article_text
stringlengths 294
32.8k
⌀ | topic
stringlengths 3
42
|
|---|---|
Max Verstappen had long promised that given the tools he was more than capable of delivering a world championship. He duly took the title last year but his victory at the Canadian Grand Prix for Red Bull was an object demonstration that he appears in every position to now go on to seal multiple championships.He had never won at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve before but he owned the race with a dominant and composed drive redolent of the great champions, including seeing off a late charge from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz who was second. The victory has further extended Verstappen’s lead over title-rival Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who is third in the championship, to 49 points.Lewis Hamilton and George Russell secured third and fourth for Mercedes with a performance that will be a real fillip for the team. Third place equalled Hamilton’s best result this season. The seven-time champion’s broad smile and pleasure in having a decent ride beneath him was palpable, clearly reinvigorated by genuinely feeling he was part of the fight. “It feels great today to be in amongst the battle,” he said. “For a second I was just about keeping up with these guys in front. It’s given me and the team a lot of hope that there is more to come from this car.”There will be cause for optimism at Mercedes in that they demonstrated superb race pace, staying well in touch with the times of Ferrari and Red Bull. They may yet dare dream of a fighting for a win at the next round at Silverstone.Red Bull’s Max Verstappen holds off the challenge of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Photograph: Canadian Press/ShutterstockYet it was Verstappen who had shown the field how hard it will be to catch him this season. After a remarkable lap in wet conditions to claim pole, he followed it with another masterclass of control at times under fierce pressure. The 24-year-old’s title-winning victory in Abu Dhabi last year may have been mired in controversy but there is simply no arguing with his credentials to be world champion, then and more importantly, now. This is his sixth win from nine races this season and afterwards he bore the relaxed demeanour of a man who is exactly where he wants to be.“I was flat-out, pushing to the limit. I knew I could make a mistake, the pressure was always on,” he said. “It was proper racing, proper pushing. It was really on the edge and that was good to see.”Verstappen has been aided by Ferrari’s reliability problems that have recently plagued Leclerc. Here it was a case of Leclerc doing his best to minimise the damage of starting from 19th after grid penalties for an engine change. This was always going to be a difficult afternoon and he made it back to take fifth. Not quite what he would have hoped for as Ferrari left him out too long bottled up behind Esteban Ocon. The Scuderia now badly need to give him a reliable car with which to challenge and hone their decision making if they are to begin clawing back Verstappen’s lead.From the very off the world champion had shown his intent. Verstappen made a great start from pole, seeing off the threat from Fernando Alonso who was alongside him on the front row, while Hamilton held onto his fourth place. Sainz then cleared Alonso to take second place on lap three.Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after finsihing third at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Photograph: Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty ImagesVerstappen swiftly opened a gap, three seconds clear of Sainz by lap eight. Pit stops ensued after an early virtual safety car when Sergio Pérez pulled off track after a gearbox problem on lap nine, with Verstappen and Hamilton stopping but Ferrari leaving Sainz out to inherit the lead. Racing resumed with Verstappen now behind Sainz and Alonso, but he swiftly passed the latter on lap 16 to claim second, showing his commitment on fresh rubber with a series of fastest laps.In a race dictated by his control, the flawless execution lap after lap was vital and he showed no chinks in the armour. Sainz pitted under a second VSC and Verstappen reassumed the lead, the Dutchman having already pounded out an advantage, nine seconds clear of Sainz by lap 20. Verstappen was serene in front, reacting with pace every time the Spaniard edged closer. He took his second stop on lap 44 and Sainz now led with Ferrari looking to pull off a one-stop, with a nine-second lead to Verstappen.However a safety car was called on lap 49 and Ferrari jumped on the chance for a free stop for Sainz, who came out in second. It left a sprint to the finish between the two on similar rubber.Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?ShowDownload the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhones or the Google Play store on Android phones by searching for 'The Guardian'.If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.In the Guardian app, tap the yellow button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.Turn on sport notifications.Verstappen nailed the restart with 15 laps remaining and attempted to reimpose his authority. Sainz refused to be bowed and stayed within DRS range. He closed repeatedly but Verstappen held his nerve and the perfect line. Sainz hounded him hard but the Dutchman was imperious in seeing out the pressure to take the flag.The season still has a long way to run but in Montreal Verstappen showed form that sees him more than ready to disappear over the horizon. Catching him now will be some feat.Alpine’s Ocon was in sixth and his teammate Alonso in seventh. Valtteri Bottas and his teammate Guanyu Zhou were in eighth and ninth for Alfa Romeo and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin. | Other Sports |
Topline
The international governing body for swimming voted Sunday to largely restrict transgender athletes from competing in the elite level of women’s swimming, but will consider setting up a new “open competition” category, a decision that follows months of controversy and was cast by the organization as a way of balancing inclusion with competitive fairness. University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas dives off the starting block in the 500 Freestyle ... [+] finals during the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 17th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Key Facts The governing body FINA’s new policy bars swimmers who transitioned after age 12, or those who cannot establish they “have not experienced any part of male puberty,” from competing in women’s events. FINA said in a statement 71.5% percent of the organization’s voting members voted in favor of the new policy, which will take effect on Monday. FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said in a statement the federation has to “protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events.” The federation’s new policy also included proposals for “open competition” events for athletes who do not meet the criteria for men’s or women’s competitions—a FINA working group plans to discuss how to implement this idea over the next six months. Crucial Quote
James Pearce, a spokesperson for Al-Musallam, told the Associated Press FINA made the decision because some scientists concluded a person transitions after the start of puberty, they have an advantage. “[The new policy is] Tangent
Former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who was been a central figure in the debate, defended her right to compete in women’s sports last month, after she became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I individual national title in March. Thomas—who has said she aspires to swim in the U.S. Olympic trials—told Good Morning America that “trans people don't transition for athletics, we transition to be happy.”
Key Background
FINA’s new policy comes days after the World Professional Association for Transgender Health updated its guidelines to lower the minimum recommended age for starting gender hormone treatment from 16 to 14, and set the minimum age for some surgical procedures at 15 or 17—meaning most trans children won’t begin to transition before age 12. While research on the performance of transgender athletes is limited, there has been a surge in legislation in the United States barring or preventing transgender athletes from competing in sports events in recent years. Some 18 states have passed laws restricting transgender women and girls from participating in school sports teams that align with their gender identity, according to the New York Times. The NCAA, the organization that regulates U.S. college athletics, changed its rules in January to allow individual sports to determine their own eligibility rules for transgender athletes. The NCAA’s previous policy required transgender athletes to have undergone one year of testosterone suppression treatment to compete on a women’s sporting team. Further Reading
Trans kids' treatment can start younger, new guidelines say (The Associated Press)
Why Doctors Are Divided Over Gender-Affirming Care for Children (The New York Times) 'We Transition To Be Happy': Lia Thomas Pushes Back Against Detractors Of Transgender Athletes (Forbes) | Swimming |
Drake surprised fans Thursday with news of his seventh studio album titled “Honestly, Nevermind.”Even more surprising was the album itself.A far cry from its multi-platinum predecessor “Certified Lover Boy,” which in 2021 dominated hip-hop and rap charts alike, “Honestly, Nevermind,” marks the 35-year-old rapper’s first substantial push into a new genre: house music.While fans are divided over the experimental 14-track offering, it’s showing signs of commercial success, breaking Apple Music’s record for highest first-day streaming of a dance album following its Friday release.Drake, whose given name is Aubrey Graham, has flirted with house music in the past, most notably in 2018’s “Scorpion,” and 2017’s “More Life.” The albums borrowed sparingly from tech house, Jersey club and afro beats, among other genres to complement traditional hip-hop tracks.However, with “Honestly, Nevermind,” the Toronto-based rapper commits entirely to the sound, releasing an album that predominantly features influences outside of hip-hop.The album credits a slew of big-name house music producers like Black Coffee, a South African D.J. who’s worked with David Guetta and Usher, and it’s noticeably light on features from other artists. Instead, Drake leaves ample time for lush, club-ready music to play at length, occasionally budding in to sing-rap melodically over the beats.“I let my humbleness turn to numbness at times letting time go by knowing I got the endurance to catch it another time,” Drake wrote in the album’s Apple Music description. “I work with every breath in my body cause it’s the work not air that makes me feel alive.”He also added that the album’s dedicated to late fashion designer Virgil Abloh.Across social media, the album quickly ignited discourse over the genre of house music, with many people expressing astonishment that a rapper would gamble on a genre not typically associated with hip-hop or Black audiences. But Drake’s foray into house music isn’t exactly novel.House music has its roots in Black culture, with rappers like Azealia Banks achieving mainstream success in the genre within recent years.Before Banks, house music was a staple in Black communities—and especially Black, gay communities where scholars say the genre saw its birth. House Music’s Origins House music gained prominence in the late 1970’s as disco began to fade in mainstream popularity and club DJs in Chicago and New York began to explore creative ways to edit, mix, and remix old disco records.“People were in their basements having basement parties and dancing to music,” said Brian Harlan Brooks, a New York-based choreographer and dance educator. Brooks grew up with house music and now incorporates it in his teaching. “What they were doing was laying beats overtop of pop records.”Brooks recalls early DJ innovators like Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan, DJ Ron Hardy bringing the new sound — high-tempo beats fused with symphonic diva vocals — to underground black and Latino gay clubs.“I would save up all my little money for the week and I would make my way over to Christopher Street where the bars were,” said Brooks of his first experiences hearing house music. “I was 15 so I’d have to sneak in, and when I got in, I’d start hearing house music.”Brooks said it was music designed to make you dance. And dance they did, Brooks recalling stories of he and friends dancing from 12 o’clock at night till 12 in the morning, then going home soaking wet with sweat.“It was directly coming from the heart like a heartbeat and that heartbeat was wrapped around vocals and polyrhythms and mixed in with a little gospel,” he said. “Something about the music felt like church and sin all at the same time. It was freeing”The term “house” is believed to have come from The Warehouse, a Chicago club with a mostly gay clientele at the time. It was where DJ Frankie Knuckles held residency. Knuckles is often credited as the godfather of house music.By the 1990’s, the work Knuckles and other DJ’s put into developing house music saw the genre attract mainstream attention with artists like Madonna co-opting the sound for her 1990 hit “Vogue”. And in that same year, “Paris Is Burning” hit theaters, the flashpoint documentary shedding yet another light on house music within Black and Latino the ballroom culture.“It grew because people loved it,” said Brooks. But as house music grew, Brooks added, Black DJs could no longer afford to keep up with the equipment and new techniques needed to be competitive with major record labels now pumping tons of money into the genre. Also, many of patrons of New York and Chicago’s ballroom scenes were kept out of the venues where the music was starting to be played.By the 2000’s, Hip-hop and reggae began to take over gay clubs, while house music began to cater to white and European crowds.Artists like Calvin Harris and Avicii began playing house music at high-end dance clubs in cities like Ibiza and London.House Music’s FutureBrooks said he’s been paying attention to the online chatter about “Honestly, Nevermind.” He isn’t surprised that many were unaware that house music and Black culture have always been intertwined.“Gospel, hip-hop, R&B, house music — they all go together because they all come from the same,” said Brooks, adding that he’s pleased to see the genre of house music evolve to include afro-beats and other burgeoning genres.He’s also hopeful that Drake’s new album will bring house music to a whole new generation and remind them that the genre has always been Black.“The pandemic is what Drake is addressing with this album. It’s time to get up and move again. I’m so excited for young people to do that, to form that social connectedness again. That’s always been the purpose of house music.”Follow NBCBLK on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. | Music |
The Golden State Warriors are bringing the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy back to the Bay Area, and they’re inviting everyone here for the party.
The team plans to parade through the streets of downtown San Francisco on Monday, just days after vanquishing the Boston Celtics in game six at TD Garden for their fourth championship in eight years.
This year’s parade will mark a change from previous celebrations, which were held across the Bay in Oakland. Here’s what you need to know about when it’s happening, how to get there and what to do if you can’t make it.
When and where is the parade happening? The parade will start at 11:20 a.m. Monday and proceed from Market Street and Main Street down to 8th Street. It’s an extension of two blocks beyond what was originally planned.
The procession — which is expected to include Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the rest of the team’s players and coaching staff — will run about 1.4 miles before concluding at about 2 p.m. No post-parade rally is planned.
How do I get there?
The best advice is to arrive early for the best views — and to avoid the worst of the commute.
Muni is planning a series of re-routes due to the parade. The agency added that the Muni Metro subway is expected to provide the most direct route along Market Street. BART plans to operate a dozen extra trains to accommodate the crowds. It’s recommending the Embarcadero, Montgomery Street, Powell Street, and Civic Center stations as useful stations to access the parade route.
The commute is expected to be busy, though BART officials are not sure exactly how the traffic will compare with previous parades, when the agency saw record ridership as several hundred thousand people crammed onto trains to celebrate. Ridership has been down significantly during the pandemic. And with so many people working from home, revelers may not have to contend with as many workers traveling to their offices.
“With post-pandemic realities and people not going to work, especially on a Monday, we’re just not sure what ridership is going to be like,” said Alicia Trost, a BART spokesperson. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to win riders back.”
One potential snag: The Red Line has been experiencing power issues this past week — prompting BART officials to voice uncertainty about whether the line will operate Monday. If it doesn’t, riders from the Richmond area may need to take the Orange Line and switch trains before arriving at the parade.
The agency expects all of its trains to be busiest from 9 to 11:20 a.m., as well as from about 1 to 3 p.m. And with so many people making their way downtown, the agency has asked people to be patient and follow normal train courtesies, such as moving to the center of each train when boarding.
Since the parade ends between the Powell and Civic Center stations, the agency has recommended that riders who arrive at Civic Center exit at the east end of the station toward Seventh Street.
Of note, the agency said that the Red (Richmond-Millbrae) and Yellow (Antioch-SFO) Line trains coming from the East Bay and going into downtown San Francisco may not stop at Montgomery Street Station before the parade. Those riders are being told to instead get off at the Embarcadero, Powell Street, or Civic Center stations, the agency said.
Also, riders at Embarcadero Station are being asked to avoid the entrance at Market and Main streets, because it opens to a private parade staging area.
Remember: Masks are required in all BART stations and on all trains. And the agency is waiving its $3 new-card fee for people who put a Clipper card on their cell phones through either Apple Pay or Google Pay. That’s because there’s a Clipper card shortage — highlighting the need for riders to pay digitally, Trost said.
What’s new and different about this year’s parade?
This year’s parade marks the first time in the Warriors’ recent run of championships that their victory parade will be hosted in San Francisco.
Previous parades in 2015, 2017 and 2018 were held in downtown Oakland, just down the road from their former home court at the Coliseum. But with the Warriors now playing across the Bay at the Chase Center, the team is keeping its celebration in San Francisco.
The last championship parade in the city came in 2014, when the San Francisco Giants captured their third World Series crown in five years by defeating the Kansas City Royals in seven games.
Past Warriors parades have been a wild affair. In 2015, at least several hundred thousand people crammed into downtown Oakland after their series victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Two years later, the team gathered around Lake Merritt for a jubilant, confetti-filled celebration after once again beating the Cavaliers. And at its most recent parade in 2018, an estimated 1 million people reveled in the team’s third Finals victory over the Cavs in four years.
How did the Warriors get here?
The team’s route to the championship was unlike any of their other Finals victories over the last eight years.
Injuries kept the team’s Big Three — Curry, Thompson and Green — apart for most of the season, forcing their budding young players into action while the trio worked to get healthy. But once in the playoffs, the team quickly gelled — dispatching the Denver Nuggets in five games, the Memphis Grizzlies in six games and the Dallas Mavericks in five games.
After falling into a 2-1 hole against the Boston Celtics early in the NBA Finals, the Warriors stormed back by rattling off three straight wins — including two in the TD Garden.
Along the way, Curry collected the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP — the final piece of hardware that had eluded the prolific scorer. It was a recognition that may have cemented his legacy as one of the game’s greatest all-time players.
What if I can’t make it?
NBC Sports Bay Area will air live coverage of the parade and pre-parade festivities from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. On the radio, coverage can be found at 95.7 The Game. | Basketball |
Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk has been confirmed for 20 August, with Saudi Arabia the chosen venue for the world heavyweight title fight. The British boxer will be attempting to win back the WBA, IBF and WBO titles he lost in September at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.Usyk won the pair’s first contest on points with the judges scoring the fight 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 in favour of the Ukrainian in London. A rematch clause was immediately activated but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February cast doubt over when the former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk would be next back in the ring.Usyk, 35, returned to Ukraine to fight for his country but was given special dispensation to leave and start preparations for this bout months later.The Jeddah Super Dome, a 35,000-seat venue, will host the contest and the 32-year-old Joshua has made changes in pursuit of becoming world heavyweight champion for a third time.His long-serving trainer Rob McCracken has moved on and Robert Garcia has been added to his corner to work alongside Angel Fernandez, who was already in place. It will mark Joshua’s second fight in the kingdom after he wrested back his world titles with a points win over Andy Ruiz Jr in Riyadh in December 2019.Joshua described his recent career as a “roller-coaster” and said: “Fighting championship level back to back has had its pros and cons, but I decide every day to get stronger, to learn from my experiences and grow. A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter and I am the happiest and most motivated I have been.”Amnesty International said it was “no surprise” to see another major sporting event heading to Saudi Arabia and that it was time for the participants to use their platforms to raise human rights issues.“As we said with golfers in the LIV series and with the sale of Newcastle United, we’d like to see high-profile sporting figures speaking out about human rights to break the malign spell of Saudi sportswashing,” said Peter Frankel, Amnesty International UK’s economic affairs director.“We would urge Anthony Joshua to use his platform to show solidarity with those who’ve been persecuted under Mohammed bin Salman’s sweeping crackdowns.” | Boxing |
Three self-titled albums from pop icon Paul McCartney will come out in a limited-edition box set in August A limited-edition box set of Paul McCartney’s solo albums will be sold for the first time. Universal Music Enterprises announced it will package and release McCartney’s three namesake albums — "McCartney" (1970), "McCartney II" (1980) and "McCartney III" (2020).The albums will be sold in a "special box set" this summer.HOW MUCH DOES PAUL MCCARTNEY EARN? The announcement, made on Friday, June 17, occurred just a day before the singer’s 80th birthday on Saturday, June 18. Paul McCartney started his pop music career with The Beatles before going solo in 1970. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) Each album was written, performed and produced by McCartney, according to Universal.There will be three box set formats available, including a color vinyl edition ($99.98), a black vinyl edition ($89.98) and a CD-ROM edition ($39.98). Paul McCartney's three self-titled solo albums, "McCartney," "McCartney II" and "McCartney III," will be packaged in a special, limited-edition box set for the first time. The box sets will come with three eight-by-10-inch photo prints of McCartney and slipcase cover art designed by American pop artist Ed Ruscha.McCartney launched his solo career in April 1970 with a Q&A self-interview that acknowledged he was exploring music away from The Beatles due to "personal differences, business differences [and] musical differences."PASTOR GREG LAURIE DETAILS HOW JOHN LENNON FOUND GOD — AND WHY IT MATTERS TODAYThe Beatles, arguably the most influential rock band ever, were active as a group from 1960 to 1970. In addition to McCartney, its members were John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.They formed their group in Liverpool, U.K., and went on to make 21 studio albums. The Beatles pose for a portrait, circa 1964. From left to right, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)The seven-time Grammy winners have reportedly sold more than 600 million albums worldwide and are credited as among the most prolific artists of the 20th century.JOHN LENNON, YOKO ONO INTERVIEW CASSETTE TAPE AUCTIONED WITH EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS AND UNRELEASED SONG While solo, McCartney's namesake albums were critically acclaimed and made it onto various Billboard charts, including the Billboard Top LPs and the Billboard 200.Beloved songs from the three albums include "Every Night," "Coming Up" and "Rockdown." Paul McCartney wrote, performed and produced all three of his namesake solo albums. (Universal Music Enterprises)The English singer-songwriter has won 18 Grammys on his own.He has earned 81 nominations from the Recording Academy throughout his five-decade solo career.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESSFans can place pre-orders on shop.PaulMcCartney.com — or search for McCartney’s special box set after it releases to the public on Aug. 5, 2022. | Music |
The first thing Peter Doocy did after the president of the United States was caught on a hot mic referring to him as a “stupid son of a bitch” was call his father. “Peter was in transit from the incident when he called me and said, ‘Hey, I think the president just called me an SOB,’” Steve Doocy recalled, clarifying that his son made sure to use the same words President Biden had uttered minutes earlier. “And, you know, as his father, you go, ‘Oh no. There he goes using that language; that’s going to be a quarter for the swear jar,” Steve Doocy deadpanned. That dad joke was one of several the elder Doocy offered during a recent conversation between The Hill and Fox News’s well-known father-son duo about the media business, family and some headlines Peter Doocy has made since taking over as the network’s White House reporter. Questions and answers have been edited for grammar, clarity and length. Question: Steve, did you see potential in Peter from a young age to become such a widely followed media figure? Steve Doocy: When Peter was a little boy we assumed he would go to a business school or become a lawyer. We thought, even though a lot of kids in our neighborhood did not have jobs, we wanted Peter to have one. Peter previously had braces on his teeth, and it hurt to talk. So with this job he had to talk to complete strangers all day long, and, in a weird way, the grocery store really shaped who he was. So at that stage we had no idea where this would go ,and this sort of all happened randomly, and my wife and I, we never saw this coming. Peter Doocy: If there was ever any pressure it really was in the beginning to make sure that everybody knew that I was here to work hard and I was willing to put in the time on weekends or overnight shifts or some less desirable assignments and that I was not going to just take advantage of this really cool opportunity. Q: You’ve become known for a sometimes combative back-and-forth dynamic with White House flaks or top administration officials. Can you take us behind the curtain and describe what your interactions are like with the comms folks at the White House and other reporters in the briefing room? PD: The White House comms team is very good about proactively reaching out to see what topic du jour is going to be at the briefing. I think it helps us, and it helps them to talk generally about a theme, not to talk about questions, but it’s no good if you’re in there hoping to get a sound bite if the press secretary says, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jen Psaki and I had a good professional relationship, and Karine [Jean-Pierre] was often the one reaching out on Jen’s behalf to see what the topic was going to be. I’ve had a good working relationship with Karine for more than a year now, so I hope that continues. Q: Steve, what did you think when the president of the United States called your son a stupid son of a you-know-what? SD: When he called me, I asked what were the circumstances, and then [the call] dropped out, and I didn’t hear. And so I turned on the television and I think “The Five” had the sound bite, and they were playing it. And it’s like OK, that is nuts. That’s crazy. I think Peter handled it perfectly. He joked about it. Q: Peter, but what are your thoughts about the news coverage of the incident? PD: I think it was fair. The surprising thing in the beginning is that this was not the kind of exchange that I have at the White House that people just tweet about. It was the kind of exchange that news stories were written about and newspaper articles are written about. The surprising thing for me is that some mainstream outlets gave the president and I credit. Places that I don’t usually expect to see anybody giving any White House reporters or anybody from the front row credit. Q: Can you recall any other particularly difficult or complicated time during your career when you’ve needed to lean on your dad for advice or guidance? PD: When I first started, I had a million questions every day just about how it was supposed to work. And I was living at home still in northern New Jersey, and every night at dinner I was just picking his brain about the way to do it and do a good job. Luckily I don’t have to ask him about that anymore, but we talk about the news the same I think as most fathers and sons that pay attention to stuff like that. Q: Steve, parents always want to take credit for the success of their kids, but what’s an aspect of Peter’s success that you can’t take credit for? SD: Whenever somebody comes up to my wife Kathy and I to talk about Peter, something that Kathy says every time … and, Peter, what is that? PD: She says I have her hair. | Celebrity |
The governing body for swimming has barred transgender athletes from competing in women's competitions after hearing from a panel of experts, including Australian Olympic champion Cate Campbell, who said the physical difference between males and females cannot be disputed.The governing body for swimming has restricted transgender athletes from competing in women's competitions and will create a separate "open" category for those who do not meet the new criteria to race as a female.FINA members heard from three groups which comprised of independent experts from science and medicine, legal and human rights and an athlete group to determine how much gender played a part in overall performance.Its report found sex is the "key determinant" of athletic performance with males outperforming females in sports, including aquatics, with the difference between genders emerging from the beginning of puberty.The experts also determined trans women had a significant advantage over female-born swimmers even after taking hormone-reducing medication.Stream more sports news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022FINA handed down its new policy which will see transgender athletes needing to prove by next week they have not experienced any part of male puberty before the age of 12."They are androgen sensitive but had male puberty suppressed beginning at Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later, and they have since continuously maintained their testosterone levels in serum (or plasma) below 2.5 nmol/L," part of the 24-page policy read.It was passed with a majority of 71.5 per cent of more than 190 members voting in favour on the landmark policy.International Swimming Federation President Husain Al-Musallam said it was important to protect the rights of athletes and competitive fairness of the events.He then announced the governing body will create a separate "open" category for trans competitors who fail to meet the criteria to compete in female races."FINA will always welcome every athlete. The creation of an open category will mean that everybody has the opportunity to compete at an elite level," Mr Al-Musallam said."This has not been done before, so FINA will need to lead the way."I want all athletes to feel included in being able to develop ideas during this process.Four-time Australian Olympic gold medallist Cate Campbell, along with American swimmer Summer Sanders, spoke before and after the vote about their personal opinions on the issue that has marred the sport in recent months.Campbell recognised her part in the huge changes coming to the sport, saying the role she plays "may injure, infuriate and alienate" members of the trans community.“Believe me, I have wrestled long and hard with myself, with what to say and do. I am aware that my actions and words," she said."No matter what I say, will anger some people — whether they are from the trans-community or from the cisgender female community.“However, I am asking everyone to take a breath, to absorb before reacting. Listen to the science and experts. Listen to the people who stand up here and tell you how difficult it has been to reconcile inclusion and fairness.“That men and women are physiologically different cannot be disputed. We are only now beginning to explore and understand the origins of these physiological differences and the lasting effects of exposure to differing hormones."Women, who have fought long and hard to be included and seen as equals in sport, can only do so because of the gender category distinction. To remove that distinction would be to the detriment of female athletes everywhere.”The new policy came following outrage over American swimmer Lia Thomas who became the first transgender to win the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA championship in Atlanta in March as well as breaking several national records.The 22-year-old argued on Good Morning America earlier this month that women "don't transition for athletics" and they were "not a threat" to female sports."We transition to be happy and authentic and our true selves. Transitioning to get an advantage is not something that ever factors into our decisions," she said.Thomas added she did not "need anyone's permission" to compete.But she will not able to chase her dream of reaching the Olympic trials under the new policy as she transitioned in the summer of 2018. | Swimming |
Nick Cannon Gets Father's Day Shout-Out From Only Two of His Baby Mamas?!? 6/19/2022 2:52 PM PT Nick Cannon is a busy man on Father's Day -- with 6 kids already out of the oven, and 2 more cooking -- but he's only getting love (publicly) from a couple baby mamas. Indeed ... the television host and media personality was shouted out Sunday, explicitly, by just two women who are currently carrying his children. That would be Johnny Manziel's ex, Bre Tiesi, who's very pregnant with a boy at this point, and Abby De La Rosa ... with whom Nick already shares twins, and has another baby with him on the way as well. ADLR posted a couple of old videos/photos of her, Nick and their kids, with a caption that read, "Happy Father's Day @nickcannon - we are so grateful for you papa!" Abby also appears to have actually been with Nick himself this weekend, or at least on Saturday anyway. In addition to the old videos/photos, she also threw up what seems to be a new clip of them celebrating with a Father's Day-themed bash, and she calls Nick "babe." Instagram / @hiabbydelarosa Meanwhile, Bre -- who announced she was expecting with Nick via a gender reveal party at the beginning of the year -- posted personal shots of her and Nick as well ... where she, too, is giving him praise as great dad-to-be, and seems to be all in on their relationship. Bre's caption reads, "Moments like this with you are everything. You are the most gentle loving present human. I dk how you do it we are just thankful you do. Happy Father's Day to baby C's super daddy we love you so much can't wait to celebrate u @nickcannon." She posted yet another photo of the two of them during a shoot, where she calls Nick "my love" and further wishes him a happy Father's Day. What she doesn't have that Abby does ... Nick there with her, or so it seems. Another woman with whom Nick had a child -- which unfortunately passed away at a very young age -- is Alyssa Scott, who said Happy Father's Day ... but without naming Nick. Their son, Zen, died at just 5 months old after a battle with cancer ... something Nick addressed publicly and which left him torn up. It doesn't appear he's hanging with AS right now either. His other baby mamas -- Mariah Carey and Brittany Bell, with whom he shares 4 children between the two women -- have been relatively mum thus far on Father's Day ... at least as far as mentioning Nick is concerned. Brittany hasn't posted any Father's Day tributes at all ... meanwhile, Mariah just threw up a post honoring Juneteenth and FD, without naming NC. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Ya gotta imagine the guy's making the rounds today for all his little ones, but out of all of the mothers ... it appears Abby is the one who's staking a claim as his current SO, at least that appears to be the case. It's honestly unclear if Nick's monogamous with anyone these days. The more the merrier, though, we suppose. Happy Father's Day!!! | Celebrity |
Sports June 19, 2022 / 4:53 PM / AP World swimming's governing body has effectively banned transgender women from competing in women's events, starting Monday. FINA members widely adopted a new "gender inclusion policy" on Sunday that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women's events. The organization also proposed an "open competition category.""This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It's what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair," James Pearce, who is the spokesperson for FINA president Husain Al-Musallam, told The Associated Press. "They're not saying everyone should transition by age 11, that's ridiculous. You can't transition by that age in most countries and hopefully you wouldn't be encouraged to. Basically, what they're saying is that it is not feasible for people who have transitioned to compete without having an advantage."Pearce confirmed there are currently no transgender women competing in elite levels of swimming. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health just lowered its recommended minimum age for starting gender transition hormone treatment to 14 and some surgeries to 15 or 17.FINA's new 24-page policy also proposed a new "open competition" category. The organization said it was setting up "a new working group that will spend the next six months looking at the most effective ways to set up this new category."Pearce told the AP that the open competition would most likely mean more events, but those details still need to be worked out."No one quite knows how this is going to work. And we need to include a lot of different people, including transgender athletes, to work out how it would work," he said. "So there are no details of how that would work. The open category is something that will start being discussed tomorrow." The members voted 71.5% in favor at the organization's extraordinary general congress after hearing presentations from three specialist groups — an athlete group, a science and medicine group and a legal and human rights group — that had been working together to form the policy following recommendations given by the International Olympic Committee last November.The IOC urged shifting the focus from individual testosterone levels and calling for evidence to prove when a performance advantage existed.FINA's "deeply discriminatory, harmful, unscientific" new policy is "not in line with (the IOC's) framework on fairness, inclusion and non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex variations," Anne Lieberman of Athlete Ally, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ athletes, said in a statement."The eligibility criteria for the women's category as it is laid out in the policy (will) police the bodies of all women, and will not be enforceable without seriously violating the privacy and human rights of any athlete looking to compete in the women's category," Lieberman said. FINA said it recognizes "that some individuals and groups may be uncomfortable with the use of medical and scientific terminology related to sex and sex-linked traits (but) some use of sensitive terminology is needed to be precise about the sex characteristics that justify separate competition categories."In March, Lia Thomas made history in the United States as the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming championship, the 500-yard freestyle. Thomas said last month on ABC's "Good Morning America" that she was aiming to become an Olympic swimmer. She also disputed those who say she has an unfair biological edge that ruins the integrity of women's athletics, saying "trans women are not a threat to women's sports." The University of Pennsylvania didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Thomas.Other sports have also been examining their rules around transgender athletes. On Thursday, cycling's governing body updated its eligibility rules for transgender athletes with stricter limits that will force riders to wait longer before they can compete. The International Cycling Union (UCI) increased the transition period on low testosterone to two years, and lowered the maximum accepted level of testosterone. The previous transition period was 12 months but the UCI said recent scientific studies show that "the awaited adaptations in muscle mass and muscle strength/power" among athletes who have made a transition from male to female takes at least two years. In: Transgender Swimming LGBTQ+ | Swimming |
Jessie Buckley’s strength as an actor is that, however preposterous her character or dialogue, she locates something true and compelling and makes you believe it. That same rich, animating intelligence ripples through this very promising debut. Fans of Butler’s guitar playing may be disappointed that he prefers acoustic to the electric extravagances of his collaborations with other flamboyant vocalists like Brett Anderson and David McAlmont. Yet his production has never been better. For All Our Days… leans into American, Irish, English and even Spanish folk traditions without slavishly following any of them, and his light, confident touch gives due time and space to Buckley’s magical voice.She can be puckish, yearning, impossibly weary, intimate – and that’s all on one track, 20 Years a Growing. The pair’s most engaging songs start spare, then meander with gathering intensity to an orchestral crescendo, as on first single The Eagle and the Dove, but they handle more uptempo material convincingly too, as on Babylon Days. What stays with you are moments like Buckley’s startling cackle at the close of kiss-off ballad Beautiful Regret – the sound of someone rightly relishing their good work, knowing how lucky they are. Watch the video for The Eagle and the Dove by Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler. | Music |
Loughlin, 57, walked the carpet for the DesignCare 2022 Gala, which benefits HollyRod Foundation.Lori Loughlin attends DesignCare 2022 Gala to benefit the HollyRod Foundation on June 18, 2022, in Los Angeles.Phillip Faraone / Getty Images for HollyRod FoundationJune 19, 2022, 6:11 PM UTC"Full House" actor Lori Loughlin attended DesignCare 2022 Gala on Saturday, marking her first red carpet appearance since she was embroiled in a college admissions scandal. Loughlin, 57, walked the carpet for the gala, which benefits HollyRod Foundation, an organization that provides resources to those who have recently received an autism or Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis.The event was held in Los Angeles.Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, her fashion designer husband, were among a group of high-profile parents charged with paying fixers to help their children gain admission into elite schools. Some of the rigging included fake athletic credentials and rigged test scores.Loughlin and Giannulli admitted that they paid $500,000 to Rick Singer and Key Worldwide Foundation to help their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, get into the University of Southern California by falsely portraying them as rowing recruits.The pair both served prison time, Loughlin in 2020 and Giannulli in 2021, for the scandal and have since been released. Loughlin was fined $150,000 and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service after being released. Giannulli was fined $250,000 and ordered to complete 250 hours of community service after his release.Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York. | Celebrity |
While most summer weekends are spent brunching, sitting in the park, and other sun-driven activities, the third Sunday of June is reserved for one particularly special activity: celebrating Dad. Each year, greeting cards are distributed, sentimental Instagrams posted, and a bevy of dad-friendly extracurriculars to be had—grilling, golfing, et al. This year saw the ushering in of a particularly notable subset of humans celebrating the holiday: the hot, celebrity dad. Among those marking celebrating Father’s Day today are Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake, David Beckham, and a whole bevy of other very, well, hot dads. In honor of the special day, a look back at some of the most talented—and genetically blessed—dads in the pages of W.1George ClooneyGeorge Clooney photographed by Emma Summerton for W Magazine, December/January 2014.2Brad PittBrad Pitt Photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine, February 2012.3Idris ElbaIdris Elba photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine, February 2014.4Justin TimberlakeJustin Timberlake photographed by Michael Thompson for W Magazine, October 2011.5David BeckhamDavid Beckham photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine, September 2007.6Eddie RedmayneEddie Redmayne photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine, February 2015.7Benedict CumberbatchBenedict Cumberbatch photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine, February 2015.8Chris HemsworthChris Hemsworth photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine, October 2017.9Matthew McConaugheyMatthew McConaughey photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine, February 2014.10Ryan GoslingRyan Gosling photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin for W Magazine, October 2010.11Edward NortonEdward Norton photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine, February 2015.12Ashton KutcherAshton Kutcher photographed by Mark Seliger for W Magazine, June/July 2017.13Bruce WillisBruce Willis photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine, July 2009.14Javier BardemJavier Bardem photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine, February 2013.15Pharrell WilliamsPharrell Williams photographed by Joshua White, art by Urs Fischer, for W Magazine, 2014.16Richard GereRichard Gere photographed by Craig McDean for W Magazine, November 2012.17Denzel WashingtonDenzel Washington photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine, February 2013.18Bradley CooperBradley Cooper photographed by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for W Magazine, July 2018.19Ben AffleckBen Affleck photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine, February 2013.20Ethan HawkeEthan Hawke photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine, February 2015.21Dane DeHaanDane DeHaan photographed by Craig McDean for W Magazine, April 2017.22Tom FordTom Ford photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine, January 2006.23Paul RuddPaul Rudd photographed by Andreas Laszlo Konrath for W Magazine, February 2011.24Michael DouglasMichael Douglas photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for W Magazine, February 2011.25Will FerrellWill Ferrell photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine, February 2014.26Antonio BanderasAntonio Banderas photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine, February 2012.27Mahershala AliMahershala Ali photographed by Craig McDean for W Magazine, February 2017.28Tom HanksTom Hanks photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine, February 2018.29Kanye WestKanye West photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine, October 2016. | Celebrity |
Lia Thomas Scandal FINA Bans Trans Women Athletes ... Who Are Past Puberty Age 6/19/2022 3:46 PM PT Lia Thomas' participation in women's swimming has reached a breaking point -- because the world's governing body for the sport has weighed in ... and their ruling is against her. FINA -- French for the the International Swimming Federation -- came down with their decision this weekend regarding transgender athletes (specifically trans women) partaking in women's swimming ... and they say it's a no-go going forward, with certain caveats. FINA announces new policy on gender inclusion 👇https://t.co/tOcoTKz8WK— FINA (@fina1908) June 19, 2022 @fina1908 The org's new policy says male-to-female swimmers who transition before age of 12 or before the Tanner Stage 2 of puberty -- whichever comes later -- can compete in women's events. The reason ... they say there's no question a trans female athlete that has already gone through male puberty has an unfair physical advantage over cisgender females. They reached this conclusion based on multiple studies, reports and presentations by 3 specialist groups, who offered their findings to FINA -- made up of members from 152 national federations -- who then voted ... with a 71% majority in favor of this decision. World swimming’s governing body has effectively banned transgender women from competing in women’s events.FINA members voted 71.5% in favor of a policy that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events. https://t.co/2fZ93vZb08— The Associated Press (@AP) June 19, 2022 @AP In the wake of this coming down, a rep for the Prez of FINA told AP, "This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It’s what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair." The spox adds, "They’re not saying everyone should transition by age 11, that’s ridiculous. You can’t transition by that age in most countries and hopefully you wouldn’t be encouraged to. Basically, what they’re saying is that it is not feasible for people who have transitioned to compete without having an advantage." They clarified there are no trans women currently competing in elite levels of swimming ... presumably, meaning international competition. One thing FINA is considering to be inclusive to trans swimmers ... an "open competition" category. It's ill-defined at this point, but they're tasking a group to investigate it further. It's unclear if FINA's new rules are going to be adopted by agencies like the NCAA, which currently permits people like Lia to compete in collegiate swimming. She made history this year by winning a national title in women's swimming, the 500-meter freestyle. It worked! I took a lot of heat - but what’s fair is fair! If you go through male puberty you should not be able to take medals away from females. Period. https://t.co/qqZq7gnt6g— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 19, 2022 @Caitlyn_Jenner In any case, some people are welcoming the news ... including Caitlyn Jenner, who's been advocating for such change for a while now -- saying trans female athletes have an undeniable physical advantage over their cisgender competition, as have many others. She wrote, "It worked! I took a lot of heat - but what’s fair is fair! If you go through male puberty you should not be able to take medals away from females. Period." Lia herself doesn't appear to have commented publicly yet. | Swimming |
Formula One F1 - Canadian Grand Prix - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada - June 19, 2022 Fans are seen on the tracks after the race REUTERS/Chris HelgrenRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comMONTREAL, June 19 (Reuters) - Missing from the Formula One calendar since 2019, the Canadian Grand Prix was back in race mode on Sunday to the delight of drivers, fans and business owners who had missed the fast-paced action at the circuit during its forced COVID-19 hiatus.Whenever the F1 circus pitches its tent in a city, the drivers roll out well-rehearsed platitudes but there has always been a sense of sincerity when it comes to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a high-speed track on the man-made Ile Notre-Dame in the middle of the St. Lawrence river."It's such a great place, obviously, one of my favourite tracks, one of the old-school ones that remains in the calendar and that's pretty special," said Alpine's Esteban Ocon. "It's awesome to see that the city transforms completely to racing mode."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWhile drivers missed the Canadian Grand Prix, local businesses were left heartbroken.The race is not just one of Canada's best-attended sporting events but has grown into a week-long festival of high-octane fun that has super-charged the Montreal area economy.The Société du parc Jean-Drapeau, Tourisme Montréal and the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada published a study earlier this year, according to the CBC, that found the event's economic impact on the gross domestic product (GDP) to be $63.2 million (CDN).Interest in this year's race exploded after the NetFlix documentary series "Drive To Survive" provided a behind-the-scenes insight into F1's personalities and rivalries -- with people locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic binge watching the episodes."You can feel that the people love Formula One; you can see that there are many Formula One fans," said AlphaTuari team principal Franz Tost. "Of course, this is part of the history."Canada has a fantastic Formula One history with Gilles Villeneuve and with other Formula One drivers."Mother Nature did not exactly welcome F1 back to Montreal as Friday practice and Saturday qualifying were buffeted by lightning storms and lashing rain.But the weather for Sunday's race was near perfect, giving the sellout crowd a good return on their pricey investment as Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen held off a challenge from Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to extend his advantage in the standings.Race fans blocked out worries of sky-rocketing gas prices and inflation as they opened their wallets to secure a seat at the circuit.Tickets for Sunday's race on resale sites were not for the faint hearted, with general admission going for over $500 while VIP suites topped $10,000.Hotels were also cashing in with rooms averaging more than $500 a night while AirBnB were asking from $1,000 to $4,000 a day for a downtown condo.Restaurants and bars, especially those operating on pedestrian-only streets like Crescent and Peel were party central with the fun lasting well into the early morning."I wasn't going to miss this," said Tom from Toronto, who admitted to nursing hangover as he made his way to the track on Sunday. "I've spent enough to buy a car but it's worth it."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Steve Keating in Montreal. Editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Other Sports |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Matt Fitzpatrick held off Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler to win the U.S. Open on Sunday, finishing with a 6-under for the tournament.It was Fitzpatrick’s first major victory of his career at one of the toughest courses in The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was coming off his best finish at the PGA Championship last month in which he finished tied for fifth. Zalatoris finished with a 5-under.This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Golf |
OAKLAND – A’s left-hander Jared Koenig got the kind of run support Sunday that some of his fellow starting pitchers have only sparingly enjoyed.
