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An illustration of the Vega-C rocket taking off into Earth orbit. Illustration: ESAThe European Space Agency (ESA) is getting ready to unveil its medium-lift Vega-C rocket, a worthy successor to the small launcher Vega, which has been in operation for 10 years. Vega-C is undergoing final preparations before launching from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana as soon as July 7, ESA announced on Thursday.Rainn Wilson’s First Fandoms: Star Trek And D&DVega-C is currently ready for payload integration, and final checks before its inaugural launch, according to ESA. The rocket follows its predecessor Vega, which launched on February 13, 2012. With Vega, named after the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, ESA initiated an era of new-generation vehicles delivering small to medium sized satellites in orbit for both scientific and Earth observation missions. Vega is a single body launcher, with no booster, but instead has three solid propulsion stages and an additional liquid propulsion upper module.“Vega-C features major enhancements from Vega, both in the rocket and its ground infrastructure,” Renato Lafranconi, Vega programs manager, said in a statement. Vega-C was fitted with a new, more powerful first and second stage, and an improved, re-ignitable upper stage. This gives the rocket a larger capacity for liquid propellant, allowing it to deliver payloads to multiple orbits, and stay in space for a longer period of time. Vega-C also has double the payload capacity, measuring at around 114 feet high (34.8 meters), which is nearly 16 feet (5 meters) taller than its predecessor.Vega-C can also orbit larger satellites, carry two main payloads, or be used for rideshare missions, which allows for a number of small satellites to be transported to space at a relatively low cost.For its launch debut, Vega-C will carry the Italian Space Agency’s LARES-2, a scientific mission designed to measure a distortion of space-time caused by a large body such as the Earth. The mission’s predecessor, LARES, was also the main payload for Vega’s inaugural flight in 2012. Also hitching the ride to space are six CubeSats from Italy, France, and Slovenia, testing different phenomena such as the effects of a harsh radiation environment on electronic systems, growing plants in microgravity, and the Northern, and Southern Lights.ESA is also getting ready to debut Ariane 6, the next-generation launcher to follow Ariane 5. Ariane 6 was originally slated for launch in 2020, but has suffered numerous delays, and is now scheduled to fly in 2023. “With Vega-C and Ariane 6, Europe will have a flexible, independent solution for a fast-changing launch market,” Daniel Neuenschwande, ESA’s director of Space Transportation, said in a statement.More: European Space Agency Lays Out Plans for Next 30 Years of Space Exploration

Space Exploration

Kim Kardashian Didn't Damage Marilyn Dress ... Says Ripley's Museum 6/16/2022 11:21 AM PT Kim Kardashian caused quite the stir when she donned Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress to the 2022 Met Gala ... but she did NOT cause any damage to the gown. A recent photo floating around on social media allegedly showed the dress before and after Kim K took it out for a spin. However, a rep for Ripley's Believe It or Not! -- who bought the dress for $4.8 million in 2016 -- is coming to Kim's defense. The rep tells us, "A report written on the dress’s condition in early 2017 states, “a number of the seams are pulled and worn. This is not surprising given how delicate the material is. There is puckering at the back by the hooks and eyes,” among other instances of damage." The rep tells us since the purchase of the dress, Ripley's has displayed it around the world -- a process that has also put the piece at risk for potential damage. Amanda Joiner, Ripley's VP of Publishing and Licensing -- who was with Kim and the dress the entire day of The Met -- says, "From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in." The dress is the exact same one Marilyn famously wore way back in 1962 for President John F. Kennedy's birthday when she sang for the Prez. Kim lost 16 pounds to fit into the piece after first being denied permission by Ripley's. Kim's obviously taken a lot of heat for the alleged damage, but Ripley's is making one thing clear ... her haters can back the hell off.

Celebrity

Published June 16, 2022 10:35AM article A sealed copy of "Back to the Future" once owned by Tom Wilson is pictured, superimposed over a file image of a DeLorean at the Countdown to the Final Flight of the Back To The Future Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood on Aug. 2, 2007, in Los Angele A sealed copy of "Back to the Future" on VHS, owned by Biff Tannen himself, recently sold for a whopping $75,000 at auction and was likely the most ever paid for such an item. The "near-mint-condition" videotape was owned by actor Tom Wilson, who appeared in the 1985 film and its sequels, and who received the tape from the studio at the time. It was sold to a collector in New York during Heritage Auctions’ sale on June 9 and was the highest price ever paid at auction for a sealed, graded VHS tape, the auction house said. Sealed copies of "Back to the Future II" and "Back to the Future III," also owned by Wilson, sold for $16,250 and $13,750, respectively. Wilson wrote notes to accompany each of his tapes. "This is the first box set sent out from the studio of the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy," Wilson said in a statement. "The urge to open this, to open the shrink wrap, to me, was nearly unbearable, because not only does it include ‘Back to the Future I’ and ‘II’ (sic) and – mint – but also the documentary ‘Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy.’" RELATED: "Back to the Future" documentary "Back in Time," streaming free on Tubi — get the app The sale included 260 VHS tapes in total, featuring other near-mint copies of beloved 1980s films like "The Goonies," "Top Gun" and "Ghostbusters." Heritage Auctions noted how the VHS format has become increasingly popular among collectors in recent years due to nostalgia and the "near-impossibility" of finding popular films still in their original shrink-wrapping. RELATED: DeLorean’s Alpha5 EV images unveiled for the first time "The results for Tom Wilson's Back to the Future tapes, for Goonies and Jaws and Ghostbusters and many others, were nothing short of amazing," Heritage Auctions VHS Consignment Director Jay Carlson said in a statement. "A few years ago, sealed VHS collectors were outliers in the collecting community, so it really is something to see it grow and attract enough new collectors to warrant a standalone auction at a major auction house," Carlson added. WATCH FREE ON TUBI: Trace the history of the tape with the documentary "VHS Revolution" — get the app A near-mint Beta copy of the 1985 action-comedy "The Goonies" sold for $13,750, while a near-mint-plus VHS copy of "The Goonies," featuring the white wraparound Warner HV watermark sold for $50,000 — making it the auction’s second-highest-selling lot. A mint-condition copy of the 1983 "Jaws" release, which features the wraparound MCA Home Video watermark, opened live bidding at $13,500 and ultimately sold for $32,500. Top Gun: Maverick - The Power of the Naval Aircraft Featurette Tom Cruise stars in "Top Gun: Maverick," in theaters May 27. "Top Gun," which was the first tape considered affordable for purchase at around $26.95, also was included in the sale. A near-mint copy of the film sold for $17,500 and included a promotional offering from Diet Pepsi which changed the case’s cover and added its logo to the back. RELATED: Kurt Cobain's guitar in 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' video sells for $4.5M at auction This story was reported from Cincinnati.

Movies

Brittany Snow tied the knot with her longtime love Tyler Stanaland right before the world went into lockdown – and now she’s finally sharing a peek inside her stunning wedding! In a series of snaps posted to her Instagram on Wednesday, and the “Pitch Perfect” star reflected in the caption on how her wedding day went (it apparently had a lot of wild things go wrong). But Brittany reflected on how given the circumstances of what was to come – she was beyond grateful to be able to say “I do” to her love. The pair wed in an outdoor ceremony in Malibu, Calif. on March 14, just prior to most states going into lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The 34-year-old actress posted a slideshow of pics from her big day for her nearly 3 million Instagram followers. “In early March, before we knew how much we’d miss hugs and live in our sweatpants, I got to marry my favorite person,” she captioned the photos. “The whole world shut down a few days later & we were stunned at the timing. We knew we felt incredibly lucky to have found each other but we had no idea how lucky it would be to get married right before a monumental time in our history. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong that day… but it was absolutely and impossibly perfect. I knew on that day, more than ever before, there was no one else I’d rather hold my hand while in the middle of a (life) hurricane,” she continued. “I love you @tylerstanaland. You’re my dream come true.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CCZCh2-DSCZ/ Brittany continued, “✨ Thank you @jonathansimkhai for creating my gorgeous dress & making me feel like my most authentic self. Thank you @theknot for helping us plan our magical day from our registry to our vendors. We love you guys. I know the world is a crazy place right now but I hope we can continue to celebrate love whenever and wherever we can. ✨✨✨” Brittany shared her concerns about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic days before tying the knot, during an appearance on Access Daily with “Hooking Up” co-star Sam Richardson. “I’m a little overwhelmed with this [in] the world, happening right now,” Brittany said. “Hopefully, we will not be wearing masks in our wedding pictures.” WATCH: Brittany Snow Talks Wedding Plans Brittany posted additional photos on Instagram from her and Tyler’s reception, swapping out her stunning Simkhai wedding gown for an off-the-shoulder lace dress by Galia Lahav. The happy bride is also photographed with her bridesmaids, and seen dreamily descending a staircase in her evening attire. “THANK YOU TEQUILA for getting us through our first date (we were so nervous. It wasn’t cute) and being a huge part of our wedding. We love you @casamigos ???,” she wrote alongside the photos, which included a snapshot of the newlyweds smooching next to a Casamigos camper. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCZRXbKj39S/ Brittany and Tyler announced their engagement on Instagram back in February 2019. At the time, Brittany shared a black-and-white photo of the lovebirds sharing a sweet smooch during dinner. “A couple weeks ago, I said ‘YES’ about a million times to the man of my wildest & most beautiful dreams,” she gushed. “After celebrating with friends and family, we wanted to let a few more friends (you guys) know… this happened.” https://www.instagram.com/p/BuFDqFrHhH_/ She continued, ” I’m still pinching myself and thanking my lucky stars for the truest feeling I’ve ever felt. Thank you @tylerstanaland for the happiest day of my life & for not proposing in this creepy empty restaurant.” Tyler also celebrated the news with a heartfelt tribute to his future wife. “I don’t know how I got so lucky and I don’t know that I really understood what love is until you,” he wrote. “Everything changed when we met.” https://www.instagram.com/p/BuFEBNbn-1E/ He added, “You are the most beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful, caring, incredible human and I couldn’t be more excited to do life with you. Here’s to forever and making our wildest dreams come true. Love you to the moon and back.” Copyright © 2022 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Celebrity

Now that coach/general manager James Wade’s team is complete, there will be some adjustments, beginning with his rotation. NBAE via Getty Images Courtney Vandersloot has been Julie Allemand’s greatest example in her young career. So when Allemand’s agent told her in February that she would be part of a three-team trade that would have her playing behind Vandersloot on a team with back-to-back title aspirations, she was sold. Four months after the trade and nearly two months after the Sky opened training camp, Allemand arrived to an entirely new WNBA experience. “This is my first season [outside of the bubble],” said Allemand, who was a rookie in 2020. “I don’t even know what it’s like to play outside [of that environment]. Practice, individual workouts, travel, everything is new to me.” The Sky were just beginning to establish a rhythm when Allemand arrived last week, joining her team on its three-game East Coast trip. The Sky are third in the league standings behind the first-place Las Vegas Aces and the Connecticut Sun. Now that coach/general manager James Wade’s team is complete, there will be some adjustments, beginning with his rotation. Through the first 11 games of the season, Wade used Dana Evans with his second unit behind Vandersloot, and she proved her value in that role. Evans led the team in scoring in the season opener against the Los Angeles Sparks with a career-high 24 points. Without Allemand, Evans averaged 8.4 points and 2.6 assists in 18 minutes per game. In the two games since Allemand arrived, she averaged 3.7 minutes. That’s too small of a sample to indicate what the Sky’s rotation will look like. But Wade is confident that his players understand the value in each of their roles. “Everybody is sacrificing here,” Wade said. “At the same time, we’re learning how to be winners, and that’s the most important thing. We built something with the coaching staff, the players and leaders we have where people will come in and sacrifice for us.” The players who haven’t bought into that team-first mentality haven’t lasted long in Chicago, Wade said. But Wade knows egos are part of what makes the most talented athletes go. He’s trusting that his team approach will supersede any ego-based discontent. So far, there has been no indication of players being unhappy with changes in Wade’s rotation. Evans, specifically, is focused on the long game. “I know I want to be great,” Evans said. “I want to be an All-Star one day. To do that, you have to work now. It’s a process, and I know I won’t be denied. I’ll always work hard, get better and find ways to get on the court.” Allemand echoed Evans, adding that her goal is to play whatever role will help the Sky fulfill their goal of winning back-to-back titles. The Sky host the Atlanta Dream on Friday before embarking on another three-game trip that includes stops in Las Vegas and Los Angeles Sparks. By the end of the month, Wade’s rotation should come into focus. “[Having great players] puts pressure on me to make everybody happy,” Wade said. “The best way for me to make everybody happy is to win the whole thing.”

Basketball

A juror in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial said in an interview that aired Thursday on "Good Morning America" that when the actress cried during her testimony the jury saw only "crocodile tears.""It didn't come across as believable," he said. "It seemed like she was able to flip the switch on her emotions. She would answer one question and she would be crying and two seconds later she would turn ice cold. It didn't seem natural."Depp, he said, "just seemed a little more real in terms of how he responded to questions."The juror, one of seven jurors during the six-week trial, spoke exclusively to "GMA" and is the only juror on record to speak publicly about the case. He asked to have his name not used for this report.In early June, a jury in Fairfax, Virginia, awarded Depp more than $10 million in damages; Heard received $2 million in her countersuit. The catalyst for defamation countersuits was a 2018 op-ed Heard wrote in The Washington Post in which she said she "became a public figure representing domestic abuse." Depp argued that suggested she was victimized by him, although she never identified him by name.'Why would you buy the other person a knife?'Heard's credibility was suspect throughout the duration of the trial, the juror said. Besides how she acted on the stand, several other factors led the jury to believe Heard was not credible, the juror said.The jury concluded "they were both abusive to each other" but Heard's team failed to prove Depp's abuse was physical."They had their husband-wife arguments. They were both yelling at each other. I don't think that makes either of them right or wrong. That's what you do when you get into an argument, I guess. But to rise to the level of what she was claiming, there wasn't enough or any evidence that really supported what she was saying," he said.Heard, the juror said, was considered the aggressor in the relationship by the majority of the jury. "If you have a battered wife or spouse situation, why would you buy the other person, the 'aggressor,' a knife? If you really wanted to help Johnny Depp get off drugs, why are you taking drugs around him?" he asked.Heard testified she purchased Depp a large knife as a gift, which Depp's legal team presented to jurors.The juror said that photographs Heard took of her ex-husband also fell flat. Although the defense used them to show Depp's decrepit state after a drug or alcohol binge, the juror said they failed to make an impact."If you mix alcohol and marijuana, that's where you usually end up -- passed out," he said. "We discussed at length that a lot of the drugs she said he used, most of them were downers. And you usually don't get violent on downers. You become a zombie, as those pictures show."In his testimony, Depp also admitted to cocaine use, a stimulant, and Heard testified he was frequently doing the drug in her presence.No make-up: no credibilityThe juror also said the jury essentially dismissed all witnesses on both sides who were employees, paid experts, friends or family from either side.Also suspect were the photos that Heard's team presented that purported to show bruising on the actress' face. Two photos presented near the end of the trial were not credible to the jury, he said. They believed the accusation by Depp's team that one photo was edited to artificially redden Heard's face to suggest bruising. Heard testified the photos looked different because of a "vanity light.""Those were two different pictures. We couldn't really tell which picture was real and which one was not," the juror told "GMA."The juror also said the defense failed Heard by telling them that the actress "never goes outside without make-up on," he said. "Yet she goes to file the restraining order without make-up on. And it just so happens her publicist is with her. Those things add up and starts to become hard to believe," he said.$7 million donation that never happened was 'a fiasco' for HeardThe juror said the four-hour debate over the difference between a pledged donation and an actual donation ended up "a fiasco" for Heard. On the stand, Heard testified she never finished donating all $7 million from her divorce settlement to two charities because she didn't want Depp to reap the tax benefits by sending her settlements to the charities directly.Heard testified that a pledge and a donation are "synonymous with one another" and "mean the same thing." The jury was shown video of Heard on a Dutch talk show saying she gave her donation to the charities.The fact is, she didn't give much of it away at all," the juror said. "It was disingenuous."He blamed Heard's legal team for giving her poor advice, such as looking directly at the jury when responding to questions. "All of us were very uncomfortable" at that, he said.He also said her team "had sharp elbows versus being sharp.""They would cut people off in cross because they wanted one specific answer without context. They were forcing people to just answer a very narrow question ... which was obvious," he said."She needs better advice," he said of Heard.Publishing the 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post that defamed Depp was a poor choice, he said. "If she didn't do any of this stuff with the op-eds, Johnny Depp could have helped her out in her career. They didn't leave things on a nasty turn," when they divorced, he said. "It turned nasty after the op-ed."'We only looked at the evidence'The juror denied the jury was swayed by outside forces. He and "at least" three others did not have Twitter accounts."Some people said we were bribed. That's not true. Social media did not impact us. We followed the evidence. We didn't take into account anything outside [the courtroom]. We only looked at the evidence," he said. "They were very serious accusations and a lot of money involved. So we weren't taking it lightly."The juror also said that no one on the jury was starstruck and their individual celebrity never played a factor in their decision. While he admitted he knew of Depp more than Heard, he hadn't seen many of his films. "None of us were really fans of either one of them," he said.Asked whether he would go see a future movie starring Depp or Heard, the juror said it would depend on the movie."What they do in their personal lives doesn't affect me whatsoever. Going to movies is entertainment. I go for the quality of the movie or the storyline," he said. "Not for the acting." Copyright © 2022 ABC, Inc.

Celebrity

After paving the way for countless Latin artists, music superstar Gloria Estefan has stepped into her first leading role on the big screen, playing the mother in a new remake of Father of the Bride.Directed by Gaz Alazraki and written by Matt Lopez, the third iteration of the beloved romantic comedy—available to stream today on HBO Max—follows Billy Herrera (Andy García), a traditional Cuban-American architect grappling with a request for divorce from his wife Ingrid (Estefan), and his eldest daughter Sofia’s (Adria Arjona) impending nuptials to Adan Castillo (Diego Boneta).Paul Perez, a former development executive at Warner Bros, dreamed of reimagining Father of the Bride with a Latino family, and began developing a remake in 2020 with García in mind. Once he boarded the project in early 2021, García, a veteran actor known for his work in Ocean’s Eleven and The Godfather Part III, worked with Alazraki to lean into the love and strength of extended Latino families—and away from any stereotypes. When it came time to cast the rest of the family, García personally reached out to Estefan, who read the “zany and funny script” and rearranged her own schedule to sign on to the film.“[In this iteration of Father of the Bride], the women came from a real position of strength,” Estefan tells W in a phone interview from Miami. “It delves into things that aren’t normally talked about in Latino communities, like therapy. [Ingrid] pushes [Billy] and decides, ‘Okay, this is it. I don’t want to spend our last years with an empty nest being alone in a marriage.’ And thankfully, he wakes up through the four women in his life: his mother-in-law, his daughters, and his wife.”Below, Estefan speaks about her longtime friendship with García, the importance of highlighting the nuances of different Latino cultures, and the beauty tips and tricks she has picked up after more than four decades in the business.You previously worked with Andy García on the HBO television film For Love or Country over 20 years ago. What are some of the memories that stick out from working with him this time around?It’s always wonderful because Andy and I get along great. In fact, he did a cameo years ago in my video, “I See Your Smile.” He’s a waiter, and at the end, I say to him, “Is the waiter on the menu?” That was even before we worked together in the movie. What I love is that he’s always trusted me, because I certainly do not have the years of craft that Andy has—although I have worked on it quite a bit, because I respect actors very much.When I’ve done the previous projects, I went and did my thing in a couple of days. [This time,] we all spent two months in a bubble together, and really bonded. What you see onscreen is a very natural, legitimate feeling among all of us. There are six degrees of separation [between] pretty much every actor in that film—consummate stage and screen actors here in Miami and in the Latin world. I just met the girls, Isabela Merced and Adria Arjona, but they were so wonderful and talented. And I got to meet Diego Boneta when he was in town doing Rock of Ages. This is, I think, the first big-budget studio film dedicated to Latin cultures, so it’s been a big deal for us.The film opens with the song “Azúcar Negra” by Celia Cruz—another Cuban-American legend—but I was waiting to hear one of your songs for the wedding scene. Do your friends or family ever play your songs and make you dance with them?Well, if it’s my daughter, she will throw me into [dancing] any time she’s DJing, anywhere in the house. I rarely put my own music on, and I think we purposely stayed away from putting my music in there, because I was acting in the lead role. We wanted Ingrid to stay Ingrid, and not turn into Gloria Estefan. Although, for sure, “Conga” would have been played at that wedding, I can guarantee you.Celia is our diva, our shining light of Cuba, and there are some great songs. “Quiereme Mucho,” which is sung at the wedding, is a classic. I used to play it on my guitar and sing it with my mom as a kid. There’s a great new Ozuna track, and he’s from [Puerto Rico]; we really were trying to stay true to the whole Latin experience.This film leans into the specificities of two different Latino cultures—Cubans and Mexicans—and shows the union of two beautiful, high-achieving Latino families. Why do you think it is so important to highlight those differences and similarities in cultures?American culture tends to look at Latinos as a monolith, which is the furthest thing from the truth. Historically, I’ve always seen Latin things from different cultures get lumped together as if they’re the same—all Latin things that have nothing to do with each other, quite honestly. [Laughs.] So it was good to show the contributions of Latinos to this great country, and see us in a beautiful light of family, other than the usual ways we’ve been viewed in movies—which, by the way, is the reason that I haven’t done a lot of movies. Usually, they’ll cast me as a Latina, and it’s not in a particularly great light. With all the baggage I carry from my other career and the fact that I’m a proud Latin woman, I don’t want to strengthen those stereotypes. What do you think that fundamental demand for cultural authenticity says about the evolution and current state of Latino representation in Hollywood?I think they’ve seen the success, like One Day at a Time, which Norman Lear reimagined with a Cuban American family. You have Vida, Encanto—all these things that have delivered at the box office and in ratings. It’s gotten better, needless to say, not just for Latin culture, but multiculturally. We’re gonna see, of Pakistani background, a young Marvel superhero in Ms. Marvel; we’re gonna see, with Bad Bunny, the first Latin superhero. But we’re still not represented in the numbers that we exist in this country.And the only way to “go new” is to show all of the different tapestries that are in the melting pot. We feel fortunate that Warner and Plan B would focus their energies and their money [on a remake], because this is a very big-budget movie and an I.P. that, to them, is iconic. We’ve stayed true to the original idea, but we’ve made it our own with this interpretation.You and your husband, Emilio, are coming up on your 44th wedding anniversary this year. What would you say are some of the most important keys to a successful marriage?Everybody asks me that. I wish I had the secret! Look, it’s about respect, communication. It’s about putting the other person first, because if you’re both doing that, then you’re both taken care of. Once you’re a couple, you have to be a couple. [If] the focus on the individual is given by the other partner, then it’s great, because you’re both really rooting for each other. The movie also highlights the modern take on family, and that’s why it’s so important that the traditional father of the bride that was in control in the previous [movies] learns something from the women in his life. Let’s move on to the Beauty Notes questions. What’s the first thing you do in the morning, beauty-wise?Beauty-wise, I moisturize, but most of my routine happens at night. No matter how tired I am, no matter what has gone on, I make sure I clean my face thoroughly. I use Shiseido—it’s a lovely cleanser that’s gentle but really good. Also, VenEFFECT. It’s these two gynecologists, these women who developed this line, and I use their cleanser as well. I use five different types of cream, and I change up the order. There are great creams that help with collagen. I use products from Miami MD—some capsules that work on your collagen system-wide, not just on your skin, on top of the fact that I use their eye cream and a firming cream. I also use Beverly Hills MD—the stem cell cream.What’s your favorite form of self-care?Exercising, absolutely. Right now, I’m on this promo tour and the one thing that really bothers me is that I haven’t been able to exercise, because we’re getting up at the crack of dawn for hair and makeup. By the time I get home, I’m exhausted, so it just doesn’t work. I go to hell in a hand basket when I stop working out, so I’m looking forward to the minute the movie is out, and I’m back to my regular routine.What are some of the most important hair and makeup tips and tricks you’ve learned throughout your career?I could do makeup in five minutes if I needed to—and in the dark. [Laughs.] I’ve had to put it on plenty of times on the moving bus while traveling cross-country at the beginning of my career, when I didn’t have a makeup artist. I couldn’t afford one, so it was all me. I took an extra makeup course when I was in college [from someone at] Max Factor, so imagine how long that guy had been in the business. When we were doing this class, it was 1975 or ’76. What they used was grease paint, still. You couldn’t buy a makeup kit, so we made our own out of fishing tackle boxes. I not only learned beauty makeup, but I learned how to do bruises and monster makeup. If you look at my Instagram last Halloween, I did that makeup on my kids in 20 minutes.Use a moisturizer-based foundation. As you get older, people tend to think, “Let me pile on the foundation, because it’s gonna cover things.” Unless you have something that really needs to be covered on your skin, it’s best that it be visible, because as the makeup gets drier on your face, it adds to the wrinkles.And for beauty makeup, less is always more: If you do strong eyes, then don’t do strong lips. If you’re gonna do a very strong lip, then maybe just an eyeliner is a nice thing to use. It’s nice to contour, as long as you don’t over contour. It has to be invisible so that it looks natural. What is the one skincare product you can’t live without?I could live without anything, let’s be honest. But I think it’s important to have a very fine exfoliant. Every 10 days or so, I spend two minutes [exfoliating]—I count to 120 in the shower. And when you finish, your skin is rosy and nice and pink, and then you moisturize, and it makes a big difference. It really does help get rid of the old skin cells and dry skin that’s just sitting there.Is there a beauty trend that you participated in when you were younger that you look back on now and you’re like, oh my God, what was I thinking?Yes, a bad one! [Laughs.] In the late ’70s, early ’80s when people did the really thin eyebrows. I looked like I had two McDonald’s arches on my eyes. I used to have one big eyebrow, and it was lovely. My mom didn’t let me pluck my eyebrows until I was 15, and I literally bled the day I did. It’s cool for a shoot and for an effect, but for everyday life, [it’s] not cute. A lot of the expression in your eyes and in your face comes from your eyebrows. So I was very relieved that my eyebrows grew back, because a lot of people didn’t have that good fortune.

Movies

The FIA is to enforce rule changes that prevent the violent bouncing of cars known as porpoising. Formula One’s governing body was prompted into action after a number of drivers spoke out at last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, warning they may end up suffering from long-term health problems if it was not addressed.With many drivers experiencing neck and back pain after Baku, and several noting they found difficulty focusing on braking zones because of the propensity of the bouncing, the FIA has opted to step in under safety grounds, mean their reforms do not require the agreement of the teams.“The FIA has decided to intervene following consultation with its doctors in the interests of safety of the drivers,” they said. “In a sport where the competitors are routinely driving at speeds in excess of 300kmh, it is considered that all of a driver’s concentration needs to be focused on that task and that excessive fatigue or pain experienced by a driver could have significant consequences should it result in a loss of concentration. “In addition, the FIA has concerns in relation to the immediate physical impact on the health of the drivers, a number of whom have reported back pain following recent events.”Porpoising occurs on straights as cars gain and lose downforce from the ground-effect aerodynamics beneath the floor of the vehicle. It is an unexpected side-effect of regulations introduced before the new season with some teams suffering from it more than others. Mercedes are among those to have had problems and in Azerbaijan underwent the worst of the phenomenon thus far. Lewis Hamilton was barely able to climb from his car and his teammate, George Russell, who is director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, was especially outspoken on the need for the FIA to step in. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has also been insistent this is an issue that needs addressing.In Baku, Russell compared it to footballers suffering from cognitive impairment having repeatedly headed a ball. “When they had the massively heavy footballs and there was research done and analysis done that there were health consequences for these chaps who were heading the ball and things were changed,” he said. “F1 is the centre of innovation, there’s no reason why we can’t find a scientific solution for this.”Teams who have not suffered from the problem, such as Red Bull, believe there should not be a rule change because they have gone down a design route with their cars that has left them unable to deal with porpoising. However, drivers have noted that even teams with little porpoising want action, pointing out that the low ride height and stiffness of suspension required under the ground-effect formula produced significant impacts through the body, even without the overt visible bouncing.“The compression, you’re sore and you feel you’re getting squeezed,” said McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. “It’s also the frequency. It’s this shaking of the brain and the spine, I don’t think is good, long-term. “I know George has been very vocal about it. They’ve suffered a lot. And I 100% sympathise with him.”The FIA has taken on drivers’ concerns and stepped in, stating it would begin by examining the under-car planks and skids to determine design and wear. The governing body will also, in consultation with the teams, quantify an acceptable level of “vertical oscillation”, or how much bouncing would be deemed to be within safe parameters.

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FILE – This image released by Disney/Pixar shows character Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Chris Evans, left, and Alisha Hawthorne, voiced by Uzo Aduba, in a scene from the animated film “Lightyear,” releasing June 17, 2022. Authorities across the Muslim world have barred Disney’s latest animated film “Lightyear” from being played at cinemas after the inclusion of a brief kiss between a lesbian couple, the company said Thursday, June 16. (Disney/Pixar via AP, File) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Authorities across much of the Muslim world have barred Disney’s latest animated film “Lightyear” from being played at cinemas after the inclusion of a brief kiss between a lesbian couple, the company said Thursday as the movie premiered. Thirteen nations and the Palestinian territory barred the Pixar film that has actor Chris Evans voicing the inspiration for the astronaut hero Buzz Lightyear from the “Toy Story” movies, The Walt Disney Co. said. This represents a major challenge at the box office for one of Disney’s biggest animated films of the year as the film industry comes out of the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. Analysts estimated it could gross over $100 million in its first weekend. “Lightyear” includes a female character voiced by actress Uzo Aduba briefly kissing her female partner in one scene in the $200 million film. That proved too much for censors in many Muslim-majority nations, where laws often criminalize same-sex relationships. Nations that refused to allow the film to be shown include Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates, Disney said. The UAE, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, earlier this week announced it would not allow the film to screen. Many Muslims consider gays and lesbians to be sinful. In some parts of the Arab world, members of the LGBTQ community have been arrested and sentenced to prison. Some countries even maintain the death penalty. The film’s stars had called the earlier decision of the UAE disappointing. “Yeah, it’s frustrating,” Evans told The Associated Press earlier this week at the premiere of “Lightyear” in London. “It feels good to be a part of something that is making social progress, but it’s with this ribbon of bittersweet frustration that at the same time, there are still places that have not caught up.” Studios have allowed censors to cut films in global distribution for content in the past, including in the Mideast market. Recently, Disney has faced protests from activists and its own staff over what they described as CEO Bob Chapek’s slow response in publicly criticizing Florida legislation that opponents dubbed as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in late March signed the bill, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The moment had been earlier cut from the film but was restored after Pixar employees protested Disney’s response to Florida’s bill. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. Tags

Movies

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Kim Kardashian revealed she tried everything "humanly possible" to make her marriage to Kanye West work.Kim, 41, admitted during the season finale of "The Kardashians" that people would question how she stayed married to West if they knew what the relationship was really like.The SKIMS founder opened up about her relationship with West while giving advice to sister Khloe Kardashian after news broke that baby daddy Tristan Thompson had cheated on her again."I feel like we always tiptoe around each other's situations because we don't want to meddle. And I respect that no one came to me during my marriage and was like, 'Are you good?'" Kim said during the episode. "Everyone let me have my own journey and see that on my own, and I appreciate that. Kim Kardashian revealed her marriage to Kanye West lasted as long as it did because she tried everything "humanly possible" to make the relationship work. (Getty Images)KIM KARDASHIAN SAYS SHE MIGHT EAT POOP ‘EVERY SINGLE DAY’ TO LOOK YOUNGER"But sometimes I look back, and I'm like, 'When do we jump in?' That's what I am so unclear about."Kim went on to discuss her relationship with West. She filed for divorce from him in February 2021, and the reality TV star was legally declared single in March.West and Kim have four children: North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm."If people knew what my relationship really was like, I think they would be like, 'How did this last this long?'" Kim revealed. "But I can live with myself knowing that I tried everything humanly possible to make a situation work and so I can walk away feeling absolutely guilt-free." Kardashian filed for divorce in February 2021. (Nino/GC Images)CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERKim noted that Khloe had also tried everything in her relationship with Thompson, the father of her daughter True."I feel like you can at least say you had a family, you tried everything in your might and you can look your daughter in the face and say that," Kim said. West and Kardashian have had a rocky public divorce. The musician had been airing out his drama with Kardashian over the parenting of their kids and the "Keeping up with the Kardashians" star's new boyfriend, Pete Davidson.West has been silent on social media since being banned from Instagram for 24 hours in March. The rapper was banned due to a violation of Instagram's policies on hate speech, harassment and bullying, a spokesperson for Meta, the parent company if Instagram, confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time. Kardashian has since moved on with comedian Pete Davidson. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLeading up to his suspension, Kardashian claimed in court documents that West's posts on Instagram caused her "emotional distress.""I very much desire to be divorced," Kardashian wrote in a court filing obtained by Fox News Digital."I have asked Kanye to keep our divorce private, but he has not done so. Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation regarding our private family matters and co-parenting on social media which has created emotional distress." Lauryn Overhultz is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.

Celebrity

Topline A second protective order was issued this week against The Flash star Ezra Miller, the Daily Beast reported Thursday, two months after the actor was arrested twice in Hawaii for disorderly conduct, harassment and allegedly throwing a chair at someone. Ezra Miller attends Time 100 Next at Pier 17 on November 14, 2019 in New York City. Getty Images Key Facts An unnamed Massachusetts 12-year-old was granted a temporary harassment prevention order against Miller, 29, on Wednesday, according to the Daily Beast, which viewed a copy of the signed order and spoke with the child, their mother, and a neighbor who were all present for the interaction with Miller. In February, Miller—who lives in nearby Vermont—visited another neighbor’s home in Greenfield, Massachusetts, and had a verbal altercation with the child’s mother and the neighbor, the neighbor told the Daily Beast. Miller, who was allegedly armed with a gun during the incident, complimented the child, hugged them and followed them on Instagram, with the child telling the Daily Beast “it was really uncomfortable.” The parents of 18-year-old activist Takota Iron Eyes, who met Miller when they were 12 and Miller was 23, were granted a protective order against the actor last week, alleging the actor is “psychologically manipulating, physically intimidating and endangering the safety and welfare” of their child, according to the Los Angeles Times. Chase Iron Eyes, one of Takota’s parents, told the Times last week he and the court “have no idea of knowing where Takota and Ezra are,” and can’t serve Miller the petition, which alleges Miller exhibited “cult-like and psychologically manipulative, controlling behavior.” Forbes has reached out to representatives of Miller for comment. Contra An Instagram account which Takota Iron Eyes’ parents told the Times belongs to their child refuted the claims made in the petition. “My comrade Ezra Miller…has only provided loving support and invaluable protection,” they wrote in a statement. “My father and his allegations hold no weight and are frankly transphobic.” Key Background Miller was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment in Hawaii in March for allegedly yelling at and grabbing a microphone from someone singing karaoke and lunging at someone playing darts. A couple filed and then dropped a restraining order against him for threatening them and stealing items from their room. In April, he was arrested again in the state for allegedly throwing a chair at someone. In 2020, Miller was caught on video apparently choking someone in Iceland. Further Reading ​​‘Mini R. Kelly Situation’: Mom Claims Ezra Miller Physically Assaulted Her, Brainwashed 18-Year-Old (Rolling Stone) The Complete History of Ezra Miller’s Controversial Career (Vulture) ‘The Flash’ Actor Ezra Miller Arrested For Second Time In One Month (Forbes) As Ezra Miller Scandals Mount, What Options Does Warner Bros. Have for ‘The Flash’? (Variety)

Celebrity

Story at a glance Measuring the extent of oil slicks on the earth’s oceans can be difficult due to changing wind patterns, tides, and currents. New satellite imaging technology employed by a team of researchers helped chronicle how many slicks are human-induced. Scientists hope effective regulations, similar to those adopted after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, will be implemented in other affected areas. Oil spills may be one of the more consequential and tangible examples of humans’ impact on the natural environment, as photographs of slicked marine life and vegetation helped spur calls for improved ocean conditions following major incidents throughout the 2000s. Since 1969 at least 44 oil spills of over 420,000 gallons each have affected U.S. waters, while thousands of smaller spills occur each year, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. A byproduct of oil spills are oil slicks, or microscopic thin layers of oil on the ocean’s surface. These can also be caused by other human activities like boating. Previously, it was estimated around 50 percent of oil slicks in the ocean resulted from natural causes and the remainder from human sources. However, using satellite imaging technology, a group of researchers from the United States and China concluded a significantly higher proportion of chronic oil slicks – over 90 percent – are caused by human activity. Winds and currents are constantly moving oil slicks while waves break them down and can dissipate the slick further. These factors hinder large-scale investigations of oil slick prevalence, researchers explained. America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. But satellite technology poses a potential solution to monitor ocean oil pollution, especially in waters where human surveillance is difficult, explained study author Yongxue Liu, a professor at Nanjing University’s School of Geographic and Oceanographic Science. To conduct the study, scientists used artificial intelligence to assess over 560,000 radar images taken from 2014 to 2019. Over 90 percent of slicks identified were within 100 miles of coastlines. “What’s compelling about these results is just how frequently we detected these floating oil slicks — from small releases, from ships, from pipelines, from natural sources such as seeps in the ocean floor and then also from areas where industry or populations are producing runoff that contains floating oil,” said Ian MacDonald, a professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science at Florida State University, in a press release. Notably, fewer slicks were found in the Gulf of Mexico compared with other waters, likely due to reforms put in place following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil spill. This finding suggests government regulation, enforcement and oil platform compliance reduce leakage from wells operating in the area. “If we can take those lessons and apply them to places globally, where we have seen high concentrations of oil slicks, we could improve the situation,” MacDonald said. Oil has harmful effects on plankton, fish, whales, sea turtles, birds and other marine life. Published on Jun. 16, 2022

Chemistry and Material Sciences

Cue the music because here comes a play that feels like a club night. Bangers, written by Danusia Samal and co-produced by Cardboard Citizens and Soho theatre is a tribute to the sounds of early 00s R&B and garage. And with a DJ (Duramaney Kamara) crowned as the king of the evening, ruling each scene from behind his decks, we’re in for quite the party.Following the lives of two apparently unconnected strangers – Aria and Clef, Bangers weaves their stories of self-discovery together seamlessly. Switching from one narrative to another, actors Samal and Darragh Hand play all the supporting characters in this production. Even if it takes a second to warm into their parts, both are scintillating, energetic performers that are stacked with natural talent.It’s a rhythmic 70 minutes that uses rap and song as much as spoken lines. As Clef, Hand comes alive in this first live performance of his new music. Beginning with a steady nervousness, he grows in confidence to become a sure-footed star. With lyrics inspired by his best friend and music partner, Tone, Clef’s singing is an opportunity to release emotion he’s usually unable to find the words for.Floor-fillers … left to right, Danusia Samal (Aria), Duramaney Kamara (DJ) and Darragh Hand (Clef). Photograph: Tristram Kenton/the GuardianThough, at times the volume of the melodies drown out the action, this is a play that fights for the rousing power of music. Structured by changing sounding tracks and titles, Samal’s writing is constructed in the style of an album – and you can’t help but want to sway along to the songs.Sharply directed by Chris Sonnex, the current artistic director of Cardboard Citizens, the bright staged dance routines are balanced by moments of still and thoughtful reflection. When Clef first loses his virginity to his girlfriend, Nat, we are shown their opposing experiences through overlapping monologues: “Don’t think, just keep going”, Clef repeats as Nat pleads for him to stop. It’s a simple device that is boundlessly effective.There’s a sense of incompleteness when the drama draws to a close, but it doesn’t offset the joy of what’s come previously. Galvanising and effortless, this is a must-see for music heads and non-music heads alike.

