Flies in hospitals may pose a greater threat than a buzzing annoyance. A study published Friday found almost 9 out of 10 flying insects collected from seven hospitals in England carried potentially harmful bacteria on or in their bodies. Over half of the bacterial strains identified were 'superbugs,' meaning they were resistant to at least one class of antibiotic, with almost 20% resistant to multiples classes of antibiotics. Penicillin was the least effective antibiotic against the bacteria that was found. "The results from this large-scale microbiological analysis show that a variety of flying insects collected from UK hospitals do indeed harbor pathogenic bacteria of different species," lead author and Aston University PhD student Federica Boiocchi said in a university news release . "What's quite interesting, though, is the high proportion of drug-resistant bacteria found in these samples. It's a vivid reminder of how our over-use of antibiotics in healthcare settings is making infections more difficult to treat." 86 bacterial strains were identified on or in the insects, with the family that includes E. Coli and Salmonella (Enterobacteriaceae) being the most common at 41 percent of the strains. 24 percent of the strains were within the family that includes the food poisoning germ B. cereus (Bacillus) and 19 percent were within the family that can cause skin infections, abscesses, and respiratory infections (Staphylococci). Researchers collected almost 20,000 flying insects over 18 months, using ultraviolet-light flytraps, electronic fly killers, and sticky traps. Over three-fourths of the insects collected were flies, including house flies, along with aphids, ants, bees, wasps, and moths. "NHS hospitals are extremely clean environments and the risk of insects carrying bacteria and transferring these to patients is very low," Anthony Hilton, professor of applied microbiology and co-author, said . "What we are saying in this paper is that even in the cleanest of environments, it's important to take steps to prevent bacteria being brought into hospitals by insects. NHS hospitals will already be implementing many of these measures, but there are simple steps that can be taken to improve this further." Higher numbers of insects were collected in the spring and summer seasons, and insects were collected from multiple areas within the hospitals, including where food for patients, visitors, and staff was prepared and stored, as well as in patient rooms, maternity wards, and neonatal units. The study was published in the Journal of Medical Entomology. Killgerm Chemicals Ltd, which funded the study, intended for results to be useful to those in charge of pest management measures.


CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MORNING REPORT LIVE 4:30 TO 7 a.m. 1. FINALLY...IT'S SUMMER It looks like a gorgeous kick off to this summer. It's expected to be a little humid, though, for the next couple days. 2. MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE MOURN MASSIVE MOTORCYCLE CRASH New Hampshire State Police are investigating a horrific crash that they are calling one of the worst tragic incidents they have ever investigated. The crash happened on Friday when a truck towing a trailer hit 7 motorcycle riders on Route 2. 3. PRACTICING MOTORCYCLE SAFETY This crash is weighing heavily on communities in Maine and New Hampshire. Basic motorcycle safety class instructor -- Erik Payne -- says riding in a group tends to be more dangerous than riding solo because there isn't as much room to maneuver to safety. 4. PORTLAND PRESS HERALD INVESTIGATES CENTRAL MAINE POWER The Portland Press Herald is investigating Central Maine Power after the newspaper claims to have found that the power company rushed the implementation of the new billing system, skipping critical tests that would have shown that the system was not ready to launch. 5. LOST ON MOUNT KATAHDIN Two hikers from Pennsylvania got lost over the weekend on Mount Katahdin after straying from the Knife's Edge trail. Forest Rangers attempted a helicopter rescue but couldn't complete it due to high winds. the couple managed to make their way out in the early hours of Sunday morning.


And that's just the beginning of its health benefits! For such a dainty little flower, chamomile has some amazing superpowers. The compounds in chamomile can lull you to sleep, lower inflammation , work as an astringent, and even calm your entire nervous system. Make the most of the herb with these remedies from Laura Neville, N.D., a naturopathic physician based in Portland, OR. 1) Chamomile literally makes you tired Chamomile tea is celebrated for its sleep-inducing powers -flavonoids in the plant bind to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, acting as a mild tranquilizer. Sip a cup before bed as a delicious way to say goodnight. SHOP CHAMOMILE TEA 2) It can ease lower back pain Fill a clean sock with 1 cup dried chamomile. Tie up the end and submerge the sock in warm bathwater; add 1 quart Epsom salt and 5 drops lavender essential oil. "Your skin will absorb the chamomile, which works with the salt and oil to help relax muscles and relieve back pain," says Neville. SHOP DRIED CHAMOMILE 3) And alleviate your anxiety Chamomile can calm a busy mind: One University of Pennsylvania study of people with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder found that chamomile extract reduced symptoms better than a placebo. When you're feeling anxious or upset, Neville recommends diffusing chamomile essential oil or drinking a cup of plain chamomile tea. SHOP CHAMOMILE ESSENTIAL OIL 4) Chamomile can even lighten dark undereye circles "Chamomile tea helps increase circulation and soothe irritation around the eyes, reducing dark circles," says Neville. Place two tea bags in hot water for a few minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Place them over your eyelids and relax for 10 minutes, then take them off and dry your skin with a cloth. (Avoid this if you're allergic to ragweed, as chamomile is in the same plant family. 5) And it can help lower your blood sugar Another great reason to have a cuppa chamomile: Studies have shown that daily consumption of chamomile tea may lower blood-glucose levels in people with type-2 diabetes. For best results drink up before lunch and dinner. SHOP CHAMOMILE TEA 6) It can ease an upset stomach When combined with other belly-soothing herbs, such as peppermint and ginger, chamomile can help ease upset stomach, diarrhea, and even colic in babies . 7) And dial down period pain German chamomile oil is known for reducing inflammation; add a few drops to a warm bath as a relaxing way to soothe both your cramps and your mood. SHOP GERMAN CHAMOMILE OIL


Through his first two seasons in the NFL, we've seen flashes of great talent from running back Dalvin Cook. The problem, though, is that Cook has only played in 15 of 32 possible games. While he did play 11 games last season, he ran for just 615 yards and it was pretty clear Cook was never fully 100-percent healthy. Here we are, less than four months from the start of the 2019 season, and Cook feels back to himself. "I'm healthy," Cook said via the Pioneer Press . "I was able to be me (during the spring), fly around and be Dalvin. That's why it went smooth. Now, I'm back having fun, loving the game." This could be a huge season for the 23-year-old. Unlike last offseason when he was recovering from a torn ACL, Cook can focus on contributing to the offense. And it should be a dangerous one with Kirk Cousins, Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and a hopefully improved offensive line. With a healthy and confident Cook, it feels like the sky is the limit for him and this unit. MORE: NBA world reacts to news that Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 loss This is how the Golden State Warriors head into the offseason Ranking the 25 Best NBA Free Agents Top of Packers WR depth chart takes shape following minicamp Bears WR Allen Robinson: 'We're trying to be the best offense in the NFL'


MANCHESTER, N.H.   Vice President Mike Pence unexpectedly canceled a Tuesday trip to New Hampshire, where he was scheduled to speak at an addiction treatment center. "Something came up that required the @VP to remain in Washington, DC. It's no cause for alarm. He looks forward to rescheduling the trip to New Hampshire very soon," Alyssa Farah, Pence's press secretary, tweeted around noon, about 30 minutes after Pence was scheduled to arrive at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. One senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the situation, said the issue was not related to national security. Another senior administration official said it was not related to any kind of health issue affecting Pence or President Trump. Soon after boarding a plane at Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington, Pence got back off and returned to the White House, said his chief of staff, Marc Short, who was with the vice president. "The plane never took off," Short said. "It was never diverted. It was never turned back around." Short said Trump and Pence "briefly" discussed the issue that prompted the change of plans. Pence was scheduled to participate in a discussion at Granite Recovery Centers in Salem. Following the discussion, Pence was scheduled to speak about the "opioid crisis and illegal drug flow." "We were so honored to host Vice President Pence to discuss the opioid epidemic, treatment, and recovery but unfortunately the event was canceled," Eric Spofford, chief executive of the Granite Recovery Centers, said in an e-mail. "This issue is so important and we all need to work together toward solutions. We look forward to working with the VP in the future, as well as all levels of government, as we continue to fight this epidemic," he said. Governor Chris Sununu was scheduled to greet Pence at the airport and attend the vice president's speech in Salem. "The Governor was not given a specific reason for the change of plans, and was notified right around the same time as the public," Sununu's spokesman, Benjamin Vihstadt, wrote in an e-mail. "Governor Sununu is looking forward to welcoming the Vice President to New Hampshire at a later date." Jeff Chasen, 34, director of community outreach at the Brooke Recovery Center in Abington, Mass., said even though Pence could not make his trip to New Hampshire, the event even being scheduled and extensively planned is a "huge win" for recovery centers and the larger movement in New England to advocate for stronger treatment. "It's unfortunate that he was unable to show up. But I'm sure there was good reason," he said. "And we look forward to having him back." Robert Clemente, 33, an alumnus of the Granite Recovery Center, said having Pence plan a visit puts a "spotlight" on the recovery community. "Someone that's in recovery myself, and works with a lot of alcoholics, addicts, there really needs to be a change, and I think that it kind of highlights that having the vice president come down here would be a huge opportunity to put the recovery community in the spotlight," Clemente said. Aidan Ryan can be reached at aidan.ryan@globe.com . Martin Finucane and Jessica Rinaldi of the Globe staff contributed to this story.


The Broncos are putting in the time at training camp. Some might call it overtime. New coach Vic Fangio has the Broncos practicing nearly an hour more per day than they did under Mike Shanahan, Gary Kubiak or Vance Joseph, according to Mike Klis of Denver's 9News. They were on the field for 2 hours and 45 minutes Monday . . . without music . The Broncos' first practice last week was 2 hours, 10 minutes. "I just think guys have to practice,'' Fangio said, per Klis. "The only way you get better is to practice, get more reps. One thing you all need to keep in mind, too, is there are 90 guys out there. Although we're out there a long time, there's nobody getting more than maybe a third of the reps, so individually, it's not that long other than being out there. "But that's how long a game is. If we were to throw a halftime break in here, it would probably be right at about three hours, so that's good.'' The Broncos, though, have not had a full-squad walkthrough. "We're not doing walkthrough(s) too often so they're off their feet in the afternoon,'' Fangio said. Josh McDaniels and John Fox had longer practices than did Shanahan, Kubiak or Joseph.


The Buccaneers didn't want to pay veteran defensive tackle Gerald McCoy $13 million in 2019. More importantly, no one else wanted to trade for McCoy's contract. And that's often the impetus for a trade. Yes, the new team wants the player. But the new team also prefers to surrender a draft pick or a player for the contract, in lieu of potentially having to pay even more in an open competition if/when the player is released. The fact that the Bucs couldn't find a trade partner for McCoy means that no one wanted to give up anything of value for the privilege of getting McCoy at $13 million in compensation this season. Which suggests that McCoy, on the open market, will have a hard time getting to that number. The Browns are the only team that had been linked to McCoy before he was released; if another team had been considering a trade for McCoy, that news surely would have emerged, if for no reason other than to create a real market for McCoy's services   and ultimately to spark a deal. Video by NFL That's not to say there aren't other interested teams, but if it were believed that McCoy would be a guy who commands significant dollars if available in free agency ( i.e. , more than the $13 million he was due to make in 2019), the Bucs should have been able to trade him, somewhere. Spitballs regarding potentially interested teams already have emerged, likely pushed by the McCoy camp in order to spark a market for his services. Still, the Browns continue to be the only team that had been linked to McCoy. And without a second team to drive up the price, McCoy will have a hard time approaching the money he was due to make in 2019 from Tampa   especially with multiple other veteran defensive linemen still available to be signed . If McCoy somehow matches or surpasses it, the message will be that the Bucs bungled what should have been an ideal situation to trade not just the player but the contract.


Talk about a one-man cavalry arriving just in the nick of time. Thursday evening, we noted that Bryce Veasley had entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal , which ostensibly would leave Bowling Green with just one scholarship quarterback on the roster (pending a decision on the waiver for immediate eligibility being sought by ex-Boston College signal-caller Matt McDonald, of course). Around that same time, however, the MAC school sent out a press release announcing the addition of Darius Wade, who not only plays the quarterback position but also comes to the Falcons armed with immediate eligibility as a graduate transfer. In yet another twist, Wade began his collegiate playing career at… Boston College before transferring to Delaware. Wade didn't play a down for the FCS school. During his time at BC, which spanned from 2014-17, Wade started seven of the 25 games in which he played. During his time on Chestnut Hill, the Delaware native completed 95-of-171 passes (56 percent) for 1,091 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. Additionally, Wade added another 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground. If McDonald's waiver is not approved, Wade would compete with Grant Loy for the starting job in Scot Loeffler's first season as head coach. For those unaware, Loeffler served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2016-18 at… Boston College. Related slideshow: Ranking the 10 best college football mascots (provided by For The Win)


We are finally in July, which means training camp is just around the corner - well, kind of. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they'll be taking the field on Friday, July 26th for an open practice, so fans will be able to get an up-close look at this year's class of hopefuls. One of those players whose roster spot seems all but safe is Bucs rookie safety Mike Edwards, who the team selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft in April. Edwards, who goes by the nickname "Honey Badger" like his idol, Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, seems to be adapting well to the NFL game, so far. It even looks like he made a new best friend on the team! But, how has Edwards looked on the field? Minicamp is certainly not as intense as training camp practices, but it's always good to see players on the field putting in the work, especially new rookies. With that, here is a video, courtesy of the team's Twitter account, showing Edwards in action. The Buccaneer honey badger. pic.twitter.com/X5mGXmwLfa - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 1, 2019 Is it Week 1 yet? I, for one, am looking forward to the Bucs taking down the San Francisco 49ers at home with Jameis Winston throwing for 400 yards and five touchdowns. Hey, I can dream. MORE: MLB world pays respects to Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who died Monday at age 27 2019 NBA Summer League Rosters Stephen A. Smith: 'Andre Iguodala is planning on joining the Lakers' 10 Best NBA Free Agents Still Available Enes Kanter agrees to 2 year, $10 million deal with Boston Celtics


The Tennessee Titans have reached a deal to make Kevin Byard the highest-paid safety in the history of the NFL. The deal is a five-year, $70.5 million contract extension with $31 million guaranteed. He will average $14.1 million per season. Byard uses agent David Mulughet, the same one used by other star safeties like Landon Collins and Earl Thomas. After Byard was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft, he quickly became one of the league's premier safeties. No player in the league has had more interceptions than him over the past two seasons, as he's racked up 12 takeaways. The Titans also recently extended tight end Delanie Walker and made left tackle Taylor Lewan the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL last year. This deal has to make the purse strings a little tighter for the Titans but also make you wonder who is next - quarterback Marcus Mariota, running back Derrick Henry, and offensive lineman Jack Conklin are all on expiring contracts. MORE: UFC's Thiago Santos shares brutal update on injuries suffered in loss to Jon Jones Roundup: Orange is the New Black's Final Season; How Tall is Peppa Pig; Let's Move Halloween Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, coach Matt LaFleur building relationship, offensive philosophy Instant observations from Day 1 of Patriots training camp Ravens training camp report - Day 2: Slow start for QB Lamar Jackson


Video by NBC News President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that the shooting down of a US drone by Iran might have been a mistake. "I find it hard to believe it was intentional," Trump said at the White House in comments that appeared to downplay the incident, despite soaring tension in the strategic Strait of Hormuz area. "I have a feeling that it was a mistake made by somebody who should not have been doing," he said.


ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio   An Ashtabula County woman was sentenced Monday for a crash that killed a four-year-old girl. Back in May of 2018, authorities were called to Stanhope-Kelloggsville Road for reports that a child was struck by a vehicle in a yard. The child was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries. At the time, Cassandra Jo Webster, 26, was charged with both operating a vehicle while intoxicated and aggravated vehicular homicide. Last year, the OVI charge was dropped. On Monday, she was sentenced on the charge of vehicular homicide. She received 180 days in jail, with 80 of those days suspended. Webster will also have supervised probation for five years.     ©2019 WJW-TV, Cleveland Visit WJW-TV, Cleveland at www.fox8.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Looking back over the 34 months Theresa May spent as Britain's Prime Minister , it's hard to pick a low point. Was it the Conservative Party conference in October 2017 when she couldn't stop coughing , a protestor hijacked her big speech and the lettering behind her peeled off the wall? Was it the day President Donald Trump announced his arrival to the U.K. with a newspaper interview in which he poured scorn on her Brexit plan, just a few hours before they were due for a joint press conference? Was it the time she arrived in Brussels for a high stakes meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, only to momentarily find herself trapped inside her car while the world's media looked on? Or was it on Tuesday, when her new compromise vision for Brexit was summarily rejected by allies and opponents alike within minutes of its release? That at least appeared to be the point at which her political demise, so long forecast and rumored, was finally carved in concrete. In truth, the nadir of May's premiership came on the morning of June 9, 2017 when the results of the snap general election held the day before became clear. The loss of the Conservative Party's parliamentary majority was a failure she carried special responsibility for . It was she who called an election she didn't have to, and she who fronted her Tory party's campaign. It was a defeat that above all sowed the seeds for her eventual downfall. It's tempting to think May was chosen to succeed Cameron as Prime Minister as the unity candidate   the experienced cabinet minister whose past fence-sitting on Brexit meant she could unite her divided party. But May won the contest because her rivals self-immolated in a frenzy of backstabbing and electioneering. Her victory came because she was the last person standing, not necessarily the best. She began her premiership still attempting to straddle the divide in the Conservative Party, with so much caution that she won herself the nickname " Theresa Maybe. " But she soon sided with the hardliners agitating for a harder Brexit, egged on by the frenzied editors of Britain's mass-market tabloids. With the Labour Party seemingly in decline under far-left leader Jeremy Corbyn, May was persuaded by her advisors to capitalize on the moment and call an election that would not just expand the Conservative majority, but also give her government a mandate for a clean break with the E.U. The Daily Mail exhorted her in a screaming front-page headline to " CRUSH THE SABOTEURS ." But the vote turned out to be an act of self-sabotage. The electorate defied the polls and gave Corbyn's Labour Party more support   though not enough to form a government . Instead, a weakened Conservative Party had to partner with the socially conservative Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland to govern as a minority. As negotiations with the E.U. leadership continued, it became evident that the balance of power laid with the 27 nations united against the U.K. May was forced to bend to reality, and hammer out a hard compromise that all parties could settle on. But the U.K. parliament could not agree on a majority for anything related to Brexit, least of all the status of Northern Ireland   the key sticking point in the talks. The U.K. side said they would countenance no plan that would create a hard border between the Republic of Ireland (which will remain a member of the E.U.), and Northern Ireland (which will leave the E.U. along with the rest of the U.K.) The solution in the Brexit plan May eventually put forward was the so-called "backstop"   a temporary solution that would keep Northern Ireland more closely aligned with the E.U. on trade rules than the rest of the U.K. This, however, was rejected outright by the DUP as a threat to the sovereignty of the union, and consequently by the hardline MPs in May's own party. Absent a workable majority, her Brexit deal arrived without a pulse. A more nimble and flexible politician might have reshaped a deal to win the public's support, either by confronting realities head-on or by old-fashioned retail politics. But May's skillset extends only to dogged persistence, and in the end even her supporters grew weary at her tireless attempts to resuscitate what amounted to the same old deal. Now, her successor must continue the hunt for a Brexit deal that will satisfy both the 27 remaining member states of the E.U. and a majority in this parliament. It's not clear one exists. But in calling a premature election two summers ago, May bears the blame for the fracturing of Britain's governing chamber into a jigsaw of pieces that don't fit. And if Britain now careens toward a no-deal exit from the E.U., she will have played her part in that too.


Paul Manafort was taken to a New York City courthouse in handcuffs Thursday for arraignment on state criminal charges, the latest arena of legal peril for the former chief of President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign. Clad in prison togs, the 70-year-old Manafort looked tired with his gray hair long and mussed, as he entered the courthouse in lower Manhattan, according to images published by Big Apple tabloid newspapers. Tweet Tweet Manafort was known before his convictions as a snazzy dresser who dropped tens of thousands of dollars on his wardrobe. During his trial last year, prosecutors introduced evidence about Manafort's $15,000 ostrich jacket. He was brought to New York from a federal prison in Pennsylvania , where he has been serving his combined seven-and-a-half-years federal prison term. At his arraignment, due to start Thursday afternoon, Manafort plans to plead not guilty to felony charges of mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records in New York state. The charges were lodged by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. right after Manafort was sentenced the second time for federal charges. A long-time Republican operative, Manafort was convicted last year in federal court in Virginia on charges of bank fraud, tax fraud and failing to file a foreign bank account . He pleaded guilty soon afterward in federal court in Washington, D.C., to conspiracy. Related video: Inside Paul Manafort's $3.66 million loft seized by the federal government


The Indianapolis Colts brought in Chad Kelly as the fourth quarterback to compete in the room this offseason by signing him to a contract on Monday. There are some polarizing opinions about the signing the Colts made to add the embattled quarterback to the roster. Given the off-the-field issues he's been troubled by throughout his entire career, there is warranted concern as to why the Colts would want to bring him in. However, the Colts feel they have a plan in place to keep Kelly, the nephew of former Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly, out of trouble. They've also made it clear to him that if he incurs any slip-ups off the field, the front office has no reservations about cutting him . If Kelly can move on with his career after the trouble he's caused for himself, the Colts might have a solid backup plan if Jacoby Brissett winds up leaving in free agency during the 2020 offseason, which is a high possibility. How do you feel about it Colts fans? Was signing Kelly a good move for the team? Let us know in the poll below! Take Our Poll MORE: 7 reasons the Warriors are winning another title no matter who they play in the Finals Injury to Reuben Foster could help Chiefs, Redskins strike a deal Roundup: Great White Shark Tracked; James Holzhauer Wins Again; Donald Trump's Accounting Firm Magic Johnson confirms rumor that Lakers want to sign Kyrie Irving Browns players quickly start recruiting freshly cut DT Gerald McCoy


Injuries defined the 49ers' 2019 season in a way that wouldn't allow them to contend with the NFL's top teams. Their 2019 offseason will be all about how they bounce back from those injuries. While San Francisco dealt with injured players on their roster all last year, that didn't stop them from acquiring players coming off injuries in the offseason. Between their returning players, and their offseason acquisitions, the 49ers should have several players returning from injury that'll have a chance to have a significant impact this season. Here are the five that stand out: QB Jimmy Garoppolo Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports The 49ers' 2018 season ostensibly ended when Garoppolo went down with a torn ACL late in a Week 3 loss to the Chiefs. Now it looks like he's on track to start the 2019 season and put San Francisco back on track to compete for a playoff spot. A brutal schedule and some question marks on the roster may keep them from landing in the postseason this year, but they have a legitimate shot as long as Garoppolo is under center. Additional time to learn the ins and outs of the offense should help the 49ers' signal caller get back to the form he ended the 2017 season in when the team rattled off five straight victories to end the year. CB Jason Verrett Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports Verrett was a Pro Bowler for the Chargers in his lone healthy season. The problem is he's been in the league since 2014 and played only 25 games, including 14 during his Pro Bowl campaign in 2015. He missed all of 2018 with a torn Achilles which doesn't bode well for his chances to make an immediate impact with his new team. On the other hand, the 49ers' cornerback depth chart is not deep, and Verrett is probably the best among them when he's healthy. San Francisco badly needs some elevated play from their cornerbacks this season, and even if Verrett doesn't start all 16 games, having him in the mix competing for a job should help. A full, Pro Bowl season from Verrett instantly gives the 49ers a playoff-caliber defense. LB Kwon Alexander Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports It wasn't long after the legal tampering period opened that the 49ers and Alexander agreed to terms on a deal that made the former Buccaneer one of the highest-paid linebackers in football. The risk factor of offering such a deal was increased because Alexander tore his ACL in late October last season. That means he may not be ready for the start of the 2019 regular season. However, Alexander should have a significant impact in San Francisco's linebacking corps even if he misses a few games. His athleticism and physical style of play should pair nicely in the middle of the field with second-year linebacker Fred Warner. Having another fast linebacker who can cover should aid the 49ers in the turnover department, which is perhaps the area they most need to improve this season. RB Jerick McKinnon Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports Losing McKinnon to a torn ACL a week before the start of the season turned out to be an omen for the injury-filled season to come. McKinnon may wind up missing a little time to start the year depending on how comfortable he feels on the surgically repaired ligament, but it stands to reason that he steps into a crowded 49ers backfield and immediately earns touches. He was head coach Kyle Shanahan's first choice in free agency a year ago, and his multifaceted skill set as a receiver and runner should make him a dangerous weapon. His last full season in 2017 he had 570 yards on 150 carries, and 51 catches for 421 yards. As long as he can move freely, McKinnon should be a major piece of the 49ers' offense in 2019. DE Nick Bosa Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports This is cheating a little since Bosa will be a rookie, but he did miss virtually all of his final year in college because of groin and core muscle injuries. The core muscle needed to be surgically repaired and hasn't hampered Bosa through any pre-draft workouts. He should be a full go during training camp, and an impact playmaker on the edge in the regular season. The 49ers desperately need players to push the pocket from the outside, and Bosa can do that while also setting the edge against the run. There aren't many scenarios where this year's No. 2 overall pick isn't on the field, and it's not out of the realm of possibilities that he immediately becomes San Francisco's best pass rusher. MORE: 'The Bachelorette' 2019 cast guide: Meet all 30 men NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Video confirms reports of Chris Paul's attempt to sabotage Steph Curry Lots of chatter within NBA about potential LeBron-for-Simmons swap Dak Prescott's accuracy, aggressive quantified ahead of new deal


A SWAT team and police helicopters swarmed a major shopping mall that was evacuated in Torrance as the search for a gunman who wounded a victim inside the complex stretched into nighttime on Monday. Officers responded to a call about shots fired inside the massive Del Amo Fashion Center at 3525 W. Carson St. just before 3 p.m., according to the Torrance Police Department. A lockdown put in place shortly before 4 p.m. as shoppers and employees were evacuated remained in effect through the mall's usual closing time, 9 p.m. A perimeter was also set up, with Plaza del Amo and Carson Street both closed between Madrona and Maple avenues until further notice. The person shot was treated by first responders at the scene before being taken to a nearby hospital. The victim was expected to survive, officials said. Investigators do not believe there are any additional victims. However, just after 5 p.m. Torrance Police Sgt. Ronald Harris said authorities were still "methodically" searching through the shopping center for other possible victims. A Skechers employee who asked to remain unidentified said the shooting happened in front of the shoe store. A man and woman were arguing when the shooter came up and shot the man, and the woman began screaming, the employee said. Cellphone video captured inside the mall showed bystanders rushing to help the man and stop his bleeding. Meanwhile, employees worked to secure their stores while getting themselves and their customers to safety, witnesses said. Another Skechers employee who gave his name as OK said he heard a loud bang, then shoppers came running into the store. "We just opened the back door, let everyone flood through and exit," he told KTLA. "There was a couple families with kids, so we're glad we got everyone out as fast as we could." Aerial video from Sky5 showed about a dozen police vehicles in the parking lot as groups of people walked away from the area around 3:30 p.m. Police have described the suspect as a Hispanic man between 20 and 25 years of age. He is believed to have a shaved head and was wearing a black shirt and checkered shorts. Harris said he fled the scene. Around 6:30 p.m., SWAT team members were seen searching an apartment complex in Torrance not far from the shopping center, aerial footage showed. Officials could be seen peering into potential hiding places with guns drawn, but no one was found. However, Harris said he could not give information about a possible motive or the events leading up to the shooting. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents Torrance, said law enforcement officials from across the South Bay responded to the shooting. There has been a shooting at the Del Amo mall in Torrance. The mall is being evacuated. Torrance PD and law enforcement from across the South Bay are on the scene. Please avoid the area and stay safe.   Janice Hahn (@SupJaniceHahn) June 3, 2019 Social media posts earlier in the afternoon had described an "active shooter" and graphic video from one user appeared to show a bloodied man lying on the floor of the mall. Shooting at Del Amo mall. We're currently on lockdown. This shouldn't be the new normal, but it is.   Dani (@Dani_Long_Legs_) June 3, 2019 🙏 please be safe whoever is at Del Amo Mall in Torrance   JohnCendanuuuuhhh (@JohnCendana_) June 3, 2019 The Del Amo Fashion Center is a massive, sprawling complex of about 200 stores that has been described as one of the largest shopping centers in the U.S.   a local tourism organization claims it is the third largest in the country. The mall is in the South Bay suburb of Torrance, about 15 miles south-southwest of downtown Los Angeles. Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 310-328-3456.


England needed penalties to get past Switzerland to seal third place in the UEFA Nations League, after a tough 0-0 draw which proved exactly why most fans don't want a third-place playoff. England almost took the lead after just a minute, only for Harry Kane's fantastic lob to cannon back off the crossbar. Gareth Southgate's men remained on top throughout the first half, with both Raheem Sterling and Dele Alli coming close to finding that elusive opening goal. The Swiss were dangerous on the counter, but neither side could make a breakthrough before half-time. England's pressure continued after the break and almost forced an own goal from Fabian Schar, who was lucky to see his deflection saved onto the post by Yann Sommer. England thought they had grabbed a late winner through Callum Wilson, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for a foul earlier in the move. The referee brought an end to regular time soon after, and we headed to extra-time. Clearly keen to avoid penalties, England came out with a renewed sense of adventure, as both Alli and Sterling came close to finding the back of the net on a number of occasions. Sterling saw a free-kick thunder against the crossbar, but England simply could not find a way through, and the two sides needed penalties to separate themselves. Harry Maguire began proceedings by slamming his effort into the top corner, and the two sides continued perfectly until England had a 6-5 lead. After scoring his own penalty, Jordan Pickford made himself the hero by saving Josip Drmic's effort to ensure the Three Lions finished third in the Nations League. Check out our breakdown of the game below. SWITZERLAND Key Talking Point The spirited Switzerland side who fought to keep Cristiano Ronaldo quiet on Wednesday were out on full show once more against England. With a clear game plan of trying to force mistakes out of Gareth Southgate's side, the strikers pressed high, but that simply did not work. Once England's defence had advanced the ball, it often seemed like Switzerland did not know what to do, so they dropped deep and suffocated the space. It kept England at bay for large parts of the game, even if it did make for difficult watching at times. England v Swiss has been an eye sore ,   DEAR ED, prove us wrong 1 time (@_DrunkFergie) June 9, 2019 Got a feeling Switzerland are choking for a game a penalties  #SWIENG   Andrew Kane (@andrewcraigkane) June 9, 2019 Scoring goals has not always come easily for Switzerland, and that was incredibly clear here. They fought to frustrate England, in the hope that they could steal the win with a solitary moment of brilliance. However, such a moment never arrived, so the Swiss need to think of a new strategy in future. Player Ratings  Starting XI : Sommer (7); Schar (6), Akanji (6), Elvedi (6); Mbabu (7*), Xhaka (6), Fernandes (6), Freuler (5), Rodriguez (5); Shaqiri (4), Seferovic (5). Substitutes: Zakaria (5), Zuber (6), Drmic (5), Okafor (6). STAR MAN - With Switzerland dropping deep, counter-attacking was often their main plan of attack, and right back Kevin Mbabu was at the heart of most of that. Spending a lot of the game almost as a winger, Mbabu used his speed and power to fly up and down the pitch, and England's narrow lineup often gifted him plenty of space near the sideline. The former Newcastle man tried his best to showcase his passing skills and often threatened to cause problems for England's defence. Mbabu is a baller   Sam Furr (@spfurr94) June 9, 2019 Watching Kevin Mbabu playing so well for Switzerland and trying to work out how it's the same player that failed to start a single match for Rangers in the Championship 類 pic.twitter.com/j95WI5rKuM   talkingbaws.com (@talkingbawscom) June 9, 2019 Mbabu's end product was lacking, although it was clear to see why Wolfsburg fought to sign him this summer. At 24 years old, he has plenty of years to improve, and there is a real belief in Switzerland that the sky could be the limit for Mbabu. ENGLAND Key Talking Point Much of the talk heading into this game was about whether England would continue trying to play out of defence, after they shot themselves in the foot in their semi final loss to the Netherlands. Within minutes, we had our answer - yes, they would. The Three Lions did not shy away from passing the ball around at the back. Maguire enjoyed plenty of possession and Eric Dier regularly dropped deep to give his centre backs an option, which was something England sorely missed against the Netherlands. Unfortunately, with the defending fairly impressive, it was going forward which left a lot to be desired. England's final ball has been exactly what you'd expect from a team containing Delph, Dier, Alli and Lingard and who know they are on holiday after this.   Dan McLaughlin (@Dan23_92) June 9, 2019  Lingard, Delph and Dier in midfield? Sorry I've got some paint I need to watch dry   Spencer (@SpencerF_98) June 9, 2019 The creative midfielders simply did not step up, and they struggled to find a way through a stubborn Swiss defence. They had nothing in their locker to find a goal. It almost seems like when one area of the midfield plays well, the other does not. There is clearly something missing here. Player Ratings Starting XI: Pickford (6); Alexander-Arnold (8), Gomez (6), Maguire (8*), Rose (6); Delph (4), Dier (6), Alli (5); Sterling (5), Kane (5), Lingard (4). Substitutes: Walker (6), Wilson (6), Sancho (6), Barkley (6). STAR MAN - With England's forward line proving to be utterly ineffective, England's defence took the spotlight, with both Harry Maguire and Trent Alexander-Arnold putting in excellent performance. Both deserve a huge amount of credit, although Maguire's ability to cope with the pressure was especially impressive. Always available for his teammates, Maguire was composed throughout, even with the Swiss' high press. Whether it was making an early pass or dropping his shoulder to fly past an opponent, he simply knew what he needed to do to keep his side ticking. Maguire the only player worthy to wear the shirt today   Connor Reed ™ (@connorreeddx) June 9, 2019 Fair play to Maguire though, who has seemingly given up hope that his midfielders will take the game to the opposition by taking it upon himself to do so.   Alex Barton (@barton_aj) June 9, 2019  Harry Maguire is the Pelé of our generation   Alex (@alexxsteelee) June 9, 2019 Maguire could even be seen bursting into midfield on occasion, carrying the ball forward before looking to unleash players who, on paper, are supposed to be more creative than him. Southgate probably thought about playing him in midfield, or even in an attack, as he looked like one of the few players who was capable of winning this. Looking Ahead The end of this game signalled the start of a well-deserved summer break for both sides, as players will not get the chance to enjoy several weeks of rest in preparation for the new season.


Video by GeoBeats Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross reportedly often falls asleep in department meetings and his staff are taking care of scheduling meetings for certain times of the day, according to a new report from Politico. "Because he tends to fall asleep in meetings, they try not to put him in a position where that could happen so they're very careful and conscious about how they schedule certain meetings," a former outside adviser told Politico. "There's a small window where he's able to focus and pay attention and not fall asleep." Politico reported that the Department of Commerce under Ross is reaching new levels of dysfunction, where repeated infighting among senior officials and sudden departures of experienced career staff is taking its toll on employee morale. Ross came under fire for spending more time at the White House trying to stay in President Donald Trump's good graces rather than managing the department he leads. Ross's bruising defeat at the Supreme Court over adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census has tested his relationship with Trump, who appointed him in 2017. Read more : The Supreme Court just temporarily blocked the Trump administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census Rumors of Ross's departure have circulated for months, pushing the 81-year-old Commerce secretary to handle his relationship with the White House instead of holding regular meetings with his staff to steer the department's direction. It has led one observer familiar with the department's inner workings to describe it as "a disaster over there." The Commerce secretary pushed back against the report on Monday morning, tweeting that the report isn't connected with reality and he blamed "disgruntled" former employees for characterizing his leadership negatively. "Today's Politico report bears no resemblance to reality and appears to be solely sourced from disgruntled former employees whose poor performance led to their departures," Ross said. One complaint echoed among many department employees is that Ross isn't a frequent sight at his own department, either holding meetings or boosting staff morale. "With our ongoing trade wars and the census looming, Commerce needs functional leadership in order to be effective, and right now they just don't have it," former senior Commerce official Theo LeCompte told Politico. Another former advisor in touch with Commerce employees told Politico that Ross is "seen as kind of irrelevant and that "he's not respected in the building." Ross also doesn't hold regular meetings with the department's senior staff, which was attributed to a lack of energy on his part, Politico reported. Commerce officials are also trying to avoid having Ross testify again to Congress. Ross, alongside Attorney General William Barr, were both held in contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives last week in a party-line vote for refusing to turn over documents related to the 2020 census. Read more : The House just voted to hold two Trump cabinet officials in contempt of Congress Democrats investigating Trump officials' handling of the 2020 census charged the administration's rationale of enforcing the Voting Rights Act was only cover for a politically motivated attempt to exclude noncitizens from being counted in the census.


There's nothing quite like the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links. After all, it's one of the most scenic venues in all of golf. U.S. OPEN: Photos | Scores | Tee times Here is the TV and streaming info for the event. Note: All times listed are ET. Check with your TV provider for channel numbers. Sunday, June 16 Morning Drive, 7-10 a.m., Golf Channel Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Golf Channel Final round, 2-10 p.m., Fox Featured Groups 1 and 2 and Featured Holes, 2 - 9 p.m., usopen.com and the U.S. Open app Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open, 10 p.m.-midnight, Golf Channel Note: All times listed are ET. Check with your TV provider for channel numbers. https://compass.pressekompass.net/compasses/golfweek/heres-the-top-5-after-three-rounds-at-th MORE: What the Lakers' new roster looks like with Anthony Davis NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players WATCH: LaVar Ball on phone learning of Lonzo Ball, Anthony Davis trade What Tim Duncan told LeBron James after Spurs beat Cavs in 2007 NBA Finals Rapoport: Broncos have picked successor to become next owner


The number of Ebola cases in Democratic Republic of Congo has topped 2,000, according to new government figures that show the growth of the epidemic is gaining pace. The world's second-biggest outbreak has killed 1,346 people since it was detected in August last year. It is the first time Ebola has struck in a conflict zone and the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the outbreak is unlikely to be contained unless violence stops. Here are some key facts and figures about Ebola: The number of Ebola cases in Democratic Republic of Congo has topped 2,000, according to new government figures that show the growth of the epidemic is gaining pace. The world's second-biggest outbreak has killed 1,346 people since it was detected in August last year. It is the first time Ebola has struck in a conflict zone and the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the outbreak is unlikely to be contained unless violence stops. Pictured: A healthcare worker gets decontaminated after carrying a baby, suspected of dying from Ebola, in Beni, North Kivu Province of Democratic Republic of Congo, December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic The world's worst epidemic of Ebola, a hemorrhagic fever, began in Guinea in December 2013 and swept through Liberia and Sierra Leone, killing more than 11,300 people by 2016. Pictured: A grave digger prepares new graves for Ebola victims at a cemetery in Freetown, Sierra Leone December 21, 2014. REUTERS/Baz Ratner Ebola causes fever, flu-like pains, bleeding, vomiting and diarrhea and spreads among humans through contact with bodily fluids of an infected person. Pictured: Some of the ultrastructural morphology displayed by an Ebola virus virion is in a colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) obtained by Reuters August 1, 2014. Frederick Murphy/CDC/Handout via Reuters The world's second-biggest outbreak of Ebola began in August 2018 in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, shortly after the country had quashed another outbreak. Pictured: A Congolese health worker checks the temperature of a child before the launch of vaccination campaign against the deadly Ebola virus near Mangina village, near the town of Beni, in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, August 8, 2018. REUTERS/Samuel Mambo A mob killed an Ebola health worker and looted a clinic last week, one of many attacks by civilians and armed groups which have forced health workers to suspend activities and caused the number of cases to spike. Pictured: A health worker wearing Ebola protection gear, walks before entering the Biosecure Emergency Care Unit (CUBE) at the ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) Ebola treatment centre in Beni, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, March 30, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner As of June 3, 2019, Congo's health ministry reported 2,008 confirmed and probable cases with a death toll of 1,346. Pictured: A health worker sprays disinfectant near a suspected Ebola patient holding a baby at an Ebola treatment center in Butembo in the Democratic Republic of Congo, March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner Between January and early May, there were 42 attacks on health facilities, with 85 workers either injured or killed, according to WHO figures. Pictured: A health worker wearing Ebola protection gear, leaves the dressing room before entering the Biosecure Emergency Care Unit (CUBE) at the ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) Ebola treatment centre in Beni, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, March 30, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner Communities' lack of trust in the responders remains a major obstacle, with many people avoiding treatment because they do not believe Ebola is real, according to Oxfam. Pictured: A Congolese health worker administers Ebola vaccine to a boy who had contact with an Ebola sufferer in the village of Mangina, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, August 18, 2018. REUTERS/Olivia Acland This is Congo's 10th Ebola outbreak since the virus was discovered there in 1976. Pictured: Red Cross workers carry the body of a woman who died of the Ebola virus from her hut to a truck waiting to take her to a graveyard, while family and friends follow behind, outside Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 20, 1995. REUTERS


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Chelsea face Watford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, as the Blues aim to strengthen their grip on a top four finish in the Premier League. Despite two consecutive draws with Burnley and Manchester United, Maurizio Sarri's side are better off in the table thanks for Arsenal's surprise string of defeats. Chelsea go into the game two points clear of the Gunners with two games remaining. Although the visitors can still mathematically finish in a Europa League qualifying place, the Hornets are likely to settle for a respectable top half finish in Javi Gracia's first full season in charge. Their league season may be winding down but the trip across London can provide good preparation for Watford against a top six opponent, ahead of their FA Cup final against Manchester City in two weeks time. Check out 90min's breakdown of Sunday's game below. Where to Watch When Is Kick Off? Sunday 5 May What Time Is Kick Off? 14:00 BST Where Is It Played? Stamford Bridge TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports News Referee? Paul Tierney Team News Chelsea came through the first leg of their Europa League semi-final unscathed. Eden Hazard was surprisingly named as a substitute against Eintracht Frankfurt, but it should mean the Belgian should be fully fit for what could be his final league game at Stamford Bridge. Sarri explains he started Eden Hazard on the bench due to the amount of games the player has had this season. He also said that he knew Hazard is good at making an impact coming off the bench. #FRACHE   Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 2, 2019 Sarri's only injured players are Callum Hudson-Odoi and Antonio Rudiger , who both picked up long-term injuries last month. Watford striker Troy Deeney is available again after serving his three-match ban for an elbow on Arsenal's Lucas Torreira. Defender Craig Cathcart suffered an injury against Wolves last weekend and remains doubtful for Sunday, while Domingos Quina's season is over after undergoing shoulder surgery. Look who's back    Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) May 2, 2019 Predicted Lineups  Chelsea Kepa; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Luiz, Alonso; Jorginho, Kante, Loftus-Cheek; Pedro, Higuain, Hazard  Watford Foster; Femenia, Mariappa, Kabasele, Holebas; Deulofeu, Capoue, Doucoure, Pereyra; Gray, Deeney Head to Head Record Chelsea have won the majority of matches against Watford and went 19 years unbeaten against the Hornets, before last season's calamitous 4-1 defeat at Vicarage Road under Antonio Conte. This fixture has recently guaranteed goals, with 24 scored in their last five encounters. The Blues won this season's reverse fixture on Boxing Day, with an Eden Hazard-inspired Chelsea emerging victorious 2-1 away. Recent Form The hosts go into Sunday's game on the back of three consecutive draws in all competitions and with just one win in five. However, despite Thursday's draw, Sarri will be pleased with the Blues' performance in Frankfurt and will be hoping it's a sign of things to come with potentially four huge matches to go. 16 - @ChelseaFC are unbeaten in their last 16 Europa League games, a new record in the competition since it was rebranded in 2009-10. Sweet. #SGECHE   OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 2, 2019 Gracia has seen his side lose three of their last four away matches in the league, with the win coming against this season's whipping boys Huddersfield Town. It may be that Watford's players are willing to take their foot off the gas in order to save themselves for their trip to Wembley later this month. Here's how each team has performed in their last five fixtures: Chelsea Watford Eintracht 1-1 Chelsea (2/5) Watford 1-2 Wolves (27/4) Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea (28/4)  Watford 1-1 Southampton (23/4)  Chelsea 2-2 Burnley (22/4) Huddersfield 1-2 Watford (20/4) Chelsea 4-3 Slavia Prague (18/4)  Watford 0-1 Arsenal (15/4) Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea (14/4)  Watford 3-2 Wolves (7/4)* *FA Cup semi-final Prediction They may not be in the best form but the Blues need no extra motivation to get the job done, with Champions League football just 180 minutes away. Chelsea have fourth place in their hands and against a team with nothing to play for, it would be an incredible disappointment if the Blues fail to pick up the three points on Sunday. Prediction: Chelsea 3-2 Watford


Rosario Ralph Liotta went to prison in 2005, unaware that his case would earn him a role in one of South Florida's most infamous murder cases. He was convicted of manslaughter in the 2003 shooting death of a would-be business partner, John Gurino, the kind of case that draws some media attention but never dominates the front page or the top of the evening news. But that was before investigators realized who Liotta killed. Gurino, prosecutors later alleged, was a hit man with connections to the Gambino crime family. Liotta says he was unaware until he was already in prison that he killed the man who killed Miami Subs founder Gus Boulis. "When I killed him, they called him a victim," Liotta said during an interview this week promoting his new, self-published autobiographical account, titled "Bread and Bullets." "It wasn't until after that they said he was a killer with victims of his own." Liotta has always asserted that he shot Gurino in self-defense. As Liotta recalls it, Gurino was trying to buy out Liotta's partner at the Corner Deli on Beracasa Way in West Boca. But after pouring in thousands of dollars in new equipment, Gurino had a change of heart and wanted his money back. Gurino showed up at the deli on Oct. 28, 2003. According to Liotta, he was banging on the door and demanding his money back. Initial police and media reports described the encounter as more of a meeting that got out of hand. All accounts agree that Gurino at one point struck Liotta. Whether Liotta was justified in getting hold of his handgun and shooting Gurino remains in dispute. Liotta still insists he acted in self-defense. The jury at his 2005 trial found him guilty of manslaughter   a prosecutor had successfully argued that Gurino was moving away from Liotta when the shots were fired. Allegations of Gurino's mob connections were published soon after his death. Liotta said he only knew Gurino as someone who wanted to buy out his original business partner, who has since passed away. "I was never part of any mob connection," Liotta said. He also said he was never threatened by anyone after killing Gurino. Born in Brooklyn and raised in North Babylon on Long Island, Liotta came to South Florida in the late 1980s to help family members after the death of an uncle. He had no criminal record before the shooting. A few months into his prison term, federal agents showed up looking to talk to him in prison. That, Liotta said, is when he learned about Gurino's alleged connection to Boulis. The Boulis murder Throughout the 1990s, Boulis had made a name for himself as founder of Miami Subs and owner of the SunCruz fleet of 11 casino ships that sailed far enough out to sea for gambling to be legal. By the end of the decade, a little-known federal law barring foreign ownership of commercial vessels forced Boulis, a Greek national, to sell the fleet. But the sale was a fraud   the buyers lied about how they were financing the deal and Boulis never got the $145 million he was promised. The new owners included Washington, D.C., lobbyist Jack Abramoff and "Dial-a-Mattress" businessman Adam Kidan, who ran the day-to-day operations of the fleet and kept an increasingly suspicious and angry Boulis at bay. According to testimony, the feud between Kidan and Boulis became so heated that Boulis once attacked Kidan with a pen. Kidan said he responded by enlisting the help of a man he believed to be a mob associate, Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello. Moscatiello's role was ostensibly as a supplier of wine, but Kidan said he hired him to send Boulis a message that he was protected by the Gambino crime family. According to prosecutors, Moscatiello profited handsomely from his association with Kidan and saw Boulis as a threat to a steady income stream. It was Moscatiello who ultimately hired Gurino to kill Boulis, according to prosecutors. As he was leaving his Fort Lauderdale office late on Feb. 6, 2001, Boulis was ambushed. The vehicle in front of his wouldn't budge, and Gurino, prosecutors believe, pulled up beside him in a car going to opposite direction, firing multiple shots at Boulis before driving away. Gunned down at the doorway of Liotta's deli two years later, Gurino could never confirm that account. Moscatiello and two others, Anthony "Little Tony" Ferrari and James "Pudgy" Fiorillo, were charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in 2005. Fiorillo pleaded guilty in 2012 and was sentenced to six years in prison, which by then he had already served. He testified against his former co-defendants. Ferrari was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to life in prison. Moscatiello's trial followed. He was convicted in 2015. In both cases, the jury opted for life in prison over the death penalty. Both men appealed their convictions. Ferrari, 62, is now in a Broward jail waiting for a retrial after an appeals court overturned his conviction. A retrial also was ordered for Moscatiello, 80, though Broward prosecutors have challenged the order before the Florida Supreme Court. Moscatiello remains in a state prison in Miami-Dade County. Kidan and Abramoff were never implicated in the Boulis murder, but they were convicted of fraud in the SunCruz purchase. The fall of Abramoff was chronicled in the 2010 movie "Casino Jack," in which the Boulis murder was a subplot. Life after prison Liotta had hoped Gurino's history would prompt the legal system to reconsider his self-defense claim. It didn't. "That was frustrating," he said. "When you're sent to prison, hope is a valuable commodity. It's one of the few things that keeps everybody in line." Liotta served a little more than 10 years, getting out in April 2015. Since then, he has struggled to find steady work, he said, though he has managed some part-time jobs. "Nobody wants to hire you once you're out," he said. He wrote a book chronicling his experience and his brush with the Boulis case, enlisting the aid of a professional writer credited as the co-author. The cover art of "Bread and Bullets," is a drawing that depicts Liotta wearing a baker's hat, standing with a gun in his hand outside a bakery. Lying in front of him is Gurino, face down, his blood staining the sidewalk. The building looks nothing like the now-closed Corner Deli, but it shares the old address "7158." Liotta said he wrote the book to clear his conscience and to serve as a warning for people to avoid prison. "It's a caution for readers," he said. "It's every bit as bad in there as you'd think."     ©2019 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


