Capable, but can you get over the looks? Do you purchase a heavy-duty truck for looks or capability? This is the key question for the new 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD trucks and it dominated our minds during our drive across the high desert plains east of Oregon's Pacific Coast. Words such as "ugly," "polarizing," and "beefy" were regularly heard throughout our day with the big bow-tie-badged pickup truck. Research the Silverado 2500HD on MSN Autos Silverado, Smaller: 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Diesel First Drive: An Easy Choice 2019 Chevrolet Silverado High Country 4x4 Crew Cab: Pros And Cons Whatever you think of it, the Silverado HD certainly doesn't look like a carbon copy of the smaller Silverado 1500. And that's just the point, according to Chevy designers who told us the truck's bold-looking front end   rather worryingly, inspired by responses from focus groups   aims to reinforce the truck's heavy-duty capabilities. It doesn't just look massive, either. The Silverado HD is massive. Compared to its predecessor, the latest HD is up to 1.6 inches taller, 1.4 inches wider, and 10.4 inches longer. The HD's function also managed to dictate its form, and the giant, scowling grille allows the truck to feed cold air into the engine bay by way of its big, 28-inch cooling fan. Extra cooling comes courtesy of the functional hood scoop, while the truck's removable front fascia allows owners to easily attach a snow plow. Chevy also altered the side mirrors to improve visibility. The comparatively low-mounted mirror housings block less of the view from the side windows without sacrificing their ability to see what's puttering behind the pickup. Likewise, the design and engineering teams worked to lower the rear bed wall to improve visibility out the rear window. The 1.0-inch lower bed will surely benefit those who tow with a gooseneck or fifth-wheel hitch and are fearful of creasing the truck's bedsides in turns or over bumps. Whether towing or hauling, HD buyers are sure to appreciate the frame-mounted bed-side step that's reminiscent of those on classic step-side beds. Unlike those boxes, though, the HD's doesn't sacrifice overall width for the convenience of reaching into the bed. In fact, the Silverado HD's bed is wider and offers greater capacity than the previous generation truck's. Step inside the Silverado HD, though, and you'll notice primarily the same   disappointing   interior pieces from the smaller Silverado 1500. The HD's dull-looking innards are arguably best appreciated in the loaded High Country trim , which adds higher quality materials and a head-up display; a first in the HD segment. Still, the Silverado HD's cabin is a far cry away from the higher quality, richer feeling innards of the Ford F-Series Super Duty or the Ram HD. However, what the Silverado HD lacks in interior quality, it makes up for in capability. Equipped with stronger U-joints, a brawnier prop shaft, and a standard 11.5-inch ring gear on 2500HD models or a mighty 12-inch gear on 3500HD models, the Chevy's new rear axle helps the truck achieve a best-in-class towing capacity of up to 35,500 pounds . And even the weakest among the Silverado HD clan is rated to tow 30,000 pounds. Furthermore, Chevy puts each HD truck's specific towing figures on a door-jamb-mounted sticker, which ought to save owners from searching haphazardly through the owner's manual or browsing Google. The Silverado HD further complements its improved towing figures with new trailering tech. Thanks to a number of exterior-mounted cameras, the HD's infotainment screen can relay 15 different exterior views, including a surround-view, a bed-view, and, our favorite, transparent trailer view. As its name implies, the transparent trailer view relays what's directly behind the trailer a Chevy HD pickup is towing. The powertrain, however, remains the heart of these pickups, and the latest bow-tie-badged HD truck's benefit from a new 6.6-liter V8 that mates to a six-speed automatic gearbox. The iron block engine replaces the old 6.0-liter unit, and it features aluminum heads, a forged steel crankshaft, and forged powder-metal connecting rods. With 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque, the new engine bests its forebear by 41 horses and 84 pound-feet. The new powertrain, in conjunction with the truck's suspension and chassis changes, makes the Silverado HD a properly comfortable pickup. It's surprisingly quick off the line and rides nicely over smooth pavement, whether empty or hauling a full payload. Chevy continues to stuff an optional diesel engine under the HD's hood. Dubbed Duramax, the turbocharged 6.6-liter V8 delivers 445 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque to the ground by way of a new, Allison-made 10-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain proved plenty capable as it calmly and quietly pushed forward a Silverado 2500HD towing a 17,000-pound load. The Duramax may burn diesel fuel, but this engine is nowhere near as loud or clattery as others in the segment. While the 2020 Silverado HD is arguably the most unattractive and least luxurious truck in its class, the Chevy's high towing capacity, and tow-friendly technology make it a tough-looking workhorse whose dynamics are sure to impress those who truly use their heavy-duty truck as intended. In the case of this big Chevy, form truly follows function. Research the Silverado 2500HD on MSN Autos 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Custom Double Cab 4x4 Engine Turbodiesel 6.6-liter V8 Output 445 Horsepower / 910 Pound-Feet Transmission 10-Speed Automatic Drive Type Four-Wheel Drive Fuel Economy T.B.D. Weight 7,310 Pounds Seating Capacity 5 Towing 14,500 Pounds Payload 3,657 Pounds Base Price $40,000 (est)


According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Vince Carter has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Atlanta Hawks for his final NBA season. This is a great move by the Hawks to support their young cast, but this deal just means that the Toronto missed out, and they missed out BIG. Breaking: Free agent Vince Carter has agreed to a deal to return to the Atlanta Hawks, a league source tells @wojespn . The expectation is that he will retire after the 2019-20 season. pic.twitter.com/8Ps1T7mKs2   SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 5, 2019 The 42-year old had previously announced that the 2019-20 NBA season would be his last, and fans across the league believed that playing for the Raptors would be the perfect full-circle end to a spectacular career. Unfortunately, despite Carter's interest in playing his final season above the border, the Hawks were the first to swoop in and sign him for his last go-around the league. Carter not returning to the Raptors for his final season is a loss for the city as well as the league. His return would have been perfect timing to ease the pain of losing Kawhi Leonard and would give the Raptors one more season of glory as they relish the memories of one of their all-time greatest franchise players. It would also allow for a farewell tour for the ages. We need Vince Carter in a Raptors jersey for one final season! ? #Raptors #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/t9HOUuaFgr   Raptors Nation (@RaptorsNationCP) July 27, 2019 Carter began his career in Toronto in 1998 as the fifth overall pick of the draft and gave the franchise seven seasons before joining the Nets in 2005. During that time, Carter became known as a human highlight-reel earning himself the nickname "Vinsanity" through his insane dunks. He also stacked up All-Rookie, All-NBA, and All-Star honors. He began his 21st season with the Hawks and will now be playing his 22nd in Atlanta as well. Carter will set an NBA record by playing in his 22nd season, passing Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Willis, and Robert Parish who all ended their careers after 21 campaigns. He will also be the first in the NBA to play through four different decades. Carter will be the veteran presence to a youthful Hawks roster as he takes his farewell tour. The Raptors should be kicking themselves over this missed opportunity to reunite with a fan favorite.


Even the Chicago White Sox are trolling Aaron Rodgers over his weak beer chug. Several members of the Chicago Bears attended Friday night's White Sox-Cleveland Indians game. While at the game, they were shown on the video board at Guaranteed Rate Field doing a simultaneous beer chug. When the White Sox shared the video on Twitter, they tagged Rodgers and told him "this is how you get it done." This is how you get it done, @AaronRodgers12 . pic.twitter.com/lCQumGGDnx   Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 1, 2019 The tweet is a reference to Rodgers' weak effort to chug a beer while attending Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors. @DavidBakhtiari and @AaronRodgers12 go head-to-head in a beer chugging competition!! #GoPackGo | #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/etedPaiJ9G   Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 24, 2019 Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford showed up Rodgers after seeing that . Now Mitch Trubisky has too. Kirk Cousins is next up on the list. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn)


Strike up the band and let the confetti cannons loose. With iOS 13 , Apple has finally added a feature that iPhone fans have craved for years. After installing iOS 13, you no longer have to open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and go to the Wi-Fi section every time you want to connect to a Wi-Fi network. There's a shortcut for that now and if you've ever used an Android phone before, you'll recognize it right away. So how do you use the new Wi-Fi shortcut? Easy peasy. 1. Open Control Center. 2. Long-press on the Wi-Fi icon until all connection toggles are visible. 3. Long-press on the Wi-Fi icon again and bam , a list of available Wi-Fi networks will populate. 4. Select the network you want to connect to, then enter the password and connect. Keep in mind that iOS 13 is still in beta and features can and will ultimately change before the final release this fall. We'll update this post with the most current information we have. If you want to help test iOS 13, you can install it on your iPhone or iPad right now . Easier Wi-Fi connecting joins a long list of new features added to iOS 13. There's now a dedicated dark mode , plenty of hidden features, and you can now block unknown callers from ever making your phone ring. We have plenty more tips and tricks regarding anything and everything iOS 13 . Originally published June 27, 2019. Update, June 29 .


If you're curious to find out if one car is quicker than another, it's hard to argue with a good old-fashioned drag race. This latest one from Top Gear pits three of the coolest new sports cars together, and honestly, we weren't expecting it to turn out like it did. The UK publication lined up a Porsche 718 Cayman GTS , a Lotus Exige Cup 430 , and an Audi RS5 coupe together for a quarter-mile drag to see which would come out on top. The Audi, with its Quattro all-wheel drive, has the clear advantage. That 444-horsepower 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 doesn't hurt either. The Lotus's supercharged V-6 makes a similar 430 horsepower, though it goes without all-wheel drive. That means less grip, but also less stuff to carry around. The rear-drive, 365-hp Porsche has neither a grip nor a power advantage, but its cars often pull out some surprises in drag races. So really, it's anyone's game. I was honestly expecting the Audi to jump out in front of the two mid-engine cars and hold them off until the finish. It had no problem taking the lead from the start, but the Lotus had an extremely good launch, and managed to actually catch up and win by less than a car length. Turns out all-wheel drive grip wasn't enough to beat Lotus's lightweight track special.


