’s defense.”<doc-sep>Officials say Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has resigned. Wilson was confirmed by the Senate in May 2017, making her President Donald Trump’s first service secretary. No reason for Wilson’s sudden departure was immediately provided, and the Air Force had not officially announced the move. One official said Wilson was taking a position at the University of Texas at El Paso. The officials who confirmed that Wilson had submitted her resignation spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly because it had not been announced.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, who was considered a top candidate to become the next secretary of defense, said on Friday she has decided to resign and return to academia, leaving another vacant post at the top level of the Pentagon. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Nominee Heather Wilson testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee, as a part of the confirmation process in Washington, DC, U.S. on March 30, 2017. Scott M. Ash/Courtesy U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS Wilson confirmed the news, first reported by Reuters, in a tweet here, saying she had informed President Donald Trump of her plans to become president of the University of Texas at El Paso. She plans to step down on May 31. The resignation leaves another senior Pentagon job open and follows the December departure of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who quit over policy differences with Trump and who had hand-picked Wilson for the post. Like Mattis, Wilson was a staunch advocate of alliances like NATO and firmly supported Mattis’ push to refocus the U.S. military on higher-end competition with China and Russia after more than a decade-and-a-half of counterinsurgency campaigns. “It has been a privilege to serve alongside our Airmen over the past two years and I am proud of the progress that we have made in restoring our nation’s defenses,” Wilson, 58, said in her resignation letter to Trump. Trump congratulated Wilson and, in a tweet, thanked her for her service. here A former Republican lawmaker who was close to Trump’s vice president, Mike Pence, Wilson would have been the first woman to take the Pentagon’s top job, if she had been nominated. By all accounts, her nomination would have had strong support in Congress. Mattis’ deputy, Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, is now performing the role in an acting capacity in what is widely seen as an audition for the position. Wilson’s resignation could add to speculation that Shanahan may remain in the post of defense secretary. Other top Pentagon positions, including the deputy defense secretary, are either being filled provisionally or are vacant. “Everyone she has talked to wants her to stay, but she thinks the time is right to take on this new challenge,” a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official added Wilson was not resigning under pressure and had not been asked to step down. Wilson informed Pence of her decision earlier in the week and Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein on Thursday, the official said. The University of Texas Board of Regents still has to approve Wilson’s selection to head its El Paso campus, but she is the sole finalist. SPACE FORCE It is unclear who might succeed Wilson and inherit steep challenges facing the Air Force, which include the creation of Trump’s “Space Force,” a new branch of military service that will carve out some responsibilities current done by the Air Force. The Air Force is also reeling from a fresh scandal involving sexual assault. Wilson was the first Air Force Academy graduate to ever take the highest position in her service, and counted a robust resume that included a decade as a Republican lawmaker in Congress. She also served on the National Security Council staff during the George H. W. Bush administration, and as president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. After joining the Pentagon, Wilson visited Iraq and Afghanistan and came away concerned about the wear and tear on an Air Force that she thought was too small, especially as the Pentagon shifted its focus to competition with Russia and China. Last fall, she predicted the Air Force would need to grow sharply over the next decade or so, boosting the number of operational squadrons by nearly a quarter to stay ahead of Moscow and Beijing. She told reporters at the time that the preliminary analysis drew partly from classified intelligence about possible future threats, showing that Air Force, at its current size, would be unable to preserve the United States’ edge. Wilson estimated the Air Force would need about more 40,000 personnel as part of the plan to have a total of 386 operational squadrons, compared with 312 today. The U.S. Air Force had 401 squadrons in 1987, at the peak of the Cold War.<doc-sep>

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson announced her resignation on Friday. Wilson said will be leaving in May to become president of the University of Texas at El Paso. "It has been a privilege to serve alongside our Airmen over the past two years and I am proud of the progress that we have made restoring our nation's defense," she wrote in her resignation letter. She became President Donald Trump's first service secretary after being confirmed by the Senate in May 2017. Trump responded to her announcement on Twitter, writing, "Heather has done an absolutely fantastic job as Secretary of the Air Force, and I know she will be equally great in the very important world of higher education." Congratulations to Heather Wilson, who is the sole finalist to become the next President of University of Texas at El Paso effective September 1, 2019. Heather has done an absolutely fantastic job... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2019 Wilson, 58, said that during her tenure at the Air Force, they have "improved the readiness of the force" as well as strengthening their ability to "deter and dominate in space." Before becoming the 24th secretary of the Air Force, Wilson was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for more than a decade, representing New Mexico as a Republican. She also served on the National Security Council staff as director for defense policy and arms control under President George H.W. Bush. She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1982 as a part of the third class to include women.

In-form Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic reportedly emerges as a possible transfer target for West London rivals Chelsea. Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has reportedly emerged as a target for West London rivals Chelsea. Mitrovic has scored four goals in his opening five Premier League games for the newly-promoted Cottagers following his £22m summer arrival from Newcastle United. No player in England's top two tiers has scored more goals than Mitrovic since he made his debut for Fulham while initially on loan in February, and that form has allegedly drawn the attention of Chelsea. The Mirror reports that Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has earmarked the 23-year-old as a potential transfer target due to lingering uncertainties about Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud. The Blues could face competition for his signature from a couple of unnamed Italian clubs, however. Only Eden Hazard has scored more goals than Mitrovic in the Premier League so far this season.<doc-sep>New Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri (Picture: Getty) Chelsea have expressed interest in signing Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic after the Serb’s impressive start to the new season, reports say. Following his £22million move to Craven Cottage from Newcastle United in the summer, Mitrovic has scored four goals in four games for Fulham. The 23-year-old also scored a brace for his country against Romania during the recent international break. The Daily Mirror say Mitrovic’s form has caught the attention of a number of clubs, with Chelsea now eyeing a move for the striker ahead of the January transfer window. Chelsea have made a superb start to the season – winning their first five games to sit top of the Premier League – but it is claimed Maurizio Sarri has doubts over Alvaro Morata. Morata joined the Blues from Real Madrid last summer but endured a frustrating debut season in England and was dropped for Olivier Giroud on Saturday. Aleksandar Mitrovic has impressed for Fulham this season (Picture: Getty) Mitrovic initially joined Fulham on loan last winter but secured a permanent move to west London after scoring 12 goals in 15 games to help the club gain promotion to the top-flight. Eden Hazard, meanwhile, netted a superb hat-trick to help Chelsea thrash Cardiff City 4-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and maintain their 100% start to the 2018-19 campaign. Speaking after the win, Hazard described France international Giroud as the world’s best target man. Sarri reportedly has doubts over Alvaro Morata (Picture: Getty) ‘He’s a target man, maybe the best in the world I think,’ said Hazard. ‘When he gets the ball he can hold the ball and we can go with him in deep. So for us he is a pleasure to play with. ‘When Alvaro is playing it is completely different he is a different type of player both are quality so we are happy to have good strikers.’ On his team’s impressive victory over Neil Warnock’s Cardiff, Sarri added: ‘The game was very tough. ‘We know especially after the break it’s hard to play a good game because we are all a bit tired but we got an important three points today. ‘After only five games we are doing good, we are confident, so we will see [about a title challenge].’ MORE : Jose Mourinho lines up incredible transfer move for Arsenal star Mesut Ozil<doc-sep>Chelsea are eyeing up a swoop for Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in the January transfer window. According to The Mirror, Chelsea are considering a move for Mitrovic in the next window as they look to strengthen their attacking options. Mitrovic joined Fulham in the summer from Newcastle for a fee believed to be in the region of £22m. This came after he spent the second half of last season on loan to Fulham in the Championship. The striker scored 12 times in 15 Championship appearances as he helped the side to earn promotion to the Premier League. Since their promotion, Mitrovic has scored four top-flight goals in five games and has heavily impressed. Chelsea have seen his form for Fulham over the course of 2018 and are considering an offer. The report also claims that some teams in Serie A are tracking Mitrovic ahead of possible moves for the Serbian international.<doc-sep>Follow Tuchel's Blues. Get our daily Chelsea newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Chelsea are amongst a number of clubs who have been impressed by Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic’s explosive start to the season. The Serb who was sold by Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez in the summer for £22 million has rattled in the goals since arriving at Craven Cottage – and sent his value rocketing. Initially signed on loan last January he struck 12 goals in 15 games helping Fulham gain promotion to the Premier League. And so far he has adapted well to life at a higher level with six goals in five appearance for club and country. (needs to be updated after game at Man City). That has alerted neighbours Chelsea and a couple of Italian sides all believing that the 23-year-old combative striker can add some spark and fire to their forward lines. New Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is uncertain about £60 million Alvaro Morata while Olivier Giroud turns 32 at the end of the month. (Image: Getty Images Europe) (Image: Getty Images Europe) It’s why Mitrovic has become a future option although his asking price will have soared in a short time and manager Slavisa Jokanovic will be anxious to hold onto him. But it won’t stop Chelsea continuing to monitor the 23-year-old who although a crowd favourite on Tyneside never won Benitez over. His appearances were restricted and in the summer the Spaniard gave the go ahead for the Serb international to be sold. Benitez insists: “He is doing well but it does not change my decision. Each player has his own environment and can do well in one team and not as well in another.”<doc-sep>

Chelsea are reportedly keen on Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. According to The Mirror, Chelsea are interested in Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, less than two months since leaving Newcastle United. Mitrovic, 24, struggled to live up to his billing with the Magpies and clearly wasn’t fancied by Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez, as despite his side lacking goals, Mitrovic was sent out on loan to Fulham for the second half of last season. The tempestuous striker thrived under fellow Serbian Slavisa Jokanovic, hitting 12 goals in 20 games to help the Cottagers win promotion to the Premier League – and they landed a permanent deal at the end of July. Thomas Tuchel's 7 Best Signings of All Time Questions were asked over Mitrovic’s suitability for the Premier League after his Newcastle struggles, but he has responded with four goals in five Premier League outings for Fulham, starring again under Jokanovic. Now, The Mirror report that Mitrovic is attracting interest already, with Fulham’s West London rivals Chelsea believed to be keen, as well as a host of Italian clubs. Blues boss Maurizio Sarri is understood to be unconvinced by Alvaro Morata, whilst with Olivier Giroud the wrong side of 30, Mitrovic could be emerging as physical young option in attack. A big move to a Champions League-chasing Premier League club in Chelsea would put the magnifying glass on Benitez’s decision to let him leave Newcastle, with some Magpies fans already feeling that he made a mistake in letting him go anyway. In other news, 'Does he know something': Some West Ham fans react to Antonio's Twitter message

A Florida child has been arrested and charged after refusing to stand for the US Pledge of Allegiance. Local media reported the 11-year-old not only refused to stand, but also told his teacher the US flag "is racist and the national anthem is offensive to black people". The substitute teacher told the boy to leave the class at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland, reported Bay News 9. She then called law enforcement when he wouldn't obey. The sixth-grader was arrested and taken to a juvenile detention centre, and has been charged with disrupting a school function and resisting arrest without violence, and suspended from school for three days. The teacher reportedly claimed the boy threatened to get her fired, which he denied. "I'm upset, I'm angry, I'm hurt," the boy's mother Dhakira Talbot told Bay News 9. "My son has never been through anything like this. I feel like this should've been handled differently. If any disciplinary action should've been taken, it should've been with the school. He shouldn't have been arrested." The 11-year-old reportedly never stands for the Pledge of Allegiance, in which US citizens "pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all". The schools told media students aren't actually required to stand for the pledge, but the substitute teacher wasn't aware of this. Ms Talbot said the teacher was "way out of place". The department which looks after schools in the county said the teacher won't be hired for any more substitute jobs. Refusal to stand for patriotic songs and events has become an increasingly common form of protest in the US in recent years, a trend arguably started by former NFL star Colin Kaepernick. Newshub.<doc-sep>An 11-year-old boy was arrested at his Lakeland middle school for allegedly being disruptive after he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance because the U.S. flag and national anthem are "racist." Bay News 9 reports that the confrontation began on Feb. 4 when a substitute teacher named Ana Alvarez asked a class at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy to stand for the pledge.The sixth-grade student refused to stand, telling the substitute that "the flag was racist and the national anthem was offensive to black people." It's a pretty logical conclusion to make when you consider that Francis Scott Key owned enslaved black people when he wrote that America was "the land of the free" for the "The Star-Spangled Banner. "His mother, Dhakira Talbot, told WTSP 10 that her son normally doesn't stand for the pledge, and the school reportedly doesn't require students to participate. Forcing public school children to salute the flag or say the pledge has been unconstitutional since 1943, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled inthat it's a clear violation of free speech rights.The substitute teacher then said she told the boy, "Why if it was so bad here he did not go to another place to live," to which he responded, "They brought me here," according to Bay News 9. "Well you can always go back," Alvarez reportedly told the student. "I came here from Cuba, and the day I feel I'm not welcome here anymore I would find another place to live. "Talbot says the substitute teacher also told her son to go back to his homeland in Africa, according to WTSP 10 The substitute then said she called the office because she refused to deal with the student. The child cried and didn't want to leave with a school resource officer and dean, so he was arrested, taken to juvenile detention, and charged with two misdemeanors for allegedly disrupting a school function and resisting arrest without violence, Bay News 9 reports.A Polk County Public Schools spokesperson told The Ledger that the student was arrested for being "disruptive and refusing to follow repeated instructions," not because he refused to recite the pledge. The school also suspended him for three days.School officials also accused the 11-year-old of screaming he would "beat the teacher" and get school leaders fired, though the boy told Bay News 9 that he didn't threaten Alvarez.reports Alvarez will "no longer serve as a substitute" in the school district, and that PCPS plans to review how substitute teachers are trained with the outside agency that provides them, Kelly Services "I'm upset," Talbot told Bay News 9 . "I'm angry. I'm hurt … If any disciplinary action should've been taken, it should've been with the school. He shouldn’t have been arrested. "The ACLU of Florida called the boy's arrest "outrageous. ""Students do not lose their First Amendment rights when they enter the schoolhouse gates," the organization wrote on Twitter . "This is a prime example of the over-policing of black students in school."<doc-sep>An 11-year-old boy in Florida was arrested after he refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in class and allegedly refused to listen to orders from school officials and a resource officer. According to Bay News 9, the boy got into an argument with his substitute teacher earlier this month at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland, Florida, after he refused to stand with his classmates for the pledge. After the boy told his substitute teacher that the American flag is racist, she asked him, according to her report to the school, “Why if it was so bad here, he did not go to another place to live.” The boy reportedly responded, “They brought me here.” The teacher then said, “Well, you can always go back, because I came here from Cuba, and the day I feel I’m not welcome here anymore, I would find another place to live.” The teacher said she then called the office because she “did not want to continue dealing with him.” The school resource officer eventually arrested the boy. The arrest affidavit claims the boy was disruptive, didn’t follow commands, called school staff racist, and threatened to get the school resource officer and principal fired and to beat the teacher, according to Bay News 9. The boy told the news station that he did not threaten the teacher with violence. The student was taken to a juvenile detention center and charged with disrupting a school function and resisting arrest without violence. He was also suspended for three days. A school spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle that students aren’t required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in class, but the substitute teacher “was not aware of this” and that the teacher “will no longer be allowed to substitute at any of our schools.” Dhakira Talbot, the boy’s mother, said she was disappointed with how the situation was handled — and that her son should not have been arrested. “My son has never been through anything like this,” she said. “I feel like this should’ve been handled differently. If any disciplinary action should’ve been taken, it should’ve been with the school. He shouldn’t have been arrested.” To Talbot’s point, the situation is emblematic of what criminal justice reform advocates have called the “school-to-prison pipeline.” Discipline that in the past would have likely involved just a school, the student, and the student’s parents increasingly also involves law enforcement — leading to consequences not just within the school but with the criminal justice system as well. This can lead to lasting damage, not just through a juvenile or criminal record but by also taking students out of school (which can heighten the risk of criminal activity). In this case, the student was charged with what amounts to disrupting a class. Maybe the kid was out of line. But should he have been arrested and charged for being disruptive, or would school discipline — maybe even just detention or a reprimand — have been enough (if discipline was really necessary)? For critics of the school-to-prison pipeline, it’s the increasing reliance on the criminal justice system that’s troubling. They claim the growing use of law enforcement in these situations causes far more harm than good. There’s evidence of a growing, racially disparate school-to-prison pipeline Over the past few decades, as lawmakers passed “tough on crime” policies, that mentality has trickled down to schools across the nation. As a result, schools began to outsource more and more discipline to law enforcement. School disturbance laws like Florida’s, which more than 20 states have, reflect that: Whereas a teacher would have had to find a way to deal with a disturbance on her own before, she can now call on police or the criminal justice system to do the job. The result has been a school-to-prison pipeline that acts as many kids’ first exposure to the criminal justice system — and it can lead to more interactions with the justice system later on, because the lost school time and bad marks on kids’ records can make it much more difficult to get ahead. According to some research, just having a police officer on school grounds can lead to higher exposure to the criminal justice system and punitive policies. A report from the Justice Policy Institute found schools with school resource officers have nearly five times the rate of arrests for disorderly conduct as schools without officers, even though the prevalence of law enforcement in schools has little relationship to reported crime rates. Exposure to the school-to-prison pipeline is also unequal by race and income. A study published in Sociology of Education of more than 60,000 schools found that schools with relatively larger minority and poor populations are more likely to implement criminalized disciplinary policies — such as suspensions, expulsions, police referrals, and arrests — and less likely to treat students by, say, connecting them to psychological or behavioral care. Federal investigations and reports have similarly found that black students are punished more harshly than white students in schools, even when black and white students engage in identical or similar behavior. The result is a pipeline that not only shuffles more students from school to prison but affects black students in particular. Watch: the school-to-prison-pipeline, explained<doc-sep>

Image : iStock An 11-year-old boy was arrested at school for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, in addition to being disruptive and refusing to leave his classroom . See what had happened was... Yahoo Lifestyle has the scoop:  On February 4th, the 11-year-old student at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland, Fla., was asked, along with his classmates, to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, according to Bay News 9. Instead, the boy told his substitute teacher that the American flag is racist against black people. The teacher recapped everything in a handwritten statement to the district. “Why if it was so bad here he did not go to another place to live,” she reportedly told him, and the boy responded, “They brought me here.” She said, “Well you can always go back, because I came here from Cuba and the day I feel I’m not welcome here anymore I would find another place to live.” She added, “Then I had to call the office because I did not want to continue dealing with him.” Shoutout to his substitute teacher for handling that situation completely wrong. Because i f you want to dip, more power to you. B ut never tell a black person—whose ancestors built “the best country in the world” for free.99—to “go back” as a consequence for addressing equitable treatment. That’s not how this shit works.  The Lakeland Police Department tells Yahoo Lifestyle it cannot release public records on a juvenile misdemeanor arrest. Bay News 9 reports the boy was apprehended by a school resource officer because he wouldn’t follow directions, threatened the teacher with violence, and said the officer and the principal should be fired. “I’m upset, I’m angry. I’m hurt. More so for my son,” mom Dhakira Talbot told Bay News 9. “My son has never been through anything like this. I feel like this should’ve been handled differently. If any disciplinary action should’ve been taken, it should’ve been with the school. He shouldn’t have been arrested.” The boy told Bay News 9 that he never threatened the teacher. “I want the charges dropped and I want the school to be held accountable for what happened because it shouldn’t have been handled the way it was handled,” Talbot told the station. She is reportedly working with the non-profit company the Poor and Minority Justice Association. Of particular note, a public relations specialist for Polk County Public Schools told Yahoo Lifestyle that students aren’t even required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and the substitute teacher in question is no longer welcome at any of their schools . The district handbook explicitly states that kids can opt out “upon written authorization from parent.” “A student at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy was arrested after becoming disruptive and refusing to follow repeated instructions of school staff and law enforcement,” said the specialist. “This incident followed the daily Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. Unfortunately, a substitute teacher was not aware of this. We are looking into this matter, but this individual will no longer be allowed to substitute at any of our schools. Our HR department will contact Kelly Services (which provides our substitutes) to further refine how our substitutes are trained.” Meanwhile, his mother is understandably pissed. “She was wrong. She was way out of place,” Talbot told Bay 9 News. “ If she felt like there was an issue with my son not standing for the flag, she should’ve resolved that in a way different manner than she did.”

After trading their 10th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Denver Broncos now have nine selections in the 2019 NFL draft. Here’s a quick look at the selections the team has: Round 1: 20th overall (via Pittsburgh Steelers) Round 2: 41st overall Round 2: 52nd overall (via Pittsburgh Steelers) Round 3: 71st overall Round 4: 125th overall (via Houston Texans) Round 5: 148th overall Round 5: 156th overall (via Minnesota Vikings) Round 6: 182nd overall Round 7: 237th overall (via Houston Texans) In addition to receiving first- and second-round picks this year from Pittsburgh, Denver also received a third-round pick in 2020. Denver’s original fourth-round pick was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for quarterback Joe Flacco. Pick Nos. 125 and 237 were acquired from the Texans in exchange for wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. The team’s extra fifth-round pick (No. 156) was acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for quarterback Trevor Siemian. The team’s original seventh-round pick now belongs to the Chicago Bears. The second and third rounds of the draft will take place Friday.<doc-sep>'Not A Monster': Devon Erickson's Defense Attorney Says STEM School Shooting Suspect Was 'Confused Kid'Devon Erickson has pleaded not guilty to murder in the deadly shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch on May 7, 2019. 6 hours ago Trail Ridge Road Could Reopen As Soon As Friday At Rocky Mountain National ParkTrail Ridge Road could reopen as soon as Friday in Rocky Mountain National Park, if weather and conditions allow. 7 hours ago DICK's Sporting Goods Park To Operate At Full Capacity Starting July 4DICKS's Sporting Goods Park will hold Colorado Rapids games at full capacity starting July 4. The club made the announcement on Thursday ahead of their home match on the Fourth of July against Seattle Sounders FC. 7 hours ago Vaccinated Veterans May Not Be Entered To Win $1 Million PrizeSome veterans are not currently among those who will get a chance at the $1 million Colorado lottery prizes. 7 hours ago Video: Bag Piping Thornton Police Officer Leads 5th Grade 'Eagle Flight' At Silver Creek ElementaryStudents finishing fifth grade at Silver Creek Elementary in Thornton had a special escort as they took off of for the next chapter of their lives. 7 hours ago Vaccinated And Entered To Win? Make Sure You're Eligible To Win $1 Million From ColoradoAs Coloradans started researching their own records, many noticed their vaccinations were either not listed on the state’s website, or they were not listed as a known resident of Colorado. 8 hours ago<doc-sep>“You guys still good? You wanna do that deal?” Inside the War Room the moment the #BroncosDraft trade happened 👇 pic.twitter.com/MIZmfhNjpS — Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 26, 2019 If you wondered what goes into making a draft-day trade in the NFL, this video sheds some light on just how it all goes down. The Denver Broncos Twitter account shared this short video of the call the Broncos made to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Keep in mind, based on this video, there were negotiations between the Broncos and Steelers well in advance. The call was simply to confirm the trade was still going to happen. Pittsburgh traded the No. 20 pick, the No. 52 pick and a third-round pick in 2020 to move up to No. 10 and draft inside linebacker Devin Bush.<doc-sep>The Denver Broncos agreed to a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first round of the 2019 NFL draft on Thursday night, moving down from No. 10 overall to No. 20. The Steelers used the pick to select Michigan linebacker Devin Bush. Denver will receive a second-rounder (No. 52) and a 2020 third-round choice as part of the trade. “You guys still good? You wanna do that deal?” Inside the War Room the moment the #BroncosDraft trade happened ?? pic.twitter.com/MIZmfhNjpS — Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 26, 2019 This is the first time since 2016, when he maneuvered to select quarterback Paxton Lynch, that Broncos general manager John Elway executed a trade in the draft's opening round. Elway spoke earlier this week about ditching his original pick, cracking the door open for the possibility. "We’ll see," he said Tuesday in his pre-draft press conference. "It all depends on how far you go back, who wants to come up and what the compensation is. But yeah, I think there’s a certain level. Obviously, we’ll have a lot more information once we get to Thursday to kind of find out where people set. I’m fine at 10 too. We’ll see what happens.” The NFL Draft is here and soon the Broncos will be on the clock! Don’t miss out on any news and analysis, take a second to sign up for our FREE Broncos newsletter, delivered three times daily! The Broncos passed on several blue-chip prospects in favor of additional draft compensation. On the board at 10 were quarterbacks Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins and inside linebacker Devin Bush. But Elway values capital as if it were gold, and with numerous roster holes to fill, he took an analytical approach. Finding a trade partner isn't easy considering the amount of smokescreens emanating around the league, and reaching a deal requires extreme restraint, which isn't exactly Elway's trademark. “Yeah, there’s a lot of information out there so you try to put it all together to find out what’s real and what’s not, then kind of go from there," he said Tuesday. "What you try to do with the information that you do have, you try to plan the best for each different scenario and different things that you’re hearing. Therefore, what’s true and what’s not true, we can go ahead and adjust when it actually happens. At least for us, to be prepared for every situation—whether we pick at 10, if we want to move back, if we want to move up—so try to prepare for all those different situations. If we do that, we’ll be the most prepared that we can that when we’re on the clock, hopefully we’ve kind of covered that situation.” The Broncos' biggest needs are along the offensive and defensive lines, in the wide receiver and tight end corps, the secondary and at inside linebacker. They, of course, also will take a quarterback at some point. In addition to their first-round choice, Denver holds the No. 41 pick in round two and No. 71 in round three. Day 2 of the draft kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday from Nashville.<doc-sep>

In the hours leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft, there was a lot of speculation that the Steelers were thinking about making a dramatic move into the top 10 and that's exactly what they did during the first round on Thursday. In the first trade of the NFL Draft, the Steelers made a huge jump from the 20th spot in the draft to the 10th overall pick to select former Michigan linebacker Devin Bush. The Steelers made the move by pulling off a trade with the Broncos, who picked up multiple picks. Not only will Denver get the Steelers' first-round pick (20th overall), but the Broncos also picked up Pittsburgh's second-round pick (52nd overall) along with a 2020 third round pick. Although there was some speculation that the Broncos might take a quarterback with the 10th overall pick, John Elway took a pass on both Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock, who were both still available at the time when the Broncos went on the clock with the 10th overall pick. The trade likely means that Elway and the Broncos are more than comfortable going into the 2019 season with Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback. On the Steelers' end, the move made a lot of sense, and that's because going into the draft, the team had a serious need at linebacker. By trading up, not only were the Steelers able to get their guy, but they also jumped in front of the Bengals, who had the 11th overall pick and also had a need at linebacker (The Bengals selected Alabama offensive lineman Jonah Williams). CBS Sports senior NFL writer Pete Prisco liked the move by the Steelers, giving them a 'B' for their pick. The trade by the Steelers marked the first time since the 2006 draft that Pittsburgh moved up during the first round.

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 Argentinian, who has said he would like to stay at Spurs for the next 20 years, was not willing to give an answer to why United have improved so dramatically since his friend Jose Mourinho's sacking, with Solskjaer winning his first five games in charge. Pochettino is widely reported to be United's first choice to take over from caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford in the summer. Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is not focused on the goings on at Manchester United ahead of their Premier League showdown this afternoon. "I think from the distance it's so difficult," he said. "Of course I cannot be unfair with both managers. After Mourinho the reality is that they've won five games in a row. "Always you know that when a new person arrives, or manager, it's like refreshing the atmosphere at the club, and for many players that maybe didn't play with another manager, it's an option to play more. "It's a new voice that motivates you. But of course I'm not going to judge. It's so unfair to judge Ole because he's won five games or lost five games. "It's not fair to judge in both ways and it's not fair to judge Mourinho's job. Mourinho is one of the best managers in the world. For different reasons that I don't know, cannot perceive, his relationship stopped with the club. "Of course for me only I am focused on trying to win the game on Sunday. Because we know that we need the three points to be in that race for the Premier League, to be in the top four, for the end of the season to be there. "I have huge respect for Mourinho and of course for Solskjaer. I cannot talk about what happened and what is happening."<doc-sep>Tottenham vs Man Utd: TV channel, live stream, squad news & preview The North London side could put an end to Solskjaer's feel-good run as Red Devils interim boss when the two sides battle it out at Wembley on Sunday Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces his first real test as Manchester United interim boss when his side take on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Sunday in the Premier League. Man United currently sport the best form in the league, recording four straight wins since Jose Mourinho was dismissed following their early December loss to Liverpool. A win would take them level with Arsenal in fifth place. Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham side, meanwhile, have registered four wins out of their last five games and will be eager to complete the double over the Red Devils after their 3-0 win at Old Trafford early on in the season. Article continues below Game Tottenham vs Man United Date Sunday, January 13 Time 4:30pm GMT / 11:30am ET Stream (US) fubo TV (7-day free trial) TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial). New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser. US TV channel Online stream NBCSN fubo TV (7-day free trial) In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on Sky Sports or livestreamed with Sky GO Extra. UK TV channel Online stream Sky Sports Sky GO Extra Squads & Team News Position Tottenham players Goalkeepers Lloris, Vorm, Gazzaniga Defenders Rose, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Walker-Peters, Foyte, Aurier, Davies Midfielders Son, Winks, Wanyama, Nkoudou, Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Eriksen, Moura Forwards Kane, Llorente Eric Dier is nearing a return to the XI after missing out on the last month of action due to appendicitis recovery, while Mousa Dembele is available for selection following a return from an ankle injury – though he may not feature depending on the status of a potential move to China. Victor Wanyama is unavailable as he returns from a long-term knee injury, while Jan Vertonghen (thigh) returns to the squad and starts alongside Toby Alderweireld. Lucas Moura (knee injury) will be assessed ahead of the game. Confirmed Tottenham XI: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen, Dele, Son, Kane. Bench: Gazzaniga, Rose, Sanchez, Fouth, Skipp, Lamela, Llorente. Position Man United players Goalkeepers De Gea, Grant, Romero Defenders Jones, Dalot, Shaw, Young, Valencia, Darmian Midfielders Pogba, Mata, Matic, McTominay, Herrera, Lingard, Pereira, Fred, Fellaini, Gomes, Hamilton Forwards Lukaku, Rashford, Martial, Chong, Bohui Paul Pogba missed the FA Cup win over Reading due to the thigh injury after a challenge involving Newcastle's Jonjo Shelvey, but has returned to full fitness ahead of the clash in north London after he joined up with his teammates in Dubai for a warm-weather training camp over the New Year period. Alexis Sanchez hobbled on Saturday but should be available for selection but has been left out of the squad, while Eric Bailly is still suspended for the Red Devils following his red card against Bournemouth. Chris Smalling (ankle) is a doubt, however, with Marcos Rojo still unavailable. Confirmed Man United XI: De Gea; Young, Lindelof, Jones, Shaw; Herrera, Matic, Pogba; Lingard, Rashford, Martial. Bench: Romero, Dalot, Andreas, Fred, Mata, McTominay, Lukaku. Betting & Match Odds Spurs are priced at odds of winning 11/10 according to bet 365, while a draw is available at 27/10. A win for United is priced at 13/5. Click here to see all of bet 365's offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more. Match Preview Following consecutive straight wins against mid-tier Premier League sides Cardiff, Huddersfield, Bournemouth and Newcastle, Solskjaer will be given his first challenge when his side travel to north London to take on a Tottenham side who are contenders for the title and sit third in the Premier League table. It will be an interesting match-up as Pochettino remains Man United's number one target to fill in the role as permanent manager following the dismissal of Mourinho, though Solskjaer is giving the Red Devils board a run for their money as he has enjoyed a winning streak since assuming the interim role in mid-December. The club legend and fan favourite has been successful in lifting spirits and the mood of the fans since Mourinho's exit having won five of their games in all competitions. Though Pochettino remains first on Man United's managerial wishlist, a win against the Spurs boss for the former Norway international could put him in good stead to turn his interim role into a permanent one. Lilywhites superstar Harry Kane has the opportunity to emerge as the outright Premier League top-scorer should he score against the Red Devils, sitting alongside Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on 14 goals apiece. Spurs will be flying high following their 7-0 win over Tranmere in the FA Cup and their 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final. A win against Man United will buoy their status as title challengers – sitting just one point behind runners-up Manchester City heading into the game – though still face the tough task of catching up to a Liverpool side sitting pretty at seven points above Pep Guardiola's side. A victory over Solskjaer would take the north Londoners to second place temporarily, as Man City play on Monday.<doc-sep>A monster showdown is set for Sunday in the Premier League as Manchester United visits Tottenham (11:30 a.m. ET -- live updates), with the Red Devils looking for revenge after being defeated by Spurs in August at Old Trafford. But this is a new United, one that has improved under a new manager and playing with a ton of confidence. It's a battle of top-four contenders and one that could go a long way in deciding where these teams finish by the end of the season. Here's how you can watch the match and what to know: Premier League: Manchester United vs. Tottenham Date : Sunday, Jan. 13 : Sunday, Jan. 13 Time : 11:30 a.m. ET : 11:30 a.m. ET Location : Wembley Stadium in London : Wembley Stadium in London TV channel : NBCSN : NBCSN Streaming: fuboTV (Try for free) fuboTV (Try for free) Odds: Man. United +235 / Spurs +104 / Draw +240 Storylines Tottenham: Spurs could enter this one with some tired legs after an intense 90 minutes against Chelsea on Tuesday in the EFL Cup semifinals, but there will be no shortage of confidence. Tottenham destroyed United 3-0 earlier in the season, with Lucas Moura scoring twice and Kane adding another. At home, they'll be the favorite to do it again. Manchester United: This is the biggest test for United since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over for Jose Mourinho. It's been a cakewalk for the club since he joined in December, and in five matches, Untied has five wins and a goal different of plus-13. But that has come against Cardiff City, Huddersfield, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Reading. Here's a chance to see if this team is for real. Man. United vs. Spurs prediction United remains undefeated under its new boss, but the team doesn't win. Alexis scores to cancel out Harry Kane's opener, and both settle for Pick: Draw (+240)<doc-sep>

Tottenham vs Man United: Premier League match preview Tottenham vs Manchester United LIVE STREAM TEAM NEWS • TOTTENHAM • Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen, Alli, Kane, Son Heung-Min MANCHESTER UNITED • De Gea, Young, Lindelof, Jones, Shaw, Herrera, Matic, Lingard, Pogba, Martial, Rashford Tottenham will face off against Manchester United in a blockbuster Premier League match today at Wembley. Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with moving to Old Trafford in the summer after turning the London side into a title challenging squad. While interim Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is laying out his credentials for taking over permanently. The Man U legend has won his first four league games in charge of Manchester United. And if his side beat Spurs today Solskjaer will have equalled Sir Matt Busby's record of winning his first five league games in charge of Man Utd. Speaking about Tottenham’s upcoming move to their new stadium, Pochettino said: “To move to our new stadium will be massive, massive for our fans. “I cannot wait to move. “I told Daniel (Levy), he always listens and arrives in my office and says 'do you know what will be good, to move there or not?'. “I said 200 per cent we have to move there as soon as.” Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - How to watch Premier League football online Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - Spurs are third in the Premier League While speaking about the threat Spurs star Harry Kane poses, Solskjaer said: “He's not bad, is he? “He is a fantastic goalscorer, one of the best in the world. “From the outside it looks like he never misses chances really. “We have to make sure he doesn't get any against us.” Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - In the reverse fixture this season Spurs won 3-0 Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - Man U will be wary of the threat Spurs star Kane poses In the reverse fixture earlier this season Spurs stunned Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford. Will Manchester United be able to get their revenge against Spurs for that humbling loss, or will it just be a bit of history repeating again? If you want to watch all the action from Spurs Man Utd then here’s how to tune in online. Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - Manchester United have won their last four league games Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - Man U are just three points behind fifth-placed Arsenal How to watch Tottenham vs Manchester United Coverage of today’s Premier League match between Tottenham and Manchester United will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League (Sky 402, Sky HD 856, Virgin 512, TalkTalk 403) and Sky Sports Main Event (Sky 401, Sky HD 855, Virgin 511, BT TV 402 and TalkTalk 402) with the pre-match build-up starting at 4.15pm and kick-off at 4.30pm. This means the big game can be followed on your desktop or laptop using the Sky Go app, which if you’re an existing customer is also available on iOS, Android smartphone and tablet devices. Sky Go is also available on a number of platforms including Amazon Fire devices, iPad tablets, Mac computers and laptops, Playstation 3, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - Man U could win five league games in a row today Tottenham vs Manchester United live stream - Both managers are linked with the permanent Man U job

Strikeouts exceeded hits for the first time last year and the big league batting average dropped to its lowest level since 1972, the year before the American League adopted the DH. "I don't think any of us are thrilled about more strikeouts and hits," said Joe Torre, MLB's chief baseball officer and a Hall of Fame manager. "To me the excitement in our game is basically the potential of things happening on the base paths." Management and the players' association have taken the rare step of a somewhat expansive negotiation in the middle of a collective bargaining agreement. The current five-year deal extends through the 2021 season. While pitch clocks are possible for this season, some changes are more likely to evolve slowly. Players would like the relief pitcher restriction to reach the major leagues in 2020. A DH in both leagues could be considered an economic issue by management, one more ripe for discussion in the next labor contract. The competition committee met Wednesday and the executive council Thursday, and a full owners session is scheduled for Friday. Management proposed changes Jan. 14, the union responded Feb. 1 and the next move is up to MLB. One change in terminology was announced: Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem said MLB is changing the name of its disabled lists to injured lists at the suggestion of advocacy groups for the disabled.<doc-sep>There are at least eight new rule changes on the table for the upcoming Major League Baseball season and … actually, wait. Before we do anything else, let’s start this entire exercise with a caveat: Baseball loves to propose ideas for rule changes, even if they never actually come to fruition. In fact, every winter we have a day like this one, when a bunch of proposed new rules have leaked to the public and we spend a week (or longer; very often it’s longer) overreacting about things that aren’t actually happening. Like the pitch clock. We’ve talked about so much about a pitch clock over the years you’d think it was a real functioning thing. Nope, it’s just another of those things baseball talks about every year. [Batter up: Join or create a 2019 Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for free today] OK, so there are eight new rules being tossed out by the league and the players’ association. They started to surface Wednesday night, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that MLB wants to put a three-batter minimum on relief pitchers and then on Thursday ESPN’s Jeff Passan followed with a full slate of proposals, everything from the universal DH to draft penalties for tanking teams. Adding any rules right now is a very give-and-take process, since they’re being discussed outside the collective bargaining agreement. The process is like: If the league can do X, then the players need to be able to do Y. Therefore, any changes either have to be no-brainer-good-for-everyone type ideas or they have to come with a concession for the other side of the table. That’s also why we often get a lot of ideas but not always a ton of action. New MLB rules could affect relief pitchers, DHs and more. We point out which ones are good. (AP) For the purpose of this article, we’re just going to toss all that out of the window. I’m not going to worry about the union side and the league side — or even the likelihood that any of these rules will actually happen, this year or any other year. I’m only looking at it one way: Assuming all these new rules are happening, which are the best and which are the worst? Story continues 1. A three-batter minimum for pitchers This would pretty much do away with relievers who come in to pitch to one batter. There would reportedly be exceptions at the end of an inning or if a player gets hurt, but otherwise, it’s death to the LOOGY (Left-handed One Out Guy). While you don’t want to legislate people out of jobs, this seems like a better way to fix baseball’s pace-of-play than anything else proposed in the last few years. Who among us hasn’t grown tired of late-inning pitching change after late-inning pitching change? The strategy part of it is to be commended, but let’s face it: Baseball is too specialized sometimes. 2. One trade deadline To me, this is a no-brainer-good-for-everyone type idea. As it stands right now, MLB has two trade deadlines — the one we all know and look forward to on July 31, and the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline. The Aug. 31 deadline has given us some memorable deals recently, but it’s still mostly just a bunch of confusion. Teams have to put players on waivers. Even good players that they don’t want to trade, just in case they want to trade them even though they don’t. Then everybody freaks out when Bryce Harper is on waivers. Streamline it, y’all! One trade deadline! 3. Draft advantages for winning teams; penalties for tanking Under this proposal, according to ESPN, small-market teams that do well would get additional draft advantages while teams that lose more than 90 games in consecutive seasons would face penalties in the draft. This is all about tanking and all about valuable players getting good contracts from teams. It’s something that both the players and the league office should like, because we all want competition. And it’s something that fans would love if they’re not too obsessed with becoming the next Chicago Cubs or Houston Astros. 4. Roster expansion and limits This rule would jump roster sizes from 25 to 26, adding 30 new big-league jobs. It would also cut back September roster sizes to 28 from 40. This is good and helpful to the overall mission of making baseball better to watch for fans, who aren’t trying to see all 40 guys players in a meaningless September game. Or even a meaningful one, if we’re being honest. 5. Bring back major league contracts to entice two-sport amateurs It’s a Kyler Murray rule, basically. Right now, drafted players sign minor-league contracts, which don’t pay as much as major-league contracts (heck, they pay barely anything aside from signing bonuses). This would give teams the option to give major-league deals to players, and thus encourage two-sport athletes to pick baseball instead of something else. It’s a good idea but doesn’t figure to impact the game as often as some of these others. 6. A 20-second pitch clock All these years later, I’m still not excited about a pitch clock. It may speed up the game by imposing between-pitch urgency, but I don’t know that it makes the fan experience any better. Baseball has been talking about this for a while. As of current, it’s a 20-second clock that Commissioner Rob Manfred is reportedly hoping for. The minor leagues currently use the 20-second pitch clock. The idea of only using it in the minors is that young players will come up through the minors with that timing built into their routine. That seems like the most useful approach. 7. A universal designated hitter There might be nothing in baseball more polarizing than the DH — well, except maybe whether Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. We’ve talked for years about whether the DH should be in the National League, but now it seems like there’s real movement toward the idea. And this season, if the players union has its way, it could happen. As a fan of #pitcherswhorake and pitchers hitting homers, I just can’t get behind it. While pitchers hitting usually results in strikeouts, the possibility that Bartolo Colon or Madison Bumgarner can hit a dinger is something I don’t want to give up. 8. A study to lower the mound Baseball starting a study to figure out whether it should lower the mound? I’m surprised I didn’t fall asleep while writing that sentence. – – – – – – Mike Oz is a writer at Yahoo Sports. Contact him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! More from Yahoo Sports: • Brady had to convince Belichick to kick late FG • Smith: 76ers’ trade for Harris has a lot of factors • No shirts, plenty of bling on Patriots parade route • Thamel: NBA scouts break down Duke phenom’s game<doc-sep>Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association are discussing major rule changes that would impact the league on and off the field, an official with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because negotiations are ongoing. The proposals were first reported by The Athletic. Some of the more dramatic changes include a universal designated hitter, a three-batter minimum for pitchers and a 20-second pitch clock. Other proposals include a trade deadline before the All-Star break, the expansion of rosters to 26 players – with a 12-pitcher minimum, draft benefits for winning teams and penalties for losing teams, regulations that would allow two-sport amateurs (like Kyler Murray) to sign major-league deals and a study to lower the mound in the majors. One of commissioner Rob Manfred's major initiatives during his tenure has been to improve the game's pace of play, something the pitch clock and three-batter minimum for pitchers would theoretically address. While baseball's collective bargaining agreement doesn't expire until 2021, both MLB and the players' association have agreed to revisions in recent years, including a 2018 amendment that limited the number of mound visits to six per game. HOT TAKE: Be careful what you wish for with rule changes MLB 2019:100 names you need to know for new season PEDROIA:Red Sox stalwart plans his comeback<doc-sep>

Could this be the end of situational relievers? Major League Baseball made a proposal on Jan. 14 suggesting a rule requiring pitchers to face a minimum of three batters, sources told The Athletic. The Athletic also reported the Players Association made a counterproposal, addressing concerns the players have about service-time manipulation and competitive integrity. Sources also told the website that one of the changes the union proposed is a lowering of the team’s draft position for failing to reach a specific win total in a certain number of seasons. The Players Association also reiterated a long-time request, proposing that the designated hitter be implemented in the National league, too. That move likely would increase offense, but could meet resistance from NL owners, who may not be enthusiastic about paying more for an extra offensive bat. The proposal from the two sides for different ways to improve the game is likely just the beginning with more ideas and trade-offs expected to be discussed in the coming weeks, according to the report. If no deal is reached, however, commissioner Rob Manfred still can make some pace-of play changes. The collective bargaining agreement empowers the commissioner to unilaterally implement three elements he formally proposed last year, according to sources — a 20-second pitch clock, a reduction of mound visits from six to five and a rule placing a base runner on second base in spring training games and the All-Star Game when the score is tied after the 10th inning. The current proposal by MLB includes a slight tweak from the above provisions, reducing mound visits from six to four in 2019 and four to three in 2020. It also includes an expansion of rosters from 25 to 26 in 2020, with an accompanying reduction from 40 to 28 in September. According to a previous report by the Associated Press, baseball also has proposed increasing the minimum time a player spends on the disabled list and amount of time an optioned player spends in the minor leagues from 10 to 15 days. If the three-batter minimum rule is approved, it likely would increase the importance of the starting pitcher and also could limit the number of openers — relievers starting games.

HEART patients are being urged to check their medication amid an urgent drug recall, experts said today. Pharmacies across the UK are being advised to recall all batches of medication containing valsartan. 2 Heart patients are being urged to check their drugs, after batches of valsartan medication were recalled Credit: Alamy There are fears the drugs could contain an impurity - a chemical linked to cancer, experts warned. The drug, also sold under the brand names Diovan and Exforge, is widely used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. It's also sometimes prescribed to patients who have suffered a heart attack. It's only available on prescription and comes as tablets and capsules as well as a liquid you swallow. 2 The drugs are widely used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, and are given to patients who've suffered a heart attack Credit: Getty - Contributor The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today warned any batches of valsartan made by Dexcel Pharma Ltd and Accord Healthcare, previously known as Actavis Group, should be returned to your local pharmacy. Dr Sam Atkinson of the MHRA said patients should not stop taking their drugs, but see a doctor if they fear they are affected. "A doctor or healthcare professional can advise on alternative treatment," she said. "We continue to undertake an urgent review of all these products that may pose a low risk to public health. "Our highest priority is to ensure that the medicines you take are safe. Widow mum's heartbreak at being diagnosed with terminal cancer leaving her daughter, 8, to grow up alone MOST READ IN HEALTH WAIT TARGET AXED Four hour A&E wait target set to be scrapped by NHS chiefs JABS HOPE Scientists 'crack cause of blood clots linked to Covid jabs & know how to fix it' TODDLER TRAGEDY Boy, 3, died in mum's arms of cancer weeks after he's sent home with Calpol AGE CONCERN People under 21 might be MORE vulnerable to Indian Covid variant, expert fears THUMBS UP! Simple thumb tests can reveal if you’re at risk of deadly heart problem Exclusive YORKSHIRE RIPPER? Cases of new Yorkshire variant double as 'worrying 25 mutations' probed GET IN LINE Covid vaccine calculator reveals when YOU will get your jab - as under 30s next SPOT THE SIGNS The 13 signs of stroke you need to know after first cases linked to AZ jab JABS UP! Millions more can book Covid jabs TODAY as they're rolled out to ages 30 and 31 YELLOW FEVER Indian doctors now warn of yellow fungus after deadly black fungus fears "If you are concerned, please speak to your GP, pharmacist or other healthcare professional." The recall comes after an urgent investigation was launched in to medicines containing valsartan, produced at a facility in China. Drugs are being recalled across Europe, as experts fear an impurity (N-nitrosodimethylamine), which could be carcinogenic, is a result of a change in the manufacturing process. The European Medicines Agency and other EU regulators are working together to investigate how widespread the problem is, and the possible impact for patients. The MHRA said alternative valsartan products, not affected by the recall, are available in the UK. Valsartan lowers a person's blood pressure and makes it easier for the heart to pump blood around the body. We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours<doc-sep>MAY CAUSE CANCER: Some drugs containing valsartan recalled Article content OTTAWA — Several heart and high blood pressure drugs that contain valsartan are being recalled because of a substance that can cause cancer. Health Canada says the medications were supplied by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals of China and that the valsartan used in the affected products contains an impurity known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or MAY CAUSE CANCER: Some drugs containing valsartan recalled Back to video NDMA is a potential carcinogen that could cause cancer with long-term exposure. The recall was issued by the manufacturers of several drugs involving five companies. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Drugs containing valsartan are used to treat high blood pressure and help prevent heart attacks and stroke. They are also used by patients who have had heart failure or a recent heart attack. Health Canada says anyone taking medication that contains valsartan should continue unless told to stop by their doctor or pharmacist. But the agency also says patients taking the drug should check with their pharmacist to learn if their medicine is being recalled.<doc-sep>

Several heart and high blood pressure drugs that contain valsartan are being recalled because of a substance that can cause cancer. Health Canada says the medications were supplied by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals of China and that the valsartan used in the affected products contains an impurity known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). NDMA is a potential carcinogen that could cause cancer with long-term exposure. The recall was issued by the manufacturers of several drugs involving five companies. Drugs containing valsartan are used to treat high blood pressure and help prevent heart attacks and stroke. They are also used by patients who have had heart failure or a recent heart attack. Health Canada says patients taking the drug should check with their pharmacists to learn if their medicine is being recalled. Don't suddenly stop this medication, especially if it works for you. - Mina Tadrous, U of T But the agency also said that anyone taking medication that contains valsartan should continue to take it unless told to stop by their doctor or pharmacist. Nardine Nakhla, from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, emphasized that point in an email to CBC News. "Patients should not stop taking their medicine if it contains valsartan unless they've been specifically instructed to do so by their prescriber or pharmacist," Nakhla said. "Patients should contact their pharmacist(s) to see if the drugs they're taking are indeed the affected, recalled valsartan products. The pharmacist can then figure out alternative medications that are unaffected by the recall." Mina Tadrous, with the pharmacy faculty at the University of Toronto, said valsartan is a commonly used drug for people with high blood pressure. He said that in announcing the recall, Health Canada is being "extra cautious, because there was some sort of negative lab result." Still, if patients are responding well to the medication and the blood pressure is well controlled with the drug, "I would not suggest that anyone switch," Tadrous said. "Don't suddenly stop this medication, especially if it works for you. Go talk to your pharmacist, check if your lot is even part of their [recall], and if it is, they'll just switch you to a lot that's outside of it."

Will we see Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Nate Diaz? ADD another name to the drama surrounding Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Of course, it’s Nate Diaz, McGregor’s long-time rival, and a realistic option for someone who could challenge Nurmagomedov for his lightweight title. After Dustin Poirier dropped out of his UFC 230 matchup with Diaz, due to an undisclosed injury, UFC president Dana White told the LA Times that the No. 10 ranked lightweight was also ‘definitely’ off the card. Rumours are constantly flying around about a potential third fight against McGregor, but Diaz has his sights set a bit higher. “I’ll just fight Khabib when he’s ready,” Diaz told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani. Nurmagomedov is the current lightweight champion, after defeating McGregor in four rounds at UFC 229. There’s still a question as to when Nurmagomedov can fight next, following the brawl he started following his win over McGregor, but White shared a glimpse of what the timeline could look like. “He absolutely keeps his title,” White told TMZ. “And he’s going to get suspended, so maybe you give him a four-to-six month suspension. UFC 230 would’ve been Diaz’s first fight since losing to McGregor via decision in 2016, and if he wants Nurmagomedov, he’ll likely have to wait until the beginning of 2019 before he’s in the octagon again. MORE CONOR-KHABIB NEWS MCGREGOR’S COACH REVEALS CRITICAL MISTAKE ‘HE’S ALREADY CALLED ME’: MCGREGOR DEMANDS KHABIB REMATCH WHAT CONOR DID AGAINST KHABIB THAT NO ONE HAD DONE BEFORE Nate Diaz’s brother, Nick, recently told FOX Sports in the US that he believes Nurmagomedov — who’s 27-0 in his MMA career — can be beaten. “You have to have a certain style to beat that type of wrestler on the ground. McGregor’s brand new on the bottom. I think my brother could beat him. I definitely know I could beat him,” Diaz said. “We’d have to fight at a catch weight, I ain’t trying to get down to 155 pounds. There’s history between Nurmagomedov and the Diaz brothers, with the two parties getting into a brawl of their own back in 2015, at a WSOF event.<doc-sep>LAS VEGAS – Lost amid all of the craziness that ensued following the conclusion of UFC 229 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena is this simple fact: Conor McGregor has come to a career crossroads as a fighter. The original “champ-champ” was submitted in the fourth round by lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, making him 2-2 in his last four MMA fights and 2-3 if one includes his 2017 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. Though McGregor became the first man in Nurmagomedov’s 27-fight career to win a round from him, he was thoroughly thrashed and wasn’t really in the fight. McGregor is a striker, though he did a commendable job fighting off Nurmagomedov’s vaunted grappling, especially early. But he was on the defensive most of the time and trying to get away from the gritty champion. McGregor spent most of the first round on his back, being worked over by Nurmagomedov. He spent most of the second round doing the same, though he took more of a beating in the second than he had in the first. It was also in the second where the only knockdown of the fight was scored. A right hand by Nurmagomedov dropped McGregor. And while he wasn’t badly hurt, it was a notable event given the perceived advantage McGregor had on the feet. McGregor managed to keep the third round standing, which is more than most of Nurmagomedov opponents could say, but he never landed that one clean shot he needed to change the course of the fight. In the decisive fourth round he was, to use Nurmagomedov’s pre-fight words, mauled. He wasted little time tapping his submission once Nurmagomedov sank in the rear-naked choke. McGregor made an enormous amount of money from Saturday’s show, with the take likely zooming past $30 million when the pay-per-view receipts are counted. UFC president Dana White wasn’t in a mood to discuss the pay-per-view after the melee ruined what had been up to that point a spectacular night, but it’s probably safe to say McGregor made the biggest payday of his MMA career and his second largest payday ever. Story continues Conor McGregor reacts after being defeated by Khabib Nurmagomedov via submission in the main event of UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 6, 2018, in Las Vegas. (Getty Images) He signed a six-fight contract extension with the UFC last month, and posted on social media that he will return to competition. At this stage of his career, McGregor is only going to take meaningful, potentially historic fights. McGregor noted on Twitter that he was interested in a rematch, but it’s hard to see how the outcome would change given the gulf between them on the ground. The online sportsbook Bovada made Nurmagomedov a minus-280 favorite to defeat McGregor in a potential rematch. Nurmagomedov closed at minus-185 at the MGM Grand sportsbook on Saturday. It made odds on who would be McGregor’s next opponent, with Nurmagomedov the overwhelming favorite at minus-160. It has Nate Diaz at 13-10; Jose Aldo at 9-1; Georges St-Pierre at 15-4 and welterweight champion Tyron Woodley at 18-1. The most lucrative of those fights would be with St-Pierre, the former welterweight and middleweight champion who is also one of the most popular fighters in the sport’s history. But given St-Pierre’s outstanding wrestling and grappling, as well as his physical size advantage, it’s hard to see McGregor defeating him. The same is true of Woodley, an All-American collegiate wrestler who would seemingly be able to power McGregor to the mat. An immediate rematch with Nurmagomedov seems unlikely for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the Nevada Athletic Commission is likely to suspend him for leaping over the cage. While McGregor’s insults over the two-month promotional were far too personal, there is no excuse for Nurmagomedov’s attack on McGregor teammate Dillon Danis. By doing that, Nurmagomedov put the safety of innocent people at risk. McGregor, though, wasn’t innocent, either. Not long after Nurmagomedov went after Danis, McGregor climbed the cage and had one leg over trying to get to the floor and get involved in the melee. He was restrained from doing so by Charvez Foger, an inspector for the Nevada Athletic Commission. Conor McGregor attempts to leave the Octagon in chase of Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC) But videos shot by fans and posted to social media clearly show McGregor, while he’s on top of the cage, punching a member of Nurmagomedov’s team in the face as that person was also trying to go over the cage to get involved in the fracas on the floor: צילום מתוך האולם של הקרב. וגם של הסיום של חביב-מקגרגור pic.twitter.com/7DtRWJK79m — Ram Gilboa (@RamGilboa) October 7, 2018 McGregor has history with the Nevada commission for throwing bottles at a news conference with Diaz in 2016. He also took part in the infamous bus attack in Brooklyn in April, which the Nevada commission will take into account when it assesses this incident. McGregor should get kudos for not reacting when he was punched by two of Nurmagomedov’s teammates who illegally entered the cage. One of them was so gutless that he struck McGregor from behind. But that’s only going to mitigate a penalty handed down by the commission, not eliminate it entirely. So McGregor will likely be suspended for a while, as well. Upon his return, though, would it make sense to match him with a powerful wrestler? Not if the UFC wants to keep him around for a while as its greatest pay-per-view attraction. The fight to make next for McGregor in light of everything would be the winner of the Dustin Poirier-Diaz fight, which is the co-main event of UFC 230 in New York. McGregor has wins over both men, though Diaz submitted him with a rear-naked choke at UFC 196 in March of 2016. McGregor is a hugely exciting fighter when matched with the right opponent. A match with Ferguson would also be an amazing fight for him, though Ferguson deserves a championship shot. A good guess is that if Nurmagomedov is suspended and Poirier defeats Diaz at UFC 230, Ferguson and Poirier would subsequently fight for an interim lightweight title after that. That would leave McGregor to then do a rubber match with Diaz. A loss, or even three losses in his last five overall fights, doesn’t keep McGregor from remaining a massive draw. The potential matches he faces, though, are difficult and he’s likely to be a heavy underdog in most of them. Before he thinks about the next one, though, he’ll have to worry about how Nevada deals with him. Throwing that punch while he was perched on the top of the cage was ill-advised and will cost him dearly. Right now, fending off the Nevada Athletic Commission will be McGregor’s next fight. More UFC 229 coverage from Yahoo Sports: • Kevin Iole: Crazy scene erupts after Khabib submits Conor • Dan Wetzel: Despite ugly scene, UFC will gladly cash in • Khabib says Putin congratulated him after fight • UFC skips ceremony after Khabib’s attack<doc-sep>

What's the story? According to veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, UFC superstar Nate Diaz has called out the undisputed lightweight Champion of UFC Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nate was originally scheduled to fight Dustin Poirier, who has been forced out of his co-main event fight due to an undisclosed injury. Asked @NateDiaz209 what’s next now that Dustin Poirier is out of UFC 230. His response? “I’ll just fight Khabib when he’s ready.” — Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 10, 2018 In case you didn't know... Nate Diaz is the younger brother of the UFC Legend Nick Diaz. Both the Diaz brothers fight out of Stockton, California. Nate is returning to the Octagon for the first time since he faced Conor McGregor. It has been more than two years since Diaz has fought in the UFC Octagon. New weight class in New York City? 👀 #UFC230 pic.twitter.com/TKWmnZAe3j — FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 26, 2018 Khabib Nurmagomedov completely dominated Conor McGregor in their historic fight on Saturday Night. The Dagestani jumped the cage after his first successful title defence against the biggest star in the sport and attacked Dillon Danis leading to the one the biggest brawls in sports history. The heart of the matter After suffering an undisclosed injury on Tuesday, top Lightweight contender Dustin Poirier has backed out of the highly anticipated UFC 230 Lightweight fight against Stockton's own Nate Diaz. Dana White confirmed that Diaz is officially off the card, but the MMA world is still ln search for an opponent for Diaz on the NYC card this November. While Ariel Helwani's latest tweet is a cause for a lot of excitement, but it's unlikely that the 'Dagestani Legend' takes up the offer in a short notice after his big victory against 'The Notorious One'. Earlier, Nate's brother Nick Diaz had said that Nate could give a lot of trouble for Khabib's style of fighting. He had also declared that he was rooting for McGregor to win in the UFC 229 headliner. Nate Diaz vs Dustin Poirier for the #1 contender. Tony Ferguson vs Khabib Nurmagomedov for the title. A chance Conor McGregor's two greatest rivals get pitted against each other.#UFC223's bus attack, #UFC229's riot, #WSOFF22's brawl, it could lead to one ultimate showdown. pic.twitter.com/PeTHBgy6nE — Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) October 10, 2018 What's next? UFC 230 will take place on the 3rd of November, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden, NYC. The main event will feature Daniel Cormier defending his Heavyweight Title for the first time against Derrick Lewis.

Butch Dill/Associated Press Alabama's position as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press college football preseason poll is nearly as predictable as clockwork. The Crimson Tide has Nick Saban on the sidelines, and his presence means that Alabama will almost always be among the top recruiting teams in the nation. However, once Saban gets his hands on those players, he finds a way to make the great players even better. That's why Alabama is in the top spot, followed by Clemson, Georgia and Wisconsin. The presence of a Big Ten school not named Ohio State in the top four may be the biggest surprise. Here's a look at the preseason AP poll, along with Twitter reaction to some of the selections. AP Preseason Top 25 Video Play Button Videos you might like 1. Alabama 2. Clemson 3. Georgia 4. Wisconsin 5. Ohio State 6. Washington 7. Oklahoma 8. Miami (FL) 9. Auburn 10. Penn State 11. Michigan State 12. Notre Dame 13. Stanford 14. Michigan 15. USC 16. TCU 17. West Virginia 18. Mississippi State 19. Florida State 20. Virginia Tech 21. UCF 22. Boise State 23. Texas 24. Oregon 25. LSU This is the third straight season Alabama has started the year as the No. 1 team in the nation, and that puts the Crimson Tide in with elite company. Clemson has become nearly as big a name in college football as Alabama, and the No. 2 ranking is impressive for the Tigers. They have never been higher than that in any previous preseason ranking. Quarterback Kelly Bryant is sure to play a key role in the team's pursuit of a spot in the College Football Playoffs at the end of the season. Georgia is not the least bit satisfied with being recognized as a team that had a brilliant 2017 season and made it to the college football title game a year ago. The Bulldogs came close to winning the championship, building a 13-point lead before succumbing to Alabama in overtime. The AP voters recognize the Bulldogs as a powerhouse, voting them as the No. 3 team in the nation. While the coaches' poll had Ohio State as the No. 3 team, the AP preseason poll went with the Wisconsin Badgers as the nation's No. 4 team. The Buckeyes are a consistent college football powerhouse, but the Urban Meyer investigation will almost certainly be an issue this season. It was an auspicious day for the Big Ten, which saw five of its teams highly ranked. Washington received the most respect out of the Pac-12, falling in as the No. 6 team. It would not be a shock if the Huskies made it to the College Football Playoff, especially if they can open the season with a win over Auburn in the season opener. Stanford, USC and Oregon also represent the conference in the Top 25. Notre Dame has made it all the way to No. 12, but it will be awfully tough for the Fighting Irish to maintain such a ranking this year with its brutal schedule. Notre Dame faces Michigan, Stanford, Northwestern, Florida State and USC this year, and going 3-2 in that span would be a tremendous achievement for Brian Kelly's team.<doc-sep>The Arizona Wildcats didn’t crack the Top 25 in the first AP Poll of the 2018 season, but they were close. Arizona received 28 votes, placing it as the No. 31 team in the country. Here is how the entire poll shakes out. (Arizona, its opponents, and other Pac-12 teams are in bold.) Alabama (42) Clemson (18) Georgia Wisconsin (1) Ohio State Washington Oklahoma Miami Auburn Penn State Michigan State Notre Dame Stanford Michigan USC TCU West Virginia Mississippi State Florida State Virginia Tech UCF Boise State Texas Oregon LSU Other teams that received votes in the initial poll were South Carolina (96), Florida (68), Utah (60), Oklahoma St. (51), FAU (38), Arizona (28), NC State (22), Texas A&M (21), Boston College (18), Northwestern (13), Kansas St. (10), Iowa St. (8), Houston (6), Memphis (3), Troy (2), Iowa (2), Kentucky (1), Arkansas St. (1), Fresno St. (1). The AP Poll is determined by 61 college football beat writers and broadcasters across the country. In case you missed it, Arizona received two votes in the Coaches Poll, which was released at the beginning of August.<doc-sep>Lynne Sladky/Associated Press The AP and Amway Coaches preseason polls possess plenty of similarities, but there were a few differences that stood out. Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State landed in the top five of both polls, but the one difference from the Amway to AP poll featured one of the most significant changes between the rankings. In total, three programs experienced a swap of three positions from the Amway to AP poll, with two of them switching spots. Below is a look at the top differences in the two polls and why the trio of teams mentioned below experienced a wide gap in preseason rankings. Top Differences Wisconsin Video Play Button Videos you might like AP Ranking: 4 Amway Ranking: 7 Wisconsin jumped over Ohio State in the AP poll to earn the title of highest-ranked Big Ten team. With a Heisman Trophy candidate in running back Jonathan Taylor, an improved quarterback in Alex Hornibrook and yet another massive offensive line, the Badgers should control the majority of their games on offense. Morry Gash/Associated Press Wisconsin's ranking in the Amway Coaches poll seems a bit disrespectful given its undefeated Big Ten campaign a year ago and the number of returners it possesses. Paul Chryst's team could've moved up in the AP poll because of the uncertainty surrounding Ohio State due to the Urban Meyer investigation, but the leap could've been based on its own merit as well. Regardless of what you think of the Badgers right now, there's a good chance you'll be hearing plenty about them over the course of the college football season. Wisconsin's toughest games come a month apart against Michigan and Penn State, which means it'll avoid Ohio State and Michigan State, and there's no guarantee the Buckeyes or Spartans will advance to the Big Ten Championship out of the Big Ten East. If the Badgers control the Big Ten West and avoid Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, they could be the ideal candidate to represent its conference in the College Football Playoff. Virginia Tech AP: 20 Amway: 17 Justin Fuente's first two years at Virginia Tech helped set high expectations for the 2018 campaign. The Hokies are 19-8 with one ACC Coastal title under Fuente, but they haven't been able to beat one of the top teams in the conference, which is one of the reasons why they're in the bottom half of the top 25. The coaches showed more love to the Hokies than the writers voting in the AP poll, but regardless of where they sit in the rankings, they need to take the next step in Fuente's third season. John Raoux/Associated Press While it won't have a chance to knock off Clemson, Virginia Tech has a trio of top 25 teams on its schedule, with the first being a trip to No. 19 Florida State in Week 1. Notre Dame and Miami await in October and November, and if the Hokies pass at least two of their ranked tests, the voters in each poll will come to more of a consensus on their position in the rankings. West Virginia AP: 17 Amway: 20 West Virginia appears to be in perfect position to emerge as Oklahoma's top contender in the Big 12. However, there's good reason to be skeptical of the Mountaineers because they went 7-6 last season with the same offensive headliners Will Grier and David Sills V. Ray Thompson/Associated Press It's easy to buy into the Heisman hype Grier is receiving because of the 3,420 passing yards he totaled a year ago, but the Mountaineers have been underwhelming throughout Dana Holgorsen's tenure as head coach. During his seven seasons in Morgantown, West Virginia, Holgorsen's achieved the 10-win mark twice, and his teams finished under 500 in conference play three times. If the Mountaineers are for real, they'll run the table with victories over Tennessee, NC State and Texas among others before meeting up with Oklahoma on November 23. But for now, West Virginia is left with plenty to prove, which is why voters have mixed opinions about its preseason status. Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Sports Reference.<doc-sep>The 2018 preseason edition of the AP Top 25 was released on Monday, and this is big news for a couple of reasons. The biggest of which is that the release of the preseason AP Top 25 means that the season is almost here. Seriously, there will be games played in anger on Saturday. This Saturday! Another reason they are important is that, even if they're based on estimations and predictions, preseason polls aren't truly meaningless. They set the expectation for teams all across the country, and they're the basis for how teams are judged. If you aren't ranked to start the season, it's going to be difficult to reach the College Football Playoff this season no matter how well you perform. This is because, whether we're aware of it or not, preconceived notions about teams are extremely difficult to overcome in a sport with so many teams and so few games for each of them to play. If you don't believe me, ask UCF about the perception battle it faced all last season. In fact, in the short history of the CFP, the lowest-ranked team in the preseason AP Top 25 to reach the playoff was Oklahoma in 2015. It began the season at No. 19. Last season, Georgia started the year at No. 15 before making its climb. So preseason polls matter, whether we believe or want them to. And after going over this year's preseason AP Top 25 (you can see the entire thing right here), here are my thoughts on it. 1. The Ohio State Conundrum: One of the things I was very interested in tracking was how the AP voters would treat Ohio State in comparison to the Coaches Poll. The Coaches Poll votes were in well before the revelations about Ohio State receivers coach Zach Smith and Urban Meyer's leave of absence, and the Buckeyes were ranked No. 3 in the poll. With the current cloud hanging over OSU, I knew it would drop, and they it just that. Ohio State opens the 2018 season ranked No. 5 in the AP Top 25, making it the second-highest ranked team in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin at No. 4. I do not envy the AP voters who had to figure out what to do with Ohio State. I was asked to submit my predictions for the Big Ten last week, and I just stared at the Big Ten East with no idea what to do. Whether Meyer is fired, suspended or neither, it's hard to believe this situation won't have some kind of adverse effect on the season, but at the end of the day it's still one of the most talented teams in the country, so voters don't want to knock it down too far. 2. We're all too critical of Oklahoma: The Sooners are at No. 7 in the AP Top 25, two spots lower than their No. 5 position in the Coaches. I completely understand the reasoning behind it, but I can't help but believe we're all a bit guilty of underestimating the team that's likely going to remain the best team in the Big 12. I mean, at this point I have fewer questions about Oklahoma than I do Ohio State. 3. West Virginia is the team everyone talks themselves into: West Virginia is at No. 17 in the AP Top 25 and No. 20 in the Coaches Poll. While I haven't conducted an official poll this offseason, I'd estimate that roughly 80 percent of the college football media populace is listing West Virginia as its sleeper this year, and I fully understand why. The Big 12 is open after Oklahoma. The Mountaineers have a legitimate Heisman candidate in Will Grier, and he has a major weapon in David Sills V. Where I divert from the majority of my colleagues, however, is that West Virginia had these things last season. Grier threw for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns in just over 10 games (he was injured in the eleventh against Texas). Sills caught 18 touchdowns. West Virginia scored 34.5 points per game. And guess what? It finished 7-6 overall, though it was 7-3 in games Grier started and finished. But this team's problem was a defense that allowed 31.5 points per game (34.7 ppg in the Big 12), and I don't know what's changed on that side of the ball. I'm not saying the Mountaineers are incapable of having a strong season -- they could win 10 games -- but I'm taking more of a wait and see approach on them. 4. The Big Ten East is everybody's favorite division: The Big Ten has five teams ranked in the AP Top 25, just as many as the SEC does. Of those five teams, though, four of them reside in the Big Ten East and none of them are ranked lower than Michigan at No. 14. This is great for the Big Ten's overall reputation, but I wonder how beneficial it is to the conference as a whole. After all, the East being such a gauntlet last year is the main reason the conference missed out on a playoff berth. 5. Nobody likes Group of Five teams in the preseason: The highest-ranked such team is UCF at No. 21. Boise State is at No. 22. This is usually how things go. Group of Five teams have to prove themselves over the course of the entire season, while Power Five teams that are likely to finish in fourth or fifth in their conference are routinely ranked ahead of them to begin the season. Last year, the only Group of Five team in the preseason AP Top 25 was South Florida at No. 19. In 2016, we saw Houston at No. 15, but it had to go 13-1 the year before and beat Florida State to get there. Had Scott Frost remained at UCF, I'd bet we'd see it higher than No. 21 at the moment, but not too much higher.<doc-sep>

Butch Dill/Associated Press The second of two preseason college football polls comes out Monday. The AP Top 25, which is voted on by members of the media, makes its debut at noon ET, with Alabama hoping to hold on to the No. 1 spot it had at the end of the 2017 season. Alabama earned its first top ranking of the season, when the Amway Coaches Poll almost unanimously voted the Crimson Tide the top team, with Clemson and Ohio State sharing four of the 65 first-place votes that didn't go to Nick Saban's team. Most of the same perennial championship contenders who topped the coaches poll should feature near the top of the AP poll, as there usually isn't a major difference between the rankings at the start of the season. Below is a look at what to expect from Monday's release of the AP Top 25. Predictions for Initial AP Top 25 Video Play Button Videos you might like Alabama Claims No. 1 Ranking Alabama is more than deserving of the No. 1 ranking, as it comes off its fifth national championship of the Saban era. The Crimson Tide have plenty to prove throughout the 2018 season, as they have to replace a plethora of players who left for the NFL. Few programs can lose stars such as Minkah Fitzpatrick and Calvin Ridley and end up in good shape for the next campaign, but because this is Alabama we're talking about, it is business as usual. A talented sophomore class that earned playing time a year ago should fill plenty of key roles, especially at wide receiver. The only uncertainty surrounding Alabama is the quarterback competition between Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. Butch Dill/Associated Press No matter which player earns the starting nod, there will be an intense focus on the position throughout the season, as fans will call for the backup the second the starter makes one mistake. If the Alabama we all know and love, or hate in the hearts of some, shows up for the first seven games, it will enter a stretch of two road games against Tennessee and LSU at 7-0. Alabama's schedule is much more difficult at the end of the regular season, but for the first two months of the campaign, there could be a familiar crimson logo on top of the AP poll, starting with Monday's release. Big Ten Continues To Receive Preseason Love The top-heavy Big Ten received a generous heaping of votes in the Amway Coaches Poll, as five teams cracked the top 15. Expect much of the same in the AP poll, as Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan make up an impressive collection of ranked teams. Ohio State, who received one first-place vote in the coaches poll, should be the highest-ranked Big Ten team, while Wisconsin has a case to be in the top five. The Buckeyes and the Badgers appear to be the safest bets to lead the Big Ten at the moment, as the other three ranked teams have some questions to answer. AJ Mast/Associated Press Penn State has to prove it can find a way to replace the dynamic playmaking skills of Saquon Barkley; Michigan needs consistency from the quarterback position; and Michigan State must survive a rigorous first six games, with three coming on the road. The Big Ten could eventually put a sixth or seventh team in the rankings if Iowa or Northwestern play up to their potential, and if Nebraska surges at the start under first-year head coach Scott Frost, it could be in the mix as well. Even if Iowa, Northwestern and Nebraska play well, they might not be able to pack a punch against the five preseason top-25 teams, who should all be in the top 12 or 13 of the AP Top 25. However, the one downfall of having five teams in the top half of the polls is the potential for all of them to beat each other and for the conference to miss out on the College Football Playoff, which is the extreme worst-case scenario for the Big Ten. Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

With one of the great, and certainly most disciplined, final rounds in the Open Championship, Francesco Molinari repelled one of the great leaderboards to win his and Italy’s first major. Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth… none of them were a match for the unassuming 35-year-old from Turin, who some will claim is a “robot”, but is, in fact, rather more consistent and reliable. This was another crazy Sunday at Carnoustie, this Angus links which does not so much have a penchant for drama as a junkie’s addiction to the stuff. Granted, the ridiculously clinical nature of Molinari’s closing stretch did not afford this spectacle the mania of 1999 with Jean van De Velde and all that, or indeed, the most recent championship of 2007 when Padraig Harrington double-bogeyed the 18th before winning in a play-off, but by then everyone’s emotions here were in ribbons anyway. Molinari, who lives in London with his wife and two children, actually had the temerity to birdied the 18th, that monster of a par four for a 69 and an eight-under total and that basically took out of the reach of the American Xander Schauffelle, who ended up two shots behind in a tie for second with McIlroy, Rose and countryman Kevin Kisner. While the rest of them blew leads, Molinari, a West Ham fan, continued to bubble, recording am incredible 16 pars and two birdies on a day when the wind played havoc. And what made his success all the more remarkable was that he compiled it in the presence of Woods, just when he was contending once more on the final day of a major.<doc-sep>“I was competing against all the other guys as well, not only against him,” Molinari said. His final-round score, 69, allowed him to finish with an eight-under-par total of 276: two strokes ahead of Rose, McIlroy, Kevin Kisner and Xander Schauffele, and three strokes ahead of Woods, Eddie Pepperell and Kevin Chappell. Internally, the magnitude of the moment must have been difficult to navigate for Molinari at Carnoustie Golf Links, which has been the scene of some of the most extreme reversals of fortune in the game’s long championship history. It is also a course Molinari has even avoided in the past. “I mean, there was everything to make someone nervous,” Molinari said. But externally he displayed nothing but cool, going without a bogey over the final two rounds on what is widely considered the most difficult course on the British Open rotation. “The course bit me a few times the first couple days,” Molinari said. “But to go bogey-free over the weekend on a track like this is incredible.” Carnoustie was ripe for the attacking on Saturday, with light winds and relatively soft conditions after Friday’s rain. But on Sunday it was full of its traditional snarl. The wind returned, drying out the fairways and demanding constant adaptation from the combatants.<doc-sep>Francesco Molinari didn’t get the loudest cheers for the best golf at British Open. Francesco Molinari of Italy speaks during a press conference after winning the British Open Golf Championship in Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday July 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Francesco Molinari of Italy celebrates after putting a birdie on the 18th green after the final round for the 147th British Open Golf championships in Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday, July 22, 2018. (Peter Morrison/AP) Francesco Molinari of Italy plays out of the rough on the 9th fairway during the final round for the 147th British Open Golf championships in Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday, July 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Francesco Molinari of Italy, right, and Tiger Woods shake hands on the 18th hole after the final round for the 147th British Open Golf championships in Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday, July 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Francesco Molinari of Italy plays a shot to the 17th green during the final round for the 147th British Open Golf championships in Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday, July 22, 2018. (Peter Morrison/AP) Jordan Spieth of the US plays a shot on the 8th hole during the final round of the British Open Golf Championship in Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday July 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Jon Super) CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — Francesco Molinari didn’t get the loudest cheers for the best golf at British Open. He was overlooked for so much of Sunday playing alongside Tiger Woods, who caused pure pandemonium at Carnoustie by taking the lead in the final round of a major for the first time in nine years. Molinari settled for the best cheer of them all. The last one. Amid so much chaos — seven players atop the leaderboard, six of them still tied on the back nine — Molinari played a steady hand by going the entire weekend without a bogey and finishing with a 5-foot birdie putt that secured his place in history as Italy’s first major champion. “Clearly, in my group, the attention wasn’t really on me, let’s put it that way,” Molinari said, the gleaming claret jug in front of him. “If someone was expecting a charge, they probably weren’t expecting it from me. But it’s been the same the whole of my career.” His charge was a 2-under 69 in the strongest wind of the week, the only player from the last four groups to break par. Woods lost the lead with one bad swing that would have been even farther left of the 11th green had it not crashed into the fans, leading to double bogey. He followed that with a bogey and never caught up. He had to settle for a 71. Jordan Spieth, tied for the lead in his bid to go back-to-back in the British Open, failed to make a single birdie and shot 76, his highest score Sunday in a major. Kevin Chappell made two double bogeys, the last one on No. 17 that derailed his hopes. Kevin Kisner made his double bogey early. Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose each made a run with eagles on the par-5 14th hole, McIlroy with a 50-foot putt , Rose with a second shot that bounced off the base of the pin. They ran out of holes. Xander Schauffele, the last hope to keep alive the American streak of five straight majors, was one shot behind until he sent a long iron to the right of the 17th and failed to make a 15-foot putt for par. Molinari clinched it with a driver that skirted the edge of a pot bunker, leaving him a lob wedge from 112 yards to 5 feet. He poured it in, raised his right fist and shook it lightly before slamming it for emphasis. Then, he waited in the trailer to see if anyone could catch him. At one point, he went over to the practice green, but not to prepare for a playoff. “I probably would have felt sick watching on TV,” he said. Molinari finished at 8-under 276, the lowest score in eight Opens at Carnoustie, the course where Jean Van de Velde threw away the British Open with a triple bogey on the last hole in 1999, where Padraig Harrington twice hit into Barry Burn on the last hole to make double bogey and still won. “Just disbelief, to be honest,” the 35-year-old said. “To go the weekend bogey-free, it’s unthinkable. Playing with Tiger was another challenge. But I felt really good this morning. I felt I was ready for the challenge.” Woods had every reason to believe he would cap a most improbable comeback from four back surgeries. His red shirt blazing against the yellow grass of a dry Scottish summer, Woods hit driver into the wind on the par-4 fourth to set up birdie. Into the wind on the par-5 sixth, three deep bunkers to the right and out-of-bounds to the left, he got to the front of the green with a driver and a 3-wood for another birdie. And just like the Woods of old, the players he was chasing started to collapse. Spieth gambled with a shot to clear the burn on No. 6 and went into a gorse bush, making double bogey. Schauffele chopped up the next hole for double bogey. Woods had the lead. And then he lost it with two bad holes. Still in range, he couldn’t get close enough for a birdie when it mattered. It was the first time since the 2007 U.S. Open that he trailed going into the final round of a major, had the lead and didn’t win. His anger over his mistakes was tempered by perspective, comparing it to Serena Williams losing in the finals at Wimbledon. “The beginning of the year, if they’d have said, ‘You’re playing The Open Championship,’ I would have said I’d be very lucky to do that. Serena and I are good friends. I’m sure she’ll probably call me and talk to me about it because you’ve got to put things in perspective. … I know that it’s going to sting for a little bit here, but given where I was to where I’m at now, blessed.”<doc-sep>Francesco Molinari said he felt a sense of disbelief after becoming the first Italian to win the Claret Jug, adding that the fact he achieved it while playing with Tiger Woods – who held the outright lead at seven under at one point – made it even more special. “Tiger himself was great today,” said Molinari, who joked that he might make the headlines back in Italy given Ferrari did not win the German Grand Prix. “He showed really good sportsmanship with me. Obviously, there’s a lot more people [around] if you’re grouped with him than if I’m playing some of the other guys. “I’ve played with him before in Ryder Cups and in big occasions, so I knew what was coming, and I was ready for it. I was calm – you know, as calm as you can be playing in the last round of a major close to the lead, playing with Tiger. I focused on my process and on hitting good shots and on playing smart golf.” The 35-year-old from Turin, who was inspired to become a golfer after watching Costantino Rocca on TV going close at the 1995 Open at St Andrews, said he hoped his win would have an inspirational effect on others back home. “The last round already was big news in Italy. Obviously, to achieve something like this is on another level. Hopefully, there were a lot of young kids watching on TV today, like I was watching Costantino coming so close. Hopefully they will get as inspired as I was at the time, watching him vie for the Claret Jug. “To look at the names on that Claret Jug, obviously, what can you say? It’s the best golfers in history and to be on there it’s incredible. From someone like me coming from Italy, not really a major golfing country, it’s been an incredible journey.” Molinari, who won with a total of eight under par, also said he was proud of his feat of managing to stay bogey free through the weekend, when the wind became more of a factor for what was his third win of the season and his first major title. “For the first time I felt I was ready for it. Winning at Wentworth and in the States,” said the Italian, whose triumph at Carnoustie forced him to cancel plans to leave Scotland on a 9pm Easyjet flight on Sunday. “Not many Europeans have managed to achieve that. Sign up to The Recap, our weekly email of editors’ picks “I got here only Monday lunchtime from the States and walked a few holes, and I saw it was firm and fast and the rough wasn’t too bad,” added Molinari, whose previous best finish was tied for ninth in 2013. “It reminded me of Muirfield. Obviously, that was a great experience to play with [the eventual winner] Phil [Mickelson] in the last round and to see someone doing the job, getting the job done on Sunday. So I liked the way the course was playing but, again, it’s a beast of a course. So I don’t think anyone feels too confident when they stand on that first tee at Carnoustie.” Molinari also admitted he tends not to contest the Dunhill Links Championship in the autumn as he has been “beaten up” on the links at Carnoustie a few times. “I didn’t particularly enjoy that feeling. It’s a really tough course. You can try and play smart golf, but some shots you just have to hit it straight. There’s no way around it. You can’t really hide.” He added that he only started to believe he could win it when the young American Xander Schauffele missed a par putt at the 17th to slip two behind the lead with one hole to go. “I thought there was maybe a 5% chance. I couldn’t watch Xander play the last two holes, to be honest,” he said. “That’s why I went to the putting green because I probably would have felt sick watching on TV.” Reflecting on his final score of six under par, which gave him a share of second place, Rory McIlroy said: “I don’t leave here with regrets, I played a good tournament but this week is just wasn’t good enough.”<doc-sep>

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- The moments that are so crucial inside the ropes can be excruciating for those on the outside. Several, perhaps dozens, of those played out Sunday for Francesco Molinari, as he produced the round of his life to win The Open and become the first Italian to win a major championship. One of those instances occurred at Carnoustie's 13th hole Sunday, as Molinari was not only dealing with one of the most feared links in the world, but also the presence of Tiger Woods, who brings along a kind of commotion that is unnerving at best and a part of every round of golf he plays. Another tough par putt went down, keeping Molinari in a tie for the lead -- much to the relief of his wife, Valentina, who behind the green made a quiet fist pump to those she was with in a gesture that she had every reason to repeat often. Starting the day one shot ahead of Woods and three behind leaders Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele and Kevin Kisner, Molinari never flinched, time after time hitting the proper shot, making up for any mistakes, staying patient until it was time to pounce. He never made a bogey, and he hoisted the Claret Jug in the presence of Woods, whose own spirited run to a 15th major title had Scotland in full throat. "Playing with Tiger was a challenge because of the crowds and everything,'' said Molinari, who birdied two of the final five holes. "Tiger himself was great today, really good sportsmanship with me. Obviously, there's a lot more people if you're grouped with him. I've done it before. I've played with him before in the Ryder Cup and in big occasions, so I knew what was coming and I was ready for it.'' What came was what usually is the case with Woods: chaos. Throngs of spectators, an abundance of photographers, officials and media inside the ropes, constant clamoring in the gallery, shouts of encouragement, people moving on to the next hole after Woods putts out. None of that fazed Molinari. Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods walk down the fifth fairway as a huge gallery looks on during the final round of The Open at Carnoustie. Francois Nel/Getty Images He became the first major winner since Steve Elkington won the PGA Championship in 1995 to play the final 36 holes without a single score over par. His last bogey came on the 17th hole Friday. "He played really solid today,'' Woods said. "[He] hit a couple off shots, but winning it definitely was his short game. He chipped it beautifully. He made a couple of putts here and there for par, but to get it to where it was basically kick-in from some of the spots he put himself was pretty impressive. Great touch. You could see him actually try and hit a couple with cut spin, a couple with draw spin. He was working the ball around the greens, and that was cool to see.'' Woods is plenty familiar with Molinari, drawing him in Ryder Cup singles in 2010 (a Woods victory) and 2012 (a last-match halve in which Woods conceded on the final green), as well as three weeks ago at the Quicken Loans National, where Molinari won by 8 strokes -- and Tiger was there to hand him the trophy as tournament host. Perhaps people should have seen this coming. Molinari has been on an incredible run of late, winning the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship, before finishing second at the Italian Open, winning the Quicken Loans and then tying for second at last week's John Deere Classic. And a good bit of it can be traced to improved putting. Always a "flusher,'' a pure ball-striker who can hit all the shots, Molinari at times was plagued by poor work on the greens. He began practicing with UK-based instructor Paul Kenyon earlier this year, and the results have been pronounced -- and a far cry from what he told Wesley Bryan late last fall when they played together at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. Bryan took to Twitter on Sunday to share what he learned from Molinari back then. And it sure didn't sound like a guy intent on winning a major championship, as he described having a plan to retire in a few years.

