TORONTO (AP) Cleveland right-hander Shane Bieber wrapped up a shaky pregame bullpen session and shared a worried look with catcher Kevin Plawecki. ''I was like ''Let's just find a way to get it done,'' Bieber told his battery mate. ''Fortunately, I was able to do that.'' He sure was. Bieber pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a double by Eric Sogard in the seventh inning, and the Indians kept up their surge by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 on Wednesday night. The Indians topped prime trade target Marcus Stroman and improved to 14-4 in July. They are 30-12 since June 4, the best record in the majors over that span. The shutout was Cleveland's AL-leading 11th. The Blue Jays were blanked for the eighth time. Bieber (10-3) struck out 10 and walked one in his second career complete game. The MVP of the All-Star Game blanked Baltimore on May 19 when he fanned 15. ''He just pitched like a veteran,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said. ''He's maturing so fast. He's barely got a year under his belt. It just looks like he's going to get better and better. It's fun to watch.'' Sogard spoiled Bieber's bid when he opened the seventh when a drive that bounced over the right field wall. ''It was a curveball down and in,'' Bieber said. ''He kind of dropped his hands, he's a good hitter. I would have liked that a little bit more away. I thought it was a decently executed pitch. He's a good hitter and he took advantage of it.'' One out later, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was hit by a pitch, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. flied out and Justin Smoak struck out to end the inning. Bieber pitched a rain-shortened, seven-inning no-hitter at Triple-A in May 2018, less than a week before making his big league debut. He became the youngest Indians pitcher to throw a shutout while giving up no more than one hit and striking out at least 10 since a 22-year-old Dennis Eckersley no-hit the Angels in 1977, according to MLB.com. ''He gave us an incredible outing tonight,'' Indians outfielder Greg Allen said of Bieber. Allen had three hits and an RBI and Jose Ramirez had two hits and scored a run. Cleveland broke through in the in the fifth when Allen hit a two-out single and scored on Kevin Plawecki's double, sliding home just ahead of the tag. Toronto challenged the call, but home plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth's call stood. ''It was definitely bang-bang,'' Allen said. ''I felt like I was able to get under the tag and beat it, but I knew that it was going to be close. I was definitely happy to see the safe call.'' Stroman (6-11) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings, further burnishing his credentials ahead of next week's trade deadline. The righty pitched seven shutout innings to beat Detroit last Friday. The fiery Stroman gestured to the stands and yelled ''This is my house!'' as he walked off the field following the top of the seventh. ''I just thought it could be my last outing here,'' Stroman said afterward, wearing a visor with the words `Let me be me' on it. ''I've always been emotional, I feel like I've had a pretty good tenure as a Blue Jay,'' Stroman said. ''There's been no willingness from the front office to sign me, so I've just kind of come to terms with it and I'm ready to dominate, wherever that may be, absolutely dominate.'' The loss was Stroman's first since June 20 at Texas, ending a streak of five unbeaten starts. TRAINER'S ROOM Indians: RHP Corey Kluber threw a 35-pitch bullpen session before the game. Kluber has been sidelined since May 1, when he was hit by a line drive from Miami's Brian Anderson and broke a bone in his forearm. Kluber will throw another bullpen Saturday. ... OF Tyler Naquin (right hamstring) was held out of the starting lineup for the second straight day, but did run on the field before the game. Blue Jays: RHP Justin Shafer was available out of the bullpen. Shafer left Monday's game because of a sore elbow. GETTING ON Allen reached base for the 17th straight game, extending his career-best streak. LOW HITTERS Toronto was held to one hit or fewer for the first time since Canadian left-hander James Paxton pitched a no-hitter for Seattle at Rogers Centre on May 8, 2018. SUPPORT GROUP Stroman has received no runs from the offense in eight of his 21 starts. UP NEXT Indians: RHP Adam Plutko (3-2, 4.81) starts Thursday as the Indians begin a four-game series in Kansas City. LHP Mike Montgomery (1-3, 6.83) starts for the Royals. Plutko is 0-2 in four career games against Kansas City. Blue Jays: Toronto is off Thursday. RHP Jacob Waguespack (1-0, 5.68) starts Friday in the opener of a three-game series against Tampa Bay. The Rays have not named a starter. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


A defiant Roy Moore brushed aside Donald Trump's warning not to run for Senate again, telling POLITICO on Wednesday that Alabama voters are capable of deciding for themselves whether he's fit for office. "The president doesn't control who votes for the United States Senate in Alabama," Moore said in a phone interview. "People in Alabama are smarter than that. They elect the senator from Alabama, not from Washington, D.C." The scandal-plagued former judge said he is "seriously considering" running for Senate again and plans to decide in a "few weeks." Moore's recalcitrance comes as Republicans, including Trump, are warning him to stay out of the race against Democratic Sen. Doug Jones. Republicans view the Alabama contest as a linchpin of their Senate majority   ousting Jones in 2020 would give the GOP a larger cushion with the party mostly on defense on the Senate map. Jones narrowly defeated Moore in a special election in 2017 amid allegations of sexual misconduct by Moore with young girls decades ago. Those allegations emerged after Moore won the GOP nomination by defeating the Trump-endorsed candidate, then-interim Sen. Luther Strange. Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that he has "NOTHING" against Moore, despite the sexual misconduct allegations against the former judge. But, he wrote, Moore "cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating." That came after Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., also tweeted at Moore to steer clear of the race. Top allies to Senate Republican leadership have made clear they view Moore as the best chance Democrats have to maintain the seat. "We believe most Alabama Republicans realize that nominating Roy Moore would be gift wrapping this Senate seat for Chuck Schumer," said Steven Law, president of Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Moore is convinced he could capture his party's nomination in the face of the president's opposition again. He said some Republicans are fearful that he still has support in the state. "They know I'll win," he said. "That's why they're upset." He also continues to deny the multiple allegations of inappropriate behavior against him that were reported on during the 2017 race. "It was fake news then, [and] it's fake news now," Moore said. Republicans have believed for weeks that Moore was likely to run for Senate again. They also acknowledge there's little they can do to stop him, and that he has a hard-core base of supporters in the state that likely gives him both a high floor and low ceiling of support. Alabama election laws require winning a majority of the vote to secure a party nomination, so Moore could have an opening to make a runoff in a crowded primary field. Opposition to his potential candidacy has been fairly unified throughout the party. Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, the National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, had spoken with Trump in recent weeks and raised concerns about Moore, according to two people familiar with the discussion. Trump's tweet Wednesday was widely praised by Republicans, who believe the president is uniquely able to chip away at Moore's support given his popularity among the GOP base in deep-red Alabama. The dynamics of the race "were different before the president weighed in, but they're fundamentally changed after the president weighed in," said Josh Holmes, a top McConnell adviser. "I don't think Roy Moore could win a primary before the president weighed in, and I know he can't win one after the president weighed in." With or without Moore, the GOP contest appears wide open. Several Republicans are already running: Rep. Bradley Byrne, state Rep. Arnold Mooney, and Tommy Tuberville, the former head football coach at Auburn University. Each of the candidates face hurdles to emerging from the field. Byrne, the first candidate in the race, had more than $2 million in the bank at the end of the first quarter. Though a potential problem looms: Byrne called on Trump to step aside from the presidential race in 2016 after the "Access Hollywood" tape. Though he eventually said he would vote for Trump and has been a staunch supporter since the president took office, it's unclear whether he can clear the hurdles of his previous criticism. Tuberville, meanwhile, has put together a strong campaign team of veteran consultants, but he's a first-time candidate without experience as a campaigner or fundraiser. Mooney, a staunch conservative, already earned the endorsement of Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)   but as a state representative, he also faces a battle to prove fundraising ability and broader support. Leaders of the conservative Club for Growth are watching the race closely and have met with Mooney and Tuberville, who could both receive a major boost from an endorsement. The group opposes Byrne and would not back Moore if he does run. David McIntosh, the Club president, said they had "good meetings" with both Mooney and Tuberville. "We are waiting to see if either put together a great campaign and raise the money necessary to be competitive," McIntosh said. If Moore does run, as appears likely, Republicans' goal would be to defeat him outright and deny him a spot in a runoff. But given his potentially unshakable base of support in the state, some Republicans acknowledge it's possible he could make a runoff again as he did in 2017. One Republican working on the race, who requested anonymity to discuss internal strategy, said polling had shown about 15 percent of the primary electorate views Moore "very" favorably. This Republican said in a crowded field, Moore would be unlikely to grow his support beyond that. A second Republican involved in the race, however, said Moore has a "hard-core following" that could put him in a runoff. This Republican emphasized that Trump's opposition would likely mean any opponent could defeat him one-on-one, but Moore making a runoff is a potentially disastrous scenario for Republicans given the unpredictability of those matchups. "I think it's a disaster if it's misplayed," this Republican said. National Republicans are not yet picking a candidate to back, and the state GOP is staying out of the primary. Terry Lathan, the state party chair, said in a statement that they will remain neutral: "It is up to the candidates to make their case to the Republican primary voters to secure their support." The primary, set for next March, is still far away. The filing deadline is in December, leaving plenty of time for other candidates to enter the race. Even as the other candidates build their campaigns, Republicans in Washington plan to bash Moore, if he runs, as unelectable not just for the allegations of sexual misconduct, but for the other controversies in his past, including being twice removed from the state Supreme Court. "Last time around was a sprint. This is a marathon," said Jesse Hunt, a spokesperson for the NRSC. "Roy Moore has proven he's incapable of winning a general election, and no stone will be left unturned as it pertains to his background." Alex Isenstadt contributed to this report.


VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Pope Francis on Thursday, a day before Ukraine's Catholic leaders meet at the Vatican to discuss the crisis in their country, and amid speculation that the visit could be a prelude to the first trip by a pope to Russia. Putin, who has met Francis twice before, is due to arrive at the Vatican in the early afternoon at the start of a lightning visit to Italy that will also include talks with Italian leaders. Ukraine, which remains a difficult issue in relations between the Vatican and Russia, is expected to be a main topic of discussions in the official papal library in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace. When they last met in 2015, the pope urged Putin to make a "sincere and great effort" to achieve peace in Ukraine and help bring an end to fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatist rebels in the East. On Friday, leaders of Ukraine's Catholic Church and Vatican officials begin two days of meetings to discuss various problems in their country, a former Soviet republic. Ukraine's religious world was made tense last year when the country's Orthodox Church, which for centuries effectively had been under control of the Russian Orthodox Church, declared its independence and set up a national Church. Russia opposes the Ukrainian Orthodox Church having autocephalous, or self-governing status, saying the move had more political than religious motives. Putin has aligned himself closely with the Russian Orthodox Church and has accused the government in Kiev of flagrantly meddling in the life of Orthodoxy in Ukraine. Thursday's meeting between the pope and Putin will be their first since Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill met in 2016, a landmark step in healing the 1,000-year-old rift between the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, and Boris Yeltsin, the first president of post-Soviet Russia, had invited the late Pope John Paul to visit. But a trip was not possible because of tensions between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, the largest and most influential in world Orthodoxy, with 165 million of the world's 250 million Orthodox Christians. Apart from his meeting three years ago with Kirill, which was the first in history between a Roman Catholic pope and a Russian Orthodox patriarch, Francis has made a number of visits to countries with predominantly Orthodox populations. The latest were to Romania and to Bulgaria and North Macedonia earlier this year. From the Vatican, Putin will meet with Italy's prime minister and president and attend a conference on Italian-Russian dialogue at the foreign ministry. (Reporting By Philip Pullella; editing by Diane Craft)


A new nail salon has opened its doors in the neighborhood. Located at 840 N. Eldridge Parkway, Suite 140, in Memorial, the fresh arrival is called D & T Nails Lounge . This new business is a full-service nail salon. Its offering include manicures, pedicures, eyelash extensions and waxing. D & T Nails Lounge has gotten good reviews thus far, with a four-star rating out of 42 reviews on Yelp. Drue B., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on May 25, wrote, "Wasn't that busy when I walked in, but it was a very pleasant environment. The pedicure was great, helped me relax and was very refreshing. The polish was very even (got white). Came in from out of town and will be back when I visit again." Yelper Andrea J. added , "I must say that the staff is nice and accommodating. I needed a set of dip nails and a pedicure and didn't have an appointment. They were slim on staff, but still took me right away, which I appreciate." Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. D & T Nails Lounge is open from 10 a.m. 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. 7 p.m. on Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.) Want to keep your finger on the pulse of new businesses in Houston? Here's what else opened recently near you . This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The soonest Jeffrey Epstein will stand trial on sex trafficking charges is June 2020, though his defense lawyers are pushing for a later date. (July 31)


NASA's Detect-and-Avoidance (DAA) system for drones is looking mighty promising. The agency has just finished its latest phase of of test flights using a remote-controlled Ikhana aircraft equipped with DAA sensors over the Mojave desert in California. NASA's Dennis Hines says they still have to fully analyze the data they gathered from the flights -- the third in a series -- but they found that the drone successfully alerted it remote pilots and performed preprogrammed maneuvers when faced with obstacles. Frank Pace, the president of Aircraft Systems for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems said the flight tests' favorable outcome "represents the maturity of [their] detect-and-avoid system." General Atomics created one of the DAA tech's three sensors, particularly its radar system. A company called BAE Systems developed one of the other sensors: a satellite-based navigation tool that determines and broadcasts the drone's position to ground control. The third sensor developed by Honeywell keeps an eye on aerial traffic and alerts pilots if a collision might take place. NASA's researchers will now use the info they gathered from this round to plan for future flight tests slated to take place next spring. NASA


Japan on Saturday kicked off an unprecedented 10-day holiday, including celebration days for the imperial transition, as airports were packed with record travellers while people queued at teller machines in the cash-dominated nation. Japan is preparing for the abdication of Emperor Akihito on Tuesday the day before Akihito's eldest son, 59-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, takes the throne. The long holiday for the famously hard-working Japanese combines two celebration days with the traditional "Golden Week" in May. While many plan to commemorate the national ceremonies across the country, others are seizing the rare opportunity for a trip at home and overseas. A record 60,700 people were expected to go abroad from Narita airport, Tokyo's main gateway, on Saturday, Japan's public broadcaster NHK said. Domestic holidaymakers formed long queues for Shinkansen bullet services at Tokyo station to return home or go sightseeing, while highways were crowded with vehicles in a major exodus from the capital. The number of travellers at home and overseas during the long holiday is expected to hit a record 24.67 million, according to Japanese travel agency JTB. Lenders were bracing for the lack of bills at cash dispensers as customers are expected to withdraw sufficient cash as banks will remain closed until May 6. On Friday, several cash dispensers in Tokyo were temporarily out of service as people rushed to ATMs to financially prepare for the holiday. Cash is king in Japan and credit cards are much less popular than in other countries so it is common for people to carry around relatively large amounts of yen to pay for day-to-day things. Not everyone is welcoming the long holiday in Japan, however, as some people are concerned about a limit to public and medical services while others who have to work over the period complain about childcare. A survey by the Asahi Shimbun daily showed 45 percent of Japanese "felt unhappy" about the long vacation, with only 35 percent saying they "felt happy".


As expected, the Bucks will release George Hill , putting him on track to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic ( Twitter link ). The final year of Hill's contract in 2019/20 featured an $18M salary, but only $1M of that figure was guaranteed. By cutting the veteran guard before July 1, the Bucks will avoid having that full guarantee hit their cap for next season. According to Charania, the Bucks are working to find the space to re-sign Hill, if possible. That suggests they won't stretch his $1M cap hit, since doing so would make them ineligible to sign him for 2019/20. After trading away Tony Snell , the Bucks currently project to have about $13M in cap room, as I noted in my preview of Milwaukee's offseason this morning. However, the team is expected to use that room to try to re-sign Brook Lopez before going over the cap to lock up Khris Middleton and Malcolm Brogdon . The Bucks could open up additional cap room for Hill by waiving and stretching Jon Leuer or by trading away Ersan Ilyasova without taking back salary. Alternately, the team could use its current cap room to try to bring back Hill if Lopez signs elsewhere. If the Bucks aren't able to re-sign Hill, he should draw interest from several other teams. He had a strong postseason run in Milwaukee, averaging 11.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.8 APG with a .534/.417/.818 shooting line in 15 games (26.3 MPG). The Bulls are one team with interest, per K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune ( Twitter link ).


If you've given up on meal prep because you know your refrigerator will never look like those perfectly stocked ones you see on social media, guess again. Here's How 1 Dietitian Plans and Prepares Healthy Meals Each Week If you've given up on meal prep because you know your refrigerator will never look like those perfectly stocked ones you see on social media (seriously, who has time for that?), you'll be happy to hear that there is way more to this process than Instagram-worthy meals in tiny glass containers . With a surprisingly manageable amount of planning, you can put together a meal prep strategy that'll help you eat healthier all week long. And who better to get you on the meal prep train than someone who talks about food for a living? POPSUGAR spoke to Melissa Groves , RDN, LD, CLT, an integrative and functional medicine dietitian in Portsmouth, NH, to get the tips she uses with her clients and that she swears by in her own kitchen. With these simple hacks, you'll never stare into your fridge wondering what's for dinner again. Click through the slideshow above to learn how. Make Your Cart Reflect Your Plate It sounds simple enough, but have you ever thought about whether the food in your cart is as well-proportioned as your plate? "If you are aiming to make half your plate fruits and veggies , then half of your cart should be fruits and veggies, too," Melissa told POPSUGAR. The rest of your cart should be split evenly between whole grains or starchy vegetables (like potatoes and sweet potatoes) and protein. If you're on the keto diet , you may swap out the whole grains and potatoes for avocados and nonstarchy vegetables. If you're vegetarian , you might throw some plant-based proteins like beans and tofu in your cart. Even though your cart may look a little different depending on your diet, the basic principles of this shopping method are pretty much universal. Keep Your Meal Plan Flexible We're all about meal planning (anything to stop us from throwing random candy bars into the cart at checkout), but Melissa suggests not setting your plan in stone before you shop. "I always recommend making a flexible plan when you're writing out your grocery list," she said. For example, you might write down fish, green veggie, and starch on your list so you've got some room to play around once you see what looks best, what's on sale, and what's in season . "If you had your heart set on kale, but the kale looks kind of sad that week, you can easily pick up bok choy or chard instead without feeling like you threw off your whole plan," Melissa said. Don't Forget Your Snacks "One thing most people forget to plan for when they're meal prepping is snacks," Melissa said. You know you're going to get hungry, so you might as well have some healthy snacks prepped and ready to go, right? Melissa's favorites include individual hummus and guacamole cups, nuts (she likes to switch up the variety from week to week), and protein bars. She also believes that you should leave room for a few treats. "An overall healthy diet has plenty of room to include the occasional treat like dark chocolate or, my personal favorite, coconut-based cookies." You don't have to tell us twice! Make Sure Your Pantry Is Well-Stocked Eating healthy isn't just about the fresh foods you buy at the grocery store each week. Melissa encourages her clients to stock up on healthy pantry items when they're on sale. "Having canned chickpeas, tuna, diced tomatoes, whole grain or bean-based pastas, and good cooking oils in your cabinet means you'll always be able to whip up a healthy meal even when 'there's nothing to eat,'" she said. Eat the Freshest Foods First If you're guilty of letting produce brown and wilt in the back of your fridge, listen up! "Plan to eat the foods that will go bad fastest earlier in the week," Melissa said. "You want to eat fish, berries, and any pre-cut veggies (like zoodles or cubed squash) in the first couple of days after going to the market." Sturdier foods like broccoli, sweet potatoes, and spaghetti squash last longer, so save those for later in the week. "There's also no shame in buying frozen foods ! Frozen broccoli and peas are lifesavers when you run out of fresh vegetables, and frozen salmon burgers or shrimp are smart protein choices for later in the week," Melissa explained.


