The year was 1995. Mariah Carey's 'Fantasy' was on top of the Billboard Hot 100. Get Shorty , starring John Travolta and Rene Russo, was No. 1 at the box office . And that October, the Braves brought a World Series win to Atlanta. Atlanta United did win a championship in 2018, which was just its second season of existence. That kind of instant gratification is foreign to Atlanta sports fans who aren't also, I don't know, Alabama fans or something, too. We're all much more accustomed to the waiting, the suffering, the remembering the good old days when the Braves won the World Series and I definitely still had that Rachel haircut from Friends. The teams in this city have a ton of talent and potential right now, and since we're still outside of training camp, we have the luxury of fantasizing about the possibility of actually winning a Lombardi Trophy. I don't need to tell any of you how great that would be. I would legitimately never, ever stop talking trash to Saints fans. I long for this day. And the Falcons do have the talent to do it. They've got the best receiving corps in football, hands down. Devonta Freeman , when healthy, should be a plus, and the investments along the offensive line should let Matt Ryan have another dominant season. The defense should be dramatically improved with guys like Deion Jones , Keanu Neal , and Ricardo Allen back on the field. On paper, this is a team that can get it done. They're not the only team in Atlanta who could, though. The Braves are an absolute delight to watch most of the time, and they've got a healthy lead over the Nationals in the NL East right now. There's a lot of season left to go, but with guys like Ronald Acuña, Austin Riley, Freddie Freeman , and   hell, honestly most of the roster   this team has a legitimate shot to win with this crew, as long as the pitching doesn't fall apart. I'm an Ohio native and a Cavs fan since 1985 (which is a lot less fun when LeBron James plays for the Lakers, just so you know), so I went to our own Adnan Ikic for an outlook on the Hawks championship chances for this season. Unfortunately, he said the chances are slim. I'd give the Braves a better shot at a championship before the Hawks. The WNBA Finals aren't until September, but the Dream have a lot of ground to cover if they're going to be the next Atlanta team to win a championship. They're currently dead last in the Eastern Conference. The MLS season is also in full swing, and Atlanta United haven't looked as sharp this season. They are the reigning MLS champions, but I don't think we can bank on a repeat. If I had to guess, and looking at this roster and the performance of the rest of the National League, I'd say the Braves are in the best position to bring home a championship next. The Falcons should be in the mix this season if everyone stays healthy, too, but I think I'm still too hurt from Super Bowl LI to be overly hopeful. For the rest of the teams, fans may be waiting a while for a championship. At least Atlanta fans are generally used to it. Which Atlanta team do you think will bring home a 'ship next? Vote in our poll, and tell us why in the comments below.


A Hard Knocks announcement is due soon and a reminder of the five teams that are ineligible to say no: * 49ers * Giants * Lions * Raiders * Redskins - Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 28, 2019 The Washington Redskins are one of five teams unable to decline an invite to be on the next running of HBO's Hard Knocks. A decision on which team gets the nod is expected soon, as ESPN's Field Yates pointed out. The Redskins would certainly make for entertaining television given the dynamic at quarterback with the recovering Alex Smith and rookie Dwayne Haskins, not to mention guys returning from injury like Derrius Guice. That said, it's hard to imagine the show doesn't go to the Oakland Raiders, a team with Jon Gruden, Antonio Brown and Vontaze Burfict, to name a few. No matter which way it goes, the speculation should end soon. MORE: Draymond Green to LeBron James' 14-Year-Old Son: "I'm at Your F--king Neck This Summer" 'Jeopardy' star James Holzhauer's SpongeBob knowledge helps him near Ken Jennings' record Louis Riddick: 'Dwayne Haskins is twice the thrower of Robert Griffin III' Carson Wentz, DeSean Jackson are quickly developing a lethal chemistry Packers should have one of NFL's most improved secondaries in 2019