The chants began before the game started and continued throughout. They emanated from every section of the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims. "USA! USA! USA! USA!" You'd be forgiven for forgetting at times that Tuesday night's U.S. women's national team World Cup opener against Thailand took place in France and not in Florida. The game itself was, as expected, extremely uncompetitive. The USWNT had its way in every phase of the game and ripped the overmatched Thai squad apart. Alex Morgan scored a remarkable five goals and two USWNT players, Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis, scored two goals as the U.S. destroyed their opponents 13-0 to get their World Cup defense off to a record-setting perfect start. It was the largest win in Women's World Cup history. Naturally this delighted the crowd of American supporters, who had been filing into Reims and livening up the city center from the early part of the day. The U.S., of course, would have won Tuesday night's game had it been played in front of a home crowd, a neutral crowd, or a stadium filled with 100,000 screaming Thailand fans. But Tuesday night's game could portend something very important for the U.S. as the World Cup continues and the opponents get tougher. Buoyed by the World Cup fever that sweeps the nation whenever the men's or women's team is playing a part, the United States will have by far more fans in France than any non-French country. Last week, FIFA said that they had allocated the majority of tickets for the tournament   460,748   to French citizens. After that, more tickets were allocated to Americans   130,905   than the rest of the world combined. England ranked third with 29,307 tickets allocated. That means that for the entirely of the World Cup   with the very notable exception of any game against France, the USWNT's possible quarterfinal opponent   the U.S. will enjoy a significant home-field advantage. On Tuesday night, that advantage was readily apparent, just as it was four years ago in Canada. The USWNT played in front of heavily pro-American crowd in all seven matches in the 2015 World Cup, as plenty of fans made the relatively short journey to their neighboring country to the north. That support served as a massive boost as the U.S. lifted the World Cup for the first time since the 1999 World Cup   a tournament that took place in the United States and, of course, was filled with partisan crowds. On Tuesday night, their home-field advantage wasn't really needed. As the tournament goes on though, it very well might.


Two finalists for Metro Transit police chief will take questions from the public Thursday night at the downtown Minneapolis Public Library. John Harrington, a former St. Paul police chief, held the transit position for seven years until Gov. Tim Walz made him public safety commissioner in January. Metropolitan Council leaders have narrowed the field of candidates to Eddie Frizell, a Minneapolis police inspector, and A.J. Olson, who is Metro Transit's acting police chief. Frizell, a Minneapolis officer since 1993, is in charge of the downtown area's First Precinct and holds the rank of colonel in the Army. Across 30 years of military service, he has been deployed to Bosnia, Iraq and Kuwait. An Iowa native and graduate of the University of Iowa and the U.S. Army War College, Frizell is married with two adult daughters and a teenage son. Olson has nearly 38 years of law enforcement experience. He joined Metro Transit in 2005 and spent 12 years as deputy chief. A native of Montana, Olson holds degrees from the University of Mary, at Bismarck, N.D., and St. Mary's University of Minnesota, as well as a graduate certificate from the University of Virginia. Olson is married with two adult children and a granddaughter. The candidates will answer questions from the public at 7 p.m. Thursday in Pohlad Hall at the downtown Minneapolis Public Library, 300 Nicollet Ave. The public is invited to submit questions prior to the event by phone at 651-602-1500 or email at public.info@metc.state.mn.us. Related Articles Metro Transit officer injured in St. Paul explosion has been released from the hospital Metro Transit officer injured in small explosion at St. Paul bus repair facility After report of threats at UMN Green Line station, police stop 7 fleeing juveniles; 2 found with metal pipes East Metro's Gold Line costs rise to $461 million due to electric buses, added infrastructure It's official: Green Line to cut weekday service from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.


Nick Foles is no longer a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but his legacy in the city and to the sport will live on for decades with this announcement from EA Sports. While a guest on Fran Duffy's 'Eye in the Sky' podcast, Anthony White of EA Sports confirmed that the Eagles famous play, the 'Philly Special' or 'Philly Philly' as it was called in the Super Bowl, will be added to the Madden 20 playbook. Heard it here first: The Philly Special will be making its debut in @EAMaddenNFL . Hear more: https://t.co/ixwRkB78os Subscribe to the Eagle Eye in the Sky podcast: https://t.co/SDe9RQxTcy #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/OOStZNzHTz - Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 20, 2019 The play, which will go down in history as Nick Foles idea, was a never before run play, that saw Foles have the ball directly snapped to running back Clement. Clement went on to pitch the ball to Burton, who passed the ball to a wide open Foles to score a touchdown. With the score, Foles thereby became the first player in Super Bowl history to both throw and catch a touchdown. The play helped the Eagles defeat the New England Patriots, 41-33. MORE: Kevin Durant fired back on Twitter after Chris Broussard questioned his Warriors titles Magic Johnson confirms rumor that Lakers want to sign Kyrie Irving Kyle Rudolph could be a late offseason acquisition Cowboys need 5 undrafted free agents who could make the Raiders roster in 2019 VIDEO: Magic Johnson Calls Out Rob Pelinka for Backstabbing on First Take


The Day in Sports: Sunday, June 30, 2019 Soccer: CONCACAF Gold Cup-USA at Curacao United States forward Tyler Boyd (21) kicks a high ball against Curacao during the first half of quarterfinal play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer tournament at Lincoln Financial Field. MLB: Kansas City Royals at Toronto Blue Jays A general view of Rogers Centre prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays . MLB: Washington Nationals at Detroit Tigers Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws warm up pitches during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Miami Marlins Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jean Segura (2) scores a run on a wild pitch as Miami Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro (38) blocks the plate in the sixth inning at Marlins Park. MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Matt Beaty (45) makes it safely to first as Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez (50) drops the ball in the third inning at Coors Field. MLB: Cleveland Indians at Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles third baseman Rio Ruiz (14), shortstop Jonathan Villar (2), second baseman Hanser Alberto (57) and first baseman Chris Davis (19) stand during the national anthem prior to the game against the Cleveland Indians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. MLB: Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros Seattle Mariners second baseman Tim Beckham (1) is out at second base as Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) throws to first base during the fifth inning at Minute Maid Park. MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt (9) is tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly (18) at home plate during the first inning at Oracle Park. Soccer: CONCACAF Gold Cup-Jamaica at Panama Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake (green) grabs the ball as Panama defender Roman Torres (5) attempts to connect on a header in the second half during quarterfinal play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer tournament at Lincoln Financial Field. MLB: Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox Minnesota Twins second baseman Jonathan Schoop (16) throws to first base after forcing out Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) to complete a double play to end the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. PGA: Rocket Mortage Classic - Final Round Nate Lashley poses with the trophy after winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Golf Club. MLB: Atlanta Braves at New York Mets Atlanta Braves center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) slides safely past the tag of New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano (24) in the first inning at Citi Field.


The Chicago Bears have avoided major injuries in the first week of training camp, but the minor scratches and bruises are starting to add up. The team's class of 2019 rookies seems to be getting hit early, as both seventh-round picks joined fourth-round pick Riley Ridley on the injury report Thursday. Little more specific on Kerrith Whyte Jr.. Hurt his hamstring and foot (sprain) in practice today. . For Stephen Denmark, it's an ankle injury. Both 7th round rookies. - Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) August 1, 2019 None of the injuries appear to have any long-term concerns, but first year players are the ones who can least afford to miss these important practices. Whyte is trying to prove himself as the fourth running back on the depth chart behind fellow rookie David Montgomery and the veterans Mike Davis and Tarik Cohen. Former undrafted rookie free agent Ryan Nall is proving to be strong competition with some versatility to fill the fullback role Matt Nagy kept around last season. Denmark finds himself in a crowded cornerback group with an outsider's chance at cracking the 53-man roster. The Bears see a lot of potential in the physical specimen, but he won't be able to develop his raw talent if he's spending too much time on the sideline. MORE: Hiker stalked by cougar says Metallica song helped her escape Winners and losers from first week of Raiders training camp Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp WATCH: Vikings WR Stefon Diggs torches CB Xavier Rhodes