By Nolan Bianchi The Detroit News Final leaders Passing MSU - Rocky Lombardi: 26/46, 318 yds., 2 TDs PU - David Blough: 29/49, 277 yds., 3 INTs Rushing MSU - LJ Scott: 15 atts., 52 yds. PU - D.J. Knox: 7 atts., 51 yds. Receiving MSU - Jalen Nailor: 3 recs., 70 yds., TD PU - Brycen Hopkins 4 recs., 80 yds. Blough throws INT on final drive Rondale Moore can't get away from the Spartan defenders and is dropped at the Purdue 30. Matt Morrissey picks off David Blough on the next play. The Spartans are in victory formation. This one's a wrap. Michigan State 23, Purdue 13 (FINAL) Nailor extends Spartan lead to 10 Jalen Nailor gets the ball to start the drive. He takes the jet sweep for a gain of 16 to reach the 40. La'Darius Jefferson picks up 3 yards on first down. Timeout Purdue (2:55 4th) Lombardi plows ahead for a gain of 5 on second down to make it third-and-short. Timeout Purdue (2:46 4th) Lombardi gets some help from Max Rosenthal crossing the line-of-scrimmage for a gain of 3. Jefferson gets no gain on a first-down run. Timeout Purdue (2:11 4th) Nailor breaks free after reversing field and takes it 48 yards to the house for a Spartan touchdown that all but seals the deal in East Lansing. Lombardi is called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Michigan State 23, Purdue 13 (1:58 4th) Spartans return favor with blocked field goal David Blough goes for it on first down, throwing deep to Isaac Zico over the middle for a gain of 39. D.J. Knox gets a yard on first down from the Michigan State 32. Blough goes back to Zico on second down, but Justin Layne makes a nice play on the ball in the end zone. Injury: Justin Layne is hurt on the play. It's third-and-9. Rondale Moore is stopped 3 yards short of the first down marker. Spencer Evans will try the 41-yard field goal. The field goal is blocked by Mike Panasiuk. Michigan State 16, Purdue 13 (3:42 4th) Penalties hurt Spartan offense as it looks to extend lead Michigan State will take over at the 11 after the turnover and penalty. Jalen Nailor picks up 9 yards for the Spartans on first down and La'Darius Jefferson moves the sticks with a 3-yard run on second down. Connor Heyward rushes for 2 yards on first down. Rocky Lombardi completes a 13-yard pass to Cam Chambers on second down to reach the 38-yard-line. Lombardi is flagged for a false start and it'll be first-and-15. Blake Bueter is called for holding on the next play to make it first-and-25. Matt Dotson catches a 6-yard pass on first down. Chambers straight up drops a pass that would have given the Spartans a first down on the next play. On third-and-19, Lombardi dumps it off to Jefferson for a short gain. The Spartans will punt again. Michigan State 16, Purdue 13 (5:37 4th) Thompson hit forces big turnover for Spartans D.J. Knox gets to the edge on Purdue's first play of the drive and goes for 36 yards up the sideline to make it first-and-10 at the Michigan State 44. David Blough's throw to Isaac Zico on first down falls to the ground. Terry Wright hauls in an 8-yard reception before going out-of-bounds. Knox takes the pitch for a 10-yard gain on the next play to move the sticks. Blough goes to Brycen Hopkins over the middle, who is decked by Tyriq Thompson. The bar is jarred loose and Thompson catches it before it hits the ground. Thompson is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the fact. Michigan State 16, Purdue 13 (10:02 4th) Michigan State can't pull away in fourth Rocky Lombardi goes to Justin Layne on first down, but his throw falls incomplete. Darrell Stewart Jr. runs for 6 yards on second down. Lombardi overshoots Brandon Sowards down the sideline on third down. Rondale Moore calls for a fair catch at the 20. Michigan State 16, Purdue 13 (11:40 4th) Michigan State defense holding onto lead Purdue starts the drive off with a 3-yard completion to Cole Herdman on first down. Jared Sparks drops an easy reception beyond the line-of-scrimmage on second down. Purdue was called for holding, anyway. Rondale Moore pulls in a shoestring catch on third down for a gain of 18 to reach the 49-yard-line. David Blough throws an incomplete pass to Isaac Zico on first down. He completes a 7-yard throw to Herdman on second down, but is unable to hit his intended receiver on third-and-3. The Boilermakers will go for it. Moore catches the pass but is wrapped up short of the first down marker. Michigan State 16, Purdue 13 (12:38 3rd) Spartan offense sputtering to start fourth quarter The Spartans will start at the 25 after a touchback. Darrell Stewart Jr. hauls in a huge reception of 51 yards, but is hurt on the play. Then the call is reversed, as officials say the ball hit the ground before Stewart hauled it in. Lombardi is sacked by Jacob Thieneman for a loss of 8 to end the third quarter. Michigan State 16, Purdue 13 (End 3rd) Lombardi completes a pass to Scott on third down, but it's not good enough to move the sticks. Tyler Hunt's punt is returned by Rondale Moore to the Purdue 38. Michigan State 16, Purdue 13 (14:16 4th) Purdue pulls back within a field goal Rondale Moore is stopped on the kick return before he can get too far down the field. He's pushed out of-of-bounds at the 26. David Blough dumps it off to Brycen Hopkins, who plows ahead for a gain of 11. Blough finds Terry Wright open for a pickup of 16. He then gets it to Isaac Zico on the next play for a gain of 7 to reach the Michigan State 40. Moore pulls in a 2-yard reception on the next play and D.J. Knox gets the first down with a 7-yard run. Hopkins is the target on first down, getting all the way down to the Michigan State 1-yard-line.<doc-sep>Josh Mansour Special to Detroit Free Press Welcome to our live game blog for today's game between Michigan State and Purdue. Feel free to join in the banter and live analysis or just check in for the score. Special writer Josh Mansour leads the conversation during the game. Access to the game blog for mobile users.<doc-sep>EAST LANSING – Rocky Lombardi got the start, and more injuries occurred. Michigan State’s offense sputtered and stalled under its new quarterback, but the Spartans moved the ball enough for a 23-13 victory over Purdue on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans’ Mike Panasiuk blocked a game-tying field goal attempt with 3:42 to play, and Jalen Nailor turned Lombardi’s “pop pass” into a cutback, field-weaving 48-yard touchdown to seal the win with just under two minutes remaining. And it was a critical win for bowl eligibility for MSU (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten). The Spartans travel to Maryland next week needing just one more victory to qualify for postseason play for the 11th time in coach Mark Dantonio’s 12 seasons. MSU and the Terrapins kick off at noon next Saturday (ESPN2). Purdue (4-4, 3-2) beat then-No. 2 Ohio State last week, 49-20. Lombardi’s turn MSU kept everyone guessing up until kickoff time, not even informing its radio broadcast team whether Lombardi or Brian Lewerke would start at quarterback. More:Michigan State beats Purdue. Internet falls in love with Rocky Lombardi Lombardi got the ball when MSU went on offense with 13:10 to go in the first quarter. The redshirt freshman moved the Spartans 24 yards, including a 9-yard scramble and a 14-yard pass to Darrell Stewart Jr. However, the drive stalled. Enter Lewerke on fourth down — he continued his role as the holder on place-kicks. Matt Coghlin made a 43-yard field goal to cap that drive, then a 48-yarder for his 18th straight as MSU took a 6-3 lead. After Purdue tied it, Lombardi guided the Spartans on a late-half drive that started at their own 13. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Iowa connected on 6 of 7 passes on the drive, including a 27-yarder to Stewart, while hitting receivers and tight ends. Lombardi finished the drive with an 11-yard scoring strike to Stewart, who dove into the end zone with 56 seconds left in the second quarter to send MSU into halftime with a 13-6 lead. After gaining just 94 yards last week in a 21-7 loss to Michigan, the Spartans put up 426 yards against the Boilermakers. Lombardi finished 26 of 46 for 318 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. More:Engler: Michigan State's Big Ten fine 'absurd,' blames 'setup' on U-M More injuries MSU lost a number of players to the game, with a number of them returning. That list included Stewart, LB Joe Bachie, CB/WR Justin Layne and RT Jordan Reid. The Spartans’ offense played without starting center Matt Allen and starting fullback Collin Lucas, as well as offensive lineman David Beedle, wideouts Cody White, Felton Davis III and Laress Nelson. Defense shines Purdue posted 539 yards against Ohio State last week. The Spartans kept QB David Blough and WR Rondale Moore in check Saturday. Blough threw for 277 yards, and the Boilermakers had just 77 yard rushing for 339 total yards. Moore had 11 catches for 74 yards and no touchdowns. The Boilermakers’ only score was a 1-yard run by Terry Moore in the third quarter that cut MSU’s lead to 16-13. The Spartans never trailed and held a 38:13-21:47 edge in time of possession. Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!<doc-sep>That was as satisfying of a win you’ll get. The field is littered with back-ups, a smoking hot Purdue team is coming to town and all MSU does is flex that defense, make it work on offense and get that victory. Let’s get into it. The Good Justin Layne just may have been the MVP of that game. He had four pass breakups, seven tackles and one catch on offense for 11 yards. And really, he could have had two touchdowns on deep balls that Rocky Lombardi just overthrew as Layne got separation on streak routes. And aside from missing on those two deep balls to Layne, Rocky was outstanding. He made great throws. He made great reads. He never really got himself in danger and played as composed as a guy who’s started 20+ games. We’ll forgive him for not connecting on 40+ yard passes to a starting cornerback-turned-receiver in his first start. In a season where a lot has gone wrong, it was relieving to see that the quarterback position will pretty alright with Lewerke rehabbing his injury. The pass protection was also lock-tight pretty much the entire game. The offensive line deserves a lot of love for their outing on Saturday. Going back to talking about great defensive back play, how about this pass breakup by Tre Person? Mark Dantonio always has absolute steals in his recruiting classes, and the steal of this class is looking like it’s Jalen Nailor. What an absolute electric factory. You could put him in a hallway and I still think he would burn an entire defense trying to take him down. I don’t know how a guy with his speed and vision was rated as a 3-star, but hey, I’m cool with it. Really, the entire receiving corps had a really solid game. Darrell Stewart had four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Matt Dotson looks like the primary tight end of the future now. Brandon Sowards led the team with six grabs. Cam Chambers also had a really nice game (we’ll forget that one drop) with five catches and 53 yards. Tyriq Thompson pretty much killed a guy. That was arguably the play of the game on defense to halt a Purdue drive with a three point Spartan lead. I give you the most underrated play of Week 9 via, @MSU_Football's @TyriqThompson17: pic.twitter.com/bfbG4pZWLG — Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) October 28, 2018 The Panasiuk Bros. were the cause of that blocked field goal that would have tied the game. And nothing sums it up better than this quote. Mike Panasiuk said he and his brother, Jacub, worked together on the blocked field goal: "I told my brother, 'Scooch down a little bit and let's take this kid for a ride.' We pushed him back a little bit, got my big paw up there and was able to block it." — Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) October 27, 2018 Matt Coghlin was once again great, despite having his third attempt blocked. Knocking in a 43-yarder and a 48-yarder are certainly good enough to get a positive grade. Operation #FreeJosiahScott is officially over as he served his suspension from the Holiday Bowl in the first half. Now it gets interesting if they want to preserve his redshirt with five games left. Do you play him all five and burn his redshirt? Do you play him the remaining regular season games and sit him for the bowl game? Do you sit him for Rutgers and start Zeke the Wonderdog instead for that game? Who knows? Shoutout to everyone for shouting “Cancer Sucks!” at kickoffs on Saturday. Your message was heard by Tyler Trent back home because of you guys. Once again, props to the @MSU_FBStudents for stepping up and doing this. https://t.co/aexN4CyFc4 — Tyler Trent (@theTylerTrent) October 27, 2018 The Bad There...isn’t really a lot to say here. I guess the run game still leaves a lot to be desired as they averaged just 2.7 yards per carry. Nothing new here, really. Oh yeah, and this BS unsportsmanlike conduct call. I expect a $50,000 fine from the Big Ten — $10K for each high five. This is an “unsportsmanlike conduct” flag in college football. Let it marinate. pic.twitter.com/kJYKQmiYyo — Al Toby (@AlTobyYahoo) October 27, 2018 The Random Let’s pump the brakes with the “quarterback controversy” talk, at least for now. Did Rocky look good on Saturday? You’re damn right he did. Was it just one game? Uhh, yeah. Rocky showed a lot of good signs against Purdue, but we need to see a larger sample size than one game to call this QB battle officially “on.” Another solid showing next week — if he still starts — and a great performance and/or win against Ohio State will get my eyebrows raised. Until then, a healthy Brian Lewerke is the guy. Yes, he hasn’t looked like 2017 Lewerke for most the season, but he’s been dealing with this injury for a while and also has to create chemistry with roughly three dozen different receivers. MSU is in a good spot with their QB position. They’re in a spot where they have two guys they can trust — this isn’t a situation where you’re picking between two decent-at-best guys like a good number of programs are. Let’s rifle through some bowl projections, where we are either in great weather or 8 degree weather. SBNation, Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports all have MSU in the Outback Bowl. ESPN is split with MSU, one writer picking the RedBox Bowl in Santa Clara and another writer putting us down for the Pinstripe Bowl. I was about to say this was certainly MSU’s second best win of the season...but guys, look at Utah State. UTAH STATE! The now No. 20-ranked Aggies have been annihilating teams. I still think the Purdue win is a better victory considering the circumstances with injury and the fact that the Boilermakers were white-hot. However, it’s not as clear as it may seem with Utah State looking like one of the best Group of Five teams in the country. Poll What was a better win for MSU?<doc-sep>

EAST LANSING, MI - OCTOBER 6: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans signals a face mask to an official during the first half at Spartan Stadium on October 6, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. Northwestern defeated Michigan State 29-19. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) Michigan State football will get a crack at red-hot Purdue in East Lansing on Saturday. Will the Spartans tame the Boilermakers? Michigan State football is at a critical crossroads at 4-3 as they welcome in the Purdue Boilermakers this weekend. Who wins this matchup? Who knows, but we will see as the two teams face off at noon on Saturday. Senior quarterback David Blough is playing very well for Purdue but he went into this season battling for the starting spot at quarterback. Even though his stats show he is efficient and accurate, it seems like he is on a similar trajectory as Ryan Fitzpatrick of the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is to not to take anything away from Blough’s recent success but history shows that it would be very difficult for him to continue on this path that he is currently on. There is no doubt, however, that Purdue freshmen sensation wide receiver Rondale Moore will pose problems for the Spartans secondary. He can do it all and should be a major concern for the Spartans as Justin Layne will have his hands full covering him in the open field. Purdue’s running game is led by running back D.J. Knox. Michigan State’s run defense should be able to hold him in check and minimize his impact on the game. Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm has done wonders with his program and has Purdue on the rise and there is no doubting that he is doing an excellent job coaching the Boilermakers. On the flip side, Michigan State looks to be without Brain Lewerke services for this game due to him having issues with his right shoulder injury. Will Matt Allen start at center for the Spartans? It appears he will not play on Saturday. We already know that Felton Davis III and Jake Hartbarger are out for the season and David Beedle, Josiah Scott, and Cody White are more than likely not going to be able to play as well against the Boilermakers. The players to look out for to see if there are suited up or in street clothes are Laress Nelson and Josh Butler. Michigan State desperately needs the four receivers of Darrell Stewart Jr. Jalen Nailor, Cam Chambers and even Brandon Sowards to be ready to help with the passing game with an inexperienced Rocky Lombardi at quarterback. Also, the Spartans don’t need any surprises such as L.J .Scott or Kevin Jarvis not being able to play the entire game. This is a must-see game for all Spartan fans and now here are the picks: Connor Muldowney: Michigan State comes limping into this one while Purdue is flying higher than ever after a huge win over Ohio State. The casual fan would say that the Boilermakers should walk all over the Spartans, but no one knows which Michigan State team will show up. Will we see the team that went to Happy Valley and stole a win from Penn State or the one that lost at home to Northwestern? I’m going to say right down the middle. The Spartans will struggle offensively yet again as they may turn to second-string quarterback Rocky Lombardi if Brian Lewerke can’t go. Purdue will steal one on the road and remain red-hot. Final: Purdue 30, Michigan State 27 Ryan Kay: The weather is not going to be ideal for the offense of Purdue in East Lansing this Saturday. Purdue is coming off of an emotional win against Ohio State. Purdue started the season 0-3 but lost all of the games by four or fewer points. They did, however, lose to Eastern Michigan at home, a team that is 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference. Purdue also lost to Missouri who is 0-3 in the SEC East, so it is not like Purdue’s losses have come at the hands of Alabama’s or Penn State’s of the college football world. Purdue, on paper, has many advantages going into this game but it just seems like there is a sense that even with all the injuries that Michigan State has, it still is the slight favorite to win this game.

Bill Cosby is seeking an appeal to overturn his sexual assault conviction and three-to-10-year prison sentence, Associated Press via USA Today reports. Cosby’s lawyers have asked a Pennsylvania court to overturn the ruling, claiming multiple trial errors. The disgraced actor’s lawyers defense motion argues that the trial evidence never proved the encounter with accuser Andrea Constand took place in 2004 and not 2003, or that Cosby was arrested within the 12-year statute of limitations. Additionally, the defense motion claims that trial judge Steven O’Neill should not have declared Cosby “a sexually violent predator” who should be in jail to protect the community, calling the sentence more punitive than necessary since the crime typically garners a two-to-three year sentence and cited that Cosby is 81 and blind. The defense motion further said O’Neill improperly considered trial testimony from five other Cosby accusers, claiming that “prior bad act” testimony to the question of his guilt or innocence should have been limited. His lawyers are also challenging the state’s sex offender laws, which require judges find that a sexual violent predator has a “mental abnormality.” His lawyers said the term has no legal or psychological meaning, yet defendants are subjected to lifetime counseling and must register with police. In April, a jury ruled that Cosby was guilty of three counts of indecent aggravated assault against Andrea Constand in 2004. He has been in prison since he was sentenced on September 25th. Beyond his criminal conviction, Cosby still faces civil court, where 10 women have filed suits claiming he sexually assaulted them, New York Times reports. The suits have primarily been on hold during the criminal trial. The cases were all filed before he was criminally charged. Cosby has denied the women’s accusations, claiming any sexual relationships were consensual. His lawyers may seek to continue to postpone the civil case proceedings while they pursue the current appeal.<doc-sep>Attorneys for disgraced comedian Bill Cosby are fighting his recent criminal conviction and prison sentence for sexual assault, filing an appeal that claims the judge erred in handling the case. Lawyers Peter Goldberger and Joseph P. Green Jr. argue that Judge Steven O’Neill should not have allowed testimony of other women who have accused Cosby of sexual assault to be admissible in the trial, which only dealt with whether Cosby sexually assaulted Andrea Constand in 2004. Additionally, Cosby’s team claims that Judge O’Neill went too far with his sentence of three to ten years behind bars, plus deeming him a “sexually violent predator” who needs to register as a sex offender. O’Neill defended the sentence when he issued it on September 25. “Any lesser sentence would seriously depreciate the seriousness of the crime,” he said, noting, “We can’t treat him differently because of who he is or who he was.” The decision to name Cosby a sexually violent predator was in accordance with a recommendation by the Sexual Offender Registration Board. Cosby is 81 years old, and claims to be blind. His attorneys say that in light of this, plus what they say is a standard two to three year sentence for this offense, their client should have received a lighter punishment. O.J. Simpson agreed, recently saying that given Cosby’s age, plus the notoriously bad treatment that sex offenders face in prison, the comedian should not have had to go to jail at all. Prosecutors are expected to file a response to the appeal. Cosby will have to remain incarcerated pending the outcome of the appeals process. Listen to an interview with Cosby’s prosecutor from the trial on Law&Crime’s Guys Who Law podcast. [Image via Mark Makela/Getty Images] Have a tip we should know? [email protected]<doc-sep>Prosecutors were given a deadline Tuesday to respond to Bill Cosby's legal bid to get out of a Pennsylvania prison as soon as possible while appealing his conviction on sex crimes. Cosby's lawyers have petitioned the judge who sentenced him – the same judge they criticized as biased and unethical – to reconsider his three-to-10-year sentence. But this is only a preliminary step, trial experts say: If Judge Steven O'Neill denies the motion Cosby's lawyers filed over the weekend then the defense team will likely go over O'Neill's head to challenge the sentence to a three-judge panel of the state Superior Court. If none of that gets Inmate No. NN7687 out of SCI Phoenix prison quickly, then Cosby can launch a full-on appeal of his April conviction of three charges of aggravated sexual assault for drugging and molesting a woman at his home outside Philadelphia in 2004. On Tuesday, O'Neill signed an order giving prosecutors 10 days to file a response to Cosby's motion. He did not indicate whether there would be a hearing. Kate Delano, a spokeswoman for Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, said his team is working on its response. The motion was filed by appellate lawyer Peter Goldberger and Joseph Green, head of Cosby's third team of defense lawyers since his arrest in December 2015 on the charges. Cosby, 81, nearly blind and ailing, asked O'Neill to hold a hearing and grant a new trial, or alternatively to vacate the sentence or modify it to allow Cosby to be bailed out of prison pending a full appeal of his conviction. "This is a motion in the trial court asking for reconsideration of the sentence based on factors they've already raised, but it’s a step that is commonly taken, to raise the (issue) of the appropriateness of the sentence," says Dennis McAndrews, a former Pennsylvania prosecutor who is now a criminal defense attorney in the state. "It's a preliminary step before going forward with an appeal." But trial experts doubt it will be granted by O'Neill, who has already rejected multiple pre-sentencing motions by Cosby accusing him of being biased and unethical during two trials and seeking his recusal from the case and a new trial. "The percentage of success in these types of motions to the trial court is low," says Stuart Slotnick, a New York defense attorney who has followed the Cosby case for nearly three years. "The bid to reduce the sentence will likely be rejected by the trial court and will only have a chance at success at an appellate court." McAndrews agreed trial judges rarely change their minds after sentences are challenged, "especially in cases such as this when these issues were all considered so thoroughly," he said. "I would not expect this to be granted." So why file it? Because Cosby's lawyers are "trying to make a record of their reasons why they think his sentence was excessive" for use later in a full appeal of the conviction, McAndrews said. This is what defense lawyers do for clients post-conviction, says Lara Yeretsian, a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who has worked on other high-profile celebrity cases. "Every little thing they can do for him they’re going to do, especially now he is in custody," she says. "If there's a 1 percent chance this judge might overturn the conviction or reduce the sentence, it’s worth a try. If he doesn’t, they can take it up on appeal (later)." Also, Cosby is arguing that he has "after-discovered evidence," meaning evidence that emerged after the trial. Cosby's lawyers argue that an audio recording played to jurors of a 2005 conversation between Cosby and the mother of accuser Andrea Constand was "not authentic." They said they did not make the discovery until an expert review after the trial. Any claim of after-discovered evidence is "supposed to be raised as soon as possible" after sentencing, McAndrews said, thus the need to file a motion now. And if it's true, "this could provide a significant opportunity to reverse the conviction" on appeal, adds Slotnick. Cosby's latest motion is only 11 pages but it contains some previews of what are likely to be his arguments in a full appeal of his conviction to the state appellate court, known as the Superior Court in Pennsylvania. The motion argues that prosecutors failed to prove that the encounter with Constand took place within the 12-year statute of limitations. It argues that O'Neill erred in declaring Cosby a "sexually violent predator" who must be imprisoned to protect the community. And they argue that the sentence was longer than necessary under the standard two- to three-year guideline range for the crime. "The defense can appeal a sentence but whether an appellate court would agree that the judge abused his discretion in sentencing Cosby to three-to-10 years is another matter," says Yeretsian. She says O’Neill was careful to remain close to the upper end of the sentencing range but not exceed it. "Clearly, Judge O'Neill played it safe by imposing the maximum sentence he could impose without being overturned," Yeretsian said. Another argument: O'Neill "erred" in sentencing Cosby based on the testimony of five other accusers who testified at the second trial that Cosby sexually assaulted them, too. (O'Neill allowed only one such accuser of "uncharged crimes" to testify at the first trial, which ended in a hung jury.) Cosby's motion cited what O'Neill told Cosby during his sentencing, that he considered "voices from the past, your past," and that he "heard their voices loud and clear." "This use of the witnesses' testimony also violated (Cosby's) right at sentencing to cross-examine the witnesses against him," Cosby's motion argued.<doc-sep>

Two weeks after Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison, his lawyers are appealing his sexual assault conviction. The motion for an appeal argues that, because of multiple alleged errors in Cosby’s criminal trial, Judge Steven O’Neill was mistaken in declaring Cosby a “sexually violent predator,” the Associated Press reports. Cosby has been in a Pennsylvania state prison since he was sentenced Sept. 25, the same day he was classified as a sexually violent predator who must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. He was convicted in April on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for a 2004 encounter with Andrea Constand. BREAKING: Bill Cosby, 81, is sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for 2004 sexual assault. — The Associated Press (@AP) September 25, 2018 His lawyers, who indicated in April that they planned to appeal, now claim that the sentence is too harsh for the 81-year-old. They also assert that evidence never proved that the encounter with Constand took place in 2004. Her account that the assault happened that year — not earlier — means that it fell within Pennsylvania’s 12-year statute of limitations on sexual assault when she filed suit in 2016. The appeal also argues that O’Neill shouldn’t have considered the testimony of five other women who have accused Cosby of sexual assault. The judge told the defendant at the sentencing that he had considered “voices from the past — your past,” adding that he had “heard their voices loud and clear,” per the AP. Cosby’s lawyers believe that O’Neill should have allowed only those testimonies that spoke to Cosby’s guilt or innocence. Adding to the list of complaints, Cosby’s legal team questioned the Pennsylvania law requiring a judge to find a “mental abnormality” — which they contend has no real meaning — in order to consider someone a “sexually violent predator.” Story continues It’s unclear when Cosby will receive a decision on his appeal, as the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office has yet to file a response. He’ll remain behind bars while he waits, though. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

Hide Transcript Show Transcript EXPOSED. DR. DAVID WOLFSON: MEASLES ACTUALLY FLOATS IN THE AIR AND YOU CAN GET SICK ACROSS TH ROOM MARCIE: THAT DOCTORS SAY IS WHAT MAKES MEASLES SO DANGEROUS AND THE REASON THAT THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS WARNING THOSE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED THAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED INSIDE THIS GIANT EAGLE ON CENTRE AVENUE OR INSI ALDI ON BAUM EVEN IF THEY NEVER SAW THE ONE PERSON WHO OFFICIALS SAY WAS INSIDE SICK. >> ITS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS. IT IS HIGHLY POSSIBLE IF YOU ARE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH SOMEONE WHO HAD MEASLES THAT YOU WILL BE AT RISK OF GETTING SICK. MARCIE: AND DR. DAVID WOLFSON, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF CHILDRENS COMMUNITY PEDIATRICS SAYS THOSE WITH MEASLES CAN BE CONTAGIOUS FOR UP TO 4 DAYS BEFORE SYMPTOMS ARE SEEN. SO TO HELP THOSE WHO WERE INSIDE THOSE STORES DETERMINE IF THEY WERE EXPOSED TO MEASLES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS NARROWED DOWN THE TIMES THAT EXPOSURE WAS POSSIBLE. THEY SAY THOSE INSIDE SHADYSIDE GIANT EAGLE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 2 BETWEEN 6:30 P.M. AND 9:00 P.M., AND SUNDAY THE 28TH BETWEEN 2:45 AND 5:00 MAY BE AT RISK. OFFICIALS SAY POTENTIAL MEASLES EXPOSURE AT ALDI WOULD HAVE OCCURRED FRIDAY APRIL 26 BETWEEN 6:30 P.M. AND 8:45 P.M. DR. WOLFSON SAYS IF YOU WERE THERE AT THOSE TIMES AND ARE NOT VACCINATED KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. >> RUNNY EYES, RUNNY NOSE, FEVER AND THEN THAT’S FOLLOWED BY A RASH ALL OVER THE BODY MARCIE: OFFICIALS SAY IF YOU ARE NOT VACCINATED AND YOU WERE INSIDE THIS GIANT EAGLE OR THE NEAR ALDI, YOU CAN SHOW SYMPTOMS UP UNTIL MAY 20. Advertisement Health Department reports case of measles in Pittsburgh Potential exposures may have occurred at Giant Eagle Market District and Aldi Share Shares Copy Link Copy The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) is reporting the first case of measles in 2019 in an adult county resident. The individual, who is not vaccinated, recently traveled internationally. This case is not linked to any ongoing measles outbreak in the U.S. The resident was treated and discharged from the UPMC Shadyside emergency room on Monday, April 29, 2019, and is currently recovering at home. UPMC is notifying and evaluating patients and staff who may have come in contact with the individual. (Watch the report by @BeauWTAE in the video player above. )The individual was potentially contagious starting Thursday, April 25, and potential exposures may have occurred at the following locations and times:Giant Eagle Market District (5550 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232)Friday, April 26, 2019: 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.Sunday, April 28, 2019: 2:45 p.m. - 5 p.m.Aldi (5631 Baum Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15206)Friday, April 26, 2019: 6:30 p.m. - 8:45 p.m."Measles actually floats in the air, and you can get sick across the room," said Dr. David Wolfson, medical director for Children's Community pediatrics.Because that individual has potentially exposed others, the Health Department is urging anyone who is susceptible to measles or who may have been in the same locations during the indicated times who becomes ill with symptoms of measles to contact their primary care provider immediately. If a person has been exposed, symptoms would be seen between now and May 20. "It's highly contagious," said Wolfson. "It's highly possible if you're in the same room with someone who has the measles that you will be at risk of getting sick. "Symptoms typically appear one to three weeks after infection and include rash, high fever, cough, and red, watery eyes. "If you believe you have symptoms of measles, please contact your primary care provider immediately to notify them that you may have been exposed," said Health Department Director Dr. Karen Hacker. "Do not go directly to the office, urgent care center or emergency room, as this may expose other persons. Pregnant women should contact their doctor about their immune status. Health care providers who suspect measles should call the Health Department at 412-687-ACHD (2243) for consultation and to arrange testing. Most importantly, get your measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine as soon as possible if you haven’t already done so. Vaccines not only protect you and your loved ones, they protect those whose immune systems are compromised, which includes infants and the elderly. "CDC says vaccine is safe and effective to halt measles: Tap the video above to watch the report.While most people are not at risk because they have been immunized or have had measles, those most at risk, according to Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), are:Infants less than one year of age who are too young to have received the MMR vaccine;Individuals who refused vaccination; andIndividuals from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measlesThe MMR vaccine is given to toddlers when they are 12-15 months of age, and a second MMR vaccine is recommended at 4 to 6 years of age and required for all Pennsylvania schoolchildren.Adults born during or after 1957 who have not had two doses of vaccine or documented disease should be vaccinated with one dose of MMR vaccine. The MMR vaccine also can help prevent infection if it is given within three days of exposure.ACHD recommends that any person who is due for measles vaccination schedule an appointment to receive it from their medical provider. The vaccine is also available at the Health Department’s immunization clinic, located at 425 First Ave., fourth floor, in downtown Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15219 (entrance is on Cherry Way). There is no risk in getting an additional dose of the MMR vaccine for individuals who may have already received it. Clinic hours are: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 1-8 p.m. Wendesday. Statement from Giant Eagle:"Giant Eagle was made aware of the individual in question’s visits to our Shadyside Market District by the Allegheny County Health Department earlier this afternoon. Since that time we have stayed close with our Health Department contacts to ensure we follow all suggested actions, which to date have focused on notification to our Team Members.<doc-sep>PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Four more cases of measles have been confirmed in Allegheny County, and one of the infected individuals was at Pittsburgh International Airport. Allegheny County Health Department director Dr. Karen Hacker says with a total of five measles cases in the area, this is now considered an outbreak. The Allegheny County Health Department says four new cases involve one family. KDKA’s Lisa Washington Reports: Three family members, including two children and one adult, are not county residents and are visiting from overseas. The two children are unvaccinated and the adult is reportedly vaccinated. The fourth family member is an adult Allegheny County resident. That individual was unvaccinated. Watch the health department’s briefing — Two individuals have not reportedly been outside of the house while they were infectious. Health officials say they cannot comment on where exactly in Allegheny County the individuals are staying, but they say the family members will be quarantined in their home. One individual is currently at the hospital. That individual was at the Enterprise Rental located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday, which means there may have been a potential exposure between 2 p.m and 5 p.m. Health officials say there was no exposure or risk to any patients, visitors or health care workers at the hospital. They are not naming the hospital where the patient is receiving care. The patient is being assessed and is in stable condition. The family member who is now recovered was infectious while travelling. The only reported public exposure for this individual may have occurred at the Pittsburgh International Airport on Tuesday, April 16 between 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. If an individual who is not immune to measles was exposed at the airport, they could get a rash between April 23 and May 7. Anyone who is susceptible to measles or who becomes ill with symptoms of measles is urged to contact their primary care provider immediately, but they are asked to not go directly to an office, urgent care center or emergency room to avoid exposing other individuals. Measles is spreads through coughing, sneezing or other contact with the mucus or saliva of an infected person. Symptoms include rash, high fever, cough and red, watery eyes. Pregnant women should contact their doctor about their immune status. Health care providers who suspect measles should call the Allegheny County Health Department. “Given the infectious nature of this disease, we’re going to be on high alert, obviously, to make sure that when we hear about other cases, that we do the appropriate investigation. Our hope obviously is that there will be minimal additional cases,” Hacker said. RELATED STORIES: Tuesday, the health department reported the first case of measles in Allegheny County. Health officials say that case is unrelated to the four new cases reported Thursday. An unvaccinated adult was treated and discharged from the UPMC Shadyside emergency room on Monday and is currently recovering at home. The resident traveled internationally about two weeks before becoming ill, and this case is not linked to any ongoing measles outbreak in the United States. The health department said the resident was potentially contagious starting on April 25 and potential exposures may have occurred at the following locations and times: Giant Eagle Market District (5550 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232) Friday, April 26, 2019: 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday, April 28, 2019: 2:45 p.m. – 5 p.m. ALDI (5631 Baum Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15206) Friday, April 26, 2019: 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. The Health Department says anyone who has been exposed would start showing symptoms between now and May 20. The people most at risk to catch measles are infants under the age of 1 who are too young to have received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, individuals who refused vaccination or cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and individuals from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measles. “I do think that the vast majority of the population is likely to be immune to measles and will have nothing to worry about, but we do have individuals, for whatever reasons, who may not be immune,” Hacker said. According to the Allegheny County Health Department, one dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective and two doses is 97% effective. “The most important thing you can do to prevent measles is to get vaccinated. We recommend that all children get vaccinated at 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years. All adults should have at least one MMR vaccine, and if you were born before 1957, you are considered immune to measles,” Dr. Kristen Mertz, of the Health Department, said. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control makes the following recommendations for vaccinations: Children 12 months or older should have two doses, the first at age 12 to 15 months and a second dose between 4 to 6 years. Healthcare personnel, college students, and international travelers should have two doses of MMR. Adults born during or after 1957 should have at least one dose of MMR or documented evidence of disease. Adults born before 1957 are considered immune. For international travel, infants 6 to 11 months should have one dose of MMR, and children 12 months of age and older should receive 2 doses of MMR, separated by at least 28 days. The measles vaccine is available at the Health Department’s immunization clinic located on the fourth floor of 425 First Ave. in Downtown Pittsburgh. The clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. It’s open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday.<doc-sep>Allegheny County health officials have confirmed four cases of measles in the county, classifying the cases as an outbreak of the disease. One of the places exposed was the Pittsburgh International Airport, a representative of the Allegheny County Health Department said during a press conference Thursday. The exposure happened on Tuesday, April 16. Anyone at the airport between 7:30 and 10:30 a.m. that day could have been exposed, officials said, and would develop a symptomatic rash between April 23 and May 7. While county health officials are calling the cases an outbreak, the Center for Disease Control has not yet made an official determination. KDKA reported that all four cases involve one family, three of which are visiting from overseas. One is a county resident who was not vaccinated. Officials said the family is quarantined, with one person hospitalized. None of the people had contact with other communities experiencing measles outbreaks, one official said. Yesterday, one of the infected people was at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car location at 2260 Babcock Boulevard, meaning that anyone there from 2 to 5 p.m. could have been exposed. Health officials reported that Tuesday was the first confirmed report of measles in the county and the state. That person was treated and released and is doing well, KDKA said. The station also said that person is not linked to any ongoing measles outbreaks in the United States. The locations where exposure was possible include a Giant Eagle Market District at 5550 Centre Ave. on Friday and Sunday and an Aldi at 5631 Baum Boulevard on Friday. The Allegheny Health Department said symptoms would begin showing between now and May 20. Symptoms include rash, high fever, cough and red, watery eyes, according to health officials. Anyone who visited the locations and is susceptible to measles or is showing symptoms should immediately contact their primary care provider.<doc-sep>People may have been exposed to measles at Pittsburgh's National Aviary, the Milky Way restaurant in Squirrel Hill, and the Red, White & Blue Thrift Store on Ohio River Blvd. (Route 65) in Avalon, health officials say. Hide Transcript Show Transcript THE THREE PLACES THAT WERE EXPOSED TO THE MEASLES. CUSTOMERS ARE GOING IN AND OUT OF RED WHITE AND BLUE THRIFT STORE WITH NO CONCERNS. FOOD IS PREPARED INSIDE THE MILKY WAY CAFE FOR CUSTOMERS AS USUAL. THESE TWO PLACES ALONG WITH THE NATIONAL AVIARY WERE EXPOSED TO THE MEASLES BETWEEN APRIL 17 AND 28TH. THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT REITERATES THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE CONCERNED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED. >> IF YOU’VE HAVE BEEN IN ONE OF THOSE PLACES AND YOU’RE VACCINATED, OR BORN BEFORE 1957, YOU SHOULD BE FINE. SHELDON: MANAGERS OF THE THRIFT STORE AND THE CAFE WERE INFORMED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF THEIR EXPOSURE. BUT EACH BUSINESS WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO FUNCTION AS NORMAL BECAUSE VACCINATED CUSTOMERS ARE NOT VULNERABLE. >> NO RESTRICTIONS AT ALL. EVERYTHING IS FINE HERE AND EVERYONE CAN CONTINUE TO HERE AND EAT AND ENJOY. >> OUR BUSINESS IS FINE. I HAVEN’T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS. NO ONE HAS CALLED OFF SAYING THEY ARE SICK. I HAVEN’T HAD ANY CUSTOMERS CALL. WE’VE BEEN UP AND RUNNING EVER SINCE THEN. SHELDON: THE HEALTH DEAPRTMENT SAYS VISITORS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES OR CITIZENS WHO REFUSE VACCINATIONS FOR PERSONAL BELIEFS ARE VULNERABLE. THOSE PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER VACCINATIONS. >> EVEN IF YOU’RE A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT GETTING IT FOR YOURSELF, IT’S IMPORTANT TO PROTECT OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY. MAYBE TRANSPLANT PATIE Advertisement MEASLES: Health Department announces potential exposures at 3 locations in Allegheny County People may have been exposed to measles at Pittsburgh's National Aviary, the Milky Way restaurant in Squirrel Hill, and the Red, White & Blue Thrift Store on Ohio River Blvd. (Route 65) in Avalon, health officials say. Share Shares Copy Link Copy The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) has obtained new information on the whereabouts of the four individuals with measles that was reported on May 2, 2019. Three of these individuals are visitors to the county from overseas and one is a county resident. (Watch the report by @SheldonWTAE in the video player above. )In addition to the Pittsburgh International Airport on Tuesday, April 16, during the hours of 7:30-10 a.m., and the Enterprise Rent-a-Car (2260 Babcock Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15237), on Wednesday, May 1, during the hours of 2-5 p.m., ACHD was notified that there were three additional potential public exposures at the following locations and times:Milky Way restaurant (2120 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217)Wednesday, April 17: 1-4 p.m.Red White & Blue Thrift Store (935 Ohio River Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15202)Wednesday, April 24: 11:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.National Aviary (700 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212Sunday, April 28: 12:30-5:30 p.m.Previous Story: Measles case reported in Pittsburgh; exposures possible at Shadyside Market District and Aldi in FriendshipMeasles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through coughing, sneezing or other contact with the mucus or saliva of an infected person. Symptoms typically appear 1-to-3 weeks after infection and include: rash; high fever; cough; nasal congestion; and red, watery eyes.The Health Department is urging anyone who is susceptible to measles or who becomes ill with symptoms of measles to contact their primary care provider immediately. Do not go directly to the office, urgent care center or emergency room, as this may expose other persons. Pregnant women should contact their doctor about their immune status. Health care providers who suspect measles should call the Health Department at 412-687-ACHD (412-683-2243) for consultation and to arrange testing.While most people are not at risk because they have been immunized or have had measles, those most at risk, according to Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), are:Infants less than one year of age who are too young to have received the MMR vaccine;Individuals who refused vaccination or who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons; and Individuals from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measles.One dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective and two doses is 97% effective. The CDC's vaccination recommendations include:Children 12 months or older should have two doses, the first at age 12-15 months and a second dose between 4-6 years.Healthcare personnel, college students, and international travelers should have two doses of MMR.Adults born during or after 1957 should have at least one dose of MMR or documented evidence of disease. Adults born before 1957 are considered immune.For international travel, infants 6-11 months should have one dose of MMR, and children 12 months of age and older should receive 2 doses of MMR, separated by at least 28 days.There is no risk in getting an additional dose of the MMR vaccine for individuals who may have already received it. ACHD recommends that any person who is due for measles vaccination schedule an appointment to receive it from their medical provider or to Health Department's immunization clinic, located at 425 First Avenue, Fourth Floor, in downtown Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15219 (entrance is on Cherry Way). Clinic hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and on Wednesday: 1-8 p.m.The National Aviary sent this statement: "The National Aviary was made aware of this potential exposure this morning and acted immediately. The potential exposure affects only persons in the building during the isolated timeframe on April 28, and according to the Health Department, the risk is low for anyone that has been vaccinated or has previously had measles. There is also no ongoing risk to visitors to the National Aviary since the risk was isolated to that specific day and time. We have contacted every employee, volunteer and intern that we know to have been working the day the potential exposure occurred. All had been previously vaccinated. We have followed Health Department protocols and taken every measure to ensure the safety of our employees, volunteers, and the visiting public."<doc-sep>

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The health department has new information on where Allegheny County residents may have been exposed to individuals who have been diagnosed with measles. A total of five cases of measles have been confirmed in the area so far this year. Health officials released details on four of those cases Thursday. Those four cases involve one family. One individual in that family is an Allegheny County resident who is unvaccinated. The three other individuals, two children and one adult, are visiting the country from overseas. The children are unvaccinated, and the adult is reportedly vaccinated. There may have been public exposures to these individuals at the following locations and times: Milky Way restaurant (2120 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217) Wednesday, April 17: 1-4 p.m. Red White & Blue Thrift Store (935 Ohio River Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15202) Wednesday, April 24: 11:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. National Aviary (700 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 Sunday, April 28: 12:30-5:30 p.m. These exposures are in addition to the originally announced exposures at the following locations and times: Pittsburgh International Airport Tuesday, April 16: 7:30-10 a.m. Enterprise Rent-a-Car (2260 Babcock Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15237) Wednesday, May 1, 2-5 p.m. If an individual who is not immune to measles was exposed at the airport, they could get a rash between April 23 and May 7. RELATED STORIES: The health department previously released details on the first individual in Allegheny County who was diagnosed with measles. That individual traveled internationally about two weeks before becoming ill, and this case is not linked to any ongoing measles outbreak in the United States. The health department said the resident was potentially contagious starting on April 25 and potential exposures may have occurred at the following locations and times: Giant Eagle Market District (5550 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232) Friday, April 26, 2019: 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday, April 28, 2019: 2:45 p.m. – 5 p.m. ALDI (5631 Baum Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15206) Friday, April 26, 2019: 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. The Health Department says anyone who was exposed at either of these locations would start showing symptoms between now and May 20. The people most at risk to catch measles are infants under the age of 1 who are too young to have received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, individuals who refused vaccination or cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and individuals from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measles. Anyone who is susceptible to measles or who becomes ill with symptoms of measles is urged to contact their primary care provider immediately, but they are asked to not go directly to an office, urgent care center or emergency room to avoid exposing other individuals. Measles is spreads through coughing, sneezing or other contact with the mucus or saliva of an infected person. Symptoms include rash, high fever, cough and red, watery eyes. Pregnant women should contact their doctor about their immune status. Health care providers who suspect measles should call the Allegheny County Health Department. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control makes the following recommendations for vaccinations: Children 12 months or older should have two doses, the first at age 12 to 15 months and a second dose between 4 to 6 years. Healthcare personnel, college students, and international travelers should have two doses of MMR. Adults born during or after 1957 should have at least one dose of MMR or documented evidence of disease. Adults born before 1957 are considered immune. For international travel, infants 6 to 11 months should have one dose of MMR, and children 12 months of age and older should receive 2 doses of MMR, separated by at least 28 days. The measles vaccine is available at the Health Department’s immunization clinic located on the fourth floor of 425 First Ave. in Downtown Pittsburgh. The clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. It’s open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Internet functions as a veritable breeding grounds for food debates, few of which was have been more heated than the disdain people had for a new mayonnaise-flavored ice cream. The debacle began when a Scottish ice cream parlor debuted the condiment-flavored sweet treat on their Instagram along with the caption, “Who knows a mayo addict?” According to a Today interview with Kyle Gentleman, the owner of the Falkirk, Scotland -based ice cream parlor ICE that came up with the idea for this mayonnaise flavor, the ice cream is a “full on hit of fat and cream followed with an eggy milky aftertaste.” As might be expected, the Internet had many strong feelings about this mayonnaise-flavored offering and took to social media to share them. However, this may have been the most memorable Twitter response to the controversy. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. 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. Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com.<doc-sep>In this day and age, nothing is off the table for ice cream flavors. Gone are simpler days of chocolate and vanilla, because it’s 2018 and innovators are experimenting with flavors based on pizza and New Jersey’s beloved Taylor Ham pork roll — both of which are apparently pretty good. Alas, one creamery in the U.K. may have taken things too far with its latest frankenfection: mayonnaise ice cream. Mayonnaise already has some unexpected uses. It can be the secret for perfectly-grilled food, tastes delicious on fries, and can be used to moisten up cakes. But mayonnaise ice cream? That sounds like something crawling out from a grim castle on a stormy night. But, indeed, ICE artisan ice cream in Falkirk, Scotland, is selling the bizarre ice cream. The shop posted a photo of the unusual flavor to Instagram captioned “Who knows a mayo addict?” and some people are losing their sanity. “JUST. NO! And, I love mayo,” @curvygirllingerie wrote. “What gets me is the sprinkle of mayo on the top like icing how could you,” @denadesimone pleaded. “TRIGGERED,” @ebambs said. “I’m going to report this page for hate content. How dare you desecrate the honor of ice cream with this monstrosity?! Ew! No! *recoils in horror,*” @ishii_lbc wrote. A post shared by ICE (@ice_falkirk) on Jul 18, 2018 at 4:43pm PDT And then there were those who couldn’t wait to try the condiment-clad treat, and those who’d already forked over $2.62 per scoop to try it. “I thought it was #justwrongonsomanylevels but then I tried it!!! It’s actually really nice, creamy and rich,” @linny 70 opined. “I’d eat that,” @maggieh.b6 said. “I need this,” @georgiegupwellx wrote. On ICE’s Facebook, a woman named Nidal Saed shared this haunting secret about herself: “I want one soooo bad. I love mayo. I can eat it by the spoon.” And on Twitter, @callikitson hypothesized that Hellmann’s could just make the frozen treat extra creamy. She wrote, “It probably won’t taste that bad? It probably just makes the ice cream super creamy and light instead of tasting like mayonnaise? I have a chocolate cake recipe with mayo in and it makes the cake super moist and brings out the chocolate flavour! @simonrim whats your chef opinion?” It probably won't taste that bad? It probably makes the ice cream super creamy and light instead of tasting like mayonnaise? I have a chocolate cake recipe with mayo in and it makes the cake super moist and brings out the chocolate flavour! @simonrim Whats your chef opinion?🤟 — calli kitson (@callikitson) July 20, 2018 “Makes sense – sour cream would work too,” the English celebrity cook agreed. makes sense - sour cream would work too — simonrimmer (@simonrim) July 20, 2018 ICE doesn’t have a sour cream flavor (yet), but customers will find a Monster Energy drink variety. Unfortunately — or maybe fortunately — mayo ice cream is not available in the U.S., but these 21 unexpected flavors are.<doc-sep>We now exist on the same physical plane as mayonnaise ice cream, and it's either ingenious or the end of all mankind. An ice cream shop in Falkirk, Scotland, debuted an ice cream made with Hellmann's "real" mayonnaise, immediately sparking debate across social media about just how terrible this concept is. As some people pointed out, mayonnaise is sometimes used in recipes, especially for baked goods, for tanginess and a creamy texture. As other people pointed out, gross. 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. Debates aside, this mayonnaise ice cream might be perfect for exactly one thing: dipping french fries. French fries taste like heaven dipped in soft serve, their greasy, salty flavor complemented by the ice cream's sweetness. (If you haven't tried this, get yourself to a McDonald's or Wendy's drive-thru ASAP.) And as most of Europe can tell you, fries go better with mayonnaise than they do with ketchup. Put the ice cream and mayo together, and you might just achieve food nirvana. For what it's worth, the ice cream shop's owner told the Today show that the dessert is a "full on hit of fat and cream followed with an eggy milky aftertaste." What's next, sour cream sundaes? Sarah Rense Sarah Rense is the Lifestyle Editor at Esquire, where she covers tech, food, drinks, home, and more. 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>

Has there ever been a condiment as divisive as mayonnaise? After all, mayo has spurred viral food debates on more than one occasion. But this time, the condiment has creeped its way into dessert. And the cool and creamy creation is causing quite the stir. While unicorn ice cream may be the hottest ice cream stateside, ICE artisan ice cream shop in Falkirk, Scotland, recently asked its social media followers what they thought of its latest "weird" flavor which features scoopfuls of Hellmann's Real mayonnaise. "Who knows a mayo addict?" the ice cream makers asked social media. Some tweeters weren't so quick to judge, noting that egg-based mayo ice cream isn't so far off from custard and may actually be delightful. I dunno. Custard-based ice cream isn’t soooo far from mayonnaise... Nipper 1.0 sais he’d sooner eat ice cream flavoured like County Mayo. https://t.co/0vqG6M9aQI — enormous (@enormous) July 20, 2018 Others said it could make the recipe extra light and creamy, like when you add it to cake. It probably won't taste that bad? It probably makes the ice cream super creamy and light instead of tasting like mayonnaise? I have a chocolate cake recipe with mayo in and it makes the cake super moist and brings out the chocolate flavour! @simonrim Whats your chef opinion?🤟 — calli kitson (@callikitson) July 20, 2018 But others are finding the flavor outrageous ... and just want to wash away the mere thought of it. Who in their right mind would want to eat MAYO ICE CREAM https://t.co/eMwbvBO8Xf — Kristen Zarra (@KristenZarra) July 20, 2018 I just saw a video on Facebook for Mayo ice cream and I feel like I need to shower jfc — grunge dad (@hlnzz) July 19, 2018 ICE Falkirk doesn't just use condiments to whip up its beautiful ice cream flavors. They currently have a Monster energy drink ice cream and a mysterious "Trick or Treat" flavor. The mayo flavor is currently on sale now and retails for 2 pounds (about $2.60) a scoop. To put an end to the mayonnaise debate (or maybe just add more fuel to the fire), ICE owner Kyle Gentleman told TODAY Food what the dessert really tastes like. It's a "full on hit of fat and cream followed with an eggy milky aftertaste ... yum!" For those who are afraid to try Hellman's ice cream, there's always this mayonnaise beauty hack to try instead! But if you really, really love mayo, why not just enjoy the condiment by spoonful, straight from the jar.

Manny Pacquiao defeated Adrien Broner via unanimous decision to defend his share of the WBA welterweight title on Saturday, Jan, 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Adrien Broner reacts to his loss to Manny Pacquiao in the WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Manny Pacquiao celebrates his win against Adrien Broner in the WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Manny Pacquiao, right, throws a left to Adrien Broner during the WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Manny Pacquiao, right, hits Adrien Broner during their WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Adrien Broner, left, hits Manny Pacquiao during the WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Manny Pacquiao, right, throws a right to Adrien Broner in the WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday in Las Vegas. Manny Pacquiao, right, fights Adrien Broner in the WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Manny Pacquiao, right, tries to avoid a left form Adrien Broner during the WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas. Manny Pacquiao, right, blocks a punch from Adrien Broner during WBA welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas.<doc-sep>Watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Adrien Broner full fight video highlights from the main event Saturday night. Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) defended his WBA welterweight championship against Broner (33-4-1, 1 no-contest). Pacquiao was slated to make $10 million for the fight, without the pay-per-view cut, while Broner will collect $2.5 million. Pacquiao vs. Broner took place Saturday at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas and aired live on pay-per-view. The fight ended up being won by Pacquiao via unanimous decision. Catch all the round-by-round action from Bad Left Hook below. Round 1: Pacquiao misses on a jab to start the round. Broner measures but Pacquiao jumps in with a combination that doesn’t land. Pacquiao tries another short combiantion but Broner is able to duck it. Right hook partially lands for Pacquiao and Broner grabs and turns Pacquiao, forcing a break. Broner lands a check left hook as Pacquiao tries to come in. Another combination comes from Pacquiao, who lands a straight left hand. Left hand to the body lands for Broner, while Broner lands a left hook in return. Pacquiao goes back downstairs with a straight left to the body. Pacquiao threw a lot more punches than Broner in the opening round. Pacquiao 10-9. Round 2: Pacquiao tries to probe with a jab and Broner takes a step out of range. Broner misses on a left hook and Broner shoves his forearm in Pacquiao’s face — the referee warns Broner about it. Right hand lead lands for Broner but Pacquiao comes right back with a left hand during a combination. Both fighters look like they’re looking to counter but Pacquiao is more willing to take the lead. Pacquiao lands a grazing left hand on Broner again. Now Broner gets in a counter right hand. Pacquiao jumps in a little sloppy and Broner ties him up. Right hand partially lands for Broner, but I think Pacquiao edged this round. Pacquiao 10-9, 20-18. Round 3: Pacquiao throws a double jab and then just misses on the follow up straight left. Straight left hand lead lands for Pacquiao and Broner ties him up right away. Now Broner tries to establish his jab at center ring to offset Pacquiao’s timing. Right hand lead lands clean for Broner. Hard left to the body makes a thudding sound as it hits Broner’s body. Pacquiao throws two more left hands up close as Pacquiao gets him to the ropes. Counter jab lands clean for Pacquiao, who then tries to rush Broner but Broner skips away. Pacquiao throws a few more punches as Broner ducks and weaves to end the round. Pacquiao 10-9. Round 4: Straight left hand lands for Pacquiao, Broner responds with a counter left hook. Another counter left hook lands to the head for Broner. Broner dodges a Pacquiao combination and shakes his head. Pacquiao grazes Broner with a left hand. Broner still laying back, looking for counter opportunities, but he’s not getting off many punches. Broner tries a lead right but Pacquiao catches it on his glove. Broner lands a counter right hand just before the bell rings. Broner 10-9, 37-39. Round 5: Broner partially lands a lead right hand to open the round. Now Broner lands a jab before Pacquiao can jump in with his punches. Pacquiao throws a combination but Broner gets under the shots. Pacquiao backs Broner up with a short flurry of punches. Check hook grazes Pacquiao’s head. Now Pacquiao lands a jab, and Broner gets in a right. Hard left to the body lands clean for Pacquiao. Now Pacquiao cuffs Broner’s head with a left hook. Pacquiao lands another left to the body as Broner mugs at him. Broner misses on a left hook at the end of the round. Pacquiao 10-9. Round 6: Pacquiao goes back down to the body with a hard left hand. Pacquiao misses on a right hook to the head and Broner skips around the ring. Another hard left to the body lands for Pacquiao. Pacquiao making a strong effort to throw his left to the body. Broner pushes Pacquiao back after Pacquiao misses a shot. Straight right lead just misses for Broner. Good uppercut lands for Broner at the end of the round! I don’t think that’s enough to win him the round, though. Pacquiao 10-9, 59-55. Round 7: Broner falling in love with that left hook again, and Pacquiao is looking for it. Pacquiao tries an overhand left that doesn’t quite land clean. Pacquiao flurries as Broner ducks the punches. Hard left to the body lands again for Broner, Broner gets in his own left upstairs. Two hard left hands land clean for Pacquiao. Broner stuck on the ropes and Pacquiao lights him up with several shots! Pacquiao throwing lots of punches and making a lot of contact on Broner. Broner has taken some hard shots in this round, probably Pacquiao’s best round of the fight. Pacquiao 10-9. Round 8: Pacquiao misses on his first shot. Broner lands a good uppercut, then another counter as Pacquiao looks to take it to him. Clean right hand lead lands for Broner at center ring. Pacquiao sticks the left hand back down to the body, Broner tries to land his check hook that glances off Pacquiao. Counter right hand lands for Pacquiao this time. Pacquiao gets in a little left hand upstairs after both fighters try to counter one another. Another hard left lands for Pacquiao, which sounds like he’s banging a drum. Pacquiao 10-9, 79-73. Round 9: Broner lands a jab to start the round. Jab and a left hand to the body lands for Pacquiao. Another stinging left hand lands to the body for Pacquiao, Broner hasn’t be able to defend that shot. Hard left lands upstairs for Pacquiao, and Broner grabs Pacquiao by his leg to force a break. Right hand counter lands for Broner. Pacquiao goes back down to the body with his left, and then looks for a right hook to the head. Hard left hand to the chin knocks Broner off balance! Pacquiao tries to follow it up as he fires a flurry at Broner with Broner on the ropes. Pacquiao 10-9. Round 10: Broner tries to pick Pacquiao off with a jab. Both fighters try to counter each other’s jabs but neither land clean. Pacquiao feints and throws another left hand to Broner’s body. Broner misses on a left hook, then waits for another counter opportunity. Straight left hand lands downstairs again for Pacquiao. Clean right hand lead lands for Broner. lands a jab, then Broner skips along the ropes. Right hook lands for Pacquiao to the body. Pacquiao 10-9, 99-91. Round 11: Broner tries to counter a Pacquiao jab and partially lands his shot. Double left hand makes contact with Broner’s head. Another left hand grazes Broner upstairs. Pacquiao touches Broner with a couple of shots and Broner gets in a counter. Pacquiao lands a right hand, Broner gets in his left in return. Broner moving a lot in this round, doing laps around the ring. Broner just isn’t doing enough, and doesn’t appear willing to take a chance to go the the KO. Pacquiao 10-9. Round 12: Pacquiao lands another straight left to the body, then tries to look a left hook to the head that doesn’t land clean. Broner hasn’t landed double digit punches in any single round according to Showtime punch stats. Right hook lands to Broner’s head. Pacquiao throws a jab and Broner backs off. Pacquiao lands another jab and Broner starts moving on the outside again. Straight left to the body lands for Pacquiao once again. Pacquiao tries to cut Broner off before the bell rings but can’t get in a final punch. Broner celebrates as if he’s certainly won the fight, he must be concussed. Pacquiao 10-9. I’ve got it wide for Pacquiao 119-109.<doc-sep>The cut was caused by a headbutt in his loss - the second of his career Badou Jack suffered a shocking gash on his head during his defeat to Marcus Browne in Las Vegas. On Saturday’s undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs Adrien Broner, former super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Jack was beaten for the second time in his career, as he was severely hindered by a seventh-round headbutt. Badou jack making it through half a fight with that cut might be the performance of the year pic.twitter.com/RZ7N0natz7 — Daniel Cooke (@DanielCooke5) January 20, 2019 I would like to thank all of the fans for your support! The cut was a nasty one, but I’m fine now, alhamdulillah. Congrats to @Marcus_Browne who fought a great fight. Regardless of the cut he was the better man tonight. pic.twitter.com/LytEtP60Qi — Badou Jack (@BadouJack) January 20, 2019 Jack lost with scores of 117-110, 116-111, 119-108, but admirably managed to complete the final five rounds amid blood raining down from his forehead. He then went backstage to get a whopping 25 stitches on the cut, which will undoubtedly leave an almighty scar behind. The gash provoked much reaction on social media and you can read a round-up below. Y I K E S pic.twitter.com/lav6wRLYJs — Pac 117-111 x3. Saved you $75. (@BoxrecGrey) January 20, 2019 Lost the fight on all 3 scorecards, but hope he gets better and soon! pic.twitter.com/2EEITXIH6v — Griffin Smith (@GriffinTSmith) January 20, 2019<doc-sep>

Pacquiao v Broner: Live coverage / Ring Walks / Undercard / Scorecards January 19th, 2019 World Boxing News will be live on site tonight covering the Manny Pacquiao v Adrien Broner event from start to finish. Offering live results, updates and scorecards, WBN has everything covered for the WBA welterweight title clash. In the co-main event, Badou Jack and Marcus Browne battle it out for a shot at WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Here’s how the full card looks for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. CARD WBA title welterweight Manny Pacquiao v Adrien Broner vacant WBC bantamweight title Rau’shee Warren v Nordine Oubaali light heavyweight Badou Jack v Marcus Browne 10 – featherweight Hugo Ruiz v Alberto Guevara 8 – super lightweight George Kambosos Jnr v Rey Perez 8 – super flyweight Genisis Libranza v Carlos Buitrago 8 – welterweight Jayar Inson v Jonathan Steele 6 – super featherweight Desmond Jarmon v Canton Miller 4 – welterweight Destyne Butler v David Payne 4 – cruiserweight Viddal Riley v Mitchell Spangler RING WALKS With four fights on SHO PPV beginning at 9 pm, Ring walks for the main event are expected to happen anywhere between 11:30 pm and 12:30 pm ET / 8:30 PM to 9.30 PM PT / 4:30am to 5:30 am UK SCORECARDS WBN will be scoring Pacquiao v Broner, Warren v Oubaali and Jack v Browne bouts as they happen. For scorecard links click here ABOUT PACQUIAO VS. BRONER Pacquiao vs. Broner is headlined by Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is boxing’s only eight-division world champion. He is ending his two-year hiatus from a U.S. boxing ring to defend his World Boxing Association Welterweight World Title. Pacquiao fights against former four-division world champion and must-see attraction Adrien “The Problem” Broner. The contest happens Saturday, January 19 in the main event of a SHOWTIME PPV® event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. It will feature two-division world champion Badou Jack. The Mayweather fighter battles unbeaten top-rated contender Marcus Browne. The pair duke it out for the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Title. Former world champion Rau’shee Warren taking on France’s Nordine Oubaali for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship.

Sign up for The Jerusalem Post Premium Plus for just $5 Upgrade your reading experience with an ad-free environment and exclusive content<doc-sep>Gal Gadot made a colorful entrance into Comic-Con in San Diego, California on Saturday for Warner Bros. The 33-year-old Israeli actress wore a tight, deep purple mini dress with fringe on the bottom hem with a pair of very high heels. The brunette bombshell was there to talk up Wonder Woman 1984 - which is due in US theaters November 1, 2019 - with her co-star Chris Pine. Happy lady: Gal Gadot made a colorful entrance into Comic-Con in San Diego, California on Saturday for Warner Bros Star power: The 33-year-old Israeli actress wore a tight, deep purple mini dress with fringe on the bottom hem with a pair of very high heels In the movie, Wonder Woman squares off against the Cheetah, a villainess who possesses superhuman strength and agility. Cheetah will be played by SNL vet Kristen Wiig, who also worked on Bridesmaids and Ghostbusters with Melissa McCarthy. Lynda Carter from the WW TV series of the 1970s is rumoured to be making a cameo. The movie is directed by Patty Jenkins, who was also at Comic-Con. A fresh tan: The stunner looked sunkissed suggesting she had just been on a summer vacation In top shape: She has been working out nonstop to play Diana Prince/Wonder Woman again A lot to say: Gadot has said she wanted to make Wonder Woman fearless so she could be an inspiration to young girls Pine looked ready for a summer barbecue with his pink shirt and yellow slacks. He seemed at east as he took questions from the crowd. He returns to WW: 1984 as Steve Trevor which has confused some fans because he was believed to have died in the first Wonder Woman which took place during WWI. A good team: The brunette bombshell was there to talk up Wonder Woman 1984 - which is due in US theaters November 1, 2019 - with her co-star Chris Pine The director: Also there was Patty Jenkins who is at the helm of the sequel Jenkins told the audience that she chose 1984 as her setting because it was 'mankind at its best and worst' and 'us at our most extreme.' According to PolyGon, there was a small teaser. 'First we see Diana in her uniform, saving a young girl at a shopping mall from two gun-carrying goons. She crushes the guns, pushes the girl out of the way, sending her into two giant stuffed bears, then lassos the two men and jumps off the second floor. Powerful: Jenkins told the audience that she chose 1984 as her setting because it was 'mankind at its best and worst' and 'us at our most extreme' Giggles: Gal laughed backstage of the event with Chris Pine 'The colors are bright, the action was tough yet mesmerizing (the lasso, in full slow-motion, looks gorgeous), and even though Tiffany wasn’t serenading the scene in her usual 1980s-mall-tour mode, the energy was high.' 'The thing that mattered to me the most,' Jenkins said, 'is I wanted to make great movies in my lifetime. 'And I found myself saying I have these characters I love and this world that I love and we can make a movie about something completely new, pure and strong and as unique as the first one. Of course I want to do that.' 'The colors are bright, the action was tough yet mesmerizing (the lasso, in full slow-motion, looks gorgeous), and even though Tiffany wasn’t serenading the scene in her usual 1980s-mall-tour mode, the energy was high,' the director said<doc-sep>Wonder Woman 1984 is only three and a half weeks into production, but that didn’t stop star Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins from bringing some footage to Comic-Con. Audiences in the comic book convention’s Hall H on Saturday got an early look at a scene where Diana Prince saves a young girl from some bad guys in their Miami Vice-finest in a very ‘80s-looking mall. The clip played Saturday came in a stuffed presentation by Warner Bros. that included footage from two other DC Comics films, Aquaman and Shazam! The Wonder Woman and Aquaman characters are key characters in DC’s Justice League franchise, the superhero supergroup that is meant to be the studio’s answer to Marvel’s Avengers. Leaked image from Wonder Woman 1984 #ww84 the film footage was revealed at #SDCC but looks DC and Warner Bros. won’t release it online. pic.twitter.com/Kp1mqwY4t1 — ANIME & COMICS (@Jrnotjnr) July 21, 2018 The first Wonder Woman film was a cultural and financial blockbuster, earning more than $800 million globally. It also became the most successful live-action film directed by a woman. Jenkins explained Saturday why she set the movie in the 1980s. “It was mankind at its best and worst,” she said. “We see Wonder Woman in a period of time that is us at our most extreme...We thought it could go on forever, everything we were doing right then.” Actors Chris Pine and Gal Gadot participate in the Warner Bros. Theatrical Panel for Wonder Woman 1984 during Comic Con in San Diego. (AFP) Chris Pine also joined Gadot and Jenkins on stage, but all stayed mum about how and why his character Steve Trevor is back considering his fate in the first movie. “I am actually not really here right now,” Pine said. “I am just an aura of emotional support for my friends.” Jenkins did say, however, that his presence is a “very important part” of the movie and that audiences will have to see it in November 2019 to find out why. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10<doc-sep>1 / 10 Chevron Chevron Photo: Christian Tierney / @christiantierney Hailee Steinfeld in Tom Ford San Diego Comic Con is a big deal. The annual convention serves as the launch pad for countless trailers, casting announcements, and updates on hotly anticipated projects, drawing some of the brightest talent in Hollywood. This year, A-listers like Nicole Kidman and Gal Gadot were on hand to promote their latest projects, meaning the fashion stakes were especially high. And rather than show up in the standard LBDs or boring daywear, actresses kept things interesting with vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and a playful style philosophy attuned to the spirit of the event. While few could compete with the creativity of an audience filled with cosplay-ers—including superfan Ezra Miller, who came as Super Mario’s mushroom companion, Toadette—the celebrities who stood out brought a bit of movie-star glamour to the proceedings. Wonder Woman Gadot gave David Koma’s feather-and-fringe-covered minidress a spin, while the newly minted Dr. Who, Jodie Whitaker, went regal in a flowing magenta gown. Riverdale’s chicest cheerleader Madelaine Petsch upped the ante with a wardrobe filled with Prada and Monique Lhuillier, and actress and comic author Amandla Stenberg went poetic in By.Bonnie Young’s gauzy dress covered in Celia Babini lyrics. Here, an overview of the best-dressed attendees.<doc-sep>

Gal Gadot looked stylish at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday. Sitting in a “Wonder Woman” panel alongside director Patty Jenkins and actor Chris Pine, Gadot sported a fringed purple and black David Koma minidress with an asymmetrical hemline and a high neckline. Gal Gadot at Comic-Con. CREDIT: Rex Shutterstock The dress featured a feather pattern on the front and sheer detailing on the back, revealing a flash of the star’s black bra. Gal Gadot at Comic-Con. CREDIT: Rex Shutterstock For footwear, the star went with classic black ankle-strap sandals that matched her two-toned dress. The shiny sandals featured a sizable stiletto heel, elongating Gadot’s frame. Gadot’s sandals. CREDIT: Rex Shutterstock The 33-year-old shared an image of herself in the car on the way to the panel, writing, “#SDCC on our way! #WW84.” At the event, meant to promote “Wonder Woman 1984,” Jenkins discussed her decision to set the film in the 1980s and explained that Pine’s character, Steve Trevor, who appeared to die in the first film, would not be alive for the sequel. While fans of the film, one of 2017’s blockbusters, might be eager to get a look at the newest movie, the sequel is only a few weeks into production. Still, those in attendance at Comic-Con caught an early glimpse at a scene from “WW84” wherein Diana Price saves a young girl at a mall. Click through the gallery to see more of Gal Gadot’s show-stopping style. Want more? Ariana Grande, Gal Gadot & Gigi Hadid Take a Stand for Women’s Empowerment Gal Gadot’s Fearless Attitude Is Why She Can Wear Flip-Flops With Her Gown & Get Away With It Wonder Woman Star Gal Gadot’s Winning Red Carpet Looks

Mr. Bloomberg has done more than just give. Last week, he traveled to Florida to campaign for the Democratic nominee for governor there, Andrew Gillum, at a Jewish center in Pembroke Pines. He donated to Mr. Gillum; his anti-gun group, Everytown for Gun Safety, also donated; and he hosted a fund-raiser, too. This Tuesday, back in New York, Mr. Bloomberg hosted a fund-raiser for Phil Bredesen, the former Democratic governor of Tennessee and current candidate for United States Senate. Mr. Bloomberg is not solely backing Democrats this year; in June, he held a fund-raiser for Representative Peter King, Republican of New York, with whom he worked closely following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Still, his re-registration as a Democrat is not a shock. Mr. Bloomberg spoke at the 2016 Democratic convention in favor of Hillary Clinton (“The richest thing about Donald Trump is his hypocrisy,” Mr. Bloomberg, a billionaire, said then.). And he has begun flirting with the presidency himself in recent months, he told The New York Times in September. “That’s not to say I’m with the Democratic Party on everything, but I don’t see how you could possibly run as a Republican. So if you ran, yeah, you’d have to run as a Democrat.” In that interview, Mr. Bloomberg hinted that he might formally register as a Democrat, saying he would “look at it” but had no imminent plans. “I think at the moment, there’s no reason to do anything,” Mr. Bloomberg said then, of changing his registration. “But if I think — if I wanted to change parties and I thought it sent the right message, I would do it.” Mr. Bloomberg’s registration announcement comes ahead of New York’s deadline later this week and after the deadline has passed in more than a dozen states in recent days.<doc-sep>No longer an independent, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Wednesday that he will vote as a Democrat. In a tweet showing a New York state voter registration form, Mr. Bloomberg explained his decision in historical terms, saying that “one of the two parties has served as a bulwark against those who threaten our Constitution.” Mr. Bloomberg said that for most of his life he has been a Democrat. “We need Democrats to provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs,” he wrote. Taking a party affiliation may be a sign that Mr. Bloomberg, 76 years old, is gearing up for a possible 2020 presidential campaign. The billionaire businessman and philanthropist contemplated an Oval Office bid in 2008 and considered running as an independent candidate in 2016. He later endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton. Mr. Bloomberg is the founder of Bloomberg LP, which owns the financial-news service company. His Bloomberg Philanthropies is one of the largest foundations in the U.S. with some $6.5 billion in assets. Earlier this month, Mr. Bloomberg said he would donate $20 million to a political-action committee supporting Senate Democrats. So far, he has dedicated $100 million to 2018 races, according to an adviser to Mr. Bloomberg. In recent weeks, Mr. Bloomberg has traveled in support of some of his foundation’s biggest areas of interest, including climate change and gun safety. In September, he appeared with California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. The same month he was in Seattle at a gun-safety rally. Mr. Bloomberg has also recently fund-raised for Steve Sisolak, the Democratic nominee for governor of Nevada. Earlier this month, Mr. Bloomberg was in South Florida for a gun-control rally and to support Andrew Gillum, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Florida. Mr. Bloomberg won his first mayoral election in 2001 and his second election in 2005 running as a Republican. In 2007, and for his third election as mayor, Mr. Bloomberg ran as an independent, unaffiliated with any party. Write to Melanie Grayce West at melanie.west@wsj.com<doc-sep>NEW YORK (WABC) -- Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he has formally changed his voter registration to Democrat.The move is being seen as a possible step toward running for president in 2020.Bloomberg, 76, has recently said he is actively considering running for president as a Democrat.Changing his New York State voting registration is his most overt move to date toward a possible White House campaign.A Democrat before seeking elective office, Bloomberg switched his party registration in 2001 to run for mayor as a Republican, before abandoning political affiliations in 2007. He won his third term in 2009 as an independent.Mayor Bloomberg made the announcement on Instagram Wednesday morning:He also shared the announcement on his Facebook and Twitter accounts.----------<doc-sep>Former Mayor of New York Micheal Bloomberg has been a political independent since 2007. He said in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning he has now registered as a Democrat. Bloomberg considered running for president in 2016, and said on September 17 he could not run as a Republican. Former New York Mayor and America's 10th richest man Michael Bloomberg says he has registered as a Democrat — 11 years after leaving the Republican party in 2007. In an Instagram post on Wednesday morning he said he re-registered to the party he had supported for most of his early life because "Democrats provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs." Here's the post: At key points in U.S. history, one of the two parties has served as a bulwark against those who threaten our Constitution. Two years ago at the Democratic Convention, I warned of those threats. Today, I have re-registered as a Democrat – I had been a member for most of my life – because we need Democrats to provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs. A post shared by Mike Bloomberg (@mikebloomberg) on Oct 10, 2018 at 2:41am PDT Oct 10, 2018 at 2:41am PDT On September 17 he said he would only run for president as a Democrat, Time Magazine reported. He said: "I don’t see how you could possibly run as a Republican." He considered running for president as an independent in 2016 but ultimately endorsed Hillary Clinton. Bloomberg has had a long career in politics, and was Mayor of New York from 2002-2013. He won the city's 2001 mayoral election running as a Republican, and was re-elected in 2005. But in 2007 he changed his registration to be an independent, and won the next election in 2009 with no party affiliation. Wednesday's full statement on Instagram read: "At key points in U.S. history, one of the two parties has served as a bulwark against those who threaten our Constitution. Two years ago at the Democratic Convention, I warned of those threats. Today, I have re-registered as a Democrat – I had been a member for most of my life – because we need Democrats to provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs." Bloomberg founded Bloomberg LP in 1981 and is the majority owner.<doc-sep>

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg is a Democrat once more. Bloomberg, 76, announced Wednesday that he had re-registered as a Democrat for the first time since leaving the party in 2001, in what some are interpreting as a sign that he may run for president under that party's banner in 2020. "At key points in U.S. history, one of the two parties has served as a bulwark against those who threaten our Constitution. Two years ago at the Democratic Convention, I warned of those threats. Today, I have re-registered as a Democrat – I had been a member for most of my life – because we need Democrats to provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs," the former New York City mayor said in an Instagram post. The media mogul became a Republican in 2001 and won the party's primary in the mayoral race that year. He went on to win less than two months after the 9/11 attacks. He was elected again as a Republican in 2005. He then left the Republican party in 2007 to register as an independent, citing the need to prioritize results over a "rigid adherence to any particular political ideology." As an independent, he won a third term as mayor in 2009. Bloomberg's exit from the Republican Party in 2007 fueled speculation that he would make a third-party run for president in 2008. He again flirted with running for the nation's highest office in 2016, but ending up endorsing Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee who went on to lose to President Donald Trump. In September, Bloomberg told the New York Times that he did not think a third-party candidate has a legitimate chance to win in America today and that if decided to run for president, it would be as a Democrat. "It’s impossible to conceive that I could run as a Republican – things like choice, so many of the issues, I’m just way away from where the Republican Party is today," he said. "That’s not to say I’m with the Democratic Party on everything, but I don’t see how you could possibly run as a Republican. So if you ran, yeah, you’d have to run as a Democrat." The founder of the Bloomberg media company is worth about $48.3 billion, making him the 10th-richest person in America, according to Forbes. Known as a fiscal conservative and social liberal, Bloomberg has donated more than $5 billion to causes including gun control and fighting climate change. Bloomberg said he plans to spend $80 million backing Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterm elections. After the contentious confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Bloomberg announced he plans to spend another $20 million to help Democrats retake the Senate.

