Since the launch of the iPhone XS , XS Max and XR last year, the phone landscape has changed a bit. It's recently been crowded with much sexier stories: 5G is beginning to rear its head , wild new transforming folding phones are capturing people's imaginations -- even with problems rearing their heads-- and there are phones studded with more cameras than you can keep track of. The iPhones from late 2018 are not so interesting in comparison. But that's also to their credit. After all, when Verizon launched its 5G network it turned out to be spottier than expected , Samsung's Galaxy Fold phone is already breaking , and some of those camera-studded phones don't do quite as much as you think. The iPhones, meanwhile, feel pretty flawless, which is quite un-newsworthy. They're clearly Apple's most polished and perfected products right now. But that doesn't mean they couldn't use improvements. The phone industry is accelerating so fast that Apple's phones are inevitably going to change with it. But where they are now is a very solid, stable place -- if not an exciting one. Did you buy the right iPhone? Good news: Whatever iPhone you picked last year, if you picked one that is, you're just fine. (You're also fine if you have the iPhone X or iPhone 8 or iPhone 7 , too!) Each model has its advantages and drawbacks. My favorite is still the iPhone XR. It has the best price-to-value pick, its battery life is great and its smaller size is ideal for me. And the iPhone XR's LCD display, while technically not as good as the iPhone XS' OLED display, isn't perceptibly different in everyday use. But I appreciate the added antennas, durability and, in particular, the dual rear camera of the iPhone XS models. I use the 2x zoom for on-location shoots and closeup shots of my kids all the time. A dual camera iPhone XR this year seems like an inevitability, especially if the new premium iPhones get three rear cameras. The XS and XS Max still feel too expensive (not as expensive as a folding phone, though). Camera: Good, but could definitely be better The iPhone XS and XR do a great job in everyday use, and both their rear cameras and selfie cameras are really good. Video capture is particularly excellent too. But there are other phones that can do things the iPhone can't. The newest Samsung Galaxy S10 , for example, has three rear cameras, offering an ultra wide-angle lens that the iPhones don't have. It's a common trend , and the more lenses you have, the more framing options you have. iPhone XR vs. iPhone XS: Photo samples Although some phones edge out the iPhones in photo quality based on CNET tests , it's really one specific feature from one specific phone I envy the most -- Night Sight on the Pixel 3 . After trying Google's low-light mode on the Pixel 3, I immediately loved what it did for my photos. The iPhone can handle well without flash most of the time, but Night Sight is on a different level. It's the sort of feature that either iOS 13 or the next iPhone should have. Face ID stands alone There are other phones that have face unlocking, and others have in-display fingerprint scanners, like the Galaxy S10 and OnePlus 6T . But Face ID remains the smoothest and best implementation of facial biometrics I've seen. Even though I'm still not wild about how many times I seem to still need to enter my passcode because my face is at the wrong angle, Face ID in general works well and works invisibly. It's even more useful when it reads my face to pull up my app passwords and help with logins, which is something I've become hooked on. Face ID isn't very different in concept than it was when the iPhone X launched in 2017. Now, it feels everyday normal. Let's talk AirPower (and charging) The AirPower wireless charging mat was a looming promise since 2017, and it suggested that charging for the iPhone and its accessories would be vastly improved. Now that Apple canceled AirPower though, what's the alternative ? The iPhone still uses Lightning to charge, and a too-slow 5-watt charger bundled with the phone. The iPhone should have fast charging right out of the box, but in the meantime you could buy larger chargers and adapters for USB-C chargers at an extra cost, which help compensate if you're not satisfied with the battery life. And while wireless Qi charging is nice to have, iPhones still charge as fast with wireless Qi as other phones do. Moving to USB-C and faster Qi charging need to happen in 2019. In addition, it'd be cool if the iPhone could wirelessly charge other accessories too. This would be cribbed directly from Samsung, whose Galaxy S10 phones can cleverly charge Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Watch right through their back . The Apple Watch could use that type of convenience when traveling and you wouldn't have to bring an extra charger. The iPhone is a stable buoy in a changing world The iPhone is still a really great phone, but it continues to feel familiar in a world of increasingly changing tech. It's almost, dare I say, the comfort choice? It's the device that connects to all my things, and it powers the connections to most of the tech I test and wear. It's a cornerstone device and it does a good job at being exactly that. It's the product Apple makes that feels the most recommendable. And yet, as the shape of phones (figuratively and literally) begins to transform to farther-off possibilities, the iPhone remains the familiar, stable -- almost boring -- device, not the more exciting and unpredictable new one.


A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli erupted dramatically on Wednesday, sparking fears among inhabitants and tourists. The volcano is known to be active but on Wednesday there was a particularly powerful eruption. "It was like being in hell because of the rain of fire coming from the sky," Italian news agencies quoted local priest Giovanni Longo as saying. He said it was not known if there were any hikers on the volcano at the time of the eruption. Italian media reported that tourists had fled the island's coastal area after the eruption. Firefighters in Messina, Sicily said there were no immediate reports of casualties. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) said there were two huge explosions on the central-southern side of the volcano's crater at around 1446 GMT Wednesday. The explosions were preceded by lava spills "from all the active mouths of the crater terrace," the INGV said, prompting a two-kilometre high plume of smoke. A firefighting plane could not put out fires in the area because of the amount of smoke, Italian media reported. The INGV said it was monitoring the situation. Stromboli is part of the seven-island Eolian Archipelago just off Sicily in southern Italy.


We wouldn't blame you for feeling that pedestrian crossing buttons are frustrating at best, and useless at worst. You might not always have a free hand, and they're so slow and clueless that it can be tempting to defy the red light. Austrian researchers might have a solution, though: have the traffic lights themselves determine your intentions. They've developed camera-equipped traffic lights that detect people who want to cross the street. The computer vision system scans a 26-by-15 feet area and sends a signal to the lights when it sees one or more people in the right position, all within a matter of seconds. It's three to four seconds faster than it would take to reach for a button, according to the scientists. More importantly, it's flexible. It can extend green lights if there are large groups of pedestrians, and stick to red if people change their mind before the lights are ready. And yes, the team is aware of potential privacy issues. The imagery never leaves the camera, and it relies solely on geometric information to gauge intent. It couldn't recognize individuals even if it was fully connected This isn't just a research project. The company Günther Pincher is rolling out the first such lights in the Vienna area, and intends to replace the button system in "selected locations" by the end of 2020. It could be a long time before they reach your part of the world, but there could come a day when you simply have to approach the curb to make the lights turn in your favor. This story by Jon Fingas originally appeared on Engadget . Traffic lights of the future know when you want to cross the street originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 May 2019


Former Phoenix Suns All-Star power forward Amar'e Stoudemire and former Golden State Warriors standout guard Monta Ellis are looking for a way back into the NBA. Stoudemire, 36, and Ellis, 33, both worked out in Las Vegas to workout for 12 teams, according to a Yahoo! Sports report . "A lot of the teams have a lot of young players and a lot of players that can learn how to train, how to become professionals and how to become great basketball players. And leadership goes a long way with teams in order to get from a playoff team to a contending championship team," Stoudemire told MSG Networks on Tuesday . "From that standpoint, I have a lot to offer. And also as a basketball player, I still have a lot of game left. I can help a team in any way they need." Team's who reportedly took in the pairs workouts included the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Warriors and Washington Wizards . "The workout went great." he said. "I've been training all summer, keeping myself in top shape. My body feels amazing. We'll see if the opportunity becomes reality." Stoudemire was a five-time All-NBA selection who played his last game for the Miami Heat in 2016 and officially retired from the NBA after the 2015-16 season. Are you a sports fan? Stay in the know. Subscribe to azcentral.com today . During his 14 seasons in the league, Stoudemire averaged 18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 assist and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 53.7% for the Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Knicks and Miami Heat. After Stoudemire left the NBA, he played for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Basketball Premier League from one season. He officially retired from professional basketball in 2017 but is in his second season with the Tri-State team in the Big 3 basketball league with other ex-NBA players. Ellis was the 2007 NBA's Most Improved Player, but hasn't played in the NBA since he was on the Indiana Pacers during the 2016-17 season, after which he was waived by the team. Over 13 NBA seasons, he averaged 17.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at dana.scott@azcentral.com or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott . Support local journalism. Start your online subscription today . Shot Clock: Diamondbacks rolling into All-Star break This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns legend Amar'e Stoudemire attempts comeback at NBA Summer League


Until proven otherwise, there is a lot of optimism surrounding the outlook of the 2019 season for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. He's been listed in conversations for the MVP award as well as being predicted to lead the league in a few passing categories. That continued this week as Luck was listed as the favorite to lead the NFL in passing touchdowns-along with Patrick Mahomes-per Bovada. Here's a look at the top odds for that prop bet: Andrew Luck +450 Patrick Mahomes +450 Matt Ryan +700 Aaron Rodgers +900 Baker Mayfield +1400 Ben Roethlisberger +1800 Philip Rivers +1800 Tom Brady +2000 Luck has the supporting cast necessary to accomplish a feat of leading the league in passing touchdowns. He has immense red-zone options in Eric Ebron, Jack Doyle, Mo Alie-Cox and potentially Devin Funchess. He also has some wide receivers that could help him add to his total from outside the red zone-with speedsters T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell. With training camp just two weeks away, the optimism surrounding Luck's campaign is extremely high, which is completely understandable given how many things appear to be going right for the 29-year-old. MORE: Chauncey Billups had a brutally honest take on why Carmelo Anthony isn't in the NBA Roundup: Nintendo Switch Lite, Best New Restaurants in America, Shannon Elizabeth on American Pie at 20 Jeremy Hill is ready to find a new team in free agency Heading into training camp: How many JACK LBs will make 53-man roster? Connor Barwin doubles down on the Eagles being a perfect situation for him


