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The last time a young white woman in her mid-teens flipped over the tables of pop music, it was circa 2013 and it was New Zealand’s Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, aka Lorde. Now, mobilizing a not-dissimilar stylistic array, it’s Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell, aka Billie Eilish. She’s recently turned 17 but has been rising in the charts with singles and EPs since 2016—her streaming numbers are well over a billion—and today finally releases her debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which already set records for “pre-adds” on Apple Music. Advertisement For all the two share, though—their early discoveries, their elaborate given names reflecting their upbringings in artsy O’families, and their “indie girl voice” mixtures of mumbles and coos contrasting with harder-edged synth beats—Eilish is, crucially, a creature of Los Angeles, instead of Auckland. Lorde’s mother is an acclaimed poet, an inheritance easy to detect in her preternaturally mature lyrics. Eilish’s parents are minor screen actors: Contrary to a lot of observers’ assumptions, she hasn’t grown up rich by any stretch, but it was the kind of struggling family in which you could take horse-riding lessons as long as you also worked a part-time job at the stables. She and her older brother Finneas, who’s now reportedly her sole co-songwriter and producer, were both home-schooled, and Finneas had a locally successful teen band and appeared in a season of Glee. Eilish breathes the air of highway smog and burning hills, cool parties and showbiz workaholism, and don’t-give-a-fuck argot and epidemic self-harm. All of that is mainlined into her songs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She’s an avatar of a swift microgenerational shift that makes her music far trickier than Lorde’s for the olds to process. She’s also an avatar of a swift microgenerational shift that makes her music far trickier than Lorde’s for the olds to process. Call hers alt-stagram pop, the shadowy reverse of Ariana Grande’s or Selena Gomez’s music—a highly self-conscious but defiantly dark ongoing workshop of images, words, and music that copes with the inevitability of self-performance while striving for whatever could possibly have the ring of honesty. She may sound at first like a broader-strokes version of Lorde as well as transplanted L.A. indie sad-girl icon Lana Del Rey. Eilish’s earliest viral hit, “Ocean Eyes,” was a gently hooky ballad that fell neatly into the “Spotifycore” zone of easy-listening mood music. But she declares influences such as former teen-prodigy shock rapper Tyler, the Creator as well as the face-tattooed so-called SoundCloud rappers, often barely out of their teens themselves. (“Ocean Eyes” itself first got traction on SoundCloud.) Eilish was criticized last year for publicly mourning the shooting death of XXXTentacion, who was accused of more than one case of domestic violence but was also a supportive friend to her through various mental health struggles—she’s called him “a beam of light.” Advertisement Eilish’s own fashion stops short of face tattoos, no doubt to the relief of even her expansively tolerant parents. But she does rock an ever-changing rainbow of hair dyes, clunky sneakers, silver chains and rings, and baggy utility clothes (she’s bragged about wearing pants as shirts) in garish neon colors and crisscrossed with emo and metal insignias—part DIY and part designer, a hybrid of rapper, rave kid, and goth. While her singing may sound “girly,” her affect is not, with her quick-minded but California-casual conversation in interviews salted with bros and fucks and shits and straight trashes. (While her manager mother maintains loving watch nearby.) Advertisement Advertisement Eilish’s love of horror movies is manifest in her more recent videos, which feature her being stuck with dozens of hypodermic needles, having tarantulas crawling out of her mouth, and drinking a tall glass of charcoal liquid until black comes streaming from her eyes. Her songs on When We All Fall Asleep sip from the same waters, but in a more grounded way, with frequent references to dead friends (XXXTentacion doubtless haunts a few of them, though not so many as online gossips assume) and more generally to monsters and nightmares within—Eilish has said she suffers from night terrors, along with depression and a mild case of Tourette’s that can produce facial tics under stress. Yet rather than go full-goth with that content, she also entices with beautifully crafted stacks of vocal harmonies and modestly placed nuances of breath control and speak-singing shrugs. Advertisement Advertisement In every respect, these things have made her a hero to her peers and younger admirers, a high school cohort that seems more fiercely open about sadness, suffering, and sexuality than ever. “Wish You Were Gay,” included on the album, came under fire online for expressing a yearning that her crush object didn’t return her affections because of his sexuality rather than anything about herself. It got lumped in with Katy Perry’s “Ur So Gay” and “I Kissed a Girl” from a decade ago, as both denigrating and fetishizing queerness. It’s a fair critique. But I can’t help feeling, observing friends’ teen kids’ unblinkingly accepting relationships with their gay classmates, that she was just wondering nonjudgmentally if that might be the reason for their disconnect. And according to Eilish, her suspicion turned out to be right. Yes, she didn’t articulate it entirely eloquently. But that’s also what being 17 is. Advertisement Rather than go full- goth, she also entices with beautifully crafted stacks of vocal harmonies and modestly placed nuances of breath control. Like Twenty One Pilots, Eilish also talks about suicide frequently, and often romanticizes it—she has been featured on the soundtracks for both seasons of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, which does the same—but the alarm over such art often seems to overlook how much it can mean for a young person to know they’re not isolated in such thoughts. Let alone that it’s not actually a songwriter’s job to present socially responsible stump speeches, as opposed to representing the human condition. If kids are feeling nihilistic, perhaps one should find out why (e.g., that the world seems to them to be on fire) instead of suppressing it.<doc-sep>Set could score the third-largest streaming week ever for an album by a woman. Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? is getting bigger. Industry forecasters suggest the album, which is on track to debut at No. 1 on next week’s Billboard 200 chart, could now launch with over 275,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending April 4. That’s up from the first-week estimate of 250,000 reported on Sunday (March 31). The set is aiming to bow with 2019’s second-biggest week for an album in total units, the second-largest week of the year in terms of album sales, and the third-biggest streaming week ever for an album by a woman. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The top 10 of the April 13-dated Billboard 200 chart (where When We All Fall Asleep could debut at No. 1) is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard’s websites on Sunday, April 7.<doc-sep>Billie Eilish has suddenly become an obscenely famous pop star—the kind with 15 million Instagram followers, sold-out shows around the world, a haute modeling contract, and couch time with Ellen DeGeneres. Her brilliance is an obvious truth; just ask any teenager in America as they wait patiently for the rest of the world to catch up to their consummate taste in pop music. Of course, the 17-year-old Eilish is still waiting for her teeth to straighten out. This fact trumpets the arrival of her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? : For its intro, Eilish removes her much-loathed transparent braces in a series of lightly gross, ASMR-worthy slurps, and proclaims, “I have taken out my Invisalign and this is the album.” She then dissolves into heaving cackles, the kind that alienates any onlookers too prissy to partake. There are several more oddball moments like this—absent-minded humming to a track, giggling asides—that remind us she’s still a precocious, creative teen girl on this rocket, and all her gothic proclivities don’t cancel out how much she’s enjoying the ride. Her rise has been striking: At 14, she put the song “Ocean Eyes” on SoundCloud, a glassy, straightforward ballad with tearful synths and woozy, Lana Del Rey-indebted crooning. She snared a young fanbase with her hooks and raised her middle finger to pop’s status quo; here was this music that shifted between genres—from pop to trap and EDM—made by a lawless young female singer sporting baggy, androgynous clothes. She cast her bored, listless eyes upward instead of batting them at the camera. She filled her videos with flowing black tears, plunging needles, and arachnid hors d’oeuvres instead of twirling around sleek cityscapes. Eilish’s creepy eccentricity feels so removed from the pop formula; it helps distance her from the music industry’s historically lewd maceration of teen idols. Eilish just seems sharper, meaner, more self-sufficient—a young star from Los Angeles, in the grand tradition, but one that could only have come along while its hills are burning. The best moments of When We All Fall Asleep play firmly into this formula. Inspired by Eilish’s frequent night terrors and lucid dreams, the album juggles dark compulsions with grim eulogies, balancing her feathery vocals with deep, grisly bass. Like her spirit animal, the spider, Eilish can weave something that is at once delicate and grotesque: In “you should see me in a crown,” she lulls the listener into a false idyll with her murmured lilt, then leaps off the cliff of a tectonic dubstep bass drop, her sneer fully audible. (That the title is cribbed from Moriarty, the beguiling psychopath of television’s “Sherlock,” also speaks to her pull toward the sinister.) “xanny” plumbs sincere anxiety over more marrow-shaking bass, the kind that could blast apart a few pairs of headphones. Eilish’s voice crossfades over the narcoleptic beat, and slips into full despair, whimpering her most self-aware lines on the record: “Please don't try to kiss me on the sidewalk/On your cigarette break/I can’t afford to love someone/Who isn't dying by mistake in Silver Lake.” Eilish’s lyrics wonderfully underscore how all teen angst is both fiercely sincere and an affect of being only partially informed. A similar spirit drives “bury a friend,” another early single. Despite the vocoder-style distortion, Eilish’s voice feels even more intimate as she hisses, “Step on the glass, staple your tongue” in a farcical singsong. Eilish has namechecked Tyler, the Creator as one of her greatest influences; in her slightly jazzy trill, too, she also nods to her clearest pop progenitor, Lorde, who cleared much of Eilish’s path with her autonomous creative control, heavy-lidded social observations, and blithely goth aura. Still, all Eilish’s weaponry can’t stop her most overtly pop track, “bad guy,” from going stale. A snappy pulse launches Eilish into a litany of taunts against her partner. Over the rubbery electro beat, she says she’s the “make-your-girlfriend-mad type/Might-seduce-your-dad type.” It gave me pause because it suggests that perhaps Eilish isn’t so far removed from the teen pop continuum as we’ve come to believe: How different is her bragging about statutory rape, culturally, from trussing up 16-year-old Britney Spears in pigtails and plaid? Even if it’s a teen girl’s decision, entirely, to flaunt her sexuality (or engage in provocative roleplay), the line crosses a boundary plenty of adults were happy to cosign. The quieter moments of When We Fall Asleep nod more to Eilish’s past, and to mixed results. Much like her first EP, 2017’s Don’t Smile at Me, they skew glum instead of macabre, even briefly twee. “wish you were gay” spotlights Eilish’s vocals, which deserved better than being spackled with canned studio laughter and self-involved lyrics in the lamentable lineage of Katy Perry’s “Ur So Gay.” Minimalist, mournful piano ballads like “listen before i go” and “when the party’s over” further prove her vocal talents amid larger inertia. Throw in a cheeky, extended riff on an episode of “The Office” on “my strange addiction”—which smatters in clips of the Dunder Mifflin crew reacting to Michael Scott’s own contentious creative efforts—and you have an album as widely collagist as a teen’s bedroom wall.<doc-sep>Billie Eilish performed a reflective version of her ballad “When the Party’s Over” on Monday’s Ellen. The singer opened with the lights dimmed low, sitting with her feet in a shallow pool. As the arrangement swelled with sampled vocal harmonies and live piano, she stood out of her chair and glided through the water. “Don’t you know too much already?” she crooned. “I’ll only hurt you if you let me.” “When the Party’s Over” is the second single from Eilish’s recently issued debut LP, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? The album also features “You Should See Me in a Crown,” “Bury a Friend,” “Wish You Were Gay” and “Bad Guy.” The singer recently spoke to Rolling Stone about her creative philosophy. “Kids use my songs as a hug,” she said. “Songs about being depressed or suicidal or completely just against-yourself — some adults think that’s bad, but I feel that seeing that someone else feels just as horrible as you do is a comfort. It’s a good feeling.”<doc-sep>

Billie Eilish has spoken out about the glamorisation of drug taking in a new interview. Speaking to The Guardian, Eilish discussed the meaning behind her song ‘xanny’, taken from her newly released album ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’, out today (March 29). Beginning by explaining that she herself had never done drugs, Eilish said: “I’ve never got high, I’ve never smoked anything in my life. I don’t give a fuck, I never have. It’s just not interesting to me. I have other shit to do.” Moving onto the meaning behind ‘xanny’, named after Xanax, a drug glamourised in today’s pop culture and often referenced in rap music, Eilish said that the song’s message was “less ‘don’t do drugs’; it’s more ‘be safe’.” A plea deep-rooted in her own experiences with loss, the singer added: “I don’t want my friends to die any more.” READ MORE: Billie Eilish on her five favourite new artists right now One loss was that of friend XXXTentacion, the controversial rapper who was shot and killed in Florida in June 2018. He was 20 years old. Speaking about his death and the criticism she’s been facing for grieving for him, due to his history of domestic abuse charges, Eilish said she wants “to be able to mourn” him and not be “shamed for it.” She told the New York Times, “I don’t think I deserve getting hate for loving someone that passed.” Meanwhile, Eilish today released a new video for ‘Bad Guy’, the second single from her debut album which was released earlier today. Packed with bold imagery, the singer can be seen sporting a bloody nose and dancing wildly before things take a darker turn in the final verse of the song.

DALLAS — The picks are in and the 2018 NHL Draft has come to a close. The weekend began with the Buffalo Sabres selecting Rasmus Dahlin No. 1 overall and it ended with the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals choosing Eric Florchuk with the 217th and final pick. A lot happened, like some surprise selections, a few trades and plenty of intrigue as we approach free agency. Let’s take a look at some winners and losers from draft weekend. Winner: New York Islanders Landing Oliver Wahlstrom and Noah Dobson in back-to-back picks was something GM Lou Lamoriello probably didn’t expect when arrived at the draft, but that’s how things fell for the Islanders in the opening round. A dynamic offensive player in Wahlstrom and a good puck-moving blue liner in Dobson really add to the franchise’s prospect pool. The good off-season continues for them days after hiring Barry Trotz as their new head coach. Aside from finding a new goaltender, the biggest concern now facing the team is re-signing John Tavares, which we should know what his plans are within the next week. Winner: 2018 NHL Draft music The American Airlines Center DJ — Michael Gruber — spun an impeccable playlist during Friday night and Saturday afternoon. From the Beastie Boys to Weezer to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Sublime to Radiohead, the soundtrack to the weekend was flawless. Loser: Fans who like trades involving players One of the most exciting moments of the NHL draft is when Commissioner Gary Bettman steps to the podium and says, “We have a trade to announce!” Those words were uttered many times this weekend, but majority of the moves were teams swapping selections. Only two big trades that included players went down this weekend, which is kind of disappointing considering all of the speculation as the hockey world decended on Dallas. Maybe now that all of the teams are shifting their focus to free agency, some moves will happen this week before the market opens July 1. Winner: Colorado Avalanche The Avs made the first big move of the weekend by trading for goaltender Philipp Grubauer and defenseman Brooks Orpik from the Washington Capitals. Grubauer, a restricted free agent, is expected to sign a deal in the neighborhood of three years and $10 million, which gives Colorado a netminder for the future as Semyon Varlamov enters the final year of his deal. Loser: Calgary Flames The Flames dealt Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and highly-touted defense prospect Adam Fox to the Carolina Hurricanes for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm. That move breaks up one of the league’s top blue line pairings in Hamilton and Mark Giordano. Hanifin and Lindholm, who both rejected contract extension before being dealt, are set to become restricted free agents on July 1. Winner: Sweden With 28 Swedish-born players selected this weekend that matches the country’s record which was set during the 2011 draft. Also celebrating are England (Liam Kirk, Arizona) and Jamaica (Jermaine Loewen, Dallas). Kirk is first British-born and trained player to be drafted, while Loewen is the first Jamaican-born player to be picked. Loser: Slovakia While the number of Slovakian players drafted this year (5) is up from 2017 (2), the amount continues to remain low for a country that once regularly produced NHL players. Slovakia has seen only 15 players selected over the last six NHL Drafts. Winner: Brooks Orpik It’s been quite a month for the 37-year-old defenseman. First, he wins his second Stanley Cup. Then two weeks later he’s traded to the Colorado Avalanche along with goaltender Philipp Grubauer. But as soon as the deal was consummated, Avs GM Joe Sakic said the plan was to try and flip him or buy him out. No suitable offers were made, so Orpik was placed on waivers Saturday with the intent to buy him out. That sets up a situation that could see him headed back to the Capitals. Loser: Adam Mascherin Mascherin was originally a 2016 second round pick by the Florida Panthers, but could not agree to a contract wth the team. “He didn’t want to play for the Panthers. That’s what happened,” GM Dale Tallon said earlier this week. He was eligible to re-enter the draft this year and ended up dropping to the fourth round where the Dallas Stars picked him. In the two seasons since being picked by the Panthers, he’s posted 75 goals and 186 points in 132 games with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. Winner: The Sutter legacy The only thing that will outlast us all are cockroaches, Jaromir Jagr and a hockey playing Sutter. Riley Sutter was selected by the Capitals at No. 93 and is the son of Ron. The Sutter NHL tree dates all the way back to 1976 and doesn’t look like it will stop growing any time soon.. Loser: Max Pacioretty trade rumors A rumor going around late in the draft was that Pacioretty was going to be traded to the San Jose Sharks. But that was quickly shot down despite it being “confirmed.” The only news about the Montreal Canadiens captain, who has one year left on his deal, was that he’s parted ways with Pat Brisson and has hired Allan Walsh as his new agent. Winner: Unique names There were 217 picks in the 2018 draft and many, if you scour all of the selections, featured some pretty interesting names. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jett Woo, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Jasper Weatherby, Angus Crookshank, Blade Jenkins, Magnus Chrona, Dmitry Zavgorodniy, and Shamil Shamakov are just a handful of what we heard over the two days. Loser: Nando Eggenberger The Swiss winger who owns arguably the best name out of any of the eligible 2018 prospects did not get to hear his named called in Dallas. There’s always next year in Vancouver. Winner: The Krygier family Christian and Cole Krygier went five picks apart in the seventh round. The twin sons of former NHLer Todd Krygier, Christian landed with the Islanders while Cole ended up with the Panthers. ———— Sean Leahy is a writer forPro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line atphtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.<doc-sep>The first round of the 2018 NHL Draft is in the books. The initial 31 selections were made on Friday night in Dallas and teams across the league attempted to build a better and brighter future for their club. As is always the case, it'll take a while to find out who truly came away as big winners or losers. It often takes selections years to even crack an NHL lineup, then some additional time to develop at the highest level. But, with that being said, there's often good reason to feel good about the way certain teams approached the draft, while being skeptical about the strategy of others. So, who are we feeling good about this year? And who are we raising eyebrows at? Here are some kneejerk winners and losers. Winner: Sabres They got Rasmus Dahlin at No. 1 ... it's pretty much that simple. Anytime you can land yourself a potential generational talent, that's a pretty good night for the franchise. What Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews were to forwards, that's what Dahlin is considered to be for a defenseman. Not a bad starting block. It's just an extra bonus for the Sabres that it comes at a position of need. Winner: Islanders The Isles were reportedly looking to trade one of their back-to-back picks for a ready-now roster player, but it didn't happen. Maybe that turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as I really like the guys that they took at Nos. 11 and 12. Winger Oliver Wahlstrom has the potential to be a great scorer that can play alongside John Tavares or Mathew Barzal, and defenseman Noah Dobson is a promising defensive prospect that could be end up being a big-time force on the blue line. The Isles needed both of those things. Winner: Kids named Rasmus For real, though...three players named Rasmus going in the first round. Pretty good day to be a Rasmus. The 2018 NHL Draft will be remembered as the Year of Rasmus. USATSI Loser: Joe Veleno Many projected Veleno to be a lottery pick, but the talented center nearly fell out of the first round somehow. Ultimately, he wound up in Detroit with the 30th pick, but it was strange how many teams decided to pass on him. He'll be able to use that as motivation moving forward, but it probably stings a bit right now. Loser: Canadiens The No. 3 spot is somewhat of a tough draw in this draft considering there were two sure things in Dahlin and Svechnikov, then a drop-off after that. However, I don't love the Jesper Kotkaniemi pick for the Canadiens. He's a good player, his stock picked up late and he addresses an immediate need for Montreal, but anytime you have a pick that high I believe in going for the best overall player on the board…and I don't think it was him. (I probably would've went with Filip Zadina.) I'm surprised they couldn't find a deal to trade down a few spots, get some additional value while still getting their guy. Loser: Coyotes Arizona is another case of making a reach in the Top 5 to address an area of need. Barrett Hayton going that high was a big-time surprise, and I don't love the pick. Unless his draft stock quietly surged over the past few days, they probably could have moved down a few slots and still landed him. I would think that a number of teams would be very interested in jumping into the top five to pluck a guy like Zadina or Hughes, but apparently not. If the ask was too high, Arizona might've played themselves.<doc-sep>The 2018 NHL Draft is in the books, so it's time to hand out grades. The first major date on this summer's calendar got off to a slow start, but the fireworks finally started flying on Day 2 between the surprise trade of Dougie Hamilton and the news John Tavares would indeed entertain pitches from other teams to officially begin the free agency period this week. Thinking strictly in terms of prospects, here are the report cards for all 31 teams from draft weekend. NHL DRAFT 2018: Full seven-round results | Winners and losers Anaheim Ducks Grade: A- The Ducks usually know what they’re doing on draft day, and they proved it again by taking three skilled two-way forwards in centers Isac Lundestrom (23rd), B.O. Groulx (54th) and left wing Blake McLaughlin (79th). All three are first-round caliber. Goalies Lukas Dostal (85th) and Roman Durny (147th) aren't towering, but they each put on some show at several high-profile tournaments. Abrasive winger Jack Perbix (116th) and physical overage defender Hunter Drew (178th) rounded out yet another solid Anaheim draft. Arizona Coyotes Grade: A Arizona definitely earned a lot of points with this analyst for taking players I personally was very high on. They went a bit off the board to take center Barrett Hayton (fifth) over a winger in Filip Zadina, and went for pure defense with mammoth blue liner Kevin Bahl (55th). The next three skaters taken — winger Jan Jenik (65th), and hard-shooting puck movers Ty Emberson (73rd) and Michael Callahan (142nd) — all have tremendous potential to have significant NHL roles, and they made sniping winger Liam Kirk (189th) the first Englander to be drafted in the NHL. They beefed up their goalie pool by taking backstops Ivan Prosvetov (114th) and David Tendeck (158th), and gambled on injured two-way rearguard Dennis Busby (145th), who a few years back was considered a possible first rounder. Boston Bruins Grade: B+ The B’s didn’t have much to work with in terms of picks, but they took three exciting forwards in centers Jakub Lauko (77th), Curtis Hall (119th) and Russian overager Pavel Shen (212th). The two defensemen taken, Sweden’s Axel Andersson (57th) and Dustyn McFaul (181st), are long-term projects with decent pucks skills. Buffalo Sabres Grade: A The franchise made a 180-degree upright turn with just one pick, and the whole world will be fixated on Buffalo to see what Rasmus Dahlin (first) does on a nightly basis. Taking two-way physical blueliner Mattias Samuelsson (32nd) and hard-nosed 200-foot forward Matej Pekar (94th) will help the Sabres tilt the ice in their favor, and the trio of late-round European puck-moving defenders in Linus Cronholm (117th), Miska Kukkonen (125th) and William Worge Kreu (187th) beefs up a thin prospect pool on the blue line. MORE: How Rasmus Dahlin will fit Sabres, put rebuild on the fast track Calgary Flames Grade: A- The Flames’ biggest maneuver this weekend had nothing to do with draft prospects, as they traded Dougie Hamilton, Michael Ferland and prospect Adam Fox on Day 2 to Carolina for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm. The move made sense, especially when you consider the Flames weren’t picking until the fourth round anyway. All five of their picks were hard-working forwards with above-average puck skills who could provide either offense or defense, or both. Slovak center Martin Pospisil (105th) is reliable in all three zones and can match up against anyone, and Minnesota high schooler Demetrios Koumontzis (108th) not only oozes speed and finesse, but he also hammers the puck and is strong on his skates for an undersized forward. They receive first-round quality in Slovakian pivot Milos Roman (122nd), and both Mathias Petterson (167th) and Dmitry Zavgorodniy (198th) combine playmaking, skill and relentless pressure on the puck. GRADES: Carolina's new regime makes big splash with Dougie Hamilton Carolina Hurricanes Grade: B Speed must not be that important to the Canes, because after taking elite sniper Andrei Svechnikov (second), they grabbed with their next two picks a pair of marginal skaters in centers Jack Drury (42nd) and Luke Henman (96th). Both have strengths in terms of puck possession and playmaking, but the speed just isn’t there. Finnish goal-scoring winger Lenni Killinen (104th) was a smart grab in the fourth round, and playmaking defender Jesper Sellgren (166th) was one of my top-rated draft overagers. They closed it out by selecting a towering goalie in Jake Kucharski (197), but they over-drafted with their two picks after Svechnikov to knock them down from a perfect grade. MORE: Why Andrei Svechnikov's star potential is on par with Rasmus Dahlin Chicago Blackhawks Grade: A- The Hawks get a high five for taking two elite playmakers in the first round in Sweden’s Adam Boqvist (eighth) and QMJHLer Nicolas Beaudin (27th). The next three selections are pure skill types, beginning with set-up guy Jake Wise (69th). Shifty winger Niklas Nordgren (74th) and Swiss pivot Philipp Kurashev (120th) both have top-six upside, and two-way overage center Mikael Hakkarainen (139th) is sound in all three zones, albeit with limited upside. Overage power winger Josiah Slavin (193rd) works best alongside talented passers, and righty goalie Alexis Gravel (162nd) needs to have his skills and smarts catch up to his pro-level size. Colorado Avalanche Grade: B+ The Avalanche appeared to have an offense-first draft strategy. Not only for drafting five forwards out of the six skaters they selected, but also for the similar skill sets the newly acquired prospects all share. Winger Martin Kaut (16th) went higher than I expected, but he’s a good playmaker who excels in the cycle game and cashes in near the net. All three wingers they drafted — Sampo Ranta (78th), Tyler Weiss (109th) and Nikolai Kovalenko (171st) — can finish from just about anywhere, and overager Brandon Saigeon (140th) was a top-line forward for Hamilton as they nearly won the Memorial Cup. Goalies Justus Annunen (64th) and overager Shamil Shmakov (202nd) are both massive in height but need a lot of work in the quickness department. Overall, it feels like these were solid picks made by a staff with a clear intent to get players who can bury the puck. Columbus Blue Jackets Grade: C The Jackets made this draft about skill and speed over size and strength, so for that, I salute them. Still, they took a big gamble in the first round on speedy center Liam Foudy (18th), and took players riddled with question marks in finesse forward Marcus Karlberg (80th), defenseman Tim Berni (159th) and tiny overager Trey Fox-Wolansky (204th). Taking a triple-overage goalie in Veini Vehvilainen (173rd) was smart because he’s basically at NHL readiness, but by the time he gets to North American he’ll only be a few years away from unrestricted free agency. Dallas Stars Grade: B No, this isn’t because an arena full of green-jerseyed denizens who booed incessantly during trade announcements. No, this average grade begins with the pick at 14th overall of Ty Dellandrea, whom I love as a prospect and hated knocking down in my rankings but has a low ceiling in terms of point production. They took a pair of capable Swedes with their next two picks in sniping power winger Albin Eriksson (44th) and big, two-way pivot Oskar Back (75th), and rolled the dice on 2016 re-draft Adam Mascherin (100th), who can wire the puck and create chances but has below-average speed. OHL-trained centers appeared to have been a requirement for the Stars, as they took two more in Windsor’s mammoth two-way pivot Curtis Douglas (106th) and Kitchener’s speedy, hard-shooting Riley Damiani (137th). Defenseman Dawson Barteaux (168th) has good wheels and plays a smart positional game, and overage power winger Jermaine Loewen (199th) had a breakout season scoring goals for Kamloops in the WHL. Detroit Red Wings Grade A The Red Wings were gifted three forwards with top-line upside in wingers Filip Zadina (sixth) and Jonatan Berggren (33rd), plus speedy two-way center Joe Veleno (30th), who was a steal in the late first round. They then took two punishing yet mobile defenders in Jared McIsaac (36th) and Alec Regula (67th), and goalies Jesper Eliasson (84th) and Victor Brattstrom (160th) are two of Sweden’s top under-21 goalies.<doc-sep>

DALLAS -- The 2018 NHL draft was, in comparison to other recent editions, a muted affair. There were only two major trades made, and few credible rumors to spark speculation. Arguably the biggest move was the NHL return of a player who hasn't been in North America since 2013. Well, that and the most prized free agent of the summer agreeing to listen to other teams' pitches. The draft itself had a Swedish defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, selected by the Buffalo Sabres at No. 1 overall, and more "hey, maybes" than sure things among its top prospects. That said, some teams and individuals leave "Big D" with "Big W's," while others walked off the draft floor taking an "L." Here's a look at the winners and losers at the 2018 NHL draft. Winner: Islanders draft class ESPN's Chris Peters gave the New York Islanders an "A" for their remarkable draft class of 2018. That includes the good fortune of having the potentially dynamic scorer Oliver Wahlstrom dropping to No. 11 and then snagging defenseman Noah Dobson at No. 12. It extends to defenseman Bode Wilde (No. 41) and center Ruslan Iskhakov (No. 43) on Day 2. "I don't think we could be more pleased with how it turned out," said GM Lou Lamoriello. Loser: Islanders fans' nerves The news came down during the draft that Islanders superstar center John Tavares will field pitches from at least five teams in the next week, before he's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. That includes two teams with considerable cap space (San Jose, Vegas), his hometown team (Toronto) and the team for which one of his closest friends plays (Tampa Bay). The odds are still good that Tavares remains with the Islanders, who can give him eight years on a contract and where he's professed a desire to stay in order to return the franchise to glory. But that doesn't make this any easier for Islanders fans. Winner: Boo, Gary Bettman Taking ownership of the incessant, unending booing that occurs whenever he shows up in front of a large group of NHL fans brings out a playfully antagonistic side to the commissioner -- rather than the exasperatingly antagonistic comportment that we usually see. Loser: Gary Bettman, Boo The NHL draft began on Friday night with a solemn tribute to the Humboldt Broncos and the victims of that horrific bus crash earlier this season. Alas, the segment was presented by Bettman, who was welcomed with Pavlovian booing from fans. No one else could have done this segment? Only the guy who always gets booed at first sight at an event like this? The fans, for what it's worth, calmed down after Bettman asked them to. But seriously, did the NHL not see this coming? Winner: Jim Gregory A senior vice president of hockey operations for the league, Gregory has played a large role in the development of the NHL draft since 1979, having also served as director of the NHL Central Scouting Bureau for several years. In 2007, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder. He's also been the voice of Day 2 of the draft for decades, and this was his last draft serving in that role. He was given a standing ovation at the start of Round 2, and every team in the NHL thanked him for his service during the final round while making its picks. The Dallas Stars captain was playfully dunked on by Hall of Famer and former Dallas captain Mike Modano. The two appeared on stage during the Stars' first-round pick, and Modano noted that while he had experienced this moment before Benn never did. "They usually don't let fifth-rounders on stage," Benn lamented. Later, Modano noted how much prep time Benn needed before the appearance. "We just needed to get the script done early so he could have two hours to look at it. It was only two lines. But the name of the draft pick [Ty Dellandrea] sent him for a loop," he said, laughing. Winner: USA Hockey It's a great time for USA Hockey. Youth participation is up. The NHL is on the verge of adding another American-based team (Seattle), which means potential growth in that region as well. In all, 55 Americans were drafted in 2018, as the U.S. is pumping out a new generation of stars.

Penetrating documentaries, horror chillers and A-list stars will be some of the hallmarks of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The festival kicks off on Friday as Hollywood hitmakers and indie creators turn up in Park City, Utah, to watch movies and make deals in the snow. Read on for a preview of the films set to make waves this year. Mostly known for indie and up-and-coming filmmakers, Sundance always sees major stars stepping away from the mainstream to flex their quirkier acting muscles. Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson, Zac Efron, David Oyelowo, Demi Moore, Shia LaBeouf and The Rock are among the big names appearing this year. Enlarge Image Claudette Barius Olivia Colman, currently enjoying universal acclaim and an Oscar nomination for her performance in The Favourite, returns with religious drama Them That Follow. And after the edgy Nightcrawler, Jake Gyllenhaal re-teams with writer and director Dan Gilroy for Velvet Buzzsaw, a thriller set in the art world. Velvet Buzzsaw will stream on Netflix in February. Netflix and Amazon Amazon has already won an Oscar. Netflix is nominated for best picture this year. It's safe to say the streaming services are power players in the movie industry, and several Sundance films will show up to stream soon. That includes Paddleton, produced by mumblecore veterans the Duplass brothers. In this Netflix black comedy, Mark Duplass and Ray Romano play misfit neighbours shaken up when one of them gets cancer. Enlarge Image Sundance Amazon has Indian drama Photograph and quirky comedy Troop Zero at the festival. The latter sees directing duo Bert & Bertie direct Viola Davis and Allison Janney in a comedy about 1970s girl scouts trying to get themselves on NASA's Golden Record. What's up docs? Heavyweight documentaries dominate the festival. The movie industry takes a long hard look at itself in Untouchable, an examination of the rise and fall of movie mogul and accused sexual abuser Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein's run of indie hits was inextricably interlinked with the history of Sundance, which could make this uncomfortable viewing for some festival-goers. Another documentary, Leaving Neverland, talks to people claiming to have been sexually abused by Michael Jackson. The late pop star's estate and fans have denounced HBO and Channel 4 who produced the two-part, four-hour film. Enlarge Image Sundance Political firebrands and best-selling writers are profiled in Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins, Where's My Roy Cohn? and Stieg Larsson: The Man Who Played With Fire. Steve Bannon is profiled in The Brink, while Knock Down the House casts a vote for a new era as it follows new political candidates like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Technology is also under the microscope in Park City. The Great Hack exposes the inner workings of the Cambridge Analytica scandal that sucked in Facebook users across the globe. And another scandal is uncovered in The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, which looks into the fraud behind blood-testing company Theranos and its founder Elizabeth Holmes. Enlarge Image Sundance On a lighter note, at Sundance no one can hear you scream about how much you love the Alien movies. Memory: The Origins of Alien is a behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration and influences behind Ridley Scott's classic sci-fi shocker, drawing on Greek and Egyptian mythologies, the art of Francis Bacon and the twisted vision of artist H.R. Giger. Fact from fiction True stories will also be big in fictional form, with not one but two films highlighting political whistleblowers of recent years. The Report stars Adam Driver and delves into the revelation of CIA interrogation methods, while Official Secrets sees Keira Knightley headline dirty dealings leading up to the 2003 Iraq invasion. Enlarge Image Sundance Another Netflix entry is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Written, directed by and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, it's based on the life of William Kamkwamba, a teenager in Malawi who cobbled together a solution to save his family and village from famine. Horror highlights Last year Hereditary was a standout of the festival, and there's plenty of horrifying horror movies in the 2019 lineup. Kiersey Clemons is a castaway menaced by a malevolent force on a solitary island in Sweetheart. It's produced by Jason Blum, the producer behind hits like Get Out, Glass and the Purge movies. He also produced Relive, in which David Oyelowo gets a phone call from his murdered family. Spooky! I Am Mother stars Rose Byrne and Hilary Swank in a dystopian sci-fi chiller following a teenage girl raised by robots. Another teenage girl is in trouble in Share, expanded from a short film by director and screenwriter Pippa Bianco. The teenager at the centre of the story discovers a disturbing video from a night she doesn't remember, with chilling results. Enlarge Image Sundance Little Monsters is a zombie movie with a touch of class -- a school class, that is, as teacher Lupita Nyong'o tries to protect her junior charges from the undead. In Wounds, Armie Hammer and Dakota Johnson unravel after finding a phone left behind at a bar. The festival also includes storytelling in all kinds of multimedia form, including new TV shows and virtual reality experiences. We'll being you reviews and features from Park City, so keep it CNET. Culture: Your hub for everything from film and television to music, comics, toys and sports. Movie Magic: The secrets behind the scenes of your favorite films and filmmakers.<doc-sep>Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) PARK CITY, Utah — A Sundance Film Festival party celebrating the cast and filmmakers of the Zac Efron-starring “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” left festival attendees angry and frustrated after they couldn’t gain entry. A long line of RSVP’d attendees stood outside the venue waiting to gain entry to the soiree, though it would never happen. We’re told the party, which began at midnight, reached capacity almost immediately, so it became a one in, one out situation, but bouncers and publicists would only allow VIPs inside the DIRECTV lounge. “I stood on that line for an hour, and they wouldn’t let anyone on it in,” one angry partygoer told us. “We were all on the list, which I guess didn’t mean anything.” Another hopeful—but ultimately disappointed partygoer—told us that she lost feeling in her hands due to the extremely cold weather. “I waited from midnight to 1:30 a.m. and didn’t even realize my hands were numb until I pulled out my phone to try and take a picture of Zac leaving,” she said. When the crowd’s frustration finally reached its apex, one of the security guards admitted odds of getting in were slim because of the VIP treatment. “He looked like he really felt bad for us and said there was probably no end in sight for waiting on that line,” another wannabe partier told us. We’re told once Efron departed the party around 1:30 Sunday morning, the line moved quickly. “At that point, there was no point in going inside,” the insider shared. “Everyone got angrier and then just gave up and left.”<doc-sep>

In February last year, it was announced that Metallica’s James Hetfield would make his debut acting role in a new film about serial killer Ted Bundy. The vocalist and guitarist will play the role of Officer Bob Hayward alongside Zac Efron and Lily Collins in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, which was directed by Joe Berlinger – the man behind the camera for Metallica’s Some Kind Of Monster. It’s now been revealed that the film will receive its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, which will take place in Utah between January 24 and February 3. A synopsis of the film reads: “Ted (Zac Efron) is crazy-handsome, smart, charismatic, affectionate. And cautious single mother Liz Kloepfer (Lily Collins) ultimately cannot resist his charms. For her, Ted is a match made in heaven, and she soon falls head over heels in love with the dashing young man. “A picture of domestic bliss, the happy couple seems to have it all figured out... until, out of nowhere, their perfect life is shattered. “Ted is arrested and charged with a series of increasingly grisly murders. Concern soon turns to paranoia – and, as evidence piles up, Liz is forced to consider that the man with whom she shares her life could actually be a psychopath.” Metallica, meanwhile, will return to the UK and Europe on the next leg of their WorldWired tour from May, while fans can vote for the best Metallica song of all time in our new online poll. Look out for the final results in the coming weeks. The band will also launch their album Helping Hands… Live & Acoustic At The Masonic on February 1 through independent record stores and streaming and digital platforms. Metallica WorldWired UK and European stadium tour May 01: Lisbon Estádio do Restelo, Portugal May 03: Madrid Valdebebas, Spain May 05: Barcelona Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Spain May 08: Milan San Siro Hippodrome, Italy May 10: Zürich Letzigrund, Switzerland May 12: Paris Stade De France, France Jun 08: Dublin Slane Castle, Ireland Jun 11: Amsterdam Johan Cruijff Arena, Netherlands Jun 13: Cologne RheinEnergieStadion, Germany Jun 16: Brussels Koning Boudewijnstadion, Belgium Jun 18: Manchester Etihad Stadium, UK Jun 20: London Twickenham Stadium, UK Jul 06: Berlin Olympiastadion, Germany Jul 09: Gothenburg Ullevi, Sweden Jul 11: Copenhagen Telia Parken, Denmark Jul 13: Trondheim Granåsen, Norway Jul 16: Hameenlinna Kantolan Tapahtumapuisto, Finland Jul 18: Tartu, Raadi Airport, Estonia Jul 21: Moscow Luzhniki Stadium, Russia Aug 14: Bucharestv Arena Națională, Romania Aug 16: Vienna Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Austria Aug 18: Prague Airport Letnany, Czech Republic Aug 21: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland Aug 23: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany Aug 25: Mannheim Maimarktgelande, Germany

With Paul George opting to return to Oklahoma City and stars like Kevin Durant and Chris Paul also remaining with their current teams, are LeBron's best recruiting days behind him? There was a time, in the not too distant past, when LeBron James’ recruiting exploits matched his transcendent play. The King on the court was the queen on the chessboard, a centerpiece around whom the NBA’s roster-building game revolved. His greatest off-season hits have shaped his Hall of Fame career at every turn, and they have enhanced his reputation as an influential player/executive hybrid. James hatched a team-up plan with fellow USA Basketballers Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and plucked Ray Allen from the rival Celtics. He snubbed Andrew Wiggins from The Letter and successfully pitched Kevin Love by phone to join him in Cleveland. He adopted J.R. Smith from the Knicks, saved Wade from the Bulls, and lured a dozen knockdown shooters with the promise of an endless supply of open looks. Along the way, James’s pitch usually produced swift decisions and tidy outcomes because it was self-evident and airtight: Playing with James guaranteed that you would win a lot, compete for titles every year, and become more famous simply by being in his orbit. The 2018 free agency period was only a few minutes old, and yet James’s status as a puppet master has already been dealt a stunning rebuke for the second straight summer. Last year, Kyrie Irving passed on the chance to run with James and the Cavaliers to a fourth straight Finals, instead forcing his way to the Celtics. Then, early Sunday morning, Paul George elected to re-sign with the Thunder on a four-year contract, bypassing the possibility of teaming up with James in Los Angeles, both now and in the foreseeable future. Grades: Thunder Retain Paul George Through Team and Culture As George and Russell Westbrook puffed cigars at a party in Oklahoma, James’ ideal “Big 3 Part 3"—himself, George and Kawhi Leonard in LA—went up in smoke. James, who flew from Anguilla to LA on Sunday, may now be suffering from both jet lag and déjà vu. As he weighs his own free-agency decision, the four-time MVP must come to terms with the fact that—for the second straight year—his magnetic pull was no longer capable of attracting an All-NBA player who would be especially helpful against the Warriors. Last summer, Irving traded life in limbo with James for a steadier organization to call his own. This summer, George decided to return to a small-market Thunder team that was bounced in the first round without so much as a formal meeting with the Lakers. Kirk Irwin/Getty Images In the 33-year-old James’s never-ending arms race with the Warriors, both decisions represent massive losses. James dearly missed Irving’s shot-making and firepower in the 2018 Finals, as Cleveland’s point guard corps was an utter mess. Meanwhile, George was an obvious candidate to handle primary defensive responsibilities on Kevin Durant, Golden State’s two-time Finals MVP. Pairing with George on twin max deals in LA would have given James the breather he needed against Golden State while also setting up juicy interchangeable lineups with Leonard. Now, much like in the post-Irving turmoil in Cleveland, it’s difficult to find a home for James that will be ready to challenge Golden State in 2019. James’s new best-case scenario likely involves teaming with Leonard and DeMarcus Cousins in LA. That sounds good on paper, but Cousins has yet to make the playoffs, both of James’s new co-stars would be entering training camp following season-ending injuries, and LA’s young roster would need to be gutted to land Leonard. Returning to Cleveland is even bleaker: Kevin Love and a host of bad contracts probably isn’t enough help to get out of the East, let alone with the Finals. It’s important to note that both Irving and George had good reasons for making their decisions. Irving had already won a title, he was ready to be his own man, and he wanted to get ahead of a possible James departure. Plus, the Cavaliers had shopped him in trades following the 2017 Finals and then abruptly turned over their management team. 2018 NBA Free Agency: Live Blog Oklahoma City played its cards perfectly with George, rolling out the red carper last summer, giving him $137 million over four years, and selling him on a fairly successful partnership with Westbrook. By re-signing, George didn’t have to move again, he didn’t have to acclimate himself to a new roster of teammates, and he didn’t need to brace for years of intense scrutiny in LA. Of course, he also secured his financial future following a major leg injury in 2014. The elephant in the room: Both of those plans explicitly excluded James. What’s more, Durant opted to quickly re-sign with the Warriors, while Chris Paul forced his way to Houston last summer and then quickly agreed to re-sign on Monday. In both of those cases, All-NBA level players opted for younger running mates—Stephen Curry and James Harden, respectively—rather than pursuing partnerships on James’s terms and timeline. In both cases, those decisions will likely pay off with stable championship-contending teams on the court. Who can blame them? To suggest that James is no longer the master of his 94-foot by 50-foot domain would be madness. For evidence of his ageless greatness, look no further than his game-winner to beat the Pacers, or his game-winner to beat the Raptors, or his 46-point Game 6 against the Celtics, or his 51-point explosion in Game 1 against the Warriors. But recent history, and the first hour of 2018 free agency, are starting to tell a different story off the court: James’s best recruiting days may already be behind him.<doc-sep>Photo : Thearon W. Henderson ( Getty Images Paul George took exactly zero meetings and wasted no time whatsoever before agreeing to a four-year max contract worth $137 million to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday morning. This went down in a fun way: Russell Westbrook left a family vacation in Hawaii to fly back to Oklahoma City and host a party for George; at this party, nine minutes before the official start of free agency, George announced to an ecstatic crowd that he would be staying in town: Advertisement George’s return to the Thunder is huge, for a number of reasons. First of all it makes the Thunder an unbelievably expensive team: George’s max deal would push OKC’s 2018-19 season payroll to a whopping $156 million, against a $101.9 million salary cap; with luxury tax and repeater tax payments factored in, the Thunder are currently set to spend an astronomical $286 million on player payroll, before they fill out the remaining slots on their roster; per Bobby Marks, that $130 million tax bill would be the largest in NBA history. And that’s to hold together the basic shape of a team that lost in six games to the Utah Jazz in the opening round of the playoffs. George’s return reflects the expectation that a healthy Thunder core playing a second season together can accomplish more than they did in year one, an idea that’s not all that unrealistic once you remember that OKC had one of the very best five-man lineups in basketball before Andre Roberson was lost to a season-ending knee injury in late January. It also redeems the chance the Thunder took in acquiring George last offseason, when he’d made it clear his primary goal was to engineer his way onto the Lakers this summer. That declaration depressed George’s value, eventually paving the way for the Thunder to swoop in unexpectedly and grab him in a trade that cost them Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, two players the Thunder didn’t value all that highly. Sam Presti was hailed for pivoting decisively after a season without Kevin Durant, and the Pacers were roundly panned for failing to convert their best player into draft assets or can’t-miss youngsters. It’s wild to look back on that now. Oladipo became an All-Star last season and joined George on the All-NBA third team; Sabonis found his stride as a high-end rotation-grade center; the Pacers made the playoffs and gave LeBron James and the Cavs a tremendous series; and Presti suddenly looked like a guy who not only failed to find the appropriate use for two genuinely good young players in Oladipo and Sabonis, but then shipped them out for a one-year rental of a star player stopping through on his way to Los Angeles. A trade that initially looked like a lopsided victory for the Thunder swung pretty wildly towards looking like a massive win for the Pacers, but Presti’s move was ultimately always a gamble that his well-run organization and the simple charms of Oklahoma City could overcome a superstar player’s homesickness for Los friggin’ Angeles. That still strikes me as completely bonkers. And it worked! This certainly blows for the Lakers. First of all, George wanted them! They had an opportunity last summer to trade for George, when he’d made it known he wanted out of Indiana. All they would’ve had to do was beat an offer centered around a fringe starter combo-guard on what was then considered a wildly inflated contract, plus a ho-hum second-year swingman who’d yet to establish a natural position in the NBA. But the Lakers’ confidence that they could land George in free agency this summer prevented them from making an especially impressive offer, and now here we are. Instead of being the magnet to attract other superstars to Los Angeles, George is returning to Oklahoma City for the remainder of his prime years, and the Lakers are left with a half-a-million-dollar tampering fee as the closest they ever got to landing the hometown superstar. There’s an alternate universe out there where the Lakers traded Brandon Ingram and, say, Julius Randle for George last summer, and he spent Saturday night partying in Los Angeles, and announced a max contract with the Lakers Sunday morning. In that universe, Los Angeles’s remaining cap room and player assets are then easily converted into LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, and the Lakers are the toast of the NBA by Monday afternoon. What we’ve got here in this universe is a somewhat crummier reality where the only feasible LeBron-centered Lakers superteam involves Kawhi Leonard’s beef- jerky upper leg and DeMarcus Cousins’s crab- meat lower leg, with LaVar Ball skulking around demanding more shots for his son. It didn’t have to be this way.<doc-sep>Chris Elise/Getty Images LeBron James is going to be a Los Angeles Laker—at least according to the thought process of some NBA executives. Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported some league executives believe LeBron has already chosen the Lakers and that his "indecision is all theater." James, 33, opted out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. His representation has been meeting with teams since the free-agency period began at 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday. The Lakers were viewed as clear favorites heading into the free-agency process, but the waters appear murkier now. Paul George agreed to return to the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving James without his most obvious potential co-star. The Lakers have also been unable to pull off a trade for Kawhi Leonard, who has been seen as another player who could join him in Los Angeles. James is taking a more hands-off approach during this free agency, allowing agent Rich Paul to handle most of the discussions. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Paul had a meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers scheduled for Sunday. The Sixers have also discussed potentially trading for Leonard, who is disgruntled in San Antonio. It's possible James comes to Los Angeles alone. He has two homes in the Los Angeles area and a growing production company. It's possible this will be more of a lifestyle choice than a basketball decision. But the strain on the Lakers' basketball efforts here are showing and could make the seemingly foregone conclusion anything but.<doc-sep>

Paul George will re-sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder on a four-year, $137M max contract rather than going home to join the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. I’m being told Paul George is on stage with Russell Westbrook at the party. “I’m here to stay,” George said. “We can bring it home.” — Royce Young (@royceyoung) July 1, 2018 Paul George told the Thunder he was staying “early” so they could set everything up, per sources. In other words, they’ve been operating like he was staying for a bit now. — Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 1, 2018 George had been heavily linked to the Lakers since reportedly requesting a trade to his hometown of Los Angeles in the summer of 2017. But after a season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and a party with Russell Westbrook and their management to kick off free agency, George decided that the midwest is where he’d rather be. In his lone season with the Thunder, George averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2 steals per game. He also shot a team-high 40.1 percent from the three-point line, despite averaging his lowest field goal percentage in four years. George was also one of three players to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and steals per game last season and the only player to shoot at least 40 percent from behind the arc and average at least 2 steals per game. The Lakers could have traded for George last season but opted to wait for free agency, seemingly certain at the time that they would be able to woo the Palmdale native back home. George getting dealt elsewhere and deciding he likes it demonstrates the risks of such a strategy, and why the old idiom of a bird in the hand being worth two in free agency (or something like that) is so apt. But while George signing with the Thunder is a blow the Lakers’ visions of a George/LeBron James/Kawhi Leonard superteam, with the most cap space in the league and the seeming inevitability that they’ll sign James, Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka are well positioned to pivot to other options as free agency continues. All stats per NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com. You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.

The Grammy Awards show is a massive concert featuring the world's best musicians, but lots of honors get doled out as well, which makes it one of the most anticipated nights of the year for musicians and entertainers. The 2019 awards show was hosted by Alicia Keys, who has won more than a dozen Grammys herself. This year's Grammy Awards saw women winning most of the show's biggest categories. Lady Gaga, H.E.R., Kacey Musgraves and several other leading ladies scored multiple awards. It was also a record-setting night for other artists. Childish Gambino's poignant song "This is America" cleaned up with four awards, making it the first rap song to win both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" won best rap album, making her the first solo female artist to do so. Here's the complete list of winners: Album Of The Year: "Golden Hour," Kacey Musgraves Record Of The Year: "This Is America," Childish Gambino Song Of The Year: "This Is America," Childish Gambino Best New Artist: Dua Lipa Best Pop Solo Performance: "Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'? )," Lady Gaga Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Shallow," Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper Best Country Album: "Golden Hour," Kacey Musgraves Best Pop Vocal Album: "Sweetener," Ariana Grande Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: "My Way," Willie Nelson Best Rap Performance: "King's Dead," Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake / "Bubblin," Anderson .Paak Best Rap/Sung Performance: "This Is America," Childish Gambino Best Rap Song: "God's Plan," Drake Best Rap Album: "Invasion Of Privacy," Cardi B Best Rock Performance: "When Bad Does Good," Chris Cornell Best Metal Performance: "Electric Messiah," High On Fire Best Rock Song: "Masseduction," St. Vincent Best Alternative Music Album: "Colors," Beck Best Rock Album: "From The Fires," Greta Van Fleet Best R&B Performance: "Best Part," H.E.R. featuring Daniel Caesar Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Bet Ain't Worth The Hand," Leon Bridges Best R&B Song: "Boo'd Up," Ella Mai Best Country Song: "Space Cowboy," Kacey Musgraves Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "Tequila," Dan + Shay Best Country Solo Performance: "Butterflies," Kacey Musgraves Best Urban Contemporary Album: "Everything Is Love," The Carters Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: "Steve Gadd Band," Steve Gadd Band Best R&B Album Winner: H.E.R. Best Dance Recording: "Electricity," Silk City & Dua Lipa featuring Diplo and Mark Ronson Best Dance/Electronic Album: "Woman Worldwide," Justice Best New Age Album: "Opium Moon," Opium Moon Best Comedy Album: "Equanimity & The Bird Revelation," Dave Chappelle Best Remixed Recording: "Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix)," Haim Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: "The Greatest Showman," Hugh Jackman and various artists Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: "Black Panther," Ludwig Göransson Best Song Written For Visual Media: "Shallow," Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper Best Recording Package: "Masseduction," St. Vincent Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package: "Squeeze Box: The Complete Works Of 'Weird Al' Yankovic," Weird Al Yankovic Best Album Notes: "Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris" Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell Williams Best Music Video: "This Is America," Childish Gambino Best Music Film: "Quincy," Quincy Jones Best Improvised Jazz Solo: "Don't Fence Me In," John Daversa Best Jazz Vocal Album: The Window, Cécile Mclorin Salvant Best Jazz Instrumental Album: "Emanon," The Wayne Shorter Quartet Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: "American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom," John Daversa Big Band featuring Daca Artists Best Latin Jazz Album: "Back To The Sunset," Dafnis Prieto Big Band Best Gospel Performance/Song: "Never Alone," Tori Kelly featuring Kirk Franklin Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: "You Say," Lauren Daigle Best Gospel Album: "Hiding Place," Tori Kelly Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: "Look Up Child," Lauren Daigle Best Roots Gospel Album: "Unexpected," Jason Crabb Best Latin Pop Album: "Sincera," Claudia Brant Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album: "Aztlán," Zoé Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): "¡México Por Siempre!," Luis Miguel Best Tropical Latin Album: "Anniversary," Spanish Harlem Orchestra Best American Roots Performance: "The Joke," Brandi Carlile Best American Roots Song: "The Joke," Brandi Carlile Best Americana Album: "By The Way, I Forgive You," Brandi Carlile Best Bluegrass Album: "The Travelin' Mccourys," The Travelin' Mccourys Best Traditional Blues Album: "The Blues Is Alive And Well," Buddy Guy Best Contemporary Blues Album: "Please Don't Be Dead," Fantastic Negrito Best Folk Album: "All Ashore," Punch Brothers Best Regional Roots Music Album: "No 'Ane'I," Kalani Pe'a Best Reggae Album: "44/876," Sting and Shaggy Best World Music Album: "Freedom," Soweto Gospel Choir Best Children's Album: "All The Sounds," Lucy Kalantari and The Jazz Cats Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling): "Faith - A Journey For All," Jimmy Carter Best Musical Theater Album: "The Band's Visit," Original Broadway Cast Best Instrumental Composition: "Blut Und Boden (Blood And Soil)," Terence Blanchard Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella: "Stars And Stripes Forever," John Daversa Big Band featuring Daca Artists Best Arrangement, Instruments And Vocals: "Spiderman Theme," Randy Waldman featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter Best Historical Album: Voices Of Mississippi: "Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris" Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: "Colors," Beck Best Immersive Audio Album: "Eye In The Sky - 35th Anniversary Edition," The Alan Parsons Project Best Engineered Album, Classical: "Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11," Andris Nelsons and Boston Symphony Orchestra Producer Of The Year, Classical: Blanton Alspaugh Best Orchestral Performance: "Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11," Andris Nelsons Best Opera Recording: "Bates: The (R)Evolution Of Steve Jobs," Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edward Parks and Jessica E. Jones Best Choral Performance: "Mcloskey: Zealot Canticles," Donald Nally Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: "Anderson, Laurie: Landfall," Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet Best Classical Instrumental Solo: "Kernis: Violin Concerto," James Ehnes Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: "Songs Of Orpheus" - Monteverdi, Caccini, D'india & Landi, Karim Sulayman Best Classical Compendium: "Fuchs: Piano Concerto 'Spiritualist'; Poems Of Life; Glacier; Rush," Joann Falletta Best Contemporary Classical Composition: "Kernis: Violin Concerto," James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot and Seattle Symphony Now playing: Watch this: 5 tips for free-tier Spotify users Read more<doc-sep>Kacey Musgraves has won Album of the Year at the 2019 Grammys. Golden Hour takes home the honor, beating out albums by Drake (Scorpion), Post Malone (beerbongs & bentleys), Cardi B (Invasion of Privacy), Janelle Monáe (Dirty Computer), H.E.R. (H.E.R. ), and Brandi Carlile (By the Way, I Forgive You), as well as Black Panther The Album Music From and Inspired By. Watch Kacey’s acceptance speech below. Kacey Musgraves performed earlier in the awards ceremony, delivering a rendition of “Rainbow.” She also took the stage with Dolly Parton. Musgraves won all four Grammys she got nominated for this year: Best Country Album, Best Country Song (“Space Cowboy”) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Butterflies”). Follow all of Pitchfork’s coverage of this year’s Grammy Awards.<doc-sep>18. Post Malone & Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Stay" / "Rockstar" / "Dark Necessities" Fun for a minute, with Post Malone performing his better-than-you'd-think Beerbongs & Bentleys solo acoustic ballad "Stay" -- a side he's never brought to an award show stage before. But then, it was basically a lesser redux of his performance from last year's VMAs, doing a halfhearted "Rockstar" (sans 21 Savage, of course) and then joining up with a legacy rock band -- in this case Red Hot Chili Peppers -- for a mildly compelling run through "Dark Necessities." (Why "Dark Necessities," a now-three-year-old RHCP single whose existence you've probably already forgotten about? Fair question.) 17. Shawn Mendes & Miley Cyrus, "In My Blood" Considering how many award shows Mendes had already trotted "In My Blood" out at in the past year, it was refreshing to see him giving it a different sound this time out -- starting solo at the piano, then being joined on stage by Miley Cyrus once it was time for the full band to kick in. Still not the most resounding performance or natural duet vocal, though: "Lost in Japan" (or Cyrus' "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart") would've been much more fun choices for the collab. 16. Chloe X Halle, "Where Is the Love?" A fine tribute to the late great Donny Hathaway from best new artist nominees Chloe X Halle, but the duo's strong rendering of Hathaway's signature duet with Roberta Flack was sadly undone by a bizarre arrangement, giving the song a booming, almost dubstep feel that was entirely inappropriate for the delicate soul classic. Good vocal showcase, but no reason it shouldn't have been a better performance. 15. Jennifer Lopez & Co., Motown Medley J-Lo + Motown: uh, sure? She wouldn't have been anyone's first choice of performer to lead a tribute to the legendary pop and soul label, but no one could ever question either Lopez's passion for popular music or her irrepressible vibrancy as a live performer. Better showcased via her Video Vanguard performance at last year's VMAs, but this one still had some fun surprises, like Lopez dipping into Teena Marie's '80s Motown hit "Square Biz" or Ne-Yo showing up for a quick detour into Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life classic "Another Star." 14. Diana Ross, "The Best Years of My Life" / "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" Never a bad time to celebrate the great Diana Ross, and it's understandable if the Grammys saw the ceremonies near enough to her 75th birthday as an opportunity they couldn't pass up. But while Ross' performance was strong, it didn't feel like it really captured her greatness or introduced any new side of it, and her lifetime achievement medley at the 2017 American Music Awards -- a short 15 months ago -- towers over this two-song medley a little. 13. Dan + Shay, "Tequila" Dan Smyers + Shay Mooney played it smart for their performance of Grammy-winning country smash "Tequila," stripping it down to mostly just the two of them splitting vocal duties and providing their own guitar and piano accompaniment, respectively. The arrangement highlighted the strength of the core song, and made it all the more memorable when Shay stepped out from behind the ivories to belt out the song's closing power notes. 12. Alicia Keys, Medley Straddling two pianos, host Alicia Keys showed some of the talents that originally brought her 15 Grammys, performing a variety of mini-covers from the past (Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable") right up to modern day (Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up" and Drake's "In My Feelings"). It felt a little scattershot and rambilng at times, but that was part of its charm, and the through lines Keys found through pop history -- hitting on both Juice WRLD and Kings of Leon -- were highly enjoyable. 11. Lady Gaga, "Shallow" We're far from the Ally days now, with Lady Gaga displaying no interest in replicating her overwhelmed pop proxy from A Star Is Born on the Grammys stage, and instead performing that movie's signature power ballad very much as Lady Gaga. Wearing a silver bodysuit, Gaga spent the entire performance -- which included her performing both her and Bradley Cooper's parts -- gesticulating and thrashing and vamping with the mic stand like she'd just watched Bohemian Rhapsody again backstage before performing. Didn't quite fit, but "Shallow" is still "Shallow." 10. St. Vincent & Dua Lipa, "Masseduction" / "One Kiss" Though many of the Grammys performances on Sunday night succeeded by scaling back, it was slightly disappointing to see St. Vincent's slithering title track to her industrial pop masterpiece Masseduction stripped down to a solo ballad, though the song's unmistakable grit still shone through. Things got more awkward from there, though, with Dua Lipa's emergence giving way to a bizarre "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" interlude, and a "One Kiss" duet that feigned chemistry between the two performers and attempted to shoehorn Annie Clark's riffing into a throwback dance jam that really had no room for it. Good songs, though. 9. Travis Scott, James Blake and Earth, Wind & Fire, "Stop Trying to Be God" Beginning with James Blake and Verdine White earnestly crooning the Astroworld track "Stop Trying to Be God" was sort of a strange choice for a performer as electric as Travis Scott. Luckily, that was followed with dozens of bodies rushing the steel cage in which Scott was suddenly performing for a riotous run through "No Bystanders," which actually did a fairly impressive job of translating the unique mania of the rapper's live show to music's biggest stage. 8. Yolanda Adams, Fantasia & Andra Day, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" Three powerhouse singers taking on one of the signature numbers from the powerhouse singer to end them all, and acquitting themselves admirably. Nothing majorly revelatory, but nothing less than what you'd expect or hope for. 7. Camila Cabello, Arturo Sandoval, Young Thug, Ricky Martin & J Balvin, "Havana"/"Mi Gente" Camila Cabello started the show with a typically lively, elaborately staged and color-coded rendition of her Hot 100-topping smash "Havana."<doc-sep>Rapper Cardi B won Best Rap Album, the first GRAMMY of her career, for her debut album, Invasion Of Privacy, at the 61st GRAMMY Awards. She gave a special shout out to her daughter, Kulture, during her acceptance speech. "It was very long nights," she said about making her album while pregnant. The rapper also gave a shout out to artists that collaborated with her on the album including J Balvin, Kehlani, Bad Bunny and the Migos. Swimming by Mac Miller, Victory Lap by Nipsey Hussle, Daytona by Pusha T and Astroworld by Travis Scott were other nominees in the category. Cardi B was born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar on Oct. 11, 1992 in New York City, N.Y. She released her first No. 1 single, "Bodak Yellow," in 2017 for which she earned her first two GRAMMY nominations at the 60th GRAMMY Awards. She made her GRAMMY stage debut the same year, performing "Finesse" with Bruno Mars. 2019 GRAMMYs: Full Nominees And Winners List<doc-sep>

With the “Big Four” categories — Album, Record and Song of the Year, and Best New Artist — expanded from the usual five nominees to a more unwieldy eight this year, the 61st Annual Grammy Awards were more difficult to predict than ever. And there were certainly a few shockers at Sunday’s ceremony. But surely most viewers did not expect that Kendrick Lamar, 2019’s most-nominated artist, would be almost completely shut out. SNUB: Kendrick Lamar Lamar went into Sunday’s ceremony with eight nods, but he only picked up one award, for Best Rap Performance award — and in a rare tie, he actually had to share that honor with co-winner Anderson. Paak. Lamar was the frontrunner to win Album of the Year for his curated Black Panther soundtrack, but he lost that award for a fourth time — after being nominated in 2014 for Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, in 2016 for To Pimp a Butterfly, and just last year for DAMN., which actually won a Pulitzer. Instead, Kacey Musgraves’s Golden Hour clinched the top award. Lamar probably doesn’t regret sitting out this year’s Grammy ceremony. SURPRISE: Drake It wasn’t so much a shock that Drake won Best Rap Song for “God’s Plan,” even if he said, “I definitely did not think I was winning anything.” It was more surprising that he actually turned up to accept his award, since he has accused the Grammys of being racist in the past, and in 2017, he even refused to submit his music for consideration at all. This year he, like Lamar, reportedly turned down an invitation to perform on the show. Drake seemed somewhat nonplussed by his win Sunday, putting things into perspective for other artists out there by saying, “You’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word. If you are a hero in your hometown, if there’s people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain, in the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don’t need this [Grammy trophy] right here, I promise you, you already won.” Story continues SNUB: Lady Gaga The A Star Is Born theme “Shallow” seemed like the frontrunner to win Record and Song of the Year, but it lost in both categories to “This Is America” by Childish Gambino — who wasn’t even there to accept his awards in person. SNUB: Linda Perry Only seven women have ever been nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical — and no female producer has ever won. Perry, the first female nominee since 2004, seemed set to change all that, especially on a night that very overtly celebrated women. She even directed the Grammys’ Dolly Parton tribute. But Perry ultimately lost to Pharrell Williams. SNUB: H.E.R. The mysterious soul stylist and five-time nominee was the only Best New Artist contender to be nominated in any of the “Big Four” categories, with her self-titled debut up for Album of the Year. But she lost in the Best New Artist category to British pop singer Dua Lipa. Still, H.E.R. didn’t go home empty-handed: She won for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song. SURPRISE: Greta Van Fleet The derivative retro rock band has become America’s most hated — basically the new Nickelback — since their disastrous Saturday Night Live performance and a scathing, viral Pitchfork album review. But their EP From the Fires still controversially won Best Rock Album over old-school favorites Alice in Chains, Weezer and Fall Out Boy and the critically acclaimed previous Grammy winners Ghost. SNUB: Maren Morris The country-pop crossover darling and 2017 Best New Artist nominee was up for five awards this year — both alone and with Zedd and Grey for “The Middle” — but she was shut out completely, making her the most-nominated artist to win nothing. SURPRISE: Lady Gaga Everyone expected Gaga to have a great night, of course. But the fact that she won Best Pop Solo Performance not for “Shallow” but for the title track from her underwhelming 2016 studio album, Joanne — over smashes like Camila Cabello’s “Havana” (which actually opened Sunday’s telecast), Ariana Grande’s “God Is a Woman” and Post Malone’s “Better Now” — was definitely unexpected. SNUB: Post Malone The rap-rocker was nominated for four awards, including Album and Record of the Year, but he also went home empty-handed.

The current labor market is widely viewed as the best since the start of the 2000s, most economists and business leaders say. There is so much demand for highly skilled workers with specialized data and computer skills that employers are sometimes hiring and poaching workers when they don’t have an actual job opening for them.<doc-sep>The U.S. economy added 20,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department reported Friday, far below analysts’ expectations that the country would gain 180,000 jobs. The unemployment rate dropped 0.2 percentage points to 3.8 percent as the labor force participation rate held steady at 63.2 percent. Hourly earnings also increased 3.4 percent in the past 12 months, beating expectations. ADVERTISEMENT The underwhelming February numbers follow a stellar January jobs report, which was revised upward Thursday from 304,000 to 311,000 jobs. Hiring was expected to drop slightly in February following 100 consecutive months of job gains and a slight slowdown in U.S. gross domestic product growth. Retail sales, exports, home sales and construction spending all fell sharply in December, raising fears of imminent trouble for the economy. “February job growth was surprisingly slow as employers added to payrolls at the slowest pace since September 2017," said Curt Long, chief economist at the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions. "One poor report should not set off alarm bells, but given that the labor market is the lynchpin for the entire economy, it does add to existing concerns and raises the stakes for next month’s report." Some economists cautioned against weighing the February jobs slump too heavily. Elise Gould, senior economist at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, said the report "is a useful time to remember that one month’s data does not make a trend." Gould noted that hiring gains over the past three months were 186,000 jobs, which she said was "likely a better reflection of underlying conditions. Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com, said "slowing job growth is to be expected over the coming year, one way or the other," but blamed much of the February shortfall on a seasonal hiring slowdown in the construction and leisure and hospitality sectors. "It is fodder for a reminder that we cannot assume too much about a single monthly report." The February jobs report reflected the first full month of hiring following the 35-day partial government shutdown. The number of part-time workers seeking full-time jobs dropped by 837,000 in February, which likely reflects furloughed federal workers returning to their posts. "The headline jobs number disappointed compared to forecasts, but in the context of a shutdown, some possible seasonal considerations and a healthy productivity report, there is reason not to read too much into the disappointing payroll gain," said Gordon Gray, director of fiscal policy at the American Action Forum, a right-leaning think tank. Updated at 9:18 a.m.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 12: U.S. President Donald Trump departs on the South Lawn of the White House, on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump is traveling to the Army versus Navy Football Game at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images) AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JANUARY 12: Alexis Olympia, daughter of Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian congratulate Serena Williams after she won her final match against Jessica Pegula of USA at ASB Tennis Centre on January 12, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images) Biden wants the wealthiest 1% to 'begin to pay their fair share' U.S. President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of congress as Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and Speaker of the House U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) look on in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol April 28, 2021 in Washington, DC. Restaurants, once laying off workers, now can't find enough to hire A pedestrian walks by a now hiring sign at Ross Dress For Less store on April 02, 2021 in San Rafael, California. According to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy added 916,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate dropped to 6 percent. Leisure and hospitality jobs led the way with 280,000 new jobs followed by restaurants with 176,000 jobs and construction with 110,000 new positions. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Biden on disappointing jobs report: More help is on the way Used cars sit on the sales lot at Frank Bent's Wholesale Motors on March 15, 2021 in El Cerrito, California. Used car prices have surged 17 percent during the pandemic and economists are monitoring the market as a possible indicator of future increased inflation in the economy overall. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Bank of America CEO on raising minimum wage: It's an investment in our teammates A house's real estate for sale sign is seen in front of a home in Arlington, Virginia, November 19, 2020. - The US real estate market is booming even as the coronavirus crisis intensifies, and the seemingly insatiable appetite for new and older homes has sent prices soaring -- meaning more and more families with modest incomes are seeing their dreams of owning property shattered. (Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 4: A woman enters a FedEx Office store with 'now hiring' sign on the door in Lower Manhattan, January 4, 2019 in New York City. Following a strong December jobs report, U.S. stocks soared on Friday. In a television interview on Friday morning, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said he believes there is 'no recession in sight.' (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (CNN Business) — The US economy added only 20,000 jobs in February, a surprisingly low number that bucked the trend of huge jobs gains in recent months. That was the fewest jobs gained in a month since September 2017. The unemployment rate fell to 3.8%, as fewer unemployed people were looking for work. The Labor Department suggested that furloughed workers returning to work after the government shutdown also contributed to the lower unemployment rate. Economists surveyed by Refinitiv had expected the economy to add 180,000 jobs, saying that the underlying pace of job growth was strong. So this was a big miss. The past two months were revised only slightly. The numbers may be a sign that after 101 consecutive months of job growth, the economy is running out of available workers. There have been fewer unemployed people than open jobs since June 2018. It may also be more troubling evidence of a slowdown, which has been showing up in other economic data. Employers have been rocked in recent months by a volatile stock market, uncertain political environment and weakness overseas. However, it could also be a snowstorm-related fluke. “This is pretty much a weather story,” said Scott Brown, chief economist with the investment banking firm Raymond James. The Labor Department noted that 390,000 people reported they couldn’t get to work because of weather, after a relatively mild January. “I wouldn’t worry about the payroll figure at all. I don’t think it tells us much.” In general, it’s never a good idea to read too far into one month of payroll data. The last three months have still averaged 186,000 jobs, well above the number needed to absorb people entering the labor force. The construction industry lost 31,000 jobs in February, likely due to bad weather. Leisure and hospitality employers added no jobs, after increasing their payrolls by 410,000 over the past year. Manufacturing turned in an anemic month after a year of strong gains. Business and professional services was the one significant category that added jobs. The brightest spot in February’s report was wage growth. Average hourly earnings have been consistently stronger for the last several months, and posted the largest year-over-year percentage gain since 2009, at 3.4%. Some economists worry whether that pace can be sustained. “The problem is it may be too little, too late. We’re now looking for a recession lurking around the corner,” said Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at the brokerage Stifel. Also, she said wage gains are concentrated in a few in-demand professions like information technology and accounting. “We’re seeing pockets of wage pressure as opposed to broad-based wage gains.” The number of people working part time for economic reasons plunged by 837,000. That could mean employers brought people on full-time because of the difficulty of finding new employees, although the average workweek declined slightly and many federal workers returned from furlough after the government shutdown. Analysts speculated that despite strong wage gains, the unexpectedly weak report will reinforce the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold off on further rate hikes at its meeting in two weeks. CNN Business’ Matt Egan contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Credit Suisse Group AG executives ignored warnings from colleagues about troubled steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta as they channeled $1.2 billion of client funds to his businesses, according to people familiar with the matter.Bankers in Credit Suisse’s commodity trade-finance unit blacklisted Gupta’s Liberty Commodities Ltd. in 2016 because they suspected some of its deals weren’t legitimate, the people said. When they learned about two years later that the bank was lending to his companies through a suite of investment funds, which eventually grew to $10 billion, they flagged their worries to leaders in compliance and the division that housed the loans, one of the people said.The disclosure that Credit Suisse may have put clients at risk despite internal concerns over Gupta’s businesses adds a new twist to the debacle stemming from the March implosion of Greensill Capital, the finance firm at the center of the three-way relationship.Investigations, LawsuitsThe U.K. Serious Fraud Office is now investigating Gupta’s group of companies for suspected fraud, including in its financing deals with Greensill, according to a May 14 statement. Credit Suisse has sued to force Gupta’s Liberty Commodities into insolvency and has since shut the funds that made the loans and launched an internal investigation. Investors are staring at losses as the bank confronts embarrassing lawsuits.“We are currently focusing our efforts on recovering our investors’ money,” Will Bowen, a spokesman for Credit Suisse in London, said in an emailed statement, adding that the bank’s internal probe will focus on “all of the issues” linked to the funds. “We are committed to learning the lessons and will share the relevant lessons learnt at the appropriate time.”Andrew Mitchell, a spokesman for the Gupta Family Group Alliance, or GFG Alliance, a collective of businesses linked to Gupta including Liberty Commodities, denied any wrongdoing.The Greensill saga represents just one of the two disasters that rocked Credit Suisse in the first half of 2021. Since Greensill began unraveling, the bank has announced a $5.5 billion hit from the blowup at Archegos Capital Management.ApologiesFormer Chairman Urs Rohner apologized to shareholders and his successor, Antonio Horta-Osorio, who arrived at the end of April, has promised a sweeping strategy review.Chief Executive Officer Thomas Gottstein, who was head of the division that oversaw trade finance, wasn’t aware of the internal concerns about Gupta that had prompted the bank to cut him off, according to a person familiar with the matter.Employees at the trade-finance unit, which lends money for the buying and selling of commodities, cut ties with Gupta in 2016 after becoming skeptical toward his Liberty Commodities, the people said. They distrusted the documents the company provided, triggering doubts about its transactions, they said. In one example reported by Bloomberg, the company had presented another bank with what seemed to be duplicate shipping receipts. A spokesman for Gupta has denied any wrongdoing.Banking TiesLiberty Commodities pledged assets to Credit Suisse as security for borrowings in 2013 but by early 2016, all such commitments had been extinguished, indicating that the financing relationship had ceased, U.K. Companies House filings show. And while Gupta’s company listed the Swiss bank as one of its lenders in its 2014 annual report, it didn’t in the following year’s report, which is dated May 2016, according to the filings.Their counterparts at other banks, including Macquarie Group Ltd. and Sberbank PJSC, halted trading with Liberty Commodities around the same time because of similar concerns; Goldman Sachs Group Inc. also stopped in 2016, Bloomberg has reported.Nevertheless, executives at Credit Suisse’s asset-management division -- which creates investment products for clients and charges a fee for overseeing them -- began arranging a suite of funds focused on supply-chain finance in 2017. The entities bought securitized loans packaged by Greensill, a firm created by Australian businessman Lex Greensill. Much of the debts were linked to Gupta’s businesses.WarningsOfficials at the commodity trade-finance unit were concerned when they found out about the funds’ links to Gupta and took their fears to Thomas Grotzer, general counsel for the bank’s Swiss division. They also warned Luc Mathys and Lukas Haas, the bankers who helped oversee the trades at the asset-management unit.Grotzer was promoted last month to interim global head of compliance at Credit Suisse. He didn’t respond to requests for comment. Mathys, head of fixed-income at the asset-management division, and Haas, a portfolio manager, were put on temporary leave in March. Neither responded to requests for comment.The bank pushed ahead with the funds and marketed them to investors as being made up of short-term debt secured on invoices, assets considered so safe that Credit Suisse gave the largest vehicle its lowest rating for risk. Yet part of the loans were linked to mere possible future revenues.Other parts of the bank continued working with Gupta as well. Credit Suisse’s investment bankers were due to lead an initial public offering for Liberty’s U.S. steel arm, which was ultimately pulled, according to a statement from the company. Gupta also announced that the Swiss bank would finance his planned acquisition of Thyssenkrupp AG’s steel unit, which fell apart earlier this year.Credit Suisse has so far recouped about $5.9 billion of the $10 billion in these supply-chain funds, but it remains unclear how much will be returned ultimately to investors. Loans to Gupta’s businesses are among a batch of debts that are the “principal sources of valuation uncertainty,” the bank said earlier this month.Liberty Commodities’s external legal advisors investigated “alleged rumors concerning the paperwork” it used in 2019, according to Mitchell, the spokesman for GFG Alliance. They found no evidence to substantiate the rumors, nor was the company “ever subject to further complaints or proceedings,” he said.“LCL has ongoing banking relationships with separate financial institutions,” Mitchell said, referring to Liberty Commodities. “The trade-finance market has been hugely challenging for all but the very largest commodities traders in recent years. Nevertheless, no financial institution has been left out of pocket as a result of lending money to LCL. On the contrary, they have received substantial commercial returns.”More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.<doc-sep>

The numbers: American businesses and other employers created the fewest new jobs in February in 17 months, the latest sign of a broader slowdown in the U.S. economy. The economy added just 20,000 new jobs last month, the smallest gain since September 2017, the government said Friday. The number of new nonfarm jobs created last month was well below the 172,000 MarketWatch forecast, but the slowdown was probably exaggerated by heavy snow and other seasonal oddities that are unlikely to persist. The U.S. has been adding more than 200,000 new jobs a month for the past year. Hiring sputtered in February in construction, retail and shipping and was muted in most other industries. The pace of hiring is still strong enough, however, to keep downward pressure on the nation’s unemployment rate, especially in a tight labor market in which good help is hard to find. The jobless rate slipped to 3.8% from 4%, aided by the return of government workers after the end of the partial federal shutdown in January. Last year unemployment fell to a half-century low of 3.7%. An ultra-tight labor market, what’s more, is forcing companies to offer better pay and benefits to attract or retain workers. The amount of money the average worker earns jumped 11 cents an hour to $27.66 last month. The increase in pay in the past 12 months climbed to 3.4%, the biggest gain since the end of the last recession in 2009. While faster pay might spark fresh worries about inflation, so far there’s little sign that higher labor costs have done much if any harm. Read:Fed’s pause now extends through September in wake of weak jobs report What happened: The biggest dropoff in hiring in February took place in construction, where employment fell 31,000 after a 53,000 increase in January. The sharp swing in construction employment is likely evidence that government statisticians had trouble with seasonal adjustments. A similarly large swing took place among hotels and restaurants, whose employment was flat in February after an outsized 89,000 increase in January that was the second largest in the past 20 years. Retailers and shippers also cut jobs. Hiring was strongest among professional firms and health-care companies. Professional firms created 42,000 new jobs and health providers added 21,000 jobs. Those have been the fastest growing industries through the nearly 10-year-old expansion. Economists figure the U.S. needs to add about 100,000 jobs a month to absorb the number of people entering the labor force — immigrants, high school and college grads, moms or retirees going back to work. The labor force has been growing more slowly because of an aging population and tighter immigration restrictions, among other things. Read:Trade deficit soars to 10-year high, foiling Trump White House efforts to rein it in Big picture: The U.S. is not growing as fast as it was last summer and companies might be more cautious about hiring, but the economy is not about to fall into a ditch despite what the February jobs report seems to indicate. Read:‘Don’t hit panic’ — economists say jobs report wasn’t as bad as it looked A chief reason is the strong labor market: Wages are rising, unemployment and layoffs remain near a half-century low and job openings are at a record high. So long as consumers are working and spending, companies are unlikely to see the kind of hiccup in sales that would force them to slash jobs. Their biggest worry right now is a slowing global economy that’s crimped exports, but if the U.S. and China strike a deal and end a damaging dispute over trade, it could go a long way in easing some of those worries. Read: The rise of the robots and decline of inflation: How AI is keeping prices low What they are saying: “Bizarre swings in the economic data have become routine since the end of the government shutdown and today was no exception,” said Thomas Simons, senior money market economist at Jefferies LLC. He said the 166,000 average of job gains in the first two months of 2019 are a more accurate reflection of underlying hiring trends. “One poor report should not set off alarm bells, but given that the labor market is the linchpin for the entire economy, it does add to existing concerns and raises the stakes for next month’s report,” said Curt Long, chief economist at National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions.

“I remember once walking into my classroom and seeing a poster that featured a drawing of a skeleton and underneath it someone had written, ‘Has anybody seen Olly?’” Bundchen wrote in her memoir, out Tuesday. “I felt humiliated.” According to her new book, “Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life” (Avery), Bundchen was “a foot taller” than everyone else in her grade when she was 12 or 13, including the boys, and rarely got asked to slow dance at parties. She got called a variety of hurtful nicknames, including “Olly,” in reference to Olive Oyl, the wisp-thin character from “Popeye.” She may be one of the most successful supermodels in the world, but growing up, Gisele Bundchen was teased for her appearance. Advertisement In “Lessons,” Bundchen also gets personal about her struggles in the modeling world, how she and her husband, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, got married (and then got married again, about two months later), and much more. Here are five things we learned about Bundchen’s life from reading her new book. Bundchen and Brady got married . . . twice The couple had two wedding ceremonies, both small and intimate. The first was on Feb. 26, 2009, in Santa Monica, Calif., and was attended only by their parents, a few close friends, and Brady’s son, Jack. Bundchen’s friend took photos of the ceremony but was so emotional that all of the pictures came out unfocused. After the ceremony, the group celebrated at home with salad, cake, and steaks that Brady tossed on the grill. The second ceremony was in Costa Rica that April. Still small and without the frills associated with a traditional wedding, it was the ceremony Bundchen had dreamed about. “If I got married, it would be in nature, which is my real church, and the ceremony would be fun, beautiful, and informal,” Bundchen wrote. “I would go barefoot. I would say my vows right as the sun was going down.” Advertisement Bundchen uses unconventional home remedies for illnesses Bundchen strongly prefers natural remedies to pharmaceutical ones when it comes to illnesses. In her book, Bundchen wrote about using natural oils throughout her life, including swishing coconut oil in her mouth when she wakes up every morning, massaging her children’s feet with aromatherapy oil before bed, and using peppermint oil aromatherapy to cure headaches. Bundchen also cuts a lemon in two and places it face-up next to her bed if anyone in the house is sick, and puts slices of onion in her children’s rooms (or even on their pajamas) if they have a fever. Perhaps Bundchen’s most unorthodox remedy is her cure for a sore throat, one she learned from her mother. “I pour really cold milk onto a cloth, cover the outside of the cloth in plastic wrap, and arrange it around her throat,” Bundchen wrote of caring for daughter Vivian when she’s sick. “It’s a little stinky the next morning, but Vivi’s sore throats are usually gone—I have no idea why.” Bundchen has suffered numerous injuries, both during and after her modeling career Bundchen tore her ACL in 2017 while skiing and has dislocated her shoulder nine times by her estimation. She attributed several of her past medical issues to the work she did while modeling. “I’ll bet every model out there has some kind of back problem,” Bundchen wrote. “I know I do. Aside from my chronically dislocated shoulder, I have scoliosis and major issues with my knees that became worse after spending hours not only walking back and forth trying my best to balance in impossibly high heels but also contorting my body during endless photo shoots, barely breathing while holding one unnatural position after the next and trying to look at ease.” Advertisement Bundchen also wrote that spending 10 hours a day twisting and curving her body and wearing 8-inch heels, combined with her unhealthy caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine intake, contributed to her panic attacks. Bundchen suffered from panic attacks and suicidal thoughts Bundchen wrote that, in her 20s, she was leading an unhealthy life that she compared to living on a hamster wheel. She was working 350 days a year, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, drinking coffee to stay awake, and drinking wine to help herself sleep. She began to suffer from panic attacks in 2003, after a bumpy flight to Costa Rica. Soon, the panic attacks and anxiety affected her in tunnels, in elevators, even in her own home. One evening, she found herself on the deck of her ninth-floor apartment, panicked and trying to catch her breath. “Everything had become a cage, and I was the animal trapped inside, panting for air,” Bundchen wrote. “I couldn’t see a way out, and I couldn’t stand another day of feeling this way. The idea swept over me then: Maybe it will be easier if I just jump. It will be all over. There’s a solution. I can get out of this.” Advertisement A doctor later prescribed her Xanax, but Bundchen preferred natural solutions, diving headlong into yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation. She also drastically changed her diet. “It’s easy to say in hindsight, but if you don’t take care of your body when you’re young, I guarantee that you’ll pay the price someday,” Bundchen wrote, “if not in your early twenties, as I did, then in your forties or fifties.” Bundchen got breast enhancements, and immediately regretted it When Bundchen burst onto the modeling scene in the late ’90s, she was alternately dubbed the “Boobs from Brazil” and “The Body,” and was heralded by Vogue magazine for ushering in a new era of curvy models after the rail-thin, “heroin chic” years. So when Bundchen’s breasts changed after she gave birth to two children and breastfed each of them for almost two years (she said that her breasts became not only “much smaller,” but also “slightly lopsided”), she felt self-conscious. She wrote that people began to make comments at shoots, and even suggested she add padding — known as “chicken cutlets” — to her bra for photos. Bundchen ended up undergoing plastic surgery for her breasts, a choice she called “one of the most upsetting decisions” of her life. “When the surgery was over, I no longer recognized my body,” Bundchen wrote. “ I became uncomfortable with the size of my breasts. I felt angry and depressed. Why did I do this to myself?” Advertisement Bundchen’s experience taught her something important. “I’d done something, for myself, but mostly to try to please others,” Bundchen wrote. “The lesson here is to listen to yourself first, to be clear about what you want, before making important decisions. After all, you will be the one living with the results.” Kevin Slane can be reached at kevin.slane@globe.com.<doc-sep>Tom Brady celebrated Gisele Bundchen’s new book with a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday, calling himself lucky to have the supermodel as his wife. The New England Patriots quarterback congratulated Bundchen on her new memoir, “Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life” with an Instagram post of the 38-year-old model posing next to a copy of the book. "Congratulations on the launch of your new book!" Brady, 41, wrote on Instagram. "I am so happy and excited for others to read such an inspirational story. You have overcome so much adversity and you take every challenge head on." “Thank you for being such an incredible example of what is possible in this world. Your humility, empathy and love for life is evident now more then [sic] ever. I am lucky to have you as my wife, and our kids are lucky to have you as their mother and protector!” Brady said. He continued, “I know how much of a leap it can be to share your life with others, but I am so proud of you for all that you have achieved and what you will accomplish in the future! I have your back always and forever!” GISELE BUNDCHEN RECALLS THE TIME TOM BRADY TOLD HER HIS EX WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD Bundchen’s new book divulges many details of her private life, including the moment Brady told her Bridget Moynahan, the athlete’s ex-girlfriend, was pregnant with his child. At the time, Brady and Bundchen had just begun dating. "Two months into our relationship, Tom told me his ex-girlfriend was pregnant,” the supermodel writes in her memoir. "The very next day the news was everywhere, and I felt my world had been turned upside down.” The couple ultimately stayed together and tied the knot in 2009. Moynahan and Brady welcomed their son, Jack, now 11, in 2007. Bundchen and Brady are also parents to Benjamin, 8, and Vivian, 5. Bundchen also revealed she previously had suicidal thoughts that were brought on by severe panic attacks.<doc-sep>Products in this story are independently selected and featured editorially. If you make a purchase using these links we may earn commission. The supermodel gets very personal in her new memoir, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life “Things can be looking perfect on the outside, but you have no idea what’s really going on,” the 38-year-old model recently told PEOPLE. “I felt like maybe it was time to share some of my vulnerabilities, and it made me realize, everything I’ve lived through, I would never change, because I think I am who I am because of those experiences.” Get push notifications with news, features and more. In the book, Bündchen discusses her ongoing battle with anxiety, why she regrets her plastic surgery procedures and many more candid accounts. We’ve rounded up some of the most surprising below. On Contemplating Suicide After a bumpy flight on a small plane in 2003 left her shaken, Bündchen reveals she developed a fear of tunnels, elevators and other enclosed spaces, that developed into serious anxiety. “I had a wonderful position in my career, I was very close to my family, and I always considered myself a positive person, so I was really beating myself up. Like, ‘Why should I be feeling this?’ I felt like I wasn’t allowed to feel bad,” she told PEOPLE. “But I felt powerless. Your world becomes smaller and smaller, and you can’t breathe, which is the worst feeling I’ve ever had.” She revealed on Good Morning America Tuesday that she was so scared of enclosed spaces that she would walk up the nine flights of stairs to her apartment rather than use an elevator and actually contemplated jumping from her balcony at one point. “I actually had the feeling of, ‘If I just jump off my balcony, this is going to end, and I never have to worry about this feeling of my world closing in,” she told PEOPLE. FINAL of Gisele Bundchen. Credit: Nino Muñoz On Regretting Her Breast Augmentation Surgery She’s been dubbed “the boobs from Brazil,” but she realized after spending 18 months breastfeeding her two children that her breasts became smaller and slightly uneven, so she decided to undergo a breast augmentation in 2015. “I was always praised for my body, and I felt like people had expectations from me that I couldn’t deliver,” Bündchen told PEOPLE. “I felt very vulnerable, because I can work out, I can eat healthy, but I can’t change the fact that both of my kids enjoyed the left boob more than the right. All I wanted was for them to be even and for people to stop commenting on it.” However, as soon as she go the procedure, she immediately regretted it. “When I woke up, I was like, ‘What have I done?’ I felt like I was living in a body I didn’t recognize,” she said. “For the first year I wore [baggy] clothes because I felt uncomfortable.” On Overcoming Panic Attacks After being prescribed Xanax, she realized that she didn’t want to rely on anxiety medication so she began readjusting major aspects of her lifestyle. She revealed that in one day she cut out smoking, drinking “a bottle of wine a day” and sugary drinks, and began doing yoga and meditation instead. “I thought, if this stuff is in any way the cause of this pain in my life, it’s gotta go.” Difficulties Adjusting to Motherhood After marrying New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, 41, in 2009, Bündchen welcomed their son Benjamin (now 8) that same year, and daughter Vivian (now 5) three years later. (Bündchen is also close with Jack, 11, Brady’s son with actress Bridget Moynahan, whom she calls her “bonus child.”) “When I became a mom, I kind of lost myself. It was like a part of me died,” she told PEOPLE. “I’d been this very independent person. It was all about me. But now I had this little being, and I suddenly felt l couldn’t do other things and that was very hard for me. All I ever wanted was to be a mom, but when you’re actually experiencing that, it’s a shock.” She began staying close to home, but still felt guilty when she had to be apart from her children. “I had all this horrible, self-imposed guilt. I thought what a terrible mother I was for leaving my child even for like a day,” she said. Then when she tried to travel with her kids, which also made her feel guilty. “Like, ‘Here we are on a plane and the baby is crying. '” RELATED VIDEO: Gisele Bündchen Is Writing a Book About Modeling, Marriage and Leading a ‘Meaningful Life’ On Overcoming Rough Patches in Her Marriage Her struggle with adjusting to motherhood also affected her marriage to Brady. She took on most of the childcare responsibilities while Brady trained and revealed: “You’re overwhelmed and tired and then you’re not the nicest partner.” Bündchen told PEOPLE that she and Brady have had disagreements over his decision not to retire, and also faced a trying time in their relationship during 2015’s Deflategate scandal, when Brady was suspended while NFL officials investigated allegations that he cheated by playing with under-inflated footballs. “When someone you love is happy, it makes you happy, or if they’re sad it makes you sad,” she says. “You suffer with them and you have joy with them.”<doc-sep>

Gisele Bündchen's new book (out Tuesday) is a chance to take a few "Lessons" from one of the world's most prominent supermodels – the highest-paid in her industry for 15years, until she was dethroned by Kendall Jenner in 2017. The 38-year-old, who hails from the southwestern Brazilian city of Horizontina, opens up about motherhood, marriage to NFL star Tom Brady and several personal struggles throughout the pages of "Lessons: My Path to A Meaningful Life" (Avery), in addition to last week's revelation about her panic attacks and suicidal thoughts. Here are five more things we discovered reading her memoir: 1. She regrets getting breast implants Bündchen, who'd been nicknamed "The Body," acknowledges her shape has changed after giving birth and breastfeeding her children – Benjamin, 8 and Vivian, 5, – for about two years each, rendering her breasts "much smaller" and "slightly lopsided." When she returned to work, people would comment on her modified chest. "Suddenly, I was very self-conscious about the way they looked," she writes. That insecurity moved Bündchen to make "one of the most upsetting decisions of my life." She opted for a boob job with the expectation that "no one will make those comments anymore, and I will feel like myself again." But surgery only made things worse, she discovered. "I became uncomfortable with the size of my breasts," she writes. "I felt angry and depressed." "I'd done something for myself," Bündchen writes, "but mostly to try to please others." 2. She ignored a doctor's warnings about home birth Bündchen made news when she said her son's 2009 home birth "wasn’t painful, not even a little bit." In "Lessons," she expands on the experience, which she said "felt natural and right." But her plans for delivering her first-born in the bathtub were nearly dashed at her four-month checkup. "The doctor told me that it was too dangerous for me to have a home birth," she says. "He said that Benny was in an unusual position, my hips were too small, and the odds just weren't in my favor." While he suggested Bündchen schedule a C-section, she refused. "My attitude was, 'I don't think you get to decide this!' No one was going to talk me out of it." (That included Brady, who was initially not on board.) Her one regret: "I'm 5-foot-11, and the bathtub was – well – not a whole lot bigger than that." 3. Her world turned "upside down" after learning of her "bonus child" Jack "Two months into our relationship, Tom told me that his ex-girlfriend ("Blue Bloods" actress Bridget Moynahan) was pregnant," Bündchen writes. "The very next day the news was everywhere, and I felt my world had been turned upside down." "Needless to say, that wasn't an easy time," she continues. "But it was a time that brought about so much growth," adding that "Jack, my bonus child (born in 2007), has been a huge gift and blessing in my life." 4. Why her marriage works Bündchen writes that Brady, whom she met on a blind date, "is someone you can count on. It's a quality I hadn't experienced in any of my other romantic relationships. I love my husband – and most of all, I trust him. With Tom, who provides our family with a stable foundation, I'm able to create a home." She says they also "complement each other," adding, "My husband is rational, analytical, and a man of few words. I'm emotional, intuitive, changeable, and a woman of many words. I've learned a lot from Tom." 5. What she actually eats Bündchen also sheds some light on the Brady bunch's much-publicized diet. "Our family's diet has evolved to be a whole-food, plant-based diet that ideally emphasizes organic and local ingredients, including raw or lightly steamed vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, with the occasional small piece of meat or seafood added into the mix," she explains, adding they are "mostly" gluten-free, but not "100 percent dairy free." Bündchen who says she's attempted vegetarianism twice only to encounter anemia, eats "meat twice a month, and seafood once a week." She also has green juice, berry smoothies, salads and soup loaded with vegetables for lunch and opts for small portions. Her indulgences include dark chocolate, which she describes as her "obsession" and goat and sheep cheese, which she eats "sparingly."

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks Mars will be the closest it has been to the Earth in 15 years tonight. The Red Planet will be visible over the night sky in bright shades of red and orange. This happens when Mars crosses past its Opposition point, when Earth is between Mars and the sun. How to see Mars<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks Mars will be at its closest to Earth than it has been in 15 years and the incredible event will bring bright views of the Red Planet. According to NASA, Mars makes its approach on the night between July 30 and July 31, peaking in the early hours before sunrise along Eastern Time. Mars will come within 35.8 million miles of Earth today - the second closest approach after the Red Planet came within 34.6 million miles of Earth in 2003. Astronomers at NASA expect Mars to reach its highest point in the sky around midnight, to the left of the constellation Sagittarius at 35 degrees above the southern horizon.<doc-sep>Stargazers will be treated to a much clearer view of the red planet tonight, as Mars will appear bigger and brighter in the night sky than it has for the last 15 years. Throughout the month of July, the orbits of Mars and Earth have been steadily aligning in a rare phenomenon known as 'perihelic opposition', which occurs when Mars, Earth, and the sun align – with our planet in the middle. As a result, Mars will appear almost three times larger than normal in the night sky. According to Nasa, Mars' orbit only brings the red planet this close to Earth every 15 to 17 years, meaning the next time Mars will be seen as prominently in the night sky will be September 15, 2035. Stargazers all over the world will be able to see the red planet in all its glory today – provided they have clear skies. However, astronomers in the southern hemisphere will be treated to the best view as Mars will appear higher in the night sky. The exact moment of closest approach took place at 8:45am BST (3:45am EDT) July 31, however, Mars was invisible to amateur stargazers in Europe, Africa, Russia and Asia as it was daylight. As the sun sets later today, July 31, those looking up at the night sky with nothing but their naked eye will be treated to a stunning view of Mars. The perihelic opposition comes just a few days after another stunning celestial event, the 'Blood Moon' lunar eclipse, which saw people in Europe, Asia, Africa, parts of Australasia and South America treated to the longest lunar eclipse of this century, with our natural satellite taking on a deep crimson hue in the process. Scroll down for video Throughout the month of July, the orbit of Mars and Earth will align in a rare phenomenon known as perihelic opposition. This will see Mars appear bigger and brighter in the sky than it has for the last 15 years As mankind is gearing up to land on Mars, the red planet is orbiting closer to Earth than it has done in more than a decade. Known as perihelic opposition, it means Mars will appear larger than normal in the night sky Dr Mark Birkinshaw, a professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Bristol, told MailOnline: 'Mars is unusually close to the Earth at the present – it makes its closest approach on July 31, at 0.385 AU (35.7 million miles/57.5 million km).' Earth is separated from Mars by an asteroid belt, with the typical distance between the two planets sitting at around 140 million miles (225 million kilometres). However, tonight that will drop to 35.78 million miles (57.59 million kilometres). For those in the northern hemisphere, Mars will appear to rise in the east just as the sun sets in the west, making the sunlit side of the planet visible throughout the night. Mars should be visible in the southeast, located just below the Sagittarius constellation, with Saturn also nearby. The best views will be visible in the hours before dawn. Those in the southern hemisphere will be treated to the best view of the perihelic opposition, as the red planet will appear higher in the night sky. HOW TO VIEW MARS IN THE NIGHT SKY, AS RED PLANET PASSES CLOSER TO EARTH THAN USUAL On July 27, Mars will pass closer to Earth than it has done for 15 years. The phenomenon, known as perihelic opposition, will make the red planet appear larger and brighter than normal in the night sky. The rare event occurs when Mars reaches its closest point to the sun as the same time as Earth's orbit brings it directly between the two. Although the actual point of opposition will take place on July 27, Mars will be noticeably larger for the majority of the month of July. Perihelic opposition can be seen with the naked eye, meaning there's no need for expensive equipment for stargazers to spot the rare event next month. It will outshine Jupiter, registering as some 1.8 times brighter in the night sky. Mars will be up all night, rising after sunset and setting at sunrise. Stargazers hoping to spot the red planet from the northern hemisphere should check the sky in the hours before dawn. Mars should be visible in the southeast, located just below the Sagittarius constellation. Meanwhile, the best view of the phenomenon will be enjoyed in the southern hemisphere. For example, New Zealand capital Wellington will enjoy a view of the red planet as it reaches a maximum altitude of 74 degrees in the sky at the end of July. Advertisement For people unable to get outside or those with a view hindered by cloud cover, The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will air a webcast for the celestial event, which will be coupled with expert commentary. 'The closeness and brightness of Mars, plus the near location of Saturn (Mars and Saturn were in conjunction in early April) should make this good to observe,' Dr Birkinshaw said. In the days before Mars Close Approach, the planet will look around three times brighter in our sky than it normally does. It will also outshine Jupiter, registering as 1.8 times brighter in the night sky. Mars will be up all night, rising after sunset and setting at sunrise. Mars should be visible in the southeast, located just below the Sagittarius constellation, with Saturn also nearby Due to the variation between the orbits of Earth and Mars, opposition (pictured) can happen anywhere along Mars' orbit. What makes this event so rare and significant is that this also occurs within a few weeks of Mars' perihelion (the point in its orbit when it is closest to the sun) Graphic reconstruction shows moment Mars, Earth and sun are aligned That means Mars will temporarily become the fourth-brightest object in the sky, ranking after the sun, the moon and Venus. Mars will be up all night, rising after sunset and setting just before sunrise. Opposition is a reasonably common occurrence, taking place once every 26 months.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks The Red Planet will be visible over the night sky in bright shades of red and orange. This phenomenon takes place every 15 years as Mars crosses past its Opposition point, when Earth is between Mars and the sun. This year, Mars’ opposition happened at the same time the Blood Moon was visible on July 27. The planet will be at a distance of 35.8 million miles from Earth.<doc-sep>

Editor's note: This story was updated on Aug. 1 to correct the year in which Mars will be closer to Earth than it was July 31, 2018. It is 2035, not 2287. Early this morning, Mars made its closest approach to Earth since 2003 — but if you missed it, the Red Planet is still a magnificent sight to see in the night sky. Humanity will have to wait another 17 years for Mars to be closer, NASA says. At 3:50 a.m. EDT (0750 GMT), Mars reached the closest point to Earth in its orbit. The Red Planet hadn't been that close to Earth since August 2003. (And when this last approach occurred, it was the first time in 60,000 years that Mars had come so close.) This occurrence follows last week's Mars event: On Friday (July 27), the Red Planet reached opposition with the sun and remained at its brightest in the night sky through Monday night and early today (July 31). [Mars at Opposition 2018: How to See It] Mars' closest approach to Earth since 2003 has given us especially detailed, up-close views of the Red Planet. This recent image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope shows Mars and its ongoing dust storm in incredible detail. (Image credit: NASA, ESA and STScI) According to NASA, Mars was 35.8 million miles (57.6 million kilometers) from Earth at its closest point this morning. Mars won't approach any closer to Earth until September 2035, NASA officials said. In August 2003, Mars was a smidge closer: 34.6 million miles (55.6 million km). Mars won't be that close to Earth until 2287, according to a NASA update. Mars will reach opposition again before then. In October 2020, the Red Planet will reach opposition and will be 38.6 million miles (62.1 million km) from Earth, according to NASA's update. You can see Mars tonight by looking to the southwestern sky. Weather permitting, Mars will be visible low on the southwestern horizon, with the moon shining to the upper left. Saturn will also be visible, as shown in the map below. A map of the sky that shows Mars and Saturn, as they can be seen from New York on July 31 at 11 pm. (Image credit: Starry Night software) If you missed it, don't believe any crazy stories you may hear about its apparent size. Mars wasn't as big as the moon in the night sky — not even close; that story is a hoax that somehow pops up every single year. In reality, at Mars' closest approach, the moon still appeared 75 times larger than the Red Planet, while Mars appeared as an extremely bright, star-like object that was visible for much of the night. But if you slept through the whole event, don't worry! Mars will still be especially bright and close tonight, so make sure to look up! You can even look back at some of the views from Mars' closest point in a webcast that filmed the event live from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. You can re-watch the webcast, which was hosted by Laura Danly, online. In the video, you can see telescopic imagery of the Red Planet, conversations between scientists as they observe the night sky, and guest appearances by a number of people, including "Star Trek: Voyager" actor Tim Russ, and former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Aldrin is an active proponent of humankind exploring farther out into the solar system and landing a crewed mission on Mars. In fact, Aldrin spoke passionately in the webcast about a future hope to first return to the moon, and then Mars. "We should establish an occupancy on the moon," Aldrin said in the live video about Earth's satellite that he once stepped foot on. He continued, saying that "we need to occupy the moon while we are preparing with those lessons to begin to land and stay on Mars." Aldrin added that reaching these ambitious goals will require innovation, and he hopes that he can "inspire the next generation" to take these massive steps. Laura Danly, curator at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, who hosted the Mars close approach webcast from the observatory, sits with former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin to talk about everything from what the moon looks like on the surface to how we might get to Mars.

MLB on Wednesday released the complete 2019 schedule for all 30 teams. Let's dig in with some key takeaways: The regular season will open on March 20-21 with the Japan Series at the Tokyo Dome. The Mariners and Athletics will be the combatants. Traditional Opening Day will take place on March 28, which makes it the earliest traditional Opening Day in MLB history. For the second straight year, all 30 teams will be in action, which makes it a true Opening Day. Here are those Opening Day matchup (start times to be determined): Yep, that's some March baseball in Minnesota. Now for some other highlights from the 2019 schedule: Interleague play will pair the AL East vs. NL West, AL Central vs. NL East, and AL West vs. NL Central. That's in addition to the usual interleague rivalry matchups (e.g., Yankees-Mets, White Sox-Cubs, etc. ). will pair the AL East vs. NL West, AL Central vs. NL East, and AL West vs. NL Central. That's in addition to the usual interleague rivalry matchups (e.g., Yankees-Mets, White Sox-Cubs, etc.). World Series rematches include Yankees-Diamondbacks, Royals-Mets, Rangers-Cardinals and Red Sox-Rockies. include Yankees-Diamondbacks, Royals-Mets, Rangers-Cardinals and Red Sox-Rockies. Monterrey, Mexico will host one spring training series and two regular season series for a total of six games. The Rockies and Diamondbacks will play during the Cactus League season on March 9-10, the Reds will play the Cardinals a two-game regular season set on April 13-14, and the Angels and Astros will play a two-game series on May 4-5. will host one spring training series and two regular season series for a total of six games. The Rockies and Diamondbacks will play during the Cactus League season on March 9-10, the Reds will play the Cardinals a two-game regular season set on April 13-14, and the Angels and Astros will play a two-game series on May 4-5. Just three games will take place on June 3, which is the day of the 2019 MLB Draft . . On June 13 -- two days before the start of the 2019 College World Series -- the Royals will host the Tigers at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. It'll be the first MLB game ever to be played in the state of Nebraska. -- the Royals will host the Tigers at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. It'll be the first MLB game ever to be played in the state of Nebraska. The Angels will visit the Cardinals at Busch Stadium starting on June 21. That will occasion Albert Pujols' return to St. Louis for the first time as a visiting player. Pujols signed a a 10-year, $254 million contract with the Angels following the 2011 season. for the first time as a visiting player. Pujols signed a a 10-year, $254 million contract with the Angels following the 2011 season. On June 29-30, the Red Sox and Yankees will play at London Stadium . Those will be the first-ever MLB games played in Europe. . Those will be the first-ever MLB games played in Europe. The 90th All-Star Game will go down on Tuesday, July 9th at Progressive Field in Cleveland. will go down on Tuesday, July 9th at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The third annual Little League Classic is scheduled for Aug. 18. The Pirates will host the Cubs in Williamsport, Penn. is scheduled for Aug. 18. The Pirates will host the Cubs in Williamsport, Penn. Sept. 29 will be the final day of the regular season. The schedule features 12 intra-divisional contests. As well, the Rangers will host the Yankees in the final regular season game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. We've of course got a lot of 2018 left -- including, you know, the postseason -- but this should whet the baseball enthusiast's appetite for next year.<doc-sep>Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Major League Baseball announced the schedule for its 2019 regular season on Wednesday. Manny Randhawa and Chad Thornburg of MLB.com reported the campaign will begin with a series between the AL West rival Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners in Tokyo on March 20-21 ahead of the standard Opening Day on March 28, the earliest date in league history. MLB moved the starting date up beginning in 2018 to accommodate three or four additional off days for each team during the course of the 162-game season. No other changes have been made to the format for 2019 after a brief discussion earlier in the year about the possibility of reducing the number of contests. In April, commissioner Rob Manfred told the Associated Press Sports Editors a shorter schedule, which was mentioned by Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, would also mean reduced pay for players, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. "I think that Anthony's comments were realistic in the sense that he linked the fact that if, in fact, you're going to go to 154 games or some lower number of games, that players would have to be participants in that process," Manfred said. "They're going to work less, they're probably going to make less." There were never substantial discussions about dropping the total from 162 for 2019, though. Video Play Button Videos you might like The 2019 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for July 9 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.<doc-sep>

Major League Baseball has released the 2019 schedule. Spoiler alert: each team will play 162 games, most will be at night, some will be during the day and all will be bunched in groups of 2-4 games called “series” in order to maximize travel efficiency. Unless you’re the Seattle Mariners, of course, in which case you’ll be doing dumb things like flying from Anaheim to Minneapolis and then back to Oakland in one road trip and then going from Dallas to Chicago to Houston in another. Seattle is geographically challenged and there is nothing that can be done about that, but my lord does the scheduling computer, ~Sched-LöR~ seem to hate them. Apart from the usual stuff in the schedule we have these components: The season will technically begin with the 2019 Japan Opening Series,featuring the Oakland Athletics hosting the Seattle Mariners at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. That’ll be on March 20-21, when everyone else is still in spring training. Traditional Opening Day, featuring all 30 Major League Clubs, will take place on Thursday, March 28th. The earliest Opening Day ever, not counting foreign series; Certain teams getting Friday off, most likely for Collective Bargaining Agreement-mandated travel-related days off. This year we’ve seen a lot of odd Wednesday off-days for the same reason. ; We’re also going to see the much talked about London Series between the Yankees and the Red Sox on June 29 and June 30, with offdays built in before and after; Albert Pujols will play his first games back in St. Louis since leaving via free agency lo those many years ago. It’ll take place in late June; and The Royals and Tigers will play in Omaha in June in honor of the College World Series. There will be other things not yet incorporated into the schedule such as the Sunday night games and a planned Mexico series involving the Angels. The whole thing wraps up Sunday, September 29. Follow @craigcalcaterra

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.<doc-sep>Wolves moving into Skagit County have at least one Western Washington lawmaker howling. "Wolves present a threat to farmers, livestock and pets," Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley said. "They don’t go hungry when they cannot find game." Wagoner's comments on the growing threat come just days after the state Department of Fish and Wildlife released its 2018 wolf report. The report shows a minimum of 126 individual wolves, 27 packs and 15 successful breeding pairs, an increase over the prior year. Six new packs were documented last year, including the new Diobsud Creek Pack in Skagit County, which includes Wagoner's hometown. Prior to 2008, no wolves were documented in Washington state. “Speaking to small numbers of ‘breeding pairs’ belies the actual large number of wolves inhabiting our state, which is well over 100 wolves," he said. "I disagree with the thought that these animals moving into Skagit County and breeding is good policy." Eastern Washington lawmakers have been howling for more than a decade about the sudden wolf population in rural counties, mostly in Northeast Washington. Last year, the Diobsud Creek Pack is the first to be documented west of the Cascade Mountains, near the state's most populous areas. And if the state Department of Fish and Wildlife — along with Democrats in the state House and Senate — has its way, it won't be the last pack. According to Wagoner, wolf advocates want to see at least eight breeding pairs in the Cascade Mountains. That concerns Wagoner. “We have already witnessed the havoc wrecked on wild game populations, domestic livestock and even family pets in Eastern Washington and Montana," he said. "In addition to the fears for the well-being of our rural residents, I am concerned a further increase in wolves will exacerbate the existing elk problems as they would seek the safer areas on the agricultural valley floor. "These are foreseeable outcomes and they do not benefit my constituents.” Last week, Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind celebrated the increasing wolf population outlined in the report from his employees. “We’re pleased to see our state’s wolf population continue to grow and begin to expand to the west side of the Cascades,” Susewind said. The push to increase the wolf population comes as the federal government considers removing the gray wolf from the national Endangered Species Act list. Wolves are not considered “endangered” in Eastern Washington, which has been grappling with managing the predator in the wake of ever-increasing conflicts between wolves, livestock and rural residents. According to Wolf Specialist Ben Maletzke, at least 11 cattle and a sheep were killed by wolves in five packs last year. Another 19 cattle and two sheep were known to have been attacked. As a result of the depredations, the state killed wolves in the Togo, Smackout and Old Profanity Peak packs. And the Colville Tribe now has an unlimited open season on wolves on the reservation in Ferry and Okanogan counties. In another incident last week, a Spokane Indian tribal member also killed a wolf that reportedly was following a woman walking along a rural road in southern Stevens County near Wellpinit. Spokane tribal officials have not yet publicly released information on that incident. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife, however, confirmed the incident and has requested the tribe return a GPS tracking collar that was on the wolf. Wolf management has been a hot button issue for the last several years in the Legislature. In Janurary of this year, Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, took exception to a push by a Western Washington lawmaker who wanted to make it illegal to kill a wolf. In response to Bainbridge Island Democrat Rep. Sherry Appleton's push to ban killing wolves under House Bill 1045, Kretz introduced a bill to turn her wealthy island into a wolf sanctuary. Kretz's House Bill 1639 would create a wolf sanctuary on Bainbridge Island, so islanders could enjoy "the largely untapped wolf tourism industry." His bill would allow for killing wolves only after "every four confirmed wolf kills of domestic dogs; for every four confirmed wolf kills of domestic cats; and for every two confirmed wolf kills of 2 children." His tongue-in-cheek bill was referred to the Rural Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, where Democrats have blocked it from getting a hearing. Appleton's bill is languishing in the same committee.<doc-sep>The full report will be released Friday. To see it, visit wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/at-risk/species-recovery/gray-wolf . Washington’s wolf population continued to grow in 2018, with a minimum of 126 wolves, 27 packs and 15 breeding pairs documented by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. And in another sign that the apex predators are spreading, a pack was confirmed west of the Cascade crest for the first time, according to a WDFW news release. The full population report will be released Friday and discussed at the WDFW Commission meeting in Olympia. According to the news release, a single male, originally captured in Skagit County in 2016, traveled with a female wolf through the winter meeting the state’s criteria for the formation of a pack. Biologists named the pack the Diobsud Pack. In 2017, there were a minimum of 122 wolves, 22 packs and 14 successful breeding pairs documented statewide. In 2018, six wolves were killed legally by tribal hunters, four were killed by WDFW in response to livestock attacks and two apparent human-caused deaths remain under investigation, according to the release. Wolves killed at least 11 cattle and one sheep, and injured an additional 19 cattle and two sheep, according to the release. “Wolves routinely face threats to their survival — from humans, other animals, and nature itself,” said Ben Maletzke, WDFW statewide wolf specialist, in a news release. “But despite each year’s ups and downs, the population in Washington has grown steadily and probably will keep increasing by expanding their range in the north and south Cascades of Washington.” In an emailed statement, Conservation Northwest called the discovery of a pack west of the Cascades a “milestone” and “indication of the continued recovery of wolves in our state.” A number of wolf-related bills were brought forward during this year’s legislative session. A proposal that passed the house and is currently in the Senate would direct WDFW to develop different management plans for wolves in different regions of the state, with more support to control wolves in the part of the state where they are rapidly multiplying. The bill would direct the state to spend nearly $1 million over the next two years on nonlethal ways to keep wolves from killing livestock in northeast Washington, where the majority of the state’s wolves live. In March, U.S. Fish and Wildlife proposed removing gray wolves from the endangered species list. Gray wolves have been federally listed since 1975. The numbers reported by WDFW are a minimum count. Researchers at the University of Washington, using scat-sniffing dogs, said the number of wolves in the state could be closer to 200. The state wolf plan guidelines define a wolf pack as two or more animals traveling together in the winter. Wolves are protected by state endangered species rules in the eastern third of the state, while they remain federally protected in the western two-thirds of the state. According to the state’s wolf recovery plan, wolves can be delisted after 15 successful breeding pairs are documented for three consecutive years or after officials document 18 breeding pairs in one year. Under either scenario, the pairs have to be distributed evenly throughout the state’s three wolf management areas.<doc-sep>

Community Corner Wolf Pack Found In Western Washington, First One In Decades Washington's annual wolf census is in. In addition to a larger population, a new pack has emerged on the Puget Sound side of the Cascades. Reply A member of the Diobsud Creek wolf pack in Skagit County. (Courtesy WDFW) CONCRETE, WA — The state's wolf population made history in 2018, reaching the highest total number since recovery began more than a decade ago, and appearing for the first time west of the Cascades crest. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife released the results of its annual wolf census on Thursday. There are an estimated 126 wolves in 27 packs and 15 breeding pairs. That's a small increase over 2017 numbers, but state officials are seeing signs that wolves are spreading across the state. Two wolves formed a new pack in Skagit County northeast of Concrete. State biologists have dubbed the pair the Diobsud Creek pack. That's a milestone for wolf recovery because the state's wolf conservation plan calls for at least four successful breeding pairs in all of Western Washington. The state also observed more wolves living in Okanogan County and the southeast part of the state. The state's wolf population began to rebound in 2008 after being hunted to extinction in the 1930s. There were just five wolves a decade ago. "Packs and breeding pairs are the building blocks of population growth," WDFW wolf policy lead Donny Martorello said in a statement. "It's reassuring to see our wolf population occupying more areas of the landscape." But wolves in the state mostly live in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties north of Spokane. Their growth there has been controversial. Wolves have preyed on livestock, prompting outcry from residents who feel they're bearing the burden of wolf recovery. In turn, lawmakers are pushing Fish and Wildlife to remove wolves from the endangered species list. In 2018, wolves killed 11 cattle and one sheep, and injured 19 cattle and two sheep. The state paid out about $13,500 in wolf damage claims last year. State Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, introduced a bill in 2019 that would require Fish and Wildlife to review the wolf population this year, and make a decision on de-listing by June 2020. The bill has passed in the House. (Kretz also introduced a symbolic bill in 2019 that would turn Bainbridge Island into a wolf sanctuary "where they can be protected, studied, and, most importantly, admired by the region's animal lovers.")