Share this Story: For 30 years, Garfield phones have been washing ashore in France. Now we finally know why For 30 years, Garfield phones have been washing ashore in France. Now we finally know why Where was the lasagna-loving cartoon cat coming from? Photo by FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images Article content For more than 30 years, pieces of Garfield telephones kept washing ashore on the beaches of northwestern France, and no one quite knew why. Where was the lasagna-loving cartoon cat coming from? The mystery would puzzle the locals for years. His plastic body parts, first appearing in a crevice of the Brittany coast in the mid-1980s, kept returning no matter how many times beach cleaners recovered them. Sometimes they would find only his lazy bulging eyes, or just his smug face, or his entire fat-cat body, always splayed out in the sand in a very Garfield fashion. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or For 30 years, Garfield phones have been washing ashore in France. Now we finally know why Back to video From the stray curly wires and the occasional dial pad, it was clear that the pieces came from the once-popular Garfield telephone, made by Tyco in the early 1980s, several years after Jim Davis first coloured the famously lazy cat into his hit comic strip. The phone parts were in remarkable condition, considering they had been belched from the ocean, Claire Simonin-Le Meur, president of the environmental group Ar Viltansoù, told The Washington Post. Even Garfield’s black stripes were still painted onto his back, where the phone hooked. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content She had been searching for the origin of Garfield for years, she said, out of concern for the damage the plastic phones may be doing to the ocean – and this month, after a chance encounter on the beach, she was about to get some answers. Simonin-Le Meur said the common belief among locals was that the phones came from a wayward shipping container that must have sunk to the bottom of the ocean, leaving environmentalists to fear Garfield’s plastic toxicity would continue to pollute the ocean indefinitely. In 2018 alone, at least 200 pieces of Garfield had been found on beaches in northwestern France, Franceinfo reported. If they could just salvage the long lost shipping container, Simonin-Le Meur said, perhaps Garfield would stop coming. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Photo by FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images “We were looking for it, but we had no precise idea of where it could be,” Simonin-Le Meur said. “We thought it was under the sea. We asked people who were divers to look for it. We get a lot of submarines in the area too — it’s a military area. But they said it was not possible the container could be there and nobody saw it.” This year, however, something changed. Simonin-Le Meur got a tip. It came from a local farmer named René Morvan. All of Franceinfo’s recent publicity of the bizarre phenomenon and its environmental impact had apparently sparked his memory. One day last month, Simonin-Le Meur said she met Morvan on the beach while cleaning up debris – including a Garfield part. “Are you looking for Garfield?” the man asked. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Simonin-Le Meur said yes, she was — she always was. “Come with me,” the man told her. “I can show you.” They said it was not possible the container could be there and nobody saw it Morvan started from the beginning. Back when he was 19 or 20 years old in the mid-1980s, he told her, a storm blew through the area – and before residents knew it, Garfield telephones were scattered all over the beach, just as Simonin-Le Meur had always been told. He and his brother were curious, Morvan said, and they decided to go exploring, touring the rocky coastline until they found what they were seeking. Wedged inside a cave, tucked into the seaside cliffs, there it was: a metal shipping container – and a cache of Garfield telephones, Morvan claimed he saw. The story struck Simonin-Le Meur as too good to be true. The tide was too high to bring her to the cave that day, Morvan realized, and so she would have to wait to find out if he was telling the truth. The shipping container, Morvan told her, was lodged so deep in the cave that it was nearly submerged, making the trip a dangerous expedition. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content But finally, last week, it was safe. The tide was low. And Morvan, Simonin-Le Meur said, ultimately was not kidding. Filming the discovery, a group of journalists and environmentalists, Simonin-Le Meur included, climbed up the rocky shore to the cave’s narrow opening, finding snippets of a bright orange phone cord along the way. Garfield was scattered all about, just like on the beach. But when the group entered the cave, ready for the big reveal, they didn’t find what they expected. It was clear the plastic cats had been there, Simonin-Le Meur said, but clearer still that most were already gone. “Our preoccupation was to understand why we had so many Garfields everywhere. We thought it would be helpful to find the container so we can stop it. But that was unfortunately not the case,” Simonin-Le Meur said. “What we found was the remainder of the shipping container. And it was empty.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Our preoccupation was to understand why we had so many Garfields everywhere It seemed the group had solved the mystery, she said, but not the problem. The “Téléphone Garfield,” as it is known in an online catalogue for ubiquitous ocean debris, is just one plastic item among countless others that litter the ocean and the shore every year. In the region of northwestern France, the Garfield phone has become like an unwitting Smokey Bear, the mascot for the importance of ocean cleanup and the dangers of microplastics polluting the ocean. Lionel Lucas, who developed the online Ocean Plastic Tracker that catalogues discoveries of Garfield, told Franceinfo the Garfield phone was a “symbol” for the movement. “It is no longer garbage but evidence,” Lucas said. Simonin-Le Meur said that she has tried to use Garfield particularly as a way to interest children in ocean pollution, given its allure compared to pieces of plastic trash. And while the recent purported discovery of Garfield’s origins has drawn renewed interest, Simonin-Le Meur said, the discovery didn’t change much in her eyes. “We found plastic last Friday and Saturday and Sunday, and we have found a lot of pieces of Garfield,” she said. “Things are just exactly the same.” Share this article in your social network Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Shopping essentials Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. NP Posted Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, 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 NP Posted will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>At long last, the case of the téléphone Garfield — translation: Garfield phone — has finally been solved. For almost four decades, beaches on the Iroise coast in northwest France have seen a number of phones shaped like the beloved, grumpy feline wash up on shore. In fact, the Garfield phones are such a thing that a French anti-litter group called Ar Vilantsou has been using them in their beach-cleaning campaigns. However, their origin was always a mystery — until now. According to the BBC, a farmer remembered that the phones began appearing after a vicious sea storm in the 1980s. Speaking to Franceinfo.ou, he says they eventually "found a container aground in a fissure. It was open. Many of the things were gone, but there was a stock of phones." Yes, the Garfields were coming from a lost shipping container that settled in a sea cave only accessible at low tide. Imagine that. Thankfully though, you don't have to necessary be an expert diver to procure one of the colorful handsets, as there seem to be plenty of functional Garfield phones still available for purchase via eBay. After all, in true Garfield fashion, we do love a lazy "ship to door" option.<doc-sep>“We were looking for it, but we had no precise idea of where it could be,” Simonin-Le Meur said. “We thought it was under the sea. We asked people who were divers to look for it. We get a lot of submarines in the area too — it’s a military area. But they said it was not possible the container could be there and nobody saw it.”<doc-sep>

Since the 1980s, bright orange parts of a novelty Garfield phone have been steadily washing up on the Iroise coast of Brittany in France. Nobody knew where the Garfield phones were coming from, and locals had no choice but to continue collecting pieces of the famous fat cat for 35 years. According to the BBC, the mystery was finally solved this week, when a lost shipping container filled with Garfield phones “in a more complete condition than any found before them,” was discovered in a secluded sea cave accessible only during low tide. Residents had long suspected the phones came from a shipping container, but had never been able to find it. Then recently, the anti-litter group Ar Vilantsou declared the phones a symbol of plastic pollution on the beach, launching the Garfield phones as the face of their media campaign this year (honestly, I would be pretty fed up too, seeing this smug cat’s pupil-less face in the sand everyday). The campaign worked, because it caught the attention of a local farmer named René Morvan, who recalled seeing the first Garfield telephone after a storm in the early 1980s. He escorted France Info journalists and Ar Vilantsou activists to the spot, where they uncovered the treasure trove of phone fragments and cords stuck underneath stones. Unfortunately, the destroyed container remains buried underneath the rocks and is inaccessible, meaning Garfield parts will continue to wash up on shore. Being made of plastic, they’ll most likely outlast us all, much like the classic syndicated strip itself. If you want to save yourself the trip to France to get your own vintage Garfield phone, some collectors’ items can still be found on eBay. It opens and closes its eyes when the receiver is picked up, it’s adorable! Vous vous souvenez des téléphones #Garfield ? Après le premier article de @CaBelingard pour #AlertePollution, les langues se sont déliées et un agriculteur a permis de retrouver le conteneur échoué https://t.co/ru7MDssTCY (avec le bon @ cette fois-ci ) pic.twitter.com/q2wtgyXQKX — Thomas Baïetto (@ThomasBaietto) March 26, 2019 Still, this is the only Garfield phone I will acknowledge.

BRAZIL ace Marcelo broke down in tears tonight after being forced off injured in just the ninth minute against Serbia. The Samba star looked distressed as he hobbled away from the key clash, clutching his leg. 2 Marcelo breaks down in tears as he is forced off the pitch during Brazil's match against Serbia Credit: Getty The Real Madrid full-back looked like he thought his World Cup could be over as he went down the tunnel with medics. He went over to the Brazil bench to tell them he could not continue and was instantly replaced by Atletico Madrid's Felipe Luis. Marcelo then walked to the bench where he remained before heading for treatment from doctors. more from world cup 2018 'i want a girl' England star Kyle Walker's model girlfriend reveals she wants FOURTH baby 2 Marcelo looked anguished as he was helped from the playing field by Brazilian medical staff Credit: Reuters MOST READ IN WORLD CUP 'i want a girl' England star Kyle Walker's model girlfriend reveals she wants FOURTH baby But a statement from Brazil's football association was upbeat. The CBF Tweeted: "The full-back suffered a back spasm while trying to accelerate. "He was treated and he is in good shape. Get well soon, crack [star]!" Marcelo is believed to be in with a chance of returning in time for the Selecao's last 16 clash with Mexico.<doc-sep>Neymar has provided Brazil with a fresh injury concern after he limped out of training on Tuesday, sparking fears he could miss their second World Cup Group E clash with Costa Rica this Friday. The Paris Saint-Germain forward winced in pain after kicking a football during a fairly training tame training drill, three days after becoming the most fouled player at the World Cup in the last 20 years after he was targeted during the 1-1 draw with Switzerland. Neymar left the Rostov Arena limping but told media that there was nothing to worry about, and his appearance in training on Tuesday allayed any fears that he had suffered yet another heartbreaking injury at a World Cup following his 2014 anguish. Neymar limps out of Brazil training Show all 6 1 /6 Neymar limps out of Brazil training Neymar limps out of Brazil training Neymar Neymar limps out of Brazil training with a foot injury REUTERS Neymar limps out of Brazil training Neymar Neymar limps out of Brazil training with a foot injury AFP/Getty Images Neymar limps out of Brazil training Neymar Neymar limps out of Brazil training with a foot injury EPA Neymar limps out of Brazil training Neymar Neymar limps out of Brazil training with a foot injury AFP/Getty Images Neymar limps out of Brazil training Neymar Neymar limps out of Brazil training with a foot injury AFP/Getty Images Neymar limps out of Brazil training Neymar Neymar limps out of Brazil training with a foot injury REUTERS But those fears quickly returned when he pulled up soon after kicking the ball, and after briefly attempting to continue training, the 26-year-old was led away by the team’s medical staff for further assessment. Recommended Neymar needs a kick up the backside if Brazil are to win the World Cup The news is a huge concern for Brazil head coach Tite, given that Neymar has only just returned from a broken foot after suffering a fractured metatarsal while playing for PSG in the Champions League last February. The injury forced Neymar to miss the remainder of the season, and the sight of him holding his right foot once again during training on Tuesday at the Yug Sport Stadium in Sochi will lead Brazil fans to fear the worst. Neymar suffered an injury during training on Tuesday (EPA) The Brazilian was led away by medical staff (REUTERS) However, the Brazilian Football Association [CFB] moved to ease any fears over a long-term injury by confirmed he had “complained of ankle pains due to the number of fouls suffered against Switzerland”, and that he is expected to return to training on Wednesday. Neymar struggled to make an impact in Brazil’s opening fixture in Russia as Philippe Coutinho gave the Selecao the lead, only for Steven Zuber to equalise shortly after half-time, and the game was most noted for the treatment that the former Barcelona forward received at the hands of the Swiss as he was repeatedly fouled in an effort to prevent him from getting through on goal.<doc-sep>

DOUGLAS COSTA has been ruled out the rest of the World Cup with injury, according to reports. The midfielder came on at half-time during Brazil's group game at Costa Rica, and was a driving force behind them securing a last-gasp victory. 3 Douglas Costa helped change the game for Brazil against Costa Rica - but he could miss the rest of the World Cup now with injury Credit: Getty The Juventus man replaced Chelsea's Willian, and would have been favourite to get the nod for the Samba Boys' final game against Serbia. But according to Italian news site Ansa, the 27-year-old has picked up a thigh injury and could be out for three weeks. That would mean his World Cup has come to an abrupt end. He took on more players than anybody else in the Brazil versus Costa Rica clash - despite only playing 45 minutes. 3 Douglas Costa recorded an assist after helping Neymar finally kill off Costa Rica Credit: Getty 3 Will Brazil boss Tite be without the services of super-sub Douglas Costa for the Serbia game? Credit: AFP He also ended the game with an assist. But Brazil boss Tite may not even have the tough call to make on Willian or Costa for the final game against Serbia now. Brazil endured a disappointing 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their first Group E match, before showing an improved performance in their victory over Costa Rica. They will secure a place in the last 16 with a point against Serbia. Latest World Cup News NO HARD FEELINGS Man dumped by Gareth Southgate's wife insists he holds no grudge 'i want a girl' England star Kyle Walker's model girlfriend reveals she wants FOURTH baby Yet, victory may not be enough to secure top spot with Switzerland only a goal behind on goal difference. A defeat could even see the five-time winners knocked out of the World Cup, should the Swiss triumph against Costa Rica.

WWE’s New Day released a statement regarding Hulk Hogan’s reinstatement. The somewhat sudden news of the WWE reinstating Hulk Hogan into its Hall of Fame sent shockwaves across the wrestling world on Sunday. Hogan, who was fired by the WWE after a racially insensitive rant was uncovered in 2015 — in which he used the N-word multiple times — has been on a reconciliatory path of late, with many speculating that he would eventually return to the wrestling promotion sooner rather than later. For many, the 64-year-old’s three-year exodus from WWE, as well as his recent attempts at making amends, were enough to heal the wound created by the iconic wrestler’s offensive comments. Shortly after news of his reinstatement broke on Sunday afternoon, Hogan revealed that he was backstage at the company’s “Extreme Rules” event in Pittsburgh and he did, in fact, address the controversy with the WWE locker room. Just met with the @WWE Superstars and on all levels the volume of love and support was overwhelming. I’ve been praying for this day and I finally feel like I made it back home. Only Love 4 the #WWEUNIVERSE brother HH — Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) July 15, 2018 While Hogan referenced the “love and support” he had received, three of the WWE’s biggest African-American stars, Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods, remained notably silent on social media. On Tuesday, they collectively released a statement regarding their feelings about Hogan being back in WWE’s good graces. Story continues “How do we feel? Indifferent,” the post reads. “We are not happy or sad, angry or resentful. Who WWE puts into the HOF is totally and completely up to the company and from a career standpoint, there is no argument on whether or not Hogan should have his place.” The New Day’s statement is a perfectly measured and rational response to a situation in which there are no real winners. While it is true that Hogan’s name is synonymous with professional wrestling, his legacy will be forever tarnished due to his use of racially insensitive terms. No number of apologies or actions can ever make them acceptable or erase them. “We do not respond with more feelings of hate,” the statement reads. “Instead, we just do not associate with the people who convey or have conveyed this negative and hurtful mindset. This instance will be no different. Perhaps if we see him make a genuine effort to change, then maybe our opinion will change with him. Time will tell.” The New Day’s post received widespread support online, including from fellow WWE star Titus O’Neil. In FULL AGREEMENT AND SUPPORT OF EVERYTHING SAID IN THIS STATEMENT. MY additional response to this from to follow as there have been NUMEROUS ERRONEOUS reports on my Views and Response-to this situation. https://t.co/jCjtAusYW9 — Titus O'Neil (@TitusONeilWWE) July 18, 2018 While it remains to be seen what Hogan’s role will be within WWE – many of its former stars remain involved either on camera or as “ambassadors” for the company – it’s clear that he still has work to do when it comes to repairing his image and relationships with fans and talent – particularly African-Americans. As the New Day so eloquently stated: Time will tell. More from Yahoo Sports: • Shams Charania: Spurs deal Kawhi Leonard to Raptors for DeMar DeRozan, sources say • Jeff Passan: This was how Brewers’ Josh Hader apologized after racist, sexist tweets surfaced • Antonio Brown gets ‘Madden 19’ cover • Pat Forde: Florida’s Dan Mullen says he wants to fill The Swamp, not drain it<doc-sep>Last Sunday, hours before the Extreme Rules event was set to take place in Pittsburgh, WWE dropped a bombshell on everyone. Hulk Hogan was being reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame, lifting a three-year "suspension" he was serving after racist remarks he had made were leaked to the public. In the wake of the reinstatement, four of the most prominent African-American stars in the company have addressed the matter, and that's where we begin our look at some of the biggest headlines for Wednesday, July 18. Big fan of WWE? Subscribe to our podcast -- In This Corner with Brian Campbell -- where we go in depth on everything you need to know in WWE each week. New Day, Titus O'Neil address Hulk Hogan saga On Wednesday, Kofi Kingston took to Twitter to release quite the powerful message on behalf of the New Day. As you'd expect, the group has been getting bombarded by calls for their take on the matter, and now they have given just that. Quite possibly the most striking part of the statement was when it was revealed that the three will not associate with Hogan until they see a "genuine effort to change." Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E are not just three of the more prominent black superstars in WWE, but they're three of the most popular superstars in the entire company. So, no matter the circumstances, their public words carry more weight than most. In addition to the New Day's statement on Wednesday, one of WWE's most respected ambassadors, Titus O'Neil, also let his thoughts be known. O'Neil took a brief moment to shoot down the rumors that he had refused to attend the meeting in Pittsburgh where Hogan apologized to the locker room prior to Extreme Rules. From that point, O'Neil moved on to, much like New Day, question the sincerity of the initial apology that was offered. Hogan being reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame was a baby step in the direction of eventually returning to the company on a more regular basis, but the former WWE champion clearly has a lot more work to do in regards to earning the respect back from everyone. These public statements from the New Day and O'Neil provide all the proof you need of that. More WWE news, rumors<doc-sep>

Prior to the WWE Extreme Rules PPV last Sunday, the WWE announced that wrestling icon Hulk Hogan had been reinstated into it's Hall of Fame. The WWE had cut ties with Hogan three years ago after a racially insensitive rant surfaced in which he used the N-word several times. Hogan reportedly met with current wrestlers backstage at the event in Pittsburgh and addressed the controversy with the WWE locker room, though there are varying reports of how well it was received. According to WWE legend Mark Henry, there is a "50/50 split" among African American wrestlers. He told TMZ Sports (H/T Cageside Seats), “No, no it’s 50-50. I’ve talked to guys who were like ‘to hell with him’. And I had guys who were like ‘you know what man, if he’s willing to make a change and try to help out and go and speak up to be a part of the answer then part of the of the problem it’s all good’.” WWE's The New Day, a three-man group comprised of African-American stars, Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods, released a joint statement this week regarding Hogan's reinstatement with the company. According to Kingston, the group had been bombarded with questions about where they stood on the matter. The message reads, in part: “How do we feel? Indifferent,” the post reads. “We are not happy or sad, angry or resentful. Who WWE puts into the HOF is totally and completely up to the company and from a career standpoint, there is no argument on whether or not Hogan should have his place.” “We do not respond with more feelings of hate,” the statement reads. “Instead, we just do not associate with the people who convey or have conveyed this negative and hurtful mindset. This instance will be no different. Perhaps if we see him make a genuine effort to change, then maybe our opinion will change with him. Time will tell.” Fellow WWE star Titus O'Neil echoed The New Day's statement, tweeting that he was in "full agreement and support of everything" that Kingston, Big E and Woods had laid out. You can check out the full statement in Kingston's tweet embedded below.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press The Carolina Hurricanes acquired defenseman Dougie Hamilton, winger Micheal Ferland and defensive prospect Adam Fox from the Calgary Flames on Saturday in exchange for center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin, according to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.com. Both Lindholm and Hanifin are restricted free agents. As Wyshynski noted, "The issues with Hamilton, for Calgary, however, [are] his $5.75 million cap hit through 2021 and a modified no-trade clause that kicks in after the upcoming season." Those made him untenable to keep despite his solid 2017-18 campaign. According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, the two teams "have had these discussions, on and off, for a few weeks," and the Flames "from the get-go were always trying to get both Hanifin and Lindholm." Hamilton, 25, averaged 21:32 of ice time per game last season, tallying 17 goals and 27 assists. Left winger Ferland, 26, posted 21 goals and 20 assists. As for Fox, he's "considered a blue-chip defenseman but also a flight risk, as he's committed to playing a third year with Harvard and could become a free agent if he plays another season beyond that," per Wyshynski. The Flames will be getting promising players in the 23-year-old Lindholm (16 goals and 28 assists last season) and the 21-year-old Hanifin (10 goals, 22 assists, 18:52 average ice time). Video Play Button Videos you might like Wyshynski and Bob McKenzie of TSN provided more context on the trade: For a Flames team that has talent but underachieved after reaching the postseason in 2016-17 and missing the playoffs last year, the hope will be that Hanifin and Lindholm provide an immediate jolt of quality. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, could end up with the best player out of this trade if Fox joins the team and lives up to his significant upside.<doc-sep>Carolina is looking to end the league’s longest playoff drought, nine seasons. Hanifin, 21, the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, and Lindholm, 23, are reunited with the former Hurricanes coach Bill Peters, who stepped down at the end of the season amid uncertainty within the front office. Ferland had a career-high 78 points last season. Kovalchuk Returns to Join Kings Ilya Kovalchuk agreed to a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Kings. Kovalchuk, 35, scored 816 points in 816 games for the Atlanta Thrashers and the Devils before leaving in 2013 for the Kontinental Hockey League’s SKA St. Petersburg. He led the K.H.L. in scoring last season, and he was the most valuable player of the Olympic tournament, leading the Olympic Athletes from Russia to a gold medal. Kovalchuk was the first Russian to be the No. 1 pick in the N.H.L. draft when Atlanta chose him in 2001. He spent nearly eight years with the Thrashers and three and a half seasons with the Devils, who acquired him in a trade in February 2010. Three seasons into a 15-year, $100 million contract with New Jersey, Kovalchuk left for St. Petersburg amid complaints about North American taxes and living far from his family. Kovalchuk and his wife have four children. Rangers Rebuild With Young Players The Rangers held fast to their rebuilding strategy, resisting trades and drafting seven players on Saturday.<doc-sep>In a draft weekend blockbuster trade, the Carolina Hurricanes acquired defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Micheal Ferland from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Elias Lindholm and blueliner Noah Hanifin. It wasn’t unexpected that the Hurricanes would unload two of their young pieces, as new ownership and front office management made it clear that they would be rebuilding from the ground up, and that meant the majority of the Carolina roster would be made available for the right price. "We've gone nine years missing the playoffs," Hurricanes GM Don Waddell told the NHL Network. "[We] said in the offseason, we have new ownership [with] Tom Dundon; we needed to change up the culture a little bit.” According to Waddell, this was a deal that had been in the works for four weeks but only came to a head on Saturday—it helped that the team’s tables were next to one another at the American Airlines Center in Dallas to help finalize things. "I think they're a team on the rise," Hamilton said. "I'm excited to be a part of a young group … and help Carolina become a playoff team. It's going to be fun. I'm looking forward to it." In Hamilton, Waddell adds a 6’6” defenseman coming off a season in which he scored a career-high 17 goals, but is already on his third NHL team after being the No. 9 pick in the 2011 draft. He began his career in Boston and was traded to Calgary during the 2015 draft weekend, taking a season to find some comfort with the Flames. He's developed into a steady defender, capable of 20 minutes of ice time per game, which will fit nicely in with a current defensive top-four on the Hurricanes that includes Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce, all 27 or younger, though any one of them may have a new home in the coming weeks. Faulk, along with forward Jeff Skinner, is among the top prizes on the roster and expected to generate plenty of interest around the league. Team Receives Dougie Hamilton, D Micheal Ferland, F Adam Fox, D Elias Lindholm, F Noah Hanifin, D The Canes deepen their pool of defensive prospects with Fox, the 66th pick in the 2016 draft, who will be returning to Harvard for his junior season. He’s posted 12 goals and 68 points in 64 games over his first two NCAA campaigns, impressing with his puckhandling and hockey smarts. "We're really high on Adam Fox. He's a premier offensive defenseman at Harvard," Waddell said. "We think his upside is tremendous. That's a key piece as we move forward." Ferland, 26, became something of a folk hero as a rookie in Calgary during the Flames’ 2015 playoff run and has turned into a reliable secondary scorer, posting career highs across the board in 2017-18 with 21 goals and 20 assists in 77 games. Even with the big trade in the books, the Hurricanes are by no means done reshaping their roster—they've made it clear only forwards Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas are off limits to potential trade partners. "We have some pretty good assets, we need to turn those into other assets,” Waddell said. “We felt that all three pieces are going to make our hockey club better not just today, but going into the future.” Avalanche Acquire Philipp Grubauer in Trade With Capitals, Ink Goalie to Three-Year Deal The Flames, meanwhile, snag a couple of blossoming players who skated for new coach Bill Peters during his tenure in Carolina. Both are former No. 5 picks, with Lindholm being selected in 2013, while Hanifin went in the 2015 draft, and both are restricted free agents in need of new contracts. Lindholm, a 23-year-old ultility forward, plays well at both ends of the ice and has scored at least 39 points in each of the last four seasons. Negotiations on an extension between the Swede and Carolina reportedly did not go well, forcing the team to ship him off while it focused on the rebuild. As per Matt Cane’s free agency predictions, Lindholm is expected to get a deal in the neighborhood of five years for $25 million. Hanifin, meanwhile, played out the final season of his entry-level contract in 2017-18, leading Hurricanes defenseman with 10 goals and 22 assists on the season. The 21-year-old Boston native, projected as a top-pairing blueliner while at Boston College, has improved his point totals in each of his three NHL seasons. He’ll get a chance to continue to develop under the tutelage of veterans Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic on the Calgary blue line, and, according to Cane’s projections, is looking at a two-year bridge contract with an annual average value in the neighborhood of $2.3 million. "This is a great situation for me," Hanifin said. "Obviously I became pretty close with some of the guys in Carolina. But at the end of the day, this is part of the game. I'm excited for the next chapter in my career and to be a part of the Canadian hockey culture."<doc-sep>

The Carolina Hurricanes made a massive splash in Dallas on Saturday. The Hurricanes have traded RFA forward Elias Lindholm and RFA defenseman Noah Hanifin to the Calgary Flames for defensemen Dougie Hamilton, forward Micheal Ferland, and top prospect Adam Fox. Following is the press release from the team: RALEIGH, NC - Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the Hurricanes have acquired defenseman Dougie Hamilton, forward Micheal Ferland and the rights to defenseman Adam Fox from the Calgary Flames in exchange for defenseman Noah Hanifin and forward Elias Lindholm. ”We’re excited to add two great young players to our lineup in Dougie Hamilton and Micheal Ferland, as well as an exciting prospect in Adam Fox,” said Waddell. ”We’d like to thank Noah and Elias for their contributions to the team and we wish them the best of luck moving forward.” Hamilton, 25, scored a career-high 17 goals in 2017-18, tied for the most in the NHL by a defenseman. He ranked second among NHL defensemen in shots last season (270) and posted a career high in time on ice per game (21:32). Hamilton has appeared in 423 games over six NHL seasons with Calgary and Boston, posting 220 points (64g, 156a). The Toronto native was selected by the Bruins ninth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft, and is under contract through the 2020-21 season. Ferland, 26, posted career-highs in goals (21), assists (20) and points (41) in 77 games with the Flames in 2017-18. Drafted by the Flames in the fifth round, 133rd overall, in the 2010 NHL Draft, the 6’2”, 207-pound forward has appeared in 250 NHL games over four seasons, recording 89 points (42g, 47a). The Swan River, Manitoba, native is under contract through the 2018-19 season. Fox, 20, completed his sophomore season at Harvard in 2017-18, recording 28 points (6g, 22a), and was named a First Team All-American for the second consecutive year. As a freshman in 2016-17, he led all NCAA defensemen in scoring with 40 points (6g, 34a), and was named ECAC and Ivy League Rookie of the Year. The native of Jericho, NY, was drafted by the Flames in third round, 66th overall, of the 2016 NHL Draft. Fox appeared in back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championships with Team USA, winning gold in 2017 and bronze in 2018. Hanifin, 21, appeared in 239 games with the Hurricanes over three seasons after being drafted fifth overall in 2015, posting 83 points (18g, 65a). Lindholm, 23, posted 188 points (64g, 124a) in 374 NHL games in Carolina after being drafted fifth overall by the Hurricanes in 2013.

Send this page to someone via email Student protests in Bangladesh turned violent over the weekend after pro-government youth activists attacked students with clubs, while police fired tear gas to break up the demonstrations. Authorities suspended mobile internet services for 24 hours Saturday night in an effort to quell unrest on social media, as graphic photos and videos circulating on Twitter appeared to show a boy whose right eye had been gouged out, allegedly by a pro-government assailant. Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism police even arrested popular actress and model Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed after she said on Facebook Live that pro-government assailants had killed two students and gouged out another’s eye, national daily Prothom Alo reported. Authorities accused her of spreading unfounded rumours at the behest of anti-government miscreants. Students help a youth with an eye injury as pro-government activists threw stones and attacked them violently in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 4, 2018. Turjoy Chowdhury/NurPhoto via Getty Images Protests began to break out July 29 after two college students were killed by speeding buses, with students — many of them teenagers in school uniforms — taking to the streets to demonstrate against the country’s transportation sector, widely seen as unregulated, corrupt and dangerous. Story continues below advertisement The roads of the capital city Dhaka are a web of gridlock and chaos. Unlicensed drivers, unregistered vehicles and speeding buses are commonplace, police corruption is rife and traffic enforcement often nonexistent. The students’ wrath was inflamed further after MP and senior transportation official Shajahan Khan appeared to dismiss their concerns. According to the Daily Star, Khan remarked that the deaths of two people didn’t merit nationwide protests, given that the deaths of 33 people in an Indian bus accident last month didn’t prompt any unrest in that country. READ MORE: 48 killed after overcrowded bus plunges into ravine in India Student protesters spilled out onto major roads in the capital Dhaka, setting up blockades and checking the licenses and registrations of vehicles, including those of top officials, before allowing them through. In one case on Thursday, students stopped a police SUV carrying a deputy inspector general, only to find that the vehicle didn’t have a registration certification, and its driver didn’t have a licence to drive, the Daily Star reported. The deputy inspector general admitted that the driver didn’t have a license and that the vehicle was unregistered, but reportedly said, “This is a government car and I do not know anything about it.” Students blockade a road as they take part in a protest over recent traffic accidents that killed a boy and a girl, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 4, 2018. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain On Saturday, pro-government activists — members of the ruling party’s youth wing — attacked student protesters and at least five journalists, including an Associated Press photographer who was hospitalized with a head injury. Story continues below advertisement Footage of the attack on social media showed the photographer surrounded and beaten by nearly a dozen men. There were also reports that some female protesters were sexually assaulted in the youth activist group’s offices, a charge that it denied, the Daily Star reported. A photographer is targeted during a student protest in Dhaka on August 5, 2018, following the deaths of two college students in a road accident. Mamunur Rashid/NurPhoto via Getty Images Social media users in Bangladesh told Global News that they had limited access to mobile internet, although wired and wireless networks appeared to be working. One student said she was in hiding, amid fears that that pro-government activists were seeking out and attacking youth whose photos and videos of the protests went viral on social media. Students have been using the hashtag #WeWantJustice to protest against the government and allied activists. READ MORE: Thousands of Bangladeshi children work 64 hours a week for global clothing brands On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh released a statement condemning the violence against protesters. Story continues below advertisement “The peaceful demonstrations of the past week in favor of better vehicle and road safety, led by students and school children across Bangladesh, have united and captured the imagination of the whole country,” read the statement. It added that “nothing can justify the brutal attacks and violence over the weekend against the thousands of young people who have been peacefully exercising their democratic rights in supporting a safer Bangladesh.” The protests have become a serious embarrassment to the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of a general election due in December. Her party is blaming the main opposition, led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, for using the student anger to create chaos for political gains. Political feuding between the two political leaders has dominated Bangladesh’s politics for more than a decade. Zia’s party has formally extended its support to the protesters, but Hasina has also reached out to the demonstrators by pledging to improve road safety. In response to the protests, the government launched a week-long drive to enforce vehicle registrations, but the country’s home affairs minister warned protesters that “if anyone crosses the limit, action will be taken.” Bangladesh has among the world’s highest rates of fatal road accidents. At least 12,000 people die each year in road accidents in the country. Story continues below advertisement — With files from the Associated Press Follow @Kalvapalle<doc-sep>Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan questioned the protesters' fury, saying that in neighboring India, a recent crash killed more than 30 people, “but do they talk about it the way we do?” He apologized after outrage on social media, with many people calling for him to step down. Bangladeshi news outlets reported that he later visited the families of one of the students killed by the bus to apologize.<doc-sep>Police in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, fired tear gas and used batons on Saturday to disperse hundreds of student protesters angered by the traffic deaths of two fellow students. Witnesses and local media reports said chaos broke out as police and government officials swooped in on the students, leaving many injured. A top leader of the ruling party Awami League said some “criminals” wearing school uniforms joined the violence. Many protesters blamed the student wing of the ruling party for the attacks. Television stations aired footage of the clashes, with protesters throwing stones at police. The city was largely cut off from the rest of Bangladesh as bus companies refused to enter the area from other parts of the country. Buses are key to transportation in Bangladesh, where trains are overcrowded and most people cannot afford cars.<doc-sep>

Tens of thousands of students, many of them teenagers, have brought areas of Bangladesh to a near-standstill during five days of protests following the deaths of two teenagers killed by a speeding bus. Bangladeshi authorities have been forced to shut thousands of high schools across the country due to the demonstrations, which saw thousands of people, mostly students in their mid-teens, block major intersections in the capital of Dhaka as they marched through the streets chanting “we want justice” and checking people’s drivers’ licences. Police armed with shields and batons have been called in to deal with the protesters, with some reports of vehicles being vandalised. Bangladesh’s transport sector is widely seen as corrupt, unregulated and dangerous. News that a boy and girl were killed on the roadside on Sunday by a speeding bus spread rapidly on social media they became a catalyst for an outpouring of anger. More than 4,200 pedestrians were killed in road accidents in Bangladesh in 2017, a 25% increase from 2016, according to private research group the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways. In some parts of Dhaka students occupying major intersections checked licence plates and demanded to see driver identification and registration documents. “We don’t want any vehicles without licences on the streets. Those unfit to drive should not get licences, and we don’t want underage motorists driving public transport,” said one protester, Mohammad Sifat. US and Australian embassies warned of significant delays as a result of the protests across Dhaka and elsewhere as many residents were forced to walk across the congested capital to offices and workplaces. But some joined the students, frustrated at the government’s inability to tackle Dhaka’s notoriously dangerous roads. “I support this movement and sincerely hope it will shake out corruption in the system,” Yunus Ali, a businessman, said at a busy demonstration. Shajahan Khan, a government minister with ties to powerful transport unions, also triggered fresh outrage when he questioned why there was such an uproar over the two Dhaka children but no reaction when 33 people were killed in an Indian bus crash the day before. There have been widespread social media demands for the resignation of Khan, who later apologised for his comments. The home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday promised that the government would launch a public transport safety campaign and urged the protesters to go home. “People are suffering and we don’t want this,” he said.

NEW A vastly improved search engine helps you find the latest on companies, business leaders, and news more easily.<doc-sep>After the FCC repealed net neutrality rules, Washington became the first state to pass its own requirements. Net neutrality is officially a thing of the past – but not in Washington state. Washington became the first state to set up their own net neutrality requirements in March when Governor Jay Inslee signed a measure with bipartisan support. Oregon followed in Washington's footsteps in April, passing its own net neutrality law. A new set of rules at the Federal Communications Commission went into effect Monday, ending consumer protections that assure equal legal broadband access that doesn't slow or block certain sources. Some consumers fear a slower Internet and higher costs for broadband delivery. The FCC changes were passed last December, shepherded by Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who says the new lighter-touch rules are more market-friendly than the "utility-style regulation" in the Obama-era. "Monday, we are ending this flawed approach and allowing smaller internet service providers to focus their efforts on deploying more broadband, connecting more Americans with digital opportunity, and offering more competition in the marketplace," Pai wrote in a column for CNET published Sunday. Under the new law, ISPs are required to disclose any blocking, throttling or prioritization of their own content or from their partners on customers' broadband connections. Providers have said they won't block or throttle legal websites, but have left open the potential for charging more for transport of some data.WATCH: What is net neutrality? Supporters of net neutrality argue that ISPs should deliver access to online content and apps equally, and prefer rules the FCC passed in 2015. Those Obama-era rules prevented ISPs from blocking or slowing legal traffic, or from being paid for prioritized, faster delivery. Since Pai's passage of the Restoring Internet Freedom order, supporters of net neutrality have taken several approaches to prevent the new rules from going into effect. More than 20 states have sued the FCC, and several governors have passed executive orders requiring ISPs doing business with their states to uphold net neutrality. Some Congressional Democrats are seeking a repeal of their own, the overturning of the 2017 order that ends the 2015 rules. The Senate last month passed a Congressional Review Act measure 52-47 aiming to overturn the 2017 measure (the CRA is a quick way to overturn newly-passed regulations within 60 legislative days of passage). But a battle for votes in the House remains. Nearly 50 more House lawmakers must sign a discharge petition introduced by Congressman Mike Doyle in order to force a vote. Currently, 170 House lawmakers have signed that petition. If the House votes on and passes the bill before the end of this session, the measure would be sent to President Trump. His approval would be highly unlikely since Trump had called the Obama-era rules a "power grab."<doc-sep>Federal net neutrality regulations went away Monday, but internet users across the country may not notice any immediate changes. In Washington, a new state law says they shouldn’t, period. The Federal Communications Commission’s decision last year to end certain rules designed to guarantee equal access to the internet was greeted by outrage from some tech companies, which service providers attempted to counter with assurances that nothing would change other than the unnecessary burdens of federal regulations. A lawsuit from Washington and 21 other states is seeking to block the FCC’s decision, and Congress is considering legislation that would put the old rules into federal statutes. The Senate has passed a net neutrality bill, but the House hasn’t yet. The Washington Legislature did, with Gov. Jay Inslee signing the nation’s first state net neutrality law on March 5; it took effect last week. Oregon passed its own law and California is debating one. Governors in some other states have taken executive action to set up similar rules. “I think you would hope that a number of states taking action, either by legislation or executive order, would send a pretty strong message to the internet service providers,” state Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, said Monday. “They said they support net neutrality in principle … We’ll see if they were being candid with us.” Here are some answers to common questions about the change in net neutrality policies: What is net neutrality, anyway? : It’s a policy that essentially says internet service providers, the telecommunications companies that provide people and businesses with a way onto the internet, can’t play favorites. They can’t provide slower speeds for some websites and faster speeds for others, which would have the effect of giving companies operating those faster websites an advantage. It also means they can’t block lawful sites or slow down lawful internet traffic. Who could be against that? : Some providers, known as ISPs, said they weren’t against the concept, but didn’t think it should be the province of FCC regulations. They said the regulations weren’t necessary, could restrict expansion of faster internet to underserved areas, and that consumers could be protected by the Federal Trade Commission. Why does it seem like I’ve been hearing about this forever? : The FCC first proposed eliminating its regulations in April 2017, but it had to follow the lengthy hearing process for changing a federal regulation, then vote to make the actual change. The vote occurred last December, with the three Republicans voting yes and the two Democrats voting no, but it didn’t take effect until Monday. What steps did Washington state officials take? : In December, Inslee issued an executive order threatening state sanctions against any ISP that limited access or selectively slowed service, which included consumer protection actions, loss of state contracts or asking the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to deny access to utility poles. Attorney General Bob Ferguson joined Democratic counterparts from other states in filing a lawsuit, which is pending. What did the Legislature do? : In the 2018 session, it debated and ultimately passed a bill that placed the old FCC standards on ISPs operating in Washington. Violations would be enforced under the state’s Consumer Protection Act. The bill received bipartisan support, but not unanimous support. Opponents argued the state should let Congress enact nationwide net neutrality laws to avoid a patchwork of rules across states and a legal fight with the federal government because the FCC regulations bar state laws that go against federal actions. In signing the law in March, Inslee said he was confident of the state’s legal position.<doc-sep>

The State of Washington today became the first US state to impose a net neutrality law that replaces the nationwide regulations repealed by the Federal Communications Commission. Washington's legislature and governor approved the new law three months ago and arranged for it to take effect as soon as the FCC finalized its repeal. The FCC repeal was finalized today, so Washington's state law has gone into effect. The Washington state law prohibits home and mobile Internet providers from blocking or throttling lawful Internet traffic and from charging online services for prioritization. The rules will be enforced by the state attorney general under Washington's Consumer Protection Act. Bill author Drew Hansen, a Democratic state representative from Bainbridge Island, previously told Ars that he expects the state law to be upheld in court. The FCC is trying to preempt state net neutrality laws, but "the FCC doesn't have preemption authority just because it says so," Hansen said. The law was opposed by the cable and mobile broadband industries, and ISPs or their lobby groups could sue in an attempt to block it. When contacted by Ars today, Rep. Hansen said he's not aware of any lawsuits being filed yet. More state laws coming up Oregon also passed a net neutrality law, but it applies only to ISPs that sell Internet service to state or local government agencies, and it doesn't take effect until January 1, 2019. The governors of five states—Vermont, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, and New York—have also issued executive orders to impose net neutrality rules on ISPs that provide Internet service to state government agencies. As a Motherboard story noted, Washington is the first state with a net neutrality law applying broadly to all ISPs. Washington's law might not end up being the strictest state net neutrality regime, though. The California Senate last month approved stricter net neutrality rules, including a ban on paid data-cap exemptions, and there is pending net neutrality legislation in most states. The California bill still needs approval from the Democratic-majority State Assembly and Governor Jerry Brown. Separately, more than 20 Democratic state attorneys general have sued the FCC in an attempt to reverse the federal repeal.

QUOTABLE "That's the guy that I believe in," NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts said about G Braxton Beverly. "He could come out and go 0 for 20, and then I know the next time he comes out, he's going to play. I've never, ever questioned his ability to make shots. I love the kid. ... I wish that every kid that I recruit at N.C. State is like Braxton Beverly. Works hard, great kid, low maintenance." Coach K on the impact of the comeback win over Louisville: “I told my team, I said ‘You’re not losers, but you’re playing like losers.’ February is a crazy month, because it’s a long haul before March, and everybody is hungry. They’re trying to make their marks. These kids can already feel like they’ve made a mark. And so, you’re playing against somebody that can be hungrier than you, and our thing going into the game was ‘Play harder than them,’ and we weren’t able to do that. So, that’s a lesson for our guys. However, the other lesson is maybe Goldwire can play more, the 2-2-1 may be added to what we’re doing. What’ve we played? 24 games? They’ve played 24 games in their career. So, we can still learn a lot.” Coach K on switching to a 2-2-1 against Louisville: “Going into the game, we felt that the 2-2-1, we don’t do it very much, but we actually practiced it for this game. So, we felt we could do it. We did it one time in the first half and everything we did in the first half was not good. And maybe the sense of urgency… sometimes something you do doesn’t work because of the attitude you have when you do it. So, the sense of urgency made the defense work. My guys want to win. They’re good guys. They’re really good guys."<doc-sep>LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - FEBRUARY 12: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates after the 71-69 win over the Louisville Cardinals at KFC YUM! Center on February 12, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) The NC State Wolfpack will go up to Cameron Indoor Stadium in an attempt to get off the bubble and guarantee themselves a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Can they get a massive win over Duke? TV Schedule: Saturday, February 16, 6:00 pm ET ESPN Arena: Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina As the season winds down, two ACC in-state rivals separated by about 20 miles will face off in Durham, North Carolina, each trying to obtain their objective on different sides of the spectrum. The NC State Wolfpack 18-7 (6-6)will be looking for a big victory to get themselves into the NCAA Tournament, while the ranked #2 Duke Blue Devils 22-2(10-1)will be looking to increase their lead over the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Virginia Cavaliers to win the ACC regular-season championship for the first time since the 2009-10 season, where they were co-champions with the Maryland Terrapins with a 13-3 conference record. Both teams will be coming in this game on win streaks. Duke has won eight straight games and has been practically unstoppable since losing to Syracuse in overtime at home on January 14, 95-91. In the eight games they’ve won since that loss, they have swept #4 Virginia, beat St. Johns at Madison Square Garden by 30, and had an amazing 23-point comeback at #16 Louisville against the Cardinals to win 71-69. This has got them to a one-game lead over their fellow ACC opponents, but that doesn’t mean they should take any game lightly from now until the regular season ends as they have two games against their main rival, North Carolina left in their schedule. The Wolfpack will be coming into this game with two smaller win streaks. The first is just a normal two game one against Pittsburgh at away by three and Syracuse at home by 15. The second win streak is arguably the more important one, this one is also a two-game streak, except this one is against Duke including a 96-85 win at home last season, where Duke was also coincidentally ranked #2. What’s good about that win is that three of NC State’s starters from that game are on the team this season as well, senior guard Torin Dorn, junior guard Markell Johnson, and sophomore guard Braxton Beverly. The former two were also reserves at their road win at Duke two seasons ago, so that means they have some experience in Cameron. Duke will be led by their freshmen as usual, with them taking up four of the five starting spots, but this is not just any Duke freshmen class lineup, this is one of the best Duke lineups this decade had to offer. All four of the starting freshmen had an RSCI ranking below 13, with three of them below 10. These freshmen are a guard who leads the teams with 5.3 assists per game known as Tre Jones, forwards Cam Reddish who scored 15 points in under 10 minutes including the game-tying and winning points in the 23-point comeback against Louisville mentioned before, and potential NBA number one draft picks/superstars RJ Barett, who leads the team in points per game with 22.7 points per game, and the golden boy Zion Williamson, who almost if not every single fan of college basketball or even NBA basketball has heard of due to the massive amount of press he has received. He also leads the team in rebounds, steals, and blocks per game with 9.3, 2.2, and 2.0 respectively. NC State’s points and rebounds per game are led by Torin Dorn with 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Assists are led by Markell Jackson, who has exactly four per game, and finally, Braxton Beverly leads the team in three-pointers made, a stat which he’ll have to improve on Saturday night in order for his team to get the victory. In the recent Bubble Watch, NC State was put in the “doubling the deodorant” section with a projected 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. In ESPN’s latest Bracketology with Joe Lunardi from Valentine’s Day, NC State was ranked higher with a 9 seed and above the last four byes section. In the end, the Wolfpack will have to follow their three keys to victory. As long as they could abide by those things, they should be able to win, but I don’t see it. I see the Blue Devils using their superior talent to outmuscle, outplay, and most importantly outscore their important to win by an impressive margin. Prediction: Duke Blue Devils 84, NC State Wolfpack 65<doc-sep>

LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 12: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils is congratulated by teammates after making a shot against the Louisville Cardinals during the game at KFC YUM! Center on February 12, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. Duke came from behind to win 71-69. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) The Duke Blue Devils come off their historic comeback win and face a big in-state test as they welcome the NC State Wolfpack to Cameron Indoor. For the Duke Blue Devils, things looked bleak midway through the second half against Louisville earlier this week. They were trailing by more than 20 points at that point and seemed to be getting run off the floor. What happened next for Mike Krzyzewski’s team, though, was a monumental comeback rally to top the Cardinals and get the win. Now they move on to face the NC State Wolfpack. When you look at this Duke team, it’s hard not to be impressed by it all. Yes, the talent is obvious with the vaunted group of Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish and Tre Jones. However, they have grown tremendously even since the start of the season, and the way that they’ve handled adversity this season has been wholly impressive. NC State, on the other hand, has had some struggles as it pertains to ACC play this season. After a 12-1 start to the season out of the conference, they’ve gone just 6-6 inside of it, including a loss to Virginia Tech in which they scored a measly 24 points. Suffice it to say, things have been better for the Wolfpack. WATCH College Basketball ON ESPN+: Get your free 7-day trial of ESPN+ Having said that, NC State is still a talented team and Duke is coming off of a draining victory. If ever there was a time for the Wolfpack to go on the road and pull off an upset, it might be Saturday in Cameron. TV and Live Stream info Date: Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 Start Time: 6:00 p.m. ET Location: Durham, NC Arena: Cameron Indoor Stadium TV Info: ESPN Live Stream: WatchESPN You do have to wonder how much their massive comeback against Louisville took out of Duke coming into this game. What’s more, there’s no question that NC State wants to pick up a big upset to re-assert themselves in the ACC. As such, this is a game that college hoops fans should no doubt be turning on come Saturday evening.

A popular vlogger of adventure travel and once-in-a-lifetime experiences is confirmed as one of three people who has died after going over a waterfall in British Colombia, Canada. Ryker Gamble was a founder of the High on Life Youtube channel that has almost 500,000 subscribers, and the High on Life Instagram account with more than 1.1 million followers. High on Life promoted the thrills of world travel. A family member of the travel vlogger confirmed to The Associated Press that he was killed at Shannon Falls on Thursday. Loading There was an outpouring of grief after the news that the body of Mr Gamble was recovered from the bottom of the falls. Loading The latest YouTube video — about the top 10 things to see in Bali — was posted on Tuesday and fans posted hundreds of comments sharing their grief for the loss of the popular vlogger. Mr Gamble's partner Alissa Hensen posted a tribute to the adventurer and shared her grief. "One moment a wave of catastrophic emotions, the next a cavern of emptiness," she wrote. "Death is not a request to stop living, it is a request for loving." There have also been Canadian media reports that the other two hikers who died were identified on social media as Alexey Andriyovych Lyakh and Megan Scraper. Both people were associated with the High on Life group. According to CTVNews, the three were in a group of seven hikers who were visiting the falls. Federal police in Canada say search and rescue teams in British Columbia have recovered the bodies. Corporal Sascha Banks of Canada's federal police service said on Thursday the victims were in their 20s and 30s and were swimming in a pool system at the top of the falls "and then walking along the ledge shortly thereafter". The waterfall is a popular hiking spot about 60 kilometres north of Vancouver. At nearly 1,100 feet (335 metres), Shannon Falls is the third-tallest waterfall in British Colombia. ABC/AP<doc-sep>"When standing at the face of such natural wonder, we were drawn to it," they later apologized. "In an attempt to get the perfect shot, we acted in a way that doesn’t reflect our respect for the environment we were trying to capture.”<doc-sep>Share this Story: Travel vloggers among dead swept away at B.C. 's Shannon Falls Travel vloggers among dead swept away at B.C. 's Shannon Falls Photo by Facebook Article content Members of a popular YouTube travel blogging collective are among the three people who died after being swept into one of the pools at Shannon Falls in Squamish Tuesday. Family members of Ryker Gamble confirmed his passing to Postmedia in a statement. Friends and social media posts identified Alexey Lyakh and Megan Scraper as the others killed. The trio were all in their late 20s and early 30s. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Travel vloggers among dead swept away at B.C. 's Shannon Falls Back to video Gamble was part of a travel vlogging group known as High on Life SundayFundayz that counted more than a million followers on Instagram alone. The group aimed to inspire those watching to “embrace all of life’s opportunities with a positive outlook and energy.” Photo by Submitted / PNG Messages of condolences and tributes poured in online from friends, family and followers. “The world has lost a great human being with the passing of Ryker Gamble. Your bright personality will be greatly missed,” one person wrote on Facebook. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “May you have many adventures where you are now,” another wrote. Photo by Facebook The adventure group’s core members were a trio consisting of Gamble, Lyakh and a third surviving friend. They began making videos in high school and maintained their friendships despite attending separate universities. Their lifelong bond eventually rose to success when they began travelling and compiling footage of their adventures, posting it for millions of viewers. Gamble, Lyakh and another group member, Justis Price Brown, made headlines in 2016 and earned bans from U.S. federal lands after they participated in an out-of-bounds excursion on a sensitive hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. They were ordered to pay fines and served a week in jail. Photo by Jenelle Schneider / PROVINCE Scraper, Lyakh’s girlfriend, launched her own social media marketing business that came with travelling around the world. A post last month showed Scraper and Lyakh celebrating five years together. On Tuesday, the three had hiked up Shannon Falls and went into one of the pool systems to swim. When Scraper slipped and fell, Lyakh and Gamble attempted to save her but were all also swept away into a pool system 30 metres below A delicate search and rescue operation stretching into two days turned into a recovery mission. Wednesday evening, Squamish RCMP confirmed that emergency crews made an aerial drop into the steep mountainside area with rope access, and recovered the bodies. “Currently all teams are being cleared from the area until then the park remains closed. I can’t say enough about the incredible skilled work done today by the RCMP teams along with Squamish SAR,” said Cpl. Sascha Banks in a statement. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Heavy water flow and an extremely difficult terrain were a challenge for the crew involved in the efforts. Shannon Falls runs through a number of pool systems, and the one which the three had gone into was accessible, Banks said. “There’s some accessible trails from the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola as well as you can hike up the sides of Shannon Falls to get to that area,” she said. “It looks beautiful, it’s a sunny day, but given the extensive water flow that comes off the mountains, and the number of incidents that we’ve had in the Squamish area lately, people just need to be prepared.” Photo by Francis Georgian / PNG Since the Sea to Sky Gondola opened in 2014, the location has been gaining popularity from both locals and tourists. But in light of this tragedy, the RCMP and Squamish SAR are reminding the public that the pool systems and hard to reach areas can pose a serious risk. “Unless you have the knowledge of that area, the expertise and the right equipment you should not be up there,” Banks said. John Willcox of Squamish SAR, said they have responded to a number of accidents in the pools, though adds that this is the first fatality he has responded to. “We’ve had a number of dogs that have gone into the water, and people that have slipped into the water as well. Fortunately in the past they have been able to be rescued,” Willcox said. “The granite there is beautify carved by the water over hundreds of years, and it’s very slick, and with the spray and some of the lichen that builds up on it, people don’t realize how slippery it is.” While the team responds to nearly 100 calls every year, Willcox said he expects it to go over the average this year. “Every year seems to be busier and busier,” he said. “And with more volume comes more responses.” Photo by Bob McHugh / PROVINCE Photo by Francis Georgian / PNG Photo by Francis Georgian / PNG Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / PostMedia Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / PostMedia Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / PostMedia Photo by Nick Procaylo / PNG We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or sip@postmedia.com bmahichi@postmedia.com More On This Topic Boyfriend and friend jumped into Shannon Falls pool to help girlfriend and now all three are missing Trying for the perfect selfie can lead to extreme risk-taking — With files from Scott Brown, Canadian Press 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. Trending<doc-sep>

A tragic waterfall accident has led to the death of three popular travel vloggers. "High on Life" YouTube stars Ryker Gamble, Alexey Lyakh and Lyakh’s girlfriend, Megan Scraper, were killed Tuesday as the three were on their latest adventure in Canada. At the time, the group was visiting Shannon Falls, Canada's third-highest waterfall, which is located in British Columbia. Reports say the trio was at the top pool of the waterfall when Scraper slipped and fell. Gamble and Lyakh rushed over, but were unable to rescue her. The three were then swept by the current and plummeted about 100 feet into the waterfall’s lower pool. All three were killed in the fall. Gamble and Lyakh founded "High on Life," along with a friend, Parker Heuser. The travel channel has more than 501,000 subscribers and over one million followers on Instagram. The friends vlog about their travels around the world and have been to places such as Bali, Thailand, Greece, Italy, Vietnam, Hungary and Croatia. Members of the channel gathered to make a video to address the accident, remembering their dear friends. “There are truly no words that can be said to ease the pain and the devastation that we are all going through right now,” the group said in the video. "They were three of the warmest, kindest, most driven and outgoing people that you could ever meet and the world has lost a great deal of light with their passing." In the video, a passage written by both Gamble and Lyakh was read aloud as the group tried to hold back tears. “... Follow your bliss, get out of your comfort zone, stop looking for reasons why you can’t and start looking for reasons why you can and if you can, you should." The group has asked for inspirational messages, videos and photos under the hashtag #HOLInspired to allow fans to express their condolences and thoughts. A GoFundMe page has also been set up for the families of Gamble, Lyakh and Scraper. RELATED STORIES

The Philadelphia Phillies have taken significant steps forward with their rebuild this season. The team is 39-33 coming into Thursday and they're currently tied with the Washington Nationals for the second wild card spot. They're 3 1/2 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. It is not surprising then that the Phillies are reportedly looking for upgrades prior to the trade deadline. Specifically, they have their eyes on Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com. From Morosi: The Phillies also have interest in Beltre, sources say, as much for his professionalism as his production. The Phils have the youngest group of position players in the majors, and team officials see long-term value in Beltre's influence on an emerging core. Plus, the recent injury to J.P. Crawford has opened up more at-bats on the infield. Beltre, 39, is hitting .302/.357/.428 (109 OPS+) with three home runs in 45 games around a hamstring injury this season. The power numbers are not what they once were, but Beltre remains a quality hitter and a very good defender at third base. He represents a clear upgrade over Maikel Franco, who's hitting .240/.284/.409 (87 OPS+) with below-average defense. As for the Rangers, they are in last place in the AL West and are expected to sell at the trade deadline, most notably impending free agent left-hander Cole Hamels. Beltre is an impending free agent himself. Given his age and the club's need to get younger, it stands to reason Texas will indeed make Beltre available at the deadline. There should be a good bidding war for his services. At the moment the Phillies have received the worst third base production in baseball -- they are dead last at the position with minus-0.3 WAR this year -- because Franco has been unable to rediscover his 2015 stroke. Furthermore, Philadelphia is averaging only 3.69 runs per game over the last month, so they need a bat regardless of position. Third base is a clear spot to upgrade.<doc-sep>BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 23: Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on against the Cleveland Indians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 23, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Phillies trade rumors are growing as the trade deadline approaches If one player is generating the most among Phillies trade rumors, it’s Baltimore Orioles infielder Manny Machado. Everyone knows the connection between Machado and the Phillies front office who drafted him in Baltimore, plus the need for an impact bat in the middle of the lineup. Jim Bowden, the former general manager of the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, and now staff writer for The Athletic and co-host on Sirius XM, laid out six deals contenders in the National League should make before the trade deadline. The final deal Bowden lays out is one that not only reunites Machado and members of the Phillies front office, but adds to the bullpen. Here’s the blockbuster deal laid out by the former general manager involving Philadelphia and Baltimore. Phillies Get Manny Machado, Zach Britton Orioles Get J.P. Crawford, Adonis Medina, Cole Irvin, Connor Seabold Adding Machado and Britton might make the Phillies second-half favorites to win the National League East. It adds both a veteran reliever and a power bat for a group of players most fans would feel comfortable dealing. Crawford’s ability as a defender is unmatched, but his bat doesn’t appear to be anything more than average at best. In 57 games, granted a small sample size, he’s hit .202 with 13 extra-base hits. Medina is the organization’s second-best pitching prospect behind Sixto Sanchez, who rates as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. While also thought of highly among evaluators, Medina could be available with the depth of pitching in the organization. The 21-year-old righty is 7-2 with a 3.99 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 58.2 innings for the Clearwater Threshers. Seabold and Irvin are borderline top-30 prospects in the organization, though Irvin has pitched very well for Lehigh Valley this year. Whether he projects to be anything more than a middle of the rotation guy is to be seen, but a 2.54 ERA in Triple-A isn’t anything to sneeze at. Seabold was drafted by Baltimore in 2014 out of high school, but after the righty opted to pitch for Cal State Fullerton the Phillies got him in the third round last year. In 17 professional games as both a starter and reliever Seabold has a 3.42 ERA. He’s pitching with Medina in High-A Clearwater this year. There are two things about this deal and what Bowden says that I do not agree with. One is that the organization wouldn’t want to trade Maikel Franco. Bowden himself said last week that himself and the organization are done with the former top prospect, so this contradiction is puzzling. Second is the fact that the Phillies need to make this kind of a deal and sacrifice their third-best prospect for two players set to become free agents this winter. Is dealing four young players for two rentals who are not guarantees to re-sign worth it for an organization not poised to win a World Series this year? Philadelphia would have as much of a chance to sign Machado or Britton in free agency given the relationships already in place, while still keeping their prospects.<doc-sep>KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 05: Dayton Moore, left, general manager of the Kansas City Royals talks with owner and Chief Executive Officer David Glass during batting practice at Kauffman Stadium on September 5, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images) Phillies should prioritize bullpen over offense at the trade deadline Phillies should prioritize bullpen over offense at the trade deadline by Sean Resch A potential Mike Moustakas trade could be on the way for the Phillies With a month until the trade deadline, the Kansas City Royals are reportedly scouting the Phillies farm system. Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports one of his sources says the two organizations are having ongoing trade discussions, and Kansas City has been watching the Phillies minor leaguers. Moustakas is on a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2019 worth $15 million that includes a $1 million buyout. Philadelphia has been in talks with multiple teams regarding upgrades to the hot corner, including Toronto, Baltimore, Texas, and Kansas City. Each of those four teams has a veteran third baseman on an expiring contract, something Phillies GM Matt Klentak says won’t prevent the team from making a deal. Maikel Franco has seemingly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, and J.P. Crawford is on the disabled list for the second time this season. A two-time All-Star with the Royals, Moustakas is hitting .258 with 15 home runs, 50 RBI, and an even 2:1 BB/K ratio. His numbers aren’t dramatically different from Franco, who is also hitting .258 but with 10 home runs and 38 RBI. Here are their slash lines compared, which again aren’t all that different: Moustakas: .258/.313/.467/.780 Franco: . 258/.299/..442/.741 The power numbers are what sway the slugging percentage up for Moustakas, but on-base wise it’s not a major difference. Where Philadelphia would get a major upgrade if they bring in Moustakas is with WAR, or wins above replacement. Franco is sporting a -0.4 WAR compared to Moustakas’s 1.4 WAR. Moustakas’ WAR is 15th among third baseman, while Franco’s is last among qualifying third basemen. Considering Moustakas is a rental player Philadelphia shouldn’t have to give a major piece of their farm system up to acquire him. Franco could be part of a deal that includes a mid-level pitching prospect such as Franklyn Kilome or Cole Irvin. Follow tonight’s game on our Twitter and Facebook pages for score updates, reactions, and more!<doc-sep>

Veteran third baseman Mike Moustakas is on a bargain contract with the notably terrible Royals, and that in tandem with his left-handed power and ability to pin down the hot corner make him a notable name as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches. Indeed, the Moustakas rumors are already percolating. First, here's this nugget from Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia ... According to a baseball source, Phillies and Royals officials have had discussions about Moustakas and Royals scouts have been peeking in on prospects in the Phillies' minor-league system in advance of a possible deal. That makes sense. The Phillies are in contention at the halfway point of the season, and they have enough tradable assets to swing such a deal. They've also received slightly below-average production from their third basemen this season, and infielder J.P. Crawford is out with a hand fracture. Incumbent third baseman Maikel Franco has himself been the subject of trade rumors, but would the Phillies consider a platoon arrangement with Moustakas being the primary half? Elsewhere, Ken Rosenthal in his latest notes column at The Athletic names the Cardinals as having interest in Moustakas. St. Louis has been linked to Moustakas in the recent past, including this past offseason when he was still on the market. Acquiring Moustakas, though, would create a pretty crowded corner infield situation, what with Matt Carpenter, Jose Martinez, and Jedd Gyorko already on the active roster. As Rosenthal notes, part of the motivation may be to get Martinez off first base, where he's very likely the worst defender in baseball. The problem, though, is that Martinez has been the Cardinals' most reliable hitter in 2018. Trading him away -- likely in an entirely different trade -- would take a bite out out an offense that's struggled with consistency all year. Sure, Moustakas would add some thump, but Martinez is a substantially better hitter. As for Moustakas, this season he's batting .258/.313/.467 (113 OPS+) with 15 home runs in 79 games. He's coming off a 2017 season in which he tallied 38 homers, but even then he had on-base issues. The sock is real, but his numbers have been trending downward since a hot start to the season. He's owed the balance of a $5.5 million salary for 2018, and his contract includes a $15 million mutual option with a $1 million buyout for 2019. It seems likely that Moustakas will be playing elsewhere by the time the calendar flips to August, but because of the flaws in his game he's best suited to a contender with a real hole at third base. That doesn't necessarily describe the Phillies or Cardinals, despite their reported interest.

The Everton fan who got slashed in the face by a Millwall thug has revealed his wound and it's horrific. Before Millwall entertained Everton at The Den on Saturday, supporters clashed which included a person being viciously cut in the face. Millwall vs Everton outside Surrey Quays station pic.twitter.com/4BddyVdfK7 - Mike McEvoy (@mikemcevoy0) January 26, 2019 Advert 10 The man, whose been named Jason Burns, has since uploaded an image of his wound. Image: Facebook Sporting a black eye and a grisly stitched up face, he wrote on social media: "Absolutely devastated about me face nice one to all the Everton lads and everyone who has messaged me an the Liverpool lads who have messaged me much appreciated." Advert 10 "I can't even look at me self in the mirror daft c*** award goes to me again," he added. On Saturday, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "At around 16:42hrs officers became aware of a large group of males fighting in the Hawkstone Road area. "One male aged in his 20s was discovered suffering from a slash wound to the face. He was taken by LAS to a south London hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening. "A crime scene remains in place. Officers worked to separate the groups with support from the Mounted Branch. At this early stage, there have been no arrests." Advert 10 Apprentice winner Leah Totton has offered her medical services to treat his wound in a touching gesture. "Gosh this poor man, how awful to do that to someone's face! If anyone knows this chap, please tell him to get in touch with Dr Leah Clinics once his stitches are out- we would like to offer him treatment for the scar to minimise it as much as possible, free of charge." Gosh this poor man, how awful to do that to someone's face! If anyone knows this chap, please tell him to get in touch with Dr Leah Clinics once his stitches are out- we would like to offer him treatment for the scar to minimise it as much as possible, free of charge. https://t.co/FvfPBIa9Mq - Dr Leah (@DrLeahTotton) January 27, 2019 Meanwhile, Championship outfit Millwall beat Everton 3-2 in a FA Cup giant killing. Advert 10<doc-sep>This is the shocking image of the Everton fan slashed during a fight with Millwall supporters before the clubs’ FA Cup tie on Saturday. Jay Burns, who posted the picture on Facebook, needed dozens of stitches after the violent showdown. He posted on social media: ‘Thanks to everyone messaging me. I appreciate it, checking up on me. Absolutely devastated about my face, nice one to all the Everton lads and everyone who has messaged me and the Liverpool lads who have messaged me. I can’t even look at me self in the mirror.’ A football fan has shown his scar following the Millwall v Everton FA Cup match on Saturday Shocking scenes shows Millwall and Everton fans fighting before Saturday's FA Cup clash Footage appears to show the moment the fan was slashed by a blade during a mass brawl between Everton and Millwall fans A fan clutches his face after appearing to be hit in the face with a weapon by another supporter He stumbles as he tries to back away from the attack before eventually falling at the feet of the crowd The fan walked away with a nasty slash to the face following the mass brawl before the game Everton and Millwall fans clashed outside of Surrey Quays station on Saturday afternoon Britain’s top football police officer told Sportsmail that the mass violence was part of a persistent criminality which the football authorities are too often ready to ignore. As well as the slashing, a mother described a brick being hurled through the window of the Everton coach on which she and her 10-year-old daughter were travelling to the tie, which Millwall won 2-1. But Millwall’s condemnation of fans on Sunday was limited to reports of racist chanting outside the ground, while the Football Association indicated that violence away from the ground was well beyond their jurisdiction. Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs Council Football Lead said: ’Anyone who thinks this doesn’t happen on a regular basis would be very naive. It is a bit too easy for everyone else to say “It’s nothing to do with us.” For every high profile incident there are at least a dozen episodes which are not reported because officers have dealt with them.’ Other forces called on to deal with football-related violence on Saturday included South Yorkshire, after skirmishes broke out between Doncaster Rovers and Oldham Athletic fans ahead of their tie, which Rovers won 2-1. Clubs’ insistence that they will only pay for policing in a narrowly defined area around grounds is a source of mounting frustration to cash-strapped senior officers, who find themselves tackling criminality around multiple kick-off times. One leading Premier League club which was condemning racist behaviour at its ground before Christmas has engaged lawyers to find ways of reducing the money they pay to police. ‘That is rank hypocrisy,’ Mr Roberts said. ‘Police are picking up the tab on people who are only there because of the football match and the service to the rest of the public is eroded. People need to take a broader responsibility.’ YouTube footage of the clashes between dozens of supporters outside a block of flats in east London suggest that two groups of fans were intent on violence before the 5.30pm kick-off. Liverpool-based Vision Coaches, which took Everton fans down to east London, told Sportsmail that the four vehicles which arrived on time at 4pm parked up safely. But a fifth was late, arriving at 5pm, and became caught in the crossfire, incurring damage totalling £10,000. The windscreen cracked and three windows smashed. The two sets of supporters fought by Southwark Park in the build-up to kick off at The Den Police officers on horses and on foot eventually broke up the brawl at 4.30pm Millwall vs Everton outside Surrey Quays station pic.twitter.com/4BddyVdfK7 — Mike McEvoy (@mikemcevoy0) January 26, 2019 Everton supporter Lynsey Phippard, 36, told the Liverpool Echo that she had swapped seats with her 10-year-old daughter minutes before a brick was thrown through the window, at around 5.05pm. ‘Three windows got smashed,’ said Ms Phippard. ‘There were two on one side and one on the other which is the one that me and my daughter were sat next to. I swapped places with her [because I saw it looked like trouble.] The coach was full of women and quite a few older people, so not fans looking for trouble.' Ms Phippard said the driver was forced to abandon his attempts to get the bus to the ground. More fights broke out between Everton and Millwall supporters in the build up to kick off Everton fans goaded Millwall supporters who were penned into a pub beer garden Missiles and objects were thrown from the beer garden before Everton fans threw them back The eye-witness testimony of residents in Millwall pointed to pre-mediated violence. One, who did not wish to be named, told Sportsmail: ‘We saw a load of fans pouring out of the Farriers pub - a Millwall pub - and they had clearly arranged to meet the Everton fans by the park for a scrap. It’s 15 minutes from the stadium so it clearly seemed pre-arranged. 'The fans had scarves over their face to hide their identity but police had cameras on them. It was very scary. We were going to go down to Surrey Quays station to see friends but stayed at home to stay out of trouble.’ A local grocer said: ‘I saw fans scrapping outside another pub. They were shouting “f*** you, f*** you” and barging into each other. It’s where the Millwall fans go before the game so I’m not sure why Everton fans were going there.’ Before the game, Sportsmail witnessed more than 20 police escorting Everton fans on the train from London Bridge to South Bermondsey. The fans were held at station on arrival as police had a tip-off that Millwall fans would be waiting at other end. Millwall fans confront arriving Everton supporters outside of The Den before kick-off<doc-sep>It was an entertaining cup tie at The Den, which Millwall won 3-2 but it has been overshadowed by the shocking incidents before the game A man was knifed in the face as rival fans clashed in the streets ahead of Everton’s FA Cup tie at Millwall. The victim was treated by paramedics, while a man unconnected to the attack has also been arrested for possession of a bladed weapon. 3 A huge brawl broke out outside Surrey Quays station 3 Police were on the scene shortly after it broke out 3 Police quickly broke up the fighting Shocking footage shows thugs throwing punches in front of Surrey Quays station before the cup tie at The Den, which Millwall won 3-2. It quickly escalated as many other fans joined shortly after the brawl broke out. At one stage, a man is seen falling to the ground clutching his face – sparking speculation on social media he was the victim of the stabbing. Police officers, supported by a mounted patrol, were quick to intervene and use batons to separate the two groups. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “At around 16:42hrs officers became aware of a large group of males fighting in the Hawkstone Road area. “One male aged in his 20s was discovered suffering from a slash wound to the face. He was taken by LAS to a south London hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening. Millwall and Everton fans fighting today!pic.twitter.com/PVRIxiUyYw — Football Stands (@TheFootyStands) January 26, 2019 “A crime scene remains in place. Officers worked to separate the groups with support from the Mounted Branch. At this early stage, there have been no arrests. Detective Inspector Darren Young, of the South Central Command Unit, said: “The behaviour of those involved in this incident is nothing short of disgraceful and those involved can be certain we will be working to identify them. “We are aware of the video circulating online, which has quite rightly elicited shock and disgust. We are looking at it and urge anyone with information that could assist police to call 101 referring CAD 5117/26 Jan.”<doc-sep>One man was stabbed in the face during what police believe to have been a violent clash on Saturday between opposing soccer fans ahead of Everton and Millwall’s FA Cup match in London. Local police say they believe fans of Millwall and Everton were involved in fighting before the match, during which a man was slashed in the face. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. Footage posted on social media shows two groups clashing outside of the Surrey Quays station, The Sun reports. Dozens of people are seen brawling and punching each other, as police desperately try to break up the melee. At one stage, a man is seen falling to the ground clutching his face. Images were later shared on social media allegedly showing the wounds suffered by the man who was slashed with a knife. “The behavior of those involved in this incident is nothing short of disgraceful,” said Detective Inspector Darren Young of the Metropolitan Police, adding that footage of the brawling that was circulating on social media has “quite rightly elicited shock and disgust.” Everton fans were held back inside Millwall’s stadium after the final whistle on safety grounds. Millwall was renowned for its struggle with hooliganism in the 1970s and ’80s. That reputation was revived during the FA Cup semifinals in 2013, when its fans turned on each other during a loss to Wigan at Wembley Stadium, leading to 14 arrests inside the stadium. On the field on Saturday, Millwall upset their English Premier League opponent 3-2 to advance to the next round of the prestigious tournament. The Associated Press contributed to this report<doc-sep>

The man slashed in the face before Everton's match against Millwall admits he 'can’t even look at myself in the mirror'. Jason Burns, from Liverpool, revealed the shocking extent of the facial wounds in a post on Facebook . Metropolitan Police confirmed a man was slashed in the face as the two sets of supporters clashed ahead of the FA Cup match at the New Den. An image emerged on Saturday evening showing a man with a slash wound and Burns posted on Facebook to show the damage. He was left requiring stitches across the length of his face while there were also cuts and bruises to his eyes and mouth. Mr Burns posted: "Absolutely devastated about me face nice one to all the Everton lads and everyone who has messaged me an the Liverpool lads who have messaged me much appreciated. "I can’t even look at me self in the mirror daft c*** award goes to me again." Metropolitan Police appealed for witnesses of the violent scenes that occurred on a street that leads from Surrey Quays underground station to Millwall's ground, The Den. (Image: Mirror Digital) Police were forced to separate large groups of supporters seen coming to blows near a block of flats on Hawkstone Road in south-east London. In video footage circulating on social media, officers on horseback can be seen attempting to get between rival groups from the Premier League and Championship clubs. (Image: Twitter) A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "At around 16:42hrs officers became aware of a large group of males fighting in the Hawkstone Road area. "One male aged in his 20s was discovered suffering from a slash wound to the face. He was taken by LAS to a south London hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening. (Image: PA) "A crime scene remains in place. Officers worked to separate the groups with support from the Mounted Branch. At this early stage, there have been no arrests." On the pitch, Millwall secured a late shock as Murray Wallace scrambled home a 93rd-minute winner to secure his side's place in the fifth round with a 3-2 victory. Everton had twice gone in front through Richarlison and Cenk Tosun but were pegged back both times by Lee Gregory and Jake Cooper.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a new version of the popular Nintendo Switch hardware will be arriving next year, “according to suppliers and others with direct knowledge of the plan.” There are few other details about what the new hardware revision would improve over the current model. “The current Switch uses a lower-end liquid-crystal display without some technologies that are standard in more recent smartphone LCDs,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “Updating the display with these technologies would make it brighter, thinner and more energy-efficient. The updated Switch isn’t expected to adopt the organic light-emitting diode or OLED panels used in Apple Inc.’s iPhone X series.” Related Nintendo Switch review Nintendo has already sold almost 20 million units of the hardware worldwide between its launch in 2017 and June 30 of this year, and an updated version of the system could help maintain that high level of player enthusiasm. The new hardware is reported to be on the way for the second half of 2019, giving the current version of the system another big holiday season in its current configuration. Nintendo executives have stated in the past that not only does the company want every family to own a Nintendo Switch, it would like for every member of the family to have their own system. “The biggest attraction of Nintendo Switch is that the console can be carried around and used easily for competitive gameplay via local wireless connection,” Nintendo creative fellow Shigeru Miyamoto stated during a financial briefing earlier this year. “If consumers come to take it for granted that everybody has a Nintendo Switch, then we can create new and very Nintendo genres of play, and Nintendo Switch can have a life apart from smart devices and other video game systems. Expanding the Nintendo Switch world this way is a means of eliminating risk.” Having a new, somehow more advanced version of the Switch could be an effective way to sell family’s a second unit without having them trade-in or sell their first Switch console.<doc-sep>Work on a Nintendo Switch hardware revision, slated to launch sometime in 2019, is currently underway, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The brief report, which went live early Thursday morning, pins Nintendo's plans for a new Switch version (assumedly compatible with all existing Switch software) in the "latter half of 2019, perhaps as soon as summer." Everything we know thus far appears to center on one part of the system's revision: the screen. The WSJ cites "suppliers" as one source of the leaked information, and the report's only firm suggestion about changed hardware revolves around the screen being upgraded from an older LCD manufacturing process. (WSJ's report does not explicitly narrow down its "supplier" sources as part of the screen-production industry.) One insight missing from the WSJ report is that Nintendo's original primary supplier of LCD panels, Japan Display Inc, made far fewer Switch screens in 2017 than it did in the system's 2016 run-up. According to one Nikkei report, that switch may be due to JDI shifting gears as a company and focusing more on OLED panel production than on LCD in the past year. That report did not hint at JDI making such a switch in anticipation of Nintendo demanding higher-quality panels for future hardware. Advertisement The WSJ report does not otherwise clarify what might change in the next Switch, with details about processing power, screen resolution, form factor, and compatibility with existing Joy-Con controllers remaining unclear. "Nintendo is still debating" what could come in a newer Switch, the WSJ says, and "cost" is one factor in the discussions. While Nintendo Switch has performed exceptionally well at international retail since its 2017 launch , the company has at least one reason to push so quickly for a new system revision: a major jailbreak that exploits the primary Nvidia Tegra system-on-chip (SoC) behind the home-portable hybrid console. Since that jailbreak's disclosure , Nintendo has rolled out a Switch hardware revision that reportedly includes a patch in its boot ROM . Without that patch, every cat-and-mouse attempt by Nintendo to update older Switch systems' firmware may always be susceptible to the incredibly effective "Fusée Gelée" exploit. Nintendo has a rich history of re-releasing hardware with slight upgrades and aesthetic tweaks, though the game publisher's portable systems tend to receive revisions sooner—and often with slight upticks in features or processing power, dating back to the Game Boy Color's bump in specs from the original Game Boy. The Nintendo Switch has at least one clear path to a slight upgrade, since it currently runs faster (and aims for up to 1080p resolution) when resting in an official Switch TV Dock. A bump up from its current 720p LCD resolution, and a more heat-efficient SoC, could lead to that 1080p target being more reasonable in an updated Switch's portable mode. Update, 12:24 p.m.: In a statement given to Ars Technica, a Nintendo representative wrote, "We have nothing to announce on this topic."<doc-sep>Nintendo will launch an updated version of the Switch in 2019, according to a Wall St Journal report. There's no firm detail on what this will entail, however - the article [paywall] simply mentions a "brighter, thinner" screen as one of several possible options. As for a release date, a broad summer to late 2019 release window is apparently on the cards. An earlier Wall St Journal article [paywall] from March this year stated the opposite - that Nintendo was "holding off on Switch 2.0" to make money on peripherals instead. But after several years on sale, a refresh for Nintendo's console is hardly surprising - especially after a noticeably quieter year for Switch following the console's meteoric launch. Back in March, Digital Foundry put together its thoughts for what Nintendo may target in the inevitable Switch 2.0 model to boost the console's power and improve the look of existing games. Eurogamer sources have previously heard rumblings of far-off plans for a Switch upgrade. Today, those rumblings still sound far-off, with little details set in tone. Indeed, Wall St Journal's report states Nintendo is still to decide what features it will set out to improve. Well, Nintendo, if you're short of ideas...<doc-sep>

Just as predicted, a new Nintendo Switch model is coming next year to help keep sales going strong. This is according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, which sources the information to suppliers and other people with "direct knowledge" of Nintendo's plans. "Nintendo is still debating what new hardware and software features to include in the upgrade and weighing the cost of the features, people with knowledge of the discussions said," WSJ reported. One possibility is that Nintendo will improve the Switch's display with the update, sources said. As WSJ points out, the display on the current edition of the Switch lacks some of the tech found in modern smartphones. A new display could make the tablet smaller and more energy efficient. Sources told WSJ that the updated Switch model could launch as soon as summer 2019. It is expected and normal for platform holders to update their consoles over time in part due to new technology becoming viable and to drive interest and spur sales. WSJ reported in March that Nintendo would wait until 2019 or later to release the first Switch hardware revision, with the company instead focusing on beefing up the Switch's online features. That is precisely what happened, as Nintendo recently launched its Nintendo Switch Online paid membership. Importantly, the new Switch model does not appear to be a generational change like the one from Wii U to Switch, but instead a smaller-scale upgrade of components such as potentially the display and other elements. WSJ's report specifically states that the new Switch model will share "many features" with the original model and play existing games. Back in January, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima teased that the Switch will have a longer lifecycle than previous Nintendo consoles. "Up until now, the hardware lifecycle has trended at around five or six years, but it would be very interesting if we could prolong that life cycle, and I think you should be looking forward to that," he said. As of June 30, Nintendo has sold 19.67 million Switch units and 86.93 million games worldwide. One of the Switch's next big games is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which launches in early December and is sure to be a big-time system-seller.

Hit where it hurts: United fans’ bank accounts could be stretched over the next few weeks Manchester United have come under fire from their own fans after the total cost of the club’s new kit was revealed to be nearly £200. United and manufacturers adidas stand accused of exploiting supporters after the launch on Tuesday, mainly thanks to their controversial ‘authentic’ offering. READ MORE: Manchester United star Alexis Sanchez banned from the US after visa ‘issues’ READ MORE: United can challenge City for Premier League title, says Rooney Twitter has been awash with outcry and calls for a boycott after supporters did their sums – and they found out the overall cost of being a superfan. They must pay nearly £110 for the shirt with ‘climachill technology’ with the standard replica shirt £64.95. What is more jaw-dropping is the cost of the authentic extras – as well as how much junior kits will set angry parents back. @ManUtd on what planet do you think it’s acceptable to charge parents over £100 for a football kit for a 7 year old! It’s absolute daylight robbery. You know kids want it so parents will buy it. And you don’t give a toss. Absolute disgrace! No respect or thought for the fans! — Paul Tyerman (@ptyerman) July 18, 2018 Adult shorts will set fans back a staggering £42.95, with socks selling for an eye-watering £29.95. Story continues Should the Old Trafford faithful want to also personalise their kit with their favourite players’ name and number, then going the whole hog with cost £193. Best get saving now. United have been testing fans’ patience for some time, selling one of the most expensive kits anywhere in the world for the past two decades. Many have vented their anger of twitter, accusing the Red Devils of being out of touch. Just seen the new United kit costs £183. An absolute disgrace. But fans are stupid enough to buy them, so it will only get worse. £30 for a pair of socks 😂😂 Hang your heads in shame @ManUtd — Ross Broadhurst (@ross_broady) July 17, 2018 One fan told United to “hang their heads in shame” and fears if people buy at this price, then things will only get worse. Another said he felt more removed than ever from the club he has always supported after discovering the cost. If you have a fast-growing child who always wants the latest shirt then the news gets worse. Anger is being felt by parents as well as adult fans, who face having to shell out to keep their children happy and up-to-date with what their heroes are wearing. @ManUtd if that kit doing the rounds is correct, with those shorts and socks then I’m one more step removed from the club I’ve been watching since 1979. Disgrace — KevtheRed (@Kstandutd) July 14, 2018 A full child’s kit will set you back well over £90 – with the junior shirt alone just shy of £50. Justine Roberts, the founder and chief executive of parenting site mumsnet, says things need to change. She said: “Every season football clubs seem to push the prices of junior kits upwards. Parents love seeing their kids enjoying football, but the price of their children’s fandom is too steep for many parents.” United defended the pricing, saying it is set by retailers and are in line with kits from other top European clubs.<doc-sep>Premier League club reduces prices for 2018-19 home kit on its official online store just one day after launch amid criticism from supporters<doc-sep>MANCHESTER UNITED fans are raging as the full cost of the new home kit is revealed. Buying the full 'authentic' strip - shirt, shorts, socks and a name on the back - will set supporters back a staggering £192.85 on the official Adidas website. 10 The staggering price of the new Manchester United kit has been revealed - the total is £192.85 10 The new kit is said to be inspired by the railway men of Newton Heath Credit: Adidas There is a 'replica' version available but buying full kit of that version, with a name on the back, will still cost fans £126.85. The authentic Manchester United kit, £45 more expensive than the replica, boasts 'climachill' technology and an 'athletic fit', while the badge is embroidered on the replica and is a heat-transfer on the authentic version. The huge price-tag on the authentic version means that buying a full kit for the Premier League giants costs £68 more than a SEASON TICKET at Bayern Munich. The German giants froze ticket prices for the fifth consecutive season meaning 17 Bundesliga matches are available for just £124. 10 The 'authentic' home kit with any name and number on the back will cost £119.95 Credit: Adidas 10 Authentic shorts cost £42.95, while socks are £29.95 Credit: Adidas Manchester United kit pricing Authentic shirt: £109.95 shorts: £42.95 socks: £29.95 Any name and number and Premier League badges: £10 Total: £192.85 Replica shirt: £64.95 shorts: £34.95 Socks: £16.95 Any name and number and Premier League badges: £10 Total: £126.85 Instead of shelling out on the kit, fans could also buy a Swegway hoverboard or full HD, 32-inch Panasonic or Toshiba TV on Amazon. Holiday Pirates are offering five-star hotels, with flights included, to Tunisia, the Algarve, Turkey and Morocco. Groupon is offering a full home gym for less than £190, while Argos are offering a range of laptops and tablets for around £170. Speaking on Facebook, Phil Robinson wrote: "Over a ton for a shirt? "I remember the days they were about 50 quid... and 42 quid for shorts... wow!" Jean Shaw added: "Disgusting". What you could buy Seven nights, 5* hotel and flights to Tunisia/Portugal/Turkey/Morocco - £175-190 (Holiday Pirates) Fully-equipped home gym - £189.99 (Groupon) Swegway hoverboard - £189.99 (Amazon) Panasonic 32-inch HD TV - £145 (Amazon) HP or Acer Laptop - £169.99 (Argos) Bayern Munich season ticket - £124 (official site) 10 There is a 'replica' version of the kit which is £66 cheaper - but still costs a total of £126.85 Credit: Adidas 10 For a similar price, fans have a week long break at a five-star hotel in the Algarve, Portugal, with flights included Credit: Getty - Contributor 10 Five-star hotels and flights are also available in Turkey, Morocco and Tunisia Credit: Getty - Contributor 10 A Bundesliga season ticket for Bayern Munich costs just £124 for the new season Credit: EPA Despite the steep price tag, the shirt clearly proved popular with Adidas' website crashing under the number of visitors this morning. A basic error message appeared before Adidas confirmed shortly after that the website was unavailable. Once the issue was sorted, fans could finally set their eyes on the new striped design. It features a train track graphic around the bottom of the shirt, which has been inspired by the Railway Men of Newton Heath. This references United's original club name, but some fans were not happy with the new look. One Twitter user said: "What has Manchester United got to do with some sweaty railway lads in Newton Heath? Absolutely ridiculous." 10 The price tag didn't seem to put fans off, as the Adidas website crashed under the number of visitors 10 Error messages appeared on the website on Tuesday morning Another added: "All 3 Man United kits this season represents how much identity this club has lost. "I'm sick." Another fan said: "Another year. Another boring Man United kit." But some fans took a more positive approach, one said: "Love the Newton Heath reference.. seen the away top the other day it's real good." The new Man United home kit looks... meh. Or maybe I just need to see it with my own eyes first. — Neil Miranda (@neiljonlouie) July 17, 2018 All 3 Man United kits this season represents how much identity this club has lost. I’m sick. — Ren Phillips #MTHGA (@RenPhillipsDJ) July 17, 2018 Another year. Another boring Man United kit. — PC Glock (@Duraginho) July 16, 2018 What has Manchester United got to do with some sweaty railway lads in Newton Heath? Absolutely ridiculous..... — Remo (@Remo26599) July 17, 2018 The jersey includes a train track graphic inspired by the Railway Men of Newton Heath. Stripes across the front reference United's original name, Newton Heath, which is from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. United's group managing director Richard Arnold said: "There are many great moments in this club’s fantastic history, and none more important than the year the club was founded, back in 1878. "This shirt from Adidas pays homage to the year we were founded, and marks 140 years of footballing success." Not my fave kit but I’ll still be buying — Amy (@amywaatson) July 17, 2018 👌👌 love the newton heath reference.. seen the away top the other day its real good — Phil Moreland (@pmoreland4590) July 17, 2018 Love the new home kit @ManUtd . @adidasfootball When it’s worn with black shorts love the way the colour gradients around the waist #blackshortsforever — NH! (@Spacemanc) July 17, 2018 Man U with the best kit in the prem already — Luke Hudson (@lukehudson92) July 17, 2018 Jose Mourinho's team will first wear the kit on their pre-season tour of the United States - the side have been training in Los Angeles this week. Club America are their first opponents on the trip, with the game taking place at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona, Phoenix on Friday. United then face San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Who do United need to sign to mount a title challenge? Get our daily Manchester United email newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Manchester United fans have hit out at the price of their new home strip - which could reach up to £192. The Red Devils 2018/19 season strip was released on Tuesday and prices can reach up to a staggering £180. On the adidas site, the authentic jersey costs £109.95, while the authentic shorts and socks come in at £42.95 and £29.95. That means if fans want the 'full authentic experience' they will have to stump up a staggering £182.85. That's without the extra £10 for a name and number on the back which could mean the princely sum of £192 for the whole lot. (Image: Adidas) (Image: Adidas) The normal adult replica jersey is £64.95, with the shorts £34.95 and socks £16.95, meaning the total comes in a little cheaper at £116.85. That's £66 in difference. For the same price as a full authentic kit fans could buy a widescreen TV, a PlayStation 4 or a two-night stay in a fancy spa. Following its release, supporters quickly noticed the prices and took to social media. One United fan on Facebook commented: "£65 with being customised, £83 with customisation for an adult and kids at pretty much £50 - what the hell? This is not a top I’ll be buying! Looks awful." (Image: Manchester United/Twitter) Another added: "£65!!! Now the most expensive on the market and it’s really not worth it." Red Devils supporters were also unsure on the colour of the new shorts.<doc-sep>

Manchester United have unveiled their most expensive home kit to date, sparking anger among some fans. The Red Devils 2018/19 season strip features an "authentic" adults' version of the football shirt, shorts and socks costing a total of £182.85. On the adidas website, the shirt is £109.95, the shorts are £42.95 and the socks are £29.95. Shirts for children cost £49.95, with shorts costing an additional £24.95. Fans debated over the kit's price point following its release on Tuesday. "You need brain surgery if you're going to play £183 for @ManUtd new kit! £30 for a pair socks! My monthly mortgage in 1991 was £71!" one person tweeted. Another described the new kit as "disgustingly expensive", while someone else said: "What inspired the extortionate price? Greed?" Image: Black shorts feature in the football club's new home kit. Pic: adidas Other United fans reacted positively to the new design, with someone tweeting: "That new home kit looks nice can't wait to get it". Richard Arnold, group managing director at United, said in a statement: "There are many great moments in this club's fantastic history, and none more so important than the year the club was founded, back in 1878. "This shirt from adidas pays homage to the year we were founded, and marks 140 years of footballing success." A less expensive version of the £109.95 adult home shirt, as part of the "normal kit", will set fans back £64.95. The shorts cost £34.95 and socks £16.95, meaning the cheaper kit costs £116.85 at a £66 difference to the "authentic" version. In comparison, Arsenal's "authentic" shirts for next season are slightly cheaper at £100 via the club's online store, while Liverpool's most expensive shirt costs £70. United's new home jersey features a train track graphic at the base - inspired by the club's original name, Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Football Club. Some of the club's star players including Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba are seen modelling the new kit in professional shots on the adidas website.