Seth Brown and Sean Murphy both homered to help lead the A’s to a 4-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Father’s Day, giving Oakland an all-too-rare win at the Coliseum this season.
Brown hit a solo home run in the first inning and Murphy added a three-run homer in the sixth, as the A’s (23-45) salvaged the last game of the three-game set before a crowd of 14,341 and improved to 8-25 at home this season.
The A’s have now scored three or more runs in six of 16 games this month. That was enough offense for Koenig, a San Jose native and Aptos High School alum, who picked up his Major League win in his third big league start.
Koenig, 28, threw 89 pitches and allowed two hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings.
Koenig did not record more than 12 outs in either of his first two big-league starts for the A’s, as he entered Sunday with a 0-2 record and an 11.25 ERA. Last Monday against Boston, Koenig allowed single runs in each of the first three innings in what became a 6-1 A’s loss at Boston on Monday.
Against the Royals, though, Koenig didn’t allow a hit through four innings, although a play at first base in the fourth inning involving Royals outfielder Andrew Benintendi was changed from a base hit to an error on Koenig, who dropped a short throw from first baseman Brown at the bag.
The A’s also received solid starting pitching in their first two games in the series, as Frankie Montas and Cole Irvin combined to allow just four earned runs over 11⅓ innings. But the A’s just couldn’t get on base with any regularity, and when they did, usually couldn’t bring the runners home, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Oakland lost 5-1 on Friday and 2-0 on Saturday.
Brown’s homer to left field was his ninth of the season, but the A’s failed on a couple of chances to add to their lead.
In the third inning, Tony Kemp was sent home by third base coach Darren Bush after Michael A. Taylor misplayed Brown’s single to center. Kemp was initially ruled safe at home by umpire Alex MacKay, but after an official review, it was determined that Kemp was tagged on the backside by Royals catcher Salvador Perez.
The A’s also had runners on second and third with one out in the fifth, but Kemp grounded into a fielder’s choice and Murphy was caught in a rundown between home plate and third base. That was followed by a pop-up to third base by Jonah Pride. | Baseball |
Love Island star Gemma Owen has got her family - including dad Michael's - seal of approval on her romance with Luca Bish as things hot up for the dressage star and the fishmonger on the ITV2 showVideo LoadingVideo UnavailableAftersun: Gemma's family insist she's 'just friends' with JacquesLove Island's Gemma Owen has got her family's seal of approval on her romance with Luca Bish. The pair have been growing closer by the day, with Luca left reeling tonight when newbie Danica Taylor decided to pick him as her partner, splitting him and Gemma up and leaving the fishmonger fuming with her decision. Gemma's auntie and cousin appeared on Love Island's After Sun tonight, where they backed her romance with Luca - insisting Gemma must really like him because of the way she's behaving in the villa - as they spilled details on her past romance with Jacques O'Neill. Gemma's family gave Luca their seal of approval (
Image:
ITV) Asked for her verdict, her aunty said: "Gemma obviously really likes him as she can't hide her feelings. They're written all over her face." After Sun host Laura Whitmore also asked if she felt they - and Gemma's dad Michael Owen - would like him on the outside too, as she added of their close knit family: "He would get on really well with the family." Gemma has had her eyes set on Luca for a few days now after she and Davide hit the rocks. Gemma and Luca have been split up by newbie Danica (
Image:
ITV) During tonight's show though, fans have been expressing concern over Luca's reaction to Danica's decision. "Nah sorry always red flags from men who are rude to women they’re not interested in, u can’t muster up some basic respect and kindness just bc you don’t wanna fancy her???? Ok #loveisland," one disappointed fan wrote, as another added: "is luca being this obsessed with gemma a red flag or am i paranoid?? i get that they're together 24/7 but it's still a bit... iffy #LoveIsland." A third fan penned: "i was starting to like gemma but now i feel sorry for her cause luca is a red flag #loveisland." The pair went on a date tonight (
Image:
ITV) It comes after Gemma revealed her dad Michael trusts her not to "embarrass" him in the villa. Speaking to The Mirror and other press, she said: "I still wouldn't say he was buzzing about the fact, but he is very supportive in whatever I decide to do so he didn't have a massive tantrum or anything like that. He was pretty chilled." And speaking of her mum, she said: "They trust me not to do anything to embarrass them, so I don't think I would have sex in the villa." Read more
Love Island 2022 | Celebrity |
Paul Haggis Oscar Winner Arrested in Italy ... Sexual Assault Charges 6/19/2022 1:47 PM PT UPDATE 2:35 PM PT -- Haggis' attorney, Priya Chaudhry, tells TMZ ... "Under Italian Law, I cannot discuss the evidence. That said, I am confident that all allegations will be dismissed ... He is totally innocent, and willing to fully cooperate with the authorities so the truth comes out." Paul Haggis -- famous for writing/directing 2006's Best Picture, "Crash" -- has been arrested in Italy for sexual assault ... this according to multiple reports. Local media say the Oscar-winning filmmaker -- who also wrote "Million Dollar Baby," among other hit films over the years -- was busted Sunday in the city of Ostuni, where he's been accused of forcing an unidentified young woman to have sex with him over the course of 2 days. He's in town for a new film festival happening this week, called Allora Fest. The woman, who's not of Italian descent, was taken to an airport by Haggis after the alleged assault and left in a state of confusion ... per law enforcement quoted by Italian reports. The alleged victim is said to have been attended to by airport staff, who took her to a hospital ... where she eventually pressed charges against Haggis, naming him as the alleged culprit. He remains in custody, and his events have been nixed from the AF lineup. Allora Fest honchos say, "The themes chosen for the festival are, among others, those of equality, gender equality, and solidarity. As professionals and women, they are dismayed and hope that the festival will help foster more information and awareness on such a topical and increasingly pressing issue." The authorities are investigating the incident further. We've reached out to Haggis' reps, no word back yet. He's been accused of sexual misconduct by several other women over the past few years ... all of which he's denied. Originally Published -- 1:47 PM PT | Celebrity |
Sunday Morning June 19, 2022 / 9:29 AM / CBS News Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: A tiny hero Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: A tiny hero 06:07 There are plenty of BIG movies this summer, from "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Jurassic World: Dominion" to "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." But the highest-rated one of all on Rotten Tomatoes is very, very small, with a main character no bigger than a quarter!Comedian, actor and author Jenny Slate has voiced plenty of animated characters, but she considers Marcel the Shell her finest creation. "He has this sort of granite dignity, but he's so tiny. I think that there's a lot of humor in watching something be the wrong size." "Guess what I do for adventure? I hang glide on a Dorito." Marcel's first short has garnered more than 32 million views. YouTube Slate created Marcel's distinctive voice in 2010 when, to save money attending a wedding, she was sharing one hotel room with five friends. "It was so crowded in there! And I just felt tiny. And all of a sudden, I just started saying [in this tiny voice], This, this is like, I, like, can hardly move. I can't move around!" Her boyfriend, filmmaker Dean Fleischer-Camp, loved the new little character voice, and decided to feature it in a short video. "I knew I wanted to make an animated short and sort of something I hadn't experimented with before," he told correspondent David Pogue. Fleischer-Camp went to a toy store and art supply shop and got a bunch of googly eyes and shells. The three-minute short featuring Marcel the Shell was a huge hit on YouTube. "One time I nibbled on a piece of cheese, and my cholesterol went up to 900."In the next few years, the couple made two more Marcel videos, racking up 48 million views and counting. They also published two Marcel books, and got married.Inevitably, Hollywood came a-calling, with BIG Hollywood ideas. Fleischer-Camp said, "Someone even recommended that we pair him with Ryan Reynolds and they fight crime together, which is not a movie I wouldn't see!"Finally, Fleischer-Camp and Slate found backers who'd give them full control. But to fill 90 minutes, they'd have to expand Marcel's emotional range, fill in his backstory, and introduce new characters, like Marcel's grandmother, voiced by Isabella Rossellini. Marcel (voiced by Jenny Slate) and his grandma, Connie (Isabella Rossellini). A24 Pogue asked, "Did anyone ever say, you know, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's tugging what made the shorts special too much'?" Fleischer-Camp replied, "I think part of that was in, sort of, always gut-checking ourselves against the original and making sure, does it still have that sort of, you know, electricity that was so great about the shorts?'"In the movie, Marcel and his grandma watch "60 Minutes" together every Sunday night. "She likes Lesley Stahl," Marcel remarks. "She busts cases wide open, and she's got class."Fortunately for the filmmakers, the real Lesley Stahl agreed to take the role. "They wanted me to play it 100% straight," she told Pogue. "So, they hired a '60 Minutes' crew, a '60 Minutes' producer came along to produce the segment." The movie even uses the news crew's footage. "I think it does look like a '60 Minutes' story when you see it."This movie has elevated me in the eyes of my grandchildren," Stahl laughed. "I mean, they've seen me on '60 Minutes,' and I'm nothing. But with Marcel? This is huge in my family!" A24 Pogue asked, "Does it make you inclined to look fondly upon the next movie proposal that comes your way?""Well, let me just say this: I'm available. Here I am, a movie star!"Dean Fleischer-Camp is in the movie, too, as the mostly-offscreen voice of the filmmaker. "I am playing a version of myself that doesn't exist anymore," he said, "and I'm glad I'm not that person anymore." The movie wound up taking seven years to make, because the filmmakers had to make it four times.First, as a complete audio soundtrack. The second version added storyboards. A24 For the third pass, they filmed the empty backgrounds for the entire movie, without Marcel. A24 Finally, the team animated the tiny Marcel puppet, one frame at a time, and added him into the backgrounds. A24 In the end, the marriage of Marcel's creators didn't survive. But their collaboration opens in theaters on Friday: a movie about a bald, armless, one-eyed shell on a quest to find his family.Pogue said, "That the movie works at all is crazy.""Yeah, I mean, of course it's a huge risk to take," said Slate. And yet, "It makes people feel, like, I'm-a-little-guy like feelings, you know, wanting to be loved for your own dear smallness in this gigantic, weird, cosmic scheme that we're in." Fleischer-Camp said, "I love it when people comment on it and they say, 'I can't believe I was bawling my eyes out at this little shell with googly eyes.'"To watch a trailer for "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" click on the video player below: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On | Official Trailer HD | A24 by A24 on YouTube For more info:"Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" (A24) opens in theaters June 24Follow Jenny Slate on InstagramFollow Dean Fleischer-Camp on Twitter Story produced by Julie Kracov. Editor: Mike Levine. Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Movies |
Chicago was known as the “city of losers” in 1976.Not by outsiders but by ourselves.In the year of the nation’s bicentennial, the last local team to win a championship was the 1963 Bears. The Cubs hadn’t won since 1908, the White Sox since 1917.Every time a Chicago team tried to break the mold, a collapse of monumental proportions would unfold, and fans here grew to expect nothing less.But the next 25 years would bring massive changes to the local sports scene, including the arrival of Michael Jordan, who would go on to become the greatest basketball player of all time and bring six titles to Chicago with the Bulls.The Bears won their only Super Bowl in the 1985 season behind a fiery coach and a collection of fun-loving characters who ruled the city like no team before or since. New baseball ownership on the North and South sides attempted to end the droughts of the Cubs and White Sox, which ultimately bled into the 21st century. It was also the end of the line for two beloved stadiums, Comiskey Park and the Chicago Stadium, and for the time-honored tradition of day-only baseball at Wrigley Field.[Follow along with all of our 175th anniversary coverage and sign up to receive a special edition of Daywatch in your inbox with anniversary coverage]Workers high atop the new Comiskey Park look far down on the old one on July 10, 1990. (Frank Hanes / Chicago Tribune)And for those who loved reading about their favorite teams and athletes through thick and thin, 1976-2000 was a golden era for Chicago sports writing — and the Tribune was graced by some of the finest writers in history.From “In the Wake of the News” columnists Bob Verdi, Bernie Lincicome and Steve Daley to Hall of Fame baseball writer Jerome Holtzman to specialists including Don Pierson (football), Sam Smith (basketball), John Husar (outdoors) and Fred Mitchell (multiple sports), the idea of a slow news day on the Chicago sports front was virtually unthinkable.DePaul coach Ray Meyer is mobbed by fans upon his team's arrival at O'Hare after they beat UCLA to advance to the Final Four in 1979. (Don Casper / Chicago Tribune)It’s hard for some to believe now, but DePaul men’s basketball was bigger than the Bulls before Jordan’s arrival from North Carolina in 1984. Legendary coach Ray Meyer’s Blue Demons started out as a Cinderella in 1979 and wound up dancing all the way to the Final Four while playing their home games in tiny Alumni Hall on Belden Avenue.They never made it back, despite highly ranked teams, and moving to the Rosemont Horizon in 1980 removed the narrative of the lovable little school under the “L” tracks.Chicagoans didn’t expect much from their teams in the 1970s and early ‘80s and thus were seldom disappointed. Fans could overlook the flaws on a team that was entertaining, such as the “South Side Hit Men” of 1977.In July of that season, Verdi, then the White Sox beat writer, wrote that the players “gamble so wantonly on the basepaths you would think they failed to visit the john before leaving the clubhouse.” The Hit Men faded on cue, like a pair of well-worn blue jeans. But 45 years later they remain a treasured part of Sox lore.The Bears were an afterthought for most of the 1979 season after starting out 3-5. But running back Walter Payton, linebacker Doug Buffone and a resilient bunch won six of seven leading into the season finale at Soldier Field. They needed a win over the St. Louis Cardinals and a Washington Redskins loss — and to make up a 33-point differential with the Redskins — for a wild-card spot.The players awoke on Dec. 17 to the news that Bears President George “Mugs” Halas Jr. — the 54-year-old heir apparent to team founder George “Papa Bear” Halas — had died. But the Bears went on to trounce the Cardinals 42-6 before the Redskins lost by one point to the Dallas Cowboys, giving Payton & Co. a playoff berth.“From dawn to dusk the Bears were involved in perhaps the most unbelievable day in their 60-year history,” Pierson wrote.The Bears lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1979 playoffs, but Halas hired coach Mike Ditka in January 1982, and the ‘85 Bears not only won the Super Bowl and brought Chicago its first championship since 1963, but also changed the way athletes marketed themselves with their “Super Bowl Shuffle” video.With an escort from Otis Wilson (55), Bears' Wilber Marshall (58) steams into the endzone in the fourth quarter after scooping up a fumble 52 yards upfield during the NFC Championship game with the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field on Jan. 12, 1986. (Bob Langer / Chicago Tribune)Halas was not alive to see it, and daughter Virginia McCaskey inherited the team. In a front-page article, Tribune sports writer Phil Hersh wrote: “The Bears, once hoisted aloft, can simply put one foot on the Picasso, another on the Sears Tower, and step right up to the Chicago cloud, where team founder George Halas will be waiting.”For decades the names Halas, Wrigley and Wirtz were synonymous with the word “frugal” in the minds of many fans. Others preferred the generic term “cheapskates.” Verdi nicknamed Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz “Dollar Bill” in a Tribune column for his inability to part with money to pay his players.Reputations are difficult to erase. Just ask the Cubs.During a baseball strike in the summer of 1981, Tribune Co. — at that time, the owner of the newspaper, WGN-TV, WGN-AM 720 and other entities — pulled off a shocking deal with William Wrigley to purchase the Cubs for $20.5 million, or $1.5 million less than current Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward’s 2022 salary.The Wrigley family had owned the team for three generations and stamped its name on the iconic ballpark. But on June 17, 1981, the day after the sale was announced, the Tribune reported Cubs fans were ecstatic over the possibility of the team finally spending money, installing lights at Wrigley Field and dismissing general manager Herman Franks.“It was clear the general attitude would have been positive even if Bozo the Clown had taken over,” read one report in the Tribune sports section.In spite of new management, nothing changed immediately. Cubs gotta Cub. Early in the 1983 season, manager Lee Elia unleashed a profanity-laden tirade against Cubs fans, calling them the “dumb 15 (bleeping) percent that come out to day baseball (while) the other 85 percent are earning a living.” Radio reporter Les Grobstein saved the tape for posterity, and every year Cubs fans relive the memory of the rant heard around the world.The White Sox, however, would be the bigger story in ‘83. Manager Tony La Russa’s club shook off a lethargic first half to run away with the American League West title and dominate the headlines. “The Miracle on 35th Street,” Holtzman wrote on Aug. 29, 1983, after Greg “The Bull” Luzinski cranked his third rooftop home run of the season at Comiskey Park.The miracle ended with a loss to the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series, and La Russa was fired in 1986 — only to return 34 years later. When the Sox flopped in ‘84, the Cubs stole the city back.Under manager Jim Frey and new stars Ryne Sandberg, Rick Sutcliffe and Gary “Sarge” Matthews, the Cubs ended a 39-year playoff drought. Tribune Co. took a premature bow, and Tribune columnist Mike Royko mocked San Diego fans as bandwagon jumpers. Royko reveled in the Cubs’ 13-0 win over the Padres in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field.“Bullies, that’s what we’ve become,” Royko wrote. “Big, bad, mean bullies. And, oh boy, does it feel great. Why didn’t we think of this years ago?”The bullies blew a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, an epic collapse that somehow trumped the misery of 1969.But Wrigleyville — or Lakeview, as the neighborhood was more commonly known in the early ‘80s — would never be the same. Lights arrived at Wrigley Field on Aug. 8, 1988, and the formerly run-down neighborhood turned into a yuppie paradise. Rooftops became big business and real estate values climbed.On Aug. 8, 1988, Wrigley Field was lit up for the first night game in the park's 74-year history. The weather, however, didn't cooperate. The Cubs and the Phillies were rained out in the fourth inning. (Frank Hanes / Chicago Tribune)The Cubs soon resorted to their old ways, but the Harry Caray effect and the fans’ love affair with Wrigley made the team a gold mine for Tribune Co., which mirrored the Wrigley ownership in its reluctance to spend. After a surprising division title in 1989 under Don Zimmer, the Cubs didn’t return to the postseason until Sammy Sosa and Kerry Wood led them to a wild-card spot in 1998.During the ‘98 playoff race, Cubs radio analyst Ron Santo made one of the most famous calls in franchise history, shouting “Oh, noooooo!” after a dropped fly ball by outfielder Brant Brown led to a ninth-inning loss in Milwaukee.“It was the kind of despair you’d associate with someone losing a member of their family,” Santo’s broadcast partner, Pat Hughes, later told the Tribune. “His call will live on in Cubs lore — in infamy, you could say, because it was such a tough loss.”Pittsburgh's Tom Barrasso touches the helmet of Blackhawks Jeremy Roenick after the Penguins beat the Blackhawks in four games to win the Stanley Cup, on June 1, 1992, at the Chicago Stadium. (Jim Prisching / Chicago Tribune)The Blackhawks went through an array of ineffective and overmatched coaches from 1976-2000, including Bob Pulford’s three stints from 1977-87. Pulford also served as general manager, where he was equally clueless.The only time the Hawks were relevant was during the Mike Keenan era, when the feisty coach led them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1992. But the Hawks were promptly swept in four games by the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Keenan lost a power struggle with Wirtz six months later and was let go.“Keenan wanted to be king,” Verdi wrote. “The power freak craved too much of a fix, and the real boss declared, game over.”It wasn’t until 1991 that Chicago sports fans got a real taste of excellence. Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the Bulls to their first title, beating Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the NBA Finals. After a third straight championship in 1993, Jordan retired to play minor-league baseball for the White Sox, only to return in ‘95 and team up with Pippen and Dennis Rodman for another three-peat from 1996-98.Jordan’s winning shot in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals in Utah clinched the sixth Bulls title, capping a reign that seemed to make up for all the disappointing endings Chicago teams suffered the previous three decades.“And there was Michael Jordan, after hitting what could have been his final and biggest basket as a Bull, hugging coach Phil Jackson,” Tribune beat writer Terry Armour wrote. “Both had tears in their eyes, realizing that this might be the end of the road.”Jordan’s shot would provide Chicago with a memory to last a lifetime, like the championships this century for the White Sox (2005), Cubs (2016) and Blackhawks (2010, ‘13 and ‘15). But Santo’s call, Elia’s rant, the South Side Hit Men and the “unbelievable day” of the ‘79 Bears won’t be forgotten soon either.If there’s one thing we’ve come to accept in Chicago, it’s that the journey still matters.Sign up to receive the Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter at chicagotribune.com/newsletters for more photos and stories from the Tribune’s archives.Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Ron Grossman and Marianne Mather at [email protected] and [email protected]. | Baseball |
Ed Sheeran was the most-played artist in the UK last year according to new data from music licensing company PPL, which calculates usage by radio stations, TV channels and public locations that play recorded music in order to distribute royalties.Sheeran also had the most-played track of 2021 in Bad Habits, from his fourth album, =. He previously held the PPL double in 2017, when he was the year’s most-played artist and his song Shape of You dominated public life.Peter Leathem, chief executive officer at PPL, said that, over the last five years, Sheeran’s success was “a testament to the quality of his output [and] the strength of UK music at a time when the global music landscape is more competitive than ever”.Nipping at Sheeran’s heels for cultural dominance, however, is Bedford-born pop star Tom Grennan, who was recently hospitalised after being attacked in New York. His collaboration with Calvin Harris, By Your Side, was the second biggest song of 2021; his solo single Little Bit of Love was the third.Reflecting how streaming has given the biggest hit songs a longer tail than ever, the fourth biggest song of last year, the Weeknd’s Blinding Lights, was in fact released in 2019. Its placing here adds to a litany of records: in November 2021, it was ranked as the biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit of all time.Little Mix on their farewell tour in April. Photograph: Georgie Gibbon/REX/ShutterstockAlso sticking around was Miley Cyrus’s Midnight Sky, originally released in 2020. It is the only solo song by a female artist in the Top 10 most-played tracks of 2021. Heartbreak Anthem, Little Mix’s collaboration with Galantis and David Guetta placed at No 7, and Joel Corry, Raye and Guetta’s hit Bed placed at No 10.The most-played artists charts revealed a closer split between genders, with 60:40 male to female. Little Mix have been in the Top 10 for each of the last five years; this year they are No 4, which may mark their final placing in the list given their recent hiatus. At No 5, Coldplay have featured in the artist Top 10 eight times in the past 10 years, placing top in 2016 and 2012.Pink appears at No 10 on the artists chart, reflecting another PPL win for the US pop star: last year, the organisation named her the UK’s most-played female artist of the 21st century.In 2021, the PPL collected a total revenue of £252.8m, distributed to 147 performers and rightsholders.The full PPL charts for 2021Most-played tracks Ed Sheeran – Bad Habits Calvin Harris – By Your Side ft Tom Grennan Tom Grennan – Little Bit of Love The Weeknd – Blinding Lights Coldplay – Higher Power Rag’n’Bone Man – All You Ever Wanted Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix – Heartbreak Anthem Years & Years – Starstruck Miley Cyrus – Midnight Sky Joel Corry x Raye x David Guetta – Bed Most-played artists Ed Sheeran David Guetta Dua Lipa Little Mix Coldplay The Weeknd Justin Bieber Calvin Harris Taylor Swift Pink | Music |
Mexican chemistry researcher Ana Cristina Garcia Alvarez Ana Cristina Garcia Alvarez Mexican chemistry researcher Ana Cristina Garcia Alvarez has worked to understand a chemical process that mimics part of photosynthesis and could possibly produce hydrogen as part of clean energy solutions. Ana Cristina Garcia-Alvarez, now a postdoctoral researcher in the Chemistry Department at University of California Irvine (UCI), says that her previous research was inspired by the process of photosynthesis held by plants and some algae, specifically in a protein complex called Photosystem II. Cubanes are a synthetic hydrocarbon molecule with eight carbon atoms at the corners of a cube and Garcia-Alvarez used these cubane-type complexes with metals like cobalt, nickel and manganese for mimicking the active site of Photosystem II. "I developed a novel and practical route of synthesis for cubanes that mimic this site, these compounds are structurally very similar to the one that is found in nature," she says, "Therefore, it was possible to mimic the function of the PS II." Garcia-Alvarez says these kind of compounds let us to understand in a better way just a piece of the huge machinery that process of Photosynthesis represents. "It was a big challenge due to trying to mimic nature is so complex and this topic is very important because during the process we generate protons that could be reduced to H2 (hydrogen gas), which could be used like a renewable energy source," she says, adding that it was with this project that she got keen on activation of small molecules, catalysis and energy. "This is the reason why I am currently working in the synthesis of heterobimetallic compounds for CO2 reduction as an alternative to the environmental problematic we are facing nowadays, all this as part of my work as postdoctoral scholar at UCI," she says. Cubane-type compounds for water oxidation Ana Cristina Garcia Alvarez A Passion For Math
Garcia-Alvarez grew up in the small city of Toluca, (southwest of Mexico City), where as a child she always enjoyed solving books of maths problems. "I always focused on natural sciences, but it took many years to find out my real passion, inorganic synthesis," she says, adding that discovered her passion for inorganic synthesis while working in a chemistry lab during her undergraduate degree in Chemistry in Toluca. After her masters degree, Garcia-Alvarez went on to doctoral studies at the biggest university of in Mexico: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).
Garcia-Alvarez says she is proud to be part of a Latin American community of researchers.
"We share a lot of cultural characteristics as a huge scientific Latin community," she say, "I am proud to be part of it, and I feel the duty to do my best and help my society to develop the skills to face the current global challenges, like global warming, employment of renewable energy sources (directly focused on what I work as example)." Garcia-Alvarez says Latin American countries share a rich culture with outstanding people and plenty of natural sources.
"So, if we promote education, science and technology in our countries we will have a better future, facilitating the access to science for new generations and developing our own potential," she says, "I am very convinced that education is a great way to help younger people and I found it crucial to expand visibility for girls and women in STEM, motivate and support youth to expand their horizons." Ana Cristina Garcia Alvarez in the Bioinorganic and Supramolecular Lab at the Chemistry Institute of ... [+]f the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ana Cristina Garcia Alvarez Another Latin American chemist is Colombian researcher Laura Loaiza.