Music

What's happening Pagani unveiled a new longtail Codalunga version of its Huayra hypercar. Why it matters It has a gorgeous design that will influence Pagani's next model. What's next Only 5 will be built, and one is coming to the US. Italian hypercar maker Pagani is known for its extravagant styling and art deco-y detailing, with each new special edition and one-off creation being wilder (and sometimes uglier) than the last. But as the Huayra approaches the end of its production run, Pagani has unveiled a new limited-run version that is the brand's most beautiful and restrained model in years.Called the Huayra Codalunga, Italian for 'longtail,' this new model is the direct result of customer desires. Pagani says that two collectors approached company founder and designer Horacio Pagani in 2018 with the idea for a longtail version of the Huayra, with streamlined styling inspired by Le Mans racecars of the 1960s. The two clients worked with Pagani's Grandi Complicazioni special projects division, who oversee all of the brand's ultra-customized creations. It took two years for the styling to be completed, with Pagani creating both a 1/4-scale model and a full-size model to refine the design before starting to actually build them.The Codalunga's engine cover is over a foot longer. Pagani The resulting model is gorgeous, far less fussy and complicated than every other Huayra. Pagani doesn't say how much longer the Codalunga is than a standard Huayra, but its rear engine cover its 14.2 inches longer than on the base car. The simpler front end has a pointer oval-shaped grille without any internal mesh, and the car's stance looks wider and squatter. The Codalunga ditches the regular Huayra's lower side intake and has a redesigned front fender vent that simplifies its flanks, while there's a pair of new scoops on the rear deck. But the biggest changes are at the rear, with the lower bumper area getting a steeply raked upward sweep and no diffuser. The three taillights are positioned in a slightly curved line, with the bodywork curving around them, and the quad exhaust tips and piping are completely exposed. It's a distinctly Pagani look while feeling fresh.Powering the Codalunga is Pagani's AMG-built twin-turbo V12 engine, which in this application puts out 840 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, making it more powerful than the Huayra BC. Pagani says the Codalunga weighs 2,822 pounds, making it a couple hundred pounds lighter than a normal Huayra. The titanium exhaust system weighs just 9.7 pounds and wears a ceramic coating like vintage race cars had. No performance figures have been given, but the Codalunga does have an evolution of the Huayra's four-flap active aerodynamic setup, and Pagani says its way more aerodynamically efficient than the regular Huayra.The Codalunga's interior is still pretty wild. Pagani This specific Codalunga's spec does without Pagani's now-ubiquitous exposed carbon-fiber finishes and crazy color schemes, instead going for a gorgeous matte ice blue paint with minimal brightwork and gold-accented wheels. Structural components retain their visible carbon fiber, but otherwise the look is very clean. Its interior is more in-your-face. There's brown leather that has cool checkered woven elements, lots of body-color trim, a new glovebox design and a whole bunch of LED lights.Only five Codalungas will be built at a starting cost of over $7,300,000 each, nearly triple the base price of a normal Huayra, and each one has already been spoken for. Maybe most impressively, the Codalunga is certified and homologated for sale globally, including in the US -- one of the five cars will be coming to America. The Huayra's successor, which might be named C10, will be unveiled later this year and should feature styling elements seen on the Codalunga.

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By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays need to reach new ballpark deals soon and left open the strong possibility of considering relocation if agreements are not struck. “There is urgency with respect to Tampa,” Manfred said Thursday during a news conference following an owners meeting. “There needs to be a resolution in the Tampa Bay region for the Rays.” Tampa Bay’s lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the team has played since its inaugural season in 1998, expires after the 2027 season. The Rays said in January that MLB had rejected the team’s plan to split its season between Florida and Montreal. “Obviously, the end of that lease is a hard deadline, but you need to take into account that stadiums take a little bit of time to build, right?” Manfred said. “So we are getting to the point where wherever it is in the region that has an interest in having 162 baseball games, they need to get to it, get with the club — I know the Rays are anxious to get something done — and see if a deal can be made.” Asked whether he was considering relocation, Manfred responded: “Right now, I’m focused on Tampa,” putting emphasis on “right now” and later adding he was referring to the region, not the specific side of the bay. “I think a great man once said, all good things must end at some point. And but right now we’re focused on Tampa.” The Athletics have played at the Coliseum since 1968 and their lease expires after the 2024 season. The A’s have proposed a new ballpark at Howard Terminal and are working with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf to gain the necessary approvals. “There is really significant activity in Oakland. The political process has moved along significantly,” Manfred said. “I met with Mayor Schaaf last week. She has done a really good job at moving the process forward in Oakland. But as you all know, California political processes are their own sort of animal. There’s work to do on the Oakland side. I think the A’s prudently have continued to pursue the Las Vegas alternative. We like Las Vegas as a market. Again, it’s in the same category as Tampa. We need a solution in both those markets and the time has come for that solution.” Oakland has averaged a major league-low of 8,283 fans this season and the Rays are 25th at 13,740, also ahead of Miami, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

Baseball

Published June 16, 2022 5:19AM Updated 10:22AM article ARLINGTON, TX - JUNE 15: Adolis Garcia #53 of the Texas Rangers steals second base against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Globe Life Field on June 15, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Houston starter Luis Garcia and reliever Phil Maton each threw an immaculate inning — nine pitches, three strikeouts — after a big opening offensive outburst for the Astros. Martín Maldonado, their 35-year-old veteran catcher, was in the middle of it all. Maldonado had a two-run double in Houston's six-run first on manager Dusty Baker's 73rd birthday, later homered and was behind the plate for all the strikeouts — 14 in all — as the AL West leaders wrapped up their seventh consecutive series victory against the Texas Rangers with a 9-2 win Wednesday. "To be part of that, anytime you make history ... I'm glad I was catching in that situation," Maldonado said, adding he didn't remember ever being part of an immaculate inning, much less two of them. "We hadn’t had a first inning inning like that in a long time," Baker said. "A couple of records, the same guys we struck them out back-to-back-to-back with nine pitches. ... So it was a good day for us." Garcia (4-5) fanned nine without a walk over six innings while limiting Texas to two runs and four hits. He had a span of five consecutive strikeouts that began with his immaculate second inning — only nine pitches to strike out Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller. Those were the first three batters Maton faced after replacing Garcia to start the seventh. And Maton also recorded a nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning. "We obviously knew they were cruising pretty good," Miller said. "I wish I would have taken some better swings, and wish they didn't get it." Astros and Rangers officials said it was the first time in MLB history to have two nine-pitch, three-strikeout innings in the same game — either both by one team, or each team recording one. The only other immaculate inning in the majors this season was by New York Yankees starter Nestor Cortes on April 17 at Baltimore. When Maton finished off his nine-strike inning throwing only fastballs, neither Garcia or Maldonado initially realized there had been another immaculate inning. The catcher had tossed the ball to third baseman Alex Bregman when he heard people yelling for the ball. "I was talking to the guys (in the dugout) and then the guys erupted, and I said what happened," Garcia said. Both pitchers had baseballs from their immaculate innings, already with authentication stickers, in their lockers after the game. The only AL West team with a winning record, Houston (39-24) had lost four of five after dropping the series opener. The Astros then won 4-3 on Tuesday night with a four-run rally in the eighth inning, and started the series finale with another big outburst. The Astros sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning. Fill-in starter Tyson Miller (0-1) was gone after No. 9 batter Maldonado's double for a 6-0 lead, and the pitcher was sent back to Triple-A Round Rock after the game. Miller was a replacement call-up from Round Rock when the Rangers put Glenn Otto on the COVID-19-related injured list hours before he was to start a series opener Friday night against the White Sox. Miller threw 2 1/3 innings in relief in Chicago, but got the start against the Astros when Otto’s spot in the rotation came up again. Houston leadoff man Jose Altuve was hit by Miller’s third pitch of the game, before a single and walk loaded the bases. Yordan Álvarez then hit a two-run double to extend his on-base streak to 16 games and put the Astros ahead to stay. "Tyson, you could tell was just a little off, wasn’t really commanding the baseball at all. Fell behind, really didn’t really get much swing and miss," Texas manager Chris Woodard said. "You start down 6-0, it takes the wind out of your sails little bit." GOING DEEP Maldonado led of the fourth with his fifth homer of the season to make it 7-2. Yuli Gurriel hit a two-run homer in the Astros eighth. ... Garcia's streak of five consecutive strikeouts ended when Corey Seager hit his 13th homer in the third. Garcia then got out of that inning with another strikeout. SHORT HOPS The game took only 2 hours, 45 minutes to play — even after the top of the first inning took 29 minutes. ... Kyle Tucker, who had an RBI groundout in the first, later had a single to extend his career-best hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active in the majors. TRAINER’S ROOM Astros: Rookie SS Jeremy Peña was placed on the 10-day injured list with left thumb discomfort, a day after returning to Houston be evaluated by team doctors. He got hurt when attempting to catch a bloop hit in the series opener Monday. UMP OUT A three-man umpiring crew worked the game after umpire David Rackley, who was supposed to work the plate, was ruled out due to health and safety protocols. Ryan Blakeney, who had been set to work first base, was behind the plate instead. UP NEXT Astros: After an off day Thursday, the Astros play a three-game series at home against the Chicago White Sox. Left-hander Framber Valdez (6-3, 2.64 ERA) starts the series opener Friday night. He has recorded nine consecutive quality starts. Rangers: Martín Pérez (4-2, 2.18) looks to bounce back from a no-decision in which he gave up 12 hits and seven runs, both season highs. Texas opens a four-game series in Detroit on Thursday night.

Baseball

Seattle Storm star and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird announced Thursday the 2022 season will be her last playing in the WNBA.The announcement by Bird, 41, ended any speculation about her future; she had acknowledged in February when she re-signed with Seattle that this would likely be her final season. She strongly considered retirement after last season before choosing to return for a 19th season as a player.Bird’s announcement came a day before Seattle’s game at Connecticut. The Storm will close out their road trip on Sunday in New York, about 30 miles from where Bird grew up in Syosset, New York.“As the season has gone, like I said, I pretty much knew, and then once I saw the schedule, and then once I started packing for this trip a little bit, I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be my last time playing in New York. My last time playing in front of my family and friends.’ And so that’s why the timing of this is what it is,” Bird said in a video posted by the Storm on social media.“I just really felt strongly about announcing my retirement, saying it was my last year so I can share that with my family and my friends, all the people in New York who have watched me growing up so they can come and see me play for the last time in my home state. So I’m excited about that. It’s also bittersweet.”Bird is a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league. She has spent her entire WNBA career with Seattle since becoming the No 1 draft pick in 2002 following her storied college career at UConn. This season is her 21st associated with the franchise although just her 19th playing after missing two seasons because of injuries.Sue Bird helped lead the United States women’s basketball team to the gold medal at five straight Olympic Games. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesHer resume is the envy of anyone in professional sports, let alone basketball. National championships at UConn in 2000 and 2002. WNBA titles with Seattle in 2004, 2008, 2018 and 2020, the last coming inside the WNBA “bubble” in Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic.Bird hoisted five additional titles playing overseas in the EuroLeague. Last year, she added a fifth Olympic gold in Tokyo to go along with the ones the United States earned in 2004 in Athens, 2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.Bird was the AP national player of the year her final season at UConn. She is a five-time all-WNBA first-team selection, the league’s all-time leader in assists and the only player to appear in more than 500 games in league history.She has been honored on every list imaginable as one of best and most influential players in the history of the league. And she’s the standard by which other point guards are judged.Bird turns 42 in October and was on the cusp of stepping away a year ago, and when the Storm were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the playoffs, fans chanted “One more year! One more year!” as she did an on-court televised interview.Those cheers were egged on by Phoenix’s longtime star Diana Taurasi, Bird’s former college teammate at UConn and part of all five of those Olympic gold-medal runs.In the end, the fans and Taurasi got what they wanted. Bird came back, for exactly one more year.“Sue Bird is Storm basketball,” her WNBA team tweeted moments after Bird made her decision known. “Every moment, every memory has one constant. No. 10. It’s time for the final chapter.”

Basketball

Tribeca: Objects become subjects in this sharply focused study of nudity, sex scenes, and the rise of intimacy coordinators. It’s been almost five years since The New Yorker published Ronan Farrow’s first exposé of Hollywood’s ugliest open secret, that Harvey Weinstein was a sexual predator, taking the #MeToo movement worldwide and forever shifting the conversation around the film industry’s horrifying treatment of women. The flurry of similar allegations that followed has slowed to a trickle, but there are many women in Hollywood who want to keep the issues front and center. The message is loud and clear in “Body Parts,” a clever and damning documentary about the history of nudity, sex scenes, and women’s bodies on film. Objects become subjects in Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s sweeping yet focused analysis that exposes the truth about the power images to shape the world’s views of women. In a brisk 86 minutes, “Body Parts” mashes together interviews with the likes of Jane Fonda and Rosanna Arquette, analysis from film historians, intimacy coordinator trainings, and whirlwind montages from both classic and contemporary films. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and Guevara-Flanagan runs a tight ship. Though each piece could easily fill more time, the filmmaker shrewdly stays focused on the portrayal of women’s bodies, earning the film’s provocative title. The quick barrage of film clips acts both as handy filler and an almost dizzying background noise, illustrating the central thesis that these images are everywhere. Anyone who followed the accounts from the first wave of #MeToo stories will be familiar with Fonda’s regrets about “Barbarella,” or Arquette’s account of feeling pressured to film topless at 19. (Arquette: “It was a completely different consciousness. You were expected to do these things.”) Though they are the most recognizable faces in the film, one gets the sense that almost every actress of a certain age has similar stories. In choosing what sound bites to include, Guevara-Flanagan finds eerie refrains repeating themselves. “I was at a place in my life where if you were asked to do something, especially by a man, you did it,” says Fonda, echoing Arquette almost to a tee. Another unsettling chorus emerges in the way the women talk about leaving their body, blacking out, or floating above the room while shooting sex scenes. Taking a wide angle on the subject, “Body Parts” assembles a unique mix of filmmakers, actors, intimacy coordinators, film historians, and even body doubles for its rapid-fire interviews. It’s a rare moment in the spotlight for Marli Renfro, Janet Leigh’s body double from “Psycho,” and Shelly Michelle, who stood in for Julia Roberts in the opening sequence of “Pretty Woman.” Filmmakers Karyn Kusama, Angela Robinson, and Joey Soloway add a touch of the academic, illuminating the awkward minutiae of nudity riders, or how a studio’s sex-obsessed marketing plan can completely undermine a feminist film, as it did for Kusama’s 2009 satirical horror “Jennifer’s Body.” Toward the end of the film, “Body Parts” zooms out yet again, sandwiching footage of Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford between clips from “Kill Bill,” “Boogie Nights,” “The Graduate,” and “Showgirls.” Guevara-Flanagan makes use of the shorthand afforded by a visual hint, such as the date rape scene in “Sixteen Candles” or the classic old Hollywood struggle that turned into a kiss. The film historians offer a brief but satisfactory explanation of the Hays code, lamenting the brevity of the pre-Code era where women screenwriters wrote fully actualized roles for stars like Bette Davis and Mae West. The intimacy coordinator trainings lack the luster of this jaunt through cinema history, though the merkin maker who presents her creations in “little boxes” is certainly a highlight. It feels necessary to highlight what is working, and a recent move by SAG-AFTRA to accredit seven intimacy coordinator training programs is the most concrete outcome of #MeToo and Time’s Up. Though the vocation is growing quickly, there is still no industry-wide requirement to hire an intimacy coordinator. If “Body Parts” wanted to offer more solutions, it’s missing a more forward-looking chapter, though its digestible length and pace is certainly appealing. The choice to remain accessible is a shrewd one, and the film manages to lay out its concise thesis without digressing too far into the nitty gritty. It’s a simple and powerful message, executed economically. This time, it’s not the women, but the emperor who has no clothes. Grade: B+ “Body Parts” premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

A concert by John Hinckley Jr, who shot and wounded President Ronald Reagan in 1981, has been canceled even as Hinckley was freed from federal court oversight, the New York City venue that had booked the performance announced.The Market Hotel in Brooklyn cited “very real and worsening threats and hate” in its announcement on social media Wednesday that it was canceling the 8 July concert. Hinckley, now 67 years old, was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 30 March 1981 shooting of Reagan in Washington, DC.In recent years Hinckley has released songs on Spotify and posted videos of himself singing and playing a guitar on YouTube.Several public performances had been planned after Hinckley’s release from court supervision, but venues in Chicago and in Hamden, Connecticut, had already canceled Hinckley appearances when the Market Hotel announced that the concert it had scheduled would not take place.“There was a time when a place could host a thing like this, maybe a little offensive, and the reaction would be, ‘It’s just a guy playing a show, who does it hurt – it’s a free country,’” the Market Hotel said on Instagram. “We aren’t living in that kind of free country anymore, for better or for worse.”Hinckley tweeted Thursday that his promoter was looking for another venue.Reagan was seriously wounded in the assassination attempt, and his press secretary, James Brady, was permanently disabled. Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty were also wounded in the shooting, which was motivated by Hinckley’s obsession with the actor Jodie Foster.Hinckley spent decades in a mental hospital before being released to live with his mother in 2016. He was freed from court oversight as of Wednesday, writing on Twitter, “After 41 years 2 months and 15 days, FREEDOM AT LAST!!!”

Music

2 min: England had the early pressure with Bronze having two throw ins by the box but they were run back to halfway.Bright, who wins her 50th cap, started a promising move which almost found Williamson but Evrard dealt with it well.Kick-off! England 0-0 BelgiumHere we go!Can England continue their winning streak or can Belgium cause an upset? All to come over the next 90 minutes.England captain Leah Williamson told ITV: “It all feels very real now. I couldn’t be more proud. It is what dreams are made of to be in the squad.“Sarina wanted it [telling players they made the squad] to be very personal and she wanted it to be a one-on-one with everyone. That’s in contrast to the emails we would receive in the past.”On Houghton: “Steph is one of the greatest role models and one of the most professional people I’ve ever met”The players will be out soon ahead of kick-off but in the meantime get in touch and say hello!I would like your opinion, my friend just messaged to ask if it’s weird she has never seen a fox before. I’ve said yes but I grew up in the south west so I was a bit closer to nature. Is it weird? Or have a lot of you not seen one either? Let me know!The stats speak for themselves and England will be the favourites for the win this evening.But can Belgium pull off a shock? We will find out shortly ...We could see a record broken or equalled this evening, if not we should this summer, as Ellen White hunts down Wayne Rooney’s England goal tally.Rooney has 53 to his name with White clocking up 50. If she grabs a hat-trick this evening she’ll go level and if she manages four, which would be an impressive feat, she’ll break it!Do you think she will become the record scorer?Chelsea’s Jess Carter has been named on the bench but it is being reported she will not be involved this evening as she is following her programme back to full fitness.England manager Sarina Wiegman has spoken to ITV: “Three good friendlies. We want to play a lot, we need games ahead of 6 July. Good to play after having three weeks of training and show on the pitch where we are.”On Houghton omission: “It was a very very hard decision, for the four other players too. Houghton did everything to come back but she isn’t ready.”And on the starting XI: “Alex [Greenwood] is ready to play, she couldn’t train with the squad last week. She is ready to play but not a game yet.“The starting line-up up front they started a lot during the season. I have started working with Chloe [Kelly] in the pre-camps. We would like to see her in the game.“We’re building Fran [Kirby] up slowly.”So are there any omissions from the Euros squads you want to share? Any views on the upcoming tournament?If you have any thoughts drop me a tweet or an email. I would love to hear from you.They don’t have to be football related either! They could be about this crazy weather we’re having or the summer holiday you have planned, get in touch.For me I’m realising I need a hair cut. It can’t be just me who becomes aware of how long their hair is when it’s this humid outside? It’s sticking to me and it needs to go!If you haven’t caught up with the news of England’s Euros squad, where have you been?Here are the 23 players who have made the cut:Goalkeepers: Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, Ellie RoebuckDefenders: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Demi Stokes, Lotte Wubben-MoyMidfielders: Fran Kirby, Jill Scott, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Kiera Walsh, Leah WilliamsonForwards: Bethany England, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo, Ellen WhiteEngland’s opposition this evening, Belgium, have named a provisional squad and are thought to be unveiling the official list on 20 June. So tonight is their last chance to impress.Their provisional squad is:Goalkeepers: Nicky Evrard, Diede Lemey, Lisa Lichtfus, Femke Bastiaen.Defenders: Davina Philtjens, Amber Tysiak, Laura De Neve, Sari Kees, Laura Deloose, Jody Vangheluwe, Isabelle Iliano.Midfielders: Chloe Vande Velde, Charlotte Tison, Lenie Onzia, Justine Vanhaevermaet, Marie Minnaert, Julie Biesmans, Feli Delacauw, Kassandra Missipo.Forwards: Ella Van Kerkhoven, Sarah Wijnants, Tine De Caigny, Tessa Wullaert, Janice Cayman, Hannah Eurlings, Jassina Blom, Jill Janssens , Davinia Vanmechelen, Elena Dhont.The Belgian team news is in!I have tracked down the starting XI but am yet to locate the subs, I’ll do my best to seek them out but for now feast your eyes on an impressive line-up.Belgium: Evrard, Deloose, Kees, De Neve, Philtjens, Biesmans, Minnaert, Delacauw, Wijnants, De Caigny, Wullaert. For the game this evening the Lionesses will wear black armbands as a mark of respect following the death of Sarina Wiegman’s sister.The manager left England’s camp earlier this month for a week due to the loss. The Football Association said: “On behalf of Sarina and her family, we ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult time. Our thoughts are with them all.”England have already announced their starting XI for the match!It is a strong 11 as Wiegman hunts for her strongest line-up. Leah Williamson starts and will captain the side and Jess Carter is among those on the bench despite fitness doubts.England: Earps, Bronze, Stokes, Walsh, Bright, Wubben-Moy, Mead, Williamson, White, Stanway, HempSubstitutes: Daly, Hampton, Kirby, Toone, Greenwood, Parris, Kelly, England, Scott, Roebuck, Russo, CarterAs soon as I track down Belgium’s line-up I will update you.PreambleWhat a summer of football we have on our hands and it begins with warm-up matches for July’s European Championships. Tonight England will play Belgium in a friendly before taking on the Netherlands and Switzerland ahead of the Euros, being hosted by England.Manager Sarina Wiegman has said she wants to use these three friendlies as a way to nail down her starting XI for the major tournament. “This team is really competitive so we have some hard choices to make. That is another reason as to why we play these three games,” the boss said. “Players need to keep performing. When you play a really good game now you have opportunities. It’s about knowing where the players are and looking at how we can make other scenarios work.”She spoke after revealing her squad of 23 on Wednesday where former captain Steph Houghton was among those cut. Lucy Staniforth, Sandy MacIver, Niamh Charles and Katie Zelem also missed out on spots. The players selected, including captain Leah Williamson, have celebrated their inclusion on social media but their focus will be on maintaining Wiegman’s unbeaten streak as England manager.The boss is yet to lose since taking over last September and we will see if she keeps the record going this evening, the game kicks off at 8pm BST.

Soccer

Thanks to a 24-10 surge, the Red Sox sit in possession of the third AL wild-card spot with a 34-29 record, within view of both Tampa Bay and Toronto and narrowly ahead of Cleveland.“It feels good to come to the ballpark, put it that way,” said Xander Bogaerts. “It’s much more fun now coming to the ballpark. We know what to expect and what we’re capable of.”Get 108 StitchesAn email newsletter about everything baseball from the Globe's Red Sox reporters, in your inbox on weekdays during the season.What produced the about-face?Offensive explosionThrough those first 29 games, Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez, and Bogaerts did what they could to carry the offense. But with staggeringly poor production from the other six lineup spots and with no one hitting homers (the Red Sox had just six over a 19-game stretch concluding with the White Sox sweep), it wasn’t enough. The Red Sox were averaging just 3.28 runs per game, 28th in the big leagues.But on May 10 in Atlanta, Devers homered in a 9-4 win, and one day later, Trevor Story got on the board with the first homer of his Red Sox career. Production started spilling to different corners of the lineup, with Story soon to start a power binge that transformed the sense of possibility. A team that expected to rank among the best offenses in the game finally emerged as just that.“We certainly thought coming into the year that we had one of the better offenses in baseball,” said chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. “As we look up now, that is where we are. But it was quite a journey getting here.”As a group, the Sox started doing a much better job of swinging at strikes (going from the least-disciplined team in the game to middle-of-the-pack in chase rate) and crushing pitches in their nitro zones. Contributions started emerging from all over the lineup, most notably with an epic eruption by Story from May 19-27 — 7 games, 7 homers, 21 RBIs — but also including timely contributions from Christian Vázquez, Franchy Cordero, Bobby Dalbec, and others.Trevor Story found his power stroke in the latter part of May.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff“It was really about just stepping back and seeing how teams were approaching us,” said hitting coach Pete Fatse. “They were trying to go outside the strike zone. They were trying to get as many [chase] swings as they could.”With increased discipline came a massive improvement in performance. Starting May 10, the Sox have nearly doubled their run-scoring average to 6.0 per game (entering Thursday).“That first month, it was, like, ‘Man, what’s going on?’ It felt like it was never-ending,” said Story. “Obviously, this is more what we know we can be. It’s not by accident. We’ve made the proper adjustments that we need to make and we’re putting good swings on the ball on pitches that we want to hit.”Rotational forcesThe rotation actually has a worse ERA (3.55) during the current run than it did in the first 29 games (3.28). But that reflects in part on the fact that leaguewide scoring has gone up. The Red Sox rotation remains among the top third in the league in ERA, but with more of an impact, as the starters are routinely working much later into games.Through May 9, the Red Sox rotation averaged roughly 4⅔ innings per start. In the subsequent 34 games, they averaged 5⅓ innings, an increased workload that in turn put less strain on the bullpen. On three occasions, the Sox bypassed the bullpen completely, with complete games from Michael Wacha (in a 1-0 win), Nick Pivetta, and Nate Eovaldi. Tale of the tape MLB ranks in parentheses. Through May 9 May 10-June 15 Games 29 34 Record 10-19 (.345) 24-10 (.706) LINEUP Average .228 (19) .281 (1) OBP .279 (29) .349 (2) Slugging .342 (25) .477 (2) Strikeout rate (%) 21.7 (10) 20.0 (23) Walk rate (%) 6.1 (30) 8.5 (11) Homers 16 (28) 46 (7) Chase rate (%) 35.5 (1) 32.9 (15) ROTATION ERA 3.28 (8) 3.55 (9) Strikeout rate (%) 23.6 (10) 21.1 (14) Walk rate (%) 8.2 (17) 5.8 (25) Innings/start 4.7 (21) 5.3 (11) BULLPEN ERA 4.19 (23) 3.12 (6) Strikeout rate (%) 24.9 (12) 24.1 (8) Walk rate (%) 9.7 (17) 8.5 (17) Blown saves 8 (1) 5 (12) High-leverage PAs 109 (1) 79 (17) SOURCE: FanGraphs “This comes up every year, because in the beginning of the year, we make a concerted effort to keep the starters under control knowing that at some point later on, we’re going to lean on them more,” said pitching coach Dave Bush. “It’s an organizational approach. In late May, we started kind of opening it up.”The starters are striking out fewer hitters during the current run but have cut back tremendously on walks, pitching to contact and taking advantage of what has been tremendous defense. “We’re playing a lot better defense this year,” said Bush. “We’ve been preaching last couple years the value of throwing strikes and having action happening early in the count. It’s always easier to send that message when the defense is making plays.”Bullpen pitches inA bright spotlight seared the Red Sox through the first five weeks of the season — not their performance in high-leverage situations but rather the frequency of those situations. Through May 9, according to Fangraphs, the Red Sox bullpen allowed a .339 on-base percentage (fifth-worst in MLB) and .417 slugging mark (seventh-worst).Those marks were made more glaring because the Red Sox were constantly in tense games, with their 109 high-leverage opponent plate appearances ranking first in the league. Any bullpen wobble meant a blown save, and given the relatively limited workload of the starters, there were plenty of chances to wobble.Since May 10, the bullpen has improved to middle-of-the-pack in high-leverage situations, with a .316 OBP (12th) and .366 slugging mark (13th). More significant has been the infrequency of situations where the game hinges on a single pitch; the Red Sox’ ability to blow out opponents resulted in just 79 high-leverage plate appearances since May 10, 17th in the big leagues.John Schreiber had a sparkling 0.98 ERA in his first 18 appearances this season.Barry Chin/Globe StaffAided by the emergence of John Schreiber and Tyler Danish as well as generally solid work from Matt Strahm and Austin Davis, along with the recent move of Tanner Houck to the back end of the bullpen, the relief corps has gained greater structure with improved effectiveness. It’s still far from an elite group, but the game-losing meltdowns have become fewer.While the relievers deserve some credit for that development, both the starters and lineup deserve at least as much for the safer passage through the late innings.West Coast chumThe Red Sox’ poor start came while getting steamrolled by their primary competition. They are 7-14 against the AL East and have lost all six series they’ve played against divisional foes.Their standings surge, by contrast, has come almost entirely while feeding on AL West carrion, with a 19-6 record against that division entering Thursday. But with the Athletics’ departure from Fenway, the degree of difficulty is about to shift.The Sox have just seven remaining games against the AL West (three of those in Houston). Meanwhile, a whopping 55 games remain against the AL East, with a looming stretch of 20 in 23 games from June 27 through July 24 against the Blue Jays (six games), Yankees (seven), and Rays (seven).“I think it’s the best division in professional sports,” said Bloom. “And it never seems to get easier. “We know what the standings look like right now. If the season ended, there would be four of us that advance. That tells you all you need to know about the state of the division and how tough it is. But it’s also what makes this fun, and makes it so satisfying to get to the postseason out of this division.”Indeed, the Sox feel emboldened about the prospect of a return to the division. Unquestionably, they’ve benefited from playing second-division teams, but they feel they are playing well enough that the forthcoming stretch leading to the trade deadline represents an opportunity as much as it does a test.“We want to bridge that gap [by playing in the division],” said outfielder Alex Verdugo. “We want to get closer and closer and basically just get back in the standings.”Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @alexspeier.

Baseball

Mets' Darwyn Encarnacion Ex-Minor Leaguer Dead At 21 ... After Horrific Car Crash 6/16/2022 12:08 PM PT Former New York Mets prospect Darwyn Encarnacion died following a horrific car crash in the Dominican Republic this week. He was just 21 years old. According to MLB insider Hector Gomez, Encarnacion was driving an SUV on Wednesday when it tumbled off a bridge and crashed into a ditch below it. The former outfielder, according to multiple reports, had somehow survived the initial impact, but died at a local hospital a short time later. Conductor resulta herido tras accidentarse la yipeta marca Honda, modelo CRV, que conducía por la autopista Duarte, a su paso por el puente de Arenoso, en La Vega.#ElNuevoDiarioRD #AccidenteVial pic.twitter.com/tcN9dKo5aX— El Nuevo Diario (@elnuevodiariord) June 15, 2022 @elnuevodiariord A Mets academy executive in the Dominican Republic confirmed Encarnacion's tragic passing to Gomez ... saying, "He was a great human being, very disciplined, respectful and polite. He played with us for just one year, in 2019. He was even using his scholarship that the team gave him when he signed and was currently studying at university." Encarnacion signed a minor league contract with the Mets in March 2019 ... and, a few months later, played for their Dominican Summer League team. He logged 113 at-bats in 35 games ... tallying one home run, 10 steals and a .248 batting average. He was eventually released by the team in Oct. 2020. #RIP.

Baseball

Wednesday was a night for Grant Park Music Festival diehards.First, those present had to brave the 90-plus degree heat, which bit a sizable chunk from opening night crowds in both the Pritzker Pavilion and on the Millennium Park Great Lawn. Festival orchestra musicians visibly sweltered in their concert blacks, with some busting out shorts and sandals for the concert.Nor was the evening’s bluster any help. High winds yanked sheet music from stands, sent program books fluttering and caused a pair of speakers to swing perilously several yards above the head of Carlos Kalmar, Grant Park’s artistic director and principal conductor, for most of the evening.But if soloist Michelle Cann won’t forget her festival debut anytime soon, it probably wasn’t because of the weather. The pianist has become one of the most visible exponents of the music of Florence Price, who launched her career in Chicago and enjoyed rare institutional recognition here as a Black female composer. But as Cann told Grant Park audiences in an emotional address, despite concertizing a new, authoritative version of Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement (1934) for more than a year now, she’s never performed Price’s music in the composer’s home city.One wagers Grant Park audiences won’t soon forget Cann, either. In her mighty performance of Price’s concerto, Cann didn’t just surmount the acoustic challenges of the Pritzker Pavilion stage: She sailed over them with the grace and flexibility of a high jumper, her powerful fingerwork crisply enunciating her interplay with the orchestra. After a big-boned exposition, Cann toggled easily to the luscious, unaffected sincerity of the lyric middle section — with gorgeous solos by oboist Mitchell Kuhn and cellist Walter Haman — and later still, to the heady exhilaration of a ragtime-like Allegretto.Michelle Cann performs Florence Price's Piano Concerto in One Movement with the Grant Park Orchestra on June 15, 2022. (Chuck Osgood / HANDOUT)An extended standing ovation brought Cann back to the stage for an encore by Price’s protégé and fellow Chicagoan, Margaret Bonds: her “Troubled Water” fantasia on the spiritual “Wade In the Water.” Cann’s powerful interpretation unified the five-minute set of variations into a monument of concerto-like sweep and grandeur.Just as Price is in the midst of her own long-brewing reassessment, so is Richard Wagner, whose excerpted “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” followed the piano concerto. But the two composers are moving in as different directions as one could imagine. While Price posthumously carves out her place in the repertoire, Wagner, an ideologue who wrote unsparingly about his own antisemitism, has remained a fraught cornerstone.Quite the program whiplash, if you ask me. A common denominator seemed clear to artistic director and principal conductor Carlos Kalmar, at least. Using his usual audience address to praise Price’s concerto, Kalmar inadvertently supplied what, for years, has also doubled as Wagner’s defense: “There are only two types of music: good music, and the other one.”Sure enough, “Meistersinger” isn’t short on that. Much of its four and a half hours includes Wagner’s fizziest and most charming music, descriptors that usually wouldn’t share a ZIP code with his other operas. Cobbling together a pseudo-symphony of sorts, Kalmar and the Grant Park Festival Orchestra performed the “Meistersinger” Overture and three excerpts from Act III often performed together: the Prelude, “Dance of the Apprentices,” and “Procession of the Mastersingers.”Though it occupied the program’s coveted second half, Kalmar’s “Meistersinger” ultimately proved mixed. The usually inspiring overture too often sounded directionless and limp with anticlimax. The Act III excerpts landed more convincingly, especially the rounded, burnished Prelude and floating “Dance.”But any lackluster stage presence from this “Meistersinger” was no fault of the consistently superb festival orchestra, who deserve special commendation for keeping their cool when the winds picked up again and sent more than one orchestra part flying during “Procession of the Mastersingers.”Inverting concert-order convention, Kalmar led off with the program’s actual symphony, Mozart’s D major “Haffner.” Mozart composed the symphony at a breakneck pace in 1782 after his father volunteered him for an eleventh-hour commission against his will. Kalmar led this “Haffner” likewise. But on Wednesday night, those Mach-one speeds tended to shear off the symphony’s character — especially in the Andante, which had little of the movement’s familiar pliancy and lackadaisical levity.Principal conductor Carlos Kalmar leads the Grant Park Orchestra on June 15, 2022. With the concert on a warm and gusty evening, the Grant Park Music Festival launched its summer season at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. (Chuck Osgood / HANDOUT)Unsurprisingly, the extroverted outer movements came off best under Kalmar’s baton. The Grant Park Festival Orchestra sounded strikingly, compellingly decadent in the opening Allegro con spirito; similarly, piano passages in the Presto finale glowed with incandescent intensity. No waifish, hyper-transparent Mozart was this.Varied showing aside, props to Kalmar for a master class in keeping one’s cool on the podium early on, when, mere bars into the “Haffner,” a gust tousled the pages of his score. The conductor defaulted to conducting the rest of the first movement from memory without so much as a flinch.Looks like Grant Park will be keeping those giant music clips handy a while yet.The Grant Park Music Festival continues until Aug. 20; www.grantparkmusicfestival.comHannah Edgar is a freelance writer.The Rubin Institute for Music Criticism helps fund our classical music coverage. The Chicago Tribune maintains complete editorial control over assignments and content.

Music

Getty A straight man would never be cast today in the leading role of the 1993 film “Philadelphia,” in which Tom Hanks delivered an Oscar-winning performance as a gay man, the actor told the New York Times. While discussing shifting cultural norms and their influence on cinema with the Times, Hanks said he would never get that role today. “There’s no way a straight actor would be cast in ‘Philadelphia’ today,” the actor said. “Could a straight man do what I did in ‘Philadelphia’ now? No, and rightly so.” Hanks went on to explain that current societal standards demand more authenticity in films. “The whole point of ‘Philadelphia’ was don’t be afraid,” he added. “One of the reasons people weren’t afraid of that movie is that I was playing a gay man. We’re beyond that now, and I don’t think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy.” Hanks, who stars in the new film “Elvis,” also explained why he hasn’t tweeted in two years, citing a divisive political climate and misinformation. “I’d post something goofy like, ‘Here’s a pair of shoes I saw in the middle of the street,’… and the third comment is ‘[Expletive] you, you Obama-loving communist,’ it’s like, I don’t need to do that,” he said. Hanks in January touted the work of the Biden administration with an ad narration for the Biden Inaugural Committee. In the ad, which ran on the one-year anniversary of Biden taking office, Hanks says the country is “stronger than we were a year ago today.” Tags Biden Biden Hollywood Philadelphia tom hanks Tom Hanks Tom Hanks

Movies

As the first images from Greta Gerwig’s bold new vision for Barbie have emerged over the past few weeks, here’s everything we know about what to expect from the film, released next year. Who is in the cast of the Barbie movie?Margot Robbie will star in the titular role, with Ryan Gosling confirmed to play Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken. Other notable actors joining the LuckyChap Entertainment production are Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, and Hari Nef. Perhaps most intriguingly, Sex Education’s Emma Mackey has also signed on to appear alongside Netflix co-star Ncuti Gatwa in a yet-to-be-revealed role—with rumors that the Robbie doppelgänger could be playing one of Barbie’s three younger sisters, Skipper, Chelsea, and Stacie.What’s the plot of the Barbie movie?The film will center on a doll living in Barbieland, who’s forced to leave due to her so-called imperfections—setting off on an adventure in the real world and discovering along the way that perfection can only truly be found within. If that sounds painfully clichéd, it’s worth noting that feminist auteur Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) is both writing and directing the movie, with input from her partner Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story).When will the Barbie movie be released?Warner Bros Pictures confirmed at CinemaCon 2022 in Las Vegas that the film will hit cinemas on July 21, 2023.Is there a trailer for the Barbie movie?Not yet, but Netflix has released some initial stills of both Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in character as Barbie and Ken.Ryan Gosling as Ken in Barbie.Photo: Jaap Buitendijk / Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesThe details:According to Margot Robbie, the film will take past criticisms of Barbie—and her own casting in the biopic’s lead role—into account.In her cover interview for British Vogue’s August 2021 issue, Robbie admitted that creating a live-action Barbie film “comes with a lot of baggage” as well as “a lot of nostalgic connections”. “But with that come[s] a lot of exciting ways to attack it. People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t…’” It’s no secret that the franchise’s lack of diversity has historically proved controversial, too – and is something that Gerwig will need to tackle head-on in the film.Barbie is actually one of two Mattel icons set to get the Hollywood treatment in the near future. Emily in Paris’s Lily Collins is set to play Polly Pocket in a feature-length movie about the ’90s toy directed by Lena Dunham. “I’m so thrilled to bring to bear both my love of this historic property and also my deep-seated belief that young women need smart, playful films that speak to them without condescension,” the Girls creator shared with Variety. As for Collins? “As a child who was obsessed with Polly Pockets, it’s a real dream come true to announce this project!” she wrote alongside a photograph of herself as a little girl on Instagram. “Truly so excited to be coming on as both a producer and Polly herself! Can’t wait to dive into this pastel world…”

Movies

Duran Duran announce full line up of support acts - including Laura Mvula and Nile Rodgers - who will join them at the closing night of the BTS festival in Hyde Park Duran Duran will headline the final performance of the British Summer Time festival to a crowd of 65,000 in London's Hyde Park on July 10 Published: 11:54 EDT, 16 June 2022 | Updated: 12:00 EDT, 16 June 2022 Duran Duran are set to headline the final performance of the British Summer Time festival to a crowd of 65,000 in London's Hyde Park on July 10.And the group have now announced the full line who will join them on stage for the epic concert, including Laura Mvula and Nile Rodgers.Nile Rodgers & CHIC performed with the band at the Platinum Jubilee's Party At The Palace.'It feels like an iconic moment in our history': Duran Duran announce full line up of support acts - including Laura Mvula and Nile Rodgers - who will join them at the closing night of the BTS festival in Hyde Park on July 10 Joining the group's cherry picked line up for the final show will be Norwegian singer Aurora.Aurora will make her BTS debut mixing frosty electronic textures, spare beats, and clear, emotive vocals, AURORA and has worked with the likes of Lorde. Her latest album The Gods We Can Touch, saw her claim her first ever Top 10 UK position in the charts earlier this year and we can't wait to catch it live.Star studded: The pop legends will be reunited with Nile Rodgers & CHIC (left) with whom they performed to great acclaim at the Platinum Jubilee's Party At The Palace as well as Norwegian songstress Aurora (right) Also on stage: Songstress Laura Mvula will also be joining the pop group on stage London based post-punks Warmduscher will also be bringing their raucous live performance to the festival.Le Bon said: 'It's an extraordinary lineup - it so happens that I've featured five of the acts on my radio show, WHOOOSH! - looks like I'll be spending the entire day dipped in music.'Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor said: 'I am so excited to be playing at BST in Hyde Park. More than 40 years after the inception of the band, it feels like a really iconic moment in our history. Adding: 'I'm so honoured to be part of a truly eclectic lineup of musicians, from the legendary Nile Rodgers & CHIC, to amazing young artists like Charlotte Adigery and Laura Mvula.' Back together: the pop group will be reunited with Nile Rodgers after performing at the Platinum Jubilee concert (pictured together on stage) Showstopper: The band performed as Buckingham Palace was emblazoned with an incredible light show While bassist John Taylor added: 'We are incredibly excited for Hyde Park with so many sensational guests like Aurora and Warmduscher, and our old friends Nile Rodgers & Chic'. He continued: 'We have curated the lineup with many new artists played on Simon's SIRIUSXM radio show, WHOOOSH!, and cannot wait to bring the music to the fans and music lovers, many of whom have had their tickets for two years. It's going to be a good day!'This comes as Duran Duran are set to be honoured as inductees for the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the 37th Annual Ceremony, taking place November 5 at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. Punk: London based post-punks Warmduscher will also be bringing their raucous live performance to the festivalWith a career that has seen more than 100 million record sales worldwide, 21 UK Top 20 tunes and 18 American hit singles, making them one of the most successful and influential bands of all time.Few have celebrated such global success and still hold major headlining status. This is Duran Duran's BST Hyde Park debut, and their only London show for 2022. Their much-lauded live shows blend classics including 'Hungry Like the Wolf,' 'Pressure Off,' 'Rio,' 'Girls on Film,' '(Reach Up For The) Sunrise', 'A View to a Kill' and countless others with the best new fan favourites, including material from new album, FUTURE PAST.This year at American Express presents BST Hyde Park will see a host of legendary headliners, plus their special guests, perform at London's greatest stage over three weekends: Elton John (24 June), The Rolling Stones (25 June & 3 July), Eagles (26 June), Adele (1 & 2 July), Pearl Jam (8 & 9 July) and Duran Duran (10 July). Wow: This year at American Express presents BST Hyde Park will see a host of legendary headliners, plus their special guests, perform at London's greatest stage over three weekends: Elton John (24 June), The Rolling Stones (25 June & 3 July), Eagles (26 June), Adele (1 & 2 July), Pearl Jam (8 & 9 July) and Duran Duran (10 July) Advertisement

Music

The latest of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s centenary commissions to reach Symphony Hall is Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Catamorphosis. A commission shared between four orchestras, it received its first performance during lockdown last year in a streamed concert by the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Kirill Petrenko. Even heard in that compromised way, it seemed a remarkable achievement, a Sibelius-like evocation of the fragility of nature and its impending destruction; experienced live, with the CBSO conducted by Ludovic Morlot unfolding it so expertly, it was even more remarkable.What seemed so impressive this time around was the structural integrity of Thorvaldsdottir’s scheme across the 20-minute span. Each new section grows inevitably from what precedes it, with her technique of building upon long-held bass pedal notes producing strikingly varied results – dense string clusters, woodwind ripples or shreds of consoling melody, and, about two-thirds of the way through, a repeated falling figure that is utterly simple, yet inexpressibly sad.The CBSO is repeating the whole programme at the Aldeburgh festival, which explained why Catamorphosis was followed by the rather unconvincing symphonic suite from Britten’s coronation opera Gloriana, though the CBSO, and its principal second oboe Emmet Byrne especially, did their best to bring it to life. There was more Britten to end the concert too – the Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes – but before that came Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto, with Patricia Kopatchinskaja at her most irresistibly insistent as the soloist.Kopatchinskaja in this mood is more force of nature than violinist, and the sheer intensity of her performance sometimes overshadowed the subtleties that she brought to the concerto – her virtually vibrato-less unfolding of the first movement, for instance, her phenomenal accuracy in the maelstrom of the scherzo, or her perfectly graduated build of intensity through the huge cadenza. An encore was inevitable, but, predictably, it was an unpredictable one – a wild duet with the orchestra’s principal bassoon Nikolaj Henriques. It was, Kopatchinskaja said, her impression of how Shostakovich must have felt at the time he wrote the violin concerto after reading the Pravda article condemning his music for the second time. She really is a one-off.