About 60 demonstrators also made their voices heard in front of the Federal Courthouse. PORTLAND, Ore. — Controversy over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation has sparked nationwide anger and protests. In Portland, about 60 demonstrators also made their voices heard in front of the Federal Courthouse downtown. Among the protestors lying in the street blocking traffic was Ann Wilson. “My daughter was brutally raped in 2014. She got a conviction on all four counts of felony rape against her rapist,” said Wilson. PHOTOS: Brett Kavanaugh protest in downtown Portland 1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15 13/15 14/15 15/15 1 / 15 But she said a mistake with jury instructions now means her daughter has to go through another trial. “She couldn't get people to listen to her. It was only after she contacted Diane Feinstein’s office to tell her that the DNA evidence hadn’t even processed for over a year and a half that things got rolling. So this has been going on for four years,” she said. Wilson joined the demonstration, adding her voice to dozens of others. “Putting our bodies on the line because our bodies are on the line, to make a statement about the need to stop the Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court,” explained Andrea Paluso as she stood in front of the line of protestors who were on the street. “[They’re] using their bodies to spell 'stop him'.” Other demonstrators read Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony over a loudspeaker. “Sexual assault victims should be able to decide for themselves when and whether their private experience is made public,” said one protestor over the loudspeaker as she read Ford’s testimony. Ford has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. “Women have been silenced throughout this process,” said Paluso. Red handprints on protestors’ faces symbolized that message. Demonstrators blocked traffic and lay in the street for 36 minutes, for the 36 years that have passed since the alleged attack on Ford. There was also a dingy mattress, where women wrote their strongest memories of their own sexual assaults. One scribbled memory says, "When he said ‘this isn't rape. I love you."<doc-sep>WASHINGTON – As she stood at the Supreme Court on Thursday, Diane Russell had a message for GOP Sen. Susan Collins, whose vote could determine nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s fate. “If she turns on women, Maine women will turn on her,” said Russell, a former Maine lawmaker. Russell was one of about 20 protesters from Maine who traveled to the nation's capital to join hundreds of other protesters for a rally that could be a last gasp push against Kavanaugh's proposed ascension to the nation's highest court. The group repeatedly chanted: “Susan Collins, we are your voters, Susan Collins, we are your voters!” The protesters, who marched from the federal courthouse to the Supreme Court to the Senate, were hoping to sway a handful of lawmakers considered swing votes in determining the fate of Kavanaugh. After their demonstration at the Supreme Court, protesters swarmed the Hart Senate Office Building atrium ahead of a “direct action” – an act of nonviolent resistance where protesters anticipate being arrested. As they began sitting on the floor of the atrium, police quickly ringed the group, issuing warnings before leading individual protesters away in plastic handcuffs. Capitol Police said a total of 302 were arrested and charged with unlawfully demonstrating, 293 of them in the atrium and the rest in the fourth floor of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Also at the Hart Building, a group that traveled from Alaska hoping to talk to GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski had strong words for her. “I think it will be such an egregious betrayal that none of us here will vote for her,” Erica Kahill said, imagining what would happen if Murkowski votes yes on Kavanaugh's nomination. “I feel like she is normally an advocate for women ...This would change my mind.” A California professor, Christine Blasey Ford, has accused the judge of sexually assaulting her at a high school party 36 years ago, a claim Kavanaugh denies. The drama has captivated – and polarized – the nation since both Ford and Kavanaugh testified a week ago before the Senate Judiciary Committee. An initial vote of the full Senate on the nomination is scheduled for Friday, and a final vote could come over the weekend. Lawmakers received the FBI report on allegations of sexual assault against the federal judge Thursday. Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said it reflects "no hint of misconduct." Protesters at the rally in D.C., one of several across the nation Thursday, were diverse: people of all races and ages, from grandmothers to children in strollers. The majority were women, but there were plenty of men. Many chanted “We believe survivors!” and “Whose court? Our court!” as one man pounded a drum in rhythm with the chants. More:Brett Kavanaugh's anticipated FBI report released to Senate More:Kavanaugh reminds me of my father: Enraged by threats to power Barbara Smith got her start in protesting during the Vietnam War. On Thursday she was back at it, among the first to arrive at the rally in D.C. “It’s unreal that those of us of a certain generation have to do this again,” said Smith, 67, of Richmond, Virginia, as she waved a sign that included photos of her grandchildren. "My job as a grandmother is to do what I can to make sure that they’re going to be safe and that they’ll never have to say ‘Me Too.'" Smith, who spent 40 years as a therapist working with trauma victims, said she wasn’t surprised when she heard President Donald Trump mocking Ford. “Victim shaming has been going on for a very long time,” she said. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts and hero of the progressive left, drew a roar from the crowd when she took the microphone on a hot sunny day in the nation's capital. “I watched that hearing last Thursday and I believe Dr. Ford,” Warren said. “This is about power. I watched 11 men, powerful men, who tried to help another powerful man make it to an even more powerful position. I am angry on behalf of women who have been told to shut up and sit down one time too many.” Protester Jolie Timm, 70, echoed Warren's refrain. Timm said the hardest part of watching the hearing was seeing the women who support Kavanaugh, including his wife, Ashley. “I looked at the people behind him and it made me cry,” said Timm, 70, of Gold Beach, Oregon. “It’s so sad that people that I relate to can believe in something and someone that is so hurtful.” Opponents of Kavanaugh remained energized. Planned Parenthood said its youth groups on at least 18 college campuses in at least 12 states were mobilizing resistance events. “Young people are taking action across the country because they stand with survivors of sexual assault," spokesman Nick Savelli said. "And they know Brett Kavanaugh is in a position to determine the health and constitutional rights of generations to come." A group called International Women's Strike is urging people across Portland, Ore., to walk out at 4 p.m. In Washington, protesters geared up for a day of action. Smith and Timm were among hundreds gathering at the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington, D.C., where Kavanaugh currently sits as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. "We’re marching from Kavanaugh’s current courthouse to the one he hopes to ascend to," the Women's March tweeted. "We’ll do everything we can to make sure he doesn’t get there." Angela Trzepkowski, 55, of Middleton, Delaware, was among the first to arrive “I don’t believe he’s told the truth,” Trzepkowski said. “I believe it’s the good old boy network covering for each other and watching each other’s backs. And I’m ashamed that our country has to go through this because of poor vetting and women’s fear to speak out when assault has happened.” Organized by groups such as the Women's March, Demand Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union, the protest is the latest in a string of demonstrations against Kavanaugh. Last Thursday and Friday, more than a hundred protesters were arrested in and around the Capitol as the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and markup session took place. Dave Christensen, 60, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, felt compelled to join the effort. “Growing up a man, you don’t see the other side,” he said. “You don’t see that it’s unsafe to walk out by yourself after dark. You don’t see how many people raise their hand when they ask if you’ve been sexually assaulted. It's so sad."<doc-sep>

A group of demonstrators blocked a street and spelled out "stop him" with their bodies in front of a federal courthouse in Portland, Ore., on Thursday to protest Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. The protest lasted for 36 minutes to signify each year that passed since Kavanaugh allegedly sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford, according to The Oregonian. Videos and photos posted on Twitter show activists with red paint on their hands and faces blocking off a street in Portland and spelling out the words "stop him" on the concrete with their bodies. Protest in front of federal courthouse in downtown #Portland. Hard to tell but there is a group of people on the ground in the middle of the street. This looks to be anti- #Kavanaugh protest. #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/G7sfSPGked — Genevieve Reaume (@GenevieveReaume) October 4, 2018 A group of people opposing Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination to the Supreme Court protested by stopping traffic in downtown Portland https://t.co/LDefM29zFy pic.twitter.com/EmCiKaqDw3 — KATU News (@KATUNews) October 4, 2018 Some of the signs the protestors carried read "Silenced during assault" and "Silenced again by the U.S. Senate." One of the organizers of the demonstration, Andrea Paluso, told The Oregonian that the protest stemmed from a meeting between women who are survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault. ADVERTISEMENT "We feel like our bodies are on the line so we're putting our bodies on the line," Paluso said. The protestors also reportedly released a list of demands. "Stop appointing people who have committed sexual assault or harassment to the Supreme Court," one of the demands read. The protest came a week after Ford and Kavanaugh testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding Ford's claims that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party in the 1980s. Kavanaugh has fiercely denied the accusation. The FBI released findings related to its investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh this week. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley Chuck GrassleyDemocratic feud erupts over scope of military sexual assault bill First Democrat announces Senate bid against Iowa's Grassley GOP senators introduce bill to reimpose waived Nord Stream sanctions MORE (R-Iowa), said Thursday that the findings show there is no corroboration for Ford's claims. Democrats have railed against the FBI report's findings, claiming that the investigation was not conducted fairly. "We had many fears that this was a very limited process that would constrain the FBI from getting the facts. ... Those fears have been realized," 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) told reporters on Thursday. The Senate is moving ahead with a key procedural vote on Kavanaugh's nomination on Friday.

The Llano River's floodwaters destroyed a traffic bridge in Kingsland, Texas Oct. 16. KINGSLAND, Texas — The FM 2900 bridge in Kingsland collapsed Tuesday morning due to rushing floodwaters from the Llano River. The power of water: RM 2900 bridge in Kingsland washed away. #TurnAroundDontDrown #atxtraffic Road closures at https://t.co/FA8rsTh6VJ pic.twitter.com/MeEwj30cnv — TxDOT Austin (@TxDOTAustin) October 16, 2018 The Llano River crested at 39.9 feet Oct. 16 -- the highest height in more than 80 years. Just after 9:30 a.m., the Texas Department of Transportation in Austin said the Kingsland bridge was washed away. The Llano County Emergency Management team reported early Tuesday morning that the bridge was at risk of flooding because of the flood history of the location. PHOTOS: Llano River floods 2900 bridge in Kingsland 1/6 2/6 3/6 4/6 5/6 6/6 1 / 6 It's not known if anyone was injured in the bridge collapse. Justin Cullison captured video yards away from where the bridge was about five minutes after it collapsed. Large pieces from the bridge can be seen poking out from underneath the flood waters. The flooding of the Llano River set on a series of mass evacuations for people in multiple cities who live along the water. According to TxDOT, the bridge was built in 1969. The bridge was made of concrete and steel pilings with concrete decking. It was built to withstand a 50-year flood level. It was last inspected in May 2017, when it was deemed "structurally sound." TxDOT-maintained bridges are inspected every two years. "It's going to be a big hold up in everything we do because we're going to have to drive so far to go out or get back in," said Billy Baker, who lives blocks away from the bridge. Billy and Debora Baker were out watching what was left of the bridge, hours after the flooding waters made it collapse. "Just getting in and out of this area is going to be our main problem," Billy explained. "I really did enjoy having that bridge while it lasted," his wife, Debora, explained. Once the water recedes, TxDOT crews will inspect the damage and decide how to repair it. This will be a priority for the agency and repairs will be expedited. Until then, drivers can use SH 71 or US 281 to travel north or south, as well as RM 1431 once water levels have receded.<doc-sep>Stars Use 4-Goal Second Period To Dominate Blue Jackets 5-1Joe Pavelski scored his team-high 18th goal of the season as one of five Dallas players with a goal and an assist, and the Stars scored four times in 6½ minutes in the second period to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Saturday night.<doc-sep>The Llano River in Kingsland, Texas, rose over 16 feet between midnight and 6 a.m. local time, causing major flood damage to residential areas and transportation infrastructure. The river hit 39 feet during that six-hour time span and is expected to crest well over the major flood stage . At the time of press, the river has already risen to its highest level since 1935. The National Weather Service predicts that the river will crest at 41 feet later on Tuesday. The FM 2900 bridge is seen in the video above with water flowing over the deck as the flooded river has taken over the area. Reports on the CBS live stream stated the boats that had washed away and are banging against the bridge may have damaged it, causing it to collapse. The Llano County Emergency Operations Center has been activated and those living within a quarter-mile of the river are being asked to evacuate. There are three shelters opening for evacuees: John Kuykendall Arena & Events Center at 2200 W Ranch Road 152; Lutie Watkins Memorial United Methodist Church at 800 Wright St.; and Kingsland Community Center at 3451 Rose Hill Dr.<doc-sep>At least one body has been recovered while authorities carry out rescue efforts and brace for more flooding Tuesday afternoon throughout the Hill Country. Meteorologists say the Llano River, which came close to a record-breaking level Tuesday will crest again at a similar spot Wednesday morning. Deputies with the Burnet County Sheriff's Office removed the body from the floodwaters of Lake Lyndon B. Johnson at about 1 p.m. near Kingsland, according to Spectrum News in Austin. Texas Game Warden Search and Rescue teams are now involved in multiple air and water rescues along the river as calls for service come in "one after the other," according to a Tweet from the department. Christy Baught, a floodplain administrator for Llano County, said other local agencies are also assisting with rescue operations, as the flooding has placed residents in serious danger. "The Llano River has hit major historic flood stage," reads a post from the Llano County Office of Emergency Management. "It is currently at 40' and has almost topped the bridge in Llano. Anyone living within 1/4 mile of the river should evacuate immediately to higher ground." RELATED: Missing driver recovered from Sabinal River identified The Llano River crested around noon at 39.9 feet, just short of the 1935 record of 41.5 feet. The National Weather Service predicts that Wednesday morning's crest will reach a "similar height." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas State Operations Center to a state of increased readiness in response to the ongoing flooding. "When severe weather strikes, Texas will ensure our responders and local officials have what they need to respond and protect those in harm's way," he said. "I also urge all Texans to take their safety into their own hands by closely monitor changing weather conditions and heeding warnings from local officials." The flooding has shut down several roadways and bridges in the area, and at about 9:30 a.m., the FM 2900 bridge in Kingsland, Texas, collapsed from the pressure of the raging floodwaters, according to a report from KEYE-TV in Austin. The National Weather Service reported Tuesday morning that more than 10 inches of rain has inundated portions of the Llano River watershed since early Monday. The water has rushed into the river, causing it to rise to almost unprecedented levels. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Gillespie and Llano counties through 7 p.m. Tuesday and a flood warning along the Llano River in Llano County, Sandy Creek near Kingsland and the Pedernales River at Johnson City. The Llano River is in a major flood stage, meaning there will be "extensive inundation of structures and roads." Such a stage calls for "significant evacuations of people and/or transfer of property to higher elevations," according to NWS's website. Baught said the Llano County Office of Emergency management has set up shelters at the First Baptist Church of Llano, Inman's Kitchen an the Kingsland Community Center. She did not know if anyone was missing in the storm. Flooding has also affected other rivers in the Hill County. The National Weather Service said Guadalupe River, Sandy Creek and Nueces River are facing a "dangerous situation." RELATED: Rain suspends search for person still missing in Texas flood According to the Austin American-Statesman, homes near Robinson City Park, Scotts Acres, Castell, the FM 2900 Bridge in Kingsland, Kingsland Lodge and Marble Falls are expected to face severe flooding. The following school districts have cancelled or delayed classes today: Llano ISD has cancelled all classes Rocksprings ISD has cancelled all classes Burnet CISD has cancelled all classes Fredericksburg ISD has cancelled all classes Hunt ISD has cancelled all classes Ingram ISD has cancelled all classes Leakey ISD has cancelled all classes Junction ISD has cancelled all classes Medina ISD has cancelled all classes Marble Falls ISD has cancelled all classes Harper ISD has cancelled all classes The Hill Country and other portions of South Central Texas have been hammered by heavy rain and flooding this month. Last week, four people were swept away as flood waters rushed through Junction, Texas, after storms dumped almost a foot of rain into the South Llano River. Three victims have been found and authorities on Monday temporarily called off the search for the fourth until the rain passed. Patrick Ojeda was swept away on Friday as he tried to drive across a bridge over the Sabinal River in Uvalde County. He was found a mile downstream. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns<doc-sep>

EMBED >More News Videos Flooding along the Llano River causes bridge to collapse. EMBED >More News Videos Swell seen down-river from central Texas bridge collapse LLANO, Texas (KTRK) -- Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster for 18 counties in Central Texas after a day of devastating floods destroyed a bridge, forced the evacuation of riverside homes and led to numerous water rescues.Cpt. Tom Dillard, with the Burnet County Sheriff's Office, told Eyewitness News on Tuesday night that the worst hasn't even hit yet.Another flood surge is expected to hit overnight Wednesday.Dillard says they are expecting the late night floods to be as bad as it was Tuesday morning, the only difference: The waters are expected to rise in the dark, adding another level of danger for those living in the region.Video from early Tuesday shows the FM 2900 bridge crumbling as it is overrun by the bloated, roiling Llano River in Kingsland, about 65 miles northwest of Austin.The Llano and Colorado rivers meet at Kingsland and the National Weather Service said both were experiencing "major flooding." A flash flood warning was in effect.Residents were being evacuated from homes in Kingsland and nearby Marble Falls, which was being overwhelmed by the Colorado River. Several school districts closed for the day and emergency personnel blocked access to more than 150 low-water crossings.The floods have even proven deadly, Dillard telling Eyewitness News they did recover a body from Lake LBJ Tuesday afternoon. While they have not identified the person, we're told they do believe the man died as a result of the high waters.Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement urging "all Texans to take their safety into their own hands by closely monitoring changing weather conditions and heeding warnings from local officials. "The governor's warning came little more than a week after four people were washed away when the South Llano River, which becomes the Llano River downstream, overran an RV park in Junction, Texas. Three bodies have been recovered. The search for the fourth has been suspended due to the heavy rain.The most dramatic scenes Tuesday played out in Marble Falls, where an extraordinary amount of water poured over the Starcke Dam, carrying with it riverside docks and other large debris.The First Baptist Church of Marble Falls opened a shelter housing 50 evacuees and their pets. The operation has room for 200 and Pastor Ross Chandler says they plan to be open around the clock as long as they are needed. "We have about 85 residences that have some sort of damage," said Christina McDonald, the Public Information Officer for Marble Falls.Homes also were being evacuated in nearby Granite Shoals and people were sheltering at a middle school.Dire early warnings of the potential for a record crest of the Llano River at Llano have subsided. The water level there rose to just under 40 feet but fell as the morning progressed and settled at little more than 35 feet as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the weather service said. Major flood stage is 23 feet; it's not expected to drop below major flood stage until Wednesday.Other parts of the state also suffered due to heavy rain.Flooding was occurring in Kerr County, northwest of San Antonio, and other parts of Texas Hill Country, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The Guadalupe River at Comfort, northwest of San Antonio, was forecast to rise from about 5 feet up to more than 28 feet.Flood warnings were issued for areas north of Houston.The Fort Worth Fire Department said it responded to some 80 traffic accidents blamed on slick roads and poor visibility Tuesday morning. Officials in Dallas said the rain was causing sewer overflows in several parts of the city but added that its water supply wasn't affected.

Tributes have been paid to the anarchic comedian Ian Cognito, who died on stage during a gig on Thursday night. The cult standup was performing at the Lone Wolf Comedy Club night at the Atic bar in Bicester when he fell ill and took a seat. Some members of the audience reportedly thought that it was part of the act but paramedics were called to the venue and he was pronounced dead. Katy Brand was among those to pay homage to Cognito, a Time Out comedy award-winner who was known as “Cogs” on the circuit. “I hung with him a good few times in the past,” she said. “He was always fascinating and hilarious company. RIP Cogs.” Paul Sinha said he had “deeply envied” Cognito’s fearlessness, calling him “a gentleman – a terrifying gentleman”. Luisa Omielan said he was “as epic as his reputation. Rebellious and brilliant.” Cognito once claimed he had been banned from more clubs than any comedian in the country. He was known for taking the stage with a hammer, banging a nail into the wall and then hanging up his hat. “This lets you know two things about me,” he would shout. “Firstly, I really don’t give a shit. Secondly, I’ve got a hammer.” Cognito was born Paul Barbieri in 1958. Despite the admiration of his peers, he did not achieve mainstream success with his often furious routines. “I’m not really built for that commercial type of thing,” he told the Guardian in 2002. He published a memoir, A Comedian’s Tale, in which he described his onstage character as his “Mr Hyde”. He also released an album of standup and songs entitled Sex and Death. Fellow comedians commented on Cognito’s generosity. Matt Lucas said he “was always kind to me when I started out” and that he was “brilliant and provocative” on stage. Jimmy Carr tweeted: “Veteran standup comedian Ian Cognito has died on stage – literally. The audience thought it was part of the act. Died with his boots on. That’s commitment to comedy. I’ll never forget his kindness when I started out and how god damn funny he was.”<doc-sep>According to the owner of the venue, the "audience thought it was part of his set" A stand-up comedian died onstage during a performance Thursday evening. Ian Cognito, a British comic, fell ill during his stand-up set at the Atic bar in the English town of Bicester, 14 miles north of Oxford, according to CNN. Get push notifications with news, features and more. The venue’s owner, Ryan Mold, told the outlet that paramedics were called to the venue just after 10 p.m. and Cognito was pronounced dead at the scene. According to BBC News, Cognito, who was 60, sat down on a stool while breathing heavily before falling silent for five minutes during his show. Mold, who was at the venue during the performance, told CNN that Cognito was “around halfway through his set” when he suddenly “sat down [and] put his head and arms back.” “His shoulders were twitching,” said Mold, who added that the “audience thought it was part of his set,” as Cognito had spoken about having a heart attack or a stroke only a few minutes earlier. He added that Cognito had a “flamboyant character on stage,” so his actions initially “didn’t seem unusual” to the audience. Mold said Cognito’s fellow comedians realized something wasn’t right after a few minutes and called for an ambulance. A paramedic in the crowd began performing CPR while the audience was removed from the hall. “We were called at 22:11 last night to Crown Walk in Bicester to a medical emergency. We sent a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance crew but sadly one patient passed away at the scene,” the ambulance service said in a statement to CNN. Audience member John Ostojak told BBC News that Cognito they came out of the show “feeling really sick.” “We just sat there for five minutes watching him, laughing at him,” he said. Fellow comedian and 8 Out of 10 Cats star Jimmy Carr paid tribute to Cognito on Twitter. “Veteran stand-up comedian Ian Cognito has died on-stage — literally,” he said. “The audience thought it was part of the act. Died with his boots on. That’s commitment to comedy. I’ll never forget his kindness when I started out & how god damn funny he was.” Jack Whitehall also shared his memories of the late comic on Twitter. “Gigged with him when I first started out and he was always so much fun, had his own mythology on the circuit his exploits where legendary,” he wrote. “A true maverick. Hope he’s found somewhere to hang his coat in heaven.”<doc-sep>Comic Ian Cognito has died onstage during a performance. The comedian was performing at the Atic bar in Bicester on Thursday when he became ill. Paramedics were called after 10pm and a man was pronounced dead at the venue, a spokeswoman for South Central Ambulance Service said. Cognito, 60, reportedly “sat on a chair and laid back for five minutes” during the show. The man who runs the comedy show told the BBC audience members initially thought the moment was part of Cognito’s set. 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>“We came out feeling really sick. We just sat there for five minutes watching him, laughing at him,” John Ostojak, who was in the audience, told the BBC.<doc-sep>

A veteran stand-up comedian in the UK died suddenly in the middle of his set this week — and his rapt audience thought it was all a joke, according to a new report. Ian Cognito, 60 — whose real name was Paul Barbieri — was performing at the Atic bar in Bicester Thursday evening when he sat down on a stool, started breathing heavily and then fell silent for five minutes, the BBC reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene, South Central Ambulance Service confirmed to the outlet. Meanwhile, the audience thought Cognito was simply putting on an act — and had no idea something was wrong, Andrew Bird, who runs the Lone Wolf Comedy Club event at the venue, told the BBC. The funnyman had been feeling ill before his set began, but he was determined to perform anyway, Bird said. “He was like his old self, his voice was loud,” Bird recalled. “I was thinking, ‘He’s having such a good gig. '” But finally, Bird suspected something was wrong and went on stage to check on Cognito. “Everyone in the crowd, me included, thought he was joking,” he told the outlet. “Even when I walked on-stage and touched his arm, I was expecting him to say ‘Boo. '” It then became clear that this was no joke — so two off-duty nurses and a police officer began chest compressions, and someone called an ambulance, according to the report. In an eerie twist, Cognito had even joked about dying during his gig, according to Bird. “Imagine if I died in front of you lot here,” the comic had said. And John Ostojak, who was in the audience, told the BBC that Cognito had quipped about having a stroke only 10 minutes before he died. “He said, ‘Imagine having a stroke and waking up speaking Welsh,'” according to Ostojak. “We came out feeling really sick,” the audience member added. “We just sat there for five minutes watching him, laughing at him.” Fellow comedians paid tribute to Cognito on Twitter. “Veteran stand-up comedian Ian Cognito has died on-stage — literally,” Jimmy Carr, of the comedy panel show “8 Out of 10 Cats,” wrote. “The audience thought it was part of the act. Died with his boots on. That’s commitment to comedy. I’ll never forget his kindness when I started out & how god damn funny he was.” “Oh bless that Ian Cognito, who expired in his natural home last night, on stage,” comedian and newspaper columnist Mark Steel wrote. “He was a difficult awkward hilarious troubled brilliant sort; a proper comic.” Bird told the BBC that this was the way Cognito “would have wanted to go” — “except he’d want more money and a bigger venue.” “He acted like he was bitter on-stage, but he was nothing like that,” Bird added. “He was in it for the love of stand-up.” Cognito, born in 1958, first performed in 1985 and won the Time Out Award for Stand-up Comedy in 1999.

Six in ten Americans hold 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 responsible for the partial government shutdown that on Thursday stretched into its 34th day, according to a new poll. In a survey from The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 60 percent said that Trump bore "a great deal" of responsibility for the ongoing stalemate in Washington. Much lower percentages blame Republicans (36 percent) and Democrats (31 percent) in Congress. ADVERTISEMENT Almost nine in ten Democrats surveyed, 87 percent, blamed Trump for the shutdown while just 58 percent of Republicans, by comparison, blamed Democratic leaders in Congress. The shutdown has cut into the president's overall approval rating, according to the new poll, which shows Trump's job approval at 34 percent, a 6-point slide from December. The president's demand for funding to construct a border wall, his signature campaign promise and a key factor holding up negotiations over the shutdown, remains unpopular with Americans, pollsters found. Trump has demanded more than $5.7 billion in funding for the project in any bill to reopen the federal government, a demand with which Democrats in Congress have refused to comply. Forty-nine percent of Americans say they remain opposed to the wall, according to the AP-NORC poll, while 36 percent support the structure. The AP-NORC poll, conducted between Jan. 16 to Jan. 20, surveyed 1,062 Americans with a margin of sampling error of 4.1 percentage points.<doc-sep>Federal air traffic controller union members protest the partial U.S. federal government shutdown in a rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. January 10, 2019. The damage from the impasse over the president's demand for $5.7 billion to build his proposed border wall has only widened as it drags on. On Friday, about 800,000 federal workers will start to miss their second paychecks since the shutdown began last month. The GOP-held Senate will vote on dueling Republican and Democratic plans to fund the government Thursday , but both proposals are expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to pass. More of them believe President Donald Trump should compromise to end the partial closure than think congressional Democrats should give ground, according to new polls. Americans want a way out of a record-breaking government shutdown that dragged into its 33rd day on Wednesday. But asked about what action Trump should take, a larger proportion — 66 percent of Americans — say he should fund the government without wall money. Meanwhile, 31 percent believe he should reject a plan without spending for the barrier. Asked what congressional Democrats should do next, 52 percent of Americans say they should agree to a bill with wall money to reopen the government, while 43 percent think they should refuse to approve the funds even if it means the shutdown will continue, according to a CBS News poll released Wednesday . As the White House and Congress fail to find a solution, surveys suggest Americans want the stalemate to end — and they largely blame Trump for it. As Trump insists he will not give ground on the wall, the populace appears to favor a resolution that does not include money for the project, according to polls. The responses indicate that Trump has more to lose than Democratic leaders if the impasse continues to inflict harm on government workers and Americans who rely on services from housing and food assistance to airport security. The poll also finds only 28 percent of Americans — and 56 percent of Republicans surveyed — believe the border wall is worth the shutdown. Seventy-one percent say it is not worth it. Thirty-seven percent of respondents think a wall is necessary to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, versus 61 percent who do not believe it is needed. In a separate Morning Consult/Politico poll, 43 percent of registered voters said they support the construction of a border wall, while 49 percent responded that they oppose it. The survey shows backers of the president's barrier would be more willing to give ground than opponents. Asked "if the only way to end the government shutdown" is to "dedicate funds for a border wall," only 7 percent of border wall opponents say they would support such a plan. Seventy-two percent responded that they would oppose it. Asked if they support putting money toward border security, but not a wall, to reopen the government, 34 percent of border barrier supporters say they would back such a proposal, while 51 percent say they would not support it. Meanwhile, the surveys show Americans are concerned about the damage caused by the shutdown. Sixty percent of respondents to the CBS poll responded that the shutdown is "causing serious problems." Another 34 percent say the funding lapse is "causing some problems, but they are not serious," while 5 percent think it is "not causing problems." Nearly half of registered voters — or 46 percent — responding to the Morning Consult/Politico survey called the closure a "crisis" and 35 percent considered it a "problem." Only 9 percent said it is "not a crisis or a problem." The same pool of voters largely blame Trump for the closure of about a quarter of the government. Forty-nine percent of respondents say the burden falls on the president, while 35 percent point the finger at Democrats in Congress. Only 4 percent blame Republicans in Congress. In a series of tweets Wednesday, Trump insisted on funding for his proposed barrier. The president said he sees "great unity in the Republican Party" on support for the wall. Still, several GOP senators have pushed for a bill to temporarily fund the government while Republicans and Democrats hash out a border security deal. As Trump appears to be losing the messaging battle on the barrier, he tried out a new argument on Wednesday. He tweeted: "BUILD A WALL & CRIME WILL FALL!" The president called it the "new theme" of the Republican Party. On Thursday, the Senate will hold its first procedural votes on ending the government shutdown since funding for nine departments lapsed on Dec. 22. The first plan it will take up reflects Trump's offer to put $5.7 billion toward the wall in exchange for three-year extensions of legal protections for more than 700,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children and migrants fleeing humanitarian crises. Democrats have slammed that plan, which likely will not get through the Senate. On Tuesday, Trump also lost leverage in trying to use the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy to force Democrats' hand. The Supreme Court is unlikely to take up a case about the legality of the Trump administration's decision to end DACA during its current term, likely leaving it in place into 2020. If the GOP plan fails Thursday, the Senate will take up a Democratic-backed proposal to reopen the government through Feb. 8 while lawmakers negotiate a broader deal. It is similar to bills already passed by the Democratic-controlled House. The measure will likely fail, as well. It is unclear how Trump and Congress would proceed if those proposals cannot get through the Senate. The CBS News telephone poll surveyed 1,102 adults nationwide. It is unclear what exactly its margin of error is. The Morning Consult/Politico poll surveyed 1,996 registered voters online and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the correct sample of voters in two of the Morning Consult/Politico poll questions. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.<doc-sep>Overall, Democrats appear somewhat more conciliatory than Republicans. The poll finds that 42 percent of Democrats who oppose the wall say congressional Democrats should refuse to budge even if it extends the shutdown; 37 percent say they should compromise with Trump. Among Republicans, 58 percent both support the wall and say Trump should continue to demand funding, compared with 22 percent who say he should compromise to end the shutdown.<doc-sep>Most voters consider the partial government shutdown a major problem or, even worse, an emergency, according to a new Fox News Poll. After a 33-day stalemate over the funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, the poll also finds an uptick in support for President Trump’s most memorable campaign promise: 43 percent now favor the wall, up from 39 percent in September. Fifty-one percent oppose the wall (unchanged). In a televised meeting in December, Trump told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that, “I will be the one to shut it down. I won’t blame you for it.” The poll finds a slim 51 percent majority says the president indeed is responsible for the shutdown, while 34 percent blame congressional Democrats, 3 percent blame congressional Republicans, and 9 percent blame all of the above. CLICK TO READ THE COMPLETE POLL RESULTS More voters say the federal shutdown is a bigger issue than the border: 75 percent consider the shutdown an emergency or major problem. That’s far more than the 59 percent who feel the same about the situation at the border. Large numbers of both Democrats (81 percent) and Republicans (74 percent) describe the shutdown as an emergency or major problem. On the border situation, Republicans (87 percent) are 50 points more likely than Democrats (37 percent) to call it an emergency or major problem. The perceived gravity of the shutdown doesn’t translate into a bipartisan urgency to end it. Rather, more than one third of wall opponents (37 percent) want Democrats to keep the government shuttered until Trump gives in, while two-thirds of pro-wall voters (69 percent) want Trump to keep the government shut until Democrats give in. “One interesting dynamic is the pro-wall people are much more likely to want to go the distance on the shutdown than the anti-wall people,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “It seems the Democrats would pay a lesser price for compromising, but many Democratic lawmakers think compromising would encourage Trump to play brinksmanship again on other issues.” Approval of President Trump’s job performance stands at 43 percent, down three points from 46 percent in December. This marks his lowest approval in nearly a year; it was 43 percent in February 2018. Currently, 54 percent of voters disapprove of the job he’s doing. Disapproval has been higher twice: 57 percent in October 2017 and 55 percent in August 2017. His approval is at or near record lows among men (45 percent) and “very conservative” voters (83 percent). Since last month, approval dropped 10 points among both Republican women (from 93 to 83 percent) and suburban men (from 53 to 43 percent), and 7 points among white evangelical Christians (from 78 to 71 percent). Approval of Congress stands much lower: 18 percent, down from 23 percent in October 2018. Two-thirds, 67 percent, disapprove. That said, more voters feel extremely “frustrated and upset” with Trump (41 percent) than congressional Republicans (33 percent) or congressional Democrats (31 percent). While almost all Democrats (90 percent) blame Trump or congressional Republicans for the shutdown, GOP voters point to congressional Democrats (70 percent) and the president or congressional Republicans (16 percent). Ten percent of voters say the shutdown has caused their family “severe” hardship, and another 20 percent say “moderate” hardship. Federal workers are expected to miss their second paycheck January 25. Fifty-four percent of voters say they couldn’t miss more than two paychecks before having trouble paying bills. That includes one in five, 20 percent, who live paycheck-to-paycheck and can’t miss one payday. Eight in 10 voters are worried about “what’s going on in Washington these days” (79 percent extremely or very concerned). The only bigger concern is the price of health care (85 percent). Despite a majority opposing the border wall, the poll finds large numbers backing another border security measure. Seventy-three percent favor increasing the number of agents along the southern border, including 58 percent of voters who oppose the wall. Voters don’t like the president’s suggestion of bypassing Congress and declaring a national emergency as a way to build the wall: 36 percent support vs. 56 percent opposed. Opposition includes 17 percent of Trump voters, 23 percent of Republicans, and 85 percent of Democrats. Pollpourri The back-and-forth between President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi goes beyond details of the shutdown. Trump cancelled an overseas trip Pelosi planned after the speaker suggested he reschedule the state of the union address (set for January 29). The poll asks voters who is better at “Washington gamesmanship,” and finds Pelosi (41 percent) edges Trump (35 percent) by 6 points (8 percent both, 8 percent neither and 9 percent unsure). Republicans (17 percent) are nearly twice as likely to pick Pelosi as Democrats (10 percent) are to say Trump. “Trump is acting like his next election is a Republican primary,” says Anderson. “He is fighting for a wall that is a losing issue outside of his party, at the expense of everything else. It is no wonder Americans think Pelosi is better at political gamesmanship than he is.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Despite the shutdown, 56 percent say Trump should deliver the state of the union as usual, including 81 percent of Republicans, 60 percent of independents, and 29 percent of Democrats. Thirty-three percent of voters think he should skip it. The Fox News poll is based on landline and cellphone interviews with 1,008 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) (formerly named Anderson Robbins Research) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from January 20-22, 2019. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points for all registered voters.<doc-sep>

President Trump bears the majority of the blame for the partial government shutdown over his demand for $5.7 billion for a wall on the southern border, a poll released Thursday shows. Sixty percent of Americans say Trump bears responsibility, 31 percent believe Democrats do and 36 percent blame the 34-day shutdown on Republicans, an Associated Press, NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found. Broken down by political party, a whopping 87 percent of Democrats blame Trump, while 28 percent of Republicans and 54 percent of independents put the onus on the president. The poll shows that 58 percent of Republicans say Democrats in Congress are the main cause of the shutdown. More Americans (49 percent) oppose Trump’s plan to build the barrier than those in favor (36 percent). And those responding to the survey rejected many of the reasons Trump outlined in a nationally televised Oval Office speech earlier this month on why the wall needs to be built. About six in 10 think the wall would slightly reduce the number of people crossing the border illegally, while only three in 10 say that number would significantly decrease. But 57 percent believe it won’t make the country any safer, while 35 percent said it would. The survey showed that 49 percent believe it would have no effect on keeping drugs out of the United States, while 28 percent said the wall would slightly reduce the amount of drugs and 21 percent said it would significantly reduce illegal drugs. The poll surveyed 1,062 adults between Jan. 16 and Jan. 20. It has a plus-or-minus 4.1 percentage-point margin of error.

All the trapped boys have been rescued from a cave in Thailand after an ordeal lasting more than two weeks. 12 boys have been rescued from Tham Luang cave so far amid public euphoria. The young football team have been trapped underground for more than a fortnight. At roughly 10am UK time it was reported the ninth boy - and the first today - had been rescued. Roughly 30 minutes later a second was brought to the surface. At 12.15pm the coach was brought to the surface. Officials say the eight boys rescued on Sunday and Monday are in good health overall but hungry and have asked for bread with chocolate topping for breakfast - despite being told they should only have bland foods.<doc-sep>The 12 Thai soccer players and their coach who have been trapped in a cave in northern Thailand for more than two weeks have all been rescued. “We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science, or what. All the thirteen Wild Boars are now out of the cave,” the Thai Navy SEALs posted on their Facebook page. The dramatic story of the boys who hiked into the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system on June 23 and then became trapped by floodwaters has riveted people around the world. It took an increasingly happy turn over the last three days, as an international team of divers brought out the boys in three stages. Tuesday’s rescue mission succeeded in retrieving the remaining four boys and the coach. The last people to emerge from the cave were a doctor and three members of the Thai Navy SEALs at 10 pm Tuesday local time. The boys are in good overall health, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health. The group was found trapped in the flooded area half a mile below the surface by two British divers a week ago in a chamber some 2.5 miles from the cave’s mouth. (The coach also taught them to meditate to keep calm and they were meditating when they were found.) Guiding 12 boys through the narrow passageways of the cave, some partially or fully submerged in water, at first seemed like a nearly impossible task — since it took the rescuers five hours to make the journey one way. And though rescuers initially said they were going to teach the boys to swim out of the flooded cave accompanied by expert divers, on Wednesday, we learned that instead the boys had been given medication and put on stretchers before they were passed from diver-to-diver through the cave. (While CBS reported that the boys were given only anti-anxiety medication, AFP said some were fully sedated.) “Some of them were asleep, some of them were wiggling their fingers... (as if) groggy, but they were breathing,” Commander Chaiyananta Peeranarong told AFP. There are conflicting reports on to what extent the boys were medicated for the journey The diving rescue team was comprised of 13 foreign divers and five members of the Thai Navy SEALs, according to Reuters. The team began its first attempt on Sunday, pairing each boy with two divers. The boys were equipped with full-face masks, which are specifically designed for beginner divers. And the pros who accompanied them carried the boys’ oxygen tanks. The exact details of the operation are still somewhat unclear as divers were told not to give out information while the risky rescue was still underway. But the Thai Navy SEALs finally posted a video to Facebook on Wednesday afternoon, showing that the boys were put on stretchers and guided through the passageways. ปฏิบัติการที่โลกต้องจดจำ The operation the world never forgets. 18 วัน ที่ผู้คนทั้งโลกรวมใจมาอยู่ด้วยกัน รวมพลังช่วยกันพานักฟุตบอลทีมหมูป่าอะคาเดมี 12 คนและโค้ช กลับบ้าน และเราจะจดจความเสียสละ ความงดงามในจิตใจของเรือโทสมาน กุนัน ตลอดไป Hooyah Hooyah Hooyah Posted by Thai NavySEAL on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 A diver who spoke to the AFP said the boys were “sleeping” as he helped guide them on stretchers. And since the medic in the cave, Richard Harris, was an anesthetist, he may have overseen that part of the rescue effort. But the BBC also outlined some of the conflicting reports surrounding the extent to which the boys were medicated: Sources in the rescue operation, including divers who took part, told the BBC that the boys were heavily sedated ahead of the rescue to prevent them panicking in the dark, narrow, underwater passageways. They were then strapped to one of two rescue divers tasked with shepherding each boy through the underwater parts of the system, and bundled into stretchers to be carried through the dry parts. There were conflicting reports in the hours after the rescue about the extent to which the boys had been medicated before they were brought out... Several sources have since confirmed that the boys were only partially conscious as they were brought out. “The operation went much better than expected” The most dangerous part of the journey was traversing a “pinch” point that is only 15 inches wide, according to CBS. Because it’s so narrow, the boys were separated from their chaperones there. This was risky, given that the section was nearly pitch black. The first part of the 2.5-mile journey required wading and diving through the flooded passages, according to ABC Australia. Next came a 1-mile climb over slippery rock, with ropes for assistance. Overall it took about nine hours for divers to get the first group of four boys out of the cave. “The operation went much better than expected,” acting Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn of Chiang Rai, Thailand, said, according to the Associated Press. The second mission, which began at 11 am local time on Monday, resulted in four more boys emerging from the cave. And Tuesday morning’s mission for the last four and the coach took just eight hours. Edd Sorenson, a member of the National Speleological Society-Cave Diving Section, told Vox that dry rescue situations like this one — where the trapped people are not fully submerged — are usually safer than wet rescue scenarios. But this rescue has been complicated by the flooding. “Water can be very violent, and this is a very difficult [cave rescue] because of the extreme high flow, the zero visibility, the boulder pile chokes, restrictions,” he said. After the boys emerged from the cave, they were taken in ambulances to evacuation hospitals, which flew them to the Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital. They must be quarantined for a few days until doctors can be sure that they haven’t caught any transmissible diseases from their time in the cave. So for now, their parents have only been able to see them through a glass window. “I cannot understand how cool these small kids are, you know?” Karadzic said. “Incredibly strong kids. Unbelievable almost.” Clarification: An earlier version of this piece said that the boys swam out of the cave with the help of expert divers.<doc-sep>By KAWEEWIT KAEWJINDA and STEPHEN WRIGHT MAE SAI, Thailand (AP) — “Everyone is safe.” With those three words posted on Facebook the daring rescue mission to extricate 12 boys and their soccer coach from the treacherous confines of a flooded cave in Thailand was complete — a grueling 18-day ordeal that claimed the life of an experienced diver and riveted people worldwide. Thailand’s Navy SEALs, who were central to the rescue effort, celebrated the feat with a post Tuesday evening that read: “All the thirteen Wild Boars are now out of the cave,” — a reference to the boys’ soccer team. “We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science, or what.” Eight of the boys were rescued by a team of Thai and international divers on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday, the final four boys and their coach were guided out of the cave. Their rescue was followed a few hours later by the safe return of a medic and three SEAL divers who had stayed for days with the boys in their cramped, dry refuge. Cheers erupted from the dozens of volunteers and journalists awaiting news of whether the intricate and high-risk rescue mission had succeeded. Helicopters transporting the boys roared overhead. People on the street cheered and clapped when ambulances ferrying them on the last leg of their journey from the cave arrived at a hospital in Chiang Rai city in far northern Thailand near the Myanmar border. Their joy and relief was echoed around the globe by the multitude of people who had followed the long ordeal. Payap Maiming, who helped provide food and necessities to rescue workers and journalists, noted that fact. “I’m happy for Thais all over the country,” he said. “And actually just everyone in the world because every news channel has presented this story and this is what we have been waiting for.” “It’s really a miracle,” Payap said. “It’s hope and faith that has brought us this success.” Amporn Sriwichai, an aunt of rescued coach Ekkapol Chantawong, was ecstatic. “If I see him, I just want to hug him and tell him that I missed him very much,” she said. The plight of the boys and their coach captivated much of the world — from the heart-sinking news that they were missing, to the first flickering video of the huddle of anxious yet smiling boys when they were found by a pair of British divers 10 days later. The group had entered the sprawling Tham Luang cave to go exploring after soccer practice on June 23, but monsoon rains soon filled the tight passageways, blocking their escape. Each of the boys, ages 11 to 16 and with no diving experience, was guided out by a pair of divers in the three-day high-stakes operation. The route, in some places just a crawl space, had oxygen canisters positioned at regular intervals to refresh each team’s air supply. Highlighting the dangers, a former Thai Navy SEAL died Friday while replenishing the canisters. Cave-diving experts had warned diving the youngsters out was potentially too risky. But Thai officials, acutely aware the monsoon rains could trap the boys for months, seized a window of opportunity provided by relatively mild weather. A massive effort to pump out water made the winding passageways more navigable. And the confidence of the diving team, and expertise specific to the cave, grew after its first successful mission Sunday. “We did something nobody thought possible,” Chiang Rai province acting Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn, leader of the rescue effort, said at a celebratory news conference. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, speaking Tuesday before the final rescue was completed, said the boys were given an anti-anxiety medication to help with their perilous removal from the cave. Asked at a news conference in Bangkok if the boys had been sedated, Prayuth said: “Who would chloroform them? If they’re chloroformed, how could they come out? It’s called anxiolytic, something to make them not excited, not stressed.” Prayuth said the Tham Luang cave would be closed for some time to make it safe for visitors. The first eight boys brought out were doing well and were in good spirits at the hospital. They received a treat on Tuesday: bread with chocolate spread that they had requested. Jedsada Chokdumrongsuk, permanent secretary at the Public Health Ministry, said the boys rescued Sunday were able to eat normal food by Tuesday, though they couldn’t yet take the spicy dishes favored by many Thais. Two of the boys possibly have a lung infection but all eight are generally “healthy and smiling,” he said. “The kids are footballers, so they have high immune systems,” Jedsada told a news conference. “Everyone is in high spirits and is happy to get out. But we will have a psychiatrist evaluate them.” It could be at least a week before they can be released from the hospital, he said. For now the boys were in isolation to try to keep them safe from infections by outsiders. But family members have seen at least some of the boys from behind a glass barrier. It was clear doctors were taking a cautious approach. Jedsada said they were uncertain what type of infections the boys could face “because we have never experienced this kind of issue from a deep cave.” If medical tests show no dangers after another two days, parents will be able to enter the isolation area dressed in sterilized clothing, staying 2 meters (yards) away from the boys, said another public health official, Tosthep Bunthong. John Tangkitcharoenthawon, a local village chairman, was bursting with happiness over the successful rescue. “If this place had a roof, the morale has gone straight through it,” he said. President Donald Trump joined those paying tribute to the rescuers. “On behalf of the United States, congratulations to the Thai Navy SEALs and all on the successful rescue of the 12 boys and their coach from the treacherous cave in Thailand,” he tweeted. “Such a beautiful moment — all freed, great job!”<doc-sep>Thai rescue teams arrange water pumping system at the entrance to a flooded cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand. (Royal Thai Navy via AP/File) Thai rescue teams arrange water pumping system at the entrance to a flooded cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand. (Royal Thai Navy via AP/File) In a major breakthrough, four boys of the soccer team which had been trapped inside the cave have been rescued Sunday from the flooded cave, a senior member of the rescue team said. The kids were immediately given medical assistance. “They are currently at the field hospital near the cave, we are giving them a physical examination,” said Tossathep Boonthong, chief of Chiang Rai’s health department and part of the rescue team, was quoted as saying by Reuters. The entire rescue operation to remove all 13 from inside the cave could last two to four days, depending on weather and water conditions, said army Maj. Gen. Chalongchai Chaiyakam. With more than two weeks gone, Thailand authorities have begun the rescue operation for a group of 12 boys and their soccer coach who have been trapped in a flooded cave in northern Chiang Rai province. A former Thai Navy SEAL member died inside the cave on Thursday night due to lack of oxygen. Elon Musk had offered technological help to the Thai govt. Follow Thailand rescue mission LIVE updates<doc-sep>

An ambulance believed to be carrying one of the rescued boys from the flooded cave heads to the hospital in Chiang Rai as divers evacuated the remaining boys and their coach trapped at Tham Luang cave. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) An ambulance believed to be carrying one of the rescued boys from the flooded cave heads to the hospital in Chiang Rai as divers evacuated the remaining boys and their coach trapped at Tham Luang cave. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) The Thai Navy SEAL rescued all 12 boys, part of a football team, and their coach from the Thailand cave on Tuesday after being trapped for over two weeks. The rescue mission continued for three days. The “Wild Boars” soccer team, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old coach were trapped on June 23 while exploring the cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai when a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels. While four weres rescued on Sunday, another four were brought out on Monday. The remaining five were pulled out on Tuesday. Their rescue was followed a few hours later by the safe return of a medic and three SEAL divers who had stayed for days with the boys in their cramped, dry refuge. A former Thai navy diver had also died while on a re-supply mission inside the cave. A group of 19 experts, hundreds of volunteers and Thai officials led the rescue mission. In Pictures | Rescuers race against ‘time and water’ to save the 13 boys trapped in Thai cave

Pair of local college products are getting cut by the Steelers, per sources: Larson Graham, C/G, Duquesne Matt Galambos, ILB, Pitt Galambos spent part of last season on the team's practice squad. Neither got very close to first-team reps throughout training camp. — Jacob Klinger (@Jacob_Klinger_) September 1, 2018<doc-sep>The Pittsburgh Steelers officially named the 53-man roster they’ll begin the season with on Saturday, and the final round of cuts includes one or two surprises on the roster this year. Undrafted rookies Matthew Thomas and Ola Adeniyi might have been considered longshots to make the Opening Day roster back in April but, barring any last-minute changes, both have overcome the odds to make the 2018 team after impressive preseasons. As a technicality, the Steelers actually have 54 players on the roster at the time of this writing because Le’Veon Bell is not actually with the team at the moment. Until he signs his franchise tag, he doesn’t count as a player on the active roster — thus Pittsburgh is allowed to carry an extra player until he returns. Consequently, the Steelers currently have a 54-man roster. Although the Steelers announced Nat Berhe as one of their cuts, it appears his days with Pittsburgh might not be over quite yet. Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. https://t.co/CVAyJAMPEr — Natnael Berhe (@NatBerhe) September 1, 2018 There’s a strong possibility he will be re-signed once another name on the 53-man roster is added to injured reserve, with Morgan Burnett, Xavier Grimble and Vance McDonald seemingly among the most likely candidates for that dubious honor.<doc-sep>In one day, the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with the rest of the NFL, had to make some extremely difficult decisions when it came to trimming their roster. Unlike the past when teams could trim their roster from 90 to 75, and then 75 to 53, the team had to once again cut down from 90 to 53 in one fell swoop. In other words, a lot of players got some bad news Saturday. As for the Steelers, it is worth looking at some surprises, and some disappointments, when it comes to the team’s decisions which were made to get the roster number to 53. Just for clarification, a surprise would be someone who wasn’t necessarily expected to make the roster, or a surprise release, while a disappointment would be someone who had a legitimate shot at making the roster, but for whatever reason didn’t. Here we go... Surprises Landry Jones There was no bigger surprise than Landry Jones being released. I am still stunned, to be honest, but Jones’ release saves salary cap space and puts a ton of pressure now on Joshua Dobbs and/or Mason Rudolph as the primary backups behind Ben Roethlisberger. So much for Roethlisberger’s “I trust Landry” comments. Marcus Allen The rookie safety didn’t play much this preseason, but must have made enough plays, not counting taking out his teammate Malik Golden, to make the team. Was surprised he made the team and they didn’t just try to re-sign him to the practice squad. Brian Allen The second year cornerback made the 53-man roster as a rookie, but with the logjam at cornerback and safety he was a surprise cut from the roster. Allen, who had his moments in the preseason, showed the size and speed coveted at the cornerback position. Nonetheless, for now it is the end of the road for Allen. Stevan Ridley Ridley, when healthy, had a very good training camp. He runs hard, and has the experience the team needs if Le’Veon Bell chooses to not show up right away, or if Bell were to go down with an injury. He and James Conner would make one heck of a punishing 1-2 punch at the running back position if needed. Zach Banner The giant offensive tackle was a cast off, and mid-camp addition, for the black-and-gold and he turned in a need at offensive tackle in to a spot on the 53-man roster. Kudos to him...he should send a thank you card to Jerald Hawkins. Disappointments Keion Adams The hype was serious surrounding Adams entering his second year. After landing on IR his rookie season, Adams was unable to beat out Ola Adeniyi for the fourth, and final, outside linebacker spot on the roster. I am surprised the team only kept four, and Adams is now out of a job. Look for him to go to the practice squad if not poached by another team. Nat Berhe The free agent acquisition was supposed to make the team for his special teams play, but apparently it wasn’t enough. Marcus Allen, a rookie who was often injured throughout camp, made the roster ahead of him. Not a glowing endorsement for “the missile”. Editor’s Note: It should be noted the Steelers are expected to re-sign Berhe: Steelers cut former Giants safety Nat Berhe, but I'm told it's expected that he re-signs with Pittsburgh tomorrow. Since Berhe is vested veteran, Pittsburgh front office doing some maneuvering to get another player on initial 53 prior to putting him on IR with return designation — Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) September 1, 2018 Fitzgerald Toussaint Most of us, including myself, just assumed Fitzgerald Toussaint’s spot on the team was safe. However, in retrospect I should have seen the writing on the wall when the team signed Ryan Switzer. With Switzer on the roster, Toussaint would not be used on special teams and simply not necessary whenever Le’Veon Bell returns.<doc-sep>The ink is barely dry on the Pittsburgh Steelers final 53-man roster or the upcoming season. For the most part, everything went according to plan and if you did a prediction you probably feel pretty good. But there were several surprises, including a couple of doozies with the final cuts. Here are our five biggest shockers in the final cuts. Josh Dobbs over Landry Jones We quietly wondered if the Steelers would favor youth and upside over experience and stability but never really thought they would do it. But Pittsburgh chose to release Landry Jones leaving Josh Dobbs and Mason Rudolph as the two backup quarterbacks on the Steelers roster.<doc-sep>

The Pittsburgh Steelers, like all other 32 NFL teams, have reached the league’s 53-man mandated roster. Meaning, there are nearly 40 players who are now unemployed. Take a look at the complete list of Steelers roster cuts: Follow the link to the complete list: We have made roster moves in advance of today’s 4 PM deadline to trim the roster to 53 players. MORE: https://t.co/PFQvcsDm3A pic.twitter.com/7zChueJSLY — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 1, 2018 P Matt Wile RB Fitzgerald Toussaint TE Pharoah McKever TE Christian Scotland-Williamson CB Brian Allen OLB Keion Adams DT Joshua Frazier DT Lavon Hooks WR Marcus Tucker WR Quadree Henderson WR Trey Griffey WR Tevin Jones WR Damoun Patterson OL Larson Graham OL Oni Omoile OL Patrick Morris OL R.J. Prince RB James Summer RB Jarvion Franklin DT Casey Sayles DT Parker Cothren DE Greg Gilmore DE Kendal Vickers OLB Farrington Huguenin ILB Matt Galambos ILB Keith Kelsey CB Jamar Summers S Malik Golden CB Malik Reaves CB Dashaun Philips Waived Injured - Joseph Cheek PUP WR Eli Rogers Although the Steelers have their roster to 53 players, it doesn’t mean they will be heading into Week 1 with this roster. The team can pick up any player who has been released from another team, once they clear waivers. At the same time, the organization will be looking to add players to their 10-man practice squad. They will start to put the practice squad players together in the near future, and stay with BTSC for the latest information on additions to the Steelers’ organization. If you want more information on the rules and regulations for a team with the practice squad and waiver wire, click HERE.

Apple's Beats brand today officially announced the new Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones, which, like the AirPods, are wire-free and come with a charging case, but feature up to nine hours of listening time. The Powerbeats Pro are going to cost $250, and Apple says they are coming in May. According to Apple, the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ deliver "powerful, balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation for a premium listening experience." play The ‌Powerbeats Pro‌, like the current Powerbeats, are sweat and water resistant and include the Powerbeats earhooks along with tips in four sizes for keeping them securely in place during workouts. "‌Powerbeats Pro‌ is a harmonious blend of premium sound, fit and functionality. Powerbeats are already the #1 fitness headphones in the world and they are now untethered, with all the benefits of the Apple H1 chip," said Luke Wood, president of Beats. "No longer do you have to choose between performance and practicality--it delivers the best on both fronts." To get an ideal fit for most people, Apple tested more than 20 configurations to arrive at an "ergonomically angled housing" designed to nest "comfortably in the concha bowl of the ear with an off-axis nozzle." Apple says ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ are 23 percent smaller and 17 percent lighter than the Powerbeats 3. There are physical controls on each earbud, with a dedicated volume buttons for adjusting the volume, and a button for answering and declining phone calls and changing the track that's currently playing. Like the ‌AirPods‌, the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ automatically detect when they're in your ears and can play/pause music accordingly. The ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ come in their own clamshell-style charging case, which adds over 24 hours of combined playback with the nine hours of listening time that you get from each earbud. There's a 5-minute Fast Fuel feature that provides up to 1.5 hours of playback in five minutes. Apple says the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ use "Class 1 Bluetooth technology" for extended range and fewer dropouts, and the H1 chip that's in the second-generation ‌AirPods‌ is also in the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌. Apple is making the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ available in four colors: Black, Ivory, Moss, and Navy. The ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ launch in May in US and more than 20 additional countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.<doc-sep>Reuters Videos Eight people were killed Wednesday when a transit employee opened fire at a light rail yard in San Jose, California, the latest in what has become an all too common occurrence in the U.S.All eight were employees of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, or VTA.“This is a very dark moment for our city…”At a news conference, Mayor Sam Liccardo hailed these essential workers for helping the city get through the pandemic.“They were showing up every day to operate light rail and buses to ensure people could still continue to go about their lives, and they had all of the challenges of the pandemic, and they were taking risks with their own lives in doing so.”The gunman – a fellow VTA employee – took his own life, apparently when he became aware that police were closing in on him. Local media outlets identified him as 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy, a maintenance worker.The shooting took place just before 7 a.m. Pacific time. VTA chairman Glenn Hendricks said it occurred in the maintenance yard.“It’s just very difficult for everyone to be able to wrap their heads around and understand what has happened.”Officials said a bomb squad was searching the yard after "at least one" explosive device was found. Authorities also responded to a fire at the home of the suspect that erupted at about the same time as the shooting.The FBI is assisting in the investigation, and the White House is monitoring the situation.San Jose lies at the heart of Silicon Valley, home to some of America's biggest tech companies. "What the hell is going on in the United States of America? What the hell is wrong with us? "California Governor Gavin Newsom was visibly angry as he urged politicians from both parties to move beyond the usual platitudes that follow gun violence and finally take action. "It's time to deal with the endemic, before this pandemic, of gun violence. The pre-existing condition that somehow we sort of pushed aside last year but now has raised its ugly head again this year. And wake up to this reality and take a little damn responsibility, all of us, to do a little bit more and a little bit better this time.” Mass gun violence has escalated considerably as the U.S. emerged from the worst of the pandemic this spring.<doc-sep>Leaked last week, today Apple formally announced their Beats Powerbeats Pro truly wireless headphones. The wireless incarnation of the earlier Powerbeats 3 headphones, unlike Airpods these will not actually fall from your ears when you exercise, and are sweat and water resistant, making them suitable for your daily workout. The headphones feature volume and track controls on both earpieces and will automatically pause when you remove them from your ears, and resume when you return them. Beats claims they offer improved sound quality due to speech-detecting accelerometer and two beam-forming microphones per ear and feature an upgraded driver for “efficient, pressurized airflow”, with low distortion and great dynamic range across the frequency curve. They feature the same H1 chipset as the new Airpods and touchless “Hey Siri” support. They can last up to 9 hours on a single charge with the case adding another 15 more. A 5 minute charge adds 1.5 hours of playback and a 15-minute charge 4.5 hours listening time. The Powerbeats Pro will hit stores in May for $250 and be available in black, ivory, moss and navy. See Apple’s launch video below. Via Engadget.com<doc-sep>

After a flurry of leaks and an unmistakable billboard in California, Apple has officially unveiled the new Powerbeats Pro, which brings an all-new design that eliminates the neck cord and adds a wireless charging case to the popular Powerbeats 3 Wireless earphones. Following the second-generation AirPods release, the Powerbeats Pro has all of the same features that Apple offers with its own true wireless earbuds, including hands-free “Hey Siri” support, sensors that pause the music when one of the Powerbeats Pro earphones is removed from your ear, and the new H1 chip for faster syncing and switching between devices. The Powerbeats Pro also features up to nine hours of listening time on a single charge (versus 12 hours on the Powerbeats 3), and five-minute charging that provides 1.5 hours of playback when battery gets too low. Of note, the charging case has a Lightning port rather than micro USB on previous Powerbeats, suggesting Apple isn’t ready to abandon the proprietary connector just yet. Beats by Dr. Dre The Powerbeats Pro also has sweat and water resistance, and new “adjustable, secure-fit earhooks” to make sure they won’t fly out while exercising. Beats says the Powerbeats Pro “delivers powerful, balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation for a premium listening experience.” Powerbeats Pro is coming soon for a price of $250. It will be available in four colors: ivory white, black, moss green, and navy blue. Why this matters: All in all, Apple has combined the technology of AirPods with the Powerbeats 3 performance for Powerbeats Pro. Design-wise, the Powerbeats Pro sticks to the somewhat bulky over-ear fit instead of the dangling white sticks Apple trademarked with the AirPods. But for many people, the Powerbeats Pro is a best-of-both-worlds proposition, combining Apple’s latest tech with the athlete-driven Beats style and sound.

A new poll released Monday has Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., leading the 2020 Democratic presidential field, ahead of former Vice President Joe Biden, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and more than a dozen other potential White House challengers. The poll, which was conducted by Emerson Polling, puts Sanders atop the already crowded Democratic field with 29 percent, followed by Biden – who has yet to declare his candidacy -- with 24 percent and a surging South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg rounding off the top three with nine percent. O’Rourke and Harris garnered eight percent, while Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., pulled in seven percent. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BERNIE SANDERS' FOX NEWS TOWN HALL The polling indicates that Sanders, who will appear Monday evening at a Fox News Town Hall, has a broader appeal than just his Democratic Socialist base and that his message about trade, unions, working families and health care is resonating with Democratic voters. Last week, Sanders launched a revamped “Medicare for All” plan that would replace job-based and individual private health insurance with a government-run plan that guarantees coverage for all with no premiums, deductibles and only minimal copays for certain services. In this latest version, Sanders added coverage for long-term care. Besides Sanders plucking the top spot in the poll, the other big news from the Emerson survey was the rise of Pete Buttigieg. Affectionately known to his fans as Mayor Pete, the poll is another piece of good news for the once thought-to-be longshot candidate who officially declared his White House intentions on Sunday. PETE BUTTIGIEG FORMALLY ANNOUNCES 2020 PRESIDENTIAL RUN Within hours of announcing his candidacy, Buttigieg’s campaign tweeted that it had received $1 million in grassroots donations. In a speech announcing his run, Buttigieg highlighted both his progressive values and Midwestern upbringing. "I ran for mayor in 2011 knowing that nothing like Studebaker would ever come back—but believing that we would, our city would, if we had the courage to reimagine our future," Buttigieg said in a speech inside South Bend's Studebaker auto plant. "And now, I can confidently say that South Bend is back." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He added: "There’s a long way for us to go. Life here is far from perfect. But, we’ve changed our trajectory, and shown a path forward for communities like ours." The 37-year-old Afghanistan War veteran, who has been exploring a White House run since January, now joins the field of a dozen-plus rivals and one that is likely to reach 20 or more.<doc-sep>A national poll released Monday showed Bernie Sanders leading the 2020 Democratic presidential field. The new Emerson survey marks the first time the Vermont senator has come out ahead of former Vice President Joe Biden in a major survey. Emerson's poll put Sanders in first place with 29 percent support, Biden in second with 24 percent, and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg in third with nine percent. Biden is expected to officially declare his candidacy later this month. Buttigieg launched his presidential campaign on Sunday. According to Real Clear Politics, Biden led every 2020 Democratic primary survey going back to October by an average of 9.5 percent. SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Never Miss a Beat. Get our best delivered to your inbox. "Biden has seen his support drop," Spencer Kimball, director of Emerson Polling, said in a statement. "In February, he led Sanders 27 percent to 17 percent, and in March the two were tied at 26 percent. Now, Sanders has a 5 point lead, 29 percent to 24 percent." "[W]hile still early in the nominating process," Kimball added, "it looks like Mayor Pete is the candidate capturing voters' imagination; the numbers had him at 0 percent in mid-February, three percent in March, and now at nine percent in April." The survey comes nearly two weeks after the Sanders' campaign announced it raised raised $18.2 million from nearly 900,000 individual donations in just 41 days. The average donation was $20, according to Sanders' campaign manager Faiz Shakir. While Sanders has trailed Biden overall in nearly every major poll over the past several months, recent surveys have found the senator is leading the crowded 2020 pack among young voters and Hispanic voters—both key components of the progressive base.<doc-sep>Former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenAmerican held in Russia contracts COVID-19 after denied vaccine Biden defends waiving sanctions against Nord Stream Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE is holding firm atop the Democratic presidential field, leading Vermont 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 (I) by 8 points in a new national poll. The Morning Consult survey finds Biden with 31 percent support, followed by Sanders at 23 percent. There has been little change from the same poll conducted last month, which found Biden with a 33 percent to 25 percent lead. An Emerson University survey released on Monday found Sanders with a 5-point lead over Biden, but every other recent poll has the former vice president in the top spot. ADVERTISEMENT No other candidate reached double-digit support in the Morning Consult survey. Sen. 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.) is in third place with 9 percent support, followed by former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas) at 8 percent. Sen. 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.) is tied with South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Uber - One year later — has George Floyd's killing changed the world? Bipartisan infrastructure talks on life support Buttigieg acknowledges 'daylight' between White House, GOP on infrastructure MORE at 7 percent support. Buttigieg has seen the biggest gain in the 2020 Democratic field, rising from 3 percent support in the same poll from late March. There is a lot of room for Buttigieg to grow, as 44 percent of Democratic voters polled have never heard of him and 18 percent haven’t formed an opinion on him yet. But Biden and Sanders are the clear front-runners, with two-thirds of Democratic voters viewing them favorably, according to the poll. No other candidates come close in terms of name recognition or net favorability rating. Biden is expected to enter the presidential race sometime after Easter. Several women have come forward to say that he made them feel uncomfortable by touching them at public events, but those allegations do not appear to have tarnished his image among Democratic voters. Biden is the top second choice among supporters of Sanders, Harris and O’Rourke. Sanders is the top second choice among Biden’s supporters. The Morning Consult survey of 12,550 registered Democrats was conducted between April 8 and April 14 and has a 1 percentage point margin of error.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON – Sen. Bernie Sanders finished ahead of Joe Biden in the first major national poll of the year that did not find the former vice president leading the pack of potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. When asked whom they would support from a list of 20 candidates – including "someone else" – 29% named Sanders, and 24% named Biden in an Emerson College poll released Monday. They were trailed by South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who was the pick of 9% of likely Democratic primary voters. California Sen. Kamala Harris and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke each came in at 8%, and 7% picked Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro got 3%, as did entrepreneur Andrew Yang. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker got 2%, and the rest of the field got 1% or less. The full field of candidates:Who is running for president in 2020? Money primary:Celebrities back Harris in 2020 fundraising, MAGA hats power Trump's haul in FEC reports "Biden has seen his support drop. In February, he led Sanders 27% to 17%, and in March, the two were tied at 26%. Now, Sanders has a 5-point lead," said Spencer Kimball, director of Emerson Polling. "While still early in the nominating process, it looks like Mayor Pete (Buttigieg) is the candidate capturing voters’ imagination; the numbers had him at 0% in mid-February, 3% in March and now at 9% in April," Kimball noted. The survey is the first of more than three dozen 2020 polls listed by RealClearPolitics dating back to October to show Sanders ahead of Biden, including the Emerson poll in March in which they tied. In December, a poll by McLaughlin & Associates found Sanders with a 1-point lead, but RealClearPolitics does not include results from that firm. The latest poll from Morning Consult – which posts updates on the 2020 Democratic race every week – indicates the Emerson result could be an outlier. Its survey, based on 12,550 interviews conducted from April 8-14, found Biden with 31% support among Democratic primary voters and Sanders with 23%. Harris finished third at 9%, followed by O'Rourke with 8% and Buttigieg with 7%. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Biden with a 9.3-percentage-point lead over Sanders. In a head-to-head matchup with President Donald Trump, Biden still performed the best in the Emerson poll, leading the incumbent 53% to 47%. But that was a slide from the college's poll in March in which he topped Trump 55% to 45%. Sanders edged out Trump 51% to 48%, and Harris tied him in a hypothetical matchup. The rest of the Democratic field trailed Trump, who had a 43% approval rating among respondents. Trump leads former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld – who is his only challenger for the nomination – 85% to 15% among Republican primary voters. The Emerson poll was conducted April 11-14 with a margin of error of plus or minus 5.2 percentage points. Bernie Sanders:Vermont senator appears at Fox News town hall and survives. Who's next? Anyone? More:Bernie Sanders releases 10 years of long-anticipated taxes<doc-sep>

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) hold a substantial lead over their Democrat competitors for the 2020 presidential nomination, according to a poll released Monday. According to an Emerson national poll released Monday, Sanders holds the lead with 29 percent of Democrat primary voters’ support, followed by Biden with 24 percent, and then by South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg at nine percent. Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) follow at eight percent, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) at seven percent. The poll was conducted between April 11 and 14 of Democrat primary votesr with a margin of error of 5.2 percent. While several polls have shown Sanders and Biden holding a strong lead, Buttigieg, who announced his candidacy for president on Sunday, has skyrocketed in the polls recently. Spencer Kimball, director of Emerson Polling, said Monday, “while still early in the nominating process, it looks like Mayor Pete is the candidate capturing voters’ imagination; the numbers had him at zero percent in mid-February, 3 percent in March and now at 9 percent in April.” “Biden has seen his support drop,” Kimball said. “In February, he led Sanders 27 percent to 17 percent, and in March the two were tied at 26 percent. Now, Sanders has a 5 point lead, 29 percent to 24 percent.” Biden, who has yet to announce his candidacy for president, has held strong polling in the last few months. However, should Biden not run for president, then Sanders will pick up 31 percent support, and Buttigieg will get 17 percent of the Biden vote, followed by O’Rourke at 13 percent. In a one-on-one matchup, Biden serves as the most competitive opponent against Trump, where Biden would gain 53 percent support to Trump’s 47 percent; however, this serves as a four-point drop compared to Emerson’s March poll, where Biden led Trump 55 to 45 percent. Since the March poll, Biden has faced accusations of inappropriate touching from multiple women. The April Emerson poll has shown a general tightening in the polls between Trump and potential 2020 Democrats. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has attacked Democrats for obstructing his America First agenda. Trump tweeted Monday, “The Radical Left Democrats will never be satisfied with anything we give them. They will always Resist and Obstruct!” The Radical Left Democrats will never be satisfied with anything we give them. They will always Resist and Obstruct! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Bertens won a deciding set which saw seven breaks of serve Kiki Bertens shocked Angelique Kerber at the WTA Finals after a deciding set that included seven breaks of serve. Bertens, 26, lost her serve twice as Kerber took the first set 6-1, but turned the match in the second when much of Kerber's poise disappeared. And Wimbledon champion Kerber, 30, was broken four times in the decider as Bertens overcame three breaks on her own serve to win 1-6 6-3 6-4. Earlier on Monday, American Sloane Stephens beat Japan's Naomi Osaka. After two tight sets that lasted one hour 47 minutes, Stephens ran through the decider to beat the US Open champion 7-5 4-6 6-1. The third set was not without controversy as, trailing 1-0, Osaka failed to challenge a call that would have given her the second game when Stephens appeared to double fault. And the 21-year-old paid for her 46 unforced errors, 15 more than Stephens, who later said the Singapore venue was providing "weird" bounces for players. But Bertens' surprise win is the biggest of the finals so far as the lowest ranked player of the eight in the tournament overcame the highest. Stephens is world number six but scored a final-set win over Osaka, who is ranked two places higher Germany's Kerber - ranked two in the world - ultimately wilted under the attack of the world number nine, who fired 33 winners, helping compensate for a dozen double faults. Bertens is the first Dutchwoman to break into the world's top 10 since Brenda Schultz-McCarthy in 1996 but only entered the tournament for the top eight players in the world when Simona Halep withdrew through injury. From the eighth game in set two, Kerber lost her serve five times in a row, leaving her 4-3 down on Bertens' serve in the decider. And Bertens celebrated wildly as she closed out, an outcome that looked highly unlikely after Kerber's dominant display in the opening set. The WTA Finals feature the leading eight players this year, split into two groups of four. All eight have now played once and the top two players from each round-robin group will progress to the semi-finals, with the final on 28 October.<doc-sep>Sloane Stephens has won both her matches so far this week in Singapore Sloane Stephens recovered from a break down in the final set to beat Kiki Bertens 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-3 at the WTA Finals and leave the Red Group wide open heading into the final round-robin matches. The result coupled with a 6-4 5-7 6-4 victory for Angelique Kerber against Naomi Osaka leaves all four players still in contention for qualification into the semi-finals. Stephens needed a straight-sets victory to progress past the group stage while Bertens could have ensured her berth with a win but neither of those scenarios occurred, with the match finishing at nearly 1 am local time in Singapore. The meeting between Stephens and Kiki Bertens was their first since 2013 "I just tried my very best from the first point in the third set and it didn't go my way immediately but I just kept battling," Stephens said The first set between Stephens and Bertens included four breaks of serve before the American gained the ascendancy by winning the first tiebreak of the 2018 finals as she won five of the first six points in the tiebreaker. But Bertens, who had won nine consecutive matches against top 10 opponents, responded impressively to ease through the second set against the 2017 US Open champion and force a deciding set - the sixth match this week to go the distance. The Dutch player maintained her momentum to build an early 2-0 lead but Stephens switched the momentum of the match in her favour, as Bertens' unforced errors increased, to win after two hours and 22 minutes. Kerber had earlier defeated US Open champion Osaka in three sets to improve her qualification bid beyond the round-robin stage. Angelique Kerber came out the victor between the two most recent Grand Slam champions The three-time Grand Slam champion, who lost a thrilling deciding set against Bertens on Monday, defeated the Japanese star to improve her hopes of a maiden title at the end of season event. "I had my chances in the second set but she played some unbelievable tennis to win that one, and it felt like there was only one or two points in the decider," Kerber said. "It was great to win such a great match and to be able to look forward to another one in two days from now." Kerber was the first to hold serve in the fourth game after both players made a tentative start but she was forced to save five break points as she closed out the first set. Osaka can still qualify through to the semi-finals despite opening with two defeats The second set included seven further breaks of serve and Osaka fashioned a deciding third set when she won three games in succession from 5-4 down. Kerber earned the crucial breakthrough in another hard-fought set when Osaka made a series of errors from 40-15 and the former world No 1 took advantage to seal victory. The final round of matches on Friday will see Stephens take on top seed Kerber, needing a victory to ensure her passage through to the last four while a first win for Osaka against Bertens could see her join the American in the last four. Full White and Red Group Advancement Scenarios for the final day of group play @WTAFinalsSG. #WTAFinalsSG pic.twitter.com/LXAZgQAzjq — WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 24, 2018 We have every major tennis event covered from all angles via our website skysports.com/tennis. On the move? Head to our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsTennis to join in the conversation. We will have coverage of the ATP Finals at London's O2 in November with every match live on Sky Sports.<doc-sep>SINGAPORE -- In a match between the last two US Open champions, Sloane Stephens came out on top. The 2017 champion beat Naomi Osaka 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 Monday at the WTA Finals, the season-ending tournament for the top eight players in the world. Both players are making their debut appearances at the tournament, but Stephens appeared to be more composed, while Osaka, who became the first Japanese citizen to win a Grand Slam title last month in New York, never seemed comfortable. "I'm just really happy to get through and play a good, competitive match," Stephens said on court after the match. "I never gave up. I knew she's been playing well and I'd have to play really good tennis to beat her." Both players struggled to hold serve. Osaka was broken on 7 of 19 break-point opportunities, while Stephens was broken on 4 of 12. Stephens entered the tournament with 33 wins this season, the least of any of the eight qualifiers. She reached her second career Grand Slam final at this year's French Open, and won the Miami title. Osaka continually showed her frustration during the match. When she failed to capitalize on four break points in the fourth game of the second set, she made a visible shrugging gesture with both hands. Stephens gifted the second set to Osaka when she double-faulted on a second set point in the 10th game. But Osaka appeared to be mentally fatigued and only managed to hold serve in the third game of the final set. Nevertheless, Osaka was encouraged in knowing she'll play at least two more matches in the round_robin format. "I took my five minutes of being really sad,'' Osaka said. "I just tried to think that you learn more when you lose, so what can I learn from this match and try to apply it to the next match? "I think, in a way, that you can only get better every match you play.'' Kiki Bertens, who qualified for the draw when No. 1 Simona Halep withdrew with a herniated disk in her back, fought back to beat top seed Angelique Kerber 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. "I was really happy to turn this match around,'' Bertens said. "I had a little (on_court) chat with my coach when it wasn't going so well. We decided I should go a little bit more for my shots and be more aggressive.'' The first seven games of the third set were service breaks before Bertens held for a 5-3 lead. Kerber, a finalist here in 2016, finally held in the ninth game, but couldn't prevent Bertens from serving out the match. "I started really well and she started playing better and better and then I dropped a little bit with my intensity,'' Kerber said. "In the third set I had so many chances and I couldn't take it.'' Kerber plays Osaka and Stephens takes on Bertens in the second group matches on Wednesday.<doc-sep>Sloane Stephens got her tournament off to a good start, overcoming the US Open in three sets in Singapore<doc-sep>

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Sloane Stephens has won both her group matches at the WTA Finals in a deciding set Sloane Stephens beat Kiki Bertens at the WTA Finals, in a result that spared US Open champion Naomi Osaka early elimination. The American, 25, won six of the last seven games to claim the match 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-3. The victory means all four players in the Red Group can still qualify or be eliminated going into the final games. Osaka has lost both her round-robin matches, but can progress if she wins and the other result goes her way. In Friday's final round of fixtures, Osaka plays Bertens while Stephens faces Angelique Kerber, who beat Osaka earlier on Wednesday and has one win from two. Stephens and Bertens, 26, traded breaks throughout in a match which saw momentum change regularly. Fifth seed Stephens won the first-set tie-break, before Bertens broke three times in the second set to win it in 36 minutes. The third set continued the trend as the Dutchwoman won the first two games before Stephens took the match away from her. The 25-year-old now has two wins from two in the group stage, while Bertens has one. Earlier on Wednesday, Kerber beat Osaka 6-4 5-7 6-4 in a match that included 11 breaks of serve. Germany's Kerber, 30, won the first set and was a break up at 5-4 in the second, but the Japanese fought back to level the match. Kerber then won the final set to clinch the match, which lasted 2 hours and 31 minutes. There is a similar situation in the White Group, in which Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova can all still qualify after two matches. The WTA Finals feature the top eight players this year, split into two groups of four. The top two from each group progress to the semi-finals, with the final on Sunday.

