Gallery by photo services (Reuters) - A U.S. judge said on Thursday he would order the Trump administration to comb through the records of 47,000 immigrant children and within six months identify those separated from their parents after crossing the Mexican border. While a government official said at Thursday's hearing he hoped to meet the deadline, the government said earlier this month it might take two years to identify the separated children. "I am going to issue an order to do this in six months, subject to good cause," said U.S. Judge Dana Sabraw at a hearing in San Diego. "It is important for all government actors to have a time frame and I intend to stand on it." The American Civil Liberties Union, which brought a class action lawsuit on behalf of parents separated from their children, pressed Sabraw to give the government a firm deadline. Last year, Sabraw ordered the government to reunite around 2,700 children who were separated under the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy of criminally prosecuting illegal border crossers, even if they had children. The ACLU said the reunifications were generally successful because the government scrambled to comply with Sabraw's order to complete the task in 30 days. The administration abandoned the zero tolerance policy last year in the wake of widespread outcry. In January, an internal government watchdog said there were potentially thousands more separated migrant children, although the exact number is unclear due to informal record keeping. Sabraw expanded the class action case in March to include the parents of this newly identified group of children. The government needs to review records for 47,000 immigrant children to determine which ones might be covered by the expanded class action, Jonathan White testified at the Thursday's court hearing. White, an official with the Department of Health and Human Services, said his team had already identified between 500 and 1,000 children who might have been separated from their parents. The watchdog report said prior to the official zero-tolerance policy, the government began ramping up separations in 2017 for other reasons related to a child's safety and well-being, including separating parents with criminal records or lack of proper documents. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)


When it comes to picking between serious driving performance and ride comfort, it might be time to admit I have chosen my side and so has the 2019 BMW X5 4oi a big, cushy cruiser that's competent enough in regular driving, but really shines more in everything else it does. ( Full Disclosure : BMW left a washed-and-fueled white X5 at Newark airport for me, I picked up and put many, many miles on before returning it about a week later.) What Is It? The X5 wasn't the first upscale crossover SUV, but it's definitely one of the OGs. Having stepped on the scene in the late '90s with the Mercedes ML and Porsche Cayenne, it was part of a then-novel segment of high-horsepower high-roofline jellybean-looking luxury vehicles. Today, of course, the crossover class of car is wildly popular and the made-in-America X5 is now in its fourth generation. A casual observer would call the X5 a big car, but in 2019 it's really more of a large medium. The leviathan X7 is nine inches longer, and anyway, the X5's mightily assisted steering and marvelously impressive outside-perspective cameras make its size pretty manageable. Specs That Matter The X5 comes in two flavors: xDrive 40i ($61,000) with a 3.0-liter TwinPower turbocharged inline six and a claimed 335 horsepower output, and xDrive 50i ($76,000), which bumps to 456 HP with a 4.4-liter V8 that's also boosted. For this test, I drove the weaker one. According to the spec sheet , the I6 can make the X5 shuffle from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds while the V8 does it in a scary-snappy 4.6. That V8, which I've driven in the X7, does indeed dole out gloriously effortless acceleration but it comes with a significant efficiency penalty. BMW claims 22 mpg on the highway with the V8 while the six-cylinder version is good for a claimed 26. Both are meant to burn 93-octane gasoline, though. You might be looking at BMWs because you're interested in engine power, but you only find your way to the X5 if you want cargo capacity as well. With all the passenger seats folded down, you should have just over 72 cubic feet of space to work with here. For context, that's about the same as what you get with a Subaru Outback and it's ample for an expensive impulse buy at Pottery Barn. With all the seats in place, BMW promises 33.9 cubic feet behind the second row. You could easily stash four people's rollaboard bags, but if you didn't have to, you could use the X5's finally-optional third-row seat which my test car was not equipped with but I'm sure some people will be excited about. Another X5 first for 2019 is a factory-fitted trailer hitch, and with the right setup, BMW says you can pull a whopping 7,209 pounds with either engine. A diesel Chevy Colorado doesn't even best it by too much there; the pickup tops out at 7,700 pounds. What's Great As soon my ass made contact with the leather on the million-way adjustable seat of this car, I knew I was going to enjoy my time with it. It's like the hide was stretched out for Goldilocks. Hard enough to be supportive, soft enough to feel luxurious. Outward visibility is good ahead of the sculpted hood that stretches out ahead of you nicely. And while the dashboard is a little intimidating at first, there's just so much information to ingest from the gauge cluster, taking the time to understand what's where and how to adjust it really pays off. The speedometer fades into the map which fades into the fuel economy gauge in a way that's both aesthetically pleasing and useful. But if you don't like that, you can pick a layout of your own. Similarly, the car makes it really easy to quickly select your favorite settings from the vast suite of driver assistance technology and performance management systems. So if you want to use some but not all of the driver aid features, you can quickly toggle back and fourth between the default and your preferred configuration. Same goes for if you want to, say, have the suspension to "comfort" and everything else to "sport" as a quickly-selectable setting. (This is, of course, the most correct performance setting if you ever have the option.) My favorite feature though, don't laugh, is the X5's headlights. The " Icon Adaptive LED Headlights with Laserlight " that you get with the car's top-trim Executive Tier can turn a dark, scary forest lit-enough for surgical work and even cooler than that, they actually point exactly where you want them to all the time. They worked flawlessly for me through cities and woods and rain and starry nights. But the most visually impressive piece of technology in the X5's arsenal is probably the virtual third-person perspective camera view you can toggle to help you park. You might have seen this on other Bimmers or a Rolls-Royce. Basically, the car's computer extrapolates a live view the car from the inputs it gets from its many cameras. Practically speaking it's definitely not essential, but it is really, really cool to look at. What's Weak Before you get to meet the X5's wonderful seats you have to contend with its pointless sidestep, ostensibly there to help shorter people climb into the car. It's artfully sculpted into the vehicle's design but caught my ankles a lot, and made getting in and out of the car in muddy Vermont a little extra annoying. I polled three other body types I had as passengers; nobody liked them. But the biggest letdown in the X5 experience is the shifter. Not the transmission, that's fine. It's the physical shift knob that's made of remarkably cheap-feeling plastic molded in an awkwardly engorged shape. I'm not going to say it destroys the car's aura of luxury, but man, having to touch that thing at the beginning and end of every drive just made me a little sad about hypothetically spending $65,000 on this car. My only real complaint about the driving experience is the lane keeping assistant, which felt hyperactive to me, trying to bump me off lines painted on the highway very aggressively. But deactivating it only takes a few clicks. BMW's Gesture Control is dumb and pointless. Despite my best efforts I never could make peace with the voice-activated functions, but those problems are pretty easy to ignore. Casual Driving The X5 does a great job giving you a sense of power as it lumbers out of a parking garage and into the big, bad city. The gas pedal has some weight to it and the way the seatbelts automatically cinch tight once the car gets above a walking pace really injects a little "get in loser, we're about to fly to Space Mountain" vibe as you start your drive. That's pretty much the extent of the vehicle's personality, though. The X5 is extremely competent at doing everything you want to car to do; the steering and brakes afford you a lot more confidence than you might expect from a 4,800 pound machine. But the car doesn't beg to be driven hard. The cabin almost seems hermetically sealed against the environment outside. Even with the enormous roof shade open, the X5 articulates a sense that the world is a zoo and you're just zooming through it like a tourist. Aggressive Driving The 2019 X5 behaves very differently in Sport, Comfort and Eco Pro mode. In its most aggressive setting, Sport, obviously, the 40i model surges from a stop to the speed limit with plenty of haste but minimal drama. Once you're at a cruising velocity, the sensation of speed pretty much melts away and it'd be tough to feel if you're going 50, 80, or 120 mph if there wasn't a heads-up display in the speedometer. It's too bad there are speed limits, really, because the X5's brakes are absolutely up to the task of panic stops from Autobahn speeds. And the vehicle can hang through abrupt steering maneuvers too, though its handling doesn't feel particularly... exciting. I think that's an inevitable byproduct of a high seating position in a well-insulated cabin. As a performance vehicle, the xDrive 40i version of the X5 pretty much delivers as advertised it's a comfortable luxury vehicle with solid driving dynamics. At least, until you hit the dirt. Nobody needs the X5 to be a badass off-roader, but you'd like to think all that ground clearance and advanced traction control would be good for flying down dirt roads. Unfortunately the tight suspension that keeps the X5 flat through abrupt lane changes is very easy to outrun on even a well-traveled New England dirt track. Yes, even in Comfort mode, repeated divots and potholes at speed beat you up way before you get fast enough to have fun. Value $65,000 is serious scratch to spend on a car. I'm pretty sure it's more than I've spent on all my cars, including modifications and upkeep, in my 15 years of being a licensed driver. But let's say I could get $6,500 for my Mitsubishi Montero and Acura TL. Would an X5 be 10 times as good as having those two cars? In terms of safety, technology, luxury and performance... I mean, yeah, it would. The X5 is competitively priced against its most direct rivals, the Mercedes GLE and Audi Q7. As far as getting the most for your money there, it's going to come down to which brand's design and interface appeals to you and which dealership can cut you the best deal. More importantly, this BMW passes what I consider to be the ultimate value test: its fanciness is proportionately priced in comparison to more modest cars in the same category. In other words: a nicely equipped AWD 2019 Honda Pilot lists for about $45,000. Is this X5 at least 1.4 times as luxurious as that Honda? It is. Verdict The 2019 BMW X5 xDrive 40i is a car I genuinely enjoyed driving and riding in. The human machine interface is really technologically impressive, performance is adequate enough be worthy of a BMW roundel and the seats are just freaking divine. I would have liked a little better rough-road compliance, BMW's gesture control is a garbage gimmick and the chintzy shifter disproportionately dings the car's driving experience. But the rest of the X5's features, its behavior on the road and its surprisingly not-terrible efficiency for its size and weight (I ended up averaging about 24 mpg over about 700 miles of mixed driving), the whole package comes together nicely and I'd be happy to climb back into this car for another road trip. Research the BMW X5 on MSN Autos | Find a BMW X5 near you Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter


Ever wonder if your friends in Minnesota are cooking the same dinner as your friends in Florida? Do you think the most popular dinner recipe is the same in Alaska as it is in New York? Of course you don't, and thanks to Google Trends, you can see exactly how different those dinner recipes are. While it's not the most scientific, Google Trends can tell you the dinner recipes that each state is searching for online more than any other state. According to the fine folks at Google, if you live in Colorado, for example, you're likely searching for chicken fried steak. If you live in Nebraska, you're most likely searching for brisket. (We'll take Nebraska for the food, Colorado for the... mountains.) Based on their list, not surprisingly, many states are Googling chicken, spaghetti and steak. Somewhat mysteriously, on the other hand, some states (we don't want to name names, but that's what we're here to do, North Dakota) are searching for chicken spaghetti. Check out the list below to see what dinner recipe is the most popular unique search in your state. Who knows? Maybe you'll be inspired to move to Idaho! As you can see from the map, the categories of food are well dispersed throughout the country. States interested in bread and pasta aren't all clumped together, and neither are states searching for seafood recipes. A bit of a red meat belt exists in the South, and chicken is popular in the Northeast, but beyond those loose generalizations, the map looks pretty random, and also unexpected. We would have guessed, for example, that states on the coast would be more likely to search for seafood recipes over landlocked states, but this map disproves that assumption. We're not sure which one is more curious: that Wyoming is searching for lobster or that Hawaii is searching for chicken salad. In any case, we're proud of Oregon and South Dakota: they're both searching for ramen recipes more than any other state. Alabama: Potato Salad Alaska: Prime Rib Arizona: Shrimp Arkansas: Tortillas California: Chicken Breast Colorado: Chicken Fried Steak Connecticut: Moroccan Chicken Thighs Delaware: Dinner Salad District of Columbia: Stuffed Peppers Florida: Chicken Georgia: Lemon Pepper Chicken Hawaii: Chicken Salad Idaho: Tilapia Fish Tacos Illinois : Salmon Indiana: Potato Skillet Iowa: Pizza Dough Kansas: Casserole Kentucky: Sweet Potato Louisiana: Chili Maine: Boiled Ham Maryland: Chicken Massachusetts: Chicken Michigan: Meatloaf Minnesota: Salmon Mississippi: Steak Missouri: Chicken Wrap Montana: Bean Taco Soup Nebraska : Brisket Nevada: Indian Dinner New Hampshire: Corned Beef New Jersey: Chicken New Mexico: Egg Burger New York: Chicken North Carolina: Chili North Dakota: Chicken Spaghetti Ohio: Spaghetti Oklahoma: Steak Oregon: Ramen Pennsylvania: Steak Rhode Island: Butternut Squash South Carolina: Steak South Dakota: Ramen Tennessee: Grilled Ribs Texas: Chicken Utah: Spaghetti Vermont: Chicken Virginia: Paneer Washington: Fried Rice West Virginia: Tacos Wisconsin: Rice Ball Wyoming: Lobster Photo credit for main image: A Beautiful Mess Follow HuffPost's board Dinner Recipe Ideas on Pinterest. Want to read more from HuffPost Taste? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest and Tumblr .


SAINT PAUL, MN   The number of lives lost on Minnesota roads has climbed to more than 100 for the first time in 10 years, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, and as a result, the office's Traffic Safety Department will coordinate a campaign during the coming month to help law enforcement crack down on speeding motorists. In 2018, there were 113 traffic-related deaths on Minnesota roads, up from 88 in 2017 and 89 in 2016. The last time the number was over 100 was in 2008   records show 125 deaths that year. During the "deadliest days" of 2018   Memorial Day to Labor Day   the Public Safety Office indicated that speed played a part in 30 fatalities. The campaign to crack down on speeders kicked off June 18 and continues through July 21. More than 300 agencies will participate in the campaign by providing overtime hours to officers, deputies and state troopers. What are the consequences for speeding? While the cost of a speeding violation will vary by county, a driver typically is fined more than $110 with court fees for traveling 10 mph over the limit. Fines double for anyone traveling 20 mph over the limit, and driver's licenses may be suspended for six months if a motorist is caught in a vehicle traveling more than 100 mph.


A large tree outside Jeremy's house in Lafayette, Colorado, needed pruning. A chainsaw would have done the trick, but he obviously decided to be more creative.


An Ahwatukee mansion with more than 14,000 square feet, seven bedrooms and 11-bathrooms has sold for $3.56 million. The price is likely a record for the Phoenix suburb. The three-story posh place includes a "Harry Potter" style library with a weather sensing retractable glass pyramid, a game room, exercise room and guest house. The one-acre property is located right next to the South Mountain Park Preserve. An Arizona group called Wonder Rift RE paid cash for the home. Attorney Frederick Taylor is listed as the agent for Wonder Rift. A Delaware limited liability corporation called Fishscale sold the home it paid $3.25 million for in 2011. "This property marks a new era for Ahwatukee's luxury home market. It shows there are luxury buyers who will pay for a quality home," said Lehman Wood of Russ Lyon Sotheby's. He had the listing for the mansion with Jacqueline Miller. The home has been listed for sale on and off for the past three years. A previous listing price was more than $6.4 million. Property records show this is the highest-priced home sale in Ahwatukee since at least 1995. Reach the reporter at Catherine.Reagor@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8040. Follow her on Twitter @Catherinereagor . Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ahwatukee mansion sells at record price for Phoenix suburb


Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) is under fire for tweeting out a list of donors to President Donald Trump. Why the maneuver is so controversial isn't entirely clear: It's all information that was already public. The Texas Democrat and brother to 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro on Monday tweeted a list of 44 San Antonio donors who contributed the maximum amount under federal law to Trump in 2019. "Sad to see so many San Antonians as of 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump," he wrote, calling out a couple of the city's better-known donors by their Twitter handles. "Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as 'invaders.'" Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump   the owner of  @BillMillerBarBQ , owner of the  @HistoricPearl , realtor Phyllis Browning, etc. Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as 'invaders.' pic.twitter.com/YT85IBF19u   Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) August 6, 2019 Castro's tweet came after two mass shootings over the weekend in El Paso, Texas , and Dayton, Ohio , that left 31 people dead and dozens others injured. The El Paso shooter reportedly targeted Latinx people and posted a manifesto online warning about a "Hispanic invasion" of the United States, mimicking the president's language . Some observers   and not just those across the aisle   cried foul on Castro's tweet, arguing that it unfairly put the spotlight on Trump donors and potentially put them in danger by publicizing their names and professions. "Targeting and harassing Americans because of their political beliefs is shameful and dangerous," said House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who blamed the weekend's shootings on video games , in a tweet. "What happened to 'When they go low, we go high?' Or does that no longer matter when your brother is polling at 1%? Americans deserve better." The hashtag #ImpeachJoaquinCastro began to spread on Twitter. But it isn't as though what Castro tweeted out was secret information. Thanks to how campaign contribution laws work under the Federal Election Commission, it's data anyone could look up. This is, in part, a discussion about privacy and what level of publicity donors to political campaigns do and do not deserve. But it's also a conversation about how much the president's supporters should be held accountable for his rhetoric and its implications. Castro isn't backing down. "No one was targeted or harassed in my post. You know that," Castro tweeted in response to McCarthy. "All that info is routinely published." If you donate to a political candidate, some of your information will probably be made public The graphic Castro tweeted out, which according to Politico came from a Democratic activist group, doesn't contain secret information. It's data that, because of how federal campaign finance laws work in the United States, is already out there. According to FEC guidelines , individuals can contribute up to $2,800 to federal candidates per election   that means they could, for example, give that maximum for the primary and general election, meaning $5,600 combined. Cash contributions of $50 or less can be anonymous. Once contributions add up to more than $200 during a two-year cycle to a certain candidate, then campaigns have to report them to the FEC, including the amount, date of receipt, and the contributor's name, address, occupation, and employer. That information can then be accessed on the FEC's website or on websites that aggregate that information, such as OpenSecrets . The point of all of this is pretty straightforward: It's a way to keep campaigns accountable and make sure they're following the laws, and it also increases transparency for voters to see who is backing campaigns. Of course, not all political donations face such limitations. Super PACs can take in unlimited amounts of money , though they have to report their donors, and political nonprofits, or " dark money" groups , don't have to publicly say who's giving to them at all. The Trump donors Castro listed are ones who purportedly donated the maximum to the president, meaning they're well over the $200 threshold for their contributions to be made public. That's not to say that the conversation isn't without nuance. It's one thing to know your donation is going to end up in an FEC database where people have to search for it, it's another for your contribution to show up on a member of Congress' Twitter account. And yes, news outlets regularly have stories about who's backing campaigns and hosting fundraising events, but they're often focused on big-name donors and hyper-rich individuals. People in the United States are allowed free speech, including when it comes to their political preferences and donations. But that speech is also often public, especially in the age of the internet where information is so easily accessible. A lot of people are mad about Castro's tweet Though the list Castro tweeted out was public information, many people were still opposed to it. They complained that it unfairly targeted donors, including business owners and retirees, for potential harassment and called for Castro to rescind it and apologize. Multiple Republicans called Castro out. "People should not be personally targeted for their political views. Period. This isn't a game. It's dangerous, and lives are at stake. I know this firsthand," said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), who was shot at a congressional baseball game in 2017, in a tweet . Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called for Castro to retract the tweet and called for everyone to tone things down. He also said the tweet amounted to "doxxing." Some reporters criticized Castro as well. "I don't want to put these people's names in my feed because this is dangerous, by any campaign," tweeted New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman. Journalist Yashar Ali wrote that Castro's tweet was a "terrible and dangerous precedent to set." Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh wrote that Castro was at the very least "inviting harassment" to private citizens. In a separate statement to the Washington Post , Murtaugh said that "no one should be targeted for exercising their First Amendment rights or for their political beliefs" and called for Castro to delete the tweet and apologize, and for his brother's campaign to disavow it. The president's son, Donald Trump Jr., in an appearance on Fox & Friends on Wednesday, compared Castro's tweet to the alleged "hit list" and "rape list" the Dayton shooter reportedly kept while in high school . Others, however, pushed back and jumped to Castro's defense. Some people pointed out that doxxing is when private information, such as a phone number and address, is published online. And, as mentioned, this information was already public. As regards the faux outrage by conservatives in response to Joaquin Castro's tweeting of the names and occupations of his constituents who maxed out their donations to Trump, here's a website where such public info is readily available to all who want it. https://t.co/BWepCtyZa0   Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) August 7, 2019 . @JoaquinCastrotx is right to name publicly those who are funding Trump's hateful ads, ads that put Hispanic lives at risk. That's all public information. There's no basis to complain of what Rep. Castro is doing to shine light on it.   Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) August 7, 2019 Castro is also refusing to back down. In an appearance on Morning Joe on Wednesday, when pressed on whether the people on the list would now be harassed, Castro said he wants the donors "to think twice about supporting a guy who is fueling hate in this country." Julián Castro's campaign appears to have no plans to disavow the tweet. "Trump and his right-wing enablers whine about publicly available information being released because they want to distract from his role in fueling the kind of racism, bigotry, and white nationalism that we saw in El Paso this weekend," said campaign spokesperson Sawyer Hackett in an email to Vox. "It's pathetic." It's also worth noting this type of controversy isn't particularly new. As one Twitter user pointed out , in 2009, a similar controversy erupted around efforts to publicize information about donors who had supported California's same-sex marriage ban . This is part of a broader conversation about what donors are signing up for when they back Trump There have long been concerns about the president's rhetoric and the ways in which it stokes racist and anti-immigrant sentiment. And it's not just at rallies and on Twitter where Trump often warns about immigrants invading the United States or finds new migrant caravans to stoke fears about   it's also part of his paid advertising plan. As Thomas Kaplan at the New York Times pointed out, Trump's reelection campaign has posted over 2,000 ads on Facebook using the word "invasion," and generally, they've been about immigration. While the El Paso shooter has said his anti-immigrant beliefs predate Trump, it's impossible not to notice the parallels: His reported manifesto says that his attack "is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas." Donors to Trump's campaign are directly fueling his advertising   they give to his campaign and then his campaign pays Facebook to run the ads. Whether they should be publicly shamed for it might be debatable, but that this is where their money is going is undeniable. Castro said on Morning Joe that was part of the point. "My post was actually a lament. If you look at my language, I said that it's sad that these folks, many of whom are prominent business owners in San Antonio, a city that's about 65 percent Hispanic   their customers, the people that have made them wealthy, their employees, the people that have worked for them for years, many of those folks are Hispanic. And they're giving their money to a guy who's running ads talking about Hispanics invading this country."