There was a profound sense of frustration and grief in Turin when the reigning top dogs of Italy were unceremoniously dumped out of last season's Champions League by Ajax. As the dust settled on their exit and the inquest began, it became clear that despite their impressive recruitment the previous summer, the Old Lady still had some way to go to claim their seat at the head of Europe's top table. More fire power was needed as the club has looked to equip new boss, Maurizio Sarri, with the tools required to clinch their most sought after prize. In the midst of their busy, and as yet, unfinished transfer dealings, the Turin giants won the protracted transfer race for the services of Adrien Rabiot. Having been linked with a host of Europe's biggest clubs; the free agent had sparked a feeding frenzy for his signature this summer, after refusing new terms at Paris Saint-Germain. For Juventus to have signed one of Europe's most coveted players is one thing, to nab him on a fee transfer is bordering on showing off to be honest. À bientôt, @Adriien_Rabiiot ! https://t.co/bI7QXrM5QN #LiveAhead pic.twitter.com/a04RFGDpxX   JuventusFC (@juventusfc) July 1, 2019 It was painfully clear in that aforementioned defeat to Ajax, that Juventus were lacking in ideas and creativity from midfield, to help break down a stubborn defensive unit. While the likes of Emre Can, Blaise Matuidi and Rodrigo Bentancur are all solid players in their roles, they are unlikely to break free and drift between the lines from their natural position, preferring instead to safely recycle the ball. On the night, Juventus needed someone who could forge that extra bit of space and movement, to open up their opponents deep sitting lines. In such circumstances, you need mobility and that extra sprinkle of flair; tools that Rabiot most certainly possesses. While his preferred position is on the left, the France international is capable of playing in a variety of midfield positions and formations. He is a real bundle of energy and work rate, nipping in between players, linking the play beautifully and distributing the ball with expert precision to the forward line, albeit from a deeper role on the pitch. In his final full season as regular at PSG, he enjoyed an impressive 92% pass completion rate. While he has never been a prolific goalscorer, his presence and mobility in midfield increases the likelihood of players being drawn out of their natural positions to try and close him down. His versatility is another massive plus for La Vecchia Signora . While there is a lot of competition for midfield spaces, Rabiot will more than capable of finding a role for himself in Sarri's 4-1-4-1 formation. His work rate and distribution from deep could see him play a similar role to the one Jorginho adopted for Chelsea last season. If Juventus are to genuinely challenge for the Champions League this season, they will need a full squad of quality players able to come in and perform at key moments throughout a bust campaign. Rabiot has added undeniable quality and experience to the depth and options available to the new manager as he looks to challenge on all fronts this season. There have been some grumbles about his attitude off the pitch and his public falling out with Thomas Tuchel last season only exacerbated the bad blood between player and the club. The Frenchman was not selected at all for PSG from December onwards, as he instead opted to run his contract down. However, a fresh start at an ambitious club could be the clean break that the player needed to regroup this summer. Juventus are bidding for a mind-boggling ninth straight league title this year and Rabiot's presence in the ranks will only serve to highlight how could Juve are - and just how strong their squad is in comparison to the rest of the league. Aged just 24, Rabiot also has potentially huge sell-on value, particularly if he makes his time in Italy a success. He won't be short of interested in parties, though, as evidenced by this summer's pursuit. Both parties will hope that he can make the difference this season, adding to the long list of successful free transfers that Juventus have acquired over the years. If he does, European glory could finally beckon at the Allianz Stadium and Rabiot will undoubtedly be the bargain of the summer.


HOUSTON   The mother of a missing 4-year-old Texas girl was heckled outside a courtroom by a group of people who questioned if she had done enough to protect her daughter before her disappearance. Brittany Bowens, Maleah Davis's mother, was yelled at Monday following a canceled court hearing for Derion Vence, her ex-fiance who's charged in connection with the girl's disappearance. Outside a Houston courtroom, Quanell X, a community activist and spokesman for Bowens, told reporters that her main concern is finding out what happened to Maleah. He has alleged that Vence might have abused Maleah. But as Quanell X spoke, he was drowned out by a group, including family members of Maleah's father, who yelled "justice for Maleah" and "murderer." Vence remains jailed on a charge of tampering with evidence.


Paris Saint-Germain have announced that veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will be leaving the club this summer after just one season in the French capital. Buffon, who is now 41 years old, joined the French champions last summer after 17 trophy-laden years at Juventus, in what many saw as an attempt to finally lift the only major trophy that continued to elude him: the Champions League. However, this was not to be, with the Parisiens crashing out in the round of 16 for the third season running to a resurgent Manchester United side. A gentleman on and off the pitch and an extraordinary teammate. We wish you the best for the future ❤💙 Ciao e grazie per tutto, @gianluigibuffon 🙌 pic.twitter.com/exaPtHRdiW   Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) June 5, 2019 Now, as revealed in an official statement on the club's website , the Italian has agreed to leave Paris after the one-year deal he signed last summer expired. The statement explained: "Following joint discussions, Paris Saint-Germain and Gianluigi Buffon have agreed to not renew the legendary goalkeeper's contract which expires on 30 June 2019." After outlining his stats for the season - which included 25 appearances, nine clean sheets and two more trophies to add to the cabinet - the club admitted: "Paris Saint-Germain is honoured to have had the greatest goalkeeper in the history of football at the club, a 2006 World Cup winner with many individual awards since the start of his career. The club also wishes the unforgettable 'Gigi' the best in his personal projects that now await him." Speaking on his departure on Twitter, the club declared: "A gentleman on and off the pitch and an extraordinary teammate. We wish you the best for the future. Ciao e grazie per tutto, Gianlugi Buffon." The player himself proclaimed: "Thank you all for everything I have had the opportunity to experience in Paris. Thank you for the emotions that we have shared together. Twelve months ago, I arrived at Paris Saint-Germain filled with enthusiasm, welcomed by the incredible warmth of the fans. It was really moving. Thank you, once again, from the bottom of my heart. "I leave happy to have enjoyed this experience which has undoubtedly helped me to grow. Today my adventure outside Italy comes to an end. I would like to thank the chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the whole club and my teammates. I wish you all the best, convinced that together you will write the pages of a wonderful story." To cap it off, and in a first (as far as I'm away) for player statements, he evoked a quote from Ernest Hemingway, explaining: "Ernest Hemingway wrote that there are only two places in the world where people can live happily: at home and in Paris. Today onwards, this will also apply to me: Paris, in some way, will always remain my home... Allez Paris! Thank you and good luck with everything!"