MADISON - Conservatives who control the state Supreme Court expressed skepticism Wednesday that Republican lawmakers acted unconstitutionally when they held a lame-duck session in December to curb the powers of the incoming Democratic governor. The high court   controlled 4-3 by conservatives   must decide whether a method lawmakers have used to bring themselves into session for nearly 40 years is valid. GOP legislators contend a ruling against them could cause hundreds of other laws passed since 1980 to fall. Some of the conservatives appeared dubious at the notion that lawmakers couldn't hold session whenever they saw fit, as those who have sued the state argue. "Doesn't (a provision of the state constitution) mean the Legislature can determine for itself when it meets?" asked Justice Rebecca Bradley. Likewise, Justice Daniel Kelly noted the state constitution allows lawmakers to establish their own rules for how they operate. The lawmakers' work schedule "seems to be rules of its own proceedings, doesn't it?" he asked. Chief Justice Patience Roggensack also appeared suspicious of the arguments brought by those suing over the lame-duck session, but the court's fourth conservative, Justice Annette Ziegler, stayed quiet during the arguments. Two of the liberal justices signaled they agreed with those bringing the lawsuit. The case is one of three challenges over the recent lame-duck laws that courts are considering. The state Supreme Court has taken an aspect of one of the other cases but hasn't said when it will hold arguments. The third case is in federal court. All three are aimed at undoing laws Republicans passed after Democrats won all statewide offices but before they were sworn in. Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul contend the measures improperly took authority away from them and groups backing them filed the lawsuits. RELATED: Lame-duck scorecard: Where the cases stand in the fight over GOP laws limiting Wisconsin governor RELATED: Second judge blocks parts of Wisconsin GOP lame-duck laws limiting Democrats' power The laws are broad. They require a committee of legislators, rather than the attorney general, to sign off on any court settlements; put lawmakers in charge of signing off on any changes to public benefits programs; require the Evers administration to rewrite thousands of government documents and websites; and give lawmakers the ability to more easily block rules written by the Evers administration and intervene in lawsuits challenging state laws. The case argued Wednesday was brought by the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities and Disability Rights Wisconsin. Their lawsuit centers on how legislators brought themselves into session. To pass the lame-duck laws, legislators held what's known as an extraordinary session, in which they bring themselves to the Capitol when they're not scheduled to be there. The groups argue such sessions aren't allowed because the state constitution says lawmakers can meet only when called into a special session by the governor or as "provided by law." State law does not explicitly describe extraordinary sessions. Misha Tseytlin, the attorney for the lawmakers, argued legislators are allowed to hold extraordinary sessions because they establish a schedule at the beginning of each two-year term that says they can hold meetings at any time. He contended lawmakers effectively were in a nonstop meeting for two years, with the lame-duck session an extension of a meeting that began in January 2017. Two liberal justices were skeptical of that claim, saying legislators were trying to erase any differences between extraordinary and regular sessions despite distinguishing between the two for years. "How can regular sessions be extraordinary?" Justice Rebecca Dallet asked. "In fourth-grade nomenclature, special isn't regular," Justice Ann Walsh Bradley said. But Kelly countered that the terms lawmakers use are less important than the authority they have to determine when they meet. Lawmakers appear to have the power to establish a schedule that is "broad and amorphous" if they want, he said. Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess in March determined those bringing the lawsuit were likely to succeed and invalidated the lame-duck laws. An appeals court reinstated them that month, but some of the lame-duck laws are still sidelined because of rulings in other cases. The Supreme Court last month agreed to take the case before the appeals court finished its work on it. It is expected to rule by this summer. RELATED: Wisconsin Supreme Court takes up lawsuit over lame-duck laws, putting one case on a fast track RELATED: Tony Evers, Josh Kaul move to exit Obamacare lawsuit after judge blocks GOP lame-duck laws RELATED: Second judge blocks parts of Wisconsin GOP lame-duck laws limiting Democrats' power In August, the conservative majority on the court will expand from 4-3 to 5-2 because conservative Judge Brian Hagedorn will replace retiring liberal Justice Shirley Abrahamson. Abrahamson did not ask any questions Wednesday. Also at issue in the case is the state Senate's confirmations during the lame-duck session of 82 appointments made by former Gov. Scott Walker. Niess in March blocked the confirmations, but the Supreme Court last month found the Walker appointees could continue in their posts for now. RELATED: Wisconsin Supreme Court restores appointments made by Scott Walker in legal battle over lame-duck action RELATED: Judge eliminates Wisconsin early voting limits approved by GOP lawmakers during lame-duck session Lawmakers have said a ruling against them could endangerlaws that have been passed in extraordinary sessions over the last four decades. Legislators have used extraordinary sessions to pass hundreds of laws, including ones toughening penalties for child sex offenders and providing public funding for the Fiserv Forum, the new Milwaukee Bucks arena that will host the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The Supreme Court is also considering an initial appeal of a second case, brought by unions, that contends some of the lame-duck laws violate the state constitution's separation-of-powers doctrine. In that case, Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington in March blocked some of those laws. The Supreme Court hasn't indicated when it will hold arguments or rule on the initial appeal in that case. A trial in Dane County is scheduled to begin June 12 and it's unclear if the Supreme Court will act on the case before then. U.S. District Judge James Peterson is considering a third case that argues the lame-duck laws violate the First Amendment rights of Democrats. That case, filed by the state Democratic Party, is in its early stages. Peterson in a separate case in January blocked early voting limits that were included in one of the lame-duck laws. That ruling has not been appealed. Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley . Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. Top Headlines: GOP set to pass abortion restrictions as some back easier birth control access Wisconsin lawmakers honor kidnap victim Jayme Closs as a hero Packers' young coaching staff clicking with veterans Unsolved: Binge our true-crime series on the 1998 murder of Father Kunz FOLLOW THE JOURNAL SENTINEL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Lame-duck laws: Conservative justices skeptical GOP acted improperly


Members of a family are recovering from burns they suffered during a fire Thursday night at their home in Hamilton. But for Tony Kirk, Ashley Sheibly and their daughter, it could have been much worse. "It will tear a father down whenever he sees his little girl hurt," said Kirk. "It wasn't how we planned the night to go, you know." A grease fire in the kitchen led to Kirk getting first-, second- and third-degree burns on his face, arm and hand. Scheibly has similar injuries, but the parents are less concerned about their own injuries and more concerned about their 2-year-old daughter, Mya. "She's a trooper," said Kirk. "She's hanging in there. We're praying for a recovery. We're just going to hope and pray." The parents said a late-night snack led to their scary evening. "Within 10 seconds of me turning my back, it shot up in flames," said Kirk. "I tried to get it outside and it exploded on us." That is when next-door neighbor Kim Woods jumped into action to help. The parents said medical background was a godsend. "Yeah, of course I was scared because a baby was involved," said Woods. "But instinct set in quickly." Woods said she heard the mother scream and just ran over. Woods began medical treatment especially on little Mya, until paramedics arrived. "She took it better than anyone could imagine, but she had really bad burns," said Woods. READ MORE: Family recovering after suffering burns in kitchen grease fire CHECK OUT WLWT: Stay in the know. Get the latest Cincinnati news, weather and sports from the team at Ohio's own WLWT.