Looking for a tasty Belgian meal near you? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end Belgian restaurants around Washington, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to meet your needs. 1. Marcel's Topping the list is Marcel's . Located at 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (between North 24th and North 25th streets), it is the highest-rated high-end Belgian-inspired restaurant in Washington, boasting 4.5 stars out of 471 reviews on Yelp. The prix fixe dinner options are a four-course vegetarian menu, a three-course a la carte menu or seven courses. Menu items change daily. Examples listed include lobster ravioli and sauteed Maryland soft shell crab. 2. Brasserie Beck Next up is another Chef Robert Wiedmaier restaurant, Brasserie Beck , situated at 1101 K St. NW. With four stars out of 1,350 reviews on Yelp, the Belgian and modern European restaurant has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge. The brasserie-style menu features braised short rib, wiener schnitzel, Belgian frites, oysters, clams and shrimp, and moules bolognese with ground beef and veal, sauteed vegetables, bucatini and tomato sauce. 3. Et Voila The Palisades' Et Voila , located at 5120 MacArthur Blvd. NW (between North Dana and North Edmunds places), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the fancy Belgian-French bistro four stars out of 225 reviews. The dinner menu features Flemish beef stew simmered in dark beer, moules with tomatoes, shallots and lobster bisque, baked snails in garlic butter and Belgian endive salad. Desserts include profiteroles and Brussels chocolate waffle. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


On Sunday, Phil Mickelson returned to social media after a brief hiatus, which he said was a byproduct of him not being pleased with his play of late and thus not wanting to be in the public eye. He then went on to explain how he had gone through a "hard reset," which entailed a six-day fasting period in which Mickelson lost 15 pounds drinking only water and the magical coffee creation that he swears by. RELATED: Phil Mickelson says the realization likely is 'that I'm not going to win a U.S. Open' The drastic and immediate lifestyle change is one Mickelson hopes aids a bounce back of sorts. After winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and appearing poised for a strong year, the five-time major winner has missed six of his last 12 cuts, finishing inside the top 20 only once (T-18 at the Masters). Back at Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open, the prevailing thought was this was Lefty's last great chance at the career Grand Slam. At one under through 36 holes, he was somewhat in the mix, but promptly ejected on Saturday with a four-over 75, eventually finishing in a tie for 52nd. That was the only cut he's made in his last four starts. Perhaps the "hard reset" could be exactly what Mickelson needs to snap out of this late-season funk, and the Open Championship always presents an opportunity for golf's old guard to contend for a late-career major. Mickelson won this event in stunning fashion at the age of 43 in 2013 at Muirfield, then nearly pulled it off again as a 46-year-old in 2016 at Royal Troon. It would be very Mickelsonian to conjure some magic this week at Royal Portrush. But we wouldn't suggest running to the betting window and getting Mickelson at his current 110-1 odds , at least judging by the comments he made on Tuesday in Northern Ireland. "I'm not happy with the way I've been on the course [and] off the course," he told Sky Sports News. "I'm not happy with my focus, my fitness, my nutrition, a lot of the things. So I am trying to change the things that I control. I'm certainly not happy with the way that I've been playing. I've got to start with just the things that I can control, and I don't have many expectations this week." This doesn't sound like the same Mickelson who many refer to as "FIGJAM" (Google it) on social media. Though, as confident as Lefty often sounds, he also rarely kids himself, opting for blunt honesty about the state of his game. "I'm here because I love playing. I love this tournament. I love playing links golf," Mickelson said. "I'm here to enjoy the challenge of the tournament and just kind of get back into the way I like to play, which is more of a swinging of the club and free style and not being so tight and controlling. So I'm really not worried about the result so much." We'll find out just how freely Mickelson is swinging the club on Thursday at 7:52 a.m. local, 2:52 a.m. ET, when he tees it up in his 26th Open Championship alongside Ireland's Shane Lowry and South Africa's Branden Grace. If he can get some early momentum, much like he did in 2016, there's no reason he can't contend. But if he's erratic from the start, it's more than likely that he won't be around for the weekend. RELATED: The genius of Phil Mickelson's swing