The groundings were lifted for at least two airlines within an hour on Monday. At least five airlines were affected by a computer issue Monday morning that grounded several flights in major cities around the country, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Aerodata, the system which went down, is used by the airlines use to check the weight and balance of planes before takeoff. Aerodata has not yet responded to ABC News' requests for comment. Planes were grounded nationwide, including in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, but systems for at least three of the major airlines were resolved within about an hour. The rest of the impacted airlines resolved the issue in the following hours. Delta, Southwest and American each reported the computer system issue was resolved before 8:30 a.m. and Southwest reported its ground stop was lifted within 40 minutes. Both Delta and Southwest said the outage caused delays but not cancellations. The short time down was not predicted to cause major ripple effects for travel Monday, but had the largest effect on Southwest flights. Twenty-two percent of Southwest flights were delayed Monday, according to the live flight-tracking website FlightAware, while other airlines saw delays in the ballpark of 2 to 5 percent. Most of the airlines apologized to passengers and asked for patience in response to grievances aired on Twitter, saying they were working to reduce the impact of scattered delays. "A brief third-party technology issue that prevented some Delta Connection flights from being dispatched on time this morning has been resolved. No cancellations are expected due to the issue and our teams are working to resolve some resulting delays," Delta said in a statement. "The technical issue that impacted a few of our regional carriers has been resolved. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience," American Airlines responded to passenger complaints on Twitter. "We’re working with Customers on any impacts to their travel plans and we appreciate their understanding as we place nothing higher than the safe operation of every flight," Southwest said in a statement. Monday morning's computer issues come after several airlines of the same airlines suffered another outage to a different system last week. The Sabre system, which handles ticketing and boarding, affected American, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines. ABC News' David Kerley and Jeffrey Cook contributed to this report.<doc-sep>U.S. airlines were briefly hit by systemwide computer outages on Monday related to problems with the Aerodata planning weight and balance program, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The outage affected several airlines, including Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Alaska Air Group. After reporting problems along with several major peers, however, Southwest said that technical issues had already been resolved and that systems would be back up soon. The airline said earlier that flights were delayed and planes that were taxiing had to return to their gates. Delta Airlines, which reporting a system-wide outage earlier Monday, confirmed that data had become available and flights were operating normally, with no cancellations planned. Earlier, carriers had reported problems through their social media accounts, with United Airlines saying it was unable to create paperwork as a result. American Airlines said the outage was affecting regional carriers nationwide, but has announced that AeoroData problems were resolved. Alaska Air Group Inc also said on its social media account that it was experiencing a system-wide outage. Southwest said in a statement that it has "lifted an internal ground stop implemented for about 40 minutes this morning during an outage with a vendor that services multiple carriers with data used in flight planning. Scattered flight delays are anticipated and Customers should check Southwest.com for the latest updates on specific flights." Last week, several airlines reported problems after Sabre, a company airlines use for printing tickets and making reservations, had technical issues. Sabre said it was not responsible for software issues Monday.<doc-sep>Multiple airlines on Monday were experiencing systemwide outages causing anger among travelers. Southwest, JetBlue and Delta confirmed the outages to Fox News and said they are working to remedy the issue as quickly as possible. AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT FORCED TO RETURN TO BOSTON AIRPORT AFTER STRIKING FLOCK OF GEESE Early Monday morning, Southwest responded on Twitter to a beleaguered flier. “It's affecting our flights system wide, and we're working to see if it's affecting any other carriers this morning as well. In the meantime, once more information has been made available our Agents at the airport will be happy to disseminate it to y'all.” A few minutes later, Delta also addressed the problem with a customer: “I completely apologize, we are currently experiencing a System-Wide Outage we are working diligently to get it back up and running. We do not have a specific time as yet.” The FAA said in a statement the airlines were experiencing issues "with a flight planning weight and balance program called Aerodata. Mainline operations and regional operations are impacted to varying degrees." The agency said United, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines were also affected. Southwest Airlines later released a statement about the issue. "As of 6:05am CDT, Southwest Airlines has lifted an internal ground stop implemented for about 40 minutes this morning during an outage with a vendor that services multiple carriers with data used in flight planning,” the airline told Fox News. “Scattered flight delays are anticipated and Customers should check Southwest.com for the latest updates on specific flights. We're working with Customers on any impacts to their travel plans and we appreciate their understanding as we place nothing higher than the safe operation of every flight.” Southwest and Delta Airlines fliers tweeted about their displeasure with their delays. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Last week, travelers across the country were experiencing widespread computer outages causing delays across multiple airlines. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue were among the carriers affected. Fox News’ Michael Bartiromo contributed to this report.<doc-sep>

Multiple airlines, including Southwest, American and Delta, saw their planes temporarily grounded early Monday morning due to a computer outage in a central system. As a result, travelers can expect lingering flight delays as airlines play catch-up. The Federal Aviation Administration said several airlines experienced issues with AeroData, a program that provides weight-and-balance information that is necessary to grant clearance for takeoff. The FAA said severity varied by airline. Southwest Airlines said the outage grounded flights for about 40 minutes. Airline spokesman Dan Landson said that scattered flight delays are anticipated and customers should check Southwest.com for the latest updates on specific flights. "We’re working with customers on any impacts to their travel plans and we appreciate their understanding as we place nothing higher than the safe operation of every flight,'' he said in a statement. By 8:15 a.m. EDT, American Airlines announced via Twitter that the issue, which had affected its regional flights, had been resolved. “Earlier this morning, AeroData had a technical issue that impacted a few of our regional carriers,'' American spokesman Ross Feinstein said in a statement. "This technical issue has been resolved. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.” Delta spokeswoman Savannah Huddleston said that airline was also back up and running after the AeroData outage, which had prevented its regional Delta Connection flights from taking off. “A brief third-party technology issue that prevented some Delta Connection flights from being dispatched on time this morning has been resolved,'' she said in a statement. ''No cancellations are expected due to the issue and our teams are working to resolve some resulting delays.'' Delta advised travelers to check their flight's status. Passengers complaining about the delays on Twitter said they were told it was a pilot paperwork issue.

TECUN UMAN, Guatemala (AP) – Mexican authorities have allowed a second group of about 45 migrants to be processed at the border with Guatemala. Yesterday, in a massive group, thousands of Honduran migrants rushed across the border toward Mexico, broke through security fences and stormed through. Mexican authorities have also started giving some people 45-day visitor's permits, which in theory could allow them time to reach the U.S. border. Other migrants have been applying for refugee status in Mexico. Once they're processed, the migrants are being bused to an open-air, metal-roofed fairground in the city of Tapachula. There, the Red Cross is setting up small blue tents on the concrete floor. At least three women have fainted at the processing center just beyond the gates. The bridge is crowded, and whenever a small side gate opens to receive migrants, there is a desperate crush of bodies that push forward in the heat. People at the gate are clamoring: "Please let us in, we want to work." Under the bridge a raft loaded with about 10 migrants crossed to the Mexican side. About a dozen other migrants swam across. None were apparently detained despite the presence of hundreds of police lining the bridge.<doc-sep>Thousands of Central Americans in a U.S.-bound migrant caravan began pushing their way from Guatemala into Mexico on Friday, pulling down border fences and storming toward the Mexican immigration post. “One way or another, we will pass!” the migrants chanted as they approached the gates in the Guatemalan town of Tecun Uman. The migrants rushed past Guatemalan soldiers onto a bridge that crosses the muddy Suchiate River, which separates the two countries. But Mexican police in riot gear, at one point using tear gas to keep the crowd at bay, appeared to have stopped the group, which originated in Honduras last week, from bypassing immigration controls and illegally advancing further into Mexican territory. Advertisement The caravan of more than 2,000 people — men and women, teenagers and infants — on foot and in vehicles has become politically explosive. President Trump has made it an issue in the midterm election and threatened to cut aid to Central American nations, close the U.S.-Mexico border and deploy troops there if Mexico failed to stop the migrants. At a campaign stop in Arizona on Friday, Trump expressed gratitude to Mexican officials for their efforts to deter the caravan. “It’s being stopped as of this moment by Mexico. So we appreciate very much what Mexico is doing,” he told reporters in Scottsdale. “As of this moment, I thank Mexico. I hope they continue.” As they neared the Mexican side of the bridge, the migrants clashed with Mexican authorities, and several people were injured — including migrants, police and at least one Mexican journalist. While a Mexican federal police helicopter hovered overhead, hundreds of migrants remained massed on the bridge, demanding that they be allowed to cross. Migrants gathered outside the Mexican immigration headquarters shouted “Ayuda!” for help, as some women in the group appeared to be fainting in the sweltering heat. The Mexican government brought a large bus to the crossing, and a small number of migrants, mostly women and children, were allowed to board. It appears they were to be processed for refugee status or other potential protections. Honduran migrants remove a barrier Oct. 19 at the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge in Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas state. (Pedro Pardo / AFP/Getty Images) Mexican authorities, who have also sought help from the United Nations, said each migrant would be subjected to immigration inspection and that those lacking legal papers to be in Mexico would be detained and deported. Those seeking asylum would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Advertisement Many shops here in Ciudad Hidalgo, on the Mexican side of the border, were closed because of fears of violence and looting. But residents of the town lined up to watch the spectacle. As the day wore on, migrants began jumping from the bridge and swimming to the Mexican side or climbing aboard makeshift rafts, which ferried them to shore. Darling Mejia, 20, had been waiting on the bridge for two hours before he began to worry that he might suffocate and decided to jump. He emerged on the shore shaking and dripping wet, his red shirt hanging off his thin figure. “You have to understand,” he said. “All we want is a better life.” Advertisement It was the kind of chaotic scene that Mexican authorities had hoped to avoid. 1 / 36 Honduran migrants taking part in a caravan heading to the U.S., get on a truck near Pijijiapan, Mexico. (GUILLERMO ARIAS / AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 36 Honduran migrant children heading in a caravan to the U.S., travel on a truck near Pijijiapan, Mexico. (GUILLERMO ARIAS / AFP/Getty Images) 3 / 36 Honduran migrants heading in a caravan to the U.S., travel aboard a truck near Mapastepec, Mexico. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 4 / 36 Honduran migrants take a bath in a river in Pijijiapan, Mexico. (Rodrigo Abd / Associated Press) 5 / 36 Central American migrants traveling with a caravan to the U.S. climb onto to a trailer bed, hitching a ride to Pijijiapan, Mexico. (Rodrigo Abd / Associated Press) 6 / 36 Melvin Marquez from Honduras, relaxes after having a bath in a river in Pijijiapan, Mexico. (Rodrigo Abd / Associated Press) 7 / 36 Central American migrants traveling with a caravan to the U.S. make their way to Pijijiapan, Mexico. (Rodrigo Abd / Associated Press) 8 / 36 Central American migrants rest for the night in Pijijiapan, Chiapas state, Mexico, as their caravan slowly makes its way toward the U.S. border. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP) 9 / 36 Central American migrants walking to the U.S. start their day departing Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico. (Moises Castillo / Associated Press) 10 / 36 Hondruans bath at a river in Huixtla, Mexico, during their journey to the U.S. (JOSE MENDEZ /EPA /REX / Shutterstock) 11 / 36 A Honduran migrant woman taking part in a caravan heading to the U.S., has an ultrasound done to check her pregnancy during a stop in their journey at the Central Park in Huixtla, Mexico. (JOHAN ORDONEZ / AFP/Getty Images) 12 / 36 Honduran migrants taking part in a caravan heading to the U.Ss, rest at a makeshift camp during a stop in Huixtla, Mexico. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 13 / 36 A Central American migrant traveling with a caravan to the U.S. plays basketball on a temporary shelter in Huixtla, Mexico (Moises Castillo / Associated Press) 14 / 36 Honduran migrants aboard a truck on their way to Tapachula, Mexico, as they head toward the U.S. border. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 15 / 36 Honduran migrants in a caravan to the U.S. border on their way to Tapachula, Mexico, in a truck. (AFP/Getty Images) 16 / 36 Aerial view of Honduran migrants aboard a truck as they take part in the caravan on the outskirts of Tapachula, Mexico. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 17 / 36 A Honduran migrant family taking part in a caravan heading to the U.S. border rest on their arrival in Huixtla, Mexico. (JOHAN ORDONEZ / AFP/Getty Images) 18 / 36 Aerial view of Honduran migrants in Tapachula, Mexico, as they walk toward the U.S. border. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 19 / 36 Honduran migrants rest on their arrival in Huixtla, Mexico, as they take part in a caravan heading to the U.S. border. (JOHAN ORDONEZ / AFP/Getty Images) 20 / 36 Thousands of Hondurans continue caravan () 21 / 36 A Central American migrant, who fell from the back of a moving vehicle and died, lies on a highway outside of Tapachula, Mexico. (Moises Castillo / Associated Press) 22 / 36 Central American migrants traveling in a caravan to the U.S. border rest in a central park in Huixtla, Mexico. (Moises Castillo / Associated Press) 23 / 36 A Mexican federal police officer speaks with Honduran migrants heading in a caravan to the U.S. on the road linking Ciudad Hidalgo and Tapachula, Mexico. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 24 / 36 Honduran migrants on a makeshift raft cross the Suchiate River, on the Guatemala-Mexico border, in Ciudad Hidalgo. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 25 / 36 A Honduran migrant in a caravan toward the U.S. waits to cross the border from Ciudad Tecun Uman, Guatemala, to Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico. (ORLANDO SIERRA / AFP/Getty Images) 26 / 36 Honduran migrants taking part in a caravan heading to the U.S. rest at the main square in Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 27 / 36 An aerial view of migrants in a caravan headed toward the U.S. on the road linking Ciudad Hidalgo and Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico. (PEDRO PARDO / AFP/Getty Images) 28 / 36 A group of Honduran migrants arrives to the Mexican side of the border after crossing the Suchiate River aboard a raft made out of tractor inner tubes and wooden planks, on the the border with Guatemala, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico. (Moises Castillo / AP) 29 / 36 Thousands of migrants from Honduras who forced their way through Guatemala’s northwestern border flooded onto a bridge leading to Mexico and waited in the hope of continuing their journey to the United States. (Pedro Pardo / AFP/Getty Images) 30 / 36 Honduran migrants taking part in a caravan heading to the United States board makeshift rafts to cross the Suchiate River, natural border between Guatemala and Mexico, in Ciudad Tecun Uman, Guatemala. (ORLANDO SIERRA / AFP/Getty Images) 31 / 36 Members of the migrant caravan from Honduras rest on a bridge over the Suchiate River which forms the Guatemala-Mexico border in Ciudad Tecun Uman, Guatemala. (John Moore / Getty Images) 32 / 36 Honduran migrants taking part in a caravan heading to the United States cross the Suchiate River, natural border between Guatemala and Mexico, in a makeshift raft, in Ciudad Tecun Uman, Guatemala. (ORLANDO SIERRA / AFP/Getty Images) 33 / 36 A Honduran migrant traveling as part of a caravan prepares to jump into the Suchiate River from the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge, near a Mexican Federal Police officer, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas state, Mexico. (Pedro Pardo / AFP/Getty Images) 34 / 36 Honduran migrants heading in a caravan toward the United States wait to help fellow men get down to the Suchiate River from the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas state, Mexico. (Pedro Pardo / AFP/Getty Images) 35 / 36 Honduran migrants heading in a caravan toward the United States rest at a temporary shelter in Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas state, Mexico. (Pedro Pardo / AFP/Getty Images) 36 / 36 Hundreds of demonstrators with a Honduran flag protest in favor of the caravan of migrants who are currently stuck on the Guatemala-Mexico border, in front of the American embassy, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (Fernando Antonio / AP) In recent days, as the much-publicized caravan traversed Guatemala, Mexico dispatched planeloads of federal police and other authorities in anticipation of an influx. Most of the migrants are citizens of Honduras, and many waved its blue-and-white national flag. Advertisement It was not immediately clear how many had entered Mexico. One who made it in was 19-year-old Mario Leon, who abandoned the caravan after a week and crossed Thursday in a raft. He left Honduras, he said, because he had no choice. “There’s no work. There’s no money,” he said. “The work there pays just three dollars a day. How can I make a life?” Now Leon was waiting for two of his aunts who he said were stuck on the bridge. Waving a Honduran flag to cheer on the migrants, he didn’t seem particularly worried about Mexican immigration authorities. Advertisement Stopping illegal immigration and erecting a wall along the border with Mexico have been hallmark promises of Trump since he was a presidential candidate. Late Thursday, Trump retweeted an image of reinforcements arriving at Mexico’s southern border and wrote: “Thank you Mexico, we look forward to working with you!” For Mexico, the caravan had posed a major dilemma, pitting compassion for the migrants and respect for human rights against the country’s relationship with the United States. Mexican authorities have vowed to respect the human rights of the migrants but said those lacking legal authorization to cross into Mexico would be detained. Advertisement “The essence of our position is the respect of the human rights and dignity of the people, and the protection of this migrant group, particularly the most vulnerable,” Mexico’s foreign secretary, Luis Videgaray, said Friday at a meeting in Mexico City with U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo. Pompeo said the situation was reaching “a moment of crisis.” Mexico’s interior secretary, Alfonso Navarrete Prida, denounced violence and acts of “provocation” by some of the migrants in the caravan and vowed that Mexico would respect the rights of those seeking entry into Mexico. Some in the caravan had broken an accord with Mexican authorities to proceed in an orderly fashion at the border, Navarette said. Advertisement Mexico has long been the major route for Central Americans seeking to make it to the United States. Organized groups of smugglers assist the migrants on their way north, charging $5,000 or more a person. In recent years, Mexican authorities have stepped up efforts to stop Central Americans from illegally entering the country, and set up checkpoints to catch those who get past the border.<doc-sep>

Central American migrants are walking towards the US (Moises Castillo/AP) A growing throng of Central American migrants have resumed their advance towards the US border despite Mexican efforts to stop them. Their numbers swelled to about 5,000 overnight and at first light they set out walking towards the Mexican town of Tapachula, 10 abreast in a line stretching approximately a mile. It was not immediately clear where the additional travellers had materialised from since about 2,000 gathered on the Mexican side on Saturday night. They seemed likely to be people who had been waiting on the bridge over the Suchiate River or in the Guatemalan town of Tecun Uman and who decided to cross during the night. At dawn there were still an estimated 1,500 migrants on the Guatemalan side hoping to enter Mexico legally. Expand Close The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) They marched on through Mexico shouting slogans like “Si se pudo!” or “Yes, we could!” As they passed through Mexican villages on the outskirts of Ciudad Hidalgo, they drew applause, cheers and donations of food and clothing from Mexicans. Maria Teresa Orellana, a resident of the neighbourhood of Lorenzo handed out free sandals to the migrants as they passed. “It’s solidarity,” she said. “They’re our brothers.” Olivin Castellanos, 58, a truck driver and mason from Villanueva, Honduras, said he took a raft across the river after Mexico blocked the bridge. “No one will stop us, only God,” he said. “We knocked down the door and we continue walking.” He wants to reach the US to work. “I can do this,” he said, pointing to the asphalt under his feet. “I’ve made highways.” Expand Close A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) The migrants, who said they gave up trying to enter Mexico legally because the asylum application process was too slow, gathered on Saturday at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo. They voted by a show of hands to continue north en masse, then marched to the bridge crossing the Suchiate River and urged those still on it to join them. The decision to re-form the migrant caravan capped a day in which Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to migrants on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some. Authorities handed out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at US border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. But many became impatient and circumvented the border gate, crossing the river on rafts, by swimming or by wading in full view of the hundreds of Mexican police manning the blockade on the bridge. President Donald Trump has criticised the Democratic Party over the mass movement of migrants. He has seized on the caravan and border security as a campaign issue ahead of midterm elections in early November. The president tweeted that “The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW!” In a separate tweet, he said that “Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther (sic) Border.” Mr Trump added that the United States will turn migrants away if they do not apply for asylum first in Mexico. PA Media

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.<doc-sep>ATLANTA — Inspire Brands, Inc., the parent company of Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings and Rusty Taco restaurants, has agreed to acquire Sonic Corp. for $43.50 per share in cash in a transaction valued at approximately $2.3 billion, including the assumption of Sonic’s net debt. The agreement has been unanimously approved by Sonic’s board of directors and represents a premium of approximately 19% per share to Sonic’s closing stock price on Sept. 24 and a premium of approximately 21% to Sonic’s 30-day volume weighted average price. Following the completion of the transaction, Sonic will be a privately-held subsidiary of Inspire Brands and continue to operate independently. The transaction remains subject to the approval of Sonic shareholders and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. “This value-maximizing transaction validates the actions we have taken over the last year to grow traffic and improve sales while delivering differentiated offerings and superior guest service,” said Cliff Hudson, chief executive officer of Oklahoma City-based Sonic Corp. “Our board of directors, taking into account the views of shareholders, conducted a comprehensive review of a wide range of strategic options to maximize shareholder value. This transaction delivers significant, immediate and certain value to Sonic shareholders, and the private ownership structure will provide important benefits to our guests, franchisees and employees. “As one of the largest owner-operators of company-owned and franchised restaurant brands, Inspire appreciates the unique culture of collaboration between Sonic and our franchisees. Sonic franchisees are engaged in planning regarding technology, new products and marketing programs, and the team at Inspire recognizes the central role our franchisees have played, and will continue to play, in Sonic’s success. We look forward to working closely with Inspire as we continue to provide made-to-order American classics, distinctive flavors and the most personalized guest experience in our industry.” Inspire Brands was formed earlier this year when Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. acquired Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. for $2.9 billion. The company is majority-owned by affiliates of Roark Capital Group and has a portfolio of more than 4,700 company-owned and franchised restaurants worldwide with combined 2017 global system sales of more than $7.6 billion. The acquisition of Sonic, the nation’s largest drive-in restaurant chain, would add more than 3,600 locations. “Sonic is a highly differentiated brand and is an ideal fit for the Inspire family,” said Paul Brown, c.e.o. of Inspire Brands. “We have tremendous respect for Sonic’s exceptional team of employees and franchise owners, who have built one of the industry’s most distinctive restaurant brands. “We’re excited to build on Sonic’s momentum as we leverage our combined expertise and capabilities to better serve guests, further support team members and franchisees and drive long-term growth.”<doc-sep>Sonic and Arby’s are no longer competitors—they’re corporate siblings. Inspire Brands, a company that owns Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Rusty Taco, has acquired Sonic for $2.3 billion, CNN Money reports. The parent company will now operate 8,000 restaurants with sales over $12 billion, CNBC adds. Inspire Brands says they won’t change anything big about Sonic, which operates more than 3,600 locations. Sonic will still be independent as a brand, and Inspire said in their company announcement the quirks of the company, like its drive-in format and its offbeat products like pickle juice slushes and cookie jar shakes, made it an asset for them. Sonic originally opened as a root beer stand in 1953 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Its first drive-in opened in 1959 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and has since become America's largest drive-in chain. Its most popular menu item is its cherry limeade. 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. “Sonic is a highly differentiated brand and is an ideal fit for the Inspire family,” Paul Brown, CEO of Inspire Brands, said in a press release. “We have tremendous respect for Sonic’s exceptional team of employees and franchise owners, who have built one of the industry’s most distinctive restaurant brands.” And there are even more food companies that now have ties to Sonic. Reuters reports Inspire Brands is owned by Roark Capital, which owns Cinnabon. Here’s hoping that means cinnamon bun milkshakes are in the company’s future. Delish: Eat Like Every Day’s the Weekend amazon.com $30.00 $16.90 (44% off) GET YOURS NOW! 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>A drive-in fast food restaurant by Sonic Corp. is seen in San Diego, California, U.S. June 22, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake (Reuters) - Arby's-owner Inspire Brands Inc said on Tuesday it would buy Sonic Corp SONC.O for about $1.57 billion in cash, adding more than 3,600 drive-in restaurants to its portfolio that includes brands such as Buffalo Wild Wings and Rusty Taco. Sonic is the latest U.S. restaurant to be taken private. Zoe’s Kitchen was taken private by Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava last month, while NRD Capital took Ruby Tuesday private in October last year for about $335 million. The deal comes as Sonic battles intense pricing competition from bigger rivals such as McDonald's Corp MCD.N and Wendy's Co WEN.O. The company's same-restaurant sales have fallen for at least the past two years. Inspire’s offer values Sonic at $43.50 per share, a 19 percent premium to the stock’s Monday close. Sonic’s shares were trading at $43.35. Including debt, the deal is valued at about $2.3 billion, the companies said. Inspire Brands was formed by private equity firm Roark Capital as a holding company when Arby’s completed the acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings earlier this year. Roark, which also owns bakery chain Cinnabon, bought a majority stake in Arby’s from Wendy’s Co in 2011 and purchased the remaining 12.3 percent last month. Guggenheim Securities LLC is the financial adviser to Sonic, while Shearman & Sterling LLP is its legal counsel. White & Case LLP is Inspire’s legal counsel.<doc-sep>

The company behind Arby's will buy drive-in burger chain Sonic in a deal announced Tuesday. Inspire Brands, which took over Buffalo Wild Wings last year, will acquire Sonic for $2.3 billion including debt, the company said in a statement. The purchase adds to Inspire's collection of restaurants that includes, alongside Arby's and Buffalo Wild Wings, Mexican food chain Rusty Taco. The Sonic purchase plays into Inspire's overall strategy of acquiring distinct, dissimilar brands, the company said. Known for burgers, hot dogs and specialty drinks, Sonic brings focuses not present at Arby's or Rusty Taco while operating outside of the fast-casual realm where Buffalo Wild Wings exists. Sonic's stock rose more than 18 percent Tuesday, CNBC reported, hitting its all-time high at $44.87 per share. Sonic's $4.4 billion in sales last year topped well-known brands including Dairy Queen, Five Guys and Hardee's, according to Fortune, citing statistics Nation's Restaurant News, an industry journal. More:Yum? Sonic debuts Pickle Juice Slush More:Culver's becomes fast-food force with 'butter burgers' “Sonic is a highly differentiated brand and is an ideal fit for the Inspire family,” Paul Brown, Inspire's CEO, said in a statement, calling Sonic "one of the industry’s most distinctive restaurant brands.” Sonic will continue to operate independently after the sale from its Oklahoma City headquarters, according to Business Insider. Sonic shareholders will receive $43.50 per share in cash, Inspire said in its statement, a premium of roughly 19 percent to the chain's closing stock price on Monday. More:T-Mobile's MetroPCS changes name and adds unlimited lure More:With Sirius behind it, can Pandora now stage a comeback? More:Best gadgets you can find at the dollar store Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter: @joshhafner

Although the Dallas Cowboys lost their preseason opener to the San Francisco 49ers, here are some of the players who earned their Star Thursday night. Finally, after a long offseason, the Dallas Cowboys are playing actual football again. And against a team other than themselves! The Cowboys kicked off their preseason on Thursday night, playing the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Although Dallas would end up losing the exhibition 24-21, there were several Cowboys who played well in the contest. Here is my list of players whom I believed earned their beloved Star on Thursday night. Michael Gallup, Wide Receiver No single player captured the hearts and minds of Cowboys fans more than rookie wide receiver Michael Gallup did against the Niners. The 22-year old caught only one pass on the night. But it was a 30-yard touchdown catch on the opening series of the game with a majority of the starters playing on both sides. Gallup would later get wide open on another play, but backup quarterback Cooper Rush underthrew the ball for an incompletion. That play only helped to reinforce the idea that this rookie receiver could make a big contribution for Dallas this season. All aboard! The Gallup-hype train is leaving the station. Lance Lenoir, Wide Receiver The other wide receiver that exited the Cowboys first preseason game rated higher than when he entered is Lance Lenoir. The second-year wideout has played well in training camp and continued that level of play into the team’s first preseason game. Known for making flashy catches in camp, Lenoir made a beautiful two-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone off a play action pass from Rush. The toe-tapping reception was reminiscent of the Santonio Holmes catch that won Super Bowl XLIII for the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2009. Suddenly, Lenior appears to be the favorite to win a spot on the active roster. Now the question is which Cowboys receiver is suddenly expendable?<doc-sep>Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers kicked off their 2018 exhibition slate Thursday against the Cowboys. San Francisco’s starting group didn’t offer much excitement, but the backups authored their own entertaining finish culminating in a game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds to put the 49ers up 24-21. Here are our winners and losers from Thursday’s preseason victory… Winner: QB Nick Mullens The 49ers’ third-string quarterback orchestrated an impressive two-minute drill to close out that game and give San Francisco the win over its longtime rival, earning a coveted spot among Thursday’s most successful players. Mullens marched the offense down the field, completing all five of his passes for 62 yards to put the 49ers within striking distance with 21 seconds remaining. Mullens capped off the drive with 7-yard touchdown to rookie receiver Richie James, who held onto the ball despite a big hit as he entered the end zone. It was an impressive finish for the backups that caused the sideline to erupt. Mullens’ night: 11 of 13, 141 yards with a touchdown and interception, good for a 105.4 passer rating. Loser: QB Jimmy Garoppolo No quarterback controversy here, but Garoppolo’s first game action since signing his five-year, $137.5 million contract in February was underwhelming. He played one series before being replaced by backup C.J. Beathard. In nine plays, Garoppolo led the offense on a 30-yard drive, failing to score. His last pass was a check down to Jerick McKinnon on third-and-16 when it appeared he had Aldrick Robinson open further downfield. Garoppolo’s outing yielded just three completions on six attempts. Two of those three were on third down to rookie receiver Richie James and speedster Marquise Goodwin, whom Garoppolo showcased a rapport with during training camp. Garoppolo finished with 34 yards through the air and a 67.4 passer rating on the night.<doc-sep>Cowboys QB Dak Prescott quickly answers doubters in the preseason opener - Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Prescott calmly delivered a quick scoring drive in preseason debut. Prescott promptly drove the Cowboys 75 yards on 10 plays, completing 3 of 3 passes, including a 30-yard touchdown strike to rookie third-round pick Michael Gallup. “That first drive was good for us,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Dak did a great job on the run to keep the drive alive, and we got the one-on-one on the outside and made a good throw and catch.” After struggling throughout training camp with the deep ball, Prescott again proved to be his best when the lights are on during games. Gallup ran a good route, freezing cornerback Jimmy Ward, Prescott hit him with a perfect throw down the right sideline, allowing him to walk into the end zone. Dak Prescott throws for TD before 49ers rally past Cowboys 24-21 - Staff, ESPN The Cowboys first team looked crisp but in the end, the backups need much more work. Dak Prescott made the most of his brief appearance in the preseason opener for Dallas by throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to rookie Michael Gallup before the San Francisco 49ers rallied with two late touchdowns to beat the Cowboys 24-21 Thursday night. Prescott sat out the first exhibition game last season but got one series of action against the 49ers this year and looked sharp. He completed all three of pass attempts and converted a third-and-9 with a 12-yard scramble. He capped his night with the deep ball to Gallup, who beat Jimmie Ward down the sideline. Ward got the start at cornerback in place of Richard Sherman, who is nursing a hamstring injury. Dak Prescott Opens The Preseason In Style - David Helman, DallasCowboys.com Of course Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott strutted out on the field and led a quick strike scoring debut. Prescott completed all three of his passes for 39 yards, capped off by a 30-yard strike to rookie receiver Michael Gallup, who beat one-on-one coverage for a game-opening touchdown. “It was good to get out there, get our feet moving and to get on the same page,” Prescott said. “We were able to get the ball to Michael Gallup on that touchdown -- who did a great job on that ‘go ball.’” Ironically, Prescott had taken criticism through the first two weeks of training camp for his inconsistency throwing downfield. With the lights on against the 49ers, though, he had no problems at all. What Cowboys' surprise opening drive taught us about state of offense -Kate Hairopoulos, SportsDay The Cowboys offense went about their business tonight as the first team quickly put the ball in the air and into the end zone. Garrett and other club officials have grudgingly acknowledged the erratic nature of the offense in recent days, with one proviso: don’t rush to judgment. The benefits of Elliott and a punishing ground game aren’t evident in camp because players aren’t tackled. That allows the corners to play up on the receivers more than they would in a real game where they would have to worry about getting Elliott to the ground. Rod Smith was in the role of Elliott against the 49ers. The principle held. One series in the preseason opener won’t set the offensive tone for the remainder of the season. But it can be argued the Cowboys offense gained more confidence with that 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive than they have in the last week of camp. Dallas drops game to SF 24-21, but sees a lot more good than bad from its players - Tom Ryle, Blogging The Boys As preseason games go, this one went well for the Cowboys despite the score. The first half was not just a win on the scoreboard, but looked to be a better showing by the Cowboys. An overall impression from it was that there were some bad plays by some players, but all facets of the game looked very good. Even with mostly backups, things didn’t look at all bad for the first preseason game, which often devolve into displays of ineptitude. But Dallas’ players were flying all over the place, especially on defense. And the dropoff from the ones to the twos was not significant, even taking into account that they were also mostly going up against the backups for San Francisco. In particular, the linebacker play seemed consistent, whether it was Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Joe Thomas, Damien Wilson, or Justin March-Lilliard. It does not look like the team is as susceptible to an injury to Sean Lee as it was last season. 10 takeaways from the Dallas Cowboys first preseason game in San Francisco - RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys Ochoa offers up some very interesting learnings from from yesterday's game, including these three: Jaylon Smith might be really good: It’s one preseason game and not even a whole contest for him, but Jaylon Smith honestly looked incredible in the limited action we saw him in on Thursday. Jaylon’s movement has been heralded by various Cowboys staffers over the offseason, the brace-less life must really be a good one. Jaylon flew around the 49ers offense early and often. He wasn’t the only Cowboys defender to play well, and he wasn’t even the only linebacker. Dorance Armstrong looked great yet again: Perhaps the MVP of training camp so far has been rookie pass rusher Dorance Armstrong. Armstrong came out in San Francisco and cemented the fact that he’s changing jersey numbers because he’s making the 53-man roster and there’s no way he’s doing it as #74. He only had two tackles but was creating pressure and disruption. Dorance is a welcome find for the Cowboys along the defensive line, and the fact that he keeps impressing is extremely positive. He’s now doing it against the Cowboys offensive line and against other NFL competition. That’s impressive stuff. Turnovers might actually be a thing this season: It was just one preseason game, but the Cowboys forced a hat trick of turnovers. Joe Thomas and Duke Thomas each had interceptions while Charles Tapper recovered a fumble. Part of what’s helped the Cowboys teams that have had success in recent history has been that their offense limited how often the defense had to be on the field and that the defense got a little lucky with turnovers. If the offense is grooving like we saw and if the defense is giving the ball back to them, things could be awfully neat. 5 thoughts on Cowboys' preseason loss to 49ers, including a rookie who could contribute immediately on Sundays - Jon Machota, SportsDay Machota's game summary includes thoughts on the linebacker corps and Bo Scarbrough. Linebackers: The Cowboys front office is extremely pleased with what they have at linebacker. They feel it's the best group they've put together in a while. Jaylon Smith looked good Thursday night, moving around well in his limited reps. Joe Thomas, who was signed after Kyle Wilber joined the Raiders, had a good game to go along with his strong camp. Since Sean Lee has been getting extra time off this year, Thomas has often worked with the first-team defense at weakside linebacker. Justin March-Lillard and Damien Wilson made some nice plays as well. First round pick Leighton Vander Esch didn't have any big plays but his athleticism was evident on several occasions. He needs as much of this valuable preseason work as he can get. Bo Scarbrough: The former Alabama standout carried over from what we've seen in Oxnard. When given the opportunity, Scarbrough has impressed, whether it's as a runner or a pass-catcher. He broke a tackle on a highlight 28-yard run late in the first half. He then scored one a one-yard run that gave Dallas a 14-0 lead. Most of the seventh-round pick's carries have come with the third team offense. Scarbrough got a chance to run with the first-team during goal-line drills and looked just as good as he has with the backups. I'd be surprised if he didn't makes the roster as the Cowboys' No. 3 back behind Ezekiel Elliott and Rod Smith.<doc-sep>

All in all, Thursday night’s 24-21 loss was a net positive for the Dallas Cowboys. Yes, the Cowboys gave up an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, but that is part of what made the game a great experience for the team. Dallas traveled up the Pacific Coast from their summer home in Oxnard to take on the San Francisco 49ers Thursday night. In the exhibition opener, they were able to control the game for the majority of four quarters. Their first-string offense operated with ease and their defense forced three turnovers while batting down double-digit passes and kept the score low until garbage time for fourth and fifth stringers. Most importantly, Dallas escaped the game without any injuries to players expected to be major contributors. Throw in the fact that there were numerous plays the coaching staff can yell and scream over during Saturday’s film session, including the total defensive meltdown from down-roster players and it’s a near-perfect outing for the preseason opener. Here are four takeaways from the game: The Cowboys end-of-half defense is basura. Dallas gave up both a two-minute drill at the end of the first half and a four-minute drill at the end of the game to come-from-ahead and lose. The big culprit for the former was a pass interference penalty on starting nickel corner Anthony Brown. The latter was caused by playing fourth and fifth-string players. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan clearly had his team prepared for the rapid-fire drill work, and Dallas’ defense, which otherwise played pretty spectacularly, completely forgot what to do. First four drafted rookies all showed out well. Leighton Vander Esch got his first action when Jaylon Smith came to the sideline. There was a play negated by a holding penalty on the opposite side of the field when he showed his best skill from Boise State, he’s a ball magnet. The throw went to the sideline, and it appeared not only did he haul the pass in, but he at the least came close to getting his feet in bounds. He also had great coverage on a wheel route. Second-round pick Connor Williams started at left guard. After giving up an early sack to the talented DeForest Buckner, he fit right in with the starters and then was the lone bright spot when three second-stringers joined him and La’el Collins. Wideout Michael Gallup caught the game’s first touchdown, a 30-yard first quarter bomb from Dak Prescott. Finally, fourth-round DE Dorance Armstrong looked very capable, getting in the backfield with some regularity though he didn’t register a stat. Continue…

EMBED >More News Videos Here is what you need to know if you're voting. EMBED >More News Videos Trump moves Houston rally to Toyota Center after 'unprecedented' demand EMBED >More News Videos Beto O'Rourke sued over campaigning text messages HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Midterm elections are upon us and the candidates are keeping up their push to campaign.It's a busy day Monday for both Sen. Ted Cruz and his challenger Rep. Beto O'Rourke as they continue their campaign trail.Monday evening Sen. Cruz will be present at President Donald Trump's rally before he heads out to San Antonio with Senator Cornyn.Rep. O'Rourke will be making stops around Houston, Spring, Pasadena, Missouri City, and Rosenberg before he heads out to central Texas.Meanwhile, O'Rourke's campaign is being sued over the amount of campaign text messages being sent.According to documents, a man from North Texas claims he received nine messages from the campaign.O'Rourke's campaign told ABC13 their grassroots program is completely compliant with the law.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump went after Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, who is challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in a closely watched re-election campaign, at a Houston rally for the incumbent Monday night. "Ted's opponent in this race is a stone-cold phony named Robert Francis O'Rourke, sometimes referred to as 'Beto,'" Trump told the crowd, mocking the Democrat's nickname, which he has gone by since childhood. "He pretends to be a moderate, but he's actually a radical, open borders left-winger." Trump took advantage of his proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border and hit hard on immigration. He accused O'Rourke and Democrats of opposing a wall, supporting sanctuary cities, backing "open borders" and favoring amnesty for undocumented immigrants. The president also touched on the caravan of thousands of migrants that has made its way through Central America over the past few weeks toward the Texas border. "I think the Democrats had something to do with it," Trump said, although there's no evidence to support the claim, as NBC News has reported. "That's an assault on our country." The crowd of thousands chanted "Build the wall! Build the wall" in response. Trump again warned that "illegal aliens" are voting in elections and called for tougher voter ID laws, although widespread voter fraud has not been found in any recent election. The president also offered effusive praise for Cruz, his former foe, who is in a closer-than-expected re-election battle against O'Rourke. The Real Clear Politics average of polls finds Cruz leading by 7 percentage points. "I will tell you what, nobody has helped me more with your tax cuts, with your regulations, with all of the things that we are doing, including military and our vets, than Senator Ted Cruz. Nobody," Trump said. Trump's warm comments are a far cry from the 2016 primary campaign, when the two presidential candidates attacked each other in the most personal ways. Trump nicknamed Cruz "lyin' Ted," implied without evidence that Cruz's father was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and ridiculed Cruz's wife, Heidi, for her appearance. At the time, Cruz called Trump a "sniveling coward" and a "pathological liar." He also refused to endorse Trump at the Republican convention. That was all forgotten Monday. "He's not lying Ted anymore. He's beautiful Ted," Trump told reporters in an about-face on the White House South Lawn before his departure to Houston. Cruz addressed the Houston crowd Monday night before the president took the stage and said, "God bless Donald Trump!" Cruz pivoted to his own re-election race, framing the choice between him and O'Rourke as jobs versus mobs, evoking one of Trump's favorite campaign slogans. "Do we defend freedom or give into tyranny? Do we embrace jobs or give into mobs?" O'Rourke has captured national Democrats' attention with his boyish charm and Kennedy-esque looks. He's stunned political operatives on both sides of the aisles by raking in over $38 million in campaign donations in the most recent fundraising quarter. O’Rourke's political rise has been likened to that of Barack Obama, who ran for president and won after serving less than two years in the Senate. "If Beto pulls off beating Cruz, he would become a national Democrat immediately," said James Henson, the director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. "He would enter the 2020 conversation." As for the bad blood between Trump and Cruz, Henson says there is good reason for Trump to put that aside. "Texas is important to the Electoral College and the Republican universe," Henson said. "If there is any sign of Texas becoming more competitive, then I think a Republican presidential candidate has a lot of incentive to come and make sure things are shored up here." Former Trump campaign adviser Michael Caputo said Trump was there Monday night to thank Cruz. "In a world where a few more delicate GOP primary opponents are still continuously chafed by 2016, Senator Cruz has become a friend," Caputo told NBC News in an email. "That kind of man — who rises above and seeks true partnership — will always have his friendship reciprocated by this president."<doc-sep>Early voting in Texas started Monday, as Trump tries to stir up GOP enthusiasm and prevent a stunning upset. Despite his staggering cash haul and quick rise to national prominence, O'Rourke still appears to be an underdog. No recent independent poll has shown him closer than 5 percentage points behind Cruz. O'Rourke rallied with supporters in Houston on Monday ahead of the president's rally for Cruz, who was one of the several Republicans who lost to Trump in the 2016 GOP primary. O'Rourke's campaign did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the president's visit. An O'Rourke victory would alter the battle for control of the Senate, giving Democrats a much better chance of gaining control of the chamber than they otherwise would have. The GOP looks to keep or expand its 51-49 majority in the chamber.<doc-sep>

Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Gov. Rick Perry unloaded on Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke and national Democrats Saturday at a rally here for Sen. Ted Cruz, with the senator also taking the stage to continue framing his race as one with clear ideological choices. During his red meat-heavy stump speech, Hannity adopted a nickname for O'Rourke – Bozo – and accused Democrats of lacking a plan "to help the forgotten men and women in this country." "They want to go backwards into the failed policies of [Barack] Obama," Hannity told a packed crowd in the ballroom of the Hilton DoubleTree hotel on East Greenway Plaza. "They are hiding what they really want to do: They want to impeach Donald Trump. Beto, Bozo, wants to do it himself." Ahead of Cruz's Monday rally here with Trump, Hannity lauded the two Republicans for passing "the biggest tax cut in American history." "Bozo wants the crumbs back," Hannity said, alluding to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's characterization of tax bill bonuses. "I say that money belongs in your pocket." Perry, the U.S. Energy secretary who served as Texas governor for 14 years, predicted Cruz would beat O'Rourke by "a substantial margin" thanks in part to the state's booming oil and gas industry. He played up Cruz's relationship with Trump, calling Cruz "one of the powerful influences on this president." Perry also cast Cruz's election against O'Rourke as a "pivotal" moment in Texas' history, and took a couple shots at the El Paso congressman. "Robert Francis O'Rourke thinks that because he's got a Hispanic nickname, he's gonna get the Hispanic vote," Perry said. "Ain't gonna happen, Robert." Cruz stumped for about half an hour to close out the hour-long rally, focusing mostly on widening the contrast between himself and O'Rourke. He hit many of the same notes from prior rallies — including on immigration, judicial appointments and regulations — and newly announced he was "proud" that the Houston Chronicle editorial board had endorsed O'Rourke. "There is a caravan marching north right now," Cruz said at one point. "I'm just waiting to see Beto O'Rourke come down and start leading the caravan." Upon taking the stage, Cruz — who once had a stormy relationship with Hannity — commended the radio and TV host for "stepping forward and battling political correctness," "the forces of socialism," "open borders" and "stupidity." From Houston, Hannity and Cruz are traveling to Beaumont, where they will hold another rally at 3:30 p.m. O'Rourke this weekend is holding events near Corpus Christi and in Dallas-Fort Worth before heading to the Houston area.

Longtime Boston Red Sox analyst Jerry Remy was again diagnosed with cancer, according to a statement released by NESN. "At this time, Jerry’s focus is on his medical treatment. The thoughts and prayers of all of us at NESN and the Red Sox are with Jerry and his family during this difficult time," the station said in the statement. Remy, 65, was first diagnosed with lung cancer in late 2008, and took a leave of absence for most of the 2009 season. His cancer returned in 2013 and again twice in 2017. In January of this year, Remy announced on Twitter that he had completed a cancer treatment. Remy, a second baseman, played from 1975-1984 with the Angels and Red Sox, making the AL All-Star team in 1978. He joined NESN in 1988.<doc-sep>Remy, 65, said he goes in for regular checkups on his lungs every six weeks. His last visit was a week and a half ago, he said. He took a CT scan, which revealed a spot on a lung. He took Monday of last week off to go in for a biopsy. “It’s been hard, because we really didn’t expect it,’’ he said Wednesday, a day after NESN announced the latest recurrence. “It hit me hard. It’s like . . . this is never going to stop. We didn’t anticipate this result.” In the 10 years since he was first diagnosed with lung cancer, Jerry Remy has suffered multiple recurrences of the disease, including last season. But the former Red Sox second baseman and longtime color analyst on NESN’s game telecasts acknowledged that the latest one has been especially difficult to accept. Advertisement “I kind of expected a good result, because the last checkup had been good and that was just a little more than six weeks ago,’’ he said. “But the area was starting to reshape as a tumor, and the biopsy came back positive.” The next step for Remy, who was first diagnosed with lung cancer in November 2008, is to undergo a battery of tests starting Thursday to determine a course of treatment. “I think what we’ll do is get these tests done, then get the team of doctors from Mass. General together and put their heads together to see how we’re going to attack this,’’ Remy said. “I would think that within a week and a half we know what they’re going to do and how.” Remy, who has been diagnosed with cancer at least four times, said that when he first became aware a week ago that the cancer had returned, he initially planned to continue to work. Advertisement “I did work the last homestand through the weekend, and we had planned to put the tests off until I got back from this [current] road trip,” said Remy. “But the more we thought about it, it didn’t seem to make that much sense to wait that long. And the doctors were kind of urging me to get it done earlier. “I really was going to try to make it to the end of the season and deal with it then, but cancer has a mind of its own, and the best thing to do is deal with it immediately. Plus, mentally, you’re not there because your head is all over the place thinking about the possibilities. “My first thought was to make it through the two months and then do what we’ve got to do. But that wouldn’t have been the wise choice.” There was some assumption on social media after NESN made its announcement that Remy would not return this year. But that cannot be determined right now. “There’s no way to predict now if there’s a return or if there’s not a return,’’ said Remy. “I just can’t do that now because we haven’t gathered all the information. We haven’t decided on the course of treatment. There’s no way of knowing what’s down the line for me.” Remy also has dealt with complications from past cancer treatments, including depression in 2009. A Somerset native who spent eight seasons (1978-85) as a popular Red Sox player before joining the NESN booth in 1988, Remy said he has been greatly enjoying his job this year. A three-man booth that included Remy, former teammate Dennis Eckersley, and play-by-play voice Dave O’Brien received stellar reviews for its camaraderie and chemistry during the recent series with the Yankees. Advertisement “I loved it,’’ said Remy. “I’d never been a fan of the three-man booth, but this works. You have to have the right combination of people in there for it to work, and we have that perfect combination with Eck, Dave, and myself. “I really enjoy doing the games that way. I think it’s a blast. We get along great, there’s no ego in the booth, we give each other the space we need. Eck gets a lot of the pitching stuff out there, I get a lot of the other stuff, and I think it comes off really, really well.” Remy said he informed Sean McGrail, NESN’s president and CEO, of his situation Monday night. “NESN and the Red Sox have been really, really supportive of everything that I’ve been going through,’’ said Remy. “All of the support I’ve been getting over the last 48 hours from everyone has been remarkable. It doesn’t surprise me. It’s happened to me before, and it’s not an unusual situation to be in for me, but I appreciate it.” Remy acknowledged that it isn’t easy for him to talk about his situation, but he hopes that doing so might help someone going through a similar ordeal. “People sometimes ask why I go public with this,’’ he said. “I hate the word ‘celebrity,’ but sometimes when you’re in the public eye, you can make a difference because people know who you are. If I can help one person with a similar problem or going through a problem, I feel it’s my responsibility to do it. Advertisement “I’m not a real outgoing person, as people probably know, but in stuff like this, if I can help one person who might be dealing with cancer or might be dealing with depression, I need to do it. “People have been watching me on TV for 31 years and they feel like they know me, so I feel like it’s my responsibility.” Chad Finn can be reached at finn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeChadFinn.<doc-sep>

Longtime Red Sox color commentator Jerry Remy has once again been diagnosed with cancer.Remy has waged several high-profile battles against cancer, most recently returning from treatment this season. "This has hit me hard but I have never quit and will not now," he tweeted Wednesday. This sixth cancer diagnosis comes just about a year after his fifth cancer diagnosis. "At this time, Jerry’s focus is on his medical treatment," NESN wrote in a statement. "The thoughts and prayers of all of us at NESN and the Red Sox are with Jerry and his family during this difficult time. "A former second baseman for the Sox, Remy has served as the Red Sox color analyst on NESN since 1988, announcing more than 3,900 Red Sox games during his career. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry," the Red Sox tweeted. "Keep fighting!" Longtime Red Sox color commentator Jerry Remy has once again been diagnosed with cancer. Remy has waged several high-profile battles against cancer, most recently returning from treatment this season. "This has hit me hard but I have never quit and will not now," he tweeted Wednesday. Thank you for all of your support. This has hit me hard but I have never quit and will not now. I have complete trust in my team at Mass General. Bring it home Sox !!! — Jerry Remy (RemDawg) (@Jerry_Remy) August 8, 2018 This sixth cancer diagnosis comes just about a year after his fifth cancer diagnosis. "At this time, Jerry’s focus is on his medical treatment," NESN wrote in a statement. "The thoughts and prayers of all of us at NESN and the Red Sox are with Jerry and his family during this difficult time." A former second baseman for the Sox, Remy has served as the Red Sox color analyst on NESN since 1988, announcing more than 3,900 Red Sox games during his career. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry," the Red Sox tweeted. "Keep fighting!"

— A North Carolina Central University student was shot and killed by a security guard last week at an off-campus apartment complex, officials said Monday. Around 10:15 p.m. on Sept. 17, officers with the Durham Police Department responded to the Campus Crossings at Durham apartments, in the 1400 block of Cornwallis Road, where they found 23-year-old DeAndre Marquise Ballard suffering from a gunshot wound. Ballard was transported to a local hospital, where he died. Ballard's friends and family originally thought he was missing. Three days after the shooting, police connected the missing person report filed by the family to the shooting on Cornwallis Road and notified Ballard's family of his death. Deauntae Grimes, a lifelong friend of Ballard's, said he was a man of faith and someone who was always willing to help. "He was always going to either speak to you, ask you how you're doing, ask you how your day is. He was never in a bad mood," Grimes said. "It’s just sad to lose that type of person who was always upbeat, never anything wrong with him." Grimes said he is confused as to why this happened. "The type of person Dre is, I would never in a million years picture something like this happen to Dre," he said. "He was always trying to better someone’s life, whether it was a kid or an older person." Campus Crossings at Durham management issued a statement expressing sympathy toward Ballard's family. "We’re saddened by the tragic incident that occurred on September 17," the statement reads. "The wellbeing of our residents is always our top priority, and we currently have 24-hour patrol services in place until further notice. We’re fully cooperating with authorities as they continue to investigate." The security guard who shot Ballard works for the NC Detective Agency. The company said it stands by his actions and that the guard shot Ballard in self-defense. "He’s a 15-year veteran on our force, a state-certified armed officer. The night of this tragic incident, he was taken in for questioning for several hours, and then he was released," said Kevin Ladd, vice president of NC Detective Agency. "There’s not a doubt in my mind that this was self-defense." Ladd pointed out that the guard in question is African-American, as is the majority of the NC Detective Agency force. "It’s relevant because we’re getting death threats," Ladd said. "With what’s going on in this country, people are assuming that this is a white officer." Ladd said he had reported three threats to Durham police. “We’re just asking for calm until the full investigation is complete. It doesn’t help the situation with people sending death threats,” he said. Ladd added that his thoughts and prayers are with Ballard's loved ones. "We feel bad about this, but this was justifiable," he said. Ballard's family members say they question the company's claim. "We would love to know why he was killed because he was such a loving person," said Tammy Becton, Ballard's cousin. According to a statement by the NCCU Student Government Association, Ballard was a senior physical education major with a concentration in fitness and wellness. "Whether you knew DeAndre personally or have interacted with it is clear to see that he has impacted the lives of many, and has a spirit that will continue to live on," Davanta T. Parker, the SGA president, said in a statement. An investigation is underway, but no charges have been filed. Anyone with information is asked to call Durham police Investigator E. Ortiz at 919-560-4440, extension 29337, or Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.<doc-sep>“That was not self defense” family members react to the security guard’s claim that he shot @NCCU senior #DeAndreBallard in self defense. Family says the officer’s hiding what may have really happened. His funeral is Friday in #NewBern N.C. @DurhamPoliceNC investigating #ABC11 pic.twitter.com/jAr91SPFU8 — Tim Pulliam (@TimABC11) September 25, 2018 DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Durham police are investigating the shooting death of a North Carolina Central University student.DeAndre Ballard, 23, was set to graduate from the school next year.But his life ended when he was shot by an apartment security guard last Monday.Now Ballard's loved ones say they don't believe the security guard acted in self-defense. "We just want the truth," Ballard's cousin Ontoia Becton told ABC11 on Tuesday. "The truth. That's all we're asking for. "Becton says she does not believe the cause of her cousin's death is justified.Last week, the NC Central student was shot and killed following an incident with an off-campus security guard.Both men are black. "It doesn't matter if the guard is white, red, purple, we just want justice," Becton said Tuesday. "No matter what color they were. Wrong is wrong. And right is right. "The deadly encounter happened just after 10 p.m. at Campus Crossing Apartments, where DeAndre lived and the security guard worked.Over the phone from New Bern, Becton explained what she says the security guard's employer, NC Detective Agency, told her family. "They told his mom that DeAndre got inside the guard's car, tried to fight the guard and then he got back out and tried to grab the guard's gun. That's what they are saying. That's what they are telling his mom. And that doesn't sound like self-defense. "NC Detective Agency says it's supporting the security officer's claim of self-defense and no charges have been filed at this time.They say it's the first deadly encounter for the agency and for the guard who's been employed for 15 years. Management says their thoughts are with DeAndre's family, friends and the NCCU community.DeAndre's professor, Virginia Politano, was also saddened and shocked to hear about the student's death. She was looking forward to watching the 23-year-old achieve his dream of teaching. "I have never seen him angry," she said. "I've talked to him and I've been stern with him-like this is what you have to do. He was always very respectful and polite. "Alvarez Rodgers of New Bern, the same hometown as DeAndre Ballard, said he never met him DeAndre but still wants to see justice be done. "We're gonna keep spreading the message until justice is brought to DeAndre and his family," he said.The security guard is still working for the agency, just not at Campus Crossing Apartments.On Thursday, students in the Physical Education department will hold a memorial for him on campus. DeAndre's funeral is Friday in New Bern.Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator E. Ortiz at (919) 560-4440, ext. 29337 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.<doc-sep>— At first, DeAndre Ballard's mother thought he was missing. Then, Ernisha Ballard got the news no mother ever wants to hear. Her son was dead. DeAndre Ballard, a senior at North Carolina Central University, was shot and killed last week by a security guard at an off-campus apartment. Durham police said it took several days to identify DeAndre Ballard because he didn't have any identification on him or a phone with him. His fingerprints weren't in any database, no Durham police officers or N.C. Central police officers recognized his photo, and he didn't match the description of any missing person report, police said. Police said they were able to identify him only after his family filed a missing person report. On Tuesday, Ernisha Ballard said she was holding it together because she has to plan a funeral and think about her two other children. The company the security guard worked for, NC Detective Agency, said the shooting was in self-defense. Ernisha Ballard said she doesn't believe that to be the case, saying her son was wearing only shorts and socks at the time, an indication that he had briefly stepped out of his apartment to get something and was not up to mischief. She remembers the last time they spoke. “We were having a normal conversation,” Ernisha Ballard said. “He told me, ‘Mom, you’re good, you’re getting too old, you don’t have to stress about us.’ We were just having a conversation. And that was it because I think I had to work that day, and I told him I’d call him back later because I had to go to work. And that was the last time I talked to him.” Friends said DeAndre Ballard was a young man of faith. NC Detective Agency wanted to point out that the guard who shot Ballard is black. Its vice president, Kevin Ladd, said race is relevant because company employees were getting death threats. “With what's going on in this country, people are assuming that this is a white officer, I guess because I was on TV, and I'm white,” Ladd said. The investigation is ongoing.<doc-sep>

Screenshot : WRAL TV An investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed in the case of a North Carolina Central University student who was shot and killed by a security guard at an off-campus apartment complex in Durham, N.C., last week. Details are still coming out about the circumstances of 23-year-old DeAndre Marquise Ballard’s death on Sept. 17, but his family says the account given to them by police just doesn’t add up. As the Durham Herald Sun reports, Ballard’s mother, Ernisha Ballard, says she was told by police that a security guard—whose name has yet to be released, but who was identified by the firm he works for as black—saw Deandre trying to break into cars in the apartment parking lot. From the Herald Sun: Then [Deandre] got into the security guard’s car on the passenger side and started trying to fight the guard, Ballard said she was told. Then he got out of the passenger side, and tried to grab the guard’s gun and the gun went off. She was told that he was shot about 10:15 p.m. “There is no way. I don’t even buy that,” Ballard told the paper. She described her son as “happy-go-lucky,” a good student, and “very spiritual.” She added that Deandre was “terrified” of guns and that she and her son had multiple talks about how to deal with law enforcement. A lifelong friend of Deandre spoke similarly of him to WRAL TV. “He was always going to either speak to you, ask you how you’re doing, ask you how your day is. He was never in a bad mood,” Deauntae Grimes said. “It’s just sad to lose that type of person who was always upbeat, never anything wrong with him.” Details shared by Deandre’s friends also complicate the narrative Ballard says she was given by police. One friend—Jalen Cooley—says he dropped Ballard off at his Campus Crossings apartment at 10:00 p.m., shortly before the shooting. They had watched a football game, and Ballard told Cooley he was tired. “He was going to sleep,” Cooley told the Herald Sun. “He asked me three or four times: ‘Take me home, I have class at 8 o’clock.’ ” According to Ernisha Ballard, her son’s roommate says they found the door to Deandre’s room open that night, with one shoe in the door. Inside the apartment were his keys and ID—suggesting Deandre had only intended to step outside for a moment. According to WRAL TV, because Ballard had left his identification inside, it took three days for police to identify his body. His friends and family assumed he was missing and filed a missing person report. It took days before police connected that report to the shooting at the Campus Crossings complex. The security guard who killed Ballard is employed by the NC Detective Agency, which says the guard shot Ballard in self-defense. The firm’s vice president, Kevin Ladd, told WRAL that the unnamed security guard is a 15-year veteran of the firm and is a state-certified armed officer. “He feared for his life,” Ladd said, referring to the guard. Ladd also emphasized to WRAL that the guard accused of shooting Ballard is black—along with the majority of the NC Detective Agency’s workforce—“because we’re getting death threats.” “With what’s going on in this country, people are assuming that this is a white officer,” he said. The firm has reportedly gotten three death threats so far. Ladd said the agency stood by its officer, but “his thoughts and prayers are with Ballard’s loved ones,” WRAL writes. “We feel bad about this, but this was justifiable,” Ladd said.

With great turnover, the Denver Broncos had to hit some home runs to rebound from a disappointing 5-11 season last year. It sure looks like they did just that heading into Week 1 of the 2018 regular season. The best personnel move could be any number of additions to the roster, so the Mile High Report staff debated that question in today’s roundtable discussion. Let us know what you think in the comments section below. What was the Broncos’ best personnel move this offseason/preseason? Ian St: The Broncos draft class of 2018. The picks and undrafted free agents not only benefit the team this season, but set it up for the future. That’s a major win. The Broncos draft class of 2018. The picks and undrafted free agents not only benefit the team this season, but set it up for the future. That’s a major win. Hart: I believe that upgrading the offense in the past NFL Draft was the best personnel move the team made. It looks like Royce Freeman , Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton are all poised to make an impact as rookies and are well on their way to being the foundation of the team’s offense for years to come. I believe that upgrading the offense in the past NFL Draft was the best personnel move the team made. It looks like , and are all poised to make an impact as rookies and are well on their way to being the foundation of the team’s offense for years to come. Adam: The best personnel move was drafting Bradley Chubb . I know that saying their first round pick was the best move seems like a cop out, but hear me out. When the Broncos passed on a quarterback with the fifth pick, they sent a clear message about the direction the team is going. They weren’t going to panic and pass on a guy who can have immediate impact up front. Drafting Chubb also seemed to be the catalyst to what appears to be a solid draft class, which seems to have set the Broncos up for success for the next few years. The best personnel move was drafting . I know that saying their first round pick was the best move seems like a cop out, but hear me out. When the Broncos passed on a quarterback with the fifth pick, they sent a clear message about the direction the team is going. They weren’t going to panic and pass on a guy who can have immediate impact up front. Drafting Chubb also seemed to be the catalyst to what appears to be a solid draft class, which seems to have set the Broncos up for success for the next few years. Scotty: Marquette King . Dude kicks footballs far and flips the field position. . Dude kicks footballs far and flips the field position. Joe R: Best move was finding a quarterback. One of our starters last year is floundering for the Vikings, one is buried on the Miami Dolphins depth chart, and Paxton Lynch may only stay in Denver because he’s John Elway’s boy. Case Keenum doesn’t even have to set the world on fire for this to be a monstrous upgrade. Best move was finding a quarterback. One of our starters last year is floundering for the Vikings, one is buried on the Miami Dolphins depth chart, and may only stay in Denver because he’s John Elway’s boy. doesn’t even have to set the world on fire for this to be a monstrous upgrade. Pete: Quarterback! That was the single biggest move that Elway/VJ made. The reason I include both of them is because they both did something. Elway got us a legit starter and mentor in Keenum, and VJ actually made a wise coaching decision by moving Lynch down the depth chart and promoting Chad Kelly (who Keenum is mentoring from the sounds of it). The QB position has stabilized, which means the offense will finally stabilize. Lets hope Keenum stays healthy, but if he doesn’t, we’ll have Kelly, not Lynch coming in to save the day, and I’m quite comfortable with that. Quarterback! That was the single biggest move that Elway/VJ made. The reason I include both of them is because they both did something. Elway got us a legit starter and mentor in Keenum, and VJ actually made a wise coaching decision by moving Lynch down the depth chart and promoting (who Keenum is mentoring from the sounds of it). The QB position has stabilized, which means the offense will finally stabilize. Lets hope Keenum stays healthy, but if he doesn’t, we’ll have Kelly, not Lynch coming in to save the day, and I’m quite comfortable with that. Sadaraine: Moving Paxton Lynch down the depth chart hands-down with no question whatsoever. The guy is a bust and putting him in the same place as the other position players where you need to earn your place is the best way to prove it to the FO. Moving on from this mistake is the best thing for the Broncos season in 2018. Moving down the depth chart hands-down with no question whatsoever. The guy is a bust and putting him in the same place as the other position players where you need to earn your place is the best way to prove it to the FO. Moving on from this mistake is the best thing for the Broncos season in 2018. Taylor: The Broncos’ best personnel move won’t show up on the 53 man roster. Firing O-line coach Jeff Davidson & replacing him with Chris Strausser & Sean Kugler was an A+ move by John Elway & Vance Joseph, and one that probably won’t receive the credit it deserves. The O-line was abysmal under Davidson, so moving on was a solid decision. But the real gem here is the decision to split the job in half, with two coaches now specialized toward the interior and outside line positions. Combine that with two nice hires and the O-line was set up for the success we’ve witnessed this preseason.<doc-sep>The Denver Broncos filled their practice squad Monday when they officially signed outside linebacker Jeff Holland and offensive lineman Avery Gennesy. Here’s some quick background information on each player. Jeff Holland, OLB Holland (6-2, 249 pounds) signed with the Broncos as a college free agent following this year’s NFL draft. He recorded 45 tackles — including 12.5 tackles for losses — and 9.5 sacks last fall at Auburn. He will provide nice depth at outside linebacker behind Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Shaq Barrett and Shane Ray. Avery Gennesy, OL Gennesy (6-1, 248 pounds) spent this summer with the Cleveland Browns but failed to make the team’s 53-man roster. NFL.com considered him a fifth-round talent when he entered the league, so he has some upside. Denver could certainly use more depth on the offensive line. The Broncos now have one extra player on their practice squad but wide receiver Carlos Henderson will not count until after he serves his one-game suspension. Once Henderson returns, Denver will have to cut a player to make room for him on the practice squad. To read more about the team’s complete practice squad, click here.<doc-sep>This is my favorite week of the year. All of the hopes of dreams of 32 NFL fan bases all converge in one week of hope and excitement. Some fan bases will have that hope and excitement carry in through to January, others will lose it all by late September. But for right now, we’re all feeling the same. Week 1 of the 2018 NFL regular season has arrived and with it comes the weekly power rankings. So, allow me to be the first to throw some cold water on most of those fan bases with the first of many weekly power rankings. These rankings are based entirely on my personal view of each team and where they actually stand heading into Week 1. I may overvalue some teams and underrate others, but I think I’ll be pretty solid on most of these. Maybe... Week 1 NFL Power Rankings<doc-sep>Everyone around Denver Broncos HQ is on notice. Since last season ended, I’ve written it many times. Coming off 5-11, the team brass had to approach the 2018 campaign with an ‘all or nothing’ mentality. Aqib Talib was traded, as was Trevor Siemian. C.J. Anderson was dispatched. If that didn’t send a message to the veterans and young draft picks, some guys were in for a rude awakening this summer. With the final roster cuts coming over the Labor Day weekend, GM John Elway sent yet another strong message to the locker room and the coaching staff. The Broncos cut multiple players in whom the team had very recent draft investments. The most head-turning was 2016 first-rounder Paxton Lynch, but he was the last of the former high-round picks out the door. The trend started on Saturday, with Denver waiving five recent draft picks — a whopping four from the 2017 class and a seventh-rounder from this year. Isaiah McKenzie was ultimately re-signed to the active roster on Sunday, after the Broncos realized Su'a Cravens needed surgery to get his lingering knee issue corrected. But if you look at the 2017 class, Carlos Henderson (third round), Brendan Langley (third round) and De'Angelo Henderson (sixth round) were all handed their walking papers. Carlos and Langley were re-signed to the practice squad, so they’ll at least remain within the organization, but their footing is now as tenuous as it gets. Rookie seventh-round running back David Williams was also re-signed, where he’ll get plenty of reps on scout team. Sure, cutting six players from the last three draft classes was an indictment on the Broncos personnel-evaluation resume, but it also sent a grim message to the locker room. Resting on one’s laurels will no longer be tolerated. If the Broncos were willing to cut three players that had been drafted in the top-three rounds over the last three years, the front office means business. When the Broncos parted ways with Talib, Siemian and Anderson to start the offseason, it was our first inkling that a sea change was taking place at Dove Valley. Then, when the Broncos cut OL Menelik Watson, despite being on the hook for nearly $6 million in dead cap, it was another sign that the times they were a-changin’. I’d be lying to you if I said that I saw this cold-blooded approach coming. As I guy who’s been advocating for the release of Paxton Lynch for a long time, I didn’t foresee many of the harsh roster moves Denver made coming, even though most made sense and had to be done. It’s a stark change-up from the team’s traditional approach under John Elway. Since 2011, the Broncos have shown exceeding patience with their draft picks. Most Elway draft picks, regardless of which round they were taken in, played out their rookie deals if they were drafted before 2015. Ideally, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. There are a few exceptions, most notably Montee Ball, Jeremy Beal, Zac Dysert, Philip Blake, Vinston Painter, Mike Mohamed, and Tavarres King, but compared to the total number of draft picks Elway made from 2011-2014, these were a drop in the bucket. Like most NFL teams, the Broncos have shown favoritism to their draft picks, suffering through sub-par play and failures to launch. Elway has shown real reluctance to part with the players he’s drafted, holding onto many long after the they’d surpassed their reasonable expiration dates. But those days are clearly over. Denver’s decision to part with six players drafted in the last three years over the course of about 24 hours is unprecedented. Why the sudden change? There are a lot of reasons, last year’s team failure not the least of them. Every plumber has to understand the nature of gravity. Crap rolls downhill. Elway is feeling the pressure, and that sense of urgency trickles down to every facet of the team. Vance Joseph knows the score. It’s win or hit the bricks in 2018. The vets know where they stand, after seeing two Pro Bowlers shown the door. And now the young draft picks understand exactly what is expected of them. Draft pedigree still matters in Denver, but clearly it’s not everything. It’s all about ‘what have you done for me lately’? The NFL is the paragon of the production-based business. It’s the ultimate meritocracy. Get exclusive access to Denver Broncos inside info, deep-dive analysis and in-depth film reviews! Don't wait another second – become a Mile High Huddle VIP subscriber today! If coaches and players don’t attack this season with a sense of urgency and a real sense of football mortality, they could be next on the cutting room floor. I tip my cap to John Elway for having the resolve to make these difficult roster decisions. He’s getting panned across the league for his ‘terrible draft record’. Elway hasn’t been perfect. But if you’re going to base Elway’s reputation as a talent evaluator entirely on Saturday’s blood bath, you should put Bill Belichick under the same microscope. Belichick’s been in a front-office role much longer than Elway has, but New England’s body count — when it comes to cutting high-round draft picks — is gruesome in it's own right. Belichick gets a pass. Why? Because the Patriots win. They have a franchise quarterback after all. Elway has won a lot of games as Broncos GM, and he knows the blueprint, but he's been short on QB talent for a couple years, mostly due to his own machinations. But no general manager in the history of the NFL won more in his first 100 games than Elway. We'll see how Belichick performs when Tom Brady finally hangs up his cleats — if the old coach hangs around long enough to find out. Right now, Elway is dealing with the same plight that afflicted Batman once upon a time. Either die the hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Elway might not exactly be viewed like the Joker around the Mile High City right now, but around the league, talking heads are cracking wise left and right.<doc-sep>

Fantasy football owners rejoice: Royce Freeman is now an RB1. The Denver Broncos' rookie running back has been promoted to starter and will be listed atop the team's first regular season depth chart when it's released Monday, according to Ryan O'Halloran of The Denver Post. It's a well-deserved and somewhat expected move after Freeman shined in the preseason, logging 15 carries for 84 yards and three touchdowns across three appearances. He clearly outworked former incumbent Devontae Booker, who likely will function as the pass-catching back, along with rookie Phillip Lindsay. The Broncos kept four total backs (including fullback Andy Janovich) on the 53-man roster, which was finalized on Saturday. De'Angelo Henderson and David Williams were released; Henderson signed with the Jets' practice squad and Williams the Broncos' taxi squad. “They’re all qualified," head coach Vance Joseph said. "Obviously, [RB Devontae] Booker is the most experience, he’s played some good football for us. His better days are ahead of him. [RB] Royce [Freeman] had a great spring and a great summer also. Obviously with ‘2’ (RB Phillip Lindsay), he’s a special runner, but he also played teams very well. He was a L-5, he was a gunner for us, he completed the package for us.” Get access to Denver Broncos inside info, deep-dive analysis and in-depth film reviews! Don't wait – become a Mile High Huddle VIP subscriber today! Freeman, chosen in the third round of this year's NFL draft, is among 10 rookies who made Denver's final roster. A 6-foot, 229-pound thumper, he blends power with impressive one-cut-ability and the necessary wheels to get around the edge. The all-time leading rusher at Oregon, Freeman has been likened to Kansas City Chiefs star Kareem Hunt, who became the league's rushing champ as a first-year player in 2017. Joseph furthered that comparison when discussing the Broncos' injection of youth this offseason. "Again, it’s good football players and young is not bad, especially at certain positions," he said. "We’re experienced at the right positions. O-line, we’re experienced. At quarterback, we’re experienced. On defense, we’re experienced. At half back, we’re not. But that’s a position, we’ve all seen in the last four or five years, it’s been young guys that’s led the league in rushing. Last year, we had one in Kansas City. I think Royce has that kind of ability. He’s a mature guy. I think ‘2’ is a mature guy. They play well on first, second and third downs, so I have no worries with our young guys. They’re all qualified, they’re all smart guys and they’re all good football players. Happy to have them all.” Freeman will get the opening crack Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks in the season-opener. Seattle ranked 19th in run defense last season, allowing 114 yards per game.

Finn Bálor is on his way to what could very well be the biggest match of his pro wrestling career. The Irish-born Superstar will step into the ring against Brock Lesnar at The Royal Rumble on Sunday, January 27. Lesnar’s Universal Championship will be on the line and so too is Finn’s main event reputation. This is largely because of WWE, as the company has not really featured him in that all-important spot for the bulk of his run. Finn started off red-hot of course but he cooled off after his injury in 2016. Only now is the company finally elevating Finn back to the top. The first-ever Universal champion recently appeared on Edge & Christian’s Pod of Awesomeness, where he talked about his showdown with The Beast Incarnate. “It’s a matchup I’ve wanted for a long time. You’re never convinced that something’s gonna happen but like I said earlier, if you think about it enough and like if you kind of visualize it enough, I think like eventually if you put it out there in the universe enough, it’ll happen. It kind of came out of the blue, out of nowhere, it kind of blindsided me. But I’m excited.” Bálor does seem pumped up about working Lesnar at the Rumble. But the real question is, will he win the Universal Championship? Brock is virtually unbeatable and he really always has been. Even when he’s lost matches, he always has a comeback and he always wins the return match. The last man to get an unanswered victory over Brock Lesnar was Roman Reigns. Check out Finn’s interview with Edge and Christian! Please enable JavaScript E&C's Pod of Awesomeness - Finn Bálor But even though Finn didn’t shed any light on who will come out on top, he did say something curious. Bálor went on to talk about whether or not he had any sort of nerves going into his match with Brock and that’s when something interesting came out. “It’s weird, cuz I’ve had big matches in the past where I’ve like been super nervous about you know, and this one I’m more calm than ever going into it, like no stress right now. My parents are flying in, my little brother’s flying in, they’re gonna watch ringside. So honestly, I’m just like treating like a weekend with my family and hopefully not get beat up too bad.” The fact that Finn’s family will be at ringside does not necessarily mean that he will beat Lesnar. Superstars have had their families close at hand many times before and were crushed in their matches. Perhaps the addition of Bálor’s family has nothing at all to do with the match’s potential outcome. But there’s always a chance that they’re coming in because Finn is indeed going to become the next Universal champion. It would be a feel good moment for one of the most popular Superstars in WWE. It would also mean a lot for fans who have believed in Bálor from the moment he arrived on the main roster. Finn is a star and there is no denying that. He has the “it” factor, that one intangible that puts him head and shoulders above everyone else in the company. He’s a veteran talent that knows who he is and what he’s capable of in the ring. That confidence comes out whenever he steps between the ropes. Fans look at Finn’s work and they know they’re getting the best he has every time. But even though Finn is a big fish, he’s swimming in an ocean on Monday Night Raw. The red brand features some of WWE’s heavy hitters, a few of whom have been at the top for much longer than Finn ever was. Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens have all shared the spotlight during various points of their runs on Raw. The same is true for Roman Reigns of course. Had The Big Dog not left the company due to health issues, he wold surely be there right now. He would also likely still be the Universal champion. But if that were the case, then it could very well be that Finn Bálor would not have the main event shot that he currently has. Watch Finn vs Strowman from Raw! Please enable JavaScript Finn Bálor vs. Braun Strowman: Raw, Jan. 21, 2019 His injury slowed him down to a crawl. There is no doubt about that. WWE seemed to lose all faith in him and when that happened, Finn began to fade. In a perfect world, this never would have happened and right now Bálor, Rollins and Reigns would all be fighting for dominance on Monday Night Raw. But it’s never a perfect situation all of the time in WWE. Many fans believe that the ideal spot for Finn is not on Raw, but on SmackDown Live. He could potentially become the face of the blue brand and would probably be WWE champion as well. Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio would all be great opponents for Finn. Of course AJ Styles is there as well. If anyone should have a lengthy program with Bálor, it’s The Phenomenal One. Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura would also be prime opponents for Finn to renew rivalries with, while also tearing the house down every time. But that is not Finn Bálor’s reality. The truth is that while Finn is at the top of his game and deserves the shot he’s getting, there is no guarantee that he will beat Brock Lesnar. So as his fans hope for the best, it’s perhaps best to remember that for Bálor, it’s about the journey, not the destination. Or could it be that WrestleMania 35 featuring the Universal champion Finn Bálor is the destination? Only time will tell. Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live<doc-sep>WWE Royal Rumble is all set to pop off tonight (Sun., Jan. 27, 2019) from Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona at 7:00 pm ET, live on the WWE Network. You may also be able to watch this on pay-per-view (PPV) if your cable provider is carrying the event. CagesideSeats.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, match-by-match coverage of Royal Rumble below, beginning with the first match of the evening and right on through to the main event. Kick your off your shoes, relax, and enjoy all the action with your favorite pro wrestling website. And remember to keep refreshing! Note: To get in on the conversation on this show, visit our open thread here. WWE ROYAL RUMBLE QUICK RESULTS Seth Rollins wins the Men’s Royal Rumble Brock Lesnar def. Finn Balor Daniel Bryan def. AJ Styles Becky Lynch wins the Women’s Royal Rumble Ronda Rousey def. Sasha Banks Shane McMahon & The Miz def. The Bar Asuka def. Becky Lynch Buddy Murphy def Akira Tozawa, Kalisto, and Hideo Itami Shinsuke Nakamura def. Rusev Bobby Roode & Chad Gable def. Rezar & Scott Dawson WWE ROYAL RUMBLE LIVE BLOG & MATCH COVERAGE Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone. Go on believe her when she tells you nothing’s wrong. But I’m the only one who’ll walk across the fire for you. I’m the only one who’ll drown in my desire for you. It’s only fear that makes you run, the demons that you’re hiding from. When all your promises are gone, I’m the only one that’ll liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks. The pre-show opens with Jonathan Coachman welcoming us to the show and introducing us to the preshow panel, which tonight consists of Beth Phoenix, Booker T, and Jerry “the King” Lawler. Additionally he informs us that both David “A-List” Otunga and the Heartbreak Kid himself, Shawn Michaels, will be joing the panel later. The panel run down the card and announce that John Cena is out of the Men’s Royal Rumble and Braun Strowman is in. We go down on the stage with John “Bradshaw” Layfield and Charly Caruso for a little bit more hype and some discussion of the Raw Women’s Championship match between Ronda Rousey and Sasha Banks. They pass back to the main panel for more discussion of said match. The Cruiserweight and United States Championship matches are up next for discussion and we go backstage with Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. Mandy says she’s a lot more than a killer body, just ask Naomi. She went after Jimmy Uso to drive her crazy and Sonya says she knows she wasn’t interested in Jimmy, which Rose confirms. They talk up the idea that one win tonight can push you to the top of the card at WrestleMania and tease a little dissension between them. Drake Maverick rolls into an interview backstage and says he’s looking forward to the title match tonight but he’s also still AOP’s manager so he’s been looking for their better interests. They’ve been given an unconventional but welcome opportunity-- Rezar and Scott Dawson will be tagging together tonight with a chance at a future title opportunity on the line. Back to the panel for some more discussion and then a hype reel for the concept of the Royal Rumble. Panel discussion of the Women’s Royal Rumble Match follows, and Fabulous Truth crash the panel. R-Truth has breaking news-- they’re both #30 in their Elimination Chamber matches too! Carmella says the real breaking news is that after they win tonight, the World’s Biggest Dance Break is coming to WrestleMania! Asked if they really believe they’re going to win, they say they will, then the crowd demands a dance break and they get one! Promos from Alexa Bliss and Samoa Joe talking about how they’re going to win their respective Rumbles follow. The Universal Championship scene is up next for recap and panel discussion, and the WWE Championship follows shortly after. This segues into a promo from Daniel Bryan talking about the WWE Universe and their empty, unfulfilled lives and the Chase Field Royal Rumble Burger, which he throws on the ground and steps on. We then go to ringside for our first match of the evening. Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs. Rezar & Scott Dawson Dawson and Roode to start, collar and elbow, Scott with a side headlock, shot off, shoulder block, drop down, slide under, tag to Gable, hip toss denied, whip in to the corner. Corner lariat, Poetry in Motion monkey flip for one and Chad goes for an armbar. Dawson reaching, back to his feet, whip into the corner, up and over into a victory roll, no dice. Pinfall of his own, trading pins, turning crossbody gets Gable two more! Off the ropes, deep arm drag into an old-timey flying headscissors, Scott hangs up in the ropes and ducks a dropkick before tagging Rezar in. Catapult into a chokeslam, clear the apron, clubbing crossfaces in the ropes and Dawson tags himself back in. Dropkick connects, bridging overhead belly-to-belly suplex, overhead elbow and the rear chinlock is applied. Escape, off the ropes, tag to Rezar and he breaks up a sunset flip attempted and hammers the Olympian repeatedly! Tearing at Gable’s face, hard whip puts him sternum-first into the turnbuckles, trading strikes in the middle of the ring, Chad off the ropes and they have an incidental meeting of the minds that leaves both of them down and out. Rezar tags in, elevated choke lift... GABLE COUNTERS WITH A CROSS ARMBAR IN THE ROPES! Scott tags back, Chad tags Roode in and he comes in hot with lariats on lariats! Whip, big back body drop, corner lariat for Rezar, spinning spinebuster! Shoulder thrust, diving blockbuster on Rezar, Dawson with an O’Connor roll and a handful of tights... NOPE! WAR Special from Rezar, Scott off the top with a missile dropkick but he hits his own partner! Tag champs run the big man off, Dawson blocks a pin, gets a pin of his own, but Bobby tags Chad back in... Bobby Roode & Chad Gable win by pinfall with the neckbreaker / diving moonsault combination on Scott Dawson. Lio Rush and Bobby Lashley roll up on JBL and Charly and interrupt with a question-- does anybody here know what it means to be All Mighty or a champion? He says Bob came here to dominate and eliminate and Lashley flexes before they leave. Panel discussion of the SmackDown Women’s Championship match follows, and when we head back to the panel proper, as promised, HBK and David Otunga have swapped in for Booker and Lawler. They discuss the Men’s Royal Rumble match and then run the card down as a whole to shill for the WWE Network. Rusev (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE United States Championship) Rusev in hard with a double leg, shoulder thrust, roundhouse kick, only two! Elbow drops to the face, only a nearfall, straight suplexes, charging lariat sends the King of Strong Style to the floor! Headed out after him, breaking referee Danilo Anfibio’s count and Nakamura jumps over the steps before returning with a jumping kick off them and throwing the champion into the barricade. Back in to break the count, running knee for one, disdainful stomp, big kick, only two! Knee to the side of the head into a guillotine choke but the Bulgarian Lion slings him off and throws a dropkick! Blocking punchs, throwing his own, scoop and a fallaway slam and Rusev has regained control. Charging shoulder, Shinjiro Ohtani spinning wheel kick... NOPE! A punch to the head sends Shinsuke to the floor, Rusev is fired up, off the ropes... DIVE CUT OFF WITH A GAMENGIRI! Duck the roundhouse, land your own, Rusev comes closes to defending his title but can’t put Nakamura away! Stomp to the back, Accolade denied, kick lands, leg drop to the back of the neck, sliding Kinshasa... NOPE! Machka Kick denied, axehandle to the chest, basement superkick! Calling for it, scoop into a Black Hole Slam but Nakamura cuts the followup off with an armbar! Shift to the triangle when Rusev keeps his hands clasped, reverse to a pin, trying for the deadlift, he’s got him up but Shinsuke reverses into a guillotine choke, reversed into a Jackhammer... NOT ENOUGH! Setting his challenger up in the corner, Nakamura slips out and trips him up... LANDSLIDE CAN’T PUT RUSEV DOWN! Shades of his Chaos stablemate Toru Yano, Shinsuke untying the turnbuckle pad while Lana yells at him for cheating, he gets in her face and sidesteps when the Bulgarian Brute comes charging in and he ends up blasting his wife off the apron! Off the ropes... Shinsuke Nakamura wins by pinfall with a running Kinshasa to the back of the neck to win the WWE United States Championship. Back to the panel, they discuss tonight’s changes to the Men’s Royal Rumble Match before moving on to the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. We then go backstage for a Nikki Cross promo where she talks about how all the other women are trapped with her in the Royal Rumble and she’s gonna win. A recap of last night’s NXT TakeOver: Phoenix follows and HBK hypes the post-show brawl up. As well, he announces a special NXT Halftime Heat for next Sunday-- DIY & Adam Cole vs. Aleister Black, Ricochet, & Velveteen Dream, with himself on special guest commentary. Akira Tozawa vs. Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Hideo Itami vs. Kalisto (WWE Cruiserweight Championship) Murphy in everybody’s sights, Itami rolls to the floor and Tozawa goes for a schoolboy! Kalisto takes him off with one, trading pins, Buddy shoves Akira into the corner, block a sunset flip but the Stamina Monster grabs a headscissors octopus! Countered into a backbreaker, Kalisto with a double jump Frankensteiner attempt but Murphy caqtches him and hosses him up! Float over, Kalisto snaps off a headscissors driver, Tozawa cuts him off, dropkick sends Buddy to the floor but the champ rams him into the barricade! Catch a dive from Kalisto, convert it into a suplex on the floor and Hideo returns! Standing firm in the middle of the ring, beckoning the champion back in. Snapmare into a shoot kick to the back, Murphy can play at the same game and they trade back and forth before Itami pastes him with palm strikes. Boots in the corner, Hideo shifts to Kalisto, standing on the second rope, looking for a suplex but Murphy gets under him, powerbomb lift... TOZAWA WITH A SUICIDE DIVE THAT CRASHES INTO BOTH OF THEM AND KALISTO TURNS IT INTO A FRANKENSTEINER! Itami puts the babyfaces back in the ring, two count pin on each in turn, putting boots to them when Buddy comes from behind and Hideo dumps him to the floor. The erstwhile KENTA back to stomping, Kalisto with the upkick and he monkey flips Akira off the apron into the champion! Enzuigiri for Itami, springboard sweated senton, off the ropes, duck a lariat, springboard tornillo! Shoulder thrust in the corner, California Roll... NOPE! Looking for Salida Del Sol, Buddy blocks and Lawn Darts him into Itami! Tozawa missile dropkick, crawl under, Saito suplex and the running knee... NOT ENOUGH! Dragging the champ into position, Itami cuts Akira off in the turnbuckles, looks for Go 2 Sleep but Tozawa counters to a Frankensteiner! Off the ropes... SUICIDE HEADBUTT ON HIDEO! Buddy back body drops Kalisto over the ropes and into both of them before running them himself and taking flight... TOPE CON GIRO! Kalisto back in, headscissors driver on the champ... STILL NO! Kalisto fired up and climbing, Tozawa from behind, Itami in the mix, jockeying for position, Murphy hits a Cheeky Nando’s into a Liger Bomb... AKIRA BREAKS IT UP! Big chops across Buddy’s chest, boot up in the corner, Tozawa up top for a diving crossbody but the champ catches him and rolls through... TOZAWA REVERSED TO A POISON FRANKENSTEINER BUT ITAMI PULLS HIM OFF THE PIN! Everybody picking the bones, Kalisto hits Salida Del Sol on Hideo... NO GOOD! All four men down and out, slow to rise, trading shots, our heels lock eyes and go forearm for forearm! Strike rush, Buddy ducks the backfist, Itami eats a series of kicks, superkick party on Murphy!<doc-sep>

When Finn Balor steps into the ring to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal championship at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view Sunday night at Chase Field in Arizona, it will have been 889 days since he and Seth Rollins wrestled in the inaugural title match for that belt at SummerSlam. Just weeks into his run on the main roster, Balor, as "The Demon," defeated Rollins and immediately put his name forward as one of this generation's brightest talents. Less than 24 hours later, he was handing over the Universal championship and stepping away from WWE after a freak shoulder injury suffered in that match seemingly took away the symbol of all he had worked toward since signing his WWE contract, and as far back as 2000, when his career began in earnest. Balor spent seven grueling months working his way back into shape, and over the past two years he has fought as one of WWE's workhorses to prove that injury was an outlier -- that he has what it takes to be trusted as one of the company's top stars on a day-to-day basis. All told -- counting live events, TV shows and pay-per-views -- Balor wrestled a staggering 169 times in 2018, after 124 matches wrestled in 2017. In Balor's estimation, that kind of grind and claw-back has all been a fulfilling part of the journey. "I feel like when I became Universal champion for the first time, I think perhaps -- all things considered, looking back -- it may have happened too soon, and I wasn't ready," Balor said in a recent interview with ESPN. "And that was just ... that injury was kind of the universe's way of saying, 'Hey, Finn, time to knuckle down and work a little harder.' I thought it was very fitting for my career that it happened the way it happened. It was like another obstacle has been put in my way. "I worked for six years to get out of the independent scene, the United Kingdom and then, you know, and worked for eight years in Japan to establish myself there," Balor continued. "Left [there] and worked for two years to help build NXT and then here I come to WWE, and I'm a house on fire and in three weeks I've got the Universal title in my hands. I feel like it was a very fitting kind of end to that story to kind of knock me back down a peg or two, and then knock me back to the bottom of the pile and make me really fight for what I needed to." Finn Balor and Brock Lesnar are on opposite ends of the spectrum, as Balor wrestled 169 matches in 2018 while Lesnar had only 11 matches. WWE There have been multiple high-profile Intercontinental championship matches, including a barnburner of a WrestleMania opening match, Raw tag-team title shots, a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match, and Balor even made the final four of the 2018 Royal Rumble. But in the past 889 days, Balor has had but one shot at the Universal title -- an August 2018 match on Raw against Roman Reigns, which he lost. Now, at one of the WWE's biggest events of the year, Balor claimed a spot recently vacated by Braun Strowman opposite Lesnar, with that same Universal championship on the line. As with many of the great stories in WWE lore, the mix of storyline and real-life obstacles has led to an underdog whom fans are almost universally behind. Finn Balor's WWE journey was shaped during his time in NXT, during which he helped form the brand and lay the foundation for what it is today. In his own words: "I think NXT continues to evolve. I think it's changed a lot, even since my time there. You know obviously looking back, the time I spent in NXT are some of my fondest memories in this business. Getting to work with Samoa Joe on a regular basis, Kevin Owens, Adrian Neville, Sami Zayn -- all these guys that kind of encompassed what NXT was at the time. ... I feel like since then, a lot of new fresh faces have come in and kind of made it their own. You know, the likes of Ricochet and Adam Cole coming in and really kind of upping the game.