A body has been successfully recovered from wreckage of the plane carrying Emiliano Sala, according to reports out of the United Kingdom. The wreckage was found in the English Channel on Sunday by Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which collected underwater footage of it. The body visible in the footage has not yet been identified as Sala, Cardiff City’s record signing striker, or pilot David Ibbotson. Their flight went missing on Jan. 21 while flying to Cardiff from Nantes, France, and the Associated Press reported there weren’t expected to be any survivors. The body is being taken to the Isle of Portland on the South Coast of England, according to the Mirror, where it will be passed on to a coroner for an examination. A body has been recovered from wreckage of the plane carrying Emiliano Sala. (Goal.com) Weather conditions have been so poor that the AAIB has called off any further attempts to recover the aircraft itself. “The weather forecast is poor for the foreseeable future and so the difficult decision was taken to bring the overall operation to a close,” an AAIB spokesman said. “The operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible and the families were kept informed of progress.” The news comes the same day Sala’s former club, FC Nantes, more or less demanded Cardiff still pay Sala’s £15 million transfer fee. The search for the plane was initially called off on Jan. 24, after Guernsey harbor master David Barker termed the chances of Sala and Ibbotson’s survival “extremely remote.” Pleas from Sala’s family, however, along with several soccer stars’ outspoken support led to a continuation helmed by ocean scientist David Mearns, who has a reputation for tracking down elusive shipwrecks. There is no timetable for identification of the recovered body, and an interim report is expected to be published by the AAIB within the month. Joey Gulino is the editor of Yahoo Soccer and moonlights as a writer. Follow him on Twitter at @JGulinoYahoo. More from Yahoo Sports: • Brady had to convince Belichick to kick late FG • Smith: 76ers’ trade for Harris has a lot of factors • No shirts, plenty of bling on Patriots parade route • Thamel: NBA scouts break down Duke phenom’s game<doc-sep>(CNN) A body was recovered from the wreckage of a plane found in the English Channel during the search for Cardiff City player Emiliano Sala and the plane's pilot, authorities said Wednesday. In a statement released to CNN, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, or AAIB, said, "Following extensive visual examination of the accident site using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV), it was decided to attempt recovery operations. In challenging conditions, the AAIB and its specialist contractors successfully recovered the body previously seen amidst the wreckage." The AAIB did not say if the body was Sala or the pilot, David Ibbotson. The body was carried to Portland and would be sent to the Dorset coroner, the statement said. Crews could not recover the wreckage of the Piper Malibu at this time because of weather conditions, the statement said. Sala, 28, and the 59-year-old Ibbotson were flying in the single-turbine aircraft from Nantes, in northern France, to Cardiff in Wales, when it disappeared from radar near the Channel Islands on January 21. Read More<doc-sep>An unidentified body and a wrecked plane were found Sunday in the seabed near Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, during an official search for missing Argentinian soccer player Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) began searching in the English Channel Sunday and discovered what is believed to be the Piper Malibu plane that was carrying Sala and Ibbotson when it disappeared, according to Reuters. The wreckage was seen by a remotely operated vehicle that caught footage of the left side of the plane and a body amidst the wreckage, reported the AAIB in a statement. The search continued but did not find any other wreckage from the plane. Update: AAIB investigation into the loss of light aircraft N264DB https://t.co/nlUR7G0fyZ pic.twitter.com/88z6YjOBgP — AAIB (@aaibgovuk) February 4, 2019 “The AAIB is now considering the next steps, in consultation with the families of the pilot and passenger, and the police,” said the AAIB. The 28-year old Argentinian soccer player was set to play at English Premier League club Cardiff City FC but went missing after his plane went missing on Jan. 21. Search by the police came to a close in the week after the crash, but a GoFundMe page raised over ₤400,000 to continue the pursuit for the missing soccer forward and pilot. (RELATED: Soccer Team Honors Missing Player In Game-Day Program) The crash has had an impact on Cardiff City and the soccer community around the world. In the team’s first game since he went missing, the opposing team included Sala’s name in the game-day program and also provided daffodils as a symbol for the team Sala played for. In their home game on Saturday, Cardiff held multiple tributes for the missing Argentinian including flowers laid on the field, a minute of silence and an emotional song from the fans. ‘Sing a song for sala We will never let you go, You’ll always be, At the city here with me’@CardiffCityFC #cityasone pic.twitter.com/YVDJrf3pDT — Adam Matthew (@adam_mm92) February 2, 2019 The Bluebirds pulled a resounding 2-0 victory over Bournemouth and after their first goal, the team pulled out a shirt with Sala on it to honor him.<doc-sep>

A body has been recovered from the wreckage of the plane that was carrying Argentina-born professional soccer player Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) in Britain said late on Wednesday. Advertising Read more The agency did not disclose the identity of the body. Sala, 28, had been en route from Nantes in western France on Jan. 21 to make his debut for Premier League team Cardiff City when the plane disappeared over the English Channel. The wreckage was found on Sunday following a privately-funded underwater search. Two seat cushions were discovered on the French coast that likely belonged to the aircraft. A body was visible inside when the wreckage was on the seabed near Guernsey, air accident investigators had said on Monday. The body was "successfully recovered" but attempts to recover the aircraft wreckage were unsuccessful, the AAIB said in a statement on Wednesday. The overall operation was brought to an end due to "poor weather conditions," the agency said. Sala had agreed to join Welsh club Cardiff for a club-record fee of 15 million pounds ($19.63 million) from French Ligue 1 club Nantes. He and the pilot are believed to have died as the single-engined Piper Malibu aircraft crashed into the sea. On Saturday at Cardiff's home Premier League match against Bournemouth, the Cardiff players held up a T-shirt bearing the image of Sala, who never played a game for the club, after the team scored in the fifth minute. Fans were handed daffodils as they entered the Cardiff City Stadium. In the 28th minute, a round of applause swelled around the stadium as fans sang Sala's name. On Jan. 30, Nantes payed tribute to their former player. Referee Frank Schneider stopped play in the Ligue 1 match against St Etienne for a minute of applause during which Nantes coach Vahid Halilhodzic was in tears. (REUTERS) Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe

Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter DENVER (AP) – A Colorado man told police that he killed his pregnant wife for strangling their daughters after he sought a separation. According to an arrest affidavit unsealed Monday, 33-year-old Christopher Watts told his wife, Shanann, that he wanted to separate when she returned from a business trip. Watts told police that shortly after, he saw his wife strangling their youngest daughter and their older daughter sprawled on her bed and blue via a baby monitor. Watts said he then “went into a rage” and strangled his wife. He told police that he loaded all three bodies into his work truck and he buried his wife at an oil work site and dumped his daughters inside oil tanks. Watts faces nine felony charges, including murder and unlawful termination of a pregnancy. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)<doc-sep>A Colorado father charged with killing his family may have murdered his two young daughters before his pregnant wife returned home from a business trip, investigators said Tuesday morning during a court appearance. Christopher Watts is charged with nine felony counts after the bodies of his wife, Shanann, and daughters, Celeste and Bella, were found on an oil field last week near their Frederick home, days after they were reported missing by a family friend. During Watt's arraignment on Tuesday, a judge recited charges against him, which indicate that detectives believe Watts killed his children first and then killed his 15-week pregnant wife. According to the documents, Shanann was killed on August 13, the same day she returned home from an out-of-state business trip. The charges allege that Watts killed Bella and Celeste 'between and including August 12 and August 13'. The charging documents contradict a statement Watts previously made to investigators saying he went into a fit of rage and strangled Shanann to death after he saw on the baby monitor her 'actively strangling' Celeste. Bella, Watts told authorities, was already dead and had started turning blue. Detectives believe Christopher Watts killed his daughters Bella and Celeste before his wife Shanann returned him from a business trip Watts, 33, was charged with nine felony counts - including three counts of first degree murder - on Tuesday morning Detectives did not believe Watts' version of events ad charged him with nine felony counts - including three counts of first-degree murder, two of murdering children in his trust, one of terminating a pregnancy and three of tampering with bodies. Watts did not have to enter a plea during Tuesday's court appearance, and faces the death penalty if found guilty. According to an arrest affidavit released on Monday, Shanann's friend and co-worker Nickole Utoft Atkinson dropped the pregnant mother-of-two off at her home just before 2am on August 13. The two had been in Arizona for a business trip for Le-Vel, the health and wellness company they sold products for. Atkinson told detectives that Shanann had not been feeling well during the trip due to her pregnancy. She said she grew concerned about her friend, who also suffered from the autoimmune disease lupus, when Shanann failed to show up for a doctors appointment at 10am. Atkinson said calls and texts to Shanann's cellphone went unanswered so she went over to her home to check on her fearing that Shanann was suffering a medical emergency. '(Nickole) went to Shanann's residence and discovered her car in the garage with car seats positioned inside of it,' the affidavit says. '(She) attempted to enter the front door, but a latch prevented it from opening more than three inches.' Watts was last week arrested for murdering his wife Shanann and their two young daughters Investigators believe Watts allegedly killed his family at home and then drove their bodies to a property owned by the company he worked for, Anadarko Petroleum If he's found guilty, Watts could face the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea in court In an affidavit unsealed late Monday, Watts claimed that he watched on the baby monitor as his pregnant wife killed one of the two daughters but detectives did not believe him. Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed Frank Rzucek, 55, the father of murdered Shanann Watts broke down in tears as Judge Kopcow read the charges against his son-in-law At the end of the 18-minute hearing in Ruczek, pictured with his son Frankie (right) stared down Christopher Watts as he was led from the court by prison officers Atkinson said she called Watts at work and told him he needed to come home and check on his wife and kids. She also called police, who arrived to the home before Watts did. Watts let officers into the house and police discovered that Shanann's personal belongings like her cellphone, purse and wallet, were still inside. Watts said he and his wife had a discussion about separating around 4am before he left for work. He said they were both crying and emotional, but it was not argumentative. He also told detectives that Shanann told him that she was taking the girls and going to a friend's house. Over the next few days, police searched for Shanann and her girls while Watts did news interviews saying he did not know where they were and begged them to come back home. The day before his arrest, Watts pleaded for his family's safe return saying in an on-camera interview: 'I just want people to know that I want my family back. I want them safe and I want them here'. During his court appearance on Tuesday, Watts hung his head and stayed silent. Shanann's father, Frank Rzucek, wept silently but uncontrollably as the charges were read. Watts remained emotionless in court on Tuesday as the charges were read against him. He answered, 'Yes sir,' several times in a barely audible voice Shanann's father Frank Rzucek (right) spoke to reporters at a press conference thanking everyone for their prayers. Rzucek's son Frankie, 32, (left) also appeared at the press conference but did not speak Rzucek's son Frankie, 32, put his hand on his father's back in support as the older man leaned forward in his seat and cried. At the end of the 18-minute hearing in Greeley, Colorado, Rzucek, 55, stared down Christopher Watts as he was led from the court by prison officers. Watts, 33, whose hands and legs were shackled did not lift his head to acknowledge his father-in-law as he shuffled out of the third-floor courtroom. Watts answered, 'Yes sir,' several times in a barely audible voice as Judge Kopcow read the charges to him. He will next appear in court on November 19. Judge Kopcow told him that if found guilty of the murder charges he could face the death penalty and in any case will never see life outside of prison. District Attorney Michael Rourke has nine weeks to decide whether to seek execution. According to the affidavit, Watts claimed that he had been having an affair with a co-worker at Anadarko Oil and he told his wife he wanted to separate after she returned home following her trip. The case has drawn national media attention to the town of Frederick, as well as hundreds of flowers and toys from friends and strangers Mourners are seen Sunday at the family home where police say the murders were committed He claimed he then left the bedroom and when he returned he watched on the baby monitor as Shanann strangled Celeste. He became enraged, he claimed, and strangled his wife. He then bundled the bodies into his truck and drove 35 miles to a windswept plain outside Roggen, Colorado, where he buried his wife in a shallow grave and dumped his two daughters into a tank filled with crude oil. He later told police where he had hidden the bodies. Watts has been held at the Weld County Jail on the outskirts of Greeley. He is being kept away from other prisoners for his own safety, according to Fox News. Shanann's father made an emotional appearance Monday to thank everyone involved in arresting his son-in-law. 'I'd like to thank everyone in the Frederick Police Department and all the agencies involved for working so hard to find my daughter, granddaughters and Nico,' Rzucek said between sobs. 'I'd like to thank everyone for coming to the candlelight vigil and saying all your prayers. They are gratefully appreciated — and keep the prayers coming for our family.' Since the bodies were found, well-wishers have left toys, dozens of flowers, candles and balloons in the front yard of the $400,000 house on Saratoga Trail in Frederick that the couple bought in 2013.<doc-sep>A Colorado man accused of killing his pregnant wife and two young daughters allegedly claims he walked in on his wife strangling their two children, a police affidavit stated. Shanann Watts, 34, was reported missing along with daughters Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4, on Aug. 14 after a friend said she became concerned for Shanann's well-being. The friend told police Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant and not feeling well when she dropped her off at the Watts' home after they returned from a business trip the night before. Shanann's husband, Chris Watts, 33, told police that Shannan arrived home from her trip around 2 a.m. Watts said he woke up around 5 a.m. and "began talking to Shanann about marital separation and informed her he wanted to initiate the separation," an arrest affidavit stated. Watts claimed it was a "civil conversation" and that it was "emotional," he allegedly told police. Watts said he left the home at 5:27 a.m. and went to work. Video surveillance confirmed this, police said. When investigators began searching the home, they located Shanann's personal items including her cell phone, purse, wallet and medication, the document showed. After examining the scene for any signs of foul play, which were not found, investigators began questioning Watts again about the time leading up to his wife's disappearance. Watts told police that at 4 a.m. he told Shanann he wanted to go through a separation and they "were both upset and crying," a police affidavit stated. Watts allegedly told police that Shanann informed him that she was going to stay at a friend's house that evening. Police observed a suitcase located at the bottom of the stairs of the home, but it is unclear if that is connected to Watts' statement. According to a police affidavit, a two-day investigation revealed Watts was "actively involved in an affair with a co-worker which he denied in previous interviews." While questioning Watts, he asked to speak with his father, claiming he would tell the truth after speaking with him, documents stated. After speaking with his father, Watts allegedly told police that after discussing the separation with his wife, he walked downstairs for a moment. When he returned to the bedroom to speak with her again, he looked at the baby monitor in the room and saw his daughter Bella "sprawled out on her bed and blue and Shanann actively strangling Celeste," Watts told police, according to an arrest affidavit. Watts, claiming he went "into a rage," allegedly told police he strangled Shanann to death, according to the documents. He then loaded all three bodies into the back seat of his truck and took them to an oil work site where he says he buried Shanann "near two oil tanks and dumped the girls inside the oil tanks," the arrest affidavit stated. Police showed Watts an aerial view of the oil site and he identified the locations where the bodies could be found, police said. Prior to Watts' allegedly admitting his involvement, police found a bed sheet in the field near where the bodies were discovered. The bed sheet matched the pattern of several pillow cases and a top sheet found in the kitchen trash can of Watts' home, police said. The search was done prior to when Watts allegedly revealed the locations of the bodies, officials stated. Police found Shanann's body Aug. 15. Watts was arrested on murder charges that same day. The children's bodies were found in the same area as Shanann's the following day, Aug. 16. The causes of death for the victims has not been revealed. Watts was formally charged with five counts of murder, as well as tampering with a deceased human body and unlawful termination of pregnancy, prosecutors announced Monday. He has not yet entered a plea and is due in court for a hearing on Tuesday. It is unknown if Watts has hired an attorney.<doc-sep>

The charges New information EMBED >More News Videos Officials charge Chris Watts with the murder of his wife and two children EMBED >More News Videos Father of Shanann Watts speaks for the first time since her death FREDERICK, Colo. (WTVD) -- A Colorado man admitted to police that he killed his pregnant wife in "a rage" -- but only after he discovered she had strangled their two daughters after he sought a separation, according to an affidavit released Monday.Colorado prosecutors, though, filed formal charges earlier in the day, accusing the former oil and gas worker of killing his entire family days before he was interviewed by local television stations and pleaded for his missing family's safe return home.Christopher Lee Watts, 33, is charged with three counts of murder, three counts of tampering with a deceased body and one count of unlawful termination of pregnancy. Two of the murder charges were also enhanced because the victims were under the age of 12.He is being held without bond.The bodies of his wife, 34-year-old Shanann Watts, and two daughters, 3-year-old Celeste and 4-year-old Bella, were found last week on the property of Anadarko Petroleum, one of Colorado's largest oil and gas drillers. Records show Christopher was employed by the company in 2015.According to the affidavit, early on the morning of Aug. 13 Christopher Watts told his wife that he wanted to separate. She had returned from a business trip a few hours before their conversation.Watts told police that he walked downstairs, leaving his wife in their bedroom. When he returned, Watts said he checked a baby monitor on Shanann's nightstand and saw his wife strangling their youngest daughter. He said the monitor also showed their oldest daughter sprawled on her bed, looking blue.Watts, 33, said he then "went into a rage" and strangled his wife.He told police that he loaded all three bodies into his work truck, and then he buried his wife at an oil work site and dumped the bodies of Bella and Celeste inside oil tanks.The bodies were found on property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, one of Colorado's largest oil and gas drillers, where Watts had worked as an operator. He was fired on Wednesday. Court documents filed by Merson said the girls had been submerged in crude oil for four days.The affidavit says Watts gave police an aerial photograph of the area and identified three areas where he placed the bodies. Investigators used a drone to search the area and spotted a bed sheet that matched other linens found in the family home, along with fresh dirt.According to the affidavit, an investigation revealed that Christopher was having an affair with a co-worker. Police noted that Watts denied having an affair in previous interviews.The family has strong ties to North Carolina. Shanann was from Moore County and attended Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines. Her family still lives in North Carolina.Christopher went to Pine Forest High School in Fayetteville and graduated in 2003.Shanann's father, Frank Rzucek Sr., of Aberdeen, spoke briefly at a news conference Monday. "Good afternoon everybody. I am Shanann's dad," Rzucek said. "This is her brother, we would like to thank everyone in the Frederick Police Department and all the agencies involved for working so hard to find my daughter, granddaughters and Nico. Thank you everyone for coming out to the candlelight vigil and saying all your prayers. They are greatly appreciated. And keep the prayers coming for our family. Thank you very much. "Shanann's brother, Frank Rzucek Jr. was also in attendance.Shanann was reported missing August 13 by her friend Nickole Atkinson after she missed a doctor's appointment.Atkinson told GMA on Monday that she called police after something felt off.

Need Fantasy Football lineup advice? Talk to CBS Sports on your Google Assistant to get insights on the best sleepers and to help decide between players. Just start with, "Hey Google, talk to CBS Sports." In Week 2, we had a quarterback throw six touchdown passes in a game with Patrick Mahomes, and two kickers miss crucial field goals that eventually cost them their jobs with Zane Gonzalez and Daniel Carlson. Clay Matthews had a controversial roughing the passer penalty that's still being talked about, and Vontae Davis retired at halftime of the Bills-Chargers game. We also had our second tie of the season with the Vikings and Packers, after the Steelers and Browns did it in Week 1. The NFL is already wild two weeks into the season. And it's so much fun. Fantasy owners are enjoying all the eye-popping stats, especially in the passing game, and there were 14 quarterbacks who scored at least 20 Fantasy points in Week 1 and 17 who did it in Week 2. And Mahomes is leading the way with 10 touchdown passes through two games. He scored 36 Fantasy points at the Chargers in Week 1 and 50 points at Pittsburgh in Week 2. He gets his first home game in Week 3 against San Francisco, and hopefully he will stay hot in that matchup. He's our consensus No. 1-ranked quarterback on CBS Sports this week, and he's a must-start option in all leagues. Hopefully, the fun will continue for him and the rest of the NFL in Week 3. Note: Projections are provided by SportsLine.com. Start of the Week Kenyan Drake LV • RB • 41 Week 3 projection 13.5 Fantasy points View Profile I'm a big fan of narrative and situations as much as matchups, and I like the set-up for Kenyan Drake this week against Oakland. He should have the chance for a big game. The Raiders are playing in back-to-back road games this week and have to travel to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start. That should be a tired defense under the circumstances. Todd Gurley (147 total yards and a touchdown) in Week 1 and the combination of Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman (139 total yards and a touchdown) in Week 2 have beat up this Oakland defense, and Drake is coming off a standout performance of his own at the Jets. He had 11 carries for 53 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and a touchdown and four catches for 17 yards to help Miami improve to 2-0. Drake is still splitting touches with Frank Gore, which isn't the most ideal situation, but Drake also has at least 15 touches in each game. And hopefully he'll take on more work as the season moves on, starting in Week 3. Drake had nine carries for 69 yards and six catches for 35 yards against Oakland last year, and he's averaging 15.4 PPR points in his past seven games going back to the end of the 2017 season. He's scored at least 11 PPR points in five games over that span. The Dolphins are one of the surprise teams through Week 2 at 2-0, and Drake has been a significant contributor to their success. We'll see if he can keep it going in Week 3 against Oakland, and this is a good situation to believe in with his matchup against the Raiders at home. I'm starting Drake over: Leonard Fournette (vs. TEN), Jordan Howard (at ARI), Dion Lewis (at JAC), Alex Collins (vs. DEN) and Lamar Miller (vs. NYG) Quarterbacks Start 'Em 23.8 projected points Kirk Cousins Minnesota Vikings QB Cousins was good in Week 1 against San Francisco with 23 Fantasy points, but he was even better in Week 2 at Green Bay. He passed for 425 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, which was good for 41 Fantasy points, and hopefully he'll stay hot this week against Buffalo. The Bills have allowed each opposing quarterback they have faced to score three touchdowns, with Joe Flacco doing it in Week 1 and Philip Rivers in Week 2. Let's hope Cousins continues that trend in beating up this bad defense in Week 3. 21.2 projected points Ryan Fitzpatrick Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Fitzpatrick is arguably the best story in the NFL right now, and hopefully he doesn't fold under pressure Monday night against the Steelers. He's passed for more than 800 yards with nine total touchdowns through two games, and he gets to face a Pittsburgh defense that just allowed 326 passing yards and six touchdowns to Patrick Mahomes. We'll see if Steelers cornerback Joe Haden (hamstring) is able to play this week, but Pittsburgh will struggle to stop all these weapons for the Buccaneers. At some point, Fitzpatrick will start to struggle, but he's worth buying into as a No. 1 option in Week 3. 16.6 projected points Jimmy Garoppolo San Francisco 49ers QB It would be nice if Garoppolo got Marquise Goodwin (thigh) back this week, but he should still be able to have a great performance with his healthy weapons based on the matchup with the Chiefs. Kansas City's offense has looked dominant so far, but the defense has allowed 876 passing yards and seven total touchdowns to Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger over the past two games. Based on the Chiefs offense and how they have performed so far, we should see Garoppolo chasing points this week. Against this defense, even on the road, that should lead to a quality Fantasy day for Jimmy G in Week 3. 20.4 projected points Matt Ryan Atlanta Falcons QB Ryan got back on track in Week 2 against Carolina with 33 Fantasy points after a miserable Week 1 at Philadelphia where he scored just eight points. He should stay hot in Week 3 at home against the Saints. The New Orleans defense improved in Week 2 against Tyrod Taylor after getting torched by Fitzpatrick in Week 1, but this should still be a plus matchup for Ryan. In his past three home games against the Saints, Ryan has passed for 886 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Ryan should once again be considered a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback heading into Week 3. 16.2 projected points Matthew Stafford Detroit Lions QB After his miserable performance in Week 1 against the Jets when he scored just nine Fantasy points, Stafford rebounded in Week 2 at San Francisco with 29 points. He's going to have the chance for plenty of big games moving forward with how bad this Detroit defense is, and he has already attempted 99 passes through two games. Stafford will likely be chasing points this week at home against the Patriots, and New England just allowed Blake Bortles to pass for 377 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in Week 2. This is the Patriots' second game in a row on the road, and Stafford should have success against what could be a tired unit. He's a No. 1 quarterback in all leagues. Sleepers Andy Dalton (at CAR): Dalton is averaging 26.5 Fantasy points a game to start the season, and he's getting help from other receivers aside from A.J. Green. Maybe with Joe Mixon (knee) out, he does even more heavy lifting against a Panthers defense that just allowed 33 Fantasy points to Ryan. Blake Bortles (vs. TEN): Bortles has now scored at least 22 Fantasy points in six of his past eight games going back to last year after he had 40 points in Week 1 against New England. He also has four games over the past two years without Leonard Fournette (hamstring) and is averaging 26.8 Fantasy points over that span, so keep an eye on Fournette's status. And in his past five meetings with the Titans, Bortles is averaging 273 passing yards a game with 11 total touchdowns and four interceptions. Ryan Tannehill (vs. OAK): Tannehill is averaging 18.5 Fantasy points in his past two games and gets the same favorable matchup as Kenyan Drake with the Raiders coming across the country for a 1 p.m. ET start for their second road game in a row. I like Tannehill as a quality starter in two-quarterback leagues this week, and he's helping Fantasy owners with his legs after 44 rushing yards against the Jets in Week 2. Sit 'Em 15.4 projected points Philip Rivers Los Angeles Chargers QB Rivers is off to a great start with 62 combined Fantasy points through two games against Kansas City and Buffalo, and he's passed for three touchdowns in each game. But this will be his toughest test, maybe all season, against this stout Rams defense led by defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Rivers and Phillips know each other well when the latter held the same position in Denver from 2015-16, and Rivers averaged just 13.5 Fantasy points against the Broncos in four games over that span. While Rivers is more of a bust alert than a must-sit quarterback, this difficult matchup is one to avoid if you can. 17.0 projected points Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys QB Prescott has combined for 23 Fantasy points through two games against Carolina and the Giants, and it looks like this will be a long season for him. He wasn't sacked against the Giants after going down six times against the Panthers, but he was more of a game manager than a Fantasy asset despite throwing a 64-yard touchdown to Tavon Austin on the opening drive of the game. This will be the Seahawks first home game, and it's doubtful Prescott puts up a big Fantasy stat line to make you feel comfortable starting him. I'm hesitant to trust him in two-quarterback and superflex leagues. 14.8 projected points Case Keenum Denver Broncos QB The Broncos are making their first road trip of the season in Week 3, and they have to make the long road trip to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start. We'll see if the offense is a little sluggish, much as it was in Week 2 at home against Oakland. After passing for 329 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in Week 1 against Seattle, Keenum went for 222 yards and one interception against Oakland, although he added a rushing touchdown. The Ravens are down two key defenders in linebacker C.J. Mosley (knee) and cornerback (Jimmy Smith), but I don't expect Keenum to have a big day. He's only an option in two-quarterback leagues this week. 13.8 projected points Derek Carr Oakland Raiders QB Carr comes into this game completing a ridiculous 80.6 percent of his passes, so his accuracy is on point with new coach Jon Gruden. But so far he's passed for just one touchdown with three interceptions, and he's operating like a game manager. He now has to play back-to-back road games and travel to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start, and he's facing a good Dolphins secondary. Miami has not allowed multiple passing touchdowns in the same game over the past seven contests going back to last year, giving up five touchdowns with 10 interceptions over that span, including matchups with Tom Brady and Alex Smith. Carr is just a No. 2 Fantasy quarterback at best this week. 19.4 projected points Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks QB Wilson is more of a bust alert than a must-sit option, but he's had a rough start to his season in road games against Denver and Chicago. He's been sacked 12 times and has three interceptions and a fumble, and it's been a struggle for him despite averaging 21.5 Fantasy points per game. He does have the chance to improve going home, but the Cowboys defense has been great through two games with nine sacks and just 29 points allowed against Carolina and the Giants. Granted, one of those outings was against Eli Manning, but Dallas also held Cam Newton to just 17 Fantasy points in Week 1. I'm not calling Wilson an outright sit, but he not ranked as a No. 1 quarterback this week because I expect another week of him under pressure and struggling to post a big stat line. Bust Alert Carson Wentz IND • QB • 11 Week 3 Projection 19.0 Fantasy points View Profile Two things to mention here.<doc-sep>1 of 11 Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images Before we move on to the Week 3 sleepers, here's a look back at how my Week 2 recommendations went. Or in many cases, didn't go. For the record, sleepers count as a "win" if they finish inside weekly starter territory in a 12-team point-per-reception fantasy league that starts one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one defense and the always-popular "flex" play—a fairly standard setup. Jared Cook, TE, Oakland Raiders (4 catches, 49 yards): In classic Jared Cook style, Week 1's huge outing against the Rams was followed up by a much more pedestrian effort against the Denver Broncos. The more things change, the more they stay the same. LOSS Case Keenum, QB, Denver Broncos (222 passing yards, 16 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 1 INT): Keenum looked like a solid spot-start against a mediocre Raiders defense, but had he not gotten a late rushing TD, this one would have been ugly. LOSS Tyrod Taylor, QB, Cleveland Browns (246 passing yards, 26 rushing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT): Another quarterback with a solid matchup who needed a late score to salvage a so-so effort. LOSS Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (77 rushing yards, 3 catches, 21 receiving yards): Ekeler's status as a "sleeper" is just about gones-ville. He's a significant part of the Chargers offense and worth a look as a weekly starter in flex spots. WIN Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos (107 rushing yards, 1 catch, 4 receiving yards): It's only been two games, but Lindsay has been the most effective tailback on Denver's roster. Who knew? WIN Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5 catches, 56 receiving yards, TD): Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't just lit up stat sheets the first two weeks of the season—he's made three receivers in Tampa Bay fantasy-relevant…including Godwin. WIN Dante Pettis, WR, San Francisco 49ers (1 reception, 35 yards): So much for Pettis seeing an increased role with Marquise Goodwin banged up. One reception isn't going to cut it. The Niners pass-catchers have been "meh" in 2018. LOSS Mike Wallace, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (Fat Bag of Nothing): To those who actually followed this half-baked recommendation and started Wallace, I can only offer an apology. It seemed like a good idea at the time. LOSS Jonnu Smith, TE, Tennessee Titans (Fat Bag of Nothing): To say that Smith's debut as the lead tight end for the Titans was anticlimactic is an understatement. I've decided the only logical thing to do is to blame Blaine Gabbert. LOSS New York Jets Defense/Special Teams (257 yards allowed, 20 points allowed, 4 sacks, 2 FR): Over the first few weeks of the 2018 season, the Jets defense has the look of a nice cheap source of fantasy production. WIN WEEK 1: 4-6 (.400) SEASON: 7-13 (.350) I'm still not where I want to be (40 percent is the bare minimum I consider acceptable, and I'm hoping to hit on over half), but there were more wins in Week 2 than in Week 1. Baby steps.<doc-sep>

Need Fantasy Football lineup advice? Talk to CBS Sports on your Google Assistant to get insights on the best sleepers and to help decide between players. Just start with, "Hey Google, talk to CBS Sports." Editor's Note: If you want an early look at the waiver wire for Week 4, scroll to the bottom to see Dave's top targets for QB, RB, WR, and TE. The next time you find yourself muttering about how unfair/unlikely/unpredictable Fantasy Football is, just imagine how Mike Zimmer must feel. Zimmer and the Vikings were 17-point favorites against the winless, hapless Buffalo Bills. They were losing 17-0 after the first quarter and couldn't answer the bell the rest of the game after Kirk Cousins was sacked and fumbled to end each of the Vikings' first two drives. Minnesota ended up going three plays on four of their first five possessions and had earned just two first downs and 46 yards by halftime. Cousins had a total of three turnovers to go with his 296 yards and garbage-time score to Kyle Rudolph. He was out-played by rookie Josh Allen, who totaled three touchdowns. Any Given Sunday. It's not just the name of a football movie. It's enough to strike fear in the hearts of Fantasy owners who have been riding the wave of Cousins and Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Not only did they struggle Sunday, but they're headed into the Rams' den on a very short week, before traveling to play at Philadelphia in Week 5. This is no slam-dunk stretch for any team, much less one that just got routed by Buffalo. The Vikings' offensive line is a big problem. Not only was Cousins sacked four times, but he was hit another time and pressured plenty beyond that. Buffalo was smart to attack Minnesota's front five and eventually pin its ears back and get after Cousins. That flustered the quarterback, who was off-target on several throws and didn't get into a rhythm until he threw for 200 yards in the fourth quarter. The Vikings run game was also a total non-factor. It's not quite enough to push the panic button and get what you can for these guys. It's just a rotten week with a rotten couple of games in their future. At the very least, Adam Thielen has proven his reliability with three straight weeks with 10-plus Fantasy points, and Rudolph has reached a floor of at least seven Fantasy points in non-PPR leagues. At the very most, we're a week removed from Cousins throttling the Packers for 425 yards and four touchdowns, with two of them and 128 yards going to Diggs. Be patient — center Pat Elflein's imminent return should help stabilize the line, and the offense in general will turn it around. If anything, this coming week might be a good time to try and acquire some Vikings. Minnesota's misadventure wasn't all that went haywire in Week 3 ... Not everything was unpredictable. The Saints and Falcons totaled 80 points in a high-octane showdown; Patrick Mahomes added three touchdowns to his growing stat line; Cam Newton picked up four more. Three Big Questions After Week 3 Is Andrew Luck done? Luck's completed 68.5 percent of his passes through three games, but for just 5.34 yards per attempt and five total touchdowns. Worse yet, he's consistently thrown with limited velocity and has had a bunch of near-interceptions – including two on Sunday against the Eagles. The Colts even went with Jacoby Brissett to throw a Hail Mary on the final play of the game — a tell-tale sign that Luck's arm isn't back to normal if there ever was one. His receiving weapons are pretty limited — Ryan Grant scored on Sunday, and Eric Ebron accounted for two scores before failing to cash in on any of his opportunities against Philly, and those are his best options behind T.Y. Hilton. It's not very pretty, especially since Indianapolis can't run the ball yet either. Luck is no longer a high-upside Fantasy passer — a lot of people will bench or cut him for alternatives on waivers. A handful of other Fantasy owners will try getting what they can for Hilton, figuring he won't return No. 1 receiver value moving forward. The Colts host the Texans next week and the Patriots after that. Hard to expect Luck to crush either of those defenses. Has Adrian Peterson turned back the clock?

The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Get email updates with the day's biggest stories Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Tom Brady insists his record sixth Super Bowl title does not alter his retirement plans. Brady, 41, inspired the New England Patriots to victory over the Los Angeles Rams in an attritional NFL showpiece in Atlanta. The Pats ran out 13-3 winners in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history. Brady threw a trademark pass to Rob Gronkowski to set up the chance for Sony Michel to blast over from close range for the game's only touch down. Brady has previously spoken of his plan to retire when he is 45, and he insists that is still the case despite his sixth championship. (Image: Getty) "It doesn't change anything," he said after the game. "I can't wait to just spend some time with my family; my kids and my wife. I couldn't do it without their support. "It's been a great year. I'm so happy for my teammates. This is a dream come true, for all of us." Brady hailed the defence of both sides following the match at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. (Image: REUTERS) "It was an unbelievable year," he added. "We fought through it more than anything. It's unbelievable to win this game. "They played so well. Their defence played their butts off. They had a great plan and they made it tough on every play. "We just kept fighting and finally got a touch down. Our defence played the best game of the year."<doc-sep>Whether the New England Patriots win or lose Super Bowl 53 against the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday, Tom Brady is not ready to ride off into the sunset just yet. When asked during an interview with ESPN that aired Sunday if there was any chance his ninth Super Bowl would be his NFL swan song, Brady said: "Zero," curling his thumb and fingers into a "0" shape to emphasize the point. "I feel like I'm asked that a lot and I feel like I repeat the same answer, but no one wants to believe me," said the 41-year-old Brady, who has previously said he wants to play until he reaches age 45. DANIEL RADCLIFFE SLAMS TOM BRADY OVER TRUMP SUPPORT, MAGA HAT "I’ve set a goal for myself at 45 and like I said before, it’s very hard to make it that far," he said. "I know how hard it was this year, you know, and the commitment it takes and hopefully I’ve learned from some of the things that happened this year to be better next year. But every year’s tough." The Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 37-31, in overtime last Sunday to win their fourth AFC title in five seasons and become the third team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to reach at least three consecutive Super Bowls. A win next Sunday in Atlanta will bring New England its sixth NFL title, all of which will have come with Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick as the head coach. Brady will turn 42 on Aug. 3 and is currently under contract with the Patriots through next season. He declined to say what factors would lead him to step away from the game. LASER MAY HAVE BEEN POINTED AT TOM BRADY DURING AFC CHAMPIONSHIP "I’m gonna know when the time’s right and I’m gonna feel like, ‘OK, I’ve kind of had enough,'" he said. "I don’t quite feel like that yet. I feel like I’ve still made a lot of improvements and I still feel like I can continue to do it at a championship level. I think that’s where I was at before and that’s still where I’m at now." On Sunday morning, thousands of Patriots fans turned up at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., for a now-familiar midwinter ritual in New England: the Super Bowl send-off rally. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "We're not at the end yet," Brady told a sea of fans that covered the entire field and filled most of one side of the lower seating bowl. "We've got one more to go." The five-time Super Bowl champion then led the crowd in a chant of "We're still here!" before tossing the microphone aside to more cheers, and the Patriots headed off for buses starting them on their way to Atlanta. The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>ATLANTA -- Long after Super Bowl LIII was over, after the hugs and promises to keep playing, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was walking out of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, holding his prize. The Lombardi Trophy was in his hand. "How did I wind up with this?" Brady asked. It's a trophy Brady has held many times, six in total now, after the Patriots beat the Rams 13-3 on Sunday. This was Brady's ninth Super Bowl appearance, and he's the first six-time champion in NFL history. And he's not done trying to collect titles. Brady, 41, promised before the Super Bowl that he plans to keep playing, and he reiterated that after the game on the field to CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, telling her this "doesn't change anything" on when he wants to retire. Brady wants to play until he's 45. He has a long time before he has to worry about that. For now, Brady just wanted to enjoy this victory. "I can't believe it," Brady said. "What a year." Brady didn't have his best performance against the Rams. He was 21-of-35 passing for 262 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He threw the interception on his first attempt of the game in the first quarter. But he more than made up for it on the lone touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. With the score tied 3-3, Brady went to work. The oldest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl completed four straight passes, including two to Rob Gronkowski that went for 47 yards, one to Julian Edelman for 13 yards and another to Rex Burkhead for seven yards. Sony Michel capped off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, but Brady came up big at the right time -- like he typically does. "I just felt like we needed to grind it out all night," Brady said. Edelman won the MVP award with 10 catches for 141 yards on 12 targets, and the quarterback and receiver shared a long embrace on the field after the game. Brady was thrilled for his teammate, and vice versa from Edelman, who said Brady was the one doing the hugging. "I think he held me, I didn't hold him," Edelman said. But it was a special moment for two friends. "The hug with Tom tonight was about two people who love football," Edelman said. "I'm living out a dream." Added Brady about Edelman: "He's a fighter, man. That kid, I'm just so proud of him. He's been an incredible player for this team in the playoffs and he just cemented himself, again, in the history of the NFL for what his accomplishments are." Brady had his share of accomplishments as well with this Super Bowl victory. It was Brady's 30th career postseason victory, and only four franchises other than the Patriots have that many wins (Steelers, Cowboys, Packers and 49ers). Brady now has six game-winning drives in his Super Bowl career and no other quarterback has more than two (Eli Manning and Terry Bradshaw). And Brady also holds career Super Bowl records for most passes (392), completions (256) and passing yards (2,838). But for Brady, it's all about the trophies. He has six now. And he's not done trying to collect more.<doc-sep>

Win or lose, it doesn’t sound like this will be the last game of Tom Brady’s career. The NFL legend didn’t have his best season, but has really turned things on in the playoffs, leading the Patriots to the ninth Super Bowl berth of his career. There has been some speculation over a few Patriots, during the lead-up to tonight’s game. Rob Gronkowski, who mulled retirement after last year’s Super Bowl loss, may be the most likely to retire, but the main focus is always on Brady and head coach Bill Belichick. Tom Brady was asked about his future beyond this game by former teammate Willie McGinest. McGinest, now an analyst for NFL Network, had a one-on-one interview with Brady this morning. Brady didn’t really hedge when asked if he may retire following the game. “When I suck, I’ll retire.” Tom Brady continues to shut down the idea of hanging it up (via @WillieMcGinest) pic.twitter.com/m56n64ZJbu — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 3, 2019 If you take him at his word, it seems very unlikely that anything could happen today that would keep Brady from returning to New England in 2019-2020. Brady, who was famously taken in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, is a five-time champion, four-time Super Bowl MVP, and a three-time NFL MVP. He’s made 14 Pro Bowls and is a three-time First Team All-Pro. At this point, he’s mostly just running up the score in terms of the Greatest Of All Time argument, but clearly he’s not satisfied just yet.

Lynchburg dam: Drone footage shows latest flood damage top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Evacuations of the city of Lynchburg have continued throughout the night as experts continue to monitor the Lynchburg dam, which is at risk of crumbling. Incredible drone footage from WSLS News, a local broadcast network, shows the terrifying levels of high water after the region was hit by a deluge of rainfall. The College Lake Dam has already started to overflow and there are fears that continuous pressure could break the dam itself. Officials fear that the dam built in the 1930s could collapse, sending a "monster wave" downstream and flooding the city. There are fears that the continuous pressure from the water levels could break the dam itself City authorities have warned that the city would be flooded with 17ft of water in just seven minutes in the worst-case scenario. Around 150 residents out of the 8,000 total residents have already evacuated, seeking shelter from the potential dam breach in a local high school. The east coast of the US has seen unprecedented levels of rainfall in the past well, with the strange weather expected this weekend. Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said: "Lynchburg received 1.35 inches of rain on Thursday and 2.00 inches so far this month." Lynchburg dam: Resident films their flooded home Shocking footage has shown surging waters battering the dam I am a little scared to see if there's any damage or how much there is Lynchburg resident Fallyn Phillips Shocking footage has shown surging waters battering the dam, while others have recorded water already flooding into their homes. Lynchburg resident Fallyn Phillips said: "I am hoping that we go back home soon, but I am a little scared to see if there's any damage or how much there is." However, Tim Mitchell, the director of Lynchburg Water Resources, was optimistic that the dam could withstand the pressure. He said: "We are still concerned about its overall stability going into tonight and tomorrow morning. Lynchburg: Risk of City drowning if dam breaks Lynchburg floods: Dam's imminent failure sparks evacuations in Virginia Fri, August 3, 2018 There are warnings the Lynchburg dam is about to burst due to heavy rainfall Play slideshow Twitter 1 of 8 A bloated river sweeps a large tree aside<doc-sep>Steer like this to stay out of accidents in the snow TOPSHOT - A city worker drives through the flooded street during Hurricane Sally in downtown Pensacola, Florida on September 16, 2020. - Hurricane Sally barrelled into the US Gulf Coast early Wednesday, with forecasts of drenching rains that could provoke "historic" and potentially deadly flash floods.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the Category 2 storm hit Gulf Shores, Alabama at about 4:45 am (0945 GMT), bringing maximum sustained winds of about 105 miles (165 kilometers) per hour. "Historic life-threatening flooding likely along portions of the northern Gulf coast," the Miami-based center had warned late Tuesday, adding the hurricane could dump up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain in some areas. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) Why snow and blackouts in Texas are a preview for all of us Storm chasing photographers take photos underneath a rotating supercell storm system in Maxwell, Nebraska on September 3, 2016. Although multiple tornado warnings were issued throughout the area, no funnel cloud touched down. / AFP / Josh Edelson / XGTY RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / Josh EDELSON" / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS == (Photo credit should read JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images) Why hurricanes are so hard to predict IN SPACE - In this handout photo provided by NASA, Hurricane Patricia is seen from the International Space Station. The hurricane made landfall on the Pacfic coast of Mexico on October 23. (Photo by Scott Kelly/NASA via Getty Images) Larry Pierson, from the Isle of Palms, S.C., purchases bottled water from the Harris Teeter grocery store on the Isle of Palms in preparation for Hurricane Florence at the Isle of Palms S.C., Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Mic Smith) The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on NOAA-20 acquired this image of Hurricane Laura at 2:20 a.m. Central Daylight Time on August 26, 2020. Emergency crews monitor water flow at the College Lake Dam near Lynchburg, Virginia after flash flooding in the area (CNN) — Heavy rains sent water spilling over a dam in Lynchburg, Virginia, spurring fears that it could collapse, but officials on Friday said the 84-year-old structure was “currently stable and … there is no immediate fear of dam failure.” The situation was much more dire Thursday, when flooding prompted some evacuations in the city of roughly 80,000 people. That night, the National Weather Service reported the College Lake Dam could fail, and if it does, “the water depth at Lynchburg could exceed 17 feet in 7 minutes.” The earthen dam was intact Friday morning, the weather service said in an update, but water has been moving over it and into Blackwater Creek about 2 miles southwest of downtown Lynchburg. City officials said they found no seepage and that engineers would continue to monitor conditions around the clock. “(Saturday) Crews will open a small sluice on the spillway in order to begin dewatering the reservoir,” a statement said. “Once the water levels are lowered, then initial repairs can begin on the dam embankment and the roadway.” Evacuees cannot return home until they get the green light. Rain has saturated parts of the East for days, with flash-flood watches in effect for millions from Georgia to Vermont. Some of Lynchburg were flooded. City officials posted pictures Thursday of rescuers using a raft to take families from a flood-threatened apartment complex as well as the partial collapse of one road into an adjacent creek. We'll have some video shortly, but here are a few scenes from around Lynchburg tonight ... boat rescues of families from... Posted by City of Lynchburg, Virginia Government on Thursday, August 2, 2018 Other photos showed water rushing Thursday night over the dam and Lakeside Drive, which separates College Lake and Blackwater Creek. Joni Organ posted video on social media of water thundering powerfully down a swollen Lynchburg creek. “I think I know some people who are going to be moving tonight,” Organ says in the video. Should the dam collapse, floodwaters would move from the creek into the James River near Lynchburg’s business district. The city’s Department of Emergency Services urged people living on a number of roads near the dam to evacuate Thursday night. The department’s Piper Van dePerre told CNN affiliate WDBJ in Roanoke that crews are working with a list of 124 residences that need to be evacuated. The city near the Blue Ridge Mountains has received plenty of runoff from recent rains, and 4 to 6 inches of rain fell in the area Thursday evening, filling College Lake beyond its capacity. A flash-flood warning is in effect until 2 a.m. Saturday in Lynchburg. A line of showers and storms moved through the area Friday afternoon. The University of Lynchburg, which is near the lake, said it has not ordered an evacuation because it is not downstream of the dam, according to affiliate WSLS in Roanoke. The school said it is open Friday, though its entrance on Lakeside Drive was closed. CNN’s Joe Sutton, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Phil Gast, AnneClaire Stapleton and Haley Brink contributed to this report.<doc-sep>

At a Glance A dam in Lynchburg, Virginia, overtopped Friday morning, sending water barreling across a local road. Evacuations were ordered over fears that the dam could fail. By midday, water levels had receded but more rain forecasted could result in more flooding. If the dam were to completely fail, it would send enough water into the area to reach a depth of 17 feet in seven minutes. More than 100 residences were evacuated in Lynchburg, Virginia, amid fears that a dam there could fail as water overtopped the dam and barreled across local roads. The Lynchburg Department of Emergency Services started evacuating more than 100 residences in the Blackwater Creek Trail area in the southwest side of the city Thursday night as water spilled out of College Lake Dam, local news reported. By early Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service said water levels had receded so the water was no longer overtopping the dam. They warned, however, that the potential remains for more heavy rains that could result in more flooding. Should the dam completely fail, enough water levels in the affected part of the city could rise to 17 feet in just 7 minutes, said local media, citing emergency officials. Earlier in the day, up to a foot and a half of water was seen flowing across Lakeside Drive and into Blackwater Creek after spilling out of the dam, NWS Blacksburg said. Advertisement The dam was above capacity after storms dropped more than 6 inches of rain in just 24 hours upstream from College Lake, weather.com senior meteorologist Jon Erdman said. Lynchburg has seen an exceptional amount of rain so far in 2018. More than 12 inches of rain have fallen on the city since June 1st, bringing the annual year-to-date total to more than 37 inches. That's more than a foot above the average for this time of the year, making this the third wettest year-to-date at Lynchburg Regional Airport since 1945. And it's not over. "Unfortunately, one final round of rain, potentially locally heavy, is expected in the Piedmont area of Virginia Friday before drier weather moves in for the weekend," Erdman said. College Lake Dam was built in the 1930s and is listed among "high hazard dams" in need of repair in Virginia. In Campbell County, about 13 inches of water was spilling over the Timberlake Dam spillway and a motorist had to be rescued from a vehicle trapped in high water.

A boy selling lemonade in a North Carolina neighborhood was allegedly robbed Saturday when a teen pressed a black handgun to his stomach and demanded money. Deputies later found a black BB handgun on a trail in nearby woods of Monroe, North Carolina, the Union County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Sunday. Also found: A metal tin stolen from the boy, plus a camouflage hat matching the one reportedly worn by the teen who fled on foot. The robber made off with $17, according to local station Fox 46. "I think people are capable of a lot of things, but not robbing a child at a lemonade stand, that takes it to a new level," Tony Underwood, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, told the station. The boy's father, Phillip Smith, has shielded his son from media attention, but said the young entrepreneur worked the lemonade stand to raise funds to buy a lawn mower for his other part-time business. “Never thought in a million years I’d be racing off to pick him up with somebody pointing a gun at him and taking his money from just a simple thing of selling lemonade," Smith told WCNC-TV. The lemonade stand was set up at a roundabout in St. John's Forrest, a quiet neighborhood on the city's northwest side. Undeterred, the boy returned Sunday to sell lemonade — this time with added support from family as a precaution. Neighbors rallied to raise $256 for the boy, WCNC-TV reported. County investigators were still searching for the suspect as of Monday morning, according to the Charlotte Observer. More:Man steals shark from aquarium in baby stroller More:Airlines cut flights to Mexican resorts after tourist blackouts<doc-sep>The concept of lemonade stands is perhaps one that harks back to happier memories, of one’s youthful summer spent squeezing lemons to create lemonade, the icy delight that’s sure to beat the sweltering heat. For many kids, lemonade stands also serve as their first foray into entrepreneurship, learning lessons about profit, operating costs, the value of hard work, as well as meeting new people. But for one 9-year-old boy from Monroe, North Carolina, willing patrons weren’t the only ones he encountered while selling lemonade. ADVERTISEMENT Last Aug. 4, 9-year-old Mark David was robbed at gunpoint while manning his lemonade stand. According to WSOC-TV last Aug. 6, the robber pointed the weapon at Mark’s stomach. He then stole the boy’s cash box that contained his earnings, all amounting to less than $20 (P1,000). “In today’s world, people are very bold,” Tony Underwood, Union County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, was quoted as saying. “Criminals are very bold. This is a new low.” The police were able to recover the cash box nearby, already empty of its contents. They, too, discovered a camouflage hat and a weapon — a black BB gun — that they understood belonged to the suspect. Authorities have since turned to neighbors to ask them to check their surveillance cameras for clues. But so far, they still do not have a thorough description of the robber. But if some may think that the robbery was a discouragement cruel enough to keep Mark off the streets, neighbors have said otherwise. The following day, Mark relocated to the community pool and was back at selling his lemonade. Photojournalist Corey Gensler (@CoreyWSOC9), took to his Twitter last August 7 to share a picture he had taken of young Mark posing beside his lemonade stand, wearing a beret and smiling. This is 9 year old Mark David… He runs a mowing business and a lemonade stand in Union Co. Yesterday he was robbed at gunpoint point in his neighborhood while selling, today… @Lowes came by with a big surprise. Find out what at 5 on @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/Moe1XrinUm — Corey Gensler (@CoreyWSOC9) August 6, 2018 ADVERTISEMENT “This is 9-year-old Mark David…” wrote Gensler. “He runs a mowing business and a lemonade stand in Union Co.” Cody Cepeda/NVG RELATED STORIES: Creating a new breed of entrepreneurs — ‘Kiddo-preneurs’ Starting ’em young<doc-sep>A 9-year-old boy running a lemonade stand outside of Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday was robbed at gunpoint, police say. Union County Sheriff’s Office deputies are seeking a teenager who allegedly pointed a black handgun at the boy’s stomach and took his cashbox before fleeing on a bicycle, according to WSOC-TV. The boy had less than $20 in cash on him, Union County spokesman Tony Underwood told WSOC. “In today’s world, people are very bold,” he said. “Criminals are very bold. This is a new low.” Deputies said the boy described the suspect, who is still at large, as a male teen wearing a camouflage hat and a black shirt. “They found the camo hat we believe was worn by the suspect,” Underwood said. “We also found a black-colored handgun we believe was the handgun that was used, turns out it was a BB gun.” The boy reopened his lemonade stand in a new location at the community pool on Sunday, neighbors said. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com.<doc-sep>

Philip Smith, whose 9-year-old son's lemonade stand was held up by a robber with a BB gun. (CNN) — When you open a lemonade stand you expect to slice a lot of lemons, sit outside in the heat and make a few dollars. You don’t expect to get robbed at gunpoint. But that’s what happened to a 9-year-old boy in Monroe, North Carolina, on Saturday, officials said. The robber pointed a weapon at the boy’s stomach and got away with a metal tin that held his earnings – all $17. The police recovered the empty tin nearby, along with a hat, a bicycle and a weapon – a BB gun – believed to belong to the suspect, Union County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Underwood said at a press conference. “Just when you think you’ve heard it all, there’s something else that will surprise you,” he said. “I think people are capable of a lot of things, but not robbing a child at a lemonade stand.” Underwood called the crime “a new low.” The sheriff’s office in the suburban Charlotte county has not identified a suspect. Authorities are looking through surveillance video, pursuing tips and interviewing neighbors, but they do not have a thorough description of the robber, Underwood said. “(The boy) was able to give a lot of detailed information. Unfortunately, not enough at this point to, you know, conclusively identify the suspect.” Underwood said the boy seemed to be doing OK. “But I’m sure just as anyone would be going through that type of situation, they’re going to be traumatized,” he said. The young entrepreneur was not deterred, however. Neighbors told CNN affiliate WSOC that he was back selling lemonade the next day and had relocated his stand to a community swimming pool, The neighborhood is the same one where two male suspects – a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old – were apprehended for firing at least 10 bullets into two homes on May 27. “Keep a close eye on (your children),” Underwood said. “I think having an adult close by might deter something like that from happening. And then again, it might not. In today’s world, people are very bold.”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Onondaga County (New York) district attorney told Yahoo Sports on Thursday morning that there will not be any immediate legal ramifications after Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim’s role in a tragic and fatal car accident on Wednesday night. “Not from law enforcement, unless something extraordinary or bizarre comes to our attention that we’re not aware of,” said district attorney William J. Fitzpatrick in a telephone interview. “In terms of a strict reconstruction of the accident, it’s just a tragedy.” Fitzpatrick said that Boeheim struck a pedestrian who’d exited a vehicle on I-690 East at 11:22 p.m. on Wednesday night. Police identified the victim as 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez. Fitzpatrick said that there was a single-car accident that resulted in the car hitting the guardrail. All four occupants exited the car, and police said the accident occurred as Boeheim was attempting to avoid hitting the car. (The cause of the initial single-car accident wasn’t known.) Fitzpatrick said that Boeheim stopped and immediately attempted to render assistance. He called Boeheim “completely cooperative” with police and noted that he took a breathalyzer that came up with no trace of alcohol. “All indications are that it was an appropriate speed for the conditions,” Fitzpatrick said. Boeheim released a statement on Thursday morning: “I am heartbroken that a member of our community died as a result of last night’s accident. Juli and I extend our deepest sympathies to the Jimenez family. Out of respect for those involved, I will not be providing further comment at this time.” Police say Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim struck and killed a 51-year-old man walking outside his vehicle on a highway near Syracuse, N.Y., on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. (AP file photo) Syracuse police officials and Fitzpatrick held a joint press conference on Thursday afternoon to offer more detail on the fatal accident. Syracuse police chief Kenton Buckner reiterated Fitzpatrick’s earlier sentiment that he doesn’t anticipate any criminal charges for anyone involved in the accident. There’s still an ongoing investigation, including trying to determine variables like Boeheim’s speed. Story continues “Based upon what we know today,” Buckner said, “we have a tragic accident that resulted in a gentleman’s death that happens to involve a high-profile individual.” The police offered more detail about the crash, including that Boeheim was driving over a hill and had to react quickly to seeing a black Dodge Charger perpendicular to the guard rail. Boeheim attempted to avoid the car, which was stretched across parts of two highway lanes. The four people in the car, including Jimenez, were attempting to cross the highway to seek safety on the median. Along with Jimenez’s death, one other person in the car was injured. Police complimented Boeheim’s actions after the accident, including calling 911 and using his cell phone flashlight to flag down cars while Jimenez was being attended to. “Mr. Boeheim did exactly what he was supposed to do,” Buckner said. Fitzpatrick outlined the next steps expected to take place, including determining the cause of the original accident, status of the driver and an autopsy. “We’ll take final statements and do an accident reconstruction and find out where as best we can the deceased was standing,” he said. “Whether or not there are any skid marks. It’ll be difficult to determine because of the condition of the road.” While it’s very early in the process, the most likely legal outcome would be a civil lawsuit for monetary damages. “In terms of if he’ll be sued, I can’t answer that,” Fitzpatrick said. “Whenever anyone asks me, ‘Can I sue?’ I say, ‘Stop, I don’t need to hear the rest of it.’ The answer is yes.” There will also be a psychological impact on Boeheim for his role in the tragedy. “Different people handle it different ways,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve seen it a lot in 40 years. He’s a good guy, and I’m sure it’s going to affect him.” Boeheim, 74, has been the head coach at Syracuse for 43 years, won the 2003 national championship and led the program to five Final Fours. He’s essentially lived in or around the city since enrolling at Syracuse University in 1962 and has become the community’s most recognizable figure. Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack released a statement on Thursday morning: “We extend our deepest condolences to all impacted by this tragic accident. Coach Boeheim is in contact with local authorities and cooperating fully. Out of respect for the grieving, there will be no further comment at this time.” More from Yahoo Sports: • State of emergency: Lakers ‘concerned about LeBron’ • ESPN exposes extent of NBA ref’s betting scandal • Brown: Padres’ simple reason for signing Machado • Sign up for 2019 Yahoo Fantasy Baseball today<doc-sep>A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Vigils & tributes to George Floyd one year since his murder ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 06: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange reacts to a play against the Eastern Washington Eagles during the second half at the Carrier Dome on November 06, 2018 in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse defeated Eastern Washington 66-34. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images) Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the day that the pedestrian was struck and killed. (CNN) — Jim Boeheim, longtime head coach of the Syracuse University men’s basketball team, hit and killed a pedestrian who was walking along Interstate 690 late Wednesday in upstate New York, according to a police statement obtained by CNN affiliate WSYR. In the statement, Syracuse police said a 51-year-old man was on the side of the highway after a vehicle he was in lost control and struck a guardrail. Boeheim, 74, was driving and noticed the vehicle, which was in the middle of the roadway. Boeheim moved to avoid the vehicle and ended up hitting the man, police said. Police said they were called to the initial accident at about 11:22 p.m. The man who was struck was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to Syracuse police. In a statement Thursday, Boeheim extended his deepest sympathies to the man’s family. “I am heartbroken that a member of our community died as the result of last night’s accident,” said Boeheim’s statement, released on the Syracuse men’s basketball Twitter account. “Out of respect for those involved, I will not be providing further comment at this time.” The police statement said that both Boeheim and the driver of the other vehicle “remained on scene and are cooperating with this investigation.” Field sobriety tests for both drivers revealed that neither was under the influence at the time, according to police. John Wildhack, director of athletics at Syracuse, said in a statement that the community was “saddened” by the death. “Coach Boeheim is in contact with local authorities and cooperating fully,” the statement said. “Out of respect for those grieving, there will be no further comment at this time.” Boeheim has been head coach at Syracuse since 1976, according to the school’s athletics website. He has taken the Orange to the NCAA tournament 32 times, including five trips to the Final Four, the site says. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005. CNN’s Kelly Christ and Jill Martin contributed to the report.<doc-sep>“As a result of the investigation so far, it was revealed that the victim was an occupant in a vehicle that had lost control on the highway striking a guard rail,” the Syracuse Police Department said in a statement. “The occupants then exited the vehicle and proceeded to walk on the highway within close proximity to that vehicle. An oncoming vehicle noticed the disabled car and tried avoiding the vehicle which was in the middle of the road. As a result, the driver, James Boeheim, 74, of Fayetteville NY struck the victim who was standing on the side of the road. Both drivers remained on the scene and are cooperating with this investigation. Field sobriety and alco-sensor tests for both drivers were negative for any signs of impairment. Reconstruction of the scene will be performed and speeds cannot be determined at this time.”<doc-sep>

Heather Dinich shares the latest on Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, who was driving a car that hit and killed a pedestrian on a highway Wednesday night in Syracuse. (1:55) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Longtime Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim struck and killed a man along an interstate highway late Wednesday night as he tried to avoid hitting the man's disabled vehicle, police say. Syracuse police say 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez was an occupant in a black Dodge Charger with three others when they apparently lost control on a patch of ice and hit a guardrail before midnight Wednesday on I-690 in Syracuse. Boeheim struck Jimenez with his GMC Acadia while trying to avoid the disabled car, which was resting perpendicular on the darkened highway. The group had been heading toward the median for safety. Jimenez was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Another man in the group suffered minor injuries in the accident, police said. "I am heartbroken that a member of our community died as the result of last night's accident," Boeheim said in a prepared statement. The 74-year-old Basketball Hall of Fame coach said he and his wife Juli "extend our deepest sympathies to the Jimenez family." He said he would not comment further "out of respect for those involved." Police said Boeheim has been cooperating with the investigation. He even used his cellphone light to warn other drivers of the disabled car after the accident, police said. "At this time we have no reason to believe that there are criminal charges that will be coming for anyone," Syracuse Police Chief Kenton T. Buckner said at a news conference. Police said sobriety tests administered to Boeheim and the unidentified driver of the other vehicle were negative for any signs of impairment. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said he has known Boeheim for 40 years and that the coach does not drink. No tickets have been issued to Boeheim at this time and the investigation is continuing. "This story obviously is newsworthy because of the notoriety of the coach," Fitzpatrick said. "But this is the loss of a human being. It was an accident in the purest sense of the word." Jimenez's daughter told the Post-Standard he was with friends buying cigarettes when he was killed. Yurisandy Jimenez Arrastre described her father -- a native of Cuba who lived in the United States for 20 years -- as a family man who loved to cook and tell jokes. "My father was a man who was very sociable, very happy. He loved to help everybody without question," Arrastre told the newspaper in Spanish. "He loved having friends." Just hours before, Boeheim's team defeated 18th-ranked Louisville 69-49 at the Carrier Dome. He met his wife, his daughter and some friends for a dinner out after the game and was driving alone from the restaurant, Fitzpatrick said. The scene of the accident is between the dome and Boeheim's suburban home. "It's just a terrible, unfortunate accident," Fitzpatrick told ESPN. "We don't yet know [exactly] what caused the initial accident. Coach Boeheim was not involved in that accident. The occupants of the vehicle, including the deceased, were wandering in the road." It is not clear if Boeheim will coach the Orange against No. 1 Duke on Saturday night. ESPN's College GameDay was supposed to originate from the Carrier Dome, but a decision was made Thursday afternoon to have GameDay air from Bristol. "We appreciate their concern for our community during this difficult time," Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack said in a statement. He added that the university sent its condolences to "all impacted by this tragic accident." Wildhack echoed police, saying Boeheim "is in contact with local authorities and cooperating fully." Wildhack said Boeheim met briefly with his team Thursday but did not attend or participate in practice. Boeheim has coached at Syracuse, his alma mater, since 1976 and is one of the most accomplished coaches in the country. He ranks second all time in wins in Division I with 944, behind only Duke's Mike Krzyzewski. During his 43 years at Syracuse, Boeheim has led the team to a national title in 2003 and five Final Four appearances. ESPN's Mark Schlabach and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Superstar Rajinikanth, who is currently shooting for his upcoming film with filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj, must be on cloud nine because of the performance of his recently-released film Kaala. Kaala, directed by Pa Ranjith, spoke about the importance of land laws and inequality. According to reports, Kaala has raked in a massive amount of money over its first weekend at the box office. The latest update suggests that the film has marched to the Rs 100-crore club (worldwide collection) within just four days of its release. Trade analysts reveal that the positive word of mouth has helped Kaala during the weekend. In Chennai, the film has collected over Rs 6.64 crore in four days. In addition to that, the film is going strong in the US and Australia. Even before the film's release, Kaala has already done great business by raking in Rs 230 crore with satellite and music rights. The political-drama stars Huma Qureshi, Nana Patekar, Anjali Patil and Eswari Rao in pivotal roles, apart from Rajinikanth as the eponymous slum lord. ALSO SEE | Rajinikanth-Akshay Kumar's 2.0 delayed to 2019?<doc-sep>Rajinikanth's Kaala has grossed approximately Rs 15 crore on the first day of its release from around 600 odd screens in the state Rajinikanth’s Kaala has recorded a decent opening in his core market Tamil Nadu. The film has grossed approximately Rs 15 crore on the first day of its release from around 600 odd screens in the state. It means a net box-office of around Rs 11 cr after GST and LBET (Local Body Entertainment Tax), which makes it an above average opening for a Rajinikanth film. The film has received mixed reactions among the audiences in Tamil Nadu, though reviews have been fairly decent. As per early reports Kaala's performance has been below average in other markets. In regions of Andhra and Telangana, the film has opened below average and is reported to have grossed around Rs 6.5 cr on day one. In Kerala, the Ramadan period and the advent of monsoon has taken a toll. Kaala got a truncated release in Karnataka due to opposition from pro-Kannada elements with hardly a dozen screens out of the 160 planned screening the film. The fans, fearing mob attack, kept away. Today on its second day of its all India release, the Rajinikanth film will be playing in all announced screens in Karnataka. In North India early reports indicate it has taken around 35 per cent opening. Despite lukewarm advance booking Kaala grossed around Rs 15 crore in Tamil Nadu, thanks to the controversies surrounding the film. The E Palanisamy led ADMK government issued a GO (government order) allowing extra morning shows on two working days: Thursday and Friday. Normally, the Tamil Nadu government allows only four shows daily, five on Saturday, Sunday and festival holidays. This has given Kaala the extra edge, especially in urban areas of Chennai city and its suburbs in Chengalpet district, where the film is doing the best. In Chennai city, thanks to the Tamil Nadu government's order, the film had five shows in multiplexes which also raised ticket prices, resulting in a whopping Rs 1.78 cr on day one — a new record for Chennai city. The film is below average in rural areas. It is surprising to witness this change as Rajinikanth used to have a strong foothold in B and C market. However, for Kaala, the occupancy on the opening day was only 60 -65 % in some key towns, which has not happened before. Kaala's day one gross Tamil Nadu collection is nowhere near the bumper Rs 21.5 cr of his previous release, Kabali (2016). It proves that Kaala is going to be only 65 to 70 per cent of the gross of Kabali. But the biggest advantage that Kabali had was that it did not have to pay GST and Local Body Entertainment Tax, both introduced in the past year. A top distributor in Tamil Nadu remarked: It’s a miracle that Kaala did Rs 15 cr gross on the opening day despite a bad release date (7 June). After schools reopened, the film had very lowkey promotions unlike Kabali which even had a plane painted with its logo and many brands associated. And there was so much negative publicity due to Thalaivar’s political statements and his Thoothukudi visit a week before the film’s release. Most importantly, I would say was that Rajinikanth was a superstar and a common man without any affiliation to a political party or ideology at the time of Kabali release.”<doc-sep>Read AlsoKaala Movie Review FacebookTwitterPintrest Pa Ranjith’s Rajinikanth Huma Qureshi and Nana Patekar starrer ‘ Kaala ’ is expected to have raked in Rs 7 Cr gross at the AP and TS box office on its first day.Despite the decent opening, it still did not manage to break the record of Pa Ranjith and Rajinikanth’s last film ‘Kabali’. ‘Kaala’ released in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, with the distributors in the Telugu speaking states reportedly booking 600 screens for the film. Before its release, the film was expected to break the opening record of ‘Kabali’.The early morning and morning shows in the Telugu states reportedly showed 100% occupancy on the opening day. The film is expected to have made its distributors Rs 5 Cr on June 7. ‘Kabali’ had raked in Rs 12.40 Cr gross in AP and TS on its opening day. However, ‘Kaala’ is still Rajinikanth’s second biggest opener.Reports state that on the opening day, the film rakes in a business of Rs 50 Cr worldwide. However, the film seems to be doing good business abroad too as it has already crossed the $1M mark in the US. The film is now Rajinikanth’s 4Million grosser in the US. Trade analyst Ramesh Bala confirmed the same and wrote on his social media, “Jus In: #Kaala crosses the $1 Million mark in #USA - $1,019,988” (sic) He added, “#Kaala is #Superstar @rajinikanth 's 4th Million Grosser in #USA. #Kabali , #Endhiran and #Lingaa are his previous 3 Million Grossers..” (sic)The film is doing exceptionally well even at the Australian box office as Ramesh Bala wrote, “#Kaala rocks #Australia Box Office..2-Days Gross : A$ 206,334 [₹ 1.06 cr]” (sic) Another trade analyst Taran Adarsh too wrote, “Rajinikanth mania grips AUSTRALIA... #Kaala takes a FANTASTIC START... As a matter of fact, it’s one of the BEST STARTS by an Indian film in Australia... Debuts at No 5 at Australia BO...Thu A$ 105,672, Fri A$ 100,662, Total: A$ 206,334 [₹ 1.06 cr]” (sic)‘Kaala’ charts the journey of a humane gangster Karikaalan (Rajinikanth) who’s the king of Dharavi slum in Mumbai. However when ex-gangster and now politician Hari dada (Nana Patekar) launches a ‘clean Mumbai’ campaign targeting Dharavi, Kaala and his followers fight back for justice. The film, apart from touching the themes of rising against oppression, also features empowered women characters. While the film received mixed reviews upon its release, with some considering the film’s story to be nothing new, soon talk has picked up about the subtlety with which the film handled various subjects.<doc-sep>Kaala marks the second collaboration of director Pa Ranjith and Rajinikanth, after Kabali. The socio-political flick produced by Dhanush's Wunderbar Films talks about the importance of land rights and equality. The film, which also stars Nana Patekar and Huma Qureshi, is having a dream run at the Chennai box office. According to trade reports, Kaala has set a new opening day record, in terms of box office collection. The film has collected a whopping Rs 1.76 crore in Chennai beating Vijay's Mersal's earlier record of Rs 1.52 crore. Kaala now stands at the top of the box office collection figures in Chennai. It might take another Superstar film to beat this remarkable feat. Before Mersal, Ajith's Vivegam had registered a record box office collection on its opening day by garnering Rs 1.21 crore. Trade analyst Girish Johar, speaking to Financial Express revealed that the first-day box office collection of Kaala will be close to Rs 25-30 crore. Since Kaala did not have a full-fledged release in Karnataka yesterday, there are high chances that it might affect the cumulative box office collection. ALSO SEE | Shocking! Rajinikanth's Kaala registers lowest ever first day box office collection<doc-sep>

Rajini mania is not just restricted to India as Rajinikanth fans welcome 'Kaala' in theatres amidst fanfare across the globe. While reports are abuzz that Thalaiva's latest release didn't live up to the expectations and garnered lesser collections on an opening day as compared to Rajinikanth film's releases in the past, Kaal has maintained its position at the box office and is showing little signs of slowing down. 'Kaala' collections picked up on the second and third day of its release and has earned a total of about Rs 4.9 crore in Chennai itself. The film is doing well at international box office and has touched Rs 6.83 crore at the American box office. As per trade expert Ramesh Bala, filmmaker Pa Ranjith's film has crossed 100 crore gross at the box office worldwide. Kaala is doing extremely well in Australia and has become the second biggest opener, after 'Padmaavat'. Made on a huge budget of whopping 140 crores, Dhanush's production has earned Rs 230 crores from satellite and music rights before its release. 'Kaala' has also become the first Indian movie to be released in Saudi Arabia after a ban on film was lifted in the country. #BREAKING: In 3 Days, #Kaala has crossed 100 Cr Gross at the WW Box Office.. pic.twitter.com/N9NS1no2Mg June 10, 2018 #Kaala on a record run in #Australia - Will be 2018's 2nd highest opener next to #Padmaavat 3-days Total: A$ 316,860 [1.63 cr] pic.twitter.com/NGjjkTC1U8 — Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) June 10, 2018 Directed by Pa Ranjith, 'Kaala's is a political drama and revolves around a Dharavi-based don called Karikalan played by Rajini, who fights for the underprivileged people. The film also stars Huma Qureshi, Nana Patekar, Pankaj Tripathi and Eswari Rao in important roles.

A jet flying from Las Vegas with more than a dozen people aboard crashed in northern Mexico, authorities said on Monday. Three crew members and 10 passengers were on the private executive jet that officials said was discovered in the remote area northwest of Monclova, a city in the state of Coahuila. The state government said in a statement it appears there were no survivors but did not provide further information. The airplane left Nevada on Sunday afternoon, and was scheduled to arrive in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey on Sunday evening. The jet never showed, prompting a search. Flight controllers lost contact with the plane over Coahuila. The passengers, according to local news outlet Reforma, had attended a boxing match on Saturday in Las Vegas between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs. The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Search crews on Monday found no survivors following the crash of a private jet in northern Mexico over the weekend. The jet carried three crew members and 10 passengers who were returning from a trip that included seeing a boxing match between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs on the Las Vegas Strip, local media reported. An air search located the plane wreckage in a remote mountainous area in the municipality of Ocampo on Monday, the Coahuila state government said. Officials did not release the names or nationalities of the victims. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The jet was expected to land Sunday evening in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey after leaving Las Vegas in the afternoon. Flight controllers lost contact with the plane over Coahuila. Match analysis:Canelo Alvarez defeats Daniel Jacobs Huge flames:At least 40 dead in fiery Moscow jet landing caught on video Alvarez shared his condolences on Monday. “I deeply lament the terrible accident of the plane coming from Vegas,” he wrote on Twitter. “I’m deeply grateful for the support of all the people who travel to see my fights. My prayers are with their families.” Mexico’s civil aviation authority said it and other agencies had begun recovering bodies and what remained of the plane Monday. The plane was registered to Utah-based TVPX, listed as an insurance, customs and trust company. Canada’s Bombardier Inc. identified the jet as a Challenger 601 in a statement to Reuters. Contributing: The Associated Press<doc-sep>No survivors were found after a private jet from Las Vegas crashed in northern Mexico, officials said Monday. The plane's crash site was in a mountainous area of the state of Coahuila and found using aerial sighting, the public security secretary for Coahuila said. At least 10 passengers and three crew members listed on the flight plan are presumed dead. The jet left Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon and had been expected Sunday evening in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, but it never arrived and flight controllers lost contact with the plane, prompting a search. Canada’s Bombardier, Inc. said in a statement to Reuters that the jet was a Challenger 601 and that the plane had gone missing about 150 nautical miles from the northern Mexican city of Monclova. Bombardier did not immediately reply to a request for comment from NBC News.<doc-sep>Mexican rescuers spotted "no survivors" while surveilling a crash site of a private plane in the north of the country, authorities said on Monday. The wreckage is believed to be the Bombardier Challenger 601 jet that disappeared from radar while flying from Las Vegas to the north Mexican city of Monterrey with at least 13 people on board. An air search of the isolated area found a wreck matching the private jet. "Everything indicates it is the plane" that went missing, said Miguel Villarreal, head of the Monclova International Airport in the state of Coahuila. "The flight plan reported there were 11 passengers on board, plus the crew," he told local TV station Multimedios. Some outlets put the total number of people on board to 14. Passengers on the private jet had reportedly visited Las Vegas to see Mexican boxer Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fight American Daniel Jacobs for the middleweight title fight on Saturday. Alvarez won the fight. The boxer posted his condolences on Twitter, saying "I deeply lament the terrible accident of the plane coming from Vegas. I'm deeply grateful for the support of all the people who travel to see my fights. My prayers are with their families." Authorities did not release the names of people on board. Investigators were still making their way to the mountainous area, officials said on Monday. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century European aviation disasters of the 21st century: Germanwings Airbus A320 A Germanwings Airbus A320 crashed into the French Alps on March 24, 2015 during a flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf. All 144 passengers and six crew members were killed. A co-pilot with mental problems intentionally crashed the plane. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 Rebels in eastern Ukraine were accused of shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on July 17, 2014 during a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, 193 of them Dutch. A Dutch investigation found pro-Russian rebels shot the plane down with a Buk surface-to-air missile launched from separatist territory in eastern Ukraine. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Polish President Lech Kaczynski killed A Polish air force plane carrying President Lech Kaczynski crashed near the Russian airport of Smolensk on April 10, 2010. A Russian and Polish investigation found pilot error during landing in thick fog caused the crash that killed more than 90 people. Jaroslaw Kaczynski (pictured), the twin brother of Lech and leader of the ruling PiS, has suggested the crash was a political assassination. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Air France Flight 447 An Air France flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed in the Atlantic on June 1, 2009, killing all 228 people on board. It took nearly two years for the black box (pictured) to be recovered from the bottom of the ocean. The investigation found a combination of technical and pilot error caused the crash. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Spanair Flight 5022 A Spanair MD-82 plane crashed after take-off from Madrid airport on August 20, 2008, killing 154 people. Amazingly, 18 people survived the crash and subsequent fire. The crash was caused by an improper flap and slat configuration and a failure of the pilots to follow a pre-flight checklist. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Flight 612 A Russian passenger plane operated by Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise crashed near the eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk on August 22, 2006, killing all 170 people aboard. The plane was flying from St. Petersburg to the Black Sea resort of Anapa. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Helios Airways Flight 522 A Helios Airways flight from Cyprus crashed on August 14, 2005 near its destination Athens, killing all 121 on board. The crash was caused by a loss of cabin pressurization that immobilized the crew. The plane flew on autopilot until it ran out of fuel and crashed. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Überlingen mid-air collision On the night of July 1, 2002, a DHL cargo plane flying near the southern German town of Überlingen struck a Russian passenger jet carrying mostly schoolchildren to Barcelona, Spain. The two men aboard the DHL plane and all 69 passengers and crew on Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 perished. Swiss air traffic control firm Skyguide was found to be at fault for the tragedy. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century SAS Flight 686 On October 8, 2001 a Scandinavian Airlines MD-87 airliner collided with a small Cessna on take-off from Milan's Linate Airport. All 114 people on the SAS and Cessna aircraft were killed, as were four people on the ground. The accident happened in thick fog. The SAS plane crashed into a hangar. Europe's major plane crashes of the 21st century Air France Concorde Flight On July 25, 2000 an Air France Concorde flight from Paris to New York crashed two minutes after take-off, killing 109 people on board and four people on the ground. The crash was caused by the Concorde running over a piece of debris on the runway, which sent tire debris into part of the fuel tank that burst into flames. dj/aw (AP, dpa, AFP, Reuters) Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.<doc-sep>

MEXICO CITY, May 6 (Reuters) – The wreckage of a plane that disappeared en route from Las Vegas to Monterrey in northern Mexico has been found, a state government official said on Monday, with local media reporting that all on board had died. Mexican newspaper Reforma said the private plane had 11 passengers and three crew members on board. The flight report, however, listed 11 passengers and two crew members. The wreckage of the plane was found via aerial surveillance 129 miles northwest of Monclova in the border state of Coahuila, said Fernando Orta of the state’s emergency services department. The plane went missing about 90 minutes after leaving Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon. The passengers, who ranged in age from 19 to 57, had reportedly been in Las Vegas for Saturday night’s middleweight bout between boxers Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs. The plane — a twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 601 — left Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport at 2 p.m. Sunday for what was to have been a 2½-hour flight. Local broadcaster Televisa reported the jet lost contact with air traffic controllers sometime after 5:20 p.m. Monterrey time (3:20 p.m. Las Vegas time) as the pilot ascended to avoid a storm. Its last verified position was near Big Bend National Park, on the U.S.-Mexico border. Officials had not yet arrived to inspect the crash site, Orta said. “The land is rather mountainous … so they’re going to take a while longer to arrive,” Orta said. A photograph published on local television network Milenio showed what it said were the burnt remnants of the plane, broken into pieces, spread over charred earth. A Mexican transport ministry spokesman could not say whether there had been any survivors. The occupants as listed on the flight plan: Pilot Juan Jose Aguilar Talavera, 45 Crew member Luis Ovidio Gonzalez Flores, 29 Luis Octavio Reyes Dominguez, 54 Loyda Liliana Luna Larrosa, 49 Jade Paola Reyes Luna, 26 Guillermo Octavio Reyes Luna, 23 Frida Alejandrina Reyes Luna, 19 Ramon Amauri Vela, 57 Martha Isabel Garcia Lagunes, 43 Gary Amauri Vela Garcia, 19 Adriana Monserrat Mejia Sanchez, 29 Manuel Alejandro Sepulveda Gonzalez, 25 Monica Leticia Salinas Trevino, 22 (Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon, Noe Torres, Ana Isabel Martinez and David Alire Garcia, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)

Google The next generation of Android is on its way. And you guessed it -- the P is for Pie. Android Pie, the new version of Google's mobile operating system, previously called Android P, comes first to the search giant's Pixel smartphones starting Monday. Google initially announced a preview version of the software in March, then demoed some features at its annual I/O developer conference in May. People who signed up for the Android Beta program, which lets you try out pre-released versions of the software, will receive the update by the "end of this fall," if they have devices from Sony Mobile, Xiaomi, HMD Global, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus and Essential. Google said it's also working with other partners to launch or upgrade devices with Android Pie "this year," though the company didn't provide additional detail on exactly when those updates would come. Now playing: Watch this: Android P: A slice of 'Pie' Google Google typically names its new flavors of Android alphabetically and after something sugary. For example, the previous Android version was called Oreo. Before that was Nougat, preceded by Marshmallow and Lollipop. Officially, Google is calling it Android 9 Pie, or just Android 9. Android is the dominant mobile operating system on the planet, powering almost 9 out of every 10 smartphones shipped globally. So updates in the software could eventually signal changes for how most of the world uses its phones. Android Pie mostly focuses on behind-the-scenes improvements designed to make Android phones work faster while saving precious battery life. That includes AI tools that work quietly in the background to suggestion apps and shortcuts you might want to use next to loading "slices" of an online page that gives you the precise information you want to know, without going to the trouble to download an app or scour a website for opening hours, reservation assistance and so on. Now playing: Watch this: See Android P's new swiping controls up close One big update in Android Pie is support for notches -- those little cutouts on phones with screens that span most of the phone face, popularized by Apple's iPhone X. Android Pie's notch support doesn't mean that every future Android phone will have this cut-out design, but it does mean Google has made it easier for apps to work smoothly on phones that happen to have notched screens. Likewise, Android Pie follows in the iPhone X's footsteps with support for a simpler navigation style that uses just one central button to go home, open recent apps and call up the Google Assistant, plus a back button when you need to use it. As with all Android features, not every phonemaker has to use this Android Pie feature just like Google does, but having Google's backing and guidance here means apps are much more likely to work well with gesture navigation. As with notches, phonemakers have already begun to embrace gesture navigation, including Motorola and Xiaomi. Android Pie also adds a battery setting called adaptive battery that promises to make Android phones more efficient, especially older or more entry-level models with "slower" processors than today's blazing-fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset or Huawei's house-made Kirin processors. Adaptive battery will prioritize the apps you use most and limit battery power for apps you use less. Google For smartphone addicts, Android 9 introduces tools aimed at something that might seem counterintuitive for Google: Tools to help you use your phone less. A new dashboard tells you how much time you've spent using your phone, and the time you've spent in individual apps. You'll also be able to set time limits on how much you use certain apps. The new feature comes as Silicon Valley tries to combat tech addiction. People check their phones an average of 47 times a day, according to a survey by Deloitte released in November. In June, Apple trotted out similar features for its upcoming iOS 12. Last week, Facebook and Instagram also unveiled tools designed to help you take breaks from the apps. But while Google is gathering all these new features into the sphere of Android Pie, it has one major challenge: Making sure people actually get to use Pie's new tools. That's because of Android's numerous hardware and carrier partners that like to add their own flourishes to the software; getting them all to update to the current version is a constant headache for Google. It's a problem the industry calls "fragmentation." As of last month, just 12.1 percent of Android users are on the latest version of the software, Oreo. The vast majority of them, almost 75 percent, are on three previous versions: Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop. The oldest of those, Lollipop, was first released in 2014. By comparison, Apple's got 81 percent of users on iOS 11, the most current version of its software for iPhones and iPads. iHate: CNET looks at how intolerance is taking over the internet. Logging Out: Welcome to the crossroads of online life and the afterlife.<doc-sep>So, you want Android 9 Pie on your Pixel or Pixel 2, but you've got better things to do than wait around until Google pushes the over-the-air update to your phone. Fortunately, you don't have to wait. (Image credit: Adam Ismail/Tom's Guide) For those who want Android Pie and want it now, Google has published the final version of Android 9 for Pixels on its Developers site, allowing you to sideload manually on your phone. Before getting started, note that Google has only published the final version of Android Pie for its two generations of Pixel phones at the moment. Other devices — even those that received the Android P beta — are not yet supported, and will get their own separate updates from their respective manufacturers down the line. MORE: Android P Launches Today: Here's Who Gets It First Additionally, while this process isn't difficult, it does take a little elbow grease. You'll need to install the Android SDK Platform Tools package on your computer, which interfaces with your device through ADB, a command line tool. You'll then be connecting your phone to your PC and manually pushing the system update file to your phone by running commands. Should something go wrong, your Pixel could fail to boot properly, worst case scenario, wind up totally bricked. In other words, follow the next steps at your own risk, and remember to backup everything first. Now, the good news: Google offers clear directions to help you get both the Android SDK on your PC and Android 9 onto your Pixel. This link sends you to Google's hub for all OTA images of Android released for every Pixel and Nexus device. At the top, you'll find lists of .zip files for the Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 2, Pixel XL and Pixel in that order. Newer files appear further down, and at the bottom of the list for every phone, you'll find a file named "9.0.0 (PPR1.180610.009, Aug 2018)." That's the one you want, so download it for your appropriate model. (Those with unlocked models should avoid any versions dedicated to specific carriers, like Telstra.) (Image credit: A screenshot of the .zip OTA image files on Google's website. The file highlighted is the relevant Android 9 Pie image for the Pixel 2 XL. (Credit: Google) ) After you've downloaded the file and have decided you're ready to begin the update, look to Google's "Updating Instructions" in that link to take you through the process step-by-step. The instructions on Google's site are far more detailed, but here's a quick rundown of what you need to do, after you've checked to make sure that your phone's software is up-to-date, and you've downloaded the appropriate file. 1. Turn on your phone and and make sure USB debugging is enabled. 2. Execute this command: adb reboot recovery When the device is in recovery mode, you'll see an Android logo with red exclamation mark. 3. Hold the Power button and press Volume Up once. That will make the recovery menu appear. 4. Enter Sideload mode by selecting Apply Update from ADB. 5. Run the following command: adb devices Your device should appear in your command terminal with "sideload" next to its name. 6. Run this command: adb sideload ota_file.zip In this case "ota_file.zip" is the name of the file you downloaded and verified. 7. After the update, reboot your phone by selecting Reboot System Now. 8. Disable USB debugging once your phone's updated. We've just installed Android 9 Pie to our Pixel 2 XL this way, and it took only minutes from the moment we commenced the installation to completion. If you've been using the Android P beta, you may not even notice that much has changed when you power your Pixel up; Digital Wellbeing is still a separate opt-in beta, while Slices, which inserts app UI experiences into search results and Google Assistant, won't arrive until the fall. Be sure to check back for our full impressions of Android 9 Pie later this week.<doc-sep>

Google has announced that the final, shipping version of the newest Android update is available for all Pixel phones today. And, as usual, it has announced a name to go along with the over-the-air update: “Android 9 Pie.” Android 9 Pie’s headline features are the same ones that we revealed back in May: a “Digital Wellbeing” dashboard, a new gesture-based navigation system, and other AI-enhanced improvements to the UI. It also received many subtle improvements to the overall look of the software, including a new status bar that’s designed to work better with notches. However, the official release will not include all of the features that Google announced at Google I/O. The main things that will be missing are the Digital Wellbeing features, including the usage dashboard, app times, and a “wind down” setting for when you go to bed. Instead, those features will be offered as a beta for Pixel users right away. The actual release will come in the fall; Google says “Android One and other devices coming later this year.” One can assume that among the “other devices” will be the new Pixel 3 phones. The signup for the beta will be at this link. The other missing feature is “slices,” which allows apps to surface some of their functionality into search. For example, if you typed “Lyft” in the main search, you’d get a button to call a ride without opening the Lyft app. Google says that feature will also launch in the fall. As usual, Android 9 Pie is coming first to Pixel users and will arrive for other Android phones later. However, Google has the potential to finally show progress in its efforts to get other Android manufacturers to update quickly this year. Several manufacturers participated in the Android P beta program, including Sony, Xiaomi, Nokia, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Essential. If any of them are able to release Android 9 Pie updates quickly, that would be a good sign. In fact, in its blog post today, Google claims the devices that were in the Android P beta program will receive the Android 9 Pie update in a timely manner: Devices that participated in the Beta program from Sony Mobile, Xiaomi, HMD Global, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Essential, as well as all qualifying Android One devices, will receive this update by the end of this fall! We are also working with a number of other partners to launch or upgrade devices to Android 9 this year. The new gestural navigation feature has been polarizing Most of the features in Android 9 Pie have been well-received in the beta. The system has a more advanced battery management system, which Google says is powered by AI. App actions surface common app actions as buttons in the main Android launcher. Text selection has significantly improved with a magnifier and smart text selection. But the new gestural navigation system has been more polarizing. Early betas of Android P had significant “jank,” which is to say moving UI elements around felt choppy and not at all fluid. Things have improved significantly in later betas, but the swiping still feels a little less intuitive than the iPhone X’s gestures to many users. There’s an option to turn it off and go back to the traditional Android three-button setup if you don’t like it. As for the name, well, “Pie” is not really a shock. It was the obvious choice, and Google went with it. The extra emphasis on the version number is interesting, though: Google refers to it as “Android 9 Pie,” and the URL for the OS is simply android.com/9. If you have a Pixel phone, over-the-air updates should begin rolling out today.

Chelsea fans react to Higuain's PL debut in 0-4 loss: 'He's just a fat Morata' SHOW GALLERY Gonzalo Higuain played his first Premier League match yesterday against Bournemouth and it was definitely a match to remember for the Argentinian, who started the season at Juventus, then moved to AC Milan on loan and this moved completed a transfer to the Stamford Bridge. The 31-year-old played 64 minutes in the away fixture but did not manage to take a shot on goal and was thus substituted by Olivier Giroud. Maurizio Sarri's team overall performed very badly, as the London-based side lost 0-4. Higuain played his second match for Chelsea, after making his official debut in the FA Cup against Sheffield Wednesday. The match ended 3-0 but Pipita was not capable to get on his scoresheet, unlike his replacement at Milan, Krzystof Piatek who netted a brace against Napoli in the Coppa Italia. The Chelsea fans were not too happy with Higuain's performance and some of them expressed their dissatisfaction about it on social media after the match. Click on the gallery to see some of the best reactions.<doc-sep>Chelsea supporters got their first look at Gonzalo Higuain in action for their club as he made his debut in their 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Stamford Bridge. The Argentine was unable to mark his FA Cup appearance with a goal but there were glimpses of his quality. The 31-year-old striker, signed on loan from Juventus, knows Maurizio Sarri's style of play well - he scored 36 goals under the Italian in the 2015/16 season, breaking the record for the most goals ever netted in a Serie A season. But he struggled to get into the game at first. Image: Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates his goal at Stamford Bridge In fact, Higuain had to wait until the eighth minute of the game to get his first proper touch of the ball against Championship opposition. But with his subtle movements there were soon signs of why the powerful forward could help Chelsea as the focal point of their attack. As part of a largely second-string team, there are little clues yet how he might link up with Eden Hazard but both the Belgian and midfield playmaker Jorginho will surely benefit from Higuain's ability to exploit space inside the penalty box. Image: Higuain firing off a shot during the first half of their FA Cup tie He was denied only by the legs of his marker when firing off one shot from close range just inside the first 20 minutes and though there were some indications of rustiness - this was only his second appearance since the turn of the year - it was an encouraging effort. Key moments 8 – His first touch of the ball finally arrives and it is a simple lay-off. 9 – He is clattered by the defender when going to collect a pass to his feet. 19 – Clever run beats the offside trap but his shot is deflected wide. 26 – Willian converts from the spot after seeming to offer the ball to the striker. 39 – Good first touch after breaking the offside trap again but he is forced wide. 53 – Head on his hands as Willian’s low left-wing cross just eludes him. 63 – Gets ahead of his marker and heads Ampadu’s cross wide of the far post. 79 – Attempts a one-two with Kovacic but the return pass does not arrive. 80 – Replaced by Giroud with 10 minutes of the game remaining. Chelsea, of course, will want more than hints and clues to Higuain's quality if he is to come up with the goals that Sarri requires from him in order to keep the team in the top four. It is Bournemouth away on Wednesday before a home game against Huddersfield on Saturday. He will be needed.<doc-sep>Chelsea's new signing Gonzalo Higuain scored his first two Premier League goals in Chelsea's 5-0 thrashing of Huddersfield Town, while Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-Min struck late for a 1-0 win over Newcastle United as they moved into second place. On a day when most of the top teams did not play, Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3-1 at Everton, while at the bottom Fulham lost 2-0 at Crystal Palace, Burnley drew 1-1 with Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford finished goalless. In the day's late game, Bobby Reid scored twice as Cardiff City beat Bournemouth 2-0 in a match that turned into a celebration of Bluebirds player Emiliano Sala, who is missing and presumed dead following a suspected plane crash.<doc-sep>

Chelsea: Willian reveals he offered Higuain the penalty kick Higuain joined Chelsea last week on loan from Juventus, linking up again with Sarri who coached him at Napoli. He started on Sunday night as FA Cup holders Chelsea beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 in the fourth round at Stamford Bridge. Sarri revealed this afternoon how Higuain told him the Championship visitors were ‘so aggressive’. The Italian boss replied to the striker that it was ‘normal'. Higuain enjoyed his best season under Sarri, scoring 36 goals in Serie A in 2015/16, but he arrived at Stamford Bridge on the back of a frustrating loan spell at AC Milan. He is now set to make his Premier League debut when Chelsea travel to Bournemouth on Wednesday. GONZALO HIGUAIN IN FOCUS First impressions Higuain had to wait until the eighth minute to get his first touch of the ball in English football, so tightly was he being marshalled by Owls defenders Tom Lees and Jordan Thornily. He won a free-kick with his second touch after Lees cleaned him out. Higuain's first chance arrived after 18 minutes when Mateo Kovacic found him in the area but his shot was blocked. Fitness Higuain scored just six goals in 15 Serie A appearances while on loan at AC Milan during the first half of the season, and at the age of 31 there are question marks over his physical condition, especially with the demands of the Premier League. But he comfortably lasted 81 minutes, albeit in what was a gentle introduction to English football. Chelsea signing Gonzalo Higuain made his debut in the FA Cup Chelsea signing Gonzalo Higuain made his debut in the FA Cup Gonzalo Higuain is a necessary addition to Chelsea says Zola

More Android Pie update news for Samsung Galaxy Note 9 users in the US, as Sprint is now rolling out the update across the board. A myriad of reports (via SamMobile) have come through showing the update reaching Sprint subscribers in the United States, which is welcome news. It naturally comes with the January 2019 security patch and the One UI overhaul. The total update isn’t exactly small at just under 1.9GB, but does include quite a massive overhaul from Android 8.1 Oreo. Anyone who was lucky enough to have been part of the Android Pie beta for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will receive a much lighter update package. Sprint is rolling out firmware version N960USQU1CSAA for the Galaxy Note 9 on its network right now. Which means that if you are a Sprint subscriber, you should get an OTA notification very, very shortly. That said if you are an unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 9 user but with a Sprint plan, you won’t get the OTA. How to download Android Pie for Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Open Settings Click the Software Update option Wait for an OTA update for your device Get the Samsung Galaxy Note 9: More on Samsung: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:<doc-sep>So well that the stable Android 9.0 Pie rollout is already underway, according to SamMobile , at least in countries like Bulgaria and Slovakia. If recent history is any indication, it might take Samsung a good few weeks to spread these Pie-flavored UI tweaks, performance enhancements, and stability optimizations around the world. But the update is likely to expand gradually to more and more regions in a matter of days, so be on the lookout for that over-the-air download notification. Naturally, public beta program participants will get first dibs on the official Android Pie update across supported regions, while owners of US carrier-locked Galaxy Note 8 variants may have to continue playing the waiting game for quite a bit longer. The Galaxy S9 , for instance, kicked off its stable 9.0 deployment before Christmas, but America's "big four" wireless service providers needed an extra month or so to apply their proprietary software optimizations on top of Google's standard upgrades and Samsung's own One UI improvements. Right now, we don't have a Galaxy Note 8-specific list of software changes to share, but there's really no reason to expect major differences between this phone's Pie treats and those previously released for the newer Note 9, S9, and S9+. If you don't know what One UI is all about, you may want to check out our thorough comparison with Experience 9 , Samsung's previous Android skin version. Meanwhile, if you're burning with impatience to ditch your old handset's equally old Android Oreo build, you could try taking a look in your "System updates" menu under "Settings." There's an option to "Check for system updates", and if you're incredibly lucky, you might be able to download the stable Android Pie package manually. Up next, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ should be able to make the jump to OS version 9.0 by the end of the month as well, at least in a handful of regions. Samsung was certainly not the fastest Android device manufacturer to roll out an official 9.0 goodie pack for a 2018 flagship model, but after taking care of Galaxy S9, S9+ , and Galaxy Note 9 users worldwide, the company is now delivering a timely new major OS update for the Galaxy Note 8 . Released all the way back in the fall of 2017, the S Pen-wielding 6.3-inch powerhouse got some unexpected Android Pie beta love last month , and by the looks of things, those public tests went well.<doc-sep>Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has been spotted receiving the stable Android Pie update. The update, which is initially rolling out in Bulgaria and Slovakia, comes weeks after Samsung kicked off the Android 9 Pie beta programme for the Galaxy Note 8. The new software version brings One UI -- the custom one-handed interface that was launched for the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and Galaxy Note 8 late last year. Samsung has also provided the February 2019 Android security patch. The Galaxy Note 8 update is apparently rolling out as an over-the-air (OTA) update and comes in over 571MB of size. The Android Pie update with One UI skin for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is initially rolling out as an over-the-air (OTA) build in Bulgaria and Slovakia, reports SamMobile. A screenshot confirming the update rollout highlights that there is software version N950FXXU5DSB2. The update also carries the February 2019 security patch. Samsung is reportedly rolling out the Android Pie update for the Galaxy Note 8 users who're a part of its beta programme that debuted last month. Likewise, the users who're on Android Oreo are also said to be capable of receiving the new update. The new software package is apparently sized at 571.73MB, though it would be smaller in size for the beta testers. Official changelog detailing all the new features through the Android Pie update is yet to be released. However, it is clear since the new version brings Android Pie, it comes with One UI that is specially designed to ease one-handed operations. You can check the availability of the Android Pie update on your Galaxy Note 8 by going to Settings > Software update > Download updates manually. Users who're already testing One UI can find the availability of the latest update by going to the Download and install option from the Software update section. We're weren't able to independently confirm the Android Pie rollout for the Galaxy Note 8 users in India. Nevertheless, considering its arrival in Bulgaria and Slovakia, the new version should reach global units in the coming future. To recall, Samsung released Android Pie-based One UI for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ back in November last year. The update reached the 2019 flagships in December and debuted on the Galaxy Note 9 last month.<doc-sep>Samsung has been working surprisingly quick on rolling out Android Pie to its portfolio, and today that continues with the Galaxy Note 9. AT&T Galaxy Note 9 owners are reporting Android Pie rolling out right now. This week Samsung has been rolling out Android Pie updates frequently. Three carrier-locked variants of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ have already picked up Pie with Verizon, Sprint, and Xfinity. Surprisingly, though, none of those carriers have rolled out the same update for the Note 9. Multiple reports on Reddit reveal that AT&T is the first US carrier to roll out Android Pie on the Galaxy Note 9. The update weighs in at a hefty 1.8GB, so you’ll definitely want to ensure you’re downloading the update on WiFi rather than mobile data. Of course, this update delivers the typical Android Pie improvements, but it also brings Samsung’s One UI with its new gesture navigation, a system-wide dark mode, and plenty of visual enhancements. Likely, other carriers are just a few days behind on this same update. As noted in other Reddit threads and online comments, Samsung’s Galaxy S9 on AT&T is also picking up Android Pie. Apparently, that update lands in as a 1.98GB update. It’s not confirmed, but it seems like this update includes both the S9 and the S9+. More on Samsung: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:<doc-sep>

It was only a matter of time before the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 began to get its slice of the Pie, considering that its open beta was on in its final stages a few days ago. Today, the much-awaited update has started rolling out in Bulgaria and Slovakia for non-beta users. It is also available for beta participants who should get it OTA in the next few hours. The stable update comes with software version N950FXXU5DSB2 and includes the February 2019 security patch (which was also available on the beta). Some users on Reddit claim that they have received the update in India as well, but we don't know anything about it just yet. As expected, the update brings with all the new Android Pie goodies along with Samsung's new OneUI design interface. It brings more minimal icons, notifications shades, navigation gestures, a system-wide dark theme, and much more ASUS ROG Phone Finally Gets Stable Android Pie Update To download the update on your Note 8, open the Settings app on the phone, tap Software update, then tap the Download and install option. It may not be available in all regions just yet, so you may have to wait a few days, depending on where you are located. Based on what we've seen with the Galaxy S9 and Note 9, it shouldn't be too long before an international rollout is underway. In their Android Pie roadmap posted earlier this year, Samsung promised that the Galaxy Note 89 would get its update 'mid-February'. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are next in line, according to the schedule and we should see something come of that in the next few days. We can also expect carriers to roll out the update to their devices before the month ends if things go smoothly.

Netflix’s The Witcher tv series has found its Geralt of Rivia in the shape of Henry Cavill (Picture: Getty Images/thewitcher.com) Netflix’s The Witcher tv series has found its Geralt of Rivia in the shape of Henry Cavill. The Superman actor was officially announced as the lead of the fantasy series, based on the hit gaming and novel franchise of the same name, on Tuesday afternoon. The show’s writer and creator Lauren Hissrich announced the news, revealing that the 35-year-old was first in through the audition room doors for the role and ended up capturing everything that she and her fellow execs wanted and more. ‘I didn’t have writers or scripts yet – just a greenlight and a lot of passion. That was four months ago, and I’ve never forgotten the passion he brought. He IS Geralt. He always has been. I’m so thrilled to welcome HENRY CAVILL to the #Witcher family,’ she wrote. He was my first meeting. I didn’t have writers or scripts yet – just a greenlight and a lot of passion. That was four months ago, and I’ve never forgotten the passion he brought. He IS Geralt. He always has been. I’m so thrilled to welcome HENRY CAVILL to the #Witcher family. — Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) September 4, 2018 This was followed by an excite tweet from the NX On Netflix account, which seconded the news: ‘SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE GERALT OF RIVIA IS ???? HENRY CAVILL#TheWitcher.’ This was followed by Henry announcing the news in his own typical style, joking that his address for fan mail was now Kaer Morhen, the keep that Geralt and his fellow Witchers in the School of The Wolf call home. He captioned a shot of the Netflix sign in screen: ‘My new mailing address is: Geralt, C/O Vesemir, Kaer Morhen, Kaer Morhen Valley, Hertch, Kaedwen. Please note, I’m rarely there. Monster slaying being what it is. So, replies will be few and far between, if at all.’ Needless to say we’re so excited about this series (as if we weren’t already). SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE GERALT OF RIVIA IS 🐺🐺🐺🐺 HENRY CAVILL#TheWitcher — NX (@NXOnNetflix) September 4, 2018 First announced in May of last year, the series will bring the world created by Andrzej Sapkowski to life. Having already earned millions of fans thanks to the series of books, and the video game offshoots of the fantasy series, The Witcher already has an established track record with fans of action and fantasy. Both the books and the games focus on the adventures of Geralt, one of the last remaining Witchers (human offshoots bred to kill and hunt monsters). Though Witchers are indeed human, they’ve been chemically and magically altered to make them the perfect weapons for combating the supernatural beasts and monsters that haunt the strange land known as The Continent. Armed with magical powers, heightened reflexes and special abilities, they are able to take on beasts that would kill any other human – though of course, they’re not invincible. The books and video games set Geralt up as a blade for hire in a troubled medieval world, though while he strives for a simple life chasing down monster bounties, he inadvertently finds himself at the centre of huge political and royal intrigues as well as cataclysmic events. As newcomers to the franchise will discover, trouble is never far behind The Witcher. In the past Geralt has taken on Emperors, Kings, Sorcerers and witches; long-lost races and a countless number of monsters (ranging from kinda scary to potentially town/city ending). MORE : Netflix announces launch of Elite – a Spanish Gossip Girl where the school is plagued with murder MORE : Games Inbox: Best couch co-op game, Henry Cavill as Geralt, and Valkyria Chronicles 4 demo<doc-sep>Henry Cavill, the DC movie universe’s Superman, will be playing Geralt of Rivia in the upcoming Witcher television series, Netflix said today. Fan reactions have been mixed to horny. Advertisement The Witcher has a devoted fanbase both in author Andrzej Sapkowski’s native Poland and abroad, so the series’ showrunners had a lot on the line with this announcement. Cavill, who is a huge fan of the books and games, confirmed it today with a cute little Instagram post: Showrunner Lauren Hissrich also tweeted to confirm the news, and seems really excited to work with Cavill. Still, for some fans, nothing can beat what they imagined in their heads. Not everyone is disappointed though. While a few people were hoping for someone like Mads Mikkelsen, others are just happy that Geralt is hot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement<doc-sep>

Henry Cavill leads cast of Netflix’s The Witcher It has been announced by Netflix that Henry Cavill will be leading the cast of their adaptation of The Witcher, playing the lead character, Geralt of Rivia. Executive producer and showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich has described the character of Geralt as “stoic, circumspect, balanced, fierce, and as hiding a soft place in his heart that he’ll never reveal until the end and even then it will just be a hint.” Based on the best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together. The Witcher series for Netflix will be based on the stories and novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, of which there are eight, which themselves formulated the popular Witcher games franchise which has since spawned a comic book series and a tabletop game. The book series was previously adapted for television in Poland. Henry Cavill currently stars in the critical and box office hit Mission Impossible – Fallout, which has earned over $649 million worldwide. He is a massive fan of Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of fantasy short stories and novels about the witcher Geralt of Rivia. Henry starred in the dual role of ‘Clark Kent / Superman,’ in Man of Steel, the highest-grossing Superman film to date, and in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Schmidt Hissrich will serve as executive producer and showrunner for The Witcher. She’s known for her work (writing and co-executive producing) on The Defenders, Daredevil, and Power. Sean Daniel is set to executive produce under the Sean Daniel Company with his partner Jason Brown. Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko of Platige Image will executive produce as well. Netflix is aiming to release the first season sometime in 2020. The series will be eight episodes long and will be shooting in Eastern Europe. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

OPPO Reveals World’s First 10x Lossless Zoom Phone Camera Mobile World Congress hasn’t officially kicked off yet, but news is already starting to flow out of Barcelona. OPPO has been showing off some of the new tech that we’re going to see in 2019, including a 10x lossless zoom smartphone camera. This involves a triple-lens setup at the rear and includes a 48MP main camera, a periscope telephoto camera and a 120-degree ultra wide-angle camera. Together, these these lenses allow for a range of 16mm to 160mm, or, 10x lossless zoom. Both the primary and telephoto lenses come with image stablisation, with the telephoto offering an accuracy of up to 0.001445 degrees. This is apparently 73 per cent improvement on the 5x zoom that the brand showcased back in 2016. “As a brand, OPPO is driven by customer insight and developing new technologies to meet their everyday needs. We have been investing heavily in innovation with a huge commitment to R&D in areas such as image beautification technology, 5G, AI, AR and VR,” said Michael Tran, Managing Director at OPPO. “With 10x lossless zoom, our mission was to develop a camera technology that would bring customers closer and let them capture content in a way that no other smartphone manufacturer has to date. We believe we’ve achieved that.” This new camera technology was showcased during an innovation event, so we don’t know which Oppo phone it will be in just yet. But we’re expecting to see it later this year. This post was originally published in February 24 at 08:15.<doc-sep>(Pocket-lint) - Rather than unveil a new flagship phone, Oppo used its presence at Mobile World Congress to show off the innovative technologies making their way to real, consumer products this year. Undoubtedly the most impressive of those was the 10x lossless zoom photos. In an - as yet unnamed - smartphone coming at some point in the second quarter of 2019, Oppo's going to launch an innovative triple camera system. In this three-camera module, Oppo has a 48-megapixel primary lens, as well as a 120-degree ultra wide angle lens and the telephoto one. This particular telephoto is no ordinary lens though. Similar to the 5x zoom camera it showed off at MWC a couple of years ago, this uses an intriguing periscope-like design. With the camera lenses lined up horizontally within the body of the phone, Oppo has been able to create a camera capable of 10x lossless zoom. All cameras combined, that means the equivalent of a 16-160mm lens, ranging from super wide to super close up. In order to direct the light and image through those lenses, there's a prism lens beneath the external camera lens that directs the picture at 90-degrees. Impressively, like the primary camera, the periscopic camera has OIS (optical image stabilisation) built in, which is a vital inclusion for ultra-zoomed-in photography. Zooming magnifies hand-shakes/movements as well as the details in the image. Keeping it blur-free is essential. The big story, apart from the ridiculous zoom, is that - unlike the 5x version - this 10x telephoto camera and the triple module it fits within, are ready for mass production. It will be in a real phone this year. At the event, Oppo had it ready to try out in an unreleased/prototype phone. Sadly, we don't know what the model is or even if this is the final device. What's more, it was placed within a case used to disguise its rear appearance, with a portion of the front blocked as well. We could have an educated guess that it's the F11 Pro the company has been teasing on its official Twitter handle, but no official confirmation. Of course, hardware is one thing and the user interface is another. Instead of making it seem like three separate cameras with dedicated "1x" and "10x" buttons on screen, Oppo has attempted to make it seem like a seamless experience. That means, specifically, sliding an element on the screen. This method makes it tricky to set it to exactly 10-times zoom, but, it does mean zooming from 1-10 is smooth and arguably more natural. That said, it would be good to at least have the option to use individual virtual buttons, just to ensure quick jumping between each step. Apart from the camera capabilities we don't know anything else about this upcoming phone. There's a strong chance it could be a 5G device, with a 4G version offered as well, although Oppo obviously wasn't keen to divulge too much detail and spoil any surprise. Writing by Cam Bunton.<doc-sep>Oppo showed a prototype phone with the new 10x lossless zoom camera tech. Oppo showed a prototype phone with the new 10x lossless zoom camera tech. Smartphone cameras have come a long way, but one area where they still struggle is the ability to zoom into a subject from a distance and capture it sharply. Most smartphones are limited to 2x or 3x optical zoom. Oppo seems to have taken note of the criticism, worked to fix the issue, and found the ability to have the 10x lossless zoom camera on a smartphone. At the Oppo Innovation Event 2019 in Barcelona, the company showcased a new camera system with 10x “lossless” zoom that will come to an unknown flagship smartphone in the second-quarter of 2019. We have had a chance to try out a prototype smartphone with 10x lossless zoom technology, and here is our initial thoughts. Watch our video of the Oppo 10x lossless zoom technology from MWC 2019 The prototype was intentionally put out in a case to keep the design hidden. But it was not something Oppo wanted us to even care about – after all, the company made it clear that the final hardware and software are subject to change. The early version we tried was fully functional, though it’s hard to tell whether the final version will be a part of F series or something else. Oppo says more details about the phone’s design and the specifications will be announced closer to the launch. The telephoto lens uses a periscope-style layout, similar to the 5x zoom camera it showed off at MWC two years ago. The telephoto lens uses a periscope-style layout, similar to the 5x zoom camera it showed off at MWC two years ago. The Basics The 10x lossless zoom camera technology relies on three cameras: an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera with a 16mm focal length and 120-degree field of view, an OIS-capable 48MP snapper, and a 12MP telephoto lens with a focal length of 160mm, also featuring Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). To pull it off, the telephoto lens uses a periscope-style layout, similar to the 5x zoom camera it showed off at MWC two years ago. A prism reflects light at 90 degrees onto the sensor, which stabilizes the image. Oppo says the new setup has improved image precision by up to 73 per cent. Overall, the camera module is just 6.75mm thick, which is as thin as the camera on the R17 Pro. The ability to zoom into the subject 10-times drove me the most. The ability to zoom into the subject 10-times drove me the most. First impressions After getting my hands-on on a prototype phone, the first thing I did was to open the camera and start taking pictures. Let me clarify: we weren’t allowed to take out a prototype phone outside, so our testing was confined to the demo area. Of course, the ability to zoom into the subject 10-times drove me the most. When you zoom into 10x, images were less grainy. The 10x optical zoom is impressive but not always. Sometimes on 10x (up to 20x digital zoom supported) there is noticeable noise when taking extreme close-up shots. 10x zoom 10x zoom 1x zoom 1x zoom Early verdict The idea of the 10x optical zoom on a smartphone without the bulk of a protruding lens or an extra attachment is exciting. Oppo made a lot of hype about its 10x lossless zoom camera technology, which uses a combination of hardware and software to achieve high-quality images. Oppo promised the first 10x zoom camera phone would arrive in the second quarter of this year. Disclaimer: The author is in Barcelona at the invite of Oppo India<doc-sep>

Oppo is ready to give your distant subjects an extreme close-up. At a presentation today just ahead of Mobile World Congress, Oppo announced the new camera system that will be coming to future smartphones in the second quarter of 2019. Its 10x lossless zoom technology will utilizes three camera modules to make it all come together. The main camera is a 48 megapixel, one for capturing everyday images, while a second 16mm, 120-degree wide-angle lens is designed to take in more of whatever you’re trying to capture. The last is a telephoto lens with a focal length of 160mm, which has been carefully set up in a ‘periscope’ manner. A prism reflects light at 90 degrees onto the sensor, while also stabilizing the image the more you zoom in. According to Oppo, this new setup has improved image precision by up to 73%. We got our hands on a prototype phone with the new camera, and we came away rather impressed. It’s important to note that you can’t just snap a photo and then zoom into it afterward expecting all the details to remain. The 10x zoom only comes into effect while you’re framing your image, not in-post after you’ve captured it. Image 1 of 2 Image captured at 1x zoom Image 2 of 2 Image captured at 10x zoom Oppo had set us up in front of a town diorama, and we were able to use the demo phone to zoom in on a market scene. Even though we were slightly shaking our hands – on purpose – while taking the photo, the captured image was clear and detailed. Due to it being a prototype device, we weren’t able to test if the lossless zoom worked on video, however Oppo have said they are looking at bringing similar technology to the video mode in the future. Scenarios where this level of zoom would be welcomed could be anything from snapping photos at a concert to trying to zoom in on architecture detailing. Zooming in on a subject while trying to retain detail is something that smartphones have struggled with for years, and have only recently gotten better at. We’ll have to wait and see how Oppo’s new cameras fare when it officially comes out next quarter, but for now it’s a suitably impressive bit of tech that snap-happy users are bound to appreciate. MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2019 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone.