A group of Milwaukee teenagers, fed up with a rash of carjackings, have produced two videos confronting the problem. The campaign called "Jack a car, jack up your life" was launched Tuesday with a "roadside memorial" to remember victims of carjackings and a screening of the videos at Running Rebels Community Organization on West Fond Du Lac Ave. The short films were produced with help from UniteMKE, Ignite Change and the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention. Quavana Harris, a 17-year-old Milwaukee Madison High School junior, hopes the videos make would-be teen carjackers think twice. "When they go to steal a car, maybe they will think, 'I don't want to go to jail. I don't want to have this on my record. I don't want to die,'" Harris said. RELATED: Teens create public service announcement warning of dangers of carjacking Harris was seriously injured in a car crash in December 2017 after she got a ride to a store in a car she didn't realize was stolen. After a high-speed chase with police, the car crashed near West Locust Street and West Fond du Lac Avenue, claiming her boyfriend's life. Harris suffered extensive injuries. "All I remember is waking up in the hospital, on so much medication I couldn't feel my body," she said. Now, she says, "I'm doing good   I'm doing real good actually. I really wasn't supposed to walk at all." Victor Barnett Jr., a 15-year-old junior at Brown Deer High School, said the teens decided to try to speak directly to other teens about the problem through the videos. Studies have shown that positive peer pressure can be effective in changing teenage behavior. "A lot of it is happening in the neighborhoods that the teenagers … live in," he said. "It impacts us all. We decided we needed to find a way to bring awareness to the issue." The videos will be shared over social media by the teens and their friends; a social media sharing contest is planned, said Heather Perkins, executive director of Ignite Change, a social cause advertising agency in Milwaukee. They also can be found at the website jackacarjackupyourlife.org . David D. Haynes is editor of the Ideas Lab. He reports on innovation in business and government and on government transparency. Email: david.haynes@jrn.com . Follow him on Twitter at @DavidDHaynes or Facebook . This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee teens create videos aimed at deterring carjacking


CHICAGO (CBS)   The weather could put a damper on the July 4th fireworks at Navy Pier, and city officials aren't taking any chances with possible storms in the forecast. Last year, there was chaos along the lakefront when storms moved in after the fireworks, and people who didn't know where to take cover scrambled to find shelter. Navy Pier and city officials said they are working with the National Weather Service to monitor Thursday's conditions, with chances of scattered showers and storms Thursday night. "Navy Pier can hold about 60,000 people, and they can all shelter in place at Navy Pier, within the confines of the pier itself. Early notification is something that we're going to try to get ahead of, and make sure we get the word out," Office of Emergency Management and Communication executive director Rich Guidice said. Authorities also have designated the Navy Pier parking garage as a shelter in case of severe weather. With concrete walls and no windows, it's a prime spot for taking cover if powerful storms move in. Also a concern are potential burns, injuries, and fires from people shooting off their own fireworks. City officials reminded everyone fireworks are illegal in Illinois. "Please take the time to go to not only Navy Pier for our beautiful fireworks presentation, but also the surrounding communities that have presentations of fireworks available," Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Richard Ford III said. Another safety concern is possible violent crime. To guard against that, police are deploying 1,500 additional officers over the holiday weekend. "Our deployments will target areas where we expect the most people to be gathering; such as the beaches, lakefronts, and parks. Officers will also increase patrols in the city's many vibrant neighborhoods. These officers will be out on foot patrol, as well on bikes and in their police vehicles," Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said. Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged people to take public transportation to get around on Thursday. She said CTA cameras will be monitored live by police throughout the holiday weekend.