LOS ANGELES   More than 500,000 people have downloaded Los Angeles County's new ShakeAlertLA app to warn them of impending earthquakes. So when the two strongest earthquakes in almost two decades hit Southern California this month, those residents were surprised by what they saw on their smartphones: nothing. Officials were quick to explain to outraged app users that the shaking in the county wasn't strong enough to trigger an alert. But that rationale hasn't mollified the public. And the program's inauspicious start has officials grappling with an existential question that quake-prone countries such as Japan and Mexico have faced before: Is it better to issue too many earthquake warning alerts or not enough? "We've long treated citizens as people who need to be protected, rather than people we need to empower," said David Eisenman, the lead scientist on the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Project. "More information is always the way we need to go. It's undeniable." Before the ShakeAlertLA app was rolled out on New Year's Eve, researchers spent a great deal of time debating the appropriate minimum threshold for alerts, U.S. Geological Survey seismologists said. They decided to send alerts for quakes in L.A. County with a magnitude of at least 5.0, or quakes that occur anywhere and produce "light" shaking in Los Angeles. But after the blowback that followed the Ridgecrest quakes July 4 and 5, officials agreed to lower the mark. By the end of July, the app will send alerts for local quakes with a magnitude of at least 4.5 and for any quake that results in "weak" shaking locally despite officials' concern that too many warnings could lead to complacency. "We want you to see the alert and immediately drop, cover and hold on," said Robert de Groot, the USGS' ShakeAlert national coordinator. "If you see 30 of those a day, you're either going to get incredible muscle tone and a core workout, or you're going to stop reacting altogether." Striking a balance At 8:19 p.m. July 5, shaking was detected by several USGS seismic sensors buried in concrete vaults along the West Coast. In real time, they used cellular and radio technology to transmit data to a processing center. There, an algorithm automatically evaluated the information and determined that it fit the profile of an earthquake. An official ShakeAlert was generated   just 6.9 seconds after the first rumble. "USGS writes the letter and puts it in the mailbox," De Groot said. "It's up to our partners, like the ShakeAlertLA app, to pick the letter up and deliver it." But the USGS had instructed the app's developers to deliver the message to L.A. County users only if the shaking there would be strong enough to cause significant damage: shelves toppling, people being thrown around, "your favorite decorative plate from Reno flying off the wall," De Groot said. That amount of shaking is considered level 4 on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, which is different from magnitude. The city of Ridgecrest experienced an intensity level of 8 after the 7.1 quake , causing heavy furniture to fall down and chimneys to crumble. Christmas Canyon reached an intensity level of 9, enough to shift buildings off their foundations. But in most of L.A. County, where window blinds swayed and swimming pools sloshed, the intensity did not surpass level 3   a degree of shaking the USGS describes as "similar to the passing of a truck." "Did the alert system fail people? That depends on what you consider a success," said Caltech seismologist Lucy Jones, who specializes in science communication. "The system certainly did what it was programmed to do, so there's the technical absolution. But then there's the social issue   the human side of it all." There were plenty of humans who did not give ShakeAlertLA a passing grade. "It failed the day I needed it most," one critic said on Twitter. Another added: "I really expected more from this app." When it comes to handling the people factor, other quake-prone countries may have lessons to lend. Japan's Meteorological Agency established its Early Earthquake Warning system after the 1995 Kobe temblor that killed more than 6,000 people. That system includes thousands of sensors, compared with California's approximately 800 so far, Jones said. (Japan is about the size of California but has three times as many earthquakes, she said.) In 2011, the Early Earthquake Warning system automatically signaled high-speed trains to slow down during the 9.1 Tohoku quake that struck off Japan's east coast, helping prevent deadly derailments. It sent alerts through the national Japanese broadcaster NHK about 90 seconds before buildings in Tokyo began to sway. Cellphone warnings that buzzed in Sendai gave university students enough time to shelter under their desks during a lecture, said Richard Allen, director of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory. After public awareness campaigns explained the workings of the early warning system, more than three-quarters of the Japanese public understood that false alarms were a possibility, according to a study in Earthquake Spectra, a journal published by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute. An erroneous alert of a magnitude 9 earthquake was sent in 2016, according to local media. Two years later, two minor temblors were mistakenly interpreted to be a single, larger earthquake that triggered a warning of strong shaking that never came. Still, 90% of citizens surveyed said they approve of the Japanese early warning system. About 75% of people who had been sleeping before a strong earthquake said they were woken by the alert, not the shaking, and the vast majority said the alert prompted them to take protective action. ShakeAlertLA could produce similar results, Jones said. "The instruments in the ground and the algorithms are essentially the same in both countries," she said. The difference lies in "how we distribute that knowledge." In Japan, earthquakes are discussed not on the basis of their magnitude but according to their seismic intensity in a particular location, giving residents an idea of the shaking they should expect wherever they are. In addition, the Yurekuru smartphone app allows residents to decide for themselves how bad the shaking has to be for them to receive an alert. (Complaints from some Los Angeles residents suggest this would be a welcome feature for ShakeAlertLA.) Mexico developed its early warning system after the 1985 Mexico City quake that killed more than 9,000. That system feeds into SkyAlert, a smartphone app designed by a private company that alerts users to any quake in the country with a magnitude of at least 4.5. Premium users, who pay about $5 a year, receive notifications when the shaking intensity at their location is expected to reach level 3, according to Alejandro Cantu, the company's founder. Yurekuru and SkyAlert have each been downloaded millions of times. Weeks before a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck central Mexico in 2017, a technician erroneously sent an alert through the capital's 12,000 sirens. Still, researchers discovered that residents preferred the false alarm to having no warning before minor shaking arrived. "People are remarkably tolerant of false alerts. When they got messages, they simply perceived it as the system working," said Allen, who traveled to Mexico to evaluate public opinion immediately following the temblor. A report on the system by Allen and his colleagues put it this way: "There seems to be general acceptance of the technical limitations of the early warning system in exchange for some measure of peace of mind." In L.A. County, seismologists believe one way to address concerns of an oversensitive system is to find creative ways to convey warnings, such as tailoring the messaging on the alert for varying degrees of intensity. For example, a nuanced alert that had read, "Be aware, weak shaking is expected," before the July 5 rolling would have been more appropriate than a universal message that read, "Drop, cover, and hold on," Jones said. Though many users felt let down by the ShakeAlertLA app, De Groot urged Southern Californians to keep it on their phones. The Ridgecrest quakes were beneficial in that they allowed officials to test the program in a live setting, rather than an orchestrated scenario. That's how real problems are identified and solved   and how public trust will be rebuilt. "I've seen some really interesting comments on Twitter, and hundreds of emails, which has been a joy," De Groot said, with just a hint of sarcasm. "But the truth is, we don't get opportunities like this very often, to learn where people's heads are, gauge public opinion, and rethink how it all plays out." (Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II and Dakota Smith contributed to this report.) ©2019 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


RAVENNA, OH (WOIO) - The suspect accused of setting a Portage County deputy on fire was found competent to stand trial at a hearing Friday morning. Jay Brannon was indicted on five counts of attempted murder, five counts of aggravated arson and one count of felonious assault stemming from a brutal attack on the deputy. Jay Brannon hearing 7/26/2019 WATCH LIVE: Man accused of lighting Portage County deputy on fire in court now for a competency hearing: https://bit.ly/2K4LHap Posted by Cleveland 19 News on Friday, July 26, 2019 According to Portage County Sheriff's Office, Brannon threw an ignited container of a flammable liquid on Sergeant Jim Acklin when deputies attempted to serve him with felony warrants. Related: Suspect accused of setting Portage County deputy on fire identified The incident occurred at Brannon's home on State Route 44 in Rootstown on Feb. 14. The liquid set Acklin's clothes on fire. Other deputies and officers helped Acklin put out the flames. He was transported via EMA to Akron Children's Burn Unit, where he spent four days recovering. Related: Portage County deputy burned during nightmarish arrest released from hospital Two other officers were treated and released at University Hospitals for smoke inhalation. Brannon was taken into custody at the scene and is being held on a $2 million bond. Sheriff David Doak said this attack stands out because it's not something officers typically prepare for. In fact, in his 50 years of service, Doak said he hasn't seen an attack like this, but he also said he's seen a trend of officer attacks worsening in the last decade. Jay Brannon's pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Oct. 23. Copyright 2019 WOIO. All rights reserved.


