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[
"Dayn Perry",
"Min Read",
"Matt Snyder",
"R.J. Anderson",
"Mike Axisa",
"Stephen Pianovich"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:58+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:00:00
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The shortstop is having a big season in 2023 for a Toronto team with the playoffs in mind
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fmlb%2Fnews%2Fbo-bichette-injury-blue-jays-shortstop-leaves-game-early-with-right-knee-discomfort-while-running-bases%2F.json
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Toronto Blue Jays All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette was forced to leave his team's Monday night game against the Orioles with a non-contact injury to his right leg (BAL-TOR GameTracker). The club later announced the injury as "right knee discomfort." There was no indication as to whether that's just a preliminary diagnosis or if he's set for additional testing and imagining.
Bichette suffered the injury as he rounded first base following a single to right field in the third inning. As he pulled up to halt his progress toward second base, Bichette's leg appeared to give. After being tagged out on the play, he limped off the field accompanied by a trainer. In the top of the fourth, he was replaced at shortstop by Santiago Espinal. Here's a look at the play:
At this writing, the Blue Jays have not yet provided an update on Bichette.
This season, the 25-year-old is slashing .321/.352/.494 with an AL-leading 144 hits, 17 of which are home runs. Needless to say, he's a critical member of a Blue Jays team that's in the thick of the AL playoff race. Losing him for any length of time would be a serious blow to their hopes.
Coming into Monday night's game against first-place Baltimore, the 59-47 Jays were tied with the Astros for the second wild-card spot in the AL.
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www.cbssports.com
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Bo Bichette injury: Blue Jays shortstop leaves game early with right knee discomfort while running bases
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https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/bo-bichette-injury-blue-jays-shortstop-leaves-game-early-with-right-knee-discomfort-while-running-bases/
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[
"Meredith Gordon",
"Min Read",
"Fox Van Allen",
"Cbs Sports Promos"
] |
2023-08-01 00:53:58+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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Sports enthusiasts swear by Garmin smart watches. And they're on sale at Amazon now.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fessentials%2Fnews%2Fbest-deals-on-garmin-activity-trackers-and-smartwatches-2023-07-31%2F.json
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Garmin
When it comes to smart watches and the best watches for runners, there's no shortage of choices. But while we love the most popular options, the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra and coming Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, one of the biggest selections in smart watches for sports enthusiast comes from Garmin.
Lucky for us, Amazon is holding a sale right now on a selection of Garmin Smart Watches, including the 4.7-star-rated Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar. We chose our favorites below, which we must admit, was no easy feat.
Our favorite Garmin smart watches deals:
What's so great about a Garmin smart watch?
Good question. Known for innovation and accuracy, Garmin is known for being at the forefront of technology. From solar powered smart watches to detailed fitness trackers, the American watch brand is known as much for style as product features.
What sets Garmin apart from other smart watch companies is its multi-sport tracking available on certain models and navigation features. This makes Garmin smart watches winners with runners, swimmers, adventurers and anyone wanting to up their fitness game with detailed feedback and metrics.
And while a smart watch won't get you to the gym (oh wouldn't that be nice), Garmin's analytics can help you understand how to optimize movement more. It might just be the motivation you need to push yourself to the next level.
Amazon reviewers were quite evangelical about Garmin smart watches, many of whom had upgraded to a Garmin after years using similar less expensive brands. Buyers enthusiastically touted Garmin's accuracy. Styling won big points with reviewers, some of whom called theirs "gorgeous" and "beautiful." Reviewers noted Garmin is "a tad expensive." Fair point, but more often than not reviewers felt their purchase was well worth the price -- especially when you can snag a great deal on Garmin at Amazon.
What do we like about Garmin? Thanks for asking. While we were first drawn to Garmin because of Amazon's killer discount, we dug into reviews and were struck by buyers' passion, even on the higher-priced models. Durability and accuracy rated big from buyers, which means the purchase will pay off over time.
Shop Amazon's best deals on Garmin smart watches
When choosing which Garmin smart watches to feature, we considered multiple factors.
Price? Yeah. We work hard for our money and know you do, too. We loved the variety of deep Amazon discounts on Garmin, but considered much more than price when making our selections.
Yeah. We work hard for our money and know you do, too. We loved the variety of deep Amazon discounts on Garmin, but considered much more than price when making our selections. Functionality. We thought long and hard about what each watch does. More importantly, do we need it? Smart watch bells and whistles are great if you'll actually use them. If not, you're paying extra for features that sound good at a dinner party but never actually get used.
We thought long and hard about what each watch does. More importantly, do we need it? Smart watch bells and whistles are great if you'll actually use them. If not, you're paying extra for features that sound good at a dinner party but never actually get used. How does it look? Call us superficial, but if we're going to wear a tiny computer on our arm, we don't want it to look like a tiny computer on our arm.
Call us superficial, but if we're going to wear a tiny computer on our arm, we don't want it to look like a tiny computer on our arm. What did other people say? We don't mind standing out in a crowd and forming our own opinions, but we do consider buyer reviews from confirmed buyers. Glowing reviews en masse are as informative as critical reviews screaming "Buyer beware!"
Now, the fun part. Let's shop.
Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar: Save $125
Amazon
It's impossible not to be impressed with the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar smart watch from Garmin. One of the top-of-the-line models, this is a long-running, multisport GPS tracker with a scratch-resistant Power Sapphire lens, which uses the sun to extend battery life.
Clever features like the built-in LED flashlight keep you illuminated after dark (dusk runners, hello!), while the 24/7 health and wellness tracker can also track sleep (and help you enhance it). GPS makes this watch incredibly accurate, a bonus for trail runners, adventurers, and anyone on the go. The 28-day battery life in smart watch mode was music to our ears.
We really like the look of the Fenix 7, which comes in nearly a dozen colors to suit every personality and taste.
Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar, $877 (reduced from $1,000)
Need more? If you like the idea of the ultimate adventurer's smart watch, but want to up your watch game slightly, we like Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics Edition. The military-inspired designed with have you feeling like you're on a mission every time you step out, the navigation sensors and ski maps will keep you busy (and safe) all day.
"Worth every penny!" says one Amazon reviewer of this pricey smart watch.
Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics Edition, $1,590
Garmin Vivoactive 4: $309
Amazon
When choosing a smart watch, we hate to let price dictate a purchase, but it's tough to deny the quality of Amazon's discount on the Garmin Vivoactive 4 GPS smartwatch. Keep track of everything from energy level, stress levels and sleep (sorry it can't find your keys, but they're probably still in the door, you're welcome), but it can track just about everything else.
Twenty preloaded indoor sports and GPS apps, including yoga, running, and swimming, can record all the ways you move, all day, all the time. Smart notifications keep you in touch with text messages and calendar reminders when paired with your mobile device.
We were impressed with the battery life, which can sustain one charge for up to 8 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 6 hours in GPS and music modes.
Available in two different sizes.
Garmin Vivoactive 4, $309 (reduced from $330)
Runners, evaluate your current training methods to find if you need more or less on the road, all while listening to the best music via your watch. Training for a marathon, or just wanted to make your runs more efficient, this is the smart watch for you.
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music GPS Running Smartwatch, $204 (reduced from $350)
Garmin Instinct: Save $75
Amazon
Boasting durability that can withstand life's adventures, the Garmin Instinct is shock and water resistant (up to 100 meters). Multiple navigation systems make for accurate tracking in rugged environments proving more accurate than GPS alone.
We like the track back feature for hiker, climbers, runners and adventurers to help navigate the back to your starting point. The battery life was a plus as well: 14 days in smartwatch mode and up to 16 hours in GPS mode.
Train with preloaded activity profiles and monitor heartrate, activity and stress, to make this one of the most efficient smart watches, especially for the price!
Four color options available.
Garmin Instinct GPS, $175 (reduced from $250)
A hiker's necessity, Garmin's lightweight and compact satellite communicator allows you to navigate back to your starting point, share your location, and pairs with Garmin devices to receive messages and trigger an SOS. Some features require an active satellite subscription.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator, $388 (reduced from $400)
Garmin Fenix 6X Pro: Save $230
Amazon
An older (shh, don't tell) cousin of the Fenix 7x, the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro has a large 1.4 inch display (that's 36% larger than Fenix predecessors) and uses solar power to end battery life, which lasts up to 21 days in smartwatch mode and up to 165 hours in GPS mode.
Systems here, including sleep monitoring, pulse, and heart rate monitoring are advanced and can assist with altitude acclimation at high elevations (hikers, mountain climbers!)
Pre-loaded ski maps for more than 2,000 worldwide ski resorts make this the perfect accessory for the ski bunny in all of us.
Garmin Fenix 6X Pro, $420 (reduced from $650)
Track tide changes and get anchor drag alerts with Garmin's marine GPS smart watch, the Garmin Quatix 7 Sapphire Edition. Called a "remarkable" wristwatch by one reviewer, sailors and fishermen and women, this is for you.
Garmin Quatix 7 Sapphire Edition, $900 (reduced from $1,000)
Shop more top-rated Garmin smart watches on Amazon
Best Garmin alternative: Apple Watch 8
Amazon
Apple Watch Series 8 features advanced health sensors and apps, so you can take an ECG, measure heart rate and blood oxygen and track temperature changes for advanced insights into your menstrual cycle. And with crash detection, sleep stages tracking and advanced workout metrics, it helps you stay active, healthy, safe and connected.
The Apple Watch 8 is available in four colors. It pairs effortlessly with Apple iPhones, but note that the Apple Watch is largely incompatible with Android smartphones.
Apple Watch 8 (41mm), $329 (reduced from $399)
Apple Watch Ultra is also a top Garmin alternative
Walmart
Key features of the Apple Watch Ultra:
The most advanced Apple Watch, ever
Designed for endurance athletes, outdoor adventurers and water sports enthusiasts
Up to 36 hours of battery life
Features a 49mm corrosion-resistant titanium case, Apple's largest
Brightest always-on Retina display of any Apple Watch model
Precision dual-frequency GPS for accuracy, distance, route and pace calculations
Apple Watch Ultra, $779 (reduced from $799)
Android alternative: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (pre-order)
Samsung
You need an Apple iPhone to get the most out of your Apple Watch. If you're an Android phone owner, consider going with the soon-to-be-released Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. It includes all of the best features and sensors of the 4.6-star-rated Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, with some notable upgrades. It's compatible with Android devices in a way that the Apple Watch 8 is not.
Key features of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6:
Android compatible
Comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes (larger is $30 extra)
Rotating bezel controls are back
Bezel is now smaller, giving you more screen space (1.3" and 1.5")
2 GB RAM, 16GB storage
Auto workout tracking can identify running, swimming, rowing and more
IP68 rated (water-resistant in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes)
Measures blood oxygen saturation and monitors your heart (ECG functionality)
Charge lasts for one to three days, depending on usage
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 releases on August 11. Amazon is currently offering a pre-order deal where you can get a $50 Amazon gift card.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 plus $50 Amazon gift card, $300 ($350 value)
Related Content on CBS Essentials:
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www.cbssports.com
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Best deals on Garmin activity trackers and smartwatches
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https://www.cbssports.com/essentials/news/best-deals-on-garmin-activity-trackers-and-smartwatches-2023-07-31/
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[
"Jordan Dajani",
"Min Read",
"Chris Trapasso",
"Douglas Clawson",
"Joel Corry",
"Will Brinson",
"Jeff Kerr",
"Jared Dubin"
] |
2023-08-01 00:55:04+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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Zylstra is reportedly undergoing more tests, but there isn't much optimism
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fnfl%2Fnews%2Flions-shane-zylstra-suffers-potentially-serious-knee-injury-could-reportedly-miss-6-months%2F.json
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The Detroit Lions have reportedly suffered a blow to their tight end room. Per NFL Media, Shane Zylstra is believed to have suffered a significant knee injury. He's undergoing more tests, but could miss six months according to the report.
Justin Rogers of The Detroit News reported Monday that Zylsta injured his right leg after being hit low by cornerback Khalil Dorsey, and was then taken to the locker room. Last season, Zylstra had a career year with 11 receptions for 60 yards and four touchdowns. He had a monster outing in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers, when he caught five passes for 26 yards and three touchdowns.
Zylstra went undrafted in 2020 out of Minnesota State, and got his first shot in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings -- who moved him from wide receiver to tight end. However, he didn't make the final roster, and later signed with Detroit's practice squad. In 17 total NFL games played, Zylstra has caught 14 passes for 94 yards and four touchdowns.
Detroit has four other tight ends on roster: Sam LaPorta, Derrick Deese Jr., James Mitchell and Brock Wright. LaPorta was selected out of Iowa with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and could play a significant role in Ben Johnson's offense as they look to replace T.J. Hockenson.
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www.cbssports.com
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Lions' Shane Zylstra suffers potentially serious knee injury, could reportedly miss 6 months
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https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/lions-shane-zylstra-suffers-potentially-serious-knee-injury-could-reportedly-miss-6-months/
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[
"Rotowire Staff",
"Min Read"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:16+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:04:00
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Mariners' Juan Then: Recalled from Tacoma
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Ffantasy%2Fbaseball%2Fnews%2Fmariners-juan-then-recalled-from-tacoma%2F.json
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The Mariners recalled Then from Triple-A Tacoma on Monday.
Then has had a rough season in the minors, accumulating a 13.19 ERA and 2.91 WHIP across 14.1 innings. Fortunately, he's been much more effective in the bigs, but he figures to primarily see action during low-leverage situations while in Seattle.
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www.cbssports.com
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Mariners' Juan Then: Recalled from Tacoma
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https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mariners-juan-then-recalled-from-tacoma/
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[
"Jordan Dajani",
"Min Read",
"Chris Trapasso",
"Douglas Clawson",
"Joel Corry",
"Will Brinson",
"Jeff Kerr"
] |
2023-08-01 00:55:10+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:00:00
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Jones is back in the NFC South
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fnfl%2Fnews%2Fpanthers-agree-to-terms-with-former-falcons-browns-linebacker-deion-jones-on-a-one-year-deal-per-report%2F.json
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The Carolina Panthers are adding some depth to their linebacking corps during training camp, as ESPN reported Monday that the club had agreed to terms with linebacker Deion Jones on a one-year deal.
Jones spent the 2022 season with the Cleveland Browns, who sent the Atlanta Falcons a sixth-round pick in exchange for his rights plus a seventh-rounder in October. In 11 games played for Cleveland, Jones recorded 44 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, three passes defensed and an interception.
Jones spent his first six NFL seasons with the Falcons, who selected him with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft out of LSU. He recorded 108 combined tackles, 11 passes defensed, three interceptions and scored two touchdowns as Atlanta made Super Bowl LI in his rookie year. After three NFL seasons and one Pro Bowl appearance, Atlanta gave Jones a four-year, $57 million extension that carried $34 million in guarantees, making him the second-highest-paid inside linebacker at the time. In 96 career games played, the 28-year-old linebacker has recorded 696 combined tackles, 11 sacks, 47 passes defensed and 12 interceptions.
Carolina currently has Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu slated to start at inside linebacker. Behind them are several players vying for spots on roster and depth-chart positioning -- a group headlined by Brandon Smith and Kamu Grugier-Hill.
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www.cbssports.com
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Panthers agree to terms with former Falcons, Browns linebacker Deion Jones on a one-year deal, per report
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https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/panthers-agree-to-terms-with-former-falcons-browns-linebacker-deion-jones-on-a-one-year-deal-per-report/
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[
"Rotowire Staff",
"Min Read"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:28+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:18:30
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Reds' Sam Moll: Traded to Reds
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Ffantasy%2Fbaseball%2Fnews%2Freds-sam-moll-traded-to-reds%2F.json
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The Athletics traded Moll to Cincinnati on Monday in exchange for Joe Boyle, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Moll has taken a notable step back this season from his 2022 campaign, putting up a 4.54 ERA and 1.41 WHIP across 37.2 innings. Moll's high strikeout rate could buy him a few high-leverage appearances with Cincinnati, but the 31-year-old lefty likely won't be the Reds' go-to arm late in games.
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www.cbssports.com
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Reds' Sam Moll: Traded to Reds
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https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/reds-sam-moll-traded-to-reds/
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[
"Rotowire Staff",
"Min Read"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:04+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:24:11
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Athletics' Joe Boyle: Shipped to Oakland
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Ffantasy%2Fbaseball%2Fnews%2Fathletics-joe-boyle-shipped-to-oakland%2F.json
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The Reds traded Boyle to the Athletics on Monday in exchange for Sam Moll, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Boyle has struggled since reaching Double-A in 2022, logging a 4.58 ERA and 1.67 WHIP across 110 innings. He strikes out batters at an above-average rate, but his inability to limit walks and runs suggest he still has a long way to go before reaching the big-leagues.
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www.cbssports.com
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Athletics' Joe Boyle: Shipped to Oakland
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https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/athletics-joe-boyle-shipped-to-oakland/
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[
"Rotowire Staff",
"Min Read"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:10+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:33:55
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Cubs' Jose Cuas: Headed to Windy City
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Ffantasy%2Fbaseball%2Fnews%2Fcubs-jose-cuas-headed-to-windy-city%2F.json
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The Royals traded Cuas to the Cubs on Monday in exchange for Nelson Velazquez.
Cuas hasn't been particularly reliable out of the bullpen for the Royals this season with a 4.54 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across 41.2 innings. Nonetheless, he'll add depth to a Cubs bullpen that has already dealt with a handful of injuries throughout the year.
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www.cbssports.com
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Cubs' Jose Cuas: Headed to Windy City
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https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cubs-jose-cuas-headed-to-windy-city/
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[
"Cbs Sports Staff",
"Min Read",
"Patrick Mcdonald",
"Kyle Porter",
"Chris Bengel"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:52+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:00:00
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SportsLine's Eric Cohen locked in his PGA fantasy golf rankings, picks and lineups for the Wyndham Championship 2023
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fgolf%2Fnews%2F2023-wyndham-championship-fantasy-golf-rankings-picks-strategy-back-si-woo-kim-fade-hideki-matsuyama%2F.json
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The 2022-23 PGA Tour regular season wraps up this week in the first tournament of August. The tour visits Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina for the 2023 Wyndham Championship beginning on Thursday. The results of the tournament will also firm up the top 75 players in the FedEx Cup standings for next week's playoffs. In addition, 2022 champion Tom Kim withdrew from the field, ensuring there will not be a repeat champion in the event.
Sungjae Im (+1600) is the betting favorite in the latest 2023 Wyndham Championship odds, followed by Hideki Matsuyama (+1800) and Sam Burns (+2000). In addition to the top players on the PGA odds board, can Justin Thomas (+2800) bounce back and provide strong value among your 2023 Wyndham Championship fantasy golf picks? Before considering any 2023 Wyndham Championship fantasy golf picks or PGA Tour bets, be sure to see the Wyndham Championship fantasy golf rankings from SportsLine handicapper Eric Cohen.
Cohen is an avid golf bettor who correctly predicted the pre-tournament outright winner of the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic (Rickie Fowler +1400), 2023 PGA Championship (Brooks Koepka +2000), 2023 Honda Classic (Chris Kirk +3500), 2022 Open Championship (Cameron Smith +2200), 2022 U.S. Open (Matt Fitzpatrick +2500), and 2022 Phoenix Open (Scottie Scheffler's first career victory at +2800).
He is a daily contributor to SportsLine's YouTube Show "Early Edge in 5" and is a guest on "The Early Wedge" SportsLine YouTube golf show hosted by Jonathan Coachman. Cohen also has correctly predicted three correct finishing position parlays in May/June on SportsLine's Early Edge in 5 on YouTube. Anyone who has followed Cohen's predictions is way up on their golf picks.
Now, Cohen has ranked his top golfers for the 2023 Wyndham Championship. Cohen's picks are only available at SportsLine.
2023 Wyndham Championship expert picks
One player Cohen loves this week is Si Woo Kim. He won this event in 2016 and has tremendous results beyond that performance. Kim has four top-five finishes at the Wyndham Championship, and he is also the highest-ranked player in the field when it comes to the current FedEx Cup standings. Course history isn't the only positive, as Kim is in strong form right now. He has gained more than two shots as a ball striker in seven of the last eight tournaments, and Kim won the Sony Open earlier this season in Hawaii. He has five top-10 finishes this season.
On the flip side, the expert is fading Matsuyama. Matsuyama has missed the cut four times at the Wyndham Championship, including the last two appearances in 2019 and 2021. Matsuyama remains a strong player, but he does not have a top-three finish this season and also has a missed cut recently at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Matsuyama also has documented issues with his putter. He is 124th in strokes gained putting on the PGA Tour this season, and Matsuyama is also 78th in putting average and 72nd in putts per round. See all of Cohen's Wyndham Championship picks at SportsLine.
How to set 2023 Wyndham Championship fantasy golf lineups
For this week, Cohen is backing several underdogs in his 2023 Wyndham Championship fantasy golf picks, including one massive longshot who comes in at 80-1. Cohen says this player could be in for a strong performance "if he can gain more than a shot off the tee for the first time since March." See who it is, and get all of Cohen's fantasy golf picks, at SportsLine.
Who wins the Wyndham Championship 2023, and who are the top players to target for your 2023 Wyndham Championship fantasy golf picks? Visit SportsLine now to get Eric Cohen's fantasy golf rankings, all from the fantasy expert who has already called three outright winners this year, and find out.
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www.cbssports.com
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2023 Wyndham Championship fantasy golf rankings, picks, strategy: Back Si Woo Kim, fade Hideki Matsuyama
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https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/2023-wyndham-championship-fantasy-golf-rankings-picks-strategy-back-si-woo-kim-fade-hideki-matsuyama/
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[
"Rotowire Staff",
"Min Read"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:40+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:54:50
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Suns' Udoka Azubuike: Joins Suns on two-way deal
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Ffantasy%2Fbasketball%2Fnews%2Fsuns-udoka-azubuike-joins-suns-on-two-way-deal%2F.json
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Azubuike and the Suns agreed on a two-way contract for the 2023 season, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Azubuike fills the Suns' second two-way slot, joining Saben Lee as a two-way player for the 2023-24 season. Azubuike appeared in 36 games with the Jazz last season, playing 10.0 minutes per game and logging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds on 81.9 percent shooting from the field and 35.0 percent shooting from the charity stripe. He'll likely have a tougher time finding NBA minutes on a star-studded Suns roster that already has Deandre Ayton, Drew Eubanks and Chimezie Metu in the frontcourt.
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www.cbssports.com
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Suns' Udoka Azubuike: Joins Suns on two-way deal
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https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/suns-udoka-azubuike-joins-suns-on-two-way-deal/
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[
"Rotowire Staff",
"Min Read"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:34+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:38:51
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Royals' Nelson Velazquez: Dealt to KC
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Ffantasy%2Fbaseball%2Fnews%2Froyals-nelson-velazquez-dealt-to-kc%2F.json
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The Cubs traded Velazquez to Kansas City on Monday in exchange for Jose Cuas.
Velazquez has been effective during his limited opportunities in the majors this year, going 7-for-29 with three homers and six RBI in 13 games with the Cubs. However, the 24-year-old outfielder will report to Triple-A Omaha,. He holds a .797 OPS through 332 plate appearances at that level this season.
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www.cbssports.com
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Royals' Nelson Velazquez: Dealt to KC
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https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/royals-nelson-velazquez-dealt-to-kc/
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[
"Rotowire Staff",
"Min Read"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:46+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:00:29
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Panthers' Nick Thurman: Signs with Panthers
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Thurman signed with Carolina on Monday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
The free agent was the second defensive lineman the Panthers added Monday. In five NFL seasons with five teams, Thurman has appeared in eight games and made 11 tackles. The 28-year-old will now get a chance with his sixth team to compete for a depth spot.
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Panthers' Nick Thurman: Signs with Panthers
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https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/panthers-nick-thurman-signs-with-panthers/
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[
"Kyle Stackpole",
"Min Read",
"Chris Trapasso",
"Jordan Dajani",
"Douglas Clawson",
"Joel Corry",
"Will Brinson",
"Jeff Kerr",
"Bryan Deardo"
] |
2023-08-01 00:55:16+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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The defense brought the physicality, but the offense still made some plays
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fnfl%2Fnews%2Fravens-training-camp-takeaways-day-5-offense-and-defense-show-glimpses-of-promise-in-first-padded-practice%2F.json
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OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The first week of training camp is always exciting. The whole team is back together after some time off following mandatory minicamp, and everyone is ramping up for a season that's right around the corner.
Those opening sessions, though, are just in helmets and shorts; there's only so much to be gleaned from them. It's when the pads come on that you can really get a sense of what's what across the roster.
That day came Monday for the Baltimore Ravens, who donned pads for the first time this summer at the Under Armour Performance Center. Here are some takeaways from the practice, which was the team's fifth of training camp so far:
DL makes presence felt
Gone is veteran difference-maker Calais Campbell (he's now on the Falcons), but the Ravens still have the pieces along the defensive line to clog running lanes and get after the quarterback. The unit showed exactly that Monday, hounding whoever was under center and letting the offense know whenever it made a play.
Leading the charge was fourth-year defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. During an 11-on-11 drill, the Ravens offense started with a short completion from Lamar Jackson to Nelson Agholor. Then Madubuike went to work, recording back-to-back would-be sacks to end the sequence. And that was after he and edge rusher David Ojabo would have brought down Jackson on another third-and-long earlier in the practice.
Associate head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver said after practice that while they "obviously miss Calais," the other players -- Weaver mentioned Madubuike and Broderick Washington along with veterans Brent Urban and Michael Pierce -- are ready to step up and ensure that Baltimore's defensive line continues to be one of the stingiest in the NFL.
"They're hungry, they're chomping at the bit," Weaver said. "They want to show that they can not only pick up the slack, but do more. So, I'm excited about where the group's headed. I love their work ethic, just love their attention to detail. I think it's gonna be a fun year."
Linebackers fly around
The line carried the torch for the defense Monday, but the linebackers certainly played integral roles, namely in bringing the physicality that only comes about once the pads come on. The biggest hit on a ball-carrier came via Patrick Queen, who jacked up Justice Hill to limit the running back to a short reception. In an earlier drill, third-round rookie Trenton Simpson knocked veteran Melvin Gordon back into the rusher who was trying to get around left end. It marked Simpson's second big hit of the session.
And we can't forget about reigning first-team All-Pro Roquan Smith, who gobbled up running backs trying to sneak through the second level and provided solid pass coverage.
Queen said after practice that physicality was the objective Monday, and the linebacker corps certainly flexed their muscles in that area throughout the workout.
"The main focus today was that even if you mess up, mess up 100% being physical," Queen said. "Everything else we can correct in the film room and the classroom, but the main focus of today was to come out in pads Day 1, set the tone and just look to get better from there."
Unheralded WRs make plays
A majority of talk when it comes to the Ravens' wide receiver group is the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. Not far behind is the selection of Zay Flowers with the 22nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Through the first week of training camp, both players lived up to the hype -- and they're big reasons why the offense should be much more dynamic than last season.
It was a quieter day for the duo on Monday, however, allowing other wideouts to step up. Two worth highlighting were veterans Nelson Agholor and Laquon Treadwell.
The Ravens red zone offense really struggled in 2022, but perhaps Agholor's size and contested-catch ability will help the team in that area. It showed in a red zone drill at the end of practice, when on third-and-1, Jackson threw the ball up into the end zone and expected the free agent signing to make a play. Agholor delivered by jumping over Brandon Stephens and then securing the catch for the score.
"He's a pro," head coach John Harbaugh said. "Nelson knows how to play. He's a big, rangy receiver like you saw when he made that catch. He runs routes really well. He's a hard worker, he knows what he's doing and I'm glad we have him."
As for Treadwell, he made the most noise during a 7-on-7 session. Matched up against second-year corner Jalyn Armour-Davis, Treadwell hauled in back-to-back balls for big gains, including a double move that ended with him making the grab down the left sideline and keeping his feet in bounds.
If the Ravens want to be at their best, Beckham and Flowers, as well as Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman, will all need to be contributors. But if any of them underperform or get hurt, Agholor and Treadwell will be counted upon to ensure the attack continues operating at a high level.
Other notes
The fans at Under Armour Performance Center absolutely love OBJ. All of the kids were trying to get his attention before practice, chanting his name and asking him to make a catch similar to the impossible grab he had against the Dallas Cowboys as a member of the New York Giants in 2014. Beckham embraced the love, talking to fans, moonwalking in between routes and even making a one-handed grab during wide receiver warmups -- all of which riled up those in attendance. It was a pretty quiet day for Beckham compared to his first week of training camp, but he did make one of the plays of the day in corralling a bobbled pass Marlon Humphrey could have intercepted.
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www.cbssports.com
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Ravens training camp takeaways, Day 5: Offense and defense show glimpses of promise in first padded practice
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https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ravens-training-camp-takeaways-day-5-offense-and-defense-show-glimpses-of-promise-in-first-padded-practice/
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[
"Jake Remaly"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:38+00:00
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_
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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Statin therapy may be more effective in older adults than in their younger counterparts, research shows.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F995010.json
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TOPLINE:
Older adults may respond to low- to moderate-intensity statin therapy more than younger patients do, according to a study published online July 31 in Annals of Internal Medicine.
METHODOLOGY:
Researchers analyzed data from 83,958 adults in Denmark who started taking simvastatin or atorvastatin between 2008 and 2018.
12% were age 75 or older, and 16% were younger than 50 years.
TAKEAWAY:
With 20 mg of simvastatin, the older group had a greater percentage reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) than did the younger group (39% vs 33.8%).
With 20 mg of atorvastatin, the decreases in LDL-C were 44.2% and 40.2%.
Adjusted analyses found that low- to moderate-intensity treatment led to an additional LDL-C reduction of 2.62 percentage points in older patients.
The association was similar for primary and secondary prevention but smaller for high-intensity treatment. With 80 mg of atorvastatin, there was a 0.58-point difference between groups.
IN PRACTICE:
"Low- to moderate-intensity statin therapy is associated with a greater LDL-C reduction in older than younger persons and may be more appealing as initial treatment in older adults who are at increased risk for adverse events," the researchers write.
SOURCE:
Giulia Corn, MSc, PhD, with the department of epidemiology research at Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, is the study's corresponding author. The research was funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark, Brødrene Hartmanns Fond, and Fonden til Lægevidenskabens Fremme.
LIMITATIONS:
The researchers lacked information about body mass index. The results might have limited generalizability, given the predominantly White study population.
DISCLOSURES:
A study co-author has consulted for Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Boehringer Ingelheim International, and George Clinical Research Institution.
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
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www.medscape.com
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Statin Response Varies by Age
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995010
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[
"M. Alexander Otto",
"Pa"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:56+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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The approval moves dostarlimab's endometrial cancer indication earlier in the treatment paradigm.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F995014.json
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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved dostarlimab-gxly (Jemperli, GlaxoSmithKline) with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by single-agent dostarlimab, for primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that is mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR), as determined by an FDA-approved test or microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H).
The approval was based on GSK's RUBY trial. Across 122 patients with dMMR/MSI-H primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, progression-free survival was 30.3 months in women randomly assigned to dostarlimab on a background of carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by dostarlimab monotherapy, vs 7.7 months among women randomly assigned to placebo (hazard ratio [HR], 0.29; P < .0001), according to the FDA's press release.
MMR/MSI tumor status was determined by local testing or by the Ventana MMR RxDx Panel when local testing was unavailable.
"Until now, chemotherapy alone has been the standard of care with many patients experiencing disease progression," GSK executive Hesham Abdullah said in the company's press release. The trial results "and today's approval underscore our belief in the potential for Jemperli to transform cancer treatment as a backbone immuno-oncology therapy."
Dostarlimab was already approved in the US as monotherapy for adults with dMMR recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer that has progressed on or following a platinum-containing chemotherapy and is not a candidate for curative surgery or radiation. The latest approval means that the agent "is now indicated earlier in treatment in combination with chemotherapy," GSK said.
Dostarlimab also carries an indication for dMMR recurrent or advanced solid tumors that have progressed on or following prior treatment when there are no satisfactory alternative treatment options.
Immune-mediated adverse reactions with dostarlimab include pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, endocrinopathies such as hypothyroidism, nephritis with renal dysfunction, and skin adverse reactions. The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) with carboplatin and paclitaxel in the Ruby trial were rash, diarrhea, hypothyroidism, and hypertension.
The recommended dostarlimab dose is 500 mg every 3 weeks for 6 doses with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by 1000 mg monotherapy every 6 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity, or up to 3 years.
Drugs.com lists dostarlimab's price at $11,712.66 for 500 mg/10 mL intravenous solution.
M. Alexander Otto is a physician assistant with a master's degree in medical science and a journalism degree from Newhouse. He is an award-winning medical journalist who worked for several major news outlets before joining Medscape. Alex is also an MIT Knight Science Journalism fellow. Email: aotto@mdedge.com.
For more from theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
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www.medscape.com
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FDA OKs Dostarlimab Plus Chemo for Endometrial Cancer
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995014
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[
"Ted Bosworth"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:07+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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Inhaled colistimethate sodium showed a large benefit in one trial but produced almost no effect in the other, a result attributed to the COVID pandemic.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F994988.json
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NEW YORK, New York — When data were combined from two parallel phase 3 bronchiectasis treatment trials, inhaled colistimethate sodium failed to significantly reduce the rate of exacerbations associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, but the disparity in the findings from the two trials, presented at the 6th World Bronchiectasis & NTM Conference (WBC) 2023, strongly suggest that this therapy is effective after all.
"The totality of the evidence supports a consistent and clinically meaningful benefit [of this therapy] outside of pandemic conditions," reported Charles Haworth, MD, director, Cambridge Centre for Lung Infection, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, England.
The key phrase is "outside of pandemic conditions," PROMIS I, which was fully enrolled before the COVID-19 pandemic descended, associated the inhaled therapy with highly significant benefits. PROMIS II, which was initiated later and enrolled 40% of its participants during the pandemic, did not.
The difference between these two trials, which were essentially identical, was the timing, according to Haworth. By starting later, PROMIS II caught the onset of the pandemic, which he believes introduced numerous problems that defeated the opportunity to show an advantage for the inhaled antibiotic.
Injectable colistimethate sodium, a decades-old formulation of colistin, is already approved in the US for gram negative infections and is considered helpful even in challenging diseases, such as cystic fibrosis. Positive results from a phase 2 trial with inhaled colistimethate sodium in bronchiectasis patients with P. aeruginosa infection provided the rationale for the phase 3 PROMIS program.
The key entry criterion of PROMIS I and PROMIS II, each with nearly 90 participating study sites, was a history of bronchiectasis and ≥ two P. aeruginosa infections requiring oral therapy or ≥ 1 infection requiring intravenous therapy in the prior 12 months. Patients were randomly assigned to receive colistimethate sodium delivered in the proprietary I-neb nebulizer (CMS I-neb) or a matching placebo.
On the primary endpoint of annualized rate of exacerbations, the figures per year were 0.58 for CMS I-neb and 0.95 for placebo in the PROMIS I trial. This produced a rate ratio of 0.65, signaling a significant 35% (P = .00101) reduction in risk. In PROMIS II, the annualized rates of exacerbation were essentially identical in the experimental and control arms (0.089 vs. 0.088; P = .97).
With "no signal of benefit" in the PROMIS II trial, the numerical advantage of CMS I-neb for the combined data did not reach statistical significance, Haworth reported.
Other endpoints told the same story. For example, the time to first exacerbation was reduced by 41% in PROMIS I (HR, 0.59; P = .0074) but was not reduced significantly (P = .603) in PROMIS II. In PROMIS I, there was a nearly 60% reduction in the risk of severe exacerbations associated with CMS I-neb, but the risk ratio of severe infections was slightly but not significantly higher on CMS I-neb in PROMIS II.
There were signals of benefit in PROMIS II. For example, the reductions in P. aeruginosa density were similar in the two studies (P < .00001 in both), and assessment with the Severe Exacerbations and Quality of Life (SQOL) tool associated CMS I-neb with end-of-study improvement in QOL for the experimental arm in both studies.
While Haworth acknowledged that he recognizes the "issues of post hoc analysis with any data," he argued that there is compelling evidence that the pandemic "severely disrupted the conduct of the trial," obscuring a benefit that would have been otherwise shown.
Besides the dramatic reduction in rates of hospitalization during the pandemic, an obstacle for showing differences in exacerbations, and other COVID-related factors with the potential to skew results, Haworth also provided several sets of objective data to make his point.
Most importantly, Haworth and his coinvestigators conducted a meta-analysis that combined data from the phase 2 trial, data from PROMIS I, and data from the patients enrolled in PROMIS II prior to the COVID pandemic. In this analysis the rate ratio for annualized exacerbations was a "pretty impressive" 0.65 favoring CMS I-neb. Moreover, in contrast to data from the PROMIS II patients enrolled during the COVID pandemic, the other three sets of data were "remarkably consistent."
If PROMIS II data collected from patients enrolled during COVID are compared with the other sets of data, they are "the clear outlier," he asserted.
Many guidelines in Europe, including those from the European Respiratory Society and the British Thoracic Society, already recommend inhaled colistin in patients with bronchiectasis for the treatment of P. aeruginosa. Although Haworth believes that the preponderance of controlled data now argue that CMS I-neb is effective as well as safe (adverse events in the experimental and placebo arms of PROMIS I and II were similar), he is not sure what steps will be taken to confirm a benefit to regulatory authorities. According to Haworth, there are no approved inhaled antibiotics in the United States.
Referring to Zambon, which funded the trials and is developing CMS I-neb, Haworth said, "This will be a company decision. There are some logistical hurdles to doing another trial."
Not least of these hurdles is that clinicians and patients already consider inhalational antibiotics in general and inhaled colistin specifically to be effective for several types of infections, including P. aeruginosa, according to Eva Polverino, MD, PhD, a pulmonologist associated with the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain. She said that these drugs are already a standard of care in her own country as well as in many other countries in Europe.
"There has been a loss of equipoise needed to conduct a randomized placebo-controlled trial," Polverino said. In her opinion, the US FDA "should start thinking of other pathways to approval." She thinks that enrollment in a placebo-controlled trial is no longer appropriate.
Haworth and Polverino have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
6th World Bronchiectasis & NTM Conference (WBC) 2023. Presented July 20, 2023.
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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Pandemic Blamed for Failed Trial of Inhaled Antibiotic
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/994988
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[
"Jake Remaly"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:19+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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The guidance contradicts recommendations from other groups that lowered the starting age to 45.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F994992.json
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Not so fast with earlier screening for colorectal cancer (CRC), at least according to one professional group.
The American College of Physicians (ACP) on July 31 published updated clinical guidance maintaining 50 as the age when clinicians should start screening for CRC in patients who are asymptomatic and at average risk.
The recommendation conflicts with guidelines from the American Cancer Society and the US Preventive Services Task Force, which lowered the recommended age to start screening to age 45.
Although the rate of CRC has increased among adults aged 45 to 49, the incidence is 35.1 cases per 100,000 people, much lower than among persons aged 50 to 64 (71.9) and those aged 65 to 74 (128.9), the guidance notes.
"The net benefit of screening is much less favorable in average-risk adults between ages 45 and 49 years than in those aged 50 to 75 years," the authors write. "Clinicians should discuss the uncertainty around benefits and harms of screening in this population."
The ACP's updated guidance is provocative and should be considered in the context of other groups' recommendations, not as superseding them just because it is the most recently published document, according to Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, MD, MPH, co-director of the Colon and Rectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
"As with a lot of the things we do in medicine, it is balancing risk and potential benefit," Meyerhardt told Medscape Medical News. "If a patient is informed that at a younger age doing screening is very likely not to find anything and there are some risks to screening, that patient could then weigh the risks and benefit with their provider."
Three Screening Approaches
The new guidance statement, published online in Annals of Internal Medicine, is based on a critical review of existing clinical guidelines, evidence reviews, and modeling studies. The guidance does not apply to patients who have long-standing inflammatory bowel disease and those with a family history of CRC.