Paris Saint-Germain have reignited their interest in Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye after failing to sign the player in January. Thomas Tuchel's side had a £27m bid for the player rejected in January, but is now said to be interested in signing the midfielder once again as he looks to strengthen PSG's under-par midfield. According to a report from French media outlet Paris United, the former Borussia Dortmund boss is insistent on signing the Everton ace, but the Liverpool based club are demanding a whooping £45m for the 29-year-old. PSG are in desperate need for a central midfielder and Gueye is believed to fit perfectly into the French side's system. The Merseyside club, however, will not let the former Lille player go easily. They were demanding big many in the winter and their stance has not changed since then, despite the fact they forked out £22m to secure the services of Andre Gomes this summer. The Toffees are said to be in no rush to sell Gueye as he is contracted at the Goodison Park until 2022. Everton are demanding €50m for Idrissa Gueye this summer. Thomas Tuchel has his heart set on the midfielder. (Paris United) https://t.co/Ewu4WlyhTl pic.twitter.com/vZNHlpWXsR   Royal Blue Mersey (@RBMersey) July 10, 2019 The 29-year-old player joined Everton from Aston Villa in 2016 and has made 108 appearances in all competitions for the club so far. He has also become one of the most important players for Marco Silva's side who are unsurprisingly unwilling to let him go.


If you love live music, there's no time like the present when it comes to getting out and about in Minneapolis. From a rooftop concert series to a reggae music event, here are the local shows worth checking out this week. 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. Hewing presents Al Church's Birthday Bash From the event description: Birthday bash concert featuring the one and only Al Church. We've got a reason to celebrate in this installment of Hewing's Rooftop Concert Series: It's Al's birthday! Come enjoy a night on the rooftop with one of our favorite local bands. When: Friday, June 7, 7-10 p.m. Where: Hewing Hotel, 300 N. Washington Ave. Price: $15 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets The Brilliance Presents: World Keeps Spinning From the event description: The Brilliance creates art that inspires empathy. Their acoustic-electronic, symphonic-pop songs invite you to step outside yourself; to see the world through the eyes of the other, the stranger, those you may consider your enemy. When: Friday, June 7, 7:30 p.m. Where: The Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave. Price: $19.50 for general admission; $45 for VIP Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Summer Reggae Sunsplash From the event description: Summer Reggae Sunsplash featuring International Reggae All Stars. Special Guests will be Innocent & Singing Tony. When: Friday, June 7, 9:30 p.m. Where: The Cabooze, 917 Cedar Ave. South Price: $7 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Michael Cohen , former attorney for President Donald Trump , apparently reneged on his admissions for some of his alleged crimes, indicating that he only pleaded guilty to avoid dragging his wife through a prolonged legal battle. The revelations came from a recorded March 25 phone call he had with actor and Cohen's close friend Tom Arnold , the audio of which The Wall Street Journal obtained and published Wednesday. Although Cohen reportedly stood by his plea on campaign finance violations, which implicated the president over his alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels , he appeared to reverse admissions related to tax evasion and a charge related to a home equity line of credit (HELOC). "There is no tax evasion," Cohen said. "And the HELOC? I have an 18 percent loan-to-value on my home. How could there be a HELOC issue?" Cohen portrayed himself as a victim   noting how he lost his insurance, business, and law license   and lamented the lack of support he received after coming forward to law enforcement. "I shouldn't be alone anymore. I mean, after over a hundred hours of testimony, right, including seven-and-a-half hours of being beaten up on national television," he said. MICHAEL COHEN ASKS HOUSE DEMOCRATS TO HELP KEEP HIM OUT OF PRISON He also described his dedication to his wife, Laura Shusterman, and his intent to help her avoid legal trouble. "I love this woman. I am not going to let her get dragged into the mud of this crap," he