MORE FROM FORBESThis Colombian Scientist Is Searching For A Battery That Won't ExplodeBy Andrew WightLoaiza, a postdoc researcher at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg is working on ways to increase the safety of batteries by finding ways to move away from volatile and flammable components. | Chemistry and Material Sciences |
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open (all times local):7 p.m. Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Open, winning his first major on the same course where he took the U.S. Amateur title nine years earlier.Fitzpatrick shot a 2-under 68 at The Country Club to finish the tournament at 6-under 274 and beat Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler by one. Leading by one shot, Fitzpatrick hooked his drive on No. 18 into a bunker to the left of the fairway. But he hit the middle of the green and two-putted from 18 feet for par. Zalatoris had a 14-foot birdie putt to tie, but missed it by a fraction. This marked the second straight runner-up finish at a major for Zalatoris, who lost to Justin Thomas in a playoff last month at the PGA Championship. It was Zalatoris’ sixth top-10 finish in seven majors since he made his major debut at Winged Foot in the 2020 U.S. Open.Fitzpatrick hit 17 greens in regulation. He becomes the first Englishman to win the U.S. Open since Justin Rose at Merion in 2013, the same year Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Amateur at The Country Club.He also joins Jack Nicklaus as the only player to win both the U.S. Open and Amateur on the same course. Nicklaus won at Pebble Beach in 1961 and 1972. ___6 p.m.Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick were tied at the U.S. Open with four holes to go Sunday in the final roundThey headed to the 15th tee box at 5 under, one shot ahead of Masters champion Scottie Scheffler. Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champ, was in the clubhouse at 3-under 277.If there a tie, there will be an aggregate two-hole playoff to decide the champion. The playoff holes are Nos. 1 and 18. Still ahead for the three leaders is the famous par-4 17th hole, a 375-yard dogleg left that is playing as the easiest hole at The Country Club in the final round. That’s where Frances Ouimet made a birdie to force a playoff that gave him his historic win at the 1913 U.S. Open. Justin Leonard sank a long putt there to clinch the Ryder Cup in 1991. Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick are both seeking their first major after a close call last month at the PGA Championship. Fitzpatrick played in the final twosome on Sunday at Southern Hills, while Zalatoris lost to Justin Thomas in a playoff. ___4:45 p.m.Matt Fitzpatrick made the turn with a one-shot lead over Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler in what’s shaping up as a three-man race for the U.S. Open title over the final nine holes.Fitzpatrick birdied No. 8 and made par on No. 9 to turn at 6-under par for the tournament. His birdie came about the same time as Scheffler made bogey on No. 10 to fall to 5 under. Zalatoris made an 18-foot putt for birdie on No. 9 to join Scheffler at 5 under. Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama and Denny McCarthy are tied for fourth, four shots behind Fitzpatrick.Scheffler already has four wins over the last four months and is hoping to add this major title to the Masters championship he won in April.Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick, in the final group at The Country Club, are each going for their first major title. Last month at the PGA Championship, Fitzpatrick played in the final pairing, while Zalatoris lost to Justin Thomas in a playoff.___4:25 p.m.Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler made four birdies over the front nine to make the turn with a one-shot lead in the closing round of the U.S. Open.The Masters champion made the turn in 4-under 31 and was at 6 under for the tournament with nine holes left. That was one shot ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick and two clear of Will Zalatoris, who were paired in the day’s final twosome. Scheffler is trying to become the first player to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same season since Jordan Spieth in 2015. Scheffler’s lead looked in jeopardy when his approach shot into the heavily sloped green on the par-5 eighth spun backward off the green, almost back to his feet around 65 yards from the hole. But he got up and down to save par, then made another par on 9 to turn at 6-under.___3:15 p.m.Go back to late Friday afternoon to find Denny McCarthy needing par on the final hole to make the cut in the U.S. Open. And look at him now. McCarthy had a 68 in the third round, started Sunday with three birdies in five holes and is in a tie for fourth. He’s become the most unlikely contender on a leaderboard filled with stars.Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick are setting the pace. Scheffler had three birdies in four holes to give the Masters champion the lead. Fitzpatrick has been steady as always and made birdie on No. 3 to tie Scheffler at 5 under.Jon Rahm has all pars through four holes and is two behind. Rory McIlroy is up and down, three birdies and two bogeys and is three back.___2:55 p.m.World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler birdied the first two holes of the final round in the U.S. Open to move into a tie for the lead. Scheffler started the day at 2 under and two holes later he had matched Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick at minus-4. The overnight co-leaders teed off at 2:45, so the entire field has started the final round at The Country Club.Scheffler made a six-foot putt for birdie on No. 1 and a 15-footer on the second hole. He’s the reigning Masters champion, looking for his second career major victory. ___1:50 p.m.The USGA is back with some historic pin placements for the final round of the U.S. Open The governing body says the front-left hole location on No. 17 at The Country Club is in the same place as it was when Francis Ouimet made a birdie in the final round of the 1913 tournament to force a playoff against British pros Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. And the front-right 18th hole is where it was on Sunday for the 1988 U.S. Open, when Curtis Strange made par from the front bunker to force a Monday playoff with Nick Faldo. On Saturday, the 17th pin was in the same place it was when Justin Leonard made a 45-foot birdie to clinch the Ryder cup for the United States in 1999.The par-3 11th hole is also getting some attention: It’s playing at just 119 yards. That didn’t make it any easier. It was playing as the eighth-hardest in the early going, with 10 bogeys and just three birdies in the first 26 players.___1:50 p.m. Guido Migliozzi is off to a good start in the final round at The Country Club. The Italian finished tied for fourth last year in his U.S. Open debut. He was 3 under through 14 holes on Sunday as he tried to overcome a 74 in the third round that dropped him to plus-6 through 54 holes. Second-round co-leader Collin Morikawa picked up a birdie on the fourth hole and was at 1 over for the tournament. He is trying to recover from a third-round 77 that dropped him off the leaderboard. ___Noon.Grayson Murray is getting a lot of TV time at the U.S. Open — for all the wrong reasons. Murray tossed his putter after a quadruple bogey on the seventh hole at The Country Club. Then he snapped an iron over his knee on No. 10.The 28-year-old from North Carolina missed the cut in his only other U.S. Open, in 2013. But playing on the weekend is apparently no reason for him to celebrate. Murray needed four tries to get out of the rough behind the seventh hole on Sunday and then threw his putter into the high fescue as he left the green. After a par on No. 8, he made a triple on the ninth hole. When he missed the green with his approach on the ninth hole and snapped the club over his knee. Murray was plus-9 for the fourth round and 17 over for the tournament. That left him tied with Harris English for last place.___8:15 a.m. The idea of a firm and fiery final round of the U.S. Open has been doused.Rain and temperatures began falling overnight at The Country Club, leaving weather that makes the U.S. Open feel like a dreary day at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.There hasn’t been enough accumulation of rain to soften the course. But the forecast was for cloud cover and temperatures barely reaching 60 degrees when Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick tee off in the final group.Rain or shine, this U.S. Open should be wide open. Defending champion Jon Rahm is one shot behind. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is another shot back, as is New England favorite and former PGA champion Keegan Bradley.Also very much in the mix is Rory McIlroy, who turned a tough Saturday into a 73 that kept the four-time major champion within three shots of the lead.___More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | Golf |
Sunday Morning June 19, 2022 / 9:51 AM / CBS News A sports bar dedicated to women's sports A sports bar dedicated to women's sports 04:11 On a recent Friday in Portland, Oregon, it looked for all the world like an actual sporting event was taking place. There were cheerleaders and news cameras; they even cut down a basketball net. But in fact, all of this was to celebrate the opening of a sports bar, and Jamie Orr was first in line. "It feels like a very monumental day," she said, "not just in Portland, but for women's sports."That's because this isn't just any sports bar; it's the first one in America that exclusively shows women's sports on all its TVs.If you're mostly a fan of men's sports, it would never even occur to you that a bar might not be showing the championship game, or might have the sound turned off. But that's exactly what happened back in 2019, when Jenny Nguyen and her friends wanted to watch Baylor vs. Notre Dame in the Women's NCAA Championship. "It ended up being just a spectacular game," Nyugen told correspondent Luke Burbank. The game was one for the ages, but the audio feed was non-existent, at least in the bar where Nyugen and her friends were watching. "Somebody was like, 'Yeah, it would have been better if the sound was on!'" she said.And so, Nguyen had a thought, that kind of thought you might have after a couple of beers but never follow up on: "I said something to the effect of, the only way we're ever going to be able to watch a women's game, like, in its full glory, is if we had our own place." Nyugen and her friends even had a name for this still-mythical bar she fantasized about opening some day: The Sports Bra. "You know, it just makes sense, switch a couple of letters around. I was like, I know what the tagline is going to be: We support women!" she laughed. "It was a big joke." CBS News But the joke got serious after the #MeToo movement and the pandemic had Nyugen looking for a way to make an impact on the culture, in whatever way she could: "The whole country was going through a phase of reprioritizing what was important."However, Nyugen's mom, whom she'd been working for at their family real estate company, was dubious: "I yelled at her and I said, 'This is not good. With the COVID and labor shortage, it's not going to work.' But she told me, she said, 'Mom, you cannot stop me. I am doing it.'"And so she did, raising over $100,000 on Kickstarter. Along the way, she and the bar became something of a media sensation. But the most challenging part of running the Sports Bra actually might be finding televised women's sports to play at the bar. The Sports Bra, in Portland, Ore., is the first sports bar in America that exclusively shows women's sports on all its TVs. CBS News Nyugen said, "Only 4% of all sports on TV are women's sports. So, when you have that kind of a discrepancy, there's going to be issues." But changing that might be part of Nguyen's plan. In the 50 years since the landmark Title IX legislation, millions of girls gained access to athletics. So, it's not that women aren't playing sports; it's that the networks tend not to broadcast them. Nyugen said, "I'm asking a lot of networks, streaming services and all of these things, questions that they've never encountered before. So, a lot of it is almost, like, taking your machete and cutting through the brush. It's hard, and it's a slog."On this night, however, there was no shortage of content. It was the semi-finals of the NCAA Womens' Final Four. The Sports Bra would be packed, and the volume would be turned up all the way. Yes, Haley, we can hear you! CBS News For more info:The Sports Bra, Portland Story produced by Anthony Laudato. Editor: Chad Cardin. In: Title IX Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Other Sports |
Nashwa provided Hollie Doyle with her first Classic success after a thrilling victory in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly.So impressive in winning her first two starts of the season at Haydock and Newbury, the Frankel filly was last seen finishing a creditable third in the Oaks at Epsom. Turning out 16 days later for the French equivalent, John and Thady Gosden’s youngster was the 7-4 favourite under her record-breaking rider and got the job done in determined style.With a smart start from her low draw Nashwa was prominent from the off and travelled smoothly into the home straight alongside the well‑fancied Agave. After seeing her off, the 50-1 shot La Parisienne powered home to throw down a late challenge but Nashwa and Doyle knuckled down admirably to pass the post narrowly in front.“It feels pretty good. When I was pulling up I couldn’t find the words to describe it really,” Doyle said. “I’ve got a lot of people to thank. Without [the owner] Imad Al Sagar I don’t know if I would ever have been in the position to get an opportunity like this. These types of horses are hard to come upon and I’m only 25, so it’s relatively early on in my career and I feel pretty lucky.“I felt very vulnerable at the two-furlong pole, I’m not going to lie. It was a muddling race and I felt beforehand someone would be a bit more decisive pace-wise than they were. I didn’t really want to be where I was but she was very relaxed and happy to be one off the rail with a bit of company either side. She’s versatile and responsive when needs be. When the second horse came to my girths she really dug deep, which was great to see.”The rider was congratulated shortly after her victory by her husband, Tom Marquand, who finished seventh aboard Zellie. Doyle added: “I think he was just as happy as I was. We’re always pretty happy for each other, so I think he was delighted. I was pretty confident off the back at Epsom. We felt coming back in trip was what she needs and it’s proven to be the answer. She retains a lot of class and I think she could be even better next year.”Quick GuideGreg Wood's Monday tipsShowChepstow: 1.05 Greg The Great, 1.35 Shawnee Warrior, 2.10 Agapanther, 2.45 Hope Probe (nap), 3.15 Stone Circle, 3.45 Bellstreet Bridie, 4.15 Mutara.Southwell: 1.20 Serjeant Painter, 1.50 Captain Ivan, 2.25 Copper Vale, 3.00 Quid Pro Quo, 3.30 Abington Park, 4.00 Windy Cove, 4.30 Jaunty Soria.Windsor: 5.05 Romantic Memories, 5.35 Tenjin, 6.05 A Sure Welcome, 6.35 Cliffs Of Fury, 7.05 King Of The Kippax (nb), 7.35 La Yakel, 8.10 Meganseighteen.Wolverhampton: 5.55 Ghostly, 6.25 Reckon I’m Hot, 6.55 Rogue Spirit, 7.25 Crush And Run, 8.00 Federal Street, 8.30 Monaadhil, 9.00 Street Poet.John Gosden was full of praise for Doyle, saying: “She’s hugely talented and horses run for her. She’s incredibly meticulous and hard-working and she analyses things properly. I am proud and Thady is extremely proud because it’s the youth team teaming up again. It’s quite obvious that I’ll be surplus to requirements quite soon with the youthful Thady and Hollie!” | Other Sports |
Matt Fitzpatrick is the second men's golfer to win the US Open and US Amateur at the same course. Matt Fitzpatrick held off Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler to win the U.S. Open on Sunday, leaving Brookline, Massachusetts with his first major victory and a huge payday. He’s the second player to win the men’s U.S. Open and the men’s U.S. Amateur at the same venue. Jack Nicklaus is the only other golfer to pull off the feat.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXBUSINESS.COM Matthew Fitzpatrick, of England, watches his shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez / AP Newsroom) Fitzpatrick is taking home a sizable chunk of change with his U.S. Open victory. The total purse for the tournament with $17.5 million – up from $12.5 million in last year’s tournament.This year, Fitzpatrick is taking home $3.15 million 2022 US OPEN: A LOOK AT THE THIRD GOLF MAJOR OF THE SEASONZalatoris, who had been vying for the lead with Fitzpatrick and Scheffler all day, had a chance to send it to a playoff with the final putt. He narrowly missed it and finished 5-under par for the tournament. Matt Fitzpatrick of England lines up a putt on the sixth green during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images / Getty Images)Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, kept the pace with Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris. He went into the clubhouse with a 5-under par for the tournament. He had a final-round 67.Since Zalatoris and Scheffler tied, they will each take home Zalatoris will take home $1,557,687.Money has been a concern for some pro golfers. Those who left the PGA Tour to compete in LIV Golf were reportedly signing ridiculously lucrative contracts. Phil Mickelson received a $200 million contract and Dustin Johnson received a deal worth around $125 million, according to multiple reports. Matt Fitzpatrick of England celebrates with the U.S. Open Championship trophy after winning during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images / Getty Images)GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERECharl Schwartzel, who won LIV Golf’s first tournament last weekend, earned more than $4 million for the victory. | Golf |
Jun 18, 2022; Brookline, Massachusetts, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick chips onto the 12th green during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY SportsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBROOKLINE, Mass., June 19 (Reuters) - Overnight co-leader Matt Fitzpatrick took a one-shot lead over Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and playing partner Will Zalatoris into the back nine of the U.S. Open on Sunday.Fitzpatrick, seeking more success at The Country Club where he won the 2013 U.S. Amateur that kickstarted his career, mixed three birdies with two bogeys to cover the front nine in two-under-par 33.World number one Scheffler, who began the day two shots back of Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris, made a dream start with birdies on four of the first six holes and had in a share of the lead until a bogey at the par-four 10th.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comScheffler, seeking his fifth win of the year, was tested at the par-five eighth where both his second and third shots rolled down the false front of the green and back towards him before he managed to save par.Zalatoris fell off the pace early but roared into the turn with three birdies over a four-hole stretch, including at the par-four seventh where his approach from 163 yards settled three inches from the cup, and reached the turn one shot off the lead.Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who was four under through 15 holes, was among a pack of three golfers two shots off the pace.Defending champion Jon Rahm, who began the day one shot off the pace after a closing double-bogey on Saturday, was two over through nine holes and five shots back while Rory McIlroy, one over through 11 holes, was a further shot back.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Frank Pingue in Brookline, Massachusetts, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Golf |
“Lightyear” did not go to infinity (or beyond) in its first weekend in theaters: Pixar’s first major theatrical release since March 2020 blasted off with $51 million in its debut weekend in North America, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Not only did it open lower than expected, but it also failed to conquer “Jurassic World: Dominion,” which held on to the first-place spot with $58.7 million its second weekend. It is a mixed bag for Disney and Pixar as “ Lightyear,” an origin story about the movie that inspired the space ranger action figure in the “Toy Story” movies, is one of the biggest launches for an animated family film over the pandemic. Including international showings, which grossed $34.6 million, “Lightyear’s” global opening weekend totals to $85.6 million. But expectations were higher for a release this high-profile and based on a beloved, well-known character. Going into the weekend, some analysts had pegged “Lightyear” for a $70 million North American debut. “The expectations are always incredibly high for any Pixar movie, particularly one that has a direct connection to the Toy Story brand,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for box office tracker Comscore. “Toy Story” launched Pixar in 1995 and its four films have made over $3 billion. “Toy Story 3” and “Toy Story 4” also both broke the $1 billion mark. The family audience has proved a little more reluctant than other segments to return to movie theaters. Many studios, including Disney and Pixar, have opted for streaming or hybrid releases for their animated titles. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the company has sent its Pixar titles — “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” — directly to Disney+ free for subscribers. Disney’s other big animated titles, “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Encanto” got hybrid releases. “There may have been a little confusion about whether it’s just in theaters,” Dergarabedian said. “This is a movie that is going to have to be marketed in real time as family audiences connect the dots.”Critics were mostly favorable to “Lightyear,” which features Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear and a supporting voice cast that includes Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi. Directed by Angus MacLane, it currently holds a 77% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore. With a reported production budget of $200 million, which doesn’t account for the millions spent on marketing and promotion, “Lightyear” has a long journey ahead of it to get to profitability. But it could also have a slow, steady burn over the summer. And it’s the only big family offering playing in theaters until “Minions: The Rise of Gru” opens July 1. “Lightyear” opened in 4,255 locations domestically and in 43 markets overseas. Thirteen nations from the Muslim world and the Palestinian territory barred “Lightyear” from playing in their cinemas because of the inclusion of a brief kiss between a lesbian couple.“Jurassic World: Dominion,” meanwhile, has now earned over $622.2 million worldwide with $259.2 million of that coming from U.S. and Canadian theaters. It’s only the seventh movie released during the pandemic to surpass $600 million.In its fourth weekend, “Top Gun: Maverick” dropped only slightly, bringing in an additional $44 million to take third place. Its domestic total is now at $466.2 million. Globally, the high-flying sequel has grossed over $885 million.Dergarabedian said it’s especially notable that there are three movies made over $40 million this weekend. “We haven’t seen that in a while,” he said. “We have a summer movie season here.”Rounding out the top five are “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” with $4.2 million and “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” with $1.1 million. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. “Jurassic World: Dominion,” $58.7 million2. “Lightyear,” $51 million.3. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $44 million.4. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” $4.2 million.5. “The Bob’s Burgers Movie,” $1.1 million.6. “The Bad Guys,” $890,000.7. “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” $959,631.8. “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” $830,000.9. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” $228,000.10. “Brian and Charles,” $198,000.___Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr | Movies |
Sports June 19, 2022 / 7:37 PM / CBS/AP Matt Fitzpatrick of England is a champion again at The Country Club, this time with the grandest of trophies.A U.S. Amateur champion in 2013. The U.S. Open champion Sunday.In a three-way battle at Brookline that came down to the wire, Fitzpatrick seized control with a great break and an even better shot on the 15th hole for a two-shot swing. He was even more clutch from a fairway bunker on the 18th that set up par for a 2-under 68. How do you define clutch?@MattFitz94 hit this shot on 18 to help secure the #USOpen title. pic.twitter.com/iQcOGxph0Z— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 19, 2022 "If there was one shot that I've struggled with this year that I just do not want, it's a fairway bunker shot," said Fitzpatrick of his approach into the 72nd hole, according to CBS Sports. "I guess [caddie] Billy [Foster] just took over. It's one of the best shots I've hit of all-time. When I saw it leave the sand and I felt the strike, I couldn't be happier." Victory was not secure until Will Zalatoris, who showed amazing fight back from every mistake, dropped to his knees when his 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th just slid by the left side of the cup. Zalatoris was a runner-up in the second straight major.Masters champion Scottie Scheffler never recovered from back-to-back bogeys to start the back nine. He had a 25-foot birdie chance on the 18th that just missed and left him one behind. Fitzpatrick is the second man to win a U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open on the same course, joining Jack Nicklaus who turned the trick at Pebble Beach. Juli Inkster won the U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Women's Open at Prairie Dunes.Along with the $3.15 million in prize money, Fitzpatrick had that gold Jack Nicklaus medal draped around his neck.Fitzpatrick, who briefly played at Northwestern before turning pro, won for the eighth time worldwide, and this was his first in America — at least a tournament everyone knows about.Fitzpatrick said he won the member-member at The Bear's Club in Florida at the start of the year, the course Nicklaus built. "He gave me a bit of abuse at the start of the year. He said, 'Finally. Congratulations for winning in the States,'" Fitzpatrick said.And then slightly lifting the trophy, Fitzpatrick sent a fun message to Nicklaus: "Jack, I won a second time." In: Golf U.S. Open Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Golf |
Formula One F1 - Canadian Grand Prix - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada - June 19, 2022 Red Bull's Max Verstappen during the drivers parade before the race REUTERS/Christinne MuschiRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryCompaniesVerstappen wins in Canada on his 150th startSainz a close second, Hamilton thirdChampion's sixth win of 2022Red Bull's sixth in a rowVerstappen leads Perez by 46 points after Mexican retiresMONTREAL, June 19 (Reuters) - Red Bull's Max Verstappen held off Carlos Sainz's charging Ferrari to win the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday and surge 46 points clear in the Formula One world championship after his 150th race.The 24-year-old Dutch driver took his 26th career win 0.9 of a second ahead of Spaniard Sainz,who closed the gap and set up a thrilling final chase thanks to a safety car deployment.Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton completed the podium for Mercedes in a remarkable turnaround for the Briton, who had dismissed his bouncing car as undriveable only days earlier.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSainz collected the bonus point for fastest lap as the Italian team trimmed the gap to runaway leaders Red Bull in the constructors' championship to 76 points from a previous 80."It was really exciting at the end. I was giving it everything I had and, of course, Carlos was doing the same," said Verstappen after his sixth win of the season and Red Bull's sixth in succession."I could see he was pushing and charging, but when you're on the DRS (drag reduction system) it's a lot easier to charge. The last few laps were a lot of fun."The victory was his first in Canada.Sainz, who had fresher tyres than Verstappen, said he had tried everything he could to end his long wait for a first win at a circuit named after Canada's late Ferrari great Gilles Villeneuve."We were very, very close to winning today. I will take the positives and keep trying in the next one," he added.HAMILTON OVERWHELMEDHamilton said the result, with team mate George Russell fourth, was "quite overwhelming" and gave him and the team a lot of hope for the rest of the season.It was his first podium since third place in Bahrain in the opening race."It's been such a battle this year with the car, but we continue to stay vigilant, focused and never giving up, and that's something I'm proud of," he said."We're getting closer, so we've got to keep pushing and hopefully we'll eventually be in the fight with these guys."Verstappen's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez, who remains second overall, retired and triggered a virtual safety car after just eight of the 70 scheduled laps when his car became stuck in gear.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc started 19th after engine penalties and ended the day fifth, but now 49 points behind Verstappen.Verstappen had led the field away from pole position, with Alpine's double world champion Fernando Alonso alongside on the front row after a wet Saturday qualifying but unable to make good on his threat to seize the lead into the first corner.The 40-year-old Spaniard was passed by Sainz on lap three and finished the race seventh, behind team mate Esteban Ocon in sixth, but was demoted to ninth after stewards handed him a five second post-race penalty for weaving on track.Valtteri Bottas, who was slowed by Alonso's robust defence, moved up to seventh for Alfa Romeo with Chinese team mate Guanyu Zhou eighth.Canadian Lance Stroll took the final point for Aston Martin on a sunny afternoon.HAAS BLOWThere was disappointment for Haas after Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher lined up fifth and sixth on the grid but failed to score.Magnussen had to pit to replace a damaged front wing on lap seven and Schumacher, still chasing his first point in Formula One, slowed and retired on lap 19.That triggered the second virtual safety car of the afternoon, with Sainz pitting from the lead he had inherited when he stayed out during the Perez incident while Verstappen came in for fresh tyres.The real safety car was deployed after AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda went into the barriers on lap 48, with Sainz making his second stop and keeping Verstappen in his sights ready to attack over the last 16 laps.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Other Sports |
Published June 19, 2022 7:37pm EDT The 2022 US Open tees off June 16 and the final round begins June 19 NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! next Matt Fitzpatrick of England celebrates with the U.S. Open Championship trophy after winning during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) prev next Matt Fitzpatrick of England celebrates with the U.S. Open Championship trophy after winning during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) prev next Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays his shot from the tenth tee during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Warren Little/Getty Images) prev next Matt Fitzpatrick of England lines up a putt on the sixth green during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images) prev next Gary Woodland reacts after a putt on the seventh hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) prev next Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, reacts after a putt on the seventh hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) prev next Sebastian Munoz, of Colombia, reacts to his shot on the third hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) prev next Jordan Spieth reacts to his shot on the sixth hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) prev next Will Zalatoris reacts after a putt on the first hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) prev next Nick Hardy reacts after a putt on the second hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) prev next Jon Rahm, of Spain, reacts after a putt on the second hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) prev next Scottie Scheffler hits on the 10th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) prev next Matthew Fitzpatrick, of England, watches his shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) prev next Will Zalatoris watches his shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) prev next Jon Rahm, of Spain, watches his shot on the 15th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) prev next Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland lines up a putt on the ninth green during round one of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 16, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) prev next Cameron Smith of Australia walks to the 13th tee during round one of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 16, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Warren Little/Getty Images) prev next Justin Thomas of the United States plays his shot from the sixth tee during round one of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 16, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images) prev next Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays his shot from the eighth tee during round one of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 16, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) prev next Adam Scott, of Australia, walks off the ninth hole after the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ( ) prev next Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, hits on the 11th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) ( ) prev next Phil Mickelson of the United States gives a thumbs up as he walks off the 18th green during round one of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 16, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Rob Carr/Getty Images) prev next Adam Hadwin of Canada reacts on the ninth green during round one of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 16, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Warren Little/Getty Images) prev next Bryson DeChambeau of The United States plays his tee shot on the sixth hole during the first round of the 2022 U.S.Open Championship at The Country Club on June 16, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (David Cannon/Getty Images) prev next Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa reacts to a missed putt for par on the 17th green during the final round of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 20, 2021 in San Diego, California. (Harry How/Getty Images) prev next Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after a putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ( ) prev next Joel Dahmen watches his shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) ( ) prev next Joel Dahmen reacts after a putt on the 15th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ( ) prev next Jordan Spieth prepares to putt on the ninth hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ( ) prev next Sergio Garcia, of Spain, hits on the 11th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) ( ) prev next Keegan Bradley talks with his caddie on the 15th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) ( ) prev next Viktor Hovland, of Norway, reacts after hitting out of a bunker on the 18th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) ( ) prev next Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a putt on the sixth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) ( ) prev next Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a putt on the fourth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ( ) prev next Collin Morikawa reacts after a putt on the first hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) ( ) prev next Patrick Rodgers reacts to his shot on the fifth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ( ) prev next Matthew Fitzpatrick, of England, checks the green before putting on the fifth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ( ) prev next Will Zalatoris reacts after making a birdie on the fourth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ( ) prev next Brandon Matthews hits on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ( ) prev next Andrew Putnam hits on the third hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) ( ) prev next Brooks Koepka hits on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ( ) prev next Matthew Fitzpatrick, of England, hits on the first hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) ( ) prev next Jon Rahm of Spain chips on the second green during the third round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 18, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. ( Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) prev next Will Zalatoris of the United States plays his shot from the eighth tee during the third round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 18, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) prev next Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays his shot from the fifth tee during the third round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 18, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) prev next Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot from the tenth tee during the third round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 18, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) prev next MJ Daffue of South Africa reacts to his second shot on the fifth hole during the third round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 18, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) prev next Jon Rahm of Spain smiles with the trophy following his one stroke victory in the final round of the 121st U.S. Open on the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course on June 20, 2021 in La Jolla, San Diego, California. (Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images) prev Jon Rahm of Spain leaves the trophy ceremony after winning during the final round of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 20, 2021 in San Diego, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Golf |
A Massachusetts mother has been granted a temporary order of protection on behalf of her 12-year-old child against Ezra Miller, the 29-year-old actor who stars in the upcoming Warner Bros. superhero movie “The Flash.”The court order, issued Wednesday by the Greenfield District Court in Massachusetts and seen by NBC News, said it “was issued without advance notice because the Court determined that there is a substantial likelihood of immediate danger of harassment.”The order does not contain any allegations against Miller.The mother, who spoke on the condition that their names be withheld out of privacy concerns, said she and her child met Miller in February through an acquaintance. She said Miller first seemed friendly but that she soon grew suspicious of Miller’s relationship with her child. She said she told the judge that Miller offered to buy the child gifts, including a horse, even after she rejected Miller’s earlier offers.“I kept wondering why Ezra was here. Like, don’t you have Hollywood stuff to do? Don’t you have movies coming out?” she said.The order of protection, first reported by The Daily Beast, adds to what is now a three-month series of allegations directed at Miller that started with disorderly conduct charges in Hawaii and has since grown to include accusations from parents of child grooming. The allegations against Miller have also prompted online furor pitting Miller’s aggressive fan base that maintains their innocence against people calling for the authorities and Warner Bros. to take action. Miller, who identifies as nonbinary and uses the pronouns they and them, has been a rising movie star for more than a decade, with their starring role in “The Flash” set to become their most high-profile role. Variety reported that as of June 2, Warner Bros. planned to release “The Flash” with Miller in 2023 as planned. Miller and their representatives did not respond to repeated requests for comment, and Miller has not otherwise responded to the grooming allegations. Representatives for Warner Bros. did not respond to requests for comment. Miller has been arrested twice this year, both times in Hawaii, on charges of disorderly conduct and second-degree assault. Miller was released from jail on $500 bond after their first arrest and pleaded no contest to one count of disorderly conduct, paying a $500 fine. A couple in Hawaii petitioned for a temporary restraining order against Miller in March and accused the actor of bursting into their bedroom and stealing personal records, including a passport and wallet, after staying with the couple. Weeks later, the couple voluntarily dropped the order. During that time, Miller routinely posted on Instagram with a group of people that included Tokata Iron Eyes, an 18-year-old nonbinary person who, according to legal documents filed in Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court, has known Miller since they were 12. On Thursday, Miller’s verified Instagram account was deactivated. Instagram confirmed on Friday that it did not remove the account.Chase Iron Eyes, a lawyer and well-known Indigenous environmental activist who is Tokata’s father, filed for a protection order against Miller in early June, according to TMZ, in an effort to end what he described to the court as an abusive relationship between Miller and Tokata that has escalated in recent months. On June 7, the court granted an interim order that asks Miller to cease contact with the Iron Eyes family, including Tokata, and not to come within 100 yards of the Iron Eyes’ residence. The judge has scheduled a hearing on the petition for July 12.Iron Eyes said in a phone interview that Tokata has been with Miller for several months. He said that police in Vermont have attempted to serve Tokata with an order for a substance abuse and mental health evaluation that was granted by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court. NBC News viewed a statement of nonservice from the Bennington County Sheriff’s Department in Vermont that says attempts were made to serve Tokata three times. Iron Eyes told the court that he has had intermittent contact with Miller and Tokata during this time, which has led him to believe that Miller has physically and psychologically abused Tokata. Iron Eyes wrote in the petition for a protection order that he retrieved Tokata from Miller’s residence in early 2020 after Miller told him that they had given Tokata LSD. Iron Eyes wrote that he observed bruises on Tokata’s body before Tokata reunited with Miller, who Tokata has been traveling with since.Tokata has responded publicly to their parents’ claims in a statement and video posted on Tokata’s Instagram account. The statement says, “My choices are my own, and as to the nature of police intervention in my ‘case’ it is unnecessary and it is a waste of time and resource.” The video features only Tokata, who says, “Nobody is controlling my Instagram account.” The same Instagram account responded to a direct message from NBC News with an email address. An email sent to the account was not answered. On Tokata’s Instagram page, a recent post stated that Tokata wished to be called Gibson. Iron Eyes’ father said he has not heard Tokata say they want to be called Gibson.Iron Eyes wrote in the petition for a protection order that Tokata first met Miller in 2012, when the actor appeared with Indigenous protesters as part of the anti-Dakota Access Pipeline movement. Four years later, when Tokata was 12, he said they met Miller while appearing with other young activists. In the same petition, Iron Eyes said Miller continued to develop a relationship with Tokata over the next six years, including visiting them on movie sets. Iron Eyes said Tokata dropped out of school after turning 18 and moved in with Miller.Oliver Ignatius, a former friend of Miller’s, told NBC News via direct messages over Instagram that he is referred to throughout Iron Eyes’ petition as a witness who is not named. Iron Eyes also said Ignatius is the unnamed witness. In direct messages, Ignatius wrote that he observed Miller’s conduct with Tokata. He also wrote he personally witnessed Miller controlling Tokata’s social media accounts and determining who they could communicate with. Ignatius, a music producer who worked with Miller in Hawaii and Vermont, said he saw Miller abuse Tokata. Ignatius’ allegations are also detailed in the petition for a protection order.“Lots of yelling and screaming, intimidation, relentless character abuse, calling [them] various slurs, confiscating [their] phone and obsessively monitoring and controlling [their] interactions with others, while failing to provide [them] with basic human necessities,” Ignatius said. The petition for a protection order says that Miller abandoned Tokata in Hawaii without menstrual products.Ignatius, who also said he cut ties with Miller after a business dispute, said he has been harassed and threatened online by Miller’s fans for speaking out. Iron Eyes said that Miller’s fanbase had been persistent in creating a narrative that he and his wife are transphobic and are trying to force their child into “conversion therapy.” Iron Eyes said that he and his wife have a long history of supporting LGBTQ people and recognize nonbinary identities in Indigenous culture. “Tokata is not the only nonbinary child in our family,” Iron Eyes said. “Tokata would know we’ve been nothing but open and empowering.” | Celebrity |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Former "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Lauri Peterson's son, Josh Waring, is facing criminal charges stemming from an arrest earlier this year including felony possession and the sale of fentanyl.The 33-year-old former reality star was arrested in January for felony possession and the sale of fentanyl, plus a misdemeanor charge of methamphetamine possession. Waring, who was on parole for assault and has a lengthy legal history, was recognized by an Orange County Sheriff's Department deputy from a prior drug arrest when an officer saw Josh in the passenger seat of a vehicle, according to TMZ.With knowledge of Waring's history, the officer conducted a random search of the vehicle and allegedly found "drugs right on Josh's lap." Josh Waring was arrested in January for allegedly dealing drugs. Waring was pictured in March 2020 when he was released from prison following a four-year sentenced. His mother, Lauri Peterson, campaigned to get him legal representation while he was incarcerated. She is pictured in 2018. FORMER ‘REAL HOUSEWIVES’ STAR LAURI PETERSON'S SON, JOSH WARING, SUES ORANGE COUNTY, DEPUTIES: REPORTThe deputy then witnessed Josh "brush the drugs onto the car's floorboard" which were later tested and identified as fentanyl and methamphetamine. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency listed fentanyl as a Schedule II controlled substance "that is similar to morphine but about 100 times more potent," and noted two milligrams (less than a grain of salt) of the synthetic opioid can be lethal depending on a person's body size. He was reportedly "arrested on the spot," taken to jail and charged with the sale of fentanyl due to the "amount found" of the lethal drug.The Center for Disease Control reported overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) rose 55.6% from January 2020 to 2021 and appear to be the primary driver of the increase in total drug overdose deaths.Waring was arrested in 2016 for allegedly shooting a man outside a sober living home. Waring was arrested in 2016 for allegedly shooting a man outside a sober living home. He spent four years behind bars awaiting trial before he reached a plea deal in March 2020. (Josh Waring Costa Mesa PD)LAURI PETERSON'S SON, JOSH WARNING, TAKES PLEA DEAL IN ATTEMPTED MURDER CASEHe spent four years behind bars awaiting trial, and was originally facing 65 years to life in prison before he reached a plea deal in March 2020.Waring pleaded guilty to felony counts of assault with a firearm, evading a peace officer, two counts of assault, hit-and-run with property damage and battery. He was sentenced to seven years and four months in jail, and released on timed served awaiting trial.In October 2019, Waring made headlines after he was slashed multiple times by a fellow inmate. He was left bleeding after getting cut several times on his face and chest by the inmate's razor blade.At the time, Waring claimed the correctional officers were the ones to blame for the fight and set him up. He also claimed the correction officers were trying to cover up their alleged negligence.Shortly after his release from prison, Waring sued Orange County, Calif., and two OC Sheriff's deputies — who were assigned to the men's jail in Santa Ana — claiming they tried to have him killed out of retaliation. Josh Waring waits during a hearing in superior court in Santa Ana, CA on Friday, March 6, 2020. Waring, the son of ex-'Real Housewives of Orange County' star Lauri Peterson, pled guilty to charges related to the shooting of a man outside a sober living home in 2016. He was released from jail for time served. ( (Photo by Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register)CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER According to TMZ, which obtained the criminal report from the incident, a correctional officer claimed that, after the attack, Waring told the guards that he knew they were not behind it.Joel Garson, Waring's attorney, told Fox News at the time that the guard was lying to cover up the fact that the attacker should not have been out of his cell in the first place, per the jail’s protocol.In June 2020, Waring was charged with three misdemeanors, including possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia and misrepresenting himself to police.Nearly one year later in May 2021, Waring was arrested after deputies pulled over someone driving a stolen rental car in the Lake Forest area of Southern California. Waring, a passenger in the vehicle, was charged with possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.He failed to show up for his September 2021 court date and a warrant was issued for his arrest.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Tracy Wright is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. | Celebrity |