The guideline also addresses when clinicians should stop screening ― at age 75 ― and what types of tests patients should choose from.
After discussing the benefits, harms, cost, availability, and patient preferences, clinicians and patients should select one of three screening approaches, according to the ACP:
a fecal immunochemical or high-sensitivity guaiac fecal occult blood test every 2 years;
colonoscopy every 10 years;
or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 10 years plus a fecal immunochemical test every 2 years.
They should avoid CRC screening tests that use stool DNA, CT colonography, capsule endoscopy, urine, or serum, according to the guidance.
A Balancing Act
Some physicians view starting screenings at age 45 as a settled argument.
"The entire nation is now focused on increasing screening capacity and getting everyone screened," said Richard C. Wender, MD, professor and chair of family medicine and community health at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, who was not involved in the new guidelines. "There is not a controversy about age to start, and I anticipate that this paper won't create a new one."
The epidemiology of CRC is changing rapidly, Wender said.
"While CRC mortality is going down in older age groups, mortality is now rising in younger people," he said. "While cancer incidence is lower in the 45- to 49-years-old group, the precursors to cancer are present and can be found in a substantial percentage of patients ― the same percentage as 50- to 55-year-olds."
Meyerhardt, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, told Medscape Medical News that the recommendation to start screening at age 45 was reasonable but that more people need to be screened to detect CRC than the older population.
"Ultimately, one's going to have to consider the various recommendations from these different societies when having a patient in front of you as a primary care or other physician to discuss screening in someone who's what we call average risk," he said.
Younger patients who notice any possible symptoms of CRC such as blood in stool or changes in bowel habits should discuss them with a physician, he said.
The ACP also differs from other groups in not recommending stool DNA tests such as Cologuard (Exact Sciences). Wender said this test is the least cost-effective based on comparing adherence for other options.
"If Cologuard can lead to higher adherence and there are data suggesting it can, then relative cost-effectiveness looks better."
Why 50
In weighing the risks and benefits of screening, the ACP notes that CRC screening can entail risk for serious bleeding and perforation in the case of colonoscopy.
Overdiagnosis and associated overtreatment, as well as costly follow-ups for findings that are clinically unimportant, are additional factors to consider with various cancer screening tests, said Amir Qaseem, MD, PhD, MHA, the ACP's chief science officer and the corresponding author of the updated guidance.
Despite some differences between various groups' recommendations, Qaseem sees important similarities.
"We need to get everyone between 50–75 screened," Qaseem said. On that point, "there is no disagreement."
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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www.medscape.com
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ACP Sticks With 50 as Age to Start CRC Screening
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/994992
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[
"Patricia Mcknight"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:13+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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Women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer are more likely to become long-term survivors of the disease than they were 20 years ago, research suggests.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F994989.json
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Women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer are more likely to become long-term survivors of the disease now than they were 20 years ago, a new study found.
Researchers at the University of Oxford conducted an observational study that examined case fatality rates for women with breast cancer and found that the prognosis for women has "improved substantially" over the past few decades. For women diagnosed with early invasive breast cancer during the 1990s, the risk of death within 5 years of diagnosis was just over 14% on average. For women diagnosed during the 2010s, it was nearly 5% on average.
"The take-home message in our study is that it's good news for women who are diagnosed with early breast cancer today because most of them can expect to become long-term cancer survivors, and so I think our results are reassuring," said lead study author Carolyn Taylor, DPhil, a clinical oncologist from Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford.
The study was published online last month in The BMJ.
Although breast cancer survival has improved, recent estimates don't incorporate detailed data on age, tumor size, tumor grade, and nodal and receptor status. In the current population-based study, researchers explored improvement in survival from early-stage breast cancer. They used nine patient and tumor characteristics as factors in their analysis.
The study is based on data from the National Cancer Registration for 512,447 women in England who were diagnosed with early-stage invasive breast cancer between 1993 and 2015. Women were broken into four groups: those diagnosed from 1993–1999, 2000–2004, 2005–2009, and 2010–2015.
The study focused on women who initially underwent either breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy as their first treatment. Data included age, tumor size, tumor grade, number of positive nodes, and estrogen-receptor (ER) status. For women who were diagnosed from 2010–2015, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status was included. Data regarding recurrence, receipt of neoadjuvant therapy, and patients who were diagnosed with more than one cancer were not included.
The major finding: among women diagnosed with early-stage invasive breast cancer, the risk of dying decreased almost threefold between 1993 and 2015. The 5-year cumulative case fatality risk was 14.4% for women diagnosed in the 1990s (1993–1999) vs 4.9% for women diagnosed about two decades later (2010–2015).
Taylor and colleagues found that the case fatality rate was highest during the 5 years after diagnosis; within those years, the rates typically increased during the first 2 years, peaked during the third, and declined thereafter.
The 5-year risk of death, however, varied widely among women in the population. For most (62.8%) who were diagnosed between 2010 and 2015, the case fatality risk was 3% or less; however, for a small subset of women (4.6%), the risk reached 20% or higher.
Patients with ER-negative tumors tended to have worse prognoses in the first decade following their diagnosis. Overall, higher tumor size and grade, more positive nodes, and older age tended to be associated with worse prognoses.
Overall, the annual case fatality rates decreased over time in nearly every patient group.
While Taylor said these findings are encouraging, she added that the investigators did not analyze why survival rates have improved over two decades.
"We didn't explain how much of the improvement was due to advances treatments, improved screening rates, etc," Taylor said. Another limitation, Taylor noted, is that data on recurrence were not available.
Kathy Miller, MD, who specializes in breast cancer at the Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center at Indiana University, said the 5-year mark for survival is great news for some patients with breast cancer but that that time frame doesn't apply to all.
While the risk of case fatality from breast cancer may be higher during the first 5 years after diagnosis, Miller says that is not the case for women with ER-positive breast cancer. In the study, the researchers highlighted this trend for ER status: before the 10-year mark, survival rates for women with ER-positive disease were better, but after the 10-year mark, those with ER-negative tumors seemed to fare slightly better.
"Many patients have heard this very arbitrary 5-year mark, and for patients with ER-positive disease, that 5-year mark has no meaning, because their risk in any given year is very low and it stays at that very low consistent level for at least 15 years, probably longer," Miller told Medscape. "I think a better way to think about this for ER-positive patients is that every day that goes by without a problem makes it a tiny bit less likely that you will ever have a problem."
The authors took a similar view for the overall population, concluding that "although deaths from breast cancer will continue to occur beyond this [5-year mark], the risk during each subsequent five-year period is likely to be lower than during the first five years."
BMJ. Published online June 13, 2023. Full text
The research was funded by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, the UK Medical Research Council, and the University of Oxford. Some study authors received support for several of these institutions, but they reported no financial relationships with organizations that might have had an interest in the submitted work during the previous 3 years.
For more from Medscape Oncology, join us on Twitter and Facebook.
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Fatalities From Breast Cancer Have 'Improved Substantially'
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/994989
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[
"Megan Brooks"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:32+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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New data suggest a synergistic effect between extreme heat waves and poor air quality on deaths due to myocardial infarction, especially among women and the elderly.
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The combination of heat waves and poor air quality is associated with double the risk of fatal myocardial infarction (MI), with women and older adults at greatest risk, a study from China suggests.
The researchers estimate that up to 3% of all deaths due to MI could be attributed to the combination of extreme temperatures and high levels of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ).
"Our findings provide evidence that reducing exposure to both extreme temperatures and fine particulate pollution may be useful to prevent premature deaths from heart attack," senior author Yuewei Liu, MD, PhD, with Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, said in a statement.
There is "long-standing evidence" of the harmful cardiovascular effects of air pollution, Jonathan Newman, MD, MPH, cardiologist at NYU Langone Heart in New York City, who wasn't involved in the study, told theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology.
The added value of this study was finding an interaction between extreme hot temperatures and air pollution, "which is worrisome with global warming," said Newman, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
The study was published online July 24 in Circulation.
Intensity and Duration Matter
The researchers analyzed data on 202,678 adults (mean age, 77.6 years; 52% male) who suffered fatal MI between 2015 and 2020 in Jiangsu province, a region with four distinct seasons and a wide range of temperatures and ambient PM 2.5 .
They evaluated the association of exposure to extreme temperature events, including both hot and cold spells, and PM 2.5 with MI mortality, and their interactive effects.
Among the key findings:
The risk of fatal MI was 18% higher during 2-day heat waves with heat indexes at or above the 90th percentile (ranging from 82.6° to 97.9° F) and 74% higher during 4-day heat waves with heat indexes at or above the 97.5th percentile (ranging from 94.8° to 109.4° F), compared with control days.
The risk of fatal MI was 4% higher during 2-day cold snaps with temperatures at or below the 10th percentile (ranging from 33.3° to 40.5° F) and 12% higher during 3-day cold snaps with temperatures at or below the 2.5th percentile (ranging from 27.0° to 37.2° F).
The risk of fatal MI was twice as high during 4-day heat waves that had PM 2.5 above 37.5 µg/m 3 . Days with high levels of PM 2.5 during cold snaps did not have an equivalent increase in the risk of fatal MI.
Up to 2.8% of MI deaths during the 5-year study period may be attributable to the combination of extreme temperature exposure and PM 2.5 at levels exceeding World Health Organization air quality guidelines (37.5 g/m 3 ).
The risk of fatal MI was generally higher among women than men during heat waves and was higher among adults 80 years old and older than in younger adults during heat waves, cold snaps, or days with high levels of PM 2.5 .
The finding that adults over age 80 are particularly susceptible to the effects of heat and air pollution and the interaction of the two is "notable and particularly relevant given the aging of the population," Newman told theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology.
Mitigating both extreme temperature events and PM 2.5 exposures "may bring health cobenefits in preventing premature deaths from MI," the researchers write.
"To improve public health, it is important to take fine particulate pollution into consideration when providing extreme temperature warnings to the public," Liu adds in the statement.
In an earlier study, Liu and colleagues showed that exposure to both large and small particulate matter, as well as nitrogen dioxide, was significantly associated with increased odds of death from MI, as reported by theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology.
This study was funded by China's Ministry of Science and Technology. The authors and Newman have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Circulation. 2023;148:312-323. Abstract
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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Heat Waves Plus Air Pollution Tied to Doubling of Fatal MI
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995009
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[
"Marcia Frellick"
] |
2023-08-01 01:15:03+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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The device, which is associated with a significant increase in adenoma detection, will be available in the United States in the coming weeks, the manufacturer says.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F995015.json
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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today cleared an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted colonoscopy device called the MAGENTIQ-COLO, according to the Israeli-based manufacturer of the same name.
The device helps identify lesions in real time, and is associated with a significant increase in the adenoma detection rate (ADR), according to the press release.
The device was cleared under the FDA's 510(k) process, and follows the European CE Mark and Israel AMAR approval, which were received in mid-2021. It will be available in the United States in the coming weeks.
In a study performed in 2022 with 29 endoscopy experts and more than 950 patients, the device was validated as "one of the best performing AI solutions in the category, increasing ADR by 26% relatively (7% in absolute values), which translated into a 21% decrease in colorectal cancer occurrence and a 35% decrease in patient mortality," according to the press release.
In this multicenter, randomized, controlled trial conducted at 10 hospitals in Europe, the United States, and Israel, and presented at United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week 2022, the authors noted that "apart from diminutive lesions, [MAGENTIQ-COLO] increased the detection of 6-9 mm adenomas, suggesting that this novel [computer-aided polyp detection] system is also able to detect more clinically relevant lesions."
The device "takes the video out of the colonoscopy device, breaks it into frames, analyzes them in real time with its AI engine to detect polyps in them," Dror Zur, founder and CEO of MAGENTIQ-EYE, explained to Medscape Medical News. "If a polyp is detected, then MAGENTIQ-COLO signs it with a bounding box on the video's overlay and sends it as a video with an overlay to the display monitor so the doctor can look at it and find more polyps."
As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, research has shown that conventional colonoscopies miss about a quarter of adenomas. Many AI systems have recently come on the market, promising to improve detection by overcoming human error in detecting polyps.
Colonoscopy has become standard in most developed countries, with 15 million to 20 million procedures performed every year in the United States alone; however, high missed rates and undetected adenomas during the procedures mean that even patients who get regular, recommended screenings are still at risk of developing colon cancer, notes the press release.
"A missed polyp can lead to interval cancer, which accounts for approximately 8% to 10% of all CRC in the US, translated to over 13,500 cancer cases that could be prevented every year with better detection," the press release also states.
According to the National Institutes of Health, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.
Marcia Frellick is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. She has previously written for the Chicago Tribune, Science News, and Nurse.com, and was an editor at the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the St. Cloud (Minnesota) Times. Follow her on Twitter at @MLfrellick.
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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www.medscape.com
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FDA Clears AI-Assisted Colonoscopy Device
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995015
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[
"Batya Swift Yasgur",
"Ma"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:25+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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Patients with AF sometimes experience cognitive dysfunction after ablation. New data show it's short-lived and that ablation might in fact improve cognition in the long run.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F995008.json
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A new study shows that although postoperative cognitive dysfunction can occur following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF), it is transient, and patients recover completely within a year.
Investigators randomly assigned 100 patients with symptomatic AF who had failed at least one anti-arrhythmic drug (AAD) to ongoing therapy or to AF catheter ablation. Patients were followed for 1 year, and changes in cognitive performance were assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Although patients in the ablation arm initially showed more cognitive dysfunction than those in the medical arm, at 6 months, the gap was smaller; and at 12 months, no patients in the ablation arm showed signs of cognitive dysfunction. In fact, more than 1 in 10 showed signs of cognitive improvement, compared to no patients in the medical arm.
The study was published online in the July issue of JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.
Important Pillar
Previous research has shown that AF is associated with cognitive dysfunction independently of stroke, "suggesting that AF is an additional risk factor for cognitive impairment," the authors write.
Catheter ablation is an "important pillar" in the management of patients with AF that is refractory to medical therapy, but postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) may occur in the immediate aftermath of the procedure, they note. Little is known about whether these cognitive changes persist long term, and no randomized studies have investigated this issue.
The researchers randomly 100 patients with symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF who had failed ≥1 AAD to receive either medical management or catheter ablation. The mean age of the patients was 59 ± 12 years, 32% were women, and 46% had persistent AF.
Medical management consisted of optimization of AADs to maintain sinus rhythm. For those who underwent ablation, AADs were discontinued five half-lives prior to the procedure (with the exception of amiodarone).
Participants were followed for 12 months after enrollment. Clinical reviews and cognitive testing were performed at 3, 5, and 12 months during that time.
AADs and oral anticoagulation were weaned and were discontinued 3 months after the procedure, depending on each patient's individual risk profile.
Cognitive testing included the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Semantic Fluency test; the Controlled Oral Word Association test; and the Trail Making Task (parts A and B).
Participants also completed the University of Toronto AF Symptom Severity Scale at baseline and at all follow-up visits.
The primary endpoint was prevalence of new-onset cognitive dysfunction. Main secondary endpoints included improvement in cognitive function during follow-up; AF recurrence and AF function during follow-up; AAD use during follow-up; and changes to AF symptom severity assessment scores during follow-up.
More Research Needed
Of the 100 participants, 96 completed the study protocol (52 in the ablation group and 48 in the medical management group). There were no significant differences between the groups regarding baseline demographics, clinical AF risk factors, and echocardiographic parameters.
At 3 months, new-onset cognitive dysfunction was detected across a wide range of the neuropsychological tests in 14% of participants in the ablation arm, vs 2% of participants in the medical arm (P = .03)
But at 6 months, only 4% of patients in the ablation arm displayed cognitive dysfunction, compared again to 2% in the medical arm (P = .60). And by 12 months, there were no patients with detectable cognitive dysfunction in the ablation arm, compared to the same patient who showed cognitive impairment in the medical arm (P = .30).
Longer ablation time was an independent predictor of new-onset cognitive dysfunction (odds ratio, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.01 – 1.60; P = .003).
When patients with and those without new-onset cognitive dysfunction were compared, no differences were found in arrhythmia recurrence or AF burden post ablation.
At 12 months, 14% of those in the ablation arm showed improvement in cognitive performance, compared with no participants in the medical arm (P = .007).
Compared with participants who had no change in cognitive performance, those who had a significant improvement had a trend toward lower AF recurrence rates (29% vs 48%; P = .30). However, both groups were found to have a low AF burden over the 12 months. And the use of AADs at the 12-month mark was significantly lower among those with vs those without cognitive improvement (0% vs 38%; P = .04).
As early as 3 months post procedure and then at 12 months, participants in the ablation group had significant improvement in AF-related symptoms, compared with those in the medical arm (for both, P < .001).
"Among a contemporary cohort of symptomatic paroxysmal and persistent AF patients, catheter ablation was associated with a transient decline in cognitive function in the short-term, followed by recovery at 12 months," the authors conclude.
They note that further large studies "are required to determine with AF ablation may prevent the longer-term neurocognitive decline and dementia development associated with AF."
"Reassuring" Findings
Commenting for theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology, Andrea Natale, MD, executive medical director, Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center, Austin, said POCD is "very likely due to the vulnerable state of mind and the stress that the patients encounter while undergoing the cardiac procedure," as well as postsurgical inflammation, which "can cause brief functional alterations in the brain, leading to temporary cognitive impairment." Inadequate preprocedural anticoagulation may also play a role.
Natale, co-author of an accompanying editorial, said it's "prudent" when evaluating cognitive function to use questionnaires that are "sensitive to mild cognitive impairment," such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment or the Mini–Mental State Examination.
Additionally, "post-ablation cognitive function should be assessed way after the blanking period to avoid any plausible impact of inflammation, medications, the feeling of being overwhelmed, and the stress of undergoing a cardiac procedure," advised Natale, who was not involved with the study.
Also commenting for theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology, Matthew Hyman, MD, PhD, an electrophysiologist and assistant professor of medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, called it a "well-done and very reassuring study."
Hyman, who was also not part of the research team, added that previous work has shown an association between AF and dementia, "and it remains to be seen if patients with rhythm control over longer durations than the current studies have the best outcomes."
Al-Kaisey, Parameswaran, Wong, Anderson, Voskoboinik, Chieng, and Sugumar are supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council research scholarship. Kalman is supported by a practitioner fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council; has received research support from Biosense Webster, Boston Scientific, Abbott, and Medtronic; and has served on the advisory board of Boston Scientific and Biosense Webster. Natale is a consultant for Abbott, Baylis, Biosense Webster, Biotronik, Boston Scientific, and Medtronic. Hyman is a consultant/speaker for Abbott, Biosense Webster and Boston Scientific.
JACC Clin Electrophysiol. July 2023;9:1024-1034, 1035-1037. Abstract, Editorial
Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW, is a freelance writer with a counseling practice in Teaneck, New Jersey. She is a regular contributor to numerous medical publications, including Medscape and WebMD, and is the author of several consumer-oriented health books as well as Behind the Burqa: Our Lives in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom (the memoir of two brave Afghan sisters who told her their story).
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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www.medscape.com
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Cognitive Problems Transient After AF Ablation
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995008
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[
"Pauline Anderson"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:50+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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About a third of young people who had sudden cardiac death used cocaine, heroin, or another illicit drug, often more than one such drug, in a registry study.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F995013.json
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TOPLINE:
About 1 in 3 young patients who experienced sudden cardiac death (SCD) had either positive toxicology at the time of their death or were reported to have had frequent use of illicit drugs, with high rates of use of multiple such drugs.
METHODOLOGY:
Illicit drug use is thought to both accelerate underlying cardiovascular abnormalities and act as an independent risk factor for SCD, which causes half of all deaths from cardiovascular disease.
Researchers used the End Unexplained Cardiac Death (EndUCD) Registry, a prospective multisource surveillance registry combining data on all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) among residents of Victoria, Australia.
The study included 523 patients older than age 18 years (median age, 43.3 years) who had died of OHCA from April 2019 to April 2021.
Drugs defined as illicit included cocaine and its metabolites, heroin and its metabolites (such as 6-monoacetylmorphine), amphetamine-type substances, cannabis, and novel psychoactive substances.
Researchers classified SCD as "coronary," "cardiomyopathy," "unascertained," and "other" which included aortic dissection, pulmonary hypertension, myocarditis, and valvular disease.
TAKEAWAY:
Of the 523 patients eligible for inclusion in the study, 476 (91.0%) underwent autopsy, with 354 identified as nonillicit drug users and 170 patients (32.5%) as illicit drug users, 14.7% of whom used multiple drugs.
Death commonly occurred while sedentary (47.5% of patients whose circumstances were known at the time of death) or during sleep (45.8%) and was uncommon during exercise (6.7%).
Compared to nonillicit drug users, illicit drug users were more likely to be male (P = .028), smokers (P < .0001), and regular alcohol drinkers (P = .012), as well as have a lower body mass index (P = .0063) and a history of psychiatric disease (P = .002).
Causes of SCD were not significantly different between groups; coronary disease was the most common cause (43.5%) followed by unascertained (30.0%), cardiomyopathy (24.7%), and other cardiac causes (1.8%).
IN PRACTICE:
The finding that prevalence of illicit drug use in young patients with SCD is 50% greater than previous estimates is "provocative," said the authors, adding this may reflect the true underreported prevalence of illicit drug use, the role of illicit drugs in contributing to SCD, or both these hypotheses.
SOURCE:
The study was conducted by Adam Trytell, MBBS, Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and colleagues. It was published online July 27 in Heart Rhythm.
LIMITATIONS:
The study lacked data on exposure period and cumulative dose of illicit drugs. There may have been patients with a history of illicit drug use and severe chronic cardiac disease among those who died suddenly but were not referred for forensic investigation. Toxicological assessment was not undertaken in a small number of patients referred for forensic investigations.
DISCLOSURES:
The work of the EndUCD Registry was supported for the period 2019-2022 by funds from the EndUCD Foundation. The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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www.medscape.com
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Illicit Drugs Tied to Sudden Cardiac Death in Young People
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995013
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[
"Leigh Page"
] |
2023-08-01 01:14:44+00:00
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2023-07-31 00:00:00
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Many practices outsource certain staff functions who work in a remote site. Read about the pros and cons of this strategy.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2Fviewarticle%2F995012.json
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Outsourcing certain staff functions in a practice to outside contractors working in remote locations has become commonplace in many medical practices.
Healthcare outsourcing services, also known as virtual assistants (VAs), were already booming in 2017, when volume grew by 36%. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 normalized offsite work, which was a boon to outsourcing providers.
The most popular services being outsourced today by medical practices include billing, scribes, telephone calls to patients, and processing prior authorizations.
"Outsourcing is not for everyone, but I've seen it work for many practices," said Lara Hochman, MD, a practice management consultant in Austin, Texas. She said that practices have used outsourcing to solve problems like high staff turnover, tight budgets, and inefficient use of staff.
When in-house staffing is insufficient or not appropriately aligned with the task, outsourcing can produce big savings, said Teri Deabler, a practice management consultant with the Texas Medical Association.
For example, she said that a client was paying an in-house accountant $80,000 a year. When the accountant retired, she was replaced with a part-time bookkeeper earning $20,000 while her accounting work was outsourced at a cost of $20,000 a year. "The practice's costs for this service were cut in half," Deabler said.
What Functions Lend Themselves to Outsourcing?
Clinical services are rarely outsourced by individual practices — although hospitals now outsource numerous clinical services — but virtually any kind of administrative service can be contracted out. Outsourcing used to be limited mainly to billing and off-hours phone services, but today, more services are available, such as scribing, processing prior authorizations, accounting and bookkeeping, human resources (HR) and payroll, interactions with social media, recredentialing, medical transcription, and marketing.
Meanwhile, the original outsourced services have evolved. Billing and collections may now be handled by off-shore VAs, and phone services now deal with a wider variety of tasks, such as answering patients' questions, scheduling appointments, and making referrals.
Holder said that some outsourcing services can also adjust the amount of work provided based on the customer's needs. "For instance, an IT outsourcer may allow you to scale up IT support for a new big tech project, such as installing a new electronic health record," he said.
The outsourced service provider, who might work in another state or another country, is connected to the practice by phone and electronically, and represents the practice when dealing with patients, insurers, or other vendors.
"No one, including patients and your physicians, should know that they are dealing with an outsourced company," said Ron Holder chief operating officer of Medical Group Management Association in Englewood, Colorado. "The work, look, and feel of the outsourced functions should be seamless. Employees at the outsourcer should always identify themselves as the practice, not the outsourcing service."
Hochman said that many outsourcing companies dedicate a particular worker to a particular practice and train them to work there. One example of this approach is Provider's Choice Scribe Services, based in San Antonio, Texas. On its website, the company notes that each scribe is paired with a doctor and learns his or her documentation preferences, EMR use, and charting requirements.
What Medical Practices Benefit Most From Outsourcing?
All kinds and sizes of practices contract with outsourcing firms, but the arrangement is particularly useful for smaller practices, Holder said. "Larger practices have the economies of scale that allow services to be in-house," he said, "but smaller practices don't have that opportunity."
Hochman added that outsourcing firms can be hired part-time when the practice doesn't have enough work for a full-time position. Alternatively, a full-time outsourcing firm can perform two or more separate tasks, such as scribing while handling prior authorizations, she said.
Outsourcing is also useful for new practices, Deabler said. "A new practice is not earning much money, so it has to have a bare-bones staff," she said. "Billing, for example, should be contracted out, but it won't cost that much, because the outsourcer typically charges by volume, and the volume in a new practice is low."
Meanwhile, Holder said that the outsourcing of prior authorization work can particularly benefit specialty practices because they typically have a lot of prior authorizations to deal with.
T he Pros and Cons of Outsourcing
Experts with experience in outsourcing agree there are both pluses and minuses. "Practices with outsourced workers have less overhead, don't have to deal with staff turnover, and costs may be lower than for in-house staff," Deabler said. "However, you have limited control over outsourced workers and the practice may seem more anonymous to patients, so you need to consider this option very carefully."
"With outsourcing, you lose control," said John Machata, MD, a recently retired solo family physician in Wickford, Rhode Island. "You're trusting someone else to do work that you could do anyway."
When he briefly considered outsourcing the practice's billing many years ago, he found that billing companies wouldn't handle bills that took a lot of work, such as getting in touch with the insurance company and explaining the patient's situation. "They would only handle the easy bills, which the practice could do anyway," he said.
However, he does think that answering services may be useful to outsource. "Patients are more inclined to call an anonymous entity than the doctor," he said. When he gave patients his cell phone number, he said that some patients held off from calling because they didn't want to bother him.
"Outsourced staff should be less expensive than in-house staff," said Daniel Shay, an attorney at Gosfield & Associates in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "On the other hand, you are liable for the outsourcer's mistakes. If your outsourced billing company is upcoding claims, your practice would be on the hook for repayment and penalties."
Holder said: "An outsourcer ought to be more efficient at its chosen task because that is what they know how to do. This is a plus at a small practice, where the practice manager may need to do the billing, HR, IT, marketing, some legal work, and accounting," he said. "No one person can do all of those things well."
He added, however, "If you choose outsourcing and then decide you don't like it, it's difficult to unwind the arrangement. Staff that have been dismissed can't easily be hired back, so it shouldn't be an easy decision to make."
Also, sometimes the staff at offshore outsourcing firms may have accents that are harder for patients to understand, and the offshore staff may not readily understand a US caller. However, Hochman said that practices often have a chance to interview and select specific persons on the offshore team who best fit their needs.
Offshore Outsourcing
Outsourcing firms have been moving abroad, where costs are lower. Typical venues are India and the Philippines because there are larger percentages of people who speak English. Since 2020, demand at offshore medical billing companies has been growing faster than their domestic counterparts, according to a recent analysis.
The difference in price can be substantial. In 2020, the average salary for scribes in India was $500 a month compared with $2500 for scribes in the United States.
However, offshore outsourcing is starting to face limitations in some places due to privacy issues, according to David J. Zetter, a practice management consultant in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He pointed to a new Florida law that limits use of offshore vendors because they deal with confidential patient information. The law, which became effective July 1, requires that any protected health information must be maintained in the United States or Canada.
"This will make it very hard for many types of offshore vendors to operate in Florida," he said. He noted that Florida is the only state with such a restriction, but similar proposals are under consideration in a few other states, such as Texas.
How to Select the Right Company
Zetter said that the biggest mistake practices make when choosing a company is failing to take enough time to examine their choice. "Quite often, practices don't validate that companies know what they are doing," he said. "They get a recommendation and go with it."
"Choose a company with experience in your specialty," Zetter advised. "Speak with the company's clients, not just the ones the company gives you to speak to. You should ask for the full list of clients and speak to all of them."
Deabler said that it's fairly easy to find respected outsourcing companies. "Colleagues can make recommendations, state and specialty societies can provide lists of preferred vendors, and you can visit venders' booths at medical conferences," she said. She added that it's also easy to find evaluations of each company. "You can Google the company and come up with all kinds of information about it," she said.
Shay said that practices should make sure they understand the terms of the contract with a VA. "Depending on how the contract is worded, you may be stuck with the relationship for many years," he said. "Before you sign an outsourcing contract, you need to make sure it has a reasonable termination provision."
Because vetting companies properly can require extensive work, Deabler said that the work can be given to an experienced practice management consultant. "The consultant can start with a cost-benefit analysis that will show you whether outsourcing would be worthwhile," she said.
Working With Outsource Service Providers
Holder said that doctors should keep track of what the outsourcer is doing rather than simply let them do their work. "For example, doctors should understand the billing codes they use most often, such as the five levels evaluation and management codes, and not just blindly rely on the billing company to code and bill their work correctly," he noted.
Deabler said that companies provide monthly reports on their work. "Doctors should be reading these reports and contacting the company if expectations aren't met," she said.
Even in the reports, companies can hide problems from untrained eyes, Holder said. "For example, anyone can meet a metric like days in accounts receivable simply by writing off any charge that isn't paid after 90 days."
"You need to be engaged with the outsourcer," he said. "It's also a good idea to bring in a consultant to periodically check an outsourcer's work."
Will Outsourcing Expand in the Future?
Holder said that the increasing use of value-based care may require practices to rely more on outsourcing in the future. "For instance, if a practice has a value-based contract that requires providing behavioral health services to patients, it might make sense to outsource that work rather than hire psychologists in-house," he said.
Practices rarely outsource clinical services, but Holder said that this may happen in the future: "Now that Medicare is paying less for telehealth, practices have to find a way to provide it without using expensive examining room space," he said. "Some practices may decide to outsource telehealth instead."
Shay said that there are many reasons why outsourcing has a strong future. "It allows you to concentrate on your clinical care, and it is a solution to problems with turnover of in-house staff," he said. "It can also be more efficient because the service is presumably an expert in areas like billing and collections, which means it may be able to ensure more efficient and faster reimbursements. And if the work is outsourced overseas, you can save money through lower worker salaries."
For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube
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www.medscape.com
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Could Your Practice Be More Profitable if You Outsource?
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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995012
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[
"Chrisputz Thewestfieldnews.Com",
"Chris Putz",
"Cputz Thereminder.Com",
"The Westfield News"
] |
2023-08-01 01:11:14+00:00
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2023-08-01 01:03:54
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masslive.com%2Fwestfieldnews%2F2023%2F08%2Fwestfield-post-124-celebrates-season-of-successes-on-the-field-and-on-the-local-links.html.json
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WESTFIELD – Although Westfield Post 124 fell one win shy of a championship victory, there is still reason for its players, the coaching staff, and Legion members to celebrate this summer.
Westfield earned the top seed in the Western Massachusetts American Legion Baseball single-elimination tournament, securing the top spot by spoiling Wilbraham Post 286 #1′s unbeaten season on one of the season’s final days. Post 124 made an incredible postseason run to the finals, winning with just nine guys most nights. They fell to Belchertown Post 239 in the finals, 9-3.
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Westfield Post 124 celebrates season of successes on the field and on the local links
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https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/08/westfield-post-124-celebrates-season-of-successes-on-the-field-and-on-the-local-links.html
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[
"Chris Mclaughlin",
"Cmclaughlin Masslive.Com"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:37+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:55:00
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masslive.com%2Ftv%2F2023%2F07%2Fhow-to-watch-aes-secrets-of-miss-america-new-episode-for-free-july-31.html.json
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The A&E documentary miniseries “Secrets of Miss America” continues this Monday, July 31 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT on the network.
Those without cable can watch the new episode for free through Philo or DirecTV Stream, each of which offer a free trial to new users.
“‘Secrets of Miss America’ delves into the long-kept secrets of America’s oldest beauty pageant, exposing the shocking scandals at its core,” A&E said in a description of the series.
“A cultural event once viewed by 80 million people a year, the pageant now struggles to stay relevant to a new generation of Americans whose views on beauty and sexual politics have changed drastically over the past few decades,” it added.
According to A&E, the limited series looks into “whistleblower-leaked emails in 2017 exposing misogyny within the Board of Directors, claims of racism in the pageant’s history, the topic of mental health surrounding the competition and the banning of the controversial swimsuit competition”
A&E said the documentary is all told by pageant insiders including 20 former Miss Americas “telling their stories in one documentary for the first time.”
A&E added “viewers get a glimpse at the cost of wearing the crown and sash and how pageant culture perpetuated racism, bullying, body shaming, and much more.”
You can watch a clip from the series below or by clicking here to watch on A&E’s YouTube channel.
How can I watch “Secrets of Miss America” for free without cable?
The new episode is available to watch on Philo or DirecTV Stream, each of which offer free trials to new users.
What is Philo?
Philo is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers 60+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, like AMC, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more, for the budget-friendly price of $25/month.
What is DirecTV?
The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. DirecTV also offers a free trial for any package you sign up.
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How to watch A&E’s ‘Secrets of Miss America’ new episode for free July 31
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https://www.masslive.com/tv/2023/07/how-to-watch-aes-secrets-of-miss-america-new-episode-for-free-july-31.html
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[
"Lauren Campbell",
"Lwilland Masslive.Com",
"Lcampbell Masslive.Com"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:30+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:13:16
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masslive.com%2Fredsox%2F2023%2F08%2Fjustin-verlander-rumors-astros-remain-involved-in-trade-talks.html.json
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Mets general manager Billy Eppler told reporters New York was not going into rebuild mode despite trading Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers. It was a move that made Justin Verlander question the direction of the team, and admitted he couldn’t help but think whether he was next to go.
And he might be.
BetMGM Massachusetts $1,000 FIRST BET OFFER CLAIM OFFER Promo code: MASSLIVE Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org.
Teams have been reported to be interested in the three-time Cy Young Award winner, including his former Houston Astros club. But after general manager Dana Brown revealed on SportsTalk790 the focus is not a starting pitcher at the deadline, it was assumed the ‘Stros were out.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, however, “Talks are fluid, and subject to change. But multiple sources briefed on the discussions told The Athletic on Monday that the Astros remain involved in the Verlander talks. Some believe a return to Houston is the future Hall of Famer’s preferred outcome, citing, in part, his relationship with (owner Jim) Crane.”
Verlander, 40, spent five seasons with the Astros, winning two World Series with the organization in 2017 and 2022.
The right-hander has a full no-trade clause in his contract, so he’d have final say about where he goes should the Mets ultimately trade him.
The Mets are 50-55 going into their Tuesday game against the Kansas City Royals and have a tough hill to climb in the National League Wild Card race. The Astros, meanwhile, own the second American League Wild Card spot and sit just one game behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the AL West standings.
The MLB trade deadline is Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. EST.
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Justin Verlander rumors: Astros ‘remain involved’ in trade talks with Mets
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https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2023/08/justin-verlander-rumors-astros-remain-involved-in-trade-talks.html
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[
"Danny Kelly",
"Danny Heifetz",
"Craig Horlbeck",
"Matthew Belloni",
"Bryan Curtis",
"David Shoemaker",
"Johnny Bananas",
"Mike Gioseffi",
"Jesse Gibson",
"Flo Lloyd-Hughes"
] |
2023-08-01 00:49:27+00:00
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2023-07-31 20:33:47
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Plus, the Jonathan Taylor fiasco
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2F2023%2F7%2F31%2F23814987%2Ffantasy-rb-rankings-tiers-and-fears.json
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_
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Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, and Craig Horlbeck open by addressing a few story lines around the NFL, including Joe Burrow’s calf injury and the Jonathan Taylor–Indianapolis Colts fiasco (1:44). Next, they walk through their running back rankings, place them in tiers, and address their most pressing fears from The Ringer’s 2023 Fantasy Football Rankings (16:23). Finally, the guys close with emails (60:30).
Check out our 2023 Ringer Fantasy Football Rankings here!
Tier 1: Christian McCaffrey and Austin Ekeler (17:42)
Tier 2: Bijan Robinson, Nick Chubb, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs (17:55)
Tier 3: Jonathan Taylor, Tony Pollard, Rhamondre Stevenson, Joe Mixon, and Najee Harris (19:13)
Tier 4: Travis Etienne Jr., Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Aaron Jones (25:50)
Tier 5: J.K. Dobbins, Dameon Pierce, Cam Akers, Miles Sanders, Alexander Mattison, James Conner, and Rachaad White (38:03)
Tier 6: David Montgomery, D’Andre Swift, Alvin Kamara, Isiah Pacheco, Dalvin Cook, James Cook, Brian Robinson Jr., and Rashaad Penny (42:40)
Tiers 7/8/9: Everyone else (49:11)
Email us! ringerfantasyfootball@gmail.com
The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out Resources and Helplines for Gambling Responsibly to find out more or listen to the end of the episode for additional details.
Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, and Craig Horlbeck
Social: Kiera Givens
Producer: Kai Grady
Audio intern: Jack Sanders
Subscribe: Spotify
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Fantasy RB Rankings, Tiers, and Fears
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https://www.theringer.com/2023/7/31/23814987/fantasy-rb-rankings-tiers-and-fears
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2023-08-01 01:12:02+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:35:00
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ksla.com%2Fprnewswire%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Ffibra-prologis-announces-change-its-technical-committee%2F.json
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MEXICO CITY, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FIBRA Prologis (BMV:FIBRAPL 14), a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico, today announced that after having served as a member of the Technical Committee for the past years, Gimena Peña Malcampo, will step down as an independent member.
"We appreciate the time and effort that Gimena put on our Technical Committee meetings. Her perspective, in particular on the ESG initiatives, was highly valued," said Luis Gutiérrez, CEO, Prologis Property Mexico.
"Serving on the FIBRA Prologis Technical Committee has been a rewarding experience. I have always admired the company's commitment to innovation and sustainability, and I'm particularly proud of the progress that has been made toward advancing our sustainability-centered goals. It has been my privileged to serve as a board member of this impactful organization," said Mrs. Peña Malcampo.
FIBRA Prologis Manager will announce a replacement to Gimena Peña Malcampo as an independent member of the Technical Committee.
ABOUT FIBRA PROLOGIS
FIBRA Prologis is a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico. As of June 30, 2023, FIBRA Prologis was comprised of 228 logistics and manufacturing facilities in six industrial markets in Mexico totaling 44.2 million square feet (4.1 million square meters) of gross leasable area.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which FIBRA Prologis operates, management's beliefs and assumptions made by management. Such statements involve uncertainties that could significantly impact FIBRA Prologis financial results. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to rent and occupancy growth, acquisition activity, development activity, disposition activity, general conditions in the geographic areas where we operate, our debt and financial position, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained and therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that may affect outcomes and results include, but are not limited to: (i) national, international, regional and local economic climates, (ii) changes in financial markets, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, (iii) increased or unanticipated competition for our properties, (iv) risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions and development of properties, (v) maintenance of real estate investment trust ("FIBRA") status and tax structuring, (vi) availability of financing and capital, the levels of debt that we maintain and our credit ratings, (vii) risks related to our investments (viii) environmental uncertainties, including risks of natural disasters, (ix) risks related to the coronavirus pandemic, and (x) those additional factors discussed in reports filed with the "Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores" and the Mexican Stock Exchange by FIBRA Prologis under the heading "Risk Factors." FIBRA Prologis undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this release.