From 1969 to 1972, six NASA missions named for the Greek god Apollo successfully landed 12 men on the surface of the moon; Neil, "Buzz," two men named Alan, two men named Charles, Edgar, David, James, John, Jack and Eugene. At the time of Neil and Buzz's 1969 moonwalk, Libertyville author and former rocket test engineer Suzanne Slade was 4 years old. She remembers none of it. She does remember three years later, when Eugene and Jack - the last of the men to have walked the moon - made their trip out of earth and back. "It was almost unbelievable," she said. Now, nearly 50 years later, NASA has set out on a mission that would have then been considered even more unbelievable - to land the first woman on the moon. But this is not another Apollo mission. This new program is named Artemis, after the Greek goddess of the moon and Apollo's twin sister. The goal is to not just make a return visit to the moon's surface by 2024, but to create a sustainable U.S. presence there by 2028. The "first woman and next man" will step foot on the moon's southern pole, a place no human has gone before. Following the Columbia space shuttle tragedy in 2003, NASA's mind and money have been long set on Mars. However, President Donald Trump, in 2017, ordered the agency to redirect its focus back to the moon. A sustainable moon base could serve as a necessary pit-stop once Mars missions begin. NASA took up the Trump administration's mission and responded with a plan to have humans on the moon by 2028. This was "just not good enough" for Vice President Mike Pence, who in March urged NASA to speed up the timeline. The year 2024 became the new target, theoretically falling just in time for the end of a second Trump presidential term. As of March 2019, of the more than 500 people who have flown to space, just 64 have been women. The first woman was Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. Twenty years later, in June 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. Mae Jemison followed in 1992 as the first black woman in space. Growing up in Goshen, Ind., during the late 1960s to early '70s height of the Space Age, Slade knew of no women in the science field, let alone women who had gone to space. Still, she remembers sneaking away in coat closets to work on math workbooks for fun. Slade's parents supported her interests and after graduating from Valparaiso University with a mechanical engineering degree in 1986, she went on to work at McDonnell Douglas Space Systems as a test engineer. One day, shortly after arriving at the company, Slade and a couple of colleagues gathered for a rocket component test. She could not understand why they were all standing around, waiting to begin the test. She asked a colleague about the holdup. "We are waiting for the test engineer, he hasn't showed up yet," the man said. Slade pointed to herself, "He's here," she said. "We can start." After seven years as a mechanical engineer, Slade made the career switch to become a children's book author. "I started reading my children those wonderful, beautifully illustrated picture books," Slade said. "I remembered how much I loved them and decided I would like to give it a try." Eighty rejection letters and eight years later, Slade broke into the publishing industry and quickly filled a gap in children's literature. "I found that there weren't many (children's) writers who were interested in writing about science," she said. "That's how I was able to break in." Since then, Slade has authored more than 100 children's books, many about science. In March, she released "A Computer Called Katherine," a biography of mathematician Katherine Johnson. Johnson's calculations on orbital mechanics - as dramatized in the film "Hidden Figures" - made the Apollo missions of the '60s and '70s possible. "Katherine knew it was wrong that African Americans didn't have the same rights as others - as wrong as 5+5=12. She knew it was wrong that people thought women could only be teachers or nurses - as wrong as 10-5=3," the book summary reads. This year, in anticipation of the 50th Apollo 11 mission anniversary, Slade released "Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon." She looks forward to the addition of a woman to this selective troop. "It would be out of this world," she said, with a laugh. "Not only for the contribution she would make to science and to exploration, but also to show young girls, women and the world, that women are capable astronauts." "Astronaut Annie," Slade's first fiction book, released in 2018, tells the story of Annie, a girl who dreams of exploring the solar system. On May 4, the book was launched into space aboard SpaceX CRS-17. An audio recording of astronauts reading the book will be shared on Story Time From Space, https://storytimefromspace.com/ . "Young girls of any background and race need to know they can achieve whatever they would like to," Slade said. "(They can) make valuable contributions in all STEM fields." Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com


The PHT Stanley C up tracker will keep tabs on how the St. Louis Blues spend their summer celebrating. We're back once again and on the trail of the Stanley Cup, which is traveling around the world this summer in the hands of the St. Louis Blues. According to the Blues, the Cup will travel nearly 29,000 miles across three continents and five countries over the next two months. This week, the Cup was in Western Canada, visiting head coach Craig Berube's' quaint hometown in Alberta and in Regina, where Brayden Schenn and Co. took the mug to Mosaic Stadium, the home of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Cup made its way to Busch Stadium two weeks ago as several of the Blues players hoisted it in front of thousands of St. Louis Cardinals fans. And here's Conn Smythe winner Ryan O'Reilly throwing out the game's first pitch. Ryan O'Reilly, with a high leg kick, throws a strike for the ceremonial first pitch. #StanleyCup | #TimeToFly | #stlblues pic.twitter.com/8ZzYtKVh8D   FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) June 26, 2019 Brayden Schenn got his day with the Cup in Saskatoon on Friday and took it right to the place where his father has worked for 28 years as a firefighter. Schenn was seen wearing a firefighter helmet during the Blues' parade with the Cup back in June. "You always think if I win the Cup, you put the thoughts in your head of what I would do with it," Schenn told the team's website . "My dad is a firefighter, so this was important to me. I'm trying to do my best sharing it with a lot of people today." He also took it Royal University Hospital where he met with sick children, including 16-year-old John Bossaer. Brayden Schenn took the #StanleyCup to Royal University Hospital on Friday and met 16-year-old John Bossaer. Brayden: "So you a hockey fan?" John: "Yeah." Brayden: "Who's your team?" John: "The Sharks." Brayden: "Well we beat them, so…" pic.twitter.com/kW2EafQwOK   St. Louis Blues 🏆 (@StLouisBlues) July 5, 2019 The Cup then headed a few hours south, where Tyler Bozak and Jaden Schwartz shared their day with the Cup with the city of Regina on Saturday. The duo planted a Blues flag on the Saskatchewan Legislative Building. They then headed to where people where melons on their heads: Mosaic Stadium. There, they paraded the trophy in front of thousands of Saskatchewan Roughriders fans who had assembled for the Canadian Football League's game against the Calgary Stampeders. There wasn't much to cheer for during the football game for fans   the Roughriders lost 37-10   but Bozak and Schwartz, along with Schenn, got the crowd into a frenzy. Earlier in the week, the Cup was a province over in Alberta. Craig Berube, fresh off a three-year extension as bench boss with the Blues, took the Cup back to his hometown of Calahoo, Alta. It's not a big place   the thriving metropolis boasts a population of just 85   but they were all out to congratulate Berube. "We all grew up here," Berube told the team's website . "My dad and brothers lived on this farm or just down the road. We were grain farmers, cattle farmers, we had it all here, that's how we grew up. It's changed now, but still my dad lives here with his brothers and my uncle built a 9-hole golf course on the property over there. "Every summer I come back once or twice, and when we play Edmonton I come back and visit if I have the chance. But this is the most special trip so far for me." His mother, meanwhile, was just as thrilled. "I never dreamt it. Unreal," said Ramona Berube, Craig's mother . "I never thought of something like this (happening). It's just great for everybody who was down at the arena to see it. You can see how much it means to everybody." Colton Parayko , meanwhile, got his day with the Cup in St. Alberta, a city northwest of Edmonton. Parayko's day also included an emotional moment as he, along with his grandfather and family, toasted his grandma, who died last November after a battle with cancer. According to Parayko , a deal was made between grandmother and grandson that if the latter made the NHL one day, the former would take a shot of peach schnapps at her home in St. Albert any time he scored. With her passing, the family honored the tradition on Wednesday. "She was a special girl and she means a lot to me and my whole family," Parayko said. "With me not being in St. Albert here and playing in St. Louis, the shots were a way we could frequently connect (during hockey season). In the summer when I came home, she begged me to score a few extra ones for her." "We had such a wonderful life together. I wish she was here to see this." Meanwhile, the mayor of Boston, Martin Walsh, made a nice gesture to Laila Anderson this week , congratulating her and the Blues for their Stanley Cup win. Boston Mayor, Martin Walsh sends inspiring #stlblues fan Laila Anderson a personalized letter congratulating her on the Blues #StanleyCup win pic.twitter.com/988Sx5HRFW   Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) July 4, 2019 "Dear Laila   We have never met, so let me begin by introducing myself. My name is Marty and I am a passionate, lifelong Boston Bruins fan," Walsh wrote. "I am writing to you because a couple of weeks ago, I was at home, watching pre-game coverage of game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, when I saw a story about you, your love of the St. Louis Blues, how the Blues players' love you in return, and how you inspried an entire city and fan base. After watching the segment, I turned to my partner, Lorrie, and said, 'This stinks! I love the Bruins and I want them to win! … But I really want Laila to win, too!' "I don't know if you or your family plan to come back to Boston anytime soon, but if you should return please let me know as I would be very glad to meet you and your family and show you some more of Boston. I certainly can't promise you a cooler experience than standing on the Garden ice kissing the Stanley Cup, but Boston's a great city and would love to have you back." Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans have been taking to the blue cobblestone streets of the old city here demanding that Gov. Ricardo Rosselló resign amid allegations of corruption and the revelation of a scandalous group chat involving his inner circle. The protests, increasingly intense, are an outgrowth of widespread indignation that has challenged his administration's already tenuous credibility and imperiled the distribution of needed federal aid to a territory still reeling from disaster . The mobilization against Rosselló (PNP of Puerto Rico)   a 40-year-old politician who has refused to abandon the governor's mansion, known as the Fortress   represents one of the largest demonstrations of public repudiation of the Puerto Rican government in its history. It has resonated across the Caribbean island and its diaspora on the mainland and overseas, bringing together cultural icons such as Ricky Martin, artists like trap musician Bad Bunny and residents like Miriam Ramos Grateroles to denounce a man they say has betrayed their trust. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post "I have never participated in a protest before," Ramos Grateroles, 71, a retired defense attorney, said Wednesday as she steadied herself on a cane and vowed to stay until her legs gave out. "But enough is enough. Rosselló has disrespected the people of Puerto Rico, and if we don't come together and demand it, he won't leave." Frustration has been building here for years. Decades of fiscal ineptitude and economic stagnation led to ballooning public debt and bankruptcy. The federal government installed an unpopular and unelected federal oversight board to manage the U.S. territory's finances in a move decried by critics as paternalistic. Then, added to that man-made disaster, came Maria. The ferocious 2017 hurricane cut across the entire island , knocking out power for months, destroying already fragile infrastructure and sending people for refuge in Florida and New York and elsewhere. The sluggish aid response from local and federal authorities aggravated festering water, medicine and food shortages. An estimated 3,000 people died in the aftermath. The majority of the appropriated federal aid still has not yet reached Puerto Rico: Congress has approved $42 billion for the island's recovery, but just $13 billion of that money has been spent, and the scandals and upheaval have further strained the island's relationship with Washington. President Trump, who has been assailing the territorial government almost since Maria's landfall, renewed his ire Thursday, tweeting about the unrest, declaring that the governor was "under siege" and attacking San Juan's mayor, who has been a vocal critic of the president and his response to the hurricane. He repeated the incorrect "92 Billion Dollars" figure as the amount of hurricane relief aid distributed to Puerto Rico, saying it was "squandered away or wasted, never to be seen again." "I know the people of Puerto Rico well, and they are great," Trump tweeted. "But much of their leadership is corrupt, & robbing the U.S. Government blind!" While Puerto Ricans assemble peacefully in New York, Orlando, Barcelona, Madrid and other cities, the protests on the island turned chaotic and violent in the overnight darkness this week. Thousands of demonstrators packed into Old San Juan's narrow streets, tagging government buildings with "Ricky renuncia!" or "Resign Ricky!" Police in riot gear shot tear gas canisters to disperse throngs of masked young people crouched together in the old city's plaza, where they were trying to help treat those hit with rubber bullets. The air was full of sweat and acrid fumes, potent and persistent, much like many of the protesters who vowed to return each night the governor remains in office. "I've never seen anything like this," Hector Sierra said as he watched the protests devolve into pandemonium on television at a San Juan hotel early Thursday morning. "It breaks my heart, but I'm proud the people are standing up to the politicians." The governor said in a statement Thursday that he respects the protests as a democratic exercise but condemned those who have been using "incorrect methods and violence." But he made clear he intends to retain power. "I understand the challenge I have before me because of recent controversies, but I firmly believe it is possible to restore confidence and that we can, after this shameful and painful process, achieve reconciliation," Rosselló said. 'Sleeping giant' Rosselló largely had evaded the harshest criticism during the recovery, but in recent weeks he has faced political crises brought on by FBI corruption investigations and public allegations from a former cabinet secretary that Rosselló's government is an "institutional mafia" peddling influence through bribery, extortion and fraud. Then last week, Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism published nearly 900 pages of derisive comments Rosselló and his closest advisers made in a private group chat on the Telegram messaging app. The group of 12 men mocked female politicians, celebrities and journalists with sexist and homophobic invectives. The most offensive of all to protesters was a joke about dead bodies piling up in morgues after the hurricane. The crude commentary shared between Rosselló and what his critics call his "frat boy club" of Puerto Rico's elite political class laid bare an administration obsessed with its image and rooting out disloyalty. Members of the chat talked frankly about manipulating news coverage, trolling opponents on social media and orchestrating political retaliation that some experts say could merit a criminal investigation. "A sleeping giant of indignity has awakened," said Puerto Rico Sen. Eduardo Bhatia of the Popular Democratic Party, who is expected to run for governor and hopes to challenge Rosselló in 2020. "The chat was the alarm clock." The chat's derogatory content was, as goes a popular Puerto Rican saying, the final drop that tipped the glass. And what spilled over was rage, said 74-year-old Ingrid Tirado, whose cancer-stricken husband died after Hurricane Maria because he could not receive necessary treatment. "If you stay silent, you become an accomplice," Tirado said, who attended the massive Wednesday march in Old San Juan with her family. "He can no longer represent us." Rosselló has lost nearly all of his public support. Congressional Democrats, the leaders of the Puerto Rican Senate and House, religious groups and nearly every major figure in his party have encouraged the governor to step down. But in a two-hour news conference Tuesday, Rosselló defied calls for his resignation and dismissed the corruption accusations as a malady that afflicts every society. He did not say if he would run for reelection in 2020. Rosselló's apologies came a week after the FBI arrested six officials tied to the government, including Education Secretary Julia Keleher and the head of the Medicaid office, on charges those agencies steered millions of dollars in federally funded contracts to favored firms. FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Leff hinted this year that more investigations are in play and that it would be a busy summer for his San Juan agents. An FBI spokesman declined to elaborate. "It is has been very difficult and deeply painful," said Puerto Rico Sen. Zoé Laboy, a member of Rosselló's New Progressive Party. "The best thing for Puerto Rico is for the governor to step down and let us move on." The president of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, Carlos "Johnny" Méndez   one of the targets of the group chat's mockery   is assembling a committee to evaluate possible impeachment. A two-thirds vote is required to begin proceedings. But removing Rosselló presents a problem for Puerto Rico. Secretary of State Luis Rivera Marín was among the recent resignations following the chat's publication. He was next in line to the governorship. Christian Sobrino, Rosselló's finance guru and representative on the Financial Oversight and Management Board, also resigned after his participation in the group chat was revealed. That is particularly complex for Puerto Rico because it lost its most experienced representative on a board that is restructuring the territory's estimated $74 billion in debt. "There's still work to be done," said Natalie Jaresko, the board's executive director, adding that about two-thirds of the debt has been restructured so far. "We are making solid progress." Recovery at risk The potential power vacuum Rosselló's exit would bring worries Edgardo Roman, president of Puerto Rico's lawyers association. "The survival of the political system as we know it is at risk," he said. The scandals come at a particularly sensitive moment for the island. Thousands of Puerto Rico homes still rely on blue tarps to keep the rain out. In April, Rosselló asked House lawmakers for $15 billion to cover its Medicaid program for the next several years, noting its federal funding is set to begin drying up this September and could affect 1.5 million residents. The island is pleading for Congress to release the rest of the Hurricane Maria aid, just as the Atlantic prepares for another hurricane season. Every day Rosselló stays in power further erodes the credibility of the local government, giving federal agencies reason to put conditions on any public money afforded to the island, said Jay Fonseca, a popular commentator who has a nightly news show on local Puerto Rico television. "Trump was right," Fonseca said. "The saddest part of all this is that it helps justify any effort to delay or deny funding." Members of Congress such as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) have been careful to emphasize that beneficiaries of federal programs should not be punished. But federal lawmakers reacted to the chaos by advancing stricter oversight measures for Puerto Rico. Rep. Greg Walden (Ore.), the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, won approval Wednesday for his plan to impose a slew of additional safeguards on federal funding. Those new provisions included mandatory audits of Puerto Rico's Medicaid program for "waste, fraud and abuse," as well as a new requirement that the island's government create a tracking system for the allocation of all federal funds. "This certainly doesn't help," Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) said of the corruption allegations. "We need to root it out, but that doesn't mean we just stop helping people." Noel Zamot, a retired U.S. Air Force officer who served as revitalization coordinator for the fiscal board, said the political instability could slow Puerto Rico's recovery, affecting private investment and causing multinational firms to question whether doing business on the island is worth it. The protests already have caused cruise ships to skip San Juan. Zamot, who resigned in February frustrated by what he experienced working with Rosselló's government, has shared information with federal authorities. "It's fair to say that based on my experience with government officials, that Rosselló's administration has made Puerto Rico their economic playground," he said. "This all will have a material effect on the recovery." Underlying the rage propelling people to the streets is a quiet fear that the unrest might not settle, further upending a territory that has been conflicted about its future and its relationship to the U.S. mainland. Puerto Rico   a spoil of the 1898 Spanish-American War   achieved a measure of autonomy nearly 70 years ago from the U.S. Congress. But as an unincorporated U.S. territory of more than 3 million U.S. citizens, many argue it is still a colony subject to the will of the federal government. People such as Rafael Capo Garcia, a public school teacher, worry that instability here increases the chances that Washington could impose its will on the island. "I'm worried that people will think Puerto Ricans cannot govern themselves," he said. arelis.hernandez@washpost.com jeff.stein@washpost.com Stein reported from Washington.


The Ravens knew this offseason they were building around quarterback Lamar Jackson , so everything was renovated specifically for him. Part of that process was adapting the playbook, from the plays themselves to what they were called. According to Jarrett Bell of USA Today , part of new offensive coordinator Greg Roman's job this offseason was getting rid of the 25-word play calls of former coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, streamlining things for Jackson. "Yeah, because last year there were games when I wasn't in command ," Jackson said. "I'd come in last year kind of nervous, because there are grown men looking at you, depending on you to help them feed their family. "Now I'm a lot more comfortable just saying different things on different plays to let my guys know where they need to be." Saying fewer words in the huddle helps, but coach John Harbaugh said it's also a matter of getting Jackson comfortable with new material. "In order for it to make sense, you have to organize it," Harbaugh said. Jackson did a good job adapting on the fly last year, leading the Ravens to six wins in his seven starts in relief of Joe Flacco , which is why they were so willing to change things to suit him this offseason.


President Donald Trump says the United States is putting additional sanctions on Iran and that he would support a course of action to "make Iran great again" should Tehran agree to a nuclear weapons ban. "We're putting additional sanctions on, they're going on slowly and, in some cases, pretty rapidly, but additional sanctions are being put on Iran," the President told reporters on the South Lawn Saturday before departing to Camp David. "Some of them are already in place," he added, though he didn't elaborate further on the details of the sanctions. In a tweet later Saturday, Trump specified, "We are putting major additional Sanctions on Iran on Monday." He told reporters Saturday that he believes further sanctions will drive Iran to the bargaining table with the United States, calling Iran an "economic mess" that is "going through hell." "The sanctions have hit them hard -- more sanctions are going to be put on them, a lot more," the President told reporters. The President said he is "getting a lot of praise" for his abrupt decision to reverse course and not carry out the Iran strike following the downing of a US drone Thursday. Trump said Friday that he called off the attack on Iran -- with the US "cocked & loaded"-- ten minutes before the strike because he decided there would be too many deaths for a proportionate response to the downing of an American drone. Trump attacked the Iran nuclear deal that was negotiated under former President Barack Obama, adding that it was important to him "to start all over" and that "we could have a deal with them very quickly if they wanted to." Slideshow by photo services "If Iran wants to become a wealthy nation again, become a prosperous nation, we'll call it, 'let's make Iran great again,'" Trump said. "Does that make sense? Make Iran great again, it's okay with me." Trump stressed that "all I want is no nuclear weapons," adding that he knew "a lot about nuclear" and assuring reporters that Iran would not have such weapons. "And when they agree to that, they are going to have a wealthy country. They're going to be so happy, and I'm going to be their best friend," Trump said, cautioning that while he hopes that happens, "it may not." Trump said Saturday that he will be having meetings and "a series of very well-connected phone calls" at the presidential retreat to discuss Iran. The White House has not released who will be involved in these meetings or calls. The President said national security adviser John Bolton is "definitely" a "hawk" but that he is listening to his entire team. Trump said Bolton has "taken a tough posture," but he is doing a good job. Five White House staffers were seen boarding Marine One with the President, including assistant to the President Dan Scavino. The White House said that the President landed at Camp David just after 11 a.m. on Saturday. Trump said he will be spending the night at Camp David and returning to the White House "sometime tomorrow."