Music

What's happening Chevy teased an even more off-road-focused version of the Silverado ZR2. Why it matters The Bison edition could be a solid starting point for new overlanding enthusiasts. What's next More details and pricing are expected later this summer. As a new class of truck enthusiasts eagerly awaits the arrival of the Silverado EV, Chevy gives fans of its combustion-powered pickup something to talk about. The automaker dropped a teaser for the 2023 Silverado ZR2 Bison on YouTube and other social media platforms, giving us our first peek at the off-road and overlanding special edition. There's not much to see in the shadowy, mysterious clip, which starts out highlighting the Silverado's C-shaped light signature before tilting down to reveal a molded AEV front license plate frame. The camera then slips below the pickup to preview multiple skid plates protecting the undercarriage from trail hazards. Flashes of AEV badges on the wheels all but confirm Chevy's continued partnership with American Expedition Vehicles on the Bison's modifications. The companies previously collaborated on the smaller Colorado ZR2 Bison, which provides us with a convenient template for speculating on the bits of the Silverado ZR2 Bison that we can't quite see in the teaser. The ZR2 Bison should be mechanically similar to the Silverado ZR2 we drove earlier this year. Chevrolet The Silverado ZR2 Bison will likely feature unique steel front and rear bumpers with integrated recovery points (tow hooks) and those custom wheels will probably be wrapped in all-terrain tires. Peering into the dark, we can see that the Silverado's bowtie badge is intact, meaning this Bison won't be getting the big "C H E V R O L E T" grille treatment that we've seen on the smaller Colorado Bison.The Silverado ZR2 Bison will also most likely be mechanically identical to the Silverado ZR2 model we drove earlier this year. That means a beefed-up Multimatic damper suspension, a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 making 460 pound-feet of torque and a 10-speed automatic transmission mated to a 4x4 system with lockable differentials -- still a very potent formula for overlanding capability.The teaser ends with the promise that the 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison will be "coming this summer." Seeing how it's already summertime, we expect a clearer look at the special edition soon. 2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Is Ready for Desert Shenanigans See all photos

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PALMETTO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 06: Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm walks across the court after ... [+] winning the WNBA Championship following Game 3 of the WNBA Finals against the Las Vegas Aces at Feld Entertainment Center on October 06, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Getty Images In news that is monumental despite being expected, WNBA icon and Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird announced Thursday that the 2022 season will be her last. Bird’s announcement comes amid a season that looked like her final one, though she’d carefully kept her options open after signing a one-year deal at the league’s veteran minimum salary, to preserve cap space for the Storm this past offseason. "To me, winning championships and being a part of teams that go on that journey, that's everything," Bird said earlier this year at her press conference announcing her re-signing with the Storm. "That's why I play. That's the motivator always. Nothing really matters outside of that. While money is amazing and of course we all want to be in a workplace that rewards you in those ways, I find that winning there are going to be other rewards — some monetary, some otherwise. "I'd rather be on a team that has a chance to win if it means that the money has to get spread in a different way. That was really the motivation behind going to the franchise and having conversations around what my salary was going to be because that was the priority." Bird is averaging 7.8 points and 6.6 assists per game in this, her 19th WNBA season (plus two lost to injury). She is the league’s all-time leader in assists, of course, and adds to her lead with every new pass that leads to a bucket. She’s already 514 assists ahead of any other player. Bird’s announcement comes the day before she returns to the state she first made herself a household name in, Connecticut, and she will hold a press conference there Thursday evening ahead of Friday night’s game against the Sun. Following that, she heads to New York, her home state (a Syosset native) to face the Liberty on Sunday, June 19. But each of these moments is now imbued with the hard-to-fathom reality: they will be her last go-around. After her trip east, she returns to Seattle for a Tuesday press conference back home. Interest will be high: she’s scored or assisted on 27.5 percent of the baskets in Seattle Storm history. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Basketball

The Commonwealth Cup was added to the Royal Ascot programme seven years ago but it is already among the most eagerly anticipated Group Ones at the meeting and Friday’s running is deeper and more competitive than ever.Perfect Power, who did not get home in the 2,000 Guineas but still finished seventh of 15, is the likely favourite, while the first four home in last month’s Sandy Lane at Haydock are also in the mix. Slipstream, trained in the US by Christophe Clement, is another interesting contender.In a wide-open race, the pick of the prices could prove to be Go Bears Go (3.05) at around 10-1. David Loughnane’s colt was less than a length behind Perfect Power in last season’s Middle Park and within three of El Caballo in the Sandy Lane despite a stumble at the start that meant he could not get anywhere close to the lead.He has winning form over track and trip in April, in a decent time too, and a swift exit from the gates should put him right in the mix.Royal Ascot 2.30 Mawj was friendless in the betting before her debut at Newmarket in May but stormed nearly five lengths clear of a subsequent winner and should improve for the experience.Royal Ascot 3.40 Just Fine would be a popular winner in the Queen’s colours but his overall form does not justify his status as favourite and the fast-improving Contact makes more appeal at around 9-1.Quick GuideGreg Wood's Friday tipsShowMarket Rasen 1.00 Bukela 1.35 Whatcoloristhewind 2.10 Give Me A Cuddle 2.45 Art Man 3.20 Costly Diamond 3.55 Post No Bills 4.35 IlanzRedcar 1.20 What A Dude 1.50 Sea The Casper 2.20 Rollajam 2.55 Cassy O 3.30 Eldelbar 4.10 Rum Going On 4.50 Kardinya 5.21 Mick MchughAscot 2.30 Mawj 3.05 Go Bears Go 3.40 Contact 4.20 Prosperous Voyage (nb) 5.00 Fresh Hope (nap) 5.35 Ottoman Fleet 6.10 Sterling KnightAyr 5.12 Time Quest 5.47 Dandys Gold 6.22 Royal Regent 6.57 Red Force One 7.32 Sixcor 8.05 Otto Oyl 8.37 YaaserNewmarket 5.16 Legende D'Art 5.54 Self Praise 6.29 Judith 7.04 Adjuvant 7.39 Give A Little Back 8.10 Nizaaka 8.44 Pretty ShiftwellGoodwood 5.25 Beautiful Sunrise 6.00 Valsad 6.35 Spring Glow 7.10 Chief White Face 7.45 Candy Shack 8.15 Golden SandsRoyal Ascot 4.20 Inspiral, the winter favourite for the 1,000 Guineas, was ruled out a week before the Classic and looks a shaky favourite for this Group One with no recent form in the book. Prosperous Voyage, a neck behind Cachet in the Guineas and the type to progress with racing this season, is a fair bet at around 10-1 to reverse the Newmarket form and get off the mark at Group One level.Royal Ascot 5.00 Fresh Hope won in an excellent time at Doncaster last month and can give Charlie Fellowes a third success in this race in the past four years.Royal Ascot 5.35 Fast-improving Ottoman Fleet could well find enough progress to beat Changingoftheguard, fifth home in the Derby last time.Royal Ascot 6.10 Sterling Knight is dropping back to the minimum trip but quickened to lead well over a furlong out over six here last time and looks the type to make further progress.

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Khloe Kardashian 'You Really F***** Up Your Life' ... After Tristan Cheats Again 6/16/2022 6:59 AM PT Hulu Khloe Kardashian has clearly had enough of Tristan Thompson and his cheating ways, giving a behind-the-scenes look at her reaction after she'd learned he got another woman pregnant. Khloe didn't hold back on Thursday's season finale of "The Kardashians" during a chat with sister, Kim Kardashian, Khloe said of TT, "Wow, you really f***** up your life." During the heart-to-heart, Kim tells Khloe, "If that were me and I was really trying to redeem myself and I was trying to be a better person, I would definitely just keep my d*** in my pants." Khloe chimes in saying, "You would think. You either wear a condom, get a vasectomy, or you don't f*** random people that you meet in other states. It's not rocket science". Of course, we know the random person turned out to be personal trainer Maralee Nichols, and Tristan ended up being the father of her son. As you know, Tristan filed legal docs admitting to having sex with her almost immediately after the 30th birthday party Khloe threw for him. HULU As we've reported, TT caught the full wrath of the Kardashian sisters, including Kylie who called him "the worst person on the planet", but clearly Khloe had a few words to say too. Khloe and Tristan continue to co-parent their daughter, True, but are no longer together romantically.

Celebrity

By Hunter DaviesI never thought it would happen. So corny, so clichéd, so typical of Sixties groups, years pigging it in the horrible van, then shagging in five-star hotels, till suddenly deciding that really they did not like each other/ the manager/the label/ the wallpaper/ life, so let’s split.I was sure the Beatles would be above all that, being sensible, now in control of themselves. They had long given up touring, which had become a drag, only meeting up to work on the next album. Seemed a perfect arrangement.They were still developing, each new album had new sounds, new ideas. Paul was bursting with plans. I couldn’t wait for the next thing. Why give up?If they had to explode, please God

Music

Bowen Yang (left) and Joel Kim Booster star as best friends on vacation in “Fire Island.”Searchlight Pictures The idea for “Fire Island,” written by and starring former Chicagoan Joel Kim Booster and debuting June 3 on Hulu, started “as a threat,” Booster says.A decade or so ago, Booster and Bowen Yang (pre-“Saturday Night Live”) took their first trip to Fire Island—a popular summer tourist destination for the LGBTQ community in New York. Think Door County, but gay.Booster, a writer and performer whose credits include “Sunnyside,” “Shrill,” “Big Mouth” and his own Comedy Central stand-up half hour, was reading Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” one day on the beach and noted just how much the book tracked with his Fire Island experience.“Specifically, the ways in which people communicate across class lines,” Booster says. “I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if I wrote a gay version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ set on Fire Island?’ And everyone booed and threw things at me.”In 2018, Booster’s agent encouraged him to adapt an essay he wrote for Penguin Random House, titled “ ‘Pride and Prejudice’ on Fire Island,” into a script. What began as a TV pilot for the erstwhile content platform Quibi turned into a feature-length film after being purchased by Searchlight Pictures. The plot of “Fire Island” begins as not too far-flung a concept for a romantic comedy before diving into Shakespearean terrain. Booster and Yang play fictionalized versions of themselves — best friends embarking, with a small entourage, on their annual Fire Island vacation getaway. The pair attempt to ingratiate themselves with the Fire Island elite for the sake of finding love and making lasting memories. The cast includes other up-and-coming names in comedy (Matt Rogers, Torian Miller) in addition to the longtime comedy luminary Margaret Cho.Director Andrew Ahn, whose resume includes the independent features “Spa Night” and “Driveways” and an episode of the FX docuseries “Pride,” received the script for “Fire Island” a year into the pandemic, a time he admits was pretty isolating. “Reading something like Joel’s script, that celebrates queer Asian American friendship, was so exciting to me,” he says. “I hadn’t gone out to a club to dance, drink and be stupid with my friends [in so long, at that point], and I loved being able to revel in that within Joel’s script.”“It was great to work with another queer Asian American creative,” Ahn adds. “And what I love about our collaboration is that, yes, like, we share a lot of things, but we also have very different perspectives on things. I think that’s indicative of how diverse even our intersectional identity is.” “Fire Island” director Andrew Ahn said he loved reading a script “that celebrates queer Asian American friendship.”Searchlight Pictures Booster’s script certainly contains a plethora of party scenes, but touches on Fire Island’s power as a haven for the kind of queer-friendly debauchery not often seen on the mainland.“[There] is a tangible energy [on Fire Island] of everything it meant to gay men a century ago versus what it means to us now,” Booster says. “You don’t realize the weight you carry around with you in the normal world until you’re in a place like Fire Island where it’s suddenly lifted and you’re free to be as gay as you want to be with your friends. Yes, there’s [some] toxicity there, but if you go with the right people, you can overcome that and experience something really transformative.”Booster’s own transformation was accelerated by Chicago. In addition to hanging out at both Montrose and Hollywood beaches — mini versions of Fire Island, he says — he spent two years grinding shows as a stand-up comic and actor.He says his favorite show to do in Chicago was Entertaining Julia, a weekly showcase at Town Hall Pub in Boystown. Booster loved the unpredictable nature of the show, which routinely hosted local comics but was home to the occasional celebrity drop-in, including Robin Williams.“Chicago is an incredible incubator for any sort of risks, especially in the performing arts,” says Booster, whose stand-up special “Psychosexual” premieres June 21 on Netflix. “I was able to do so many different things, wear so many different hats and was afforded the space to perform, write and do comedy and theater — and was never asked to pick a lane.”It’s the kind of city that can nurture the idea to, say, write a gay rom-com version of “Pride and Prejudice” set on Fire Island — and encourage someone like Booster to make good on his threat.

Movies

The summer movie lesson is clear. Send retro flyboys up in the air and teach ‘em a lesson about what truly matters in life on the ground. Besides winning. Winning comes first! But winning as a team.It worked for Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick.” And it works for Disney-Pixar’s swift and often wonderful “Lightyear.” The movie may not do anything to replenish Pixar’s intellectual property but has the wit and animated panache not to trash its existing IP, i.e., Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, the well-jawed intergalactic protector introduced a generation ago, in plastic form, in “Toy Story.”“Lightyear” opens with just the right screen crawl, informing us that the movie about to begin is the space fantasy “Toy Story’s” Andy liked enough to buy the Buzz Lightyear toy. It’s an origin story, though not the first time Buzz has run his own show; “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins” (2000), a direct-to-video title, led to a one-year TV series.Young Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Chris Evans, in a scene from the animated film "Lightyear," a "Toy Story" prequel. (Pixar/AP)“Lightyear’s” dazzling first half showcases the wittiest comic action from the Pixar folks in many years. In rapid but rarely rushed fashion, we’re introduced to young, promising and slightly smug Buzz, voiced by Chris Evans with hints of the Tim Allen vocal incarnation. In the early scenes, he explores an uninhabited planet with his superior officer, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba). The primary life form is a sneaky species of ankle-grabbing vine, which leads to a slew of corner-of-the-eye visual gags, deftly designed and executed.Buzz, we learn, contracted a severe case of save-the-world-alone syndrome at a fairly early age. Soon enough, his hubris strands a group of colonists on a forbidding new planet, and he spends the rest of his movie internalizing his mistake and trying to make amends. (It wouldn’t be a Pixar film without the intertwined themes of self-doubt, failure-coping and the ultimate rejection of a shady patriarchal authority figure.)Director and co-writer Angus MacLane’s “Lightyear” establishes a simple line of action to string the thing along. In order to ship the colonists back home, their spacecraft requires a new hyperspeed crystal, which requires Buzz to attempt, time after time, a dangerous hyperspeed test flight. What feels like four minutes to Buzz translates to a four-year mission. Each time he returns to base, his colleagues have aged four years, which intensifies Buzz’s feelings of emotional isolation.But he has a fantastic robot cat, SOX (voiced by Peter Sohn), to help him through, who’s basically a Swiss Army knife of an emotional support companion. (He’s also a sleeping aid; the white-noise-app joke in “Lightyear” is reason enough to go.) The script by Jason Headley and director MacLane establishes Buzz’s personal and professional missions with a sure hand; in order to take on enemy Zurg forces, Buzz must whip a motley trio of wannabe Space Rangers into shape. The most promising, Izzy Hawthorne (voiced by Keke Palmer), reminds Buzz of his now-deceased commander, for good reason: She’s her granddaughter, now grown up while Buzz remains as ageless as the plastic toy version we know from “Toy Story” 1-4.Around the two-thirds point, “Lightyear” springs a reveal that, I think, is a mixed blessing. It’s a trippy sort of development, sending Buzz into new depths of confusion, and it doesn’t quite work.Also: At the studio’s very best, Pixar finds a way to resolve its characters’ crises without resorting to familiar rounds of mayhem. The later passages of “Lightyear” are not Pixar’s very best.Then again: The sleek, detailed beauty of its animation; the supple glories of composer Michael Giacchino’s score, so happily attuned to creating tension and orchestral delight without bombast; the velocity of the overall storytelling — this is a movie that knows what it’s doing. The choice throwaway lines in “Lightyear” are better than most movies’ thesis lines. “I’m court-martialing myself,” Buzz announces after his mission failure, early on, and the way Evans says it, it’s the essence of deadpan gravity. “You may now record your last words,” says I.V.A.N., the Siri-like digital navigator voiced by Mary McDonald-Lewis, unhelpfully advising Buzz as he’s about to go down in flames.“A year of work for a four-minute flight,” one character says regarding Buzz’s hyperspace attempt. “Isn’t that something?” It is, yes. I bet anyone who ever made a short film at, say, Pixar, knows the feeling.Accompanied by his charming robot cat, SOX, young Buzz Lightyear sets the course for infinity in Disney/Pixar's "Lightyear," a "Toy Story" prequel. (Pixar/AP)“Lightyear”— 3.5 stars (out of 4)MPAA rating: PG (for action/peril)Running time: 1:45How to watch: Premieres in theaters June 16Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.mjphillips@chicagotribune.comTwitter @phillipstribuneBig screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.

Movies

Celebrity | 6/16/2022 8:16 AM PT "If people knew what my relationship was like, they'd be like, 'How did it last this long?'" Kim Kardashian is living with no regrets. During the finale episode of "The Kardashians," the SKIMS mogul revealed just how hard she tried to maintain her relationship with her ex-husband Kanye West before ultimately filing for divorce in January. The episode featured Khloe Kardashian's world falling apart once more after discovering that her partner Tristan Thompson had not only cheated on her again but also gotten the other woman pregnant. While comforting her younger sister, Kim referenced her own experiences about dealing with a breakup publicly. Instagram Pete Davidson 'Caters' to Kim Kardashian, Says Sister Khloe View Story "I don't know if I should unfollow Tristan again. I don't want to play that game publicly," she told Khloe, before alluding to her past troubles with West. "I feel like we always tip toe around each other's situations because we don't want to meddle and I respect that no one came to me during my marriage and was like, 'Are you good?' Everyone let me have my own journey and see that on my own and I appreciate that, but sometimes I look back like, 'When do we jump in?'" Despite the judgment of the public eye, the KKW Beauty founder says that she finds peace in knowing she tried everything she could to repair their relationship. "If people knew what my relationship was like, they'd be like, 'How did it last this long?'" Kim continued. "But I can live with myself knowing I tried everything possible to make a situation work, so I can walk away guilt free and I feel like you can at least say, you had a family, you tried and you can look your daughter in the face." Hulu Khloe Kardashian's Family Rips Tristan for Paternity Scandal, Defend Her from Trolls Saying She Deserved It View Story Khloe learned that Thompson had knocked up Maralee Nichols while on a phone call with Kim on Thursday's season finale of "The Kardashians." Though Kim and her sisters already read a report in the Daily Mail which included a declaration from Thompson admitting to sleeping with Nichols, Khloe called Kim before even reading it -- and only registered what it was after getting on the line. "What?! What the f--- is this? No, what the f---. This cannot be happening!" Khloe exclaimed, before legal eagle Kim explained the lawsuit between Nichols and Tristan and Thompson's declaration to her sister. "Let me f---ing call him, I can't f---ing believe this," Khloe responded. To Kim, she saw the situation as "the biggest sign" for Khloe to not have another kid with Thompson. "I just would like the truth," responded Khloe, before she started audibly sobbing over the phone. "We really believed that he had changed. I was his biggest supporter," Kim said. "But if this isn't more clear, the most clear situation, I don't know what is."

Celebrity

Entertainment mogul Tyler Perry always puts his money where his mouth is; the legendary Apollo Theater received the multi-hyphenate’s latest philanthropic effort in Harlem.According to the theater's official website, it held its annual Spring Benefit on Monday (July 13), to which Perry was presented the Impact Award by The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg. During his acceptance speech, the 52-year-old shared that he would be donating $500,000 to the Apollo to ensure that the iconic building would continue to "grow and thrive."“When you are honored by a legacy, a history that is as rich as the Apollo, you have to honor that. So what I’m hoping that most of us do is understand how important it is to support these kinds of venues, that we give to these kinds of venues,” Perry said. “‘Cause there’s so much that’s happening in the world where people are trying to erase our history, they don’t want it taught, they don’t want it taught in schools. And you know that’s going on, so it’s so important that we ourselves, and our kids and our people know and remember the history.”He continued, “ It’s very important to me that we all give and support and with that said I’d like to give a half million dollars to make sure that this place continues to grow and thrive. I want my son to see it, I want your kids to see it, I want all of us. Give it up for the Apollo.”The Spring Benefit, hosted by Kenan Thompson, raised a record $ 3.7 million, the most it has ever received for its annual event.Samuel L. Jackson, Phylicia Rashad, Daymond John, Anthony Hamilton and more were in attendance, with performances by The Roots and others.You can view Tyler Perry’s acceptance speech here.

Celebrity

Image caption, Haider Rasool said he had worn the jumper without problems while playing in other leagues.An amateur cricketer has been ordered to stop wearing a jumper emblazoned with "no room for racism in cricket" by league bosses.Haider Rasool, who plays for the Rockingham Colliery club, said he was shocked at the order in light of recent events in the sport.Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League said it backed his message but it has a blanket ban on slogans.His team has since put the message on one of its boundary signs.Mr Rasool said he had wanted to spread the message and had worn the jumper without problems while playing in other leagues.Given the allegations of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, he said, he was surprised that clubs across the county did not want to spread the anti-racism message "loud and clear"."Why was it under dispute?" he said."Wearing something that's an awareness. It's not a slogan, it's part of Kick It Out."Kick it Out is famous for using it in football. So you watch Premier League games and it says 'No room for racism in football', so I didn't see a problem with it."Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Yorkshire County Cricket Club is being investigated over racism allegationsThe league originally threatened to deduct points from the team, but has decided not to.It has declined to comment, however in an email sent to Mr Rasool seen by the BBC the league said: "We all agree with the sentiments expressed on your jersey, that is not the point." It continued: "If we allow your slogan how can we then deny someone else the right to express another view that might be more controversial or potentially offensive to others?"Richard Skipworth, director of cricket at the Barnsley team said everybody at the club supported Mr Rasool."It hasn't been difficult at all in terms of us wanting to stand by his message," he said.He added; "What we want to do now is to find a way around and we want to stop any bad feeling, any ill-feeling."The club is now placing a sign with the message on the boundary fence.On Wednesday, cricket's governing body, the England and Wales Cricket Board, brought charges against "a number of individuals" at Yorkshire County Cricket Club in relation to allegations of racism.Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.ukRelated Internet LinksThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

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Eoin Morgan was in relaxed mood before the first of England’s three one-day internationals against the Netherlands, which start at Amstelveen on Friday. Buoyant about being back in Amsterdam, where he spent tours with Ireland, and happy to be kicking off the white-ball summer, Morgan is also looking forward to building his relationship with the new limited-overs coach, Matthew Mott, and, together, taking the team towards this year’s T20 World Cup.England’s captain does not expect Mott to be daunted by leading the 2019 world champions. “One of the attributes when thinking about the future of our white-ball game and what the team require is an experienced coach that brings that hunger for success and isn’t afraid to hold some of the best players in the world accountable in a team environment,” he said.Morgan kept his team selection powder dry but in the absence of the Trent Bridge rocket launcher Jonny Bairstow Phil Salt appears likely to partner Jason Roy at the top of the order, with the two sharing a net at practice on Thursday. Jos Buttler – hotfooting it from the Indian Premier League, where he was the highest scorer – may shuffle up the order while Adil Rashid, who made his T20 international debut in the defeat by the Netherlands at the 2009 World Cup, alongside Morgan, is the only sure thing among a plethora of left-arm seamers.Despite that great orange victory in 2009, repeated in 2014, the Netherlands captain, Pieter Seelaar, is realistic about his side’s chances this time around. “We’re playing a different format, England at that time was in a different mind space, especially in white-ball cricket, to where they are now,” he said. “If I were to say we were looking to win the series 3-0 I would be stupid. But in saying that, we’re looking to compete in the three games.”Morgan sees this tour as the start of the road towards the T20 World Cup, which takes place in Australia in October and November. “At the moment it revolves around trying to get the right players in the right roles given the squad we’ve brought,” he said. “July’s a huge month for us in preparation for the World Cup, playing against two very strong sides [India and South Africa] over the course of a month, which will test us.“But that’s where we want to be in order to try and prepare ourselves best for that World Cup. Then there is the Hundred, then we have no more international cricket before we go to Pakistan – and then we have three games before the World Cup. So it will fly around.”Morgan insisted that the five left-armers in the squad were not there for their rarity. “It is not purely based on them being left arm, it is based on them being as good as they are,” he said. “The fact they are left arm gives them a different angle, a different strategy. Certainly in my experience left-armers are open to doing more and doing different things, which is great. But the guys who are selected are purely here on merit and ideally in our best T20 and 50-overs team or squad, you would like a point of difference. If that is left arm then great, if it’s a guy who bowls 90 miles an hour plus then that’s great.”The Spin: sign up and get our weekly cricket email.The 35-year-old also batted away questions about his future as captain. “It happens all the time as a player, never mind as a captain. It’s part and parcel of it,” he said. “I genuinely have the best interests of the team at heart. It’s always been that way. I have trusted that method since I took over. To be in the position I am in at the moment is a privilege.“I’m going to take it as it comes, managing my contribution, my body … am I still contributing on and off the field, within the team? I will be as honest as I am with everybody since I started the captaincy. I still feel like I contribute; still feel like I can contribute to a World Cup win. That’s an important drive for me.”

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Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a mobile desalination unit that weighs less than 10 kilograms and can create clean drinking water without the need for pumps or filters. The remarkable device results from a journey working on the physics behind underlying desalination processes that took ten years. The device is the size of an average suitcase, and it needs so little power (approximately 20 Wh per liter of seawater) that a tiny solar panel can energize it. Another benefit of the unit is that it does not need filters like other small desalination devices. This means that the need for maintenance is significantly reduced, making it ideal for deployment in remote locations like islands or cargo ships.Removing the need for a filterAccording to Junghyo Yoon (first author of the underlying research paper), most conventional portable desalination systems need high-pressure pumps to drive water through filters, which are challenging to reduce in size without affecting the device's energy efficiency. Instead of filters, the team used a method known as ion concentration polarization (or ICP), which was developed by a group led by professor Jongoon Han (senior author of the paper) more than ten years ago. Rather than filtering water, the ICP method uses an electrical field to apply to membranes above and below a water channel. Negatively and positively charged particles, like viruses, salt molecules, and bacteria, are repelled by the membranes as they pass by. The charged particles are channeled into an additional stream of water, which is released later.Both suspended and dissolved particles are removed throughout the process, facilitating clean water to travel through the channel. ICP consumes less power than other procedures since it merely needs a low-pressure pump.However, ICP does not continuously remove all of the salts floating in the channel. Therefore, the team used a second method known as electrodialysis to eliminate any residual salt ions.Machine learning was used to uncover the best combination of ICP and electrodialysis modules. The optimum configuration incorporates a 2-stage ICP procedure, with water flowing through a total of six modules in the first stage and then through three in the second stage, followed by a single electrodialysis process. This reduced energy usage while guaranteeing the process remains self-cleaning.Although some charged particles could be trapped on the ion exchange membrane, they can be easily removed by simply reversing the polarity of the electric field. Future developmentsIn the future, Yoon aims further to improve the efficiency and usability of the device. At the same time, Han will focus on applying the lessons learned to go beyond simple desalination and developing technology to detect contamination in drinking water more quickly.As always, if you are interested in more details about the device and the underlying technology, be sure to check out the study published in the science journal Environmental Science & Technology listed below.Sources and further reading:Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MITPortable Seawater Desalination System for Generating Drinkable Water in Remote Locations - (Environmental Science & Technology)

Chemistry and Material Sciences

Will Matsuda In December 2021, Taylor Mulitz, one-half of the arty and infectious indie duo Flasher, left a digital marketing job he’d held for a year. “Finally, I’m free!” he thought after he gave notice. The timing fit: Flasher’s expansive second album, Love Is Yours, which he’d recorded with bandmate Emma Baker in mid-2020 as a pandemic summer raged, was nearly ready for release. (It’s out June 17 via Domino.) It had been almost four years since Flasher’s debut, and Mulitz felt ready to jump back in. For fun, he made a few goofy TikToks to plug the first single drop in March, incorporating Barenaked Ladies’s eternal 1998 hit “One Week.” But as he quickly discovered, the content machine never stops churning. “Now that I'm promoting the album, I'm like, oh, this is so fucked up, because I'm taking everything that I learned from that [job] into [making TikToks],” he tells MTV News with a wry smile. “My mental health declined so much because I was spending more time on TikTok than I ever had before.” Thankfully, unlike celebrity pop stars beholden to corporate engines, Flasher are free to create at their own pace. If they want to race cars in the desert or recreate the plot of National Treasure for their music videos, they can. The clip for the album’s elastic title track finds Baker, a former theater kid, donning excessive stage makeup to resemble the film’s iconic star. “I think we had a breakthrough moment when I realized the Nicolas Cage look is all in these weird creases,” Baker says, gesturing at her jaw. The videos mirror the egalitarian joy that listening to Flasher can elicit. Mulitz and Baker often sing lead together, their voices melding into a single dreamy unit. (“Do I sound sincere? Do I make myself clear?” goes the album’s first chorus.) Bass and guitar parts, played on the album by both of them and co-producer Owen Wuerker, construct a danceable framework over which they layer hooks that knock the wind out of you. Every element feels colorful and slightly out of focus, like the joyous artwork of the album itself. Mulitz and Baker are childhood friends who grew up going to shows and playing music together. When they began the band in Washington, D.C. in 2016, their roles were more defined: Mulitz as guitarist and Baker on drums, with former member Daniel Saperstein on bass. Their acclaimed 2018 debut, Constant Image, radiated peppy post-punk and a lifetime of finishing each other’s musical sentences. After touring the LP, Saperstein departed. The newly two-member Flasher regrouped at Wuerker’s D.C. studio in summer 2020 to record Love Is Yours and embraced the uncertainty of figuring out their new constitution. “It makes sense when you have a trio that there’s just going to be two people into one thing and another person that's like, ‘That's not it. Let's keep going,’” Baker says. This time, it was much easier. The ideas flowed, and the duo simply rode the wave. “I feel like I surprised myself at how many things I could do that I don't normally do.” Though Love Is Yours is Flasher’s first statement as a duo, it sounds anything but binary. Their creative liberation yielded 13 songs that push their blended vocals to the front of the mix, fashioning a pop-forward collection that still relies on occasional experimentation. All ideas emanate from Mulitz and Baker, who initially demoed these songs with drum machines and GarageBand samples. When it came time to lay down the album versions, they left in certain sonic ephemera that they’d gotten used to. “I Saw You,” the album opener, contains a boombox radio snippet recorded by Baker and later processed with a neat delay effect. As accessible as the music can be, frustration also creeps up in the lyrics. “The world is always ending,” goes the otherwise sprightly “I’m Better.” “Such a fucking waste of brain cells / Trying to make any sense at all.” It’s tempting to read the state of the world over the past two years into those lines, even though the song details a toxic relationship. For every bit of despair on the album — “I don’t want to be here / Damage is everywhere” — optimism rushes in to counterbalance. The direct line “Love is yours if you want it” hits like an epiphany, as if you’d never considered the cosmos could be so uncomplicated. “Especially compared to making the last record, this one felt so much easier and more fun,” Mulitz says. He attributes that partly to the recording setup — they returned to a former practice space where they’d tracked their first EP — but also the economic relief that stimulus unemployment checks provided. (The pair lost their jobs at the start of the pandemic.) “It really felt utopian in that way,” he continues. “We were like, wow. Could you imagine if the government actually supported musicians and this was just normal? I think it shows.” The celebration also bleeds through on the magnificently busy album cover. Created by artist Em Aull, who labels his style “equal parts Hieronymus Bosch and Richard Scarry,” it’s a vision of a neighborhood in harmony: People of all shades bike, shop, and eat ice cream. Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” sounds from a theater marquee. Dogs and children dot the sidewalk. And a policeman disappears down a manhole in front of an ice machine tagged with “Fuck ICE” graffiti. “What we really wanted was something that felt like its own world, where you dive into it, and you could listen to the whole record and sit there and just stare at the cover the entire time,” Mulitz says. It’s the kind of scene you might pore over as you try to unpack lightly psychedelic lyrics like those that lead off bustling first single “Sideways” (“At certain times of day / I can hear the lights ringing”) or that pack the humid “Dial Up” (“Invent the deception / A gaze you can’t evade”). Or maybe you’ll care less about the message as you let the narcotic delivery of two joined voices overtake you. As such, Love Is Yours is likely to play like a patchwork of great ideas refined by close friends who, geographically, aren’t actually so close anymore. Baker remains in D.C., while Mulitz has since relocated to the West Coast (first Los Angeles, now the Bay Area). Their home music scene has changed substantially, too. But it hasn’t made Flasher sound any less spirited or less in harmony with each other. “Being the age that we are, where I feel like a lot of our peers have moved away or gone on to different types of careers or started families or whatever, it's just a lot of stuff all at once,” Baker says. “But I feel like it makes us not living in the same place feel OK instead of, I don't know, scary.” “That's not to say it didn't feel a little scary at times,” Mulitz adds. “I felt selfish for [leaving]. But having an idealistic outlook about it, I feel like there's plenty of bands that are bicoastal, or people that live in different places and make it work.” The utopian ideal remains — if you want it. Rock Music Flasher