At least 20 classic American cars circa 1990 have been destroyed in a fire that engulfed 613 Automotive Group during the early hours of Thursday morning. A ferocious blaze has ripped through a beloved car dealership used by HBO for the upcoming TV series I Know This Much Is True. A total of 20 classic vehicles were totaled as the fire took grip during the early hours of Thursday morning. The cause of the incident is yet to be established, but authorities believe the inferno started near the dealership entrance around 12.45am on May 9, located on Mainstreet, Elenville. Filming had reportedly finished only 90 minutes beforehand. No less than 15 fire crews from surrounding counties tackled the emergency head on. However, despite an 11-hour fight to subdue the flames, 613 Automotive Group suffered total destruction. More Collector Car Disasters Porsche Collection Destroyed in Explosion Why This Crashed 1989 Lamborghini Countach Breaks Our Heart Cars claimed by the furnace included various American classics. Several circa 1990 Chevrolet Corvettes and Camaros were incinerated during the incident, supplied to the HBO production crew via a film-car company owned by Automobile Magazine New York bureau chief Jamie Kitman. Further losses include a C1500 pickup, a 454 SS pickup and a super-low-mileage 1990 Chevrolet Beretta Indy Pace Car replica. The 613 Automotive Group used-car dealership was dressed as a Chevrolet/Pontiac/Oldsmobile/Isuzu showroom for the miniseries starring Mark Ruffalo and Juliette Lewis. The story partially takes place in October of 1990 and is currently scheduled for broadcast later this year. Alongside the loss of various classic collector cars, firefighters could only watch as HBO's filming equipment caught alight. Production of the TV series, based on Wally Lamb's novel of the same name, has been temporarily shut down as a result. Despite the evident loss of the entirety of the business, fortunately no one was injured. Families from the surrounding areas have been displaced for safety precautions, while roads surrounding the showroom are closed for public safety. The general manager, Chris Busby, commented: "The business is a total loss." He continued: "There's nothing left, it's a huge loss for us and HBO. They are just as heartbroken as we are." "The whole front side of the building where the showrooms were ... fire was coming out of the windows and it progressed back through the garage rapidly," Ellenville Fire Chief John Avery told Spectrum News. Investigations into the blaze are ongoing.


Oakland Spending time in Ralph Bunche? Get to know this Oakland neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a brewery to a food truck. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Ralph Bunche, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Ghost Town Brewing Topping the list is brewery Ghost Town Brewing . Located at 1960 Adeline St. (between 19th and 21st streets), it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 87 reviews on Yelp. Beers on tap include a variety of in-house IPAs, lagers, cream ales, kettle sours and stouts. The brewery is kid-friendly and dog-friendly, and there are foosball and corn hole to play in between sipping flights. 2. Wine Barrel Planter Sales Next up is plant nursery and outdoor furniture store Wine Barrel Planter Sales , situated at Mandela Parkway. With five stars out of 27 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The business sells Napa Valley Oak wine barrels, which can be used as planters for a garden, or as indoor or outdoor furniture. 3. Chile Bravo Grill Food truck Chile Bravo Grill , which offers tacos and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at Market St. 21st Street, 4.5 stars out of 19 reviews. On the menu, you'll find tacos, veggie burritos, tortas, cheese nachos and more, with fillings like grilled chicken, grilled pork, beef tongue and shrimp. 4. Taqueria Barajitos Taco Truck Taqueria Barajitos Taco Truck , a food truck, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 22 Yelp reviews. Head over to West Grand Avenue and Adeline Street to see for yourself. The food truck serves up burritos   including breakfast burritos   as well as quesadillas, tacos, tortas, enchiladas and more. 5. Brundo Ethiopian Spice Company Check out Brundo Ethiopian Spice Company , which has earned four stars out of 12 reviews on Yelp. You can find the cooking school, which offers herbs, spices and more, at 1960 Mandela Parkway, Bay 6. The business operates its own spice production in Ethiopia, producing and exporting spices like turmeric, Ethiopian thyme, butter clarifying herb and black caraway seed. Brundo Ethiopian Spice Company also offers cooking classes where guests are taught to create traditional Ethiopian dishes. 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.


ST. LOUIS (AP) -- David Pastrnak flashed a wry smile, brimming with confidence. No even-strength points through the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final for the first line put plenty of pressure on Boston's best players to produce. Pastrnak shrugged it off, saying on scale of 1 to 10 they felt the pressure level was something around a 2. BOX SCORE: BRUINS 7, BLUES 2 RELATED: 3 takeaways from Game 3 Then they got on the ice and delivered. The stars led Boston to a 7-2 rout of the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Defenseman Torey Krug scored a goal and had three assists, top-line center Patrice Bergeron had a goal and two assists, Pastrnak and Brad Marchand got on the scoresheet and the top power-play unit was a perfect 4 for 4 -- on four shots. "It's about time we get going," said Pastrnak, who scored his first goal in the final. "I still think we haven't played our best. But we are up 2-1 and we need to meet tomorrow, look at the video and get even better. That's our focus in this group, and we've got a lot of good players, so we know we can even elevate more." Game 4 is Monday night in St. Louis. Boston chased Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, silenced actor and Blues super fan Jon Hamm and a raucous crowd that was fired up for the first Cup Final game in St. Louis in 49 years. The Bruins survived an initial onslaught and then simply took it to the home team. "We've been through so much together this year that we just rely on one another in uncomfortable situations," said Marchand, who assisted on Krug's goal. "When we get through it, we get through it together." Nothing was more important to get the Bruins through this than Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak getting on track. The line combined for five points in a decidedly better effort at 5-on-5 and on the power play. "We spent less time in our zone," Bergeron said moments after the win. "When we do that we have more energy on offense." Tuukka Rask was solid as usual in goal with 27 saves, and the Bruins continued to get contributions all over their lineup. Trade deadline pickup Charlie Coyle continued his hot run with his eighth goal of the playoffs, fourth-liner Sean Kuraly scored his second in three games and Marcus Johansson added goal No. 7 in the final minutes. "It's fun to see everyone contribute," Johansson said. "I don't think anyone cares who scores or what, but it's fun to see everyone contribute." The Bruins are two victories away from their first Stanley Cup since 2011 and Boston's third in a row in the four major North American professional sports. The Blues came out flat and continued a troubling trend of parading to the penalty box. After being the least-penalized team through the first three rounds, the Blues took seven more minors Saturday to give them 17 in the final. "We do have to limit the penalties for sure," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "We know they have a dangerous power play and we've been flirting with danger here the whole series and it burnt us tonight." Staying disciplined was Berube's focus given the charged atmosphere that delivered on all the hype. His players didn't practice what he preached, and Berube's staff even got a penalty for unsuccessfully challenging Kuraly's goal for offside with 7.8 seconds left in the first period. Berube believed it was a 50/50 call and took a chance that cost his team when Pastrnak scored on the ensuing power play. Just about everything went wrong for the Blues, who were forced to put backup Jake Allen into the game. He gave up one goal on four shots. Binnington allowed five goals on 19 shots before getting the hook for the first time in his young NHL career but will be back in net for Game 4. "I've got to be better," Binnington said. "I got to do a better job giving my team a chance to win. They scored three goals in the first. That's never good. They're a good hockey team. We have to get back to our game." One silver lining for the Blues is they scored their first power-play goal of the series and ended Boston's streak of 19 consecutive penalties killed. St. Louis couldn't kill off a single Bruins power play, which paved the way for the first blowout of the series. NOTES: Bruins D John Moore made his series debut in place of concussed teammate Matt Grzelcyk. ... The Blues were without suspended forward Oskar Sundqvist. Zac Sanford saw his first playoff action since April 14 in replacing Sundqvist. ... Allen hadn't played since late in the regular season, April 3 at Chicago. ... Mad Men" actor Jon Hamm, "The Office" actress Jenna Fischer, ex-St. Louis Rams players Isaac Bruce and Chris Long, current Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, NASCAR's Richard Petty and Bubba Wallace and retired track and field star Jackie Joyner-Kersee were among the celebrities in attendance. UP NEXT Sundqvist returns to the lineup for Game 4 on Monday night to give the Blues back an important grinder. ------ Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno ------ More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP--Sports Related slideshow: 2019 Stanley Cup Finals (Provided by imagn)


Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur is seeing all the same characteristics in receiver Jake Kumerow that quarterback Aaron Rodgers already loves. Asked about Kumerow after Sunday's training camp practice, LaFleur echoed much of what Rodgers has said the last two summers. "Jake's a consistent guy that is extremely reliable," LaFleur said . "You can trust he's going to be where he's supposed to be within the timing of the play. And he's a big guy that can go up and make some plays in those 50-50 balls." Kumerow made another big play during Sunday's practice, catching a deep pass from Rodgers against blanket coverage from rookie Ka'dar Hollman. Every day again this summer, Kumerow has made at least one noteworthy play during team drills, continuing what he built during a breakout training camp performance last summer. He's already won over the quarterback. Last month, Rodgers said he was a "big fan" of Kumerow while piling on more compliments for the former Wisconsin-Whitewater star. "The key is being reliable, and earning my trust," Rodgers said during the offseason workout program . "He is an extremely intelligent guy who is in the right place at the right time. He makes contested catches, he makes the plays that are there and he does the little things." Kumerow was well on his way to making the 53-man roster and carving out a role in the passing game when he injured his shoulder somersaulting into the end zone at the end of a touchdown during the Packers' second preseason game. He was placed on IR to start the year but returned to play in five games, catching eight passes for 108 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers against the New York Jets. Another big summer from Kumerow should ensure a roster spot, even in a crowded receiver room. His quarterback already loves him, and his new coach is starting to understand why. MORE: LeBron James jumps into Bronny's layup line for a ridiculous dunk Emmanuel Butler starting to steal the show at Saints training camp Behind the scenes with new-look Nets: 'We got stars without mortgaging everything'' Packers training camp practice roundup: July 28 Gregg Williams blowing away Adam Gase with Jets training camp defense


Nevada City leaders recently voted to increase the parking meter fees, a move that aims to bring in more revenue that will be partially used to help prevent wildfires. "Forever they've been 25 cents an hour," said Nevada City's Vice Mayor, Erin Minett. Minett says the increased fees can bring in about half a million dollars a year. More than 20 percent of those funds, about $120,000, would go toward the city's fire mitigation fund. "We can hire people to come and clear the vegetation," added Minett. "[We want to buy] a new street sweeper, so we can remove all the pine needles. This is tree heaven, so we're getting the pine needles off the streets." Minett told ABC10 that the City plans to use some of the money to buy an emergency siren that would go on the roof of the city hall building. "If we have an emergency and the power goes down, our cell phones go down [and] our landlines go down," said Minett. "There's no way to warn people, and that siren was an amazing thing that we had and we want to put it back up." Chris Van Allen, a Nevada City resident, believes the 25 cent fee was always light but doesn't agree with the city raising it to $1. "I think maybe taking it in increments of 25 cents, 6 months at a time, would have been a better thing. Maybe 50 cents, but a dollar is too much," said Van Allen. He hopes the city will make good use of the money, but says it's ultimately up to each resident to come together to keep their community safe by clearing the vegetation around their homes. "Maybe give some teeth to the fire department so they can go in an enforce that rather than counting on 25 cents in a meter, and then it's going to spend it this way or that way. Let's all get together and clear the property around our houses," said Van Allen.


The Daily Show With Trevor Noah responded to the newly released recording of Ronald Reagan referring to African delegates of the United Nations as monkeys. The audio comes from a phone conversation between President Richard Nixon and the then California Governor, Ronald Reagan, discussing the UN's recognition of the People's Republic of China in 1971. Since the recording surface, Reagan's daughter Patti Davis has condemned her father's language . And the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation issued the statement, "If he said that 50 years ago, he shouldn't have, and he would be the first person to apologize." Noah thought that was a strange statement to make because Reagan should be the "only person to apologize." Noah also dismissed the implication that Reagan may not have said the things in the audio recording. "They're like, 'If he said,'" said Noah, "There's a recording! He said the thing." Noah also pointed out other US presidents who have been accused of being racist, saying, "Woodrow Wilson was a segregationist, Andrew Jackson wiped out Native Americans, Thomas Jefferson had sex with his slaves, and George H.W. Bush shot Tupac." The last was of course a joke. Noah wasn't laughing too much though, when he said "On the one hand, it is disturbing that America has a history of racist presidents, but look on the bright side-- it also means Donald Trump is more presidential than we thought." The Daily Show With Trevor Noah airs weeknights at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central . Watch as Melissa McCarthy reveals the worst date ever: Read More from Yahoo Entertainment: Julia Louis-Dreyfus' hilarious reaction to 'yada yada yada' debate moment: 'No soup for you' Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah take shots at CNN following Democratic debate Kathy Griffin says she's pro-government because the FBI saved her life Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter , Facebook , or Instagram , or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter , Facebook , or Instagram .


Ravens coach John Harbaugh thinks a full year of preparing quarterback Lamar Jackson to do his thing will result in a whole new world of offensive football. Told on NFL Network that his predecessor as Ravens coach, Brian Billick, expects the Ravens' offense to look unlike any ever seen before in the NFL, Harbaugh said Billick is right. "I would kind of agree with that, I really do," Harbaugh said. Told that Cam Newton 's career high is 139 carries, Harbaugh said Jackson will run the ball more than that. "I'd bet the over on that one. I'd bet the over for sure on that one," Harbaugh said. Harbaugh suggested that the Ravens may help usher in a new era in offensive football, much like the 49ers did in the 1980s. "The game was probably revolutionized with Bill Walsh and Joe Montana," Harbaugh said. "What's the next era going to be? We're about to find out." Whether it works or not remains to be seen, but finding out should be fun.


The Golden State Warriors are going to have to fill out the remainder of their roster with veteran minimum contracts after giving D'Angelo Russell the max in a sign-and-trade with Brooklyn and re-signing both Klay Thompson and center Kevon Looney. According to Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, that includes former Sacramento Kings lottery pick Willie Cauley-Stein. Thompson reported the signing while asking a simple question regarding Warriors youngster Damian Jones. I'm told Willie Cauley-Stein coming to the Warriors. Was Damian Jones that bad in the Summer League debut? Does that mean no DeMarcus Cousins?   Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) July 2, 2019 This means Golden State went from having just one big to three within the matter of less than 24 hours. Cauley-Stein, 25, averaged 11.9 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting a robust 56 percent from the field last season in Sacramento. He fell out of favor this offseason with the Kings relinquishing the restricted free agent tender they had placed on the former No. 6 overall pick. This also likely means that DeMarcus Cousins will not return to Golden State. He's seen absolutely no market in free agency , which lends credence to the idea that Cousins could return to the Warriors on a league-minimum salary. That's now likely not happening. Related slideshow: 2019 NBA offseason moves (Provided by imagn)


Rumours, you gotta love 'em. And we've got quite the transfer kitty today. From Manchester United maybe but probably not signing [insert literally any player] to Manchester City probably not (but maybe?) signing Kalidou Koulibaly (you know, the Napoli centre back who United also really want but won't get), it's all here. Go on, indulge yourself in the ne'er ending possibilities. Aston Villa Looking to Land Axel Tuanzebe for £8m After a successful spell on loan last season, Aston Villa are desperate to bring in Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe on a permanent basis. According to the Daily Mail , the Villans want to tie up an £8m deal for the 21-year-old, if possible. However, it's understood that United are a bit reticent to lose the England Under-21 international at this juncture, and would prefer it if the centre back, who can also play at right back, popped back to Birmingham for another loan. This is because, and don't be surprised, United need full backs. No, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian just won't cut it anymore, which is why, as per Calciomercato , they're in for Napoli's Elseid Hysaj, because, well, for some reason, Carlo Ancelotti still wants Kieran Trippier. Barcelona & Valencia Agree Swap Deal for Cillessen & Neto Barcelona and Valencia are set to complete a straight swap involving goalkeepers Jasper Cillessen and Neto, with both being valued at around €30m. According to Mundo Deportivo , Cillessen is set to bring in roughly the same wahe as he did at the Nou Camp, while the 29-year-old Brazilian, who left Juventus and the shadow of Gianluigi Buffon in 2017 for increased gametime, will be rewarded for returning to the bench with a salary that should at least double his current earnings. Koulibaly to Manchester City Rumours Shut Down A myriad of publications have recently been reporting a Manchester City bid of £85m for Napoli's much-coveted Senegalese centre back Kalidou Koulibaly, following on from a purported €80m offer from Real Madrid. The thing is, at least when it comes to the Citizens, and at least per the Telegraph 's James Ducker, it's not actually true. The Manchester correspondent revealed on Twitter , in no uncertain terms, that, as it happens, 'City are not after Koulibaly'. That settles that, then. Or does it? And so begins another needless transfer saga (maybe). Douglas Costa Confirms He Wants to Stay at Juve Despite PSG Interest Speedster and spitter extraordinaire, Douglas Costa is a wanted man this summer. As such, meetings will be had, business discussed. Which is where business experts Paris Saint-Germain come in. According to France Football , as relayed by Get French Football News , Costa's representatives met with PSG's suits in the last 24 hours, in the hopes of taking the 28-year-old Brazilian to the Parc des Princes. However, in a brief but telling interview with Calciomercato , Costa affirmed his desire to stay at Juve: "Future? I have others three years of contract with Juventus and I am convinced to stay. Now everything is new with the coach and I will stay here." De Gea Left in the Cold as PSG Turn to £60m-Rated Donnarumma Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been left in the dirt, bereaving his contractual bargaining chip, after reports (emanating from the Sun ) revealed that Paris Saint-Germain have turned their attention to AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma. Having been initially willing to test United's resolve with a £60m bid, PSG have re-signed sporting director Leonardo Araujo from Milan, who is none to keen on bringing in the Spanish custodian, preferring instead the boy-mountain from Italy, who would cost the same amount. With Real Madrid still persevering with Thibaut Courtois, this leaves De Gea in a sticky spot, in that he'll probably have to stick around at Old Trafford. Sad times. Hornets in Talks to Sign PSV Eindhoven's Gaston Pereiro Watford have entered into discussions with the agent of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Gaston Pereiro, with the 24-year-old possessing just a year left on his contract with the Dutch side. According to the Watford Observer , Pereiro was initially offered to AC Milan, but his agent has decided to skip the gothic cathedrals and fountains for sunny Hertfordshire. Reports from the Netherlands have helpfully stated that the fee required will be a 'double-digit number of millions', though, thankfully, Gianluca Di Marzio has also had his say, with an estimate of £18m, which would be highly reasonable. Roma Slap £63m Price Tag on Tottenham Target Nicolo Zaniolo Roma have slapped a £63m price tag on the shoulders of Italy Under-21 starlet Nicolo Zaniolo, in an attempt to ward off considerable interest from Tottenham. According to Sky Italia , La Lupa will not settle for anything less than that figure for Zaniolo this summer, as they are determined to keep the playmaker in their grasp. It will likely to be too steep a climb for Spurs, who prefer the cut of Tanguy Ndombele and Giovanni Lo Celso's jibs, both of whom would demand similar fees. Crystal Palace Interested in £7m Santos Defender Lucas Verissimo Not satisfied with resting on their Premier League survival laurels, Crystal Palace are looking to kick on this summer, in hopes of a greater season in 2019/20. A big part of this revamp could be Santos centre half Lucas Verissimo, who is considered one of the most promising defenders in South America. Handily, as per Futebol Interior , the 23-year-old could be available for as little as £7m. Noice .