Should Nebraska move on from Miles, Hoiberg would be perhaps the closest thing to a unanimously agreed-upon solution among Nebraska fans. "If Fred wants to have my job, he can probably have my job," Miles said last month on a podcast with national college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman. "But I don’t pay any attention to that, and I don’t begrudge it. I’m just doing as good a job as I can." The Mayor (a nickname earned during his playing days at Iowa State) was born in Lincoln. His niece works in the Nebraska basketball office. His grandfather, Jerry Bush, coached at NU from 1954 to 1963 and was on the NU bench for one of the biggest upsets in Nebraska history — a 43-41 win over Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas in 1958. The ties are plentiful. "As a competitor, you get used to that grind (of coaching)," Hoiberg told The Des Moines Register in February. "For the first couple weeks (after getting fired by Chicago), I didn’t know what to do. I’d wake up, my wife would drag me to this yoga class that she does. I'd have coffee with my wife and her friends, and we'd talk about the Real Housewives of Something." He has connections at every level of basketball and even has a good resource on the inner workings of Husker hoops — former Nebraska coach Doc Sadler was an assistant under Hoiberg at Iowa State in 2013-14.<doc-sep>As of today, Tim Miles remains Nebraska’s head coach. The Huskers made a nice effort to save his job, making a run to the Big Ten quarterfinals, before losing a tough game to Wisconsin. The Huskers are NIT-bound after a trying season, and it sounds like Miles’ seat is as hot as possible. It is unclear if an NIT title or deep run would save his job. After Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament run came to a close, athletic director Bill Moos released a statement saying that his “evaluation” of the program would come after the NIT. One major name has already been identified as a candidate, should the Huskers job open. On Monday, rumors began to surface about former Chicago Bulls and Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg. Hoiberg has been connected to some NBA roles, but he was most successful at his alma mater ISU on the college level. There appears to be some potential fire to the smoke surrounding Fred Hoiberg and Nebraska basketball. Today, the Lincoln Journal Star reports that there has been contact, and talks between the two sides are “advanced.” That certainly doesn’t sound optimistic for those who want to see Miles keep his job. The seventh-year Huskers coach is 115–113 in his time in Lincoln, but just 52–76 in Big Ten play. The team reached its first NCAA Tournament since 1998 under Miles in 2014. This year, it makes its third post-season under Miles, and second-straight NIT. The Huskers host Butler in that tournament’s first round tomorrow night. [Lincoln Journal Star]<doc-sep>Our beloved athletic director Bill Moos is screwed. He is. I’ll start with this: Contact has been made between Nebraska and Hoiberg, source says | Men's Basketball | journalstar.com Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told the Journal Star there has been contact between Nebraska and Hoiberg, and discussions are advanced. Hoiberg-to-Nebraska rumors have been swirling for weeks, and reports began to surface Monday afternoon on Twitter that the Iowa State legend was indeed in Nebraska's crosshairs. This sets up some possibly bad things for our basketball program with only one good outcome. Let’s look at the scenarios regarding the end of the season for Nebrasketball: Miles is retained This is unlikely. I love me some Tim Miles, but he’s had seven years to get a NCAA tourney win and he hasn’t done it. Shame is, I believe he’s figured out the secret sauce to getting talent to come into Nebraska. I feel like we’ll be doing Miles a favor by firing him. He can go on with his career and probably be successful somewhere else. If Miles is retained a good percentage of the basketball fan base will crap themselves and swear to never watch again until he’s gone. “I’LL NEVER ATTEND ANOTHER GAME” - It’s the same bullshit as “If that guy gets elected I’m moving out of the country.” Four people follow through, but nobody knows or cares who they are. Still, there’s that fragmentation. Miles is fired and replaced by a mid major coach Note that the sign says “College Football”. I’m not trying to be rude, but Nebraska fans aren’t exactly the most knowledgeable people when it comes to college basketball. Winning championships in football requires your team win all of its games or damned close to it. Being good in Big Ten basketball requires you win 50% of your conference games. These two sports are nowhere near each other in this regard, yet Nebraska fans tend to take their football knowledge and translate it to basketball. It doesn’t work. If you took a poll, two names consistently showed up in fans’ listed of coaches they’d like to see take over our basketball program - Fred Hoiberg and Tyronn Lue. This shouldn’t be surprising. Most fans will name a former Nebraska player to replace a position coach in football before they mention anyone else. I like Lue, but there is zero indication he could coach a college basketball team. From a fan’s perspective there are two BIG problems with the “mid major coach” scenario: Nebraska has hired mid major coaches in the past and they have failed. Fans are not anxious to see this again. Nobody knows who the mid major coaches are before they’re hired and therefore they have to start out trying to win the fan base over. Okay... “Nobody” isn’t entirely correct. Basketball aficionados would know. Unfortunately, there are very few of them and they get drowned out by the masses of ignorance. The “mid major coach” is certainly not the best case scenario. Miles is fired and replaced by Fred Hoiberg This is the only scenario in which Bill Moos looks good. Fred Hoiberg is a name that even casual Nebraska basketball fans know. He was born in Lincoln. His grandfather coached basketball at Nebraska. OMG HE’S ONE OF US - so it fits the ties that bind checkbox, the one where people think you have to know Nebraska to coach at Nebraska because we’re such a distinct culture. This scenario has been set up by Nebraska’s media over the past few weeks. It’s been set up by us, the fans. He’s got the name everyone recognizes. He’s a proven winner, except in the NBA and who cares about the NBA? Fred Hoiberg is the “Scott Frost” in all these scenarios. He’s the one coach that Moos has to land if Tim Miles is fired. Anyone else, and Moos looks like he’s done a bad job. Having Said All This.... There is SO MUCH GOING ON RIGHT NOW! It could be that Hoiberg is already a done deal. Maybe Bill Moos got his man a couple weeks ago and he’s waiting for the season to end to announce Miles is gone and Hoiberg is in. I’d like to believe this, but Nebrasketball has been so damned disappointing and cursed over the years I find it hard to believe it could happen. It could be that Hoiberg’s agent is creating buzz in order to get Hoiberg more money, although it’s unlikely that he needs any more name-awareness than he already has. It could be that Tim Miles has been left in the dark and does not know his fate. The same could be true for the basketball team. All that we have right now are rumors, rumors, and more rumors. Who are these “sources with knowledge of the situation”? Hoiberg’s agent? A loose-lipped athletic department employee who likes to leak things to the media? If that’s the case, I’d fire everyone in the basketball office if I were Bill Moos and didn’t want this crap to continue. An athletic department employee who leaks things to the media with the full knowledge of his superiors because leaking things is driving the narrative the way they want it to go? If that’s the case, I’d probably give everyone in the basketball office a raise.. if I were Bill Moos. A reporter with a turd in his pocket? I’d like to think our Nebraska media is trustworthy, but, hey, if I don’t mention this I’m not being objective am I? Have you ever noticed how the Omaha and Lincoln papers write the same stories all the time? A reporter with two turds in his pocket? Am I playing on your hatred of media? Yes. THIS THING GOT MORE TWISTS THAN A SOAP OPERA! It Will Be Interesting If... Nebraska makes a run in the NIT. The basketball team is at 18-16 now. Win a couple games, and POW! - they’re at 20 wins. I’m not going to look it up, but our beloved Huskers have not had a plethora of 20-win seasons. Firing a coach with that resume will bring back memories of Frank Solich being fired after a 9-3 season.. won’t it? This makes it even more imperative that Moos has Hoiberg in the bag. What Would Be More Damaging to Nebrasketball Right Now? Firing Tim Miles or having Fred Hoiberg say “NO”, even if it comes out that Hoiberg was offered a top-notch contract? Bottom Line - TL;DR If Bill Moos doesn’t land Fred Hoiberg as the next Nebraska basketball coach, will it be the equivalent of him not landing Scott Frost when Frost was the only guy Nebraska fans would have accepted? There are a lot of things that need to go Nebraska’s way here and that includes your opinion on whether Bill Moos is a good athletic director. The odds are not in his favor.<doc-sep>

Nebraska Basketball reportedly has their man. It appears that Nebraska basketball has their sights set on a new coach and that it is a done deal. According to multiple media reports, Fred Hoiberg is expected to be officially announced as the Nebraska Basketball head coach. Normally, I would not give credence to these rumors. However, the fact that Robin Washnut did not exactly say “no” to this information is very telling. It would appear this is reaching “done deal” territory. https://t.co/llUQIPcyDe — Robin Washut (@RobinWashut) March 20, 2019 Hoiberg is set to come into a Nebraska Basketball program that is expected to see a lot of turnover following seasons and. He will certainly have his work cut out for him as youth will now have to take over following the departures of guys such as James Palmer Jr. and Glynn Watson Jr. He will presumably have some pieces to build the program around such as Isaiah Roby. However, there is also the possibility that some players may leave the program with the departure of Tim Miles. In that case, the program should focus on trying to retain as many players as they can. Hoiberg is definitely the right man to turn the Nebraska basketball program around. He has experience both in the collegiate and professional ranks. He won the Big 12 Coach of the Year Award in 2012 and guided Iowa State to Two Big 12 Tournament championships in 2014 and 2015. Say what you want about his resume in the National Basketball Association. That was a little less impressive, as he finished his time in Chicago with a 115-155 record. The track record of success that he enjoyed in the college ranks would never materialize in the NBA. However, it is his ability to coach at the collegiate level that will definitely help Nebraska here. He may not be the most flashy name on the market but he can certainly get the job done. He has proven it and he will look to do the same for Nebraska Basketball. With the departures in the senior class and the new talent that the program will have to bring in, Hoiberg will certainly have his work cut out for him. His wealth of basketball knowledge should be an asset in Lincoln. Success will not happen overnight, but there is a very good chance that it could happen under Hoiberg’s watch. Tim Miles is a great guy and has truly built the program back up to respectability. If it was not for Miles, Hoiberg probably does not get a chance at this job or even wants to consider it. Miles helped stabilize the program and allowed it to be competitive. With a handful of postseason tournament appearances and several solid recruits under his watch, Miles is the type of coach that Nebraska Basketball needed at the time of his hire. Miles has certainly had a good run here, but it is time to go in a different direction. Hopefully, Miles will be able to land on his feet quickly.

Want even more betting news? Sign up for VSiN's free daily newsletter . Listen Live to VSiN's sports betting shows Want even more betting news? Sign up for VSiN's free daily newsletter . Listen Live to VSiN's sports betting shows UCF is the lower-seeded NCAA Tournament team in this No. 8-No. 9 first-round matchup, but the murkiness seems to surround the team that is currently the underdog on the betting board. VCU’s leading scorer, Marcus Evans, was injured in the team’s Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament semifinal game last week and is questionable as of Friday evening. Though this is a Virginia Commonwealth team that brings as many as five players off the bench to play meaningful minutes, this hurts one of the lesser offensive teams in the field. VCU ranks second-worst among March Madness teams in 3-point shooting and must face a Central Florida team with 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall, who registers the second-most blocks of any player in the NCAA Tournament. • Printable NCAA bracket: Complete 2019 March Madness field Though VCU ranks second in Division I basketball in defensive efficiency, the Knights have the upper hand in regards to rebound rate and do a good job of being able to get to the free-throw line. The Rams rank 312th in the country in fouls per game committed, and UCF takes the most free throws per field goal attempt of any NCAA Tournament team. This should allow the Knights to rack up easy points and pull out the win. THE PICK: Take UCF, -1. Greg Peterson handicaps college basketball in VSiN’s Point Spread Weekly. Sign up for a one-week free trial at VSiN.com/free.<doc-sep>The NCAA Tournament Round of 64 is entering the last few games, and soon enough we’ll know the entire field of 32. First, #9 Central Florida have to face off against #8 VCU in an even matchup that should keep any fan engaged through the end. How to Watch the NCAA Tournament First Round: UCF vs. VCU Date: Friday, March 22 Time: 9:30 p.m. ET Location: Columbia, SC TV Channel: CBS Live Stream: fuboTV – start your 7-day free trial to watch every NCAA Tournament game #9 UCF The University of Central Florida could do with some pep in their step entering March Madness, with the school returning to the NCAA Tournament after 14 years away but lacking in form somewhat. The school’s last game was a disappointing 79-55 loss to Memphis in the quarter-finals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament, and Friday’s opponents VCU threaten to give them as good a run for their money. The UCF Knights went 23-8 in the regular season and beat two ranked opponents toward the end of their conference slate (Houston and Cincinnati), showing they at least have the potential to surprise. Despite suffering defeat in each of their last two outings, coach Johnny Dawkins can hope for a fruitful return to the East Region bracket. #8 VCU Mike Rhoades was unsuccessful in his attempt to qualify for the NCAA Tournament during his maiden season as VCU coach, but the school have returned after demonstrating great promise during their 2019 season. Following a mid-season wobble in form, VCU ended 25-7 and took the Atlantic 10’s regular-season crown. It didn’t translate in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, however, as they crumbled 75-70 to Rhode Island in their first-round matchup and bowed out at the first hurdle. They meet the University of Central Florida in Columbia on Friday and are looking to make it into the round of 32 for the 10th time in the school’s history. 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.<doc-sep>#8 VCU vs. #9 UCF: NCAA Tournament Betting Odds Spread: UCF +1 Over/Under: 126.5 Date: Friday, March 22 Time: 9:40 p.m. ET TV: CBS Location: Columbia, S.C. >> All odds as of Thursday night. Download The Action Network App to get real-time odds and live win probabilities on your bets. The Knights (18-12-1 against the spread) have dropped their past two games ATS after covering in each of their previous eight contests. On the flip side, the Rams (20-11-1 ATS) failed to cover in three of their past five affairs. Which team presents the most value in this Round of 64 matchup? Let’s breakdown the biggest factors. How Healthy is Marcus Evans? The 6-foot-2 guard exited the Rams’ Atlantic 10 tournament quarterfinals (knee injury) and failed to return. Evans isn’t able to simulate game action in practice, but he’s set to give it a go for their contest against the Knights. Evans has notched the 23rd-highest steal rate (4.1%) in the country, but it’s unknown how much lateral movement he’ll have at that end of the court. Will Tacko Fall 7 Co. Dominate Inside? The Knights’ 59th-ranked Adjusted Offensive Efficiency (110.6 points per 100 possessions) stems from their prowess for attacking the rim. Not only has Johnny Dawkins’ bunch produced the 79th-highest 2-point clip (52.5%) in college basketball — led by the 7-foot-6, 310-pound Tacko Fall (10.9 points per game) — but it has also generated the second-highest free-throw rate (46.4%) in the country. UCF point guard B.J. Taylor (16.0 ppg) initiates it all, along with tallying the 31st-highest individual rate in that department. VCU has struggled to stay out of foul trouble, especially in A-10 play, allowing the second-highest free-throw rate (37.6%). Overall, Mike Rhoades’ squad has let up the 20th-highest scoring from that vicinity (20.9%). The Rams still possess an advantage in the turnover department, though, even if Evans isn’t as effective as usual. They’ve manufactured the ninth-highest opponents’ turnover rate (23.4%) while the Knight accrued the fifth-highest rate in AAC play. Expect Rhoades’ ball pressure to give UCF issues, particularly when it looks to feed Fall in the low-post. Can VCU Succeed in Half-Court Sets? The Rams’ transition offense is electric when they turn their opponents over, utilizing the 40th-highest average possession length (16.1 seconds). But their interior offense has been effective, too, totaling the 52nd-highest 2-point clip (53.7%) in the nation. The 6-foot-7 Marcus Santos-Silva (10.1 ppg) showcased his low-post prowess following Evans’ departure on Friday, going off for a 26-point, 22-rebound performance. UCF’s 2-point defense regressed in conference play, yielding the fourth-highest scoring rate (49.4%) to league foes. That’s a product of its inability to control the glass, and VCU owns the 88th-highest offensive rebounding rate (31.1%) in the country. Expect the 6-foot-6 Isaac Vaas and the aforementioned Santos-Silva to have a major impact inside the arc, and anything Evans delivers off the dribble is a plus. Eli’s Pick: VCU +1, but don’t bet it past VCU PK. Our Projected Odds: VCU vs. UCF Get point spreads for this game and every possible tournament matchup with our bracket simulator built by Sean Koerner, our Director of Predictive Analytics, a former oddsmaker and FantasyPros’ most accurate in-season fantasy football ranker from 2015-2017. Spread: UCF -1 UCF -1 Total: 125.5 125.5 Proj Score: VCU 62.5 | UCF 63.5 VCU 62.5 | UCF 63.5 Win Probability: VCU 49.8% | UCF 50.2%<doc-sep>Streeter Lecka/Getty Images Tacko Fall posted 13 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks as UCF beat VCU 73-58 on Friday at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. The Knights defense was astounding, holding the Rams to just 31.1 percent shooting. No VCU player had more than 11 points or four field goals. The Rams also went just 6-of-26 from three-point range and lost the battle on the boards to UCF, 42-34. The Rams did not score for the final 5:41 of the first half or the first 5:41 of the second half. Fall proved to be a bit of a matchup problem for the Rams, as this sequence showed: That may not have resulted in a UCF bucket, but this one did: Rams forward Sean Mobley was the tallest VCU starter on the floor at 6'8", so a mismatch seemed inevitable. That could be said for all of UCF's opponents, of course, but Fall had little issue on both ends Friday. Video Play Button Videos you might like As Rodger Sherman of The Ringer pointed out, Fall is remarkably efficient on the offensive end: In fact, Fall has shot at least 50 percent from the field in every game since Jan. 23. He made six of nine shots Friday. The game started in ugly fashion, with a Mobley and-1 layup acting as the contest's only points for the first six minutes. The two teams finally started hitting some shots at the end of the first half, but the Knights proceeded to go on a 19-0 run over the span of VCU's scoreless drought. The run started with back-to-back three-pointers: UCF used its long-range proficiency to control the game, going 9-of-14 from deep. On the other end, the Rams couldn't get much of anything going. Kevin Sweeney of CBB Central revealed VCU's first-half depth chart, which included zero makes from three-point range: The Rams missed their first 13 threes. Two Vince Williams free throws finally stopped the pointless streak, and the Rams finally gained some momentum late in the second half. An 11-0 run cut the UCF lead to 59-50 with 6:41 left, and a De'Riante Jenkins three-pointer later closed the gap to seven. However, the Rams couldn't come any closer than that deficit. UCF will now face Duke on Sunday, once again in Columbia.<doc-sep>

The Virginia Commonwealth Rams were the cream of the crop of the Atlantic 10 Conference this season. Under the guidance of second-year head coach Mike Rhoades, they improved from 18-15 to 25-6 from last year to this one, including a 12-game winning streak from late January to March 8. Sandwiching that streak is a pair of losses to defending champion Rhode Island, including one in VCU’s opening round game of the conference tournament this past weekend. While the Rams weren’t breathing hard about making it to the NCAA Tournament, the loss saw them drop a few seed lines in Joe Lunardi’s bracketology on ESPN. They landed with a No. 8 seed in the East Regional, setting up a first-round matchup with No. 9 seed Central Florida. VCU is now tasked with replicating its magical 2011 run to the Final Four. Before diving into predictions and picks, let’s take a look at the Rams season to this point. VCU NCAA Tournament Resume The unquestioned highlight of the non-conference was a 54-53 victory over former VCU coach Shaka Smart and the Texas Longhorns. That was during the point of the season when Texas was topping elite programs such as North Carolina, so VCU notched a big win on the road over a decent power conference squad. Texas vs. VCU Men's Basketball Highlights 2018-12-06T04:30:02.000Z A single-digit loss to No. 1 seed Virginia can be seen as a positive, while an overtime loss to a fellow tournament team in St. John’s could’ve boosted the Rams’ overall profile. The Atlantic 10 is not particularly strong this season, as Ken Pomeroy pegs it as his No. 12 conference overall. With that said, VCU beat a top-75 NET team in Dayton twice, which isn’t nothing. VCU NCAA Tournament Predictions and Picks The Rams became a national darling with their Final Four run in 2011, but have not even sniffed similar success since then. In 6 NCAA Tournament appearances since, they have just 3 wins in 9 games, with all of the victories coming in the Round of 64. The losses include double-digit blowouts at the hands of Michigan in 2013 and an upset to No. 12 seed Stephen F. Austin in 2014. Rhoades has helped build one of the best defenses in America. Pomeroy ranks it as the No. 7 efficiency unit in the country, which includes the third-stingiest effective field goal defense. The Rams wreak havoc on ball-handlers, forcing turnovers on over 23 percent of opponent possessions. On the other side of the ball, four players carry the bulk of the scoring load. Junior guard Marcus Evans leads the way with 13.8 points per game, while De’Riante Jenkins (11.4 ppg), Issac Vann (10.9) and Marcus Santos-Silva (10.1) are the only others who average in double figures. Central Florida presents a literally formidable presence in Senegal center Tacko Fall. He stands a ludicrous 7-foot-6, 310 pounds while shooting over 75 percent from inside the arc (No. 4 nationally). The Knights can stretch a defense with the 3-point touch of Aubrey Dawkins (39.2 percent) and BJ Taylor (36.8 percent). The Knights earned a top-25 ranking at one point late in the season, but faded late with a 2-game losing streak. VCU should be able to harass a decently-sized, but not a tremendously skilled ball-handling opponent. With a win, VCU would have to upset No. 1 overall seed Duke (probably) in the Round of 32 to advance. Zion Williamson will be too much for either VCU or UCF. OddsShark gives the Rams +10000 odds to win the national title.

The NBA released their second round of fan voting returns for the 2019 All-Star Game on Thursday afternoon and LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving and, surprisingly enough, Luka Doncic are the players who jumped out to a sizeable lead in the overall vote. While those big names appear primed to lock up a spot in the league's annual midseason exhibition game, there are a number of other players fighting for an opportunity to better their chances via the outcome of the fan vote, which accounts for 50% of the selection process, in hopes of punching their ticket to Charlotte this February.<doc-sep>The second returns of NBA All-Star Voting 2019, presented by Google, were announced on Thursday, and Stephen Curry has the most votes among Western Conference guards.The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to lead their respective conferences. Fans account for 50 percent of the vote to determine the 10 starters for the 68th NBA All-Star Game, which will take place at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT. All current NBA players anda media panel each account for 25 percent of the vote, with those voters completing one full ballot featuring twoguards and three frontcourt players from each conference. Players may vote for their teammates or themselves.Voting for fans, players and media will conclude on Monday, Jan. 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET. James leads all players with 2,779,812 votes to maintain the top spot in the WesternConference frontcourt. Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Dončić (2,220,077) continues to rank second in the Westfrontcourt and has climbed to second among all West players. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paul George(1,859,216) has moved up to third place in the West frontcourt, followed by the Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant (1,717,968) in fourth place and the New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis (1,564,347) in fifth place. Golden State’s Stephen Curry (2,094,158) has increased his lead among West guards, while the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Derrick Rose (1,986,840) remains in second place. The Houston Rockets’ James Harden (1,674,660) and Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook (1,494,382) are still in third and fourth place, respectively. In the Eastern Conference, Antetokounmpo (2,670,816) has strengthened his position as the leading vote-getter. The top three players in the East frontcourt are unchanged, with Antetokounmpo joined by the Toronto Raptors’ KawhiLeonard (2,092,806) in second place and the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (1,710,229) in third place. The East guard group is again led by the Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving (2,381,901) and the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (1,199,789). The Charlotte Hornets’ Kemba Walker (858,798) continues to hold third place, while Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons (695,032) remains in fourth place. The 2019 NBA All-Star Game will follow last year’s format: The two team captains will draft rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference, making their picks regardless of conference affiliation.The captains will be the All-Star starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes in his conference.Details about the NBA All-Star Draft will be announced at a later date. TNT will reveal the NBA All-Star Game starters, including the two captains, on Thursday, Jan. 24 during TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader, featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. The network will announce the reserves, as selected by NBA head coaches, on Thursday, Jan. 31 during TNT NBA Tip-Off. NBA ALL-STAR VOTING 2019 PRESENTED BY GOOGLE: SECOND FAN RETURNS Western Conference Guards 1. Stephen Curry (GSW) 2,094,158 2. Derrick Rose (MIN) 1,986,840 3. James Harden (HOU) 1,674,660 4. Russell Westbrook (OKC) 1,494,382 5. Klay Thompson (GSW) 706,960 6. Damian Lillard (POR) 610,839 7. DeMar DeRozan (SAS) 594,012 8. Lonzo Ball (LAL) 529,164 9. Devin Booker (PHO) 310,944 10. Chris Paul (HOU) 306,808 Frontcourt: 1. LeBron James (LAL) 2,779,812 2. Luka Dončić (DAL) 2,220,077 3. Paul George (OKC) 1,859,216 4. Kevin Durant (GSW) 1,717,968 5. Anthony Davis (NOP) 1,564,347 6. Steven Adams (OKC) 1,034,014 7. Nikola Jokić (DEN) 740,918 8. Kyle Kuzma (LAL) 584,842 9. Draymond Green (GSW) 411,131 10. DeMarcus Cousins (GSW) 276,849 Eastern Conference Guards 1. Kyrie Irving (BOS) 2,381,901 2. Dwyane Wade (MIA) 1,199,789 3. Kemba Walker (CHA) 858,798 4. Ben Simmons (PHI) 695,032 5. Victor Oladipo (IND) 567,893 6. Kyle Lowry (TOR) 488,825 7. Zach LaVine (CHI) 330,504 8. Jeremy Lin (ATL) 200,648 9. Goran Dragić (MIA) 191,541 10. Bradley Beal (WAS) 168,137 Frontcourt: 1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) 2,670,816 2. Kawhi Leonard (TOR) 2,092,806 3. Joel Embiid (PHI) 1,710,229 4. Jayson Tatum (BOS) 599,289 5. Jimmy Butler (PHI) 569,354 6. Blake Griffin (DET) 500,072 7. Vince Carter (ATL) 273,719 8. Gordon Hayward (BOS) 237,813 9. Pascal Siakam (TOR) 206,290 10. Al Horford (BOS) 199,474 After all votes are tallied, players will be ranked in each conference by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups – fan votes, player votes and media votes. Each player’s score will be calculated by averaging his weighted rank from the fan votes, the player votes and the media votes. The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference will be named NBA All-Star Game starters. Fan voting will serve as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score. NBA All-Star Voting 2019 presented by Google began on Dec. 25 and concludes on Jan. 21. The third and final fan voting update will be shared on Thursday, Jan. 17. During the voting period, five “2-for-1 Days” allow fans to have their votes count twice. The remaining 2-for-1 Days, which are designated 12 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. ET, take place today, tomorrow and Jan. 21 through all voting platforms. The other 2-for-1 Days were held on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4. How Fans Can Vote<doc-sep>Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird... none of them can hold a candle to Luka Doncic when it comes to racking up All-Star votes as a rookie. When the NBA unveiled the third release of the All-Star fan vote, Luka Doncic ranked second in the Western Conference and third in the entire NBA. He's now jumped up in each of the voting releases after the rookie phenom was ranked seventh overall in the first release and fourth overall after the second. For those who surmised that those initial results couldn't possibly last, Doncic is proving that he carries significant staying power in the hearts and minds of fans all over the world. MORE: Takeaways from third All-Star voting release That a 19-year old rookie stands toe-to-toe in what's essentially a popularity contest with the biggest names in a star-driven league that's dripping with marketable, forward-facing talent is simply incredible. Even more remarkable? Comparing his rookie All-Star voting results to how some of the game's biggest legends fared as rookies. The monsoon of support showered upon a rookie just doesn't happen very often. Not like this. Here's how some of the most notable rookies fared in All-Star voting. Michael Jordan https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/a8/47/michael-jordan_1t9lok2bo21211xn8yor2scwma.jpg?t=-789221841&w=500 Rookie season: 1984-85 3rd in Eastern Conference 5th in overall voting All-Star? Yes Stats at All-Star break: 27.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.5 APG Given that Michael Jordan reigned supreme as the NBA's most popular world-wide athlete throughout his career and even after his playing days, it's somewhat surprising that he "only" finished fifth in All-Star voting in 1985. You'd have to think that had the internet and social media existed, Jordan could have ended up higher. Nevertheless, he finished behind Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Moses Malone and Ralph Sampson. That even Jordan couldn't finish higher as a rookie is a true testament to just how popular Doncic is today relative to his own peers. https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/9f/14/the-bubble-burst-on-lebrons-all-star-campaign-as-a-rookie_2bqkwseyh0h1qdiwwk647m6e.png?t=1049554784&w=500 Rookie season: 2003-04 7th in Eastern Conference 13th in overall voting All-Star? No Stats at All-Star break: 20.4 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5.7 RPG LeBron James was left off the 2003-04 All-Star team as a rookie after not being named a starter by the fans. The reserves selected by coaches that year included Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, Jamaal Magloire, Ron Artest, Baron Davis, Michael Redd and Paul Pierce. For what it's worth, the Cavaliers were just 20-33 at the All-Star break and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Every Eastern Conference All-Star played for a team above the Cavaliers in the standings at the time of the All-Star break. Yao Ming https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/d1/b5/yao-mings-all-star-debut-came-in-michael-jordans-final-all-star-game_g35hgnv46b5c1xf8tibclrs4w.png?t=1049414208&w=500 Rookie season: 2002-03 2nd in Western Conference 4th in overall voting All-Star? Yes Stats at All-Star break: 13.0 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.0 Blks PG Yao's popularity as an international sensation might actually be the closest comparison to how Luka Doncic has taken the NBA by storm with the support of an overseas fanbase. As popular as Yao was from Day 1 and with the sheer volume of votes from China and elsewhere, Yao still finished second in the West behind Kobe Bryant and fourth overall. Voted in as a starter in all eight of his seasons, including 2010-11 when injuries limited him to just five total games, Yao's positional dominance when it came to All-Star voting was enough to usurp the spot from Shaquille O'Neal early on and help pave the "he's a forward!" road for Tim Duncan's All-Star candidacy. Kobe Bryant https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/b3/19/kobe-bryant-won-the-dunk-contest-as-a-rookie_1prj97ybmsv8a1mrwyf5b29wjd.png?t=1049599160&w=500 Rookie season: 1996-97 N/A in voting (not on the ballot as a rookie) All-Star? No Stats at All-Star break: 7.0 PPG, 14.5 Mins PG, off the bench in 37 of 39 games Though not on the ballot for the All-Star Game as a rookie, an 18-year old Bryant still electrified the All-Star weekend crowd in Cleveland as he soared to the Slam Dunk title defeating a field that consisted of Ray Allen, Michael Finley, Bob Sura, Darvin Ham and Chris Carr. Bryant would, of course, make his first All-Star team the following season and go on to make 18 All-Star teams, the second-most in NBA history behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Larry Bird https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/7/9f/larry-bird-did-not-make-the-all-star-team-as-a-rookie_94ngyx2yv07c18nc9gw5yf4ta.png?t=1049657608&w=500 Rookie season: 1979-80 12th in Eastern Conference 22nd in overall voting All-Star? Yes Stats at All-Star break: 19.3 PPG in 53 games Bird finished fourth among forwards in the Eastern Conference in All-Star voting behind Julius Erving, John Drew and Dan Roundfield. Despite coming off the bench, Bird still tallied seven assists in his first All-Star game - an overtime thriller. With 1:40 left in the OT period, Bird drained a 3-pointer, the first made 3 in All-Star game history. Shaquille O'Neal https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/5b/cc/a-rookie-shaquille-oneal-jokes-with-scottie-pippen-at-the-1993-all-star-game_1s1szibxe324j1vt348ol6h9zd.png?t=1049904208&w=500 Rookie season: 1992-93 3rd in Eastern Conference 4th in overall voting All-Star? Yes Stats at All-Star break: 24.0 PPG, 14.3 RPG, 4.0 Blks PG The only players that received more votes than rookie Shaq were Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley. When you're a 20-year old centre playing in a league with established centres like Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing and the only players receiving more votes are three Dream Teamers, two members of the ruling dynasty (Jordan, Pippen) and that season's eventual MVP (Barkley), you know you're doing something right. O'Neal scored 14 points in 25 minutes in his first All-Star game. Grant Hill https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/19/8d/grant-hill-2nd-from-right-top-row-led-all-players-in-voting-for-the-1995-all-star-game_p9futtnjjmk1gxcq331zw01g.png?t=1049489736&w=500 Rookie season: 1994-95 1st in Eastern Conference 1st in overall voting All-Star? Yes Stats at All-Star break: 18.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.3 APG Grant Hill was the last rookie to lead all players in All-Star voting, filling the void left by Michael Jordan's first retirement from the Chicago Bulls. Magic Johnson https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/53/a7/magic-johnson-2nd-from-right-top-row-started-the-all-star-game-as-a-rookie_1ogaobttlk5fd18a3cyop0mjjc.png?t=1049743672&w=500 Rookie season: 1979-80 2nd in Western Conference 3rd in NBA All-Star? Yes Stats at All-Star break: 18.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG A rookie Magic Johnson was almost as popular in the eyes of All-Star voters as his teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the only Western Conference player to receive more votes. Every Rookie to Start the All-Star Game Of course, the fans only make up 50% of the vote in determining who will actually start the All-Star Game. The players (25%) and media (25%) also have a sizeable voice, so there's certainly no guarantee that Doncic starts (or even makes the team) should he remain where he currently sits in the fan vote. There have been 16 rookies overall to start the All-Star Game, most recently Yao Ming in 2003.<doc-sep>

The first returns from 2019 NBA All-Star Game voting are in and The Crossover is here to weigh in. We pick the early winners and losers. The NBA released the first round of All-Star fan voting Thursday, and as has become custom in recent years, the voters chose to reward popularity. LeBron James is the top vote-getter in the world, breaking over one million votes through the first tabulation. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the vote leader in the East, which means if the current results hold, LeBron and The Greek Freak would be the captains for the All-Star draft. Elsewhere, Luke Doncic and Kevin Durant are Nos. 2 and 3 for West frontcourt votes, while Derrick Rose has the second-most votes amongst guards behind Stephen Curry. In the East, Giannis is trailed by Kawhi Leonard and Joel Embiid, while Kyrie Irving and Dwyane Wade are leading all guards. Those who are on the outside looking in on the first ballot include Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Ben Simmons and Jayson Tatum. Others receiving significant votes include DeMarcus Cousins, Zach LaVine, and Vince Carter. (The fan returns can be viewed here.) For now, let’s run through some winners and losers. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images Winner: LeBron James With James now in Los Angeles, he will no longer go head to head with Curry as captains. But they will be battling for votes, and as far as the fans are concerned, King James is still more popular than than both Curry and Durant. It surely helps James that he’s a) one of the best players of all-time and b) he’s playing for one of the most globally popular basketball franchises, but it has to be at least somewhat reassuring for him to remain ahead of his peers in terms of fan voting. NADKARNI: Is LeBron Still Chasing the Ghost of MJ? Loser: The All-Star Draft Giannis vs. LeBron on the court is always a great matchup, but there’s no real rivalry between the two players. As far as captains go, LeBron and Steph were a great pairing last year. The one that would be most fun this season is probably LeBron and Kyrie, or even LeBron and Kawhi. With the draft being televised for the first time, I need more drama injected into the proceedings. There’s no personal storyline that would add intrigue to LeBron and Giannis going head-to-head as captains. Let’s hope that sorts itself out as the voting continues. Glenn James and Noah Graham/Getty Images Winner: Luka Doncic Whoa! Lukamania is in full swing, as the Mavs rookie is currently in like for a starting spot if voting holds. He’s really ahead of guys like KD, AD, and PG, or players who are so good that we can casually refer to them by their initials. If Doncic does end up starting—and we have a long way to go—he would be the first rookie to be voted in as a starter since Yao Ming in 2003. We can debate the merits of what makes an All-Star all day. I think it’s inarguable that Luka has been one of the most fun players in the league this season, and seeing what he can do on a roster filled with superstars would be incredibly fun. Loser: Balance The East-West divide is still too strong. Sure, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi are now in the East, but losing LeBron is another significant blow to conference balance. The fantasy draft helps matters, but the logical next step for Adam Silver is to make the All-Star Game conference agnostic. I mean, just look at the voting. D-Wade is second in voting among East guards; he would be fifth in the West with the same number of votes. Anthony Davis and Jimmy Butler are both in fourth place in frontcourt voting in their respective conference; Davis has nearly 400,000 more votes. The fans have spoken, and there are more popular players out West who deserve a chance to play. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Winner: Sentimentality Vince Carter received the seventh-most votes in the East frontcourt. D-Wade is in line to start. I’m on record saying both of these guys should be in the All-Star Game. And the league should add Dirk Nowitzki for good measure. I promise the integrity of the league won’t collapse if the NBA allows players who’ve made a historic impact on the game to participate in one last All-Star on their way out of the league.

Mac Miller's name added to Blue Slide Park location on Google Maps Share Shares Copy Link Copy Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER DAVID KAPLAN WAS ON HAND FOR THE SOMBER CELEBRATION OF THE SUPER STAR'S TOO-SHORT LIFE REPORTER: TO CALL THIS A VIGIL WOULD BE UNFAI YES, THERE WERE CANDLES. YES, PEOPLE ARE VERY SAD. BUT THIS WAS AS MUCH A CELEBRATION AS ANYTHING; REJOICING IN THE SHORT LIFE OF A MAN WHO NEVER FORGOT HIS ROOTS. >> I'M JUST A REGULAR GUY WITH AN IRREGULAR LIFE. REPORTER: A MAC MILLER LYRIC IN A SONG KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD CALLED BLUE SLIDE PARK.AND TONIGHT, IN THAT VERY AND TONIGHT, IN THAT VERY PAR >> WE'RE CELEBRATING HIS LIF REPORTER: THOSE FROM PITTSBU AND FROM FURTHER AWA >> WE'RE HERE. REPORTER: TODAY IS JAKE ANDERSON'S BIRTHDAY. HE AND TWO OF HIS FRIENDS CAME ALL THE WAY FROM HARRISBURG. FEW PEOPLE SPOKE AT THIS VIGIL. IT WAS, IN MANY WAYS, A PITTSBURGH BLOCK PARTY: BLACK AND GOLD ALL OVER, MILLER'S MUSIC BLARING, BUT A SADNESS FOR SURE >> OVERWHELMING. AND IT MAKES ME FEEL HE WOULD HAVE JUST LOVED TO BE PART OF IT. REPORTER: MARCIA WEISS IS MILLER'S GRANDMO SHE AND HIS FANS KNEW HIM TO POUR HIS EMOTIONS INTO HIS LYRICS, MAKE EVERY SONG THE BEST IT COULD BE. >> BUT HE HAS NEVER CHANGED FROM WHEN HE WAS THE AGE OF 5 AND HE WAS RAPPING WHEN NOBODY KNEW WHAT RAPPING WAS AND HE WAS THE SWEETEST GUY. NOBODY KNEW WHAT RAP WAS. 26 IS TOO YOUNG REPORTER: HE SAID HE WAS A REGULAR GUY WITH AN IRREGULAR LI THOUSANDS TONIGHT, APPRECIATIVE HE NEVER FORGOT WHERE HE CAME FROM, THEIR PRESENCE TONIGHT CONFIRMING THEY WON'T FORG GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Submit Privacy Notice<doc-sep>Last year, a petition was started by Pittsburgh residents to officially rename Blue Slide Park to include Mac Miller's name. The late rapper had titled one of his albums after the landmark, always showing love to his city when he had a chance. While the name change has reportedly not been made official yet, it appears as though Mac has been added to the name on the Maps app and Google Maps. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Depending on your preferred maps app, you'll be seeing a different version of Blue Slide Park's name on your phone. As reported by Complex, the changes are live on the Maps app with the area now being labelled as "Mac Miller's Blue Slide Park." If you use Google Maps, it will appear as "Mac Miller's Blue Slide Playground." While fans started noticing the changes this weekend, it's not clear when Mac was added to the name on apps. Perhaps this means that the actual name of the park will soon be altered to include Miller. The park is a spot that is sentimental for fans of the late artist, holding a vigil at Blue Slide in September 2018. Since Mac Miller passed away, many have visited the playground to pay tributes to the singer.<doc-sep>Blue Slide Park, a playground located inside Pittsburgh's Frick Park, has received a fitting Maps app update in honor of the late Mac Miller. Though no official announcement has been made by local officials or anyone on Miller's team, the @MacMillerMemoir fan account pointed out on Monday that the park now shows up as Mac Miller's Blue Slide Park on Apple Maps. On Google Maps, the area pops up as Mac Miller's Blue Slide Playground. As mentioned above (and by fans following Monday's report), there's been no official announcement regarding a name change for the park, which also served as the inspiration behind the title for Miller's 2011 debut studio album. Furthermore, the apparent name update across multiple maps services could also simply be the result of data being pulled from Yelp. It's unclear when, exactly, the park started showing up with Miller's name on these services. Last year, Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto acknowledged a fan-driven petition to rename the park, noting at the time that "strict rules" were in place for such moves. However, Peduto also suggested he would support a renaming policy amendment that could potentially speed up that process. Reps for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy did not immediately respond to Complex's request for comment. Back in January, fans and admiring artists alike including Juicy J and Thundercat celebrated Miller's legacy on what would have been his 27th birthday.<doc-sep>'Whoever Is Watching This, They're Going To Get A Thrill': Willy T. Ribbs, Paul Tracy, Ernie Francis Jr. Discuss Superstar Racing ExperienceThe Superstar Racing Experience inaugural season begins on June 12 at Stafford Speedway. 'Rugrats' Voice Actors E.G. Daily And Cheryl Chase Call New Animation Style 'Brilliant': 'Every Time They Would Show Us We Would Just Gasp''In the words of Chuckie Finster, "Looks like a giant step to me" as the 90's classic Rugrats returns with all-new episodes and a slick modern animation style on Paramount+. WATCH: Caroline D'Amore Discusses 'Surreal' MTV's 'The Hills: New Beginnings' Experience & Pizza Girl BusinessThe Los Angeles native discusses what it was like to join the cast of "The Hills: New Beginnings" and her new line of sauce. SEC Football: CBS Sports Announces 2021 Schedule Including Alabama At Florida On September 18The SEC on CBS kicks off on September 18 with an SEC Championship game rematch between the Crimson Tide and Gators. Mayweather Vs. Paul: Showtime Sports Announces Broadcast Team For June 6 EventThe network announced its plans for the broadcast of the pay-per-view exhibition bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Logan Paul. The 74th Annual 'Tony Awards' And 'The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back!' Come To CBS September 26thCBS and Tony Award Productions will celebrate Broadway’s highly anticipated return to live theatre with a multiplatform event The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back! Sunday, September 26th (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) broadcasting on CBS and available to stream live and on demand with Paramount+ or the CBS app.<doc-sep>

A fan-led initiative to rename a Pittsburgh park in honor of late hometown hero Mac Miller achieved a funny sort of progress recently when fans noticed that the section of Frick Park for which he named his debut album Blue Slide Park received an update in Apple and Google’s Maps apps. The landmark for the park now appears as “Mac Miller’s Blue Slide Park” on both, per the @MacMillerMemoir fan account. GUYS THEY CHANGED BLUE SLIDE PARK TO @MACMILLER’S BLUE SLIDE PARK ???? pic.twitter.com/asY36eev0y — The Mac Miller Memoir (@MacMillerMemoir) March 11, 2019 While Complex notes that the update could simply be the result of both apps pulling data from Yelp, fans were understandably still excited to notice the change, especially as there hadn’t been an official announcement from Apple or Google. The park’s playground featuring the titular blue slide was used as the site of a vigil for Mac Miller after his death in 2018. Meanwhile, fans have actually begun a petition to have the park’s playground officially renamed for Mac, a process which Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto acknowledged could be difficult due to “strict rules” in place regarding name changes. However, he also supported a policy amendment that could help move the process along more quickly. Mac Miller has been memorialized in other ways recently as well; a noted street art collective created a mural in his honor in New York, while friends and collaborators like Anderson .Paak have honored his memory in their shows and even on songs.

Not since winning six straight from 2000-04 has Miami won consecutive games against rival Florida State, but that’s what is at stake on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. The Hurricanes snapped a seven-game losing streak to FSU with a thrilling 24-20 victory last season at Doak Campbell Stadium, but haven’t defeated the Seminoles at home since 2004. Since falling to LSU in the opener, Miami has rattled off four straight wins with the most recent being a 47-10 thumping of North Carolina, but that’s the only win it owns against Power 5 competition. For FSU, the first year of the Willie Taggart era has been difficult but things are looking up after consecutive wins over Northern Illinois and Louisville. The Seminoles rallied last week to beat the Cardinals 28-24 thanks to two interceptions and a 58-yard touchdown pass from Deondre Francois to Nyqwan Murray – all in the game’s final 1:56. For the first time in a long time, the Hurricanes will be lofty favorites over their biggest rivals on Saturday. Miami hasn’t defeated FSU by more than one score since 2001. An upset for the Seminoles would be a huge moment early in the Taggart era. Florida State at Miami Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m. ET TV: ABC Spread: Miami -13.5 Three Things to Watch 1. Quarterback play Although staying upright has been a challenge in itself for the redshirt junior, Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois enters Saturday’s contest as the ACC’s leader in passing yardage and completions. Francois is coming off of a contest in which he was outstanding in the second half and finished with 294 passing yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Still, Francois has had difficulty fully grasping Taggart’s “Gulf Coast Offense,” especially when it comes to the zone reads. For the Seminoles to have any success offensively against Miami on Saturday, Francois will need to play at a very high level and probably take shots down the field. He finished with 234 yards passing and two touchdowns in his last matchup with the Hurricanes two years ago. Miami fans have long been clamoring for redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry to take the reins and recently, they’ve gotten their wish. Perry has great tools from his arm to his feet, but has yet to face a really good defense. The Seminoles didn’t play their best football a week ago defensively but Kyle Meyers and AJ Westbrook each have two interceptions on the season and FSU defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett will try to mix up the looks that the young signal-caller sees. Malik Rosier was kept mostly in check last season against Florida State but came up big when things mattered. 2. FSU offensive line vs. Miami defensive line The offensive line for Florida State has been a miserable unit for the early parts of this season, but the group is making progress. Last week against Louisville, FSU didn’t allow a sack for the first time in nearly four years. The running game has still been non-existent, but the offense as a whole has scored 65 points over the last two weeks after managing just 10 points total in its first two games against FBS competition. With redshirt senior Derrick Kelly returning to practice, the Seminoles could be even healthier this week. The bad news for FSU is that the Miami defensive line is absolutely ferocious. At defensive tackle, Gerald Willis already has 10.5 tackles for a loss to his name while the likes of Joe Jackson and Jonathan Garvin have also been monsters early on. At this point in the season, Miami has an FBS-leading 60 tackles for a loss, which is 12 more than second-place Nevada. The FSU offensive front will also be tasked with trying to get a hat on a talented corps of linebackers headlined by Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney. If the FSU offensive line can hold up against that group, it should have a chance but that is a tall task. 3. Miami skill players vs. FSU back seven After a very good defensive start to the season, Florida State took a step back last week against Louisville as quarterback Jawon Pass threw for more than 300 yards and that number could have been much greater had it not been for a number of misfires downfield. Dontavious Jackson and DeCalon Brooks are progressing at the linebacker position, but FSU safeties struggled mightily last week. This week their task will be to try and contain a deep group of skill players for the Hurricanes. Junior cornerback Levonta Taylor has also failed to live up to his All-American hype. Travis Homer has been the workhorse out of the backfield for the Hurricanes, but the versatility provided by Deejay Dallas could be a bigger threat to the FSU defense. In addition to those two names, Miami is loaded at wide receiver and that’s despite the fact that Ahmmon Richards has been nursing a knee injury and has just one catch this year. Jeff Thomas and Lawrence Cager have been the big-play threats for the receiving corps, but Mike Harley, Brevin Jordan and last year’s hero, Darrell Langham, have all been very reliable options. Final Analysis On paper, Miami doesn’t seem to have too many weaknesses, but the competition since being handled by LSU has been quite suspect. The Seminoles on the other hand, seem to have too many issues to come to South Florida and leave with a victory. The play of Deondre Francois will be key and getting anything out of running back Cam Akers and the ground game would go a long way. FSU could also be helped out by winning the turnover battle and finding a way to connect on big plays. When all is said and done however, the Hurricanes are simply a more complete football team. Prediction: Miami 34, Florida State 17 — Written by Mike Ferguson, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network and the editor of The Daily Nole. Like The Daily Nole on Facebook and follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.<doc-sep>It’s the game we’ve been waiting for, the game we circle on our calenders every year. Miami. Florida State. This year it’s all on the Canes to produce the blowout. Will they be up to the challenge? We’ll find out in a couple hours. For now, here are your last minute news and notes. From Around The Site The entire SOTU writing crew gives our predictions for how the game will go. Why Miami-FSU is the best college football rivalry. Period. Full stop. The expectations behind this massive matchup It’s FSU against Miami, Seminoles squaring off with the Hurricanes. Willie Taggart vs Mark Richt, Turnover Chain vs Turnover Bag. Read about out why Saturday’s game means just a little bit more in: Miami Versus FSU: Exceeding the Unexpected https://t.co/stDTIDBm81 pic.twitter.com/6RO5NRuwDt — StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) October 5, 2018 Learning the lessons of the last two Miami-FSU dates What We Can Learn From The Last 2 Miami-FSU matchups - Mark Richt’s first two games against FSU produced different results. Here’s what the Canes can learn from both games #BeatFSU #GoCanes #TheU https://t.co/x9RPt4DECG — StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) October 5, 2018 An interesting theory on why FSU has struggled in the last few years As the amount of South Florida talent plummets on FSU’s roster, so does their win total. Thank Mark Richt and the #MiamiHurricanes for that. https://t.co/V8D9BvWwFl — StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) October 5, 2018 From Local Papers The Miami Herald has some great stuff this week including the one way Miami will end the streak, Miami’s chances at Jadon Haselwood and if Canes’ fans are actually too loud. The Palm Beach Post breaks down the defense’s absurd TFL stats. Yes, Willie Taggert is aware of how big a game this is. Can he stop us though? For Those Of You Attending The Game First off, I’m jealous. Secondly, Canes’ legends like Coach Schnellenberger and Bernie Kosar will be signing autographs at The Rock on campus! Tomorrow at The Rock on campus from 12-6 pm, you have the chance to win signed gear by: - Howard Schnellenberger - Bernie Kosar - Alonzo Highsmith - Bennie Blades - and more! #teamadidas | #ItsAllAboutTheU pic.twitter.com/fZWqlhaRFm — Miami Hurricanes (@MiamiHurricanes) October 4, 2018 So if you’re watching at home, get your popcorn, your comfiest seat, your good luck charm and whatever else you need. Cause war starts at 3:30. GO CANES!<doc-sep>Hello again Canes fam! We’re back for another Miami Hurricanes home game, this time vs a hated rival: the Florida State Seminoles. Here’s what you need to know to watch tonight’s game: Miami Hurricanes (4-1, 1-0 ACC) vs Florida State Seminoles (3-2, 1-2 ACC) Kickoff time: 3:30pm Eastern TV: ESPN (National coverage) Online Stream: WatchESPN App/ACC Network Extra (same thing, you guys) *Subject to blackouts Radio: 560 WQAM, 990AM ESPN Deportes, WVUM, TuneIn app has a channel for CFB broadcasts, which may help you as well. Odds: Opened: Canes -13.5, now Canes - 14, O/U 48.5 It’s Miami vs Florida State. There’s nothing more to say. Go Canes<doc-sep>Yesterday, we had the first installment of our 3 part roundtable discussion leading up to Saturday’s rivalry game between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles. You can see that discussion here: We pick up where we left off yesterday with the last 5 questions of our discussion. Don’t see predictions? Don’t worry. Those will be up tomorrow. Here’s the rest of our Roundtable discussion: QUESTION 6: What have you seen from Miami that makes you think the Canes will win against FSU? Cam Underwood: The defensive line playing to an elite, and the defense as a whole playing to a very high level. Elite players on all 3 levels of the defense. A defensive line playing as good as any in America. A bevvy of skill position players who can change the scoreboard on any given play. And a quarterback with a rocket arm, pinpoint accuracy, and plenty of mobility in and out of the pocket. Oh, and a tidy 35ppg margin of victory in the last 4 games. Things are clicking and I think they’ll keep on rolling. Evan Hadrick: The defensive line makes me feel great about all of our remaining matchups. Leading the nation in tackles for loss is a great way to keep opposing offenses off rhythm. Matt Washington: How about forcing six turnovers last week. Miami leads the nation in tackles for loss with 60 is a pretty impressive stat. This defense has been stellar. There have been moments where it has bended way too much, but defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has this group playing well. Against a FSU offense that likes to take it’s time to make throws down the field, this could be a case where Diaz’s penchant for blitzes pays off with negative plays for FSU’s offense and hopefully bring out the OG of turnover props, THE Turnover Chain!!! On offense, continue to get RB DeeJay Dallas some touches, get the ball into the hands of your playmakers at the skill positions and the Canes familia is celebrating Saturday night. John Camera: N’Kosi Perry. He might not have Rosier’s wheels but he can move well and has as good an arm as we have seen from a Canes’ QB. The running game is strong and as long as Richt finds the hot hand there early, it’s not unlikely to think Miami just might be able to run over FSU on the ground. That defensive line should obliterate the Noles’ o-line and I have a feeling Cam Akers will be very familiar with Gerald Willis when the game is over. Gaby Urrutia: The Hurricanes defense has 12 more tackles for loss than any other team in the country. Florida State has given up the second-most tackles for loss in the country. That matchup right there is the difference in the game. Marshall Thomas: Our running game has rushed for over 200 yards in four consecutive games, which doesn’t happen all that often at Miami. Also, our defense is playing better than it has in years, including last year. I don’t see the Noles scoring too many points on Saturday. Dylan Sherry: A dominating defense that Florida State hasn’t seen anything close to this year, and an accurate quarterback in N’Kosi Perry. I’m sure that Taggart will pull out his best against Miami, but I have a feeling that Richt and Diaz have plays and schemes that Florida State won’t be ready to guard/defend. Kevin Fielder: Miami’s hard-nosed defense makes me feel good about the Canes’ chances. Miami has won most turnover battles, have not let teams sustain drives and more often than not, win the line of scrimmage battle. These things are important in games like this. Craig T. Smith: The emergence of DeeJay Dallas as a dynamic back, and just a newfound overall confidence that permeates from this team. This team has really jelled the past couple of weeks. QUESTION 7: What have you seen from Miami that makes you think the Canes will lose against FSU? Underwood: Inconsistent run defense (TFLs abound but big plays and QB run yardage can be there). An offensive line that struggles creating space to run against talented teams (LSU) and gets beat in passing situations (multiple games) often. A lack of depth that has Miami 1 or 2 injuries away from being super, duper thin at several key spots. And conservativism in play calling and general mentality (Toledo 3Q, FIU 2nd half) that kept games closer than they needed to be. Hadrick: I don’t believe this will be the case, but playcalling in the second half has much room for improvement. If the game is close, we don’t need the offense stalling out in the third quarter. Washington: Miami loses this game if they continue to have lapses in the run game. Whether it’s a QB keep, an inside zone or a trap play, there’s at least a couple times each game where Miami’s defense gives up a big gain on the ground. If the Hurricanes can’t stop the initial pass rush of the Seminoles, it may be tough to overcome. Since Perry has assumed the starting QB job, UM has not had to play from behind for a prolonged period of time. Camera: It’s hard to say since the last time they played a team that was near their level was weeks ago with a different QB. Miami has had sloppy moments and slow quarters offensively, though last week the bad second half of offense had a lot to do with the defense playing so many snaps after scoring three TDs. The passing defense also hasn’t looked great and if Francois has some time to complete passes, he could slice up the secondary. Urrutia: I am going to slightly contradict myself, but it is the only way I can see Florida State winning. The Hurricanes have been susceptible to giving up some big runs this year. IF and I am saying IF, Florida State can establish a real running game and get Cam Akers hot early, the Hurricanes could be in serious trouble.<doc-sep>

We meet again, Canes fam! After 2 installments of our round table discussion about Miami-FSU, we now come to the piece you’ve been waiting for: our predictions. Before we get there, let’s go back. Here’s part 1 of our round table: Here’s part 2 of our round table: And now, here are our predictions: Prediction time. How do you see the game playing out? Cam Underwood: I’ve said this all week long, and even a while before that referring to last year’s Miami-FSU game: if you put up anonymous stat profiles for these teams and asked people to choose a winner and winning margin, people would unanimously choose the Miami-profile team to win by 21+ points. BUT, when you put names on the teams, and consider the rivalry nature of this game, things aren’t as clear as the profiles on paper might lead people to believe. I don’t think that FSU can block Miami’s defensive line, and their offense won’t be able to get going because of that. And with Miami playing a new QB, one who is accurate and has the arm to take advantage of the receivers I believe will be running open all day long, and plenty of skill position talent to exploit the already-seen holes in FSU’s defense, I don’t think this game ends up being all that close. Final Score: Miami 38 Florida State 20 Evan Hadrick: I think the defense makes some plays early and just makes HRS goes nuts. FSU then falls apart and returns to early season form. Miami 34 - FSU 13. Matt Washington: Miami holds off FSU, wins the turnover battle and ultimately come out on top. Final Score: MIA 30-FSU 24 John Camera: I think it’s going to be all Miami through 2.5 quarters before FSU creeps in to make it a game. Perry has a turnover or two but ultimately, FSU’s comeback falls short. 30-21 Miami. Gaby Urrutia: I can see this being a game, at least for a little bit. Emotions will be high and I would not expect Florida State to just roll over and let us dog them. I do, however, expect the game to finish with Miami on top and the score being lopsided. I believe the Hurricanes defense is as hot as any unit in the country and Florida State is in the line of fire. There is nothing that Willie Taggart can throw at Manny Diaz that he isn’t ready for. I believe Perry can make the throws that were open all game last week for Louisville and Miami can impose their will on the weak secondary that Florida State has put together. Final Score: Miami 38 Florida State 17 Marshall Thomas: I see it being very close in the first half, and both teams struggling to score early, maybe Miami 10-6 at half. However, I think Perry strings together a few scoring drives in the third quarter, and then a pick by Francois will open the floodgates where FSU can’t recover from. Miami wins 31-13. Dylan Sherry: I see Miami winning, but not as much as they’re favored by. My score prediction is Miami 31-24. I see Miami giving up 24 points due to the fact that FSU’s offense will guard better than they have all season, in addition to the that fact that the ‘Canes have bent but not broken to some teams -- I expect the FSU game to go in a similar way. The ‘Canes defense will give up yards, but stiffen up when they need to. If Malik was starting, I’d go with the ‘Canes winning 28-24, but I think Perry will lead them to victory, and end up getting the extra score that Miami needs in order to end the game in the victory formation. Kevin Fielder: I think this game will be closer than most think. I think Miami takes an early 10-0 lead after an N’Kosi Perry touchdown pass to Michael Harley and a short field goal. However, I think the Seminoles offense begins to gain speed and take a lead going into halftime at 13-10. In the second half, I think the Hurricanes prove to be too much for the Seminoles and the experienced players on both ends (Travis Homer, Jeff Thomas, Shaq Quarterman, Joe Jackson) begin to control the line of scrimmage and dominate the game.

With a loaded safety market, Baltimore will try their hand at finding a longer-term solution. Who could they target? And where could Weddle play in 2019? Since the Super Bowl, I’ve watched film and talked scheme with about 50 NFL coaches. For the second straight year, the only defensive schemes anyone has truly praised are Chicago’s and Baltimore’s. Ravens conversations have been the most abundant. Roughly two dozen coaches—some close to the team, others only familiar with them from afar—marvel at that Baltimore scheme’s aggression and efficacy. And to a man, these coaches have cited Eric Weddle as the key ingredient. No one has said Weddle performs at an All-Pro level. At 34, his speed and quickness have diminished, and he’s no longer the soundest tackler. But his IQ is towering and, more importantly, so is his confidence. That has made him the most daring and creative pre-snap disguise artist in football. His willingness to get out of position pre-snap and change his—or a teammate’s—assignment on the fly gives Baltimore’s defense its trademark deceptiveness. The Ravens tend to play similar six-man matchup-zone coverages from snap-to-snap, but you’re never quite sure who the six zone defenders will be or where they’ll align because you’re never quite sure what to make of Weddle, who moves all over before the snap. This is even truer with Baltimore’s blitz packages. The Ravens, presumably, believe their defense is strong enough to make them contenders in 2019, even if the offense will be adjusting to developmental second-year quarterback Lamar Jackson. Which makes it all the more surprising that Weddle, it’s key ingredient, would be cut in order to save $6.5 million. But a deeper look reveals the logic behind the move. The Ravens, who are young in key spots on both sides of the ball, see themselves not just as contenders in 2019, but contenders for years to come. A smart, versatile safety is vital to their scheme, and Weddle, at this point, might have only a year or two left in the tank. This year’s free agent safety class is unusually deep and, more importantly, unusually top heavy. It might not be coincidental that Weddle’s release came after the Giants officially let Landon Collins hit the market. Tyrann Mathieu and LaMarcus Joyner are also available. Like Weddle, Mathieu and Joyner are versatile enough to play back deep or in the box. And, unlike Weddle, both can slide down and cover the slot. Also, there’s Adrian Amos, who played in a disguise-heavy scheme in Chicago. The physically gifted Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix is also a disguise player (though some of that’s by accident, as he’s mastered the art of wandering out of position—still, Clinton-Dix is talented). There’s also Earl Thomas, who can drop into the box but is more of a pure centerfielder. Stylistically, Thomas is still the closest thing the NFL has had to Ed Reed since Ed Reed himself. One imagines the Ravens, especially, can appreciate that. By releasing Weddle, most likely the Ravens are not trying to save money at safety, they’re priming to spend money there long-term (not unlike they did when signing Weddle’s sidekick and close friend, Tony Jefferson, two years ago). Any of the safeties listed above can be inked to five-year deals. (Yes, even Thomas, who will only be 30 on Opening Day.) Those safeties will also get up to speed quickly, since they have meaningful NFL experience and will be playing for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, whom Ravens coaches say is one of the best teachers they’ve ever seen. As for Weddle himself, the question is, Where will he play in 2019? His weaknesses are now an issue. As several coaches explained, Weddle’s game is built on smoke and mirrors. He wins by playing with crafty leverage. He can no longer survive in man-to-man or be fully trusted in space. Baltimore’s uniquely aggressive scheme hid these flaws while accentuating his strengths. That would not be the case in a traditional scheme. This might be why Weddle said two months ago, via the Baltimore Sun, “If [the Ravens] want to go in a different direction, I’m not going to play for another team. That’s not where I’m at in my career.” He has since changed his mind. So where would he play in 2019? The same rich safety free agent class that got him released in Baltimore will suppress his value on the open market. What might help his value is that more and more teams are playing with three safeties instead of just two. Before joining Baltimore, Weddle reportedly almost signed in New England, and Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal has suggested that would be a good marriage. Contrary to popular belief, New England’s D is not immensely complex or aggressive like Baltimore’s. The Patriots blitz sparingly and their coverage disguises ask players to cover small bits of ground, not large swaths of field. But the Patriots do put their safeties in favorable position, often aligning one in deep centerfield and the other over the middle, where he’s a free help defender or QB-reader. That type of role plays to Weddle’s football IQ and masks his limitations. Other teams that could use and could fit Weddle include: Giants: Weddle would be a cheap replacement for Landon Collins. Their defensive coordinator, James Bettcher, is perhaps football’s most aggressive blitz designer, with most of those blitzes being built on disguise. Bears: The last thing a Super Bowl-caliber defense wants is a glaring hole, which is what the Bears face at safety if Adrian Amos is not re-signed. If new coordinator Chuck Pagano stays close to what predecessor Vic Fangio did, Weddle could be hidden by a scheme that hinges on two-deep match-zone principles, where defensive backs almost always have some sort of help in coverage. Broncos: Fangio will be running his scheme in Denver (obviously). The Broncos believe their defense alone can make a deep playoff push now—that’s why John Elway hired a 60-year-old head coach and traded for a veteran starting quarterback in Joe Flacco. The biggest key to Fangio’s scheme is the subtly of its coverage disguises. Those disguise tactics aren’t easy to learn… unless you’re Eric Weddle. Lions: Matt Patricia is running the 200-level version of New England’s scheme. Weddle could help push the D to level 300 or 400. Bucs: New defensive coordinator Todd Bowles plays the way Bettcher plays with the Giants. Tampa Bay’s incumbent safeties are so-so. Bowles might want more athleticism here, but we’ve seen a hundred coaches in his position before eventually say, “Screw it, just give me a guy who knows what he’s doing.” Steelers: Because they’re so weak at linebacker, they badly want a dime safety who can play in the box, allowing either Jon Bostic or Vince Williams to leave the field. Ex-Packer Morgan Burnett can be that guy, but injuries made him a week-to-week mystery last year. Weddle isn’t a box player, but second-year safety Terrell Edmunds could slide there, with Weddle playing back deep. Plus, the Steelers wouldn’t mind a veteran who has intimate knowledge of their rival Ravens. Titans: They’re coached by Weddle’s former Ravens defensive coordinator, Dean Pees, and they’ll be looking for safety help with Jonathan Cyprien soon to be released and Kenny Vaccaro a free agent. All of these teams need the type of immediate help at safety that Weddle can provide. It will be fascinating to see how this market play out. • Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.<doc-sep>How can the Ravens replace Eric Weddle? I have options for you: Last week I previewed the big decisions Eric DeCosta will be facing this off-season involving the Ravens top-ranked defense. The first defensive domino officially fell, as the Ravens officially released veteran safety Eric Weddle. I discussed this exact scenario and predicted the Ravens would keep Weddle, (Here). Even though his speed and coverage ability has decreased recently, his intelligence and leadership to the defense was a big reason why they were one of the league’s best units. Weddle’s personality and locker-room presence will be surely missed, and fans will miss him just as much. However, the Ravens made the tough decision and believe the $7.5 million cap savings by cutting Weddle, is more important for the team going forward. The Ravens safety depth chart currently is Tony Jefferson, Chuck Clark, hybrid S/LB Anthony Levine, and Deshon Elliott. None of which are a true free safety though. I think Elliott has the make-up of being a starting safety in this league but spent the whole season on IR last year, so he has no real game experience. It’s reasonable to say that finding a free safety is now high on the long list of needs for the Ravens this off-season. This year’s free agency and draft class at the safety position is stacked with talent, which might be the reason why the Ravens felt comfortable cutting Weddle. They must be confident going forward with the guys on their team currently or have a few players they are eyeing to add to the mix on defense. With free agency starting a week from today we will soon found out what DeCosta’s master plan is. Here is one big-name free agent and a few draft prospects that might fit the bill as the next Ravens safety.<doc-sep>The Baltimore Ravens release of Eric Weddle creates a unique opportunity for someone else to land a veteran playmaker. Looking across the league at the different depth chart you can find a lot of teams that need help at the safety position. Those teams will most likely look to the free agent market to address this specific need. Eric Weddle’s addition to the field came as a bit of a surprise. The 2019 NFL Draft doesn’t feature a very strong safety group. It especially doesn’t feature an elite talent like Derwin James who was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers last year. This year’s free agent market does have several intriguing players at the safety position. The biggest name is Landon Collins who was surprising allowed to hit the open market when the New York Giants decided against using the franchise tag. He is joined by Earl Thomas, Adrian Amos, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Kenny Vaccaro and Lamarcus Joyner. Weddle also belongs to be mention with that group. He maybe on the older side, but Weddle showed last year that he’s still capable of making an impact. It’s possible that Weddle is one of the first players at this position to find a new home. His age will keep his salary demands within a reasonable range. There are several safety needy teams who are working with tight salary cap space. Those teams would be smart to get a jump on the market and try to bring Weddle on board before free agency even begins. All salary cap numbers were gathered at spotrac.com.<doc-sep>

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens have cut free safety and defensive leader Eric Weddle, who said he wasn't offered a pay raise to stay with the team. Weddle, who turned 34 in January, reached the Pro Bowl six times, including all three seasons in Baltimore. Considered the quarterback of the NFL's top-ranked defense, he finished third on the team in tackles with 68. "Eric Weddle is a true pro in every aspect of his life and exemplifies what it means to play like a Raven," general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. "He's the ultimate competitor, a great leader and one of the smartest players we've ever had. He's a unique blend of talent, work ethic, passion and humility. Eric will always be a significant part of our Ravens family, and we'll enjoy watching his next chapter." Weddle's football intelligence was key in the defense's success and allowed Baltimore to continually change coverages to keep teams off balance. But he recorded a career-low three pass breakups in 2018 and didn't make an interception for the first time since 2015. He had one year remaining on his contract at a base salary of $6.5 million. Baltimore created $7.5 million in cap space by cutting him. Getting released was always in the back of his head, but he thought the team would give him a chance to stay in Baltimore. "It's their decision, and I respect that. No hard feelings," Weddle said. "[DeCosta] said, 'We're releasing you,' and said some nice things about me. That was it. They're moving forward. I didn't get any inclination that they wanted to bring me back, which is totally fine. He's moving forward with his plan, and I will be pulling for him." Weddle contemplated retirement at the end of the season, but he decided to continue playing because his body was in better shape following this season than recent ones. "It's all about my health and my mindset," Weddle said. "Who knows how long I'l play? 34-35 is the new 31 with the way guys are playing these days." What a great 3 yrs we had in BMORE!!! 3 Pro Bowls, #1 DEF, 2018 AFC north Champs. Ravens took a chance on me and will forever be grateful. Our family will miss Maryland. Excited to see where I end up next season!!!! — Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) March 6, 2019 Weddle said "a lot of teams" have expressed interest in him. He expects to take a few free-agent trips to get a feel for teams before making a decision. Would it feel weird if he stayed in the AFC North and played the Ravens twice a year? "Yeah, that would be. It's not out of the question, though," Weddle said. "It's where you're wanted and where you feel like you'll have an impact. The passion and desire needs to be there. I'll end up where I'm supposed to end up." In a text to ESPN's Josina Anderson, safety Tony Jefferson wrote of Weddle: "Undeniable amount of respect I have for him. He changed my whole outlook about football & life. I can't stop working out or watching film bc this guy showed me how to be a pro. He's more than my best friend. He's really my brother & our bond will never break. Much love to Weddle. He'll have a yellow jacket." Weddle brought stability to a defensive backfield that was lacking it since the team parted ways with Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed in 2013. In three seasons with Weddle patrolling the secondary, the Ravens allowed the second-lowest passer rating (80.0), third-lowest completion rate (60.3 percent) and seventh-fewest passing yards (10,505). "That's what we set out three years ago when I signed here, turn this defense around and be the best in the league," Weddle said of the defense, which finished No.1 for the second time in franchise history. "To see the guys grow and the actual hand you had in helping these guys and try to teach and guide them ... that's the hardest part about all of it. It's the emotional side. It's not so much getting cut. That's life in the NFL. "Knowing I won't get to play with my brothers that I love dearly, that's the hardest part." Coaches have talked about how Weddle's value goes beyond statistics. Defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale referred to Weddle as a "football savant" for how he confuses quarterbacks by disguising coverages.