Music

CelebrityPete DavidsonFor every person admitting to a crush on him, there is another genuinely demanding to know why. Let’s break down Pete Davidson’s appeal.Posted on June 13, 2022, 12:54 pm Since 2015, Saturday Night Live comic Pete Davidson has been linked to a string of beautiful women. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images His first high-profile relationship was with actor Carly Aquilino, and he then dated Larry David’s daughter, Cazzie David, for two years before she asked to go on a break. C Flanigan / Getty Images Cazzie herself admitted that she quickly realized her mistake and wanted to reconcile with Pete, but it was too late — he’d already been snapped up by Ariana Grande. Kevin Mazur / WireImage Pete’s whirlwind romance with Ariana catapulted him into the mainstream. The two famously got engaged just weeks after going public with their relationship, and their five-month romance inspired songs across two hit albums from the singer. Robert Kamau / GC Images But if Ariana put Pete’s name on the map, it was Kim’s seal of approval that established him as one of the most desirable male celebrities of our time — a position that some just can’t wrap their heads around. While women have been swooning over Pete for years, there is a well-publicized disconnect when it comes to men understanding his appeal. Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue And for every social media post calling Pete the perfect man, there’s another genuinely demanding to know why. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images In one viral TikTok, a man asked, “What is Pete Davidson’s secret?” as he reeled off his list of past girlfriends, adding in the caption: “Did he crack the da Vinci code?” And women have admitted to men actually getting angry over their attraction to Pete. “I love these grown ass people sliding in my DMs SOOOOOOO ANGRY with my love for Pete Davidson, like, attacking me about it,” one person tweeted in December. Another wrote: “I love how angry men get about Pete Davidson.” I love these grown ass people sliding in my DMs SOOOOOOO ANGRY with my love for Pete Davidson 😂 like, attacking me about it 😂 “you like toxic men?” “This is why you’re alone” “no wonder you were never into me” BRUH. Y’all need to calm the fuck down 😂😂😂😂 07:37 PM - 10 Dec 2021 Twitter: @princessmeems_ In fact, it’s arguable that no other celebrity has endured such a differing reaction from men and women, and one social media user theorized: “Any man who is confused why women find Pete Davidson attractive literally do not understand the difference between the female gaze and the male gaze.” Any man who is confused why women find Pete Davidson attractive literally do not understand the difference between the female gaze and the male gaze 10:30 PM - 17 Nov 2021 Twitter: @maybemiiia And this appears to be a common theme, with another tweet agreeing: “Men confused about the appeal of Pete Davidson don’t understand women at all.” Twitter: @e11enLN Another person claimed that Pete riles men up so much because he “disproves” their theory about what women want, and that his popularity ultimately suggests that personality is key. Kevin Winter / Getty Images “I think men hate Pete Davidson because he disproves all their shallow theories about what women want and validate that what we want is a decent human being who gets us and is funny,” they wrote in a now-viral tweet. I think men hate Pete Davidson because he disproves all their shallow theories about what women want and validate that what we want is a decent human being who gets us and is funny. 07:01 PM - 11 Apr 2022 Twitter: @RansdellLiz So what exactly is it about Pete that has captured the hearts of so many women? While somebody’s physical attractiveness is, of course, subjective, he has previously described himself as looking like a “crack baby” and quoted a troll who said he has “butthole eyes” during his standup. Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images for Triller It’s this level of self-deprecating comedy that has captured the hearts of his fans, with one writing: “People being surprised that Pete Davidson could get someone like Kim, Kate Beckinsale, Ariana or Kaia Gerber… as if comedians haven’t been able to pull beautiful women since the beginning of time. Women like funny men. Period.” People being surprised that Pete Davidson could get someone like Kim, Kate Beckinsale, Ariana or Kaia Gerber… as if comedians haven’t been able to pull beautiful women since the beginning of time. Women like funny men. Period. 01:19 PM - 31 Oct 2021 Twitter: @takeyourzoloft And Pete’s seamless ability to make fun of himself is even more of a turn-on, with the comic even managing to roast himself as he called Ariana out for discussing intimate details about their sex life. Kevin Mazur / Getty Images During a 2018 Twitter Q&A ahead of her album’s release, a fan had asked Ariana how long the track titled “Pete Davidson” is. Ariana cheekily replied at the time: “Like 10 inches?….oh fuck….I mean….like a lil over a minute.” She quickly deleted the message, but it had already been screengrabbed and immediately caused a stir online. Despite the comment ultimately being a compliment, Pete later admitted that he didn’t like the fact that she’d discussed his body as he tried to downplay his size. FilmMagic “Everything is huge to her,” he joked before adding that it was actually a cruel ploy from Ariana, saying: “Why would she tell everyone that I have a huge penis? So that every girl who sees my dick for the rest of my life is disappointed.” Gilbert Carrasquillo / GC Images But his reputation ended up preceding him, and in a recent episode of The Kardashians, Kim admitted that it was Pete’s “BDE” — which stands for “big dick energy” — that first attracted her to him. Paul Morigi / Getty Images “I wasn’t even thinking, like, ‘Oh my god, I’m gonna be in a relationship with him,’” she said in a confessional. “I was just thinking, ‘Heard about this BDE, need to get out there…’ I was just basically DTF [down to fuck].” Hulu And while she didn’t give away too many details about their sex life, the 41-year-old star didn’t completely shy away from it as she told her sisters: “When I turned 40, everyone said it’s the best sex of your life. Grandma kept on telling me, '40 is the best sex.' And I was like OK, I’m ready. And so far…” she trailed off with a cheeky wink. Hulu This narrative fits another popular reason behind Pete’s appeal, with one social media user pointing out: “Pete Davidson has dated Kate Beckinsale, Ariana Grande, Phoebe Denver and now Kim Kardashian. All his exes have praised his 🍆 and called him the ‘best human ever’. Still men are like, ‘how?? what do women want???’ be good in bed and be a good person. that’s literally it.” Pete Davidson has dated Kate Beckinsale, Ariana Grande, Phoebe Dynevor and now Kim Kardashian. All his exes have praised his 🍆 and called him the “best human ever”. Still men are like, “how?? what do women want???” be good in bed and be a good person. that’s literally it. 08:06 PM - 04 Jun 2022 Twitter: @BridgieCasey But there’s so much more to Pete than his abilities in the bedroom, and Kim has also revealed that Pete warned her that in four months she’d be “obsessed” with him, before going on to praise how “thoughtful” and “genuine” he is. Mega / GC Images In fact, Kim and Pete’s entire relationship is centered around the little things, which is a welcome change from the “extravagance” of Kim’s marriage to Kanye, who focused on grand gestures. Gotham / Getty Images During last week’s show, Kim was blown away by Pete surprising her with a tub of her favorite frozen candy, Dibs, for her flight to the Dominican Republic. Previously, she recalled a sweet story where Pete put acne cream on her pimple while she slept after she forgot to do it herself before drifting off. Hulu “Even little things that he’s gotten me that are just really thoughtful,” Kim says in the episode. “Pete is such a good, good person, I can’t even explain it. He just has the best heart and always thinks of the small things.” Hulu And this marries up to what Pete said about himself as a boyfriend during a 2019 interview with Paper magazine. “My love language, when I’m in a relationship, is I treat the person I’m with like a princess,” he said at the time. Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue “I try and go as above and beyond as possible,” he said. “Because that’s what you’re supposed to do if you’re in a relationship with someone, you’re just supposed to make that person feel as special as possible.” But Pete’s big heart isn’t just limited to romance, with his incredibly close relationship with his mom, Amy, also drawing people in. Pete bought a $1.3 million house in Staten Island for his mother and turned the basement into an apartment so that he could live with her. “I live with my mom, kinda, so I have, like, a basement that’s mine that’s like an apartment. I live underneath her,” Pete previously explained. “I’m getting like a little arcade set up down there trying to make it mine.” Amy has also appeared on Saturday Night Live alongside her son, and their loving relationship has been a factor in the way women view him. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images “I don’t understand why dating Pete Davidson has become a meme,” one fan tweeted. “He’s funny, successful, got his mama a house & lived in it with her for a bit, and clearly isn’t intimidated by beautiful, smart, powerful women. I’ve dated at *least* a dozen worse dudes.” I don’t understand why dating Pete Davidson has become a meme. He’s funny, successful, got his mama a house & lived in it with her for a bit, and clearly isn’t intimidated by beautiful, smart, powerful women. I’ve dated at *least* a dozen worse dudes. 11:38 PM - 17 Jan 2022 Twitter: @AmandaBecker And this is a stance that Emily Ratajkowski also stands by, with the model quizzed on Pete’s appeal after she worked with him on a campaign. “Obviously women find him very attractive,” she said at the time. “Guys are like, ‘Wow, what’s that guy got.’ And I’m like, I mean, he seems super charming. He’s vulnerable. He’s lovely.” Gotham / WireImage Emily then added that Pete has a “good relationship with his mother. We love it, that’s hard to find.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images The vulnerability that Emily mentioned stems from the fact that Pete has endured more than his fair share of tragedy and illness over the years, which only made his bond with his mom stronger. Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images His firefighter father, Scott Davidson, tragically died in 9/11 when Pete was 7 years old, and he has been open about how that impacted his ability to form relationships. In a 2018 interview, the star said that his dad’s death made it hard for him to trust people aside from his mom and sister, Casey. “My big thing is trust,” he said at the time. “One day [my father] was here, and the next day he was gone.” Pete has also been candid in speaking out about his mental health struggles over the years, having been “in and out” of inpatient treatment facilities due to his depression since he was 9 years old. When he started to have episodes of intense rage and bouts of severe depression in 2016, he sought help and was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder the following year. Michael Tran / FilmMagic In fact, the star — who also has Crohn’s disease — has won praise for helping to destigmatize mental illness, especially among young men who are statistically less likely to ask for help. Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images And Pete has repeatedly acknowledged how hard he has worked to educate himself on the best ways to live with his mental illness, and reinforced the importance of being self-aware and taking accountability. He famously stated in 2018: “Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jackass.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images Although he struggles with his depression and BPD at times, his proactive approach to finding coping mechanisms that work for him does appear to have helped. In 2020, Pete said that he’s “always depressed, all the time,” but he now knows the steps that he has to take to “bring [himself] out of it.” He said: “I have to go outside and be in the sun for a little bit or go for a walk. It’s all just programming yourself to trick your brain.” Gotpap / GC Images He also goes to therapy to help him cope, previously saying: “My therapists are really on the ball, and I’m really lucky to have them in my life. I recommend that everyone go to therapy.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images And in 2018, Pete deleted his social media accounts. He said that it helped to improve his mental health, writing at the time: “Everybody is different, and there are a lot of treatments for mental illnesses and I have done/am doing all of them. And I encourage those who struggle to seek help as well; it has changed my life for the better.” Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images In addition to various interviews, Pete has used his primetime slot on Saturday Night Live to speak about his personal experience with mental illness in a lighthearted and accessible way for viewers. “Pete Davidson talking about Borderline Personality Disorder on #SNL is an amazing step towards raising mental health awareness,” one person previously tweeted. Pete Davidson talking about Borderline Personality Disorder on #SNL is an amazing step towards raising mental health awareness. 04:25 AM - 08 Oct 2017 Twitter: @WheresMyArk_23 “Men, a big part of Pete Davidson’s appeal is that he goes to therapy,” another wrote. Someone else commented on TikTok: “He has his issues too but he actually acknowledges it and he finds ways to cope. He’s emotionally strong. He’s capable of loving people. Selfless.” Twitter: @letsdivethru One social media user best summed up Pete’s appeal when they tweeted: “People going to all these lengths to explain the ‘mystery’ of why so many women are attracted to Pete Davidson is hilarious to me. Like, he’s hot, funny, and nice, what else is there to explain?” people going to all these lengths to explain the “mystery” of why so many women are attracted pete davidson is hilarious to me like he’s hot, funny, and nice what else is there to explain 02:44 PM - 04 Sep 2021 Twitter: @littlelordpmd A sentiment that I couldn’t agree with more.

Celebrity

“I would like to thank you for making time for us tonight,” said Anna Wintour, addressing Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin at last night’s Manhattan screening of Elvis. Between them, the husband-and-wife duo claim a lengthy list of credits on the film, which offers a whistle-stop romp through the life of the king of rock and roll: He’s the director and co-writer, she’s the costume and production designer, both are producers. And since the film’s debut at Cannes last month (which earned it a 12-minute ovation), the pair, along with their cast, have been on a whirlwind promotional tour. “Baz, if this audience knew your mind-blowing travel schedule over the past few months, they would either think you’d missed your life calling as a Qantas pilot or that you were suffering from a severe sleep disorder.”Baz, on stage at the DGA theater in Midtown Manhattan, gamely acknowledged the Elvis crew’s geographical zig-zagging: Paris, Cannes, three premieres in Australia, and another in Los Angeles were followed by a trip to Graceland, Elvis’s Memphis, Tennessee home, where the Presley family saw the film. (From the start, Elvis Presley’s estate granted Luhrmann permission to make the film, but more than that, it gave him access to Presley’s extensive archives, which he eagerly mined to guide his storytelling.) “But here we bring it back to New York City,” Luhrmann said, “to the city we live in and the city we love, with the people that we love.” Like in Luhrmann’s masterpiece Moulin Rouge!, Elvis relies on a narrator—though in this case, it’s the antagonist, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s lifelong manager, who sets the stage. Played by Tom Hanks (who dons a prosthetic nose and some bodily padding), Parker has a nebulous background, a hard-to-place accent, and a self-serving professional style that pushes Elvis toward cringey career moves, drug use, and an endless Las Vegas residency. In the film’s opening scene, Parker explains that while he tends to be blamed for Elvis’s death at age 42, everyone’s gotten it all wrong—without him, Elvis wouldn’t have existed in the first place. Still, he’s hardly the movie’s hero: From the minute Austing Butler’s Elvis hits the stage, clad in a billowing rockabilly-pink suit, the audience is presented with its object of affection.Among those seated was a fashion-heavy crowd that included Vera Wang, Batsheva Hay, Victor Glemaud, Jonathan Cohen, and more. And from the film, there was Butler, Olivia DeJonge, Yola, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alton Mason, and Tom Hanks. Beaming, Luhrmann welcomed them all to the stage one by one before the 159-minute cinematic extravaganza began.Introducing DeJonge, who plays Priscilla Presley, Luhrmann shared remarks from Priscilla herself. “She said, ‘Thank you for selecting a young actor who could really make me look so good and be so true to me.’” The British musician Yola, meanwhile, appears in the film as Sister Rosetta Tharpe. “[She was] the inventor of rock and roll—no doubt about it,” Luhrmann explained.Luhrmann went on to praise Harrison Jr. for his role as the legendary B.B. King—a confidente of Elvis’s—and Mason for his rousing interpretation of Little Richard. He then amused the audience with Hanks’s introduction. “One of the real joys is to find a new name, to give them a chance, a few lines, and see how they'll do. And this one has done fairly well.”Regarding Butler, whose portrayal of Elvis was electric and, at times, uncanny, Luhrmann also recounted Priscilla’s reaction: “I can't believe, after all this time, what Austin Butler has done to create my husband,” she told him, adding, “If he was here today, he would say, ‘Hot damn, you are me.’”Yvonne Tnt/BFA.comBaz Luhrmann, Anna WintourYvonne Tnt/BFA.comAustin ButlerYvonne Tnt/BFA.comKelvin Harrison Jr., Yola

Movies

"New music is coming -- a thrilling abundance of it," writes British Vogue's Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful. The latest British Vogue cover star is one of the biggest stars on the planet -- the one and only Beyonce -- and to no surprise, she looked absolutely flawless as she graced the magazine's cover. As shown in the breathtaking cover, which dropped on Tuesday, Beyonce can be seen rocking a gorgeous black, long-sleeve gown with a massive, black feathered headpiece. In the shot, the 28-time Grammy winner appeared to be sitting on a horse, with the steed and the background gleaming bright red. Rafael Pavarotti For British Vogue "New music is coming -- a thrilling abundance of it," wrote British Vogue's Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful in the cover story. In the profile, Enninful detailed meeting with Beyonce at her home and styling her for the photoshoot for the July 2022 issue. And while at her house, Enninful was given the opportunity to listen to Queen Bey's new music -- and he described hearing it for the first time. "Instantly, a wall of sound hits me. Soaring vocals and fierce beats combine and in a split second I'm transported back to the clubs of my youth," he wrote. "I want to get up and start throwing moves. It's music I love to my core. Music that makes you rise, that turns your mind to cultures and subcultures, to our people past and present, music that will unite so many on the dance floor, music that touches your soul. As ever with Beyoncé, it is all about the intent. I sit back, after the wave, absorbing it all." "The creation has been a long process, she explains, with the pandemic giving her far longer to spend thinking and rethinking every decision," he added. "Just the way she likes it." Rafael Pavarotti For British Vogue The profile was published just hours after news broke of Bey's upcoming album, which will be her first album since The Carters' "Everything Is Love" and 2018 and her first solo project since 2016's "Lemonade." The exciting news -- which turned the Beyhive into a frenzy on social media -- was almost stealth dropped by Tidal in a social media post late Wednesday night. As for the release itself, it was sparse on details, but one tantalizing part of it suggests it may not be another six-year wait between projects. The 16-track album is titled "RENAISSANCE" and it drops July 29 (hopefully not as a Tidal exclusive), but it's that "act i" in the title card that has us intrigued and hopeful that we won't have long to wait for an "act ii." Meanwhile, Beyonce shared more photos from the British Vogue photoshoot, as did the magazine. See more of the shots in the posts below: Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. The July 2022 issue of British Vogue is available via digital download and hits newsstands from June 21.

Music

30. Paul McCartney – Secret Friend (1980)McCartney’s penchant for the musical avant garde dates back to the mid-60s (before John Lennon’s, as he’s often keen to point out). You didn’t hear much from leftfield Macca in the 70s, but he reappeared on Secret Friend, an outtake from McCartney II that sounds, extraordinarily, like abstract, ageless, Balearic techno 10 years early.29. Wings – Listen to What the Man Said (1975)You can see why the cheery thumbs-aloft philosophising and perky soprano sax of Listen to What the Man Said may have grated in the Britain of the three-day week, but – as so often with 70s McCartney – you can only gawp in wonder at the apparent effortlessness of its breezy, chugging melody.28. Wings – Goodnight Tonight (1979)Not even Macca was immune to the lure of disco – Goodnight Tonight even came out in an extended 12-inch version – although he characteristically adapted the genre to his own ends, rather than vice versa, mixing flamenco guitars, a charming, drowsy half-speed melody and abstract use of a vocoder. And the bass playing is fantastic.27. Wings – Arrow Through Me (1979)Wings went out the way they arrived: with a patchy, largely unloved album. But Back To the Egg contained Arrow Through Me, a rich, intriguingly serpentine take on McCartney in late-70s soft-rock mode. It has recently been rescued from undeserved obscurity, first by Erykah Badu, who sampled it on Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long, and by Harry Styles, who has frequently sung its praises.Give My Regards to Broad Street-era Macca, pictured in 1984. Photograph: Robert R McElroy/Getty Images26. Paul McCartney – Deep Deep Feeling (2021)There is a sense that McCartney’s search for a latterday hit has occasionally made him dial down his penchant for experimentation. But it found full flow on the highlight from last year’s McCartney III: the melody is characteristically polished, but it winds through tempo changes, lengthy instrumental passages, falsetto vocals and an acoustic coda.25. Wings – Letting Go (1975)In recent years, McCartney has returned to Letting Go onstage, with good reason: a relative flop on release, it is unfairly overlooked, the mid-tempo swampiness of Wings’ performance – they seem to be playing in a vast cloud of weed smoke – counterpointed by the jubilant brightness of the brass arrangement.24. Paul McCartney – Temporary Secretary (1980)Off-kilter vocals, frantic synth chatter, a dementedly catchy hook: the sound of McCartney unbound from commercial concerns, Temporary Secretary perfectly demonstrates both why McCartney II was savaged by baffled critics on release – one review suggested its author had “shamed himself” – and its bedroom electronica was drastically re-evaluated in a post-acid house world.23. Wings – My Love (1973)On the one hand, with its lush strings and cosseting MOR production, My Love probably fell straight into the category of songs Lennon caustically dubbed “Paul’s granny music”. On the other, it’s so sumptuous, its lyric so evidently heartfelt in its wide-eyed drippiness, that there is something irresistible about it.22. Paul McCartney – Early Days (2013)McCartney’s voice has noticeably aged in recent years. Rather than ignore that fact, Early Days puts it to use. It’s not just that this is a great song – although it is – there’s something hugely powerful about hearing a man audibly in his 70s reminiscing, not always fondly, about his early career.21. Wings – With a Little Luck (1978)A soft-rock album recorded by a multimillionaire on a luxury yacht in the Virgin Islands, Wings’ London Town was perhaps not the wisest move at the height of punk; it also wasn’t very good. But With a Little Luck is a sweetly affecting restatement of none-more-Macca positivity.20. Paul McCartney – What’s That You’re Doing? (1982)A hidden gem from Tug of War, What’s That You’re Doing? is everything the more famous McCartney/Stevie Wonder collaboration Ebony and Ivory isn’t. Rather than the gloopy schmaltz of their big hit, it’s wired and writhingly funky enough to equal Wonder’s 70s albums: high praise, but it’s a fabulous song.19. Paul McCartney – My Valentine (2012)McCartney had dabbled in pre-rock’n’roll pop before, on the Beatles’ Honey Pie, the Black Dyke Mills Band’s Thingumybob and Wings’ Baby’s Request, but his self-penned contribution to Kisses on the Bottom, an album of standards, was particularly enchanting: a moody ballad that could have come direct from the Great American Songbook.18. Paul & Linda McCartney – Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (1971)The medley on side two of Abbey Road evidently captivated McCartney: he kept returning to its fragmentary approach during the early 70s. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey was the Ram album’s ramshackle take on the form, jump-cutting from hazy and dreamlike to perky singalong to a falsetto-voiced oompah interlude. A US No 1, incredibly.17. Paul McCartney & Elvis Costello – My Brave Face (original demo) (1989)The version of My Brave Face you need to hear is not the high-gloss single, but the rougher, tougher demo, where the song’s Beatley greatness is more amply evident: McCartney and Costello thrashing at acoustic guitars and harmonising, the latter’s acidic voice a perfect, rather Lennon-esque, foil.Macca with Denny Laine and Linda McCartney of Wings, playing Junior’s Farm on Top of the Pops. Photograph: David Redfern/Redferns16. Wings – Junior’s Farm (1974)Situated in a delightful sweet spot between rock riffing and pop smarts, Junior’s Farm also features a rare moment of Macca politicking buried amid the Dylan-esque lyrics, which cheerily suggest a whip-round for “a bag of cement” with which to fashion concrete boots for Richard Nixon.15. Wings – Little Lamb Dragonfly (1973)Tucked away amid the uneven contents of Wings’ second album Red Rose Speedway was one of the loveliest melodies McCartney has ever written. Recorded during the Ram sessions and intended for the soundtrack of McCartney’s long-planned Rupert Bear cartoon, Little Lamb Dragonfly is pillow-soft, inexplicably moving and utterly gorgeous.14. Paul McCartney – No More Lonely Nights (1984)It says a lot about the lowly critical reputation of mid-80s Macca – and the awfulness of the movie from which it came, Give My Regards to Broad Street – that No More Lonely Nights isn’t lauded as the masterpiece it is. A big hit you never hear nowadays, it’s super-smooth, but a dazzling bit of songwriting.13. Paul & Linda McCartney – Another Day (1971)One striking thing about Paul McCartney’s late-60s and early-70s work is the empathy with which it depicts the ordinary people the counterculture tended to sneer at as hopelessly square. Hence Another Day: derided on release for its tender depiction of a woman’s humdrum existence, it is poignant, caring and beautifully written.12. Paul McCartney – Little Willow (1997)After decades of frequently unfair critical opprobrium directed McCartney’s way, Flaming Pie was released at the height of Britpop’s Beatlemania, and, if anything, slightly overrated. But there’s nothing not to like about Little Willow’s heartstring-tugging but heartfelt, delicately arranged response to the death of Ringo Starr’s first wife Maureen.11. Paul McCartney – Junk (1970)A lot of Beatles offcuts ended up on McCartney’s early solo albums. Sometimes you could see why the other Fabs had rejected them – the cloying Teddy Boy – but Junk is the wonderful “sentimental jamboree” described in one of its lyrics. Passed over for The Beatles and Abbey Road, it is magical: unassuming, twilit and pretty but somehow eerie with it.10. Paul McCartney – Here Today (1982)A perfectly poised reaction to Lennon’s murder. The lyrics admit Lennon would have scoffed at their sentimentality and it sounds poignantly like something from the mid-60s, an acoustic-guitar-and-strings sibling of Yesterday. A photo of the manuscript reveals a telling change: the line “I ease my pain” crossed out, replaced with “I love you”.9. Paul McCartney – Coming Up (album version) (1980)Rightfully impressed by its tight-but-lo-fi new wavey disco sound,Lennon famously responded to hearing Coming Up on the radio with the immortal exclamation: “Fuck a pig – it’s Paul!” Lennon preferred the home-recorded take on McCartney II to the live version released as a single; he was right about that, too.8. Paul McCartney – Jenny Wren (2005)Written, McCartney has admitted, “in conversation with” the Beatles’ Blackbird, Jenny Wren was, like much of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, acoustic and powerfully stark. Its mood slips from optimistic to troubled and back again; McCartney’s voice is close-miked and intimate; and the solo on a duduk – an Armenian wind instrument – is atmospheric and unexpected.7. Wings – Jet (1973)Hard-rocking, euphoric and swaggering, Jet – like a lot of Band on the Run – sounds like McCartney finally finding his post-Beatles mojo. It’s a fantastic song, its fat sound a response to glam; its intro, by some distance, the best – and most subtle – of McCartney’s attempts to incorporate reggae into his sound.6. Wings – Live and Let Die (1973)McCartney’s post-Beatles work felt deliberately unassuming, until the challenge of writing the first rock Bond theme forced him into making a grand statement. Still a pyrotechnic-augmented peak in his live shows, Live and Let Die adapts the Abbey Road medley approach – ballad, reggae interlude, orchestral rock riffing – into thrilling high-drama.5. Paul McCartney – Waterfalls (1980)McCartney later said he should have held Waterfalls – a catalogue of parental worries set to a slowly sighing melody – back from McCartney II in order to give it the full orchestral treatment, but it’s perfect as it is: there’s something very touching about the fragility of its electronic backing.4. Wings – Let Me Roll It (1973)Its swipe of solo Lennon styles – caustic Cold Turkey guitar, Instant Karma-ish slapback echo – led some people to believe Let Me Roll It was aimed at him; McCartney has implied it’s a paean to marijuana. Either way, its stammering riff, raw vocal, and emotional shift from brooding verses to soaring chorus are all incredibly good.3. Paul & Linda McCartney – The Back Seat of My Car (1971)There’s a moment during last year’s Get Back documentary series where Macca strikes up The Back Seat of My Car, begging the question: why on earth didn’t the Beatles record this? Audibly inspired by Brian Wilson, its twists and turns amount to an astonishing firework display of melodic talent.2. Wings – Band on the Run (1973)Rattled by a mutiny among Wings’ ranks, McCartney defiantly stepped up his game on the subsequent Band on the Run. Its three-songs-in-one title track reflects both his embattled mind state and burst of new confidence. The moment at 2:06 where the mood dramatically lifts, with a vast orchestral riff is a thing of joy-bringing wonder.1. Paul McCartney – Maybe I’m Amazed (1970)Amid the low-key, charmingly scrappy contents of McCartney’s eponymous solo debut, Maybe I’m Amazed is a no-further-questions masterpiece, both a pledge of devotion to his new wife and a howl of bewilderment at the Beatles’ collapse (“Maybe I’m a lonely man who’s in the middle of something / That he doesn’t really understand”). The version on McCartney is understated – it suddenly fades in, as if someone pressed record slightly too late; the arrangement is sparse – but that does nothing to dim its slowly mounting emotional power, equal parts anguish and adoration. McCartney subsequently called it the song he would most like to be remembered for.

Music

There is precious little that could switch the discussion around golf from matters of Saudi Arabia, a rebel tour and the resulting grisly civil war. A Rory McIlroy success at this US Open is, however, among the topics that would trigger even a brief change of theme. So far, so good.On day one at the Country Club there were flashes of McIlroy brilliance and flashes of McIlroy frustration. A three-under-par 67 was sufficient to tie the clubhouse lead before the afternoon wave took to the course. McIlroy smashed a bunker in anger at the 5th before saving par. He tossed his club away on the 9th (his 18th) after missing the green from the middle of the fairway. There was to be no salvation there: the closing bogey was McIlroy’s sole aberration of the round.“Some of these reactions that you saw out there today, whether it be hitting the sand on five or the club throw on nine, you just have to be so precise and so exact at this tournament maybe compared to some others that any little thing that doesn’t quite go right, you’re putting yourself behind the 8-ball,” McIlroy said. “The margins are just so fine in this tournament and I think you can see that out there with some of the reactions.” On the 5th, McIlroy’s tee shot had stuck in horrible rough alongside a bunker. He had to stand in the sand trap, with his shot advancing just yards and into another one. And yet the outcome was a par four. McIlroy had kept his card clean in equally impressive style after finding dense grass at the par-three 2nd. Birdies arrived at the 16th, 18th, 7th and 8th.“You feel like you’re right in the tournament from the start of the week, which is nice,” said the four-time major winner. “I’m going into tomorrow with the mindset of ‘Let’s keep it going’ rather than where is the cut line or whatever. If you don’t get off to a great start those thoughts start to creep in – ‘OK, what do I need to just be here for the weekend?’ It’s certainly a different mindset when you get off to a good start. I’ve just got to keep it going.”The Northern Irishman had been irked at the pace of play by the group ahead, consisting of Scott Stallings, Davis Riley and Victor Perez. “The guys in front of us were playing so slow,” McIlroy said. “They were like a hole or hole and a half behind the group in front of them. So yeah, that was a little frustrating.” Locker room interactions between the parties may have been worth seeing.Every McIlroy press conference is now laced with questions about his role as a staunch defender of the PGA Tour in the face of LIV Golf and its breakaway threat. There are already signs McIlroy is a little uncomfortable with being put on a pedestal. “It’s been eight years since I won a major and I just want to get my hands on one again,” he said in response to whether being the moral compass of his professional domain has intensified his desire to win.There was no heckling for Phil Mickelson, pictured on the 3rd hole, as he started his round but the applause was subdued. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA“I’m just being me. I’m living my life. I’m doing what I think is right and trying to play the best golf that I possibly can. I wasn’t asked to be put here. I wasn’t trying to be in this position. I’m just being me.”David Lingmerth, Joel Dahmen and Callum Tarren joined McIlroy on three under par. Tarren, who started this week as the world No 445, arrived in Massachusetts from Toronto on Saturday without his clubs. “There were five other players on my flight,” Tarren said. “They all got golf clubs. It is the second US Open I’ve played in and second time with no golf clubs.“This time I got them a little bit faster than last. I didn’t actually get them until Wednesday in Pebble Beach a few years ago, so that was a nightmare. Luckily there was somebody in Canada who went to the airport and gave the airport staff a little kick, and they arrived on Sunday at 2pm. It wasn’t bad.”Jon Rahm, the defending champion, opened strongly with a 69. Adam Scott matched that score while Aaron Wise, who was cracked on the head by a stray drive during last month’s US PGA Championship, may find himself with fonder memories of this major after posting a 68. Jordan Spieth, who struggled with a stomach bug on Wednesday, could fare no better than 72.Phil Mickelson, who has been at the forefront of all things LIV, received no heckling on the opening tee. The applause, though, was subdued; Mickelson would privately favour McIlroy glory here to divert some heat.

Golf

Beyoncé tipped off fans that something important was coming when she removed her profile photos across all her social media platforms last week. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] Beyonce has revealed the title and release date for her next album, with the 16-track “Renaissance” set to drop on July 29.Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP NEW YORK — Beyoncé has revealed the title and release date for her next studio album, with the 16-track “Renaissance” set to drop July 29.The superstar began listing the music and products on her website Thursday and several streaming services, including Tidal and Spotify, also announced the Beyoncé release.Beyoncé tipped off fans that something important was coming when she removed her profile photos across all her social media platforms last week.“Renaissance” would be the follow-up to 2016’s “Lemonade,” but the artist has been hard at work of late, featured on rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s remix of “Savage” and opening the 2022 Academy Awards with a performance of her song “Be Alive,” from the film “King Richard.”In 2019, she curated and produced the soundtrack album “The Lion King: The Gift,” for the remake of “The Lion King.” The song “Black Parade” from the soundtrack won a Grammy in 2021 for best R&B performance, Beyoncé’s 28th Grammy. En la nueva entrega de Pixar, el actor de origen salvadoreño que interpretó a Pedro en ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ da voz al personaje de Airman Díaz, el ingeniero a cargo de la misión. “Va a ser como un supermercado”, dijo Margarita Márquez, una clienta de Pan de Vida. “Vas a ver qué es lo que realmente necesitas. Antes, lo que tenían era lo que te llevabas”. By Michael Loria [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] La falta de opciones para nadar en las cercanías tiene a algunos residentes molestos. Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories. By Matt Moore [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] Planned gospel museum gets a boost with $2.1 million in state funds.