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. It's remarkable: A number of polls suggest that Democratic voters now consider climate change to be a top-tier issue , as important as health care. Perhaps even more remarkably, the party's presidential candidates seem to be taking that interest seriously. Jay Inslee has staked his candidacy on the issue; Beto O'Rourke has used a climate proposal to revive his flagging campaign; and Elizabeth Warren has cited the warming planet across a wide set of her famous plans. This week, Joe Biden joined their ranks, releasing a lengthy climate plan on his website. Though Reuters teased his policy last month as a "middle ground" approach more moderate than the Green New Deal, the proposal looks pretty aggressive and sounds almost Bernie Sanders esque in its ambition. What the United States needs, Biden says, is a "clean energy revolution." That revolution's main objective: achieving a "100% clean energy economy" in the United States by the year 2050. It's an ambitious goal, both more stringent and longer-sighted than what the previous Democratic White House which Biden unfailingly calls the "Obama-Biden administration" pledged under the Paris Agreement on climate change. To meet its old Paris target, the United States had to cut its annual carbon emissions by 1.3 percentage points every year between 2016 and 2025. To meet the 2050 goal, it must cut at more than double that rate 2.9 percentage points for each of the next 31 years. [ Read: Why Beto's climate plan is so surprising ] Of course, pending both a revision to the Twenty-Second Amendment and a surge of investment in brain-in-a-jar technology, Biden will not be president 31 years from now. He does not propose a specific binding mandate, such as a carbon tax or cap-and-trade regime, to carry the country all the way to that midcentury goal. Instead, Biden says he will work hard to point the federal ship of state toward climate action. He promises to implement a muscular set of executive orders on his first day in the White House. He will require public companies to disclose climate-incurred costs, deploy the federal government's purchasing power on the side of clean energy, and restrict the release of the super-powerful greenhouse-gas methane from oil and gas wells. He will also "require any federal permitting decision to consider the effects of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change" a policy that could have led to a different outcome in the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipeline battles . Biden also promises to wring $1.7 trillion in investment from Congress, "the largest-ever investment in clean energy research and innovation." This money will fund a new technology-development program modeled on the Pentagon's R&D agency, DARPA. This new "ARPA-C" will focus on the big and mostly unsolved challenges of decarbonization, such as electricity storage, advanced nuclear power, carbon capture, aviation emissions, and zero-carbon cement and steel manufacturing. The long-time Amtrak commuter would also push Congress to "spark the second great railroad revolution," catching up to high-speed rail in Europe and China. He says he will halve rail-travel times between New York and Washington and extend his old train line the Northeast Corridor into the "fast-growing South." Finally, Biden says he will use the various instruments of global governance, including the International Monetary Fund, to pressure China and India to reduce their carbon emissions. I have not glossed all the details here; the full proposal exceeds 10,000 words although, as Business Insider and The Daily Caller have reported, the plan appears to have lifted language directly from climate advocacy groups in at least five different places. (Biden's campaign says the error was inadvertent and that the proper citations have now been added.) As the political scientist Leah Stokes has remarked , those lapses suggest the policy was compiled hastily, almost in reaction to other candidates' work. And there is plenty of other work to draw from. Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington who is running for president on a single-issue climate campaign , can claim to have a more detailed and ambitious proposal than Biden. Today, Inslee debuted a plan to reenter the Paris Agreement and enshrine climate at the center of U.S. diplomacy. It runs to more than 50 pages single-spaced. Inslee earlier outlined his aim to decarbonize some parts of the U.S. economy by the 2030s, and he has endorsed some aspects of the Green New Deal. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Green New Deal's champion, told a reporter yesterday that Inslee's plan is the "golden standard." (Inslee's plan is also untainted by plagiarism accusations.) If anyone comes close to Inslee-level detail, it's Elizabeth Warren, who also announced an ambitious climate policy yesterday . Like her other climate plans, which have targeted the Pentagon and public-land management  the one seems, at first, to focus on another issue. Warren calls this issue "economic patriotism." Under its banner, the Massachusetts senator and presidential candidate proposes a huge new program of climate-friendly manufacturing investment, meant to turn the United States back into a major industrial exporter; she would spread R&D funding across all regions of the country and focus American trade policy on maintaining its exporting power. This program would go hand-in-hand with her also-just-debuted " Green Manufacturing Plan ," which promises to allocate $1.5 trillion in federal spending on climate-friendly technology. She would also use federal power to encourage other countries to purchase this new American gear. Essentially, Warren wants to bring Germany or South Korea's mixed-economy model to the United States and then point it at the challenge of climate change. As I wrote in February , this suite of approaches often called industrial policy, though Warren brands it as "economic development"  has roots in the ideas of Alexander Hamilton. It's also clearly inspired by the same economic thinker, Mariana Mazzucato, who inspired Ocasio-Cortez and her allies' thinking about the Green New Deal . [ Read: A centuries-old idea could revolutionize climate policy ] Which is no coincidence. Even if neither Biden nor Warren become president, their proposals demonstrate how the Green New Deal seems to be winning the battle of ideas among Democrats, at least for now. On his website, Biden even praises Ocasio-Cortez's proposal by name, calling it "a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face." And both his plan and the Warren plan  and the Inslee climate plan , and Beto O'Rourke's proposal  adopt its theory of change, emphasizing that gushing federal investment can help the U.S. economy solve the problem of climate change. All four proposals, to varying degrees, promise a new age of plenty, a dawning era of renewed American dauntlessness. And they show how the window of political possibility has already moved significantly, such that Biden's $1.5 trillion in climate-focused federal spending can start to seem moderate to right-wing observers. In the Washington Examiner yesterday, the conservative writer Tiana Lowe paid relatively high praise to Biden's plan . Unlike the Green New Deal, she said, Biden's proposal was "not insane," but a "legitimate, big-boy climate change plan" in its own right. She complimented its mention of nuclear power and focus on Chinese and Indian emissions. Lowe should look more discerningly: Any Democrat, except for maybe Bernie Sanders, would fund advanced nuclear approaches, and all of them would undoubtedly try to nudge down Asian pollution. Yet compared to the Green New Deal, those relatively milquetoast climate policies may suddenly seem friendly and effective to the right. "If nothing were executed into action here except for the international aspect, nuclear research and development, and the infrastructure developments that [Biden] details, it would do more to decrease greenhouse gas emissions in real life than any $93 trillion Green New Deal," Lowe wrote. That may come as news to actual supporters of a Green New Deal, who know a victory when they see one. In the opinion of the youth-led Sunrise Movement, Biden's plan was far better than the "middle-ground" proposal he was considering last month. "We forced [Biden] to backtrack and today, he put out a comprehensive climate plan that praises the Green New Deal," they tweeted yesterday. It is not the last time, I suspect, that a self-described moderate Democrat will find themselves praising that "pie-in-the-sky" proposal.


Sven-Goran Eriksson is number 46 in 90min's Top 50 Great Managers of All Time series. Follow the rest of the series over the course of the next 10 weeks. You can find Andy Headspeath's career overview of Sven  here . In a management career that has spanned five decades and four continents, Sven-Goran Eriksson has worked with some of the finest talent ever seen on a football field. From England's 'Golden Generation' to Lazio's big spenders, peak Ivory Coast to European Cup finalists Benfica, it's hard to think of many (if any) coaches who have had the pleasure of working with such a varied array of talent across as many generations. Ruud Gullit, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Didier Drogba are just a few stars who don't make the cut, as we continue 90min's Top 50 Greatest Managers of All Time series, with an XI of Sven's greatest ever players. Goalkeeper & Defenders Gianluca Pagliuca - The famous Italian stopper played under Eriksson at Sampdoria winning the Coppa Italia in 1994. The same year, Pagliuca was Italy's starting keeper as they reached the World Cup final in the USA. No goalkeeper has saved more penalties in Serie A history (24). Gary Neville - Described by Sven himself as 'Mr. Reliable' for England, Neville was one of precious few who didn't suffer a drop off in form at international level. An eight-time Premier League winner, Neville also lifted the 1999 and 2008 Champions Leagues with Manchester United. Alessandro Nesta - One of the best defenders of all time, Nesta rose through the ranks at Lazio where he became captain under Sven and later won the Champions League twice at AC Milan. An immensely elegant yet tough defender, Nesta has a World Cup winners medal from 2006 but missed most of the tournament through injury. Sinisa Mihajlovic - Uncompromising in defence or midfield, Mihajlovic also had a wicked left foot and is still the joint holder of the most goals from free kicks in Serie A history. The Serbian, who played under Eriksson at Sampdoria and Lazio, once said he may not have played football if there were no free kicks. Ashley Cole - The best left back in the world in his peak, Cole won the three Premier League titles (and was an 'Invincible' at Arsenal in 2004), seven FA Cups (the most of any player in history) and the 2013 Champions League, as well as 107 England caps - many coming under Eriksson. Midfielders  David Beckham - Beckham still had some work to do to get the public (or at least the tabloid press) back on his side when Sven took charge of England in 2001. Bestowed with the captaincy, he became the Three Lions most dedicated performer and the man the country looked to for the big occasions. His status and legacy in football is pretty much unparalleled. Falcao - The Brazilian midfield general was nicknamed the eighth king of Rome during his time in the Italian capital with Roma and described by Sven as a 'truly fantastic footballer'. In his career, he won multiple trophies in Italy and Brazil. Juan Sebastian Veron - La Brujita (the Little Witch) like Falcao was a commanding engine room star from South America. He was signed twice by Eriksson for Sampdoria and later Lazio. A driving force from midfield, the Argentine was a key player in the 2000 Scudetto win. Pavel Nedved - A key player in Sven's Scudetto-winning Lazio side, Nedved went on to win two more titles with Juventus, before famously sticking with the Turin side during Calciopoli and demotion to Serie B. Now vice chairman Juve, the Czech winger won the Ballon d'Or in 2003. Forwards Roberto Mancini - Described as an 'artist' by Sven, Mancini was a fiery but supremely skilled forward, a generational talent, who lit up Serie A at its pomp. Often playing off the striker or in attacking midfield, Mancini finished playing with 156 top flight goals in Italy - and is 20th on the all-time top scorers' list. Wayne Rooney - England's golden boy. Eriksson made a plea in his final press conference as Three Lions boss calling on the press not to 'kill' the young striker. The advice was not entirely heeded but Rooney still won five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, the Champions League and is both Manchester United and England's all-time leading goalscorer. Number 50: Marcelo Bielsa: The Argentina Manager's All Time Best XI Number 49: Vic Buckingham: The English Manager's All Time Best XI Number 48: Claudio Ranieri: The Tinkerman's All Time Best XI Number 47:  Bill Nicholson: The Tottenham Legend's All Time Best XI