Non-Solicitation - Any securities discussed herein or in the accompanying presentations, if any, have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. Any such announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities discussed herein or in the presentations, if and as applicable.
(PRNewsfoto/FIBRA Prologis) (PRNewswire)
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE FIBRA Prologis
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FIBRA Prologis Announces Change to its Technical Committee
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https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/fibra-prologis-announces-change-its-technical-committee/
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2023-08-01 01:12:09+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:38:00
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ksla.com%2Fprnewswire%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fstellus-capital-investment-corporation-schedules-second-quarter-2023-financial-results-conference-call%2F.json
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HOUSTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Stellus Capital Investment Corporation (NYSE: SCM) will release its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023 on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, after the close of the stock market.
(PRNewsFoto/Stellus Capital Investment Corp) (PRNewswire)
Stellus Capital Investment Corporation will host a conference call to discuss these results on Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 10:00 AM, Central Time. The conference call will be led by Robert T. Ladd, Chief Executive Officer, and W. Todd Huskinson, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary.
Conference Call Details
Via Phone: Dial 888-506-0062 (domestic). Use passcode 810825. Starting approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call, a replay will be available through Thursday, August 24, 2023 by dialing 877-481-4010 and entering passcode 48865.
Via Live Webcast: Connect via the Public Company (SCIC) section of our website at www.stelluscapital.com, under the Events tab. A replay of the conference will be available on our website for approximately 90 days.
About Stellus Capital Investment Corporation
The Company is an externally-managed, closed-end, non-diversified investment management company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Company's investment objective is to maximize the total return to its stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in private middle-market companies (typically those with $5.0 million to $50.0 million of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)) through first lien, second lien, unitranche and mezzanine debt financing, and corresponding equity investments. The Company's investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Stellus Capital Management, LLC. To learn more about Stellus Capital Investment Corporation, visit www.stelluscapital.com under the Stellus Capital Investment Corporation link.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements included herein may contain "forward-looking statements" which relate to future performance or financial condition. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.
Contacts
Stellus Capital Investment Corporation
W. Todd Huskinson, (713) 292-5414
Chief Financial Officer
thuskinson@stelluscapital.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Stellus Capital Investment Corporation
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Stellus Capital Investment Corporation Schedules Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results Conference Call
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2023-08-01 00:49:36+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:40:05
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The Elon Musk-owned company, which has been rebranded as X, had removed the Twitter sign and iconic blue bird logo from the building last week.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ksla.com%2F2023%2F08%2F01%2Fbrightly-flashing-x-sign-removed-san-francisco-building-that-was-twitters-headquarters%2F.json
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A brightly flashing “X” sign has been removed from the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter just days after it was installed.
The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection said Monday it received 24 complaints about the unpermitted structure over the weekend. Complaints included concerns about its structural safety and illumination.
The Elon Musk-owned company, which has been rebranded as X, had removed the Twitter sign and iconic blue bird logo from the building last week. That work was temporarily paused because the company did not have the necessary permits. For a time, the “er” at the end of “Twitter” remained up due to the abrupt halt of the sign takedown.
The city of San Francisco had opened a complaint and launched an investigation into the giant “X” sign, which was installed Friday on top of the downtown building as Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
The chaotic rebrand of Twitter’s building signage is similar to the haphazard way in which the Twitter platform is being turned into X. While the X logo has replaced Twitter on many parts of the site and app, remnants of Twitter remain.
Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a message for comment Monday.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Brightly flashing ‘X’ sign removed from the San Francisco building that was Twitter’s headquarters
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2023-08-01 01:11:56+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:30:00
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ksla.com%2Fprnewswire%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fchinas-national-medical-products-administration-accepts-astellas-biologics-license-application-zolbetuximab%2F.json
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TOKYO, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, "Astellas") today announced that the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has accepted the Biologics License Application (BLA) for zolbetuximab, a first-in-class investigational Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2)-targeted monoclonal antibody, for first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma whose tumors are CLDN18.2-positive. If approved, zolbetuximab would be the first CLDN18.2-targeted therapy available in China for these patients.
Astellas stands on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into value for patients.(PRNewsFoto/Astellas Pharma Inc.) (PRNewswire)
Moitreyee Chatterjee-Kishore, PhD, MBA, Senior Vice President and Head of Immuno-Oncology Development, Astellas
"China accounts for nearly half of the world's new cases of gastric cancer, with more than 478,000 new cases diagnosed and more than 373,000 deaths in 2020. The CDE's acceptance of our BLA for zolbetuximab brings us one step closer to having a new therapy available for Chinese patients with advanced-stage disease and in need of treatment options."
The BLA is based on results from the Phase 3 GLOW and SPOTLIGHT clinical trials. The GLOW study evaluated zolbetuximab plus CAPOX (a combination chemotherapy regimen that includes capecitabine and oxaliplatin) compared to placebo plus CAPOX. In the GLOW study, 145 patients were randomized in mainland China. The SPOTLIGHT study evaluated zolbetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 (a combination regimen that includes oxaliplatin, leucovorin and fluorouracil) compared to placebo plus mFOLFOX6. In the SPOTLIGHT study, 36 patients were randomized in mainland China.
In both GLOW and SPOTLIGHT, approximately 38% of patients screened for the trials had tumors that were CLDN18.2-positive (≥75% of tumor cells with moderate-to-strong membranous CLDN18 staining intensity), as determined by a validated immunohistochemistry assay.1,2
Astellas has already reflected the impact from this acceptance in its financial forecast of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.
About Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer
Gastric cancer, also commonly known as stomach cancer, is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide.3 In China, gastric cancer ranks third among incidences of all cancer, with more than 478,000 cases diagnosed and more than 373,000 deaths in 2020.4 Signs and symptoms can include indigestion or heartburn, pain or discomfort in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, bloating of the stomach after meals, loss of appetite, and sensation of food getting stuck in the throat while eating.5 Signs of more advanced gastric cancer can include unexplained weight loss, weakness and fatigue and vomiting blood or having blood in the stool.6 Risk factors associated with gastric cancer can include older age, male gender, family history, H. pylori infection, smoking and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).5,7 Because early-stage gastric cancer symptoms frequently overlap with more common stomach-related conditions, gastric cancer is often diagnosed in the advanced or metastatic stage, or once it has spread from the tumor's origin to other body tissues or organs.5 The five-year relative survival rate for patients at the metastatic stage is 6.6%.8 Gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma is a cancer that starts at the area where the esophagus joins the stomach.9
About Zolbetuximab
Zolbetuximab is an investigational, first-in-class chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) that targets and binds to Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2), a transmembrane protein. Zolbetuximab acts by binding to CLDN18.2 on the cancer cell surface of gastric epithelial cells. In pre-clinical studies, this binding interaction then induces cancer cell death by activating two distinct immune system pathways — antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC).10 Zolbetuximab has not been approved by any regulatory bodies for the treatment of patients with gastric and GEJ cancers, and there is no guarantee the agent will receive regulatory approval or become commercially available for the uses being investigated.
INVESTIGATIONAL STUDIES
About GLOW Phase 3 Clinical Trial
GLOW is a Phase 3, global, multi-center, double-blind, randomized study, assessing the efficacy and safety of zolbetuximab (IMAB362) plus CAPOX (a combination chemotherapy regimen that includes capecitabine and oxaliplatin) compared to placebo plus CAPOX as a first-line treatment in patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma whose tumors were CLDN18.2-positive. The study enrolled 507 patients at 166 study locations in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, South America and Asia, including China. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS) in participants treated with the combination of zolbetuximab plus CAPOX compared to those treated with placebo plus CAPOX. Secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), safety and tolerability and quality-of-life parameters.
Data from the GLOW study were initially presented at the March 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Plenary Series with an updated oral presentation at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting on June 3.1
For more information, please visit clinicaltrials.gov under Identifier NCT03653507.
About SPOTLIGHT Phase 3 Clinical Trial
SPOTLIGHT is a Phase 3, global, multi-center, double-blind, randomized study, assessing the efficacy and safety of zolbetuximab (IMAB362) plus mFOLFOX6 (a combination regimen that includes oxaliplatin, leucovorin and fluorouracil) compared to placebo plus mFOLFOX6 as a first-line treatment in patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma whose tumors were CLDN18.2-positive. The study enrolled 565 patients at 215 study locations in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Europe, South America and Asia, including China. The primary endpoint is PFS in participants treated with the combination of zolbetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 compared to those treated with placebo plus mFOLFOX6. Secondary endpoints include OS, ORR, DOR, safety and tolerability and quality-of-life parameters.
Data from the SPOTLIGHT clinical trial were presented during the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers Symposium in an oral presentation on January 19 and were subsequently published in The Lancet on April 14.2
For more information, please visit clinicaltrials.gov under Identifier NCT03504397.
Investigational Pipeline in CLDN18.2
An expanded Phase 2 trial in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma is in progress. The trial is a randomized, multi-center, open-label study, evaluating the safety and efficacy of investigational zolbetuximab in combination with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with CLDN18.2-positive tumors (defined as ≥75% of tumor cells demonstrating moderate-to-strong membranous CLDN18 staining based on a validated immunohistochemistry assay). For more information, please visit clinicaltrials.gov under Identifier NCT03816163.
In addition to zolbetuximab, ASP2138 is under development in our Primary Focus Immuno-Oncology. ASP2138 is a bispecific monoclonal antibody that binds to CD3 and CLDN18.2, and it is currently in a Phase 1 trial for people with gastric, GEJ or pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The safety and efficacy of the agent under investigation have not been established for the uses being considered. For more information, please visit clinicaltrials.gov under Identifier NCT05365581.
There is no guarantee that the agent will receive regulatory approval and become commercially available for the uses being investigated.
About Astellas
Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are promoting the Focus Area Approach that is designed to identify opportunities for the continuous creation of new drugs to address diseases with high unmet medical needs by focusing on Biology and Modality. Furthermore, we are also looking beyond our foundational Rx focus to create Rx+® healthcare solutions that combine our expertise and knowledge with cutting-edge technology in different fields of external partners. Through these efforts, Astellas stands on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into VALUE for patients. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en.
Cautionary Notes
In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management's current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas' intellectual property rights by third parties.
Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development) which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.
References
1 Xu RH, Shitara K, Ajani JA, et al. Updates on Abstract 405736: Zolbetuximab + CAPOX in 1L claudin-18.2+ (CLDN18.2+)/HER2− locally advanced (LA) or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (mG/GEJ) adenocarcinoma: Primary phase 3 results from GLOW. Presented at: 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting. Abstract 405736.
2 Shitara K, et al. Zolbetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 in patients with claudin-18 isoform 2-positive, HER2-negative, untreated, locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastrooesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (SPOTLIGHT): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial. The Lancet. Published online April 14, 2023; S0140-6736(23)00620-7.
3 Sung H, et al. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021;71(3):209-49.
4 World Health Organization. Cancer Today. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/. Last accessed July 18, 2023.
5 American Cancer Society. Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer (01-22-2021). Available at https://www.cancer.org/cancer/stomach-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html. Last accessed July 18, 2023.
6 National Cancer Institute. Gastric cancer treatment (PDQ®): patient version (08-24-2021). Available at https://www.cancer.gov/types/stomach/patient/stomach-treatment-pdq. Last accessed July 18, 2023.
7 American Cancer Society. Esophageal cancer risk factors (06-09-2020). Available at https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html. Last accessed July 18, 2023.
8 National Cancer Institute. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Cancer stat facts: stomach cancer. Available at https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/stomach.html. Last accessed July 18, 2023.
9 American Cancer Society. About esophagus cancer (03-20-2020). Available at https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8614.00.pdf. Last accessed July 18, 2023.
10 Sahin U, et al. FAST: a randomised phase II study of zolbetuximab (IMAB362) plus EOX versus EOX alone for first-line treatment of advanced CLDN18.2-positive gastric and gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Ann Oncol. 2021;32(5):609-19.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Astellas Pharma Inc.
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China's National Medical Products Administration Accepts Astellas' Biologics License Application for Zolbetuximab
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2023-07-31 23:29:45
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Officials said three of the four victims killed in a fiery crash on Friday were siblings.
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CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. (WANF/Gray News) - Three siblings were among four people killed in a crash early Friday morning in Georgia, according to officials.
The three siblings were identified by a family member in a GoFundMe account set up to help pay for funeral expenses.
According to the GoFundMe, 14-year-old Jovany, 18-year-old Brenda, and 21-year-old Carl Pamphile were all killed just after 1 a.m. Friday on I-75 South near the I-285 exit after their vehicle clipped another car, crashed into a tree, and caught fire.
The family’s beloved dog Zoe also died in the crash, according to the GoFundMe.
The fourth person killed in the crash was in the same vehicle as the three other victims but has not yet been identified by officials. According to WANF, the unidentified victim was female.
Donations can be made to the Pamphile family’s GoFundMe account to help support memorial costs for the siblings.
Officials said the person in the clipped car was taken to the hospital to be treated for their injuries. No further information has been released on their condition.
The crash remains under investigation.
Copyright 2023 WANF via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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3 siblings killed after vehicle clips car, smashes into tree, catches fire, family says
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https://www.ksla.com/2023/07/31/3-siblings-killed-after-vehicle-clips-car-smashes-into-tree-catches-fire-family-says/
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[
"Associated Press",
"News Agency",
"The Associated Press Is An Independent Global News Organization Dedicated To Factual Reporting."
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:33+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:52:54
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fis-claims-responsibility-for-the-bombing-that-killed-54-at-a-pro-taliban-election-rally-in-pakistan%2F.json
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By ANWARULLAH KHAN and RIAZ KHAN (Associated Press)
KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — An Afghan branch of the Islamic State group on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Pakistan that killed at least 54 people at a pro-Taliban party’s election rally, in one of the region’s worst attacks in recent years.
Islamic State in Khorasan Province made the claim in a statement posted on its Amaq website. It said the attacker detonated an explosive vest, and that the bombing Sunday in the northwestern town of Bajur was part of the group’s continuing war against forms of democracy it deems to be against Islam.
Hours earlier, hundreds of mourners in Bajur carried caskets draped in colorful cloths to burial sites following the previous day’s attack at the election rally for the Jamiat Ulema Islam party. Officials said the bombing killed 54 people, including at least five children, and wounded nearly 200.
The attack appeared to reflect divisions between Islamist groups, which have a strong presence in the district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. The Jamiat Ulema Islam party has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
At least 1,000 people were crowded into a tent near a market for the rally ahead of fall elections, according to police.
“People were chanting God is Great as the leaders arrived,” said Khan Mohammad, a local resident who said he was standing outside the tent, “and that was when I heard the deafening sound of the bomb.”
Mohammad said he heard people crying for help, and minutes later ambulances arrived and began taking the wounded away.
Police had suggested in their initial investigation that Islamic State in Khorasan Province was a suspect. The group is based in neighboring Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida.
Pakistan security analyst Mahmood Shah also previously had said that breakaway factions of the Pakistani Taliban could be possible suspects, though the group distanced itself from the attack.
The Pakistani military spent years fighting the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in Bajur before declaring the district clear of militants in 2016. But the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman, has remained a potent political force.
On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in Khar, the district’s principal town.
Female relatives and children wailed and beat their chests at family homes Monday as the dead were taken for funerals, following local customs. Hundreds of men followed the caskets to mosques and open areas for special funeral prayers and then into the hills for burial.
As condolences continued to pour in from across the country, dozens of people who had lesser injuries were discharged from hospital, while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital of Peshawar by army helicopters. The death toll continued to rise as some critically wounded people died in hospital, physician Gul Naseeb said.
Gul Akbar, the father of an 11-year-old boy who was wounded in the attack, told The Associated Press that his entire family was in a state of shock after hearing about the bombing Sunday. He said he first went to the scene of the attack, and later found his son Taslim Khan being treated in a hospital in Khar.
“What would I have done if he had also been martyred? Five children died in this barbaric attack, and we want to know what our children did wrong,” he said.
Rehman’s party is preparing to contest elections, which are expected in October or November. Abdul Rasheed, one of the party’s senior leaders, said the bombing was aimed at weakening the party but that “such attacks cannot deter our resolve.”
Rehman’s party is part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. Khan condemned the bombing Sunday, as did the U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad.
The Pakistani Taliban also distanced themselves from the bombing, saying that it was intended to set Islamists against each other. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, wrote in a tweet that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way.”
The bombing came hours before Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrived in Islamabad, where he signed new agreements to boost trade and economic ties to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package under which China has invested $10 billion in Pakistan over 10 years, according to Sharif.
“We will not tolerate any obstacles in the way of friendship with China,” Sharif said, as he stood next to He.
But the government canceled a cultural event that had been arranged in honor of He, according to Sharif, while the nation mourns.
Some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Rehman, who has long supported Afghanistan’s Taliban government, survived at least two known bomb attacks in 2011 and 2014, when bombings damaged his car at rallies.
Sunday’s bombing was one of the worst in northwestern Pakistan in the last decade. In 2014, 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar.
In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. And in February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
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Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this story from Islamabad.
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IS claims responsibility for the bombing that killed 54 at a pro-Taliban election rally in Pakistan
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/is-claims-responsibility-for-the-bombing-that-killed-54-at-a-pro-taliban-election-rally-in-pakistan/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:46+00:00
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2023-07-31 20:47:52
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Forioles-promoting-catcher-samuel-basallo-clubs-no-5-prospect-to-high-a-aberdeen%2F.json
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Orioles fans in the Baltimore region will soon be able to watch in person the best prospect the club has signed as an international free agent during the Mike Elias era.
The Orioles are promoting catcher Samuel Basallo, ranked by Baseball America as the organization’s fifth-best prospect, to High-A Aberdeen, a source with direct knowledge of the move confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.
Basallo, who the Orioles signed out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021, has been one of the most impressive prospects this season in a farm system ranked as the sport’s best. After posting solid numbers in rookie ball in 2021 and 2022, the 18-year-old backstop dominated Low-A competition in his first year of full-season ball. In 83 games with Delmarva, Basallo slashed .299/.384/.503 — good for an .887 OPS — with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 60 RBIs.
His performance, combined with his plus power at the plate and arm behind it, has zoomed Basallo up prospect rankings. After opening the season as the organization’s 15th-best prospect, according to Baseball America, he has since leapfrogged several well-known Orioles youngsters, including Heston Kjerstad, Joey Ortiz and Connor Norby, all of whom are putting up good numbers in Triple-A. Basallo is also one of seven Orioles players on Baseball America’s top 100 list as the publication’s No. 58 prospect.
The only Orioles players still in the minor leagues who rank ahead of Basallo are Jackson Holliday, the overall top prospect in the sport, and Coby Mayo. Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg are still considered prospects even though they’re in the major leagues.
Basallo’s success this season is an example of how the current Orioles regime, which began when Elias was hired as general manager in November 2018, differs from the previous one. After years of reluctance to spend money in the international market, Elias and company brought in a new philosophy that led to signing Basallo, just 16 at the time, for a then-organization record $1.3 million signing bonus.
Many Orioles prospects have struggled at Aberdeen, given the gap from Low-A to High-A is considered perhaps the biggest in the minor leagues. Basallo, who turns 19 in two weeks, will be the youngest player to appear at the level this season, according to FanGraphs.
“He’s still young and still growing up and still trying to mature, but the desire to be good or be great stands out,” Delmarva hitting coach Josh Bunselmeyer said in June. “It’s been really cool to see him from where he started to where he’s at now and the attention he’s starting to get as he’s played well.”
The Orioles are also promoting catching prospect Silas Ardoin from High-A to Double-A, a source confirmed. Ardoin, the Orioles’ fourth-round pick in 2022, slashed .215/.369/.336 in 68 games with the IronBirds.
MASNSports.com first reported the promotions.
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www.twincities.com
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Orioles promoting catcher Samuel Basallo, club’s No. 5 prospect, to High-A Aberdeen
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/orioles-promoting-catcher-samuel-basallo-clubs-no-5-prospect-to-high-a-aberdeen/
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[
"Emily Samuels",
"Nollyanne Delacruz",
"Nollyanne Delacruz Started As A Staff Writer For The Gamut",
"The School Newspaper At Oxford Academy In Cypress",
"California. After Graduating High School",
"She Was A Freelance Writer For Doorstep News",
"An Online Student-Led News Website",
"Was Published Under The Name Anne Delacruz. She Currently Works As The Editor-In-Chief Of The Daily Titan",
"The Student Newspaper At Cal State Fullerton. She Has Served The Last Two Years As Assistant Opinion Editor",
"Deputy Opinion Editor"
] |
2023-08-01 01:00:59+00:00
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2023-07-31 19:45:05
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fbarbies-latest-look-is-diverse-but-is-it-toying-with-fans%2F.json
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It’s Barbie’s world – and after the first week of the new Barbie movie – it’s clear we’re all just living in it.
In its opening weekend, director Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” smashed box office records with a $155 million debut.
The star-studded cast features leads Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling — along with an ensemble cast including America Ferrera, Issa Rae and Will Ferrell — whose performances are being praised by critics for transforming a film about a beloved children’s doll franchise into a thought-provoking experience about gender norms, double standards and identity.
The diverse film pays homage to Mattel’s efforts to ensure there’s a Barbie and Ken doll that represents different body types, nationalities, looks, and especially careers throughout history, both fans and critics of the franchise say.
Cindy Guzman of Irvine, Calif., left, and daughter Livy arrive at the premiere of “Barbie” on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Margot Robbie in a scene from “Barbie” shows off her flat feet to other barbies. (Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures)
From left, Gabrielle Roitman, Kayla Seffing, Maddy Hiller and Casey Myer take a selfie in front of an “Oppenheimer” movie poster before they attended an advance screening of “Barbie,” Thursday, July 20, 2023, at AMC The Grove 14 theaters in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
But Barbie was not always as diverse as it may seem today. Upon its creation in 1959, the doll promoted a sense of feminism that was largely career-driven and encouraged self-expression. Despite changing with the times, Mattel has been criticized for its Barbies lacking diversity in terms of skin color, size, and not having dolls who represent “everyday” life. Whether or not Barbie fully reflects America’s diversity, many say her successes — and shortcomings — aren’t seen as important to the children who play with her. But many adults, especially parents, feel both the film and toy franchise is the representation they wished for as kids.
Chelsea Reynolds, a feminist media scholar and communications professor at Cal State Fullerton, acknowledged that Barbie has become more diverse in the last 40 years in terms of race, clothing, careers and body size. Today, there are dolls of 35 different skin tones, 97 different hairstyles, and nine different body types. There are Asian Barbies, Black Barbies in wheelchairs and Kens with vitiligo. Earlier this year, Mattel designed its first Barbie doll with Down syndrome.
However, Reynolds said, “I don’t think we see super plus-sized Barbie, I don’t think we see super dark-skinned Barbies specifically.”
Barbara Millicent Roberts was created by Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler, who noticed her daughter Barbara — for whom “Barbie” is named — enjoyed changing the clothes of her own paper dolls. So Handler created a more realistic adult doll with real clothes and more “human-like” functions.
Different versions of Barbie have evolved in nearly every cultural and political era, Reynolds said. In the 50s, she was an emancipating figure for the traditional stay-at-home “housewife,” and in the ’80s, she represented disco and punk. The first Black Barbie, Christie, was invented in 1968. Becky, the first doll in a wheelchair, was released in 1997.
Reynolds said that the toy “presented this new way of envisioning womanhood. Barbie wasn’t necessarily a mom. Barbie wasn’t necessarily only in a caretaking role. She was like this autonomous, independent woman who could be pretty much anything.”
Through the decades, the company’s many collections try to spotlight diversity — including “Dolls of the World,” featuring Barbies in cultural and traditional dress, and the ongoing “Global Sheroes” line honoring female icons from history. A 1981 “Oriental Barbie” was later ill-received.
In 2016, when dolls weren’t selling well, Mattel rolled out Barbies with different body types, hair textures and disabilities. But when the wheelchairs for Barbies with disabilities couldn’t fit through the Barbie DreamHouse, the doll was discontinued — undermining the company’s efforts for inclusive branding.
Concerned about the impact a lack of representation can have on a child’s self-esteem and empowerment, both Mattel and other toy companies have since created more “everyday”-looking dolls — including Healthy Roots and Jilly Bing — with features including smaller-shaped eyes and big curly hair.
And for first-generation, immigrant children, Reynolds said that those efforts, however imperfect, really matter. Barbie represents a “cultural notion of Americana that is important to many communities of color,” she said. And in the film, diverse Hollywood stars are cast as dolls that “purposely represent this new ‘Americana.’”
“This version of Barbie that Greta Gerwig presented was dismantling so many of the gender norms that I think we associate with dolls, and specifically with Barbie dolls, as girls’ toys,” Reynolds said. “I think that the way that patriarchy was challenged by Barbie in the movie is emblematic of what she has always done — giving women or girls the ability to imagine themselves in a society that is unlike the one that we live in.”
At a Barbie-themed storytime hosted by the Anaheim Public Library, there was no shortage of pink — the color the film most visually embraces. Parents at the event all agreed that it’s important for little girls and boys to have the mindset embodied in Mattel’s vast doll empire: “You Can Be Anything.”
Issa Rae, surrounded by other Barbies, plays President of Barbieland in the new Warner Bros. film “Barbie.” Some say the film about a historic doll franchise shines a light on the world today. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
2023 Riverside County National History Day competition winner Mia Tustison, 14, of Corona put together a website project which looks at the history of the Barbie doll franchise from her home in Corona on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) © The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
2023 Riverside County National History Day competition winner Mia Tustison, 14, of Corona put together a website project which looks at the history of the Barbie doll franchise from her home in Corona on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) © The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
2023 Riverside County National History Day competition winner Mia Tustison, 14, of Corona put together a website project which looks at the history of the Barbie doll including this Travel Barbie in Corona on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) © The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
Mia Tustison, 14, website project is reflected in her glasses, which looks at the history of the Barbie doll franchise at hime in Corona on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) © The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
USA2023 Riverside County National History Day competition winner Mia Tustison, 14, of Corona put together a website project which looks at the history of the Barbie doll including this Travel Barbie in Corona on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) © The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
2023 Riverside County National History Day competition winner Mia Tustison, 14, of Corona put together a website project which looks at the history of the Barbie doll franchise which started in march or 1959, in Corona on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) © The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
Mia Tustison, from Corona, and her family watched the new “Barbie” movie on its opening weekend. (Photo courtesy of Mia Tustison)
The 2022 Barbie Fashionista line includes Barbie’s first doll with hearing aids. (Courtesy of Mattel, Inc.)
Diana Fuentes, from Brea, said that children now have a wider selection of dolls on the shelves that look “just like them.” She praised how her 6-year-old daughter can play with Barbies that represent both her physical attributes and career dreams.
“I’m Hispanic, and if I see a doll that’s Hispanic, if I’m a child then I’m like, ‘Oh, that could be me one day,’” Fuentes said. “They put themselves in their shoes, so when (Barbie) doesn’t look like or resemble them, it’s harder for them to see themselves being that in the future.”
Sarah Martinez, from Buena Park, agreed that it’s important for kids to see toys that represent people they interact with daily; in their school, neighborhood and community. She remembered playing with Barbie in the ’90s with childhood friends.
“Our world didn’t have that,” she said, noting that she usually played with a brunette doll that reflected her hair type, but that was all.
Fourteen-year-old Ava Rodriguez said she watched the new movie with her family, and it reminded her how nice it is to have a doll that “looks like you, who you can relate with.” Playing with her Barbie when she was younger always made her feel like she could be anyone she wanted to be.
“When (my sister Gabby and I) were playing with Barbie, you were able to do anything, be in your own world, not have anyone tell you what to do,” Rodriguez said.
But some parents raised the question of whether representation in the Barbie doll franchise – much like many global companies’ efforts to diversify their brands – starts to feel inauthentic.
After the film’s release, Jason Munoz from Woodland Hills visited the new “World of Barbie” pop-up experience in Santa Monica with his family. He was more skeptical, calling out the franchise for leaning “too much” into ethnic stereotypes. He said that his daughters were looking to find a Barbie that reflects their Mexican heritage.
“When I see something that’s (branded) a Mexican Barbie, it has to have a Mexican dress, and that’s not an everyday Mexican person I see,” Munoz said. “They’re just like you and me… just normal people that live everyday lives.“
Reynolds, the feminist media scholar, was uncertain about whether the film’s casting was truly authentic.
“It’s hard to tell whether this movie is authentically representing diversity, or whether it’s meeting the industry quotas that have been established over the last few years,” she said. “I don’t know; I’m not mad to see it.”
Actor Issa Rae’s role as the Black female president of Barbieland, the film’s main setting, as well as the casting of one Asian American Ken — played by Simu Liu — and one curvy Barbie, played by Sharon Rooney, can be seen as “tokenizing” since both actors do not play prominent roles in the movie, Reynolds said.
“On the one hand, you can argue that’s representation. On the other hand, you can argue that maybe Greta Gerwig slapped a person into each role that fit the diversity model that Hollywood is looking for these days.”
Still, she said, the movie did a “tremendous job at getting complex topics like feminism and equity issues into the living rooms and homes around America.”
Mia Tustison from Corona won a Riverside County competition award in the spring for her Barbie-themed history project. She built a website that explores different perspectives surrounding Barbie — from inspiring women to be “more than what was expected of them,” to being glorified for her unrealistic body proportions — and its controversy.
The 14-year-old incoming freshman at Santiago High School said that Mattel’s efforts to build a more diverse toy line were mostly driven by sales. She watched the film with her family on opening weekend, wearing the brand’s signature pink.
Tustison highlighted the movie’s feminist-heavy message, but thought that its diversity is more reflected in its ensemble, not the starring roles. Still, she hoped the movie opens people’s eyes to be able to point out and “criticize things that are happening, things that are holding us back as a society.”
“I think (“Barbie” the movie) is not changing culture, with the way we look at diversity. That has already been shifting,” Tustison said. “I think it’s a reflection and commentary on that shift.”
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Barbie’s latest look is diverse. But is it toying with fans?
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/barbies-latest-look-is-diverse-but-is-it-toying-with-fans/
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"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:04:59+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:29:05
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fyankees-notebook-domingo-germn-scratched-with-armpit-discomfort-jhony-brito-gets-start-as-ron-marinaccio-is-sent-down%2F.json
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The Yankees’ rotation faced its latest injury challenge Monday, when Domingo Germán was scratched from his scheduled start against the Rays after experiencing right armpit discomfort a day earlier.
Jhony Brito was called up to start in place of Germán, with reliever Ron Marinaccio sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room on the roster.
Germán didn’t experience discomfort during his previous outing — when he surrendered six runs in a loss to the Mets last Tuesday — or in his subsequent bullpen session, manager Aaron Boone said Monday. The right-hander wasn’t able to play catch Sunday due to the issue, however.
The 30-year-old Germán was scheduled to see team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad before Monday’s game to “rule anything out,” Boone said. The Yankees don’t expect Germán to go to the injured list.
“He felt better by the end of [Sunday],” Boone said. “He feels good today, but we just didn’t feel like we could risk sending him out there, and then if we have to pull the plug in the first inning or something, it would put us in a tough situation.”
The Yankees needed 4.2 innings out of their bullpen during Sunday night’s loss to Baltimore after starter Luis Severino failed to get through four innings.
Germán, who pitched the 24th perfect game in MLB history last month, has a 4.77 ERA this season and a 5.64 mark in July. He could return to the rotation within the “next several days” if everything checks out, Boone said.
Brito entered Monday’s game 4-4 with a 4.70 ERA in 12 outings with the Yankees this season.
“He’s been throwing pretty well this month [at Triple-A],” Boone said. “He’s done a good job with us. I feel like he’s had really competitive outings each time he’s pitched with us.”
Marinaccio threw 2.2 scoreless innings Sunday after struggling throughout July. He had surrendered eight runs over his previous seven appearances and has a 7.36 ERA this month.
Boone said Marinaccio’s demotion was the result of the Yankees needing to make a move for Brito, but said pitching at Triple-A will give the reliever an opportunity to work on his aggressiveness in the strike zone and staying on top of the running game.
“Hopefully this is something that can serve him well, too,” Boone said. “Get some quality work in, get back here and really help us.”
Marinaccio recently told the Daily News he was “searching for consistent mechanics,” an issue that may have contributed to a drop in his velocity.
“We’re trying to create as much force as we can driving down the mound,” Marinaccio said. “I feel like I’m getting stuck over the rubber at times and I don’t have much power at the end of my throw. And that probably speaks to velocity ticking down at times. It’s been up and down for me. I feel like I’ve been getting close at times. Then I’ve had outings where I haven’t felt great, too.”
The Yankees rotation is currently without Nestor Cortes, who is rehabbing from a left rotator cuff strain, and has also endured prolonged injury absences by Severino and Carlos Rodón. Frankie Montas, who underwent shoulder surgery in February, hasn’t pitched this season.
JUDGE COULD PLAY ENTIRE RAYS SERIES
The Yankees continue to exercise caution with Aaron Judge, who returned to the Yankees lineup last Friday after a big toe injury cost him nearly two months.
Judge was back in the lineup as the designated hitter Monday after a scheduled day off Sunday. Boone hopes Judge can play all three games of the Rays series but will take things “day by day” with the slugger.
“We’re going nowhere if we run Aaron Judge into the ground when he hasn’t had a rehab game,” Boone said. “One of the thoughts behind not having him do a rehab assignment is we can do that and get the benefits of having him in the lineup for a couple days like we were able to in Baltimore.”
Judge walked three times during his return Friday, then went 3-for-5 with a home run in Saturday’s win against the Orioles.
RAYS RETOOL
An AL East division rival got stronger Monday, with the Rays trading for red-hot Guardians pitcher Aaron Civale on Monday.
The 28-year-old Civale, who is 5-2 with a 2.34 ERA this season, didn’t allow more than two runs in any of his six starts in July. He helps bolster a Rays rotation that lost Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs for the year.
Tampa Bay traded Triple-A first baseman Kyle Manzardo, whom MLB Pipeline ranks as the No. 37 prospect in baseball.
The Rays, who are second in the AL East and hold the top AL Wild Card spot, entered Monday 7.5 games ahead of the Yankees.
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Yankees Notebook: Domingo Germán scratched with armpit discomfort; Jhony Brito gets start as Ron Marinaccio is sent down
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/yankees-notebook-domingo-germn-scratched-with-armpit-discomfort-jhony-brito-gets-start-as-ron-marinaccio-is-sent-down/
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2023-08-01 01:02:57+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:19:58
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fknicks-contracts-see-increased-value-as-nba-salaries-skyrocket-2%2F.json
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The Knicks, in terms of salary construction and inside the context of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, are in a good position. Their house is in order, even if they remain far off title contention.
What does that mean, exactly? It’s multi-layered, but best explained by this encouraging statistic: The Knicks, who finished among the top 8 after winning their first playoff series in a decade, don’t have a single player in the top 50 of the NBA’s highest-paid for next season.
They have No. 52 (Jalen Brunson, $26.3 million), No. 53 (Julius Randle, $25.7 million) and No. 61 (RJ Barrett, $23.9 million), but none of their current contracts can be considered bad. At worst, some are questionable. Even Evan Fournier’s expiring contract has value.
This may change soon with extensions due for Josh Hart and Immanuel Quickley. We’ll see. The word on Hart’s extension, which will be delivered in August, is in the range of four years, $75 million. Quickley, we hear, is looking for something bigger before the October deadline.
Still, as we sit in July of 2023 with essentially a full roster, team president Leon Rose, the media-shy former CAA agent, is being rewarded for his approach. He now has the benefit of time (all the starters are signed through at least the 2024-25 season) and future draft capital (as many as 10 first-round picks through 2029).
This carries more significance and benefit under the new CBA, which crushes teams for paying above the luxury tax. The penalties aren’t just monetary anymore. A team that goes above the second apron of the luxury tax – ahem, Warriors and Bucks – can’t use a trade exception, can’t include cash in a trade, can’t trade draft picks seven years out and, most importantly, can’t use the mid-level exception.
In other words, these franchises are restricted from adding new talent to their roster. If it’s not their own draft pick or a minimum contract, good luck. The goal is parity and the prevention of dynasties, which the NBA feels it achieved with five different champions over the last five years.
“That was very much our intention,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month. “I think with this new agreement, it will help to further distribute great players around the league.”
But it also stifles organic builds. The Nuggets, for instance, would’ve certainly reached the second apron just by re-signing their own draft picks, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Their ability to add championship depth to those three players would’ve been snipped at the legs.
These restrictions arrive as salaries skyrocket. The latest obscenity was Jaylen Brown’s five-year, $303 million extension, a deal that ends in 2027-28 with a $64.7 million salary. Brown is a nice player, but you’d be hard pressed to include him in the NBA’s top 20. His contract is roughly equivalent to Brunson’s, Randle’s and Barrett’s combined.
Whether foresight or good fortune, Rose had good timing on his long term deals. But his restraint is also a product of a sadder reality. The Knicks, despite their upswing last season, can’t be confused as championship contenders.
The Celtics, Nuggets, Bucks and Warriors are all spending more because they have belief – mostly legitimate – in their chances. What Rose has done is maximize the value of a smaller operation while situating it in a good position to expand.
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Knicks contracts see increased value as NBA salaries skyrocket
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/knicks-contracts-see-increased-value-as-nba-salaries-skyrocket-2/
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"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:02:09+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:12:41
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fhas-javon-freeman-liberty-earned-a-spot-on-the-chicago-bulls-time-will-tell-for-the-depaul-alumnus-5%2F.json
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Javon Freeman-Liberty stole the show for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Summer League.
The Bulls came into Las Vegas with different priorities: scouting Dalen Terry’s growth and measuring up the potential of draft pick Julian Phillips and two-way rookie Adama Sanogo. But instead, all eyes were on Freeman-Liberty, a second-year guard out of DePaul who led the Bulls with 21.2 points per game.
Freeman-Liberty was the best shooter on the court for the Bulls, shooting 49.3% and finishing 12-for-26 on 3-pointers. His performance against the Sacramento Kings was a top highlight as he logged 28 points, six assists and zero turnovers in 31 minutes.
Freeman-Liberty was among the top five of summer league players in shooting percentage (49.3%), field goals (35) and scoring (106 points). He scored 24 on 8-for-16 shooting Saturday in the Bulls’ 90-85 victory against the Washington Wizards in their summer league finale. The Bulls finished 3-2
Freeman-Liberty looked set to step into a larger role for the Windy City Bulls this season following the departure of 2023 G- League MVP Carlik Jones, whose contract was converted to the Bulls roster at the end of last season. But is all this enough for Freeman-Liberty to earn a first-team contract?
It’s an unlikely track — but it’s the primary goal for a Chicago native hoping to make the roster of his hometown team.
A product of Young, Freeman-Liberty played his first two years of college at Valparaiso before transferring to DePaul. After going undrafted in 2022, Freeman-Liberty came off the bench for 11 of 17 appearances with the Windy City Bulls last season. But he made the most of that court time, averaging 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 49.8% shooting.
The most compelling aspect of Freeman-Liberty’s game is the way he attacks the rim — hard. He brings sharp downhill vision and a lack of hesitation, a crucial combination for any guard to get to the rim. Decisiveness has been a fatal flaw for young Bulls counterparts, such as Dalen Terry and Patrick Williams, but it didn’t seem to be a concern for Freeman-Liberty in Las Vegas.
The caveat, of course, is the circumstance. Summer league is an imperfect gauge of a player’s potential. The defense is less hardy, the opposition less experienced. Top draft picks such as Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson sat out the latter half of the tournament’s opening round, further reducing the level of competition even among the younger stars.
On paper Freeman-Liberty looks to be a viable guard option, but his best stats have been posted against a lower tier of competition.
Freeman-Liberty’s future is affected by another factor: Will the Bulls even need another guard?
As the roster stands, the main priority is securing more size at center and forward. But the Bulls also need to shore up the secondary rotation guard spots. At the end of the season, the goal for that position was clear: re-sign Ayo Dosunmu, who entered restricted free agency.