The Seahawks suffered a number of setbacks this offseason when it comes to solidifying the defensive line. The pass rush has always been an intense focus of the team but piecing together a formidable starting lineup won't be easy for Seattle this year. The Seahawks first lost Frank Clark to the Chiefs during free agency, unable to work out a deal to keep him in the Emerald City long term. Then, shortly before the start of training camp, defensive lineman Jarran Reed was handed a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Finally, just this week, Seattle's top draft pick - L.J. Collier - was diagnosed with a rare high-ankle sprain that could keep him out for the entire preseason . "That hurts our depth though a little bit," coach Pete Carroll said after Thursday's practice. "We do have guys that fill in and play in the five-technique spot. Quinton Jefferson is doing a nice job and also Rasheem Green can go over there too. I don't think we are out of it now, numbers-wise, we are okay. We have to be careful, we have to keep it together now." But Seattle might have to look elsewhere to shore up the defensive front, including the waiver wire and remaining pool of free agents. "We are always competing to figure it out and if there's somebody available or whatever," coach Pete Carroll said after Thursday's practice. "We go all the way to 53 and we keep on going, we never stop. We are always looking." MORE: How Kawhi Leonard broke the news to Raptors coach Nick Nurse that he was leaving Five potential Jeremy Lin landing spots in free agency Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Tom Brady's Evolution Across 17 Years of Madden is Fascinating


HOLLAND, Mich. - Friday is a scorcher for much of West Michigan, so many people are just trying to stay cool. Firefighters in Holland have gotten creative in year's past and will be turning a park into a water play space for kids in the community. If you and the kids need some relief from the heat, head over to Moran Park, located at 97 W 22nd St. The Holland Fire Department will be there at 3:30 p.m. to spray the playground and hose the kids down. RELATED: Local events canceled or delayed due to heat High temperatures on Friday will be in the mid 90s and heat-index values could exceed 100° both Friday and Saturday. It's important that everyone stay hydrated, cool and out of the sun for prolonged periods of time. RELATED: Beat the heat: Easy ways to stay cool in the summer time RELATED: Busting 4 'beating the heat' myths If you need a cool place to hang out, there are a number of cooling centers open Friday, Saturday and some through Sunday. Here's a list of some in Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa and Kalamazoo counties. ►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now . Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter .


For a second straight offseason, the subject of Julio Jones ' contract has been a key Falcons talking point. But next week, the All-Pro wide receiver will be with the team when it conducts its minicamp. Dan Quinn confirmed (via The Athletic's Jeff Schultz, on Twitter ) the ninth-year receiver will show for minicamp, which begins June 11. So will fourth-year defensive end Vic Beasley . It is not yet certain if franchise-tagged defensive tackle Grady Jarrett will join them, though Quinn anticipates he will. Skipping mandatory minicamp would cost the trio nearly $90K each. Regardless of the statuses of Jones, Jarrett and fellow extension candidate Deion Jones , the Falcons expect to re-sign all three. He did not specify a plan for Beasley, who joined the group in staying away from Falcons OTAs. "We have a salary cap. We have limits that we have to think about not only today but tomorrow, and we have to balance all that off," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com . "But these are three great young men that we care deeply about, both personally and professionally. They are going to be Falcons for life. "I'm not worried about getting the deals done. I'm speaking on behalf of Atlanta and Atlanta fans. Thomas [Dimitroff] is working hard to get them done. Coach Quinn is supportive as well. It will happen. It's just a matter of when." A new deal for Jones has been rumored for weeks now, and it will almost certainly make the 30-year-old receiver the league's new highest-paid player at the position. Two seasons remain on the five-year, $71.25M extension he signed in 2015. Jarrett is tethered to a $15.2M franchise tag. Jones would have the most to gain by signing an extension before the season. The former second-round pick's rookie deal pays him just $1.45M. The Falcons picked up Beasley's fifth-year option (worth $12.8M) last year. The Falcons, though, are light on cap space ($6.5M, the fifth-lowest figure at the moment), so it will take some work to fulfill Blank's vision.


Looking to add a new companion to the family? There are dozens of cuddly kittens up for adoption at animal shelters in and around Charlotte, so you won't have to look far to find the perfect fit. Hoodline used data from Petfinder to power this roundup of kittens available for adoption near you. Read on to meet some friendly, furry locals. (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.) Pipsqueak, domestic shorthair Pipsqueak is an adorable male domestic shorthair kitten currently residing at the Heart of a Lion Rescue . Pipsqueak will get along great with your dogs, cats and children. His vaccinations are already up to date. He is already house-trained. Here's what Pipsqueak's friends at Heart of a Lion Rescue think of him: Pipsqueak is the sweetest little boy. He loves to cuddle up on your neck and pat your face. He has the loudest little purr. Apply to adopt Pipsqueak today at Petfinder . Buttercup, domestic and domestic longhair mix Buttercup is a female domestic and domestic longhair kitten currently residing at the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue . Buttercup gets along well with children, cats or dogs. She already has all of her shots. She's already house-trained. Buttercup's current caretakers say: Buttercup is very sweet and has quite the little motor on her. She loves to give kisses and is getting more comfortable every day. Read more about Buttercup on Petfinder . Voltair, domestic shorthair mix Voltair is an adorable male domestic shorthair kitten staying at the Animal Rescue Center . Voltair is the life of the party, and he'll get along great with children, cats or dogs. He has been vaccinated. Have no fear: He's already house-trained. From Voltair's current caretaker: He likes to play with his toys and chases the laser light. Apply to adopt Voltair today at Petfinder . Sprite, domestic shorthair Sprite is an adorable male domestic shorthair kitten currently housed at the Heart of a Lion Rescue . Sprite is ready to make friends, and he'll get along great with your kids, cats or dogs. He already has all of his shots. He's mastered his house-training etiquette. Here's what Sprite's friends at Heart of a Lion Rescue think of him: This boy is as sweet as he is fluffy. He loves to play with his brothers and is cute as can be. Apply to adopt Sprite today at 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.