Manny Machado's offseason was full of questions about his dedication and attitude. The Padres didn't waver in their confidence, and now Machado is intent on proving that he's one of baseball's most reliable elite talents. PEORIA, Ariz. — Manny Machado doesn’t know where he will live next month. He doesn’t know the name of the town where he lives right now, for that matter. He doesn’t know when the first check will clear on his sports-record 10-year, $300 million free-agent deal, nor does he know the first thing he will buy with all his new money. He doesn’t even know what day it is. He cocks his head. Nine seconds pass. “Monday,” he says finally. “Because it’s our second game.” He lost the calendar some time before he became a Padre, although he can’t say exactly when that was, either. For that, at least, he can be excused. When did this deal become real? When he found himself sitting in his Miami home and imagining San Diego, two weeks ago? On Tuesday morning, when his wife, Yainee, woke up and said, “This is it. This is a fit for us, babe”? When his agent, Danny Lozano of MVP Sports Group, called Padres GM A.J. Preller and asked him to draw up a term sheet? When Machado slowly buttoned a white No. 13 jersey over his white dress shirt at his press conference on Friday? When he took his first ground balls in Peoria, Ariz., still using his Orioles-orange glove? Most of the world found out last Tuesday, shortly after Machado called Lozano to report his decision. “BREAKING,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweeted at 12:24 p.m. Eastern. “Free agent star Manny Machado has agreed to a deal with the San Diego Padres, league sources tell ESPN.” That’s how White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams learned that his team had lost the prize it most coveted. Chicago GM Rick Hahn got to hear the news over the phone, still dripping in sweat from his morning run of the stadium stairs. “Since this has leaked out on Twitter—“ Lozano began. San Diego owner Ron Fowler saw the tweet from his hotel room in Peoria; he was in town to deliver his annual state of the team address. What the hell? he thought. We don’t have a word of the contract drafted. “It made me feel like we were being boxed in,” Fowler says now. “If you screw it up, you’re morons.” Fowler says Lozano explained that he had leaked the story because he was tired of getting questions. Lozano says he “completely denies” any involvement in the tweet. It seems no one can agree on much of anything when it comes to Manny Machado. Machado speaks from behind Tom Ford sunglasses, dressed in an Air Jordan tracksuit and diamond chain, freshly showered from his third workout of the spring. He lounges at a blue-painted picnic table behind the team facility. This is his most extensive interview since he has signed, and he has clearly prepared for it. “I love baseball,” he says over and over. And: “I’m excited to be a Padre.” Behind him sits a media-relations official employed by the team; in front of him sits a media-relations official employed by his agency. Their presence was a condition of the conversation, and they occasionally nod along as he speaks, although they never cut off his answers. Machado has declined to talk one-on-one at any length since the October interview with Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal in which he said, “I’m not the type of player that’s going to be Johnny Hustle and run down the line and slide to first base. … That’s not my cup of tea.” (He later clarified to MLB’s Mark Feinsand that he was referring to hustle for show.) He now prefers to have handlers within earshot. He says he was surprised his comment blew up the way it did. (In his defense, that was a phrase he had used before: “I’m not going to go out there and be Johnny Hustle,” he told The Athletic’s Pedro Moura in July, shortly after he was traded to the Dodgers.) In some ways, the controversy overshadowed his greatness: Machado is perhaps the third-best player in the sport behind only Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. He has accumulated 33.8 WAR through age 25, better than Joe DiMaggio, Barry Bonds or Willie Mays at that age. He has topped 30 home runs in each of the past four years, and increased his walks while decreasing his strikeouts in each of the past three. He struggled defensively at shortstop last year but has won two Gold Gloves at third base. He has missed 11 games in the past four seasons. He has just reached the beginning of his physical prime. It would be hard to find a flaw in his game, except for those comments. The teams that recruited him this winter asked about that makeup. They asked what led him to throw his bat toward third base after a brushback pitch when he was 21 and to kick Brewers first baseman Jesús Aguilar during the 2018 NLCS. Machado’s answers to those questions, Preller says, were a major factor in their pursuit of him. He volunteered other lapses of effort from his youth and explained how he would help lead the way for his new teammates. At the picnic table, Machado strikes a slightly different note. “That was just the media creating stories,” he says now. “They had nothing else to talk about. At the same time, I said what I said, and I have to take the consequences, and I have. … You’re gonna make bad decisions. Life goes on. You try to learn as much from it as you can, and sometimes you make those same mistakes again. You gotta keep learning. It’s the circle of life.” The Padres believe boorishness is in the eye of the beholder. Manager Andy Green speaks admiringly of the “edge” Machado will bring to the organization. And Preller is adamant that the new face of the franchise is simply misunderstood. “Some people thought he was disrespecting the game,” he says. “But respecting the game is playing as much as he did the last few years at such a high level.” Even the early days of this courtship remain in dispute. “I’m trying to heal!” groans Hahn, but Williams reluctantly offers that the White Sox had two or three conversations per day about Machado from June until February. They traded for Yainee’s brother, Yonder Alonso, and signed Machado’s best friend from Miami, Jon Jay. The Padres, on the other hand, assumed they were out of the running from the beginning. They viewed Machado as clearly the best player on the market, but he was said to want to blow through the 13-year, $325 million extension Giancarlo Stanton received from the Marlins in 2015. Then speculation of lowball offers started to circulate, and they began to wonder if they might have a shot. “A.J. doesn’t agree with this,” Fowler prefaces his story. While recovering from knee surgery six weeks prior, the owner flipped to MLB Network and saw that the White Sox had reportedly offered Machado seven years and $175 million. (Lozano has openly denied those figures.) The Padres had been unable to pry loose Nolan Arenado from the Rockies or Anthony Rendon from the Nationals, and Fowler was getting antsy. His team needed a third baseman. He called Preller. “These numbers don’t seem to be what we expected,” Fowler said. “Maybe we should look.” Preller laughs at that recounting. “If it’s Ron’s idea, as long as we got it done, it’s Ron’s idea,” he says. Preller recalls a Tuesday of stymied deals at December’s Winter Meetings and a late night awake in his suite. At 5 a.m. that Wednesday he called assistant general manager Josh Stein. “Forget all these trades,” he said. “Let’s go get Machado.” Preller agrees that their pursuit intensified after the $175 million rumor. (“We obviously overbid by a lot,” he jokes, “If we got him for 300!”)<doc-sep>It took 113 days of free agency to play out, but Manny Machado is headed to San Diego on the largest deal ever handed out to a free agent. What does the deal mean for baseball's new $300 million man, the team that signed him and other interested parties (read: Harper, Bryce)? We asked ESPN baseball writers Eddie Matz, David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle and Sam Miller to break it down. Gut reaction: Do you like this deal for the Padres? Miller: Gut reaction, yes. The Padres probably won't be very good this year, but with the best current farm system in baseball they probably will be quite good in many of the next half-dozen years, and players like Manny Machado aren't just freely available to pick up when a team decides to flip the switch and compete. They just got an MVP candidate for the middle of the lineup and all it cost them was money. Schoenfield: Absolutely. Over the past four seasons, Machado has averaged 36 home runs, 159 games and 5.8 WAR. They gave superstar money to a superstar player, as opposed to superstar-type money to Eric Hosmer. Machado becomes the face of the franchise and by midseason will likely be teaming with rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. to give the Padres one of the best left sides of the infield in the majors. For a franchise that hasn't had a winning season since 2010 or made the playoffs since 2006, they finally are moving in the right direction. Matz: What's not to like? Manny immediately brings major sizzle to San Diego. Doolittle: Absolutely. This gives San Diego's entire rebuild a firm foundation. As big as the contract numbers are, it's fair value for what Machado is likely to do in the future and because of his age and the length of his track record, the risk is comparatively low for a deal this large. Who is the biggest winner of Machado joining the Padres? Miller: Cleveland. With the White Sox failing to sign Machado, Cleveland can now be pretty sure no other team in the division will win even 85 games this year. Terry Francona can start resting his players for the playoffs ... now. Schoenfield: Baseball writers. Something to write about besides "Where will Machado and Harper end up?" OK, the free-agent market is also the winner here, because for all the whining, Machado got the contract everyone expected at the start of free agency. Matz: Machado. Forget about the $300 mil -- he gets to live in San Diego! Close runner-up: Bryce Harper. If Machado is getting $300 million from the Friars, imagine the check that John "Stupid Money" Middleton is going to cut to seal the deal for Harper. Doolittle: Is it snarky to say that it's Rob Manfred? In that little verbal slap fight he had through the media with Tony Clark on Monday, isn't this pretty much what he said would happen? If the ship be sinking, how did a player get a contract like THIS? Who is the biggest loser of Machado joining the Padres? Miller: I don't really see a loser. The Padres got a good player, the player got a reasonable contract, and the other 29 teams all have plenty else to worry about. Schoenfield: The Phillies. Reports all along suggested Machado was the player they preferred over Harper. Now one of them is off the board and there's no guarantee Harper will sign there either. Five things to know about Machado's deal As Manny Machado's signing with the Padres sinks in, here are five facts about the deal that will blow your mind -- or, at the very least, impress your friends: 1. Machado's $300 million deal is the largest for a free agent in American sports history, surpassing A-Rod's 10-year, $275 million deal. 2. By adding Machado at $300 million after signing Eric Hosmer for $144 million last winter, the Padres have spent more on two players than they did in their previous 25 offseasons combined. 3. Machado was a free agent (113 days) longer than he was a Dodger (102 days). 4. Machado was an All-Star starter in 2018. Who was the last Padres position player to start a Midsummer Classic? That would be Tony Gwynn in 1998. (Though we should note that Wil Myers got the hometown start at DH in 2016.) 5. The Padres signed Machado on Feb. 19, 2019 -- one year to the day after they inked Hosmer. Matz: Fernando Tatis Jr. So what if Manny is way better at third base. If he wants to play shortstop, then Tatis -- the No. 2-ranked prospect in baseball -- might get bumped to the hot corner. Doolittle: Ian Kinsler, because now he'll be a utility guy? Sorry, but I'm not seeing many losers in this scenario. There are all the teams that might have wanted Machado (or should have), but the only one I'd term a real loser is the Phillies. But that's only the case if they don't end up with Harper. Now that Machado is headed to San Diego, who is the favorite to land Bryce Harper? Miller: Machado getting a normal deal reassures us that this is still a relatively normal market and probably rules out the possibility that some team was going to swoop in and get Harper for a short deal or an unthinkable bargain. So the most likely outcome is probably just the least surprising one: the Phillies. Schoenfield: Most people will say the Phillies. We'll see. Matz: Phillies. Doolittle: It's got to be the Phillies. I thought the White Sox might be able to top any Machado offer, but if it comes down to them outbidding Philly on Harper, I don't see Jerry Reinsdorf pulling the trigger. Philadelphia just has more reasons to extend itself. Manny got $300 million over 10 years. How much more do you think Harper will get? Miller: Ten and $330 million. Schoenfield: How desperate are the Phillies? That's what we don't know. I think Machado is the better player -- or at least the more consistent. Harper has the bigger upside based on his 2015 season, but there are more risks involved, especially given his poor defense in 2018. But Scott Boras probably will find a way to extract a couple extra million more than Machado received. And then everyone can stop their whining. Matz: Harper gets $350 million over 10 years, simultaneously breaking Giancarlo Stanton's record for largest contract ever -- $325 million -- and Zack Greinke's mark for highest AAV, $34.4 million. Doolittle: I'll say 10 years, $330 million. It's "only" an extra $3 million per year than Machado got and it's $5 million more in total value than Stanton's deal. It seems like that's the kind of thing Boras and Harper would push for.<doc-sep>Manny Machado's long free agency process has come to an end, as the star infielder has agreed to a 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced. Machado's deal is the biggest free agent contract in baseball history, overtaking the 10-year, $275 million deal that Alex Rodriguez signed with the Yankees after the 2007 season. Along with Bryce Harper, Machado was one of the most coveted free agents this offseason. Machado spent the second half of the 2018 season with the Dodgers, acquired in a trade over the All-Star break. He hit 13 homers in 66 games for the Dodgers, struggling at times after a monster first half (24 HR, .963 OPS) with the Orioles. Machado played in all 16 of the Dodgers' postseason games, batting .227 with three homers and 12 RBI, including a 4-for-22 showing in the World Series. However, his behavior often made headlines over his on-field accomplishments, and many questioned whether that might affect which teams wooed him and how much they were willing to pay. In October, Machado kicked Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar in the leg, said he'll never be “Johnny Hustle’’ during a pregame interview on Fox after refusing to run hard to first base, and made lewd gestures on the field. There were only a few teams willing to spend at least $300 million for the mercurial star and villain of this postseason. ANALYSIS: What the Padres are a good fit for Machado SHOW ME THE MONEY: Do monster deals work out? A four-time All-Star, the 26-year-old is a generational talent on the left side of the infield with two top-five Most Valuable Player finishes under his belt. Machado was selected third overall in the 2010 draft and made his big-league debut on Aug. 9, 2012 at 20. With J. J. Hardy at shortstop for the Orioles, Machado played 51 games at third base and helped Baltimore reach the postseason for the first time since 1997. In 2013, his first full season, Machado finished ninth in American League MVP voting, batting .283 with 51 doubles and won his first Gold Glove award at third base. Machado suffered a knee injury down the stretch in 2014 that required surgery and kept him from playing during the Orioles' run to the ALCS.<doc-sep>

Manny Machado has agreed to the biggest free-agent contract in American sports history -- a 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, league sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Tuesday. Machado, a four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner at third base, made $16 million between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles last season. The deal with the Padres, which is pending a physical, includes an opt-out after the fifth season and a limited no-trade clause, league sources told ESPN. It is expected to be officially announced Thursday or Friday. Padres owners Ron Fowler and Peter Seidler wouldn't confirm the deal and said discussions are "continuing." "Ron and I, we love the city of San Diego. We love sports in San Diego. We're also well aware of the history," Seidler said. "There's never been a championship. ... We as an organization, we want to completely change that. We want our franchise to win year after year after year. And we're going to do whatever we can rationally do to make that happen." General manager A.J. Preller also wouldn't comment on the deal but spoke Tuesday about the Padres' approach to building a ballclub. "If the right guys are out there -- guys we feel fit in a long-term plan -- we want to build it year-to-year, basically. As we get going, add the right piece at the right time," Preller said. "You can wait for some of the young talent we built up and look at three, four years, then try to hope the right guys are out there at that time, but I think we figured as a group if pieces that fit for us both in the short term, long term are out there, that's how you build a club. "I think we understand now the key is to turn what we feel like we built from a system standpoint and turn that into a winning product on the big league field. It's not about looking up at a group and saying we have an elite farm system." Machado, 26, posted a career-high .905 OPS in 2018, finishing the season with a .297/.367/.538 slash line, 37 home runs, 107 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. In 66 regular-season games with the Dodgers, he hit .273 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs. Padres players were ecstatic Tuesday, even though the signing was not yet official. "You see me smiling right here,'' said first baseman Eric Hosmer, who exactly a year ago finalized a $144 million, eight-year deal with San Diego. "We've all been practicing today, obviously. We've all kind of heard what's been going on, and all we can say is he's a guy we'd love to have, and I think it changes things pretty quickly if we do have him here. "He's one of the top guys in the league,'' Hosmer added. "Obviously, extremely young free agent that's got a lot of amazing baseball left in him, and he's already had a lot of amazing baseball in his career. We're all just glad he'll hopefully be here with us in San Diego.'' The Padres, who have missed the playoffs in 12 consecutive seasons, ranked 28th in the majors last season after averaging 3.8 runs per game. Machado has hit 30 home runs in each of the past four seasons; only Wil Myers (2017) has surpassed that mark for the Padres in that span. Only six times in Padres history has a player hit more home runs in a season than Machado did in 2018. The last to do so was Adrian Gonzalez (40) in 2009. Myers was the last Padres player to start an All-Star Game in 2016, serving in the designated hitter role. The Padres' last position player to start an All-Star Game was Tony Gwynn in 1998. "It's exciting to be able to add a star, somebody like that in the middle of the lineup," Myers said Tuesday. "I think it lengthens the lineup for us, makes everyone around us better. ... Anytime you can add a player of that caliber to your team, you do it." Taking It To The Bank Manny Machado has signed the second-largest total value contract in MLB history, behind Giancarlo Stanton's $325 million extension with the Marlins in the 2014-15 offseason. Value Team Yrs.

Mommy, what’s a “mixtape?” And what are “New Kids On The Block?” Pop-music fans pining to re-live the 1980s can stop pining. The now middle-aged boy band New Kids On The Block will hit the road in 2019 with fellow ’80s veterans Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty By Nature. Together, they will embark on “The Mixtape Tour,” whose technologically archaic title may baffle anyone born in this century. The three-month tour will visit 53 North American cities, beginning with a May 2 show at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati and concluding with a July 14 show at the Hard Rock Event Center in Hollywood, Fla. The tour will include at least six California dates, starting with a May 23 stop at San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena. It will be followed by a May 24 show at Anaheim’s Honda Center, a May 26 show at the Hollywood Bowl, a May 28 show at Bakersfield’s Rabobank Arena, a May 29 show at San Jose’s SAP Arena and a May 30 show at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. Advertisement All tour dates appear below. To celebrate the announcement of the tour, New Kids On The Block has released a new, nostalgia-drenched song, “80s Baby,” which also features Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty By Nature. Tickets for the general public go on Friday at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster.com and livenation.com, and by phone at (800) 745-3000. An online pre-sale for American Express Card Members begins Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time and runs through 10 p.m. Thursday. Ticket prices for the May 23 San Diego “Mixtape” tour show range from $29.95 to $159.95 each, plus service charges. The Mixtape Tour Thursday, May 2, 2019, Cincinnati, U.S. Bank Arena Saturday, May 4, 2019, Cleveland, Quicken Loans Arena Sunday, May 5, 2019, Indianapolis, Bankers Life Fieldhouse Tuesday, May 7, 2019, Kansas City, Sprint Center Wednesday, May 8, 2019, St. Louis, Enterprise Center Advertisement Thursday, May 9, 2019, Nashville, Bridgestone Arena Friday, May 10, 2019, Memphis, FedEx Forum Saturday, May 11, 2019, New Orleans, Smoothie King Center Monday, May 13, 2019, Corpus Christi, American Bank Center Advertisement Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Houston, Toyota Center Thursday, May 16, 2019 San Antonio, AT&T Center Friday, May 17, 2019, Dallas, American Airlines Center Saturday, May 18, 2019, Oklahoma City, Chesapeake Energy Arena Advertisement Tuesday, May 21, 2019, El Paso, UTEP Don Haskins Center Wednesday, May 22, 2019, Phoenix, Talking Stick Resort Arena Thursday, May 23, 2019, San Diego, Viejas Arena Friday, May 24, 2019, Anaheim, Honda Center Advertisement Saturday, May 25, 2019, Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday, May 26, 2019, Los Angeles, Hollywood Bowl Tuesday, May 28, 2019 Bakersfield, Rabobank Arena Wednesday, May 29, 2019, San Jose, SAP Center Advertisement Thursday, May 30, 2019, Sacramento, Golden 1 Center Saturday, June 1, 2019, Tacoma, Tacoma Dome Sunday, June 2, 2019, Portland, Moda Center Tuesday, June 4, 2019, Boise, Taco Bell Arena Advertisement Thursday, June 6, 2019, Salt Lake City, Vivint Smart Home Arena Friday, June 7, 2019, Denver, Pepsi Center Saturday, June 8, 2019, Lincoln, Pinnacle Bank Arena Sunday, June 9, 2019, Des Moines, Wells Fargo Arena Advertisement Tuesday, June 11, 2019, St. Paul, Xcel Energy Center Wednesday, June 12, 2019, Milwaukee, Fiserv Forum Thursday, June 13, 2019, Grand Rapids, Van Andel Arena Friday, June 14, 2019, Rosemont, Allstate Arena Advertisement Tuesday, June 18, 2019, Detroit, Little Caesars Arena Wednesday, June 19, 2019, Toronto, Scotiabank Arena Friday, June 21, 2019, Buffalo, KeyBank Center Saturday, June 22, 2019, Columbus, Schottenstein Center Advertisement Sunday, June 23, 2019, Pittsburgh, PPG Paints Arena Tuesday, June 25, 2019, Washington, D.C., Capital One Arena Thursday, June 27, 2019, Philadelphia, Wells Fargo Center Friday, June 28, 2019, Boston, TD Garden Advertisement Sunday, June 30, 2019, Uniondale, Nassau Coliseum Tuesday, July 2, 2019, Newark, Prudential Center Wednesday, July 3, 2019, Uncasville, Mohegan Sun Arena Friday, July 5, 2019, Atlantic City, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Advertisement Saturday, July 6, 2019, Hershey, Hersheypark Stadium Sunday, July 7, 2019, Raleigh, PNC Arena Tuesday, July 9, 2019, Charlotte, Spectrum Center Wednesday, July 10, 2019, Greenville, Bon Secours Wellness Arena Advertisement Thursday, July 11, 2019, Atlanta, State Farm Arena Friday, July 12, 2019, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena Saturday, July 13, 2019, Orlando, Amway Center Sunday, July 14, 2019, Hollywood, Hard Rock Event Center Advertisement george.varga@sduniontribune.com Advertisement Twitter @georgevarga<doc-sep>It's actually happening, Blockheads of the world. As recently announced on their Twitter page, New Kids on the Block is officially hitting the road again next spring for their national MixTape Tour. Joining them on their 53-city concert series will be fellow nineties legends Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, Debbie Gibson, and Tiffany. 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 NKOTB Mixtape Tour Dates and Cities The spring concerts will begin May 2, 2019 and go through July 14, 2019. Stops will be all over the map, from San Diego to Raleigh and all the great cities in between. Here's the full schedule, as reported by Rolling Stone: May 2 – Cincinnati, OH at U.S. Bank Arena May 4 – Cleveland, OH at Quicken Loans Arena May 5 – Indianapolis, IN at Bankers Life Fieldhouse May 7 – Kansas City, MO at Sprint Center May 8 – St. Louis, MO at Enterprise Center May 9 – Nashville, TN at Bridgestone Arena May 10 – Memphis, TN at FedEx Forum May 11 – New Orleans, LA at Smoothie King Center May 13 – Corpus Christi, TX at American Bank Center May 15 – Houston, TX at Toyota Center May 16 – San Antonio, TX at AT&T Center May 17 – Dallas, TX at American Airlines Center May 18 – Oklahoma City, OK at Chesapeake Energy Arena May 21 – El Paso, TX at UTEP Don Haskins Center May 22 – Phoenix, AZ at Talking Stick Resort Arena May 23 – San Diego, CA at Viejas Arena May 24 – Anaheim, CA at Honda Center May 25 – Las Vegas, NV at Mandalay Bay Events Center May 26 – Los Angeles, CA at Hollywood Bowl May 28 – Bakersfield, CA at Rabobank Arena May 29 – San Jose, CA at SAP Center May 30 – Sacramento, CA at Golden 1 Center June 1 – Tacoma, WA at Tacoma Dome June 2 – Portland, OR at Moda Center June 4 – Boise, ID at Taco Bell Arena June 6 – Salt Lake City, UT at Vivint Smart Home Arena June 7 – Denver, CO at Pepsi Center June 8 – Lincoln, NE at Pinnacle Bank Arena June 9 – Des Moines, IA at Wells Fargo Arena June 11 – St. Paul, MN at Xcel Energy Center June 12 – Milwaukee, WI at Fiserv Forum June 13 – Grand Rapids, MI at Van Andel Arena June 14 – Rosemont, IL at Allstate Arena June 18 – Detroit, MI at Little Caesars Arena June 19 – Toronto, ON at Scotiabank Arena June 21 – Buffalo, NY at KeyBank Center June 22 – Columbus, OH at Schottenstein Center June 23 – Pittsburgh, PA at PPG Paints Arena June 25 – Washington, at D.C. Capital One Arena June 27 – Philadelphia, PA at Wells Fargo Center June 28 – Boston, MA at TD Garden June 30 – Uniondale, NY at NYCB July 2 – Newark, NJ at Prudential Center July 3 – Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena July 5 – Atlantic City, NJ at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa July 6 – Hershey, PA at Hersheypark Stadium July 7 – Raleigh, NC at PNC Arena July 9 – Charlotte, NC at Spectrum Center July 10 – Greenville, SC at Bon Secours Wellness Arena July 11 – Atlanta, GA at State Farm Arena July 12 – Jacksonville, FL at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena July 13 – Orlando, FL at Amway Center July 14 – Hollywood, FL at Hard Rock Event Center How to Get NKOTB Mixtape Tour Tickets Wanting/absolutely positively NEEDING to go see Donnie, Jordan, Joey, Jon, and Danny? Pre-sale for Fan Club and Fan Club VIP tickets begins on Tuesday, October 9 at 10 a.m. ET. Otherwise, tickets will be officially on sale to the public starting Friday, October 12 at 10 a.m. ET. Go to Ticket Master to get pricing info and pick your seats. While you're at it, make sure to gear up with the very best NKOTB merch. Even if you're a fan and aren't planning on going to the show, you know too well that NKOTB fever never really goes away. 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>New Kids on the Block’s upcoming “Mixtape Tour” will have a distinctly Long Island flavor, even before its stop at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum. Merrick native Debbie Gibson and Salt-N-Pepa, with Melville’s Salt, are among the openers, along with Tiffany and Naughty by Nature, as the “Hangin’ Tough” group tries to re-create an ‘80s mixtape on the stage. “We’re all about bringing hits and magical moments to fans around the world,” New Kids’ Donnie Wahlberg said on the “Today” show, as he announced the tour, adding that working with Salt-N-Pepa was a dream come true and that the group had come up together with Gibson. The New Kids, who say they plan to perform chart-toppers like "Step by Step" and "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)," even released a new single “80s Baby” on Monday featuring all of the tour’s openers. “I’m looking forward to the fact that I’m going to have the best seat in the house for this concert,” Gibson said on “Today.” “It’s a celebration, I think, because everybody’s still here and going strong. Everybody’s so relevant and so current and yet we can take people back.” The 53-city tour kicks off May 2 in Cincinnati and will stop at NYCB Live’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on June 30. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster. American Express cardholders can purchase pre-sale tickets starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Next year’s tour marks a return to the stage for the group, who took a touring break in 2018, though the New Kids did mark the 30th anniversary of their “Hangin’ Tough” album with a special show at the Apollo Theater on Sunday.<doc-sep>

If you hadn't had your caffeine yet early Monday morning, you could be forgiven for thinking you were having an '80s flashback while watching NBC's "Today." The members of New Kids on the Block, who celebrated the 30th anniversary of their hit album "Hangin' Tough" last month, were joined by fellow late-'80s acts Salt-n-Pepa, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Naughty By Nature in Rockefeller Plaza to announce their 2019 Mixtape Tour. They will hit 53 cities next year on their Mixtape Tour, beginning May 2 in Cincinnati. In addition to the tour, the artists also collaborated on a track, fittingly titled "80s Baby." Presale tickets are available starting Tuesday at 10 a.m. EDT. For more information on tickets and VIP packages, click or tap here. Full schedule of "The Mixtape Tour": Thursday, May 2: U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati Saturday, May 4: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland Sunday, May 5 Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Tuesday, May 7: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri Wednesday, May 8: Enterprise Center, St. Louis Thursday, May 9: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville Friday, May 10: FedEx Forum, Memphis Saturday, May 11: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans Monday, May 13: American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas Wednesday, May 15: Toyota Center, Houston Thursday, May 16: AT&T Center, San Antonio Friday, May 17: American Airlines Center, Dallas Saturday, May 18: Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena Tuesday, May 21: El Paso, TX UTEP Don Haskins Center Wednesday, May 22: Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Arena Thursday, May 23: San Diego, CA Viejas Arena Friday, May 24: Anaheim, CA Honda Center Saturday, May 25: Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday, May 26: Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl Tuesday, May 28: Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena Wednesday, May 29: San Jose, CA SAP Center Thursday, May 30: Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center Saturday, June 1: Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome Sunday, June 2: Portland, OR Moda Center Tuesday, June 4: Boise, ID Taco Bell Arena Thursday, June 6: Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena Friday, June 7: Denver, CO Pepsi Center Saturday, June 8: Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena Sunday, June 9: Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena Tuesday, June 11: St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center Wednesday, June 12: Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum Thursday, June 13: Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena Friday, June 14: Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena Tuesday, June 18: Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena Wednesday, June 19: Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena Friday, June 21: Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center Saturday, June 22: Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center Sunday, June 23: Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena Tuesday, June 25: Washington, D.C. Capital One Arena Thursday, June 27: Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center Friday, June 28: Boston, MA TD Garden Sunday, June 30: Uniondale, NY NYCB, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Tuesday, July 2: Newark, NJ Prudential Center Wednesday, July 3: Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena Friday, July 5: Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Saturday, July 6: Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium Sunday, July 7: Raleigh, NC PNC Arena Tuesday, July 9: Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center Wednesday, July 10: Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena Thursday, July 11: Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena (Philips) Friday, July 12: Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena Saturday, July 13: Orlando, FL Amway Center Sunday, July 14: Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Event Center

Liberal protesters on Monday morning surrounded a Philadelphia restaurant where leaders of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a right-wing organization for conservative college students, were eating breakfast. The protesters followed Charlie Kirk, TPUSA's founder and president, and Candace Owens, the organization's communications director, as they exited the restaurant and walked through the city, according to videos posted by Owens. Kirk and Owens were accompanied by Philadelphia police officers during the protest. The protest group, which is commonly referred to as antifa, poured water on Kirk. ADVERTISEMENT "Neo-fascist Charlie Kirk visits Philly in a heat wave so some hydration enthusiasts gave him a drenching," the account tweeted with a picture of Kirk grimacing. Neo-fascist Charlie Kirk visits Philly in a heat wave so some hydration enthusiasts gave him a drenching #visitphilly pic.twitter.com/yAmi15InWH — ANTIFA Philadelphia (@PhillyANTIFA) August 6, 2018 Owens posted videos of the confrontation on Twitter, claiming antifa protesters were against her for being "a black woman" eating breakfast. To be clear: ANTIFA, an all-white fascist organization, just grew violent and attacked an all-black and Hispanic police force. Because I, a BLACK woman, was eating breakfast. Is this the civil rights era all over again? pic.twitter.com/piJfnopniW — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) August 6, 2018 In the videos posted by Owens, protesters can be seen swarming her and Kirk, shouting "F--- white supremacy!" and "1, 2, 3, f--- the bourgeoise!" as the TPUSA leaders stand with several police officers. Kirk smiles throughout the video while Owens responds to protesters with her own chant: "We love the police, we love America." Charlie Kirk and I just got ATTACKED and protested by ANTIFA for eating breakfast. They are currently following us through Philly. ALL BLACK AND HISPANIC police force protecting us as they scream “f*ck the racist police”. pic.twitter.com/x5WUNr9mM6 — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) August 6, 2018 The protest is the latest direct confrontation against conservatives figures across the country. Protesters in recent months have publicly confronted the Environmental Protection Agency's former administrator Scott Pruitt Edward (Scott) Scott PruittCourt sets in motion EPA ban on pesticide linked to developmental issues Scientific integrity, or more hot air? OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Biden proposes billions for electric vehicles, building retrofitting| EPA chief to replace Trump appointees on science advisory panels | Kerry to travel to UAE, India to discuss climate change MORE before his resignation, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenLeft-leaning group to track which companies hire former top Trump aides Rosenstein: Zero tolerance immigration policy 'never should have been proposed or implemented' House Republican condemns anti-Trump celebrities during impeachment hearing MORE, among others.<doc-sep>James Bovard Opinion columnist Media hype had it that Unite the Right protesters would storm into Washington on Sunday and march down Pennsylvania Avenue like the giant Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters, smashing federal icons left and right. Instead, there was a pathetic rabble of two dozen racists who likely would have been hard-pressed to capture a chicken coop. Historian Henry Adams observed a century ago that politics is “the systematic organization of hatreds.” The hubbub around yesterday’s protests illustrates how Adams’ axiom is more true than ever. “I condemn all types of racism and acts of violence. Peace to ALL Americans!” President Donald Trump tweeted the day before the protest. Despite some kvetching over his comment, it was much closer to the American mainstream than the views of most of the protesters in D.C. parks and on the streets. The scattering of Unite the Right 2 protesters could have been delivered straight from Liberal Central Casting. Even though the white nationalists, especially after Charlottesville, are a political nonentity, they can still serve as a profitable bogeyman. Who were the few Unite the Right faithful? One of the big mysteries is why anyone would trust or follow protest organizer Jason Kessler. A year ago, after a neo-Nazi crashed his car into counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing Heather Heyer, Kessler tweeted out that she was a “fat, disgusting communist.” That sparked an uproar, so Kessler blamed Ambien and Xanax for the noxious tweet. After Kessler sued the Charlottesville government, the names of his allies and cohorts were disclosed in court filings, even including encrypted messages sent via Signal. Kessler admitted that he is relying on “donations sporadically from my grandmother.” Were Sunday's attendees distinguished by their inability to do a Google search on Kessler's background? Or perhaps the story is more complicated, considering the role of double agents in recent protests. Last August’s Charlottesville protest was preceded by a Klan rally spearheaded by a long-term violent FBI informant. Christopher Cantwell, a top organizer of the Unite the Right rally a year ago, recently admitted that he is now an FBI informant. That’s a common trait among supposedly anti-government types: the FBI had nine confidential informants inside the 2016 standoff with ranchers and protesters at Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. In 2006, an FBI informant organized and led a neo-Nazi march in Florida. It would not be surprising if the feds had additional informants among white nationalists (especially among people seeking plea bargains) beyond those who have been publicly exposed. More:Five lessons of Charlottesville one year later: ADL director Veteran: Unite the Right white supremacists violate principles I defended in uniform A year after Charlottesville, Trump has normalized racism in America Regardless of why people turned out in Washington, the D.C. police handled the protest well, taking all necessary precautions to separate the opposing demonstrations. Charlottesville turned into a tragedy in part because the police chief (who subsequently resigned) responded to escalating violence by telling his officers to “let them fight." Police intentionally drove the white nationalists into the angry counterprotesters — even though both groups had plenty of weapons, including guns and at least one makeshift flamethrower. Charlottesville police bizarrely withdrew the sole officer blocking the intersection through which a driver later plowed into counterprotesters and killed Heyer. Some of the media coverage leading up to Sunday's close to non-event tarred as many people as possible as unindicted co-conspirators. A New York Magazine headline proclaimed: “A Year After Charlottesville, Racists to Gather in Trump’s Neighborhood.” Vox, one of the most respected left-leaning websites, announced Friday that 24 million white Americans share the views of the Alt-Right protesters. A few hours later, the publication said a “data error” had more than doubled the number of Alt-Right leaning Americans, and that it was actually only 11 million. Pick a million, any million. Yet, on the same day, another Vox piece conceded: “Under public pressure, the alt-right has largely disintegrated.” Hatred on the left masked as anti-hatred Conservatives will do their damnedest to showcase the extremism of some counterprotesters. In Charlottesville on Saturday and Sunday, Antifa activists attacked police and the media and denounced police as Klan members. And in Washington, counterprotesters chanted that “America was never great” and held signs demanding the disarming the police — not a comforting idea to most Americans who have more fear of vicious criminals than of law enforcement officers. The vast rage and clenched fists of many of leftist protesters at times appeared to be hatred masquerading as anti-hatred. Nor would most Americans agree with signs proclaiming “White Silence is Violence.” Is the “Two Minutes Hate” of George Orwell’s 1984 now institutionalized in American politics? Hopefully not. It is a good sign that there were no miscreants performing Nazi salutes or sporting Nazi paraphernalia in Lafayette Park, but that will do little to curb the rage of political zealots. There is still time to follow the counsel of a black man who endured a police beating that helped spark the 1992 Los Angeles riots that left 63 people dead. As Rodney King wisely asked, “Can we all get along? Can we stop making it horrible?” James Bovard, author of Attention Deficit Democracy, is a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors. Follow him on Twitter: @JimBovard.<doc-sep>Candace Owens and Charlie Kirk were in town for a meeting of the pro-Trump Turning Point USA. Updated 8:30 p.m. There is no “all black and Hispanic” police force in Philly, and Philadelphia Police do not serve as a security detail to “protect” certain citizens. PPD spokesperson Tanya Little confirmed the above to Billy Penn Monday afternoon, responding to questions about an incident that transpired earlier in the day. On the morning of Aug. 6, in the middle of the regular red-velvet-pancake gorging that goes on at Center City brunch favorite Green Eggs Cafe, a group of protesters interrupted a man and woman as they were eating, showering the duo with shouts and eventually forcing them out onto 13th Street. The man was then drenched in thrown glasses of water. The pair being harassed was conservative commentators Candace Owens and Charlie Kirk, who were in Philadelphia for a board meeting of Turning Point USA, the pro-Trump youth organization they head. Local members of Antifa, the nickname adopted by “antifascist” coalitions of progressive activists, had apparently discovered the pair’s whereabouts and organized a group to disrupt the conservatives’ breakfast. The protesters entered Green Eggs Café about 20 minutes after Kirk and Owens sat down, Kirk told PhillyVoice. In a video posted to Twitter by Owens, the protesters can be heard shouting: “They’re not Nazis, they’re soft fascists!,” “Fuck the bourgeoisie,” “Fuck white supremacy,” and “Cops and Klan, hand in hand.” Police were indeed on the scene of the disturbance, PPD’s Little said. However, she clarified, they try to show up at every protest in the city, regardless of who or what is being protested. As for Owens’ statement posted along with the video, “I don’t know what that means,” Little said. “There is no all-black and Hispanic police force in Philadelphia.” Local activist groups Abolish ICE Philly and Antifa Philly have not responded to Billy Penn’s request for comment, but both organizations also posted photos of the Monday morning melee on their respective Twitter accounts, depicting a liquid being thrown on Kirk (presumedly water flung by a protester) In the videos posted by Owens and Kirk, it’s unclear how staff members at Green Eggs, which is located in Philly’s Gayborhood, reacted to the commotion at their establishment. In one video, there’s a blonde waitress looking perplexed, and diners looking equally stunned as Kirk tells them to “have a wonderful day” and to enjoy their “capitalist breakfast.” The manager, Malik Joe, told The Washington Post that people started “jeering” and throwing “food and objects” at Owens and Kirk from other tables and from outside. He initially thought that the formation outside of his establishment was a “vegan protest.” On social media, the bruncherie received some backlash for serving the right-wing personalities. A Green Eggs employee told Billy Penn that “at this moment in time, we’re only allowed to say that we’re open for everybody. People are saying we’re on one side, or on the other side, and no… We’re not siding with anybody. All are welcome here.” Owens is notorious for her anti-Black Lives Matter stance, as well as for her theories that Democrats have brainwashed African-Americans, that single and/or childless women are “biochemically” inferior and that climate change does not exist. Kirk is the founder of Turning Point USA, which has been lambasted for its “Professor Watchlist” — a project that exists “to expose and document college professors who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom” — and for allegations of racial bias. After both of them posted about their experience at Green Eggs, right-wing media outlets and conservative figures immediately jumped on the opportunity to provide commentary and decry the incident. Local sports podcaster Tony Bruno tweeted that “our paid protesters are just props.” Former Breitbart editor-at-large Ben Shapiro suggested it was proof of “mob violence,” and One America News Network correspondent Jack Posobiec made a snide reference to segregation.<doc-sep>

'They're not Nazis, they're soft fascists,' a man yells hysterically on footage captured by Turning Point USA staff. Antifa protesters drove two conservative organizers Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens out of a Philadelphia restaurant Monday morning. Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, and Owens, the group’s communications director, recorded themselves abandoning their breakfast. TPUSA is a conservative group geared toward high school and college students. “They’re not Nazis, they’re ‘soft fascists,'” a man hysterically yells as the footage begins. Before leaving the restaurant, Kirk says, “Have a wonderful day. Enjoy your capitalist brunch.” WATCH: To be clear: ANTIFA, an all-white fascist organization, just grew violent and attacked an all-black and Hispanic police force. Because I, a BLACK woman, was eating breakfast. Is this the civil rights era all over again? pic.twitter.com/piJfnopniW — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) August 6, 2018 The two then walk outside to find a crowd yelling, “1, 2, 3, f*ck the bourgeoisie!” The crowd is Antifa, an anti-fascist group known for violent protests. Antifa recently rioted at the Patriot Prayer event in Portland Oregon. Antifa surrounded the two and their team while screaming, booing, blowing whistles, and shaking tambourines. At one point, a white Antifa protestor shouted “f*ck white supremacy” through a microphone into Owen’s face. Owens is a black woman. WATCH: Charlie Kirk and I just got ATTACKED and protested by ANTIFA for eating breakfast. They are currently following us through Philly. ALL BLACK AND HISPANIC police force protecting us as they scream “f*ck the racist police”. pic.twitter.com/x5WUNr9mM6 — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) August 6, 2018 An Antifa member then throws a drink at Kirk. The TPUSA team left the scene only to be followed by Antifa protestors, according to Owens. She said a largely black and Hispanic Philadelphia police force escorted them through the city, while the largely white protestors shouted “F*ck the racist police,” and “No good cops in the racist system.” Monday’s events are part of a larger trend of violence and threats towards conservative politicians and activists. Multiple members of President Trump’s cabinet have also been forced out of restaurants by angry protestors, and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has faced multiple death threats. Several people were recently arrested for making threats against Republican Reps. Steve Scalise and Chris Smith. Scalise barely survived an assassination attempt while practicing for the annual Congressional baseball game last year.

A tropical depression strengthened Sunday into Tropical Storm Michael, which the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said could bring heavy rainfall and flooding to Mexico, Cuba and the U.S. Gulf Coast. The hurricane center said the storm could produce rain accumulations of 2 to 4 inches across the Florida Keys through Monday and could become a hurricane by Monday night or Tuesday. Gov. Rick Scott issued a state of emergency for 26 counties in the Florida Panhandle and the Big Bend area, where winds in those areas could reach more than 100 mph. Scott said the storm could turn into a Category 2 hurricane by the time it makes landfall midweek. Scott activated 500 National Guard troops to help with planning ahead of the storm. Another 5,500 were available if needed. "This storm will be life-threatening and extremely dangerous," Scott said in a briefing Sunday. "Every family must be prepared." A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth. There's also a warning in effect for the coast of Mexico from Tulum to Cabo Catoche. The storm could bring rainfall totals of 3 to 7 inches over western Cuba and 2 to 4 inches over the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize through Tuesday. This image shows the projected path of Tropical Storm Michael on Sun., Oct. 7, 2018. NHC The storm was located 105 miles southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, moving north-northeast at 3 mph, the NHC said in its 8 p.m. ET advisory. Michael's center will move over the Yucatan Channel on Monday and then across the eastern Gulf of Mexico late Monday through Tuesday night, and approach the northeastern Gulf coast Wednesday. Peter Martinez contributed to this report.<doc-sep>The latest National Hurricane Center forecast update predicts that a tropical storm developing near the Gulf of Mexico will reach hurricane strength Wednesday as Hurricane Michael, tracking almost due north on a path toward landfall in along the U.S. Gulf Coast on Wednesday as a significant storm. Models show Hurricane Michael likely hitting along the Florida panhandle, though the Alabama coast is not out of the forecast cone of risk. Hurricane Michael is predicted to hit the Gulf Coast with maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (Category 2 or near Major Category 3 strength), according to Sunday 10 a.m. forecast update from the National Hurricane Center. "Storm surge, rainfall, and wind impacts are possible over portions of the northern Gulf Coast by mid-week, although it is too soon to specify the exact location and magnitude of these impacts," the National Hurricane Center said Sunday. "Residents in these areas should monitor the progress of this system." A big problem concerning Michael is that its impact is forecast to be widespread across the Southeast, well beyond the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center forecasts that as it moves inland as Tropical Storm Michael, the system will maintain some strength as it moves up through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and into Virginia with tropical storm winds of 50 miles per hour and flooding potential on a sort of nor'easter track. The National Hurricane Center model predicts Tropical Storm Michael will be in Virginia, near the coast, at 1 a.m. Friday next week. With similarities to Hurricane Nate that developed last October in the same location and hit in Louisiana, near the mouth of the Mississippi River at Category 1 strength, Hurricane Michael is forecast to be a Category 1 storm when it hits, with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour. Hurricane strength is 74 miles per hour. The latest National Hurricane Center forecast models track, likely to shift some as the storm approaches, show Hurricane Michael hitting the Florida panhandle somewhere between Fort Walton Beach/Destin, Panama City, Port Saint Joe, and Apalachicola on Wednesday. The system, currently named Tropical Depression Fourteen, is expected to become Tropical Storm Michael later Sunday, beginning its northern path through the Gulf of Mexico toward landfall. The latest Michael/Tropical Depression Fourteen Spaghetti models are in agreement that Michael will hit the northern Gulf Coast, likely Wednesday, somewhere between Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle. The official National Hurricane Center forecast track then takes Michael inland across southeastern Alabama and the Florida panhandle into Georgia late Wednesday night and into early Thursday morning as a tropical storm, still packing winds of 50 miles per hour. Tropical Depression Fourteen is currently located about 90 miles east of Chetumal, Mexico, moving slowly to the north-northwest with maximum winds of 35 miles per hour. "The depression is producing heavy rainfall and flash flooding over portions of Central America, and these rains will spread over western Cuba and the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico during the next couple of days," the National Hurricane Center said Sunday. "The depression is forecast to become a tropical storm later today, and tropical storm conditions are expected by tonight over portions of western Cuba and the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula, where tropical storm warnings are in effect."<doc-sep>Type at least three characters to start auto complete. Recently searched locations will be displayed if there is no search query. The first option will be automatically selected. Use up and down arrows to change selection. Use escape to clear. Search City or Zip Code<doc-sep>The storm will be moving at a steady clip, so it is unlikely to produce the type of extreme rainfall that Hurricane Florence did. But even so, it may drench some of the same areas affected by Florence in the Carolinas, where river levels have only recently begun to recede in some areas.<doc-sep>

The 2018 hurricane season isn't over yet. Tropical Storm Michael formed Sunday morning in the Caribbean Sea and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane over the next couple of days, the National Hurricane Center said. It's predicted to head straight for the northeastern Gulf Coast, probably making landfall as Category 2 Hurricane Michael on Wednesday, the hurricane center said. As of 11 p.m. EDT, the storm had winds of 60 mph and was about 105 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico. It was moving to the north at 5 mph. "Heavy rainfall, wind and storm surge impacts will be possible across portions of the northern Gulf Coast by midweek," according to the hurricane center. Before that, seas will build across the gulf early this week as the storm churns northward, creating dangers for swimmers and boaters well ahead of the storm, AccuWeather warned. Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Sunday that he planned to declare a state of emergency for counties in the Florida Panhandle and the Big Bend area of the state. The declaration would free up resources for storm preparation. More:Track Tropical Storm Michael “As we continue to monitor this storm’s northward path toward Florida, it is critically important that our communities have every available resource to keep everyone safe and prepared,” Scott said in a statement. Scott has suspended his U.S. Senate campaign for the "next few days" to oversee response to Michael, CNN reported Sunday night. Andrew Gillum, the Democratic mayor of Tallahassee who is vying to succeed Scott as the state's governor, has called off campaign events on Monday and Tuesday to focus on storm preparation, CNN reported. Michael could make landfall as early as Wednesday morning (as predicted by the hurricane center) or as late as Thursday morning, Weather Underground meteorologist Jeff Masters said. After the storm moves inland, it could dump additional unwanted rain on the Carolinas, which were battered by Florence in September. "Areas hit hard by Florence may face disruptions to ongoing cleanup efforts or renewed flooding depending on the track of the storm," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said. Tropical storm warnings were posted for western Cuba and Mexico's northeast Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun, weather.com reported. Up to a foot of rain is possible in western Cuba, which could "lead to life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in areas of mountainous terrain," the hurricane center warned. Michael is the 13th named tropical storm or hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. Contributing: The Associated Press

Single-day attendance record on first full day of 2018 Stampede Article content It didn’t take long for a single-day attendance record at the Calgary Stampede to be broken. A total of 122,403 attendees stepped through the gates of Stampede Friday, its first full day, to get their fix of midway food, free concerts and all the rides you could possibly imagine. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Single-day attendance record on first full day of 2018 Stampede Back to video The previous record of 115,235 was set in 2017. Friday saw the record toppled by 7,168 people — a 6.22 per cent increase. The Calgary Stampede Parade and subsequent two-and-a-half hours of free park admission contributed to the number, said Stampede spokeswoman Jennifer Booth. “We had a great day (Friday). We had our parade-to-park, and that’s the second year we have reversed the parade route,” said Booth. The parade-to-park initiative was set in place to help push foot traffic towards the Stampede grounds. “In reversing the parade route, it’s a more natural progression to walking to the park from the route. We saw lots of people heading down the parade route for the free admission,” she said. “The spirit and energy on park yesterday was incredible. Lots of people were down having fun.” Booth said Day 1 might be a sign of things to come for the remaining days of the annual event. “It’s very encouraging and we are very optimistic about this Stampede,” she said. “The weather forecast looks phenomenal for our outdoor show so that definitely has an impact. We are really happy with yesterday’s (numbers).” zlaing@postmedia.com Follow @zjlaing<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email The Calgary Stampede reported higher attendance numbers over last year, with 1,271,241 people taking in the sights and sounds of the midway, rodeo and agriculture events. That’s an increase of 56,269 people over last year when 1,214,972 came through the gates. “We’re really excited by the attendance number,” said Dave Sibbald, Calgary Stampede president and chairman of the board. “But (what) we’re most fortunate (about) is the community engagement spirit that we felt in the city, not only in our park but throughout the city.” The Stampede is a non-profit organization which puts on events all year. Profits from the Stampede go directly into those programs Sibbald said. Story continues below advertisement “We make some money, but that money goes to youth programs, education programs, goes back to infrastructure, because the rest of the year we have 1,800 events, so we’re open all year-round.” View image in full screen Alberta Premier Rachel Notley flips pancakes as she attends her annual Stampede breakfast in Calgary on Monday, July 9, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Sibbald added they strive to add new events and experiences every year to keep the public coming. “[We] truly try to provide unique opportunities. That guest experience is what really drives us.” READ MORE: The Indian Village at Calgary Stampede renamed Elbow River Camp View image in full screen The Indian Village at Calgary Stampede has been renamed Elbow River Camp. Credit: Calgary Stampede READ MORE: Stampede president speaks about the decision to change the name of Indian Village Story continues below advertisement The Stampede attendance record was broken in 2012, with 1,409,371 people taking in the festivities, Jennifer Booth from the Calgary Stampede said.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Calgary Stampede: Last chance to take in all the action down at Stampede Park Calgary Stampede: Last chance to take in all the action down at Stampede Park Photo by Mike Drew / Mike Drew/Postmedia Article content It’s been eight days of bucking broncos, dizzying rides and indulgent deep fried everything down on the Calgary Stampede grounds. With only two days left of the 2018 Calgary Stampede, organizers say this year’s event has seen an increased number of people coming through the gates of Stampede Park. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Calgary Stampede: Last chance to take in all the action down at Stampede Park Back to video As of Thursday night, there were more than 881,000 visitors to the Stampede grounds. More than 99,500 went through the turnstyles on Thursday, for a drop of 16,578 people compared to the same day last year. But overall attendance for the 2018 Stampede is still up from last year. So far, there have been 42,763 more guests to Stampede Park compared to the same time in 2017. Jennifer Booth, manager of public relations with the Stampede, says the uptick in attendance is due in part to promotional events such as Parade to Park, offering free admission to the grounds until 1:30 p.m. on the first Friday of Stampede, and McDonald’s Community Day, slashing admission costs to only $2 on Tuesday until 2 p.m. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “That was a great day, it was a great way to really rally the whole community and show their support,” Booth said of McDonald’s Community Day, which was a new promotion this year. More On This Topic Strathmore bull rider Schiffner makes retirement official How Calgary politicians survive the Stampede politicking season Cowboys talk superstitions at the Calgary Stampede She said annual promotions such as BMO Kids Day and Family Day continue to offer Calgarians and visitors the full Stampede experience at a low cost. Ivan Petrov, owner of the Waffle & Chix food truck, has been a vendor at the Stampede for five years now and says organizers add something bigger and better to the lineup every year. “I really like the zip lines and the dirt bikes being right next to us. I think it helped the business a lot,” Petrov said. “(Organizers are) thinking two years ahead to improve the attendance and bring in exciting vendors and entertainment and stuff.” But as the sun prepares to set on another round of The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, Booth says there is still a lot going on this weekend for diehard cowgirls and cowboys who just can’t get enough Stampede. Nashville North What would Stampede be without a little boot scootin’ and boogying? Check out multiple performances from Alberta’s own Drew Gregory on Saturday. Hailing from the small town of Standard, Alta., Gregory has been making a name for himself after spending time in Nashville before recording his debut record Country Hurricane. Catch him at Nashville North at 6 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Regina-based country duo Foxx Worthee will also be gracing the stage at Nashville North at 5 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. Vocalists Crystal Smith and Nicole Perkins harken back to the soulful traditions of classic country, while embracing the rebellious outlaw spirit of the modern era of country music. The Coca-Cola Stage Booth says the Stampede’s Coca-Cola stage continues to be an iconic attraction down on the grounds, thanks to the big-ticket acts you can see for the price of admission to the grounds. Saturday will feature performances from New York jazz-rockers and YouTube sensation Too Many Zooz at 8 p.m., as well as B.C.-based electronic act The Funk Hunters at 9:30 p.m. For those wanting some tunes that are a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, be sure to check out Canadian alt-rockers Billy Talent on Sunday at 9 p.m. Rodeo finals and the GMC Rangeland Derby See who walks away with the top prize and a shiny new belt buckle at the rodeo finals on Sunday, running from 1:15 to 4:15 p.m. The chuckwagon race finals for the 2018 GMC Rangeland Derby get underway at 7:45 p.m., with a top prize of $1.15 million. 50th anniversary of the Grandstand Show And stick around down on the infield after the chuckwagons on Sunday to catch the final performance of the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the show and Booth says the final performances won’t disappoint. There are only a limited number of tickets for both Saturday and Sunday’s Grandstand shows and Booth said to come down to the grounds before 11 a.m. each day to try and snap up the last rush seating tickets for the shows. You can check out the full list of Calgary Stampede events online. – With files from Zach Laing RRumbolt@postmedia.com On Twitter: @RCRumbolt 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. Calgary Herald Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, 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 Calgary Herald Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>Beautiful weather and an economy on the mend likely contributed to the second-highest attendance rate in the history of the Calgary Stampede. The Stampede said 1,271,241 passed through its gates this year, up more than 56,000 from last year. The number was 150,000 short of the event's all-time record, when 1,409,371 people attended the Stampede's centennial in 2012. "Our community engagement, our community spirit has never been so high," said Stampede president and chairman David Sibbald at a press conference Sunday. Attendance was up at this year's Stampede, but didn't break through the all-time record from 2012. (John Gibson/CBC) "I want to take my hat off not only for everybody who came, but for everyone who participated in what was truly a remarkable year," he added. Attendance for Sunday's final day was 113,415, down 4,099 from the final day of 2017 when it was 117,514. "The Calgary Stampede creates memories and it always has," Sibbald said. "But the memory this year is how we engaged the community and how the community responded to us. They came in droves, they came in numbers, they had a good time — and we couldn't be more proud."<doc-sep>

Share this Story: Sparkling attendance and a look to the future mark end of 2018 Calgary Stampede Sparkling attendance and a look to the future mark end of 2018 Calgary Stampede Article content On a warm and sunny final day of the Calgary Stampede, the 2018 edition of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth has been dubbed as “exceptional.” As the annual celebration of the city’s Western roots comes to an end, Stampede brass look back on how the past few days went and provide insight into the future of the grounds with a new expansion project. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Sparkling attendance and a look to the future mark end of 2018 Calgary Stampede Back to video Attendance One of the main positives of the Stampede this year has been higher attendance, with great weather to boot, officials said Sunday. “If you gauge the first nine days, the momentum has been high. We’ve seen people come through our gates for value days, we’ve seen people come on normal days,” said David Sibbald, president and chairman of the Stampede board. The cumulative attendance for this year’s Stampede was more than 1.27 million visitors, up from last year’s 1.21 million. This year also saw improved entrances along with streamlined security measures at the gates, Sibbald said. Article content “People got on park faster than they ever did before. I think that was a great initiative and we know it was very well accepted by those that were there,” he said. BMO Centre Expansion Stampede CEO Warren Connell also announced the Stampede is moving forward with plans to expand the BMO Centre, at an expected cost of $500 million. “We’re at a stage where it actually will be shovel-ready by the end of the year, so we could begin construction as soon as we have funding in place,” said Connell. “That’s significant and unique to this city, because it’s beginning to start to take this city to become a Tier 1 convention and trade show facility.” Talks are still ongoing between all levels of government as to how the project will be funded. Once completed, however, the expansion would double the size of the existing BMO Centre to more than a million square feet of available exhibition and conference space. “If you think of Rotary International coming and bringing 22,000 delegates, we’re currently turning down between 11 and 14 of those events per year,” said Connell. “So that’s a significant impact to the economy and to Calgary and to tourism for southern Alberta. So we’ve been working on that as part of our master plan since 2005.” One significant change will be demolishing the Stampede Corral and replacing it with a three-storey structure that will be linked to the BMO Centre. The development project will take an estimated five years to complete in order to mitigate any effects on events hosted in the centre. Article content “All the trade-shows and community events hosted in the BMO, we would like to keep the community engaged and they’ll continue,” said Connell. “So that’s car shows, home shows, graduations, weddings, the whole gamut. We do about 1,800 events a year. And so we’ll take five years so we don’t lose those events or we don’t impact them very significantly.” Calgary Stampede 2018 By the Numbers • 93 per cent of guests surveyed had expectations met or exceeded. • 26 per cent of guests surveyed report a 10/10 rating for overall experience. • 27 per cent of guests came from out of town. • 65 per cent of guests stayed for three or more days. • 20 per cent of guests stayed for more than eight days. • 2,300 volunteers. • 5,000 total part-time, full-time and Stampede-time employees. • 1 outrider horse death during the GMC Rangeland Derby • 1 injured Chuckwagon driver, Obrey Motowylo. — Data courtesy of Calgary Stampede ajunker@postmedia.com On Twitter: @JunkerAnna Share this article in your social network Calgary Herald Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, 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.

Major League Baseball and the Milwaukee Brewers condemned relief pitcher Josh Hader for offensive tweets he sent as a teenager, with the club noting that Hader is “aware of the severity of the situation related to his social media comments, regardless of the timeline of his posts.” MLB said in a statement that Hader will be required to participate in sensitivity training and MLB’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. He will not be suspended. Hader, 24, pitched in his first All-Star Game on Tuesday night, giving up a go-ahead three-run home run to Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura. Shortly thereafter, Twitter users dug up a slew of offensive posts from 2011 and 2012, ranging from racist to homophobic to misogynistic and threatening. Hader returned to the clubhouse after his outing and became aware of the outrage online. His Twitter account was placed in private mode and by Wednesday, deleted altogether. Following the American League’s 8-6 victory, Hader faced reporters and apologized for his tweets, later discussing them with Brewers teammate Lorenzo Cain, who is African American. “There’s no excuse for what was said. I’m deeply sorry for what I’ve said, and it doesn’t reflect any of my beliefs going on now,” Hader said. MLB has in recent years reacted quickly to insensitive behavior, suspending Kevin Pillar of the Toronto Blue Jays accepted a two-game suspension in May 2017 after directing an anti-gay slur toward an opposing pitcher. “During last night’s game we became aware of Mr. Hader’s unacceptable social media comments in years past and have since been in communication with the Brewers regarding our shared concerns,” MLB said in a statement. “ After the game, Mr. Hader took the necessary step of expressing remorse for his highly offensive and hurtful language, which fails to represent the values of our game and our expectations for all those who are a part of it. The Office of the Commissioner will require sensitivity training for Mr. Hader and participation in MLB’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.” Said Brewers general manager David Stearns: “We have been in contact with Josh and he is fully aware of the severity of the situation related to his social media comments, regardless of the timeline of his posts. His comments are inexcusable and he is taking responsibility for his actions. In no way do those sentiments reflect the views of the Brewers organization or our community. “Those of us that have come to know Josh do not believe that these posts are representative of his beliefs. He has been a good teammate and contributor to the team in every way. We will continue to work through this issue with Josh as we prepare to resume games after the break.” Hader and the Brewers, who are in second place in the NL Central, start the second half of the season Friday at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON – Josh Hader was well-known in baseball circles before Tuesday night, his blazing fastball and devastating slider creating one of the most dominant relief weapons in baseball and sending him to his first All-Star Game. With greater notoriety, however, comes greater scrutiny. After the Milwaukee Brewers left-hander served up a crucial home run, a Hader nobody knew emerged: A 17-year-old who did not hesitate to send out racist, homophobic, misogynistic and threatening tweets. By the time he returned to the clubhouse after yielding a three-run homer to the Mariners’ Jean Segura, Hader was informed that intrepid Internet users, their interest likely piqued by his goat turn in the All-Star Game, unearthed tweets that cast a star pitcher on the cusp of adulthood as a paragon of hate. “White power lol” “KKK” “N-----bot? The (expletive)! That just made my night! Smh” “I hate gay people.” The tweets were sent between 2011 and 2012, some coming less than two months before Hader’s 18th birthday – and less than four months before he was a 19th-round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles. After the American League defeated the National League 8-6 in 10 innings at Nationals Park, Hader was left to defend the indefensible, and explain the unexplainable: That a 17-year-old’s thoughts on social media somehow do not represent the 24-year-old man he is now. “There’s no excuse for what was said,” Hader said early Wednesday morning. “I’m deeply sorry for what I’ve said, and it doesn’t reflect any of my beliefs going on now. I was young, immature and stupid, and there’s no excuses for what was said or what happened.” Yet Hader proceeded to pose excuses, based on his age and the time that lapsed since. Twice in a four-minute news conference, he referenced “what happened seven years ago.” Twice he referenced the fact he was 17. “As a child, I was immature and obviously said some things that were inexcusable. That doesn’t reflect on who I am as a person today, and that’s just what it is. “We’re still learning who we are in high school. You live and you learn. This mistake won’t happen again.” Hader also said: “I’m sure it’s some rap lyrics being tweeted. I really don’t know exactly what all’s out there.” MORE ALL-STAR GAME: Following his remarks, Hader’s damage control took a more personal turn, as he sought out Brewers teammate and fellow NL All-Star Lorenzo Cain, who is African-American, to explain his comments. Cain did not specify whether Hader apologized, and hadn’t seen Hader’s tweets beyond knowing they were “hate comments.” He did not believe Hader to be a hateful person. “When anybody does something like that, you’re always surprised,” said Cain, in his first season with the Brewers. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to give people a second chance, you understand you have to forgive people, move on from it. “For me, it’s over and done with. He said it; it got out there. I’m moving on from it individually, anyway.” Hader still has a clubhouse of teammates to convince, and will likely face a strong rebuke from Major League Baseball. While it cannot impose discipline for matters that occurred before he was drafted, MLB could suggest Hader undergo sensitivity training or urge him to meet with Billy Bean, its ambassador of inclusion. MLB chief legal counsel Dan Halem said Tuesday night that the league may issue a statement later Wednesday. “I’m ready for any consequences for what happened seven years ago,” Hader said. Those consequences will begin immediately. Hader was slated to fly out of Washington with Brewers teammates Cain, Christian Yelich and Jesus Aguilar on Wednesday morning. As the door to the NL clubhouse swung open in the late innings of the game, Hader could be seen in the doorway consulting with officials. Outside, a gaggle of family members wearing his jersey awaited in a tunnel. Hader grew up in Millersville, Md., just a 30-mile drive from Nationals Park. The homecoming went from bad – Segura’s homer – to disastrous, once the tweets emerged.Hader made his Twitter account private soon after. Even after midnight, Hader was huddling with a Brewers PR official thumbing through his phone. “That’s one reason why I don’t have social media, for things like this,” Cain noted. “You always get in trouble for things you said when you’re younger.” Said Yelich, who had not yet seen what Hader tweeted: “I don’t know what he did or what happened. The guy I know, he’s a great guy with a kind heart.” Hader likely has much more work ahead to convince others the same.<doc-sep>Josh Hader, the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitcher confronted at the All-Star Game with racist and homophobic tweets he posted as a teenager, was ordered Wednesday by Major League Baseball to undergo sensitivity training. The tweets dated to 2011, when Hader was 17. They surfaced during Tuesday’s game and circulated widely on social media; Hader said he was “deeply sorry” when he spoke with reporters after the game. In a statement, the league called Hader’s tweets “unacceptable social media comments” but credited him for apologizing. He does not face suspension. “Mr. Hader took the necessary step of expressing remorse for his highly offensive and hurtful language, which fails to represent the values of our game and our expectations for all those who are a part of it,” the league statement said. Advertisement “The Office of the Commissioner will require sensitivity training for Mr. Hader and participation in MLB’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.” Hader said he was “young, immature and stupid” when he sent those tweets. “There is no excuse for what was said,” he said. “I am deeply sorry for what I have said and what was going on. It doesn’t reflect any of my beliefs going on now.” He added: “I was in high school. We’re still learning who we are in high school. You live and you learn. This mistake won’t happen again.” bill.shaikin@latimes.com Follow Bill Shaikin on Twitter @BillShaikin<doc-sep>

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader apologized late Tuesday for being "immature and stupid" after admitting to racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments on Twitter years ago — tweets that resurfaced just as he was playing in his first MLB All-Star Game. After Tuesday night's game at Nationals Park in Washington, Hader, 24, returned to the National League clubhouse to find his cellphone "blowing up" about the tweets, which he said were written when he was 17. He made his professional debut with the Brewers last year after first being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2012. "I was in high school," said Hader, who grew up in Maryland. "We're still learning who we are in high school. You live and you learn. This mistake won't happen again." "I'm deeply sorry for what I said ... it doesn't reflect any of my beliefs now," he added. Josh Hader addresses the tweets that surfaced during the game pic.twitter.com/Zzh6uS2frH — Ryan Fagan (@ryanfagan) July 18, 2018 Screenshots of some of the tweets from 2011 and 2012 were shared on social media before Hader later deleted his Twitter account, which was verified. Hader didn't specify what he might have written, but the tweets that were captured included the repeated use of the N-word, disparaging remarks about women and gays, and the words "KKK" and "white power." As the tweets appeared to go viral during the All-Star Game, Hader's friends and family at the ballpark were given blank jerseys and gear to swap with, according to reports. Hader, a rising star in the league known for his powerful left-handed fastball, told reporters Tuesday that he just never deleted the old tweets, but that some of them may have been rap lyrics. "I really don't know exactly what's all out there," he said. Hader added that he wanted to talk with his teammates and was willing to face possible discipline from the MLB. The league said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that it would require Hader to undergo "sensitivity training" and participate in its diversity and inclusion initiatives. "Hader took the necessary step of expressing remorse for his highly offensive and hurtful language, which fails to represent the values of our game and our expectations for all those who are a part of it," the statement said. Brewers General Manager David Stearns also said Hader's past comments are "inexcusable," no matter how old they are. Stearns did not say in his statement if Hader would be disciplined by the team, but that "we will continue to work through this issue with Josh as we prepare to resume games after the break." The league has ordered sensitivity training before. Earlier this year, Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel completed such a program after he made a racist gesture toward Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish during last year's World Series. He was also suspended for five games. In 2006, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen underwent sensitivity training and paid an undisclosed fine after hurling insults, including a derogatory term for gays, at a Chicago Sun-Times columnist. Hader said he's "ready for any consequences for what happened seven years ago." Some of his teammates, meanwhile, say they're willing to move past any controversy. Lorenzo Cain, the Brewers center fielder, who is black, told reporters that the teammate he knows is a "great guy." He added that he didn't know exactly what Hader had previously tweeted. "He was young, we all say some crazy stuff when we were young. That's one reason I don't have social media," Cain said, adding, "You always get in trouble for things you said when you were younger."

If sources to be believed, up tp 350 terrorists have been killed in IAF strike in PoK. They said at least 325 terrorists and 25 to 27 trainers were at the camp during the strike. Everyone at the camp was sleeping and Pakistani defence establishment had no clue that the attack was coming so deep into their country because they had expected a surgical strike on camps in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir near the Line of Control, said the sources who are close to the government.<doc-sep>People release coloured smoke to celebrate after Indian authorities said military jets conducted airstrikes on militant camps in Pakistani territory, in Ahmedabad, India February 26, 2019. — Reuters pic Subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on news you need to know. NEW DELHI, Feb 26 — India said today its warplanes launched a strike on a militant camp that killed a “very large” number of fighters preparing an attack, in a move that worsens tensions with arch-rival Pakistan over disputed Kashmir. Pakistan's military earlier announced Indian jets had crossed into its airspace over the ceasefire line in the Himalayan region and dropped payloads, although it said there were no casualties. The escalation comes in the wake of a suicide bombing that killed dozens of troops in Indian Kashmir and sent tensions soaring. New Delhi had vowed retaliation after a Pakistan-based militant group claimed the attack. India's Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the raid was launched on a camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) — the group that claimed the Kashmir bombing — because New Delhi believed suicide attacks in India were “imminent.” “A very large number of Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen (suicide) action were eliminated,” he told a media briefing. Pakistan's military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted that the Indian Air Force had violated the Line of Control, the de facto border between Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Pakistan Air Force jets were scrambled in response to the incursion, he said. “Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force (the Indian aircraft) released payload in haste while escaping near Balakot. No casualties or damage.” The Indian foreign secretary also said the camp was located in Balakot. There was confusion among analysts over the location as Balakot town is in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, some 40 kilometres northeast of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. A strike that deep in Pakistani territory, and not in a disputed region like Kashmir, would be a major escalation, analysts said. In a later tweet, however, the Pakistani spokesman said the incursion was “within AJ&K” — referring to the formal name of Pakistani Kashmir — and just five to seven km over the LoC. Ghafoor did not clarify what he meant by “payload,” which can refer either to bombs and missiles, or more generally to items carried which are not needed for the aircraft to fly. The military spokesman also tweeted images of what he said was the payload dropped by Indian planes, showing what appeared to be pieces of metal and displaced soil in a heavily forested area. Private Indian broadcaster CNN News 18 said: “Top government sources said that there were nearly 200 casualties from the (Indian Air Force) strike.” No casualties have been reported in Pakistan. 'Serious crisis' New Delhi had threatened to retaliate after the February 14 attack, the deadliest in three decades in Kashmir, killed more than 40 Indian paramilitaries. Top Indian government officials said that today's strike displayed the country's determination to act against Pakistan — which New Delhi accuses of using militants as proxies against it. “They say they want India to bleed with a 1,000 cuts. We say that each time you attack us, be certain we will get back at you, harder and stronger,” said foreign affairs minister of state, Vijay Kumar Singh, a former head of the Indian army. Cabinet member Prakash Javadekar, the human resources minister, told journalists: “This is incredible. A necessary step for the country's security.” Islamabad has said it had nothing to do with the latest bombing in Kashmir, and has warned it will retaliate if attacked by India. Pakistani military analyst Hasan Askari called Tuesday's incursion a “dangerous move.” “If such actions continue, it can escalate into major conflict, which will not serve any purpose but to plunge the region into serious crisis," he said. Tensions are the highest since 2016, when Pakistan-based militants launched a pre-dawn assault on an Indian army camp in Kashmir that killed 19 soldiers. In response, India launched what it called “surgical strikes” on Pakistani territory. Pakistan denied the strikes ever took place. Kashmir has been claimed by both India and Pakistan since independence in 1947. They have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan territory. Pakistan's interior ministry announced last week that authorities had seized control of a complex in Punjab believed to be the JeM headquarters. — AFP<doc-sep>In an early morning strike, Indian fighter jets have struck at terrorist targets in Pakistan, destroying a training camp of the Jaish e Mohammed, the terror outfit that had carried out a suicide attack, killing 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama on February 14. While there has been no official word on it, sources said that 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets of the air force crossed the border and dropped precision strike bombs on terror camps, causing considerable damage. Estimates for the damage are not currently available. Manu Pubby Explains. (Video of flying fighter jet(shown in the video) is representative only.)<doc-sep>Indian Air Force jets crossed the Line of Control and destroyed major terrorist camps in Balakot sector, sources said. The airstrike took place at 3.30 am, the sources said. Several Mirage 2000 aircraft dropped 1,000 kg bombs on terrorist camps across the LoC. Sources said terrorist launchpads in Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad were completely destroyed in the IAF airstrikes, and that Jaish-e-Mohammed control rooms were also destroyed. (Get live updates) Earlier, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Armed Forces claimed that the IAF violated the LoC, and that the Pakistan Air Force responded immediately, after which the Indian aircraft went back. India's airstrikes come days after Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terrorist group, carried out a suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 40 CRPF soldiers. India vowed to take revenge for the attack, and has already killed its mastermind in an encounter in Pulwama. It has gone on a diplomatic offensive to isolate Pakistan on the world stage, increased basic customs duty on Pakistan exports, and reiterated plans to stop its share of Indus water from flowing to Pakistan. Earlier morning on Tuesday, Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor alleged that the IAF violated the Line of Control. Ghafoor tweeted that that the Indian aircrafts intruded into Pakistan from the Muzafarabad sector and dropped payloads in Balakot sector. However, he claimed that no casualties and damages were reported in the attack in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.<doc-sep>

The aircraft dropped 1,000 kg bombs on a major terror camp across the Line of Control, completely destroying it. (Photo: Representational) New Delhi: Indian Air Force in early hours of Tuesday carried out an aerial strike at terror camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir(PoK). Reports claim that around 350 terrorists were killed in India's air strike. Following India's strike on PoK, Indian Air Force put all air defense systems along the international border and LoC on high alert to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force, reported ANI. "Twelve Mirage 2000 Indian fighter jets struck major terrorist amps across the Line of Control (LoC) and completely destroyed it by shelling 1000 Kg bombs", Indian Air Force (IAF) sources told ANI. "At 03.30 am, on February 26, a group of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck major terrorist camps across the LoC and completely destroyed it," IAF sources informed ANI. Mirage 2000 jets completely destroyed major terror launch pads in Balakot Chakothi and Muzaffarabad across the LOC. The air strike also destroyed JeM control rooms, according to IAF sources. Balakot is reportedly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Earlier, Major General Asif Ghafoor of Pakistan alleged that the Indian Air Force violated the Line of Control (LoC) in Muzafarabad sector. Indian Air Force violated Line of Control. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircrafts gone back. Details to follow. — Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 25, 2019 "Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage," Major General Asif Ghafoor, said in a tweet. Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy tweeted that IAF strikes in self-defense and it does not break any international law. We are bombing our own territory temporarily called PoK. So no international law broken but it is in self defence — Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) February 26, 2019 Applauding the reported air strike, Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "I salute the pilots of the IAF.''

Amy Schumer was arrested Thursday while protesting Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination at the Hart Senate Office Building. The comedian was one of hundreds of protesters taking part in a massive demonstration against 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 embattled Supreme Court pick. ADVERTISEMENT The “Trainwreck” star — who’s a cousin of Senate Minority Leader Charles 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.) — told The Hill that she was being arrested. Schumer also filmed a video while at the Senate building, saying, “I think we’re going to get arrested.” MY MOM AND AMY SCHUMER ARE GETTING ARRESTED TOGETHER AND AMY SAID HI TO ME pic.twitter.com/AqZUBUxUrd — Z (@Theboldtype_z) October 4, 2018 Another clip from the protest shows a law enforcement official asking Schumer, 37, and other demonstrators if they want to be arrested. “Yes,” Schumer nods in response. VIDEO: Amy Schumer is protesting at the Hart Senate office building. Cop asks “Do you want to be arrested?” Schumer: “Yes.” pic.twitter.com/oV3BOu1ESU — News This Second (@NewsThisSecond) October 4, 2018 Instead of zip-tie handcuffs, the protesters were given different colored bracelets by police. Asked by a reporter for The Hill what her pink bracelets were for, Schumer responded, “for drinking.” Model Emily Ratajkowksi also was arrested and seen standing alongside Schumer. A Capitol Police spokeswoman didn’t immediately return ITK’s request for comment. Schumer also participated in a celebrity-filled anti-Kavanaugh protest earlier on Thursday outside of the Supreme Court. The comedian has been a vocal opponent of Kavanaugh’s nomination, tweeting last week: We #BelieveSurvivors and refuse to accept Brett Kavanaugh as our next Supreme Court Justice. Join us in making our voices heard Friday at noon local time. Find or host an event near you: https://t.co/Lwsor1X4yW — Amy Schumer (@amyschumer) September 28, 2018 Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a high school party more than 30 decades ago. Kavanaugh has denied the accusation. —Melanie Zanona contributed. Last updated at 5:32 p.m.<doc-sep>Amy Schumer was among almost 300 individuals arrested at a protest against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Washington D.C. on Thursday. Capitol police said 293 protestors were arrested in the protest at the Hart Senate Office Building atrium, and nine were arrested in a demonstration at the fourth floor of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. All were charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding — a misdemeanor. Actress Emily Ratajkowski also said on Instagram that she was arrested at the protest. “Today I was arrested protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a man who has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault,” Ratajkowski wrote on Instagram. “Men who hurt women can no longer be placed in positions of power. Kavanaugh’s confirmation as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is a message to women in this country that they do not matter. I demand a government that acknowledges, respects and supports women as much as it does men.” In videos posted to social media, police officers can be seen taking protesters one-by-one out of the main atrium, where the bulk of the protest was taking place. One Twitter user posted a video shortly before reports emerged of Schumer being arrested of the actress telling the camera, “I think we’re going to get arrested.” MY MOM AND AMY SCHUMER ARE GETTING ARRESTED TOGETHER AND AMY SAID HI TO ME pic.twitter.com/AqZUBUxUrd — Zola ミ☆ (@knotaunicorn) October 4, 2018 Several photos emerged where Schumer and Ratjakowski could be seen in a line being escorted by police officers, along with many other protesters. ERIK S LESSER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Thousands attended the event on Thursday to protest Kavanaugh’s nomination following an FBI investigation on the sexual assault allegation levied against him by Christine Blasey Ford. The protesters first gathered just after noon outside the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, where Kavanaugh currently works, before moving to the Hart Senate Office. “No matter how this goes, they cannot keep us down,” Schumer said earlier at the protest. “We will win. A vote for Kavanaugh is a vote saying women don’t matter.” Among those arrested was Janet Redman of Washington D.C. She said the demonstrators were processed in a park outside the Russell Senate Office Building. “We had folks who were in line today getting arrested who saw Roe v. Wade happen,” she said. “So we had people who knew what it was like when we didn’t have choice over our own bodies. And people who have grown up where they had choice. So we had people across generations who realize this is a scary time for democracy and a scary time for women, women of color in particular.” Redman, who said she is a sexual assault survivor, said it “was so upsetting to watch Dr. Ford’s testimony and then watch the way that Kavanaugh disregarded truth.” She said those arrested were being cited and can pay a $50 ticket to have charged dropped. She said Schumer was among those arrested and was still being processed. Variety has reached out to Schumer’s rep for more information.<doc-sep>Hundreds gathered Thursday at the Hart Senate Office Building to protest against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Comedian Amy Schumer (L) is led away after she was arrested during a protest against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh October 4, 2018 at the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Senators had an opportunity to review a new FBI background investigation into accusations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh and Republican leaders are moving to have a vote on his confirmation this weekend. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Images/Alex Wong Comedian Amy Schumer (C) participates in a protest against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh October 4, 2018 at the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Images/Alex Wong Comedian Amy Schumer (L) is led away after she was arrested during a protest against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh October 4, 2018 at the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Images/Alex Wong Comedian Amy Schumer, in green, is led away after she was arrested with other demonstrators during a protest against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh October 4, 2018 at the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Images/Alex Wong Comedian Amy Schumer (C) waits to be led away after being arrested during a protest against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh October 4, 2018 at the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Images/Alex Wong Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., with actress and comedian Amy Schumer, right, speaks at a rally against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at the Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta ( 1 /6) Share This Gallery: Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Share via email. Print. WASHINGTON — Hundreds gathered Thursday at the Hart Senate Office Building to protest against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Comedian Amy Schumer and model and actress Emily Ratajkowski were reportedly among the many arrested during the protest. Social media video captured at the scene show police officers escorting protesters, including Schumer. Take a look at the scene on Capitol Hill. MY MOM AND AMY SCHUMER ARE GETTING ARRESTED TOGETHER AND AMY SAID HI TO ME pic.twitter.com/AqZUBUxUrd — Z (@Theboldtype_z) October 4, 2018 . @amyschumer: “A vote for Kavanaugh is a vote saying women don’t matter.” pic.twitter.com/UYKdlMKZ4A — The Hill (@thehill) October 4, 2018 Amy Schumer is one of the many #CancelKavanaugh protesters arrested here in the Hart Senate Office Building just now. #DC pic.twitter.com/Hc2coZP0Qz — Marissa J. Lang (@Marissa_Jae) October 4, 2018 JUST IN: Anti-Kavanaugh protesters take over the Hart Senate Office Bldg. atrium on Capitol Hill. https://t.co/jCIbxhTKeu pic.twitter.com/DkOgzngMh4 — MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 4, 2018 Today I was arrested protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a man who has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault. Men who hurt women can no longer be placed in positions of power. pic.twitter.com/nnwq1O4qk3 — Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) October 4, 2018 These are all the #CancelKavanaugh demonstrators who have refused to move after police cleared the atrium. Arrests are starting. Women being escorted out with fists up. #DC pic.twitter.com/hn3A2ppMZL — Marissa J. Lang (@Marissa_Jae) October 4, 2018<doc-sep>

Actress-comedian Amy Schumer was arrested and detained in Washington, D.C. ,Thursday as thousands of people descended on the Hart Senate Office Building to protest the possible appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, per MSNBC. Holding a “We Believe Anita Hill” sign, Schumer joined others in condemning Kavanaugh, whose nomination has intensified an already-polarized Senate over sexual assault accusations and a subsequent FBI report that the Senate is in the process of reviewing before a key cloture vote on Friday. “I think we’re going to get arrested,” Schumer said in a video to a protester’s daughter on Twitter. MY MOM AND AMY SCHUMER ARE GETTING ARRESTED TOGETHER AND AMY SAID HI TO ME pic.twitter.com/AqZUBUxUrd — Z (@Theboldtype_z) October 4, 2018 Thirty minutes later, a police officer asked Schumer, “Do you want to be arrested?” “Yes,” she replied. VIDEO: Amy Schumer is protesting at the Hart Senate office building. Cop asks “Do you want to be arrested?” Schumer: “Yes.” pic.twitter.com/oV3BOu1ESU — News This Second (@NewsThisSecond) October 4, 2018 Earlier in the day, Schumer spoke to protesters alongside Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and model-activist Emily Ratajkowski. “That’s what we’re going to do: We’re going to keep showing up and no matter how this goes, they cannot keep us down,” Schumer told the crowd. “We will win. A vote for Kavanaugh is a vote saying ‘Women don’t matter.’ Let’s stay together. Let’s fight. Let’s keep showing up.” Ratajkowski claimed on Instagram that she was also arrested as part of the protest. “Today I was arrested protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a man who has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault,” she wrote. “Men who hurt women can no longer be placed in positions of power. Kavanaugh’s confirmation as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is a message to women in this country that they do not matter. I demand a government that acknowledges, respects and supports women as much as it does men.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) appeared at the protest to support Christine Blasey Ford, who claimed in a Senate hearing last week that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while the two were in high school. “I watched that hearing last Thursday and I believe Dr. Ford,” Warren said (via USA Today). “This is about power. I watched 11 men, powerful men, who tried to help another powerful man make it to an even more powerful position. I am angry on behalf of women who have been told to shut up and sit down one time too many.” Earlier on Thursday, Republican Senators Jeff Flake and Susan Collins, whose swing votes are essential to Kavanaugh’s nomination, both called the FBI report “very thorough,” though it is unclear how both will vote. A final vote on Kavanaugh could come as early as this weekend.

There are two kinds of people in the world: those of us who know and love Jamie and Claire Fraser, and those who don't know them yet. But this news will please both groups equally: Outlander is coming to Netflix. That's right—the historical fantasy/romance/action hybrid will be available to stream from 27 May. Netflix announced the news on Twitter: 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. BREAKING NEWS: Moms, prepare to fall in love. Seasons 1 & 2 of #Outlander are coming to Netflix on 5/27 (!!) pic.twitter.com/SfbH1TJYjS — Netflix Family (@netflixfamily) April 22, 2019 Outlander, which is based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon, has run for four seasons, screening on STARZ. Protagonist Claire (played by Caitriona Balfe), an English nurse living in the 1940s, has earned fans' hearts for her self-reliance and outspoken nature, which both helps and gets her in trouble when she's thrust backwards in time to the 18th century. (It's kind of a long story, and involves magical stones, if you must know.) Unfortunately, that puts her right in the midst of a fomenting Scottish rebellion against English rule. That's where she meets Jamie, an extremely good-looking Highlander, and they fall in love. Netflix will be streaming the first two seasons of the show, which has proven addictive (just ask its legions of fans) for its time-jumping drama, gutsy heroine, and—it has to be said—passionate sex scenes. Newcomers to the series will soon be up to date on Jamie's abs and the way he says "Sassenach" Scottish history—the show is just that bingeable. In the meantime, if you can't wait, get started with the novels the show is based on. You might have to get started sooner rather than later, though: There are six of them. Outlander Diana Gabaldon amazon.com $9.99 $4.99 (50% off) SHOP NOW Estelle Tang Senior Editor Estelle Tang is the former senior editor of ELLE.com. 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>Outlander is finally going to be distributed on Netflix in the US (Picture: Starz) Outlander is finally being distributed by Netflix and is due to arrive on the service in the United States next month. Seasons one and two of The Starz show, adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s popular series of fantasy-romance novels, will air on the platform with hope seasons three and four will follow. In some countries, Netflix has listed the Golden Globes-nominated show as an original, however for many of us it’s not actually been available to stream and instead, avid fans have had to subscribe to Amazon Prime or Starz to get their fix. Naturally the news has been a cause for celebration on social media, however many have shunned Netflix Family’s Twitter announcement as ‘sexist.’ Netflix wrote: ‘BREAKING NEWS: Moms, prepare to fall in love. Seasons 1 & 2 of # Outlander are coming to Netflix on 5/27 (!! )’ ‘It’s amazing how you’ve managed to insult moms & everyone else who watches the show in a single tweet. Do better,’ one user scorned as another added: ‘This single, non-mother is an Outlander fan, and also watches it with her father when she goes home on vacation. Do better.’ Outlander fans were unimpressed by Netflix’s ‘sexist’ announcement (Picture: Twitter) Outlander, which stars stars Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall, aired its fourth season back in January which saw time travelers Claire and Jamie Fraser try to make a home for themselves in colonial America. There’s no word yet as to whether Outlander will be making its way to Netflix UK any time soon though. Outlander arrives on Netflix Monday 27 May. Got a showbiz story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. MORE : Outlander unveils first look at season 5 and fans are loving Jamie Fraser’s ‘wig upgrade’ MORE : Lucifer fans are dying for an Outlander crossover after Tom Ellis and Sam Heughan banter<doc-sep>Outlander is making an unexpected appearance on Netflix in the United States by the end of May 2019. Both seasons 1 and 2 of the fantasy epic are scheduled to arrive on Netflix on May 27th, 2019. The Starz series has been wildly successful for the network but up until now, you’ve had to have a Starz subscription in the United States or relied on Amazon Prime in some regions. However, Netflix has carried the show as an Original in most of mainland Europe, Asia, Australia, and some other regions but for the most part, it’s not been available on Netflix. The series stars Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacroix and is set back in 1743 when a combat nurse during World War 2 is swept back in time to the era. The show has been nominated for 6 Golden Globes and its fourth season finished up in January 2019. Netflix does carry Starz series all around the world but in the United States, Netflix currently carries Spartacus and even then, we’re expecting that to leave in 2020 and Ash Vs Evil Dead whos third and final season arrives at the end of April 2019. When is Outlander coming to Netflix in the United States? The announcement of Outlander coming to Netflix came from the Netflix Family Twitter account late on Monday, April 22nd. The announcement only mentions seasons 1 and 2 which are now due for release at the end of May (specifically May 27th). This is only expected to cover the United States. Other regions will keep existing arrangements. BREAKING NEWS: Moms, prepare to fall in love. Seasons 1 & 2 of #Outlander are coming to Netflix on 5/27 (!!) pic.twitter.com/SfbH1TJYjS — Netflix Family (@netflixfamily) April 22, 2019 When will season 3 & 4 of Outlander be on Netflix? Netflix will now likely renew Outlander on an annual basis so by the latest, we’d expect season 3 to be made available come April 2020. Sometimes, however, Netflix has picked up multiple seasons to catch up but not on a fixed time period. Season 5 of the show is currently in production scheduled for release later in 2019. In addition, Starz has also given the show a sixth season which was ordered alongside the fifth. Are you looking forward to watching Outlander on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.<doc-sep>

The first and second seasons of the hit Starz series Outlander will finally be available to stream on Netflix this May. If you have been hearing about the hit show Outlander for years now but haven’t had your chance to start watching, Netflix has the treat you’ve been waiting for. Get ready to dive into your next favorite binge when Seasons 1 and 2 of the Starz historical fantasy drama arrive on the streaming service in May, alongside a number of new original series premieres and additions from The CW. Outlander’s first and second seasons, spanning 29 total episodes, will be available for instant streaming on Netflix on Monday, May 27. The streamer made the announcement on their family branch’s Twitter account, calling out to all the parents out there who have fallen in love with Jamie and Claire’s romance — or, really, just Jamie. But who can blame them? For those unfamiliar with the series, which just wrapped its fourth season on Starz in January, Outlander is based on the series of historical time travel novels by Diana Gabaldon. The series begins with Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), a married World War II nurse in 1945, as she’s transported to 1743 Scotland. Once back in time, Claire meets Highland warrior Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and finds herself in the middle of the Jacobite Risings. BREAKING NEWS: Moms, prepare to fall in love. Seasons 1 & 2 of #Outlander are coming to Netflix on 5/27 (!!) pic.twitter.com/SfbH1TJYjS — Netflix Family (@netflixfamily) April 22, 2019 But for those who have breathlessly watched each season, Outlander has evolved into can’t-miss television as it adapted more captivating stories from the book series. After finishing the fourth season with consistent ratings and continued fan devotion, Starz renewed the series for fifth and sixth seasons, which will adapt The Fiery Cross and A Breath of Snow and Ashes respectively and each consist of 12 episodes. Since there are nine books (and possibly counting), Outlander could very well continue past its forthcoming Seasons 5 and 6, but for now, it’s best not to get of ourselves. Before the fifth season premieres as soon as later this year, it’s time to jump back into the first two seasons that started it all, with the stories and episodes that captured the hearts of millions of viewers. It’s inarguable that Outlander has been one of the most desired series to come to Netflix, and fans have finally gotten their wish. Be sure to check out Seasons 1 and 2 if you’re looking for a new series to binge-watch (or, more than likely, re-binge-watch), and keep an eye out for Seasons 3 and 4, which should hopefully make their way onto your watch list sooner rather than later. Will you be watching Outlander on Netflix this May? Sound off in the comments! Outlander seasons 1 and 2 begin streaming on May 27.