After the apocalypse, your big, fancy television will be dead--no power, no TV. So loot the corpse and use its parts to build the original broadcast entertainment: radio. A radio transmitter sends information across a room, or an ocean, by creating a carrier wave of alternating current. Modulating the amplitude, or height, of that wave with an electrical signal (like the one produced by a microphone) encodes sound. Amplitude modulation (AM) was the first radio broadcast method and is still in wide use. To pick up radio waves, I needed a receiver to isolate the signal representing audio. I built a simple crystal radio from a hulking Zenith television I found on the street. First, the radio required an antenna--the larger, the better--so I harvested wire from the TV and ran it up two flights of stairs, out the window, and down the side of the building. Next, I built a tuned circuit to match the frequency of the carrier wave from any given station. I coiled magnet wire from the Zenith's shielding shroud around a nonconducting center, a.k.a. a beer bottle. Then, I sanded conductive points along the coil and rigged a movable connector. By changing contact points, I could change the length of the coil until I matched the desired frequency. Pairing the coil with an adjustable capacitor made from tubes of tinfoil and paper strengthened the reception. I moved the tubes to adjust the radio's volume. The circuit then needed a diode--I found a geranium one in the TV's circuit boards. It changed the carrier wave into direct current, leaving the signal behind. Finally, a ground connection completed the circuit. But I still needed a way to listen. Since the radio pulled electricity entirely from the radio waves, it didn't have enough power for normal headphones. A buzzer from a broken alarm clock did the trick, and I didn't mind the tinny sound. I was somewhat shocked that the assembled radio worked. Next up is building a radio transmitter so when all media collapses, I'll be set to entertain myself. This article was originally published in the May 2015 issue of Popular Science, under the title "A Radio Built From A Junked TV."


49ers defensive end and No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa will miss at least the preseason after suffering an ankle sprain, as general manager John Lynch told KNBR ( Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com). Initial reports suggested Bosa's sprain was a minor issue, but Lynch's comments suggests that may not be the case. Lynch called the injury a "significant" sprain, and while he noted Bosa doesn't have a full-blown high ankle sprain, the rookie pass-rusher's injury does have "elements" of a high ankle sprain, which can often take a while to fully heal. It's unclear if Bosa will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, and Lynch seemed unsure if the Ohio State will be available. "We won't see in the preseason and we'll go from there. … We'll get him right and he'll be a great player for a long time in this league," Lynch said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area ( Twitter link ). Going without their first-round pick for any amount of time isn't ideal, but the 49ers do have depth along their defensive line. If Bosa is forced to miss regular season action, Dee Ford , Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas would all likely see increased snaps along the edge.


High Point Police surrounded a home on Arden Place while attempting to serve an armed man 'mental commitment' papers Wednesday morning. Around 8 a.m., police were seen around a house on Arden Place near Woodside Avenue in High Point. Officers responded as a precaution after they learned a firearm was inside the home. Police talked to the man over the phone and say he refused to leave when asked. Authorities were working to serve the man. After between two to three hours, officers were able to convince the man to leave the home without incident. No issues were reported in the communication between police and the man. Police say the man will be getting a mental evaluation. No one was injured. Follow WFMY News 2 on Facebook and Twitter ► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WFMY News 2 App: Apple Users , Android Users


Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari had an emergency appendectomy on Saturday, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando . Despite the operation, Gallinari still plans to participate in the World Cup and is expected to report to training camp for the Italian National Team in mid-August. Gallinari was involved in one of this summer's most important transactions, being shipped from the Clippers to Oklahoma City along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a package of draft picks in the trade that brought Paul George to L.A. and convinced Kawhi Leonard to sign with the Clippers. Gallinari, who turns 31 later this week, will make $22.6M next season in the final year of his contract and could be a popular name on the trade market if the Thunder fall out of playoff contention. He posted a 19.8/6.1/2.6 line in 68 games last season. Related slideshow: Raptors' championship parade (provided by imagn)


A fiber-rich diet has long been recommended by health experts to people trying to stay healthy and active. And there is a new reason to enjoy this approach, especially for women during pregnancy. A new study, published in the journal Nature Communications , suggests that fiber can help improve well-being of both the mother and child. Researchers said that during pregnancy gut bacteria helps break fiber into factors that support the immune system. "The mother's gut bacteria and diet appear to be crucial to promoting a healthy pregnancy," Ralph Nanan, senior study author and a professor at the University of Sydney, said in a statement . Fiber-rich diets promote better health in women and children by maintaining proper levels of acetate. The researchers found that lower levels of acetate, which comes from fiber fermentation in the gut, contribute to preeclampsia, a common and serious pregnancy-related condition. Preeclampsia causes high blood pressure, protein in the urine and severe swelling in the mother. The condition also harms the immune development of babies while in the womb that could lead to allergies and autoimmune disease later in their life, according to the study. Effects Of Preeclampsia & Prevention In the study, the researchers said that the condition mainly affected the development of thymus in babies. This organ plays a key role in the immune system of children. Thymus supports the production of T cells, which work to prevent allergies and autoimmune conditions, such as diabetes. The researchers said that the cells were low in babies affected by preeclampsia even four years after delivery. However, simple changes to the diet of mothers could help prevent the condition. Consumption of fiber could trigger production of more acetate that then supports the development of thymus and T cells in babies. In lab tests with mice, the researchers saw the effects of fiber by promoting specific metabolic products of gut bacteria during pregnancy. Results showed that the approach helped maintain healthy pregnancy. The researchers noted more studies are required to better understand how fiber-rich diets can help reduce immune related diseases in the future. The team said that the latest study comes amid the growing rates of allergies and autoimmune conditions in the U.S. due to high consumption of processed foods, which lack fiber. Related video: Why do pregnant women get sweaty? Jenna and Willie chat (Provided by TODAY)


One last hurdle in booking Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier has been cleared. The Nevada State Athletic Commission today approved a 35-day reduction in the current suspensions of Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Zubaira Tukhugov , NSAC executive director Bob Bennett told MMA Junkie. The two fighters are now eligible to return to competition ahead of UFC 242, which is scheduled for Sept. 7 in Abu Dhabi - and that means UFC lightweight champ Nurmagomedov, who vowed to not fight again until his teammates were also cleared , can stick to his promise while still appearing in the night's headliner. "It's been a rough process that cost us a lot of money and time," the fighters' manager, Ali Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. "I'm glad it's over. Now Abubakar and Zubaira can get back to do what they love to do and pursue their dreams. "I want to thank Mr. Hunter Campbell for his help throughout the process. Without him this couldn't happen." Nurmagomedov and Tukhugov requested the 35-day reduction, citing the commission's failure to initially offer community service as a way of reducing the one-year orders issued earlier this year for their role in the infamous post-UFC 229 brawl that broke out following Khabib Nurmagomedov's victory over Conor McGregor. Bennett said the commission found the request to be "fair and equitable" and approved the new adjudication agreement, which still sees the fighters serve nearly 11 months of the original one-year suspension. Nurmagomedov and Tukhugov, who have already paid their $25,000 fines, must now complete 10 hours of community service, aimed at benefitting the youth of their chosen locale. Bennett said he was told the fighters plan to complete the community service by the end of June. "Provided it is significant and productive for the youth, upon my approval and recommendation to the commission, the commission would then reduce their suspension 35 days, thus allowing them to fight on or after after Sept. 2," Bennett said. For more on UFC 242 , check out the UFC Rumors section of the site. MORE: NBA fans are delighted by Kawhi Leonard's interview with an international reporter Packers rookie Darnell Savage impresses with intelligence early at OTAs Jon Gruden 'excited' to see Raiders DT Eddie Vanderdoes this offseason Drew Brees: 'Of course' I want Gerald McCoy on my team Stephen Carlson: What the Browns are getting in their new WR