Matt Fitzpatrick wins his first major at the US OpenEngland's Matt Fitzpatrick superbly held off the world's best to claim his first major title with a one-shot US Open victory at Brookline Country Club.Fitzpatrick shot a two-under 68 to finish on six under and pip playing partner Will Zalatoris (69) after a gripping head-to-head battle in the final pairing went to the final hole.World number one Scottie Scheffler shot 67 to end joint second with Zalatoris.Rory McIlroy carded a one-under 69 to finish joint fifth on two under par.Both Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris went close at the US PGA Championship last month and despite neither of them having won on the PGA Tour, they did not flinch during a titanic struggle that saw them exchange the lead several times through a tense day. Fitzpatrick also started in the final group at Southern Hills at the last major, but looked a different golfer this time around as he became just the fourth Englishman in the past 100 years to win the US Open. Sheffield-born Fitzpatrick also won the US Amateur title at Brookline back in 2013 and joins Jack Nicklaus as the only two men to win both that and the US Open at the same venue. The 27-year-old is also the first non-American to win both titles. It was more major agony for American Zalatoris though, who finished as runner-up for the second major in a row after losing to Justin Thomas in a play-off at the US PGA Championship. Fitzpatrick holds his nerve on day of twists and turnsMasters champion Scheffler powered into the lead early on with four birdies in his first six holes as he looked to become just the sixth man to win the Masters and US Open in the same year, and only the second man after Tiger Woods to win this major while sitting top of the world rankings.Fitzpatrick answered with birdies on the third and fifth while a nervy looking Zalatoris had two bogeys to slip four shots behind the leading duo.Two stunning irons shots led to successive birdies on the sixth and seventh holes to spark 25-year-old Zalatoris into life, and when Scheffler hit trouble around the turn and Fitzpatrick missed two short putts, all of a sudden it was Zalatoris who led by two.A huge turning point came on the 13th when Fitzpatrick holed a 48-foot birdie putt to tie Zalatoris, who made a clutch par save from 12 feet.Scheffler was always lurking, but the final pair looked determined that one of them would win and become the 14th first-time major winner to lift the US Open trophy in 18 years - it was just a case of who would land that knockout blow.On the 15th, Fitzpatrick made a birdie and Zalatoris a bogey to move two clear, but the American cut that advantage in half with a birdie on 17 after yet another laser of an iron shot.More drama came on the final hole. Fitzpatrick hit his tee shot into a fairway bunker but, in scenes reminiscent of Sandy Lyle at the 1988 Masters, launched a high cut at the green, the ball landing 15 feet over the flag and spinning a couple of feet closer.A two-putt par left the door slightly ajar with Zalatoris needing a birdie to force a play-off.You would not have bet against extra holes given all three previous US Opens held at Brookline have been decided by play-offs. But Zalatoris' effort slid agonisingly wide and as he slumped to his knees, Fitzpatrick and his caddie Billy Foster embraced. | Golf |
England captain Eoin Morgan was dismissed for a second duck in as many games against the NetherlandsJason Roy has backed Eoin Morgan to rediscover his one-day form after the England captain was out for a second successive duck against the Netherlands as his side wrapped up a series win.Morgan's last half-century in any format of cricket came in July 2021."He's just a knock away from everyone being all over him again," said Roy, who marked his 100th ODI cap with 73 off 60 balls in Amstelveen."That's just the fickle nature of sport."Roy's knock, along with Phil Salt's 77, helped England easily chase down the Dutch score of 236 for a six-wicket win in the second of three one-day internationals."We won the game so [Morgan] puts [the duck] to bed straight away. As soon as the result's there, he's happy," said Roy, who added that he was backing his captain "for sure".Roy's landmark occasion saw his wife and daughter make the trip over to Amsterdam, where he was presented with his centenary cap by another man who has played more than 100 ODIs for England, Moeen Ali."He's the perfect guy to give it to you," said Roy. "You're not judged by your cricket in this group, you're judged as a person and the energy you bring, how hard you work. If he went on [speaking] for a minute longer, there might have been a tear or two."Opener Roy was handed a suspended two-game international ban earlier this year for an undisclosed charge by the cricket discipline commission and said he went through a tough time at the start of 2022."Things mentally weren't right with me at the PSL [Pakistan Super League]. I was in a weird place because I was playing good cricket but I wasn't enjoying myself, I wasn't happy and it was just a dark time," said Roy.Roy, whose son was born in January, withdrew from the Indian Premier League and took a "short indefinite break" from cricket, which he believes was key to helping him back to form."It was just a good two months to come home and live a normal life for a bit after a tough couple of years and a lot of months away," he added. "I think we had over 50 days of hotel quarantine the year before and then having a child in January and having to spend time away from him was just a bit too much."Having seen England's Test XI win their series against New Zealand in entertaining fashion under Brendon McCullum, Roy says he would still love to play for the red-ball side."I haven't shut the door on Test cricket but the opportunity to play red-ball is few and far between for Surrey," he said. "Like I did before, pushing myself forward with white-ball runs is probably the way forward but the team and squad they've got now is extremely special and capable of doing great things." | Other Sports |
Another start, another chapter in the education of young Jack Leiter.Errors and walks are a recipe for trouble. On Saturday, a fielding error by fellow prospect Dustin Harris and a two-out walk by Leiter created an opportunity and Midland’s Jeremy Eierman cashed it in. Eierman jumped on a 1-0 pitch for a two-out, three-run homer in the first inning.The other runs he allowed also came after two outs and in similar fashion. A catcher’s interference call, another walk and a hitter-friendly count set the stage for Chase Calabuig’s two-run double. Calabuig hit a 3-1 pitch.1/30Frisco RoughRiders pitcher Jack Leiter (22) pitches during a minor league baseball game between the Midland RockHounds and the Frisco RoughRiders, Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Frisco, Texas.(Matt Strasen / Special Contributor)In four innings of work, Leiter walked four batters. He’s now walked 11 batters in his last 15 innings as he continues to try to master the professional strike zone. Leiter struck out six and is averaging 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings, but the walks have become more of an issue. He’s walked 23 in 44 2/3 innings as a pro.Briefly: At Class A Hickory, RHP Owen White continued his strikeout surge with nine in six innings of work against Greenville. White, a second-round pick in 2018, has 39 strikeouts in 25 innings over four June starts. The Arizona Fall League’s Pitcher of the Year, he could be pushing towards a promotion to Double-A. A spot in the Frisco rotation opened up when LHP Cole Ragans was promoted to Triple-A. ... LHP Cody Bradford of Aledo and Baylor had 11 strikeouts in 5 1/3 shutout innings Friday for Frisco. The Roughriders rotation has been piling up the strikeouts in this week’s series against Midland. Heading into Sunday’s finale, the starters have 38 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.+++Related:Rangers’ Jack Leiter learned ‘Mental ABCs’ from Al Leiter’s mistakes and greatnessFind more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.Evan Grant, Rangers beat writer/insider. Evan has covered the Rangers since 1997. He has twice been named one of the top 10 beat writers in the country by the AP Sports Editors. His passions outside of covering baseball are his wife, Gina, his two step kids, two crazy dogs & barbecue. Let's not discuss the cat. Evan graduated from Georgia State University, but oddly is a Georgia fan. [email protected] @Evan_P_Grant | Baseball |
Former Tribune sports writer John Mullin, a well-known and respected figure in the Chicago sports media landscape for decades with his most prominent contributions coming on the Chicago Bears beat, died June 19, 2022 at the age of 74. (LAB tba / Chicago Tribune)Here are some of the celebrities and newsmakers who died in 2022.John Mullin Former Tribune sports writer John Mullin, a well-known and respected figure in the Chicago sports media landscape for decades with his most prominent contributions coming on the Chicago Bears beat, died June 19, 2022 at the age of 74. (LAB tba / Chicago Tribune)Gloria Allen Gloria Allen, most widely known as Mama Gloria, a Chicago transgender icon and activist who was the subject of an award-winning documentary and a critically acclaimed play, died June 13, 2022 in her Lakeview apartment. She was 76. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)Philip Baker Hall Philip Baker Hall, the prolific character actor of film and theater who starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s first movies and who memorably hunted down a long-overdue library book in “Seinfeld,” died on June 12, 2022. He was 90. (Toby Canham/Getty Images)Alec John Such Alec John Such, the bassist and one of the founding members of Bon Jovi, died at age 70 according to the band on June 5, 2022. No details on when or how John Such died were immediately available. (M. Kathleen Kelly/AP)Paul Zimbrakos Paul Zimbrakos, who influenced and trained countless young reporters at Chicago’s City News Bureau during more than four decades as an editor at the now-shuttered 24/7 wire service, died May 31, 2022 at the age of 86. (Carl Wagner/Chicago Tribune)Ray Liotta Actor Ray Liotta, best known for playing mobster Henry Hill in “Goodfellas” and baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson in “Field of Dreams,” died May 25, 2022 at the age of 67. A representative for Liotta told The Hollywood Reporter and NBC News that he died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic, where he was filming a new movie. (Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)Andy Fletcher Andy Fletcher, keyboardist for British synth pop giants Depeche Mode for more than 40 years, died May 26, 2022 at age 60. Depeche Mode announced the death of founding member Fletcher on its official social media pages. (Owen Sweeney/Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)Roger Angell Author Roger Angell, a longtime New Yorker writer and editor, died May 20, 2022 at the age of 101. Angell, the son of founding New Yorker editor Katharine White and stepson of E.B. White, contributed hundreds of essays and stories to the magazine over a 70-year career. (MARY ALTAFFER/AP)Rosmarie Trapp Rosmarie Trapp, whose family inspired "The Sound of Music," died at a nursing home in Morrisville, Vt., on May 13, 2022. She was 93. (AP)Fred Ward Fred Ward, a veteran actor who appeared in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player,” "Sweet Home Alabama" and “Tremors,” died May 8, 2022. He was 79. (Chris Pizzello/AP)Bob Lanier Bob Lanier, the left-handed big man who muscled up beside the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of the NBA’s top players of the 1970s, died May 10, 2022. He was 73. (Josh Reynolds/AP)Mickey Gilley Mickey Gilley, whose namesake Texas honky-tonk inspired the 1980 film “Urban Cowboy,” and a nationwide wave of Western-themed nightspots, died May 7, 2022, at age 86. (Jack Plunkett/Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)Mike Hagerty Mike Hagerty, a character actor known for roles on TV shows including “Friends,” “Cheers,” “Seinfeld” and “Somebody Somewhere,” died May 5, 2022 at the age of 67. (Rebecca Sapp/WireImage for Mediaplacement)Ron Galella Ron Galella, the celebrity photographer whose pursuit of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis resulted in a restraining order against him after he stalked her for years, died at age 91 on April 30, 2022, at his home in Montville, N.J., of congestive heart failure. (Carlo Allegri/AP)Naomi Judd Naomi Judd, the Kentucky-born matriarch of the Grammy-winning duo The Judds and mother of Wynonna and Ashley Judd, has died at the age of 76. Her family announced Judd's death on April 30, 2022. (Josh Anderson/AP)Bob Chinn Bob Chinn, who owned the iconic Bob Chinn's Crab House on Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling, died April 15, 2022 at the age of 99. Bob Chinn's Crab House was once ranked among the nation’s top restaurants in terms of sales. (Andrew A. Nelles/ for The Chicago Tribune)Orrin Hatch Former Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who became the longest-serving Republican senator in history as he represented Utah for more than four decades, died April 23, 2022, at the age of 88. (Andrew Harnik/AP)Guy Lafleur NHL legend Guy Lafleur, a former Montreal Canadiens star who won six Stanley Cups with the team and became the first NHL player to score 50 goals in six consecutive seasons, died April 22, 2022 at the age of 70. (Jacques Boissinot/AP)Robert Morse Robert Morse, who won a Tony Award as a hilariously brash corporate climber in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and a second one a generation later as the brilliant, troubled Truman Capote in “Tru,” has died. He was 90. Morse died at his home April 20, 2022 after a brief illness, said David Shaul of BRS/Gage Talent Agency. (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)Liz Sheridan Liz Sheridan, who played Jerry Seinfeld's doting mom, Helen, on the hit sitcom, died April 15, 2022 at the age of 93. Her “Seinfeld” role was her best known but followed decades of work on stage and screen. (Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)Marvin Chomsky Marvin J. Chomsky, the Emmy-winning director and producer who helmed episodes of beloved TV shows like “Roots” and “Star Trek,” died Monday, April 11, 2022. He was 92.
He's seen here, center, during the 34th annual Emmy Awards, on Sept. 19, 1982, posing with Leonard Nimoy, left, and William Shatner, right. (Associated Press/ASSOCIATED PRESS)Gilbert Gottfried Gilbert Gottfried, a comedian who had one of the most iconic voices in Hollywood, died at the age of 67 after battling a long illness. His family announced his death on April 12, 2022. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) Jim Ramsey Jim Ramsey, who was a mainstay of WGN-Channel 9's weather broadcasts for 30 years and was known for his signature deep voice, died April 8 at the age of 69 at his Island Lake home. (Leslie Ramsey)Jack Higgins Best-selling novelist Henry Patterson, who wrote 85 books, including The Eagle Has Landed, using the pseudonym Jack Higgins, died April 9, 2022 at age 92. (HarperCollins Publishers/AP Photo)Bobby Rydell Bobby Rydell, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock ‘n roll who was a star of radio, television and the movie musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” died April 5, 2022. Rydell died of complications from pneumonia at a hospital in a suburb of his hometown of Philadelphia, according to a statement posted by his marketing and event coordinator Maria Novey. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)Patrick Demarchelier Patrick Demarchelier, the French-born photographer known for his high fashion images of top models and celebrities, including Princess Diana, has died at age 78 according to his Instagram account on March 31, 2022. (Zacharie Scheurer/AP)Estelle Harris Estelle Harris, (right), shown with Don Rickles at the world premiere of "Toy Story 3" in 2010. Harris, who hollered her way into TV history as George Costanza’s short-fused mother on TV’s “Seinfeld” and voiced Mrs. Potato Head in the “Toy Story” franchise, died April 2, 2022. She was 93. (Katy Winn/AP)Taylor Hawkins Taylor Hawkins, the longtime drummer for the rock band Foo Fighters, died March 25, 2022. He was 50. (Al Wagner/Al Wagner/Invision/AP)Madeleine Albright Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. Secretary of State died of cancer at the age of 84, her family said Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP)John Clayton John "The Professor" Clayton, an NFL football writer and reporter for ESPN, died March 18, 2022 following a short illness. He was 67. (Ted S. Warren/AP) Merri Dee Merri Dee, who spent 43 years in Chicago broadcasting primarily at WGN-Ch. 9, died March 16, 2022 at the age of 85. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Craig Lynch Sportswriter Craig Lynch, who was blind, worked as a sportswriter for radio station WLPO-AM and the Chicago Sun-Times. He died from complications from a stroke on March 15, 2022 at the age of 72. (SCOTT STRAZZANTE / CHICAGO TRIBUNE)Stephen Wilhite Stephen Wilhite the inventor of the internet-popular short-video format, the GIF, died of COVID on March 14, 2022. He was 74. (Jane Kratochvil/AP) Marilyn Miglin Marilyn Miglin, pictured with her daughter Marlena, the cosmetics magnate and widow of murdered real estate developer Lee Miglin, died March 14, 2022 at the age of 83. (BILL HOGAN / CHICAGO TRIBUNE)Pervis Spann Pervis Spann, pictured with his daughter Melody Spann-Cooper the Chairman of WVON radio, was the voice for Black Chicago during his transformative tenure as a disc jockey and owner at WVON. Spann’s career spanned more than 60 years. He died March 14, 2022 at the age of 89. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)Scott Hall Wrestler Scott Hall, who revitalized the industry when he formed the nWo with Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan and was known as Razor Ramon, died March 14, 2022. He was 63. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)William Hurt William Hurt, the Oscar-winning actor of “Broadcast News,” “Body Heat” and “The Big Chill,” has died. He was 71. Hurt's son, Will, said in a statement that Hurt died Sunday, March 13, 2022 of natural causes. (Rich Fury/Rich Fury/Invision/AP)Keith Ortego Keith Ortego, a wide receiver on the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl champion football team, died March 2, 2022. He was 58. (Mitch Friedman/Chicago Bears)Traci Braxton Traci Braxton, one of the sisters featured in the reality series "Braxton Family Values" on WeTV, died Saturday, March 12, 2022. She had been fighting esophageal cancer. (Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)Emilio Delgado Emilio Delgado, the actor and singer who for 45 years was a warm and familiar presence in children's lives and a rare Latino face on American television as fix-it shop owner Luis on “Sesame Street,” died Thursday, March 10, 2022. He was 81. (Zach Hyman/AP)Sally Kellerman Sally Kellerman, the Oscar-nominated actor who played “Hot Lips” Houlihan in director Robert Altman's 1970 army comedy “MASH," died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, at age 84. Kellerman died of heart failure at her home in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles, her manager and publicist Alan Eichler said. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)Julio Cruz Julio Cruz, described as an “igniter” for the 1983 American League West champion Chicago White Sox, died Feb. 22, 2022. He was 67. (PAUL BEATY/AP)Mark Lanegan Mark Lanegan, whose band Screaming Trees was an essential part of the Seattle grunge scene in the early 1990s, has died at age 57. Lanegan's twitter account says he died Feb. 22, 2022 at his home in Ireland. (Amy Harris/Amy Harris/Invision/AP)Gary Brooker Gary Brooker, the Procol Harum frontman who sang one of the 1960s' most enduring hits, “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” died Feb. 19, 2022. He was 76. (MAX NASH/AP)Lindsey Erin Pearlman Lindsey Erin Pearlman, a Chicago actor who had roles in “General Hospital,” “American Housewife” and other shows, was found dead Feb. 18, 2022 days after she was reported missing in Los Angeles. (AP)P. J. O'Rourke P. J. O'Rourke, the prolific author and satirist who re-fashioned the irreverence and “Gonzo” journalism of the 1960s counterculture into a distinctive brand of conservative and libertarian commentary, died Feb. 15, 2022 at age 74. (Brian Kersey/AP) Mary Ann Thebus Mary Ann Thebus, a much-loved Chicago actress and teacher with decades of experience on the city’s stages, died Feb. 11, 2022 at the age of 89. (Michael Courier)Ivan Reitman Director Ivan Reitman, the influential filmmaker and producer behind beloved comedies “Animal House” and “Ghostbusters,” died Feb. 12, 2022. He was 75. (Matt Sayles/AP)Betty Davis Betty Davis, the singer and songwriter whose raunchy persona, fierce funk grooves and Afrofuturistic style in the early 1970s made her a forerunner of R&B and hip-hop to come, died on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Homestead, Pa. She was 77. (Derek Ridgers via The New York Times)Jeremy Giambi Jeremy Giambi, the former major league outfielder and first baseman, died Feb. 9, 2022, at his parents' home in Southern California, police said. He was 47. (JULIE JACOBSON/AP) Sam Lay Sam Lay, one of the most influential and esteemed drummers in the history of popular and blues music, died Jan. 29, 2022 at age 86. (ABEL URIBE / CHICAGO TRIBUNE)Howard Hesseman Howard Hesseman, who played the radio disc jockey Johnny Fever on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati" and the actor-turned-history teacher Charlie Moore on “Head of the Class,” died Jan. 29, 2022 at the age of 81. (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Richard L. "Dick" Duchossois Richard L. "Dick" Duchossois, chairman emeritus of Arlington Park International Racecourse and World War II veteran, died Jan. 28, 2022 at the age of 100. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)Richard Christiansen Richard Christiansen, longtime former Tribune theater critic, died Jan. 28, 2022 at the age of 90. (Charles Osgood/Chicago Tribune)Thierry Mugler French designer Thierry Mugler, whose dramatic designs were worn by celebrities like Madonna, Lady Gaga and Cardi B, died Jan. 23, 2022. He was 73. (REMY DE LA MAUVINIERE/AP)Louie Anderson Louie Anderson, whose four-decade career as a comedian and actor included his unlikely and Emmy-winning performance as mom to twin adult sons in the TV series “Baskets,” died Jan. 21, 2022 at age 68. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)Meatloaf Meat Loaf, the heavyweight rock superstar loved by millions for his “Bat Out of Hell” album and for such theatrical, dark-hearted anthems as “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” died Jan. 20, 2022. He was 74. (Richard Drew/AP)Gaspard Ulliel French actor Gaspard Ulliel, who is in the upcoming Marvel series “Moon Knight” and was the face of Chanel’s fragrance Bleu, died Jan. 19, 2022, after a skiing accident in the Alps. He was 37. (Andy Kropa/Andy Kropa /Invision/AP)Yvette Mimieux Actress Yvette Mimieux, who starred in such films as “The Time Machine,” “Where the Boys Are” and others, died Jan. 17, 2022 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 80. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)André Leon Talley Vogue magazine editor at large André Leon Talley has died at 73, it was announced on Jan. 18, 2022. (Mary Altaffer/AP)Lusia Harris Stewart Lusia Harris Stewart, who was the only woman to be drafted by an NBA team and scored the first points in women's basketball history at the Olympics, died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2021 at the age of 66. (TONY KRAUSZ/AP)Les Grobstein Les Grobstein, Chicago’s sports encyclopedia and longtime radio host, most recently on WSCR-AM 670, died on Jan. 16, 2022 at the age of 69. (WLS-AM 890)Steve Schapiro Photographer Steve Schapiro, who captured the likes of Marlon Brando, Andy Warhol, Martin Luther King Jr., Jerry Garcia, Simon and Garfunkel, Barbra Streisand and Robert De Niro among others, died Jan. 15, 2022 at the age of 87. (For the Chicago Tribune / HANDOUT)Terry Teachout The cultural critic, columnist and author Terry Teachout, who wrote for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News and other publications, died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. He was 65. (Christopher Capozziello/The New York Times)Ronnie Spector Ronnie Spector, the cat-eyed, bee-hived rock 'n' roll siren who sang such 1960s hits as "Be My Baby," "Baby I Love You" and "Walking in the Rain" as the leader of the girl group the Ronettes, died Jan. 12, 2022. She was 78. (Peter Kramer/AP)Maria Ewing Placido Domingo (left) and Maria Ewing (right) perform "Tosca" in 1992. Ewing, a soprano and mezzo-soprano noted for intense performances who became the wife of director Peter Hall and the mother of actor-director Rebecca Hall, died Jan. 9, 2022 at age 71. (LOS ANGELES TIMES)Robert Durst Robert Durst, the wealthy New York real estate heir and failed fugitive who was dogged for decades with suspicion in the disappearance and deaths of those around him before he was convicted of killing his best friend and sentenced to life in prison, died Jan. 10, 2022. He was 78. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times/TNS)Bob Saget Bob Saget, a comedian and actor known for his role as a widower raising a trio of daughters in the sitcom “Full House,” was found dead in an Orlando, Fla. hotel Jan. 9, 2022. He was 65. (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)Dwayne Hickman Dwayne Hickman, the actor and network TV executive who would always be remembered by a generation of baby boomers for his role as Dobie Gillis, died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. He was 87. (AP)Michael Lang Producer Michael Lang, one of the co-creators and promoters of the 1969 Woodstock music festival that served as a touchstone for generations of music fans, died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 at the age of 77. (Jeff Christensen/AP)Calvin Simon Bass player Calvin Simon, the Parliament-Funkadelic Co-Founder and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022 at the age of 79. (VALERIE MACON/Getty)Marilyn Bergman Oscar-winning lyricist Marilyn Bergman (right) died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 at age 93. She teamed with husband Alan Bergman on “The Way We Were,” “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” and hundreds of other songs. (Matt Sayles/AP)Sidney Poitier Actor Sidney Poitier, the groundbreaking actor who became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance and the first to be a top box-office draw, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. He was 94. (Matt Sayles/AP)Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich, the Oscar-nominated director of "The Last Picture Show," and "Paper Moon," died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 82. (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)Michael Wilmington Former Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Wilmington died Jan. 6, 2022, in Los Angeles at the age of 75. (Charles Osgood/Chicago Tribune) | Celebrity |
Jun 19, 2022; Brookline, Massachusetts, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick holds the championship trophy after winning the 2022 U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY SportsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBROOKLINE, Mass., June 19 (Reuters) - Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Open at The Country Club by one shot over world number one Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris on Sunday to claim his first major title.Fitzpatrick, who began the day in a share of the lead with playing partner Zalatoris and one shot clear of defending champion Jon Rahm, shot a closing two-under-par 68 that left him at six under on the week at the year's third major."No words. It's what you grow up dreaming of," Fitzpatrick, who stayed in the same house this week as he did when he won the 2013 U.S. Amateur at The Country Club, said during the trophy presentation.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe 27-year-old arrived at the final hole one shot clear of Zalatoris and Masters champion Scheffler, who was already in the clubhouse at five under, but sent his tee shot into a fairway bunker to set up a nervy finish.From there, Fitzpatrick unleashed a clutch shot that reached the green and then two-putted from 18 feet to seal the biggest win of his career."I'll be brutally honest ... if there was one shot that I have struggled with this year that I don't want to hit, it's a fairway bunker shot," said Fitzpatrick. "That was one of the best shots I have hit of all time. When I saw it leave the sand I couldn't be happier."By pulling out the victory, Fitzpatrick joins golfing great Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win a U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur at the same venue.Zalatoris, the PGA Tour's reigning rookie of the year, sent his birdie chance at the last just past the left side of the cup to finish runner-up at a major for the third time after falling short at the 2021 Masters and last month's PGA Championship.Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama carded the low round of the week, a five-under-par 65, that powered him into fourth-place finish, one shot clear of pre-tournament favourite Rory McIlroy (69) and twice major winner Collin Morikawa (66).World number two Rahm, who squandered a chance to take the 54-hole lead after a closing double-bogey on Saturday, shot a four-over 74 that left him seven shots back of Fitzpatrick.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Frank Pingue in Brookline, Massachusetts;
Editing by Toby Davis and Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Golf |
CNN — CNN’s inaugural “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration of Freedom” concert is off to a roaring start: Live from the Hollywood Bowl, Black legends of music are bringing audiences to their feet in a joyful commemoration of the holiday. Gospel star Yolanda Adams opened the show with a rousing performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a historical rallying cry that’s also considered the Black National Anthem. A beaming Chaka Khan, backed by the Roots, followed with her hits “Ain’t Nobody” and “I’m Every Woman,” dedicating the latter song to the “powerful women” in the audience at the Hollywood Bowl. Vice President Kamala Harris appeared in a recorded message. The concert celebrates Juneteenth, the holiday that marks the end of slavery in the US. Black artists who will take the stage Sunday night include Earth, Wind & Fire, Mickey Guyton, Khalid and Bell Biv Devoe and more. Also appearing at the event are President Joe Biden, former first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Scott, who will perform spoken word. The entire creative team behind the concert is Black, CNN’s Sara Sidner reported ahead of the show, including creator Shawn Gee of Live Nation Urban and Jesse Collins Entertainment. The night also marks the first time an all-Black orchestra, Re-Collective Orchestra, will play the Hollywood Bowl, Sidner said. This is the second year the US has recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, but many Black Americans have honored the date for years with parades, parties and family gatherings. The holiday is also an opportunity to reflect on the persisting systemic inequalities that Black Americans face. In a pre-show special, 95-year-old activist Opal Lee, who fought for years to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, told CNN’s Don Lemon that she was “pinching [herself].” Earlier this Juneteenth, Lee, considered the “grandmother of Juneeteenth,” walked 2.5 miles to symbolize the two-and-a-half years that the enslaved African Americans of Galveston, Texas, lived in slavery after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Lee said Americans should spend the holiday celebrating, learning and continuing to advocate for change. “I advocate that we celebrate from the 19th of June to the 4th of July,” she said. “That would be celebrating freedom.” CNN’s Harmeet Kaur and Chloe Melas contributed to this report. | Music |
Torri Huske, Caeleb Dressel, and Alex Walsh won for the United States on the second day of racing at the world swimming championships on Sunday at Budapest. Only Nicolò Martinenghi prevented an American clean sweep as the 22-year-old claimed Italy’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. “My first medal, a gold medal in my first final at the world championship is something special,” said Martinenghi, who also set a national record. The 19-year-old Huske improved on her American record in the women’s 100-meter butterfly, clocking 55.64 seconds to finish ahead of French swimmer Marie Wattel and China’s Zhang Yufei. “It’s kind of surreal. I feel like I haven’t really processed it yet,” said Huske, who was 0.29 seconds under the world-record pace at the 50-meter mark. “I’m just happy I went a best time more than the place. At the end of the day, I just want to see that I’m improving myself.” Wattel’s 56.14 is a French record. Dressel was a half-second off the world record as he took gold in the men’s 50-meter butterfly in 22.57, ahead of Brazilian Nicholas Santos and American teammate Michael Andrew. Walsh, 20, clocked 2:07.13 in the women’s 200-meter medley, the fifth-fastest time ever, finishing 1.44 seconds ahead of Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, and 1.78 ahead of 16-year-old teammate Leah Hayes, whose time of 2:08.91 is a junior world record.TENNISNo. 1 Daniil Medvedev falls in Halle finalGet Sports HeadlinesThe Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.Hubert Hurkacz needed 63 minutes to upset top-ranked Daniil Medvedev, 6-1, 6-4, to win the Halle (Germany) Open and underline his credentials as a contender for Wimbledon two years running. Hurkacz, a Wimbledon semifinalist last year, is one of seven men in the Open era to win their first five singles finals, the ATP Tour said, and jumps to 10th in the world rankings. Medvedev, who has lost back-to-back finals on grass, can’t play Wimbledon this year because the All England Club has barred players from Russia and its ally Belarus … Second seed Matteo Berrettini retained his grass-court Queen’s Club title by beating Filip Krajinovic, 7-5, 6-4, in London. Berrettini heads to Wimbledon, which starts June 27, having won 20 of his last 21 matches on grass — his only loss coming against Novak Djokovic in four sets in last year’s Wimbledon final. He has won every match since returning to action in Stuttgart after three months out with a hand injury … Ons Jabeur was leading, 6-3, 2-1, when she won the Berlin Open after Belinda Bencic couldn’t continue with a left ankle injury suffered in the first set. Jabeur gave Bencic words of comfort at the net, then hurriedly prepared a cooler with ice for the Swiss player to rest her injured ankle … Top seed Alison Van Uytvanck beat Sara Errani, 6-4, 6-3, to win the inaugural Veneto Open at Gaiba, Italy. The 47th-ranked Van Uytvanck completed the first WTA tournament played on natural grass in Italy without dropping a set in the village of less than 1,000 inhabitants — making it the smallest town in the world to host a WTA tournament. Organizers used former soccer fields for the courts … Beatriz Haddad Maia secured back-to-back WTA titles after Shuai Zhang retired with an injury trailing, 5-4, in the first set of the Birmingham (England) Classic final.BASEBALLTexas A&M ousts rival Texas from College World SeriesTrevor Werner hit the tiebreaking single in a four-run second inning and No. 5 national seed Texas A&M broke a nine-game College World Series losing streak with a 10-2 victory over rival Texas, ending the Longhorns’ season. The Aggies (43-19) spotted Texas (47-22) a two-run lead before taking control of the first CWS game between programs that had met 373 times since 1904. Their first win in five Omaha appearances since 1993 moved Texas A&M to another elimination game Tuesday against the loser of Sunday night’s game between Oklahoma and Notre Dame. Leading, 8-2, the Aggies faced a stressful situation in the sixth when Jacob Palisch walked Mitchell Daly to load the bases with two outs and Ivan Melendez coming up. Palisch struck out the national home run leader and .393 hitter, catching him looking at a 93-mil-per-hour fastball at the knees on the inner half of the plate … Ryan Fitzgerald hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning and the Worcester Red Sox hung on for a 5-4 win over the Toledo Mud Hens in a Triple A game at Polar Park. Christin Stewart had an RBI double and Ronaldo Hernandez an RBI single in the eighth.MISCELLANYElena Delle Donne, Mystics sink SunElena Delle Donne scored all 15 of her points in the first half and the Washington Mystics beat the visiting Connecticut Sun, 71-63. Ariel Atkins and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough each scored 10 points for Washington (11-7). Delle Donne converted a 3-point play and then hit a 3-pointer about a minute later to make it 14-9 midway through the first quarter and the Mystics led the rest of the way. Connecticut scored 6 straight points to trim its deficit to 8 nearly two minutes later but Alysha Clark scored 4 points in a 7-0 spurt that made it 38-23 with six minutes left in the first half and the Sun couldn’t recover. Jonquel Jones had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Sun (12-4). Connecticut, which went into the game No. 2 in the WNBA in scoring at 87.9 points per game, shot just 36.7% (22 of 60) from the field and was held to its fewest points of the season … Max Verstappen maintained his hold on the Formula One championship lead by holding off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz Jr. to earn his sixth win of the season in a fairly easy Sunday drive in the Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal. Verstappen won from the pole at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to extend his lead in the standings to 46 points over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who retired early with a gearbox issue. Sainz was able to close the gap over the final 10 laps and pressured the reigning F1 champion but faded on the last lap and finished .993 seconds behind in his Ferrari. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton scored his first podium since the season opener in March. George Russell was fourth …Rugby New York rallied from a 13-10 deficit to beat the New England Free Jacks in the Major League Rugby Eastern Conference final at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy. Beaudein Waaka had all 16 points for the Free Jacks … In the headliner of Saturday night’s UFC event at Austin, Texas, Methuen native Calvin Kattar dropped a five-round split-decision to Josh Emmett. | Swimming |