Dosunmu is another high-motor hometown standout with hefty NBA experience, and his $5.2 million qualifying offer is still a relatively inexpensive deal for a secondary guard.
The Bulls re-signed Coby White while swapping Jevon Carter for Patrick Beverley at guard and Torrey Craig for Derrick Jones Jr. at power forward. If they bring back Dosunmu and Jones, the Bulls will have only be two spots left, both of which will likely need to be focused on bulking up their rim protection and size in the paint.
Like Jones before him, the best option for Freeman-Liberty is likely a two-way contract. The Bulls have used only one of their three two-way contracts so far to sign Sanogo. And a two-way contract benefits the development of a player such as Freeman-Liberty, who could use a high volume of minutes in the G League to keep progressing while mixing in more frequently in practices with the first team.
Regardless of where he lands within the Bulls system, Freeman-Liberty clearly used summer league in the way it was intended — to prove he deserves a shot at the next level.
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Has Javon Freeman-Liberty earned a spot on the Chicago Bulls? Time will tell for the DePaul alumnus.
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/has-javon-freeman-liberty-earned-a-spot-on-the-chicago-bulls-time-will-tell-for-the-depaul-alumnus-5/
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"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:03:15+00:00
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2023-07-31 18:38:16
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fmikal-bridges-big-confidence-big-faith-in-ben-simmons-return-from-back-injury-2%2F.json
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Mikal Bridges believes a Ben Simmons comeback arc is in store.
In an appearance on the Podcast P show hosted by Los Angeles Clippers All-Star Paul George, Bridges said he’s “got big confidence, big faith” in Simmons, who has spent this summer rehabbing after missing the majority of his games in Brooklyn due to ongoing back issues.
Simmons underwent a microdiscectomy for a herniated L-4 disk in May of 2022, a procedure known to have a recovery timeline in excess of a full calendar year. Bridges said on the Podcast P show he believes confirmation of an actual back injury was good for Simmons, who had become a punching bag for fans on social media angered by his decision to sit out an entire season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I think his back was messed up, and him actually going through, getting X-rays and them telling him you had to get surgery, I think it felt good for him because I think people didn’t believe him,” Bridges said. “Because maybe in Philly, he was the little boy who cried wolf sometimes, so he didnt wanna play or some s—t, and now he would say, ‘Oh I’m hurt,’ and people are like, ‘F—k outta here.’ But now he’s actually hurt, but people still don’t believe it. So he was actually hurt and now he’s got surgery, and he’s getting back, but he loves the game, bro.”
Bridges believes a fully recovered Simmons can get back to being the player who became a three-time NBA All-Star feared as one of the league’s best defenders and playmakers. The Nets star said the way things ended for Simmons in Philadelphia created a bad narrative for the embattled forward but reiterated the team is both confident in and supportive of their star teammate.
“Him being confident with his body and knowing the things he could do. I think the things he could do with a back injury — I never had a back injury, I pray to God I don’t — but those are really restrictive. I think he couldn’t do the things he did,” Bridges said. “And what happened in Philly. I think what messed him up – personally, I don’t know, what I think just off seeing things — is him not playing after the Atlanta game and everybody still killing him for not laying the ball up with Trae Young right there.
“So I think him not playing after that, and that’s all Philly remembers, and they’re gonna say that every time, so I think that just f—ked him a little bit — but nah, I’m confident bro. Sky’s the limit. I honestly think he’s gonna be confident, especially healthy, and this new team and everybody’s just supportive of him.”
Simmons has missed 67 of a possible 109 regular-season games since his arrival as part of the Feb 2022 James Harden trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged seven points, six assists, six rebounds and 1.3 steals per game with the Nets before the organization shut him down due to injury after the All-Star break.
In fact, the 76ers initially drafted Bridges 10th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft before trading him to the Suns the same night. For the brief time Bridges thought he was going to Philadelphia, his hometown, he envisioned Simmons’ gifted playmaking abilities creating easy looks for him on the court.
“I was thinking that coming out of college,” Bridges said on George’s podcast. “You know how many cuts and catch-and-shoots and transition points imma get with Ben?”
Bridges and Simmons played just two games together after the Durant trade before Simmons’ season came to an early end. The two connected on a Hail Mary play at the end of the third quarter of Brooklyn’s 11-point victory over the Miami Heat on Feb. 15.
“We had an out-of-bounds play. It might have been two seconds left,” Bridges recalled. “I told him while somebody shot a free throw. I told him, ‘When you get it out, I’m running down and just chuck it.’ He took the ball out and just threw that [thing] full court. I caught it at the free throw line, tapped it to myself, caught it and hit a middy at the end of the quarter.”
Simmons, however, played 20 minutes and 28 seconds and had two points, four rebounds and four assists that night. Prior to that night, his workload had steadily decreased, and head coach Jacque Vaughn had begun slowly removing Simmons from the regular rotation.
The former Third Team All-NBA selection averaged just 3.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in his final five games of the season before sitting the rest of the way out, but Bridges said the team is supportive of him beyond the stats sheet.
“I’ve definitely got faith, man,” he said. “I think he’s in a good place. He f—ks with all of us. We’re close. He’s the one talking in the chat all the time. I think he just feels like he has a lot of friends, and we all f—k with him, and obviously yeah we want him to score and stuff but we not pressed about it.
“We want him to be aggressive and stuff‚ but s—t like even if you’re not, we’re still here for you,” Bridges continued. “You’re still my man, you’re still my brother. I ain’t gonna hate you, none of that. Obviously, we want you to do this because I think it’d be better for the team, but even if you struggle, s—t. That’s cool. Whatever city we’re in, let’s hang out, we’re gonna go get dinner, get ready for the next one. I think that’s the biggest thing: He can be confident enough to fail and know we’re there for him. I think that’s the biggest thing. You don’t want anybody to feel that pressure every single time: ‘Oh if I don’t play well, these guys aren’t gonna like me.’ Nah, for me, that’s not the case.”
Simmons has two more years left on his contract and is owed $77 million as the highest-paid player on Brooklyn’s roster. The Nets were 24-18 in games Simmons appeared in last season but were 2-3 in games Durant missed after the Kyrie Irving deal with the Dallas Mavericks and 2-5 in the games Durant missed due to injury leading up to his trade to Phoenix.
Simmons has career averages of 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game. During his three seasons in Philadelphia, he averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, won 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year and ranked Top 20 in assists, steals, field goal percentage, rebounds and defensive win shares in multiple seasons
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Mikal Bridges: ‘Big confidence, big faith’ in Ben Simmons’ return from back injury
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/mikal-bridges-big-confidence-big-faith-in-ben-simmons-return-from-back-injury-2/
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"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:02:51+00:00
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2023-07-31 18:38:34
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fjulius-randle-and-method-man-to-appear-in-special-the-shop-show-in-brooklyn-3%2F.json
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Call it a C.R.E.A.M. team.
Julius Randle, the Knicks star power forward and highest-paid player at over $28 million next season, and Method Man, the Wu Tang jewel, are the guests of next week’s inaugural ‘The Shop Uninterrupted Live Tour,’ the Daily News has learned.
Their conversation, which is open and free to the public, is set for Aug. 2 at Brooklyn’s Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse. It’s the first stop on a three-city tour for ‘The Shop,’ which is produced by LeBron James’s entertainment company SpringHill and sponsored by Lexus.
‘The Shop’ moved from HBO to YouTube last year.
As familiar NY faces of the past and present, Randle and Method Man are fitting choices for the Brooklyn show. Randle, 28, is entering his fourth season of a rollercoaster tenure with the Knicks, representing the franchise’s only All-Star of the last five years but also a polarizing figure among the fanbase. He underwent minor ankle surgery last month and is expected to be ready for training camp.
‘The Shop Uninterrupted’ will be Randle’s first time speaking publicly since the Knicks acquired Donte DiVincenzo and traded Obi Toppin. In a previous podcast interview with Clippers All-Star Paul George, Randle tacitly endorsed roster continuity because the Knicks, following last season’s run to the second round, are “not that far off.” Team president Leon Rose then followed up by only tinkering around the edges.
Method Man, a 52-year-old Staten Island product, is a hip hop legend and the transcendent lyricist of the Wu Tang Clan. He also launched a lucrative acting career with recurring roles on three HBO series.
Maverick Carter and Paul Rivera, both executives at the SpringHill Company, will serve as hosts of the Aug. 2 discussion. The event, which includes a block party after the live taping of the interview, starts at 4 p.m.
The final two cities of the tour are Washington D.C. on August 16 and Atlanta on August 25. A recent interview of Joel Embiid made waves from the Uninterrupted Film Festival, when the Sixers center told Carter that his championship goal may not happen in Philadelphia.
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Julius Randle and Method Man to appear in special ‘The Shop’ show in Brooklyn
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/julius-randle-and-method-man-to-appear-in-special-the-shop-show-in-brooklyn-3/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:03:03+00:00
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2023-07-31 18:37:15
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fknicks-signing-former-cavs-guard-dylan-windler-source-2%2F.json
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The Knicks are still tinkering with the end of the roster.
Dylan Windler, a 6-6 guard and former first-round pick, is signing with New York after four years with the Cavaliers, a source confirmed.
The 26-year-old, who spent time in the G-League the last two seasons, is a spot-up 3-point shooter with disrupting size on defense. He averaged 3.3 points in 11.4 minutes over 84 career games with the Cavs, who drafted Windler at No. 26 in 2019.
Brock Aller, a current Knicks executive, was in Cleveland’s front office when it picked Windler.
His entire rookie season was sabotaged by a leg injury.
Windler will ink a two-way contract, according to ESPN, which would require some maneuvering of the Knicks roster. They already have the maximum three players on two-way contracts — Nathan Knight, Trevor Keels and Jaylen Martin — meaning one (including Windler) will have to be cut or transferred to a regular contract.
Not counting the two-way deals, the Knicks currently have 12 players on guaranteed contracts and two — Isaiah Roby and DaQuan Jeffries — on non-guaranteeds.
NBA teams can carry up to 15 players on the roster, plus three two-way players. The Knicks are capped out but can still sign free agents on low salaries. They have been canvassing the league for veteran big men, a source said.
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Knicks signing former Cavs guard Dylan Windler: source
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/knicks-signing-former-cavs-guard-dylan-windler-source-2/
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[
"Christopher Magan",
"Capitol Bureau Reporter",
"Christopher Magan Covers State Government",
"Politics",
"The Legislature For The Pioneer Press The Capitol Bureau In St. Paul. He'S Been With The Paper Since"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:15+00:00
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2023-07-31 21:30:39
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fhere-are-the-basics-about-newly-legal-weed-in-minnesota%2F.json
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Cannabis possession, adult recreational use and cultivation are legal in Minnesota starting Tuesday — Aug. 1 — but residents won’t be able to buy marijuana at dispensaries until early 2025.
That’s just one of the complex parts of the new law.
Here’s a look at what changes under the new rules and what details still need to be worked out by the state Office of Cannabis Management and local municipalities.
How much can I have?
Adults 21 and older can possess of up to two ounces in a public place or two pounds in a private residence is legal under the new law. An individual can grow up to eight plants with four of those plants mature and producing flower.
Hemp-derived THC products like drinks and gummies have been legal under state law since 2022 and under federal law since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. These products have been subject to a new 10 percent tax since July 1, but topical versions are exempt.
Where can I buy it?
Dispensaries are not expected to open until 2025. Until then, there are not many legal options for obtaining cannabis.
The exception is a dispensary on the Red Lake Nation reservation that plans to begin adult-use sales Aug. 1. Tribal governments are able to make their own rules about cannabis commerce so they don’t need to wait until the state sets up a licensing system.
It remains illegal under state and federal law to bring marijuana to Minnesota from another state.
Hemp-derived THC and CBD products are already for sale at various retailers across the state. They need to start registering with the state on Aug. 1.
Grow your own?
Home cultivation of cannabis also is legal starting Aug. 1. Residents can have up to eight plants in an enclosed space that’s not visible to their neighbors.
Just four of those plants can be mature and producing flower, the part that people smoke.
Marijuana seeds will be legal to sell in Minnesota Tuesday as long as they are packaged by a seed labeler with a permit, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Seeds must include various information such as the plant variety and when the seeds were packaged.
A retailer does not need a permit to sell seeds that are already packaged by an authorized labeler.
Where can I use cannabis?
Cannabis can be used in private homes and on property and eventually at licensed spaces and events. The law prohibits smoking or vaporizing cannabis in multifamily dwellings, vehicles, indoor public places and anywhere minors might inhale second-hand smoke.
Can I use it in public places?
It depends. As written, the new law allows for some public consumption in places like parks and even sidewalks, but communities are able to put restrictions in place. Many cities already have clean air regulations that cannabis smoking may fall under and others have recently passed laws restricting its public use.
For the most part, cannabis use will be treated a lot like tobacco or alcohol.
What is still illegal?
It is still against the law to drive while intoxicated. There’s money in the legalization bill to study ways to better enforce driving while intoxicated restrictions including a possible breathalyzer like test.
Cannabis use remains illegal in schools and on school buses, in prisons and on federal property. Many college campuses are expected to ban use on campus.
It remains illegal under federal law for drug users to purchase or own firearms or ammo. Marijuana remains an illicit drug under federal law that’s classified as Schedule 1, the most dangerous with no approved medical uses.
In the workplace?
Employers can no longer consider cannabis use as a reason for denying employment. but there are exceptions for a number of safety oriented jobs, like police and firefighters or doctors, as well as positions working closely with children or vulnerable adults.
Jobs funded with federal aid can also bar cannabis users.
In some cases, employers can test workers if they suspect they are intoxicated or in violation of company policies.
Expungement of convictions
Starting Aug. 1 the state will also begin the process of expunging misdemeanor and felony cannabis convictions. Most misdemeanor convictions will be erased automatically and an estimated 60,000 Minnesotans could benefit.
There is a Cannabis Expungement Board that will look at more serious crimes involving marijuana to decide if the person is eligible for expungement resentencing or neither.
Next steps
Gov. Tim Walz is expected to name the new head of the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management in September. The new agency plans to hire more than 100 people in the coming months.
Rule-making, the process of gathering public input and drafting regulations, is expected to begin later this year. When rules are in place the state will start processing cannabis license applications with an equity focus that prioritizes those most harmed by prohibition.
There will be 16 different types of cannabis licenses, for everything from cultivators and processors to smaller all-in-one businesses. License fees will range from $250 all the way $10,000 for more complex businesses.
Dispensaries are expected to open sometime in early 2025. The state Office of Cannabis Management will eventually also be responsible for oversight of medical marijuana products, which will continue to not be taxed.
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Here are the basics about newly legal weed in Minnesota
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/here-are-the-basics-about-newly-legal-weed-in-minnesota/
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"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:03:52+00:00
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2023-07-31 19:14:13
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fquick-fix-celebrate-mango-season-with-this-asian-style-salad-recipe%2F.json
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Linda Gassenheimer | Tribune News Service (TNS)
We’re in the middle of mango season. These sweet, juicy fruits are a real treat. I added them to an Asian-style salad for a refreshing summer dinner. It’s a quick vegetarian meal. Crunchy noodles and peanuts add texture and flavor.
Here are some tips on how to handle a mango. Mangoes continue to ripen after they are picked. Keep them at room temperature until they yield to gentle pressure. To speed up the ripening, place mangoes in a covered bowl or paper bag.
Helpful Hints:
— You can use any type of crunchy noodles. Or try fried noodles from a can.
— You can use any type of lettuce.
— Use both the white and green parts of the scallions for full flavor.
Countdown:
— Prepare all the ingredients.
— Assemble the salad.
Shopping List:
To buy: 1 bottle sesame oil, 1 bottle rice vinegar, 1 bottle low-sodium soy sauce, 1 small bottle honey, 1 head romaine lettuce, 1 package arugula, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 mango, 1 bottle dry-roasted, no-salt-added peanuts, 1 red bell pepper, 1 bunch scallions and 1 can Asian-style crunchy noodles.
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ASIAN MANGO SALAD
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
2 cups romaine leaves
2 cups arugula leaves
1/2 cup cilantro with chopped stems
1 large mango peeled and sliced
1/2 cup dry-roasted, no-salt-added peanuts
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
2 scallions sliced white and green
1/2 cup Asian style crunchy noodles (such as La Choy Noodles)
Whisk sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and honey together in a small bowl until smooth. Arrange the romaine and arugula leaves on two dinner plates. Add the cilantro, mango slices, peanuts and red bell pepper slices. Sprinkle the sliced scallions on top. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Divide the noodles in half and place them on the center of the salad.
Per serving: 504 calories (51% from fat), 28.6 g fat (4.6 g saturated, 13 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 14.1 g protein, 55.8 g carbohydrates, 9.6 g fiber, 385 mg sodium.
©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
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Quick Fix: Celebrate mango season with this Asian-style salad recipe
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/quick-fix-celebrate-mango-season-with-this-asian-style-salad-recipe/
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2023-08-01 01:04:04+00:00
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2023-07-31 22:21:44
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fscorching-summer-heat-is-curbing-gasoline-output-and-adding-pain-at-the-pump%2F.json
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By Lucia Kassai and Rachel Graham, Bloomberg News
Record-breaking summer heat is forcing fuelmakers to cut back operations, just as dwindling supplies are causing gasoline prices to surge around the world.
The hottest-ever June and July prompted refiners to curtail oil processing by at least 2% globally as long stretches of triple-digit heat posed a threat to operations, according to Vikas Dwivedi, a global oil and gas strategist for Macquarie Group.
Excessive heat, associated with deferred maintenance in the past, has spurred an unusual number of refinery breakdowns this year, when fuel stockpiles are already low. This has in part propelled gasoline prices in the U.S. to the highest level since November. High-temperature forecasts into August could keep U.S. gasoline makers from running all out for the last stretch of the summer driving season, dimming hopes for relief at the pump.
U.S. refineries are struggling to return to the peak utilization rate of 95.8% seen in early June. Since May, at least four facilities reported fires while other seven had to take units down due to power outages and unplanned repairs, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “The ability to cool the tower overhead can become a constraint at high ambient temperatures,” Dwivedi said in a report.
Cooling capacity issues have also dogged European refineries struggling to process lighter crudes in the aftermath of supply cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia. French refiner TotalEnergies SE and Italian fuelmaker Saras SPA recently lamented the dampening impact of baking temperatures. “Refineries do not like hot weather,” TotalEnergies SE CEO Patrick Pouyanne said on an earnings call.
A continued contraction of the manufacturing sector has also led European refiners to hold back.
In July, global fuelmakers processed 82.5 million barrels of oil daily, down from an earlier estimate of 84 million barrels, Macquarie data show. Refineries may still hit the target in August or early September as new plants in Asia and the Middle East ramp up, according to Dwivedi. But this last attempt to boost fuel production in the final weeks of the summer may be cut short by the upcoming fall turnaround season.
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©2023 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Scorching summer heat is curbing gasoline output and adding pain at the pump
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/scorching-summer-heat-is-curbing-gasoline-output-and-adding-pain-at-the-pump/
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2023-08-01 01:04:17+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:11:31
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fthe-nbas-new-cba-is-squeezing-the-leagues-middle-class%2F.json
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Former Orlando Magic forward Bol Bol posted career-highs in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots as a promising seven-footer with guard-like skills last season.
Yet when it was time for the market to dictate his worth in contract negotiations, the 24-year-old Bol settled on a one-year veteran’s minimum deal with the Phoenix Suns worth just $2.165 million.
Such is the state of affairs for NBA players who don’t classify as franchise cornerstones but are looking to be paid fair market value in salary under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement.
While NBA teams dedicate an average of two-thirds of this season’s $136M salary cap to the top-three players on their roster, the league’s middle class suddenly finds itself squeezed thin.
Of the approximate $3.8B in player salaries signed away this summer, $2.5B, or 64%, is split among just 19 players, ranging from Boston’s Jaylen Brown — who just signed the richest contract in NBA history — to both Houston’s Dillon Brooks and Indiana’s Bruce Brown, each set to earn more than $20M annually.
Elsewhere in the NBA, however, quality veteran players with a history of production find themselves unemployed, and many of those who secured a job did so by taking a pay cut.
Malik Beasley, for example, averaged close to 13 points per game last season for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz but opted to sign a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Former Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. enjoyed a resurgent season with the Charlotte Hornets last year but ultimately signed a one-year, minimum deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
Yuta Watanabe shot 44.4% from downtown for the Nets last season but also took the veteran’s minimum to join the Phoenix Suns.
Approximately one out of every three NBA deals signed this summer were at the veteran’s minimum.
And while some continued a longtime trend of taking a pay cut to join a championship contender, others faced the NBA’s newest harsh reality: In a league generating more revenue than ever before, the new CBA significantly benefits face-of-the-franchise level players but leaves little for the remaining players on a team’s roster.
A month into free agency, notable impact players Will Barton, Kelly Oubre Jr., T.J. Warren, Terrence Ross and Christian Wood have yet to strike a deal. If they do, it will likely be at or near the minimum as most teams have already allocated their cap space and cap exceptions elsewhere.
It’s a situation longtime NBA role player Austin Rivers addressed on a recent episode of The Ringer podcast.
Rivers signed a three-year, $35.4M deal in 2016 but played on veteran’s minimum contracts every season thereafter. After playing last season on a minimum deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Rivers remains an unrestricted free agent garnering little interest on the market.
“Don’t even get me f—– started on that deal [the CBA] that we’ve got going ‘cause it’s top-heavy,” Rivers said in the July 21 show. “That’s why you see all these teams right now: You either make $50M or $2M. It’s the most lopsided contract. It’s a joke bro. I can’t tell you how any mid-level guys are signing for vet’s minimum around the NBA. It’s laughable.”
It’s a natural response by front offices, however, now that they’ve been met with the terms of the new CBA, terms that levy stiff penalties upon teams whose payroll far exceeds the luxury tax threshold.
The new CBA implements a second apron that sent teams into a salary-shedding frenzy this offseason. The Nets, for example, traded both Joe Harris and Patty Mills for no players in return to dump the combined $27M in salary this summer.
That’s because the second apron removes almost all roster-building flexibility. The Suns are the league’s most prominent example: Phoenix has committed $550M in guaranteed salary to Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Deandre Ayton over the next three seasons. As second apron offenders, the Suns were unable to use the mid-level exception this season and were forced to fill out the roster with veteran’s minimum contracts.
Without a trade involving one of those four players, minimum contracts will be the only mechanism to sign free agents available to the Suns.
Phoenix will also have its 2031 first-round draft pick frozen, and if it remains a second apron offender in two of the four seasons after this one, that pick will automatically be moved to the end of the first-round draft order.
The new CBA also implemented a luxury tax multiplier set to kick-in for the 2025-26 season. The new tax multiplier reduces the tax rate for teams in the first two tax brackets but virtually triples the tax rate for teams in higher tax brackets.
It effectively deters teams from re-signing players who aren’t franchise cornerstones — while also giving those players fewer options to sign lucrative contracts elsewhere in the NBA.
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The NBA’s new CBA is squeezing the league’s middle class
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/the-nbas-new-cba-is-squeezing-the-leagues-middle-class/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:33+00:00
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2023-07-31 18:38:10
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fnets-ben-simmons-as-healthy-as-hes-ever-been-since-last-season-in-philly-report-2%2F.json
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Ben Simmons is healthy.
At least that’s what his camp is saying.
The former three-time NBA All-Star who battled back issues the past two seasons is “as healthy as he’s ever been since his last year” with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears.
Spears, who read a text message from someone close to Simmons live during an ESPN broadcast, delivered the most encouraging news regarding the star, whose season ended due to an ongoing back injury shortly after the All-Star break.
“I would say he’s in the final stage of prep for the season and has passed every benchmark and is healthy as he’s ever been since his last year in Philly,” Spears read from his phone. “Brooklyn has been incredibly supportive, and the plan is for him to be the Nets’ point guard and primary ball handler this coming season. The expectation is he will fully resume his career at the level he was prior to leaving Philadelphia.”
Simmons arrived in Brooklyn as part of the James Harden trade in Feb. 2022 but did not play for the Nets at all in the second half of that season due to a combination of mental health issues and his lower back maintenance. He underwent a microdiscectomy to help address a herniated disk in his lower back last offseason and proceeded to appear in 42 of Brooklyn’s 82 regular-season games, averaging seven points, six rebounds and six assists per game.
The Nets, however, eventually shut Simmons down for the remainder of the season in February after it became clear he was playing at a limited capacity due to his lower back.
The belief, from his camp, now is that Simmons’ back injury may be a thing of the past.
If this is, indeed, the case, and the Nets insert a healthy Simmons into the starting lineup at point guard, Brooklyn immediately becomes one of the league’s top-ranked defensive teams, at least on paper.
A starting lineup featuring Simmons, Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson provides enough length and versatility to switch all positions one through five while keeping the floor spaced with three-point shooters and a lob threat.
Starting Simmons would also move point guard Spencer Dinwiddie to a sixth man role, which may not only be his best fit leading the second unit, but could also benefit third-year reserve scorer Cam Thomas, who is set to see an expanded role with Seth Curry leaving Brooklyn to sign with the Dallas Mavericks.
Back injuries, of course, are tricky — and fickle. After all, Simmons was on the verge of a return during the season he arrived in Brooklyn before setbacks kept him off the court. Simmons also suffered setbacks when he played in both games of a back-to-back. On two occasions, the overload affected his knee, not his back, though Simmons said the parts are related.
What’s clear is that a healthy Simmons drastically raises Brooklyn’s ceiling. He is a perennial All-NBA Defensive Team honoree who doubles as one of the best playmakers in basketball when he has the ball in the open court.
With aggressive three-point shooters like Bridges, Johnson, Finney-Smith, Dinwiddie, Thomas and Royce O’Neale, the setup works in Simmons’ favor.
So long as his back can handle the load.
Simmons averaged about 16.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and eight assists per game in two of his final three seasons in Philadelphia and led the league in steals per game (2.1) in the 2019-20 season. The 27-year-old forward from Australia is the highest-paid player on the Nets’ payroll, set to earn $78 million over the next two seasons.
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Nets’ Ben Simmons ‘as healthy as he’s ever been’ since last season in Philly’: report
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/nets-ben-simmons-as-healthy-as-hes-ever-been-since-last-season-in-philly-report-2/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:16+00:00
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2023-07-31 18:37:14
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fceltics-jaylen-brown-agrees-to-304m-extension-biggest-in-nba-history-2%2F.json
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The Celtics are set to give Jaylen Brown the biggest contract extension in NBA history, agreeing to a 5-year, $304 million super-max deal.
The contract goes into effect for the 2024-25 season, during which Brown will earn $52.3 million, his agent confirmed Tuesday. The extension runs through the 2028-29 season, when the forward will make $69.1 million.
His deal beats the previous record of $276 million given to the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic last year. Jokic, a two-time regular season MVP, led Denver to its first NBA championship last month.
Brown, 26, is coming off a 2022-23 season in which he averaged career-highs with 26.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. His 49% field goal percentage was also the best mark of his seven-year career.
The Celtics went 57-25 last season, finishing as the No. 2 seed in the East and advancing to the Conference Finals. They were eliminated in seven games by the Miami Heat, with Brown averaging 19 points on 41.8% shooting in that series.
Brown was second on the Celtics in scoring during the regular season, trailing only fellow All-Star Jayson Tatum, who averaged 30.1 points. Tatum, 25, can sign a super-max extension with Boston next offseason.
Speculation about Brown’s future in Boston ran rampant in March after he was non-committal during an interview with the Ringer.
“I don’t know,” Brown said at the time. “As long as I’m needed. It’s not up to me. We’ll see how they feel about me over time and I feel about them over time. Hopefully, whatever it is, it makes sense. But I will stay where I’m wanted. I will stay where I’m needed and treated correct.”
He said a day after the interview was published that he felt “great” and was focused on “helping lead my team for another playoff run.” He also told reporters, “Sometimes when people write articles, it gets taken out of context.”
The Celtics have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals five times since drafting Brown third overall out of California in 2016. They only made the NBA Finals once during that stretch, however, and haven’t won a title with him.
Boston added former Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis this offseason in a trade sending starting guard Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies. They also lost rotational forward Grant Williams to the Mavericks.
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Celtics’ Jaylen Brown agrees to $304M extension, biggest in NBA history
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/celtics-jaylen-brown-agrees-to-304m-extension-biggest-in-nba-history-2/
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[
"Nick Ferraro",
"Courts",
"Public Safety Reporter",
"A Northeast Minneapolis Native",
"Nick Ferraro Was Hired The Pioneer Press In After Graduating The University Of St. Thomas In St. Paul. He'S Been A Reporter Covering Communities Since He Can Be Reached At"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:03+00:00
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2023-07-31 22:46:02
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Ffeds-anoka-man-with-violent-anti-government-views-sentenced-on-meth-illegal-gun-charges%2F.json
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An Anoka man who federal prosecutors say talked about joining a loosely organized anti-government extremist movement has been sentenced to nearly 6½ years in prison for illegal possession of a machine gun and distribution of methamphetamine.
Darrian Mitchell Nguyen, 50, pleaded guilty to the charges in March and was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in St. Paul. He’ll be on 10 years of supervised release after his prison term.
According to court documents, the FBI began investigating Nguyen in April 2022 after a buyer was arrested for possession of meth in 2020 and became a paid informant. He told agents that Nguyen said he had amassed a cache of weapons to be prepared for violence and talked about joining the Three Percenters, a loosely organized anti-government extremist movement; federal officials noted they didn’t have information he had joined a militia group.
The informant told FBI agents that Nguyen, who had a Three Percenter flag in his garage, talked about shooting or “blowing up” liberals. He mentioned Black Lives Matter members as being targets.
At the FBI’s request, the informant met with Nguyen on July 13, 2022, to settle a debt from 2020; instead Nguyen asked for two fully-automatic assault rifles. Later, in text messages, Nguyen asked for four auto sears and a short-barreled rifle equipped with an auto sear, which allows a semi-automatic gun to fire continuously like an automatic.
Nguyen also texted a link to a Facebook post of a nearly seven-minute video of a prominent Donald Trump supporter spouting conspiracy theories around the FBI’s search of the former president’s Mar-a-Lago home. Nguyen later told the informant he believed Trump should lead a coup d’état.
During another meeting, Nguyen told the informant he was making and selling meth and showed him a hidden room in his garage where it was stashed. He sold the informant 7.1 grams of meth for $300.
Nguyen was arrested Oct. 4 at his home during the planned the weapons deal. Law enforcement recovered the auto sears and machine gun, as well as an additional 22 firearms from a hidden room inside the home, including an unregistered short-barreled shotgun.
Minnesota court records show Nguyen did not have a previous criminal record, other than misdemeanor driving offenses.
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www.twincities.com
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Feds: Anoka man with violent anti-government views sentenced on meth, illegal gun charges
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/feds-anoka-man-with-violent-anti-government-views-sentenced-on-meth-illegal-gun-charges/
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[
"New York Daily News"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:57+00:00
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2023-07-31 22:32:27
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Feuphoria-star-angus-cloud-dead-at-25%2F.json
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By David Matthews, New York Daily News
“Euphoria” star Angus Cloud has died. He was 25.
The actor, who played Fezco on the HBO series, died at his family’s home in Oakland, Calif., according to TMZ.
“It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways,” the family told the gossip site.
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www.twincities.com
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‘Euphoria’ star Angus Cloud dead at 25
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/euphoria-star-angus-cloud-dead-at-25/
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[
"Megan Ulu Lani Boyanton",
"Business Reporter",
"Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton Joined The Denver Post In January As A Business Reporter",
"Focusing Her Coverage On Social Inequities In Business."
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:29+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:47:05
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fchanging-workplaces-in-colorado-tattoos-no-longer-taboo%2F.json
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Carolann Mohrman, 75, perched behind an artist’s booth at the sixth-annual Denver Tattoo Arts Festival last week as the buzz of tattoo needles filled the air – slightly out of place because she doesn’t have any tattoos nor does she plan to get inked.
“I don’t like having my skin punctured,” the Lakewood resident said. The first-time attendee instead walked through the doors of the Colorado Convention Center at 700 14th St. on Sunday, July 23, in a show of support for her niece, Eva Mohrman, a tattoo artist and co-owner of Constantly Custom Studio in East Brunswick, N.J.
As a child in the 1950s, Mohrman was taught by society at large to view tattoos as “very demonic,” she said, adding that “only Navymen” boasted the body modifications.
“Now, everybody has them except me,” she said with a laugh. When asked whether tattoos affect a person’s reputation in the workplace, she answered with a resounding “no” – “not here in Denver.”
Today’s office culture has evolved beyond the norms that baby boomers would have found common when they started their careers, as white-collar professionals stroll through cubicles with body art that ranges from discreet designs to full arm sleeves – when tattoos cover the majority of the arm.
“Nearly 3 out of 4 employers say they don’t mind hiring tattooed workers,” according to employment website Indeed. Even executives, such as Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey and former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch, and public figures such as NASA astronaut Charles “Pete” Conrad sport ink.
Last year, the U.S. Army relaxed its regulations for tattoos, although face tattoos are still barred and annual inspections are carried out. “This directive makes sense for currently serving soldiers and allows a greater number of talented individuals the opportunity to serve now,” said Lt. Gen. Douglas Stitt, then-director of military personnel management, in a news release.
In recent years, corporate giants Disney and UPS revised their tattoo policies. “We’re updating them to not only remain relevant in today’s workplace, but also enable our cast members to better express their cultures and individuality at work,” wrote Josh D’Amaro, chairperson of Walt Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, in a news release.
But the U.S. legal system still lags behind society’s broadening acceptance. According to the Princeton Legal Journal, “under current legislation, employers are allowed to use tattoos as a basis to distinguish candidates, and can require employees to cover up tattoos while on the job.”
The ultimate takeaway for 29-year-old Elizabeth Bowman of Long Live Tattoo Collective, 864 Santa Fe Drive in Denver: “How I look is not a representation of how I work.”
“I tattoo moms. I tattoo principals. I tattoo doctors. I tattoo lawyers,” she said at the festival. “It’s for everyone.”
A brief history of tattoos
In 2021, 26% of Americans reported having at least one tattoo, according to a Statista survey. Although a quarter of the country’s population openly claims tattoos today, the practice carried harsh stigmas in the U.S. until recently.
The technique can be traced back thousands of years to various cultures. “The very word tattoo comes from the Samoan word, tatau,” said Ryan Matsukawa, a tattoo artist at Pa’u Tattoo in Haleʻiwa, Hawaiʻi.
He pointed to tattoos as a crucial aspect of Polynesian culture. In Hawaiʻi, “it was so revered that, when we were being illegally taken over, the ones who tattooed went into hiding,” he said on Friday. And yet, “the art of tattooing survived,” Matsukawa added.
The practice was initially embraced in the Western world by scrappy types, like sailors in the 18th century.
By the late 19th century, “tattooing began to be seen as an art form,” according to Certified Tattoo Studio. The brand includes locations in Colorado and Hawaiʻi. Credit is largely given to tattoo artist and German immigrant Martin Hildebrandt, who ran a shop in New York City.
But even in the early 20th century, tattoos were still largely associated with criminals, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. One Idaho prison official estimated that, by 1993, “90 percent of … Idaho inmates receive tattoos while in prison.”
Twenty years later, “you go to a grocery store, and you’re almost guaranteed to see someone with leg tattoos, arm tattoos – things that are very, very visible,” Bowman said. “It’s widely more accepted than it’s ever been.”
The Denver resident credits millennials for having “really, really pushed the boundaries of that” by rebelling against preconceived notions about body modifications. With six years in the industry, she still encounters middle-aged customers who sit in her chair and say, “I was never allowed to do this.”
Growing up, 30-year-old Andrea Warmington – a client of Bowman’s – was told by relatives that she’d be disowned if she got a tattoo. Her Pennsylvania family’s definition of professional didn’t include body art or unnatural hair colors.
“I kind of bought into it, and I think for good reason, because, really, only in the past five, six years have I noticed the difference in people kind of accepting tattoos in the workplace,” Warmington said in a Thursday interview. Almost a decade ago, she opted to get her first tattoo, and it sparked a love for them.
She debuted her arm sleeve at her first job in Colorado, and “one of my coworkers gave me a very surprised look,” the Denver resident said. “I definitely felt it – the judgment – a little bit.”
Warmington, who serves as a quality assistance manager at a medical device company, is working on two leg sleeves. And she now receives more compliments than silent side-eyes from her colleagues, who tend to skew younger.
“With work, it should be based on merits, not by what you look like,” Warmington said.
As for her family, “they try to be cool with it,” she said. They’ve moved past scoldings, but remind her: “No more tattoos.”
On vacations, she makes an effort to wear leggings and long-sleeved shirts – “just for the sake of their sanity.”
An employer and a tattoo artist
As the owner of Denver’s Lucky Rose Tattoo at 4241 Jason St., 36-year-old Rick Lohm is the epitome of both worlds: an employer and a tattoo artist.
The New York native opened his own shop in May 2022 after settling down in Denver three years ago. When a business vacated a site near his home, “something just told me it was time for me to go out on my own and do my own thing,” Lohm said in a Thursday interview.
His studio consists of four artists and one apprentice – the level he started at in 2007. As a high school student, he played in bands, with a few tattoos already. Once Lohm graduated, he took on a tattoo apprenticeship, and so his career began.
Lohm first entered the tattoo industry during a time of “transformation” as social media began evolving from its nascent stages. He’d travel to the artists he admired, and pick their brains while they tattooed him.
Lohm gained experience at what he called “some of the best shops in the country,” learning the history of the practice from a “tight knit” community of professionals. And he hopped across continents in the pursuit of his practice, once hiking Mount Fuji in Japan and getting a hand-poked tattoo of a volcano in commemoration of it.
“I don’t think that many people quite realize that it really is just like another art form,” Lohm said. “I put a lot of time and thought into my drawing. I put a lot of time into actually tattooing it on you, and, then, when you leave, I never see it again.”
In 2023, up-and-coming artists can instead teach themselves from videos online. “There’s a little bit that’s been lost with that,” Lohm said.
He pointed to another change in recent years – servicing clients of all ages, from “all different sorts of professions” and, most notably, with more requests for visible tattoos on their hands, necks and more.
For example, on Wednesday, two customers asked for face tattoos.
Over a decade ago, “if you weren’t heavily tattooed, you told those people no,” Lohm said. “I could potentially be ruining that person’s future, just because they want something cool on their hand at the moment.”
Ultimately, he’s watching the country grow more open-minded toward tattoos, pointing to the popularity of TV shows like Ink Master.
“I don’t think it’s ever too late to get tattooed,” Lohm said. “People buy new furniture, a car, something just to make themselves feel good – and tattooing has that equal kind of power.”
Generational changes
Lindsey Jackson, 31, grew up hearing that a hand tattoo meant saying “goodbye to an office job.”
“Now, it’s not the case,” the Denver resident said at the festival.
In a recent job interview, the question mark inked on her arm did come up, but it spurred earnest conversation between the two. “If anything, it’s like a part of an interview,” she added.
Beyond that, her tattoo serves as a reminder of the bond between her and her mother. The matriarch’s upbringing on a farm with nine siblings in “the smallest German town” of New Ulm, Minn., didn’t exactly encourage body modifications.
But when Jackson got her question mark last year, her mother – now nearing 60-years-old – joined her, committing to her first tattoo: a symbol representing musician Prince on her back.
“And she loves it,” Jackson said.
Kelly Goldman, 36, pushed a stroller with her 10-month-old baby through rows of vendors at the tattoo festival last Sunday, with her husband and two other kids, 6 and 14, in tow. Her eldest, an 18-year-old, aims to become a tattoo artist – a dream since elementary school – and sat for her second tattoo at the event.
Goldman notes that both of her shoulders are tatted, and “my husband is pretty much sleeved up.”
He’s worked as a manager at several companies, including Coca-Cola, she said. He dresses and acts professionally, and ultimately keeps the mindset that “a tattoo isn’t going to change my workability,” Goldman added.