Somebody in California just added half a billion dollars to their bank account. A single ticket, sold in San Diego, claimed Friday night's $530 million Mega Millions jackpot. That comes with a cash option payout of $345.2 million, according to contest officials. The numbers were 17-19-27-40-68 with a Mega Ball of 2. (MORE: Mega Millions jackpot rises to $475 million) The winning ticket was sold at Sorrento Deli Mart, located a short walk from the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course. Even if you didn't win the big prize, there were three tickets -- in California, Arizona and Washington -- that matched all five white balls to claim $1 million each. There was no winner of the $444 million jackpot up for grabs in the last drawing, so the Friday prize rose to an estimated $530 million -- the seventh-largest in the game's history. It is the 15th-largest jackpot overall in U.S. lottery history. The $530 million prize is the largest claimed in the game since October 2018, when someone in South Carolina anonymously claimed a record $1.5 billion jackpot. (MORE: Winner of $768 million Powerball jackpot comes forward) Winners must match all five numbers plus the Mega Ball to take home the big prize. The next drawing will be June 11 at 11 p.m. for the game's starting $40 million prize. For the lowest prize of $2, players must match the Mega Ball number.


A Vatican document has called on the Roman Catholic church to consider allowing older married men to become priests in remote areas of the Amazon as a way to overcome the shortage of clergy in the region. The recommendation will be discussed at a synod of bishops from the Amazon taking place at the Vatican in October. A working document for the event says the possibility of ordaining "viri probati"   Latin for "men of proven virtue"   should be discussed. "While affirming that celibacy is a gift for the church, there have been requests that, for the most remote areas of the region, the possibility of conferring priestly ordination on elderly men is discussed," the document says. The document establishes other criteria, including the potential priests being "preferably indigenous, respected and accepted members of their communities". The men could also enter the priesthood "even if they already have a family that is established and stable, in order to ensure the sacraments that accompany and sustain the Christian life". It has also been recommended that the synod, which takes place from 6-27 October, discusses giving women in the Amazon a greater role within the Catholic church. Pope Francis has previously said that he would be open to allowing married men to be ordained in areas where there is a scarcity of priests. He has also spoken about "allowing space for women in the church at all levels". The church has been struggling with a shortage of priests for several decades, particularly in Europe and North America, where numbers are declining. In some places, priests have been moved from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, where the church is flourishing, to fill vacancies. Pressure to allow married priests has been building. In Ireland, where the number of parish priests fell by almost 17% in the 10 years to 2014, from 3,141 to 2,627, the Association of Catholic Priests has said the church should allow the ordination of married men to counter the "vocations crisis". A survey by the association in 2012 found that almost nine in 10 Irish Catholics wanted priests to be allowed to marry. Some have also argued that celibacy may contribute to the sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults by priests, although others point out that many paedophiles and abusers are not celibate. Lifelong celibacy is a hallmark of the Catholic priesthood and a prerequisite for ordination, but it is not a biblical command. In 1075 Pope Gregory VII effectively barred married priests from ministry, a move which was formalised almost half a century later. However, Eastern Catholic churches have continued to allow priests to marry before their ordination, and the Roman Catholic church allowed married Anglican priests who converted to Catholicism after disagreements over the ordination of women to continue their ministry. Although the proposals to be considered by the Vatican concern the ordination of married men in specific communities, the opening up of debate at the highest levels of the church will boost those arguing for a general relaxation of the celibacy rule.


CNN was the subject of widespread criticism Tuesday after white nationalist Richard Spencer appeared on the network to give his commentary regarding President Trump's recent tweets attacking four minority congresswoman. Spencer's name appeared with the title "White Nationalist" in the on-screen chyron as he discussed what the neo-Nazi community he is a part of thought about Trump's tweets, which have been widely condemned by as racist. "Many white nationalists will eat up this red meat that Donald Trump is throwing out there," he said. Spencer labelled the tweets, in which Trump told the four progressive Democrats to "go back" to the countries they came from, as racist, but he said he thinks the attacks are "meaningless and cheap." "He gives us nothing outside of racist tweets," he said. "And by racist tweets, I mean tweets that are meaningless and cheap and express the kind of sentiments you might hear from your drunk uncle while he's watching [Sean] Hannity." Spencer is a leading voice in white nationalist circles and helped organize the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Va., which left counter-protestor Heather Heyer dead when a white nationalist plowed through a crowd with his car. CNN's decision to give Spencer airtime was panned on social media Tuesday, with many pointing out that the issue in giving Spencer a platform. Today on its valuable airwaves, CNN gave a platform to white nationalist Richard Spencer. There is literally nothing productive Spencer brings to the conversation. Whoever made this shameful decision should be fired. https://t.co/rKTTyc1OUY pic.twitter.com/o060SS47ZD - Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) July 16, 2019 RT if you think we say "CNN Contributor Richard Spencer" from now on. pic.twitter.com/IWUQdqGsSw - Raheem Kassam (@RaheemKassam) July 16, 2019 CNN invited an open white supremacist on national television today. This isn't a news network with journalistic ethics. It's a circus that's willing to help promote open racists for attention. pic.twitter.com/4Xcq3unW30 - Carlos Maza (@gaywonk) July 16, 2019 Is @CNN seriously giving airtime to Richard Spencer??? https://t.co/XIrLYe5KE8 - Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) July 16, 2019 The Hill has reached out to CNN for comment.


It was the question everybody asked about 30 seconds after they heard Russell Westbrook had been traded to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul (after the initial shock of the deal wore off): Do Westbrook and Harden, two of the most ball-dominant, isolation heavy players in the NBA, actually fit together? Harden says yes. Of course, what else is he going to say, but he was earnest about it in comments to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle at the Adidas and James Harden ProCamp event last Friday . "When you have talent like that, it works itself out. You communicate. You go out there and compete possession by possession. You figure things out. Throughout the course of the season, you figure things out. That's just what it is. When you have talent, you have guys with IQ, you have guys willing to sacrifice, it always works itself out."… "It works," Harden said. "It's that trust factor. I trust him; he trusts me. And with the group that we already have and the things we already accomplished, it should be an easy transition for him to be incorporated right in and things are going to go." That is essentially is what Mike D'Antoni said , and what Rockets GM Daryl Morey is betting on. Will Westbrook, and to a lesser degree Harden, be willing to make sacrifices and adjust their games? It is the question that will define the Rockets' season. My prediction: The duo works it out on offense and becomes one of the hardest teams to stop in the NBA. They will work it out. However, having to play Harden and Westbrook together on defense for extended stretches will cost Houston in the playoffs earlier than they planned.


REIMS, France (Reuters) - Ada Hegerberg was not needed as Norway kicked off their women's World Cup Group A campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Nigeria on Saturday. Without Ballon d'Or winner Hegerberg, who quit international football in 2017 due to a dispute with her home federation, the 1995 champions relied on goals by Guro Reiten, Lisa-Marie Karlseng Utland and an own goal by Osinachi Phale to prevail. BOX SCORE: NORWAY 3, NIGERIA 0 The result put Norway in second place in Group A behind hosts France, who thrashed South Korea 4-0 on Friday in the opening game of the month-long tournament in Paris. Reiten put Norway in front after 17 minutes when she volleyed home from a corner. Utland doubled the tally with a powerful shot from close range after being set up by Reiten in the 34th. Three minutes later, three-times African champions Nigeria were completely overwhelmed as Ohale deflected Isabell Herlovsen's cross into her own goal. Norway next face France in Nice on Wednesday while Nigeria take on South Korea in Grenoble the same day. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond) Related slideshow: Best photos of the 2019 Women's World Cup (provided by imagn)


