Nothing has ever come easy for Mikko Korhonen. On 12 occasions the 38-year-old Finn has visited the European Tour Qualifying School, the last time in 2014, when he finished first amongst the army of hopefuls and has-beens. Since then, however, Korhonen has made steady progress and, most importantly, maintained his exempt status on golf's second-biggest tour. In 2018, the man from Helsinki flourished. His maiden victory arrived at the Shot Clock Masters , backed up by a runner-up finish at the BMW International Open and a brace of third-place showings. By the end of the season he was 46th on the money-list, a career-high, and making his first visit to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. He's not done yet either. With a final-round 66 over the 7,145-yard Genzon course just outside Shenzen, and a birdie at the first playoff hole to see off France's Benjamin Hebert, Korhonen is now the Volvo China Open champion and a two-time winner on his home circuit. The pair tied on 20 under par, one shot ahead of last week's European Tour winner, the increasingly consistent Jorge Campillo. In his last six events, the Spaniard now has a victory, two seconds and two thirds. But it was ultimately Korhonen's day. Starting three shots behind overnight leader Hebert, the three-time World Cup player dotted his card with seven birdies and only one dropped shot, and had a one-shot advantage standing on the final tee. Shortened to 314 yards over water in an attempt to add temptation to any drama, the par-4 18th succeeded in that mission when Hebert drove the green and made 3 to force extra holes. It was a feat the 32-year-old, six times victorious on the second-tier Challenge circuit but still winless on the European Tour, was unable to repeat in the playoff. Both men drove close to the putting surface, but each followed with less than perfect pitches. Playing first, Korhonen left his ball 25 feet short, before Hebert clumsily sent his effort even further past the pin. Two putts from the Frenchman left the stage clear for Korhonen, who duly holed for the win. "It's amazing," Korhonen said after collecting the trophy and a check for €441,465. "I don't know how I did it, probably the putter today and most of the days. All day it was a battle, everybody was making putts. I had to just stay there and make my putts and just concentrate on the moment." A wise policy. But looking further ahead there were strong hints of the future for professional golf at the highest level. As many as 10 Chinese players were good enough to make the cut, including 14-year-old Yang Kuang , who finished T-55 overall after becoming the second youngest player to make the cut in a European Tour event (Tianlang Guan of China was one month younger when he made the cut at the 2013 Masters at 14). RELATED: Yang Kuang's impressive Euro Tour debut includes eagle, four birdies The best of those was inevitably two-time European Tour winner, Haotong Li. The world No. 39 finished birdie-birdie to pull-up in fourth, four shots behind Korhonen (and one clear of compatriot, Ashun Wu). Clearly, more and more Chinese are following Li's already highly promising example. Collectively, their more consistent success on the worldwide stage can only be a matter of time in arriving. Explore Golf Digest All Access, with more than 30 video series to improve your game WATCH: GOLF DIGEST VIDEOS See the video. Why No Tiger Woods Win Will Ever Compare to This One


Adorned in an elegant blue-and-white color combination. The 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air is a classic, and a luxury one at that. The full-size car was produced by Chevrolet between 1950 and 1981. Initially, only the two-door hardtop Chevys were designated with the Bel Air moniker, while Fleetline and Styleline were used for the rest of the lineup. The 1953 model year changed all that, as the Bel Air name was changed from a mere body designation to a premium level of trim applied across the range. The beautiful 1959 Bel Air example you see here is currently up for sale through Vintage Car Collector and will be the perfect addition to your classic car collection. Looks aren't everything, but this Bel Air certainly boasts a stunning appearance. Just look at that immaculate powder blue and white, two-tone exterior. The actual color is Frost Blue and it goes perfectly with the contrasting white on the roof and sculpted trunk. Even the interior is sporting the elegant color pairing and is in excellent condition as well. All in all, this car is breathtakingly beautiful from every angle and in any lighting. It was well preserved and taken care of; the odometer reads just 54 miles. Apart from its devilishly good looks, this rear-wheel-drive 1959 Chevy Bel Air's got a powerful V8 engine mated to a smooth automatic transmission. This is the first of the fourth-generation Bel Airs . Whether you look at it from the front or the rear, the 1959 Chevrolets resembled nothing else on the roads. This model year boasted brand-new sheet metal, a new frame, and new series names. The most visual change was the flat, wing-shaped tailfins that are iconic to the time period. The car was also 211 inches (5,400 mm) long sitting on a 119-inch (3,000 mm) wheelbase; that's 11 inches (280 mm) longer than the 1957 model. These figures made the 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air the longest car in the low-priced segment, whereas just two years ago it found itself among the shortest. Widthwise, the car was 3 inches (76 mm) wider on the outside and had 5 more inches (130 mm) on the inside, thanks to a reduction in the door thickness. Speaking of doors, every inch of this beauty stays true to its gorgeous color pairing; those immaculate door panels look plush in the frosty blue and white arrangement. Read More: White-On-Red 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad Is Truly Spectacular Video: 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Was Underground For Over 5 Decades


A Wednesday interview featuring host Miesha Tate and guest Colby Covington on quickly devolved into a bitter verbal spat, ending in the former UFC interim welterweight champion getting banned from a satellite radio show. Speaking on the "MMA Tonight" show on Sirius XM, Covington lashed out at Tate after she questioned his approach to promoting last weekend's UFC on ESPN 5 main event against Robbie Lawler. Tate wanted to know why Covington had labeled Lawler as a "legend" when he'd verbally attacked his other opponents. That prompted Covington to accuse Tate of talking behind his back in previous interviews. "It gets back to me," Covington said. "All the people say how (you say) negative thoughts about me, and how I'm this and that. I just think it's very hypocritical, because I don't think you're a perfect person. You might have some skeletons in your closet, as well." Tate, the former UFC bantamweight champion, said she'd never wavered in her low opinion of trash talk in the sport, and said she wasn't attacking Covington personally. But the UFC's No. 1 UFC welterweight contender went for the jugular, calling Tate a hypocrite who "got famous off losing to my girl Ronda Rousey" and "putting pictures on the internet." Covington claimed Tate had called his approach "disgusting" and unfit for Asia's ONE Championship, where she serves as a vice president. Tate corrected Covington by attributing those words to her boss, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong. Tate said she felt "disrespected" by Covington's outburst. "I don't even know what to say right now," she said. "It's kind of crazy that you would go on that level just because I have an opinion, that you as an American should have respect for the fact that at least I have the balls to say it to your face, and that's my opinion, and I'm entitled to it. I did not put you down as a person. You put me down as a person." Covington countered that he was defending himself against Tate's attacks before show co-host Ryan McKinnell confronted Covington. "You realize that that's part of her job description right? She's transitioned to being an analyst to give her thoughts on the sport," McKinnell said. "You are a part of the sport. You make headlines for controversy, and you also made headlines for the exciting fights you put on like you did Saturday? It's not a personal vendetta against Colby Covington." Covington defended his words as the natural response to being verbally attacked and pointed to the support he received from President Donald Trump and his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, the latter two of whom attended the Covington's victory over Lawler live in Newark, N.J. "I'm not going to sugarcoat things," he said. "I'm telling you how it is, because I'm a real person. I'm not going to act like I'm not going to talk about it, when hey, you guys want to talk about me, here I am to defend myself." But McKinnell challenged Covington over past calls for civility, pointing out his response to legitimate questions were anything but civil. He took the former interim champ to task for referencing leaked nude photos of Tate and implying they were released intentionally. "That's a low blow," he said. "That's personal." "I came on the show to give you the best ratings you're ever going to get," Covington said. "Like the best ratings that UFC on ESPN got, which was the lowest-rated UFC on ESPN ever?" McKinnell spat. Covington fired a few more verbal jabs at the radio hosts, calling them "jobbers" before McKinnell said the fighter would never again appear on the show. MORE: ESPN's Molly Qerim walked off set after Max Kellerman said Kobe's on his 'all-NBA worst team' Packers rookie Darrius Shepherd standing out to Matt LaFleur, Aaron Rodgers Deadline passes as Elliott loses accrued season, fines reach $500K Watch: Lions release Episode 2 of 'Inside the Den' Sergio Llull 'not closing the door' on Rockets, NBA


