Once upon a time, not too long ago, I wanted Alexander Steen gone. Repackaged and sent out of town. I volunteered to drive him to the airport with Jay Bouwmeester. Gone was the guy who put up 50-60 points and could blast a shot from the dot past a goaltender, and get back on defense. In its place was a man lucky enough to post 35 points and crack the second line. An older lion making a high wage. He was flailing in the wind back in November. And then Craig Berube took over, implemented his game plan, and slowly reshaped the Blues. One of his key moves-a ballsy one-was moving Steen to the fourth line. Talk about a reality check. You were once the guy, and now you are sharing minutes with a couple kids. Instead of a scorer, you are a hustler. Steen took to the role, keeping his mouth shut and grinding hard. He was reckless on the ice, and not in the locker room. Eventually, the moves came back. Just look at Wednesday's Game 3 goal. There it was. The Steen slap shot. Wicked and direct, Martin Jones had no chance of stopping it. Right when I thought the 35-year-old winger didn't have it in him anymore, he blasted one from the past. I watched that replay a few times. Then again, these days, it's not the goals that make Steen's game special; it's the all-around tenacity and rebirth on both ends of the ice. Look no further than the first goal on Friday night at Enterprise Center. Ivan Barbashev may have gotten credit for the goal, but it was Steen who made it possible. Brent Burns had gathered the puck behind the San Jose net, but he didn't see an inbound #20 rushing in. Steen threw a shoulder into Burns, which sent the puck towards the boards where Barbashev ripped a shot that went off a Sharks defender and past Jones. Less than 60 seconds in, and the Blues led 1-0. They would never trail. The goal was a patented example of the new Steen. A charging mad man who is still creating chances for his linemates, just on a different line and in different ways. He's adapted to what the Blues needed him to be, giving way to younger guys like Robert Thomas to get minutes on the third line. A selfless veteran. There was a time when I wanted Steen gone. The contract, declining production, and overall anchor on the team. Now, under Berube, I'm having second thoughts. Maybe he can contribute to this team, pushing them closer and closer to their first Cup final in 49 years. It turns out he was the man for the job. The fourth line leader. I simply didn't see this Steen renaissance coming, but it's the latest symbolism of the Berube way. The Blues needed a true Chief to come in and mix things up, even if the parts didn't fit right away. If you would have told me Steen would make the biggest impact on the fourth line back in October, I would have told you to switch from a Four Hands Incarnation IPA to Natural Light. Few saw this coming, but here's the thing. It's working. Alexander Steen has gone from declining asset to reborn player, finding new ways to survive in a league that chews up and spits out players. How long can this last? Like the Blues as a whole, I'm just going to sit back and watch.


After six weeks of the Canadian Football League season, the Montreal Alouettes have produced plenty of off-field drama, but also plenty of surprisingly-positive on-field results. On May 31 (a day after the team's first preseason game of the 2019 campaign), the CFL head office itself stepped in to buy the Alouettes from the Wetenhall family (who had owned the team since 1997) after months of searching for a new buyer didn't produce one, and the drama continued June 10 (just five days ahead of the start of the regular season) when the team surprisingly parted ways with head coach Mike Sherman and promoted offensive coordinator Khari Jones. And the biggest drama yet came July 14, when the Alouettes fired GM Kavis Reed the day after their second-straight win and didn't provide a reason why. Reporting later came out that this was at least partly thanks to a months-long league investigation of alleged attempts by Reid to circumvent the salary cap. And that's a pretty huge deal, and one that could still lead to on-field issues for the current team if penalties are handed down. But despite all that, the Alouettes have now won three games in a row (they beat the Edmonton Eskimos 20-10 on the road Saturday) to improve to 3-2, and their on-field product seems to be coming together just fine. On the field, quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. (seen above during a 2018 game) has had a great start for Montreal. He's in his fourth season in the CFL, but has already thrown a pass in a career-high five games this season (his previous totals were four, three and two), and he's completed 73 of 111 passes (65.8 percent) for 1,027 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He's also been effective as a runner, running 33 times for 199 yards (6.0 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. And he caught a touchdown pass from receiver Eugene Lewis on a trick play in their last game. Adams' success is perhaps particularly remarkable, considering that he was third on the Alouettes' quarterback depth chart for much of this offseason, behind Johnny Manziel (who forced his way out from the team and the league in February by violating his playing conditions so he could head to the AAF ) and Antonio Pipkin (who got hurt in the Alouettes' season-opening loss to Edmonton). While Pipkin returned to Montreal practices earlier this month , they seem to be sticking with Adams for now, and that seems to be working out for them. Similarly, interim head coach Khari Jones seems to be doing just fine at the moment despite never having worked at that level before. Jones had a long and impressive career as a CFL quarterback from 1997-2007 , and he's been a CFL assistant coach since 2009 (both as a quarterbacks coach and as an offensive coordinator). And while Jones wasn't the figure many expected to see as the Alouettes' head coach this year, Sherman (who had a long coaching history from the NCAA and NFL, but no CFL background before entering as Montreal's head coach last season) went just 5-13 with the team last year; they're already looking more promising under Jones' leadership, and Jones might pass Sherman's CFL win totals before too long. Of course, the off-field drama around the Alouettes isn't particularly settled. The league still owns the team for the moment, which is always a bit of an uncertain situation, and while there's been reports they're close to a deal with Peter Lenkov (a Montreal-born producer/writer involved with shows including CBS' revivals of Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I. ) and his brother Jeffrey, they've reportedly been close to sales before. And the investigation into Reed could still have consequences for the current Alouettes, especially when it comes to how he allegedly distributed money to a player's company (and then had that player distribute it to teammates) as part of an effort to get around the salary cap. And even further on-field success is far from assured; while Montreal's been very impressive in their past three games, it's a long season, and things can change quickly in the CFL. But for now, the Alouettes are rolling on the field despite all the off-field headlines. The post Amidst investigation into ex-GM's cap circumvention, plus ownership and HC changes, the Montreal Alouettes keep winning appeared first on The Comeback .


LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (CBSNewYork)   Several beaches in Suffolk County are closed to bathing due to bacteria in the water. County health officials say excess bacteria has been detected at the following beaches: Old Field Beach Club in Oldfield Crab Meadow Beach in Northport Amityville Village Beach Tanner Park Beach in Copiague Sayville Marina Park Beach Lake Ronkonkoma Beach The beaches will reopen when bacteria subsides to acceptable levels. Click here for more information on the Suffolk County beach monitoring program . Dr. James Tomarken, the Suffolk County commissioner of health, says bathing in bacteria-contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness, eye infections, ear infections, nose infections and throat infections. For the latest information on affected beaches, you can call the bathing beach hotline at (631) 852-5822 or the health department's office of ecology at (631) 852-5760 .


An eastern Pennsylvania school district is coming under fire for sending letters to parents demanding they pay their school lunch debt or risk having their children placed in foster care. In one letter shared on social media and obtained by NBC affiliate WBRE , the parents are informed that their child has a balance of $75.25 and if they do not pay it, the parents could be reported to Luzerne County dependency court. "Your child has been sent to school every day without money and without breakfast and/or lunch. This is a failure to provide your child with proper nutrition and you can be sent to Dependency Court for neglecting your child's right to food," the July 9 letter reads. If the parent is taken to court, they risk their child being removed "and placed in foster care," according to the letter. "Please remit payment as soon as possible to avoid being reported to the proper authorities," it states. The letter was signed by Joseph Muth, director of federal programs for the Wyoming Valley West School District. Muth and the school district did not immediately return NBC News' request for comment. According to WBRE, the district is trying to collect about $20,000 worth of lunch debt. Luzerne County Manager David Pedri condemned the school district for using the foster care system as a scare tactic. "Foster care is to be utilized only when absolutely needed   when a child has been abused, is in need or has suffered a tragedy," he said in a statement. "Our foster care system is NOT to be utilized to scare parents into paying school lunch bills." The county has asked Wyoming Valley West School District to retract the letter. Luzerne County Children and Youth Services Executive Director Joanne Van Saun told WBRE that she was disturbed by the letter. She said the agency does not remove children from homes because of school lunch debt or any unpaid bill. "It's a total misrepresentation, a gross misrepresentation of what our agency does," she told the outlet. "It's just not true. We do not remove children from families for unpaid bills." The school district said it will send another, softer letter to parents about the unpaid lunch bills, WBRE reported. Its original letter has set off a social media debate over the district's threat and the responsibilities of parents. One person whose Facebook profile says he is from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, criticized school district officials. "Sounds like a great idea let's uproot a child's life because your mommy and daddy didn't pay your lunch, what a bunch of over educated idiots," he posted. Another Facebook user said Muth should have "known better than utilizing that type of threat." But another Facebook user said in a post that parents are responsible for caring for their children and the burden should not "fall on others that are paying for the meals." U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., also weighed in, saying in a statement that no child should "have to imagine the horror of being ripped away from their parents" over an unpaid lunch bill. "These letters were callous and should never have happened," Casey said. "Moving forward, the School District has an obligation to find an appropriate way to collect these funds, instead of using threats." School lunch debt has become a growing concern for districts around the county. In May, a Rhode Island district said students who owed lunch money would be given only a sunflower butter and jelly sandwich until their debts are cleared . The mother of Philando Castile, 32, a cafeteria supervisor in Minnesota who was fatally shot by a police officer in 2016, recently gave $8,000 to a high school in the state to cover outstanding lunch bills. "The kids shouldn't have a debt hanging over their heads, and the parents shouldn't either. I just believe that the schools should furnish free meals for our children," Valerie Castile told NPR in May.