There's never been any love between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Madison Bumgarner. There was none gained on Thursday, either. Instead, the Dodgers ramped up their trolling efforts in what could prove to be a final sendoff . The San Francisco Giants ace was making his first start at Dodger Stadium since his June 9 beef with Max Muncy . And if he ends up getting traded, it could be his last start there for awhile . In other words, the Dodgers had plenty of motivation to send a message. They did not disappoint, relentlessly firing digs before Bumgarner was chased in the fourth inning of the Dodgers 9-8 win by an equally relentless offense. Max Muncy squabble takes center stage Bumgarner latest beef with the Dodgers stemmed from the home run he allowed to Max Muncy in San Francisco 11 days ago. Bumgarner is well known as one of baseball's utmost respecters of the unwritten rules. When Bumgarner felt Muncy admired the blast into McCovey Cove a little too long, he shouted his disapproval. That prompted Muncy to respond and accidentally coin the phrase "Go get it out of the ocean." On Friday, the Dodgers arrived to the ballpark sporting shirts with that very same phrase . On Thursday, they let the Dodger Stadium crew do the heavy lifting. Here's the first subtle jab under Max Muncy's scoreboard profile. 😎 pic.twitter.com/7lKazatkrb   #OfficialDodgersDJ (@djsevere) June 21, 2019 Then the organist got involved as well. Dodgers organist playlist during the Bumgarner-Muncy at-bat in the first inning: "Under the Sea" (from "The Little Mermaid") followed by "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" and "Smoke on the Water." The latter of which was not a tribute to Robb Nen, I think.   Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) June 21, 2019 Those are not subtle jabs. Those are overhand rights. Bumgarner didn't appear to be bothered, but the organist carried on. Organist just hit Bumgarner with Zombie by the Cranberries. 🎼"In your heaaaaaad"   Loose Moose (@LooseMoose6) June 21, 2019 In the opinion of Giants manager Bruce Bochy, the Dodgers have been poking a bear with their recent taunts directed at Bumgarner. He says that's not a wise idea. 'You can't be upset if he fights back' These were Bochy's words before the game. Bruce Bochy asked about Max Muncy wearing his "go get it out of the ocean" T-shirt during BP: "That's poking the bear. If you poke the bear enough, you can't be upset if he fights back." Stay tuned. #sfgiants #dodgers   John Shea (@JohnSheaHey) June 21, 2019 The game started with Bumgarner hitting Enrique Hernandez with a pitch. It didn't appear to be intentional, but only Bumgarner knows for sure. Hernandez made him pay for it regardless, stealing two bases before scoring on Muncy's single. Though Bumgarner settled in for awhile, it's the Dodgers who did most of the fighting with their bats. Home runs from Kyle Garlick and Austin Barnes knocked Bumgarner from the game in the fourth inning, ultimately sending him out of LA with a loss . But not before the Dodgers got in one more dig. Muncy is up with the bases loaded. Dodgers video board shows Lou Seal surrounded by sharks pic.twitter.com/8RLxkuJMoO   Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) June 21, 2019 Regardless of what happens next, Bumgarner won't soon forget this trip to Los Angeles. Related Slideshow: Best of the 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn) More from Yahoo Sports: Marketing company suing Zion for $100M Report: Davis, Lillard to feature in 'Space Jam 2' Authorities: Ortiz wasn't intended target of shooting How Celtics shockingly combusted so quickly


Uber and Lyft drivers around the world are striking on Wednesday to improve wages and working conditions just two days ahead of Uber's monster IPO that could generate $80 million to $90 million. The hours drivers plan to strike vary by location but will span from New York to Atlanta to Tokyo. In New York, drivers are striking from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., according to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance . In some cities, like Los Angeles, drivers are being urged to keep the ride-sharing apps off all day. In Atlanta, the strike is slated for noon to midnight. In general though, workers are protesting blockbuster paydays for high-level executives while driver pay continues to get slashed. Drivers are independent contractors, not employees, so they don't receive benefits like health insurance. Meanwhile, they've said their pay keeps going down as their costs go up. New York drivers are fresh off a recent win against the city with a new law that mandates ride-hail companies pay at least $17.22 an hour after expenses, which other cities have hailed as an example, especially in expensive housing markets like L.A. Still, drivers say it's hard to make ends meet in major markets on that wage. In March, Lyft went public with a $24 billion IPO. Uber's likely will be almost four times that size. Despite the massive valuations, neither company has a clear path to profitability. "These investors of Lyft are making hundreds of millions and billions in the IPO while millions of drivers are trying to make rent," Sinakhone Keodara, a Lyft driver in L.A. who was recently homeless, told ABC News at the time. "In this new economy, there cannot be innovation without labor standards." Uber issued a statement through a spokesperson, saying: "Drivers are at the heart of our service -- we can't succeed without them -- and thousands of people come into work at Uber every day focused on how to make their experience better, on and off the road. Whether it's more consistent earnings, stronger insurance protections or fully funded four-year degrees for drivers or their families, we'll continue working to improve the experience for and with drivers." Lyft also issued a statement, which said: "Lyft drivers' hourly earnings have increased over the last two years, and they have earned more than $10B on the Lyft platform. Over 75 percent drive less than 10 hours a week to supplement their existing jobs. On average, Lyft drivers earn over $20 per hour. We know that access to flexible, extra income makes a big difference for millions of people, and we're constantly working to improve how we can best serve our driver community."


In the past decade, Kentucky's distilling industry has added more than 10,000 new jobs, opened more than 40 new distilleries and increased its annual economic output by more than $3 billion   making it the nation's top player in alcohol production and employment, according to a new economic report. The 64-page report, released Wednesday, was funded by the Kentucky Distillers' Association and spells out the industry's place in America's distilling landscape, along with its staggering statewide growth. The distillers' association has produced an economic report biennially since 2009 and discussed its most recent findings Wednesday morning alongside state and industry leaders at a press conference in Frankfort. Association members credit part of the growth to legislative changes made in recent years, including revisions that now enable distilleries to serve spirits by the glass and to receive income credits on taxes levied against aging whiskey barrels. Check out: A sneak peek inside Michter's, downtown Louisville's newest distillery "It turned the industry from just a 'sin' to the state's signature," reversing some laws that were created in the post-Prohibition era, said Kevin Smith, vice president of Kentucky Beam Bourbon Affairs. Smith said the latest report is proof that bourbon has become more than just a piece of Kentucky history. It's also become an economic powerhouse. "It's really given us the factual data that goes along with the emotional things we've been feeling as an industry," Smith said. "We know we've been growing; we know we've been investing. We're starting to see what the real impact looks like." Dave Adkisson, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, said the explosive growth of the spirits industry has helped all Kentuckians by creating new jobs and tax revenue. "This is a win for all of us," he said in a press release. The latest: How Michter's Fort Nelson helped start Louisville's distillery boom Here are some of the report's key statistics: ► Kentucky's distilling industry directly and indirectly employs more than 20,000 people, and it pumped more than $8.6 billion into the state's economy in 2017. ► As of May 2018, nearly 70 distilleries were licensed to operate across 32 counties   a 258-percent increase over the 19 distilleries that were licensed to operate in eight counties in 2009. ► Kentucky distillers shipped over $452 million worth of product abroad in 2017, with whiskey accounting for about 84 percent of the total shipments. The report was unable to factor in the effects of retaliatory tariffs imposed in mid-2018 by the European Union, China, Canada, Mexico and Turkey, which together account for 58 percent of Kentucky's whiskey exports. ► Though Kentucky remains the dominant state for distilling employment, its share of distilling establishments fell from 24 percent to 6 percent between 2001 and 2017, as states countrywide witnessed a boom in micro-distilleries. As of December 2018, Kentucky ranked 11th nationwide for its number off licensed distilled spirits producers and bottlers. ► Kentucky's share of distilling payroll, however, increased to 47 percent of the U.S. total in 2017, due largely to the presence of high-paying jobs at companies' headquarters. That year, approximately 5,000 people worked directly in Kentucky's distilling industry, with annual wages and salaries of $470 million. ► Economists who compiled the report estimate Kentucky's distilling industry could support 24,000 jobs by 2020, with a payroll of $1.2 billion and tax payments to state and local governments of $270 million. View the Kentucky Distillers' Association's economic reports at kybourbon.com . Bailey Loosemore: 502-582-4646; bloosemore@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @bloosemore . Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/baileyl . This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Bourbon in Kentucky: How spirits industries impact the economy


Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator John DeFilippo discussed a variety of the offense's players this week when meeting with the media, but the name of free-agent acquisition Cedric Ogbuehi wasn't expected to be amongst those. He told the media that he was impressed with the right tackle's athleticism in the early stages of organized team activities as Ogbuehi has started the summer taking all the reps with the first team so far. "Cedric Ogbuehi is moving really, really well right now and playing well," DeFilippo told the media . "Guys like that, I don't want to say surprised you because I saw what he did on tape. It wasn't really surprising, but it's been pleasant to see his athleticism." While I will admit that fans shouldn't put a lot into an offensive lineman's performance during unpadded practices, the fact that DeFilippo mentioned Ogbuehi is a feather in his cap. Additionally, unpadded practices can display an offensive lineman's athleticism, which is a key attribute to have if DeFilippo uses a zone-blocking scheme. So, in other words, the veteran offensive coordinator may have tipped his hand in terms of schematics, but that's another story for another time. Ogbuehi, was a former first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, however, he didn't quite pan out for the team and started in just 25 games in four seasons. With a fresh start in Jacksonville, it appears he has his eyes set on starting again although it will be an uphill battle for him to beat out second- round pick Jawaan Taylor. Still, even if Taylor starts as most believe, it would be great if Ogbuehi continued to impress when the pads go on, because as we saw last season, the Jags' offensive line depth wasn't very strong. MORE: Journalist shares incredible story about Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia Oshane Ximines named Giants' most dangerous new weapon Ahead of Finals, Stephen Curry defends Kevin Durant against critics Damon Harrison tired of repeated contract talks NFL world responds to passing of Packers legend Bart Starr