Music

"Hueseara" and documentary "Katrina Babies" additionally won leading awards. The 2022 Tribeca Festival has officially announced the slate of award-winning films, marking the end of the 21st annual event. Presented by OKX, the Tribeca Festival unveiled the winning storytellers in its competition categories on June 16 at the awards ceremony at New York City restaurant Thalassa. Awards were given in the following competition categories: Feature Film, Short Film, Audio Storytelling, Immersive, Games, Human/Nature, and Tribeca X. “Good Girl Jane” took home the top prize, the Founders’ Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature. Written and directed by Sarah Elizabeth Mintz, the film marked its World Premiere at the festival. “Good Girl Jane” follows a private school dropout teen who falls in love with a charismatic drug dealer. Lead star Rain Spencer also won Best Performance for her turn as Jane. Latvian drama “January (Janvaris)” won Best International Narrative Feature. Written and directed by Viesturs Kairiss it’s about an aspiring filmmaker who tries to find himself amid the Latvian revolution for independence. Documentary “The Cave of Adullam” captured martial arts sensei Jason Wright as he teaches young Detroit students. Directed by Laura Checkoway and produced by Laurence Fishburne, the film won Best Documentary Feature. Narrative feature “Hueseara” writer-director Michelle Garza Cervera was awarded the 10th annual Nora Ephron Award, and Edward Buckles Jr.’s documentary “Katrina Babies” won the new Human/Nature Prize. Overall, the ceremony awarded $165,000 in cash prizes. “Today’s honorees are a testament to the vitality of cinematic storytelling, representing the most exciting achievements across countries, genres, and platforms,” Cara Cusumano, Festival Director and Vice President of Programming, said. “We are proud to recognize such a diverse and innovative group of works and creators with today’s well-deserved award winners.” A special Virtual Award Winner Screenings series will be available for U.S. audiences via Tribeca At Home on Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19. Tickets can be purchased at tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets. Competition winners in the Short Films Category, presented by Meta, are available to stream on the Meta Quest 2 virtual-reality headset as well as the Tribeca page on Facebook through Sunday, June 19. The 2022 Tribeca Festival concludes June 19. In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors, some award winners received the unique Tribeca Festival Art Award. Supported by CHANEL, the world-class artists donated work to honored filmmakers. The winners of the Audience Award, presented by OKX, which are determined by audience votes throughout the Festival, will be announced next week. 2022 Winners and Special Jury Mentions, as selected by the 2022 Festival Jury, are as follows: U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION The Founders’ Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature: Good Girl Jane, (United States) – World Premiere, presented by OKX. Bullied out of private school and at odds with her divorced parents, lonely high schooler Jane spirals out of control after falling in with a hard-partying crowd and becoming smitten with a dangerously charismatic bad boy. Directed and written by Sarah Elizabeth Mintz. Produced by Fred Bernstein, Dominique Telson, Lauren Pratt, Sarah Elizabeth Mintz, Simone Williams. With Rain Spencer, Patrick Gibson, Andie MacDowell, Odessa A’Zion, Olan Prenatt, Eloisa Huggins. The winner receives $20,000. Best Screenplay: Allswell, (United States) – World Premiere. Three Nuyorican sisters navigate the daunting life challenges of single motherhood, career, and family, all while finding humor and solace within the bonds of sisterhood in this absorbing dramedy. Directed and written by Ben Snyder, and written by Elizabeth Rodriguez. Produced by Gia Walsh, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Vince Jolivette, Ben Snyder, Ari Issler, Paul Jarrett, Kara Baker. With Elizabeth Rodriguez, Liza Colon-Zayas, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Felix Solis, Max Cassella, Michael Rispoli, Shirley Rodriguez, MacKenzie Lansing, and J. Cameron Barnett. The winner received $2,500. Best Cinematography: Next Exit, (United States) – World Premiere. In a world where ghosts are real and front-page news, a controversial new medical procedure allows people to peacefully kill themselves. In the midst of this breakthrough, two strangers travel cross country together to end their lives, only to unexpectedly find what they’ve been missing along the way. Directed and written by Mali Elfman. Produced by Derek Bishé, Narineh Hacopian. With Katie Parker, Rahul Kohli, Rose McIver, Karen Gillan, Tongayi Chirisa, Diva Zappa. Best Performance: Rain Spencer in Good Girl Jane, (United States) – World Premiere. Bullied out of private school and at odds with her divorced parents, lonely high schooler Jane spirals out of control after falling in with a hard-partying crowd and becoming smitten with a dangerously charismatic bad boy. Directed and written by Sarah Elizabeth Mintz. Produced by Fred Bernstein, Dominique Telson, Lauren Pratt, Sarah Elizabeth Mintz, Simone Williams. With Rain Spencer, Patrick Gibson, Andie MacDowell, Odessa A’Zion, Olan Prenatt, Eloisa Huggins. Special Jury Mention for Best Performance: Liz Carbel Sierra in God’s Time, (United States) – World Premiere. A heart-racing, NYC-set dark comedy that sees two best bros in recovery for addiction trying to prevent the potential murder of their mutual crush’s ex-boyfriend. Directed and written by Daniel Antebi. Produced by Emily Korteweg, Andrew Hutcheson, Reid Hannaford. With Ben Groh, Dion Costelloe, Liz Caribel Sierra, Jared Abrahamson, Christiane Seidel. INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION Best International Narrative Feature: January (Janvaris), (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland) – World Premiere. An aspiring filmmaker tries to search for who he is against the backdrop of Latvian independence in this dark but dreamy coming-of-age story. Directed by Viesturs Kairiss. Written by Viesturs Kairiss, Andris Feldmanis, Livia Ulman. Produced by Inese Boka-Grūbe, Gints Grūbe. With Kārlis Arnolds Avots, Alise Danovska, Sandis Runge, Baiba Broka, Aleksas Kazanavičius, Juhan Ulfsak. In Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, with English subtitles. The winner received $20,000. Best Screenplay: The Visitor, (Bolivia, Uruguay) – World Premiere. In the atmospheric and visually-compelling drama The Visitor, an ex-convict returns home in search of a new life and a chance to reconnect with his estranged young daughter, only to be met with resistance from his father-in-law – an influential pastor in the Evangelical community in town. Directed by Martín Boulocq. Written by Martín Boulocq, Rodrigo Hasbún. Produced by Andrea Camponovo, Alvaro Olmos. With Enrique Aráoz, César Troncoso, Mirella Pascual, Svet Ailyn Mena, Romel Vargas, Teresa Gutiérrez. In Spanish with English subtitles. The winner received $2,500. Best Cinematography: We Might As Well Be Dead (Wir könnten genauso gut tot sein), (Germany, Romania) – International Premiere. The disappearance of a dog and the sudden isolation of a security guard’s daughter start a bizarre chain of events in an apartment complex obsessed with keeping up appearances. Directed by Natalia Sinelnikova. Written by Natalia Sinelnikova, Viktor Gallandi. Produced by Julia Wagner. With Ioana Iacob, Pola Geiger, Jörg Schüttauf, Şiir Eloğlu, Moritz Jahn, Susanne Wuest, Knut Berger, Mina Özlem Sağdıç. In German, Polish with English subtitles. Best Performance: Dorota Pomykala for Woman on a Roof, (Poland, France, Sweden) – World Premiere. One morning a 60-year-old midwife does something extremely unexpected, which breaks her family and life apart. Inspired by a true story, this is a complex character portrayal told with outstanding cinematic realism. Directed and written by Anna Jadowska. Produced by Maria Blicharska. With Dorota Pomykala, Bogdan Koca, Adam Bobik. In Polish with English subtitles. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION Best Documentary Feature: The Cave of Adullam, (United States) – World Premiere. Living by the mantra ‘it’s easier to raise boys than to repair broken men’, martial arts sensei Jason Wright tenderly guides his often-troubled young Detroit students with a beautifully effective blend of compassion and tough love. Directed by Laura Checkoway. Produced by Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland, Roy Bank, Joe Plummer, Laura Checkoway. With Jason Wilson, Kevin L. Collins Jr., Gabriel Davenport, Daniel White, Tamarkus Williams. The winner receives $20,000. Best Cinematography: The Wild One, (France) – World Premiere. Jack Garfein — Holocaust survivor, theater and film director, key figure in the formation of the Actors Studio — vividly, animatedly, passionately recalls a life where historical tragedy and personal art formed a unique, driving, uncompromising vision. Directed, written, and produced by Tessa Louise-Salomé. With Jack Garfein, Willem Dafoe, Peter Bogdanovich, Irène Jacob, Boby Sotto, Dick Guttman, Blanche Baker, Patricia Bosworth, Foster Hirsch, Geoffrey Horne, Kate Rennebohm. The winner receives $2,500. Best Editing: The Cave of Adullam, (United States) – World Premiere. Living by the mantra ‘it’s easier to raise boys than to repair broken men’, martial arts sensei Jason Wright tenderly guides his often-troubled young Detroit students with a beautifully effective blend of compassion and tough love. Directed by Laura Checkoway. Produced by Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland, Roy Bank, Joe Plummer, Laura Checkoway. With Jason Wilson, Kevin L. Collins Jr., Gabriel Davenport, Daniel White, Tamarkus Williams. The winner receives $2,500. The Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director: Edward Buckles Jr. for Katrina Babies, (United States) – World Premiere. Katrina Babies is a first-person account of the short-term and long-term devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, as told by young people who were between the ages of 3 and 19 when the levees broke. Directed by Edward Buckles Jr.. Written by Edward Buckles Jr., Luther Clement Lam, Audrey Rosenberg. Produced by Edward Buckles Jr., Audrey Rosenberg, Rebecca Teitel. With Miesha Williams, Cierra Chenier, Arnold Burks, Damaris Calliet, Calvin Baxter, Quintina Thomas Green. An HBO Documentary Films release. The winner receives $10,000. Best New Narrative Director: Michelle Garza Cervera for Huesera, (Mexico) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Valeria has long dreamed about becoming a mother. After learning that she’s pregnant, she expects to feel happy, yet something’s off. Nightmarish visions and an unshakeable paranoia have her questioning what she wants, and an ancient evil spirit may be the cause. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera. Written by Michelle Garza Cervera, Abia Castillo. Produced by Paulina Villavicencio, Edher Campos. With Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal, Mayra Batalla, Mercedes Hernández, Aída López, Martha Claudia Moreno. In Spanish with English subtitles. An XYZ release. The winner receives $10,000. Special Jury Mention for Best New Narrative Director: Pink Moon, (Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia) – World Premiere. An adult daughter kidnaps her father, whisking him away to a cabin in the snow, hoping to alter his unexpected announcement that he has had enough of life and will end it by his next birthday. Directed by Floor van der Meulen. Written by Bastiaan Kroeger. Produced by Derk-Jan Warrink and Koji Nelissen. With Julia Akkermans, Johan Leysen, Eelco Smits, Anniek Pheifer, Sinem Kavus. The Nora Ephron Award: Michelle Garza Cervera for Huesera, (Mexico) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Valeria has long dreamed about becoming a mother. After learning that she’s pregnant, she expects to feel happy, yet something’s off. Nightmarish visions and an unshakeable paranoia have her questioning what she wants, and an ancient evil spirit may be the cause. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera. Written by Michelle Garza Cervera, Abia Castillo. Produced by Paulina Villavicencio, Edher Campos. With Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal, Mayra Batalla, Mercedes Hernández, Aída López, Martha Claudia Moreno. In Spanish with English subtitles. An XYZ release. The winner receives $20,000. SHORT FILM Best Narrative Short: Night Ride (Nattrikken), (Norway) – New York Premiere, Short Narrative. It is a cold night in December. As Ebba waits for the tram, an unexpected turn of events transforms the ride home into something she was not expecting. Directed and written by Eirik Tveiten. Produced by Gaute Lid Larssen, Heidi Arnesen. With Sigrid Husjord, Ola Hoemsnes Sandum, Axel Barø Aasen. In Norwegian with English subtitles. The winner receives $5,000. Best Documentary Short: Heart Valley, (UK, Wales) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. Heart Valley follows a day in the life of solitary Welsh shepherd Wilf Davies. Directed by Christian Cargill. Written by Kiran Sidhu. Produced by Christian Cargill, Lily Wakeley, Kiran Sidhu. With Evan Wilf Davies. Special Jury Mention for Best Documentary Short: Stranger at the Gate, (United States) – New York Premiere, Short Documentary. A U.S. Marine plots a terrorist attack on a small-town American mosque. His plan takes an unexpected turn when he comes face-to-face with the people he sets out to kill. Directed by Joshua Seftel. Produced by Mohannad Malas, Suzanne Hillinger, Conall Jones, Jeremy Mack, Anna Rowe, Eric Nichols. With Bibi Bahrami, Dr. Saber Bahrami, Dana McKinney, Emily McKinney, Richard “Mac” McKinney, Jomo Williams. Best Animated Short: More Than I Remember, (United States) – New York Premiere, Short Animation. Fourteen-year-old Mugeni awakes to the sounds of bombs. As her family scatters to the surrounding forests to save themselves, Mugeni finds herself completely alone. Directed by Amy Bench. Written by Mugeni Ornella, Amy Bench, Carolyn Merriman. Produced by Amy Bench, Carolyn Merriman. With Mugeni Ornella. The winner receives $5,000. Student Visionary: Daydreamers, (Belgium) – North American Premiere, Short Narrative. A father and his daughter are very passionate about motorcycles. An eye condition jeopardizes their shared hobby. Directed by Ante Pask. Written by Ante Pask, Emiel van Wouwe. Produced by Ella Bal, Ante Pask.With Jurgen Delnaet, Flo Martens, Robby Cleiren. In Dutch with English subtitles. The winner receives $5,000. AUDIO STORYTELLING Best Audio Storytelling in Nonfiction: Mother Country Radicals. In 1970, Bernardine Dohrn declared war on the United States. Now, her son Zayd tells the story of how she was radicalized, and became the most wanted woman in America. Created by Zayd Ayers Dohrn, executive produced by Zayd Ayers Dohrn, Jon Favreau, Sarah Geismer, Lyra Smith, Alison Falzetta, Misha Euceph, with sound design by Arwen Nicks, Stephanie Cohn, Ariana Gharib Lee, and Misha Euceph, and music by Andy Clausen. Special Jury Mention Best Audio Storytelling in Nonfiction: I Was Never There. Take a trip into the countercultural movements swirling through West Virginia in the 1970s and 80s. Jamie Zelermyer and her mother Karen investigate the shocking disappearance of their friend Marsha “Mudd” Ferber and explore her evolution from suburban housewife to back-to-the-land hippie to drug-dealing bar owner. As mother and daughter venture deeper into the mystery of Marsha’s disappearance, the two process their own history: Jamie reflects on her nontraditional upbringing and Karen reckons with the joyful and complicated consequences of her decisions. Created by Jamie and Karen Zelermeyer, produced by Adesuwa Agbonile, Lindsey Kratochwill, Liz Smith, Alessandra Wollner, edited by Jenny Kaplan and Liz Smith. Executive produced by Jamie Zelermyer, Jenny Kaplan (Wonder Media Network), and Karen Zelermyer, with sound design by Liz Smith. Best Audio Storytelling in Fiction: The Hollowed Out. When a journalist returns to her hometown to investigate a suspicious accident involving a friend, she finds fractured relationships and mysterious rumors about what’s really going on in her town. Created, written, edited, and produced by Brit and Nick Kewin. Starring Stephanie Costa, Carolyn Taylor, Moynan King, Madison Cheeatow, Shomari Downer, Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll, with sound design by Justin Helle. IMMERSIVE Storyscapes Award: Kubo Walks The City, (France, South Korea) – North American Premiere. Seoul, 1934. Korea is under Japanese occupation. Like “ethno-detectives,” viewers follow in the footsteps of Kubo, a Korean writer, in his urban flânerie. Through caricatures that mock the shortcomings of a Korean society emerging from the poverty and archaisms of the past, explore a city recklessly discovering the modernity and prosperity that come with occupation. Directed by Hayoun Kwon and produced by Innerspace VR. The winner receives $10,000. Special Jury Mention for Storyscapes Award: EVOLVER, (United Kingdom, France, United States) – World Premiere. EVOLVER from Marshmallow Laser Feast is a collective virtual reality experience which drops audiences deep inside the landscape of the body, following the flow of oxygen through our branching ecosystem, to a single ‘breathing’ cell. Through this transcendental narrative, it becomes clear that breath not only sparks life, but also connects us to the natural world through the cycle of respiration. Project Creators: Marshmallow Laser Feast, Jonny Greenwood, Meredith Monk, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Howard Skempton. Producers: Nicole Shanahan (Bia-Echo), Edward R. Pressman, and & Sam Pressman (Pressman Film), Terrence Malick (TF Malick Productions), Antoine Cayrol (Atlas V), and Mike Jones (Marshmallow Laser Feast). New Voices Award: LGBTQ + VR Museum, (United Kingdom, Denmark) – North American Premiere. LGBTQ + VR Museum is the world’s first virtual reality museum dedicated to celebrating the stories and artwork of LGBTQ people by preserving queer personal histories. The museum contains 3D scans of touching personal artifacts, from wedding shoes to a teddy bear, chosen by people in the LGBTQ community and accompanied by their stories told in their own words. The in-person version presented at Tribeca is a never-before-seen multiplayer biometric experience controlled by users’ emotions in real-time. Project Creators: Antonia Forster and Thomas Terkildsen. Producer: Albert Millis. GAMES Tribeca Games Award: Thirsty Suitors, (United States) – World Premiere. Jala is a young woman returning home for her sister’s wedding and confronting her past. With wildly varied gameplay, Jala will fight skate punks, random suitors, and ultimately, her exes, in the ultimate battle to heal old hurts and ignite new truths, bringing Jala closer to understanding what she wants from her future. Can she learn to love herself and heal the wounds of her past? Created by Outerloop Games. Published by Annapurna Interactive Special Jury Mention for Tribeca Games Award: Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (United States) – World Premiere. OXENFREE II: Lost Signals is the mind-bending follow-up to the critically-acclaimed narrative adventure game OXENFREE from Night School Studio. In the small coastal town of Camena, unnaturally occurring electromagnetic waves are causing interference with electrical and radio equipment. Reluctantly, Riley Poverly returns to her hometown to investigate the mystery. What she finds is more than she bargained for. Created by Night School Studios. Published by Netflix. HUMAN/NATURE PRIZE HUMAN/NATURE Prize: Katrina Babies, (United States) – World Premiere, presented by Bulleit. Katrina Babies is a first-person account of the short-term and long-term devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, as told by young people who were between the ages of 3 and 19 when the levees broke. Directed by Edward Buckles Jr.. Written by Edward Buckles Jr., Luther Clement Lam, Audrey Rosenberg. Produced by Edward Buckles Jr., Audrey Rosenberg, Rebecca Teitel. With Miesha Williams, Cierra Chenier, Arnold Burks, Damaris Calliet, Calvin Baxter, Quintina Thomas Green. An HBO Documentary Films release. The winner receives $5,000. TRIBECA X Best Feature: The Beauty of Blackness. Brand: Sephora. Agency: Epic Digital, VOX Creative, Digitas, Ventureland. Directors: Kianna Moore and Tiffany Johnson. In 1973, Eunice Johnson, the founder of Ebony and Jet, noticed a problem: Black women had to mix their own foundation in order to find a color that matched their skin. To tackle the problem, Johnson launched Fashion Fair, the first national cosmetics company that focused entirely on Black women. The brand triggered a renaissance in style among Black women and the global cosmetics industry took notice. Now, Fashion Fair is staging its comeback as a Black-owned business in a new era defined by massive cultural shifts and increased competition. The Beauty of Blackness follows current Fashion Fair CEO Desiree Rogers and President Cheryl Mayberry McKissack as they face the massive undertaking that goes into reviving an iconic beauty brand amidst a new cultural context and gives a front-row look to how the industry has changed, and how much progress we still have to make. Best Short: The Comeback. Brand: Apple. Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab Shanghai. Director: Zhang Meng. The story follows a disheartened young stunt double-slash-wannabe director, his father, and a rag-tag crew of villagers as they set out to shoot an out-of-this-world movie in hopes of reviving their fading village and making it “internet famous”. This 23-minute heartwarming story is set to encourage everyone to never stop believing in their dreams, even if that dream is as far aways as Mars. Will they succeed in the end? A multi-genre movie mixes up Hollywood sci-fi, traditional Kung Fu action and nostalgic feel-good comedy, entirely shot on iPhone. Best Episodic: Stories About Helpful People. Brand: Zendesk. Creative Studio: Even/Odd. Directors: Sindha Agha, Erin Brethauer, and Tim Hussin. As a customer support company, everything Zendesk does — from how they build their customer experience software to the way they work with customers, is all about being helpful. It’s the spirit they believe in. “Stories About Helpful People” is a series of mini-documentaries and photo stories. It’s a series intended to inspire the Zendesk community to rally around the spirit of helpfulness. In GOLDEN AGE KARATE, a high school student helps a group of senior citizens get through a vulnerable time, by teaching them karate. In ERIC AND THE BEES, a U.S. military veteran discovers that beekeeping helps him cope with PTSD — and teaches other vets the healing powers of the hive. Best Immersive: Emerging Radiance: Honoring the Nikkei Farmers of Bellevue. Brand: Meta. Creators: Tani Ikeda and Michelle Kumata. Emerging Radiance, directed by Tani Ikeda and illustrated by Michelle Kumata, celebrates the untold stories of Japanese American strawberry farmers who lived in Bellevue from 1920 to 1942. With a hand-painted mural and Spark AR Instagram filters, visitors have the opportunity to meet Toshio Ito, Rae Matsuoka Takekawa, and Mitsuko Hashiguchi, three survivors of the World War II incarceration camps, as they share in their own words their connections to the land before World War II, during incarceration, and post-World War II. Produced by Meta Open Arts. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

Alfonso Soriano doesn’t get a chance to watch many Chicago Cubs games in his Tampa, Fla., home, but he’s seen enough of rookie Christopher Morel to know the rookie has a promising future.“Oh man, I’ve seen him and he’s got a lot of talent,” Soriano said Wednesday while treating his son Allen’s travel league team to a night at his old stomping grounds. “So I hope he can have a great career. He’s shown it already in a few games.”Morel and Soriano are kindred spirits, so it was nice to see Morel introduce himself to the former Cubs star during batting practice at Wrigley Field.But that has been Morel’s M.O. since making his major-league debut May 17 and hitting a home run in his first at-bat at Wrigley Field. He has become the Cubs’ unofficial ambassador, putting the friendly in Friendly Confines.Morel started Wednesday’s game against the San Diego Padres the same way he has all season — by greeting the plate umpire and opposing catcher with a fist bump before leading off the first inning.Most umpires have fist-bumped Morel back, though CB Bucknor declined the other night, giving him a polite nod instead. Morel said it’s a tradition he started in the minors.“Every time I get a chance to say hi to somebody, I do it,” Morel said. “If somebody feels good, then I feel good too.”Chicago Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel warms up to face the San Diego Padres as the sun sets Monday, June 13, 2022 at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)It’s refreshing to watch young players such as Morel come up and enjoy the moment. A major-league career goes by fast, and if a player lets the pressures of the game get to him he can turn bitter at an early age.Soriano knew that and never came to the ballpark in a bad mood, never was affected by fan booing and never hid from reporters when he was in a slump.That’s one reason a few dozen old acquaintances — front office employees, clubhouse workers, reporters and security guards — stopped by the field before Wednesday’s game to say hello to Soriano, who has seldom been back to Wrigley since being traded to the New York Yankees in 2013.Soriano had a job he loved and said he never forgot that.[ [Don't miss] Long rest and a changeup pays off for Kyle Hendricks — but Chicago Cubs bullpen implodes for an 8th straight loss ]“I used to be blessed to have the talent to play,” he said. “Why would I ever be mad? I played a long time and did something I loved to do. I like when I hear young guys in the game have that mentality and that character, so good for Morel.”The Cubs need Morel now more than ever with the season spiraling downward. They lost their ninth straight Wednesday, falling to Padres 19-5, and have been outscored 61-15 in their last five games. The are in danger of being passed in the National League Central by the lowly Cincinnati Reds, who began the season 3-22.It’s going to be a long season for the Cubs. No one expected much going in, but it has been hard to watch nonetheless. So fans need reasons to keep watching the remaining 100 games, and the Cubs need advertisers for the Marquee Sports Network and people to buy beer and hot dogs at Wrigley during a season going nowhere.Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel drives in two runs with a single in the second inning against the Padres on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel advances to second base on a double in the second inning against the Padres on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Morel and top pitching prospect Caleb Kilian, who was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday to face the Padres, are two kids who can make things interesting. Morel already has sealed a spot on the roster the rest of the way. He started his career by reaching base in a franchise-record 22 straight games while playing solid defense in center field and at second, third and shortstop.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“He’s got some long levers, real power there,” manager David Ross said recently. “Moving him around the field, his skill set, the tools show up daily. He’s still learning some moments. He’s still a kid out there running around high-fiving everybody, and sometimes we need to rein him in in that area.”That would be a shame. Baseball needs players who look like they’re enjoying themselves, and the Cubs have a tradition of exuberant players, from Jose Cardenal to Sammy Sosa, from Soriano to Morel.Morel is starting to get noticed more often as he rides his scooter to the ballpark or stops by the local Starbucks.“Every time that happens I say thank God for this moment,” he said. “It’s super amazing. I think I have a lot of support going on all around me with everything that’s happened. But my responsibility to the team is to focus on baseball, and that’s what I’m doing.”Cubs starting pitcher Caleb Kilian warms up before a game against the Padres on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Kilian, meanwhile, had a rough start Wednesday, throwing 30 pitches in the Padres’ two-run first inning while pitching with a 19-mph wind blowing straight out. He hopes to stick around for a while, but he was called up for his second start only because of injuries to Marcus Stroman, Drew Smyly and Wade Miley. None of the three veteran starters is close to returning, but that doesn’t mean Kilian won’t be sent back to Iowa.“At some point he’ll be in that thing every day as long as he continues to do what he’s been doing,” Ross said, referring to the rotation. “He’s got a really bright future in our eyes. If you go out and do this, you’re never going back down. That’s usually how a major-league player’s tenure happens.”Morel paved the way. Now it’s up to Kilian to follow in his footsteps.

Baseball

For our return to Glastonbury festival – after far too long away thanks to the pandemic – the Guardian is taking over a whole stage each morning for a series of conversation events with three of our favourite artists, and we want to ask them your questions.Taking place at William’s Green from 10.20-11am, on Friday I’ll be speaking to Sleaford Mods (both of them, that is), and on Saturday, Alexis Petridis speaks to Self Esteem.Closing out the talk series on Sunday is Angélique Kidjo, speaking to Kate Hutchinson. Kidjo is appearing twice at the festival, playing a solo set on Sunday from 8pm on the West Holts stage, and another set with her supergroup Les Amazones D’Afrique, opening the Pyramid stage at noon on Saturday.Hailing from Benin, Kidjo, 61, has one of the most enduring international careers of any west African musician, stretching back to her teens in the late 70s. Her breakthrough came after moving to Paris and signing to Island Records, scoring a hit with her 1991 album Logozo. Her next record was made at Prince’s Paisley Park studio complex, and more and more global collaborators came into her orbit: Carlos Santana, Gilberto Gil, Alicia Keys and Peter Gabriel among them. Her covers of Talking Heads songs are live favourites, and after 18 albums, she is Africa’s joint most-celebrated artist at the Grammys, with five wins.She is always such a forthright and uplifting person to speak to, telling the Guardian last year: “Music for me is like a language; it’s such a powerful, transformative thing and we share it and add to it. I’ve never let any boundary stop me from being creative and taking music further.”Ahead of her appearance, post your questions for Kidjo below, and if you’re going to Glastonbury, please join us for the conversation in person. If you’re not, we’ll be publishing a full account of the conversation the following week.

Music

Courtesy of IMDbWhat does Austin Butler’s voice sound like? If you’d never seen a video of or tuned into an interview with him before he devoted his entire life to his titular role in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic Elvis, you’d be hard pressed to know. Luhrmann has said that he only recently found out, but he seems to be alone in that discovery: The 30-year-old actor—who has repeatedly demonstrated his habit of slipping into the late icon’s voice for months—doesn’t even know himself. “At this point, I keep asking people, ‘Is this my voice?’ because this feels like my real…,” he told Entertainment Tonight over the weekend. “It’s one of those things where certain things trigger it and other times as well it’s, I don’t know. When you live with something for two years, and you do nothing else, I think that you can't help it. It becomes a fiber of your being.”Butler claims that he was so committed to picking up Elvis’s muscular habits, his mouth changed. That may sound hard to believe, but the actor had already spent so much time perfecting Elvis’s Southern drawl that by the time he first met with Luhrmann about the role, the director was convinced that he was from Texas. (“I was told, ‘Oh no—he’s from Anaheim [in California],’” he recently told the New York Times.) That was just the beginning: Over the course of the next two years, Butler did his utmost to become Elvis incarnate. His already well regarded work ethic was magnified by the fact that he had endless time on his hands, having gotten stuck alone in Australia amid lockdown during filming. He papered his walls with photos of the musician, and spent his days studying and mimicking Elvis’s movements in addition to his voice.Pouring himself into the role came with a cost for Butler. He put so much energy into resurrecting Elvis that his body revolted less than 24 hours after they finished filming. “My body just started shutting down,” he told GQ last month. After being rushed to the hospital, he was bedridden for a week. In the end, though, it just may have been worth it: A Best Actor Oscar win seems all but guaranteed. And if he doesn’t take home the trophy, well, the Academy will have blood on its hands. Lisa Marie Presley—who has repeatedly praised Butler for his portrayal of her late father—has said that if it fails to award him, she’ll “eat [her] foot.”

Movies

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hanks and Wilson, pictured last year, have been married since 1988Tom Hanks has been seen angrily telling fans to "back off" after his wife Rita Wilson tripped while being surrounded as they left a restaurant in New York.The actor is currently promoting his latest film Elvis, in which he plays Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker.While leaving a restaurant and walking to a waiting car on Wednesday, Hanks and Wilson were approached by several fans, who asked for selfies.Hanks is seen shouting at the group after they caused his wife to trip.The footage, which includes strong language, has been uploaded to YouTube.In the video, a security guard is seen clearing the way for Hanks and Wilson to walk through the crowd as they leave the restaurant.Some members of the waiting crowd are seen attempting to take selfies with the pair.But when Wilson trips, apparently a result of being accidentally pushed by some members of the group, she turns and firmly tells one fan to "stop it".Image source, EPAImage caption, Hanks is starring in a new biopic about Elvis Presley, in which he plays manager Colonel Tom ParkerHanks then turns to face the group, puts his hands in the air, and shouts: "[That is] my wife, back the [expletive] off." He looks at the group angrily, before adding: "Knocking over my wife." The pair then leave the scene in a waiting car.Some members of the group immediately apologise, and can be heard saying: "Sorry about that, Tom."BBC News has asked representatives for Hanks, who has been married to Wilson since 1988, for comment.While Hanks did not become physical with any fans, he is the second Hollywood A-lister to publicly come to his wife's defence in recent months, following Will Smith's altercation with Chris Rock at the Oscars.Earlier this week, Hanks gave an interview where he said he would not be able to play his Oscar-winning role in 1993's Philadelphia today.In the film, the actor portrayed a gay man who is dying of Aids. "Let's address 'Could a straight man do what I did in Philadelphia now?'" Hanks said to the New York Times magazine. "No, and rightly so. "The whole point of Philadelphia was don't be afraid. One of the reasons people weren't afraid of that movie is that I was playing a gay man. We're beyond that now, and I don't think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy."

Celebrity

Young Thug Ex-Mgr. Says YSL's Never Been a Gang ... I Can Speak To That!!! 6/16/2022 1:49 PM PT TMZ.com Manny Halley, Young Thug's former manager, has no bad blood with his ex-client -- he wants to see him free again, and firmly believes the system is using "our culture" against hip hop superstars. We chopped it up with Manny Thursday at LAX, where he told us about his time at YSL ... stressing there was never any notion about the company being a gang. He says it feels like law enforcement's using "made-up charges" to take down a successful revenue stream for Black artists. Manny and YSL unceremoniously parted ways back in 2018 after he was awarded a 7-figure settlement from Thug's former business managers ... but he says it's still all love and wants to see Thug and Gunna free as the air outside. Some of what he told us echoes attorney Drew Findling's sentiments about Georgia prosecutors and the RICO charges. 6/12/22 TMZ.com The YSL guys have been getting loads of support from the likes of Chris Brown, Lil Baby, and DJ Khaled. Thug even recorded a message played at last week at Summer Jam to thank fans for their support. As we've reported, Thug, Gunna and co. aren't slated to go to trial until early 2023. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Meanwhile, Manny -- a bigtime player in the music and film industries -- is fresh off graduation from Harvard Business School ... and he told us about his plans to expand into distribution and production opportunities in the near future.

Music

Will the ever-increasing glut of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) eventually claim supercars? Is there even room for exotica in a world full of sensors and onboard artificial intelligence? Ferrari sure seems to think there is.Ferrari on Thursday unveiled its strategic plan from now until 2026. While it's mighty impressive that the Italian automaker intends to unveil 15 new cars over the next several years, including a hypercar and a battery-electric vehicle, it's the mention of conditional autonomy that might be of interest to some."Ferrari will limit the autonomy of its cars to Level 2/Level 2+, in order to preserve all the extraordinary emotions reserved for the driver," the company said in its press release. Level 2 and Level 2+ include ADAS arrays that are capable of controlling the car in certain conditions, but they still require the driver's full attention. This tier of semi-autonomous tech includes GM's Super Cruise, Ford's BlueCruise and Tesla's Autopilot. Ford's and GM's systems only work on stretches of limited-access highway that the respective automakers have already mapped. Ferrari's 296 GTS Is One of the Only Plug-In-Hybrid Drop-Tops See all photos The automaker's current ADAS suite is limited to basic adaptive cruise control, a system that uses radar or cameras to match speed with the vehicle ahead. Most current Level 2 systems are built on a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, so this would be a pretty big step by itself. If it uses something like lidar to improve the system's recognition, that would be an even bigger leap.This statement might very well place Ferrari at the forefront of the exotic-automaker autonomy discussion. Pie-in-the-sky concepts aside, the strongest exotic ADAS suite right now belongs to the Lamborghini Urus, which dove into the VW Group parts bin to incorporate adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and an active parking assistant that works with both parallel and perpendicular parking. Lamborghini's coupes do not currently offer any modern ADAS, although successive generations should change that, according to a CarBuzz report from late 2021. McLaren has dipped its toes into the ADAS arena with the new Artura hybrid, including things like adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning, so we'll likely see similar moves from the British automaker as subsequent models roll out with updated electrical architectures.

Automotive and Transportation

The FIA is to enforce rule changes that prevent the violent bouncing of cars known as porpoising. Formula One’s governing body was prompted into action after a number of drivers spoke out at last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, warning they may end up suffering from long-term health problems if it was not addressed.With many drivers experiencing neck and back pain after Baku, and several noting they found difficulty focusing on braking zones because of the propensity of the bouncing, the FIA has opted to step in under safety grounds, mean their reforms do not require the agreement of the teams.“The FIA has decided to intervene following consultation with its doctors in the interests of safety of the drivers,” they said. “In a sport where the competitors are routinely driving at speeds in excess of 300kmh, it is considered that all of a driver’s concentration needs to be focused on that task and that excessive fatigue or pain experienced by a driver could have significant consequences should it result in a loss of concentration.“In addition, the FIA has concerns in relation to the immediate physical impact on the health of the drivers, a number of whom have reported back pain following recent events.”Porpoising occurs on straights as cars gain and lose downforce from the ground-effect aerodynamics beneath the floor of the vehicle. It is an unexpected side-effect of regulations introduced before the new season with some teams suffering from it more than others. Mercedes are among those to have had problems and in Azerbaijan underwent the worst of the phenomenon thus far. Lewis Hamilton was barely able to climb from his car and his teammate, George Russell, who is director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, was especially outspoken on the need for the FIA to step in. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has also been insistent this is an issue that needs addressing.In Baku, Russell compared it to footballers suffering from cognitive impairment having repeatedly headed a ball. “When they had the massively heavy footballs and there was research done and analysis done that there were health consequences for these chaps who were heading the ball and things were changed,” he said. “F1 is the centre of innovation, there’s no reason why we can’t find a scientific solution for this.”Teams who have not suffered from the problem, such as Red Bull, believe there should not be a rule change because they have gone down a design route with their cars that has left them unable to deal with porpoising. However, drivers have noted that even teams with little porpoising want action, pointing out that the low ride height and stiffness of suspension required under the ground-effect formula produced significant impacts through the body, even without the overt visible bouncing.“The compression, you’re sore and you feel you’re getting squeezed,” said McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. “It’s also the frequency. It’s this shaking of the brain and the spine, I don’t think is good, long-term.“I know George has been very vocal about it. They’ve suffered a lot. And I 100% sympathise with him.”The FIA has taken on drivers’ concerns and stepped in, stating it would begin by examining the under-car planks and skids to determine design and wear. The governing body will also, in consultation with the teams, quantify an acceptable level of “vertical oscillation”, or how much bouncing would be deemed to be within safe parameters.With the current design formula set to last until at least 2025 when new engines are introduced, for the longer term the FIA will hold a meeting with the teams to define measures that will permanently address the phenomenon for the forthcoming years.

Other Sports

Oakland A’s right-hander Paul Blackburn might not have been quite as efficient Thursday as he was in his previous start, which was arguably the best of his Major League career. But Blackburn and the A’s liked the end result a whole lot more, as they ended an otherwise dismal road trip on a positive note. Christian Bethancourt’s two-RBI single came as part of a three-run third inning, as the A’s ended a three-game losing skid with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Chad Pinder also had an RBI single in the third and the A’s tacked on an unearned run in the sixth to help close the nine-game trip through Atlanta, Cleveland, and Boston with a 2-7 record. On June 10 against the Guardians, Blackburn had the longest outing of his big league career, allowing four hits and striking out three in eight shutout innings. The stellar start lowered Blackburn’s road ERA to 0.93, a mark that led the American League before Thursday’s games. But the A’s bullpen blew the game in the bottom of the ninth, allowing three runs in what became a 3-2 Cleveland win. Thursday, Blackburn made some clutch pitches at critical moments to escape a handful of dicey moments. Blackburn stranded two runners in each of the first two innings, getting Alex Verdugo to fly out in the first on a cutter, and Jarren Duran to strike out on a fastball. In the fourth inning, Blackburn got J.D. Martinez to ground out on a first-pitch curveball, as he stranded eight Red Sox runners in the first four innings. The A’s stranded 11 runners through seven innings as they held a 4-1 lead. In the eighth, though, the A’s allowed two unearned runs, courtesy of a throwing error from rookie infielder Jonah Bride. With runners on first and third and two outs, reliever Sam Moll induced a Rafael Devers groundball to third base. But Bride airmailed the throw to first, allowing Rob Refsnyder to score. Then with runners on second and third and Dany Jimenez in the game, Martinez singled to center to cut the A’s lead to one run. Jimenez got the final out to end the threat, then retired the side in order in the ninth. MANFRED SPEAKS: Speaking after an MLB owners meeting in New York, commissioner Rob Manfred said the A’s and Tampa Bay Rays need to reach new ballpark deals soon, leaving open the strong possibility of considering relocation if agreements are not struck. Manfred credited Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who he met with last week, for “moving the process forward.” On June 30, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission is expected to vote on the A’s request to remove port designation from Howard Terminal’s 56 acres, the next step that’s needed to allow development on the parcel. The A’s have continued to explore possible relocation to Las Vegas should they not be allowed to build a ballpark at Howard Terminal. “There is really significant activity in Oakland. The political process has moved along significantly,” Manfred said. “But as you all know, California political processes are their own sort of animal. There’s work to do on the Oakland side. “I think the A’s prudently have continued to pursue the Las Vegas alternative. We like Las Vegas as a market. Again, it’s in the same category as Tampa. We need a solution in both those markets and the time has come for that solution.” PISCOTTY UPDATE: Although outfielder Stephen Piscotty remains without a firm timetable for a return, he will be ramping up his running program this weekend. Kotsay said before Thursday’s game that Piscotty, who’s been out with a calf strain since May 6, will be running the bases Friday and Sunday, and if that goes well, the A’s will be looking at “some form of games” for him. Asked if a rehab assignment might be necessary, Kotsay said he’ll discuss that with Piscotty. “He does have experience coming back from injury and time off,” Kotsay said, “so we’ll discuss that through the weekend.”

Baseball

“Deep Dive” is a in-depth podcast and video essay series with the stars and creative team behind an exceptional piece of filmmaking. For this spring edition, the IndieWire Crafts team partnered with HBO Max to take a closer look at the limited series ”Station Eleven” with creator Patrick Somerville, star Mackenzie Davis, and nine key members of the creative team behind the series finale “Unbroken Circle.” Endings are hard for any television show, but at times the odds of “Station Eleven” pulling off a satisfying conclusion seemed about as low as, well, surviving a global pandemic that wipes out 99 percent of the world’s population. There is an episodic nature to the series: Instead of stringing out one single story over 10 hours, creator Patrick Somerville and team explore the lives of a far-flung ensemble impacted by a deadly flu virus. “Station Eleven” skips freely through time, from the first hours of the flu to the collapse of modern civilization to the beauty of a rewilding world decades into the future. The limited series couldn’t jump around forever, and when the disparate storylines collide, dramatically and physically for the series finale, “Unbroken Circle,” it presented a tremendous challenge for Somerville and his team: How, in just one 60-minute episode, can you pull these threads together to finish the series with a satisfying emotional resolve that’s true to the nuanced character studies and complexity the series spent the first nine episodes establishing? That’s the question associate craft editor Sarah Shachat explores with the “Station Eleven” creative team in the “Deep Dive” podcast: You can listen to the podcast above, or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Overcast. What you’ll learn in the podcast above is the success of the masterful finale was far less about the mechanics of plot, but rather complex emotional resolutions crafted from quiet, distilled, and beautifully simple moments of connection. “Station Eleven” is able to accomplish this, in part, because the big ideas Somerville and the writers were wrestling with as they were adapting novelist Emily St. John Mandel’s book are baked into each aspect of the filmmaking. In the video essays below we examine how this applies to the craft that went into creating The Traveling Symphony, the world-building of Year 20, and the quiet poignancy of Kirsten (Davis) and Jeevan’s (Himesh Patel) emotional reunion. The Traveling Symphony: Creating Visual Magic So much of “Station Eleven” rests on its depiction of roving Shakespeare performers who bring art to small communities of survivors 20 years after a pandemic wiped out civilization. “If the premise of the show was about this group that had kept each other safe by being together, by performing, by making art — but also just by having a community that looks out for each other in the way that the Traveling Symphony does — if that was all what the premise was? It had to pay off in a real way,” Somerville said. “Not just for the small audience gathered around watching at the airport, but for our audience. We had to prove it — that art helps you heal or surprises us with excitement. That a teenager can go wide-eyed at an amazing costume — we had to show it. We had to do it for the show to be the show.” In the video above, you’ll watch Somerville, Davis, production designer Ruth Ammon, costume designer Helen Huang, director Jeremy Podeswa, and writer Sarah McCarron break down the various influences that went into sculpting the theatrical sequences, from how the eye-catching sets and costumes told the story of the Traveling Symphony to the impact theater has on the characters. “When we finally got to do the theater scenes, it was so wonderful to get to see the costumes all together and these Polly Pocket-esque caravans that opened into full theatrical sets and drapes, and you see how that could feed people, when you get to see it all together,” Davis said. “It really felt like it justified this thesis that [members of The Traveling Symphony] would choose this life.” Year 20: Crafting the Look of the Future Being a part of The Traveling Symphony is not easy: The series never shies away from — and shows, in often painstaking detail — the realities of life without the comforts of electricity, retail, or manufacturing. Yet at the same time this was not a bleak post-apocalyptic vision. “’Dystopian’ wasn’t a word we wanted to play with,” explained Podeswa. Somervile said, “We wanted it to be a place of freedom and opportunity. It needed to feel like a place you might want to go.” This meant a great deal of thought went into everything onscreen during the parts of the show set in Year 20, and how it captures the ingenuity and creativity of survivors just trying to make sense of the world. “I just felt like the script was so lively and so full of hope, I wanted them to look organic and utilizing the world around them,” said Huang. “And obviously our world is colorful, and so if they’re using the remnants of this world they are colorful. I wanted the clothes to feel like it’s a time capsule into the things that we’ve lost.” In the video above, watch how Huang, Ammon, and cinematographer Steven Cosens developed the scavenged, home-made, and distinctively non-dystopian look for the show’s civilization-free future. The Reunion: Parting Ways In the end, the series’ emotional arcs resolve with simple moments of two people talking to each other. As McCaron highlighted, the series was about “taking big formal swings,” and “then allowing for really simple, clear emotional moments to live and not have to be overly exposited or justified.” “Station Eleven” very intentionally saves one final conversation for last. Kirsten’s reunion with Jeevan, 20 years and nine episodes worth of flashbacks in the making, could not have been depicted with more intentional simplicity. There’s even a sense of culmination in the fact the show doesn’t need to skip around anymore but can unfold in real time. “I just wanted to follow them… and very discretely travel with them,” Podeswa said. “And then when they land, they land in this perfect place, at this fork in the road. I don’t really reveal the fork until the end. That’s the last big moment when they go off on their separate ways. And I could feel that this is the end of the show.” In the video above, watch how Podeswa, Somerville, Davis, Patel, composer Dan Romer, and editor David Eisenberg collaborated to create such a powerful ending. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

Bird, 41, is a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league.Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm reacts during the second half against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 20, 2022, in Seattle.Steph Chambers / Getty Images fileJune 16, 2022, 5:40 PM UTC / Source: Associated PressSeattle Storm star and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird announced Thursday the 2022 season will be her last playing in the WNBA.The announcement by Bird, 41, ended any speculation about her future; she had acknowledged in February when she re-signed with Seattle that this would likely be her final season. She strongly considered retirement after last season before choosing to return for a 19th season as a player.Bird’s announcement came a day before Seattle’s game at Connecticut. The Storm will close out their road trip on Sunday in New York, about 30 miles from where Bird grew up in Syosset, New York.“As the season has gone, like I said, I pretty much knew, and then once I saw the schedule, and then once I started packing for this trip a little bit, I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be my last time playing in New York. My last time playing in front of my family and friends.’ And so that’s why the timing of this is what it is,” Bird said in a video posted by the Storm on social media.“I just really felt strongly about announcing my retirement, saying it was my last year so I can share that with my family and my friends, all the people in New York who have watched me growing up so they can come and see me play for the last time in my home state. So I’m excited about that. It’s also bittersweet.”Bird is a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league. She has spent her entire WNBA career with Seattle since becoming the No. 1 draft pick in 2002 following her storied college career at UConn. This season is her 21st associated with the franchise although just her 19th playing after missing two seasons due to injuries. She is the league’s all-time leader in assists and the standard by which other point guards are judged.Bird turns 42 in October and was on the cusp of stepping away a year ago, and when the Storm were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the playoffs, fans chanted “One more year! One more year!” as she did an on-court televised interview.Those cheers were egged on by Phoenix’s longtime star Diana Taurasi, Bird’s former college teammate at UConn and part of all five of those Olympic gold-medal runs.In the end, the fans — and Taurasi — got what they wanted. Bird came back, for exactly one more year.“Sue Bird is Storm basketball,” her WNBA team tweeted moments after Bird made her decision known. “Every moment, every memory has one constant. No. 10. It’s time for the final chapter.”

Basketball

Emma Raducanu is expected to miss the Eastbourne International as her race to be fit and free of injury for Wimbledon continues.Raducanu had not initially entered Eastbourne, but after her first scan on the side injury she suffered at the Nottingham Open, she was hopeful of recovering in time to request a wildcard into the final warm-up tournament before Wimbledon. The deadline for requesting a wildcard is Friday and she will make a decision on the morning itself. However it is understood that Raducanu is unlikely make the request.In the opening match of her grass-court season against Viktorija Golubic in Nottingham on 7 June, Raducanu suffered an injury that forced her to retire early in the first set. After the match, she said that she had not entered the match with an issue and it had occurred in the very first game. Raducanu said she would endeavour to remain positive as she believes she is training well and doing everything she can to give herself a chance.In a season that has already been defined by the frequent injuries she has picked up along the way, a grass-court campaign beset by another new injury is an unwelcome obstacle. These weeks were supposed to mark a great homecoming for the 19-year-old in her first matches on home soil since she won the US Open last year.At Queen’s, Ryan Peniston continued his impressive breakout run at as he reached his first career ATP quarter-final in his tour-level debut, recovering from a break down in the final set to outlast Francisco Cerundolo 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 and advance at the ATP 500 event.“I don’t think I will wake up from this any time soon,” said Peniston, who noted that he will unwind by eating the same Italian food he has opted for all week and by watching Love Island. “I took a lot of confidence from the last match and came out all guns blazing. The second set didn’t go to plan because he is a great player. I just managed to fight in the third set and got there.”Ryan Peniston after his victory over Francisco Cerundolo at Queen's. Photograph: Frey/TPN/Getty ImagesPeniston, who is 26 years old but only played his first full season in 2019 after spending his early years competing in college, marked his ATP debut by defeating top seed and French Open finalist Casper Ruud in the opening round. He carried all of that momentum into his second match, breezing through the opening set without dropping a game.After the match had turned and Cerundolo’s greater experience came to the surface, Peniston recovered from a 2-4 third-set deficit, winning the final four games of the match and clinching victory with a bold winning forehand return.Having entered the tournament ranked No 180, Peniston will rise to a new career-high ranking of at least around 145 next week. He will have the chance to continue his quick development at Wimbledon after he received a wildcard. Peniston will face Filip Krajinovic in the quarter-final here on Friday after Krajinovic defeated Sam Querrey 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.“To be honest, I didn’t envisage myself being the last Brit. We have such good players in Britain, but now that I am, I’ll take confidence and just try to keep it rolling,” said Peniston.Rafael Nadal will host a press conference for Friday afternoon in Mallorca, where he has been training on the grass courts since he underwent a radio frequency ablation procedure on his chronically injured foot. Nadal, 36, is likely to announce a decision on his participation at Wimbledon.Serena Williams, meanwhile, touched down in London ahead of her return to competition for the first time since Wimbledon last year. Williams, 40, is currently down to compete at Eastbourne in doubles with Ons Jabeur before returning in singles at Wimbledon.