BROOKLINE — Alex Fitzpatrick, Matt Fitzpatrick’s brother, left town on Saturday because he thought there was no chance the 28-year-old Englishman would win the US Open at The Country Club.Alex, 23, just graduated from Wake Forest, and still lives in Winston-Salem, N.C. He’s a professional golfer like his brother — in fact, he just turned pro last month.“He was six back, five back of the lead,” Alex said, “And when I landed he was tied.”Alex said he texted his manager to get him on the next flight to Boston.“If he wins, I can’t miss it,” Alex told him.He landed in Charlotte, drove an hour-and-a-half home, then woke up at 5 a.m. Sunday to make the same drive back to the airport. He went straight from Logan to Brookline.“I couldn’t be happier I spent that money to come back,” he said.Alex said the only better feeling would be if he won, “but this is as close as it gets.”“My whole family is here, family and friends, the Fultons, who we are staying with, which is also family,” he said. “... My brother said at the start of the week it felt a bit like a home game, we’re lucky to have familiar faces and just to experience this with them is phenomenal.”Fitzpatrick became just the second male golfer to win the US Amateur and US Open on the same course when he edged out Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler to finish 6-under.It’s Fitzpatrick’s first major win.Read more about the US Open‘I’ll remember that for the rest of my life’: Despite seventh-place finish, Keegan Bradley felt like a hometown hero at the US OpenMatt Fitzpatrick holds off Scottie Scheffler, Will Zalatoris to win US Open at The Country Club
Jayna Bardahl can be reached at [email protected]. Katie McInerney can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @k8tmac. | Golf |
DENVER — They come at you in waves, this Avalanche team.Length-of-the-rink speed that puts even experienced opponents on their heels. Four lines that can explode onto the score sheet. A power play that has carried momentum from the previous round. And a no-frills, detail-oriented defense that doesn’t allow any breathing room.Did we mention the speed?Moving like it had rocket boosters attached to its skate blades, the Avalanche overwhelmed the Tampa Bay Lightning in Saturday’s Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, scoring early and often in a commanding 7-0 win at a raucous Ball Arena.The Avalanche are two wins from its first Cup in 21 years, two wins from ending the Lightning’s two-year reign over the NHL, two wins from putting an exclamation point on the franchise’s reclamation and two wins from possibly beginning its own era of dominance.Such lofty thoughts shouldn’t be dismissed.That’s how good the Avs played to take a 2-0 series lead and, well, how lethargic, tired and worn out Tampa Bay appears to be.Valeri Nichushkin and Cale Makar scored two goals apiece, two of five Avalanche players who had at least two points. Josh Manson, Andre Burakovsky and Darren Helm also scored.The series shifts to Tampa for Games 3-4 on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. The Avalanche was 7-0 on road ice in the first three rounds, the longest road winning streak to open a postseason since the 2012 Cup-winning Los Angeles Kings won their first 10 games.Since 2010 (not counting the “bubble” postseason in ‘20), a team has led the final series 2-0 eight times and hoisted the Cup six of them, the exception being Vancouver in ‘11, and only the Canucks were pushed to a seventh game.Only a total collapse would keep the Avs from winning the Cup. Who sees this team in its current form losing four times in the next five games?The Avalanche struck quickly for a 1-0 lead. J.T. Compher drew a roughing penalty on Tampa Bay’s Ryan McDonagh 61 seconds into the game. From the right half-wall, Burakovsky centered a pass that Nichushkin — left alone in front of the net for some reason — slammed past Andrei Vasilevskiy for his seventh goal of the postseason only 2:54 in.Five minutes later, it was 2-0 when Manson, unable to pass across to Andrew Cogliano, wristed a shot past Vasilevskiy. The goal showed Tampa Bay’s shocking neglect for details. The Lightning’s three forwards were below the Avs’ goal-line and then McDonagh made a haphazard decision to pinch, leading to the odd-man rush.Less than six minutes later, it was 3-0 when Mikko Rantanen’s slap shot from the right circle was turned away by Vasilevskiy, but right to Burakovsky for the goal. Again, the Avs had a man completely open in front of the goal.The building was buzzing.The Lightning was listing.And the Avalanche was awesome.Tampa Bay wanted a better start … it was down two goals less than eight minutes into Game 1. Tampa Bay wanted to be assertive offensively from the hop … it had one non-threatening shot on goal in the first 10 minutes. And Tampa Bay wanted to pick up its collective pace … the Avs wouldn’t allow it.Much to the Avs’ credit, their collective foot remained on the figurative gas pedal in the second period. Were they aggressive offensively? Yes, but not in a reckless way. Were they on-point defensively? No doubt.The lead stretched to 4-0 at 4:51 of the second when Rantanen forced a Lightning turnover behind the Tampa Bay goal and centered to the high slot where Nichushkin’s one-timer beat Vasilevskiy. Helm made it 5-0 off a break that ended with a wrist shot that beat Vasilevskiy above the glove.Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper didn’t have to be spectacular, stopping 12 shots through two periods as the Avs clamped down in the neutral zone, preventing free entries by the Lightning’s forwards. The Avs’ penalty killers continue to do great work; Tampa Bay’s power play is broken through two games and Makar scored a short-handed goal to make it 6-0 early in the third period. Makar added a power-play goal to put the Avalanche up by a touchdown with 10:11 remaining.Can the Lightning hit the reset button on its charter flight back home Sunday morning? Of course.In the last round, Tampa Bay was down 2-0 to the New York Rangers and won four consecutive games to keep its three-peat alive. The Avs are better than the Rangers, though. Much better, as Saturday night exhibited.+++Related:Stanley Cup Final guide for Stars fans: Enemies of Dallas’ past, present collideFind more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. | Hockey |
Whether you want a backyard presenter or a theater-quality behemoth, our picks will help you upgrade your at-home movie nights.There's nothing like watching your favorite films in a dark room on a massive screen. For that authentic movie theater experience at home, you'll need a projector (and a popcorn maker).You used to have to shell out more than $10,000 to get an excellent projected experience, but you can now get a massive, beautiful picture for less than the cost of a flagship TV. Projectors are also much more portable and easier to set up than ever. And if you have space, there are excellent pocket-sized and short-throw models that make lawn-side movie nights as easy as finding an extension cord and a level chair to set them on. Below are our favorite models and a couple of screens to pair with them.Working on a total home-theater overhaul? Be sure to check out our buying guides to the Best Soundbars and Best 4K Streaming Devices.Updated April 2022: We've added the LG HU85LA and Epson LS11000 and updated prices throughout.Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIREDPhotograph: Optoma Best OverallOptoma UHD50XThe Optoma UHD50X (9/10, WIRED Recommends) offers one of the best pictures you'll find at a reasonable price. The image quality and ease of setup are comparable to the BenQ model that follows it on this list, but with one special trick up its sleeve that makes it my favorite projector right now: low input lag. Plug in a gaming computer with a good enough video card and it will offer a 240-Hz refresh rate and low enough response time that you can play most online games. (If you play tons of fast-paced games, go for the UHD35 below.) The high refresh rate also makes the UHD50X better for sports, which often look weird on projectors.Photograph: BenQAlso GreatBenQ HT3550Factory-calibrated color, true 4K resolution, and the ability to optimize light output for better-than-usual contrast make the BenQ HT3550 one of the best projectors you can buy. It's lightweight and super easy to set up, thanks to a short "throw"—the required distance between your screen and the projector—and built-in optical zoom, which gives you a good amount of room to find the perfect spot to set it up. Movies look bold and cinematic, but you'll still probably want to watch the HT3550 in a dark room.★ Another alternative: If you're interested in a projector that looks very similar but works well in the daytime, try the TK800M ($1,449). It boasts a higher overall brightness to compete with the sunlight.Photograph: LGSmartest ProjectorLG HU810PWThis gorgeous 4K laser projector from LG is also beautiful to look at when media is playing, and it's just about the easiest to use when it comes to finding stuff to play. It has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LG's TV operating system built in, which includes the awesome Wiimote-like LG Smart Remote. That means you can access everything from Netflix to Apple Airplay casting. It's a bit cumbersome to get mounted (you'll want two people), but once you do, vertical and horizontal adjustments for the lens make lining it up with your screen a breeze. It even has HDMI eARC, which means connecting to soundbars and other modern receivers is a breeze. The projector's remote can control them.Photograph: EpsonHigh-End PickEpson LS11000Epson's latest high-end home theater projector is a nearly 36-pound beast that projects in full 4K resolution at up to 120 frames per second. That makes it an excellent choice for gaming, sports, or any other quick-paced onscreen action. This projector also features HDR10+ for gorgeously bright colors, with Epson's new ZX picture processor making everything look prettier than ever. With up to 20,000 hours of play time before you need to worry about a replacement light source, you'll be well and upgraded by the time this thing kicks the bucket. Buyer beware: I was sent a review unit of this projector and was unable to mount it on my consumer-grade projector mount. If you're buying this projector, be sure to purchase a compatible mount or, better yet, have the unit installed by a professional A/V technician.Photograph: LGEasiest SetupLG HU85LAMost traditional projectors require a significant distance between the device and the screen you want your image on, but not this laser projector. This all-in-one device sits right on a traditional TV stand and projects an image upward onto an up-to-120-inch screen. It comes with a soundbar, built-in Google Assistant and Alexa, and even LG's Smart TV interface, so all you need to do is plug in speakers—no external streaming devices required. Image quality is crisp and bright, thanks to LG's laser technology. The distance from the wall means nobody will get between the projector and the screen when jumping up for popcorn.Photograph: Optoma Best for GamersOptoma UHD35Our top pick, the Optoma UHD50X, is good for most casual gamers, but if you demand an even shorter lag time, the UHD35 from the same company is your best bet. Projectors have always had slower input response times (the time it takes your motion on a gamepad to react on screen) than regular TVs, but the UHD35 fixes this with a superfast 240-Hz refresh rate at Full HD resolution. That lowers the input latency to a mere 4 milliseconds, compared with 16 on the UHD50X—more than good enough for all but the most competitive gamers. When you're not using it to play Breath of the Wild on a 120-inch screen, you can watch all your favorite films and TV shows in 4K. At 3,600 lumens, it's also bright enough for medium-lit rooms. The one thing I don't like about it? It doesn't have lens shift support, so you'll want to make sure you have a proper mounting solution planned before you pull the trigger.Photograph: BenQBest Under $1,000BenQ HT2150STI strongly recommend you don't spend less than $500 on a new projector—unless you're looking for a small, portable option, which we have below. The fact is, you just don't get TV-level performance for that kind of money. If you're looking for a cheap model, I recommend saving a bit more cash and snagging the BenQ HT2150ST. This plucky 1080p projector offers the excellent color accuracy the company is known for, sharp image quality, and enough brightness to look great during outdoor movie nights.Photograph: LG Best for PhonesLG CineBeam PH30NThe CineBeam PH30N is a blast. It has two hours of battery life, so you can watch a short movie anywhere (plug it in for longer sessions), and you can even stream things straight from your cell phone—no cables required. With 720p resolution and up to a 100-inch image size all from a projector that fits easily in a purse, you'll be watching Netflix in the woods in no time. Just wait until it's dark, because portable projectors aren't nearly as bright as their beefier, cabled counterparts.Photograph: KodakBest for Portable Movie NightKodak Luma 400This cute portable projector from Kodak has Android 9.0 onboard, which makes it easy to download movies to watch via any of your fovorite apps. I also like that it comes with a little threaded tripod, for easier than usual placement. You'll get up to 3 hours of battery, but you can plug it into a USB C battery pack for more juice on the go. It also has an HDMI port for computer-based viewing. You'll get up to a 150-inch screen at 12.5 feet, and you can even connect a speaker via the included 3.5 mm audio jack for better portable sound (or headphone-based viewing.)Photograph: Silver TicketBest Indoor ScreenSilver Ticket STR-169100If you're gonna splurge on a projector, you should snag a screen to go with it. You'll get better colors, sharper highlights, and have a more cinematic experience overall. My favorite is this Silver Ticket model, which looks as good as screens that cost much more. It's also super easy to mount.Photograph: Elite ScreensBest Outdoor ScreenElite Screens Yard Master 2Outdoor movie nights shouldn't rely on an old white sheet or the scruffed-up wall of your garage. Instead, grab the Yardmaster 2 from Elite Screens, which assembles in minutes and comes with a carrying case for storage between events. Don't want two screens in your life? Do what I did and just move it inside during the cooler months.Tips and TricksWhat to Know Before Buying a ProjectorProjectors offer larger screen sizes and a more cinematic viewing experience than their TV counterparts, but that doesn't mean they're easier to set up.Unless you're going for a portable option, you'll want to make sure you have a projector mount ($24) and audio cables properly routed to the location of your projector. This is because setting up full-size projectors to fit your screen, be in focus, etc., can be a pain, so once you get everything dialed in, you'll want to leave it as-is.Another thing to bear in mind before you get a projector is just how much space you'll need to properly set it up. In most cases, you'll need 10 to 15 feet between the screen and the projector (be sure to check the “throw distance” listed by the manufacturer in the manual) to achieve screen sizes over 100 inches. Without a completely dark room, the image can look washed out and be hard to see. If you don't have a room without windows, consider getting blackout curtains. For more detailed information on how to set up a projector after it arrives, I highly recommend this video.Parker Hall is an associate editor of product reviews at WIRED. He focuses on audiovisual and entertainment products. Hall is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied jazz percussion. After hours, he remains a professional musician in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. | Movies |
Four-time Olympian Emily Seebohm is "happy" to see a decision finally be made on transgender athletes competing in swimming as she revealed what she wants to see from the separate "open" category for trans competitors.Four-time Olympian Emily Seebohm is supportive of a separate "open" category for transgender athletes to make the sport of swimming fairer.Governing body FINA has restricted transgender athletes from competing in women's races after it heard from three groups of independent experts to determine how much gender played a part in overall performance.Its report found sex is the "key determinant" of athletic performance with males outperforming females in sports, including aquatics, with the difference between genders emerging from the beginning of puberty.International Swimming Federation President Husain Al-Musallam said it will introduce a category for trans competitors who do not meet the criteria to compete as a woman.News has never been more important. Stream more than 20 global & local news sources with Flash. New to Flash? Try 1 month freeSeebohm said she was "happy to finally see a reaction" as the topic had marred the sport in recent months after transgender American swimmer Lia Thomas made worldwide headlines breaking records four years after transitioning."I’m finally happy that we have a decision, and we know where the sport’s going and what we’re going to be doing," she told Sky News Australia on Monday.The three-time Olympic gold medallist added she supports FINA's suggestion of an open category for trans competitors."I’m really supportive of the open category that they are suggesting that they are going to bring into competition because it gives a chance for everyone to be involved in our sport," Seebohm said."I love my sport; I want to share it with everyone so let’s get everyone involved and let’s keep it fair."Host Pete Stefanovic then posed how she would see the open category being set up."All I can go on is, we have a male category, a female category, in the Paralympics we have so many different categories to include everyone," the 30-year-old said."I don’t know how it's going to look as to this open category that they’re suggesting."Stefanovic questioned if she would see it as two categories - one for men who transition to women and another for females who transition to males."I would see it as, I guess as the open category, there would be two different categories," Seebohm said.But she stressed more conversations were needed to be had between FINA and transgender athletes to ensure it was fair as well. "I think it’s nice to include everyone and make sure that even for them it’s fair as well," the Queensland native added."To keep them in a category that is going to see them racing people that are very much on the same level playing field."I think that’s what we want in sport, we want to see those close, those tough races where it’s like neck and neck and you don’t know who’s going to win."FINA's new policy will mean transgender athletes need to prove by next week they have not experienced any part of male puberty before the age of 12."They are androgen sensitive but had male puberty suppressed beginning at Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later, and they have since continuously maintained their testosterone levels in serum (or plasma) below 2.5 nmol/L," part of the 24-page policy read.It was passed with a majority of 71.5 per cent of more than 190 members voting in favour of the landmark policy. | Swimming |
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — An 18-year-old from South Korea has won the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, one of the top showcases for the world’s best pianists.The competition held in Fort Worth, Texas, ended Saturday night with Yunchan Lim becoming the competition’s youngest winner of the gold medal. His winnings include a cash award of $100,000 and three years of career management.The silver medalist was Anna Geniushene, a 31-year-old from Russia, and the bronze medalist is Dmytro Choni, a 28-year-old from Ukraine.Lim told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he’ll discuss with his teacher what the next move for his career should be.“I am still a student and I feel like I have to learn a lot still,” Lim said. “This is a great competition and I feel the burden of receiving this great honor and award so I will just push myself to live up to the honor I received today.”The competition was founded in 1962 in honor of the celebrated pianist Van Cliburn, who lived in Fort Worth. Cliburn, who died in 2013 at age 78, played for U.S. presidents, royalty and heads of state around the world. He is best remembered for winning the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958, at the height of the Cold War.The competition is traditionally held every four years. This year’s competition was originally scheduled for last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. | Music |
The most difficult advancement for a franchise is to reach that championship level, making this summer the most pivotal for the Celtics in nearly two decades.The Celtics not only have to devise ways to upgrade their roster to overtake the champion Warriors but the rest of the title competitors, most of whom will make trades and signings and dive into the luxury tax to make improvements.As much as the Celtics won the Eastern Conference championship and were probably six good minutes in Game 4 from winning the NBA Finals, their weaknesses were exposed by the more experienced Warriors in the final three games of the series.President of basketball operations Brad Stevens will assess the roster and determine what areas need enhancements, but it became apparent toward the end of the series that: 1.) coach Ime Udoka didn’t trust his bench; 2.) the Celtics had issues running a cohesive offense against an elite defense; and 3.) Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum handled the ball far too much and hence made turnovers trying to create their own shot.Get Court SenseBounce around the NBA with our Celtics-centric look at the latest happenings on and off the court.The Celtics are over the salary cap, and ownership will have to determine whether it wants to delve into the luxury tax to improve the team. Golden State owner Joe Lacob, a former Celtics minority owner, said he would spend his final dollar to win a championship and the club is $89 million over the salary cap because of the star power on its roster.Stevens has some ways to improve the roster without a major free agent signing. Firstly, he needs to upgrade the bench. One way Stevens strayed away from the Danny Ainge administration is he cleared the unplayable or ineffective players on the bench.He sent out Carsen Edwards, Semi Ojeleye, Tristan Thompson, Tremont Waters and Tacko Fall to clear roster space. But he filled the bench with players, some of whom are worth developing but not ready to contribute to any type of playoff run.Derrick White shot 31.3 percent on 3-pointers during the playoffs.Matthew J Lee/Globe staffIt’s time for Stevens to supplement the bench with veterans who know roles and can contribute in short stints. The Warriors were greatly helped by players such as Otto Porter, Andre Iguodala, Gary Payton II and Nemanja Bjelica during the postseason. The Celtics countered with Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard, and Derrick White.The return of Daniel Theis was a feel-good story in February but Udoka obviously doesn’t think enough of his skill set for him to serve as a productive third big man, which is going to be necessary with Al Horford starting next season at age 36.Upgrading the bench does not have to be expensive, especially with the Celtics having that $6.6 million mid-level exception to use and trade exceptions of $9.7 million (expiring on July 7) and $17.1 million (expiring on July 18).That allows Stevens to trade — perhaps future draft picks — for players to fit that exception without salary cap constraints. (Although it would add to the luxury tax.)Stevens has to assess the point guard position. It may be time to lighten the responsibility from Marcus Smart, sign a quality backup point guard that could shift Smart to shooting guard in a small lineup and jumpstart the offense in the fourth quarter. The Celtics offense was stagnant all season late in games and that has to be addressed because that stagnation likely cost them a championship.The quality of inexpensive point guards to back up Smart is mediocre. Players such as Detroit’s Cory Joseph or Washington’s Raul Neto could be available at a cheaper price. There are graybeards available such as Goran Dragic or DJ Augustin, players who may have lost athleticism but can get teams into an offense.The Celtics could use some help at point guard to back up Marcus Smart.Matthew J Lee/Globe staffStevens has to assess the expectation of White after this postseason. He came to Boston as a career 34.4 percent 3-point shooter and Udoka said that number would improve with the increase of open threes he would get with Tatum and Brown on the floor. White shot 30.6 percent on threes during his regular-season stint with the Celtics and 31.3 percent during the playoffs.After his 5-for-8 3-point performance in Game 1 against Golden State, White shot 5 for 17 for the rest of the series and he totaled 3 points on 1-for-10 shooting in the final two games of the series. This trade was praised by observers because of White’s potential, but Stevens gave up Josh Richardson (productive in his Boston stint), former first-round pick Romeo Langford (not a big loss) and a first-round pick and pick swap for White.That’s a major commitment, considering Richardson may have been more effective in the Celtics offense had they retained him (Richardson shot 39.7 percent from three).“Just trying to stay confident, being consistent with my form, try to have every shot be the same,” White said of his shooting. “I’ve got a lot of room where I need to continue to get better and just continue to get more and more comfortable with everything that’s going on.”The hope for the Celtics is White improves over the summer and is benefited by a full training camp. But his struggles punctuate the Celtics’ need for a knockdown shooter off the bench. Stevens filled the roster with defenders, turning the Celtics into the league’s No. 1 defense.But what happens when those defenders can’t score? That was their primary issue. White, Pritchard and Williams totaled 100 points in the Finals on 35 percent shooting, placing more pressure on Tatum and Brown.Jayson Tatum (left) and Jaylen Brown were forced to shoulder a heavy load with limited help from the bench.Matthew J Lee/Globe staffThe Celtics need a knockdown shooter off the bench, similar to Golden State’s Jordan Poole, who turned around Games 5 and 6 with his shot making. They will likely have to sacrifice defensive prowess, but the Celtics need a shooter. A player such as Sam Hauser could serve that role, but the lack of development of Aaron Nesmith, another former first-round pick, hindered the bench this season.The remedy has to be more than hoping Nesmith and Hauser are ready for larger roles next season. Title-contending teams pad their bench with veterans who can help. They create intense competition for playing time. Stevens needs to help Udoka with a better bench and owners Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca need to help Stevens by sparing little expense in chasing title No. 18.The Celtics came close this season, but they cannot remain content or hope a flawed roster will collectively improve without reinforcements and additions. That’s an inadequate strategy.Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe. | Basketball |
Sunday at the US Open, a new TCC landmark earned a nickname. The 18th fairway now has “Fitzpatrick’s bunker.”Matt Fitzpatrick, a 27-year-old from Sheffield, England, changed his life Sunday with his win at the US Open. With a four-day score of 6-under-par 274, one lower than Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler, Fitzpatrick won his first major and posted his first professional victory in the United States.Fitzpatrick, who is ranked 18th in the world and has eight victories in Europe and two PGA Tour runner-up finishes, wouldn’t be holding the US Open championship trophy and a $3.15 million check if not for a brilliant, and downright courageous, approach shot from a bunker on the left side of the 18th fairway.Not even Fitzpatrick expected him to pull off the shot from 161 yards away.“One thing that I’ve been really struggling with this year is fairway bunker play,” he said. “Still not 100 percent out of it. But I just committed to the shot we kind of planned. Yeah, it was amazing.”Nursing a one-shot lead over Zalatoris and Scheffler, and with Zalatoris sitting in the fairway and staring down a potential birdie opportunity, Fitzpatrick made the shot of his life from the bunker.His shot carried the massive front bunker and landed 18 feet from the pin, right in the middle of the green. Fitzpatrick made an easy two-putt for par, and was crowned champion when Zalatoris’s birdie putt slid 2 inches to the left of the cup.“Matt’s shot on 18 is going to be shown probably for the rest of US Open history,” Zalatoris said.The bunker shot was only necessary because Fitzpatrick hooked his drive on 18, in what seemed like an overly aggressive play.Zalatoris, who finished second at a major for the second time this year (PGA Championship) and third time in his young career, couldn’t help but marvel.“That golf shot was 1 in 20, at best,” he said. “To pull it off in that situation is incredible.”Fitzpatrick’s win at the 122nd US Open was historic. Nine years ago, he navigated through a deep field that included Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka to win the 2013 US Amateur at The Country Club.Now he again walks away from TCC as a champion, defeating many of the same golfers. Fitzpatrick became just the second male golfer to win a US Amateur and US Open at the same course. Jack Nicklaus did it at Pebble Beach in 1961 and 1972. Now Fitzpatrick pulls off the feat at The Country Club, the same course that helped popularize golf in the United States thanks to Ouimet and his improbable win in 1913.“It is so cliche, but it’s stuff you dream of as a kid,” said Fitzpatrick, whose previous best finish at a US Open was 12th in 2018 and 2019. “I can retire a happy man tomorrow.”This week’s championship came with seven years of anticipation, since the USGA awarded it to The Country Club in 2015. And by every objective measure, the championship blew everyone’s expectations away.The weather was perfect — cool and breezy all week, with no delays. The leaderboard was dominated by the world’s best players. A local favorite, Keegan Bradley, made a run at the trophy and riled up the crowd. The back nine on Sunday came down to a tense, three-horse race. The Boston gallery witnessed an accomplishment by Fitzpatrick that has only happened twice in 122 years.The course was enjoyably punishing, with only nine of 156 golfers finishing under par. And the golfers, most of whom had never been on the grounds before, fell in love with TCC’s iconic, 130-year-old layout.“I thought it was the best place I’ve played in a while,” said Collin Morikawa, who finished tied for fifth after shooting a 4-under 66 on Sunday. “There’s only been a handful of courses where I really step foot on property, and you see it for a short period of time, and then you think you’re going to love it. And this was one of them.”TCC also produced a worthy champion in Fitzpatrick.Players with 11 combined major champions were chasing him throughout the round, with Scheffler, Hideki Matsuyama, Morikawa, Rory McIlroy, Bradley, Gary Woodland, and Jon Rahm all packed tightly on the leaderboard.“The environment out there was definitely intense,” said Scheffler, this year’s Masters champion and No. 1 in the world rankings. “The crowds were crazy this week. They were really, really going nuts, and it was a ton of fun.”But Fitzpatrick played like a champion, carding two early birdies and showing a veteran’s understanding of TCC’s blind shots, slick fairways, punishing rough, and tiny greens. Fitzpatrick became the third Englishman since 1925 to win the US Open, joining Tony Jacklin (1970) and Justin Rose (2013).Fitzpatrick hit putts of 48 and 19 feet on the back nine to take the lead. Then he finished with three straight pars, and shut the door with his miraculous fairway bunker shot on 18.“It’s one of the best shots I ever hit, there’s no doubt about it,” he said. “I love playing this golf course. It suits me so well. It suits my game well. I’ve been playing well for a while, and I think it all just fell into place that this was the place it was going to happen.”Ben Volin can be reached at [email protected]. | Golf |
BROOKLINE — A round that sent him to his hands and knees ended with his fists raised high.Keegan Bradley fought his putter on Sunday at the US Open, ending his chase for the trophy. But after capping a seventh-place finish with a final-round 71, he saluted a crowd that had his back the whole way.They hollered encouragement wherever he went at The Country Club, often simply calling out his various New England associations: “802!” for his hometown of Woodstock, Vt., “Hillers!” for his schoolboy days at Hopkinton High, “Go Sox!” for his hardcore support of Boston teams, which he wore all over his spikes.The gallery saved the most meaningful tributes for last. Hundreds around the 18th hole showered him with more “Kee-gan! Kee-gan!” thunder as he walked to the green. This was the week Bradley felt like a Boston sports hero.“Man, I’ll remember that for the rest of my life,” he said. “It was really special. I’m happy that my family was here to see that, and it was just amazing.”Bradley, flanked by his 4-year-old son, Logan, during a postround interview, had family, friends and high school teammates in attendance. Bradley and his family live in Jupiter, Fla., but plan to spend the summer up here — Bradley, mostly, being a dad.“There’s a part of me that’s still happy that it’s over,” Bradley said. “I’m tapped out. What a week. I had the best time. I’m so thankful for the fans of New England and Boston. I’m proud of the way I played. I wish I had putted a little better today, but that’s the way it goes.”Starting in a tie for fourth (2 under), Bradley fell off the leaderboard after bogeying his first three holes. The undulating greens bedeviled him, his putter failing him early.Bradley is more deliberate than most in lining up his short strokes. He straddles his line. He studies his pointer finger to read the break. He is not a quick worker. At times, it may have felt like he was prolonging the agony.He was in the sand on No. 1, but gave himself a chance for birdies on 2 and 3. He rolled each of his putts over the edge of the cup.That was right in line with his starts earlier in the week. Bradley started 3 over in each of the previous two days. On Friday, he finished with six birdies in the final 12 holes. Saturday saw him card five birdies in that stretch. On Sunday, he birdied 7, 8, 11, and 17, but couldn’t keep pace with the lead pack.“I got off to bad starts the last three days in a row, like horrible, horrible starts, and I sort of battled back,” Bradley said. “I told my caddie on — I think it was the 12th hole — I’ve got to really try to enjoy this coming in. Something I never really take a second to do, because I may never really get this opportunity again, and I did that.”He was muttering to himself on 14, after missing a 22-footer for birdie, but handed out a dozen or so fist-bumps to the crowd on the way to the par-4 15th. There, he sank to all fours after sending his approach into the bunker. He carded a bogey.He got back into the top 10 with that birdie on 17, getting back to 1 under total. He could have had a top-five finish if he had made a 24-footer on 18, but he finished with a par. His 70-69-69-71 earned him a prize of $515,934. Adam Hadwin and Denny McCarthy also tied for seventh.Bradley, ranked 47th in the world, registered his second-best US Open finish, following his T-4 at Pinehurst in 2014. He did not play the tournament last year, after four cuts in five years. His last result at the US Open was T-60th at Erin Hills in 2017.He is still searching for his second major, 11 years after his 2011 PGA Championship win. Clearly, he would love another chance to earn some hardware in Brookline.“I think it’s one of the best golf courses in the world, and alongside probably the best sports fans in the world. Combine those two, and you get this out here,” he said. “The Country Club is spectacular. I absolutely loved it. It’s my favorite US Open venue I’ve ever played. Any time you get to play a tournament in Boston, it’s electric. The fans are the best.”Read more US Open 2022 stories:How it happened: Matt Fitzpatrick holds off Scottie Scheffler, Will Zalatoris to win US Open at The Country Club
Matt Porter can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyports. | Golf |
BROOKLINE — With the crowd roaring around the 18th hole for the 2022 US Open champion, Rory McIlroy approached the green.But the Irishman wasn’t there to be crowned champ.Instead, McIlory was there to hug runner-up Will Zalatoris, and watch as Matt Fitzpatrick embraced his title-worthy 6-under-par finish.Just a week ago, McIlroy was in that spot. All eyes on him in a moment you’d wish you could stop in time. He heard the roar of fans and felt the bliss of championship golf in his first-place finish at the Canadian Open.But this week was different. After Sunday’s final round at The Country Club, McIlroy finished in a 2-under tie for fifth with Collin Morikawa.“I needed to shoot a 65 or a 66 to get the job done today, and I just wasn’t quite on it enough to do that,” McIlroy said. “I still feel like I played well and shot a solid round of golf, but just not quite good enough to contend.”McIlroy is ranked third in the world and a four-time major champion. The 33-year-old is a favorite among fans and the “Rory, Rory” chants as he walked up the 18th hole on Sunday proved it. Crowds followed closely behind him all weekend.But despite his résumé, McIlroy has not won a major since 2014.“Another top five in a major,” he said, somewhat disappointedly.McIlroy’s first-round 67 was his best of the tournament.On Saturday, he was one of many to fall at the hands of windy and cool conditions. He carded an uncharacteristic three bogeys in the opening six holes. With just one birdie on the round, he ended at 3-over 73.“It was one of the toughest days on a golf course I’ve had in a long time,” McIlory acknowledged afterward.Entering the final day at 1-under par, McIlroy had to put up an impressive, but achievable, score to remain in contentione. He started the round with a three-stroke birdie on the first hole’s 484-yard par 4, but later posted three bogeys in five holes. His inconsistency dropped him to 1-under 69 on the round.“A bit of a roller coaster on the front nine,” McIlroy said. “Sort of feel like there was a couple of holes out there this week that were my nemesis, the third being one of them.”On the third hole, McIlory recorded a par, double-bogey, bogey, and bogey through the four rounds.McIlroy will compete at the Travelers Championship in Hartford next week. After that, he’ll take a 2-week two-week hiatus in preparation for the final major championship of the year: The Open at St. Andrews Links.It’ll be his final chance at a 2022 major title.“The game’s there,” McIlory said. “It’s there. It’s close. I just have to stay patient.” | Golf |
Two Florida deputies have been suspended for sharing the news of comedian Bob Saget’s death before his family was alerted, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to The Hill on Sunday. Deputies Emiliano Silva and Steven Reed were both suspended for more than three days for their missteps. Silva reportedly told his brother about the late “Full House” star’s death shortly after responding to the scene, the news of which the brother then shared on social media. Silva’s brother’s tweet remained up for about 45 minutes before it was deleted. Reed, who was not involved in the investigation and was off-duty at the time, reportedly informed his neighbors of Saget’s passing. Both actions took place before Saget’s family was notified, and before the sheriff’s office’s public information officer publicly announced the death, thus violating the department’s dissemination of information directive. “This case highlights how important it is to allow detectives in death investigations the time to ensure next of kin notifications are made before that information is disseminated to the public,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said in a statement. He added, “The deputies acknowledged their wrongdoing and were disciplined for their actions.” Saget died unexpectedly in February from head trauma. It was determined that drugs and alcohol were not factors in his death. His autopsy also determined that Saget’s death was not a result of foul play. Tags bob saget Bob Saget Bob Saget | Celebrity |
The sun sets behind Isla refinery in Willemstad at the island of Curacao June 16, 2008. REUTERS/Jorge Silva (Netherlands Antilles)/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 19 (Reuters) - Curacao will begin negotiations with a seven-company consortium to take over management of the Caribbean island's oil refinery and storage terminal, state-owned Refineria di Kòrsou (RdK) said on Sunday.Curacao's 330,000-barrel per day Isla refinery was idled in 2018 amid a payment dispute between then-operator Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and U.S. oil company ConocoPhillips (COP.N).PDVSA's lease expired at the end of 2019 and attempts by the island's government have continued after several companies dropped out.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRdK said Caribbean Petroleum Refinery, which it identified as a group of six U.S. and one Brazilian company, was selected from among three finalists to manage and run the facilities."No later than September 1st, 2022 an agreement should be reached and immediately after begin with the start-up of operations," RdK said in Sunday's statement.Caribbean Petroleum Refinery would employ more than 800 people and converted the facility to run on natural gas, RdK said. The oil-storage terminal at Bullenbaai "will be put into operation immediately," it added.RdK did not identify the seven companies and did not immediately reply to a request for the names of the seven. The bidder "is committed towards investing in sport development and schools on the island," it said.Officials from several companies had visited the Willemstad refinery and affiliated oil storage terminal in Bullenbaai, RdK has said. A year ago, the refinery said it reached an agreement with CORC B.V. to operate the plant and the oil terminal, but the pact fell apart over financial terms.Tentative deals with Swiss/British conglomerate Klesch Group and U.K.-based oil firm SPS Drilling E&P to operate the refinery and lease a portion of the 15-million-barrel terminal respectively also ended over disagreements about terms and fees.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Gary McWilliams and Luc Cohen; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Latin America Economy |
Rosters will be limited to 13 pitchers starting on Monday and this time Major League Baseball means it.The new rule was originally intended to start in 2020 but was pushed back by the pandemic. Enforcement this season was delayed by the shortened spring training caused by the lockout — first to May 2, then to May 30 and finally to June 20.MLB hopes the rule will add more offense into the game and decrease the dominance of pitchers, in particular the trend of starters only facing a lineup twice then giving way to a parade of relievers.For the Red Sox, who are carrying 14 pitchers, the change will require a roster move before Monday night’s game against Detroit.The Sox have several candidates for demotion. They could designate newcomer James Norwood for assignment and hope he clears waivers. Norwood was acquired from the Phillies on Saturday and joined the team on Sunday.Get 108 StitchesAn email newsletter about everything baseball from the Globe's Red Sox reporters, in your inbox on weekdays during the season.Hirokazu Sawamura, who was optioned earlier this season, has not distinguished himself.In general, the Sox will need more from their starters and four or five outs from some relievers instead of two or three.Through Saturday the Sox had used their bullpen 245 times. Only the Nationals (259) have had more relief appearances.“Captain Hook needs to relax a little bit and let them be,” manager Alex Cora said before Sunday’s 6-4 victory over the Cardinals.The Sox could use a lefthanded bat and versatile glove on their bench. Vaccination status also will come into play as the Sox play in Toronto for three games starting next Monday.Casas concernFirst baseman Triston Casas, one of the organization’s top prospects, hasn’t played since May 17 because of a high right ankle sprain.Cora suggested he won’t be coming back any time soon.What does the future hold for Triston Casas?John Tlumacki/Globe Staff“In the beginning, we thought it was something minor,” he said. “We thought it was going to be day to day. But he wasn’t moving well and he’s a big guy. He hasn’t been able to actually push off it.“He’s missing at-bats and that’s the part that’s disappointing.”Cora said there is no timetable for Casas to return. The 22-year-old is at the team complex in Fort Myers, Fla.Happy homecomingThe Cardinals did right by Packy Naughton. They named the rookie lefthander from West Roxbury to their taxi squad for the series.That allowed Naughton to see his family on Thursday, then watch the Warriors-Celtics game from a suite arranged by teammate Albert Pujols.Naughton, 26, was a ninth-round draft pick of the Reds in 2017 after playing at Boston Latin and Virginia Tech. He was traded to the Angels in 2020 and claimed off waivers by the Cardinals during spring training this season.“It’s been awesome,” Naughton said. “I love it over here. There’s a sense of winning. As a player, to come in the clubhouse and just know that winning is the only priority is what you want.”Naughton has appeared in nine games for St. Louis, starting three. He has a 5.40 earned run average over 13⅓ innings but has struck out 12 with only one walk.His ERA was skewed by a poor outing on June 8 at Tampa Bay when he allowed four runs over 1⅓ innings.“Naughton has done a nice job. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him, whether that’s serve as an opener, go two times through the lineup, come out of the pen,” Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said.West Roxbury native Packy Naughton, seen here pitching for the Cardinals earlier this month, has appeared in nine games for St. Louis this season.Joe Puetz/Getty“It’s been someone we’ve been able to trust and not just left-on-left situations. His overall demeanor, personality, and competitiveness fits in well with what we do. He cares about winning and not just himself.”Naughton will return to Triple A Memphis after this series and get a start. He has worked on refining his slider and being more consistent with his velocity.Target practiceRafael Devers has been hit by a pitch four times in the last seven games after not being hit in his first 59 games. It’s something to keep an eye on as Devers is getting annoyed by it . . . Kiké Hernández (right hip) and Josh Taylor (lower back) seem likely to start minor league rehab assignments this week . . . Sunday’s victory gave the Sox five consecutive series victories. They are 9-1-2 in the last 12 . . . The Sox are 19-4 when Trevor Story drives in a run . . . Players from both teams wore light blue cleats, caps, wristbands, and socks to raise awareness for prostate cancer on Father’s Day . . . Sox president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom took in the game with his kids from the Monster Seats . . . The Sox celebrated Juneteenth before the game with Michelle Brooks-Thompson performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The team also recognized several Boston-based organizations which have advocated for social and economic equality. Among them were the Museum of African American History, Boston While Black, The Partnership, NAACP Boston, and Spark FM Online. Juneteenth is a federal holiday commemorating the freeing of slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865, by the Union Army, two years and nearly six months after the Emancipation Proclamation. Jackie Bradley Jr., who took part in the ceremony, arrived at the ballpark wearing a black Juneteenth Sox jersey.Peter Abraham can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe. | Baseball |