CINCINNATI, Ohio - A 12-year-old Monroe girl passed away Tuesday morning after a years-long battle with cancer. Madison Smallwood's mother, Lori Smallwood, wrote in a private social media post that Madison passed away around 11:15 a.m. Madison has captivated the community since she was diagnosed with stage 4 osteosarcoma when she was 8 years old and began her own "bucket list" in 2018. Among the goals she marked off her list include taking over her town as an honorary mayor, meeting world-famous hippo Fiona, driving a car and even becoming prom queen. Maddie's Hope   a nonprofit that honors local children who are fighting cancer   posted publicly on Facebook about Madison's passing. Related: 11-year-old battling stage four cancer named prom queen at Lake Lindsay Enquirer media partner Fox19 provided this report. Maddie's Hope This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Monroe 12-year-old Madison Smallwood dies after battle with cancer


A Las Vegas pizzeria is daring its customers to try a wild new menu item inspired by the massive swarm of grasshoppers that took over the Nevada valley. Evel Pie, an eatery inspired by famed daredevil Evel Knievel, has topped its latest pizza with lime and garlic roasted grasshoppers. The Canyon Hopper also features chorizo, goat cheese, caramelized onions and arugula, according to a post on the restaurant's Facebook Tuesday evening. "Sure it sounds nasty but this pizza is d--- good! It surprised us," the post assured. "We dare you to try it!" Cue jokes about locally sourced and organic ingredients. For the last week, the grasshopper swarm has been so thick in the Las Vegas Valley at times that the National Weather Service warned motorists it could impact visibility on area roads. State entomologists said the grasshopper population was likely nourished by the Southwest's relatively wet winter and spring . The swarms have been so prominent that the weather service said that they were likely showing up on weather radar. The state entomologist, Jeff Knight, told Nevada Public Radio that the insects grew in large numbers because of a wet winter and spring, but were drawn to the city for a similar reason as many tourists. "They're basically coming into the city because they're attracted to the lights of the city, particularly the ones that have a higher ultraviolet spectrum," Knight said. Branden Powers, a managing partner at the pizzeria, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the pie was created by experimenting with fried grasshoppers. "That's kind of the spirit of Evel Knievel," he says of attempting to sell insect-topped pizza. "And the spirit of Evel Pie is just to always be a daredevil with your taste buds. Take chances. Take risks."


Interested in adopting a pet   or just looking at some adorable pups near you up for adoption? There are dozens of darling puppies up for adoption at animal shelters in and around Phoenix. Animal shelters and pet rescue groups work hard to care for unhoused pets and connect them to loving homes. Hoodline used data from Petfinder to power this roundup of puppies currently available for adoption. (Details like pet availability, training, vaccinations and other features are based on data provided by Petfinder and may be subject to change; contact the shelter for the latest information.) Remi, American Staffordshire terrier and Labrador retriever mix Remi is a male American Staffordshire terrier and Labrador retriever puppy being kept at ABC (Animals Benefit Club of Arizona, Inc.) . Remi loves other dogs. Remi has all his shots. He is already house-trained. Notes from Remi's caretakers: Remi is a bundle of bouncy puppy energy. This brindle and white guy is extremely friendly and seriously loves everyone. He wags his tail so enthusiastically that his whole butt wiggles. Apply to adopt Remi today at Petfinder . Kimber and Kita, chihuahua mix Kimber and Kita are female chihuahua puppies currently residing at the Home Fur Good Animal Rescue . They have all her shots. From Kimber and Kita's current caretaker: Kira, a seven-pound chihuahua mix had four puppies on May 22nd. She had two boys, Kambo and Kramer, and two girls, Kimber and Kita. All these growing pups grew up in a loving foster home and are very social. These puppies enjoy pouncing, playing and curling up in your arms for a snuggle. Read more about Kimber and Kita on Petfinder . Kambo and Kramer, chihuahua mix Kambo and Kramer are darling male chihuahua puppies in the care of the Home Fur Good Animal Rescue . Kambo and Kramer are vaccinated. Read more about Kambo and Kramer on Petfinder . Milo, chihuahua mix Milo is a male chihuahua puppy being cared for at the Home Fur Good Animal Rescue . His vaccinations are already up to date. Here's more on Milo: Milo is the complete puppy package. He is full of wiggles, pounces and kisses. He promises to keep you entertained and on your toes, as he tends to explore (aka get into) everything that catches his eye. Read more about Milo on Petfinder . Puppers, Staffordshire bull terrier mix Puppers is a sweet female Staffordshire bull terrier puppy currently housed at the Rockstar Canine Rescue & Sanctuary . Puppers gets along well with other dogs. She has been vaccinated. Apply to adopt Puppers today at Petfinder . Rochelle, pit bull terrier mix Rochelle is a female pit bull terrier puppy currently residing at the Home Fur Good Animal Rescue . Her vaccinations are already up to date. Rochelle's current caretakers say: Rochelle is a playful, social Pit Bull mix. Bring her a stuffed squeaky toy and she will be your friend for life. Read more about Rochelle on Petfinder . Farley, Australian kelpie mix Farley is a male Australian kelpie puppy in the care of the Home Fur Good Animal Rescue . He has all of his shots. Farley's current caretakers say: Farley is full of enthusiasm and he wants to share his energy with everyone. He is all about the play; he just needs someone willing to teach him all those good-dog tricks, like learning to sit on command. His zest for life is infectious and you will fall in love instantly. Read more about how to adopt Farley on Petfinder . This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Cats might rule the internet, but there is a reason why dogs are known as 'man's best friend'. Keri Lumm (@thekerilumm) shares dogs best viral moments of 2015.


Four climbers have been rescued after spending three days stranded at about 13,500 feet on the north side of Mount Rainier in Washington state, the National Park Service said Thursday. The men were spotted signalling for help Monday afternoon by a reconnaissance helicopter. They were unable to continue the climb up the mountain, located about 75 miles southeast of Seattle, because of high winds that blew away or destroyed their tent and other equipment. The difficult conditions also prevented a rescue by helicopter. At about 9:15 a.m. local time on Thursday, a helicopter was finally able to land in the saddle between Liberty Cap and Columbia Crest during a pocket of good weather, according to the park service. By 10:15 a.m., the climbers were off the mountain. Rangers were able to confirm the identities of the four men as Yevgeniy Krasnitskiy of Oregon; Ruslan Khasbulatov, of New Jersey; Vasily Aushev, of New York; and Constantine Toporov, of New York. All four were found alive, although suffering from exposure, and transported to local hospitals for treatment, the National Park Service said. They began their ascent from White River Campground on Friday, and Mount Rainier's Communications Center received a 911 call on Monday reporting that the climbers had been stranded. Efforts to reach the men by air throughout the week were thwarted because of high winds, the park service said. Rangers prepared numerous contingency plans, including both air and ground rescue options, to implement Thursday if the opportunities arose. Even an Army Chinook helicopter from Joint Base Lewis-McChord was unable to reach the men twice on Tuesday, first because of cloud cover and then because of the wind, it said Wednesday. The challenging, technically dangerous Liberty Ridge route is the same one where Arleigh William Dean, 45, of Alaska was killed and two other hikers were injured when they were caught in a rockfall on May 29. Three other hikers were uninjured.


Curious just how far your dollar goes in Aurora? We've rounded up the latest places for rent via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to hunting down affordable apartments in Aurora with a budget of $2,100/month. Take a look at the listings, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 3645 S. Dallas St. (Third Cherry Creek) Listed at $2,017/month, this 1,154-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is located at 3645 S. Dallas St. The residence offers a walk-in closet, in-unit laundry, hardwood flooring and a fireplace. Pet owners, take heed: Cats and dogs are permitted. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address isn't very walkable, is convenient for biking and has good transit options. (Take a look at the complete listing here .) 19304 E. Purdue Circle Here's a 1,699-square-foot three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit at 19304 E. Purdue Circle that's going for $2,038/month. Look for a mix of hardwood floors and carpeting and air conditioning in the residence. When it comes to building amenities, expect a swimming pool. When it comes to pets, both meows and barks are welcome. According to Walk Score, the area around this address isn't very walkable, is relatively bikeable and offers limited transit options. (See the full listing here .) 6850 S. Versailles Way Next, check out this 1,345-square-foot three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit that's located at 6850 S. Versailles Way. It's listed for $2,060/month. The unit comes with in-unit laundry, carpeted floors, a dishwasher and a fireplace. Both cats and dogs are welcome. Per Walk Score ratings, the surrounding area isn't very walkable, isn't particularly bikeable and doesn't offer many public transit options. (See the complete listing here .) 2602 S. Anaheim St. (Heather Gardens) Located at 2602 S. Anaheim St., here's a 1,345-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment that's listed for $2,085/month. Expect to find carpeted floors, a walk-in closet and in-unit laundry in the unit. The building boasts on garage parking. Cats and dogs are allowed. According to Walk Score, the surrounding area requires a car for most errands, is somewhat bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options. (Take a gander at the complete listing here .) Working with a tight budget? Here are the cheapest rentals recently listed in Aurora . This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Phillies plan to bring up outfielder Adam Haseley from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia tweets. If activated, Haseley will require a 40-man spot for the Phillies. They'll need to clear space for him. The Phillies have a need for outfield help in the wake of the knee sprain Andrew McCutchen suffered in their loss to the Padres on Monday. Between McCutchen's injury and Odubel Herrera 's recent placement on administrative leave, the Phillies are down to Bryce Harper , the just-acquired Jay Bruce , Scott Kingery , Sean Rodriguez and Phil Gosselin as their outfield-capable players in the majors. The team also has Nick Williams in Lehigh Valley, but it's primed to turn to Haseley instead. With draft season in full swing, it's worth noting the 23-year-old Haseley was a high pick not long ago. The Phillies chose Haseley eighth overall in 2017, but the former University of Virginia outfielder and pitcher hasn't remained an elite prospect since going pro. MLB.com does not count Haseley among its top 100 farmhands, but it does place him third in Philly's system, contending there's potential for him to turn into a "solid" regular center fielder in the bigs. Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs rank Haseley fifth among Phillies prospects and write he could become a two- to three-WAR player in the majors. The lefty-swinging Haseley made a case for a promotion at the Double-A level last year and earlier this season, slashing .291/.378/.474 with 13 home runs in 336 plate appearances. Haseley has only walked to the plate 22 times in Triple-A so far, but he has hit .300/.364/.450 in that small sample.