After a long day of talks at Chequers, the cabinet has agreed what Theresa May hailed as a “collective position for the future of our negotiations” on Brexit. It might yet be modified amid Brussels objections or MPs’ concerns but below is the plan as agreed, as set out in a government statement: Harmonisation on goods The statement says the UK will “maintain a common rulebook for all goods” including agricultural products after Brexit, with the UK committing via treaty on continued harmonisation, thus avoiding border friction. Parliament would have oversight of such rules, it adds, and can choose to not continue harmonisation “recognising that this would have consequences”. However, the proposal says protections in areas such as the environment, employment laws and consumer protection would not fall below current levels. The arrangement would see looser arrangements for services, with a recognition this will involve less mutual access to markets than currently. Joint jurisdiction of rules The plan proposes what is termed a “joint institutional framework” for interpreting UK-EU agreements, to be carried out in each jurisdiction by the respective courts. However, decisions by UK courts would involve “due regard paid to EU caselaw in areas where the UK continued to apply a common rulebook”. The system would include joint committees, or binding independent arbitration in the case of disputes, which would have reference to the European court of justice (ECJ) “as the interpreter of EU rules”. New customs deal The government statement puts forward the idea of the so-called facilitated customs arrangement, May’s new attempt at a compromise system that could be acceptable to her cabinet Brexiters and to Brussels. This would see the UK and EU avoid hard borders by being treated as a “combined customs territory”. Under this, the UK would apply domestic tariffs and trade policies for goods intended for the UK, and their EU equivalents for goods heading into the EU. This would, the document says, let a post-Brexit UK set its own tariffs for trade with the rest of the world without causing border disruption. The statement says the new arrangements would prevent a hard Irish border, ensuring the “backstop” elements of the initial withdrawal agreement would not be needed. Overall aims The statement ends by saying the plans, along with details to be set out in next week’s planned white paper, represent “a precise and responsible approach to the final stage of the negotiations”, giving frictionless trade in goods along with regulatory flexibility for services. The plan, it adds, would still give the UK an independent trade policy, with the ability to set its own non-EU tariffs and to reach separate trade deals. It also promises to end the role of the ECJ in UK affairs. Such a deal would end the automatic free movement of people into the UK from the EU but include a “mobility framework” allowing easy movement for work or study. What it will really mean Beyond whatever objections and modifications the EU might present, the statement is broad enough to be open to significant interpretation by ministers of various Brexit hues, not to mention backbench Conservative MPs. While the plan states it has not breached any of May’s stated red lines, it is a distinctly soft variant of the proposed Brexits on offer and, even if it is not amended or ditched, outside pressure could place different interpretations on the terms stated. This is version one.<doc-sep>Some of her colleagues might heave a huge sigh of relief, and think, "about time too". But her party, and the rest of us, have no way of knowing tonight if that decision - which would risk her leadership - is one she is really willing to take.<doc-sep>Theresa May has won the battle with her Brexiter rebels in the cabinet, but the war will be a long one. She gambled that the Brexit purists – those who gathered on the eve of the Chequers summit at the Foreign Office with Boris Johnson – would be outgunned at Chequers when the full cabinet was assembled. The choreography was impressive – May locked her ministers inside the Buckinghamshire retreat without their phones or special advisers. The final agreement – sent out on behalf of “HM government” came to journalists an hour before advisers had even seen it – and before they could get in contact with their ministers to know what concessions had been made. Within the hour, out came a letter to Conservative MPs warning the days of debate over the government’s Brexit position were over. “Collective responsibility is now fully restored,” May warned. The deal clinched with her most difficult members of her cabinet, architects of the leave campaign such as Johnson and Michael Gove, gave May the leverage to demand similarly hardline MPs get in line. Downing Street has been briefing in a strident tone, practically daring hard Brexiter ministers to give it all up to walk down the Chequers drive. The numbers that will matter now are those in her parliamentary party. Some will express predictable fury, though in the hours since the deal was reached, Jacob Rees-Mogg was telling MPs to keep their powder dry. Key will be whether this is a deal that can win over mainstream backbenchers. In recent weeks, a number of Conservative MPs had begun to express frustration that the prime minister was not prepared to face down one side of her party and lead. “I don’t need to see endless presentations on customs options; I just want to be told what we’re doing and see some leadership,” one senior backbencher had complained. In the early hours, some remainer Tory MPs privately said they could not believe their luck. “It is extremely welcome that common regulatory standards will be recognised, particularly since the UK has played a leading role in Europe in setting those standards,” one MP said. Some expressed suspicion that a game was afoot. “Either there has been a pretty big capitulation or [Brexiters] don’t expect to abide by this,” one former cabinet minister said. “I can’t see how they have agreed to this – I think they are buying time.” On Monday, the prime minister will address the 1922 committee of backbenchers, though the timing of the summit means angry MPs will have the weekend to either cool off or come to the boil. “I’ll wait to see if this collective responsibility lasts the weekend,” another MP said. Perhaps just as crucially there are still some concerns about the future deal for UK services, around 80% of the UK economy. The agreement states the UK would “strike different arrangements for services, where it is in our interests to have regulatory flexibility, recognising the UK and the EU will not have current levels of access to each other’s markets”. Allies of the business secretary, Greg Clark, said he had spoken some “hard truths” at Chequers, stressing the need for frictionless trade. He has argued that restricting the ability of British workers to travel within the EU could be as dangerous to the economy as a hard trade border. That argument may have been won on Friday night. The agreement says the UK will seek a “mobility framework” to ensure UK workers can continue to do “fly in-fly out” services, crucial to major businesses like Airbus and Rolls-Royce. May’s battle with her own party is just the beginning. The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, reacted warmly to the agreement. But the EU has already expressed significant scepticism about the original customs partnership proposal, reworked into this new deal, and the opportunities for fraud potentially presented by allowing the UK to collect tariffs on its behalf, even on a relatively small proportion of trade. Switzerland has a single market for goods, with no customs union, but that deal is widely seen by Brussels as one it has no desire to replicate. Should the EU agree such a deal with the UK, without freedom of movement, it could cause significant friction with Switzerland and countries such as Norway who are members of the European Economic Area.<doc-sep>Eurosceptic ministers have been told to resign if they oppose Theresa May's new Brexit plan as a cabinet showdown gets underway over future relations with the EU. Senior Brexiteers, led by Boris Johnson, are understood to have met for private talks at the Foreign Office on the eve of a pivotal meeting at the prime minister's Chequer's retreat, where she will seek to unite warring ministers over her Brexit approach. Ms May is expected to push her top team to agree plans that would see Britain remaining in full regulatory alignment with the EU on goods, but not services. But her plans were thrown into fresh chaos on Thursday when documents circulated to ministers ahead of the Chequers summit indicated that the new approach would make it impossible to negotiate a US-UK trade deal - prompting a furious Brexiteer backlash. David Lidington, the de-facto deputy prime minister, said he was "pretty confident" that colleagues would be brought into line but Brexiteers were expected to confront Ms May on the plans during the lengthy talks. Former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan told Today: "What we cannot see is a position that is briefed out tomorrow morning and then over the next 48 hours members of the Cabinet start to undermine or query it or anything else. "That is what we have seen before when the prime minister has made speeches and it's extremely unhelpful." She said that cabinet ministers should adhere to the rules of collective responsibility, adding: "Everybody should be able to express their views very thoroughly as to what they think, but when they have come up with an agreed position, if somebody said, 'I just cannot live with this, this is not what I want,' then yes, I think that they would have to think about their position." Mr Lidington said the prime minister was proposing a "common rulebook" with the EU on industrial goods and agricultural products "for good, practical reasons" such as preventing items like food from being held up at borders. He said: "It will not be the European legislators or the European court that would be deciding the common rulebook. "Any change to the rules is something that would have to go through parliament and be accepted by parliament." He dismissed the "pretty selective leaks" of the plans overnight, comparing the details to a "dodgy theatre review". Any suggestion that the plan would hit US trade deals was "categorically untrue", he added. The Brexit wing of the Tories was in uproar last night over the proposals, as Eurosceptics believe it would keep Britain too closely aligned to Brussels. David Jones, a Brexiteer former minister at the Department for Exiting the EU said Ms May's deal looked "not very good at all". He said the prime minister had set red lines of leaving the customs union, single market and jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, adding: "It does seem to me that all those three red lines would be breached by what is being proposed today." Mr Jones added: "The point is that if we are making this commitment as the basis of a negotiation we will be expected to adhere to it, and whichever way we actually achieve that it is going to be something less than the full Brexit we have had repeated promises of by the PM and cabinet members." The 22-strong cabinet was invited to Chequers, Ms May's Buckinghamshire retreat, with talks expected to run late into the evening. Ministers will have their phones and other devices confiscated, to prevent any documents being leaked.<doc-sep>

Brexit: May bids to unite cabinet behind plan Published 6 July 2018 comments Comments media caption Chequers and Brexit - what's going on at the country retreat? Cabinet ministers are meeting at Chequers in a bid to thrash out an agreement on the shape of the UK's future relationship with the EU. Theresa May has said they have "a duty" to reach agreement on Friday, amid splits over how closely the UK should stick to EU rules after Brexit. She is expected to propose keeping the UK aligned with the EU on trading rules for goods but not services. An ex-minister warned that would mean "something less than the full Brexit". If ministers reach an agreement, the EU can then choose to accept or reject their proposals. Speaking on Friday, the EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said it was "ready to adapt our offer should the UK's red lines change" but insisted there could be no "unravelling" of the single market. Ministers are expected to be at Chequers, a 16th Century house in Buckinghamshire which is the PM's country residence, until about 22.00 GMT. They had to hand in their phones and any smartwatches on arrival. Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington said the proposal would include a common rulebook on some sectors - like industrial goods and agricultural goods - for "practical" supply chain reasons. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm pretty confident we will end up with a concrete position which everybody is able to sign up to." image copyright Downing Street image caption Cabinet ministers are expected to be in talks at Chequers all day But Brexiteer ministers are understood to be unhappy. Seven cabinet ministers met at the Foreign Office on Thursday evening to discuss the proposal. There have also been suggestions that the prime minister's proposal would make a US trade deal more difficult. No 10 says it is "categorically untrue that we will not be able to strike a trade deal with the US". David Jones, a former minister at the Department for Exiting the EU, said Mrs May's proposal looked set to breach her "red lines" on leaving the customs union, single market and jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. How much danger is Theresa May in? image caption Between meetings, the PM and other ministers took a breath of fresh air BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg If this was easy, Theresa May would not need the cloistered environment of Chequers to get her cabinet to agree. She would not need the tranquil quiet of the Buckinghamshire countryside to broker peace. She is vulnerable because her plan is hardly Brexit to some of those who campaigned to leave. Vulnerable in her party because her authority is in short supply and there is intense disagreement. Vulnerable then in Parliament because without a majority, a small faction can wreak havoc on either side. Ahead of the meeting, Mrs May said the cabinet had "a great opportunity - and a duty. To set an ambitious course to enhance our prosperity and security outside the European Union - and to build a country that genuinely works for everyone". Labour's Sir Keir Starmer said a workable agreement that could be taken to the EU was needed and "simply a truce in the cabinet was not good enough for Britain". Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said time was running out for the UK and the worst outcome would be ministers emerging "arm in arm, saying they've agreed, because that means there's another helping of fudge being served up and what is being put forward is likely to be rejected by Europe". image copyright Matthew Stockman image caption Boris Johnson is said to have met former Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday Meanwhile sources close to David Cameron confirmed the former PM met Boris Johnson on Thursday and discussed Brexit. But they said there was "no grand view" on the negotiations and disputed reports Mr Cameron had agreed that Theresa May's plan was the "worst of all worlds". Why is the summit happening? image copyright PA image caption The UK has been told to "lay its cards on the table" There have been differing views within the cabinet about how closely the UK should stick to EU rules after Brexit, and what compromises should be made to achieve "as frictionless as possible" trade.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 25: Noah Fant of Iowa poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen #20 overall by the Denver Broncos during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) The first night of the 2019 NFL Draft is over, and the Iowa football team made history with two tight ends going in the first round. As we expected, last night was a historical evening for the Iowa football program. Both of the Hawkeye’s starting tight ends, Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson, were drafted in the first round, making that the first ever occurrence in the history of the NFL Draft. John Mackey Award-winning tight end TJ Hockenson was taken at 8th overall by the Detroit Lions and First Team All-Big Ten tight end Noah Fant was drafted 20th overall by the Denver Broncos. Matt Patricia’s Lions picking Hockenson makes a ton of sense given his New England Patriots background. It gives the Lions a versatile weapon that will help pave the way for last year’s second-round pick Kerryon Johnson and it gives Matt Stafford a reliable target in the passing game at the tight end position. Since Stafford’s arrival in 2009, Detroit has attempted to give him a tight end twice with first-round picks (Brandon Pettigrew and Eric Ebron), but they struck out. That will change with Hockenson, I guarantee it. Here’s FanSided’s breakdown of the former Iowa football player. Noah Fant is heading to a somewhat similar situation in the Denver Broncos have attempted to fill their gaping hole at tight end with has-beens and mid-round draft picks for the last several years. They’ve even tapped into the Big Ten pipeline drafting a former Big Ten tight end three of the last four years with Jeff Heuerman (2015 – Ohio State), Jake Butt (2017 – Michigan), Troy Fumagalli (2018 – Wisconsin), yet that has been unsuccessful as well mostly due to injuries. Now with a new head coach in Vic Fangio and a young and exciting offensive coordinator in Rick Scangarello, Fant is heading to a perfect situation. For those of you not familiar with Scangarello, he was an instrumental part in San Francisco’s offense last season that saw both Nick Mullens and CJ Beathard have success and saw former Iowa football player George Kittle emerge as an elite tight end. Interestingly enough, Noah Fant, not TJ Hockenson, is very similar to his former Iowa football teammate. Both have great straight line speed and are willing and aggressive blockers, and if this last season is any indication, Fant should be very excited. Kittle caught 88 passes for 1,377 yards while earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. Those are lofty numbers but not unrealistic to expect big things from Fant in Denver’s offense featuring a quarterback (Joe Flacco) who loves to throw to his tight ends. Furthermore, with the concern for Fant’s blocking ability, it’s worth noting that the Broncos hired Mike Munchak, a noted blocking guru who will likely help Fant make gains in that facet of his game. Here’s FanSided’s breakdown of Noah Fant. The bottom line is both of these players went to great situations with established quarterbacks, which puts them in a fantastic situation to succeed. Now, we play the waiting game as day two of the 2019 NFL Draft kicks off this evening at 6 PM Central Standard Time. We’re likely to hear two more Iowa football players be selected with Amani Hooker and Anthony Nelson projected to go late second to early third.<doc-sep>Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant are two of a kind. The Hawkeye all-American tight ends proved that again Thursday when both were selected during the opening round of the 2019 NFL draft. The first set of tight ends from the same college program ever to be selected in the first round of the draft, Hockenson and Fant didn’t have to wait long to make history in Nashville. Hockenson was the 2019 draft’s eighth overall choice, taken by the Detroit Lions, while the Denver Broncos made Fant the 20th pick in the first of the three-day draft’s seven rounds. In a year when a number of teams were in the market for impact-making tight ends, both were in attendance as they became the first pair of tight ends to be chosen in the top 20 in the draft since 1992. Former Hawkeye Bob Stoops was in attendance as well and as Hockenson made his way out of the green room for a long walk to the podium, Hockenson got a handshake and a "Go Hawks!" from the former Oklahoma coach. He said in a Lions teleconference following his selection that he was prepared to be "student of the game" as his professional career begins.<doc-sep>We all know Iowa has a rich history of putting tight ends into the NFL under Kirk Ferentz. Dallas Clark, Brandon Myers, Scott Chandler, and George Kittle come to mind, and even more have had a cup of tea in the league. With the Detroit Lions taking him with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, T.J. Hockenson now joins that esteemed group of Iowa alumni. He is the first non-QB offensive player taken and first tight end taken in the top 10 since 2014. Following a true freshman season where he was able to redshirt and learn from current NFL All-Pro George Kittle, Hockenson had a successful 2017 season for the Hawkeyes, garnering 24 receptions for 320 yards and three touchdowns. While he showed flashes of brilliance as a redshirt freshman (particularly against Ohio State, when he recorded a line of 5-71-2), he was incredibly steady at his worst and often overshadowed by teammate Noah Fant, who lit the Iowa record book ablaze with 11 touchdowns. While Iowa fans knew they had a guy with a lot of potential, very few were prepared for just how big of a breakout season T.J. Hockenson would have in 2018. He more than doubled his 2017 totals across the board on his way to earning Big Ten Tight End of the Year and John Mackey Award honors (49 receptions, 760 yards, six touchdowns) and did so in dominating fashion. He showcased good athleticism, reliable hands, and a knack for finding the soft spot of opposing defenses, and wrestled the team’s primary tight end position from Fant due to his elite blocking abilities. Now, as an acclaimed 6’5”, 250 pound tight end, he’s ready to take his talents to the next level. While Hockenson might not be the athletic freak that teammate Noah Fant is, he projects as a high-floor NFL tight end at the very worst. He doesn’t quite have the explosiveness of Fant or George Kittle before him, but his 4.7 40-yard dash time is the same time that Zach Ertz ran in 2013, so it shouldn’t be much of a concern for whatever team drafts him. Otherwise, his consistency is what will earn him playing time early on and keep him in the league for years to come - he’s a consistently good pass catcher, good route runner who will find soft spots in opposing defenses, and most importantly, a consistent and willing blocker. In conclusion: Big ups? You bet. Blocking ability? Oh yeah. TJ Hockenson really likes to block until the whistle and sometimes even past it. lol#TJHockenson @EatSleepFF @iglen31 pic.twitter.com/cPeOjHYAnG — John Chapman (@JL_Chapman) March 24, 2019 Made a sound I'm not proud of watching Hockenson run block here. The power he generates is something else. Just has excellent leg drive and effort as a blocker. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/uw2smFDVt0 — Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) February 14, 2019 Good (enough) speed? Sure! Best of luck to TJ Hockenson. We can’t wait to closely follow your career at the next level!<doc-sep>

Yes, a pair of Iowa tight ends went in the top 20 picks of Thursday night’s NFL draft. T.J. Hockenson went first and was chosen at No. 8 by the Detroit Lions. Noah Fant came off the board at No. 20 to the Denver Broncos, who had traded down 10 spots earlier in the draft with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two Iowa tight ends were chosen before a single running back or wide receiver came off the board. Before Fant and Hockenson, no other tight end teammates had gone in the first round of the same NFL draft. The pair are also the first set of teammates who play the same offensive skill position (RB, WR, TE) to be drafted in the first round in 10 years. The last teammates who played the same position to go in the first round were Arkansas running backs Darren McFadden (No. 4, Oakland) and Felix Jones (No. 22, Dallas). As Iowa finished 9-4 in 2018, Hockenson and Fant served as the team’s main downfield weapons. Hockenson had 49 catches for 760 yards and six touchdowns. He led Iowa with 15.5 yards per catch and led the team in total receiving yards. Fant had 39 catches for 419 yards and seven touchdowns. He was second on the team with 13.3 yards per catch. Yet that’s just 78 catches combined among the two players. Twenty players in college football had 79 or more receptions themselves. Were Hockenson and Fant underutilized in Iowa’s run-heavy offense? Iowa averaged 37 rushing attempts a game to just 31 passing attempts. You can bet that Detroit and Denver want to use each of their first-round picks more than Iowa did a year ago. As NFL teams throw the ball more and more, tight ends who can stretch the field and get open over the middle are extremely valuable. That’s why Fant and Hockenson, despite their relatively modest statistics, were each top-20 picks. Iowa tight end Noah Fant went No. 20 to the Denver Broncos. (AP Photo) – – – – – – – Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. More from Yahoo Sports:

Photo : Ezra Shaw ( Getty Draymond Green burst some blood vessels in LeBron James’s left eye while barely making a play on the ball, causing it to glow red for the rest of the night. Draymond Green walked to the bench and called James a “fucking pussy.” Advertisement Draymond Green, who has shot less than 29 percent from the arc in the postseason and had been given acres of space all game—perhaps because, as several geniuses have observed, he now shoots the ball as if he is wearing a backpack—banged his last two threes of the game and acted like he’d been carrying the Warriors. Draymond Green mugged Jeff Green on the last play in regulation and got off scot-free. Photo : Lachlan Cunningham ( Getty ) Draymond Green picked up a foul in overtime and spent the next 30 seconds writhing, to the delight of the Warriors’ arena. Draymond Green sautéed a bunch of expensive herbs. Draymond Green daintily waved Tristan Thompson off the court after his flagrant-2, then got to clapping, surely while spouting some vile shit, and earned himself a shove. Draymond Green showed up at the press conference and, when pressed twice by ESPN’s Chris Haynes to elaborate on that altercation, said he did “nothing!” Draymond Green took a shot at J.R. Smith’s galactic screwup by saying “you gotta know the score,” then scrunched his face with flawless comedic timing when he heard that Smith actually had known the score. “I guess that further goes along with my theory: I thought he was looking for LeBron. I woulda looked for LeBron, too.” Advertisement Several seasons into this role, Draymond Green is ascending to a new plane. His on-court performance, even in slight decline, is still so enjoyable: just watch this lively mound who can effortlessly switch onto any player in the NBA while also being the best passer on his team, possibly the greatest passing team that has ever existed. But it’s impossible to disentangle that from all the rest of Draymond Green. Last night he posted an emotional performance far more impactful than his near-triple-double. If Thompson—or, an even stupider possibility, Kevin Love—is struck with a suspension, the supervillain will reap his reward. Draymond Green is putting up LeBron numbers in the troll game. His face makes my stomach turn, and I almost have to respect it.<doc-sep>OAKLAND, Calif. -- We're only one game into the 2018 NBA Finals, and the chippiness has already reached peak levels. But that's what happens when the same two teams meet for four consecutive years. After a scuffle with 2.6 seconds remaining in Game 1, Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson was ejected for a Flagrant 2 (later downgraded to a Flagrant 1), then shoved the basketball into the face of Warriors forward Draymond Green before exiting the court. On his way out, Thompson seemed to motion to the locker room area, saying something to the effect of, "meet me outside." On Saturday, Green was asked about how he reacted to Thompson's request, and his response was, well, what we'd expect from Draymond Green. "I can't meet him outside of here [Oracle Arena] because I'll still get fined," Green told reporters. "But I can meet him in the streets any day. "You can say to somebody 'meet you at the bus,' but I'm -- keep taking care of my family, man -- I ain't gonna meet you at the bus. But, you know, the summers, you can meet anybody anywhere. ... If he wants to see me somewhere else, that's fine. Any time." Green has seen his share of punishment from the NBA, so he knows better than to engage in any sort of physical altercation in or near the arena. But, hearing what Thompson said on Saturday, this feud is unlikely to spill over into the summer. "It's just basketball. It's just a competitive sport," Thompson said. "Of course we're going to get irritated with each other, just because we're both competitors and we both want it all. But it never goes off the court. Maybe for some guys it does, but not for me." Unless Thompson and Green plan their summer vacations at the same remote island, it looks like this will remain strictly a basketball rivalry.<doc-sep>Charles Barkley and Draymond Green got past their differences late Friday night, coming together after the Golden State Warriors secured their second straight NBA title. Barkley had previously called out Green as "annoying," starting a semi-feud with the Warriors forward that would last throughout the postseason. After the game, Barkley and Green settled their score, with Green ultimately admitting that he probably was annoying, but adding that it was part of his role with the championship team. Charles Barkley finally got to confront Draymond Green and settle the score. Through the postseason, Barkley had thrown jovial criticism at the Warriors forward, causing a scene on multiple occasions by implying that Green must be "annoying." "I just want somebody to punch [Green] in the face," Barkley said earlier in the postseason, in response to Green's on-court feud with New Orleans Pelicans guard Rajon Rondo. Barkley would go on to apologize for his comments, and would even joke with Warriors teammate Kevin Durant about the dispute later in the postseason, an encounter that ended with Durant inviting Barkley down to the locker room to settle the matter man-to-man. But on Friday night, with the Warriors once again NBA champions, Barkley and Green met in high spirits. "I asked KD and Klay this," Barley said with a laugh. "You're around Draymond Green every day. Is he just as annoying in person as he is on television?" "Honestly? I may be!" Green responded. "At the end of the day, that's my job. These guys come out here scoring the ball every night. 20, 30, 40 points. It's my job to be that guy who nitpicks on everything, who gets under everyone else's skin. Who's kind of that force behind everything? They won't say it because they love me, but I probably am." You can watch the full exchange below. —NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 9, 2018 And with that, the most contentious feud in the NBA was settled.<doc-sep>Almost since the first second of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers Draymond Green and Tristan Thompson have been jawing at one another. Now, in Game 3 of the series it’s finally earned each player a technical foul, normally a inconsequential action over the course of one game, but it may have huge ramifications for the Warriors. Draymond Green and Tristan Thompson bark at each other and both players get a technical (via @clippittv) pic.twitter.com/JJjZ9DTxdF — Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 7, 2018 Green now has five technical fouls so far in the playoffs, and a seventh would earn him an automatic suspension from the league. If the series extends, it could come into play much like Green’s accumulated flagrant points earned him a suspension in the 2016 NBA Finals, which some believe may have swung the series.<doc-sep>

Want Warriors news in your inbox? Sign up for the free DubsDaily newsletter. CLEVELAND — Draymond Green isn’t at all concerned that he has five technical fouls this postseason, just two shy of receiving an automatic one-game suspension. To him, that means he has wiggle room. (Click here, if you are unable to view this video on your mobile device.) “The way I’m approaching it, there’s one game left,” Green said. “So I’ve got two to play with for one game.” The Warriors have a 3-0 lead over Cleveland in The Finals. No team in NBA history that trailed 3-0 has ever won a seven-game series. There could be one game left — or four. But heading into a potential series-clinching Game 4 on Friday, Green said he isn’t going to try and scale himself back at all. “I’m still going to be who I am,” Green said. “That’s what has made me the player that I am. No one tech is going to stop that. If I’m going to let one tech stop that, I might as well hit the sack and go sit in the locker room.” Green and Tristan Thompson were assessed double-technicals midway through the first quarter of the Warriors’ 110-102 win in Game 3 on Wednesday after they jawed at each other. Thompson, similarly, has no regrets about going at it with Green. “It’s The Finals,” Thompson said. “Two guys both want it and I love it. I love the physicality. I love the two techs. It’s well worth it, and that’s what we need. So that’s what I try to bring to this team, give it a little spark and energy.” Those two have been going back and forth all series long. With 2.6 seconds left in Game 1, Thompson was assessed a flagrant 2 foul for elbowing Shaun Livingston. Green clapped. Thompson responded by shoving a basketball in Green’s face. After Thompson was ejected, he told Green to meet him outside. He went on to say that if any two players are going to fight, it’s going to be him and Green. On Thursday, Thompson took it a step further, saying the high-blood-pressure-inducing madness is actually good for his health. “It helps me sleep better at night when it’s physical,” Thompson said. Green enjoys it just as much — but added that it affects him a bit differently.

An Alabama man filed a lawsuit against an abortion clinic after a woman who he says was carrying his unborn child had an abortion despite his wishes. Local news affiliate WHNT News 19 reported Tuesday that Ryan Magers filed suit against the Alabama Women’s Center for Reproductive Alternatives, LLC., after the clinic granted the woman's request to have an abortion despite Magers's attempts to seek legal counsel at the time. ADVERTISEMENT An Alabama probate judge granted Magers's attorney's request to also represent the unborn fetus, designated "Baby Roe" in court filings. But WHNT News 19 reported that it was unclear whether Judge Frank Barger realized that he had effectively recognized an aborted fetus's legal rights for the first time in the U.S. or even understood what he was granting. Court documents obtained by the news station allege that Magers's girlfriend, who is unnamed in the filings, informed Magers that she was pregnant in 2017 but planned to terminate the pregnancy, despite Magers's pleas that she not do so. Magers at the time sought legal counsel, but the woman made an appointment with the Huntsville clinic and terminated the pregnancy at about six weeks after first detection, according to WHNT. Barger declined to comment when reached by WHNT, which reported that Magers is seeking a jury trial for the clinic for unspecified charges.<doc-sep>Photo: Classen Rafael/Getty Images/EyeEm In what may be the first lawsuit of its kind, an Alabama man is suing an abortion clinic on behalf of a fetus, which he claims “died” a “wrongful death” because his ex-girlfriend decided not to carry her unwanted pregnancy to term.” It’s a case reproductive rights groups are calling “chilling,” arguing that it shows the logical outcome of the burgeoning personhood movement in the U.S. — one that would grant full legal rights to fetuses at the expense of the women carrying them. On February 6, Ryan Magers filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Madison County against the Alabama Women’s Center, where he says his former girlfriend got the abortion procedure, as well as three of the business’ employees and the pharmaceutical company that distributed the abortion pill “designed to kill unborn children.” In the suit, Magers is listed as a “personal representative” of the aborted fetus’ estate; the fetus is referred to as “Baby Roe,” presumably in a nod to Roe v. Wade. Per the lawsuit, Magers’s former partner initially informed him of both her pregnancy and her decision to terminate it January 2017, at which point “he pleaded with the Mother not to kill Baby Roe.” Despite Magers’s attempt to intervene, the woman chose to go through with the procedure at six weeks into her pregnancy — when the fetus would have been approximately the size of a pomegranate seed. According to the Washington Post, the person Magers referred to as his former girlfriend in the lawsuit was 16 years old and a high school senior at the time of her pregnancy. Magers was 19 at the time. The girl’s father — who spoke to the outlet under the condition of anonymity in order to protect his daughter’s privacy — said his family was “distraught” over the lawsuit, and that they had supported her decision to have an abortion. He also claimed that Magers pressured his daughter to have sex. “I can’t believe we are here now,” he said. On March 4, Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger recognized “Baby Roe” as a person with legal rights and named Magers the representative of the aborted fetus’ new estate. This was largely possible through the state constitution’s extreme anti-abortion personhood amendment, which was passed last November; under the statute, fetuses are recognized as legal persons from the moment of conception. Alabama is one of three states with a “personhood” law in place, the result of a nationwide movement that’s grown increasingly fervid in recent years as anti-abortion groups feel that Roe v. Wade has come under serious threat. “The case in Alabama is chilling because it represents the real-life consequences of anti-choice ‘personhood’ policies, which, by design, seek to demote the fundamental rights of women,” Adrienne Kimmell, the vice president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said in a statement to the Cut. “To see it playing out in this case in Alabama should serve as a grave warning sign.” Magers’s lawyer, Brent Helms, told the Cut that he could see this case setting a legal precedent that would lead to the end of abortion in the state. “If wrongful death is granted in this case, then I would not foresee any abortion clinic or even manufacturer of an abortion pill wanting to come to the state of Alabama because they could be held liable for the killing or the termination of the life of a fetus,” he said. “Abortion will essentially be eliminated in the state of Alabama.” But Lucinda Finley, a law professor at the University of Buffalo who specializes in reproductive rights and equal protection law, isn’t so convinced that this case could set the precedent for which Helms hopes. In an email to the Cut, she pointed out that the Supreme Court struck down state laws that would require a woman to get the consent of “or even to inform” the would-be father of the child in a 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. That, she says, is the lawsuit’s “legal flaw.” She also noted that though Alabama permits wrongful death suits tied to a fetus, the death must be a result of a “legally wrongful act in order to have a successful claim.” “In this case, the clinic that provided an abortion that the woman wanted and consented to did not perform any wrongful act,” she said. “A third party who injures a pregnant woman and thereby ends her wanted pregnancy against her will is a vastly different situation than a woman who decides to end her own pregnancy.” The clinic, which did not respond to the Cut’s request for comment, has until April 1 to respond to the lawsuit. This post has been updated. Stay in touch. Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.<doc-sep>An Alabama man is suing an abortion clinic on behalf of a fetus, in a case that’s said to be the first of its kind in the U.S. Vice News writes that in February, Ryan Magers sued the Alabama Women’s Center for Reproductive Alternatives for giving his girlfriend an abortion two years ago. While Magers asked his girlfriend not to go through with the procedure, she did when the fetus was six weeks old, court documents show. Magers then petitioned the probate court in Madison County—where the clinic is located—to permit him to “represent the estate of ‘Baby Roe.'" Probate Judge Frank Barger authorized the petition on Tuesday, allowing Magers to sue for the fetus. Magers’ attorney, Brent Helms told Alabama news outlet WHNT 19 that it’s the first time in the U.S. that an aborted fetus has been given legal rights. “This is the first estate that I'm aware of that has ever been opened for an aborted baby,” Helms told Alabama ABC affiliate WAAY. He said the petition is “a victory.” NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue dubbed it a "very scary case.” This lawsuit is the first to benefit from a measure that was passed during the November midterm elections. In the fall, Alabama amended its constitution to acknowledge “the rights of unborn children, including the right to life.” The amendment was backed by 60 percent of voters, and made Alabama the first state in America to add a “fetal personhood clause” to its constitution. When it passed, research and policy organization Guttmacher Institute’s Senior State Issues Manager Elizabeth Nash cautioned that the provision could have negative repercussions. “There are concerns that that language would apply more broadly to something other than abortion,” Nash told Vice, adding, “like perhaps actions by a pregnant person or miscarriage, or like somehow that could be applied to criminalize pregnancy in some way.”<doc-sep>This explanation is perfectly in line with the pattern of anti-choice activists and politicians working to pass laws to limit access to abortion while working within existing federal laws . These sorts of policies and maneuvers have led to the closure of dozens of abortion clinics throughout the country. "I think the lawsuit is an attempt to get around fundamental protections in our nation’s abortion law, to undermine a woman’s right to an abortion," Andrew Beck, senior staff attorney with the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project, told Refinery29. "It’s definitely unlawful, it’s definitely bad policy, and it’s really designed as an end-run around [Roe v. Wade]." Beck said while he can't predict the outcome of the lawsuit, he believes it is totally incompatible with the constitution. "You can imagine that if every person that sought an abortion could be brought into a lawsuit by an ex-boyfriend and have her decision questioned and interfered with and have the provider sued years later ... that’s clearly the point of this," he said.<doc-sep>

The lawyer of the Alabama man suing an abortion clinic for terminating the life of his unborn child against his wishes, says he wants anyone associated with the abortion to pay up. "We are suing the clinic, the manufacturer of the pill, going after the doctor and going after any professional organization the doctor is affiliated with," attorney Brent Helms told Fox News on Thursday, adding that "if they are all held liable, it would put a dent on the profitability of abortions." ALABAMA TEEN SUES ABORTION CLINIC ON BEHALF OF ABORTED CHILD ALARMING PRO-CHOICE LEADERS On Tuesday, an Alabama county court recognized the aborted fetus, "Baby Roe," as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, making the case one of the first of its kind. "The truth is, no one has ever done this," Helms said. "The question is, why not?" Helms' client Ryan Magers, 21, of Madison County, claims his girlfriend got a medicated abortion at the Alabama Women's Center for Reproductive Alternatives in Huntsville in February 2017 when she was six weeks pregnant. Magers, who was 19 years old at the time, had pleaded with his girlfriend, who was16, not to get the abortion. She did so anyway, Helms said. ABORTION SURVIVOR: SENATE DEMS ARE 'WILLING TO SACRIFICE LIVES LIKE MINE TO KEEP ABORTION ON DEMAND' "A woman can go and she can have an abortion of convenience but there's nothing that protects the father," Helms said. He added that although the pregnancy was an accident, Magers, "owned up to it" and eventually warmed to the idea of parenthood. "He got excited about being dad" Helms said. "He started working double shifts..." Helms, who is seeking monetary damages and a jury trial, says the ultimate goal is to increase the rights of would-be fathers and strip protections in place for women who are seeking abortions in Alabama. "I'm here for the men who actually want to have their baby," he said. "I believe every child from conception is a baby and deserves to live." The lawsuit, which Helms hopes will eventually make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, has alarmed some pro-choice advocates. CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP On Twitter, Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called it a "very scary case" that is "asserting woman's rights third in line." Others called it "unlawful and idiotic." Self-described feminist Mona Eltahawy tweeted, "This is the USA in the year 2019: a man AND a fetus are suing an abortion clinic. The woman? When the fetus becomes a person as per Alabama “personhood law,” a woman is rendered a walking incubator with less rights than a fetus and the man." Fox News' Caleb Parke contributed to this report.

Ariana Grande is back with another gorgeous magazine cover and once again, the ponytail is nowhere to be seen. After letting her hair down for her Vogue UK cover last month, Grande has upped the ante even more for the August edition of Elle. Her hair has never been longer or blonder — and it's so good. One glance at Twitter is enough to confirm that Arianators are serious fans of the new cover. One tweeted, "HOLY F*CKING F*CKS. ARIANA LOOKS SO F*CKING AMAZING ON THE COVER OF ELLE MAGAZINE IM CRYING!! 😍😍😍" Her superlong blond hair was styled by Josh Liu, and you'd never guess that this was their first time working together, "swishing and tossing strands by the handful, just out of frame, for hours" on set. Although her most recent shoots have shown her in a new light, this probably isn't the end of her iconic pony. Grande hasn't forgotten about her signature style with all this new-found glamour. When asked what her favorite ponytail was, she responded: "the high, sleek, dark one. But she takes many forms. Many forms. There are lots of different girls in this sisterhood." As for the makeup, it was kept minimal. Makeup artist, Patrick Ta did a neutral-toned lip, fresh skin, and barely-there eye shadow. You can see the full feature in the August issue of Elle, available online now, or on newsstands July 24.<doc-sep>Ariana Grande on the August cover of "Elle." Photo: Alexi Lubomirski/"Elle" These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday. Ariana Grande covers Elle Ariana Grande graces Elle's August cover in a billowy white Chloé top and a soft layer of rose-tinted makeup. In the Alexi Lubomirski-lensed shot, the pop star's platinum blonde hair is gently windswept, and she rests her hand on her hips while giving a doe-eyed expression. Inside the issue, Grande opens up about life after the Manchester attack. {Elle} Kylie Jenner named one of America's richest self-made women Kylie Jenner and her now-filler-free lips made Forbes' annual list of America's Richest Self-Made Women. The 20-year-old beauty entrepreneur came in at number 27, with an estimated net worth of $900 million. Kylie Cosmetics launched two years ago with no employees or capital, and has since made more than $630 million in makeup sales. Jenner, who owns 100 percent of the company, is the youngest person to ever make the list. {WWD} Ashley Graham will host the second season of "American Beauty Star" Ashley Graham is slated to host the second season of Lifetime's "American Beauty Star," a talent-driven reality competition series for makeup artists. "Ashley embodies modern beauty that is not only inspiring but empowering," said Lifetime's Executive Vice President Gena McCarthy in a press statement. "We know the Lifetime audience will really connect with her and couldn't be more thrilled to have Ashley as part of the family." {Fashionista inbox} Luxury re-commerce sites face challenges as resale market booms The luxury resale market is one of the largest growing consumer segments, on track to hit $6 billion globally this year. But despite a promising future, high-end re-commerce sites like The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective will face challenges dealing with inventory and authentication, as they continue to chase scale and profitability. {Business of Fashion} Saoirse Ronan on the August cover of "Vogue." Photo: Jamie Hawkesworth/"Vogue" Saoirse Ronan stars in the August issue of Vogue Vogue's August issue stars 24-year-old critically acclaimed actress Saoirse Ronan. Jamie Hawkesworth shot the Ireland-bred leading lady in an autumnally-hued Prada dress for the cover, see above. The magazine also played its favorite game of "73 Questions" with her, which you can watch in the video below. {Vogue} Reebok to partner with the CFDA Reebok announced Wednesday it will partner with the CFDA to sponsor the next four seasons of NYFW: Men's, as well as work with the organization's 2018 and 2019 Fashion Future Graduate Showcase, which spotlights young talents from eight fashion colleges nationwide. Steven Kolb, president and CEO of the CFDA, said the partnership with Reebok will "put the spotlight on emerging talent and secure the future of American fashion and creativity." {Fashionista inbox} Revolve adds layaway payment option On Wednesday, Revolve launched Afterpay, a digital platform that allows shoppers to receive products from Revolve immediately and pay for them in four interest-free installments, with no requirement to enter into a traditional loan or pay any upfront fees or interest. In other words, you can buy all the lace-y, cropped and cutout things your heart desires, even if your wallet doesn't currently have the funds. {Fashionista inbox} Revolve to host 75 influencers in Bermuda In other Revolve news, instead of taking over the Hamptons this summer, the retailer is flying 75 notable influencers, models and celebrities to Bermuda. Over a two-week period, it will host a series of Instagrammable pool parties, beach bonfires, yacht days, brunches and tours of the island, as well as performances by Saint JHN, BlocBoy JB ​and more. Select brands from the Revolve portfolio will also hold exclusive events throughout the trip. {Fashionista inbox} Burberry sees 3 percent sales rise ahead of Riccardo Tisci's debut While Burberry's (and the fashion industry's) main focus seems to be on new creative director Riccardo Tisci's September debut, the British heritage brand still had to report its first-quarter sales on Wednesday — and considering that the company is in the midst of a turnaround, they weren't too bad. Comparable sales were up 3 percent, thanks to improvements in Chinese tourism, more store traffic in the Americas and strong digital growth. Other than that, all eyes are on Tisci and his plans to shake up the company's delivery schedule this fall. Stay tuned. {Burberry} Stay current on the latest trends, news and people shaping the fashion industry. Sign up for our daily newsletter.<doc-sep>

We’ve been talking a lot about Ariana Grande lately, whether about engagement to Pete Davidson, her date night looks, or her incredible performances. But this morning, she’s making headlines in a much more editorial fashion, covering the August issue of Elle Magazine. A little over a year since the Manchester terrorist bombing in May of 2017, Ariana talks about how she experienced a physical manifestation of anxiety in the time that followed, explaining, “When I got home from tour, I had really wild dizzy spells, this feeling like I couldn’t breathe. I would be in a good mood, fine and happy, and they would hit me out of nowhere. I’ve always had anxiety, but it had never been physical before.” In response, she and fellow artist Pharrell Williams wrote “Get Well Soon.” She is consistent in her desire, though, that her experience not overpower that of the victims of the brutal attack, adding that she’s so inspired by those who continue to support her, saying, “It’s the most inspiring thing in the world that these kids pack the venue. They’re smiling, holding signs saying, ‘Hate will never win.’” On Elle’s cover, The 25-year-old singer stands tall in all white. Her iconic locks blow free, in a blonde so bright that it nearly matches her look perfectly. In another image, she wears an underwire bra top and a ruffle wrap mini skirt by Fleur du Mal. The inside spread features images of the star in either all white or all black, with the exception of one dual-toned faux-fur coat from Givenchy. The clean images seem to mirror her new, more subdued, image that is so contemplative. We stan an Ariana fashion MOMENT. Let us slide into your DMs. Sign up for the Teen Vogue daily email. Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out:_ Ariana Grande Wore the Sickest Pair of Thigh-High Boots for a Date With Pete Davidson

WASHINGTON — President Trump signed legislation Wednesday paving the way for a major overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs and expanded access for veterans to VA-funded care in the private sector. The measure, which passed both chambers of Congress last month with overwhelming bipartisan support, delivers on a key campaign promise for Trump, who pledged to provide veterans with more non-VA health care choices. "What a beautiful word that is — choice — and freedom to our amazing veterans," Trump said at the signing ceremony. "All during the campaign I'd go out and say, 'why can't they just go see a doctor instead of standing in line for weeks and weeks and weeks?' Now they can go see a doctor." Working out the details of exactly how and when that will happen is now up to agency officials tasked with drawing up regulations under the law. If confirmed, Trump’s pick to lead the VA, Robert Wilkie, would lead that effort. Criteria to be considered include wait times for VA appointments, quality of VA care and distance from a VA facility. Known as the VA MISSION Act, the law directs the VA to combine a number of existing private-care programs, including the so-called Choice program, which was created in 2014 after veterans died waiting for appointments at the Phoenix VA. Two veterans from Texas who traveled to Washington to be at the signing said the Choice program has been extremely helpful for them. Laura Vela, who served in the U.S. Army, and Air Force veteran Antonio Garcia said they previously had to drive nearly four hours each way to reach the nearest VA hospital in San Antonio. "To me, it’s the perfect program," said Garcia, who had his knee replaced last year by a health care provider about a half mile from his home in Brownsville. "I think it’s a step forward," said Vela, who saw a private provider at VA expense for gall bladder surgery. "It is strengthening our health care, and I think it will improve the healthcare and welfare of all of our veterans." The law also creates a commission to recommend which VA facilities are worth repairing, where new ones should be built, and which ones should be closed and care provided in the private sector instead. The measure includes some incentives to help the VA hire more health care providers. It allows the agency to provide scholarships to medical students in exchange for their pledging to work at VA. Currently some 33,000 positions are unfilled at the agency. In addition, the law provides pre-9/11 veterans with benefits to help cover the cost of in-home care-givers. Such benefits previously were provided only to post-9/11 veterans. The VA also will be allowed to set up pilot programs under the law to test how to deliver better care more efficiently, including with public-private partnerships. "We're really encouraged about that," said Tony Tersigni, president of Ascension, the largest non-profit health system in the country. In an interview before attending the signing at the White House, he dismissed concerns that such moves might mark the first step toward privatizing the VA. "There's certain things that the VA has truly become world specialists in that it would be crazy for us to do away with or try to replicate it somewhere else," Tersigni said. "But there are things that we do extremely well, that we ought to bring to the advantage of a veteran." More:Senate passes major VA overhaul; Trump expected to sign into law within days More:6 big things the new Veterans Affairs chief will have to address<doc-sep>President Trump signed the VA Mission Act Wednesday afternoon, which will facilitate military veterans' access to private-sector health care, should they choose to seek medical care outside of that provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs. "If the VA can't meet the needs of a veteran in a timely manner, that veteran will have the right to go right outside to a private doctor. So simple and yet so complex," he said. Mr. Trump announced to the veterans and members of Congress present at the Rose Garden event that vets fulfilled their duty with courage and "with this signing we take one more crucial step in fulfilling our duty to you." He emphasized how crucial it was for veterans to have choice within their medical care. "If they're waiting on line for nine days, and they can't see a doctor, why aren't they going outside to see a doctor and take care of themselves and we pay the bill? It's less expensive for us, it works out much better, and it's immediate care," he said. The president was joined by Mike Pence, his nominee to lead the VA Robert Wilkie, and acting VA Secretary Peter O'Rourke. Following his remarks, Mr. Trump signed the bill and ignored questions about the commutation of Alice Marie Johnson shouted at him by reporters. "Nobody deserves it more than our veterans," Mr. Trump said.<doc-sep>The tension over how to pay for the legislation is part of a larger debate over private care for veterans. The Mission Act revamps a private-care program Congress approved in 2014 after a scandal over fudged patient wait lists for medical appointments. The new, bipartisan measure consolidates numerous private-care programs that were fragmented and inefficient and drew support from disparate veterans groups that often disagree. It also expands stipends for a popular program that pays family caregivers of veterans who served in Vietnam and later wars, for example, a priority for advocates.<doc-sep>

President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE on Wednesday signed a sweeping, bipartisan bill designed to expand veterans’ access to private health care, at a ceremony that excluded its Senate Democratic co-author. During the event in the White House Rose Garden, Trump framed the bill as a fulfillment of his campaign promise to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) scandal-plagued health program. "You've fulfilled your duty to our nation with tremendous loyalty and courage, and with the signing of this veterans' choice legislation, we take one more crucial step in fulfilling our duty to you," he said. The bill allows veterans to see private physicians if they do not receive needed treatment from VA medical facilities, as long as it is approved by a health provider. It is designed to replace the existing private provider program, known as VA Choice. ADVERTISEMENT The VA has come under fire for long wait times at its hospital facilities and, in some cases, lack of proper care. The president was flanked on stage by more than a dozen GOP lawmakers, administration officials and veterans advocates. No Democrats were on stage, though one was in the audience. Sen. Jon Tester Jonathan (Jon) TesterOvernight Defense: Groups use Afghanistan withdrawal to push for defense budget cuts | Confederate renaming effort could affect 'hundreds' of military assets | Progressives see 'historic' moment to shift US-Israel relations Groups urge Congress to use Afghanistan withdrawal to cut defense budget Are cranky Democrats an electoral risk? MORE (Mont. ), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, who helped write the bill, was not in attendance. Tester’s office said the senator was not invited. “Jon Tester is a work horse, not a show horse. What’s most important to Jon is fighting for Montana veterans and holding the VA accountable,” said spokeswoman Marnee Banks. Republicans are targeting Tester for defeat in the 2018 midterm elections and the Montana senator came under criticism form the White House after his office released a list of allegations against Trump’s VA nominee Ronny Jackson that helped lead to Jackson's withdrawal from the nomination. In an April tweet, Trump called for Tester’s resignation while claiming the allegations against Jackson were “proving false.” Tester also was not invited to a bill signing last week for legislation rolling back parts of the Dodd-Frank banking law, which he also helped write.

Don't miss a moment of the World Cup! Visit "My Teams" in your Settings and select your favorite team to set up scores and news alerts. Brazil looked headed for another draw in the World Cup group stage until its biggest stars came alive late. Tied 0-0 with Costa Rica in the 90th minute, Brazil scored two goals in added time to win 2-0 on the boots of Philippe Coutinho and Neymar. Coutinho got the winner in the 91st minute, and Neymar got his goal later in stoppage time as the South Americans move to four points in Group F and have a little breathing room with one match to play. It felt like it would be a similar result to the opening draw against Switzerland where the ball just didn't want to go in for the Brazilians as Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas did a fine job of keeping them at bay for 90 minutes, but the six added minutes proved to be too much to handle. Here's the goal from Coutinho, which came off a fine header from Roberto Firmino: Neymar scored his first goal of the cup moments later, as Brazil produced at least a small amount of positive vibes in a cup where South America has really struggled. Beside Uruguay, no other South American team had won a match until Brazil did so on Friday. Brazil outshot Costa Rica 23 to 4 over the course of the match with nine on target to zero for the CONCACAF squad. Neymar and company could see themselves end the day in second place in the group if Serbia beats Switzerland later, but for now, Brazil moves into first and greatly boosts its chances of moving on to the knockout stage. Brazil (vs. Serbia) and Costa Rica (vs. Switzerland) will both be looking for a win in their final group stage match. Both play on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET, but only Brazil can get out of the group, not Costa Rica. With a match still to be played between Serbia and Switzerland, it is unknown just yet what position Brazil will be playing for. You can watch all the World Cup action, including those final Group E games, on fuboTV (Try for free). Brazil vs. Costa Rica score, live updates If the live blog doesn't load properly, click here.<doc-sep>Advertisement The board had just been raised. Six minutes of injury time. Six minutes for Brazil to arrive at the 2018 World Cup. Six minutes that may come to define their campaign, for better or worse. They didn't look like Brazil, in their blue. They didn't play like Brazil, either. When would they show themselves, the Selecao. Where were they, this nation that defines a World Cup like no other? Here, at last, we are pleased to say. The tournament has already lost Mo Salah, it may be without Lionel Messi and Argentina by the middle of next week. Surely not Brazil as well. 'Ciao, Messi!' Brazil's fans had mocked, arriving at Novokrestovskaya metro station near the St Petersburg ground. But for a while it looked as if it might be 'pa-ka Neymar!' too. Philippe Coutinho was the Brazil hero as he grabbed his side all three points with a late winner against Costa Rica The Barcelona midfielder popped up in the 91st minute of the game to poke the ball between the legs of Keylor Navas Neymar keeps his eyes on the ball to volley home in the 97th minute and make sure of all three points for the Brazilians The ball nestles in the back of the net as the Barcelona forward prepares to wheel away and celebrate his last-ditch effort Casemiro and Douglas Costa race away to the corner to celebrate with Neymar after his first goal of the tournament The forward consoles Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas at full-time, with the defeat confirming the Central Americans' exit Neymar screams for a penalty to be given after he feels he is pulled back by Costa Rica defender Giancarlo Gonzalez The Brazil forward falls theatrically to the ground after staggering backwards inside the box under the challenge Furious Costa Rica players surround the referee after he awarded the spot kick to the South American side The decision was reviewed by VAR after the extra officials deemed there to have been a clear and obvious error Brazil's No 10 throws his hands up in disgust after the original decision was overturned at the St Petersburg Stadium MATCH FACTS Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson 6.5; Fagner 7, Thiago Silva 6, Miranda 6, Marcelo 7.5; Paulinho 5.5 (Firmino 68min, 7), Casemiro 6, Coutinho 8; Willian 5 (Costa 46, 7), Gabriel Jesus 6 (Fernandinho 90), Neymar 7. Scorers: Coutinho 90+1, Neymar 90+7. Booked: Neymar, Coutinho. Manager: Tite 6.5. Costa Rica (5-4-1): Navas 8; Gamboa 7 (Calvo 75, 5.5), Acosta 7, Gonzalez 7, Duarte 7, Oviedo 7; Venegas 7, Guzman 7 (Tejeda 83), Borges 7, Ruiz 7; Urena 6 (Bolanos 54, 6.5). Booked: Acosta. Manager: Oscar Ramirez 7.5. Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland) 7. Attendance: 64,468. Advertisement That Russia is not saying goodbye to one of the World Cup's superstars just yet was down to a goal largely forged in the Premier League. Not a very Brazilian goal with its cross from wide, its header, its Frank Lampard-like finish. Nobody greatly cared about that. Those who had followed Brazil to Russia had long given up demanding or expecting the beautiful game. Now they just wanted a win. Nothing fancy, nothing lovely, nothing that would look wonderful if set to a carnival samba. Three points would do. Enclaves of Costa Rica fans were celebrating. Their players were dropping like flies, taking time out of the game. There were six minutes to save the day, to make Brazilian hearts sing any old way. Marcelo whipped a cross in from the left, Roberto Firmino rose to win the header, Gabriel Jesus couldn't quite bring it under control, Philippe Coutinho arrived late to finish smartly past Keylor Navas. There it was. Brazil in front. Brazil on their way. The boys may have been in blue, but at least they were not yellow. They shrugged off the pressure, and expectation, to win, at the death with the weight of a World Cup bearing down on them. The second came, with almost the last kick of the game. It had been a torrid night for Neymar. Booked for dissent, denied a penalty by VAR for diving, gingerly feeling his troublesome ankle whenever his touch was off, which was often. Redemption arrived late. Douglas Costa — on at half-time for the careless Willian — crossed and Neymar shaped for a tap-in. It was nothing special, but it plainly meant a lot. Like Messi, Neymar carries a nation at this World Cup. Unlike Messi, it does not appear to have suppressed him entirely. Keylor Navas produces an outstanding save to keep out a right-footed effort from Neymar, tipping it over the crossbar Gabriel Jesus watches on as his seemingly goalbound header crashes back into play off the crossbar in the second half Philippe Coutinho's effort was heading into the net until it struck Cristian Gamboa and was diverted wide by the defender The Barcelona midfielder cannot quite believe it as the South Americans are denied yet again by a bullish Costa Rica defence Gabriel Jesus is sent flying by an aerial challenge with David Guzman during the first half of their Group E clash Ex-Fulham midfielder Bryan Ruiz attempts to cut a path through Brazil's defence as Thiago Silva and Willian look to challenge Neymar found it just as tough as his team-mates to create chances early on, here being tackled by Johnny Acosta (No 2) This was far from a good game for Neymar and contained no little ignominy considering his tumble exposed by the cameras, yet he ultimately helped drag his team through. It was intense, though, and at the end, coach Tite could barely smile. Brazil will not wish to endure a repeat against Serbia next week. A second draw would have left Brazil desperately vulnerable but for long periods that looked to be all they would get. A brilliant rearguard action by Costa Rica, inspired by Real Madrid goalkeeper Navas, was partly responsible, but inescapably Brazil are not quite themselves here. The injury to Neymar is a key factor, obviously, because he does not look comfortable, but the rigours of the European season — now almost all Brazil's starting players reside abroad — the pressure of expectation and a fluctuating tempo all made a contribution to a difficult afternoon, encapsulated by Neymar's desperate dive 11 minutes from time. Thankfully, VAR corrected it, after referee Bjorn Kuipers initially gave a penalty. Neymar had made it look as if he was tugged backwards, arms whirling like propellers. On closer inspection, this was entirely false. He should have been booked there and then. Soon after, he was booked for dissent, anyway, disputing another decision. He left the field in tears at the end. They might have reflected his joy. They should have been tears of embarrassment. His play-acting was quite pitiful. The Paris Saint-Germain forward reacts after missing one of the few clearcut chances presented to his side in St Petersburg Brazil's No 10 is stopped by Costa Rica goalkeeper Navas as he tries to round the Real Madrid goalkeeper Neymar checks on Navas after the two come together in a heavy challenge inside the Costa Rican penalty area Manchester City striker Jesus produced a ferocious finish from close range before half-time, only to see it ruled out for offside Celso Borges (No 5) reacts after missing a great chance to put Costa Rica in front, after the ball was laid back to him Brazil had their chances, certainly in the second half. Jesus hit the bar from a cross by Fagner and Coutinho's follow-up shot was deflected wide. Navas performed magnificently, too, tipping over a shot by Neymar from close range. In the 57th minute, Paulinho laid the ball back to Coutinho, who was frustrated by Navas again. Yet for all their possession, Brazil disappointed. Costa Rica defended well but when Casemiro fired a hopeful shot from outside the area with four minutes left, it summed up Brazil's struggle. The last time they failed to make it out of the group stage was 1966. It was becoming a distinct possibility. If further confirmation of Brazil's malaise in Russia were needed, consider that until the 41st minute here they did not have a shot on target.<doc-sep>Philippe Coutinho and Neymar broke down dogged Costa Rica in injury time on Friday, sealing a 2-0 win for Brazil that propels the five-time champions towards the World Cup last 16. The Central Americans looked likely to hold on for a hard-earned draw, particularly after Neymar had a penalty award chalked off by referee Bjorn Kuipers after he consulted the VAR (Video Assistant Referee). But Coutinho and Neymar finally broke through, scoring in the 91st and 97th minutes to put Tite's side on the brink of the knockout stages. At the final whistle, Neymar sat down on the grass and wept, with the emotion of victory hitting home after the tense Group E contest at the Saint Petersburg Stadium. Neymar started despite limping out of training on Tuesday with a hurt ankle, which the Brazilian FA said was sustained as a result of snapping Swiss defenders. After a ponderous start, Brazil enjoyed a gradual crescendo during the first period but their dominance in possession was not reflected in chances created. Neymar faced the most devoted of markers in Costa Rica's Cristian Gamboa, the Brazilian spending most of the half hopping over scything tackles or dodging past a barging shoulder. It was a compelling battle. One sumptuous Neymar flick sent the ball flying over Gamboa's head and later he made an excellent run onto Coutinho's pass, only to squander the chance with a heavy touch. Marcelo, Coutinho and Neymar, however, hardly make for the most conscientious combination out wide and when Johan Venegas ran clear down the right, his pullback should have been converted by Celso Borges, who skewed past the post. Brazil might have had a penalty when Oscar Duarte blocked Paulinho at a corner and Costa Rica rode their luck again after the break, as Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Coutinho all went close. Jesus's header crashed against the crossbar and after some excellent work by Paulinho, Coutinho's follow-up hit the ever-present Gamboa on the line. Neymar fired over from Paulinho's cutback and Coutinho shot straight at Keylor Navas after, again, Paulinho had teed it up. With 20 minutes left, Gamboa made his first mistake and Neymar should have capitalised. A sloppy touch allowed the striker to cut inside from the left but his bending finish curved around the outside of the post. There was more drama to come. With just over 10 minutes left, Neymar's turn prompted Giancarlo Gonzalez to lose his footing and put his arm across the Brazilian's chest. Neymar arched back as if losing his balance before falling to the ground. Kuipers pointed to the spot but after reviewing the video replay, reversed his decision. Frustration brewed but Costa Rica's resistance was finally ended in the 91st minute. Promoted Marcelo's deep cross was kept alive by Roberto Firmino and a loose touch by Jesus dribbled perfectly into Coutinho's path. Six yards out, he sidefooted home. Costa Rica conceded again right at the death. Substitute Douglas Costa squared for Neymar to finally find the net.<doc-sep>

Francois Nel/Getty Images Injury-time goals from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar snatched a 2-0 win for Brazil over Costa Rica at the Saint Petersburg Stadium on Friday, with the latter out of the 2018 World Cup as a result. It looked as though Brazil would be frustrated by an excellent performance from Keylor Navas, but Coutinho stabbed home Roberto Firmino's knockdown in the 91st minute to hand the Selecao three points. Six minutes later, Douglas Costa squared for Neymar to volley home from close range. Earlier, Neymar had a second-half penalty overturned on review by the video assistant referee. The forward looked to have been pulled down by Giancarlo Gonzalez, but it was adjudged there was not enough contact from the defender. Refs Must Crack Down on Attacks Against Neymar The officials have been fairly lenient in Russia so far, but perhaps too much so, particularly when it comes to Neymar. Video Play Button Videos you might like The Paris Saint-Germain star spent most of Brazil's 1-1 draw with Switzerland being roughed up by their players, and while Stephan Lichtsteiner, Fabian Schar and Valon Behrami were all eventually booked for fouls on him, it might have curbed their cynical approach if the referee had brought the yellow cards out sooner. It quickly became apparent Costa Rica were looking to employ a similar strategy in the early stages of Friday's clash: Football journalist Rik Sharma and Opta's Duncan Alexander provided some further context: Of course, Neymar does not always help himself with his theatrics. Former Liverpool star John Arne Riise is tired of seeing Neymar on the floor: Many will have little sympathy for the forward because of his reputation for going down too easily, but it seems the referees in Russia are yet to strike the right balance with teams getting overly physical with an opponent's star player. Late Goals Don't Disguise Brazil's Need to Change it Up With a left flank comprised of Marcelo, Philippe Coutinho and Neymar, it's of little surprise Brazil spend much of their time attacking down that side of the pitch. The trio were effective in creating opportunities for the team, too: Their quality is undeniable, and it would be unwise of the Selecao not to make the most of them, but with Dani Alves missing on the right, there's little balance to the side. It will be clear to any side facing Brazil to concentrate their defensive efforts on the Selecao's left flank, and by repeatedly attacking down there, it makes them predictable and largely reliant on individual moments of skill. Costa showed the value of switching it up when he replaced Willian on the right at half-time, and the team consequently became much more threatening as an attacking unit. The only reason they didn't take the lead earlier was due to a combination of Navas and the woodwork: Goal enjoyed the goalkeeper's performance: Continuing to switch things up might also help Brazil defensively. Costa Rica had a gilt-edged chance to take the lead early on when they found space behind the left-sided trio: As football writer Jack Lang noted, those warning signs were present in Brazil's warm-up matches ahead of the tournament: As an attacking full-back, Marcelo always runs the risk of leaving space in behind, but by mixing things up, Brazil can ensure they're not overly reliant or vulnerable on that side. Firmino Should Start Ahead of Jesus Brazil should give Firmino the chance to start ahead of Gabriel Jesus in the next game. Jesus is an excellent player, but he has been fairly ineffectual in two matches now, and Firmino brings plenty to the table. The Liverpool player's work rate and pressing in the final third are exceptional, and he offers a great deal in terms of his link-play, too. Football writers Joel Rabinowitz and Leanne Prescott called for his introduction: Brazil improved against Switzerland following his introduction into that match, and he provided the knockdown for Coutinho's opener here—Brazil should give him a chance against Serbia to show what he can do ahead of the knockout phase. What's Next Brazil take on Serbia in their final group match on Wednesday, while Costa Rica will do the same against Switzerland, with both games kicking off at 9 p.m. local time (7 p.m. BST, 2 p.m. ET).

Send this page to someone via email Employees of the Government of Canada have been told not to go to work Monday, as a large part of Ottawa remains without power after two tornadoes struck the city and Gatineau, Que., on Friday. READ MORE: Ontario Premier Doug Ford visits Ottawa area in the wake of devastating tornadoes WATCH: Traffic disruptions expected after Ottawa tornado 0:40 ‘Please stay home’: Traffic disruptions expected after Ottawa tornado ‘Please stay home’: Traffic disruptions expected after Ottawa tornado – Sep 23, 2018 “To assist with recovery efforts, the Government of Canada has been asked to minimize commuting as well as demand on the electrical grid,” a statement read. “As a result, Government of Canada employees in the National Capital Region have been asked to stay home and work from home, if possible.” Story continues below advertisement Our offices in Ottawa and Gatineau will be closed on Monday, September 24 2018 due to the power outage. All our regional offices continue to function normally. (1/2) — Statistics Canada (@StatCan_eng) September 24, 2018 The power outages are the result of two tornadoes that wreaked havoc in the area. As of Sunday night, approximately 36,000 customers remain without power in Ottawa, while 4,000 customers in the Outaouais region, which includes Gatineau, were blacked out as well. Schools also announced they would be closed on Monday. The Ottawa Catholic School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board announced citywide closures for Monday, citing power outages and extensive damage across the city. ALERT: All #OCDSB schools, program and administrative buildings including the extended day program and infant/toddler programs will be closed tomorrow, Monday, September 24, 2018. Read more: https://t.co/FntxQJBTMU — OCDSB (@OCDSB) September 23, 2018 WATCH: Powerful storm tosses debris into Gatineau building as resident captures tornado on video 0:57 Powerful storm tosses debris into Gatineau building as resident captures tornado on video Powerful storm tosses debris into Gatineau building as resident captures tornado on video – Sep 21, 2018 Hadley Junior High School and Philemon Wright High School in Gatineau also announced they would be closed on Monday due to tornado damage. Story continues below advertisement SCHOOL CLOSURE! Due to the damage caused by the tornado on Friday the Hadley And Philemon Wright High will be closed on Monday September 24. We will communicate with you tomorrow to give you an update on the status of the school. — Hadley Jr. / Philemon Wright High School (@WQSB_HadleyPW) September 23, 2018 The tornadoes ripped through Ottawa on Friday, specifically the neighbourhood of Dunrobin, about 35 kilometres west of Ottawa’s downtown, before moving to Gatineau. The twisters brought winds reaching up to 265 kilometres per hour and destroying houses and trees in their path. At one point, more than 200,000 Hydro-Québec and Hydro Ottawa customers were without power. Two people were also admitted to hospital in critical condition as a result of the storm. On Sunday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford visited Ottawa and toured the areas most affected by the tornadoes.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Tornado aftermath: Monday's school closures, and other things you need to know Tornado aftermath: Monday's school closures, and other things you need to know Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Article content It is not business as usual in the nation’s capital Monday. As the city and region recovers from tornadoes and storms that ripped through the area Friday, federal government employees have been asked to work from home Monday, and city officials are also encouraging other workers to do the same. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Tornado aftermath: Monday's school closures, and other things you need to know Back to video All schools run by the English Ottawa Catholic School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, meanwhile, will be closed Monday. The school boards said they made the decision to close all their schools and board offices after consulting with the city’s emergency services. “The safety of our students, families, and staff, is our top priority,” the Catholic school board announced Sunday afternoon. “Given the significant number of schools that remain without power, and the continued repair work needed in our schools, we feel that this is the best way to ensure student and staff safety,” the public school board announced. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The closures also mean there would be no before- and after-school care, no extracurricular activities and no community use of schools. Child care centres at the buildings will also be closed. Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia The Catholic school board said it would post an update on its website Monday about plans for Tuesday. The public school board anticipated most schools and programs would resume operations Tuesday, but it planned to provide updates by 4 p.m. on Monday. Meanwhile the French Catholic board announced that six schools that were still without power would be shut Monday. They are: Terre-des-Jeunes, Edward Bond, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Pierre Savard, St. Kateri and Laurier-Carrière, while other other Conseil des ecoles catholique du centre-est schools were to remain open. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The French public board, Conseil des ecoles publique de l’est de l’Ontario, said only on its website that Charlotte Lemieux Public Elementary School and Omer-Deslauriers Public Secondary School would be closed Monday. Algonquin College issued a news release on Sunday evening advising students that its Ottawa campus would be “open for all regularly scheduled activity, including classes,” on Monday. However, the advisory continued, some heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in some areas may be run at less than full capacity because the college has been working from temporary power supplies. Click here for complete tornado coverage Here was what we knew as of deadline on Sunday. Other school closures Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Gatineau: Classes at Mont-Bleu Secondary School have been suspended for the week after fire on Friday damaged the school. Hadley Junior High School and Philemon Wright High School are closed Monday because of minor damage to the building and lawn from the tornado. Power situation Hydro Ottawa continued to bring communities back online, but some neighbourhoods should expect to be without power on Monday. Early Monday morning, Hydro Ottawa reported that 3,570 households remained without power, most in the Craig Henry and Arlington Woods areas, which is estimated to get power back Monday evening, according to Hydro Ottawa. The roads Getting around the city will require patience. If you don’t have to drive in the city on Monday, it’s probably best not to. If you job allows it, it would be a good day to work at home. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Road users should treat malfunctioning traffic lights as four-way stops. OC Transpo service The Trillium Line was put back into full service on Sunday after being knocked offline for part of the weekend. OC Transpo bus service could be delayed Monday because of the impact of the power outages on traffic signals. Elevators were reported out of service at Place d’Orléans, Lincoln Fields, Longfields, Westboro and Blair stations. The most up-to-date information on Transpo operations can be found online at http://www.octranspo.com/updates. Storm-damaged material and garbage There are no changes to the curbside garbage collection schedule. The city says that, if you fill your green bin, you can place organics in cardboard boxes or leaf and yard waste bags. Unless it’s for the scheduled garbage collection day, the city doesn’t want people placing trash on the curb. The city encourages homeowners with property damage to contact their insurance companies, which will guide them through the next steps and debris removal. Residents who rent should call the property owners and their renters’ insurance companies. Visiting communities severely impacted by tornadoes Don’t play storm tourist when residents are trying to clean up. Ottawa police ask that people avoid heavily damaged neighbourhoods. City crews are trying to clean up debris as hydro workers stabilize the power supply. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Toggle full screen mode Previous Gallery Image Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Photo by Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia Next Gallery Image Toggle gallery captions All 15 Photos for Gallery jwilling@postmedia.com twitter.com/JonathanWilling Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ottawa Citizen Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of Ottawa Citizen Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>Most schools in the capital region will reopen on Tuesday, after being closed Monday in the aftermath of Friday's tornadoes. All English Catholic schools will reopen according the the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB), and all but two English public schools will reopen according to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). Knoxdale Public School near Arlington Woods, and West Carleton Secondary school in Dunrobin will remained closed. All French public and Catholic board schools are also scheduled to be open Tuesday. In Gatineau, Hadley Junior and Philemon Wright High School will remain closed Tuesday. That closure may be extended. École Secondaire Mont-Bleu, where a fire broke out Friday after the storm, announced Sunday that the school would be closed between Sept. 24 and Sept. 28. Reopened schools will resume all programs and extracurricular activities as usual, including before- and after-school care programs. Buses will also be running as usual but there may be service disruptions and delays in certain areas. Parents and students are asked to check ottawaschoolbus.ca for any changes or updates.<doc-sep>

English-language schools in Ottawa will be closed Monday in the aftermath of tornadoes that hit the city on Friday evening. In an announcement posted online, the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) cited extensive damage across the city as well as continuing power outages as factors in the closures. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) also announced city-wide closures for Monday. No before- or after-school care will be available at schools and all extracurricular activities will also be cancelled. At least two schools in the Outaouais will also be closed tomorrow as cleanup from Friday's storm continues. Hadley Junior and Philemon Wright High School in Gatineau announced today that it would be closed on Monday due to tornado damage. SCHOOL CLOSURE!Due to the damage caused by the tornado on Friday the Hadley And Philemon Wright High will be closed on Monday September 24. We will communicate with you tomorrow to give you an update on the status of the school. —@WQSB_HadleyPW L'École Secondaire Mont-Bleu, where a fire broke out Friday after the storm, announced today that the school would be closed between Sept. 24 and Sept. 28. The University of Ottawa and Carleton University said classes and regular activities will be held as scheduled this week. Algonquin College will be open tomorrow for all classes and regular activities. Ottawa's French-language Catholic school board announced Sunday night that six schools would be closed Monday: Terre-des-Jeunes, Edouard-Bond, Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau, Pierre-Savard, Sainte-Kateri and Laurier-Carrière. In a letter to parents on Sunday, school administrators said most schools don't appear to be damaged but a handful were still without power. All French-language public schools will be open Monday except for Omer-Deslauriers and Charlotte-Lemieux.

Released: August 28 2018 Platform: Playstation 4 Price: $49.99 (Standard Edition) and $89.99 (Deluxe Edition) Players: 1-4 (Local and Online) Rated T for Teen Wrestling fans rejoice: There is a new Fire Pro Wrestling game in town! Fire Pro Wrestling World has finally come to PS4 after spending one year in early access on Steam. If you are a fan of the franchise you will immediately love it but as always, newcomers beware. Doing this review is extremely difficult because I am a huge fan of the franchise and I need to temper my expectations and look at the game from the perspective of someone who has never played the series. First, an introduction: The Fire Pro Wrestling series has been running for around 20 years, beginning in the PC Engine/TurboGrafx16 in the late 80’s and having entries in the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, PlayStation, Saturn, Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation 2. Of these, only two of the three Fire Pro Wrestling Advance (GBA) games and Fire Pro Wrestling Returns for PS2 have made it stateside. Too bad because back in the SNES days, when we had WWF Royal Rumble and it’s 8 moves per character, Japan had Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium, which boasted dozens of moves per character and had moonsaults, dives to the outside, reversals and all sorts of crazy stuff that us poor American gamers wouldn’t get to see until the N64 days. Fire Pro Wrestling World is more of a simulation of pro wrestling the way it’s done in Japan, than something like WWE2K series. Matches tend to be slower paced, building up to an action packed climax. Characters can strike, run, leap from the top rope, grapple, go for submissions and everything you see in real wrestling. The grappling system is timing based and very different since there is no dedicated grapple button. Instead you walk into your opponent and that initiates a grappling animation. Then you input your move and usually if you were faster than your opponent you win and execute the move. It sounds complicated but once you have a few matches under your belt it will be second nature. For fans of the series coming into World from previous games, the timing is slightly different as there is usually a longer window of time than in previous games, a concession that has been made to make the game more accessible. Each character has four types of grapples: weak, medium and strong, plus one uber move (usually the finisher) that is mapped to weak+medium buttons at the same time. Like in Japanese wrestling, you need to begin with the weakest grapples (bodyslams, snap mares, punches and chops), then the medium grapples (suplexes, sleeper holds and the like) and then the strong grapples (your powerbombs and german suplexes for example). The more time has passed and the more you have hurt your opponent, the highest the chance to nail a strong move. Sure, you might randomly get lucky and hit a Powerbomb early in the match, but the majority of the time you will be countered. There are so many moves and things you can do but the best way I can put it for non-Fire Pro gamers is this: It plays kind of like the old THQ/AKI N64 games (I think Fire Pro is even more hardcore than that) and if you are a fan of those games then this is the closest you are going to get. In addition to the multitude of attacks, you also have taunts, breathing and Ukemi. Taunts are pretty obvious and help with the match score (more on that later). Breathing is a mechanic that has always been in the Fire Pro games (and the WWE games tried to steal at one point). Basically every move you take consumes stamina and you need to take periodic breaks to breathe and recover or risks being blown up like the Ultimate Warrior late in the match. I noticed that breathing is not needed as often as it was in previous games as well. Finally, the concept of Ukemi is hard to explain even for a veteran of the series. Basically you hold a button that means “I will allow the opponent to hit me with his next move and not counter” and when you take the move you take less damage/stamina loss than normal. The main difference form any other game is that Fire Pro actually rates your matches. At the end of the match you get a rating of anywhere between 0 and 100%. In order to get the higher ratings, you need to forget about squashing your opponent like you would do in the WWE2K games and actually try to get an exciting back and forth match going. Yes, it means you will actually allow your opponent to hit you and get control sometimes to make it exciting. There is a button that automatically breaks your pinfall attempts and submissions and of course, the previously mentioned Ukemi that allows you to voluntarily take a move. Taunting before or after big moves, getting those 2.9 near falls and performing exciting moves (and not being overly repetitive) is the best way to get a high rating. Two skilled Fire Pro players having a match and “calling” the match like in real life can almost always get a high rating and put on a fun to watch match. Match types include your basic one on one and multi-man matches, a wide variety of tag team types (2 on 2, six man, eight man etc), Barbed Wire and explosive deathmatches and even UFC and K-1 style rules (yes, it’s possible to simulate MMA fights as well). You can put on tournaments of pretty much all the match types as well. New on the PS4 version is the New Japan Pro Wrestling integration and the Story Mode. NJPW wrestlers like Omega, Okada, Tanahashi, Shibata, Naito, Sabre Jr, Suzuki and more are in the game, but most of the Junior Heavyweight roster is missing and will be released in a separate DLC package later.<doc-sep>New Japan Pro-Wrestling/Getty Images Fire Pro Wrestling World officially hit store shelves for the PlayStation 4 in the United States on Tuesday, and early reviews of the game have been overwhelmingly positive. While the game was initially released last year on Steam Early Access and then for PC, the PS4 release will expose it to a more mainstream audience. Also, the PS4 version comes pre-loaded with playable characters from New Japan Pro Wrestling, including Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi and others. Here is a rundown of the most notable Fire Pro Wrestling World review scores thus far: The options in terms of professional wrestling video games are few and far between aside from the WWE 2K series, which will release WWE 2K19 in October. The Fire Pro Wrestling series dates all the way back to 1989, but it didn't receive an English translation until 2001. While the series has experienced changes since its inception, it still utilizes simplistic graphics that are a far cry from the current generation of gaming. That means Fire Pro Wrestling World may not be for everyone, but it is the perfect title for those who enjoy classic gaming and a pure pro wrestling experience. Video Play Button Videos you might like Unlike the WWE 2K series, which primarily uses a button-mashing system, the Fire Pro Wrestling World gameplay relies on timing, precision and the ability to chain moves together. That results in matches that are true to real-life form when executed properly. Other enjoyable aspects of the game include unique match types such as deathmatches, bouts that feature barbed wire and landmines, and even matches inside Octagons with MMA rules. The customization in Fire Pro Wrestling World is great as well, and it allows gamers to accurately create essentially any wrestler who has ever lived due to the attire and move set choices that are available. One of the biggest additions to Fire Pro Wrestling World in comparison to previous titles in the series is the ability to face other gamers online. For those who prefer to game on their own, Fire Pro Wrestling World has a story mode called Fighting Road mode. In Fighting Road mode, players will take their created character from the New Japan Dojo all the way to the top of the company by winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Cody Gravelle of PlayStation Lifestyle lauded the mode and noted that it's a comprehensive experience that can hold gamers' interest since it takes so long to complete. Fire Pro Wrestling World is a game for wrestling purists, and it's a quality alternative for those who are looking for something different from what the WWE 2K series has to offer. Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).<doc-sep>Fire Pro Wrestling World Released For Playstation 4 New Japan Pro Wrestling has taken their latest step in the world of digital entertainment. On Tuesday, popular PC wrestling game Fire Pro Wrestling landed on the Playstation 4 with Fire Pro Wrestling World. The game is loaded with NJPW licensed content, from belts to wrestlers to theme music. A break from the Madden-esque sports simulation mechanics of WWE’s 2K series, Fire Pro Wrestling World is an energetic, 2D throwback to games like WCW vs. The World or WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game. Were it not for the fluid animation in the game’s main menus, the game would fit flawlessly alongside early Playstation games. Gameplay can be a little difficult to figure at first. The game does not reward button mashing, and is ultimately built around proper timing. There are no health bars and no special meters, meaning a player never knows how injured their wrestler has become, and that finishers and signature moves can be spammed to the heart’s content. Once a player gets the hang of the physics, the game is an addictive time-warp (Quite literally, as the matches feature a sped up clock, meaning a player can play “hours” of matches in much less real time). Unfortunately, for fans of the Fire Pro Wrestling series, there is not much that distinguishes the game from its PC equivalent, meaning on the PS4 version can feel like a $60-$80 roster update. The PC version of Fire Pro Wrestling World has been out for around a year now, meaning the PS4 version is aimed more at first time players of the FPW series. The center of the whole game is a story mode called Fighting Road. In this mode, players create their own wrestler that is taken through the New Japan Dojo’s Young Lion system to excursion to America to superstardom in NJPW. It plays like equal parts wrestling game story mode and anime dating simulation, with plenty of NJPW wrestlers just staring at your character. It’s a fun, humorous break from WWE 2K’s repetitive corporate soap operas. Where other wrestling companies have tried to copy WWE’s approach to building video games, New Japan breaks from the pack with Fire Pro Wrestling World. By licensing their content to an already existing, and popular, wrestling game franchise, NJPW can compete with WWE without spending a disabling sum of money like TNA, ECW and plenty of other wrestling companies. In fact, ECW entering the world of video games is usually cited as one-of-many nails in ECW’s coffin, whereas licensing their intellectual property to Fire Pro Wrestling World feels like another smart step on New Japan’s long road of English language accessibility. Now you can build your dream match! Fire Pro Wrestling World is out today for North America! Please make sure to download and install the Day 1 Patch before you play. Day 1 Patch Release Notes (1.02): https://t.co/tD9hOewBuS pic.twitter.com/GwgXlaxsnA — Spike Chunsoft, Inc. (@SpikeChunsoft_e) August 28, 2018 NEXT PAGE: More Wrestlers Announced For Fighting Spirit Unleashed<doc-sep>From it’s name, you probably already know if you want to buy Fire Pro Wrestling World or not. The niche 2D wrestling series, which started way back in 1989, is back for another instalment, and for the most part it’s unchanged, as a game in touch with its roots should be. It probably won’t attract many new fans, but you get the feeling that it doesn’t really want to either. At first, Fire Pro Wrestling World can be pretty unforgiving. Other than a timer, there’s pretty much no HUD, meaning that everything from your wrestler’s stamina to their health has to be judged by visual cues. Holding L1 makes your wrestler breathe, replenishing their stamina, and while it can seem a little frustrating, the lack of hand-holding is something that you’ll come to appreciate the more you play the game. There aren’t specific buttons for specific moves such as grapples or submission moves, or even signatures and finishers: moves and the button combinations you use to activate them vary from wrestler to wrestler and are vaguely compiled under light, medium, and heavy attacks on the controller. In this regard, FPWW is much more akin to a fighting game than a mainstream wrestling one. Those used to the free 3D movement of current wrestling games are in for a shock, too. True to its retro nature, traversing the squared circle in FPWW feels a little clunky, especially when attempting to move diagonally. There’ll be a lot of times, especially in your first few hours with the game, that you’ll constantly misjudge your opponent’s position thanks to the game’s isometric perspective, missing your attacks before being laid out. Running, activated by tapping circle, is very finicky, since you can’t run diagonally unless your opponent is in the corner – and even then it’s still hard to do. Tutorials are unhelpfully hidden away in the game’s dry menus, but it’s here that you’ll learn the strategic gameplay of FPWW best. Walking up to your opponent intiaties a grapple, and the first person to hit a button as soon as you make contact wins and performs their move. Milliseconds too early or too late and you fail, making yourself open to attack. Again, it seems harsh at the start, but through repetition and practice you get used to the timing, and FPWW becomes much more fun. For every moment where a submission move lasts for a full minute and you’re simply staring at the screen in bored anticipation, there are moments when you hit a critical move, the screen lights up, and realise how exciting FPWW can be. The controls are pretty finicky at times, but it comes with the retro turf. Once you’ve got the basics mastered, the game opens up into the crazy extremes that the series has become known for. MMA-style matches are great, sure, but how about a bout in a ring filled with landmines? All sorts of combinations are possible, and combined with local multiplayer – or online, a series first – some great times can be had. Objective matches, in which you have to fulfill certain conditions in certain scenarios, are a particular highlight. The lack of licensing for many wrestling brands – except for New Japan Pro Wrestling – may be disappointing for buffs, but the selection of wrestlers is so eclectic that you won’t even care. What’s more, the game’s wrestler customisation is so deep that it borders on the ridiculous, confronting you with a wall of sliders. Want to make your wrestler a massive floating head? It might not be easy to control, but you bet we did it anyway. If the customisation is a bit too deep for you, the ability to download community creations means that you’ll never have to touch the menus. Although they’re not available to download until launch day, from what we’ve seen on the already-released PC version, players have converted everyone from Garfield to Jeremy Corbyn into wrestlers. As much as you can have fun seeing Waluigi and Randy Savage go toe-to-toe in ring surrounded by barbed wire, the main attraction in FPWW is the 'Fighting Road' story mode, in which you rise from NJPW tryout to champion of the division. It’s pretty much your average wrestling story mode fare, rising up the ranks and training your wrestler in order to increase your stats, although the visual novel-style narrative isn’t particularly interesting or fun to sit through. Still, it’s another fun way to play through the game, and the many, many hours that the mode contains makes FPWW a good-value pick for its asking price.<doc-sep>

Spike's ring rocker is still Too Sweet There's a very simple reason why so many modern pro-wrestling games are bad. Pro-wrestling is not a legitimate competitive fight, it's two or more people working together to put on an incredible, breath-taking performance. Wrestlers work within slight nuances of pace, timing and storytelling. The psychological skill of knowing when to kick it in and when to cool it down is just as important as the memorable characters and jaw-dropping moves. But in a video game, you're working against each other, because you're both trying to win. That's all well and good for FIFA, Madden, or even Street Fighter. But you can't accurately capture the speed intensity and atmosphere of modern pro-wrestling in a complex, realistic sim. That's why when Adam Cole (Bay Bay) and Ricochet have a ladder match in NXT, it's a breathless thing of beauty, but if you had the same match in a WWE 2K title, it'd be a boring, clumsy clusterfuck. The more "realistic" the genre gets, the worse it gets. Fire Pro Wrestling is a long-running series that strips wrestling sims back to basics, while featuring deep gameplay mechanics and so many customisation options that it becomes less a competitive wrestling title, and more of a sandbox wrestling title. Fire Pro isn't attempting to perfectly recreate Sports Entertainment "like on TV", it's instead trying to encourage players to create their own memorable moments within the confines of the squared circle. Fire Pro Wrestling World (PS4 [reviewed], PC) Developer: Spike Chunsoft Publisher: Spike Chunsoft Released: December 2017 (PC) August 28 (U.S. PS4) September 28 (Europe PS4) MSRP: $49.99 (PS4) $29.99 (PC) It's taken some time for Fire Pro Wrestling World to make the leap from Steam Early Access to PS4. Over a year, in fact. The game's core mechanics remain mostly unchanged from the PC release which, to be fair, remain mostly unchanged from the PS2, Sega Saturn and Super Famicom entries. You move your chosen wrestler with the thumbstick, the face buttons represent Weak, Medium, Heavy and Run. One shoulder button allows you to catch your breath, another pins the opponent, and that's it. Because that's all you need. Fire Pro avoids button-mashing altogether, basing its rumbles on spacing and ring-savvy. Strikes are a matter of distancing, while grapples are based on timing. There are no visible health or stamina meters, and you can't just open your match with a Canadian Destroyer (sorry, indie kids). Players work through their moveset, from weakest to strongest, in order to score the eventual pinfall or have the opponent cry uncle. Fire Pro is about precision, pacing and reading the match. Anyone smacking buttons will be left looking at the lights like a mid-'90s jobber. Obviously, everything comes with experience. Although Fire Pro World isn't a game you can just launch into, beginners will have the basics down after only a couple of sessions. With a little practice - plus the game's so-so tutorial modes - you'll be putting on Bret vs. Austin in no time. Most importantly, it's this simple-yet-mature approach to control that makes Fire Pro matches flow - and feel - like genuine pro-wrestling showdowns. A part of the licensing deal struck with legendary promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling, "Wrestler's Road" is a new mode that sees you take your custom-made trainee on a journey to capture the coveted IWGP title. Players guide their ham 'n' egger from tryouts to the big time, with a visual novel approach to storytelling and an RPG-style stat system. It's great to see such a star-studded addition arrive in the series, but it's a little dry, and I just wanted to get back to having varied exhibition matches. The core of Fire Pro, however, lies in its deep sandbox elements. You can have up to eight wrestlers fighting it out in singles, tags, battle royales, cage, hardcore and death matches. FPW even has its own built-in MMA mode, amusingly known as "Gruesome Fighting". Brock and Ronda fans should be stoked. This isn't to mention the famously deep customisation options, allowing you to create essentially any pro-wrestler who has ever stepped into the ring, along with a host of pop-culture, anime and video game icons who haven't. You can also customise rings, referees, entrances and title belts. The new "Fire Promoter" mode allows you to build and run your own federation, putting Roman Reigns in every main event and jobbing out Asuka because she was getting too popular.

With the U.S. government in the throes of the longest shutdown of any kind in American history, politics in Washington have become even more acrimonious than usual. In the latest drama, Republican President Donald Trump informed Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Representative from California who is presently Speaker of the House, at almost the very last moment that a U.S. military aircraft will no longer be available to take her on a planned trip to Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia. Trump alerted Pelosi to the decision in a brief letter on Jan. 17, 2019, delivered on the same day she and her delegation were scheduled to leave to meet with NATO officials in Belgium and U.S. military forces in Egypt and Afghanistan. In fact, members of her delegation were on a bus heading to an air force base right outside of Washington, D.C. when they found out. Though the President does not refer to it specifically in his message, the missive is clearly a direct response to a letter from the Speaker the day before, in which she had effectively disinvited him from the Capitol to give a State of the Union address at the end of the month. Both of these letters cite the shutdown as the primary reason behind their respective cancelations. The full text of Trump's letter is as follows: Due to the Shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan, has been postponed. We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over. In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate. I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the Shutdown. Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would be your prerogative. I look forward to seeing you soon and even more forward to watching our open and dangerous Southern Border finally receive the attention, funding, and security it so desperately deserves! As this drama was playing out, plane spotters online watched as a C-32A bearing a callsign associated with First Lady Melania Trump took off from Andrews Air Force Base right outside of Washington, D.C. and began flying an otherwise typical route to Southern Florida. Throughout his presidency, Trump and his family have made regular trips to his resort at Mar-a-Lago, costing taxpayers millions and stretching security resources thin. The shutdown has been going on since Dec. 22, 2018, after Trump informed the leadership of his own party in Congress that he would not sign any funding bill that did not include additional money for a new border wall. Republicans and Democrats had looked set to pass a bipartisan deal that did not include the wall funding. In January 2019, the Democrats took control of the House of Representatives and have since reiterated their intent to reject any new measure that gives extra funds for the wall and border security enhancements beyond the $1.6 billion they had previously agreed to. Though it seemed to be a political decision in part, in her letter regarding the State of the Union address, Pelosi had rightly cited how demanding such an event is on the Secret Service and other federal security services, some of which are now working without pay due to the shutdown. A State of the Union address involves putting the President, the Vice President, both chambers of Congress, and a host of other officials, dignitaries, and private citizens all under the same roof, which presents massive security concerns, especially for a government that is not running at full capacity. Trump's citing of the shutdown in his own retaliatory decision is spurious, since the U.S. military is presently fully funded. U.S. military aircraft have performed dozens of so-called Special Air Missions shuttling high-level government officials around since the shutdown began, including Melania's latest trip to Florida. A spokesperson for Pelosi specifically highlighted that that the President had flown to Iraq during the shutdown, as did a delegation led by Representative Lee Zeldin, a Republican from New York. On Jan. 17, 2019, Trump did cancel plans for a delegation to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland later this month, which would have used military airlift to get there. The exact chain of events leading up to the cancelation of Pelosi's trip are somewhat muddy. It appears, on the most basic level, that Trump simply ordered the U.S. military to withhold the airlift support in his capacity as Command in Chief. The Office of the Secretary of Defense had originally tasked the Air Force's 89th Airlift Wing, the U.S. military's premier VIP air transport unit, which is situated right outside of Washington, D.C., to fly Pelosi to her destinations, according to Military Times. "The tasking has been turned off," an unnamed defense official told that outlet, confirming that there were aircraft otherwise available for the trip. Despite Trump's letter, that individual did not specify whether the order had come from the White House originally. Another anonymous senior administration official later confirmed this was the case, but insisted that the decision was part of a broader decision to ban congressional delegations from using military aircraft going forward until the end of the shutdown, according to ABC News. The timing seems particularly suspect for this to have been a more general decision. Especially considering that members of Pelosi's delegation were on a bus bound to Andrews when they found out the trip had gotten canceled. Of course, Trump has no legal authority to restrict Pelosi's personal movement or to prevent her from traveling to fulfill her Congressional duties. As he notes in his own letter, she is more than welcome to fly commercially to any of the destinations in question. But this might not be an option for the Speaker for security reasons.<doc-sep>First lady Melania Trump flew to Florida on a US military jet on Thursday hours after President Donald Trump told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi he was canceling her military flight because of the government shutdown, NBC News reported. The president said in a letter to Pelosi that he was postponing her trip to Afghanistan "in light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay." NBC News said Melania Trump flew from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. No federal workers have received paychecks since the partial government shutdown started on December 22. First lady Melania Trump chartered a military plane to Florida on the same day President Donald Trump said he was canceling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip because of the government shutdown, NBC News reported. On Thursday, the 27th day of the government shutdown, Melania Trump flew to the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on an Air Force jet, NBC News said. President Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the 9/11 observance at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, in 2017. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Earlier Thursday, Donald Trump told Pelosi he was postponing her trip to Afghanistan "in light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay." The president said it would be better if Pelosi stayed in Washington to negotiate an end to the shutdown with him and join "the Strong Border Security movement." He told Pelosi she was welcome to pay for commercial flights instead. The Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Read more: Melania Trump says she may be the 'most bullied person in the world' A spokesman for Pelosi, Drew Hammill, rebuked the president's letter in a statement. "In Brussels, the delegation was scheduled to meet with top NATO commanders, U.S. military leaders and key allies — to affirm the United States' ironclad commitment to the NATO alliance," Hammill said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Susan Walsh/AP On Wednesday, Pelosi wrote to the president imploring him to delay his State of the Union address on January 29 or submit it in writing because of "security concerns" caused by the shutdown. In her letter, Pelosi said the US Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security lacked the appropriate funding to carry out their duties. The cancelation of the trip appeared to be a direct response to Pelosi's letter. The shutdown is a result of the president's request for $5.7 billion from Congress for a border wall. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images The government shutdown is the longest in US history. No federal workers have been paid since it started on December 22. The shutdown hinges on the president's request for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. He is facing opposition from Democrats, who think a wall would not be a viable solution to immigration issues in the US and have refused to provide the funding. NBC News said the flight-tracking website CivMilAir tracked the first lady's flight to Florida:<doc-sep>First lady Melania Trump appeared to have flown on a government jet to Florida Thursday, hours after President Donald Trump issued a letter postponing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Afghanistan and Brussels, and stating she could make her journey "by flying commercial." The first lady made her way to Joint Base Andrews to take a military aircraft to Florida, NBC News reported, citing a law enforcement source. She is expected to spend the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend at the Trumps' Mar-a-Lago resort. President Trump will reportedly stay in Washington, as the government shutdown continues. Melania Trump's flight to Palm Beach had been scheduled ahead of time, according to CNN. EXEC1F, the call sign for an aircraft with the first lady on board, was issued Thursday late afternoon. OH BOY … EXEC1F is the call sign for an airplane when the first lady is on board. https://t.co/kR3uVPWTNO — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 17, 2019 Politico Playbook co-author Jake Sherman tweeted that he was listening to air traffic control and that EXEC1F "appears to be headed to Palm Beach," where Mar-a-Lago is located. Melania Trump's spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, did not respond to Newsweek's requests for comment on Thursday and Friday. In a letter to Pelosi earlier on Thursday, Trump wrote, "Due to the shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt and Afghanistan has been postponed. We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the shutdown is over. "Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative," the president added. Trump said that postponing "this public relations event is totally appropriate," given 800,000 American workers are not being paid during the shutdown. "I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the shutdown," he said. His letter to Pelosi has been interpreted by many observers as a rebuke to Pelosi's Wednesday letter, which suggested his State of the Union address scheduled for January 29 should be postponed because of "security concerns and unless government re-opens this week." The president has stayed in the White House through most of the shutdown, even during the holidays, when he traditionally goes to Mar-a-Lago. While most of the Trump family was at the resort over the holidays, Melania Trump left to join her husband at the White House for Christmas. Pelosi was scheduled to visit American troops in Afghanistan and NATO commanders in Brussels over the next few days. The president has, for the time being, canceled all congressional delegations abroad that would have used federally funded military planes, a White House official told NBC.<doc-sep>President Trump on Thursday abruptly denied military aircraft to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a foreign trip just minutes before the congressional delegation was set to depart, in a stunning decision that followed her call to delay the State of the Union address amid the government shutdown. In a curt letter, Trump said her trip has been “postponed.” “Due to the Shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan has been postponed. We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over. In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate,” Trump wrote. CLICK HERE TO READ TRUMP'S LETTER TO PELOSI “I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the Shutdown. Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative.” Asked if lawmakers might still be able to find another way to travel overseas, a senior congressional official told Fox News Thursday evening only, "I don't know." According to sources, the president pulled the plug on Pelosi's aircraft as she was about to leave for her overseas trip. Her congressional delegation's military aircraft was slated to depart at 3 p.m. ET. A senior White House official also told Fox News that all congressional delegation travel by military aircraft is now postponed. SHUTDOWN STANDOFF: PELOSI RENEWS CALL TO DELAY STATE OF THE UNION, TRUMP SAYS DEMS 'HIJACKED' BY 'FRINGE' An official said that “as soon as the president found out about the trip today, he took immediate action.” A source told Fox News that when moving to cancel Thursday's flight, the White House reasoned that the trip would keep Pelosi out of the country beyond next Tuesday night—when the next government pay period would occur. "If she had gone on this trip she would have guaranteed that 800,000 federal workers would not receive their second paycheck because she would not have been here to negotiate any kind of deal," a senior White House official said Thursday. But Pelosi's office fired back, with spokesman Drew Hammill saying the purpose was to meet with allies and "express appreciation & thanks to our men & women in uniform for their service & dedication" -- while noting there was no planned stop in Egypt. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., called the move "petty" and "small." "It is unbecoming of the president of the United States. But it is unfortunately a daily occurrence," he said. Republicans had a split response over the president's decision. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said it was "completely appropriate." Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called it "inappropriate." "One sophomoric response does not deserve another. Speaker Pelosi’s threat to cancel the State of the Union is very irresponsible and blatantly political," he tweeted. The president's move to cancel Pelosi's trip came after the House speaker's request to delay his annual State of the Union address -- though one White House official claimed the aircraft decision was not a "response" to Pelosi's letter. The president has been slated to deliver his message to a Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 29, yet Pelosi on Wednesday urged the president to delay his delivery until the government re-opens, or deliver the address in writing. The speaker stood by that call earlier Thursday. “The date of the State of the Union is not a sacred date. It’s not constitutionally required. It’s not the president’s birthday. It’s just a date we agreed to,” Pelosi told reporters during a press conference on Capitol Hill Thursday. “That’s why I said to the president, if you don’t open up government, let’s discuss a mutually agreeable date.” PELOSI TAKES HEAT FOR BID TO DELAY STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS She added: “It could be a week later—if the government is reopened.” For more than 24 hours, Trump did not respond to Pelosi's request, even as fellow Republicans condemned her push for delay. Congressional lawmakers, meanwhile, were left sitting on a bus waiting to see if they could depart. They included House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y. Fox News is told Capitol Hill security officials got an emergency call from the Pentagon canceling the overseas trip due to the shutdown. Amid mounting confusion, Fox News is told there were furious calls going back and forth among Capitol Hill, State, Pentagon and White House offices. The bus later returned to the Capitol, where members filed back into the building. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP When asked for additional context about the congressional delegation and the apparent trip delay, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders reiterated that Pelosi could fly commercial: "The Department of Defense has to approve military air travel. As he made clear in the letter she can still go, she just has to travel commercial." The rhetoric continues to show both sides of the standoff refusing to step off their positions that triggered the funding lapse shortly before the holidays last month. Trump wants nearly $6 billion for a border wall, while Pelosi and fellow Democrats have described such a project as immoral. The two sides have been unable to strike a deal that both bridges their differences and re-opens a slew of shuttered agencies. The shutdown, which is now the longest in U.S. history, has left more than 800,000 federal workers and contractors without pay. Some federal employees have been deemed essential to government function and are required to work without pay. Others have been furloughed, but still are left unpaid. Fox News' Jennifer Bowman and Sarah Tobianski contributed to this report.<doc-sep>

President Donald Trump reaches back for first lady Melania Trump as they board Air Force One upon departure from West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., March 3, 2018. The first lady is expected to be in Florida for the holiday weekend at her family's private Mar-a-Lago resort, according to NBC, which reported that the president is set to stay in Washington. While Pelosi was practically grounded by Trump's actions, the president's wife headed to Joint Base Andrews for her own trip on a military aircraft, NBC said. President Trump cited the ongoing government shutdown as his reason for postponing Pelosi's travel plans, shortly before she and her team were scheduled to depart on a military plane. First Lady Melania Trump flew to Florida on a government jet Thursday for a weekend vacation, hours after President Donald Trump dramatically postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip with other members of Congress to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan, NBC confirmed, citing a law enforcement source. An Air Force bus intended to be used by members of Congress sits outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. CNN said the flight to Palm Beach was previously scheduled. The flight was officially designated EXEC1F, a call-sign known to be used when members of a president's family are aboard a military plane. The jet was a Boeing C32-A, which is the same kind of plane used to transport the president, the first lady, the vice president and the secretary of state. Tweet Neither the first lady's spokeswoman nor the White House responded to requests for comment from CNBC. Tweet President Trump's abrupt move to postpone Pelosi's travel overseas came a day after the California Democrat urged Trump in a letter to either reschedule his upcoming State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress or deliver it in writing. Pelosi cited potential security concerns related to the partial shutdown. She was scheduled with other members to visit NATO commanders in Brussels and troops in Afghanistan over the next several days. Pelosi and several other members of Congress were about to depart the Capitol on a bus to drive to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to fly to Europe when the White House announced the postponement. A White House official told NBC News that all congressional delegations overseas that would have used federally funded military aircraft have been grounded by Trump until the shutdown ends. Late Thursday, the White House also canceled its delegation's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week. It had originally planned on sending a five-person delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. "We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over," Trump wrote in in his letter to Pelosi. "Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative." Trump's letter, which was made public in a tweet by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, did not mention Pelosi's call for him to postpone the State of the Union address, which the president has not otherwise commented on. But his letter was seen as a retaliation for her suggestion. A White House official said Trump "took immediate action" on Thursday after learning Pelosi was planning to take the trip. Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, in a series of tweets, wrote that the congressional delegation's trip to Afghanistan included a required stop in Brussels for pilot rest. "In Brussels, the delegation was scheduled to meet with top NATO commanders, U.S. military leaders and key allies – to affirm the United States' ironclad commitment to the NATO alliance," Hammill wrote. He added that the weekend trip to Afghanistan did not include a stop in Egypt, as Trump had suggested in his letter.

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 15: Jerry West and Steve Ballmer of the LA Clippers talk before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at STAPLES Center on November 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) So Your Favorite Team Just Turned Over A Third of Their Roster– Now What? by Matt Chong After a very eventful trade deadline, the LA Clippers look very different. We look at some of the directions they could take in the offseason. It’s done. After a frenzied final day and a half of trading season, the LA Clippers emerge looking totally different. Departures: Tobias Harris (traded), Boban Marjanovic (traded), Mike Scott (traded) – those three in the same trade – Avery Bradley (traded), Mike Muscala (recently acquired, then traded), Marcin Gortat (waived), Milos Teodosic (waived). Arrivals: Wilson Chandler, Landry Shamet (see the rookie’s outlook here), JaMychal Green, Garrett Temple, Michael Beasley (soon to be waived), Ivica Zubac. In addition, the Clippers set themselves up with two more first round picks and two more second round picks. They have many options this offseason, and for the Clips’ front office, the world truly is their oyster. The following players have contracts past this offseason for the Clippers: Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jerome Robinson, Landry Shamet, Sindarius Thornwell (non-guaranteed) and Tyrone Wallace (non-guaranteed). Average age: 25.25. Six of those eight are 25 years old or younger. If they move Gallinari, the highest paid player is Sweet Lou at $8 million. Saying the Clippers have flexibility this summer is an understatement; the Clippers could go on America’s Got Talent as a contortionist. So what can the Clippers do with all that space and all those assets? It’s all going to start with Anthony Davis. It’s been reported that Anthony Davis has named the Clippers as a team he would prefer to be traded to, among others. Anthony Davis has the Knicks on equal footing with the Lakers in terms of teams he is interested in signing with long-term, @NYTSports has learned. The Clippers and Bucks also remain preferred destinations on his list — Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 7, 2019 In the offseason, the Celtics will be able to throw the arsenal into a Davis trade; it’s uncertain, however, if Davis would re-sign there, which could temper any offer Boston sends. That said, the Celtics have a trove of assets to offer, with a package that one assumes would have to be centered around Jayson Tatum. And we’re all aware of the Lakers’ offer of basically the entire young core plus several picks. Could the Clippers make an offer that rivals those? It’s uncertain if they could (or if they would be willing to), but surely they will at least kick the tires on Anthony Davis. If Davis lowers his value to Boston by continuing to refuse to re-sign, and if the Pelicans don’t want to play ball with the Lakers, the Clips could be an attractive destination for the All-NBA big man. Ryan Snellings discussed what the Clips could offer for AD here. If Davis does come to LA to be a Clipper, there will still be plenty of cap space to build a team around him. A Kawhi Leonard signing would be very possible, and suddenly the Clips could be the scariest two-way team in the league. A defense of Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis would terrorize offenses, and the offense would sail along nicely with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet as support pieces. On the other hand, if Davis is traded elsewhere, the Clippers can be major players in free agency. If the Clippers retain Danilo Gallinari and renounce rights on all their free agents, they’ll have $59.6 million in space (per Spotrac). Could they find a bad team to take Gallinari’s contract at the price of the 76ers first round pick? The Hawks, for example, won’t be competing in 2019-20, and could take on Gallinari. It’s uncertain, but if so, they’d be playing with around $80 million. If they had handshake agreements with free agents and needed the space, they could send Lou Williams away for a second round pick for an additional $8 million. It would be very difficult to reach 3 max-level contract space, but they could certainly have the space to sign two max players (*cough cough* Kawhi and KD *cough cough*) and another good piece. Julius Randle is an unrestricted free agent this year. Depending on how much he’ll be offered, a quasi-small-ball, super switchable lineup of SGA/Shamet/Kawhi/KD/Randle sounds very fun. Nikola Vucevic could also be a target here for that not-quite-max spot. The Clippers have a good shot at Kawhi, but our chances at KD are a bit tougher to pinpoint. If he doesn’t come to LA, there are other free agents out there that the front office could be interested in. Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker, Khris Middleton and Kyrie Irving will all hit the market and will likely command max contracts. The Clippers could get involved with any of these, although Kemba and Kyrie are probably less likely given the Clips young trio of guards. Another option would be to sign Kawhi Leonard and then use the rest of the space to pick up complementary pieces. Today’s NBA seems to require at least two superstars to compete, but if the Clippers see SGA as that second piece to Kawhi, they could pick up some super role players and depth. Players like Tyreke Evans, Ricky Rubio, Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle, Brook Lopez and others could help fill out the starting lineup and bench with serious talent, without commanding max level contracts. One last item to point out is the Clippers’ own free agents. Zubac, Green, Chandler, Beverley and Mbah a Moute are all available to be brought back. Clippers fans should especially keep their eyes on Zubac.<doc-sep>UPDATE: After completing another 2-for-1 trade (Mike Muscala for Michael Beasley and Ivica Zubac), the Clippers had to let go of another player. This time, logically, Milos Teodosic is finally on his way out. Milos Teodosic is being waived by the LA Clippers, league sources tell Eurohoops (via @nikosvarlas) — Eurohoops.net (@Eurohoopsnet) February 7, 2019 Teodosic has been linked to returning to Europe throughout the season; whether that happens now is unclear. However, the Clippers will be without his services for the rest of the year. They still have a glut of guards, including their three rookies: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jerome Robinson, and Landry Shamet. —- The Clippers waived Marcin Gortat today, as reported by Gortat himself (somewhat cryptically) and then later confirmed by Shams Charania of The Athletic. It was great ride! — Marcin Gortat (@MGortat) February 7, 2019 After completing a trade with the Grizzlies earlier today that sent out Avery Bradley for JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple, LA was one player over the maximum roster limit of 15. It seemed perhaps most likely that Milos Teodosic would be the odd man out, as Teodosic has not played in 25 games and isn’t even traveling with the team. However, the axe fell on Gortat, who was in his first year with the Clippers after being acquired in an offseason trade for Austin Rivers. He began the season as LA’s starting center, but saw his minutes decline as the Clippers found more minutes for Boban Marjanovic, Montrezl Harrell, and eventually Johnathan Motley. Gortat ends his Clipper tenure having averaged 5.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game. Teammates consistently lauded his screen-setting, and the young bigs — Motley in particular — complimented Gortat’s veteran leadership for helping them acclimate to the NBA. The 12-year NBA veteran will likely try to find a new home after the trade deadline, as first reported by Yahoo!’s Chris Haynes.<doc-sep>Anthony Davis wants to leave New Orleans Pelicans FREE now and never miss the top F1 stories again SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top F1 stories again When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. That is according to local publication Los Angeles Times, who believe a recent deal has opened up a glorious opportunity. The Clippers completed a surprise trade with Philadelphia 76ers earlier this week. Tobias Harris was joined by two other players in leaving the Staples Center. In return, the Lakers acquired three first-round picks and a group of players, which most notably includes Landry Shamet. The brave deal means the playoff chasing Clippers, without Harris, now face a difficult ask to make the playoffs. But it has opened up a large chunk of salary cap which could allow the acquisition of two superstars. And the Clippers' hierarchy are being touted to make a move for Davis, who handed in a trade request last week. On top of that, the centre’s agent, Rich Paul, also handed in a four-team list of potential destinations for his client. The Lakers have seen six offers for the centre rejected And the Clippers were included, alongside the Lakers, New York Kicks and Milwaukee Bucks. The trade deadline slams shut at 8pm (GMT) on Thursday so all deals must be concluded by then or else they will have to wait until the summer. It is thought the Pelicans are keen on seeing this window out without any more departures so that Boston Celtics can enter the bidding in July. However, Davis is growing increasingly frustrated as his side continue to languish near the foot of the Western Conference. Could the Clippers steal Anthony Davis from their rivals?<doc-sep>Brian Windhorst praises the Lakers for acquiring Mike Muscala from the Clippers and it provides space to get a player on the buyout market. (1:13) The LA Clippers traded center Mike Muscala to the Los Angeles Lakers for forward Michael Beasley and center Ivica Zubac, it was announced Thursday. Muscala, who was traded from Philadelphia to the Clippers on Wednesday as part of a deal that sent Tobias Harris to the Sixers, is averaging over seven points and four rebounds a game this season. Beasley, who missed nearly all of December while tending to his ailing mother, is averaging seven points a game in 26 games. Zubac is averaging career highs in points (8.5) and rebounds (4.9) in 33 games.<doc-sep>

The LA Clippers made plenty of moves ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, and the depth chart saw a major shakeup. Here’s an updated look at the squad. The LA Clippers came into the week with a big question mark attached to them — would they be buyers? Sellers? Do nothing? Nobody really seemed to know for sure. But once Wednesday morning came around, the direction became clear — the Clippers were going to do whatever it took to get into the best position to land as many max-level free agents as possible, regardless of the cost. The first domino fell that morning, when the Clippers dealt Tobias Harris to the Phildelphia 76ers. The move was largely unexpected, even among the players, and it set the tone for one of the busiest deadlines in recent memory. Before too long, Avery Bradley, Mike Muscala, Marcin Gortat and Milos Teodosic were all gone. Some went by way of trade, while others had to be cut to make room for the new players coming in. Whether it was intentional or not, one could argue that the Clippers actually improved their all-around depth, despite shipping out a group of players that was averaging nearly 60 points per game. And even though the Clippers could easily call it quits on the season and collect their lottery pick come June, it doesn’t appear that they’ll bow out just yet. On Thursday, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported that Doc Rivers said the Clippers will still try to make the playoffs, and that their potential lottery pick isn’t a concern. With all the new additions, the Clippers certainly still have a shot at the playoffs. They have one of the easiest schedules left in the NBA, after all. It will still be an uphill battle, though. The Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers are both vying for the same spot, and it’s likely that only one of those three teams makes the cut. Without digressing too much from the current situation, here’s an updated look at LA’s projected post-deadline depth chart. (Keep in mind that the order of the players isn’t necessarily the order in which they’ll play — plenty of them can and will play multiple positions. In addition, Michael Beasley won’t be included on this list, as he’s expected to be waived and likely won’t play for the LA Clippers.)

An update will go live for Pokémon Go users this week, Niantic announced. The update is one of the game’s biggest ever, adding features that many current and former players have anticipated since Pokémon Go’s 2016 launch: trading and a friends list. Making friends in Pokémon Go Friendship in Pokémon Go comes with special bonuses, according to Niantic. The social feature will encourage players to exchange six-letter, personalized Trainer Codes (think Nintendo’s Friend Code system) in order to add each other to their list of friends. Once a friend request has been accepted, trainers then can check out their friends’ stats in the main profile screen, including what their most recent in-game activity was. From there, players have the option to send each other gifts online. These new items will be found at PokéStops or gyms and can only be used for sharing with friends. The cool part is that these can include helpful items, but also exclusive Pokémon Eggs — a new, yellow Egg that requires players to walk seven kilometers to hatch. Once it does, they’ll receive an exclusive, Egg-only Alolan form of a classic Pokémon. All of this is important, but the most significant thing about the Friends feature is the Friendship Level. When players befriend each other, they start out essentially as acquaintances. The more they interact, however, the higher their Friendship Level comes. Battling a Gym or in a Raid together (a local-only feature) adds to that gauge, as does giving presents to one another or trading Pokémon (more on that in a second). The four tiers are Good Friend, Great Friend, Ultra Friend and Best Friend, with each granting additional bonuses. Battling a Gym with an Ultra Friend throws in a higher attack bonus than you’d get fighting with a Good Friend, for example. You’ll also get trading benefits and access to a unique version of Pokémon trading as you become better friends with someone. Trading Pokémon in Pokémon Go Friendship is a crucial addition to the game, but trading feels like an essential one. It’s certainly a long time coming; Niantic first teased that it would allow players to swap monsters in Pokémon Go in the game’s debut trailer. Since then, CEO John Hanke and others have continued to promise that trading was still on its way. The first thing to know about the trading function is that, in its first incarnation, it only works locally. Players cannot exchange Pokémon online; they must be physically near each other in order to initiate a trade. They must also have reached level 10 in-game to gain access to the feature. Once those boxes are checked, however, anything goes. There are no limitations on which Pokémon players can send to each other, pending approval from their trading partner. There is one extra step, however, and that’s the stardust required to complete each trade. Depending on your Friendship level, trades will cost more or less stardust; Best Friends may only have to spend 40,000 of the item while those who have just met may have to spend a million. Where it really helps to have close friends is with Special Trades. These trades are only available to Great Friends and above, and they’re the only way to exchange the following: Legendary Pokémon, shiny Pokémon and Pokémon you’ve yet to log in your Pokédex (like regional exclusives). Special Trades come with an inherently high stardust cost, but that will also go down as your Friendship level goes up. As for the trading process itself, it looks a lot like trading in the mainline games. Your Pokémon face each other on special screen, and you watch them transfer over from your phone to your friend’s. You then greet the Pokémon and can even change its nickname. A quirk of note is that trading randomizes the stats of the Pokémon, with higher Friendship levels increasing the likelihood that your new Pokémon will retain any of the high-powered stats it had under its previous ownership. What’s still to come “Trading definitely changed a lot [from its original design], and we have to take a lot of safety considerations for players and also the safety for the game value,” Kirsten Koa, lead software engineer on the social features update, told a small group of gathered press during E3 2018. “We don’t want to devalue their effort by making trading so easy to complete your Pokédex.” This is the philosophy behind restricting Pokémon trading to in person-only. Don’t expect remote trading any time soon, Koa told us; it’s against the point of the Pokémon Go experience. For Koa and the Niantic team, these updates are all about increasing the social element of the mobile game, which remains a key part of the game’s roadmap. “We wanted to make sure we got things right” The Friends feature is also something we should expect Niantic to continue toying with. The cap on Friends will start at 200, but that number may increase in later version updates. The hope is that players meet at events like Pokémon Go Fest, swap Trainer Codes (however unwieldy) and start gifting. It’s a bit tougher to maximize the benefits of a strong Pokémon Go friendship with people who live farther away, but perhaps that’s why events like Community Days and Go Fest just keep gaining ground. “[I grew up] playing a ton of Pokémon games and watching the anime and collecting and trading the Pokémon, cards with my sisters and friends at school,” Koa said of her experience designing the update. “Friends and trading is a really important aspect of the Pokémon franchise, so leading the implementation has been one of the most exciting but stressful points of my career. “We wanted to make sure that we got things right.” Expect friends and trades to arrive by the end of this week — meaning players should be acclimated by July’s Go Fest, where they’ll be sure to make even more friendships and trades. Update: Pokémon Go’s trading feature is now live in-game and available to all players level 10 and up. Players must also be at least 13 years old in order to participate.<doc-sep>Boosting your Pokemon Go Friends level comes with a lot of benefits When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks The Pokemon Go Friends feature is now live for many Trainers, allowing them to boost their levels and start Trading. How to add friends on Pokemon Go is one of a number of new options available to those players who have reached Level 30. Niantic have confirmed that this level requirement will be dropped down to ten in the future, so fans shouldn't worry if they haven't got access yet. Adding people to your friends list will make it possible to trade Pokemon and share gifts, something not available to trainers who are strangers. HOW TO ADD FRIENDS ON POKEMON GO To add a friend on Pokemon Go, you will first need their Trainer Code, which can be found in the Friends tab of the app. This will make it possible to avoid loads of strangers adding you and will also make it a little safer for younger players. It should also be noted that Trainers who require parental approval and registration through the Pokémon Trainer Club to play Pokémon Go will be unable to trade with other Trainers in the game. It’s unclear at this time if this will also ban sharing gifts in-game. When you get the Trainer Code from your friend, you will need to head over to your profile, click on the Friends tab and choose the option “Add Friend”.<doc-sep>Pokemon Go players at level 30 can access the new Friends features When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. UPDATE ONE: The development team have now confirmed that they have dropped the level needed to use the new Pokemon Go Friends feature. When first launched, the new options were only available to players at level 40. This has now dropped to Pokemon Go level 30 players and is likely to drop further during the course of the day. "Attention! Friends, gifting, and trading are now live for those level 30 to 40 Trainers! Stay tuned as we will be gradually rolling out these features to other levels soon," Niantic explains in their latest message. A gradual rollout of the new feature was probably chosen to protect the servers from any kind of player surge, as well as to make sure everything was working correctly. ORIGINAL: Niantic confirmed they were rolling out their newest features this week, and it appears that process has begun. It’s being confirmed by Level 40 Pokemon Go players that they have now received the new Friends and Trading features. This is something that has been done in the past and is a way for the company to test if everything is working okay. POKEMON GO ADD FRIENDS LIST FEATURE If the servers hold and there are no adverse effects, other Pokemon Go players can expect the rollout to begin very soon. Today seems the most likely time for everything to arrive, although there’s the chance Niantic may make it more gradual. The first signs that things were beginning to move for the new update came when Niantic forced players to update on Android and iOS.<doc-sep>The new Pokemon Go update has rolled out with the Friends feature included When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks Having announced their latest list of features for Pokemon Go, it looks like Niantic will be making the big release very soon. Trainers have already seen their PoGo apps receive updates, which suggests the new mechanics could be switched on any day now. But before that happens, we’ve been learning more about how the new Pokemon Go Friends list will work. This new mechanic will allow players to add their fellow players to their accounts by using Trainer Codes. This new system will also have several levels, ranging from: Good, Great, Ultra and finally best friends. These all come with varying rewards, with the best bonuses available through being best friends. You can boost your friendship levels once every day, which can be done through Trading Pokemon, performing Raids and providing gifts.<doc-sep>

Niantic finally has fulfilled its long-held promise, and right before Pokemon Go Fest too. You can now trade Pokemon with your friends in Pokemon Go. But there's a catch--you have to be highly leveled to access the feature. [Update: The friends feature is now available to everyone, while you only need to have reached level 10 in order to begin trading.] It's unclear how many players will eventually be able to use the trading feature, but for now, it's only accessible by players that are level 30 to 40. The Pokemon Go Twitter has been steadily updating the levels this is available for, so other players may be able to get their hands on the feature too. For right now, we're unsure where what the level range will be; as it changes, we'll update this story. Attention! Friends, gifting, and trading are now live for those level 30 to 40 Trainers! Stay tuned as we will be gradually rolling out these features to other levels soon. pic.twitter.com/iHGsqrUMYM — Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) June 21, 2018 For two long years, Pokemon Go players have been waiting for the trading feature. It operates hand in hand with the new friends feature. Like the majority of Nintendo's systems, Pokemon Go's friends system will require friend codes, and there are different levels of friendship too. The friendship levels have a lot to do with the balance of the trading system. The trading feature itself isn't meant to be easy. Each trade with a friend will cost you both an equal amount of stardust. Stardust is earned by playing the game: hatching eggs, catching new Pokemon, and more. Since the game's launch, stardust has been used to power up different Pokemon. It's one of the few resources in-game that cannot be purchased with real money. From our initial report on trading and friends, the higher level you have with a friend on your friends list, the less stardust a trade will cost. For example, a trade of Legendary Pokemon could cost two friends at the lowest level 1 million stardust. But, if those friends are at the highest level of friendship, that Legendary trade would only cost them 40,000 stardust. In other Pokemon Go news, the next Community Day event has been detailed. It will take place on July 8 and feature Squirtle. The Legendary Pokemon from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Regice, will appear in raid battles until July 19. Regirock and Registeel are expected later this summer.

What to Know A Long Island man is facing charges after threatening to shoot an 11-year-old boy after losing to him during a Fortnite: Battle Royale match The 45-year-old allegedly messaged the threats to the boy on Xbox after the loss in the uber popular game, He allegedly threatened to shoot the boy, possibly at his Long Island school A Long Island man has been accused of threatening to shoot an 11-year-old boy after losing a Fortnite: Battle Royale match, police say. Michael Aliperti, 45, has been charged with second-degree aggravated harassment and acting in a manner to injure a child aftr he allegedly threatened the Kings Park boy after the loss. Authorities say that Aliperti sent text and voice messages to the teen on Xbox after the loss. In them, he allegedly threatened to shoot the boy, possibly at his school. 'Durr Burger' Landmark from Popular Video Game 'Fortnite Causes Stir in SoCal Desert He was cuffed at his home on West Neck Road in Huntington around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. He's set to be arraigned later Tuesday; attorney information for the man wasn't immediately available. Fortnite: Battle Royale is an online multi-player video game where up to 100 players are dropped on an ever-shrinking map either as teams of 50, squads of a smaller size or in a "The Hunger Games"-style free-for-all, with the last team or player standing named the winner. The game, which is available for all major consoles and mobile devices, has become a cultural phenomenon over the last year. NBCUNIVERSAL UPFRONT EVENTS — 2017 NBCUniversal Upfront in New York City on Monday, May 15, 2017 — Red Carpet — Pictured: (l-r) Essence Atkins, Marlon Wayans, “Marlon” on NBC — (Photo by: Peter Kramer/NBCUniversal)<doc-sep>HUNTINGTON, NY (News 12/CNN) - A 45-year-old man was arrested after police say he sent threatening messages via Xbox to an 11-year-old boy who beat him in the popular online video game "Fortnite." Michael Aliperti, 45, was charged with second degree aggravated harassment and acting in a manner to injure a child after his arrest Tuesday. Police say Aliperti threatened the 11-year-old using text and voice messages over the Xbox platform. In the messages, which were sent Monday, the man threatened to shoot the boy, possibly at his school. "He said, 'I'm going to find you with a gun' and other threats about 'You need to look over your back when you're walking,'" Police Chief Stuart Cameron said. The boy and his parents reported the incident to police Monday, and authorities say they stepped up patrols at the child's school. Aliperti did not directly threaten the school, according to Cameron, but did say he knew where the boy went to school. Police say Aliperti had been introduced to the 11-year-old by other juvenile friends, and they had been playing "Fortnite" over the course of several months. "Parents should be cautioned: you have no idea… who people are playing with," Cameron said. Aliperti’s attorney says his client is a father of three with no criminal record and is in the middle of a contested divorce. Copyright 2018 News 12 Long Island, Suffolk Police Department, Epic Games/Fortnite via CNN. All rights reserved. Raycom News Network contributed to this report.<doc-sep>HUNTINGTON, N.Y. -- A New York man was arrested Tuesday after threatening to shoot an 11-year-old boy after losing to him in the video game "Fortnite," according to police. Suffolk County Police Chief of Department Stuart Cameron said Michael Aliperti, 45, of Long Island, threatened to go to the boy's home and harm him and also alluded to his school. Newsday reports that the alleged threats were made through text messages and online voice messages at about 9 p.m. Monday. The child had been playing the popular third-person shooter game with Aliperti for several months. The child's family reported the incident to police, who increased their presence at the child's school. "We took this as a school threat," Cameron said. "That was done out of an abundance of caution." Cameron also cautioned parents to monitor their children's video game playing and to be aware of their online opponents. Aliperti was arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated harassment and acting in a manner to injure a child. Bail was set at $2,500 and an order of protection was issued for the victim. A message left with his attorney was not immediately returned.<doc-sep>

Michael Aliperti, 45, from Long Island, New York, allegedly told the youngster “I will come to your house tonight and f*** you up" after his defeat in the online shooter. He allegedly told the youngster “I will come to your house tonight and f*** you up", ABC 7 reporter Stacey Sager tweeted. Cops say Aliperti sent the boy received the messages via text and Xbox voice messages on Monday night after the game. ABC 7 reported Aliperti told the boy he was going to shoot him at his home and his school. Police Chief Stuart Cameron: "For an adult to threaten an 11-year-old kind of gives new definition to sore loser." Security was stepped up at the middle school the boy attends on Tuesday as a precaution. Aliperti was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment and acting in a manner to injure a child. Aliperti's attorney, Andrew Karpf, said his client is getting divorced and is struggling with stress. Technology expert Lance Ulanoff said: "I'm guessing that this guy got really angry and wasn't thinking and said these horrible things to this kid." (Image: SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT/EPIC GAMES) (Image: GETTY) He added: "You wouldn't let your child go walking in an unknown neighbourhood by themselves, but parents let their kids play video games by themselves all the time. "Meanwhile, they're interacting with people they have never met." As for gamers, he says never give your name or phone number to strangers. Never reveal where you live, not even your town. And parents should monitor their kids' gaming. "This is a playground, you don't share anything, just have fun gaming," said Ulanoff. It is not clear whether Aliperti actually knew the child's identity or where he went to school.

Call of Duty World League championships are about to begin, so it's time for a refresher on the key details. Below, we recap the times, schedule, teams, dates and streams you should be watching. CWL Champs 2018 Time and Schedule The CWL champs can be watched live on the official Call of Duty Twitch channel as well as the Call of Duty MLG site. On Aug. 15 through Aug. 18, matches will run from 12 p.m. EDT through 9 p.m. EDT. On Championship Sunday, Aug, 19, the action takes place between 12 p.m. EDT and 6 p.m. EDT. Watch live video from Call of Duty on www.twitch.tv Here are the exact times and streams for day four's matchups. Main Stream Bravo Stream Here are the winners and losers brackets heading into today's action. Winners: Losers: CWL 2018 Teams In addition to the streams listed above, matches may also be hosted on the Twitch channels of your favorite team members. As such, we've linked to several Twitch accounts below. North America Europe Red Reserve: Joee, Rated, Zer0, Skrapz Splyce: Bance, Jurd, MadCat, Joshh Epsilon eSports: Dqvee, Vortex, Hawqeh, Reedy Heretics KFC: JurNii, Lucky, MethodZ, Sukry Team Vitality: Tommey, Denza, Chain, Maple Team Prismatic: Piero, Kivi, Prime, Cookie, TPiece, Malls, TonyJs, Wailers, Zaryox Zone: endurAAA, Defrag, Cammy, Bidz Supremacy: Eazy, ATLAS, Breszy, Natshay BRASH eSports: Benji, DREAL, Nevo, Dylan Team Sween: QwiKeR, Peatie, Moose, Weeman Asia-Pacific Mindfreak: BuZZO, Shockz, Fighta, Denz Tainted Minds: Nimble, Damage, Swifty, Swiftaz0r From Aug. 15 through Aug. 16, these teams will be separated into eight groups in a round-robin format with four teams in each group. After best-of-five matchups, the top two teams from each group advance to the Knockout Stage. The Knockouts are a double-elimination bracket, best-of-five series. The winner and loser's bracket champs advance to the Grand Finals. The losers must win two best of five series, while the winner must win one. The $1.5 million prize pool breaks down as follows: First: $600,000 Second: $200,000 Third: $100,000 Fourth: $80,000 Fifth and Sixth: $55,000 Seventh and Eighth: $35,000 That's all there is to know about the CWL Champs for now. We'll do our best to update this article with key information as it appears. The Call of Duty World League Championships run Aug. 15 at 12 p.m. EDT through Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. EDT.<doc-sep>Photo : Call of Duty World League ( Instagram Stay insid e, turn on the air conditioning and watch gamers pwn one another to your heart’s content over the weekend, because there are a crap ton of high profile esports tournaments going on. Advertisement Call of Duty: WWII Call of Duty’s annual championship takes places this weekend in Columbus, Ohio at the Nationwide Arena. For those tired of the series’ double-jumping futuristic incarnations, this year’s $1.5 million event marks a return to the game’s less frenetic roots with WWII. That means even if you’re not the most astute CoD expert you’ll still probably be able to make sense of what’s going on. Last year’s winners, Optic Gaming, have already fallen during the event’s initial group stage earlier this week. Matches for the bracket stage, meanwhile, began earlier today at 12:00pm eastern and will go through 7:30pm. Saturday follows the same schedule with the eventual grand finals taking place at 4:30pm on Sunday. You can find a complete breakdown of the schedule and teams here, with all of the matches streaming live on Twitch and in the feed embedded below. Rainbow Six: Siege Ubisoft’s tactical shooter also has a tournament going on at the same time at the Paris Major this weekend. Competitive Rainbow Six always puts on a good show, in part because the asymmetric nature of the modes and maps means you get to see teams play interesting games of cat and mouse with one another. Advertisement PENTA Esports, who won the Invitational back in February, has since been acquired by G2 Esports and is set to face off against Team Secret in the semifinals at 8:30am eastern on Saturday. The finals, meanwhile, are set to begin on Sunday at 11:00am. The tournament will be streaming live on on Twitch, where new details about the game’s upcoming season will no doubt be revealed as well. Dota 2 At long last the 2018 International is here. Matches in the group stage began on Wednesday with a great showing by a number of teams. Almost all of the over 100 heroes in the game so far have been chosen at least once. The meta is looking extremely health and fun to watch, especially when it comes to teams like Evil Geniuses, who just seem to play like they don’t give a fuck. It’s been working though, with the team who struggled all throughout the lead-up to the annual tournament being the first to qualify for the double-elimination bracket stage in a distant first place among Group A. EG have a penchant for massive throws, but they look unstoppable at the moment. Advertisement Matches are ongoing throughout Friday late into the night, with the final series of matches getting underway at 10:00pm eastern. Games then resume on Saturday at noon before taking Sunday off. Liquipedia has a complete list of all the matches and times, but you’ll have to sort out which Twitch Dota channel they’re streaming on for yourself. League of Legends It’s the last week of the NA LCS summer season this weekend as. Per usual, games start on Saturday at 5:00pm eastern when Team Liquid take on Echo Fox to try to hang on to the number one spot. Matches resume on Sunday at 3:00pm with Optic Gaming vs. 100 Thieves, followed by Counter Logic vs. Golden Warriors in a contest to see which will finish last in the league. The matches will be streaming live here, with a breakdown of the rest of the schedule over on League’s esports website. Advertisement Overwatch 24 countries are currently competing for eight spots in the Overwatch World Cup tournament at BlizzCon this fall, with the first round of matches having kicked-off yesterday and going into the weekend. Six teams in group one, currently led by Russia and South Korea, will battle it out to see who can claim the top two spots and make it to the main event. Advertisement After a short pause in the action, Hong Kong will pick things back up against South Korea Friday night at 11:00pm eastern. The following slate of matches begins at 11:00pm on Saturday and concludes Sunday morning at 6:00am with Chinese Taipei vs. Finland. All of the matches can be streamed or watched after the fact on Twitch, with standings and the full schedule available at the Overwatch’s dedicated World Cup webpage. Fortnite It’s week six of Epic Games’ Summer Skirmish. Hopefully by now you know the drill. Games will be played this evening and then continue tomorrow at 1:00pm eastern. You can watch them all over at Fortnite’s Twitch channel.<doc-sep>SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The record-setting season of the Call of Duty® World League, presented by PlayStation®4 concluded with Evil Geniuses capturing the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, last night. Showcasing mastery in Call of Duty®: WWII, Evil Geniuses were able to fend off opponents Team Kaliber to take majority stake in the event’s $1.5 million prize pool – as part of the overall $4.2 million season prize, the largest in Call of Duty® Esports history. “Congratulations to Evil Geniuses on capturing the ultimate goal in Call of Duty esports, the CWL Championship,” said Rob Kostich, executive vice president and general manager, Call of Duty. “This was an incredible season for the CWL – a huge thanks to our community of players and fans. From start to finish, the matches were amazing with some of the best gameplay we’ve ever seen in the CWL leading up to last night, and throughout it all, viewership was stronger than ever, which reflects the passion and engagement of fans worldwide.” Despite a collective effort to win the ultimate Call of Duty esports prize, Adam "Assault" Garcia stood out during the 2018 CWL Championship to be awarded the ASTRO Gaming MVP of the tournament. MVP Adam Garcia also becomes a favorite for the upcoming SCUF Gaming Team of the Week, which honors top competitors in the CWL weekly. Fans from around the world watched Evil Geniuses hoist the trophy live on MLG.com/CallofDuty and Twitch.tv/CallofDuty, as well as within the in-game Call of Duty®: WWII theater. Championship Sunday was also broadcast live on Twitter, on @CODWorldLeague. Evil Geniuses will also be memorialized at future CWL events within the G FUEL Hall of Champions, which celebrates event victories from past events in CWL history. Here are the final placements for the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship: 1 st – Evil Geniuses – Evil Geniuses 2 nd – Team Kaliber – Team Kaliber 3 rd – FaZe Clan – FaZe Clan 4 th – eUnited – eUnited 5 th /6 th – Team Envy / Luminosity /6 – Team Envy / Luminosity 7th/8th – Elevate / Red Reserve Visit CallofDuty.com/esports and follow the Call of Duty World League on Twitter and Instagram for the latest CWL updates. For live broadcasts and Video on Demand, visit MLG.com/CallofDuty. About Activision Publishing, Inc. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected features of the Call of Duty World League, including the SCUF Gaming Team of the Week and the G FUEL Hall of Champions, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. © 2018 Major League Gaming Corp. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY and CALL OF DUTY WWII are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING is a trademark of Major League Gaming Corp. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.<doc-sep>

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ultimate finale to the record-setting season of the Call of Duty® World League, Presented by PlayStation®4, kicks off today when the top teams in Call of Duty® Esports begin in their quest to be crowned the 2018 Call of Duty World League Champion. The five-day competition featuring Call of Duty®: WWII begins at the MLG Arena August 15 – 16, before moving to the Nationwide Arena this weekend August 17 – 19, for the final elimination rounds and championship match. Throughout the season, teams have been competing to earn a spot in the biggest event in competitive Call of Duty, with teams from around the world vying for a Championship ring and their share of the event’s $1.5 million in prizing as part of the $4.2 million season long purse. “The 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship is the culmination of an unbelievably competitive season,” said Adam Apicella, Vice President, Event Operations, Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues. “This year has been a record-setting season for the CWL, which has seen online and offline participation grow, while viewership has topped last year. And it all comes down to this, let’s see who is the best Call of Duty esports squad in the world.” The 2018 CWL season has been led thus far by Team Kaliber and Rise Nation each capturing three event victories securing their roles as potential favorites for this weekend’s finale. Here are the groups for the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship: GROUP A GROUP B GROUP C GROUP D Team Kaliber Rise Nation Red Reserve eUnited Epsilon Esports Tainted Minds Mindfreak Splyce Team Heretics Lethal Gaming Ghost Gaming EZG Esports Lightning Pandas Brash ZoneGG Team Sween GROUP E GROUP F GROUP G GROUP H FaZe Clan Unilad Echo Fox OpTic Gaming Complexity Team Envy Luminosity Evil Geniuses Enigma6 Prismatic Team Vitality Elevate Morituri Esports Mentality Esports Havok Esports Supremacy The first two days of competition will see teams compete to determine the top two squads in each group. The top 16 teams from the Group Stage moves to a double-elimination format before a champion is crowned Sunday evening. Tickets for the event are available, while supplies last, for the Nationwide Arena, August 17 – 19. General admission tickets are available for $50.00 (plus fees and taxes, while supplies last) and include entry to all three days of the event at the Nationwide Arena. A Prestige Experience ticket is available for $180.00 (plus fees and taxes, while supplies last) and includes three-day entry, guaranteed floor seating, a Call of Duty® Championship Prestige Hoodie, and access to the Prestige Lounge on the show floor level. Tickets are available at MLG.com/CWLChamps. The event will be broadcast in its entirety from August 15-19 on MLG.com/CallofDuty, Twitch.tv/CallofDuty and via the in-game Call of Duty®: WWII Theater on PlayStation®4. Championship Sunday will be broadcast on Twitter via @CODWorldLeague. Visit CallofDuty.com/esports and follow the Call of Duty World League on Twitter and Instagram for the latest CWL updates. For live broadcasts and Video on Demand, visit MLG.com/CallofDuty. About Activision Publishing, Inc. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected dates and features of the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect.