Tennis

Conductor Riccardo Muti has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an announcement Thursday from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA), so conducting apprentice Lina González-Granados will step in to lead this week’s CSO subscription concerts June 16-18. The program will remain the same with Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto featuring guest violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist.Muti, who is tested daily for COVID, is experiencing mild symptoms, according to the announcement, “and is planning to resume his other June residency activities as soon as possible.” The CSO previously had to cancel a performance in April after Muti tested positive.Next up for the CSO are the anticipated “Muti Conducts Verdi Un ballo in maschera” concerts June 23-28 at Symphony Center.More information at cso.org or by calling patron services at 312-294-3000.dgeorge@chicagotribune.com

Music

From the moment Beyoncé removed the profile photos across her socials, those of us who are tapped into the fandom network instantly knew that it was time to get ready because she was coming.Nearly six years after her last solo album, the award-winning performer announced Thursday that her next project, titled Renaissance, will arrive on July 29, sending fans into a frenzy.Whether it's dropping an entire visual album in the dead of the night or choosing to exclusively host her art on a single platform, if there’s one thing the “Black Parade” singer does well, it’s redefining what the rollout of a project can look like.The coordination around Renaissance is no different. With a month till the arrival of the project billed as "Act 1," the singer’s official site launched four mystery merchandise boxes, and fans did not waste any time securing their own.Olivia Lapeyrolerie, a 29-year-old poet and political consultant from Brooklyn, woke up at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday and saw a post that alerted her to Beyoncé’s return.“I rarely do anything before I have coffee — but this morning the ancestors told me to check IG, and I saw there was some new Beyoncé drop,” she told BuzzFeed News. “I went to her website and bought ‘box one’ with a swiftness that would’ve knocked a wig off.”The website has four boxes labeled “Pose 1” to “Pose 4” for sale, retailing at $39.99. A short description of the boxes indicates that fans will receive a T-shirt with a graphic print of Beyoncé, a physical copy of the album in the form of a CD in a four-panel soft pack, and a 28-page photo booklet, including a mini poster.The T-shirts are inclusively sized, ranging from small to 5XL.Lapeyrolerie shared that she had been a proud member of the Beyhive and felt like she absolutely needed whatever was in the box. She said she was acting “on pure instinct” when she made her early morning purchase.“Once I floated back down to Earth lol, I was like, I guess I now have to procure a CD player to play the CD that comes in the box, but that'll be a purchase for another day,” she said.According to Beyoncé’s website, the artwork and design for the T-shirts will be unveiled at a later date, and the boxes will be shipped starting July 29, upon the album’s release.Despite the mystery around the final product, fans say they’re not worried about potentially being disappointed by what they get.“If it was done by anybody else but Beyoncé, I would be. But she is a creative genius so I'm sure it'll be great,” Lapeyrolerie said. “I have more faith in Beyoncé than the US government; I know this won't be a redo of the COVID at-home test packages.”Lapeyrolerie purchased the Pose 1 box, but said that she was now regretting not going with Pose 4 given the significance of the number to the Knowles-Carter family.Hannah Audifferen, a legal clerk from Atlanta who bought the Beyoncé box after waking up in the middle of the night to get some water and check social media, similarly regretted not choosing the Pose 4 box.“I’ve never bought Beyoncé merch before. She is so secretive in her creative process, I just kinda wanted a piece of this history,” Audifferen told BuzzFeed News.“I chose box two and now I’m thinking I should’ve chosen box four since four is her favorite number,” she added.Audifferen said she had no doubt that the merchandise would be amazing.“I think Beyoncé is too meticulous and calculated to put out a sub-par product, whether it be music or merch,” she said. “She titled the album Renaissance, so I’m sure she’s going to deliver something amazing.”Other Beyoncé megafans like Melanie, from Houston, went all in by purchasing all four mystery boxes a little after 7 a.m.The 32-year-old, who only wished to be identified by her first name, said she wouldn’t dare miss out on an opportunity to own all the merchandise available to commemorate the moment Beyoncé announced new music.“This is the first album we’ve had in years," she said. "A chance for her to give us ass-clapping music that pushes multiple genres forward again. How could I not buy it?”Dejah, a 22-year-old student from Chicago, admitted her purchase was an impulse buy. She had been introduced to Beyoncé’s music as a young child by her mother.“I think the Beyhive is so dedicated because we don’t wanna miss anything,” Dejah said. “We’re in a time where artists don’t really do promo anymore, and I think Beyoncé set the tone even more for that when she spontaneously dropped her self-titled [album] in 2013.”Xavier, a 26-year-old publicist from Brooklyn, was getting ready for bed when he went for a final scroll of his Twitter timeline and saw the album announcement from Tidal. He said he proceeded to scream into his pillow with excitement.“It was 1:30 a.m. I didn’t go to sleep until 3:30 am,” he told BuzzFeed News.Without hesitation, Xavier snapped up a box of the merchandise because in his words, “Better safe than sorry.”His love for Beyonce began as an 8-year-old boy dancing to "Crazy in Love" whenever it played on the television.“Being a fan of hers for so long, I’ve learned that she always delivers high-quality things, merch included,” Xavier said. “One of the worst feelings is missing out on Beyoncé’s greatness. I have zero clue what to expect except for the CD and the shirt, but I’m secretly hoping one of my boxes has the FWT (Formation World Tour) DVD.”As a fan who has previously purchased her merchandise, Xavier said that he had yet to be disappointed by what the singer offered.Even in the midst of financial insecurity and the rising cost of living, the price of fandom was something that all her fans agreed that they were happy to pay.“[Beyoncé’s] paid her dues,” Xavier said. "She’s been strategic with her artistry and has been able to mostly control how her art is put out to the world and the subjects she chooses to discuss. As fans, we respect that."

Music

Ana de Armas may not wear an actual dress of Marilyn Monroe’s in “Blonde,” but she does a good job of filling her shoes.That’s based on the first trailer for the upcoming Netflix biopic about the iconic sex symbol, released on Thursday.The “official teaser” shows de Armas channeling some of Monroe’s most famous moments, including her rendition of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”However, de Armas is not seen singing “Happy Birthday” to John F. Kennedy.Ana de Armas plays Marilyn Monroe in this scene from "Blonde."NetflixThe film’s synopsis describes it as a bold reimagination of the life of “one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons,” from a volatile childhood as Norma Jeane Mortenson, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements.De Armas told Netflix Queue that director Andrew Dominik told her he wanted the world “to experience what it actually felt like to not only be Marilyn, but also Norma Jeane.”She added, “I found that to be the most daring, unapologetic, and feminist take on her story that I had ever seen.”The film is based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name. De Armas said she prepared for the role by studying “hundreds of photographs, videos, audio recordings, films — anything I could get my hands on.” Every scene in the film is inspired by an existing photograph, and de Armas said she and Dominik would pore over every detail in each photo and debate what was happening in it. “The first question was always, ‘What was Norma Jeane feeling here?’ We wanted to tell the human side of her story. Fame is what made Marilyn the most visible person in the world, but it also made Norma the most invisible.”Ana de Armas as Marilyn MonroeNetflixThe NC-17 film debuts on the streaming platform Sept. 23, and Dominik told Vulture that it has “something in it to offend everyone.”You can see the trailer below.

Movies

Celebrity | 6/16/2022 10:23 AM PT The 18-year-old opens up about expanding the family Looks like the Kardashians and the Barkers have embraced each other with open arms. During an interview with E! News, Travis Barker's son and Kourtney Kardashian's new stepson, Landon Barker, spoke about the couple's Italian wedding and gushed about his new family members. "She's amazing," the 18-year-old admitted. "I love Kourt so much. I love expanding the family. It was great to go out there and see my dad super happy with his new wife. It was honestly amazing. It was all a beautiful experience." Landon elaborated on the festivities and commented on how the extended families were able to show out for the occasion with their rose-themed Dolce & Gabbana wedding attire. Although nobody planned to match, the young musician liked how the family appeared unified through fashion. Getty These Celebs Went All Out With Themed Wedding Ceremonies View Story "It worked out very well and it was actually unplanned. I totally did not know everybody else was going to wear roses that night and then we pull up and we're all in roses,” he laughed. “I was like, 'Hell yeah.'" Kourtney and Travis said "I do" at L'Olivetta, a villa owned by Dolce & Gabbana in Portofino, Italy on Sunday with their closest friends and family for the third time. Back in April, the newlyweds exchanged their vows in an unofficial ceremony in a Las Vegas chapel after the Grammy Awards. Earlier this month, Barker and the Poosh founder made headlines when they legally tied the knot at a Santa Barbara courthouse. It turns out the only member of the Kardashian-Jenner family present at the nuptials was her grandmother, Mary Jo "MJ" Campbell as well as Barker's father, per TMZ. Getty Gwyneth Paltrow And Kourtney Kardashian Bond Over Second Marriages View Story Drama over the engagement was featured in an episode of "The Kardashians" when Travis proposed to Kourtney in Santa Barbara, and assembled nearly the entire Kardashian clan and his children Landon, Alabama and Atiana to be there to celebrate with them after Kourtney said yes. Scott later revealed that the kids "were upset" they were excluded from the celebrations, and told Khloe Kardashian that they "didn't understand why they were watching TikToks of his kids there and they weren't there."

Celebrity

A volley from Rachel Daly and two own goals ensured England eventually eased past Belgium in the first of their three pre-Euros friendlies.Their manager, Sarina Wiegman, has demanded ruthlessness from the Lionesses since taking charge in the summer but at Molineux she was forced to rely on her substitutes to inject the cutting edge into the team after a frustrating first half.Chloe Kelly’s deflected strike and Daly’s impressive goal were the difference in the second half, before Leah Williamson’s shot ricocheted down off the crossbar and in off the back of the goalkeeper, Nicky Evrard.There were few surprises in Sarina Wiegman’s starting XI. The Arsenal centre-back Lotte Wubben-Moy lined up alongside Millie Bright in defence, with Alex Greenwood still being eased back in after having Covid and Jess Carter working her way to full fitness after a heavy season. Georgia Stanway, who recently joined Bayern Munich from Manchester City, was given the nod ahead of Fran Kirby and Ella Toone at No 10.With that position providing the only real question mark ahead of England’s opening game of the Euros at Old Trafford on 6 July, it was interesting to see the Arsenal defender Williamson striding forward to swap places with Stanway or play alongside her, with the manager exploring her options beyond the expected trio of Stanway, Kirby and Toone.Wiegman had warned that Belgium would be tough opponents, despite the 12 places separating them in the Fifa rankings. “Belgium has developed a lot and is also going to the Euros,” she said. “They can do a couple of things. They can play a little opportune, but they also want to play a possession game and they have good players. I think it’s going to be a competitive game and what we want is competitive games.”Belgium open Group D of the Euros against Iceland at the Manchester City Academy Stadium, with Italy and France completing their group.In the previous meeting between England and Belgium in August 2019, Phil Neville’s team threw away a two-goal lead and were reliant on a 75th-minute Nikita Parris penalty to salvage a 3-3 draw in the team’s first game after the third place play-off defeat to Sweden at the World Cup. Nevertheless, for a team hopeful of winning a major tournament, Belgium, a side they have not lost to in 10 games since 1980, should be small fry.Chloe Kelly after her shot was deflected past the Belgium goalkeeper to give England the lead. Photograph: REX/ShutterstockAt half-time the stats told a story of dominance. The Lionesses had enjoyed 66% possession and 14 shots on goal. Yet they struggled to find the ruthlessness that had seen them score 72 goals in 11 games under Wiegman prior to kick-off.Lucy Bronze caused problems for Davina Philtjens and Marie Minnaert on the right and got the ball into the box a handful of times, but her crosses lacked accuracy. Evrard did well to tip away Ellen White’s header from close range after Beth Mead’s cross. The 27-year-old also pushed aside a near-post effort from Lauren Hemps after a mazy run on the left, and was then saved by the defender Sari Kees, who denied England’s captain, Williamson, a first goal with the armband on by clearing off the line after she had clipped the ball over the keeper.On the captain’s other arm, and every England player’s, was a black band worn in tribute to Wiegman’s sister after her recent passing.Wiegman and her counterpart, Ives Serneels, were clearly frustrated with the slightly stale first half and switched things up at the break. Daly came on for Demi Stokes at left-back, Greenwood replaced Wubben-Moy and Kelly took the place of Mead. The Belgium defenders Kees and Laura De Neve made way for Amber Tysiak and the midfielder Charlotte Tison.Beth England and Kirby would also join the fray with an hour gone as Wiegman searched for the key to unlock the organised Belgium defence.Unfortunately for Belgium, England’s key would be the foot of the substitute Tysiak, who deflected Kelly’s strike in at the near post after the winger had collected Bronze’s pass and skated into the box.Sign up to our new women’s football newsletterThe crowd of 9,598, an underwhelming number for a friendly building up to a home tournament, breathed a collective sigh of relief as the ball hit the back of the net. England were rewarded for their patience with a cleaner goal not long after: a corner pinballed around the box before falling to Daly near the penalty spot, and the versatile Houston Dash forward volleyed in to extend her side’s lead.Williamson did not get on the scoresheet herself but played a big part in England’s final goal. The ball rebounded to her feet after Evrard had pushed away the substitute Nikita Parris’s header from a corner, and the midfielder powered a shot down off the crossbar which deflected off the back of the keeper and in.

Soccer

For the second time in FIFA World Cup history and the first since 1994, the tournament is coming to the United States. And after playing host to six World Cup games nearly three decades ago, the Bay Area was once again selected to host games during soccer’s premier world tournament in 2026. FIFA revealed Thursday that Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, will be one of 16 venues across the United States, Canada and Mexico to host World Cup games in 2026. The 2026 World Cup is the largest in the tournament’s history as it will feature 48 teams, a significant increase from the 32 teams that secured bids to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which begins in November. Stanford Stadium was the site of World Cup games back in 1994 after it edged out Candlestick Park as a host site because of baseball season. Of the six games played in Palo Alto, one was a round of 16 and another was a quarterfinal game. At the time, Stanford Stadium held a capacity of 84,147 at the time. Back then, soccer was a growing sport in the United States as Major League Soccer didn’t debut until 1998. Stanford Stadium also hosted games during the 1999 Women’s World Cup, which ended at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena where San Jose native Brandi Chastain scored a title-clinching goal in a shootout against China. The Bay Area 2026 Host Committee, a non-profit organization operated by the 49ers, led the bid to make Levi’s Stadium a host site.

Soccer

Lin, who made history as the first player of Taiwanese descent in the NBA, said he hopes the program can help more children in the Asian diaspora to be proud of their identities. Jeremy Lin, member of the 2019 NBA champions Toronto Raptors, opened a basketball school in Toronto, on June 11, 2022.Steve Russell / Toronto Star via Getty ImagesJune 16, 2022, 6:48 PM UTCFormer NBA point guard Jeremy Lin is launching a basketball school with the aim of motivating the next generation of young ballers of Asian descent. Lin returned to the Toronto area — home of the Raptors, with whom he won the 2019 NBA championship — to make the announcement at a local basketball clinic this past weekend. Lin, who partnered with the Canadian Chinese Youth Athletic Association, will be opening several programs in Toronto later this year. The school will serve children ages 3 to 16, according to the Toronto Star. The point guard, who made history as the first player of Taiwanese descent in the NBA, said he hopes the program, aimed at those of Asian descent, can inspire more kids to be proud of their identities. “I’m passionate about players becoming better at basketball but I’m also probably even more passionate about Asian American kids growing up with confidence, with self-esteem, being proud to be Asian, which was something that I wasn’t growing up,” Lin told The Raptors Show. Jeremy Lin, member of the 2019 NBA champions Toronto Raptors, opened a basketball school in Toronto, on June 11, 2022.Steve Russell / Toronto Star via Getty ImagesThe basketball school aims to teach values and lessons that are applicable both on and off the court, according to a social media post from the Canadian Chinese Youth Athletic Association. And Lin told the Raptors Show that the curriculum will include everything from shooting hoops to character development and communication.Lin’s announcement follows the 10-year anniversary of his meteoric ascent across more than two dozen games in the 2012 NBA season known as “Linsanity.” The point guard previously told NBC Asian America that while the moment triggered a palpable movement of pride among the Asian diaspora, his one “big regret” is not having doing more to advocate for the community that stood firmly behind him.“I was just so focused on playing well in the next game, I wasn’t so tuned into what everybody else was saying,” he had said. “There was a lack of understanding of what that moment meant and I feel like, because of that … I wasn’t able to say more and do more with my platform off the court that I wish I could have done and should have done.”Jeremy Lin, member of the 2019 NBA champions Toronto Raptors, opened a basketball school in Toronto, on June 11, 2022.Steve Russell / Toronto Star via Getty ImagesLin said that much of his understanding of identity was framed by experiences he had in his early years. There were times when fans would hurl insults about his eyes or shout names of Chinese takeout dishes at him during games. “I just wanted to be recognized for being a great basketball player. I was so tired of, from literally age 8 until Linsanity, it was always, ‘Oh, he’s a good basketball player, but he’s Asian.’ … And so I was trying to run from that tag,” he said. But Lin told the Star that while he may not have fully grasped his reach in the past, he’s committed to using the platform to uplift the community now. “Maybe I could have done more and should have done more, but now I am trying to do more,” he said. “I think this school is a part of it.” Kimmy Yam is a reporter for NBC Asian America.

Basketball

Published June 16, 2022 4:32PM DALLAS - The DFW Metroplex has been named as one of the hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. When Dallas put in its bid to become a World Cup host city, it teamed up with multiple cities in the region, providing AT&T Stadium in Arlington for matches, Toyota Stadium in Frisco, the Cotton Bowl, Fair Park, and Globe Life Field for training areas. MORE: FIFA World Cup Coverage The FIFA World Cup Trophy at the official award ceremony after the final match between France and Croatia at FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 at Luzhniki Stadium; France won 4-2. Denis Tyrin/TASS (Photo by Denis TyrinTASS via Getty Images) The last time Dallas hosted a World Cup match was a quarterfinal match in 1994 at the Cotton Bowl. The goal is for North Texas to get as many matches as possible, with multiple matches resulting in thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in revenue for the area. We won't know how many matches the region will host until next year. Dallas is also bidding for the International Broadcast Center at Fair Park, something Dallas had in 1994, as well as the central referee location.

Soccer

Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Harry Styles is performing around the UK as part of his world tourHarry Styles' first teacher has said she felt "very emotional" after he paid tribute to her at a concert in front of 70,000 fans. The music star stopped his Old Trafford cricket ground gig on Wednesday to give Mrs Vernon a shout out.He thanked all of his "truly wonderful" teachers from Hermitage Primary School in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire.Ann Vernon, who has since been trending on Twitter, said: "It meant an awful lot."She was not at the concert herself, but his Year One teacher Mrs Bailey was, and she was shown on the big screen as fans cheered. Styles dedicated a song to all of his teachers and thanked them "from the bottom of my heart". Mrs Vernon, who taught a four-year-old Styles, said Mrs Bailey "rang and told me what had happened and sent me a little clip of it and it was just so touching, so amazing, so lovely"."As a teacher, you remember all of the children that you've taught, all of them are amazing in their own way," Mrs Vernon told BBC Radio Manchester. Image caption, Ann Vernon says Harry Styles was "a delight" when she taught himShe said: "Harry obviously has gone on to mega, mega things - everybody at Hermitage is just so, so proud of him."She remembered him as "a delight", adding: "He had a cheeky sparkle in his eye, he was a little bit of a tinker some of the time but he was a character so that's for sure, we all remember him."Styles also mentioned his Year Two teacher Ms Wilson at the concert. Media caption, Fans travel from the US and Europe and camp out for days to see Harry Styles in concert.Mrs Vernon, who is due to retire, said: "It's very emotional, I was very, very touched by it, all of the teachers who he spoke about are."It is incredible what he's done and the fact that he did that message for me last night as I retire, it means so, so much so yeah very emotional."Some of those waiting to see the musician at the stadium, near Manchester, had travelled from as far afield as the United States and Spain, while others camped out since Monday in the hope of securing a good spot in the crowd. The 28-year-old star rose to fame on the ITV series X Factor as part of the band One Direction.He kicked off his latest world tour earlier this month, soon after his third solo album, Harry's House, went straight to number one in the UK in its first week.Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk

Music

Courtesy of NetflixAfter months of mystery, our first look at the controversial Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde is finally here. Based on the 2000 novel by Joyce Carol Oates, the Netflix project stars Ana de Armas as the late icon in the years before her death at just 36 in 1962. As director Andrew Dominik promised, the film explores the divide between the confident sex symbol she was in public and the lonely, tortured woman she actually was behind the scenes. And according to Oates, the director nailed it: “[Blonde is startling, brilliant, very disturbing and perhaps most surprisingly an utterly 'feminist' interpretation,” she tweeted after seeing the rough cut in 2020. “Not sure that any male director has ever achieved anything [like] this.”The teaser begins with de Armas as Monroe crying as she begs a makeup artist not to abandon her. She looks nearly as distressed when the clip cuts to a cop pushing her through a horde of clamoring fans and photographers. We next see her in her familiar cheery, confident mode as de Armas recreates two iconic Marilyn moments: the Seven Year Itch (1954) scene that finds her dress billowing above a subway grate, and her performance of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. (In case there was any doubt, de Armas recently assured W that she’s most definitely dripping in diamonds in Blonde.) Out of sight from the public, though, Monroe is going through enough personal turmoil to have to practice her laugh and grin.We have yet to get a look at Adrien Brody as Arthur Miller, the playwright who was Monroe’s third and final husband, nor any of the reasons why, in a first for Netflix, the film was rated NC-17. More sneak peeks are guaranteed to be in store (and hot tip: There’ll be no better place to find them than the ultra-tuned-in stan account Ana de Armas Updates). But for now, the minute-long teaser will have to do. Ahead of Blonde’s September 23 release, take your first look at de Armas as Monroe below.

Movies

The Warriors have a chance tonight to secure their fourth NBA championship in eight years. They won’t receive it from NBA commissioner Adam Silver if they close out the Celtics in six games, though. Silver has been in the NBA’s COVID protocols since before Game 5 Monday in San Francisco. The league has not specified whether he has tested positive or is a close contact of someone who’s tested positive. In Silver’s stead, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum will present the Larry O’Brien Trophy to the Warriors, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Golden State leads the NBA Finals 3-2 heading into Thursday night’s game in Boston. A Celtics win in Game 6 would buy Silver three more days to get healthy in time to present the trophy to whichever team wins Game 7 Sunday night at Chase Center. VAN GUNDY DEFENDS JACKSON Ex-Warriors coach Mark Jackson has been the frequent subject of criticism by Golden State fans since Steve Kerr took over for Jackson and the Warriors went to five NBA Finals in his first five years. There were also some more serious allegations leveled against Jackson last month via reporting from Ethan Strauss. In a radio interview Wednesday, former NBA coach and current ESPN color commentator Jeff Van Gundy, who works alongside Jackson, defended his broadcast partner after “As a friend and as a basketball person, I’m frankly quite tired of the slander that gets put out by some of the media members that goes unquestioned by some of the Warrior people who very well may be behind it,” Van Gundy said. The former coach of the Knicks and Rockets was quick to point out that he has great respect for Steve Kerr, too, noting that he admires “the humility and the respect that both have shown to each other” since Kerr took over and Jackson began working as a commentator. As for a prediction on tonight’s game coached by Kerr? “I thought Boston would win in five, then when that didn’t come through I thought Boston would win in six. So the best thing for Warrior fans is when I pick Boston because I’m never right — like literally never. So I will say it’ll go to Game 7, which should be absolute music to the ears of every Warriors fan.” 3 KEYS TONIGHT Take it away: Much has been made of the Celtics’ turnover woes — and with good reason: They are 1-7 this postseason when they turn the ball over 16 or more times. They’re 13-2 with 15 or fewer giveaways. Boston turned the ball over 18 times in Game 5. But a less obvious statistical outlier was Golden State’s seven turnovers, roughly half as many as they have averaged throughout the regular season when their mark of 14.3 turnovers per game were second-worst in the NBA, and the playoffs (13.7). Helping hand: The Warriors got major contributions from Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II and Jordan Poole in Game 5. But they’ll need someone to step up on the road in Game 6. Every Warriors rotation player aside from Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney is averaging fewer points in Boston this series than in San Francisco. Looney likely won’t be the third-leading scorer for the Warriors, so who will hit shots to help out the Splash Brothers in enemy territory? Stay cool: TD Garden was an intense environment in Games 3 and 4 of this series. That intensity will only increase for a potential elimination game. The Celtics have shown they are susceptible to collapsing under pressure, but the Warriors are relying on a good number of players who haven’t played in a game like this before, even if the stars have. Golden State hasn’t closed out a team on the first attempt yet in this postseason. It also hasn’t had to play in a Game 7. One of those trends will end tonight.

Basketball

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (WABC) -- FIFA has selected New York/New Jersey as one of the 16 cities that will host World Cup games in the summer of 2026.This is breaking news. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.Nearly two dozen cities are vying to host World Cup games when the world's marquee sporting event takes over North America in the summer of 2026, and MetLife Stadium is considered to be one of the favorites.The big announcement is coming Thursday afternoon, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and New York City Mayor Eric Adams were out ahead of the event promoting our area as the obvious choice to host the World Cup final."We're a team," Adams said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "Those who are soccer fans, the governor is the striker. I'm the goalie. We are going to win the game for us. This is a perfect combination. And when you look at all of the locations that FIFA is looking at, we really represent the global approach to this. We are the most diversified region on the entire globe. Many of the fan base in other cities are located here, they're expatriates. So this is a perfect combination for us."MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 as a replacement for Giants Stadium, and both the New York Jets and New York Giants play home games at the venue, which has a seating capacity of about 87,000. Met Life Stadium also hosted the 2014 Super Bowl."It's very much New York City and New Jersey," Murphy said. "We believe we've got the most passion for the game, the biggest stars, the biggest economies. The combination of New York City and New Jersey is an unbeatable combo. We think we've got it all. A great stadium in MetLife. All that goes with the glamor and the pizzazz of New York City alongside the character and grit of New Jersey. We think, the mayor and I, that we're an unbeatable duo."The previous stadium hosted several matches at the 1994 World Cup and the 1999 Women's World Cup.It is the first time the tournament will be hosted by three nations, with the U.S. set to host 60 matches, including the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the final. Canada and Mexico will each host 10 matches.The tournament will be the first to include 48 teams, expanded from 32.There are 23 venues bidding to host soccer matches at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, including 17 in 16 U.S. cities.A World Cup final would eclipse even the Super Bowl in world attention and prestige, and flood the region with soccer fans from around the globeWhile it would be an economic boon for the area, there would also be added strain on local police, roadways and mass transit.Here's a look at the 23 venues bidding to host soccer matches at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada:ARLINGTON, TEXASAT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, is the largest venue in the NFL. The stadium, which opened in 2009, has a retractable roof and an artificial surface. Its capacity is about 93,000, but the stadium set an attendance record of more than 105,000 for an NFL game the year it opened. It also hosted the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. The nearby city of Dallas hosted games at the 1994 World Cup at the Cotton Bowl.ATLANTAMercedes-Benz Stadium is one of three NFL-MLS venues. The Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United both play home matches at the stadium, which opened in 2017 and seats about 75,000. The stadium has a retractable roof and an artificial surface. It was set to host college basketball's Final Four in 2020, which was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.BALTIMOREM&T Bank Stadium is another NFL stadium, hosting games for the Baltimore Ravens. The stadium opened in 1998, seats about 71,000 and has a grass surface. Baltimore is about 40 miles from Washington, which hosted matches at the 1994 World Cup at RFK Stadium.CINCINNATIOne of only three NFL stadiums not named after a sponsor, Paul Brown Stadium is the home of the Cincinnati Bengals. The stadium is named after Bengals founder Paul Brown, who had previously founded the Cleveland Browns. Brown died in 1991. The stadium opened in 2000 and has a seating capacity of about 67,000 with an artificial surface.DENVERFrom football to soccer to rugby league, Empower Field at Mile High has hosted it all. The venue, which replaced the old Mile high Stadium, opened in 2001 and has a capacity of about 77,000 with a grass surface. It is the home stadium of the Denver Broncos but also has hosted Gold Cup and Nations League matches in the CONCACAF region. In 2018, England beat New Zealand 36-18 in a rugby league match.EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEYJust across the Hudson River from New York, MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 as a replacement for Giants Stadium. Both the New York Jets and New York Giants play NFL games at the venue, which has a seating capacity of about 87,000 and has an artificial surface. The previous stadium hosted several matches at the 1994 World Cup and the 1999 Women's World Cup.EDMONTON, ALBERTACommonwealth Stadium opened in 1978, only a few weeks before Edmonton hosted the Commonwealth Games. The stadium has a seating capacity of about 56,000. It is the home stadium of the CFL's Edmonton Elks. It has an artificial surface. The stadium hosted matches at the 2015 Women's World Cup and also served as the venue for the 2001 track and field world championships.FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTSThe Boston suburb of Foxborough hosted games at the 1994 World Cup, but Gillette Stadium is a different venue, built near the old Foxboro Stadium. The new venue opened in 2002 and has a seating capacity of about 70,000. The stadium, which has an artificial surface, hosts home games in football for the New England Patriots and in soccer for the New England Revolution. The town is about 30 miles south of Boston and 21 miles north of Providence, Rhode Island.GUADALAJARA, MEXICOUsed mostly for soccer, the Estadio Akron opened in 2010 and hosted the Copa Libertadores finals that year and the opening ceremony of the Pan American Games in 2011. Mexican soccer club Chivas plays its home matches at the venue, which has a capacity of about 48,000 and a grass surface. The city hosted matches at both the 1970 and 1986 World Cups, but at a different stadium.HOUSTONNRG Stadium hosts football, soccer and even some rodeo. The stadium, which opened in 2002, is the home of the Houston Texans and has staged World Cup qualifying matches for the United States. But it also serves as a home venue for some Mexican national team friendlies. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also is held annually at the stadium, which has a seating capacity of about 72,000 and an artificial surface. Its retractable roof and air conditioning will be important given the area's summer heat and humidity.INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIAThe city of Los Angeles has two candidates for the World Cup and one of them is the newest on the list, SoFi Stadium. Built on the site of the Hollywood Park RaceTrack and opened in 2020, the stadium hosts both the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers of the NFL. It has a seating capacity of about 70,000, an artificial surface and a fixed roof.KANSAS CITY, MISSOURIArrowhead Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The stadium opened in 1972 and has been renovated several times, last in 2010. The seating capacity is about 76,000, making it the sixth-largest NFL stadium. The stadium is famous for its noise records, with opposing teams sometimes struggling to communicate because of the racket. It has a grass surface.MEXICO CITYEstadio Azteca became the first stadium to host two World Cup finals when Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 in the 1986 title match. It previously hosted the final for the 1970 tournament, when Brazil defeated Italy 4-1 - with Pelé scoring the first goal. Perhaps even more famous was the 1986 quarterfinal match at the stadium between Argentina and England, when Diego Maradona scored a goal by punching the ball into the net. The stadium opened in 1966 and has a capacity of about 87,000 with a grass surface. The venue's record attendance for soccer, however, is said to be 119,853.MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDALocated in suburban Miami, Hard Rock Stadium hosts both NFL and college football games. The Miami Dolphins and the University of Miami both play at the venue, which has a seating capacity of about 67,000, a grass surface and a roof that covers spectators but is open over the field. The stadium opened in 1987 and also hosts tennis tournaments.MONTERREY, MEXICOOne of the newer stadiums in contention, Estadio BBVA opened in 2015 and has a grass surface. Mexican club Monterrey plays it home matches at the stadium. Seating capacity is about 53,000. Three matches at the 1986 World Cup were held in Monterrey, but at Estadio Tecnológico.NASHVILLE, TENNESSEENissan Stadium has some experience with soccer. The stadium hosted group matches during the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup and has also been the venue for World Cup qualifiers. The stadium opened in 1999 and has a capacity of about 70,000. It has a grass surface and also serves as the home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans, who have started planning for a new stadium.ORLANDO, FLORIDAThe proposed venue in Orlando has World Cup experience. Then known as the Citrus Bowl, the 65,000-seat stadium hosted matches at the 1994 World Cup. Olympic soccer matches were also played at the stadium two years later, when nearby Atlanta hosted the 1996 Games. The stadium opened in 1936 and has been expanded several times. It has an artificial surface.PASADENA, CALIFORNIAThe second candidate in Los Angeles is among the most famous stadiums in the world. The Rose Bowl hosted the 1994 World Cup final when Brazil beat Italy on penalties. Perhaps even more famous was the final of the 1999 Women's World Cup, when Brandi Chastain scored the winning penalty kick for the United States against China and then took off her shirt in celebration. The stadium, which has a capacity of about 88,000 and a grass surface, has hosted many other events since opening in 1922, including cycling at the 1932 Olympics.PHILADELPHIALincoln Financial Field opened in 2003, and its first event was a soccer match between Manchester United and Barcelona. The stadium serves as the home venue for the Philadelphia Eagles and Temple University. The 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final was played at the stadium, with Mexico beating Jamaica 3-1. The stadium seats nearly 70,000 spectators and has an artificial surface.SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIALocated about 40 miles south of San Francisco, Levi's Stadium opened in 2014 and has hosted several major football games since, including the Super Bowl in 2016. It serves as the home stadium of the San Francisco 49ers. The stadium has a capacity of about 71,000 and a grass surface.SEATTLELumen Field is the home stadium of two professional soccer teams and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. The stadium, which opened in 2002 and has a capacity of about 69,000, hosts the Seattle Sounders of MLS and the OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network records shaking in the stadium caused by the crowd. The stadium has an artificial surface.TORONTOBMO Field is the home of the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL and Toronto FC of MLS. Originally constructed as a soccer venue, it has hosted several international events since opening in 2007, including under-20 World Cup games for both men and women and rugby matches. In 2010, it became the first venue outside the United States to host the MLS Cup. The stadium also hosted matches for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. It has a capacity of about 28,000 and a hybrid surface, and the bid envisions an expansion to about 45,000.VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIAOpened in 1983, BC Place has served as the home of the BC Lions of the CFL since its inauguration. The stadium also hosts home games for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS. The stadium has a capacity of about 54,000 and was last renovated in 2011. It has an artificial surface.(The Associated Press contributed to this report)----------* Get Eyewitness News Delivered * Follow us on YouTube * More local news* Send us a news tip* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alertsSubmit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Copyright © 2022 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Soccer

Fifa has announced the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.The US will host 60 of the 80 matches in the tournament, including every game from the quarter-final onwards. Canada and Mexico will host 10 matches each.The cities were announced in Western, Eastern and Central zones at a ceremony in New York on Thursday.The cities from the West are Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Guadalajara.In the Central zone the venues were named as Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Monterey and Mexico City. The Eastern zone hosts are New York/New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami and Toronto.The tournament will be the first World Cup to include 48 teams, expanding from its current capacity of 32.Mexico’s famous Azteca stadium hosted the 1986 World Cup, and will do so again in 2026. Photograph: Action Images/Action Images/ReutersUS cities and states lined up with tax breaks and millions of dollars in both public and private investments for a chance at hosting matches in 2026. Fifa’s calls for tax breaks and other funding assistance led cities including Minneapolis, Chicago and Glendale, Arizona, to drop out of the running in 2018.Lawmakers and city officials elsewhere appear more willing to make concessions. The Republican governors of Georgia and Florida in May signed legislation eliminating sales taxes on tickets for World matches. Missouri lawmakers sent similar legislation to Republican governor Mike Parson last month. All three of those states ended up as host cities.A US Soccer study said hosting World Cup matches could bring in up to $620m for cities. However, some experts have cast doubt on the economic benefits of hosting large sporting events.