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Changing workplaces: Tattoos no longer taboo
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/changing-workplaces-in-colorado-tattoos-no-longer-taboo/
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[
"Dane Mizutani",
"Minnesota Vikings Reporter",
"Dane Mizutani Is Hawaii",
"Somehow Ended Up In Minnesota. No",
"It Doesn'T Make Sense To Him"
] |
2023-08-01 01:04:53+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:28:56
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fwild-lock-up-goaltender-filip-gustavsson-on-3-year-11-25-million-deal%2F.json
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The biggest task of the offseason is finally complete for the Wild. They agreed to terms with Filip Gustavsson on Monday, keeping the 25-year-old goaltender in Minnesota on a 3-year, $11.25 million contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million.
This agreement helps the Wild avoid an arbitration hearing with Gustavsson that was scheduled for later this week. Things seemed headed to arbitration with general manager Bill Guerin previously unable to work out a deal with Gustavsson’s representation.
In the end, Guerin and agent Kurt Overhardt came to a compromise, and the Wild will head into next season with Gustavsson and future hall of famer Marc-Andre Fleury in goal.
“This is something that obviously we’ve been working on for a long time,” Guerin said. “You know, Filip had a career year, and he’s well deserving of this contract. We’re very happy with it. I think both sides worked to find some common ground.”
Why did it take so long?
“Some contracts just take time,” Guerin said. “We had points of the offseason where we spoke on a regular basis. We had times where we didn’t speak for quite awhile. Just getting closer to (the arbitration hearing), I think we both wanted to avoid that and kind of get something done on our own.”
Asked about the process over the past month or so, Gustavsson admitted that he thought he was going to have to go to the arbitration hearing in Toronto. He even had his bags packed back in his hometown of Skellefteå, Sweden, before getting a call from his agent over the weekend altering him of some progress.
“We finally settled everything last night,” Gustavsson said. “I think my agent called me at 2 a.m. yesterday and said everything was done.”
The new contract is a nice reward for Gustavsson after he posted a 22-9-7 record last season to go along with a 2.10 goals-against average and .931 save percentage.
Not bad for a player who said he would be content returning to his native Sweden if things didn’t work out last season.
As most Wild fans know by now, things did work out, with Gustavsson proving to be a pleasant surprise.
He really started to come into his own between the pipes for the Wild, playing well enough to be named the Game 1 starter in the first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars. He went on to make a franchise-record 51 saves that game, leading the Wild to a 3-2 win in double overtime.
“When he did the right things and took care of himself — trained properly, ate properly, all those things — he realized the success he could have,” Guerin said. “I saw his confidence grow, which was great, because I don’t think he has always been the most confident.”
That confidence was on display when Gustavsson hopped on a Zoom call with reporters shortly after signing his new contract. He was very affable as per usual, cracking jokes about his son Vollstad, whom he welcomed into the world a little more than a month ago.
“I love all the long sleeps at night,” Gustavsson joked. “No, it’s been great. You just lay in bed and stare at him like, ‘How did this creature happen?’ It’s so amazing what humans can do.”
Now that he has a family to support, Gustavsson is even more grateful for the job security that comes with the 3-year, $11.25 million contract.
“It feels like a little more pressure off my shoulders,” Gustavsson said while heaping praise on the Wild as a whole. “I’m so excited to do it with Minnesota again.”
As for what the future looks like, though Gustavsson will have to continue to prove his worth with the Wild, they have made a commitment to him that could grow into an even bigger contract soon enough.
“It gives him a nice runway to really prove what he can be,” Guerin said. “If he can continue to get better and build on the season he had, then at 27 years old, or 28 years old, he’s going to be looking at an even better deal.”
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www.twincities.com
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Wild lock up goaltender Filip Gustavsson on 3-year, $11.25 million deal
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/wild-lock-up-goaltender-filip-gustavsson-on-3-year-11-25-million-deal/
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[
"John Shipley",
"Deputy Sports Editor",
"Thirty-One Years In Newspapers",
"With The Pioneer Press. Nhl",
"Mlb",
"Nfl",
"Nba",
"Ncaa",
"Olympics. Bay Area",
"Chicago"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:45+00:00
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2023-07-31 22:13:41
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fjohn-shipley-gene-mcgivern-a-st-thomas-athletics-mainstay-says-goodbye%2F.json
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As he neared his last day of work as University of St. Thomas sports information director, Gene McGivern had one of those moments of clarity that seems obvious but typically escapes us as life happens.
“I did a lot of things, and I met a lot of people,” McGivern said Monday, the day before he was set to finish a 27-year run as the Tommies athletics department’s Sports Information Director.
An awful lot has happened at St. Thomas in that time, and in terms of the sports department’s narrative, it was, for McGivern, backended as the Tommies moved quickly from NCAA Division III athletics in the conference it helped found in 1920 to Division I athletics in four different conferences.
As McGivern, 65, noted, “I didn’t get that soft landing toward retirement.”
But it worked for McGivern, who has always been busy and always enjoyed being in the middle of it, whether he was running cross country at Iowa State, working for small newspapers, coaching distance runners at Augsburg or co-writing Dennis Green’s autobiography “No Room for Crybabies.”
It’s been an interesting run.
An all-state runner at Assumption High School in Davenport, Iowa — he was the state champion as a senior — McGivern was recruited by Iowa State and became a member of the Cyclones team that finished 10th at NCAA nationals in 1980. He finished seventh in the Big 8 Conference meet that year.
Those are serious achievements, but McGivern said Monday, “I was never a guy who was going to run in the Olympics. I was a guy who had to grind and overachieve. It’s never been lost on me that over my newspaper or SID career, I see the athlete who’s maybe a late bloomer, or someone who’s had to grind for everything they got, and find it hard not to embrace that story.”
There have been other stories, too.
As a stringer for the Associated Press in 1993, McGivern covered a lot of games in a mostly forgotten Twins season, but one of them was a 22-inning, 5-4 victory over Cleveland that was the longest — 6 hours, 17 minutes — in team history (it’s now third on the list). In 1994, McGivern was covering a mid-winter Gophers men’s basketball game momentarily given life when Northwestern’s coach, the late Ricky Byrdsong, left the bench to sit in the stands.
More notable, and maybe more unlikely, was an offer to help then-Vikings head coach Dennis Green write his autobiography in 1997. That experience, McGiverm said, was “an eye-opener.”
“(Green) wasn’t sure if he was going to get over the hump here,” McGivern said. “This was when the Vikings had several co-owners, and some of them were trying to get Lou Holtz to come back here. He wanted a book that said, ‘Here’s who I am.’
“This is when (Green) was battling with reporters every day in press conferences, and he wanted to say, ‘Here’s a different opinion of who I am.’ ”
Green had about eight chapters finished but “needed a lot of help to clean it up. But he had a story to tell and he was really motivated. We worked together on that, stayed up till 2 a.m. a lot of nights.”
Although something of a rush job, the book made its points, one of which was the difficult path Black coaches face in becoming head coaches in the NFL — which really hasn’t changed. McGivern had written a biography about former Michigan and Iowa State coach Johnny Orr, but Green was an entirely different kind of man.
“In some respects, I look back and think I could have done so much better with a little more experience,” McGivern said. “It was a complicated book, and as the writer I was caught in the middle of his goals and keeping the book on track as an account of his life.”
McGivern looks back and feels the book would have been better if Green had been willing to open up more, but there was never enough time to develop the proper trust between subject and writer. It’s a lesson McGivern never forgot.
“As a PR person, you realize that you gain more friends when you open up and are honest,” he said. “We’re a forgiving society. We like swagger, but we like it more when people are authentic and unafraid to open up.”
When he moved to the Twin Cities, McGivern was interested in working for one of the metro’s two big newspapers, the Pioneer Press or Star Tribune, but he is happy it didn’t work out that way.
“I didn’t have some of the same concerns that have enveloped the newspaper industry — budgets and fundraising, stuff like that,” he said. “I just had one job, and that was storytelling and helping promote the University of St. Thomas.
“Now everyone has a word for it, ‘branding.’ This was before they called it that. My job was to put the university and coaches and student-athletes in the best light and talk about their accomplishments to show how at St. Thomas, athletics are a part of the entire mission.”
And it does feel as if the Tommies might have been McGivern’s destiny. His wife, Barb, grew up a mile from him in Davenport, but they didn’t meet until he moved to the Twin Cities in 1989 — where Barb had attended St. Thomas. McGivern’s brother attended St. Thomas. So did children Peter and Bridget, and George, the youngest, is matriculating there this fall.
For some of us, it will be odd not to have him there. When he was hired, McGivern was No. 30 on the athletics department seniority list. On Tuesday, he will will leave as No. 2 in a department that just doesn’t have a lot of turnover. Four people will now do the job he once did by himself.
“A lot of emotions,” McGivern said.
Regret is not one of them.
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www.twincities.com
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John Shipley: Gene McGivern, a St. Thomas athletics mainstay, says goodbye
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/john-shipley-gene-mcgivern-a-st-thomas-athletics-mainstay-says-goodbye/
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[
"Associated Press",
"News Agency",
"The Associated Press Is An Independent Global News Organization Dedicated To Factual Reporting."
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:27+00:00
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2023-07-31 22:35:42
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fmusk-threatens-to-sue-researchers-who-documented-the-rise-in-hateful-tweets%2F.json
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By DAVID KLEPPER (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased last year by Elon Musk.
An attorney representing the social media site wrote to the Center for Countering Digital Hate on July 20 threatening legal action over the nonprofit’s research into hate speech and content moderation. The letter alleged that CCDH’s research publications seem intended “to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.”
Musk is a self-professed free speech absolutist who has welcomed back white supremacists and election deniers to the platform, which he renamed X earlier this month. But the billionaire has at times proven sensitive about critical speech directed at him or his companies.
The center is a nonprofit with offices in the U.S. and United Kingdom. It regularly publishes reports on hate speech, extremism or harmful behavior on social media platforms like X, TikTok or Facebook.
The organization has published several reports critical of Musk’s leadership, detailing an increase in anti-LGBTQ hate speech as well as climate misinformation since his purchase. The letter from X’s attorney cited one specific report from June that found the platform failed to remove neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content from verified users that violated the platform’s rules.
In the letter, attorney Alex Spiro questioned the expertise of the researchers and accused the center of trying to harm X’s reputation. The letter also suggested, without evidence, that the center received funds from some of X’s competitors, even though the center has also published critical reports about TikTok, Facebook and other large platforms.
“CCDH intends to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote, using the platform’s former name.
Imran Ahmed, the center’s founder and CEO, told the AP on Monday that his group has never received a similar response from any tech company, despite a history of studying the relationship between social media, hate speech and extremism. He said that typically, the targets of the center’s criticism have responded by defending their work or promising to address any problems that have been identified.
Ahmed said he worried X’s response to the center’s work could have a chilling effect if it frightens other researchers away from studying the platform. He said he also worried that other industries could take note of the strategy.
“This is an unprecedented escalation by a social media company against independent researchers. Musk has just declared open war,” Ahmed told the Associated Press. “If Musk succeeds in silencing us other researchers will be next in line.”
Messages left with Spiro and X were not immediately returned Monday.
It’s not the first time that Musk has fired back at critics. Last year, he suspended the accounts of several journalists who covered his takeover of Twitter. Another user was suspended for using publicly available flight data to track Musk’s private plane; Musk had initially pledged to keep the user on the platform but later changed his mind, citing his personal safety. He also threatened to sue the user before allowing him back on the platform under certain restrictions.
He initially had promised that he would allow any speech on his platform that wasn’t illegal. “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means,” Musk wrote in a tweet last year.
X’s recent threat of a lawsuit prompted concern from U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who said the billionaire was trying to use the threat of legal action to punish a nonprofit group trying to hold a powerful social media platform accountable.
“Instead of attacking them, he should be attacking the increasingly disturbing content on Twitter,” Schiff said in a statement.
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Musk threatens to sue researchers who documented the rise in hateful tweets
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/musk-threatens-to-sue-researchers-who-documented-the-rise-in-hateful-tweets/
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[
"Dane Mizutani",
"Minnesota Vikings Reporter",
"Dane Mizutani Is Hawaii",
"Somehow Ended Up In Minnesota. No",
"It Doesn'T Make Sense To Him"
] |
2023-08-01 01:04:35+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:22:11
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fvikings-pass-rusher-marcus-davenport-knows-he-has-to-be-better-than-last-season%2F.json
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Vikings pass rusher Marcus Davenport knows last season wasn’t good enough. He somehow only posted half a sack for the New Orleans Saints, failing to finish plays despite getting close seemingly on a weekly basis.
It’s something the 26-year-old Davenport has taken to heart after signing a 1-year, $13 million contract with the Vikings this offseason.
Never mind that some of the advance metrics show Davenport might have gotten a little unlucky with the Saints at times last season. That doesn’t matter to him. He knows he has to perform with the Vikings this season.
“I wasn’t completing,” Davenport said. “I wasn’t getting there. I didn’t do it enough. That stands out.”
It should help that Davenport will get to line up opposite fellow pass rusher Danielle Hunter this season. It’s not hard to envision new defensive coordinator Brian Flores getting the most of out of that pass rushing duo. A major part of that, however, will be hinged on how well Davenport bounces back.
“You go back and every year I probably say the same thing,” Davenport said. “You always want to do better. Yeah, last season hurts, and it should. There’s highs and lows, and I’ve just got to move on from that.”
Flores impressed by Pace Jr.
Looking at what has been transpired in training camp so far, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. certainly stands out as a surprise. He went undrafted out of Cincinnati largely because of his lack of size.
Ultimately the Vikings decided to take a chance and sign him to a contract. It seems to be working out in their favor so far.
Though more will determined in the coming weeks, the fact that Pace is already running with the second team is telling. He was a tackling machine in college, and if he can overcome his lack of size, he could be the same at the next level.
“He’s another young guy who’s really taken the information and worked hard to put it into action,” Flores said. “He’s got some built-in leverage. He’s got speed and quickness. I’m excited to see him moving forward.”
Day 5 observations
— After signing his new contract over the weekend, Hunter did not participate in team drills Monday. The team has a plan to make sure he is ready to go for the Sept. 10 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
— The most notable absence at practice Monday was backup quarterback Nick Mullens. It’s unclear why he was not present. As a result, rookie quarterback Jaren Hall got more reps than he has all training camp. It was a good thing for his development.
— It’s only been a few days and rookie receiver Jordan Addison already looks the part. He is so precise with his route running, accelerating out of his cuts with relative ease. He also consistently catches the ball with his hands rather than his body. It’ll be interesting to see how much Addison plays in preseason games, if at all.
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Vikings pass rusher Marcus Davenport knows he has to be better than last season
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/vikings-pass-rusher-marcus-davenport-knows-he-has-to-be-better-than-last-season/
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[
"Molly Wilson",
"Reporting Intern",
"Molly Wilson Is A Reporting Intern For The Pioneer Press. She Is Columbia Heights",
"Is Currently A Student At Bethel University",
"Where She Is The News Editor For Bethel'S Student-Led Newspaper",
"The Clarion."
] |
2023-08-01 01:04:47+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:15:05
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fwhite-bear-center-for-the-arts-to-host-outdoor-painting-competition%2F.json
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The White Bear Center for the Arts is hosting the Into Nature: Plein Air outdoor painting competition Tuesday through Aug. 10 around White Bear Lake with cash prizes awarded Aug. 17.
The competition will be judged by Joshua Cunningham, a St. Paul based painter who focuses on landscapes and Plein Air style.
En Plein Air is French for “in open air” and is a style from the 19th century focused on painting quickly in the outdoors.
All painting’s will be displayed at the WBCA’s Ford Family Gallery and the work selected by Cunningham will be viewable September in Exhibition Hall. Registration for the event closed July 14.
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White Bear Center for the Arts to host outdoor painting competition
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/white-bear-center-for-the-arts-to-host-outdoor-painting-competition/
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[
"Mara H. Gottfried",
"St. Paul Crime",
"Public Safety Reporter",
"Mara Gottfried Has Been A Pioneer Press Reporter Since",
"Mostly Covering Public Safety. Gottfried Lived In St. Paul As A Young Child",
"Returned To The Twin Cities After Graduating The University Of Maryland. You Can Reach Her At"
] |
2023-08-01 01:00:56+00:00
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2023-07-31 19:21:48
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2F73-year-old-who-died-in-stabbing-after-knocking-on-st-paul-door-identified%2F.json
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The 73-year-old who died in an altercation after he knocked on a door in St. Paul’s Highland Park had been charged with murder in the early 1980s, and was civilly committed as mentally ill and dangerous.
Robin Sherwood Lambert was sent to the state security hospital in St. Peter, Minn. About 20 years later, he was released to a residential treatment facility, began living in an independent apartment in 2007, and continued to receive psychiatric and social services.
A 2021 risk assessment, along with information at a hearing, showed Lambert did not present a “substantial” danger to the public, according to a court filing. A board recommended he be released from civil commitment two years ago, which he was. Court records showed no new criminal cases against Lambert since then.
Saturday altercation, stabbing
On Saturday morning, St. Paul police say Lambert, of Bloomington, knocked on the door of a home in the 1100 block of Bowdoin Street South. There was an altercation when residents opened the door, and both Lambert and a 59-year-old resident were stabbed, police said Saturday.
Officers responded to a report of a stabbing about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Paramedics took Lambert to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The 59-year-old resident is expected to survive, police said Saturday.
The investigation is continuing, including Lambert’s cause of death, and police said they didn’t have further updates Monday.
Past criminal case, civil commitment
Lambert was charged with murder in Hennepin County in 1982. He fatally shot “a transient person …, while he was experiencing delusional and hallucinatory symptoms (i.e., at the time believing that the victim had been abusing children),” said a 2021 court filing. He was found not guilty by reason of mental illness.
He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and “his symptoms are well managed” by medications, which he’d taken for many years, according to the 2021 court filing.
The risk assessment and hearing in 2021 found “the supports and services that Mr. Lambert currently receives should all remain available to him on a voluntary basis should full discharge (from civil commitment) be granted.”
A board that reviewed Lambert’s case in 2021 concluded he’d been “psychiatrically and behaviorally stable for many years and has not engaged in any acts of aggression since well before the grant of his provisional discharge” in 2021. He was released from civil commitment
People who are civilly committed as mentally ill and dangerous are treated at a facility operated by the Minnesota Department of Health in St. Peter. It was previously known as the Minnesota Security Hospital and is referred to now as the Forensic Mental Health Program because it’s not a hospital, according to DHS.
“Data privacy laws prohibit us from sharing information about current or past patients at DHS-operated facilities,” said Christopher Sprung, a DHS spokesman. “Generally speaking, patients who have been fully discharged from civil commitment no longer receive services from DHS-operated treatment programs. They may, however, voluntarily continue to have a county case manager to help with ongoing needs.”
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73-year-old who died in stabbing after knocking on St. Paul door previously charged with murder, civilly committed
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/73-year-old-who-died-in-stabbing-after-knocking-on-st-paul-door-identified/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:39+00:00
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2023-07-31 21:21:36
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fjoel-embiid-would-leave-sixers-for-championship-goal-i-dont-know-where-thats-going-to-be-5%2F.json
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As uncertainty swirls around the Sixers and the Knicks maintain their chest of trade assets, Joel Embiid acknowledged that achieving his goal may not happen in Philadelphia.
“I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes. I don’t know where that’s going be,” Embiid said last week at the inaugural UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival. “Whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else. I just want to have a chance to accomplish that. I want to see what it feels like to win that first one and then you can think about the next one. It’s not easy. It takes more than one or two or three guys.”
Embiid’s comment, which was delivered after interviewer Maverick Carter asked about the center’s future, comes after the Sixers, a perennial playoff disappointment, were again eliminated in the second round, fired head coach Doc Rivers and James Harden requested a trade.
As the Daily News reported, Embiid has been mentioned for months around league circles as the Knicks’ ideal trade candidate. Leon Rose, who served as Embiid’s agent before taking over New York’s front office, has accumulated a bevy of future draft picks — although some are protected and losing value — while demonstrating restraint in negotiations for stars lesser than the reigning MVP.
Of course, hinting at pressuring the Sixers is much different than requesting a trade. Embiid, 29, still has four years and roughly $196 million remaining on his contract, including a $59 million player option in 2026-27.
The circumstances should make a trade unlikely, but a recent NBA trend suggests otherwise. Just in the last few years, Harden, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal worked out trades to desired destinations with multiple years left on their respective mega contracts. Dame Lillard is in the process of doing it.
Embiid, who was drafted by the Sixers in 2014, has struggled in the playoffs and never advanced past the second round. He recently expressed hope that Harden would reconsider his trade demand.
There has been no indication Harden has changed his mind, however. The Clippers are reportedly his top choice.
“Disappointed. But then, I also understand, it’s business,” Embiid told Showtime’s Rachel Nichols. “You know, people make decisions and I’m more appreciative of the way he’s handled the whole situation. We’re going to be boys forever. I want him to come back, obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship. So hopefully his mindset can be changed.
“But other than that, I’m just so happy to be his friend. You know, we close. We’ve grown since he got here. That’s what I’m excited about. I’m excited to keep that friendship for the rest of our lives.”
Embiid’s interview last week at the UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival was part of his new partnership with LeBron James’ multimedia company, The SpringHill Company.
The Knicks, meanwhile, navigated another quiet offseason after falling in the second round to Miami. They picked up Donte DiVincenzo in free agency and traded Obi Toppin.
But they kept all their draft assets in case a superstar like Embiid jars loose.
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Joel Embiid would leave Sixers for championship goal: ‘I don’t know where that’s going to be’
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/joel-embiid-would-leave-sixers-for-championship-goal-i-dont-know-where-thats-going-to-be-5/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:41+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:19:50
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fdwyane-wade-looks-to-bring-creative-thinking-as-a-member-of-chicago-sky-ownership-it-just-feels-like-the-time-2%2F.json
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In his first appearance at Wintrust Arena since the Chicago Sky announced he joined the team’s ownership group, Dwyane Wade sat with Mayor Brandon Johnson and other Sky owners in a suite Tuesday night, then moved courtside where he posed for photos and signed autographs.
A three-time NBA champion and 13-time All-Star, Wade is the second former NBA player to invest in a WNBA team. Magic Johnson was part of the ownership group that took control of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014.
“Why the Sky? Because I’m a fan of basketball,” Wade told the Tribune before the team’s 107-95 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. “I love it to my core. It’s changed my life. It’s changed my family’s life. And I understand the need for support. I know what that looks like.
“We’ve got some of the best players in the world playing in the ‘W’ and we’ve got some of the most generational players coming real soon. And it just feels like the time. It’s there. We’re on the cusp. But there’s a lot more that we have to do to make sure that we push ourselves over so this can be the No. 1 league in the world for women’s sports.”
Wade is also an investor in the NBA’s Utah Jazz, having joined that ownership group in 2021. He said he has “learned what partnership looks like in the management and ownership group … and how it could trickle down to the rest of the organization.”
“(Jazz owner) Ryan Smith has done an amazing job of bringing a different mindset from the tech world into the front office,” Wade said. “I think I could come in (with the Sky) and just challenge the ways of past thinking and how we look to the future.
“How can we get creative? What are the things we can do? Because it’s a lot of creative things that the NBA is trying and doing. How can we bring that to the ‘W’?”
When Wade joined the Jazz ownership group, he mentioned the importance of being a Black owner in a league with so few. He sees a similar need in his new role with the Sky.
“It means a lot,” he said. “It means a lot for me to see Nadia Rawlinson (the Sky’s operating chairman) in her seat as co-owner. It means a lot that I can come in and support a Black woman that is doing this.
“This is a women’s league, but that doesn’t mean it only needs to be women who are part of this league. So being a Black man and being a part of this league in my hometown … it kind of feels like it’s my duty to step up in the ways that I can.”
As he gets acclimated with the Sky and the WNBA, Wade said he has had conversations not only with Rawlinson and other team owners, but also with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and players association executive director Terri Jackson about how they can partner to grow the game.
Though he’s looking to the future, Wade doesn’t want to act as if the past 27 years of the WNBA never happened.
“We have to stop and have an ovation for that,” he said. “But in the midst of that let’s move on to what else needs to be done. I’ve always had success through partnership. That’s taking your egos and your pride and putting (them) aside and actually getting together and saying, ’Let’s make sure everybody gets what they want.’
“To get this league where we need to, each side needs to listen and then try to educate so we can all help each other and understand how to get to the common goal.”
One of those goals is making the Sky a premier destination for both WNBA players and fans. Wade said he wants to make the team “feel like the city” and make Sky games the place people want to be in the summer.
“For those three months, you want to be in Chicago, and we want our women to feel like they play in Chicago,” he said. “So how does that look? And what does that entail from us to do?”
Another major goal for Wade is to re-sign All-Star guard Kahleah Copper. After seven years with the Sky, Copper — who scored a career-high 37 points Tuesday — will be a free agent this summer. The 2021 WNBA Finals MVP told the Sun-Times she wants the team “to be able to keep up with the Joneses.”
The Aces opened a state-of-the-art practice facility before this season, and the Seattle Storm plan to construct a $64 million, 50,000-square-foot practice facility with team offices. Sky ownership has committed to moving the team out of Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield and into a new facility within two to four years, and Wade sees Copper staying in Chicago as a key to the team’s future.
“Coming off of a championship (in 2021), it’s tough to lose the core — a lot of great pieces,” he said. “And to have an All-Star like Kahleah … big summer for her, big summer for us. We don’t want to rebuild and start all over. We have a centerpiece. And your goal is to build around a centerpiece with the right pieces.
“Your perception is your reality. So my challenge to us is what is our perception as a team, and let’s figure out a way to change the perception so our reality can look different.”
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Dwyane Wade looks to bring creative thinking as a member of Chicago Sky ownership: ‘It just feels like the time’
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"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:39+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:20:48
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fnew-nets-forward-darius-bazley-brooklyn-was-the-place-to-be-4%2F.json
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If there’s one thing new Nets forward Darius Bazley is going to do in Brooklyn — it’s play some defense.
Bazley, the versatile, prep-to-pro forward who signed a one-year deal with the Nets this offseason, says he’s excited to bring his game to New York.
“This is like the Mecca of basketball,” Bazley said in his introductory interview with reporters on Thursday. “So just playing in front of fans that appreciate the game, that love the game of basketball, love the sport.
“I think it’d be really fun.”
Bazley said he doesn’t have a relationship with Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn, but noted he worked out with Nets forward Cam Johnson this summer. He also says he has a relationship with both Mikal Bridges and Ben Simmons.
And for the 6-foot-8 forward who has played minutes at both the four and five in his four-year NBA career, defense will be the calling card that earns him regular minutes in head coach Jacque Vaughn’s rotation.
“Being able to match-up one through four, one through five, guard bigger wings, be able to guard smaller guards, as well — I’m looking forward to that,” he said on Thursday.
Out of high school, Bazley skipped college and opted to go for the G-League, then skipped the G-League to prepare for the NBA Draft. He went 23rd overall to the Utah Jazz in the 2019 NBA Draft but was later part of two draft-night trades — first to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Mike Conley deal, next to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for forward Brandon Clarke.
He averaged a career-high 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds during his second season in Oklahoma City. but the Thunder eventually opted to move on from the athletic forward, trading him to the Phoenix Suns after the Kevin Durant deal.
Bazley averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Thunder in the first half of the season and was not a regular member of Phoenix’s rotation after the trade.
He hopes to show more of his game now in Brooklyn, but says winning is priority No. 1.
“Offensively, just getting my athleticism into the game, being a knock-down shooter and just having fun playing. The main goal is to win, not for me to — I’m not going into the season [thinking] how can I insert my game?” he said. “These are all things that come with it, but it’s not my main focus. No matter what, though, defense for sure.”
And to win, Bazley believes the Nets need to play fast, which appears to be an area of emphasis for the front office given their offseason acquisitions.
Bazley is the third new free agent the Nets have welcomed after coming to terms with both Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV on one-year deals. Both Smith Jr. and Walker IV are known for bringing athleticism and scrappy defense to the backcourt.
They project to backup a starting lineup of Bridges, Johnson, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and Nic Claxton. Simmons remains a wild card given his back injury history. As of Summer League, he had yet to return to playing five-on-five basketball.
“To me, personally, I think there’s some core things that should just happen no matter what throughout the course of the game to give yourself the best shot at winning,” Bazley said on Thursday’s call. “Us having the taste of youngness and also like that veteran presence with some older guys, just fast, playing hard. Defensively, playing hard, getting after it.”
Bazley projects to add depth to the Nets’ frontcourt. Nic Claxton played the lion’s share of the minutes at the five in Brooklyn, and third-year big man Day’Ron Sharpe’s minutes project to increase this season as the only true rebounding machine on the roster.
Bazley is a career 31% three-point shooter but shot 37.7% from downtown last season. He shot the three at a 40% clip during his first 36 games of the season for the Thunder. That percentage plummeted when he arrived in Phoenix, largely outside of the Suns’ rotation.
The Nets, however, may not ask Bazley to shoot many threes. His role will be playing lockdown defense and injecting energy and athleticism into his minutes on the floor. He joins a team that will enjoy its first full offseason after the pair of midseason blockbuster trades detonated Brooklyn’s championship hopes.
What’s left now is a young team re-tooling around its budding star, Bridges.
“The young core, with also a veteran presence as well. Just watching them a little bit in the playoffs. Also just throughout the course of the season. The new team that they had towards the end here, they looked like they had fun,” Bazley said. “They looked like they played hard and together. It was just something I wanted to be a part of.”
“When it all came down to it, Brooklyn was the place to be.”
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New Nets forward Darius Bazley: ‘Brooklyn was the place to be’
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"The Associated Press Is An Independent Global News Organization Dedicated To Factual Reporting."
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2023-08-01 01:04:41+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:00:28
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fwhat-to-stream-this-week-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-quavo-reservation-dogs-and-mixtape%2F.json
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By The Associated Press
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hunt” with Sigourney Weaver and Quavo’s album “Rocket Power” are among the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you
Among the offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are “Mixtape,” a Paramount+ documentary celebrating hip-hop, and the return of the acclaimed comedy “Reservation Dogs” for its third and final season on FX on Hulu.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM
— James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” reaches an appropriately sincere, satirical and cornball finale in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” The film, one of the few non-“Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” summer hits, arrives Wednesday on Disney+ having already grossed $844 million in worldwide ticket sales. Gunn’s underdog superhero trilogy culminates with a tale focused on a backstory for Rocket, Bradley Cooper’s wise-cracking raccoon, and a showdown with a supervillain (Chukwudi Iwuji) hellbent on repopulating Earth with a “perfect” species. In my review, I praised the conviction of Gunn’s soupy sci-fi spectacle, writing: “Whatever this sweet, surreal sci-fi shamble is that Gunn has created, everyone here seems to believe ardently in it.”
— “Oppenheimer” isn’t the only movie around returning to Los Alamos. Steve James, the acclaimed documentarian of “Hoop Dreams,” in “A Compassionate Spy” details the story of physicist Ted Hall, a brilliant 18-year-old Harvard student when he was recruited to work on the Manhattan Project and went on to pass nuclear information to the Soviets. He confessed in 1998, a year before his death. Hall, one of several scientists to leak information from the atom bomb project, maintained he did it for the good of humanity and to prevent a nuclear monopoly. “A Compassionate Spy” debuts Friday, Aug. 4 on video-on-demand and in theaters.
— “Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb,” a documentary of the decades-long collaboration between the “Power Broker” author and his revered editor is a stirring and affection portrait of two literary giants. The film, directed by the editor’s daughter, Lizzie Gottlieb, will begin streaming Tuesday on the Criterion Channel, just weeks after the death of Gottlieb, who edited novels by Toni Morrison, John Cheever, Joseph Heller and many others. In my review of the film, I wrote: “Civil wars over semicolons and heated debate over the word ‘looms’ would not, on the face of it, seem like the stuff of a gripping big-screen movie. But make no mistake about it, ‘Turn Every Page’… is as much a rock ’em, sock ’em clash of heavyweights as found in any blockbuster.”
— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle
NEW MUSIC TO STREAM
— Quavo will release “Rocket Power,” his first album since fellow Migos member Takeoff was shot and killed outside a bowling alley in November 2022. Quavo introduced the new LP with a trailer that features a massive CGI rocket preparing to launch into space. In a statement, he shared: “Through the process of healing I’ve learned to turn tragedy into triumph. I had to dig deep into my purpose and find the power to keep striving.” This summer, Quavo and Future shared a new song, “Turn Your Clic Up,” which followed recent singles “Greatness” and “Honey Bun.” Shortly before his death, Quavo and Takeoff had shared their joint LP, “Only Built for Infinity Links.”
— Rick Springfield, whose hits include “Human Touch,” and, of course, “Jessie’s Girl,” is putting out his 21st album, “Automatic.” Written and produced by Springfield, the collection features 20 new songs. “My goal was solid three-minute tunes with the biggest hooks I could come up with,” he said in a news release. Springfield previewed his sound by releasing the title track and “She Walks With the Angels.” The album is dedicated to Matty Spindel, a friend and soundman of 25 years who died in 2022. Springfield will be hitting the road this summer on the I Want My ’80s Tour.
— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy
NEW SERIES TO STREAM
— Hip-hop is markings its 50th anniversary and Paramount+ will stream a documentary called “Mixtape” beginning Tuesday. The film explores how before the hip-hop genre had radio play, streaming or social media, its songs were often shared via mixtapes. Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Fat Joe, 2 Chainz, Big Boi and KRS-One are just a few of the artists featured in the doc about mixtape culture.
— The half-hour critically acclaimed comedy “Reservation Dogs” returns for its third and final season on Wednesday on FX on Hulu. The series follows four Indigenous teens who, when we first meet them in season one, are reeling from the death of their friend Daniel. Daniel’s dream was to leave rural Oklahoma for California. The group decides the best way to honor Daniel is by fulfilling his goal and traveling to this magical state he was enamored with. To get there, they’ll steal and scheme but it’s not an easy road. In this new season, they’ve made it to California but don’t have the means to return home. Now that the friends have achieved Daniel’s wish, they also must decide what to do next with their own lives. The Indigenous representation in “Reservation Dogs” also extends behind-the-camera with each of its writers, directors and crew.
— Netflix’s popular British rom-com drama series “Heartstopper,” starring Joe Locke and Kit Connor returns for its second season on Wednesday. Locke and Connor play Charlie and Nick, two high school schoolmates who fell in love in season one. The series has been praised for its portrayal of LGTBQ+ characters.
— Sigourney Weaver and Alycia Debnam-Carey co-star in “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” for Prime Video. The story is based on a novel of the same name by Holly Ringland. Debnam-Carey plays Alice, who as a young girl, moved in with her grandmother June – played by Weaver – after a family tragedy. June is a flower farmer and teaches Alice how flowers can be used as a form of self-expression. The story spans two decades and follows Alice into adulthood. The series debuts Friday, Aug. 4 on the streamer.
— Alicia Rancilio
NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
— Dungeons & Dragons has seen a boom in popularity over the last few years, with a hit movie, live-streamed games and a major supporting role on “Stranger Things.” But it’s been a while since we’ve gotten a true D&D video game. That drought ends with Baldur’s Gate 3. You begin as just some poor sap with an evil parasite stuck in your brain, but once you round up the typical gang of wizards, brawlers, clerics and rogues, the fate of D&D’s sprawling Forgotten Realms is in your hands. Developer Larian Studios, best known for the terrific Divinity: Original Sin, has shown it has the chops to create stirring role-playing adventures, and has promised that this one could take up to 200 hours to fully explore. You can pick up your sword or wand Thursday on PC, or hold out for the PlayStation 5 version in September.
— Lou Kesten
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Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/entertainment.
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What to stream this week: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ Quavo, ‘Reservation Dogs’ and ‘Mixtape’
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2023-08-01 01:02:27+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:03:47
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Navigate the crowded entryway into the Under Armour House at Fayette each summer Sunday and you find the gym morphing into a living, breathing Baltimore hoops museum.
Games tip off at 11 a.m., only to later ignore sunset and run well into the night. Fans pack in, hovering over the court’s out-of-bounds lines. Smiles radiate in this sacred space, known locally as the Melo Center, when fans confidently name players past and present.
“Watch out for him in this next game,” they’ll advise, like you’re being ushered into the next exhibition.
It’s an environment unique to summer basketball. It’s the Brunson League.
“This atmosphere is like no other,” said Quinn Cook, a DeMatha Catholic High School graduate and two-time NBA champion. “No disrespect to any other league, but you can’t get this nowhere else. You got pros, you got local legends and All-Americans coming up. [Fans] are on the floor, they can talk trash and yell at you. They hug you; they scream at you. I love it. This is my favorite part of the summer.”
This is the 10th gathering of the Brunson League, Baltimore’s summer Pro-Am basketball circuit where the love for basketball cultivates a free annual community reunion.
The league was founded by commissioner Sean Brunson, a Forest Park High and Morgan State graduate. He can still see the moment summer basketball stole his heart, still hear the relentless trash talk, still smell the humid, musty air of Washington’s Dunbar High gym, where for decades crowds filled in for a glimpse of the action.
Brunson was 7 years old on this particular day in 1995, there with his dad to check out the Urban Coalition Summer League. He remembers longtime Orlando Magic guard Nick Anderson eliciting a buzz throughout the gym. “Not too much,” he clarified.
While that game continued, in walked Curt and Charles Smith, two legendary D.C. players whose mere presence pulled the audience’s attention off the hardwood. Behind the brothers, in strutted their scheduled opponents: “Baltimore’s Finest,” headlined by Sam Cassell, Kurk Lee, Donta Bright and Keith Booth. The cheers climbed another octave.
Lee has been the UA House athletic director for 18 years and still gets goose bumps recalling the Urban Coalition’s intoxicating nature. He remembers walking through those doors hearing bellows of “The Baltimore team is here!”
“So it’s not even about NBA guys. It’s about those homegrown folks,” Brunson said. “That stuck with me ever since.”
‘Knew it was gonna be special’
Brunson never played college or pro ball. His own career was largely spent on Forest Park’s bench. But he set out to bring the feeling of the Urban Coalition to a new generation in a city that has long been bereft of national basketball prominence.
Teams initially formed with Brunson’s co-workers while he served as a Nike sales associate. Friends who played at junior colleges joined next. They recruited Division I connections who persuaded one or two overseas pros to come play.
Baltimore Junior Academy housed the first few tournaments. Then there were stints at Carver High School, Baltimore City Community College, St. Frances Academy and Digital Harbor High before the event landed at the UA House — a ceremonial passing of the torch from Lee after the Carmelo Anthony Pro-Am turned Kurk Lee Pro-Am was discontinued in 2020.
Establishing a professional feel was the surefire recipe for Brunson to separate from other organized runs around the city.
He was a five-tool player those early years: managing the website, organizing the schedule, handling the custom jerseys, tracking stats and even suiting up for Team Swoosh. One game, he’d sit at the scorer’s table manning the book; the next he’d check in to play. Then it was right back to the table, still sweating through a jersey with his name inscribed across the front.
The summer Pro-Am, which now fields 18 teams from 30-plus applications, struck its true ascension with the inclusion of NBA veteran Will Barton, an East Baltimore native who led Lake Clifton to a 28-0 record and 2009 state championship.
Barton inquired about the Brunson League schedule in the comments section of a 2016 Instagram post. “Who you coming to see?” Brunson asked. “See?” Barton scoffed, “I’m coming to play!” Brunson wasn’t confident he’d ever actually show. Shortly thereafter, Brunson unassumingly stopped by St. Frances. He noticed campers everywhere wearing “WB5″ shirts. “Oh, that’s Will Barton’s camp,” he realized. This was his shot. Even when the NBA player doubled down on his intention to play, Brunson remained skeptical.
“A couple months later, he sends me a DM,” Brunson said. “He was like, ‘Yo, just so you know, I’m not just gonna play, I’m putting a team together.’ It took off from there. That was 2017 he put his team in for the first time.”