That big red button is just waiting to be pushed: Maybe it's the Facebook Ad "Start" button, intended to drive leads to the sales funnel for your brand new product. Maybe it's the AdWords "Start" button, intended to collect search engine leads for your sales funnel. Maybe it's something else. Related: 8 Steps for the Perfect Product Launch But whatever the case, you've been working toward this moment for months, maybe even years. And it all comes down to this moment: Will your product-launch succeed? Or will it fail terribly? The truth is, most product launches fail for two very simple reasons: Either the messaging for your product doesn't clearly explain what problem you're solving or how you're solving it (think of the social media platform, Google+); or, worse, there's no market need for the product you created at all (*cough* Google Glass *cough*). And these negative outcomes befall optimistic startup entrepreneurs all the time. In fact, 42 percent of businesses fail because there is no market need, according to CB Insights research. But being able to gauge whether your product is aboard an already-burning boat is easier said than done. So, to help you determine your product's fate, here are four signs that your launch won't be a success. Are you in the clear? 1.You haven't nailed your product messaging. Why should people buy your product? What single problem is your product going to solve? Who are the buyers in your target market and what are they currently experiencing? If you can't answer questions like these in just a couple of sentences, things do not bode well for your product launch. You might have a great product that people want and need, but if you can't explain why they need it, what your product does and why people should buy from you, you're in trouble. Take the Google+ social media platform, for instance. Everyone was excited about the prospect of a new, perhaps improved social media platform competing with Facebook -- until it actually launched, that is. Related: Why You Should Take a 'Wait-and-See' Approach to New-Product Launches With an uninteresting and almost apathetic slogan -- "Real-life sharing rethought for the web" -- and an experience that left us all thinking, "So… how is this better than Facebook?" Google+ had an uninspiring product launch. Even today, it's hardly anyone's favorite social media platform (90 percent of people with a Google profile have never publicly posted on Google+, according to Stone Temple ). Here's the deal: If you don't even know why your product is awesome, there's no way that your target market is going to happily hop onboard to find out themselves. 2. Your marketing funnel is a mess. There's certainly something to be said for launching fast, with your minimal viable product in tow. But launching with a minimum viable product is different than launching with a clunky or unclear marketing funnel. If you're going to convert your target market and have a good runway ahead, it's not enough to know what you're selling, you also need to know how you're going to sell. And that's something you should have lined up well before your official product launch. A clear, well-thought-out sales funnel, for example, increased sales by 412 percent for Mary Hong Art , an online business that sells ShardWorx art kits. As a case study on PageWiz noted, the business's funnel for consumers was arranged in a kind of chronological order: epic content, lead magnet, tripwire (low-cost offer), core offer, profit maximizer (or upsell). For Mary Hong Art, a strategic funnel like that made a big difference (412 percent, to be exact). Clearly, every successful product launch needs clear, logical marketing and a sales funnel that guides each consumer to purchase. 3. You haven't gotten feedback from beta users (or you've got negative feedback) What's the best way to determine whether your product will be a success before you launch? Answer: by creating a beta and/or alpha version to test with your target market. So, create your minimum viable product, do a soft-launch pre-release to a limited amount of people and collect feedback. Based on the feedback you receive, you can iterate your product and ensure that launch day is a major success. If you get a lot of negative feedback or confused responses, though, you might be better off shifting to a different product altogether. An example? Had Nintendo spent more time allowing beta testers to play with the Wii U before it launched, the company probably would have known that the Wii U would be less than impressive to consumers. In fact, it sold only 400,000 units on launch day up against its previous system's (the original Wii) 600,000 units sold at launch. But ultimately, Nintendo seemed to learn its lesson. After it launched its wildly successful next gaming system (the Nintendo Switch), Bill Trinen, Nintendo of America's senior product marketing manager, spoke about the experience with Business Insider . Said Trinen:"With Switch being something that you can take with you, it made it really important that you could play it instantly… That to me is an example of a direct lesson from the Wii U era, where Nintendo said, 'That's something we're gonna zero in on and make a dramatic improvement on.'" In short, Nintendo learned what its market wanted. And its engineers altered their next product launch to be a success. Learn from their experience and do a soft-launch of your own product or service to test and iterate before you fully bring your product to market. 4.You know in your gut that it isn't going to work. Being honest with yourself about how you think launch day is going to turn out is absolutely critical to your product's success. Most of the time, you know intuitively what your market buyers are going to think of your product, how they're going to receive it, and what they're going to say. How is this intuitive? It's because your market will have the same concerns you have about your product in the back of your mind -- that itching lack of clarity, that muddy user experience or thatcheap look and feel. The lesson here: Do not ignore your gut instinct. I love the way that Irene Barrera, founder of Stay Fit With Irene, put it in an email to me: "If you know in your gut that your product or service won't resonate with your audience, if you hate or even dislike the experience it will give your target market, then why would you launch it? It's far better to take additional time to launch a product that you're proud and excited about to announce to your audience." So, a launch might seem complicated, but it really isn't. Launches go sour for two simple reasons (usually): Either the market doesn't have a need for the product at all, or you need to get the messaging for that product dialed in. Related: How to Launch a Product That Sells Of course, knowing whether your product will succeed before you launch is easier said than done. But treat the above four signs as indicators that you should rethink your product before bringing it to market, and, in the end, you'll have a successful launch day. Even if it does take you a bit longer to get there, the effort will still be worth it. Related: Will Your Product Launch Be a Success? 4 Signs It Won't Be. Your First Product Is a Success. Is It Time to Roll Out a Second? This Stylish Duffle Bag Took 18 Months to Perfect


Interested in adopting a pet   or just gazing at some cuddle-hungry puppies? There are dozens of deserving puppies up for adoption at animal shelters in and around Seattle. Animal shelters work hard to care for unhoused pets and connect them to loving homes. Hoodline used data from Petfinder to power this roundup of puppies currently available for adoption. (Details like pet availability, training, vaccinations and other features are based on data provided by Petfinder and may be subject to change; contact the shelter for the latest information.) Sal, terrier mix Sal is a male terrier puppy being kept at Dog Gone Seattle . Sal gets along well with other dogs. He has mastered his house-training etiquette. Sal has been vaccinated. Notes from Sal's caretakers: Sal is a sweet three-month-old Terrier mix who recently joined us from Texas and has settled into his foster home. He is a sweet, goofy and loving pup who absolutely adores his humans. He is pretty shy when it comes to strangers and is looking for a patient home that will help him grow into a confident pup. Read more about how to adopt Sal on Petfinder . Patrick, pit bull terrier and cattle dog mix Patrick is a male pit bull terrier and cattle dog puppy staying at Forgotten Dogs Rescue . He has been vaccinated. Patrick is also neutered and microchipped. From Patrick's current caretaker: This guy is super confident, friendly and playful. He has loads of energy and will thrive in a home that will give him plenty of exercise, training and mental stimulation. Being a likely working breed, it's important that his adopter challenges his brain and gives him appropriate outlets for his energy and smarts. Apply to adopt Patrick today at Petfinder . Izzy, chihuahua Izzy is a charming female chihuahua puppy being cared for at Seattle Dogs Homeless Program . Izzy gets along well with kids, cats or dogs. Her vaccinations are already up to date. Here's what Izzy's friends at Seattle Dogs Homeless Program think of her: Izzy is a adorable six month old that is looking for a loving forever home. Izzy needs a loving home that'll give her lots of cuddles, playtime and put some much needed weight on her. Read more about how to adopt Izzy on Petfinder . This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Minnesota opens up WCWS play against the two-time college player of the year The time has finally come. All the emotions from last Saturday have subsided, and there is a job to do once again. The Minnesota Golden Gophers softball team finally opens play at the Women's College World Series Thursday afternoon when they take on the #2 seeded UCLA Bruins . The game will begin at 1:30 and air on ESPN. We all know how the Gophers got to this point. Amber Fiser. The junior has thrown all 556 pitches for the Gophers thus far in the NCAA Tournament, and for as long as she can, Gopher head coach Jamie Trachsel appears ready to ride Fiser's right arm. Why wouldn't she? Fiser is 5-0 with a 0.78 ERA in the NCAA Tournament and had struck out 38 batters in 36 innings pitched. She was named a First Team All-American on Wednesday by Softball America . Minnesota will go as far as the Big Ten's Pitcher of the Year will take them, but she can't do it all herself. The Gophers will need to score at least one run, and most likely more than that. That job will mainly be gien to the top four in the Minnesota batting order than have carried the load all season long. Leadoff batter Makenna Partain set a new Minnesota single season record for runs with 66 and counting and also leads the Gophers in batting average at .392. She was named an honorable mention All-American by Softball America. She is the table setter, with the three big bats behind her trying to get her in. Senior Maddie Houlihan bats in the two-hole. While not the major power threat of the next two batters, Houlihan can find the big hit at the right moment as she did in Game 1 of the Super Regional sweep of LSU . Minnesota's power threats come up next. Sophomore Hope Brandner transferred in from Oregon State last fall and has been a huge boost to this Gopher lineup. She leads the team in home runs with 19 just one off of the program single season record. Her walk-off eighth inning home run to beat Georgia in the first of the meetings in the regional really gave Minnesota all the forward momentum it would need to advance to the next round. She was named a second team All-American by Softball America Wednesday. Freshman Natalie DenHartog bats cleanup and has played beyond her age. The Top Three Finalist for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award leads the Gophers in RBI with 63 and is in the top 12 in the nation. She earned her spot in the lineup after starting the season on the bench and has erupted in a huge way to get the Gophers where they are today. While not the consistent threats that the top four are in the Minnesota lineup, the bottom five stepped up and played a huge role in the Super Regional clincher over the Tigers. Katelyn Kemmetmueller, Allie Arneson, Emma Burns, Carlie Brandt and Ali Lindner all contributed to the win and will hopefully be looked upon to help the Gophers put some runs across the plate this weekend. What About UCLA? The Bruins come into the opener against the Gophers flying high. There is a reason UCLA is the #2 national seed. They went 51-6 this season and have wins against #1 Oklahoma , #3 Washington , #5 Florida , and #6 Arizona . But the Wildcats did take two of three from UCLA in Los Angeles to close out the Pac-12 Regular season three weeks ago. So the Bruins can be beaten. UCLA also lost a game to a Big Ten team this season falling 3-1 to Michigan in March. The Bruins are 5-1 in the NCAA Tournament this season with their only loss coming to the Missouri in regional play. The Bruins beat Mizzou 9-1 and 13-1 but lost 5-1 in the middle game. They would then go on to sweep James Madison in the Super Regional with relative ease 6-1 and 7-2. Why are the Bruins so good? Lets start with Rachel Garcia. The junior has won nothing but awards since stepping on the field in Westwood. in 2017 she was the National Freshman of the Year. In 2018 she was the National Player of the Year. Then on Wednesday night she went back to back after she was awarded the National Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season. Why has she won nothing but awards? Because she's just that good. Garcia is 24-1 this season with a 1.01 ERA. She has four saves as well for good measure. Garcia has 253 strikeouts in 166 innings pitched this season and has an opponent batting average of .153. Oh, and she also is a huge threat at the plate too. Garcia has hit .344 this season with nine home runs and 49 RBI. Yeah...that's scary. The scariest part? She is not even one of the Bruins scariest offensive threats. If you thought the LSU leadoff hitter was a threat every time she came to the plate last week, wait until you see UCLA's Kelly Godin. The freshman is hitting an absurd .446 this season for the Bruins. Yet she only has 43 runs on the season placing her in third place on the UCLA roster. She has 23 stolen bases in 26 attempts. But, once again, that's not even the best mark on the UCLA roster. Sophomore Briana Perez is second on the team in hitting at .397, and leads UCLA in runs with 65 and in hits with 75. She is 21-22 is stolen base attempts. Need someone to get those two players in? Meet Bubba Nickles. The junior also has 75 hits on the season to pace the Bruins, and she has done some damage hitting .395. She has 11 doubles, 16 home runs, and leads the Bruins with 69 RBI on the season. How about Taylor Pack? The senior is hitting .380 and has 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 48 RBIs on the season. Sophomore Alliyah Jordan? Batting .367, 19 doubles, ten home runs. The 1927 Yankees don't have much on this lineup. That is six starters hitting .344 or higher. Seven starters with 30+ runs scored this season. So we know UCLA can hit. And we know Garcia can pitch. The Gophers most likely will not see anyone from the UCLA staff besides Garcia, but if they do, their stats are also equally impressive. Megan Fariamo is 16-4 with a 1.42 ERA on the season. She has 143 strikeouts in 113 inning pitched, and is allowing opponents to hit just 1.65 off of her. Holly Azevedo is 11-1 with an ERA of 2.07 and 72 strikeouts in 88 innings. Not too shabby for your third pitcher. How Does Minnesota Win? The same way it has all through the NCAA Tournament. Seven innings of Amber Fiser greatness and a few lucky hits. Minnesota needs to do what they can to hit Garcia. Especially early. If Minnesota can grab an early lead and Fiser begins to shut down the Bruins, they are the ones who will get nervous. The Gophers have nothing to lose. They are playing with house money. This is Minnesota's first ever trip to the Women's College World Series . This is UCLA's 29th and 5th consecutive. UCLA is supposed to win. But that doesn't mean they will. Why Not Us. The Gopher rallying cry all season long. They said Minnesota couldn't beat tough teams from the SEC. Ask Georgia and LSU how that worked out. Now it's the Pac-12 the Gophers have their sights on. Time to continue to road like a Lion and shine for another day!