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.   Seven words transported Landon Cassill through time and space last weekend. After Alex Bowman retreated from the roof of his car at Chicagoland Speedway, celebrating his first career Cup win, he said of the triumph: "It's all I've wanted my whole life." Those words struck Cassill. "I've said the same thing a lot," Cassill said Thursday, walking from the Xfinity garage to the Cup garage as he competes in both events this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. "If I could win just one race. I've thought that to myself. "I think that hit me because I saw myself as (Bowman) winning that race. Then it kind of made me think about everything it takes from the time you are a little kid and everything that somebody like Alex Bowman or myself has had to do in his career." Every driver's journey is different. Cassill was hired as a development driver for Hendrick Motorsports before he graduated high school in Iowa. He served as a test driver, helping the team develop the Car of Tomorrow. Cassill drove for JR Motorsports in 19 of 35 Xfinity races in 2008 but then ran only one Xfinity race the following season. He moved to Cup in 2010. His 16 races were spread among three low-budget teams. Much of his career has been with such operations. Cassill, who turns 30 Sunday, has driven for four Cup teams that since have folded. Still, he's made 305 Cup starts but has never won. His best finish was fourth at Talladega on Oct. 19, 2014. Combined with Xfinity and the Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Cassill has made 440 starts in NASCAR national series. He continues to seek his first win in any of those series. So when Bowman   whose first 71 Cup starts were with an organization that since has folded   won last weekend, the significance wasn't lost on Cassill. He tweeted about how he's seen Bowman's journey up close and how "there's a lot of racecar drivers that felt that win." Bowman gives those racers hope, showing that one can climb from the depths of the sport to reach Victory Lane. "It's a tremendous amount of hope," Cassill said of Bowman's feat. "It's a reminder to me, you still need massive support to get there, but it was hope that you still need to fight for the kind of support." Bowman saw Cassill's tweet and appreciated the comments. "Him and I raced each other a lot in the back half of the garage over the years," Bowman said. "He's obviously super good and does a lot with a little. You look at guys like Ross Chastain that have kind of had a similar career path. I feel like the back half of the garage doesn't get the credit they deserve sometimes." It's challenging to move up from the back half of the field. After losing his ride, Bowman was hired by Hendrick Motorsports to be its simulator driver. There were no races with that deal, but it led to nine starts for JR Motorsports, then to substitute for Dale Earnhardt Jr. after he missed the last half of the 2016 season because of a concussion. Bowman took over Earnhardt's ride in 2018 after Earnhardt retired. That Bowman's victory happened just before Cassill's 4-year-old son drove a go-kart for the first time also made Cassill pause. "I was looking at a 4-year old," he said, "and I'm like 'Man, kid, there's just no telling what it's going to take to win just one race.' " Bowman knows. 2. End of an era This weekend marks the last time Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to host a Cup race on or near July 4. The track has held its race around that time every year but one since 1959. The exception was 1998 when wildfires forced the event to be rescheduled for October. Next year, Daytona will host the regular-season finale on Aug. 29. In 1949, NASCAR's inaugural season, the series raced on the beach at Daytona on July 10. When the track opened in 1959, the July 4 date became a staple. While some view this as a significant weekend because of the date change next year, Clint Bowyer doesn't see it that way. "It's a race, man," Bowyer said. "I hate to say it. I hope this doesn't rub someone the wrong way and me saying this, but it's almost like don't claim Fourth of July. That's not the Fourth of July Daytona race. It's the Fourth of Damn July. Make no mistake about it. "I don't like having to be there practicing Thursday at Daytona. I feel like we're asking our fans to be there as well. If we're on the racetrack, that means you're asking fans to be there. I don't want it to take away from their Fourth of July. "I got a family, I got kids. Everybody likes to come over to my house. And unfortunately, that's going to be a Wednesday night show instead of on the Fourth. Still you could go down then and still put on a show. In my opinion, Daytona stands on its own two feet and it always will. It doesn't need Fourth of July to be a part of that. Daytona is a celebration all of its own." Ryan Blaney said: " I always liked having the Daytona race that weekend, but at the end of the day, it is just a weekend and just a race, and you can move it to whatever date you want. As long as you are going there, you know you are going to a very special racetrack. I always enjoy it being on the weekend of the Fourth." But Daytona isn't the only track to host a Cup race on July 4. Oswego, New York (1952), Spartanburg, South Carolina (1953), Weaverville, North Carolina (1954) and Raleigh, North Carolina (1956-58) also have held races with NASCAR's top series on July 4. David Pearson has the most Cup wins on July 4 with five. Tony Stewart and Cale Yarborough scored four wins each on or around July 4. 3. A new idea Ty Dillon has expressed many ideas on ways the sport can engage fans . With NASCAR's help, he had a link to a camera in his car at Sonoma that immersed fans in his world during the race. "I just think the basis of that idea was to have live-streaming cameras in every single race car," Dillon said. "We can afford that in this sport and whoever wants to do it can do it. That way, we can maybe live stream from each driver's personal account, team's account or it can vary week to week. This is to drive fan engagement to certain sponsors, teams and add value that way." Dillon wants to do more. He wants drivers to have the ability to respond to fans during a race. He's willing to extend a stage break caution to do so. "Drivers, owners, race teams, TV providers all have to understand the importance that we have to open our minds to the fact that between stages is just as important to the future of the sport to communicate to our fans as it is to get in the right call of information," Dillon said. "Yes, you have to get the right information into our crew chief first, but we can maybe take an extra pace lap under caution for a social lap." It's an interesting concept. Maybe there will come a day where competitors will take an extra lap of caution during stage breaks to answer questions from fans. 4. Not looking back Justin Haley crossed the finish line first in this Xfinity race a year ago at Daytona International Speedway but was penalized for going below the double yellow lines at the bottom of the track to get by Kyle Larson and Elliott Sadler to cross the finish line first. As he returns for tonight's race (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN), he's seeking to forget last year's finish. "I was more upset with myself and disappointed in myself," Haley said of that finish. "I've never watched the race back. I've never seen the finish. I probably won't watch the race still. It's just a sore subject for myself. I'm upset that I let my team down and my family down more than anything." Even though he has not watched the end of that race, Haley showed Friday he had not forgotten what he calls his first Xfinity win, tweeting about the finish. 1 year ago today, first Xfinity win!!!! pic.twitter.com/Y1YvLCqA0V   Justin Haley (@Justin_Haley_) July 5, 2019 5. Tough trick Only once since 1983 has a driver won both Daytona races in the same season. Jimmie Johnson performed the trick in 2013. Why is it so much more difficult to sweep at Daytona and Talladega than other tracks? Let Denny Hamlin , who is going for the sweep Saturday (7 p.m. ET Saturday) after winning the Daytona 500, explain. "The reason it's so hard is it's not about a fast car," Hamlin said. "It's not like you can hit on a setup at a racetrack and sweep both races. You see that a lot in a season. Whoever wins the first race at say Pocono or Martinsville, or Richmond, they've won that race because they have hit on a setup and their car is fast. When they go back there, they use those notes and they are going to be fast again. "At Daytona, it's not setup driven. It is strategic that you really have to make yourself a great race-car driver here. It's just putting yourself in the right position here at the right time and avoiding the wrecks. It's hard enough to win one, let alone two, because of all of the variables. It's so hard to do. The odds are stacked so far against you. That's why you don't see it happen very often." Follow @dustinlong and on Facebook


When the Dominican Republic youth baseball league where David Ortiz got his start opens this weekend, its founder hopes to steer clear of debates over the government claim that the national hero was not the intended target of the shooting that left him seriously wounded. "A lot of people don't believe it, but I go with what the national authorities say," said Luis Mercedes, 72, who watched a young Ortiz develop his skills in the league decades ago. The extraordinary twist in what police initially called a murder-for-hire plot has divided the baseball-crazed Caribbean nation of 11 million people. Many Dominicans, long suspicious of their government, question the validity of the theory that it was a case of mistaken identity. "That's what the national police says," said Mercedes, who prefers to talk about Ortiz's long, storied career and well-known charitable deeds. "I didn't say it." 'The story of the year' Ortiz was on a crowded patio at the Dial Bar and Lounge in Santo Domingo the night of June 9 when a gunman shot him in the back. Days later, a prosecution spokesman dismissed reports that Ortiz was not the intended victim, saying he doubted any Dominican would not recognize the hulking former baseball star nicknamed Big Papi. But Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez Sanchez, referring to Ortiz as "our beloved Big Papi," on Wednesday stunned the nation with a new development. A friend of Ortiz -- a local auto repair shop owner who shared a table with Ortiz at the outdoor bar -- was the target of the botched hit, he said. "It's the story of the year," Mercedes said in a telephone interview. "That's all people talk about. But I don't really want to touch the subject. What happened to David Ortiz is lamentable." Others talk about little else. "In restaurants, in supermarkets, in pharmacies, it's David Ortiz all the time," said Bienvenido Rojas, a longtime sports reporter for Diario Libre in the capital of Santo Domingo. "Can you believe this? What do you think really happened?" Dominicans have harbored a healthy dose of skepticism about government pronouncements since the days of the violent dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, who, beginning in 1930, ruled with an iron fist for about three decades. "As a principle, Dominicans don't believe official accounts," Rojas said. "It dates to the Trujillo era." 'A breastfeeding infant can identify David Ortiz' Doubts about the Ortiz investigation also stem from the fact authorities now say the real target was Sixto David Fernandez, a friend of Ortiz. While police say the men were dressed similarly, they have different physical appearances. Ortiz is a strapping 6'3 and 250 pounds, according to the Red Sox. He's one of the most famous and recognizable athletes in the world. Fernandez is smaller and thinner, with a lighter complexion. "They don't look alike at all," Rojas said. "Some people will tell you that even a breastfeeding infant can identify David Ortiz." Asked Franklin Segura, a 31-year-old civil engineer in the capital: "How can this be a case of mistaken identity? It's hard to believe that someone doesn't recognize Big Papi, number 34." The suspected hit man was only sent a blurry photo of Fernandez, authorities said. The lighting that night made the shooter confuse one for the other, they said. Authorities have arrested 11 suspects so far. Three remain at large, including the man identified as the mastermind, Victor Hugo Gomez, a cousin of Fernandez. Suspecting that Fernandez had turned him in to law enforcement in 2011, Gomez directed the hit on Fernandez from the United States through a sprawling web of contacts in the Dominican Republic, authorities said. So why wait eight years to exact revenge? And why do so in such a public setting? "They could have carried this out elsewhere, in a place without cameras every 50 meters," Rojas said. "People want to know the truth," he added. "They are divided. I would say about 70 percent of people don't believe the police version." Ortiz shooting story is 'all consuming,' reporter says Rojas and others said the flashy Ortiz was regularly seen around the capital at bars and clubs frequented by disreputable characters in a country long known for corruption, narcotrafficking and money laundering. "David is immensely popular though the truth is some of the people with him that day were not what you would call good Catholics," Rojas said. Ortiz's larger-than-life character and popularity made it impossible for him to avoid mixing with figures from the Dominican underworld, Segura said. "When you start hanging out with 'tigueres' (Dominican slang for street toughs), you sometimes have to show that you're a 'tiguere,'" he said. "A lot of former players hang out with 'reggaeton' artists and 'tigueres.' They go to clubs and bars. It's like they're living the life that perhaps as players they couldn't enjoy." On June 9, a hitman's bullet passed through the back of Ortiz, perforating his intestines and internal organs before striking his friend, TV talk show host Jhoel Lopez, in the leg. Ortiz is hospitalized in Boston. He was upgraded to good condition on Tuesday. Lopez's wife has said he is recovering as well. "I believe the government wants to get this incident out of the news," Rojas said. "It's all consuming. It's all you hear from the time you get up in the morning." Related Slideshow: David Ortiz' life in pictures (Provided by photo services)