Soccer

Muti tested positive for the virus in April, which forced him to miss five performances. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] Riccardo Muti will not be conducting this weekend’s concerts at Symphony Center after testing positive for COVID-19. It is the second time he has missed performances due to the virus. Todd Rosenberg Photography Maestro Riccardo Muti will miss Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts Thursday through Saturday due to a positive COVID test result on Thursday.This is the second time Muti has been sidelined by the virus, which forced him to miss five performances in April. Per CSO COVID protocols, Muti tests daily for the virus.Stepping in for Muti at Symphony Center on Thursday night (as was the case in April) will be Georg Solti conducting apprentice Lina González-Granados. Georg Solti conducting apprentice Lina González-Granados will lead the CSO in this weekend’s concert series at Symphony Center. © Todd Rosenberg Photography The program for the concerts will remain the same, featuring Brahms’ Symphony No. 1, and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto featuring violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist.According to the official statement, Muti “is experiencing mild symptoms, is in good spirits, and is planning to resume his other June residency activities as soon as possible.” Muti’s next scheduled performance is June 23. Ticketholders can contact Symphony Center patron services at (312) 294-3000 for more information. It’s not just that Eberflus wants his players to be quicker — though, of course, he does — as much as he wants his players to know that there’s a standard he will measure them against. By Patrick Finley [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] The Cubs lost 6-3 to the Padres in the series finale Thursday at Wrigley Field. By Maddie Lee [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] From cornerback Kyler Gordon to safety Jaquan Brisker to wide receiver Velus Jones to left tackle Braxton Jones, rookies already are getting a prime chance to play in 2022 — and coach Matt Eberflus is looking for more. By Mark Potash [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] The child was crossing 16th Street from the mouth of one alley to another, between Homan and Christiana, when a driver struck him, authorities said. By David Struett [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] Imagine what Chicago police officers on the ground are missing when a helicopter is not up in the city. By Letters to the Editor [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]

Music

The Whyte Review covered a 12-year period up to August 2020Warning: This article contains some description of graphic injuries and abuse.Issues of physical and emotional abuse within gymnastics in Britain were "systemic", an independent investigation has found.The Whyte Review, co-commissioned by UK Sport and Sport England, was released on Thursday and found gymnast wellbeing and welfare "has not been at the centre of British Gymnastics' culture".Athletes were made to train on injuries, punished for needing the toilet, sat on by coaches, shouted and sworn at and had their bags searched for food.The review said the difficulties now facing British Gymnastics, the sport's national governing body, are "borne of inadequate practice and procedure", and reflect a culture which was the product of "the way in which people behaved and were allowed to behave".There was a sense, it added, that British Gymnastics had "not only failed to prevent or limit such behaviours but had condoned some of them in the pursuit of national and international competitive success".The former chief executive of British Gymnastics, Jane Allen, who retired in December 2020, was criticised in the report for a "lack of leadership" and an "organisational failure to appreciate the central importance of athlete welfare".In a statement, she said she was "deeply sorry I didn't do more for everyone - especially the athletes - to feel supported, able to speak up and heard".The Whyte Review was commissioned in 2020 following allegations of abuse and mistreatment within gymnastics in Britain.UK Sport and Sport England said they "welcomed" the report and "accepted and endorsed" its recommendations - adding gymnastics' continued funding will "depend on its new leadership teams making significant changes to the sport" in the timeline set out in the Whyte Review.British Gymnastics said it wanted to "wholeheartedly apologise" to gymnasts who had suffered and that it would "not shy away from doing what is needed".In addition to her 17 recommendations, Anne Whyte QC said a sports ombudsman would be "an obvious step in the right direction".She also stipulated that the British Gymnastics board publish details of its progress in complying with her recommendations at six, 12 and 24-month intervals, with the expectation that "most if not all of them" are implemented within two years.In the report, Whyte said: "I hope that the findings in this report will allow the gymnast community to feel that the failures of the past have been publicly recognised and enable the sport to move forward and make positive changes."She added: "I am confident that the sport of gymnastics is already undergoing change for the good."Welsh Gymnastics appoints safeguarding adviserWhat did the review find?The review, which focused on the period from August 2008 to August 2020, received more than 400 submissions, including 133 from current and former gymnasts, and conducted 190 interviews.Of those 400-plus submissions:More than 40% described physically abusive behaviour towards gymnasts by coaches, including physical chastisement, inappropriate training on injury, overstretching to the point of distress and withholding food, water and access to the toilet.More than 50% reported an element of emotional abuse by coaches, such as swearing, name calling, use of belittling language and gaslighting.Some 30 submissions included allegations of sexual abuse, such as sexual assault, sexual remarks, inappropriate touching and kissing as a punishment.More than 25% included reference to excessive weight management.The review states the "vast majority" of reports about physically and emotionally abusive behaviour related to female gymnasts, and such behaviour was more prevalent at the elite end of the sport.On weight management, it said "the tyranny of the scales was coach-led and quite unnecessary".No individual coaches were named in the report, in which Whyte said the scale of emotional abuse was "far larger than British Gymnastics had appreciated".During the 12-year period covered by the review - during which British Gymnastics received more than £38m in UK Sport funding - the governing body received approximately 3,800 complaints.The review also pointed to the recruitment of coaches from, or from countries influenced by, the former Soviet Union, whose "technical skill and experience was sometimes accompanied by an attitude to the gymnast which was autocratic and dismissive and left athletes feeling like commodities".What were some of the examples given of abuse?Anecdotes from submissions include:One former elite gymnast described being made to stand on the beam for two hours because she was frightened to attempt a skill. Some gymnasts were strapped to bars for extended periods of time while others were made to climb the rope because they needed the toilet or exceeded a break time.One gymnast was deliberately dropped from equipment and dragged across the gym floor by their arms, while others were pressured to train on injuries, including broken bones.One gymnast recalls at the age of seven being sat on by a coach, while a parent reported two coaches at once pushing their child's legs down into a split. An international competitor recalled their coach sitting on a gymnast's back, forcing their hips into the floor and then lifting up their knee.Verbal comments made to gymnasts included that they were "a waste of space", "a joke" and "pathetic" - while in relation to excessive weight management, comments included "you look like a whale", "you look like you have a beer belly", and "your thighs are disgusting".Some coaches went to damaging length to control what gymnasts ate and weighed. Gymnasts had their weights publicly announced, were told to send photographs to prove they had lost weight, and had their lunch packs and bags searched for food. Gymnasts would hide food, including in ceiling tiles, and were told "not to eat grapes" because "they are the highest-fat fruit".As a result, a "significant" number of gymnasts developed dysfunctional relationships with food, weight and body image, and reports of purging were not uncommon in the submissions. Whyte said the "unacceptable culture" described in the report "will not be fully eradicated until the national and international leadership within the sport publicly recognise its existence".What are the recommendations?Recommendations to British Gymnastics focus on four key areas: safeguarding and welfare, complaints handling, standards and educations, and governance and oversight.The recommendations include:All club owners and managers should have mandatory safeguarding training, and high-performance gymnasts should have access to an independent disclosure service and dedicated welfare officer outside their club.British Gymnastics must have a fit-for-purpose case management system that covers number and nature of complaints, and must ensure all welfare-related complaints about employed coaches are independently investigated.The organisation should appoint a director of education and increase its direct contact with registered clubs.British Gymnastics must appoint independent board members with relevant expertise.What have the governing bodies said?A joint statement from UK Sport and Sport England said: "The gymnasts' experiences shared in this review are harrowing and distressing to read. No-one in sport should ever be subjected to such abuse."We want to publicly acknowledge and thank all of those who were courageous in coming forward. Your voices are heard. You have played a vital part in fundamentally shaping the future of gymnastics in Britain, to help make it safe and inclusive for future generations to come."Duty of care to athletes and participants is the responsibility of national governing bodies. British Gymnastics clearly fell short of this."At this time, our intention is to continue to fund British Gymnastics, as we believe that withdrawing funding would not only prevent them from implementing the vital changes outlined in the report but also negatively impact on the support to and wellbeing of gymnasts now. "However, we are clear that continued funding for British Gymnastics will depend on its new leadership team making significant changes to the sport, to the timelines set out in the report's recommendations."British Gymnastics' chief executive Sarah Powell, who has been in the post since October, said gymnasts' experiences as detailed in the review were "not acceptable" and she found the report "emotional" reading.She said it was a "watershed moment" for not just gymnastics, but safeguarding across all sports."Gymnastics will be different because of the bravery of the gymnasts who stood up," she said.In a statement, she said: "British Gymnastics accepts all of the recommendations and key findings. We will not shy away from doing what is needed."I want to wholeheartedly apologise to the gymnasts who have suffered as a result of us not working to the standards we set ourselves. We are sorry."She added: "Let me be clear; there is no place for abuse of any kind in our sport and coaching standards of the past will not be those of the future. "We will build a new culture and ensure the gymnast's voice is at the heart of all we do. We will change gymnastics for the better."Why was the review commissioned?UK Sport and Sport England commissioned the independent review - led by Anne Whyte QC - in July 2020 after allegations of mistreatment in gymnastics. The review formally began the following month.The review assessed whether:Gymnasts' wellbeing and welfare is (and has been) at the centre of the culture of British Gymnastics, its registered clubs and member coaches and if not, why not.Safeguarding concerns and complaints have been dealt with appropriately in the sport of gymnastics and if not, why not.Gymnasts, or their parents, carers or guardians, have felt unable to raise complaints with appropriate authorities and if so, why.The review also investigated the "nature and volume of complaints received by British Gymnastics", the governing body's approach to resolving the complaints, and its culture and practices.How did we get here?The Whyte Review report did not mention individual coaches or athletes.July 2020: Nicole Pavier is among a number of gymnasts to make the first allegations of a "culture of fear" within the "mentally and emotionally abusive" sport of gymnastics.Olympians Becky and Ellie Downie say abusive behaviour in gymnastics training became "ingrained" and "completely normalised", while then-British Gymnastics chief executive Jane Allen says she is "appalled and ashamed" by the allegations.Olympic bronze medallist Amy Tinkler criticises British Gymnastics for the time it has taken to investigate a formal complaint she made in 2019.A helpline is launched by the NSPCC and British Athletes Commission to support gymnasts. It receives more than 120 calls in its first five weeks.August 2020: The Whyte Review is formally started.Pavier's former coach, Claire Barbieri, is suspended, while British Gymnastics' head national coach Amanda Reddin steps aside after allegations are made against her. Both denied the allegations made against them.Olympic bronze medallist Nile Wilson alleges gymnasts are "treated like pieces of meat".September 2020: Two further coaches - Helen Potter and Rory Weavers - are temporarily suspended pending investigation. Both denied the allegations made against them.October 2020: British Gymnastics chief executive Allen announces she will retire in December.November 2020: British Gymnastics sets up an independent complaints process to oversee allegations of mistreatment by athletes.February 2021: A group of 17 start legal action against British Gymnastics. A further 20 later join the group claim.June 2021: Sarah Powell is named British Gymnastics chief executive, and says she is "under no illusions about the scale of change needed" to improve the culture at the organisation.August 2021: British Gymnastics chairman Mike Darcey apologises to the gymnastics community for failing to act on allegations of mistreatment.April 2022: BBC Sport reveals leading coach Liz Kincaid was pulled from Great Britain's coaching squad just weeks before the Tokyo Olympics after a serious allegation was made against her. She denied wrongdoing.May 2022: National head coach Reddin steps down from her position with immediate effect. Previous claims against her were not upheld and her suspension was lifted, but another independent investigation is ongoing into "further historical complaints".June 2022: BBC Sport reveals ex-acrobatic gymnast Eloise Jotischky is the first to win a civil case against British Gymnastics for the abuse she experienced in the sport, with the organisation admitting full liability.The Whyte Review is published.If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, there is information and support available on BBC Action Line.

Other Sports

Curtis Stone has lofty ambitions for his Knox Henderson fine dining restaurant. The celebrity chef and restaurateur wants Georgie to be the best restaurant in Dallas, and it might have a decent shot at establishing such stature. After all, Stone did secure a Michelin star at his Los Angeles tasting menu restaurant Maude, and received high acclaim for his second meat-centric restaurant and butcher shop Gwen in Hollywood, of which Georgie is closely modeled after.Georgie, which opened in late 2019 along with its adjoining butcher shop, has the makings of a mainstay in Dallas’ culinary canon, even if Michelin stars aren’t handed out in Texas. It has good service from attentive staff, a sleek interior of warm wood and velvet that invites you in to sit down and stay a while, a loyal following, and consistent and memorable food going for it. And it doesn’t hurt that it has Stone’s name and pedigree attached.It may seem odd that an Australian-born, California-living celebrity chef opened a restaurant in Dallas, but a chance encounter with local restaurateur Stephan Courseau led Stone to pursue the idea. Courseau, who owns Le Bilboquet and Knox Bistro, approached Stone while dining at Gwen several years ago and made the case that the concept would be well-suited for Dallas. Stone, who hadn’t spent much time in North Texas, took his word for it and they laid plans to open Georgie.Related:Where is one of Dallas’ best chefs, Bruno Davaillon? At new restaurant Knox BistroThe dining room of Georgie by Curtis Stone awaits guests on Monday, May 23, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. “It’s an exciting time for restaurants in Dallas” says Melbourne native Chef Curtis Stone. (Rebecca Slezak / Staff Photographer)“I don’t think I would have done it on my own because it’s a big investment of time and you really do need to understand the market,” Stone said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News on a recent visit to Dallas. “I think what Stephan brings to the table is incredible hospitality and wonderful knowledge of the front of house, and we bring the kitchen, so it’s a really good marriage.”Stone has spent little time at Georgie since its pre-pandemic opening, but he says he plans to be around more often now that travel has opened back up. Even still, the amount of time someone with his schedule (he’s on the newest season of Iron Chef, for example) can realistically spend at a restaurant in a city they don’t live in is minimal, especially considering his ambitions for Georgie.But that’s why he has Christian Dortch. Dortch, Georgie’s executive chef, trained under Stone as a sous chef at Maude and climbed up the ranks over the past decade, which led him to leave Los Angeles for Dallas in the summer of 2020.Stone tasked Dortch with leading Georgie the way he would — with tedious perfectionism, a commitment to local produce, and unflinching consistency. Like Stone, Dortch is competitive and confident, and speaks with a certain bravado that comes from cutting one’s teeth in high-pressure kitchens. He too wants Georgie to be the best restaurant in Dallas, if not Texas, and he’s matter-of-fact about his thoughts on the city’s culinary sphere.Chef Christian Dortch pose for a portrait inside Georgie by Curtis Stone on Monday, May 23, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. “I like cooking for the clientele (in Dallas)” says Chef Christian Dortch. Chef Curtis Stone has been a mentor for Chef Christian Dortch. The two chefs have worked together in collaboration developing the menu at the restaurant. (Rebecca Slezak / Staff Photographer)“[Dallas] is obviously a city that is coming up in the food scene. I think in three years this will be a major, major food city. That’s my prediction,” he says. He adds that, for a while, Dallas chefs were all “in the same bubble,” so the food “became very similar” across top restaurants.That’s changing now, Dortch said, and Dallas’ restaurant landscape is becoming more competitive because of it.Stone said with the restaurant industry largely back on track in the wake of the pandemic, things are “better than ever,” and that goes for Dallas, too.“I think the restaurant scene was a little over-saturated, if I’m being honest,” he said. “Some didn’t make it through the pandemic, so I think we’ve gone back to a normal balance of supply and demand, and good restaurants — really good restaurants — are really busy, and that’s what you want.”Related:Dallas’ most heartbreaking restaurant closures of 2021Georgie’s menu, which Dortch and Stone collaborate closely and frequently on, draws consistent crowds and plays to the Texan penchant for red meat while folding in classics like rack of lamb and roasted chicken with potato pave. There’s also a $275 tomahawk steak for those who are into that kind of thing. But the two dishes diners keep coming back for are the Blackmore wagyu flown in from Australia and the Spanish turbot, which has a deep golden crust of gruyere and is served in a velouté.“That’s a dish that I’ve cooked for 20 years,” Stone said, “and it’s one of the dishes that Marco Pierre White did a version of where I learned that technique of making the crust. ... It’s just one of those absolute classic dishes where everyone who tries it says, ‘Holy crap, that’s delicious.’”An unexpected treasure on Georgie’s menu isn’t actually on the menu at all. It’s a stecca bread served with imported Burro Salato 1889 that’s sprinkled with a little fleur de sel. It’s handed out gratis as diners wait for their meals, but the bread, a sort of amalgam between a baguette and olive-oil laden focaccia, has cemented itself as a favorite amongst Georgie’s regulars.Like many restaurants that opened shortly before or during the height of the pandemic, Georgie is finally fully operating the way it was intended to, and Stone and Dortch are focused on sustaining their momentum. Nearly three years in, they said they’re even more in tune with how Dallas diners (who Stone says are “brutally honest”) want to dine and they continue to make tweaks and menu additions accordingly, like making the turbot a permanent fixture and incorporating hyper-seasonal dishes.“It’s an exciting time for restaurants in Dallas, and to be a diner in Dallas right now is awesome,” Stone said. “When we opened Georgie, we said we want to be the best restaurant in Dallas. We want to be a restaurant people love coming to and speak fondly of. We want to be an institution here that goes on for a very long time, and we just want to keep innovating and making delicious food.”Georgie is located at 4514 Travis Street, Suite 132, Dallas, TX 75205.Related:55 Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants that are new, coming soon or relocating

Celebrity

Paul Pogba leaves Manchester United for a second time this month after the end of his big-money six year contract at Old Trafford, once more exiting on a free transfer after a turbulent time at the clubAfter a turbulent second spell, Paul Pogba leaves Man Utd on a free transfer againPaul Pogba says he wants to show Manchester United that they made a mistake by letting him go... after accusing them of bluffing over a new contract offer. The World Cup winner, who joined United for a then-world record £89million in August 2016, is leaving United on a free transfer when his contract expires on June 30. It will be the second time the Frenchman, now 29, has left Old Trafford on a free transfer. While much was made of Pogba’s return to the club when he arrived back from Juventus six years ago, he failed to stamp his authority on the club. Despite helping Les Bleus to World Cup glory in 2018, the only silverware he picked up in Manchester were the Europa League and League Cup in 2017, under Jose Mourinho. Pogba, speaking in his new Amazon Prime documentary named The Pogmentary , said: “My thought process is to show Manchester (United) that they made a mistake in waiting to give me a contract. And to show other clubs that Manchester had made a mistake in not offering me a contract.” United twice made the Frenchman offers to extend his deal, with offers worth more than his £290k-a-week deal. Paul Pogba doesn't believe Manchester United wanted to keep him In his documentary, Pogba is seen on holiday in Miami in July 2021, Pogba is seen speaking to his late agent, Mino Raiola, on the phone, where his frustration and disillusionment with the club hierarchy becomes clear. “Paul, you are in a situation which is very particular,” says Raiola. “You have no idea. You have no idea .” Pogba responds: “Did Manchester (United) make a second offer?" “Yes. They absolutely want you to stay," confirms Raiola. "[But] For me, the offer doesn’t reflect that. I told them, ‘If you want him to stay, don’t make that offer’. I will make them understand that if they really want you to stay and they want to build a project around you, this time they have to act differently and put the money on the table.” “They’re bluffing,” accuses Pogba. “How can you tell a player you absolutely want him and offer him nothing? Never seen that.” *The Pogmentary launches exclusively on Prime Video worldwide on June 17 Read More Read More

Soccer

Fifa has announced the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.The US will host 60 of the 80 matches in the tournament, including every game from the quarter-final onwards. Canada and Mexico will host 10 matches each.The cities were announced in Western, Eastern and Central zones at a ceremony in New York on Thursday.The cities from the West are Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Guadalajara.In the Central zone the venues were named as Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Monterey and Mexico City. The Eastern zone hosts are New York/New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami and Toronto.The tournament will be the first World Cup to include 48 teams, expanding from its current capacity of 32. Fifa has yet to announce which of the venues will host matches in the knockout stages. Mexico’s famous Azteca stadium hosted the 1986 World Cup, and will do so again in 2026. Photograph: Action Images/Action Images/ReutersUS cities and states lined up with tax breaks and millions of dollars in both public and private investments for a chance at hosting matches in 2026. Fifa’s calls for tax breaks and other funding assistance led cities including Minneapolis, Chicago and Glendale, Arizona, to drop out of the running in 2018.Lawmakers and city officials elsewhere appear more willing to make concessions. The Republican governors of Georgia and Florida in May signed legislation eliminating sales taxes on tickets for World matches. Missouri lawmakers sent similar legislation to Republican governor Mike Parson last month. All three of those states ended up as host cities.A US Soccer study said hosting World Cup matches could bring in up to $620m for cities. However, some experts have cast doubt on the economic benefits of hosting large sporting events.

Soccer

The more Amber Heard talks and tries to explain herself, the more she’s making it hard for many people to sympathize with or believe her, if they ever did. This message became clear Thursday through statements from one of the jurors in her blockbuster defamation trial with Johnny Depp, and from PR experts who responded negatively to clips of her interview with “Today” show’s Savannah Guthrie, during which she’s “unlikely to change a lot of minds,” It sounds like the juror and PR experts would partially agree with Heard’s own assessment of herself to Guthrie, that she’s not a “good” or “likable victim.” They would definitely say that Heard didn’t make a “good” witness during the trial, and probably would say she wasn’t “likable,” although some might balk at characterizing her as a “victim.” .@SavannahGuthrie: "There's a text message where Johnny promises total global humiliation for you. Do you feel like that came true?" Amber Heard: " … I asked the jury to just see me as human and hear his own words, which is a promise to do this. It feels as though he has." pic.twitter.com/iQuH82OcMI — TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 15, 2022 In an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, the anonymous male juror explained how Heard’s statements and demeanor on the stand ultimately swayed them to side with Depp, whom she alleged physically, emotionally and sexually abused her during their 15-month marriage. EXCLUSIVE: A juror in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial said what the jury concluded was "they were both abusive to each other" but Heard’s team failed to prove Depp’s abuse was physical. https://t.co/Ax4SMZUq2J pic.twitter.com/EMiMeqh5pn — Good Morning America (@GMA) June 16, 2022 The juror said the seven member panel — five men and two women — thought that Heard’s often emotional testimony “didn’t add up.” It led a majority of the jurors to believe that the “Aquaman” star was the “aggressor” in the relationship. “The crying, the facial expressions that she had, the staring at the jury — all of us were very uncomfortable,” the juror told ABC. “She would answer one question and she would be crying and then two seconds later she would turn ice cold … Some of us used the expression ‘crocodile tears.’” The jury concluded that Heard defamed Depp when she published a 2018 Washington Post op-ed that described herself as a domestic violence survivor. The jury awarded the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star $15 million, although they also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages after finding she was defamed by Depp’s ex-attorney, Adam Waldman, who had described her abuse claims as a “hoax.” As the juror told Good Morning America, ​​”Ultimately, what I think is truthful was that they were both abusive to each other.” Neither of the ex-spouses was “right or wrong,” the juror said, but “to rise to the level of what she was claiming, there wasn’t enough or any evidence that really supported what she was saying.” Actor Johnny Depp arrives at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool photo via AP) Evelyn Hockstein/Pool photo via AP During the trial, Heard detailed more than a dozen alleged assaults, including a fight in Australia in which Depp lost the tip of his middle finger and Heard said he sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle. Depp said he never hit Heard, and alleged she was the abuser. However, Heard’s attorneys also presented years-old text messages Depp sent apologizing to Heard for his behavior as well as texts he sent to a friend in which the star said he wanted to kill his ex-wife and defile her dead body. According to the juror, the issue that really made them question Heard’s credibility had nothing to do with the back-and-forth abuse allegations. Rather it had to do with Heard’s admission during the trial that she had not donated all of her $7 million divorce settlement to charity, despite repeated public claims to the contrary. Following the couple’s 2016 divorce, Heard let it be known that she never wanted Depp’s money, which is why she said she was giving all her money away. “She goes on a talk show in the U.K,” the juror said. “The video shows her sitting there telling the host that she gave all that money away, and the terms she used in that video clip were, ‘I gave it away,’ ‘I donated it,’ ‘It’s gone,’ but the fact is she didn’t give much of it away at all.” Heard came across as “disingenuous” in her efforts to say that her “pledge” to give away the money was “synonymous” with “donating” it, the juror said. In her interview with Guthrie, Heard doubled-down to say that a pledge is “made over time.” She then despaired how so much of the trial “was meant to cast aspersions on who I am as a human” and to “call me a liar in any way you can.” EXCLUSIVE: @SavannahGuthrie asks Amber Heard about her pledge to donate $7 million of her divorce settlement and if her statements about the money "raised questions of [Heard's] credibility with the jury." pic.twitter.com/3V2aBGxyAI — TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 15, 2022 Experts in public relations and crisis management agree that Heard didn’t come off as credible during the trial. In a story published Thursday by Insider, these experts also said she was not helping herself with her first post-trial interview, which NBC plans to air on “Dataline” Friday night as part of an hour-long special. From the preview clips aired so far, it doesn’t appear that Heard will acknowledge the reasons that the jury reportedly didn’t find her credible, Juda Engelmayer, president of New York City-based HeraldPR, told Insider. While Heard acknowledged she didn’t come across as “likable” or the “perfect victim,” she insisted that she still deserved to be believed. She also criticized the role that social media played in the six-week trial, which she said subjected her to days of vicious online “hate and vitriol.” “You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair,” Heard told Guthrie. While Heard said she didn’t “blame” the jury for the verdict, she also suggested that they sided with Depp because “he’s a beloved character and people feel they know him.” The juror insisted to Good Morning America that “social media did not impact us. We followed the evidence.” He also said jurors were not influenced by Depp’s star persona. “None of us were really fans of either one of them,” the juror said. If the jurors were inclined to believe Depp over Heard, it wasn’t because he’s a bigger star or because he’s “a fantastic actor,” as Heard said. It’s because he was simply “more believable,” the juror said. “He just seemed a little more real in terms of how he was responding to questions,” the juror said. “His emotional state was very stable throughout,” Evan Nierman, CEO of Florida-based Red Banyan PR, told Insider that Heard may have felt compelled to do the interview because she “lost so decisively in court” and needed to “push her side of the story.” Unfortunately, for Heard, “I don’t think anyone’s really buying it and I think it’s unlikely to change a lot of minds,” Nierman told Insider. He also said she should never have positioned herself as a representative of the #MeToo movement by writing the op-ed, “before she had the facts on her side.” NIerman also said he doesn’t see how Heard’s career can recover. “I think her career was going to be damaged before the trial got underway and the longer it went on and the verdict that was reached basically put a nail in the coffin of her acting career,” Nierman said.

Celebrity

Camille Saint-Saëns composed 13 operas, but only one of them, Samson et Dalila, is now part of the regular repertory. However, during the composer’s lifetime at least, Henry VIII, first seen in Paris in 1883, rivalled Samson’s popularity; there were performances across Europe, and even though it has only been staged a handful of times since Saint-Saëns’s death in 1921, it remains the most often performed of his other operas.The libretto is based on Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s play La Cisma de Inglaterra (The Schism in England), though Saint-Saëns and his librettists also incorporated incidents and characters from Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. The action focuses on the English king’s determination to divorce Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn, and the split with the Roman church that provoked, though Calderón introduced another dramatic element with the Spanish ambassador Don Gómez de Feria’s love for Anne, and Catherine’s efforts to protect her rival from Henry’s jealousy. In many ways Catherine, who dies at the end of the opera, is more obviously the central character than the king, and she is certainly its most sympathetic figure.Saint-Saëns: Henry VIII album cover. Photograph: Odyssey recordsBefore the Paris premiere and for subsequent performances, Saint-Saëns’s original score was quite drastically cut and revised. But this recording is based on a concert performance given by Odyssey Opera in Boston, Massachusetts in 2019, using Hugh MacDonald’s restoration of the complete 1883 score, some of which had never been heard before. In this form, Henry VIII is a work of truly epic proportions, with more than 220 minutes of music; it could be described as Wagnerian in ambition, except that, even though he used musical leitmotifs to define the protagonists, the conservative Saint-Saëns’s approach to opera was far removed from that of Wagner, and owed much more to the world of Meyerbeer and the grand-opera tradition of mid-19th-century Paris.One can imagine some of the music seeming more vivid and engaging with bigger, more lustrous voices than those in the cast assembled by Odyssey Opera. But with the baritone Michael Chioldi as the king, soprano Ellie Dehn as Catherine and mezzo Hilary Ginther as Anne, all the major roles are very capably sung, while the scale and grandeur of the work’s set pieces – the finale to the first act, the ballet of the second and the synod scene of the third – are certainly conveyed under conductor Gil Rose. Seekers of operatic rarities shouldn’t hesitate.

Music

FIFA announced Thursday that Gillette Stadium will serve as one of the 16 venues to host the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2026.It will mark the second time Foxborough will play host to men’s World Cup action; six matches were held at Foxboro Stadium in 1994, including the final World Cup matches of Argentina’s Diego Maradona and a memorable quarterfinal between Spain and Italy. Gillette also served as a host venue for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1999 and 2003.The event will be held across three countries for the first time in 2026, with the US, Canada, and Mexico sharing host duties. Joining Foxborough — one of the East Region sites — as hosts in 2026 will be:West: Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco/Bay Area, Los Angeles, Guadalajara.Central: Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Monterrey, Mexico City.East: Toronto, Philadelphia, Miami, New York/New Jersey.The six cities that campaigned for bids and were excluded were Washington, D.C./Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Edmonton, Nashville, and Orlando.Qatar will serve as the host for the upcoming 2022 World Cup, which is set to kick off in November.Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at cpriceglobe.

Soccer

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The 2026 FIFA World Cup sites were announced Thursday.One of the world’s biggest sporting events will be played in North America. The matches will be played at stadiums in the United States, Canada and Mexico.The Cup will be broken into three regions, and here is where matches will be played:CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMWestern Region A view of the interior of SoFi Stadium during Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)Vancouver, Canada (B.C. Palace)Seattle, Washington (Lumen Field)Santa Clara, California (Levi’s Stadium)Los Angeles, California (SoFi Stadium)Guadalajara, Mexico (Estadio Akron)Central Region Fans watch at the start of an NFL game inside AT and T Stadium between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys Sept. 8, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)Kansas City, Missouri (Arrowhead Stadium)Arlington, Texas (AT&T Stadium)Atlanta, Georgia (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)Houston, Texas (NRG Stadium)Monterrey, Mexico (Estadio BBVA)Mexico City, Mexico (Estadio Azteca)Eastern Region An aerial view of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., June 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)Toronto, Canada (BMO Field)Foxborough, Massachusetts (Gillette Stadium)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Lincoln Financial Field)Miami Gardens, Florida (Hard Rock Stadium)East Rutherford, New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)It will be the first 48-nation World Cup, increased from the 32-team system used since 1998. There will be 16 groups of three nations. Each team will play two first-round games instead of three, and one nation in each group opens against an opponent who will have already played.The top two teams in each group will move to a 32-nation knockout bracket. The FIFA World Cup trophy is on display during an event at Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad Cultural Centre in Kuwait City May 16, 2022. (Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images)The U.S. will host 60 of the 80 matches under FIFA’s plan, including all matches from the quarterfinal round of the knockout stage onward. It’s the first time the U.S. will host World Cup matches on the men’s side since 1994, two years before Major League Soccer held its first season.Mexico will become the first country to host the World Cup three separate times. Canada is hosting men’s World Cup matches for the first time. U.S. players run drills during a practice for the women's World Cup soccer final under the open roof of BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 4, 2015. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe 2022 World Cup is set to kick off at the end of the year in Doha, Qatar.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Ryan.Gaydos@fox.com.

Soccer

Drake Surprise!!! New Album, 'Honestly, Nevermind' Drops Tonight 6/16/2022 3:18 PM PT Drake's got the music world buzzing again -- this time announcing a surprise album is on the way -- and it drops in just a few hours!!! Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Drake took to Instagram Thursday, banning comments from his latest post -- which serves as an announcement for his new album titled. "HONESTLY, NEVERMIND." Not only that, Drizzy says his 7th album drops at midnight ... an hour after his new SiriusXM show "Table For One" hits the airwaves. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. We've heard the album is mostly on the melodic side -- not much of a departure from his last album "Certified Lover Boy" -- which is still doing very well on the Billboard Charts at No. 13 nearly 9 months after its release. We'll have more for you here when the full thing drops ... stay tuned!!!

Music

Cubs reliever Daniel Norris sits in the dugout during the Padres’ four-game sweep of the Cubs. Getty In the late innings of the Cubs’ series finale against the Padres Thursday, a stadium camera focussed on a group of fans holding a homemade banner that read: “We need a win to fly our new W flag.”That flag will remain pristine at least a little while longer.The Cubs’ 6-4 loss to the Padres on Thursday extended their losing streak to 10 games. It’s the Cubs’ third double-digit skid in the span of a year.“Frustrating, obviously,” Hoyer said of the losing streak. “I feel like through Friday’s game, we battled incredibly well.”Since then, however, most of their losses have been blowouts.The Cubs’ three most recent double-digit losing streaks have come at different phases in the Cubs’ team-building cycle. The first 11-game skid last year, spanning late June and early July, solidified the Cubs as trade-deadline sellers as they plunged out of first place in the National League Central.The Cubs were already heading into a transition phase, after trading ace Yu Davish over the winter and with Anthony Rizzo, Javy Báez and Kris Bryant all hurtling toward free agency. But the losing streak essentially set the stopwatch for the coming rebuild.The next double-digit losing streak made last season historic, in a rather grim way. The team had just been through a major upheaval, most of the Cubs’ championship core replaced with players fighting for a shot to stick in the big-leagues.Schwidsom-mania would rally fans around the new group by the end of the year. But first, the Cubs lost 12 straight games in August. It was the first time in franchise history that the Cubs had recorded two losing streaks of 11-plus games.The Cubs added key pieces this offseason, including starting pitchers Marcus Stroman and Wade Miley, right fielder Seiya Suzuki and plenty of veteran relievers. So, the team should be better than the second half of last year. But here they are again.Part of this dismal spell can be chalked up to injuries. Stroman, Miley and Suzuki are all on the IL, along with starting pitcher Drew Smyly and second baseman Nick Madrigal, to name a few.“Injuries can never be an excuse,” Hoyer said. “Everyone deals with them. And so I think it’s sort of a loser’s mentality. To me, it’s like complaining about umpires. That doesn’t really do you any good.“That said, I do think that the stabilizing effect of those starting pitchers is real.”A lot of the rest comes down to the Cubs’ roster-building approach and how early the club is in its rebuilding process.In the Cubs’ last rebuild, Hoyer and his predecessor Theo Epstein delivered on their promise of a championship, in exchange for a few 60- to 75-win seasons.“You can’t pretend that those first three years weren’t really difficult emotionally, you know?” Hoyer said. “And so sometimes when something ends up being a real positive, you kind of sugarcoat what the experience was like [to get there]. So, I’ve had a lot of those thoughts, trying to remember back to how I actually felt at that point.”Considering Hoyer’s track record, when he says, “I have all the confidence in the world that we’re going to get there,” it’s nothing to scoff at. But how many losing seasons will it take this time? This year’s team doesn’t seem to be built with a 2022 championship in mind, through no fault of the players.After the Cubs’ blowout loss Wednesday, Cubs manager David Ross highlighted left fielder Ian Happ’s ninth-inning catch. The Cubs were trailing by double digits. First baseman Frank Schwindel was on the mound.“It [would have been] easy in that kind of game to just jog,” Ross said, “and he’s almost running into that wall trying to catch a ball. … That says a lot about the character that he has and the character of this group. They continue to chase balls down when it would be easy to let them drop.”

Baseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Ripley’s Believe It or Not! on Thursday denied claims that Kim Kardashian’s wearing of the iconic Marilyn Monroe “Happy Birthday” dress left it with new damage. ChadMichael Morrisette, who owns a mannequin supply company and once handled the skintight sparkler briefly worn by Kardashian at the Met Gala, said he spotted fresh damage to the crystal-covered garment when he popped in for a look at a Ripley’s Los Angeles location. Morrisette shared photos taken on June 12 of the 60-year-old dress with a friend and fellow Monroe collector, who caused a stir earlier this week when he posted before and after shots on social media.“It makes me sad. I ran out in tears,” Morrisette told The Associated Press. Kardashian changed into a replica after climbing the Grand Staircase of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2. She wore the nude-colored dress for just a few minutes. Ripley’s purchased the dress for $4.8 million in 2016 at an auction. Morrisette said he was hired to stage Monroe memorabilia that included the look Monroe wore in 1962 to serenade then-President John F. Kennedy for his 45th birthday.“From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in,” Ripley’s Amanda Joiner, vice president of publishing and licensing, said in the statement.She was with the dress the day of the gala and during its transport from Orlando, Florida, where it was last displayed, to New York, according to Ripley’s.Morrisette’s photos, alongside pre-Met Gala images of the dress, lit up social media amid criticism at the time of the gala that Kardashian should not have been allowed to don the delicate and historically notable dress. It was made of a flammable fabric that is no longer on the market.Morrisette said he was stunned to see its condition. He said he saw the fabric stretched at the back zipper and hook enclosures with new hand-stitched crystals missing. He also said the shoulders appeared stressed. He said that level of damage wasn’t present the more than a dozen times he has viewed the dress over the years.Ripley’s said soon after the gala that care was taken in the handling of the dress and no alterations were allowed. Kardashian changed into a replica after reaching the top of the stairs. She kept the back of the dress hidden under a white jacket, leading to speculation the gown wasn’t zipped all the way up.According to Ripley’s, a report written on the dress’s condition in early 2017 states that “a number of the seams are pulled and worn. This is not surprising given how delicate the material is. There is puckering at the back by the hooks and eyes,” among other instances of damage.The dress adorned with more than 2,500 crystals was custom made for Monroe. It was based on a sketch by the famed designer Bob Mackie, working for the costumer Jean Louis at the time.Asked for Kardashian’s reaction to the damage controversy, a representative passed along Ripley’s statement with no additional comment.Ripley’s said it allowed Kardashian to wear the dress to keep Monroe’s legacy alive.“Our mission is to both entertain and educate visitors and fans, and sparking conversations like the discourse around Marilyn Monroe’s dress does just that,” the company said. “No matter which side of the debate you are on, the historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted. A entirely new group of young people have now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe.”___Follow Associated Press journalist Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie

Celebrity

Harry Styles is set to get steamy with Florence Pugh in Don’t Worry Darling and break hearts as Eros in an upcoming Marvel movie, but before that, we’ll see him donning a 1950s police uniform to take the lead in Michael Grandage’s moving drama about a young man torn between two lovers. Ahead of the film’s release, here’s everything we know so far.It’s based on a sensitive, sweeping novelMy Policeman is an adaptation of Bethan Roberts’s 2012 novel of the same name, which centers on Marion (played here by The Crown’s Emma Corrin) and Tom (Styles), a school teacher and policeman, who meet and fall in love on the Brighton coast in the ’50s. Enter Patrick (David Dawson), a curator who has moved to Brighton to recover from the death of a previous lover and soon develops feelings for Tom. The men embark on a passionate affair—in spite of the fact that homosexuality is illegal. For a while, the threesome embraces their lives as a ménage a trois, until jealousy shatters their arrangement. Fast forward to the ’90s, and the frail Patrick reenters the lives of the now-married Marion and Tom, with predictably dramatic consequences.The book weaves together Marion’s confessional narration with Patrick’s, as both battle their inner demons and the overwhelming desire that keeps leading them back to Tom. The latter also highlights the restrictions placed on gay men at the time and the harsh realities they could be faced with if their private lives became public. In an article published in The Guardian in 2012, Roberts explained that the story was inspired by the life of novelist E.M. Forster, who had been in a long-term relationship with the policeman Bob Buckingham and was friends with his wife, May. David Dawson, Emma Corrin, and Harry Styles star in My Policeman.Photo: Parisa Taghizadeh / Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video“While living with May, Buckingham pledged his half days off, and other hours during the week, to Forster,” she wrote. “May, although jealous and often difficult, refused to listen when [warned] that Forster was about to break up her marriage. Perhaps she, like Buckingham, stood to gain from what Forster could offer: not only money (he often gave financial gifts), but also entrance into the life of the cultural elite.” When Forster suffered a series of strokes later in life, May cared for him.The first stills have sent the internet into a tailspinOn June 9, Amazon released the first two stills from the film. One featured a sun-drenched Styles and Corrin as Tom and Marion, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes while in a pool, while the other showed the pair in a gallery with David Dawson’s Patrick, who appears to be talking them through a piece of art. While the former is joyous, the tension between the trio is apparent in the latter. The trailer promises passion and heartbreakA teaser trailer followed on June 15. It opens with Styles’s Tom and Dawson’s Patrick admiring a painting in a gallery. The latter asks the former, “So, how does it make you feel?” and as Tom replies, we see a montage of his blossoming romance with Corrin’s Marion, culminating with their wedding. Then, Tom and Patrick enter into a relationship and Patrick vows to take the young couple under his wing. There are also shots of a sun-soaked Brighton arcade, a violent altercation, Marion ripping up a book while in tears, and a police uniform burning as Tom looks on wistfully. The cast is stacked with British talent, both emerging and establishedCorrin, Styles, and Dawson play Marion, Tom, and Patrick in the ’50s, before passing the baton to Gina McKee, Linus Roache, and Rupert Everett for the scenes that take place in the ’90s. In June 2021, Deadline reported that Kadiff Kirwan, best known for his roles in Chewing Gum and The Stranger, had also joined the cast. The talent behind the camera is equally impressive: director Michael Grandage is the former artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse in London and screenwriter Ron Nyswaner was nominated for an Oscar for penning Philadelphia in 1994. The film could be released sooner than you thinkThe film is hitting screens sooner than you might thinkAmazon has confirmed that My Policeman will land in cinemas on October 21, before becoming available to stream on Prime Video from November 4—two dates that position it perfectly for 2023’s awards season.

Movies

(NEXSTAR) – On Thursday, FIFA revealed the 16 North American cities that will host 2026 World Cup matches. The announcement – made via a televised show from Fox’s studio in Manhattan – follows years of meetings, visits and suspense as soccer fans across the country waited to find out whether or not one of the matches would be played near them. Every four years, millions of soccer fans travel and tune in to cheer on their favorite national teams as they battle to lift the coveted FIFA World Cup Trophy. In 2026, it will be the first time in the history of the tournament that three nations will host matches and the first time the field of qualified nations will expand to 48. There were 23 venues in the United States, Mexico and Canada that were bidding to play host to the highly-anticipated tournament, with the majority in the U.S. Canada and Mexico each had three. See the full list of selected cities below: United States SeattleSan FranciscoLos AngelesKansas CityDallasAtlantaHoustonBostonPhiladelphiaMiamiNew York/New Jersey Mexico GuadalajaraMonterreyMexico City Canada VancouverToronto The U.S. cities that were left off the list include Baltimore/Washington D.C., Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville and Orlando. Reports last week already indicated that Edmonton, Canada, was out as an option, and that was confirmed Thursday. What about the stadiums? The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round. New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium. Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium. Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994. Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Soldier Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands. FIFA selected the US-Mexico-Canada joint bid in 2018, with North America beating out Morocco. What’s next? There is a lot of work that needs to be done between now and summer 2026. Host cities will begin planning and development to host fans from across the world. Leaders will have 4 years to update stadiums, infrastructure and fan experiences ahead of 2026. As for the national teams, they’ll begin qualifying once the 2022 edition of the tournament in Qatar concludes in December. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Soccer

The Red Sox did not lack for opportunities against the Athletics Thursday afternoon in a 4-3 loss at Fenway Park.They had 11 hits and drew three walks but were 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base, matching their season high.Oakland, the worst team in the American League, managed to finally win a game against the Sox after five losses this season.Red Sox starter Rich Hill (2-4) allowed three earned runs over 5⅔ innings. But that was deceiving.With one out in the top of the third inning, Cristian Pache sent a routine popup to shallow center field. Second baseman Trevor Story called for it as he backpedaled furiously. Center fielder Jarren Duran had an easier play but didn’t call Story off, and the ball fell in for what was ruled a double.Trouble ensued.Chad Pinder singled to score Pache. Ramon Laureano followed with a sharp double to right field, and Christian Bethancourt with a two-run single to left.Get 108 StitchesAn email newsletter about everything baseball from the Globe's Red Sox reporters, in your inbox on weekdays during the season.What should have been two outs with the bases empty turned into three Oakland runs.The Sox clawed a run back in the bottom of the third.Rafael Devers walked and went to third on a bloop single by J.D. Martinez that was misplayed by Laureano in right field. The error allowed Devers to take third and Martinez second. Xander Bogaerts drove in Devers with a ground out, but that was it for the inning.Seth Brown, a lefthanded hitter, singled off Hill with two outs in the sixth inning, and Alex Cora turned to Hirokazu Sawamura.Brown moved up on a passed ball and scored on an error as a sharp grounder off the bat of Elvis Andrus went between the legs of Devers.The Sox scored twice in the eighth inning. The first was on a two-out error and the second on a single by Martinez. Bogaerts had a chance to at least tie the game but grounded into a force at second.Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.