said before noting he wasn't expecting the three-year sentence he received. Cohen's name made its way back into the news in April when Special Counsel Robert Mueller released his report on the Russia investigation. Mueller's report made 14 criminal referrals , which included Cohen, who admitted to paying Daniels hush money just before the 2016 presidential election. While Trump has denied wrongdoing related to that payment and another to Karen McDougal, Cohen stood by his guilty plea. "They had me on campaign finance," he said in the call with Arnold. During his call, Cohen appeared to describe the conflict he faced in turning on the president, whom he had served for a decade. "I needed to get the truth out there, and (it's) very hard when you spend 10 years taking care of somebody and their family," Cohen told Arnold. MICHAEL COHEN LAWYER ATTEMPTS TO CLARIFY TESTIMONY ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL PARDON, AMID CRITICISM "And look, I always knew, you know, who he was and what he was and so on, but it didn't really matter because it's   he's a small microcosm of New York real estate. It's very different when you start looking to seeing what's happening now in the country," he said. Former mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump's new attorney, labeled Cohen's walkback "poetic justice." "Since Cohen began composing for the Angry Democrats he has demonstrably lied under oath in his guilty plea and his testimony to Elijah 'I'll throw the book at you' Cummings," Giuliani said in another tweet. "Report ignores all of this and provides no facts to evaluate Cohen's credibility. One of many deceptions," he said in an apparent dig at the Journal. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Cohen's attorney, Lanny Davis, told Fox News: "Nothing said by Mr. Cohen to Tom Arnold contradicts Mr. Cohen's previous defense attorney, Guy Petrillo, in his sentencing memorandum to the presiding federal U.S. District Court Judge William H. Pauley III back in December. I would also add the important words used by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and others, in describing Michael Cohen's cooperation and testimony as 'credible' addressing the 'core' issues involved in his investigation." The White House did not respond for a request for comment.


Want to up your game when it comes to health and wellness? From a yoga discussion to a fun run, there's plenty to do when it comes to holistic activities to enrich your week. Read on for a rundown. 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. What Yoga Looks Like: A Conversation on Wellness Spaces From the event description: Connect with the yogis of Boston during this open-minded conversation on Saturday. Discuss the impact and influence of yoga and how it's portrayed in the media. this event is open to all ages and yoga levels. When: Saturday, June 15, 8:30-10 a.m. Where: Athleta, 92 Newbury St. Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Sam Adams Brewery Fun Run From the event description: Run for beer this Saturday during a Fun Run hosted by the Boston favorite, Sam Adams. Organized by Marathon Sports , this event combines exercise with free brewery tours. All endurance levels are welcome to to the Fun Run. When: Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m.-noon Where: Samuel Adams, 30 Germania St. Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Family Restoration Day 2019 From the event description: Advocate for community healing during the 6th annual Family Restoration Day. Join Propa City Community Outreach in their mission to improve the health and wellness of families. When: Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: Dr. Loesch Family Park, Brent Street Price: Free (FRD Ticket For One); Free (Family Ticket) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Parking in Boston can be tough, especially during popular events. To find free or cheap parking and to book parking in advance, see this map of Boston parking from SpotAngels. And to get there by public transportation, check the MTBA's website for nearby stations and schedules. This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The remake's never better than the original, is it? Zinedine Zidane came back to Real Madrid in March after a much shorter sabbatical than he'd intended, resplendent in the jeans of a man 20 years younger and looking to inject that rejuvenation into a flagging squad at the Bernabeu. The first two months were a write-off, and that was