Buzz was no match for the T. rex.Pixar's "Lightyear," an origin story about the astronaut who inspired the Buzz Lightyear action figure from the "Toy Story" movies, nabbed $51 million in ticket sales at 4,255 locations across the U.S. and Canada during its debut weekend, according to studio estimates — a respectable but lower-than-expected haul."Jurassic World Dominion," the sixth entry in the dinosaur franchise, topped the charts for the second weekend in a row, gobbling up roughly $58.6 million in North America for a cumulative domestic gross of $249.7 million. ("Jurassic" was released by Universal Pictures, a unit of NBC News' parent company, NBCUniversal.)"Lightyear," Pixar's first major theatrical release since early 2020, pulled in $34.6 million from international markets for a worldwide opening weekend total of $85.6 million, according to estimates from Walt Disney Pictures, the corporate parent of Pixar Animation Studios.The film was expected to open nearer to $70 million in the U.S. and Canada, according to industry analysts. "Toy Story 4" launched to a commanding $120.9 million in June 2019, according to Comscore, a firm that tracks box office data.Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, said some filmgoers may not have realized that "Lightyear" was a spinoff of the popular "Toy Story" saga, while others might have expected it to premiere on the streaming service Disney+ like the three previous Pixar movies, "Soul," "Luca" and "Turning Red."He struck an optimistic note, however, saying: "Despite coming in with a lower-than-expected weekend, 'Lightyear' should benefit in the coming days as word gets out to family audiences who may not have entirely made the 'Toy Story' connection and that the film is only available in theaters."Dergarabedian added that "Lightyear" could enjoy "a nice open marketplace" that will not see a new major family film until "Minions: The Rise of Gru" lands in theaters July 1. ("Minions" is also a product of Universal Pictures.) In the meantime, "Lightyear" still faces fierce competition from "Jurassic" and "Top Gun: Maverick."The reviews for "Lightyear" were mostly positive, helping it earn a 77% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie features Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz Lightyear, with a supporting voice cast that includes Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi. In the first four "Toy Story" installments, Tim Allen voiced the action figure version of Buzz.Daniel Arkin is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on popular culture and the entertainment industry, particularly film and television. | Movies |
Matt Fitzpatrick immediately set his sights on winning half a dozen major championships and matching the European record as set by Nick Faldo after claiming his first with success at the US Open. Fitzpatrick prevailed at Brookline’s Country Club by one stroke from Will Zalatoris, his playing partner on the final day, and the world No1 Scottie Scheffler.“Six is the number,” said Fitzpatrick, when asked whether he had a majors target. “That’s the number that we all [in Fitzpatrick’s team] agreed on. I’ve got a bit of a way to go but it’s a good start.“You want to go win more now, there’s no doubt about that. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing. I’m not trying to change things. I’ll probably have a sit-down meeting with everyone and just try and make the right decisions going forward. It’s easy to still go off track. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing, and hopefully more will come. I’m delighted with one so far.”Fitzpatrick now shares a notable feat with the legendary Jack Nicklaus, having won both the US Amateur Championship and US Open at the same venue. Nicklaus achieved that at Pebble Beach.Matt Fitzpatrick with his father Russell, brother Alex and mother Susan with the trophy at Brookline. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images“Any time you’re sharing a record with Jack Nicklaus, it’s unbelievable,” said Fitzpatrick after his triumph at the course just outside Boston. “So for me to have that as well is incredible. He called me up, down there just at the presentation to congratulate me. Coming from someone like that, it means the world.“I just felt so comfortable around this place. Know where to hit it, know where to miss it. I am just happy to be unbeaten around this place.”Fitzpatrick appeared emotional when thinking of his come city of Sheffield. The golfer is an ardent Sheffield United supporter. “Not to compare it to my football team, but I feel like I’m the same deal,” he explained. “Not expected to do well, not expected to succeed. I’ve won a major today.“I feel like I certainly work hard for it. That’s kind of where I’ve grown up, that’s the mentality of everyone around there. It’s not upper class at all. It’s certainly like underdog mentality and you work for what you get.”A gracious Zalatoris paid tribute to Fitzpatrick, especially for a tremendous shot from a fairway bunker on the 72nd hole. Finding himself in the sand and 159 yards from the flag, Fitzpatrick fired an iron to inside 20ft. Zalatoris subsequently watched his birdie putt, which would have forced a playoff, slide agonisingly past the hole.“Matt’s shot on 18 is going to be shown probably for the rest of US Open history,” said Zalatoris. “I walked by it and I thought that going for it was going to be ballsy, but the fact that he pulled it off and even had a birdie look was just incredible. So hats off to him. He played great all week.” | Golf |
“Lightyear” did not go to infinity (or beyond) in its first weekend in theaters: Pixar’s first major theatrical release since March 2020 blasted off with $51 million in its debut weekend in North America, according to studio estimates on Sunday.Not only did it open lower than expected, but it also failed to conquer “Jurassic World: Dominion,” which held on to the first-place spot with $58.7 million its second weekend.It is a mixed bag for Disney and Pixar as “Lightyear,” an origin story about the movie that inspired the space ranger action figure in the “Toy Story” movies, is one of the biggest launches for an animated family film over the pandemic. Including international showings, which grossed $34.6 million, “Lightyear’s” global opening weekend totals to $85.6 million.But expectations were higher for a release this high-profile and based on a beloved, well-known character. Going into the weekend, some analysts had pegged “Lightyear” for a $70 million North American debut.Buzz Lightyear and Alisha Hawthorne in the Pixar movie "Lightyear." (Pixar/Disney/Pixar/TNS)“The expectations are always incredibly high for any Pixar movie, particularly one that has a direct connection to the Toy Story brand,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for box office tracker Comscore.“Toy Story” launched Pixar in 1995 and its four films have made over $3 billion. “Toy Story 3″ and “Toy Story 4″ also both broke the $1 billion mark.The family audience has proved a little more reluctant than other segments to return to movie theaters. Many studios, including Disney and Pixar, have opted for streaming or hybrid releases for their animated titles. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the company has sent its Pixar titles — “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” — directly to Disney+ free for subscribers. Disney’s other big animated titles, “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Encanto” got hybrid releases.“There may have been a little confusion about whether it’s just in theaters,” Dergarabedian said. “This is a movie that is going to have to be marketed in real time as family audiences connect the dots.”Critics were mostly favorable to “Lightyear,” which features Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear and a supporting voice cast that includes Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi. Directed by Angus MacLane, it currently holds a 77% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore.With a reported production budget of $200 million, which doesn’t account for the millions spent on marketing and promotion, “Lightyear” has a long journey ahead of it to get to profitability. But it could also have a slow, steady burn over the summer. And it’s the only big family offering playing in theaters until “Minions: The Rise of Gru” opens July 1.“Lightyear” opened in 4,255 locations domestically and in 43 markets overseas. Thirteen nations from the Muslim world and the Palestinian territory barred “Lightyear” from playing in their cinemas because of the inclusion of a brief kiss between a lesbian couple.“Jurassic World: Dominion,” meanwhile, has now earned over $622.2 million worldwide with $259.2 million of that coming from U.S. and Canadian theaters. It’s only the seventh movie released during the pandemic to surpass $600 million.In its fourth weekend, “Top Gun: Maverick” dropped only slightly, bringing in an additional $44 million to take third place. Its domestic total is now at $466.2 million. Globally, the high-flying sequel has grossed over $885 million.Dergarabedian said it’s especially notable that there are three movies made over $40 million this weekend.“We haven’t seen that in a while,” he said. “We have a summer movie season here.”Rounding out the top five are “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” with $4.2 million and “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” with $1.1 million.Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.1. “Jurassic World: Dominion,” $58.7 million2. “Lightyear,” $51 million.3. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $44 million.4. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” $4.2 million.5. “The Bob’s Burgers Movie,” $1.1 million.6. “The Bad Guys,” $890,000.7. “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” $959,631.8. “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” $830,000.9. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” $228,000.10. “Brian and Charles,” $198,000. | Movies |
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) looks to set up an offensive play during first half action against the LA Sparks. The two teams played their WNBA game at College Park Center on the campus of UT-Arlington on June 19, 2022.(Steve Hamm)ARLINGTON — The start of third quarters had not been kind to the Wings during the first four games of their five-game homestand as opponents had combined to outscore Dallas by 30 points.But the Wings reversed the trend in a big way Sunday against the Sparks. Led by an aggressive transition attack and a sound defensive strategy, Dallas withstood some bumps to take a 16-point lead over Los Angeles.The Wings kept their foot on the gas to start the fourth as they cruised to a 92-82 win at College Park Center.“Our third quarter, we’ve been lagging a little bit,” Arike Ogunbowale said. “Even though it wasn’t great, we still kept the intensity and tried to get the lead early so that we can build a little lead and be more comfortable in the fourth quarter. That’s what we did.”Ogunbowale led Dallas with 27 points, Marina Mabrey added 21 and Allisha Gray had 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. It was the first time in franchise history three guards each scored 20 or more points in a game.The guard trio helped Dallas dominate the game in transition. The team scored 35 fast-break points, much more than the previous season-high of 19 points against Washington on May 17.The Wings turned defense into offense in two main ways. Dallas played tight defense and worked to always have a hand in the passing lanes. The strategy worked and forced Los Angeles into 17 turnovers.The guards also did a great job grabbing and going on defensive rebounds, whether they secured the rebounds themselves or got the outlet pass from one of the forwards.“We played great defense,” Johnson said. “We tried to put a lot of pressure on the ball and also have active hands and get some deflections.”The second quarter was the Ogunbowale show as she scored 15 points in the quarter, doing particular damage from the left wing. She hit three 3-pointers in the quarter, all from that spot on the court. One came off a dribble handoff, one was a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer and one was an off-the-dribble pull-up jumper.Her presence on the wing also opened doors for others. With seconds left in the half, Gray grabbed a defensive rebound and dashed down the court with Ogunbowale off to her left. Ogunbowale’s presence drew Jordin Canada towards the arc, allowing Gray a path to the basket, where she hit an and-1 layup with 0.7 seconds remaining.Sunday was the third straight game Ogunbowale dropped double-digit points in the second quarter. She has scored 20-plus points in five of her last six games.When Liz Cambage picked up her fourth foul early in the third quarter, Dallas took advantage of her absence to extend its lead into double figures. The Sparks never got the lead back to single digits.“I think there’s some inspiration in changing your words,” Mabrey said of the team’s mindset coming out of the break. “So instead of saying, ‘Don’t let them get back in front. Don’t let Nneka (Ogwumike) score. Don’t let Liz do this.’ We said, ‘Keep doing what we’re doing. Keep pushing the pace. Keep playing aggressively.’”Mabrey had 15 points after the break as the Wings kept running-and-gunning down the floor. The only time Los Angeles had any offensive flow was in garbage time as Dallas’ 20-point lead turned into 10 points by the final buzzer.The game was the first of the season for Sparks guard and Mavericks assistant coach Kristi Toliver.Toliver, who just finished her first season on the bench for the Mavericks, started the game and played 15 minutes. She finished with three points and three assists.“It was nice to be here,” Toliver said. “It’s nice to see familiar faces and sleep in my own bed and all those things. Obviously wish we came out with the win, but I love the familiarity of the city, the people and the friends and family that are all here. That was nice to be around.”1/21Dallas wings forward Isabelle Harrison (20) looks to pass against the defensive pressure of LA Sparks guard Olivia Nelson-Odda (10) during 2nd quarter action. The two teams played their WNBA game at College Park Center on the campus of UT-Arlington on June 19, 2022. (Steve Hamm/ Special Contributor)(Steve Hamm)Related:Texas talent: Meet some of the most influential and pioneering female athletes in history Related:Dallas Wings hang on to lead vs. the Mercury to snap four-game losing streak Find more Wings coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.The TickerGet the latest D-FW sports news, analysis and opinion delivered straight to your inbox.By signing up you agree to our privacy policyMost Popular on DallasNews.com123456 | Basketball |
Ed Sheeran was the most-played artist of 2021 in the UK, and also claimed the year's most played single with Bad Habits.It is the second time he has claimed both accolades, previously achieving the double in 2017 with the release of his album Divide and hit single Shape Of You.
Adele is the only other artist to have topped both charts in the same year, with Rolling In The Deep and the popularity of her album 21 in 2011.It is the fourth time in five years that the 31-year-old pop superstar has been the UK's most-played artist, having been temporarily dethroned in 2020 by Dua Lipa.The annual charts are compiled by music licensing company Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) from music usage and airplay data from radio stations and television channels as well as public performance locations. The most played tracks of 2021 1. Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran 2. By Your Side – Calvin Harris featuring Tom Grennan 3. Little Bit Of Love – Tom Grennan 4. Blinding Lights – The Weeknd 5. Higher Power – Coldplay 6. All You Ever Wanted – Rag’n’Bone Man 7. Heartbreak Anthem – Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix 8. Starstruck – Years & Years 9. Midnight Sky – Miley Cyrus 10. Bed – Joel Corry, Raye and David Guetta Tom Grennan crowned a breakout year by claiming both the second and third most-played tracks of 2021, with By Your Side with Calvin Harris and Little Bit Of Love respectively.
The Weeknd's Blinding Lights was the fourth most-played track, demonstrating staying power having originally been released in November 2019. More on Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran: Singer says he is "over the moon" at birth of second baby girl Shakira, Ed Sheeran and Dave among winners at 67th annual Ivors Awards in London Tom Parker: Ed Sheeran 'helped out with medical bills' during Wanted star's treatment for fatal brain cancer The fifth most-played track of 2021 was Higher Power by Coldplay.The second most-played artist of the year was David Guetta, with Dua Lipa in third.Little Mix, who recently went on hiatus, claimed fourth place after consistently appearing in the top 10 for the past five years.Coldplay were the fifth most-played act. The most played artists of 2021 1. Ed Sheeran 2. David Guetta 3. Dua Lipa 4. Little Mix 5. Coldplay 6. The Weeknd 7. Justin Bieber 8. Calvin Harris 9. Taylor Swift 10. Pink Peter Leathem, chief executive of PPL, said: "Congratulations to Ed Sheeran for having the UK's most-played track of 2021 and being the UK's most-played artist of 2021."His chart-topping success over the last five years is a testament to not only the quality of his output but also the strength of UK music at a time when the global music landscape is more competitive than ever." | Music |
Swimming's world governing body FINA on Sunday voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women's competitions and create a working group to establish an "open" category for them in some events as part of its new policy.
Transgender rights has become a major talking point as sports seek to balance inclusivity while ensuring there is no unfair advantage.
The decision, the strictest by any Olympic sports body, was made during FINA's extraordinary general congress after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures.
The new eligibility policy for FINA competitions states that male-to-female transgender athletes are eligible to compete only if "they can establish to FINA’s comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later."
The policy was passed with a roughly 71% majority after it was put to the members of 152 national federations with voting rights who had gathered for the congress at the Puskas Arena.
“We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events, especially the women’s category at FINA competitions," said FINA President Husain Al-Musallam.
“FINA will always welcome every athlete. The creation of an open category will mean that everybody has the opportunity to compete at an elite level. This has not been done before, so FINA will need to lead the way. I want all athletes to feel included in being able to develop ideas during this process.”
The issue of transgender inclusion in sport is highly divisive, particularly in the United States where it has become a weapon in a so-called "culture war" between conservatives and progressives.
The new FINA policy also opens up eligibility to those who have "complete androgen insensitivity and therefore could not experience male puberty."
Swimmers who have had "male puberty suppressed beginning at Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later, and they have since continuously maintained their testosterone levels in serum (or plasma) below 2.5 nmol/L." are also allowed to compete in women's races.
Female-to-male transgender athletes (transgender men) are fully eligible to compete in men's swimming competitions.
Advocates for transgender inclusion argue that not enough studies have yet been done on the impact of transition on physical performance, and that elite athletes are often physical outliers in any case.
The debate intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle earlier this year.
That followed New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard becoming the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year. | Swimming |
BROOKLINE — The silver medal the runner-up at the US Open gets comes in a small wooden box. After Will Zalatoris had opened a vein or three to the media Sunday about how it feels to fall short yet again in a major golf tournament, a USGA official hurriedly draped the medal over his neck, leaving Zalatoris holding the box.Before walking off the podium, Zalatoris paused and stared, coldly, at it.“This one hurts, in particular, pretty hard,” he said.Can’t blame the rail-thin 25-year-old for tiring of runner-up status. Zalatoris finished second at the Masters last year, one stroke behind Hideki Matsuyama. He finished second at the PGA Championship last month, losing a playoff to Justin Thomas. And Sunday, his agony extended further when his 14-foot downhill birdie putt on the 18th hole skipped just past the lip of the cup.Had it rolled a grass blade to the right, he and Matt Fitzpatrick would have headed to a playoff. Instead, Zalatoris found himself in a position he knows all too well.“With about 6 feet to go, I thought I had it,” Zalatoris said. “I was just checking my phone earlier, and a bunch of people were saying that [TV commentator Paul Azinger] had said that everyone missed that putt high. I was the closest one all day.“I was, like, ‘Thanks for the consolation prize.’ "Will Zalatoris came up just short Sunday at The Country Club.John Tlumacki/Globe StaffZalatoris turned pro four years ago, and while he won a Korn Ferry tournament two years ago, he is winless on the PGA Tour. His world ranking rose to a career best No. 12 after Sunday’s showing, and while he is more frustrated than anyone with his gold medal deficiencies, he exuded confidence that good things will come to him eventually.He’s come too close, too often to reach any other conclusion.”It stings obviously to have three runner-ups so far in my career in majors, but keep knocking on that door,” said Zalatoris. “We’re obviously doing the right things. I’d pay a lot of money for about an inch-and-a-half, and I’d probably be a three-time major champion at this point. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.”Zalatoris was gracious and positive in his remarks, complimentary of Fitzpatrick’s gutsy second shot from a fairway bunker at 18 to 18 feet. But Fitzpatrick didn’t need that birdie like Zalatoris did.”I’m just fresh coming off of 18 because I thought I had it, and it just happened to stay out there — this one hasn’t sunk in,” said Zalatoris. “I honestly don’t know what to take from this yet. I was pretty pleased just because I’m known for my ball-striking. I’m sure all the Instagram morons are going to say it has something to do with my left wrist flexion coming down, but I promise you, it’s got nothing to do with it.“I think, just keep doing what we’re doing. This one stings for sure, but I know that we’re going to get this.”Zalatoris started in the final group of the day with Fitzpatrick, the two tied at 4 under. Fitzpatrick started strong, with two birdies in the first five holes, while Zalatoris bogeyed Nos. 2 and 3. But rather than fade away, Zalatoris settled in. He ran off birdies at Nos. 6, 7, 9, and at the par-3 11th, where he hit the green for the first time all tournament and rolled in an 18-footer to go 6 under, two ahead of Fitzpatrick.Matt Fitzpatrick shakes hands with Zalatoris at the end of Sunday's action.John Tlumacki/Globe StaffZalatoris bogeyed Nos. 12 and 15, the latter of which Fitzpatrick birdied for a two-shot lead. A birdie by Zalatoris on No. 16 closed the gap back to one, but he left a 12-foot birdie try on No. 17 short before the miss on the last.The performance, both mentally and physically, was championship-caliber. It’s the “caliber” part Zalatoris is looking to evaporate.“Even though I got off to kind of a rough start, I just felt comfortable all day, even kind of being behind the eight ball and having to save par. It’s just a tough golf course,” said Zalatoris. “So I think the comfort level being in these situations is just going to get better and better. I’ve already been asked, ‘How nervous were you on the putt on 18?’ It’s like, I’ve got nothing to lose. It either goes in or it doesn’t.“I’m not happy with finishing second. It’s not like I’m trying to coax that down there. I’m obviously trying to make it. The comfort level is there, especially now that I know I can do this. I just have to keep waiting my turn.”Zalatoris plans a route to the hole while in the tall grass on the third fairway Sunday.John Tlumacki/Globe StaffMichael Silverman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeSilvermanBB. | Golf |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Scientists have devised one of the most detailed maps yet of the asteroid, "Psyche," ahead of a mission to investigate the chunk of rock later this year. The map, released in the paper "The Heterogeneous Surface of Asteroid (16) Psyche" in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, was constructed with an array of advanced telescopes in northern Chile that constructed the asteroid’s surface. 16 Psyche, the "Gold-mine asteroid" (NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU)"Psyche’s surface is very heterogeneous," said the study’s lead author, Saverio Cambioni, of MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS). "It’s an evolved surface, and these maps confirm that metal-rich asteroids are interesting enigmatic worlds. It’s another reason to look forward to the Psyche mission going to the asteroid."Psyche is sometimes referred to as the "Gold-mine asteroid" because of the large quantities iron and nickel on its surface. Scientists refer to it as a metal, or m-type, asteroid. These are the rarest types of asteroids, making up about 8% of all asteroids in the known universe. CHINESE STATE-RUN OUTLET REPORTS, THEN DELETES NEWS OF POSSIBLE ALIEN LIFE: REPORTPsyche is also considered a "dwarf planet" because it’s roughly 140 miles in diameter. It’s sometimes referred to as 16 Psyche because it was the 16th minor planet discovered and thought to be the core of an early planet. A mission to the metallic mini-world is planned for late September 2022. A spacecraft, using solar-electric propulsion, and gravity-assisted maneuvering is expected to arrive at Psyche in 2026. There, it will spend 21 months studying the asteroid, following four separate orbital paths. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPBy studying the surface of the asteroid, scientists hope to have a better understanding of Earth and how differentiated bodies form. | Space Exploration |
The theme for the 26th Reclink Community Cup, held at Victoria Park in Melbourne on Sunday, was “let love rule”, in honour of the Gunditjmara and Bundjalung singer-songwriter Archie Roach.And rule it did. Love was in the air, palpable among the many thousands of punters in attendance, for whom an event of this scale and conviviality (still) seems a social luxury after the last two years.It was present in the cash registers and Eftpos touchpads as valuable money piled up for Reclink, the indefatigable organisation that rebuilds the lives of battling Australians through programs in art and sport.It was, however, nowhere to be seen on the field.Felix Riebl of The Cat Empire (#22) joins Rockdogs teammates preparing for battle. Photograph: Tim McGloneThe Rockdogs, made to wait three years to avenge their 2019 one-point loss in the annual amateur music industry charity football match, came out firing. They led by two goals at the end of the third quarter, but the Megahertz – representing independent radio – came storming back to take the game 7-6-48 to 7-4-46.The match itself remained a basket case as one outrageous sequence of play followed another. The level of skill ranged wildly, although flair and bravery were never short in supply – not least in the wearing of short-shorts that seem to get shorter every year.Felix Riebl of the Cat Empire and Liam McGorrie of Dorsal Fins/Ex-Olympian were among the biggest musical names to join the Rockdogs, who were undergoing a changing of the guard after regulars Tim Rogers and Kram of Spiderbait hung up the boots. The Steve Connolly Medal for best on ground deservedly went to Megahertz’ Jarrod Kennedy, host of the late-night Saturday night shift on Triple R, whose red and white helmet provided station-branding as well as safety.Music on the day came from Parsnip, Ausecuma Beats, Izy, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, and Private Function.If the day were a Venn diagram, then pretty much everybody – hipsters and footy diehards, well-doers and battlers, the old and the young – would all be grouped together in the middle section. All subgroups could be seen with their pants around their ankles as Ross Wilson from Daddy Cool made a surprise appearance off the interchange bench to help Private Function deliver his time-honoured sermon, Eagle Rock.The Megahertz celebrate their come-from-behind victory in the first Reclink Community Cup since 2019. Photograph: Tim McGloneJacob Kagan, of Melbourne band Carousel, was impressive before falling to a shoulder injury, and could be seen sporting a sling at the end of the match.“I was having a great time until I fell over,” he said.“I was pretty sore after the game in 2019, but I had three years to recover. Now I’ve got this and I’ve only got a year until the next one.” | Other Sports |
Kim "Edison" Tae-hun (7) reacts as he and fellow members of Dallas Fuel defeated Florida Mayhem in their first mat of competition. The Overwatch League's Kickoff Clash tournament was held at the Esports Stadium in Arlington on June 4, 2022. (Steve Hamm/ Special Contributor)(Steve Hamm)The Dallas Fuel have a process for moments like this, when they aren’t playing like Overwatch League world championship contenders. Back-to-back 3-0 losses to the Atlanta Reign Saturday and San Francisco Shock Thursday will do that to a team with title aspirations. Kim “Edison” Tae-hun said the current OWL meta not suiting the Fuel was a big deal, but not necessarily in a bad way.“I think that’s the biggest challenge so far, Kim said via interpreter. Baptiste and Zenyatta got buffed, as did ranged DPS hero Sojourn, the newest member of the hero cast with the early version of Overwatch 2. Now the meta is long-range poke compositions, long fights and damage-dealing support heroes with great survivability.Dallas wasn’t immediately equipped for that, and the Fuel are in the process of finding a variable. Because that’s step one. “The process of coming up with our own variables starts with trying different comps against our opponent when it is an even matchup,” Fuel assistant coach Ko “Aid” Jae-yoon said via interpreter.The Fuel try out different styles against the current meta. Maybe a dive composition works well against the current meta, or perhaps its a rush strategy. Dallas doesn’t have the answer yet, but Ko said they know the steps. Once the Fuel find something that works, and they think they will, they work out the details. “Then we start working around our individual players’ hero pools and skill level,” Ko said. “The next step is creating our own color and building different scenarios for when we could use an aggressive one or defensive one.”Ko said the difficulty of the current meta wasn’t because a particular player was struggling, or because the Fuel were incapable of matching a poke composition. The strategy with Sojourn, which is to charge up the railgun and hit a shot before the opponent does, is more fluky than reliable.Waiting for a shot isn’t how the Fuel like to play. They’ve struggled early in metas before. It probably sounds like a broken record at this point, but Dallas was mediocre through the first four matches of the 2021 season before completely reshaping the meta with Symmetra and Mei. It did it again in the Kickoff Clash. The Fuel’s Zarya-Reaper composition was so dominant that they didn’t need anything else until the Los Angeles Gladiators handled them in the Grand Final. But even that loss backs the Fuel’s decision to use this time to experiment. The Gladiators only reached final form after a series of losses and shaky performances. It was only through tribulation that Los Angeles had multiple strategies ready for any scenario. The Fuel know how they like to play, and what they are likely to see. Now they have to figure out how to get to that comfort zone.“It hasn’t been too long since the meta has changed. It’s really the start of this new patch,” Kim said. “So I know that there are teams that have already been good at this type of playstyle. This is probably something that suits certain teams a lot better. “But at this point in time, this is just a process we have to go through to become better. We do end up learning a lot more from what we are doing currently, so I do believe it is pretty important.”Dallas is still in good shape for future tournaments. Losing to two quality opponents that were more suited for the immediate meta wasn’t the end times. But this is a crucial moment for the Fuel. Figure this out, and there’s no reason why they couldn’t hop over future hurdles, too.Related:Dallas Fuel’s most difficult opponent could be current Overwatch League metaFind more Fuel coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.Find more esports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.Sean Collins, Staff Writer. Sean started at The Dallas Morning News in 2020 and covers North Texas esports, focusing on the Dallas Fuel and Dallas Empire. He covered high school and Kansas State athletics at The Manhattan Mercury. Sean graduated from the University of Kansas in 2018, where he worked for the University Daily Kansan as a sports editor covering Kansas [email protected] seanzcollins The TickerGet the latest D-FW sports news, analysis and opinion delivered straight to your inbox.By signing up you agree to our privacy policyMost Popular on DallasNews.com123456 | Other Sports |
Jun 19, 2022; Brookline, Massachusetts, USA; Matthew Fitzpatrick reacts as he wins the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY SportsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBROOKLINE, Mass., June 19 (Reuters) - After struggling with shots out of fairway bunkers in earlier rounds of the U.S. Open, Matthew Fitzpatrick pulled off the biggest shot of all when it mattered most on Sunday to secure the biggest win of his career.The 27-year-old Englishman stepped up to the final hole at The Country Club outside Boston with a one-shot lead. With the title in his grasp, he drove straight into a left fairway bunker.Under career-defining pressure, Fitzpatrick produced an approach shot from 161 yards out that was nothing short of magnificent, the ball settling 18 feet from the cup to all but wrap up the victory.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"It's one of the best shots I ever hit, there's no doubt about it," Fitzpatrick told reporters.Fitzpatrick two-putted for par and then watched as playing partner Will Zalatoris, who needed a birdie to force a playoff, rolled his 14-footer just left of the hole.When Fitzpatrick's ball landed in the 18th hole bunker, the tension of what had already been a tightly contested back-nine battle ratcheted up several notches. A bogey would have crushed his dreams, given Zalatoris had bombed his drive safely up the fairway.Fitzpatrick, who said the lie in the bunker forced him not to aim directly at the pin, had already produced a ball-striking masterclass down the stretch. Still, the shot to the green at 18 will certainly find a spot in the annals of golf history."When I look back, it just all happened so fast," said Fitzpatrick. "It was like just kind of natural ability took over and just played the shot that was at hand, as if I was a junior trying to hit it close."And I didn't mean to do that, but I just committed to the shot we kind of planned ... Yeah, it was amazing."Zalatoris, sensing his opportunity to finally clinch a major title after two previous runner-up finishes, could not help but take a peek at Fitzpatrick's ball in the bunker as he walked up the fairway and after could only tip his hat at the shot."Matt's shot on 18 is going to be shown probably for the rest of U.S. Open history because that - I walked by it, and I thought that going for it was going to be ballsy, but the fact that he pulled it off and even had a birdie look was just incredible," said Zalatoris."So hat's off to him. He played great all week obviously and gave a solid round today."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Frank Pingue in Brookline, Massachusetts; Editing by Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Golf |
BROOKLINE — In his dreams, always it was the claret jug being raised to the heavens. No other trophy was in the equation for his lifelong quest. Not for Billy Foster, a proud Yorkshireman whose first taste of golf on the big stage was when he attended the 1975 Open Championship at Carnoustie.Tom Watson beat Jack Newton and won the first of his five British Opens that year, and it planted a burning desire within Foster. He was going to be a caddie and he, too, would win the Open Championship.Let that percolate on another burner for a moment as we fast forward to what unfolded early Sunday evening at The Country Club. It might not have been exactly as Foster had dreamed it up, but if his feel-good story took a back seat to Matt Fitzpatrick’s stunning win in the 122nd US Open, it is one magnificent side dish.Nearly 40 years into a distinguished career in a field of work that is as turbulent as the roller coaster at the local neighborhood carnival that sets up once a summer, Foster can lay claim to being a major championship winner.When Fitzpatrick, protecting a one-stroke lead, recovered from a drive into a bunker on the 72nd hole with a magnificent shot and two-putted for par, then stood breathlessly aside as Will Zalatoris missed his birdie try that could have tied, emotions were unleashed.Yet, even as the 27-year-old Fitzpatrick savored the moment of triumph, he knew it might have been a touch sweeter for the gentleman who wrapped him in a ferocious bear hug.“I can’t tell you how much it means to Billy,” said Fitzpatrick, who started working with his fellow Englishman around 2016. “I know it’s something he’s wanted for a long, long, long time.”Given time to absorb the moment, Foster chose not to toast the dream that arrived. Instead, he put the spotlight on the young man from Suffield.Matt Fitzpatrick hugs his caddy Billy Foster after Fitzpatrick finished off the win Sunday at The Country Club.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff“His work ethic is like no other,” said Foster, pointing to Fitzpatrick. “When he goes to the practice ground, every shot means something. He’s not just hitting balls; he’s making notes.”Fair enough. But this is where we return to the story that we had percolating, about that time in his life when winning the claret jug is all that mattered to Foster. He conceded he lived with heartache over how things had ended in the 2003 Open. His man, Thomas Bjorn, had a slim lead when they came to the par-3 16th.“An evil bunker,” Foster said of what protected the green, and it is where no ball should go. But it is where Bjorn’s tee shot went.The sound that resonated all over Royal St. George’s was the door shutting on Bjorn’s chances and opening for Ben Curtis’s shocking victory.Years later, the memory was still painful and Foster conceded: “I would trade all 40 [career wins] for just one Claret Jug.”Foster, whose superb career has included successful stints with Seve Ballesteros, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, and Bjorn, had seen his career wins creep toward 50, but still no major.It’s not something you talk about, but countless peers and friends who admire Foster’s diligent work and all-world talent would tell you they quietly rooted for one of these majors to go his way.In fact, Paul Tesori didn’t care at all if he was perhaps tempting fate Friday. The longtime caddie for Webb Simpson, who was paired with Fitzpatrick the first two rounds, Tesori saw scores of 68-70 get posted by the Englishmen and nodded his approval.“When I shook [Foster’s] hand on Friday, I said, ‘Congratulations on your first major.’ Then I said, ‘I hope you don’t believe in jinxes.’ "Here’s a guess that Foster doesn’t believe in jinxes, that he puts his faith in hard work and the man for whom he works.“Billy had been saying for a while, the time will come, you’re playing so well,” said Fitzpatrick, who has won seven times on the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) but was searching for his first win on the PGA Tour.It is a testament to the deep ties within the caddie community that Fitzpatrick’s victory resonated with those who understand what this all meant to Foster.As he watched Fitzpatrick embrace Foster and then saw so many tears flow, Jim “Bones” Mackay — he of the five major wins with Phil Mickelson and the PGA Championship with Justin Thomas last month — felt a rush of warmth.“I’m extremely happy for him. It was really cool to see him get so emotional on 18,” said Mackay.Added Jimmy Johnson, another longtime caddie and major championship winner: “Billy’s long overdue. He’s one of the classiest caddies I have ever met.”Yes, Foster’s dream had always been for a claret jug. But as Fitzpatrick went from emotional hug to emotional hug — with his mother, Susan; with his father, Russell; with his brother, Alex — it was impossible to take your eyes off the caddie.You think it rained torrentially Saturday night into Sunday? That was nothing compared to the precipitation that flowed from Foster.Here’s a guess that when Fitzpatrick lifted the US Open championship trophy into a cool, raw twilight, Billy Foster didn’t care at all that it wasn’t the claret jug.It was a trophy that answered his career-long quest. It was a major. And it was his. Finally.Fitzpatrick and Foster share a moment on the 18th green Sunday.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff | Golf |