The 2019 NBA Draft now in the books and the Boston Celtics having selected four intriguing prospects - shooting guard Romeo Langford, forward Grant Williams and point guards Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters - to provide some color to a roster that at times, looks bleak. The Celtics now turn their attention to free agency, which begins on June 30 at 6 P.M. EST. All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving and revered veteran Al Horford are both expected to bolt from Boston this offseason, with Uncle Drew thought to be set on signing with the Brooklyn Nets and Horford believing there's a team that's prepared to sign him to a four-year deal worth $100 million. The belief making the front-office rounds tonight is that Al Horford already knows there's a four-year contract worth in excess of $100 million waiting out there for him June 30 .. knowledge that led to Horford's talks with the Celtics dissolving - Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 19, 2019 The problem for the Celtics when it comes to Horford is simply a matter of what they're willing to pay versus what Horford desires in free agency. Previously open to taking a paycut if Boston offered him a long-term contract , with Irving's impending departure all but removing Boston from championship contention, Big Al hasn't had a change of heart but he's obviously less inclined to make large sacrifices for the C's. When it comes to Irving, the matter is far more complex. The media and fanbase have turned against Irving for being fickle ahead of free agency, oscillating between full-blown commitment and an openness to be wooed by potential suitors. His defensive and often times aggressive tone with the media and teammates has seemingly struck a nerve with even front offices, as they're hesitant to bring him aboard after Boston's collapse in the Eastern Conference semifinals and the chaos that followed the team in the regular season. Talent isn't a question for Irving but his mindset, loyalty and ego are. Early in the week, even Irving's willingness and efforts to communicate were in question, with reports stating that he had essentially "ghosted" the Celtics ahead of free agency . Following the draft, Celtics president and general manager Danny Ainge spoke to NBC Sports Boston's Kyle Draper and Brian Scalabrine about the team's draft selections but also about the team's communication with Irving. Contrary to reports, Ainge says that Irving has been respectful and he's "been open and honest with [him] since Day 1." "He's returned calls. He's returned messages. He's been excellent." Danny Ainge discusses the team's communication with Kyrie Irving and their 1-on-1 relationship pic.twitter.com/Sj0SC3AC1B - Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 21, 2019 Not one for the rumor mill, Ainge was unaware that there were reports detailing a lack of communication between Irving and the front office. "I didn't know that he 'ghosted' us was even out there," Ainge says. "I had no idea." Irving is special talent with a nearly unparalleled combination of ball-handling mastery and shooting skill. His layup package also finds few rivals, with his shooting range and competitive drive complementing his shot-making and shot-creating abilities. Averaging 23.8 points per game last season, Irving has averaged at least 20.0 points per game in six of the last seven seasons. The 2011-12 Rookie of the Year, Irving was named an All-Star of each of those seasons; the lone season he averaged under 20.0 points per game and failed to be selected as an All-Star was a season in which he only played 53 games as he dealt with a knee injury. He's not just a gunner with low percentages, in the Sixth Man mold, either. Irving has made 46.5 percent of his field goals, 39.0 percent of his three-point attempts and 87.5 percent of his free-throw attempts in his eight-year career. There's reason to believe that Boston plays a better brand of basketball without Irving, as players tend to ball-watch as he freewheels on the court and they have a number of backcourt players who are better defenders and have more balance between their desire to score and facilitate. However, they're not more dangerous without Irving and therein lies the biggest problem for the Celtics and why they're so keen on re-signing him despite his reported interest in signing elsewhere. MORE: Kyle Kuzma is already trash-talking his former Lakers teammate The 2019 NBA draft pick by pick Luke Bowanko: what the Lions are getting with their new OL Keston Hiura in Minors While Brewers Slump Is Causing Anguish and Despair Bleacher Report names Oakland a potential trade destination for CB Jalen Ramsey


From Apple's face recognition technology leading to wrongful arrest to the Happy Birthday song, some strange things have made it to the courtroom. These are some of the weirdest   and most expensive   court cases from recent history... 'I'll see you in court' From Apple's face recognition technology leading to wrongful arrest to the Happy Birthday song, some strange things have made it to the courtroom. Click ahead for some of the most unusual, and most expensive, court cases from recent history. Monkey business: cost unknown In 2011 photographer David Slater left his camera set up on an Indonesian island. He came back to find a rare crested macaque monkey had taken a rather striking, toothsome selfie. In 2014 he sued Wikipedia for putting the image out for free, before himself being sued by animal rights group PETA on behalf of the monkey. Although Slater won, he agreed to pay 25% of future revenues to monkey charities. The legal fees are unknown but Slater says he was left so broke he could not afford to pay his lawyer or fly to hearings. Mattel vs. Barbie Girl art: $1.8 million In 2004 toymaker Mattel was ordered to pay $1.8 million in legal costs after its five-year copyright and trademark infringement suit against a photographer was thrown out. Seven years before, artist Tom Forsythe had posed Barbie dolls naked in and around household appliances in an exhibition of what he called  crass consumerism." This wasn't the first time that Mattel had struggled to defend Barbie: Two years earlier it had also lost a case against the pop band Aqua's song Barbie Girl . The real Caravaggio: at least $2.3 million Lancelot Thwaytes sued auction house Sotheby s for negligence after it sold a painting he inherited, The Cardsharps , for $53,000 in 2006. The auction house's experts had declared it the work of a follower of Italian Baroque artist Caravaggio rather than the master himself, reducing the price Thwaytes could sell it for. The new buyer, however, later claimed it to be a genuine Caravaggio worth $12.6 million. Thwaytes took Sotheby's to court over the misidentification of the painting he used to own, but he lost his 2015 case and was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Sotheby s as well as his own bill, thought to run into the millions. McDonald's in hot coffee: $2.9 million Stella Liebeck took fast food chain McDonald s to court in 1994, after she dropped a drive-through coffee into her lap and suffered third-degree burns. Initially Liebeck sued for $20,000 to cover her medical expenses, but when McDonald's offered just $800 in compensation she went all out, claiming a whopping $2.9 million. The award was later reduced to $640,000   both parties appealed and settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Red Bull's lack of wings: $13 million The power of advertising is undeniable, but sometimes it can cause more problems than it's worth. Red Bull's "... gives you wings" campaign got the company in trouble in 2014, when Benjamin Careathers sued for false advertising as he had not grown wings after drinking the energy drink for a decade. Red Bull gave him $6.5 million and put a further $6.5 million into a fund for other customers who had bought the drink between 2002 and 2014 to apply for a refund. Charging people to sing 'Happy Birthday': $19 million Did you know a music publisher used to be paid every time the song Happy Birthday was performed or played? Warner/Chappell bought the rights to the 1893 song for movies and TV in 1988 for $25 million. But in 2016 a U.S. judge put the song in the public domain and ordered Warner/Chappell to create a $14 million fund to compensate those who licensed the song from the music publisher. Legal fees were reported to run to another $5 million. Napster faces the music: $26 million Peer-to-peer music-sharing site Napster, launched by brothers Shawn and John Fanning alongside future Facebook founding president Sean Parker, only existed for two years before being hit by a massive lawsuit filed by record companies. Napster was sued for infringement of the music companies' intellectual property and was forced to shut down in 2001 after making a public apology and paying out $26 million in damages. 70-year-old Hyderabad Fund battle: $45.6 million India, Pakistan and an heir of the seventh nizam (leader) of Hyderabad have been battling for decades to recover 1 million pounds deposited in a London bank in 1948. A descendant of the seventh nizam, Osman Ali Khan (pictured) says it was personal money. India claims it was deposited days after Hyderabad was annexed to India, while Pakistan says the money was paid for Pakistani aid. The nazim has since died, but that 1 million pounds have ballooned to 36 million pounds ($45.6 million) and a trial will finally be held in 2019. A rather large dry cleaning bill: $54 million In 2005, a Washington, D.C., judge sued a dry cleaners for losing his suit trousers, as they had a  satisfaction guaranteed  shop sign. It turned out to be an expensive pair of trousers, as former judge Roy Pearson Jr. claimed $54 million in compensation, plus legal fees and emotional distress. When a cleaner then found his trousers, Pearson still tried to claim as he hadn't received same-day delivery service, but his case was thrown out and Pearson was ordered to pay the cleaners  legal fees. Hoover free flights: $72 million Another instance of marketing gone wrong, in 1992 Hoover was forced to pay out $72 million in compensation to 220,000 customers. Why? Following a spectacularly foolish marketing campaign offering two free return flights to the U.S. for British customers who bought a 100-pound vacuum cleaner, a pressure group won five separate court battles against the vacuum cleaner manufacturer. Hoover had been unable to fulfil the snowstorm of requests for flights and had withdrawn the deal without honoring them all. Read more: The people who took big companies to court and won Battle of the Russian oligarchs: $126 million In 2012 billionaire Roman Abramovich won a British legal battle against exiled businessman Boris Berezovsky (pictured), who sued for $4 billion, claiming he had been intimidated by Abramovich into selling shares in Russian oil giant Sibneft. Legal costs were reported to run to $126 million. Berezovsky was found hanged the following year. Pringles   potato chips or cookies?: $126 million In 2008 a U.K. court ruled that Pringles should not be classified as a potato chip because of the tube s  unnatural shape  and the product s 42% potato content. In the U.K., chips are subject to value-added tax (VAT) while cookies, cakes and other snacks are not. But the verdict was overruled the following year, leaving owner Procter & Gamble with a $126 million tax bill. Apple vs. Samsung: $539 million The two smartphone makers spent more than seven years in court in various countries, with Apple claiming Samsung had  slavishly  copied both the iPhone and iPad. In 2018 a U.S. jury awarded Apple $539 million, having ruled that Samsung copied patented smartphone features. So far, so normal in the world of patents. But in the U.K., Apple lost its 2012 tablet design case, with the judge saying Samsung s devices were  not as cool." Final settlement terms in the U.K. case were not disclosed. Facial recognition lawsuit: $1 billion Student Ousmane Bah, 18, is this year suing Apple for $1 billion after being falsely arrested for theft at multiple Apple stores in New York based, he claims, on a mix-up by Apple s facial recognition software. The real thief, Bah says, carried his stolen ID. After catching him, Apple, he says, then linked his face to Bah s details. Bah claims he was later identified by the system as having carried out several thefts and arrested. All charges, except in New Jersey, have been dropped. Roundup weed killer: $2 billion A California jury this year ordered Monsanto to pay more than $2 billion to a couple who developed cancer after using its Roundup herbicide. Monsanto was found liable for the non-Hodgkin s lymphoma cancer of Alva and Alberta Pilliod and ordered to pay $1 billion in damages each and more than $55 million in further compensatory damages. In previous cases awards of $289 million and $80 million were made. Talcum powder cancer cases: $20 billion In 2018 a jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $4.7 billion to 22 women who blame asbestos in the company s talcum-based baby powder for causing their ovarian cancer. This year the company is due to face three times as many baby powder trials, with dozens more alleged victims. In all, it is reported that Johnson & Johnson may have to pay $20 billion to resolve more than 13,000 claims. The $2 undecillion dog bite And finally, this case could have been a little expensive for New York City if it had not been dismissed. In 2014 plaintiff Anton Purisima claimed his finger was bitten by a rabid dog on a bus and sued the city, La Guardia airport and Au Bon Pain restaurant, which he claims overcharged for coffee and was apparently related to the bite. His suit for $2 undecillion (that's a huge 36 zeros) was the world's largest lawsuit, for more money than there is on Earth. Read more: Infamous inheritance battles that gripped the world