acceptable. There was nothing for Los Blancos to challenge for, no trophies to win, no danger of a Champions League spot being stolen away. Five wins in 11 games? Affected nothing material. Real Madrid with and without Thibaut Courtois starting in LaLiga last season For more player stats -- https://t.co/Z6Uyms1eqG pic.twitter.com/aak5cpqeWv   WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) July 29, 2019 Still, it was a chastening end to the season for the man who had, in his first spell at the helm, what the Spanish might call 'un flor en el culo'. Everything, in short, turned out right for him. The second half of the season was all leading up to the summer, to the transfer window, to the rebuild. Club president Florentino Perez promised Zidane the world to try and bring him back; money, control, free rein over...well, everything. If Zidane wanted it, Perez said, he would get it. What Zidane wanted was Paul Pogba , and to be well rid of Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez. He wanted the board to back him on the transfer targets he asked them for. Fast forward to the dying embers of pre-season and Zidane doesn't have Paul Pogba, the club actively nixed an exit for Bale, and James is in the squad and looks like spending his first season playing in the famous white shirt since 2016/17. |  | John Toshack gave Gareth Bale his first start for Wales but doesn't hold back in his criticism of the player at Real Madrid. (BBC) pic.twitter.com/yjSIyynvl9   Eleven Sports (@ElevenSports_UK) July 30, 2019 Not only has Pogba not arrived, but the club have been actively circulating the Christian Eriksen 'interest' stories. Zidane isn't interested in the Spurs midfielder   the club are; as a cheaper alternative to Pogba, who will cost more money than they're willing to spend. The honeymoon didn't last long. Money's been spent though; €300m of it. That's positive. Only one of the new signings is likely to start the season in the team. That's...less promising, even if the likes of Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy weren't brought in as impact signings. Zidane won't care in the long term, but the failure to sell James and Bale is verging on ruinous. The club have recouped barely a third of their €300m outlay through sales, and their astronomical wage bill is higher than it was at the start of the summer. Real don't have a magical money tree at this point, more a semi-bare spare change shrub. So things haven't gone well off the pitch this summer. That's okay though, because it's the on-pitch stuff that really matters. Stuff like---like---oh, they lost 7-3 to Atletico Madrid, 3-1 to Bayern, absolutely can't find a place in the formation for €60m summer signing Luka Jovic to look even remotely competent, and have lost a resurgent Marco Asensio to an ACL injury for most of the coming campaign. Eden Hazard 'arrived at Real Madrid overweight' with club chiefs now having 'no confidence' in the £150m star as Zinedine Zidane's nightmare summer continues https://t.co/lWe9LIiou3 pic.twitter.com/sUqTH03ahC   MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) July 29, 2019 Mendy and Jovic are injured too. So that's good. And Thibaut Courtois. It's great. The only tiny, miniature silver lining is that Asensio's injury removes the headache for Zidane of having to fit him, Hazard and Vinicius into one spot on the left. And Rodrygo. And Bale too, seeing as it's his preferred position and he's staying now. So...that's helpful. 'Disaster' is relative. Real aren't exactly going to get relegated   they'll probably finish in the top three and qualify from their Champions League group, the kind of season most teams around Europe would kill for. For Real though, where dropping even a hair behind Barcelona is a polemic and falling behind Atleti is unthinkable, a second consecutive third place finish would be a full-scale, stock-up-on-flashlights-and-petrol disaster. Zidane: "Hijueputa sin valor, k tu rompes la pierna, vete al carajo burro inútil" Bale: "Sounds like you've said some things there, bruv" pic.twitter.com/pe74HyZrHz   A West (@ayyy_west) July 28, 2019 Reading too much into pre-season performance levels is a mug's game, but when a team are struggling to tactically accommodate a new €60m signing, that's a more extendable problem. And when things are as tense off the pitch as they always are at Real, trouble's usually looming. Want a not-especially-bold prediction? Zidane leaves this season, and possibly not very long into it. Never go back...