With nearly 60 years of experience between them, carwow’s expert reviewers thoroughly test every car on sale on carwow, and so are perfectly placed to present you the facts and help you make that exciting decision We take the hassle and haggle out of car buying by finding you great deals from local and national dealers The Porsche 911 is the definition of a usable sports car. It’s devastatingly quick and fun in all its forms but also easy to live with every day, just so long as you don’t need proper rear seats Is the Porsche 911 a good car? The Porsche 911 is one of the world’s most iconic sports cars. Not only is it able to absolutely dominate the best country roads and circuits, it’s surprisingly practical and will keep you comfortable on the daily commute too. Even though Sherlock Holmes might struggle in a spot-the-difference test, we can assure that this latest 911 is, in fact, completely new. Not only has it been built to be even more of a breeze to live with, it’s much quicker than the car it replaces too. The latest evolution of the company’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six petrol engine has that particular requirement covered. Revised turbochargers and a host of other revisions mean even the entry-level Carrera now produces 385hp. It’ll get from 0-60mph in just 4.0 seconds and crack 182mph, while it’s wide power band means you always have oomph when you put your foot down. On top of that, there are the even faster Carrera S, Turbo S and track-focussed GT3 models – should the standard car not be quite hardcore enough for you. In fact, the Turbo S model won Best Performance Car in the 2021 carwow Car of the Year Awards. The way all Porsche 911s deal with corners is as impressive as its performance in a straight line. Its powerful brakes give you bags of confidence to barrel into bends, cornering grip in the dry is almost infinite and, even when it does eventually run out, you get fair warning because the steering feels hard-wired to the front tyres. The four-wheel-drive Carrera 4 and Carerra 4S models are even better in this regard. But the 911 is just as good at rolling up its sleeves and getting to work on the dirty business that is everyday driving. On the motorway it’s a quiet cruiser, has plenty of standard safety kit and is available with high-tech driving aids that pretty much do your job for you. The excellent forward visibility that helps you place the 911 perfectly in bends pays dividends in town when you’re inching through width restrictors. It’s even a piece of cake to park thanks to its large back window and standard high-definition rear-view camera. It’s this all-round ability that marks the Porsche out from uncompromising sports cars from the likes of Ferrari. There isn't a bad 911, but the Turbo S is perhaps the most impressive all-rounder. Check out lease deals for the best prices on one! The Porsche’s interior might not look quite as exotic as a Ferrari’s but it feels miles better built and comes with no less than three infotainment screens, including a sat-nav system that’s as good as you’ll find in the best executive saloons from BMW, Audi and Mercedes. In fact, the screens are used for most of the car’s controls – you only get nine physical buttons on the top half of the dash – leaving the way clear for a flash of trim that runs the width of the car. Leather upholstery comes as standard (you can extend it onto the rest of the interior at extra cost) and a wide range of interior colour options make it possible to have a 911 with its own unique feel. The Turbo S and GT3 models can be had with Alcantara upholstery too, for an even sportier feel. It’s even hard to find fault with the space you get. Upfront, there’s loads of room even if you’re a towering giant and the range of adjustment offered by the seat and the steering wheel lets you get all controls exactly how you want them. Admittedly, only small kids will be happy in the back, but then alternatives like the Ferrari 488 and Audi R8 have no rear seats at all. Even the Porsche’s boot has enough room to cram in a weekend’s luggage. All in, the Porsche 911 is a fantastic sports car. It might be an entirely different car to the original model but what hasn’t changed is its ability to fit your life, rather than you fitting around it. If that has sold it to you, make sure you check out our leasing deals for the best Porsche 911 monthly prices. Watch our video of the track-focussed version of the 911, the GT3:<doc-sep>Eyes down for the new Porsche 911, Zuffenhausen’s most famous export, now in its eighth generation. Depending on your point of view, this jumped-up VW Beetle/most useable of supercars is larger, more powerful, faster and a bit more efficient. What did you expect? What company founder Ferry Porsche probably didn’t expect is that his car would one day boast “swarm intelligence”; he’d have assumed a wasp infestation. Mind you, he’d probably be more preoccupied wondering about the extent of the pies eaten by this all-new model, which in Carrera 4S trim weighs, at 1,565kg, almost half a tonne more than the first production 911 of 1963. Of course this latest generation (which has the internal designation 992-series) is still obviously a 911, with a distinctive roofline and long, overhanging tail. Where the previous 991 had been an exercise in not frightening the horses, the 992 seems to sit more comfortably in its skin. Although pedestrian impact regulations mean that it’s larger than the 991 (45mm wider at the front, 20mm longer overall and a smidge taller), it looks more compact and neat – perhaps that’s due to the close attention to details, which are so important on this time-worn shape.<doc-sep>It wasn't even the first proper corner, it was just the curving exit of the pit lane at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. But that bend was all it took for a wave of relief to wash over me and a smile to materialize. I'd been nervous about this moment, because the very first time you add some lock and really feel what the steering is like in a new car is a big one. Particularly in a Porsche 911. Just to recap briefly, the 992 is the eighth generation of Porsche's iconic, rear-engine sports car. Manual-equipped and base models will come later, so right now there is just a choice of the $114,250 Carrera S or $121,650 4S, with a new, eight-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. The engine remains broadly similar as the one in the car it replaces, albeit with more power and torque. The 3.0-liter, twin-turbo flat-six now produces 443 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 390 pound-feet of torque between 2,300 and 5,000 rpm. A dash to 60 miles per hour from a standstill can now be covered in as little as 3.2 seconds in a Carrera 4S packing the Sport Chrono pack, although a standard Carrera S only lags 0.3-second behind that. The steering is 11 percent quicker -- 6 percent if you spec the optional rear-wheel steering -- and the front track is noticeably wider, while the adaptive dampers (PASM) are now infinitely adjustable with a broader operating window. That's all very impressive, but until you get behind the wheel you don't know what sort of driving experience these facts and figures will all add up to. And I didn't want another 991 moment. I remember driving the previous iteration of the 911 across Wales for the first time when it was new and thinking, "What have they done?" The 991 improved with time, but you want it to be right from from the get-go. Which is why that first input at the end of the pit lane felt so good: it instantly communicated so much positive information about the demeanor of the 992. There was real weight to the steering combined with a startling agility, partly from the 1.6-inch wider front track and partly from the optional rear-wheel steering fitted to the Carrera S I was in. And things only improved from there. Given that this is not a product of Porsche's famed GT department, the 992 felt incredibly at home on track. A tenacious front end allied to a feeling of a very short wheelbase that could be adjusted easily all the way through the corner. On the exit there was also more than enough instantly available torque to move the rear end around. By lap two, on a circuit that I'd never driven before in a car that I had only stepped into a couple of minutes earlier, it felt completely natural to be pushing the tires to their limits. The new 911 was pulling off that most difficult of tricks: giving you confidence from its huge grip but also letting you feel deeply involved in the process of wringing the most from the chassis. Enlarge Image Porsche The other relief was that it sounded good from inside the car. Standing on the pit wall as the cars went past, there was very little to get excited about, with the exhausts emanating a rather quiet, breathy sound that lacked any real sense of edge. Not unpleasant, but hardly exciting, either. This is quite probably a result of the new particulate filters that legislation decrees must be fitted to the new cars. From behind the wheel, however, the flat-six has a much richer, more detailed note to it. It's not naturally aspirated, spine-tingling, top-end-wail good, but it's much more interesting and enjoyable than I'd feared. So, the 992 passes the track test with flying colors, but it also needs to deliver on the arguably much more important territory of the road. Thankfully, it does. The signs are good as soon as you trickle through the first town, circumnavigate the first roundabout and generally drive slowly as you get comfortable. Even at very modest speeds, the 992 has well-weighted and genuinely tactile steering. And the whole car feels nicely involving. Not fidgety or tiring, just communicative. There are several driving modes: Wet, which does what we explained in our first ride deep-dive and does so very effectively, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus, as well as an individually configurable setting. Sport Plus is only necessary on the track, because Normal and Sport provide all the entertainment you need for the road. If you like the feeling of managing weight transfer then the softer damping in Normal will be right up your street, as the car has a slightly looser feel and you get more of those classic rear-engined attributes coming through. Equally when you want to step things up a notch, Sport ties everything down, adding an extra layer of precision and response but without sacrificing any ability over bumps. A couple of times I saw nasty patches of buckled and broken tarmac on the road ahead and winced a little in anticipation, but the 992 simply shrugged them off, acknowledging the hit but retaining perfect control. On smoother, faster roads, the 992 was simply wonderful. As you would hope with a Porsche, push harder and it rises to the challenge. With the 10-millimeter lower Sport Chassis there is very little roll, so as soon as you turn into a corner you're leaning into the tires' sidewalls and this allows you to instantly play with the balance of the car, adjusting it really very precisely with throttle and steering. What's more, it feels like you can get this adjustability and feedback across a whole range of speeds. Enlarge Image Porsche The 992 is of course tremendously fast across the ground when you want it to be, but the satisfaction comes from being able to make use of the car's power with conviction.<doc-sep>All image credits: Porsche The longstanding joke is that Porsche doesn’t ever really change the 911, and they all look kind of the same. Certainly some visual cues are retained with each generation, and it’s always been a four seater with the engine slung out back and bulgy fenders. But this new 2020 Porsche 911, called 992 by the cognoscenti, looks so similar to the current 991 that I’m not entirely positive Porsche isn’t pulling a large-scale gas lighting operation. Advertisement The 992-generation 911, launched tonight as Carrera S and Carrera 4S models, has a few noticeable differences from the outgoing model, with the rear fascia showing off brake lights moved higher on the car. At the front, you will see a hood with sharp corners, reminiscent of the G-series 911s of the 70s and 80s. It looks a bit unfinished, and it’s not good. The worst part might be the center high mount brake light in the middle of the engine lid grille, however. It looks like an afterthought. So, what is good? The new engine is a development of the old engine with an “improved injection system,” as well as optimized turbos and intercoolers, for a solid 443 horsepower. That’s up from the current Carrera S model’s 420. A manual transmission will be offered later, as the new 911 will launch with a brand new 8-speed PDK dual clutch box. Advertisement When equipped with Sport Chrono package with overboost and PDK, the all-wheel drive 911 Carrera 4S will sprint from 0-60 in a wicked quick 3.2 seconds, several tenths quicker than the model you can buy in showrooms right now. Advertisement Porsche has made it clear that it wants the 911 to be an accessible car to drive in all conditions for all people. As a result, the new car is available with a high tech Wet Mode, which uses sensors in the fenders to detect water conditions on the road surface and change vehicle outputs as a result. Night Vision Assist, available in the Cayenne and Panamera, is now optional for your 911 as well. The new car also adds adaptive cruise with stop and go functionality. Advertisement Scoping out the interior of the car, it looks like a really nice place to sit for a full fuel tank range at highway speeds, which with an 8 speed gearbox and a more efficient engine could be quite a long distance. The 911 continues its steady march toward Grand Tourer status with luggage space behind the rear seats, and hold the fucking phone, is that a real actual functional cup holder in the center console? With two giant screens flanking a central-mounted tachometer, the 911's gauge display is a modern take on a vintage theme. Throw in the huge center stack display and you’ve got a sportier version of the interior found in the Cayenne and Panamera. Thankfully, however, the center button mass appears to have actual toggles instead of the touch buttons of its stablemates. Advertisement The PDK shifter is bad. I hope the manual shifter looks more in line with the rest of the car. The Carrera S will start at $113,200, while the C4S starts at $120,600. This constitutes a more than $8,000 price increase over the current model. However, keep in mind that the 992 will launch with the PDK transmission that currently carries a $3,210 price premium over a manual equipped 991.2. So the actual price jump may not be as dramatic. We are waiting on Porsche to provide more details. You can contact your Porsche dealer to place an order now, but don’t expect to take delivery until sometime next summer. Advertisement This post was update to clarify pricing info, we will update as we learn more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement<doc-sep>

Yep, you’re correct – it doesn’t look much different from the last one. Which itself was quite clearly related to the one before it and, now you come to mention it, wasn’t dissimilar to the one before that. There were a couple before that one which bore an uncanny resemblance to the new 2019 992’s lozenge silhouette too, because, and this might come as a shock, if you take a rear-engined coupe, give it a pair of small rear seats and a low bonnet line, you’ll end up with something that looks like a 911 pretty much every time. Many people don’t like this styling outcome. “It looks like the last one,” they froth around internet forums. “It’s an a**e-faced Nazi s**tbox”, they say as they mangle PJ O’Rourke’s harsh but historically and anatomically correct summary of Porsche’s strange little sports car that, well, just so happens to be the most successful of them all. The most recognisable, the most complete and the most long-lived. Rolex isn’t about to redesign the Submariner, and Kenwood leaves its food mixer looking like a stage prop from Hancock’s Half Hour – because they found something that works and stuck with it. Of course, the 911 has evolved since 1964. It is bigger in every way, bar, perhaps, tyre sidewall height. It is faster and cleaner and more comfortable. It is safer and, now we’re on the subject, from the front, it is largely indistinguishable from the 991 it replaces. The rear is more distinctive, or – as many are saying – more ugly. There is now only one body width, which is 44mm wider than the outgoing narrow-body version. You have to admire Porsche’s stubborn refusal to change the way the 911 looks, because the list of changes underneath would have most carmakers making all manner of phoney claims. The new body structure uses more aluminium and is stiffer. The engine is now located further forwards and mounted directly to the chassis. The wheelbase is longer, the rear wheels now steer and engines are revised.Does it drive differently than before? Yes, but not to the extent that you’d want to take the challenge to prove as much. This is not a radical departure, and perhaps now is a good time to acknowledge that last year’s 991 Carrera S was a brilliant car. Even as it was about to end production, it was still the best car in its class, so Porsche really is going to have to make a hash of this 992 if that situation is going to change. But there is a little controversy, because Porsche has to have some sport with adenoidal types who don’t like change. The doorhandles are now flush with the panel, and pop out when you unlock the door. Trouble is, they are easily confused and sometimes don’t present themselves. I’m not sure what was wrong with the old doorhandles. The beards will not like this. The interior is going to cause consternation for those still bemoaning a lack of fan-cooling for the engine and the unification of both Germanys. This is 911-meets-Panamera, with a big info screen and assorted buttons on the centre console. The analogue central rev-counter remains and is flanked by two screens which, from my driving position, were hidden behind the steering wheel. You see, Porsche is so keen to look after the retro-wingers, it still deliberately engineers some crap ergonomics into its new cars to keep them happy. Now that’s brand management for you. The new Carrera S motor is an evolution of the last 991 engine. It displaces 2,981cc and now produces 444bhp and 391lb ft at 2,300–5,000rpm. The crankcase is carried over, but the intake and injection system is new, as are the turbochargers and a WLTP-compliant exhaust particulate filter. The gearbox is an all-new eight-speed dual-clutch self-shifter and, with the optional Sport Chrono package fitted, it can change gears even faster. Anyone who thinks this isn’t a great all-round powertrain package for a contemporary sports car needs their head examined.Throttle response is so good you really do wonder if it’s turbocharged, and the performance is very strong. From 3,000 to 6,000rpm it feels GT3 quick, and the noises inside the cabin are familiar flat-six with enough intake howl to make you smile. From the outside, the car is quieter now. The WLTP regulations really are killing off shouty, valved exhausts, and I actually couldn’t give a fig.

California is a key battleground state in Democrats’ push to take back control of the House this November. On Tuesday, Democrats will face their first test: the primaries. California is undoubtedly a blue state, but it also has one of the largest GOP delegations in Congress, with 14 Republicans in the House. This year, Democrats are ambitiously aiming to flip 10 of those seats to blue. But it won’t be easy. The state has a “top two” primary system, meaning Republicans and Democrats run together in the primary and the first- and second-place candidates get to duke it out in the general. In other words, there’s always the possibility that one party could get shut out of the general election altogether. Polls close at 11 pm Eastern time. We will have live results for the Senate and key House races below, powered by Decision Desk. Senate: Sen. Dianne Feinstein has a primary challenger Incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein, at age 84, is the oldest US senator; she’s been in office since 1992. This year she has a challenger: state Sen. Kevin De León, the former president pro tempore of the California Senate, who thinks California might be ready to elect a younger, more progressive candidate. But Feinstein is still fairly popular in the state and has a war chest with millions. She’ll be tough to beat. On the GOP side is James Bradley, a pro-Trump Republican with little money and almost no name recognition. He’s unlikely to make it through the primary. California’s Fourth District: Democrats are trying to target California’s most conservative Congress member Rep. Tom McClintock, the incumbent Republican and most conservative Congress member in California, is almost guaranteed the top spot in the top-two primary system. But there’s a heated race between two Democratic women to claim the No. 2 slot to run in November. Jessica Morse, 35, a national security strategist whose résumé includes the State Department, Defense Department, and USAID, has gained the Democratic Party endorsement and the support of many progressive groups. She’s outraised her Democratic competitors and even McClintock and is the Democratic favorite. But Regina Bateson, an MIT professor and native of the local town Roseville, has mounted a formidable challenge. This R+10 district is rated as Likely Republican by the Cook Political Report, but Democrats still think it’s in play. McClintock represents a district encompassing Roseville, Lake Tahoe, and down to Yosemite National Park — but he doesn’t live there. California’s 10th Congressional District: a beekeeper, the venture capitalist behind Blue Apron, and the daughter of immigrant farmworkers Incumbent Republican Rep. Jeff Denham, who came into Congress in the 2010 Tea Party wave, will likely be up against one of three Democrats in November: Michael Eggman, a 53-year-old third-generation beekeeper who is making his third run against Denham; Josh Harder, the 31-year-old venture capitalist who backed the meal kit service Blue Apron; and Virginia Madueño, the 52-year-old former mayor of Riverbank who has been tapped by Emily’s List. In 2016, Denham narrowly won by 3.4 percent in one of the closest House races in the country, and Hillary Clinton won the Central Valley district in 2016 by 3 points too; it’s rated as a toss-up, and is a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats. California’s 22nd Congressional District: a safe Republican seat that’s getting attention because of Devin Nunes Incumbent Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, friend to President Donald Trump and the author of the House Intelligence Committee’s dubious Russia investigation memo, is in a pretty safe Republican seat. But Democrats are still targeting the district, hoping Nunes’s role defending Trump in the Russia investigations will give them a boost. Andrew Janz, the Fresno County deputy district attorney, is considered best positioned to take on Nunes. He has the endorsement of the California Democratic Party and has raked in more than $1 million to challenge Nunes (mostly because Nunes is so nationally well-known/disliked). Entrepreneur Bobby Bliatout and business consultant Ricardo Franco are also running. California’s 25th Congressional District: a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats In this toss-up Los Angeles County district, the seat of incumbent Rep. Stephen Knight, who has been in office since 2015, is being targeted as a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats. All eyes are on attorney Bryan Caforio, who challenged Knight in 2016 and has locked up a lot of endorsements from labor and progressive groups. Democrat Katie Hill, a nonprofit policy advocate, has also mounted a formidable challenge, with the backing of Emily’s List, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and a number of California’s Democratic Congress members. Both Caforio and Hill have out-fundraised Knight so far. California’s 39th Congressional District: in an open race, Democrats are in an absolute squabbling match This is a heated race to fill an open seat vacated by retiring Republican Rep. Ed Royce. On the Democratic side, two wealthy candidates are in an ugly battle for a spot on the November ballot. Gil Cisneros, a former Navy officer and 2010 lottery winner (he won $266 million) is on the DCCC’s Red to Blue list, which is as close as the national campaign arm gets to endorsing a candidate. He’s up against Andy Thorburn, a health insurance executive and former teacher. It’s been a doozy of a race, including allegations of tax fraud and legal action over a voicemail. There’s also another Democrat in the running, pediatrician Mai Khanh Tran, who’s endorsed by Emily’s List. The field of Republicans running in this race is just as deep as the Democratic side. Three stand out: Shawn Nelson, the Orange County supervisor; Bob Huff, who is the former state Senate minority leader; and Young Kim, who has served in the state Assembly. This Orange County district is prime territory for Democrats to make gains in November, but they’ve failed to get behind a single candidate, and it could result in Democrats getting shut out of the general election all together. California’s 45th Congressional District: a hotly contested Democratic race to challenge Mimi Walters Four Democrats are looking to earn a top-two slot and challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Mimi Walters.<doc-sep>Update: Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, and Jon Cox, a Republican, emerged from a crowded field in the governor’s race in California to advance to the general election, according to The Associated Press, as did Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, in the Senate race. In key House races, Democrats seemed poised to avoid being shut out of the November balloting under the state’s so-called “top-two” primary system. Read more about the primary night in California, and about races from New Jersey to Montana. LOS ANGELES — The votes in a big election day in California have been cast, and the country is eagerly awaiting the results. Key battles include seven Republican-held congressional seats Democrats hope to flip in the fall and a race to succeed Jerry Brown as governor. All of this has been complicated by California’s unconventional election system: The top two finishers in Tuesday’s nonpartisan, open primary will face each other in November. And that is causing headaches for both parties. Here’s how to get up to speed: • Need a primer to understand the stakes of the California races? Start here. And here’s an explanation of how the state’s unusual primary system works.<doc-sep>SAN FRANCISCO—Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein advanced to the November election in Tuesday’s primaries in California, while her party appeared on track to avoid being shut out of several closely watched House races that are central to the 2018 fight for control of Congress. Ms. Feinstein, a five-term lawmaker who is the only Democrat in the Senate facing a serious primary challenge in 2018, outpolled her rivals by a big margin and was declared the first-place finisher by the Associated Press shortly after the polls closed. Another Democrat, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, was in second place by several points over the third-place Republican candidate, leaving the GOP at risk of having no Senate candidate on the fall ballot. Under California’s unusual all-party primary system, the top two vote getters advance to a November election regardless of party. The GOP averted its worst fear when Republican businessman John Cox placed second in the gubernatorial primary. GOP officials had worked hard to get Mr. Cox at the top of the ticket to help drive Republican turnout needed to help win down-ballot races, although he faces an uphill fight against Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the top vote-getter. In House races, Democrats were the ones facing a possible shutout from key California contests in the fall. There were so many candidates on the ballot in several districts that Democrats risked spreading their votes too thinly and allowing two Republican candidates to advance to the run off. To avert that outcome, Democratic Party leaders spent millions in advertising in the closing weeks of the campaign to advance some candidates and undercut others. While Tuesday’s returns showed California Democrats on track to advance in those key districts, because of voter-roll snafus Tuesday and a proliferation of tight races, it could be days before the outcome in key races is known for sure. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is running for a sixth term, will face the second-place finisher in the California Senate primary. Photo: Tom Williams/Zuma Press A central focus was three GOP districts in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, that were promising for Democrats because they had been won by Hillary Clinton in 2016. In the district now held by retiring Rep. Darrell Issa, which Hillary Clinton won by 7 percentage points, the top vote-getter was Republican Diane Harkey, a member of the state Board of Equalization, according to the AP. The next three vote-getters were Democrats: Doug Applegate, a Marine veteran who almost beat Mr. Issa in 2016; environmental lawyer Mike Levin; and Sara Jacobs, a 29-year-old policy analyst who is the granddaughter of a co-founder of Qualcomm. In the northern Orange County district now held by retiring GOP Rep. Ed Royce, the AP declared the top vote-getter was Young Kim, a former assemblywoman who was backed by Mr. Royce, with 22% of the vote. In a crowded field of seven Republican candidates and six Democratic candidates, Democrat Gil Cisneros, a Navy veteran and lottery winner who was backed by the national party, was in the No. 2 spot, with just over 19%, while a Republican, Phil Liberatore, was in third with 14%. Also worrying Democrats was an Orange County district now held by GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. Mr. Rohrabacher was declared first-place winner by the AP, with just over 30% of the vote, but Democrats Harley Rouda, a real-estate businessman, and Hans Keirstead, a scientist, were in the next two spots, with just over 17% each. Republican Scott Baugh, a former Rohrabacher aide, had just over 16%. The California balloting was being intensely watched by both parties because Democrats need to make a net gain of 23 House seats to seize control, and they have designs on seven Republican districts in California. In the Senate primary, Ms. Feinstein’s chief opponent, Mr. de Leon, has tried to harness the anti-Trump sentiment of progressives and argued that the 84-year-old incumbent hasn’t done enough to stand up to the president. In a sprawling field of 32 Senate candidates, the top Republican contender was James Bradley, a veteran and head of a health-care startup company. He had nearly 9% of the vote, the AP said. The primaries on Tuesday, June 5, marked one of the most closely-watched primaries before November’s midterms, and raised the question, what will the general election be about. The Wall Street Journal's Gerald F. Seib looks at six key points. Write to Janet Hook at janet.hook@wsj.com<doc-sep>LOS ANGELES (KFSN) -- U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein cruised to first place in California's primary on Tuesday in her bid for a fifth full term in Washington.Feinstein's opponent hasn't yet been determined, but fellow Democrat Kevin de Leon, a state senator, is hoping to secure the second spot. Little-known Republican James Bradley is also in the running for second place.California sends the two highest vote getters to the November general election regardless of party. Feinstein heads to November with more than $7 million in the bank.A Feinstein-de Leon general election would be California's second U.S. Senate contest featuring two Democrats. In 2016, then-state attorney general Kamala Harris defeated U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez.Feinstein won her U.S. Senate seat in 1992 after serving as San Francisco's mayor and running unsuccessfully for governor. At 84, she is the chamber's oldest member. She's also one of the most well-known politicians in California and has a sizeable war chest to communicate her message.But activists denied her the California Democratic Party's endorsement in February, highlighting frustrations among some of the party's most liberal members about Feinstein's interactions with President Donald Trump and stance on issues such as immigration.De Leon has sought to seize on that vulnerability by making the case that he better represents California's values in the Trump era.Feinstein, for her part, points to her record of defending California's environment and successful assault weapons ban in 1994 as evidence of her effectiveness. She is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.Bradley, the Republican, has raised less than $5,000 but generated some interest after a one-off poll showed him close to de Leon.<doc-sep>

Voters head to the polls in California on Tuesday in what could be one of the most closely watched primary days of the midterm season. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein faces a primary challenge from state Sen. Kevin de León. Feinstein is one of the most powerful Democrats in the Senate, and at 84, she’s also the oldest member of the chamber. De León is banking on the hope that California might be ready to elect a younger, more progressive candidate, but political science experts say he’s facing long odds. California is also a crucial state in the battle for the House of Representatives. If Democrats have any chance of retaking the House this November, they’ll have to make huge gains in California — where Republicans hold 14 of the state’s 53 seats. Republican incumbents are desperately trying to cling to their seats in a deep-blue state, but Trump’s agenda — hardline immigration policies, Obamacare repeal attempts, and a tax bill that hit Californians hard — has put them on the defensive. In the 48th District, Democrats are battling to unseat Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, one of the most vulnerable Republicans of 2018. Rohrabacher is one of the strongest pro-Russia voices in Congress and has become rather unpopular in his Orange County district. Democrats also see prime pickup opportunities in Republican-held districts that Hillary Clinton won in 2016, and they’re even taking aim at California’s most conservative member of Congress. But the state’s bizarre “top two” primary system could shut Democrats out of some of these key races altogether. California pits all candidates of all parties against one another in a “jungle primary” and lets the first- and second-place finishers move on to the general election. That means the top two candidates advancing to the general elections could be from the same party — locking in the seat as red or blue months in advance.

Following news of Luke Perry's hospitalization which broke Thursday, his co-stars have taken to social media to share that their thoughts are with the actor. Perry, who currently stars on CW's "Riverdale" but may be best-known for his long-running role on "Beverly Hills, 90210," has been hospitalized after paramedics responded to his home following a 911 call about a stroke. Many of Perry's "90210" co-stars sent him well-wishes, including Ian Ziering, who shared an Instagram photo of himself laying a smooch on Perry's cheek and wrote, "No words can express what my heart feels hearing today's shocking news. Let us all say a prayer for his speedy recovery." Shannen Doherty, whose character dated Perry's on the show, and who is also not taking part in the reboot, posted an iconic photo of Brenda and Dylan on prom night. "My friend. Holding you tight and giving you my strength. You got this," wrote Doherty, who has recently come through a battle with breast cancer. "Praying hard for Luke Perry today," wrote actor and "Lois & Clark" star Dean Cain, who had a guest role on the show. "May he have a full and fast recovery." Perry's representative, Arnold Robinson, confirmed that the 52-year-old actor "is under observation at the hospital" but would not confirm the reason for his hospitalization. Robinson has since denied a TMZ story reporting the actor has been placed in a medically induced coma, telling the gossip site and The Hollywood Reporter that he's merely sedated. Perry's hospitalization follows Fox's announcement on Wednesday that a six-episode "Beverly Hills, 90210" reboot is planned for a summer 2019 release. Perry was not set to participate in the reboot, though original stars Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling are returning. Perry's "Riverdale" co-stars also dedicated social media posts to the actor. Lili Reinhart, who plays Betty Cooper, captioned a photo of the two: "Thinking of you, Luke. And praying for your safe recovery." Cole Sprouse (Jughead Jones) shared a black and white photo of Perry gazing out a window. "Love you bud," wrote Sprouse. Molly Ringwald, who plays Perry's estranged wife on "Riverdale," tweeted that she is "sending my love to Luke Perry" with a heart emoji. Actress Kristy Swanson, who co-starred with Perry in the original 1992 film version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," expressed similar sentiments on Twitter. "I just heard the frightening news about my dear old friend Luke Perry having a massive stroke. Luke honey I am praying so hard for you right now, I love you so much, and by God’s Grace you will get through this. Please pray for Luke." Contributing: Erin Jensen More:'90210' star Luke Perry hospitalized after reported stroke; co-stars react to news More:Mark-Paul Gosselaar reflects on career, 'Saved by the Bell' romances and 'The Passage'<doc-sep>Actor Luke Perry was hospitalized in California, a representative for the "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Riverdale" star said. Paramedics responded to a 911 call made at about 9:40 a.m. Wednesday for an unspecified medical request at the actor's home in Sherman Oaks, California, authorities said. A representative for Perry told NBC News on Thursday that he is currently under observation at a hospital, but would not comment on the reason why he is there. His condition is unknown, but the representative denied a report he was in a coma. Perry, 52, stars as Fred Andrews, the father of Archie Andrews, on CW's "Riverdale." He rose to fame on the 90s series, "Beverly Hills, 90210," where he played teenage heartthrob Dylan McKay. The show ran from 1990 to 2000. He was hospitalized the same day Fox announced it will reboot "Beverly Hills, 90210" for a six-episode series to air this summer. Perry was not announced as a participant in the reboot, but original cast members Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling are returning. Ziering and Shannen Doherty, who portrayed Brenda Walsh in the first four seasons, were among those to react on social media to Perry's hospitalization. "Let us all say a prayer for his speedy recovery," Ziering captioned a photo on his Instagram account of him with Perry. Doherty also shared a photo on her Instagram account of her and Perry embracing.<doc-sep>Luke Perry has reportedly suffered a stroke according to TMZ. The actor plays Fred Andrews, Archie's father on Riverdale. He has been taken to the hospital where he was reportedly placed in a medically-induced coma. [Updated 2/28/2019 3:42 PM]: TMZ is now reporting that when the paramedics arrived on the scene at Luke Perry's home, he was responsive, but "his condition deteriorated." Sources said the actor was placed in a medically induced coma. Luke's rep, however, told the site that he is not in a coma and has simply been sedated. While his current condition remains unclear, we know he is "under observation," according to People. Original Post: Luke Perry, the heart and soul of Riverdale, has been taken to the hospital on Wednesday morning after reportedly suffering from a "massive stroke," according to TMZ. Paramedics got to his home around 9:40 AM yesterday morning and brought him to the hospital. His current condition is unknown. The 52-year-old actor is known for his role as Archie's father, Fred Andrews, on Riverdale, but he also played teen heartthrob Dylan McKay on "Beverly Hills, 90210" in the '90s. Ironically, it was announced on Wednesday, the day of Luke's hospitalization, that the show will be getting rebooted, but it's unclear if Luke will take part. We will keep you updated on the status of Luke's health and the response from his Riverdale cast members. Carolyn Twersky is the Assistant Editor at Seventeen.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram! Carolyn Twersky Associate Editor Carolyn Twersky is an associate editor for Seventeen covering celebrities, entertainment, politics, trends, and health. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>

Luke Perry has been hospitalized, according to his rep. The rep for the 52-year-old actor confirmed the news to TODAY Thursday, stating, "Mr. Perry is currently under observation at the hospital." The reason for Perry's hospitalization was not disclosed. Despite reports, he is not in a coma, the rep said. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a 911 call Wednesday morning from a home in Sherman Oaks, California, for an unspecified medical request. The patient was transported to an area hospital, according to the LAFD. Perry was hospitalized on the same day as an announcement involving the current "Riverdale" star's past "Beverly Hills, 90210" pals. Most of the cast of the '90s teen drama — including Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling — are set to return for a rebooted version of the show, with one big change. In "90210," they'll play "heightened versions" of themselves. However, two of the show's most popular stars, Perry and Shannen Doherty, weren't mentioned among the returning alums. Doherty on Thursday shared a throwback "Beverly Hills, 90210" pic of her with Perry as news spread of his hospitalization. "My friend. Holding you tight and giving you my strength. You got this," she wrote. Ziering also posted a picture, writing, "No words can express what my heart feels hearing today's shocking news. Let us all say a prayer for his speedy recovery." When Perry, who played Dylan McKay on the beloved original series, visited TODAY in 2017, he noted that he and the rest of the classic cast had heard the buzz about a possible reboot. "We have talked about it recently," Perry revealed, adding that he "very much would be interested in doing it this time."

EXCLUSIVE: Dani Dyer's mum Joanne Mas shares never-before-seen childhood pics of the Love Island star and reveals family secrets She and boyfriend Jack Fincham are favourites to win the hit ITV2 show EastEnders star Danny Dyer wasn't happy with his daughter's decision to take part in the Love Island but now the show is nearly over, her mum Jo admits that the whole family have loved every moment of the experience. Talking exclusively to HELLO!, Dani's proud mum gushed: "Our little girl hasn't put a foot wrong in our eyes." And whilst many were surprised that she chose to participate in the dating show and put her acting career to one side, 41-year-old Jo explains that Dani was "born to entertain" - revealing that her first big stage moment took place when she was just five years old, when she joined popular children's character Barney the Dinosaur on stage in Florida for a ten-minute singalong! Dani Dyer posing at a young age "She wanted to be in Barney... when I took her to Florida at five years old, I took her to the Barney show and she said if she had one wish it would be to be on stage with Barney. So I took her to the front and when security wasn't looking I threw her (gently) on stage. "Dani was on stage for 10 minutes with Barney the dinosaur singing and dancing. That's our favourite memory [of her]". MORE: Exclusive: See Dani Dyer's Pippa Middleton moment at parents' wedding There's now just days to go until Love Island's big live finale, and Dani is tipped to win the show alongside her boyfriend Jack Fincham. With many reports suggesting that the show is staged, Jo is quick to explain that "the Dani I'm seeing is my girl that I only know. She didn't swap her cases for a boarding pass and a personality transplant. She is very honest and kind and I'm still seeing she is so not a morning person," she jokes. Dani with her mum Jo, who she is very close to "Dani was really cute as a child, she was my easiest child in all honesty," she says. "She was very affectionate and loved cuddles. She just sang and danced. Dani does that now, you might be talking to her and she will break out in a song relevant to what you're talking about." RELATED: Everything you need to know about Danny Dyer's daughter Jo and Danny Dyer had their first child at a very young age, they were both only 19 years old, and have always had a very close relationship. "She is a mummy's girl to be honest. She adores Danny and they are so close, but Dani and I have a different relationship," she reveals. A very young Danny Dyer with Dani in Trafalgar Square "I am the one that she comes to if anything needs to be done for her, whether it's to listen to a problem, cover up a date...be a taxi… And her friends like to hang out at our house a lot so when I'm making food they always involve me in their girly chats. If I go out Dani likes to do my hair and makeup." If Dani has demonstrated anything on the reality TV show it's that she is the perfect agony aunt, something that has impressed Jo but hasn't necessarily come as a surprise, as she has experienced her good advice in the past. "Dani is such a great agony aunt. I'm impressed with her advice on the housemates so far. She is a great listener in the house. She isn't very judgemental but knows the difference between right and wrong. The Love Island star is also very close to her actor dad "She advises if she has been asked for advice but she is a fantastic listener. Sometimes if we want a private chat we sit in my bathroom and say 'let's have a sleepover in the bed'. I miss our bathroom chats," the mum-of-three says. And if Jo could advise her daughter about which boy to couple up with on the island, she is certain she would have chosen Jack all along. "Jack seems like a good kid, I hope it lasts," she says of the salesman. Loading the player... Although there have been endless rumours that Danny is set to fly to Spain to visit Dani inside the villa, Jo says that the only plan they have for the final is "to watch it assuming Dani is in the final." Jack and Dani are favourites to win the show "Dani has already won in our eyes," she explains. "She has behaved beautifully and I’m sure this has opened up many opportunities for her. A boyfriend is just an added bonus." Proud mum Jo says Dani has always lived in "a fairytale bubble," so is her wish about to come true?<doc-sep>Danny Dyer has revealed he's delighted that his daughter Dani has waited to have sex with beau Jack Fincham, as his wife Joanne Mas revealed he's been crying watching her in the villa. Speaking to The Mirror, the 41-year-old actor said he's proud of Dani's behaviour during her appearance on the ITV2 show, adding that he views her as a role model for other young girls. This comes after Danny's wife Joanne told The Sun he's struggled to hold back the tears watching Dani on-screen, as they prepare to meet her beau Jack Fincham in the much-anticipated Meet The Parents segment. Proud: Danny Dyer has revealed he's delighted that his daughter Dani has waited to have sex with beau Jack Fincham, in an interview with The Mirror Danny said: 'She has spun it on its head and she has not f****ed about under the quilts once. 'She is a role model for young kids. She doesn't need to do that.' The actor also gave said his firstborn would make 'the best wife' after seeing him and Joanne going through 'difficult times' in their relationship. He said: 'It would be lovely if her and Jack would walk down the aisle but who knows, let’s meet the f****** geezer first. Dani is so sweet and lovely, honest and funny.' Emotional: Danny told The Mirror he was happy to see Dani waiting to have sex with Jack, as he prepares to meet her beau in the much-anticipated Meet The Parents segment Danny also said he knows Dani would never be unfaithful to her man as she has had her heart broken in the past. He also revealed he's going to try and guide Dani through the fan storm she will enter upon leaving the villa - whether or not she and Jack are crowned series champions. This comes after Danny's wife Joanne revealed the usually notorious hardman cries while watching Dani in the Love Island villa. Joanne told the publication: 'We've had to make it light-hearted. 'Big Dan is really emotional. He's found it so hard being away from Dani. He keeps saying to me, ''Babe, I'm ready for her to come home now. I miss her.'' Sweet: This comes after his Joanne told The Sun that Danny is keen for Dani to make her exit from the villa, having been struggling to hold back the tears while watching her on the show Luckily Danny and Joanne won't have to wait long before they are reunited with their daughter, as there are just two days left before the grand final. Danny's emotional reaction to seeing his daughter comes after it was revealed that despite giving Dani's beau Jack the seal of approval, they are banned from sharing a bed when they return home. While on Thursday's episode of Love Island, Jack even asked Dani to move in with him once they leave the villa, which she said yes. Talking to The Sun, Dani's mum Joanne admitted that both she and Danny love the cheeky penseller. Although she added: 'Danny's already warned us though, 'Jack's not allowed to stay in Dani's bed'.' Eek! : This comes after Joanne revealed that Danny has banned Jack from sleeping in his daughter's bed when they leave the Love Island villa next week Seal of approval! : Talking to The Sun , Dani's mum Joanne, admitted that both she and Danny, 41, love the cheeky pen seller Smitten: The barmaid, 22, and pen salesman, 26, have shared a bed together every night so far but have refrained from having sex on TV during their time on the hit ITV2 dating show Dani and Jack are front runners to win Love Island 2018 on Monday's finale as the strongest couple in the villa. And it looks as though their romance could go the entire way as Jo thinks he could be 'the one' and their relationship could end in marriage, as long as Justin Bieber doesn't get in the way. She added: 'I think Jack could be the one because he's older than her. Protective dad: Jo revealed to the publication: 'Danny's already warned us though, 'Jack's not allowed to stay in Dani's bed'.' 'Unless Justin Bieber comes along, this could be it.' Jo's interview comes after Love Island fans were left outraged on Friday's episode after it was revealed that Danny is NOT going into the villa and will instead meet daughter Dani's beau Jack on Skype, as part of the Meet The Parents episode. In a fleeting preview shown at the end of Friday's show, Danny was seen demanding to meet Jack in a video call alongside wife Joanne, as the Islanders are set to be reunited with their families after eight weeks apart. Wedding bells? : It looks as though their romance could go the entire way as Jo thinks he could be 'the one' and their relationship could end in marriage The EastEnders star had sparked speculation that he was heading to Mallorca for the series when he was spotted at an airport earlier this week, but it was later revealed he was instead in Florida with his family. Dani's mum Joanne had previously said that her husband was keen to enter the villa, and had been struggling without his daughter around. She said on Love Island Aftersun: 'I think he's a bit jealous, he does cry a lot. Every night. He really misses her.'<doc-sep>

DANI Dyer's mum Joanne Mas thinks she will marry Love Island boyfriend Jack Fincham - unless Justin Bieber turns up. The couple are front runners to win the ITV2 reality show on Monday night, after proving themselves to be one of the strongest pairs in the villa. 7 Dani Dyer's mum Joanne Mas thinks Jack Fincham could be 'The One' for her daughter Dani Dyer Credit: ITV Jack and Dani talk about their plans to move in together before Christmas and their future outside of the Love Island villa On last night's show, pen salesman Jack, 26, asked girlfriend Dani, 22, if she would move in with him once they leave the villa, and she happily said yes. After a series of bad relationships, which saw Dani get cheating on and develop trust issues - something she has discussed on the show - her mum Jo thinks she could finally go the distance with Jack and walk down the aisle. She exclusively told The Sun: “I think Jack could be the one because he's older than her. "It's sad because I loved her ex boyfriend, but they were so young. Jack seems grounded. 7 Jo told The Sun she could see her daughter walking down the aisle with Jack - as long as Justin Bieber doesn't show up Credit: Getty - Contributor Click here to play our Love Island games - and win a £10,000 holiday for you and three friends 7 Jack and Dani are front runners to win Love Island Credit: ITV Love Island's Jack asks Dani to move in with him and she says yes 7 Jo is delighted to see her daughter so happy Credit: ITV "Unless Justin Bieber comes along, this could be it.” Despite her reality TV fame, Jo is certain Dani can return to her acting career, even if some TV production companies think the family can become the UK’s answer to the Kardashians. Jo - who is married to EastEnders actor and Dani's dad Danny Dyer - said: “We've been offered a reality show, but Danny is contracted at the BBC. "We have always joked about it. People do say we need a show in our house because there's always a drama. One day we might do it. 7 Jo thinks the only way Dani and Jack won't work out is if she meets Justin Bieber Credit: Splash News Most Read in TV & Showbiz KIM'S NEW KRUSH The men lining up to be Kim K's next partner as Kanye ‘dates Irina Shayk’ JOSS PERFECT Jac Jossa shows off her tiny waist after weight loss in pretty summer dresses 'WE'LL SEE' Louise Redknapp revealed Jamie wanted another baby when she was on Strictly GRANDE AFFAIR Ariana dazzles in white gown as she shares private pics from secret wedding a wright treat! Mark Wright gives fans tour of new £2,400 a night home with Michelle Keegan Exclusive ARG-AIN James ‘Arg’ Argent's set to reunite with 'love of his life' ex Lydia Bright Love Island Day 46 Recap - The islanders go on their final dates and doctor Alex breaks up with Alexandra 7 Joanne likes that Jack seems so grounded Credit: Instagram 7 Jo has Dani with husband Danny Dyer Credit: Rex Features “But for now I think Dani can definitely go back to acting, she was in the National Theatre and she's done film, she’s talented. “Let's hope in a couple of years Sunnie doesn't want to go on Love Island. "I can't keep saying Stop Crying Mick. I'll get dumped.” Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.

A key suspect in the reported torture and murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi worked in Australia for three months at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, where he observed autopsies being performed. Khashoggi has not been seen since he entered the office of the Saudi consul Mohammad al-Otaibi in Istanbul on 2 October. A report citing Turkish officials in the New York Times said an audio-recording allegedly proves Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi leaders, was attacked by a Saudi hit-team upon entering the consulate. The recording was allegedly obtained by Turkish officials. Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy, a forensics specialist who spent time in Australia, can allegedly be heard in the recording ordering the hit-team to put on headphones and listen to music while dismembering Khashoggi’s body. Khashoggi was known for his criticism of Saudi leaders. The director of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Prof Noel Woodford, confirmed to Guardian Australia that al-Tubaigy spent three months with the institute in 2015. He said that specialists visited from overseas “all the time”. “When he approached the institute he was was interested in our CT scanning as it’s not common in every mortuary and forensic institute,” Woodford said. “The technology is particularly useful in times of disaster as you don’t have to do an autopsy. His interest was in that because he said he was in charge of responding to mass disasters in Saudi Arabia, and had an interest in the deaths of hajj pilgrims during the pilgrimage.” The pilgrimage in Mecca often results in congestion, which has resulted in crowd crushes and deaths. Woodford said al-Tubaigy observed autopsies at the institute but was never involved in conducting any. The former director of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Stephen Cordner, told ABC radio Melbourne on Thursday that al-Tubaigy’s visit was sponsored by the Saudi government. The doctor had also trained in the UK, Cordner said. “I remember Dr Tubaigy,” he said. “He became the senior forensic doctor in Saudi Arabia, he was head of the Saudi forensic medicine commission.” He said the institute often welcomed visiting specialists from overseas without any issues. “We approach them as though they’re honest people dealing with us wanting to improve the lives of the people in the country they come from,” he said. Donald Trump has come under increasing pressure for his defence of the Saudi regime, as senior Republicans have expressed their anger over Khashoggi’s murder. Trump has previously cautioned against blaming Saudi leaders. The kingdom is one of Washington’s closest allies in the Middle East. But by Thursday, Trump had told reporters at the White House he had asked Turkey for a copy of the audio recording. “We have asked for it, if it exists,” Trump said. “I’m not sure yet that it exists, probably does, possibly does.” But Turkish officials have said the audio recording has already been handed over to the US and Saudi Arabia.<doc-sep>Saudi journalist Khashoggi decapitated after fingers cut off: Reports ISTANBUL The residence of the Saudi consul is cordoned off by Turkish police in Istanbul, on Oct. 16, 2018, the day after Turkish police and prosecutors searched the Saudi embassy after Riyadh gave the green-light amid global uproar over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi since Oct. 2. Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was decapitated on Oct. 2 inside his country’s consulate in Istanbul after torture during which his fingers were cut off, according to media reports citing an audio recording of the brutal execution. Daily Yeni Şafak reported Oct. 17 that Saudi Arabia Consul Mohammad Utaybi’s voice could be heard in one of the recordings of Khashoggi’s “interrogation.” After Utaybi told the interrogators to “do it somewhere else outside or I will be in trouble,” he was told to “shut up if you want to live when you are back in Arabia.” Utaybi returned to Saudi Arabia on Oct. 16 before Turkish police searched his residence in Istanbul. Body dissected in seven minutes Qatar-based Al Jazeera reported the dissection of Khashoggi’s body inside the consulate took seven minutes. It was conducted by Saudi forensics expert Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy, who was reportedly heard in the recordings while advising the interrogators to “listen to music” while he dissected the body. According to Turkish police, al-Tubaigy was one of the 15 Saudis who had arrived in Istanbul on two planes and entered the consulate while Khashoggi was inside. The group, which left Turkey on the same day, also included Saudi intelligence officers and Royal Guards. The New York Times confirmed the identities of nine people in the group on Oct. 16, adding that at least four of them were previously part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s entourage on foreign trips. A team of Turkish police spent more than nine hours in the consulate on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 and the Associated Press reported that they found “certain evidence” about the killing of the prominent Saudi dissident. Some materials at the Saudi consulate have been painted over, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdoğan said on Oct. 16. Turkish officials would not comment on the disposal method for the body, pending investigation and a planned search of the consul’s residence.<doc-sep>Join thousands of others in getting the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox. Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice A former Glasgow University student is alleged to have cut up the body of a Saudi Arabian journalist with a bone saw while listening to music. According to Middle East Eye , autopsy expert Dr. Salah al-Tubaigy, who studied in Glasgow in 2004, was part of a death squad drafted in to kill Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul earlier this month. An anonymous Turkish source told the news outlet: "Tubaigy began to cut Khashoggi’s body up on a table in the study while he was still alive. The killing took seven minutes." Reports in the Turkish press claim the doctor is suspected of directing the torture - reportedly captured in gruesome audio tapes - and used his expertise to administer drugs which would keep the journalist conscious during the brutal interrogation, which saw his fingers cut off before he was decapitated. The source, who has listened to audio taken from a recording on Khashoggi’s Apple watch , said Tubaigy plugged in headphones and listened to music to drown out Jamal's horrendous screams as he dismembered his body. They said: "Tubaigy was equipped with a bone saw." (Image: Daily Record) Dr. Salah Al-Tubaigy, who identifies himself on his Twitter account as head of the Saudi Scientific Council of Forensics, is said to be heard in the audio telling others in the room: “When I do this job, I listen to music. You should do [that] too.” Jamal Khashoggi who worked as a columnist for The Washington Post, was last seen inside the Saudi Arabian consulate on October 2 when he went to get paperwork to marry his Turkish partner Hatice Cengiz. The renowned critic of the Saudi leadership, who worked as a columnist for The Washington Post, hasn't been seen since. (Image: Reuters) The New York Times named Dr. Salah al-Tubaigy among 15 suspects so far identified by the Turkish authorities. The Times also names nine other high-ranking officials from the oil rich country who could have been part of the death squad involved in Jamal Khashoggi's killing. He holds senior positions in the Saudi Interior Ministry and medical establishment, a "figure of such stature that he could be directed only by a high-ranking Saudi authority", The New York Times writes. Dr. Salah Al-Tubaigy was pictured at Istanbul's Ataturk airport on October 2, raising more suspicion around his involvement in the alleged torture case. He has not publicly addressed the allegations. None of the suspects could be reached for comment.<doc-sep>Tubaigy’s name, along with those of 14 others, and a picture purporting to show him arriving in Istanbul the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance was first published late Tuesday by Sabah, a newspaper closely aligned with the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Three Turkish officials confirmed to The Post on Wednesday that the list was an accurate dossier of Saudi suspects, and several publications have since pointed to Tubaigy’s LinkedIn page and other social media posts to identify him as a forensics official, though with few details of his biography.<doc-sep>

The man accused of butchering Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is a doctor who trained in Britain - it has been revealed. Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy, who is known as a 'forensic expert', studied pathology at the University of Glasgow in 2004 and learned how to carry out autopsies. He was pictured jetting into Istanbul on the day Khashoggi went missing on October 2 and has since been linked to his murder by an audio recording taken on the journalist's Apple watch. In the seven-minute tape, Tubaigy can reportedly be heard leading the brutal dismembering of Khashoggi's body. Dr Salah Muhammed A Tubaigy (pictured) is known to be a 'forensic expert' who studied autopsies during his time at Glasgow University Still missing: Jamal Khashoggi was reportedly butchered while still alive by members of the 15-strong Saudi 'hit squad' where several have been found to have close ties to the Royal family Tubaigy was identified by an anonymous source as telling others in the squad to put headphones in while he set about cutting the victim into pieces on a desk. According to the source, who spoke to Middle East Eye, Tubaigy, who also holds a position within the Saudi Interior Ministry, said: 'When I do this job, I listen to music.' Tubaigy was identified by an anonymous source as telling others in the squad to put headphones in while he set about cutting the victim The tape is said to reveal Mr Khashoggi was dragged from the Saudi Consul General's office to a table in a next-door study, where he was surgically dismembered, before he was 'injected with an unknown drug' and fell silent. Dr. Salah Al-Tubaigy was pictured at Istanbul's Ataturk airport on October 2, raising more suspicion around his involvement in the alleged torture case. Tubaigy identifies himself on his Twitter account as head of the Saudi Scientific Council of Forensics. He has not publicly addressed the allegations. None of the suspects could be reached for comment. The Times said on Wednesday that at least nine of the 15 worked for the Saudi security services, military or other government ministries. The newspaper said it gathered more information about the suspects through facial recognition software, a database of Saudi cellphone numbers, leaked Saudi government documents, witnesses and media. The Times said three other suspects are Abdulaziz Mohammed al-Hawsawi - a member of the security team that travels with Prince Mohammed - Thaar Ghaleb al-Harbi, and Muhammed Saad Alzahrani. Harbi and Alzahrani have the same names as two people who have been identified as members of the Saudi Royal Guard, the Times said. Tubaigy pictured at Istanbul's Ataturk airport having flown in by private jet on the day Khashoggi disappeared

Detroit — In the end, it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. As forward Ryan Kuffner was making his choice where to sign an NHL contract, the undrafted college free agent had his sights on the Red Wings. “It’s just an incredible organization,” Kuffner said after participating in Thursday’s morning skate. “Definitely at the very top, and I’m just so happy to be here. It’s a dream come true. “Such a great team and coaching staff, and once I got to know them, it was an easy decision to make.” Kuffner, 22, signed a two-year entry-level contract Tuesday, along with Michigan State’s Taro Hirose, who was expected to arrive later Thursday. The two will get game action and a chance to show they can compete for jobs next year. “If they come in and play well, that’s great for everybody,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “It just shows there are more people pushing to take people’s jobs. Ultimately, we have to be a better hockey team than we’ve been. “If these guys can help us be better, and are better than guys who are getting the current ice time, they’ll take ice time. That’s just the reality of the NHL.” Kuffner had 22 goals and 22 assists (44 points) in 31 games at Princeton (he majored in economics and finance) this season and had 75 career goals in 132 games. Blashill said Kuffner likely would get into the lineup next week after several practices. “I try to be the most competitive guy out there," Kuffner said, "that’s the biggest thing, working as hard as I can. Get to spots, and after that, execute. I want to use my shot as much as possible and know where the guys are with me.” From what Blashill has seen, if Kuffner is to make it in the NHL, it’s going to be as an offensive winger. “If he’s going to make us better, he’ll be a scoring winger,” Blashill said. “He’s a guy who can score goals. He scored a lot of goals in college.” Blashill had a conversation with Kuffner before the player signed with the Wings, and came away impressed with Kuffner’s instincts. Blashill asked Kuffner what was important to him on the ice. “He said it was timing,” Blashill said. “When you get an answer like that, you understand what you have to do, and that means you’re a smart hockey player and you understand time and space and find ways to get open.” Along with never being drafted by the NHL, Kuffner never was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), which stung the Ottawa native. “Kind of wake-up call, being (age) 15 and not get drafted,” Kuffner said of the experience. “Back home in Ottawa, you kind of dream to play for the Ottawa 67s (the OHL team). But after I didn’t get drafted, I just tried to use that as time to set my goals and what I had to work on and what my strengths were and talk to as many people, guys I knew played at higher levels, and where I could fit.” Not being drafted in either the OHL or NHL has kept Kuffner hungry and focused on his goals. “Taking whatever opportunity I can get, that’s the biggest thing,” Kuffner said. “I’m going to try to keep with that no matter where I am. I just want to work as hard as I can and give everything I have. “This is what I want to do and this opportunity is awesome. I just want settle in and work as hard as I can.” Back to Grand Rapids Thursday’s game will be the ninth and final for forward Filip Zadina before heading back to Grand Rapids. Playing more than nine games would kick in the first year of Zadina’s contract, which the Wings didn’t want to do. So Zadina was set to return to the Griffins on Friday morning. “These (nine) games really helped me a lot,” Zadina said after the morning skate. “The experience to play and playing against those teams like Tampa and Florida, those teams have some of the best players in the league. It was a huge experience for me and I’m glad for the chance.” Zadina knows where he’d like to improve this summer, after getting a taste of the NHL. “Just be stronger,” Zadina said. “I’m still 19 years old, but just want to be stronger and it’ll be way easier.” As much as Zadina would love to remain in the NHL, he was anxious to return to Grand Rapids and be involved in a playoff run. “I’m so excited because we’re going to the playoffs, my first playoff as a pro,” Zadina said. “It’s going to be fun and hopefully we’ll make some good results in Grand Rapids.” Larkin update Forward Dylan Larkin (neck strain) took part in the morning skate and is aiming for a return Saturday against the New York Islanders. Larkin missed his fifth consecutive game Thursday, but there was progress in his condition. “It was just a matter of getting to where he’s pain free and had full range of motion and he got there,” Blashill said. “Now we want to make sure we don’t rush him into it and set him back.” Ice chips Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (lower body), who was injured Tuesday in Montreal, isn’t expected to return until after the weekend. … Blashill said Hirose, who could be at Friday’s practice, is a crafty offensive player. “From everyone I talked to, he’s a smart hockey player who has great poise with the puck, and had the puck on his stick a lot in college,” Blashill said. “Will his game translate to this level? You just never know.” ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com Twitter: @tkulfan<doc-sep>The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Ryan Kuffner, a free agent from Princeton University, to a two-year entry-level contract. Kuffner (6-1, 195) is an Ottawa native who produced 22 goals and 22 assists in 31 games this season. In four years at Princeton, the left-shooting Kuffner has collected 75 goals and 152 points in 132 games. Check back later for more details.<doc-sep>(WXYZ) — Ken Holland signed a pair of college forwards on Tuesday. The first announced move was locking up Princeton forward Ryan Kuffner to a two-year contract. The Red Wings also signed Michigan State's Taro Hirose. Kuffner went undrafted, but registered 44 points in 31 games for Princeton in 2018-19. He is 6'1" and 195 lbs. Holland told reporters Kuffner will report to the Red Wings as soon as possible.<doc-sep>The Detroit Red Wings landed their top two targets in college free agency Tuesday, and they’re going to join the team this season. The Red Wings signed forwards Ryan Kuffner of Princeton and Taro Hirose of Michigan State to two-year entry-level contracts. The pair of skilled wingers will be with the Red Wings for the remainder of the season and are expected to join the lineup in the next week to 10 days. The Canadian natives need to get their visas changed from academic to professional status. Kuffner is flying to Detroit Wednesday. Hirose will arrive Thursday. “They were the top two free agent players we liked as a staff,” Jiri Fischer, the Red Wings’ director of player evaluation, said. “I don’t want to put who was No. 1 and who was No. 2 because they are different-type players. Ryan plays a little bit lower in the O-zone and Taro generally is the flank guy. (Hirose) would be more of a set-up guy, playmaker, whereas Ryan likes to be a little bit more of a shooter. They’re very complementary to each other.” Kuffner (6-1, 195) is an Ottawa native who produced 22 goals and 22 assists in 31 games this season. In four years at Princeton, the left-shooting Kuffner has collected 75 goals and 152 points in 132 games. “He’s got decent size, goes to the hard areas.” Red Wings assistant general manager Ryan Martin said. “I think he and his linemate, (Max) Veronneau (who signed with Ottawa Tuesday), were two of the best college hockey players in the country and really worked well together, so he can play a skilled game. He’s good at getting open away from the puck and can finish. He’s also got a pretty mature game without the puck. He’s a guy that’s responsible.” Fischer said Kuffner would have been one of the top college free agents last year had he left Princeton early. “He came into the season with big expectations of somebody that did extremely well a season ago,” Fischer said. “Now he was on the radar for all the teams to be the guy to shut down. I really liked the fact that he hasn’t done it just once, he’s done it back-to-back seasons, he’s produced. “He is a very smart player playing in traffic. He’s got a quick release. He likes to play down low in the offensive zone. He can play quick, he can make fast decisions. We believe his game is going to translate to pro.” Fischer lauded Kuffner’s hockey IQ. “He is very smart,” Fischer said. “Out of all players I’ve met with last several years – free agents in Europe, college or overage juniors – he was the most self-aware of what he needed to work on as far as how to get better on the ice, what are his strengths, what are his weaknesses and also figuring out a plan and how to work on it. Going to Princeton, it’s one of the hardest schools to get in, academically, one of the hardest schools to graduate from.” Hirose, 22, has spent the past three seasons at MSU, collecting 116 points (33 goals, 83 assists) in 106 games. This season, Hirose led the nation in points (50), points-per-game (1.47), assists (35), multi-point games (15) and three-point games (nine). The 5-10, 160-pound Hirose, who is from Calgary, also was the Big Ten scoring champion, tallying 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) in 24 conference games. “He can really make quick plays in traffic,” Fischer said. “He is extremely aware of the surroundings with and without the puck. He ran the half-wall on the power play, he’s also been used on the PK. Obviously, heavy minutes. “He came to our development camp last summer, we got to know him personally.” How do players like this slip through the cracks in their draft-eligible years? “As guys grow and get older, some mature later physically,” Fischer said. “Some guys figure things out later. Everybody’s got their own timeline. Why some guys differentiate themselves at 21, 22, 23, I really think it’s about playing important minutes, important situations, that forces the player to make decisions, to prepare more for the games. When guys start becoming leaders of their teams it really changes their mindset.” Filip Zadina, the Red Wings’ top pick in 2018, will be sent back to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins following his ninth game, which likely will be Thursday at home against Tampa Bay. That was the plan all along, to avoid burning a year off his entry-level contract and to keep him exempt from the 2021 expansion draft. The 23-man roster limit was lifted at the NHL trade deadline on Feb. 25.<doc-sep>

DETROIT – Ryan Kuffner walked into the Detroit Red Wings dressing room Thursday and saw Ted Lindsay’s nameplate on the stall next to him, where the legend’s No. 7 jersey was hanging as a tribute. The kid who just wrapped up his collegiate career at Princeton is now part of one of hockey’s most storied franchises, and his enthusiasm was boiling over after skating with his new team for the first time. “Everybody’s been so welcoming here, all the guys and staff,” Kuffner said. “It’s just awesome, an incredible organization and obviously it’s an honor to be a part of it. I’m just trying to take it all in and learn as much as I can.” The Red Wings signed Kuffner and Taro Hirose of Michigan State, a pair of free-agent wingers, to two-year entry-level contracts on Tuesday. Hirose will join the team for practice on Friday. Coach Jeff Blashill said both will need to practice a few times before being inserted into the lineup next week. Kuffner produced 22 goals and 22 assists in 31 games this season. In four years at Princeton, the left-shooting Kuffner collected 75 goals and 152 points in 132 games. “I think I try to be the most competitive guy out there,” Kuffner, who’ll wear No. 56, said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, just working as hard as you can to get in the spots that you try to be in. After that, try to execute. I want to use my shot as much as possible, just know where the guys are on the ice. I think that’s the biggest thing when you get into space.” Kuffner took part in the morning skate prior to tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). It wasn’t a regular practice, but coach Jeff Blashill said Kuffner’s staking ability stood out to him. “If he’s going to make us better, he’s going to be a scoring winger,” Blashill said. “He scored lots of goals in college. I had a chance to watch some of his shifts, I had a chance to talk to him before he made his decision. The one thing that impressed me was I asked what was most important to him, he said timing. When you get an answer like that, that means you’re a smart hockey player and you understand time and space and finding ways to get open and then when you get open you can use your assets. “Some guys, the hockey doesn’t start until they touch the puck. Good offensive players think a step ahead. That answer said to me he’s always thinking a step ahead. Now he’s got to come in and prove it.” Kuffner majored in economics and finance and said he is a few exams short of earning his degree. He’ll try to learn as much as possible from watching the next couple of games, practicing and taking part in meetings. “Try to go through the whole game plan and the systems and really understand what everybody’s doing out there and the kind of purpose that they have while they’re on the ice,” Kuffner said. “Then try to take it into practice the next couple days and try to execute and ask a ton of questions. Because I think that’s the biggest thing coming into a new place is you want to learn as much as possible as soon as possible so watch everybody out there and try to get a bit of a feel for it.” Kuffner was bypassed in both the OHL and NHL drafts. “I think after I didn’t get drafted, I just tried to use that time to set goals and kind of take a look at what I had to work on, what my strengths were and talk to as many people, like scouts, coaches, teammates and guys who I knew who played at higher levels,” he said. “I knew I had to work as hard as I can because obviously that’s the most important thing, by far.” Kuffner and Hirose are both 22, so they have more experience than some of the team’s younger prospects. “I think without question there’s benefit to having years under your belt,” Blashill said. They will create a more competitive environment the rest of this season and in training camp in September when many of these young players will be competing for jobs. “If they can come in and play well, that’s great for everybody,” Blashill said.

Wild child Emilia got her first inking on Wednesday (Instagram/EmiliaClarke) Emilia Clarke just became the girl with the dragon tattoo – and it’s a special homage to Game Of Thrones. The Daenerys Targaryen actress declared that she was ‘Mother of Dragons forever’ as she showed off the commemorative inking of ‘her babies’ Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion on her right wrist. Emilia confessed to having an ‘existential crisis’ when Game Of Thrones wrapped two months ago but now says she ‘couldn’t be happier if she tried.’ She captioned the shot: ‘MOD 4 LYFE!!!!? Made sure this mamma ain’t NEVER forgetting her babies….’ Emilia pulled a wild face at Dr Woo’s famous tattoo studio in Los Angeles and joked that she’d ‘only passed out once’ in the artist’s chair. Though she has one other inking of a bee on her knuckle, the British beauty has been planning the a tattoo of her dragons ‘flying away’ as a kind of ‘peace out’ to the show since 2016. Co-star Sophie Turner similarly got a tattoo to commemorate her time on Game Of Thrones in July. Alongside an illustration of a wolf on her forearm, British actress Sophie got the words, ‘the pack survives’ – which is a Sansa Stark quote from last season, and definitely not a spoiler, FYI. Castmembers and crew of the HBO series put an emotional end to production on Series 8, mainly filmed in Belfast, on July 6, 2018. Both actresses have been on show for almost a decade, starring since its inception in 2011. Emilia credited the show with changing her life, writing afterwards: ‘It’s been a trip @gameofthrones thank you for the life I never dreamed I’d be able to live and the family I’ll never stop missing.’ And as she showed up to see the series collect an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series on Monday night in Los Angeles, the Me Before You star admitted the feeling was ‘bittersweet.’ She said the end of filming was a ‘genuine existential crisis, like, legit, where you’re like, “What?”’ The actress revealed that there was ‘a lot of crying’ as the last ‘cut’ was called and we’re expecting plenty more tears when the show returns to screens in 2019, in one last blaze of glory. MORE : Kylie Jenner straight-up lied to the internet about never trying cereal with milk and Instagram has the proof MORE : ‘It’s the Crawleys’ next chapter’: Downton Abbey movie finally gets a release date for 2019<doc-sep>Game of Thrones may be ending next year, but thanks to some new body art, Emilia Clarke will be the Mother of Dragons for life. The actor showed off some new ink on Instagram on Wednesday evening, which features three small black dragon shapes flying up her wrist toward her hand. "MOD 4 LYFE!!!!" she wrote, referring to her status as mom to her scaly TV children. "@_dr_woo_ made sure this mamma ain’t NEVER forgetting her babies...." In the photo, she's grinning ear to ear, and looks like she couldn't be happier about her tiny tattoos. While we were pleasantly surprised to see this work of art staring back at us on our Instagram feeds on Wednesday night, we actually did have some idea it was coming. In May, she told Ryan Seacrest and Kelly Ripa that she was planning on getting a tattoo when the show was over. "I’m going to get a dragon right here kind of flying away," she said, pointing at her wrist. "So I think that’s cool. A little kind of peace out." She further celebrated her departure from Westeros by chopping the "burnt-out mother of dragons split ends" off of her hair — which was basically a breakup cut, but with a TV show instead of a significant other. Clarke isn't the only one to commemorate her turn on the show with a permanent souvenir. In 2016, onscreen sisters Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams got the numbers "07.08.09" tattooed on their forearms to commemorate the day they both found out they'd been cast on the series. Williams also has the phrase "no one" inked onto her body, likely referencing the time in season six when one of the Faceless Men, Jaqen H'ghar, told her, "A girl is no one." For her part, Turner has a photo of a direwolf on her inner arm with the phrase, "The pack survives." Thanks to their epic body art, this "pack" will clearly survive long after the last episode airs. More on celebrity tattoos: Now, see 100 years of tattoos:<doc-sep>If you want to know that Emilia Clarke will never really be done with Game of Thrones, look no further than her arm. On the epic HBO series, her character Daenerys Targaryen infamously walks out of a fire, having hatched her magical dragon babies out of eggs, which grow up to be trusty ferocious companions capable of turning soldiers to ash with one fiery breath. This makes her known throughout the fantasy world as the Mother of Dragons. So it’s only fitting that with the show coming to a close in 2019, now Clarke has made her love for her fictitious dragon spawn “ink official” for all time. On Wednesday night, the 31-year-old actor shared a snap of her permanent body art of a fleet of three dragons. If her character is immune to fire, then a little ink from celebrity tattoo artist Dr. Woo can’t be too scary. This marks the first time the actor has finally gotten a Game of Thrones tattoo. Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner, who play Arya and Sansa Stark, respectively, were earlier to the party. “MOD 4 LYFE!!! !,” Clarke captioned the photo with a blaze emoji. (Presumably “MOD” stands for Mother of Dragons.) “Dr Woo made sure this mamma ain’t NEVER forgetting her babies.” She first teased her plans for her tattoo on an appearance on LIVE with Kelly and Ryan in May. “I’m going to get a dragon right here [gesturing toward her wrist] kind of flying away. So I think that’s cool. A little kind of peace out,” she said. Game of Thrones returns for its final season in 2019 on HBO. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Contact us at letters@time.com.<doc-sep>To quote the iconic Daenerys Targaryen, “Where are my dragons?” Well, Emilia Clarke knows where her “children” are forever: she got them inked on her wrist in honor of the final season of Game of Thrones wrapping. The actress revealed her new Khaleesi-inspired tattoo on her Instagram feed, after explaining her vision for the ink on Live with Kelly and Ryan in May, saying “I am going to get a dragon right here, kind of flying away.” The topic came up when Seacrest revealed that he had been in a tattoo parlor trying to get an appointment but Clarke had already booked the time slot. And it would seem she finally went in for her appointment because the GOT star revealed a scene of three dragons flying away on her wrist on Wednesday, September 19, with the caption, “MOD 4 LYFE @_dr_woo made sure this mamma ain’t NEVER forgetting her babies …” Clearly, the Mother of Dragons got the hook up with fire and ink in honor of a song of ice and fire. Consider this the coolest way to say peace out to her role as the inimitable Targaeryen queen. Artist Dr. Woo has tattooed Clarke before, inking a bee on her left pinkie finger, so this isn’t the actress’ first time at the body art rodeo. And the GOT star isn’t the only cast member who has gotten a tattoo to honor her role on the series. The past June, Sophie Turner (a.k.a. Sansa Stark) had a direwolf, the sigil of the House Stark, with the words “the pack survives” below it, inked on her forearm. Her inspiration: “When the snow falls and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives. It’s just a quote from last season,” she explained on The Late Late Show with James Corden. Will more cast members get tribute body art before the final season of Game of Thrones, which returns to HBO in January 2019? Only time will tell.<doc-sep>

Games of Thrones star Emilia Clarke just got a dragon tattoo inspired by her hit HBO series Mother of Dragons! Emilia Clarke Finally Gets Her Game of Thrones-Inspired Tattoo Emilia Clarke will forever be the Mother of Dragons, and she’s got the tattoos to prove it! On Wednesday, the 31-year-old actress who plays Daenerys Targaryen on the beloved HBO series Game of Thrones showed off her new wrist ink— three flying dragons. “MOD 4 LYFE!!! !🔥@_dr_woo_ made sure this mamma ain’t NEVER forgetting her babies…. 😍,” Clarke captioned an Instagram post adding that she briefly passed out. The star went to celebrity go-to tattoo artist, Dr. Woo, for her delicate dragons. Clarke first talked about getting the tattoos during an appearance on LIVE with Kelly and Ryan in May after Ryan Seacrest revealed he’d been trying to set up an appoint at a tattoo parlor but couldn’t because it was already booked by Clarke. “I was in a tattoo parlor the other day trying to get an appointment and they said that they were full because you’re coming in to get a tattoo of a dragon?” Seacrest asked Clarke. Kelly Ripa then chimed in with, “Are you really doing it?” Clarke excitedly responded by saying, “Yes! Sorry, mum!” “I’m going to get a dragon right here [points at wrist] kind of flying away,” Clarke explained after admitting she felt the need to commemorate her time on the show. “So I think that’s cool. A little kind of peace out.” Looking for more style content? Click here to subscribe to the PeopleStyle Newsletter for amazing shopping discounts, can’t-live-without beauty products and more. 776465_509_promostills_8001565141 Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones | Credit: HBO Clarke also revealed she already has a tattoo of a bee on her left pinkie finger also from Dr. Woo. RELATED VIDEO: ‘Game of Thrones’ Star Peter Dinklage Teases Final Season: ‘You’re In for It’ Of course, Clarke isn’t the only Game of Thrones star to pay homage to the show with ink. In June, Sophie Turner, who plays Sasana Stark, revealed she got a tattoo of direwolf, the sigil of House Stark with the words “the pack survives” written below it. sophie-turner-game-of-thrones_56958337-4182x2832-4182x2832 Sophie Turner in Game of Thrones Turner, 22, later explained on The Late Late Show with James Corden, that it’s a nod to the Stark family. “When the snow falls and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives. It’s just a quote from last season,” Turner said after getting backlash for appearing to spoil the upcoming season.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham suggested Sunday night that he intends to call in former FBI Director James B. Comey for questioning, after special counsel Robert Mueller’s report produced no charges against President Trump. Mr. Comey tweeted Sunday evening of the report, “So many questions.” Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, replied to Mr. Comey on Twitter: “Could not agree more. See you soon.” Mr. Graham has said he wants to investigate whether Justice Department officials discussed forcing Mr. Trump from office. After Mr. Trump fired him in 2017, Mr. Comey testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee that the president asked him to “let go” of an investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Mr. Comey also said he believed he was fired because he was conducting an investigation into possible Russia collusion with the Trump campaign, which Mr. Mueller concluded did not exist. Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters Copyright © 2021 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.<doc-sep>Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission Police reform fight hinges on qualified immunity On The Money: White House counters with .7 trillion infrastructure proposal, GOP unimpressed | USDA to start loan forgiveness for thousands of minority farmers MORE (R-S.C.) hinted at further questioning of ex-FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyThe FBI should turn off the FARA faucet Barr threatened to resign over Trump attempts to fire Wray: report 'Fox News Sunday' to mark 25 years on air MORE on Sunday after the attorney general released a summary of the key findings from special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerSenate Democrats urge Garland not to fight court order to release Trump obstruction memo Why a special counsel is guaranteed if Biden chooses Yates, Cuomo or Jones as AG Barr taps attorney investigating Russia probe origins as special counsel MORE's investigation. "Could not agree more. See you soon," Graham tweeted, sharing a tweet from Comey earlier in the day. Could not agree more. See you soon. https://t.co/KNGzyDizdq — Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 25, 2019 Comey had tweeted "so many questions" with an image of him in the forest after Attorney General William Barr sent a letter to Congress detailing the conclusions of Mueller's investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. ADVERTISEMENT The letter said that Mueller did not find evidence that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. The letter also said that Mueller and his team had not concluded one way or another whether Trump obstructed justice while president. But Barr added that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinProtect the police or the First Amendment? Rosenstein: Zero tolerance immigration policy 'never should have been proposed or implemented' Comey argues Trump shouldn't be prosecuted after leaving Oval Office MORE had decided not to pursue an obstruction charge after reviewing the special counsel's findings. When asked for clarification on Graham's tweet, his office pointed The Hill to a letter from Graham to Barr about investigating a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant obtained on Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser on Trump's campaign. Republicans have said the FISA warrant obtained on Page was an abuse of federal power and based on faulty evidence. Among the evidence presented by the Justice Department for the warrant was a controversial dossier compiled in 2016 by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele. That dossier alleges ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, but has not been verified. In applying for the surveillance warrant on Page, the Justice Department had failed to disclose to the court that the research had been paid for, in part, by Democrats. The concerns over the FISA warrant are part of a larger effort by Republicans to argue that the Justice Department made partisan decisions during the 2016 election, potentially to influence it. Sunday's conclusion that there was no collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia may reignite efforts from Graham and other Republicans to pursue investigations into that issue. Comey testified in front of House Republicans in late 2018 and has met with several members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on issues relating to Russia.<doc-sep>Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., posted an ominous reply to ex-FBI-Director James Comey on Twitter Sunday after Comey seemed to sum up the summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation by posting a picture of a man who appeared lost in the woods. The photo posted by Comey was of a man surrounded by tall trees, and the caption was simply: "So many questions." Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, replied, "Could not agree more," an obvious message that he hopes to question the former FBI head. Comey's tweet followed Attorney General William Barr’s announcement that Mueller did not find evidence that Trump’s campaign “conspired or coordinated” with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. READ THE MUELLER REPORT FINDINGS Trump and his team celebrated the outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. “It’s a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it’s a shame that your president has had to go through this,” he said. Despite Trump’s claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey. According to Barr’s summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Hill reached out to Graham for clarification about his tweet and his office referred the website to a letter from Graham to the attorney general about investigating a FISA surveillance warrant against Carter Page, a former campaign adviser to then-candidate Trump. FBI CLASHED WITH DOJ OVER POTENTIAL 'BIAS' OF SOURCE FOR SURVEILLANCE WARRANT: McCABE-PAGE TEXTS The surveillance of Page became a contentious matter between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans say the FBI had abused its surveillance powers and improperly obtained the warrant, a charge that Democrats rebutted as both sides characterized the documents in different ways. Critics have charged that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who signed off on the FISA application renewals, should not have approved them without more reliable intelligence. Trump has claimed that his campaign was “illegally” spied on for “the political gain of Crooked Hillary Clinton and the DNC.” Fox News' Gregg Re, Catherine Herridge and the Associated Press contributed to this report<doc-sep>Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham sent a cryptic message to James Comey on Sunday, hinting at what might be in store for the former FBI director. It began with a photo Comey tweeted earlier in the day, captioned simply, “So many questions.” “Could not agree more. See you soon,” Graham tweeted at Comey in response. Could not agree more. See you soon. https://t.co/KNGzyDizdq — Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 25, 2019 Graham, who is currently the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has long promised an investigation into alleged FISA abuse — which he believes may have played a role in the early stages of the Mueller investigation — along with investigations of key players like McCabe and Rosenstein. (RELATED: Lindsey Graham Pledges Investigation Of McCabe, Rosenstein Over ‘Bureaucratic Coup’) In pursuit of those ends, Graham has already requested all FBI and DOJ documents related to investigators’ attempts to verify allegations made in the Steele dossier. The South Carolina senator’s Sunday tweet appeared to indicate that Comey should also expect to spend some time before the Senate Judiciary committee in the near future. Follow Virginia on Twitter<doc-sep>

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) tweeted a response to James Comey on Sunday suggesting further questioning of the former FBI director is coming. After Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, Comey tweeted a photo of him standing in a forest with the caption, “So many questions.” “Could not agree more. See you soon," Graham, the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, tweeted back. Could not agree more. See you soon. https://t.co/KNGzyDizdq — Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 25, 2019 When asked for clarification on Graham's tweet, his office pointed The Hill to a letter from Graham to Barr about investigating a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant obtained on Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser on Trump's campaign. Republicans have said the FISA warrant obtained on Page was an abuse of federal power, and based on faulty evidence. Among the evidence presented by the Justice Department for the warrant was a controversial dossier compiled in 2016 by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele. That dossier alleges ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, but has not been verified. In applying for the surveillance warrant on Page, the Justice Department had failed to disclose to the court that the research had been paid for, in part, by Democrats. The concerns over FISA are part of a larger effort by Republicans to argue that the Justice Department made partisan decisions during the 2016 election, potentially to influence it. (The Hill) Fox News's Sean Hannity also said the FISA warrant was among the questions he has for Comey. "Yes Mr @ Comey," he replied. "Let’s start with why did you sign off on the FISA warrant based on hrc lies in oct 2016. And in January 2017 say it’s “unverified and salacious” ? Did you commit a fraud of the FISA court or lie to the President Elect you hated?"

The tail and a next generation winglet of a A Boeing 737 MAX 8 are pictured at Boeing Field after its its first flight on January 29, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. Boeing fell more than 5 percent on Monday, a move that capped the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The stock's sharp move down cost the 30-stock Dow more than 150 points. Boeing has by far the biggest influence on the Dow given the index is price weighted. In other words, a higher share price will have a greater impact on the Dow. Boeing's outsized influence over the Dow could be seen by looking at the index's counterparts, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq traded more than 1 percent higher while the Dow was up 0.79 percent. In other words, the Dow would be much higher if not for the aerospace giant's drop. WATCH: Why Airbus and Boeing dominate 99% of the large plane market<doc-sep>U.S. stocks snapped a five-day losing streak to close higher Monday as technology shares rallied, offsetting some of the gloom from Boeing Co.’s woes after the second deadly crash in about six months involving the company’s 737 Max 8 aircraft. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.03% rose 200.64 points, or 0.8%, to 25,650.88. The blue-chip index had fallen more than 200 points earlier in the session. The S&P 500 SPX, +0.19% gained 40.23 points, or 1.5%, to 2,783.30, with the information technology sector up 2.2%. The Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +0.59% climbed 149.92 points, or 2%, to 7,558.06, logging its best day on a percentage basis since Jan. 30. What drove the market? Shares of Boeing BA, +0.26% had their worst day in nearly five months, falling 5.3%, after one of the company’s 737 Max 8 planes operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Sunday, leaving no survivors among the 157 on board. At session lows, the Dow’s most heavily weighted company‘s stock was down more than 13%, subtracting 152.77 points from the Dow on the day. It comes months after a crash of the same model plane flown by Indonesia’s Lion Air, which went down into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff, killing 189 people. The plane maker released a statement expressing sympathy for the families of the victims, and said it would be sending a technical team to assist in the crash investigation. Investigators will be looking at the two crashes, which both took place as the aircraft were taking off. The pilot of the Ethiopian flight was reportedly trying to return to the airport after reporting technical problems, and the weather was clear. China has grounded all 96 of its 737 Max 8 planes, and Ethiopian Airlines has reportedly done the same. Boeing has delivered about 350 of its best-selling 737 Max planes, with orders for more than 5,000 more, and the plane already in use by American Airlines Group Inc. AAL, +2.97% , United Continental Holdings UAL, +1.81% and Southwest Airlines Co. LUV, +1.09% . Southwest said it was in close contact with Boeing following the crash, but said it had no plans to change operations. Still, shares of Southwest were down 0.3%. Last week, Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg told an aviation conference that purchases of his company’s planes by China could be part of a trade deal being hammered out by the two countries, Reuters reported. U.S. and Chinese officials have cited progress in trade negotiations, but the market is still waiting for news of hard details or a concrete deal. Investors are struggling with growing concerns about a global slowdown that overshadowed the 10th anniversary of the start of the bull market on Saturday. Investors were caught off guard Friday by surprisingly weak jobs numbers after the Labor Department announced the U.S. economy added just 20,000 new jobs in February, well below the 178,000 forecast by economists in a MarketWatch poll. Read: On bull market’s 10th anniversary, can stock investors shrug off latest gloom? Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell played down worries over the economy in an interview with “60 Minutes” on Sunday, saying “there is no reason why this economy cannot continue to expand.” What economic data were in focus? Retail sales rose 0.2% in January, above the 0.1% increase predicted by economists polled by MarketWatch. More disappointing, December’s 1.2% drop was revised even lower to a 1.6% decline, marking the largest fall in nearly 10 years. Business inventories in the U.S. rose 0.6% in December, the Commerce Department said, while reporting that sales fell 1%. U.S. consumers expect prices to rise more slowly in the short and medium term, the Federal Reserve said Monday. Median inflation expectations at both the one- and three-year time horizons fell by 0.2% to 2.8%, after having been unchanged since last April. What were analysts saying? “Investors have been waiting to see if December’s retail sales were an aberration, and [Monday’s] number was pretty decent,” said Dave Lafferty, chief market strategist at Natixis Investment Managers, in an interview. “The consumer is doing the heavy lifting in this economy, and it’s good the market’s worst fears about the health of the consumer weren’t confirmed,” he added. Meanwhile, Lafferty said, Powell’s interview on “60 Minutes” was “reassuringly dovish,” adding to optimism Monday, Boeing’s woes aside. “The 1.1% m/m rebound in underlying control group retail sales in January may provide some reassurance that consumer spending isn’t falling off a cliff,” wrote Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist with Capital Economics, in a research note. “But with December’s reading revised down to show an even sharper 2.3% plunge, the data confirm that real consumption growth is on course to slow sharply in the first quarter,” he added. What stocks were in focus? Shares of Tesla Inc. TSLA, +2.39% rose 2.4% after the electric-car maker reversed a decision to close most of its physical stores and move to online sales and to cut prices of the autos by 6%. Nvidia Corp. NVDA, +0.33% shares soared 7% after the chip maker said it reached an agreement to acquire Israeli server and storage company Mellanox Technologies Ltd. US:MLNX in a deal with an enterprise value of $6.9 billion. Mellanox shares jumped 7.8%. Shares of Apple Inc. AAPL, -0.04% gained 3.5% after an analyst at Bank of America upgraded the stock to buy from neutral. Ross Stores Inc. ROST, +1.83% shares rose 1.9% after the discount retailer announced plans to open 100 new locations in 2019. How did other markets trade? Asian stocks had a mostly positive session, with the Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, +0.28% climbing 1.9%. European stocks closed higher, with the Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP, +0.00% rising 0.8%. The ICE Dollar Index DXY, +0.03% edged lower, while gold prices US:GCJ9 settled lower, and oil priced US:CLJ9 gained more than 1%. —Barbara Kollmeyer contributed to this report<doc-sep>

Stocks rose on Monday as strong gains in tech shares like Apple and Facebook offset a steep decline in Boeing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 200.64 points higher at 25,650.88 after falling more than 200 points. The gained 1.47 percent to end the day at 2,783.30, led by a 2.17 percent jump in the tech sector. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.02 percent to 7,558.06. The indexes also snapped a five-day losing streak. Boeing fell 5.3 percent after a plane crash on Sunday that involved the 737 MAX 8 jet. This is the second crash in less than six months involving that model. Boeing's decline shaved off more than 150 points from the Dow given the index's price-weighted nature and the stock's high price relative to other Dow components. However, Apple shares rose 3.47 percent — offsetting some Boeing's losses — after Bank of America Merrill Lynch upgraded the stock to buy from neutral. Bank of America noted the company's recent pullback presents "opportunity." The bank also raised its 12-month price target to $210 per share from $180. Facebook gained 1.46 percent after Nomura Instinet upgraded it to buy from neutral. In a note to clients, analyst Mark Kelley said consumers are transitioning to Facebook's Stories format and its increased focus on messaging. Kelley also hiked his price target to $215 per share from $172. Tech shares also got a boost after Nvidia announced it is buying Mellanox Technologies for $6.8 billion. Nvidia rose more than 6.97 percent while Mellanox surged 7.78 percent.

Tekashi69 has reportedly pleaded guilty (Picture: Redferns) Tekashi69 is thought to have struck a deal with police officers, after being faced with spending life in prison. The FEFE rapper has reportedly pleaded guilty to nine, including multiple charges of racketeering, conspiracy, firearms offenses and narcotics trafficking. The 22-year-old, also known as Tekashi 6ix9ine, was indicted last November, and previously pleaded not guilty to racketeering. He was denied bail, with a pre-trial hearing taking place on 22 January, and his trial set to start on 4 September, 2019. Tekashi 6ix9ine will face sentencing on 24 January, 2020 (Picture: NYPD) TMZ claims he has now pleaded guilty, with his sentence remaining up in the air for now. Two of the charges he faced carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, with a minimum of 32 years behind bars. According to documents obtained by the publication, he was alleged to have been involved in dealing heroin, ecstasy, fentanyl, amphetamines and marijuana. Tekashi, real name Daniel Hernandez, was arrested in New York at the end of last year, alongside his ex-manager, and two former associates, who are accused of being part of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang. According to papers filed in court, they ‘committed and agreed, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence to protect and expand their narcotics business’. They are alleged to have dealt drugs including MDMA, heroin, marijuana and fentanyl across New York. Papers reportedly state Tekashi waited in a car outside an office building while his associates robbed some of the rapper’s rivals, in April. An AR-15 style rifle was also allegedly recovered at his Brooklyn home in September. ‘As alleged in the indictment, this gang, which included platinum-selling rap artist Tekashi 6ix9ine, wreaked havoc on New York City, engaging in brazen acts of violence,’ US Attorney Geoffrey S Berman previously said in a statement in regards to the charges. ‘Showing reckless indifference to others’ safety, members of the gang were allegedly involved in robberies and shootings, including a shooting inside the crowded Barclay’s Center, and a shooting in which an innocent bystander was hit.’ Hernandez’s lawyer previously claimed he ‘became victim of this enterprise and later took steps by firing employees and publicly denounced this enterprise through a morning show.’ Got a showbiz story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. MORE : Vikings fans confused as dead hero returns in season 6 trailer with new look MORE : Clive Swift admitted he would tell Keeping Up Appearances fans to ‘f*** off’ when they shouted ‘Richard’<doc-sep>Three known associates of Tekashi 6ix9ine, born Daniel Hernandez, have received federal indictments, according to a Wednesday TMZ report. Kintea McKenzie, Anthony Ellison and Demard Butler were indicted in connection to the June shooting of rapper Chief Keef. More specifically, Tekashi reportedly pinned McKenzie as the alleged gunman to investigators. McKenzie was allegedly paid $10,000 to shoot Keef, according to TMZ's law enforcement sources. It was reported that Tekashi had a problem with Keef leading about to the shooting in Times Square. Two men, including a known Tekashi associate, tracked down the "Love Sosa" rapper and opened fire–but missed. Currently, McKenzie has not been arrested by police; however, Ellison and Butler are already in custody and are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon. Ellison was already in custody for allegedly kidnapping and assaulting Tekashi in July after the 22-year-old was driving home from work on a music video. Butler was busted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on Wednesday. The 22-year-old rapper faces a minimum of 32 years in federal prison on racketeering and firearm charges. Tekashi maintains his innocence. Tekashi's lawyer was removed from his case Tuesday due to a potential conflict of interest, according to a Complex report. Lance Lazzaro had served as the rapper's main representative in his case on charges of racketeering conspiracy, firearms offenses and other crimes. Judge Paul A. Engelmayer learned Lazzaro served as a previous attorney for co-defendant Kifano "Shotti" Jordan—Tekashi 6ix9ine's former manager and one of the seven other men charged in connection to the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods—and he ordered him off the case. Although all minor charges, Lazzaro worked as Jordan's attorney in four separate cases between 2004 to 2015. Jordan received a misdemeanor in one of the cases while the other three were dismissed. Tekashi denied involvement in Nine Trey, a New York-based gang, which was cited for murder, drug trafficking and armed robbery in the federal indictment. The Brooklyn-based rapper still has attorney Dawn Florio, who signed onto his case shortly after his arrest in November. He will remain in prison until trial, dated for September. His girlfriend, who goes by the name Jade, posted the first photo of jailed Tekashi earlier this month. Dressed in a prison jumpsuit, Jade is seen hugging and kissing the 22-year-old on the cheek along with #FreeDanny.<doc-sep>[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] The rapper and Instagram star known as Tekashi 6ix9ine has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his role in a violent drug-trafficking gang and was cooperating with federal prosecutors, according to newly unsealed court records. The rapper, whose legal name is Daniel Hernandez, admitted at a federal court hearing in Manhattan on Jan. 23 to being a member of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, and said he had helped other gang members rob people at gunpoint. In one case, he said, “I helped members of Nine Trey attempt to kill a rival gang member.” Mr. Hernandez added, “I did this to maintain or increase my own standing in Nine Trey.” He also said the gang engaged in “shooting at people, robbing people and, at times, drug trafficking.” Mr. Hernandez said he apologized to the judge and “to anyone who was hurt, to my family, friends and fans for what I have done and who I have let down.”<doc-sep>The first photo of Tekashi 6ix9ine in prison has emerged, after his girlfriend posted a photo of the pair together. The controversial ‘Gummo’ rapper is currently incarcerated in a US federal prison while he awaits trial for racketeering charges later this year. If found guilty, he faces a minimum sentence of 32 years and a maximum of life in prison. The charges reportedly arise from a five-year investigation into the Nine Trey Bloods street gang, of which 6ix9ine is allegedly a member. Although he’s been imprisoned since November 2018, the first photo of the rapper behind bars has now emerged from his own girlfriend. Advertisement Posting on Instagram, she shared a candid photo that showed her kissing the rapper. She captioned the snap: “He’s good luv, enjoy” The rapper’s incarceration in a federal prison comes after he was moved from the Federal Prison of Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center amid fears for his security. According to TMZ, he is now being housed in a federal facility known for holding “neutral inmates” who are often “witnesses who cooperate with the feds”. The rapper’s lawyer Lazzaro told TMZ that the transfer was made for “security reasons”. In December 2018, a string of charges against Tekashi 6ix9ine for a previous child sex offence were also dropped, after he was expected to face re-sentencing.<doc-sep>

Popular rapper Tekashi69 entered a guilty plea to nine charges in federal court, according to a new report. According to TMZ, Tekashi, who has been in prison since was he arrested Nov. 18, appeared in court Jan. 23 and entered a guilty plea to multiple sickening charges. (RELATED: World-Famous Rapper Arrested Again, This Time On Racketeering And Firearm Charges) Tekashi, real name Daniel Hernandez, essentially admitted to gang activity, drug dealing, racketeering, and even ordering a hit on rival rapper Chief Keef’s cousin. Here’s how it broke down: Hernandez admitted to joining the Nine Trey Bloods Fall 2017. Less than a year later, he said he helped to try to kill a rival gang member in March 2016 in order to ingratiate himself with the group. About a month after that, he claims to have robbed another rival at gunpoint. He also claims to have ordered a pricey hit on Chief Keef’s cousin to send a message. “I paid a person to shoot at a rival member of Nine Trey to scare him,” he admitted. “The shooting took place in Manhattan. I did this to maintain or increase my own standing in Nine Trey.” Tekashi also admitted to dealing drugs. He claims he sold a kilogram of heroin in 2017. Court documents claim he was also involved in dealing fentanyl, ecstasy, amphetamines and marijuana. He apologized for his misdeeds, saying, “I apologize to the Court, to anyone who was hurt, to my family, friends and fans for what I have done and who I have let down.” If he’s convicted, Tekashi could spend a minimum of 47 years in prison and be fined $10 million, unless leniency is requested. His sentencing will come in less than a year, on Jan. 24, 2020. Tekashi is just 22 years old. Follow Jena on Twitter

Duke point guard Tre Jones left tonight’s 95-91 overtime loss to Syracuse after injuring his shoulder diving for a loose ball. Mike Krzyzewski offered an injury update postgame on his freshman star. According to Coach K, Jones did not break anything, but he did suffer a sprained shoulder. That doesn’t seem like good news for a team that will welcome No. 4 Virginia to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday. No official timetable was given for Jones, but Krzyzewski anticipates he will be out “a while.” More K on Tre Jones: "He'll be out for awhile, I think." — Lauren Brownlow (@lebrownlow) January 15, 2019 K on Tre Jones: “He was in a lot of pain. And he’s the toughest kid and right away, he said he thought his collarbone was broken.” X-rays showed nothing is broken but it is sprained. K says recovery time is uncertain. — I survived the transfer portal ??? (@ADavidHaleJoint) January 15, 2019 Jones is not as heralded as freshman classmates R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson, but he is the catalyst for the Blue Devils, who entered tonight’s game ranked No. 1 in the country. Jones came into this game averaging 8.5 points, 5.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds per contest. He was also averaging 1.9 steals per game and had four in six minutes tonight before getting hurt. Duke also played without freshman wing Cam Reddish, who missed the game with an illness. With Jones out, Barrett will need to play more of a point guard role, which takes an element away from Duke’s offense. Also, Jones’ ability to pressure the ball keyed Duke’s halfcourt defense, and will be a huge loss.<doc-sep>Although Duke losing to Syracuse on its home court will definitely affect next week’s rankings, the only concern right now for the Blue Devils should be the health of Tre Jones. Jones went down with a shoulder injury against the Orange, as he collided with Frank Howard early in the first half. The freshman guard was immediately in pain, and from that moment on the entire complexion of the game changed. Not only did Duke suffer its first conference loss of the season, but the offense sputtered down the stretch without its leader. More importantly, the Blue Devils struggled mightily on defense when Jones was off the floor. His ability to play lockdown defense on opposing guards really sets the tone for the rest of the lineup. Duke surrendered 95 points in its overtime loss to Syracuse, which is the highest total allowed this season for Mike Krzyzewski’s squad. According to college basketball insider Jeff Goodman, Jones suffered an acromioclavicular joint separation and will be sidelined indefinitely. Duke freshman point guard Tre Jones suffered an acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation Monday night against Syracuse. He will be sidelined “indefinitely." Jones is as important — if not more important — than any player on the Blue Devils. — Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 15, 2019 With Jones out for an extended period of time, the Blue Devils will need to make several adjustments over the next few weeks. Alex O’Connell filled the void on offense with 16 points, but he can’t match the defensive production of the freshman phenom. The road only gets harder for Duke in the ACC, as an intriguing matchup with No. 4 Virginia is set for this weekend.<doc-sep>Update 2: In the post game press conference following Duke's four point loss to Syracuse, head coach Mike Krzyzewski told the the Duke Radio Network that Jones had suffered a "shoulder sprain". ************ Starting point guard Tre Jones has been taken to the locker room following a collision with a Syracuse player early in the first half of tonight’s game. Jones, the unquestioned leader of team and the ACC’s leader in assist to turnover ratio, dove for a loose ball with just under 16 minutes remaining in the first half of Duke’s conference game against Syracuse. NEWS/UPDATE: Tre Jones has a right-shoulder issue. Questionable to return tonight. — Duke Basketball (@DukeMBB) January 15, 2019 Jones collided with Syracuse’s Elijah Hughes on the defensive side of the court around the free throw line and immediately went down. He was tended to by head coach Mike Krzyzewksi and head trainer Jose Fonseca before being escorted to the locker room by Fonseca. At the time of his departure, Duke was leading by 10 points. After losing their point guard, however, Duke surrendered an 11-3 spurt that allowed the Orange to climb back into the game. If he is unable to return, Jones would be the second starter the team was without for this crucial game. Classmate and hero of the Florida State game, Cam Reddish, is also out tonight due to illness. UPDATE: Jones has been ruled out for the remainder of the game.<doc-sep>

Grant Halverson/Getty Images Duke guard Tre Jones was forced to leave Monday's game against Syracuse after just six minutes because of a shoulder injury, and he was unable to return. After the game, head coach Mike Krzyzewski said a sprained shoulder caused a "ton of pain," per Adam Rowe of 247Sports. The official injury is considered an AC joint separation, per CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish. His timetable for return is not yet known, but the outlook isn't positive. "(Tre Jones) will be out for a while I think," the coach said, per Rowe. The Blue Devils struggled without the freshman Monday, losing 95-91 in overtime for just their second loss of the season. Jones was off to an outstanding start to the game before his injury, totaling two points, two assists and four steals in limited playing time. While teammates Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett have gotten more publicity, the point guard has been just as vital to the team's success this year, entering Monday with 8.5 points, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He is a catalyst on offense as well as one of the best perimeter defenders in the country. Jay Williams of ESPN discussed the player's value while also showing his emotion coming off the court: Video Play Button Videos you might like Even one missed game could be devastating for Duke, which is scheduled to play undefeated Virginia on Saturday. However, the team has to be concerned about an extended absence from the 5-star recruit. Alex O'Connell will likely get more minutes while Jones is out, but Barrett has to take on more of a facilitating role leading the offense. In any case, the absence will be notable. Recruit rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.

The New York Giants’ 53-man roster was announced on Saturday and is still very much a work in progress. It is likely to be altered a bit over the next 48 hours, but there are a number of areas in which we have questions or concerns. Here’s a look at four of the biggest surprises. The Giants kept four quarterbacks. Why? The big question on this Sunday morning before the waiver madness begins is: what are the Giants going to do with four quarterbacks? Remember, this is a team that has had basically one quarterback take 99% of the regular season snaps over the past 13 seasons. And, they still have that guy. Head coach Pat Shurmur likes a strong quarterback room, and now he has one. The Giants are likely to keep three. Speculation is that either Davis Webb or Kyle Lauletta will be traded. If the team can’t make a deal, they’ll likely cut Tanney. The situation should iron itself out sometime within the next 48 hours or one of these guys is going to have to learn how to play another position.<doc-sep>The New York Giants initial 53-man roster, one which could begin changing as soon as the waiver claiming period ends at noon on Sunday, is full of surprises. Including the fact that, for now, the Giants are keeping four quarterbacks. Let’s start with this from my Saturday afternoon Twitter mentions. Feel like we cut damn near the whole secondary — Joe Anderson (@Joe_The_Icon) September 1, 2018 Yes, umm, yes it does. Andrew Adams and Darian Thompson are out at safety. Chris Lewis-Harris, Leonard Johnson and Grant Haley are out at cornerback. Mark Herzlich, after years of seeming to hang on to his Giants career by a fingernail, is out. Roger Lewis Jr., whom we have been telling you for months was in trouble, is out. “As I’ve said, I feel like we’re on the right track,” coach Pat Shurmur said in a statement released by the team. “We had a competitive training camp that forced us to make some tough decisions. We will continue to look to improve the roster in any way we can. “This day is never easy because you are dealing with people who have made a commitment to your program, and while we all understand the reality of the business we’re in, it doesn’t make it any easier. “When we started camp, I told the players that my hope for all of them is that if they don’t make our roster, I want them to make somebody else’s. So that’s my desire for the men we parted ways with today.” The Giants surprisingly kept all three backups for Eli Manning — Davis Webb, Kyle Lauletta and veteran Alex Tanney. Four undrafted rookies and first-year players (center Evan Brown, safety Sean Chandler, linebacker Tae Davis, and running back Robert Martin), plus defensive tackle Josh Banks, a second-year pro who was signed as a rookie free agent in 2017 and spent the entire season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. The Giants can begin assembling a 10-man practice squad once at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, an hour after the waiver period expires. Let’s go through the full 53-man roster and offer some initial thoughts. Offense Quarterback (4) — Eli Manning, Davis Webb, Kyle Lauletta, Alex Tanney Valentine’s View: Quarterback intrigue marked the final half-hour or so before the 4 p.m. roster deadline. There had been speculation all day that the Giants might be trying to get something in exchange for Tanney. As the deadline approached, there was speculation that the Giants were working the phones trying to find a taker for one of their young quarterbacks, probably Webb. Even though Webb has been the No. 2 quarterback throughout camp, he wasn’t drafted by Shurmur and Dave Gettleman. He may also have more value than Lauletta right now because he is a second-year player. The roster will continue to evolve, and I can’t imagine that the Giants will keep four quarterbacks long-term. Something is going to give there. Running back (5) — Saquon Barkley, Wayne Gallman, Jonathan Stewart, Shane Smith, Robert Martin Valentine’s View: For weeks we have been wondering if one of the Giants’ young running backs, probably former Rutgers Scarlet Knight Robert Martin, could play well enough to force the Giants to keep an additional running back. Turns out, that is exactly what happened. We had always wondered if the Giants would keep fullback Shane Smith. They did. Tight end (4) — Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, Jerell Adams, Scott Simonson Valentine’s View: In my final 53-man roster projection I had Simonson making the cut. It makes sense purely because the Giants will be relying heavily on two-tight end sets in their offense. They are built to try to run, to try and control the clock with the run and the short passing game, then look for the home run ball. Simonson is a blocking tight end who might help them there. Wide receiver (5) — Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, Russell Shepard, Hunter Sharp Valentine’s View: What happened here is precisely what we thought was going to happen. Russell Shepard made the roster because of his ability to help on special teams and as a receiver. Roger Lewis Jr., obviously not a favorite of the new Giants regime, has been cut. Hunter Sharp won the competition with Kalif Raymond to be a return man/reserve wide receiver. Offensive line (9) — Starters: Nate Solder (LT), Will Hernandez (LG), Jon Halapio (C), Patrick Omameh (RG), Ereck Flowers (RT); Reserves: John Greco, Chad Wheeler, John Jerry, C Evan Brown Valentine’s View: I figured nine offensive linemen were going to make the roster. I just didn’t figure Brown, the undrafted rookie free agent center from SMU, was going to be the ninth. After the trade of Brett Jones, though, it is logical because Brown is a pure center and the veteran Greco is a guard who can play center. I still believe this is an area where the Giants could look to free agency or the waiver wire in hopes of finding a veteran swing tackle. One of these backups, probably either Brown or Greco, might not be on the roster for long. Defense Defensive line (5) — Starters: Damon Harrison, Dalvin Tomlinson, B.J. Hill; Reserves: Kerry Wynn, Josh Banks Valentine’s View: Stunning. The addition of Banks to the roster rather than veteran defensive tackles A.J. Francis and Robert Thomas, both of whom I had making the roster, is one that came out of nowhere. I figured the Giants might choose between Francis and Thomas, but not cut both. And keeping Banks, a player who drew little attention during training camp or the preseason? Not sure anyone, including Banks, saw that coming. But, hey, having a guy on the roster with the last name Banks can’t be a bad thing, right? Linebackers (9) — Starters: Alec Ogletree, B.J. Goodson, Olivier Vernon, Kareem Martin; Reserves: Lorenzo Carter, Ray-Ray Armstrong, Connor Barwin, Tae Davis, Romeo Okwara Valentine’s View: Mark Herzlich’s surprisingly long run with the Giants is over. Calvin Munson is gone after a season. Not a real shock that Okwara made the roster. Shurmur has been praising him recently, and with Vernon’s status uncertain due to his ankle injury, Okwara could give them some pass rush presence. Davis played well in the preseason finale against the New England Patriots, but his addition to the roster is another of Saturday’s many surprises. Cornerbacks (4) — Starters: Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple; Reserves: B.W. Webb, Donte Deayon, Valentine’s View: Whoa! You had the feeling all along that the Giants would be searching the waiver wire for help at corner, but I didn’t think the moves would be this extensive. Chris Lewis-Harris had seemed to play his way into a spot, but the Giants thought otherwise. They also moved on from veteran Leonard Johnson and undrafted rookie Grant Haley. I have to think Haley lands on the practice squad. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants use their No. 2 waiver wire priority to add to this position. Safeties (5) — Starters: Landon Collins, Curtis Riley; Reserves: Michael Thomas, William Gay, Sean Chandler Valentine’s View: More big changes. Darian Thompson waived/injured and Andrew Adams also sent packing. The Giants chose to keep the 33-year-old Gay and the undrafted rookie Chandler. They know what they are looking for, and the skill sets of Thompson and Adams weren’t it. This is what happens when you go 3-13 and change regimes. I’m not sure I fully agree with cutting Adams, but he wasn’t James Bettcher’s cup of team and that’s that. Special teams Placekicker — Aldrick Rosas Punter — Riley Dixon Long-snapper — Zak DeOssie Valentine’s View: No surprises. Rosas earned the placekicking job. I believe, though, that he will be on a short leash. Early struggles could send the Giants looking for a veteran upgrade.<doc-sep>Consider the page turned. The Giants announced their 53-man roster on Saturday, and nearly half of the players who made the team have been added since the end of the 2017 campaign. General manager Dave Gettleman and coach Pat Shurmur overhauled nearly every corner of the depth chart to the point that only 21 of the players currently on the active roster were with the Giants for Week 1 last year. Twenty-seven players remain on the team after the offseason of turnover. Twenty-six of the current players were brought in by the new regime. That’s a high number, but one that should not be surprising given the misery of last season’s 3-13 record. When Giants co-owner John Mara fired Ben McAdoo and Jerry Reese in December, he said “wholesale changes need to be made to this organization to get us back to the team we expect to be.” This roster reflects that. Only 12 players drafted by former general manager Reese were on the active roster as of Saturday evening. Only seven players who were with the Giants when Tom Coughlin was the coach are still with the team. And with the release of veteran linebacker Mark Herzlich, only two players remain from the Giants’ most recent Super Bowl-winning team in 2011: Eli Manning and Zak DeOssie. Subscribe to Sports Now newsletter By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. A number of players who had large on-field roles on last year’s team were waived, including Darian Thompson, who was one of only five to start all 16 games in 2017. The third-year safety and former third-round pick has not been on the field in several weeks with a hamstring injury and was waived/injured, so he could wind up returning to the team on injured reserve. Others who were key components of last year’s team who saw their time with the Giants end were wide receivers Roger Lewis Jr. and Travis Rudolph, safety Andrew Adams and linebacker Calvin Munson. Those three players had a combined 18 starts last season. Last year’s fifth-round pick, Avery Moss, also was waived. The Giants already had placed Paul Perkins, who began 2017 as the starting running back, on injured reserve. The ones who stuck on Saturday included four undrafted rookies: center Evan Brown, safety Sean Chandler, linebacker Tae Davis and running back Rob Martin. Cornerback Donte Deayon, a cutdown day casualty each of the previous two seasons, made the team this year on the strength of a two-interception game against the Patriots on Thursday. He beat out Chris Lewis-Harris and rookie Grant Haley. Hunter Sharp, who had been competing with Kalif Raymond for the punt returner job along with the final spot at wide receiver, made the team and Raymond was waived. Josh Banks, a second-year defensive lineman who was an undrafted rookie last year but spent the season on injured reserve, also made the current roster. “As I’ve said, I feel like we’re on the right track,” Shurmur said in a statement through the team. “We had a competitive training camp that forced us to make some tough decisions. We will continue to look to improve the roster in any way we can.” That last part is important to remember. The Giants still have plenty of opportunities to tweak their roster and possibly part ways with even more reminders of 2017. Between signing free agents and making waiver claims, there is a good chance that when it takes the field for its first post-cutdown practice on Monday, the team will look different than it did at the NFL’s 4 p.m. deadline on Saturday.<doc-sep>

The New York Giants did not announce any cuts or other transactions on Friday because head coach Pat Shurmur said he wanted to meet with every single player sent on their way. It was a respectable choice on behalf of Shurmur, but in the end, the cuts had to come. On Saturday, cutdown day got underway and there were a few surprises — perhaps none greater than the team’s decision to part ways with long-time linebacker Mark Herzlich. “As I’ve said, I feel like we’re on the right track,” coach Pat Shurmur said via Giants.com. “We had a competitive training camp that forced us to make some tough decisions. We will continue to look to improve the roster in any way we can. “This day is never easy because you are dealing with people who have made a commitment to your program, and while we all understand the reality of the business we’re in, it doesn’t make it any easier. “When we started camp, I told the players that my hope for all of them is that if they don’t make our roster, I want them to make somebody else’s. So that’s my desire for the men we parted ways with today.” Here’s a look at the team’s move and their initial 53-man roster ahead of the 2018 regular season: Quarterback (4) Who’s in: Eli Manning, Davis Webb, Kyle Lauletta and Alex Tanney Who’s out: N/A Analysis: This is perhaps the biggest surprise of the day for the Giants. Rumors circulated that Webb was put on the trading block, but with no takers, general manager Dave Gettleman has decided to keep all four quarterbacks. For now.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – A suspicious package addressed to Hillary Clinton was sent to her home in suburban New York, the Secret Service said Wednesday. The package addressed to the former first lady, secretary of state and presidential candidate at her Chappaqua, New York, home was discovered late Tuesday night. A package addressed to former President Barack Obama was sent to Washington, and intercepted Wednesday morning. This is not the first time the home of Bill and Hillary Clinton has been in the news. In fact, the house itself has taken center stage on more than one occasion over the years. Oct. 24:Suspicious packages sent to Clintons, Obamas, CNN New York offices Oct. 24:Suspicious packages delivered to Clintons, Obamas, Soros, CNN: What we know so far Here are five things to know about Hillary and Bill Clinton's Chappaqua home: 1. It's where the infamous emails were housed Hillary Clinton's emails, housed on a private server, were the subject of innumerable articles, discussions and investigations during the 2016 election cycle. They were traced to a server located at her Chappaqua home. Critics said using a private email server to conduct private business allowed Clinton to get around open records laws. Clinton was U.S. secretary of state at the time. In October, the U.S. House announced it would be investigating the Department of Justice's response to the controversy. Oct. 24:CNN office evacuates while live on air after 'explosive' package intercepted at New York office Then-President Obama signed a bill in 2014 that bans the use of private email accounts by government officials unless they retain copies of messages in their official account or forward copies to their government accounts within 20 days. The bill did not become law until more than one year after Clinton left the State Department. The emails, and a perceived Republican focus on them, have since become an internet meme. 2. The main house cost $1.7 million The Clintons bought the first house in 1999 for $1.7 million. The couple lives in a 5,232-square-foot home that sits on 1.1 acres. They have performed several hundred thousand dollars in improvements to the property, according to land and building records. That home is where the Clintons returned after Hillary's 2016 defeat. It's also where Bill Clinton recuperated after health scares in 2004 and 2010. The couple is well known in Chappaqua, and Bill is often seen taking selfies downtown. “You’ll see him in front of a store with a merchant, then on the street a couple of doors down, then a few doors down," said Rob Greenstein, the New Castle, New York, town supervisor. "You can literally watch his trip unfold on Facebook.” 3. They bought the property next door in 2016 According to land records, the Clintons spent $1.16 million on Aug. 11, 2016, to buy a 3,631-square-foot, ranch-style house, next to their current home at the end of the cul-de-sac. According to the real estate listing, the home consists of three bedrooms and four baths "with an open floor plan, pecan wood floors throughout, modern chef's kitchen with Viking, Subzero and Asko appliances (that) opens to an eating area with a fireplace and the family room, all with built-in cabinetry." The master suite has a recently redone bathroom with two walk-in closets. When the property was bought it was speculated that Chelsea Clinton and her family would use the property as a Westchester getaway. "It's a perfect house for (their daughter) Chelsea," said Roni Jacobson, who has lived on Old House Lane since 1984. Perfect mother-daughter situation. The neighbors are delighted for them." The 1.51-acre property was previously owned by Charles Chepigin. 4. There were renovations without permits After purchasing the adjacent property, the Clintons performed renovations without the required permits, records show. The building inspection report, filed by New Castle Building Unit Head William J. Maskiell, cites permit problems with both the Clintons’ homes. At the new home, the pool demolition project lacked permits, a certification from an electrician, required fees, a site plan and other infractions, according to the report. The original home lacked electrical permits and required inspections and surveys. 5. Local laws have been changed due to the Clintons’ presence When the Clintons bought the second house, neighbors said they were welcome in the neighborhood. "Neighbors are 100 percent happy," Jacobson said. Nonetheless, laws in the Chappaqua hamlet of New Castle were changed this summer at the police chief’s request, designating Old House Lane and another street as local-traffic-only streets. The intention was to keep nosy sightseers, trying to get a glimpse of Clintonland, from turning around in neighbors' driveways and for security reasons, officials said. Barriers were placed on part of Old House Lane. Contributing: Christopher Eberhart, Peter D. Kramer, The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News; The Associated Press. Follow Jordan Fenster on Twitter: @Jordanfenster<doc-sep>FBI New York, the Secret Service and the New Castle Police Department are investigating what is being described as an "improvised explosive device" found near the house belonging to Bill and Hillary Clinton in Chappaqua, New York. According to NY1 reporter Myles Miller, law enforcement authorities were first alerted to a "suspicious package" near the Clintons' house early on Wednesday morning. After investigating, authorities determined that the package contained an IED. The report of an IED that may have been targeting the Clintons comes one day after a bomb was discovered in a mailbox at a house belonging to 88-year-old financier George Soros, a major Democratic Party donor who has long been the target of conspiratorial right-wing rhetoric. It is unknown at this time if the two incidents are related, although a source tells NBC New York that "the concern is that the package is similar to the bomb found in the mailbox" at Soros' house. FBI New York's Twitter account issued a brief statement on the state of the investigation. "We are aware of a suspicious package found in the vicinity of the Clinton residence in Chappaqua, NY, and our JTTF has engaged with our federal, state and local partners to investigate," FBI New York wrote. "As this is an on-going investigation, we will have no further comment at this time."<doc-sep>EMBED >More News Videos Tim Fleischer reports on the potentially explosive device found at a facility near the Chappaqua home of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton NEW YORK (WABC) -- Explosive devices believed to be pipe bombs were sent to the homes of the Clintons and the Obamas, as well as other politicians and to CNN headquarters in New York City Wednesday.Authorities say a potentially workable explosive device was found at a facility near the Chappaqua home of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It was discovered sometime after 1 a.m. by those who check the Clintons' mail and was addressed to the former first lady, who is currently in Florida for a fundraiser. "Many of you and many others across our country have asked after me and my family, and I'm very grateful for that," she said in Coral Gables . "We are fine, thanks to the men and women of the Secret Service who intercepted the package addressed to us long before it made its way to our home. Every day, we are grateful for their service and commitment. "Former President Clinton was at home at the time the package was found, according to a source familiar with the situation who stressed that the package was screened and discovered away from the residence and was never close to Clinton.Later Wednesday morning, an explosive device was also discovered at former President Barack Obama's home in Washington, DC. That one was addressed to the former president.Then, at 9:38 a.m., a CNN mail room employee called 911 from the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle to report a suspicious device. The NYPD bomb squad responded and evacuated the building.The object appears to be a small pipe bomb with wires extending from it, addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan (who is a contributor for NBC). It was removed from the building at 11:37 a.m. and taken to a remote location to be detonated.The NYPD said that in addition to the explosive device, an envelope containing white powder was also discovered at the Time Warner Center. Mayor Bill de Blasio called it an act of terrorism. "What we saw here today was an effort to terrorize," he said. "This clearly is an act of terror, attempting to undermine our free press and leaders of this country through acts of violence. I want to make very clear that the people of New York City will not be intimidated, that we are going to go about our lives undeterred because the very concept of terrorism to change us, and we will not allow that to happen. "A pipe bomb was also sent to former Attorney General Eric Holder, but the package never made it to its destination due to a delivery error and was bounced back to the return address. That address was listed as Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's office in Sunrise, Florida, which was briefly evacuated.A law enforcement official says the pipe bombs were packed with powder and shards of glass. The official says the devices were made from PVC pipe that was about six inches long and covered with black tape.Authorities say the devices are all consistent with the one found earlier this week in the mailbox of philanthropist and billionaire George Soros , who also lives n Westchester County. There were no explosions and no reports of any injuries.The FBI said all the packages are being analyzed at the bureau's lab in Virginia. The agency said each package had a return address of "DEBBIE WASSERMAN SHULTZ," a misspelling of the Florida congresswoman's name, and had printed address labels and six stamps.All of the bombs and packages were similar, with American flag stamps on the envelopes and the bombs wired to a digital clock with a battery to spark an explosion.The White House quickly condemned the attacks aimed at Democrats and perceived foes of the administration. "Acts or threats of political violence have no place in the United States," President Donald Trump said. "This egregious conduct is abhorrent. "Trump said he received a briefing from federal officials on what he called "despicable acts." He promised "a major federal investigation" and urged the nation to unify. "We're extremely angry, upset, unhappy about what we witnessed this morning and we will get to the bottom of it," he said. "That's a very bipartisan statement. "Contrary to prior reports, the Secret Service confirms no suspicious package was sent to the White House. Additionally, a suspicious package at the New York City office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo was confirmed to be a flash drive from the far-right group The Proud Boys.----------<doc-sep>NEW A vastly improved search engine helps you find the latest on companies, business leaders, and news more easily.<doc-sep>

Crime & Safety Explosive Devices Sent to Clintons, Obama They were similar to one sent Monday to the Westchester home of philanthropist George Soros, a frequent target of the far-right. Reply UPDATE — A suspicious package at the Manhattan office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wednesday was not an explosive device, according to the NYPD. Two actual devices addressed to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama were intercepted by the Secret Service on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to news reports, the return address on the packages named Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the former chair of the Democratic National Committee, as the sender. President Donald Trump said a "major federal investigation" is underway. Trump said the full weight of the government is behind the investigation and no resources or expense will be spared. "In these times, we have to unify, we have to come together," he said. Suspicious package sent to Gov. Cuomo's office in Manhattan deemed safe — NYPD says it was a flash drive. Cuomo says his NYC office has been cleared and is safe.https://t.co/gOYushNNPJ — Spectrum News ROC (@SPECNewsROC) October 24, 2018 Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said, "A preliminary investigation on the package at Governor Cuomo's office shows it is computer files on the hate group, The Proud Boys, who recently appeared in New York." CHAPPAQUA, NY — Packages described as potential explosives addressed to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama were intercepted by the United States Secret Service, the agency said in a statement. The White House called the attempted attacks "despicable." The package sent to the Clintons was the second explosive device found in Westchester this week — one was sent to the Katonah, NY home of philanthropist George Soros, a frequent target of the far-right who was recently accused by President Donald Trump of funding the caravan of Hondurans walking toward the United States. SEE: Device Left At Soros Home Had Bomb Components A U.S. official says a "functional explosive device" was found at Hillary and Bill Clinton's suburban New York home. The official says investigators believe the explosive is linked to one found Monday at the compound of liberal billionaire George Soros.