Kyle Larson remained in command of the Pocono 500 on Sunday, earning the Stage 2 victory. While many drivers elected to pit before the stage break, Larson stayed on the track and completed a sweep of the stage wins in the race. Joey Logano finished third, William Byron was fourth, Brad Keselowski fifth and Ryan Newman completed the top-five. Rounding out the top-10 were Kurt Busch, Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, Daniel Hemric and Daniel Suarez. Following the break between Stages 1 and 2, Byron was the first off pit road among those who pit and Keselowski stayed out to inherit the lead. Both Suarez and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were penalized for speeding on pit road and both had to restart the race from the rear of the field. The race went green in Stage 2 on Lap 56. Kyle Busch took Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. three wide in Turn 2 and came out the leader for the first time in the race. On Lap 58, Matt DiDenedetto spun off Turn 2 to bring out a caution. He had started the race from the rear of the field due to an engine change. Keselowski was among those who elected to pit under the caution as well as Larson, Byron, Ryan Blaney, Suarez and several others. On the restart on Lap 57, Kyle Busch continued to lead with Hamlin powering to the second position and Chase Elliott moving into third. Matt Tifft clipped the apron and spun off Turn 2, which brought out another caution. The race returned to green on Lap 65 with Kyle Busch still out front and Clint Bowyer moved into the runner-up position. On Lap 69, a caution was displayed for debris on the track after Corey LaJoie hit the wall exiting Turn 2. Several lead-lap cars decided to pit under the caution, including Truex. The race returned to green on Lap 73 with Kyle Busch out front. By Turn 2, Bowyer had powered to the top spot for the first time in the race. With 26 laps left in the second stage, Kyle Busch passed Bowyer on the outside off Turn 3 to reclaim the lead. Bowyer dropped to second and Kevin Harvick was in third. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was forced to pit under green on Lap 79 and cutting down a right-rear tire and fell a lap down. With 20 laps remaining in the second stage, Kyle Busch had moved out to a more than 2 second lead over Bowyer. Harvick was third, Elliott fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth. After 90 laps, Kyle Busch's lead over Bowyer had grown to 6 seconds. Harvick was in third and closing on Bowyer while Elliott ran fourth and Hamlin fifth. Several drivers elected to pit before the end of the stage break and they began coming down with nine laps remaining in the stage. Truex was among those who headed to pit road but apparently his No. 19 Toyota had an engine failure and he was pushed to the garage. Kyle Busch elected to head to pit road with five laps to go, giving up the lead. Harvick and Blaney also pit at that time as Elliott moved into the lead. Larson returned to the point with four to go when Elliott elected to pit. Read Also: Kyle Larson takes Stage 1 win at Pocono over Byron


Christopher Bell led 186 of 200 laps on his way to winning Saturday's Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bell beat Cole Custer to claim his fifth of the year. The top five was completed by Justin Allgaier , Tyler Reddick and Paul Menard . Click here for the race results. Points Tyler Reddick continues to lead the standings despite having two few wins than Bell and Custer. He has a 56-point lead over Bell and 76-point advantage over Custer in third. The top five is completed by Justin Allgaier (-146 points) and Austin Cindric (-163 points). Click here for the full standings.


As the Lakers weigh their options for filling out their roster beyond LeBron James , Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma , the team is exploring the trade market for possible purchases of second-round draft picks, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks . Unlike first-round picks, which count against the cap for 120% of the rookie scale amount whether or not the player has actually signed his contract, a second-round pick doesn't have a cap hold until a player officially signs. Even then, many second-rounders ink minimum-salary deals that would have the same cap hold as an empty roster charge. In other words, second-round picks could provide the Lakers with a path to acquiring young talent that doesn't compromise the club's cap flexibility, as Wojnarowski and Marks point out. Teams are limited in the amount of cash they can trade in a given league year, but the Lakers still have $3.743M at their disposal for 2018-19, and their total will reset to about $5.6M once the new league year begins in a couple weeks. That will give the club some flexibility as it attempts to buy second-rounders and/or to find takers for players like Moritz Wagner , Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones . As Marks reports in a separate ESPN.com story , the Pelicans are believed to be unwilling to wait until July 30 to complete the Davis trade. Waiting until that date would allow the Lakers to maximize their cap room, since they could use the signed No. 4 pick for salary-matching purposes once his 30-day window of trade ineligibility expires. With New Orleans apparently not on board though, L.A. is exploring ways to maximize its cap room on July 6, when teams can officially begin making moves. The scenario the Lakers are looking into would involve the team using up about $32M in cap room on a free agent (or multiple free agents) immediately, then completing the Davis trade as an over-the-cap team. In order for the No. 4 pick to be dealt on July 6, he'd have to remain unsigned, which would mean counting as a $0 player for salary-matching purposes. As such, the Lakers would have to include some combination of Wagner, Bonga, Jones and/or a signed-and-traded player to match Davis' salary. Those players would have to be involved in the same transaction as AD, but could be sent to a team (or multiple teams) besides the Pelicans.


Bobby Portis has improved his game in each of his first four NBA seasons, and there should be no shortage of interest in him when he becomes a restricted free agent next month. The Washington Wizards will be able to match any offer the big man receives, but does he want them to? Tony Jones of The Athletic reports that Portis has interest in signing with the Utah Jazz. Hearing Bobby Portis has significant interest in coming to the Utah Jazz. Portis is a restricted free agent for the Washington Wizards. He's a power forward/center who is a good perimeter shooter. Eight days until free agency starts   Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 22, 2019 Portis was traded to Washington from the Chicago Bulls at the February deadline this past season, and he was very consistent for the Wizards down the stretch. He averaged 14.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game after the deal, so it would stand to reason that Washington would like to keep him around. The Wizards are hoping to sign Bradley Beal to a massive extension this offseason, though he may have incentive to turn it down . If he does agree to sign a new deal, Portis may price his way out of Washington. Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NBA Draft (provided by imagn)


Whistleblower Chelsea Manning condemned the announcement of 17 new charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, saying they indicated the law would be used as a "sword" against freedom of the press. "I continue to accept full and sole responsibility for those disclosures in 2010," Manning said in a statement Thursday evening. "It's telling that the government appears to have already obtained this indictment before my contempt hearing last week. This administration describes the press as the opposition party and an enemy of the people." "Today, they use the law as a sword, and have shown their willingness to bring the full power of the state against the very institution intended to shield us from such excesses." Assange, who had previously been indicted for conspiracy to hack a government computer, was indicted on 17 additional felony charges Thursday, including Espionage Act violations. The Alexandria, Va., grand jury returned the superseding indictment charging Assange with conspiring with Manning, a former Army intelligence officer, to obtain, receive and disclose "national defense information." Manning also said the charges indicate that her detention for refusing to answer a grand jury's questions on Assange are "purely punitive," as "all of the substantive questions" involved answers she already provided at her 2013 court martial. Manning's attorney, Moira Meltzer-Cohen, said the Justice Department has historically been hesitant to prosecute publishers of classified material. "This signals a real shift, and sets a new precedent for the federal government's desire to chill and even punish the vigorous exercise of the free press," she said. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also warned of a potential chilling effect following the superseding indictment against Assange, saying in a statement: "I am extremely concerned about the precedent this may set and potential dangers to the work of journalists and the First Amendment."


I'd planned on doing a #PFTPM podcast to break down whatever bad news was dumped into the Friday afternoon before Memorial Day weekend. But then something happened. No bad news was dumped. So I waited until today to post a new one. It covers plenty of news from a surprisingly busy Tuesday, and it answers a bunch of your questions. We'll do it again on Wednesday, and either Thursday or Friday. All we ask in return is that you subscribe , rate , and review .