How much confidence should a team have in their head coach? It's a question that marries a team's past history, how it's trending and the ceiling to which it aspires. Many players may not admit it, but head coaches can make all the difference in the world in a direction of the franchise. Just look at the Los Angeles Rams. Jeff Fisher was not a good coach and hadn't been in over a decade. In fact, his history after reaching a Super Bowl calls into question how much he actually had to do with things. Yet, because he was uber-friendly with the media, a perception was built he was among the best coaches in the NFL. Fans followed the media's lead in regurgitating the nonsense despite his teams lackluster showings year after year. He was replaced by golden boy Sean McVay and the Rams went from 4-12 to back-to-back NFC West champions with a Super Bowl appearance of their own. Clearly, Rams fans should have a lot of confidence in McVay's abilities. What about the rest of the conference? Where does Jason Garrett and his Dallas Cowboys staff land in the rankings for 2019? Let's take a trip through the conference and determine which staff is best equipped to maximize their team's talents. Take a quick stroll through the gallery, or dive deep into each team's situation below that. 16. Pat Shurmur, New York Giants Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 15-34 (5-11 with NY Giants) OC: Mike Shula DC: James Bettcher It never made sense how Shurmur resurfaced as a head coach after his horrible stint in Cleveland, and then he brought with him the poster boy for nepotism in Mike Shula who has coordinated just two top-10 offenses in his 10 years. Bettcher has a good rep for defense, but the Giants sold off all of their defensive talent. There's no reason for Giants fans to believe this staff will be able to turn the Giants around, nor help nurture Daniel Jones into a future star. Continue… 15. Kliff Kingsbury, Arizona Cardinals Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 0-0, first-time NFL coach, 35-40 in college OC: Self DC: Vance Joseph Kingsbury is known as a quarterback whisperer and innovative offensive mind. He can't be judged based on his record at Texas Tech, because they have a hard time recruiting and only have 17 current NFL players. Oh. He was fired by Texas Tech, then hired by USC to be their offensive coordinator when Arizona came calling from the big leagues. He has the perfect QB for his system now in Kyler Murray, but why anyone would have a lot of confidence in his ability to lead the Cardinals out of the NFL desert is beyond comprehension. It definitely could happen, but there aren't many indicators on why it will. High hopes? The highest. Confidence? Nah. Continue… 14. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 35-44-1, 0-1 playoffs OC: Kevin O'Connell DC: Greg Manusky Gruden turned the Redskins around from abject failure to constantly mediocre. He was eight games under .500 his first year and is one game under for the next four. He doesn't inspire much confidence in anything he does and seems to be the coaching avatar of owner Daniel Snyder. O'Connell was promoted from QB coach to OC, based on his development of… well… let's move on. Manusky is entering his third year as DC in DC, but after improving from 25th to 11th in defensive DVOA his first season, fell back to No. 20 in 2018. Why would anyone think something would change here with a QB competition between two career backups and a rookie who only started 15 games in his collegiate career? Continue… 13. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 0-0, first time head coach at any level OC: Nathaniel Hackett DC: Mike Pettine LaFleur was McVay's OC in 2017 and parlayed that into a play-calling role as OC with the Tennessee Titans, but they finished pretty low in almost every conceivable ranking or metric. Known as one of the young bright minds of the league at 39, it feels like there may be more hype than substance. He did surround himself with veteran coaches, keeping Pettine as DC after a successful first season and bringing in Hackett. Hackett has been around the league but has had a pretty nondescript career. The saving grace is that Aaron Rodgers is still in the green and yellow and that was enough to make Mike McCarthy seem talented for years. Continue… 12. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 10-22 OC: Self DC: Robert Saleh Shanahan's reputation is built solely around being the architect of Matt Ryan's MVP season and a trip to the Super Bowl for Atlanta in 2016. Only it was his timid play calling that didn't let the club bring home their first Lombardi after storming to a 28-3 lead. He's dealt with bad QB play since being in charge of San Francisco, but there's really no reason to think he's the guy to turn things around. GM John Lynch hasn't earned anyone's trust as being a competent player-media-GM escalator ride. His coach suffers the same fate. Continue… 11. Matt Patricia, Detroit Lions Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 6-10 OC: Darrell Bevell DC: Paul Pasqualoni Patricia has the distinction of being a Belichick disciple, but that has only worked for Bill O'Brien thus far. He seemed overwhelmed in his first season as coach in 2018, and clashed with the media. That's only acceptable if your team is winning. Bevell brings some quality to the group after how he molded Pete Carroll's Seahawks offenses with a young Russell Wilson. As far as confidence goes, Patricia has accomplished little to make Detroit fans feel he's not just their next ex-coach. Continue… 10. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys Shane Roper-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 77-59, 2-3 playoffs OC: Kellen Moore DC: Rod Marinelli/Kris Richard Garrett's record is among the best in the conference, and he's accomplished it with two different franchise quarterbacks, including a fourth-round comp pick rookie. When his starting QBs play, he has an immaculate record, but he has enough bad coaching moments that extend far beyond the time management issues most coaches go through. The Cowboys have never been bad under his reign, and they've won enough division crowns that he must be respected. He was coach of the year, once, but is firmly on the hot seat if Dallas doesn't move past the divisional round. Garrett's coaching issues come down to game days, as he's an excellent communicator and his teams fight for him to the final whistle, but he's lost games as much as he's won them. Continue… 9. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 36-28, 3-2 playoffs OC: Dirk Koetter DC: Self Quinn is one of the few Seattle DCs to move onto success at the head-coach level, but the strange thing is it's really had nothing to do with his defenses. The team went to a Super Bowl with Kyle Shanahan's offense, and it's remained a top-10 unit thanks to Ryan and Julio Jones under multiple OCs, but the defense has only been good once. Now granted, injuries were the theme for Atlanta's D in 2018, but their drop to No. 31 in defensive DVOA rankings was from 22, 26 and 22 his first three years. Not a big fall off. Atlanta will be competitive, but it's tough to be confident in them as a Super Bowl contender as a result of Quinn's leadership. Continue… 8. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 71-56, 3-4 in the playoffs OC: Norv Turner DC: Eric Washington Riverboat Ron is known as a gambler, and that plays very well with the fanbase, but the lack of consistency is what keeps him in the middle of the pack of NFC coaches. Great year, sub-.500, great hear, sub-.500. It's a roller coaster ride for Carolina, though last year's 7-9 record can be traced directly back to Cam Newton's shoulder injury, starting 6-2 before losing six straight. The defense, Rivera's forte, seemed to make good progress in Washington's first year but Rivera will be calling the defensive plays in 2019. Turner certainly seems to have the offense humming with some intriguing weapons in Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore. Carolina seems destined to be a division title contender and by extension always a threat to return to the Super Bowl. Continue… 7. Bruce Arians, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 49-30-1, 1-2 in the playoffs OC: Byron Leftwich DC: Todd Bowles Arians is one of the best interviews around, but unlike Fisher his coaching record can speak for itself. The combination should give Bucs fans a true confidence their organization is heading in the right direction. It's not only the on-field product either, Arians pays true attention to hiring the best people for the job and it reflects in the diversity of his staff. Every major assistant is a minority and he has not one, but two assistants who are women and earned their way up the ladder. Leftwich is seen as a rising star in the coaching ranks and Bowles has coordinated several top defenses which led to his own head coaching stint that just ended. Tampa isn't likely ready to compete for the playoffs, but there might not be a more confident bad team that they are trending in the right direction. Continue… 6. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 47-32-1, 1-2 in the playoffs OC: Kevin Stefanski DC: George Edwards Who are the Minnesota Vikings? Their offensive identity, or lack thereof has caused them to turnover the OC position a relatively large number of times in recent years. Zimmer is a defensive guy who wants his club to run the ball, but the amount of passing-game weapons they have would make any other coach jealous. Still, his formula has garnered roller-coaster results that reach elite-level highs and the lows are still average instead of in the dumpster. It's on defense where the confidence in Zimmer's approach is heaviest. Turning over the personnel, they've ascended from 23rd to 14th to 8th to 2nd to fourth in defensive DVOA under Zimmer's direction. Is there any question that the Vikings are going to be competitive? None. Continue… 5. Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 12-4, 0-1 playoffs OC: Mark Helfrich DC: Chuck Pagano Nagy had an impressive first year but now the question is what happens once the first-place schedule and expectations settle in. What he has going for him confidence wise is he is a limb from the Andy Reid coaching tree, and Reid has spawned a series of assistants who have gone on to be accomplished head coaches. Helfrich is a lifelong college coach who was integral to helping Chip Kelly's offense at Oregon. Pagano was a great get as both a former successful head coach to lean on (Colts) and time he spent as a coach for the Baltimore Ravens. Just a solid group that should inspire confidence at a high level. Continue… 4. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 24-8, 2-2 in the playoffs OC: Self DC: Wade Phillips The Rams got undressed at a coaching level in the Super Bowl by the Patriots, but that's really the only blemish on McVay's limited resume. Rarely does a coach get to present such a stark contrast to his predecessor as what McVay did with Fisher, but he's innovative to the point that his unproven coordinators are getting gigs around the league. There's something special about what he does. On the other side of the ball, Phillips' defense is a tad bit overrated. One man doesn't make a team, but Aaron Donald seems to be that for L.A.'s defenders. Regardless, as long as he's the best defender in the game, the defense will be at least able to compliment the high-octane and multiple-look offense, and McVay doesn't seem the type to be content with what it looked like last year. Fans should feel extremely confident he'll be able to stay ahead of the curve. Continue… 3. Doug Pederson, Philadelphia Eagles Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 29-19, 4-1 in the playoffs OC: Mike Groh DC: Jim Schwartz Pederson won a Super Bowl in his second season as a head coach with a journeyman backup quarterback. He mind-melded the Jedi master Belichick in said Super Bowl. I'd love to hate on him, but he's a damn good coach who seems to be getting held back by the 2016 No. 2 overall pick, and had that guy ready to win an MVP until he remembered he's always hurt. The weakspot appears to be Schwartz' defense, after two strong years they fell to middle of the pack in 2018, and there are certainly question marks about the back seven. Overall though, it's hard to imagine the playoff picture in any version of the near future that doesn't include the Eagles. Unfortunately. Continue… 2. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 122-85-1 (89-54-1 with Seattle), 10-8 playoffs OC: Brian Schottenheimer DC: Ken Norton, Jr. I know the analytics society hates the Seahawks for how run-heavy their offense is, and that's a legitimate gripe. However, this team has won double-digit games in six of Carroll's last seven seasons and won 9 the other year. The man simply knows how to build a winning team and their ability to do so on the fly the last few seasons cements Carroll as one of the best coaches of this current generation. He's gone through umpteen defensive coordinators yet his defense is still in the top half of the league after losing so many All-Pro guys. Yes, a lot of his success is because they have Russell Wilson, but Carroll emits confidence and hasn't betrayed it yet. His coordinators do invoke a narcissistic feel, but he earns the benefit of the doubt until the talent turns on him. Continue… 1. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports Career Record: 118-74, 8-6 in the playoffs OC: Pete Carmichael DC: Dennis Allen Remember a couple seasons ago when things felt stale in the Big Easy? Saints fans certainly don't. After an epic run that included the city's first Lombardi, Payton and company suffered through three-straight subpar seasons, but it appears all of that can be placed on them falling for the Rob Ryan bamboozle. Horrific defenses led to their demise and things turned around once they hired Allen. The offense is glorious, and no one has been able to solve it in a decade of football. They were robbed of a Super Bowl appearance by bad referees (they changed the replay rule because of the screw-up) and New Orleans folks have no reason to think they are anything less than a top-3 Super Bowl contender every year they have both Payton and Drew Brees together. MORE: NBA trade rumor rankings: The latest on Bradley Beal Tom Brady took a selfie with his friend, Peyton Manning, and NFL fans had some great jokes Report: Former Celtics player criticizes Brad Stevens' coaching style Could Amari Cooper's 2,000-yard goal co-exist with Ezekiel Elliott? Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: D'Angelo Russell and Kawhi Leonard Are Top Targets


SAN DIEGO (AP) Manny Machado homered and doubled a few hours after appealing a one-game suspension handed down by MLB, and left-hander Joey Lucchesi threw seven brilliant innings in a combined four-hitter to lead the San Diego Padres over the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 Monday night. Machado was suspended one game and fined for ''aggressively arguing and making contact'' with plate umpire Bill Welke after being ejected for arguing a called third strike at Colorado on Saturday night. Machado said he didn't make contact with Welke. He can continue to play until there's a final decision. The star third baseman, who signed a $300 million, 10-year contract during spring training, homered off Jhoulys Chacin leading off the third. Machado doubled in the first when his hard shot bounced off Chacin and then off second base umpire Chris Segal. That advanced Eric Hosmer, who scored on a wild pitch. Lucchesi (6-4) held Milwaukee to three hits while striking out five and walking three. His outing helped rest a bullpen that was taxed during a crazy four-game series at Colorado in which the teams combined for 92 runs. The only Brewers baserunner to reach second base was Christian Yelich, who doubled with two outs in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Craig Stammen allowed one hit in the eighth, and Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his MLB-leading 25th save. Chacin (3-8) allowed two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out seven and walked three. ROSTER MOVES The Padres made several moves before the game. They selected the contract of RHP Kazuhisa Makita from Double-A Amarillo, optioned LHP starter Nick Margevicius to Triple-A El Paso, recalled C Francisco Mejia from El Paso and optioned C Austin Allen to El Paso. BACK TO NORMAL The Padres canceled most on-field work pregame to catch a breather after the split in Colorado in which the teams combined for 92 runs, the most in a four-game series since 1900. They rallied from a six-run deficit in the ninth inning to win 16-12 on Friday night and rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth on Sunday to win 14-13. TRAINER'S ROOM Padres: Transferred OF Franchy Cordero (sprained right elbow) to the 60-day IL. UP NEXT Brewers: RHP Brandon Woodruff (8-1, 3.87) is scheduled to make his first career start and second appearance against the Padres. Padres: LHP Logan Allen is scheduled to make his big league debut. He was acquired along with three other players from Boston for closer Craig Kimbrel on Nov. 13, 2015. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Former Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Mitch Petrus died in Arkansas of apparent heat stroke this week at age 32. According to Pulaski County Coroner Gerone Hobbs in a r eport by The Associated Press, Petrus died Thursday night at a hospital in North Little Rock and that the cause of death is listed as a heat stroke. He had worked for a good portion of the day outdoors at his family shop. Petrus originally played college football at the University of Arkansas as a walk-on, and went on to earn all-Southeastern Conference honors. He was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round in 2010 and played in the NFL for three seasons, including year in which he was a part of a Super Bowl winning New York team. He also had brief stints with the New England Patriots and the Titans toward the end of his time in the league. Petrus appeared in 27 games, starting four of them. MORE: Angler defies odds, lands truly enormous halibut Is Tacko Fall an NBA player? Here is the case for why... and why not One bold prediction for each NFL team in 2019 Chiefs TE Travis Kelce reacts to news that Tyreek Hill won't be suspended Quandre Diggs welcomes his new baby daughter to the world