Jun 19, 2022; Brookline, Massachusetts, USA; Will Zalatoris reacts to his putt on the 15th green during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY SportsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBROOKLINE, Mass., June 19 (Reuters) - Will Zalatoris fell just short at the U.S. Open on Sunday for the third runner-up finish at a major in his young career but remains confident as ever that his day in the winner's circle will soon come.Zalatoris, needing to drain a 14-foot birdie putt at the final hole to force a two-man U.S. Open playoff with Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, watched in disbelief as his ball rolled just left of the cup."This one hurts in particular pretty hard, but it's motivating," said Zalatoris, the reigning PGA Tour rookie of the year. "I've got to keep doing what I'm doing. I know I'm going to get one sooner or later."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAfter finishing runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama at the 2021 Masters and losing in a two-man playoff to Justin Thomas at last month's PGA Championship, Zalatoris arrived at The Country Club this week looking to finally take the next step.Zalatoris certainly had his chances as he entered the final round of the U.S. Open in a share of the lead with Fitzpatrick but fell off the pace with a pair of early bogeys.But Zalatoris roared into the turn with three birdies over a scorching four-hole stretch to get within one before moving into a share of the lead when Fitzpatrick bogeyed the 10th.Zalatoris was then the beneficiary of a two-shot swing at the par-three 11th where he made birdie and walked off the green in front after Fitzpatrick three-putted from 17 feet for bogey.But Zalatoris was unable to pull away, carding bogeys at the 12th and 15th before rolling in a six-foot birdie at the par-three 16th that left him one shot back and set up a wild finish."It stings obviously. Obviously to have three runner-ups so far in my career in majors, but keep knocking on that door," said Zalatoris."We're obviously doing the right things. I'd pay a lot of money for about an inch and a half, and I'd probably be a three-time major champion at this point. We'll just keep doing what we're doing."Zalatoris is not ready to start thinking about next month's British Open but did say that the next time he find himself in contention at a major he will have an extra level of confidence that he expects will help him take the next step."The comfort level being in these situations is just going to get better and better," said Zalatoris. "I've already been asked, how nervous were you on the putt on 18? It's like I've got nothing to lose. It either goes in or it doesn't."I'm not happy with finishing second. It's not like I'm trying to coax that down there. I'm obviously trying to make it. The comfort level is there, especially now that I know I can do this. I just have to keep waiting my turn."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Frank Pingue in Brookline, Massachusetts; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Golf |
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Swimming - Women's 200m Backstroke - Semifinal 1 - Tokyo Aquatics Centre - Tokyo, Japan - July 30, 2021. Emily Seebohm of Australia reacts after winning REUTERS/Stefan WermuthRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comMELBOURNE, June 20 (Reuters) - Australian Olympic gold medallist Emily Seebohm has welcomed FINA's decision to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women's swimming, saying the sport could now move on with certainty.FINA made the decision at its extraordinary general congress (EGC) on Sunday after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures. read more Five-times world champion Seebohm, who won a medley relay gold medal for Australia at last year's Tokyo Games, said the decision would encourage swimmers to stay in the sport.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"I’m finally happy that we have a decision, and we know where the sport’s going and what we’re going to be doing," the 30-year-old told Sky News Australia on Monday."We just didn't know what was going to happen and when we just don't know, it's hard to commit fully to our sport if we have no idea the direction it's going to go."We can all move on. We can all just go back to the sport that we love ... and know that we're getting in the pool and it's going to be a fair, level playing field and that's what we want."Athlete Ally, an advocacy group for LGBTQI+ people in sport, said FINA's decision was "discriminatory" and "harmful"."If we truly want to protect women’s sports, we must include all women," they said in a post on twitter.Transgender rights has become a major talking point as sports seek to balance inclusion with fairness.The debate intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle earlier this year.FINA said it will create a working group to establish an "open" category for them in some events as part of its new policy.'FAIR AND SAFE'Several top Australian female swimmers have raised concerns about competing against transgender athletes.Four-times Olympic champion Cate Campbell told FINA's EGC that she supported a restriction on transgender athletes competing in women's categories and urged people to "listen to the science and experts"."Women, who have fought long and hard to be included and seen as equals in sport, can only do so because of the gender category distinction," Campbell said before delegates voted in favour of the ban."To remove that distinction would be to the detriment of female athletes everywhere."However, Madeline Groves, a former national champion swimmer who won a butterfly silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games, took exception to Campbell's comments and was scathing of FINA's ruling."You’re okay with ostracising an already marginalised group? Real accepting," the 27-year-old Australian said on social media."Shame on everyone that supported this discriminatory and unscientific decision."Australian women won eight of the country's nine gold medals at the Tokyo pool.The Australian Olympic Committee also backed FINA's decision, saying sports were bound to ensure participation was "fair and safe.""While inclusivity must be respected, fairness in competition is a core value of sport," a spokesman said."FINA has made a decision based on the circumstances in the sport of swimming to achieve that balance."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Swimming |
Jun 19, 2022; Brookline, Massachusetts, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick holds the championship trophy after winning the 2022 U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY SportsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryFitzpatrick wins by oneZalatoris finishes runner-up at a major for the third timeMatsuyama cards low round of the day with 66BROOKLINE, Mass., June 19 (Reuters) - England's Matt Fitzpatrick delivered a shot for the ages when he needed it most on Sunday, finding the green from a fairway bunker at the last hole to win the U.S. Open and claim his first career major title.Fitzpatrick's incredible shot from the sand 161 yards out settled 18 feet from the cup to all but end what had been a heart-pounding back-nine battle with world number one Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris at The Country Club."It's one of the best shots I ever hit, there's no doubt about it," Fitzpatrick said after a two-under-par 68 that left him at six under for the week.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThere had been a lot of talk about Fitzpatrick all week given he won the 2013 U.S. Amateurat the same demanding venue.The 27-year-old, who began the final round in a share of the lead with Zalatoris and one shot clear of defending champion Jon Rahm, reached the turn with a one-shot lead after mixing two birdies with two bogeys.But he carded two quick bogeys and, coupled with a Zalatoris birdie, walked off the 11th green trailing by two shots.He said doubts began to creep in at that point."Yeah, sure, there's a little bit," said Fitzpatrick."For me, like, I just felt like I could keep hitting the greens and giving myself putts, my putting would take over and I'd make a couple (birdies) coming in, and fortunately that's what I did."Yeah, it worked out nicely."Birdies at the 13th and 15th put Fitzpatrick back in the driver's seat and he held on to join Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win a U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur at the same venue.Fitzpatrick celebrated with his caddie and then his parents and younger brother, Alex, who was his caddie for his U.S. Amateur win.'BATTLED LIKE CRAZY'At the par-four 15th, Zalatoris' tee shot ended up in thick rough and when he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker Fitzpatrick had a two-stroke cushion with three to play.Zalatoris had a chance to draw level at the par-four 17th but his birdie putt from 12 feet came up just short, setting up the dramatic finish.The PGA Tour's reigning rookie of the year needed to make a birdie at the last to force a playoff but his putt slid just past the left edge of the hole.Zalatoris, now a three-time runner-up at the majors having fallen just short at the 2021 Masters and last month's PGA Championship, was once again left to wonder what might have been had it not been for two early bogeys."I battled like crazy," said Zalatoris, who fought his way back into the mix with three birdies over a sizzling four-hole stretch into the turn."Obviously, you say that about every U.S. Open round you play, but considering where I drove it today, the fact I was even under par was obviously pretty nice."Scheffler, seeking his fifth win of the year, made a dream start with four birdies over the first six holes and held the lead for a brief spell but made two bogeys to start the back nine before grabbing a late birdie"Today was one of those days I was playing from behind and put myself in position to win the tournament," said Masters champion Scheffler."There's definitely a few things I could have done differently, but I'm not going to waste time thinking about it. I'm going to recover from this and move on and hopefully be better from here."Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama carded the low round of the week, a five-under-par 65 that powered him into fourth place, a shot clear of pre-tournament favorite Rory McIlroy (69) and twice major winner Collin Morikawa (66).World number two Rahm, who squandered a chance to take the 54-hole lead after a closing double-bogey on Saturday, shot a four-over 74 that left him seven shots back of Fitzpatrick.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Frank Pingue in Brookline, Massachusetts; Editing by Toby Davis, Sam Holmes, Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Golf |
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Road - Men's Individual Time Trial - Final - Fuji International Speedway - Shizuoka, Japan - July 28, 2021. Geraint Thomas of Britain in action. REUTERS/Matthew ChildsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 20 (Reuters) - Geraint Thomas said he is ready to help one of his Ineos Grenadiers team mates win the Tour de France next month, though if a chance to claim victory comes the Welshman's way he does not intend to pass it up.The 36-year-old, who won the Tour de France in 2018, became the first Briton to win the Tour de Suisse on Sunday, finishing three seconds behind stage winner Remco Evenepoel to leapfrog Sergio Higuita in the overall standings and claim victory.While the race was severely impacted by COVID-19, the win marks a turnaround in fortunes for Thomas, who was left thinking he had "done something wrong in a previous life" after crashes at the Tokyo Olympics and Tour de France last year. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"From the Tour (de France) last year to the end of the season was ... probably one of the hardest periods of my career," Thomas said."This year I started slightly on the back foot but I've really enjoyed the racing and being with the younger guys in the team and building up."I just want to go (to the Tour de France) and race hard and do what I can. We've got two other leaders in the team and whether I can stay up on GC (general classification) for a while to play another card, or go for stages, or help other guys, whatever."I'm just happy to do whatever. Take my chance for sure if it comes, help the boys if I have to."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Olympic Sports |
Australian Olympic silver medallist Medline Groves has condemned FINA's decision to ban transgender athletes from competing against females labelling the historic move "deeply shameful".Olympic swimming medallist Madeline Groves has condemned FINA’s decision to ban transgender athletes from female competitions.FINA’s decision makes swimming the first sport to take the stance against transgender athletes with Groves declaring the swimming governing body should be ashamed.“I will say I think this decision from FINA is deeply shameful,” the Olympic silver medallist told News Corp via text message on Monday.“The decision is unscientific and goes against the IOC’s framework of fairness, inclusion and non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex variations.”Stream more sports news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022LGBTIQA+ advocacy and activist group Just.Equal has also slammed the decision saying it isolates transwomen who compete in elite swimming."We question a process that was undertaken in secret, and ask whether trans-people were consulted about their lives or whether this decision was imposed on us without consultation," Just.Equal advisor, Sally Goldner AM said."Various groups in society have faced exaggeration, myths and moral panics, and the idea transwomen have an unfair advantage in sport is just another of these.”The activist group called on FINA to “re-examine” the decision and consider the impact it would have on the lives of trans-people around the world."We call on anyone in any situation, including other sporting bodies, to always consult with trans people when making decisions about our issues and our lives,” Ms Goldner said.Despite the outrage from Groves and Just.Equal some have applauded FINA’s move including four-time Olympian Emily Seebohm who told Sky News Australia she was “happy to finally see a reaction”.FINA had suggested it would introduce a category for trans-athletes who fail to meet the criteria to compete as a woman – a move that Seebohm also supported."I’m really supportive of the open category that they are suggesting that they are going to bring into competition because it gives a chance for everyone to be involved in our sport," Seebohm said."I love my sport; I want to share it with everyone so let’s get everyone involved and let’s keep it fair."But she stressed more conversations were needed to be had between FINA and transgender athletes to ensure it was fair as well."I think it’s nice to include everyone and make sure that even for them it’s fair as well," the Queensland native added."To keep them in a category that is going to see them racing people that are very much on the same level playing field."I think that’s what we want in sport, we want to see those close, those tough races where it’s like neck and neck and you don’t know who’s going to win."FINA members heard from three groups which comprised of independent experts from science and medicine, legal and human rights and an athlete group to determine the influence gender played in overall performance.A report from the meeting found sex is the “key determinant” of athletic performance with males outperforming females with the differences emerging from puberty.Under the policy handed down by FINA transgender athletes need to prove by next week they have not experienced any part of male puberty before the age of 12."They are androgen sensitive but had male puberty suppressed beginning at Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later, and they have since continuously maintained their testosterone levels in serum (or plasma) below 2.5 nmol/L," part of the 24-page policy read.It was passed with a majority of 71.5 per cent of more than 190 members voting in favour of the landmark policy.The trans-athlete debate was thrown back into the spotlight after American swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transwoman to win the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Championship in March while breaking several national records.The 22-year-old argued on Good Morning America earlier this month that women "don't transition for athletics" and they were "not a threat" to female sports."We transition to be happy and authentic and our true selves. Transitioning to get an advantage is not something that ever factors into our decisions," she said.Thomas added she did not "need anyone's permission" to compete.But she will not be able to chase her dream of reaching the Olympic trials under the new policy as she transitioned in the summer of 2018. | Olympic Sports |
Australia have claimed their maiden World Cup of Darts title on a historic night in Frankfurt. Simon Whitlock and Damon Heta defeated Welsh duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton 3-1 in Sunday’s decider to become only the fifth country to lift the trophy.Ten years on from suffering World Cup heartbreak in an extraordinary 2012 finale against England, losing 4-3 in a sudden-death leg alongside Paul Nicholson, Whitlock fulfilled his darting destiny alongside Australian No 1 Heta to scoop the $123,120 top prize at the Eissporthalle.Australia, the fifth seeds, had already beaten five-time semi-finalists Belgium and top seeds England on finals day.“It is life-changing. I have dreamt about this moment my entire life and I’ve finally got there,” an emotional Whitlock, one of four World Cup ever-presents, said. “It feels amazing. I had a great partner. Damon has been amazing. He’s a great friend, and he’s the best player on the planet right now. He is going to be the next world champion.”Heta gave Australia the early impetus in the final with a stunning singles whitewash win over Price, before 53-year-old Whitlock battled past Clayton 4-2.The 2012 runners-up had the momentum and opened up a two-leg buffer in the pairs contest, but Price and Clayton produced a stirring fightback to prolong the drama.Whitlock missed a dart at double 18 for the title, and Clayton capitalised for the Welsh via double eight to clinch the match and reduce the arrears to 2-1.Clayton then had the chance to set up a grandstand finale between Whitlock and Price, but 34-year-old Heta produced a nerveless display in the biggest game of his life to fend off the former Premier League champion and spark jubilant celebrations from the Australian duo.“Simon dragged me through the beginning,” Heta said.“I’m stoked for Simon and stoked for Australia with all the support we’ve had back home.“Everything we are sacrificing being here and we’ve got the title in the bag. It’s an amazing feeling.” | Other Sports |
Decades ago, when smartphones transformed into viable video game devices, I was very much a mobile gaming guy. I'd spend every second of my precious commute time on games like Doodle Jump, Angry Birds or Tiny Wings.Then at some point, I just… stopped playing video games on my phone. I never got hooked on any of the Clash of Clans style games or any exploitive pay to win online experiences. Slowly but surely, my phone became like a washing machine or a fridge – a piece of technology that solves a handful of extremely rote problems and nothing more. No fun allowed.But then I started playing Poinpy.
Poinby is the latest game by Ojiro Fumoto, better known as the guy who made Downwell, a gorgeously tactile retro shooter about a man who jumps down a well, blasting a lot of things in the process.But in Poinpy you don't go down. Poinpy is very much a video game about going up. At base level Poinpy is a video game about gathering fruit to feed a menacing looking monster intent on murdering you. But, mechanically, it's something of a greatest hits, borrowing liberally from viral mobile games of yesteryear. Much like Doodle Jump, Poinpy has you moving upward, only using slingshot arcs precisely like the ones in Angry Birds. Players slowly earn upgrades, making you more powerful like in, say, Jetpack Joyride. And you find yourself using those upgrades to reach new levels like you might in… every video game ever made.For someone like me, who bounced off mobile games after its first Golden Age, Poinpy is the perfect entry point. Familiar yet new, it's a pastiche of something comfortable but does just enough to keep you on your toes. Because Poinpy isn't just about going up, it's about collecting the right type of fruit, to feed a rampaging monster as a timer ticks ominously in the background. If you don't collect the right type of fruit quickly enough, you lose and have to start over. The time limit creates a panicked claustrophobia in the player and I can't get enough of it.
Better still, Poinpy is dense with flourishes that allow the best players to perform spectacular moments of skill. You're given a limited number of jumps to collect the right kind of fruit to feed the rampaging monster, but it's possible to break that limit via attacks on smaller monsters patrolling the levels. This provides the opportunity to create all kinds of inventive combos, forcing you to invent creative solutions on the fly in high pressure situations. The more you play, the better you become at manipulating the game's limited toolset, creating a sensation of mastery exclusive to the most effectively designed video games. In short: Poinpy rules.Perhaps the most bizarre part of Poinpy: It's a Netflix video game. It's not just a game funded by Netflix, it's a game exclusive to Netflix subscribers. After downloading and opening the app on the App Store, players need to sign into Netflix to play, which is just… incredibly interesting. Not entirely sure of the strategy there.Would a game like Poinpy inspire people to sign up for Netflix? I can't imagine it, unless it was the first in an expansive library of Apple Arcade-esque video games. It doesn't come close to justifying Netflix's monthly fee, but it is a nice bonus for existing Netflix subscribers. I'd also love to see Netflix launch more games like this in the future and help unique creators like Ojiro Fumoto bring their games to broader audiences.Either way, if you have a Netflix subscription, and you're looking for a game that takes you back to the halcyon days on endless mobile gaming, you could do a lot worse than Poinpy. | Video Games |
I am sitting in what Steven Bartlett’s team semi-seriously refers to as the Matt Hancock chair. It is upholstered in the same plush fabric that swathes much of the millionaire marketing mogul, social media entrepreneur and podcaster’s penthouse flat in London. Above me is a crystal rainfall chandelier; in the corner of the room, Bartlett’s French bulldog, Pablo, snores under a painting of the Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor, emblazoned with the legend: “My success isn’t a result of arrogance – it’s a result of self-belief.”It was in this chair that Hancock gave his first, stomach-churning interview since the restriction-breaking extramarital affair that led to his resignation as health secretary in June 2021. It was a scoop for which veteran lobby journalists would have chewed off Bartlett’s arm – Hancock insisted the relationship was never about “casual sex” and said he broke the Covid rules because he fell in love – and yet Bartlett is not excited by the prospect of interviewing more politicians. “They’ve asked and I’ve said no,” he says airily.Why are politicians lining up at the door of a 29-year-old independent podcaster? Because Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO regularly tops the UK charts, pulling in 6.6m streams a month and more than £1m a year in advertising. Despite this – and Bartlett’s roster of high-profile guests, including Molly-Mae Hague, Craig David, Liam Payne and Piers Morgan – he says: “I don’t think of myself as an interviewer or a podcast host.”I had expected Bartlett to be all throbbing ego. He is, after all, the man who dropped out of university at 18 and later founded Social Chain, a social media marketing agency that was valued at €186m (£160m) in a public listing in 2019, making Bartlett a multimillionaire at 27. After leaving Social Chain in 2020, Bartlett became the youngest dragon on the BBC investment show Dragons’ Den. He has 2.2 million followers on social media, a ripped musculature that he displays proudly online and a habit of posting motivational quotes on his Instagram page (sample: “To embrace tomorrow you must let go of yesterday”). In his bestselling 2021 memoir, Happy Sexy Millionaire, Bartlett boasted: “I’m currently in the best shape of my life … have millions of followers, millions of $$$ in the bank … [and was] able to build a global business at 21 years old.”Working it … speaking at a startup conference in Newcastle in 2019. Photograph: Thomas Jackson/AlamyBut in person, Bartlett is likable and polite, apologising four times for keeping me waiting as he finished a call and seemingly as keen to hear my views as he is to share his own. His hand is grotesquely swollen, but he is waiting until our interview is over to seek medical attention. “I hurt it lifting [the comedian] Lee Mack at Soccer Aid last night,” Bartlett says, sighing. (Bartlett is a huge football fan – in his free time, he uses the app Footy Addicts to find kickabouts in local parks, turning up unannounced, to the bemusement of his fellow players. “They say: ‘Aren’t you that kid from Dragons’ Den? I listen to your podcast!’”)He was born in Botswana to a black Nigerian mother and a white British father and raised in an all-white neighbourhood in Plymouth. His parents’ relationship was dysfunctional: he says that his mother once chased his father through the house with a kitchen knife and screamed at her husband constantly (his parents are still together). Does his candour get him into trouble? “I made a decision at some point in my life that I was going to be honest with all this stuff,” he says. “I think I have a good relationship with my parents.”Bartlett’s mother was a serial entrepreneur – “the hardest working person I know” – but her businesses failed. Money was tight and Bartlett was often ashamed that he didn’t have the same gadgets or clothes as his middle-class peers. School was a struggle. “My brothers were really smart and studious and I was falling asleep in class all the time,” he says. He was one of the only people of colour in his school and straightened his hair to fit in. “A lot of people ask me: ‘Why are you so motivated?’” he says. “The answer to that is based on a lot of underlying context about shame. Insecurity was my biggest motivator when I was younger.”After school, he dropped out of Manchester Metropolitan University and co-founded Wallpark, an advertising platform, but struggled to bring traffic to the site. “We had run out of money and I saw this Facebook page called ‘Things Manchester Students Don’t Say’,” he says. “At the time, brands wouldn’t go near social media. I remember being curious about what would happen if I posted my website there.” His instincts were spot on. “We could market something on social media and it would do phenomenally better than all the other channels,” he says.Bartlett then picked up social media marketing work after cold-emailing what he describes as “awful, low-tier clients”. After working as a consultant, a client suggested he start a company, which became Social Chain. He launched The Diary of a CEO in 2017, while he was a jetsetting executive, and the early episodes have a late-night, confessional air about them. Bartlett, speaking without notes in the early hours, talks about the stress of being responsible for hundreds of people, many of them decades older than him.What becomes apparent from speaking to Bartlett is that, despite his personal brand being connected to his identity as an incredibly successful young CEO, he didn’t really enjoy running a business. “When I left Social Chain, I said to my girlfriend: I’m never going to be a CEO again, ever,” he says. Managing a large company was “brutal, but I don’t think I allowed myself to admit it”.He resigned from Social Chain in 2020 after a disagreement with the board about the direction of the company. “One of the things that I’m good at, and I enjoy, is the top level strategy of where we are going, the vision,” he says. “And I could no longer make those decisions, because I didn’t own enough of the company.” He initially wrote a strongly worded resignation email, but deleted it and wrote one instead from a “place of gratitude … these people had basically changed my entire life and believed in me.”On the ball … tussling with Mo Farah at Soccer Aid this month. Photograph: Alex Davidson/Getty ImagesThe day he handed in his notice, Bartlett cried, but he was relieved. “I just felt really free,” he says. “You can feel free and lost at the same time. Because your purpose and identity has been wrapped up in this thing.” He has subsequently co-founded two more companies – Flight Story, which builds retail investor strategies, and Thirdweb, which helps developers without coding knowledge build blockchain-related apps – but he is not involved in the day-to-day management, preferring to consult on strategy, fundraising and growth.Despite his complicated feelings about the business that made him wealthy, Bartlett has become a guru for a generation of young, individualistic, financially motivated aspiring entrepreneurs. Earlier this year, they packed out theatres for the bombastic live version of Bartlett’s podcast. Bartlett, a musical theatre nut, recounted his life story from a spotlit stool, accompanied by a gospel choir directed by a former Hamilton producer. (He has seen the Lin-Manuel Miranda show eight times.) The Telegraph described it as “the most bonkers night I have seen in the theatre”. Predictably, it was a sellout. “I had the time of my life,” says Bartlett, misty-eyed.If Bartlett has a message, it is this: individuals should take responsibility for their actions, work towards long-term goals and believe in themselves; be realistic about their talents, but remember that few situations can’t be ameliorated through sheer effort. It is not a new message, echoing self-help tomes from Max Weber’s 1905 tract The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism to Napoleon Hill’s 1937 personal development manual Think and Grow Rich. But Bartlett’s genius has been to update the message via pithy social media graphics and search-engine-optimised YouTube videos for the eroded attention span of a 21st-century audience.If, at times, Bartlett’s message is contradictory – he urges people to believe that they “are enough”, but also to identify and work on their weaknesses – his message of incessant self-improvement falls on receptive ears. His young fans aspire to “financial freedom” – the trending euphemism in startup circles for getting rich – and having a strong personal brand, like their hero. They view professional careers, acquired after years of study, as relics of the past; being a serial entrepreneur is the goal. Bartlett views university as a money-wasting racket, but he acknowledges: “Had I been smart enough to be a doctor, I think my views of the education system would be different.”Fans listen to The Diary of a CEO to glean business advice from influencers such as Hague, a former Love Island contestant who told Bartlett in January that “we all have the same 24 hours in a day”, prompting a social media firestorm. The backlash surprised Bartlett, because the broader sentiment she articulated – which distils 21st-century hustle culture – has been uttered repeatedly by guests on his podcast and, to some extent, by Bartlett. But he also questions this idea. “It’s nuanced,” he says. “Do I think hard work matters? Yes. Do I think hard work at the expense of your own health and wellbeing is a good idea? No. Do I think you should just endlessly hustle, hustle, hustle to become a successful entrepreneur? No.”He tells me that he is striving for “balance” in his life and is not materialistic; as proof, he shows me his rusting ear studs. “Five pounds from Topman.” His ultimate aim is to “do my own potential justice”. But isn’t all this unending personal development just exhausting? Why can’t we just be our mediocre, unevolved selves? “From what I’ve seen, without a sense of purpose, humans aren’t typically very happy,” he says. I tell him that I don’t set personal goals. He is flabbergasted. Surely I must have some, he begs. Reluctantly, I concede that I would like to buy a house at some point. He laughs, exultant.Hot seat … Bartlett on Dragons’ Den. Photograph: BBCBartlett’s critics claim that, for all his grandiose self-mythologising, he is vague on the details of how exactly he became successful, preferring to hide behind unoriginal aphorisms. In an excoriating New Statesman article in March, Bartlett was described as “more of a bluffer than a prodigy”. The article concluded that Bartlett “got lucky” by founding Social Chain at a time when social media marketing was taking off and that the business advice offered in Happy Sexy Millionaire is generic and unhelpful. A thin smile twitches across Bartlett’s lips when I ask him about the write-up, which he read. “I’m sure there was a lot of luck involved in my journey,” he responds.He insists Happy Sexy Millionaire was not intended as a business manual. “In different forums, I can give business advice,” he says. “If I’m in the boardroom talking about how to scale, or technical aspects of how to raise a round, or how to honour investors, I can do that … Do I talk about that on my social media channels or in my podcasts in detail? No.”I suggest that his fans might welcome specifics about how he landed big clients at Social Chain and then serviced their accounts. “I can go and get you my laptop and show you those pieces of work,” Bartlett offers, suddenly animated. “They are 200-page insight pieces into customer engagement, customer demographics, where customers are, how they behave.”Despite the criticism, Bartlett clearly knows what he is talking about in relation to business. His observations in Dragons’ Den are astute; his interviews on The Diary of a CEO, with executives in particular, are frequently superb.He is less sure-footed with regard to challenging controversial guests. In his interview with Hague, who had recently been announced as the creative director of the fast-fashion brand Pretty Little Thing, he failed to ask her about accusations of illegally low wages being paid in the supply chain of Pretty Little Thing’s parent company, Boohoo. “I didn’t know whether she was the person to talk on that topic,” he says.I suspect that the broader issue is one that plagues the industry in general. A blockbuster podcast needs high-profile guests, but they may not be willing to submit themselves to a grilling. This may matter less when Bartlett is interviewing business executives or pop stars, but it does matter when he is confronted with a media-trained politician, such as Hancock, or a professional contrarian, such as Morgan.In their discussion, Bartlett asked the former health secretary: “One of the decisions that was made, and ultimately criticised, was this whole care home stuff – what’s your view on that?” Hancock launched into a defence of his policy of discharging untested Covid patients into care homes, later ruled unlawful, that a more robust interviewer would have dismantled in minutes. Does Bartlett think he pushed Hancock hard enough? “Honestly, I did my best,” he says. “I don’t consider myself to be a journalist.”His decisions to book Morgan, as well as the author Jordan Peterson, whose work is beloved by men’s rights activists, have proved contentious. “I don’t ever want to get to a situation where we don’t have conversations with those who we disagree with,” he says. “Because I think much of our progress as a people has come from breaking our echo chambers and having difficult, uncomfortable conversations and being willing to listen.”But these conversations were not particularly difficult or uncomfortable. He thanked Peterson for changing his life and allowed Morgan to go on a largely uninterrupted rant about cancel culture, defend his bullying of the Duchess of Sussex and falsely position himself as a trans ally. Does he accept that, by booking such guests, he sanitises their views for a wider audience? “I don’t know if it’s sanitising their views,” he says. “You can have a conversation with me and not agree with everything I live by and stand for.” Bartlett is still finding his feet as an interviewer, despite the runaway success of The Diary of a CEO. “I have moments where, afterwards, I say: ‘I wish I had challenged that person more,’” he says. As we are wrapping up, he asks me for feedback on what he should be doing better. I suggest he could go harder on people. Ever the self-optimiser, Bartlett appears to consider my proposition. Perhaps he is a Paxman in the making. | Celebrity |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Jennifer Lopez celebrated Father’s Day by paying tribute to her fiancé Ben Affleck, posting a commemorative video online of their relationship.In a post shared on her social media pages, Lopez, 52, called Affleck, 49, the "most caring, loving, affectionate, consistent and selfless Daddy ever.""Happy Father’s Day my love," she added. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are seen on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)In the post, Lopez, narrates a video montage of her and Affleck, talking about how she values her "career but nothing is more fulfilling" to her than "being able to build a family with someone" who is "just as dedicated to family."JENNIFER LOPEZ INTRODUCES HER CHILD EMME, 14, USING GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUNS DURING LA PERFORMANCE"I love the idea of the future and what we can create. But I really just want to savor the moment and stay real present in it as much as I can," she added as a clip played of the couple kissing."Dear Ben…" the voiceover is titled, taken from a Good Morning America interview she gave earlier this month.JENNIFER LOPEZ REVEALS HER MOM USED TO 'BEAT THE SH--' OUT OF HER, SIBLINGSThe stills and clips included in the montage include appearances at the 2022 Met Gala and at the "The Last Duel" premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September 2021, the Daily Mail reported.According to the report, another clip shows the couple embracing aboard a $100 million superyacht in St. Tropez, France last summer.BEN AFFLECK ADDRESSES SAYING HE FELT 'TRAPPED' IN MARRIAGE TO JENNIFER GARNER: 'THAT'S NOT TRUE' Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are seen on May 03, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)Lopez and Affleck first started dating in 2002 and were engaged before breaking up. Seventeen years later, she and Affleck reunited in May 2021 and she has been having "the best time of her life" since, she said.The couple does not have any children together but share several children from previous relationships.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERAffleck and ex-wife Jennifer Garner have three children, Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 10, who are co-parented. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are seen on April 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLopez is a mom to 14-year-old twins Emme Maribel and Maximilian 'Max', with former husband Marc Anthony. | Celebrity |
Dame Kelly Holmes has said she is 'overwhelmed' by the support she has received after coming out as gay. The Olympic runner, 52, took to Instagram on Sunday to thank her fans and added that her late mother, Pam Norman, would be 'so proud' of her for being her true self.She received an outpouring of support from both her followers and celebrities after she spoke about her sexuality for the first time and declared that she 'finally feels free' after years of living a 'secret' life. 'I can't process it right now!' Dame Kelly Holmes, 52, said she is overwhelmed by support after she came out as gay... while saying her late mother would be 'so proud' on SundayAlongside a photo of her stood in front of a rainbow striped butterfly, Dame Kelly penned: 'The morning after the night before. Firstly THANK YOU - The support has been overwhelming- I actually don’t think I can take it all in and process it right now!'So here it is, the start of a new chapter in my long life book. This is an old picture when I just liked the fact that I was in black and making the body of a butterfly. 'It was pride month (as is this month) but nothing really to do with the rainbow. It was because the butterfly (as well as a puzzle piece) is a symbol I associate with my mother who passed away in 2017 from @myelomauk bereavement it’s hell.' 'Finally free'! She received an outpouring of support from both her followers and celebrities after she spoke about her sexuality for the first time (pictured 2004) Strong bond: Speaking of her mum, she detailed: 'My "Mother Dear" would be so proud of my announcement' (pictured together in 2005)Speaking of her mum, she continued: 'My "Mother Dear" would be so proud of my announcement in the Sunday Mirror she always played me the song "You’re a superstar" by love inc and wanted me to be truly me.'This announcement is part of a journey I have been on over the past 4months filming a documentary about my authentic life and how hard it has been to not be me.' Dame Kelly continued as she added that her documentary Kelly Holmes: Being Me will be aired on June 26 on ITV. 'It’s emotional so get the tissues ordered!,' she explained. 'True self': The Olympic star concluded: 'I have been petty oblivious and ignorant about it all but I hope one day to be an authoritative voice'The Olympic star concluded: 'Lastly the documentary taught me so much about generational and social advancements when it comes to the LGBTQ+ world. 'I have been petty oblivious and ignorant about it all but I hope one day to be an authoritative voice and also that my doc it helps many people on all levels.' Speaking to The Mirror, Dame Kelly gushed: 'The response has been truly overwhelming. I never ever visualised this positivity and support.'There’s been people from all walks of life, people who have followed me for years and new people who want to hear what I’ve got to say.'People have come out in their droves. I feel overwhelmed – it hasn’t sunk in.' Speaking out: The outpouring of support came after Kelly publicly came out as gay after living a 'secret life' for decades (pictured this year)The outpouring of support came after Kelly publicly came out as gay after living a 'secret life' for decades. The athletics star admitted she was 'fully aware' of rumours about her sexual orientation but said she was happy to be coming out 'on her own terms'.Speaking to the Mirror, she said: 'There have been lots of dark times where I wished I could scream that I am gay – but I couldn't.'I needed to do this now, for me. It was my decision. I'm nervous about saying it. I feel like I'm going to explode with excitement. Sometimes I cry with relief. The moment this comes out, I'm essentially getting rid of that fear.' Smiling again: The athletics star admitted she was 'fully aware' of rumours about her sexual orientation but is now happy to be coming out 'on her own terms'Dame Kelly confirmed she has a partner but didn't want to give any further details, admitting it is the first time she hasn't introduced someone as a 'friend or PA'.She explained how her family and close friends have known for years she is gay but she worried about being in trouble for breaching retrospective rules in the Forces.At the time, the forces had a ban on LGBT soldiers, which was only lifted in 2000. Kelly had relationships with other women during her 10 years in service.Kelly, who chose to come out during Pride month, told how she first realised she was gay when she kissed another female soldier at the age of 17. Army: She explained how her family and close friends have known for years she is gay but she worried about being in trouble for breaching retrospective rules in the Forces (Dame Kelly in her Colonel role at Trooping the Colour)After the kiss, Kelly recalled writing to her stepdad who she shares a close relationship with to explain what had happened.She was 'confused and scared' but Kelly revealed her stepfather accepted her straight away before coming out to the rest of her family in 1997.Kelly, who was made a Dame in 2005, said she dated one woman between the ages of 27 and 32 but broke off the relationship in 2002 so she was able to focus on the Athens Olympics.And even her massive achievement of winning gold at the 800 and 1,500 metres at Athens were ruined due to her fears of being outed. Career: Kelly said she dated one woman between the ages of 27 and 32 but broke off the relationship in 2002 so she was able to focus on the Athens OlympicsThe TV personality, who is currently working on a documentary called Being Me, admitted she kept her true identity hidden for years and experienced episodes of self-harm has she struggled to cope.Kelly confessed that even as she celebrated her gold medal in the 800 and 1,500 metres at the Athens Olympics she feared being outed as her fame hit new heights.Before the 2003 World Championship finals, Kelly said she hit an all time low and self-harmed, recalling how she had 'no control' over herself.Kelly didn't ask for any support at the time out of fear she would be dropped from the Olympic team.In 2018, Kelly was made an Honorary Colonel of the Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment, which she viewed as another barrier for her coming out. Fears: In 2018, Kelly was made an Honorary Colonel of the Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment, which she viewed as another barrier for her coming out | Other Sports |
Ed Sheeran was the most-played artist of 2021 in the UK, and also claimed the year's most played single with Bad Habits.It is the second time he has claimed both accolades, previously achieving the double in 2017 with the release of his album Divide and hit single Shape Of You.