Dark Souls and Bloodborne developer From Software is working on Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, but now we know the studio is working on another new game. Named Deracine, the title is exclusive to PSVR and PS4. It's not quite clear yet what sort of game Deracine is. The debut trailer, which you can watch above, shows a slow-paced, sepia-toned wander through an older world, before some life force brings a flower back to life as color returns. The game's official synopsis reads: "As a spirit summoned by a young girl in a secluded boarding school, the player must prove its existence and build a unique bond with the students through clever interactions. As the mystery of the story unfolds, the spirit must use its ability to manipulate the forces of life and time to change the fate of the pupils." The game was revealed at Sony's E3 2018 press conference, during which we also saw a new The Last of Us: Part II trailer. For everything else from the show, including the Resident Evil 2 remake's release date, check out all the news from Sony's E3 2018 press conference.<doc-sep>Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding got a trailer showcased at E3 2018 during Sony’s event. It shows the protagonist walking through various landscapes with a rather heavy looking box on his back. The trailer showed him being followed by a levitating bot and carrying packs of various sizes and shapes in various locales. We also got to see some gameplay footage of the protagonist exploring what looked like an abandoned building. The trailer of Death Stranding showed the protagonist trying to climb mountains, wade through fast moving streams of water, pulling out thorns from his bleeding feet, and climbing vertical peaks. We also saw that he has a skull tattooed on the back of his hand. He sees palm prints of an invisible person too. When he goes to pick up a photo from the ground, a gloved hand stops him. It turns out to be a woman who asks him to keep quiet. We see lots of survival elements in this game that prompt you to heal wounds and survive by building stuff. The lead character’s name is Sam and he is seen communicating via radio with someone. He says that the enemies are nearing his position and due to the rain he is stuck in a building. The person on the radio says that if those enemies get to him, he will survive but the surrounding area will be a crater. He is shown to be carrying a fetus in a box that looks like a womb, and using a device to keep enemies (which are floating spirits) at bay. The device looks like a claw that keeps opening and closing. The claw has a beam of light that shows where spirits are. In a rather bizarre turn of events, the trailer ends by showing Sam being pulled into the ground by the spirits and his friend seen earlier appears to eat the baby-like thing that Sam uses to see the spirits. This hints at some horror elements to the gameplay. The post-title scene of the trailer shows a woman on screen who tells Sam that he is too late and that he still doesn’t know who she is. If you're a fan of video games, check out Transition, Gadgets 360's gaming podcast. You can listen to it via Apple Podcasts or RSS, or just listen to this week's episode by hitting the play button below.<doc-sep>E3 2018 is approaching, and expectations for the big event are growing higher by the day. While it's looking like Microsoft, Nintendo, and several other publishers will have some compelling content for E3, a lot of eyes are on Sony. Recently, the company revealed that it'll have four major games to show at E3: Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us: Part II. In addition to these titles, it'll also highlight several third-party games coming to the platform, but no new hardware will be shown. Sony in particular has had a stellar showing at E3 in the last few years, revealing games like the Final Fantasy VII: Remake, God of War, Resident Evil 7, and Days Gone--some of which are still awaiting their release. On top of this, the publisher has also managed to secure impressive third-party exclusives, which includes content for Destiny 2 and Call of Duty. Because of this, there's been a lot of anticipation and speculation regarding what Sony could have in store for its press conference this year. Here are our big predictions for what could be coming to the PS4, and what types of games have a chance of making a showing. Kojima Will Debut Death Stranding's Gameplay, Confusing Everyone Even Further Three trailers in and we're pretty desperate to hear more about what Death Stranding is actually about. So far we've only gotten vague details about the story and how it'll play. While the surreal imagery of previous trailers have piqued people's' curiosity, we can't imagine that another teaser will do Death Stranding any favors. Intrigue can only take a game so far; we need something more substantial. We're thinking Kojima will take the stage once again at this year's Sony press conference to go into explicit detail about Death Stranding, as well as show off actual gameplay footage. We'd love to see an in-depth demonstration of the life/death and timefall mechanics that Kojima discussed late last year. At the very least, we're can see Kojima will giving the audience more of a sense of how it'll feel to actually play the game, as well as what its combat and UI looks like. Death Stranding has garnered massive interest due to the sense of mystery that veils its story and gameplay. We're hoping that Kojima and Sony will provide some answers to the questions that its initial trailers gave us. | Matt Espineli A New Remaster Of A Classic Playstation Game Will Be Announced We know that Sony is going to put a big focus on four games at its E3 2018 press conference, but if the last few years are anything to go by, remakes and remastered versions of classic PlayStation games are almost a sure bet as well. Like, a sure, sure bet. At E3 2014, we got The Last of Us Remastered. The next year at E3 2015, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was finally announced, and at PSX we got Rez: Infinite. E3 2016: Crash Bandicoot remaster. PSX 2016: Parappa the Rapper, Loco Roco, Patapon, and Wipeout all had remasters announced. At PSX 2017, we also saw the reveal of MediEvil Remastered, another revival of a classic PS1 series. Finally, the recent remake for Shadow of the Colossus, announced at E3 2017 was released this year and earned critical acclaim. The studio behind the title, Bluepoint Games, is already at work on another remake. So chances are very good that we'll hear about that project, or at least another remastered re-release. Is it going to be Ico? Ape Escape? Syphon Filter? The Getaway? The Bouncer? TOKYO JUNGLE? Ah look, they'll probably get to them all eventually anyway. | Edmond Tran The Last Of Us: Part II Will Get A Release Date The Last of Us was one of Sony's most critically acclaimed titles from the previous generation, and many fans have been anxiously awaiting more info about the sequel. Though we've seen two trailers showcasing The Last of Us: Part II's new visuals and darker tone, Naughty Dog has avoided sharing too much about the continuation of Ellie and Joel's story. However, Sony has confirmed that Part II will be one of the four major titles that the publisher will focus on during this year's E3. Sony has been on a roll as of late with their slate of exclusives like God of War and Horizon: Zero Dawn, both selling beyond expectations and earning wide praise. And while The Last of Us: Part II is expected to attract that same attention, Sony would do well to go beyond just presenting the gameplay demo and leaving fans hanging. To make Naughty Dog's return to its bleak and emotionally draining world all the more exciting, we predict that Sony will also reveal the game's release date. The timing seems just right for Naughty Dog's next game to show the beginning signs of its release, and E3 2018 would be the perfect place to do it. | Alessandro Fillari From Software Will Debut A New IP At The Game Awards in 2017, From Software debuted a 30-second teaser trailer, giving us an incredibly brief hint at its next project. While a lot of people were naturally excited to assume it's new Dark Souls or Bloodborne game, a closer look suggests something completely different, at least thematically. The visuals we got showed a bony-looking contraption in front of a scroll of Japanese calligraphy. The device is cast in iron and wrapped in bloody string that's slowly pulled taut. This is accompanied by audio of rain, the sound of a shakuhachi (Japanese flute), and a taiko drum. From Software has a few feudal Japan-themed franchises in its roster--most prominently, the stealth-action series Tenchu, hack-and-slash game Otogi, and the survival horror game Kuon--but it's also entirely possible that it'll launch a new title altogether. After all, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne were all new properties spawned in the last decade which caused huge waves, and we wouldn't put it past From Software to do it all again. | Edmond Tran Sony Will Reveal Red Dead Redemption 2 Exclusive Content For PS4 All the way back in 2016, PlayStation and Rockstar Games announced that some Red Dead Redemption 2 online content would be made available first on PS4. In the almost two years since then, we have not heard a peep about what form this content may take or how long it'll be exclusive to PS4 players. We think that we'll finally learn more about this during Sony's E3 2018 briefing. Rockstar does not usually do much of anything at E3 on its own. However, the company announced GTA V's PS4 edition on Sony's stage back in 2014, so there is precedent of Rockstar making announcements through Sony at E3. Red Dead Redemption 2 is going to be one of the biggest games of 2018, and an announcement about exclusive content would be a big win for Sony to potentially help drive people to pick up the PS4 edition. This content will be for Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode (which we also don't know anything about), so it would be exciting to see a new trailer for the game at E3 that shows off how Rockstar is building upon the gargantuan success of GTA Online for the new Western. | Eddie Makuch Another Surprise Exclusive For PS4 Will Be Announced Sony's PlayStation press conferences have been really fun to watch in the past few years, and part of the reason is because it always throws curveballs at us. Announcements and surprises of brand-new things it managed to keep secret--things we had no idea were coming and no idea we wanted. The announcement of Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, Insomniac's Spider-Man, Bend Studio's Days Gone, Kojima Productions' Death Stranding, Resident Evil 7, and Shenmue 3 were all things that caught us unaware. We know that Sony's E3 2018 press conference is going to put a big focus on four games, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have something else up its sleeve too. | Edmond Tran<doc-sep>

SONY fans have a slew of PlayStation 4 exclusive games to look forward to, and many were shown off at this week's E3 gaming convention. We've tracked down the hottest PS4 exclusives announced at E3 2018 that'll definitely make your Xbox pals jealous. Here's the full list... Last of Us Part Two E3 gameplay reveal goes from sweet embrace to bloody death in the blink of an eye The Last of Us 2 By far the biggest announcement from Sony at E3 2018 was the gameplay reveal for The Last of Us Part II. It's the long-awaited sequel to the post-apocalyptic 2013 hit, The Last of Us, and looks set to be even more brutal than the original. The trailer shows off lots of gruesome gameplay, right in the middle of a tender kiss scene that's among the most well-done we've ever seen in a games, but that has stirred up some ire online. Death Stranding The first proper trailer for the mysterious Death Stranding game has appeared, and we're still not entirely sure what it's about. The game, which is helmed by Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, stars exceptionally well motion-captured actors like Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen, but sadly the plot largely remains a mystery. Worse still, there's no word on a release date, so Kojima fans may have another few years of patient waiting before getting their hands on the game. Nioh 2 Sony also showed off a very short trailer for Nioh 2, which gave very little away. We know it's a sequel to 2017's Nioh, an action RPG that involved navigating through different dungeon-style levels and defeating monsters. From the trailer, it appears as though Nioh 2 will follow a similar format – exploring and battling demons. There's zero information on release date however, and it's also not 100% confirmed as a PS4 console exclusive (even though the original Nioh was). Ghost of Tsushima This epic-looking game is set in 1274, during the Mongol Empire's invasion of Japan, starting with the island of Tsushima. The island's legendary samurai defenders are slaughtered during the invasion except for Jin Sakai, a noble samurai that survives the cull. It's an open-world game from Sucker Punch, the makers of InFamous, which forces the player, as Jin, to reject their samurai ideals to save their homeland from foreign invaders. There's no release date just yet, but the nine-minute trailer should give you plenty to chew over. Marvel's Spider-Man This PS4 game hardly needs an introduction: it's a good old-fashioned Spider-Man game, with web-swinging and baddie-battling galore. It follows superhero legend Peter Parker as a seasoned crime-fighter, keeping the streets of New York City clean. The gameplay looks inspired by Rocksteady's Arkham series of Batman games -- and that is definitely no bad thing. Sony confirmed that the game would arrive on September 7, 2018, and showed off seven minutes of previously unseen gameplay footage to boot. Déraciné This is actually a PlayStation VR exclusive, so you'll need to own a PSVR headset to play it. We don't know much about the game yet, other than the fact that it's called Déraciné, and it'll be playable in virtual reality. Déraciné is the French word for "uprooted", and we know the game is set in a stately home that doubles up as a boarding school. We also catch a glimpse of a blonde girl staring out of a window, arguably looking a little forlorn. MOST READ IN GAMING EASY FLIX Netflix 'is turning your TV into a CONSOLE' by offering games over the internet WAR GAMES Call of Duty games in order: By release date and timeline X-FACTOR Handheld Xbox created by Microsoft is firm's first portable console DIE HARDER Call of Duty Warzone: How to unlock Nakatomi Plaza Vault from Die Hard KICK OFF FIFA 21: What time do FUT Champion Rewards come out? NINTEND-PRO Nintendo Switch Pro release date, news and rumours as next-gen console 'teased' The game's spooky description explains: "As a spirit summoned by a young girl in a secluded boarding school, the player must prove its existence and build a unique bond with the students through clever interactions. "As the mystery of the storey unfolds, the spirit must use its ability to manipulate the forces of life and time to change the fate of the pupils." Coming 2018, folks.

The musicians first went public with their relationship in September 2016 and PEOPLE confirmed their split in May Ariana Grande is mourning the death of her late ex-boyfriend, Mac Miller. One day after the 26-year-old rapper was pronounced dead from an apparent overdose, Grande, 25, shared a black-and-white photograph of her former boyfriend via Instagram on Saturday. Get push notifications with news, features and more. In the picture, Miller stares up at the camera while sitting on the grass. A pair of tennis shoes, presumably Grande’s, can be seen between his legs. Choosing to let the image speak for itself, Grande shared the image without a caption. The “God Is a Woman” singer disabled comments on the social media platform after some fans began to blame her for Miller’s death on Friday. Miller, whose real name was Malcolm McCormick, was pronounced dead at 11:51 a.m. at his Studio City, California, home on Friday, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE. A cause of death is yet to be determined, but a source told PEOPLE that Miller had gone into cardiac arrest after appearing to suffer a drug overdose. Behind The Scenes With MAC Miller Filming Music Choice's "Take Back Your Music" Campaign Mac Miller | Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Minutes before Grande broke her silence on Miller’s death, the rapper’s mother Karen Meyers also shared a photograph of her smiling son learning his head against her while they enjoyed a baseball game together. She captioned the image with a broken-heart emoji. Following Miller’s death, his family released a statement thanking everybody for their “prayers.” “Malcolm McCormick, known and adored by fans as Mac Miller, has tragically passed away at the age of 26,” they said in a statement provided to PEOPLE. “He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans. Thank you for your prayers. Please respect our privacy. There are no further details as to the cause of his death at this time.” The rapper’s tragic death comes months after PEOPLE confirmed his split from Grande in May. “Ariana and Mac officially broke up right after Coachella weekend, but they ultimately struggled for a long time with their relationship, and it was basically over last year,” a source previously told PEOPLE. “It honestly seemed he was over the Ariana situation,” the source said, adding that Miller had said at one point, “I’ve matured and my ex hasn’t.” Fool's Gold Presents Day Off, Los Angeles, USA - 25 Sep 2016 Mac Miller and Ariana Grande | Credit: David X Prutting/BFA/REX/Shutterstock Grande and Miller first went public with their relationship in September 2016 — three years after they collaborated on her hit single “The Way.” RELATED VIDEO: LISTEN: Mac Miller Was Working on Music Hours Before His Death “This is one of my best friends in the whole world and favorite people on the planet,” she wrote of Miller in an Instagram Story days after their breakup in May. “I respect and adore him endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form, at all times regardless of how our relationship changes or what the universe holds for each of us!” Shortly after their breakup, Grande began dating Pete Davidson, to whom she became engaged in June. 2016 MTV Video Music Awards - Backstage & Audience Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic In July, Miller opened up about his past relationship with Grande during an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 on Apple Music and explained that they had both moved on since their split. “I was in love with somebody. We were together for two years. We worked through good times, bad times, stress and everything else. And then it came to an end and we both moved on. And it’s that simple,” he said. Miller also went on to add that while some fans have assumed he’d “been on the Internet” following up on his ex’s every move after the news of her whirlwind romance with fiancé Davidson, that wasn’t the case. Explaining why he’d taken a step back from things, the rapper remarked that not only was he about to drop his new album, “It just all seemed kind of unimportant you know — the need to show people I was OK.” “It’s all positive energy,” he added. “I am happy for her and [the fact that she’s] moving forward with her life, just as I’m sure she is with me.” “It honestly seemed he was over the Ariana situation,” the source reveals, adding that Miller had said at one point, “I’ve matured and my ex hasn’t.” If you or someone you know is in need of help, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.<doc-sep>View this post on Instagram i adored you from the day i met you when i was nineteen and i always will. i can’t believe you aren’t here anymore. i really can’t wrap my head around it. we talked about this. so many times. i’m so mad, i’m so sad i don’t know what to do. you were my dearest friend. for so long. above anything else. i’m so sorry i couldn’t fix or take your pain away. i really wanted to. the kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. i hope you’re okay now. rest.<doc-sep>Ariana Grande has disabled her comments on Instagram after internet trolls began to blame her for ex-boyfriend Mac Miller's death on Friday. Ariana Grande has disabled her comments on Instagram after some fans began to blame her for ex-boyfriend Mac Miller’s death on Friday. The “No Tears Left to Cry” singer, 25, has not spoken out about her ex’s death, but her last Instagram post was made on Thursday when she took a short video of her hotel room in the United Kingdom. Get push notifications with news, features and more. “Bye London,” she wrote in the caption. Miller, 26, was pronounced dead at 11:51 a.m. at his Studio City, California, home, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE. A cause of death is yet to be determined, but a source tells PEOPLE the rapper had gone into cardiac arrest after appearing to suffer a drug overdose. Grande and Miller, who struggled with drugs throughout his life, dated for two years before separating in May. The split came as a shock to fans as Miller raved about the singer on Twitter in April after she released her single “No Tears Left to Cry.” “Very proud of this girl right here. Welcome back. We missed You. One of a kind,” he tweeted at the time. Following their break-up, Grande dedicated an Instagram Story to the rapper in which she called him “one of my best friends in the whole world and favorite people on the planet.” “I respect and adore him endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form, at all times regardless of how our relationship changes or what the universe holds for each of us!” the singer wrote. Grande’s fans came to her defense on Twitter writing it wasn’t the singer’s fault Miller had died. “Just noticed Ariana Grande disabled comments on her Instagram account after a barrage of Mac Miller-related comments,” one user tweeted. “Recognize the true problem here, rather than using someone else as a scapegoat & continuing the cycle. All so sad & nauseating.” Another shared the same sentiment, tweeting, “The amount of tweets blaming Ariana Grande for what happened to Mac Miller is disgusting, his addiction and lack of help is what drove this to happen, don’t point the finger and blame.” A different fan wrote, “Ariana Grande is not responsible for Mac Miller’s death. Stop hating her. She’s a person like you who also has feelings. I’m sure she’s having a hard time. I wish patience to her and his family.” Months before his death, Miller was arrested for drunk driving on May 14. Early that morning, the rapper was arrested for DUI and hit and run after he struck a power pole in the San Fernando Valley with his Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and fled the scene; after law enforcement officers matched the vehicle’s license plates to Miller’s address, they arrested him at his home, a Los Angeles Police Department public information officer previously told PEOPLE. Following his arrest, a fan blamed Miller’s crash on Grande tweeted the rapper had “dumped him for another dude after he poured his heart out on a ten song album to her called the divine feminine” and called the album “the most heartbreaking thing happening in Hollywood.” Grande responded directly, tweeting, “how absurd that you minimize female self-respect and self-worth by saying someone should stay in a toxic relationship because he wrote an album about them, which btw isn’t the case (just Cinderella is ab me).” Her Twitter statement continued: “I am not a babysitter or a mother and no woman should feel that they need to be. I have cared for him and tried to support his sobriety & prayed for his balance for years (and always will of course) but shaming / blaming women for a man’s inability to keep his s— together is a very major problem.” The rapper went on to open up about his arrest during a conversation with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 on Apple Music in July. “I made a stupid mistake. I’m a human being,” Miller explained. “But it was the best thing that could have happened. Best thing that could have happened. I needed that. I needed to run into that light pole and literally have the whole thing stop.” However, Miller went on to let all of his fans know that they shouldn’t worry about him, because he was doing fine. 2016 MTV Video Music Awards - Backstage & Audience Mac Miller and Ariana Grande | Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic “I have people that care about me and fans that love my music and it’s a beautiful relationship with them — people who have been with me through being a 19-year-old wide-eyed kid to being a self-destructive depressed drug user to making love music to all these different stages. Then they see something like that and they worry,” he explained. “So your first reaction is, ‘Let me tell them I’m cool.’ ” During the interview, Miller also explained that both he and Grande had moved on since their split — and that he wished her well. “I was in love with somebody. We were together for two years. We worked through good times, bad times, stress and everything else. And then it came to an end and we both moved on. And it’s that simple,” he said. “It’s all positive energy,” he added. “I am happy for her and [the fact that she’s] moving forward with her life, just as I’m sure she is with me.”<doc-sep>Julia Thompson USA TODAY Ariana Grande posted a video of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller on Friday as another touching remembrance to the 26-year-old rapper who died of a suspected overdose a week ago. Although the pair broke up in May and Grande has since gotten engaged to "Saturday Night Live" star Pete Davidson, her post alludes to happy times they had in their two years as a couple. Grande had previously spoken about their "toxic" relationship and Miller's substance abuse problems. In the video, Grande appears to catch Miller off guard by filming, and when he laughs and pushes the camera away she tells him, "It makes me happy." "i adored you from the day i met you when i was nineteen and i always will," Grande wrote. "i can’t believe you aren’t here anymore. i really can’t wrap my head around it. we talked about this. so many times. i’m so mad, i’m so sad i don’t know what to do. you were my dearest friend. for so long. above anything else. i’m so sorry i couldn’t fix or take your pain away. i really wanted to. the kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. i hope you’re okay now. rest." Grande had posted a stark black-and-white image on Instagram last week of Miller gazing up at her. There was no caption, and the comments were also disabled. Earlier:Ariana Grande remembers Mac Miller with touching Instagram photo following his death More:Mac Miller's friend says Ariana Grande 'was an unbelievably stabilizing force in his life' Miller was featured on Grande's breakout 2013 track, "The Way," beginning a successful working relationship. The two took things to the next level and started a romantic relationship in 2016, with Grande appearing on Miller's single "My Favorite Part" the same year. Grande, 25, and Miller, 26, broke up in May. Miller released his album "Swimming" in August, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. “I just wanna go on tour,” he tweeted on Thursday. “The show is going to be special every night. I wish it started tomorrow.” Alison Maxwell and Anika Reed contributed.<doc-sep>

Ariana Grande is breaking her silence about the death of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller. The 25-year-old singer shared an emotional tribute to the late rapper, who died Sept. 7 at age 26 from a suspected drug overdose, calling him the "kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved." "I adored you from the day I met you when I was nineteen and I always will," Grande wrote next to a video of Miller shyly laughing as the two chat over dinner. "I can’t believe you aren’t here anymore. I really can’t wrap my head around it. We talked about this. So many times," the singer continued in her heart-wrenching post. Mac Miller and Ariana Grande in March 2018. The pair dated for nearly two years before splitting in May. GC Images "I'm so mad, I’m so sad. I don’t know what to do," she wrote. "You were my dearest friend. For so long. Above anything else. I’m so sorry I couldn’t fix or take your pain away. I really wanted to. The kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. I hope you’re okay now. Rest." Grande and Miller dated for nearly two years before splitting in May. The longtime friends also released a hit song, "The Way," together in 2013. Grande — who is engaged to "Saturday Night Live" star Pete Davidson — had shared a black-and-white photo of the hip-hop star after he was found dead in his Los Angeles home, but hadn't publicly spoken about his death until now. Shortly after Miller's passing, his family released a statement calling the rapper "a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans."

Jon James McMurray, a 34-year-old Canadian rapper, died Saturday after falling off an airplane wing during a music video shoot. McMurray, who performed under the name Jon James, was filming a stunt on a Cessna aircraft. As he “got further out onto the wing,” it caused the plane “to go into a downward spiral that the pilot couldn’t correct,” according to a statement from his management team. Canadian rapper, Jon James (Jon James McMurray via Facebook.) “Jon held onto the wing until it was too late, and by the time he let go, he didn’t have time to pull his chute. He impacted and died instantly,” his team told the Canadian Press. The pilot eventually landed the plane safely. McMurray was found dead in a field near Westwold, British Columbia. McMurray, who was born in Calgary, Alberta, was an accredited professional skier and grew up skiing in the Rocky Mountains. After an injury left him with a broken back and shattered heel, he pursued a career in the music industry. He was also an accomplished stuntman and was living in Los Angeles. “He poured his ambition for life into his music and relentlessly worked toward advancement in the music industry,” the statement read. “His passion for making music videos and performing stunts were combined, and Jon pushed music in a new direction that was uncharted territory.” McMurray had been working on this project for “months,” with his team noting he trained “intensely for the stunt.” It appears from Instagram he was working on the video for his song “The Man,” featuring Riff Raff. “Jon was an incredibly passionate person and was always smiling. He filled everyone around him with positivity, and never spoke poorly about another person. He had a heart of gold,” the statement concluded. “Jon would want to be remembered as a beacon of light to follow your dreams, and would want everyone to continue to be inspired through his music and life message.” Story continues McMurray is survived by his father and mother, Doug and Jen McMurray, his wife, Kali James, and brother, Jarred McMurray. The family has started a GoFundMe page to “get his stuff out there to the world in the right way” and “help with Jon James’s celebration of life.” Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:<doc-sep>Canadian musician and performer Jon James McMurray fell to his death performing a stunt that involved rapping for a video while walking on the wing of a plane. Jon James McMurray, 34, had been training "intensively" for months to carry out the stunt on the wing of the small Cessna that was flying near Westwold, British Columbia on Saturday. "However, as Jon got further out onto the wing of the plane, it caused the small Cessna to go into a downward spiral that the pilot couldn't correct," a statement from his management team said, according to the Canadian Press. "Jon held onto the wing until it was too late, and by the time he let go, he didn't have time to pull his chute. He impacted and died instantly," the statement said. The pilot landed the plane safely. Born in Calgary, McMurray pursued music after a back injury cut short a promising skiing career. He was known for performing stunts in his videos. He was a renowned action sports personality who appeared in a number of films. He rapped under the name Jon James, releasing an album called Rex Leo in 2016, recording five videos for tracks on the album. However, he had also suffered a number of serious injuries performing stunts in a career in which he underwent seven surgeries, including ones for a fractured neck and broken back. He was an accomplished skier and was the first in the world to backflip from one rail to another. Professional skier Rory Wayne Bushfield paid tribute to his friendon Instagram, writing: "The sun is not as bright today as it was yesterday when it was shinning on my homies last moments...He was living his ultimate dream, free and full. "Life is short, we all know that. He shone so bright. We know he knew the risks. He's inspired us so much and will forever," he added. A GoFundMe page has been set up called the Jon James project, to promote his work. It stated: "He touched and lifted so many people in his brief stay here." Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Kelly Brett said police, the coroners' service and the Transportation Safety Board are all investigating the death.<doc-sep>

A Canadian rapper fell to his death from the wing of an airplane Saturday when a music video stunt went wrong. The Canadian Press reports that 34-year-old Calgary native Jon James McMurray, who performed under the name Jon James, was walking on the wing of a small Cessna when the plane went into a downward spiral. McMurray was found dead in a field near Westwold, British Columbia. A statement from McMurray’s management details what happened: He died filming for a project he had been working on for months. His final act included performing an airplane stunt that included rapping while walking on the wing. He had trained intensely for the stunt, however, as Jon got further out onto the wing of the plane, it caused the small Cessna to go into a downward spiral that the pilot couldn’t correct. Jon held onto the wing until it was too late, and by the time he let go, he didn’t have time to pull his chute. He impacted and died instantly. McMurray, who was based in Los Angeles, was a former professional skier who switched to music after suffering career-ending injuries including a broken back and shattered heel. Before taking up rapping, he performed in a rock band. He often performed stunts in his videos, such as the gymnastics move he pulls in the opening seconds of his recent “I Am” video. He performed at events including the Canadian music and extreme sports festival Center Of Gravity and recently collaborated with Riff Raff on a song called “The Man,” which appears to be the song he was filming a video for. A clip posted on his Instagram three weeks ago previews the making of the video.

The cannabis movement was virtually unstoppable last year. Canada legalized recreational marijuana. President Trump signed the Farm Bill into law, giving the green light to hemp and hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) production. And a handful of U.S. states legalized weed in some capacity. It was a banner year for the marijuana industry -- but not so much for marijuana stocks, which had an abysmal fourth quarter. However, that's changed in a big way to begin 2019. Through Feb. 7, the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF, which holds a basket of more than four dozen pot stocks, had risen by just shy of 50% on a year-to-date basis. In other words, marijuana stocks are back, and in a big way. Three pot stocks with reasonable valuations Rapidly rising share prices, coupled with supply shortages and the ongoing capacity ramp-up throughout Canada, has led to nosebleed valuations throughout the industry. Although most pot stocks won't be profitable on a forward earnings basis, others, such as Cronos Group, are lugging around forward P/E ratios north of 400. But the industry isn't a complete loss. Even following an incredible run over the past five-plus weeks, the following three marijuana stocks still sport valuations that make sense. OrganiGram Holdings As has been the case for a long time now, cannabis grower OrganiGram Holdings (NASDAQ:OGI) continues to offer one of the top value propositions on the basis of forward earnings. Even following an amazing run-up in recent weeks, OrganiGram is valued at a very reasonable 21 times next year's earnings. Considering that sales are forecast to grow by 891% in fiscal 2019 and 87% in fiscal 2020, OrganiGram's low forward P/E ratio is particularly attractive. As the company is based in New Brunswick and focuses on only one grow site, it's easy for Wall Street to overlook OrganiGram. That, of course, is a big mistake. OrganiGram's three-tiered growing system being implemented at its Moncton facility is maximizing the use of its 490,000 square feet of growing space. Whereas most growers are lucky to average about 100 grams per square foot, OrganiGram will more than double that amount, with 113,000 kilograms of peak projected yield -- not to mention that working from a single grow site will help control supply chain costs and improve production and shipping efficiency. The company has also made a concerted effort to expand its product portfolio beyond just dried cannabis. Investors have seen what's happened in states such as Colorado, Washington, and Oregon, where dried flower pricing has plunged on the back of overproduction. This has encouraged growers such as OrganiGram to focus on oils, as well as extraction deals for CBD and hemp-derived CBD. These alternative products almost always carry higher margins, and they're less sensitive to pricing pressures than dried flower. In terms of bang for your buck, OrganiGram is still right around the top of the list for investors, in my opinion. HEXO On the other hand, HEXO (NYSE:HEXO) is nowhere near as "cheap" on a forward earnings basis as OrganiGram, but it still gets the nod as being reasonably valued because of a key partnership forged in August 2018 with Molson Coors Brewing (NYSE:TAP). A forward P/E of 45 might not seem very reasonable, but with sales expected to grow by roughly 1,400% in fiscal 2019 and another 141% the following year, I'd surmise its PEG ratio is well below 1, which would signal an undervalued company. Note that very few, if any, pot stocks have long-term growth forecasts from Wall Street, so this is merely my own interpretation of what its PEG ratio would be. Much of the excitement surrounding HEXO involves its joint venture with Molson Coors Brewing. The 57.5%-42.5% partnership (Molson has the majority stake) will see the duo research and develop nonalcoholic cannabis-infused beverages. Although most alternative marijuana products aren't yet legal in Canada, lawmakers expect to give new consumption options the green light by this October. That should give Molson Coors and HEXO an opportunity to be among the first companies to get their infused beverages in front of the public. But there's more to like here than just a beverage deal. HEXO is a fringe top-10 producer, with 108,000 kilograms in peak estimated production. It has a large amount of its yield heading to its home province of Quebec, where it signed a five-year deal in April 2018. In total, HEXO will be providing at least 200,000 kilos in aggregate over a five-year period, representing almost 40% of its total production over that span. That should lead to steady cash flow generation and profitability. Following HEXO's move to the New York Stock Exchange American boards last month, it's certainly worth serious consideration from investors. Auxly Cannabis Group Finally, Auxly Cannabis Group (OTC:CBWTF) still appears to have a reasonable valuation, although that's both a function of having just two covering analysts and the fact that the company's stock went virtually nowhere in January while the rest of its peers headed significantly higher. At a forward P/E of just 12, Auxly Cannabis looks to be the cheapest of all marijuana stocks, but in all fairness, the two existing Wall Street profit estimates are pretty far apart from one another. Until early last year, Auxly was primarily positioned to be a royalty investment company in the cannabis space. It would raise capital by selling common stock and then issue this cash to an array of growers so they could expand their capacity. In return, Auxly would receive a fixed percentage of production at a below-market rate. It could then turn around and sell this crop at the market rate and pocket the difference as profit. That sounded great on paper, but it didn't give Auxly a lot of flexibility if dried cannabis flower prices dropped significantly. Thus, it expanded its operations. The Auxly of today looks much different. It has upstream licensed and wholly owned growing operations, value-added midstream operations that are primarily focused on alternative pot products, and downstream retail operations. All told, Auxly could get its hands on 170,000 kilos of production annually, be it grown by the company or provided by its more than one dozen licensed partners, by 2021. With the understanding that share issuances could hurt shareholder value, Auxly is a bit riskier than OrganiGram or HEXO, but it's nevertheless worth a look. Check out the latest earnings call transcripts for companies we cover.<doc-sep>Cannabis stocks were higher across the board on Tuesday, as investors digested the first earnings reports of the season and a first look at a pot banking bill that Democrats are hoping to pass in 2019. Aurora Cannabis Inc. ACB, +5.20% ACB, +6.08% shares was last trading up 2%, after the company said it nearly quadrupled revenue and gained strong market share in its second fiscal quarter, but also had large losses due to a decline in marijuana-related equities. Aurora has invested heavily in other companies in the sector and must track their performance as part of its earnings. Those adjustments accounted for about C$190 million ($143 million) of its losses and came after a selloff in the sector. The numbers reflect the first full quarter since the launch of legal cannabis sales in Canada in October, the first industrialized nation to allow recreational sales of the substance. Aurora said C$21.6 million of its total sales of C$54.2 million came from Canada, which has suffered shortages at the start of the new regime. For more on Aurora, see:Aurora Cannabis earnings show big growth in pot sales, but worrisome profit trend Supreme Cannabis Co. Inc. FIRE, SPRWF, -0.95% shares were down 3% after the company posted earnings for its fiscal second quarter. The company had a net loss of C$1.55 million, or 1 cent a share, in its fiscal second quarter to Dec. 31, narrower than the C$2.03 million, or 1 cent a share, posted in the year-earlier period. Revenue rose to $7.72 million from $1.68 million. The company may have been overly optimistic in valuing its cannabis plants before sale, however. Supreme said the fair value changes on the growth of its biological assets came to C$10 million, but the realized fair value changes on inventory sold or impaired was C$6 million. Combining the C$6 million with the C$4 million of production costs exceeds the C$7.72 million revenue number. Read now: Marijuana IPOs in 2019: These companies could be the next hot pot stocks Under International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, the standard used in Canada, companies are required to report the value of a biological asset at different stages of its development as a way to smooth earnings over time. For cannabis companies, it means they must book the theoretical value of the crop before they have sold it, according to Mike Miller, finance director at private-equity firm White Sheep Corp. If they end up selling it for less than the value they assigned it, they will need to make an adjustment in the following quarter. How California's 'Weed Nuns' turned CBD into a million-dollar business “The cannabis market has seen huge volatility in price, which makes it difficult to guess what the biological assets are worth,” he said. With the industry still in its infancy, there are no futures markets to help with pricing and many price estimates were based on medical cannabis prices which were higher than the prices retailers could get for recreational cannabis, he said. “If it were 100% accurate, the revenue number should equal production cost and the adjustment and zero out. This is going to be an issue for many companies this earnings season, and until the industry matures,” he said. Read more on the topic:How marijuana companies can profit without selling pot Preview of cannabis earnings:Cannabis earnings: Pot stocks’ downturn may drown Aurora and others in red ink Also on Tuesday, MedMen Enterprises Inc. MMNFF, +0.75% Chief Executive Adam Bierman issued a statement to defend himself against allegations made by former Chief Financial Officer James Parker in a lawsuit. Parker, who resigned from his post in November amid an equity raise which was cut in half, is suing the company in Los Angeles Superior Court for breach of contract and wrongful termination, among other things. At the time, MedMen refused to comment on the CFO departure and said cutting the financing nearly in half was due to a “significant selloff” in the global market. Bierman said Parker worked at MedMen for less than 18 months before he resigned last November and has now “filed a baseless, wrongful termination lawsuit for his financial gain. We will vigorously defend ourselves in court,” he told MarketWatch in a statement. Parker’s suit alleges that he was constructively terminated without cause and that had to turn “a blind eye and a deaf ear to improper and unlawful behavior” at the company. The executive further alleged that he was “confronted with an environment replete with racial, homophobic and misogynistic epithets and slurs, drug and alcohol abuse, personal humiliation occasioned by the words and deeds of the CEO and President of the company,“ among other issues. Bierman said he has been married to a Latina woman for the past 15 years, while MedMen co-founder Andrew Modlin is an openly gay man. The New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association has cut ties with MedMen over the allegations, the company said, confirming a report in the Daily News. Daniel Yi, senior vice president of corporate communications at MedMen, said the company “supports the collective cause of the licensed registered organizations in New York. “We will remain active in conversations about the full legalization of cannabis. This is an important discussion and we will continue to take part,” he told MarketWatch in emailed comments. MedMen shares were down 5%. Meanwhile, U.S. congressional Democratic leaders have circulated a draft of a bill that would allow cannabis companies put their profits in banks, according to Marijuana Moment, a website that works with activists, industry representatives and policy makers on trends affecting cannabis. The lack of access to banks—and capital markets—because of the federal ban on cannabis has hampered the development of the sector. The bill was released by the House Financial Services Committee ahead of a meeting scheduled for Wednesday on the topic. Democrats are looking at other legislative measures in 2019 to promote the sector, including tax fairness, medical access for military veterans and removing the current barriers to medical research, according to Marijuana Moment. In case you missed it:Cannabis stocks fall across the board as Aphria rejects bid, crackdown on CBD spreads Elsewhere in the sector, Canopy Growth Corp. CGC, +0.79% WEED, +1.17% shares were up 3.3%, Cronos Group Inc. CRON, +4.02% CRON, +4.78% shares were up 3.5%, Aphria US:APHA CA:APHA shares were 8% higher and Tilray Inc. TLRY, +7.83% was up 1.3%. Hexo Corp. shares HEXO, +2.91% HEXO, +3.34% were up 4.9%, Aleafia Health Inc. CA:ALEF CA:ALEF was up 9%. The ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF MJ, +2.68% was up 3% and the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF HMMJ, +4.11% was up 3.2%. Additional reporting by Max Cherney For all of MarketWatch’s coverage of the cannabis sector, click here.<doc-sep>

Marijuana stocks as a group might have performed poorly in 2018, but 2019 is a totally different story. Many of these stocks stormed out of the gate in January and haven't looked back. We asked three Motley Fool contributors who closely monitor the cannabis industry to identify their top marijuana stocks to watch in February. Here's why they chose Aphria (NASDAQ:APHA), Origin House (OTC:ORHOF), and Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY). This marijuana stock could still have running room Todd Campbell (Aphria): Canadian marijuana stocks have been rocketing higher in 2019 following changes to hemp regulations in the U.S. that could allow them to start doing business in America. That potential has kindled excitement that has sent Aphria's shares soaring. But unlike some of its competitors, there could still be more running room left for it. That's because Aphria's shares got punished last year on concerns over its corporate governance. Allegations of self-dealing by key executives tied to acquisitions last year caused short-sellers to pounce, pushing Aphria's valuation to among the lowest in the marijuana industry. Those concerns may be overblown now that co-founder Vic Neufeld has agreed to turn over the CEO reins later this year. If an internal investigation into the acquisitions comes up with little to worry over, shares could leap as the overhang disappears. There's plenty for investors to cheer, too. Aphria has historically been one of the lowest-cost marijuana growers in Canada. Based on its greenhouse expansion plans, it has a shot at being the third-largest marijuana company on the planet. Its top-tier status as a grower suggests it could enjoy significant sales growth as Canada's recreational marijuana market matures. The country's adult-use market opened in mid-October, and last month, Aphria said sales totaled 21.7 million Canadian dollars ($16.36 million) in the quarter ending November, up from CA$8.5 million in the same quarter of 2017. That's remarkable sales growth, yet it only hints at Aphria's opportunity. Statistics Canada estimates that roughly CA$6 billion is spent annually on marijuana in Canada. Most of that is still done on the black market, so as that changes, it should provide significant tailwinds to demand. If Aphria can make a move into the U.S., it could tap into a market that industry watchers peg at $50 billion per year! Admittedly, the internal investigation is ongoing, so this stock remains risky. Nonetheless, I think new management and the market opportunity make this a pot stock worth buying. California dreamin' Keith Speights (Origin House): If you're going to really make it to the big time as a marijuana business, you've got to be in California. The state claims the largest marijuana market in the world. And Origin House is well positioned to hit the big time, in my view. Origin House is the largest distributor of cannabis products (of the legal variety, at least) in California. The company currently reaches around 70% of the cannabis dispensaries in the state. It also has built a lineup of in-house cannabis brands. There are three main reasons I think Origin House is a marijuana stock to watch in February. First, its stock is hot -- up more than 35% year to date -- and it could get even hotter. Second, Origin House continues to add new brands to its portfolio. The company expects to boost its sales from in-house brands to roughly 50% of total revenue. A third reason to watch Origin House is related to what's happening in California. The state's recreational marijuana market got off to an abysmal start last year in large part because of red tape in licensing dispensaries and burdensome tax rates. But additional dispensaries are now receiving licenses, with even more to come. And the California Legislature is considering a bill that would lower cannabis taxes. This move would be great news for the state's cannabis industry and likely provide a big boost to Origin House's share price. Earnings could bring out the best or worst for this large pot stock Sean Williams (Tilray): The marijuana stock I've got my eye on this month is Tilray -- and it's not because I believe the company has upside potential. Following an unbelievable debut last summer that saw Tilray rocket from a list price of $17 to an intraday high of $300, its share price has settled in between $70 and $85, valuing the company quite richly at between $7 billion and $8.5 billion.

Anchorage, Alaska, police tweeted this notice when hiker Michael Soltis went missing. They say he was killed by a brown bear. (CNN) — A brown bear killed a hiker and mauled another man in Anchorage, Alaska, police said. Michael Soltis had been reported missing after he left his home Monday for a hike, the Anchorage Police Department said. On Wednesday, one of the people searching for Soltis was attacked by a brown bear and taken to a hospital with serious leg injuries. That man is expected to survive. After the attack, police searched for the bear in the woods. They found Soltis’ body and confirmed he died in a bear attack. “It appears the brown bear was protecting the body when it attacked a member of the search party,” the police statement said. Police were searching for the bear. The attack came a year after teen was fatally mauled by a bear in the Anchorage area during a race. Brown bears can measure almost 9 feet when standing and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds, according to the National Park Service. Alaskan brown bears are the largest. CNN’s Amanda Watts contributed to this story.<doc-sep>CPW originally thought a bear trampled a family of four while they were in their tent camping in the area. Later, they said it was just the adult male who was allegedly trampled. Now, they said there isn't enough evidence to determine the bear attack occurred in the first place. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Friday there is "inconclusive evidence" that a bear attack occurred on June 6 in the Red Feather Lakes Area. According to CPW's original release from June 6, a family was attacked while camping in the dispersed camping area north of Larimer County. However, CPW later determined that it was not the whole family, but just the adult male who the bear allegedly trampled in the middle of the night while he was in the tent. The adult female called emergency services from the car to report the alleged bear attack, CPW spokesperson Travis Duncan told 9NEWS. It was unclear where the two children were at that time, Duncan said. The adult man was taken to the hospital and later released. CPW said officers conducted a thorough investigation into the claims, including setting bear traps, using specialized tracking hounds and searching for physical evidence, but were unable to find the bear. "It has been determined that there is inconclusive evidence that a bear attack occurred and there has been no visual sighting of an animal in or around the area," CPW said in its release. RELATED | Tips for camping and hiking in bear country RELATED | A guide on how to react to every animal you might see on a Colorado trail CPW said it is closing the investigation, and that there has been no talk of charges being filed against the family for making the claim.<doc-sep>Update, 3:30 p.m. Friday: Authorities have confirmed that a 44-year-old Eagle River man whose body was found Wednesday in a wooded area near the end of Hiland Road was killed by a bear. Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh said the Anchorage Police Department notified him of the finding by the state medical examiner's office on Friday morning. "The cause of death has been confirmed by a bear," Marsh said. Officials have not located the animal responsible for killing Mike Soltis, who was last heard from at around 5 p.m. Monday. Soltis was reported missing Tuesday evening, and his body was found Wednesday morning after a bear mauled a searcher in the woods near where where the remains were found. Marsh said biologists were still trying to trap the bear Friday. He said a brown bear was seen on a game camera overnight Thursday, but as of around 3 p.m. Friday the animal was still on the loose. "We're monitoring the area and we're still going to make an effort to find this bear," he said. Although the medical examiner's finding does clarify things a bit for biologists investigating the incident, Marsh said the exact circumstances of the attack may never be known. Predatory bear attacks are extremely rare, and Marsh said that scenario is a possibility — but so are myriad others, ranging from a chance encounter with a surprised bear to a mother defending its cubs, or something else. Since there were no witnesses to the attack and nearly two days passed between when Soltis went missing and when he was found, Marsh said the exact details will be hard to pin down. "I don't think we're ever going to know exactly what happened," he said. If biologists are able to capture and kill a bear, they'll analyze genetic samples to determine if it was the same animal thought to have killed Soltis. Thursday story: State biologists on Thursday continued trying to locate a brown bear believed to be responsible for the death of a 44-year-old Eagle River hiker and the mauling of a 51-year-old man searching for him. Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh said the department set out bear traps Wednesday night to try to capture the animal, which a witness described as a large brown bear. Biologists were monitoring the traps Thursday. "We haven't located the bear yet. We are still working on it," he said. If it's found, he said, the bear would be killed. "Anytime there's a clear public safety threat, we neutralize the threat by killing the bear," he said. Biologists drove up 9-mile-long Hiland Road on Wednesday night with two baited traps. Marsh said the traps were still there Thursday morning on private land near where the bear was last seen, a brushy, subalpine area high in the South Fork Eagle River Valley, a neighborhood dotted with widely spaced single-family homes. If the traps don't catch the animal, he said, biologists may use other methods such as actively trying to track the bear. "Again, it's developing," he said. "As time goes on, other techniques may be deployed." Marsh said the public will be notified if the bear is located. Biologists have taken DNA samples from the site where the body of neighborhood resident Michael Soltis was found and the attack on volunteer Paul Vasquez took place, which they'll use to make sure any bear that's found is the one involved in the incidents. Vasquez suffered a leg injury when he stepped in front of volunteer Wendi Yohman as the bear closed in on a narrow trail off Hiland Road. Yohman said Wednesday she was the first of three searchers checking the trail when a bear attacked. She said Vasquez was mauled before the trio was able to scare it off. Vasquez was rushed from the scene by a passing motorist and is expected to recover. Marsh said officials "have no indication" either Soltis or the three searchers were carrying firearms or bear spray. Investigators were still trying to piece together what happened to Soltis, an avid hiker who was last heard from Monday evening. He was reported missing shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday after family and friends determined he'd likely left his home in the South Fork Valley for a pre-dinner hike. Marsh said a final determination about how specifically Soltis died was still being made by the State Medical Examiner Office. Once a cause and time of death are determined, Marsh said, the Department of Fish and Game will be able to better understand what happened. Family and friends of the missing man searched overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, when they expressed frustration about the slow pace of the response by state and local officials. But authorities said Thursday a coordinated ground search was in the process of being mobilized even as the attack on the volunteer took place. "Wednesday morning we were working through the phone tree to mobilize the search teams on the ground to help assist," said Jonathon Taylor, communications director for the Department of Public Safety. Taylor said an Alaska State Troopers helicopter was deployed at around 8:35 a.m. Wednesday, about eight hours after the Anchorage Police Department requested assistance with the search. He said that was the soonest a helicopter could be deployed because pilots had already used up available flight time while working on another search-and-rescue Tuesday night on the Matanuska River. He said officials were working Wednesday morning to get searchers to the area but had to ensure any organized effort was done in a safe manner. "As soon as it was daylight, as soon as people were available, we were calling and trying to get people out there as quickly as possible and as safely as possible," Taylor said. Anchorage police spokesman MJ Thim said officers arrived on the scene at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and had a K9 unit at the scene by 3 a.m. Wednesday. Thim said police did not leave the scene until Soltis' body was removed Wednesday afternoon. As for preventing future attacks, Marsh said it would be wise for people to avoid any trails in the South Fork area for the next few days or until biologists locate the bear. On Wednesday morning, the parking lot at the South Fork Trailhead — just across the valley from where Soltis' body was found — had seven vehicles. There were no signs warning hikers about bears. Marsh said anyone hiking anywhere in Alaska should practice good bear awareness skills, including hiking in groups, carrying a deterrent of some kind and making lots of noise. "A bear attack can happen anywhere at any time," he said. "Avoidance is the best medicine."<doc-sep>

Officials in Alaska say a brown bear killed a missing hiker then mauled a member of the man's search party Officials in Alaska are searching for a brown bear that, they say, killed a missing hiker then mauled a member of the man’s search party. Michael Soltis, 44, went missing during a hike on Monday, and was found dead on Wednesday of a bear attack in Eagle River, the Anchorage Police Department said in a press release. Around that time, a brown bear attacked a member of the search party that had been looking for the man. This, officials said, led police to finding Soltis. “It appears the brown bear was protecting the body when it attacked a member of the search party,” police said in the statement. “Police are still asking people to avoid the area due to the aggressive bear.” Alaska Bear Attack - 20 Jun 2018 Credit: Mark Thiessen/AP/REX/Shutterstock The searcher managed to escape and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries to his leg, police said. He is expected to survive. Authorities have blocked off a portion of the wooded area and put up “Danger!” signs. Soltis’ cousin Wendi Yohman told the Anchorage Daily News that she and two other volunteer searchers were looking for Soltis on a trail in the woods when she heard a noise and saw the bear. “It was so fast,” she said, noting that another searcher put himself between her and the bear and was mauled. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.” Alaska Bear Attack, Eagle River, USA - 20 Jun 2018 Credit: Mark Thiessen/AP/REX/Shutterstock Now, officials with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are searching for the bear and intend to kill the animal. “We are working to find the bear, we’ve been working pretty much since yesterday morning,” department spokesman Ken Marsh tells PEOPLE. “The only person to see the bear was the person who witnessed the attack, and the man who was attacked. That sighting and evidence suggests it was a brown bear.” Marsh says officials do not know how big the bear is. However, brown bears can reach a height of at least six feet and weigh over 1,000 lbs., PBS reported. By Thursday morning, the bear had not been located.

A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East Actor Jussie Smollett leaves the Leighton Courthouse after his court appearance on March 26, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. This morning in court it was announced that all charges were dropped against the actor. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images) (CNN) — One protest called for Kim Foxx to resign. The other offered her support. Two protests in Chicago on Monday were held for and against Foxx, the Cook County state’s attorney whose office dropped charges against actor Jussie Smollett last week. Foxx had separated herself from decision-making in the case in mid-February. She said she welcomes an “outside, nonpolitical review” of how the office handled the matter. A protest held by the Fraternal Order of Police, the city’s police union, called for her to resign for failing to follow through on the charges in a case that they said used significant police resources. Foxx’s four-year term is set to end in 2020. “We can’t have people who have been arrested, their victims are not being counted for,” Fraternal Order of Police president Kevin Graham told CNN affiliate WLS. “We really need to have people in the prosecutor’s office following through with charges that our detectives and our police officers worked hard to bring to a court case.” Several dozen protesters gathered outside the county building and held up signs such as “The Foxx Fixx: Justice for sale” and “Lady Justice Was Out-Foxxed,” and chanted “Foxx must go.” The union has also called for a federal investigation into the extent of Foxx’s involvement in the case. Paul Beaty/AP Dueling protestors clash over Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office's decision to drop all charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett on April 1 in Chicago. Separately, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other local activists rallied in support of Foxx. One activist, Ja’Mal Green, questioned where these protesters were during the shooting of Laquan McDonald or during other murders and serious violent crimes in the city over the years. “It just shocks me that now we have a black state’s attorney who has promised to reform the state’s attorney’s office, and she didn’t prosecute a low-level felony on someone, (and) that now we have this type of outrage,” he said. The protests come a week after Foxx’s office decided to drop 16 felony charges against Smollett, and in exchange, he agreed to forefit his $10,000 bail and complete community service. Smollett had been accused of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself and filing a false police report. Smollett has maintained his innocence and said he has been “truthful and consistent” about the incident. Chicago’s mayor and police superintendent both harshly criticized the decision to drop the charges, and said they still believe the “Empire” actor staged the attack on himself. Foxx, too, initially said her office believed they could prove him guilty, she told CNN affiliate WLS. However, she wrote in The Chicago Tribune on Friday that certain aspects of the evidence and testimony in the case would have made a conviction difficult. “In determining whether or not to pursue charges, prosecutors are required to balance the severity of the crime against the likelihood of securing a conviction,” she wrote. “For a variety of reasons, including public statements made about the evidence in this case, my office believed the likelihood of securing a conviction was not certain.”<doc-sep>Reuters Videos Eight people were killed Wednesday when a transit employee opened fire at a light rail yard in San Jose, California, the latest in what has become an all too common occurrence in the U.S.All eight were employees of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, or VTA.“This is a very dark moment for our city…”At a news conference, Mayor Sam Liccardo hailed these essential workers for helping the city get through the pandemic.“They were showing up every day to operate light rail and buses to ensure people could still continue to go about their lives, and they had all of the challenges of the pandemic, and they were taking risks with their own lives in doing so.”The gunman – a fellow VTA employee – took his own life, apparently when he became aware that police were closing in on him. Local media outlets identified him as 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy, a maintenance worker.The shooting took place just before 7 a.m. Pacific time. VTA chairman Glenn Hendricks said it occurred in the maintenance yard.“It’s just very difficult for everyone to be able to wrap their heads around and understand what has happened.”Officials said a bomb squad was searching the yard after "at least one" explosive device was found. Authorities also responded to a fire at the home of the suspect that erupted at about the same time as the shooting.The FBI is assisting in the investigation, and the White House is monitoring the situation.San Jose lies at the heart of Silicon Valley, home to some of America's biggest tech companies. "What the hell is going on in the United States of America? What the hell is wrong with us? "California Governor Gavin Newsom was visibly angry as he urged politicians from both parties to move beyond the usual platitudes that follow gun violence and finally take action. "It's time to deal with the endemic, before this pandemic, of gun violence. The pre-existing condition that somehow we sort of pushed aside last year but now has raised its ugly head again this year. And wake up to this reality and take a little damn responsibility, all of us, to do a little bit more and a little bit better this time.” Mass gun violence has escalated considerably as the U.S. emerged from the worst of the pandemic this spring.<doc-sep>

Supporters and opponents of embattled Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx held dueling rallies in Chicago on Monday over the surprise dismissal of charges against “Empire” star Jussie Smollett last week — a decision that has divided the public, police and political leaders. Protesters led by the Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago stood outside of Foxx's office and chanted "Foxx must go!" and "lock her up!" while holding up signs demanding her resignation. Earlier in the day, Rev. Jesse Jackson, clergy, elected officials, attorneys and community activists held their own rally at the Chicago Temple to back Foxx. Supporters of Foxx also joined protesters outside the attorney's office by Monday afternoon. The Cook County State's attorney stunned the public after it was announced charges against Smollett for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack would be dropped. The decision was received with intense backlash from the public and from law enforcement officers. Jackson has previously defended Foxx and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, an organization that provided a letter of support for Smollett, stating the actor completed on-site community service. CHICAGOANS SLAM RAHM EMANUEL IN WAKE OF JUSSIE SMOLLETT SCANDAL, CALL HIM HYPOCRITE OVER HANDLING RACE RELATIONS The letter was cited in the court case Tuesday. “PUSH has always been a house of refuge. It’s part of what we do, reaching out to people who are in distress, and we have done so in many high-profile cases over the years, from Sammy Davis Jr., when he hugged President Nixon and black folks turned against him, to Bobby Rush, after police tried to kill him in the Black Panthers raid,” Jackson told the Chicago Sun-Times. “You can’t have people just one incident away from being in oblivion.” Smollett was arrested last month for allegedly staging the anti-gay, racist attack on himself in January, reportedly in a bid to promote his career. He vehemently denied the charges and insisted two men approached him, beat him, threw bleach on him and tied a rope around his neck before shouting, "This is MAGA country," in reference to President Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." But after viewing surveillance footage of the alleged attackers buying items used in the alleged assault, investigators were able to determine the identities of the men -- and found the Nigerian brothers had connections to Smollett. Before the case was suddenly dismissed, the men were reportedly ready to testify Smollett paid them to stage the attack. The dropped charges infuriated Chicago police, who spent up to 1,000 hours investigating the case, and Emanuel, who dubbed Foxx’s decision a “whitewash of justice.” CHICAGO PROSECUTOR KIM FOXX OPEN TO OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION INTO JUSSIE SMOLLETT CASE Rev. Al Sharpton joined Jackson in defending the controversial attorney and called Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel a hypocrite for slamming Smollett. “There is a marked difference between how they reacted to this and how they reacted to the Laquan McDonald case. They were not outraged when the video was withheld until after the mayor’s election,” Sharpton told the Chicago Tribune while referring to Emanuel, police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and other officials. “There was a fox in the henhouse then, but the fox wasn’t Kim then. The name of that fox was whoever was in the mayor’s race.” CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP The mayor’s spokesman, Matt McGrath, said Sharpton’s statement “isn’t worthy of a response.” Foxx wrote in an op-ed for The Chicago Tribune on Friday that a third-party review into the high-profile case would help maintain transparency. “I am not perfect, nor is any other prosecutor out there, but ensuring that I and my office have our community’s trust is paramount,” Foxx, who ran on a platform of transparency, wrote. Fox News' Barnini Chakraborty and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Through the looking glass: The Boeing Airpower Teaming System provides an early glimpse at the future of warfare in which opposing sides battle it out remotely. Weapons like this are also cheaper and safer to operate, allowing forces to maximize their resources. Boeing on Wednesday revealed its latest aerial platform, the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. The jet-like aircraft was designed to fly solo, unmanned missions or alongside existing military aircraft in a support role at a fraction of the cost associated with traditional fighter jets. The Boeing Airpower Teaming System measures 38 feet long with a range of more than 2,000 nautical miles. Boeing said the craft can be loaded with onboard sensors to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and electronic warfare. Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems, said the company’s latest will “truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power.” Developed by Boeing Australia, the project is the company’s largest investment in a new unmanned aircraft program outside the US. Unmanned aircraft afford a number of advantages over human-piloted fighter jets. Humans, for example, can only be exposed to a limited number of Gs, fly for a set number of hours and process data so quickly. Autonomous aircraft wouldn’t be limited by such factors. Boeing said the first test flight is planned for 2020.<doc-sep>Bot Gun Military contractor Boeing announced Wednesday that it is developing an autonomous fighter jet plane that it plans to sell to customers around the world. The company plans to fly the pilot-free plane, dubbed the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, sometime in 2020. While the company says it can design the plane according to a given customers needs, the autonomous jet may be particularly well-suited for long-distance surveillance missions that a human pilot may not be able to perform, according to Reuters. Remote Control Though Boeing declined to share its new plane’s top speed with Reuters, an autonomous vehicle would feasibly be able to travel faster and farther than a human pilot’s physiology would allow, opening the door to new types of missions. “To bring that extra component and the advantage of unmanned capability, you can accept a higher level of risk,” Shane Arnott, director of Boeing research, told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Flexible Machines Though Boeing has close ties with the U.S. military, the company reportedly plans to sell its autonomous jet to customers world-wide. The U.S. Air Force has already discussed plans to complement crewed jets with autonomous systems, Reuters reports, but other countries would be able to use the Boeing Airpower Teaming System in other ways as well. “We didn’t design this as a point solution but a very flexible solution that we could outfit with payloads, sensors, different mission sets to complement whatever their fleet is,” Kristin Robertson, VP of Boeing Autonomous Systems, told Reuters. “Don’t think of it as a specific product that is tailored to do only one mission.” READ MORE: Boeing unveils unmanned combat jet developed in Australia [Reuters] More on autonomous vehicles: The UK Is Developing Autonomous Killer Robots Advertisement Advertisement As a Futurism reader, we invite you join the Singularity Global Community, our parent company’s forum to discuss futuristic science & technology with like-minded people from all over the world. It’s free to join, sign up now!<doc-sep>Boeing is unveiling a new type of uncrewed aircraft that’s designed to fly military missions alongside piloted airplanes, known as the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. The air platform is being developed for global defense customers by Boeing Austraila, and as such, represents Boeing’s biggest investment in an unmanned aircraft program outside the United States. Australian Defense Minister Christopher Pyne took the wraps off a full-scale mockup of the plane today at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport in Geelong. Australia’s government is teaming up with Boeing to produce a concept demonstrator called the “Loyal Wingman,” which should blaze the trail for production of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. “The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will provide a disruptive advantage for allied forces’ manned / unmanned missions,” Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems, said in a news release. “With its ability to reconfigure quickly and perform different types of missions in tandem with other aircraft, our newest addition to Boeing’s portfolio will truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power.” Revealed! Our new smart, reconfigurable unmanned system teams with other aircraft to protect & project air power. The Boeing Airpower Teaming System – Australian investment & innovation at work! #TheFutureIsBuiltHere #AirpowerTeaming #ausdef More: https://t.co/77LPYPO93b pic.twitter.com/g0CQjQjxty — Boeing Australia (@BoeingAustralia) February 26, 2019 Boeing says the 38-foot-long craft will provide fighter-like performance, with the range to fly 2,000 nautical miles (2,300 statute miles). The aircraft will be equipped with sensor packages to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions as well as electronic warfare. And it will be able to use artificial intelligence to fly independently, or in support of piloted aircraft while maintaining safe distance between other aircraft. Illustrations from Boeing show the drones flying in formation alongside an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet, or near a Boeing 737 airborne early warning and control aircraft, which the Royal Australian Air Force calls the E-7A Wedgetail. Australia’s ABC quoted unnamed industry sources as saying the drones could eventually be used to deliver bombs. Similar “loyal wingman” drone concepts are under development at Lockheed Martin and Kratos Defense and Security Solutions. Marc Allen, president of Boeing International, said the Boeing Airpower Teaming System is “a historic endeavor” for the company, due to the nature of the international partnership. “Not only is it developed outside the United States, it is also designed so that our global customers can integrate local content to meet their country-specific requirements,” he said. First flight of the demonstrator is planned for 2020.<doc-sep>AVALON, Australia • Boeing Co. announced on Wednesday a pilotless, fighter-like jet developed in Australia and designed to fly alongside crewed aircraft in combat for a fraction of the cost. The U.S. manufacturer hopes to sell the multi-role aircraft, which is 38 feet long and has a 2,000-nautical-mile range, to customers around the world, modifying it as requested. It is Australia’s first domestically developed combat aircraft in decades and Boeing’s biggest investment in pilotless systems outside the United States, although the company declined to specify the dollar amount. Defense contractors are increasingly investing in autonomous technology as militaries around the world look for a cheaper and safer way to maximize their resources. Boeing rivals including Lockheed Martin Corp. and Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc. are also investing in such aircraft. Four to six of the new aircraft, called the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, can fly alongside a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, said Shane Arnott, director of Boeing research and prototype arm Phantom Works International. “To bring that extra component and the advantage of unmanned capability, you can accept a higher level of risk,” he said.<doc-sep>

The Boeing logo and name are seen on a building at Boeing's new facilities April 27, 2012, in North Charlston, South Carolina. Boeing Co on Wednesday unveiled an unmanned, fighter-like jet developed in Australia and designed to fly alongside crewed aircraft in combat for a fraction of the cost. The U.S. manufacturer hopes to sell the multi-role aircraft, which is 38 feet long (11.6 meters) and has a 2,000 nautical mile (3,704 kilometer) range, to customers around the world, modifying it as requested. The prototype is Australia's first domestically developed combat aircraft since World War II and Boeing's biggest investment in unmanned systems outside the United States, although the company declined to specify the dollar amount. The Australian government is investing A$40 million ($28.75 million) in the prototype program due to its "enormous capability for exports," Minister for Defense Christopher Pyne told reporters at the Australian International Airshow. Defense contractors are investing increasingly in autonomous technology as militaries around the world look for a cheaper and safer way to maximize their resources. Boeing rivals like Lockheed Martin Corp and Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc are also investing in such aircraft. Four to six of the new aircraft, called the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, can fly alongside a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, said Shane Arnott, director of Boeing research and prototype arm Phantom Works International. "To bring that extra component and the advantage of unmanned capability, you can accept a higher level of risk," he said. "It is better for one of these to take a hit than for a manned platform." The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in the United States said last year that the U.S. Air Force should explore pairing crewed and uncrewed aircraft to expand its fleet and complement a limited number of "exquisite, expensive, but highly potent fifth-generation aircraft" like the F-35. "Human performance factors are a major driver behind current aerial combat practices," the policy paper said. "Humans can only pull a certain number of G's, fly for a certain number of hours, or process a certain amount of information at a given time."

Share this Story: No update on Zach Collaros's status after Saskatchewan Roughriders edge Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-27 in Banjo Bowl No update on Zach Collaros's status after Saskatchewan Roughriders edge Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-27 in Banjo Bowl Roughriders QB Zach Collaros left Saturday’s CFL contest after being hit hard by a blitzing Jeff Hecht early in the fourth quarter of the Banjo Bowl Photo by John Woods / The Canadian Press Article content WINNIPEG — The status of Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Zach Collaros is unknown after Saturday’s 32-27 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Collaros left Saturday’s CFL contest after being hit hard by a blitzing Jeff Hecht early in the fourth quarter of the Banjo Bowl. Collaros walked under his power to the sideline and later jogged to the locker room to undergo concussion protocol. He returned later in the quarter, but didn’t step on the field. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or No update on Zach Collaros's status after Saskatchewan Roughriders edge Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-27 in Banjo Bowl Back to video “We don’t know if it’s a concussion or not,” Roughriders head coach and general manager Chris Jones said. ““I know they took him out of the game (for) precautionary (reasons) because we have a good backup quarterback (Brandon Bridge) and a good number three quarterback (David Watford). It was one of those situations where we’ll have to evaluate him and he’ll have to go through all protocol to see exactly where he is before we play.” Bridge took over for Collaros and helped guide the Riders to the come-from-behind win. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Collaros has had issues with concussions in the past. This season, he was sidelined after 4½ games after suffering concussion and neck issues in a 40-17 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks on June 21. The Roughriders (7-4) are 5-1 with Collaros starting at quarterback. Back-to-back field goals by Brett Lauther with fewer than three minutes remaining were the difference as the Riders pulled out Saturday’s wild win. Lauther connected on a 15-yard field goal at 12:12 of the fourth quarter to give the Riders a 29-27 lead. He then booted a 43-yard field goal with 46 seconds remaining to ice the fourth consecutive victory by the Roughriders. Winnipeg’s record dipped to 5-7. The Riders swept the home-and-home set with the division rival, having earlier beating Winnipeg 31-23 in Sunday’s Labour Day Classic. The Blue Bombers opened Saturday’s scoring with an eight-play, 64-yard drive that was capped by Justin Medlock’s 29-yard field goal at 4:40 of the first quarter. Winnipeg jumped ahead 9-0 after Anthony Gaitor scored on a 55-yard interception return. Medlock’s convert gave the Blue Bombers a 10-0 lead at 13:35 of the opening quarter. The Riders responded in the second quarter while stopping a promising drive by the Blue Bombers. Defensive end Willie Jefferson intercepted a Matt Nichols pass and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown. The Riders trailed 10-7 at 1:24 of the second quarter after Lauther’s successful convert. The Blue Bombers rebounded later when backup quarterback Chris Streveler scored on a one-yard run at 7:48 of the second quarter, capping an eight-play, 82-yard drive. Winnipeg led 17-7 after Medlock’s convert. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Saskatchewan bounced back on its next possession with a 17-yard field goal by Lauther. The Riders trailed 17-10 at 10:36 of the second quarter. Lauther connected on his second consecutive field goal, another 17-yarder, at 10:36 of the second quarter. The Riders trailed the Blue Bombers 17-13. The Riders jumped ahead 19-17 after linebacker Sam Eguavoen returned an interception 103 yards for the second touchdown of the quarter by Saskatchewan’s defence. Lauther’s convert gave the Riders a 20-17 lead at 14:07 of the second quarter. Eguavoen’s pick-six was the Riders’ sixth interception return for a touchdown this year, tying a team single-season record set in 1976. Rookie Nick Marshall has two pick-sixes. Jefferson, Eguavoen, Duron Carter and Tobi Antigha have also returned an interception for touchdowns. Saskatchewan opened the second half with a nine-play, 54-yard drive that stalled at Winnipeg’s 32-yard line. Lauther then connected on a 39-yard field goal and the Riders led 23-17 at 4:55 of the third quarter. The Riders converted Loucheiz Purifoy’s second interception of the game into a 22-yard field goal by Lauther at 11:26 of the third quarter. The Riders led 26-17 after the field goal. The Blue Bombers bounced back in the fourth quarter after a fumble by Collaros was recovered by Adam Bighill. Streveler, who was filling in for an ineffective Nichols, completed a nine-yard TD pass to Daniel Petermann at 4:40 of the fourth quarter. The Blue Bombers trailed 26-24 after Medlock’s convert. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content After forcing the Riders into a two-and-out, the Blue Bombers got a 21-yard field goal by Medlock at 8:11 of the fourth quarter to grab a 27-26 lead. Saskatchewan, with Bridge at quarterback, went ahead 29-27 when Lauther connected on a 15-yard field goal at 12:12 of the fourth quarter. After the teams exchanged two-and-outs, Streveler’s third-and-five pass was intercepted by Mike Edem to set up Lauther’s final field goal. The Bombers then drove to the Roughriders’ 50-yard line before stalling. Next up for Saskatchewan is next Saturday’s home game against Ottawa Redblacks. NOTES: The Riders’ scratches were defensive back Crezdon Butler and defensive tackle Eddie Steele … Receiver Rob Bagg made his 2018 regular-season debut with the Riders. Bagg was released after the pre-season, but re-signed on Aug. 17. 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. Regina Leader Post Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from Regina Leader-Post, 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 Regina Leader Post Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>A second straight loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders would create chaos in Winnipeg, according to Rob Vanstone. Article content The 15th annual Banjo Bowl looms and, appropriately, strings are part of the storyline. Those plucky Saskatchewan Roughriders will look to extend their string of victories to four, whereas the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are trying to avoid losing an equal number of games in succession as they prepare for Saturday’s showdown at Investors Group Field. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Rob Vanstone: Saskatchewan Roughriders could play instrumental role in Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ collapse Back to video The Roughriders’ investment in Chris Jones — their head coach, defensive co-ordinator, general manager and vice-president of football operations — has certainly paid off of late. After a sluggish start, the Roughriders have reversed their fortunes and are now performing like an elite team, thereby adhering to the expectations that were set out entering Year 3 of the Jones regime. As for the Blue Bombers, they are one loss away from absolute chaos. Coaches will insist, until the eyelids are numb, that each regular-season game is equally important. But, as games in September go, this one is a monster.<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook The grey, gloomy skies over Winnipeg did not stop passionate football fans of the Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders from celebrating the game they love. For some fans, the celebrations date back to the first Banjo Bowl 15 years ago, while for others it’s their first. READ MORE: Important ‘need to know’ info for the Bombers and Riders Banjo Bowl rematch “We’ve got friends from Regina, Medicine Hat, Collingwood and Kenora,” said Blue Bombers fan Gord Patterson. Some enjoy the pregame festivities more than the actual game, going from tailgate to tailgate to converse with football fans of all ages. WATCH: How to pump out the best cheer during Banjo Bowl 1:39 How to pump out the best cheer during Banjo Bowl How to pump out the best cheer during Banjo Bowl – Sep 6, 2017 While some may see the two teams as representing one of the fiercest rivalries in the CFL, others see it as a clash between two friendly provinces. Story continues below advertisement “There’s something special about the Banjo Bowl,” said Bombers fan Mark Wood. “The Saskatchewan fans are always good to us. We’ve never seen any animosity” “I look at it as competitive companionship.” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I look at it as competitive companionship." READ MORE: Global News congratulates CFL legend Doug Brown on the birth of his first child But despite the good wishes, fans of the Blue and Gold are still hoping for a big win<doc-sep>

Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook The Saskatchewan Roughriders scored a pair of touchdowns and three field goals off Winnipeg interceptions to hold on for a fourth straight win with a 32-27 victory over the Blue Bombers in Saturday’s Banjo Bowl. Both teams finished the game without their starting quarterbacks. Bombers QB Matt Nichols threw three interceptions and was replaced by Chris Streveler to start the second half. RELATED: Bombers, Riders fans celebrate rivalry with tailgate party ahead of Banjo Bowl WATCH: Raw Matt Nichols Post Game Interview 4:44 RAW: Blue Bombers Matt Nichols Post Game – Sept. 8 RAW: Blue Bombers Matt Nichols Post Game – Sept. 8 – Sep 8, 2018 While his Riders counterpart Zach Collaros was hurt on a sack and fumble early in the fourth quarter forcing Brandon Bridge into action. Story continues below advertisement Saskatchewan (7-4) had a 26-17 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Winnipeg (5-7) went ahead briefly 27-26 midway through the quarter in front of a soldout crowd of 33,134 at Investors Group Field. WATCH: Raw Mike O’Shea Post Game Media Conference 7:45 RAW: Blue Bombers Mike O’Shea Post Game – Sept 8 RAW: Blue Bombers Mike O’Shea Post Game – Sept 8 – Sep 8, 2018 RELATED: Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to end slump in Banjo Bowl A second interception by Streveler – Winnipeg’s fifth – with just over a minute left in the game killed the momentum and the Bombers recorded their fourth straight loss. Subscribe now to the Blue Bombers Podcast on Apple Podcast or Google Play

This illustration made available by NASA shows the rover Opportunity on the surface of Mars. The exploratory vehicle landed on Jan. 24, 2004, and logged more than 28 miles (45 kilometers) before falling silent during a global dust storm in June 2018. There was so much dust in the Martian atmosphere that sunlight could not reach Opportunity's solar panels for power generation. NASA via AP NASA's Opportunity, the Mars rover that was built to operate just three months but kept going and going, was pronounced dead Wednesday, 15 years after it landed on the red planet. The six-wheeled vehicle that helped gather critical evidence that ancient Mars might have been hospitable to life was remarkably spry up until eight months ago, when it was finally doomed by a ferocious dust storm. Flight controllers tried numerous times to make contact and sent one final series of recovery commands Tuesday night along with one last wake-up song, Billie Holiday's "I'll Be Seeing You." There was no response from space, only silence. This vista of the Endeavour Crater rim was acquired by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity from the southern end of "Murray Ridge" on the western rim of the crater. Source: NASA "This is a celebration of so many achievements," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told team members gathered at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, for what amounted to a wake for the intrepid rover. The golf cart-size Opportunity outlived its twin, the Spirit rover, by several years. The two slow-moving vehicles landed on opposite sides of the planet in 2004 for a mission that was meant to last 90 days. In the end, Opportunity set endurance and distance records that are years, if not decades, from being broken. Rolling along until communication ceased last June, Opportunity roamed a record 28 miles (45 kilometers) around Mars and worked longer than any other lander — anywhere, ever. Opportunity View of 'Private Joseph Field' on Mars Source: NASA Its greatest achievement was discovering, along with Spirit , evidence that ancient Mars had water flowing on its surface and might have been capable of sustaining microbial life. Opportunity was exploring Mars' Perseverance Valley, fittingly, when the fiercest dust storm in decades hit and contact was lost. The storm was so intense that it darkened the sky for months, preventing sunlight from reaching the rover's solar panels. When the sky finally cleared, the rover remained silent, its internal clock possibly so scrambled that it no longer knew when to sleep or wake up to receive commands. Flight controllers sent more than 1,000 recovery commands to Opportunity, all in vain. The small spherules on the Martian surface in this close-up image are near Fram Crater, visited by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during April 2004. Source: NASA With project costs reaching about $500,000 a month, NASA decided there was no point in continuing. As it became clear the rover was about to be declared dead, Bridenstine said that he was encountering people "a little choked up" but that the general mood was one of celebration. Scientists consider this the end of an era, now that Opportunity and Spirit are both gone. This late-afternoon view from the front Hazard Avoidance Camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows a pattern of rock stripes on the ground, a surprise to scientists on the rover team. Source: NASA<doc-sep>NASA: Expert discusses the work of Opportunity Rover 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. The NASA Opportunity has been exploring the surface of Mars since 2004. And the aptly-named robot has since then revolutionised our understanding of the Red Planet. However Opportunity’s epic 15-year mission is now at an end, triggering an unparalleled outpouring of grief online. NASA has now not heard from the golf buggy-sized rover for eight months now. My battery is low and it’s getting dark Opportunity The solar-powered Opportunity rover is believed to have got trapped in an enormous dust storm, blocking out the sunlight that is its energy source. And after the storm cleared, Opportunity — affectionately dubbed by its millions of fans “Oppy” — didn’t “wake” back up. This led NASA to announce this week that will not be hearing from Opportunity ever again. READ MORE: Stonehenge mystery SOLVED: Scientists uncover ancient stone monoliths’s origin NASA Mars Opportunity: The Mars rover revolutionised our understanding of the Red Planet NASA Opportunity: The rover beamed back a poignant last message The sad announcement came after NASA engineers exhausted all available options to try and revive the ailing Opportunity. On Wednesday, February 13, NASA said Opportunity stood at the forefront of Mars and will be missed. Jim Bridenstine, an administrator at the US space agency said: “It is because of trailblazing missions such as Opportunity that there will come a day when our brave astronauts walk on the surface of Mars. “And when that day arrives, some portion of that first footprint will be owned by the men and women of Opportunity, and a little rover that defied the odds and did so much in the name of exploration." READ MORE: Mars MYSTERY: NASA probes strange impact crater on red planet The emotional news from NASA was made all the more poignant after the space agency revealed Opportunity’s final message with Earth. As the Martian storm descended on the rover and the skies were choked of all sunlight, the solar-powered Opportunity messaged NASA saying: "My battery is low and it’s getting dark.” News of Opportunity’s “death” sparked worldwide support and words of consolation for NASA and its engineers. Messages of support flooded social media as Opportunity’s heartbreaking last words were revealed to the public. READ MORE: Oumuamua interstellar object ‘COULD be alien ship’, claims Harvard Professor NASA Opportunity: Many took to Twitter to vocalise their grief NASA Opportunity: Words of consolation were left for NASA and its engineers NASA Opportunity: The mission was initially only expected to last nine months @h4wtf tweeted: “I CRIED WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS Hi I'll be 20 in a few days and still cried about inanimate object #art #ink #doodle #opportunityrover #NASA” And @temoulin posted: “Is it weird that I may be mourning a little? #OpportunityRover” @ahoyjamie, said: “When Opportunity rover said, ‘My battery is low and it’s getting dark’, I felt that.” READ MORE: Hunt for aliens ‘only just BEGINNING’ says top scientist<doc-sep>Opportunity, the longest-lived roving robot ever sent to another planet, explored the red plains of Mars for more than 14 years, snapping photos and revealing astonishing glimpses into its distant past. But on Wednesday, NASA announced that the rover is dead. “It is therefore that I am standing here with a sense of deep appreciation and gratitude that I declare the Opportunity mission as complete,” Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s associate administrator for science, said at a news conference. [See pictures from the Opportunity rover’s journey across Mars.] The golf cart-size rover was designed to last only three months, but proved itself to be an unexpected endurance athlete. It traveled more than the distance of a marathon when less than half a mile would have counted as success. As it moved across the surface, Opportunity provided an up-close view of Mars that scientists had never seen: fine layers of rock that preserved ripples of flowing water, a prerequisite for life, from several billion years ago.<doc-sep>

Nasa have announced that their Mars rover Opportunity has died after 15 years on red the planet. Opportunity, also known as MER-B or MER-1, was placed on Mars in 2004, but was declared ‘dead’ on Tuesday after being knocked out by a dust storm eight months ago. Nasa announced plans to abandon the rover from its Cape Canaveral headquarters Tuesday, after issuing a last ditch set of recovery commands. If Opportunity fails to respond by Wednesday, it will be officially declared defunct. An illustration of Nasa’s Mars rover Opportunity on the surface of the Red Planet (Picture AP) It last broadcast on June 10, with Nasa scientists speculating that Opportunity’s clock may have become scrambled during its outrage, disrupting its ‘sleep’ cycle and draining its batteries. Opportunity, also known as MER-B or MER-1, landed on the planet in January 2004. It covered 28 miles in its working lifespan -more than any other rover ever placed on the Red Planet, and confirmed scientists’ theories that water had once flowed on Mars. The rover’s identical twin Spirit was pronounced dead in 2011, a year after getting stuck in some sand on the opposite side of Mars. Both vehicles far outperformed expectations, with the robot geologists originally only intended to operate for three months. A collage of photos showing Nasa’s Opportunity rover scanning the surface of Mars to send information back to Earth (Picture: Reuters) Opportunity sent this striking photo of Mars back to Earth in January 2015. Its mission, which began in 2004 and was only meant to last three months, will officially be ended tomorrow after the rover stopped broadcasting (Picture: Nasa) They bounced onto the planet on special cushioned airbags, with scientists paying tribute to the amount of information gleaned from Opportunity and Spirit. Project manager John Callas said: ‘It’s just like a loved one who’s gone missing, and you keep holding out hope that they will show up and that they’re healthy. ‘But each passing day that diminishes, and at some point you have to say ‘enough’ and move on with your life.’ Deputy project scientist Abigail Freeman was inspired to join the program after watching Opportunity land on Mars when she was 16 and still at school. She branded the rover a ‘workhorse’ and paid tribute to the skill of its operators. Neither rover was designed to endure extreme weather – unlike Nasa’s nuclear-powered Curiosity rover, which continues to trawl Mars for information.