Any lingering doubt Brunson had about Barton’s commitment to uplifting his hometown Pro-Am washed away in March 2019. Barton, then with the Denver Nuggets, walked basketball’s red carpet, the pregame tunnel, repping his black-with-white-trim Brunson League jersey, elevating the league to a national stage.
“Knew it was gonna be special,” Barton commented on Brunson’s Instagram. “We shared the same vision of putting bmore basketball on the map and having a top pro am in the country in bmore.”
Homegrown folks
This isn’t the glam of Los Angeles’ Drew League, running for 50 summers. Nor is it the long-standing concrete jungle reputation of Dyckman in New York. But what Brunson has created in Baltimore is meaningful, with familiar faces packing the UA House each week as if their calendars have a recurring reservation for hoops.
“My whole thing is just giving the guys a safe haven and competitive place to play,” Lee said. “Baltimore loves basketball. That’s why the Brunson League is so crowded every Sunday. And it’s not just local Baltimore teams, but D.C. teams, a Virginia team and surrounding county teams.”
In an opening night matchup that featured Baltimoreans versus a D.C.-filled roster, one fan heckled, “Y’all come up [Interstate] 295, you got to show us something!” Another chimed in, “You from Baltimore, you don’t shake hands during the game!”
From the players to the coaches, fans and even videographers, these proving grounds present the best kind of hostile environment. One East Baltimore native who hasn’t missed a summer of the Brunson League noted the stakes: “This is where you get your name known in Baltimore.”
Kam Taylor offered a reminder in the early afternoon slot, having his way as a three-level scorer for Team Game Results (aka the Kamaliers, a tribute to Taylor’s dominance). The DeMatha Catholic and Seton Hill graduate who spends 10 months of the year overseas craves the Brunson League’s grittiness, where “people are ready to go at your neck.”
The league’s most distinguished throat striker is Team District Sports’ Jimmie Jenkins. He’s the reigning Most Valuable Player, and they say nobody scores and talks trash as well as he does. Terry Hosley is a close second with Circle of My Brothers, elevating his game from former Parkville star to one-on-one artist.
Opening night’s prime-time matchup had a familiar feel for Brunson.
Cook settled into the coach’s chair while New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall commandeered the reins for Team Levels. He evoked an Anderson at Urban Coalition-esque buzz, but the packed gym rode with the Baltimore team. This time, replace Cassell and Lee with Davon Usher and Aquille Carr — there was certainly chatter when those two entered the gym.
Usher, from South Baltimore, is one of the top players to come out of Digital Harbor, later playing overseas. Here, his picturesque lefty jumper is the main attraction.
Alongside Usher is Carr, the 5-foot-6 phenom dubbed “The Crime Stopper” via Patterson High. Legend has it Carr’s high school games, which were frequently moved to Morgan State’s gym, drew such large crowds that his on-court mastery single-handedly reduced Baltimore’s crime rates. Fans still beg for Carr highlights.
As Brunson said, it’s about the homegrown folks.
“I’m not a former NBA or overseas guy,” Brunson said. “I’m just a guy that had an idea and these guys bought into it. And it gets bigger and bigger every year. … [Baltimore basketball] feels forgotten at times. It feels good to bring it back to the forefront.”
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Inside the Brunson League, the summer basketball circuit ‘where you get your name known in Baltimore’
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2023-08-01 01:00:56+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:19:51
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Guard Ayo Dosunmu and the Chicago Bulls have agreed to a three-year, $21 million deal, ESPN reported Friday.
Dosunmu, 23, was a restricted free agent after playing in 157 games in two seasons with the Bulls. He was named second-team All-Rookie after the Bulls selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft out of Illinois.
The Chicago native and Morgan Park graduate has averaged 8.7 points and 2.9 assists in 26.8 minutes over two seasons, playing in the Rising Stars game at NBA All-Star Weekend both years.
Dosunmu returns to a crowded backcourt that includes Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, Coby White and newcomer Jevon Carter, a Proviso East graduate who signed a reported three-year, $20 million deal with the Bulls this month after posting career-best numbers last season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bulls went 40-42 in 2022-23 and finished 10th in the Eastern Conference, qualifying for the last spot in the play-in tournament. They beat the Toronto Raptors before bowing out against the Miami Heat.
Still, the Bulls have made few additions this offseason, bringing in Carter and forward Torrey Craig and trading into the second round to draft forward Julian Phillips. They lost Derrick Jones Jr., who declined his player option, and Javonte Green is a free agent after playing only 32 games last season because of a right knee injury.
In addition to White and Dosunmu, the Bulls re-signed Nikola Vučević to a three-year, $60 million deal, and fellow center Andre Drummond exercised his player option.
Point guard Lonzo Ball, who hasn’t played since January 2022, is not expected to return next season after undergoing a rare cartilage transplant in March, his third procedure to address a baffling left knee injury.
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Ayo Dosunmu reportedly agrees to a 3-year, $21 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls
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2023-08-01 01:03:58+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:41:10
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By Jerry Brown, Bankrate
When you rent a car, a customer service rep may try to sell you rental car insurance. Rental insurance may protect you from having to pay if the rental is stolen or damaged. But in some circumstances, you may not need to purchase additional coverage. For example, if you already have full coverage car insurance, your policy may extend to the rental.
Bankrate’s insurance editorial team covers scenarios where you may need rental insurance and explains how some common types of rental car insurance work.
When do you need rental car insurance?
Figuring out if you need rental car insurance can be confusing. The type of coverage you carry on your personal auto policy, your contract terms and the reason you are renting a vehicle can all determine whether you should purchase extra rental car coverage.
In most cases, the coverage you carry on your auto policy will extend to a rental car as long as you rent a private passenger vehicle. In some scenarios, however, your personal auto policy can leave gaps in coverage that will cost you if you are in an accident in your rental car. Most insurance professionals advise exploring your options with your agent before driving off in a rental vehicle.
You do not have any type of insurance
You’ll want to purchase rental car insurance if you don’t have car insurance. That’s because most states have laws requiring you to carry a minimum amount of car insurance coverage while driving a vehicle. Consider purchasing a damage waiver and liability coverage from the rental company to protect your rental.
Some uninsured drivers rely solely on the rental car coverage that their credit card company provides. Although rental car coverage through your credit card can be helpful if you already have a primary insurance policy, it might not offer adequate protection as the only means of insuring your rental vehicle. Before declining additional damage protection, you may want to call your card issuer for more information on their rental car coverage policy.
You do not have collision or comprehensive coverage
Collision and comprehensive coverage are part of what’s known as full coverage car insurance, which covers damage to your vehicle after an at-fault accident or other incident, such as hail, theft or fire. These types of coverage typically extend to a rental vehicle. However, if you only have liability insurance coverage, your personal car insurance won’t cover damages to the rental.
To protect yourself in this situation, you can purchase a loss-and-damage waiver from a rental agency. This agreement waves your financial responsibility for damages or loss to the rental car.
You do not want to pay a deductible
If you rely on your personal car insurance to protect your rental car, and you get into an accident, you typically have to pay a deductible. However, if you buy rental car insurance and you get into a collision, there is no deductible required.
Types of rental car insurance
Rental car insurance is somewhat similar to regular auto insurance. You can select the type of coverage and the level of coverage you want based on your needs. However, the types of rental car insurance are much different than auto insurance.
Before getting rental car insurance, you should be aware of your options. The most common types of rental car insurance include:
Loss-and-damage waiver (LDW): Sometimes called the collision damage waiver (CDW), this is a waiver, rather than a true policy. It essentially says that the rental company will not come after you in the event that the rental car is damaged or stolen. However, if you have collision and comprehensive car insurance, this may be included in your policy.
Sometimes called the collision damage waiver (CDW), this is a waiver, rather than a true policy. It essentially says that the rental company will not come after you in the event that the rental car is damaged or stolen. However, if you have collision and comprehensive car insurance, this may be included in your policy. Supplemental liability protection: This covers damage you do to other vehicles or property. However, your own liability insurance may cover these instances, even when you are driving a rental car.
This covers damage you do to other vehicles or property. However, your own liability insurance may cover these instances, even when you are driving a rental car. Personal accident protection: Personal accident protection covers the medical costs for you and any passengers if you are involved in an accident. Again, if you have personal injury protection or medical payments coverage under your existing policy, you may already be covered.
Personal accident protection covers the medical costs for you and any passengers if you are involved in an accident. Again, if you have personal injury protection or medical payments coverage under your existing policy, you may already be covered. Personal effects coverage: This coverage pays for any belongings that may be stolen from your rental car. In this case, your homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance policy may offer similar coverage.
While there are many different types of rental car insurance, it does not cover everything. For example, this type of insurance doesn’t reimburse you for the cost of renting a car. However, you may be reimbursed for rentals in some circumstances if you have rental reimbursement coverage — which is typically an endorsement you can add to your existing policy for an extra cost. Note that this coverage provides reimbursement only if you’re renting a car because your insured vehicle has suffered a covered loss.
How much is rental car insurance?
The cost of rental car insurance depends on a few factors. For one, it depends on the company you buy coverage from. It also depends on the state, what type of car you are renting, and how many miles you are driving. Purchasing add-on coverages will also increase the amount you pay.
Does my credit card offer rental car insurance?
Many credit card companies offer rental car insurance as one of the benefits for cardholders. However, rental car insurance provided by your credit card company is usually secondary insurance. That means if you get into an accident or the car gets stolen, your auto insurance company will get billed first. If that is the case, your deductible will apply to the claim.
There are some credit card companies that offer primary rental car insurance, although it is less common. Primary insurance does not go through your personal auto insurance, so you do not have to pay a deductible. You can call your credit card company to determine if your card offers rental car insurance and what type of insurance they offer.
Most major credit card companies, like Visa, MasterCard and American Express all offer some form of rental car insurance for their cardholders. To take advantage of the coverage, you usually have to pay for the rental car using the card and rent the car in your name.
Which insurance providers offer rental car insurance?
Most major car insurance providers automatically provide rental car insurance coverage at no additional cost beyond what you are already paying for your monthly premium. However, it is important to remember that the coverage you carry on your policy is what will also apply to your rental. If you have liability only on your personal auto policy, you may want to consider bridging the gap with an LDW.
Some companies offer standalone rental car coverage policies. The rates for these policies can be cheaper than a standard auto policy, but the coverage provided is not as robust.
Allianz Global: Allianz Global’s Rental Car Damage Protector includes $50,000 in coverage, for just $11 per day, and offers coverage anywhere in the world. Every policy comes with up to $1,000 in coverage for lost baggage and personal items, and $1,000 in trip interruption coverage.
Allianz Global’s Rental Car Damage Protector includes $50,000 in coverage, for just $11 per day, and offers coverage anywhere in the world. Every policy comes with up to $1,000 in coverage for lost baggage and personal items, and $1,000 in trip interruption coverage. Bonzah: With a Bonzah rental car insurance policy, you can get up to $35,000 in coverage, plus up to $500 in coverage for lost luggage and personal items, no deductible and a 10-day free look period. Bonzah also offers up to $1 million in supplemental liability coverage.
With a Bonzah rental car insurance policy, you can get up to $35,000 in coverage, plus up to $500 in coverage for lost luggage and personal items, no deductible and a 10-day free look period. Bonzah also offers up to $1 million in supplemental liability coverage. RentalCover.com: Rental car insurance from RentalCover.com is meant to supplement insurance from your credit card provider. The company claims that drivers can get supplemental insurance for up to 50% less than an LDW waiver from the rental counter. One of the biggest draws is that drivers can cancel their rental insurance for a full refund up until their car pick-up time.
Rental car insurance from RentalCover.com is meant to supplement insurance from your credit card provider. The company claims that drivers can get supplemental insurance for up to 50% less than an LDW waiver from the rental counter. One of the biggest draws is that drivers can cancel their rental insurance for a full refund up until their car pick-up time. Sure: Sure is a mobile-based rental car insurance company that is entirely digital. When you download the app, you can select your trip dates, the type of coverage you want, the deductible and more. That means you can update and make changes to your choices on-the-go. Every policy comes with great perks, like flat tire protection, lost key reimbursement and towing coverage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best car insurance company? Since coverage options and premiums vary by insurer, there’s no single insurance company that’s right for everyone. To find the best car insurance company for you, select a few insurance companies that interest you and request quotes from each to compare. While shopping, consider various factors, such as rates, coverage options and customer service ratings.
Since coverage options and premiums vary by insurer, there’s no single insurance company that’s right for everyone. To find the best car insurance company for you, select a few insurance companies that interest you and request quotes from each to compare. While shopping, consider various factors, such as rates, coverage options and customer service ratings. Does rental car insurance cover roadside assistance? When you rent a car, rental agencies typically don’t include roadside assistance, though some companies like Hertz may include a basic roadside plan. If you already have roadside assistance, then it may extend to your rental. In addition, some rental companies may allow you to purchase a separate roadside assistance — which is different from rental insurance.
When you rent a car, rental agencies typically don’t include roadside assistance, though some companies like Hertz may include a basic roadside plan. If you already have roadside assistance, then it may extend to your rental. In addition, some rental companies may allow you to purchase a separate roadside assistance — which is different from rental insurance. How will an accident in a rental car affect my insurance? Getting into any accident will most likely affect your insurance premium, whether it is in your car or a rental car. This is especially true if you have rental car insurance through your auto insurance provider or a credit card company. Anytime you file a claim that is attached to your auto insurance policy, the company will know you had an accident and will likely increase your rate accordingly.
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©2023 Bankrate online. Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Rental car insurance explained
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By Anna Helhoski | NerdWallet
What does it take to lure people away from streaming and back into long-vacant movie theater seats? It turns out bubble-gum pink nostalgia, several dozen retail collaborations and omnipresent marketing will do the trick.
In the opening weekend of “Barbie,” the highly anticipated film directed by Greta Gerwig brought in $162 million. That’s the highest-grossing opening weekend ever for a film directed by a woman and the 20th highest-grossing film opening weekend of all time, according to Box Office Mojo by IMDB Pro, a site that tracks box office revenue.
In recent years, the theater-going experience seemed kaput. Dwindling attendance was largely due to a combination of pandemic closures and the proliferation of streaming services offering more film entertainment than you could consume in a lifetime. Box office declines led to closures: 2,165 screens in the U.S. closed from 2019 to 2022 — about 5.3% — according to a March report by the Cinema Foundation.
Theaters endeavored to make the movie-going experience enticing again through renovations and expanded food and alcohol options. Still, revenue remained lower than before the pandemic: $7.4 billion total gross in 2022, compared with $11.4 billion in 2019, according to Box Office Mojo.
The dire state of theater attendance is what makes “Barbie” so remarkable. When compared with the all-time top opening weekends for summer movies, “Barbie” came in at No. 10, according to Box Office Mojo. For context, while “Barbie” brought in $162 million, the highest-grossing opening weekend ever was for “Jurassic World” (2015), with $208.8 million. “Barbie” did outearn franchise follow-ups “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” and “Jurassic World Dominion,” as well as the “Dark Knight” and “Spider-Man” movies.
The hype machine fueled Barbie’s success
“Barbie” tells the story of Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, who lives in Barbie Land with many other Barbies and Kens. An existential crisis leads her and Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, to travel to the real world in search of purpose.
Unlike the doll’s typical audience, “Barbie” isn’t meant for small children — and neither is the marketing. The collaborations for “Barbie” achieved ubiquity in the weeks before the film’s release, through Barbie apparel, Barbie home decor, Barbie pool floats, Barbie candles, Barbie jewelry, Barbie cosmetics, Barbie dog clothes, Barbie hair products, Barbie fast food and much more.
Meanwhile, the stars’ public relations tour included Robbie giving a Barbie dream house tour for Architectural Digest magazine and re-creating classic Barbie looks on the red carpet. Gosling showcased his affection for Ken (dubbed “Kenergy”) in interviews. The rest of the PR tour was halted by the SAG-AFTRA strike, which has brought Hollywood productions virtually to a standstill.
The release of “Barbie” was timed well for very-online consumers. The film’s opening on July 21 landed on the same day as the release of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” — a biographical thriller about J. Robert Oppenheimer’s work on the Manhattan Project that led to the first nuclear bombs. The bizarre juxtaposition of the two very different films by critically acclaimed directors quickly led to a social media phenomenon: Barbenheimer.
The Barbenheimer sensation fed film discourse for months leading up to the films’ releases, sparking bootleg merchandise and birthing memes blending the plastic blonde bombshell with Oppenheimer, portrayed in the film by Cillian Murphy, and a mushroom cloud. A popular meme is the real Oppenheimer’s most notorious quote, originally from the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita, “Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds,” but styled in Barbie typeface and a hot pink hue.
The social media fervor challenged moviegoers to see both films in succession, spurring theaters to market double-feature ticket packages. The theater giant AMC reported that 87,000 members of its loyalty program AMC Stubs booked tickets to see both films on the same day.
“Oppenheimer” cashed in on Barbenheimer, too, bringing in $80.5 million in its first weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. It’s the first time that two movies amassed $80 million or more on the same opening weekend, and it was the fourth highest-grossing box office weekend ever, according to multiple reports.
Can ‘Barbie’ success be replicated?
A summer of blockbusters might remind people just what they’re missing while they’re scrolling at home. In addition to “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” the action movie “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One” was released on July 12 and set a five-day opening record for the franchise with $80 million.
There are more upcoming opportunities to draw in audiences: 40% more wide movie releases are expected in 2023 compared with 2022, according to the National Cinema Foundation.
It’s possible “Barbie” could start a trend among studios to spend big bucks on marketing in order to keep bringing people back into theaters. Then again, a big budget doesn’t necessarily work if the movie isn’t ultimately well-received. Another Gosling-led film, “Blade Runner 2049,” which was released in 2017, had an estimated $130 million marketing budget but still flopped at the box office.
Mattel is banking on Barbie’s profits as a signal that consumers want more nostalgic toy-related content. The company launched a film division in 2018 and has plans for an entire Mattel cinematic universe, including a reported 45 films in development based on other classic toys like American Girl, Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, the card game Uno and even the Magic 8 Ball.
Will any of those films be nearly as successful as “Barbie”? To quote that Magic 8 Ball: Ask again later.
More From NerdWallet
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‘Barbie’ brought crowds back to movie theaters. Will they stay?
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"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:01:23+00:00
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2023-07-31 18:37:07
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fceltics-salary-cap-implications-after-jaylen-browns-historic-supermax-contract-2%2F.json
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The Boston Celtics are evading the NBA’s daunting second apron by a hair — though they’ll have to make some tough roster decisions next summer if they’re going to avoid the pitfalls of the collective bargaining agreement’s newest wrinkles.
The Celtics signed Jaylen Brown to the richest contract in NBA history — a five-year, $304 million deal — and with Jayson Tatum’s presumptive supermax extension set to kick in in 2025, Boston is set to commit a large chunk of its payroll to the top-two players on a championship-contending roster.
Factor in the newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis, who has three years worth $96 million remaining on his contract, and the Celtics will be committing close to 78% of their salary cap to the top three players on the roster.
That’s before Tatum’s supermax — loosely projected to pay $57 million in Year 1 and close to $334 million over the five-year life of the contract — kicks in in 2025.
It’s a celebratory moment for Boston nonetheless: if Porzingis is a fit as the third star alongside Brown and Tatum, the Celtics will have formed a legitimate Big 3 set to compete for championships for the next five years.
The new CBA, however, ushers in two new wrinkles the Celtics will need to maneuver in the coming years in order to fill out a championship-contending roster without suffering from the newfound ramifications that impact team building.
The first of those wrinkles is the concept of cap smoothing, which wasn’t in place when the Golden State Warriors poached Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016.
The Warriors were able to do so because the NBA renegotiated its television broadcast rights deal, which is included in the basketball-related income that determines the salary cap and player salaries. In the blink of an eye, the salary cap exploded 35 percent from $70 million to $94 million.
The Warriors, who were already underpaying Stephen Curry, were able to sign Durant to a two-year, $54M deal with straight-up cap space.
We all remember what happened next.
So did the NBA’s owners, because the concept of cap smoothing is a direct response to the route the Warriors took to win back-to-back championships after acquiring Durant.
According to the CBA, cap smoothing means the salary cap cannot increase or decrease by more than 10% in any single salary cap season. The NBA is set to renegotiate its broadcast deal again in 2025, but this new wrinkle puts a cap on just how much of a spike the teams will see in payroll.
This is important because Tatum’s presumptive extension is set to kick in the same summer the NBA will renegotiate these broadcast deals, and had cap smoothing not been incorporated into the new CBA, his projected $23M raise wouldn’t hinder Boston’s ability to keep a championship contender together.
That’s just one of the wrinkles Boston’s front office will have to maneuver. The other is the newly implemented second apron.
Teams that have a payroll rising $17.5 million above the luxury tax line will be known as second-apron offenders. The 2023-24 NBA luxury tax line sits at $165.3 million, meaning Boston’s current estimated payroll of $178.5 million avoids the second apron by only $4.3 million.
The Celtics are already over the first apron line of $172.3 million, and as a result, they cannot sign any buyout market candidates whose original salary exceeded the current project non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $12.3 million this season. The Celtics cannot acquire a player whose incoming salary is more than 110% of the salary of the outgoing player, and at the end of the 2023-24 season, they will be both unable to take back more than 100% of the outgoing player’s salary and unable to use any traded player exception created this upcoming season.
If the Celtics become second apron offenders, however, the penalties become much stiffer.
The Celtics will have their 2032 first-round NBA Draft pick frozen if their payroll exceeds the 2024-25 second apron, which could range anywhere from $191.9 million (five percent) and $201 million (10 percent) based on the year-over-year increase in salary cap. If they are second apron offenders in any two of the following four seasons, that 2032 first-round pick will automatically be moved to the end of the draft order at pick No. 30.
As potential second-apron offenders, the Celtics could also be unable to use the projected $5.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception in 2024, unable to send cash considerations as part of any deal, and unable to acquire a player via sign-and-trade.
That’s only if the Celtics don’t do some cost-cutting.
The second apron line increases at the rate of the salary cap, and the cap spiked 10 percent from $123 million to $136 million this summer alone. If the salary cap spikes another 10 percent, the second apron will rise to $201 million, giving the Celtics enough room to both re-sign Pritchard to a deal paying a Year 1 salary of close to $8 million and also sign their 2024 first-round NBA Draft pick.
If the cap only increases, say, five percent, however, things get murky, because the Celtics already have $190 million in player salaries committed to the 2024-25 season, and a five percent increase in second apron brings us to just $191 million,
Decisions, decisions.
The Celtics are one of a number of teams that will have to perform cap gymnastics to avoid the penalties imposed by the CBA’s new second apron.
Then again, there may not be a cap on spending for a team that’s arm’s distance away from its 18th NBA championship banner.
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Celtics salary cap implications after Jaylen Brown’s historic supermax contract
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/celtics-salary-cap-implications-after-jaylen-browns-historic-supermax-contract-2/
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"Tribune News Service"
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2023-08-01 01:04:29+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:34:36
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Funused-gift-cards-can-feel-like-wasted-money-heres-what-to-do-if-you-have-them-after-a-store-goes-out-of-business%2F.json
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Erin McCarthy | The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)
Ashley Battista Ridolfi had been saving her spa gift card for the final weeks of her pregnancy.
Her husband gave it for her birthday in February, knowing she’d enjoy a premium massage — valued around $150 — at Toppers Spa, a place she’d patronized several times in the past five years.
Ridolfi, 37, of Eagleville, Pennsylvania, thought of the unused gift card immediately when she saw an article last week about the regional chain filing for bankruptcy and closing all its locations.
“I had not had the opportunity to use it yet, and I was planning on using it in the next six weeks or so,” she said Thursday.
Ridolfi, a sales and marketing director, said she hasn’t been able to find contact information for the company online. She took to a Facebook group of Toppers customers, a forum where other users wrote that they had hundreds to thousands of dollars in unused gift cards or account credits, and asked if anyone had heard what to do with unused gift cards.
“Nobody had any recommendations for me,” she said.
Turns out, even consumer advocates don’t have 100%-success-guaranteed solutions for consumers left with unredeemed gift cards to places like Toppers Spa, Bed Bath & Beyond, and other businesses that shutter suddenly.
“If you receive a gift card, you should try to use it right away,” said Chuck Bell, financial policy advocate at Consumer Reports. “Once you have it and they’ve gone out of business, you don’t have a lot of options. Now what’s going to happen often in the bankruptcy process, they’ll allow you to file a claim, but you’ll get behind a long line of other creditors,” including landlords and employees with unpaid wages
Often in those cases, he said, consumers don’t get any of their money back.
“There is nothing under federal law that protects consumers if they have gift cards to a business that goes out of business,” said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. “That being said, there are things people can do.”
Try the company and its competitors
See if you can find any contact information online for the business, its corporate office, or a parent company if it has one, and reach out to them directly about your situation.
The Inquirer could not find contact information for Toppers officials, and an attorney representing the company did not return a request for comment.
Consumer experts also recommend calling around to nearby competitors. Ask if they’d honor your gift card.
“Sometimes competitors will honor gift cards just to be nice,” Murray said. “And they figure they’ll develop some new loyalty.”
Contact state consumer protection officials
Experts recommend submitting a complaint with the consumer protection division of your state’s attorney general’s office.
In Pennsylvania, residents can do this online . They can also email scams@attorneygeneral.gov or call 1-800-441-2555.
“Depending on the nature of how the business is winding down, we may be able to mediate, and if not, we can provide some helpful information and retain their records for our files for any future use,” said Brett Hambright, spokesperson for Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry.
Sometimes, he said, the office can direct you to other vendors who have agreed to honor the gift cards, or get the original business to refund your money. Other times, he added, they can work with your credit card company to issue a chargeback.
New Jerseyans can reach their state’s Division of Consumer Affairs by filing a complaint online , calling 973-504-6200, or emailing askconsumeraffairs@dca.lps.state.nj.us.
Every year, the division receives “numerous” complaints about gift cards, said Lisa Coryell, a spokesperson for Attorney General Matthew Platkin.
But “once a store enters bankruptcy, the division is unable to get consumers refunds for unused gift cards,” she said. “Consumers who do not use their gift cards before a store’s closure or their established deadline may be able to file a claim with the bankruptcy estate for the value of the card, but it is difficult to know whether or how much they might recover from such a claim.”
Ask about a credit card refund
If you are close with the person who bought the gift card, or you bought it yourself, the purchaser may be able to get their money back, Murray said.
“If you bought with a credit card within 60 days of the statement that transaction appeared on, you can get your money refunded,” she said. “That is always guaranteed by law if you bought it in that time frame.”
Take note for the future
To avoid being left with unused gift cards, experts recommend using your gift cards as soon as possible.
“It’s nice to save gift cards for a special occasion or something you really want to buy. Don’t hold onto it too long,” Murray said. “Figure out a good time to go out to eat. … Think of something you wanted to buy.”
If you know you haven’t used a gift card yet, keep your eyes and ears open for signs that a business may be struggling. If there are fewer cars than usual in the parking lot of a restaurant or a store is reducing its hours, you may want to use a gift card there quickly, Murray said.
Companies often, though not always, announce they’re closing stores a month or so in advance, Bell said, and provide at least a brief window in which customers can still use gift cards. Bed Bath & Beyond, for example, gave people a couple weeks to use gift cards.
When buying gift cards for others, keep these tips in mind, too.
Large national chains are sometimes safer than niche local businesses, Bell said, though “we’ve seen some pretty big failures of companies in recent years.”
If you want to eliminate all gift-card-giving anxiety, Bell said with a laugh, remember this saying: “Nothing says ‘I love you’ like cold, hard cash.”
“Cash doesn’t expire,” he said. “It’s good anywhere.”
“The problem culturally is people feel like cash shows a lack of imagination,” he added. “I think it shows a certain amount of thoughtfulness. You’re giving something that gives the user a tremendous amount of flexibility.”
©2023 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Unused gift cards can feel like wasted money. Here’s what to do if you have them after a store goes out of business
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/unused-gift-cards-can-feel-like-wasted-money-heres-what-to-do-if-you-have-them-after-a-store-goes-out-of-business/
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[
"Associated Press",
"News Agency",
"The Associated Press Is An Independent Global News Organization Dedicated To Factual Reporting."
] |
2023-08-01 01:04:23+00:00
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2023-07-31 20:10:51
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Ftrump-political-committee-has-spent-more-than-40-million-on-lawyers-fees-as-his-legal-peril-mounts%2F.json
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By JILL COLVIN and BRIAN SLODYSKO (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump ‘s mounting legal woes are growing more expensive, leading his campaign to request a refund from a supportive super PAC and launch a new legal defense fund to help cover costs.
His political action committee, Save America, is expected to disclose Monday that it spent more than $40 million on legal fees during the first half of the year for costs related to defending the former president, his aides and other allies, according to a person familiar with the filing who spoke on the condition of anonymity before the deadline. The number was first reported by The Washington Post.
At the same time, Trump’s allies are creating a new legal defense fund that will help pay the soaring legal fees as Trump faces dozens of criminal charges stemming from indictments in New York and Florida, with more expected as soon as this week. The Patriot Legal Defense Fund, as it is called, is intended to raise money to defray costs for those “defending against legal actions arising from an individual or group’s participation in the political process,” according to a filing made last month with the IRS. The group will be run by Trump campaign senior advisers Susie Wiles and Michael Glassner.
“The weaponized Department of Justice and the deranged Jack Smith have targeted innocent Americans associated with President Trump,” said Trump spokesman Steven Cheung. “In order to combat these heinous actions by Joe Biden’s cronies and to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed, a new legal defense fund will help pay for their legal fees.” The fund was first reported by The New York Times.
Smith is the special counsel leading the federal investigations of Trump. His team has expressed interest in the payment of legal fees for Trump-aligned witnesses in the investigations and has sought information about it, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss ongoing criminal probes.
Trump’s PAC has also requested that his super PAC, MAGA Inc., return some of the money that it transferred to seed the group to help cover costs. It is unclear whether money was actually transferred or how much.
A spokesman for the super PAC did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump launched his PAC, Save America, in the days after the 2020 election, which he lost to President Joe Biden. For weeks, the group bombarded supporters with a nonstop stream of text messages and emails that purported to raise money for an “election defense fund” that would be used to contest the election’s outcome.
But the $170 million that the effort raised in less than a month was not used to contest the election, records show. Instead, it was used to pay down campaign debt and replenish the coffers of the Republican National Committee, with Trump also stockpiling another large chunk for his future political endeavors. Last year, the Justice Department issued a round of grand jury subpoenas that sought information about the political action committee’s fundraising practices.
Since then, Save America has served as a different sort of “defense fund,” covering the legal expenses for Trump operatives, allies and employees who have been ensnared in the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation.
Some of Save America’s money has been used to boost other candidates, though it’s a pittance compared to how much Trump has spent on ballooning legal costs.
As the 2022 midterm elections approached, Trump pledged to back congressional candidates loyal to him. But of the roughly $65 million earmarked by Save America for political spending, less than a third — about $20 million — was used to back midterm candidates through campaign contributions or paid advertising.
“Forty million dollars — I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Paul S. Ryan, a longtime campaign finance attorney in Washington, referring to the sum the group spent on legal fees this year. “There’s no legal issue. It’s really just a question for his donors: Do they want to be funding lawyers?”
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Colvin reported from New York.
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Trump political committee has spent more than $40 million on lawyers’ fees as his legal peril mounts
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/trump-political-committee-has-spent-more-than-40-million-on-lawyers-fees-as-his-legal-peril-mounts/
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[
"Liz Ohanesian",
"Contributing Writer",
"Liz Ohanesian Is An L.A.-Based Journalist Who Covers Arts",
"Culture"
] |
2023-08-01 01:04:10+00:00
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2023-07-31 19:00:45
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fthe-mystery-of-a-ghost-author-a-prophetic-novel-and-some-social-media-sleuths%2F.json
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By Liz Ohanesian, special to Southern California News Group
Margaret O’Donnell couldn’t be found.
The author of “The Beehive,” a 1980 novel of speculative fiction dealing with the kind of feminist issues that would later feature in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” O’Donnell had disappeared from view. And after the folks at Richmond, Virginia-based Valancourt Books spent three months trying to locate the author or her estate in order to reprint the book, whose themes they thought resonated even more in a post-Roe world, they were ready to abandon the search.
Hers is a very common name in Ireland. They’d tried public documents in Ireland and the U.K. and probate searches and newspaper archives. They searched using information gleaned from the book’s dust jacket, including her alma mater and the fact that she was involved in Ireland’s movement to legalize contraception.
It didn’t help that there was another woman named Margaret O’Donnell, an editor of poetry anthologies, who turned up in a bibliography found via Google Books.
“It had ‘The Beehive’ in there and attributed it to a Margaret Jane O’Donnell born in 1899,” says James Jenkins, publisher and editor of Valancourt, on a recent phone call. “That was part of the confusion. We were looking for this other person who wasn’t even the correct Margaret O’Donnell.”
So the indie imprint turned to Twitter for help.
“Normally, I wouldn’t do that because there are a lot of other publishers who follow us on there,” says Jenkins, “and if we announce that we’re after the rights to a book, it might signal to other people that this great book is out there and they might try to sign the rights instead.”
Launched in 2005, Valancourt began to publish books that had long fallen out of print, largely titles that date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. Now a full-time endeavor for Jenkins and his husband, Valancourt has published at least 500 books, ranging from novels to short story anthologies. And while the focus is still on re-releasing titles that have gone out of print, its catalog includes a significant number of works released in the 20th century.
“In the 21st century, we can do things digitally with print on demand so we can do small print runs or even do one copy at a time if we need to,” Jenkins explains. Prior to this development, though, publishers had to be able to print a large enough run to keep the price of individual books low. “If there wasn’t a market for that many copies and they weren’t selling, then they wouldn’t re-press it.”
Sometimes, the authors aren’t all that obscure. Valancourt has been instrumental in reprinting works from Michael McDowell, the late horror writer whose screenwriting credits included the movie “Beetlejuice” and episodes of “Tales from the Crypt” and “Tales from the Darkside.”
“His novels are probably our best-selling books and probably have gotten the most interest from readers over the years,” says Jenkins, adding that readers often don’t initially know about McDowell’s work in television and film when they pick up a copy of novels like “The Elementals” and “Black Water.”
A few months ago, Valancourt caught wind of “The Beehive” via an article spotlighting out-of-print science fiction and fantasy books. “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision on abortion rights and all the discussion about women’s rights, a book like The Beehive seemed really relevant,” Jenkins wrote when we initially connected via email.
The book itself was hard to track down. But no surprise: A library saved the day.
“There were no copies available for sale anywhere online, on any of the rare book sites or eBay or anything,” Jenkins recalls in our phone interview. “We requested it through interlibrary loan and they sent it to us through a university library.”
In the case of books that aren’t in the public domain, Valancourt must figure out who holds the copyright. Jenkins notes that can be the most difficult part of the process. Since the rights holder might be the estate of an author who died many years earlier, there’s a good amount of detective-style work involved.
Before republishing Mendal Johnson’s 1974 horror novel “Let’s Go Play at the Adams,’” Valancourt needed to track down the author’s estate, no easy task when the last name is Johnson. “We had to drive up to Maryland to this courthouse and examine the probate documents from after his death and it had the names of the daughters in them,” says Jenkins. “Then after some extensive searching, we were able to find them. It was certainly a long process. “
In the case of “The Beehive,” Margaret O’Donnell’s husband and sons were mentioned in the dedication by first name only. And, many years later, her granddaughter left a comment about the book on Goodreads, but with only a first name and no contact information.
That’s all part of what prompted Valancourt’s June 29 Twitter post and the round of internet sleuthing that followed. Some chimed in with information on others with the name Margaret O’Donnell. Others offered information or advice that they already had. But within 24 hours, one person turned up the correct Margaret O’Donnell’s obituary. She died in 2019 and the executor of her estate was her son, who Valancourt was able to reach just days later.
“He was thrilled and thought that Margaret would have been thrilled as well to see it republished,” says Jenkins.
Now, Valancourt can focus on tasks like a new introduction and cover art to ready “The Beehive” for a new generation of readers. Jenkins says they anticipate a release in the first half of 2024.
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The mystery of a ‘ghost’ author, a prophetic novel and some social media sleuths
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/the-mystery-of-a-ghost-author-a-prophetic-novel-and-some-social-media-sleuths/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:35+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:20:36
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fdamian-lillard-trade-to-miami-is-complicated-even-for-third-party-nets-4%2F.json
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The Miami Heat alone do not have the assets to pull off a Damian Lillard trade.
No matter how many times you try in the NBA Trade Machine, there’s no straight-up deal that sends Lillard from Portland to Miami that results in an acceptable haul for the Trail Blazers.
It’s not because Tyler Herro isn’t a talented basketball player. The former Sixth Man of the Year is coming off a respectable second consecutive season averaging 20 or more points per game.
Portland’s backcourt, however, is already accounted for in No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson and emerging scoring guard Anfernee Simons.
The Trail Blazers simply do not need Herro, even more so considering Shaedon Sharpe’s emergence as a legitimate NBA starter.
Portland is not trading the most important player in its franchise’s history in a deal that doesn’t make basketball sense — even more so when you consider Miami only owns two tradable first-round picks, and their next-most attractive trade asset is rookie Jaime Jacquez Jr., who becomes movable on Aug. 1.
This is precisely why the Nets will continue to linger as a potential third-party team until a Lillard deal ultimately gets done.
Four first-round draft picks and starting-caliber impact players has been the going price for a superstar in recent seasons, as the Nets well know after moving Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. That deal fetched Brooklyn two franchise cornerstones in Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, plus an additional four first-round draft picks.
Miami’s best offer for Lillard simply doesn’t compare.
Brooklyn, however, is armed with eight tradeable first-round picks through the 2029 NBA Draft. The franchise also holds a number of tradable contracts — namely Spencer Dinwiddie’s expiring $20M deal; the remaining two years, $77M on Ben Simmons’ mammoth contract; Dorian Finney-Smith, and the remaining three years, $43.2M on his deal; and Royce O’Neale, whose $9.5M salary for the 2023-24 season was fully guaranteed by the Nets last week.
Simmons has been dealing with back issues and his status remains uncertain, but the final year of his contract worth $40M is scheduled to come off the books the same summer the NBA is set to renegotiate its broadcast deals. The Trail Blazers currently have just $122M in guaranteed salaries and could shed more to position themselves to overpay in pursuit of a max free agent in a scenario where they acquire Simmons as part of a Lillard deal.
Free agents, of course, historically don’t choose Portland, which is why draft compensation is so vital for a team like the Trail Blazers to home-grow their own talent. As is out-bidding the market, which a potential Simmons deal would allow the Trail Blazers to do with the projected cap boon from the renegotiated TV deals.
If the Trail Blazers are set against acquiring Herro, there are multiple trade scenarios that send the former Sixth Man of the Year to the Nets, Lillard to the Heat, and four first-round picks (two from Brooklyn) plus additional players to the Trail Blazers. These trades could even involve a fourth team: The Toronto Raptors (OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr.), San Antonio Spurs (Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson), Indiana Pacers (Buddy Hield), Atlanta Hawks (Deandre Hunter, Saddiq Bey) all have players who can fit Portland’s need and timeline for a young, three-and-D wing.
The Nets have positioned themselves as both ready for involvement in a Lillard mega deal but also poised to enter the NBA season with the roster as currently constructed.
There’s no question, however, acquiring Herro would be an immediate upgrade for a team that struggled to generate offense in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Just how much would the Nets be willing to give up for his services? That could be a question factored into the conversation sending Lillard to the Heat to form a super team on South Beach.
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Damian Lillard trade to Miami is complicated, even for third-party Nets
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/damian-lillard-trade-to-miami-is-complicated-even-for-third-party-nets-4/
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[
"Dane Mizutani",
"Minnesota Vikings Reporter",
"Dane Mizutani Is Hawaii",
"Somehow Ended Up In Minnesota. No",
"It Doesn'T Make Sense To Him"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:21+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:12:05
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fmn-vikings-danielle-hunter-new-contract-with-vikings-during-training-camp%2F.json
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Vikings star pass rusher Danielle Hunter is a man of very few words. He always has been. He always will be.