Aurora will see light rainfall today, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Monday's forecast shows the greatest likelihood of rain at 81 percent, with rain generally expected through Tuesday. The coming days will also see warm temperatures, expected to persist through Tuesday. Temperatures will rise even more from Wednesday to Thursday, with a high of 90 degrees both days. Skies will be cloudy on Saturday. Winds will continue to be somewhat calm over the course of the week, with the highest speeds on Monday at only 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Things could be trending in a positive direction for Minnesota under the energetic leadership of P.J. Fleck . After a long string of years of up-and-down seasons ranging from poor to mediocre to the high of a nine-win season in 2016, Fleck and the Gophers surprised a few people in 2018 by pulling together a seven-win season highlighted by a long-awaited victory over Wisconsin and capped by a season-ending bowl victory in the Quick Lane Bowl. The bar is being raised a bit for the boat-rowing Gophers in 2019. The chance to compete for a national championship is still at the end of a great journey for the program, but that doesn't mean those in the program can't dream about being the ones to capture the first football national title for the school since 1960. Minnesota, coached by the coach of the year Murray Warmath and led in the trenches by Outland Trophy winner Tom Brown , split the Big Ten championship with Iowa, although a 27-10 victory over the No. 1 Hawkeyes on Nov. 5, 1960 catapulted the No. 3 Gophers to the top spot in the AP poll. But the very next week, Minnesota was upset by Purdue, 23-14, and Minnesota dropped to No. 4 in the AP poll as a result heading into their final game of the regular season. Minnesota moved back up in the polls with a win against the rival Badgers and No. 1 Missouri being upset at home by Kansas, 23-7. As Big Ten champion, Minnesota traveled west to the play in the Rose Bowl, and they arrived in Pasadena as the No. 1 team in the AP poll as they prepared to face No. 6 Washington, champion of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (which would, of course, later evolve to the Pac-12 we know and love today). Despite already being declared the national champion for the 1960 season, Minnesota was upended by the Huskies, 17-7. Ole Miss would stake their claim to the national title following a 14-6 victory for the No. 2 Rebels over Rice in the Sugar Bowl (Ole Miss would be crowned national champion by the Football Writers Association of America). Last National Title Season: 1960 (58 years and counting) Who was President? Dwight D. Eisenhower was the President of the United States the last time Minnesota claimed a national championship season, although 1960 was a time for change in the country in the United States. Perhaps one of the most famous presidential elections of all-time went down in the fall of 1960. Richard Nixon was taken down by Democrat John F. Kennedy . As for the current Commander-In-Chief, Donald J. Trump was fresh into his teenage years in 1960 and was enrolled at New York Military Academy. What was on TV? 1960 brought some classic television shows to the TV sets in a growing number of homes. Classics such as "Lassie," "Dennis the Menace," "The Andy Griffith Show," "The Jack Benny Show," "Candid Camera," "My Three Sons," were among the programs across the three networks at the time (NBC, ABC, and CBS). "The Price is Right" was airing on NBC, although the show would later evolve a bit to become the game show you are more likely familiar with today. Long before "The Simpsons," it was "The Flinstones" ruling the ratings as a primetime animated show. Bugs Bunny also made a primetime appearance before making the move to Saturday mornings for the next four decades. And Shirley Temple and Glenn Miler had their own television shows at the time as well. One show that finished its historic run on the airwaves was "I Love Lucy," as stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz divorced after the final episode of the season in 1960. What movies were hot? Ben-Hur was an international winner as the top box office leader in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. But this was a year after the movie was released in the United States. State-side, it was Spartacus dominating the box office as the top movie of the year. Kirk Douglas had everyone shouting "I'm Spartacus!" But this was also the year for the horror genre with the release of Psycho , directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock . The Rat Pack also took to the big screen in the original Ocean's 11 , with Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , Sammy David Jr. , Joey Bishop and more. What else happened in 1960? Navy running back Joe Bellino is named the Heisman Trophy winner for the 1960 season. Bellino rushed for 834 yards and caught 17 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns for the Midshipmen in the 1960 season, leading Navy to a 9-2 record and No. 4 in the final AP poll of the season. Aside from Minnesota and Iowa splitting the Big Ten crown, other conference winners in 1960 included Ole Miss (SEC), Arkansas (Southwest), Missouri (Big Eight), Utah State and Wyoming (Skyline Conference), New Mexico State (Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association), Yale (Ivy League) and Duke (ACC). Current Minnesota head coach Fleck wasn't born for another 20 years. Michigan coaching legend Bo Schembechler was an assistant coach for Woody Hayes at Ohio State. Former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno was an assistant coach with the Nittany Lions, still five years from becoming the head coach of the program. Nick Saban was seven years old. The Minnesota Twins were still a year away from playing their first baseball game in franchise history and the Lakers were just moving west to Los Angeles from Minneapolis. The AFL launched its league in 1960, with the Houston Oilers capturing the first league championship with a 24-16 victory in the AFL championship against the Los Angeles Chargers. In the NFL, it was the Philadelphia Eagles taking down Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers in the NFL championship game. Bill Mazeroski clinches the World Series championship for the Pittsburgh Pirates with a walk-off home-run in Game 7 against the New York Yankees. The Boston Celtics won the NBA title against the St. Louis Hawks, and the Montreal Canadiens hoisted the Stanley Cup above their heads after a sweep of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Young rising boxer Cassius Clay wins the gold medal in boxing at the Olympics in Rome, and Arnold Palmer won the Masters and U.S. Open for a couple of major tournament victories. Outside of sports, 1960 was a significant year for the United States with the signing of the Civil Rights Act by President Eisenhower. Elvis Presley was killing the music charts with the two top singles of 1960 with "It's Now or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" Chubby Checker came in at No. 3 with "The Twist." Has time passed Minnesota by? time has certainly flown by since Minnesota's glory days. Since the 1960 season, the Gophers have managed to win eight games or more in a season just a handful of times. One came in the 1961 season, which ended with a Rose Bowl victory. the most recent one came in 2016, with three eight-win seasons in a four-year stretch. It is the best stretch of seasons over a four-year period for the Gophers since winning it all in 1960. The question is if it is possible for Minnesota to climb back to the top of that mountain ever again. While nothing should ever be considered truly impossible, the history and trends would seem to suggest it will be a very steep climb for the program. The Big Ten has grown, literally, over the years by adding members and some members have created some buffer in how money is brought in and spent to improve their various programs. For Minnesota, keeping up with programs like Ohio State and Michigan is far more difficult to do today than it used to be even with resources like the Big Ten Network. But could Minnesota capture a Big Ten title and get back to the Rose Bowl? If the Big Ten sticks to a division structure and fields a conference championship game the way it is currently constructed, of course, it remains a possibility for Minnesota. It may not happen in 2019, although the Big Ten West could be up for grabs, but the Gophers could become a program that could strike lightning every now and then to reach the Big Ten championship game at the end of the season. Minnesota hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since 1961, so Gopher fans have been waiting quite some time to book that trip to Pasadena again. Follow @KevinOnCFB