NEW DELHI • Global celebrities including film stars, company executives, politicians and sports personalities descended on Mumbai for the wedding celebrations of the son of India's wealthiest man and Reliance Industries boss, Mr Mukesh Ambani. Google's chief executive Sundar Pichai, former British prime minister Tony Blair, film stars Rajinikanth and Priyanka Chopra, and cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Hardik Pandya were among the guests at the ceremony held last Saturday. Indian stars Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor were seen dancing with the bridegroom Akash Ambani, and plenty of Indians shared photos on social media, with #AkashAmbani and #AkashShlokaWedding among the top trending hashtags in India. The bride, Ms Shloka Mehta, is the daughter of Mr Russell Mehta, a wealthy diamond merchant and managing director of family-owned company Rosy Blue. Celebrations began in Mumbai with feasts, singing and dancing, and other pre-wedding rituals, for the wedding of the two 28-year-olds. Photos on Twitter showed elaborate floral decorations and celebrities posing on a lawn before the wedding. Mr Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita and the bridegroom wore various shades of pink. Actor Abhishek Bachchan, his wife actress Aishwarya Rai, and their daughter Aaradhya at the wedding ceremony in Mumbai. Other guests include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, former British prime minister Tony Blair and film stars Rajinikanth and Priyanka Chopra. PHOTO: REUTERS Mr Ambani, whose business empire spans oil and gas, telecommunications and retail, is Asia's richest man and the world's 13th wealthiest according to Forbes magazine, with his wealth estimated at US$50 billion (S$69 billion). REUTERS<doc-sep>Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta's marriage ceremony — the Ambani wedding was one of the most high-profile events in the world. It's not every day that the paparazzi get to click pictures of the former UN Secretary-General, Google CEO, top-notch businessmen, politicians and the biggest superstars from the film industry all at one place. However, as this was an Ambani wedding, it didn't come as a surprise. In attendance were guests like former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, former British PM Tony Blair, Netflix Co-founder Reed Hastings, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and politician Kapil Sibal. From Bollywood, heavyweights like Shah Rukh Khan and wife Gauri Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor, Aamir Khan and wife Kiran Rao, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan attended the wedding ceremony. Sachin Tendulkar and wife Anjali Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and wife Sagarika Ghatge, and designer Manish Malhotra too turned up in their swish attires. With such a line-up of guests, the Ambani wedding certainly was the talk of the town! See the full gallery here.<doc-sep>It is time for yet another wedding in the Ambani family! After Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal’s wedding last year, Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani’s son Akash Ambani is all set to tie the knot with Shloka Mehta. Apparently, the guest list for Akash Ambani's wedding features hotshots from various fields be it Bollywood or cricket. Akash Ambani - Shloka Mehta Wedding Live Updates. Ambanis own the Mumbai Indians (MI) team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and no surprises that former and current cricketers part of the franchise were also in attendance at the Jio World Centre, the venue for the big wedding. Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond was also spotted among the guests. Indian all-rounders Krunal and Hardik Pandya were also present at the wedding. Krunal’s wife Pankhuri Sharma was also spotted. Both the Pandya brothers represent Mumbai Indians in the IPL and are the vital part of the franchise. Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta Wedding Decoration Pics: Antilia Decked Up, Marriage Ceremony to Take Place at Jio World Centre in Mumbai’s BKC. The Pandya 'Gang' at Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta Wedding (Photo Credits: File Image) Pandya brothers all decked up for big fat wedding (Photo Credits: File Image) Krunal last year made his T20I debut for India against Australia while Hardik is a regular member of the team across formats. Krunal has thus far played 11 T20Is and has done well whenever given an opportunity. Hardik, who returned to Indian ream after the Koffee With Karan controversy, was ruled out of the Australian series due to the back injury. He was scheduled to represent India in both ODIs and T20Is. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians players have begun preparations for IPL 2019, which starts on March 23. Both the Pandya brothers are expected to join the camp probably after Akash Ambani’s wedding party. Mumbai Indians open their IPL 2019 campaign against Delhi Capitals on March 24 at home. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2019 05:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).<doc-sep>Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif’s first pics Deepika Padukone shared her look for the night on Instagram and Katrina Kaif’s pics are going viral on her fanpages on Instagram. Check out their looks for the night. Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif are ready for the wedding. Watch Shah Rukh, Ranbir dance with the baraat Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and others danced with the groom and his family at his wedding on Saturday. See pics and videos here. Janhvi Kapoor arrives for wedding Actor Janhvi Kapoor arrived at the wedding in a pink lehenga and posed for the photographs. Janhvi Kapoor at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Tiger Shroff arrives with Disha Patani Rumoured actor couple Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani arrived together at the wedding. Tiger wore a blue kurta while Disha wore a saree. Disha Patani with Tiger Shroff at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) The Bachchans arrive at the wedding Amitabh Bachchan arrived for the wedding with his family. He was seen with his wife Jaya Bachchan and daughter Shweta Bachchan. Amitabh Bachchan with Jaya Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan Nanda. ( Varinder Chawla ) Watch the stars arrive for the wedding Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai and more arrived for the wedding of Akash Ambani. Watch video: Vidya Balan arrives at venue Actor Vidya Balan arrived at the venue with her husband Sidharth Roy Kapur. The couple posed together for photos. Vidya Balan with husband Sidharth Roy Kapur at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Alia Bhatt arrives at the wedding Actor Alia Bhatt arrived at the wedding in a yellow lehenga. See her pics: Alia Bhatt at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Aamir Khan, Karan Johar dance in the baraat Actor Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan were spotted dancing with the groom in the baraat. Singer Mika was performing live at the function. Harbhajan Singh arrives at wedding Cricketer Harbhajan Singh arrived for the wedding with his wife Geeta Basra and daughter. See their family pics: Harbhajan Singh with his family at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Sidharth Malhotra arrives for the wedding Actor Sidharth Malhotra arrived for the wedding in a black and white sherwani. He sported longer hair than usual. Sidharth Malhotra at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Kareena Kapoor arrives with Karisma Kapoor Sisters Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor arrived together for the wedding. Kareena was seen in a blue lehenga while Karisma was seen in a stunning saree. Kareena Kapoor Khan and her sister Karisma Kapoor arrived together for the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Rajinikanth arrives for the wedding Actor Rajinikanth arrived for the wedding with his daughter Soundarya at the wedding. See their pics: Rajinkanth at the wedding with his family. ( Varinder Chawla ) Shah Rukh, Ranbir dance with the groom Actors Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor were spotted dancing with the groom during the baraat. Watch video: Check out the best looks from the wedding so far From Priyanka Chopra to Aishwarya Rai, several stars made stunning appearances at the wedding. See their pics here. Kiara Advani arrives for wedding Actor Kiara Advani has reached the venue. She was seen in a beige lehenga. Kiara Advani at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Aishwarya Rai reaches the venue Aishwarya Rai shared a family picture on Instagram with husband Abhishek Bachchan and daughter Aaradhya. See her pics from the venue with her family: Abhishek Bachchan, Aaradhya and Aishwarya Rai at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Aishwarya Rai with Abhishek Bachchan and Aaradhya. Priyanka Chopra is ready for the wedding Priyanka Chopra is all set to attend the wedding with her mother Madhu and brother Siddharth. She shared a happy picture of the family on Instagram. Priyanka Chopra arrives at the wedding with her family. ( Varinder Chawla ) Priyanka Chopra with her family. Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan arrive for wedding Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar arrived with his wife Anjali and Zaheer Khan arrived with his wife Sagarika Ghatge. Zaheer Khan with Sagarika Ghatge and Sachin Tendulkar with Anjali Tendulkar. ( Varinder Chawla ) Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri Khan arrive at venue Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan have arrived for the wedding. The couple looks stunning in their all-white co-ordinated outfits. Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Juhi Chawla arrives at venue Actor Juhi Chawla was seen at the venue with her husband Jay Mehta. Photographer Daboo Ratnani was also spotted with his wife. Daboo Ratnani with wife and Juhi Chawla with husband Jay Mehta. ( Varinder Chawla ) Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar arrive for wedding Actor Ranbir Kapoor and filmmaker Karan Johar have arrived at the venue. Ranbir was seen in a maroon kurta and Karan was seen in a bright yellow kurta. Karan Johar and Ranbir Kapoor at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anupama Chopra arrive Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and film critic Anupama Chopra have arrived for the wedding. They are accompanied by their son and daughter. Vidhu Vinod Chopra with his family. ( Varinder Chawla ) Anu Malik arrives at the wedding Music composer Anu Malik arrived for the wedding with his wife and two daughters. Actor Armaan Jain also arrived for the wedding. Armaan Jain and Anu Malik with his family. ( Varinder Chawla ) Rajkumar Hirani arrives with wife Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani was seen with his wife at the wedding. The Ambani family also posed for pictures together. Rajkumar Hirani with his wife. ( Varinder Chawla ) The Ambani family at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Jackie Shroff arrives for the wedding Actor Jackie Shroff was seen at the venue. He wore a white dhoti kurta and paired it with a bandhini dupatta. Jackie Shroff at the wedding. ( Varinder Chawla ) Manish Malhotra arrives at venue Fashion designer Manish Malhotra and music composer duo of Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani have also reached the venue. Vishal-Shekhar and Manish Malhotra at the venue. ( Varinder Chawla ) Aamir Khan arrives for the wedding<doc-sep>

Hack: The grand wedding of Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani's elder son Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta, the younger daughter of diamond merchant Russell Mehta and Mona Mehta, was organised at the Jio Gardens Mumbai. The grand wedding of Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani's elder son Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta, the younger daughter of diamond merchant Russell Mehta and Mona Mehta, was organised at the Jio Gardens Mumbai. It was undoubtedly an extravagant affair as it hosted several celebrities across domains. Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta tied the knot on March 9, 2019, and from the first pictures that have surfaced, one can say that the duo makes for a stunning regal couple. Shloka can be seen wearing a traditional red lehenga, while Akash dons a pastel shade sherwani. READ: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone Repeat Their 'wedding Reception' Color Combination In A 'desi' Way For Akash Ambani's Wedding Take a look! Meanwhile, senior politicians including Pranab Mukherjee, Prakash Javadekar, Mamta Banerjee, Vijay Rupani, Chandrababu Naidu and Devendra Fadnavis, among others have confirmed their presence at the wedding. Other corporate and global leaders on the guest list are Samsung vice chairman JY Lee, International Olympic Committee executive board member Christophe De Kepper, Saudi oil minister Khalid Al Falih, Belgian politician and Member of European Parliament Veronique De Kepper, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, head of Saudi Public Investment Fund Yasir Al-Rumaiyan and his wife, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and his wife Lalitha, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey, former US Congressman Eric Cantor and his wife, Morgan Stanley banker Michael Grimes and his wife, Dow Chemical chairman Andrew Liveris and his wife Paula, Chairman of Global Corporate & Investment Banking, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Purna Saggurti and senior MD of Saudi Aramco Ahmed Al-Subaey. The wedding festivities of this royal affair began on February 23, 2019 with a grand bash in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Many Bollywood celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor, Karan Johar, Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor among others. The celebrations took place at the Badrutt Palace. WATCH | Nita Ambani And Isha Ambani Shake A Leg At Akash Ambani's Baraat The celebrations in Switzerland saw performances by Chris Martin of Coldplay and The Chainsmokers. A private musical night at Antilia, followed by the Mala and Mehendi function, a Sangeet ceremony and Anna Seva at the Jio World Centre, were also hosted by the Ambani family.

Previous Next 1 of 10 After years of mediocrity, the Honda Civic once again became a compact car worth caring about when the current, 10th-generation model appeared in 2015. As the Civic rolls into the 2019 model year, the coupe and sedan body styles get a handful of updates (Honda didn’t mention any updates for the Civic hatchback) to keep them fresh. The 2019 Honda Civic sedan and coupe get more standard driver-assist tech, a new Sport trim level, and refreshed styling. That last item is the most subtle, as the changes to the exteriors of both sedan and coupe are relatively minor. Honda claims the front fascia has been significantly updated, but you’d have to park a 2019 Civic next to its 2018 counterpart to spot the differences. The Honda Sensing suite of driver aids is now standard on all Civic sedan and coupe trim levels. It includes autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, road departure mitigation with lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Honda Sensing is either standard or available as an optional extra on all 2019 Hondas, and Honda plans to make it standard across the board by the 2022 model year. Honda didn’t mention any mechanical changes, meaning Civic buyers will continue to get a choice of two engines, with a six-speed manual gearbox or continuously variable transmission (CVT). The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. Honda also offers a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as an upgrade. The turbo engine produces 174 hp, as well as 162 lb-ft with the CVT or 167 lb-ft with the manual. The Civic Si and Civic Type R performance models are expected to return as well. The 2019 Civic also gets a new Sport trim level, which slots between the base LX and the EX. The Sport gets piano black exterior trim, as well as a rear spoiler and Civic Si-like polygonal exhaust tip for the sedan. Available only with the 2.0-liter engine, the Civic Sport rides on 18-inch wheels. It also gets a 7.0-inch Display Audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Pricing starts at $19,450 for a base LX sedan with the six-speed manual. The coupe starts at $20,650, but isn’t available with a manual in base form. The new Sport trim level starts at $21,150 for the sedan, and $21,450 for the coupe. Next up is the EX, priced starting at $23,400 for the sedan and $23,200 for the coupe. An EX-L trim level for the sedan only starts at $24,600. Finally, the top Touring trim level is priced from $26,850 and $27,300 for the coupe and sedan, respectively. Updated on September 25, 2018: Added pricing information and more photos. Editors' Recommendations<doc-sep>Update: The post has been updated with additional photos that include examples of new colors available for 2019 Honda Civic. These colors include Tonic Yellow Pearl for coupe, Molten Lava Pearl for sedan, and Platinum White Pearl for both. The 2019 Honda Civic sedan and coupe have been revealed, and they bring with them the first refresh for this generation of compact Hondas. Both body styles now come with gloss black upper grille panels, replacing the standard bright chrome versions. The lower grilles have been redesigned, too, so that they looks like one large lower opening. Most 2019 Civics, excluding the new Sport trim, have chrome accents on either side of this large lower grille. The aforementioned Sport trim is new for these body styles, and it echoes the current Honda Civic Sport hatchback. The chrome accents in the front fascia are gloss black on this model, and it comes with a number of other visual enhancements such as fog lights, 18-inch wheels and a geometric center exhaust inspired by the Honda Civic Si. The sedan version also gets a spoiler. Unlike the Sport hatchback, though, the coupe and sedan eschew the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder for the LX trim's naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Both coupe and sedan are available with a manual transmission or a CVT, and they come with an updated version of the current CarPlay and Android Auto touchscreen infotainment that adds a volume knob. One other upgrade that benefits the entire 2019 Civic lineup is the inclusion of Honda Sensing on all models. It's a standard feature now, and it adds features such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. Prices and availability for 2019 Honda Civics are not yet available, though. Expect this information to come soon. Related Video:<doc-sep>The top-tier Touring trim gets larger 18-inch wheels, and a new Sport trim that echoes the styling of many of Honda's other mainstream Sport models, like the Accord, HR-V, and Civic Hatchback, adds even more visual flair for those who want the look without the hardcore performance of the Si and Type-R. A blacked-out front fascia, rear decklid spoiler on the Sedan model, and a splitter-style rear bumper pair with 18-inch black alloy wheels to complete the aggressive look, but the Sport versions of the Sedan and Coupe receive a bit less performance than the Hatchback version.<doc-sep>Hide press release Show press release With Refreshed Styling, New Sport Trim and Standard Honda Sensing, Honda Keeps Its Foot to the Floor by Introducing the 2019 Civic Sedan and Coupe Building on the highly acclaimed 10th-generation Civic lineup and offering customers more of what they love about the model, the refreshed 2019 Honda Civic Sedan and Coupe include updated styling, a new Sport trim for both body styles and standard Honda Sensing® technology on all trims. The updated Civic Sedan and Coupe are the latest salvos in the 10th-generation Civic's aggressive launch cadence that has averaged a new variant every four months over the past three years since the Civic Sedan launched in the fall of 2015.1Civic is targeting its third consecutive year as America's #1 retail-selling car and its 8th straight year as America's #1 retail-selling compact car2, as well as being the most popular car in America with under-35-year-olds for eight of the past nine years. The 10th-gen Civic's aggressive and sporty design is one of the most liked attributes among Civic buyers3 and the Civic Coupe was the top ranked vehicle of its body type in the J.D. Power's 2017 APEAL study among compact cars. The 2019 Sedan and Coupe turn it up a notch with evolutionary styling updates, front and rear. Changes at the front further accentuate the model's low and wide athletic stance and sporty good looks with a new piano black upper fascia "wing," restyled lower fascia, bumper and lower grille, a full-width front splitter, chrome side pod accents, and updated halogen or LED headlights. A chrome accent on the lower rear bumper of the Sedan and new wheel designs for both models – including larger 18-inch rims on the Touring trim – round out the exterior styling updates on the returning trims. The new Civic Sport trim, positioned between the LX and EX, offers the looks and features budget-conscious enthusiasts are looking for. Civic Sport's increased attitude comes from a piano black lower front fascia, side pod accents and, for Sedan, an added rear decklid spoiler, plus a splitter-style rear lower bumper incorporating a chrome polygonal exhaust finisher similar to Civic Si. Larger 18-inch (+1 inch) 10-spoke alloy wheels with Berlina Black finish complete the Sport's more aggressive look. The Sport trim features a high-revving 2.0-liter 16-valve DOHC VTEC® engine mated to either a smooth and efficient CVT with G-Shift Control or a slick-shifting 6-speed manual. Adding more tech to the Sport, the new trim receives the updated 7-inch Display Audio with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration and volume button. Advancing Honda's commitment to make Honda Sensing® standard equipment on all vehicles by the 2022 model year, all trims of the 2019 Civic Sedan and Coupe from LX to Touring feature Honda Sensing® technology, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) incorporating Lane Departure Warning (LDW); Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). For the 2019 model year, Honda Sensing® is standard or available equipment on all Honda car and light truck nameplates. First introduced in the fall of 2015 in Sedan and later Coupe form, the 10th-generation Civic lineup includes the European-inspired Hatchback, the performance-focused Civic Si Coupe and Si Sedan and the world's fastest front-wheel-drive car, the Civic Type R. Cumulative sales of the 10th-generation Civic will surpass 1 million units this year. Since its introduction, the 10th-generation Civic has amassed dozens of major industry awards and accolades including the 2016 North American Car of the Year award, 2017 Kelley Blue Book Overall Best Buy of the Year, 2018 Car and Driver 10Best and 2018 AUTOMOBILE All-Stars award. All Civic Sedan and Coupe models sold in the U.S. are produced at Honda's plants in Greensburg, Indiana and Alliston, Ontario. The Civic's 1.5-liter VTEC® Turbo and 2.0-liter VTEC® engines are produced in Anna, Ohio and Alliston, Ontario.<doc-sep>

Enlarge Image Honda The Honda Civic is entering its third model year after starting off its 10th generation with a bang, and it's seen fit to shove a few more tricks up its compact car's sleeves. The 2019 Honda Civic features some very mild styling updates. There are tweaks to the front and rear bumpers, as well as the grille. Honda also updated the look of its halogen and LED headlights, as well, and there are a few new wheel designs in the mix. You'll need to have studied the Civic extensively to notice the difference, but it's not like the Civic wasn't already attractive before these tweaks. Read the in-depth 2019 Honda Civic review There are more substantial updates, too. Honda has added a new Civic Sport trim between the base LX and the EX trims. It's meant for enthusiasts on a budget, rocking stronger accents on the sides, a black lower front fascia and larger 18-inch alloy wheels. There's also a new decklid spoiler on the Civic Sport's sedan variant. Its engine is the same 2.0-liter naturally aspirated I4 that the base trim uses, mated to the buyer's choice of a CVT or six-speed manual. An updated seven-inch infotainment system is standard, and it includes both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The news certain to intrigue most buyers, though, involves the Civic's safety systems. Honda Sensing, the automaker's suite of active and passive safety systems, is now standard on every Civic trim from LX to Touring. This package includes automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control. Honda has not yet released pricing information on the 2019 Civic, but the addition of Honda Sensing to every trim could see the price creep up slightly. The 2019 Civic goes on sale later this year.

NFL player LeSean “Shady” McCoy has been accused of being responsible for a violent attack on his former girlfriend. On Tuesday, a horrific photograph of the player’s ex, Delicia Cordon, went viral on social media. In the photograph, obtained by PEOPLE, the designer is covered in blood and lying in a hospital bed. The legal firm representing Cordon said in a statement to PEOPLE that she was attacked at around 3am Tuesday morning as she slept in the Georgia home that she shares with the football star. The pair is currently estranged. “Ms. Cordon was physically assaulted in the home by a male assailant who entered the home with no signs of forced entry,” the statement says. The man allegedly demanded a number of specific pieces of jewelry and when he could not get bracelets off her wrist he pistol-whipped her multiple times and her cousin was also struck, according to the firm. “Ms. Cordon sustained multiple injuries to her head, face and arms during this horrendous attack,” the statement continues. LeSean McCoy and Delicia Cordon pictured last year The graphic image was originally posted on Instagram by Mia Michelle Boykin, who claims to be a friend of Cordon. “I can’t believe you did this to my best friend! YOUR KARMA IS GOING TO BE SO REAL!” Boykin wrote in the post which has since been deleted. “The world needs to know what type of animal you really are! This was just her yesterday on the left and now this morning this is her on the right!” Boykin also accused McCoy, a running back for the Buffalo Bills, of beating his dog and trying to “viciously” beat his young son. “We didn’t say anything about how you beat your dog ‘Henny’ into kidney failure,” the message continued. “Let’s not talk about all the times my best friend had to stop you from VICIOUSLY beating your son for small things like peeing in the bed. We kept quiet about your drug usage.” McCoy has vehemently denied the allegations made against him. Representatives for McCoy did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. Story continues “For the record, the totally baseless and offensive claims made against me are completely false,” McCoy wrote on Instagram. “Furthermore, I have not had any direct contact with any of the people involved in months.” RELATED: NFL Will Air a Domestic Violence PSA During the Super Bowl Another social media user, who said she was a friend of Cordon, claimed the NFL player sent armed men to McCoy’s house. Cordon’s lawyers said there was a single armed man who targeted jewelry given to their client by her estranged partner. The firm also alleges the NFL star recently had the home’s security system changed. “The assailant demanded specific items of jewelry that had been previously gifted to Ms. Cordon by Mr. McCoy, which Mr. McCoy had requested back on many occasions,” the statement says. “In fact, after Ms. Cordon refused to return her jewelry gifts to Mr. McCoy, he would often suggest to Ms. Cordon that she could be robbed because the jewelry was expensive.” The Milton Police Department confirmed they are investigating a break-in at the home. “The preliminary investigation indicates that this residence was specifically targeted by the suspect or suspects, and not a random incident,” the statement from the Milton Police department said in a statement obtained by Yahoo Sports. “When officers arrived they found one victim who had been physically assaulted by a lone intruder. During the altercation, the suspect demanded specific items from the victim. “An adult female victim was treated and released at North Fulton Regional Hospital. A second adult female victim also sustained a minor injury during the incident,” the statement, which did not name Cordon as the victim, read. LeSean McCoy plays for the Buffalo Bills McCoy, 29, and Cordon are currently going through legal proceedings, the New York Times confirmed. After their relationship ended last year, McCoy tried to evict Cordon and her children from the home the former couple shared. The two were due to attend a court hearing on Tuesday, but it was postponed to August 14 at the request of Cordon’s attorney, Tanya Mitchell Graham, according to the Times. The Buffalo Bills released a statement through ESPN’s Adam Schefter that said they have been in communication with the 10-year NFL vet since the shocking photograph came to light. “We have spoken to LeSean and have been in contact with the National Football League,” they said. “We will continue to gather information.” Bills statement: “We have spoken to LeSean and have been in contact with the National Football League. We will continue to gather information.” — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 10, 2018 This isn’t the first time McCoy has made headlines when it comes to his conduct off of the football field. In 2016, he was accused of attack two off-duty cops while at a Philadelphia-area bar. He was later sued by the two officers. He was also sued in 2013 by a woman claiming McCoy held her down and poured a drink over her before removing her from a party bus in New Jersey.<doc-sep>Attorney Tanya Mitchell Graham made the allegations in connection with the violent robbery at McCoy’s residence in Atlanta on Tuesday morning. Delicia Cordon was sleeping when an unidentified assailant entered the house around 3 a.m. and demanded “specific pieces of jewelry” that had been gifted to her by the football star.<doc-sep>Delicia Cordon, LeSean McCoy’s ex-girlfriend, was allegedly physically assaulted in her home that she currently shares with McCoy — sparking accusations toward the Buffalo Bills running back. A friend of Cordon’s posted a picture on Instagram of her with a bruised and bloodied face, and blamed McCoy in the caption. That post was taken down by Tuesday night, and McCoy has denied the allegations, writing on Instagram that he has “not had any direct contact with any of the people involved in months.” LeSean McCoy’s ex-girlfriend Delicia Cordon was allegedly assaulted at the home that they share on Tuesday morning, which she alleged in a statement from her attorneys was the result of jewelry that McCoy gave her and then later wanted back. (Getty Images) Cordon released a statement through her attorneys on Tuesday night explaining her side of the story and her account of the attack that took place at their home. The statement alleged that the cause of the robbery was jewelry that McCoy had given her as a gift, and then later wanted back. She does not accuse McCoy of attacking her directly. From her attorneys: At approximately 3:00 a.m. on this morning, while she was sleeping in the residence that she shares with Mr. McCoy, Ms. Cordon was physically assaulted in the home by a male assailant who entered the home with no signs of forced entry. The assailant demanded specific items of jewelry that had been previously gifted to Ms. Cordon by Mr. McCoy, which Mr. McCoy had requested back on many occasions. In fact, after Ms. Cordon refused to return her jewelry gifts to Mr. McCoy, he would often suggest to Ms. Cordon that she could be robbed because the jewelry was expensive. In the attack this morning, Ms. Cordon’s wrist was bruised when the assailant could not get the bracelets off her wrist, and he hit Ms. Cordon in the face with a firearm multiple times while demanding specific items of jewelry and cash from her. Ms. Cordon sustained multiple injuries to her head, face and arms during this horrendous attack. Additionally, Ms. Cordon’s female cousin was at the residence, and she too was hit in the back of her head by the assailant with the firearm. McCoy has referred to Cordon as his ex-girlfriend in court filings, however she still lives at the home. Story continues The alleged assault comes after an incident last month where Cordon claims that McCoy had multiple people attempt to evict her from the home. Cordon said she learned of this while live streaming their security footage from her phone, and then she contacted police and had it stopped. McCoy then installed a new camera and security system, according to Cordon’s attorneys. “He had a new security system installed with all new cameras and a new service provider; however, Mr. McCoy did not give Ms. Cordon any information about the new security system,” her attorney’s said. “She has no access to arm or disarm the alarm.” Cordon’s attorneys said that McCoy has not contacted her since the attack, and she is unaware whether he was able to view the attack via the security camera system. Cordon and McCoy have been locked in a legal battle for more than a year over the home they shared in Atlanta. A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, but was postposed due to her attorney’s family emergency. It is now scheduled to be heard on August 14. More from Yahoo Sports: • France advances to World Cup Final after edging Belgium • Ex-UCLA star’s shocking death leaves loved ones searching for answers • Golden State’s ‘secret weapon’ trainer is leaving for Atlanta • NFLPA officially files grievance against league’s new anthem policy<doc-sep>Photo : Jeff Haynes ( AP ) This morning, a friend of a woman named Delicia Cordon, who has previously been known to be Bills running back LeSean McCoy’s girlfriend, accused McCoy of beating Cordon. The accusation was made on the woman’s Instagram account, where she posted a graphic photo of what she claims to be Cordon’s battered face. Warning: the following image is graphic. Advertisement Update (3:18 p.m.): The post has since been deleted, and Cordon has set her own Instagram account to private. The woman who posted the photo also accused McCoy of previously attempting to beat his son and of beating his dog. The woman, who appears to currently be in London with Cordon, claims that the picture of Cordon on the left was taken yesterday, and the one on the right was taken this morning. On Instagram, McCoy denied the allegations: Advertisement McCoy’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has yet to return a request for comment. The London police department could not provide us any information. The Buffalo Bills released a short statement saying that the team is aware of the allegations and is looking into them:<doc-sep>

LeSean McCoy has been accused of beating his girlfriend, according to an Instagram post from her friend. The user @Miamor_i_adore posted a disturbing picture Tuesday morning that showed a woman, who she says is Delicia Cordon, McCoy’s apparent girlfriend, with cuts, bruises and blood on her face with a caption that alleged, among other things, domestic assault by the Bills running back. McCoy quickly denied the allegations. “For the record, the totally baseless and offensive claims made against me today on social media are completely false,” he said in a statement. “Further more, I have not had any direct contact with any of the people involved in months.” In a statement released later in the night, Cordon’s lawyers said she was physically assaulted by a male assailant “who entered the home with no signs of forced entry.” They claimed the man demanded specific items of jewelry that McCoy had previously gifted her and also requested back more than once. They also alleged that McCoy “would often suggest to Ms. Cordon that she could be robbed because the jewelry was expensive.” During the attack, Cordon’s wrists were bruised and her face was hit multiple times with a firearm, according to her lawyers. The other woman injured was her cousin. Police in Milton, Georgia are investigating the accusations and according to ESPN, the Bills are aware of the allegations against McCoy and are looking into it. “The preliminary investigation indicates that this residence was specifically targeted by the suspect or suspects, and not a random incident,” Milton Police said in a statement. “When officers arrived they found one victim who had been physically assaulted by a lone intruder. During the altercation, the suspect demanded specific items from the victim. An adult female victim was treated and released at North Fulton Regional Hospital. A second adult female victim also sustained a minor injury during the incident.” The friend who posted the image of Cordon would later take it down from Instagram. “@shadymccoy is THE DEVIL!!! YOU ARE AN ANIMAL!!!!! !” the caption read. “We didn’t say anything about how you beat your dog “Henny” into kidney failure. Let’s not talk about all the times my best friend had to stop you from VICIOUSLY beating your son for small things like peeing in the bed. We kept quiet about your drug usage … all the ILLEGAL steroids and needles you were using, but we will not keep quiet about this!!!!!! I can’t believe you did this to my best friend!!!!! YOUR KARMA IS GOING TO BE SO REAL!!!!!! The world needs to know what type of animal you really are!!!!!!! This was just her yesterday on the left and now this morning this is her on the right!!!! #WomanBeater #AnimalAbuser #ChildAbuser” In 2016, McCoy was accused of assaulting two off-duty cops at a bar in Philadelphia. The cops later filed a lawsuit but no criminal charges were pressed at the time.

Darling of hearts.. Happy birthday to dear Prabhas garu — Ramajogaiah Sastry (@ramjowrites) 1540253375000 Many more happy returns to one and only #darling #prabhas ♥️ Felling very Happy to score the #bgm for the… https://t.co/JAbEN9CAxy — thaman S (@MusicThaman) 1540233818000 విలువ కట్టలేని బంగారం, మంచితనానికి నిలువెత్తు నిదర్శనం , "డార్లింగ్ ప్రభాస్" అన్న కి జన్మదిన శుభాకాంక్షలు.. అభిమాను… https://t.co/dxYe4bxymN — Sampoornesh Babu (@sampoornesh) 1540221605000 Wishing the sweet heart of all the darlings a very happy birthday. Sir, Its a pleasure to be a part of your beauti… https://t.co/NleyckRDAf — Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) 1540241108000 Happy birthday to the Bahubali, darling Prabhas..!! @UV_Creations #HappyBirthdayPrabhas https://t.co/NYKSUJ24uh — Mirchi RJ Hemant (@MirchiRJHemant) 1540265204000 Wishing Global Rebel Star, One of the most dearest & down to earth star I worked with #HappyBirthdayPrabhas https://t.co/x3LF5dEYkB — SKN (@SKNonline) 1540233051000 #HappyBirthdayPrabhasDarling my Billa ,wish you Happiness &Success through out https://t.co/h80MoZXikj — Meher Ramesh (@MeherRamesh) 1540259463000 Wishing the ever Darling #Prabhas A Very Happy Birthday!! Hv a great yr ahead with continued success bro.. be the s… https://t.co/yWFN2VjsLX — ArunVijay (@arunvijayno1) 1540271723000 Happy happy to you brother ❤️ https://t.co/n5COwLNSiP — Rana Daggubati (@RanaDaggubati) 1540265457000 Wishing our all India superstar #Prabhas a very very happy bday !! May you have the best year ever ! More power to u ! — Rakul Preet (@Rakulpreet) 1540264591000 Wishing darling Prabhas a very happy birthday. Spread the joy as always darling. #HappyBirthdayPrabhas — koratala siva (@sivakoratala) 1540268256000 Happy birthday Rebel Star Prabhas!! !u have been the epitome for ur grounded character despite Of the huge success… https://t.co/JpLKWiz9iq — Sree Vishnu (@sreevishnuoffl) 1540262885000 #HappyBirthdayPrabhas garu , one of the most lovely human being I know & wishing darling tons of success, Eagerly w… https://t.co/DMPH9GIw5X — Maruthi director (@DirectorMaruthi) 1540264003000 Happy birthday to the universal darling ..to the most humble unassuming bounteous soul I know..stay blessed..roar a… https://t.co/iQexKmPr4W — Murali Sharma (@murlisharma72) 1540265803000 Happy Birthday to the darling of the world. people love you and I love you too... take care prabaassa...a wonderfu… https://t.co/UzxDuvWKLF — Jaggu Bhai (@IamJagguBhai) 1540270155000 #HappybirthdayPrabhas one of the most soft spoken, nicest people I've met. More power to you — Adah Sharma (@adah_sharma) 1540271073000 Wishing our darling and the king of everyones hearts, the dearest #Prabhas, a very very happy birthday! Keep inspir… https://t.co/EwnTeiiaZZ — Adivi Sesh (@AdiviSesh) 1540271177000 Wishing a happy birthday to our darling of the nation..Wish everyone could experience your gentleness and kindness… https://t.co/SnEQHNKTCD — vennela kishore (@vennelakishore) 1540233542000 Tollywood's darling, Prabhas turns 39 today and to mark the special day, fans, friends and fellow stars from the film industry have been showering the birthday boy with warm wishes.Prabhas, who started his career in 2002 with the film ‘Eeswar’ directed by Jayanth C Paranjee, went on to star in the Suresh Krishna directorial ‘Raghavendra’ in 2003. Ace filmmaker MS Raju gave him his first major break in 2004 with ‘Varsham’, in which he registered his first blockbuster hit. Referred to as the rebel star of Tollywood and the industry's darling, this hunk has delivered a number of super hit films like ‘Chatrapathi’, ‘Pournami’, ‘Darling’, ‘Mr Perfect’, ‘Mirchi’ and the ‘Baahubali’ franchise.He will next be seen in the Sujeeth Reddy directorial ‘ Saaho ’ and Radha Krishna Kumar ’s periodic love story.Here's what celebrities had to say to Prabhas on his birthday:Happy Birthday, Darling Prabhas!<doc-sep>Amitabh Bachchan and Prabhas gear up for Bryan Adams' bash As global star Bryan Adams is gearing up for his 5 day India tour rumours are rife in B-town that megastar Amitabh Bachchan and 'Baahubali' fame Prabhas will be hosting a bash for the guest in Mumbai and Hyderabad respectively.<doc-sep>Celebrities have started to shower wishes on the birthday of actor Prabhas. Allu Arjun wished Prabhas by sharing a cute picture of both. Actor Rana Daggupati has shared a video of Prabhas’ upcoming multilingual movie ‘Saaho’. The video shows the making of the movie. The movie has become popular with the release of its trailer which was much acclaimed for its technical excellence. The movie features Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor as female lead. It is directed by Sujeeth. Prabhas had become popular across the country with the blockbuster multilingual movie ‘Baahubali’. His fans are waiting for the release of his next movie ‘Saaho’. The action sequences of the movies are designed by Kenny Bates.<doc-sep>One among the most handsome hunks in Indian cinema, Venkata Satyanarayana Prabhas Raju Uppalapati fondly known as Rebel Star Prabhas is celebrating his 39th birthday today. The shy and humble actor who is a darling among the masses acquired his first box-office success with the romantic-drama ‘Varsham’ in 2004. It was Rajamouli’s ‘Chatrapathi’ that turned the tables for Prabhas and catapulted him into the top league of Tollywood with just five films under his belt. Thanks to the global recognition of Baahubali franchise, the Madras-born lad is no longer just a Telugu hero as his popularity has transcended boundaries. In an eventful career spanning for over 15 years, Prabhas has experienced several flops, few superhits, and a couple of blockbusters which changed the course of regional cinema. As the ‘Mirchi’ star promised to unveil a surprise for his fans on his birthday, here are five reasons why the Baahubali actor stands apart from his peers.<doc-sep>

Saaho Prabhas Prabhas, Pooja Hegde kick off trilingual in October After attaining pan-India fame as the titular character of SS Rajamouli’s 2015 epic action film Bahubali and its 2017 sequel Sujeeth Is Prabhas a young successor to Rajinikanth? Here are five similarities between the two stars After Bahubali’s grand success, Prabhas’ fandom grew by leaps and bounds. The actor not only gave back to back blockbusters with Bahubali: The Beginning and Bahubali: The Conclusion, but also created frenzy among his fans that can be comparable only with that of mega star Rajinikanth. The box office appeal of the superstar threw hints that Prabhas could be a young successor to Rajini. On Baahubali actor Prabhas 's 39th birthday, the team of his upcoming film Saaho , surprised his fans with a special treat. The makers released a clipping of the making of the film and titled it Shades Of– Chapter 1.Prabhas’s Saaho looks to be another blockbuster and it seems to get bigger! Shades of Saaho – Chapter 1 teased the fans with perfect combination of action, thriller and drama. There are nail-biting situations, chase sequences and action andis all game. His leading lady Shraddha Kapoor will too not hold herself back.While Shraddha is focused in delivering some high octane action, Prabhas’s calm appearance will certainly give you the chills.The makers introduced action director Kenny Bates, directorand DoP Madhie, among others. Kenny said in the video, “Hello, my name is Kenny Bates and I am here to destroy things.” After preparing for more than 60 days with over 400 plus crew members and 30 days of shoot in Abu Dhabi, the makers captured ‘real action and speed’.The video clip certainly raised anticipation among the fans.

The Boston Celtics have clinched homecourt advantage for the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The Celtics clinched at least the fourth seed when the Indiana Pacers fell at home to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon. While Indiana can still finish with the same record as Boston, the Celtics have the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the regular season series by a 3-1 margin. This marks the third straight year that Boston will open the playoffs at home. The previous two seasons, the Celtics have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers. During both of those runs, Boston had homecourt advantage throughout the East playoffs, as they had finished atop the conference in the regular season. While Boston has clinched no worse than the fourth seed in the East, there is still an outside chance the Celtics could climb as high as the third seed. This would require Boston winning their final two games over the visiting Orlando Magic and then on the road at the Washington Wizards. In addition, the Philadelphia 76ers would have to drop their final two games of the season: at the Miami Heat and against the Chicago Bulls. This would leave Boston and Philadelphia tied at 50-32, but the Celtics own the tiebreaker after beating the Sixers 3-1 in the regular season series. The 2019 NBA Playoffs will begin with Game 1 of the first round on this coming Saturday or Sunday. With the Boston Bruins scheduled to host a home Stanley Cup Playoff game on Saturday, it is likely that the Celtics will open their playoff run on Sunday. Schedules for the first round of the playoffs will be released Wednesday night, following the completion of the NBA regular season.<doc-sep>The Boston Celtics will take on the Indiana Pacers in the NBA playoffs. The series gets started on Sunday, April 14th at 1 p.m. Eastern on TNT. Boston is locked in as the No. 4 seed in the East. The NHL playoffs mean the Celtics-Pacers series will start on Sunday. Real GM’s Keith Smith pointed out the Bruins play at TD Garden on Saturday. “The NHL Postseason schedule is out…I know, weird for me to tweet about that, right? It impacts the Celtics! The Bruins host playoff games in TD Garden on Thursday and Saturday. That means the Celtics, should they earn HCA in the first round, would likely play Game 1 on Sunday,” Smith tweeted. The Celtics Won 3 of 4 Games Against the Pacers This Season Boston had success against Indiana this season taking three of the four games. The Celtics have won their last three matchups against the Pacers including a 20-point blowout just a few days ago. Jayson Tatum had 22 points, seven rebounds and three steals in the victory. The Celtics did not have the kind of regular season many expected, but Boston still has enough talent to make some noise. Celtics head coach Brad Stevens hopes his team can treat the playoffs like an entirely new season. Stevens detailed his outlook against the Pacers to Mass Live. “We need to prepare to play very well against Indiana. That’s the bottom line,” said Stevens. “One of the things about the playoffs is you know your opponent, you know who you have to prepare for and play against. We have to be extremely locked in. We have to be detail oriented. We have to do all the things that really good teams do. And at the same time understand and balance that with you’re not going to play perfectly, there will be ups and downs, but if you can kind of stay the course and kind of minimize all of the other stuff, then you have a good chance to at least give yourself a chance to have success.” Boston should have an advantage over Indiana with Victor Oladipo sidelined for the rest of the season. Celtics guard Terry Rozier noted that he expects Boston to be even better in the playoffs. “I feel as a team, as a whole, we’re going to have a great playoff push,” Rozier told NBA.com. “I feel like we’re more connected, we’re more together than we was at the beginning of the season. There’s a lot of things that we corrected. I feel like that’s going to be a lot of fun.” Pacers vs. Celtics Playoff Schedule<doc-sep>BOSTON -- We still don’t know when yet, but we finally officially know who the Boston Celtics will face when the first round of the NBA playoffs begin next weekend. With the Celtics and Indiana Pacers both losing, the two teams will now face off as the East’s fourth and fifth seed respectively. That means Boston will have home court in the opening round. “It’s really hard,” Brad Stevens said of facing the Pacers, a team they’ve just played twice in rapid succession, in seven-game series. “But everything in the playoffs is really hard. Always has been, and my hope is that we can, obviously , coming out of tonight be fully healthy and go to work and be ready for them. But w’eve got one more game, and you know, we’re looking forward to the challenge in Washington on Tuesday.” The obligatory pleasantry thrown Washington’s way aside, Boston has a great challenge ahead of them in facing the Pacers. Sure, they’re without Victor Oladipo and they’ve struggled a bit lately without a star to carry them, but possibly seeing a team so often in such a short amount of time means there are few surprises about each other. “Both teams have been able to (prepare), so it’s not like there’s an advantage, right?” Stevens said in his post-Magic media availability. “I think ultimately we both, us and the Pacers, have pretty much known that we’d be the matchup. Didn’t know where the games would start. I’m not sure that’s a big deal . I think the biggest deal is how you play when the ball is tipped. It’s going to be an extremely tough series. It’s going to be an extremely physical series. I did not think they played their best without Collison the other night. We expect a lot of games like that game two weeks ago here, 10 days ago here.” That one boiled down to Kyrie Irving being a hero, which is why Boston seems to have an edge in this series. When the excrement hits the spinning blades, it’s the stars who step up and help win those kinds of games. Still, there was plenty for Boston to learn from that game and even their win in Indianapolis on Friday. Boston nearly gave away the game at home by not getting to loose balls and giving up 20 second-chance points on 14 Pacers offensive rebounds. “It’s often a blockout error. It’s often a did you block him out early enough error if you’re small,” Stevens said. “That’s especially important as you get into the Pacers game, because those guys crash the glass as well as anybody and make it really difficult.” “I think it’s really been about focus. Our focus and that sense of urgency, that for whatever reason, we haven’t had as a group all year,” said Al Horford. “I think that we all understand how we need to play and we know in order to have any chance against Indiana, we have to be at our best.” Being at their best has not been easy for the Celtics this season. They have been doing it more often lately, but complete games with full focus have been rare. Playoff success skews towards stars, but it also highlights a team’s habits, good and bad. “Obviously, there are going to be some runs out there in the playoffs and high-level basketball,” Kyrie Irving said after the game. “Guys are going to be making some incredible shots and we just want to limit them to their tendencies and just play well. Every shot is not going to go in, but we just got to be able to be resilient and just have some fun out there. Don’t let the pressure of the moment get the best of you and just go out there and hoop.” Irving has been looking forward to the playoffs for months now, which may seem to put a bit of pressure on him now that they’re here. So many of Boston’s faults were dismissed by players in the Celtics locker room by promising that things can or will be different come playoff time. The loss of focus and persistent implosions, we have been told, are not as likely to happen when the focus is on one team at a time; when the Möbius strip of a schedule finally breaks and a team can be in one city with time to rest and travel and sleep like normal humans. For Irving, the arrival of the playoffs gives him and his teammates a chance to be something they haven’t been for much of the regular season. “Just be great. Just be great. It’s easy to do that when you put in the work and do what you’re supposed to do,” he said. “Take care of your body, just go out there and play. I’m just happy that we get to prepare for a team for multiple days. It makes it a lot better to go out there and just make plays within the game. There’s nothing that’s really surprising out there in the playoffs, so just get a good feel of the Pacers. Game 1 is a feel-out game and then we go from there.”<doc-sep>INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 14: Domantas Sabonis #11 and Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers react after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 14, 2019 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) As underdogs, the Indiana Pacers will need a bit of magic to take down the Boston Celtics. Only a game or two will separate the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics coming into the playoffs, despite the disparity of talent between them. There are 3 very important things that must happen for the Pacers to beat the Celtics. 1) The Pacers front line must win the battle of the bigs There are 2 keys to this. First, the Pacers have to stretch Al Horford and Aaron Baynes out to the three-point line. Myles Turner is shooting 38.8% from 3 for the year, and 41.8% since December 1st. Myles was rarely shooting (and barely ever making) threes to start the year, shooting just 22.6% through the end of 2018. Since then, he’s been shooting more and more and shooting a fantastic percentage. Starting in February, Turner’s been shooting 3.5 deep balls per game. The Pacers probably need him to do at least that (and likely more) to keep the ultra canny Horford and giant lumberjack Baynes out of the paint, or at least punish them for being there. Thaddeus Young is shooting 40% from deep himself in the calendar year 2019, and on 2.2 attempts per game. Indiana doesn’t need Thad to be a volume shooter, but definitely a value shooter. If Baynes guards him so Horford can match up with Turner, Thad will get a couple of opportunities to make him pay and blunt his impact. The Celtics typically don’t guard Thad outside the arc, so he’s going to have to make his shots when left open. Second, the bigs must make Boston pay for going small at power forward. Whether it’s Marcus Morris, or especially Gordon Hayward or Jayson Tatum, the Young/Turner/Sabonis triumvirate have to be ready to abuse them in the post. It’s difficult to expect your bigs to stretch and dominate down low, but the Pacers will need both to have a shot at beating Boston 4 times. 2) Bojan Bogdanovic (and Doug McDermott, to a lesser extent) have to score. The Indiana Pacers are not going to be able to stop Boston’s parade of good wings (Tatum, Hayward, Jaylen Brown, and even Marcus Smart can be a handful) all at once, but they both can put up points in bunches. The Pacers almost certainly aren’t going to win if Bogey is putting up 10-15 points. They will need him to be a lead dog and killer on the offensive end to win. Bojan Bogdanovic put up 4 points on 1-8 shooting in the Pacers blowout loss on April 5th. If the Celtics can bottle him up like that moving forward, this will almost certainly be a very short and unpleasant series for fans of the blue and gold. 3) The Pacers as a whole have to win the rebounding battle. As witnessed against the Nets, the Indiana Pacers can be beaten on the glass by teams that aggressively crash the offensive boards. Aaron Baynes is an extremely large human, and aggressive on the glass. None of the Pacers bigs have the size to overwhelm Baynes, so they must – as a team – attack the defensive glass with fervor. The bigs have to box out, and the wings and guards absolutely have to be there to scoop up rebounds while Baynes and Horford are held off. Boston is full of excellent shooters, and scrambles off of the offensive rebound lead to great looks, especially from deep. If the Pacers give up offensive rebounds by the bushel, they will almost certainly lose this series handily. The Pacers are definitely the underdog here. Boston has home court advantage and is a very good home team. The Pacers, meanwhile, are undermanned without Victor Oladipo, have been awful on the road lately, and are facing off against a far more purely talented team. That being said, the Pacers have played above their pay grade since Vic went down, and Boston hasn’t been nearly as good as they theoretically should’ve been. In order for the Pacers to upset the Celtics and move on, they will need many things to go right beyond those listed above. Gordon Hayward has to be the Gordo of most of the year, not the beast he was against the Pacers last game. Kyrie Irving has to be at least kept in check a little. Jayson Tatum can’t morph into the Tatum of last year’s playoffs. It will take a good bit of luck and a lot of effort, but the Pacers can absolutely make this a series if they get some breaks. Go Pacers.<doc-sep>

BOSTON — It’s hardly breaking news, but the Boston Celtics will play the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. While it’s nearly been inevitable for the past couple of weeks, it was confirmed Sunday, as the Pacers’ loss to the Brooklyn Nets ensured home-court advantage for the Celtics in the first round of the postseason. Boston’s loss to Orlando Magic later on in the night solidified its position as the No. 4 seed and set up a Celtics-Pacers matchup beginning this weekend. Off the heels of a 117-97 road win over the Pacers on Friday, Boston has reasons to be confident heading into the series, but nonetheless know the challenge that sits ahead of it as it tries to right the ship in the playoffs after an up and down campaign. “Just play our game,” Kyrie Irving said of what it will take to be successful against the Pacers. “Be physical, do the little things out there. Use our IQ on both ends of the floor and just play together. “Just be great. Just be great. It’s easy to do that, you know when you put in the work prepare as much as you do, take care of your body, just go out there an play. I’m just happy we get to prepare for a team for multiple days so that always makes it a lot better. Just go out there and make plays, there’s nothing really surprising out there in the playoffs so just go out there and get a good feel for the Pacers. Game 1 is a feel-out game and we go from there.” Coming off a pair of late-season contests has given the Celtics a feel for what they are getting into. It helps too that players like Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown are back in the lineup, and in Hayward’s case, playing some of his best basketball of the season. “I think it’s good we got a chance to see what they’re about,” Hayward said. “You know, kind of get ourselves ready a little bit with what they like to do. I know they’re going to be different though than the last two times we’ve played them. They’re definitely going to play better than last time. It will be a tough series so we have to be ready.”

TN 10th, SSLC Result 2019: Know How To Check Tamil Nadu class 10th result will be released today. Students can check the TN SSLC result at tnresults.nic.in. Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE) Tamil Nadu will release the SSLC result today. TN 10th result page will have subject wise mark (theory and practical marks, separately), total marks, result remark (whether pass or fail) and the scores of the optional paper. The result page will have the name of the student and the roll number as well. The class 10 exam, which is commonly referred to as Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exam, was held in February- March. This time the TN 10th result is coming three weeks before the scheduled date. In 2017 the TN SSLC result came on May 20 and in 2018 the results were released on May 23. After TN 10th result are declared, students may take a printout of the same. To make use of the TN SSLC Mark sheet or Certificate for official purposes, the class 10th candidates will have to check with their respected schools or concerned authorities. In 2018, the overall pass percentage in SSLC exam was 94.5%. The pass percentage for girls was 96.4% and the pass percentage among male students was 92.5%. Click here for more Education News<doc-sep>The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE) has released the 2019 results for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), or Class 10 examinations today. A total of 95.2 per cent students have passed in Tamil Nadu class 10 board exam. Tamil Nadu 10th result 2019 was declared at 9:30 am on the official results websites for exams conducted in Tamil Nadu. Results are available on the following websites-- tnresults.nic.in, dge.tn.gov.in, dge1.tn.nic.in. Students can check results via 'Tamilnadu Board Result 2019, SSLC & HSC Result' app, available in Google Play store and Apple play store. Also students who have registered their numbers in schools will receive SMS about their result. The pass percentage for girls has increased this year. Last year, 96.4% girls passed whereas this year 97% girls have cleared Tamil Nadu 10th board exam. However, the pass percentage of boys is recorded at 93.3 per cent . Nearly, 9 lakh 60 thousand student sat for the the exam in March, this year. Highest pass percentage has been recorded in Tirupur district (98.53%) followed by Ramanathapuram (98.48%) and Namakkal (98.45%). Also read: TN Class 10 Results 2019: Tamil Nadu Board SSLC to declare results tomorrow; here's how to check Also read: TN Class 10 Results 2019: Tamil Nadu Board SSLC to declare results tomorrow; where to check<doc-sep>TN 10th result declared: Students can check their TN SSLC 10th results on the official website tnresults.nic.in and opt for alternatives like dge.tn.gov.in and examresults.net. Tamil Nadu SSLC Result 2019 | The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE) declared the 2019 results of SSLC or Class 10 examinations today (29 April) on the official website – tnresults.nic.in. This year, around 10 lakh students appeared for the TN SSLC Class 10 exams, which were conducted between 14 March and 29 March. Follow LIVE updates here Steps to check your TN SSLC Class 10 result on official website: Step 1: Visit the official websites — tnresults.nic.in Step 2: Click on the link that says 'download result' Step 3: Enter your registration number and roll number Step 4: The results will appear on the screen Step 5: Download the results and take a printout for future reference. Given the fact that a large number of students will be checking their results on the official website, it may crash or be slow. In such a case, candidates can opt for alternative methods to check their SSLC Class 10 results in other websites such as – dge.tn.gov.in and examresults.net. To pass the SSLC exam, candidates need to score at least 30 marks out of 150 in the theory exams and 40 marks out of 50 in the practical exams. Of the total 10,01,140 students who appeared for the SSLC Class 10 exams, 4,74,340 were boys and 4,76,340 girls. The overall pass percentage was 94.50 percent in 2018, which is expected to increase this year. The TNDGE had released the Tamil Nadu HSC Class 12 results on 19 April.<doc-sep>

The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE) declared the TN SSLC 10th exam results today (29 April) on tnresults.nic.in. Tamil Nadu SSLC Result 2019 | The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE) has declared the results for the SSLC or Class 10 exams on its official website dge.tn.gov.in. Students can check results on the TNDGE website or on tnresults.nic.in. This year, the overall pass percentage stands at 95.2 percent. Once again, girls have outperformed boys with a pass percentage of 97 percent, higher than last year's 96.4 percent. A low number of 93.3 percent boys passed the Class 10 board exams. The highest pass percentage was recorded in Tirupur district at 98.53 percent, followed by Ramanathapuram with 98.48 percent and Namakkal with 98.45 percent. Follow LIVE updates here Around 10 lakh students appeared for the TN SSLC exams between 14 and 29 March this year. In 2018, as many as 9,82,097 students appeared for the TN SSLC examination. The overall pass percentage was 94.4 percent. Girls had outperformed boys last year, as well. Candidates can follow these steps to check their results: Step 1: Visit the official TNDGE website Step 2: Click on the 'Result' tab and then click on the relevant result tab Step 3: Enter your registration number and roll number Step 4: The results will appear on the screen Step 5: Download or take a printout of your results for future reference Students will need to secure at least 35 percent marks in each subject to pass the TN SSLC examinations. Students can collect original marksheets from their respective schools a few days after the results are declared.

The Washington State Cougars look to rebound from a disappointing loss at USC against the Utah Utes on Saturday. The Utes are coming off a bye after a 21-7 loss to Washington. Utah is 2-1, with wins over FCS Weber State and definitely-not-FCS-how-dare-you-assume-that-they-went-to-the-Orange-Bowl-in-2013 Northern Illinois. The prevailing assumption is that the Utes are the ultimate Yin and Yang of college football. Utah is believed to have one of the worst offenses in all of Division 1, while also boasting one of the best defenses. WSU has a pretty dang good offense, and a defense that looked pretty dang good until USC’s mega-athletic receivers drew PIs or made seemingly unstoppable catches. The 39 points scored by USC leave doubt in the ability of the Cougar defense, and that doubt must be where the bettors who have clearly favored Utah live. This game figures either to be a low-scoring toss-up, or a WSU blowout. Utah isn’t scoring a lot of points, so if WSU can’t score a lot then the Utes will be right there to send the Cougs’ homecoming crowd home with frowns on their faces. If WSU is able to move the ball as it has through the first four games of the season, we might see a WSU runaway. Who knows? Game time: 3 pm PT TV channel: Pac-12 Networks Streaming: Pac-12 Network Live (log-in required) Radio: TuneIN, or over the air. This is also your game thread. Enjoy<doc-sep>Good morning from yet another wifi hotspot, and welcome to caffeine-induced/less-than-four hours of sleep game analysis. But hey, if the Cougs can promise me that they’ll keep winning, I’ve got no issue with staying up until damn near sunrise. Last night/this morning was something else. In a game that featured about the most disparate halves you’ll ever see, the Cougs delivered the decisive blow, then held on by their finger nails to pull off a critical victory. To give you an idea of how odd that game was, the over/under closed at 50.5. After a 42-point first half, the “over” didn’t hit until Easop Winston Jr. joysticked that poor Utah defender and made a house call in the game’s 56th minute. It was almost as if only one side of the ball was allowed to make halftime adjustments. I don’t know about you, but every time Utah had the ball with that three-point lead in the second half, it felt like a touchdown would all but seal it for the Utes, considering how listless WSU’s previously explosive offense had become. Thankfully, the four plays Utah ran repeatedly early on didn’t work so well in the second half, and the offense did just enough to get one final, game-clinching lead. So let’s talk about it, shall we? The Good Very impressive opening WSU drive that set the tone for what we’d see the rest of the half. After Utah scored with ease on its first possession, some kind of WSU answer was critical. WSU produced that answer just over three minutes later. The offensive line, again, did a great job in pass protection. There were a couple leaks, but that Utah front seven is pretty damn good, and the o-line gave Minshew a ton of time on several plays. Minshew’s ability to move in the pocket really, really helps, too. If that’s the best pass defense in the nation (it isn’t but it’s still pretty good), WSU should fare quite well through the air for the rest of the season. Got a somewhat miraculous spot on the second touchdown drive that really helped. James Williams looked to be a full yard short of the line to gain on third-and-10, but was awarded a first down. I’ll take it! looked to be a full yard short of the line to gain on third-and-10, but was awarded a first down. I’ll take it! The evolution of Dezmon Patmon continues to be awesome. continues to be awesome. Those wheel routes had (and hopefully have) a chance to be lethal. More on that later. Whatever connection Minshew had with Davontavean Martin may have ebbed a bit, but the fact that other guys have picked up some of the slack shows you how good this offense really is. may have ebbed a bit, but the fact that other guys have picked up some of the slack shows you how good this offense really is. I love how true freshman Max Borghi isn’t afraid of anyone when it comes to blitz pickup. isn’t afraid of anyone when it comes to blitz pickup. Peyton Pelluer ’s sixth season is shaping up to be one of WSU’s greatest recruiting wins in a while. ’s sixth season is shaping up to be one of WSU’s greatest recruiting wins in a while. Anyone know where I can get an Oscar Draguicevich jersey? But seriously it’s nice to have a bonafide punter, especially compared to what we’ve been put through the last few seasons. Utah’s 204 rushing yards look pretty gaudy, but it took them 50 tries to get there. I’ll take that any day. Logan Tago finally got rid of that club on his hand, and it seemed to help. He was very disruptive on a couple critical plays. finally got rid of that club on his hand, and it seemed to help. He was very disruptive on a couple critical plays. Nice job by Kedron Williams to knock down that long pass. It was underthrown, but Williams batted it down while not interfering. to knock down that long pass. It was underthrown, but batted it down while not interfering. Good job also by Deion Singleton , who was pressed into duty after Skyler Thomas was ejected. Singleton ended up tying for second on the team with eight tackles. That is an example of the depth WSU finally has in spots. In the past, the talent dropoff would have been far more noticeable. , who was pressed into duty after was ejected. ended up tying for second on the team with eight tackles. That is an example of the depth WSU finally has in spots. In the past, the talent dropoff would have been far more noticeable. It’s usually an overrated stat, but I find this pretty incredible - Utah ran the ball 50 times. WSU ran the ball 13 times (both include sacks, obviously). Time of possession - Utah: 29:13, WSU: 30:47. Nearly 50% on third down once again (7-15). Pretty crazy how WSU has improved its production there as the competition has stiffened. It was pretty cool when Steve Spurrier referred to the Cougs as “we” during his tv spot. The Cougs are unbeaten when fellow alumnus Garrett and I watch the game together. * Speaking of streaks, that’s 10 in a row at home. Never thought I’d see that. I love how much Mike Leach admires Kyle Whittingham while simultaneously owning his ass. The Bad So, about that first drive. Minshew threw two really bad passes in a row, and WSU paid dearly for the second of those. Nnamdi Oguayo , please come back soon. I’m sure Karson Block is a great kid who gave his best effort, but he was way overmatched. , please come back soon. I’m sure is a great kid who gave his best effort, but he was way overmatched. I know the Skyler Thomas hit was Targeting by the letter of the rule, and don’t object to the ruling. But juxtapose that with what we saw from Porter Gustin , and it’s pretty clear that Thomas did not violate the spirit of the rule.<doc-sep>The Washington State Cougars welcome in the Utah Utes for a homecoming matchup that kicks off at 3 p.m. PT from Martin Stadium in Pullman. Pac-12 Network has the broadcast. We’ve covered the game a bunch from our perspective, so let’s check in with the other side. We caught up with Shane Roberts of Block U for a quick Q&A. I also answered a half dozen questions from him; you’ll find those after his responses. CougCenter: Currently, Utah ranks 1st by S&P+ in defense and 115th in S&P+ in offense. That’s amazingly weird. Are either of those units as good or bad as those extreme rankings would suggest? Yeah, very weird. On defense, I’d say those numbers are pretty close, because this is as deep of a defense as we’ve seen at Utah at all three levels. It’s a very experienced group, and they are about as fast of a defense as we’ve seen at Utah. There are playmakers at almost every position, and they are so fun to watch. On offense, they are more talented than that ranking, no doubt. They’ve just had a hard time putting it together. They have one of the best backs in the conference, with Zack Moss, but he was a bit beat up the last two games. The line played much better against UW, but has been inconsistent, and the wide outs can’t catch balls that hit them in the hands. So it’s a multi pronged issue, but the talent is there, they just need to bring it together. CougCenter: Obviously this year is a low point for the offense (so far), but Utah has generally struggled offensively under Kyle Whittingham, never finishing above 50th in S&P+ under him. Why do you think that is? Ultimately, I think it’s been a lack of overall offensive talent, specially on the outside, and in some areas the QB. Utah’s been good in the trenches and at running back, but they’ve been a bit slower getting the wide receivers and the QBs. I know after the last couple of classes they have the right guys in those spots now, they just need to develop more. Also, the turnover in coordinator can’t help either. It’s hard to establish a consistent identity if guys are leaving or are being fired. You combine those factors and the offense will lag behind the other two areas of the team. CougCenter: What are the specific struggles with this particular offense that you hope the bye week straightened out? Wide receivers. They’ve had 15 dropped balls so far this season, and some of them would have been huge plays and touchdowns, especially against Washington. It’s been maddening to watch. I think the line is rounding into shape well, and the running game is there, we just need those guys on the outside to complete a pass so the chains keep moving. CougCenter: The Air Raid has generally been successful against Utah’s defense during this three-game win streak by WSU over the Utes. What makes you think this year will be different? Listen, I don’t know how much different it will be because Wazzu moves the ball so damn well, what Utah needs to do is keep them out of the end zone. Give up FGs instead of TDs. Utah’s secondary is the best we’ve likely ever seen at Utah, and they can man up across the board without much issue, so they’re good there. One place Utah has improved greatly is linebacker, especially with Chase Hansen moving there, and that should help in the pass game as well. CougCenter: Who is the one player whose name we will rue after this one? I think a guy like Chase Hansen can have a big game for the Utes in this game. He’s so good at baiting QBs into bad throws and just has incredible instincts. On offense, Britain Covey. The dude is a nightmare for defenders, and he will come at teams in the slot, on the outside, out of the backfield, in the punt game, just so many ways. CougCenter: Tell us why Utah is going to win. If Utah’s going to win, it’s because the offense clicks together finally. They’ve shown some flashes, but for some reason they get in their own way so often. If they play clean, catch the ball, and don’t make mistakes, they’ll win the game. Block U: How do you think the team has rallied and responded especially after the off season they had? Much better than most of us expected them to. Look, WSU hasn’t ever been a program where a bowl game is an expectation every year, and given the heavy losses in personnel and coaching this offseason -- including the death by suicide of the presumed starting quarterback, Tyler Hilinski, just after last season ended -- most people were figuring it could be a real struggle to get back to a fourth consecutive bowl. After more or less cruising through the last 10 quarters of the non-conference schedule, the Cougs very nearly won at USC (maybe should have won), and they’re sure looking like a team that’s destined to get back to the postseason. That’s a pretty cool place for us to be, and the players deserve a ton of credit for that. Block U: The Wazzu defense took some big losses, including DC Grinch going to OSU, and Hercules Mata’afa moving on, how have they rebuilt? The new defensive coordinator is Tracy Claeys, who was best known to our fans as the guy who shut down our offense in the 2016 Holiday Bowl as the coach of the Minnesota Gophers. What’s neat about what he’s done is that he’s adapted himself to the talent on hand; the system he’s running right now uses Grinch’s terminology, and looks a heck of a lot like what Grinch ran, emphasizing penetration and disruption at the line of scrimmage. That will change over time as the personnel morphs into something more ideal for him, but he deserves a ton of credit for adjusting -- most coaches don’t do that.<doc-sep>Good morning Cougar fans, and welcome to another Cougar Football Saturday. It’s Homecoming in Pullman, so welcome back to any alums visiting for the first time in a long time. The last time we saw our Washington State Cougars, were were lamenting a tough loss to the USC Trojans. Now it’s time to turn our attention to the Utah Utes. The Utes come in at 2-1 and are coming off a bye. They are first in the nation in total defense, allowing just 204.7 yards per game. That’s through just three games, remember. Still, very good. The Utes also own the nation’s top passing defense and have allowed just 93 yards per game through three games. That’s important to know given WSU’s Air Raid attack. Gardner Minshew II and company are up against a tough defense, but it’s a defense that will be missing Leki Fotu due to his targeting penalty in the second half against the Washington Huskies two weeks ago (there was another player ejected for targeting, but that came in the first half). On the other side of the ball, Utah’s offense leaves a lot to be desired. The Utes are no. 76 nationally in total offense and second-year offensive coordinator Troy Taylor hasn’t quite lived up to expectations yet. Who knows, maybe WSU will force seven turnovers again. We’ll see. Three Bold Predictions I’m still winless in these bold predictions and if I get one right this season, I’ll be happy. I missed out last week because the schedule threw me off. Oh well. Here are this week’s picks: Gardner Minshew II will throw five touchdown passes. Utah will attempt a fake punt but it will fail. Utah will not score an offensive touchdown. If Minshew throws five touchdown passes against this defense, put him on a Dusty grain silo. Is this the week one of these bold predictions comes true? Probably not! Football Two-minute drill: Keys to victory for Washington State against Utah | The Spokesman-Review Keys to a potential Washington State victory Saturday against Utah at Martin Stadium. Playing Fast and Palouse - Washington State Game Preview | UteZone UteZone catches up with Washington State insider Barry Bolton to get his thoughts on what to expect from the Cougars. Larry Scott Needs a Shovel Pac-12 commissioner clarifies comments on controversial non-call in WSU-USC | ESPN.com Commissioner Larry Scott said the Pac-12 does not share its official opinion on whether calls by referees are correct or incorrect and that comments he made last weekend were misinterpreted. College Football NCAA redshirt rules affect Jalen Hurts, Kelly Bryant, transfers | SI.com Putting a select few upperclassmen on transfer watch in late September is an acceptable consequence of new redshirt rules that benefit both coaches and players. Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer wants it to be business as usual against Penn State Nittany Lions | ESPN.com Meyer emphasized his relief over being back to game day as usual last week, but it will be different Saturday, when the Buckeyes face their biggest challenge of the season. The Eliminator: Who is already out of the playoff race? | ESPN.com Texas helped knock USC out of the playoff race, but the Trojans aren't alone among big-name programs, with Florida State, Nebraska and TCU joining them. College football schedule 2018: What games to watch in Week 5, TV channels, kickoff times - CBSSports.com Week 5 delivers some of the must-see games of the year in college football. College football games, Week 5: Playoff implications abound with two top-10 meetings - CBSSports.com Ohio State-Penn State and Stanford-Notre Dame will move the needle in more ways than one this week. Worst college football uniforms: The ugliest look worn by each Power Five team since 2000 - CBSSports.com We searched far and wide to find the absolute worst look worn by a Power Five team, as well as Notre Dame and BYU. Volleyball COUGS WIN!! WSU takes set five over Utah for the first Pac-12 win of the season!! #GoCougs #RiseAgain pic.twitter.com/hermrr0tCD — Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 29, 2018 Tennis Bayerlova Rallies for Three-Set Win at Hilton Head - Washington State University Washington State tennis student-athlete Michaela Bayerlova rallied from a set down to post a three-set victory and advance to the semifinals Friday at the ITA Hilton Head tournament at the Van Der Meet Shipyard Racquet Club. Cross Country Cougars Run At Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational - Washington State University Jenkins, Teigen lead the way for Washington State.<doc-sep>

Gardner Minshew II found Easop Winston Jr. for an 89-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game winner as the Washington State Cougars picked up a dramatic 28-24 victory over the Utah Utes. The Cougs picked up their first Pac-12 win of the season and moved to 4-1 overall (1-1 Pac-12), while Utah dropped to 2-2 and 0-2. Minshew threw for 445 yards on 31-of-56 passing with four total touchdowns and one interception. Winston and Dezmon Patmon each topped 100 yards receiving, and each had a touchdown; Kyle Sweet gained just 59 yards, but most of his six catches were clutch and at critical times. But it was Winston who would make the biggest play. After a strong first half, the WSU offense struggled mightily in the second half, gaining just 72 yards on its first four drives. Utah didn’t fare much better, but they at least were able to muster a field goal on their first drive after the break to take a 24-21 lead deep into the fourth quarter. Utah had the ball with 8:26 remaining in the game, looking to bleed as much clock as possible. They picked up one first down, but no more, and elected to punt from midfield and pin WSU deep. That they did, as Sweet fair caught the ball at his own seven. The Utes successfully brought pressure on the first play — as they had so often in the second half — forcing Minshew into a throw away. But on the second play, Minshew identified Winston in a one-on-one matchup, and he dropped an absolute dime away from the defender and toward the sideline, right into the bucket of Winston’s arms. Winston did the rest. With WSU now leading 28-24, Utah had one more chance to try and win the game. The Utes moved the ball a little, as they still tried to balance effective runs with an ineffective passing game, eventually pushing from their own 31 with 4:14 to go down to the WSU 36 with under two minutes to go, facing 3rd-and-3. That’s where it all fell apart for Utah. Zack Moss — who finished with 106 yards but needed 30 carries to get there — was dropped by Logan Tago for a loss of two. Facing 4th-and-5, a false start made it 4th-and-10. On the next play, a blatant hold negated a 36-yard catch and run, and suddenly it was 4th-and-20. Under a bit of pressure on the next dropback, Utah QB Tyler Huntley skipped his throw short, and the game was over. The contrast of the second half to the first was absolutely stunning. The first half was a total shootout, and in the weirdest possible way: WSU passed the ball 37 times and ran it three, while Utah passed the ball five times and ran it 30. The two teams showed there’s more than one way to get where you want to go, piling up more than 500 yards between them — including 286 yards through the air for WSU and 154 on the ground for Utah — and heading to the locker room tied 21-21. The biggest play for WSU was this 65-yard house call from Minshew to Patmon. Despite having tremendous difficulty stopping Utah’s running game for most of the half, the Cougars forced a punt by the Utes with just over two minutes to go, giving the Cougs a chance to take a lead before the break. WSU moved the ball a bit, but missed massive opportunities to get into field goal range when Jamire Calvin, Travell Harris and Patmon each dropped passes on the drive. The second half couldn’t have been more different. Utah got the ball first and was able to drive into WSU territory before settling for 41-yard field goal; the Cougs responded on the next drive by moving to the Utah 35 before settling for a field goal attempt of their own. But in a very #SpecialForces moment, the Cougs had their field goal attempt blocked for the second consecutive time, and Utah retained its 24-21 lead. Seven consecutive punts followed as each offense struggled mightily. The Cougs were plagued by more drops, and Utah brought blitzes more frequently — both seemed to affect Minshew’s willingness to throw the ball decisively. Utah had lost its starting center to injury, and Utah offensive coordinator Troy Taylor seemed to run out of ideas.

0 of 7 Credit: WWE.com As the men and women of WWE get set to step into the ring for WrestleMania 35 on Sunday, the organization honored the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame inductees. This is always a special night because it's one of the few times when everyone drops their characters and we get to see the people behind the gimmicks. Still, the main attraction is hearing legends talk about their careers. This year's Hall of Fame class included DX, The Hart Foundation, Harlem Heat, Torrie Wilson, The Honky Tonk Man, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake and veteran WWE employee Sue Aitchison as the recipient of the Warrior Award. Let's take a look at some of the highlights from Saturday's inductions ceremony.<doc-sep>WWE changed things up with its Hall of Fame ceremony this year, attempting to account for the long run time in year’s past as well as switching around the stage set up. In lieu of a traditional recap, we’ll just run down where they hit and where they missed with this year’s show from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Hits They did well to keep the time down this year, and it was awfully nice that we didn’t have to sit through so many drawn out speeches from inductors to inductees. Only DX went long but they were the main event and five different guys had to give speeches while also honoring Chyna. The hope is they can keep this going in the future. X-Pac campaigning for WWE to rename the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal to the Chyna Memorial Battle Royal. Triple H making fun of AEW was legitimately funny, mostly because it’s going to lead to a lot of folks overreacting to it. Whoever had the idea to cut back and forth between WrestleMania opponents is a genius. They did it with The Miz and Shane McMahon, alternating between cheers and boos for each, and the two played into it so well. The same goes for Daniel Bryan (who was actively trying to avoid the camera) and Kofi Kingston (who had New Day there encouraging it and screaming along, including his adorable son). It legitimately made me that much more excited for those matches at WrestleMania 35. Let me just give The New Day their own spot. They were fantastic all night long, from being seen making hilarious faces in the background, to playing it up alongside Kingston, to standing up for what they believe in with their silent protest of Hulk Hogan. Harlem Heat’s speech. I thought Booker T was fantastic, striking the perfect balance between goodhearted fun and strong emotion reflecting on his run while honoring his brother. “I’ve been living my brother’s dream, and I think it’s time for me to wake up,” he said with a laugh as he ceded the floor to Stevie Ray. That was perfect. He didn’t go long, but he really hit home. I don’t want to sell Stevie short either, because he, too, was extremely well spoken and came across incredibly well. His story telling skills were so good, anyone saying he didn’t deserve this spot should be ashamed. Misses Rushing the ring during a pro wrestling show is not okay, and if you’re a fan thinking of doing this, just don’t. Some idiot rushed Bret Hart during his induction speech for the Hart Foundation and he got his ass whooped by a very large group of wrestlers for his trouble. He got himself some attention, but I’ll never understand why anyone would want to go down in infamy as a legendary dipshit. Congrats to this moron, I guess. Having said that, it should also be noted that the response, while deeply satisfying in a primitive sense, also wasn’t okay. I don’t feel bad for the guy, he was an idiot, but seeing a large group of wrestlers ganging up on him and beating him down was also bad. Travis Browne, for instance, is a trained heavyweight martial artist. This was just some schmuck trying to get some fame. They couldn’t have known what he would do and how far he would go, but that’s what you pay security for. This was obviously a failure on WWE’s part, and we can safely assume adjustments will be made for next year’s ceremony. Having said all that, the set up for this entire show, with inductees getting an entrance and giving their speeches from a podium set up in the ring felt a bit ... what’s the word ... amateur? I don’t know, it just didn’t feel as special as the expansive stage set ups of years past. My hope is they go back to the old, elevated stage look in future years. Please, god, stop doing songs at the Hall of Fame. Honky Tonk Man was much better than Jeff Jarrett but it’s always a cringe-fest. If I was grading the show, I would go with a solid C. You?<doc-sep>Triple H used the DX WWE Hall of Fame speech to fire shots at All Elite Wrestling. While joking around about being corporate these days, Triple H said apparently these days if you put the “EVP” title in front of someone, it makes them feel important. AEW’s Executive Vice Presidents include Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. Triple H then called AEW a “piss-ant” company after DX joked around about not being able to name Vince McMahon during their speech. Billy Gunn said Vince couldn’t fire him anymore, a reference to Gunn working for AEW. The Gunn joke led to fans in the audience doing an “AEW” chant. Triple H responded, “Billy, let’s be honest. He would buy that piss-ant company just to fire you again.” Everyone laughed at that reference and another line from WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels. When joking about always counting on Gunn to under-deliver, Michaels said, “You can always count on ‘ol Billy Gunn to over-promise and under-deliver. We thank you for being out here and being ‘All In’.” You can hear Triple H’s “piss-ant” line below:<doc-sep>During their induction into the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame, D-Generation X exhibited the kind of wildness that you’d expect from the group. After going through each induction speech, Triple H took a part out of his own to apologize to the many children that the group may have gotten in trouble thanks to their antics. When it comes to the group and its iconic tag line, Triple H made sure to give credit to the person who created it, jokingly blaming his mother for the root of it all. “My Mom Is The Master Of The Penis Joke,” Triple H joked as he told those in attendance to blame her for any possible suspensions or groundings they may have received as children. From there, Shawn Michaels issued a “heartfelt” apology on behalf of the group, taking some of the blame as well. "IF YOU'RE NOT DOWN WITH DX BEING IN THE HALL OF FAME, WE GOT TWO WORDS FOR YA!" Welcome to the #WWEHOF, #DX! pic.twitter.com/yepoqBSP9p — WWE (@WWE) April 7, 2019 Of course, a D-X moment wouldn’t be much without them telling the crowd what to do, and at the end of the speech, Billy Gunn took the mic and, with the help of the crowd, told everyone what to do if they didn’t like the group being in the WWE Hall of Fame. RELATED: Fan Tries To Tackle Bret Hart During WWE HOF Induction<doc-sep>

Shawn Michaels explains why D-Generation X's induction into the WWE Hall of Fame would not be possible without the contributions of Chyna. Courtesy of WWE Network. BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The men of D-Generation X are a little older. Their hair is grayer, if it’s still there at all. They need glasses to get through their notes. And they’re down one trailblazer in “The Ninth Wonder of the World,” Chyna, who passed away in 2016. But just because they’ve grown old, does not mean they’ve gone so far as to grow up. The raucous induction of the counter-culture icons — represented by Triple H, Shawn Michaels, X-Pac and The New Age Outlaws, with Chyna included as a posthumous inductee — was as much an exercise in genial rule breaking as their in-ring heyday was. They weren’t supposed to thank a certain man behind the curtain, or even mention his name. They did that. They were supposed to refrain from crossing the PG line. They did that. True to form, they went into the ceremony with a set of rules to follow. They broke them all. But their induction was also an opportunity for the legendary hellions to thank the people in their lives — wives, family and God, mainly — who brought almost all of them all back from the brink, and they certainly took that ball and ran with it as well. Road Dogg was the most passionate, Billy Gunn the most emotional, and X-Pac the most detailed, with a literal list of people to credit not just for his success but for his life. They also did not spare any expense when it came to thanking Chyna, credited as the “biggest and best trailblazer” in the history of the industry, “probably the most impactful woman to ever set foot in this ring,” and someone without whom WrestleMania would not be ending in a women’s main event. “She’s here,” Triple H said to Chyna’s sister in the audience. “The real her. And believe me, the real her would love this.” (X-Pac pointedly suggested renaming the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal as the Chyna Memorial Battle Royal; the crowd in attendance did not disagree with the idea.) That said, DX also had some restitution to tend to. As Shawn Michaels said in a strangled voice, they were responsible for corrupting an entire generation. (A hearty cheer went up when Triple H asked how many people got in trouble for imitating the group in school.) So, out came the infamous podium, and one by one the members of DX attempted to take their turn apologizing. Instead, they resurrected the old catchphrases, one after another, and ended the evening with the infamous two words and a Super Soaker shower to anyone close enough to get caught. No, there will be no apology. There never could be. And their induction couldn’t have ended any other way. It would have been an insult to the thousands in attendance, the millions around the world, those who were there, and those who were not.

Weather Five Ways To Stay Safe During The Newport Gas Emergency National Grid says restoration efforts could take as much as a week. Here's how to stay safe during that time. Reply NEWPORT, R.I. -- More than 7,100 National Grid customers have been affected by a natural gas outage in Newport and Middletown. Governor Gina Raimondo has declared a state of emergency for the county, and all affected residents are encouraged to leave their homes and stay somewhere warm. READ MORE: Raimondo Declares State of Emergency in Newport Here's what to know to stay safe during the gas emergency: 1. Where Can I Go? If you are affected by the outage, it is not safe to stay in your home overnight due to dangerously low temperatures. Warming shelters have been set up at Gaudet Middle School on Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown and at the University of Rhode Island's Memorial Union and Ryan Center. National Grid will reimburse hotel costs for those who need somewhere warm to stay, as well as the cost of ride sharing services such as Uber or Lyft. If you use one of these services, save all receipts and you will be reimbursed later. The Newport Marriott has been set up as a command center for emergency efforts. Go there if you need help finding a place to stay. Anyone unable to drive or in need of assistance is encouraged to call 211. Governor Raimondo is encouraging those who are not affected by the outage to check in on their Newport friends and neighbors and offer assistance in any way they can. The National Guard has been deployed to the area and is assisting the Red Cross and other emergency officials. A State of Emergency is in effect for all of Newport County due to disruption in gas service. Could last several days. Call 2-1-1 for info on shelter and rides. @NationalGridUS will reimburse for hotel and transportation expenses. Find claims forms here: https://t.co/x05aQUzbQ6 pic.twitter.com/LCTpHvq8Yt — Rhode Island EMA (@RhodeIslandEMA) January 22, 2019 2. What Do I Do If I Smell Gas? If you smell gas in your home, leave your house immediately and call National Grid at 1-800-322-3223 or 911. Wait for authorities to arrive and address the situation. National Grid also recommends the following: • Leave windows and doors as they are. • Do not touch any electrical or light switches, doorbells, phones or anything that could cause a spark such as any appliances or thermostats. • Do not turn any electrical equipment on or off. • Do not pull plugs from outlets. • Extinguish any open flames such as lit candles. • If you have a gas range or oven make sure the controls are turned off. • Do not smoke or light matches.<doc-sep>Russia: Crimean PM hails renewed Russian gas supply to Ukraine's Genichesk top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. More than 7,000 people are battling sub-zero temperatures after National Grid shut off the gas supply on Monday due to a “low pressure” issue. The City of Newport, Rhode Island, wrote on Facebook the problem originated on Aquidneck Island but had since spread to Newport and Middletown. People are having to fend in bone-numbing temperatures in the same week killer Storm Harper blasted midwest and northeastern USA. At least six people have died so far as at least a foot of snow (30cm) fell in areas including New York City, Boston and northern New England. Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo called the state of emergency on Monday night citing it a “major event” at a press conference. She later tweeted: “Warming centers are open at CCRI's Newport campus, Newport Heights and Donovan Manor. “The Potter League for Animals will be open overnight to accept pets from those seeking shelter. “If you need to stay in a hotel or call an Uber or Lyft to get to shelter because of the outage, save your receipts and @nationalgridus will reimburse you. Newport National Grid gas outage: Newport, Rhode Island, left, a gas station, right “It may be a week or more until every impacted customer is restored." Which homes are affected? More than 6,700 Newport customers have had their gas supply cut off, with the remaining number being from Aquidneck Island. Temperatures are already below freezing and could drop to a bone-chilling -10C later on. Newport National Grid gas outage: Temperatures are below freezing in Newport County In its latest update at 8.32am local time (1.30pm GMT), the City of Newport, RI, posted on Facebook: “Work to address the ongoing natural gas outage continues across Newport and Middletown. “We’ll be issuing an update on the situation in this space shortly.” National Grid plans to start restoring gas from today but the “methodical” work involved “could be a multiple day process”. All Newport schools have been closed as a precaution. However, Newport Hospital, and the City’s nursing homes Heatherwood, Village House, and the St. Clare Home all have heat. Newport National Grid gas outage: Newport County is less than 200 miles from New York<doc-sep>Gov. Gina Raimondo declared a state of emergency in Newport County in Rhode Island late Monday after more than 7,000 National Grid customers lost their gas service. A low-pressure issue was reported just before noon Monday near Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth and concerns increased as temperatures were in single digits. "If you do not have heat this evening, do not stay in your homes overnight," Raimondo said during a press conference Monday night. "This is a major event...we all have to help each other." A National Grid official said the issue was repaired, and service is being restored to several hundred residents in Middletown. However, gas service was cut to over 6,700 Newport customers for safety reasons. President of National Grid in Rhode Island Tim Horan said the problem stems from a lack of transmission supply from their natural gas supplier, Algonguin Gas Transmission Co. "This appears to be a lack of gas transmission supply to our system," Horan reportedly said. "The system is stable at this time. We have folks out in the area in Newport, Portsmouth and Middletown checking on our customers." The city of Newport said on its Facebook page that while "National Grid will be deploying roughly 1,000 crew members to bring the system back online, residents are cautioned that this is expected to be a multi-day event." "Service technicians will be required to visit every customer meter to suspend service. Those technicians will return to re-establish service once the system has been safely and reliably restored," the statement read. Authorities announced that a warming shelter has been set up at Gaudet Middle School in Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown and another warming shelter has been set up at the University of Rhode Island's Memorial Union, with overflow going to the Ryan Center. Photo: Getty Images/Matt Cardy In case there are any residents who are unable to evacuate on their own, they must call 211 for assistance in getting transportation. According to Raimondo, the local National Guard has been deployed to the area and will be on call to assist with evacuations. Residents can also call a ride-sharing service such as Uber or Lyft, and National Grid will reimburse customers later for the expense. National Grid will also reimburse anyone affected who stays at a hotel. "If you have heat, please, call your loved ones, your church members, anyone in the area, offer for them to stay over at your house . Make sure they have a warm place to stay tonight," Raimondo urged during her news conference. Newport Public Schools will be closed Tuesday due to the ongoing gas outages. "The school department will keep families updated as best as possible Tuesday regarding any future school closures," the school district said in a statement Monday evening.<doc-sep>

Weather Governor Declares State of Emergency in Newport For Gas Outage Over 7,000 National Grid customers in Newport and Middletown are without heat Monday night due to a gas outage. Reply NEWPORT, RI -- Updated at 11:40 a.m. Tuesday: Governor Gina Raimondo has declared a state of emergency in Newport County after more than 7,100 National Grid customers lost gas service Monday. With temperatures in the single digits, Raimondo says the top priority is making sure residents are someplace warm and safe. According to the National Grid website, more than 1,000 worker sare being deployed to the area to assess the situation and continue restoration efforts. The area has been declared safe, and the company stated it has the situation under control. READ MORE: 5 Ways To Stay Safe During The Gas Emergency "If you do not have heat this evening, do not stay in your homes overnight," Raimondo said during a press conference at 11 p.m. on Monday. "This is a major event...we all have to help each other." I've declared a state of emergency in Newport County and have activated the National Guard to assist residents. — Gina Raimondo (@GovRaimondo) January 22, 2019 @GovRaimondo has declared a State of Emergency for Newport County after National Grid has shut off gas to 7,000 residential customers. The Governor said it is not safe for people to stay in their homes w/o heat tonight. Call 211 for assistance with shelter, rides, etc. — Rhode Island EMA (@RhodeIslandEMA) January 22, 2019 National Grid reported a low-pressure issue just before noon Monday near Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth. According to a National Grid official, the issue was repaired, and service is being restored to several hundred residents in Middletown. However, gas service has been cut to over 6,700 Newport customers for safety reasons, as sufficient pressure cannot be restored at this time. We are currently experiencing a low gas pressure situation affecting several hundred customers in RI: Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth. Teams are assessing the situation & will continue to provide updates. This restoration process may be a multi-day event for those impacted. 1/2 — National Grid US (@nationalgridus) January 22, 2019 Unlike in a power outage, he continued, each home must be individually entered and each meter addressed individually. This process could take several days. UPDATED STORY: National Grid Says Restoration Effort Will Take Several Days A warming shelter has been set up at Gaudet Middle School in Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown. Raimondo said another warming shelter has been set up at the University of Rhode Island's Memorial Union, with overflow going to the Ryan Center. Anyone who is unable to evacuate on their own can call 211 for assistance in getting transportation. According to Raimondo, the local National Guard has been deployed to the area and will be on call to assist with evacuations. Residents can also call a ride-sharing service such as Uber or Lyft, and National Grid will reimburse customers later for the expense. National Grid will also reimburse anyone affected who stays at a hotel. Residents across Rhode Island are urged to check in on friends and loved ones in Newport to make sure they are safe and have somewhere warm to go Monday night. Due to the late hour, there is a concern for residents who may have gone to bed before becoming aware of the situation. "If you have heat, please, call your loved ones, your church members, anyone in the area, offer for them to stay over at your house . Make sure they have a warm place to stay tonight," Raimondo urged during her press conference.

Thanks to the bad reputation Mercury in retrograde has earned, you probably associate the term "retrograde" with a period of bad luck no matter what planet's name is attached. But even though retrogrades are typically associated with delays, miscommunications, and everything in general seeming to go awry, these periods of seemingly backwards motion don't necessarily spell doom. Right now, Mars is in retrograde — something that happens only about every two years. So how will Mars retrograde affect your sign? The retrograde phase began on June 26, and while the planet goes direct again on August 27, the shadow won't be fully clear until October 8. What can we expect until then? "Mars represents our efforts, our initiatives, the way we defend our desires and passions," astrologer Helene Cierzo of Heart House Astrology told Romper. "Mars is known as a malefic planet, and rules our warrior nature," she adds. "A healthy Mars energy wants to propel forward, to initiate, and take action! However, during a Mars retrograde cycle, our energy is lower. We are in a more reflective state. Our sexual desires may seem to have been hit by the snooze button. We may feel much more lethargic and have a difficult time getting things done. It is a good time to re-assess our past actions." While this advice holds true for all signs, just as with a Jupiter retrograde or a Mercury retrograde, your specific sign might feel the effects of this Martian movement more in certain areas of your life. So hold on... it's going to be quite the summer! 1 Aries & Aries Rising qiujusong/Fotolia If things seem a little nuts right now, you can blame the stars: Mars is your ruling planet, so you are strongly affected by Mars retrograde cycles," Cierzo explains. "Mars will be retrograde in your 11th house, which rules friendships, social circles and your goals and ambitions." This might translate into arguments with friends and family and feeling stuck. "You may need to review how you can better use your energy towards achieving your goals," says Cierzo. "You may also re-asses your alliances to see if their ideals align with yours. Does your tribe support your authentic dreams? If not your evolving self may want to look for a new crew." 2 Taurus & Taurus Rising "Mars going backwards in your career house may stall a big project and have you going back to the drawing board," warns Cierzo. "Use the summer months to revamp a work project and by October you just may be in the limelight for a job well done." Just beware of conflicts with authority figures, and keep an open mind to taking new directions if necessary. As an article on Astrology.com said, "Big shifts are afoot: Some may think about returning to university or investing in a new course of study,while others may seek to integrate mystical methods into their vocational path." 3 Gemini & Gemini Rising Perhaps your summer travel plans aren't panning out the way you'd hoped. "You may need to rethink your reason for travel or put off travel plans until Mars starts to move forward," Cierzo says. This isn't the time to get litigious, either. "If you are involved in any legal matters, it is advised that you do not initiate any lawsuits at this time. It's said that if one initiates a lawsuit during a Mars retrograde, one will not win. Hold off until early October if you can!" 4 Cancer & Cancer Rising Pakhnyushchy/Fotolia Mars’ retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn "provokes the delicate balance between you, your partners, and the bank," said Astrology.com. That explains why, as Cierzo says, "there could be an issue over an inheritance at this time." "Mars retrograding in your 8th house of shared resources can also affect your partner’s resources," Cierzo adds. "You may need to make a plan on how to survive on less until this matter gets sorted out. You may also find yourself evaluating your deep bonds. Are you feeling empowered in your closest relationships? If not it’s time to take your power back." 5 Leo & Leo Rising Warn your partner and your kids: "You may notice you are feeling more irritable with others this summer," says Cierzo. "Try to get your yoga on before you burn any bridges! Exercise is a productive use of Martian energy." And keep your wits about you: "A former flame (or past nemesis!) may reenter the scene," according to an article on Vice's Broadly. "By the end of Mars retrograde, you'll feel clear on what you want in your partnerships." 6 Virgo & Virgo Rising Seems like nearly every mom can relate to Virgo's plight right now. "Perhaps you have put your health and fitness goals on the side burner to deal with the high demand of your family’s needs," says Cierzo. "You may have had some health crisis when Mars stationed to retrograde. Or perhaps you had an enough is enough moment, and realize it is time to take better care of your health. This is a good time to research diet and fitness regimes." 7 Libra & Libra Rising Summer vacation seem like it's been dragging on forever already? "Your children will be requiring more effort during this retrograde season," Cierzo cautions. "Be open to new approaches for your child, to teach them to deal with anger." Focus on being a good role model even when patience is short. And if your relationship with your S.O. is in a rut, now's the time to reconsider your needs in the relationship. "If you put in a little more effort, you may see by early fall a new beginning in your love life." 8 Scorpio & Scorpio Rising lamyai/Fotolia Along with Pluto, Mars is one of Scorpio’s ruling planets, so you can expect to feel the effects of this retrograde big-time. On the plus side, as Cierzo explains, the typical Scorpio can roll with this energy because they're "masters" of rebirth. Home and family life will be affected the most. "There may have been some family drama coming to a head as Mars stationed to change directions.<doc-sep>If you've heard your friends blame something on a planet going into retrograde recently, you've probably wondered what the hell they're talking about. For starters, there's a reason why everyone's talking about it right now. This week Mars started its retrograde cycle, joining a slew of other planets including Saturn, Jupiter, Pluto and Neptune, with Mercury set to follow suit next month. But what does a planet 'going retrograde' even mean, and why does everyone seem to care? Here's your guide to the astrological event on everyone's lips: Mars retrograde RELATED VIDEO: THIS MAKEUP ARTIST CREATED LOOKS FOR EVERY ZODIAC SIGN What Is Mars Retrograde? When astrologists talk about a planet going 'retrograde', it means the planet's orbit has slowed to the point that it appears to be going backwards. While the planet doesn't actually experience an orbital shift, it certainly looks that way from earth, meaning it's one grand optical illusion. Nevertheless, any shift in the solar system tends to bring with it an astrological meaning, and Mars Retrograde is no exception. When Is Mars Retrograde 2018? There's no hard and fast rule for how long a planet's retrograde cycle lasts, given each one has a different size and orbit. For example, Mercury Retrograde lasts just a few weeks whereas Neptune goes for over five months. Mars Retrograde happens once every 26 months, falling in those years ending in an even number. In 2018, it started on June 26 and runs for two months, finishing on August 27. How Does Mars Retrograde Impact Me?<doc-sep>Mars will slow and reverse its course in the night sky June 28 — a trick of perspective as the Red Planet and Earth both circle the sun. Look up this weekend to catch bright Mars as it begins a zigzag detour across the spring sky. In just five and a half weeks, Mars will make its closest approach to Earth since August 2003. This week, we can see the Red Planet just before midnight, low in the east-southeast sky, almost matching Jupiter in brilliance and glowing like a yellowish-orange ember. And Mars continues to brighten noticeably with each passing week. [Previewing 2018's Year of Spectacular Mars Using Mobile Apps] If you have been following Mars since New Year's Day, you may recall that back then, it was shining in the zodiacal constellation of Libra, the scales. At that time, it was 181 million miles (292 million kilometers) from Earth. In contrast, by the end of next week, Mars' distance from Earth will have diminished to 42.3 million miles (68.2 million km); it now shines some 25 times brighter than it did at the start of this year. Also since Jan. 1, Mars has progressed on an easterly course through the background stars of the zodiac. It currently resides in the zodiacal constellation of Capricornus, the sea goat. But on June 28, that steady eastward course will come to a stop. Actually, since the beginning of June, Mars has appeared to slow in its eastward trajectory, almost seeming to waver, as if it had become uncertain. Finally, on June 28, it will pause briefly. Then, for the next two months, it will reverse its course in the heavens and appear to move backward against the star background — toward the west. On Aug. 28, the planet will pause briefly again before resuming its normal eastward movement. The Greeks were stumped; Copernicus wasn't All of the planets in our solar system exhibit this "retrograde motion" at one time or another. But for the longest time, the ancient astronomers were unable to come up with a satisfactory explanation for it. For one thing, while behaving in this strange manner, Mars will also appear to deviate significantly from its normal course; the retrograde motion will appear to bring it far below its regular orbital track. In other words, for those of us watching from Earth, during that two-month interval, Mars will appear to travel in a broad loop, measuring about 10 degrees long and 2 1/2 degrees wide. Yet the ancient Greeks staunchly believed that the sun, moon and planets all moved around the Earth in perfect circles. They had a great difficulty in representing and calculating this mysterious loop, and for a long time, they had no adequate explanation for it. Another problem was trying to explain why Mars sometimes described a loop and other times a zigzag/back-and-forth motion, which resembled the letter "Z" in its path across the sky. In fact, it did just this during the spring of 2016 and will do so again in the late fall of 2022. The Greeks finally explained away these anomalies by assuming that the planets moved around Earth in smaller "epicycles" — that is, small circles whose centers move along their main orbital circles around Earth, resulting in complex, almost coil-like curves. Unfortunately, the actual observations of the planets never seemed to fit this strange orbital mechanism, ultimately making the Greeks' explanation utterly useless. It was not until 1543, when the great Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) had his lifelong work "De revolutionibus" published, that the secret of the odd retrograde loops were finally revealed. By demoting Earth from its hallowed position at the center of the solar system and replacing it with the sun, Copernicus was able to triumphantly explain the riddle of the apparent "backward motion effect" of the planets. [The Greatest Astronomers of All Time] It's all an illusion In fact, it's the same effect obtained when you pass another car on the highway: Both cars are going in the same direction, but one is moving more slowly. As they pass, the slower car will appear to be moving backward in relation to the faster one. Copernicus applied the same effect to the planets out in space. In the upcoming situation, both Earth and Mars are moving in the same direction around the sun, but the slower one — Mars — appears to move backward compared to the faster one, Earth. Let's stress one thing here: Mars is not actually stopping or reversing its orbital path in space! What we are witnessing is merely an illusion based on perspective. Mars will continue to move in its regular elliptical orbit around the sun. What we are seeing — the stopping, the reversing of its path in the sky and the ultimate resumption of its regular path across the sky — is solely a function of viewing Mars from our Earthly perspective (just like when viewing the slower car from the perspective of the faster car) as we each travel through space in separate orbital paths at different speeds around the sun. After Aug. 28, the movements of Earth and Mars will cancel out the apparent backward motion. Having spent more than half of this year trailing and ultimately catching up to Mars (like race cars "hot lapping" each other), Earth will eventually leave Mars far behind. The rapid increase in brightness for Mars we're seeing now will be reversed and, consequently, during the latter part of this year, will fade rapidly. Editor's note: If you capture an awesome view of Mars and want to share it Space.com and our news partners for a story or gallery, send images and comments in to managing editor Tariq Malik at: spacephotos@space.com. Joe Rao serves as an associate at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmer's Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for FiOS1 News, based in Rye Brook, New York. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.<doc-sep>On June 26, Mars retrograde begins, which will last for roughly two to three months. So, unfortunately, your summer sex life may not look exactly like you hoped it would, but that doesn't mean that there aren't benefits from such occurrences. The planets are petty bonkers right now, as Teen Vogue reports, by the end of July, six planets will be retrograde: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Neptune, and of course,Mercury retrograde arrives on July 26, no matter how much we all wish to escape it. What (and when) is Mars retrograde, anyway? When a planet goes retrograde, it appears to move backward in the sky. The planet doesn't literally change direction, but perception is important, so retrogrades affect us. That means that whatever the planet rules over, it's likely not the best time to expect support in these areas. Bluntly speaking, Mars retrograde means a lack of energy, low libido, disinterest in hitting the gym, and a general lethargy. Since Mars is the warrior planet, it's associated with penetrative sexuality in astrology. While it's true that planets don't necessarily have genders, there actually was some astrology in the infamous 1992 dating book Men are From Mars, Women Are From Venus. Thus, Mars means aggression, action, and hot raunchy sex. (Mars was the God of War, after all.) When it's in retrograde, these things can be a little hard to come by. A Mars retrograde might feel like a Mercury retrograde amped up a bit, so is not the most fruitful time to start a new job, sexual relationship, or anything that requires necessary and healthy action. You might feel lazy and lethargic, or like nothing is happening when it comes to cash and your sex life. You may feel stuck in a rut, wishing some hot warrior would come to rescue you — but they won't, because the ruling planet of warriors is busy retreating and taking a break from giving us power. Mars retrograde officially began on June 26 and will end on August 27, so brace yourself for just over two months of this type of energy in your life. Take this time to reflect. All of this sounds like no fun — summers should be full of heat and adventure, after all. But remember that astrology is a magical and helpful guide, rather than a scientific rulebook set in stone, so don't let a retrograde squash your dreams. Plus, there are benefits to retrogrades. When a planet appears to go backward, while the direct action may be more complicated, it gives us crucial time for introspection. Consider such tough questions during this time: Is your sexual partner treating you right? Would they fight for you like a warrior? Likewise, are you getting paid your worth at work? Perhaps during Mars retrograde, you don't have the confidence to go to battle, but you can do some necessary preparation to get ready to fight for yourself. Even though the areas of life ruled by the retrograde planet may be dialed down or feel out of sorts, a retrograde asks us to think about them. So rather than get bummed out that you're not getting enough dick or money and that you feel like a couch potato, remember that seasons change. Everything passes. There is a time to rest and a time for action. Retrogrades are also a wonderful excuse not to take anything personally, so if your sex life feels out of sorts, just blame it on Mars for the time being, and do some journaling to get in touch with what you want. And when you feel the call, go out and get it, warrior. Read more stories about how astrology affects your life: Now, find out which sign is most romantically compatible with your own: *Don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and Twitter<doc-sep>

Get ready for everyone you know to be asking “Is Mercury retrograde RN ? !” Things might seem a little intense in the skies this summer, but it’s not Mercury’s effects you’ll be feeling just yet. On June 26, Mars joins the Taylor Swift-sized squad of currently retrograde planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, and Neptune. And yes, Mercury will retrograde on July 26. So, there’s kind of a lot going on up there — by the end of July, six planets will be retrograde. So what’s all of this retrograde business about, anyway? When astrologers say a planet’s “going retrograde,” we mean that the planet’s orbit takes on the appearance of moving backwards. Instead of appearing to move east to west, it looks like the planet is moving from west to east. It can even look like they’re making lines or loops across the sky. Wild. Thanks to the study of astronomy, we know that planets don’t actually change the course of their orbit during a retrograde, it just looks that way to us earthlings. Retrogrades are basically a big, cosmic optical illusion. And that’s where a planet’s retrograde starts to affect us personally. Sure, these astrological periods can cause a little mayhem and shake things up, but they also take a planet’s energy and ask us to use it for reflection instead of forward motion. It’s easy to feel like we’re losing ground or being dragged backwards when this happens, but it’s kind of an illusion, too — we alone have the power to right our wrongs and put an end to our unfinished business. When planets retrograde, it’s the perfect time to tie up loose ends, correct mistakes, and get introspective. These astrological periods ask us to embrace what we’ve been hiding from and face what we’ve tried to bury. If you haven’t dealt with the hurt from that fight with your family or the baggage from your friend breakup last year, these things have a way of surfacing now. Keep your eyes out for exes of all kinds and their drama. Just because someone pops back up in your life, it doesn’t mean you need to entertain them — you can absolutely do the work of getting closure on your own. Retrogrades are also a time to see how well we can roll with the punches and to pay attention to what these slowdowns and misfires can teach us. Retrogrades ask us to be patient, pay attention, and take care in our dealings. That doesn’t sound so bad, right? It might seem kind of freaky that all of these planets are set to go retrograde over a relatively short period of time. Here’s the thing about retrogrades: at any given time, there’s almost always at least one planet in retrograde. Depending on the speed of their orbits, retrograde periods also last anywhere from a few weeks, like Mercury, to almost half the year (I’m looking at you, Neptune). Most of our life is spent in the shadow of one retrograde or another and retrograding planets don’t mean we have to put our whole live on hold or brace for chaotic total impact. When there are this many planets in retrograde it can definitely have a bit of a cumulative effect, though. In astrology, each planet influences different aspects of our daily life and the bigger cosmic picture. When planets take on an apparent retrograde motion, we can feel these parts of our lives become affected. For example, take the newest member of the retrograde club: Mars, the ruling planet of energy, desire, and assertiveness. During Mars’s retrograde from June 26 until August 27, we can expect to feel a little sluggish and impatient. Mars only goes into retrograde once every two years. You’ll feel this one in matters regarding work or school, sure, but also within your physical abilities. Slow down and get some rest during Mars’ retrograde. Even if you’re starting new things or making some big moves, focus on the smaller pieces that you have to get done now instead of just trying to sprint towards the finish line. Now is also the time to resolve and put away any conflicts you’ve had over the past two years that feel unsettled. When there are a bunch of planets basically moonwalking through the sky, it definitely fair to expect to feel a little more “off” than usual.

The Predator Director - Shane Black Cast - Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Keegan-Michael Key, Alfie Allen, Sterling K Brown, Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Jane, Trevante Rhodes, Yvonne Strahovski Rating - 2.5/5 There is a scene towards the end of director Shane Black’s The Predator, the latest attempted reboot of the journeyman action franchise, in which a character attempts to board a fleeing alien spaceship. Before you say anything; no, this is not a spoiler. Sensing the attack, the alien pilot deploys a force field to keep the man out, and succeeds. The man freezes as the force field quickly envelops the spaceship and gushes towards him, gruesomely severing his body in half. His limp torso falls off the airborne craft, while his legs remain trapped underneath the shallow blue vapour of the force field. There couldn’t have been a more accurate metaphor for this movie. Watch The Predator trailer here The problem with it - and it remains to be seen how non-Shane Black fans react to this - is that The Predator feels like it’s caught between two worlds - the mindlessly violent, sweaty jungles of the Predator series, and the tongue-in-cheek irreverence of Black’s filmography. And perhaps in an effort to please both audiences - fans of ‘90s action cinema and fans of ‘90s action cinema written by Shane Black - it clumsily ends up getting itself severed in half. In addition to limbs, several heads are decapitated in The Predator, a bunch of people are pulverised by bullets, more hands are chopped off than shaken, and in an apparent tribute to the original films, spinal cords are ripped clean out of human bodies. There’s a reason for all this violence, in case you’re wondering - and it’s not just the success of the similarly R-rated Logan and Deadpool. The film is populated almost entirely by busload of soldiers, and even those who aren’t PTSD-ridden, trigger-happy vets are more than willing to bear arms. The Predator is back for more action. All of them - the ragtag group of soldiers, a biologist and the kid from Room - unite when a new batch of Predators arrives on Earth to engage in another round of their favourite sport: human hunting. As fans of the series would know, our planet has on many occasions served as a hunting ground for the dreadlocked aliens, who are - and the sheer stupid genius of this premise never gets old - simply looking to bust some stress. As you’d imagine, no one with more than one X chromosome is welcome to this party. At one point Olivia Munn’s character, the aforementioned biologist - one of only two women in the entire movie - literally says the words, ‘grow a pair’, to the Iraq War vets next to her. At approximately the same time, several miles away, the only other female character (played by Yvonne Strahovski) is busy cocking shotguns and threatening FBI agents. In all fairness, it’s no surprise that the movie is aimed at guys. The Predator is, after all, the spawn of an Arnold Schwarzenegger film from the ‘80s. For it to essentially cater to a very specific (and dwindling) category of male moviegoers is more annoying than it is problematic. But it’s not really a bad thing, though - for instance, it has been scientifically proven that no man has seen any Kathrine Heigl film after the year 2007. And therefore, I have decided that The Predator is the Katherine Heigl of dude-centric cinema - aggressively in your face, stubbornly exclusive and desperate to be liked. It is also the absolute worst film Shane Black has been a part of, in whichever capacity -- and this includes his uncredited cameo in the 1986 horror film, Night of the Creeps (thanks, IMDb). Strangely enough, the humour works better than the violence in The Predator. It’s clear that actors want to work for him. He’s assembled a terrific cast here - besides Munn and Strahavski, we have Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key, Alfie Allen, Sterling K Brown, Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Jane and Trevante Rhodes - each of whom belongs to the same unenviable club of solid B-listers just waiting to break out. But while they’ve all been dealt a bad blow by Black’s thinly written script, no one has it worse than Jane, who literally gets the short end of the stick. And that’s the risk of hiring a filmmaker with such a strong voice to work on a franchise with established boundaries. Marvel did it once with Iron Man 3 - hiring Black remains their riskiest move - and they’ve never done it again. They came close with Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther, but neither Taika Waititi nor Ryan Coogler were given the freedom that was handed to Shane Black, who - if you’d notice - hasn’t been invited back. Boyd Holbrook also starred in Logan and Narcos. You know how a lot of Bollywood films have separate credits for screenplay and dialogue? This is an exclusively Indian thing, but by God does The Predator feel like it belongs to this category. Were Black’s trademark quippy dialogue to be edited out of it, I’m willing to bet that the script - as lean as it is - would come in at under 20 pages. It feels like a hastily written first draft, satisfied with having come up with a new spin on the material and somehow mistaking this for a sign to stop trying to make it better. It’s extremely rudimentary in its plotting, which makes for a pacey story, but the Black-isms can’t help but feel like they belong on a different planet. Black’s scripts have always covered up for whatever shortcomings he may have as a director, but even injecting this with Arnie couldn’t save it. Follow @htshowbiz for more The author tweets @RohanNaahar ott:10<doc-sep>It's been 31 years since action man Arnold Schwarzenegger roared "Get to the choppa!" and now Shane Black is taking a stab at re-creating the sci-fi classic that brought us that glorious quote. So, does "The Predator," which opens in theaters across the U.S. Friday (Sept. 14), capture what made the original "Predator" film a classic? No, but it's ridiculously fun. The plot itself is pretty simple. [Warning: Some spoilers follow.] The Predator traveled to Earth from another planet to kill some fools, so humanity has to kill the creature first. The movie introduces a few new ideas about the Predator universe, such as Predator dogs, which are somehow adorable. The best part about "The Predator" is that it doesn't pad out its run time with boring exposition. As soon as the movie opens, we get introduced to the Predator, and right after that, we meet the hero (aka that one guy from "Logan"). And there aren't any awkwardly long cuts or "fancy" slo-mo shots in the midst of the action. These moments are tight, as the heroes are constantly in clutch situations and react to them naturally, rather than succumbing to cringe-worthy tropes. ['Predator' Primer: Your Film Guide to the Sci-Fi Franchise] That being said, the new movie is considerably different from the original "Predator." The new film still has that same campy vibe, but it's less of a thriller and more of a comedy. I mean, what else did you expect from Shane Black ("Iron Man 3," "The Nice Guys")? He makes the film wholly his own by sprinkling snappy humor in every other scene. Even the deaths are completely over the top. While the comedy occasionally overstays its welcome, Black manages to maintain a solid blend of laughs and action. A lot of this success is due to the great cast. The heroes — or the "Loonies," as they call themselves — are led by Boyd Holbrook ("Logan," "Narcos") and played by other notable stars, like Keegan-Michael Key ("Key and Peele"), Olivia Munn ("X-Men: Apocalypse") and Alfie Allen ("Game of Thrones"). Thomas Jane ("1922") straight up kills his role as the disgruntled soldier with Tourette's syndrome, and he's unexpectedly the funniest person on camera, especially because of his incredible chemistry with Key. Initially, I was leery of an 11-year-old's presence in a "Predator" film, but Jacob Tremblay's character fits in perfectly, as he uses his gifts from being on the spectrum as a way to fight the Predator. (Yes, it's as cool as it sounds.) (Image credit: Kimberley French) On the flip side of the Loonies gang, there's Sterling K. Brown ("This Is Us"), who plays a shady government agent who has the cliché motives you'd expect. But this character is interesting, because his actions are more rational than those of your average villain. He's actually clever when he makes a decision, avoiding the convoluted Dr. Evil-esque traps for the heroes. One of the most memorable moments in the film occurs during the opening, when blood dripping onto the Predator's cloaked body slowly reveals the creature's real face under its mask. While the Predator's face isn't particularly scary, the way the scene was shot provides a chilling visual. The CGI wasn't as bad as I expected, either. The opening scene details the Predator's landing on Earth, and the shots of the ship crash-landing from space are gorgeous. And the way Black handled the Predator's practical effects, suit and face makes them look threatening and cheesy (in a good way). However, there were a few moments that made my eyes roll to the back of my skull. There's the insufferable bully scene that all similar films seem to have, and a very unnecessary "rally the troops" moment among the heroes. There's also a scene when Munn gets naked, and we're led to believe it serves as some plot device, but this device never pops up again. So, she essentially gets naked for the sake of being naked. The greatest sin, however, is how the end of Brown's arc is handled. While that failure is due mostly to bad editing, it's disappointing nonetheless. And then there's the weird epilogue, which comes 5 minutes after the film should have ended and just tries far too hard. Despite the occasional tacky moments, "The Predator" is a solid entry in the franchise and holds its own as a campy action film that's worth a trip to the theater. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.<doc-sep>Everything you need to know about writer-director Shane Black’s new spin on the alien huntsman known as The Predator is contained in Sterling K. Brown’s sunglasses. At one point in the film, Brown, who plays a government agent named Will Traeger, enters a mysterious structure, which just might be of alien origin. As he first steps inside, you can see his eyes, but a few seconds later, the next time we see him onscreen, he’s wearing sunglasses. It feels like the setup for a payoff that never comes. Does he know there’s going to be a bright light in here? you might ask, or Does he know the Predator won’t kill someone in shades? But, no, he’s mostly just wearing sunglasses, and it’s neither clear where he got them nor when he put them on. Rating: 2.5 out of 5 vox-mark vox-mark vox-mark vox-mark vox-mark Obviously, I can fill in the gaps between shots for how Will pulled sunglasses out of his pocket and put them on while the camera was focused on something else. A movie doesn’t need to hold the audience’s hand every step of the way, especially when it comes to something so mundane. Nonetheless, the moment stuck in my craw just a little bit, because it exemplifies, I think, where The Predator goes wrong. I love Black’s other films (which include the effervescent Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and the hugely underrated Iron Man 3), and he’s perhaps the best writer in Hollywood at capturing the way guys wish they talked when they’re casually busting each other’s balls. But The Predator escapes him just a little bit, despite a valiant effort. And most of the answers lie in the movie’s editing, in how what feels like crucial information is just left on the cutting-room floor. And that’s to say nothing of one big, glaring edit, made because Black hired a sex offender friend to work on the film without telling his cast (more on that in a bit). Throughout, The Predator feels like it’s been cut to the bone, in a way that ultimately requires viewers to make tiny little leaps to keep up, and all those tiny little leaps eventually add up to a big, big gap between audience and film. The Predator isn’t poorly edited so much as it’s haphazardly edited The Predator movies aren’t so much a franchise as they are movies that feel like they could be a franchise if somebody cracked the code. Ostensibly, they’re similar to the Alien films, in that they feature a vicious alien who wants nothing more than to kill the humans it comes into contact with. And if Alien’s particular blend of sci-fi and horror has been so successful, well, why not this one? The Predators of these films are intergalactic sport hunters who travel the cosmos to track down the most dangerous and intelligent species on other planets. They kill them, then tear out their spines. And in the first one, 1987’s terrific little thriller Predator, they clash with a unit of commandos led by Arnold Schwarzenegger, resulting in a surprisingly intimate movie about intergalactic sport hunters trying to kill the most famous muscleman in cinematic history. (Fun trivia note: Shane Black himself plays a supporting part in the ‘87 Predator.) Future Predator movies tried. They really did. Predator 2 (1990) brought the Predator to Los Angeles and flamed out at the box office. Future attempts to reboot the franchise often relied on the lore from the comic book series Alien vs. Predator, which pitted the two extraterrestrial species against each other, then spawned a couple of its own films. (Neither of the two Alien vs. Predator films is very good.) And in 2010, the franchise-that-might-be got another shot with Predators. (I haven’t seen that one, but reviews suggest it’s mediocre.) Predators made just enough money at the box office to suggest that making more movies about the Predator wasn’t the worst idea in the world, but it didn’t make nearly enough to justify spending a ton of cash on the endeavor. Enter Black, whose knack for witty banter and dude camaraderie would theoretically be just the thing to keep the film moving when the Predator wasn’t onscreen. In the new movie, Black works overtime with co-writer Fred Dekker to find ways to tie the previous Predator films into a larger mythology that would explain why the Predators keep showing up on Earth, beyond wanting to kill us. And when it comes to the monster itself, the film turns to the oldest rule of sequel-making: Bigger is always better. But sadly, The Predator is a slowly deflating balloon, and the reason comes back to those sunglasses. All movies deserve the benefit of the doubt from the audience when it comes to little leaps of logic. But the bigger the leap, the more the audience needs to catch up. We may not blink when a character puts on sunglasses offscreen. But when a bunch of characters showed up at a key moment near the beginning of this movie, suddenly driving an RV, I frowned for a second. Wait, I thought. Where did they get the RV? This is the sort of bigger leap that a movie can really afford one or two of, and even then, only if it happens early on. But the first two-thirds of The Predator are positively littered with these leaps of logic, where the editing abruptly fast-forwards past all sorts of context and trusts you to keep up. None of these leaps is fatal in isolation; taken in aggregate, they made me feel as if I was repeatedly dozing off and missing key bits of information. The real frustration is that when Black just lets his characters hang out and shoot the shit, the movie is a lot of fun. It’s full of great actors like Trevante Rhodes (the oldest Chiron in Moonlight) and Keegan-Michael Key (of Key & Peele fame), and Black has given them some great dialogue to bounce off of each other.<doc-sep>Sporting the taxonomically useless title “The Predator,” the latest movie in the “Predator” franchise comes courtesy of Shane Black (“The Nice Guys”), who appeared as comic relief in the 1987 original and seems to have taken that experience to heart. The new film splits the difference between serving up snark and self-parody — a middle school is named after the producer Lawrence Gordon; there are callbacks to lines from the other films — and delivering the goods for fanboys who insist that the predator have a back story. The efforts to imbue an extraterrestrial-boogeyman scenario with tidbits about genetics and climate change (and even a hint of “Star Wars,” to which the incidental scoring owes a lot) tend to squelch the menace.<doc-sep>

It’s not easy making a movie, and it’s even tougher making a good one. Sometimes, though, it seems like all the stars have aligned to the point where a movie can’t help but be great. A new Predator film from the co-star and script-puncher of the 1987 original? From the talent who went on to write and direct smart, funny, thrilling films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3? And co-written by man who gifted Night of the Creeps upon the world? The promise of The Predator was too great to ignore. The reality, unfortunately, is too disappointing to enjoy. When an alien ship crashes into the Mexican jungle it’s a trio of U.S. Special Ops soldiers who witness the fiery arrival. Two of them are quickly dispatched, though, leaving only Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) alive. He manages to snag some alien accessories on the way out, ships them home, and is quickly picked up by a secret government agency investigating the alien invaders. They already have the predator itself, and while mission leader Traeger (Sterling K.Brown) is intent on finding its spaceship, the biologist Casey Bracket (Olivia Munn) is more interested in the discovery that the creature has human DNA. They all cross paths when the Predator escapes the lab in pursuit of his stolen tech and Quinn finds himself a new motley crew of slightly mad ex-soldiers willing to bring the alien down. Director/co-writer Shane Black and co-writer Fred Dekker last worked together on 1987’s The Monster Squad, and while both have far better films on their resume — you know it’s true — the movie showed their talent at blending horror, action, and comedy into something memorable. The first official reunion is almost enough to make you wonder if that was a fluke. But let’s start with the good. It’s always fantastic seeing Stan Winston‘s Predator design on the big screen, and while there are some new tweaks this time around the core alien remains. He’s still a ridiculously cool-looking creature, and the film affords him some beautiful close-ups. Black also embraces the R-rating with some bloody bits, severed limbs, and gory guts left in the predator’s wake. Brown is the film’s human villain and delivers its most entertaining and engaging character as a man who’s possibly the most confidently dickish antagonist since Beauty and the Beast‘s Gaston. There are a few more gems in the ensemble cast including Trevante Rhodes, Thomas Jane, Keegan-Michael Key, and the eternally under-used Yvonne Strahovski. Each of them get a beat or two to shine, and a running gag about why the predator is called the predator brings some laughs, but beyond that? The script is something of a mess, either as written or through the process of editing, and we’re stuck with numerous arcs lacking in payoff. Character traits are frequently set up and forgotten, and while our lead gets more backstory than most Quinn remains flat. It’s not a question of ability as Holbrook is a solid actor, but he’s out of his element as team leader going head to head with a predator. One of the big reasons the original still works so damn well is that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a bigger than life presence, and his ultimate one on one with the intergalactic sport hunter feels both earned and unavoidable. Quinn/Holbrook can’t manage the same, and the script does him no favors by declaring him a highly effective government asset one minute and having that same government write him off the next. His rogues gallery of a squad — which also includes Alfie Allen and Augusto Aguilera — deliver the occasional funny line, but their success rate isn’t great for the number of cracks they make. They’re joke machines as opposed to tangible characters. It’s also just a whole lot of dumb. Sure it’s a monster/action movie, but that shouldn’t mean logic and common sense can be thrown out the window. Super smart scientists have a live predator in their lab, and while they sedate him they fail to restrain him. Dumb. The predator has hundreds of rounds pumped into him alongside some explosive munitions, and he’s fine. The spaceship? A few bullets and a grenade are enough to bring it down. Dumb. It also feels surprisingly small as aside from some brief scenes featuring classmates of Quinn’s son Rory (Jacob Tremblay) — don’t get me started on his unnecessary and clunky presence — there are only soldiers and government employees to be found.