The Indianapolis Colts released their first unofficial depth chart of the preseason ahead of the Thursday night opener against the Buffalo Bills and while not too much stock should be put into it, there were some interesting notes to take away. The term "unofficial" should be taken strongly. How this depth chart is organized has no bearing into how the roster or the actual depth chart will look like when roster cuts are made following the preseason. Still, here are three takeaways from the first unofficial depth chart released by the Colts: AP Photo/Darron Cummings Josh Andrews listed as backup center There is a minor battle brewing on the interior offensive line between Andrews and Evan Boehm-who served as the backup to starter Ryan Kelly during the 2018 season. Andrews has had a strong start to training camp and seems to have an edge over Boehm as the backup center. Boehm was listed on the depth chart as the second-string left guard behind Quenton Nelson and the third-string center. Though it might seem minute, the backup role behind Kelly is vital given the recent rash of injuries he's worked through over the past two seasons. Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports Tyquan Lewis listed as starting nose tackle In what was a bit of a surprise, the second-year lineman was listed as the starting nose tackle ahead of Margus Hunt and Grover Stewart. It isn't clear why, but it isn't likely that the Lewis is making the switch to the one-technique. The unofficial depth charts are full of odd listings like this. Lewis is most likely going to get the majority of his work at the three-technique with Denico Autry as the starter and Jihad Ward behind both of them. AP Photo/Michael Conroy Matthew Adams listed as starting SAM linebacker Though it is a position the Colts won't use all that often, it does appear defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will be looking to use the SAM backer position a little more now that he has some deeper options. While rookie sixth-round pick E.J. Speed has seen some snaps at SAM during training camp recently, the second-year linebacker in Adams was listed as the starter at the position, followed by Zaire Franklin. Adams is the likeliest candidate to be the starting SAM linebacker, which is a position that will see the field roughly 30% of the defensive snaps in a game. MORE: Bubba Wallace calls out Kyle Busch after spinning him: '(Expletive) him' Rookie Tony Pollard making presence felt in Ezekiel Elliott's absence 40 Under 40: Sports Media Talents 2019 Packers training camp practice roundup: August 5 vs. Texans 49ers improved pass rush already helping secondary improve


Just before taking off on Air Force One for the G20 summit in Osaka, President Donald Trump complained about the longstanding U.S. defense pact with Japan , America's closest ally in Asia , and bashed some member countries for using the United States as a "piggy bank." The president accused member countries of the G20 -- specifically close allies -- including Japan, Germany, and Canada -- of abusing the United States in trade and defense. The president said he took particular issue with a historic postwar U.S.-Japan defense treaty that states the United States will come to defense of Japan if it is attacked and allows the United States to have a military presence on the island nation. "If Japan is attacked, we will fight World War III. We will go in and protect them with our lives and with our treasure," Trump said during an interview on Fox Business Network with anchor Maria Bartiromo. "But if we are attacked, Japan doesn't have to help us at all. They can watch on a Sony television, the attack." Bloomberg News reported earlier this week that president has considered pulling out of the defense pact in private, but the crumbling of the agreement would have a significant impact on the United States' influence in Asia and leave the island nation of Japan, surrounded by nuclear threats on all sides, to fend for itself. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The president's comments come just a month after he was treated as a special state guest in Japan where the red carpet was rolled out for a meeting with the new emperor, lavish dinners and a VIP seat at Japan's sumo wrestling tournament. While at the G20, he is expected to again meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and discuss trade and regional geopolitical concerns like North Korea. But Japan wasn't the only country the president called out ahead of his G20 trip. He also said European countries were abusing the United States. The president said Europe treats the United States "worse than China," and then went on to suggest an EU leader "hates the United States." "There's a woman in Europe -- I won't mention her name -- she's actually considered to take Jean Claude's place -- she hates the United States perhaps worse than any person I've ever met. What she does to our country. She is suing all of our companies." He went on to say the United States is propping NATO up and claimed that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said: "If it wasn't for President Trump we won't have NATO." Trump said that Canada has also taken advantage of the United States, too: "We were being taken advantage of by Canada nobody knows that -- 'O Canada,' beautiful song -- they charge 300% tariff for a little thing called agricultural products," he said. While in Osaka, Trump will also be meeting with China's Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and later South Korean President Moon Jae-in when he makes a visit to Seoul, South Korea.


If the playground, park and movie routine is getting a little tired, why not do something different with the kids this weekend? From a hiking adventure to a food festival, these events will win approval from everyone in the family. 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. Evergreen Excursion to Blake Island From the event description: Sail to Blake Island with Argosy Cruise Ships for a day of hiking, lunch and reconnecting with the great outdoors. After boarding you can select the Huckleberry Bundle for a picnic lunch and a two-hour hike or the Hemlock Bundle, which includes lunch in the longhouse, a guided activity and free time on the island. When: Sunday, July 7, 11:30 a.m. Where: Argosy Cruise Ships, 1201 Alaskan Way Price: $75.21 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Atari Weekend From the event description: Have you played Atari today? Come play your favorite retro games as we celebrate this legendary behemoth. From arcade cabinets and computers to consoles and ROM cartridges, explore all the one-of-a-kind Atari experiences Living Computers has to offer. When: Saturday, July 6, 10 a.m. Where: Living Computers Museum, 2245 First Ave. South Price: $18 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Ozobot Smart City From the event description: Help us build a Smart City for our army of Ozobots. You have the power to create these robots that can be programmed screen-free. Take on the role of urban planner as we design buildings, highways and all the rules of the road needed to keep both robots and humans safe in a busy metropolis. This playful workshop is a great activity for seven to 10-year-olds and their friends. When: Saturday, July 6, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Where: Living Computers Museum, 2245 First Ave. South Price: $18 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Seattle Street Food Festival 2019 From the event description: Seattle's largest street food festival is back in South Lake Union, spread over five blocks. When: Saturday, July 6, noon Where: South Lake Union Neighborhood Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Mario Kart N64 Tournament From the event description: Three rounds of 150cc random tracks will decide your fates. The first and second place players from each round will move forward in the bracket until there is only one left   a champion. When: Saturday, July 6, 1 p.m. Where: Clock-Out Lounge, 4864 Beacon Ave. South Price: $8 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Parking in Seattle can be tough, especially during popular events. To find free or cheap parking and to book parking in advance, see this map of Seattle parking from SpotAngels. And to get there by public transportation, check King County Metro or Sound Transit for nearby options. 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.


SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)   Mayor Pete Buttigieg stood before newly sworn police officers to welcome them to the city's ranks, just as he has more than a dozen times since taking office. But this time he was a Democratic candidate for president, speaking days after a white officer fatally shot a black man the officer said was armed with a knife. The timing made for a more sober, less congratulatory occasion, Buttigieg acknowledged Wednesday. Then he delivered a speech intended for an audience far beyond South Bend, touching on a long history of racial injustice, "justified anger" among residents and "a seemingly constant series of stories and videos from around the country showing abuses that tarnish the badge." "You may think to yourself   how is this my fault? How is this my responsibility?" Buttigieg asked the six officers who sat looking up at him from the front row. "It may not seem fair as you prepare for your first day on the job, but you are burdened with this. We all are." Sunday's shooting of 54-year-old Eric Logan has posed perhaps Buttigieg's biggest challenge of the presidential election cycle so far, forcing him to navigate the dual roles of mayor and candidate at a critical time for both his campaign and the city of roughly 100,000 people. It also highlights Buttigieg's struggle to appeal to black voters and threatens to undo some of the progress he has made with the minority community in his hometown. The 37-year-old, who rose quickly to the top tier of the Democratic field since joining the race in January, had to cancel several fundraisers just as candidates are scrambling to raise as much money as possible before the June 30 quarterly fundraising deadline. He's also investing significant, unanticipated time in his day job just as he's set to appear in next week's debate against several better-known top candidates   including former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Since leaving the campaign trail on Sunday, Buttigieg, who is white, said he's met with Logan's family as well as leaders of the black community, clergy and police officials. He's also been consulting with experts on community policing, race relations and civil rights, as well as former mayors with experience with similar cases, his office said. Wednesday night he attended an anti-violence rally in South Bend, where he spoke briefly with Logan's mother, the South Bend Tribune reported. Buttigieg, as one of the few Democratic presidential candidates with executive experience, suggested Wednesday that it has made him a better candidate and a better leader and will allow him to speak during the campaign about issues he's dealt with firsthand. That may be particularly true as he stands on the debate stage next week alongside Biden, who has defended his support for a 1994 crime bill many say led to mass incarceration of blacks and other minorities. "What I will say is that when the topic of criminal justice comes up, this is obviously something that is not theoretical, for any of us, but certainly for anyone who's responsible for guiding a city," Buttigieg told reporters after his speech. "And its importance is only heightened, having navigated something like this." But the shooting also has renewed the focus on one of Buttigieg's biggest vulnerabilities. He has struggled to attract early support from black voters, who are key to winning as a Democrat, and has drawn attention to problems of race within South Bend and under his leadership. The two-term mayor was highly criticized for firing the city's first black police chief early in his career, and while he has implemented several programs to try to improve relations between police and the black community, he admitted this week that any gains they've made are now in jeopardy. The Rev. Wendy Fultz, who is black, described the relationship between police and the black community as "broken, very broken." The 69-year-old has lived in South Bend her entire life and said, "It's gotten to the point that we are hopeless." "We talk. We try to organize. We do a plan, we have a strategy," she said. "And yet we feel like in this community, every time a black man calls the police you may as well call the morgue." As for the mayor, she said: "I think he's removed. Everybody in this situation - even the mayor - is removed. They don't understand." Prosecutors say the officer who killed Logan, Sgt. Ryan O'Neill, was responding to a report of a person breaking into cars when he encountered Logan in an apartment building parking lot. O'Neill told authorities that Logan had a knife, and when he refused the officer's orders to drop it, O'Neill opened fire, shooting Logan in the stomach. Another officer took Logan in a squad car to the hospital, where he later died. While South Bend officers are equipped with body cameras and dashboard cameras, the shooting was not captured on video. Mike Grzegorek, commander of the county prosecutor's Metro Homicide Unit, said O'Neill told investigators he spotted Logan leaning inside a car and didn't press a button to turn on his body camera as he approached to ask if he was a resident of the apartment building. Both the dash and body cameras would have been automatically activated if his squad car's emergency lights were turned on or if O'Neill had been driving fast, but he was driving slowly without lights because he was looking for a suspect, Grzegorek said. Buttigieg said Wednesday that he was "extremely frustrated" that O'Neill's body camera wasn't turned on. On Tuesday, he asked his police chief to issue an executive order reminding officers of a department policy that says cameras must be on during any interaction with civilians. "The justified anger over why our system of body-worn cameras did not lead to a clear picture of Sunday's events is just one reminder of how much work is yet to be done," Buttigieg told police recruits and their families gathered for Wednesday's swearing-in. "How much it will take to reinforce trust. How far we will have to go before the day when no community member or officer would hesitate to trust one another's word_and, ultimately, how far we have to go before we live in a society where none of the circumstances leading to Sunday morning's death could have happened in the first place." Buttigieg plans to campaign again Friday in Miami before heading to South Carolina for events Friday night and Saturday. Asked about his decision to return to the trail, he said Wednesday he was "working to make sure that balance is appropriate." "Mayors, like presidents, have to do many things at once," he said. ___ Associated Press writer Tom Davies in Indianapolis contributed to this report.


Dallas Goedert is one of the top young tight ends in the NFL and if not for Zach Ertz being his teammate, the former South Dakota State star might be mentioned among the best in the game. It's a tricky line to walk when a franchise has a star at a certain position, and then have another equal talent fall into their lap. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Goedert in the second round (49th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, and if the league held a redraft of those same players, it's no doubt that the Eagles young tight end would probably be a first-round pick on hindsight alone. As a rookie, Goedert had 33 catches for 334 yards and four touchdowns and made Ertz an even more versatile weapon going forward with the Eagles now having the ability to move the Pro Bowl tight end around based on mismatches. Recently while hosting a football camp in his hometown, Goedert went in-depth with the Argus Leader's Matt Zimmer, where he gave some insight into his relationship with Ertz and how it wasn't all peaches and cream in the beginning. Right away he didn't talk to me. And my position coach told me it would be like that, that he would make sure I cared and was willing to work, he wasn't just gonna help out any rookie. But once he saw that I cared, that I was in my playbook trying to learn it, he definitely started giving me tips and our relationship really grew from there. For Eagles fans who might be worried, the relationship didn't stay frosty forever, and Ertz had a method to his madness. We're getting closer and closer the more time we spend together. He does a great job. He's an incredible football player. The way he gets in and out of his breaks - everyone is perfect. The way he attacks the day, the way he's a true professional, takes care of his body, gets ready for practice. He's an eighth-year pro and I've never seen him miss a rep or take a practice off. He's elevating our (tight end) group so much. At first glance, Goedert's comments would have you think that the Eagles may have a tight end controversy at some point, but with the 12 personnel being a dynamic formation for the team and both players capable of doing different things in select matchups, both players should continue to provide the Eagles a top-flight tight end duo for years to come. Goedert had an excellent spring by all accounts, with his Eagles teammates naming him the player who had the most outstanding spring. Two talented and dynamic tight ends is a problem any coach would love to have. MORE: Is Tacko Fall an NBA player? Here is the case for why... and why not Dan Le Batard delivers impassioned rebuke of racist 'send her back' chant despite ESPN rules Dan Le Batard Rips Trump and 'Send Her Back' Chants What made Bills hiring of Ken Dorsey a crucial hiring Can Rashaan Melvin be the Lions' new Rashean Mathis?


Booking your summer vacation through a travel agent could save you hundreds of dollars if you know the right questions to ask. Right now, countless Americans are packing their suitcases with straw hats and swimsuits in preparation for long-awaited summer vacations. Many of them will come home having spent far more than actually necessary simply because they didn't ask the right questions. Hiring a travel agent to help plan your annual family outing has a slew of benefits, like special rates, expert recommendations, and the luxury of not spending innumerable hours sifting through booking sites yourself. Thanks to their industry ins, you don't have to devote an entire month's worth of earnings to a two-week trip (which, according to Forbes , most Americans do). "A good advisor will always keep the client's needs in mind, including how much they want to spend," Cheryl Bunker, vice president of global member partnerships at Virtuoso , told Business Insider. When it comes to saving money, Bunker says communication is key. The secret to saving hundreds on vacation is being flexible, yes, but also being transparent about your priorities. Many people are happy to fly economy if it means getting upgraded to a suite. "Travelers can save hundreds of dollars by simply following the same cost saving steps they'd normally take for themselves," Mel Dohmen, senior brand manager at Orbitz , told Business Insider. Here are 10 questions to ask your travel agent that could save you money on your next trip. Does my trip qualify for a price match guarantee? If the price of your flight goes down after you've booked it, you might be able to score a refund of the difference. "A lot of online travel agencies like Travelocity will price match your flights if you book within 120 days of your departure and the price changes," Dohmen told Business Insider. "Travel agents may be able to leverage a service or feature like this, too." Would a packaged tour be a cheaper option than building a custom tour? While you might think the packaged tour offering has too many extras (read: unnecessary spending), Joanna Franco and Damon Dominique of the budget travel blog Shut Up and Go suggest asking whether customization could turn out to be more expensive in the end. Read more: Travel guru Rick Steves shares 10 tips to save you money, time, and stress when you're on vacation Agents can strike deals on these tours, too, so it's better to book them ahead of time via the experts than to sign up after you've already arrived. Does the price of the tour include admission fees? Know what's included in the tour before you book it. Sometimes the total cost doesn't even cover admission fees to some of the day's activities. Is it really all-inclusive or will you be responsible for buying your own meals? And although paying a deposit at the time of booking is often the default, sometimes paying in full up front yields a lower price . Can I save money by flying at different times of the day or on different days? "Let your agent know if your travel dates are flexible as they may be able to surface cheaper options," Dohmen said. "Our research shows travelers generally save the most when they leave midweek and come home on a Sunday. You can also save if you're willing to visit during off-peak times of year." Would it be cheaper to fly into a secondary airport? Dohmen also says you could save money just by flying into a secondary airport, especially in big cities like London and Paris. Those who already plan to rent a car might find that avoiding the main airport is cheaper and less stressful overall. Read more: I've been traveling around the world for 2 years with just a carry-on - here are 12 items I can't live without "Travelers can save quite a bit if they're willing to spend a little extra time on the ground," she said. Is there a neighborhood outside of the city center that offers cheaper accommodation? So you'll be renting a car? In that case, Franco and Dominique of Shut Up and Go suggest getting away from the hubbub of downtown and looking for hotels in local neighborhoods instead. Less demand for these off-the-beaten path options means more savings for you (and probably less noise, too). Does the hotel offer any perks? Without built-in amenities such as complimentary breakfast and parking, these little expenses can add up quickly and unexpectedly, eventually tipping the scales. Does the hotel offer free airport shuttles or allow early check-ins and late check-outs? Where is the best place to park? Speaking of small expenses stacking up: Additional fees for valet or on-site parking can be a real budget breaker, Dohmen said. Know where you're going to park ahead of time or choose a hotel that offers a complimentary spot. What's the best way to pay? When traveling abroad, foreign transaction fees can be astronomical if you're not careful. Familiarize yourself with the exchange rates and ask your agent for a recommendation on methods of payment. Are there currency exchange kiosks that offer decent rates in the area, or will you need to bring a travel card? What support do you provide if issues arise? Travel agents expect issues and know how to handle them properly so that you don't have to waste your precious vacation time calling airlines to snag a new flight. Let the expert deal with your delays, cancellations, missed connections, and unanticipated changes to hotel reservations and you probably won't end up paying an extra price.