SAN FRANCISCO (AP)   Presidents and other world leaders and political figures who use Twitter to threaten or abuse others could find their tweets slapped with warning labels. The new policy , announced by the company on Thursday, comes amid complaints from activists and others that President Donald Trump has gotten a free pass from Twitter to post hateful messages and attack his enemies in ways they say could lead to violence. From now on, a tweet that Twitter deems to involve matters of public interest, but which violates the service's rules, will be obscured by a warning explaining the violation. Users will have to tap through the warning to see the underlying message, but the tweet won't be removed, as Twitter might do with a regular person's posts. Twitter said the policy applies to all government officials, candidates and similar public figures with more than 100,000 followers. In addition to applying the label, Twitter won't use its algorithms to "elevate" or otherwise promote such tweets. "It's a step in the right direction," said Keegan Hankes, research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, who focuses on far-right extremist propaganda online. But, he added, Twitter is essentially arguing "that hate speech can be in the public interest. I am arguing that hate speech is never in the public interest." Twitter refused to comment on whether any of Trump's past tweets violated its rules and would not say what role, if any, his Twitter activity played in the creation of the new warning-label policy. The new stance could fuel additional Trumpian ire toward social media. The president routinely complains, without evidence, that social media sites are biased against him and other conservatives. Twitter's rules prohibit threatening violence against a person or group, engaging in "targeted harassment of someone," or inciting others to do so, such as wishing a person is harmed. It also bans hate speech against a group based on race, ethnicity, gender or other categories. Up to now, the company has exempted prominent leaders from many of those rules, contending that publishing controversial tweets from politicians helps hold them accountable and encourages discussion. But there have been longstanding calls to remove Trump from the service over what some have called abusive and threatening behavior. Some activists complained this week after the president threatened Iran with "obliteration" in some areas if it attacks the U.S. Trump has also tweeted a video of himself beating up a man with a CNN logo in place of his head and retweeted seemingly faked anti-Muslim videos. "Donald Trump has changed political discourse on Twitter and everywhere else, given the level of toxic statements he has made about vulnerable communities in America," Hankes said. Other politicians could likewise become subject to warning labels. In 2018, French prosecutors filed preliminary charges against far-right French politician Marine Le Pen for tweeting brutal images of Islamic State violence. Twtter prohibits material that is "excessively gory." And in March, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stirred outrage by sharing a video on Twitter of a man urinating on the head of another man during a Carnival party. Insults and mockery fall into a gray area. Calling someone a "lowlife, a "dog" or a "stone cold LOSER," as Trump has done , may not in itself be a violation. But repeated insults against someone might amount to prohibited harassment. Jennifer Grygiel, a social media expert and professor at Syracuse University, said Twitter "obviously" enacted the new policy because of Trump's Twitter activity. But Grygiel said the new rule doesn't go far enough. Because of the president's outsize ability to start wars, move stock markets or influence other world events, Twitter should instead review leaders' tweets before they are sent out and block them if necessary, Grygiel said. Twitter's new policy doesn't apply to past tweets. Twitter said it is still possible for a government official or other figure to tweet something so egregious that it warrants removal. A direct threat of violence against an individual, for instance, would qualify. The company said warning-label decisions will be made by a group that includes members of its trust and safety, legal and public policy teams, as well as employees in the regions where particular tweets originate. ___ AP Technology Writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report.


Missed the the most recent top news in Pittsburgh? Read on for everything you need to know. Pittsburgh's got talent: Local student helping former Miss USA with medical bills A local student is helping the first and only Miss USA from Pennsylvania raise money to pay her medical bills. Read the full story on CBS Pittsburgh . NWS: Recreational boater advisory for Pittsburgh rivers The NWS issued a recreational boater advisory in Pittsburgh due to all the heavy rain the area has seen in the past week. Read the full story on CBS Pittsburgh . Expect Delays: Pittsburgh International Airport warns flyers of traffic If you plan on traveling to the airport this week, the Pittsburgh International Airport warns flyers to expect delays. Read the full story on CBS Pittsburgh . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


ANNAPOLIS, Md.   The Maryland Democratic Party is asking the state board of elections to investigate possible campaign finance violations by Gov. Larry Hogan. The Democrats say the Republican took donations from 100 benefactors that were over the legal limit. The Democrats' executive director Ben Smith said Hogan's 2018 campaign raked in more than $200,000 in violation of the legal limit of $6,000 per donor. The Washington Post reports Maryland Sen. Clarence Lam noticed the possible violations after Hogan vetoed a bill to strengthen transparency in the governor's appointments office. Lam told the Democratic Party, which then found the other possible violations. Hogan's attorney denies the accusations, and says the campaign refunded at least five of the donations that exceeded the limit.


Australia's building and construction codes came under scrutiny Sunday after hundreds of residents were evacuated from a high-rise Sydney apartment block where cracks were discovered in the second such scare in six months. Some residents said they were left homeless and in tears after they were ordered to leave the 10-storey, 122-apartment Mascot Towers in a southern Sydney suburb late Friday after cracks were found in the structure's beams. "At this stage, the engineers need to look at the cracks in those beams while the residents aren't there," Fire and Rescue New South Wales state Assistant Commissioner Roger Mentha told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "Then they can do an analysis on whether there have been any movements." The incident at the 10-year-old building followed the Christmas Eve evacuation of residents in the recently completed 38-storey Opal Tower in the Sydney Olympic Park after "cracking noises" were heard. Investigators found there were a number of "design and construction issues" that could have led to the damage that saw the structure move "one to two millimetres". NSW, Australia's most populous state, said after a public outcry over the scare that it would embark on the "biggest overhaul of building laws" in its history. The changes included appointing a building commissioner to audit work done throughout the design and construction process. Peak body Engineers Australia said Saturday the state "has been slow to move, but it is not too late if we start now". "The Mascot Towers situation is further evidence that we need changes in the building and construction sector," Engineers Australia's Jonathan Russell said in a statement. "It shouldn't take a crisis for government to act in the interests of community safety and consumer protection."


A new book called "American Carnage" about Republican leaders relationship with President Trump is hitting bookstands soon. It's written by Politico reporter Tim Alberta and, according to the Washington Post, former House Speaker Paul Ryan had a "tortured relationship" with the president. According to the Washington Post, when reacting to President Trump's tweet in 2017 that accused the Obama administration of tapping his phone during the election, Ryan read the tweet and burst into "maniacal, punch-drunk laughter." The Post also reports the book says "the former speaker could not stand the idea of another two years with the president and saw retirement as the 'escape hatch'". "We've gotten so numbed by it all," Ryan says, according to the Post. "Not in government, but where we live our lives, we have a responsibility to try and rebuild. Don't call a woman a 'horse face.' Don't cheat on your wife. Don't cheat on anything. Be a good person. Set a good example." The article adds Ryan depicts Trump as not "knowing anything about government." "I told myself I gotta have a relationship with this guy to help him get his mind right," Ryan recalls in the Post article. "Because, I'm telling you, he didn't know anything about government . . . I wanted to scold him all the time." The Post says in the book, Trump calls Ryan a "f---ing Boy Scout." READ MORE: New book: Paul Ryan saw retirement as "escape hatch" from President Trump CHECK OUT WISN: Get the top Milwaukee news weather and sports. With the day's biggest stories and ones you may have missed, our Wisconsin news team has you covered.


The collapse of traditional retail continues. The latest casualty is women's workwear brand Dressbarn, which announced Tuesday it is closing all of its 650 stores. The company's chief financial officer, Steven Taylor, said Dressbarn has not been operating at an "acceptable level of profitability in today's retail environment." Ascena Retail Group Inc., which owns Anne Taylor and Lane Bryant in addition to Dress Barn, says it wants to focus on its more profitable brands. ALSO: Closed East Bay bookstore to be resurrected this winter The company did not say when Dressbarn, which employs about 6,800 people, will shut all the stores. In the Bay Area there are eight Dressbarn locations: El Cerrito, San Bruno, Fremont, Campbell, Dublin, Vacaville and Antioch. After the news was announced Monday, shares of Ascena Retail Group Inc. rose 2.6% to $1.17 in extended trading. Shares of the New Jersey-based company are down more than 50% so far this year. ALSO: The last outpost of a Bay Area restaurant empire closes The first Dressbarn store opened in 1962 in Stamford, Conn. The initial concept was to provide wear-to-work dresses for women, many of whom were just entering the workforce. The nearly 60-year-old company adapted to the changing marketplace in the decades following its founding and was numbering more than $1 billion in sales just a few years ago. Its going-out-of-business follows a string of recent closures, including Payless ShoeSource, Charlotte Russe, Gymboree and Sears. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Michelle Robertson is an SFGATE producer. Email: michelle.robertson@sfgate.com | Twitter: @mrobertsonsf


Police in Texas are calling on members of rival motorcycle gangs to stop fighting after a deadly weekend shoot-out in Waco left nine dead. Sgt Patrick Swanton said: "There has been enough tragedy and there has been enough bloodshed." Seven people remain in hospital and 170 are in custody. About 50 weapons were recovered from the scene. Sgt Swanton said the fight may have started when someone's foot was run over in a car park. There was also anger that an uninvited gang had shown up at a meeting between other gangs, hosted by the restaurant Twin Peaks. On Tuesday morning, police continued to pore over the multiple crime scenes - the restaurant areas, the bar, the toilets and the car park. Police are keeping members of the rival gangs in different parts of the jail, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported. Three of the men arrested were mistakenly charged with lesser offences and were released on Tuesday after posting a $50,000 (£32,000) bond. Texas officials said all three men were arrested again and are being held on more serious charges. On Monday night, they began removing motorcycles and other vehicles from the area. Tow trucks are requiring a heavy police escort when they move the vehicles away from the scene. Around 80 cars or pickup trucks still need to be carried away. The restaurant meeting was meant for a coalition of invited bike groups and the organisers had requested the outdoor seating area for the event. A bike gang which was not invited to the meeting showed up, and a "disturbance in the parking lot" followed, according to Mr Swanton. That incident sparked the larger gun battle, which ultimately left nine people dead. The names of the deceased have not been released, because family members are still being notified. Mr Swanton would not say how long the shoot-out lasted, but said that police responded "within seconds if not within at least a minute". He said that police were not inside the restaurant because they "were not welcomed by management". The sergeant said that the "credible" threats made against law enforcement in recent days are diminishing. "We think that those threats are toning down a bit. We appreciate that," he said, but noted that police are asking for "cooperation from known criminal bike gangs".