After a holding period, DHS transfers children to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the Department of Health and Human Services. They spend an average 51 days at an ORR shelter before they’re placed with a sponsor in the United States, according to HHS. The government is required to place these children with family members whenever possible, even if those family members might be undocumented immigrants. “Approximately 85 percent of sponsors are parents” who were already in the country “or close family members,” according to HHS. Some children have no relatives available, and in those cases the government may keep them in shelters for longer periods of time while suitable sponsors are identified and vetted.<doc-sep>The directive raises a passel of new questions, and it’s not yet clear how it will function or what will change in practice. It appears likely that the order would violate a 1997 government agreement not to hold immigrant children, meaning that in the name of enforcing the law, the White House could be breaking it. Furthermore, the new order contradicts the president’s repeated claim that only Congress could fix the problem, and may paralyze efforts in Congress to end separations legislatively. The current drama began in May, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that under a new policy, all adults caught crossing the border would be held for criminal prosecution. Under a 1997 court settlement called the Flores agreement, however, children must be kept in the least-restrictive setting possible, effectively barring incarceration of children alongside their parents. As a result, the Trump administration has separated families. The change was an example of prosecutorial discretion: Previous administrations for the most part declined to criminally prosecute first-time border crossers; the Trump administration made the opposite decision, which was legal but, it turned out, politically perilous. The order is Trump’s latest move in a zig-zag of often contradictory messages. Initially, and for some time afterward, he falsely claimed that the separations were the result of a law passed by Democrats. No such law exists. He also repeatedly said that only Congress could solve the separations. Other officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, insisted that there was no policy to separate families, even as others, including Sessions, Chief of Staff John Kelly, and senior adviser Stephen Miller, defended the policy as justified and an effective deterrent. Then, on Tuesday, Trump flipped to forcefully defending the policy. “We must always arrest people coming into our Country illegally,” he tweeted. But behind the scenes, the pressure was building on Trump to take action. Still, the action he took Wednesday is confusing, and confused. Mechanically, it uses an executive order piled atop the policy Sessions enacted in May, an ever more precarious structure. Having argued variously that there was no policy of separating families or that only Congress was able to solve the problem, Trump’s executive order suddenly acknowledges the matter is under executive-branch discretion and that Congress is not the only body that can fix it. Legally, however, it’s unclear whether the executive order will withstand scrutiny. While Congress could pass a law that would circumvent the 1997 Flores agreement, the executive branch remains bound by the settlement. Trump’s order decrees that rather than be separated, children should be kept with their parents who are detained. The order states that the government will ask a court to modify the Flores agreement, but detaining children with parents almost certainly violates the Flores agreement, as Flores v. Lynch, a 2016 court ruling against the Obama administration, stated.<doc-sep>President Donald Trump has backed down after widespread criticism of an immigration policy that split families at the US border, signing an executive order that will put a stop to the practice. The issue has plagued his administration after it was revealed that at least 2,000 children had been torn from their parents under a new “zero tolerance” immigration policy. Mr Trump said on Wednesday that the zero tolerance policy would continue, but that he “didn’t like the sight or the feeling of families being separated”. The executive order, he said, was “about keeping families together, while at the same time being sure that we have a very powerful, very strong border”. Recommended Fundraiser to reunite immigrant families shatters Facebook record “I think the word ‘compassion’ comes into it, but it’s still equally as tough, if not tougher,” Mr Trump added. The day before, he had accused immigrants of “infesting” the country, and declared the US would not be a “refugee holding facility”. Family separations have escalated under Mr Trump’s new zero tolerance policy, which requires all adults caught crossing the border illegally to be referred for prosecution. Adult immigrants facing charges are housed separately from their children, resulting in the separation of parents from children reportedly as young as eight-months-old. ✕ Screaming children heard crying for parents at US detention centre after being separated at border under Trump policy, in distressing audio recording But the president’s new executive order states that the US’s policy is to “maintain family unity”, except in cases where doing so would threaten a child’s wellbeing. In the order, Mr Trump directed the secretary of homeland security to house those facing prosecution alongside their family members, “to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations”. He ordered the secretary of defence to identify any existing facilities for housing immigrant families, and to build more if necessary. Mr Trump also directed the attorney general to request a modification of the Flores Settlement Agreement – a 2015 court ruling that the administration has claimed bars them from housing families together. It was unclear how the new executive order will square with the ruling, which requires migrant children to be released quickly from detention, or detained in the “least restrictive conditions” possible. The president denied allegations that he was backing down from his strict stance on immigration, telling reporters at the signing that the southern border was “just as tough” as before. Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Show all 14 1 /14 Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Immigrant children, many of whom are separated form their parents, are housed in Texas' tent city Reuters Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border A two-year-old Honduran asylum seeker cries as her mother is searched and detained near the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Undocumented migrants ride on the top of a freight train referred to as the beast, or La Bestia Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border A cage inside a US Customs and Border Protection detention facility in Texas Reuters Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US Border Patrol Academy All new agents must complete a months-long training course at the New Mexico facility before assuming their posts at Border Patrol stations, mostly along the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence A group of young men walk along the Mexican side of the US-Mexico border fence in a remote area of the Sonoran Desert Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence in the US Man looks through US-Mexico border fence into the US in Tijuana, Mexico Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US-Mexico border fence US Border Patrol agent Sal De Leon stands near a section of the US-Mexico border fence while stopping on patrol on in La Joya, Texas Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border US Border Patrol Academy US Border Patrol instructor yells at trainees after their initial arrival to the academy Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Memorial service in Guatemala Families attend a memorial service for two boys who were kidnapped and killed in San Juan Sacatepequez, Guatemala. Crime drives emigration from Guatemala to the United States, as families seek refuge from the danger Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Arrests on the border Undocumented immigrants comfort each other after being caught by Border Patrol agents near the US-Mexico border Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Detention holding facility A boy from Honduras watches a movie at a detention facility run by the US Border Patrol Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Mexican farm workers Mexican migrant workers harvest organic parsley at Grant Family Farms in Wellington, Colorado Getty Undocumented immigration across the US-Mexico border Mexican family in Arizona A Mexican immigrant family sits in the living room of their rented home in Tuscon, Arizona. The family that Arizona's new tough immigrant law had created a climate of fear in the immigrant community. Getty A spokesman for Health and Human Services, which oversees the resettlement of migrant children, told multiple outlets on Wednesday that the more than 2,000 children already separated from their parents would not be immediately reunited under the new order. Kenneth Wolfe, a spokesman for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), told the New York Times there would be no "grandfathering of existing cases". But another official later claimed Mr Wolfe had misspoken, saying the department was still "awaiting further guidance on the matter". "It is still very early," Brian Marriott, the senior communications director at ACF, said in a statement. "Our focus is on continuing to provide quality services and care to the minors...and reunifying minors with a relative or appropriate sponsor as we have done since HHS inherited the program." Still, immigrants' rights activists criticised the order, saying it did not address the larger issues concerning the zero tolerance policy. The executive order, they pointed out, only solved the problem of family separations by requiring parents and children to be detained together for an indefinite amount of time. “Make no mistake – this executive order is a betrayal of families fleeing violence and persecution,” said Denise Bell, a refugee and migrant rights researcher at Amnesty International USA. ”Mothers, fathers, and children must not be held behind bars for prolonged periods for seeking safety.” The order came after weeks of backlash, as video circulated of families being housed in large metal cages and children crying after being taken from their parents. The Associated Press reported the night before that the administration had set up three “tender age” shelters to house young children – many under the age of 5. “Then they wake up from their naps and again they’re crying for their mom, asking: ‘Where’s my dad’,” said Chris Paulsey, the CEO of the largest agency handling young migrant children in the US. “They absolutely need their parents right now.” Human rights groups, religious organisations, and legislators across the political spectrum have called for the end of family separations. Several states pulled their National Guard troops from the US-Mexico border this week, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to sue the federal government. The Trump administration has blamed Congress for the separations, claiming they are the result of loopholes in federal immigration laws. Secretary of homeland security Kirstjen Neilsen also blamed immigrant parents for the problem, saying in a press briefing on Monday that “by entering our country illegally, often in dangerous circumstances, illegal immigrants are putting their children at risk”. Ms Neilsen was reportedly the driving force behind the executive order signed on Wednesday.<doc-sep>

“There will not be a grandfathering of existing cases,” said Kenneth Wolfe, a spokesman for the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Wolfe said the decision about the children was made by the White House. But later Wednesday evening, Brian Marriott, the senior director of communications for the agency, said that Mr. Wolfe had “misspoke” and insisted that “it is still very early, and we are awaiting further guidance on the matter.” Mr. Marriott said that “reunification is always the goal” and that the agency “is working toward that” for the children separated from their families because of Mr. Trump’s policy. His statement left open the possibility, though, that the children could be connected with other family members or “appropriate” sponsors living in the United States, not necessarily the parent they were separated from at the border. The president signed the executive order days after he said that the only way to end the division of families was through congressional action because “you can’t do it through an executive order.” But he changed his mind after a barrage of criticism from Democrats, activists, members of his own party and even his wife and eldest daughter, who privately told him the policy was wrong. Mr. Trump had previously been told by advisers that there was no way for the policy to be changed through an executive order, and it was unclear what the genesis of the measure he signed was. But the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, had concerns about moving ahead with an executive order that would face an uphill battle in the courts.

A report from Business Insider says MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe held a meeting July 30 to inform the company "major releases" won't be available for the foreseeable future. Following the news that “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” was unavailable to purchase tickets to on MoviePass during its opening weekend, Business Insider reports the blocking of major premieres could be the new normal for the fledgling company. MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe reportedly held a meeting July 30 to inform staff major studio releases such as “The Meg” and “Christopher Robin” won’t be available on MoviePass when they open in theaters. According to Business Insider, MoviePass not offering tickets to major new releases will continue “for the foreseeable future.” Lowe addressed major releases like “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” being blocked on MoviePass in a note published July 27 which read, “As we continue to evolve the service, certain movies may not always be available in every theater on our platform.” The latest MoviePass change comes days after the service temporarily shut down. On the evening of July 26, MoviePass went dark because it ran out of money. The company had to borrow $5 million in cash to get the service back online. MoviePass was up and running July 27, but it was not providing tickets to “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.” While MoviePass has yet to publicly announce major titles like “The Meg” and “Christopher Robin” won’t be available, the company continues to face numerous complaints from users on social media. Just this afternoon, MoviePass subscribers began posting the app was dying and not offering any movies at locations where the service was previously provided. Some users trying to access MoviePass were met with a notification that read, “There are no more screenings at this theater today.” In New York City, it was reported the Cinépolis Chelsea was one of the only theaters still offering showtimes on MoviePass. According to Deadline, the app is dead at most major theaters except for Landmark Theaters. IndieWire has reached out to MoviePass for comment. Yup. This is where I tap out @MoviePass. Limiting my options is bad enough, but offering *zero* options on a weekday afternoon — at a 14-screen theater? Bye. pic.twitter.com/1GDhJ0zYwf — Rob Hunter (@FakeRobHunter) July 30, 2018 I think @MoviePass just officially folded. None of the 6 theaters in Knoxville are showing any listings available whatsoever. It was good while it lasted MP. — The Great Stewie (@TheGreatStewie) July 30, 2018 Looks like the only theater working on MoviePass in NYC is the e-ticket friendly Cinépolis Chelsea. All other options are down. Fare thee well, strange little startup. You made moviegoing semi-affordable in this city for a time. #MoviePassDeathwatch pic.twitter.com/vuEaUgDn2y — Monica Castillo (@mcastimovies) July 30, 2018 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.<doc-sep>UPDATE: The situation with MoviePass has gotten even more precarious since this post published on Monday morning, with another outage and a few added details surfacing as the day went on. Catch up right here. Original story follows... MoviePass is a great idea that only works if its "see all movies in theaters" promise can be fulfilled. Unfortunately for subscribers interested in Mission: Impossible - Fallout, that wasn't the case over the weekend. Subscribers were already up in arms after app issues temporarily barred them from checking out any movies last Thursday. Even more troubling, the issue was later revealed to be caused by a missed payment owed to one of the service's ticket suppliers. It took a $5 million loan secured by MoviePass parent Helios and Matheson Analytics to fix the situation, the second such service outage in July 2018. But even that couldn't prepare subscribers for what happened this weekend, when the newly released Mission: Impossible - Fallout wasn't available at all. Subscribers started tweeting about the issue on Friday, when the movie hit theaters, but MoviePass didn't address the matter until Saturday, when it started responding to disgruntled subscribers. (There wasn't ever any formal, public-facing announcement; just the semi-public customer service replies.) All of those replies stuck to the same basic language: Fallout is only available in "e-ticketing" theaters right now, though that may change at a later date. Subsequent versions of the response also noted that tickets to the movie may or may not carry an additional Peak Pricing charge, depending on demand. As we continue to evolve the service, certain movies may not always be available in every theater on our platform right away. Mission Impossible will remain available in our e-ticketing theaters. It will also be available at some point in theaters during its theatrica... — MoviePass (@MoviePass) July 28, 2018 Nevermind the fact that MoviePass's "e-ticketing" theaters — businesses with which the company has struck a deal — are few and far between. I couldn't even tell you how many; non-subscribers aren't able to differentiate between partner theaters and non-partners. Not that it mattered much either way. All weekend, social media was flooded with complaints from users who claimed that e-ticketing wasn't working. For Fallout and everything else. Tried Friday and today (Monday) to see Equalizer 2. Both days I received the same message that they had an error that they were working on but e-ticket was available. The closest e-ticket is 22 miles away (one way). This might be my first and last month of the program. pic.twitter.com/0jvgIHk1m8 — Neal Kalso (@WildcatPE_Kalso) July 30, 2018 I will be shocked if MoviePass ever works at all again for any theater they don’t have an e-ticket relationship with. I couldn’t check in for anything Saturday or Sunday. Even movies that weren’t blocked out gave me this error message. I think the $5 million loan ran out already. pic.twitter.com/tA2chqMSlP — Mark Willard (@MarkWillard85) July 30, 2018 E-ticket is not functional for me. It sends msg: session expired, login again". I've re-logged in MANY times, have even reinstalled. HELP PLEASE — vickid425 (@vickid425) July 29, 2018 This is just a tiny sampling. There are so many tweets like these across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In the midst of all of this, MoviePass is also dealing with a subscriber revolt over its July introduction of "Peak Pricing," which is analogous with Uber's "surge" pricing. The idea is sensible enough on the face of things: For the most popular movies, subscribers will have to pay a surcharge of up to $8 (ostensibly dependent on location) for each one they see. Like most things MoviePass-related, it's hard for a non-subscriber like me to see firsthand how any of this works. But a Peak Pricing "megathread" on the MoviePass subreddit that first posted earlier in July saw a flurry of activity over the weekend. "Showings for most movies today (including Ant Man still) are up to $6 surcharge after 5pm in Minneapolis," user beeandnee wrote on Thursday. "Now happening in Boston, MA: $5.25-6.00 fees on most movies past noon at AMC, Regal, and even small theaters in Cambridge/Somerville," another Thursday post, from Jenna_bird, read. "Skyscraper, Mission Impossible, and Hotel Transylvania are some that currently have surge pricing, but not the Incredibles 2 which has been out for awhile. A ticket is regularly around $14 here... Saving a few dollars only after seeing my second movie in a month is not worth the hassle of dealing with MP ticketing limitations." A Saturday post from ticapnews: "MoviePass is now charging more in peak pricing ($8) than the price of a ticket at some theaters on the west coast. Also, the app has disabled every theater except partner theaters (for me at least). The only movie displayed at them is MI6 and that is greyed out." A Sunday post from D_Vecc: "Every single movie is at an $8 surcharge here on long Island for me... I may cancel my subscription if this doesn't change." This is a tiny cross-section of similar posts that can be found in the sprawling Peak Pricing thread. It's a huge mess, and one that has massive implications ranging far beyond the inconvenience of subscribers being shut out of Mission: Impossible over the weekend. The MoviePass promise is a great idea that's proven to be popular, but the company's ever-changing terms of service and recent troubles delivering on even the most basic features continue to be a huge problem. It's hard to look at all of this and not come away with the notion that right now we may be witnessing the last days of MoviePass.<doc-sep>

The past week has seen increased woes for MoviePass, which has struggled to stay afloat with an unsustainable business plan of providing unlimited movies for $10 per month. Last week, the service suffered its second outage (followed by an emergency $5 million loan) within weeks after upsetting subscribers by introducing Uber-like surge pricing, which tacks on up to $5 for the most popular movies. And over the weekend, users had a new beef when MoviePass altogether blocked Mission: Impossible — Fallout screenings from its service. The Tom Cruise star vehicle performed well despite the hang up, which began to make itself apparent when screencaps surfaced to show that the film was “greyed out” to hopeful MoviePass users. CEO Mitch Lowe clarified to users that this move was intentional with a statement as the weekend began: “As we continue to evolve the service, certain movies may not always be available in every theater on our platform. This is no different than other in-home streaming options that often don’t carry the latest shows or movies that may be available on other services.” Of course, MoviePass users could still see the film, should they choose to open their own wallets and buy a ticket in the traditional manner. Yet since this is precisely what people were trying to avoid by subscribing to MoviePass, users began to voice their displeasure on social media. As one irritated subscriber noted, “Dont [sic] open a buffet if you dont have the food, motherf***ers!” @MoviePass Any Theater, Any Movie, Any Day… then why can’t I see Mission Impossible: Fallout at all today? pic.twitter.com/QuQ0wG8BvN — GuardiansofFoxworthy (@GuardiansofFox) July 27, 2018 MoviePass straight up not letting users see Mission Impossible under any circumstances. They're that friend who goes out to dinner then pretends he cant find his wallet when the check comes, lol. — Rob ⚡Peak Pricing⚡ Caravaggio (@caravaggiorob) July 27, 2018 Went to use MoviePass today to watch Mission Impossible but they created a blackout for every showing. So I paid out of my own pocket. Then bought a ticket to another movie, USING MoviePass. If I gotta pay, they do too. Dont open a buffet if you dont have the food, motherfuckers! — Grandmaster B (@dougiebranson) July 28, 2018 Oh cool, @MoviePass is apparently circling the drain and not letting customers get tickets to Mission Impossible on opening night. Glad I bought a full year of this service for both me and my wife. — Dan Ryckert (@DanRyckert) July 27, 2018 Hey @MoviePass, I am on my way to the theater again. Is there anything you need to tell me? How are you doing with cash flow? Do you feel like a 7:45 showing of Mission Impossible is going to work out? — Eddie Kaufholz (@EdwardorEddie) July 27, 2018 ,@MoviePass Why are all 2D versions of Mission Impossible: Fallout greyed out????? — Rusty Burns (@rustyburns) July 27, 2018 MoviePass is blocking standard showings of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, huh? Well, good a time as any to take the plunge on this, then. pic.twitter.com/CxggoCSyVZ — ViewerAnon (@ViewerAnon) July 27, 2018 Last week @MoviePass needed a loan to stay alive. Yesterday I no longer saw Mission Impossible screenings available. This morning I see NO times available for ANY movie in NYC. Anyone else? @MoviePass_CS any ideas? — hari sreenivasan (@hari) July 30, 2018 I see you are blocking Mission Impossible. Cute. No worries, I'll pay out of pocket it for it while simultaneously purchasing a ticket to a random movie so I can ensure MoviePass incurs the same cost had it not blocked Mission Impossible. Everyone else should do the same. — Nothing & No One (@myskullisred) July 29, 2018 Deadline quotes an industry distribution boss as predicting, “It will be a miracle if MoviePass is in business by the end of next week.” Indeed, it’s hard to fathom how the service can continue to exist while bleeding millions of dollars per month, especially after promising so much. Well, and tossing even more money into Gotti distribution, which only compounds the disastrous experiment. Stay tuned, for more MoviePass developments will surely arrive soon. (Via Deadline & Indiewire)

The author of the "Little House on the Prairie" series, Laura Ingalls Wilder, had her name removed from a prestigious children's book award because of "dated cultural attitudes" contained in her books, the association that issues the award said Monday. In a joint statement, the American Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children said the name of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award was changed to the Children's Literature Legacy Award during a weekend conference in New Orleans. "Her works reflect dated cultural attitudes toward Indigenous people and people of color that contradict modern acceptance, celebration, and understanding of diverse communities," the statement said. Laura Ingalls Wilder as a schoolteacher in 1887. Fine Art Images / Heritage Images/Getty Images Those "dated" references are reflected in lines contained in "Little House on the Prairie," which details the years Wilder's family spent living in Kansas, an area heavily populated by Native Americans. The book includes a line: "The only good Indian is a dead Indian." The book also uses the term "papoose" for a Native American baby, which has historically evoked genocide for some. The change signaled the latest example of a culture reckoning with its racist history. The removal of Confederate statues in Baltimore; Charlottesville, Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; and New Orleans and beyond have offered the most high-profile flashpoints in this reckoning, although cities and institutions across the United States have also sought to change street, plaza and church names. The statement said the "Little House" series — which was based on Wilder's 19th-century pioneer childhood — would "continue to be deeply meaningful to many readers." But the Association for Library Service to Children, which issues the award, "has had to grapple with the inconsistency between Wilder's legacy and its core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect, and responsiveness through an award that bears Wilder's name," it said. The statement added that the change shouldn't be viewed as an effort to censor Wilder's work but as an attempt to "align the award's title" with the association's "core values." A group dedicated to Wilder scholarship, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association, criticized the change in a statement, saying it wasn't "beneficial to the body of literature to sweep away her name as though the perspectives in her books never existed." "Those perspectives are teaching moments to show generations to come how the past was and how we, as a society, must move forward with a more inclusive and diverse perspective," said the statement, which was issued by the group's board.<doc-sep>The cabin at the "Little House on the Prairie" site is a re-creation built in 1977 (CNN) — After months of deliberation, the organization behind a prestigious book award has decided to remove the name of author Laura Ingalls Wilder because of her portrayal of Native Americans. The Association for Library Service to Children gives out the “Laura Ingalls Wilder Award” yearly to authors whose work has made a lasting impact on the world of children’s literature. The honor will now be known as the Children’s Literature Legacy Award. The ALSC first announced their intention to revisit the award’s name in February, and decided to change it after a meeting over the weekend. “This decision was made in consideration of the fact that Wilder’s legacy, as represented by her body of work, includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC’s core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect, and responsiveness,” the ALSC’s statement reads. HarperCollins Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” books are a staple of countless American childhoods. The tales are so ingrained in the traditions of children’s literature that it may be easy to forget or overlook that Wilder, who wrote the books in the 1930s and 40s, depicts Native Americans as inhuman and inconsequential. An adult re-read reveals several characters, including Wilder’s mother, saying things like “The only good Indian is a dead Indian,” as well as romanticizing themes of American supremacy and manifest destiny. While her father, as portrayed in the books, takes a more nuanced approach to Native Americans in some places, he also described one Indian as “no common trash” because “that was French he spoke.” It’s not censorship, the group says Perhaps this worldview could be more easily dismissed if it were entirely fictional, but the “Little House” books are semi-autobiographical, and recount Wilder’s own childhood growing up on the Great Plains. While the decision is already inviting backlash similar to any instance of, say, changing the name of a school or removing a Confederate monument, the ALSC preeimptively outlined their full justification: “Changing the name of the award, or ending the award and establishing a new award, does not prohibit access to Wilder’s works or suppress discussion about them. Neither option asks or demands that anyone stop reading Wilder’s books, talking about them, or making them available to children. These recommendations do not amount to censorship, nor do they undermine intellectual freedom,” a lengthy statement from the ALSC’s board reads. “Yet perceptions matter, along with the very real pain associated with her works for some, and year after year ALSC gives the impression of upholding Wilder’s works through an award that bears her name.”<doc-sep>A division of the American Library Association has voted to remove the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a major children’s book award, over concerns about how the author portrayed African Americans and Native Americans. The board of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) made the unanimous decision to change the name on Saturday, at a meeting in New Orleans. The name of the prize was changed from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal to the Children’s Literature Legacy Award. The association said Wilder “includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC’s core values”. The first award was given to Wilder in 1954. The ALSC said Wilder’s work continued to be published and read but her “legacy is complex” and “not universally embraced”. Wilder was born in 1867 and died in 1957. She is best known for her eight Little House on the Prairie novels, about pioneer life in the American west, which were published between 1932 and 1943. In 2010, the British broadcaster Samira Ahmed wrote for the Guardian: “Wilder has a special status in American culture despite posthumous allegations of racism. The Osage nation, according to biographer Pamela Smith Hill, still condemns her work, which was based on their eviction. “The novels are full of phrases that are unacceptable today. Even in her own lifetime Wilder apologised for her thoughtlessness and amended a line in Little House on the Prairie that said Kansas had ‘no people, only Indians’. It now reads, ‘no settlers, only Indians’.”<doc-sep>

The board of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, made the unanimous decision to remove the name of author Laura Ingalls Wilder from a major children’s book award at a meeting in New Orleans on Saturday. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. (Photo: Getty Images) The name of the prize has been changed from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award to the Children’s Literature Legacy Award, the Guardian reports. The association, which took the vote at its board meeting in New Orleans, said the vote “was greeted by a standing ovation by the audience in attendance,” Fox News reports. Wilder is best known for her beloved Little House on the Prairie novels, which the ALSC has stated “includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC’s core values” based on Wilder’s portrayal of black people and Native Americans. The first award was given to Wilder in 1954. The ALSC, which is based in Chicago, says her work continues to be published and read but her “legacy is complex” and “not universally embraced.” In February, the ALA announced that it was reconsidering the name of the Wilder Award. At the time, the ALA declared that her legacy put the group in the position of serving children’s reading and education while being unable to model values of “inclusiveness, integrity and respect.” Wilder’s books, it stated, “reflect racist and anti-Native sentiments and are not universally embraced.” Wilder was born in 1867 and died in 1957. Her most famous novel, Little House on the Prairie (1935), has inspired almost as much disapproval as devotion. The novel has racist elements, and its portrayal of Native Americans has had consequences when read uncritically in schools. In the late 1990s, scholar Waziyatawin Angela Cavender Wilson approached the Yellow Medicine East School District after her daughter came home crying because of a line in the book, first attributed to Gen. Philip Sheridan but a common saying by that time: “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.” Story continues However, in her own lifetime Wilder apologized for some of her thoughtlessness, and amended a line in Little House that read Kansas had “no people, only Indians.” It now reads, “no settlers, only Indians.” Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.

Mark Zuckerberg Killed a Goat and Fed It to Jack Dorsey (Subtle, Darkest Timeline, Real Subtle) By Mike Redmond | Social Media | January 24, 2019 | As the foundations of society crumble under the weight of a new technological age, and the definition of reality continues its rapid descent into chaos at the whim of a gelatinous, orange overlord, what better time to learn that the architects of our destruction are slaughtering animals and feeding them to each other? Granted, this tale of a bizarre meal between Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is more Silicon Valley than Call of Cthulhu, let’s cut to the chase: We’re the goat. The goat is us. From Rolling Stone: What was your most memorable encounter with Zuckerberg? Well, there was a year when he was only eating what he was killing. He made goat for me for dinner. He killed the goat. In front of you? No. He killed it before. I guess he kills it. He kills it with a laser gun and then the knife. Then they send it to the butcher. A . . . laser gun? I don’t know. A stun gun. They stun it, and then he knifed it. Then they send it to a butcher. Evidently in Palo Alto there’s a rule or regulation that you can have six livestock on any lot of land, so he had six goats at the time. I go, “We’re eating the goat you killed?” He said, “Yeah.” I said, “Have you eaten goat before?” He’s like, “Yeah, I love it.” I’m like, “What else are we having?” “Salad.” I said, “Where is the goat?” “It’s in the oven.” Then we waited for about 30 minutes. He’s like, “I think it’s done now.” We go in the dining room. He puts the goat down. It was cold. That was memorable. I don’t know if it went back in the oven. I just ate my salad. So, a couple of things: 1. The f*ck? 2. Am I the only one who finds deep, perverse joy in the fact that the social media platform of choice for overly-Christian conservatives is run by a dude who consumes quasi-raw goats killed by his own hand? I’m not up on my Satanic rituals, but that seems like the kind of shit that ends in Patti LuPone saying the abortion is on the house. Or one of those creepy, slow-motion orgies where everyone looks like they’re in a Prodigy video. Again, it’s been a while. 3. How does any of this work? Does Mark Zuckerberg announce he wants a snack and then a farmhand emerges from a hut with a stun gun? Or does Zuck carry it in a holster? Also, why a stun gun? Does that somehow make the killing more humane? The goat’s dying either way. Only now it gets electrocuted before some asshole who looks like Data from Star Trek’s smaller, more anemic son comes at it with a knife. ZUCK: Hide’s a little tough today, ey, Ramon? HAND: You are trying to cut with the handle, Mr. Zuckerberg. ZUCK: Ha! So I was. So I was… HAND: Would you like an ambulance? You are very bleeding. GOAT: I could just lick it off. ZUCK: … HAND: … GOAT: Oh, what? So now I’m the weird one here? F*ck you. ← Rami Malek Claims He Did Not Know About Bryan Singer | Why Is Vanity Fair's 2019 Hollywood Issue Cover So Good? → Mike is a Staff Contributor living in Pennsyltucky. You can follow him on Twitter. Header Image Source: CNBC<doc-sep>The Facebook founder pledged to eat only animals he had slaughtered When you are invited round for a roast by one of the world’s richest men, you might expect to eat a cut of meat sourced from the finest artisan butcher. Instead Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook co-founder, slaughtered a goat himself and served it cold to Jack Dorsey, his counterpart at Twitter. Sponsored In a tale that opens a window on the food fads of modern-day California, Mr Dorsey has recounted that on a visit to his rival’s Palo Alto home, Mr Zuckerberg killed the animal “with a laser gun” before preparing it for dinner. The story emerged when Rolling Stone magazine asked Mr Dorsey about his most memorable encounter with “Zuck”. He replied: “Well, there was a year when he was only eating what he was<doc-sep>Get the latest news from all parts of our city - sign up for our free email newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Mark Zuckerberg killed a goat and served it up for dinner to Twitter chief Jack Dorsey, a dalek display could be exterminated by planning regulations and an Australian bar ran out of free beer: Here's our round-up of odd news stories around the world: Doomsday clock The Doomsday Clock will remain at two minutes to midnight for the second year running, scientists have announced. The clock, which serves as a metaphor for global apocalypse, was moved forward by 30 seconds to two minutes before midnight by the clock's keepers in January 2018. The announcement on Thursday means the clock remains the closest to midnight it has ever been, with the last time it was set to this time in 1953. Cold goat dinner Mark Zuckerberg once offered Jack Dorsey cold goat that he had killed himself for dinner, the Twitter boss has revealed in an interview. Mr Dorsey recalled the bizarre meal between the two social network leaders in an interview with Rolling Stone, claiming that Mr Zuckerberg used a form of laser or stun gun and a knife to kill the animal - though Mr Zuckerberg did not perform the ritual in front of him. The Twitter co-founder said he decided to only eat the accompanying salad during the "memorable" encounter because it was cold. Drunken mistake A drunk man took the wrong Lyft taxi and tried to get into a house he mistakenly thought was his home, police in Maine said. Cape Elizabeth police said the man mistakenly got into a Lyft summoned by a man who lived next door. The man was dropped off in the early hours of the morning and staggered towards a nearby home, believing it to be his, police said. He caused a commotion trying to get in, leading the homeowner to call the police. Cape Elizabeth police chief Paul Fenton said the intoxicated man was taken back to the police station to sober up. Mr Fenton said the homeowner did not want to press charges and that the man was very sorry. Dalek decision A family that runs a homemade sci-fi museum from their basement fear they may have to close because a Dalek on display in their front garden doesn't comply with planning regulations. The owners of the homemade Museum of Classic Sci-Fi in Allendale, Northumberland, have been told they must remove the shed housing the replica Dalek at the front of their house by February 5. Neil Cole, museum owner, art teacher and member of the Dalek Builder's Guild, put the monster together with his students at an after-school club. The full-size replica Dalek is stored outside the entrance to the museum in a custom-built shed, but the structure requires planning permission which would not likely be granted, as it doesn't fit with the character of the Grade-two listed property. Dog rescue A St Bernard dog that ran away from a foster home in Minnesota has been found alive after surviving 17 days in freezing temperatures. Ruff Start Rescue director Azure Davis said she was not sure the 10-year-old dog named Old Lady was alive after so much time had passed. Old Lady bolted from her foster home on January 4 and her leash got tangled in the woods in Zimmerman. Posters were posted and search parties were formed but there was no sign of Old Lady until Monday. A grandfather and his grandsons spotted her in the woods and called law enforcement, which notified Ruff Start Rescue. Old Lady is frostbitten and malnourished, but rescuers said her vital signs are strong. Free beer A bar in Adelaide which promised free beer if the mercury topped 45C (113F) ran out after temperatures in the Australian city set a national heat record. The Red Lion Hotel promised the free beer only while the temperature exceeded that benchmark, but the heat in the South Australia state capital peaked at a searing 46.6C (115.9F). Bar manager Stephen Firth said the pub ran dry after giving away more than 700 litres (185 gallons) of beer over more than two hours. "We probably thought it would come around one day, but we didn't think it would be for such a prolonged period," Mr Firth said.<doc-sep>This in itself isn't an odd thing for a successful businessman, of course. What is odd is that he says he is currently on the run from the authorities over tax issues and is on a boat at sea, evading capture (but posting regular updates to Twitter).<doc-sep>

Image : AP/Lucasfilm Ltd/AP We have a lot of questions about Facebook’s CEO, some of which we’ve posed on this very website. But a new interview with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has introduced one mystery we absolutely must unravel: Did Mark Zuckerberg shoot a goat to death with lasers? Speaking to Rolling Stone, Dorsey was asked about his “most memorable encounter” with Zuckerberg. He then recounted a strange anecdote about the world’s fifth richest man killing a goat with a “laser gun.” From Rolling Stone: [Dorsey:] Well, there was a year when he was only eating what he was killing. He made goat for me for dinner. He killed the goat. [Rolling Stone:] In front of you? [Dorsey:] No. He killed it before. I guess he kills it. He kills it with a laser gun and then the knife. Then they send it to the butcher. When pressed, Dorsey seemed less certain, saying, “I don’t know. A stun gun. They stun it, and then he knifed it. Then they send it to a butcher.” As you may recall, Zuckerberg did indeed pursue a personal challenge in 2011 where he only ate the meat of animals he personally killed. “I’ve learned a lot about sustainable farming and raising of animals,” he told Fortune at the time. “It’s easy to take the food we eat for granted when we can eat good things every day.” Okay, sounds normal, but were you blasting these things with a space bazooka, my guy? Dorsey’s comment raises a few interesting possibilities: 1. Dorsey simply misspoke with his initial description, and Zuckerberg indeed used some kind electric shock device to stun the goat before bleeding it. Electric stunners are sometimes used to render smaller animals unconscious before slaughter, and often have a wand-type design. Personal electroshock weapons, such as Tasers, would likely be inadequate and inhumane for this purpose. 2. Dorsey was mistaken twice, and what he described as “a stun gun” was, in fact, a captive bolt pistol Zuckerberg used to kill the goat. These devices stun animals by shooting a retractible rod into their skulls and entered popular culture as the weapon of choice of Anton Chigurh, the antagonist of Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men and the film adaptation of the same name. 3. Dorsey accidentally told the truth the first time, and Mark Zuckerberg really does have some kind of secret Terminator gun he used to zap that poor goat to the big garbage dump in the sky. Realizing his error, Dorsey then made up the whole “stun gun” thing. So which is it? We have out own suspicions, but only the heads of the world’s most exhausting social networks may know for sure. We have reached out to both Facebook and Jack Dorsey for comment and will update this story if and when they reply. If you know anything about Mark Zuckerberg’s “laser gun” or have your own theories about the nature of the device, please email us at knifedog@gizmodo.com.

The Charlotte Hornets came mightily close to acquire Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies, as they were previously considered the frontrunners to trade for him before the NBA trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe. The Toronto Raptors, however, wound up wooing the Grizzlies by offering Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, C.J. Miles, and 2024 second-round pick in return for the 34-year-old big man. “Charlotte came close to acquiring Gasol before some last-minute haggling, per league sources. The Hornets had a lottery-protected first-round pick ready for most of this week, sources say. Losing Gasol hurts, but they get to keep that pick, and the East is so bad they might limp into the playoffs anyway. Just pray for Kemba Walker, who has zero help.” The Hornets were banking on making Gasol that tandem star that would partner with Kemba Walker and give him the necessary help to contend in a much-improved Eastern Conference. A previously proposed package of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bismack Biyombo, and a 2019 protected first-round draft pick couldn’t seal the deal, due to the protection on the pick — something that winds up costing the Hornets a stronger pitch for Walker to stay in the summer. The three-time All-Star and first-time starter in the midseason event will head into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, and while the commitment to the city has been mutual from franchise and owner, stranger things have happened when there is a change of heart.<doc-sep>Lakers Dread Versus Lakers Reality In 2021 by John Wilmes The Lakers will either be the most spontaneous, sensationally improvised championship team of all time- or, more likely, a monster that is not actually under anyone's bed. Sometimes Russell Westbrook Gets To Be Who He Is In His Imagination by Colin McGowan Russell Westbrook does everything so rapidly and all at once that it's hard to make sense of it, so it is fitting that his decline should happen unevenly. Nobody's Supposed To Be Here by Katie Heindl Championship teams come apart. Kevin Love and the Cavs both went on grasping at the pieces that were better off burning up in a return to the atmospheric realities of a league that, healthy or not, never stops.<doc-sep>The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly discussing a trade that would bring in star big man Mac Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. All has been quiet on the Charlotte Hornets front regarding the trade deadline… until now. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the team is in “strong” talks to land Marc Gasol in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis has been shopping their two franchise players, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, for weeks now. Nothing is official yet, but considering the source that this is coming from, I’d say the chances of landing the former All-Star are looking good. He is also sitting out of tonight’s against Minnesota. Gasol may be 34 years old, but there’s no doubt about it, he’s a star in this league. He can hurt you on the perimeter as well as in the paint. He’s an excellent passer with a high basketball IQ and is also a former Defensive Player of the Year. On the season, Gasol is averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the Grizzlies. He has been extremely loyal to the city of Memphis, but it’s clear now that at this point, the Grizzlies are rebuilding and Gasol is better off on a playoff contending team. Our contributor here at Swarm and Sting, De White, wrote about the possibility of trading for Gasol just one week ago: This would be an absolutely huge pickup for the Charlotte Hornets. Pairing Kemba Walker with a star before he hits free agency is going to be big, and Gasol could close to guarantee this team a spot in the playoffs. It’s unclear as to what the Hornets would be including in this trade, but it’s certainly going to be a haul. Don’t be surprised if it includes multiple impact players, along with the teams 2019 draft pick. The Hornets are determined to make the playoffs, so seeing Mitch Kupchak potentially pull the trigger on a move like this is not surprising at all. Gasol would be a perfect fit next to Kemba Walker, and that duo would have a very good chance at taking this franchise back to the playoffs in the weaker Eastern Conference. The NBA’s trade deadline is on Thursday, and it appears we are in for a treat with all the excitement going on around the league. Be sure to stay tuned as we will continue to update Charlotte Hornets news until then.<doc-sep>The Charlotte Hornets rumors continue to gain steam, as recent reports suggest that the Hornets will likely earn the services of Marc Gasol. It was an exciting time for Charlotte fans last night after seeing the Hornets rumors and learning the news that the team was in strong talks with the Memphis Grizzlies on a trade involving star center Marc Gasol. Since then, things have gone quiet, until now. Multiple reports have indicated that the Hornets and Grizzlies are close on a trade. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer says that the sides are discussing a trade sending Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bismack Biyombo and a protected first round pick to Memphis in exchange for Gasol. Meanwhile, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Marc Gasol anticipates ending up with the Charlotte Hornets. You can expect things to heat up as we inch closer and closer to tomorrow’s trade deadline. Marc Stein of The New York Times also chipped in, reporting that the Hornets are currently in the lead to land Gasol. Gasol sat out of last night’s game against Minnesota because of the trade rumors. Charlotte did not sit any players out, which many fans found interesting. Obviously Gasol does not have the final say on if a trade is going to happen, but the fact that he believes he will end up with the Hornets is pretty telling. Time will tell if the Grizzlies try to pry away some more assets from Charlotte or decide to stick with the reported deal on the table. It appears that both sides continue to talk and are just a few tweaks or adjustments away from getting a deal done. Memphis had made both Marc Gasol and fellow star player Mike Conley available for trade prior to the deadline as they now transition into a complete rebuild. Like I have mentioned before, adding an All-Star talent like Gasol is absolutely huge for the Charlotte Hornets. Not only does it help the team’s playoff aspirations, it could have an influence on Kemba Walker‘s plans come free agency this summer. It’s going to be very interesting to see how this all plays out. My head hurts from all the rumors and reports, but no matter what, this is all going to end tomorrow. Will Marc Gasol be a member of the Hornets by then? I think it’s a real possibility.<doc-sep>

The drama of the NBA trade deadline continued this afternoon, as the Grizzlies have traded Charlotte Hornets target Marc Gasol to Toronto. It looked like the Charlotte Hornets were just inches away from landing a former All-Star player in Marc Gasol, but in the end, the Toronto Raptors swooped in with an offer and broke the hearts of many Hornets fans. According to the great Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Grizzlies have agreed to trade Marc Gasol to the Raptors in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, C.J. Miles and a 2024 second round draft pick. Just two days ago, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Hornets were in “strong” talks with Memphis about acquiring Gasol. Those talks continued going into today, but the Grizzlies ultimately liked the Raptors offer for Gasol better. The Hornets were rumored to be offering the Grizzlies a package of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bismack Biyombo and a 2019 protected first round draft pick. The protection on that pick is said to have complicated things. Now, the Hornets are in a tough position. They have been active in trade talks, but haven’t been able to put anything together. Adding Gasol to this team could have been huge for the playoff push, and maybe even have a say in Kemba Walker‘s free agency over the summer. The team has also been said to be interested in moving fourth year pro Frank Kaminsky, but he obviously won’t net a return anywhere close to a player such as Marc Gasol. This is a tough pill to swallow for Charlotte Hornets fans. Things were looking up and it looked like Gasol was going to be a Hornet, but this trade just shows you how quickly things can change in the NBA. What a wacky, fun league, man. Gasol would have given the Hornets a giant presence in the paint with a special ability to step out and consistently hit the three-point shot. He would have been a great fit next to Kemba Walker, but the best thing you can do is move on and keep your head up. It’s going to be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out for the Charlotte Hornets. Do they have a team in place that can make the playoffs? Probably. However, Gasol would have certainly been a big help in that regard. This one has to hurt for Hornets fans.

Vans Warped Tour is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and it’s bringing a whole lot of old friends along for the party. Though last year’s edition of the Warped Tour was trumpeted as the organization’s grand farewell, founder Kevin Lyman announced earlier this year that he was bringing the tour back for just a few 2019 shows. On Friday, Warped unveiled the lineups for those concerts, and they’re pretty much a who’s-who of pop-punk and emo acts from the late ’90s and early 2000s. The first show will be June 8 in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to kick off the museum’s new “Forever Warped” exhibit. That show will feature Chalni 2NA & Cut Chemist, Emery, Hawthorne Heights, Simple Plan, and We the Kings. The next batch of shows will take place June 29-30 in Atlantic City. That lineup includes Andrew W.K., Bad Religion, Blink-182, Bowling For Soup, Good Charlotte, Reel Big Fish, Simple Plan, and more. The last shows will be July 20-21 in Mountain View, Calif. The All-American Rejects, August Burns Red, Gym Class Heroes, The Offspring, and more will perform at those shows. Multiple artists will of course appear at multiple stops on this 25th anniversary tour. Check out the full lineups below. Tickets are now on sale at Vans Warped Tour’s website.<doc-sep>Vans Warped Tour will make exactly one East Coast city this summer — in Atlantic City June 29 and 30 — and it’s going to be huge. The tour announced Friday a monster weekend lineup to celebrate 25 years of sweaty summer raging, a bill that includes blink-182, A Day To Remember, 311, Taking Back Sunday, Simple Plan, Good Charlotte and about 60 more pop-punk, emo and metal acts. New Jersey-native groups Man Overboard, Hidden In Plain View and Frank Iero and the Future Violents will also perform. See the full lineup below. The multi-stage show will take place on the A.C. beach. Two-day tickets cost $144.50 before fees and went on sale Friday at 11 a.m. on Ticketmaster. Warped Tour has been a New Jersey summer staple since the mid-'90s, as dozens of punk and metal acts would ride into Raceway Park in Englishtown, PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, near the Stone Pony in Asbury Park and/or BB&T Pavilion in Camden each year, give teens a reason to mosh for eight hours straight and then be gone, onto the next city in waiting. Bands who have played Warped Tour and gone on to much bigger things have included blink-182, Fall Out Boy, Paramore and even the Black Eyed Peas and Eminem. Founder Kevin Lyman said 2018′s run, which hit Holmdel and Camden, would be the tour’s final fun-country run, but teased a few events in 2019 to celebrate the fest’s silver anniversary. Warped Tour will also visit Cleveland and Mountain View, Calif. this year. Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@BobbyOlivier and Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.<doc-sep>CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device. Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman promised that the lineup for the 25th anniversary event at Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View was “going to crush.” And he has absolutely made good on that promise. Andrew W.K., Bad Religion, the Offspring, Thrice and — oh, yeah! — Jawbreaker are among the top attractions set on the bill during the special two-day event, July 20-21, at Shoreline. Other notable acts include Gym Class Heroes, Simple Plan, Save Ferris, the Vandals, the Story So Far, NOFX, the Used and Sum 41. In all, 50-plus acts are expected to perform as Warped marks a quarter century of rocking fans of punk, alt-rock and high-voltage genres. Tickets are on sale now at www.livenation.com. Of course, some might be a bit confused by all this, given that the 2018 Warped was billed as the tour’s final cross-country jaunt. That farewell lap even included a stop at Shoreline back in June. But Lyman has been clear all along that he planned to do a few 25th anniversary special events in 2019, instead of mounting a full tour. The Shoreline stop is one of three such anniversary events. The other two are happening in Cleveland and Atlantic City. Here is the lineup: Bad Religion Andy Black Man Overboard Four Year Strong Anti-Flag Frank Iero & The Future Violents Gym Class Heroes Face to Face I the Mighty We The Kings August Burns Red / Silverstein / Silent Planet Set It Off Simple Plan Plague Vendor All American Rejects Less Than Jake Wage War Save Ferris Dance Gavin Dance Go Betty Go The Dollyrots Tsunami Bomb Street Drum Corps The Vandals Bad Cop/Bad Cop The Starting Line The Story So Far Quicksand Elder Brother Off! Set Your Goals Jawbreaker The Offspring NOFX The Aquabats Lagwagon Confide Chali 2na & Cut Chemist Doll Skin The Used Thrice Circa Survive Sum 41 Atreyu Sleeping With Sirens Memphis May Fire Julliette Simms<doc-sep>

Rock & Roll lives on! The Warped Tour may not be making it’s annual nation-wide trek in 2019, but it WILL host several very special shows on both coasts! Blink 182, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan: what do they all have in common? They are all make appearances at the 2019 Warped Tour anniversary shows! Kevin Lyman, the famed creator of the Vans Warped Tour, isn’t letting the long-time attendees of the festival down this year. Despite ending the tour in 2018, there will be several shows on each coast this summer to celebrate 25 years of rocking live music. Blink-182, The All-American Rejects, Andrew W.K., Good Charlotte, Gym Class Heroes, The Offspring, Simple Plan, Bowling for Soup, Taking Back Sunday, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and Good Charlotte are just some of the bands set to hit the stage! Punk-rockers, emo kids, and ska lovers everywhere should grab tickets stat! They are on sale now and are going to go fast with just two full shows on each coast, and a smaller kick-off celebration in June. The “grand opening” show will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, and will include an exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Then on June 29, the biggest bands in rock will hit Atlantic City, New Jersey, for the first major leg of the anniversary celebration. The west coast will receive a party of their own one month later, on July 20, in Mountain View, California. Don’t call it a comeback, though! Kevin has made it clear that the Warped Tour legacy will live on forever, which is why he enlisted some of the most iconic tour veterans through the years to play the anniversary shows. “Through the years the Vans Warped tour has always tried to bring you something extra, this year we have gone through the past archives and dug up many of our old friends to join us for these special events,” Kevin said in a statement. “The curated art experience will showcase our favorite moments over the last 25 years. So, dust off the old Vans and lace em’ up since you won’t want to miss a thing!” See the full list of performers and more details on each respective show, above! As Blink 182 once famously said, we can’t wait for the summer and the Warped Tour!

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.<doc-sep>SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Pete Buttigieg had been mayor just 13 weeks when he faced a leadership crisis. It was March 2012, and 300 residents of South Bend, Ind., solemnly marched to the Martin Luther King Center to protest the killing in Florida of a black teenager, Trayvon Martin. A prominent figure at the demonstration was Darryl Boykins, South Bend’s first black police chief. Admired for teaching tennis and boxing to young people, he had been promoted to chief five years earlier after winning the respect of both black and white officers in a department that sometimes divided along racial lines. Mr. Buttigieg addressed the protesters, but seemed not to interact with Mr. Boykins. What no one in the crowd knew was that the police top brass were in turmoil — shaken by allegations that Mr. Boykins had improperly taped phone calls of senior white officers who were said to have used racist language, including about him. With federal prosecutors scrutinizing Mr. Boykins, the 29-year-old mayor fired the veteran police chief just before the Trayvon Martin protest. No action was taken against the officers. Precisely what they said on the tapes of their department phone calls is unknown to the public: Mr. Buttigieg has refused to release them, saying the matter is still being resolved in court.<doc-sep>Democratic Presidential candidate, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, attends a campaign stop at Stonyfield Farms on April 19, 2019 in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Recent polls are showing Buttigieg is gaining ground with Democrats in the presidential nominating states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Photo : Scott Eisen ( Getty Images ) “I’m going to Dyngus Day,” said Kareemah Fowler, city clerk for South Bend, Ind., when I called her for an interview. “What’s a Dyngus?” I asked, desperately trying not to giggle like a 7th grader. Fowler explained that Dyngus Day is a big festival for South Bend’s Polish community, a chance for state and local politicians to do some retail politicking, but for the black community, it’s called “Solidarity Day.” Advertisement “The black community was like, you politicians need our vote, so instead of us coming all the way over to the Polish side of town, you need to come over here,” she said proudly. This year, Mayor Pete Buttigieg dutifully came to the African American Elk’s Lodge and renamed the local intersection “Solidarity Day Drive” as part of the Dyngus Day tradition. It’s a symbolic gesture, but a telling one, even on a national scale. If Mayor Pete wants to extend his reach from media darling to actual Democratic contender, he’ll have to reach out to black voters, the backbone of the Democratic Party, and he’ll have to have more than symbolic gestures. If my conversations with black residents of South Bend are any indicator, it’s not yet clear that he’s up for the job. Ask African Americans about Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s relationship with the black community, and the Midwestern politeness comes out. They like him, he’s smart, he’s their mayor, but... “I can’t necessarily say that [the relationship is] good. But I will say he’s come a long way,” said Fowler, a Buttigieg supporter, who in 2015, with Buttigieg’s help, became St. Joseph County’s first ever minority elected executive. “He’s evolving,” “He’s getting better,” “You don’t know what you don’t know” are what you hear about Mayor Pete from black residents. You can almost hear a collective church clap and a bless his heart as they detail his numerous early stumbles with black voters. Some residents however, are much less diplomatic. “South Bend, Ind. has one of the darkest histories of segregation of anywhere in the country, and it’s something we still haven’t properly addressed,” said Nate Levin-Aspenson. Advertisement Levin-Aspenson is an activist and grant writer from Durham, N.C. A white millennial, he moved to South Bend with his wife right around Mayor Pete’s second term. We talked as he campaigned for Regina Preston, a black city councilwoman running for mayor, inspired in part by Buttigieg’s controversial “1,000 homes in 1,000 Days” program. Nate acknowledges many of black South Bend’s problems preceded Mayor Buttigieg, but the mayor hasn’t done much to change them either. For example, several residents I spoke with pointed to the federal consent decree on South Bend schools due to segregation and treatment of black students. Even worse, the school-to-prison pipeline isn’t just a pipeline in South Bend; it’s a broken, flooded dam, with some residents remembering students as young as the second grade being put out of school. Advertisement While the South Bend school system does not fall under the direct control of the mayor, he does wield some influence. However, throughout two terms, no one, including black surrogates for Mayor Buttigieg, could point to examples of him tackling school segregation. “Your policies are your values,” said Levin-Aspenson, who cautioned that the 2020 Democratic candidate on 24-hour cable networks doesn’t always align with the mayor residents know. “It’s either it wasn’t a priority for him because that’s not where his values are, or it wasn’t a priority because he couldn’t get it done fast enough for it to be a finished problem, by the time he was done in eight years.” Advertisement How can black residents seem to like Mayor Pete yet collectively shoulder shrug about many of his policies? You have to understand the status of black people in most Rust Belt cities. These are cities built with ethnic whites and working-class African Americans; Slavic grocers selling pierogis on one block and large black churches built during the Great Migration on the other. Systematic discrimination keeps many African Americans out of stable city jobs and elected office. Ferguson-level police harassment keeps many residents living in fear. Consequently small, even symbolic gestures mean a lot to a black community often left powerless and voiceless. I spoke to community leader Gladys Muhammed, a feisty older black woman with a great sense of humor. When I asked what was the best thing Mayor Pete did for the black community in South Bend she said: “He did give us a Martin Luther King Boulevard. He stood right up and made it happen, on a main street too!” Advertisement She was not the only person to point to Mayor Pete’s establishing MLK boulevard as his signature accomplishment for the black community. My first reaction, and likely the reaction of most people outside of Indiana, is praising a white mayor for naming a Martin Luther King boulevard in 2017 is an incredibly low bar. However, South Bend white business owners had resisted the name change for more than 40 years. Black members on the naming committee received death threats. Viewed in the context of South Bend’s racial politics, many older black voters were impressed. Mayor Pete also hired a chief diversity officer and enacted a Diversity and Inclusion plan to address some city issues, but it took him awhile to get there. “I think that it was a conscious decision, that he needed to get to know the African-American community,” said Muhammed. “Because when he first came on...He did some things we were upset about.” Advertisement Those “things” include firing the city’s first black police chief for allegedly disciplining officers who were caught on tape making racist comments and alluding to criminal activity.<doc-sep>(CNN) — As Pete Buttigieg gains traction in a crowded Democratic field, an inflammatory conflict from his early years as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is set for its next chapter. The highly contested and litigated controversy hinges on the contents of five tapes of recorded phone conversations inside the South Bend police department and allegations that the tapes contain racist comments made by a group of officers about former Police Chief Darryl Boykins, who is black. According to court documents, copies of the recordings were made at Boykins’ request. Few others have heard the recordings, but that might change as a state court is set to weigh in on whether the tapes can be made public. Buttigieg has made clear throughout the years-long controversy that he has never listened to and doesn’t know what is on the tapes in question. Buttigieg, then months into his first term as mayor in 2012, asked Boykins to resign over the tapes matter as authorities investigated allegations that Boykins threatened subordinates, both state and federal investigations ended without charges. After initially agreeing to step down, Boykins – who was the city’s first ever African American police chief – rescinded his resignation and vowed to fight it. That fight – along with subsequent settlements and lawsuits to get the tapes released publicly – has dragged on for seven years. St. Joseph County Superior Court Judge Steven Hostetler is soon slated to decide whether the tapes can be released to the public. The South Bend Common Council – the city’s city council – subpoenaed the tapes from the city in 2012 after a group of activists and council members grew worried about allegations of racism inside the department. But the city has long resisted the subpoena. The legal proceedings related to the tapes have been rather convoluted and messy. This included a federal case brought by the city, which was dismissd after a 2017 ruling by a federal appeals court. After that, the legal wrangling moved on to state court. That suit, in which Hostetler will rule, continues on. Attorneys representing the officers want the tapes to stay secret. Depending on the judge’s eventual decision, the case could go to trial or see additional appeals over their release. The judge held a hearing Monday. Buttigieg, asked by CNN about the case on Tuesday, said he learned a series of lessons from the controversy. He said he had focused on making sure South Bend was complying with federal law – but noted that wasn’t what many people in South Bend were passionate about. “For a lot of people, this wasn’t about the nuances of the Wiretap Act,” he said. “This was about whether they could trust their police department.” “In retrospect, I probably placed too much confidence in that chief at the outset and that’s obviously a mistake I would not have made again. Also, that was the last time I made the mistake when firing somebody who is a direct report to me, not doing it in person, having a direction conversation about why that was taking place.” Tom Dixon, Boykins’ attorney during the matter, said Buttigieg’s comment about the former chief was “astounding” because Boykins “was the one who healed the rift” between white and black officers in South Bend. “That’s astounding, but Pete was probably away from South Bend for a long time and probably never had his finger on the pulse of the police department,” said Dixon, who noted he was a Republican. “He is flat out wrong.” The allegations The allegations date back to 2011, when the South Bend Police Department’s telephone recording system crashed and had to be restored from a backup. After the restoration, Police Department Communications Director Karen DePaepe listened to some recordings to determine whether data loss had occurred. DePaepe, while listening to some of the calls, heard comments from Captain of the Investigative Division Brian Young that “she found to be inappropriate,” according to a 2015 federal court decision that laid out the facts in the case. The court document also indicates that Young’s line was recorded without his knowledge because the officer who previously had his phone number had asked for the line to be logged. “At that time, no one intended to record Young’s line,” the document reads. DePaepe then told Boykins about the recordings and, according to the court, the police chief “decided to continue the recording practice to gather more information before making a decision on what to do.” Seven months later, according to the court document, Young found out his line was being recorded and asked for the recording to stop; nothing was done at that time. Two months later, Boykins asked DePaepe to “give him relevant recordings of Young’s line to keep them as evidence,” according to the court; the communications official “made five audio cassette tapes for eight recordings that occurred between February 4, 2011, and July 15, 2011.” According to the court, Boykins informed Young and then-Captain Steve Richmond, who was also recorded on the tapes, that he had access to the recordings. Boykins told Richmond he did not consider him a loyal employee and “threatened to demote, discipline or fire him.” According to court documents, a federal investigation into the recordings was initiated. Buttigieg wrote in his pre-campaign memoir, published in 2019, that the investigation came after the recorded officers ”complained to federal authorities, who took the issue seriously.” The mayor addresses the tapes case at length in his memoir and writes that his initial decision to reappoint Boykins – who had been appointed to the position by Buttigieg’s predecessor – when he took office in January 2012 was his “first serious mistake as mayor.” “The chief, believing that some other officers were gunning for his job, allegedly confronted them with tape recordings that could embarrass them if disclosed,” Buttigieg writes. “He had access to these tapes because some phone lines in the department were connected to recording equipment used for interviews and investigations, and the officers had been recorded on that equipment without their knowledge.”<doc-sep>

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is performing enviably in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary polls and he's getting glowing press, but his record isn't spotless. And at a CNN town hall in New Hampshire on Monday night, he got a question about an incident from 2012 involving his demotion of South Bend's first black police chief. CNN's Anderson Cooper set up the question by noting that the former police chief, Darryl Boykins, had allegedly ordered people to secretly record racist comments by senior white police officers. A student asked Buttigieg what was on Boykins' tapes. "The answer is I don't know," Buttigeig said, explaining that the way the tapes were recorded potentially violated the federal wire tap act. "That's a law punishable by a term in prison and so I'm not going to violate it, even though I want to know what's on those tapes like everybody else does," he said. Buttigieg said he demoted Boykins after learning he "was the subject of a criminal investigation, not from him but the FBI, and it made it very hard to me to trust him as one of my own appointees." Buttigieg conceded that he didn't handle the situation perfectly and said he learned a lot about the need to seek input from various communities and improving relations between communities of color and police. Buttigieg also mused about whether coming out as gay earlier would have derailed his public-service career, pointed out that "God doesn't have a political party," argued that it's a good thing not to "drown people in minutia before we've vindicated the values that animate our policies," and said that while Trump has "made it pretty clear he deserves impeachment," that's up to "the House and Senate to figure out" and he thinks the most decisive way to "relegate Trumpism to the dustbin of history" is to hand Trump "an absolute thumping at the ballot box."

If you enjoyed the Pokémon Go Articuno Community Day event earlier this month, then prepare for another one, this time featuring Zapdos. The Pokémon Go blog has all the information on the upcoming Zapdos Community Day. Players will need to meet specific challenge requirements to unlock special bonuses. From July 14-15, each area of the world will have challenge requirements that coincide with Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago. If every area achieves its individual goals, candy-related bonuses will unlock on July 16, including bonuses for catching Pokémon and participating in Raid Battles. A reduction of the distance needed to hatch Eggs will also be unlocked if the challenges are completed. Zapdos will then appear in all Gyms for three hours, like during Articuno's event. Pokémon Go players will receive five free Raid passes when they spin the Photo Disc at a Gym during the event. Each Raid Battle will feature the Electric-type Legendary with the fast attack Thundershock and trainers will have a chance at catching a Shiny Zapdos. The Zapdos Community Day event will take place on July 21. Niantic did not reveal the exact hours of the event, but we'll update as soon as we learn more. The Articuno Community Day event ran from 2-7 p.m. EDT, so trainers should expect the same timeframe for Zapdos. This will likely be Pokémon Go's third Community Day event in July, the first being the aforementioned Articuno Day on July 7. The second spotlighted Squirtle on July 8, giving players a chance to catch a Shiny Squirtle, evolve a Blastoise with the Hydro Cannon attack and even catch a Squirtle with sunglasses. What do you think of the Zapdos Community Day event in Pokémon Go? What Pokémon are you taking to battle? Let us know in the comments section below.<doc-sep>As Pokémon GO Fest 2018 comes to a close, players have on question on their minds: How do I get a Zapdos? Earlier in the year, Niantic hinted that a bonus event would be released if players around the world banded together to complete a list of global challenges. Zapdos Day is that promised bonus event, which offers players a chance at capturing the legendary Pokémon. Here’s everything you need to know about the planned event. Unlocking Zapdos Day in Pokémon GO Zapdos Day is a bonus event that must be unlocked through Global Challenges. Assuming that Pokémon GO players fulfilled the challenges respective to their regions, Niantic will release Zapdos Day and the legendary Pokémon will be available for capture as a raid boss. All the challenges must have been completed at Pokémon GO Fest 2018 , and players in Chicago had to complete 100,000 challenges on-site to contribute towards Zapdos Day. So far, it seems everyone is on a good track. Niantic announced that Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India have completed 5 million research tasks and confirmed that the Americas and Greenland also completed 5 million research tasks shortly after. Zapdos Day is set to happen on July 21. There’s no word yet on exactly what time it will take place, but Niantic has confirmed that the event will last for three hours. How To Start the Zapdos Raid and Win Once all the challenges are out of the way, the only thing left is to spin a photo disc at a gym. Doing so will earn you five free raid passes which you can use towards a battle against Zapdos. If you want to win, bring your Rock-type Pokémon. Tyranitar is a great choice if you snagged a Larvitar in the Larvitar Community Event, but you could also go with Golem. Rayquaza, Jynx, and Mewtwo are strong candidates as well. And be sure to plan out your Saturday. Three hours is a hefty chunk of time and raid bosses have ten times the CP of regular Pokémon. You’re going to be fighting Zapdos for a while. Getting a Shiny Zapdos You vs. the Zapdos she told you not to worry about. Niantic, The Pokemon Company Like all Shiny Pokémon, the only way to get a Shiny Zapdos is persistence and luck. It’s a completely random encounter, so your only option is to grind out as many raid battles as you can. Just pray to RNGesus and hope for the best. However, even if you don’t get a Shiny Zapdos in the end, don’t sweat it. Shiny and regular Zapdos are identical to each other in all the categories that matter, like stats and abilities. Besides, there will be plenty more Shiny Pokémon to catch once Gen 4 rolls around.<doc-sep>Thanks to a lot of hard work by a lot of Pokémon GO players, everyone will have a brief window of opportunity to catch Zapdos. Here’s all the last-minute info you need, including exactly what time the Zapdos Day update will arrive in Pokémon GO. Zapdos Day is set for tomorrow (Saturday, July 21). According to the Pokémon Company website, the exact start time is 2 p.m. Eastern for anyone playing in the Americas. Once the event begins, you’ll only have three hours to catch a Zapdos. So make sure you’ve done everything you need to prepare beforehand. Once Zapdos Day actually starts, you’ll want to spin a photodisc and grab your five free raid passes, which will give you five chances to catch a Zapdos. If that’s not enough, or you just want to keep playing, you can also buy extra raid passes through the in-game Pokémon GO store. Even if you already have a Zapdos in your Pokédex, it’s worth noting that the version available during Zapdos Day will automatically come with Thundershock, a powerful attack that will make it a worthy addition to your arsenal. All these Zapdos also increases the odds that you’ll happen upon a shiny one, which is also a great motivation for any completionists out there. You still have a little over a full day to prepare for Zapdos Day in Pokémon GO. So you may want to use that time to plan your lineup (Zapdos is weak against Rock-types so try a Pokémon like Tyranitar or Golem) and make sure you’ve got some potions on hand. Finally, check in with a few of your Pokémon trainer friends to make sure you’ll have a Zapdos-catching squad at the ready once the big day finally arrives.<doc-sep>

Pokémon Go players around the world successfully completed the recent Global challenges and unlocked awesome in-game bonuses like double candy alongside a special Zapdos Community Day event on July 21. Similar to the Articuno Community Day event earlier this month, Pokémon Go players will be gifted five Raid Passes to take on at least five Zapdos that will appear in every Gym in the game. These Zapdos are not just a great opportunity to add a Legendary Pokémon to your Pokedex, but these Electric and Flying-type birds come with the special Thundershock quick attack. These Zapdos even have a chance to be shiny. Here's all the information Pokémon Go players will need to know about the Zapdos Community Day event including the start time and the best counters to use to take it down. START TIME Niantic has not confirmed the time range for the Zapdos Community Day, but if it's like the Articuno Day a few weeks back then trainers can expect it to last from 2-5 p.m. EDT. We will update once we get confirmation as to how long Zapdos will appear in Raids. SHINY ZAPDOS Like other Community Day events, Pokémon Go players will have a chance to catch a Shiny Zapdos in one of the Raids starting July 21. Battle alongside friends during these Raids and, if you're lucky, the Zapdos that appears for you to capture will be in its Shiny form. BEST COUNTERS TO TAKE DOWN ZAPDOS Zapdos is a Tier 5 Raid Boss in Pokémon Go, and as such it will be hard to take down. This Legendary Bird is an Electric and Flying-type Pokémon so it's only weaknesses are Ice and Rock attacks. However, many Ice-type Pokémon also have the Water typing, which makes them weak to Electric attacks. So we recommend not bringing in any Cloysters or Lapras into battle with Zapdos. There aren't many Pokémon with the fire power or attacks to take down Zapdos in a timely fashion, so you may have to rely on Pokémon that take and deal neutral hits like Dragonite and Salamence. Here are the best counters to go against Zapdos in Pokémon Go: Tyranitar - Smackdown and Stone Edge Golem - Rock Throw and Stone Edge Salamence - Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor Dragonite - Dragon Tail and Outrage Piloswine - Ice Shard and Avalanche How are you preparing for the Zapdos Pokémon Go Community Day? Which Pokémon are you bringing into battle? Let us know in the comments section below.

Before, playing one snap of Division I football would have claimed a season of eligibility. But a change to that rule will now allow for some breathing room. Four games, to be exact. A new policy adopted this week by the NCAA will allow student-athletes playing football at the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision levels to play in four games in a season without using a season of competition. It will begin this fall, with the 2018 season, wiping away the need for schools to petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt if a player had already played in a game. Previously, that rule allowed players to obtain a medical redshirt if they played in four games or less than 30 percent of their games that season. Currently, Division I student-athletes have five years to play four seasons. The NCAA also adopted a new policy this week that prevents schools from telling student-athletes where they can and can't transfer to. "The change promotes not only fairness for college athletes, but also their health and well-being," said Miami (Florida) athletic director Blake James, who doubles as the chair of the Division I council. "Redshirt football student-athletes are more likely to remain engaged with the team, and starters will be less likely to feel pressured to play through the injuries. Coaches will appreciate the additional flexibility and ability to give younger players an opportunity to participate in limited competition." More often than not, schools will redshirt freshman football players, giving them the opportunity to acclimate to the college way of life and playbook. Under the new rule, that could continue but coaches will have the opportunity to play freshmen in up to four games during their first year on campus. To help prevent potential loopholes, the NCAA says mid-year enrollees who play in bowl games before or during their first term at a school will not be eligible. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh brought this subject up in December, when asked whether wide receiver Tarik Black would play in the Outback Bowl. Black played in the first four games of the season in 2017 before suffering a broken foot, an injury that kept him sidelined the rest of the way. If he played in one more game, he would not have been eligible for a medical redshirt. "I really think that is a good dialogue to be having right now," Harbaugh said. "Freshman players who have redshirted up to this point could still play in a bowl game and still be a redshirted player and have their five-year clock. "Even if some senior players decide it's not in their best interest to play in a bowl game, what a wonderful thing it would be to play some of the freshman in that bowl game and not lose their redshirt year." Now, coaches will be able to.<doc-sep>The two changes enacted Wednesday by the NCAA’s Division I Council are notable in their intent to improve the college experience of the student-athlete, and despite the need for additional modifications – more on that in a moment – should be highlighted for streamlining what had long been two of college football’s most unwieldy topics. The first deals with transfers, ending a protracted series of conversations among administrators about handling what some coaches have termed an epidemic: The growing number of players, especially at quarterback, who transfer at least once in a five-year span. That trend won’t change, and might even grow with Wednesday’s change. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The idea of transferring has been demonized, mostly by coaches motivated by the cause of self-preservation. The reality: Limiting opportunities for transfers was just another way the NCAA model had let down student-athletes. The new rule simplifies the process and addresses the ultimate unfairness of the previous model, which allowed coaches, schools and even conferences to limit a student-athlete’s next destination. Transfers may now leave without asking their current school for permission. Under this new “notification-of-transfer” model, student-athletes will have their names entered into a national database, and coaches from other programs can then reach out to gauge interest. In other words, the power now rests in the right hands: with the student-athlete, not the program which previously had the option of placing stringent and unfair limits on which schools the transfer could consider. The Division I Council did warn that conferences can still place limitations “that are more restrictive than the national rule.” That’s unfortunate. The new rule should be universal – meaning every league should allow transfers without any limitations. But it’s a start. The second rule is nearly groundbreaking in how it reforms the redshirt standard. Previously, players were given five years to complete four seasons of eligibility – meaning one of those seasons had to be spent without participating in any games, often during a student-athlete’s first year on campus. The same four-in-five timeline exists, only with a catch: Players can now participate in up to four games in a season and still retain that year of eligibility, a change that promotes “fairness for college athletes,” said Miami (Fla.) athletics director Blake James, chair of the Division I Council. Here’s an example. A true freshman steps on campus. In previous years, he might spend his first year doing all the work – practice, film study, conditioning – without the payoff; the year will be spent holding a dummy for juniors and seniors and biding his time. Now, this true freshman will be able to see time in four games while still earning that redshirt season. On paper, it’s a win for everyone. It’ll keep players involved, even motivated by the possibility of playing time at some point during the season. It could help with development. You can make the case that the change will help individual teams, in the same way baseball’s September call-up period gives a boost to bullpens and benches – teams get deeper for having an additional handful or more of freshmen sitting in reserve, if only for a few games. You could even make the case that the change will trim the number of national transfers, if only slightly. It goes back to the idea that players will be more involved and invested while wearing a redshirt, and therefore less likely to look for the exit. The rule does favor the elite, though nearly all rules do. Take Alabama, which four times in 2018 – say, against LSU and Auburn, in the SEC title game and in a bowl game – can trot out a group of big-time recruits to bolster its roster. In other words, the most talented teams in the country can get an injection of even more talent four times a year. The same benefit won’t necessarily extend to the Group of Five, or even those Power Five teams outside the national picture. Alabama can get better during those four games; others will simply use that time for player development. It’s still a win for student-athletes and also a win for coaches, who were vocal on both the Power Five and Group of Five level in their support of the rule change. That should be somewhat worrisome: Rules that are good for coaches and individual programs are often not the same for student-athletes. And there are potential issues here within each rule. The council’s admitted lack of continuity across conferences regarding transfers leaves one major box unchecked in fully reforming transfer regulations. It’s unfortunate to get this far without enacting changes that are uniform across the Football Bowl Subdivision. The transfer rule also doesn’t go far enough: The council should next create a rule allowing qualified student-athletes – those who reach a certain GPA or a more standardized academic benchmark – to transfer without a one-year penalty, as in the case with the existing rule regarding graduate transfers. The potential for misuse of the new redshirt rule does exist, though the likelihood of any profound negatives arising from the change is far outweighed by the positives. Yes, a coach could see a student-athlete in limited action as a rookie and decide he’s not worthy of the scholarship. And yes, another major-conference program could see a player in short bursts of action on the Group of Five level and reach out to gauge his interest in transferring. But that’s going to happen anyway. Both rules represent a step forward. Most of all, they indicate at least some move on the NCAA’s part toward evening the playing field. For too long, rules have leaned toward the schools. The transfer rule in particular places some power in the hands of the student-athlete. IMAGES FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL SPRING PRACTICES<doc-sep>

The NCAA's Division I Council handed down two rather sizable changes to current models on Wednesday. Starting Oct. 15, Division I student-athletes will be able to transfer to a new school and receive a scholarship without permission from their current institution, a move made to stop schools from blocking player transfers. Also, beginning this season, Division I football players will be able to participate in up to four games in one season without losing a year of eligibility. The new transfer rule allows a player to inform his or her school of an intention to transfer. From there, a school has two business days to place that student-athlete in a new "national transfer database." Coaches from other institutions are then able to contact that student-athlete once their name is placed in the database. Per the NCAA, conferences are still allowed to implement more restrictive rules within their own league. The idea behind the new rule is to stop Division I coaches from blocking transfers or limiting destinations when a student-athlete wants to leave for another school. It's designed to create more transparency within the process and allow players to inform other schools they're looking for a new home. No further changes to the transfer model were discussed, as undergraduate transfers are required to sit out a year before gaining eligibility. Graduate transfers are still allowed to gain immediate eligibility elsewhere upon receiving their diploma. Players still have five years to finish four years of eligibility. In addition, any transfer tampering with a current student-athlete who is not in the database will be deemed a Level 2 NCAA violation. Elsewhere, the DI council also announced a new policy that will allow football players to get on the field for up to four games in one season without losing a full year of eligibility as a result. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh went on record in favor of this policy last December. "I think that's a real good discussion and dialogue to be having right now," Harbaugh said before the Outback Bowl. "(If that passed), freshmen players who redshirted up to this point would still be able to play in a bowl game and still be a redshirted player. Right now, if we play anybody in a bowl game they'd lose their redshirt year. "If you counted that as the first or second or third game they've played in and it doesn't burn their redshirt year, I think that'd be best for all players concerned." The new rule gives coaches some flexibility to get younger players onto the field without losing their extra year. Previously, if a player was on the field for one snap (and finished the year healthy), his redshirt was burned. Medical redshirts were a different situation, as players who saw action in three games or 30 percent of their team's season were eligible for medical reasons. Now, a player can keep that redshirt year if injuries or "other factors" limit them from playing in more than four games. Contact Nick Baumgardner: nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBaumgardner. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!

The clock ticked right past the 7:20 p.m. scheduled kickoff time and the two teams had yet to step on the field to begin their pregame stretches, drills, and rituals. Lightning and rain in the surrounding Tallahassee area once again foreshadowed an evening that was soon to be full of frustration for the second time this week. Around 7:30 p.m., a new kickoff time of 8:45 p.m. was announced to the unsuspecting crowd of 72,239; who collectively mustered up resounding boos and sighs of frustration in response to the unfavorable delay. Florida State elected to receive the ball and was quickly forced to punt away their first possession. The Samford Bulldogs opened their drive with a one play 54-yard touchdown pass that left the whole stadium shocked, stunned, and silenced. The ‘Noles caught a break when Samford fumbled the snap on the ensuing extra point and failed to convert. With 12:19 still left in the first quarter, Florida State’s Khalan Laborn was set to return the kickoff for Florida State. His 21-yard return ended in tragedy when he was brought down with what appeared to be a nasty left leg injury. Doak Campbell Stadium went eerily silent as Florida State fans held their breath in response to Laborn being carted off the field sporting an air cast. The Seminoles trudged forward with an uninspired drive and had to punt the ball away once again. Samford’s next drive consisted of significant penalties committed by the Florida State defense that ultimately made the ’Noles pay. Demarcus Christmas finally made a huge play for a TFL, only to have it negated seconds later with a face mask, resulting in the chains to be moved to the Seminoles 15-yard line. Stanford Samuels added to Florida State’s penalty woes two plays later with a pass interference call that brought Samford right to the Seminoles 2-yard line. The very next play resulted in a Samford touchdown and a good extra point by the Bulldogs, causing Florida State to trail 13-0 with 7:49 left in the first quarter. Florida State’s following drive looked to finally head in a positive direction. A huge 24-yard grab by wide receiver Keith Gavin appeared to bring Florida State into Bulldog territory, but the play was challenged and resulted in a reverse in the ruling; the pass was incomplete. The Florida State offensive line continued to get destroyed by the Samford defense and the ’Noles were forced to punt. The big question of the night: Who would finally spark some spirit into the FSU offense? George. Campbell. That’s who. The former 5-star recruit whose past three seasons have ended in injury received back-to-back 10-yard and 26-yard passes that brought the ’Noles right inside Samford territory. The drive ended with an outstanding 27-yard one-handed grab by redshirt Freshman Tamorrion Terry and gave the Seminoles their first touchdown of the season shortening their deficit 13-7. Feeding off of the offense’s energy, the Florida State defense was able to make some important stops for the first time of the night, forcing Samford to settle for a field goal attempt. The attempt was good and for the second time of the game, Samford led the Seminoles by two scores, 16-7. At the start of the second quarter, Florida State’s next drive ended with a correct rush read option to the right by Deondre Francois that allowed him to easily walk into the end zone without a single Samford defender in sight. A good extra point kicked by Aguayo allowed Florida State to close the gap a bit more, 16-14. Florida State’s A.J. Westbrook almost caught an interception that was thrown directly to him, but he couldn’t hang on. He redeemed himself five plays later and caught a pass tipped by Asante Samuel Jr and returned it for 33 yards to the Samford 48-yard line. In response, the ’Noles on the sideline toted out a Gucci backpack to place on Westbrook’s back in celebration of his interception. It was later explained that this was the defense’s way of saying the Seminoles were “putting it in their bag.” Florida State failed to capitalize on the turnover however and soon punted the ball away. Samford’s star quarterback Devlin Hodges continued to wreak havoc on the FSU secondary with his deep ball accuracy and beautiful floaters. The Bulldogs scored once again to put them ahead of Florida State 23-14 with 8:29 left to go in the second quarter. The FSU special teams continued to struggle when Aguayo missed a 40-yard FG attempt. Seconds later, Florida State’s Marvin Wilson forced the Bulldogs to fumble allowing Cyrus Fagan to recover and gave the ’Noles one more shot at ending the half on a high note. 2 plays, 25-yards and 25 second later, Francois connected with Tamorrion Terry for his second touchdown of the night, a 17-yard pass that ended the half with Francois scampering off to the sideline while clutching his wrist. He appeared to be fine shortly after as Florida State hit the locker room. Further chaos stormed down on to the field as the second half commenced and costly mistakes trickled down on both teams. A pair of turnovers were traded when RB Cam Akers fumbled on the FSU 35, and the Bulldogs recovered. Florida State CB Kyle Meyers made up for the turnover and intercepted Hodge’s pass three plays later. Errors continued to shower down as penalties when Deondre Francois’s sideline pass to Tamorrion Terry for 8 yards to the 50-yard line was negated after the FSU offense was called for holding and Samford’s Gooden was ejected for targeting. Francois’s deep 32-yard pass to Tre’ McKitty was ruled ineligible and followed by a missed opportunity for a huge gain by WR George Campbell. The Bulldogs appeared to spoil a comeback attempt by Florida State as the fourth quarter difficulties continued during an aggressive Samford drive. Kyle Meyers came in clutch once again with his second interception of the night right inside Samford’s own end zone. The interception attempted to revive Florida State and give them a fresh start from their own 25-yard line, but the Seminoles drove the ball down the field only to have Aguayo miss his second 42-yard field goal attempt of the night. FSU trailed the Bulldogs 23-21 with 9:59 left to go and the Florida State defense was able to hold Samford to another field goal. The Bulldogs extended their lead, 26-21, with 7:58 left in contention. The comeback The Seminoles began to stage their comeback and a 25-yard run by Akers recharged the Florida State offense. A pass interference call against the Bulldogs put Florida State on the Samford 19-yard line and was followed by another Akers 9-yard gain that ended with a Samford player “injured.” The unknown injury led to an unhappy response from the crowd that felt it was part of a scheme employed to damper the Seminoles new-found momentum. 3rd and 5 It didn’t work for the Bulldogs and Francois connected with TE Tre’ McKitty in the end zone to give Florida State their first lead of the season, 27-26. The 2-Point Conversion Francois’s pass to Noonie Murray was complete, and pushed Florida State ahead of the Bulldogs, 29-26. The successful 2-point conversion would be the first one for the Seminoles since November 2012. The Bulldogs attempt to pull off an upset of the ages Samford’s final drive is way too close for comfort after Hodges completed a 17-yard pass to Chris Shelling and put the Bulldogs in great field position on the FSU 33-yard line. The pick-6 FSU’s Levonta Taylor ended Samford’s fairy tale night a few seconds later when he intercepted a deep ball and returned it 63-yards for a Florida State touchdown. The final score The Florida State Seminoles held on mightily and finally put the game to rest, 36-26.<doc-sep>Florida State became the latest college team to join in the turnover craze in the Seminoles’ game against Samford. When senior defensive back A.J. Westbrook came down with an interception in the first half, he was awarded the “turnover backpack” on the sideline. Miami was the first team to award an object to a player following a turnover last season when the Hurricanes’ “turnover chain” took the nation by storm. Miami would finish the 2017 season with 31 total turnovers. The ’Canes just introduced a new turnover chain that features 4,000 stones and weighs 6.6 pounds. Since then, multiple college football programs have implemented turnover awards, with many varying in style. Kennesaw State has the “turnover plank,” while Boise State has the “turnover throne.” Although this is the first time that Florida State has had a turnover award, head coach Willie Taggart introduced the trend to his previous team when he was Oregon’s head coach in 2017. Although not as impressive as Miami’s pimped-out chain, Oregon had a similar turnover chain.<doc-sep>This evening against Samford, Florida State will honor legendary actor and former Seminole running back, Burt Reynolds. One of Reynolds’ most recognizable roles was in the classic Smokey and the Bandit, so the Seminoles will fittingly wear a helmet decal of the famous “BAN ONE” license plate that adorned the Bandit’s all-black Trans-Am. The Seminoles will honor "The Bandit" this Saturday with helmet decals. #DoSomething pic.twitter.com/eMFyRxXTMr — FSU Football (@FSUFootball) September 7, 2018 Following an injury that ended his football career, Reynolds was encouraged to pursue his Hollywood dreams by former roommate, and fellow FSU legend, Lee Corso. It was good advice, as Reynolds went on to be a staple in Hollywood blockbusters throughout the 1970’s and ultimately become one of the most recognizable and respected actors of all time. Before the fan-fare and game picks, Corso, A lifelong friend of Reynolds, remembered his friend in a touching segment on this morning’s edition of College GameDay. Lee Corso takes a minute to remember the life of Burt Reynolds, his close friend of 64 years. pic.twitter.com/HoRmOUF2Ir — College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 8, 2018 Even later in his career, Reynolds continued to have a strong connection to Florida State and his contributions to the university can not be overstated. Gone, but never forgotten. Rest easy, Bandit.<doc-sep>

Gameday Central Samford at Florida State 7:20 PM ET Watch: ACC Network (click for your channel) /WatchESPN Listen: ‘Nole Radio Network/Bulldog Radio Network Weather: For an early September kickoff, not bad weather this weekend. Less than 15% chance of rain. Mostly clear skies with temperatures hovering around 80 degrees. Wind will be 4 mph out of the south. The Spread: Florida State is favored by a lot. Check here for the rest of this weekends spreads. Game Coverage: Depth Chart Update, Injury Update, Uniform Update, Hidden History: Samford, Staff Predictions After checking out the spread and the staff predictions, this should NOT be a close game. This is usually the type of contest where we talk about “get the starters out early, rest guys and get them healthy, play some walk-ons.” But after last week’s debacle and the ineptitude on offense and finishing drives, look for Willie Taggart to keep the starters in for a while. There’s clearly A LOT to work on. But hey, there’s no reason to jump ship. Florida State’s inability to score in the red zone should not be expected often for a Taggart coached offense. The staff raved about how well the offense played during fall camp. Perhaps the Virginia Tech game was a one-off. Or perhaps nerves, expectations, and lack of live snaps, got the better of a new coach installing a new system. A game against an undermanned opponent might be exactly what the ‘Noles need to gain some confidence and get the season back on track. Virginia Tech at Florida State Game Thread Other Games: There’s plenty of other games on before the ‘Noles take the field to wet your appetite. Jason Kirk sorts out what to watch and when for you. Who should you be pulling for to win or lose? Read about that here. Early Games: Afternoon Games:

WWE Monday Night Raw for July 23 promised a "huge announcement" from Stephanie McMahon, a top contender's match between two big stars, and a match between a couple of international stars. FightfulWrestling.com and Fightful.com have learned many of the plans set for tonight's episode of WWE Raw. You can see some of them below. Related Article Satoshi Kojima To Face Joe Doering At IMPACT Against All Odds - Vince McMahon is set to return to Raw to kick off Stephanie McMahon and Triple H's announcement. - Elias on a stool on the stage - Tag Title Match: B-Team vs. Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt - Charly Caruso interviews Sasha Banks - Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Locals - Braun Strowman promo, KO, Corbin, Mahal interrupt - Natalya vs. Mickie James - AOP promo interrupted by Titus Worldwide - Tyler Breeze vs. Mojo Rawley - Drew McIntyre vs. Finn Balor - Rollins & Balor vs. Ziggler & McIntyre - Ember Moon vs. Liv Morgan - Top Contender Match: Bobby Lashley vs. Roman Reigns Fightful.com and FightfulWrestling.com will provide live coverage of tonight's WWE Monday Night Raw, complete with a post-show wrap-up podcast with more behind the scenes news. You can see more exclusives from Fightful.com at this link.<doc-sep>The latest episode of Monday Night RAW is airing tonight on the USA Network at 8:00 p.m. EST. Here’s a rundown of what’s happened so far: 11:00 – Reigns wins. He will face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. 10:45 – Both men trade huge blows, but Reigns has the advantage. He recovers from a hit by Lashley with a vicious right hook. He eventually nails a Superman Punch as Lashley heads towards him. He finishes him off with a spear for the win. Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley battle for SummerSlam opportunity: Raw, July 24, 2018The Big Dog takes on the powerhouse strength of Bobby Lashley, as the two dominant Superstars slug it out to challenge Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. Get your first month of WWE Network for FREE: wwenetwork.com Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Visit WWE.com: goo.gl/akf0J4 Must-See WWE videos on YouTube: goo.gl/QmhBof #SummerSlam #Raw 2018-07-24T04:02:07.000Z Bobby Lashley vs. Roman Reigns 10:45 – Moon wins. She stands tall as replays of the match play behind her. 10:42 – A relatively short match. Morgan downs Moon and attempts to go for the suplex, but Moon recovers and drops her face-first on the mat. She stands up and gets an easy pin. Ember Moon vs. Liv Morgan 10:40 – Backstage, Charley Caruso interviews Bobby Lashley. He says he’s at his best in big matches like this, and that Roman Reigns has already lost to Brock Lesnar twice, so he isn’t worried. 10:35 – Balor & Rollins win. Rollins pins a battered Ziggler. 10:33 – A brutal display on both sides. The momentum of the match is unclear up until its final moments, when Ziggler superkicks Rollins in the face and hits him with a close two count. Rollins is able to quickly recover and he pays Ziggler back by sending him through the ropes to the floor. Finn Balor & Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler 10:20 – Balor wins via DQ. After the crotch hit, the win automatically goes to Balor. After the bell, however, Seth Rollins appears and unloads on McIntyre, who is suddenly joined by Dolph Ziggler. 10:15 – Elias tries one more time to promote his album, but Ziggler interrupts him again. Once the match begins, McIntyre keeps control, hitting Balor with a close two count. Balor attempts a comeback, but he can’t keep from succumbing to brutal crotch hit from a frustrated McIntyre. Finn Bálor vs. Drew McIntyre: Raw, July 23, 2018WWE's first Universal Champion clashes with the imposing Drew McIntyre as Dolph Ziggler lurks at ringside. Get your first month of WWE Network for FREE: wwenetwork.com Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Visit WWE.com: goo.gl/akf0J4 Must-See WWE videos on YouTube: goo.gl/QmhBof #Raw 2018-07-24T03:58:14.000Z Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre 10:05 – Rawley wins. He stands tall to celebrate while the referee checks a floored Breeze. 10:00 – The announcers are joined by Booby Roode for this one. Breeze appears to get the upper hand early with a kick, but Rawley sticks him hard, and makes him pay for the rest of the match. Rawley eventually nails a sit-down Alabama Slam for the pin. Mojo Rawley vs. Tyler Breeze 9:55 – Kurt Angle comes out onto the stage with Stephanie McMahon. Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens also walk up. Owens says he wants to face Strowman at SummerSlam with the Money in the Bank briefcase on the line. Angle balks, but Stephanie likes the idea, and gives Owens his wish. 9:50 – After a commercial break, Elias is back onstage, trying to promote his new album. This time he’s interrupted by the Authors of Pain, however, who are quickly joined in the ring by Titus Worldwide. They talk smack to one another, but before anything physical happens, they are forced to clear the ring. 9:40 – James wins. With a little help from Bliss, she’s able to pin Natalya down. 9:35 – James gets Natalya down quickly, while RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss advises her from the sidelines. Natalya recovers and hits her with a suplex, but James regains control and takes her out with a clothesline pin. Mickie James vs. Natalya 9:23 – Mahal and Sunil Singh enter the ring. Mahal begins to taunt Strowman for being unable to do the breathing exercises he showed him, and the two big men get in each other’s faces. Strowman tosses Singh across the ring and raises his briefcase. Mahal retreats backstage. 9:20 – Corbin reminds Strowman that his actions towards Owens at Extreme Rules were legal, and how he’s also tried to help Strowman with his connections. Once more, an announcement is cut short by music. This time, it belongs to Jinder Mahal. 9:15 – Strowman gets into the ring and starts talking about tonight’s match between Bobby Lashley and Roman Reigns. Strowman raises the briefcase, but then Kevin Owens walks out. Owens is visibly upset, and says that he tried to befriend Strowman, but that he rejected him, and took away his dignity in the ring. Before he can finish his outburst, Corbin also comes out. 9:05 – Back from commercial break, and Elias is onstage. He announces that his debut album is now available for purchase, but he gets interrupted by Braun Strowman’s walkout music. Strowman comes out wielding his Money in the Bank case. 9:00 – Banks & Bayley win. They hug in the middle of the ring after their match is over. 8:55 – Bayley immediately takes control. After taking Simon and Lundy with some quick work, she tags Banks in to apply some double team action. Bayley delivers a knee to knock out her opponent and Banks applies the Banks Statement for the win. Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Samantha Simon & Karen Lundy 8:50 – Charly Caruso interviews Bayley and Sasha Banks. Caruso asks if they’re ready to work as a team again and Bayley says they their differences are what make them such an effective duo. They also talk about “Evolution,” and Banks says they are more than ready to be on the same stage. 8:45 – We cut to Finn Balor and Chad Gable backstage. They are talking about the “Evolution” PPV when someone walks up to Balor and tells him that Constable Baron Corbin has relocated his locker. The guy walks Balor over to a plastic playhouse for kids that’s decorated with one of Balor’s shirts. Balor shrugs off the slight, however, and a frustrated Corbin shows up before storming off. 8:40 – The B-Team wins. Axel rolls Hardy and Wyatt for an easy pin. After the match Axel and Dallas celebrate backstage, but their opponents attack them and leave them battered on the floor. 8:35 – Hardy and Wyatt come out looking strong, but the B-Team is able to regain control of the match after Bo Dallas manages to break a pin from Hardy. Wyatt tries to attack Dallas, but Dallas dodges the move and Wyatt accidentally falls onto Hardy. Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt vs. The B-Team 8:15 – The announcers reveal that the event will be held at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, and will feature the finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic plus three additional title matches: the RAW Women’s Title, the SmackDown Women’s Title, and the NXT Women’s Title. They then turn their attention to the matches set for tonight. Stephanie McMahon announces WWE Evolution: Raw, July 23, 2018WWE's first all-women pay-per-view event will take place on Sunday, Oct. 28, streaming live on WWE Network. Get your first month of WWE Network for FREE: wwenetwork.com Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Visit WWE.com: goo.gl/akf0J4 Must-See WWE videos on YouTube: goo.gl/QmhBof #RAW #WWEEvolution #Evolution 2018-07-24T00:55:55.000Z 8:10 – Triple H talks about how important nights like these can be to the sport, and asks that the female wrestlers in the ring step forward. Stephanie goes on to announce the “Evolution” event for October 28th, which will be the first ever all-women’s PPV event. Stephanie indicates that all 50 women on the roster will be involved, and the event will also include talent from the past. Everyone is given a standing ovation. 8:00 – The episode opens with the entire WWE roster onstage.<doc-sep>The latest episode of Monday Night RAW is currently airing on the USA Network. Here’s what’s happened so far: 11:00 – Lesnar asks Angle if he has a problem with him, but before he can respond, Lesnar hits the F-5. Heyman thanks Brock for coming out, but Lesnar grabs him by the face and pushes him to the mat. The show ends with Lesnar leaving Heyman laying in the ring. 10:58 – After the break, Angle and Corbin come out to the ring. Heyman informs them that Angle that Lesnar still refuses to come out to the ring. Angle says his contract is terminated, but then Lesnar’s music hits and he walks out to the ring. 10:55 – Bayley & Banks win. 10:53 – Bayley and Banks take command early on, but the Riott Squad puts them to the test. Banks takes Logan her out with a Meteora before she’s able to break up the pin at the last second. Bayley gets tagged back in and they hit a combo backstabber for the pin. The Riott Squad vs. Bayley & Sasha Banks 10:37 – The Revival wins. They earn a potential shot at the title. 10:33 – Hardy handles Dawson with ease before Wyatt gets tagged into the ring. Hardy tags back in and gets a two count. The Revival get the upper hand and they manage to turn the tables. The Revival vs. Deleters of World 10:26 – Hardy and Wyatt call themselves the B-Team’s nightmares come to life. Then, the Revival’s music hits and they march down to the ring. They say that they deserve a shot at the title, and a fight looks as though its about to break out before Axel and Dallas exit. Hardy and Wyatt send The Revival out of the ring. 10:22 – Charly Caruso welcomes Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas to the ring for an interview. Dallas dubs their fans the B-Teammates and thanks them for their support. Tey also call Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt sore losers, before the lights go out and the duo appears in front of them. 10:17 – Backstage, Angle is shown telling Reigns he has to leave the building before Lesnar enters the ring. 10:15 – Rollins wins via disqualification. He manages to fight off Ziggler and escape the ring. 10:10 – Rollins and McIntyre give it their all. After McIntyre subjects Rollins to a brutal beating, the latter hit two suicide dives in a row and slams McIntyre into the exposed ring apron. Rollins then nails him with a superkick. Out of nowhere, McIntyre’s partner, Dolph Ziggler, enters the ring and attacks Rollins. Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre 9:50 – Crews wins. He rolls Akam up for a surprising pin. 9:45 – Akam takes Crews down by the legs early on. He tosses Crews across the ring a few times, but Crews is able to recover with a few hard hits to the body. He then hits a standing moonsault for a quick two count. Akam tries to fight back, but Crews is able to roll him up. Apollo Crews vs. Akam: Raw, July 30, 2018Titus Worldwide's rivalry with The Authors of Pain escalates as Apollo Crews takes on Akam in hard-hitting singles action. #RAW GET YOUR 1st MONTH of WWE NETWORK for FREE: wwenetwork.com ——————————————————————— Follow WWE on YouTube for more exciting action! ——————————————————————— Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Check out WWE.com for news and updates: goo.gl/akf0J4 Find… 2018-07-31T02:52:02.000Z Apollo Crews vs. Akam 9:34 – Mahal wins. He gets the victory by countout while Strowman marches back to the ring. Backstage, Angle gets a call from Stephanie McMahon. It appears to be about Lesnar. 9:30 – Mahal seems reluctant to engage Strowman, who knocks him down instantly. Kevin Owens appears, however, and grabs the Money in the Bank briefcase from Strowman. The Big Man chases after Owens, who tosses the case to Sunil Singh before running away. Braun Strowman vs. Jinder Mahal: Raw, July 30, 2018Kevin Owens puts his hands on Braun Strowman's Money in the Bank briefcase as The Monster Among Men battles Jinder Mahal. #RAW GET YOUR 1st MONTH of WWE NETWORK for FREE: wwenetwork.com ——————————————————————— Follow WWE on YouTube for more exciting action! ——————————————————————— Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Check out WWE.com for news and updates:… 2018-07-31T02:23:39.000Z Jinder Mahal vs. Braun Strowman 9:24 – We come back from the break to see Elias in the ring. He plugs his new album and his documentary airing on the WWE Network right after RAW. Elias mocks Miami for liking Pitbull and The Rock. Before he plays, however, Bobby Lashley interrupts him. Elias agrees to play a song with Lashley for one night only. Elias decides to ambush Lashley from behind. 9:12 – Backstage, Heyman is shown trying to convince Brock Lesnar to appear for the crowd. Lesnar orders him to go get a steak. 9:10 – Fox wins. Rousey chases after Bliss, who hit Natalya with a cheap shot during the match, but she decides to attack Fox instead, but Fox fights back and throws Rousey into the barricade. 9:00 – They quickly lock up and Natalya takes Fox down in a headlock. Fox recovers and traps Natalya with a northern lights suplex for a two count. She turns and taunts Rousey, who watches from outside the ring. Fox nails Natalya with a big boot and pins her. Returning Ronda Rousey brawls with Alicia Fox and Alexa Bliss: Raw, July 30, 2018The Queen of Harts tangles with The Foxy One as Ronda Rousey and Alexa Bliss look on from ringside. #RAW GET YOUR 1st MONTH of WWE NETWORK for FREE: wwenetwork.com ——————————————————————— Follow WWE on YouTube for more exciting action! ——————————————————————— Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Check out WWE.com for news and updates: goo.gl/akf0J4 Find… 2018-07-31T01:52:38.000Z Alicia Fox vs. Natalya 8:55 – Alexa Bliss is trying to be friendly to Alicia Fox backstage, but they don’t seem to hit it off. We cut back to the arena to see Ronda Rousey and Natalya entering the ring. 8:50 – We cut backstage to show RAW general manager Kurt Angle talking to Heyman. He says he’ll be fired if he can’t get his client to appear in front of the crowd. 8:45 – Corbin wins. He continues to attack Balor after the match is over, and slams his head against a barricade with his elbow. Finn Bálor vs. Constable Baron Corbin: Raw, July 30, 2018WWE's first Universal Champion clashes with The Constable in a WWE Extreme Rules rematch. GET YOUR 1st MONTH of WWE NETWORK for FREE: wwenetwork.com ——————————————————————— Follow WWE on YouTube for more exciting action! ——————————————————————— Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Check out WWE.com for news and updates: goo.gl/akf0J4 Find the latest Superstar gear at WWEShop:… 2018-07-31T01:45:39.000Z 8:40 – Corbin gets an early jump on Balor and puts him into submission. He levels Balor and lands a close two count. Balor is able to get back up, however, and counters with a powerbomb and a double stomp. He knocks Corbin out of the ring. Balor continues to attack, and sets up for the Coup de Grace, but Corbin recovers and hits the End of Days for the win. Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin 8:16 – Back from commercial break, and Lesnar and Heyman are arguing backstage. Lesnar throws Heyman’s phone against the wall before going back to reading the magazine in his hand. We cut back to the arena to show Constable Baron Corbin entering the ring. Brock Lesnar refuses to appear before the WWE Universe: Raw, July 30, 2018Roman Reigns is ready for a fight before SummerSlam, but The Beast Incarnate won't leave his private locker room. GET YOUR 1st MONTH of WWE NETWORK for FREE: wwenetwork.com ——————————————————————— Follow WWE on YouTube for more exciting action! ——————————————————————— Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: bit.ly/1i64OdT Check out WWE.com for news and updates: goo.gl/akf0J4 Find the… 2018-07-31T01:19:09.000Z 8:08 – Reigns grabs the microphone and tries to get the crowd to cheer for him. He talks about how Lesnar never shows up and that he doesn’t respect the fans. Lesnar’s representative Paul Heyman comes out to defend him.<doc-sep>

With a stock price dipping below $80 and rumors of legends and celebrities who could be in town for the Miami July 30, 2018 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, the company has confirmed one "Beast" will be around. Brock Lesnar is set for tonight's WWE Raw, but Fightful.com has learned of several other plans in order for the show, which you can check out below. Related Article Knockouts Championship Match Set For IMPACT Against All Odds - WWE Raw will kick off with "in memory" graphics for both Nikolai Volkoff and Brian Christopher. - Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman are shown backstage. - Roman Reigns cuts a promo in the ring, and is interrupted by Paul Heyman. - Shots backstage of Ronda Rousey & Natalya, then of Seth Rollins, then of Brock Lesnar in his dressing room. - Finn Balor vs. Constable Corbin - Kurt Angle talks to Paul Heyman backstage. - Natalya vs. Alicia Fox (with Alexa Bliss and Ronda Rousey at ringside). This leads to a segment with a fired up Rousey & Natalya with Kurt Angle backstage. Ronda Rousey will be announced for a match against Alicia Fox for next week. - Elias performance interrupted by Bobby Lashley - Braun Strowman vs. Jinder Mahal - Apollo Crews vs. Akam - Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre, Renee Young will interview Rollins backstage later. - The show will be very heavy on backstage and locker room shots. - The B-Team are interrupted by The Revival, which leads to the Deleter Of Worlds vs. The Revival, with B-Team on commentary - Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Riott Squad - Kurt Angle, Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar promo closes the show. Also set for next week's Raw will be Bobby Roode vs. Mojo Rawley. Fightful.com and FightfulWrestling.com will provide live coverage of tonight's WWE Monday Night Raw, complete with a post-show wrap-up podcast with more behind the scenes news. You can see more exclusives from Fightful.com at this link.

He called it a "provocation against the political way out of the conflict". He also wrote that the attack was a ploy to ruin the chances of a peace agreement between the government and the smaller ELN.<doc-sep>At least ten people have been killed and dozens injured after a car bomb exploded at a police station in Bogota, Colombia's capital. Ambulances and helicopters rushed to the General Santander national police academy, the normaly tightly-guarded target of the attack. Images posted on social media showed a charred and burning vehicle surrounded by debris. The police barracks buildings nearby are pockmarked with damage from the blast and have shattered windows. The death toll, reported by the defence ministry, currently stands at ten, and the Bogota health ministry said a further 54 people were injured. Residents of Bogota have been asked to donate blood at four points across the capital to help doctors treating the scores of wounded. No-one has yet claimed responsibility for today’s bombing, but leftist rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN) group have stepped up attacks on police in Colombia in recent months as peace talks with the president Ivan Duque have stalled. Last week the ELN rejected Mr Duque’s demands for a unilateral ceasefire before negotiations in Havana resume. The Cuban-inspired insurgency had been a minor player but stepped up its operations after the main guerilla group, FARC, disarmed in 2016. Mr Duque, who had been visiting a western state of Colombia, announced shortly after the explosion he would be immediately returning to Bogota because of what he called an “miserable act of terrorism” against the police. There is now a huge security presence at the police barracks (AFP) “All Colombians reject terrorism and are united in confronting it,” he tweeted, adding he had ordered every effort to be made to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. “Colombia is saddened but does not bow before this violence.” World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut.<doc-sep>Security forces and rescue personnel work at the scene of an explosion Thursday in Bogota, Colombia. (CNN) — At least 20 people were killed Thursday after a car bomb detonated in the Colombian capital of Bogota, according to the country’s National Police. Police said 68 others were injured in the blast, which occurred outside the Gen. Santander National Police Academy. Cablenoticias Rubble litters the ground after an apparent suicide attack at a Colombian police academy Thursday. A high-ranking police official told CNN that the explosion appeared to be the result of a suicide attack. The perpetrator, identified as José Aldemar Rojas Rodríguez, also died in the attack, police said in a statement. Attorney General Nestor Humberto Martinez said Rojas Rodriguez allegedly had approximately 80 kilograms of explosives when he entered the police academy forcibly. Rojas Rodríguez rammed a vehicle onto the grounds of the academy at full speed and ignored calls to stop, according to police. CNN affiliate Cablenoticias showed the area outside the police cadet school cordoned off. JUAN BARRETO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images People evacuate the area near Bogota's Gen. Santander National Police Academy after the blast Thursday. President Ivan Duque condemned the attack as terrorism and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. He later visited the scene, where he ordered the police and armed forces to “determine who the people behind this vile attack are.” He also proclaimed a three-day period of mourning. “From the moment of the events we have provided assistance and accompaniment to families. To all of them I send my love, my gratitude,” he said. JUAN BARRETO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images Colombian President Ivan Duque walks to a news conference at the police cadet training school in Bogota after a car bomb attack at the academy. Both Duque and the attorney general said an investigation is underway to identify any others behind the attack but did not provide further details. One of the police cadets killed was a 21-year-old woman from Ecuador who was studying at the academy, Ecuador President Lenín Moreno said. The US Embassy earlier issued a warning on its official Twitter account to Americans in Bogota, referring to a “security incident” and advising people to monitor local media and police sources for more information. CNN en Español’s Ana Melgar and Fernando Ramos, CNN’s Clara Lopez, AJ Davis and journalist Stefano Pozzebon contributed to this report.<doc-sep>

Bogotá car bomb: Colombia blames ELN rebels for deadly explosion Published 18 January 2019 image copyright Reuters image caption The explosion outside a police academy shocked the Colombian capital Colombia has blamed the left-wing National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group for a car bomb attack that killed 21 people in the capital, Bogotá. Dozens more were injured in Thursday's blast after an explosives-laden vehicle broke into the grounds of a police academy before it detonated. The driver, who was also killed, has been identified as a 57-year-old man. President Ivan Duque put peace talks with the ELN on hold when he took power in 2018. Any restart to the negotiations is unlikely following the attack, the deadliest in the country in many years, correspondents say. What has the government said? The driver, named earlier as José Aldemar Rojas Rodríguez, was a long-time ELN member and the group's top explosives expert, Defence Minister Guillermo Botero said. The suspect, known by his war alias "El Mocho" or "Kiko", had lost his right hand in an accident with an explosive and was based in the northern department of Arauca, from where he frequently crossed into Venezuela. "This was an operation that has been planned for the past 10 months," Mr Botero said, adding that the guerrillas were the "intellectual authors" behind the driver's attack. A second man who had "participated" in the carrying out of the attack was arrested in Bogotá, Attorney General Néstor Humberto Martínez said. image copyright EPA image caption A vigil was held in Bogotá on Thursday to honour the victims President Duque, who visited the site of the explosion on Thursday, described the attack as a "crazy terrorist act". "We won't rest until we capture and bring to justice the terrorists involved," he said. "Colombians have never yielded to terrorism, we have always defeated it. This will not be an exception." Colombia's High Commissioner for Peace Miguel Ceballos said there would be "no space for dialogue with the ELN until they hand over all the kidnapped people and completely renounce their criminal acts." What do we know about the explosion? The grey Nissan Patrol entered the compound of the General Santander police academy in the south of Bogotá where a promotion ceremony for cadets was being held. When the car was stopped by guards at a checkpoint, the driver accelerated and hit a wall, at which point the vehicle exploded. The vehicle was carrying 80kg (176lb) of the powerful explosive pentolite, which has been used in the past by Colombia's rebel guerrilla groups. The blast at 09:30 local time (14:30 GMT) shattered windows of nearby buildings. image copyright EPA image caption The explosion happened outside a school for police cadets Twenty of the victims were police cadets aged between 17 and 22, Mr Botero said. At least 68 people were injured but the majority of those have since been discharged from hospital. Who are the ELN rebels? image copyright Getty Images image caption The group has been fighting the Colombian state for more than five decades The 2,000-strong guerrilla group was founded in 1964 to fight against Colombia's unequal distribution of land and riches, inspired by the Cuban revolution of 1959 Over the decades, the group has attacked large landholders and multinational companies, and repeatedly blown up oil pipelines To finance itself it has resorted to extortion, kidnappings and drug trafficking It has been strongest in rural areas What's the current situation in Colombia? Car bombs were not uncommon during the decades-long conflict between the Colombian government and left-wing rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc). But an explosion of a car bomb of this size is something that has not happened in a long time in Bogotá and it took the city by surprise, BBC Mundo Colombia correspondent Boris Miranda reports. Colombia has significantly reduced bomb attacks and murders in recent years but the attack shows that it is a continuing fear for citizens, our correspondent adds. The Farc signed a peace agreement with the government in November 2016 and the group has since become a political party of the same name. The party's leader, Pastor Alape, condemned the attack., calling it a "provocation against the political way out of the conflict". Peace talks between the smaller ELN and the previous government of President Juan Manuel Santos stalled, and President Duque, who takes a more hardline approach to the group, has not resumed them. Related Topics Bogota Colombia

Detroit Red Wings (0-5-2, two points) vs. Florida Panthers (1-2-2, four points) When: 7 p.m. Where: BB&T Center, Sunrise, Fla. TV: Fox Sports Detroit. Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; other radio affiliates). Will Wings ever win: The Wings are the last winless team in the NHL after the Panthers earned their first victory of the season with a 6-5 shootout in Washington Friday. The Panthers, though, have earned a point in each of their past four home games against Detroit (2-0-2). More on the Red Wings: Mailbag: Should Michael Rasmussen go back to juniors? Awful start in 2018-19 could always be worse Wings may face tough decision on Jeff Blashill if losing snowballs Sizing up the Panthers: Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau each contributed three points Friday. Trocheck leads the Panthers with seven points in five games while Evgenii Dadonov has a team-high three goals. The Panthers average 3.4 goals per game but allow an average of 3.8. The Wings average 2.14 goals per game (27th in the NHL) and have an NHL-worst 4.57 goals-allowed average. Winged wheel watch: The Wings need more out of Thomas Vanek (one goal in seven games) and maybe playing the Panthers will get him going – he’s the Wings’ leading career scorer against Florida (22 goals, 13 assists in 43 games). Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson is expected to play his first game of the season after being sidelined by an upper-body injury. Twitter updates Live updates for mobile users.<doc-sep>WHEN: 7:00 p.m. ET - LBC GameThread right here at 6:30ish 7:00 p.m. ET - LBC GameThread right here at 6:30ish WHERE: BB&T Center - Sunrise, FL BB&T Center - Sunrise, FL ON THE TUBE: FOX Sports Florida, FOX Sports Detroit FOX Sports Florida, FOX Sports Detroit ON THE DIAL: 560 WQAM (D/B), 640 WMEN (PB), 1370 WAXE (TC), Thunder 100.3 (Keys) 560 WQAM (D/B), 640 WMEN (PB), 1370 WAXE (TC), Thunder 100.3 (Keys) SOCIALS: #FlaPanthers, #LGRW, #DETvsFLA, @LitterBoxCats, LBC FaceBook #FlaPanthers, #LGRW, #DETvsFLA, @LitterBoxCats, LBC FaceBook ENEMY INTEL: Winging It In Motown Winging It In Motown FLA IN SEASON SERIES: Game 1 of 4 (0-0-0) Game 1 of 4 (0-0-0) LAST MEETING: @ FLA 3, DET 2 - (Recap) - 2/3/2018 @ FLA 3, DET 2 - (Recap) - 2/3/2018 NEXT MEETING: December 22, 2018 December 22, 2018 PROJECTED STARTERS: Hutchinson (1-0-1 .838/3.71 0SO) vs Howard (0-3-2 .893/3.57 0SO) Hutchinson (1-0-1 .838/3.71 0SO) vs (0-3-2 .893/3.57 0SO) PLAYER STATS: Florida / Detroit Scouting Report (Courtesy of Stats LLC) Defenseman Mike Matheson will be back in the lineup on Saturday night when the Florida Panthers play host to the Detroit Red Wings. Matheson missed the past two games after he was suspended by the NHL for his check on Vancouver Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson, who suffered a concussion on the play. ”It was an unfortunate sequence of events,” Matheson said. “The first thing I thought of after the game was if he was OK. That was my main concern, and it still is, but it sounds like he is doing better. That’s great to hear.” Matheson said he and Pettersson exchanged text messages. Matheson, who had never previously been suspended by the NHL, said he apologized to Pettersson. ”As a player, you don’t go around trying to injure guys,” Matheson said. “That’s not part of my game.” Matheson will return Saturday to a joyous team as the Panthers (1-2-2) came up with a huge road win on Friday night, beating the reigning Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals 6-5 in a four-round shootout. It was Florida’s first win of the season. Meanwhile, the Red Wings (0-5-2), who have won 11 Stanley Cup titles -- more than any other U.S.-based team -- are off to a dreadful start. They have been outscored 33-15 in seven games. Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, who stopped 28 of 30 shots against Tampa Bay on Thursday, including all nine on the power play, is the likely starter on Saturday. Howard, a 34-year-old who is in the final year of his contract, was probably Detroit’s best player last season, posting a 2.85 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. This season, Howard has a 3.57 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage, but the Wings are off to one of the worst starts in franchise history, similar to 0-8-1 in 1985-86. ”It’s not fun, that’s for sure,” Howard told NHL.com. “But we’ve got to keep moving along. We’ve had a better effort the past couple of games.” Wings coach Jeff Blashill agreed with Howard that progress is being made. ”But I still think we are passing up chances to shoot the puck,” said Blashill, who is in the final season of a four-year contract. “We have to get that figured out.” The Wings, who last season missed the playoffs for the second year in a row -- the first time that has happened to Detroit since 1983 -- are short of quality, proven defensemen. Center Dylan Larkin, 22, is the team’s biggest rising star. He is a huge part of Detroit’s future, along with other under-25 forwards (Tyler Bertuzzi, Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha, Christoffer Ehn and Michael Rasmussen). In addition, three of Detroit’s top six defensemen are rookies: Filip Hronek, Joe Hicketts and Dennis Cholowski. Those rookies will face a high-flying Panthers offense that has averaged exactly four goals for the past four games. That includes a game against the Philadelphia Flyers in which Florida fell behind 5-2 but rallied to force overtime before losing 6-5 in a shootout. Saturday in the Atlantic (Standings/Panthers Playoff Chances): BUFFALO (3--0 6P) at Los Angeles (2--1 5P) 3:30 p.m. St. Louis (1-3-2 4P) at TORONTO (6-2-0 12P) 7:00 p.m MONTREAL (3-1-1 9P) at OTTAWA (3-2-1 7P) 7:00 p.m TAMPA BAY (4-1-0 P) at Minnesota (3-2-2 8P) 8:00 p.m. BOSTON (4-2-1 9P) at Vancouver (4-3-0 8P) 10 p.m. Panthers, SoFla Media & Loyal Opposition on the Tweets<doc-sep>We haven’t seen any updates for the Red Wings lineups from the diggers, so we’ll go with the starting lineups from the Tampa game. As for what they will look like ten minutes in, your guess is as good as ours. Florida lines are from Daily Faceoff. Michael Hutchinson is your projected starter for Florida, although it’s not certain. Also, Michael Matheson is back in the lineup after serving two games for Rock Bottoming Elias Pettersson, concussing the young breakout star forward. UPDATE: Here are the lineups from the Red Wings Twitter account. Projected Lineups Forwards Darren Helm — Dylan Larkin — Gustav Nyquist Tyler Bertuzzi — Frans Nielsen — Andreas Athanasiou Michael Rasmussen — Luke Glendening — Justin Abdelkader Thomas Vanek — Christoffer Ehn — Anthony Mantha Defense Dennis Cholowski — Trevor Daley Filip Hronek - Jonathan Ericsson Niklas Kronwall — Nick Jensen Goalies Jimmy Howard Jonathan Bernier Forwards Evgeny Dadonov — Aleksander Barkov — Nick Bjugstad Jonathan Huberdeau — Vincent Trocheck — Colton Sceviour Frank Vatrano — Jared McCann — Denis Malgin Mike Hoffman — Juho Lammikko — Troy Brouwer Defense Keith Yandl — Aaron Ekblad Michael Matheson — Alex Petrovic Bogdan Kiselevich — Mackenzie Weegar Goalies Michael Hutchinson James Reimer Keys to the Game Red Wings, listen carefully: Shoot the puck into the net. No, not our net. Their net. What? No, the puck needs to go inside of the net. That’s still our net. And that’s the netting that protects the fans, yes I know but that’s not the net I meant. Yes, it’s not always the same net because in the second period it will be the opposite net and then back to the first one in the third. Get it now? Do you understand what we’re trying to do here? Good. I still feel like you’re not understanding me guys...why is nobody taking notes? ? Decisiveness When you get your buns handed to you over and over again, it can put a dent in the confidence. At this point it’s better to make the wrong decision than hesitate too long and ruin your chance anyway. Especially guys like Bertuzzi who have shown some pep in their step despite the dismal results, you could see him hesitating between pass or shoot and other guys are doing the same. If you’re going to mess up, mess up because you made a bad decision not because you made no decision. Mess up with the confidence of a player who was born in Michigan. I can see Blashill’s disapproval from here. Win the freaking game I don’t care how ugly it is, I don’t care if every goal is cheap garbage, just find a way. Find a way to win, I mean, don’t like commit any crimes, but other than that. Now I would never recommend witchcraft or summoning spirits or body switching or other supernatural activities. But I’m not, not recommending it. LET’S GO RED WINGS!<doc-sep>

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Detroit Red Wings needed overtime to do it, but they finally won their first game of the season. Gustav Nyquist scored to give the Wings a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers Saturday at BB&T Center. The Wings scored two power-play goals in 18 seconds, but made the game unnecessarily hard on themselves by skating ruts to the penalty box, and Mike Hoffman tied the game with 1:16 to go in regulation after the Panthers pulled their goaltender. The Wings (1-5-2) were the last remaining winless team in the NHL. • Box score Second-period surge The Wings entered the second period down 2-0. Keith Yandle scored on a wrist shot at 7:34 of the first period after getting a pass from Evgenii Dadonov, who put Joe Hicketts and Dennis Cholowski on their heels entering Detroit’s zone, as Yandle got in behind them. Nick Bjugstad made it 2-0 at 16:10 off a faceoff. Both were goals Jimmy Howard should have stopped. The key to getting back in the game was having their power play click. The Wings went on a two-man advantage at 5:40 when Andreas Athanasiou drew a penalty four seconds after Anthony Mantha. It took seven seconds to score — Dennis Cholowski had the puck in the high slot and fired a shot as Michael Rasmussen played net-front. Thomas Vanek converted a pass from Frans Nielsen at 6:05. The Wings turned the momentum into a 3-2 lead when Dylan Larkin scored at 7:50. Larkin had another scoring opportunity late in the second period after Cholowski stole the puck during a penalty kill. The Wings killed three straight penalties, and during one of them, they spent more time in Florida’s zone than their own. Making it difficult The Wings were faced with a penalty shot for the second time this week when Cholowski was called for hooking Aleksander Barkov on a breakaway early in the third period. Barkov whiffed on his forehand and then tried a backhand shot. The Wings then took another penalty (Luke Glendening for tripping). The Panthers power play isn’t good (25th in the NHL at 13.6 percent headed into the game) but the Wings made it hard on themselves to keep playing shorthanded. It took nearly half the third period before the Wings had a shot on net. Rasmussen makes case The rookie put the puck in the Panthers net at 9:31 of the first period, but the goal was called off after the Panthers challenged Justin Abdelkader interfered with goalie Michael Hutchinson. Red Wings mailbag:Should Michael Rasmussen go back to juniors? It was a good sign from Rasmussen, though, who is under scrutiny as he nears 10 games played — Saturday was his sixth game — because that means his entry-level contract kicks in. Rasmussen, 19, can’t be sent to the minors, so he either has to play for the Wings, or his junior team. He has looked tentative at times, but if he shows he’s figuring out how to be effective in the NHL, the Wings will chance keeping him past nine games. He can still be sent down after playing 10 or more games, but it burns a year of his contract. Download our Red Wings Xtra app on Apple and Android!