We haven't seen a rock like this in 50 years. In late April, the residents of Aguas Zarcas saw a giant fireball light up the sky as it hurtled towards the ground and broke up into hundreds of pieces, like this one above, in the atmosphere. Space science is always about what's going on 'out there'. Sometimes, astronomers must pay attention to what's falling to Earth, too. That's precisely what Arizona State University's (ASU) Laurence Garvie is ready to do as he and his team scrutinize an extraterrestrial mud ball that rained down from the heavens last month and landed in a small town in Costa Rica. That's not a euphemism: We're talking about a literal mud ball. In late April, the residents of Aguas Zarcas saw a giant fireball light up the sky as it hurtled towards the ground and broke up into hundreds of pieces in the atmosphere. Within minutes of the fall, local news media reported pieces were falling through the roof of a house at hundreds of miles per hour, destroying a dining room table. "It really arrived with a big bang," says Garvie. Early reports showed this meteorite to be a carbonaceous chondrite  which are non-metallic rocks that formed 4.5 billion years ago, back when the solar system was a mere crabby infant. It's extremely rare for a meteorite like this, so full of clay, to fall down to Earth. "We've been waiting for something like this to fall for decades." says Garvie, a meteorite researcher and curator for ASU's Center for Meteorite Studies. The last time a rock like this hit Earth was in 1969, in Australia. Others have fallen since, but never yielding more than paltry amounts of extraterrestrial material to study. Now our planet has been blessedly pelted with another giant mud ball, with an abundant supply of samples available for scientific scrutiny. These sorts of rocks could hold potential clues to the origin of life in the solar system, since they're chock full of organic compounds that could act as the ingredients for life. The one that fell in 1969, says Garvie, arguably gave birth to the entire field of astrobiology. The ASU team was able to get in touch with two avid meteorite hunters from Arizona who had traveled out to Costa Rica within a day of the fall to collect pieces of the fireball that broke apart as it torched through the sky. About 55 pounds from the original washing-machine-sized fireball were recovered by meteorite collectors during a lucky five rain-free day streak in the region critical for preserving clay materials that tend to fall apart very quickly once wet, and thus degrade the unique extraterrestrial properties of the rock. Those hunters donated several samples to Garvie and his team, who were among the first lab's in the world to begin studying the Aguas Zarcas mud ball. According to Garvie, the mud ball is more than just a random pile of clay zipping through space. It's a fragment of a larger body that was on its way to growing into a planet. A larger hot aggregate of cosmic material began to cool down, and effectively "fossilized" into a cold rock, disturbed by collisions with smaller rocks but staying largely intact as it orbited around the sun, likely in the asteroid belt. By chance, it was lodged out of its orbit and ended up hurtling into the Earth's atmosphere and landing in Costa Rica. Quite a journey for a ball of mud, no? The list of analyses scientists can run on these samples is seemingly endless. They include more conventional work like observations under infrared or UV light, and spectroscopy assays to understand the chemistry of the material. They also include bolder tests clays often give us a very pungent and specific set of odors when exposed to moisture, and Garvie and his team are setting up tests designed to figure out the origin of those smells and what they too can say about the mud ball's composition. Other labs are poking away at digging into some of the meteorites metals, and reconciling how the aqueous and metallic compositions could have co-existed for so long. While the mud ball's impact could be key to understanding larger questions about the chemistry of the early solar system, there are also more immediate implications worth investigating. Clays are abundant in water, which raises the specter of potentially mining clay-rich asteroids in space one day for water that's critical for space travel and exploration. That water could be important for human consumption, growing plants, or potentially used as rocket fuel in novel kinds of spacecraft propulsion systems. "Developing the technologies to heat this material in the asteroid belt, to extract water out, it's going to be a key point of future space travel," says Garvie. The Aguas Zarcas samples are also thought to closely resemble the composition of asteroid Bennu, currently being studied in space by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, which will eventually return of sample of the asteroid to Earth. This makes the mud ball research a sort of prelude to what we might later find in the following decade when the OSIRIS-REx sample is finally in our hands. A mud ball doesn't exactly have the same shiny sparkle as a star, but that doesn't make it any less exciting for scientists to dig into. "Nature's done the hard job of creating this material," says Garvie. "Now it's up to us to tease this out and investigate the history of where it came from, how did it form, and what it can tell us about the early solar system."


For Huggies, diapers are now a dad thing. Its new Special Delivery diapers feature fathers front and center with babies   a first for the company that once got criticism for ads that portrayed fathers as disconnected from the caretaking role. There are six different box designs   three with men and babies and three with women and babies   in the new premium diaper line that touts plant-based ingredients, leak protection and "ultimate softness," said Kristine Rhode, Huggies North America brand director, in an interview with USA TODAY. "We really believe in celebrating all parents and the great job that parents are doing," Rhode said, noting moms have been featured on boxes before. "When you think about the important role that dads have in the family today and how that continues to grow, we wanted to make sure they were equally celebrated." Another first for Huggies, these diapers are packaged in black boxes to convey the feeling of a premium product, Rhode said. The diapers started rolling out to stores this month. This dad changes diapers: John Legend speaks out about when Chrissy Teigen was mom-shamed and why he changes diapers Baby on the way? Working dads are desperate for better parental leave, data shows Tori Bridges' now 23-month-old daughter, Soraya Lattimore, is featured on the size 5 box of diapers along with Chicago model Orlondo Thompson. "It means a lot especially the representation in society with African American fathers. They're not necessarily out there as much, and this is really changing the narrative," Bridges said. "It was just very beautiful, and I was just grateful that Soraya was a part of history." Thompson, 32, has been surprised by the response and has been recognized for his place on the box. "There's a stereotype that's out there that dads in general, not just a particular race, are not connected to their kids and not affectionate," said Thompson, who is not himself a father. "This should have been displaced a long time ago." Lasting impact Fatherhood advocate Derrick David Bryant, who is a National Fatherhood Initiative board member, says it's a great step in reaching out to fathers and becoming more father-friendly. "For so long, culture has said fathers bring home the bacon and play with the kids and that it's a mother's responsibility to do the diapering and child-rearing," said Bryant, who is a father engagement coordinator of a Texas nonprofit. "Just the mere image says fathers are welcome to change diapers and are expected." Bryant said for the many fathers already changing diapers it's an affirmation they don't often see. "Dads are shopping too," Bryant said. The U.S. diaper market is worth about $12.6 billion with parents spending about $700 on diapers in a baby's first year. Huggies' competitor Pampers has also been going after dads. Last month, it announced it wanted to make it easier for dads with small children by installing 5,000 changing tables for public restrooms across North America by 2021. We're so glad to hear you love the packaging of our Special Delivery® diapers, Yasmaine! If you get a chance to try the diapers on a little one, please let us know how you like them ❤   Huggies® (@Huggies) July 9, 2019 Joe Flowers Jr., a dad from Chicago, spotted the diapers and posted to Facebook on July 2 . His post went viral and has been shared 80,000 times and has more than 5,500 comments. "I was just happy to see that fathers were represented because we are never promoted on anything. That was my initial reaction," Flowers told USA TODAY. "Just so happens that the man was African American … I know we actually take care of our children just as much as the mom sometimes, so I was just proud to see a representation of that in the stores." Flowers hopes more companies follow Huggies. "I would absolutely love for more fathers to be shown on products because we use them as well," he said. "I know for me it was a good feeling to see someone like me represented on a package." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Huggies puts dads on diaper boxes for first time


There are so many ways to customize your 2020 Chevrolet Corvette . The sultry sports car offers 12 paint colors, six interior themes, six seat belt colors, and three seat design options, not to mention the multiple trim options and wheel styles available. ( Here's how we would configure ours ). Now, it turns out you can also choose your VIN. Chevrolet 's order guide reveals that all Corvette Stingrays purchased via factory order are eligible for VIN customization, reports CarsDirect . Buyers can't (and probably won't want to) select the full number, but they can request the last five digits, perhaps to commemorate a special date. A GM spokesperson confirmed to the publication that this feature is a $5,000 option. "If the customer orders early enough we can hold a desired VIN for them," Kevin Kelly said. Not all VINs are eligible. Five grand is a hefty price to pay for something no one is ever going to really see. To put it in perspective, it's more than 8 percent of the car's approximate starting price of $60,000 . But the option doesn't come as a surprise; Chevy offered this on the previous Corvette. The 2020 Stingray is the most powerful entry-level Corvette to date, packing up to 495 hp and 470 lb-ft from its 6.2-liter V-8 that now sits behind the passenger compartment. With the new setup, the Corvette loses its cab-rearward design, as well as some precious cargo space . Read more about the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette HERE . Research the Chevrolet Corvette on MSN Autos | Find a Chevrolet Corvette near you Source: CarsDirect