From Madrid - The train into Madrid from Spain's south coast might as well be English, but for the rolling vistas of olive trees out of the window. Two women with strong north London accents talk excitedly over each other as they share war stories of the season's away days in Ajax, Dortmund and the rest. They needle a couple of Liverpool fans in the seats behind about Mohamed Salah's 'diving' and the fact that many of the Reds fans en route are not from anywhere near Merseyside. It's all good-natured though, and the conversation inevitably turns to the topic of who has tickets and who doesn't. There are many more trains like this one and even more flights from the UK and beyond. The number of fans expected in Madrid by Saturday night is estimated to be close to 100,000, with the impact of the added tourism tipped to boost the local economy by as much as €66m . By contrast, the final of last year's Copa Libertadores between River Plate and Boca Juniors raised €47m in the city. Of those 100,000-odd fans, only around a third actually have tickets. The rest have come just to be here. The first all-English final in over a decade, in one of Europe's most accessible and appealing cities, supporters have flocked in ridiculous numbers, desperate to be as close as possible to the action, just to be near, just to feel a part of it. Puerta del Sol is claustrophobic with drinkers and singers, as the midday sun quickly turns exposed flesh pink. The queue to take a selfie alongside the Champions League trophy snakes around the square, stretching seemingly miles past a sign that reads '20 minutes from here'. Branded helpers pass down the line spraying sun cream on those waiting. Anything from €5,000-12,000 is the going rate. It's the price of a house deposit in some parts of the country. A South African Spurs fan named Reven tells me that he flew 17 hours, via Addis Ababa, just to be here. Far from the only one making the journey, his flight was packed with Liverpool fans, he says. He doesn't have a ticket and isn't expecting to get one. It's all about just being here . A newly made friend of his, Stewart from Melbourne, who fell in love with the Reds during his time living in Europe, got his ticket two weeks ago and insists he wouldn't have travelled halfway around the globe without one. He spent close to 24 hours getting to Madrid. When I ask how much he paid for his ticket, he pauses and says "a lot, but not as much as they are asking here." The touts' prices here on the streets of Madrid have burst many bubbles of ticketless fans who dared dream of chancing their luck and picking up a spare. #UCLfinal fever is gripping Madrid! ⚽ pic.twitter.com/LV2UhE9kzB   UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 31, 2019 Anything from €5,000-12,000 is the going rate, depending on the category of the ticket. It's the price of a house deposit in some parts of the country. A pair of tipsy fans from the West Midlands tell me they went to the World Cup final for £2,000. Here they are being quoted £10,000. "I might pay £1,500-2,000," one of them tells me. "But that's not even an option." At that moment he stops to take a picture with a street entertainer dressed as Mickey Mouse. After the photo op, Mickey holds out his hand for a coin, but the fans mimic ignorance until he eventually gives up and moves on. The awkward moment makes for an odd juxtaposition amid talk of paying thousands for a ticket. Every tout that I manage to speak to says they have come from Germany. Most are reluctant to talk about anything other than whether or not I want to buy or sell a ticket. However, one tells me, "I buy for €2,000-3,000, depending on the category, maybe €7,000 for category one and sell for a nice profit." Plaza Salvador Dalí with the Liverpool fans  Allez Allez Allez  @90min_Football pic.twitter.com/y8Ca7niShq   Andrew Headspeath (@Andy_Headspeath) May 31, 2019 When I ask if there really are people willing to pay the five-figure prices whispered about in Puerta del Sol, he smiles dismissively, "I have clients who pay, don't worry." I meet two Danish Liverpool fans, Morten and Morten, in the fanzone in Plaza Salvador Dali. They tell me that they have given up on the hope of being in the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday night, and don't want to think about tickets lest they ruin their experience. The lowest price they have been quoted is €3,000 for two. Morten one (a software business owner living in Spain) bemoans the number of corporates taking up stadium space, "It's ridiculous. It's such a shame that real fans don't get to go." Hotel and Airbnb prices have increased by over 200% for the dates around the final. Instead, he is more than happy just to be close to the atmosphere. "I mean look at this. It's amazing," he gestures, beer raised aloft, to the hundreds of Liverpool fans as they break out into 'Allez Allez Allez'. Kids not yet teenagers are held aloft on shoulders, setting off red flares. A penny floater is booted back and forth across the plaza to cheers as if Mohamed Salah has just scored. Accommodation is another hurdle for those who have made the journey. The city is at an estimated 95% occupancy, while hotel and Airbnb prices have increased by over 200% for the dates immediately around the Champions League final. While many are paying €500+ per night, the second Morten tells me how he got extremely lucky on a house swap with a woman apparently unaware of the value of her apartment on this specific weekend. He jokes, "She's getting my place in Amsterdam in September. It's a nice apartment but I think she thinks she got a very good deal. I don't think she has any idea there even is a Champions League final and what her property is really worth right now!" The Wanda Metropolitano is lovely. #UCLFinal pic.twitter.com/I6YxaPZgix   Scott Saunders (@_scottsaunders) May 31, 2019 Few are quite so fortunate. Steve, a Liverpool fan now living and working in Malaga as a teacher, is getting the 07:00 bus back down to the Costa del Sol on Sunday morning. "I didn't have a spare three grand sitting around for a room, unfortunately," he says. He's not the only one. Many fans have made a road trip from the UK (and other parts of Europe) to be here, with reclined car seats substituting for a hotel bed. Steve is travelling for the day with his brother and another friend, all season ticket holders for 15 years. They went to every home match on the road to Madrid but needed at least one away game to be guaranteed tickets to the final. "We applied for several away but didn't get any luck. Red Star was a small allocation. PSG and Barça, we just weren't successful," he says. "You can't pass on an experience like this." The three of them have only one ticket between them this year. However, Steve promises it's not a bone of contention between them. Although, who will get it out of the three is unclear. "If the chance to get tickets presents itself we would take the offer. However, we are just going to enjoy the experience and get one of the other two to the game." Perhaps curiously, the official fanzones won't show the game on big screens on Saturday night, while there are rumours that several bars, fearful of hooliganism, won't have it on either in an attempt to deter to the drunkenly boisterous crowds. The fact that all these fans bother with the travel, accommodation and the rest is a testament to the support of both Liverpool and Tottenham but also the pull of the Champions League final, as the world's biggest football (and perhaps sporting) event. There is a sense of duty for some and adventure for others. 'You've got to' and 'once in a lifetime' are stock phrases in nearly everyone's answer as to why they came even without hope of getting near the ground. Steve, a veteran of Istanbul, adds: "Liverpool have the best supporters and when we travel we travel well. You can't pass on an experience like this. It should be once in a lifetime, only we have been lucky enough to experience a few in ours already." Whether it will all have been worth the effort will be judged tomorrow.


"Now it's official: PSG's Project Neymar has failed," one major football outlet trumpeted on Tuesday. "Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG," the Independent say, are asking "'is he worth the hassle?'" It's become clear this week that Paris Saint-Germain are looking   for the first time   to actively find a buyer for the world's most expensive footballer. It's been almost two years since the French giants paid €222m to bring the then 25-year-old to the Parc des Princes; 684 days, to be precise. When (not if) Neymar goes for €222m, it'll be the first time in 85 years that the world transfer record has more than doubled in one go   Chris Deeley  FORGOTTEN NATIONS OUT NOW  (@ThatChris1209) August 3, 2017 PSG have played 111 competitive matches in that time, and Neymar  has featured in 58 of them. Or to put that in a more salient way, Neymar hasn't been on the pitch for even a second in 53   almost half   of Paris Saint-Germain's games since they shattered the world record transfer fee to bring him to the French capital. He's currently in his ninth   NINTH   spell out injured since arriving. Some of those have been little single-game absences for knocks, two of them have been separate periods of three months out apiece with metatarsal injuries. He's currently sidelined with a ruptured ankle ligament while Brazil play in the Copa America. He also, although it was covered up at the time, tore an ankle ligament towards the end of last season, before the World Cup. Players who pick up injuries at this rate often struggle to find consistency and rhythm. They can destroy a career, put somebody light years from their best in the prime years of their career. Neymar, on the other hand, has scored 51 goals and assisted 29 more in his 58 games. That's a far better record per game, by the way, than either Kylian Mbappe or Edinson Cavani over those two seasons   and he's streets ahead in the Champions League .  Neymar > Umtiti, Rakitic, Dembele!  https://t.co/p7emlCmRIp   90min (@90min_Football) June 18, 2019 He's a freak. He excels beyond all reason in just about every attacking metric by which you can measure him. He's a statistical marvel. There isn't a player on earth who can beat opponents like him, and only Lionel Messi can match (and probably surpass) his natural talent. There are a lot of reasons that Neymar might not move this summer. In fact, he probably won't. the two clubs most likely to sign him, Real Madrid and Barcelona, both have a lot of money tied up in other transfers and are struggling to balance their books already. Manchester United might be able to afford him, but is the man who wants Champions League and Ballon d'Or glory going to move to a crisis-ridden Europa League side? Manchester City? Don't need the distraction in their well-oiled collective. Liverpool? Ditto. Spurs? Funny one. Abroad? Juventus have Cristiano Ronaldo (and no money), and Neymar's already moved away from one Ballon d'Or rival for his own spotlight. Bayern? Not for that money they won't. It's also worth remembering that a concerning rape allegation is going to hound him for some time, not an insignificant consideration. So he probably stays in Paris. Good. Because Project Neymar hasn't been a failure, not really. It hasn't brought a Champions League to France, but that's because referees   and Ligue 1 referees in particular   allow him to get the bejeezus kicked out of him on a weekly basis without recourse. Neymar has been failed by the institution of football more than he has failed Paris Saint-Germain. Defenders don't know how to defend against somebody so staggeringly good, so they kick him. Referees don't know how to deal with the sheer volume of fouls, so they let a lot of them go under-punished. Then Neymar gets another bone broken, another ligament snapped, and we wonder why he can't stay on the pitch. His absence at the business ends of the last two seasons has led to some fans   not all, but a substantial number   forgetting how astonishing a footballer he is. 'Not worth the circus that comes with him'. 'He'll never be the player he could've been'. 'He isn't a leader'. Neymar will go back to being the second best footballer on the planet when he recovers from his latest injury for the start of next season. He is utterly unique. He's worth   unless, in extremis, you have Lionel Messi   absolutely any circus that follows him to a big club. The player he 'could have been' doesn't matter, because the player he is is astonishing. Leadership might not be his best quality, but he led his country, as a captain at just 24, to one more trophy than Messi's won for Argentina. Because when you're that good, you can just go on the pitch and be that good , and whether or not you shout at people enough is completely beside the point. It doesn't matter where he plays, Neymar is beyond staggering. Sometimes it's worth taking a minute to look back and remember that.