It’s something new defensive coordinator Brian Flores noticed right away about Hunter when he first talked to him.
Fittingly, when asked Monday if he wants to finish his NFL career in Minnesota, the 28-year-old Hunter managed to make his point using very few words. He paused for a second, stared directly at the reporter, then replied, “I want to be a Viking forever.”
That’s not exactly a guarantee after Hunter signed a new contract with the Vikings over the weekend. Though the deal could be worth up to $20 million this season, it lacks the term that Hunter’s representatives were looking for throughout the process.
That means Hunter will be a free agent after this season. Not that he’s thinking about that right now
“Whenever that time comes, that time comes,” Hunter said. “The big thing is I’m here now for my teammates and my coaches. They need me to be myself this season. That’s what I’m going to do.”
It was a long process to get to this point, with Hunter missing all of organized team activities this spring as well as mandatory minicamp. He reported to training camp to avoid a daily $50,000 fine, then proceeded to sit out practices while his agent Zeke Sandhu negotiated his new contract.
“That’s his job,” Hunter said when asked if this has been stressful. “My job is ultimately to keep myself in shape.”
He’s certainly done that. Not many people in the league have Hunter’s physique, which was on full display when he walked out of the Vikings locker room for practice.
“He’s big,” said pass rusher Marcus Davenport, who will line up opposite Hunter in most formations. “I swear, every time I see him, I’m like, ‘You must weigh more than me.’ He actually doesn’t. He’s just so strong. He’s someone I look at and I’m like, ‘Dang, you’re a beast.’ ”
It helped matters that Hunter didn’t have to recover from a serious injury this time around. After missing the 2020 season with a neck injury, then most of the 2021 season with a pectoral injury, this is the first time Hunter has been able to use the offseason to focus on training rather than rehabbing.
“I was able to focus and train and get my body right,” Hunter said. “It was a plus for me.”
His presence is a plus for the Vikings.
“We are a better football team with Danielle Hunter,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “It’s great to see him back out there in the defensive huddle.”
As of right now, Hunter isn’t participating in team as the Vikings gradually introduce him back into practice. He did participate in a number of individual drills on Monday.
As for how Flores plans to use Hunter, he noted that Hunter is a player he would rather see go forward than backwards. In other words, Hunter will be getting after the quarterback way more than he will be dropping into coverage.
“He’s an exceptional player,” Flores said. “We’re excited to have him as a part of the defense.”
The key for Hunter now will be familiarizing himself with the defense’s new scheme as quickly as possible. Let’s just say some of the blitzes Flores dials up are a little more complex than what former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell called the past few seasons.
“I’m learning the playbook right now,” Hunter said. “I like what I’ve seen so far. It’s a good combination of everything. I’ll go out there and do whatever Coach Flo tells me to do.”
If anything is clear talking to Hunter, it’s that he has no hard feelings toward the Vikings. He simply is excited to get back on the field.
“I love this organization,” he said. “I’ve always been an advocate for these dudes. I’m happy to get back out there on the field with my teammates. I just want to play football.”
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Danielle Hunter back at practice with new contract in tow
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/mn-vikings-danielle-hunter-new-contract-with-vikings-during-training-camp/
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[
"Associated Press",
"News Agency",
"The Associated Press Is An Independent Global News Organization Dedicated To Factual Reporting."
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:21+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:23:15
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Findian-american-engineer-says-he-was-fired-by-defense-contractor-after-speaking-hindi-at-work%2F.json
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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — An Indian-American engineer says he was fired last year from his long-time job with a missile defense contractor’s Alabama office after he was heard speaking Hindi on a video call, according to a federal lawsuit he filed against the company.
Anil Varshney, 78, filed a civil rights lawsuit in the Northern District of Alabama against Parsons Corporation and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, whose department oversees the United States Missile Defense Agency, AL.com reported Monday.
“This case arises out of Defendants’ intentional acts to end Mr. Varshney’s highly distinguished engineering career because he is a 78-year-old Indian American,” the lawsuit reads. “Defendants abruptly terminated Mr. Varshney after one of his white colleagues overheard him speaking Hindi to his dying brother-in-law in India and falsely reported him for a violation of ‘security regulations.’ ”
Sharon L. Miller, an attorney representing the Virginia-based defense contractor, did not immediately respond to a phone message and email requesting comment. In a response filed with the court, Parsons denied wrongdoing and asked for the lawsuit’s dismissal.
The lawsuit goes on to say that Varshney, who worked at Parsons’ Huntsville office from July 2011 to October 2022, accepted a video call from his brother-in-law in an empty cubicle and spoke to him for about two minutes. The company then said he committed a security violation by using the Facetime application at the classified worksite and fired him. He claims there was no policy prohibiting the call he accepted.
The firing blackballed him from future work with the Missile Defense Agency, the lawsuit alleges. He first began working for the federal agency in 2002 and continued in tandem with his employment at Parsons until 2022. In doing so, he achieved the American Dream, the lawsuit says.
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Indian American engineer says he was fired by defense contractor after speaking Hindi at work
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/indian-american-engineer-says-he-was-fired-by-defense-contractor-after-speaking-hindi-at-work/
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[
"Tribune News Service"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:05+00:00
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2023-07-31 21:25:51
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fbronny-james-discharged-from-hospital-lebron-james-addresses-collapse-2%2F.json
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NBA superstar LeBron James finally addressed his son Bronny James’ terrifying collapse during a Monday workout in southern California — shortly before the 18-year-old phenom was released from a Los Angeles hospital.
“I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers,” the 38-year-old Los Angeles Lakers forward tweeted. “We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone doing great.”
His 18-year-old son suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning practice session with the University of Southern California Trojans team he recently joined as a freshman.
“We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love,” LeBron James told supporters. “Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us!”
LeBron James has said he hopes to someday play with his son in the NBA. How Monday’s medical episode may impact Bronny James’ basketball career is unclear. The top-rated teenage guard is expected to be targeted by NBA teams after his first year of college ball.
A representative for the James family told TMZ Bronny James was “in stable condition and no longer in ICU” Monday following the teenager’s medical emergency. That statement thanked the USC medical staff and asked for “respect and privacy” as the matter unfolded. TMZ reported Thursday afternoon Bronny James was no longer under hospital care.
The 6′3″ prodigy is a four-star recruit trying to follow in the enormous footsteps of his dad, who made the leap straight from high school to the NBA in 2003 when his home state Cleveland Cavaliers made him the first pick in that year’s draft. LeBron James won the NBA’s 2004 Rookie of the Year award on his way to collecting four NBA titles in a career that remains productive.
Bronny James was born in Cleveland, but his father’s travels included a stop in Miami, Fla., a return to Ohio, then a 2018 move to Los Angeles where LeBron James won of his championship rings.
LeBron James and his wife Savannah James’ 16-year-old son Bryce James plays high school basketball in Los Angeles. He posted an Instagram photo showing himself with his big brother and a heart emoji Tuesday.
USC men’s basketball team is scheduled to open their 2023-2024 season with a Nov. 6 game against the Kansas State Wildcats in Las Vegas, NV.
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Bronny James discharged from hospital, LeBron James addresses collapse
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/bronny-james-discharged-from-hospital-lebron-james-addresses-collapse-2/
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[
"Nick Ferraro",
"Courts",
"Public Safety Reporter",
"A Northeast Minneapolis Native",
"Nick Ferraro Was Hired The Pioneer Press In After Graduating The University Of St. Thomas In St. Paul. He'S Been A Reporter Covering Communities Since He Can Be Reached At"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:09+00:00
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2023-07-31 22:18:39
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2F2023%2F07%2F31%2Fmaplewood-man-62-sentenced-to-probation-for-fatally-stabbing-30-year-old-during-fight%2F.json
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A 62-year-old man was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the stabbing death of a 30-year-old man during a fight last year in Maplewood.
Kevin Dwayne Peterson, of Maplewood, told police he stabbed Richard Williams, of St. Paul, after Williams punched him several times outside an apartment building in the 300 block of East Larpenteur Avenue on July 29, 2022.
Ramsey County prosecutors charged Peterson with two counts of second-degree murder on Aug. 10, a day after Williams died at Regions Hospital of stab wounds.
Prosecutors and Peterson reached a plea deal on June 1, just over a week before a trial was set to begin. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the murder counts in exchange for Peterson pleading guilty to an added charge of second-degree unintentional manslaughter. His attorney was allowed to argue for a downward departure from state sentencing guidelines.
District Judge Joy Bartscher accepted Peterson’s guilty plea to manslaughter on Friday and stayed a four-year prison sentence for five years, during which time he will be on supervised probation. Peterson had served 282 days in jail since his arrest.
Dennis Gerhardstein, spokesman for the Ramsey County attorney’s office, said Monday that Peterson’s sentence “was due in part because of his limited criminal history, amenability to probation and the unique facts of the case, which included the victim being the aggressor of the confrontation.”
Witness video
Police officers were sent to the apartment building around 1:45 p.m. after a report of a stabbing. Williams was on the ground bleeding from his chest. He said he couldn’t breathe, and he kept losing consciousness. Officers placed a chest seal on a wound until medics took him to Regions Hospital.
Officers spoke to witnesses who said Williams had been in a fight with Peterson. One witness told police the two men “had a beef” and that Peterson stabbed Williams six or seven times with a black knife, then left on a red motorcycle with whiskey plates, the criminal complaint read.
Another witness said Williams punched Peterson, who fell to the ground. Williams got on top of Peterson, who then got on top of Williams.
Apartment complex surveillance did not capture the incident, but a witness recorded a cellphone video of a verbal argument that led up to the stabbing.
The video showed Peterson standing on the left side of his motorcycle and Williams on the right side. Peterson held a knife with its blade extended in his right hand. Williams dared Peterson to do something with his knife, flexed his arms and swiped a cigarette from Peterson’s mouth. Peterson swiped at Williams twice with the knife.
Williams backed up out of view for a few seconds before returning and “verbally berating” Peterson, the complaint read. A witness pulled on Williams’ jersey to try to get him away from Peterson. A witness told Williams he was cut and bleeding, to which he said he didn’t care and again approached Peterson’s motorcycle.
“Peterson told Williams to get away from him,” the complaint read.
A witness pleaded with Peterson to leave. Peterson pointed the knife at Williams’ chest, and Williams threatened to hit Peterson. Peterson appeared to swipe at Williams and he yelled for Williams to get away from him.
Officers went to Peterson’s nearby apartment, where he was arrested. He said he is on disability, and that Williams hit him in the nose three or four times. “Yeah, I cut that (Williams),” the complaint quoted him as telling an officer in a squad car. “I’m going to jail. … he hit me in the mouth twice.”
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Maplewood man gets probation for fatal stabbing during fight
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https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/31/maplewood-man-62-sentenced-to-probation-for-fatally-stabbing-30-year-old-during-fight/
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[
"Simon Johanson"
] |
2023-08-01 01:09:40+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:53:32
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Rio Tinto has teamed up with the world’s largest copper producer to explore a major new tenement in Chile’s remote Atacama region.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brisbanetimes.com.au%2Fbusiness%2Fcompanies%2Fchasing-copper-rio-tinto-accelerates-its-clean-energy-transition-with-new-deal-20230801-p5dsug.html%3Fref%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_source%3Drss_business.json
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Rio Tinto has teamed up with the world’s largest copper producer to explore a major new tenement in Chile’s remote Atacama region as it races to meet soaring demand for a mineral that will help power the globe’s transition to renewable energy.
The mining giant will acquire Pan American Silver’s 58 per cent operating stake in Chile’s Agua de la Falda prospect for $45 million. The company will also purchase another nearby concession, Meridian Property, for $550,000.
Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm has the miner focused on producing “future-facing” minerals like copper and nickel. Credit: Bloomberg
Both transactions are on the basis of Rio providing new smelter royalties.
The remaining 42 per cent of Agua de la Falda is controlled by state-owned Codelco, the world’s largest producer of copper, which is a key ingredient in the wind turbines, transmission lines and electric cars that will help arrest global warming and enable the world to reach its net-zero emissions goals.
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Rio Tinto accelerates clean energy transition after Codelco deal
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https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/companies/chasing-copper-rio-tinto-accelerates-its-clean-energy-transition-with-new-deal-20230801-p5dsug.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business
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[
"Broede Carmody"
] |
2023-08-01 01:00:56+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:33:02
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Former Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission boss Robert Redlich insists the premier sought to “conceal and disguise” the findings of a report handed down in April.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brisbanetimes.com.au%2Fnational%2Fvictoria%2Fquite-disingenuous-ex-integrity-boss-lashes-daniel-andrews-20230801-p5dsuq.html%3Fref%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_source%3Drss_national.json
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Victoria’s former anti-corruption boss has doubled down on his assertion that Premier Daniel Andrews concealed the true nature of a corruption report, as Labor MPs refuse to engage with the former judge’s suggestions for improving integrity.
Robert Redlich, the most recent commissioner of the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), went on ABC radio on Tuesday morning to insist the premier had sought to “conceal and disguise” findings handed down in April.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews won’t appear at the first sitting of state parliament after the winter break. Credit: Wayne Taylor
Operation Daintree found the Andrews government improperly awarded a Labor-affiliated union a $1.2 million contract on the eve of the 2018 election to deliver a training program for hospital staff.
Andrews sought to downplay the report after it was tabled in parliament, insisting the report was “educational” and stressing there were no findings against anyone.
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Daniel Andrews lashed by former IBAC boss Robert Redlich
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[
"Daile Cross"
] |
2023-08-01 01:00:57+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:25:58
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EverNow, featuring the “reimagining” of Boorna Waanginy: The Trees Speak, which drew 300,000 people in 2017 and 2019, will include a series of free events.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brisbanetimes.com.au%2Fnational%2Fwestern-australia%2Fas-lightscape-closes-state-announces-next-kings-park-tourist-spectacle-20230801-p5dsu4.html%3Fref%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_source%3Drss_national.json
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As the Lightscape at Kings Park is packed away following a successful season, a new festival celebrating Noongar culture and WA nature has been announced.
EverNow, featuring the “reimagining” of Boorna Waanginy: The Trees Speak, which drew 300,000 people to Kings Park during Perth Festival in 2017 and 2019, will include a series of free events.
The Supreme Court Gardens will play host to Song Circle. Credit: State Government
Kings Park will be transformed by a display of light, sound and projections, telling the stories of Noongar culture while highlighting the beauty and biodiversity of the state’s South West.
The Supreme Court Gardens will host Song Circle, featuring live performances of Noongar song and dance delivered in a “future-focused immersive wonderland”.
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EverNow festival coming to Perth
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https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/western-australia/as-lightscape-closes-state-announces-next-kings-park-tourist-spectacle-20230801-p5dsu4.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_national
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[
"Lucy Cormack",
"Chris Zappone"
] |
2023-08-01 01:09:52+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:53:28
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The military power grab in Niger is stoking fears Russia and the Wagner mercenary group could use the coup to their advantage.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brisbanetimes.com.au%2Fworld%2Fafrica%2Fwhat-the-niger-coup-could-mean-for-russia-s-war-in-ukraine-20230731-p5dsmi.html%3Fref%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_source%3Drss_world.json
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President Mohamed Bazoum at the presidential palace in Niamey, Niger in March. Credit: AP The US, United Nations, European Union and France have all refused to recognise the power grab, with some ending significant financial aid. Why does the coup matter for Africa’s security? Bazoum was elected in 2021. His ascendancy was Niger’s first democratic power transition since its independence from France in 1960 and four military coups that followed. Niger was one of the last countries to co-operate with the West in Africa’s Sahel, a region long plagued with instability amid rising Islamic extremist movements, insurgencies and coups.
“Niger is the latest domino to fall in a series of coups across the southern Saharan region,” Matthew Sussex, adjunct associate professor at Griffith University’s Griffith Asia Institute, told this masthead. “Russia’s Wagner group already has a strong presence in Africa, and has been implicated in supporting the overthrow of Western-friendly governments. A photo of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin purportedly appearing on the sidelines of Putin’s Russia-Africa summit last week. Credit: Twitter “This latest coup is a blow to US influence in the region - Niger had hosted US special forces and drones - as well as other players, like France.” In a corridor spanning 5600 kilometres, from Sudan on the east coast to Guinea on the west, there are now six countries in Africa under military rule, exposing a vacuum Russia has shown it is eager to fill.
The leader of the Russian mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin was quick to throw his support behind the coup, hailing it as an uprising of African people against “former colonisers ... filling these countries with terrorists and various bandit formations.” Is Wagner involved? Whether Wagner will insert itself, as it has in other coups throughout the Sahel region, remains to be seen. However, more than a month after he led a rebellion to march on Moscow, Prigozhin has indicated he was ready to increase Wagner’s presence in Africa, claiming his troops could restore order and destroy terrorist groups. La Trobe University PhD candidate Isabella Currie said that there was “no evidence to suggest that the [Niger] coup is linked to Russia’s expanding interests in Africa”.
“What we have seen are images of protesters waving Russian flags at the front of the French embassy in Niger, which is something we have previously seen in coup activity in both Mali and Burkina Faso.” Thousands of coup supporters marched through the streets of Niger’s capital at the weekend denouncing France, the country’s former colonial power. Supporters of mutinous soldiers hold a Russian flag. Credit: AP Following a Russia-Africa Summit held in St Petersburg last week, “concerns about Russia’s increasing influence in Africa are justified, but shouldn’t be overstated”, Currie said. The event was seen as Putin reinforcing Russia’s ties with the region. While Russia released a statement calling for the release of President Bazoum, images of Russian flags in the hands of pro-coup demonstrators have been seen as evidence of the Kremlin’s growing status across swaths of Africa.
Instability in Niger paves the way for even greater Russian influence in the Sahel region, where 1000 Wagner mercenaries replaced 5000 French troops that left neighbouring Mali last year. Wagner also commands a powerful presence in the Central African Republic. What’s in it for Wagner and Russia? Wagner, for example, is suspected of having diverted gold from a mine it controls in Sudan, to Moscow in 2022, the year the Kremlin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Western analysts fear that Wagner can provide funding that evades sanctions, even as it expands Putin’s footprint in a volatile, and, until recently, overlooked region in the world. “The natural resource and mining programs that are connected to ‘private’ actors closely associated with the Putin-regime are shrouded in secrecy,” Currie said, so it’s too tenuous “at this stage to directly link resource extraction to the funding of the war effort in Ukraine”.
Yet, figures from Russia suggest a steady flow of the precious metal. Loading Despite significant sanctions put on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, “Russian gold reserves have increased substantially,” Currie said. Niger is the world’s seventh-biggest producer of uranium. Snatching a cut of mineral wealth that can be funnelled back to the war effort in Ukraine is also a likely Russian objective. So, this isn’t just about African politics?
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Will the Niger coup impact the Russia-Ukraine war?
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"Cloe Read"
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2023-08-01 01:22:45+00:00
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2023-08-01 01:13:12
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A former childcare worker has been charged with 1623 child abuse offences, including 136 counts of rape, Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said.
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More than 91 children have allegedly been sexually abused by a former childcare worker who worked in centres across Queensland and NSW.
The former worker has been charged with 1623 child abuse offences, including 136 counts of rape, Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said.
Gough said she knew the news would be deeply distressing for many in the community.
More to come.
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AFP charge man with 1623 child abuse offences
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https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/more-than-90-children-allegedly-sexually-abused-at-qld-and-nsw-childcare-centres-20230801-p5dstn.html
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2023-08-01 01:09:46+00:00
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2023-08-01 10:20:12
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Fans of Margot Robbie's movie Barbie have taken to recreating an iconic scene online.
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The 'Barbie feet challenge' has gone viral on TikTok
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The 'Barbie feet challenge' has gone viral on TikTok
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https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/the-barbie-feet-challenge-has-gone-viral-on-tiktok-20230801-p5dsvr.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_lifestyle
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[
"Trevor Mogg",
"July"
] |
2023-08-01 00:47:51+00:00
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2023-07-31 17:40:20
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Elon Musk's sign atop his X Corp headquarters in San Francisco has been taken down following complaints by local officials and nearby residents.
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Elon Musk big bright “X” sign has been removed from the top of X Corp’s headquarters in downtown San Francisco.
The installation, which formed part of efforts by Musk to rebrand Twitter as X, appeared on top of the building on Friday, just a few days after the company officially unveiled the new X logo to replace Twitter’s iconic blue bird.
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But it soon became apparent that X Corp had failed to get permission from the city to place the large sign on top of its building.
Residents from across the street also complained that the light emitted by the sign was far too bright. Reports suggested that at least 24 complaints were sent to the city about the installation.
Workers moved in on Monday lunchtime to remove the sign from X Corp’s roof. It’s not clear if X Corp is seeking a permit for the sign so that it can reinstall it at a later date.
“This morning, building inspectors observed the structure being dismantled,” Patrick Hannan, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection, said in a widely reported statement.
Hannan added: “The property owner will be assessed fees for the unpermitted installation of the illuminated structure. The fees will be for building permits for the installation and removal of the structure, and to cover the cost of the Department of Building Inspection and the Planning Department’s investigation.”
X Corp owner Musk tweeted a drone video showing the X sign on Friday, just after it went up. Shot at night, the sign can be seen flashing brightly on the roof of the company’s headquarters.
Our HQ in San Francisco tonight pic.twitter.com/VQO2NoX9Tz — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2023
This isn’t the first run-in that the company formerly known as Twitter has had with the San Francisco authorities. As CNBC noted, when Musk acquired Twitter in October last year, local officials investigated the business over suspected building code violations, including that some rooms there had been turned into “hotel rooms” so employees could rest as they worked longer shifts.
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Elon Musk's big bright X sign removed following complaints
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2023-08-01 00:45:15+00:00
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2023-07-31 19:41:44
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A Slovakian archbishop is tasked with sorting out the most contentious liturgy dispute in the Church.
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Pope Francis has named a Jesuit archbishop as the pontifical delegate to an archdiocese on the front line of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church’s “liturgy war.”
Archbishop Cyril Vasil’, S.J., head of the Eparchy of Košice, Slovakia. Peter Hric via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Archbishop Cyril Vasil’ gained in-depth knowledge of the liturgy dispute that has shaken the world’s second-largest Eastern Catholic Church during his service as secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Eastern Churches from 2009 to 2020.
The Slovak archbishop, who also previously served as the rector of Rome’s Pontifical Oriental Institute, currently leads the Slovak Greek Catholic Church’s Eparchy of Košice.
The 58-year-old will serve as the papal delegate to the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese — also known as the Ernakulam-Angamaly archeparchy — the biggest and most prominent diocese in the Syro-Malabar Church, which traces its origins to St. Thomas the Apostle.
The archdiocese is the only one of the Church’s 35 dioceses to witness mass resistance to the implementation of the new liturgy, which has taken the form of street brawls, hunger strikes, and the burning of cardinals in effigy.
A July 31 press release from the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia said that the pope had appointed Vasil’ “to study the current situation and to propose the ways to end the crisis” in the archdiocese over the implementation of a new uniform mode of the Syro-Malabar Church’s Eucharistic liturgy, known as the Holy Qurbana.
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The uniform mode is a compromise between the Syro-Malabar Church’s ancient tradition, in which the priest looked east (ad orientem), and the post-Vatican II practice where the priest faced the people throughout the liturgy (versus populum).
In the new mode, the priest faces the people during the Liturgy of the Word, turns toward the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and turns back to the people after Communion.
Despite a direct appeal from Pope Francis to adopt the uniform mode, the vast majority of priests and lay people in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese reject the change and want their preference for the liturgy facing the people to be recognized as a legitimate variant in use for more than 50 years.
The appointment of Vasil’ was immediately criticized by a lay group opposed to the uniform mode.
The website Matters India reported that the group, Almaya Munnettam, accused the archbishop of “whitewashing” the alleged role of Syro-Malabar Church leader Cardinal George Alencherry in controversial land sales, which is the subject of ongoing legal action.
The group also expressed concern at reports that Vasil’ had studied in Rome alongside Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the apostolic administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly.
It claimed that “the appointment shows that neither the Vatican nor the Syro-Malabar Synod wants to make an honest and impartial solution to the problem.”
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The July 31 press release, signed by chancellor Fr. Abraham Kavilpurayidathil, explained that “the proposal for a pontifical delegate for the archeparchy came up first in the meeting of the Permanent Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church in the Vatican with His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Secretary of State, and Cardinal-designate Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches at the Vatican on May 4, 2023.”
“Subsequently it was communicated that the Holy Father would consider the proposal with paternal benevolence,” he wrote. “In this context, the Synod of the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church convened urgently in June 2023 held extensive discussion regarding the proposal for the appointment of a pontifical delegate for the archeparchy, and having decided favorably in the Synod on the matter, it was communicated to the Apostolic See. Now the pontifical delegate is appointed by the Holy Father.”
“The pontifical delegate will arrive on Aug. 4, 2023. He will be accompanied by Fr. Sunny Kokkaravalayil, S.J., who is currently professor of canon law at Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome.”
The press release did not say how long the pontifical delegate’s service was expected to last.
The pope appointed Archbishop Thazhath as apostolic administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly in July 2022, with the task of introducing the liturgical change in the archdiocese.
But Thazhath has failed to make headway due to strong resistance from priests and lay people committed to the liturgy facing the people.
Clashes between supporters and opponents of the new liturgy prompted the closure of St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Ernakulam shortly before Christmas. It remains closed.
Earlier this month, Thazhath informed Msgr. Antony Nariculam, the priest overseeing the basilica, that he would be relieved of his post after he failed to ensure that the uniform mode could be celebrated at the cathedral.
Nariculam has reportedly appealed to Rome to overturn the decision.
Thazhath will continue to serve as apostolic administrator while Archbishop Vasil’ is pontifical delegate.
The July 31 press release underlined the delegate’s previous experiences of the Syro-Malabar Church.
“It was Archbishop Cyril Vasil’ who represented the Holy Father in the funeral service of late Major Archbishop His Beatitude Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil in 2011,” it said.
“In January 2018, he addressed the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church and participated in the assumption of office of the Bishop of Shamshabad [Bishop Raphael Thattil].”
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Jesuit named papal delegate to diocese at heart of ‘liturgy war’
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https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/jesuit-named-papal-delegate-to-diocese
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[
"James Robson",
"Associated Press",
"July",
"Updated Minutes Ago"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:36+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:59:06
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The Women's World Cup is taking shape with shocks and highlights as it nears the end of the group stage.
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SYDNEY — The Women's World Cup is taking shape with shocks and highlights as it nears the end of the group stage.
Some players have established themselves as ones to watch, like Colombia star Linda Caicedo, who has made her team one of the tournament surprises. Colombia picked up an upset win over Germany, and Nigeria upset co-host Australia — just two of the games that showed the gap has closed at top level women’s soccer.
But co-host New Zealand was eliminated, and other big teams are in danger of not advancing headed into the final few days of group play.
The Associated Press takes a look at some of the highlights and lowlights so far:
Goal of the tournament
There have been a number of contenders and Bia Zaneratto's strike against Panama after a sweeping move from Brazil stands out as the most complete goal so far.
Ireland's Katie McCabe scored directly from a corner kick against Canada, and England's Lauren James curled in a long range effort against Denmark.
This device is unable to display framed content. Click here to view this embed.
Even so, Caicedo's solo goal in Colombia's dramatic 2-1 win against Germany is the pick of the bunch. With a flash of skill, she beat two German players in the box before lashing a shot into the top corner as the Sydney crowd dominated by Colombia fans went wild.
This device is unable to display framed content. Click here to view this embed.
Moment of the tournament
It has to be Manuela Vanegas' late winner for Colombia against Germany. Alexandra Popp seemed to position two-time champion Germany for a draw with an 89th-minute penalty.
But Vanegas' header in the 97th minute gave Colombia a World Cup upset.
This device is unable to display framed content. Click here to view this embed.
Comeback
Norway looked down and out after an opening game loss to co-host New Zealand and a goalless draw against Switzerland. With star player Ada Hegerberg injured, the odds were beginning to stack up against the Norwegians going into their final Group A match against the Philippines.
This device is unable to display framed content. Click here to view this embed.
But three goals within 31 minutes set up a 6-0 rout that saw Norway advance to the knockout rounds in second place. The Norway win knocked New Zealand out of the tournament, making the Football Ferns the first host to be eliminated in group play in tournament history.
Emerging stars
Caicedo's standout performances aren't a surprise to those who have followed her career. The Real Madrid forward has long-been tipped to be one of the biggest stars in women's soccer.
She hasn't disappointed in her first World Cup and has inspired Colombia to back-to-back wins with goals in each game.
England coach Sarina Wiegman unleashed Chelsea forward James from the start in the Lionesses' second game against Denmark, and she made a quick impression. Collecting the ball outside the area after six minutes, she swept a curling effort past Lene Christensen.
Haiti's Melchie Dumornay has shown flashes of the talent that earned her a move to French powerhouse Lyon, while 19-year-old Aoba Fujino has become the youngest player to score at a World Cup for Japan's men's or women's teams.
Casey Phair, a 16 year old, became the youngest-ever player to appear in a senior soccer World Cup when she was a second-half substitute for South Korea against Colombia.
Dissapointments
While youngsters have capitalized on their chance to shine, some of the established names have yet to make their mark.
There have been differing reasons for that.
Sam Kerr's calf injury robbed Australia of its star striker for its opening two games, while Hegerberg's groin injury has cut her playing time for Norway.
Alex Morgan, who was the co-leading scorer at the last World Cup, is still finding her footing in the United States' new look attack.
Record international scorer Christine Sinclair was benched for Canada's second game and is still waiting for her first goal of the tournament, while Brazil great Marta has also been used sparingly.
Surprises
New Zealand kicked the tournament off with a 1-0 win against Norway, but couldn't keep up its momentum and went on to lose by the same score to the Philippines to set up the co-host's early exit.
Jamaica's 0-0 draw with fifth-ranked France was described by its coach Lorne Donaldson as the country's greatest soccer result, for men or women. But the biggest surprise could be yet to come if Jamaica can avoid defeat against Brazil to advance to the round of 16.
Colombia's dramatic late winner against Germany, meanwhile, was one of the great upsets.
Entertainers
The goals have been flowing for Spain and Japan, teams that both advanced from the group stage with a game to spare. Both teams secured 5-0 wins against Zambia and both have produced technically excellent displays.
Germany was on a high after its 6-0 rout of Morocco, but was humbled by Colombia.
Sweden routed Italy 5-0, while Norway found its scoring touch just in time against the Philippines.
Ones to watch
Some of the favorites have made underwhelming starts. The two-time defending champion United States, England, Germany and France have not been totally convincing in group play and the tournament still looks wide open.
Colombia looks legitimate, and with Kerr back in action, Australia could become a contender.
The Netherlands look like serious contenders, while Spain and Japan have impressed. Brazil has shown flashes, but faces a fight to advance from the group stage.
Nigeria has shown it is dangerous, and Sweden has picked up back-to-back wins.
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The Women's World Cup has produced some big moments. These are some of the highlights & lowlights
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https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/the-womens-world-cup-has-produced-some-big-moments-these-are-some-of-the/
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[
"Anwarullah Khan And Riaz Khan",
"Associated Press",
"July",
"Updated Minutes Ago"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:24+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:35:56
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Islamic State in Khorasan Province made the claim in a statement posted on its Amaq website.
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KHAR, Pakistan — An Afghan branch of the Islamic State group on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Pakistan that killed at least 54 people at a pro-Taliban party's election rally, in one of the region's worst attacks in recent years.
Islamic State in Khorasan Province made the claim in a statement posted on its Amaq website. It said the attacker detonated an explosive vest, and that the bombing Sunday in the northwestern town of Bajur was part of the group's continuing war against forms of democracy it deems to be against Islam.
Hours earlier, hundreds of mourners in Bajur carried caskets draped in colorful cloths to burial sites following the previous day’s attack at the election rally for the Jamiat Ulema Islam party. Officials said the bombing killed 54 people, including at least five children, and wounded nearly 200.
The attack appeared to reflect divisions between Islamist groups, which have a strong presence in the district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. The Jamiat Ulema Islam party has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
At least 1,000 people were crowded into a tent near a market for the rally ahead of fall elections, according to police.
“People were chanting God is Great as the leaders arrived,” said Khan Mohammad, a local resident who said he was standing outside the tent, “and that was when I heard the deafening sound of the bomb.”
Mohammad said he heard people crying for help, and minutes later ambulances arrived and began taking the wounded away.
Police had suggested in their initial investigation that Islamic State in Khorasan Province was a suspect. The group is based in neighboring Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida.
Pakistan security analyst Mahmood Shah also previously had said that breakaway factions of the Pakistani Taliban could be possible suspects, though the group distanced itself from the attack.
The Pakistani military spent years fighting the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in Bajur before declaring the district clear of militants in 2016. But the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman, has remained a potent political force.
On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in Khar, the district’s principal town.
Female relatives and children wailed and beat their chests at family homes Monday as the dead were taken for funerals, following local customs. Hundreds of men followed the caskets to mosques and open areas for special funeral prayers and then into the hills for burial.
As condolences continued to pour in from across the country, dozens of people who had lesser injuries were discharged from hospital, while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital of Peshawar by army helicopters. The death toll continued to rise as some critically wounded people died in hospital, physician Gul Naseeb said.
Gul Akbar, the father of an 11-year-old boy who was wounded in the attack, told The Associated Press that his entire family was in a state of shock after hearing about the bombing Sunday. He said he first went to the scene of the attack, and later found his son Taslim Khan being treated in a hospital in Khar.
“What would I have done if he had also been martyred? Five children died in this barbaric attack, and we want to know what our children did wrong,” he said.
Rehman’s party is preparing to contest elections, which are expected in October or November. Abdul Rasheed, one of the party’s senior leaders, said the bombing was aimed at weakening the party but that “such attacks cannot deter our resolve.”
Rehman’s party is part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. Khan condemned the bombing Sunday, as did the U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad.
The Pakistani Taliban also distanced themselves from the bombing, saying that it was intended to set Islamists against each other. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, wrote in a tweet that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way.”
The bombing came hours before Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrived in Islamabad, where he signed new agreements to boost trade and economic ties to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package under which China has invested $10 billion in Pakistan over 10 years, according to Sharif.
“We will not tolerate any obstacles in the way of friendship with China,” Sharif said, as he stood next to He.
But the government canceled a cultural event that had been arranged in honor of He, according to Sharif, while the nation mourns.
Some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Rehman, who has long supported Afghanistan’s Taliban government, survived at least two known bomb attacks in 2011 and 2014, when bombings damaged his car at rallies.
Sunday’s bombing was one of the worst in northwestern Pakistan in the last decade. In 2014, 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar.
In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. And in February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
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Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this story from Islamabad.
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IS claims responsibility for the bombing that killed 54 at a pro-Taliban election rally in Pakistan
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https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/is-claims-responsibility-for-the-bombing-that-killed-54-at-a-pro-taliban-el/
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[
"Index-Tribune Staff Writer",
"July",
"Updated Minutes Ago"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:10+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:37:57
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Betty Ann Bruno died Sunday at age 91.
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She achieved success as a child actress, TV reporter, and hula instructor.
When 90-year-old Betty Ann Bruno appeared on the television show “To Tell the Truth” in May 2022, panelists and viewers were startled to learn that she had appeared as a Munchkin in the beloved 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz.”
But their reactions most likely weren’t due as much to the Sonoma resident being in the film as they were to the perception that she seemed, in every way, far too young to have been in an 84-year-old film — including her lovely appearance, seemingly boundless energy, sharp wit and strong voice.
Many in the Sonoma Valley were stunned and saddened to learn of Bruno’s death on Sunday. She was 91.
By Monday, more than 200 people had reached out to Bruno’s husband, Craig Scheiner.
She had just finished doing the “Pua Mana” ("Majestic, Everlasting Flower”) dance at the Hula Mai kanikapila (a gathering of people to make music) at the Sonoma Woman’s Club when she developed a sudden splitting headache. Scheiner, drove her to the emergency room at Sonoma Valley Hospital, but when they reached the front desk, she had a massive heart attack and collapsed on the floor.
Bruno had been very active in the weeks before her passing, teaching hula classes and bopping around Sonoma, connecting with her many friends.
Scheiner attributed her long, vibrant life to good genes and regular exercise.
“She had no major health issues,” he said. “Her heart just wore out. She died of old age.”
She was in fine form when she traveled to Chittenango, New York, in June to participate in the Oz Stravaganza, the longest-running celebration of the book by L. Frank Baum and “all things Oz.”
Bruno, who was believed to be one of the last-living Munchkins, was honored throughout the event, riding in a parade, signing autographs, teaching hula dances and being named an honorary member of the International L. Frank Baum and All Things Oz Historical Foundation.
“It was really great to be able to experience the Oz Stravaganza with her and see how everyone there loved her just as much as we do,” said Hula Mai dancer Becky Zyskowski, who traveled to the event with Bruno.
Many people were aware of Bruno because of her appearance in “The Wizard of Oz,” but she had a successful career that spanned several fields.
She was born in Wahiawa on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in 1931 to a Dutch-Irish father and a Chinese-Hawaiian mother. Her family moved to Hollywood when she was a young girl, and she began taking singing and dancing lessons.
Bruno appeared in several movies, but her film stint ended when her family moved to a small farm in San Jacinto, California.
Bruno subsequently attended Stanford University, where she graduated with a political science degree in 1953. She then worked for the CIA as a secretary, though she had been promised a spot in its junior officer training program. She met her first husband, Russell Bruno, while serving the CIA.
When Russell Bruno was accepted to the UC Berkeley School of Law in 1966, the couple moved to the Bay Area and raised three sons.
Bruno joined the Oakland League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan group focused on community issues. Oakland television station KTVU became aware of her activism and in 1971 hired her as a writer for the “10 O’clock News,” the station’s most-watched program.
Bruno and Russ divorced after 31 years of marriage, but remained close friends. She subsequently married Craig Scheiner, a cameraman, producer and editor at KTVU.
Scheiner said that in 1977, his heart told him that she was “the one” for him. Bruno was known to joke that she married him because he helped her to get through her first day as a news reporter.
He said they were “like peas in a pod.”
“We worked together on everything,” he said. “We enjoyed each other’s company more than anything else. We always seemed skilled in complimentary areas.
“I loved her with all my heart. Nobody can replace her. She was my honey bunch.”
At KTVU, Bruno covered stories of national and local importance and won three Emmys: for breaking news, news-feature series and investigative series.
This device is unable to display framed content. Click here to view this embed.
“She was proud that she was the best investigative reporter at KTVU,” Scheiner said. “Being the only reporter there who could take shorthand gave her a big advantage, plus she could easily access public records.”
Bruno covered the Oakland Hills Fire in October 1991 as while her house there was burning.
“She stood on the producer’s roof in Lower Rockridge in Oakland and did live shots,” Scheiner said. “It was about three blocks from her house.”
She retired from her television career in 1992, and the couple moved to Sonoma 10 years later. In 2009, she led a hula workshop at Vintage House senior center in Sonoma and it was so well-received that she decided to open Hula Mai, which offers classes in both modern and ancient hula to inspire a love for the hula and Hawaiian culture.
Scheiner said that Bruno was proud to be one of the few people who could teach the old style of hula.
“Betty Ann always turned conversations around to the other person,” said Hula Mai dancer Gail Ford, who also accompanied Bruno to the Oz Stravaganza this year. “She rarely or never said ‘no’ to anything, and gave so generously of her time to any dancer needing more help, any time of day or night. She was always willing to cram 48 hours of work and fun into every 24 hours.”
Hula Mai will be performing at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds at Shade Park Stage 2 on Saturday at 2 p.m.
“It’s what Betty Ann would have wanted,” Scheiner said.