Police stand in front of the China Banking Regulatory Commission last Monday. Hundreds of police swarmed the streets of Beijing’s financial district on August 6 as a planned protest over P2P lending was quashed. Photo: AFP<doc-sep>China has ordered a lockdown of Beijing’s financial district Monday (August 6) to prevent individuals from protesting a crisis in the peer-to-peer (P2P) lending marketplace. According to a report in the Financial Times, hundreds of police officers and security guards gathered near the offices of banking and securities regulators, as well as the entrance to the underground train stop for the financial district. Police were checking identity cards of anyone entering the area to prevent organized demonstrations by groups of investors that lost money as P2P lenders went under. Only a handful of protesters showed up during the morning rush hour. Those that did show up were taken away or placed on buses by the police. With the collapse of the market, many are left wondering why the platforms were able to say they were government approved, and why local authorities couldn’t do more to recover their money. The shuttering of the peer-to-peer networks is being blamed on a combination of regulatory failures, fraud and the declining debt going to weak borrowers and questionable banks. “A fair share of the recent P2P thunderstorm comes from lawless people operating under the guise of internet finance to commit fraud,” said Ben Shenglin, dean of the Academy of Internet Finance at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, in a recent Financial Times report. “Beyond that, overall economic conditions have deteriorated, and then you add the impact of the deleveraging campaign, which means some legitimate platforms can’t find a profitable niche,” Shenglin added. Leading up to the police action, investors have been withdrawing funds from P2P lending platforms amid a wave of defaults across the industry in China. That, in turn, has caused some P2P lending platforms to collapse. Around 150 online lending platforms have had problems since the start of June — compared to 217 in all of last year. Those problems, cited by research firm Online Lending House, which tracks the P2P industry, include investors being unable to withdraw money, police launching an inquiry into a platform or owners running off with the cash.<doc-sep>BEIJING (Reuters) - Peter Wang was asleep at his home in Beijing last Monday when police officers arrived before dawn to detain him, saying he had helped organize a protest planned for later that day. Across the city, others who had lost money investing in China’s online peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms - including some who had traveled from as far away as Shandong and Shanxi provinces - got similar visits from police. By the time they were released, the demonstration they had planned using social media chat groups had fizzled amid a massive security response around the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) headquarters in the heart of Beijing’s financial district. Instead of demanding that the government bail out the hundreds of collapsed P2P companies, those who made it to the protest area were forced onto buses and carted away to Jiujingzhuang, a holding center for petitioners on the outskirts of Beijing, according to two P2P investors. “Once the police checked your ID cards and saw your petition materials, they knew you are here looking to protect your rights. Then they put you on a bus directly,” said Wang, who works at an auto repair shop. He joined a separate, smaller protest in a different part of Beijing after his detention. “There was no channel to solve any problems. All they care about was preventing any disturbance.” The size of China’s P2P industry is far bigger than in the rest of the world combined, with outstanding loans of 1.49 trillion yuan ($217.96 billion), according to data tracker p2p001.com, run by the Shenzhen Qiancheng Internet Finance Research Institute. P2P, in which platforms gather funds from retail investors and loan the money to small corporate and individual borrowers, promising high returns, started flourishing nearly unregulated in China in 2011. At its peak in 2015, there were about 3,500 such businesses. But after Beijing began a campaign to defuse debt bubbles and reduce risks in the economy, including the country’s enormous non-bank lending sector, cracks began to appear as investors pulled their funds. Since June, 243 online lending platforms have gone bust, according to wdzj.com, another P2P industry data provider. In that period, the industry saw its first monthly net fund outflows since at least 2014, the data provider said. The latest burst of anger, which led to the planned protests, flared up ahead of a June 30 deadline for companies to comply with new business practice standards, which are still being finalised. Many of them shut down rather than face tougher regulations, Zane Wang, chief executive of online micro-loan provider China Rapid Finance XRF.N, told Reuters. That caused panic in the broader market. Investors tried to pull funds from P2P companies, causing liquidity problems for many smaller operators, Wang said, although larger ones are faring better. "Some platforms might become a winner out of this, and some platforms, probably a large portion of the platforms, might not be able to make it," he said. China’s propaganda machine has swung into action as Beijing seeks to reassure people that the Chinese economy and financial markets are healthy despite a trade war with the United States and steep declines in the value of stock prices and the yuan. No mainland Chinese media - official mainstream papers or more independent-leaning publications - reported the attempts to protest in China’s capital. FILE PHOTO: A police officer gestures at the photographer as security patrol outside the headquarters of China's banking regulator, to prevent planned protests by investors who lost money from collapsed peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending platforms, in Beijing, China August 6, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Many would-be protesters were forced to give fingerprints and blood samples and prevented from traveling to Beijing. Some were even removed from Beijing-bound trains ahead of the protests, said a Shanghai-based P2P investor who lost 1.3 million yuan. She declined to be named out of fear for her safety. Even after the demonstrations were effectively snuffed out, hundreds of security personnel patrolled around CBIRC’s office, highlighting authorities’ sensitivity to any form of social instability. The CBIRC did not respond to an emailed request seeking comment. The Ministry of Public Security did not respond to a fax seeking comment. On Sunday, state media outlet Xinhua reported that the government has proposed 10 measures to reduce risk in the P2P sector, including a strict ban on new P2P companies and online finance platforms, and a blacklist under China’s social credit rating system for those who don’t repay their loans. MESSY CLEAN-UP Peer-to-peer lending was pioneered by firms like LendingClub LC.N in the United States, but in China it has expanded on a massive scale as firms piggy-backed on the government's drive for financial innovation to serve credit-starved small and mid-sized private companies. The industry expanded too fast for regulators to keep up. Many P2P platforms lend to customers that might be deemed too risky for a commercial bank. That has in cases led to liquidity crises, when too many investors demand their funds at once if loans appear to be going south. There have also been cases of outright fraud, the most well-known being Ezubao - a $7.6 billion Ponzi scam involving more than 900,000 investors. More than 100 companies listed in China’s domestic stock markets are involved in P2P operations, and 32 of those own more than 30 percent of a P2P company, according to a July research report by CITIC Securities. China extended by two years a separate June 30 deadline for an online finance clean-up campaign. But rather than calming matters, it created more uncertainty, market watchers said. CITIC Securities estimated that under the clean-up campaign, only about 100 platforms out of 1,836 would be able to meet even today’s regulatory standards and obtain a license. Less than 50 would thrive. Experts say larger companies would probably benefit from firmer regulation. But for now, listed companies in the industry have seen their share prices take a beating. Shares of some of the Chinese P2P companies listed in the U.S. have plunged. China Rapid Finance shares have lost 73 percent so far this year, while Yirendai YRD.N has slumped 71 percent.<doc-sep>The dramatic rise and fall of online P2P lending in China Once seen with promise, scams, insolvency and regulators have ended the party Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on TechNode, an editorial partner of TechCrunch based in China. When Emily Zhang was interning with a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending firm in the Summer of 2016, her main task was to carry out research on other P2P lending firms. She found the rates of return tempting and some underlying assets reliable, so she decided to invest in the market herself. Until now, none of her investments have matured, but she worries about whether she can actually withdraw her profits, much less get back the principal. Even so, Zhang considers herself lucky that the companies that sold her the assets are still in business while many other P2P companies have collapsed, leaving their investors in despair. Stories have been circulating across Chinese social networks about desperate investors who have lost their life savings. Zhang Xue, for instance, a 47-year old single mother with a 13-year-old son, was reported to have lost the 3.8 million RMB her husband left her with when he died of a heart attack. “I am totally desperate. 3.8 million RMB. It’s finished, all finished,”” she told local media. Some of those affected protested in front of police stations and chanted the Chinese national anthem, March of the Volunteers, in an effort to pressure authorities. Others organized online investor rights groups, making a collective effort to get the money back. Together, the protesters made headlines in domestic media and sparked intense online debates on who is responsible for the losses and where the industry is heading. P2P lending, or online lending, is generally considered as a method of debt financing that directly connects borrowers, whether they are individuals or companies, with lenders. The world’s first online lending platform, Zopa, was founded in the UK in 2005. China’s online lending industry has seen rapid growth since 2007 without significant regulation. Default rates have been soaring since June. In May, only 10 platforms were considered in trouble. But by June, that number had increased to 63. By the end of July, 163 platforms were on the concern list. The Home of Online Lending (网贷之家), a platform that compiles the data, defines ‘troubled’ as companies that have difficulty paying off investors, have been investigated by national economic crime investigation department, or whose owners have run away with investors’ money. One of the key factors contributing to the sudden surge is the national P2P rectification campaign that was supposed to have been finished by June. “The due date of rectification has passed, but many P2P platforms have not met the requirements. Strict regulations have propelled a break-out of the compliance issues,” Shen Wei, Dean and Professor of Law at Shangdong University Law School, told TechNode. In late 2017, the platforms were asked to register with local authorities by June 2018, according to China Banking Regulatory Commission, which has now merged with China’s insurance regulator to become China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. Shen said the main purpose of the regulations is to restrict P2P lending platforms to be information intermediaries only, matching borrowers and investors. Under such regulations, the platforms are not allowed to pool funds from investors or grant loans to any client or provide any credit services, which most of the platforms were doing when they first started. The rise of P2P lending in China China’s first online lending platform, PPDAI Group (拍拍货), launched in 2007 and went public on the New York Stock Exchange in late 2017. The industry has gone through rapid growth since then. In January 2016, there were 3,383 platforms in business with combined monthly transactions reaching 130 billion RMB, according to Home of Online Lending. In a recent research paper, Robin Hui Huang, professor of law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, attributed the increase of P2P in China to three factors: a high 56 percent rate of internet penetration by 2018, a large supply of available funds from investors, and financial demands of small-to-medium-sized companies that cannot be satisfied by the existing banking system. P2P lending is a tempting and easy investment option because the loans usually promise 8-12 percent interest rates, according to Home of Online Lending, of which many mature within a year, much higher than the 2.75 percent rate for three-year fixed deposits found at most banks. P2P lending is also friendlier to smaller businesses since major banks in China generally prefer state-owned enterprises or large companies. Huang cited a joint 2016 report by the Development Bank of Singapore and Ernst & Young, that only 20-25 percent of bank loans went to small to medium-size enterprises, even though they accounted for 60 percent of China’s gross domestic product. China’s financial system is still dominated by banks, especially the established ‘Big Four’ — the Bank of China, China Construction Bank, the Agricultural Bank of China, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Ryan Roberts, a research analyst at MCM Partners, told TechNode that about 70 percent of the banks’ loans are commercial loans, with just 30 percent for individuals. Unresolved regulations Before the government first signaled regulations in 2016, the P2P lending industry aggressively expanded. Compared with the current defaulting scandals, the situation back then wasn’t any better. By the end of 2015, there were 1,031 total troubled platforms out of 3,448 platforms still in operation. So, on average, one out of four was problematic. Chinese media reported on a number of Ponzi scheme stories concerning dubious platforms that tempted would-be investors with fat bonuses for referring family and friends, too. Despite the fact that there was no established regulatory framework, the government was watching. Since mid-2015, a series of announcements set the stage for China’s first regulatory instrument for online lending in August 2016. Called Interim Measures on Administration of Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediaries, violations of its articles can lead to administrative or even criminal penalties. The interim measures set the business scope of the platforms to be mere information intermediaries.<doc-sep>

One would-be protester skulked on the streets around the Westin Hotel in Beijing’s financial district until 3 am, heading back only when police had finished their searches. Another, Alex Li, carpooled part of the way from northern Harbin province to avoid police surveillance on public transport. The two were among thousands of middle-class Chinese from all over the country who were trying to make it past China’s high-tech surveillance to demonstrate in Beijing’s financial district on Monday (August 6). It was the latest flare-up of resentment among Chinese people aspiring to live a better life and being thwarted. In recent years, many in China’s middle classes poured their savings into peer-to-peer lending platforms, known as P2P for short, drawn in by promises of high returns. But amid a larger effort to curb financial risk to China’s economy, financial regulators tightened rules for these platforms, leading many of them to collapse without returning investor money. In Li’s case, the main stakeholders of Yonglibao, which he had put his money into, suddenly disappeared in mid-July (link in Chinese), he told the South China Morning Post. By the time its founders abandoned its offices, the platform had amassed a transaction volume of 7.6 billion yuan ($1.1 billion). The other protester told Quartz he had lost the equivalent of $50,000 on a platform called iqianjin.com—its name is Love Money, though it can also be understood as “Get Ahead” or “Money Coming.” Both hoped a protest in Beijing would compel the government to help people recover their money from the dozens of P2P platforms that stopped allowing fund withdrawals last month. Instead, they were foiled by hundreds of uniformed police who locked down the area, patrolling corners near the offices of the central bank and securities regulators, and checking identity cards. More than 120 buses were brought to the area to take the stealth protesters away, according to a reporter with AFP. “P2P finally turned from ‘peer-to-peer’ to ‘police-to-people,'” wrote one commenter Twitter. Quick money guaranteed by the government? The platforms might look like scams now, but they were once promoted as innovative financial tools by high-ranking Chinese officials and big tech firms. Persuaded, many people, including single mothers and young people trying to raise the money to buy an apartment, poured their money into them. Back in 2015, China’s premier Li Keqiang and former governor of China’s central bank Zhou Xiaochuan both publicly endorsed (link in Chinese) P2P as a way to develop internet finance and support small-to-medium businesses. Compared to the traditional banking system, P2P has a lower investment threshold for savers, while offering borrowers without much credit history the chance to raise funds more easily. The public support for the sector, coupled with word-of-mouth referrals, drew in millions of small lenders and helped make China the biggest P2P lending market in the world, with 1.2 trillion yuan ($175 billion) in loans outstanding as of 2017 (paywall). That was the year two major players in the sector IPO’d—including one of its oldest, PPDai, founded in 2007. Reuters/Carlos Barria A lender on the PaiPaiDai platform works from his home in Shanghai in 2011. The number of P2P firms went from 10 in 2010, to more than 3,000 in 2015, according to a June research report from Singapore-based DBS Bank. But as more and more players got into the market, some began promising interest rates much higher than competitors. Compared with an interest rate of less than 2% in Chinese banks, many P2P platforms promised a return of 10% (link in Chinese). They also began promising investors better returns if they got more people in their network to invest in the P2P platforms. “You should question when the rate is above 6%… prepare to lose all deposits if it’s more than 10%.” One P2P platform went as far as promising profits of up to 60% (link in Chinese) before the founder fled and the platform failed to pay back (link in Chinese) more than 200 million yuan ($29 billion) in June.

We love a multilingual duchess! On Sunday, Meghan Markle showed off a bit of her linguistic skills while visiting students at a secondary school with Prince Harry as a part of their three-day Moroccan tour. During the trip, Meghan spoke with many of the schoolchildren, including two girls who were living in a dormitory built by the organization Education For All. They chatted about their future career goals, and one revealed she wants to be an astronaut. "Wow, that's impressive!" Meghan responded. She then turned to the other young student, and asked in French, "Et toi? Qu'est ce que tu veux être?" — which translates to "And you? What do you want to be?" The student replied that she plans on becoming a teacher. "Wow, that's wonderful," Meghan said, returning to English. According to royal correspondent Rebecca English, Meghan apologized for her "high school French" while talking to some of the students and teachers. But she seemed to have impressed everyone with her language abilities. "She was better than her husband!," one girl remarked. And Harry certainly agreed, sharing that he didn't speak the language "at all." But Meghan has been working more on her French over the past year. Hopefully, she'll become as fluent in it as she is in Spanish. Meghan and Harry — who are expecting their first child in the Spring — connected well with many of the children and young adults that they met on the tour. The Duchess of Sussex accepted a bouquet of flowers from a 16-year-old named Hasnaa and received a henna flower tattoo from 17-year-old Samira — a Moroccan tradition for women who are pregnant. They've shared plenty of other heartwarming moments with young fans before, so it's no surprise that the soon-to-be parents had such a bond with the tots and teens of Morocco. Watch Meghan speak French in the clip above before viewing photos of her with some of the students ahead!<doc-sep>MEGHAN impressed with her French speaking in Morocco yesterday but Prince Harry was rather lost for words. As pregnant Meghan, 37, took part in a traditional henna ceremony for expectant mums, Harry tried out the local lingo. 19 Meghan Markle shows her henna tattoo to Rania, five, and Rayhanna, two, in Morocco today Credit: PA:Press Association 19 She revealed a flower design on her left hand Credit: Getty Images - Getty 19 The royal couple are on day two of their tour of Morocco Credit: James Whatling The Eton-educated royal said “Bonjour” before asking “Do you speak English? I don’t speak much French.” His wife fared far better with what she confessed to me was “only High School French”. The Duchess of Sussex was given a traditional henna tattoo to bring her baby luck. The ceremony took place at a girls’ boarding house in the Atlas Mountains. But at a glitzy reception at the ambassador’s house last night, where she wowed in a white Dior dress, the flower tattoo on her left hand seemed to have almost disappeared. Meghan teamed the Moroccan- inspired frock with £6,950 diamond earrings and a clutch also by Dior. The couple arrived in Casablanca on Saturday for a three-day tour. Yesterday they met schoolgirls to learn more about female education in the North African country. At the boarding house in Asni, Samira Ouaadi, 17, painted three flowers on Meghan’s hand. The duchess watched intently as Samira quickly drew the design, while encouraging Harry, 34, to watch and to take the mint tea they had been offered. 19 She also showed off the temporary ink to Prince Harry Credit: Rex Features 19 Pupil Samira, 17, gives Meghan the henna tattoo, said to be a good luck symbol Credit: Rex Features 19 She cradled her baby bump as she met teenage pupils Credit: Getty Images - Getty 19 The royal couple, expecting a baby in April, headed to the Atlas mountains on day two of their tour of Morocco Credit: Splash News Duchess of Sussex​ Meghan Markle talks to school children while visiting a ​Education For All​ School in Morocco “That’s really lovely” Meghan said as she proudly showed the tattoo to Harry, before adding, “Merci”. Dye made from henna plant stays on the skin as a tattoo for up to two weeks. The brown paste is made from pulping the bark. Samira said: “It’s like the plant of paradise. It is to bring luck to the mother and the baby.” “It’s tradition for pregnant women in Morocco to have a henna tattoo. We do it for major celebrations like getting married.” One concerned official asked Meghan if she wanted to wash the inking off immediately, but the duchess laughed and said: “It will dry as we walk through.” Baby Sussex was quite the theme for the girls, as they sang songs of welcome and good luck for the child, which is due in April. After the ceremony, Harry and Meghan met some of the girls who live in the boarding house run by charity Education for All and who go to a secondary school opposite. Meghan asked: “Qu’est-de que tu veux etre quand tu quittes l'école?” (What do you want to do when you leave school). Vous voulez aller à l'université?” (Do you want to go to university? ). She was very impressed when the girls told her they wanted to be teachers, engineers and doctors. Saida Obha, 18, said: “Her French was good. It was a surprise she spoke it so well. But Harry said he didn’t speak French at all.” As they left, Meghan ran over to two little girls who had waited hours to meet the royals. Rania, five, and Rayhana, two, accompanied by mum Clare Minejem, waved British and Moroccan flags. Meghan shook their hands and said: “Hi girls, so cute! What are your names? So sweet!” Most read in world news Exclusive OUT OF THIS WORLD Negative from film said to depict Roswell alien autopsy on sale for £710k BETRAYAL OF TRUST Woman, 22, 'lured off street by paramedic and gang raped in ambulance' Latest FERRY DISASTER More than 150 feared dead after overloaded ferry 'breaks in two' and sinks CLINGING TO LIFE Hotel owner left critical after catching deadly from Aussie mouse plague CRYPTO KILLER Bondage-obsessed Bitcoin trader ‘went crazy’ & strangled lover to death SLIPPERY CHARACTER Massive deadly snake lurks in Aussie back garden... can YOU spot it? She showed them the henna drawing on her hand and said: ‘Nice, isn’t it? So pretty!” At the school, when one of the teachers congratulated Meghan on her pregnancy, she jokingly turned to Harry, showed her bump and said: “Surprise! She’s pregnant? !” The couple enjoyed lunch at Sir Richard Branson’s hotel Kasbah Tamadot, with amazing mountain views — before taking a helicopter back to the capital Rabat. 19 Teenage girls with Union Jacks greeted them in the remote village Credit: PA:Press Association 19 Prince Harry touches his heart with his hand in a respectful greeting according to local custom Credit: AP:Associated Press 19 The school is run by a charity set up by a British businessman Credit: Rex Features 19 Local schoolgirls brought flowers for pregnant Meghan Credit: Reuters 19 The Royals visited an educational boarding house run by Education For All Credit: Getty Images - Getty 19 The royals wore shades in the brilliant winter sunshine Credit: YOUSSEFf-BOUDLAL 19 The remote village is in the foothills of the High Atlas mountains Credit: YOUSSEFf-BOUDLAL 19 Harry places a protective hand on Meghan's shoulder as they watch a football match Credit: Rex Features 19 Harry joined in with the youngsters and showed off his footy skills Credit: Goff Photos 19 Meghan rocked with laughter when she was invited to have a kick Credit: Andrew Parsons 19 They had a quick change of outfits to dish out an MBE to charity founder Mike McHugh Credit: AP:Associated Press 19 The British entrepreneur founded the Moroccan NGO Education For All, which runs six boarding houses Credit: AP:Associated Press<doc-sep>Meghan Markle's newly improved skill revealed – and she could teach it to the royal baby The Duchess of Sussex has many talents! The Duchess of Sussex is currently in Morocco with husband Prince Harry for a three-day royal tour ahead of the royal baby's arrival. And during her trip, the former Suits actress was able to practice one of her many talents during their Sunday morning visit to a local secondary school in the Atlas Mountains. Meghan has been learning French for eight years and while Prince Harry chose to address school children in English, Meghan was very willing to try out her new skills. Inside the royals toured the classrooms where most of the girls were fluent only in French. Not a problem for the Duchess, who happily conversed with the girls. "Qu'est ce que tu veux être quand tu quittes l’école?" (What do you want to do when you leave school?) she asked the girls. She also asked, "Vous voulez aller à l’université?" (Do you want to go to university? ). Loading the player... Meghan received a henna tatooo Meghan was very impressed with the responses - the girls informed her they wanted to be teachers, engineers and doctors, Meghan also asked in French if she could enter the girls bedrooms ("On peut entrer?"). She also used a few other French words such as “parfait" (perfect). Eton-College-educated Harry was not so bold! While he has delivered speeches in Frnech he asked the girls, "Do you speak English? I don’t speak much French." Meghan has been studying hard recently - she previously revealed in December that she was "trying to get better" at her French, while she can also speak Spanish fluently. Harry delivered a speech in the language during the Invictus Games in Toronto in 2017 - but perhaps needs to have a little extra practice with his wife to feel confident enough for conversation. Meghan may well teach her baby French There is a chance that when the royal baby arrives, Harry and Meghan will wish for them to learn the French language as well, just like their cousins are learning Spanish. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's two oldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, know some words in Spanish thanks to their Palencia-born nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo. And when he is older, the couple's youngest son, Prince Louis, will no doubt pick it up as easily as his older siblings. MORE: Duke and Duchess late in Morocco - live updates The Duchess at her New York baby shower It's not long to go before Harry and Meghan welcome their first baby, and royal fans around the world are getting excited for their upcoming arrival. Fans are convinced that the royal couple are expecting a baby girl, after photos posted from Meghan's New York baby shower last week revealed that guests tucked into cakes alongside a pink pot of sugared almonds. The pictures were posted by baker Darcy Miller, who wrote on Instagram: "I was honored to help @serenawilliams with personalized sweets and details for Meghan Markle’s baby shower." READ: Why didn't Meghan Markle walk down the red carpet with Prince Harry in Morocco Bets on the couple having a girl were also suspended at the beginning of January. Betfair Spokesperson Katie Baylis said: “We haven’t seen too much betting on this market for a while, but tonight all of a sudden we have seen a flurry of betting activity on the baby to a girl. So much so that we’ve had to suspend the market and stop taking bets on the sex of the baby. If the punters are anything to go by, then we could have a new Princess in a couple of months' time." Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. Meghan Markle has travelled to Morocco to accompany husband Prince Harry on an official visit on behalf of the British Government. The heavily pregnant Duchess of Sussex travelled to Asni, a town at the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains near Marrakech , to visit a boarding house for students built by the Moroccan NGO "Education for All." While in Asni, Meghan had the opportunity to chat with two young guests, surprising the pair with her knowledge of French. The Duchess, who has long been an advocate for female empowerment through education, appeared particularly interested in the girls' future career plans as she asked in fluent French: "And you, what are you going to be?" One of the young girls replied saying she is planning to become a teacher when she grows up. Adding to her language skill set, Meghan is also believed to be a fluent Argentinian Spanish speaker as she revealed shortly before marrying Prince Harry she had worked at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires for a few months after graduating from Northwestern University with a double major in international studies and theatre. The Royal swapped her trademark stilettos for a pair of comfortable flats for her visit which also included attending a football match after meeting with students and teachers in Asni. READ MORE: Royal BOMBSHELL: Meghan Markle could face £330,000 tax bill after lavish baby shower<doc-sep>

Proving she's mastered the art of royal tours, the Duchess of Sussex impressed by speaking French on day two of her and Prince Harry's Moroccan trip. Yesterday, the couple visited a secondary boarding school in Asni Town to find out more about the country's 'Education for All' scheme. Yesterday, the royal couple visited the ’Education for All’ boarding house in Morocco’ Getty Images While touring the classrooms, the mother-to-be - who has been learning French for eight years - decided to put her skills into practice. The Duchess asks two girls in the @EFAMorocco dorms about what courses they would like to study at university and the careers they would like to pursue. pic.twitter.com/pIxqAIuGCG — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) February 24, 2019 She asked two of the pupils, "Qu’est ce que tu veux être quand tu quittes l’école?" which translates to "What do you want to do when you leave school?" The Duchess of Sussex put her skills into practice while meeting students from the secondary school Getty Images One explained that they wanted to become a teacher to which Meghan replied: "Wow, that's wonderful." According to royal correspondent Rebecca English, Meghan apologised for her "high school French" but she certainly managed to impress the students. "She was better than her husband!" one girl exclaimed. Prince Harry agreed, admitting that he doesn't speak the language "at all". This morning, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the Moroccan Federation of Equestrian Sport where the couple petted horses. For the outing, Meghan wore a classic Breton striped top with a khaki J Crew jacket, skinny jeans and heeled ankle boots. On their final day of the royal tour, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the Moroccan Federation of Equestrian Sport Samir Hussein Getty Images It's their final day of the Moroccan royal tour and the couple are expected to meet King Mohammed before heading back to the UK.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Philadelphia Eagles in their first preseason game of the year on Thursday night at 7.00 p.m. ET, and we have all the information you need to know to follow the action. Despite their cross-state rivalry, the Steelers play the Eagles only once every four years now that they belong to different conferences. But prior to 1967, their matchups were biannual affairs. The last time the two sides met during the preseason was a 2016 game won by Philadelphia 17-0, and their last meeting in the regular season was a devastating 34-3 loss for the Steelers in Week 3 of that same year. With the starters expected to see limited action, and several key players set to miss the game due to injury, the coaching staff will care much less about a victory on Thursday night and much more about the caliber of play from the younger names on the roster. Preseason Week 1: Game: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Philadelphia Eagles Date: Thursday August 9 Kickoff: 7.00 p.m. ET Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Weather: Live weather update Watch: TV Channel: Broadcast locally on KDKA-Channel 2 with Bob Pompeani and Charlie Batch as commentators and Missi Matthews the sideline reporter. Check the national broadcast map to see if the game is on in your area. Online: NFL.com Game Pass on delay in the US and live for international viewers or via live a subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket. The NFL Game Center will update the action on a play-by-play basis. Radio: Steeler Nation Radio with Bill Hillgrove and Tunch Ilkin as commentators and Craig Wolfley as the sideline reporter. Broadcast live on WDVE 102.5 FM and WBGG 970 AM in the Pittsburgh area and online via Steelers.com and the Steelers Official Mobile App. You can also follow Behind the Steel Curtain on Twitter to catch all of the highlights as they happen, and be sure to check back with us after the game for our post-match roundup.<doc-sep>Finally, it's time for some football! Kind of. The NFL returned with the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 2, and while the 2018 regular season won't kick off for about another month, the preseason shifts into high gear this week thanks to the first league-wide round of exhibition matchups. We've got big-name rookies ready to make their debuts, big-name veterans ready to make their returns and a whole lot of teams anxious to get a couple of snaps under their belt before the real games begin in September. It's Week 1 of the 2018 NFL preseason. And we've got you covered with a glimpse at each and every game on tap: How to watch TV: All preseason games will be shown locally, so check your local listings. Five different games will be shown on national TV. Stream: NFL Game Pass, NBCSports.com, fuboTV Note: Nationally televised games will be designated with an asterisk (*). Preseason Week 1 games Thursday, Aug. 9 *Browns at Giants, 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network: The Baker vs. Barkley Bowl. Here, we'll get our first look at Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley, the first two picks of the 2018 draft, on the field and in action. Both of these teams have high hopes after horrendous 2017 seasons, but they also have lots to prove. Denzel Ward, Nick Chubb and Will Hernandez will also be worth watching. Panthers at Bills, 7 p.m. ET: Will Kelvin Benjamin and Cam Newton speak to each other before the game? On a more serious note, the Panthers will be eyeing their cornerbacks after Ross Cockrell's injury. And the Bills? Well, the Bills need to have their eyes glued to the quarterback position, where Josh Allen, AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman are vying for the No. 1 job. Bears at Bengals, 7 p.m. ET: New Chicago coach Matt Nagy probably won't get too cute with his revamped offense in the preseason, but at least we'll have another glimpse at some of Mitch Trubisky's weapons. As for Cincinnati, the best Bengals fans can hope for is Joe Mixon and John Ross to stay healthy Steelers at Eagles, 7 p.m. ET: If this were a regular season battle, it might be the best of the week. Neither Carson Wentz nor Ben Roethlisberger nor any prominent star will see much, if any, action, and even Nick Foles won't be going for the Birds. That means this is mostly a chance to see what Mason Rudolph and Nate Sudfeld, two young backup QBs, can do. Saints at Jaguars, 7 p.m. ET: Like Eagles-Steelers, this is a playoff-caliber showdown, but if we get anything beyond extended Cody Kessler drives, it'll be a surprise. The Jags can practice their hard-nosed style against a Saints "D" that got better as it went in 2017, whereas New Orleans will have a shot to peek at new wideouts Michael Floyd and Cameron Meredith. Buccaneers at Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET: It might be a stretch to say that DeSean Jackson's job will be won or lost in the preseason, but then again, it might not be. Chris Godwin has apparently overtaken him on the depth chart, which will be without Jameis Winston early in the regular season, so there's a Bucs story for you. For Miami, it's all about Ryan Tannehill making his return. Redskins at Patriots, 7:30 p.m. ET: Has anyone even talked about Alex Smith and the Redskins this offseason? The spring and summer featured lots of big moves, including Washington's old QB signing a huge deal, but Smith has been overlooked. Here, he'll make his first appearance in burgundy. For the defending AFC champion Pats, cornerback might be a good spot to watch. Rams at Ravens, 7:30 p.m. ET: The Aqib Talib-Michael Crabtree revenge game! Baltimore already got its first look at Robert Griffin III and Lamar Jackson in the Hall of Fame Game, but now they can see Joe Flacco take a few snaps of his own. The Rams' tantalizing talent won't be on full display until September, but their remade defense will be something to behold. Titans at Packers, 8 p.m. ET: This will be Kenny Vaccaro's chance to make a killer first impression and perhaps take a big step toward a starting role in Tennessee. And in Green Bay, while Aaron Rodgers' return will dominate regular-season headlines (and the NFC North race), the QB spot should still be intriguing with Brett Hundley and DeShone Kizer battling out for the No. 2 role. Texans and Chiefs, 8:30 p.m. ET: In Houston, all eyes are on Deshaun Watson (can you sense a theme about returning QBs?). The Chiefs, meanwhile, have their own quarterback spotlight going on with Patrick Mahomes set to make his anticipated debut as Alex Smith's successor. Andy Reid will keep Kansas City's offense vanilla, but he's still got lots of toys to showcase. *Cowboys at 49ers, 10 p.m. ET, NFL Network: This is a prime opportunity for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys to prove they aren't crazy and actually believe their wide receiver corps will be better without Dez Bryant. San Francisco, meanwhile, won't be trotting Richard Sherman onto the field, but it will have an even better piece in the lineup -- hyped QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Colts at Seahawks, 10 p.m. ET: If you're going to tune into a preseason game just to watch a QB returning from injury, you might want to make it this one, if only because Andrew Luck's rehabilitation has been one of the most mysterious and concerning of them all. Can he even complete a pass? Will he look like the Luck of old? We'll see. Seattle, of course, will debut an overhauled defense. Friday, Aug. 10 *Falcons at Jets, 7:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network: If you're sick of us mentioning quarterback situations, skip this game. Because while Atlanta is set and ready to contend in the NFC South, this matchup is all about the Jets' signal-callers. It's anyone's job, really, so rookie Sam Darnold, underdog Teddy Bridgewater and ageless vet Josh McCown should all see plenty of time. *Lions at Raiders, 10:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network: Here's an opportunity for Matt Patricia to get those first butterflies out of the way as the Lions' new head coach -- and for Jon Gruden to get those butterflies out of the way in his unprecedented return to Oakland. The biggest storyline might center on the Raiders' pass rush, which will try to prove it can hold up without Khalil Mack. Saturday, Aug. 11 *Vikings at Broncos, 9 p.m. ET, NFL Network: This is another one that would look great in the regular season. Case Keenum will get a chance to go up against his old team, the same one he took to the NFC Championship, whereas Kirk Cousins will get his first live action in a Vikings uniform. Each side has a lot of talent, with Minnesota a popular pick to repeat as NFC contenders in 2018. Chargers at Cardinals, 10 p.m. ET: The Chargers are good enough that most of their focal points will be depth battles, but the Cardinals are in rebuild/restock mode with Steve Wilks manning the sidelines. Both Sam Bradford and Josh Rosen should get snaps as part of their competition, even if the former figures to see limited time because of his well-documented injury history.<doc-sep>

The Steelers opened their preseason schedule on a high note with a 31-14 win over the Super Bowl Champion Eagles in Philadelphia last night. Of course, these games don’t register in the regular season standings, but what happens during these contests is paramount in shaping the team. It also might be the difference between continuing one’s dream as an NFL player or having to start from scratch or perhaps begin the search for their life’s work. Grading games like this is an extremely difficult task. Four quarters of work is hardly enough to tell the story, but it’s a start. While the coaches’ grades are what count the most, the media and fans evaluate as well. Let’s take a look at BTSC’s early perceptions: Offense Randy Fichtner’s charges moved the ball and showed positive signs throughout the night. They were handed some gifts via “magic” Eagle penalties, but they still looked good. While I would have liked to see them finish off more drives, 31 points in a preseason match is nothing to sneeze at. Mason Rudolph’s first appearance as a Steeler, while not amazing, wasn’t bad either. His first pass was a drop and he was hurried quite often. But the goal isn’t (perish the thought) to see him on Sundays during the regular season in 2018. He’ll have time to grow into the role. The other quarterbacks showed equal parts good and bad. Although unspectacular, Landry Jones made a case for one more year over Joshua Dobbs. Running Backs and Wide Receivers looked good. James Conner, Stevan Ridley and Fitzgerald Toussaint all seemed to have good footwork and moved the chains. It could be argued, though, the level of competition by the time veterans Ridley and Fitz got onto the field wasn’t as good as what Conner saw. JuJu Smith-Schuster established himself as a great complement to Antonio Brown with that big TD, and James Washington/Damoun Patterson looked like really viable additions. The pressure now will be on Justin Hunter and Eli Rogers to stay. The depth of the offensive line has been in question, and it showed last night. B.J. Finney’s injury doesn’t seem to be serious, but look for Kevin Colbert to bolster it one way or another. Overall Grade: B Honor Roll: James Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Damoun Patterson, Stevan Ridley, Fitzgerald Toussaint Poll What grade do you give the offense after the win over the Eagles? This poll is closed 13% A (347 votes) 71% B (1778 votes) 13% C (328 votes) 0% D (22 votes) 0% F (14 votes) 2489 votes total Vote Now Defense Evaluating Keith Butler’s bunch at this point is tough. The full starting unit wasn’t on the field. While the Eagles seemed to gash the run defense often in the early going, the Steelers only gave up two TDs. Dashaun Phillips was beaten badly in the first half for a score, tackling was abysmal at times and the hole left by Ryan Shazier still looms large. But they got some turnovers and applied pressure. Terrell Edmunds was on the field a bit, but had no glaring triumphs or faults to speak of. Of course, there’s plenty of improvement still needed, but the unit could be better than when it ended the season last year. Overall Grade: C+ Honor Roll: Jon Bostic, Cameron Sutton, Coty Sensabaugh, Ola Adeniyi, Javon Hargrave Poll What grade do you give the defense after the win over the Eagles? This poll is closed 1% A (40 votes) 24% B (558 votes) 53% C (1203 votes) 18% D (415 votes) 1% F (42 votes) 2258 votes total Vote Now Special Teams I wanted to see Quadree Henderson do more, but the opportunities just weren’t there. Danny Smith’s unit didn’t cover well at all and the Eagles had significant returns. Chris Boswell was awesome as usual. Overall Grade: C- Honor Roll: Chris Boswell Poll What grade do you give the Special Teams after the win over the Eagles? This poll is closed 5% A (101 votes) 25% B (458 votes) 42% C (766 votes) 24% D (443 votes) 2% F (49 votes) 1817 votes total Vote Now The first effort of the season was positive. There’s still plenty to be excited about and just as much to address. That’s why they go to camp. Overall, a pleasing display. Overall Team Grade: B-

The first weekend of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is winding down and the schedule is officially set for the Sweet 16. The Sweet 16 will get underway on Thursday evening with the South and West regional semifinal matchups, while the East and Midwest Region semifinals are set for Friday. The South Regional will be hosted at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, with No. 1 seed Virginia taking on No. 12 seed Oregon, while No. 2 seed Tennessee faces No. 3 seed Purdue. It was all chalk in the West Region as the top four seeds advanced to the regional semifinals, which will be played at the Honda Center in Anaheim. No. 1 seed Gonzaga is set to face No. 4 seed Florida State, while No. 2 seed Michigan takes on No. 3 seed Texas Tech. The East Region semifinals also feature the top four seeds as No. 1 overall seed Duke meets No. 4 seed Virginia Tech, while No. 2 seed Michigan State faces No. 3 seed LSU. Those games will commence from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The Midwest Regional will be hosted at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, where No. 1 seed North Carolina will take on No. 5 seed Auburn, while No. 2 seed Kentucky meets No. 3 seed Houston. The Regional Finals will be played on Saturday and Sunday with the winners securing a spot in the Final Four, which will be hosted at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. With that in mind, the full schedule of the Sweet 16 matchups can be seen below, complete with locations, tip times and television information for every game. This post will be updated with results. Note: All times eastern. WEST REGION Host site: Honda Center | Anaheim, Calif. Date: Thursday, March 28 No. 1 Gonzaga 72, No. 4 Florida State 58 No. 3 Texas Tech 63, No. 2 Michigan 44 SOUTH REGION Host site: KFC Yum! Center | Louisville, Ky. Date: Thursday, March 28 No. 3 Purdue 99, No. 2 Tennessee 94 No. 1 Virginia 53, No. 12 Oregon 49 EAST REGION Host site: Capital One Arena | Washington, D.C. Date: Friday, March 29 No. 2 Michigan State 80, No. 3 LSU 63 No. 1 Duke 75, No. 4 Virginia Tech 73 MIDWEST REGION Host site: Sprint Center | Kansas City, Mo. Date: Friday, March 29 No. 5 Auburn 97, No. 1 North Carolina 80 No. 2 Kentucky 62, No. 3 Houston 58<doc-sep>After a last-gasp escape against New Mexico State, #5 Auburn destroyed #4 Kansas to reach the Sweet Sixteen. Now, the Tigers take on another blue blood in #1 North Carolina, who is coming off a huge victory of their own. With each team’s confidence sky-high, this game has the makings of a classic. Auburn vs. UNC (-5.5) Date: Friday, March 29 Time: 7:29 p.m. ET Location: Kansas City, MO TV Channel: TBS Live Stream: fuboTV – 7-day free trial #5 Auburn The Auburn Tigers broke a 34-year drought to win the Southeastern Conference Tournament this year, soundly beating SEC No. 2 Tennessee 84-64 in the final to mark their resurgence. The school has now made back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since their first five entries into the competition (1984-88). Auburn truly escaped against their first-round foe, #12 New Mexico State. The Aggies had a chance to win the game with under 2 seconds, but missed two out of three free throws and couldn’t sink the buzzer-beater. Unexpectedly, #4 Kansas was an easier out for the Tigers. Auburn poured in 51 points in the first half alone to jump out to a 26-point halftime lead. That was enough cushion to finish the job, despite giving up 50 points themselves in the second half. Their Sweet Sixteen matchup against UNC can’t be a tale of two halves if they hope to advance to the Elite Eight. #1 UNC North Carolina is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the 17th time, the most ever by any school. The Tar Heels amassed a 27-6 record with four of their six losses coming against ranked teams. They defeated Duke twice in the regular season before succumbing to their bitter rivals in the semifinals of the ACC tournament. Nevertheless, they are in prime position to push for a seventh national title and a second in three years. The Tar Heels will likely go as far as the dynamic duo of Cam Johnson and Coby White take them. Johnson leads the team in scoring, while White is an explosive playmaker who leads the way in assists. They both contributed tremendously in the second half of their opening-round game against Iona. While Iona led at the half, the Tar Heels regrouped and went on a run early in the second half to put the game out of reach. It wasn’t convincing, but it was a start – one that flowed into the runaway victory against #9 Washington. The Pac-12 regular season champs simply couldn’t keep up with UNC, as a well-balanced Tar Heels offense nicely complemented their lockdown defense. Against Auburn, they’ll have even more shooters to contend with, which should produce a fun fast-paced game. In UNC’s 34th Sweet Sixteen appearance, the Tar Heels have a tough path to victory. Auburn’s fifth appearance has the Tigers hungry for their first Final Four appearance. As well as Auburn has been playing, UNC is a tough opponent and don’t think the Tigers will come close to the 5.5 they are getting to cover the spread. Take the Tar Heels (-5.5). We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.<doc-sep>

Though No. 1 Virginia and No. 12 Oregon both rank in the bottom 45 in the country in pace of play, with Virginia having the fewest possessions per game of any team in the country, the point total of 119 in tonight’s NCAA Sweet 16 matchup (9:59 p.m. ET, TBS) is overblown to the under. Despite playing a very slow brand of basketball, Virginia ranks fourth in the country in points scored per possession on offense. As a team, the Cavaliers convert 40.2 percent of their 3s. While the Ducks rank sixth in the country in opponents’ 3-point shooting defense, the Cavaliers have four rotation players that hit at least 40 percent of their 3s. Oregon also gives up a lot of points with the clock stopped as Oregon is 227th in opponent free-throw attempts per field goal attempt. And with the Cavaliers shooting 74 percent at the line as a team, it should put a lot of free points on the board. As for Oregon, the Ducks have scored 66 or more points in nine of their last 10 games despite more than 61 points twice in that span, with one of those games going to overtime. The Ducks rank 21st in the country in steals per possession while on defense, which lends itself to fast break opportunities on offense. Though both teams certainly play tremendous defense, this is a total that seems to be too low and presents a lot of value to the over, especially if the 8.5-point spread is a sharp one, as that will cause for end-of-game fouling. The pick: Take the over in Oregon vs. Virginia.

The Packers have their tight end of the future. After drafting two defensive players on day one of the 2019 NFL Draft and landing an offensive linemen in Elgton Jenkins in round two, the Packers have selected Jace Sternberger from Texas A&M in round three with the 75th overall selection. Sternberger took an official visit to Green Bay this spring, so he has been on their radar. He was one of the most productive receiving tight ends in college football in 2018, racking up over 800 yards and ten touchdowns through the air. 2018 was Sternberger’s only season in College Station, as he started his college career at Kansas and transferred after two years there. The 6-foot-4, 251-pound Sternberger ran a 4.75-second 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Combine in Indianapolis this year, a solid if unspectacular time that appears slower than he plays on tape. Questions exist regarding his ability as a blocker, but a Matt LaFleur-led offense will require him to develop that part of his game in the NFL to become Here’s more on that from SB Nation’s Christian D’Andrea: While his blocking is still a work in progress, he catches anything thrown into his vicinity. His wide frame allows him the leverage to box out defenders on shorter passes and create a big target for his quarterback, becoming an inaccurate Kellen Mond’s favorite playmaker and safety valve all at once. With Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis in Green Bay for 2019, Sternberger will be able to work his way into the lineup gradually before being expected to take over as the starting tight end in 2020. However, he provides a quality receiving threat from the tight end position who can contribute on day one.<doc-sep>The Green Bay Packers used the 75th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft on Texas A&M tight end Jace Sternberger. Sternberger (6-4, 251) is the sixth tight end to be drafted in the first three rounds. Last season, Sternberger caught 48 passes for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games during a breakout year for Texas A&M. He was named a first-team All-SEC pick. The Packers hosted Sternberger in Green Bay for an official visit before the draft. Sternberger should give the Packers offense an athletic, pass-catching threat to develop at tight end behind Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan.<doc-sep>Sternberger was the sixth tight end taken, but Sullivan made it clear that the Packers were high on him and that they didn’t rank Sternberger far lower than Iowa tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, both of whom went in the first round. “We felt like he was comparable with the better tight ends in this class,” Sullivan said. “He is a very competitive kid. It’s important to him to be a well-rounded football player. His value is as a pass-catcher today, but he’s willing to block. He’ll get in there and mix it up. I think he’ll fit in well with our group.” Sternberger joins a tight end room with two veteran tight ends — Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis — at the forefront, and while he’ll have a chance to play early if deserving, the Packers don’t see the need to rush him onto the field after just one year of college production. “I don’t think there’s pressure for him to come in here and be Superman,” Sullivan said. “But we definitely think he has the skill set to do that if needed.<doc-sep>

No tight end in the 2019 draft class had a better receiving grade at Pro Football Focus during the 2018 college football season than Jace Sternberger, who the Green Bay Packers selected with the 75th overall pick Friday night. Sternberger was PFF’s No. 67 overall prospect in the class and the third best tight end, trailing only T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant. It was his production as a receiving threat that likely lifted Sternberger’s draft stock. During his one and only season at Texas A&M, Sternberger caught 48 passes for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch, led all tight ends in catches over 20 yards (seven) and dropped only three of 52 catchable targets. Sternberger also led all FBS tight ends in touchdown catches. He hauled in touchdown catches against both Alabama and LSU in 2018. Sternberger finished with an overall receiving grade of 91.1 at PFF. He and Hockenson were the only tight ends with receiving grades over 90. While Sternberger doesn’t provide the same kind of impact blocking ability as Hockenson, he could have equal or more value as a pass-catcher. Sternberger wins down the field with fluid movement ability and natural catching talent. He’s a big target with soft, reliable hands and an ability to create separation with route-running talent and spatial awareness. The Packers also like how he can create yards after the catch. The Packers needed a young tight end to develop behind veterans Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis. Sternberger will get at least a full season of development before being asked to play a major role on the Packers offense. By 2020, he could be a legitimate receiving weapon for Aaron Rodgers in Matt LaFleur’s offense.

“You trust me?” Iron Man asks Captain America. After a couple of tense beats, he replies, “I do.” Close-up of firm handshake. Crowd goes wild. OK, there’s no audience reaction in the latest teaser for Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, but the new “special look” is loaded with key lines — to wit: “It’s not about how much we lost, it’s about how much we have left.” “If we do this, we’d be going in shorthanded.” “We owe this to everyone who’s not in this room — to try.” “You could not live with your own failure.” And, ultimately: “We’re the Avengers — we gotta finish this.” That all said, here’s how Disney and Marvel describe the looming blockbuster from directors Anthony and Joe Russo: The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers’ ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to 22 films. Among those battling for all things good are Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira and Bradley Cooper. Their quarry: the ultravillain Thanos (Josh Brolin). Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and produced by Marvel’s Kevin Feige, the Avengers: Endgame chaos breaks loose April 26.<doc-sep>“It’s not about how much we’ve lost. It’s about how much we have left” A few weeks before its release, scheduled for April 24, Avengers: Endgame has revealed a little more in a new trailer posted online by Marvel Studios on Tuesday, 2nd April. As usual, this new preview of the most anticipated blockbuster of 2019 has dropped without any announcement from Disney or Marvel. The American studio has put the teaser online to accompany the sale of cinema tickets, allowing US viewers to discover the longest film of the MCU the moment it’s released As for the content, this one-minute trailer (which you can find in our video at the top of the article) is a little less stingy in terms of images than the previous ones, especially the last teaser, which essentially reproduced images of the universe’s older films, without revealing a whole lot. Fans will mainly remember the return to Earth of a subdued Tony Stark, who even ends up making peace with his long-time friend, Steve Rogers (Captain America). It’s a reconciliation that our heroes will need for their ultimate confrontation with Thanos ... Check out the video above to see the teaser for yourself!<doc-sep>The all-new 'Avengers: End Game' trailer makes the wait for the movie slated to release on April 26 much harder. For the first time, we get a look at Thanos, all suited up to face our favorite superheroes. He is heard saying, "You could not live with your own failure, where did that bring you? Back to me." Will the Avengers be able to beat Thanos one last time before they find their fallen friends? Is this vengeance? Especially after the release of recent posters titled 'Avenge the Fallen' has us all wondering what this is about. He returns... Our first on-screen look of Thanos in #AvengersEndgame: pic.twitter.com/VG2IE0JLOE — MCU Direct (@MCU_Direct) April 2, 2019 The other interesting thing about the trailer is the emotional embrace between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts! Did he make it back after his failed mission by himself? Does that mean Tony Stark will not be one of the members to die in the film or is it just another teaser for fans to raise their hopes about what is to come in the film? One thing, however, is certain. The superheroes, especially Black Widow and Tony Stark, will not be able to live with their failures. They team up again, despite the absence of half the team because as Black Widow says, "We owe this to everyone not in this room. To try." They may not be certain of victory at the end of this road, but they will not give up. 'Avengers: End Game', which marks the end of Marvel Cinematic Universe's current phase will also see Captain Marvel play a role in bringing together the remaining Avengers, and from the trailers, she will not be taking the reins from our favorite heroes as was feared by loyal fans. “It’s not about how much we lost, it’s about how much we have left.” Tickets are now available for Marvel Studios’ #AvengersEndgame, in theaters April 26: https://t.co/h90aWvzX1D pic.twitter.com/4Dz22hRWvQ — Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) April 2, 2019 Also, that scene between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, as the former asks the Captain if he trusts him and the answer is yes, makes for the most emotional scene for fans ahead of watching the movie in theatres! War Machine, Bruce Banner, Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Nebula, Rocket and Hawkeye (Ronin) come together to go on one last mission. As Stark says, "It's not about how much we have lost. It's about how much we have left." The one-minute long video was released to celebrate the opening of ticket sales of what has come to be known as the biggest superhero movie ever. “This is the fight of our lives.” Marvel Studios’ #AvengersEndgame is in theaters April 26. pic.twitter.com/3bCE1pmUPF — Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 29, 2019 PS: Do not miss the impressive hammer/axe that Thor has got his hands on. We can only wait to see how big a role will Stormbreaker play in the film, especially considering it was made to beat Thanos. Marvel's 'Avengers: Endgame' comes to theatres on April 26.<doc-sep>

The special look teaser of Avengers: Endgame has checked in with the Earth's Mightiest Heroes as they prepare for final face-off with Thanos. Marvel dropped the new footage on Tuesday evening from the highly anticipated follow-up that closes out a major chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The sequel sees Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and the remaining band of heroes formulating a plan to take down the Mad Titan after he wiped out half the galaxy. “We owe this to everyone who’s not in this room to try,” a somber Black Widow says in the teaser as the frame shifts to Iron Man who finally meets Pepper Potts. Soon, we see Iron Man ask Captain America if the latter trusts him, to which the first Avengers replies, “I do,” and the two along with the other Avengers leave for their mission in a spaceship. But the best is saved for last when we see Iron Man and Captain America come face-to-face with Thanos. “Where did that bring you?” asks Thor and come a voice “Back to me” from the background. Yes, it's Thanos! Watch Avengers: Endgame new clip here:After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store. Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26.

Greenland’s massive ice stockpile is melting faster than previously thought, and it may be too late to do anything about it except “adapt,” scientists have warned in a new study. The rate of ice loss there is up to four times faster than it was in 2003 and is contributing to rising sea levels, according to the new data. The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), used NASA climate data and GPS stations to study Greenland’s ice sheets, the Guardian reports. Greenland lost 280 billion tons of ice annually from 2002-2016, raising global sea levels by 0.03 inches per year. If Greenland’s entire ice sheet were to melt, oceans levels would swell up to 20 feet, endangering numerous seaside cities and low-lying Pacific islands. “Increasingly, large amounts of ice mass are going to leave as meltwater, as rivers that flow into the sea,” Michael Bevis, the paper’s lead author and professor at Ohio State University, told the Guardian. The ice is also melting four times faster in 2013 than it was in 2003, an increase scientists attributed to rising temperatures and the North Atlantic Oscillation, a pressure system that brings warmer air to Greenland. “The only thing we can do is adapt and mitigate further global warming – it’s too late for there to be no effect,” Bevis added. “We are watching the ice sheet hit a tipping point.” Read more: Why We Don’t Need a Moonshot to Solve Climate Change These grim conclusions came in the wake of a separate study last week that made similar warnings about Antarctica. Scientists from the University of California, Irving and Utretcht University in the Netherlands found that Antarctic ice loss has also rapidly accelerated over the past four decades, from about 40 billion tons per year in the 1980s, to over 250 billion tons per year from 2009–2017. Scientists have warned that Antarctic ice melt could raise global sea levels 3.5 feet by 2100 unless urgent action is taken to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Write to Eli Meixler at eli.meixler@time.com.<doc-sep>Each summer, large rivers emerge on the surface of Greenland, swiftly sending meltwater from the ice sheet into the sea. Greenland is melting faster today than it has at any time in the last 350 years, and probably much longer, new research finds. Surface melt from the icy island has increased 50 percent in the last 20 years compared with the early 1800s, before the industrial era, researchers report today (Dec. 5) in the journal Nature. The runoff alone is now contributing about a millimeter to the global average sea level per year, said study co-author Sarah Das, a glaciologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. "Climate change has hit Greenland very hard recently, and the ice sheet is responding quickly," Das told Live Science. [Stunning Photos of Greenland's Supraglacial Lakes] Dire straits Scientists tracking Greenland's ice by satellite and on the ground have seen increasingly dire ice loss. Greenland loses ice both when icebergs calve off glaciers and when ice on the surface melts and flows to the sea as water. The meltwater flow is how the majority of the ice vanishes, and that's what Das and her colleagues focused on. The researchers analyzed ice cores drilled from the high-elevation center of Greenland, where each year's snowfall melts a little bit and refreezes before being covered by a new season's worth of snow. This layered pattern allows researchers to estimate how much melt took place each year, going back about 350 years. The team was then able to use modern, precise measurements of melt and correlate those measurements with the pattern seen in the ice cores, which allowed them to estimate what melt at lower elevations across the island would have looked like in each year recorded in the high-elevation cores. [Images: Greenland's Gorgeous Glaciers] The numbers weren't good. The last two decades of melt show an increase in the rate of melting of 250 percent to 575 percent compared with the preindustrial baseline from before the mid-1800s. The researchers found that the rate translated to a 50-percent increase in the runoff of meltwater into the sea compared with the preindustrial era. Over the 20th century alone, the runoff of meltwater increased 33 percent. "We show that although melt started to increase around the pre- to post-industrial transition, it really stayed fairly low and stable until about the 1990s," Das said. "So, it's really been in the last couple of decades that we've seen this exceptional rise." Degrees of warming The year 2012, in particular, was a standout for ice melt. Researchers knew that the Arctic lost an unprecedented amount of ice compared with earlier decades in that year, but Das and her colleagues were able to show that more ice melted in 2012 in Greenland than in any of the previous 350 years. Because Greenland had been icy and cold for thousands of years prior, the researchers suspect that 2012 was a record for melt going back even further, to as early as 7,800 years ago. The amount of annual meltwater runoff from Greenland has increased from between 200 and 250 gigatons a year before humans started burning fossil fuels in large amounts to 350 gigatons a year today, Das and her colleagues reported. It takes about 360 gigatons of meltwater to raise the global sea level by a millimeter, Das said. At today's higher Arctic temperatures, each degree of warming causes about double the amount of melting that the same degree would have caused in the 1800s, Das said. That means that what humanity does now has a huge impact. "Every degree of warming going forward is going to have much larger implications for Greenland mass loss and sea-level rise," Das said. "Anything we can do to limit future warming, even by a little bit, is going to make a huge difference to keeping ice on Greenland and not in the ocean." Originally published on Live Science.<doc-sep>Greenland's ice is melting four times faster than just 15 years ago and major American coastal cities such as New York could be swamped, warns a new study. The ice is melting quicker than scientists previously thought and they say it will likely lead to faster sea level rises, due to the continued, accelerating warming of the Earth's atmosphere. Researchers concerned about global sea level rises have focused on Greenland's south east and north west regions, where large glaciers stream iceberg-sized chunks of ice into the Atlantic. The chunks float away, eventually melting. But a new study found that the largest sustained ice loss from early 2003 to mid-2013 came from Greenland's south west region, which is mostly devoid of large glaciers. Scroll down for video Greenland's ice is melting four times faster than just 15 years ago and major American coastal cities such as New York could be swamped, warns a new study. File photo Study lead author Professor Michael Bevis, of Ohio State University, said: 'Whatever this was, it couldn't be explained by glaciers, because there aren't many there. 'It had to be the surface mass - the ice was melting inland from the coastline.' The melting, which Professor Bevis and his colleagues believe is largely caused by global warming, means that in the south western part of Greenland, growing rivers of water are streaming into the ocean during summer. The key finding from their study is that South West Greenland, which previously had not been considered a serious threat, will likely become a 'major future contributor' to sea level rise. Professor Bevis said: 'We knew we had one big problem with increasing rates of ice discharge by some large outlet glaciers. 'But now we recognise a second serious problem: increasingly, large amounts of ice mass are going to leave as meltwater, as rivers that flow into the sea.' He said the findings could have 'serious implications' for coastal US cities, including New York and Miami, as well as island nations that are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. And he warned there is no turning back. Professor Bevis said: 'The only thing we can do is adapt and mitigate further global warming - it's too late for there to be no effect. 'This is going to cause additional sea level rise. We are watching the ice sheet hit a tipping point.' The ice is melting quicker than scientists previously thought and they say it will likely lead to faster sea level rises, due to the continued, accelerating warming of the Earth's atmosphere. File photo Climate scientists and glaciologists have been monitoring the Greenland ice sheet as a whole since 2002, when NASA and Germany joined forces to launch the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, known as GRACE. It involves twin satellites that measure ice loss across Greenland. Data from the satellites showed that between 2002 and 2016, Greenland lost around 280 gigatons of ice per year, equivalent to an annual sea level rise of 0.03 inches. But the rate of ice loss across the island was far from steady. Professor Bevis' team used data from GRACE and from GPS stations scattered around Greenland's coast to identify changes in ice mass. The patterns they found show an 'alarming' trend - by 2012, ice was being lost at nearly four times the rate that prevailed in 2003. And the biggest surprise was that the acceleration was focused in south west Greenland, a part of the island that previously hadn't been known to be losing ice that rapidly. WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF LOWER SEA ICE LEVELS? The amount of Arctic sea ice peaks around March as winter comes to a close. NASA recently announced that the maximum amount of sea ice this year was low, following three other record-low measurements taken in 2015, 2016 and 2017. This can lead to a number of negative effects that impact climate, weather patterns, plant and animal life and indigenous human communities. The amount of sea ice in the Arctic is declining, and this has dangerous consequences, NASA says Additionally, the disappearing ice can alter shipping routes and affect coastal erosion and ocean circulation. NASA researcher Claire Parkinson said: 'The Arctic sea ice cover continues to be in a decreasing trend and this is connected to the ongoing warming of the Arctic. 'It's a two-way street: the warming means less ice is going to form and more ice is going to melt, but, also, because there's less ice, less of the sun's incident solar radiation is reflected off, and this contributes to the warming.' Advertisement Professor Bevis said a natural weather phenomenon - the North Atlantic Oscillation, which brings warmer air to West Greenland, as well as clearer skies and more solar radiation - was building on man-made climate change to cause 'unprecedented' levels of melting and runoff. Global atmospheric warming enhances summertime melting, especially in the south west. Professor Bevis said the North Atlantic Oscillation is a natural, if erratic, cycle that causes ice to melt under normal circumstances. When combined with man-made global warming, the effects are 'supercharged'. He said: 'These oscillations have been happening forever. 'So why only now are they causing this massive melt? It's because the atmosphere is, at its baseline, warmer. 'The transient warming driven by the North Atlantic Oscillation was riding on top of more sustained, global warming. 'What's happening is sea surface temperature in the tropics is going up; shallow water gets warmer and the air gets warmer. 'The water temperature fluctuations driven by an El Niño are riding this global ocean warming. 'Because of climate change, the base temperature is already close to the critical temperature at which coral bleaches, so an El Niño pushes the temperature over the critical threshold value. Researchers concerned about global sea level rises have focused on Greenland's south east and north west regions, where large glaciers stream iceberg-sized chunks of ice into the Atlantic. The chunks float away, eventually melting. File photo 'And in the case of Greenland, global warming has brought summertime temperatures in a significant portion of Greenland close to the melting point, and the North Atlantic Oscillation has provided the extra push that caused large areas of ice to melt.' Before the new study, scientists understood Greenland to be one of the Earth's major contributors to sea-level rise - mostly because of its glaciers. But Professor Bevis said the new findings show that scientists need to be watching the island's snowpack and ice fields more closely. He added: 'We're going to see faster and faster sea level rise for the foreseeable future. 'Once you hit that tipping point, the only question is: how severe does it get?' The full findings of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.<doc-sep>

Scientists have warned Greenland's ice sheet is reaching a "tipping point," after a study revealed it was melting four times faster than in 2003. The loss of ice could put coastal cities like Miami and New York, as well as islands elsewhere, at risk, according to the authors of the study, which was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper's lead author Michael Bevis, a professor of geodynamics at The Ohio State University, commented: "The only thing we can do is adapt and mitigate further global warming—it's too late for there to be no effect. "This is going to cause additional sea level rise. We are watching the ice sheet hit a tipping point," Bevis said, adding we are "going to see faster and faster sea level rise for the foreseeable future." "Once you hit that tipping point, the only question is: How severe does it get?" he continued. On average, Greenland lost around 280 gigatons of ice annually between 2002 and 2016, causing the sea to rise at 0.03 inches each year. In the past, southeast and northwest regions of Greenland have prompted worry about their contribution to climbing sea levels, as that is where icebergs break off glaciers and melt into the Atlantic Ocean. The largely glacier-free southwest was less of a concern—until now. The team focused on southwest Greenland and found it was the site of the most sustained ice loss between 2003 to 2013. The region's ice overall was found to be melting four times faster than in 2003. Scientists believe ice is melting inland—likely propelled by a combination of global warming and the North Atlantic Oscillation cycle that heats West Greenland—and sending streams of water gushing towards the coastline and into the ocean. The conclusion was based on the findings of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (a joint research project established by NASA and German scientists in 2002 using satellites to monitor Greenland's ice), as well as data from coastal GPS equipment located in the region. Bevis explained: "We knew we had one big problem with increasing rates of ice discharge by some large outlet glaciers. "But now we recognize a second serious problem: Increasingly, large amounts of ice mass are going to leave as meltwater, as rivers that flow into the sea." Referring to the North Atlantic Oscillation, which sends warm air and solar radiation towards West Greenland, Bevis continued: "These oscillations have been happening forever. So why only now are they causing this massive melt? It's because the atmosphere is, at its baseline, warmer. The transient warming driven by the North Atlantic Oscillation was riding on top of more sustained, global warming." "Global warming has brought summertime temperatures in a significant portion of Greenland close to the melting point, and the North Atlantic Oscillation has provided the extra push that caused large areas of ice to melt". Dr. Anna Hogg, an expert in Earth's polar regions at the University of Leeds, U.K. who was not involved in the research, pointed out to Newsweek that the paper was also interesting because it investigated an apparent pause in melting in 2013, after an extreme surface melt event in 2012. "This paper shows that while we have seen a well-documented acceleration in Greenland ice loss since the early 2000's, simple characterizations of this as 'a constant acceleration,' don't do the full picture justice because these observations show that ice loss can slow down, or 'pause'." However, she argued the study was limited because the data was collected between 2003 and 2016. "Unfortunately the really interesting signal which is the pause in the total rate of ice loss, started in 2013 and continues through to 2016 when this dataset ends, leaving us in suspense to find out what happens next." Dr. Richard Alley, a professor at the Pennsylvania State University Department of Geosciences who was not involved in the research told The Guardian: "We are warming the planet, this is melting ice, and that is raising sea level." "If the big ice sheets change more rapidly than expected, they could drive faster or much faster rise than expected," he said. The study is the latest to shine a light on the alarming trends of global warming and the dangers posed by rising sea levels. Since 1901, sea levels have risen by around 8 inches. Late last year, the Maldives—an island nation in the Indian Ocean—told a UN climate talk it was desperately trying to keep "heads above water."

Sign up to FREE email alerts from Football London - Spurs Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Lucas Moura was the toast of all Tottenham Hotspur supporters on Monday night as his brace helped secure a 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Signed from Paris Saint-Germain in the January transfer window, the Brazilian has had to wait for a chance to make an impact for the north London outfit but is now showing signs of fulfilling his enormous potential. He's started all three Premier League games so far this season and is the club's leading scorer after his heroics at the 'Theatre of Dreams'. Yet it all could have been so different had Sir Alex Ferguson and the Red Devils got their way five years ago. Lucas had been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in January 2013 but ended up making the switch to PSG from Sao Paulo for a reported £45m fee. United offered the Brazilian club £10m less but were simply gazumped by the Ligue 1 giants and Ferguson admits they couldn't compete with such financial power. (Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) "Right towards the end of my time at United we were pursuing Lucas Moura, the immensely talented right winger who, at the time, was playing in his native Brazil for Sao Paulo," Ferguson wrote in his 2015 book Leading. "We offered £24million for him, which was upped to £30m and again to £35m, but Paris Saint-Germain signed him for £45m. David and I were just not prepared to go to those sorts of levels." Moura has also gone on record stating why he opted for France over England at the time. "It was a very difficult moment because suddenly I had to make a choice when I thought I was joining Manchester United," he told the Daily Telegraph. "I thought about it a lot; I talked about it with my family and I made my choice. Football is like that. You have to choose a team. "That also helped me make my choice," [playing alongside some of his compatriots]. "We forged great friendships and every one of us, each of the Brazilians, we would do anything to help each other. "We are like brothers and that really helped me … But Leonardo was the key." Keep up to date with the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, features and exclusives from football.london via our free WhatsApp service. Text NEWS to 07776197989 and then add the number to your phone contacts book as spurs dot london (case sensitive, with spaces) to receive daily updates and breaking news from Alasdair Gold on the team on Spurs. Your phone number won't be shared with any other members of the group. Click here for more information on the service.<doc-sep>Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Moura has been making headlines in Brazil. Tottenham Hotspur demolished Manchester United on Monday evening with an impressive 3-0 victory. Lucas Moura was the star, scoring two second half goals which highlighted why Spurs signed him from Paris Saint-Germain in January. Moura’s double has made headlines back in his native Brazil, and seen him compared to a legend. Goal Brazil’s Tauan Ambrosio’s write up talked up the way he evoked memories of his countryman Ronaldo who once stunned Old Trafford, for Real Madrid in the Champions League in 2003. Best Player Your Club Should SELL This Summer Ronaldo scored a hat-trick that night to dump United out of the competition, and earned a standing ovation. Lucas’ performance was hailed as his best performance since leaving Sao Paulo in 2013 to play in Europe. OUL Esporte compared Lucas to Kaka, who also silenced the Old Trafford crowd with his performances for AC Milan in Europe in 2007. United themselves had a chance to sign Lucas in 2013, missing out to PSG, and then deciding not to get involved as he signed for Spurs in January. Both decisions look pretty costly now. In other news, ‘You’ve got to say’: Glenn Hoddle says one Leeds United man is simply ‘fabulous’<doc-sep>Tottenham winger Lucas Moura scored twice at Old Trafford. Tottenham Hotspur winger Lucas Moura produced the best performance of his Tottenham Hotspur career so far by scoring twice against Manchester United. Lucas’ double followed up an opening header from Harry Kane and led Spurs to a 3-0 win at Old Trafford. Lucas was bought to be a game changer for Spurs and last night he delivered. After he game he sent a simple message out on Twitter to celebrate the victory. This content could not be loaded ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/5KpLCcsjsI — Lucas Moura (@LucasMoura7) August 27, 2018 This content could not be loaded What a moment! What a game! Congratulations guys! THANKS GOD, THANKS GOD, THANKS GOD! #COYS #GlorytoGod #JesusmyLord https://t.co/cmK4x6Jypf — Lucas Moura (@LucasMoura7) August 27, 2018 Gareth Bale Is BACK...FIVE Months Late Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld was among the stars, shining against the team which was linked with buying him all summer long. He too took to Twitter to give a snap reaction to the win. This content could not be loaded A big performance, an amazing win & a clean sheet #COYS pic.twitter.com/3eX7mL005v — Alderweireld Toby (@AlderweireldTob) August 27, 2018 Tottenham’s win was their biggest at Old Trafford for 46 years and a real marker for the rest of the season when it comes to big away games. United have lost two games in a row and sit in the bottom half of the table, while Spurs’ 100 per cent record is just the start they would have wanted, and in previous years have fallen short of. In other news, 'My last match': Reported £12m Liverpool target suggests he could leave<doc-sep>

Lucas Moura bagged a brace in Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Manchester United on Monday night. Brazilian forward Lucas Moura was the star performer on Monday night as Tottenham saw off Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford. The 26-year-old scored Spurs’ last two goals to end the Red Devils’ chances of making a comeback, and his decision to join the North London club back in January looks like one that is beginning to benefit both club and player. Moura has scored three Premier League goals in as many appearances this season, and is slowly establishing himself as an integral part of manager Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. Leaving PSG, where he had become surplus to requirements, has seen the forward’s stocks start to rise again, and his international career will surely get revived if he keeps impressing at this rate. Gareth Bale Is BACK...FIVE Months Late Moura’s last appearance for Brazil was in 2016 when he played just once for the South American giants all year. The former São Paulo star played just twice in 2015, with his last goal for country coming in 2013. The Tottenham star has featured in just one major tournament for Brazil, the 2011 Copa América, but his fortunes could soon change based on the decision he made in January – joining Spurs. Moura missed out on Tite’s 23-man squad released earlier this month, but the Brazilian coaching crew is surely keeping a keen eye on him following his blistering start to the new season, and he only needs to remain consistent for him to make a return to the national team setup sooner rather than later. In other news, 'This is the man we need': Some Tottenham fans very excited over manager update

Notre Dame and Michigan played for the first time since 2014 on Saturday night, and just like that last meeting, the Irish emerged from the scrum victorious, beating the Wolverines 24-17. It wasn't a pretty affair, and it felt like a tale of two halves for both teams. Notre Dame looked sharp early, scoring a touchdown on three of its first four drives of the night, but it wouldn't find the end zone again. The Irish had 21 points and 233 yards of offense in the first half, but managed only 3 points and 69 yards in the second. Michigan, meanwhile, went into the locker room at halftime with just 90 yards of offense and 10 points (seven of which came on a 99-yard kick return). In the second half, it posted 217 yards of offense, but was still limited to a single touchdown. It was ugly for both teams, as the Michigan defense settled in after a slow start, and the Notre Dame defense was solid throughout the night and had a bit of "bend-but-don't-break" to it. In the end, Notre Dame leaves with a win it can be proud of, and Michigan starts a season in which it had high hopes with a 0-1 record. But what does it mean for both teams? Let's try to figure it out. 1. Notre Dame's offense remains inconsistent. It seems to be a theme throughout the Brian Kelly Era in South Bend. At times, the unit looks unstoppable and exciting, and then suddenly it gets bogged down and can't get out of its own way. Brandon Wimbush came out slinging the ball all over the field, connecting with Chris Finke on a gorgeous 43-yard strike for a TD to give Notre Dame a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. Wimbush completed 10 of his first 13 passes and looked terrific. But he then went 2-for-7 down the stretch to finish with 12 completions in 20 attempts. Some of the blame has to go to the offensive line. It looked good enough for a unit that had to replace two top-15 NFL Draft picks, but it had a difficult time opening up holes against Michigan's front seven (as most teams do). While Wimbush was able to rush for 59 yards on designed runs and scramble, the rest of Notre Dame's offense managed 73 yards on 28 carries (2.61 per attempt). It nearly cost Notre Dame the game, too. Late in the fourth quarter, after Michigan had cut the lead to 24-17, the Irish just needed a first down to get out with the win. It ran three straight plays and went nowhere. If Notre Dame is going to get to the College Football Playoff this season, it needs to find consistency on offense. It didn't have it Saturday night. 2. Shea Patterson isn't a savior. He's talented. He's probably the most talented quarterback Jim Harbaugh has had at Michigan, but the expectations placed on his shoulders were too much. I think that became evident to Michigan fans on Saturday night, as Patterson completed 20 of 30 for 227 yards passing, no touchdowns and an interception. While the completion percentage was healthy, the 7.6 yards per attempt wasn't. Take away one long 52-yard connection with Nico Collins and Patterson's numbers become far more pedestrian. But it wasn't all his fault. While he has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long and forces a lot of passes he shouldn't (which is a problem that afflicts most college QBs), Patterson didn't get a ton of help from his offensive line. Notre Dame had 3 sacks on the night, but it felt like the Irish got pressure on Patterson nearly every time he dropped back to pass. Michigan's inability to run the ball didn't help much either. Now, none of this is to say that Patterson and Michigan can't have a successful season in 2018. They certainly can, but the first game of the season should temper expectations a bit. 3. Jim Harbaugh didn't change the narrative. Since coming to Michigan, Harbaugh has had success, but he hasn't won the big games against rivals. He's 3-6 against division rivals Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State, and now he's 0-1 against rival Notre Dame. It's not a good look. It's also a narrative Harbaugh could flip on its head easily should Michigan start winning games and get on a roll, but he's going to have to deal with it for at least another month. There isn't a game on Michigan's schedule between now and Oct. 13 against Wisconsin it shouldn't win. And if it loses any of them? Well, then anything could happen. CBS Sports was with you the entire way updating this story with the latest scores, highlights and analysis from Michigan vs. Notre Dame. If you are unable to view the live updates below, please click here. Thanks for stopping by.<doc-sep>One of these days Jim Harbaugh is going to win at the end of the game, on a national stage, against a ranked opponent, on the road. Or, maybe one of these days he won’t. Until he does, he’ll remain more hype than anything else. At this point, how can you argue otherwise? On Saturday night in South Bend, against No. 11 Notre Dame, Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines looked unprepared and overamped, unable to create running room for its backs or a reliable pocket for its promising new quarterback — Shea Patterson — in a 24-17 loss at Notre Dame Stadium. And that’s got to change. As do the penalties and the personal fouls and the disjointedness that looked like they carried over from last year. Yes, U-M stayed in the game when Notre Dame came close to blowing them out, and Patterson had a chance to tie it late until he fumbled in a crashing pocket. Harbaugh can work with that kind of fight and spirit. But fight and spirit aren’t enough. At some point his team has to start making the plays that his rivals keep finding ways to make. Reactions:Michigan's offensive line softer than toilet paper Patterson needs playmakers All the hype isn’t Patterson’s fault. He could’ve scaled the painting of Touchdown Jesus and kissed him on the cheek and that still wouldn’t have been enough Biblical pixie dust to sprinkle on the inconsistent offensive line. Or heal Tarik Black’s broken foot. Or repopulate the roster with a couple more playmakers, of which this team still doesn’t seem to have enough. Patterson didn’t get to throw to Miles Boykin, a long and athletic receiver who leapt and hauled in throws despite defenders nearly piggy-backing him. He had to spread the ball underneath, on crossing routes and outs to the sideline. He showed touch in a way that no quarterback did last year. And tossed a perfect lob for a 52-yard gain early in the third quarter. It’s easy to spot the accuracy and poise in Patterson, and he even slipped out of the pocket a few times to extend plays, where he threw on the run with touch, too. He will get better. But he’ll need the rest of the offense to step into the glare with him. Your turn:Grade Michigan's performance in 24-17 loss to Notre Dame Defense has thin margin for error Don Brown’s all-or-nothing defense, when it’s getting home, and swarming, is quite a sight, and it can overwhelm an offense. In moments, or even in stretches, Brown’s everyone-at-the-line-and-attack strategy will produce a flurry of sacks and quarterback hurries, or a sequence of run defense that cuts off all angles and racks up tackles for loss. But it’s deceiving. For while the blue-and-maize tsunami can force three-and-outs – or three and backs -- the slightest leak can turn into a deluge, and open Wyoming-sized swaths for the offense. All that aggressiveness shrinks the margin for error, so when an error happens, as several did against Notre Dame, the mistakes become catastrophic. This is a fine way to play against Rutgers. Yet Notre Dame? Or any of the other ranked teams on the schedule? Maybe not. Look, the defense will be fine. A few penalties and dropped interceptions helped the Fighting Irish as much as the Wolverines’ mistimed over-eagerness. But Saturday night in South Bend reminds us that it’s still about what the defense could be. And not what it actually is. Injury update:Michigan's Devin Bush leaves Notre Dame game with cramps Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!<doc-sep>Chase Winovich was confused. He had no idea how his Wolverines had just lost. “I’m not really sure where they beat us,” said the bewildered, Michigan football senior defensive end, standing in a tight cinder-block room underneath Notre Dame Stadium after U-M's 24-17 loss to the Irish. “... (I) didn’t feel like they dominated us.” He’s right. They didn’t. Notre Dame just made a few more plays. If there’s a theme to Jim Harbaugh’s three-plus year tenure in Ann Arbor, there it is. On the biggest stage, in the biggest games, against their biggest rivals, the Wolverines keep coming up short. A second late to the quarterback, say. Or a second short of holding a block. On one play, you’ll see something spectacular. Like Devin Bush ripping across the field and blowing up a toss sweep. On the next, Winovich hits the quarterback a fraction too late. A flag is tossed. A drive is kept alive. More: Braylon Edwards: Michigan football 'trash'; comments deleted on Twitter U-M stock watch: Winovich bright spot dulled by coaches Bad luck? Bad timing? Sure. And, to be fair, Harbaugh has had his share of cosmic misfortune late in games. But, at some point, a program must make its own breaks. Snatching more 50-50 balls, for example. As Notre Dame did Saturday night. When was the last time you saw a Wolverine receiver rise through a thicket of arms and torsos to haul in a critical catch, like Irish receiver Chris Finke did in the end zone in the first quarter when he leaped over U-M safety Brad Hawkins and stole an interception? In the moment, when someone makes a game-shifting play, it’s easy to credit the player. And you should. Yet when those plays consistently go the other way, it’s time to credit the coach. Or, more accurately, blame him. For all of Harbaugh’s strengths, for the relentlessness he imbues into his players, there is something missing in his program and it’s hard to figure. More:U-M hasn't improved and it is Jim Harbaugh's fault This is the simplest explanation for his 1-6 record against his rivals. Because it’s not just a talent-gap. Michigan State’s coach, Mark Dantonio, recently said he didn’t know why his team had won so many fourth-quarter games over the years. That makes sense. There is alchemy to the way football games unfold. You can study the tape and fix your positioning and reconsider formations and rep it all out in practice. But when your team takes the field, it has got to show more than what it learned during the prep work. The best coaches know how to coax those intangibles from their locker rooms, even if they aren’t exactly sure how they are doing it. Call it osmosis. Call it magic. Call it whatever you want. Harbaugh hasn’t summoned enough of it. Think about Saturday night, near the end of the game, when the offense took over at its own 20-yard-line and U-M trailed by two touchdowns … and showed little urgency with the game clock. While they scored, and quarterback Shea Patterson made smart decisions navigating Notre Dame’s prevent scheme, the pace of the attack looked like a Saturday afternoon in April, with nothing on the line. Your turn:Grade U-M's performance in 24-17 loss to Notre Dame That lack of zip, in that moment, is a tidy metaphor for what happens to Harbaugh’s teams in heavy times. And while his presence has restored some shine to the program, he hasn’t been able to impart his inner football savant into the DNA of his teams. When asked what is missing and how he intends to fix it, Harbaugh said, “good old-fashioned resolve.” He didn’t mean that as a shot to his players. They showed grit by staying in the game; a year ago, they lose by three touchdowns. That’s a hopeful sign. So is the transfer quarterback who showed promise. The question is: Will this squad develop that essential, intangible, damn-near inexplicable quality that makes the difference in the biggest games? Based on Harbaugh’s resumé before he got to Michigan, the answer is yes. But based on the last three-plus years in Ann Arbor? It’s hard to see it. Just listen to Winovich. “I feel like they did a better job of adapting and took advantage of our lack of … you know, whatever. Not being prepared enough? I’ve got to watch the film.” If they weren’t prepared, that’s inexcusable. Though I suspect it’s more complicated than that. On paper, they were ready. Understood the playbook. Understood expectation. But out in the world? They weren’t. The grades are in:Offense punchless, defense disappoints in loss The Irish attacked from the opening kick and played with a discernible purpose. U-M, meanwhile, sat back, cautiously extending their hand toward the flame to gauge if it was too hot. Aside from shoring up the offensive line and making more plays down the field, this — THIS — is Harbaugh’s charge. Stitching the connective tissue to bolster that complicated playbook. This is Harbaugh’s job. It’s time he figured it out. Contact Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @shawnwindsor. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!<doc-sep>SOUTH BEND, Ind. — For all the talk about Michigan’s “new” offense under quarterback Shea Patterson, it looked awfully familiar and weak. For all the talk about all the changes — the new coaches and new strength coach — the Wolverines had more cramps than touchdowns. For all the talk about Michigan’s “great” and "feared" defense — yikes, Notre Dame just scored again. For all the talk about Michigan's "improved" offensive line — uh, no. Don't even go there. The Wolverines came out and fizzled on Saturday night, cramping up with fatigue and mistakes, mounting a late charge but losing against Notre Dame, 24-17. Once again, the Wolverines couldn’t run the ball. Once again, the Wolverines couldn't find a spark. Not until a late fourth-quarter push. Once again, the Wolverines couldn’t find enough big plays when it mattered the most. And once again, Michigan couldn’t beat a ranked team on the road. Stop me if that sounds like a broken record. More:Winners and losers of college football's Week 1 headlined by Maryland More:Don't be so surprised by the latest Texas loss to Maryland This, obviously, is on Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. His preparation failed. His changes have yet to work. And Michigan isn't new and improved. It looked beaten and broken for most of the game, until a late push in the fourth quarter. “It’s not the end,” Harbaugh said. “It’s the beginning for us.” Actually, it felt like a continuation. The story of this game wasn’t Patterson. The story of this game was Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush. A year ago, Wimbush completed less than half of his passes, but he came out firing against the Wolverines. Wimbush, who is known as a running quarterback, hit five of his first seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Just when you thought the Wolverines had him sacked, he would slip away and hit somebody for a first down. Just when you thought the Wolverines had the Irish in third-and-long, he sneaked up the middle and picked up another first down. “He played a heck of a ball game,” Harbaugh said. “I thought we limited that in the second half.” Notre Dame scored two touchdowns on its first two possessions and it was like a gut punch that left the Wolverines looking stunned and gasping for air. Wait a second. The Irish did that to Michigan’s vaunted defense? The Wolverines had the third-ranked defense in the entire nation last season, allowing just 27 touchdowns in 13 games. And Michigan returned nine starters. But the Irish gashed the Wolverines quickly. “I didn’t feel they dominated us,” Michigan captain Chase Winovich said. “They made plays.” Meanwhile, Michigan didn’t. That’s the story of this team in the Harbaugh era. The Wolverines had several costly mistakes and penalties. Josh Metellus, a safety, was ejected for targeting. And Winovich, a fifth-year senior, made a costly play with four minutes left in the second quarter. On third down, he lowered his helmet and hit Wimbush late and in the back. On the next play, Notre Dame scored a touchdown, taking a 21-3 lead. It was a four-point blunder. Add in a botched field goal, and the Wolverines hurt themselves. “There are improvements to be made,” Harbaugh said. “Mistakes were made.” Ah, you can say that again. This game marked the debut of Patterson. He did some good things — hitting nine of his first 11 passes. And he did some bad things — like, forcing an interception, and taking a sack to get out of field-goal range, and losing the ball when they had a chance late. To his credit, Patterson was quick to blame himself. “I thought he competed well,” Harbaugh said. “I thought he was doing the things we were asking him to do. For a first time out, with his new team, I thought he did a good job.” At times, Patterson looked smooth, rolling out and hitting receivers in rhythm. He spread the ball around, hitting five different receivers in the first quarter. Then, he overthrew a receiver while under pressure. He showed off his arm strength, hitting Nico Collins on a 52-yard heave, which set up a field-goal attempt. But the Wolverines mishandled the snap, which would have made it a one-possession game. “There’s a lot of room to grow,” Patterson said. “We have so many weapons.” Late in the second quarter, Michigan looked dead. The Irish had a 21-3 lead. And if it weren't for an Ambry Thomas kickoff return for a touchdown, it would have been far worse. Overall, Michigan made mistakes that it can, presumably, clean up. My gut says the defense will play better. After the early miscues, the defense played better. And Michigan showed some life late. But that offensive line is beyond troubling. And the lack of explosive plays is beyond concerning. On this night, it looked a lot like last year. When the Wolverines won just eight games. And that’s on Harbaugh. Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.<doc-sep>

South Bend, Ind. — Clunk, clunk, clunk. Michigan went on the road again in search of an identity, in pursuit of a big-game turnaround. Instead, another clunker, another night when the Wolverines wavered in the heat. Jim Harbaugh’s team didn’t look ready. Don Brown’s defense looked crazed and confused. Michigan hung around after an awful start, but that’s not good enough, not nearly good enough in Harbaugh’s fourth season. Notre Dame outplayed and outsmarted Michigan in a tedious 24-17 victory Saturday night, in which the Fighting Irish made the big plays and the Wolverines made the big mistakes. It was supposed to be different with a new quarterback, a beefed-up offensive line and an experienced defense. But in an effort to alter negative perceptions about themselves, the Wolverines actually reiterated them, unable to run the ball, unable to block with any consistency, unable to beat a quality team in a hostile setting. That’s 17 straight road losses against ranked teams, and in their last 18 games under Harbaugh, the Wolverines are 9-9. No, the season isn’t over, but the hype is, and maybe that’s a good thing. Shea Patterson was fine in his ballyhooed debut, although by the time he was given the chance to make a few plays, it was by desperation, not by design. It was as if Michigan wanted to ease Patterson into the offense, expecting it could rely on its defense to handle the opener. But the defense had no clue how to contain quarterback Brandon Wimbush on third down until the second half, after the decisive plays were already made. That was the shocking part, as the Irish outgained the Wolverines 233-90 while grabbing a 21-10 halftime lead. It looked worse and it really was, with Michigan’s touchdown coming on a 99-yard kickoff return by Ambry Thomas. You expect the defense will rebound, because it has before. The penalties (Josh Mettelus was ejected for targeting) and undisciplined play at times were alarming, although Michigan did hold Notre Dame to 69 total yards in the second half. But what can you legitimately expect out of the offense, as the line still struggles and play-makers still must emerge? Patterson showed flashes, completing 20 of 30 passes for 227 yards, with one interception, three sacks and a late fumble. But the warning proved accurate: Patterson can’t change this offense immediately or single-handedly. 'Things to build on' That’s on Harbaugh, and he tried his best afterward to calm the concerns. It was not an easy opener, and under normal conditions, you’d give Notre Dame’s defense ample credit and move on. The problem is, we’ve seen this type of sloppy performance from Michigan too many times, going back to 8-5 a year ago, going back to Harbaugh’s 1-6 record against rivals (sure, Notre Dame counts as a rival). “It was a big opening game, it did not come out the way we wanted, and we gotta dig down,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a beginning for us. We’re not treating it like the end. We fought hard, we competed well, there are things to build on.” There were glimpses, for sure. But the building needs to happen at a much steadier rate. Michigan lacked urgency at the start and urgency at the end. In between, it was all noise and cramps, as the heat felled Patterson a couple times. The quarterback position shows promise, and Dylan McCaffrey, the surprise No. 2, acquitted himself well in relief. Harbaugh said Brandon Peters (the expected backup) tweaked his knee in practice, but I’m guessing McCaffrey earned the spot too. You keep waiting for something to happen with Michigan’s offense, and it looked like it was waiting around too. The Wolverines kept trying to run the ball with Karan Higdon, who ran smack into Notre Dame’s array of blitzes. The play-calling was unimaginative, even as Patterson jumped from the shotgun to center snaps and then mostly back to the shotgun. It wasn’t until the first drive of the second half that he was unleashed, and immediately heaved a 52-yard completion to Nico Collins. Afterward, Patterson spoke softly, still sweating and swigging fluids, and shook off suggestions he didn’t look comfortable at times. “I’m very comfortable with this offense, it’s diverse,” he said. “It was our first game, a lot of new guys, myself included, a lot of room to grow. Not every offense is gonna come out firing the first week.

Standing before a crowd of several thousand people in Detroit Friday night, former President Barack Obama said the biggest threat to the nation’s democracy is indifference. But a vote on Nov. 6 can neutralize that threat, he told a crowd jammed into the gymnasium at Cass Technical High School. “I’m hopeful that despite all the noise, all the lies, we’re going to remember who we are, who we’re called to be. Out of this political darkness, I see a great awakening,” he said. “If you vote, things will get better, it will be a start.” With 10 days left before the Nov. 6 election, the rally was designed to get Democrats fired up and ready to work to both help candidates up and down the ticket as well as get to the polls to cast their ballots. In a 45-minute speech, Obama bemoaned the last two years of political rancor in Washington and across the nation and reminded the crowd of his accomplishments in office, such as bailing out the auto industry, having 20 straight months of job growth and getting health care reform passed, allowing millions of Americans to get health insurance. And how Republicans have tried to tear down those achievements. He was especially frustrated that Republican members of Congress tried dozens of time to repeal the Affordable Care Act, only to get to election season and say they’re going to try and protect certain health care provisions in the act. More:Free Press poll: Schuette and GOP gaining ground on Whitmer, Dems More:Poll: Legal weed, anti-gerrymandering, voter access proposals lead big "And now they’re trying to spend the final weeks of the election pretending to be Florence Nightingale,” he said. His primary purpose, though, was to make sure that voters remembered those pronouncements when they hit the polls and elect candidates such as U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer and Democrats all the way down the ballot. “I’m glad to see Debbie and Gretchen, but the main reason I’m here is to make sure that all of you vote in what I believe may be the most important election in our lifetime,” he said. “The consequences of sitting on the sidelines are dangerous and profound. The character of our country is on the ballot.” The crowd responded with cheers, standing ovations and repeated cries of "We love you" and "We want you back," to which Obama replied, "I can't do that, baby, because I follow the Constitution. Obama was introduced by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. He opened his speech with: "What's up, Detroit? It is good to be in Detroit." And he gave shout-outs to the Detroit Pistons, the Cass Tech Technicians football team and band, and all the Democratic candidates on the ticket. He also attacked Trump's pledge to fight corruption. "Well, they've now racked up enough indictments to field a football team," he said. "You know, I didn't have anyone in my administration get indicted. It's not that hard." Before Obama took the stage, Whitmer spoke, imploring the crowd to vote for the Democratic ticket. She also took aim at her opponent in the governor's race, Republican Bill Schuette, joking that he frequently confused her with former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm. The reference was to Schuette frequently saying electing Whitmer would usher in another period of failed policies, such as Granholm's. "You know what he looks like? He looks like someone who is about to be retired," Whitmer said to the cheers of the crowd. Stabenow also spoke, applauding Obama for eight year of job growth and for recognizing that "our diversity is our strength." Other Democrats who spoke at the rally included Whitmer's running mate, Garlin Gilchrist; congressional candidates Elissa Slotkin, Haley Stevens, Brenda Lawrence, Rashida Tlaib and Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones; state Supreme Court candidates Sam Bagenstos and Megan Cavanagh; Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Lawrence focused on women during her speech, saying, "We're going to make something happen this year." And she had a message for those who complain there are too many women on the Democratic ticket in Michigan, saying that with their credentials and hard work, "these are the ones we need to fight for us in Washington." Earlier in the day, crowds lined up outside the school, waiting for the doors to open. "I came to see my president. He's still my president until I get a better one," said Ron Trice, of Detroit, who came to the rally with his son Rahsaan, a 24-year-old law student at Western Michigan University. "I'm aware he's the former president, but with all the insanity, I need somebody who can let me get to sleep at night. We've got too many things to worry about right now. I want to hear a little sanity today." Trice, a speech teacher at Wayne County Community College, said he's sure to vote for Democrats on Nov. 6 and is urging his students to make it to the polls, too. "They have to bring me the sticker or their grade will get dropped," he jokingly said. His son said the he knows younger people historically haven't been very good about making it to the polls, "but I imagine that people will begin to realize that it's up to us to fix the problems the older generation has kind of dumped in our lap. Hopefully, I won't be the only one who will be voting," Rahsaan Trice said. Obama made multiple Michigan stops during his presidency, including on the day before the election in 2016 to campaign for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. While that visit didn't help push Clinton over the finish line in Michigan — she lost to Donald Trump by 10,704 votes in the state — Obama did do well in Michigan when he ran for president in both 2008 and 2012. In 2008, Obama beat U.S. Sen. John McCain in Michigan by 57-41 percent. And in 2012, he bested former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who grew up in Michigan, 54-47 percent. Jessica Anderson and Pamela Conrad, both 52 from Ann Arbor, shared a blanket in the biting wind and said because they are such staunch Democrats, they didn't want to miss a visit from Obama. "We're his biggest fans. We wouldn't miss this for the world," Anderson said. This year was even more important for the pair, especially after watching the confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. "I have two daughters and there isn't one woman I know who can't say Me Too," Conrad said. "To sit through the hearings and the abominable behavior and see what has been normalized has been really painful." While Obama was in Michigan on Friday. Vice President Mike Pence will travel across the state on Monday to campaign with Republican candidates including gubernatorial hopeful Bill Schuette, U.S. Senate candidate John James and U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga at a Monday evening rally at the DeltaPlex Arena in Grand Rapids and a Monday afternoon stop at Oakland International Airport in Waterford with Lena Epstein, who is running for the 11th congressional district seat, and U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, who is running in the 8th district. It will be the third time Pence has come to Michigan to help out GOP candidates since the Aug. 7 primary. Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.<doc-sep>Former President Barack Obama was in Detroit on Friday to rally for Democratic candidates in the midterm elections. Watch the entire rally in the video player below: The 44th President of the United States appeared at the Michigan GOTV Rally on Friday, Oct. 26, along with Senator Debbie Stabenow and candidate for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Obama has endorsed several Michigan Democratic candidates, including Gretchen Whitmer for governor, Garlin Gilchrist II as Lt. Governor, Elissa Slotkin and Haley Stevens for Congress and a list of those running for state representative and state senate. The event was held at Detroit's Cass Technical High School, 2501 Second Ave., beginning at 5 p.m. Tickets were free to the public and can be picked up from these office locations across metro Detroit starting Wednesday, Oct. 24 from 4 to 7 p.m.: Detroit - 13th District: 18611 Warren Ave, Detroit Detroit - 14th District: 18409 Livernois Ave, Detroit Southwest Detroit: 7607 W. Vernor St, Detroit Grosse Pointe: 17700 Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe Livonia: 37144 Six Mile Rd, Livonia Troy: 1787 W Big Beaver Rd, Troy Southfield: 17100 Twelve Mile Rd Suite 5, Southfield Dearborn: 4960 Schaefer Rd, Dearborn Sterling Heights: 37710 Van Dyke, Sterling Heights Ann Arbor: 3502 W Liberty Rd, Ann Arbor Pontiac: 138 N. Saginaw Street, Pontiac, MI Flint: 3518 Robert T. Longway Blvd. Flint, MI Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis, and are required for entry but will not guarantee admission. According to a news release, there is limited parking available for the event off of Second Avenue, south of the school. Also, all attendees will go through airport-like security. It's suggested that attendees bring few items. These specific items will not be permitted inside: weapons, sharp objects, bags, umbrellas, liquids, or signs. Cameras will be permitted inside. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have endorsed her opponent, current Attorney General Bill Schuette, who is running with Lisa Posthumus Lyons.<doc-sep>

Those planning to attend a Detroit political rally Friday featuring former President Barack Obama should expect high levels of security at and around Cass Tech High School, the site of the rally. The Secret Service and other federal agencies are expected to tighten security measures — which are already high for a visit by a former president — in light of recent events involving apparent explosive devices, according to numerous media reports Friday. "There will be increased security, obviously," said Michigan Democratic Party spokesman Paul Kanan, who suggested those with tickets arrive close to when doors open at 5 p.m. for the event, which he said may not get under way until between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. In recent days, devices described as apparent pipe bombs were sent through the mail or delivered to numerous high-profile targets, many of them associated with the Democratic Party. One was sent to Obama's home in Washington, D.C. Officials have not said whether the devices were capable of detonating. More:Barack Obama to rally for Democrats at Cass Tech High School on Friday More:Sen. Bernie Sanders to Ann Arbor crowd: Don't repeat 2014 low turnout Classes at Cass Tech, 2501 Second Ave. in Detroit, were expected to be over by 2 p.m. and all after-school activities have been canceled. The rally will feature Obama and former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, in support of Michigan Democrats running for office, including U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer and her running mate Garlin Gilchrist, and congressional candidates Haley Stevens, Elissa Slotkin, Gretchen Driskell and Matt Longjohn. Holder's political action committee, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, also contributed $250,000 to support the anti-gerrymandering proposal on Michigan ballot. Tickets to the event were distributed free by the Michigan Democratic Party. WDIV-TV (Channel 4) in Detroit is planning to livestream the event. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Free Press staff writer Lori Higgins contributed.

Real Madrid clinched a triumphant return to the Santiago Bernabeu with a 3-1 victory over Champions League rivals AC Milan. Los Blancos raced into the lead at the start of the first half through Karim Benzema and regained it right before half-time with Gareth Bale's clinical strike from six yards. Spanish youth international Borja Mayoral sealed the victory with the final kick of the game to clinch the Santiagio Bernabeu Trophy for the 13th consecutive season. But Thibaut Courtois will have to wait until Wednesday to make his Real Madrid debut against his former club Atletico Madrid. Here is how we covered the match...<doc-sep>Eleven players to have been at both AC Milan and Real Madrid Trofeo Bernabeu The two heavyweights meet this Saturday Real Madrid and AC Milan share an impressive 20 European Cup titles between them and the two are unquestionably among world football's most prestigious clubs. Ahead of their meeting in the Trofeo Bernabeu, we look at the players who have worn both clubs' shirts throughout the years. Gonzalo Higuain El Pipita has only just signed for AC Milan this summer from Juventus, having previously spent six years at Real Madrid before departing for Napoli in 2013. Diego Lopez Jose Mourinho chose him over Iker Casillas in Los Blancos' goal and the Spaniard joined the Rossoneri in 2014. Kaka The last Ballon d'Or winner before the duopoly of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Brazilian became the first signing of the second Florentino Perez era in 2009, during the same summer that the Portuguese arrived in the Spanish capital. Ronaldo He has played for both clubs, while also turning out for both's most fierce rivals in Inter and Barcelona. The Brazilian arrived in Madrid as a World Cup winner in 2002 before joining AC Milan in 2007. David Beckham An iconic Englishman, Beckham is fondly remembered for his spells at both clubs. He spent two stints on loan in Milan in 2008 and 2010. Clarence Seedorf The unforgettable Dutchman was successful everywhere he went as a player and won the Champions League at both, as well as with Ajax. Robinho It did not end well for him in Madrid, but he shone in flashes before leaving for the Premier League. He then played for AC Milan from 2010 to 2014. Antonio Cassano The enigmatic Italian moved from the Italian capital to the Spanish in 2006 as he left Roma, but it did not go as planned in Madrid. After spending four years with Sampdoria, he signed for AC Milan in 2011. Fernando Redondo He helped Real Madrid to their eighth European Cup and then moved to Milan, where he would retire in 2004. Christian Panucci The left-back won the seventh Champions League at Real Madrid having arrived from AC Milan. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar So much potential, but it never quite worked for the Dutchman at either club.<doc-sep>Gareth Bale shined as Real Madrid finished their pre-season with a bang by comfortably beating AC Milan to win the 2018 instalment of the Bernabeu Trophy. Madrid got off to the perfect start when Karim Benzema bundled after just two minutes on the clock. But Gonzalo Higuain came back to haunt his old side and marked his Milan debut by sublimely curling in from the edge of the box to equalise. Sergio Ramos and Marcelo lifted the Bernabeu trophy after Real Madrid beat AC Milan Gareth Bale starred in their final pre-season game and got his name on the score sheet Karim Benzema bundled in the opener after just two minutes had passed in the match The French striker celebrated with team-mate Dani Carvajal after giving Madrid the lead AC Milan players celebrated together after Gonzalo Higuain netted a sublime equaliser Bale restored the home side's advantage with a well-taken finish on the stroke of half-time. Madrid began to dominate proceedings as Julen Lopetegui urged his side forward from the touchline. Substitute Borja Mayoral added gloss by scoring what was virtually the last kick of the game to seal the victory. Julen Lopetegui looked animated as he dished out instructions from the touchline The pre-season match saw Higuain reuinte with former team-mates and hugged Sergio Ramos<doc-sep>Andrea Comas/Associated Press Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale both scored to help Real Madrid beat AC Milan 3-1 in the 2018 Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu friendly on Saturday. Benzema opened the scoring in the Spanish capital, but he found his quick goal soon answered by former Real striker Gonzalo Higuain. Bale restored Los Blancos' lead in first-half stoppage time, while Borja Mayoral added a third late on after tapping in a rebound from a Luka Modric shot. Benzema and Bale Capable of Filling Cristiano Ronaldo's Shoes Seeing club-record goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo leave for Juventus this summer will naturally have left many Real fans worried about the squad's attacking options. Any such worries will have been at least partly dispelled by how well Benzema and Bale played on Saturday. The pair routinely exposed the Milan defence, getting in behind with pace and intelligence. Bale, in particular, stood out thanks in large part to his potent combination with full-back Dani Carvajal on the right flank. The deadly double act combined brilliantly to tee up Benzema for the opener. Real Madrid's Twitter account shared footage of the goal: Video Play Button Videos you might like Bale added one of his own during first-half stoppage time: The deft finish continued a fine scoring run for the Wales international this summer: Real should feel confident the man who arrived for a then-world-record £85.3 million fee back in 2013 can fill Ronaldo's shoes. Bale has the talent and sense of occasion—proved when he bagged a brace to help Madrid beat Liverpool in May's UEFA Champions League final—to carry the scoring load post-Ronaldo. Staying fit will be crucial for Bale. If he does, the former Tottenham Hotspur star can count on Benzema to help him shoulder a greater burden. It will have pleased manager Julen Lopetegui to see both strikers regularly trying to connect. Benzema may have had a second when another slick exchange between Carvajal and Bale allowed the former to whip a low cross just out of reach of the Frenchman's boot early in the second half. On this evidence, Bale and Benzema will ensure Real remain prolific going forward even without Ronaldo. Higuain Loan Deal Will Prove a Masterstroke for Milan Milan general manager Leonardo has been working hard to reshape the squad this summer. Yet for all the moves he's made, the decision to secure a loan deal for Higuain will prove to be his best. Taking the powerhouse centre-forward from Serie A rivals Juventus for a season at a cost of £16.3 million already looks like money well spent. Higuain showed Milan fans what the club got for its outlay when he thundered in a sweet strike from distance to cancel out Benzema's opener on four minutes. It was a finish typical of a striker who has thrived at the highest level for years. In Higuain, manager Gennaro Gattuso has the natural attacking talisman his squad missed last season: Milan also have a finisher with the pedigree to dominate against Serie A defences: To get all of those things on loan with an option to buy from a rival has to be one of this summer's best examples of shrewd business in the transfer market. Losing Modric Would be Fatal for Julen Lopetegui's Plans Conflicting reports about Luka Modric's future should worry Lopetegui. The Spaniard needs the Croatia international running the midfield to make his possession-based brand of football work. The 32-year-old is "determined" to move to Inter Milan, according to Sky in Italy (h/t Sky Sports). However, Tomas Roncero of AS believes Modric will elect to stay in the Spanish capital. It was only a short cameo, but Modric underlined his worth to Los Merengues as a second-half substitute against Milan. In typical fashion, the playmaker serenely moved into pockets of space and kept possession in Real's favour with simple passes to the player in the best position. GABRIEL BOUYS/Getty Images This simple yet highly effective way to travel is essential to the pass-heavy way Lopetegui will likely want Real to approach the new season. He had Spain operate the same way and could build a similar framework with the European champions around Modric. The latter has been a steady conductor and supporting player for Ronaldo in recent seasons. Yet he can become a star turn as the focal point of post-CR7 Real if he resists advances from Inter. What's Next? A friendly against this level of opposition is ideal preparation for a Real side next in action against 2017/18 UEFA Europa League winners Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday. The Rossoneri still have work to do but can at least be encouraged by Higuain's early form as they get ready for their league opener against Genoa on August 19. He's a good-enough player to finally elevate the club back into contention for major trophies.<doc-sep>

Real Madrid vs AC Milan 3-1 Ft, as Higuain scores on his debut for the rossoneri In what will be the last friendly of the pre-season of both the clubs this term, Real Madrid will play Serie A giants AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu. The friendly will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the famous European Cup final of 1958, in which the Los Blancos had picked up a 3-2 win in extra time, after the game was tied 2-2 in normal time. Los Blancos have played three friendlies so far, out of which they've lost one against Manchester United. They've won against Juventus and Roma in the other two games. And Milan will be their last pre-season friendly and their third against a Serie A side. The rossoneri though, have played four friendlies prior to this one and they've won two of them- one against Novara and one against Barcelona. They've lost the other two against Premier League giants Tottenham and Manchester United. Luka Modric, whose future is currently under stern doubt at Real Madrid, has already returned to training and will feature against the rossoneri despite all the speculation surrounding his possible move to Inter Milan. Here are the confirmed lineups: Real Madrid: Keylor Navas, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Casemiro, Isco, Kroos, Bale, Benzema & Asensio. AC Milan: Donnarumma, Calabria, Musacchio, Romagnoli, Rodriguez, Kessie, Biglia, Bonaventura, Suso, Higuain, Borini. Follow the action with us bellow: 21H00 : The game is underway 21H05: Benzema opens the score. Real Madrid 1 vs AC Milan 0. 21H10: Higuain ties the game up at one. Real Madrid 1 vs AC Milan 1. 21H45: Bale gives Real the 2-1 lead just before the break. Real 2 vs Milan 1. 22H45: Borja Mayoral makes it 3-1 as that just about does it.

Every year, Comic-Con provides a days-long extravaganza of anticipation for all the film and television you’ll be champing at the bit to see for the next several months. Below are all the major trailers that debuted at this year’s SDCC, including a very spooky Glass, a very silly Shazam!, and just about everything in-between. Grab some popcorn and enjoy, keeping in mind all of those scattered premiere dates. Glass Like Philly’s own Arkham Asylum, M. Night Shyamalan’s latest brings together the supermen of Split and Unbreakable in one psychiatric hospital. Sarah Paulson’s Dr. Staple has her work cut out for her, especially since she seems to think her three charges are delusional about their powers. Woe unto her come January 2019. Aquaman Much to our appreciation, the DC Universe has finally found its funny-bone. Jason Momoa’s fish-man, backed by a Riverdale-red Amber Heard, a Malfoy-blonde Patrick Wilson, a normal-haired Dolph Lundgren, and Nicole Kidman (!!) will lead you on this under-the-sea adventure due out in December. Shazam! Shazam! [Checks body for physical transformation.] Ah, damn. Enjoy the misadventures of DC’s silly Shazam! anyway, which amusingly follows a bullied tween who’s granted the power to transform into a buff, spandex-clad do-gooder (Zachary Levi, in a great costume) just by shouting that s-word. This one’s coming in April 2019. Godzilla: King of the Monsters Damn, you thought that Demogorgon were bad, Millie Bobby Brown? Enter stage right, sky-scraper lizard monster. Our Stranger Things heroine gets to fight alongside the iconic duo of Vera Farmiga and Sally Hawkins to bring Godzilla down for good, but we have a feeling he’s not going down without a huge fight. May 2019, baby! Rawr! Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Raise up your wands in anticipation, you J.K. Rowling stans. For Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law (hey, Jude) and the PR-plagued Johnny Depp are ready to let the magic fly in The Crimes of Grindelwald. “It’s a geek-out fiasco,” Miller teased at the panel. You have our attention! This sequel will hit theaters in November. The Walking Dead Season 9 It’s time to say good-bye to Rick Grimes — hopefully not a super bloody good-bye. The Walking Dead’s upcoming season will be its last featuring that dashing lead character, but we have a feeling Norman Reedus and Danai Gurira have some tricks up their sleeves to keep viewers entertained. “I’m particularly fond of the people who watch this show, you people,” Andrew Lincoln said at the show’s panel. “This has been the most extraordinary, amazing, and beautiful experience of my career, and largely because of you guys, and the relationship we have here with you in this room, and in rooms across American and the rest of the world.” Zombie walk until the October premiere. Disenchantment The latest animated comedy to come to Netflix, Disenchantment, is all about a beautiful princess about to have her happily ever after. Except that’s not what she wants at all. Instead, she heads off in search of her own destiny and the nearest pub. The new adult cartoon is brought to you by the creator of The Simpsons and Futurama, Matt Groening. Doctor Who The 11th series of Doctor Who is set to be a historic one. It’s the first time a woman has played the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker takes over from the 12th doctor, Peter Capaldi. In the trailer, she asks “Would you be my new best friends?” and, to be honest, we’d do anything Jodie Whittaker asked us to do. Star Trek: Discovery At Comic-Con this year, executive producer Alex Kurtzman confirmed that everyone’s favorite Vulcan, Captain Spock will be appearing on the television show, but fans are going to have to be patient. The new trailer introduces Captain Christopher Pike, who’ll be taking on the discovery and hopefully leading us to Spock. This will be the first time in 27 years that Spock appears on television so, hello, let’s raise a big Vulcan salute to that! The Orville Like space but the serious fear of a never-ending, empty abyss keeping you from fully committing to the genre? Well, maybe you can stomach Seth MacFarlane’s Star Trek-esque comedy. The Orville is back for a second season this year. Nightflyers Long, long ago in a pre-Game of Thrones world, George R. R. Martin wrote a novella about a doomed space voyage. Now, Syfy is bringing the psychological thriller to life. Deadly Class Produced by the Russo Brothers, Deadly Class is about hardcore misfits learning to become killers in the late ‘80s. Cue up Killing Joke! The Man In The High Castle This historical drama is going sci-fi. When the Greater Reich discovers the multi-verse, only bad things can come out of it. Already renewed for a fourth season, The Man in the High Castle’s third season will premiere on October 5. Better Call Saul Incredibles 2 stars Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks return to their day jobs — or, in Jimmy’s case the lack thereof — in the season 4 trailer of Better Call Saul. Fear the Walking Dead Tensions are rising on the fourth season of the Walking Dead spin-off. After the heroes move from California and Mexico to Texas, the whole show is facing a reinvention, starting with new characters. Old favorites like Morgan (Lennie James) persevere, trying to survive among the dead. Preacher If you came across this trailer while googling Dominic Cooper because post-Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again!, your 2008 crush on him is back, prepare to be shook. The Purge The show opens up all the different ways people will purge or be purged upon for ten episodes only. Dangers include purge cults, thieves, murder and apparently having William Baldwin as a boss. “Be safe tonight,” he says to his employees via conference call. Yeah, everybody is definitely dying. Iron Fist Just a month after Luke Cage’s second season premiered on Netflix another member of Marvel’s Defenders is making an appearance. Netflix gave a tease of the season two of Iron Fist at Comic-Con and revealed its September 7 release date. The Gifted Introducing Reeva Payge (Grace Byers) a powerful mutant ready to wage war on The Gifted’s heroes and anyone else who gets in her way. Fans of the comic should get excited for villains like The Purifiers to play a bigger role in season two, according to Sean Teale, who plays Marcos “Eclipse” Diaz. Arrow Oliver Queen did his waiting! Twelve years of it in Azkaban! Well, it’s more like five months in some federal prison. Meanwhile, Star City’s zero-tolerance for vigilantism goes south when a hooded archer arrives. Black Lightning Black Lightning is back, baby. The Comic-Con trailer recaps season 1, begging you to get lit for season 2. Jordan Calloway (Riverdale) has officially been upped to a series regular, coming back as the vengeful Painkiller. Titans The new Teen Titans series features the heroes in a much grittier way than their current iteration, Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans Go! The show will air later this year on DC Universe, the new DC digital service. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow On the CW, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow are back, doing their best to save the world, making unicorns in the process. Unfortunately, not all their mishaps are as cute as that. Tune in for more dragons on October 22. The Flash Another season, another speedster. It just so happens that this one is Barry and Iris’s daughter, Nora. It’s the interracial Back to the Future we’ve always needed! Looks like season 5 will bring Barry a new suit (via the Flash ring!) and a new villain. Supergirl Supergirl’s trailer opens with some anti-space immigration rhetoric from newcomer Agent Liberty. The villain is played by Sam Witwer who was previously Doomsday on Smallville. He’ll be the third Smallville alumni to appear on Supergirl, right after Laura Vandervoort and Erica Durance. This page will be getting frequent updates until the end of Comic-Con.<doc-sep>Every year, thousands of fans come together to celebrate comic books, superheroes and pop culture during Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center, where nearly every studio in Hollywood turns out to offer a long-awaited glimpse at the blockbuster films and hit TV shows that soon will be coming to the big and small screens. This year, fans got a look at some action epics -- like the upcoming Aquaman and Godzilla: King of the Monsters -- some more subversive and self-referential takes on the superhero genre -- like Glass and Shazam! -- and a sneak peek at the hotly anticipated TV shows premiering and returning later this year. Here's a look at some of the biggest and best trailers revealed during this year's Comic-Con. Movies Glass M. Night Shyamalan's long-awaited follow-up to 2000's Unbreakable and 2016's Split brings together Bruce Willis' heroic David Dunn, Samuel L. Jackson's brilliantly evil Mr. Glass and James McEvoy's psychotically villainous Kevin Wendell Crumb for the culmination of Shyamalan's thought-provoking, realistic take on the superhero trilogy, set to hit theaters Jan. 18, 2019. Aquaman Jason Momoa reprises his role as the king of Atlantis in this action-packed trailer for the sub-aquatic, high-seas adventure epic Aquaman. Co-starring Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson and Willem Dafoe, and directed by James Wan, the action-packed DC flick surfs into theaters Dec. 21. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald This exciting follow-up to 2016's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themsees Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander tasked with bringing down the villainous wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp). The dramatic epic that looks like it will greatly expand on the world of wizards and muggles established in small bits in the first film. Katherine Waterson, Ezra Miller and Dan Fogler return to the action, and the new film introduces series newcomer Jude Law playing a young Albus Dumbledore. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald apparates into theaters Nov. 16. Shazam! It looks like DC might be moving away from their motto of "the grittier, the better" with its upcoming superhero adventure Shazam!, if the trailer is any indication. The movie follows a kid in foster care who, after standing up for his friend against some bullies, is selected by a mystical being to become a powerful superhero by saying the magic word "shazam." The powers also turn him into an adult (played by Zachary Levi), making the whole thing feel like a cross between Superman and Tom Hanks' Big. Shazam! flies into theater April 5, 2019. Godzilla: King of the Monsters Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown makes her big-screen debut in this latest take on the beloved kaiju rampage saga. Brown (and the film's various military forces) face off against the horrors of multiple giant monsters (aka "titans") including Mothra, Rodan and the three-headed horror Ghidorah. Brown stars opposite Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Bradley Whitford, Ken Watanabe and Charles Dance. Godzilla: King of the Monsters stomps into theaters May 31, 2019. NEW TV SHOWS Homecoming Julia Roberts' highly anticipated Amazon Prime series finally dropped a trailer that gives fans an eerie look at the psychological drama based on the popular podcast of the same name. Roberts stars as Heidi Bergman, a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, a facility helping soldiers transition back to civilian life. The show, which also stars Bobby Cannavale, Stephen James, Dermot Mulroney and Sissy Spacek, premieres Nov. 2 on Amazon Prime. Mayans M.C. Set in the same fictional universe as Sons of Anarchy, Kurt Sutter's SoA sequel series takes place several years after the events of the previous show. It chronicles the challenges faced by Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes as he joins the Mayans Motorcycle Club and looks to get vengeance on a Mexican cartel that killed his family. The first season of the gritty crime drama debuts Sept. 4 on FX. Nightflyers With Game of Thrones coming to an end, the works of author George R.R. Martin are once again being tapped for a gritty new series, this time set in the dark vastness of outer space. Nightflyers follows the horrors that face an interstellar crew after something goes wrong with their ship, killing some of them and leaving the rest stranded in space. Also, there might be aliens and/or rampant insanity; it's hard to tell, but it's terrifying nonetheless. Nightflyers premieres this fall on Syfy. Titans Going in the opposite direction from the upcoming Shazam!, DC's live-action adaptation of the beloved Teen Titans title really embraces grittiness. One of the trailer's most controversial scenes features Robin (Brenton Thwaites) brutalizing a bunch of street thugs (at one point with a gun) before growling, "F--- Batman" while his face is splattered with blood. So, if that's your thing, looks for Titans this fall when it premieres on DC Universe, DC's new streaming service. Deadly Class Produced by the Russo Brothers and based on the cult classic graphic novel of the same name, Deadly Class follows a homeless, down-on-his-luck teen who gets recruited into a school for assassins who trains its students -- all of whom are the children of mobsters and murderers -- in the art of killing and combat. Deadly Class premieres on Syfy in 2019. Disenchantment From the mind of Matt Groening, the man behind The Simpsons, comes this Netflix original series that lampoons all the best-known tropes of the fantasy genre. By taking elements of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, The Princess Bride and other beloved works of fiction, and blending them with the crass-yet-biting humor that's made The Simpsons a timeless classic, and it seems like Disenchantment actually could be the rare genre parody worth watching. Disenchantment premieres Aug. 17 on Netflix. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Looking to tap into a younger market, RofTMNT follows the fun exploits of the four turtle brothers as they learn to hone their ninja skills and go on fun adventures. This 2D animated follow-up to the popular 3-D animated series that was a huge hit premiered on Nickelodeon on July 20. The Purge Following the release of the lackluster fourth installment in The Purge film franchise, this TV series adaptation looks like it will give fans a better look at the ins and outs of one of the annual purges from the points of view of numerous characters trying to survive the night -- or cause total and unbridled mayhem. The Purge premieres Sept. 4 on USA. Legacies Serving as the next installment in a paranormal romance trilogy made up of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, Legacies follows the next generation of students attending The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, a facilities for teenage vampires, werewolves and witches where they can learn to control their powers and curb their appetites and impulses. Legacies premieres Oct. 25 on The CW. NEW TV SEASONS The Walking Dead The trailer for The Walking Dead's upcoming ninth season not only confirms reports of a time jump in the story, but also looks like the survivors of the zombie-infested world will continue to learn that the most dangerous threat to their existence isn't shambling walkers but other humans who want to dominate and destroy. This also marks the final season for original cast member Andrew Lincoln, who revealed during the Walking Dead panel in Hall H on Friday that he will in fact be exiting the show. The Walking Dead returns Sunday, Oct. 7 on AMC. Star Trek: Discovery The sci-fi adventure drama dropped a trailer for its upcoming second season, which features series newcomers Tig Notaro, Anson Mount and Rebecca Romijn, and will feature fan-favorite character Spock. Star Trek: Discovery returns in early 2019 on CBS All Access, where you can watch the entire first season now. Doctor Who For the first time in more than 50 years, and after 12 iterations of the eponymous time lord being played by male actors, actress Jodie Whittaker is stepping into the shoes of the eccentric space-faring hero, and she's carrying a brand-new sonic screwdriver. The 11th season of Doctor Who premieres this fall on BBC America. Preacher<doc-sep>San Diego Comic-Con International is going virtual this year with Comic-Con@Home, and although the world’s largest comics and pop culture convention isn’t an in-person event in 2020, Comic-Con is still delivering plenty of sneak peeks at the most-anticipated movies and television series on the horizon. Comic-Con@Home kicked off Wednesday, July 22, and offers more than 350 virtual panels you can stream from the comfort of your home and your viewing device of choice. With that many panels, there’s a lot of new information out there for fans, so we’ve sifted through all of the announcements to bring you the best trailers and clips that have debuted so far. We’ll be updating this article throughout the five-day event as more movie and TV previews are released. Lovecraft Country HBO’s upcoming series Lovecraft Country promises to blend the real-world horrors of America’s deep south in the 1950s with the supernatural terror of H.P. Lovecraft in an adaptation of Matt Ruff’s 2016 novel of the same name. The latest trailer for Lovecraft Country lives up to that description with plenty of scares — both from human characters and some decidedly non-human elements. The New Mutants The X-Men spinoff The New Mutants has had a troubled road to the screen, but that journey will hopefully be over soon, and 20th Century Studios is hoping to get people excited about the movie finally making it to theaters. At the end of the film’s Comic-Con panel (around the 24:20 mark in the video above), the entire first scene from the movie was shown, as well as a compilation of exciting and scary scenes from the film that verges on spoiler territory — so consider yourself warned. Bill & Ted Face the Music Orion Pictures kicked off Comic-Con in a big way with the announcement that Bill & Ted Face the Music will be released via on-demand and in theaters on the same day (September 1). That news was accompanied by a new trailer for the film, which brings back Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter as the titular, time-traveling slacker saviors of the universe. Star Trek: Lower Decks We finally have our first look at Star Trek: Lower Decks, the upcoming animated series set in the Star Trek universe created by Rick & Morty writer Mike McMahan. The Comic-Con preview of Lower Decks makes it abundantly clear that this isn’t a cartoon for kids, but it is intended for any adults who ever wondered who gets the duty of cleaning up the messes Starfleet leaves behind. Utopia The first trailer for Amazon Studios’ Utopia debuted during the show’s Comic-Con panel and introduced audiences to the conspiracy-filled story of a group of comic book fans who discover that their favorite series has become disturbingly accurate at predicting terrible threats to humanity. The series comes from award-winning screenwriter Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl, Sharp Objects) and premieres this fall. His Dark Materials, season 2 The first season of His Dark Materials was a hit for HBO, and now fans of the adaptation of Philip Pullman’s saga have their first look at where the next season of the show will bring Lyra (Dafne Keen), Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson), and Lord Asriel (James McAvoy), among others. New worlds await, it seems, and new dangers, too. The Boys, season 2 There were plenty of shocking moments in the first season of The Boys, so it’s fitting that the clip from season 2, which debuted during the show’s Thursday panel, is, well … not for the squeamish. Amazon Studios’ ultraviolent, irreverent series returns September 4, and now that it’s been renewed for a third season, fans can look forward to even more mayhem to come. Truth Seekers Nick Frost and Simon Pegg reunite for this Amazon Studios original series that follows a group of part-time paranormal investigators who uncover a conspiracy that could bring about the end of the world. During the show’s Comic-Con panel, Amazon premiered the first trailer for the show, which debuts in the fall. Editors' Recommendations<doc-sep>

San Diego Comic-Con wraps up today, and it’s been a busy week for pop culture news. While big names like Marvel and HBO skipped the show this year, it still nevertheless showcased a number of big trailers from the films and shows that are slated to premiere in the next year. Warner Bros. stole the show this year with its massive, two-hour Saturday morning panel, during which the studio revealed its slate of upcoming films: Aquaman, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Shazam. The clips and trailers served as the weekend’s high-profile reveals, but they also proved Warner Bros. is about to be more exciting than it has been in years. Of course, there were plenty of other studios in town to hawk some serious forthcoming wares: the Syfy channel, Netflix, BBC America, and more released looks at projects we can’t wait to see. (The truly impressive array of musical covers used to pump up these trailers — Nirvana’s “Come as You Are,” David Bowie’s “Rebel, Rebel,” Lenny Kravitz’s “Fly Away,” and even a chill-inducing cut of Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” — does wonders for augmenting that excitement.) We’ve rounded up all the biggest and best trailers from this year’s show in one place for your viewing convenience. Check them out below. Aquaman Easily the most highly anticipated reveal of this year’s Comic-Con was DC’s Aquaman. It’s no secret that the DC Cinematic Universe has had a rocky start, with critics and fans largely panning films like Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. But especially in the wake of the overwhelming success of Wonder Woman last year, the studio has been shifting away from its overarching Expanded Universe strategy to focus on standalone stories, and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman will be the next star out of the gate. The film does look awesome. The action and story look solid, and it might even have something many of DC’s past films have lacked: a sense of humor. Deadly Class There are a lot of comic book properties out there, and the Syfy channel has dabbled in the field with shows like Krypton. Earlier this year, it picked up Deadly Class, the series produced by the Russo brothers that’s based on the early ‘90s comics about a lost kid who was recruited into a boarding school where the crime families of the world send their children. The result looks very Syfy-ish, but it’s intriguing nevertheless. On top of Benedict Wong steering the ship in the role of headmaster Master Lin, it looks like Black Flag’s Henry Rollins will be joining the faculty, too. Disenchantment Netflix has a new show coming from Futurama and Simpsons creator Matt Groening called Disenchantment, about a hard-drinking princess (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) and her two companions, an elf (Nat Faxon) and a demon (Eric André). This trailer looks downright delightful, mixing the sensibilities of Futurama with epic, distinctly more earnest fairy tale fantasy. Doctor Who, season 11 Doctor Who will be back later this year with a new Doctor, played by a woman for the first time. This first trailer for the next season, while a bit on the short side, sees Jodie Whittaker’s character recruiting a couple of new companions, and it teases the new worlds and adventures that they’ll be embarking on. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald We’ll get to return to the world of Harry Potter later this year in the next installment of the prequel franchise, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. This film looks definitively darker than the first Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as it traces the rise of the dark wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) with a young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) working to stop him. Glass M. Night Shyamalan surprised everyone with his 2016 film Split by revealing that it was set in the same world as his comic book-inspired 2000 film Unbreakable. The trailer for his next film, Glass, takes that connection from a fleeting, Easter egg moment and makes it official by bringing the three main characters from both films — James McAvoy’s DID-afflicted Kevin Wendell Crumb, Bruce Willis’s super-strong vigilante security guard David Dunn, and Samuel L. Jackson’s Elijah Price, AKA the brilliant, physically fragile eponymous villain Mr. Glass — together in a high-security facility under the care of Sarah Paulson’s Dr. Ellie Staple, a psychiatrist who specializes in delusional patients who believe they have superpowers.