CHICAGO (AP) Javier Baez hit a milestone homer to win a game after Pete Alonso went deep once again to set a team record. Baez cracked the 100th homer of his career, a three-run drive in the eighth inning as the Chicago Cubs overcame another home run by Alonso to beat the New York Mets 5-3 on Sunday. Alonso hit his 27th home run in the fourth, breaking the Mets record for most by a rookie in an entire season set by Darryl Strawberry in 1983. With the Mets clinging to a one-run lead, Baez launched his 19th homer of the season with Kyle Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo on base and one out. Baez sent an 0-2 pitch from Seth Lugo (3-1) halfway up the right field bleachers. ''He just kind of hanged it out a bit and I got the barrel on it,'' Baez said. ''I think when I get to two strikes, I try to see the ball better and cut down my swing, which is pretty hard for me because I gotta swing hard.'' Baez learned that it was his 100th homer after returning to the dugout and being mobbed my teammates. ''It's really exciting,'' Baez said. ''I thought it was going to be a little bit later on in my career.'' Steve Cishek (2-4) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win in relief of Cole Hamels. Pedro Strop tossed a perfect ninth for his ninth save. Mets starter Jacob deGrom allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings. The NL Cy Young Award winner struck out nine and walked none. DeGrom also drove in a run with a single. Alonso's solo shot to center came on a soft 0-2 pitch from Hamels in the fourth that Hamels said resulted from a ''mixup'' with catcher Victor Caratini. The 24-year-old had homered on Saturday to set a new mark for NL rookies before the All-Star break. ''Thankfully I saw two of them in the previous at-bat and saw it long enough and put a really good swing on it,'' Alonso said. ''I'm proud of it, but I wish we won today. It was a tough loss.'' Alonso connected in his 77th game while Strawberry hit 26 in 133 games in 1983. The Mets' record for homers in a season is 41, shared by Carlos Beltran and Todd Hundley. Baez said he talked to Alonso during the series and tipped his cap to the rookie. ''He doing something amazing,'' Baez said. ''He's almost got 30 homers and we've still got two more weeks until the All-Star break. I like the way he's playing the game and the way he's hitting the ball.'' Strawberry also took note. ''Congrats to Pete for breaking my record which has stood for a long time,'' Strawberry said in a statement. ''What he's done in a short period of time is most impressive. No goal seems out of reach.'' Alonso is nearing Mark McGwire's major league record for homers by a rookie before the All-Star break, 33 set in 1987. Tomas Nido also homered for the Mets. Hamels helped his cause with an RBI single and Rizzo drove in Chicago's other run as the Cubs salvaged a split in the four-game series. Hamels yielded three runs on seven hits through seven innings. NEW YORK STATE OF MIND Mets manager Mickey Callaway cursed at Newsday reporter Tim Healey, and pitcher Jason Vargas had to be restrained from charging him during a confrontation in the team's clubhouse after the game. Reporters asked repeatedly after the game about Callaway's decision to stick with Lugo instead of going to closer Edwin Diaz. After the press conference, Callaway walked past Healey in the clubhouse. Healey told Callaway he would ''see you tomorrow,'' and Callaway responded by calling Healey an obscenity. Callaway walked away and then returned, cursing at Healey again and telling him to leave the clubhouse. Vargas then stared down Healey and eventually tried to charge him. Players stepped in to restrain the veteran left-hander. No punches were thrown, and Healey left the clubhouse moments later. KIMBREL WATCH RHP Craig Kimbrel is expected to pitch at least one more time for Triple-A Iowa, probably Tuesday, before the Cubs consider recalling the closer, manager Joe Maddon said. After tossing a scoreless inning Friday, Kimbrel threw again Saturday as an opener for Iowa in a rain-shortened contest. The right-hander allowed a run and got two outs as he pitched in back-to-back games for the first time since finalizing a three-year, $43 million deal with the Cubs on June 7. TRAINER'S ROOM Mets: Callaway said before the game he had no timeline on next steps for RHP Noah Syndergaard (right hamstring), who threw a bullpen on Saturday. ''We'll talk to the player and see exactly what we want to do next,'' Callaway said. Syndergaard is eligible to come of the 10-day IL on Wednesday. Cubs: Chicago activated RHP Tony Barnette (right shoulder inflammation) off the 60-day injured list and optioned RHP Rowan Wick to Triple-A Iowa. Barnette, 35, started the season on the IL. He went 2-0 with a 2.39 ERA in 22 relief appearances for Texas in 2018 before a shoulder strain ended his season in early July. UP NEXT Mets: LHP Steven Matz (5-5, 4.28) faces Phillies RHP Zach Eflin (6-7, 2.83) on Monday as the Mets open a four-game series in Philadelphia. Matz is 1-2 with a 5.87 ERA in four starts in June. Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (6-5, 4.13) takes the mound on Monday against Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran (5-5, 3.40) as Chicago opens a four-game series against the NL East-leading Braves. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


The Golden State Warriors will have to keep winning without Kevin Durant for now. The 30-year-old Durant will not play during Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Durant injured his calf during Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. He was ruled out for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals due to the injury, and was considered unlikely to play in Game 2. Durant averaged 26 points and 6.4 rebounds per game with the team during the regular season. He had been a force this postseason before getting hurt. Durant had scored over 40 points in three of the Warriors' 11 games prior to the injury. Though they were missing Durant, the Warriors still managed to pull out a win in Game 1 of their series against the Trail Blazers. Stephen Curry carried the load, dropping 36 points on Portland in the 116-94 victory .     Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik More from Yahoo Sports: Haynes: Blazers could be in for short series vs. Warriors Robinson: If Kraft walks, can NFL still go after him? Goodwill: Inside look as Pelicans win Zion sweepstakes Twitter on fire after Knicks lose out on Zion


Everett Police are working to launch a department-wide body camera program. It will start with a trial period involving 10 to 50 officers. KING 5's Kalie Greenberg explains.


Newcastle owner Mike Ashley ripped former manager Rafa Benitez for an apparent "money first" attitude that he believes doomed any chance of a contract extension this summer. Benitez, a fan favorite thanks to his sparkling resume and excellent results with very little to work with, departed the club this summer for Chinese side Dalian Yifang after lengthy negotiations for an extensions with Newcastle came to an end with no agreement. The Spaniard had stuck with the club through a season in the Championship and guided the Magpies back to the Premier League, helping finish safely in 13th last season. However, Ashley says that Benitez did not, in fact, care about the club but instead cared only about money. According to the Newcastle owner, Benitez knew he had leverage in negotiations and hoped to use that to his advantage. "Every time with Rafa it was impossible," Ashley said in a lengthy interview with the Daily Mail . "There was always another thing, and the next thing, and the next thing. He asked for a 50 per cent pay increase and I think he did that because he knew it couldn't work. And if we had agreed to that, I think it would have been something else. And everyone thinks we lost him because we wouldn't pay a couple of quid more. He had the microphone and we didn't." Ashley even goes as far as to say he brought up the idea of an eight-year contract with Benitez, comparing the club to his other financial investments. "At one stage they were talking about a one-year extension and I said my preference would be for an eight-year contract," Ashley said. "That's what I have to do in business when I invest. I have to take a medium to long-term view. I don't worry about my takings on a Saturday. And we are now talking planning and strategy." The Sport Direct CEO went on to say that he believes the deal with the Chinese club was already finalized and that Benitez simply stayed in negotiations with Newcastle for appearance. "Looking back, though, it doesn't really matter what Rafa asked for because I think the Chinese thing was done. He had talked about what he could earn in China previously. We were not even slightly surprised by that move." Finally, Ashley rambles about the possibility of a deal for Hoffenheim striker Joelinton, saying that the 22-year-old was Benitez's number one target, but when it came time for the Spaniard to sign off on the deal, he balked and wanted his own situation sorted before securing the player. The Magpies owner is a disliked figure among Newcastle fans, and it's likely that very little from Ashley can be taken at face value. Ultimately, whether what Ashley is saying is true or not, Benitez knew he had leverage based on positive results and wished to be compensated fairly for not just his results at Newcastle, but also for the pedigree of a Champions League winning manager to stay at a mid-table Premier League side. Benitez often talked in the media about having a long-term vision for the club, and ultimately Ashley proved at the negotiating table he was not willing to pay the price for that long-term plan, even if it meant spending more than the club had previously planned to maintain Benitez's services. Follow @the_bonnfire


We here at Loop HQ live for a good power move. Tiger showing up to Bellerive dressed like the Terminator . Bryce Harper batflipping D.C. out of existence . The best darts celebration ever . Shoot them all directly into our veins. Thankfully for us, a new contender stepped into the, er, octagon this weekend when Bellator MMA featherweight Tywan Claxton noticed 50 Cent sitting cage-side mid-pin and stoped elbowing his opponent in the face just long enough to say what's up. Give this man all the belts. https://twitter.com/BellatorMMA/status/1127384614639755264 https://twitter.com/BellatorMMA/status/1127694944011997185 It probably goes without saying, but Claxton went on defeat James Bennett by third-round TKO after his little chat with 50 Cent. While this stunt might smack of hubris, Claxton was humble post-fight, saying of Bennett, "I was like, 'Expletive, when is he gonna give up?' He's a warrior. My hat's off to him, and much respect. Just look at his face. Both of his eyes are almost swollen shut. I don't know how he kept fighting. That's a tough man right there." #Humblebrag RELATED: Terence Crawford retains welterweight title with massive uppercut to the groin 50 Cent meanwhile seemed just as amused with the interaction as we are, saying that he loves Bellator MMA because "They're killers!" (and probably hooked him up with those seats) while also coining Claxton's new catchphrase, "GET THE STRAP!" All in all, not a bad Saturday night in the realm of men beating the living bejesus out of each other.


Last time out, we took a look at the wide receivers in the AFC North. Now, we'll turn our attention to some other pass-catchers, the tight ends. 5. C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Uzomah became a reliable backup and replacement for Tyler Eifert after Eifert went down with an injury early in the season, catching 43 passes for 439 yards and three touchdowns. Uzomah was rewarded with a new three-year contract while Tyler Kroft left to sign with the Buffalo Bills (and is now currently on the PUP list). Uzomah isn't a superstar by any means, but should something happen to Eifert, Cincinnati at least has someone to step in. 4. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The Ravens drafted two tight ends in 2018 and found the better one in round three. Mark Andrews should be more involved in the passing game than Hayden Hurst, as he was always a strong pass-catcher at Oklahoma. Andrews posted stronger numbers than Hurst in 2018 and that trend should continue. Nick Boyle is also still on the roster, but the Ravens are very high on both of their second-year tight ends. But ultimately, if we're picking one, it's the former Sooner. 3. Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports I love Tyler Eifert. I really do. I've been a fan of his all throughout his career. But unfortunately, availability has been a major issue lately for the former Notre Dame tight end. Eifert has played in just 14 games over the past three seasons due to various injuries. Perhaps Eifert can rekindle his old magic and he seemed to be getting his feet wet again early last season before suffering a gruesome injury against the Falcons in Week 4. But unfortunately, the fact remains Eifert has yet to play all 16 games in a season and that docks a few points off. That said, he still has the veteran savvy and would probably be taken by most over the tights end on the Ravens. 2. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports This was a really tough call near the top. For as talented and as much upside as Njoku has, he's yet to put it all together for an entire season. Or at least it seems like he should be producing a lot more. He did post decent numbers, right on par with Vance McDonald. But it just feels like Njoku should be a lot more explosive at this stage. The third season is typically the breakout season for a player and with all the weapons in Cleveland, perhaps the field will open up for Njoku and this will be the best season of Njoku's career. 1. Vance McDonald, Pittsburgh Steelers Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports McDonald enjoyed the best season of his career in 2018, catching 50 passes for 610 yards and four touchdowns, all numbers that either set or tied his previous career bests. And now that Jesse James left Pittsburgh for Detroit, McDonald will grow even further in the Steelers' offense. He may even post more highlight stiff arms like the one he gave Chris Conte last season. MORE: Five potential Jeremy Lin landing spots in free agency Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Jordan Crawford says Nike still owes him $500 for his legendary dunk on LeBron Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Joe Douglas hits home run with first big move as Jets GM