Baseball

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Legendary comic artist Tim Sale has died at 66.His official Twitter account shared the news of his passing Thursday. "It’s with a heavy sadness that I must announce that Tim Sale passed away today," the statement began. "He passed with the love of his life beside him, and loves all of you very much. Please share photos and stories under this post, as we hope to share them with the community." Legendary comic artist Tim Sale has died at 66. (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)DC Comics took to Twitter to remember the legendary artist.THE WANTED'S TOM PARKER DEAD AT 33"Tim Sale was an incredible artist, whose take on iconic characters had real human depth, and his groundbreaking page designs changed the way an entire generation thinks about comic book storytelling," its tribute post began. "Our condolences go to Tim’s family and friends. He will be deeply missed."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERSale is best known for his work on the legendary American superheroes, including Batman, Hulk, Spider-Man, Superman and more. Jim Lee, DC Comics' creative officer, shared Monday that Sale was admitted to a hospital."I regret to share the very sad news that the legendary artist Tim Sale has been admitted to the hospital with severe health issues," Lee wrote on Twitter. "Tim, I am praying for you, buddy. Stay strong & know that your legions of fans around the world loves & cherishes you & your amazing talent." Graphic novel artist Tim Sale attends the NBC Universal celebration for the DVD release of "Heroes: Season 1" at the NBC Experience store Aug. 28, 2007, in New York City. (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)A cause of death has not been released. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe comic artist had a long career in the industry. He drew the "Batman: The Long Halloween" series and was a frequent collaborator with writer Jeph Loeb. He was idolized in the comic world for his work on "Legends of the Dark Knight" and "Dark Victory."In the Marvel universe, he helped form the early stages of the color themes of some of the world's favorite superheroes. This collaborative work was also with Loeb.The duo also worked together on the NBC hit show "Heroes," which was released in 2006 and starred Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka and more. Janelle Ash is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.

Music

U.S. June 16, 2022 / 3:22 PM / AP Why Sue Bird decided to play one more year Why Sue Bird decided to play one more year 01:10 Seattle Storm star and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird announced Thursday that the 2022 season will be her last playing in the WNBA.The announcement by Bird, 41, ended any speculation about her future; she had acknowledged in February when she re-signed with Seattle that this would likely be her final season. She strongly considered retirement after last season before choosing to return for a 19th season as a player.Bird's announcement came a day before Seattle's game at Connecticut. The Storm will close out their road trip on Sunday in New York, about 30 miles from where Bird grew up in Syosset, New York. "As the season has gone, like I said, I pretty much knew, and then once I saw the schedule, and then once I started packing for this trip a little bit, I was like, 'Oh, this is gonna be my last time playing in New York. My last time playing in front of my family and friends.' And so that's why the timing of this is what it is," Bird said in a video posted by the Storm on social media."I just really felt strongly about announcing my retirement, saying it was my last year so I can share that with my family and my friends, all the people in New York who have watched me growing up so they can come and see me play for the last time in my home state. So I'm excited about that. It's also bittersweet." Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm handles the ball against Sophie Cunningham #9 of the Phoenix Mercury during the first half of the WNBA game at Footprint Center on May 11, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Getty Images Bird is a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league. She has spent her entire WNBA career with Seattle since becoming the No. 1 draft pick in 2002 following her storied college career at UConn. This season is her 21st associated with the franchise, although just her 19th playing after missing two seasons because of injuries. Her resume is the envy of anyone in professional sports, let alone basketball. National championships at UConn in 2000 and 2002. WNBA titles with Seattle in 2004, 2008, 2018 and 2020, the last coming inside the WNBA "bubble" in Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic.Bird hoisted five additional titles playing overseas in the EuroLeague. Last year, she added a fifth Olympic gold in Tokyo to go along with the ones the United States earned in 2004 in Athens, 2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.Bird was the AP national player of the year her final season at UConn. She is a five-time all-WNBA first-team selection, the league's all-time leader in assists and the only player to appear in more than 500 games in league history.She has been honored on every list imaginable as one of best and most influential players in the history of the league. And she's the standard by which other point guards are judged. Sue Bird: The 60 Minutes Interview 13:26 Bird turns 42 in October and was on the cusp of stepping away a year ago. When the Storm were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the playoffs, fans chanted "One more year! One more year!" as she did an on-court televised interview. Those cheers were egged on by Phoenix's longtime star Diana Taurasi, Bird's former college teammate at UConn and part of all five of those Olympic gold-medal runs.In the end, the fans — and Taurasi — got what they wanted. Bird came back, for exactly one more year."Sue Bird is Storm basketball," her WNBA team tweeted moments after Bird made her decision known. "Every moment, every memory has one constant. No. 10. It's time for the final chapter." In: WNBA Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue

Basketball

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (WABC) -- FIFA has selected New York and New Jersey as one of the 16 cities that will host World Cup games in the summer of 2026.Nearly two dozen cities bid to host World Cup games when the world's marquee sporting event takes over North America in the summer of 2026, and now MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is one of the venues that will host the games.The big announcement came Thursday afternoon, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and New York City Mayor Eric Adams led a watch party at Liberty State Park joined by soccer fans, players and supporters to celebrate the occasion."We are honored to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup with our neighbors across the Hudson, and we are fully prepared to deliver the world-class experience that the beautiful game deserves," Governor Murphy said."The biggest sporting event in the world is coming to the biggest stage, and New York City cannot wait to welcome the world to our region," Mayor Adams said. "New York City is thrilled to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bringing the drama and excitement here to the city that never sleeps!"MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 as a replacement for Giants Stadium, and both the New York Jets and New York Giants play home games at the venue, which has a seating capacity of about 87,000. Met Life Stadium also hosted the 2014 Super Bowl."It's very much New York City and New Jersey," Murphy said. "We believe we've got the most passion for the game, the biggest stars, the biggest economies. The combination of New York City and New Jersey is an unbeatable combo. We think we've got it all. A great stadium in MetLife. All that goes with the glamor and the pizzazz of New York City alongside the character and grit of New Jersey. We think, the mayor and I, that we're an unbeatable duo."The previous stadium hosted several matches at the 1994 World Cup and the 1999 Women's World Cup.It is the first time the tournament will be hosted by three nations, with the U.S. set to host 60 matches, including the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the final. Canada and Mexico will each host 10 matches.The tournament will be the first to include 48 teams, expanded from 32. Dates and matchups for the games will be announced later.There were 23 venues bidding to host soccer matches at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, including 17 in 16 U.S. cities.Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and Kansas City, Missouri, were the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.A World Cup final would eclipse even the Super Bowl in world attention and prestige, and flood the region with soccer fans from around the globeWhile it would be an economic boon for the area, there would also be added strain on local police, roadways and mass transit.Here's a look at the 16 cities that were selected to host soccer matches at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada:U.S.New York/New JerseyLos Angeles SoFi StadiumSan Francisco Bay AreaMiamiDallasHoustonKansas CityAtlantaBostonPhiladelphiaSeattleCANADATorontoVancouverMEXICOMexico CityGuadalajaraMonterrey(The Associated Press contributed to this report)----------* Get Eyewitness News Delivered * Follow us on YouTube * More local news* Send us a news tip* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alertsSubmit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Copyright © 2022 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Soccer

FIFA on Thursday announced the full list of the cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico that have been selected to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Included in the list are 11 U.S. cities, three Mexican cities and two Canadian cities, all of which will host games at the the global tournament. Members of Congress were quick to react to the news of their home cities and states being included in the line-up. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first to be hosted across three countries, as well as the first ever tournament with a 48-team bracket, expanded from the traditional 32. Here’s the full list: AtlantaBostonDallasGuadalajaraHoustonKansas CityLos Angeles/SoFi StadiumMexico CityMiamiMonterreyNew York/New JerseyPhiladelphiaSan Francisco Bay AreaSeattleTorontoVancouver Among the cities with a big soccer viewership snubbed by the organizers are Washington, D.C., and Chicago. The official account for Washington D.C.’s FIFA World Cup 2026 joint bid with Baltimore tweeted a statement after the announcement and said it was “gutted”. Reacting to the news, co-chair of the Congressional Soccer Caucus, Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) expressed his delight over Seattle making it to the coveted list. “The Pacific Northwest represents the future of soccer in North America, and Washingtonians are passionate about the beautiful game. I look forward to sharing with the world all that makes the Evergreen State special!” he said. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) said on Twitter that he was looking forward to cheering on the U.S. Men’s team especially “with all their PA-grown talent.” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) tweeted soon after the announcement that he is “Excited to work together to welcome visitors and fans from around the world, and deliver a world-class experience for the world’s biggest game.” Tags FIFA FIFA world cup 2026 World Cup

Soccer

Ex-NHL Star Sean Avery Convicted Of Attempted Criminal Mischief ... In Road Rage Case 6/16/2022 3:47 PM PT Ex-NHL star Sean Avery has just been convicted of attempted criminal mischief ... after he was accused of slamming his scooter into a car in a road rage incident back in 2019. A spokesperson for the New York County District Attorney's Office tells TMZ Sports ... Avery was found guilty of the misdemeanor charge on Thursday, following a short bench trial this week. According to the spokesperson, Avery was sentenced to time served. The judge in the case also issued full orders of protection for the victims. 42-year-old Avery was initially charged back in 2019 ... after a business man said the former New York Rangers center damaged his car following a dispute over a New York bike lane. The man claimed Avery's outburst left a small hole in his vehicle's door, near where his 4-year-old daughter had been sitting during the incident. Avery -- who, according to the New York Post, turned down several plea deals from prosecutors -- had been facing up to three months behind bars.

Hockey

Topline FIFA on Thursday announced the 16 North American venues that will host games in the 2026 men's World Cup, including 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada--here are the cities where the action in the world's biggest sporting event will take place. Kylian Mbappe of France celebrates with the World Cup Trophy following his side's victory in the ... [+] 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018, in Moscow. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) Getty Images Key Facts FIFA grouped the host cities by region, with Los Angeles, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area city of Santa Clara holding U.S.-based matches in the West region, while Vancouver in Canada and Guadalajara in Mexico will also serve as host cities. The Central region consists of venues in Houston, Dallas, Kansas City and Atlanta, as well as Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico. In the East, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey—just outside New York City—will host, along with venues in Philadelphia, Boston, Miami and Toronto. Five U.S. cities named as finalists were not selected to host games: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville and Orlando didn’t make the cut, while Edmonton in Canada was also not picked. What We Don't Know The sites for specific matches, including the opening game and the final, will be announced at a later date. Big Number $90 million-$480 million. That's how much host cities can expect to receive in windfall gains from World Cup-related economic activity, according to U.S. Soccer. Key Background The 2026 World Cup will be the first tournament ever hosted by three countries, and will feature significant format changes from other recent World Cups. The number of teams competing in the tournament will jump from 32—where it has stood since 1998—to 48, and the opening stage will shift from eight groups of four teams to sixteen groups of three. As with prior World Cups, the top two teams from each group will advance, but they will move into a knockout stage starting with a round of 32 in 2026, instead of a round of 16. The U.S. has hosted the World Cup on one occasion before, in 1994, while Mexico has hosted twice, 1986 and 1970. Canada has never hosted a men's World Cup. Tangent The 2022 World Cup takes place in Qatar from November 21-December 18. The U.S. plays its first game on opening day against Wales, followed by matchups against England and Iran to close out the group stage. Further Reading Which U.S. Cities Will Host The 2026 World Cup? FIFA To Announce 10 Winners Thursday. (Forbes) U.S. To Face England And Iran In Return To Soccer World Cup (Forbes)

Soccer

This poster by artist Gabz is an award card coming soon to Star Wars Card Trader by Topps.Image: Gabz/Bottleneck/LucasfilmBefore you ever heard of NFTs, maybe you heard about the $225 jpeg of Han Solo. Back in 2015, I wrote an article about a Han Solo card worth over $200 in an app called Star Wars Card Trader by Topps. At the time, I spent most of the article explaining how a person could own something that they merely have on their phone. It was not easy.01:57Rainn Wilson’s First Fandoms: Star Trek And D&DYesterday 4:32PMFast-forward seven years. Digital goods are mainstream, Star Wars is bigger than ever, and Star Wars Card Trader is still going strong. Oh, sure, now Topps is owned by Fanatics and there surely are not as many active users as back in 2015, but there are hundreds if not thousands of loyal users who log on every day to open packs, trade, and spend money on digital Star Wars cards. I should know. I’m one of them. After two years out of the app from 2018-2020, I dove back in hard during the pandemic. I focused my collection and things got very silly. I also ended up joining Facebook and Discord groups about the app where every day, fans dissect every little thing that happens with new releases. So, when Star Wars Celebration rolled around last month, was I going to seize the chance to talk to a few people who actually work on Star Wars Card Trader about those things? Of course I was. What follows are the edited highlights of that discussion with Card Trader’s lead designer Brandon Bernard and content producer Lisa Granshaw. But beware, if you don’t know what “dupes for needs” means, the difference between a Legendary or an Uncommon, or what 54321 is, this is not for you. This is deep, nerdy shit for a select few. My people.Some SWCT cards are ripped from physical cards, like the Masterwork set.Image: ToppsWhat are the conversations like about having the app be friendly to both the casual fan, who doesn’t pay a cent, and the super nerdy fans who spend a lot?“We actually are actually having conversations around that right now,” Bernard told me. “We don’t want everybody’s collections to end up being identical. So we don’t want it to be an issue of if you’re in there long enough, you have the same stuff everybody has. So we’re looking for ways that people can begin to differentiate their collections.”“I think some decision-making is going to have to start happening on the level of the collectors themselves,” he continued. “I think we’re going to have to start releasing things that force people to choose to chase this thing and not this thing or vice versa. And I think you’re right. There is a cohort of people that expect to be able to get everything that comes out—and we’re trying to figure out how to dissuade people from thinking that way, and encourage people to sort of express their personal enthusiasm about Star Wars through what it is they decide to chase.”I don’t know that we have a perfect answer for that right now, but rest assured that the conversation is happening. That’s part of the experimentation that’s going on... just trying different levers, trying to engage people in different ways, trying to make things up for new users that log in and just want to be free to play for them to feel like they’re having an enriched experience. But then also people that are spending some real coin to feel like there are things out there for them too. Everything is just such a balance, and we’re constantly trying to find that.”Gilded Galaxy cards are the reward for collecting weekly marathon releases. Image: ToppsWhy has the amount of content in the app slowed down compared to previous years? And why are the weekly marathons always the same?When I came back on the app in 2020, almost every day at 2 p.m. EST you could count on a new set being released. These days though, those are much rarer, and oftentimes you only get one release a day: The weekly set that comes out that day every week and has been the same for years. So, I asked about that change.“I think what we’re trying to do is, we’re trying to focus on quality content,” Bernard said. “And to some extent, there are certain decisions that we’re making, such as re-using broad categories of weeklies is one of those decisions we’re making to avoid burning great ideas for a set on a weekly. So we can develop those into box sets, or to more premium sets, because the idea and the concept behind it is so strong.”“We were really struggling in the past couple of years back when we used to really change up the weeklies every single time,” he continued. “It would just be like, ‘Oh, that was such a great idea for us and we just burned it for a weekly.’ So we’re trying to shift to those more broad categories like Heroes, Villains, Droids, because those are always going to be around. They’re staples and we figure, we’ll redesign the templates for those as much as we can. With all the new shows coming out, we’ll try to stock them with new characters that people haven’t seen yet. Of course. You’re going to see R2-D2 pop up again in Droids... you’re going to have your standards, your staples.”“That’s sort of like a baseline heartbeat, and that’s allowing us to sort of pour our creative energies into more premium sets for people. To really dig in on those, develop them, really hammer out the designs, even expand if we can, tie them to events. So a lot of what you’re noticing and describing there is that pivot—so we’re trying to pivot to more quality content.”This Pulp Cover set by Robert Jiminez can only be found in SWCT.Image: ToppsIs there any plan for better communication between the Topps team and the fans?In the past, members of the Topps team frequented Reddit, Discord, and more to keep in touch with fans. There was even an interactive Twitch show for a while. Under the current team, however, that is not the case. Direct communication between fans and the people making the app is slim to none. And though both Bernard and Granshaw said they were unofficially available to be there for fans via Twitter (at those links), they revealed that hiring someone whose job is only that has been discussed.“There’s a little bit of rumbling about that,” Bernard said. “I wouldn’t say it’s very advanced at this point, and I couldn’t really give you any sort of assurance that it’s about to happen. But it’s a thing that comes up in conversation. It’s a thing that we would definitely like to have. I think we’re actively trying to fill out roles that we’ve lacked for a number of years. Sort of at higher levels is where we’re beginning that. I think it’s going to start trickling down, filling, and expanding outward. I mean, one really exciting thing, this is just sort of nuts and bolts, but all of our apps are picking up a second designer, which didn’t use to be the case. So we’re starting to get out of that survival mode that we’ve been in for about a bunch of years and beginning to thrive and say, ‘What can we expand outward on?’”Is that expansion because of the new ownership from Fanatics? How do you feel about that in general?Back in January, the sports company Fanatics acquired Topps for about $500 million. Star Wars Card Trader fans immediately got scared the new company would shut the app down, and while Bernard is not an executive, he did express excitement about the new regime. “I think they’re really augmenting the business,” Bernard said. “I think Tobin [Lent, VP and Global General Manager of Topps Digital] uses the word ‘multiplier’ and I think they believe in the business. That’s why they picked us up. And so we just have a sort of larger corporate company now just sort of as a base for things.”“In terms of sort of backing us, they are committed,” he continued. “I don’t think they’re going to throw just obscene amounts of money at things. I think we’re going to go careful but sort of aggressive at the same time. But it’s been really great. I mean, obviously, it was news to all of us when it happened in January. Initially, as anybody would be, we were a little skittish. Like, ‘What does this mean for us?’ Pretty quickly it became clear we’re not going anyplace, they’re keeping us and they’re just looking to sort of bolster what we already do, iron out any existing wrinkles, try to figure out what have we wanted to do in the past, and not been able to and how can we crack that nut? Can they help us figure out how to do that?” A 2022 Widevision card, which looks very different from a 2015.Image: ToppsWhy do you so radically design popular legacy sets, such as Widevision and Card Trader Illustrated, when bringing them back? What’s that balance?“It’s a good question. You use the word ‘balance’ and that’s really what it is. It’s trying to walk a tightrope,” Bernard said. “We could just release the same design over again, [but] it would get very confusing. Because people have the older cards, and then people are getting these newer cards that look the same, and they’re going to get trade offers that are going to make them mad. So any time we want to resurrect a beloved set, we’re going to have to change the way it looks in some way.” “We always hope that we do right by people that love that set, but it’s one of those things where design is very subjective,” Bernard continued. “There are people that love it, and people that are just turned off and don’t want to participate. And that’s just sort of my job. Every day I come to work and that is the reality I deal with. So, you know, we’re always trying to do the right thing and make it look good. But we do have to always be evolving and progressing design so people can say, ‘Oh, this is the 2022 card and this was 2015.’”There’s been a lot of Obi-Wan Kenobi content in the app tied to the new show. Any chance of Ewan McGregor signatures?“Not at this moment, but I’d say stay tuned,” Granshaw said. “All that is in the process. Of course, we would love to have that. A lot of that is, I tend to work with the licensing team on that, [and we] discuss all the time the things not only that we really want but what the fans really want to see. And yeah it might take a little bit, but fingers crossed.”Darth Vader on a new CTI card.Image: ToppsHow do you see Star Wars Card Trader changing and adapting over the next few months?“Expansion-wise, we have our original art that goes into the app,” Granshaw said. “That’s something that we’re definitely trying to grow and expand upon... with the original art cards, we get the chance to really focus on characters you don’t see a lot. The character in the background that everyone still loves but maybe you don’t have a lot of access to otherwise. [It] brings a lot of different art styles and perspectives into the app, so that’s something we’re excited about growing—bringing different types of artists in and just exploring with the content what else we can do with it.”“I think more events, more of everything,” Bernard added. “We’re just looking to grow and expand everything that people are digging on.”Star Wars Card Trader is available to download in both the Apple and Google app stores.Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Movies

People take in a view of the skyline on June 10, 2021 in Seattle, Washington.David Ryder | Getty ImagesAtlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and Kansas City, Missouri, were the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.FIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando's Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas' Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena's Rose Bowl; and Levi's Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.Sofi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, California.Keith Birmingham | MediaNews Group | Getty ImagesMet Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium.Orlando's Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington's RFK Stadium was used in 1994.Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA's economic demands.Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and '86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara's Estadio Akron and Monterrey's Estadio BBVA.Toronto's BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia's B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta's Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.Specific sites for each round will be announced later.In contrast to the 1992 site announcement during a news conference, the 2026 announcement was made during a televised show from Fox's studio in Manhattan.

Soccer

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 17: Lizzo performs onstage during the YouTube Brandcast 2022 at Imperial ... [+] Theatre in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Youtube) Getty Images for Youtube Sometimes the world of disability advocacy is a mouthful—we use words like anti-ableism and neurodiversity and social inclusion. What do those words really mean and who has the power to create change by using them? At some point, most of us in the business world have tried to create change and heard…crickets. If you have an invisible disability and have been called your share of names, like me, there seemed to be fewer solutions and too much anger lately to find hope. Polarization, particularly online, hasn’t elevated any of us. Feeling depressed yet? Don’t be. I want to talk to you about Lizzo, a talented performer with a voice and a brand that has created a self-love revolution. In true Lizzo style, she recently blew the doors off a closed conversation many of us in the disability community have been having for decades about a culture of ignorance and bullying as well as language and representation. It’s complicated, multi-layered and intersectional. But there are many reasons why I think the Lizzo story in particular makes a strong example of how and why language matters for leaders and business and I asked some very special voices to weigh in, too. First, let me back up and give you some context. The Lizzo Controversy 101 In a new song, GRRRLS, Lizzo included the word ‘spazz’, considered an ableist slur. She was called out for both not knowing it would be an issue and not having people around her to tell her it might be. She’s a mega-watt star with enough influence that Google even hired her to headline an encamps back-to-work event recently. She is also aa triple-Grammy winner who is also all about telling it like it is. (She won a Best Pop Solo Performance for Truth Hurts.) She also moves fast. To her credit, Lizzo said she wasn’t aware the word was offensive, quickly turned around a new version of the song and publicly apologized, writing on social media: “It's been brought to my attention that there is a harmful word in my new song “GRRRLS”. Let me make one thing clear: I never wanted to promote derogatory language. As a fat black woman in America, I have had many hurtful words used against me so I understand the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case unintentionally). I’m proud to say there’s a new version of “GRRRLS” with a lyric change. This is the result of me listening and taking action. As an influential artist I am dedicated to being part of the I’ve been waiting to see in the world. Xoxo, Lizzo.—@lizzobeeating It's About Damn Time To Listen Lizzo’s pivot to anti-ableist language was what she calls being ‘solution-ary’ (part of a discussion she had with Zane Lowe). Listening to the conversation made me optimistic as did watching the video for “About Damn Time,” which begins with a mock support group in which the teacher at the podium asks for poems about what makes each student in her class feel stressed versus sexy. Watch it. But do something else, too, if you can. Talk to more neurodiverse people about the issue. Can’t find them? No worries, I did some legwork for you. Who better to explain Lizzo’s impact and what it takes to be a role model in your own world than student ambassadors from Eye to Eye National? Their mission is unlocking greatness in the 1 in 5 who think differently. The group happened to be gathering for their own change-making summit in Washington, D.C., speaking truth to power about learning disabilities and changes they want to see in education. Here’s an excerpt of what four students ranging in age from 16 to 24 who are all neurodiverse had to say. I am not big on journalistic rants. I’d much rather have community speak for themselves. Here’s a sample of what I heard: In Their Own Words We asked this neurodivergent group two questions. First, How do you feel Lizzo represents the change you wish to see in the world and why do her words and actions matter? The answers: Janelle Buday, 21, ADHD: I do feel like language brings power to an attitude. I feel like some people may say who cares about what diction we use. Words are concrete examples of discrimination and are important to clarify. Words are actions. Lizzo exemplifies that the process of growth is flawed and imperfect. Accepting mistakes and language is an important part of growth, and progress can only really be made when you correct those mistakes. Kayla Dumas, 16, dyslexic: Lizzo should have had it reviewed. I commend her for responding so quickly. At the same point, I really do feel she shows character. Eric Marcotte, 24, ADHD: I want to commend her for setting a way of thinking people should adopt. Two key points she achieves are being: vulnerable and diligent. Being vulnerable means checking yourself and then having the diligence to go and change, not just to change what was said but to help change others ways and perspectives. Claire Robinson, 17, ADHD: We all have different life experiences, and we have different knowledge that comes from them. Our words have so much power. What we say has a big effect on certain communities. I like the way she responded to this. “ Then we asked: What can you do to be anti-ableist? The answers: Buday: A key part in responding in pop culture or in a conversation is the willingness to listen. I find myself trying to know everything without listening…People should take these moments to learn and be educated and be educated about the community they have impacted with their words. Robinson: Listening is really important and thinking before you speak. Find someone who is comfortable talking about things. If they are part of the disability community, if they are open to questions about words and phrases and understanding things from that person’s perspective in a safe space is really important. Find a community of people you can trust and who you can learn from about their firsthand experiences. It helps you to ask questions when you are unsure about things and gain experiences through them and see the world through their eyes. Marcotte: Through vulnerability, diligence, and allyship.That’s how anyone can be anti-ableist. Be vulnerable enough so that others can accept a different way of thinking. What Leaders Can Take Away Is it possible that other superstar business influencers do the same? And what did that mean to someone who is Gen Z and neurodiverse? Was it a sign of big things to come that someone like Lizzo not only took responsibility, showed learning and apologized for her actions? She acted and demonstrated how to create change at warp speed and to held herself accountable to no small number of people— 1.3 billion people are living in the world with a disability. “One thing that I heard loud and clear from our students is that there is a clear difference between cancel culture and activism. Activism highlights wrongdoing but allows a space for growth that cancel culture does not,” said Marcus Soutra, President of Eye to Eye. This is a moment to learn and grow from a community’s lived experience. Underneath her songs, she says, is heartbreak. She has called what she writes Lizzo-isms. (Is everyone back in the building? Are we all done healing?) and “You sound way too fine to be this stressed” are Lizzo-isms that appear on her latest album. She also told Zane Lowe in her video interview with him for New Music Daily that has been working on anti-anxiety, so it makes sense that anti-ableism would resonate with her. She also says she wants to support feeling better. Lowe makes the point that there are a lot of problems and a lot of solutions. Do you want to create problems, or do you want to create solutions? …choose a side,” Lowe says on New Music Daily. He’s spot on. Back to Business (Not) As Usual Will the world and Twitter and social media return to the same arguments over representation and who is allowed to speak their truth? I hope not. Why narrow the world when you can expand the conversation. CEO of Eye to Eye David Flink says, “Whether you be a megastar like Lizzo, a neurodiverse young person like our Eye to Eye Ambassadors speaking in DC today, or the person reading this article right now, we all have the opportunity to make a difference. Lizzo and our students show what it means to learn, grow, and take action to make the world better today than it was yesterday – make it more accessible to those who learn and think differently. But we can’t leave it to only the superstars (yes, I mean Lizzo and young people alike), says Flink. “We all have a responsibility to take action, and the exciting thing is each of us can follow the lead of these incredible people and feel good about the change we can make in the world.” Maybe all of this isn’t news to you. You get it. But you’re not sure how to move forward? Take some time to look at how to use Radical Candor in your work as a leader or manager. This piece, Words Matter: The impact of language on leadership, is a brilliant primer for why talking to people at all levels of your organization with openness (about able-ism or anything else), will certainly help you break through with a clear discussion. And use Lizzo as an example. I’m not kidding. Did you know that the lyrics in music have incredible power over people? That’s pretty fascinating and a even more proof that Lizzo changing the words in her song could even change minds. Standing up for truly inclusive language at work is work. The impact, and the responsibility is all of ours.

Music

Toledo Basketball Player Helps Save Ref's Life With CPR ... After Man Collapsed Mid-Game 6/16/2022 8:48 AM PT Colleen Cali UPDATE 11:05 AM PT -- We spoke to Myles Copeland, the basketball player who heroically saved the refs life, about everything from what was going through his mind, to the current health status of John Sculli. UPDATE TMZSports.com A Toledo basketball player turned into a hero during a game last weekend -- performing successful CPR on a referee who had collapsed in the middle of the contest. The scary incident was caught on video ... when during the Toledo Glass City's game against the Jamestown Jackals on June 11 -- a ref wobbled, and then crumpled to the floor. You can see in the footage, referee John Sculli lay motionless for several moments ... before Glass City's Myles Copeland raced over to help out. Copeland -- who's also a firefighter -- told ESPN he didn't feel Sculli's pulse or see him breathing when he got to the man ... so, he started CPR with the help of another ref until paramedics arrived. And, thanks to his efforts, Sculli -- who's been officiating for almost 40 years -- survived -- and is now expected to have surgery this week to fix his health issues. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. "It was kind of instinctual," 25-year-old Copeland said of it all. "It surprised me how quick I was able to switch into that mode, especially being in a basketball game." "But, with being a firefighter, when you're off the job, you're really not off the job. You still got to keep an eye out for the community and what's going on around you." Myles Copeland plays in The Basketball League, a pro startup.His day job: firefighter in Toledo.After a 24-hr shift, he drove to New York for a playoff game.When a ref collapsed, Copeland performed CPR on him for 10 minutes — saving his life.Then, he helped his team win. pic.twitter.com/HQhDD6ZH5i— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 14, 2022 @FOS He continued, "I didn't feel like I went out of my way to do anything special. It's just what I was put here to do. God was able to work through me. I feel like other people see me differently as a hero, but I don't see myself any different." FYI, Copeland drove to NY for the playoff game after working a 24-hour shift as a firefighter -- and his team ultimately won the game, 96-93. Heroes don't always wear capes.

Basketball

Antoinette Wright, president and executive director of the planned National Museum of Gospel Music, on a tour of the site for the planned museum — the old Pilgrim Baptist Church. | Pat Nabong, Chicago Sun-TimesPat Nabong/Sun-Times Tumbled-down brick walls, nubs of charred timber — even the cast-iron frame and melted strings from what was once a baby grand piano.Strolling through the remains of the historic Pilgrim Baptist Church — on the first public tour since the devastating 2006 fire — feels almost like traipsing through Roman ruins.“This is our coliseum. The Romans have theirs; we have ours,” said Mark Kuberski, vice president of Central Building & Preservation, as he led the tour Thursday.Except that the Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan-designed building, erected in 1890, isn’t expected to remain a ruin. It doesn’t look like much now — only two exterior walls remain, and only because they’re held in place with steel braces.But on Thursday, the project to transform the celebrated church into a museum of the history of gospel music got a boost, with $2.1 million in state funds. Thomas A. Dorsey, considered the “father of gospel music,” was a choir director at the church, which many consider to be the music style’s birthplace. State Sen. Mattie Hunter, D-Chicago, who attended the church as a child, helped secure the funding.“We’re working on trying to find some more dollars down in Springfield. So I’m turning over couches and tables and chairs and rugs — and anything else that I can find,” Hunter said.The first phase of the project — repairing the original limestone-and-brick exterior walls, replacing the two that fell down and putting on a roof — is expected to cost about $10 million, project organizers said. The hope is to have that completed within the next two years, said Antoinette Wright, president and executive director of the museum project.Wright said the pandemic has led to delays in the project, and couldn’t say Thursday when the museum might open.“And it’s not just a building,” she said. “We’re creating a museum as you sit here. We’re collecting artifacts, we’re getting donations from artists. ... But our next move of course is to hire staff so that we can be able to properly process that collection.”

Music

Tribeca: Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera explore the ethics of doc filmmaking alongside faces from "The Staircase," "Hoop Dreams," and more. Documentaries are often crafted to explore the social issues of the world, either with an aim to simply bring these issues to light or in the hope of highlighting injustices in need of a fix. Some are made to inform and others, like any movie, to entertain. But what are the moral and ethical responsibilities of a documentary? What do their makers owe their real-life subjects? What does anyone? Such are the questions posited in Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera’s insightful documentary “Subject.” Using some of the most popular and culturally relevant documentaries of the last several decades, Hall and Tiexiera deconstruct the medium to examine how they use their participants to craft a compelling narrative. But what does the word “compelling” mean when it involves real people and often the very real trauma of their lives? The directors attempt to answer this by following several prominent documentary participants, touching on their lives in the wake of becoming public figures through a documentary. Margie Ratliff, daughter of convicted murderer Michael Peterson and a subject of the true crime doc “The Staircase,” is the first to give audiences a glimpse into how a documentary changed her life. She tells us that it’s like opening up a wound. Initially, the Peterson family hoped that the docuseries made about her father’s criminal travails would help exonerate him, but Netflix’s eventual purchase of it (and then filming new episodes to boot), along with the release of the recent HBO Max limited series, only served one purpose: to ensure that the worst day of Ratliff’s life can never be forgotten. When HBO Max announced that “Game of Thrones” star Sophie Turner was playing Ratliff in the new limited series, Ratliff explains that the show’s producers asked her if she’d speak to Turner. But as Ratliff candidly explains, even the question itself is unfathomable. Why compel a real person to recount their traumas for the benefits of an actor’s process? Ratliff is one of the more prominent figures in the documentary, and everything she touches on is at the heart of what “Subject” is about. For one, there’s the constant need to document everything, even if a participant has to “act,” as Ratliff recounts breaking up with her boyfriend and being told by her father to wipe her tears and film an interview. That’s just one of the numerous issues the doc examines and that Hall and Tiexiera tastefully unpack. “Hoop Dreams”©Fine Line Features/Courtesy Everett Collection The authenticity of people like Ratliff is a continuing quandary that numerous interview subjects debate throughout the film. One thing it leads to is the question of paying documentary subjects for their time. Hall and Tiexiera interview several documentarians who state they don’t pay their participants, because it would alter how they present themselves (with Ratliff’s disclosure about hiding her feelings looming large). Other talking heads say that’s a fallacy to give directors an excuse not to pay people giving their time and emotional energy to help make a movie. Arthur Agee, the star of Steve James’ groundbreaking doc “Hoop Dreams,” recalls the production company giving him a “life-changing” amount of money after the documentary became a commercial and critical darling. For the film’s executive producer, who is interviewed in the doc, it was the right thing to do. But even something like “Hoop Dreams” provides a road for the documentarians here to go down, specifically examining how white directors have been given the prime position of telling docs, even if they involve BIPOC subjects. It’s a fascinating, if brief, look into how directors of color often don’t make a return on their investment or, unless one is Ken Burns, white directors are in the position to get a doc greenlit. It’s amazing the amount of content “Subject” packs into a tight 90-minute package. For all the in-depth discourse on the ethical problems of documentary there’s a fluidity and grace to how Hall and Tiexiera dissect everything. The footage of the documentaries they use blends seamlessly into the talking head portions to really critique how consent of the documentary participants is often left on the cutting room floor. There’s a blend of historical examination — looking at how docs like “Nanook of the North” glamorized exotic locales and presented docs as ways of seeing foreign cultures — as well as insightful social commentary that makes you wish this was a limited series really diving into numerous documentaries. Hall and Tiexiera create something incredibly special with “Subject.” The subject matter (pun totally intended) yields a documentary that isn’t against the documentary world, but wants audiences to simply question what they’re watching. In a world where anyone can watch a video and expect its content to be true, the burden is on documentaries all the more to be honest and accurate. “Subject” is a great place to start for getting at the heart of why audiences’ love the truth of documentary, and what that truth really means. Grade: B+ “Subject” premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Movies

To view the live updates on your mobile device click here. GAME ESSENTIALS: Warriors (53-29) vs. Celtics (51-31), at 6 p.m. (PT). TV: ABC ODDS: Celtics -3.5. OVER/UNDER: 210. FINALS SERIES UPDATE: Warriors lead, 3-2. LAST PLAYOFF MEETING: Celtics won 1964 NBA Finals 4-1. If you flash back to this exact date 10 years ago — June 16, 2012 — the Golden State Warriors were in the same position they had seemingly always been: coming off of a brutal season (23-43), preparing for a high draft pick and carrying a devout fan base that was hoping, wishing, praying for any type of spark. It’s now 2022. In the last 10 years, the Warriors have made the NBA playoffs eight times, the NBA Finals six times and, with just one more win, will claim their fourth championship in that 10-year run. They’ll get a chance to get the win for that fourth championship on Thursday night, as they carry a 3-2 series lead into Boston for Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics. Perhaps most insane about this run is that the Warriors’ core has been together through it all. Whenever the Finals conclude, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will complete their 10th full season together as teammates. And each is still a major contributor to this championship, too. But even Thompson and Green will tell you that it’s Curry who is the key to the Warriors being here again. Even when he has an off shooting night like in Game 5, where he didn’t make a 3-pointer for the first time in his playoff career, even the threat of Curry impacts the game and makes it easier for others on Golden State to succeed. He’s all but guaranteed to add a Finals MVP trophy to his resume if the Warriors win the series. Andrew Wiggins took advantage of the focus on Curry in Game 5 with one of his best performances of his career, scoring 26 points and grabbing 13 rebounds – which would’ve been a career high if he hadn’t grabbed 16 rebounds in Game 4. The emergence of Wiggins throughout the playoffs, and ascendance in the Finals, has to have Golden State feeling like this won’t be their last time on the Finals stage. But before we coronate the Warriors, they still have to win one more game, and the raucous — and perhaps more than a little punchy — Boston crowd will get to try and will their Celtics to a winner-take-all Game 7. That would be back in San Francisco, so the Warriors are flying home anyway. But they are surely hoping to bring some golden hardware with them on the flight back. Can Curry bounce back from his poor shooting form in Game 5? Will Thompson bring out another “Game 6 Klay” worthy performance? Are there any adjustments left to make this late in the series? And can the Warriors bring home their seventh championship in franchise history and give their core trio a fourth ring? Follow along as reporters Madeline Kenney and Shayna Rubin and columnist Dieter Kurtenbach break down those questions and more in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Basketball

Sarina Wiegman seems fond of repeating two words in particular: ruthless and execution.England’s manager invariably studs sentences with those favourites as she urges her players to display increased attacking incision but neither characteristic is exactly alien to a woman rarely prone to dithering indecision, let alone sentimentality. Wiegman’s ice-cool clarity of thought under pressure persuaded her to ignore some emotionally compelling reasons for including England’s former captain Steph Houghton in her 23 strong Euro 2022 squad.In the course of an apparently difficult conversation on Wednesday, Phil Neville’s successor told the 34-year-old Manchester City centre-half her recovery from an achilles tendon injury was not sufficiently advanced to justify inclusion in that elite group and she had failed to make the final cut.“The girls are feeling the pain Steph will be feeling,” said Leah Williamson, England’s new captain before kick-off against Belgium at Molineux. “We share it.”At only 25 Williamson is a young captain but her maturity, articulacy and sheer emotional intelligence suggest Wiegman has picked a worthy successor to Houghton. Importantly, Williamson is also a highly adaptable footballer, well suited to the in-game positional rotation being gradually instilled by her national manager.Primarily a defender at Arsenal, she has settled into a midfield role with England and impressed on a night when she not only forced Nicky Evrard’s own goal but often astutely dropped back to fill in at right-back as Lucy Bronze marauded forward down that flank.With a Belgium side unbeaten in their previous seven games succeeding in isolating the usually influential Keira Walsh in central midfield, England were initially most dangerous down the wings. If Bronze’s final ball occasionally let her down and she sometimes seemed a little too unconcerned about creating alarming defensive gaps by overcommitting to attack, she proved instrumental in enabling Chloe Kelly’s heavily deflected shot to preface the opening own goal. On the opposite side, Lauren Hemp’s left-wing play consistently petrified Belgium.Should England finally win a tournament next month, Hemp will surely have a lot to do with it. Along with Chelsea’s Fran Kirby, the Manchester City winger is arguably one of Wiegman’s two truly world-class players.England celebrate their third goal against Belgium as they continue to build momentum before the Euros. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesKirby has been sidelined for months with a fatigue-related illness but she is finally fit again and her importance is such that an attacking playmaker who joins the dots between the frontline and midfield was always going to be given the benefit of the doubt by even the hardest-headed manager.Sure enough Kirby was introduced in a second half which had already seen Manchester City’s Kelly, freshly recovered from a serious knee injury, return to the right of the front three where she suggested she could push Beth Mead very hard for a starting slot.Belgium, ranked 20th in the world, will not be the last team to sit deep and smother the Lionesses’s midfield so it was not surprising to see Wiegman urge Millie Bright to try her luck in picking out Kelly, Hemp and co with balls over the top from centre-half.The coach who led the Netherlands to Euro 2017 glory is, unlike Neville, a pragmatist unafraid to pursue perfectionism by mixing and matching intricate short passing with some unashamedly direct tactics. Typically her second half introduction of Alex Greenwood, a centre-half keen on stepping out of defence, finally liberated Walsh.Small wonder Rachel Daly’s versatility appeals to England’s coach. Shortly after arriving at left-back as a substitute, Daly’s wonderfully assured technique in volleying the second goal reminded everyone that, of the assorted positions she has mastered, striker is possibly her forte.Daly, like Kirby and Kelly, staked a claim for a starting place in a side which has won 10 games, drawn two and scored 75 goals on Wiegman’s watch. Significantly tougher tests beckon but, so far, that managerial ruthlessness is working.

Soccer