The new Silk Road has another name - the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) - and it involves a wave of Chinese funding for major infrastructure projects around the world, in a bid to speed Chinese goods to markets further afield. Critics see it as also representing a bold bid for geo-political and strategic influence.<doc-sep>Italy signed on to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at a ceremony in Rome on Saturday. It is the first Group of Seven industrialized nation to endorse the massive project — an ambitious trade and infrastructure scheme that has seen Beijing make major investments in ports, roads, airports and railroads in Asia, Africa and parts of Europe. The pact was inked during a three-day visit to Italy by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and at a time when Beijing is locked in a trade war with the United States. Read more: When in Rome, do as the Chinese do Critics fear the BRI could help China expand its reach by getting control of critical technologies and infrastructure. But Rome has pressed ahead with its support for the scheme, playing down these concerns and brushing off reservations among its European Union allies. Italy's populist government is keen to boost trade and investment to revive the country's struggling economy. Chinese and Italian firms also signed 10 additional deals worth up to an estimated €20 billion ($22.6 billion) in the energy, steel and gas pipeline sectors, according to a source quoted by the Reuters news agency. Italian media put the value at €5 billion. "China appreciates Italy's willingness to play a positive role in developing a healthy and stable China-Europe relationship, and its devotion in pushing forward the connectivity of Asia and Europe," Chinese President Xi told journalists after arriving in Rome on Friday. He is due to fly to the Sicilian city of Palermo later on Saturday before traveling on to Monte Carlo and then France on Sunday. Read more: The possible impact of China's Belt and Road agreement with Italy EU: China a 'systemic rival' Since it began in 2013, Belt and Road has been accompanied by complaints that it leaves behind huge debts and makes governments beholden to Beijing, so much so that several nations, such as Malaysia, have pulled out of plans to join. The EU has also voiced concerns that with Chinese construction projects come unfair Chinese business practices, where most firms involved are backed by the government. Europe is also critical of how China forces foreign firms to give up trade secrets in order to do business within its borders. At an EU summit on Friday, the bloc said it was preparing its own strategy to counter Beijing's influence, referring to China as a "systemic rival." Read more: Xi Jinping and the 'Chinese Dream' nm/amp (AFP, Reuters) Every day, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. Sign up for the newsletter here.<doc-sep>ROME — Italy resisted the entreaties and warnings of its European Union and American allies on Saturday by officially joining China’s vast new Silk Road at a signing ceremony with President Xi Jinping of China, a move that crystallized shifting geopolitical balances and the populist Italian government’s willingness to break with its traditional partners. The agreement will “build a better relationship” between China and Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy said. Italy became the first of the Group of 7 nations that once dominated the global economy to take part in China’s “One Belt One Road” project, which makes enormous infrastructure investments to move Chinese goods and resources throughout Asia, Africa and Europe. The Trump administration, which tried and failed to stop the deal, focused in the days leading up to Mr. Xi’s visit on blocking any Italian use of 5G wireless networks developed by the Chinese electronics giant Huawei, which Washington warned could be used by Beijing to spy on communications networks.<doc-sep>Chinese wait for President Xi Jinping to arrive in Rome on Friday, the first stop on his six-day trip to Europe. Photo: EPA-EFE<doc-sep>

29 MoUs worth €5 billion-€7 billion signed as President Xi Jinping seeks to allay Western concerns Italy on Saturday signed a “non-binding” protocol with China to take part in Beijing’s new “Silk Road” of transport and trade links stretching from Asia to Europe. In doing so, Italy became the first G7 country to sign up for the massive project which has sparked unease in the U.S. and the European Union (EU) as China aspires to a greater world role. Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte both attended a ceremony for the signing of 29 Memoranda of Understanding which Italian media said were worth €5 billion-€7 billion. Also signing the accords were the chairman of China’s chairman of the National Development Commission He Lifeng and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Luigi Di Maio. Italian financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore said the value of the Chinese investments could rise to €20 billion but would for now be limited to the strategic ports of Genoa and Trieste. Red-carpet welcome Italy has rolled out the red carpet for Mr. Xi, who on Friday sought to allay Western unease over his transformational infrastructure initiative by emphasising the $1 trillion project’s mutual benefits. The accords also foresee the opening up of the Chinese market for Italian oranges as well as a partnership for Chinese tourism giant Ctrip, notably with Rome’s airports. Cultural tie-ups including town twinnings are also on the agenda while Beijing is pushing to have several Serie A football matches played in China — although that would currently contravene regulations of the game’s governing body FIFA. In what some perceived as a snub, Italy’s far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini did not attend Friday's state dinner for Mr. Xi at Mattarella's Quirinal Palace, having stated that Italy would be “no-one’s colony.” Mr. Salvini has notably urged caution about using Chinese telecom giant Huawei’s next generation 5G mobile technology, whereas coalition partner Luigi Di Maio is keener for Chinese partnerships.

Mitch Moreland has developed a habit of hitting three-run homers when his team needs them most. As you might recall, Moreland smashed a three-run dinger with the Boston Red Sox trailing 4-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the 2018 World Series. The Red Sox went on to win that game and, of course, won the Fall Classic the next night. Well, the slugging first baseman did it again Friday night. With Boston trailing the Seattle Mariners 6-4 in the ninth inning and in danger of dropping to 0-2 on the new season, Moreland connected for a three-run blast off Seattle reliever Hunter Strickland. The Red Sox held on at T-Mobile Park to secure their first victory of 2019. Take a look: Mitchy four bags is BACK. pic.twitter.com/kKPIuKdF6L — MLB (@MLB) March 30, 2019 Crushed. Let’s watch that again, this time on the Mariners’ broadcast: ?CALL IT A COMEBACK pic.twitter.com/OoCSyhr69C — Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) March 30, 2019 The game also featured the debut of Matt Barnes as the new Red Sox closer. The hard-throwing right-hander did his job, striking out two to pick up just the third save of his career. Here’s the final out:<doc-sep>“There’s nothing you can do there,” said Cora. “You can run into it, it’s such a weird play. I think everybody in this room would have stopped, too, because you see the pitcher going into the lane and he’s going to throw. The rule says he can actually run over the pitcher. He can keep going because the lane and all that is to defend the fielder. When the throw goes from the plate to first, that’s when you have the three-foot line, but on the way to first, you can run into him and nothing happens.<doc-sep>SEATTLE -- For the second time in just over five months, Mitch Moreland entered a game as a pinch-hitter and took aim at the Pacific Ocean as part of a memorable Red Sox comeback. Moreland’s three-run, go-ahead homer in the ninth inning gave the Sox their first win of the year in a 7-6, come-from-behind victory over the Mariners Friday night. It was reminiscent of Moreland’s last home run-- also a pinch-hit, three run homer-- which cut the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3 in Game 4 of the World Series in October. 🗣CALL IT A COMEBACK pic.twitter.com/OoCSyhr69C — Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) March 30, 2019 Yes, the stakes are much different in March than they are in October. But this one still meant a lot to the Red Sox, who hadn’t looked anything like themselves for the first game-and-a-half of the 2019 season. “It felt like that was a playoff game,” said infielder Eduardo Nunez. “We forgot this was the second game of the season. That was the feeling. We wanted that W so bad.” Seattle ambushed Nathan Eovaldi over five innings and jumped out to a 6-1 lead before the Sox began clawing back. J.D. Martinez and Christian Vazquez each hit solo homers as Boston cut the deficit to two entering the ninth. Rafael Devers led off the ninth with a double off Hunter Strickland and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Strickland hit Blake Swihart with a pitch before inducing a fielder’s choice at the plate that brought Moreland up with runners on first and second and one out. Moreland saw two straight balls from Strickland before smoking a line drive homer over the wall in right. With an exit velocity of 114 mph, it was tied for the hardest ball Moreland had hit in the Statcast era (since 2015). “I hit it pretty hard,” Moreland laughed. “It felt pretty good.” Moreland’s homer gave the Red Sox the exact kind of lift they needed Friday night. After six weeks of spring training in Fort Myers and a two-day stopover in Arizona, they showed up in Seattle looking very sloppy Thursday in a 12-4 Opening Day loss. Eovaldi’s struggles, which came a day after one of Chris Sale’s worst outings in a Sox uniform, had the Sox headed for their first 0-2 start since the Bobby Valentine nightmare season of 2012. But like they did all of last season, the Sox found a way to win. Manager Alex Cora, who pressed all the right buttons in October, did so again Friday, opting to keep Moreland in the stable for a potential ninth-inning situation despite having the option of pinch-hitting him two innings earlier. “It was cool,” Cora said. “You felt it. I think we put good at-bats throughout the game. We started getting runners on and running, playing the way we can.” It’s rare for the first win of a given season to be as memorable as this one. And it’s unlikely that most of the 90 to 100 wins the Red Sox expect to have before October will be, either. “It was definitely a big one,” Moreland said. “We’ve got to get that first one out of the way. So we got that done. Now we roll.”<doc-sep>

In their first 17 innings of the 2019 Major League Baseball season, the Boston Red Sox didn’t look like defending World Series champions. That honor belonged to their opponents, the Seattle Mariners, who not only took two games from the Oakland Athletics, but took their first game against the Red Sox by jumping all over Chris Sale. [It’s still not too late to join or create a 2019 Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league] The Mariners looked prime to take their second game against the Red Sox in a similar fashion. Seattle jumped out to an early lead against Nathan Eovaldi. Though the Red Sox tried to claw their way back, the team still found itself down by two runs in the top of the ninth inning. That’s when Mitch Moreland struck. Mariners closer Hunter Strickland allowed a double to Rafael Devers and walked Blake Swihart to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. That’s when Moreland got the call. On the third pitch of the at-bat, Moreland smacked a 94 mph fastball out to right field for a dramatic, go-ahead three-run homer. Without Craig Kimbrel in the back of the bullpen, the Red Sox’s ability to hold one-run leads will be a major talking point early in the season. In his first save opportunity, Matt Barnes wasn’t fazed. He struck out two Mariners in a perfect inning of work, securing the Red Sox’s 7-6 victory. Mitch Moreland gave the Red Sox their first win of the 2019 season. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear) While most baseball fans weren’t counting out the Red Sox after one loss, Friday’s come-from-behind win was a good reminder that this team is the defending World Series champ. Considering most of the team returned for 2019, the Red Sox should probably expect plenty of wins like this going forward. With that lineup, they are never going to be out of games. ——— Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik More from Yahoo Sports:

DAMASCUS, Syria -- Israel attacked Damascus International Airport with missiles Saturday night, Syrian state media said, adding that air defences shot down some of them. A war monitoring group said the attack targeted an arms depot for Iranian forces or Lebanon's Hezbollah group. Explosions during the attack were heard across Damascus. The state news agency SANA posted pictures showing what appeared to be air defences firing into the air. State media quoted an unidentified military official as reporting the attack but gave no further details. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the attack targeted an arms depot near the airport where new weapons recently arrived for the Iranians or Lebanon's Hezbollah group. The monitoring group had no immediate word on casualties, saying the strike did cause material damage. Israel rarely acknowledges attacks inside Syria, but has said it would use military action to prevent weapons transfers to its enemies. Earlier this month, an Israeli military official said the Jewish state has struck over 200 Iranian targets in Syria over the past 18 months. Israel is widely believed to have been behind a series of airstrikes mainly targeting Iranian and Hezbollah forces in Syria that have joined the country's war fighting alongside the government. It rarely confirms the attacks. An Israeli official said earlier this month that the targets were connected to Iran's elite Al-Quds force and included air force components, support infrastructure, and weapons storage and manufacturing facilities. U.S. and Israeli officials have said that Iran and Hezbollah should end their armed presence in Syria. Israel says it is alarmed by the expansion of operations by Iran and Hezbollah in Syria.<doc-sep>DAMASCUS: An Israeli missile attack targeted the Syrian capital´s airport late Saturday, activating air defences which shot down a number of the projectiles, state news agency SANA reported. "Our air defences responded to an Israeli missile attack on Damascus international airport and shot down a number of hostile missiles," a military source said, quoted by SANA. The agency, without giving any information on casualties or damage, posted footage and images of the air defences being activated. In a shaky video, a small, bright explosion is seen in the night sky, with city lights in the distance. The Israeli military declined to comment on the incident. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said Saturday´s strikes hit a weapons depot outside the airport. "The missiles, suspected to be Israeli, destroyed an arms warehouse near the Damascus international airport," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. He had no immediate information on casualties.<doc-sep>According to Hezbollah-linked Twitter account, there were ongoing flight by Israeli reconnaissance drones in Lebanese airspace hours after the strikes. cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); }); if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("656089") != -1){console.log("hedva connatix");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";} Syrian state media said Israel missiles targeted Damascus airport Saturday evening, with regime air defenses firing in response.“Our air defense systems thwarted an Israeli missile aggression, shooting down a number of enemy missiles,” state news agency SANA cited a military source as saying.Local reports said a military position was struck by several missiles close to Damascus airport, destroying an Iranian military weapons depot with newly-arrived arms.Israeli officials have repeatedly voiced concerns over the growing Iranian presence on its borders and the smuggling of sophisticated weaponry to Hezbollah from Tehran via Syria, stressing that both are red lines for the Jewish state.Israel rarely comments on foreign reports of military activity in Syria, but in mid-August the IDF announced it has carried out more than 200 air strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, and fired more than 800 missiles and mortar shells over the past year and a half.According to the IDF, the strikes – which mainly targeted advanced weapons systems and infrastructure belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps – were aimed at preventing Iranian entrenchment in Syria, and led Iranians to evacuate several bases in Syria. The strikes were intended to have an effect on the Islamic Republic’s arms smuggling.Israel has warned against Iran’s entrenchment in Syria and has stressed time and again that Syrian soil cannot serve as a forward operating base by Iran, and that the war-torn country cannot be a way station for arms smuggling to Hezbollah in Lebanon.In late August, new satellite images of an area in northwestern Syria revealed the establishment a new Iranian surface-to-surface missile factory, which according to ImageSat International (ISI), may house weapons capable of striking Israel.The images taken by ISI purport to show evidence which suggest Iran is continuing to build various facilities related to the development and production of surface-to-surface missiles (SSM) in the area of Wadi Jahannam near Banyas.According to ISI, some of the structures at the site – which is involved in the manufacturing and assembly facility of different SSM types – have similar visual characteristics as structures built at SSM facilities in Parchin and Khojir in Iran.“Therefore, is it probable that the same elements are responsible for their planning and construction,” ISI wrote in their analysis, adding that the facility is in its final stages of construction and will likely be completed by early 2019.While ISI assessed that Iran is assisting Syria’s SSM capabilities for its civil war, “since those conflicts are currently smaller and less widespread than before, it is possible that the Iranian efforts are for future use by Hezbollah or Iran itself against Israel as well,” they wrote.In mid-July, the Syrian regime accused Israel of striking a Syrian army base near Aleppo, which according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 22 Syrian soldiers were said to have been killed in the attack.Unconfirmed reports said the strikes lasted up to 10 minutes, with several aircrafts taking part.The IDF did not comment.<doc-sep>Syrian Army air defenses have intercepted several “Israeli missiles” over Damascus International Airport, state news agency SANA reported, citing a military source. “Our air defense systems thwarted an Israeli missile aggression,” the source said. A SANA reporter meanwhile reported sounds of explosions in the vicinity of the airport. An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment on the reported incident, when approached by Reuters, saying “we don't comment on foreign reports.” The agency released a short video showing what it says is an anti-aircraft missile in flight over Damascus. Another video, released by the Syrian news website Muraselon, supposedly shows an anti-aircraft missile being launched and then exploding mid-air. Due to the low quality of the footage it remains unclear if that projectile scored a hit. Israel has repeatedly bombed locations in Syria, including military installations around Damascus. Israeli military rarely comments on attacks against the neighbor, yet it had previously acknowledged targeting weapon and munition storage facilities and command centers. Tel Aviv has asserted that its strikes are aimed to counter the alleged Iranian military buildup in Syria, while Damascus has condemned such attacks as aggression against the country. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!<doc-sep>

An Israeli missile attack targeted the Syrian capital’s airport late Saturday, activating air defences which shot down some of the projectiles, state news agency SANA reported. “Our air defences responded to an Israeli missile attack on Damascus International Airport and shot down a number of hostile missiles,” said a military source, quoted by SANA. The agency, without giving any information about casualties or damage, posted footage and images of air defences being activated. In the shaky video, a small, bright explosion is seen in the night sky, with city lights in the distance. Agence France-Presse’s correspondent in Damascus heard a loud blast late on Saturday, followed by several smaller explosions. The Israeli military declined to comment on the incident. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said Saturday’s strikes hit a weapons depot outside the airport. “The missiles, suspected to be Israeli, destroyed an arms warehouse near the Damascus International Airport,” Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. He had no immediate information on casualties. Israel has vowed to prevent Iran, which is a main backer of Syria’s government, from gaining a foothold in neighbouring war-torn Syria. Earlier this month, Israel acknowledged having carried out more than 200 strikes in Syria over the past 18 months, mainly against Iranian targets. It has also admitted to striking Syria to prevent what it says are deliveries of advanced weaponry to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an armed movement backed by Iran which fights alongside Syrian troops. The last reported Israeli strikes on Syria took place on 4 September, when Syrian state media said the military’s air defences downed several missiles in the coastal province of Tartus and in central Hama. The Observatory also reported those raids and said they killed three Syrian soldiers. Syria’s conflict erupted in 2011 and has since killed more than 360,000 people, with millions more displaced internally and to neighbouring countries. After losing swathes of territory to rebel groups, President Bashar al-Assad’s troops have regained the upper hand and are now in control of around two-thirds of the country. They were bolstered by nearly three years of air strikes by their key ally Russia, and Iranian, Iraqi, Lebanese and other foreign fighters on the ground. Soldiers and other loyalist fighters had been amassing around Idlib, the largest rebel-held zone left in Syria, for several weeks. But Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov denied that Syrian troops were planning a major offensive for the area.

According to a release, a 200,000 square foot building, which will eventually housed 800 Creighton students in Arizona, is phase one of the project. Park Central in midtown Phoenix is about to be home to a brand-new medical school. Creighton University, which is located in Omaha, Nebraska, reached an agreement to build a roughly $100 million health science campus along Central Avenue. A release called the announcement a "significant expansion" of Creighton's presence in Arizona. Creighton University's School of Medicine first came to Phoenix in 2009. According to a release, a 200,000 square foot building, which will eventually housed 800 Creighton students in Arizona, is phase one of the project. That building will be built on a parking lot on the Park Central property. A second building might be added in the future. The new campus will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program. “Creighton University has strong connections to the Arizona medical community, and we look forward to expanding our impact," Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, president of Creighton University, said in a release. During construction, Creighton University’s College of Nursing which launched an accelerated program in Phoenix back in January will be moved to a temporary home at Park Central. The university's medical school will continue operating programs near the Dignity Heath St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.<doc-sep>Phoenix’s healthcare landscape is about to change dramatically — as is one of Phoenix’s most iconic properties, Park Central — as Creighton University dramatically expands programs in the state to meet the growing demand for doctors and other healthcare professionals in Arizona. Creighton University – a Jesuit, Catholic University located in Omaha, Nebraska – has reached an agreement on the construction of a new, nearly $100 million health sciences campus at Park Central in midtown Phoenix, a significant expansion of the University’s current presence in the state. Phase one of the project includes a new building totaling 200,000 square feet and eventually will house nearly 800 Creighton health sciences students in Arizona. The expansion will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school, and an emergency medical services program. A second building adjacent to the first may be added in the future. The new building will be located along Central Avenue on the Park Central property, on land that is currently a parking lot. Construction on the new building will begin in spring 2019, the first on the Park Central site in decades, and is expected to be completed in spring 2021. In the interim, Creighton University’s College of Nursing, which launched its first Phoenix-based Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in January, will move into a temporary home at Park Central effective January 2019. The School of Medicine, which first came to Phoenix in 2009, will continue operating its third- and fourth-year programs out of space adjacent to Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center until construction is completed in Spring 2021. The new Phoenix campus for Creighton will meet the University’s current needs while providing ample room for expansion in the future, and the central Phoenix location makes it convenient for students doing their residencies and other studies at nearby hospitals. “Creighton University is preparing for an exciting new era in Phoenix, one that combines our tradition for educational excellence in the health sciences with our distinctive Jesuit, Catholic mission,” said the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD, president of Creighton University. “Creighton University has strong connections to the Arizona medical community, and we look forward to expanding our impact by educating many more exceptionally qualified health care professionals to serve the community moving forward.” Creighton University’s presence in Phoenix is expanding to help meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals in the coming years. In June 2018, the Creighton University School of Medicine assumed sponsorship of physician graduate medical education training programs at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS), in conjunction with District Medical Group (DMG), encompassing 11 programs with 325 residents and fellows. Additionally, the four partners have formed the Creighton University-Arizona Health Education Alliance, which was officially launched on Sept. 1, 2017. It is designed to improve and expand current health education programs offered by each of the entities. The Alliance will also develop new academic and clinical education programs in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and allied health. The Alliance’s activities will also be based out of the new Park Central facility. Governor Doug Ducey, who officially recognized Creighton University’s contributions to the State of Arizona with a proclamation, hailed the Creighton expansion as a significant addition to the state’s health care infrastructure. “For more than a decade, Creighton University has been a key partner in helping Arizona train highly skilled health care professionals,” said Gov. Ducey.“Their significant new expansion and investment will help to meet our state’s growing need for healthcare professionals in the coming years, and it’s yet one more way that Arizona is solidifying its reputation as a premier destination for excellence in health care.” The new Creighton University facility is also a significant boost for the revitalization of Park Central. Sharon Harper, president & CEO of Plaza Companies — which is redeveloping Park Central in partnership with Holualoa Companies — said Creighton is an ideal fit for the project. “The new Park Central will have a focus not only on the creation of world-class office, retail and public spaces, but also on a commitment to health and innovation,” Harper said. “Creighton University’s commitment to innovating in healthcare education makes it a great partner, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have them join the Park Central family.” Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams welcomed Creighton’s expansion in Phoenix as a dramatic step to strengthen the region’s growing bioscience industry. “Creighton’s investment in our community will create new jobs and bring new life to a critical property in the heart of midtown Phoenix—but what’s more, it moves us closer to transforming our economy into one rooted in competitive, forward-thinking industries,” said Williams. “I want Phoenix to be a destination for world-class medical education, research, healthcare and solutions, and our growing partnership with Creighton University is going to help us get there.” “Creighton University has long had a presence in Greater Phoenix, but their decision to continue expanding here is an indication of the growth and demand we’re seeing in the industry regionally,” said Chris Camacho, president & CEO of Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “As one of the most innovative medical schools, graduates of their health sciences programs will continue to feed the rapidly growing healthcare sector.” For more than a decade, Creighton University has been an academic mainstay in Phoenix, sending medical students to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center for rotations. That relationship expanded significantly in 2009 when the University and St. Joseph’s established a Creighton campus for third- and fourth-year medical students at the Phoenix hospital. The St. Joseph’s campus is home to approximately 100 Creighton medical students.<doc-sep>Creighton University Creighton University's health sciences campus in midtown Phoenix will educate physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and physician assistants. Christina Estes/KJZZ Father Daniel Hendrickson, president of Creighton University, addresses a group gathered at the Phoenix Art Museum for the announcement. Christina Estes/KJZZ Creighton University students listen to the announcement about a new medical school opening in Phoenix. Less than a month after Phoenix leaders approved plans to build a parking garage at Park Central Mall, a new tenant has been revealed. Creighton University will build a health sciences campus along Central Avenue south of Osborn Road. The Omaha-based Jesuit Catholic University said it will feature a four-year medical school along with schools for nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and physician assistants, and an emergency medical services program. During Tuesday’s announcement, Phoenix Vice Mayor Jim Waring said Creighton can do for midtown what ASU has done for downtown. “This is going to be game-changing,” he said. “Sometimes that is an overused phrase, but not in this case. I can’t wait to see the students down here and the faculty and the bustle and hustle that comes with it.” Father Daniel Hendrickson, president of Creighton University, said the first phase will accommodate up to 800 students annually. “These students will engage the full complement of healthcare education and professions and many are likely to remain right here in Arizona to serve your communities,” he said. Arizona is facing a shortage of doctors. Experts say increasing the number of residencies can help ease the shortage because physicians will often end up practicing where they complete their training The first phase of Creighton’s campus at Park Central Mall calls for a 200,000 square foot building that’s expected to be completed by the spring of 2021.<doc-sep>

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declares a proclamation in honor of Creighton University on September 18. The Jesuit university announced that it will build a new medical campus in Phoenix. ^ Keep New Times Free Support Us Local Community Journalism I Support Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free. Support Us Creighton University, a Catholic university in Omaha, Nebraska, is expanding its health sciences offerings in Phoenix with a new $100-million medical campus at the site of the former Park Central mall. On Tuesday, the president of Creighton University unveiled the project at an event at the Phoenix Art Museum. The new health sciences campus will occupy what is currently a parking lot located along Central Avenue in midtown Phoenix. "Creighton University is preparing for an exciting new era in Phoenix, one that combines our tradition for educational excellence in the health sciences with our distinctive Jesuit, Catholic mission," the Reverend Daniel S. Hendrickson said in a statement. He was joined on stage by several elected officials, including Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Greater Phoenix Economic Council CEO Chris Camacho, Phoenix Vice Mayor Jim Waring, and Phoenix Councilwoman Laura Pastor. The Creighton project will encompass 200,000 square feet, and construction is expected to be done by spring 2021. The campus will include a four-year medical school as well as nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy schools. Eight hundred Creighton students will study at the campus, according to the university. Creighton has made forays into Phoenix before, but this is the university's biggest investment by far. In 2009, the Jesuit university began sending medical students to Phoenix's St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center to complete their third- and fourth-year rotations. There are currently around Creighton 100 students at the St. Joseph's campus. Additionally, in January, Creighton created a program based in Phoenix for an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program, also located at St. Joseph's. The nursing program will move into a temporary Park Central site as soon as January 2019. And last year, Creighton became a partner in the Creighton University-Arizona Health Education Alliance, intended to improve health education programs among the university, St. Joseph's Medical Center, and the Maricopa Integrated Health System. The new Park Central campus will put Creighton in a position to compete for health care students with Phoenix's Grand Canyon University – also a Christian university – and Arizona State University. The project is yet another addition to the educational institutions that have sought to relocate to downtown Phoenix, including the Thunderbird School of Global Management and other ASU schools. Like the Creighton medical campus, the new Thunderbird campus is also set to open in 2021 after moving from Glendale. At the announcement, Ducey said that Creighton will be an asset to Arizona by training new medical professionals. He praised the partnerships Creighton has forged with local medical organizations. "Arizona's need for health care professionals in the coming years is only going to increase," Ducey said. "And with this new investment, Creighton University is going to help to meet that need."

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If you wish to object to the use of your data in this way, please tick here. ‘We’ includes The Week and other Dennis Group brands as detailed here<doc-sep>It is Argentina’s 18th World Cup and talkSPORT.com takes an in-depth look at the Group D nation. MANAGER On his football philosophy, Jorge Sampaoli once said: “When there are ten religions and you only follow one, you miss out on the other nine.” But the former Chile manager, who won the Copa America with them in 2015, is far more concerned with attack than defence. That’s just as well given he is so overloaded up front that he had to leave Serie A’s joint-top scorer, Mauro Icardi of Inter, out of his squad. He is often described as a disciple of former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, who popularised the 3-3-1-3 formation in mainstream football. Bielsa, who Pep Guardiola credited as his tactical inspiration, relied on every member of the team performing defensive and attacking roles, with quick transition between the two. All players must press aggressively and quickly set to attacking positions when in possession. Expect more of the same from Sampaoli. CAPTAIN Lionel Messi’s relationship with Argentina is complicated. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was voted the best player at the last World Cup, before briefly quitting the national team following their Copa America defeat on penalties to Chile in 2016. All is forgiven now, though. He assumed the captaincy at 24 years old after Alejandro Sabella’s appointment in 2011. Reserved by nature, Messi went on to lead his squad by example, while previous skipper Javier Mascherano continued his role as the team’s motivator. While it can be a burden to some, the armband drastically improved Messi’s goalscoring rate. He had only scored 17 goals in 61 Argentina matches before Sabella’s arrival, including a two-and-a-half-year goal drought. But he netted 25 times in 32 games during the following three years. England will hope Harry Kane can enjoy a similar boost as Three Lions captain. KEY PLAYER The Albiceleste shouldn’t be so dependent on Messi, given they boast arguably the best attacking line-up at the tournament, and yet they are. He was the only Argentine to score in their last six South American qualifiers, and even then he only netted in two of them. That’s genuinely difficult to believe given this is a squad which contains Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria. There is absolutely no chance they would have even qualified without the little magician. But this works both ways. Messi knows he must win a World Cup if he is to be considered the best in the history of the game and needs his team-mates to play up to their reputation. ONE TO WATCH Paulo Dybala would walk into the starting XI of almost every nation at the World Cup, but he wasn’t even guaranteed a spot in Sampaoli’s squad for the tournament. Having booked his seat on the plane, the 24-year-old has a chance to finally announce himself on the international stage. He bagged 22 goals and created a further five in 26 Serie A appearances this season. Those are figures a centre-forward would be proud of. In fact, he was more prolific than his Juventus team-mate and compatriot Higuain, who scored 16 in 32. FIXTURES Saturday, June 16: Argentina v ICELAND (Okrytiye Arena, Moscow) – kick-off 2pm Thursday, June 21: Argentina v CROATIA (Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod) – kick-off 7pm Tuesday, June 26: NIGERIA v Argentina (Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg)- kick-off 7pm KITS RECORD IN QUALIFYING “Messi did not owe the World Cup to Argentina, but football owed the World Cup to Messi.” Those were Sampaoli’s words after Messi’s hat-trick away in Ecuador ensured the South Americans a place in the tournament. Argentina qualified by the skin of their teeth, with a World Cup sans Messi appearing, at one point, a very real possibility. To return to an earlier stat, he was the only Argentina player to score in qualifying for a remarkable 11 months, leaving them in sixth heading into the final round of fixtures. Luckily, the best player in the world was exactly that against Ecuador and they kicked Alexis Sanchez’s Chile out of the qualification places. The CONMEBOL qualifiers are brutal. TOURNAMENT PREPARATIONS Argentina took it easy in the build up to Russia, playing just the single friendly against Haiti at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, with Messi hitting a hat-trick in a 4-0 win. A second planned match against Israel was cancelled. BASE CAMP Training base Bronnitsy, Moscow PROBABLE LINE-UP talkSPORT will be with listeners all day and all night at this year’s 2018 FIFA World Cup™ with over 800 hours of World Cup content and all 64 games live across the talkSPORT network.<doc-sep>After coming terribly close to their Promised Land in 2014, Argentina will be hoping to go one further in the 2018 FIFA World Cup this time around when they do it all over again in Russia in a week's time. A squad that has retained its core will be buoyed by the addition of a few promising youngsters to their side. With most of the players who played in the final in Rio, four years ago, drawing towards the end of their careers, this might be the last chance at glory for Lionel Messi and co. Their path to Russia was anything but comfortable, as Messi came up with his usual heroics in their final qualifying match to send them through, with the prospect of missing out on the competition altogether staring them in the face. Argentina's Group Fixtures and Venues Match 1: Argentina vs Iceland - 16 June, Friday, 21:00 local time (23:30 IST) at Spartak Stadium, Moscow Match 2: Argentina vs Croatia - 21 June, Wednesday, 21:00 local time (23:30 IST) at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod Match 3: Argentina vs Nigeria - 26 June, Monday, 21:00 local time (23:30 IST) at Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg Also read: Top 5 Group Games to Watch at the World Cup TV and Live Stream TV: Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 2 HD, Sony Ten 3, Sony Ten 3 HD Live Stream: Sony LIV Argentina Squad for the World Cup Plenty of fire-power up front for Argentina. GOALKEEPERS: Willy Caballero (Chelsea), Franco Armani (River Plate), Nahuel Guzman (Tigres). DEFENDERS: Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Federico Fazio (Roma), Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United), Nicolas Taglafico (Ajax), Javier Mascherano (Hebei Fortune), Marcos Acuna (Sporting Lisbon), Cristian Ansaldi (Torino). MIDFIELDERS: Ever Banega (Sevilla), Lucas Biglia (AC Milan), Angel Di María, Giovani Lo Celso (both Paris St-Germain), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors), Maximiliano Meza (Independiente), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica). FORWARDS: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala (both Juventus), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City). Also read: Spain XI that will not be playing in the 2018 World Cup Argentina Coach: Jorge Sampaoli Jorge Sampaoli Jorge Samapoli took over the job of head coach of the Argentina National Team in 2017 and has only had a year at the helm. Sampaoli stunned observers in March by leaving Paulo Dybala and Mauro Icardi - two of the best young forwards in Italy, perhaps even Europe, out of the squad for the final friendlies before the World Cup 23 was announced in May. Dybala hadn't played particularly well during the autumn international break and the feeling was that, in many ways, he is too similar to Messi, occupying the same areas and getting in the way of the world's best player. However, the manager decided to make place for the Juve man in the squad, but his compatriot with rivals Inter lost out despite having arguably his best season ever in which he scored 29 goals in 34 league appearances. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the pressure of leaving one of the hottest strikers in world football at the moment and find a system to use both Messi and Dybala together. Argentina Predicted XI Formation: 3-4-3 Line-up: Caballero; Rojo , Otamendi, Fazio; Mercado, Biligia, Lo Celso, Taglafico; di Maria, Aguero, Messi. Predicted Argentina line-up Argentina World Cup History Semifinals: 5 Finals: 5 Titles: 2 (1978, 1986) Argentina Prediction A quarter-final exit seems most likely for the Argentine national side as they will probabl come up against the likes of Colombia, Spain, Germany or England in each of the knock-out fixtures following the group stages. We feel that those teams have the measure of this current Argentina side and it would be an upset of sorts if they manage to beat any of those teams, let alone three on their way to the final this summer. They genuinely have a shot of beating Colombia or England in the round of sixteen, but it is getting increasingly difficult to see Argentina get past either the German or the Spanish side in the quarter-finals. This is, however, a cup competition, and the biggest one in the world at that. We've seen miracles on a grander scale take place in the World Cup and with the miracle of Messi already on their side they have plenty to be hopeful about.<doc-sep>Honours: World Cup (1978 & 1986; Copa America (1921, 1925, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1959, 1991 & 1993) FIFA Ranking: 5 HOW THEY QUALIFIED After the heartbreak Mario Götze extra-time winner of the final in Brazil, a seemingly super gifted Argentina team has slowly digressed. Two consecutive final losses against Chile in Copa America pushed Lionel Messi into retiring from the national team, and even though he returned for the World Cup-qualifiers only two months later, Argentina might not be among the favourites to reach the final in Moscow July 15th. World Cup The Hod Complex: England and the 1998 World Cup 08/06/2018 AT 08:08 They struggled surprisingly through the qualifiers, starting out with only one win in the four first games, and they didn’t clinch qualification until the very last game, where a hat-trick by Messi secured a 3-1 win away at Ecuador and the third spot in the table. Argentina finished 13 points behind Brazil and will have to lift themselves more than one level if they are going to go anywhere this summer. THE SQUAD STAR MAN - Leo Messi Leo Messi is not just the obvious superstar in an already talented team, he’s also considered one of the best, if not the best player of all time. His record for Barcelona speaks for itself. Nine Spanish league titles, four Champions League titles, five Ballons d’Or and an astonishing 675 goals for club and country at the age of 30. Lionel Messi (Argentinien) Image credit: Getty Images But he still lacks an international trophy with Argentina; however, were he to lead Argentina to a World Cup triumph in Russia, his status as the greatest ever would be in no doubt. NEXT BIG THING - Christian Pavon This a veteran squad. However, if there’s a prospect that could have a breakthrough campaign in Russia, then, it’s Christian Pavon. The winger, who turns 22 halfway through the tournament, has had a great season with Boca Junior, scoring 7 goals and claiming 17 assists in 31 games. THE COACH - Jorge Sampaoli Sampaoli has only managed Argentina for ten games so far, and the results are varied. Jorge Sampaoli (coach of Argentina) Image credit: Getty Images He started out by winning two friendlies that included a 1-0 victory against Brazil, and then took Argentina to the World Cup by going undefeated the last four games of the qualification. Since then Argentina has played four friendlies; one of which they lost against their group opponents Nigeria and another of which was a 6-1 crushing against Spain. Sampaoli has experimented with both system and starting eleven but tends to opt for three at the back and is known for a high risk style that end in heavy defeat, as shown against Spain. WORLD CUP HISTORY The two-time winners, who have qualified for every edition since 1974, were, although hugely talented, dragged to the 2014 final by Messi. However, they were beaten by a far more cohesive unit in the shape of Germany. Truth be told, Messi's excellence papered over the cracks in a top-heavy side. REASONS FOR OPTIMISM Lionel. Messi. FIXTURES June 16th: Iceland June 21st: Croatia June 26th: Nigeria World Cup Qatar World Cup could be expanded and shared between other nations 31/10/2018 AT 04:44<doc-sep>

Getting to know Argentina: No team is more dependent on one player (including Egypt) than Argentina. With Lionel Messi, La Pulga has dragged a deteriorating Albiceleste side to three finals in three tournaments over the past four years. First it was the 2014 World Cup final, followed by successive Copa America finals, the latter one in the U.S. In all three finals, Argentina lost, and after the last one, Messi even “retired” for a few months before returning to the Argentina squad. [ LIVE: World Cup scores ] But due to the short-lived retirement and injury, Argentina got a sneak peak over the last two years of life without Messi. And it wasn’t pretty. In CONMEBOL’s brutal World Cup qualification, Messi played just ten of Argentina’s 18 competitive matches. In those eight games he missed, Argentina recorded just one win, with four draws and two defeats. With Messi in the lineup, Argentina won six games, lost just once and drew three times. Messi put the team on his back in a must-win trip to Ecuador, scoring a hat-trick last October in a 3-1 win. [ MORE: Latest 2018 World Cup news ] What group are they in? Game schedule – Group D – Full 2018 World Cup schedule, here Saturday, June 16: Argentina v Iceland, Moscow (Spartak) 9am, ET Thursday, June 21: Argentina v Croatia, Nizhny Novgorod 2pm, ET Tuesday, June 26: Nigeria v Argentina, Saint Petersburg 2pm, ET Projected lineup (2-3-3-2 (or a 4-1-3-2)) – Check out the 23-man squad list in full —– Armani —– —– Fazio —– —– Otamendi—– — Ansaldi ———— Mascherano ——— Tagliafico—- —- Pavon —- Banega —- Di Maria —- ——- Messi ——- Aguero —— Star player: Lionel Messi – The man who has been the star for Argentina for more than a dozen years heads into what could be his final World Cup, and certainly his final World Cup where he’s in his prime. With La Pulga turning 31 this summer, he’ll be leaving everything on the field to finally help Argentina over the hump and win a desperately-needed World Cup. After Barcelona were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the quarterfinals, Argentina fans and Messi fans around the globe will hope that he has the energy necessary to make another run to the final. Manager: Jorge Sampaoli – Argentina’s third coach since the 2014 World Cup, Sampaoli followed current Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino and more recently, Edgardo Bauza, who was in over his head. Sampaoli is a disciple of Marcelo Bielsa’s tactical system, featuring a high tempo, high-pressing system. Except, when Sampaoli has tried to implement that, his slow, rudderless defense has paid the price, with a 3-2 defeat to Nigeria and a 6-1 defeat at Spain. Hence, the new formation, a 2-3-3-2. Five defensive minded players and five attackers. Secret weapon: Christian Pavon- The 22-year-old Boca Juniors winger has been a revelation in Argentina domestic soccer over the past two seasons, helping bring titles to La Bombonera. Just this season, Pavon has a goal and five assists in six Copa Libertadores matches as well as six goals and 11 assists in the league last season. The diminutive winger (he’s listed anywhere between 5’5″ and 5’7″) will have to adjust to the physicality of Argentina’s opponents, but on paper he’s one of the most talented players under 23 in the world. Prediction: More than any Argentina team in the Messi era, this squad seems more dependent than ever on his individual brilliance, as the soccer-crazed nation has struggled to develop players along the backline. You can easily see Argentina not making it out of a tough group that includes Nigeria, Croatia and Iceland. At the same time, should Argentina win the group, they’d play the Group C runner’s-up, which will likely be either Denmark, Australia or Peru, all winnable games. I think Argentina’s run ends to Spain in the quarterfinals, the stress too much on Messi to constantly lead his team to victory without much else help.

An 8-year-old boy is in the hospital with injuries after allegedly being pushed from the top of a water slide in Apple Valley on Tuesday. Apple Valley police say the incident happened at the Apple Valley Family Aquatic Center at approximately 1:35 p.m. Tuesday, with witnesses telling investigators that the boy fell from the platform of a water slide and dropped 31 feet to the ground. An investigation revealed that the boy was picked up by an 18-year-old male, who then pushed him over the railing. There was no interaction between the suspect and victim prior to the incident, and it's been determined that the two do not know each other. The child was conscious and breathing when paramedics arrived and he was transported to a local hospital where he was listed in stable condition. The extent of his injuries are unknown. The suspect has been arrested and will face criminal charges, Apple Valley police say. Per BMTN policy, we will not name the suspect until charges have been filed.<doc-sep>An 8-year-old boy reportedly fell 31 feet after being pushed off of a waterslide platform at Minnesota’s Apple Valley Aquatic Center, notes Newsweek. While he suffered many broken bones, it does not appear that he sustained head or internal injuries. The Pioneer Press reports that the alleged perpetrator is Roman Alexander Adams, an 18-year-old man with developmental disabilities. “Adams is currently charged with third-degree assault,” notes KARE 11. “He told investigators he pushed the boy at the park on Tuesday because the line was taking too long.” Eyewitness reports suggest he and the boy did not interact before the incident occurred. “About 70,000 people go through their water park every season, it’s been open for 20 years and we’ve had nothing near this incident take place at all,” Apple Valley Police Captain Nick Francis told KMSP.<doc-sep>The young man who pushed an 8-year-old boy off the top of a water slide on Tuesday, sending him 32 feet to concrete below, bit a lifeguard at the same Apple Valley water park less than three weeks earlier but was not charged for that incident or told to stay away, according to police. On Wednesday, Roman Alexander Adams, 18, of Maple Grove was charged with third-degree assault in Dakota County District Court for allegedly picking up the boy and pushing him off the top of a waterslide at the Apple Valley Aquatic Center, which the city owns and runs. He was arrested on a warrant Wednesday at his father’s home in Shorewood and released from Dakota County Jail after posting a $50,000 bond. The boy remains hospitalized with a broken femur, several foot fractures and shattered shoulder bones, Apple Valley police Capt. Nick Francis said Thursday. “I think this very well could have been a deadly incident,” he said. “Once we realized where this child fell from — the height which he fell from onto concrete — we were amazed that it only resulted in broken bones and other injuries. We were expecting much more internal injuries, head injuries and possible death. For whatever reason, this child landed in such a position where the injuries were quite minimal for the distance that he fell.” Francis said Adams has a developmental disability but “knew what he did was wrong.” “He knew what he did was going to hurt this little kid, and he made the decision to do it,” he said. Adams bit the lifeguard on July 13, but police were not aware of it until after Tuesday’s incident, according to Francis. He said an injury report was made within the park system and the lifeguard was tested for communicable diseases. Apple Valley City Administrator Tom Lawell said Thursday that the lifeguard was bitten while swimming underwater and “presented it as an employee injury, not as a personal assault.” On Thursday, Park and Recreation Director Barry Bernstein directed questions about the bite to Francis. Following the bite, the city could have pursued an assault charge against Adams and also given him a no-trespass order that would have kept him away from the pool, Francis said. He said he was not sure why park or other city staff failed to do either. “My guess is that it’s just attributed to someone with a disability who did this, and it was the first time it happened with this person,” he said. ADAMS THOUGHT LINE WAS ‘TOO LONG’ Police were called to the aquatic center at 14421 Johnny Cake Ridge Road about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday on a report of a boy with a broken leg. Officers found the boy on a concrete sidewalk below the water slide, conscious and breathing. In an interview with police, Adams said he was waiting in line to use the water slide and that it was taking “too long,” a criminal complaint reads. He admitted that he picked up the boy from the platform at the top of the water slide, pushed him over the railing and saw him fall, charges said. Witnesses told police there was no interaction between Adams and the boy before the incident, Francis said. They did not know each other. At the time of the incident, a personal care assistant was with Adams but in another part of the park, Francis said. PARK REOPENED WEDNESDAY The city shut down the park after the incident and reopened it Wednesday. Related Articles Bomb threat that closed Lakeville schools Friday ‘not credible,’ district says Minnesota A.G. settles lawsuit against Apple Valley landlord over pandemic eviction Motorcyclist killed on I-694 in Brooklyn Center ID’d as Hastings man West St. Paul parts ways with community development director Driver shot at motorist on I-35 in Lakeville, charges allege The boy’s identity is being withheld by police at the request of the family, Francis said. The boy had two surgeries Wednesday and is scheduled for at least two more. “The family is pretty sheltered down about this,” Francis said. “They’re just focused on trying to get him through the surgeries and get him the care he needs.” Under conditions of his release set by a Dakota County judge, Adams is not allowed at the water park or to have contact with minors. The water park, which opened 20 years ago, drew more than 67,000 people in 2017, according to a city report, which says visitors included more than 4,600 water walkers and lap swimmers, 138 busloads of kids and nearly 200 personal care assistants “working with disabled users.”<doc-sep>

An 8-year-old boy is in the hospital after police say he was pushed by a man from a waterslide platform, falling 31 feet to the concrete below. It happened at approximately 1:35 p.m. Tuesday at the Apple Valley Aquatic Center located at 14421 Johnny Cake Ridge Road. The boy was conscious and breathing when officers arrived. The victim's current condition is stable, but he did suffer several broken bones in his feet, legs and shoulders. Apple Valley Police Capt. Nick Francis said the boy did not suffer any head or internal injuries. "We have someone who is alive today, who we didn't think was going to be alive yesterday," Francis said. "The victim is in amazingly good spirits, able to talk, able to laugh a little bit. His question was, 'why did this happen to me? Why did this person throw me over?'" Investigators say the 18-year-old man, identified as Roman Adams, of Maple Grove, picked up and pushed the boy over the railing as they were waiting in line. He has been charged for third-degree assault. Capt. Francis said Adams has developmental disabilities, which could be taken into account as the case moves through the courts system. For that reason, Francis said it's a "sad story all around." "It's difficult when we have to view someone as a possible suspect that's got some mental disabilities," Francis said. "But our job comes down to determining whether or not a crime took place, whether or not someone knew right from wrong." Police said it appeared Adams did in fact know right from wrong in this situation. According to his arrest warrant, Adams told police that he was waiting in line to use the slide and that it was "taking a long time." He admitted to throwing the child from the platform, according to the charges. In a later interview, Adams told police the line was taking too long so he "pushed" the child over the railing and saw him fall. Witnesses reported there was no interaction between the two prior to the incident. Investigators say Adams and the victim do not know each other. The Apple Valley Aquatic Center closed Tuesday, shortly after the incident. It reopened to the public on Wednesday.

Germany has just been eliminated from the FIFA World Cup, and their chances of qualifying for rugby's version are in danger after a crushing defeat against Manu Samoa. Ed Fidow scored three of Samoa's 10 tries in a 66-15 first-leg play-off victory in Apia on Saturday. It didn't take long for the hosts to show their dominance, as they led 35-3 at the break. Alapati Leiua, Melani Matavao (2), Jack Lam, Iosefa Tekori, Dwayne Polataivaia and a penalty try were added to Fidow's treble in the one-sided match. It wasn't all bad for Germany as they did show moments of brilliance, including a double to Jaco Otto. The second leg will be played in Heidelberg in two weeks' time with the overall winner qualifying for the 2019 tournament in pool A, joining Ireland, Scotland, hosts Japan and Russia in Pool A. The loser will be forced to play in the repechage tournament against three other nations for one last chance to qualify. Newshub.<doc-sep>Samoa take a big lead into the second leg of their RWC 2019 qualifier against Germany Samoa close in on 2019 World Cup spot Samoa are in the box seat to qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup after beating Germany 66-15 in the first leg of their play-off in Apia. Samoa wing Ed Fidow scored a hat-trick and scrum-half Melani Matavao got a brace as the hosts notched ten tries in all. As well as a penalty try, Alapati Leiua, Jack Lam, Joe Tekori and Dwayne Polataivao all crossed. It was a convincing win for the Samoans, with Germany struggling to cope with their physicality. A missed tackle count of nearly 40 is evidence of how often Samoa were able to punch holes in Germany’s defence. Matavao was crucial to his side’s win, ensuring his side played at tempo and causing Germany no end of problems with his snipes around the contact area as well as his footwork in open field. The Samoa scrum also provided a huge platform for the team to attack from, while slick hands in the back-line allowed them to be clinical out wide. They will be looking to improve at the lineout in Heidelberg in the second leg on 14 July as it did not function well in Apia, and they need to focus for the full 80 minutes. The occasional lapse here, particularly from restarts, resulted in German pressure on the Samoan line. However, a 51-point winning margin puts them in a very strong position to secure a place in Pool A at Japan 2019, alongside Ireland, Japan, Russia and Scotland. Samoa had used their Pacific Nations Cup games against Fiji and Tonga earlier in the month to try out different combinations in the squad, and with their best team on the field here everything seemed to click. “It was a team effort and I think from the Pacific Nations Cup games we added execution,” said Samoa captain Chris Vui. “In the PNC games we made simple handling errors and I think we adjusted out game plan well. We started really well in the first 20 minutes too. “They’re a really good team and a good endurance team, so we’ll do our homework and change a few things up (ahead of the second leg).” Germany’s two tries came from flanker Jaco Otto but overall coach Pablo Lemoine was hugely disappointed by his side’s performance, criticising players’ attitudes in such an important game. He knows what it takes to qualify for a World Cup, too, having successfully guided Uruguay through the process ahead of the 2015 tournament. “If we’re being 100% realistic, if we want to play at that level we have to change many things, especially players’ mindsets,” said Lemoine. “Some guys are better players than they showed today and they need to show humility. “We’re looking to qualify for the Rugby World Cup and you have to respect that. Some players didn’t show the respect they should have. Their attitudes weren’t right. We expect more. This was a World Cup qualification game and they didn’t show the respect a game of this level needed. We have to change here (pointing at his head).” Expect Germany to make a few personnel changes ahead of their home leg, but if Samoa can replicate the physicality and accuracy they demonstrated here – and cut out the lapses in concentration – they are clear favourites to qualify for Japan 2019. Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.<doc-sep>German sports fans may be at an all-time low ebb, after their beloved football team - defending World Cup champions - got dumped out of the tournament in Russia this week. Never fear, meine fruende, your rugby team is still alive and kicking in their world tournament, and face Manu Samoa in Apia tomorrow in a crucial qualifying encounter. In fact, they're only a couple of games away from potentially facing the All Blacks at next year's Rugby World Cup. Who knew? In case, like us, you weren't even aware they played rugby in Germany, here's all you need to know ahead of the home-and-away series. Germany won a rugby silver medal at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Three teams contested the tournament - the French national team, FC 1880 Frankfurt represented Germany and Moseley Wanderers represented Great Britain. Only two games were played, with France beating Frankfurt 27-17 and Moseley 27-8. France took the gold medal, with Germany and Great Britain each awarded silver, although some claims Germany deserved their medal outright, due to points differential. Many of Germany's top football clubs actually started out as rugby clubs, including Bundesliga outfit Hannover 96. The German national team first played in 1927, losing 30-5 to France. Before the outbreak of World War II, they established themselves as the second-best national side in mainland Europe, twice beating the top-ranked French. During WWII, German rugby lost a virtual First XV of players and was never able to recover its previous international footing. Germany have flitted between the first and second divisions of European Nations Cup. This year they failed to win a game, with a points differential of minus-325 across five games, but they were unable to field players from their strongest club team, Heidelberg. Despite the disastrous campaign, Germany were thrown a World Cup lifeline, when Romania, Belgium and Spain were all deducted points for playing ineligible players. That elevated Germany into a home playoff against Portugal, which they won 16-13 to advance to the next stage - the series against Manu Samoa. The Germans could end up facing the All Blacks at next year's Rugby World Cup. If they lose to Samoa, they have another chance to qualify through a repechage, with the winners landing in the same pool as NZ, South Africa and Italy. They are currently ranked 29th in the world. Their biggest-ever win was 108-0 over Serbia-Montenegro in 2005. Their biggest-ever loss was 89-6 against Russia in 2000. The team are currently coached by former Uruguay player and coach Pablo Lemoine. He played at two Rugby World Cup tournaments and scored Uruguay's first World Cup try at Australia 2003. He later coached the national side at the 2015 World Cup. Lemoine replaced South African Kobus Potgieter as German coach this year. Germany's first-five Hagen Schulte was born in Christchurch and played provincial rugby for Buller, before moving to the Glasgow Hawks and then Heidelberger RK. Captain Sean Armstrong is Australian-born. Newshub.<doc-sep>

Manu Samoa players have been put on notice by their Prime Minister, as they prepare for Saturday's Rugby World Cup playoff game against Germany. The Germans stagger into the home-and-away elimination series, after finishing bottom of their European qualifying pool, but were promoted over Belgium, Romania and Spain, when those teams were penalised for fielding ineligible players. That put them into a European playoff against Portugal, which they duly won 16-13 to set up the clash with Samoa. No wonder Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has warned his team they should resign en masse if they can't beat the minnows of world rugby. "You have no guts," Malielegaoi apparently told the team recently. "You played 10 games and you lost in all of those 10 games, what does that tell me - you have no guts. That is what I said to them," he recounted to the Samoan parliament. "I said, if you don't win this game then you all have to resign from the team." Just five years ago, Manu Samoa reached their highest-ever world ranking of seventh, but they've since tumbled 10 spots to 17. They haven't won an international game since defeating Canada 25-23 in November 2016. Samoa lost both their Pacific Nations Cup this month, falling 24-22 to eventual winners Fiji and 28-18 to acrhrivals Tonga. Germany currently sit 29th on world rankings, ahead of just Chile and just behind Kenya. The first leg of the playoff is scheduled for Saturday afternoon (NZ time) in Apia, with the return game set for July 14 at an unspecified German venue. The winners land in a World Cup pool that already features Ireland, Scotland, Japan and Russia. The losers have yet another chance to advance through a repechage that would include Canada, African qualifiers and either Cook Islands or Hong Kong. The winners of that repechage will face the All Blacks, South Africa, Italy and the top African qualifiers. Newshub.

CEO of ADL: Seeing a 'blitzkrieg of anti-Jewish' acts across US Dana Bash: This is so telling about where the Republican party is NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 24: Trump Tower stands on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on August 24, 2018 in New York City. Following new allegations over hush money that former Trump attorney Michael Cohen paid to an adult-film actress, the Manhattan district attorneyÕs office in New York City may seek criminal charges against the Trump Organization in the coming days. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Why GOP is standing in the way of Capitol riot investigation WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 08: US Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-VA) remarks on the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the US Capitol November 8, 2006 in Washington, DC. Warner said he supports President George W. Bush's nomination of former CIA Director Robert Gates for Secretary of Defense. Warner said he anticipates Gates' confirmation before the end of the year. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), joined by Senate Assistant Minority Leader John Thune (R-SD) (L) and Senate Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), speaks following a Senate Republican Policy luncheon at the Russell Senate Office Building on May 18, 2021 in Washington, DC. Hear what Matt Gaetz said about Paul Ryan before his speech Former GOP senator: If McConnell said this, 'it's shameful' 'Some people have no shame': Biden calls out GOP lawmakers with list US President Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a meeting in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. (CNN) — President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the US is pulling out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia, a decades-old agreement that has drawn the ire of the President. “Russia has violated the agreement. They’ve been violating it for many years,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One to leave Nevada following a campaign rally. “And I don’t know why President Obama didn’t negotiate or pull out. And we’re not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we’re not allowed to,” he said. “We’re the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we’ve honored the agreement. “But Russia has not, unfortunately, honored the agreement. So we’re going to terminate the agreement. We’re gonna pull out,” he said of the agreement, which was signed in December 1987 by former President Ronald Reagan and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev. Following the announcement, Russia’s state-run news agency, RIA Novosti, reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to discuss the decision with US national security adviser John Bolton when he visits Russia this week. According to the report, the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said, “It’s likely that an explanation from the US will be required following the latest scandalous statements.” What is the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty? The treaty forced both countries to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between approximately 300 and 3,400 miles. It offered a blanket of protection to the United States’ European allies and marked a watershed agreement between two nations at the center of the arms race during the Cold War. Former State Department spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby, a CNN military and diplomatic analyst, explained that the treaty “wasn’t designed to solve all of our problems with the Soviet Union,” but was “designed to provide a measure of some strategic stability on the continent of Europe.” “I suspect our European allies right now are none too happy about hearing that President Trump intends to pull out of it,” he said. Why leave the agreement now? The Trump Administration has said repeatedly that Russia has violated the treaty and has pointed to their predecessors in the Obama administration who accused Russia of violating the terms of the agreement. In 2014, CNN reported that the US had accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty, citing cruise missile tests that dated to 2008. CNN reported in 2014 that the United States at the time informed its NATO allies of Russia’s suspected breach. However, it wasn’t until recently that NATO officially confirmed Russia’s activity constituted a likely violation. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier this month that the military alliance remained “concerned about Russia’s lack of respect for its international commitments, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty.” “This treaty abolishes a whole category of weapons and is a crucial element of our security,” Stoltenberg said, speaking at a defense ministers’ meeting. “Now this treaty is in danger because of Russia’s actions.” He continued, “After years of denials, Russia recently acknowledged the existence of a new missile system, called 9M729. Russia has not provided any credible answers on this new missile. All allies agree that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the treaty. It is therefore urgent that Russia addresses these concerns in a substantial and transparent manner.” Moscow’s failure to adhere to the agreement was also addressed in the most recent Nuclear Posture Review published by the Defense Department in February, which said Russia “continues to violate a series of arms control treaties and commitments.” “In a broader context, Russia is either rejecting or avoiding its obligations and commitments under numerous agreements and has rebuffed U.S. efforts to follow the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with another round of negotiated reductions and to pursue reductions in non-strategic nuclear forces.” What does this mean for US security? Pulling out of the treaty could provoke a similar arms race across Europe akin to the one that was occurring when the agreement was initially signed in the 1980s. “I don’t think we’re at the stage right now that if we pull out of the INF Treaty, you’ve got to go sort of build a bunker in your backyard,” Kirby said. “I don’t think we’re at that stage at all,” he said. “But I do think, if we pull out, we really do need to think about how we are going to, right now because we don’t have the same capability as the Russians have with this particular missile. How are we going to try and counter that? How are we going to try and help deter use of it on the continent of Europe?” How does China work in all of this? Administration officials believe the treaty has put the US at a disadvantage because China does not face any constraints on developing intermediate-range nuclear missiles in the Pacific and it does not allow the US to develop new weapons. Trump, speaking with reporters on Saturday, referenced China when explaining his reasoning for pulling out of the agreement. “Unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say, ‘Let’s really get smart and let’s none of us develop those weapons.’ But if Russia’s doing it and if China’s doing it and we’re adhering to the agreement, that’s unacceptable,” Trump said. In 2017, the head of US Pacific Command, Adm. Harry Harris, told Congress that approximately 95% of China’s missile force would violate the INF Treaty if they were part of the agreement. “This fact is significant because the U.S. has no comparable capability due to our adherence to the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia,” Harris said in a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee. National security adviser John Bolton is expected to discuss the treaty with Russian officials on his trip to Moscow next week. Kirby said he thinks the Russians will be OK with the decision. “This gives Putin an excuse to just continue doing what he’s doing, only doing it more blatantly,” Kirby said. Outspoken Russian senator Alexey Pushkov tweeted Sunday that the “United States is bringing the world back to the Cold War” in reaction to Trump’s decision, which he called a “massive blow to the entire system of strategic stability in the world.”<doc-sep>President Donald Trump says his intention to scrap a landmark arms control agreement Russia follows years of violations by Moscow. The Kremlin said the pullout "would be a very dangerous step." Advertising Read more The 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty helps protect the security of the U.S. and its allies in Europe and the Far East. It bars the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 miles to 3,400 miles. "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years," Trump said Saturday after a rally in Elko, Nevada. "And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to." The agreement has constrained the U.S. from developing new weapons, but America will begin developing them unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop the weapons, Trump said. China is not a party to the pact. "We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons, but if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable," he said. Trump is sending his national security adviser, John Bolton, to Moscow for meetings with Russian leaders, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, and was expected to relay the news about Trump's decision. "This would be a very dangerous step," Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, was quoted as telling state news agency Tass on Sunday. He said a U.S. withdrawal "will cause the most serious condemnation from all members of the international community who are committed to security and stability." But Britain's defense secretary, Gavin Williamson, said his country stands "absolutely resolute" with the United States on the treaty dispute. Williamson blamed Russia for endangering the arms control pact and he called on the Kremlin to "get its house in order." Williamson told the Financial Times on Sunday that Moscow had made a "mockery" of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. U.S.-Russia relations already are strained as a result of the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race and upcoming U.S. midterm elections. Trump did not provide details about violations. But in 2017, White House national security officials said Russia had deployed a cruise missile in violation of the treaty. Earlier, the Obama administration accused the Russians of violating the pact by developing and testing a prohibited cruise missile. Russia has repeatedly denied that it has violated the treaty and has accused the United States of not being in compliance. Defense Secretary James Mattis has previously suggested that a Trump administration proposal to add a sea-launched cruise missile to America's nuclear arsenal could provide the U.S. with leverage to try to persuade Russia to come back in line on the arms treaty. Russia's Foreign Ministry said in February that the country would only consider using nuclear weapons in response to an attack involving nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or in response to a non-nuclear assault that endangered the survival of the Russian nation. An independent Russian political analyst, Dmitry Oreshkin, said, "We are slowly slipping back to the situation of cold war as it was at the end of the Soviet Union, with quite similar consequences, but now it could be worse because (Russian President Vladimir) Putin belongs to a generation that had no war under its belt." Trump's decision could prove controversial with European allies and others who see value in the treaty, said Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who focuses on nuclear arms control. "Once the United States withdraws from the treaty, there is no reason for Russia to even pretend it is observing the limits," he wrote in a post on the organization's website. "Moscow will be free to deploy the 9M729 cruise missile, and an intermediate-range ballistic missile if it wants, without any restraint." U.S. officials have previously alleged that Russia violated the treaty by deliberately deploying a land-based cruise missile in order to pose a threat to NATO. Russia has claimed that U.S. missile defenses violate the pact. In the past, the Obama administration worked to convince Moscow to respect the INF treaty but made little progress. "If they get smart and if others get smart and they say let's not develop these horrible nuclear weapons, I would be extremely happy with that, but as long as somebody's violating the agreement, we're not going to be the only ones to adhere to it," Trump said. (AP) Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe<doc-sep>Trump announces plan to pull out of Russian nuclear deal top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Mr Trump said the decision to withdraw Washington from the pact that restricts nuclear attacks was the result of Russia’s violation of the terms. Speaking after a rally in Nevada yesterday, Trump, said: “We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honoured the agreement, so we’re going to terminate the agreement and we’re going to pull out.” The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, signed by former president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, was an arms-control agreement between the two countries. The treaty eliminated the use of short and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles but excluded sea-launched missiles. Donald Trump is to withdraw from the Cold War nuclear treaty with Russia Sergei Ryabkov said Russia will be forced to retaliate militarily if the US exits the treaty The two countries eliminated 2,692 missiles after the treaty came into force in 1988. Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned Mr Trump today that he would be taking a “very dangerous step” if he went ahead with scrapping the treaty, which could lead to a ‘military-technical’ retaliation. Mr Rybakov argued that the Trump administration was using the treaty in an attempt to blackmail the Kremlin, adding that “...We will, of course, accept no ultimatums or blackmail methods.” US officials have accused Russia of violating the agreement for several years. The Trump administration believe Moscow has breached the treaty and deployed a ground-launched system that would allow it to strike Europe at short notice. John Bolton will fly to Russia next week to discuss the US' plans to abandon the treaty<doc-sep>

President Donald Trump told reporters following a rally in Nevada on Saturday that he planned to pull out of a more than 30-year nuclear arms pact with Russia. The president said not only has Russia not lived up to their end of the 1987 agreement, he claimed the deal has also limited the United States from developing new weapons. “Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years. And we’re not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we’re not allowed to,” Trump said of the pact, in which both Russia and the U.S. agreed to rid themselves of short-range and intermediate-range nuclear missiles. According to NBC News, Russia has claimed over the years that it is the United States who has violated the terms of the agreement and has denied any wrongdoing on their part. But Trump insisted that Russia, and even China – who is not actually involved in the agreement – has not abided by the pact’s terms. “If Russia’s doing it, and if China’s doing it, and we’re adhering to the agreement, that’s unacceptable,” Trump said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov responded to Trump’s threats by saying it would be “a very dangerous step.” “We condemn the ongoing attempts by blackmail to achieve concessions from Russia,” Ryabkov told Russian state news agency TASS. “Apparently, the inability and unwillingness to negotiate with us on a reasonable basis are pushing certain forces in Washington to bring the country’s leadership to a decision on the formal withdrawal from the treaty. This would be a very dangerous step.” Nuclear disarmament groups also came out against Trump’s decision. “This is a reckless move by Trump,” Kate Hudson, general secretary for The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament said in a statement on Sunday, NBC reported. “Tearing up the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty will mark the end of the restraints on nuclear arsenals achieved in the 1980s. The danger is that we will see spiraling arsenals on a Cold War scale.” Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader who signed the original treaty in 1987, also discouraged Trump from withdrawing. “Under no circumstances should we tear up old disarmament agreements. … Do they really not understand in Washington what this could lead to?” Gorbachev said, Interfax news agency reported. While Trump did not say how exactly Russia has violated the treaty, White House national security experts accused Russia of launching a cruise missile in 2017, a clear violation of the agreement. For the United States to withdraw from the treaty would be a grave error, according to Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia nonproliferation program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey: “This is a colossal mistake. Russia gets to violate the treaty and Trump takes the blame,” Lewis told The Guardian. “I doubt very much that the U.S. will deploy much that would have been prohibited by the treaty. Russia, though, will go gangbusters.”

Sports Mole provides predicted lineups, team news and a full match preview of the Champions League tie between Barcelona and Inter Milan at Camp Nou. Two sides boasting perfect Champions League records lock horns at Camp Nou on Wednesday evening as Barcelona play host to Inter Milan. Barca and Inter have seized the early initiative in Group B, and the winners of this seventh-ever meeting between the sides will take a giant step towards the last 16. Barcelona © Reuters Barca followed up their straightforward 4-0 win over PSV Eindhoven on the opening matchday with a 4-2 triumph away at Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month. Lionel Messi netted a hat-trick in the first of those victories and then pulled the strings throughout at Wembley Stadium as Barca maintained their perfect start in Group B. Devoid of their main creative talent for the next few weeks, however, with a fractured arm keeping Messi on the sidelines during a run of key games at home and on the continent, Barca's other star names must now step up. Next weekend's La Liga showdown with Real Madrid can wait for now, as the Catalan giants are not quite over the line yet in Europe, knowing that defeat to Inter will give Spurs and PSV - who face off on the same night - a big chance to close the gap. Losing games on home soil is not something that Barca tend to do in the Champions League, though, having gone 27 matches since last doing so in a run stretching back to September 2013. Barca have won all of their home games in the group stage across the last five editions of the competition, in fact, while their quarter-final loss to Roma in April is their only defeat home or away in 12 Euro outings. Ernesto Valverde's men did recently go four matches without victory in La Liga, however, dropping points to Girona and Athletic Bilbao here, as well as Leganes and Valencia on their travels, so hope is not lost for in-form Inter. Saturday's 4-2 victory over Sevilla was a welcome boost for Barca, who are rightly considered many people's favourites to go all the way in the Champions League this time around following three quarter-final exits in a row. Recent form in Champions League: WW Recent form (all competitions): DLDWDW Inter Milan © Reuters Like Wednesday night's opponents Barca, Inter have also started their European campaign in style thanks to victories against Tottenham and PSV over the past five weeks. The Nerazzurri did not exactly do things the easy way in either game, though, as they had to recover from a goal down against Spurs and likewise against PSV in their most recent outing. Mauro Icardi and Matias Vecino were the heroes in that opening fixture, finding the net with quickfire goals in the final five minutes to get Inter off to a dream start, which they followed up with a comeback win at the Philips Stadion. Late goals seem to come naturally to Luciano Spalletti's men, as they also found a way through in added time to pick up a massive 1-0 victory over arch-rivals AC Milan at San Siro on Sunday - Icardi again proving the difference with his sixth goal in six games. That win leaves Inter six points adrift of champions Juventus, who are on course for an eighth successive title triumph, but momentum is certainly on the Nerazzurri's side. Seven wins in a row in all competitions ensures that Spalletti's charges head to Catalonia on a high, while going further back it is just one defeat in 10 - coming at home to newly-promoted Parma - since the end of August. As well as challenging Juve domestically, leaving their mark on the European stage is also one of Inter's big targets for the season, having been absent from UEFA's premier competition since 2011-12. After picking up their first European away win in eight attempts at PSV three weeks ago, Italy's most recent continental champions are now aiming to maintain their charge by sending out a big message at Camp Nou. Recent form in Champions League: WW Recent form (all competitions): WWWWWW Team News © Reuters Valverde has a big call to make in attack following confirmation that Messi, so often the difference maker for Barca in such fixtures, is to miss a handful of matches. Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele, who have both registered in Barcelona's first two Group B matches, have been tipped to flank Luis Suarez in a familiar 4-3-3 setup. Having started Saturday's win over Sevilla on the bench, Sergi Roberto is likely to replace Nelson Semedo in a like-for-like change at right-back, but other alterations - enforced or otherwise - are expected to be kept to a minimum. Inter will be without one of their key men, meanwhile, as Radja Nainggolan - on the scoresheet in the 2-1 win against PSV - injured his ankle at the weekend. Ivan Perisic and Marcelo Brozovic are also carrying knocks, though the Croatian duo are expected to be passed fit for one of the picks of this term's group-stage clashes. Elsewhere, Dalbert, Roberto Gagliardini and Joao Mario are all ineligible for Inter, who have kept five clean sheets in their last 16 matches. Barcelona possible starting lineup: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Dembele, Suarez, Coutinho Inter Milan possible starting lineup: Handanovic; Vrsaljko, De Vrij, Skriniar, Asamoah; Brozovic, Vecino; Perisic, Martinez, Politano; Icardi Head To Head Despite both boasting a rich history in European competitions, Barca and Inter have met on just six previous occasions, each coming in the last 15 years. The Catalans took four points off their opponents in the 2002-03 group stage and likewise in 2009-10, before coming out second best later that season when meeting in the semi-finals. Barca have won all three previous home matches against Inter, scoring six goals without conceding. We say: Barcelona 1-0 Inter Milan Inter Milan are in good form and boast a pretty formidable record at this stage of the Champions League, progressing into the knockout rounds in each of their last eight participations. The Italian visitors will be further boosted by the news that Barcelona forward Messi is absent for both matches over the next fortnight, but the bottom line is that the Spanish champions always tend to get the job done at Camp Nou on European nights, so we are backing a narrow home win.<doc-sep>No Lionel Messi, no problem. Barcelona took care of Inter Milan on Wednesday in the Champions League group stage, scoring a goal in both halves for the 2-0 win to move to nine points in Group B. Holding Mauro Icardi to next to nothing, the hosts at the Camp Nou looked composed and determined to get the result from the opening whistle. It was the man who replaced the injured Messi who got the winning goal against a special opponent. Rafinha, who spent last season on loan at Inter Milan, scored the winner for Barca with a fine finish off a Luis Suarez cross. Take a look at his first-half strike: Jordi Alba then put the game away with seven minutes to go with this great strike, combining with Ivan Rakitic: Barca held Inter to just two shots on frame and had nearly 70 percent of the possession on the night. Barca next goes to Inter early in November on Matchday 4, and a win there will all put wrap up the group for Ernesto Valverde's side. Live updates Re-live the game below. If it doesn't load, click here.<doc-sep>Ivan Perisic is marshalled by Sergi Roberto (Getty Images) Rafinha filled in for the injured Lionel Messi by scoring the opening goal to lead Barcelona to a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday. Chosen by coach Ernesto Valverde to take Messi's place in the starting lineup, an inspired Rafinha recovered the ball to start an attack that he finished off by scoring from a pass by Luis Suarez in the 32nd minute. Jordi Alba made sure of the win with a second goal with seven minutes remaining. Messi cheered the goals from the stands at Camp Nou, his right arm in a sling after fracturing it in a win over Sevilla at the weekend. Barcelona controls Group B with nine points after its third win in as many matches. Inter was left with six points following its first loss. In the group's other match, Tottenham conceded late to draw 2-2 at PSV Eindhoven, leaving both with only one point. PA<doc-sep>

FC Barcelona (1st, 6pts) vs Inter Milan (2nd, 6pts) Competition/Round: 2018-19 Champions League, Matchday 3 (Group B) Barcelona Outs and Doubts: Lionel Messi, Samuel Umtiti, Thomas Vermaelen, Denis Suarez, Carles Aleñá, Sergi Samper (out) Inter Outs and Doubts: Radja Nainggolan (out), Marcelo Brozovic, Ivan Perisic (doubt) Date/Time: Wednesday, October 24, 2018, 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12.30am IST (India, Thursday) Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Referee: Ovidiu Haţegan (ROU) How to watch on TV: TNT (USA), BT Sport ESPN (UK), SuperSport 5 (Nigeria), SONY TEN 2 (India), others How to stream: B/R Live (USA), BT Sport Live (UK), others After a very solid performance and a great victory to reclaim the top of La Liga against Sevilla was spoiled by an injury to Lionel Messi, Barcelona now start a three-week life without the best player of all time, and the first two games will be real tests. There’s El Clásico on Sunday, and it doesn’t matter how good or bad Real Madrid are playing. That will be a crazy tough game, especially without Messi. Before that there’s Inter Milan in the Champions League, a matchup between the two perfect leaders of Group B. They’ll face each other twice in a row, which will most likely determine the winner of the group. Inter are on fire, winning seven consecutive games in Italy and Europe and having just beaten their biggest rivals, AC Milan, with a last-minute goal on Sunday. They’ll probably face Barça without two key players in Radja Nainggolan and Ivan Perisic, but they have Mauro Icardi, one of the best and most underrated players in world football who cannot stop scoring goals at the moment. Ernesto Valverde cannot rely on Messi Magic in this one, and the other players must know they need to step up and show how good they are. This will be tough, but Barça have enough talent to not only win, but to do it convincingly. We’ll find out if they can. POSSIBLE LINEUPS Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Dembélé, Suárez, Coutinho Inter (4-2-3-1): Handanovič; Vrsaljko, De Vrij, Škriniar, Asamoah; Vecino, Brozović; Candreva, Valero, Keita; Icardi PREDICTION My mind is telling me this team isn’t prepared for a big game without Messi, but my heart trusts these players too much: 2-0 Barça.

An intimate video of singer Nicole Scherzinger with ex Lewis Hamilton was leaked online by hackers. The couple are seen kissing and cuddling on a bed in the mobile phone footage. The two-and-a-half minute film had been viewed at least 286,000 times last night. “Nicole will be heartbroken that such footage has found its way online,” a source said. “It was never intended for the public domain.” Former X Factor judge Nicole, 40, is the latest celebrity to fall victim to hackers who crack passwords for iCloud, social media or messaging accounts. Nicole and F1 champ Lewis, 32, dated on and off for eight years before splitting in 2015. Speaking about the split in 2016, Lewis revealed he loved his sets of wheels more than her and said: “My cars are my babies. “I used to say, when I had a girlfriend, ‘I’m taking one of the girls out, so you can come if you want, but you come second when it comes to the cars.” Earlier this month, The Sun revealed that Jamie Redknapp has been pursuing newly single Nicole Scherzinger — without success. Close pals say the singer, 40, has rejected his advances after recently splitting from tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov, 27. Grigor started dating the former Pussycat Doll and X Factor judge Nicole in late 2015, with their romance being made public in January 2016. However rumours surfaced in May 2017 that all was not well between the pair, with a source telling The Sun exclusively that Nicole has not seen Grigor for nearly two months. Nicole met Jamie on TV quiz show A League of Their Own in 2016. This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.<doc-sep>A private home video of Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton and his former girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger kissing and cuddling while lying on a bed together was leaked online and publicized by hackers. The mobile video clip shows the ex-couple, who split in 2015, sharing an intimate moment on a bed. As reported by the Sun, the clip has been viewed around 286,000 times since being shared. A source shared, "Nicole will be heartbroken that such footage has found its way online." The 40-year-old former 'X Factor' judge and 32-year-old Lewis' home video was reportedly not intended for the "public domain". Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and former Pussy Cat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger (Source: Getty Images) The pair had a very tumultuous relationship and broke up for the fourth and last time in 2015. Then in 2016, she seemed to be happily dating Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov. The ex-Pussycat Dolls star and the sportstar had met in 2015, then they were merely supportive of each other because of their busy careers. However, later on, they took their relationship further. Tennis player Grigor Dimitrov attends The 2014 ESPYS at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) When it came to Lewis, he supposedly had a tough time getting over Nicole as reports in the DailyMail suggested. The report spoke of Veronica Valle, 26, who claims to have had a brief romance with the Formula One ace six months after his break-up from the former Pussycat Doll. Vanessa also alleged that the Formula One ace 'became obsessed with the idea of threesomes' after parting ways with Nicole. Veronica claimed Nicole ended things because he wasn't ready to propose even after eight years. She remarked: 'I was so embarrassed - nothing happened. But I think he was just joking about threesomes. As far as I’m aware he never actually had any.' Veronica also said that he made a series of damning remarks at his famous ex. "He said he comes in and writes his own music – but she only had someone hand her a piece of paper and say, "Sing this". He said, "She used to come in here and criticize me". He called her all the names under the sun," she claimed. (L-R) Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thorton, Kimberly Wyatt, and Nicole Scherzinger (Source: Getty Images) Several famous actors, musicians, and athletes have been the victims of hackings. Some of these celebrities' cell phones were hacked, while others had their iCloud accounts hacked. In March 2017, a wave of celebs became victims of phone hacks when naked pics and private pictures of some Hollywood actresses were leaked online. In August 2017, the celebrity hacking scandal dubbed as "The Fappening 3.0" leaked nude photos of Kristen Stewart, Miley Cyrus and more. Nicole and Lewis' private photos are now the latest addition to the list.<doc-sep>Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton: FREE now for the biggest moments from morning TV SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow for the biggest moments from morning TV When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Nicole Scherzinger on her break-up with Lewis Hamilton A intimate video of Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton has been leaked online. The video purportedly shows the couple cuddling and kissing in bed. The two-and-a-half minute clip has been shot on a mobile phone and has been viewed at least 600,000 times since it was first shared online. A source told the Sun: “Nicole will be heartbroken that such footage has found its way online. “It was never intended for the public domain.” The video shows Scherzinger and Hamilton together in bed, the former Pussycat Doll speaks to the camera and cuddles her then boyfriend. The film does not show any sexual acts but the source said the couple will be investigating how the clip made its way online. READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger: Video of pair 'LEAKED' - 'She'll be heartbroken' Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton: Nicole Scherzinger will be "heartbroken" the video has leaked Nicole has broken her silence after a sex tape of her and ex Lewis Hamilton was leaked online. She told the Sun on Sunday at Elton John’s Oscars party in LA: “It’s been horrible. “I genuinely don’t understand why someone would do something like this, or why they would leak it. It’s an unbelievably mean thing to do.” A source told the publication: “Nicole and Lewis were both horrified at the breach, and want to get to the bottom of it. “They want to know how the hell it got leaked.” Scherzinger and Hamilton dated on and off between 2007 and 2015, with a lot of long distance stints. They met at the 2007 MTV EMAs, and were one of the most famous celebrity couples, but dated on and off for eight years. She later spoke of the break-up on The Jonathan Ross Show: “I don’t see anything negative, I think it’s quite natural when people separate and go their own ways and you just have to be adult about it and just always wish the other person happiness, success and love like sincerely and I do.” READ MORE: Nicole Scherzinger oozes glamour as she steps out amid 'Lewis Hamilton video leak' Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton: The video purportedly shows the couple cuddling and kissing Hamilton spoke about the split in 2016 and said he loved his cars more than women. He said: “My cars are my babies. “I used to say, when I had a girlfriend, ‘I’m taking one of the girls out, so you can come if you want, but you come second when it comes to the cars.” Since Hamilton split from the former X Factor judge, the Formula One driver has been linked to a number of celebrities, including Nikki Minaj, Winnie Harlow, Rihanna, Kendall Jenner and Rita Ora. Nicole and Lewis had a long-distant relationship because of Lewis' career The celebrity pair are not the first couple to have intimate pictures leaked online. Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Kirsten Dunst, Emma Watson and Scarlett Johansson were some of the celebrities to have had their material published online without consent after an attack on iCloud accounts. The former Pussycat Doll put on a defiant front just hours after the leak when she stepped out of the Hollywood Beauty Awards. She looked glamorous in a floor length gown and wore her hair in a 1960s style quiff. Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton: The former Pussycat Doll looked stony faced on Sunday<doc-sep>Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds often measure their investments in minutes, not decades; but for Anchorage Capital Group, its long-held stake in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is proving that patience can also be profitable.The New York-based money manager stands to make roughly $2 billion on its investment in the film and TV producer, one that began almost 11 years ago with MGM in bankruptcy court. Amazon.com Inc. agreed to buy the company for $8.45 billion Wednesday, a price that includes just under $2 billion in debt.The deal is in many ways a vindication for Kevin Ulrich, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. trader who co-founded Anchorage in 2003 and was part of a group of distressed debt investors that took control of MGM as it went through the restructuring process. In recent years the stake looked to be an albatross for the fund, one that came with significant drama in its own right.Ulrich brought in and later fired a high-profile chief executive officer, resisted efforts by activist investor Carl Icahn to take control, and held out for a bigger payday after years of considering various exit strategies. By selling now, as demand for media content from entertainment and technology companies alike is booming, he’s proving his long-held faith in the investment was justified.“There was a lot of maneuvering, a lot of financial engineering,” said Steven Azarbad, chief investment officer at New York’s Maglan Capital, an MGM investor who sold his shares four years ago. “But they’ve done great.”A representative for Anchorage declined to comment.When Ulrich first invested in MGM, he was new to Hollywood. He helped pick Gary Barber, a South African-born producer of films such as “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” as chief executive officer of the storied but debt-laden studio. Barber brought to the table a shrewd business sense, and connections into a world Ulrich long admired from afar.Barber shepherded MGM’s development of “The Hobbit” franchise, a co-production with Warner Bros., that became a global smash hit. He helmed the release of the James Bond film, “Skyfall,” which generated over $1 billion at the box office, and he revived the studio’s work in television. Barber also brokered a deal to bring on TV super producer Mark Burnett, which gave MGM access to reality show hits like “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” but would ultimately become personally troublesome.In 2012 the company bought back Icahn’s stock for $590 million. It also filed paperwork for a possible public offering of shares, and considered other options, such as a sale.As Barber boosted MGM’s film and TV pipeline, Ulrich was increasingly entranced by the allure of Hollywood. He became a regular at movie premieres in Los Angeles and New York, and frequented industry parties in the Hamptons and elsewhere. He became active in creative decisions after becoming chair of MGM’s board -- somewhat unusual for a non-executive lacking Hollywood experience -- even getting involved with business granularities like casting.Growing RiftBut over the following years a rift began to open up between Barber and Ulrich. When it was time to renew Barber’s contract in 2017, Ulrich conducted an extensive search for a new CEO. When it ended, he ultimately chose to sign Barber to a new five-year deal. Yet around the same time, the pair split on whether to sell the company, with Ulrich wanting to hang on to the studio and Barber saying it was time to find a buyer.The company would hold buyout talks with Apple Inc. as well as Chinese investors that would ultimately prove fruitless.Only months after renewing Barber’s deal, Ulrich fired him. The shock departure meant the company had to pay Barber for five years of salary and buy out his equity, a package totaling $260 million. In the three years since Barber left, Ulrich hasn’t replaced him, instead operating an “office of the chief executive officer,” comprised of various people that each have their personal vision for MGM.Barber declined to comment via his spokesperson.Bounce BackAfter the initial period of success following the restructuring, the gains became harder to come by, as they did in Anchorage’s overall credit-focused business. Two senior managers left the firm in January 2020, and another in November. Anchorage’s flagship strategy, with about $8.5 billion under management, returned just 0.6% in 2018, 1.5% in 2019 and 4.4% in 2020, according to people familiar with the matter.In December, MGM hired investment bankers for a potential sale.MGM only released one film in theaters in 2020. Its biggest potential hit, the latest Bond film, “No Time to Die,” was pushed from last year to this October as a result of the pandemic.Yet the value of MGM’s library rose as everyone from media companies to technology giants have sought to build video streaming platforms that can compete with industry leader Netflix Inc. Earnings jumped 48% last year, to about $307 million, even as sales declined.Anchorage holds a roughly 30% stake in MGM, worth about $2.5 billion in the sale, said people with knowledge of the matter. Anchorage invested around $500 million in the company more than a decade ago. Including the MGM stake, Anchorage’s flagship fund is up 18% this year, the people added. The fund has gained about 8% in 2021 not counting the studio.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.<doc-sep>

AN intimate video of singer Nicole Scherzinger with ex Lewis Hamilton was leaked online by hackers yesterday. The couple are seen kissing and cuddling on a bed in the mobile phone footage. 2 An intimate video of singer Nicole Scherzinger with ex Lewis Hamilton has been leaked online by hackers Credit: Getty - Contributor The two-and-a-half minute film had been viewed at least 286,000 times last night. A source said: “Nicole will be heartbroken that such footage has found its way online. “It was never intended for the public domain.” Former X Factor judge Nicole, 40, is the latest celebrity to fall victim to hackers who crack passwords for iCloud, social media or messaging accounts. Nicole and F1 champ Lewis, 32, dated on and off for eight years before splitting in 2015. 2 Nicole and Lewis dated on and off for eight years before splitting in 2015 Credit: Getty - Contributor Speaking about the split in 2016, Lewis revealed he loved his sets of wheels more than her and said: “My cars are my babies. “I used to say, when I had a girlfriend, ‘I’m taking one of the girls out, so you can come if you want, but you come second when it comes to the cars.” Earlier this month, The Sun revealed that Jamie Redknapp has been pursuing newly single Nicole Scherzinger — without success. Close pals say the singer, 40, has rejected his advances after recently splitting from tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov, 27. Jamie Redknapp asked Nicole Scherzinger for a date — but she turned him down Grigor started dating the former Pussycat Doll and X Factor judge Nicole in late 2015, with their romance being made public in January 2016. However rumours surfaced in May 2017 that all was not well between the pair, with a source telling The Sun exclusively that Nicole has not seen Grigor for nearly two months. Nicole met Jamie on TV quiz show A League of Their Own in 2016. MOST READ IN TV AND SHOWBIZ KIM'S NEW KRUSH The men lining up to be Kim K's next partner as Kanye ‘dates Irina Shayk’ JOSS PERFECT Jac Jossa shows off her tiny waist after weight loss in pretty summer dresses 'WE'LL SEE' Louise Redknapp revealed Jamie wanted another baby when she was on Strictly GRANDE AFFAIR Ariana dazzles in white gown as she shares private pics from secret wedding a wright treat! Mark Wright gives fans tour of new £2,400 a night home with Michelle Keegan Exclusive ARG-AIN James ‘Arg’ Argent's set to reunite with 'love of his life' ex Lydia Bright There were reports last year that Lewis was dating pop superstar Nicki Minaj. The pair also shared social media pictures of a getaway in Dubai. He has also been linked to Rihanna, Rita Ora, models Winnie Harlow and Barbara Palvin.

The first phase of polling in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh passed off peacefully on Thursday with 63.69% voters exercising their franchise. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Uttar Pradesh, L Venkateshwar Lu said in the 2014 general election 65.76% votes were polled in these eight constituencies. “The returning officers, in their report, have not recommended re-polling on any booth in the eight Lok Sabha constituencies,” Lu said while talking to media persons. He said 3% Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPATs were changed during the mock poll as well as during polling at various booths in the eight constituencies. The CEO said 70.68% votes were polled in Saharanpur, 62.10% in Kairana, 66.66% in Muzaffarnagar, 65.40% in Bijnor, 63% in Meerut, 63.90% in Baghpat, 57.60% in Ghaziabad and 60.15% in Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha seats. Replying to a question, the CEO said that after taking cognizance of media reports of tampering in EVMs, the Election Commission sought report from returning officers, zonal magistrates and sector magistrates after checking the polling booths “but reports were found fake.” He said no formal complaint was lodged by Bahujan Samaj Party regarding members of a particular community being denied from exercising their franchise. “Again on the basis of media reports, the Election Commission sought report from all the district magistrates regarding the complaint. The DMs, in their reports, stated that no one was stopped from voting. There was also no report of intimidation in the eight Lok Sabha constituencies that went to polls,” the CEO said. Lu further said that at polling booths in Rasalpur Gujaran village, in Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, some people assembled at the booths without identity proof so the central para-military forces (CPMF) stopped them from entering the booths. “The people created a ruckus and to disperse them CPMF jawans fired in the air. The DM and SP visited the spot with extra police force. After 30 minutes disruption, polling continued,” he said. A case has been registered police against some unidentified people, he said. When asked about distribution of Namo Food packets among policemen in Noida, Lu said during investigation it was found that Namo Food is running in the city for the last eight years and the local administration ordered food from there for the policemen on poll duty. The EC also took cognizance of the claim by BJP candidate from Muzaffarnagar seat that women clad in ‘burqa’ indulged in bogus voting. “There was no bogus voting. The returning officer had deputed women personnel to identify female voters,” Lu said. Inspector general (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar said there was no complaint at UP 100 regarding any irregularities in polling. The control room in the DGP headquarter was monitoring the complaints as well and majority of the complaints were found to be fake. Also, at several polling booths people were detained on the charge of disrupting polling,” Lu said.<doc-sep>Eight seats of western Uttar Pradesh will go the polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday with BJP facing a tough contest in all the seats due to the alliance of Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal. The Congress is also seeking to put up a good show and is likely to cut into votes of both the BJP and the combined alliance. A total of around 1.5 crore voters from Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar -- all in the western Uttar Pradesh will vote in the first of the seven phases today. They are almost 10.45 per cent of the total over 14 crore voters who will poll for all the 80 Lok Sabha seats from the state. The first phase of Uttar Pradesh polling is crucial as any polarisation in the western part -- as seen during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections -- may help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) get an impressive tally. Three Union Ministers -- Gen V.K. Singh (Ghaziabad), Satyapal Singh (Baghpat) and Mahesh Sharma (Gautam Buddha Nagar) are in the fray as is Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh (Muzaffarnagar) and his son Jayant Chaudhary (Bagpat). Here's a look at eight constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Muzaffarnagar: Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh, a candidate of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, is pitted against former Union minister Sanjiv Balyan in Muzaffarnagar, where Muslim voters dominate in all five assembly segments of this Lok Sabha seat. There are approximately 17 lakh voters, among whom Muslims constitute over 26 per cent followed by 15 per cent Jatavs and around eight per cent Jats. The people of the region are of the opinion that it is not going be a cakewalk for any of the two leaders. Ghaziabad: Union Minister V.K. Singh, who is seeking his re-election, is locked in a triangular contest with Suresh Bansal, the candidate of the SP-RLD-BSP coalition and Congress nominee Dolly Sharma, a young professional with a political lineage. Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida): The fate of Union Minister Mahesh Sharma is at stake here in a triangular contest. The Congress has fielded Arvind Kumar Singh, while the BSP's Satveer is the joint candidate of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance. Bagpat: Union Minister Satyapal Singh is seeking re-election from this Jat dominated constituency. RLD leader Ajit Singh's son Jayant Chaudhary is contesting against him as the joint SP-BSP-RLD candidate. Saharanpur: The BJP has repeated its outgoing MP Raghav Lakhanpal, while the Congress has fielded Imran Masood who had put up a strong fight in 2014, when he lost to Lakhanpal by about 65,000 votes. The eight constituencies have 1,50,65,682 electors including 82,24,835 men and 68,39,833 women electors. Of these eight seats, Ghaziabad is the largest parliamentary constituency with 26,56,779 electors and Baghpat is the smallest one with 1,592,297 electors. The data sourced from ECI website shows that in previous General Election of 2014, there were a total of 1,39,04,381 electors in these eight parliamentary constituencies. This means an increase of 11,61,301 (8.35 per cent) electors since then. Also Read | India Today E-Chunav 2019: Vote online before you vote offline Also Read | Voting in Lok Sabha elections? Get poll ready with India Today's interactive quiz Also Read | Lok Sabha Election 2019: All dates, full schedule, constituency-wise details, all you need to know<doc-sep>Jobs Indian National Congress - Fill 400,000 vacancies in various state organisations, the judiciary and parliament by 31 March 2020 - Angel taxes imposed on start-ups to be withdrawn immediately - Application fees for government examinations and government posts to be abolished. Bharatiya Janata Party - Increase public and private investment in infrastructure that will also lead to creation of a large number of jobs - Ensure 10% quota for economically weak sections of society in government jobs and higher education institutes Farmers Indian National Congress - Not allow criminal proceedings to be instituted against any farmer unable to repay debt - Present a separate “farmers budget” to ensure priority is given to agricultural issues - Redesign the current government’s crop insurance scheme which has not been beneficial to farmers Bharatiya Janata Party - Double farmers’ income by 2022 - A scheme to ensure financial support to small and medium farmers will be expanded to cover all farmers - Introduce a pension scheme for small farmers and traders Income Support Indian National Congress - Guarantee an income for 50 million of India's poorest families - A government programme that guarantees 100 days of paid work to every rural household will be increased to 150 days Bharatiya Janata Party - Bring down the percentage of families living below the poverty line to a single digit in the next five years - Ensure a permanent house for every family. - Give gas cylinder connections to all poor rural households Economy and Taxes Indian National Congress - Reform the Goods and Services Tax introduced by the government - Achieve a fiscal deficit target of 3% of GDP by 2020-21 - Enact the Direct Taxes Code within one year of government - Work with the central bank to simplify the procedures banks use to verify customers Bharatiya Janata Party - Simplify the Goods and Services Tax in consultation with all stakeholders - Make capital investment of Rs.100 lakh crore in the infrastructure sector - Launch a new scheme to provide collateral-free credit up to five million rupees for entrepreneurs. - Promote and encourage start-ups through creation of a ‘Seed Start-up Fund’ Education Indian National Congress - Pass a law to provide for quotas to disprivileged people in private higher education institutions - Primary and secondary education in public schools to be compulsory and free - Double the allocation for education to 6% of GDP - Introduce vocational training as a compulsory component of the syllabus Bharatiya Janata Party - Increase the number of admissions in central law, engineering, science and management institutions by at least 50%. - Set up a medical college in every district - Establish teacher training institutes Women Indian National Congress - Pass the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to provide for reservation of 33 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies in the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha and in the Rajya Sabha. - Every Special Economic Zone shall have working women’s hostels and safe transport facilities to increase the participation of women in the labour force. - Sufficient night shelters will be built for migrant women workers. Adequate number of safe and hygienic public toilets for women will be provided in towns and cities. Sanitary napkin vending machines will be installed in public spaces,schools and colleges. - Review the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplaces Act, 2013 and extend the Act to all workplaces. - Launch a programme to appoint an Adhikar Maitri in every Panchayat to serve as a paralegal to educate women on, and assist them in, their legal rights. Bharatiya Janata Party - Ensure justice for Muslim women by enacting a law against triple talaq (instant divorce) - Formulate a roadmap to increase female workforce participation. - Number of childcare facilities to be increased three fold by 2022. - Sanitary pads to be provided to all women and girls for just one rupee ($0.014) - Bring 33% reservation in parliament and state assemblies for women Health Indian National Congress -Guarantee every citizen the right to healthcare services - Double the total government expenditure on healthcare to 3% of GDP by 2023-24 - Ensure that mental healthcare professionals are appointed at all public district hospitals and that mental healthcare services are made freely available - Trauma and Emergency Centres to be established on all national and state highways Bharatiya Janata Party - Establish 150,000 new health and wellness centres - Increase the doctor-population ratio to 1:1,400 - Improve facilities at existing Health and Wellness Centres by 2022<doc-sep>A recalculation of votes that political parties bagged in 2014 Lok Sabha elections shows the new Gathbandhan -- Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) -- has the vote base to reduce BJP-Apna Dal (AD) combination to 36 seats in Uttar Pradesh (UP) from 73 it won in the last election. The regional parties can sweep up to 72 seats if they capture low margin seats won by BJP. However, they need the support of Congress for this sweep. The new combination can win 42 out of 80 seats in UP if they effectively transfer their votes for the Gathbandhan candidate. Congress can retain its two constituencies, Amethi and Rae Bareli. The interesting fact is that bringing Congress to the fold of SP-BSP-RLD itself will increase their tally of seats to 57, according to the new calculation. The SP and BSP have already announced that there will not be any tie-up with Congress except in Amethi and Rae Barel, where Gandhis are contesting. However, sources suggest that there will be some understanding at the constituencies. The Gathbandhan is weak in 21 of its possible 42 seats with less than 1 lakh vote margin and it can improve its position in at least 18 weak seats by including Congress. The BJP-AD is weak in 15 of its possible 36 seats with less than 1 lakh vote margin and Congress appears strong in 12 of these 15 seats. In short, Congress can increase the seats of Gathbandhan by 15 (including Amethi and Rae Bareli), strengthen their position in another 18 seats where the vote margin is less than 1 lakh. It will help them give BJP a tough fight in another 12 seats where ruling party has a lead. In total, Congress can influence 45 seats, going by calculations on 2014 numbers. The SP and BSP together got 3.46 crore votes in 2014, while BJP-AD was slightly ahead at 3.51 crore votes. The Gathbandhan's votes increased to 3.82 crore during the UP assembly election in 2017 (SP and BSP contested separately), while those of BJP-AD slightly reduced to 3.44 crore. BJP's number of votes rose sharply in the last assembly and Lok Sabha elections (from around 1 crore earlier to 3.4 crore). However, the votes of SP and BSP have not reduced at all. It indicates that both the regional parties will be able to transfer their loyal votes to the Gathbandhan candidate. Surprising political pundits, the SP-BSP combine had captured the Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana Lok Sabha constituencies in the by-election in 2018. In Gorakhpur, where Yogi Adityanath had won by a margin of 1,36,371 votes against the votes of SP and BSP together in 2014, the BJP lost by 21,881 votes in 2018. It means 1.58 lakh votes reversed in favour of Gathbandhan in the by-election. BJP was ahead by 33,708 votes in Kairana in 2014, according to the new calculation, but lost by 44,617 votes in 2018. In Phulpur, they were ahead by 1,44,598 votes, but lost by 59,460 votes four years later. Despite the calculation of votes, the influence of candidates in the constituency also matters in national election. While PM Narendra Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanth spearhead the BJP campaign, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati are doing joint rallies in the state. Congress' campaign is led by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in the country's largest state by number of Lok Sabha constituencies. Also read: Complete list of state-wise Lok Sabha election 2019 dates: EC announces 7-phase poll, result on May 23 Also read: Lok Sabha Election 2019: Poll dates, full schedule, voting FAQs, election results, constituencies' details Also read: Lok Sabha election 2019: Phase 1 voting starts today; here's how to vote<doc-sep>

Eight out of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats went to the polls in the first phase of national elections on Thursday even as glitches in electronic voting machines (EVMs), an incident of firing and complaints about missing names from the electoral rolls marred the polling. Till 9 pm, 63.69% voters exercised their franchise. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won eight seats in western Uttar Pradesh in 2014, is facing a tougher contest in the face of the alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance. The alliance is banking on Dalits and Muslims, who account for about 30% to 40% of the voters in the region. Prashant Kumar, the Meerut zone additional director general of police, visited sensitive polling booths to monitor security arrangements as 176 companies of paramilitary forces and state police were deployed. A Border Security Force jawan was forced to fire in air to push back a violent crowd in Karana’s Rasoolpur Jugran as they demanded they be allowed to vote without ID proofs. District magistrate Akhilesh Kumar and other officials rushed to the spot and the situation was controlled. “Polling went on peacefully after the issue was resolved,” said Kumar. Saharanpur’s district magistrate, Anoop Kumar Pandey, said 100 to 110 EVMs malfunctioned due to the heating problem. He added they were replaced and extra time was given for voting. A BSP agent at a polling booth in Meerapur claimed he pressed an EVM button to vote for his party but it went to the BJP. He said it happened with six to seven voters. Officials said that the sector magistrate of Meerapur checked the EVM and found the claim to be false. A Dalit woman in Lauti Menk village accused a polling staff member of voting on her behalf for the BJP when she asked him to locate the BSP’s symbol on the EVM at her polling booth. She raised the issue with officials and sought action. Meanwhile, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alleged that the state police stopped dalits from casting votes. “We are receiving information from various polling stations that BSP voters, especially Dalits, are being stopped from reaching polling booths...” BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra said. Samajwadi Party said the trend on all eight seats in UP was in favour of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance. Party president Akhilesh Yadav tweeted: “The way votes have been cast against the BJP in the first phase is indicative of the anger in the public over the crisis that emerged in sectors like agriculture, employment and trade under BJP rule. We are thankful to voters for unprecedented voting in favour of the gathbandhan (opposition alliance).”

Chris Mack landed the sixth, and most highly-touted, member of his 2019 recruiting class when Aidan Igiehon committed to Louisville Friday afternoon during a ceremony at his high school in New York. Igiehon, a four-star power forward who is ranked as the No. 36 overall player in the 2019 class by ESPN, picked U of L over Kentucky, Oregon and St. John’s. 6’10” Aidan Igiehon @Big_harris22 chooses #Louisville The Cardinals land the Irish Hulk ☘️ pic.twitter.com/qAQdc59rkl — Andrew Slater (@Andrew__Slater) October 19, 2018 “It’s one thing to be wanted and another thing to be needed and I kind of felt like I was needed when I went on my visit,” Igiehon told Evan Daniels of 247 Sports. “Coach Mack showed me the roster and the blueprint he had setup. When I went on my official the city embraced me and they kind of like exploded the second I was there.” “My other officials were nice but the Louisville visit was crazy. Fans everywhere going crazy and with the basketball team it’s just the beginning. The ability of them to develop players, their staff is well-equipped to develop a player such as myself.” Nicknamed “The Irish Hulk,” Igiehon is an imposing physical specimen at 6’10, 215-pounds. His rebounding ability and propensity for finishing around the rim with authority has already drawn multiple comparisons to former Cardinal star Montrezl Harrell. Outside of 15 feet, Igiehon’s offensive game is still in need of polish, but that’s to be expected of someone who didn’t begin playing basketball until the age of 13, and grew six inches a year later. Igiehon, who is originally from Clondalkin, west Dublin, moved to the United States from Ireland in 2014 at the age of 13. He lives with an aunt and uncle in New York, and is in his final year of attending Lawrence Woodmere Academy. As a junior last season, he averaged 16.7 points and 15 rebounds per game for a team that won 22 games. How big of a deal is Igiehon in Ireland? This video, which talks about him potentially being the first person born and raised in the Emerald Isle to play in the NBA, paints a pretty vivid picture: If you want to get a taste of Igiehon’s infectious personality and savviness behind a mic, check out this video of him at last year’s NBA Draft Last month, Mack flew to Dublin to pay Igiehon’s mother a personal visit and have a one-on-one conversation. It was a move that appears to have resonated with Igiehon, who gives his mother the credit for the 3.7 GPA he currently owns at Woodmere. “I’m a pretty good student, it’s the fear of god that my mom put in me.” Igiehon told BallinEurope.com. “I know I’ve got to keep up with my school work. It’s hard because you don’t really have time for anything else but school and basketball. The life of a student athlete is vigorous. You might not have time to go have fun with your friends because you’ve got to do school work and work out twice a day. It comes down to how bad you want it, I feel anybody can do it but not everybody wants it that bad. Everybody wants to be a kid and I can’t fault anyone for that. People are always saying ‘why can’t you be a regular kid?’, it’s because I’m not regular. Different things are expected.” Louisville’s 2019 recruiting class now consists of four-star prospects Igiehon, Samuell Williamson, David Johnson, Jaelyn Withers and Josh Nickelberry, as well as three-star recruit Quinn Slazinski. All six players will be able to sign with U of L when the early signing period begins on Nov. 14. As it stands, U of L has five commitments from players ranked in the ESPN top 100. No other school has more than three. Chris Mack is that dude.<doc-sep>Four-star senior Aidan Igiehon verbally committed to Louisville, Chris Mack on Friday, he tells 247Sports. “Coach Mack has been recruiting me since he was at Xavier and I saw what he did with that program,” Igiehon told 247Sports. “He turned them into a yop 10 program in the country, competing in the NCAA Tournament.” “Now that he has the job at Louisville, historically with his programs, it’s just great to see what he can do in the future when he’s getting five stars and four stars and stuff like that. I see what he has been doing with Xavier players, turning them into pros or close to it.” Igiehon, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound center prospect, took an official visit to Louisville the weekend of Sept. 28. He also visited Oregon the weekend of Sept. 14 and also strongly considered St. John’s and Kentucky. What pushed Louisville over the top with Igiehon? “It’s one thing to be wanted and another thing to be needed and I kind of felt like I was needed when I went on my visit,” Igiehon said. “Coach Mack showed me the roster and the blueprint he had setup. When I went on my official the city embraced me and they kind of like exploded the second I was there.” “My other officials were nice but the Louisville visit was crazy,” he added. “Fans everywhere going crazy and with the basketball team it’s just the beginning. The ability of them to develop players, their staff is well-equipped to develop a player such as myself.” To go with Mack’s accomplishments and the visit to Louisville, Igiehon also pointed to the relationships with their staff. “Coach Luke Murray and coach Mack were the two coaches, but coach Murray was the one keeping in contact with me most of the time,” Igiehon said. “It became more of a, not so much of a coach and player but a friend to friend or brother to brother, that’s how close we got and it got to the point where the calls weren’t about basketball but would be about how my day is, school, how my mom is, like we got that close. It felt natural.” When Igiehon took his official visit to Louisville, he spent quite a bit of time with fellow commits David Johnson and Josh Nickelberry, but he also got to know their whole recruiting class throughout the recruitment. “Josh Nickelberry, Samuell Williamson, Jaelyn Withers and David, they’re all great guys and they visited Louisville before I did and as soon as I did, they all went after me. You could tell it wasn’t the coaches that were like, 'go get Aidan.' It was like they genuinely wanted to play with me and with them doing that we became close.” His peers also used social media as a way to try and steer the Woodmere (N.Y.) Lawrence Woodmere Academy standout their way. “On social media they would comment funny things like ‘card nation’ and things like that on my comments and doing that brought a lot of attention towards me and possibly going to Louisville because you have all of these committed players commenting but behind closed doors we’re all boys. It’s just love and it’s really cool man and now that I have a chance to play with them I think we can do something special.” Igiehon gives Louisville their fifth four-star pledge and sixth overall commitment in the 2019 recruiting class. Igiehon ranks No. 44 overall and No. 12 at the center position in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Louisville maintains their position at No. 2 in the 247Sports Team Rankings with the addition of Igiehon to Williamson, Johnson, Wither, Nickelberry and Quinn Slazinski. Five of their six pledges rank in the 247Sports Composite Ranking top 100.<doc-sep>Aidan Igiehon has made his decision. On Friday, the four-star center announced his commitment to the Louisville Cardinals. The Kentucky Wildcats were among his finalists, but Igiehon didn’t have a committable offer from John Calipari. Igiehon has been one of the more intriguing recruits to follow in this class because of his journey to American basketball. The 6-10 center traveled all the way from his home country of Ireland before arriving in the United States at the age of 13 years old. As you may expect, it was not the easiest of transitions for a teenager to be that far from the only place had ever known to be home. Igiehon discussed that struggle with Jon Hale of the Courier-Journal in a July interview. “When you’re 13 years old, you see bright lights of the United States and you want to go there,” Igiehon said. “Then when I’m here, I’m like, ‘Man, I miss my mom.’ I’m still a huge mama’s boy, there’s some workouts I cry, I don’t want to do it. I’m a kid. It made me have to be a man quick. It’s a hard process and nobody really understands that, but just try being a 13-year-old kid across the world from your mom.” Igiehon told the Courier Journal. The home sickness was not the only challenge for Igiehon, as the speed and intensity of the basketball in America also new for him. Over time, Igiehon, settled in at Lawrence Woodmere Academy in Woodmere, New York. Despite his transition woes he has become a five-star recruit with many of the top programs in America chasing after him, though he has since fallen to four-star status. Rivals ranks him 50th overall, while 247 Sports has him at 51st. Igiehon is powerful dunker that can really throw is down with two hands around the rim. He has great speed and can run the floor in transition at an elite level. Igiehon played for the New York lightning on the EYBL circuit where his stock began to rise this summer. Accordingly to those who have seen him play, one of his best attributes is that he can catch the ball in traffic. If Idiehon continues to develop at this rate, he could end up being one of the best big men in a class that is full of great frontcourt players. Kentucky will get to see him on an annual basis starting in 2019. The Irish Hulk, Aidan Igiehon could be the strongest player in all of HS basketball ☘️ @Big_harris22 ➡️ https://t.co/84cSAfuXm8 pic.twitter.com/THA7kvAHcc — Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) August 22, 2018 Go follow our Twitter page to get all of the latest Kentucky Wildcats news and views.<doc-sep>

Joe Robbins/Getty Images The Louisville Cardinals received good news Friday when center Aidan Igiehon verbally committed to play college ball for Chris Mack's program. Igiehon announced his decision via 247Sports' Evan Daniels: "Coach Mack has been recruiting me since he was at Xavier and I saw what he did with that program. He turned them into a top 10 program in the country, competing in the NCAA Tournament. ... I see what he has been doing with Xavier players, turning them into pros or close to it." He had teased that a decision was coming earlier in the day: 247Sports rates Igiehon as the No. 44 overall prospect of his class and the top recruit in the state of New York. Before choosing the Cardinals, he was being recruited by the likes of Florida, St. John's, Kentucky, Louisville and Villanova. Ultimately, it was his visit to Louisville that sold him on the Cardinals, per Daniels: "It's one thing to be wanted and another thing to be needed and I kind of felt like I was needed when I went on my visit. Coach Mack showed me the roster and the blueprint he had setup. When I went on my official the city embraced me and they kind of like exploded the second I was there. "My other officials were nice but the Louisville visit was crazy. Fans everywhere going crazy and with the basketball team it's just the beginning. The ability of them to develop players, their staff is well-equipped to develop a player such as myself." Video Play Button Videos you might like The commitment gives Louisville the No. 2 recruiting class of 2019, per 247Sports. He is already the fifth 4-star recruit in the team's recruiting class. While many basketball players from the United States grew up hooping, the 6'10", 215-pound big man didn't even pick up a basketball until he was 12 years old. In fact, he moved from Ireland to New York just a couple of years ago to try to develop his game. Igiehon detailed his journey from living in Ireland to becoming a top recruit to Overtime: He also revealed to 247Sports' Andrew Slater that he looks up to fellow centers DeAndre Jordan and Anthony Davis, noting he loves the way the former rebounds. In that same interview, he acknowledged his biggest strengths are his abilities to block shots, clean up the boards and even has a mid-range jumper. Not only that, he runs the floor and helps with spacing. And of course, he can throw down: Landing Igiehon is a big boost to Mack's inaugural recruiting class at Louisville. Mack had helped Xavier contend year in and year out, but with Louisville in a transitional period in the post-Rick Pitino era, it was important for the first-year Cardinals coach to start out strong on the recruiting trail. And that's exactly what he did here. Igiehon figures to be one of the centerpieces of the Cardinals' recruiting class for 2019. Regardless of how the rest of the class comes together, the commitment could help Mack in the future. It shows that Louisville remains a high-profile school even without Rick Pitino and has the ability to bring in talent to compete with the top schools not just in the ACC, but the entire nation.

(CNN) Less than 24 hours after the unexpected announcement that Spain manager Julen Lopetegui would take over at Real Madrid next season, the Spaniard has been sacked by the country's football federation. Lopetegui's dismissal comes just two days before Spain's opening World Cup game against Euro 2016 winners Portugal on Friday. "We have been forced to make this decision," Spanish Football Association President, Luis Rubiales said according to a series of tweets from the official Royal Spanish Football Federation's official twitter account (RFEF). Former Spain and Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro, who was part of four Spanish World Cup squads between 1990 and 2002, will lead the team through the tournament. "RFEF cannot be sitting on the sidelines whilst someone negotiates with one of its employees and then find out five minutes later before the news is made public," added Rubiales.<doc-sep>Julen Lopetegui has been sacked as Spain boss just two days ahead of their opening World Cup fixture. The Spanish Football Federation made its announcement at around 11am on Wednesday ahead of a news conference at which president Luis Rubiales said: "We have been forced to dispense with the national coach. We wish him the greatest of luck." It was announced on Tuesday the 51-year-old, who was in charge of the national team for two years, had agreed a three-year contract at Real Madrid to replace Zinedine Zidane. However, the decision angered the Spanish FA with Rubiales adding: "I don't want to get into how Real Madrid should go about things. The Spanish team is the team of all of Spain. "If it had been up to Julen it wouldn't have happened in this way and I wouldn't have found out five minutes beforehand. "The negotiations have occurred without any information to the Spanish FA and we were informed just five minutes before the press release. We have a way of behaving that needs to be adhered to. "You can't do things this way, two or three days before the World Cup. We have been obliged to make this decision. "Obviously there was some sort of problem with communication but we can't be expected to find out about something like this five minutes [before the announcement] and not take the necessary decisions." According to Sky Sports' Guillem Balague, the players, including Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, did all they could to try and keep their head coach in his position. Spain delayed a press conference at the Krasnodar Stadium by more than an hour before Rubiales, who played for Hamilton Academical in 2009, announced the decision. The U21 manager Albert Celades, who is part of the coaching staff with the senior squad in Russia, and director of football Fernando Hierro are two of the possible replacements as head coach heading into the World Cup.<doc-sep>Spain’s squad have been plunged into crisis after the coach Julen Lopetegui was sacked just two days before their opening World Cup game against Portugal in Sochi, with the director of football, Fernando Hierro, named as his replacement. The president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, insisted that he had little choice but to terminate Lopetegui’s contract as a matter of principle after the coach negotiated with Real Madrid behind the federation’s back. The sacking comes in response to the news, released on Tuesday afternoon, that Lopetegui had agreed to take over at Real Madrid after the World Cup ends. That came as a huge surprise. Neither the players nor Hierro nor the president knew of the decision until moments before it was made public. Rubiales said that he had received a phone call from Madrid five minutes before they issued a statement announcing the appointment. He flew from Moscow to Krasnodar on Tuesday night, leaving the Fifa congress to head to the national team’s HQ to discuss how best to resolve the situation. Just after 1pm on Wednesday afternoon, after discussions with the players, he announced the decision to sack the coach, describing it as an “obligation” on a “sad day”. The announcement that Hierro would be his replacement followed three hours later. “It is a nice challenge. I could not say no: I would not have forgiven myself,” Hierro said. “We are in an extremely difficult situation; this is very, very hard,” Rubiales had said earlier. He and Lopetegui were due to appear before the media the following morning but that was put back and when Rubiales eventually appeared, an hour and a half later than scheduled, he did so alone. Another planned press conference with Lopetegui, subsequently pencilled in to follow that of the federation president, was cancelled. Julen Lopetegui leads a training session in Krasnodar on Tuesday before his departure was confirmed. Photograph: Javier Etxezarreta/EPA Rubiales had spent the morning talking to players, led by Sergio Ramos, who argued for the coach to continue. Ultimately, though, he chose to sack Lopetegui with immediate effect. “There are decisions that we are obliged to take based on an understanding of how you should behave and on ethics,” he said. He added that it was legitimate for Lopetegui to negotiate with Real Madrid but not for the federation to find out just five minutes before a formal announcement was made, a matter of hours before the beginning of the tournament. Although he sought not to point the finger directly at Madrid or Lopetegui, insisting that “if it was up to the coach I am sure he would have done things differently”, Rubiales was furious. He has been the president of the federation for less than a month and has already been forced to manage his first great crisis. He said that there was no negotiation with Real Madrid and that his request that the announcement be delayed was ignored, with the deal made public before he could respond. He attempted to contact Lopetegui to speak to him but was unable to do so as the coach was telling his news to the players. Madrid released the statement “five minutes” later, he said. The Fiver “The national team belongs to everyone and we have to send a clear message to all employees at the federation that there is a way of behaving, that there are ethics,” he said. “Julen has worked phenomenally well; I have nothing at all to complain about there. But the way that this has happened obliged me to take this decision. This is a very hard day and now we have decisions to make just two days before the World Cup starts.” It was later confirmed that Hierro, who won 89 caps for Spain, would take charge of the team for the duration of the World Cup. “I am grateful that Fernando said yes,” Rubiales said. “This [episode] has not left a good taste but we will overcome this.” Hierro said: “We’ve come to fight for the World Cup. The team is excited. We have a great opportunity and that should be the focus. The message from the team was fantastic. If I were not convinced of our aspirations, I would not be here. The key will be to change as little as possible.” The Juventus manager Max Allegri, meanwhile, has claimed he turned down an offer from Real Madrid to take over from Zinedine Zidane. Speaking to Sky Italia, he said: “Real Madrid and Chelsea? Let’s say I said yes to Juventus. I spoke with the president and it was right for me to stay at Juventus. It was a decision I had already made.” “I decided to stay at Juve and I respected what I said, I thank the president of Real who gave me the chance to go. Chelsea? The decision to remain at Juventus had been taken and it was right to confirm the word given to Juventus.”<doc-sep>Julen Lopetegui has been sacked as Spain's national team coach on the eve of the World Cup, one day after he agreed to take over at Real Madrid after the tournament. In a news conference at Spain's training base in Krasnodar, Russia, Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales said Lopetegui's fate was sealed just two days ahead of the team's World Cup opening game, as Rubiales could not accept an Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) employee having negotiated his next job without informing his employers. The RFEF announced afterward that Fernando Hierro will assume the role of coach for the tournament. Hierro, the national team's sporting director, told reporters that he would try to change as little as possible. Rubiales, who was elected as RFEF chief last month, was in Moscow for the vote on the World Cup 2026 host country, but he flew back to Krasnodar on Tuesday for an emergency meeting with Lopetegui. The coach's decision was announced at a news conference thereafter. "We have been obliged to fire the national coach," Rubiales said Wednesday. "We wish him the best, he has done an excellent job in getting us to the tournament. But the federation cannot be left outside the negotiation of one of its employees, and find out just five minutes before a public announcement. If anybody wants to talk to one of our employees, they have to speak to us, too. That is basic, as this is the team of all Spaniards. The national team is the most important we have; the World Cup is the biggest of all." World Cup 2018 must-reads - Make your picks with ESPN FC Match Predictor 2018! - Welcome to the Alternative 2018 World Cup Fans' Guide - ESPN FC's experts make their picks - Marvel's amazing World Cup spoilers - Revealed: World Cup 2018 Ultimate XI - Fixtures, results and full coverage - Team-by-team previews of all 32 nations Lopetegui told reporters at the airport in Krasnodar on his way back to Madrid: "I am very sad, but I hope that we play a magnificent World Cup and we win. We have a magnificent team and I hope that we win the World Cup." Hierro was a defender for Spain's national team and Real Madrid and will coach the team starting with Friday night's game against Portugal. "What we will do is touch as little as possible the national camp," Rubiales said. "We are working on it. When we know, we will tell you. We are all affected by this, but we must think about the best for the federation and the team. All this is a big blow, but we are training again this afternoon, will stick together and move forward. The players are very focused, and they have told me they are fully committed, and will give 100 percent." Lopetegui is a surprising choice to take over at Real Madrid but his work with the Spain national team on the foundation and fundamentals make him an intriguing choice at the Bernabeu. PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP/Getty Images Rubiales suggested he had taken the decision personally, as the behaviour of both Lopetegui and Real Madrid had not met the level expected of those involved in Spanish football. "I took a plane, came back from Moscow, missed the vote on the next World Cup to be here," he said. "We had to react, I know that whatever I do, I will be criticised. I accept that. But the values of the federation come first. I am sure Julen would have preferred it another way, and we wish him the best. He is a top coach for me, which made the decision very difficult. To win is very important, to have the best coach very important, but above everything is acting in the right way. Maybe this is tough now, but in the end it will make us stronger." Spain's players, led by national team and Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, were reportedly in favour of Lopetegui staying on for the tournament. Rubiales repeatedly dodged questions over whether he had taken their advice before making the decision to fire the coach. "I've a very close relationship with the players, also with Julen," he said. "It has been a very difficult decision, the most difficult for me. I have spoken with the players, and I can guarantee they will do everything, along with the new coach, to take the team as far as possible [at this World Cup]." Ramos later said on Twitter: "We are the national team, we represent the shield, the colors, the fans and a country. The responsibility and the obligation is with us. Yesterday, today and tomorrow: #Let'sGoSpain" Reports in Spain said Lopetegui, a former Madrid and Barcelona goalkeeper whose representative Carlos Bucero works closely with Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes, will triple his salary with the move.<doc-sep>

Julen Lopetegui has been sacked as Spain manager on the eve of the World Cup after leaving the Spanish FA furious by accepting the Real Madrid job. Lopetegui had penned a new contract to 2020 just weeks ago on May 22, but the lure of succeeding Zinedine Zidane proved too much. The news comes 48 hours before Spain's opening Group B fixture vs Portugal, with Spain legend Fernando Hierro announced as Lopetegui's replacement. Lopetegui will not speak to the media until he returns to Spain. RFEF president Luis Rubiales was said to be "furious" and "deeply upset" after Los Blancos confirmed Lopetegui as their new boss and confirmed Lopetegui's departure. "We have been forced to break our agreement with Julen Lopetegui," said the RFEF chief. "We have to decided to fire the national coach [Lopetegui]. What we have achieved in getting here is due in great part to him, and we must thank him and wish him luck. (Image: AFP) (Image: REUTERS) (Image: REX/Shutterstock) (Image: AFP) "There is a way that you must act, Julen has worked in a great way with the team, but we cannot accept how he has acted in this case. "The Spanish national team is the team of all the Spaniards. We only found out just five minutes before that he was leaving for Madrid." "To win is very important, to have the best coach very important, but above everything is acting in the right way. Maybe this is tough now, but in the end it will make us stronger. (Image: AFP) (Image: AFP) "I took a plane, came back from Moscow, missed the vote on the next World Cup to be here. We had to react, I know that whatever I do I will be criticised, I accept that." It was thought that senior players Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique had moved to prevent Rubiales from taking the decision to fire Lopetegui. "I have spoken with the players and I can guarantee they will do everything, along with the new coach, to take the team as far as possible [at this World Cup]," Rubiales added. (Image: Angel Martinez) The reasoning behind the drastic action is that it was feared the news could unsettle the team unity, with the clear preference for the news to not be leaked until Spain's involvement had finished. Rubiales insisted there is no plan in place yet to announce a replacement, but that they would change as little as possible. “We are going to touch as little as possible," Rubiales added. "We are working on it. When we know we will tell you.” (Image: REUTERS) Zidane made the shock decision to resign after winning an unprecedented third successive Champions League title. And Lopetegui will profit from Zidane's decision, with the 51-year-old agreeing a three-year deal at the Bernabeu. (Image: Getty Images Europe) A statement on the club's website read: "Real Madrid CF announces that Julen Lopetegui will be the coach of the first team during the next three seasons. "Julen Lopetegui will join the club after the participation of the Spanish team in the World Cup, after two years leading the national team."