The woman who went missing while hiking in California said Tuesday that she is lucky to be alive after she got lost fleeing a knife-wielding man who threatened her near her campsite in the remote White Mountains. Sheryl Powell, 60, of Huntington Beach, California, was reported missing by her husband on Friday afternoon after she disappeared while taking her dog on a walk near the Grandview Campsite. Rescue teams scoured the mountains over the weekend, searching for Powell by foot and air. On Monday morning, they found Powell's dog, Miley. About two and a half hours later, authorities found Powell, who was brought to a local hospital suffering from dehydration and superficial injuries. Powell, an experienced hiker, said a "burly" man had confronted her while she was taking a bathroom break. According to Powell, the man said, "The first thing that's going to happen here, I'm going to use this knife on the dog, and then if you don't let me have my way with you, I'll use it on you." Powell told NBC's "Today" on Tuesday morning that she was scared and acted "docile" in front of the man. But when she found the right moment, she ran away with her dog. "He was pursuing me," Powell said, but after the first day, she was mostly focused on staying alive. "I had to concentrate on how to get through this." Powell survived by eating cactus fruit and drinking water from a spring she found. "It was actually good tasting water," she remarked. The days in the wilderness near the Nevada border were hot, but the nights were cold. Her husband, Joe Powell, said she stayed warm by wrapping herself in unused doggie bags. Searching for her husband, Powell hiked at night, hoping to avoid the rattlesnakes. Powell saw the search helicopters looking for her, but could see them going in the wrong direction. "I was a canyon over. I wasn't even in the area they were searching at first," Powell said. "That was disheartening." "She was starting to lose hope," her son, Greg Powell, said. Now, Powell is home with her husband, children and dog, and thanking all those who looked for her. "That was harrowing, luckily I'm here," Powell said. "I'm happy to be back with my family, happy to be here to tell my story. I didn't know if I'd make it." On Monday, Joe Powell said Sheryl's return was "the happiest day of my life." The Inyo County Sheriff's Office, which led the search efforts, said the department is "actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the disappearance" but has no further information or suspects at this time. Joe Powell said that he and his wife will continue to camp, but that they are going to arm themselves in the future to protect from an attack. He said the first thing his wife wanted after being found was "a cold kombucha."


Remember when people were worried Gritty would frighten young hockey fans? The Flyers mascot surprised 7-year-old superfan Caiden O'Rourke at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia after the boy was given a custom Gritty-themed prosthetic leg, sparking a priceless and heartwarming reaction. Take a look: SURPRISE: @GrittyNHL surprises 7 y/o fan Caiden O'Rourke at @shrinersphilly who just got a new custom Gritty prosthetic leg this morning. Look at his face! @6abc pic.twitter.com/jPMqtUVZ7x   Jeannette Reyes (@6abcJeannette) June 25, 2019 Gritty also gave the boy a Flyers gift bag filled with goodies, including a custom jersey. I have a feeling Caiden won't be taking off this custom @NHLFlyers jersey lol pic.twitter.com/wdlFBDhudO   Jeannette Reyes (@6abcJeannette) June 25, 2019 MORE : Blackhawks get Calvin de Haan, Aleksi Saarela in trade for goaltender, defenseman | Golden Knights to sign William Karlsson to 8-year extension, report says | Capitals veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik announces retirement The encounter comes a week before O'Rourke's eighth birthday, which is sure to be a memorable one.


More than 200 people hurt, 83 of them seriously, following an accidental explosion near the island's capital Taipei. More than 200 people have been injured in a fire that reportedly occured when flammable powder exploded during an event at a theme park in Taiwan. Authorities said the fire broke out on Saturday evening near a performance stage, where about 1,000 people were gathered for a party. Video footage of the incident was published online shortly after the event, showing powder being sprayed over the heads of those gathered in the crowd. As the powder was sprayed, it appeared to ignite, causing hundreds of people to run away after their clothes caught fire. Wang Wei-sheng, a liaison with the fire department command center, said 83 people suffered serious injuries, while 131 others were also hurt. The injured were rushed to hospitals, according to local fire officials. Taiwan's Central News Agency reported the fire at the Formosa Water Park in New Taipei City, near the island's capital, was quickly brought under control. It was not clear if the powder was being used as part of a performance. The cause of the fire is being investigated.


STOCKTON (CBS13)   Stockton saw fewer crimes committed in June than the month before, but overall crime is up 11 percent in 2019. The Stockton Police Department released its June crime statistics showing nearly 14-hundred crimes were committed last month. Criminal Homicide- 3 Forcible Rape- 10 Robbery- 82 Aggravated Assault- 255 Burglary- 185 Larceny-Theft- 707 Motor Vehicle Theft- 134 Arson- 14 Overall, 1,390 crimes were committed. Of those, 350 were violent crimes and 1,040 were property crimes. This year-to-date, a total of 8,605 crimes have been committed (2,244 violent crimes and 6,361 property crimes); last year-to-date Stockton had 7,751 total crimes (2,045 violent crimes and 5,706 property crimes). Year-to-date Stockton has seen an increase in a number of crime categories: Criminal Homicide (53.3 percent), Forcible Rape (11.8 percent), Aggravated Assault (15.1 percent), Larceny-Theft (23.9 percent), Arson (1.2 percent); crime has gone done in several categories: Robbery (5 percent), Burglary (2.9 percent), Motor Vehicle Theft (12.9 percent).


Long Beach should see warm temperatures through Friday, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Temperatures will heat up more on Saturday and Sunday, with a high of 92 degrees both days. The immediate forecast also has mostly cloudy skies in store for today. Skies will partially clear on Tuesday, remaining partly cloudy through Thursday. Winds will remain light over the course of the week, with the highest speeds on Friday at just 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Founded in 1989, the mission of Minneapolis Sailing Center is to foster an inclusive, sustainable community and to teach sailing to all. Welcoming sailors of all abilities, they offer a range of educational, hands-on instruction for children as young as 4 through retirees. A number of programs from summer camps to racing and varying membership levels have been created to build and inclusive sailing community on the Chain of Lakes. Entering their 30th year, the fleet, membership, and educational programs have all seen robust growth, with over 1000 attendees in the past year. Minneapolis Sailing Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and a member of US Sailing. Join MSC this Saturday and Sunday, May 25 & 26 for the final High School regatta of the Spring. Visit our website to learn more about summer youth camps, adult lessons, membership, and private lessons as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. On June 1, MSC will host an open-day for anyone interested in learning more about their offerings. It will be complete with free sail boat rides on a first-come first-serve basis and grilled food while it lasts


Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Charlotte. Lightning strike sparks house fire in east Charlotte No injuries were reported in the blaze at the residence in the 4600 block of Steepleton Way on Thursday afternoon. Read the full story on WCNC . Woman found dead in car in north Charlotte Police are investigating the death as a homicide after receiving a call about an assault with a deadly weapon Thursday morning in the 7200 block of Oakwinds Court. Read the full story on WCNC . The Vaselines, Charlotte Cardin top lineup at Venus Fest Venus Fest returns for the third year with a three-day event beginning Sept. 20 at the Opera House. Read the full story on Now Toronto . Couple kicked out of Waffle House in misunderstanding over service dog Staff at the Waffle House on Setson Drive told a man and his wife that they had to leave because the man's service dog wasn't wearing a vest. However, the law does not require that service dogs wear a vest. Read the full story on WNCN Steve Sbraccia . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Well, we don't know for sure from the photo posted by The Athletic 's Anthony Slater that Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson's rehab on his surgically-repaired left ACL is going well. But thanks to the presence of of his beloved bulldog, Rocco, one would expect that things are going as well as can be expected. The image is a screenshot from an Instagram story that shows Thompson undergoing treatment on his left leg about two weeks after surgery. Rocco is seated nearby in what appears to be a supervisory role. The canine has made periodic media appearances with Thompson, including during road trips with the Warriors, but he has declined opportunities to give formal interviews. Klay Thompson, two weeks post left ACL surgery pic.twitter.com/kPyb3erciT - Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 18, 2019 The breadth of Rocco's training in sports medicine is not yet known, but the superstar pup at least looks like he knows what he's doing and Thompson does not appear to be afraid. The three-time NBA champion is expected to miss the majority of the 2019-20 NBA season, with a return not guaranteed. He suffered the ACL tear during the Warriors' Game 6 Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors. MORE: The Twins pulled off a beautiful triple play against the Yankees and fans loved it Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop Lakers' Quinn Cook Q&A: 'It feels like this team has been together a while' Tim Duncan is returning to the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is here for the jokes The 21 dumbest ideas in NFL history


Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to push through a new law that would allow parliament to protect his immunity from prosecution, as he faces possible indictment in three corruption cases, according to leaks to the Israeli media. The new far-reaching bill would allow the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and government ministers to essentially ignore any High Court of Justice ruling, Haaretz revealed, including the potential revocation of Mr Netanyahu's immunity. According to the left-leaning daily, the move is written into a "legal appendix" of the coalition agreement and government guidelines Mr Netanyahu is currently drawing up as he builds a new coalition government after winning the April general election . If passed, the clause would give additional protection to the powerful right-wing leader, who secured a record fifth term in office and whose avid supporters dominate the legislative body. Mr Netanyahu has already tried to restore the 2005 wording of an immunity law where the Knesset House Committee could reject the attorney-general's request to rescind immunity of a particular parliamentarian. But the law on its own would not safeguard the prime minister as the High Court of Justice is ultimately given the final word. According to Haaretz , the new proposed "override clause" would mean this is no longer the case, as the Knesset would be permitted to reject even the High Court's administrative decisions, effectively turning all their rulings into legal suggestions which can be ignored. Mr Netanyahu's Likud party rejected the media leaks calling them "sensational" and "misleading" in a statement on Twitter , but failed to give any further details. Anshel Pfeffer, an Israeli journalist, author and expert on Mr Netanyahu, sounded the alarm . "The implication of this law, if it passes, will be that the High Court will lose its powers of judicial review over government actions, in any field, the military occupation, state and religion, etc. All this to save Netanyahu from being put on trial," he wrote on Twitter. "In 13 years in power, Netanyahu has never tried something like this. He never truly challenged the Supreme Court. But now it's his neck on the line, he's just won a fifth election and he just might have a majority in the new Knesset to pass such a law, upending 70 years' precedent," he added. Israel's attorney general is expected to indict Mr Netanyahu in three corruption cases dubbed cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, after he faces a pre-trial hearing in the next few months. In case 4000, police have alleged that Mr Netanyahu granted regulatory favours to Israel's leading telecommunications company, Bezeq, in return for more positive coverage on Walla!, a news website belonging to the firm's owner. Case 2000 focuses on suspicions Mr Netanyahu negotiated a deal with the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper for better coverage in return for promises to limit the circulation of a rival. In the third investigation, case 1000, police argue that he received expensive gifts from wealthy friends. Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrong doing. There have been several leaked reports at his alleged attempts to shield himself from standing trial. His Likud party did not directly address the details of Haaretz's report but issued a statement saying: "As part of coalition negotiations, various proposals have been raised, by Likud coalition partners, including the restoration of the balance between the legislative and the judicial branches." It added: "The sensational media reports include proposals that were not discussed and biased and misleading analyses ... The principle that will continue to guide the Likud is to maintain independent and strong courts, but that doesn't mean the court is omnipotent." The new law, should it be properly drafted would need to be passed by the Knesset. Mr Pfeffer said that it would likely pass, as the right-wing and religious parties loyal to the the premier hold 65 of the new Knesset's 120 seats. The alleged bill would also allow the Knesset to relegislate laws that the High Court strikes down. Mr Netanyahu's chief elections rival and his ex-army chief Benny Gantz said the move was "contempt for the rule of law" and "crossing a red line" which they would not turn a blind eye to. Yair Lapid, an opposition leader and Gantz's elections partner, said he will be holding a press conference on Monday to discuss "Netanyahu's attempts to arrange a get-out-of-jail-free card for himself and to turn the State of Israel into Turkey."


LOS ANGELES (AP) Matt Beaty keeps making it difficult for the Los Angeles Dodgers to send him down to Triple-A again. The rookie came off the bench to play left field during the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night and then delivered a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning to break a tie as the Dodgers recovered for a 10-6 victory after blowing a six-run lead. ''He's taking care of what he needs to take care of. He has come up with some big hits for us,'' manager Dave Roberts said. Beaty's drive to right-center on a changeup by Elieser Hernandez (1-4) bailed out the Dodgers' bullpen and defense. Los Angeles led 6-0 through six innings after Clayton Kershaw had a season-high 10 strikeouts and allowed only two hits. Joc Pederson and Justin Turner provided the early lift on offense with home runs before the Marlins rallied to tie. ''I got that one pretty good. I was looking for a pitch out over the plate that I could drive,'' said Beaty, who is 14 for 31 with three home runs and 21 RBIs with runners in scoring position. Roberts said Beaty will be in the starting lineup for Sunday's finale of the three-game series. Miami took advantage of a Los Angeles bullpen that has struggled in middle relief and benefited from a pair of errors in a five-run eighth. Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager dropped a foul ball by Curtis Granderson, which would have been the first out. Instead, Granderson doubled to left. Jorge Alfaro nearly had a grand slam but Alex Verdugo made a great catch at the base of the wall in right to keep it a sacrifice fly. Brian Anderson's two-run double off Yimi Garcia - the third of four Dodgers pitchers used in the inning - brought the Marlins within 6-4 before they tied it on a throwing error by second baseman Enrique Hernandez, which allowed Anderson to score. ''It was a tale of two different games. Early on Kershaw had us on our heels then all of a sudden we catch some breaks and get some big hits,'' Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. The Dodgers, who had three errors in the game, have committed 20 in July, which is the most in the majors and becoming a growing concern for Roberts. ''I can't remember the last time we played a clean game,'' he said. ''The relievers have to get better at throwing quality strikes. If something does happen where a play is not made we have to be able to overcome that.'' Starlin Castro started the Marlins' comeback in the seventh with a solo shot to left-center off JT Chargois. Kershaw retired the first 10 Marlins he faced - seven via strikeout - before Martin Prado and Garrett Cooper got aboard with one-out singles in the fourth. Pedro Baez (5-2) got the win. Kershaw said he was disappointed not to get the win but defended the bullpen. ''We've got guys with good stuff,'' he said. ''It's not any different from a starting pitcher going through a rut. We're just going to have to find that consistency.'' Pederson, who came into the game 4 for 22 since the All-Star break, hit a line-drive shot over the short wall in right off Sandy Alcantara to lead off the first. Los Angeles added three in the fourth on Austin Barnes' two-run double and an RBI single by Kershaw. The next inning, Turner hit a solo shot over the wall in center and Max Muncy added an RBI double to make it 6-0. After Beaty's home run, Russell Martin provided added insurance with a pinch-hit RBI single. FERNANDOMANIA FLASHBACK Fernando Valenzuela was inducted into the ''Legends of Dodger Baseball'' before the game. STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES The Dodgers improved to 39-12 at Dodger Stadium. That equals the 2017 team for best home start after 51 games in franchise history. ... Alcantara went five innings and allowed six runs on seven hits. ... Seager had three hits. ... Castro is 21 of 58 with three home runs and eight RBIs in July. TRAINER'S ROOM Marlins: SS Miguel Rojas was taken out during the fifth inning due to a strained right shoulder. Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (forearm strain) has started a throwing program with the possibility of returning sometime in September. ... LHP Scott Alexander, who is on the IL with left forearm inflammation, is also dealing with a nerve problem in his left thumb with no timetable on a return. UP NEXT Marlins: RHP Jordan Yamamoto (4-0, 1.59 ERA) faces the Dodgers for the first time. He is holding opponents to a .134 batting average, which is the lowest in the majors since June 12. Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (8-1, 3.44 ERA) makes his third career start against the Marlins. He has no record and a 3.60 ERA. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


A federal grand jury in Dallas on Thursday indicted an American ISIS suspect who had been transported back to American soil from Syria. Omer Kuzu, who is 23, was charged with traveling to Syria and conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. Kuzu, who was born in Dallas, traveled with his brother in 2014 from Houston to Istanbul and then was smuggled by ISIS into Syria, prosecutors say he told FBI investigators, according to court documents. He eventually received weapons and other training in Mosul, Iraq, and then returned to Syria, where ISIS maintained the headquarters for its self-declared caliphate, according to the documents. Prosecutors allege Kuzu was issued weapons and was paid the equivalent of $125 a month to maintain and repair communications equipment for front-line ISIS fighters. Kuzu pleaded not guilty at the arraignment in Texas, according to Erin Dooley, a spokeswoman for the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. CNN has reached out for comment to the Federal Public Defender's Office in Dallas, which is representing Kuzu. US officials familiar with the situation had told CNN earlier Thursday that the US government had transported Kuzu from Syria to face trial for his alleged involvement with the terror group. The officials said Kuzu, who is a dual US-Turkish national, had been previously held by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a group of Kurdish-led anti-ISIS fighters. 2000 foreign ISIS fighters held in Syria The SDF are currently holding over 2,000 foreign ISIS fighters from over 50 countries, a group that includes several hundred Europeans, according to one US official. The US military helped facilitate the transfer. The US government has long sought to encourage countries to repatriate their citizens, and the Department of Justice has been able to charge several American citizens for their alleged involvement with ISIS, including Rulan Asainov, who was repatriated last month. Asainov was arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, and charged with support to the terror group. He did not enter a plea at the arraignment. "We now have 2,000 prisoners   ISIS prisoners. And we're telling Europe, 'Look, they were going to Europe.' They weren't coming here; they were going to Europe. You've got to take them," President Donald Trump said at a cabinet meeting last month. "We can't be responsible for these people for 50 years or whatever it may be, or more and so we're negotiating with Europe, and we're negotiating with Iraq and lots of other people," Trump added. However, the effort to get other countries to repatriate their citizens from SDF detention camps has had limited success to date with only seven countries -- the US, Italy, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan and Morocco -- having publicly repatriated their fighters. Some countries reluctant to repatriate fighters Many countries are reluctant to repatriate their fighters because of the difficulty of prosecuting suspected ISIS members based on evidence collected on the battlefield. The number of foreigners in detention increased sharply following the capture of ISIS' last area of territorial control in Baghouz, Syria, in late March. US officials told CNN in April that they were investigating reports that some of those detainees were US citizens. The foreigners are among the more than 9,000 ISIS fighters being held by the SDF, with the majority of those being Syrian and Iraqi nationals. An additional 60,000 of what the US government refers to as ISIS "affiliates" are staying in makeshift camps where the SDF has a security presence. Some have expressed concerns about the fate of these prisoners, particularly if the US were to withdraw its remaining troops from Syria. Before this week, the United States had repatriated seven adults from Iraq and Syria who were associated with ISIS and criminally charged five of them, including Asainov and a Texas man in January, according to the Justice Department. "The United States is leading by example. We've called on other countries to repatriate and prosecute. ... That's exactly what we've done," Ambassador Nathan Sales, the State Department's coordinator for counterterrorism, told reporters Thursday. "The way to be tough on foreign terrorist fighters is to prosecute them. Right now they are not facing justice for the crimes they've committed, they are in temporary holding facilities, and we've seen a number of attempted jailbreaks -- the risk they could get out is not trivial," Sales said, urging Western European nations to take their citizens back. Fifty-nine Americans are believed to have traveled overseas to join ISIS, and more than a dozen have faced terror-related charges after returning to the US voluntarily or through repatriation, according to research from the George Washington University Program on Extremism. Many more are believed to have died on the battlefield. The US has repatriated eight adult US citizens from Iraq and Syria, including Kuzu. The Justice Department has brought criminal charges against six of them. And while the number of foreigners traveling to Syria to join ISIS has decreased, officials have expressed concerns about the ability of other ISIS affiliates being able to attract foreign recruits. Last month, the Department of Justice said that the FBI had arrested two men in Arizona after they checked in for a flight to Egypt, where the Justice Department alleges they intended to join ISIS. This story has been updated.