The mother of a missing Connecticut woman has gained custody of her five grandchildren Thursday after the children's father was arrested in connection to the disappearance. A judge ordered custody of the children to Gloria Farber over their father, Fotis Dulos, who has been arrested in the case of his missing wife. Jennifer Dulos, 50, who was last seen in Connecticut on May 24 after dropping the children off at school. Jennifer Dulos had filed for divorce from her husband in June 2017. The couple had been married since August 2004. They were embroiled in a contentious divorce and child custody case for the past two years. Fotis Dulos recently claimed in a filing that their five children were being kept under armed guard at their grandmother's apartment in New York. Attorneys for Farber argued that the five children haven't lived with their father in more than two years and have resided with her in New York since their mother's disappearance, according to a court document from Thursday's ruling. "Ms. Farber has acted as a parent to the children since the plaintiff disappeared on May 24, 2019," the court ruling said. "Their safety and security has been paramount. They are emotionally bonded to her. It would be harmful for them to be removed from her care." When New Canaan police searched Jennifer Dulos' home after she went missing May 24, they found blood and "evidence of attempts to clean the crime scene." Her blood was also found on items that her husband, Fotis Dulos, was seen on surveillance footage shoving into trash cans in Hartford with his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis. Fotis Dulos, 51, and Troconis, 44 were arrested in June on charges of evidence tampering and hindering prosecution and both entered pleas of not guilty. A court order suspended Fotis Dulos' contact with the children on June 3 after his arrest and the order remains enforced. Fotis Dulos has continually maintained his innocence in his estranged wife's disappearance , alleging that police have wrongfully pursued him and that the public has made him out to be a monster. Norm Pattis, a lawyer for Fotis Dulos, claimed that his office had found a mystery novel Jennifer Dulos wrote that is similar to "Gone Girl," the best-selling book later adapted into an Oscar-nominated film in which a woman stages her own disappearance and frames her husband for her murder. Jennifer Dulos' family and friends have rejected the claims, insisting the mother would never leave her children and that the manuscript is nearly two decades old.


President Trump's kickoff event in Orlando Tuesday won't just include an evening rally   it will also include an all-day "45 Fest." The fest, which will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday, about seven hours before doors open for the rally at the Amway Center, will feature food trucks and live music from the band "The Guzzlers," as well as large screens that will show Trump's speech beginning at 8 p.m. "The President's historic announcement of his second term presidential run has already generated tens of thousands of ticketing requests and will draw an enormous crowd," Michael Glassner, COO of Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, said in a statement. "That's why we've organized our first 45 Fest outside the Amway Center," Glassner said. "We'll have delicious food, live music, big screens, and a great time for all of our guests. Inside and out, the excitement at this Trump rally will be something to remember as President Trump makes history." The Orlando Police Department, which is coordinating the event along with the U.S. Secret Service, did not respond to a request about permits for the event. Trump claimed in a tweet this week that 74,000 requests had been made online at his campaign website, where anyone can make a request up to two tickets, for the rally at the 20,000-capacity Amway Center. A coalition of protest groups, including the Win With Love Rally and Latinos United for Respeto, are holding rallies beginning at 5 p.m. at the Stonewall bar several blocks away from Amway. Staff writer Ryan Gillespie contributed to this report.


CLEVELAND   There are no threats, no allusions of intimidation ... really, not even raised voices. Yet there also is not the slightest tinge of fear. Major League Baseball players representing their brethren at the All-Star Game in Cleveland made it quite clear this week that they want changes, big-time changes, in the next collective bargaining agreement, or there will be significant consequences. Yes, even if it takes a work stoppage before the CBA expires Dec. 1, 2021   the first strike in baseball since 1994-95. "We are together on this," Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Josh Bell told USA TODAY Sports. "I know work stoppages in the past have worked to our benefit for the longevity of the game, the longevity of the player, and for the compensation of the player. Just for equal rights. "We've met for years for preparation, and we'll definitely see what happens in the future. Hopefully we can find common ground, but if not, we're more than prepared. The one thing we've been taught, and we've heard it countless times, is to save your money the best you can because you never know what the future holds." TURNING BACK CLOCK: Finally, an All-Star Game that reminds us of what was OOPS!: MLB All-Star Game scoreboard has rough night in Cleveland There's not a single active player who has endured a work stoppage. The average age of the National League's starting lineup was 25.8, the youngest in baseball history. They certainly aren't eager to be the first class to end labor peace, but then again, they're ready to take whatever step is necessary to restore cracks in their economic system. "We're very concerned. It's been a little lopsided the last couple of years," Boston Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez said, "and I know the association definitely wants to do something about it." Does that mean a willingness to strike? Absolutely. "We're all together," Martinez said. "We all understand it. There's a thought that the association is weaker than its ever been because of all of the younger players, but I think a lot of young players are beginning to understand. We're all united." Said Houston Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole: "We really respect the people that come before us who have put us a position we're in now. We're extremely fortunate, so we would like to pass that tradition onto the next generation of players. "So when push comes to shove, I think we'll be prepared to do whatever we need to do to keep that honor continuing down the line. We have a great tradition doing it, and I don't think we plan on deviating from that anytime soon." The belief among the players was always that the owners would hold the power over them when they first entered the league, paying close to the minimum salary as long as possible. But once they became free agents, they'd open those checkbooks. "So, underpaid on your way in and overpaid on your way out, relatively speaking," Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. Teams no longer view free agents the same, particularly those in their 30s. "Our free agency structure and our salary structure," Kershaw said, "is that teams have a right not to pay guys when they're getting older. The analytics say to pay guys in their prime, the younger guys. "So, if that's not going to happen anymore, we've got to find a way to get these guys paid during their peak years if they're' not going to be rewarded on the way out.'' Said Martinez: "Teams don't want to pay players late, and they don't want to pay them early, but you got to pick one. You got to pick your poison." Two dozen All-Stars were making the minimum salary of $555,000, but by the time they're eligible for free agency and potential massive paydays, they may be passed over for the next generation. Players were furious that the two biggest stars of the home-run derby, Pete Alonso of the New York Mets and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, were stuck in the minors last season instead of being among the September call-ups and gaining service time. Alonso made the Mets' opening-day roster this year, but the Blue Jays kept Guerrero in the minors until mid-May, ensuring they could have an extra year of control before he hits free agency. "The people that pay tickets deserve to see the best possible product that the team can put on a field," Cole said, "and unfortunately in this day and age, it's just not happening on a regular basis by a good portion of the league. "It's just disappointing to see. You're coming to major-league games to see the best players, and at least 50% of the league doesn't give a (expletive) about winning or having their best players on the field. What are we doing? What are we doing? Come on." Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant had to play the waiting game in 2015, sitting out the first two weeks before being called up. He now can't be a free agent until 2022. "It stinks when you go through it, you feel for them, because I was disappointed too," Bryant said. "It's a little backwards, but that's the way our sport is" MLB All-Stars couldn't help but be envious last week when NBA players were being signed in the first hours of free agency, with teams storming the free-agent doors like it's a Black Friday sale after Thanksgiving. In baseball, free agency became a drawn-out, excruciating process. The two biggest deals with Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, paying them a total of $630 million, weren't done until after the start of spring training. Former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and saves leader Craig Kimbrel didn't even sign until a month ago. "How to solve some of our economic challenges is going to be paramount in our next negotiations with MLB," Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer said. "The players are very cognizant what's going on with economic situations because it's not just affecting the peripheral players, its affecting every player. "And every player is aware what's going on. Every player is extremely much more educated than they ever were before. There's much better leadership even among the players now and what we're trying to do to make the correct changes within the game." The biggest problem, the players believe, simply is competitive balance. There are seven teams at the All-Star break already 17 ½ or more games out of first place, including five teams who are on pace to lose at least 100 games. "I think the most overarching thing is competition," Kershaw said. "You got to get 30 teams competing the best you can. The strategy now is if you're not going to be in it, to just be out of it, and get rewarded for that. "A lot of those teams might end up becoming better with all of the draft picks that they're getting, but some of them are not. The Cubs and Astros of the world, they (won World Series), but a lot of teams won't be. How do you end up selling that to your fan base? "Competition and paying guys go hand-to-hand to some extent. We've got to find a way to get every team competing to some extent every year." If all 30 teams were trying to win, it would at least make free agency more interesting, preventing players such as five-time All-Star Adam Jones sitting without a job until mid-March. He eventually signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks , accepting a $14 million pay cut. "I just can't understand what happened to Adam Jones," Cole said, "I still can't wrap my head around that. "If you're trying to win, that guy knows how to win. If you're trying to start a franchise, that guy knows how to be an exemplary franchise player. "It's ridiculous that a player like that gets pinched out. It's equally as ridiculous that a player like Vladimir has to wait half a year until he gets called up." The players want change, and they want it now, refusing to sit back and wait until the CBA expires after the 2021 season. Executive director Tony Clark has had one preliminary meeting with Commissioner Rob Manfred, and they plan to meet formally again this summer. There have been no promises of re-opening the collective bargaining agreement, but the two sides at least are willing to talk, realizing the sense of frustration by the players. "As players, we don't want a stoppage," Martinez said. "And I'm sure the owners don't want one either. But some things are going to have to get negotiated." Perhaps, before it's too late. Follow Nightengale on Twitter and Facebook: @Bnightengale This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB players are furious, willing to strike over economic system: 'We're all united' Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