Watford kick off the 2019/20 season with a home fixture against a new-look Brighton and Hove Albion in a tie which provides the Hornets with a great opportunity to get off to the best possible start. Watford have been ever improving in recent years with Javi Gracia only continuing this trend since replacing Marco Silva, meaning the club now have ambitions of securing European football. Here's all you need to know as they aim to achieve that in the 2019/20 campaign. Last Season Javi Gracia's side were one of the surprise packages of the 2018/19 season, finishing in a secure 11th place, just seven points behind the final Europa League spot occupied by Wolverhampton Wanderers. But inconsistency ended up being their major downfall. They ended their campaign in pretty dismal fashion, with defeats to Chelsea and the equally inconsistent West Ham United. And whilst the 6-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup final won't have been the kind of result they were hoping for, the fact they reached this stage is a real sign of progress, eliminating Premier League opposition like Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Wolves en route to Wembley. Pre-Season The Hornets started their pre-season with a loss, but we can forgive them for that given the opposition. The 2-1 defeat to last seasons Champions League semi-finalists Ajax proved that Watford are more than capable of competing among the best. And if pre-season is anything to go by, Watford look to finally be adding some consistency to their game, securing a number of impressive victories like 2-1 wins over both Bayer Leverkusen and Real Sociedad. Impressive performances - one of which included two goals from Andre Gray to complete a second half comeback in their final game - will be an encouraging sign for Gracia, particularly in the attacking department. Transfers In It's been a very quiet summer for Watford on the transfer front, having only completed a single signing which is likely to have an impact on the starting XI. The arrival of West Bromwich Albion's Craig Dawson will offer another option in central defence, but with Craig Cathcart, Christian Kabasele and Sebastian Prodl already competing for a first team spot, it's unclear how much match time Dawson will receive. Their only other arrival is former Manchester City under-21 midfielder Ayotomiwa Dele-Bashiru who is likely to be a future prospect rather than someone who is going to have an immediate impact on the squad. Transfers Out Dawson's arrival makes more sense when we consider some of the players who departed Vicarage Road ahead of the new season. One of those is Miguel Britos, who left the club following the expiration of his contract, suggesting Dawson is a straight replacement for the Uruguayan. Others include flop Dodi Lukebakio, who only managed 15 minutes of game time since joining from Anderlecht in January 2018. Whilst he is someone with plenty of potential, cashing in for a fee in excess of £18m from Hertha Berlin looks to be a sensible choice. Strengths We've already touched on Watford's attacking prowess; the strike partnership of fan favourite Troy Deeney and Andre Gray is a powerful combination we know is capable causing damage in the Premier League. Although Gray's impressive pre-season showing should leave him in contention for a starting spot against Brighton in their opening game, Gracia could also make use of other forwards within the squad. Ricardo Pereyra and tricky winger Gerard Deulofeu provide plenty of creativity, whilst central midfielders Etienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucoure allow those in front of them the freedom to create attacks. Weaknesses In truth, it's difficult to pick out a particularly weak position within the squad, with Gracia having established a well-rounded unit signified by their lack of transfer business. However, a lack of depth in certain areas could leave them short given they experience some injuries throughout the campaign, something which is almost inevitable during an arduous season of Premier League and cup football. Having established the threat Deeney and Gray pose, as well as the creativity they have in midfield, Watford are still somewhat short on when it comes to other out-and-out strikers. Isaac Success only scored a single goal in his 30 appearances last season, while Stefano Okaka is only just returning from a loan spell with Serie A side Udinese. Key Man As much as Watford do have a strong team across the entire pitch, there's only one individual who truly stands out as their key man. Given the interest Abdoulaye Doucoure has attracted both in January and this summer, Watford have done well to keep of hold of him for this long, and will be eager to do so come the end of the transfer window on Thursday. He's someone who can act as an anchor in central midfield but is also capable of getting forward and finding the back of the net himself on occasion. It's no surprise he's caught the eye of other Premier League sides like Arsenal and Everton , who have reportedly just had a bid in the region of £30m rejected. Predictions Despite the lack of signings, Watford look set to enjoy a solid Premier League season similar to that of their 2018/19 showing. But meeting ambitions of European football could be a real task. The strength of the 'big six' means that it's extremely likely only one more Europa League spot will be up for grabs next season. Teams of similar quality like Wolves and Leicester City have strengthened significantly during the transfer window; improvements to their squads leaves them as favourites to compete for seventh place, whilst West Ham could also progress up the table given their summer business. Watford will certainly compete but they could be left behind in the race for European football.


For 10 days in August, top acts from across musical genres will converge on Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for Musikfest, held annually since 1984. That means there's still time to book your travel for Philadelphia, an easy hop to Bethlehem and the historic Lehigh Valley. One of the largest non-gated music festivals in the nation, Musikfest, running Aug. 2-11, showcases an eclectic mix of modern music and art while paying homage to the region's German roots. Proceeds benefit nonprofits around the valley. Expect over 500 performers, with headliners including Earth, Wind & Fire, Brad Paisley, Weezer and Godsmack. While you're there, take the chance to dig into the region's unique history, outdoor recreation and culinary offerings. It's more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner , there are plenty of flights from Milwaukee to Philadelphia in that timeframe, and the prices aren't too shabby. So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Flight deals to Philadelphia Currently, the cheapest flights between Milwaukee and Philadelphia are if you leave on Aug. 4 and return from Pennsylvania on Aug. 8. Frontier Airlines currently has tickets for $201, roundtrip. Frontier Airlines also has tickets at that price point later in August. If you fly out of Milwaukee on Aug. 8 and return from Philadelphia on Aug. 11, Frontier Airlines can get you there and back for $201 roundtrip. Top Philadelphia hotels To plan your stay, here are some of Philadelphia's top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction. The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia (10 Avenue of the Arts) If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia . The hotel has a five-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $219. Set in the heart of Philadelphia, this hotel is close to attractions such as the Free Library of Philadelphia, City Hall, the Reading Terminal Market and Liberty Bell Center. The Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia (117 S. 17th St.) There's also the 4.5-star rated The Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia . Rooms are currently set at $169/night. "Palomar hotel was lovely! Location was great   and we loved cruising through the city on their bikes. They have a wine happy hour and free coffee in the morning. We found the staff to be friendly and helpful," wrote visitor Colin. The Doubletree by Hilton Philadelphia Center City (237 S. Broad St.) A third option is The Doubletree by Hilton Philadelphia Center City . The 4.4-star hotel has rooms for $135/night. "This hotel is near attractions such as the Pennsylvania Convention Center, City Hall and the Liberty Bell," wrote reviewer Lev. Featured Philadelphia food and drink Philadelphia has plenty of top-notch dining options. Here are a few of the most popular, according to Skyscanner. Talula's Garden (210 W. Washington Square) If you're looking for a local favorite, head to Talula's Garden , which has an average of five stars out of nine reviews on Skyscanner. Visitor Elvira wrote, "I wish I could give more than five stars to this place for the food, service, menu selections and ambiance." Sabrina's Cafe (910 Christian St.) Another popular dining destination is Sabrina's Cafe , with 4.9 stars from 24 reviews. "The best stuffed French toast made with challah bread, topped with bananas and powdered sugar," wrote reviewer Nazsh. Pat's King of Steaks (1237 E. Passyunk Ave.) Also worth considering is Pat's King of Steaks , which was founded by Pat Olivieri in 1930, the self-proclaimed inventor of the cheesesteak. The 24/7 business is still family-owned and operated . "If you want to have the ultimate Philly cheesesteak experience, you definitely need to come to Pat's," wrote Kacie. "You won't feel like a tourist because you'll be among locals, and most of them are super friendly!" Featured local attractions Philadelphia is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are a couple of popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings. Schuykill River Trail The top-rated visitor attraction in Philadelphia, according to Skyscanner, is the Schuykill River Trail . It has five stars from seven reviews. "If you're big on trails then definitely take the time to stop by the Schuykill River Trail. It's good for biking, walking and running," wrote visitor Cierra. Kimmel Center for The Performing Arts (300 S. Broad St.) Then, there's the Kimmel Center for The Performing Arts , with five stars from 13 reviews. "The [tour guides] are always friendly and informative, but the best part is actually experiencing a live show. The music sounds wonderful in person," wrote visitor Coy. This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Mickey Callaway is believed to be on the hot seat, and Noah Sydergaard finds it ridiculous that such rumors are swirling around the New York Mets manager. The Mets, losers of five straight, have stumbled out of the gate with a disappointing 20-25 start, but Syndergaard doesn't believe cutting Callaway loose will help matters, nor does he think it's fair the skipper is facing questions related to his uncertain job security. "I respect the h--- out of Mickey," Syndergaard said following Sunday's 3-0 loss that sealed a three-game sweep to the MLB-worst Miami Marlins, via the New York Post . "Mickey has tremendous leadership values. I think it's b------- what's going on with this speculation there could be a change because we're so early in the season   we're a very small step away from putting this all together." Syndergaard reinforced how it's far too early to give up on the season by making note of how the Mets rebounded after a rough start in 2015. "I think we have dug ourselves into a little bit of a hole," Syndergaard said. "Before anybody starts pressing the panic button, I just think everybody should be reminded of where we were in 2015." That Mets squad ultimately won the NL East and parlayed the division title into an appearance in the World Series, albeit in a five-game loss to the Kansas City Royals. Callaway has downplayed the speculation surrounding his seemingly tenuous hold on his job. "As a leader, you can't ever worry about yourself. I'm here," Callaway said Saturday. Mets management, meanwhile, appeared to give Callaway a vote of confidence last week, though their perspective could change in an instant. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen, along with COO Jeff Wilpon, insisted the front office continues to support the embattled manager after meeting with Callaway. All that said, if the Mets cannot figure out a way to get things turned around, the job security rumors surrounding Callaway may end up being more than just mere speculation. Related slideshow: Red Sox who skipped White House visit (provided by imagn)