Former Judson head football coach D.W. Rutledge attended a granddaughter's ballet recital with his wife Kathy the other day. There was a time when Rutledge couldn't have sat still long enough to enjoy such an occasion, but his life has slowed down since he stepped down as executive director of the Texas High School Coaches Association at the end of 2018. In what seems like a lifetime ago in some ways, Rutledge reveled in teaching his players the intricacies of the weak-eagle defense that was synonymous with Judson during his stellar 21 seasons with the Rockets. Rutledge will be back in his element at Judson's spring football game late Wednesday afternoon, but he won't be on the sideline at the stadium that bears his name. He'll be signing copies of the book "Rocket Man: The Story of D.W. Rutledge and the Judson High School Football Dynasty," co-authored by Dr. Charles Breithaupt and Chris Doelle. Rutledge chuckled when he recalled the first time Breithaupt approached him with the idea of writing a book about his career at Judson, where Rutledge was the head coach for 17 seasons before resigning early in 2001 to take an executive position with the THSCA. "Charlie called me and wanted to know if that was OK with me," Rutledge said. "I said, 'Why would you want to write a book about me?' But he and Chris did a great job with it. They were real kind." Breithaupt, executive director of the University Interscholastic League, which governs extracurricular activities in Texas public schools, and Doelle also will be on hand to promote the book at the Judson spring game. Legendary coach Grant Teaff wrote the foreword for "Rocket Man," which was published in February and is available on Amazon. The Judson spring game starts at 5:30. Rutledge, who turned 68 on Saturday, knows something about the publishing business himself. He and former Judson offensive coordinator Dennis Parker co-authored a book, titled "Coaching to Change Lives," in 2006. The Rockets soared to great heights under Rutledge, who was promoted to head coach in 1984 after serving as Frank Arnold's defensive coordinator for four seasons. Arnold resigned as head coach and became athletic director of the Judson ISD in 1984, after leading the Rockets to their first state title in 1983. Judson went 198-31-5, won four state titles (one by forfeit) and made the playoffs in 16 of their 17 seasons under Rutledge. Judson Stadium was renamed after Rutledge in 2006. Rutledge, who lives in New Braunfels, recalled how things came together at Judson in the early 1980s. The Rockets won six state championships in a 20-year span that ended in 2002, when Jim Rackley led Judson to its last title. The Rockets went 236-36-5 during those two decades. "We were blessed big time," Rutledge said. "We had the right staff. We had some great coaches who were also great men and an administration that supported what we were trying to do, as far as our philosophy with the kids and building character and those things. "When I look back and people ask me what was the most important thing our coaching staff did that made our program strong, there's no doubt in my mind that it was character development. We made it a point to take them (players) into the classroom and make sure we went through all those things that we did before we started boot camp. We had great kids and some great players who bought into it." Rutledge hasn't exactly lived a life of leisure since retiring. He is still a consultant for the THSCA and works part-time for TexasCoach.Network, a recruitment service that connects Texas school districts and coaches seeking employment. "I can pick and choose the days I want to work, so it's not a lot," Rutledge said. The honors continue to come in for Rutledge, who will accept a leadership award in Kalamazoo, Mich., next month. He also will be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame in Indianapolis in late June. The 37th Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 100th annual NFHS summer convention. Rutledge and his wife, Kathy, have a son, Clint, and three grandchildren. A former Judson quarterback, Clint played for his father and was a member of the Rockets' 1992 and 1993 state-championship teams.


In the latest update on Manchester United's move for Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, reports emerging on Friday claim that United officials are set to travel to London on Monday in order to complete the deal. There has been no shortage of reporting on the potential deal in recent days, with the general consensus being that the player will cost United a fee in the region of £55m, while work is still to be done on personal terms. Hearing after the initial reports that the Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United deal could reach north of £60m in add ons - which include international caps and performance milestones.   Scott Saunders (@_scottsaunders) June 19, 2019 Things seem to have progressed, however, and following news that he is set to undergo a medical at Old Trafford this week, the Guardian have claimed that United will push to finalise a deal with the Palace hierarchy, with Ed Woodward and Matt Judge - who handles transfer negotiations - set to travel to London for conclusive negotiations. The report notes that Palace officials had grown frustrated at United's reluctance to meet their minimum asking price of a guaranteed £50m plus add-ons, but after the Old Trafford side submitted a third bid - that still fell short of their demands - there is a renewed sense of optimism that a deal can be struck. United previously offered a lower fee with a number of performance-related clauses, but it seems they are prepared to budge in order to land the man who has become their primary transfer target. The 21-year-old is believed to be seen as a crucial part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's plans going forward, after impressing in his 35 appearances under Roy Hodgson in the Premier League last season.


The 2019 college football season is coming, and Sporting News is here to get you ready with as much content as possible for the sport's 150th anniversary. Aug. 24 will be here soon   a weekend that features a matchup between Miami and Florida   before the first full weekend on Aug. 31. That first weekend features big matchups like Auburn vs. Oregon at Jerry World and coaching debuts such as the return of Mack Brown at North Carolina and Les Miles at Kansas. MORE: Bama-Clemson V? Five reasons it's here to stay It's the sixth year of the College Football Playoff era. This year's semifinals are Dec. 28 at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. The championship game has been pushed back to Jan. 13, 2020 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans. Sporting News will have preseason top 25 rankings, bowl projections, Heisman contenders, preseason All-Americans and more to get you ready. We've still got a ways to go. But we'll get there soon enough. College football rankings: SN's preseason top 25 Alabama and Clemson are No. 1 and No. 2 in Sporting News' post-spring top 25 , and that is no surprise considering they have played each other in the College Football Playoff the last four seasons. Sporting News will update that again before the season starts, but in the meantime you can see how other national publications stack up with ours in this composite top 25 . We also have the top programs of the decade . Conference predictions We will have conference predictions for all the conferences this summer. We already have early primers for the ACC , Big 12 , Big Ten , Pac-12 and SEC , independents and Group of 5 . Sporting News already has 19 early predictions for 2019 for you to pick apart. MORE: SN's 19 early predictions for 2019 College football bowl projections There are 40 bowl games in the 2019-20 before three more are added next season, and Sporting News has bowl projections for all of the games . Did you agree with our playoff picks? For those who want to get a feel for the rest of the College Football Playoff picture, check out our last of true Playoff and national title contenders. Best nonconference games Miami-Florida isn't the only spicy nonconference games. Sporting News ranks the best September games for the 2019 season . Top players and Heisman hopefuls Who are the best Heisman Trophy contenders? That list generally starts with quarterbacks, and we have the top 25 quarterbacks for 2019. Clemson's Trevor Lawrence or Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa. Who you got? The top 25 running backs will return with last year's first-team All-American backfield of Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor and Clemson's Travis Etienne on top. We'll have more with our top 40 players and Heisman hopefuls, too. Coach rankings Is Nick Saban or Dabo Swinney the best coach in the FBS? Who is No. 3? Sporting News answered those questions with our annual 1-130 coach rankings . We also broke out the ACC , Big 12 , Big Ten , Pac-12 and SEC coach rankings for you. Agree to disagree, right? Top 10 previews Keep up with the top 10 programs in our rankings with team previews for the following teams: Alabama Clemson Georgia Oklahoma Ohio State Texas LSU Florida Michigan Notre Dame Coming soon ... Stay with us all offseason. We'll have the annual preseason All-American team, trap games and so much more to get you ready for the 150th season of college football.


PEBBLE BEACH   Jason Day was all business Tuesday morning, teeing off for a practice round by himself at 6:45 a.m. at Pebble Beach. It's a habit not dissimilar to that of his boyhood idol, Tiger Woods, who in his heyday was notorious for regularly deploying dawn-patrol rounds. The other similarity: The guy carrying the bag. Steve Williams caddied for Woods for 13 of his 15 career major championships, including when Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by a record 15 strokes. At this week's U.S. Open, Williams is on Day's bag. "I am very disappointed with how this year's progressed," Day said. "I didn't play well, and I need to improve that. I think Steve will take me to that next level, and I'm hoping that's the case." The last time Williams caddied regularly was from 2011 through 2017 when he was on the bag for Adam Scott, whom he helped reach No. 1 in the world and win the 2013 Masters before eventually going into retirement. RELATED: Steve Williams on caddieing for Woods, Norman, Scott and more Before that, he spent a dozen years alongside Woods, and before that Greg Norman, Ray Floyd, and others. How long the partnership wth Day will last is still to be determined but it will be for at least this year. Perhaps more notable is what it signals for the 31-year-old Aussie. Five seasons ago, Day won five times, including his first major at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, and reached No. 1 in the world. He followed by winning three more times in 2016, including the Players Championship. But after a frustrating 2017 in which Day failed to win and his relationship with his caddie/coach Colin Swatton had become strained inside the ropes, Day parted ways with Swatton as his caddie, retaining him in only a coaching capacity. He then employed Luke Reardon and Rika Batibasaga, two friends he grew up with in Australia who both live not far from Day in Ohio. Day won his first start of 2018, at the Farmers Insurance Open and again at the Wells Fargo Championship a few months later. But he ended the year ranked 14th in the world, his lowest year-end ranking since 2012. Through his first 11 starts of 2019, he has four top-10s but no victories and has rarely been in contention. Then came a missed cut two weeks ago at his hometown event, the Memorial. Feeling that he was continuing to underachieve in his career, Day placed a call and asked Williams to come aboard. "It's nice to have someone with experience, that has unbelievable experience in major championships, and also, on top of it, have the experience of that winning pedigree with regards to the players that he's been with," said Day, who added he'd been contemplating a change for the last couple of months. "It was a little bit intimidating to have him on the bag, to be honest. He's had a lot of great ball-strikers that he's worked for. I was excited and intimidated in the same breath." To Day's point, the two spent a sun-splashed morning along the Monterey Peninsula with Day playing 18 holes and working through clubs and yardages; scenarios and the effects of various weather conditions; and playing each shot as if it counted for real. Day's usually chatty demeanor carried a more focused tone throughout, with Williams the most visible extension of that on the driving range as well as the course. It was clear they were there to work. On the par-3 17th, for example, Day's first tee shot flew the green and nestled in thick rough. He re-teed and stuck the next one to a few feet. Nonetheless, Williams told him to play the first ball, and he chopped it across the green before eventually getting up an down for what would have been a bogey. The same routine carried out on other holes, too, no matter where each shot landed. "I know that his drive and his will to be successful is very, very high," Day said of Williams. "He's kind of a no-BS kind of guy. He'll tell you straight. He told me that, 'If you're not working hard enough, I'm gone.'" Usually it's the player who does the firing, not the caddie. Given Williams' resume, though, Day is more than willing to listen and often let the New Zealand-born Williams lead the way. "I told Steve, 'Look, my goal is to get back to No. 1 in the world,'" Day said. "I want to do everything I possibly can to get there. If I need to do whatever you need to tell me, I'll do it. He said that being No. 1, there's a lot of sacrifice that comes along with that. And we both understand what that means." For Day, that means rededicating himself. Hiring Williams was the first step. "I saw an enthused, reinvigorated and motivated Jason," Swatton said of the two-day practice session with Williams on Day's bag over the weekend at Pebble Beach. "Everything I'm hearing is that he's walking around with more swagger and a different demeanor." And perhaps, be it this week or another one soon, with another trophy, too. Check out Golf Digest Schools for the best in video golf instruction WATCH: GOLF DIGEST VIDEOS See the video. Every Hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links


The Randolph County Sheriff's Office has charged a second woman in a matter of weeks for faking cancer in order to get money. The Sheriff's Office said officials at a local recreational club told them that they suspected Hannah Hume was falsely claiming to have kidney cancer after talking to her about her medical bills. Deputies said the club had planned a June 15 benefit and charity ride in her honor. Hume was interviewed by Investigators and admitted she did not have kidney cancer. She was arrested Tuesday and charged with a felony for attempting to obtain property by false pretense. Hume is being held on a $5,000 bond and is expected in court May 13. Also facing similar charges for pretending to have cancer to scam people out of money is Amy Hammer . In early March, investigators received a report she was raising money to pay for cancer treatment. The Randolph County Sheriff's Office is still trying to get those donations back. READ MORE: High Point woman arrested, accused of faking cancer diagnosis for money CHECK OUT WXII: Get the latest Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem news of the day. Catch the top stories, sports and weather from the team at WXII12.