The fight over President Trump's tax returns has moved to the courts. In recent weeks, the Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee has filed a lawsuit in an effort to obtain Trump's federal tax returns, and Trump has filed a lawsuit to prevent the committee from getting his New York state tax returns. The court cases are sure to be closely watched. Democrats view obtaining Trump's tax returns as a key oversight priority. Trump is the first president in decades who refused to voluntarily release any of his tax returns, and he is determined to keep them private. Here's what you need to know about the lawsuits concerning Trump's tax returns. What are the two different lawsuits? Two separate cases were filed in federal court in D.C. this month. In the first lawsuit, filed at the beginning of the month, the Ways and Means Committee is suing the Treasury Department, the IRS, and the agencies' leaders. The committee is asking the court to order the agencies to provide the committee with six years of Trump's personal and business federal tax returns. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) requested Trump's tax returns in April under a provision in the federal tax code that says the Treasury Secretary "shall furnish" tax returns requested by the chairs of Congress's tax committees. Neal has said that his committee wants the returns because it is conducting oversight and considering legislative proposals about how the IRS enforces tax laws against a president. But Treasury and the IRS rejected those requests and subsequent subpoenas Neal issued, saying that Neal's request lacks a "legitimate legislative purpose." Both Democrats and the Trump administration had expected the dispute to end up in court. Democrats in their lawsuit are asking the court to require the administration to comply with the tax-code provision and their subpoenas. The second lawsuit, filed this week by Trump in his personal capacity, centers on a New York state law enacted earlier this month that allows Congress's tax committees to request public officials' state tax returns from the commissioner of the New York Department of Taxation and Finance. Neal has not yet made a decision about whether he will request Trump's state tax returns under the law. Trump is suing the Ways and Means Committee, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), and New York taxation and finance department commissioner Michael Schmidt. Trump's personal lawyers are arguing that the committee lacks a legitimate legislative purpose for using the New York law, and that the law violates the First Amendment of the Constitution. What's the latest in the lawsuit over Trump's N.Y. returns? Most of the recent court developments in the tax-return fight relate to the lawsuit over the New York law. Trump on Wednesday filed an emergency application, asking a judge to enjoin Neal from requesting his New York tax returns until the president has an opportunity to be heard in court. The Ways and Means Committee is objecting to the motion , arguing that courts lack jurisdiction to bar it from utilizing the New York law. Trump also argued that the two tax-return lawsuits are related and should be heard by the same judge, while the New York officials who are defendants in his lawsuit disagreed. At a hearing on Thursday, Judge Trevor McFadden, who is assigned to the lawsuit over the request for Trump's federal returns, ruled that he should not also be assigned to the lawsuit over the New York law. He did not issue a ruling on Trump's emergency motion. The new judge assigned to the case has scheduled a hearing on Trump's emergency motion for Monday afternoon. In the lawsuit over the request for Trump's federal tax returns, the next big step is for the administration to respond to the Ways and Means Committee's complaint. Trump and several of his business entities have been added to the case as intervenor-defendants, meaning they will also have the opportunity to be heard in the case. McFadden said in an order that before Trump and his businesses file any motions, they have to discuss with the administration whether they can file briefs in a consolidated manner. Who are the judges in the cases? McFadden, the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia judge who is handling the lawsuit over Trump's federal tax returns, is a Trump appointee who had been randomly assigned to the case shortly after it was filed. McFadden started as a D.C. district court judge in October 2017. Earlier this year, McFadden ruled that the House didn't have standing to sue to temporarily bar Trump from using military funds for a border wall. That ruling has caught the attention of legal experts following the lawsuit over Trump's federal tax returns, since they think it is likely that the Trump administration will argue the House lacks standing to sue in that case as well. But experts also note that McFadden's ruling in the border-wall case pointed out that there are differences between the House's standing to sue to get information for an investigation and whether the House has standing to sue over its appropriations power. After McFadden ruled that he should not be handling both of the tax-return lawsuits, the lawsuit over the New York tax-return law on Friday was randomly assigned to Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee who was only just confirmed by the Senate in May. Nichols most recently was a partner at the law firm WilmerHale. He previously served as a top lawyer in President George W. Bush's Department of Justice (DOJ) and as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. While at DOJ, he was the lead counsel in defending former White House Counsel Harriet Miers in a lawsuit brought by the House Judiciary Committee trying to enforce a subpoena. What are House Democrats doing to bolster their case? House Democrats on Thursday released documents related to Congress's scrutiny of former President Richard Nixon's tax returns, in an effort to show that their request for Trump's tax returns isn't unique. The documents the Ways and Means Committee released showed that the Joint Committee on Taxation in the 1970s had made a request to the IRS for Nixon's tax returns, while he was president, and received them from the agency on the same day that the request was made. The documents also show that the Joint Committee had requested and received tax returns from years that pre-date the tax returns Nixon publicly released and that pre-date his presidency. The Trump administration has repeatedly argued that Democrats' request for Trump's returns is unprecedented. But Democrats argue that the newly released documents demonstrate that that's not the case. Republicans are countering that the Nixon and Trump tax-return requests are different, because Nixon had asked the Joint Committee to examine his tax returns while Trump doesn't want Congress to see his tax filings. The Nixon-era documents were released after the Ways and Means Committee first examined a portion of them behind closed doors and then voted to send them to the House. If the panel ever obtains Trump's tax returns, it would undertake a similar process to review them and vote to make parts or all of them public.


The Eagles have long been willing to make non-traditional hires, whether it was their sports science phase under Chip Kelly or their forward thinking on analytics. They've now added a different perspective to their front office. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Eagles hired Catherine Raiche as their football operations coordinator. Raiche has served as assistant General Manager for the Montreal Alouettes, and also worked for the Toronto Argonauts. She also worked for the Tampa franchise in the XFL before joining the Eagles. According to the Toronto Sun , Raiche got her start in football as a volunteer with the Alouettes while working as a finance lawyer . She's the latest female hire for the NFL, which has made an emphasis on creating opportunities for women.


Sevilla have confirmed that former Real Madrid and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui will become their new manager for the upcoming 2019/20 La Liga season. After Pablo Machin was relieved of his duties in March, Sevilla were on the lookout for a new long-term manager, and a deal for Lopetegui, who has been out of work since leaving Real in October, has long been in the pipeline.  Welcome to Sevilla, Julen Lopetegui!  #WeareSevilla pic.twitter.com/AW7HTOJiFq   Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) June 4, 2019 Sevilla confirmed the news of Lopetegui's arrival in a post on their official website , writing: "Sevilla FC and Julen Lopetegui Argote have reached an agreement so that the coach born 53 years ago in the Gipuzkoa town of Asteasu will lead the Nervión club for the next three seasons. "The Basque coach arrives in Seville this Tuesday and will be presented on Wednesday morning." Lopetegui began his management career with Rayo Vallecano and, after a spell with Porto, he earned the opportunity to lead the Spanish national team after Vicente del Bosque's retirement. He helped the side qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but was not given the chance to lead the side out at the tournament. Shortly before the opening fixture, Real Madrid confirmed that Lopetegui would become their new first-team manager after the tournament came to an end. However, Spain opted to part ways with the boss just a matter of days before their opening game, fearing he would not be focused on the job at hand. His time at the Santiago Bernabeu was certainly not a happy one. Los Blancos endured a torrid start to the season, struggling to impress in the opening two months of the season. Rumours of Lopetegui's imminent departure grew with every poor performance, and a 5-1 defeat at the hands of fierce rivals Barcelona ultimately cost him his job in October. However, with new sporting director Monchi back at the helm once again, Lopetegui has been chosen to help Sevilla bounce back from their own disappointing season.


Former Florida State quarterback Deondre François is now enrolled at Hampton University as a graduate transfer, reports The Daily Press' Dave Johnson. Francois was a two-year starter at Florida State before he was dismissed from the program in February. Before he was let go, his girlfriend posted on Instagram that he abused her. Francois was not charged with a crime after being investigated on an unrelated domestic battery incident. It was reported earlier that Francois planned to walk on at Florida Atlantic. Francois started 11 games for the Seminoles in 2018, after missing the entire 2017 with a knee injury, throwing for 2,731 yards, with 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions Related slideshow: Early Top 25 college football teams for 2019 (Provided by USA Today Sports)


ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS)   An Allentown man is accused of throwing acid on two people, causing them to suffer burns. Arnold Bell, 51, was arrested and charged in the incident. Police responded to Sacred Heart Hospital on Monday around 2:45 a.m. after two victims reported they were burned after Bell threw acid on them. The victims told police that they know the suspect. It happened on the 600 block of Sherman Street. Allentown police were able to get a warrant and he was arrested at his home. Bell was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment.


Monroe's Main Street Cafe was targeted by thieves who stole some items and left the restaurant trashed. KING 5's Amy Moreno reports.


MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi remains convinced that the 2019 Yamaha bike is more competitive than last year's version, despite having been less competitive at Jerez than hoped. Having featured firmly in the podium hunt in the first three races of the season, Rossi could do no better than sixth from 13th on the grid at Jerez, a track that has exposed the M1's bike weaknesses in recent years. But the result did not knock Rossi's confidence about his prospects for the year, although he did reiterate Honda rider Marc Marquez's current imperious form is a worry for the title race. "We are stronger than last year," said the Italian. "The way is long, the challenge is very high, but we work in a good direction. I'm not fully happy for sure because I hoped that also in Jerez, that is a difficult track, we could fight for the podium, but at the end I was a bit more slow. "But for me we can fight. I'm not so far in the championship, the bigger problem in the championship is Marquez, because he's clearly the faster. So if he don't crash in Austin, already the difference is big. "But we are there, we are nine points behind, also [Alex] Rins is very strong, also [Andrea] Dovi[zioso], but looks like we can fight for try to make some podiums and try to win some races." Rossi was left wondering whether he should've copied his podium-finishing teammate Maverick Vinales' choice of the medium front tyre instead of running the hard   but also believed that missing out on Q2 made his weekend "more difficult". "I was never very strong during all the weekend, at the beginning I struggle with [Jack] Miller, but because I was not strong enough to overtake," he admitted. "Maybe if I go straight to the Q2 I can start in the second or third row, and if I start more in front, I can stay for me with the group of the two Ducati and Maverick, around them." Though Rossi finished a place higher at Jerez in 2018, this was aided by a three-bike crash involving Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, and Rossi insisted his 2019 showing was stronger. "I don't know what we had to expect here in Jerez, I hoped in my heart to be strong like in Austin, for example, unfortunately we struggle a bit more, I was less fast," he said. "But we have also a lot of good things because also if my position is worse than last year, my race was a lot better. "Last year I finished fifth but because I have a lot of crashes in front. And the pace of the race [this year] was very, very, very fast, I was like 25 seconds [actually 32 seconds] faster than my race last year, the gap from the first position is less. "I feel more comfortable with the bike and especially in the last laps I was fast." Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont


Lucas Bjerregaard was playing unspectacularly through eight holes Thursday at the U.S. Open. However, he was only 3 over as he stepped on the tee at Pebble Beach's par-5 18th hole, his ninth hole of the day. That's when disaster struck. Bjerregaard made a sextuple-bogey-11 to plummet down the leaderboard at 9 over. Not the way Lucas Bjerregaard wanted to end his first nine of the #USOpen . pic.twitter.com/oFXeuOOd18   Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) June 13, 2019 The 11 still isn't anywhere close to the highest single-hole score in U.S. Open history. That unfortunate feat belongs to Ray Ainsley, who carded a 19 on the par-4 16th hole at Cherry Hills in 1938.


In search of a new favorite Japanese spot? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Japanese restaurants around Santa Ana, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike. 1. Mrs. Bean Jianbing Topping the list is Mrs Bean Jianbing , which is at 2800 N. Main St., Suite 1048, in the MainPlace Mall . The eatery, offering Asian/Chinese noodle dishes, is the highest-rated cheap Japanese restaurant in Santa Ana, boasting four stars out of 169 reviews on Yelp. 2. Mos 2 Next up is Lyon Street's Mos 2 , at 221 S. Grand Ave., with four stars out of 173 reviews on Yelp. The lunch and dinner Japanese spot, featuring char-broiled combination teriyaki plates, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a cheap option. 3. Grand Teriyaki Grand Teriyaki , at 1704 S. Grand Ave., is another top choice. Yelpers give the cheap Japanese lunch spot, 4.5 stars out of 35 reviews. Offerings include teriyaki steak, chicken sandwiches, yaki and rice plates. 4. Orange Grill Orange Grill , a Japanese and Asian fusion spot, is another budget-friendly go-to, with four stars out of 85 Yelp reviews. The menu at this lunch spot includes beef, chicken and veggie bowls and plates, along with teriyaki burritos, noodles and salads. Head over to 3301 S. Harbor Blvd. to see for yourself. 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.


Watch all the best shots and moments from Round 2 of the 2019 PGA Championship.


Top free agents might not seriously consider signing with the Lakers if Los Angeles doesn't trade for Anthony Davis , Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said on the network's Mock Draft Special (h/t the Showtime Forum ) ."The Lakers are not a frontrunner or really in consideration for any of the top-tier free agents," Wojnarowski said of a scenario where the team doesn't trade for Davis. Los Angeles plans using the No. 4 overall pick as part of a trade package in an attempt to entice the Pelicans. That selection is among the highest valued assets among presumed Anthony Davis contenders, as we previously detailed. Woj believes that if the Lakers are picking at that spot on draft night, the franchise will be "in trouble." The Lakers will attempt to sign Kevin Durant regardless of how long they expect the former MVP to be sidelined. Other marquee free agents that the Lakers are expected to pursue include Kyrie Irving , Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler . Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin had initially hoped to convince Davis to remain in New Orleans. The franchise has reportedly softened its stance on fulfilling Davis' trade request and Griffin has named his terms : An All-Star player, a young player with the potential to be an All-Star and multiple first-round picks. The Lakers don't have an All-Star-caliber player on the roster outside of LeBron James. They have an assortment of intriguing prospects and will likely need to bring in a third team willing to part with a player of that caliber in order to get a deal done.


Adam Gase's victory in the Jets' power struggle will allow him to "effectively hand pick" the team's next general manager, according to the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta . Gase became the Jets' interim general manager in addition to head coach on Wednesday after New York fired GM Mike Maccagnan . The Jets went 24 20 in four years under Maccagnan, reaching the postseason just once. Maccagnan and Gase battled throughout the offseason after Gase was hired in January . Gase was reportedly frustrated with New York's decision to sign running back Le'Veon Bell , and "alienate[d]" during the draft process, per Mehta. Gase went 23 25 in three seasons as the Dolphins head coach from 2016-18. He reached the playoffs in his first season with Miami before losing to the Steelers in the AFC Wild Card. The Jets finished last in the AFC East in 2018 at 4 12. They have not reached the playoffs since 2010. Related slideshow: 2019 NFL draft: The top picks (Provided by imagn)


Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers completed their first full week of training camp with a brief practice Thursday morning at Ray Nitschke Field. Here are the biggest winners of the first week of practice: FB Danny Vitale The fullback position has been revived in Green Bay, and no one is benefitting more from the schematic shift than Vitale, who the Packers can't keep off the field. If the first week is any indication, Vitale is going to make the roster and play a legitimate role in Matt LaFleur's offense. "The Muscle Man" can do a bunch of different things in the passing game, and he's even getting reps as a single back in the two-minute offense. Arguably no player improved his chances of making the roster more during the first seven days than Vitale. OLB Rashan Gary The Packers' first-round pick looks like the real deal. Everyone knew he was big and fast, but there aren't many human beings his size capable of moving as fast as he can on a football field. The Packers have raved about his effort and energy level, and he's been a consistent winner in one-on-one pass-rushing drills, both as a traditional edge rusher and inside as a three-technique. He still has a lot to learn within the defense, but the flashes are bright. He could impact games as a rookie. WR Trevor Davis Matt LaFleur's offense arrived at the perfect time for Davis, who may finally be laying the foundation of a breakout season in 2019. His vertical speed and elusiveness in the open field have really shined in LaFleur's scheme. He's getting open and making contested catches, and the Packers already know what he brings to the table on special teams. It's early, but Davis' arrow is pointed up. CB Ka'dar Hollman After standing out at OTAs and the minicamp, Hollman has earned reps with the first-team defense by impressing the coaching staff with press-man coverage ability. The rookie has an ideal combination of size, speed and competitive toughness. The Packers offense has challenged him during camp but he's held his own. Josh Jackson being out with a foot injury has really opened up the competition at cornerback, and Hollman has taken advantage. Jul 25, 2019; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packer tight end Robert Tonyan (85) works during training camp at Ray Nitschke Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports TE Robert Tonyan The Packers sound pleased with his progress as a run blocker. He's always had the athletic ability and receiving experience. After one week of practice, Tonyan appears ready to push for snaps as the No. 2 tight end. He spent much of the first week working with the first-team offense. WR Darrius Shepherd The undrafted rookie receiver has flashed quickness and route-running ability, both from the slot and as a vertical threat. It didn't take long into camp before Shepherd was given opportunities to play with Aaron Rodgers and the starting offense. He may have a difficult path to the roster, but the Packers don't really have anyone at receiver like him, and there's an opening in the slot. A shot on the practice squad is well within his reach after a strong start to camp. OL Cole Madison The Packers had to be pleased with Madison's first week of training camp in the NFL. He's won reps in one-on-one drills and hasn't been overmatched in team periods. There's little doubt that Madison is among the team's eight or nine most talented offensive linemen, but he's had to shake off a lot of rust after a year away from football. So far, so good. Bonus: WR Davante Adams, OLB Za'Darius Smith It's hard for the undisputed No. 1 receiver and the $66 million pass-rusher to be "winners" during training camp, but Adams and Smith have both dominated much of camp. No. 17 has made plays left and right and Smith just keeps tallying wins in one-on-one pass-rushing drills. MORE: Baker Mayfield's sassy response to Jets' trash talk won over the Browns offensive line Winners and losers from first week of Raiders training camp 3 standouts from Thursday's Lions practice Roundup: Why Whitney Cummings Left Roseanne, MLB Trade Deadline Grades, Hulk Hogan Big WWE Role? Packers coach Matt LaFleur sidelines Josh Jones after practice fight


The nearly 60 House Democrats publicly supportive of launching an impeachment inquiry against President Trump represent a microcosm of the caucus, showing how fervor is spreading across diverse factions despite leadership's efforts to contain it. Most of the members who support an impeachment inquiry are liberal. They include much of the Congressional Progressive Caucus leadership, as well as 17 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, whose members have long been among the most outspoken on impeachment. Half of the members of the House Judiciary Committee, which would be charged with impeachment proceedings, already support launching an inquiry. And while Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is opposed to impeachment, at least 11 of her home-state colleagues have come out in favor of moving forward. The key constituency most reluctant to push ahead with impeachment are the swing state members who helped Democrats retake their majority. So far Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) is the only Democrat who flipped a GOP-held district last fall to back starting an inquiry. The Hill's whip list currently has 58 Democrats in support of an impeachment inquiry. Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) is the only Republican to say that Trump engaged in impeachable conduct. About two-thirds of the Democrats publicly in favor of starting an impeachment inquiry are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. They include the two Progressive Caucus co-chairs, Reps. Mark Pocan (Wis.) and Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), a Judiciary Committee member. Three vice chairs who also sit on the Judiciary Committee have come out in favor of an impeachment inquiry: Reps. David Cicilline (R.I.), Joe Neguse (Colo.) and Veronica Escobar (Texas). Most Progressive Caucus members represent safely blue districts and constituents more supportive of impeachment. Progressive freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) - who drew attention on her first day in office in January by pledging to "impeach the motherf----r" - introduced a resolution in late March calling for an impeachment inquiry. It now has 12 cosponsors. "I think that at this point, it is getting to become so overwhelming that we need to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution of the United States," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a Tlaib ally, told reporters this week. "I think that the tide is turning with the public." One of the most vocal advocates in the House has been Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), who forced two floor votes on his articles of impeachment in 2017 and 2018. The articles of impeachment from Green, a Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) member, accused Trump of stoking racial divisions in America. "At some point we will have to say the word 'impeachment' if we're going to get to impeachment. And I hear people saying that the president should be impeached. So it shouldn't be a difficult thing to say, and hopefully we'll get to it," Green said. Just under two-thirds of Green's CBC colleagues supported his articles of impeachment on the House floor in the last Congress. The bitter feelings toward Trump among black lawmakers began long before the president even took office: when he raised doubts about whether then-President Obama was born in the U.S. And it's only gotten worse after Trump engaged in racial controversies like casting equal blame on white supremacists and counterprotesters for the 2017 violence in Charlottesville, Va., as well as personally attacking multiple members of the Black Caucus. "Given where the CBC historically has been with respect to this president, we have been the number one company that he rejects. We don't get invited to any meetings," House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), a CBC member, said on MSNBC's "Kasie DC." Thompson is one of nine Democrats endorsing an impeachment inquiry against Trump who were in office the last time the House voted to impeach a president: Bill Clinton in 1998. He's also one of five committee chairs to call for impeaching Trump, which includes House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (D-Ky.), Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.). House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), meanwhile, has been privately pushing Democratic leadership to begin an impeachment inquiry only to be rebuffed. But half of his committee's members - many of whom are in safe liberal districts - are already on board with the idea. "My district's been for impeachment for a long time," said Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), who chairs a Judiciary subcommittee. "It's hard not to get there." California, one of the bluest states in the country, has many pro-impeachment voices. "I think you can count members from every corner of our caucus," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), who supports impeachment, said in an interview. "You're going to get a lot of Californians simply because we're by far the biggest delegation." The 11 California Democrats on board with launching an impeachment inquiry now doesn't include Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), who reintroduced articles of impeachment on the first day of the new Congress in January. Sherman said he thinks Democrats should build more public support first. "Impeachment without removal is not where I want to go," he said. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.), who flipped a GOP-held district last fall, is among the Judiciary Committee members who haven't endorsed an impeachment inquiry. But she indicated that it's on her mind. "To tell you the truth I have been thinking more and more about when it would be appropriate to start the inquiry," Mucarsel-Powell told CNN's "New Day" on Friday. "I've read the Mueller report. There is clear evidence that this president has obstructed justice and I think that there have to be serious consequences." Another freshman Judiciary Committee member, Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), won his race by more than 20 points last fall but represents a district that's been targeted by the GOP in recent years. He's already on board with an impeachment inquiry. "I accept that this conclusion will be unpopular with some, but it is the right thing to do," Stanton said. And while the nearly 60 House Democrats publicly supportive of impeachment is still only about a quarter of the 235-member caucus, Huffman said he's heard privately from colleagues who are more are on board than they're letting on. "I know the number's higher," Huffman said. "But many members don't want to get ahead of leadership. And so that's the delicate process that is underway." Mike Lillis contributed to this story.


Photo gallery by Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump's favorite attack line is calling Democrats "socialists" for advocating wealth redistribution, nationalized health care and other ideas he depicts as downright un-American. The president's offensive leaves Democratic presidential candidates doing a delicate dance: embracing more left-leaning policies without getting tagged with a politically damaging epithet that many shun. Trump is seizing on a wide-ranging debate within the Democratic Party about moderating the excesses of U.S. capitalism after decades of rising income inequality. The 2020 candidates overwhelmingly support policies to expand the social safety net that many Republican voters consider anathema, including wider health care coverage, higher taxes on the rich, tougher financial regulation, student-debt forgiveness and an increase in the minimum wage. The Democrats ignore the president's efforts to tar them with the s-word at their own peril, says Neera Tanden, who runs the Center For American Progress, a liberal think tank. "I've seen this in some polling on socialism and other issues   Donald Trump has a gigantic megaphone and he does have the ability to define the terms of debate," Tanden said. "Democrats can and should rebut his lies. I do think Republicans will use the attack on socialism as a weapon. And that's up to candidates to see how they want to take that on." All of the two-dozen Democratic candidates except Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders reject the "socialist" tag. Most ignore it; others use it to differentiate themselves from the ascendant left wing of the party; and yet others argue that the term is used in bad faith by Republicans to attack progressive ideas. "A lot of people are throwing around these words like socialism, right?" South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg said earlier this month in Dubuque, Iowa. "Mostly because they think it's a kill switch on a Democratic idea like the Affordable Care Act, conceived by conservatives and invented by Republicans. And as soon as a Democratic president said we ought to do it, well, that's socialism." Historic Cudgel The term "socialism" has long been a cudgel in U.S. politics. It was weaponized by conservatives against Democratic-led social welfare programs, including the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and Medicare in the 1960s. Progressives argue that the new wave of ideas Democrats are now proposing represents a return to the mainstream economic populism of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal. A Gallup poll in August 2018 found that 57 percent of Democrats had a positive view of "socialism" while 47 percent had a positive view of "capitalism." Voters age 18 to 29 had a slightly more positive view of socialism than capitalism. In a Gallup poll published last week, 43 percent of respondents said "some form of socialism" would be a good thing for the U.S., while 51 percent said it would be a bad thing. Trump is intensifying his attacks. A campaign email to supporters Tuesday included the subject line "Reject socialism" and took shots at the Green New Deal resolution by left-leaning Democrats to zero out fossil fuel emissions by 2030. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, last week repeatedly condemned what he called the "new socialist Democratic Party." These broadsides haven't deterred Sanders, who identifies as a democratic socialist and has called for measures such as a tax on financial transactions. He has cited Denmark and other countries as models on policies such as universal health care, child care and paid time off. His campaign rejects the idea that this embrace will be an albatross in a general election, arguing he's uniquely equipped to respond. "Donald Trump is going to say that about every single candidate in the field, whether you're Kamala Harris or Beto O'Rourke or Pete Buttigieg," Faiz Shakir, Sanders' campaign manager, said in an interview. "The only difference is that Bernie Sanders is going to lean into it. He'll talk about the corporate socialism of Trump." Matt Bennett, a co-founder of the centrist Democratic group Third Way, said that tactic could backfire: "Don't lean into it. Why would you do that? Self-identifying as a socialist is not a good place to be in American politics." Steering Clear Some Democratic contenders are steering clear of the party's most leftward ideas that are being attacked as socialist. Joe Biden, the nomination frontrunner, opposes a Medicare for All system that would end most private insurance, calling instead for a public option for people who want to enroll in it. Others are fighting back. Harris, a California senator and a 2020 candidate, says taxpayer-funded benefit programs like Medicare for All aren't socialism. "It's about providing health care to all people," she said in a February interview with MSNBC. "Your access to public education, public health or public safety should not be a function of how much money you have." Senator Elizabeth Warren, who shares many of Sanders' policy ideas, also rejects the socialist label and instead says she's a capitalist who believes corporations must be regulated so they're not "cheating people." "Capitalism without rules is theft," Warren said in a January interview with Bloomberg TV. Moderate Democrat John Hickenlooper is using the tag to take veiled swipes at Sanders in an effort to raise his standing in the nomination race. "Donald Trump has been fueling this national crisis of division and it's taking our country backwards. And the answer is not socialism," Hickenlooper said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." O'Rourke, a former congressman from Texas, says socialism isn't required to help those who lack access to health care, workers with multiple jobs to make ends meet, and students with crippling debt. 'Inclusive Capitalism' "We can be responsive to all those needs and at the same time harness the extraordinary engine of capitalism to allow us to accomplish those goals," O'Rourke told reporters last week in Davenport, Iowa. "This moment calls for a far more conscientious and inclusive capitalism than we've practiced in this economy." Some Iowa voters said the socialist label was a concern. "It definitely concerns me -- the fact of the government taking over so many things," said Andrea Compton, 56, of Solon. Steve Ungar, a 73-year-old Iowa City resident, said he doesn't fear the word, though he worries that it is often co-opted and used as scare tactic. "My concern is that if people want to appropriate the term to attack the policies that are being associated with it, that strikes me as counterproductive," he said. "It's taking the kind of things Bernie stands for and turning it into an opposition platform." To contact the reporters on this story: Sahil Kapur in Washington at skapur39@bloomberg.net;Tyler Pager in Washington at tpager1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Max Berley, Laurie Asséo For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com ©2019 Bloomberg L.P.