Kawasaki's Jonathan Rea admits he needed to score his first wins of the 2019 World Superbike campaign last weekend at Imola in order to keep up his motivation. Four-time WSBK champion Rea finally stood on the top step of the podium for the first time in 2019 in the opening race at the Italian circuit last weekend, ending an incredible run of 11 successive victories for series newcomer and points leader Alvaro Bautista. He followed that up with another triumph in the Superpole race on Sunday morning , before the second full-distance race was called off due to bad weather . Reflecting on the weekend, Rea revealed he found it difficult to process the fact he had been beaten by Bautista at Assen - one of Kawasaki's happiest hunting grounds in recent years - and therefore headed to Imola putting pressure on himself to finally beat his rival. "Really positive weekend," said Rea. "My feeling with the bike here and to really be able to get the maximum out of the bike, and to pick up two race wins, I'm really happy. "I want to thank all the team for keeping pushing. We've been getting beat pretty flat out, but we never stopped believing. This weekend was a perfect chance to win. "In Assen we were close. With our form here in the past, and the way our bike works here, it was our chance and we had to take it, which I did in both races. "It was tough not winning in Assen because it's been such a strong track for us. So for my own motivation, for the championship, I needed to do a good weekend. "I talked myself into it the last few weeks, and I'm glad because I feel a lot of pressure, and if I didn't deliver my head could have dropped." Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki Racing Team Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images Rea however admits he doesn't expect to be in a position to win races in every round, and that Kawasaki still needs to work to catch up with Ducati at most tracks. "To be honest, right now this is a very unique circumstance," said the Ulsterman, who still trails Bautista by 43 points in the riders' standings. "I don't expect this to be the norm. We still have a lot of ground to catch up in certain areas. "Just riding that one lap [behind] Chaz [Davies] in the sprint race, it's clear we still have a lot of work to do." Bautista hopes Jerez will be "normal" After his defeat to Rea on Saturday, Bautista said he felt the Imola track was the first on the calendar to expose the deficiencies of the hitherto dominant Ducati V4 . On Sunday, the ex-MotoGP rider finished third in the Superpole race, held back by his use of Pirelli's qualifying tyre, but said he had to "try something different" to challenge Rea. The Spaniard added he hopes things will be back to "normal" in Jerez next month. "The problem of our bike as I said yesterday, it's always the same, but on this track, I feel even worse," said Bautista. "[Of the other tracks coming up] maybe Laguna Seca is very similar to this track, maybe also Portimao is a track like this one. "Jerez I know very well and I hope everything comes back to normal. We see what happens there." Additional reporting by Lorenza d'Adderio Alvaro Bautista, Aruba.it Racing-Ducati Team Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images


Germs are unavoidable. There truly is no hiding from them, which is actually a good thing, as we need to be exposed to germs in order to build immunity against them. However, continuous exposure to germs isn't necessarily healthy either, and the kitchen no matter how picture-perfect it may look is filled with them. Think anything from refrigerator door handles and microwave buttons to wooden cutting boards and drip coffee makers . But where exactly are the majority of germs hiding out in your kitchen? We consulted cleaning expert Beth McGee, author of Get Your House Clean Now: The Home Cleaning Method Anyone Can Master for the lowdown on where germs tend to lurk the most in the kitchen. And if you're looking for more kitchen truths, make sure you check out 11 Surprising Foods You Should Keep in the Fridge . Where do the most germs tend to lie in the kitchen? "Some of the biggest germ culprits in your kitchen include the water dispenser on your refrigerator, your countertops, and your garbage disposal," says McGee. So, how might these areas in the kitchen attract so much bacteria? As for the water dispenser, NOW's investigative reporter took six water samples from four different dispensers and measured the bacteria growth in each. Among the six, there were between 54 and 4,000 bacteria colonies. Surprisingly, the cleanliness of the water filter within the dispenser was not a factor in the bacteria colonies, according to bacteria expert Dr. Helene Ver Eecke of Metropolitan State University of Denver, who shared this information with ABC Nation News . In fact, simply touching the water dispenser introduces microbes, and the moisture invites them to grow. How many times have you touched a gym water bottle to the dispenser, or refilled a glass of water from a cup you already drank out of? As for countertops, they can be contaminated with bacteria from cutting raw meat atop of them, germs from the bottom of grocery bags that you throw down after a trip to the store, or from purses or backpacks if that's where you place them when you walk into your home. We bet you didn't think of that before! In addition, in an article from Food&Wine , Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist, and professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson said, "Kitchen countertops tend to be the dirtiest near the sink area because people wipe them down with sponges and cleaning cloths that have E. coli and other bacteria. The sponges and cloths just spread the germs all over the countertops." The garbage disposal is also a key player in housing bacteria. Dr. Gerba also told Food&Wine, " There's more E. coli in a kitchen sink than in a toilet after you flush it. The sink is a great place for E. coli to live and grow since it's wet and moist. Bacteria feed on the food that people put down the drain and what's left on dishes in the sink." RELATED: Get lean for life with this 14-day flat belly plan . How should you clean these areas in the kitchen? Did you know there is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting? You might wipe down a countertop with a warm cloth, sure you may be getting that dried blob of spaghetti sauce off, but are you actually wiping away bacteria? Instead, you're effectively spreading bacteria, which means it's that much more important to apply a disinfectant to the area immediately after it dries. Disinfectants come in the form of liquids, sprays, or wipes. McGee provides a few tips on how to clean and disinfect these three germ-infested areas in the kitchen. Water dispenser on refrigerator: Dampen a clean microfiber cloth with hot soapy water and spray bleach cleaner on it. Look up into the dispenser to see where the grime and mold have collected. Wipe it out with the cloth thoroughly. Rise and wring out your cloth and re-apply bleach cleaner as needed. Once it is cleaned, run the water dispenser for 10 seconds or so to get any loose particles out of the nozzle. Countertops: Move countertop appliances and other gadgets out of the way to clean crumbs and spills from under them. If you leave food on the countertop, you will encourage rodents and bugs in the area, so clear food from countertops. Plus, once you introduce these nuisances, they can bring germs and waste to your food preparation areas. Make sure to use a clean microfiber cloth and hot soapy water to wipe down commonly used countertop spaces daily and all areas and under countertop items weekly. Garbage disposal: Pull out any removable rubber inserts and pour a half cup of bleach down the drain on the disposal side and let it sit for about five minutes. Plug the drain. Fill your sink about three-quarters full with hot soapy water using a tablespoon of dish soap. Open the drain and let the water drain out into the garbage disposal. It will likely drain slowly, so let it drain that way. When the sink is half drained, turn on the disposal so the remainder of the water is pulled out by the disposal. Let the hot water run freely for about 30 seconds to rinse out the sink and disposal. Scrub the rubber inserts with a scrubbing sponge or cloth and a good grease-cutting detergent like Dawn. Rinse and let air dry, then replace. And if you're looking for all the tips on how to properly clean your oven , we have that for you, too. Video: Why Your Beloved Disinfecting Wipes May Be Making Your Kitchen Dirtier (My Recipes)


Judy Battista of NFL Media reported last week that the league is expected to award at least one, and possibly more, future drafts during the owners' spring meeting in Key Biscayne, Florida this week. Cleveland officials have expressed optimism their city will secure the 2021 draft or one in the near future. "We're confident in our city and our proposal and feel Cleveland has a great chance at securing this event ," Greater Cleveland Sports Commission President David Gilbert said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Cleveland was a finalist to host the draft in 2019 or 2020, but Nashville and Las Vegas were awarded those bids instead. Kansas City and Denver also were strong candidates for those drafts, and more than 20 cities have submitted bids that the league will consider this week, per Cabot. Thirteen cities had representatives in Nashville to check out the proceedings, Cabot adds. Nashville set an attendance record with more than 600,000 over the draft during the three days.


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Each day in the month of August we'll be examining a different NHL team   from looking back at last season to discussing a player under pressure to identifying X-factors to asking questions about the future. Today we look at the Boston Bruins. 2018-19 49-24-9 107 points (2nd in Atlantic Division, 2nd in Eastern Conference) Playoffs: Lost Stanley Cup Final in seven games to Blues IN Brett Ritchie Par Lindholm Brendan Gaunce Maxime Lagace OUT Marcus Johansson Noel Acciari Lee Stempniak Jordan Szwarz Gemel Smith Zane MacIntyre RE-SIGNED Danton Heinen Peter Cehlarik Connor Clifton Steven Kampfer Ryan Fitzgerald 2018-19 Season Summary One more win, that's all they needed. The Bruins fought off the Blues in Game 6 to force a do-or-die game in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. Unfortunately for them, eight years after they won a Game 7 to top the Vancouver Canucks for the title, they fell short in a 4-1 defeat to St. Louis. The loss put a sour note on an otherwise great season for the Bruins. They finished tied with the Calgary Flames for the second-most points in the NHL during the regular season. Brad Marchand stayed out of trouble for the most part and recorded a career-high 100 points. David Pastrnak , while playing only 66 games, topped his previous career marks with 38 goals and 81 points. Jake DeBrusk scored a career high 27 goals, and Patrice Bergeron , in his 15th NHL season hit a personal best 79 points and tied his career high in goals with 32. With a lighter workload (46 appearances), Tuukka Rask posted his best even strength save percentage (.925) in five seasons, and the power play clicked at 25.9%, the best success rate the franchise has seen since 1980-81 (25.4%). Basically, everything went pretty swimmingly in 2018-19 for the Bruins. Head coach Bruce Cassidy continued the success that started after he replaced Claude Julien in Feb. 2017. Since that time the team has a 61% win percentage (117-52-22) and have accumulated the second-most points (256) in the NHL. [ MORE BRUINS: X-Factor | Under Pressure | Three questions ] So it was no surprise the Bruins cruised through the regular season and played their way into Cup contender status as the playoffs began. Waiting for them in Round 1 were the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were vanquished yet again in seven games for the third time in seven seasons. Next, the Cinderella Columbus Blue Jackets were ousted in six games after taking a 2-1 series lead. In the Eastern Conference Final, the other surprise team, the Carolina Hurricanes, were swept, putting Boston in the Cup Final for the 20th time in franchise history. There were few good moments for the Bruins in the final series against the Blues, one was the return of Zdeno Chara to the lineup in Game 5 at TD Garden after breaking his jaw . Zdeno Chara is introduced to a thunderous applause. pic.twitter.com/QMOsk9IdmB   NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) June 7, 2019 But now as they rest up with a short summer in preparation to get back to the Cup Final and win it, the Bruins' roster won't be drastically different, at least at the start of the season. A cap crunch and needing to re-sign two important pieces on the blue line has kept general manager Don Sweeney from going out and adding big names to the lineup. The offseason has been quiet, aside from some minor additions and a few departures. Atop Sweeney's to-do list is to re-sign restricted free agents Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo . There's currently a little over $7 million in cap room and it's a question if one or both will still be unsigned when training camp opens next month. There's plenty of confidence both will get extensions given that McAvoy is ineligible for an offer sheet, and while Carlo is eligible, NHL GMs have shown a general dislike in using them. MORE: ProHockeyTalk's 2019 NHL free agency tracker      Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy .