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As some airlines try to convince leisure travelers that experience counts more than price, they may want to take another look at seat size. A recent poll by travel deals site Airfarewatchdog found 55% of 2,100 travelers think the government should regulate seat size. And 38% said airlines should be required to disclose seat size more prominently, while 4% felt nothing should be done and 6% haven't noticed seats getting smaller. The poll was conducted on Airfarewatchdog's website and newsletter in late March. Lately it seems economy-class passengers have gotten used to putting up with discomforts to snag a cheap fare. But finding a happy medium may be getting harder, as some airlines dole out other fees like those for extra-legroom or even sitting together with families. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid extra fees, either by budgeting for money-wasters , as we've discussed, or opening a travel rewards card , which can offer perks such as free checked bags and the occasional seat upgrade. You can also potentially secure cheaper airfare and/or better seat by flying on weekdays (experts recommend Tuesday and Wednesday for best fares) or booking about 57 days prior to vacation, although this varies for international flights. Remember, if you're considering a travel rewards card, you'll want to know where your credit stands so you have a sense of what type of card you may qualify for. If your credit's in bad shape, you may be able to improve your score by disputing errors on your credit reports, paying down high credit card balances and limiting new inquiries. This article originally appeared on Credit.com . | 2 | 99,400 | travel |
(Bloomberg) -- Landlords of retail properties should counter the threat from electronic commerce by turning to dining and entertainment to attract a younger generation of customers, according to MetLife Inc.'s asset manager. Millennials have a higher "experience-to-stuff" ratio for their disposable income than members of the baby boomer and Gen X groups had when they were 24 to 35 years old, MetLife Investment Management said Thursday in a report. Those spending patterns have helped drive superior results in recent years at the more dynamic shopping locations, according to MIM. Amazon.com Inc. and other online retailers have been winning market share, pressuring brick-and-mortar retailers such as Aeropostale Inc. and Sports Authority Inc. and their landlords. The Bloomberg index of regional mall landlords has gained 2 percent this year compared with a 5.9 percent climb in the broader Bloomberg Real Estate Investment Trust Index. Still, shopping locations can thrive when consumers find an attractive mix of stores, restaurants and entertainment, said Melissa Reagen, head of research at MIM for real estate. "We're very bullish that those retail centers will actually do quite well," she said in an interview. Places "that can do all those things really well will be able to compete against e-commerce." MetLife, the largest U.S. life insurer, loaned $14.3 billion for commercial real estate last year, a company record, including $333 million to help refinance Taubman Centers Inc.'s Mall at Short Hills, a luxury shopping center in New Jersey. The New York-based insurer lends its own money and also oversees funds for third parties through MIM. The money manager said it favors tenants that offer unique products or a high level of customer service. Apple Inc. stores stand out because staff can help customers navigate complex devices. And Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics attracts shoppers with private events and makeup consultations, according to the report. Movies can also draw traffic. David Ownby, the chief financial officer of Regal Entertainment Group, echoed that sentiment in a May conference, citing the theater chain's leverage with landlords in seeking improvements to facilities. "Fortunately for us, typically we're not a recipient of traffic, we're more of a driver of traffic at mall or retail locations," he said. "So we're not always impacted by some of the retail sales numbers that you see, or declining traffic at malls in general. So that's a positive." His company's stock has climbed 7.3 percent since Dec. 31. Reagen said weekend farmers' markets and live entertainment can help distinguish successful shopping centers. It's also important that dining options be better than what she recalls growing up with in malls. "Food is a huge driver at this point, but something a little more curated," she said. "Something that is actually good." To contact the reporter on this story: Katherine Chiglinsky in New York at [email protected]. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Dan Kraut at [email protected], Kara Wetzel at [email protected], Daniel Taub ©2016 Bloomberg L.P. | 3 | 99,401 | finance |
The woman who was raped by Brock Turner, the Stanford Rapist, wrote a chillingly honest letters to court officials about her experiences after she woke up and found out she had been raped. Many believe a positive that came out of this negative situation is that parent's can teach their children not to commit sexual assault. According to Gena O'Brien, a mother of two sons, she made her oldest son promise to read the letter. She stated, "there are so many golden truths in there, start truths. It's about victimizing somebody and somebody's feelings of being a victim of something. And I want my boys to have empathy." | 5 | 99,402 | news |
Check your pockets, as one of a rare batch of 1970 quarters could be worth a fortune. One of the quarters is for sale on eBay for $35,000. The listing says it was part of a group of proof coin errors that were auctioned by the state of California. KGW-TV reports seller Mike Byers says the quarter was struck over a 1941 Canadian quarter instead of a blank due to a mint error. He says parts of the Canadian quarter can still be seen underneath the images of George Washington and the bald eagle on both sides of the coin. The station says similar 1970 quarters are being sold for $2,500 and for $5,000 on eBay. | 3 | 99,403 | finance |
An autonomous drone capable of carrying human passengers is to be tested in Nevada in the first test of its kind in the United States. Chinese drone manufacturer Ehang received approval from the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) and the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) for its 184 drone to be tested later this year as part of an "historic" agreement. "Partnering with GOED and NIAS is a big step for Ehang 184 to move forward to government regulatory approval of the unprecedented innovation in the U.S. and globally, which will lay the foundation for its commercialization and building up the aerial ecosystem in the future," Huazhi Hu, founder and CEO of Ehang, said in a statement . Nevada was one of the first states to permit testing of driverless cars and Ehang hopes the testing of its taxi drones will be the first step in making the technology widely available. A prototype of Ehang's taxi drone was on show at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, with the Guangzhou-based firm claiming it could carry a passenger for up to 23 minutes at speeds of up to 63 mph. "The state of Nevada, through NIAS, will help guide Ehang through the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] regulatory process with the ultimate goal of achieving safe flight," said Tom Wilczek, a defence specialist at GOED. "I personally look forward to the day when drone taxis are part of Nevada's transportation system." | 5 | 99,404 | news |
Chen Hongtian decided to purchase the home for his family after claiming his 5,000 square foot home as being 'too tiny'. | 3 | 99,405 | finance |
No matter which way you swipe, "Swiper's Thumb" is happening. And it can increase your thumb size up to 15%! Keleigh Nealon (@keleighnealon) has the story. | 8 | 99,406 | video |
BEIRUT U.S.-backed fighters in Syria on Thursday closed off all major roads leading to the northern Syrian town of Manbij, a stronghold of the Islamic State group, and surrounded it from three sides, officials and opposition activists said. The town is one of the largest IS-held urban areas in northern Aleppo province. It's also a waypoint on an IS supply line between the Turkish border and the extremists' de facto capital, Raqqa. If the U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces capture Manbij, it will be the extremists' biggest defeat in Syria since government forces took the central historic town of Palmyra in March. The U.S. Central Command said the Manbij operation is part of the "moderate Syrian opposition" efforts to clear areas along the border with Turkey from IS. Members of the American and French military have been advising forces fighting IS in northern Syria. A statement by the Military Council of the City of Manbij, which is part of the SDF, said that all roads from the east, north and south have been cut. The group said they are now close enough to target IS inside the town, but they are holding off storming Manbij to avoid civilian casualties. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said SDF fighters are about 800 meters (yards) from the last main road linking Manbij with the city of Aleppo. Since the SDF offensive began on May 31, Observatory says 132 IS militants, 21 SDF fighters and 37 civilians have been killed there. Mustafa Bali, a Syrian journalist who visited the front lines in Manbij on Thursday, told The Associated Press that the extremists don't appear to be preparing to withdraw from Manbij as the had from other areas. He added that on Wednesday, black clouds covered the city as IS set tires alight to apparently obscure visibility inside Manbij and prevent airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition planes flying overhead. "Daesh is preparing for a battle inside the city," Bali said, using an Arabic acronym to refer to IS. SDF official Nasser Haj Mansour said on Wednesday that some 15,000 civilians had fled Manbij. In its statement, the U.S. Central Command also said that the U.S.-led coalition has conducted more than 105 strikes in support of the battle to liberate Manbij. It added that the "Syrian Arab Coalition is leading the operation and will be responsible for securing Manbij once it is freed" an apparent attempt to calm the town's Arab residents who fear Kurdish fighters, who are predominant in the SDF, will also enter their town. The statement said coalition advisers are assisting the fighters in the battles "with command and control from nodes located behind the forward line of friendly forces." In France, an official confirmed that French special forces are offering training and giving advice to SDF fighters. The official with the French Defense Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record, said its forces are with SDF fighters who are fighting against IS. The. He didn't provide other details. In a round-table interview last week, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said French forces were participating. "We are helping with arms, we are helping with aerial support, we are helping with advice." The U.S. also has around 300 Special Forces embedded with the SDF in northern Syria. The U.S. military also said a second carrier group is nearing the Mediterranean Sea to bolster operations, the first time two American carriers will be in those waters at the same time since the 2003 Iraq invasion. U.S. European Command spokesman Lt. Col. David Westover said the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its strike group of guided missile cruisers and destroyers was now in EUCOM's area of responsibility in the Atlantic en route to the Mediterranean. It joins the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group already in the Mediterranean. U.S. 6th Fleet spokesman Lt. Shawn Eklund says U.S. warships are there to carry out anti-Islamic State actions and to reassure European allies. "When we put carriers in place, it sends a signal," he said. Also Thursday, the U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said the Syrian government had granted approval for humanitarian aid to be delivered to 19 U.N.-designated "besieged areas" by the end of the month. His office later clarified that this was not the case. In a statement the U.N. said the U.N. has now received written approvals for 15 of 17 besieged locations that were requested. De Mistura cautioned that having these approvals granted would not automatically translate into actual aid deliveries. In the past, aid convoys have been stopped last minute or had some cargo taken off. De Mistura also said he has information that Damascus will release "substantial number of fighters," in the thousands. The release of detainees has been a key demand by the opposition during rounds of indirect peace talks held in Geneva earlier this year. The U.N. envoy didn't give a date for the next round of talks, saying that "time is not yet mature" but that the negotiators "want to do it as soon as possible." Speaking about the Damascus suburb of Daraya where medical aid was allowed for the first time earlier this month since 2012, de Mistura said when the U.N. was waiting for approval of aid delivery, the place was "heavily shelled and in particular the mosque in the month of Ramadan." ____ Associated Press writers Lori Hinnant in Paris and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report. | 5 | 99,407 | news |
USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt discuss the Cavaliers improved play in Game 3 and how it came at the right time. | 1 | 99,408 | sports |
Playing a sport that, for the most part, takes place on grass while being allergic to the green stuff must be rough. Just ask Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Allen Hurns, who told ESPN his grass allergy "has its moments": Hurns said he doesn't experience breathing problems. His nose doesn't get stuffy or runny either. He has skin breakouts that vary in degrees. Some days they're barely there. Other days he said he has to take a Benadryl after practice or games if it's a particularly severe breakout. Hurns said it's more of a nuisance than a problem, and it obviously hasn't affected him on the field. There's nothing Hurns can do to stop the breakouts from happening other than wearing the long sleeves and tights - or giving up the sport altogether. The only other thing he does is drink a lot of water because he said staying hydrated helps. If Hurns says it's not a big deal, then it's nothing to worry about. That's great news for the Jaguars, who just signed the breakout receiver to a four-year, $40 million extension last week. NFL post-draft power rankings | 1 | 99,409 | sports |
Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans Thursday rebuked some students at the Jeremiah Burke High School, saying that some who attend the Dorchester school know why one of their classmates was murdered on Wednesday, but are refusing to help solve the daylight shooting that also wounded three other people. "We know there are students that know exactly what happened," Evans said with Mayor Martin J. Walsh standing next to him. "Unfortunately they ae not coming forward. Everyone should be outraged by what happened [Wednesday] and shame on everybody if the parents and kids don't step up here.'' A 17-year-old student was shot to death Wednesday around 1 p.m. near the Burke, which had been evacuated after the fire alarm had been activated. The name of the student has not been released and no arrests have been reported. When the gunfire stopped, two other students had been wounded and a 67-year-old woman, a passerby, had been grazed by a bullet, officials said. Evans and Walsh spoke with reporters before entering the school where Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang has deployed grief counselors to help the teenagers deal with the loss of one of their classmates and the wounding of two more. Evans was blunt about the role the students can have in helping police and Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office identify those responsible for the violence that broke out near the school, and the intersection of Columbia Road and Washington Street. "Enough with the stop snitching stuff,'' Evans said. "We've got a mother who lost her 17-year-old child. Step forward. Have some courage and solve this one.'' Walsh told reporters his goal was to help students get back to work. "We are going to try to keep the school as normal as we can for the kids," Walsh said. "But there is an investigation and the police will do their job.'' As students gathered for school, four girls gathered on the sidewalk nearby. Two girls hugged each other while a third cried as she held a stuffed animal and cried. Later, a group of four teenagers went into nearby supermarket and purchased three candles they set on the sidewalk near where the teen was killed and the others were wounded. Chang told reporters that the staff and the department is working to support the students and staff. "The kids are going to be safe at this school,'' Chang said. "Our job is to bring normalcy to this school today. There is a lot of support on campus." Students told the Globe they heard five to seven blasts and authorities said the violence was not a drive-by shooting, but "a basic street fight" that turned more serious. City Councilor Tito Jackson, who spoke with a person who identified himself as the victim's brother, told reporters Wednesday that the murder victim never had a run-in with police and was not involved in violence. The boy's cousin also was wounded in the shooting, Jackson said. Evans said Thursday that he continues to believe the fire alarm, and the resulting evacuation of the school, was not connected to the teenager's murder. He said there was some "pushing and shoving'' before the gunfire broke out. "It's so troubling,'' said Evans. "I have a 17-year old, I can't fathom what it's like to lose a son that young." | 5 | 99,410 | news |
Instagram has come under fire again for removing an image of a woman's body that clearly falls within the parameters of its community guidelines. Aarti Olivia Dubey, a Singaporean-Indian plus-size fashion blogger who shares photos of outfits, makeup, quotes and more with her 16,000 Instagram followers , called out the app after realizing a photo she posted with two friends -- all of them wearing two-piece bathing suits for a magazine photoshoot -- had been removed because it " violated community guidelines ." After nearly two weeks of responding via a series of photos and calling on her followers to re-post the photo in question, Dubey said Instagram restored the image. A Community Operations employee e-mailed her an apology, citing the photo's removal as "a mistake" that happened "accidentally." But for Dubey, the apology came "a little too late after I had to deal with all the bloody trolls and haters last week." "I accept your apology Instagram but it does not change a thing. You have placed the image back but at what cost? ... You are answerable to ALL of my plus size friends for removing their images or accounts on Instagram or Facebook," she wrote in response. "Check your latent fatphobia. Check your guidelines and policies. Take better care of the people who use your services as a means of staying connected to oceans of people who just want to exist as people." Instagram, which did not respond to an inquiry from The Huffington Post, has apologized for removing appropriate content before. In 2014, it removed an image of a blogger's covered backside ("[I was] completely covered, but fat. Therefore pornographic," she said) and has even banned the hashtag #curvy . Facebook, which owns Instagram, was slammed just last month for banning an ad featuring a plus-size model in a bikini , claiming "the image depicts a body or body parts in an undesirable manner." Dubey, who proudly signed her note, "Sincerely, a fat brown woman," told The Huffington Post her intention on Instagram is simply to promote acceptance. "I'd like people to realize that fat shaming is harmful and all I want to do as a body positive advocate is to encourage acts of self love, self respect and embracing yourself at whatever size you are," she said. While Dubey told The Huffington Post reactions to the photo have "been varied, from people telling me to stop glorifying an unhealthy lifestyle to people standing in solidarity with why I was so upset the post was removed," ultimately, she said the experience has shown her how important it is to keep posting. "It's reaffirmed my stance as an activist to use my platform to educate and promote self acceptance," she said. Preach, girl. | 4 | 99,411 | lifestyle |
'America's Newsroom' host Bill Hemmer weighs in, shares a preview of his interview with Gov. John Kasich | 5 | 99,412 | news |
You can't stream enough of Friends and Orange Is the New Black--why not name your son- or daughter-to-be after your fave character on the show? It's not as crazy as it sounds when you start realizing how strong the names are. Let's look at 19 on our personal short list. Rachel (Friends) This one is just classic enough to fly under the fangirl radar. Arya (Game Of Thrones) Born with mad survival skills. Leonard (The Big Bang Theory) Born with mad physics skills. Piper (Orange Is The New Black) Resourceful. Plus, looks great in bright colors. Aidan (Sex And The City) The nicest baby in the nursery. Who maybe also built the nursery. Olivia (Scandal) Makes. Things. Happen. (Right after this nap.) Dylan (Beverly Hills, 90210) Has a propensity for love triangles. Cora (Downton Abbey) Will follow all the rules--for the most part. Pacey (Dawson's Creek) All hail the boy next door. Petra (Jane The Virgin) Most likely to test your patience. Blair (Gossip Girl) Guaranteed to be queen of her #girlsquad. Jesse (Full House) For a boy…or a Saved by the Bell-loving girl. Selina (Veep) Cue the political aspirations. Finn (The Good Wife) Um, your baby is a dreamboat. Winnie (The Wonder Years) She'll be the coolest girl in school. Barney (How I Met Your Mother) Most likely to come out of the womb high fiving. Topanga (Boy Meets World) A perfect combo of free spirited and smart. Mindy (The Mindy Project) Her pop culture knowledge will know no match Don (Mad Men) Born mysterious…but also debonair. | 4 | 99,413 | lifestyle |
The Cavaliers brought some life to the NBA Finals with a 120-90 win over the Warriors on Wednesday. During a postgame news conference, one reporter wanted to know how the Cavs are going to keep Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson from being their usual selves for the rest of the series, and he asked that question with a bit of poetry attached. Just an amazing moment pic.twitter.com/6upwfwmhLu Zach Harper (@talkhoops) June 9, 2016 Reporter: "The Cavaliers have effectively frozen the pond for the Splash Brothers during the first three games of the Finals. What are you doing differently? How are you keeping them from getting to their spots, getting open looks? And how do you plan to maintain that momentum in Game 4 on Friday night?" What followed was one of the best moments of the series: the camera cutting to J.R. Smith, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, sitting in silence, waiting for someone to take the question, because wait what? "Frozen the pond for the Splash Brothers?" Smith looked left and right, trying to look interested in the question, but not wanting to actually answer it. LeBron's looked down like, "Oh God, do I have to answer this one?" And Irving, thinking on his feet, tried to force Smith to answer it -- " ... Swish?" -- and the other two looked at him like, "Welp, that's all you now." And Irving eventually responded it with a standard answer , but for a moment, the three Cavs players gave us a really good highlight. | 1 | 99,414 | sports |
The Sooners softball team topped Auburn to take the programs third National Championship title. | 1 | 99,415 | sports |
Stocks edged lower Thursday, with the S&P 500 Index slipping from a 10-month high, as investors evaluated the gauge's run toward a record amid lingering concerns about the impact of lackluster global growth. Equities staged an afternoon rebound as raw-material producers and banks trimmed losses, while defensive shares including utilities and phone companies rallied to offset those declines. Lenders and commodity shares were above their worst levels, even as Treasury yields fell to the lowest since February and the dollar rebounded. Gains in Apple Inc. and Johnson & Johnson's 1.1 percent climb to a record also contributed to the late-day recovery. The S&P 500 retreated 0.17 percent to 2,115 after losing as much as 0.5 percent. The gauge closed 0.7 percent from a record. The Dow lost 19 points, while the Nasdaq shed 0.32 percent. "With the market being priced where it's at, there's not a lot of room for air because valuations are so high," said Jim Davis, regional investment manager at the Private Client Reserve of US Bank, which oversees $128 billion. "I would not be surprised to see it back off a little more in the next week. The market has to navigate some choppy waters between now and mid-July, with the Fed next week and the Brexit vote the following." Crude oil dropped for the first time in four days as the dollar bounced from a one-month low, weighing on energy producers. Raw-material and energy shares have paced equity gains this week amid the currency's post-payrolls selloff, and the two groups have been pillars in a rebound that's lifted the S&P 500 more than 15 percent from an almost two-year low in February. Optimism that low rates and modest growth are a perfect recipe for stock gains has cooled before of a series of events that could set a less bullish tone in financial markets. The looming Federal Reserve meeting, followed by the Brexit vote and U.S. political conventions have the potential to roil markets, and with stocks at multimonth highs, there's diminished incentive to push prices further. Word that billionaire investor George Soros recently oversaw a series of big, bearish investments is also contributing to the tempered mood. A person familiar with the matter said Soros has become more involved in trading at his family office, concerned about the outlook for the global economy and the risk that large market shifts may be at hand. A stock rally picked up pace in the past few weeks after losing momentum following a four-month high on April 20. The S&P 500 declined Thursday after three days of gains, the longest in a month, and had climbed in eight of the prior 11 sessions. Still, the index has struggled to hold onto advances beyond the 2,100 level in prior rallies during the past year. The benchmark has failed to move more than 0.5 percent up or down for 10 consecutive sessions, the longest such streak since September 2014. That's come amid lighter-than-average volume. Through Wednesday, the period of tepid gains and declines saw daily trading average 6.6 billion shares, 11 percent lower than the one-year average and almost 30 percent below the average during a six-week rout that started the year. Close all those tabs. Open this email. While equities fell last Friday after a disappointing jobs report, support this week has come from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's remarks that the U.S. economy is making progress and indications that policymakers won't rush to raise interest rates. Traders have cut back their bets for a Fed rate increase, now pricing in no chance of a boost in June. December is the first month with at least even odds of a rate increase. Bolstering Yellen's belief that the economy will continue to improve, a report today showed first-time jobless claims unexpectedly fell last week and the number of Americans already receiving benefits tumbled to an almost 16-year low, consistent with a healthy labor market. "The S&P 500 has had a remarkably steady run over the last three weeks in particular," said Michael Ingram, a market strategist at BGC Partners in London. "Still, the global economy is not in good shape. And while the last payroll report may be dismissed as an aberration, confidence in the U.S. recovery has clearly been shaken." | 3 | 99,416 | finance |
Paul Pierce has two years remaining on his three-year, $10 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, but is 38 years old and coming off the worst season of his 18-year NBA career. On Wednesday night, the Celtics legend told the Boston Globe that he'll decide on his NBA future in the next few weeks, and that if he does come back, it will be for only one season: "Well, we always say it's 51-49. I get 51 percent of the vote and the rest of [the family] gets 49," he said. "[My wife's] input carried a lot of weight. We'll figure out some things. I know I don't want to be sitting at home, whatever I do, regardless. If I come back, it will be one more [season] and that will be it. No doubt." "Really, it's all about how I feel mentally, getting up and I'm thinking about the grind," he said. "People don't understand, I think a lot of guys retire because of what it takes to [get on the court] each season. You can take the grind once you are in it, but getting ready for the grind is the hard part." Pierce adds that knowing more on what his role with the Clippers would be will impact his decision: "I thought I had one more good year [this past season], but obviously I didn't like how it all went with my role," he said. "I'm still just trying to figure it out. A lot has got to do with my role I'm going to play. To come back and sit 82 games, I don't know if I can do that." And it's hard to see Pierce's role changing much in Los Angeles. He shot just 36.1 percent from the field this past season, and isn't going to bring much on the defensive end at this point of his career. Also consider that the Clippers are going to have to run the floor to play with teams like the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. Pierce, at this stage, is not built for that kind of game. So, if it's really going to come down to the Clippers' planned role for Pierce, he may have played his last game in what's been a fantastic NBA career. | 1 | 99,417 | sports |
Whether you're locking lips with the love of your life or a total stranger, one kiss can contain as many as one billion bacteria from 278 different species. Fortunately, 95 percent of the bacteria exchanged during a kiss are virtually harmless. But according to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine, there are a number of organisms that can be transmitted through a single seemingly innocuous kiss, and they can cause all sorts of sickening infections and viruses. Mononucleosis, or "mono," stands out as one of the most common culprits. With a nickname like "the kissing disease," it's no surprise that the condition, often caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, spreads primarily through saliva. But that's not the only communicable disease you can get from simply kissing someone on the mouth. There are a slew of other slimy bacteria just waiting to hitch a ride on your saliva and travel to a new host to infect. Click on "View Slideshow" above to find out what could happen the next time you lock lips. 6 diseases you can get from kissing, besides mono Whether you re locking lips with the love of your life or a total stranger, one kiss can contain as many as one billion bacteria from 278 different species. Fortunately, 95 percent of the bacteria exchanged during a kiss are virtually harmless. But according to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine , there are a number of organisms that can be transmitted through a single seemingly innocuous kiss, and they can cause all sorts of sickening infections and viruses. Mononucleosis, or mono, stands out as one of the most common culprits. With a nickname like the kissing disease, it s no surprise that the condition, often caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, spreads primarily through saliva. But that s not the only communicable disease you can get from simply kissing someone on the mouth. There are a slew of other slimy bacteria just waiting to hitch a ride on your saliva and travel to a new host to infect. Click through to find out what could happen the next time you lock lips. Oral Herpes Cold sores and fever blisters are the first warning signs that your kissing mate may have more to offer you than a simple peck on the lips. Oral herpes is transmitted between an infected area of broken skin or along the mucus membrane. More than half of America's adult population has oral herpes, making it one of the most popular souvenirs to come from puckering up. Once you become exposed to the virus, it stays within your system forever and emerges in outbreaks though it might remain dormant for some people. When a person experiences an outbreak, symptoms last between 8 to 10 days on average, and the cold sores appear to heal on their own. According to the American Sexual Health Association , the symptoms present around the mouth as small fluid-filled blisters that can appear as a single blister or in a cluster. Sores may even develop inside the mouth and in the back of the throat, which may cause the lymph nodes in the neck to swell. Viral Meningitis You can contract viral meningitis by making contact with saliva while kissing, but you can also be exposed to it through an infected person's mucus or stool. This highly contagious disease causes inflammation in the lining covering the spinal cord and brain. At first, symptoms emerge as headaches, fever, chills, fatigue, nausea, neck pain, and confusion. Because no treatment exists for viral meningitis, health professionals try to provide as much comfort to the patient as possible while the disease runs its course. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , it's important to see a doctor as soon as symptoms appear because it could be the deadlier, bacterial form of the disease. Cytomegalovirus By the time you're a teenager and you've already had your first kiss, you've most likely come in contact with the cytomegalovirus, or CMV. It spreads through a person's body fluids, such as saliva, urine, or blood. Once a person contracts CMV, it remains dormant within their body for the rest of their life. CMV infections don't often cause severe illness; however children, pregnant women, and those who are immuno-compromised risk developing pneumonia, hepatitis, or a rash. Babies are at risk for neurological and developmental problems if they are exposed to the virus, especially if they're infected while still in the womb. Meanwhile, teenagers and adults experience more mono-like symptoms, including fatigue, muscle aches, headache, fever, and an enlarged liver and spleen that can last up to three weeks. Mumps This disease spreads through airborne droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person. It primarily affects three pairs of salivary glands situated around your ears, which is why one of the first signs of mumps is often noticeable swelling. While a mumps vaccine has existed for years now, there still are people who avoid vaccinations out of fear that they cause autism spectrum disorder a concern that has been repeatedly debunked. Mumps was common in America until vaccinations became routine; however, outbreaks still occur exclusively in unvaccinated groups and cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Influenza This highly contagious viral respiratory disease, also called "the flu," can easily pass from one infected person to the next through mucus or saliva. Even just being around a sneezing and coughing person who's infected with it can put you at risk of being infected by any of the three strains : A, B, or C. (Types A and B are the most dangerous strains to contract.) Common symptoms include muscle aches, headaches, sore throat, high fever, and runny noses. However, every year in the United States, between 3,000 and 49,000 deaths occur because of the flu. The range varies so tremendously because rates depend on which strain of the flu causes the epidemic, although hospitalizations remain steady at 200,000 per year. Polio This antiquated disease that has been largely eradicated in the United States is highly contagious and primarily affects young children. The virus spreads through mouth-to-mouth contact and even through contaminated food and water. There's no cure for polio but the disease is highly preventable through routine immunizations for children. But, just like mumps, anti-vaxxers increase their children's risk of coming into contact with the disease on the playground or in the classroom. Their refusal to vaccinate also threatens herd immunity, or protection from a disease that's derived from a large proportion of society being immune. According to the World Health Organization , polio symptoms include fever, limb pain, vomiting, fatigue, headache, and stiffness in the neck. However, once the virus reaches the intestines, it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis, which is often permanent. | 7 | 99,418 | health |
The most shocking doping scandals in recent sports history. Maria Sharapova Recently, Maria Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, received a two-year ban from the sport of tennis by the International Tennis Association. The Russian tennis pro tested positive for Meldonium , which can enhance endurance. Sharapova admitted that she took the drug for several years, but claims that she wasn't aware that it had been added to the list of banned substances. While this is shocking to her fans, she isn't the only athlete to get caught up in a doping scandal. Here are some others who came before her. Alex Rodriguez A-Rod is known as one of baseball's greatest athletes. He is one of the most familiar faces of the New York Yankees and a three-time American League Most Valuable Player. Unfortunately, he also served a one-year suspension from the sport of baseball in 2014 for doping. After vehemently denying any wrongdoing, he finally admitted to using banned, testosterone-laced substances . Floyd Landis Floyd Landis was the winner of the 2006 Tour De France, until he tested positive for synthetic testosterone and was stripped of his title. He held true to his story and continually denied the allegations, claiming the test must have been faulty. In 2010, after penning an entire book called "Positively False" about his innocence, he finally admitted that he had used performance enhancing drugs for the majority of his cycling career. Landis even implicated cycling great Lance Armstrong in the whole debacle. Of course, his allegations against Armstrong ultimately proved to be true. Lance Armstrong Lance Armstrong is probably one of the most shocking on this list. Raise your hand if you never knew anything about the Tour De France until Lance Armstrong started dominating it. After winning seven Tour De France titles, Armstrong was implicated by Floyd Landis in a doping scandal, but he treated the allegations as just the desperate flailings of a shamed fellow cyclist. Well, it turned out to be true, and Armstrong was stripped of all seven titles and his bronze Olympic medal after admitting his usage of performance-enhancing drugs. Roger Clemens Roger Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young award recipient, was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs in 2007 after returning to the New York Yankees as a pitcher. After denying any allegations of drug use, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2010 for lying to Congress about doping. In 2010, he settled a seven-year defamation lawsuit lobbed against him by the trainer who initially testified to Clemens' steroid use. Jose Canseco Jose Canseco is a well-known baseball player who shot to fame with the Oakland Athletics. In 2001, he retired from the game, but released a tell-all book, "Juiced" , where he admitted a lengthy history with steroid usage during his years playing baseball. He didn't just admit to his own wrongdoings though Jose implicated fellow players like Mark McGwire. Justin Gatlin Justin Gatlin is a sprinting superstar. Unfortunately, he served a one-year ban from his sport for testing positive for banned substances in 2001 and served another four-year ban for testing positive for steroid testosterone in 2006. He managed to overcome the controversy and returned to the sport better than before. Tyson Gay Tyson Gay was the second-fastest man in history, second only to Usain Bolt. He tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2013 and was suspended for one year by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Gay had his silver medal from the 2012 London Olympics taken away and his title/results wiped out. Barry Bonds Barry Bonds was one of those baseball players that anyone could name and recognize. He made history by setting home run records and ultimately broke Hank Aaron's all-time Major League baseball record in 2007 . Unfortunately, he was accused of doping and convicted of lying to a federal grand jury, although it was overturned in 2015. His reputation never truly recovered. Mark McGwire Mark McGwire made a name for himself as a power-hitter for the St. Louis, Cardinals. Trouble came knocking when McGwire was implicated by Jose Canseco in his book, "Juiced," for using performance-enhancing drugs. In 2010, he admitted that he broke baseball's 1998 homerun record by using banned substances. | 1 | 99,419 | sports |
I recently spent $1,500 on my cat, Puck. He's got cancer, and this is the third time in 10 years he's had major surgery. Total bills so far: nearly $10,000. Shocked? Don't be. It's not just the cost of human health care that's getting out of control. So is the cost of veterinary care. From a 2015 Washington Post article : According to a 2011 report by the American Pet Products Association, the cost of routine and surgical vet visits has risen 47 percent for dogs and 73 percent for cats over the past decade. Pet owners spent about $8 billion on vet care in 2000; by 2013, that figure climbed to more than $14 billion. So what will you do if the cost of caring for your furry friend gets beyond your reach? Fortunately, you still have many options, from vet schools to animal welfare organizations. Here are some tips. 1. Look for lower-cost alternatives I Local animal welfare organizations, rescue groups and shelters often offer low-cost vaccinations, spaying and neutering, as well as other routine care. To find animal shelters and pet rescue groups in your area, check out Petfinder.com 's list. The ASPCA has a list of low-cost programs that can help. 2. Try a vet school Veterinary schools are typically cheaper than vet clinics and animal hospitals. While procedures are performed by students, they are supervised by a vet. Check out the American Veterinary Medical Association's list of accredited veterinary colleges for a location near you. 3. Shop around Vet prices can vary widely. For example, when I was looking for a new veterinarian, I called six different clinics. The base cost of a visit ranged from $35 to $75. So, check around. Prices can depend on the clinic's location, its equipment costs, even the student loan debt of the vet. 4. Ask your vet for help If your pet needs an expensive medical treatment or you're struggling to cover the cost of care, discuss the situation with your veterinarian. Many vets offer payment plans or discounts to their steady clients. 5. Find a charity If your vet can't help and you can't afford an expensive and necessary medical procedure, you may be able to get help from a charity. The Humane Society has a list of charities , some of which help with the cost of life-saving medical care for pets. Click on your state to see what's available. 6. Look for cheaper prescriptions If you're buying prescription medication directly from your vet, you may be overpaying. Compare prices online at sites like: PetCareRx Doctors Foster and Smith 1-800-PetMeds Be careful when buying pet medications online, and deal only with reputable sites. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists some red flags that should make you suspicious about the quality of medications. You may be able to get generic pet meds for $4 at stores like Target and Kroger. Finally, ask your vet if he or she will match the best price you find. 7. Keep an eye out for specials Just like human-centered businesses, vets offer specials. My vet has offered a 20 percent discount for new patients and $25 off dental cleanings. Be sure to check out veterinary websites and social media accounts for deals. 8. Be proactive to protect your pet's health Take steps and precautions to reduce your pet's chances of requiring expensive medical care. For example, the American Humane Association recommends spaying or neutering: Spaying females prior to their first heat cycle nearly eliminates the risk of breast cancer and totally prevents uterine infections and uterine cancer. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and enlargement of the prostate gland, and greatly reduces their risk for perianal tumors. Other tips include: Getting wellness checkups. Prevention is always better (and cheaper) than a cure. Make sure your pets get annual wellness exams. Keep up with the vaccination schedule, and make sure you discuss heartworm prevention with your vet. Pet-proofing your home. Keep dangerous foods out of reach of pets and avoid bringing toxic plants into the house. Check out the ASPCA's list of people food your pets shouldn't have and its toxic and nontoxic plants database. 9. Compare treatments If your pet has a serious medical condition, the most expensive treatment may not be the best course of action. Consumer Reports recommends that you ask your vet about treatment options and cost, as well as the likely prognosis for your pet. Karen Datko and Angela Colley contributed to this report. | 3 | 99,420 | finance |
Two suicide bombings claimed by Islamic State have killed more than 20 people in and near Baghdad, as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited with troops battling IS in nearby Falluja. Nathan Frandino reports. | 8 | 99,421 | video |
Margot Kerr, the wife of Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, took to Twitter Wednesday night to accuse a Cleveland Cavaliers fan of intentionally elbowing her daughter Maddy in the head during Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. The incident in question, first reported by Black Sports Online , allegedly occurred when a t-shirt was thrown into the stands. The purportedly unruly Cavs fan allegedly seized upon the opportunity to take a cheap shot at Kerr's daughter, at least that's how Kerr's wife saw it. Thank you @cavs fan who elbowed @MaddyMKerr in the head for a t-shirt. We know it was on purpose. #classy margot kerr (@margskerr) June 9, 2016 Maddy Kerr then chimed in on Twitter as well over the alleged incident. And for pretending it didn't happen. At Oracle we apologize for these things even if the person is on the other side https://t.co/R0t6xUxAdJ Maddy Kerr (@MaddyMKerr) June 9, 2016 Some Cavaliers fans caught wind of the Kerrs' tweets and replied, one of which attempted to sarcastically downplay the situation. Margot Kerr responded in kind, pointing out that Maddy was actually injured during the incident while pointing out her daughter is a Division 1 athlete ( Maddy plays volleyball for the California Golden Bears). @Cappers54 @cavs @MaddyMKerr she's actually hurt, and she's a D1 athlete so it's legit. margot kerr (@margskerr) June 9, 2016 Another Cavaliers fan emerged on Twitter to apologize for the alleged actions that occurred during Cleveland's 120-90 throttling of Golden State to win their first game of the series. @bl12joe @Mr_KevinJones @cavs @MaddyMKerr thanks! We know! We used to live here! margot kerr (@margskerr) June 9, 2016 The Cavaliers have now made the Finals a series. Down 2-1, Game 4 is Friday, once again at Quicken Loans Arena. If the Kerrs' accounting of what transpired during Game 3 is indeed accurate, let's hope a similar ugly scenario doesn't play out again at Game 4. | 1 | 99,422 | sports |
Tech toys are at the top of the list at the Tokyo International Toy Show. Tech toys are at the top of the list at the Tokyo International Toy Show. Bandai Co's 1/72 scale plastic model of the Millennium Falcon from "Star Wars" is displayed at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo, Japan June 9, 2016. Takara Tomy's clock robot "Baku Shotaro," which can crack jokes, is seen at the International Tokyo Toy Show. Folcart Co's Godzilla Solar Mascots are displayed at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo. Takara Tomy's Smapon communication toys are pictured at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo. Takara Tomy's remote control BB-8 from "Star Wars" is seen at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo. Takara Tomy's figures of Kylo Ren and Stormtroopers from "Star Wars" are seen at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo. A tablet shows a live image from the onboard camera of Takara Tomy's Plarail Dr. Yellow at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo. Sega Toys' Art Aquarium Prisrium F18 is seen at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo. Bandai Co's virtual pet toy Tamagotchi M!x is seen at the International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo. | 5 | 99,423 | news |
The Golden State warriors entered Wednesday night's Game 3 in complete control of their NBA Finals series with the Cleveland Cavaliers after winning Games 1 and 2 by 48 points combined. Cleveland punched right back with a 120-90 Game 3 victory , and now, with a pivotal Game 4 set for Friday night in Cleveland, this series gets all the more interesting. BOX SCORE: CAVALIERS 120, WARRIORS 90 Warriors forward Draymond Green who scored just 6 points on 2-of-8 shooting (7 rebounds, 7 assists) on Wednesday said that effort, or lack thereof, was the main reason for such a drastic turnaround. "They came out and played like a team with a sense of desperation, like their season was on the line. And we came out and played like everything was peaches and cream," Green told reporters. " ... I don't think really they had any adjustments that they made X and O-wise. They outplayed us. That was the only adjustment. For us, there's no adjustment. Don't get outplayed. So we've got to be better with that come Friday. We got bullied. We can't get bullied, so that falls on me." The Warriors allowed just 89 points in Game 1 and 77 points in Game 2, and the Cavaliers failed to shoot over 40% from the field in either of those contests. In Game 3, Cleveland shot 52.7% and won the rebounding battle, 35-24. "If you don't compete, you can't defend at the level that we defended at for the first two games of the series," Green said. "We've got to compete and take care of every problem we've got out there." On Wednesday, those problems were in full effect, as three Cavaliers players (LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith) scored 20-plus points. "It's gonna take more than an effort like that to win a Finals game against a great team, obviously," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. Follow AJ Neuharth-Keusch on Twitter @tweetAJNK Watch top 5 plays from Game 3 | 1 | 99,424 | sports |
BANGKOK Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, on Thursday marked his 70th year on the throne from his hospital bed, immobile and wracked by a variety of age-related ailments that have made Thais wonder what their world would be like without him. There was a time when Bhumibol (pronounced "Poo-me-pon") would lead his aides on treks through swamps and over mountains to learn what was on the minds of his subjects in the most far-flung areas of his realm. But the 88-year-old guest of honor is unlikely to make a public appearance this week. For most of the past decade the king has lived in a hospital in a new wing built for him for treatment of various problems, according to regular palace statements on his health. The ailments have sapped his strength and taken him gradually out of the public eye. On Tuesday, he underwent an operation to clear an artery; doctors said the results were satisfactory. "I really can't think about the country without the king ... it's just impossible to do so," said Nonthawit Kanlapanayut, a 23-year-old trader at Thailand's biggest food processing conglomerate. "The monarchy is at the core for Thai people." Ten years ago, the ceremonies for his 60th diamond jubilee were splendid. Golden royal barges glinted in a twilight procession, gliding down the Chao Phraya River, for an audience that included representatives of 25 of the world's royal families, who also attended an opulent banquet the next day. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary Thais jammed Bangkok's Royal Plaza to hear their king wearing a gold brocade robe and flanked on a palace balcony by his family deliver a short speech calling for national unity. This year's 70th anniversary will not go unmarked. On Thursday morning, 770 monks were ordained during religious ceremonies at a newly built throne hall in the palace temple complex, and fireworks will accompany a candlelight gathering near the ceremonial Grand Palace. Long lines formed outside banks to buy for 100 baht a special commemorative 70-baht banknote, worth about $2 -- encased in a yellow paper frame, the color of the royalty. Commuter trains were packed with people wearing yellow shirts. Bhumibol took the throne in 1946 as a teenage boy under difficult circumstances: His 20-year-old brother, King Ananda, had been shot dead in his palace bedroom. The absolute monarchy had been ended by an army coup in 1932, leading to a series of military dictatorships. Old royalists slowly but successfully helped the young Bhumibol regain power and influence for the monarchy. Their efforts were aided in no small part by the king's charisma, rectitude and genuine devotion to seeing his nation develop. Admirers and critics alike credit the king with steering the nation through the turbulent decades of the 1960s and '70s, when neighboring countries fell prey to war and totalitarian rule. "Being king for so long is an accomplishment," Thai studies scholar Kevin Hewison wrote in recently published comments. He noted that the monarchy was in poor political and economic shape when Bhumibol took over, but he and advisers were "able to make it 'great' again, not to say wealthy, politically powerful and part of the what the elite likes to think is the fabric of Thai society." The royal palace doesn't talk about the king much and it didn't respond to calls for comment on this article. The king is widely loved by his people, but open discussion of the monarchy is an extremely sensitive because strict lese majeste laws make criticism of the royal family punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The king is known to be the wealthiest monarch in the world with net wealth assessed by Forbes to be more than $30 billion, although most of it is owned by the crown as an institution, including land, a bank and an industrial conglomerate. However, the past decade has taken a toll not only on the king's health, but also on Thailand's body politic. When Bhumibol spoke at his 60th anniversary in 2006 and called for unity, Thailand was sliding into crisis. A billionaire populist politician, Thaksin Shinawatra, had become prime minister, and his popularity and political power rooted in electoral democracy rubbed traditional royalist power-holders the wrong way. Just three months after the king's balcony speech, the army deposed Thaksin in a coup, setting off a sustained and sometimes violent political conflict that has left the country socially and politically polarized between Thaksin's supporters many of them poor rural residents and opponents. The barely concealed involvement of palace circles in the army takeover also dragged the monarchy down to the level of a political player, tarnishing its image as an honest broker above the fray. Thaksin's opponents ostentatiously touted their royalist credentials. Bhumibol was still widely admired, but the consensus that used to value a royally-supervised democracy over popular democracy was severely eroded. Weakened by age and ill health, Bhumibol meanwhile was unable or unwilling to exercise his personal prestige to promote reconciliation, which he had often done in the past during coups and political conflicts. Now there was a void. In 2014, the army stepped in again, and declared that it would be calling the shots, even if a promised 2017 election established a facade of democratic rule. It also started enforcing vigorously a law that makes criticism of the monarchy a crime. Critics say the law's loose interpretation has allowed the military government to detain even those criticizing the junta. Calls to the junta spokesman were not returned. "Much of the old reverence is gone; even among royalists, it has been replaced by a politics of intolerance and persecution," says Michael Montesano, a Thailand expert who works with Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. "At the same time, younger members of the royal family have, not least because the times have changed, been unable to play anything like the role that the king played decades ago." The accelerating decline in the king's health underlines another concern: How smooth a succession can be arranged in a country where the vast majority of people have known no other king? The king's only son and heir apparent, 63-year-old Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, is a controversial figure, even among royalists. He does not command the same respect and affection as his father. "Under the best of circumstances, the monarchy will in the future play a purely ceremonial, rather passive role. The tensions and rhetoric of the past decade, along with the emergence of a more politically aware electorate, mean that the widely accepted unifying role that the monarchy played in the past is probably over," says Montesano. In the absence of a unifying figure, there is fear that Thailand will descend into political turmoil as the rural supporters of Thaksin already given a taste of their electoral power will be emboldened to take on the so-called royalists who want to maintain the status quo and their power in what one expert defines as "royal democracy." "Royal democracy is only possible because of him. It is not an exaggeration to say that without him, royal democracy might not survive," said Thongchai Winichakul, a Thai scholar and professor of history at University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Thailand's political future is highly uncertain." | 5 | 99,425 | news |
For as great as LeBron James has been, he has never known as a flat-out scorer. Yes, he's averaged a phenomenal 27.2 points during his 13-year career, but even he would admit he's more of a willing passer than a score-first player. But LeBron passed one of the best pure scorers the game has ever seen Wednesday, topping Kobe Bryant on the all-time Finals scoring list. LeBron continues to #MakeHistory in the NBA playoffs pic.twitter.com/LG7UqsVzuO Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 9, 2016 After LeBron scored 32 points in the Cavs' 120-90 win over the Warriors in Game 3, he now sits in 10thplace 945 career Finals points. Kobe scored 937 points during his seven trips to the Finals while LeBron is in the middle of his seventh Finals appearance. | 1 | 99,426 | sports |
In the Yankees' revolving door of first-base replacements, Chris Parmelee started Wednesday night because he had dynamite career numbers against Angels starter Jered Weaver. By the time he had finished a performance that would quiet even the most ardent Nick Swisher zealot, Parmelee was talking about how surreal it was that he helped the Yanks to a 12-6 victory over the Angels by pounding two home runs and a double. "I don't think it's sunk in yet," Parmelee said. "I'm sure it will tonight. I'm just enjoying the moment right now." Not bad for a first start. Parmelee, signed to a minor-league deal on Feb. 23 to provide potential depth at first base, likely earned himself more chances to impress, though Joe Girardi wouldn't go farther than saying, "There's a good chance he'll play." Maybe the Yanks will use Parmelee against righties and Rob Refsnyder against lefties while Mark Teixeira's knee (hopefully) heals. First base has become a trouble spot for the Yanks this season. Greg Bird, the wunderkind who delighted the Yankees last year with 11 homers subbing for Teixeira, is out for the year after off-season shoulder surgery. Teixeira's backup this year, Dustin Ackley, is out for the year following a shoulder operation of his own. The backup catcher, Austin Romine, has played there and Refsnyder is learning the position in only the most pressure-packed atmosphere possible -- the big leagues. Even the catching prospect Gary Sanchez is starting to take grounders at first at Triple-A in case he can help. Swisher, a popular player in his first stint in pinstripes, is also at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hoping he can prove he's an option, though the Yanks haven't turned to him yet. Maybe the Yanks can dream on Parmelee, if he can prove that his big night is the start of something and not just a tremendous memory against the team he grew up rooting for as a SoCal kid. Parmelee, 28, was the Twins' first-round pick, 20th overall, in the 2006 draft, taken one spot before the Yankees selected Ian Kennedy. He spent 2011-14 with the Twins and played 32 games for Baltimore last year. Before Wednesday night, he had a .245 lifetime average with 28 homers in 309 big-league games. Before he was called up on Saturday, Parmelee hit .252 with seven home runs in 43 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Six of those homers came in his final 21 games there, though. The Yankees knew him from playing against him and Girardi noted that Andy Pettitte had recently said something to him about Parmelee homering off him during his playing career -- it came in Minnesota in 2013. Parmelee also saw some familiar faces when he arrived, having played with Aaron Hicks and Anthony Swarzak in Minnesota. Parmelee smiled when someone noted that he and Swarzak, who threw 1.2 scoreless innings of crucial relief, both shined in the same game. Parmelee's part was all because of the comfort he's felt against Weaver. He had five hits in 12 at-bats against the Angels' righty entering Wednesday, so Girardi used Parmelee over Refsnyder, who had started four straight at first. Parmelee struck out his first time up but then doubled to left and scored in the fourth inning and homered off Weaver to tie the score at 5 in the sixth. In the seventh, he blasted a two-run homer off Greg Mahle to provide insurance. It's his third career multi-homer game. "As you know, Yankee Stadium is pretty friendly down that (right-field) line," Parmelee said. "Anything can happen if you put the ball in the air here." Parmelee signed so late with the Yankees, he said, because he was weighing other options. "It was a slow offseason for free agents," he said. "I was waiting to see where some guys went, that's all." With Bird out, Parmelee thought the Yanks' offered the best opportunity. He admitted he wondered when first-base problems kept developing in the majors and he wasn't called, but he said he was determined to be patient. It paid off. "He had a tremendous night for us," Girardi said. "I'm sure he's really excited. We've seen him before. We've seen him hit home runs against us. He's been a good player. We were pleased. We thought he had a really good spring training and knew that at some point he could probably help us." It started in earnest Wednesday night. Will it continue? Who knows? But for one night, at least, Parmelee and the Yankees were all smiles. Who doesn't love a breakout game? "We're happy for him that he was able to go out there and have a great day," said another hitting star, Carlos Beltran. "It's very difficult when you come from the minor leagues and don't play every day and you play and you want to get the most out of it. It was great to see a guy come in and take advantage of being able to play and at the same time have a great game for us." | 1 | 99,427 | sports |
MISSOULA, Mont. A clash in past months over whether to welcome a small number of refugees to western Montana erupted into a larger feud over Islam, big government and the idea that Americans should "take care of our own" before worrying about newcomers. Demonstrators supporting and opposing refugees gathered by the hundreds at rallies. Tempers flared as the two sides squabbled over the threat of Islamic terrorism and the need to help desperate people fleeing violence. Here's a look at issues surrounding what a local pastor called "one incarnation of the larger divide in the country." WHAT'S THE FUSS ALL ABOUT? The fate of hundreds of thousands of Syrians fleeing the chaos and bloodshed of their nation's five-year-old civil war mushroomed into an international humanitarian crisis last fall when they began flooding into Europe and the Middle East. The scope of the tragedy was captured in one image that focused new attention on the urgent need for countries to address the crisis: A photo of a 3-year-old refugee who had drowned and washed ashore in Turkey. President Barack Obama pledged to increase to 10,000 the number of Syrian refugees welcomed in the U.S. by the end of September, but the pace of entries has been exceedingly slow. That plan was met with resistance by most Republican governors and the GOP presidential candidates, who argued the government didn't have an adequate screening system to prevent terrorists from slipping into the U.S. HOW ARE POLITICAL LEADERS REACTING? Reaction has been split almost entirely along party lines. Following the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S. He has also spoken against accepting Syrian refugees. More than half the nation's governors all but one Republicans also called for a halt to, or expressed reservations about, resettling Syrian refugees in the U.S., saying concerns needed to be resolved first. States included: Alabama, Indiana, Texas and Wisconsin. The lone Democrat was from New Hampshire. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said: "There may be those who will try to take advantage of the generosity of our country and the ability to move freely within our borders through this federal resettlement program, and we must ensure we are doing all we can to safeguard the security of Americans." One supporter, Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy of Connecticut, recently expressed this counterview: "When people will rise up to defame a religious group or a gender group or women, then Americans of good principle and strong heart need to say, 'Not in my land, not in any land.'" ARE ANY STATES ACCEPTING REFUGEES? From Oct. 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016, 2,805 Syrian refugees had arrived in the U.S., according to State Department data . More than two-thirds were resettled in 10 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. In the same period, the U.S. has accepted almost twice the number of refugees from Iraq and almost three times as many from Myanmar. From May 1, 2011, (shortly after the civil war began) to May 31, 2016, 4,674 Syrian refugees resettled in the U.S. The following is a breakdown by state: Arizona: 368, Arkansas: 1, California: 496, Colorado: 36, Connecticut: 118, Florida: 267, Georgia: 178, Idaho: 37, Illinois: 291, Indiana: 82, Kansas: 13, Kentucky: 154, Louisiana: 28, Maine: 5, Maryland: 71, Massachusetts: 105, Michigan: 505, Minnesota: 15, Missouri 74, Nebraska: 13: Nevada: 28, New Hampshire: 8, New Jersey: 158, New Mexico: 10, New York: 165, North Carolina: 190, Ohio: 179, Oklahoma: 3, Oregon: 33, Pennsylvania: 364, Rhode Island: 34, South Carolina: 2, Tennessee: 62, Texas: 359, Utah: 43, Virginia: 44, Washington: 116, West Virginia: 1, Wisconsin: 18. These states had none: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. Also, the District of Columbia. From May 1, 2011 to May 31, 2016, more than 336,000 refugees have come to America, according to the State Department. Those from Myanmar, Iraq, Bhutan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo account for more than three-fourths of the total. IS THIS KIND OF DEBATE UNUSUAL? America has a long history of wariness of refugees. Last November, after the Paris terrorist attacks, a Gallup poll found that Americans, by 60 to 37 percent, opposed taking in refugees fleeing Syria. In 1978, there was a 57 to 32 percent opposition to accepting Indochinese boat people, and in 1946, after World War II, the public was against welcoming displaced people from Europe, including Jews, by 72 to 16 percent. Generally, Americans tend to favor refugees with whom they share some connection political, religious or personal and the public has little interaction with Muslims, says David Haines, a professor emeritus at George Mason University who has written extensively about refugees. ___ Online: Refugee statistical reports, including state by state breakdowns of arrivals, can be found at this State Department site: http://www.wrapsnet.org/Reports/AdmissionsArrivals/tabid/211/Default.aspx | 5 | 99,428 | news |
CLEVELAND For the first two games of the NBA Finals, the absence of Steph Curry's basketball wizardry was a laughable aberration. The Golden State Warriors dominated anyway. It was easy to praise their depth and marvel that a team on this stage could be so overpowering while its two-time MVP saved his best for later. But then came Game 3 Wednesday: The Warriors weren't clicking, while the Cleveland Cavaliers were playing with appropriate desperation at home, and Chef Curry still wasn't cookin'. In fact, he played even worse as the Cavaliers finally made this a series during a 120-90 victory. When the Warriors won the first two games by a combined 48 points and posted the largest series-opening margin in Finals history, Coach Steve Kerr could respond to questions about Curry's struggles with a shrug. "Well, we just want to win," Kerr said before Game 3. "It doesn't matter who scores the points or who gets the credit. We do feel like the strength of our team is our depth, and we're not overly reliant on one player, even the MVP. So our depth has shown so far, and I'm sure we'll have different players continue to step up as the series goes on." It's time for Curry to be one of those "different players." At Quicken Loans Arena, LeBron James shot with confidence, and Kyrie Irving dazzled, and "good" J.R. Smith made a thrilling cameo. The Cavaliers had to win to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole, but they were so impressive that you have to look at this game as more than a pride check. Playing without concussed star forward Kevin Love, Cleveland found its game, its swagger and a small-ball lineup that can compete with Golden State's vaunted "Death Lineup." The Warriors may have the luxury of not needing Curry every game. Certainly, they made it this far with Curry playing through a Murphy's law postseason in which he has missed time with ankle and knee injuries. But it would behoove them not to push their luck any further. To repeat as champions, to win two more games and close out a rejuvenated Cleveland, the Warriors need their MVP. Now. In Game 1, Curry missed 11 of 15 shots and committed five turnovers in the Warriors' 104-89 victory. In Game 2, he made 7 of 11 shots, but he still turned the ball over four times and committed four silly fouls, missing significant time when the game was in question. Still, the Warriors won 110-77. Leading 2-0, Kerr remained even-keeled about Curry. Of course, he did. Curry hasn't just become the most dynamic long-range scorer in the league. He also has been amazingly consistent. As he talked to reporters 90 minutes before the game, Kerr sounded like he expected Curry to play well in Game 3. "Well, sometimes it's just the law of averages," Kerr said. "He rarely goes more than a game or two where he struggles with his outside shot. In fact, last game, he shot the ball really well. He just couldn't stay on the floor because of the foul trouble. So, you know, it's the NBA Finals. He's the MVP. Chances are pretty good he's going to have a good game. Just like the chances are pretty good LeBron's going to have a good game. So I don't need to say much. Great players are great players for a reason. The only thing I'll probably talk to Steph about, which we went over the last couple of days, is to avoid the reach-in, because that's what took him out of the game in Game 2." Well, Kerr was partly right. James did have a good game: 32 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks. However, Curry struggled for a third game. He finished with 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting, which doesn't seem bad at first glance. But he did most of his damage after the Cavaliers blew the game open in the third quarter. In the first half, Curry was 1 of 5 and didn't score until four minutes, seven seconds were left in the second quarter. He also was in foul trouble again, committing more silly, easily avoidable fouls. To make matters worse, Kyrie Irving made him look bad in several 1-on-1 situations, including shaking Curry with a double crossover and stepback jumper in the first quarter. It's strange to see Curry look this human for this long. He shot wide, shot short and shot long. He made "Why would you do that?" plays. For the series, he is shooting 43.5 percent and averaging five turnovers a game, including the six he committed in this game. The 2016 Finals became a competitive series Wednesday night. Cleveland finally beat Golden State, snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Warriors going back to last year's Finals. The Cavs aren't as good as their 30-point margin of victory, but clearly, the Warriors aren't as dominant as they were at home. This is the time when great players must emerge. Curry definitely qualifies as a great player. He had better remind us in Game 4. For more by Jerry Brewer, visit washingtonpost.com/brewer. | 1 | 99,429 | sports |
Cleveland Cavaliers veteran forward Richard Jefferson stepped up to fill the void left by the injured Kevin Love for Wednesday night's Game 3 Finals win against the Golden State Warriors. The game was a complete turnaround from Games 1 and 2, as the Cavs trounced the defending champs to keep their season alive (essentially) and cut the series deficit to 2-1. BOX SCORE: CAVALIERS 120, WARRIORS 90 Jefferson played well (9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals) in 33 minutes on the floor, but after the game, he quickly shot down any talk that Love's absence was the reason for such a drastic change in Cleveland's play. "Kevin wanted to be on the court," Jefferson told reporters. "I saw how pissed off he was when he wasn't able to be cleared in time. We're in this together. We've all picked each other up. You have to go with the next-man-up mentality. He is definitely one of the top players in this league. It's our job to just hold on until he can get back." When he'll be back, however, is something yet to be determined, as Love is still in the league's concussion protocol. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue wouldn't say if Love would be back in the starting lineup assuming he's available, but did break down how having Jefferson on the floor with the starters impacts the defensive end. "Putting Richard Jefferson in the starting lineup, I just think he gave us speed," Lue said. "I thought he gave us the physicality on Harrison Barnes, and that we were able to slide LeBron over to Draymond Green, which helped us out a lot. We were able to switch pick-and-rolls and things like that. So just being able to get up the floor offensively, pushing the ball, pushing the tempo, and RJ's aggressiveness on the defensive end." With one off-day before Game 4, time is a luxury Love doesn't have, as he must pass the league's return-to-participation protocol, which includes completing several exertion exercises without any concussion-like symptoms, before being cleared to return. Follow AJ Neuharth-Keusch on Twitter @tweetAJNK Watch the top 5 plays from Game 3 | 1 | 99,430 | sports |
WASHINGTON House Speaker Paul Ryan is proposing to secure U.S. borders by overhauling the immigration system and installing robust defenses to keep out extremists, criminals and drug cartels. The plan is part of a national security strategy the Wisconsin Republican will unveil on Thursday. It's a key plank in a broader policy blueprint he is crafting that seeks to unite Republicans amid the frequent distractions triggered by Donald Trump's unconventional presidential campaign. The focus on immigration and border protection tracks with one of the cornerstones of Trump's platform. Ryan calls for the use of "high fencing" along border areas, but steers clear of the billionaire candidate's signature issue: building a wall to keep people from illegally entering the United States from Mexico. Trump also has proposed banning all Muslims from entering the country, which Ryan has rejected. "America must secure the border once and for all by accelerating the deployment of fencing, technology, air assets and personnel," Ryan's strategy reads. "We also must overhaul our immigration system for national security reasons." Ryan said the U.S. has repeatedly failed to eliminate serious vulnerabilities in the immigration system, citing the inability to verify comprehensively whether visitors to the U.S. actually leave when their visas expire. The plan also hammers President Barack Obama for what Ryan and other Republicans have said is a failed foreign policy. He listed Obama's refusal to enforce "its red line in Syria" and the international nuclear deal with Iran among the examples. Ryan outlines in broad strokes a series of measures for defeating the Islamic State group and other extremists. He advocates relying on "local forces" in Iraq and Syria to defeat militants, but indicates Republicans must be prepared to deploy U.S. troops if necessary. "We cannot take options off the table, because doing so telegraphs weakness to our enemies and emboldens them," he said. Ryan's policy blueprint is aimed at defining what Republicans are for, not just what they are against. In a video posted last week, he made an appeal to frustrated Republican voters who are supporting Trump, the party's presumptive nominee. "We can get angry and we can stay angry or we could channel that anger into action," Ryan said in the video. The few specifics Trump has offered on defense and foreign policy issues have rattled Republicans and unnerved U.S. allies. The billionaire candidate has pledged, if elected, to bring back the use of waterboarding it causes the sensation of drowning and worse against captured militants. Congress has outlawed waterboarding along with other so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. Trump also said he would order the military to kill family members of extremists who threaten the U.S., a position he has since retreated from after being heavily criticized. And he's questioned whether NATO and America's other key alliances have become obsolete. ___ Follow Richard Lardner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/rplardner | 5 | 99,431 | news |
Kyrie Irving reacts during the first half against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the 2016 NBA Finals. Jason Miller/Getty Images Getty Images North America CLEVELAND The Cavaliers were a different team Wednesday a polar opposite of how they played in the first two games of the NBA Finals. They needed a catalyst. Kyrie Irving provided instant ignition for the Cavaliers, scoring 16 points with three assists in the first quarter of Game 3. Those first 12 minutes proved to set the tone for the Cavs, as Irving's dynamic play was integral in a 120-90 whipping of the Golden State Warriors. "He was just really aggressive," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Irving. "He's a great player. He had a couple of tough games and I thought his play kind of mirrored their team's play. You spend two or three days listening to everybody say things about you that don't feel that good, usually you bounce back. I thought they bounced back and played a fantastic game, and Kyrie played a great game." Irving, who scored 10 points in Game 2 and was a non-factor on defense, made all the difference in Game 3 as the Cavaliers cut their series deficit to two games to one. He pestered Stephen Curry enough to make him look mediocre if only for one half and finished with 30 points, eight assists and only two turnovers. Irving played the role of a true point guard, facilitating the offense and beautifully connecting with LeBron James on passes, including the highlight of the night on an alley-oop. LeBron throws down the MONSTER ALLEY-OOP, from all of the angles! #NBAFinals https://t.co/iWpGsoUuUf NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2016 "We just talked about our 1-4 (defense) in shootaround, our 1-4 in pick-and-roll with me and him, with us leading our guys offensively," Irving said of the changes to his game. "It's just working really well for us, as well as the switches. I know that I can't play in between or be indecisive, especially with guys in front of me. Just constantly in attack mode. I know my teammates consistently want me to do that, possession by possession, whether it's getting downhill or shooting jump shots or whatever it is." Irving answered a lot of questions with his performance in Game 3. He showed that he's a force when he hits his stride and has no problem breaking ankles when he goes into attack mode. "We finally got back to our game tonight, and it started with the floor general to my left," James said of Irving. "It was a good flow, and everyone felt like they were a part of tonight's win. So it was just a collective team win. It was good basketball." Aggressive play is the key to Irving, who was the key to the Cavaliers' triumph. That turned a passive group in the first to games into a fierce force that throttled the vaunted Warriors' attack. | 1 | 99,432 | sports |
France has deployed special forces in northern Syria to advise the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting the Islamic State group, a defence ministry official said Thursday. "The offensive at Manbij is clearly being backed by a certain number of states including France. It's the usual support -- it's advisory," the official told AFP, without giving further details on the deployment. France until now has only acknowledged the presence in the region of around 150 members of its special forces, deployed in Iraqi Kurdistan. The SDF, a US-backed Kurdish and Arab alliance, are on the northern edge of Manbij, a strategic town held by IS that serves as a waypoint between the Turkish border and the jihadists' stronghold of Raqa. The French special forces will not intervene militarily themselves and are not supposed to engage in combat with IS militants, the defence ministry official said. Tabqa, another IS-held transit town which lies near Syria's largest dam, is also under attack. France has 2,500 men in its special forces, of whom around 400 are currently deployed in 17 countries, mainly in the Sahel, the military said. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had indicated last Friday, in remarks to a small state TV channel covering French politics, that French troops were helping operations at Manbij. "We are providing support through weapons supplies, air presence and advice," he told the Public Senate channel. In Iraqi Kurdistan, French special forces are already deployed, accompanying Kurdish peshmerga fighters to the front line near the city of Mosul. The French help the peshmerga to locate and neutralise improvised explosive devices (IED) and to handle 20-millimetre guns supplied by France. The IEDs, often buried in the ground and hard to spot, are the scourge of forces fighting IS. Hundreds of French nationals have gone to Syria to fight alongside IS fighters, but the special forces "are not there just because there are French nationals there", the defence ministry official said. France was targeted by jihadists in 2015, with shootings at the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in January and then a series of attacks in the French capital in November. A total of 147 people were killed and hundreds were injured. Several of the gunmen involved were French citizens who had returned from fighting in Syria. The US military says the offensive on Manbij is being led by 3,000 local Arab fighters, backed by 500 Kurdish militiamen. | 5 | 99,433 | news |
BALTIMORE The judge overseeing the emotionally charged case of a young black man who died in police custody is a former federal prosecutor who used to put dirty police officers on trial. Friends and colleagues describe Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams, an African-American, as an even-handed judge who has a sense of humor but doesn't tolerate any courtroom grandstanding. People on both sides of the Freddie Gray case agree he is the best judge for the job. Williams will decide perhaps the most important trial in the Gray case. Officer Caesar Goodson faces a second-degree murder charge in the death of Gray, whose neck was broken in the back of a police wagon last spring. Goodson waived his right to a jury in favor of placing his fate in Williams' hands. His trial begins Thursday. Similarly, Officer Edward Nero, who faced assault and other charges in Gray's death, opted for a bench trial. Williams acquitted Nero of all charges last month. Williams' verdict in the Nero trial was so narrowly focused it gave little indication of how he might rule for the van officer, who prosecutors say is the most culpable for Gray's death. Gray died April 19, 2015. His death sparked protests and riots across the city, and he joined a growing list of young black men who died after encounters with police officers. Critics say the city's top prosecutor Marilyn Mosby was too hasty when she brought charges against six officers last year, but as the trials moved through the system, Williams' mentors, advisers and colleagues unanimously agree that there's nobody more prepared to handle a case with such weighty implications. "I've been trying to think, could I imagine anyone else in terms of their career path who would have been better prepared for this case?" said Larry Gibson, a longtime professor at the University of Maryland Francis Carey Law Center who once taught Williams. "I can't." Williams, 53, was appointed associate judge in Baltimore in 2005 and was later elected to keep his seat. Before that, he worked as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, where he prosecuted police misconduct cases before he became special litigation counsel there. Among his cases was the trial for Washington police officer Lawrence Holland, who was accused of severely beating a man at a traffic stop. Holland eventually pleaded guilty. Prior to the Justice Department, Williams worked in Baltimore, as an assistant state's attorney specializing in street crime. Each morning, Williams enters his courtroom clutching an oversized tea cup and bids the attorneys and those sitting in the gallery good morning. Some days he won't begin the proceedings until he gets a response back, in unison. He is stern and focused, but sometimes trades light barbs with attorneys during motions hearings. During the November trial of Officer William Porter, which ended in a hung jury, Williams placed small bowls full of candy in front of each juror, and obliged a request during deliberations for a refill. Those who have worked alongside him and appeared before him in court say he is tremendously fair, bearing no clear preference for prosecutors or defense attorneys. "His decisions are based on the law and not emotion, and I wouldn't say that about every judge," said attorney Warren Alperstein, who has watched the officers' trials. "He's neither considered defense- nor state-oriented. And if you're stepping out of bounds he'll let you know very, very quickly." During closing arguments in Nero's trial, Williams repeatedly questioned Deputy State's Attorney Jan Bledsoe about the state's theory, asking over and over whether prosecutors were implying that officers should be charged with crimes for stopping people without probable cause. Months before, at Porter's trial, Williams threatened to hold Porter's defense attorney Joe Murtha in contempt of court while he was cross-examining Dr. Carol Allan, the assistant medical examiner who prepared Gray's autopsy report. Williams' ability to keep each of the cases separate is clear in his ruling acquitting Nero. After determining that Nero wasn't directly involved in Gray's arrest, Williams said he wouldn't address whether or not policemen could or should be prosecuted for stopping people without probable cause. Not all of his decisions are without controversy. Williams has taken a strong stance against requests for more public access to information, issuing a sweeping gag order preventing not only defendants but also their attorneys and witnesses from speaking publicly until all of the cases are finished. He also asked jurors in the Porter trial not to speak to reporters about their deliberation process. Williams also made headlines when he ruled that Porter, who is currently pending retrial, must testify against some of his colleagues. But even his most contentious decisions come from a place of legal scholarship; even his decision to acquit Nero was largely viewed as fair by those firmly planted in Gray's camp. Billy Murphy, the Gray family attorney, called it "well thought out and reasonable under the circumstance." "I commend him for being a credit to his bench because there was all kinds of pressure, enormous pressure, for him to go in the other direction," he said, "and he showed tremendous courage in ruling against public opinion." | 5 | 99,434 | news |
MONROE, Ga. Deputies in north-central Georgia say a man fired dozens of shots at them after he had called 911 on himself in an apparent attempt to have authorities kill him. The Walton County Sheriff's Office tells news outlets that emergency responders received a 911 call around 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon from the man, later identified as 43-year-old David Preston Cook, requesting "help for his mental status" at his Monroe home. Sheriff Joe Chapman says Cook fired between 40 and 50 rounds at arriving authorities. Cook was arrested around 5:30 p.m. in his house's garage after he eventually laid down his weapon. Chapman says Cook told authorities he wanted to die via "suicide by cop." Authorities did not immediately say what charges Cook is facing. | 5 | 99,435 | news |
Rolls-Royce Experience Owning a Rolls-Royce is not merely about a vehicle it's about time-honored tradition and the entire experience of possessing a motorcar of distinction. Almost anyone with a pulse recognizes the name Rolls-Royce, and while the brand may mean different things to different people, it's virtually synonymous with success, prestige and wealth. A Rolls-Royce is acquired not simply for transportation; it is a true luxury and lifestyle statement more akin to collecting an exclusive piece of fine jewelry or a rare work of art. The Experience Begins My Rolls-Royce experience started even before getting behind the wheel of the Dawn. As I waited outside baggage claim at LAX expecting a black sedan or perhaps an SUV to appear and shuttle me to the hotel for our press event, I received a message from the driver: I'm in the silver (Rolls-Royce) Ghost. As I stared into the sea of Prius taxis, SUVs and town cars swirling by, the most recognizable of all automotive grilles (and hood ornaments) surfaced and I raised my hand to signal the driver. As the Rolls glided to the curb, I could feel all eyes on me as most passengers in front of Terminal 6 paused to see who would get into the Ghost. Even in Southern California where the highest concentration of exotic, high-performance and luxury cars can be spotted on any given day, a Rolls-Royce still turns heads. More Social Dawn is the new Rolls-Royce super-luxury 4-seat convertible joining the lineup as the seventh-generation Phantom gets phased out. Many people may imagine the typical Rolls-Royce experience consisting of a hired driver behind the wheel as an owner sits sequestered in the vast luxury of the rear seat, negotiating billion-dollar business transactions or hiding from the paparazzi behind designer sunglasses. But Rolls-Royce personnel envision the Dawn as a more "social" ownership experience, with the owner behind the wheel and room for not only a front-seat passenger, but also a rear seat that will deliver a no-compromises luxury experience for two additional adult passengers. Model Lineup The Rolls-Royce Dawn is offered as a single model without set trim levels, since nearly ever Dawn is built to individual customer specifications that include tens of thousands of dollars in options. Rolls-Royce Bespoke allows owners to customize virtually every aspect of the car from paint, trim and wheels for the exterior to materials, patterns, textures and colors on the inside. With a starting price of $345,000, average Dawn transactions are expected to be in the $400,000 range depending on the exact specs. The majority of Dawns will be special ordered either by the owner, a Rolls-Royce dealer with a specific owner in mind, or a dealer that will tailor the details of the Dawn to appeal to the taste of customers in a certain geographic area. New Design Although the Dawn shares mechanical underpinnings with the Wraith Coupe, Rolls-Royce is quick to point out that Dawn is not simply a convertible Wraith but a further evolution of Rolls-Royce design, with 80 percent of the body panels unique to Dawn. The design goal was to create a 4-seat super-luxury drop-top that looks equally elegant and beautiful with the top up as well as down. The grille has been recessed slightly and the lower bumper extended to focus more attention on the horizontal lines of the car rather than the vertical. The elegant, sweeping profile features a rising beltline that wraps around the passenger cabin. The lowered soft-top gets stowed beneath a wooden deck (wood type chosen by the owner) that flows down between the rear seats and throughout the cabin. Under the Hood Powered by Rolls-Royce's twin-turbo 6.6-liter V12 engine producing 563 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque at 1500 rpm, Dawn is Rolls-Royce's most powerful full 4-seat drophead offered to date. Dynamic accelerator pedal mapping delivers increased throttle response at medium throttle positions. Satellite-aided transmission technology utilizes GPS data to see beyond what the driver can see on the road ahead to select the appropriate gear for the 8-speed ZF transmission, based on location and driving style. Interior Design The unique Rolls-Royce rear-hinged coach doors complement the exterior profile and add to the interior design described by Rolls-Royce as a slingshot shape, running from the A-pillar toward the rear seats and around to the opposite pillar. Four separate bucket seats and the coach door design add to the ease of entry and egress from rear seats. With the doors open, it's a long reach from the front seats, but with one touch of a button the doors softly close automatically. Inner Space Sliding into the driver's seat of the Rolls-Royce Dawn, you enter a world of exquisite materials, meticulously handcrafted to create an unmatched luxury experience. Every aspect of the interior can be tailored to the owner's tastes. My test car featured a stunning Mandarin leather interior to boldly complement the understated grey metallic exterior and open-pore brown wood interior trim, to create a standout yet sophisticated package. The leather-wrapped steering wheel has a slightly larger diameter than an average wheel, but it feels just right for a Rolls-Royce. On the Road Driving the Rolls-Royce Dawn is best summarized as smooth and quiet, yet powerful. At idle the engine's power goes virtually undetected, but with the slightest squeeze of the throttle pedal the Dawn begins rolling in a very fluid motion. Rolls-Royce teaches chauffeurs to transition from a standstill without passengers being able to perceive the change. My first drive in the Dawn left no doubt that this subtle transition can be achieved. Newly designed air springs and active roll bars deliver the expected Rolls-Royce "magic carpet" ride, but the driver still receives enough information for power and control over the car. Powerful Control Unlike many luxury and high-performance models over $100,000, Dawn does not offer a sport mode or driver-selectable settings for ride or performance. The engine, transmission and suspension are constantly making adjustments for terrain and driving style, but without any direct input from the driver. The engine produces a constant swell of thrust at any speed, always on tap at the slightest squeeze of the throttle pedal, and always unrelentingly smooth and quiet. No doubt Dawn will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds as claimed by Rolls-Royce, but the vehicle is more about the abundance of power constantly on tap at cruising speed. Right for You? Only a select few will face this question perhaps while contemplating the purchase of a yacht or a new vacation home. Dawn offers the opportunity to experience the Rolls-Royce mystique and meticulous refinement in a new, more dynamic open-top model. With unlimited opportunity to tailor the details of Dawn to personal preferences, for those with the means the Dawn rekindles and redefines a singular motoring experience. Rating: 9.0 Bottom Line: Rolls-Royce Dawn is the pinnacle of luxury open-top motoring. Pros: Exquisite levels of luxury and quality; bespoke customization to owner's preferences; powerful and luxurious open-top experience. Cons: Price of entry only for a select few; no keeping a low profile; could take a year or more for delivery, depending on personalization. | 9 | 99,436 | autos |
Is American greatness a relic of the past or a reality of the present? If Republicans fumble this fundamental question and become the party of gripes and gloom, they will blow their chance of 2016 victory and imperil the party's long-term survival. The American people might feel deeply dissatisfied with governmental gridlock and political corruption, but they remain surprisingly positive about their personal circumstances. Why, then, do pundits prattle so persistently about the seething rage of the electorate, and how did anger-candidate Donald Trump decisively defeat his innumerable GOP rivals? News media messages certainly shaped the outcome: TV journalists don't function as a news business; they're part of the bad news business. Crime, natural disasters and dire predictions make for more riveting broadcasts than reports on happy families and functional schools. In the same way, the boisterous indignation of the Trump campaign dominated the media menu with the candidate's impassioned laments over national decline; the presumptive nominee drew far more news time than his 16 Republican opponents combined. Despite prevailing alarmism about the sorry state of the country at large, polls find stubborn optimism on the more intimate level. In January, Gallup found only 23% who approved of " the way things are going " in the nation in general, but near record numbers (85%) said they were satisfied with " the way things are going in (their) personal (lives) "; an amazing 53% described themselves as " very satisfied." In this context, catering to the scant 6% who see themselves as "very dis satisfied" with their lot will make it difficult to build a majority. It's the GOP's sour mood, even more than the polarizing personality of Trump, that separates the party from the instinctive optimism that's part of the national character. A March survey by Pew Research found 70% of self-described "conservative Republicans" who agreed with the statement: "Compared with 50 years ago, life in America today for people like (me) is worse." As a matter of fact, 50 years ago crime rates were rising with dramatic intensity , devastating urban riots paralyzed cities across the country, and the Vietnam War brought 529 monthly combat deaths on average in 1966. Since that time, every measure of human welfare has shown dramatic improvement. Vastly enhanced medical care means life expectancy has increased from 70 years to 79 years , with especially potent improvements for people of color . Median income, adjusted for inflation, has increased by one third , with greatly improved purchasing power. Opportunities to pursue higher education have improved to a startling degree: More than 30% of adults now hold bachelor's degrees, compared with fewer than 10% a half-century ago . In what sense, then, has life become "worse" over intervening decades? Among African Americans, an overwhelming 83% in the Pew survey reject that notion of decline with black people participating in unprecedented progress by the nation's most consistently oppressed minority. Among voters younger than 30, a mere 27% accepted the idea that life has gotten worse for "people like (me)." To connect with the younger, more diverse segments of the electorate who are utterly essential to the party's future, Republicans must jettison their self-pitying worldview more urgently than they alter any policy prescriptions. POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media Such a shift requires abandonment of the self-defeating demonization of President Obama, along with accusations that he has engaged in a malevolent, eight-year kamikaze mission to deliberately damage the United States. Republicans should rightly fault his presidency as inept and misguided, but it makes no sense to focus their attacks on an incumbent with rising, respectable approval ratings while both of his potential successors remain distinctly less popular . Most Americans understand that their nation remains the envy of the world despite an often unworthy government, not because of it. A promise to "Make America Great Again" may play to a nostalgic sense of loss among the most disgruntled element of the electorate, but a commitment to make America even greater than it already is will work better in broadening the base. A mere eight years ago, Obama won a mighty landslide by promoting "hope and change." Despite considerable disappointment with his performance in office, Trump's true believers can't succeed in November by replacing hope and change with mope and cringe. Michael Medved hosts a nationally syndicated talk radio show and is a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors. In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including our Board of Contributors . To read more columns, go to the Opinion front page , follow us on Twitter @USATOpinion and sign up for our daily Opinion newsletter . | 5 | 99,437 | news |
While most politicians use a teleprompter during their speeches, Trump prefers to use his own special contraption: the Yell-A-Prompter. | 8 | 99,438 | video |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Baylor University has kept intact its assistant coaching staff after firing head coach Art Briles despite an investigation's multiple findings that football ''coaches'' had inappropriate conduct and influence in school assault investigations. While Baylor regents demoted former President and Chancellor Ken Starr and athletic director Ian McCaw resigned, Briles has remained the only coach to be dismissed in the wake a scathing report that the football program behaved as if it was ''above the rules'' in dealing with allegations of physical and sexual assaults by players. Alex Zalkin, an attorney for Jasmin Hernandez, a former Baylor student who has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the school was indifferent to her reports of being sexually assaulted by a football player in 2012, questioned why Baylor hasn't dismissed more coaches. While The Associated Press generally doesn't identify sexual assault victims, Hernandez has spoken publicly to draw attention to the case. ''I don't understand how you can continue to employ people who have been found to have engaged in this type of behavior,'' Zalkin said. ''I think the public has the right to know who specifically was involved.'' In a statement Wednesday night, Baylor officials said ''additional members of the administration and athletics program have also been disciplined,'' but those individuals and their punishments would not be disclosed. ''The university will continue to review and work with athletic department administration regarding additional actions as appropriate,'' the school said. Interim coach Jim Grobe, the former Wake Forest coach who came out of retirement to take over at Baylor for next season, said last week that he would retain all of Briles' position coaches . That includes Briles' son, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, and his son-in-law, passing game coordinator and running backs coach Jeff Lebby. Grobe said last week he has the authority to make changes, but didn't expect that anything from a recently-released investigation summary that would affect the remaining coaches. ''Going forward, I couldn't predict, but I think right now things are pretty stable,'' Grobe said. But the 13-page "Finding of Fact" prepared for Baylor by the Philadelphia law firm Pepper Hamilton includes five references to ''coaches'' or football staff engaging in behavior that stifled school and criminal investigations into serious allegations, including: - Meeting directly with a complainant or their parent and not reporting the alleged misconduct. - Abdicating their duties under federal protections for student welfare, health and safety by not reporting incidents to the university or suspending players without explanation and helping them transfer. - Seeking to maintain ''internal control'' over discipline of players and diverting cases from the student conduct or criminal proceedings. Those instances helped reinforce '' an overall perception that football was above the rules, and that there was no culture of accountability for misconduct,'' the summary stated. The document doesn't identify any coaches by name or position - including Art Briles. Pepper Hamilton said its investigation dated back to the 2012-2013 academic year. According to the Baylor football website, eight of Baylor's nine position coaches have been on staff since 2011 or longer. On Tuesday, a lawyer for a former Baylor student who said she was hit and choked by a former Baylor player said the woman exchanged text messages with Lebby about the incidents in 2014, and nothing was done other than to tell the player to stay away from her. The woman's lawyer, Ricky Patel, said she is considering a lawsuit against Baylor. Baylor officials declined to address the allegations against Lebby, and instead issued a statement that the school remains ''committed to learning from the experiences of our students and former students'' as it works to improve how the school responds to complaints. Pepper Hamilton's summary does not detail any of the incidents uncovered in the investigation, and Baylor has faced mounting pressure to release more information. Last week, the Baylor Line Foundation, the university's main alumni group, demanded Baylor release a full report. ''The Baylor Family deserves an unvarnished, complete accounting of the facts about how these events were handled,'' the group wrote. But Baylor interim President David Garland this week repeated the school's position that it will not release details in order to protect victim privacy. Baylor officials have said there is no formal, full report from Pepper Hamilton and that regents were briefed on the findings orally, behind closed doors, before the summary was released. | 1 | 99,439 | sports |
Swiss commodities trading and mining giant Glencore said Thursday it had sold another stake in its agriculture business and would shift $3.6 billion in debt to the subsidiary. The sale of 9.99 percent in Glencore Agri for $624.9 million in cash to British Columbia Investment Management Corporation follows the April sale of 40.0 percent to Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $2.5 billion. Glencore said that at the closing of the transaction, following regulatory approvals and other conditions, some $3.6 billion of Glencore Agri's debt that it had been carried by the parent company would be transferred to the agriculture subsidiary. The funds from the sale of the 49.9 percent stake in Glencore Agri, plus a smaller transaction, means the company has reached $3.2 billion out of its target $4-5 billion in asset disposals the year to pay down its debt. A plunge in prices of oil and metal and mineral commodities pushed Glencore last September to undertake drastic efforts to avoid collapsing under debt that then stood at some $30 billion. In addition to selling off assets, it shuttered production at a number of mines and scrapped dividend payments to investors, helping to reduce debt to just under $26 billion by the end of the year. | 3 | 99,440 | finance |
BAGHDAD Two suicide attacks in and around the Iraqi capital on Thursday killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens, officials said. The deadliest attack took place in a commercial area of a majority Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad. At least 19 civilians were killed and 46 wounded, police said. Another suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into an Iraqi army checkpoint north of Baghdad, killing at least 12 people, police said. Seven civilians and five troops were killed in the attack in the town of Taji, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the capital, a police officer said. At least 32 people were wounded, he added. Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media. In an online statement, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in the New Baghdad neighborhood, saying it targeted Shiite militia members. It later claimed responsibility for the Taji bombing in a second online statement, saying it was targeting the Iraqi army. The Associated Press could not verify the authenticity of the statements, but they were posted on a militant website commonly used by the extremists. The Sunni militant group often targets Iraq's Shiite majority, security forces and government officials. Baghdad has seen near-daily attacks in recent weeks. In a statement, the U.N. special envoy to Iraq, Jan Kubis, described the attacks as "cowardly acts," saying they are "not only aim at inflicting a heavy toll on the civilian population, but also seek to weaken the country's unity and destroy its social fabric." "The Daesh terrorists should not be allowed to succeed," Kubis added, using the Arabic language acronym for the Islamic State group. The deadly attacks in the capital and beyond are seen by Iraqi officials as an attempt by the militants to distract the security forces' attention from the front lines. The attacks came a day after Iraqi special forces pushed into the IS-held city of Fallujah in a large-scale military operation launched last month. Fallujah, which is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Baghdad, is one of the last major IS strongholds in western Iraq. The extremist group still controls territory in the country's north and west, as well as Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. ___ Associated Press writer Murtada Faraj in Baghdad contributed to this report. | 5 | 99,441 | news |
A suicide car bomb attack near a military base north of Baghdad and another blast near a market in the Iraqi capital killed at least 18 people Thursday, police said. Both explosions occurred at around 9:00 am (0600 GMT). The attack by a bus station in Taji, a town just north of Baghdad that is home to one of Iraq's largest military bases, killed at least seven people and wounded 18, a police colonel said. Another car bomb explosion in the capital's mostly Shiite neighbourhood of Baghdad Jadida killed at least 11 people and wounded 27, the same source said. A Baghdad health official confirmed the casualty figures. There was no immediate claim for the blasts but the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for nearly all such attacks in recent months. Under heavy pressure on the battlefield, the jihadist organisation has struck back with bloody attacks in Baghdad. The deadliest spate of bombings to hit the capital this year was in May when three attacks on the same day, including a devastating blast in Sadr City, killed close to 100 people. The spike in Baghdad bombings added pressure on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to declare the launch two weeks ago of an offensive to retake Fallujah, an IS bastion that lies just 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the capital. | 5 | 99,442 | news |
SAN FRANCISCO Gena O'Brien was catching up on headlines this week when she stumbled across a young woman's account of her life since she was sexually assaulted at Stanford University a statement to the former student-athlete who molested her behind a dumpster 16 months ago. O'Brien has two sons, ages 10 and 14. The older boy is a competitive swimmer, like 20-year-old Brock Turner was at Stanford before his arrest. In the raw words of an assault survivor, O'Brien recognized a teachable moment. She read portions of the woman's statement out loud to her 9th grader while he was getting ready for school and made him promise to read all 12 pages when he was done studying for finals. "There are so many golden truths in there, stark truths," said O'Brien, a hairdresser who lives with her family in Berkeley, California. "It's about victimizing somebody and somebody's feelings of being a victim of something. And I want my boys to have empathy." With the six-month jail sentence Turner received last week generating widespread publicity, some parents are using the case to talk with their own children about sexual misconduct, binge drinking, personal responsibility and boundaries. It's an opportunity that even comes with primary sources the victim's statement, the plea for leniency Turner's father wrote to the sentencing judge that are helping to fuel discussions about rape with young people who are old enough. "Let's not kid ourselves about this. One of the reasons we are resonating with this so much is two people caught the person, it's not a 'She said, he said.' Two white men caught him," Rosalind Wiseman, the author of a book about modern boy culture called "Masterminds & Wingmen," said. "The other reason is (the victim) did an amazing job of articulating her experience." Wiseman, a parent educator and bullying expert with two sons ages 13 and 15, said she wants her children to read the assault survivor's statement. But she also plans to engage them in a conservation about how social privilege played out in the case, how women who report rapes are often discounted, how boys and men also experience sexual violence and how difficult it can be to do the right thing, like the two Stanford graduate students who stopped Turner and held him until police arrived. "It does them no good to talk in sound bites to our children about these kinds of issues," she said. "We have to be able to tell them they will be in situations that are really uncomfortable or messy, and it's possible people we love might do things we are not proud of. And we have to use the opportunity to ask, 'What do you think is the most important take-away from this for how you conduct yourself?" As the father of three sons ages 9 to 13, Jeffrey Shinbrot, an attorney in Los Angeles, found in the harrowing details of Turner's behavior a way of illustrating a point he'd been trying to hammer home for a while: namely, that some of hip-hop lyrics his boys mindlessly sang normalized misogynistic behavior he considered neither normal nor cool. "I said, 'Look you guys, this is how serious the things you are repeating in music are. I really wanted them to understand the seriousness of those types of acts and the seriousness of the acts the lyrics are describing," Shinbrot said. "Did it sink in? Who knows." Margaret Silverman of Orinda, California has an 18-year-old son heading off to college in the fall. She remembers speaking with him when he was a high school freshman about communicating well with his future sexual partners, about respecting that both he and the girls he was interested in had the right to say no. While touring the university where her son will be in September, the two of them heard about a campus fraternity that had been suspended after police broke up a party and found a woman passed out on a couch. Silverman told him she hoped he would be the one to notice, to pay attention rather than ignore, if he found himself in a situation like that, a message she plans to deliver again. "I'll be reminding him, 'If you see a buddy of yours acting out, I would hope you would have the sensibility to say, Hey dude, leave her alone, let's get out of here.'" | 5 | 99,443 | news |
Japan summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo Thursday to express concern after a Chinese ship sailed close to disputed islands in the East China Sea. | 5 | 99,444 | news |
It was a trip that took Nakul, Anmol and Aneesh from Japan to America, and finally Australia, which made them realize that how travelers and commuters could benefit from a product such as Instago. "Subsequently, when my co-founder, Anmol and I travelled throughout London, Dublin and Hong Kong, we found ourselves constantly shuffling between apps. It was then we realize that we need to build Instago for the international market as well. Our third co-founder, Aneesh validated the need for it in the US as he spent a significant time there," shares Nakul Khanna, Co-founder, Instago. As the trio forayed into Indian market in April this year, they kept their focus towards entering into overseas market at a much rapid speed. To test their strategy, they compared their app with cab companies and public transportation functioning in the United States. Often startups find it difficult to take their venture to global arena. Thereby, here is a list of essential points to keep in mind while foraying into overseas market. Do people want it or need it? "We felt our product was more of a need, and not a want," said Khanna. It is important to be unbiased and take this call as entrepreneurs can fall in love with their ideas. Everyone wants to save money, even if it's a few dollars hence it made sense to try and grab a slice of the overseas market because the product is needed. Are you comparing Apples and Oranges? To decide to launch in another market, you need to make a fair comparison. "What works in New Delhi will not work in New York and vice versa. So it is important to study the habits, trends and behaviors of your customers and that of the industry you are targeting because they can be very different once you cross borders," said Khanna. Next Best Alternative It is important to figure out if not for your product, what do people use in place of it? Does it fulfill their requirements? Where does it fall short of user expectations? Once you do this comprehensive analysis of your international competition, you will be in a better position to differentiate. "If the value proposition is not strong enough, people are not likely to switch. However, if you can offer a radical solution or an overhaul and not just an incremental improvement you may be surprised to find users flocking to your platform. While that competitive advantage may not be sustainable for a long time, it can allow for customer loyalty to develop," said Khanna. Markets vary significantly, especially when you cross oceans to get there. For businesses that are lucky to expand to other markets, especially product based businesses it can be a worthwhile experiment to try out which can predict future success or failure without spending too much time, money and developmental effort. Related: 6 Rules for Effectively Leading Your Globally-Distributed Team "If you are competing with global companies, creating world class-technology is a must" | 3 | 99,445 | finance |
LANSING, Mich. The Michigan Legislature narrowly approved a $617 million bailout and restructuring of Detroit's debt-ridden school district early Thursday, two years after the state spent less than a third of that amount to help the city government emerge from bankruptcy. The legislation goes to Gov. Rick Snyder for his expected signature. The Republican-controlled Senate passed a main bill 19-18 late Wednesday, and the GOP-led House followed with a similar razor-thin 55-54 vote. Some Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition during an emotional debate that brought some lawmakers to tears. Snyder, who had warned legislators that insolvency would be disastrous for students and the state if the district ran short of money this summer as it would have without further intervention said in a statement that the measure is a "fresh start" and an "unprecedented investment for the education of Detroit's children." The financially and academically ailing 46,000-student Detroit Public Schools has been managed by the state for seven years, during which it has continued to face plummeting enrollment, deficits and, more recently, teacher sick-out protests. Under the bills, the district would be split in two and control would be returned to an elected school board. A commission of state appointees would oversee the district's finances, similar to how it now reviews the city's budgeting as part of a $195 million state rescue in 2014. The new debt-free district would educate students. The old district would stay intact for tax-collection purposes to retire $617 million in debt over 8½ years, including $150 million in transition costs to launch the new Detroit Community Schools. Furious Democrats accused "coward" Republicans of bowing to the politically influential school-choice lobby in dropping a proposed commission of mayoral appointees to regulate the opening of new schools including independent, publicly funded charters that have drawn students and funding away from traditional neighborhood schools. Sen. Bert Johnson, a Highland Park Democrat who represents part of Detroit, said the legislation is "paternalistic" and "unethical." "If you do this, you are systematically spelling the end of the Detroit Public Schools system," he said. "Parents are already concerned. ... I think it's going to drive enrollment further into the ground." But majority Republicans said bankruptcy would have been the worst possible outcome. "I know many will weigh in with opinions on how we could have done better, and (we) all hear criticism about this compromise. But at the end of the day, our responsibility is to solve the problem," said Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, a West Olive Republican. The vote came more than a year after the Republican governor proposed an overhaul. He said debt was crushing the district and warned that insolvency would leave the state with billions of dollars in liabilities and stifle Detroit's recovery post-bankruptcy. Before the final voting, there had been fairly broad agreement on the need to help the district. Yet Democrats united against the bills, expressing a range of concerns, including that the money would fall short of what is needed to adequately help the district decimated by declining enrollment both due to population loss and the role of charter or suburban schools. "This plan is a farce," said Sen. David Knezek of Dearborn Heights. Some Republicans were reluctant to offer taxpayer support to the state's largest school district that for decades has grappled with mismanagement and corruption, while others joined with Democrats in contending that the legislation allows the continued pitting of district schools and charters against each other. "My fear is that the serious lack of coordination related to school site planning decisions will continue," said Sen. Goeff Hansen, a Hart Republican who choked up during his floor speech. He voted against some bills despite sponsoring and shepherding an earlier bipartisan package through the Senate. "By not truly fixing these systemic problems, are we not furthering the confusion and chaos that negatively impacts parents' abilities to seek stability and positive educational options for their children?" he said. But House Speaker Kevin Cotter, a Mount Pleasant Republican, said lawmakers initially were asked to pay off the debt and hand back control of the district to locally elected officials. "It does both of those things," he said. ___ Follow David Eggert on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/author/david-eggert | 5 | 99,446 | news |
Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, explains the role of the ECB's monetary policy in managing inflation. | 3 | 99,447 | finance |
CLEVELAND LeBron James needs to be great for the Cleveland Cavaliers to beat the Golden State Warriors. But in the first two games of the NBA Finals, James was OK, and it wasn't even close to enough. In Game 3, James was great. He made his first four shots and nine of his final 12 and in a game that the desperate Cavs couldn't afford to lose, James had 32 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals in Cleveland's 120-90 victory over the Warriors. BOX SCORE: CAVALIERS 120, WARRIORS 90 "We finally got back to our game," James said. "It was just good basketball. It was a good flow, and everyone felt like they were a part of (Wednesday's) win. So it was just a collective team win." James attacked the paint, scoring 16 points at the rim. He was 3-of-6 with his mid-range game and 1-of-2 on three-pointers. He exploited mismatches, broke free for dunks and pushed the ball in transition often. Cleveland displayed its preferred style for the first time in the series. "I just wanted to play a little bit inside and outside. I started off the game going in the interior and just trying to fan out their defense a little bit," James said. "We did a great job of spacing out with RJ, with Ky, and also with Swish (Smith), so it gave me a little bit more room to work down in the post. I missed a ton of chippies, but I was loving the space that I was getting and my teammates created for me." Before the game, TV cameras videoed James telling his teammates, "Follow my lead." "I've been around him all season," Cavs guard-forward Richard Jefferson said. "I've watched him play as a rookie. When he said that, I knew what he meant. We've been doing it all year. Every team he has been on has followed his lead. (Wednesday) was no different. We followed his lead. He did a great job in leading us to a victory." Irving, who had 30 points, followed, too. He can score in bursts, and he did. In a span of three minutes, 41 seconds late in the first quarter, Irving scored 12 points. >" style="position:static;vertical-align:top;margin:0 auto;display:block;width:600px !important;max-width:100%;min-height:610px !important;max-height:none !important;border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="600"> NBA Finals - Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers Player Game Stats | PointAfter "Just realizing the magnitude of what's about to happen, going out there and battling, understanding that we're being led by a great player," Irving said. "We all understood that. We all know our roles. We know what to expect from one another, but the platform that we're on, understanding the moment, he does a great job of dialing us in." J.R. Smith followed, with his best game of the series 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting and you know who else followed? Jefferson (nine points, eight rebounds, two steals) who started in place of concussed Kevin Love. Tristan Thompson had 14 points and 13 rebounds. Even though the Cavs built a 20-point lead in the first quarter, they were ahead just 51-43 at halftime, a margin Golden State can erase with three possessions. The Warriors were still in the game. James can lead with words, but he also needed to lead with action. The Cavs had to have more from James than his 5-of-14 shooting in the first half. If it was Irving's show in the first half, it was James' in the third quarter. He made 5-of-6 shots and had 13 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal. When James went to the bench with 2:16 left in the third quarter, Cleveland led 81-59. "I didn't change my approach, and I didn't take over this game," James said."Kyrie pretty much took over the game, especially early and late. He closed the game out. He started the game, and I just sprinkled in my production along the whole game. He took the game over from that standpoint. I just try to lead these guys to victory." James even displayed some gamesmanship. After a ref called a foul on Cavs reserve Iman Shumpert, Curry grabbed the basketball and went up for a layup. But James, standing at the basket, blocked the shot. Golden State's Marreese Speights had a few words for James, who explained his motive after the game. "When you have the greatest shooter in the world trying to get an easy one or trying to get in rhythm, it's our job to try to keep him out no matter if it's after the whistle or not. That was just my mindset," James said. He needs to lead, and he needs to be great. He needs to do it again in Game 4. BEST OF THE NBA FINALS | 1 | 99,448 | sports |
U.S. stocks opened lower Thursday, amid a pullback in oil prices from recent multi-month highs and a decline in global benchmark yields. The German 10-year bund yield held near all-time lows of around 0.03 percent. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was near its lows for the year so far, hovering near 1.67 percent, while the 2-year yield traded near 0.76 percent. The European Central Bank began its corporate bond purchase program Wednesday. In a speech Thursday, ECB President Mario Draghi warned of "lasting economic consequences" of years of weak output. U.S. crude oil futures were trading more than 1.5 percent lower near $50.40 a barrel after settling above $51 at its highest since July on Wednesday. The U.S. dollar index traded about 0.4 percent higher after touching its lowest since May 6 on Wednesday. The euro was near $1.13 and the yen near 106.6 yen against the greenback. On the data front, weekly jobless claims fell to a seasonally adjusted 264,000. Wholesale trade is due to be released at 10:00 a.m. U.S. stocks closed higher Wednesday, with the Dow Jones industrial average above the psychologically key 18,000 level for the first time since April and the S&P 500 at its highest since July. European stocks were trading nearly 1 percent lower or more ahead of the U.S. stock market open. China's consumer price inflation in May rose a lower-than-expected 2.0 percent from a year earlier, while producer prices fell a less-than-expected 2.8 percent, Reuters said, citing the National Bureau of Statistics. Markets in mainland China and Hong Kong were closed for a holiday. The Nikkei 225 closed nearly 1 percent lower. | 3 | 99,449 | finance |
India's spending $60 million on a new supercomputer to modernize it's monsoon forecasting system. As Eve John reports, it could be a big boost for the country's economy. | 3 | 99,450 | finance |
Every four years, summer brings with it a popular parlor-game among even the most casual political observers. Who will the presidential nominee(s) pick as their running mate? Here's a look at the candidates Hillary Clinton could pick to be her second-in-command. Sen. Sherrod Brown Current job: United States Senator from Ohio. Reputation, in one sentence: Progressive populist from a Rust Belt state Strengths: Outside of Sanders and Warren, there might not be a better-known progressive in the Senate than Brown. And he's from battleground Ohio, having won two statewide elections in the Buckeye State. Weaknesses: This could very well be a deal-breaker: If Brown is Clinton's VP pick and she wins the White House, Democrats would lose a Senate seat. Why? Because current Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, would get to appoint Brown's replacement. And that replacement would most likely be a Republican. HUD Secretary Julian Castro Current job: Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Succeeded Shaun Donovan. Reputation, in one sentence: Latino wunderkind with a made-for-TV backstory Strengths : He's a prominent Latino politician, who could help Clinton with this important demographic group. He's young. And he's a strong speaker/campaigner see his keynote address at the 2012 Democratic convention. Weaknesses : His experience or lack thereof as San Antonio mayor, HUD secretary could be a major shortcoming. Progressive groups also have attacked Castro's HUD for selling underwater mortgages to Wall Street banks under one its programs. Sen. Tim Kaine Current job : United States Senator from Virginia. Reputation, in one sentence: Personable and pragmatic former governor with an extensive resume in a purple state. Strengths: Experience as governor? Check. Foreign-policy knowledge as a senator? Yup. Represents an important battleground state? Yes. Tested in high-profile campaigns? Affirmative. A team player (former DNC chair, willing Senate candidate in '12)? You betcha. Speaks fluent Spanish? Yeah, that, too. Weaknesses: He's more of an establishment politician than a Bernie Sanders/Elizabeth Warren-style progressive, so Sanders backers might not do cartwheels over a Kaine pick. There's also that "wandering eyebrow" from Kaine's State of the Union response in 2006. Sen. Amy Klobuchar Current job: United States Senator from Minnesota. Reputation, in one sentence: A pragmatic Democrat with a history of bipartisan cooperation. Strengths: If Clinton were to add another woman to her ticket, Klobuchar might be the top candidate. And unlike Sherrod Brown, Democrats wouldn't lose a Senate seat if she's picked because a Democrat (Mark Dayton) is the state's sitting governor. Weaknesses: Unlike Kaine or Brown, Klobuchar doesn't help in an important battleground state; Minnesota has been a reliably Democratic state in past presidential cycles. Labor Secretary Tom Perez Current job: Secretary of Labor. Succeeded Hilda Solis. Reputation, in one sentence: Career advocate for organized labor, minorities and immigrants. Strengths: Like Castro, he's Latino and would make the Democratic ticket even more diverse. He's also considered a progressive. Weaknesses : Just like Castro again, his political experience (Labor secretary, Justice Department official, Montgomery MD County Council) might raise questions about being one heartbeat away from the presidency. Sen. Elizabeth Warren Current job: United States Senator from Massachusetts. Reputation, in one sentence: Champion of liberal progressives, top foe of big banks. Strengths: She's a progressive heartthrob maybe even more so than Bernie Sanders is. So if there is concern about uniting the party after a combative primary season (especially if Sanders doesn't exit the race), Warren could make a lot of sense. She's also a woman, if Clinton wants to have two females leading the Democratic ticket. And she has no reservations about attacking Donald Trump just see her broadsides via Twitter. Weaknesses: Warren isn't a go-along, get-along person, which is a big requirement of the VP job. And if she does become VP, Warren's vacancy would trigger a special election in Massachusetts 145 to 160 days after the vacancy. (Wonder what Scott Brown is doing???) And prior to that special election, GOP Gov. Charlie Baker would get to appoint a temporary replacement which all means that Democrats would likely lose a Senate seat for at least a few months. | 5 | 99,451 | news |
PARIS Bar and restaurants owners won't be allowed to set up giant screens outside their businesses during the European soccer championship. The move is aimed at improving security during the month-long tournament, with French authorities expecting fewer people will gather outside official fan zones if outdoor screens are banned. France has been under a state of emergency since last November's coordinated attacks which killed 130 people at a rock concert, on the terraces of bars and restaurants and outside the Stade de France, the stadium where the football tournament will begin on Friday. Fan zones are typically set up in squares or parks near the center of cities, allowing supporters to watch a game on a big screen. Extra security measures, including reinforced video surveillance, have been added to secure the fan zones after the Paris attacks. Junior minister for sports Thierry Braillard said Thursday that the official fan zones are the only outdoor public spaces where big screens will be installed. "We can't accept unorganized gatherings because police forces don't have the means to secure them," Braillard told BFMTV station. "And a live screening on a terrace means gathering around a screen." The ban is expected to annoy bar and restaurant owners, especially in the south of France were people spend warm summer evenings outdoors. Bernard Marty, the local head of France's biggest hotel industry union (UMIH) in the area of Marseille, was puzzled by Braillard's announcement, saying he received contradictory information from police. "The government should coordinate better with its officials so we could figure out better what is going on," Marty said. "Maybe they want to boost Marseille's economy in the fan zone only, at the expense of all other retail traders who made investments." The sports ministry's press office later said Braillard's comments were only related to giant screens that could be a magnet for passers-by. As for regular television sets, the ministry added in a note to The Associated Press that mayors and prefects, or local governors of regions, will have to decide whether the live screening of matches at terraces can be done after taking all necessary measures to avoid large gatherings of people in the streets and to guarantee "the best conditions of security." Asked if the move would spoil the popular party, Braillard said everything will be put in place to ensure fan zones will be "lively places." "It's better to have just one very secured area than letting thousands of people without match tickets gather in disorganized fashion," Braillard said. | 1 | 99,452 | sports |
Crowds will be the top security concern at Shanghai Disneyland. How will the U.S. entertainment giant's inconspicuous controls work in a country used to in-your-face policing? Photo: Getty | 3 | 99,453 | finance |
Factories in China are pumping out crystal methamphetamine to eager buyers across the Asia Pacific. As Tara Joseph reports, organized crime rings are making millions of dollars from the trade every year, fueling drugs use across the region. | 3 | 99,454 | finance |
Most available antidepressants are ineffective for children and teenagers with major depression, and some may be unsafe, according to an overview of medical literature published Thursday. Only one drug, fluoxetine, was found to work better at relieving the symptoms of depression than a look-alike placebo with no active ingredients, said the study, published in The Lancet. Another drug, venlafaxine, was linked with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared with placebo and five other antidepressants, it reported. More broadly, there is a paucity of well-designed clinical trials on the impact of these drugs on youngsters, the authors cautioned. "The balance of risks and benefits of antidepressants for the treatment of major depression does not seem to offer a clear advantage in children and teenagers," said co-author Peng Xie from The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in China. The international team of researchers recommended that youths taking such medications be monitored closely regardless of the antidepressant chosen, particularly at the beginning of treatment. They also called for more transparency and information sharing, lamenting in particular the lack of data at the individual level. "We can't be completely confident about the accuracy of the information contained in published and unpublished trials," lead author Andrea Cipriani at the University of Oxford said in a statement. "Delay in implementing responsible data sharing policies has negative consequences for medical research and patient outcomes." Major depressive disorder affects about 3 percent of children aged 6 to 12 years, and about 6 percent of teenagers aged 13 to 18 years. Many clinical guidelines recommend psychological treatments as the first-line treatment for depression. But in the United States, for example, the use of antidepressants has slowly increased between 2005 and 2012. The proportion of US children and teenagers taking antidepressants climbed from 1.3 to 1.6 percent, and in Britain from 0.7 percent to 1.1 percent, the study showed. Sertraline is the most widely prescribed antidepressant in the USA, and fluoxetine is the most common in Britain. The study covered 34 clinical trials involving 5,260 participants, aged 9 to 18. Two-thirds of the trials were funded by pharmaceutical companies. In a comment, also in The Lancet, Jon Jureidini from the University of Adelaide in Australia questioned whether the lack of data about individual patients obscured the true number of suicidal events. "Claims that appropriate access to such data is incompatible with intellectual property constraints and patient privacy must be strongly resisted." | 7 | 99,455 | health |
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who this spring has delivered some of the most effective and eviscerating criticism of Donald Trump, plans in a speech Thursday to uncork a new attack on the Republican Party's presumptive nominee. Warren will call Trump "a loud, nasty, thin-skinned fraud" who used "racism" to attack the federal judge overseeing a Trump University lawsuit, according to excerpts of her prepared remarks. The liberal senator also will seek to saddle Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) with Trump's racially divisive rhetoric. "Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell want Donald Trump to appoint the next generation of judges," Warren plans to say in an address to the American Constitution Society. "They want those judges to tilt the law to favor big business and billionaires like Trump. They just want Donald to quit being so vulgar and obvious about it. Donald Trump chose racism as his weapon, but his aim is exactly the same as the rest of the Republicans. Pound the courts into submission to the rich and powerful." Warren's remarks come as Senate Republican leaders continue to block votes on a number of President Obama's judicial appointments, including Merrick Garland, his nominee to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Republicans believe the seat should remain open until next year, enabling the next president to nominate a justice. Warren has demonstrated an ability to get under Trump's skin with her rhetorical broadsides against the celebrity mogul. After she condemned him in a tough speech last month she called him "a small, insecure money-grubber" Trump punched back on Twitter and at his rallies. He has tried to brand Warren as "goofy" and gave her the nickname "Pocahontas," a reference to her once claiming Native American descent. There is growing buzz in Democratic circles about Warren as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton, who clinched the Democratic presidential nomination this week. Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) is among those who are encouraging Warren's consideration, touting her political talents. In her Thursday speech, Warren will take direct aim at Ryan, who has endorsed Trump but held an awkward news conference on Tuesday in which he said he thought Trump's attack on U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel's Mexican heritage was the "textbook definition of a racist comment." "Paul Ryan condemned Trump's campaign for its attacks on Judge Curiel's integrity," Warren plans to say. "Great. Where's Paul Ryan's condemnation of the blockade, the intimidation, the smears, and the slime against the integrity of qualified judicial nominees and Judge Garland?" Though Curiel was born in Indiana, his parents emigrated from Mexico in the 1920s a lineage that Trump said presents an inherent conflict of interest in the Trump University lawsuit because Trump wants to build a wall along the Mexican border to keep immigrants from entering the United States illegally. "Judge Curiel has survived far worse than Donald Trump," Warren plans to say. "He has survived actual assassination attempts. He'll have no problem surviving Trump's nasty temper tantrums." Warren also intends to say, "Where do you suppose Donald Trump got the idea that he can personally attack judges, regardless of the law, whenever they don't bend to the whims of billionaires and big business? Trump isn't a different kind of candidate. He's a Mitch McConnell kind of candidate. Exactly the kind of candidate you'd expect from a Republican Party whose 'script' for several years has been to execute a full-scale assault on the integrity of our courts." | 5 | 99,456 | news |
The world's first passenger drone capable of autonomously carrying a person in the air for 23 minutes has been given clearance for testing in Nevada. Chinese firm Ehang, which unveiled the electric Ehang 184 passenger drone at CES in Las Vegas in January, has partnered with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) and the Governor's Office of Economic Development (Goed) to put the drone through testing and regulatory approval. Tom Wilczek, Goed's aerospace and defence specialist said : "The State of Nevada, through NIAS, will help guide Ehang through the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) regulatory process with the ultimate goal of achieving safe flight." The founder and chief executive of Ehang, Huazhi Hu, said the move would lay the foundation for the 184's commercialisation and kickstart the autonomous aerial transportation industry. Ehang hopes to begin testing later this year and will have to prove airworthiness to the FAA, with guidance from NIAS, before being able to operate in a wider capacity. Over the past five years, Nevada has been positioning itself as a test bed for advanced transport solutions, being one of the first states in the US to permit the testing of autonomous vehicles on public roads. The company based in the Guangzhou province of southern China, already makes camera and hobbyist drones, but its passenger drone could be the first of its kind, capable of transporting a person via air in the same way Google's self-driving car can via road. The company envisages a system where by a passenger simply inputs the destination and the drone takes care of the rest, taking off vertically, flying at altitudes up to 3.5km (11,500 feet) at up to 100kmph (63mph) for up to 23 minutes using eight propellers on four arms. Given that fully autonomous road vehicles are unlikely to be widely available until the middle of the next decade, the time when commuters can simply jump in a flying autonomous taxi drone to get to work appears to be some time off yet. "I personally look forward to the day when drone taxis are part of Nevada's transportation system," said Wilczek. Whether consumers will share Wilczek's enthusiasm remains to be seen. | 5 | 99,457 | news |
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Federal authorities say a Tennessee man accused of extorting a woman by posing as a University of Tennessee football player in an attempt to receive nude photos over Snapchat tried similar tactics against 11 other women and two girls. News outlets report that 22-year-old Brandon D. Shanahan of Sweetwater pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 14 counts of extortion before a Knoxville federal magistrate judge. Shanahan had already pleaded not guilty last month to one count of extortion after a female UT student told investigators she had been tricked into believing she was communicating with cornerback Cameron Sutton, deceived by claims she had drunkenly sent him nude photos and threatened with exposure if she didn't send more. Court records show that other women came forward after the previous charge. | 5 | 99,458 | news |
Hillary Clinton is now officially the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party. So it is going to be Hillary-Trump after all. We're going to see America at her horrible, entertaining worst . It looks like, for once, Hillary's been lucky. She has stumbled into the worst Republican presidential candidate since Barry Goldwater. And yet, there's still a way for her to lose this thing. After all, if you look at the respected RealClearPolitics poll average , she doesn't have that much of a lead 44 percent to 42 percent. Trump even briefly outpolled her. There's just no two ways about it. Clinton is a terrible candidate. As my colleague Michael Brendan Dougherty pointed out : "Hillary Clinton's only electoral victories were in one of the most Democratic states in the country and against nobodies. She defeated an incompetent Republican backbencher, Rick Lazio, in 2000. In 2006, the New York State Republican Party sent John Spencer, mayor of Yonkers, to be its sacrificial lamb. Clinton spent $36 million defeating Spencer in an election with a 23 percent voter turnout. Spencer had raised just over $5 million, and was given to describing people as having a 'Chinaman's chance.'" [ The Week ] And remember that time when she lost humiliatingly to a freshman senator in 2008? The subtext of The Washington Post 's fascinating post-mortem on the Sanders campaign is that if it had only been organized a little bit more strategically, and the candidate been a little bit better, he would've won . After all, Clinton wore a $12,495 Armani jacket to a speech about inequality . I mean, come on. Trump is the most disliked presidential candidate in the history of polling, and rightly so. But Clinton is the second-most disliked presidential candidate in the history of polling and rightly so. For all that Trump's racist outbursts will hurt him, the fact remains that Trump is sucking all the media oxygen out of the room. She clinched the nomination on Monday and all anyone could talk about was his feud with a judge. While Trump is a sociopath who is temperamentally unsuited to the presidency, Clinton has more skeletons in her closet, piled up since her Arkansas days. And you can believe Trump will hit her in every way imaginable from now to the election. Especially when you add the stuff he'll just make up. The fundamental problem and the fundamental reason for being scared is that the average voter simply might not view Trump as beyond the pale the way columnists and people who follow politics do. As PJ O'Rourke put it, Clinton is wrong "within normal parameters." Trump operates outside those parameters entirely. Hillary lies and spins, but there's no chance she'll nuke a country just because she's pissed off. Is it plausible the Donald would do that? No. Are the odds still worryingly high? Yes. There are a striking number of anecdotes about Trump voters who are actually perfectly aware of the fact that he is a serial liar and a fraud. They figure that makes him no different from the other sorry crop of politicians who do nothing and lie about it. At least Trump will shake things up, or at least make it interesting to watch. Clinton represents the corruption of a failed status quo, and Trump represents change. And people have become so insulated, whether it is from vulgarity, or outrage, or hyperbolic criticism, that they just don't see why they should treat Donald Trump as beyond the pale. Many voters do not have the same view as I do about the importance of process and about how, yes, most politicians are bad, but some things are so bad that they should get you removed from public life, let alone the presidential nomination of a major political party. And the best argument that things couldn't possibly be worse under Generalissimo Trump is, well, Crooked Hillary. | 5 | 99,459 | news |
"Finding Dory's" Hollywood premiere finds star Ellen DeGeneres enjoying her fans, the film and Dory 13 years after the original. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 99,460 | video |
Free umbrellas for tourists -- what could go wrong? Pretty much everything, as it turns out. Officials at the local chamber of commerce in a northern Japanese city have been left red-faced after hundreds of umbrellas left for visitors to use while they were in town vanished. The mass brolly theft -- about 900 disappeared -- has left historic port city Hakodate's feel-good tourism scheme in tatters, and triggered an angry response from some local taxpayers, who slammed it as a waste of money. Launched at the end of March, the programme was designed to celebrate the extension of Japan's iconic bullet train service to its northernmost island Hokkaido, where the city is located. Visitors and locals alike could pick up one of about 1,000 transparent umbrellas -- embossed with a multilingual city logo -- left at stands around town. Keep them as long as you like and return them when you're done, signs advised. But it seems many umbrella lovers helped themselves to a permanent souvenir. Hakodate's chamber of commerce, which was behind the promotion, says it has added 500 more umbrellas to the depleted stands. But checks with local hotels, museums and other businesses have turned up just 13 of the missing umbrellas. "Preferably, it would be good if as many as possible are returned," a chamber of commerce spokesman said. "But the people who borrowed them are no longer in Hakodate if they were tourists. There may be no way to get them back." | 5 | 99,461 | news |
Hillary Clinton's strong showing in California and other contests Tuesday means the presumptive Democratic candidate will feel less pressure to embrace Bernie Sanders's positions ahead of the party's convention. WSJ's Gerald F. Seib explains. Photo: AP | 5 | 99,462 | news |
Two separate bombings have hit Iraq's capital, killing more than 22 people and wounding 70, police say. | 5 | 99,463 | news |
Are you a people person? You'll recognize yourself here. 1. When your friends say they just wanna stay inside and watch movies tonight. "Wait, you don't, like, seriously wanna do that, right? Well, do you wanna go to the club after that?" 2. When you feel like you're talking really loud. But that's not going to make you change your volume at all because how would you even do that? 3. When you've been called needy multiple times this week. Oh, so I'm "needy" just because I've been calling you every day this week to hang out and texting you every 30 minutes to talk about my new hair color? Wow. 4. When the cab driver, grocery clerk, and the guy at the laundromat are all like, "Please, stop telling me about your problems." And you're just like, "But I have so many thoughts!!!" 5. When your coworkers are all wearing headphones and you wanna talk to them so bad. How mad would they be if I take the headphones off their heads versus how sad will I be if I don't get to talk to them about this emoji combination I came up with. Hmm. 6. You're alone and there's literally no one around at all. This feels like death. I'm basically already dead. 7. When you get stuck working alone and you don't even know what to do with yourself. How do people even do this? What, am I just supposed to talk to myself and ask myself what I think we should do? 8. You finally have a night off and no one wants to go out. "Wooo! Sara, Tamika, Kaylah, we're going out! What do you mean, 'you're tired'? Well, so what if you have to be up early? You just don't feel like being around people? I don't even know what any of those sentences mean." 9. When you realize you've been out every night this week and should probably stay in, but you won't. "I know I've literally been out every single night and I soooo need a night in." "Are you gonna stay home tonight?" "No, I'm going on a date in five minutes." 10. You know you're talking too much but you can't stop yourself. "Whatever, at least most of the things I'm saying will be really crucial to this situation so I'm just gonna keep saying things because what if I leave something out and that would've been the one they really needed to hear?" | 4 | 99,464 | lifestyle |
From renting your home to showing tourists around town, here are three genius ways to make money during the high travel season. | 8 | 99,465 | video |
Every four years, summer brings with it a popular parlor-game among even the most casual political observers. Who will the presidential nominee(s) pick as their running mate? Donald Trump has said he's seeking a governing partner who understands the ins and outs of policy-making. Here's a look at some of the top contenders for the job. Gov. Chris Christie Current job: Governor of New Jersey. Reputation, in one sentence: An unapologetic Republican governor of a blue state who "tells it like it is" Strengths: As Trump's first major endorser, Christie makes sense on several levels - he's combative and controversial (just like Trump is), he speaks his mind (ditto), and he's a two-term governor to boot. And Christie has already been named chairman of Trump's transition team. Weaknesses: Christie probably doesn't help Trump in New Jersey, because the governor's approval rating in the state is in the 30s at best. And while it has disappeared from the headlines, that Bridgegate scandal hasn't 100% concluded and that could be potentially problematic in the fall. Sen. Bob Corker Current job: United States Senator from Tennessee. Chairman of Foreign Relations committee. Reputation, in one sentence: Pragmatist with a business background, focused on foreign policy vision and open to deal-making with Democrats. Strengths: Trump picking Corker would definitely add foreign-policy chops to the GOP ticket, and would give Trump someone with legislative experience. Corker has become a validator for Trump by praising his recent foreign-policy speech. Weaknesses: The Tennessee senator wouldn't expand the electoral map for Trump. Corker could also complicate Trump's narrative that he's the anti-establishment candidate, given that it doesn't get more establishment than being the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And Corker voted for the "Gang of Eight" comprehensive immigration-reform bill, and criticized Trump's Muslim ban. Gov. Mary Fallin Current job: Governor of Oklahoma. Reputation, in one sentence: First female governor of Oklahoma and a staunch conservative. Strengths : If Trump is looking to add a woman to the ticket to counter Clinton's historical candidacy, Fallin could very well be the pick. She also served two terms in Congress before becoming Oklahoma governor. And she's more than open to being considered for the VP job. "My first and foremost goal right now is to finish our legislative session, but if I were to receive a call that said: 'I need you to help make America great again,' I'd be happy to take that call," she said . Weaknesses : Hailing from red Oklahoma, Fallin doesn't help expand the battleground map. And she's never been considered one of the rising stars of her party - the same way that Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Marco Rubio were from that GOP Class of 2010. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Current job: Fox News contributor; advisor at Dentons law firm; author & public speaker. Reputation, in one sentence: Led the 1994 "Republican Revolution," passing sweeping legislation under the "Contract with America." Strengths: He'd certainly offer Trump legislative and congressional experience. And Gingrich has endured the scrutiny - and slings and arrows - of being a presidential candidate in 2012 and House speaker in the 1990s. Weaknesses: A Trump-Gingrich ticket would feature a combined six marriages between the two men. And if Trump wants to score points off of Monica Lewinsky and the Bill Clinton sex scandals, Gingrich could complicate that effort - given Gingrich's own extramarital affair during Clinton's impeachment . Gov. Rick Scott Current job : Governor of Florida. Reputation, in one sentence: A political survivor who's struggled with intra-party strife and low approval ratings. Strengths : Before there was Donald Trump in 2016, there was Rick Scott in 2010 and 2014 - a man who used his wealth to win office in one of the most competitive states in the country. And if Trump wants help in all-important Florida, Scott could help, especially with the state's unemployment rate declining from above 10.0% when he took office to 4.9% now. Weaknesses : But how much could he help? Both of Scott's wins came in midterm years when Democratic turnout was low. And despite his gubernatorial victories, Scott has never been a beloved political figure - see that video of him getting heckled at a Starbucks . Oh, and there's his work at Columbia/HCA hospitals, which was fined $1.7 billion by the U.S. government for health-care fraud committed while Scott was CEO there. Sen. Jeff Sessions Current job: United States Senator from Alabama. Serves on the Judiciary Committee and chairs its immigration subcommittee. Reputation, in one sentence: The Senate's most vehement opponent of comprehensive immigration reform. Strengths : If Trump wants to double down on the issue of immigration, Sessions makes sense - given that he's one of the most ardent opponents of both illegal and legal immigration in Congress. Sessions also would add legislative/congressional experience to the ticket. And Sessions was an earlier endorser of Trump. Weaknesses: Picking Sessions wouldn't add a lot of ideological diversity to the ticket, and it certainly wouldn't win over many Latino voters. In the 1980s, Sessions was blocked from becoming a federal judge after a former deputy accused him of making racially insensitive comments. "The former deputy, Thomas Figures, who was an assistant United States Attorney for seven years, said in a written statement that Mr. Sessions once admonished him to be careful about what he said 'to white folks.' Mr. Figures is black," the New York Times wrote back then . Sessions also was accused of mishandling a voter-fraud case against civil-rights activists . Sen. John Thune Current job: United States Senator from South Dakota. Currently serves as Senate Republican Conference chairman, the third-ranking lawmaker in GOP Senate leadership. Reputation, in one sentence: A telegenic party leader and strong fundraiser long considered a rising GOP star. Strengths: As the No. 3 Republican in Senate leadership, Thune as Trump's VP would further signal that the Republican establishment is coming around to Trump. He also would add congressional and legislative experience to the ticket. And Thune comes straight out of presidential central casting - tall, handsome, telegenic. Weaknesses: But selecting the establishment Thune would undercut one of Trump's selling points - that he's taking on Washington from the outside; Thune is about as inside as you can get. As the senator from red South Dakota, Thune also doesn't expand the map for Republicans. Sen. Kelly Ayotte Current job : United States senator from New Hampshire. Reputation, in one sentence : A northeastern Republican woman commonly named as a potential veep Strengths : Trump choosing Ayotte as his VP pick would give him a female running mate in the campaign against Hillary Clinton and one hailing from a presidential battleground state (New Hampshire). Ayotte also serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which would bolster the Trump ticket's national-security credentials. Weaknesses : But here's where Ayotte as Trump's VP doesn't make sense: It would probably cost Republicans a Senate seat, given that Ayotte is running for re-election in one of the most competitive Senate contests in the country. And she voted for the "Gang of Eight" comprehensive immigration-reform bill, which is inconsistent with Trump's anti-immigration message. | 5 | 99,466 | news |
Watch Chris Evan's interpretation of Prince's 'Diamonds and Pearls.' Director - Lynn Hirschberg Producer - Evan T. Cohen Editor - Chris Dawson Cinematographer - Ali Cengiz Gaffer - Corey Jacobs Sound - Marcelo Lessa Production Assistant - Patrick Linberg | 8 | 99,467 | video |
CLEVELAND It took Stephen Curry more than two quarters to emerge from a slumber of turnovers, rhythm-less jumpers and inane fouls the type of deep sleep that leads to early 20-point deficits and LeBron James was waiting for him. The Warriors guard loves to save his best for last, as he did in his remarkable 17-point overtime against the Blazers and in the fourth quarter of Game 7 against the Thunder. Lifeless throughout a first half on Wednesday that saw him score just two points while committing three fouls and three turnovers, Curry came alive a bit in the third quarter, hitting three three-pointers as Golden State's sole spark on a flat night. RELATED SLIDESHOW: NBA playoffs With the play whistled dead after a foul, Curry collected the basketball and rose for a right-handed dunk, a hopeful show of force that might conjure up something resembling momentum with the Warriors trailing by 19 points. James, standing underneath the basket and sensing Curry's intention, casually came across the paint and jumped straight up to block the inconsequential shot. Without really rising above the rim, and with players on both teams milling about aimlessly, James batted the ball out of Curry's hands and off the backboard, giving the unanimous MVP the same treatment that Kevin Garnett has long given after-the-whistle threes. • MORE NBA: LeBron delivers in Game 3 | Cavs breathe new life into Finals Here was Curry, straining to dunk, straining for a little confidence-booster, straining for something to build upon, and there was James, sending him back with an older brother's dismissiveness. "When you have the greatest shooter in the world trying to get an easy one or trying to get in rhythm, it's our job to try to keep him out," James said. "No matter if it's after the whistle or not. That was just my mindset. … I didn't want him to see the ball go in." The Cavaliers defeated the Warriors 120 90 in Game 3 of the Finals in Cleveland on Wednesday, proving that they were serious about doing the many things necessary to make this a series, the many things they hadn't done in Games 1 and 2. James, screaming from the moment the National Anthem completed, was at the heart of it, finishing with 32 points on 14-of-26 shooting, 11 rebounds and six assists as Cleveland dealt Golden State the worst postseason defeat of coach Steve Kerr's tenure. Curry, meanwhile, wasn't at the heart of anything except the blooper reel. The same bugaboos that plagued him in Games 3 and 4 in Oklahoma City incredibly careless turnovers, rushed shots came roaring back in Cleveland. He was out of it right from the get-go, attempting a lazy shovel pass in traffic less than a minute into the game that sent the Cavaliers off to the races. That would be a recurring theme: The Cavaliers scored 34 points off the Warriors' 18 turnovers, with Curry committing a team-high six. A few minutes after his first miscue, Curry lost his dribble on the perimeter, leading to a 4-on-1 Cavaliers fast break the other way. Just before halftime, he squirted up the ball as he drove to nowhere. Not long into the second half, he over-dribbled the ball through his own legs out of bounds. If there was any upside to Curry's sloppiness, it was that his fifth turnover led to the best highlight of the Finals. After attempting to toss a casual pass over James on the perimeter, Curry bumped James as the two players chased after the ball near midcourt. James briefly slipped, but he kept his dribble alive and found a streaking Kyrie Irving, who returned the ball to James over the top of a helpless Curry for a sensational alley-oop . • MORE NBA: Tyronn Lue's NBA rise | The man who built the Warriors James, after being bottled up to one degree or another in seven straight losses to Golden State, let loose on Curry twice in a few minutes. First, he finished the lob slam by reaching far back to corral the pass and then tomahawking it cleanly through the hoop. Then, he blocked Curry's dunk attempt in one of the clearest "Not in my house" brush-offs between superstars in recent memory. Needless to say, Curry wouldn't be leading a comeback in the fourth quarter. Cleveland extended its lead in the opening minutes of the fourth, leading Kerr to wave the white flag with more than five minutes remaining. The Quicken Loans Arena crowd responded to the sharp turn in events by chanting "M-V-P" while James was at the foul line and then "Cavs in 6!" late during garbage time. "It was all me," Curry said afterward, owning up to his poor play. "They were playing aggressive defense and they came out with a big punch. I didn't do anything about it or play my game, and for me to do what I need to do to help my team, I have to play a hundred times better than that." Curry's mental lapses on defense aided Irving's strong night. Cleveland's point guard scored 16 of his 30 points in the first period, shaking free from Curry on a simple back cut and losing him completely with a series of crossovers at the top of the key. "We weren't ready to play," Kerr said. "Obviously they just punched us right in the mouth right in the beginning. We're turning the ball over like crazy. Soft, we were extremely soft to start the game." Kerr wasn't done, calling out Curry specifically for his defensive mistake on Irving's cut before adding that his point guard "wasn't his usual self" and he "just didn't play well." To cap it off, the second-year coach used the word "soft" four additional times to describe his team's performance. Although he wasn't irate in front of the cameras, Kerr had to be mystified by the fact that his team just spent two full days acknowledging its poor play in Game 3s in this postseason, only to turn in its worst showing yet. He also has to know Curry's lack of readiness sent this game down an ugly path that saw Golden State trail 30 10 in the first quarter. "We don't get paid to show up and shoot baskets every day," Kerr said, after watching his team lose by 30 points one game after it won by 33. "We get paid because we're going to get a lot of criticism, and we deserve it tonight." Among the many obvious contrasts between Curry and James their positions, their physiques, their styles of play is how much wider the margin of error is for Curry thanks to the Warriors' depth and talent. During his absences with ankle and knee injuries, the Warriors won with elite, consistent defense and with strong play from Green and Klay Thompson. In Game 6 against the Thunder, Thompson swooped in to save the day . In Game 1 against Cleveland, he played poorly and Golden State's bench led the way. In Game 2, he got into foul trouble, and Golden State's commitment to ball movement and excellent team defense made him a footnote. Curry might clearly have more help than James Cleveland's bench didn't score a single point in the first three quarters but he's reached the point in this series where it's time for him to do his part. "I've just got to be aggressive and play better, and be more assertive in my scoring positions and my playmaking positions on the floor," Curry said. "There's a sense of urgency knowing how big Game 4 is, and I need to be ready." Incidentally, Curry was in a similar spot in last year's Finals, and he responded to the pressure by helping lead Golden State to three straight wins to finish off his championship. But James, with his dunk and his block, was there to offer a simple reminder: Last year was last year, and Curry will need to deliver all over again. | 1 | 99,468 | sports |
Israel's military canceled most travel permits for Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and deployed more troops to the West Bank Thursday after gunmen identified by police as Palestinian cousins from Hebron killed four Israelis at a popular food market in Tel Aviv. The attack Wednesday on the Sarona Market, located across the street from the Israeli military's headquarters, was among the deadliest and most brazen attacks in a nine-month wave of violence. One Israeli witness, who was sitting at an upscale restaurant, told The Jerusalem Post the attackers looked like "wealthy Italian businessmen in fancy suits and skinny ties." She said the pair had a "cold, calm look on their faces as they fired everywhere." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a third person was arrested Thursday as an accomplice to the attack, the newspaper Haaretz reports. In response, Israel froze 83,000 permits for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to visit family in Israel, attend Ramadan prayers in Jerusalem or travel abroad via Israel's Tel Aviv airport, COGAT, an Israeli defense body, said Thursday. The military also suspended Israeli work permits for 204 of the attackers' relatives. Police identified the victims as Michael Feige, 58, a sociologist and anthropologist at Ben-Gurion University, and Ido Ben Arieh, 42, a veteran of an elite army unit and executive at the Coca-Cola Co.'s Israel branch. Two other victims were identified as Ilana Naveh, 39, and Mila Misheiv, 32. In a statement Thursday, colleagues at the university's Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism said they were "stunned by the incomprehensible loss of Feige." "Michael was a friend, scholar and teacher," the statement said, according to the Associated Press. "Above all, Michael was the incarnation of a man of reason, tolerance and peace." As Israel convened a meeting of the diplomatic-security cabinet, new defense minister Avigdor Lieberman said he had "no intention of settling for lip service" in response to the attack, according to the newspaper Haaretz. Lieberman is leader of an ultranationalist party known for his hard-line views toward Palestinians. Israel's military said two additional battalions made up of soldiers from infantry and special forces would go to the West Bank as part of new security measures. COGAT said Palestinians would be prevented from leaving and entering the West Bank village of Yatta, home to the attackers, with exceptions made for humanitarian or medical cases. "A village that has terrorists leaving from its midst will pay the price," said deputy defense minister Eli Ben-Dahan, Haaretz reported. Ahmad Mussa Mahmara, the father of one of the attackers, said his son has two uncles serving life sentences in Israeli prison. "We didn't expect this. My son is young and has been in Jordan for the past four years, and just came here for the past five months. He does not have any political affiliation," Mahmara said. The military interrogated Mahmara on Wednesday night at his home, where his son was staying. Soldiers took measurements of the home in preparation for demolishing it, the military said, according to AP. Israelis have been targeted by Palestinians in a wave of stabbings and shootings since the fall. At least 31 Israelis have died in the attacks and more than 200 Palestinians the majority of them attackers, according to Israel have been killed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the latest attack a "cold-blooded murder by despicable terrorists." Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, welcomed the attack and called it a "heroic operation," but did not claim responsibility for it. | 5 | 99,469 | news |
MEXICO CITY The drug that killed Prince has become a favorite of Mexican cartels because it is extremely potent, popular in the United States and immensely profitable, American officials say. Law enforcement and border authorities in the United States warn that Mexican cartels are using their own labs to produce the drug, fentanyl , as well as receiving shipments from China. Then the cartels distribute the substance through their vast smuggling networks to meet rising American demand for opiates and pharmaceuticals . "It is really the next migration of the cartels in terms of making profit," said Jack Riley, acting deputy administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. "This goes to the heart of the marketing genius of the cartels. They saw this coming." Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter It is still unclear how Prince, who the authorities say died of an overdose of fentanyl in April, obtained the drug. Doctors can prescribe fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, for cancer patients and for palliative care, including end of life treatment. But the presence of illicit fentanyl is surging to levels not seen since 2006, when a similar streak of overdose deaths in the United States was connected to a single laboratory in Mexico. Officials say the popularity of fentanyl among the cartels hews to a familiar narrative: changes in the illegal drug market and basic opportunism. As a crackdown on prescription drugs drove the cost of pills like oxycodone higher, the cartels began banking on users opting for heroin instead. It was cheaper, more readily available and relatively easy to procure. Now, fentanyl, which can be made in a laboratory without the hassle of growing poppy, is a more lucrative and deadly iteration. Hundreds of Americans have died in fentanyl-related overdoses in recent years. Yet it offers tremendous profits for criminal networks in places like in Massachusetts, where the fentanyl epidemic has arguably hit hardest. A kilogram of heroin purchased from Colombia for roughly $6,000 can be sold wholesale for $80,000, according to D.E.A. data. But a kilogram of pure fentanyl, purchased from China for less than $5,000, is so potent that it can be stretched into 16 to 24 kilograms when using cutting agents like talcum powder or caffeine. Each kilogram can then be sold wholesale for $80,000 for a total profit in the neighborhood of $1.6 million. "Cartels and drug traffickers are not stupid," said Jorge Javier Romero Vadillo, a professor at CIDE, a Mexico City university. "They are rational economic actors, whose actions and decisions are directly related to demand." Mexican officials are wary of the American warnings that the cartels are responsible for widespread production or distribution of fentanyl, worried that their counterparts in the United States are instinctively blaming Mexico even though the public data on fentanyl traffic from Mexico is still limited. There have been notable seizures of the drug south of the border, however. Last fall, federal agents in Mexico discovered 27 kilograms of fentanyl the dosage equivalent of almost one ton of heroin on a remote landing strip in the state of Sinaloa. The raid also uncovered about 19,000 tablets of fentanyl, marked by traffickers to look like oxycodone. Two men detained in the raid were high-ranking members of the Sinaloa cartel, led by the drug kingpin Joaquín Guzmán Loera , also known as El Chapo . "After the 2015 seizure, we ramped up efforts among all government agencies," said Brig. Gen. Inocente Fermín Hernández, the head of Mexico's national center for anti-crime policy, planning and information, a division of the attorney general's office. "We realize we need to take appropriate measures to know and investigate if we are dealing with fentanyl every time we find a laboratory." For more than a year, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States has warned of a fentanyl epidemic at home. Its potency, roughly 40 times that of heroin, has made fentanyl a popular choice for addicts and a profitable choice for dealers. Broken down and sold in less pure forms, the drug can be 20 times more profitable than heroin, or more, experts say. American border agents seized about 200 pounds of synthetic opioids like fentanyl last year, the majority of it along the southwest American border with Mexico, said R. Gil Kerlikowske, the commissioner of United States Customs and Border Protection. While the numbers are still small, he said, the increase is alarming. In 2014, only eight pounds were seized. Since 2010, fentanyl recovered by American law enforcement across the country has risen twentyfold, from 640 samples tested to 13,002 last year, according to data from the National Forensic Laboratory Information System, a D.E.A. program. Deaths by overdose have moved in lock step with the rising availability of the drug: From late 2013 to late 2014, the most recent years available, more than 700 Americans died from fentanyl-related overdoses. Fentanyl is used in many forms by the cartels, officials say. It is mixed with heroin to increase its strength, a combination known locally as diablito, or little devil. It can also be diluted and ingested directly. Taken directly, the dosage can be as small as a few grains of salt. Increasingly, however, fentanyl is being fashioned into fake oxycodone pills, a recognition that the recent rise in heroin addiction in America stems from the abuse of prescription painkillers. In February, a 19-year-old was stopped crossing the border from Tijuana into the United States with about 1,200 pills marked as oxycodone. The young man, Sergio Linyuntang Mendoza Bohon, was stopped at the border by an agent who noticed a suspicious bulge in his waistline. His underwear was lined with drugs. He told agents that he was paid $300 to smuggle the pills, along with less than an ounce of white powder. Though he told investigators the pills were painkillers, the lab results tested positive for fentanyl. Some experts are more circumspect about the role of the cartels, saying there is still a lack of hard data to show their extensive involvement. The majority of drug seizures in Mexico still largely consist of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines. But others suspect the low numbers are because the Mexican authorities have not been testing for fentanyl when they seize drugs, a problem that also plagues local law enforcement in the United States. Mr. Romero, the professor, said the full dimensions of the problem in Mexico are as yet unknown. "Our problem is that we don't have any hard data to compare and contrast," he said. The D.E.A. said the relative newness of fentanyl abuse means that law enforcement officials are seeing the early indications of the trend on the ground. States like California, Massachusetts and New Hampshire have had alarming rises in overdose deaths and the penetration of fentanyl in their local drug markets. Officials in those states also blame Mexico's cartels. Drug enforcement officials say the distribution of fentanyl mirrors the distribution patterns of other cartel drugs, like heroin. Mr. Riley of the D.E.A. says a Chicago street gang known as the Gangster Disciples, which traffics drugs for cartels in the city, is now pumping fentanyl into the market, in Chicago and all the way to New Hampshire. General Hernández was more skeptical, saying that there had been just four episodes involving fentanyl that the Mexican government was aware of in the last decade, starting with production in a clandestine lab in 2006 and then, more recently, the raid in late 2015. Still, he acknowledged that the search for the drug was new, and that its prevalence is most likely underreported. Working with the Americans, he said, his office is now paying more attention to the issue, including instructing personnel conducting raids at laboratories to take more precautions than usual. Fentanyl, which often comes in white powder form, can be introduced through contact with the skin. Given its power, it can cause an overdose just by touching it, especially among nonusers. Still, General Hernández said there were no records of any Mexicans dying from an overdose, neither users nor producers, raising the question of whether Mexico's role in the fentanyl epidemic is overblown. But he also acknowledged that, as with other drugs, Mexico is more often a provider of illicit drugs than a user of them. "Fentanyl is very difficult to detect at first glance," he said. "Not everybody is able to recognize it." | 5 | 99,470 | news |
DUBLIN (AP) United Nations human rights experts said Thursday that Ireland's abortion ban subjects women to discriminatory, cruel and degrading treatment and should be ended for cases involving fatal fetal abnormalities. The 29-page report from the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Committee accepted a complaint filed by Amanda Mellet, a Dublin woman who was denied a 2011 abortion in Ireland after her doctor informed her that her fetus had a fatal heart defect and could not survive outside the womb. Ireland permits abortions only in cases where the woman's own life is endangered by continued pregnancy. Its ban on abortion in all other circumstances requires women to carry a physiologically doomed fetus to full term in Ireland or travel abroad for abortions, usually to England, where thousands of Irish citizens have abortions annually. The U.N. Human Rights Committee, constituting experts from 17 nations led by Fabian Salvioli of Argentina, found that Ireland's abortion law violates the U.N. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on several points and called for widespread reform. The panel wields no power to compel change from Ireland, a predominantly Roman Catholic nation that maintains the strictest laws on abortion in the 28-nation EU. Ireland's government offered no immediate reaction to the findings. But human rights watchdog Amnesty International said the U.N. findings should shame Ireland into further action, three years after the country legalized abortions deemed necessary to save a pregnant woman's life. That move followed the 2012 death in an Irish hospital of an Indian woman, Savita Halappanavar, who suffered lethal blood poisoning while doctors refused to perform an abortion of her dying fetus. "The Irish government must take its head out of the sand and see that it has to tackle this issue," said Colm O'Gorman, Amnesty's director in Ireland. A series of opinion polls since 2013 have recorded majority support for extending abortion access to cases involving fatal defects and pregnancies caused by rape or incest, but anti-abortion activists argue that permitting any further exceptions to the ban would lead eventually to the legalization of abortion on demand. The U.N. report said Ireland's law made the rights of inviable fetuses superior to the rights of women and this arbitrary imbalance "cannot be justified," because the unborn child's life cannot be saved. It said Ireland's restrictions on providing clear advice and state-supported medical care to women who receive abortions overseas caused Mellet "intense suffering" and her experience "amounted to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment." The panel called on Ireland to amend its laws to comply with U.N. treaty obligations, provide financial compensation to Mellet and ensure she has access to state-supported counseling services. It said Ireland specifically should amend its laws to ensure that no other women with pregnancies involving fatal fetal abnormalities should be forced to carry them to full term. The experts also found that Ireland's underlying criminal law on abortion was "discriminatory because it places the burden of criminal liability primarily on the pregnant woman." Mellet testified that Dublin doctors informed her during scans that her child was likely to die inside the womb but could not be aborted, only removed after it perished. After three weeks, she checked with doctors to see if her now 24-week-old fetus still had a heartbeat and, when told it was still alive, traveled with her husband to the English city of Liverpool. There, doctors induced a 36-hour labor that ended in a stillborn baby girl. Mellet was denied any access to state-funded bereavement counseling in Ireland because Irish maternity hospitals are permitted to provide such services only to women who agree to carry their fetuses to the point of birth or miscarriage. Her legal complaint was accompanied by expert opinions from a Trinity College Dublin professor in midwifery and a clinical psychologist who found that Ireland's restrictions inflict unnecessary long-term trauma on women carrying fetuses likely to die in the womb or at birth. The woman told the panel she had wanted to take her stillborn daughter's remains back with her to Ireland, but the Liverpool hospital didn't permit this. "She received the ashes, unexpectedly, three weeks later by courier, which deeply upset her," the report said. ___ Associated Press reporter Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this story. ___ Online: Report, http://bit.ly/25NrsFz | 5 | 99,471 | news |
Ellen DeGeneres and the cast of 'Finding Dory' attend the film's premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. | 8 | 99,472 | video |
Texas has more than a dozen sunken ships serving as artificial reefs near its shores, and its prepping another. Watch as one from 2007 goes under. | 8 | 99,473 | video |
Floods in the Australian state of Tasmania show signs of easing, though water levels remain high after days of fierce storms. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 99,474 | video |
It's not just Apple that's looking to the deal sweeter for app developers. According to Recode , Google is also introducing a new revenue-sharing model that will give them a bigger cut. Just like Cupertino, the big G plans to increase the amount Android developers take home from 70 percent to 85 percent of all revenue from subscriptions. Google's offer sounds even better than the iPhone-maker's, because the company will reportedly give publishers 85 percent of the revenue from every subscriber, not just from those who sign up and pay for 12 full months. Sources also told the publication that Mountain View started testing the new sharing model with entertainment companies, particularly video services, over a year ago. It sounds like Google used it to entice the services to add Chromecast compatibility. Recode doesn't have info on when the new scheme will be more widely available. But at least you now know that a bigger portion of your hard-earned money could go straight to developers' pockets. Recode | 3 | 99,475 | finance |
Liberia said Thursday it was free of Ebola, meaning there are now no known cases in west Africa of the tropical virus that has left more than 11,300 people dead in the region since late 2013. Liberia was the country worst hit with more than 4,800 Liberians killed by the virus, and was awaiting the all-clear following the discharge of its last known patients in May. "Liberia is again free of Ebola. We have just ended the incubation period following the last case," Sorbor George, chief of communication at the ministry, told AFP. The west African nation has now passed the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold of 42 days -- twice the incubation period for the virus -- since the last known patient tested negative for the second time. "WHO commends Liberia's government and people on their effective response to this recent re-emergence of Ebola," said WHO Representative in Liberia Alex Gasasira in a statement. "WHO will continue to support Liberia in its effort to prevent, detect and respond to suspected cases," Gasasira added. The country now enters a 90-day period of heightened surveillance for any new cases. At its peak in 2014, Ebola sparked anxiety about a possible global pandemic and led some governments to threaten or unilaterally enforce travel bans to and from the worst-affected countries -- Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The World Health Organization declared an end on June 1 to Ebola cases in Guinea, -- where it first broke out in December 2013 -- and in Sierra Leone on March 17. However, previous declarations announcing the end of Ebola flare-ups in West Africa have been followed by new cases -- the virus has re-emerged three times in Liberia. - Vigilance - Health authorities were monitoring for new cases after a woman died of Ebola in the capital of Monrovia on March 31 after arriving from Guinea. Two of her three children, aged five and two, subsequently tested positive for the virus. The WHO has drawn biting criticism for its delayed response to the Ebola crisis and its failure to identify the outbreak. Last month it got the go-ahead for a sweeping shake-up, including a $100-million war chest to battle future emergencies following the Ebola fiasco. In all, the virus affected 10 countries, including the United States and Spain, with more than 28,000 cases reported. The Liberian health ministry called on people to remain vigilant in order to avoid another outbreak in the future. "We have been carrying on a sensitisation campaign. This campaign will continue, and we will still be in readiness to contain any eventual outbreak," George said. The risk of infection lasts beyond the 42-day period because the virus can survive in certain bodily fluids of survivors, particularly sperm, where it can linger up to a year, according to experts. In Paynesville, the Monrovia suburb where the most recent spate of cases were registered, residents were glad to be moving on. "It is good to hear that Ebola is gone again, but from what we saw recently we remain resilient in our preventive measures. We don't want our neighbourhood's name to be attached to the outbreak," said Bubakar Sanor, 56. "We are happy that our health workers are now up to the task, containing the virus with bravery and professionalism," he told AFP. China's economic attache to its Sierra Leone embassy announced Thursday it would help to build a tropical disease research and prevention centre in the country to strengthen west Africa's readiness to combat Ebola and similar conditions. "The recent Ebola outbreak damaged the country's economy and health sectors so we have decided to construct a research centre which will help in any future disease attack in the country and in the sub region, Shen Xiaokai told journalists. | 7 | 99,476 | health |
MOSCOW (AP) -- Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on Thursday denied allegations in a German documentary that he intervened to conceal a soccer player's positive drug test, dismissing the report as "laughable" and "implausible." The documentary, aired Wednesday night by German broadcaster ARD, showed what it said were Mutko's initials on a document as proof that the minister helped to cover up a positive test of an unidentified player of the Krasnodar soccer team. "The initials could be somebody else's," Mutko said in comments carried by the Tass news agency. "Thousands of people use me as a reference. How can I help somebody to cover up something? Destroy it myself? This is laughable and implausible." Mutko argued the documentary could have been aimed to show that Russia's anti-doping efforts "were not genuine." It came at a time when Russia is hoping the IAAF will lift its suspension of Russia's track and field athletes in time to compete in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Mutko blamed the accusations on Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Moscow drug-testing lab now living in Los Angeles who revealed details of Russian doping in an interview with the New York Times last month. Rodchenkov said he personally switched tainted urine samples for clean ones at the doping lab used for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, with help from people he believed to be officers of the Russian security services. "He has one target -- me," Mutko said of Rodchenkov. "I can feel in all of his interviews that he hates me. This is a targeted attack on Russia, calculated and well-organized. Mr. Rodchenkov is working for the people who gave him shelter." Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, indicated Thursday that the Kremlin treats the ARD allegations as libel and stands by Mutko. "The claims are not convincing and not backed by any substantial evidence," he said, accusing the Russian whistleblowers who helped disclose the doping programs after fleeing Russia of doing it for "30 pieces of silver." The sports ministry said in a statement later Thursday that Rodchenkov was fired from the anti-doping lab in Moscow when authorities found out that he "was cheating the anti-doping community." "He posed as a well-known anti-doping specialist and received international renown in the anti-doping movement for his work," the statement said. "But in fact, Rodchenkov was involved in illegal activities violating the spirit of sports for many years, which he admitted himself after he was fired. Anything that Rodchenkov says should be regarded with this in mind." The ARD documentary also said it was told by an athlete that the disgraced coach of Russia's race walkers, Viktor Chegin, who has been banned for life, was seen working with athletes secretly in Adler, near Sochi. Mutko said Thursday that Chegin has been fired but he did not rule out that somebody may have approached the coach informally. "Chegin does not coach," Mutko said. "He's a specialist with a wealth of experience. He had thousands of students. Someone may be calling him, but he is not officially employed." Rune Andersen, head of the IAAF task force on Russia, said in a letter to ARD dated June 1 that that the claims about Chegin are "a very serious matter" and that the federation will follow up all the claims with Russia "as a matter of urgency." The documentary also accused Mutko's doping adviser, Natalia Zhelanova, of negotiating payments and bribes to the IAAF in exchange for covering up positive results of Russian athletes and of interfering constantly with the daily work of the Moscow lab. "These claims are untrue and are made by 1 disgraced person who disagreed with me on the importance of fair & clean sport," Zhelanova said on Twitter. On Wednesday, Mutko said he wanted all retested doping samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics to be thrown out because of alleged flaws in the reanalysis process. The IOC has reported 55 positive findings in retesting of stored samples from the 2008 Beijing Games and 2012 London Olympics. The Russian Olympic Committee has said 22 of the cases involved Russian athletes, including medalists. Russian officials said two of the athletes were cleared when their "B" samples tested negative, contradicting the positive "A" samples. Mutko said those two cases were enough justification for the entire retesting program to be scrapped. | 1 | 99,477 | sports |
German authorities investigating the Volkswagen pollution cheating scandal have opened a probe into a VW employee suspected of having destroyed evidence of the fraud, AFP learned Thursday. The investigation into the employee was "recently opened", Klaus Ziehe, a spokesman for prosecutors at the northern city of Brunswick, told AFP. Investigators believe the suspect had asked colleagues to "get rid of data, which was partially carried out". Some of the information could be recovered, prosecutors said, adding that the data lost was deemed not significant. German prosecutors are seeking to find out the masterminds of the pollution fraud scandal at VW, after it emerged last September that the carmaker installed emissions-cheating software in 11 million diesel engines worldwide. The still incalculable costs of the affair -- including regulatory fines and legal costs in several countries -- last year pushed VW into the red for the first time in more than 20 years. Related video: VW hurt by diesel scandal, shares slump | 5 | 99,478 | news |
Israel clamped down on Palestinian movements and boosted security Thursday after two Palestinians shot dead four people at a popular Tel Aviv nightspot, the deadliest attack in a months-long wave of violence. | 5 | 99,479 | news |
Silicon Valley is the new Rome. As in the time of Caesar, the world is grappling with an advanced city-state dominating much of the planet, injecting its technology and ethos everywhere it lands and funneling enormous wealth back home. Peter Thiel tech investor, avowed monopolist, proponent of skipping college has many of us wringing our hands about Silicon Valley's swelling wealth and influence. Thiel spent about $10 million to secretly fund an ex-wrestler's lawsuit against a salacious news-gossip website, allegedly as revenge, and the revelation of that set off panic about the ability of Silicon Valley and its billionaires to impose their will. Thiel is just one of many stories with a similar theme. Facebook got accused of muting conservative news on the site, stirring still more worries about media control and censorship. Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made Thiel look like a cheapskate when he paid $30 million to buy and tear down four homes around his residence, just so nobody will be able to see into his windows. Look around the U.S. and you find that Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff wielded the power to reverse an Indiana law that might have discriminated against the LGBT community, by threatening to abandon the state. The Donald Trump phenomenon has been largely fueled by voters angry that their jobs are getting reamed by technology. Similar angst about California's peninsula of geeks and Ghirardelli has resulted in backlash around the globe. The European Commission is freaking out about Google and Netflix, China has been pushing back against Apple, and India recently stopped a Facebook plan to offer free internet because the government felt India might lose control over its wireless infrastructure. "There are certain rules necessary to operate so India doesn't become a digital colony," Sharad Sharma of Bangalore think tank iSpirt told journalists. And yet the Silicon Valley Empire is just getting started. A new generation of technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3-D printing and blockchain all likely to be developed primarily by Silicon Valley companies are about to cross the chasm from prototype to mainstream and challenge everything you know about manufacturing, money, services, national sovereignty and much else in your life. If you think there's been head-spinning change since 2007, when smartphones, social networks and cloud computing combined to usher in the current tech era, the next 10 years could short-circuit your cortex. Is all this good or bad? The answer is as complex as asking the same question about the Roman Empire two millennia ago. Nice for some; really sucks for others. With hope, beneficial to humanity in the long run, but we might have to give it a couple of hundred years to really know. Get Used to That Sucking Sound Silicon Valley loves to "disrupt" stuff. Well, now it is disrupting the world. Famed tech analyst Mary Meeker this month released her annual data dump about the industry. If you pick it apart, you can clearly see Silicon Valley's ascendency in the global economy. For instance, Meeker listed the 20 most valuable tech companies in 2015. Twelve were American, seven were in China, and one was in Japan. None came out of Europe or India or anywhere else. The U.S. companies represented 76 percent of the total market cap and 87 percent of the revenue. Of the dozen companies based in the U.S., just one is not in Silicon Valley (Priceline, based in Connecticut). Here's a different way to see the tilt toward California: The number of Internet users is growing faster in India than anywhere else in the world. Almost all of that growth is from people using mobile phones. The top three phone apps in India are owned by Facebook (Facebook, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger), so no wonder India was worried about even more encroachment by the company. Also, almost all of India's mobile phones run on either Google's Android or Apple's iOS operating system. That means a significant proportion of India's most dynamic industry is sending money to Silicon Valley. That kind of thing is happening in every country except, like, North Korea. In recent years, the payments going to Silicon Valley have been lurching beyond pure technology and into businesses that used to be non-digital and entirely local. Uber shows how that works. The company takes a 20 percent cut of the fare for every ride. In France, say, 100 percent of money spent on taxis used to stay in France. If Uber wins a significant chunk of France's taxi industry, 20 percent of that money will leave France. Now imagine that happening in industry after industry, country after country. (Speaking of money cascading into Uber from abroad, an investment arm of the Saudi government just pumped $3.5 billion into the company. The Saudis apparently could not find promising tech startups in their own country to invest in.) Alphabet, Google's parent, controls 12 percent of all money spent globally on media advertising, according to Adweek . No company has ever controlled 12 percent of global ad spending! And there's no question Google is sucking serious money out of countries. In 2015, Google got 54 percent of its $75 billion in revenue from overseas. In the macro picture, tech is one of the few economic sectors growing in any meaningful way anywhere in the world. Meeker's stats show that global growth of gross domestic product has been below average for six of the past eight years. So if global growth is stagnant and technology is hot, that means most other segments are really crappy. Since most of the money being made in technology is by companies based in Silicon Valley, it seems that it is driving a lot of the world's economic dynamism and most of the world is paying Silicon Valley for it. On the campaign trail, Trump keeps saying America is losing. But he's wrong: America is clearly winning in technology, big time. The problem is that a lot of America is not Silicon Valley, which is but a short stretch from San Francisco to San Jose. Even within the United States, Silicon Valley is playing Rome, and the rest of us could wind up like Judea. Geography Is Dynasty We have two Americas now: Atoms America and Bits America. Atoms America is manufacturing, retail, services, restaurants old-school business you can see and touch. And Atoms America is in trouble. In May, job growth in the U.S. was the slowest in more than five years, according to federal data. Some 10,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared. For years now, middle-class wages have stagnated. A vast swath of people are seeing their jobs automated away by software. Trump's supporters tell pollsters they feel resentful and powerless. Voting for Trump is fighting back. On the other side of this divide is Bits America. These are people who write code, analyze data, sell apps, invest in startups. The top talent in Bits America entertain bidding wars for their services. There are pockets of Bits America all over the country and high concentrations in places such as Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., and Seattle each home to significant tech companies. Still, nothing in the Bits universe rivals Silicon Valley land of peach-fuzz billionaires, rocketing housing prices and highways filled with Teslas, with Stanford University operating like the region's power plant for talent. More money gets invested in more companies there. In the first quarter of this year, California companies almost all in Silicon Valley got $396 million in venture funding, nearly three times more than second-place New York ($149 million) and four times more than third-place Massachusetts ($90 million). And wealth created in Silicon Valley tends to stay home. Even when companies go public, it's not making people rich across the country. Look at the top 40 owners of Facebook stock. Almost all of them live in Silicon Valley. (Thiel, No. 7, owns 2.5 percent, worth more than $2 billion.) When smart people from all over the world want to build a technology company, they go to Silicon Valley. The Collison brothers grew up in a small village in Ireland. Clearly brilliant, Patrick Collison left Ireland to go to MIT, and John Collison attended Harvard University. In 2010, the brothers started digital payments company Stripe and in 2011 got $2 million in funding from three Silicon Valley venture investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and…Thiel. Stripe is now worth more than $5 billion. It's not based in Ireland or Boston. It's in San Francisco. Silicon Valley's momentum is not slowing. I talk to a lot of Bay Area investors. Ten or 15 years ago, they were flying to China and India, looking for promising investments, and some set up branches around the U.S. Now the attitude of many is they don't need to go beyond a 50-mile circle around Palo Alto. Most of the talent of any consequence is there already or will go there. For his book The New Geography of Jobs, Enrico Moretti, an economics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, crunched economic data and found that, counterintuitively in this connected age, geography matters a great deal in the tech industry. "In innovation, a company's success depends on more than just the quality of its workers it also depends on the entire ecosystem around it," Moretti wrote. "It makes it harder to delocalize innovation than traditional manufacturing." An industry like steel or shoes can move to where labor and resources are cheaper. Tech industries need to coalesce in a few places, and Silicon Valley is the most powerful magnet of them all. Take It All Apart In 2015, the media ogled "unicorns" private tech companies valued at more than $1 billion. Private valuations got a little crazy. The word bubble surfaced. Even Silicon Valley insiders predicted a comeuppance. Meeker popped all that bubble babble. "There are pockets of internet company overvaluation," she said. "But there are also pockets of undervaluation. Very few companies will win. Those that do can win big." We describe it another way in Play Bigger , the new book I co-wrote with three Silicon Valley startup advisers. Our highly networked age has created an environment where one company tends to develop and then dominate a new category of business (as Facebook, Airbnb, VMware and many others have done) and win big over time. Silicon Valley is the best region in the world at generating these category kings, and new ones will become the most valuable companies of the next generation. It's probable that the coming category kings will dwarf our Facebooks and Googles. Artificial intelligence is a game-changing technology, much like cloud-based apps over the past five years. It will be the basis for inventions we can hardly imagine now. (How about an AI-driven tiny drone that learns to buzz around and keep an eye on a building, replacing security guards? It's coming!) And 3-D printing will get good enough so that a company like Nike will no longer make shoes in Asia and ship them back to the U.S. Instead, it will "print" them in a network of thousands of small factories peppered throughout cities and towns so you can pick up your ready-made sneakers locally. Blockchain the complex technology behind bitcoin is only beginning to remake the financial industry. Virtual reality will get good enough to reinvent stuff like tourism, sports and doctor's office visits. Biotech, robotics an incredible array of technology is ready to burst upon us. The impact will be so dramatic, Hemant Taneja of Global Catalyst Partners tells me we're heading into a "global application rewrite." We are about to take apart every product and service in the world and put it back together with data, AI and all this other new stuff. Sure, some of the companies that take advantage will come from places that are not Silicon Valley. Much-ballyhooed virtual reality startup Magic Leap is in Florida. Some important financial tech based on blockchain is coming from New York. But Silicon Valley hosts the majority of companies beginning to drive the global application rewrite. As Meeker said, the few that dominate new businesses will win big over time, all over the world, making it harder than ever for other places to catch up. So let's go back to whether this is good or bad. If you pick up your mobile phone, you'll see a lot on there that you used to pay for and now comes free or cheap. You have a camera and a flashlight, both of which you used to buy. News is free no need to buy a newspaper. International calls are cheap on Skype. Music free or cheap on Spotify. That device is just one example of the impact of technology and globalization. It's increasingly making more things cheap or free, in many ways lowering our cost of living. That works on physical goods too tech and global manufacturing are why you can buy nice clothes at H&M for way less than similar items cost 20 years ago. Technology will only accelerate this trend. Mike Maples , partner at tech investment company Floodgate, tells me we're heading into an age of abundance, when we'll have access to much more for much less than ever before. We'll live better lives on less money. Which seems quite good. However, as Moretti's data show, that same dynamic crushes the middle class by killing jobs and shrinking salaries. If more stuff is free or cheap, fewer people can earn money making and selling things. Instead, when something gets reduced to a cloud-based app, relatively few people can make it and sell it around the planet and rake in all the money. Consider maps. Lots of companies used to print them, and lots of stores sold them. Today, there's one consumer map company that matters globally: Google, based in Mountain View, California. Google gets all the map money, and most of those map jobs are gone. For much of the world outside of Silicon Valley, the bad is starting to feel worse than the good. We love our phones and apps and cheap things, but we don't like feeling economically marginalized. A move like Thiel's against Gawker adds to the sense that an elite few have all the leverage. Books like Martin Ford's Rise of the Robots suggest that technology will replace most of our jobs. Trump has tapped into middle-class anxiety about the future. So has Bernie Sanders, although someone should tell him he's fighting yesterday's war the easy capitalist villains going forward aren't going to be on Wall Street but up and down California's 101. (Sanders this month drew 4,000 to a rally in Palo Alto, where housing prices and income inequality are leaving non-millionaires behind.) If you put all the current trends together, it seems obvious Silicon Valley will become the most powerful place on earth at the expense of just about everywhere else on earth. The one thing that might derail the Silicon Valley express would be something like the Russian Revolution, in which the workers rise up against the autocracy. That doesn't seem imminent, but it's a possibility Silicon Valley needs to embrace and counter, or at best it's going to wind up fending off escalating attacks from governments, activists and the frustrated masses. The industry's nightmare would be getting regulated like electricity and telecommunications industries that once invented cutting-edge technologies but turned into sleepy bureaucracies under government rule. For decades, tech's movers and shakers have focused almost solely on developing innovations and building companies. In this next chapter, they must make certain the rest of the world prospers too, or somewhere down the line Peter Thiel might find himself fiddling while things get hot all around him. Related video: The dark side of Silicon Valley | 3 | 99,480 | finance |
The Tetons are among the youngest mountains in the country. They soar straight up from flat Jackson Hole. Video by Brian Kaufman, Detroit Free Press. | 8 | 99,481 | video |
A woman with excess facial hair has ditched her razors and grown a full beard and claims she's never felt sexier. Rose Geil, 39, first noticed her excess hair when she was just 13 and started shaving immediately. But after years of shaving, plucking and expensive laser removal procedures, Rose has now decided to accept her whiskers and couldn't be happier. Videographer / director: Ivan Gwynn Producer: Emma Pearson, Nick Johnson Editor: Sonia Estal, Ian Phillips | 8 | 99,482 | video |
As the broad stock market inches ever closer to a record high and exhibits few if any signs that it's on the cusp of a major upside breakout one Wall Street bull is predicting just that: a big rally. Yup. A big rally. As in a potential 15% to 20% move higher in the next six to 12 months. The bullish market call comes from Tony Dwyer, analyst at Canaccord Genuity. And even Dwyer admits what scares him most is his "high degree of conviction" in his upbeat call, which he says is not shared by many on Wall Street. So what's giving Dwyer the confidence to go out on a limb and basically predict a minibull market or 20% jump within an ongoing bull market that is now more than seven years old? He cites statistics that show the S&P 500 stock index normally shoots up sharply when yields on corporate bonds drop sharply, as they've been doing. He also notes that when more than 90% of the stocks in the index are trading above their average price in the past 50 days, the market was up a median of 16% a year later. His core thesis includes the belief that a U.S. "recession is years away." He's also calling for a rebound in the U.S. economy, due in part to the nearly 100% jump in oil prices since the February lows and a weaker dollar. More important, he expects U.S. corporate earnings to grow and market valuations to expand. Add it all up and you have the recipe for a stock market rally | 3 | 99,483 | finance |
If Americans vote with their pocketbook, a presidential election pitting Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump will be a squeaker, some economists think. To figure out why, it's necessary to zero in on three key benchmarks of how the U.S. economy is faring: growth in real disposable income, unemployment and inflation, said Gregory Daco, head of U.S. macroeconomics at Oxford Economics. In other words, as James Carville famously put it during Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential run, when it comes to winning elections, it's the economy, stupid. Most Americans' views on the economy boil down to how fast their pay is rising, their job security and the cost of living. That gives economists like Daco, who spend most of their time thinking about things like GDP and productivity, a useful framework for predicting elections. Of course, people choose to support a given candidate for all sorts of reasons, not just economic ones. That could include a nominee's position on hot-button issues, such as trade or immigration, or less tangible qualities such as the person's general likability. Dyed-in-the-wool Democrats or Republicans might blanch at the idea of voting for the other side. Or gender could come into play. But plenty of research, notably the work of Yale University economist Ray Fair , suggests that voters pick a presidential candidate largely based on whether they think their economic prospects are likely to improve with that person ensconced in the Oval Office. Because the future is forever hard to predict, meanwhile, people tend to focus instead on the recent past, evaluating the economy based on how it has performed over the last year. Another important factor is which political party is in office. A strong economy tends to benefit incumbents, while a recession or other economic calamity can lead to a changing of the guard (as presidents ranging from Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter to George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush can attest). Oxford, which has correctly called 13 of the last 17 national elections in the U.S., finds that Clinton currently holds what the research firm calls a "razor-thin" edge over Trump (Oxford whiffed in 1968, 1976, 2000 and 2012. In 2000, it correctly predicted Al Gore's winning the popular vote, but didn't foresee Bush ultimately becoming president after the Florida recount and intervention by the Supreme Court.) Nothing affects people's pocketbooks quite so directly as their pay, and on that front Clinton is benefiting from a pickup in wage growth this year, Daco said. "Although wage growth is muted, hovering around 2.5 percent, it could be just enough to tip the balance in favor of the incumbents." The presumptive Democratic nominee also could get a boost from the job market. Research shows that when unemployment is below 8 percent, voters tend to reward the incumbent party. The jobless rate is now 4.7 percent, the lowest since November of 2007. But any lift for Clinton would be minor because unemployment is already low and unlikely to tick down much further. And the recent slowdown in job growth , if it persists, could dent Clinton's chances. "A worsening employment picture would weigh negatively on the incumbents' likelihood to be reelected," Daco said. "If it leads to an uptick in the unemployment rate, it could weigh on Clinton's odds of winning the election." Not surprising, then, that Trump recently described the government's latest labor report as a "terrible" and a " bombshell ." To be sure, other economists do not foresee a close election. Mark Zandi, chief economist with Moody's Analytics, said the firm's election model forecasts a "sizable win" for Clinton. But he noted that prediction depends on a rebound in the job market, gas prices remaining low and house prices continuing to rise. As for Oxford, it predicts Clinton would eke out a victory at the polls with 50.05 percent of the vote, compared with 49.95 percent for Trump. Daco emphasizes that this tenuous margin could easily change as the economic winds blow between now and November. It's also worth noting that Oxford's election model only forecasts the outcome of the popular vote, not Electoral College results. Indeed, if the current campaign proves anything, it's that political predictions have a way of making even the savviest prognosticators look stupid. | 3 | 99,484 | finance |
Getty Britain's property prices are going to fall for the first time since 2012 and London's house prices will be affected the most, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Buyers are cautious due to the uncertainty surrounding the UK's referendum on European Union membership on June 23. RIC's chief economist Simon Rubinsohn said in his latest report that the new stamp duty tax imposed by the government on April 1 this year also has some bearing on the lack of demand and therefore the pulldown in prices. But "there is not at this point a sense that a fundamental shift is taking place in the market," he added, which shows how property prices are likely to experience a flash crash a short-term burst of cratering prices. This might be a relief for people looking to buy in London as the price drop is going to be the greatest in the capital. The average home in Greater London which includes areas like Kingston and Croydon in the south, and Uxbridge in the north is now worth £600,076, according to an analysis of the latest Land Registry data by property-focused asset manager London Central Portfolio. Properties in London are now almost 60% more costly than they were prior to the 2008 financial crisis, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics . It sounds like prices couldn't possibly fall due to the great imbalance between supply and demand, but RICS demonstrated across a number of charts how the price decline is already happening. Demand from buyers fell at the fastest rate in eight years, says RICS. As you can tell, people looking to buy a new home dropped off the radar. RICS London is the worst affected in terms of demand. This chart shows how, despite it now being peak season for buying and selling a property, demand is a lot lower. RICS At the same time, people are holding off on putting properties up for sale because of the tank in demand. RICS So all-in-all, the number of sales has taken a hit. RICS This is why property prices are anticipated to fall for the next three months, which will dent house price growth for the year. RICS This trend is reflected in the expected number of sales. After all, if you are selling a property, you might as well hold out until prices recover. RICS Overall, estate agents in RICS' report are pessimistic and we can expect a 3- month run of property price drops will affect the market over the year. RICS | 3 | 99,485 | finance |
Elon Musk has never shied away from comparisons with superhero Tony Stark, but his most recent joke on the subject is pretty on the nose, even for him. Responding to a story from CNN that pondered why the SpaceX founder had met with Secretary of Defense Ash Carter earlier this week, Musk replied in a tweet : "Something about a flying metal suit..." And considering the Pentagon's official description of the visit Musk was apparently there to talk about "innovation" that gloss might not be too far off. Something about a flying metal suit... https://t.co/6Z1D9iZ1fV Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2016 But of course, there are plenty of non-Iron Man-related reasons that Musk might be chatting with the folks at the Pentagon. Tech innovation is something the Department of Defense is keenly interested in, and in March this year, it even created a new advisory board to "tap innovation" from the private sector, headed by Alphabet chairman Eric Schmidt. The board wants to recruit 12 individuals "who have successfully led large private and public organizations, and excelled at identifying and adopting new technology concepts," but as of now, the DoD doesn't seem to have announced any new members. (We've tried to reach out to the DoD to ask about this, and will update the story if they respond.) Musk, meanwhile, already has his own dealings with the US military. In April SpaceX won a contract with the US Air Force in a $87.2 million deal to launch a GPS satellite in May 2018, the first of its kind since the company was given approval to bid for this sort of work in May 2015 . So while we may joke about Musk's resemblance to Stark they're both described as genius billionaires with boundless enthusiasm and curiosity the main point of comparison is a little less romantic: they've both done contract work for the military. | 3 | 99,486 | finance |
Crowds roar as thousands bearing paddles battle for the dragon boat speed title. | 8 | 99,487 | video |
VIDEO: Smart tips for any presentation. | 8 | 99,488 | video |
Freddie Gray was shackled and loaded into a police van on his stomach with his hands cuffed behind his back on the day he was arrested last April. He was not strapped with a seatbelt, in violation of police department policy. Some allege that driver Caesar Goodson intentionally took sharp turns, allowing Gray's body to be thrown around without the ability to hold himself steady. It's what Baltimoreans call a "rough ride". The practice that came to light with Gray's death last year will be at the center of the trial of Goodson, who faces the most severe criminal charges of all six officers second-degree depraved heart murder. "I anticipate the prosecution introducing testimony and witnesses to explain the practice, the common practice, of van drivers giving prisoners being transported the 'rough ride' or the ride that's likely to expose them to serious physical injury or in this case death," said University of Maryland law professor Douglas Colbert. Over the past several decades Baltimore has paid out millions of dollars, settling suits alleging injuries from "rough rides". But Goodson's trial starting Thursday will put the practice to a new test of criminal liability. To convict Goodson of second-degree depraved heart murder, the state will have to show not only that Goodson caused Gray's death while transporting him to the police station, where Gray was found unconscious in the back of the van, but it will also have to show Goodson's state of mind that he was "conscious of the risk" and "acted with extreme disregard of the life-endangering consequences". The van stopped six times and Goodson was the only person, besides Gray, who was at each of the stops. Dr Carol Allan, the medical examiner, likened Gray's injury to one caused by a dive into a shallow swimming pool. Gray died a week later of a spinal injury the medical examiner says he sustained in the van. The case may also be state's attorney Marilyn Mosby's best shot at a conviction after two trials that haven't yielded one. Throughout the first two trials of officers in Gray's death, responsibility for Gray's safety while he was in custody was placed squarely on Goodson's shoulders. In the trial of Edward Nero, who was acquitted , a police captain who performed audits on van drivers to see if they were hooking seatbelts and the academy instructor who taught cadets how to fasten in prisoners both testified that the "wagon man" or van driver is responsible for the prisoner's safety. If prosecutors can't get a conviction in Goodson's case, many believe that it is unlikely they will get one at all. "Of course this is an important trial, and based on what we've heard before there is anticipation that suggests officer Goodson may be convicted," Colbert said. But after the Goodson opted for a trial by a judge and not a jury on Monday, he is more skeptical. "I believe that improved a favorable outcome for him," he said. Rough rides then and now In the months after Gray's death there were some signs of the legacy of "rough rides". Greg Butler , who is facing 25 years for puncturing a firehose during the riot of 27 April, told the Guardian that he was given a rough ride that day the same day Gray was buried. And in late June, months after Gray's death, a citizen photographed a sign on the back door of a police cruiser that read "Enjoy your ride cuz we sure will!" But the police department's communications director TJ Smith says it is "fair to say" that there are not any such signs in police vans today. The Baltimore police department has since introduced a new fleet of vans equipped with cameras and compartments that make it easier to hook a subject's seatbelt. But a statewide bill to address the practice that would have fined officers $10,000 if someone was injured in the back of a van was stalled in the Maryland senate's judicial proceedings committee during the last legislative session. The department has been paying for its past "rough rides" for decades. Kenneth Mumaw was awarded $100,000 after a 1992 incident when he was falsely arrested, handcuffed and put in a van that "proceeded to the Northern District Police Station at a high rate of speed", according to the suit. In 1997, a jury awarded another man, Jeffrey Alston, $39m after he was paralyzed from the waist down after a trip in a transport wagon. He settled with the city for $6m. In 2005, Dondi Johnson Sr, who was arrested for public urination, emerged from a transport wagon with injuries that would leave him paralyzed. His family was awarded $7.4m. As in most settlements, the city does not acknowledge wrongdoing in these cases. Noah Scialom, a freelance photographer (Scialom shot for the Baltimore City Paper where this reporter worked), says he got a rough ride in 2013. He was shooting a warehouse party that the police shut down. After he exited the building, he continued to take photographs from the sidewalk. "This cop tells me to not take any pictures," Scialom recalled via telephone. "I said, 'I'm press,' and I had the press pass out I took a picture of him and I turned to take a picture of another officer ... and next thing I know I'm get tackled from behind." They placed Scialom under arrest but didn't take his phone, so he took a photo from the back of the van and posted it on Instagram. When the driver noticed that Scialom had a phone he slammed on the brakes, according to Scialom. "He says 'Gimme your f---ing phone' and then he just drives like crazy, flying through lights, slamming on brakes, turning real hard, slamming the brakes again. It felt pretty crazy. I definitely was bracing myself with my leg. You're sliding and it's all this hard, metal, angular sides to the whole back of the van. There's no way you can brace against hitting your face against something." This, prosecutors are expected to argue, is precisely the situation that could have led to the kind of catastrophic spinal injuries that took Gray's life. | 5 | 99,489 | news |
Jan Carabeo reports from City Hall. | 5 | 99,490 | news |
SHANGHAI Chinese law enforcement often relies on in-your-face muscle-flexing, but Shanghai appears to be giving unusual leeway to Walt Disney Co. to police its new theme park there nearly as inconspicuously as in other Magic Kingdoms. Shanghai Disneyland Resort promises to offer a study in the cultural blend of U.S.-branded entertainment and Chinese sensibilities Disney's dog Pluto outfitted as a character in the Chinese zodiac, for instance. But a key question as Disney tweaks its magic for the Middle Kingdom is how divergent philosophies on crowd control get applied in a park that 330 million can reach in less than three hours. Disneyland won't officially open until June 16 but outsize crowds are already flocking by cars and subway to new restaurants and a lakeside promenade in a tourist zone surrounding the theme park that offers a free taste of the experience 90,000 on one day recently. Shanghai events have drawn some of the largest crowds in the world, and despite massive numbers of officers and widespread electronic surveillance local authorities have a mixed response record. In 2010, Shanghai took a page from the heavily policed Beijing Olympics two years earlier and stationed a battalion of officers, paramilitary and army at the city's giant World's Fair expo, which drew nearly half a million visitors daily for six months with minimal incidents. But a year and a half ago, three dozen people died in a New Year's Eve stampede after police failed to divert an estimated 200,000 revelers from crushing into the city's No. 1 tourist spot, the historic riverfront Bund. The Burbank, Calif.-based company's agreement gives it broad scope to manage risks in Shanghai much like it does at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and its parks in other countries. Disney won't say much about the arrangements but its plans indicate that uniformed police generally won't be seen inside the park gates. With three parks outside the U.S. in Hong Kong, Paris and Tokyo, Disney faces localized risks from earthquakes to terrorism. Violent crime remains rare in China, and the primary concern for Shanghai Disneyland reflected in the park's design is preventing crowds from getting unwieldy. A Disney spokesman said the resort's management company is responsible for security inside the park. Shanghai's government echoed that, adding that security would be supervised by a "comprehensive law enforcement team." The area's top policeman, Li Guirong, sidestepped a question about jurisdiction at a recent press conference, saying only, "The standard for our public-security management is very high." In Shanghai, some of Disney's "security cast members" as the company refers to guards wear yellow ties, white police style hats and cartoonish badges emblazoned with a castle logo. "Protecting the magic is the main goal," according to the job description for security cast members on one Disney website in the U.S., which shows guards dressed casually in leisurewear like straw hats and golf shirts. A black Shanghai police surveillance van regularly parked near Shanghai Disneyland's front gate is a reminder that ultimately Chinese law enforcement hasn't been outranked by Disney security. In all, the purpose-built tourist zone including Shanghai Disneyland covers an area about twice the size of New York's Central Park. Near the theme park, local authorities operate a new multibay firehouse and a large police compound. Paramilitary police may appear in the area, though so far uniformed officers have been seen mostly on traffic duty and sniffer-dog patrols. Wang Hongwei, a professor of national security at Beijing's Renmin University, says there is likely to be strong coordination. He called the park "an important target for the government to keep an eye on from a public security perspective." Disney spent years working to make Chinese authorities comfortable about its apolitical entertainment and security competence. It toured Chinese police officials through each of its five parks which draw over 120 million annually to demonstrate how it manages attendance. Martin Lewison, a theme park expert at Farmingdale State College in New York, predicts crowd management will feature "measures that the Chinese middle class will find appropriate" because security around Disneylands usually has local characteristics, such as police on horseback outside the Paris park. China's unapologetic policing isn't Disney's style. It famously strives for subtle security like hidden cameras that won't distract from the fun. Where Shanghai has X-ray machines in every one of its subway stations, Disney theme parks only added them in the past year or so. In Shanghai, crowd control starts with regulating expectations. Ticketing is handled through online reservations for specific days. Controls weren't so tight in 2005. At Hong Kong Disneyland, a sold-out day around China's National Day holiday prompted chaos, with angry visitors who couldn't get in lifting their children over the fence into the park. Many will travel to Shanghai Disneyland by a subway line designed to shuttle 20,000 per hour. Electronic road signs and social media messages are intended to alert visitors to congestion. In the park itself, a design with Chinese crowds in mind provides for extra-wide sidewalks, metal-barricade channels, shaded seating and overflow zones. One area Disney doesn't directly control: the subway station near the front gate, where on a recent day visitors queued at a narrow entrance waiting to pass bags into X-ray machines. The new park's architecture is its own security measure. Instead of entering along an American-style "Main Street" as in other Disneylands, Shanghai visitors will get channeled from "Mickey Avenue" into a jumbo-size oval with a garden maze designed to slow the scramble toward the biggest castle Disney has built anywhere. Write to James T. Areddy at [email protected] | 3 | 99,491 | finance |
Many politicians say America's founding principles make it "exceptional," including President Obama, even as GOP leaders accuse him of believing otherwise. But in 2015, Donald Trump said he "never liked the term" because "you're insulting the world." | 5 | 99,492 | news |
In February 2001, then California Governor Gray Davis stood at the site of Calpine Corp's new Sutter natural gas power plant and unveiled his plan to fast-track construction of similar stations to add 20,000 megawatts of modern, efficient generation to the state in three years. Natural gas, Davis said, was "the most environmentally friendly, clean, appropriate fuel" to help the state move beyond the energy crisis it had just endured and enable its 34 million residents "to enjoy the good life that California represents." Today, the plants inaugurated that day are among the casualties of a monumental shift in the U.S. energy landscape. An unexpected combination of oversupply of natural gas and a boom in solar and other renewable energy has depressed power prices and threatened the viability of natural gas plants that sell power into the Golden State's electricity market. These developments are good for consumers and the environment, but tough on power producers who placed huge bets on natural gas. "The world is really changing for these independent power producers," said Michael Picker, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, in an interview. "We don't need a lot of gas." Calpine, in fact, shut down its Sutter plant earlier this year because of "poor economics." And rival Dynegy has said it plans to leave the California market, citing the state's focus on renewables. To offset losses, Rockland Capital, Calpine and other plant owners, including General Electric and the Carlyle Group's Cogentrix, are asking the state for help. They argue that it is in the state's interest to support the natural gas plants because they provide stability and reliability -- attributes that are important to the state's power grid and something weather-dependent wind and solar can't offer. If the plants don't get needed support, their owners have warned, a critical safety net for the grid could disappear. GE, which owns the Inland Empire Energy Center in Southern California, said in a statement that state policies "rank reliability and cost as low priorities," adding that generators may be forced to shut down prematurely. And in a letter to California officials in April, Rockland Capital called its 13-year-old La Paloma plant in Kern County "one of the victims" of the rise of large amounts of renewable power, and warned the plant could shut down later this year. Power producers want more long-term contracts that will compensate them for being there when wind and solar power are unavailable or when demand is particularly high. "You do need natural gas generation as a backup for solar," said Andrew Bischof, an analyst who tracks the power industry for Morningstar. Nuclear power plant owners have made similar arguments in Illinois and New York, where they are competing with renewables and cheaper gas-fired power. But last week, nuclear power plant operator Exelon said it would close two Illinois plants due to a lack of progress on state legislation to support them. Texas faces similar challenges due to an abundance of wind energy, but the Lone Star state has far more nuclear and coal-fired power than California, which would see shakeouts first. SOLAR'S RISE Built largely after California's 2000 and 2001 energy crisis, the state's new fleet of natural gas plants were meant to address a shortfall in power supplies and fuel population and economic growth for decades to come. Some plants had 10-year contracts that have now lapsed, while others were built to support the state's spot power market. But power prices in California fell to their lowest level since at least 2001 last year, and in 2016 so far are trading even lower. The low price of natural gas, thanks to the fracking boom, is largely responsible. But renewables also depress spot prices because those prices are determined by the cost of the fuel source, which for wind and solar is zero. California's big push for renewable power began in earnest with Davis' successor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a decade ago. He set a goal for the state to obtain 33 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020, an ambitious target that the state's top three utilities are on track to exceed because of government support for wind and solar power and a dramatic drop in the price of those technologies. At the same time, rooftop solar capacity has soared faster than expected while older gas-fired power plants have not retired as quickly as state energy officials had projected. On a recent Thursday, solar was able to provide more than 40 percent of the state's power in the middle of the day -- making the state's new goal of sourcing 50 percent of its power from renewables by 2030 seem in reach. With eight times the solar capacity online than there was just three years ago, gas-fired units built to satisfy mid-day demands are increasingly being asked to kick in quickly as the sun goes down. Last month, California's grid operator, the Independent System Operator, said in a report that revenue estimates for many natural gas power plants are substantially below their fixed costs, adding that new gas-fired capacity "does not appear to be needed at this time." Relief is not expected soon. A Moody's report last year forecast that margins for gas power generators selling into California would fall an additional 30 percent by 2019. | 3 | 99,493 | finance |
A Northern Virginia man who joined and then fled the Islamic State before being captured by Kurdish fighters in Iraq was flown back to the United States late Wednesday to face trial. Mohamad Khweis was charged in federal district court in Alexandria with providing and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, according to U.S. officials familiar with the case and court records. Khweis is expected to appear in court Thursday afternoon. In an 11-page affidavit, FBI Special Agent Victoria I. Martinez alleged that Khweis, 26, moved to various Islamic State safehouses during his time abroad and admitted in an interview that he told another member of the group also known as ISIL or ISIS that he wanted to be a suicide bomber in response to a question he thought was meant to test his loyalty. Martinez stated in the affidavit that Khweis was "inspired to join ISIL because he saw that they had established an Islamic caliphate and were in the process of expanding it." No lawyer was listed for Khweis in court records, and his father has declined repeated requests for an interview with The Washington Post. Before he left the United States, Khweis was unknown to the FBI. But the son of a limo driver and cosmetologist described his time overseas himself in a video released by Kurdish TV, saying that he ultimately decided it wasn't to his liking. "I found it very, very hard to live there," Khweis told Kurdistan 24. Khweis, of Alexandria, graduated from Fairfax County's Edison High School in 2007. He took classes at Northern Virginia Community College from 2009 to 2014, eventually earning an associate's degree in administration of justice, a college spokeswoman said. Several professors at the college said they did not know or remember him. Khweis also worked as a teller at Sandy Spring Bank in Fairfax from 2009 to 2011, a bank spokeswoman said. Court records show that Khweis was charged with more than a dozen traffic or other minor offenses, such as trespassing and DWI, from 2007 to 2012. He paid hundreds of dollars in fines and other costs and, in the trespassing case, completed more than 50 hours of community service at an adult learning center, the records show. Martinez alleged in the affidavit that Khweis said in an interview with investigators that he became interested in joining the Islamic State in mid-2015, and he conducted extensive online research, watching videos of Islamic members executing prisoners and conducting other operations. In December of that year, he flew out of Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport, selling his car before he left the country, Martinez alleged in the affidavit. Martinez stated that Khweis stopped briefly in London and communicated while he was there with an extremist cleric before he moved on to Turkey and Syria. Khweis said at one point that he was approached by a group from the Islamic State arm responsible for training foreign volunteers to carry out attacks in their home countries, but he did not commit to training with them, according to Martinez's account in the affidavit. Martinez wrote in the affidavit that Khweis spoke with the FBI voluntarily and waived his Miranda rights, and he also told agents that his interview on Kurdish TV was not done under duress. Although U.S. prosecutors have charged at least 85 people nationwide with Islamic State-related crimes, Khweis is the first American to have been captured on the battlefield. According to a recent congressional report, more than 250 Americans have tried or succeeded in getting to Syria and Iraq to fight with militant groups although that figure includes even those who never left the United States. American officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, estimated recently that two dozen have been killed in Syria and that another two dozen are still fighting there. Kurdish peshmerga forces said they first fired on Khweis when they encountered him near the town of Sinjar in northwestern Iraq, then took him into custody. "This is an unusual situation," said Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who tracks terrorism suspects. "It's relatively rare, first of all, for an American to attempt to go to Syria and Iraq to join the militants. It's even rarer for them to make it." According to his own account on TV and to several people who knew him, Khweis was born and raised in Virginia, the son of Palestinian parents who came to this country more than two decades ago. The yearbook from his senior year lists him as having participated in no extracurricular activities. Friends have said he was a soft-spoken teenager who wore designer shoes and showed no signs of being a particularly devout Muslim. "He was a good, kindhearted person," said one family friend, who declined to give his name. Martinez alleged in the affidavit that when Khweis was detained by the peshmerga, he had three mobile phones, two bank cards and about $600 in various currencies. The FBI agent stated that Khweis had maps of Turkey, Iraq and Syria on his electronic devices, as well as images of the World Trade Center burning on Sept. 11, 2001. Martinez wrote that Khweis acknowledged he knew the Islamic State "used violence in its expansion of the caliphate," but also asserted that the group "engaged in peaceful and humanitarian efforts." In the video posted on Kurdistan 24, Khweis said that he traveled to Turkey via London and Amsterdam, and that there he met an "Iraqi girl" who said she knew someone who could take them into Syria. He decided to follow her, he said, and after a circuitous journey, he found himself undergoing intensive religious and legal instruction in Mosul. Khweis, who said in the video that he attended American mosques infrequently, said that he immediately regretted his decision to go with the girl, and that he particularly did not enjoy his time in Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq and the Islamic State's main stronghold in the country. Khweis said that he was banned from smoking and made to study religion eight hours a day, and that he soon reached out for a friend to help facilitate his escape. "My message to the American people is: The life in Mosul, it's really, really bad," he said. Adam Goldman and Julie Tate contributed to this report. | 5 | 99,494 | news |