Our friends over at Touchdown Wire recently ranked the top QB-receiver combos for each of the 32 NFL teams . The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of dynamic weapons on the offensive side of the ball for QB Patrick Mahomes to play with. Touchdown Wire had a hard decision to make between Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce when choosing a QB-receiver combo for the Chiefs, but they ultimately went with Kelce. Mahomes and Kelce combined for the top spot over duos such as Drew Brees and Michael Thomas, and Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. Here is what they had to say about why the combination of Mahomes and Kelce are worthy of the top spot in their rankings: "Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce displayed dynamic chemistry in their first year together and expect more of the same as they are elite players at each position. A thin edge here but one nonetheless." These two have only been playing together for one season. It raises the question: Is it too early for Mahomes and Kelce to be deemed the top QB-receiver combo in the NFL? It's hard to say for certain, but Kelce was great in his own right with Alex Smith at quarterback. With Mahomes, he's taken things to a whole new level. For instance, Kelce held the record for most receiving yards in a season by a tight end for a few hours before 49ers tight end George Kittle broke that record. That type of thing wouldn't have happened if Mahomes weren't throwing at a high level. Just look at this throw, for instance: The back view of this Mahomes TD is as awesome as I thought it would be. Can really see how he uses his eyes to manipulate the defense and open up the in-breaking route from Kelce. Then the placement is ridiculous: pic.twitter.com/2OOlmn4kTj - Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) November 5, 2018 Mahomes has found a way to best use Kelce's natural talents, and that should continue in 2019. MORE: Russell Westbrook lost it over a Kevin Durant joke at a comedy show Carson Wentz lands behind Baker Mayfield in a ranking of the 11 best QB's in NFL Report: Broncos ready to draft Devin Bush before trade with the Steelers Anthony Davis already messing around with his new teammate LeBron Three Potential Landing Spots for Chris Paul


Cleveland is forecast to experience light rainfall over the next few days, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Friday's forecast shows the greatest likelihood of rain at 90 percent, with rain generally expected tomorrow. The coming days will also see mild temperatures, due to stick around through Monday. Temperatures will reach a high of 66 degrees on Thursday, then turn cooler on Tuesday. Winds are expected to reach a modest high of 18 mph on Friday, while today will be calmer with a top speed of just 13 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Deb Yoder is one of many people in Paradise who are starting to rebuild after the Camp Fire destroyed their homes six months ago. Yoder's mountainside home used to sit along Skyway Road near the entrance to the now-charred city. Only a few trees are left standing amid the rubble of her house. "(The trees were) huge and were beautiful," Yoder said. "They were just a part of what made me love this property." The Butte County native channeled her sadness into hope and started rebuilding her property. But in December, Pacific Gas and Electric cut down her surviving trees after their contractor misread the markings. One of the trees was 150 years old. "That tree was there long before the city of Paradise was incorporated," she said. "When they've been around that long, they have history. They tell a story -- and that one had a story." Once again, Yoder tried to repurpose the destruction by milling the fallen trees and using the timber to rebuild. "Having that be a part of my new beginning is a huge aspect, for me, of healing from what's happened," she said. But a couple weeks ago, while Yoder was away on a work trip as a helicopter flight nurse, the wood suddenly disappeared. "I left to go to work, and when I came back, it was missing," she said. "I was really struggling to figure out: Who needed 20,000 pounds of wood more than I did?" It turns out, PG&E took all 20,000 pounds of her timber. "Unfortunately, there was some miscommunication internally," PG&E spokesperson Paul Moreno said. "We take responsibility for what happened here." The company, whose equipment is responsible for sparking the Camp Fire according to a Cal Fire report, told wildfire victims they could keep the trees that the company felled by signing opt-out forms. "Unfortunately, we had a few cases where some of the opt-out forms where people wanted to keep the wood that we had cut on their properties wasn't processed and had been picked up," Moreno said. PG&E offered to replace Yoder's supplies but cannot locate her trees. "We're sorry. That's very unfortunate," Moreno said. "We don't want that sort of situation to happen." Moreno said Yoder is one of a handful of people whose timber was taken by their contractor. "We're all human and we all make mistakes," Yoder said. "But, I find peace in feeling that nobody goes out and intends to do something that's hurtful to someone." Moreno said the company is no longer working with the tree contractor because of these issues. "We're taking 91,000 hazardous trees and hauling away logs," he said. "It's unfortunate when errors have occurred. One is too many. But, we're committed to making it right for the customer." READ MORE: PG&E mistakenly takes Camp Fire victim's rebuilding supplies CHECK OUT KCRA: Stay informed. Get the latest Modesto, Stockton and Sacramento news and weather from the KCRA news team.


Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has insisted that his record breaking £89m transfer to Old Trafford in 2016 has seen him held to higher standards, while he claims that things like his 'haircut' and 'body language' only get picked up on if the team loses. Pogba led United in both goals (16) and assists (11) in 2018/19 and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, but was still heavily criticised over his performances. The 26-year-old's occasional flamboyant hairstyles have long brought criticism, with detractors claiming he isn't focused on his performances. A languid playing style has added to that. Yet Pogba insists that he has been playing like that his whole life, even winning a World Cup for France last summer doing it his way. "I always play like that and, thank God, I won the World Cup like that. Body language, haircut, all these things is just to speak," he told The Times . "Since I was a kid I play like this. It's not a problem when we win. Only when we lose or if I have a bad performance it becomes a problem." Pogba's 2016 return to United from Juventus saw him become the then most expensive player in history. The enormous price tag brought additional scrutiny, perhaps fairly so, and the player has suggested he has been 'judged differently'. "I become another player because of the transfer," he said. "Because it was the biggest transfer of history at the time, you get judged differently. You expect more because of the price tag. A good game becomes a normal game, a top game will be a good game." Pogba has been heavily linked with a big money move to Real Madrid or Juventus ahead of next season, although the latest gossip is that United will still refuse to sell . Even if United were willing to entertain offers, both Real and Juventus would likely have to first sell players in order to raise the funds required, with Real in particular rumoured to be at risk of breaching Financial Fair Play rules if they continue spending without selling.


So how's Andrew Cuomo doing as governor? According to the Siena College Research Institute poll released Tuesday, it's a mixed bag. While a majority of New Yorkers said Cuomo has made the state a better place to live, his favorability rating tells another tale. The Siena College Poll said 51 percent of New Yorkers, opposed to 39 percent, said the state is better than it was nine years ago when Cuomo first took office. But, Cuomo's favorability rating is down to 43 percent versus 50 percent. That is lower than it was in June (52 percent to 42 percent), matching his lowest-ever favorability rating. And his job performance rating is nothing to write home about. It hit its lowest level ever   34 percent to 64 percent   per the Siena College Poll. Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said the contradictory results show that "Democrats, black, Latino and Jewish voters and voters from New York City strongly agree he's made the state better." Republicans, however, say he's made the state worst. A plurality of independents and upstate residents agree, Greenberg said, while men, downstate suburbanites and white voters are closely divided. "Voters say Cuomo has put New York on the right track on protecting the rights of all New Yorkers, providing children with a quality public education and ensuring accessibility to affordable quality health care," he said. But they give Cuomo mixed grades on infrastructure and helping businesses. "A plurality say he's moved the state in the wrong direction on creating a fair tax structure and managing state government effectively," Greenberg said. This Siena College Poll was conducted between July 28 and Aug. 1 of 810 New York registered voters. It has an overall margin of error of +/-4.1 percent. For more information on the poll, go here .