WASHINGTON   Some of the younger candidates in the crowded Democratic presidential primary are suggesting that the early front-runner, 76-year-old Joe Biden , is too mired in the past. Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke , 46, and Pete Buttigieg , the 37-year old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, have stepped up questions this week about whether Biden really provides new perspectives for the direction of the country after the 2020 election. "We cannot return to the past," O'Rourke told MSNBC on Thursday. "That cannot be who we are going forward. We've got to be bigger, we've got to be bolder." O'Rourke has spent months praising Biden's experience and perspective. His criticism now comes two weeks before Democrats gather for the first presidential debate of the primary and highlights the generational divide that some candidates are trying to draw in hopes of reshaping the race. Though O'Rourke didn't mention Biden's age, he said Biden, a two-term vice president under Barack Obama, represents a return to the past. That echoes Buttigieg, who seemed to refer to Biden during a lengthy speech Tuesday designed to bolster his own foreign policy credentials. "Democrats can no more turn the clock back to the 1990s than Republicans can return us to the 1950s," he said. "And we should not try." Buttigieg was just shy of his eighth birthday when the 1990s began. When Biden announced his first run for president in June 1987, Buttigieg was 5. Biden has long rejected notions he's too old for the White House, especially since President Donald Trump turns 73 on Friday. And Biden isn't the oldest Democratic candidate; that's Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, 77. Biden, a seasoned politician who arrived in the Senate in 1973, insists he can remake the nation's politics after Trump. But as Biden sits at the top of most polls, questions have begun to surface about whether some of the other candidates can get noticed. Brad Bannon, a Democratic pollster and consultant in Washington, said this is an issue in which younger candidates can potentially gain ground on Biden and Sanders. "Basically, most voters think Washington is either Sodom or Gomorrah, or both combined, and I think the problem Biden has is he's been around too long," said Bannon, who is unaffiliated with any 2020 presidential hopeful. "People are very hostile to creatures of Washington." Even O'Rourke's mild criticism demonstrates a shift for a candidate who had previously refused to speak ill of any other Democrats in the race, saying it simply wasn't in his DNA. Appearing Wednesday night on CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," O'Rourke was asked jokingly, "If trapped on a deserted island with all 22 other candidates, which would you eat first?" "I would die first," he said, refusing to take the bait. Former Obama administration housing chief Julian Castro , 44, has also championed the fresh political perspective he says he can offer, telling The Associated Press while preparing his presidential run in December, "I think these times, right now, call for a new generation of leadership." Asked about Biden, Castro said: "I think that everybody brings their strengths. But I'll tell you that what I hear out there is that people want a new generation of leadership." The issue remains on Biden's mind, too. Pressed by reporters this week in Iowa, he said, "People have a right to question all of our ages. It's a totally legitimate thing." Biden also indicated he was expecting criticism during the upcoming debate. "My guess is it's going to be an inclination, instead of talking about the future, it's going to be talking about the past," Biden said during a stop Wednesday at a cafe in Eldridge, Iowa. "And I'm about the future, not the past. For real, there are so many opportunities we have. And so much has to be done." ___ Associated Press writers Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, and Thomas Beaumont in Eldridge, Iowa, contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the name of the CBS show is "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," not "The Late Show with Seven Colbert."


Cruising with Martha Stewart? It's a good thing. Following Oprah Winfrey's collaboration with Holland America, it was only natural that Martha Stewart, another matriarch in American media, should also strike up a partnership with a cruise line and bring her star power to the high seas. MSC Cruises has tapped America's foremost lifestyle maven to help develop new onboard and offshore itineraries that include hands-on culinary classes and tastings, horseback riding excursions in the ocean, hiking to hidden coves, visits to craft markets, and garden tours. "The excursions showcase some of my favorite activities and help MSC Cruises' guests discover some of the authentic and hidden treasures of destinations throughout the Caribbean," Stewart said in a statement. "The holiday dinner menus and surprise gift packages encompass what I believe celebrations should include: good food, good company and commemorating great adventures and inspiration wherever we are." For the initial rollout, Martha Stewart & MSC Cruises Excursions will be launched for voyages to the Caribbean, including destinations like Puerto Rico, Nassau, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Stewart has also developed special holiday dinner menus for occasions like Easter, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's Eve. Holland American Line launched a series of cruise sailings to Alaska with Winfrey last year. RELATED VIDEO: The Best Cruise Destination in the World is... (via Buzz60)


The Seahawks have spoken about being a championship-caliber team in the upcoming season, and in no other area was that emphasis more apparent than with special teams. A unit that struggled late in 2018, special teams for Seattle appears to be on track to be much improved in 2019. The Seahawks upgraded at kicker with a player they cut last offseason. Coverage and protection faltered last season, so they bolstered their experience in the department with their 11-player draft class. They signed special-teams talent in free agency, too. And the punting spot looks secure moving forward. The Seahawks now have Pro Bowlers at both punter and kicker, and a special-teams unit as a whole that boasts more youth and athleticism than a year ago. RELATED: NFC West Preview: Can the Seahawks beat out the Rams for No. 1 in the division? But will the moves result in better product with special teams? RELATED: Where does Seahawks' Pete Carroll rank among the best coaches in the NFL? Continue reading below (or browse through the gallery above) for a preview of the Seahawks' special-teams unit entering 2019. PUNTING The Seahawks have their punter for the present and future in Michael Dickson, who made first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2018. He's exceeded the high standard set by his predecessor, Jon Ryan, who he beat out for the punting job last offseason. Selected in the fifth round of last year's draft by Seattle, Dickson made his imprint from day one -- showing his proficiency in flipping fields and placing punts inside the 20. He was so good that former Seahawks edge rusher Frank Clark called him an honorary defensive member. Dickson last season was Seattle's first Pro Bowl punter since 1994, and the first rookie punter to make the annual all-star event in 34 years. Dickson has been playing American football for just under five years, as he grew up on Australian rules football. So Seahawks special teams coach Brian Schneider believes he can be even better moving forward. Schneider told reporters at OTAs he's seen great growth in Dickson since the end of last season. The onus is on Seattle' offense to more consistently put Dickson in situations where he can make field-changing punts, as opposed to just bailing out stagnant drives. KICKING The biggest move the Seahawks made this offseason on special teams was bringing back Jason Myers, who they signed to a four-year deal worth $15.45 million with $7 million guaranteed. The hope is that he significantly elevates Seattle's production at kicker. Sebastian Janikowski posted three game-winning field goals last year, but waning consistency became an issue late in the season (he missed three FGs in a three-game span at one point). Janikowski, who turned 41 in March, had suffered a hamstring injury in the Seahawks' wild-card loss to the Cowboys and announced his retirement the following month. Now the focus turns back to Myers, who 'Seabass' had beaten out for the Seahawks' kicking job last offseason. Myers was cut by Seattle and went on to have a career year with the New York Jets, drilling 33-of-36 field goals (91.7 percent) and 30-of-33 PATs (90.9 percent) en route to his first Pro Bowl nod. He also hit six-of-seven FGs that were 50 yards or longer. "Jason did get beat out," Schneider told reporters in June of the kicking competition last year. "I think he'd be the first one to tell you that. But I think that made him even better. ... I think that all prepared him for where he is today." Myers is the guy at kicker in Seattle entering 2019. He won't have any competition, and his contract basically guarantees he'll be a Seahawk for at least the next two seasons. The team is excited about the edge Myers will be able to give it down the stretch of tight games in the coming year. 13 of the Seahawks' 17 games last season (regular season and postseason) were one-score games. On the last day of veteran minicamp, head coach Pete Carroll was buzzing about two game-winning field goals Myers drilled in situational team scrimmaging. "That move that we made to get him, I think is going to work out great for us and it's going to give us the confidence to utilize the kicker like you'd hope to in crucial situations, long balls when got to go for it," Carroll said at the time. "We're going to be playing with a lot of confidence in that regard." COVERAGE/PROTECTION The Seahawks' biggest special-teams gaffes last season came in coverage and protection. There was the 97-yard kick-return touchdown the coverage unit gave up in the Week 15 OT loss to the 49ers. In the regular-season finale, the Cardinals blocked two Seahawks punts, including one for a defensive touchdown. A closer examination of the problems last year by 'Seahawks Maven' suggest that the lapses were in technique, not necessarily in skill. Schneider, in fact, told reporters in June that the special-teams unit through the first eight games was as good as he's ever seen it in Seattle. The issues came in the last half of the season. He said 'finishing' was the problem. But Seattle certainly boosted their depth and experience in coverage/protection with the rookie class. There is a lot of special-teams talent among the draft picks, as a number of them were core special-teams players throughout college. With depth at several key positions -- like linebacker, cornerback, running back -- many of the first-year pros will be utilized on special teams to make their mark on the squad. The signing of fullback Nick Bellore also signaled how big of a priority Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider made special-teams improvement in bolstering their team this offseason. A converted linebacker, Bellore had the second-highest percentage of special-teams snaps of any Detroit Lion last season. The two-year, $2.23 million deal with $600K guaranteed he signed with Seattle signaled that he's likely to make the team. RETURN GAME The Seahawks are probably going to to cut down on Tyler Lockett's usage as a returner (potentially entirely), even though he wants to keep doing it. Lockett is now the No. 1 receiver with Doug Baldwin no longer with the team, and he's too important to what Seattle is trying to do on offense. There are a number of players in the running to take his return duties. David Moore, Rashaad Penny, J.D. McKissic, Ugo Amadi and John Ursua are in the mix. They all got looks at the spot in the offseason program, and they'll continue to at training camp beginning next week. A potential front runner? Moore. Entering his third NFL season, Moore got some looks as a returner in the preseason last year and has some experience as return specialist from his days at Division II's East Central University in Oklahoma. The way Brian Schneider spoke of Moore, too, seemed to suggest he's a top option right now. "I'm really comfortable with David, and we got a lot of young guys that can do it too," Schneider said of the Seahawks' return options in June. "However that plays out, we're prepared for whoever we put back there, and we'll feel good about it." Ben Arthur covers the Seahawks and other local sports for the SeattlePI. He can be reached by email at benjaminarthur@seattlepi.com . Follow him on twitter at @benyarthur .


Craving cupcakes? You're in luck: a new business has opened its doors in the neighborhood. Located at 1640 Oakhurst Commons Drive, Suite 103 in Oakhurst, the fresh addition is called Swirl . Swirl offers cakes that you can order and purchase that same day without pre-ordering. Custom cakes and wedding cakes are also a specialty. With a 4.5-star rating out of four reviews on Yelp so far, Swirl has been warmly received by patrons. Michael B., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on May 4, wrote, "They have custom cupcakes with eight different cake options, eight different frostings, 12 different toppings and three drizzles. The cupcake isn't too heavy, and it has just the perfect amount of icing." Head on over to check it out: Swirl is open from 11 a.m. 7 p.m. on Tuesday-Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday and Monday.) 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.


FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP)   A newlywed woman from Belarus who was swept away by a river in Alaska was trying to reach an abandoned bus made famous by the book and film "Into the Wild." Veramika Maikamava, 24, and her husband, Piotr Markielau, also 24, on Thursday were heading for the bus where hiker Christopher McCandless met his death in 1992, The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported . The bus has been the source of multiple rescues since it was made famous, first by Jon Krakauer's book published in 1996 and then by Sean Penn's 2007 film. Both chronicled the life and death of McCandless, who hiked into the Alaska wilderness with little food and equipment and spent the summer living in the bus. McCandless was found dead in the bus almost four months later. Markielau called troopers in Fairbanks late Thursday to report his wife's death during a hike, Alaska State Troopers said. The couple was trying to cross the Teklanika River along the Stampede Trail near Healy when the woman was swept under water, the troopers said. The river was flowing high and fast because of recent rains. Markielau reported he was able to pull his wife out of the water a short distance away downriver, but she had died by then, the troopers said. The body has been recovered. In June 2013, three hikers were rescued by a passing military helicopter when they tried to reach the bus. In May 2013, three German hikers trying to reach the bus on the Stampede Trail, near Healy, located about 10 miles north of the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve on the Parks Highway, also had to be rescued. They told troopers the river they crossed getting to the bus had become impassable for the return due to high, swift-running water. The hikers had proper gear but only enough food for three days, troopers said.


Fossils are echos of an ancient past. Find out about the two major categories of fossils, how fossilization occurs, and how fossils can help paint a picture of the planet's history.


Indulging in a pint of ice cream while binge watching Netflix may satisfy your sweet tooth, but it can come at a cost. Simply put, sugar is bad news for your health, especially the processed kind. Added sugar can lead to weight gain , increased risk of heart disease and even speed up the aging process. "Sugar in and of itself doesn't age our skin but foods with a higher glycemic index can cause our insulin levels to spike, which may lead to inflammation within the body," says Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD a Connecticut-based board certified dermatologist. "This can cause the breakdown of collagen and elastin." In other words, depletion or damage to those two proteins is part of the reason that our bodies prematurely wrinkle and sag. Since it's nearly impossible to avoid all forms of sugar and it is the fuel that keeps us keep moving, it's important to understand why and how we need to limit our consumption. Sugar, in all forms, is a simple carbohydrate that triggers a glycemic response within our bodies   though different types of sugars have a different effect on blood sugar levels. Foods such as beans, sweet potatoes, most fruits, oats, pasta and converted rice are better for us because they break down and digest slowly. Alternately, white bread, corn flakes, russet potatoes, and processed foods should be eaten in moderation because they produce a rapid rise in insulin and then fast fall. "Chronic insulin spikes result in inflammation and can lead to roughness, redness, breakouts, and wrinkles of our skin," says Anthony Youn, M.D., F.A.C.S., and host of The Holistic Plastic Surgery Show podcast. Avoid the sugar roller coaster ride by aiming for balanced meals and snacks. "Pair healthy proteins with carbs as that can slow the body's glycemic response," says Robinson. Also, foods that contain fiber and fat take longer to digest and can help stabilize blood sugar to avoid the spike and crash effect. But that's not the only process we have to worry about   there's glycation , which also plays a role in premature aging. Glycation refers to the bonding of sugar molecules onto fats and protein. When this happens it forms Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), which morphs protein fibers. Collagen and elastin are the protein fibers that keep us looking young and they're the most vulnerable. Once they are damaged, they are less resilient and dry. "This can age our skin, making it thinner, rougher, and more wrinkled in appearance," says Youn. In fact, research has shown that these effects usually start at around age 35 , and increase rapidly after that. Though you can't stop the process of glycation altogether, eating fewer sweets will reduce the number of sugar molecules looming in your body, thus slowing down this process. But don't worry   we can mitigate the effects of inflammation and glycation on the skin by making small changes. "We can reverse the signs of aging with a variety of strategies like eating a healthy, antioxidant-rich diet," Robinson says. Stock up on veggies, fruits, dark chocolate and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, and nuts) because they will nourish your skin from the inside out. Although it is impossible to skip all forms of sugar and carbs, there are some we need to avoid. "Start by removing processed and refined sugars and limit your carbs to whole grains," says Youn. "And definitely stop drinking soda   it is the worst thing for the skin," he warns. Check food labels, especially low-fat versions, for sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, which are found in crackers, yogurts, cookies, cakes, tomato sauce, and salad dressings. Luckily, there are things you can add to turn back time. "Adding a vitamin C and vitamin E serum every morning and a retinol moisturizer every night is a good first step," says Youn. You can also trigger collagen growth with laser therapies. While we have yet to find the fountain of youth, taking small steps daily can go a long way in curtailing early signs of aging. (VIDEO) Study: Sugar making kids hyper might be sort of a myth (Courtesy: Buzz60)


Restricted free agent forward Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Suns have agreed to a "multi-year contract," the team announced Tuesday. His agent told ESPN .com last week that the deal was worth $30 million over two years. The contract gives the 6-7 small forward, who turned 23 in December, financial security in the near term but an opportunity to return to the market as a 25-year-old unrestricted free agent in 2021. Oubre himself appeared to allude to the new contract in a July 11 tweet that read, simply: "VALLEY BOYZZZZZZ #Shhh" VALLEY BOYZZZZZZ #Shhh   Tsunami Papi (@KELLYOUBREJR) July 11, 2019 Oubre, acquired from the Wizards at the trade deadline, immediately brought a palpable intensity and a fresh style to a struggling Suns team. "I've said before: We love Kelly," Suns GM James Jones told reporters in April. "We want Kelly here." In 40 games (12 starts) for the Suns, Oubre posted career highs in points (16.9), shooting percentage (45.3), rebounds (4.9) and assists (1.6). He was even better after moving into the starting lineup after the All-Star break, averaging 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and a league-high 2.1 steals. By comparison, the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft averaged of 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game in three-plus seasons with the Wizards. Yet his impact in Phoenix went far beyond the stats sheet as he injected energy and a no-fear approach to the game. "Since he's been here, he's helped this team tremendously on both sides of the floor," Suns guard Devin Booker said in March ( via azcentral.com ). "He's not scared he's going to get blocked. He's going to rebound for us. He's making shots." "Energy-wise, he's changed this whole team around," rookie Deandre Ayton added. MORE : NBA free agency news: 76ers sign Al Horford to reported 4-year deal | NBA free agency: Danny Green explains why he signed with Lakers | NBA free agency news: Tobias Harris re-signs with 76ers Still, the Suns finished with their second-worst record in franchise history (19-63), and Jones has been overhauling the team. As of Thursday, only four players from the 2018-19 roster remain. By retaining Oubre, Jones gives Suns fans a reason to believe   for now   that things are heading in a different direction and certainly with more swagger.


It looks as if Brett Favre's legendary character and quick wit has been passed down through the generations, and Favre's grandson Parker is just as savage as his grandpa was back in his playing days. Despite reports of a frosty relationship dating back to their time in Green Bay , Aaron Rodgers and Favre met up for a round of golf at the Baha Mar Showdown in the Bahamas. While you would think that Grandpa would be Parker's favorite quarterback, apparently he isn't totally sold on Favre and has a soft spot for Rodgers. Favre's grandson knows great QBs. (via @BrettFavre ) pic.twitter.com/kEraqQgPcT   ESPN (@espn) June 30, 2019 There is almost 115,000 yards and 846 touchdown passes in this photo, and the major highlight might be Favre's grandson and his snippy comments. The Baha Mar Showdown, hosted by Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul, will feature a team of NBA golfers pitted against a team of NFL golfers, meaning Favre and Rodgers will once again be on the same team. But who scored better? https://t.co/suvXwI46UD   John Wirth (@WILawyer) June 30, 2019 You know what to do, Baha Mar. Mic up both of these guys and put the whole thing on TV. You can thank me later when your ratings go through the roof. Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NFL Draft (provided by imagn)


PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland   Bethpage, Bellerive, Shinnecock Hills, Erin Hills   Brooks Koepka continues to prove that his brilliance travels. The four-time major champion continued his impressive run in the game's most important events with an opening 68 at The Open where he was tied for fourth place. He's now been tied for fourth or better after 13 of his last 16 rounds in a major. "I played pretty solid. I missed it in the right spots all day. Didn't really make any putts. Didn't take advantage of anything to really go low," said Koepka, whose record in his last four major starts is first, second, first and second. "But definitely didn't shoot myself out of it, so I'm OK with that." Full-field scores from the 148th Open Championship Full coverage of the 148th Open Championship Koepka's only miscue was at the 17th hole when his drive sailed well wide of the fairway and he was forced to chip out. He's two shots off the lead held by J.B. Holmes. Koepka's best finish in an Open is a tie for sixth place in 2017 but he was encouraged after Day 1 and said he's embraced the challenge of Royal Portrush. "I like the creativity you have to have," he said of links golf. "You'll be standing over a shot and I see about 20 different flights and shapes, any way you can get it close to the hole. It's just about picking the right one. That's what makes links golf so fun."


Former Houston Texans receiver David Anderson joins the "Texans Talk Podcast" to talk about his memories of going to training camp in Houston. Among the topics covered today are David's thoughts on Jadeveon Clowney's contract situation and the NFL PA filing a grievance on his behalf, as well as the coaching and front office changes this offseason. https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/7321062-texans-talk-podcast-training-camp-memories-with-david-anderson/embed/v4 Also discussed are David's favorite memories from his training camps in Houston, the notorious heat down south, and who he feels should be inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor next. Make sure to subscribe to "The Texans Talk Podcast" on Apple, Google, Audioboom, or Stitcher, and follow The Texans Wire on Twitter for all the latest Texans news. MORE: Angler defies odds, lands truly enormous halibut Is Tacko Fall an NBA player? Here is the case for why... and why not One bold prediction for each NFL team in 2019 Chiefs TE Travis Kelce reacts to news that Tyreek Hill won't be suspended Dallas Goedert gives some insight into his relationship with Zach Ertz