Red Bull Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly says he's "disappointed" and "upset" with himself after making an error on his final run in Austrian Grand Prix qualifying. After a bruising home grand prix in France, Gasly looked in stronger shape at the Red Bull Ring, and was not far from the frontrunners in the first two qualifying segments. In the end, however, the Frenchman was two tenths slower in the final segment than he had been in Q2, and was thus consigned to eighth place on the grid. "I think overall there were a lot of positives, and also in qualifying, but just disappointing not to put things together when it really mattered in Q3," Gasly said afterwards. "Managed to have some decent pace this weekend, but just this afternoon in the last run when it mattered I didn't do it. Just upset with myself. "We tried to find some consistency, managed to put some good laps in in qualifying, things were going well, I felt good with the car. "And then Q3, first run wasn't ideal and second run, I arrived in Turn 1 and lost the car on the entry, just went over the kerb, and lost four tenths up to Turn 3. After that, the rest of the lap was good, but was just a mistake in Turn 1 that cost me the fifth place. "Quite disappointed with myself with the mistake into Turn 1." Gasly was exactly a tenth slower than McLaren's Lando Norris, who will begin Sunday's race in fourth place due to penalties for Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen. The Frenchman is convinced he should've qualified ahead of Norris and the two Alfa Romeos, which "would've been pretty satisfying after a pretty good weekend." "It's just a shame [to end up eighth], but I don't think it shows the potential we have since the beginning of the weekend," Gasly insisted. "So now we need to look at tomorrow and just recover the positions I didn't make today." Like in France, Gasly diverged from teammate Max Verstappen in strategy in Q2 and will start the race on the soft tyre, but he is convinced this will prove less of a hindrance than it had been at Paul Ricard. "We kind of spoke about [starting on the medium] before qualifying, but then after Q1 went well and we don't really think there's a massive advantage with the medium," Gasly explained. "I think we know it's going to be really hot, it's going to be quite a long race, it's not going to be easy for anyone. "I think the Ferraris start on the soft, only a few drivers [ahead] will start on medium. I don't know if it's going to be good or bad, but it's going to be the same thing for everybody, and we have to make the best."


One woman has been arrested and another is wanted after police said they stole a 3-month-old pet calf in April. Baltimore County police said they were called to Braglio Farms in Woodstock around 10 a.m. on April 22 regarding a stolen calf. The owners said they discovered their 3-month-old pet, Milly, was missing and had done their own investigating. The owners told police that they found images of two women trespassing onto their property and petting their cows two days prior to the theft. The owners were able to obtain vehicle information for the car the women left in, police said. Police identified the two women seen petting the cows as Jennifer Lauren Sully, 44, and Erika Lynn Wilkinson, 19. Police said they found photos of the stolen calf posted to Wilkinson's social media accounts and to a "Life with Pigs" Facebook page, in which Wilkinson was tagged. Officials confirmed that the missing calf was at the Life with Pigs farm, which is a privately owned and operated nonprofit animal sanctuary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Baltimore County detectives, along with James City County police, obtained a search and seizure warrant for the stolen calf, and on May 7, returned the stolen calf to its owners, police said. Police said the owner of Life with Pigs farm initially lied about how he obtained the cow, but eventually admitted he was given the calf by Sully. Sully was arrested Monday. She faces multiple burglary and theft charges. She posted a $10,000 unsecured personal bond. Wilkinson, with a last-known address in the 8100 block of Strawberry Lane in Falls Church, Virginia, is wanted on a warrant by Baltimore County police. Anyone with information of Wilkinson's whereabouts is asked to call 911. An investigation into allegations of animal abuse against Braglio Farms found no evidence of abuse or neglect of any animal on the farm, police said. This case remains under active investigation. This story will be updated.  READ MORE: 1 arrested, 1 wanted in theft of 3-month-old calf CHECK OUT WBAL: Get all the latest Baltimore news, weather and sports. WBAL-TV brings you the best in Maryland news online, anytime.


We don't know what to think about Kevin Durant and his plans for the offseason right now. Reports have him choosing between the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks. Others think he might just stay with the Golden State Warriors. At the very least, some have suggested that nobody really knows where he's going to go, and Durant's own business partner says he's undecided. So take this with a huge, giant, rough-edged grain of salt. According to former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Kendrick Perkins, he would not be surprised if Durant decided to signed with the Clippers this summer. Via Twitter: We shot this yesterday… Here's @KendrickPerkins telling us don't be surprised if @KDTrey5 (his close friend) winds up with the Clippers. Full two part episodes air June 4th and 5th. pic.twitter.com/R4ZDkCmCaN   Kristine Leahy (@KristineLeahy) May 22, 2019 It's not even the end of May yet and I'm already tired of talking about Durant. He's not even playing and he's tiring. Durant is perhaps the league's best player, but the next time this story will be interesting will be when he finally signs somewhere in early July. In the meantime, talking about what the mercurial Durant wants is a lost cause. Nobody knows what he wants   maybe not even Durant. That is, until he decides to furiously tweet it at a media member. That's not out of the realm of possibility, either. Durant won't be back for the start of the NBA Finals, which is the real story of interest. Golden State looks great against the Portland Trail Blazers without their former two-time Finals MVP, and if the Warriors win a championship without Durant actively participating in that series, it will make his legacy that much more compex.


WASHINGTON   Democrats shunned a White House veto threat and muscled legislation through the House Tuesday that would bestow a chance for citizenship on an estimated 2 million-plus migrants, a bill that stands virtually no chance of enactment but lets them showcase their efforts on one of their highest-profile priorities. The measure is just one skirmish in Democrats' multi-front battle against most congressional Republicans over immigration, an issue that has deadlocked the two parties for decades but intensified under the harsh policies and rhetoric of President Donald Trump. It is likely fated to join a host of other House-passed measures advancing Democrats' agenda that are running aground in the GOP-run Senate, including legislation on health care, gun control, climate change and election security. The bill passed on a near party-line 237-187 vote as supporters in the House visitors' galleries roared "Yes We Can" and other chants, a rare display of raucous emotion in a chamber whose rules require decorum by its guests. Seven Republicans from mostly moderate districts were the only lawmakers to cross party lines. As if to underscore the relentlessness and sweep of the immigration fight, the Democratic-led House Appropriations Committee took its own swipe at Trump by unveiling a separate bill that provides no additional money next year for building the president's long-sought barriers along the southwest border. That measure also claws back a portion of the billions of dollars Trump has unilaterally diverted toward constructing portions of his wall. The House-passed bill would protect from deportation and provide a pathway toward citizenship for young migrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Many would be "Dreamers" currently safeguarded by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which only the federal courts have thwarted Trump from dismantling. It would also shield others here temporarily because their home countries   chiefly in Central America, Africa and the Middle East   have been ravaged by wars or natural disasters. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that more than 2 million people already in the U.S. would get legal status under the House bill. The analysts also said the measure would cost more than $30 billion over the next decade, largely because many migrants attaining legal status would qualify for federal benefits like Medicaid. Democrats said that besides humanitarian considerations, helping the migrants stay in the U.S. would benefit the economy and the many industries that employ them as workers. Among the bill's supporters are the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO labor organization, immigration and liberal groups. "This is about who we are as Americans, and what is in the best interests of our country," said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., the measure's chief sponsor. Republicans criticized the bill for lacking border security provisions that they and Trump have long demanded as part of any major immigration bill, and said it dangled overly generous provisions that would encourage even more illegal immigration. "This bill, to my mind, would ruin America," said Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis. White House aides sent lawmakers a letter threatening a Trump veto, saying the measure "would incentivize and reward illegal immigration" without "protecting our communities and defending our borders." Though the bill contained provisions thwarting many gang members from winning legal status, Republicans unsuccessfully tried adding tougher language. Just 10 Democrats voted for it, nine from districts Trump carried in 2016. Republicans seemed certain to use the vote in next year's campaigns to try characterizing Democrats who opposed the amendment as soft on crime. The debate occurred as the number of migrants arriving at the border with Mexico has swelled, straining the government's ability to process and detain them. Since Dec. 1, more than 200,000 migrant families have been released into the country, with a huge backlog meaning they will likely be in the U.S. for years until immigration courts decide their fate. Trump has requested $4.5 billion to address that influx, but Congress has yet to approve it. Trump has also said he'll impose a 5% tariff on all Mexican goods starting next week if that country doesn't stem the flow of migrants and drugs into the U.S. The assessment would grow gradually to 25% without a resolution. Under the House bill, "Dreamers" and immigrants brought to this country illegally when they were age or less could qualify for a decade of conditional legal status if they have been here continually for at least four years. They'd have to meet education and background check requirements, and not have committed felonies or certain misdemeanors, including for domestic violence. They would qualify for full, permanent legal residence if they attain post-secondary degrees, serve in the military or have worked for at least three years. After another five years, they could then apply for citizenship. Also qualifying for legal residence, and possible citizenship, would be people in the U.S. with Temporary Protected Status, another program that temporarily protects roughly 300,000 people from 10 war-torn or disaster-racked nations. The administration has tried ending the program for people from several of those countries   including Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti and El Salvador   but has been hindered by lawsuits. Several thousand Liberians fleeing violence and the Ebola virus who've won temporary legal status in the U.S. would also be given a chance for permanent residence and citizenship. Trump decided last year to end that program, called Deferred Enforced Departure, but in March extended it for another year so the program could be phased out. Democrats' separate homeland security bill would cancel $601 million from procurement programs, dinging Trump for trying to shift that amount from a Treasury fund toward building a border wall, and cut the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention beds. That move by Democrats seeks to reduce the government's ability to detain migrants instead of releasing them pending court appearances. Both proposals seem certain to attract another Trump veto promise. ___ Associated Press writer Andrew Taylor contributed to this report.


One person was killed after a fight led to a shooting Wednesday in Hendersonville, according to police. The shooting happened on Brooklyn Avenue in Hendersonville. During the fight one person was shot. That person died at Mission Hospital. Police said it appears to be an isolated incident with no threat to the public. The public is asked to contact the Hendersonville Police Department at (828)-697-3025 with any information regarding the shooting. READ MORE: Fight leads to deadly shooting, police say CHECK OUT WYFF: Get the latest Greenville news and weather. For live, local, late-breaking Greenville, SC, news coverage, WYFF is the place to be.


Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has shown he can be calm under pressure. Even if that pressure is in the form of a tornado. Via Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star , Mahomes' girlfriend shared a photo on social media of him sitting calmly and studying his playbook while severe storm warnings were in their area. THAT'S M🌪 QB https://t.co/2dJ9qd8pHH   Alicia Marie (@KC_Goddess29) May 29, 2019 At least his dog seems to be watching the news to stay apprised of their safety (and probably tried to tell him that playing basketball at the local gym wasn't a good idea either).