Had a sinking feeling about the economy of late? It may not be your imagination. Economic indicators have flashed yellow for much of 2016, and the latest jobs report shows further depletion of the work force and a dearth of job creation. That trend, says one major bank, may be attributable to President Barack Obama's signature legislation. Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the worst jobs report in almost six years . The US economy only added 38,000 jobs, less than a tenth of the estimated 458,000 Americans who left the workforce. In fact, thanks to revisions made to the March and April reports, that exceeds the number of jobs created in the past three months (348,000) by more than 100,000. The workforce participation rate dropped back to 62.6 percent, near a 40-year low, and more than three full points below its level at the start of the recovery in June 2009 (65.7 percent). Related video: Study Shows Health Care CEOs Overwhelmingly Support Obamacare Related: Get Ready for Huge Obamacare Premium Hikes in 2017 To call this a wide miss is an understatement. Economists had predicted a moderate jobs gain, with Reuters forecast . The unemployment rate dropped to 4.7 percent, but analysts widely noted that this was a result of the large exodus from the workforce. That included an increase of 130,000 among those who have left the workforce but still desire employment, outnumbering the jobs added in May. The news on jobs might possibly be worse than even this indicates. An economist at Johns Hopkins called into question the seasonal adjustment calculations used by the BLS. Jonathan Wright recalculated the data and concluded that the economy had lost 4,000 jobs . Instead of a three-month average jobs gain of 116,000 well below the 131,000-jobs-added level needed to keep up with population growth at a workforce participation rate of 62.6 percent -- the three-month average was actually 107,000, and 114,000 for all of 2016. On top of that, the second estimate of first-quarter GDP growth came in at an annualized rate of 0.8 percent, just short of contraction. The jobs market and the economy have both stalled. We have not experienced annual GDP growth above 2.5 percent in any year since recovery began in June 2009, making this the weakest recovery in the post-war period. One data point in particular might give at least some indication why. The number of part-time workers in jobs for economic reasons shot up by 468,000, apart from the 458,000 that left the workforce altogether. Slack work or business conditions accounted for 181,000 of these jobs, while another 77,000 could only find part-time work. Analysts at Goldman Sachs have noticed this trend for some time, and put the blame on Obamacare . "The evidence suggests that the [Affordable Care Act] has at least modestly elevated involuntary part-time employment," Goldman Sachs economist Alec Philips wrote in a research note published on Wednesday. Obamacare had the greatest impact on industries that traditionally do not offer strong health insurance coverage, such as retail stores and the hospitality industry. Phillips noted that these have the highest levels of involuntary part-time workers, and believes that the ACA has forced "a few hundred thousand" to take cuts in hours or accept part-time work as a result. That may not seem like a high number, given the amount of people in the US workforce. However, as we approach the seventh anniversary of the Obama recovery, the continued rise in involuntary part-time workers demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the economy, Phillips argues. As Joseph Lawler noted for The Washington Examiner , the number of people forced into part-time work has grown by over 600,000 people in the last seven months. It's not getting better it's getting worse . One key area has grown exponentially in the recovery period, though regulation at every level. Hudson Institute fellow Marie-Josée Kravis wrote in Friday's Wall Street Journal that federal regulation twists incentives and punishes small businesses, which provides the engine of job creation in the American economy. In 2010, Kravis notes, federal regulation put a burden on small businesses that cost 20 percent more than it did large companies, thanks to economies of scale. Obamacare makes that situation even worse. Larger companies can distribute the costs of increased health insurance costs and the employer mandate more broadly. Smaller employers, which have less market clout and smaller room for error, feel the shock of the employer coverage mandate more directly. The ACA directly incentivizes employers to use part-time rather than full-time workers, and smaller businesses have the necessity of grasping at any competitive advantage they can get. Six years after its passage and almost three years after its implementation, Goldman Sachs still sees Obamacare as a prime driver of forced part-time employment. As Kravis concludes, what we have been doing for the last seven years of the weakest recovery on record clearly hasn't worked. It's time to try something new like getting rid of job-killing regulation, with Obamacare first on the list to go. | 3 | 99,495 | finance |
One of the biggest reasons Donald Trump is considered to be a long shot to win the presidency is the diversity of the country. As Joe Scarborough of MSNBC put it , "There are not enough white voters in America for Donald Trump to win while getting routed among minorities." But a growing body of evidence suggests that there is still a path, albeit a narrow one, for Mr. Trump to win without gains among nonwhite voters. New analysis shows that millions more white, older working-class voters went to the polls in 2012 than was found by exit polls on Election Day. This raises the prospect that Mr. Trump has a larger pool of potential voters than generally believed. Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter The wider path may help explain why Mr. Trump is competitive in early general election surveys against Hillary Clinton. And it calls into question the prevailing demographic explanation of recent elections, which held that Barack Obama did very poorly among whites and won only because young and minority voters turned out in record numbers. This story line led Republicans to conclude that they had maximized their support from white voters and needed to reach out to Hispanics to win in 2016. Those previous conclusions emerged from exit polls released on election night. The new data from the census, voter registration files, polls and the finalized results tells a subtly different story with potential consequences for the 2016 election. The data implies that Mr. Obama was not as weak among white voters as typically believed. He fared better than his predecessors among white voters outside the South. Demographic shifts weren't so important: He would have been re-elected even with an electorate as old and white as it was in 2004. Latino voters did not put Mr. Obama over the top, as many argued in the days after Mr. Obama's re-election. He would have won even if he had done as poorly among Latino voters as John Kerry. This is all good news for Mr. Trump. There's more room for him to make gains among white working-class voters than many assumed enough to win without making gains among nonwhite or college-educated white voters. But Mr. Trump's narrow path could close if he loses ground among well-educated voters and alienates even more nonwhite voters than Mitt Romney did four years ago. His ratings among these groups remain poor, and he continues to draw fresh criticism, most recently for saying the judge overseeing a lawsuit against Trump University is biased because of his Mexican heritage. An Older, Whiter, Less-Educated Electorate When you hear about the demographic challenges facing the Republican Party, almost all of the data comes from exit polls: surveys conducted with tens of thousands of voters at precincts across the country on Election Day, along with a supplemental telephone survey with early voters. The exit polls are excellent surveys. But like any survey, they're imperfect. The problem is that analysts, including me, have treated the exit polls like a precise account of the electorate. "There are campaigns and journalists who take the exit polls as the word of God about the shape of the electorate and their voting propensities," said Michael McDonald, a political scientist at the University of Florida who researches voter turnout. "They're meant to tell us why people voted. They're not designed to tell us much about the demographic profile of the electorate." The exit polls have a series of subtle biases that depict a younger, better-educated and more diverse electorate. Mr. McDonald tentatively reached this conclusion in 2005, and the pattern has been seen in a broader set of data. The evidence for a whiter, less-educated and older electorate comes from two main sources. The first and longest-standing source of alternative data is the Current Population Survey , known as the C.P.S. Conducted by the Census Bureau, it is the same monthly survey that yields the unemployment report. After elections, it includes a question about whether people voted. A second source is the so-called voter file: a compilation of local records on every American who has registered to vote, including address, age and whether the person voted in a given election. The voter file data used for analysis here comes from Catalist, a Democratic data firm that offers an academic subscription . Researchers have found that the data is unbiased and more accurate than public voting records. These sources show a 2012 electorate that was far whiter, older and less educated than the exit polls indicated. Over all, the exit polls suggest that 23 percent of voters in 2012 were white, over age 45 and without a college degree. Catalist puts this group at 29 percent, and the census at 30 percent implying 10 million more voters than the 23 percent figure. What's the best estimate? That's a matter for debate. "The truth, if you could ever get to it, is probably somewhere between the three measures," said Joe Lenski, the vice president at Edison Research, who runs the exit poll, "because they all have their faults." They do have their faults. Just about every year, the census reports more people voted than actually did especially in Southern states with a large black population . The census also has a challenge with people who decline to say whether they voted. Things can go wrong with the voter file, too, if, say, the state erred in data entry or updates. The models are imperfect as well. But for many experts in the field, these issues pale next to those facing the exit polls. For Bernard Fraga, a professor of political science at Indiana University, there is "no question that the exit poll is not as accurate." He added, "It's clearly much more reliable to look at the C.P.S. or even better to look at the voter file-based work." Today, virtually all major campaign polling, voter targeting and election law litigation is conducted using voter file data. The actual results also tend to imply that the census and Catalist figures make a lot more sense in many of the cases where the disagreements are greatest. Take Ohio, where the exit polls show that the black share of the electorate increased by four percentage points to more than 15 percent of voters in 2012. If these figures are taken as precise, it would imply that nearly 250,000 more black voters turned out than in 2008, with the turnout reaching 88 percent of adult black citizens. There is no trace of this kind of surge in turnout in the actual result. The black turnout in Cleveland actually dropped to 55 percent of adult citizens. This type of story repeats itself across the battlegrounds. It also plays out with age, where the exit polls imply that youth turnout was higher than turnout among seniors; with education, where the exit polls show that more college graduates voted than actually live in America; or Hispanics, where the exit polls show that white and Hispanic turnout was nearly equal, despite decades of evidence to the contrary. You can see more of this data here . The Democratic Dependence on White Working-Class Voters The larger number of white working-class voters implies that Democrats are far more dependent on winning white working-class voters, and therefore more vulnerable to a populist candidate like Mr. Trump. Over all, 34 percent of Mr. Obama's supporters were white voters without a college degree, compared with 25 percent in the exit polls, according to an Upshot statistical model that integrated census data, actual results and 15,000 interviews from various pre-election surveys. The model yields a full alternative to the exit polls that assume an older, whiter electorate like the one depicted by the census. (For those interested in the details about our estimates, we've written a technical sidebar. ) "This is a great way to deal with the limits of traditional surveys," said Andrew Gelman, a professor at Columbia who popularized the statistical technique known as multilevel regression and post-stratification. "It smooths out noise, reduces bias and arrives at better estimates for smaller groups." Mr. Obama's dependence among white voters might seem surprising in light of the 2012 postelection consensus. But it won't be surprising if you think just a little further back to the pre-election story line. Mr. Obama's advantage heading into the election was thought to be a "Midwestern Firewall" a big edge in Midwestern battlegrounds where white working-class voters supported the auto bailout and were skeptical of Mr. Romney, who was criticized for his time at Bain Capital. The pre-election story line was tossed aside when the national exit polls showed an electorate that was even more diverse than it was in 2008, while showing Mr. Obama faring worse among white voters than any Democrat since Walter Mondale in 1984. But the Upshot analysis shows that all of Mr. Obama's weaknesses were in the South defined as the former Confederacy plus Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky and West Virginia where he won just 26 percent. Outside the South, he won 46 percent of white voters, even running ahead of Mr. Kerry and Al Gore in earlier elections. Many of the regions where Mr. Obama lost ground in white areas outside the South like the energy-producing areas of North Dakota or Appalachia, Mormon Utah, culturally Southern stretches of Southern Illinois, or Mr. Kerry and Mr. Romney's home state of Massachusetts were exceptions that proved the rule. The Upshot obtained similar estimates for 2012 from Mr. Ghitza, who matched polling data to the Catalist voter registration file, in his dissertation on the use of big data in politics. Mr. Ghitza found similar figures as The Upshot's estimates using different data sets and different models. Demographics Overrated. The data implies that demographic shifts played a somewhat smaller role in Mr. Obama's re-election than the postelection narrative suggested. Even if the electorate were as old and as white as it was in 2004, Mr. Obama would have won, because of the gains he made among white voters in states like New Mexico, Colorado and Iowa. Hispanic voters played only a modest role in Mr. Romney's defeat. They cost him Florida a must-win state for Republicans, but also the closest contest. Elsewhere, Mr. Obama would have easily survived even if Mr. Romney had equaled George W. Bush's 2004 share of Hispanic voters. All of this is good news for a Republican who intends to win with greater strength among white working-class voters, like Mr. Trump. There is a downside for him. The lower turnout among Hispanic and young voters implies that it's possible even easy to imagine a huge increase in Hispanic and youth turnout in 2016. And Mr. Obama's strength among Northern white voters raises doubts about whether the Republicans, including Mr. Trump, can assume that white working-class voters are receptive to conservative candidates. The best case for Mr. Trump is that white Northerners reluctantly backed Mr. Obama because Mr. Romney was successfully caricatured as a rapacious plutocrat. Yet it's hard to argue that the attacks on Bain Capital were responsible for Mr. Obama's gains among young and college-educated white voters. These voters moved decisively in Mr. Obama's direction, perhaps in part because of cultural issues. If that's right, Mr. Trump will be hard pressed to reverse Mr. Obama's gains and there's plenty of evidence he could slip further. The Missing-White-Voter Theory. There has long been a notion that Mr. Romney was hurt by "missing white voters," those who voted in 2008 but skipped the 2012 presidential election. And the G.O.P.'s hope is that Mr. Trump could benefit with a surge of those Republican-leaning voters. But that view of 2012 is largely unsupported by the data. The decline in white turnout in 2012 was particularly marked among registered Democrats, according to data from Catalist. Republican turnout dropped a bit as well, but it was less than the drop among Democrats across every age cohort. And among voters over age 60, Republican turnout increased. According to data from L2, a nonpartisan voter file vendor, the missing white voters were far more likely to be registered Democrats, or to have participated in Democratic primaries, than the white voters who actually did turn out. Is it possible that some of these Democrats are actually ready to vote for Mr. Trump? Yes. But it's a stretch to argue that a huge share of them would have voted for Mr. Romney or would vote for Mr. Trump, especially considering how young they are. (Mr. Trump's support is weaker among the young). They could just as easily be supporters of Bernie Sanders. Even if the missing white voters were disproportionately Republican, a return to previous turnout levels wouldn't have been anywhere near enough to get Mr. Romney over the top. There were far fewer missing white voters in the battleground states than there were nationally. There weren't close to enough of them to flip the outcome in key states. The real pool of missing white voters are those who haven't participated in any recent election, or aren't even registered to vote. There are millions of these missing white voters but they will be much harder to mobilize. Many are young, and might not be especially favorable to Mr. Trump. The older ones are true bystanders in American politics. Can Trump Pull It Off? To win, Mr. Trump will need to make gains among white working-class voters. The earliest evidence, and polling this early can be quite inaccurate, suggests that he is doing that handily. So far, Mr. Trump leads Mrs. Clinton by 27 points among white voters without a degree, 58 percent to 31 percent, in the last six national surveys from major news organizations. In the final 2012 polls, Mr. Romney led by just 19 points among such voters, 58 percent to 39 percent, over Mr. Obama. One of the big questions for Mr. Trump is whether his polling gains among that group, should they hold, will manifest themselves in battleground states. Mr. Romney's national gains over Mr. Bush did him relatively little good: They were concentrated in the South and Appalachia, where they had little influence on the Electoral College. For now, it's an open question whether Mr. Trump will make outsize gains in important states like Iowa, Ohio or Wisconsin, where he struggled in the primary season. Mr. Trump's big advantage among white working-class voters hasn't translated to a much stronger position in national polls. That's because he is underperforming Mr. Romney's 2012 results among white voters with a college degree and nonwhite voters, often by a far greater amount than he's gaining among working-class whites. The same polls show Mrs. Clinton leading among college-educated white voters by 47 percent to 42 percent. It's a reversal from 2012, when Mr. Romney led that group by six points, 52 percent to 46 percent in the final polls. Even modest additional gains for Mrs. Clinton among well-educated white voters or nonwhite voters would quickly start to make things very challenging for Mr. Trump. If Mr. Trump lost five points among well-educated white voters and Hispanics, which is how he's doing in current polls, his target for white working-class voters would quickly skyrocket. In a battleground state like Colorado, for example, he would need to gain 15 percentage points more of the white working class. Whether Mr. Trump can suppress his losses among well-educated voters and Latinos will be decided by a lot more than demographics. Usually, the so-called fundamentals including the current president's approval rating and the pace of economic growth play a big role in determining whether voters will support the incumbent's party. This year, there are other big questions: whether Mr. Trump's penchant to offend goes too far, and whether Mrs. Clinton has an advantage with women and faces a penalty among men (and which is bigger). So far, the polls suggest he will lose too much ground among well-educated and nonwhite voters to win. But the diversity of the country in itself does not rule out a victory for Mr. Trump. The Upshot provides news, analysis and graphics about politics, policy and everyday life. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter . Sign up for our newsletter. | 5 | 99,496 | news |
Terrified medical staff rushed to rescue nine newborns after heavy bombing near a children's hospital in Syria's divided Aleppo city, according to the leading paediatrician there. In a statement published by The Syria Campaign advocacy group, Dr Hatem, the chief of the Al-Hakim children's hospital, described the aftermath of a raid that struck just outside the facility on Wednesday. "It was a horrible moment. The nurses were trampling each other to rush the babies to the basement, while many of them started to cry," said Dr Hatem, whose full name was not disclosed. Government bombardment of rebel-held eastern Aleppo hit within a few hundred metres (yards) of three medical facilities on Wednesday, including near Al-Hakim and near the Al-Bayan hospital, leaving at least 15 civilians dead. At Al-Hakim, nurses were worried the newborns would breathe in the dust and debris in the wake of the raid, Dr Hatem said. "As my staff moved the incubators, I went to tell the people in the waiting room to leave the hospital. I ordered them to 'Leave now! There might be a second attack,'" Dr Hatem said. "We expected that it would happen one day, and today is that day. There are now only 18 incubators left in eastern Aleppo." The newborns all survived but the hospital was left inoperable. Founded in mid-2012, the hospital has been forced to relocate multiple times in fear of government raids, said its funder, the Independent Doctors Association. Syria's brutal conflict has killed more than 280,000 people and has seen hospitals destroyed across the country. In April, Dr Hatem mourned the death of his colleague Mohammad Wassim Maaz, killed in an air strike at Aleppo's Al-Quds hospital. Dr Hatem pledged to repair and reopen the Al-Hakim hospital, which served roughly 3,800 patients each month. "I want every president to imagine that one of these newborns were his own son or daughter. Whatever they would do for their sons if they were bombed, they must do for these newborns." Doctors in opposition-controlled parts of Aleppo city have raised alarm over medical conditions there, particularly as the last route out into the rest of the province is under near-daily bombardment. "Aleppans' options are running out," said Dr Samah Bassas of the Syria Relief Network, an umbrella organisation of 60 humanitarian groups in Syria. "The bombs we are used to. But if we are to be held under siege, hunger and disease will quickly take hold. Even more death is inevitable," she said. | 5 | 99,497 | news |
Jun 8, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts while walking to the bench during the second quarter in game three of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports Ken Blaze Stephen Curry had a downright bad game Wednesday night in Cleveland, as the Warriors were blown out 120-90 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. For a significant span of the game, Curry, the first-ever unanimous MVP in league history, was inarguably the worst player on the court. Something had to be up, right? Was Curry sick? Is he injured? It didn't look like the Cavs were defending him in a different way, but was there something they were doing that took him out of the game? No, no, and no. Sometimes even the best players have bad games, and Curry picked a bad time to have one. OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 8: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Three of the 2016 NBA Finals on June 8, 2016 at The Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) Andrew D. Bernstein AP The Warriors still have a 2-1 lead, but if Curry decides to make it a trend, this series -- which after two games looked like an inevitable Warriors win -- will be tied. He admitted as much after Wednesday's contest. "Unfortunately, it was all me," Curry said. "I have to play a hundred times better than that, especially in the first quarter, to kind of control the game, and I didn't do it." Should superstar players like Curry be afforded an allowance of bad games, particularly in high-leverage situations? (Despite the Warriors' 2-0 lead, Game 3 was just that -- all Finals games are high-leverage situations.) Probably not. Their superstar status makes them a cut above a normal player, and the NBA Finals is the time where they are supposed to show that night in, night out. But Curry is not a typical superstar. He plays a style that few before him have played, and no one has come close to the levels he's reached. The typical superstar is an isolation scorer in the mold of Michael Jordan or LeBron James. Curry is the first of his kind -- a jump-shooting point guard who thrives not in one-on-one situations, but in chaos. Without that chaos, it's hard for Curry to find a rhythm -- one that other superstars can manufacture with enough touches at their favorite spot on the court. CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 8: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game during the 2016 NBA Finals Game Three on June 8, 2016 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) Nathaniel S. Butler AP History will be the ultimate judge of Curry, and should he come out and have a big Game 4 Friday and eventually lead the Warriors to a second title in as many years, no one will recall Wednesday's poor performance. But we don't have that kind of perspective at our disposal at the moment, so in the buildup to that pivotal Game 4, Curry's performance will be under a microscope. Much will be made of the MVP's Finals production, which, according to the box score, has been poor. That said, the box score doesn't tell the full story. OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 02: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors with the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 2, 2016 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Ezra Shaw AP Curry' Game 3 was a bad performance, there's no doubt about that. Curry was disengaged defensively and he wasn't showing the energy or tenacity necessary to affect the Cavs when the Warriors had the ball. He missed open shots and had as many turnovers (6) as field goals. "It's not about living up to a certain expectation other than the one that I have for myself, and I haven't done that, or I didn't do that tonight, and I've got to be better," Curry said. But Curry has not been poor in these Finals. His box score numbers might not have matched his regular-season stats (29 points total in the first two games of the Finals) but he was affecting the Cavaliers in a significant way. In Games 1 and 2, Cleveland had to double-team Curry on most every possession, and the gravity he created against a disjointed Cavaliers defense opened up all sorts of offensive opportunities for his teammates. The Cavs aimed to switch assignments less often in Game 3, and Curry's poor start to the game and Cleveland's early 19-point lead helped that cause. Cleveland didn't need to focus so much defensive attention on Curry with that significant cushion. Curry found a bit of offensive rhythm as the game progressed, but his inability to torch the Cavs' for not paying as much attention to him on defense meant the Cleveland gameplan didn't change -- there was no chance of chaos in Game 3 -- and the Cavs coasted to a victory. OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 02: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots as LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers tries to block the shot in the first half in Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 2, 2016 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Ezra Shaw Getty Images North America Curry doesn't need to go out and score 45 points in Game 4 to make up for the Game 3 loss. He just needs to affect the Cavaliers defense in the way that he did in Games 1 and 2. Given his poor performance Wednesday, that's probably going to take a fast start that includes a few super-deep 3-pointers. But so long as Curry forces the Cavs to double-team him; so long as he creates the chaos in which he and the Warriors' offense thrive, he'll have done his job. Curry is not a normal superstar, for better or worse. His legacy is still a work in progress, but history rewards winners, and the Warriors don't need a historic scoring outburst from the league MVP to beat the Cavs -- that's not how the team is built. Curry merely needs to be more engaged -- more of a threat -- in Game 4 if the Warriors are going to find themselves up 3-1 in these NBA Finals. | 1 | 99,498 | sports |
CLEVELAND There's no more complicated relationship between a star player and the contending team for which he performs than that of Kevin Love and the Cavaliers. Everything went so smoothly for the Cavs in their 120-90 Game 3 win Wednesday night the magnificent ball movement, the elite play of Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, the rebounding and defense and perimeter shooting it was easy to shrug off the fact this all happened with Love elsewhere. But in the aftermath, the lingering subplot of Love's absence as the Cavs thrived is impossible to ignore. MORE: Photos of this year's Finals | Classic Finals shots For two games in Oakland, the Cavs looked like they barely belonged on the floor with the Warriors. In Game 3, without Love, they blew away those same Warriors, and did so with 35-year-old Richard Jefferson taking Love's starting spot. That gives the Cavs a what-now question with which to wrestle, in both the short and long term. There's a chance Love will return to this series, and could even do so for Game 4 if he can pass the league's concussion protocol. But it's uncertain whether coach Tyronn Lue would be so bold as to keep Jefferson in a starting role and use Love off the bench. And it would be bold. Love is the guy this team handed a five-year, $115 million contract last summer, the guy who cost them No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins in 2014. Lue was coy on the subject. When asked, he first wondered aloud whether he had to answer. Then he simply said, "I'm not going to tell you." DEVENEY: Irving gets redemption, LeBron peace in Game 3 Jefferson rolled his eyes at the notion of the Cavs being better off without Love. "Kevin wanted to be on the court," Jefferson said. "I saw how pissed off he was when he wasn't cleared in time. We're in this together. We've all picked each other up." It's a reasonable question, though. It's one game and writing off a star-caliber player based on how his team plays in one game without him would be lunacy. But in his two seasons with the Cavaliers, Love has never quite fit in, has never meshed and learned to play off James the way his frontcourt counterpart during James' time in Miami, Chris Bosh, was able to do. In fact, the day after Love re-signed with the Cavs last summer, one NBA executive predicted, "Maybe in February or in the summer, you could see Love being talked about" on the trade market. That was again the prediction around this year's trade deadline, and if the Cavs can't complete their Finals comeback and win a championship this year, the Love-on-the-block chatter will be back this summer. MORE: Ranking the 17 most important players in series It can't be said that Love has not tried to figure out his role. He has. Love has acknowledged there was an earnest meeting of the minds between him and James in Los Angeles last summer before Love signed his contract to stay in Cleveland. There have been public commitments by the Cavaliers and Love to get him better integrated into the offense, and there have been more conferences with James and Lue and David Blatt before him. But the feeling that Love isn't a natural fit here carries on. Which is not to say Love isn't a star or that he's worthy of fan disdain. He has at least one prominent defender. "It's interesting to me why there's hate on Kevin Love," Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said Wednesday. "It drives me crazy. Guy's one of the best players in the NBA, he's been playing fantastic in the playoffs, he actually played well in Game 1, and in Game 2, nobody played well for the Cavaliers. It makes me laugh, the hatred for Kevin Love, and it's really misplaced." MORE: Kerr says Warriors were 'soft' in Game 3 Of course, there has been a question about Love with the Cavaliers ever since the trade in late summer 2014 that sent Wiggins to Minnesota. In the wake of that year's draft, Wiggins had been assured there were no plans to trade him. Even after James shocked the NBA world by signing back with the Cavs, the Wiggins camp was operating under the assumption Wiggins would remain in Cleveland and team with James. One league source told Sporting News the impression Cavaliers general manager David Griffin left at that time was that he was not interested in Love, because he had been injury-prone and had no playoff experience or proven ability as a winner. It's hypothetical, but it's likely that Wiggins' athleticism and defensive skill would have been the better fit in Cleveland, even with his youth and inexperience, than Love. "They went from no interest in Kevin Love and worrying he was soft and all that, being all-in on Andrew Wiggins, to getting up close with Minnesota after Summer League that year," one source with knowledge of the situation told Sporting News. "You know, they'd been saying no, they were not interested in Kevin Love. That changed. Maybe it was LeBron, maybe it was ownership getting a little antsy, but they reversed their course on that. Once Golden State (which was considering dealing Klay Thompson for Love) pulled out, that was it." MORE: LeBron has no time for Curry's shenanigans Indeed, that has been it for the last two years in Cleveland Love is here, Wiggins is not and the Cavaliers have had to work very hard to find ways to make it all work. On Wednesday, with the 30-point win on the books, it did work, and convincingly so. But it worked without Love, so that even in the most impressive Finals performance in the Cavaliers' history, the subplots and questions around their erstwhile star persist. | 1 | 99,499 | sports |
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