Ford added, “There was no one like Betty Ann … larger than life in such a tiny (5 feet, 1 inch) package, and we will all try to keep her spirit alive by thinking of what she would want us to do.”
Bruno was named the Sonoma Treasure Artist of the Year in 2020 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Berkeley Hawaiian Music Festival.
She is survived by her husband, Craig Scheiner; brother, Everett; grandchild, Chelsea; and great-grandchildren, Jimmy and Emily.
A memorial service will be held, but details have not been announced.
Reach the reporter, Dan Johnson, at daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com.
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Beloved Sonoma resident Betty Ann Bruno passes away at 91
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https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/beloved-sonoma-resident-betty-ann-bruno-passes-away-at-91/
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[
"Associated Press",
"July",
"Updated Hour Ago"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:17+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:55:51
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San Francisco said it received 24 complaints about the unpermitted structure over the weekend.
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SAN FRANCISCO — A brightly flashing “X” sign has been removed from the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter just days after it was installed.
The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection said Monday it received 24 complaints about the unpermitted structure over the weekend. Complaints included concerns about its structural safety and illumination.
The Elon Musk-owned company, which has been rebranded as X, had removed the Twitter sign and iconic blue bird logo from the building last week. That work was temporarily paused because the company did not have the necessary permits. For a time, the “er” at the end of “Twitter” remained up due to the abrupt halt of the sign takedown.
The city of San Francisco had opened a complaint and launched an investigation into the giant “X” sign, which was installed Friday on top of the downtown building as Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
The chaotic rebrand of Twitter's building signage is similar to the haphazard way in which the Twitter platform is being turned into X. While the X logo has replaced Twitter on many parts of the site and app, remnants of Twitter remain.
Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a message for comment Monday.
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Brightly flashing 'X' sign removed from former Twitter's San Francisco headquarters
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https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/brightly-flashing-x-sign-removed-from-former-twitters-san-francisco-head/
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[
"Real Estate Newswire",
"July"
] |
2023-08-01 01:01:30+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:10:02
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The median price per square foot for a home in Santa Rosa decreased in the past week to $418. That’s $93 less than the Sonoma County median. Prior to this, the median price per square foot of a home sold in Santa Rosa was $463.
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The median price per square foot for a home in Santa Rosa decreased in the past week to $418. That’s $93 less than the Sonoma County median. Prior to this, the median price per square foot of a home sold in Santa Rosa was $463.
The most expensive community in Sonoma County is Sea Ranch, where the median price per square foot in the past week was $1,206.
The best deal can be found in Windsor, where the median price per square foot of a home sold was $403.
In the past week, a 1,870-square-foot home on Hood Mountain Circle in Santa Rosa sold for $782,000.
The figures in this text are based on sales registered during the week of Jul. 24.
This automated story was produced for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat using artificial intelligence and data science. Property information is compiled from municipal assessors in Sonoma County. For any errors email info@pressdemocrat.com.
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How much did it cost to buy a home in Santa Rosa last week?
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https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/realestate/how-much-did-it-cost-to-buy-a-home-in-santa-rosa-last-week-3/
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[
"Emily Nguyen",
"Please Enter Your Name Here"
] |
2023-08-01 00:47:58+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:42:01
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Hojlund Gears up for Man Utd Medical written by Emily Nguyen on Aug 1, 2023 for EPLIndex.com
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Hojlund Gears up for Man Utd Medical: A Prospective New Addition to the Squad
At the zenith of one of the most thrilling seasons, it seems Old Trafford is about to welcome another jewel to its crown. Denmark’s shooting star, Rasmus Hojlund, is expected to land in Manchester on Tuesday, gearing up for the requisite medical ahead of an anticipated move from Atalanta to Manchester United.
The €85 Million Deal
The Red Devils have reached an understanding with Atalanta, to onboard the 20-year-old striker in an arrangement speculated to be worth €75million, with an additional €10million posed as add-ons. Hojlund’s personal terms have been settled for a five-year contract, including the potential extension of a further 12 months.
Hojlund’s Soaring Trajectory
Having made his move to Atalanta just the previous summer from Sturm Graz in Austria, Hojlund’s rising star hasn’t failed to catch the eyes of football aficionados. He’s shone bright on the pitch, boasting eight goals and two assists from 31 Serie A matches.
The young Danish forward has also been a pivotal force on the international stage. During the Euro 2024 qualifiers in March, he displayed a blistering performance scoring five goals across two games, including an unforgettable hat-trick against Finland.
United’s Triple Signing: A Summer Surprise
As reported by the Athletic, Hojlund is slated to become Man Utd’s third major acquisition this summer. He’ll be following the footsteps of Mason Mount and Andre Onana, who have already been introduced to the United family.
The Next Challenge Awaits at Old Trafford
With an enthralling encounter on the horizon, United’s next skirmish is scheduled against the French club Lens at Old Trafford come Saturday. It remains to be seen how Hojlund, upon completion of his medical and proposed transfer, will further fortify Man Utd’s robust squad.
Through its summer signings, Manchester United continues to demonstrate its unyielding commitment to maintaining a high calibre roster, fortifying its position in the football world. With the addition of Hojlund, United fans have another rising star to watch out for, bringing renewed vigour and anticipation for the season to come.
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Hojlund Gears up for Man Utd Medical
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https://eplindex.com/93438/hojlund-gears-up-for-man-utd-medical.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hojlund-gears-up-for-man-utd-medical
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[
"Amelia Hartman",
"Please Enter Your Name Here"
] |
2023-08-01 00:47:51+00:00
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2023-07-31 22:55:28
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Liverpool's Engine Room Takes a Hit: Fabinho Bids Farewell written by Amelia Hartman on Jul 31, 2023 for EPLIndex.com
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The Departure of Fabinho: An End of an Era
The red half of Merseyside has been left a bit deflated, as Brazilian midfield maestro Fabinho, after adorning the famous red jersey of Liverpool for five glorious years, has moved his loyalties to Al-Ittihad, a Saudi Arabian football club. The three-year deal, purportedly worth £40m, sees Fabinho wave goodbye to the Anfield faithful, the Kopites he has won over with his performances in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield.
Fabinho’s departure was hinted at when he was conspicuously absent from the club’s recent pre-season jaunts to Germany and Singapore. His missing presence in the Reds’ setup hinted at a departure that’s now official.
The Samba Beats at Anfield
The 29-year-old Brazilian international, with 29 caps to his name, first made the journey to Anfield back in July 2018. Signed from Monaco for a nearly identical sum of £39m, he etched his place in the Liverpool folklore, representing the club with, in his words, “the greatest honour and happiness possible.”
As Fabinho bid adieu to the club he calls “home”, he voiced his love for Liverpool, thanking the Reds for every joyous moment he experienced in his five-year-long journey.
A Saudi Revolution with Fabinho at the Helm
Al-Ittihad, who managed to secure Fabinho’s services, has been on a high-profile recruitment spree as they aim to solidify their stature in the Saudi Pro League. Fabinho is the newest marquee signing, joining a star-studded line-up featuring Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, former Chelsea midfield dynamo N’Golo Kante, and ex-Celtic frontman Jota. These formidable additions are part of a strategy to boost the squad with “outstanding players” and support their ambitions in both domestic and international competitions, as per Al-Ittihad.
Remembering Fabinho’s Impact on Merseyside
Fabinho’s tenure at Anfield was marked by 219 appearances and 11 goals. Yet, it was not just his statistics, but his overall influence on the pitch that led Liverpool to clinch the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and the Fifa Club World Cup. A touching acknowledgement from Liverpool read, “We would like to thank Fabinho for all of his contributions to the club’s successes during the last five years.”
The Domino Effect at Anfield
The departure of Fabinho follows a trend of midfield departures from Anfield, as Jordan Henderson also leaves for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq, under the stewardship of Steven Gerrard. Furthermore, Liverpool has bid farewell to James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, their contracts reaching expiration.
In the midst of this shuffle, the Reds’ stalwart, Virgil van Dijk, is set to take over the captain’s armband from Henderson, with Trent Alexander-Arnold replacing Milner as vice-captain.
As the new season beckons, Liverpool’s midfield unit appears to have shrunk drastically. The test will be how Jurgen Klopp’s men respond to the transition. Will it inspire a new generation of heroes on Merseyside, or mark a challenging period for the Reds? Only time will tell.
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Fabinho Bids Farewell
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2023-08-01 00:49:39+00:00
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Gagan Meena was chosen for the IPS on his first try in 2021 with a rank of 592, and for a second time, he was offered an opportunity in the highest-ranking IAS.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnaindia.com%2Feducation%2Freport-meet-iitian-who-cracked-upsc-twice-to-become-ias-officer-used-social-media-during-preparation-bagged-air-3054148.json
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Gagan Meena was chosen for the IPS on his first try in 2021 with a rank of 592, and for a second time, he was offered an opportunity in the highest-ranking IAS.
To pass UPSC, one of India's most challenging tests, you must have unwavering commitment and a solid game plan. Only those who excel in these two areas will pass the UPSC Civil Service test. Gagan Singh Meena, a resident of Rajasthan, has accomplished what many others can only hope to do: he has passed the UPSC test not just once, but twice. He was chosen for the IPS on his first try in 2021 with a rank of 592, and for a second time, he was offered an opportunity in the highest-ranking IAS.
Who is Gagan Meena?
Gagan, who is from the Rajasthani town of Baroda, achieved an outstanding second place in the ST category and the 120th overall rank in the 2022 UPSC civil services test. According to reports, Gagan's late father wanted him to become a collector, a desire he accomplished by passing the UPSC.
Gagan, nevertheless, persisted in his goal of becoming an IAS officer despite the obstacles in his path. Coming from a farming background, family members advised him to give up on his desire, but he was enthusiastic about achieving his objective.
Gagan Meena is an IPS officer in the Haryana Cadre who received his B.Tech in civil engineering from IIT BHU. He resided in Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar throughout his exam studies with his friend Prince Kumar from Bihar, who also did well on the UPSC test by bagging AIR 89.
READ | UPSC success story: Meet Uma Harathi, IITian who failed four times before cracking IAS exam with AIR 3
Gagan reportedly maintained to use social media sites like Facebook and Instagram and watch reels, indicating that he did not totally refrain from online amusement, according to Prince. However, he established daily goals to complete a section of the course material, keeping a focused attitude to his study.
Gagan initially refrained from using social media heavily, choosing to just post on the day his results were published. After becoming an IPS officer, he followed through with this strategy and tweeted about his success. In spite of this, he said in an interview that he actively engaged in viewing reels while preparing.
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Meet IITian who cracked UPSC twice to become IAS officer, used social media during preparation, bagged AIR...
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https://www.dnaindia.com/education/report-meet-iitian-who-cracked-upsc-twice-to-become-ias-officer-used-social-media-during-preparation-bagged-air-3054148
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2023-08-01 00:49:27+00:00
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The Chandrayaan-3 mission initiated on July 14, entered the moon's orbit tonight at 12:01 am. Here's how ISRO scientists are using the Translunar injection technique to make a perfect moon landing.
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The Chandrayaan-3 mission initiated on July 14, entered the moon's orbit tonight at 12:01 am. Here's how ISRO scientists are using the Translunar injection technique to make a perfect moon landing.
Exactly, 1412 days ago, on September 6-7, 2019, when the Chandrayaan-2 mission failed, the then ISRO chief Dr K Sivan wept bitterly hugging Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was an emotional moment for the whole country. At that time, it seemed like years of hard work went in vain. But, ISRO Didn't lose hope and kept working towards the preparation of a better and brighter tomorrow.
Finally, on July 14, 2023, ISRO's Bahubali rocket LVM3-M4, Chandrayaan-3 left for the mission moon. It's been 19 days since the Chandrayaan 3 set out on the journey to the moon. On August 1, 2023, at the stroke of midnight, Chandrayaan-3 left the Earth's orbit and entered the Moon's orbit. ISRO started thrusters of the vehicle between 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock.
What is translunar injection?
This process is called translunar injection i.e. TLI. Chandrayaan is currently moving in such an elliptical orbit, whose shortest distance from the Earth is 236 kilometres and the maximum distance is 1 lakh 27 thousand 609 kilometres. On August 5, this Will enter the moon's orbit and will land on the moon on August 23.
ISRO scientists will activate the Chandrayaan's engine for some time to support translunar injection. For translunar injection, Chandrayaan's speed should be more than Earth's escape velocity. Earth's escape velocity is 40 thousand 270 kilometers per hour meaning that the Chandrayaan's speed should be more than this. The engine is fired up when the Chandrayaan is at a distance of 236 km from the Earth.
Chandrayaan is currently moving around the Earth at a speed between 1 km/s and 10.3 km/s heading towards the Moon. The trans-lunar injection process is expected to take between 28 and 31 minutes to complete.
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DNA Special: What is Translunar Injection and how it is being used in Chandrayaan-3 for moon landing?
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https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-dna-special-what-is-translunar-injection-and-how-it-is-being-used-in-chandrayaan-3-for-moon-landinghandray-3054135
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2023-08-01 00:49:33+00:00
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2023-08-01 00:00:00
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PM Modi will flag off Metro trains and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnaindia.com%2Findia%2Freport-pm-modi-to-launch-development-projects-in-pune-today-receive-lokmanya-tilak-national-award-august-1-3054146.json
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PM Modi will flag off Metro trains and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Tuesday visit Maharashtra's Pune city where he will lay the foundation stone of various development projects and also receive the Lokmanya Tilak National Award.
After his arrival, Modi will perform ‘darshan and pooja' at Dagdusheth Mandir. At 11.45 am, he will be conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award, constituted by Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in 1983, to honour the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak, as per a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
The award is given to people who have worked for the progress and development of the nation and whose contribution can only be looked upon as remarkable and extraordinary, the PIB statement said. It is presented every year on August 1, the death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak, the statement said.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has been invited as chief guest for the event, organisers earlier said. Rohit Tilak, vice president of the trust, confirmed on Monday that Pawar will attend the award ceremony. “There is no change in the programme.
Pawar Saheb, who is the chief guest, will be attending the event. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, and Sushil Kumar Shinde, who is also a trustee, will also be attending the event,” he said.
Rohit Tilak said theirs is an apolitical organisation and the award has been conferred on people from all walks of life. PM Modi will become the 41st recipient of the award. It has previously been presented to luminaries such as Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, Pranab Mukherjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, N R Narayana Murthy, E Sreedharan, among others.
READ | Centre to introduce Delhi services bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday
At 12.45 pm on Tuesday, the prime minister will flag off Metro trains and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects, the statement said. PM Modi will flag off Metro trains marking the inauguration of services on completed sections of the two corridors of Pune Metro Phase I. These sections are from Phugewadi station to Civil Court station and Garware College station to Ruby Hall Clinic station, it said.
The foundation stone for the project was also laid by PM Modi in 2016. The new sections will connect important places of Pune city like Shivaji Nagar, Civil Court, Pune Municipal Corporation office, Pune RTO and Pune Railway Station.
The inauguration is an important step towards realising the vision of the prime minister to provide the citizens with modern and environment-friendly mass rapid urban transport systems across the country, the statement said. Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate the Waste to Energy Plant under Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
Developed at a cost of about Rs 300 crore, it will use up about 2.5 lakh MT of waste annually to produce electricity, the statement said. Moving ahead towards the mission of achieving housing for all, Prime Minister Modi will hand over more than 1,280 houses constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana by PCMC.
He will also hand over more than 2,650 PMAY houses constructed by the Pune Municipal Corporation. Further, Modi will also lay the foundation stone for around 1,190 PMAY houses to be constructed by the PCMC, and of more than 6,400 houses constructed by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress's youth wing has put up posters with the message "Go Back Modi" in some parts of Pune city as a mark of protest against the unrest in Manipur. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Sandeep Singh Gill said they are in touch with the Pune Municipal Corporation to remove these unauthorised posters.
Members of the opposition bloc INDIA are also planning a protest against PM Modi's visit on Tuesday. The opposition alliance members in a release said the prime minister has time to go to foreign countries, but not to Manipur, which has been witnessing ethnic classes since early May.
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PM Modi to launch development projects in Pune today, receive Lokmanya Tilak National Award
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https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-pm-modi-to-launch-development-projects-in-pune-today-receive-lokmanya-tilak-national-award-august-1-3054146
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[
"Emily Brooks",
"The Hill"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:04+00:00
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2023-07-31 23:29:21
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Democrats and Republicans are offering clashing interpretations of the significance of former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer’s closed-door testimony, which lawmakers said included assertions that Hunter Biden was selling the “illusion of access” to his father and that Hunter Biden sometimes put President Biden on speakerphone to talk to his business associates. The revelations […]
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Democrats and Republicans are offering clashing interpretations of the significance of former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer’s closed-door testimony, which lawmakers said included assertions that Hunter Biden was selling the “illusion of access” to his father and that Hunter Biden sometimes put President Biden on speakerphone to talk to his business associates.
The revelations are fueling Republican attempts to link the president to his son’s business dealings. Republicans, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (Ky.), say the testimony shows that President Biden “lied” when he made campaign trail statements that he had never talked to his son about his foreign business dealings.
But Democrats say Archer’s testimony to the House Oversight Committee on Monday actually shows the president was not involved in Hunter Biden’s foreign business affairs.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), who attended the hours-long transcribed interview, said Archer testified that because Hunter Biden was under pressure from Ukrainian energy company Burisma, “he had to give the illusion — and he used that term, the illusion — of access to his father, and he tried to get credit for things that he — that Mr. Archer testified Hunter had nothing to do with, such as when Vice President Biden went to Ukraine on his own.”
Lawmakers clash over whether testimony implicates president
Archer was on the board of Burisma with Hunter Biden. Republicans have said then-Vice President Biden’s call to remove Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, whose office was investigating Burisma, was directly related to his son’s involvement with, and sizable payments from, the company.
But the investigation in Burisma had been opened before Shokin took the position, and Shokin was widely criticized for failure to prosecute corruption, with his ouster supported by numerous U.S. officials.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement that Archer testified that “President Biden was not involved in his son’s business affairs, and that President Biden was never asked to, nor did he, take any official actions in relation to those business matters.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last week that the president “was never in business with his son.”
On the other end of the partisan spectrum, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who also attended the transcribed interview, said he thought Archer’s testimony “implicate[s] the president.”
Reading from his notes of the transcribed interview, Biggs said Archer testified that “Burisma would have gone out of business sooner if the Biden brand had not been invoked. People would be intimidated to legally mess with Burisma because of the Biden family brand.”
According to Biggs, Archer said the Biden “brand” referred to President Biden. But Goldman later said that Archer clarified the “brand” was based on a “D.C. brand based on his own experience in lobbying” and “in conjunction with the fact that his last name was Biden.”
Burisma bribery allegations
Both Biggs and Goldman said that Archer had no knowledge of an alleged $5 million payment to Biden from Burisma, an allegation relayed by a confidential FBI source in a form released by Republicans earlier in June.
Goldman argued that Archer’s testimony undercut the premise of the Biden-Burisma bribery allegations.
“Even though it was perceived by Burisma that they had the Prosecutor General Shokin ‘under control,’ quote unquote, that Joe Biden advocated for his firing — which of course, was not coveted or desired by Burisma, and would potentially be bad for Burisma,” Goldman said.
Raskin said that Republicans appeared to be “chasing” the bribery allegations, and pointed to a recent letter to Comer from Lev Parnas, who was involved in an effort to dig up dirt about the Bidens in Ukraine ahead of the 2020 election, urging Comer to abandon efforts to chase the “conspiracy theories.”
Comer, on the other hand, took issue with Hunter Biden’s work with Burisma.
“When Burisma’s owner was facing pressure from the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating the company for corruption, Archer testified that Burisma executives asked Hunter to ‘call D.C.’ after a Burisma board meeting in Dubai,” he said in a statement, which a press release said raised concerns that Hunter Biden was in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Phone calls with the president
Archer’s testimony did appear to partially back up Comer’s statement to the New York Post last week that he expected Archer to discuss the times he witnessed Hunter Biden’s putting then-Vice President Biden on speakerphone with foreign business partners.
Democrats downplayed that concern.
“The witness indicated that Hunter spoke to his father every day, and approximately 20 times over the course of a 10-year relationship. Hunter may have put his father on the phone with any number of different people, and they never once spoke about any business dealings,” Goldman said.
“As he described it, it was all casual conversation, niceties, the weather, ‘What’s going on?’” Goldman said, adding that “there wasn’t a single conversation about any of the business dealings that Hunter had.”
Democrats also stressed that there were especially frequent conversations between Hunter Biden and his father after his brother, Beau Biden, died from brain cancer in 2015.
Biggs pushed back on Goldman’s characterization.
“He probably forgot to tell you that Devon Archer himself said that was an implication of who the ‘big guy’ is,” Biggs said, referring to communications drawn from a laptop hard drive that purportedly belonged to Hunter Biden.
The House Oversight GOP also said in a tweet that President Biden attended a 2014 dinner with Hunter Biden and some of his foreign business associates at Cafe Milano in Washington, D.C.
White House slams GOP after ‘much-hyped witness’ testimony
Ian Sams, White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, also argued that the Archer interview poked holes in the GOP attempts to directly link President Biden to his family’s foreign business dealings.
“It appears that the House Republicans’ own much-hyped witness today testified that he never heard of President Biden discussing business with his son or his son’s associates, or doing anything wrong,” Sams said. “House Republicans keep promising bombshell evidence to support their ridiculous attacks against the President, but time after time, they keep failing to produce any. In fact, even their own witnesses appear to be debunking their allegations.”
Raskin said that the Biden family investigation is a “desperate effort to distract everyone from former President Donald Trump’s mounting criminal indictments and deepening legal morass.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who was also in the interview, told reporters that Archer had revealed new information, but declined to elaborate further.
Abbe Lowell, counsel for Hunter Biden, said in a statement that House Republicans “keep swinging and keep striking out in their obsessive pursuit of the President through his son, Hunter.”
“Mr. Archer confirmed one more time that Hunter Biden did not involve his father in, nor did his father assist him in, his business. It’s well known that Hunter and his father speak daily, and what Mr. Archer confirmed today was that when those calls occurred during Hunter’s business meetings, if there was any interaction between his father and his business associates, it was simply to exchange small talk,” Lowell said.
“Like the relatives of Donald Trump, Senators Ron Johnson and Ted Cruz, Rep. Lauren Boebert, and many others, family members of elected representatives meet people and may get opportunities because of those connections,” he continued. “Congress would be busy investigating many of their own if that’s their idea of an offense.”
Archer did not answer shouted questions when entering or leaving the transcribed interview, and his attorney declined to take a side in the debate over his testimony.
“We are aware that all sides are claiming victory following Mr. Archer’s voluntary interview today. But all Devon Archer did was exactly what we said he would: show up and answer the questions put to him honestly and completely. Mr. Archer shared the truth with the Committee, and we will leave to them and others to decide what to do with it,” said Matthew L. Schwartz, a managing partner of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.
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www.wane.com
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Devon Archer debate focuses on Hunter Biden ‘illusion of access’
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https://www.wane.com/hill-politics/devon-archer-debate-focuses-on-hunter-biden-illusion-of-access/
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[
"Stephanie Whiteside"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:16+00:00
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_
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2023-07-31 23:16:39
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Social media has gone wild as people claim the government confirmed aliens exist. But the truth isn't that simple, even as Congress vows to investigate.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wane.com%2Fnews%2Ftop-picks%2Fdid-the-government-confirm-aliens-exist%2F.json
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(NewsNation) — As in decades past, the question of whether aliens exist continues to captivate Americans. Following Wednesday’s widely-watched Congressional hearing on UAPs and UFOs, people flocked to social media — many proclaiming the government confirmed aliens exist.
But that’s not actually what happened at the hearing. While witnesses and lawmakers discussed the issue of UFOs, the government has not issued any official confirmation of alien life and what was said at the hearing, by witnesses and even a lawmaker, remains unverified.
As lawmakers continue to probe the issue, join NewsNation’s Brian Entin at 9 p.m. ET Sunday night for a two-hour special report on the hearing, including analysis from UFO experts. Find out how to tune in to NewsNation on your local channel lineup.
Here’s what we do (and don’t) know after the hearing:
Whistleblower David Grusch largely recounted second-hand testimony and provided no evidence to support his claims. Grusch is a former member of the UAP Task Force.
Former Navy Commander and pilot David Fravor recounted a first-hand experience with the so-called Tic Tac UFO but said he was never briefed on the object or its potential origins.
Former Navy pilot Ryan Graves, who founded the Americans for Safe Aerospace, also recounted an encounter he had with an object he described as a black sphere floating inside a clear cube. Graves indicated such encounters were extremely common among pilots. There was no evidence presented to support this claim.
While lawmakers seemed largely accepting of the witness testimony, only Rep. Matt Gaetz, R.-Fla., said he had seen any evidence of alien life firsthand.
Grusch was unable to answer a number of inquiries regarding specific evidence or proof in an open setting, though he indicated he would be willing to say more in a secure, classified briefing.
All three witnesses agreed these unidentified objects constituted a potential national security threat.
Official government bodies, including the White House, Pentagon, and NASA have all stated they have no reason to believe unexplained objects are extraterrestrial in nature.
National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said after the hearing there are “no hard and fast” answers to the question but that the administration is taking it seriously.
This wasn’t the first time the U.S. government undertook investigations to address the question of UFOs, nor is it the first time the official response was that there was nothing “alien” going on.
However, at the heart of Grusch’s whistleblower complaint is his claim that the government, specifically the Department of Defense, is operating programs to retrieve material from crashes that are extraterrestrial in nature and are keeping those programs secret from the public while also operating without appropriate Congressional oversight.
Grusch spoke exclusively to NewsNation regarding his experiences, which he said include the U.S. government recovering the “non-human” pilots of downed craft.
In light of his claims, lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee have vowed to continue to hold more hearings, including classified briefings where Grusch could speak more freely. Members have also vowed to seek the power to subpoena documents and images that Grusch says back up his claims.
Lawmakers have also called for a centralized reporting system for both military and civilian reports of UFOs, to better analyze and understand the possible threat.
There is also the possibility of the creation of a new committee to specifically investigate UAPs/UFOs. It’s not entirely clear how Congress could compel the DoD or military to release information on any secret programs, should they exist, though, in the past, lawmakers have attempted to work UFO reporting into funding requirements for the Pentagon.
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Did the government confirm aliens exist?
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https://www.wane.com/news/top-picks/did-the-government-confirm-aliens-exist/
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[
"Julian Resendiz"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:40+00:00
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_
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2023-07-31 23:52:49
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El Paso County plans to send letters to Austin and Washington, D.C., decrying Texas’ treatment of migrants.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wane.com%2Fborder-report-tour%2Fcounty-sending-letter-to-abbott-decrying-cruel-migrant-policies%2F.json
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en
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_
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EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – El Paso County plans to send letters to Austin and Washington, D.C., decrying Texas’ treatment of migrants.
The County Commissioners’ Court on Monday unanimously authorized County Judge Ricardo Samaniego to send a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott opposing the state’s policies and practices “of cruelty” towards migrants crossing the border. A second letter will be sent to the U.S. Department of Justice in support of a recent lawsuit to get Texas to remove floating barriers placed on the Rio Grande in South Texas.
“It’s important for us as a county to push back against these policies of deterrence by cruelty. It’s really what they are,” said Precinct 3 County Commissioner Iliana Holguin. “We stood up against the Trump administration when they unleashed the most horrible and draconian policies here in El Paso County. It is important we continue to do that and that our community knows we are going to continue to stand up and push back against these policies.”
Commissioners on Monday discussed news reports of Texas Department of Public Safety troopers patrolling the Rio Grande to push people back to Mexico. They also decried the placement of the buoys.
“They travel for months at a time through hazards and everything they go through. And to think that we add to that is just despicable,” Samaniego told commissioners. “They go through natural barriers coming from such a far distance [….] They survive for months and then they die here at our borders. (That) does not represent who we are as a nation or a community.”
Samaniego said he and other El Paso leaders would like to have a say on state policies regarding migrants – given that El Paso is right on the Mexican border and has an extensive record of dealing with migrant surges – but are not given a chance to be heard until after the fact.
“We encourage that (Gov. Abbott) communicates with us. We are open to communication. Actions taken without communication with border communities is not right,” Samaniego said. “In the last year or so, there has been zero communication with the (county) judge or the mayor of El Paso. It puts things in perspective that El Paso is not that important; we want to make sure that is not true.”
Border Report reached out to the Texas Governor’s Office and to Abbott’s campaign press office for comment and is awaiting a response.
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www.wane.com
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County sending letter to Abbott decrying ‘cruel’ migrant policies
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https://www.wane.com/border-report-tour/county-sending-letter-to-abbott-decrying-cruel-migrant-policies/
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[
"Alex Baker",
"Jeremy Tanner"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:46+00:00
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_
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2023-07-31 22:16:05
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Angus Cloud, the actor best known for his role in the HBO series "Euphoria," has been found dead at his family's home in Oakland, according to multiple reports.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wane.com%2Fentertainment-news%2Feuphoria-actor-angus-cloud-found-dead-at-25%2F.json
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en
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(KRON) – Angus Cloud, the actor best known for his role in the HBO series “Euphoria,” has been found dead at his family’s home in Oakland, according to his publicist, Cait Bailey.
In a statement sent to TMZ, the first outlet to report the death, Cloud’s family confirmed his passing:
“It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways,” the statement read. “Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence.”
Variety also reported the actor’s death, citing his family.
A statement from HBO Monday read:
We are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Angus Cloud. He was immensely talented and a beloved part of the HBO and Euphoria family. We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this difficult time.
Cloud hadn’t acted before he was cast in “Euphoria.” He was walking down the street in New York when casting director Jennifer Venditti noticed him. Series creator Sam Levinson made him the co-star of the series alongside Zendaya for its first two seasons.
The part made Cloud the breakout star of one the buzziest shows in television.
Cloud starred as Fezco on 16 episodes of the HBO show in addition to appearances in “North Hollywood,” “The Perfect Women” and music videos with Becky G and Juice WRLD.
He was recently cast to co-star in “Scream 6.”
Cloud was born in Oakland according to his IMDB page.
He was 25 years old. No cause of death was given
If you or anyone you know are struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone, chat or text.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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www.wane.com
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‘Euphoria’ actor Angus Cloud dies at 25
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https://www.wane.com/entertainment-news/euphoria-actor-angus-cloud-found-dead-at-25/
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[
"Autumn Scott",
"Melissa Moon"
] |
2023-08-01 01:03:10+00:00
|
_
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2023-07-31 21:51:28
|
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Berclair Monday afternoon.
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wane.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2Fman-shot-by-police-after-he-fired-shots-outside-memphis-jewish-school-authorities%2F.json
|
en
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_
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — A man was shot by police after investigators say he fired shots outside a Jewish school in Memphis, Tennessee, on Monday.
Police said the man, who has not yet been identified, was trying to get into the Margolin Hebrew Academy before fleeing the scene in a maroon pickup truck with California tags.
Officers spotted the vehicle in the Berclair area and initiated a traffic stop. Memphis Police said the man got out of the pickup truck with a gun in his hand and was shot by an officer.
The suspect was taken to Regional One in critical condition. No other injuries were reported.
Scene outside Margolin Hebrew Academy on White Station
Scene at McCory and Gary
The Margolin Hebrew Academy confirmed no one at the school was injured during the incident.
“We can confirm that no one has been hurt in any way, and everyone is now safe, thank G-d. Please look out for further communication with additional information to come. In the meantime, our campus is completely closed. We thank you for your understanding,” the academy said in a statement.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the situation.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools said all of their schools were on a precautionary lockdown as police investigated the situation.
Assistant Police Chief Don Crowe commended the Hebrew academy for their safety procedures and Memphis officers for finding the suspect so quickly.
“Today is a great example of very vigilant officers trying to protect the city. I personally believe that we have avoided a tragedy. I believe the suspect was going to harm somebody before the day was over,” he said.
MPD Chief CJ Davis also recognized the officers for their actions.
“I am proud of the vigilant and quick response of MPD officers who mitigated a potential mass shooting situation today. Many thanks to our neighboring jurisdictions for also providing critical information to stop the suspect’s actions,” she said.
Police said they cannot determine if the shooting at the Hebrew academy was a hate crime at this time.
Congressman Steve Cohen released a statement in response to the incident saying, “I am shocked to know of this senseless incident and relieved at report that no one at the school was injured. Antisemitism is on the rise in this country. I am saddened that an apparent act of violent antisemitism has come to Memphis. We all need to be on our guard against antisemitism and white nationalism.”
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www.wane.com
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Man shot by police after he fired shots outside Memphis Jewish school: authorities
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https://www.wane.com/news/crime/man-shot-by-police-after-he-fired-shots-outside-memphis-jewish-school-authorities/
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|
[
"Josh Ayen"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:58+00:00
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_
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2023-07-31 23:23:26
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A year after marching to Lucas Oil Stadium, Carroll begins the 2023 season with high expectations.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wane.com%2Fhigh-school-sports%2F2023-highlight-zone-season-preview-carroll-chargers%2F.json
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en
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_
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – 13 wins for No. 13.
Playing for a fallen teammate last season, Carroll shattered the glass ceiling for northeast Indiana teams in Class 6A. The Chargers won their first regional and semi-state titles in school history, marching to Lucas Oil Stadium before finishing the year as the Class 6A state runner-up.
A year after a storybook season, head coach Doug Dinan and company are setting lofty expectations once again.
On offense, the Chargers return starting quarterback Jimmy Sullivan. The rising junior passed for 2,203 yards, tossing 27 touchdowns while also rushing for nine scores on the ground.
Sullivan returns one of his top targets in wide receiver Hansen Haffner, who caught 37 passes for 479 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. The offense also hopes to rely on running backs Braden Steely and Nathan Starks.
Carroll is rolling out a few new faces on defense, but the Chargers also return some core starters on that side of the ball. Steely, a Western Michigan commit, will play linebacker while defensive lineman Ashton Pesetski will anchor the defensive line.
Carroll begins the season against a familiar foe in Hamilton Southeastern. The No. 1 team in Class 6A last year, Carroll upset Hamilton Southeastern to win their first semi-state title. The Chargers head to Hamilton Southeastern on Friday, Aug. 18.
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www.wane.com
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2023 Highlight Zone Season Preview: Carroll Chargers
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https://www.wane.com/high-school-sports/2023-highlight-zone-season-preview-carroll-chargers/
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[
"Taylor King"
] |
2023-08-01 00:53:58+00:00
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_
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2023-08-01 00:09:06
|
ALLEN, COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) – Monday evening the Board of Fire Trustees of the West Central Fire District held their second public meeting within a week. Last week, discussion about a new locations concerned many residents of the Aboite and Lake Townships. On the agenda for Monday’s meeting, the board discuss the 2024 budget, the […]
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wane.com%2Ftop-stories%2Fmore-confusion-after-fire-district-public-meeting-monday%2F.json
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en
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_
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ALLEN, COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) – Monday evening the Board of Fire Trustees of the West Central Fire District held their second public meeting within a week. Last week, discussion about a new locations concerned many residents of the Aboite and Lake Townships.
On the agenda for Monday’s meeting, the board discuss the 2024 budget, the Arcola fire station lease agreement, and discuss a resolution for policy and procedures for public hearings.
WANE 15 spoke to leaders of Aboite and Lake Townships ahead of the meeting Monday, where leaders have had disagreements on whether to keep a current fire station, find a different location, or to build a new one on Bass Road.
“This is a very important district that will serve both Aboite and Lake township residents in a manner that they never have seen before if we can get it right,” said fire Chief David Guadnola.”Getting it right means using the resources you have not saddling the tax payers with additional expenses let’s get this thing set up get it running but lets not put the cart before the horse there might be a better location to build a new fire station rather than immediately off bass road by the railroad tracks.”
“The facilities that we have, have been great for part time volunteer departments but they don’t meet the needs for full-time staff on 24 hour shifts,” said Aboite Township Trustee Chris Perez.
During the meeting, board members said that Aboite and Lake Townships need to have their own meeting and come up with a plan on a new location so that they can present that to the board before the 2024 budget is due on August 19.
The public had time for comment at the end of the meeting and frustrations were still running high.
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www.wane.com
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More confusion after fire district public meeting Monday
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https://www.wane.com/top-stories/more-confusion-after-fire-district-public-meeting-monday/
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[
"Brooke Williams"
] |
2023-08-01 01:02:52+00:00
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_
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2023-08-01 00:20:18
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Country artist Luke Bryan invited a local girl backstage after he heard her story.
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wane.com%2Fentertainment-news%2Fluke-bryan-invites-colorado-girl-with-terminal-cancer-backstage%2F.json
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en
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_
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DENVER (KDVR) — Country artist Luke Bryan invited a Denver-area girl backstage after he heard her story.
Mary Stegmueller, 7, has been battling terminal brain cancer since she was 4 years old. She’s a serious Luke Bryan fan, and she really wanted to see his show in Denver on Saturday.
But she is immunocompromised and cannot stand for long durations, so her family thought the concert was off the table until an anonymous donor gave them a private suite for the show.
Her family said they’re unbelievably grateful to the anonymous donor.
Mary got a quick hug from the country star back in 2021 after a concert, but this time, she was hoping for another chance to have a conversation with him.
Country artist Luke Bryan invited a local girl backstage after he heard her story. (Kristin Stegmueller)
Country artist Luke Bryan invited a local girl backstage after he heard her story. (Kristin Stegmueller)
Country artist Luke Bryan invited a local girl backstage after he heard her story. (Kristin Stegmueller)
After Bryan saw FOX31’s story about her wanting to meet him, the family said he invited her backstage for a meet and greet before the show. Photos show Mary hanging out with her country idol, who gave her a hug as they posed for the camera.
Mary begins her 43rd round of radiation on Monday.
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www.wane.com
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Child with cancer gets invited back stage to Luke Bryan concert
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https://www.wane.com/entertainment-news/luke-bryan-invites-colorado-girl-with-terminal-cancer-backstage/
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[
"Scott Polacek"
] |
2023-08-01 00:54:51+00:00
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_
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2023-07-31 18:05:01
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Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick missed the entire 2022 season because of a torn ACL he suffered in training camp and will reportedly miss the 2023…
|
https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F10084645-report-broncos-wr-tim-patrick-out-for-2023-nfl-season-with-torn-achilles-injury.json
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Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick missed the entire 2022 season because of a torn ACL he suffered in training camp and will reportedly miss the 2023 campaign as well because of another serious injury.
Mike Klis of 9NEWS reported an MRI showed "a complete tear" of the Achilles, which will cause the wideout to miss the upcoming season. ESPN's Adam Schefter had previously reported the belief was Patrick would not play this year.
Though he didn't know the extent of the injury at the time, Broncos head coach Sean Payton had told reporters earlier on Monday that the team believed it was an Achilles injury.
"We're evaluating his left Achilles," Payton told reporters when discussing the setback before Schefter's report. "That's what we think the injury is."
This is yet another setback at the wide receiver position for the Broncos.
"For years, injuries have kept Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick apart—and Denver has only seen the core of its wide receiver room on the field together for a portion of the 2021 season," Aric DiLalla of the team's official website wrote earlier this month. "During that stint, the Broncos were still without KJ Hamler, who suffered a season-ending injury early in the year."
Broncos insider Troy Renck reported Patrick "threw [his] helmet and screamed" after suffering the injury Monday, while James Palmer of NFL Network noted he was carted off the field and later seen using crutches.
Expectations were high for Patrick prior to his injury last season given his production in 2020 and 2021.
He combined for 104 catches for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns during those two campaigns and would have been given the opportunity to catch passes from future Hall of Famer Russell Wilson last season.
However, the injury prevented him from that chance, and another setback will do the same in 2023.
This means Denver will need to rely even more on its other pass-catchers when it starts the season on Sept. 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
|
bleacherreport.com
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Report: Broncos WR Tim Patrick Out for 2023 NFL Season With Torn Achilles Injury
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https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10084645-report-broncos-wr-tim-patrick-out-for-2023-nfl-season-with-torn-achilles-injury
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