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. Back in the 1980s, Donald Trump published his seminal business treatise, " The Art of the Deal ." Should he write a sequel about his presidency, he might accurately title it "The Art of the Cave." In recent weeks, President Trump's record has been a cornucopia of climbdowns. Not since the Paleolithic Period , perhaps, has a man had quite so much day-to-day caving experience. The White House had demanded $150 billion in cuts as part of current budget talks. But on Monday evening, Trump agreed to a deal that raised spending by $320 billion. The Post's Damian Paletta and Erica Werner labeled it a "significant retreat" for Trump, who got some accounting changes "that likely won't constrain any future spending." A few weeks ago, Trump declared that he was "moving forward" with efforts to put a citizenship question on the 2020 Census questionnaire despite a contrary Supreme Court ruling. But he then announced with fanfare that he would not, in fact, move forward. Was he backing down? "No, no," he said . "Not only didn't I back down, I backed up." Thanks for that clarification, sir. In May, Trump announced that he would "shortly" impose 25 percent tariffs on $325 billion of imported Chinese goods. But in late June, Trump announced he would not actually be imposing the tariffs "at least for the time being," and he set no deadline. Last month, Trump publicly vowed that "millions" would be deported following raids on immigrants living in the United States illegally. He postponed and rescheduled the raids, but the appointed day came and went with scant evidence that the threatened sweep had occurred. You might think that after caving so much, Trump would be tired of caving. But you would be wrong. After pronouncing that there is "no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea" and assuring that Kim Jong Un is "denuking the whole place," the Trump administration is reportedly prepared to let North Korea keep nuclear weapons. After being " cocked and loaded " for an attack on Iran following the downing of a U.S. drone, the president called off his own attack after he "thought about it for a second." After announcing last year that he would "end the dishonest double-dealing" that allows insurance middlemen to "pocket rebates" from drugmakers, his administration just withdrew the proposal , a cornerstone of its plan to reduce prescription prices. Not that caving is such a bad thing. When it comes to, say, defying the Supreme Court, we're better off that Trump reconsidered. After the president threatened to slap tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico, he sensibly retreated (claiming he had made a " secret deal " with the country). When his administration's policy separated child migrants from parents, Trump thankfully signed an order to reverse the practice. And after saying for weeks that he would keep the federal government closed if he didn't get funds for a border wall, he wised up and said he was " very proud " to reopen the government in January without wall funding. Some see political calculation in the caves. MSNBC's Ari Melber calls it a pattern of "tweet, hype but then fold" designed to stoke Trump's base by making it appear that extreme policies (such as mass deportation) are being implemented, even though Trump has no such plans. Possibly. But, as with all attempts to assign strategy to Trump's actions, this might give him too much credit. Trump gives no indication that he thinks at all before speaking or tweeting, and he resists even cursory preparation. During a meeting last week with 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad, the Yazidi woman told him the Islamic State had killed her family. Replied Trump : "Where are they now?" Rather, Trump's constant caving as president may come from misapplying the principles he outlined in "The Art of the Deal." There, he argued for playing it "very loose," and he attested that "you can create leverage" in negotiations by using "imagination"   that is, fabricating and bluffing. He boasted about creating the (false) impression that one of his casinos "was practically finished" when work had only just started. But bluffs and fabrications don't work as well for him as president, because his opponent, whether it's Speaker Nancy Pelosi or the Chinese government, knows which cards Trump holds. So Trump caves   and dissembles. The mass deportation raids really happened, he said . "You just didn't know about it." The all-important citizenship question isn't so important because "we're already finding out who the citizens are." The failure to get border-wall funding doesn't matter because it "is being built as we speak." The true Art of the Cave, then, is making it look as though you didn't cave at all. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbank's archive , follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook . Read more: John Burtka: Under Trump, a very different agenda for conservatives emerges James Downie: Stephen Miller lets the mask slip Henry Olsen: Conservatives are still grappling with the Trump era. And many haven't yet learned their lesson. Max Boot: What comes after Trump may be even worse


2020 Democratic hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris of California reiterated her support for impeachment proceedings against President Trump but admitted there is tension within the Democratic party over moving forward. In an interview with CBS News political correspondent Ed O'Keefe, Harris said that she believes impeachment is "the existential question." "This is the tension which is, do you stand to fight for these principles that were part of the   the spirit behind the design of our democracy, checks and balances, accountability?" Harris asked. "Or do you stand with strategy, which is what is the ultimate goal and if it's saying that this guy should not be in office and if this could hurt the chances of winning an election, should you hold off?" Harris is one of five 2020 candidates who have called for an impeachment inquiry, having first addressed the issue during a CNN Town Hall in April. Even at that time, the former California attorney general said she was a "realist" and that it was doubtful that Senate Republicans would back removing the president from office. She told CBS News that there were arguably 11 counts of obstruction of justice worth pursuing against Mr. Trump in the Mueller report. "If you also go on to read what's in these documents and including that memo, you will know that it leaves open explicitly the right of Congress and perhaps the duty, even, of Congress to act. And the way Congress then must act, is to take a look at this and open an inquiry into what exactly was the conduct and whether there should be accountability for that conduct," Harris said. According to the report released by the special counsel's office, Mr. Trump may have engaged in 10 "discreet acts" in which obstruction of justice may have occurred, including the president's termination of then-FBI chief James Comey. For Harris, the issue of impeachment also comes down to a personal decision: "This is a tension and I think each person is going to have to make a decision about where they stand. I have chosen to stand with the position that I believe the   the proceedings should begin."


Ducati's Alvaro Bautista took a dominant victory in the opening World Superbike race at Jerez as Jonathan Rea finished a provisional third after sending Alex Lowes into a crash. Rea converted his pole position into a Turn 1 lead but Bautista looked racy from the get-go and passed his rival at Turn 5 on the opening lap. Bautista then pulled away, with Rea only a few tenths slower initially, but the Kawasaki rider's pace soon deteriorated. Rea's deficit to Bautista was five seconds by lap 9 but the Northern Irishman had to turn his attention to the charging Yamahas of Michael van der Mark and Alex Lowes. Van der Mark quickly made a move at Turn 6 with Lowes also following suit a lap later but, while the Dutchman pulled away, Lowes couldn't shake Rea off. Bautista continued to pull away from van der Mark and eventually won his 12th WSBK race by 7.1s, with the latter completing a similarly lonely race in second. Lowes and Rea meanwhile engaged in a thrilling battle, the duo switching positions numerous times. Lowes looked to have made the decisive move at Turn 13 on lap 15, but Rea stayed close to him and made a desperate move at the final corner of the race. But Lowes crashed as a result of the incident, with Rea crossing the line third. The incident is currently under investigation. GRT Yamaha and Puccetti Kawasaki riders Marco Melandri and Toprak Razgatlioglu had a race-long battle for fifth - which became fourth after the Lowes crash - with the Italian eventually winning the duel. BMW's Tom Sykes finished sixth followed by Chaz Davies (Ducati), Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha), Leon Haslam (Kawasaki) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Barni Ducati). Ten Kate Yamaha scored four points with Loris Baz in 12th, as Yuki Takahashi, Leon Camier's replacement at Honda, crashed at Turn 1. ClaRiderBikeTime 1 Alvaro Bautista Ducati - 2 Michael van der Mark Yamaha 7.119 3 Jonathan Rea Kawasaki 15.323 4 Marco Melandri Yamaha 19.951 5 Toprak Razgatlioglu Kawasaki 20.107 6 Tom Sykes BMW 23.096 7 Chaz Davies Ducati 26.834 8 Sandro Cortese Yamaha 29.526 9 Leon Haslam Kawasaki 29.707 10 Michael Ruben Rinaldi Ducati 31.218 11 Markus Reiterberger BMW 31.999 12 Loris Baz Yamaha 36.824 13 Leandro Mercado Kawasaki 46.045 14 Tommy Bridewell Ducati 47.804 15 Alessandro Del Bianco Honda 52.105 16 Alex Lowes Yamaha 55.046 17 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda 55.795 Jordi Torres Kawasaki Yuki Takahashi Honda View full results


The winners of Motorsport Live's competition to win tickets for Formula 1's French Grand Prix this weekend have been announced. A prize draw was conducted via social media in the build-up to the Paul Ricard event, with the winners all receiving pairs of tickets for the Le Beausset grandstand   allowing them to enjoy the action in Sunday's race from the dramatic long right-hander that feeds the cars into the final complex of corners. The winners are Juliette Morin, Heloise Albert, Adriano Cicretti, Jahnin Burgada, Teiva Gasnier and Patrick Richaud from the French draw, and Jordan Coyles, Sarah Malonga, Catriona Crick and Matt Darnell from the UK draw. Tickets for the French GP are still available, click here for more details and to purchase. The French GP returned to the F1 calendar at Paul Ricard last year after a decade off the schedule, and produced a highly eventful race won by eventual champion Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton arrives at Ricard this weekend looking for a fourth straight race victory to bolster his championship lead, but under renewed pressure from Ferrari after only a controversial penalty in Montreal stopped Sebastian Vettel halting Mercedes' 2019 domination a fortnight ago. Read Also: Promoted: What to expect from the French Grand Prix


The Dallas Cowboys are set to release wide receiver Allen Hurns right before the start of training camp. The #Cowboys are releasing WR Allen Hurns, who broke his fibula in gruesome fashion last season. - Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 23, 2019 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter , the Cowboys were hoping to retain Hurns at a lower price than they signed him last offseason but instead released him. Dallas' loss could open up the door for the Baltimore Ravens to swoop in. The Ravens showed interest in Hurns last offseason but he instead signed with the Cowboys. Now, Hurns enters a free agent market that has been picked over, with many teams having their rosters situated and salary cap space spent. Baltimore has used that situation to their benefit before, bringing in guys they wanted on bargain deals. It's something they should do once again with Hurns. Hurns joined Dallas with the hopes of breaking out. While Hurns has the talent, he didn't produce very much in the Cowboys' deep offense. Hurns caught just 20 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns last season before suffering a gruesome broken ankle in the wild-card game against the Seattle Seahawks that required surgery to repair. Hurns has recovered well, however. He returned to individual drills during Dallas' mandatory minicamp and is expected to be fully ready for the regular season. Given Baltimore's woes at wide receiver, a player of Hurns' capabilities could be a huge boost for the offense. Hurns has a history of injury, missing 12 games over four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. When on the field, he wasn't helped by Jacksonville's rather inconsistent quarterback play. But at his best, Hurns offers big-play potential, catching 64 passes for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015. Of his 64 receptions that season, 13 were deep throws that went 20-plus yards through the air, according to Pro Football Focus . Hurns also added 346 yards after the catch, showing he's capable of turning even shorter passes into big plays. With first-round rookie Marquise Brown rehabbing from a Lisfranc injury and little proven talent at wide receiver , Hurns could be Baltimore's short-term answer. At the very least, Hurns would bring more talent to a wide receiver corps that is still very much unsettled entering training camp. And with an estimated $11.6 million in cap space available, Baltimore should have the money to make a deal. If the Ravens can lure Hurns to town on a one-year, prove-it deal for a bargain, they'd be foolish not to. MORE: NBA trade rumor rankings: What's up with CP3? The Twins pulled off a beautiful triple play against the Yankees and fans loved it The 21 dumbest ideas in NFL history Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop Terry Bradshaw: Odell Beckham's criticism of Giants is 'crazy'