There are a lot of places New York City mayors want to be when widespread power outages strike . Waterloo, Iowa, is not one of them. And yet, there was Mayor Bill de Blasio on Saturday night, campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination , when the lights went out on Manhattan's West Side, dimming Broadway and Times Square, after a reported malfunction at an electrical substation set off a chain of disturbances in the grid. In the mayor's absence, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was the one, front and center, explaining what went wrong. New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, a potential mayoral aspirant himself, also filled the void left behind by de Blasio, tweeting updates and explanations throughout the early evening and into the unusually dark night. By early Sunday, power had been restored. But outages like this -- which utility company Con Edison said affected 72,000 people at one point -- are major political events in New York and its leader, already unpopular in large parts of the city, had a different kind of crisis on his hands. The situation underscored the dangers of campaigning for higher office while currently elected and employed, especially as an executive running a major city. "Mayors are important and situations like this come up," Cuomo, de Blasio's longtime nemesis, said on Saturday night. "And you have to be on site." In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday morning, de Blasio, who decided to return to the city late Saturday night, praised the work of city officials and workers who identified the problem and fixed it. "I'm responsible for making sure everything in New York City is handled quickly and well," de Blasio said. "The whole team responded immediately the way everyone is trained to do." But he made no apologies for his Iowa swing and argued that the government infrastructure had functioned as it should. "When you're a mayor or a governor, you're going to travel for a variety of reasons," de Blasio said. "The important thing is to have the hand on the wheel and make sure things are moving effectively and communicate to people even from where I was. I was able to do that right away with the people in New York City." Talk of de Blasio's presidential bid was greeted with skepticism by his own constituents. In a Quinnipiac poll conducted about six weeks before he jumped in, more than three-quarters of them, 76%, said it was a bad idea. "Every listed party, gender, racial, borough and age group agrees that the mayor should not hit the campaign trail," the pollsters noted, underscoring the overwhelming opposition to his ambitions. Mary Snow, the polling analyst for the Quinnipiac University poll, memorably described it as "a rare moment of unity among New Yorkers." There was unanimity on the tabloid front in the aftermath of the blackout, too, with newspapers like the New York Post and Daily News -- no de Blasio fans during the best of times -- roasting the mayor over his absence. The Post was especially, if unsurprisingly, scathing in an editorial board piece calling for the governor to "fire" de Blasio. "Bill de Blasio does not care about New York City. He does not care about its people. He does not care about how it's run. He does not care about you or your taxes, creating jobs or improving lives. All Bill de Blasio cares about is Bill de Blasio. And so, for the good of the city, Gov. Andrew Cuomo needs to remove the mayor from office," they wrote, before ticking off a litany of grievances and unearthing an arcane process that would, potentially, allow the governor to unseat the mayor. The Daily News was slightly more forgiving as it acknowledged that "any mayor of the largest city in the country is a national figure. They go out of town sometimes; it's inevitable." But the sympathy stopped there. De Blasio, the paper's editorial board wrote , is a different case -- and that his unlucky absence was emblematic of some deeper disdain for his job and the city. "It's that de Blasio, rather than going away sporadically, appears committed to vacating the city every damn chance he gets," it said, "as though the demanding daily grind of overseeing police and schools and public housing and parks and safe streets and all the rest, for which he is paid $258,750 by taxpayers, is well beneath his stratospheric talents." The anger, at least among local media, was also apparent on television. In an appearance on the local Fox affiliate Monday morning, Cuomo was asked, "What do we do about our mayor, seriously?" "That's up to you and the people of the City of New York," the governor said. When it was suggested he suspend de Blasio for 30 days -- one of the paths mentioned in the Post editorial -- Cuomo, who had spoken earlier in the interview about the importance of public officials being at home when a potential disaster hits, mostly passed up the chance to turn the screws. "New Yorkers are opinionated and they speak their mind, and they will make their voice heard," he said. "I will do my job. Anything you need in New York City, I am there -- I am always there -- and I'll do my job the way I promised the people of the State that I will and the way I have."


With temperatures feeling like 100 degrees and above, National Ice Cream Day comes along just in time on Sunday, July 21. We've compiled a list of freebies or deals on cold treats around Virginia and DC. The folks at Offers.com set out to determine which ice cream flavors Americans crave the most and surveyed over 1,000 people. The traditional chocolate and vanilla flavors took the top spots, but they were followed closely by other choices: Chocolate   24 percent Vanilla   19 percent Cookie dough   16 percent Mint-chocolate   15 percent Strawberry   11 percent Pistachio   9 percent Other   6 percent Check out National Ice Cream Day deals provided by Offers.com and individual businesses below. Note: Participation and pricing may vary by location and franchise. Check with individual locations. Baskin-Robbins: Get two pre-packed quarts of ice cream for $7.99 total all day long on July 21. Use code FREESCOOP when making a delivery order through Doordash to get a free scoop of ice cream with a purchase of $10 or more. Bruster's: Kids under 40 inches tall get a free baby cone any day. Rewards members get double points on July 21. Carvel: Buy one soft serve cone or cup, get one free on July 21. Dippin' Dots: Participating locations will give away free mini cups during a two-hour window. Check with your local store to see if it's participating. Ice Cream Jubilee: The local shop will have several locations where it will hand out free scoops. The Yards Park location will be creating the longest sundae in DC . Visit Ice Cream Jubilee's Instagram page to see how you can win a $95 Warby Parker gift card. Johnny Rockets: Get a free milkshake with purchase of an entree on July 21 at participating locations . Kustard & Co: The locally-owned shop will offer buy one, get one free ice cream scoops. The custard is made fresh in-house with no food dyes, artificial flavors or harmful preservatives. Monkey Joe's: Each child will receive one free ice cream cup per paid admission while supplies last. This cannot be combined with other offers. Petsmart: Bring your dog into the store on July 20 or 21 and receive a free doggie ice cream topped with dog biscuits at PetSmart Petshotel locations. No booking is required. Sonic: You can score half-price shakes and ice cream cookie sandwiches for $1.49 each every night after 8 p.m. Wendy's: Buy the Frosty Key Tag for $2, which gives you a free Jr. Frosty with every purchase at participating locations until Dec. 31.


When Gary Sanchez hit his 18th home run at the end of September last year, most Yankees fans were ready to give up on him. Once dubbed "The Kraken," Sanchez struggled with a groin injury and struggled behind the plate and was miserable in the batter's box. Saturday night, when Sanchez hit his 18th home run of the season, he looked like a completely different player. The Yankee catcher's two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth broke open a tied game and gave the Yankees a 5-3 win over the Red Sox at the Stadium. BOX SCORE: YANKEES 5, RED SOX 3 The Yankees (38-19) have won three straight overall and four straight against the Red Sox (29-29), remaining perfect against the defending World Series champions this season. The Bombers clinched their ninth straight series and the 13th out of their last 14. They now hold a 2.5 game lead in American League East, with a 9.5 game gap between them and the Red Sox. The Yankees had to overcome Domingo German's shortest start of the season, and shortest since July 20, 2018 against the Mets. The right-hander went just 3.2 innings, needing 87 pitches to get that second out in the fourth inning. German allowed three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out eight. Chad Green, Tommy Kahnle, Adam Ottavino, Jonathan Holder and Aroldis Chapman threw 5.1 scoreless innings, to run the bullpen's scoreless stretch to 24.1 straight innings. German, who was coming off a start where he allowed four home runs to the Royals, allowed one solo homer to Xander Bogaerts to lead off the fourth. He gave up two RBI singles to the Red Sox's No. 9 hitter, Sandy Leon, the only hits with runners in scoring position that the Red Sox have off the Yankees this year. Sanchez, who came into the game hitting .188 with three strikeouts in 19 plate appearances against Red Sox starter Rick Porcello, broke it open in the fifth. With two outs and Luke Voit on base, Sanchez reached out across the plate and one-handed a Porcello slider into the Yankees' bullpen in center field. It was his first career home run off the Red Sox righty. "It was like a one-handed swing. I don't know how he did it. I feel like last year was kind of a weird year for him," said Luke Voit, who tied his career high with three hits. "I feel like he's finally healthy now and for him to hit that out was a huge momentum swing for us. He's raking right now and it's really impressive. That's why I get hyped about it. He's being Gary Sanchez." Sanchez hit .186 with a .406 slugging percentage in 2018, with just 18 homers to go with 94 strikeouts in 323 at-bats. That was a considerable drop-off from the .278/.345/.531 he slashed in 2017 with 33 homers and 90 RBI in 471 at-bats. Sanchez was dealing with a groin injury that cost him 57 games last season, and an issue with his shoulder in 2018, but he has not blamed them for his disappointing season. "You know, they went in there and they fixed the problem with the shoulder. Looking back at last year, I dealt with that and it was tough," Sanchez said through Yankees interpreter Marlon Abreu. "I still thought that I was able to play with discomfort in the shoulder, but that's not an excuse. You can never use that as an excuse. It feels good right now." His 18th homer of 2019 tied him with Yogi Berra (1956) for the most home runs before the All-Star break by a Yankees catcher. He has homered in six of his last nine starts. Sanchez is hitting .264 with 35 RBI, which is also the most by a catcher in the big leagues. Over the winter, Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to the Dominican Republic to visit Sanchez. It was a reminder to Sanchez that despite a down year in 2018, he was very important to the Yankees this season. "He's a special talent and has tremendous power obviously, to kind of reach out and flick that out one-handed," Boone said. "I think it shows he's obviously been huge for us this far this season, and another giant hit for us tonight." Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)