There are so many mice on the Farallon Islands that sometimes the ground appears to be undulating, a gently rolling tide of rodents. The mice do not belong on the Farallones, an archipelago 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco. They are tiny interlopers, descended from the escapees off seal-hunting ships in the 1800s. Since then, they have proliferated. There are tens of thousands of them, converging on what scientists say is one of the highest densities of rodents anywhere in the world. They eat insects, depriving native salamanders of their diet. Owls come to the islands to eat the mice, and then start preying on the Ashy storm petrel, half of whose global population of 8,000 lives in the Farallones. They're spreading invasive plants on their fur, too. In short, they are destroying the unique ecosystem, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now the subject of national headlines for its plan to, in turn, destroy the mice . The plan is to dump 1.5 tons of rodenticide, which should be enough to kill every last mouse on the islands. Of course, there was a lot of concern around the plan   even Fish and Wildlife admitted some seabirds would likely die as part of the initiative. Because of the intense pushback, the plan was put on hold on Wednesday. MORE : Federal officials withdraw plan to drop poison on Farallon Islands California Coastal Commission spokeswoman Noaki Schwartz said the plan would be reworked and resubmitted once concerns had been addressed. "The only way to protect these species and allow the ecosystem to recover is 100 percent eradication of the mice," Pete Warzibok, a biologist who has worked on the Farallon Islands for more than 20 years, told the Associated Press. "Anything else is simply a stopgap measure that will not adequately address the problem." According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, mass poisoning is the only viable proposal to permanently cull the rodent population. Why not introduce a ton of cats, you may be asking. Or trapping and relocating the mice? Fish and Wildlife went over dozens of different scenarios and shot all of them, save rodenticide, down. To find out why Fish and Wildlife believes other alternatives won't work, check out the gallery above. Katie Dowd is the SFGATE Senior Manager. Email: katie.dowd@sfgate.com | Twitter: @katiedowd


REYKJAVIK, Iceland (Reuters) -- Activist hackers from the Anonymous collective have claimed responsibility for bringing down five government websites in Iceland in a protest against whale-hunting by the North Atlantic nation. The sites, which included the prime minister's official website and those of the environment and interior ministries, went offline Friday and remained down until about midday Saturday. In an anti-whaling video posted on social media, activists called for people to hack websites linked to Iceland to protest persistent commercial hunting despite an international moratorium. On a new Twitter account devoted to the campaign, screenshots showing the sites down were published late Friday by activists who said they belonged to the loose Anonymous collective. The government made no comment about the outage. Iceland is a member of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), an intergovernmental body that imposed a ban on all commercial whaling from 1986. The moratorium remains in place, but both Iceland and Norway continue to hunt whales. Iceland has come under fire for whaling for decades, including in the 1970s and 1980s when activists from Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society attempted to disrupt annual hunts using boats or by sabotaging hunting stations. Isolated in the North Atlantic with only Greenland as its close neighbor, Iceland has relied on fishing and whaling as a key part of its economy. Icelanders argue whales reduce the stocks of the fish they hunt for. Since Iceland's devastating financial meltdown in 2008 and a sharp currency devaluation, however, tourism has boomed and whale tours are increasingly popular. (Reporting by Ragnhildur Siguroardottir in Reykjavik and Sabina Zawadzki in Copenhagen; Editing by Helen Popper)


LONDON   Andy Murray is on the verge of completing a remarkable return after hip surgery. The three-time Grand Slam champion and Feliciano Lopez completed a busy Saturday at the Queen's Club by defeating the third-seeded Henri Kontinen of Finland and John Peers of Australia 7-5, 6-7 (5), 10-7 to book their place in the doubles final. Murray and Lopez had only just completed their 6-4, 7-6 (3) quarterfinal win over British duo Daniel Evans and Ken Skupski after that had been delayed by darkness the night before. Murray and Lopez were leading 6-4, 4-5 when play was suspended on Friday. Lopez played three matches on Saturday, starting by booking his place in the singles final with a hard-fought win over Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime over three sets. Lopez and Murray will play Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the doubles final, when Murray can complete a noteworthy week 146 days after undergoing what he hoped was career-saving hip surgery. In January he had said he was planning to retire after Wimbledon because of the severe pain he felt on a daily basis. But talk of retirement is shelved as Murray seeks his first doubles title since 2011 when he won with his brother Jamie Murray in Tokyo. Lopez will play Gilles Simon in the singles final first, when the Spanish veteran will become the tournament's oldest finalist. The 37-year-old Lopez rallied to beat the 18-year-old Auger-Aliassime 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4 in a semifinal that saw the biggest age differential in an ATP semifinal or final since the 43-year-old Ken Rosewall defeated 23-year-old American Pat Dupre to reach the Hong Kong Grand Prix final in 1977. Lopez saved all eight break points he faced and converted two of his own to beat Auger-Aliassime in 2 hours, 16 minutes and advance to his first final since 2017, when he defeated Marin Cilic here. Then 35, he became the tournament's oldest champion. Auger-Aliassime hit 25 aces compared to the Spaniard's 15 and will have to wait before cracking the top 20 in the rankings. A win would have been enough for the Canadian, who is a career-high No. 21. Simon earlier defeated the fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 in 2 hours, 37 minutes. Lopez has won five of their seven meetings and all four of their matches on grass. ___ More AP Tennis: https://www.apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - For the seventh time in program history, Duke is the 2019 NCAA Div. I Women's Golf National Champion after defeating Wake Forest 3-2 in an all-ACC final match at Blessings Golf Club. "I couldn't feel more proud than I do right now," said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. "We've had a tough team all year long and they were tough this week." It was Duke's anchor, Ana Belac, who put the first point on the board in the national championship match. The Blue Devil junior defeated Wake Forest freshman Vanessa Knecht 5&3 to give Duke the early lead. Shortly after, the first two pairings went into a playoff, opening the door for the penultimate pairing of Duke's Gina Kim and Wake Forest's Emelia Migliaccio to make the next move. Kim won the 17th hole to tie the match with Migliaccio, but on No. 18, the Demon Deacon sophomore nestled her second shot right next to the pin for a birdie and the first Wake Forest point. PHOTOS: Images from the championship In the second pairing on the 19th hole (played on No. 1), Duke's Jaravee Boonchant took advantage of a Jennifer Kupcho error off the tee, making par to give the Blue Devils their second point and move them just one match away from the national title. On No. 15, the second playoff hole, Wake Forest's Siyun "Swing" Liu picked up point number two for her Demon Deacons to tie the finals at 2-2. The finals came down to the third pairing of the day between Duke sophomore Miranda Wang and and Wake Forest freshman Letizia Bagnoli. Bagnoli put her second shot from the fairway left into the water with a fairway wood, putting Duke in prime position to clinch the title. Bagnoli's fourth shot after taking the penalty came up short of a greenside bunker, but her fifth was great, coming to rest inside four feet. Just off the green with her second shot, Wang's pitch to 30 feet set up a two-putt par to win. The first missed and the second was conceded, giving the Blue Devils the win. RELATED: Jennifer Kupcho's amazing amateur run ends "I would just like to say that I am very thankful to be on this team," said Wang. "Honestly I was not thinking about winning this hole, I was thinking about, 'I am very grateful to be on this team.' I did not do very well in my first two matches but my teammates got me through a lot, so I was like, 'I'm going to do this for my team.'' Duke last won the title in 2014, which was the final year of the old format. Now, the Blue Devils have a national title under the new match-play format. The win also snapped a streak of four straight NCAA titles for Pac-12 teams. NCAA women's golf championships since 1982 Arizona State, 8 (1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2009, 2017) Duke, 7 (1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2019) Arizona, 3 (1996, 2000, 2018) San Jose State, 3 (1987, 1989, 1992) UCLA, 3 (1991, 2004, 2011) USC, 3 (2003, 2008, 2013) Florida, 2 (1985, 1986) Tulsa, 2 (1982, 1988) Alabama, 1 (2012) Miami, 1 (1984) Georgia, 1 (2001) Purdue, 1 (2010) Stanford, 1 (2015) TCU, 1 (1983) Washington, 1 (2016) MORE: Alex Trebek had a classic response to James Holzhauer's 'two dimes' wager 49ers LB roles change with new defensive front 20 fantastic quarterback-receiving combos in NFL history New Packers OLB coach raves about rookie Rashan Gary NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players