One of the biggest winners of the All-NBA teams being released on Thursday was Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak was named first-team All-NBA, making it three seasons in a row that he has been named to one of the All-NBA teams (he was named second team in the previous two seasons). One of the stipulations of the Designated Veteran Player Extension aka "supermax" contract is that if a qualified player makes one of the All-NBA teams in the most recent season or previous two seasons before being eligible to sign the contract, he would be able to sign for 35 percent of the salary cap. Antetokounmpo currently has six years of service. After next season, he would have seven years of service and one year left on his current contract, which would make him a qualified player for a five-year max contract extension. Having made the All-NBA team last year and this year means he's automatically qualified for a supermax contract even if he does not make an All-NBA team next season. If he signs the supermax, such a deal would give him the largest contract in NBA history. ESPN's Bobby Marks did the math on it and shares the projected financial figures   it would be a five-year contract worth around $247.3 million. Earning All-NBA for a second consecutive season now has Giannis Antetokounmpo eligible in the summer of 2020 to sign the largest contract in NBA history. The five-year extension starting in 2021-22 would be worth $247.3M and carry a $42.6, $46.0, $49.5, $52.9 and $56.3M cap hit.   Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 23, 2019 Giannis has developed into an MVP candidate and one of the best players in the league. His work ethic is also incredible . Though he would be costly, he would be deserving of the contract, and Milwaukee would probably be only too happy to sign him long term.


BERLIN   The leader of Germany's center-left Social Democrats, a junior party in Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition, is resigning after an election debacle in the European Parliament vote. Andrea Nahles said in a statement Sunday that she wanted "clarity" after questions were raised in recent weeks about her ability to lead the party, showing she lacked members' support. Nahles said she will be stepping down from her post as chairwoman of the Social Democrats and leader of its parliamentary faction, to ensure that her successors are found "in an orderly fashion." The Social Democrats fell to third place behind Merkel's center-right Union bloc and the Greens in last month's European Parliament election in Germany.


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Jose Ramirez is finding his swing and it's no surprise that's leading to Cleveland's best stretch of the season. Ramirez hit a go-ahead homer in the 14th inning and the Indians held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Thursday night in a game that lasted just shy of five hours and finished after midnight. It was Ramirez's sixth home run in July, topping his combined total (five) from the first three months of the season. Cleveland is 15-4 this month, the second-best record in the majors. ''He's starting to feel good about himself. It's good, that's welcome. Those are games that you win because of that, that maybe you don't (before),'' Indians manager Terry Francona said. Ramirez also doubled twice and upped his batting average to a season-high .240. After beginning the year in an extended slump, the third baseman has heated up in July, hitting .338 this month. Jake Bauers singled home Jason Kipnis later in the 14th off Brian Flynn (2-2) to add an insurance run - and Cleveland needed it. A.J. Cole earned his first save since May 15, 2015, in his second major league appearance. After allowing the first three batters to reach, Cole retired the next three in order, striking out Bubba Starling to end the game. Kansas City got a run in the 14th on Jorge Soler's sacrifice fly. ''A.J. was put in a really tough spot,'' Francona said. ''He hadn't pitched in about a week. All of a sudden, you're asking him to close out a game. He knuckled down and got them.'' Francisco Lindor homered on the first pitch of the night for the Indians, who remained two games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central. Nick Goody (2-0) threw two scoreless innings for the win. Cleveland's bullpen worked 8 2/3 innings, allowing just one run and four hits. ''When you can get into the 14th inning and every one of our guys out there in the bullpen is throwing up zeros, I mean, that's huge,'' Goody said. ''That's what championship teams are made of.'' Adam Plutko pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits while making his second consecutive start against the Royals. Lindor hit his 17th home run but Hunter Dozier answered in the bottom of the first with his 16th of the season, a two-run shot to put Kansas City up 2-1. The Indians scored twice in the sixth to briefly take a 3-2 lead before the Royals tied it in the bottom half. Neither bullpen flinched for the next seven innings. Josh Staumont pitched out of jams in the 11th and 12th to throw two scoreless innings in his big league debut for the Royals. ''There are very few things in life that you do for the very first time and you've put a lot of dedication, blood, sweat and tears into,'' Staumont said. ''When it comes to fruition, even if it's just as simple as standing there for the first time, it's definitely an experience that you can't put into words.'' Kevin McCarthy and Scott Barlow also tossed two scoreless innings apiece. Starling had a career-high three hits and has a nine-game hitting streak dating to his second career game. Mike Montgomery matched his longest outing of the season, pitching five innings and giving up one run on five hits in his second start for the Royals since coming over in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. Since July 15, Royals starters are 6-2 with a 2.45 ERA. ''I thought I made some good strides from the last one,'' Montgomery said. ''Definitely a long way to go. Physically, I'm starting to get my legs under me a little bit better.'' TRAINER'S ROOM Indians: Tyler Naquin was out of the lineup for a third straight game with a tight right hamstring. Naquin did some running in the outfield pregame to test out the muscle. Francona said after the game that Naquin will play Friday. ... Dan Otero (right shoulder inflammation) threw one inning Wednesday for Triple-A Columbus, but reported to the team Thursday that he still didn't feel right. Francona said the Indians are trying to figure out what the next step is. UP NEXT The Royals and Indians play the second of their four-game series Friday night. Zach Plesac (4-3) starts for Cleveland, and Kansas City will hand the ball to Jakob Junis (6-8), who was placed on the paternity list Wednesday for the birth of his third child. Junis is pitching as well as he has at any point in his career, allowing just three runs in 20 innings over his last three starts. Plesac will make his second straight start against the Royals. He was the winning pitcher Sunday, tossing six innings of two-run ball. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


The Obama administration has the highest approval rating of any country in the world among foreign citizens, according to a new poll conducted by Gallup. Forty-five percent of those polled approved of U.S. leadership, down one percentage point from 2013. Russia had the lowest global approval rating, at just 22 percent. This is down two percentage points from 2013. Russian approval ratings have lagged behind those of the U.S., China, E.U., Germany and Russia since 2007, but in 2014 the gap grew wider; Russia was the only country with more disapprovals than approvals. The nine countries with the highest level of disapproval of Russia were in Europe, and five of those are NATO members. Russian President Vladimir Putin's European neighbors have become increasingly frustrated with his country's advances into Ukrainian territory . Putin continues to deny that Russia is fueling the unrest in Eastern Ukraine following his annexation of the Ukrainian province of Crimea last year. Only 5 percent of Ukrainians approved of Russian leadership in 2014, which marks a 42 percentage point drop from 2013. Americans had a 12 percent approval rating of Putin in 2014, a decrease of 11 percentage points from the previous year. In Russia, 82 percent disapproved of U.S. leadership and 70 percent disapproved of E.U. leadership. Following Russia, the highest disapproval of the U.S. comes from the Palestinian Territories, at 72 percent. The Palestinian Territories also have high disapproval of the E.U. leadership, at 53 percent, and German leadership, at 67 percent. Palestinians have consistently been road blocked by the international community in its attempts to seek statehood. The U.S. and Germany are both staunch Israeli allies, and the U.S. has been particularly defensive of Israel in the U.N. In December, the U.S. voted against a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have required establishment of a Palestinian State by 2017. The U.S. supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the last round of peace talks collapsed a year ago. The current political environment won't allow for resumption any time soon , so the Palestinians have resorted to other measures, like joining the International Criminal Court, in an attempt to move toward statehood. China's overall approval rating remains at 29 percent, unchanged from the previous two years. Gallup does not ask Chinese residents their opinion on their own government or foreign governments "because of the sensitive nature of the question" in the Communist country. The 10 countries with the highest approval of China are all in Africa, with Mali having the highest rating at 86 percent. The five countries with the highest disapproval of China are all European. Gallup polled approximately 1,000 adults aged 15 or older in 135 countries or areas in the U.S., Germany and Russia and 136 countries or areas in the European Union and China. The study has a sampling error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report


Imagine this bike on a wide, open road to adventure. There are few bikes which can rival the comfort and convenience of this 2017 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide . This particular bike is in excellent condition, plus it has a sinister yet classic look everyone loves. Thanks to American Motorcycle Trading Company , one lucky person will be using it for some weekend fun. The black paint job on this motorcycle's body looks amazing. Chrome on the lower forks, exhaust pipes, and other details adds a nice contrast that really makes this bike pop. A short tinted windscreen only makes things better. You also get an engine guard, saddlebag guards, rider floorboards, plus adjustable passenger pegs. One-touch saddlebag latches make getting to your stuff easy More Motorcycles Relive The Glory Days On This 1970 Honda CL175K4 Scrambler Stunning Classic Indian Barn Find Collection Up For Auction With a mere 7,876 miles on the odometer, this Harley-Davidson is ready to roll. Sitting low and hitting hard is a 114ci Milwaukee-Eight Big Twin with electronic sequential port fuel injection. A solid six-speed transmission shifts smooth and is perfect for passing at highway speeds. What's more, this engine uses a quiet and low-maintenance belt drive system. There's also a Screaming Eagle breather for greater performance. ABS brakes keep all that power under control, especially if you need to stop in a hurry. Thanks to the LED headlight, this bike is quite visible at night, plus you enjoy even forward illumination, even on dark roads. While it has those classic lines, this Harley-Davidson comes packed with all the modern amenities. A 6.5-inch touchscreen helps you to manage the sound system and navigation. There's an advanced smart security system which automatically detects the key fob, so you only need to press a button to fire up that engine. Electronic cruise control really helps when you get out of the city and away from heavy traffic. There are even heated handgrips, so you don't suffer when riding in the cold. Harley-Davidson has dominated much of the motorcycle market in North America by providing stylish, classic looks and easy riding dynamics for its bikes. When the 2017 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide debuted, it was praised for amazing power coupled with an urban cool appearance.