Highly experienced coach Roy Rogers has landed a three-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. Rogers, who is 45-years-old, had just spent his last three seasons with the Houston Rockets under Mike D'Antoni. He will serve in the same position in Chicago as he did in Houston, as an assistant coach. The Rockets parted ways with him late last month in the midst of a wild and shocking exodus of multiple coaches. The former power forward played for the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets. Rogers also had a few seasons playing abroad before joining the world of coaching as an assistant 2013 for the Brooklyn Nets. Rogers is known as a defensive guru, as is coach Jeff Bzdelik, who the Rockets also parted ways with in May . Former Rockets assistant Roy Rogers has agreed to a three-year deal to join the Chicago Bulls an assistant coach, league source tells ESPN. - Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2019 Rogers will serve under head coach Jim Boylen, who agreed to an extension with the Bulls last week. After finishing with a 22-60 overall record, the Bulls have the No. 7 pick in this year's 2019 NBA Draft. It appears the front office wants their coaching staff fully rounded out before the draft on June 20. MORE: James Holzhauer breaks his silence about the leaked 'Jeopardy!' result Report: Suns, Bulls offering lottery picks for Lonzo Ball Darnell Savage, Josh Jackson could unlock full potential of Packers secondary Report: Kevon Looney's X-Rays return as clean after injury scare Raiders WR Tyrell Williams named 'breakout star' of OTAs


A woman's dead body was left hanging lifeless on a high chain linked fence after neighbors mistook it for a Halloween decoration. The body of 31-year-old victim Rebecca Cade dangled for hours in Chillicothe, Ohio, before construction workers realised it wasn't a prank and called police. Cade, described as a "life-long member of the community", was thought to have got caught on the fence as she attempted to flee from her attacker. Investigators said she was beaten badly and her face was unrecognisable after the tragic attack. One neighbour, Tammy Dixon, saw the body and said: "I just put my hands over my face. I thought 'This can't be happening here, it's not real, and I just didn't see what I thought I saw.'" Police made an arrest in connection to the killing earlier this week, charging 27-year-old Donnie Cochenour Jr with one count of murder. Investigators said he admitted to the killing. The murder weapon is believed to be a rock about the size of a grapefruit, which was found near the crime scene. A friend of the victim, Tabitha Long said Cade had learning disabilities and was an easy target: "She was very gullible, very easily misled, as long as she thought you were her friend she would do just about anything for you."


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. President Trump's harsh and angry tweets about the social conditions and hygienic disaster in Baltimore, directed at Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and others, were undoubtedly in bad taste. It is understandable, therefore, that The Baltimore Sun editorial board felt compelled to respond in kind, which it did in a scathing editorial that compared the president to vermin. But the piece went too far when it then blamed the president for Baltimore's problems with the rationale that "they are as much his responsibility as anyone's, perhaps more because he holds the most powerful office in the land." This is a specious argument at best. Perhaps the Office of the President over the successive administrations who have coincided with a declining and rotting city could have helped in some way. But Baltimore's problems predate the Trump presidency by decades, and have been exacerbated not as much by presidential inaction but by Baltimore's own failed leadership. No one likes to have people talk ill of their neighborhood - even if it is one filled with as many seemingly intractable problems as Baltimore faces. But the sad reality is the Baltimore Sun, its editors and many city officials, as well as Rep. Cummings, sat idly by while the inner city crumbled and imploded. Their strategy for improving the situation? Hope. And, as it turns out, not an inconsiderable amount of corruption . Baltimore has true legacy problems. But to blame others is not good government. The newspaper's editorial team needs a refresher course in Civics 101. In defense of the president, he has implemented several measures that potentially could help blighted communities such as Baltimore regain their luster. Foremost among them is the President's initiative for Opportunity Zones , which facilitate private investment specifically targeted towards bringing industry and creating jobs in underserved communities. What if, instead of critiquing Trump, Baltimore's leadership were to take him up on his offer and come up with creative solutions that can attract private investment that would bring jobs, tax revenue and badly needed infrastructure improvements to the city? A true assessment of the legacy problems facing Baltimore has to start with a hard look at what folks are doing wrong. Why is it that Baltimore's most elite police unit - the gun trace task force - apparently was able to operate like an armed drug gang for years without oversight? Why is it that Baltimore's schools are among the worst in the country? Why does the murder rate in Baltimore continue to run rampant? There are a lot of things that could be accomplished with a fair bit of introspection and perspective, rather than finger-pointing. In fact, Rep. Cummings should be at the front of the line in pushing for a federal blue-ribbon review of the city and his entire district. That's the change we all hope for and desperately need. Sadly, one of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective; election and power are. Somehow, amidst all of the grandstanding, real solutions usual get pushed by the wayside. Calling President Trump racist , trash or any harsh name you can muster doesn't excuse Baltimore elected officials of their failed leadership that has allowed exasperating crime, making it one of the most dangerous cities in America, and one of the worst education systems. Large sections of what could be a beautiful town are overrun by vacancy and decay. Playing the race card is losing its luster. It loses its potency when the entire city has been run by largely black leadership for decades while problems have festered. Trump did not preside over the destruction of Baltimore and the failure of its residents. If he had, could you even imagine the righteous indignation and shrill screams about the deplorable conditions in Baltimore you'd hear from the left? But because the city is run by liberal Democrats, it's almost like the offense to black residents of having to live amidst such a mess goes unmentioned. What's more racist: the president's harsh remarks, or the decades of harsh actions (and inaction) of the liberal leadership that have failed the people of Baltimore? You can't play the race card to excuse what the citizens of Baltimore witness daily. Armstrong Williams ( @ARightSide ) is the owner and manager of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the Year. He is the author of " Reawakening Virtues ."


Japan plans to launch an unmanned mission to the moon as a stepping stone to a future visit to Mars, officials and local media said Monday. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) unveiled the plan for a moon lander to a council of the cabinet office and the ministry of education, culture, sports science and technology, a JAXA official said. If successful, Japan will be the fourth country to send an unmanned probe to the moon after Russia, the United States and China. "This is an initial step and a lot of procedures are still ahead before the plan is formally approved," the official said. According to the evening edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun, JAXA plans to launch the moon mission as early as the fiscal year starting in April 2018, with a development cost estimated at up to 15 billion yen ($126 million). The probe, named SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon), will be carried by the nation's solid-fuel "Epsilon" rocket, the newspaper said, adding that the ministry plans to request a budget for the programme next year. If successful, Japan will be the fourth country to send an unmanned probe to the moon after Russia, the United States and China, the daily said. This is part of Japan's effort to prepare for a mission to Mars in the future, the Yomiuri reported.


Looking to get out into the community this weekend? From a special museum visit to an African cuisine tasting event, there's plenty to do when it comes to community and cultural meetups coming up in Houston. Read on for a rundown. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. BLCK Market From the event description: BLCK Market Houston has partnered with the Buffalo Soldiers Museum to bring you a one of a kind experience on Saturday at a discounted price. When: Saturday, July 13, 1-5 p.m. Where: Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, 3816 Caroline St. Admission: Free (Free Admission); $2 (General Admission) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets EEDC third ward college send-off From the event description: The Emancipation Economic Development Council is hosting the second annual Third Ward College Send-Off at Emancipation Park for high school students who graduated in 2019 and live in the 77004 zip code. Participating students must be entering their freshman year of college, trade or technical school. When: Saturday, July 13, 1-3 p.m. Where: Blackshear Elementary School, 2900 Holman St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Unity Women Tea Party From the event description: We're having our second annual Unity Women's Tea Party and you're invited to join us for a fun afternoon of socializing while enjoying our tea and goodies. The theme for our July event is "Expressing our divinity through socializing and connecting". Experience how socializing can be an opportunity for spiritual service. Each table will have a table host and she and her team will create a theme for their table. Along with food, fun and fellowship, there will be some surprises and prizes! When: Saturday, July 13, 2-4 p.m. Where: Unity of Houston - Pyramid, 2929 Unity Drive Admission: $15 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Taste of Pan Africa From the event description: Please join us for a stellar evening of food, wine, music, networking and philanthropy at the next installment of "The Taste of Pan-Africa Event Series" on Sunday. A portion of proceeds from this event will benefit our charity partners Hope For Us Charity. Enjoy the best of Pan-African cuisine as chefs from East Africa, South Africa, West Africa, Brazil, Haiti and the Caribbean arouse and excite your taste buds. When: Sunday, July 14, 1-7 p.m. Where: Ayva Events Center, 9371 Richmond Ave. Admission: $5 (Presale Ticket); $25 (General admission) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.