Adele is the only other artist to have topped both charts in the same year, with Rolling In The Deep and the popularity of her album 21 in 2011.It is the fourth time in five years that the 31-year-old pop superstar has been the UK's most-played artist, having been temporarily dethroned in 2020 by Dua Lipa.The annual charts are compiled by music licensing company Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) from music usage and airplay data from radio stations and television channels as well as public performance locations. The most played tracks of 2021 1. Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran 2. By Your Side – Calvin Harris featuring Tom Grennan 3. Little Bit Of Love – Tom Grennan 4. Blinding Lights – The Weeknd 5. Higher Power – Coldplay 6. All You Ever Wanted – Rag'n'Bone Man 7. Heartbreak Anthem – Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix 8. Starstruck – Years & Years 9. Midnight Sky – Miley Cyrus 10. Bed – Joel Corry, Raye and David Guetta Tom Grennan crowned a breakout year by claiming both the second and third most-played tracks of 2021, with By Your Side with Calvin Harris and Little Bit Of Love, respectively.
The Weeknd's Blinding Lights was the fourth most-played track, demonstrating staying power having originally been released in November 2019. More on Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran: Singer says he is "over the moon" at birth of second baby girl Shakira, Ed Sheeran and Dave among winners at 67th annual Ivors Awards in London Tom Parker: Ed Sheeran 'helped out with medical bills' during Wanted star's treatment for fatal brain cancer The fifth most-played track of 2021 was Higher Power by Coldplay.The second most-played artist of the year was David Guetta, with Dua Lipa in third.Little Mix, who recently went on hiatus, claimed fourth place after consistently appearing in the top 10 for the past five years.Coldplay were the fifth most-played act. The most played artists of 2021 1. Ed Sheeran 2. David Guetta 3. Dua Lipa 4. Little Mix 5. Coldplay 6. The Weeknd 7. Justin Bieber 8. Calvin Harris 9. Taylor Swift 10. Pink Peter Leathem, chief executive of PPL, said: "Congratulations to Ed Sheeran for having the UK's most-played track of 2021 and being the UK's most-played artist of 2021."His chart-topping success over the last five years is a testament to not only the quality of his output but also the strength of UK music at a time when the global music landscape is more competitive than ever." | Music |
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk appeared unbothered by claims she was more interested in attending social events than running Queensland as she walked the Logies red carpet on the Gold Coast with boyfriend Dr Reza Adib on Sunday night.Annastacia Palaszczuk has knocked back claims she is a ‘part-time Premier’ and that she’s “checked out” of Queensland’s top job after she was grilled by a journalist on the Logies red carpet.The Queensland Premier’s commitment to her role was scrutinised this week after government insiders claimed to The Australian, she was more interested in attending red carpet events than leading the state.However, Ms Palaszczuk appeared unbothered by the accusations as she walked the Logies red carpet on the Gold Coast with boyfriend Dr Reza Adib on Sunday night.When grilled by a reporter over claims she spends too much time on red carpets and not enough time as Premier, Ms Palaszczuk hit back: “I work seven days a week.”Stream more local news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022.“I’ve got a budget coming down, I’m across that, and I’ll be back at my desk first thing tomorrow morning,” she said.“Most of these events are on weekends, so we could be at home watching television but we’re out here doing the job Queenslanders expect me to be doing.”Ms Palaszczuk also responded to remarks made by former Queensland Labor premier Peter Beattie, who warned the state government needed “a new innovative agenda” to stay in power.“We‘ll always have fresh strategies,” Ms Palaszczuk said adding her government was “absolutely committed” to creating jobs.“When we hand the budget down on Tuesday, watch this space – it’s all about health and families and Queensland.”It comes as MPs and high-level public servants accused the Premier of being more interested in attending social events than governing Queensland.“People are worried about interest rates and what things cost at the shop. Every time they turn on the news there’s another story about some atrocity in the health system. And there she is: out and about again with the doctor. It’s not a good look,” a state Labor MP told the Australian.Earlier this month, Ms Palaszczuk and her boyfriend were snapped arm-in-arm on the Gold Coast at the premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s new film Elvis.The couple were also spotted at the Stradbroke Handicap race day at Eagle farm, two weeks prior to the TV week Logies. | Celebrity |
Rapper Obie Trice ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED THREATS AGAINST EX-GF 6/20/2022 12:20 AM PT Rapper Obie Trice was busted in Michigan for allegedly threatening an ex-girlfriend ... and cops say he told her family he was going to harm them too. The "Got Some Teeth" rapper was booked Thursday afternoon in West Bloomfield for using a telephone to harass or threaten someone ... according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. Curt Lawson, the deputy chief at the West Bloomfield Police Department, tells TMZ ... Obie was dating a woman, and after they split he allegedly sent threatening messages to her and also started texting threats to some of her relatives. Police say they were told Obie showed up uninvited to his ex's family home on multiple occasions ... and cops got involved and told him to stop. But, we're told Obie didn't listen and allegedly continued with the threats, so police got a misdemeanor warrant ... leading to his Thursday arrest. OT is still being held in jail on a $10,000 bond. | Celebrity |
The first record I boughtMy father had a record store, so it was less buying a record, more saying: “Can I have this record?” But the first record I remember purchasing was One Wheel Wheelie by Early B, from Harry J’s record store in Jamaica.The first song I remember hearingLively Up Yourself by Bob Marley and the Wailers which came out in 1974. I was born in 1972, so I would have been two years old. We had a turntable at home in Jamaica, so it would have been on vinyl.The song I do at karaokeI’ve never done karaoke. But if I was to put myself in the position, I think I would do Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. That song was played all the time in Jamaica when I was growing up – as it was all over the world – so I know all the words.The song lyrics I know and like the bestWell, I know the lyrics to a lot of songs, but I think the lyrics to One Love by the Wailers are so uplifting, they give you hope and calm you.The best song to play at a party It depends on what type of party! But I’d say you can play Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley and the Wailers at any type of party, and everybody will be bumping to that.The song I’ve streamed the mostI don’t really do a lot of streaming. I’m too busy making the music that’s going to be streamed, so I live in the studio!The song that I secretly like but tell everyone I hate It’s actually a song for a commercial for Downy Fabric Softener that was shown in the 80s [a take on the 1963 novelty song Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp Granada) by Allan Sherman]. I don’t normally like to watch the commercials, but I still find myself singing that one.The song that I can no longer listen to I Know by Bob Marley and the Wailers. That was one of the last songs that he sung on. It’s a song about when the race gets hard to run and you just can’t take the pace. I get very emotional when I listen to that one, so I skip it.The song I wish I’d writtenThere are quite a few songs I wish I had written. But Redemption Song by Bob Marley and the Wailers is just a strong statement because it addresses humanity and mankind.The song I can’t help singingNo Ordinary Love by Sade. I don’t sing it consciously. I’m always bubbling that just out of nowhere. It just speaks to me. I love the melody, the texture of her voice and the words.The song that best reminds me of me dadMy brother’s [Ziggy Marley] music reminds me of my father. Toots and the Maytals remind me of him too, so I’ll choose their song Do the Reggay. Stephen Marley’s new EP Celebrating Nina: A Reggae Tribute To Nina Simone is out now | Music |
'What cycling has done is disgraceful!': Former British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies calls for other sports to follow FINA's lead after the swimming world governing body's decided to ban transgender athletes from elite women's racesSharron Davies says sports should ban transgender athletes from competing FINA voted for trans women to not be allowed to enter female events The former British Olympian called the decision a 'victory for women's sport'The governing body say they are working on an 'open' category for future events Published: 17:30 EDT, 19 June 2022 | Updated: 18:06 EDT, 19 June 2022 Sharron Davies has called for other sports to follow swimming's lead after the seismic decision to ban transgender athletes from elite women's races.Swimming's world governing body, FINA, on Sunday voted through a major new policy stating that trans women who have 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female events.The move was hailed as a 'victory for women's sport' by former British Olympic swimmer Davies, who has been a long-time campaigner on the issue. However, the 1980 silver medallist now wants other Olympic sports to copy FINA's strict stance. Last week, cycling updated their own rules but were criticised for continuing to base transgender inclusion on testosterone levels and admitting they could not 'eliminate all advantages held by a transgender'.'I am so proud of FINA for at last being the first to be brave enough to stand up for female athletes,' a tearful Davies told Sportsmail following Sunday's announcement. 'This is a very good move and I hope now that all the other associations pick it up.'I think what cycling has done is disgraceful. They have basically said they are happy for female athletes to compete with a disadvantage. I'm afraid that is not acceptable in a world where we don't believe in sex discrimination.' Sharron Davies has called for more sports to ban transgender athletes from female events Cate Campbell was one of the sports stars to speak against trans women in female racesThe new swimming policy came following an Extraordinary General Congress when members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures.American Summer Sanders, who won two gold medals at Barcelona 1992, and Australia's current four-time Olympic champion Cate Campbell were among those from the sport to speak out against trans women competing in female races.The rule – which states any trans athlete must have completed transition by the age of 12 - was passed with 71 per cent of the vote from 152 FINA members and comes into force as soon as today (Mon). FINA will also establish an 'open' category for swimmers whose gender identity is different from their birth sex.'FINA's approach in drafting this policy was comprehensive, science-based and inclusive, and, importantly, emphasised competitive fairness,' said the governing body's executive director Brent Nowicki. Lia Thomas became the first transgender swimmer to win the highest US national college titleFINA president Husain Al-Musallam added: 'We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events, especially the women's category at FINA competitions.'The debate around transgender athletes in swimming catapulted into the spotlight in March whenLia Thomas became the first known transgender swimmer to win the highest US national college title.The 22-year-old won the women's 500-yard freestyle having swam for the Pennsylvanian men's team for three seasons before starting hormone replacement therapy in 2019.Thomas had stated her aim was to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024, but FINA's new policy bans her from racing against women at the Games or any other international events. Thomas had previously stated her aim was to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024'It's the first victory and an extremely important one,' added Davies. 'I can't tell you how hard it has been. I have hardly worked for three years because the trans activists made my life hell.'But I was so determined because nobody stood up for my generation way back in the '70s and '80s. I was absolutely determined another generation wasn't going to deal with that. Today's swimmers will be relieved.'Campaign group Fair Play for Women also said FINA had 'done the right thing and brought back fairness for women and girls in competitive swimming'.However, 'Athlete Ally' – the group who organised a letter of support for Thomas earlier this year – tweeted: 'FINA's new eligibility criteria for transgender athletes and athletes with intersex variations is discriminatory, harmful, unscientific and not in line with the 2021 IOC principles. If we truly want to protect women's sports, we must include all women.' Summer Sanders has also spoken out against trans women competing in female races Advertisement | Swimming |
Michael Jordan UNC Debut Ticket Stub Hits Auction ... Believed To Be Only 1 In Existence!!! 6/20/2022 12:30 AM PT If Michael Jordan memorabilia from his time in Chicago doesn't excite you, then check this out -- a ticket stub from his first-ever game as a UNC Tar Heel has just hit the auction block ... and, it's believed to be the only one in existence! The extremely rare piece is from the November 1981 UNC vs. Kansas game -- which was Jordan's debut on Dean Smith's Tar Heels hoops team. The ticket is tattered and torn and has been given a poor 1 grading ... but since it's believed to be the only surviving stub from the night -- it could net a small fortune. In fact, experts at Heritage Auctions say it could go for over $10,000!! Jordan ticket stubs have been hot on the auction block recently ... earlier this year, a Chicago Bulls stub from Jordan's 1984 debut (one of 23 available) sold for $99,000. As for Jordan's career at UNC, it was legendary ... during his three seasons, he averaged 17.7 points per game and shot 54% from the field. He also won the Naismith and Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984. Of course, MJ's most memorable Tar Heels moment was when he made the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship against Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas. Auction for the ticket ends on June 25 ... happy bidding! | Basketball |
Swimming's world governing body has voted to effectively ban transgender athletes from competing in women's elite races.FINA will explore establishing an "open" category for them in some events as part of its new policy.
The new policy was passed with a roughly 71% majority after it was put to the members of 152 national federations with voting rights who had gathered for the congress at the Puskas Arena.It will require transgender competitors to have completed their transition by the age of 12 in order to be able to compete in women's competitions.A statement from FINA said that male-to-female transgender athletes will be eligible to compete only if "they can establish to FINA's comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later". FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said: "We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events, especially the women's category at FINA competitions.
"FINA will always welcome every athlete. The creation of an open category will mean that everybody has the opportunity to compete at an elite level. This has not been done before, so FINA will need to lead the way. I want all athletes to feel included in being able to develop ideas during this process."Transgender rights has become the subject of debate as sports seek to balance inclusivity while ensuring there is no unfair advantage.The conversation around it intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle earlier this year.It followed New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard last year becoming the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player First transgender athlete selected for Games The new FINA policy also opens up eligibility to those who have "complete androgen insensitivity and therefore could not experience male puberty".Athletes who have had "male puberty suppressed beginning at Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later, and they have since continuously maintained their testosterone levels in serum (or plasma) below 2.5 nmol/L." are also allowed to compete in women's races, FINA said.It added that female-to-male transgender athletes (transgender men) are fully eligible to compete in men's swimming competitions.Athlete Ally, an LGBTQ athletic advocacy group, responded to the announcement and said the eligibility criteria is "discriminatory".They posted on Twitter: "[It] is discriminatory, harmful, unscientific and not in line with the 2021 IOC principles. If we truly want to protect women's sports, we must include all women."But Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries has voiced support for FINA's move.The Cabinet minister also stressed "it's important that those trans women who want to compete can compete" by having their own category.When asked about Fina's decision on LBC, she said: "Yeah, I think it's absolutely the right decision that they've reached, and I am going to encourage other sports (to do the same)."It is just unacceptable that trans women compete in women's sport."And former British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies tweeted her delight at the news. Twitter Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options She said: "I can't tell you how proud I am of my sport @fina & @fina_president for doing the science, asking the athletes/coaches and standing up for fair sport for females. Swimming will always welcome everyone no matter how you identify but fairness is the cornerstone of sport."Back in May, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said that sport cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach to transgender inclusion.Controversies over the participation of transgender athletes in female categories have hit the headlines in cycling, swimming, weightlifting and other sports over the past year.Olympic cycling champion Katie Archibald criticised the global governing body in her sport, the UCI, last month over its transgender policies, with trans athlete Emily Bridges ultimately excluded from the British Omnium Championships. Image: Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history Lord Coe, the president of World Athletics, said the integrity of women's sport was "fragile" if federations did not get this right.There have been calls to create an open category which transgender athletes could enter.Mr Bach said the IOC has and will continue to assist sports in coming to "science-based decisions".He told a press conference in May: "There is no one-size-fits-all solution. I think we all agree that this is about creating a fair competition. On the grassroots level, sport has to be inclusive, everybody has to have the access to sport."When it comes to competition as sport, we have to ensure fair competition. That means that you have to find out sport by sport, even discipline by discipline, where there is maybe an unfair advantage." | Swimming |
Published: 03:31 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 03:31 EDT, 20 June 2022 He's been taking the UK by storm as he arena hops for his 2022 tour, dubbed Love On Tour.And Harry Styles shared an extra special moment with one fan during his Wembley gig on Sunday evening, as he helped him come out as gay live on stage.After parading a rainbow LGBTQ+ pride flag around the stage, the singer announced: 'Congratulations, you are a free man'. Special: Harry Styles, 28, helped a fan come out as gay live on stage on Sunday evening during his Wembley Stadium performanceThe fan, named Mattia, gave Harry a cardboard sign which read 'From Ono to Wembley: Help me come out', to which the Watermelon Sugar singer was more than happy to help out with.Picking up a rainbow Pride flag, he dragged the flag along the stage back and forth, explaining: 'When I wave this flag above my head, you will officially be gay my boy'.Teasing fans, Harry built the suspense amongst a sea of oo's and ahh's, before finally waving the flag high above his head and congratulating Mattia, declaring him a 'free man'. Helping hand: The fan, named Mattia, gave Harry a cardboard sign which read 'From Ono to Wembley: Help me come out'Touching: The singer was happy to help out, as the crowd cheered him onThe star had a weekend of success as he took Wembley Stadium on both Saturday and Sunday to wow 180,000 concert-goers.But despite his overwhelming success, Harry's mum, Anne, took to Instagram to show that she was still his biggest fan.Sharing a snap to Instagram of the singer at Wembley, the proud mother wrote: 'When I thought you couldn’t get better .. and I couldn’t be prouder .. you blew me away tonight'.Pride: Picking up a rainbow Pride flag, he dragged the flag along the stage back and forth, explaining: 'When I wave this flag above my head, you will officially be gay my boy'His sister Gemma was also in attendance, as the pair proudly watched Harry perform a range of his chart-topping hits.Following from his Wembley performances, the former One Direction star is set to take on Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Wednesday - before jetting off to Germany.After a hectic run, the tour will finally round off in New Zealand in March 2023, after stints in Mexico and Australia. Stage star: The star had a weekend of success as he took Wembley Stadium on both Saturday and Sunday to wow 180,000 concert-goers Doting mum: But despite his Wembley success, Harry's mum, Anne, took to Instagram to show that she was still his biggest fan Advertisement | Music |
It was a cleaner-cut Johnny Depp who whipped fans into a frenzy on Sunday as he took to the stage with Jeff Beck at the Helsinki Blues Festival in Finland. The typically bearded actor, who recently won his defamation case against Amber Heard, was clean shaven during his first public appearance since his ex-wife admitted she can't afford the $8.3 million in damages awarded to him during a Dateline interview last week.Hollywood star Johnny wore a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up to show his tattoos as he sung.Beard free: It was a cleaner-cut Johnny Depp who whipped fans into a frenzy on Sunday as he took to the stage with Jeff Beck at the Helsinki Blues Festival in FinlandHe wore a black waistcoat and a grey hat while he shielded his eyes behind a pair of mirrored sunglasses.Johnny waved to the crowd from the stage as he stood alongside British guitarist Jeff, 77.Jeff wore a sleeveless denim jacket and a white T-shirt with a pair of cargo pants as he played his guitar. Out: The actor, who recently won his defamation case against Amber Heard, was seen publicly after ex Amber admitted she can't afford the $8.3 million in damages awarded to Johnny In style: Hollywood star Johnny wore a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up to show his tattoos as he sungJohnny is teaming up with close pal Jeff on the forthcoming album, 18.Edward Scissorhands star Johnny has been on the road performing with legendary musician Jeff and celebrating the result of his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber.Johnny and Jeff have been friends since 2016, and the album has been in the making since 2019. Rocker: Jeff wore a sleeveless denim jacket and a white T-shirt with a pair of cargo pants as he played his guitar Pals: Johnny and Jeff have been friends since 2016, and the album has been in the making since 2019 On show: Edward Scissorhands star Johnny has been on the road performing with legendary musician Jeff and celebrating the result of his defamation trial against his ex-wife AmberIt includes 'Depp originals along with a wide range of covers that touches on everything from Celtic and Motown, to the Beach Boys and Killing Joke'.After his performance, Johnny took to social media to warn fans of fake accounts on various platforms pretending to be him. He wrote: 'I’ve been made aware that there are fake accounts pretending to be me or people working with me. Warning: After his performance, Johnny took to social media to warn fans of fake accounts on various platforms pretending to be him'I do not have any private or side accounts on any platforms. These are the only pages run by me and my team where we share updates and communicate: INSTAGRAM @Johnny Depp TIKTOK @Johnny Depp FACEBOOK @Johnny Depp DISCORD @Johnny Depp0854.'I ask that you remain cautious as it seems these fake accounts can be relentless. My team is working to combat the problem. Thank you for your continued support and for making me aware of this issue! Love & respect, JD X.'It comes as Amber publicly admitted she can't afford the $8.3 million in damages awarded to Johnny on June 1. It is unclear whether he will enforce the ruling and ask Amber to pay the high sum of money in its totality. Speaking out: It comes as Hollywood star Amber publicly admitted she can't afford the $8.3 million in damages awarded to Johnny on June 1His lawyers have hinted that might not be the case, saying his motivation behind the lawsuit, which was to restore his reputation after Amber raised claims of domestic abuse in a 2016 Washington Op-ed, has already been achieved. Speaking to NBC's Dateline last week, she chose to focus on the positives after the trial left her reputation severely bruised and her opportunities for work continue to decrease. The actress said that a silver lining of not being busy with work at the moment is that she can enjoy being a full-time mother to one-year-old daughter Oonagh. Hints: Johnny's lawyers have hinted that might not be the case, saying his motivation behind the lawsuit, which was to restore his reputation after Amber raised claims of domestic abuse in a 2016 Washington Op-ed, has already been achievedIn a chat screened in its entirety for the first time Friday, Amber told Dateline's host Savannah Guthrie that she was 'terrified' of telling her side of the story.The actress said she had been wounded by the 'hate and vitriol' directed at her, but did not regret bringing the case.'I know the scariest, most intimidating thing for anybody talking about sexual violence is not being believed, being called a liar, or being humiliated,' she said.Amber said she was not speaking out because she was 'vindictive'. Release: Amber released 'a binder' full of her therapist's notes, which she says prove her claims about the abuse she says she suffered at the hands of ex-husband Johnny - days after she was found guilty of defaming him 'This would be a really lousy way of getting vengeance,' she said.'As silly as it is to say this out loud, my goal is - I just want people to see me as a human being.'Amber's interview raised eyebrows, with her repeating her defamatory allegations that he beat her.Despite continuing to air her allegations, Amber insists that she wants nothing more than to move on with her life, telling Savannah: 'I look forward to living my life and I have a long one, I hope, in front of me. And I will continue to walk through this with my chin up.'In the interview, Amber admitted that she 'absolutely still loves' Johnny - despite branding him a 'liar' who swayed the jury with his 'fantastic acting', as well as: 'I will [stand by my testimony] to my dying day. I know what happened to me. I'm here as a survivor,' she said. 'To my dying day I will stand by every word of my testimony.' Lawyers: The 36-year-old actress' legal team attempted to submit the notes as evidence in her case against 59-year-old Johnng (pictured in court) however a judge ruled that they were 'hearsay' and banned them from the trial Yet on Friday, shortly before the interview aired, Amber's team insisted they were unrepentant.'If Mr Depp or his team have a problem with this, we recommend that Johnny himself sit down with Savannah Guthrie for an hour and answer all her questions,' a spokesperson told MailOnline, as Amber branded Johnny, a 'liar' and doubled down on claims that he beat her and sexually assaulted her during their relationship. Amber also released a 'binder full' of notes from her therapist, which she claims is fresh evidence proving her allegations of physical and sexual abuse against her by Depp - despite the notes already being dismissed by the judge. Amber turned over 'years' worth' of notes taken by her therapist detailing instances when she says the actor 'hit her, threw her against a wall, and threatened to kill her'. Couple: When asked whether she still 'loves' her ex-husband, the actress (seen with Depp in 2015) replied: 'Yes. Yes. Absolutely, absolutely I love him... I have no bad feelings or ill will towards him at all' Notes: Amber has handed over the notes (pictured) to NBC's Dateline as part of a wide-ranging sit-down interview with Savannah Guthrie, which aired on Friday Looking in: According to Savannah and Dateline, which was given access to the so-called 'binder', the notes contain descriptions of violence dating back to January 2012, when 'Heard told her therapist Depp 'hit her, threw her on the floor''However, the judge in her trial against Johnny had already dismissed the notes as 'hearsay' and barred her legal team from submitting the documents as evidence.Nevertheless, the actress has now gone public with the binder, which 'dates back to 2011 from the very beginning of her relationship'.The notes contain descriptions of violence dating back to January 2012, when 'Heard told her therapist Depp "hit her, threw her on the floor"'. Eight months after that he 'ripped her nightgown, threw her on the bed' and then in 2013 'he threw her against a wall and threatened to kill her', the notes allege. Earlier this month, a jury ruled that Amber defamed her ex-husband by publishing a piece about being a sexual assault survivor in the Washington Post. She was ordered to pay Johnny $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, although the second payment was reduced to $350,000 per Virginia law by the judge. She was awarded a relatively paltry $2 million in compensatory damages, meaning that Johnny walked away from the case with Amber owing him $8.35 million. Heard faces FURIOUS backlash online for REPEATING abuse allegations against Depp in Today interview BY LILLIAN GISSEN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Twitter users unleashed a furious tirade on Amber Heard after she sat down for an explosive interview with the Today show in which she discussed the 'unfair' verdict in her defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp, calling the interview 'painful to watch' and claiming that they've 'heard enough of her sickening lies.'During the shocking new interview, the actress insisted that she's going to 'stand by every word of her testimony until the day she dies,' less than two weeks after she was found guilty of defaming her ex by claiming that he abused her during their marriage.The 36-year-old blasted Depp, 59, as a 'liar' and reiterated her claims that he beat her during their marriage, while speaking to Today host Savannah Guthrie.Now, the Aquaman star is facing fierce backlash from social media users - with oneaccusing her of 'acting' throughout the appearance and another saying it made them 'sick to their stomach' to listen to her 'bull s**t.''I've heard enough of her sickening lies,' one person wrote on Twitter after the interview aired.'She is such a liar that is just painful to watch,' added another, while someone else said, 'And the Oscar goes to...'A fourth tweet read, 'Contrived performance yet again.'Other viewers tweeted, 'She needs professional help,' and, 'What a sad human being.''I'm sick of listening to her BS. Listening to her made me sick to my stomach. She contradicts herself constantly. her 15 minutes of fame is over,' wrote a different Twitter user.Another person slammed the Today show for 'enabling an abuser,' while someone else said the network has 'sunk to a new low,' and a third bashed them for 'giving credit to a manipulative piece of s**t like Heard.''Nobody believes her Savannah. Give it up and stop interviewing abusers,' responded one disgruntled Twitter user.'Shame on you. Women do tell lies, they are not always truthful, and this witch got caught. Her reputation is done.'Another wrote, 'Quit enabling this abuser and stop giving her air time. She said she wanted to move on, so why is she not?''Nice to see news [organizations] still giving credit to a manipulative piece of s**t like Amber Heard,' agreed someone else.'If this trial had gone the other way, no chance in Hell we'd see any news org even touch Johnny Depp. But that's the news nowadays - needs viewers, clicks, and money.' 'As if she was not given a chance to prove her side in the court?' asked a different user. 'Now NBC has given [her] that opportunity? I hate [NBC] to the core.''So sad. The Today show has sunk to a new low,' read another tweet.'Enough already - these two celebrities have gotten more court time and TV time than important things. Stop covering this toxic slurry relationship... Please!' begged a different person.'She's a liar. Why would she be given a platform to continue to lie?' tweeted one viewer, while another called it a 'total waste of broadcast time.''NBC gives domestic abusers the spotlight. Shame on NBC,' wrote another user.Someone else said, 'Interview the abuser and promote her lies, meanwhile, ignore the victim.''Why the Hell are you seriously allowing this abuser a platform? It's shameful, it really is. Stop enabling her,' read a different tweet. | Celebrity |
ASHLEY JONES Soap Star's Divorce Finalized ... With Restraining Order on Top 6/20/2022 12:50 AM PT 'Bold and the Beautiful' star Ashley Jones is no longer married to her allegedly abusive husband ... but she's walking away with some court-ordered protection. A judgment's been entered in her divorce from Joel Henricks, and according to the docs, they hammered out child custody issues earlier this month ... and also figured out how they're dividing up all their assets. The one complicating issue is Ashley accused Joel of beating her and causing a spiral fracture in her hand. As a result, she also asked to extend her restraining order against him through Feb. 20, 2023 ... and the judge granted it. According to the divorce judgment, obtained by TMZ, Ashley will have physical custody of their 6-year-old son, Hayden, 3 days a week plus alternating weekends. Joel gets him for 4 hours each Tuesday and Wednesday and alternate weekends. Ashley gets to pick Hayden's school next year, but has to pay 100% of the tuition. She'll also have her son with her for Mother's Day and her birthday every year. She and Joel will alternate custody, annually, for holidays and school breaks. The divorce does not include child support or spousal support, but the exes agree they'll each cover all expenses incurred while they have Hayden. As for division of property ... each keeps their personal bank accounts, Ashley gets a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE -- while Joel gets a 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 and a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 truck. TMZ broke the story ... Ashley filed for divorce and got a restraining order against Joel back in September 2019, about 3 years after they tied the knot. | Celebrity |
60 Minutes - Entertainment June 19, 2022 / 6:53 PM / CBS News Michael Keaton: The 60 Minutes Interview Michael Keaton: The 60 Minutes Interview 13:28 It's almost like when no one was looking, Michael Keaton crept on to Hollywood's A-list, and then never left. Except that we were looking. Keaton's films have, collectively, grossed billions at the box office. He's played Birdman and Batman and starred in "Spiderman." The irony is that Keaton's real power is portraying, the everyman. The salesman, the FBI-man, the put-upon newspaperman. An actor on a career-long crusade against typecasting, Keaton is willfully unpredictable in choosing his roles. But he is consistent in nailing them. As we first reported last October, at age 70, he's still at it. Find Michael Keaton a character he finds appealing and, to borrow a phrase, it's showtime.Forget about meeting at some precious Malibu bistro or on a movie set. Michael Keaton wanted us to meet him in his element, so we did, here, on his thousand-acre swatch of trout streams and mountains under Montana's big sky.It's easy to be humbled by the sheer vastness of the place. Not that this is a movie star in need of any ego reduction. Michael Keaton: As soon as I bought this place-- soon as I bought it-- and it was a dream of mine from time I was a little kid-- it hit me. Like, it was crystal clear that I don't really own anything. You don't really-- you-- we're renters. You know, I don't own this. This is just-- I just happened to make a transaction.Jon Wertheim: Just passin' through. Michael Keaton: Passin' through. Correspondent Jon Wertheim with Michael Keaton After a short drive up a dirt path we discussed range of a different sort. We asked Keaton about his staggering versatility, the key to his success – and Hollywood longevity.Jon Wertheim: Go down your IMDB page and in the best possible way you get whiplash. I see this archetype, American male. And it's lawyers, and newspaper men and doctors.Michael Keaton: I guess that's true. I guess, yeah. If I went-- and I've never seen my IMD-- IMDB? Or IMBD? Which one? I can know-- which-- which one comes first-- but I-- but, yeah. Well, if you put it like that I'd go, yeah pretty much. But it's a representation of all kind of, you know, within that. Like, but-- who's the person in that job? You know. What's-- what's the person in that job? Jon Wertheim: Right, right, right, right.Michael Keaton: People talk about range. There's-- you know, it's -- flattering. But range doesn't really-- range, schmange, you know. It like—Jon Wertheim: Really? Michael Keaton: Yeah well range…Jon Wertheim: I would think you'd take pride in that. Michael Keaton: I do. But I don't think of it in terms of, "Well, you played that. Then you were funny. And then you-- then you were a sad man. And then you--" You know, that's not really to me-- range. You know, you go inside the-- the person, you know.Jon Wertheim: Is there range within a character? Michael Keaton: Yeah. Because they're human beings, you know.And that includes one superhero - this may be the ranch Batman built. Keaton bought it in 1989 the same year as his biggest blockbuster. But by then he had already established his M.O.: delivering a certain believability to a broad array of characters. A stay-at-home dad, a crazy-haired poltergeist, a washed-up actor, a founder. In each of them Keaton does, well, that Keaton thing. He projects a disarming intensity, his brows arch; the eyes narrow, the mouth puckers, and we are buying his character even before his trademark staccato patter kicks in.Michael Keaton: I used to kind of think I had to flee from-- me, you know, and then later on. There's something in me that's-- that's okay." I was never afraid to go to a dark or scary or really, really, really raw places-- ever, ever. But also I didn't want to look back and go, "You kind of-- kind of wussed out," you know? And sometimes there's no crime in saying, "This is pretty easy. Just-- just open your mouth, and let the words come out, and-- and tell the truth."This sixth sense for authenticity. It first came to Keaton in the most un-Hollywood of places: Keaton's home in Western Pennsylvania. It was a seminal moment in his childhood when his family won a black-and-white tv in a raffle.Michael Keaton: So what I watched and learned and-- and grew up on and loved was really television, old Westerns primarily, which I loved. I wanted to be those people.Jon Wertheim: You didn't want to be Gene Autry. You wanted to be the cowboy.Michael Keaton: Oh yeah. And, you know the thing is, I never bought those guys even at a young age. I said, "They're too pretty. They're too clean. They probably don't smell." From the time I was young. I had to believe everything I was seeing. Michael Keaton grew up the youngest of seven kids, raised in a working-class town outside Pittsburgh. His father was a civil engineer; his mother ran the show at home. Keaton was an altar-boy—literally—and he says, a decent student — as long as there were nuns around. He attended Kent State University for one year, and then seriously committed to what had, till then, been vague designs of acting and performing stand-up comedy. Michael Keaton: I mean, everybody has the hard memories, the embarrassing tough times and the down times. You know, no-- no money or no-- you know, livin' in s**** places. But that's, like-- that's, like, not a big deal to me. You know, that's-- that's just part of the deal.But his nostalgia has its limits. He recalls the perils of the open mic.Jon Wertheim: I heard a story. When you followed an Irish folk singer up on stage?Michael Keaton: Ugh. Jon Wertheim: What happened?Michael Keaton: Well, first of all, this f*****' guy would wear, like, one of those knit sweaters, like, in July. You know, one of those, like, fisherman sweaters. Jon Wertheim: he's committed to the role. Michael Keaton: Yes, totally committed to the role you know. He's gonna sing that song where, like, all the kids in the family went down in the ship, you know, in the cold f*****' Irish Sea." And I'm gonna go, "Hey, everybody. How you doin'?"Jon Wertheim: Not much of a warm-up act.Michael Keaton: No.In Los Angeles, Keaton sharpened his improv chops in the clubs on sunset and on the small screen. Then, his big break, he caught the eye of a seasoned comedy writer who recommended him to a hot director in town.Michael Keaton: I got an audition. And then I got a callback, another callback, another callback, another-- I think five or six.Jon Wertheim: All for the role of Billy Blaze.Michael Keaton: Yeah, Billy Blaze. Yeah. "Night Shift," directed by Ron Howard, marked Keaton's first movie, an electric breakout comedic performance, one that still holds up. With license to improv, he steals scene after scene as Bill Blazejowski, the antic-frantic morgue attendant moonlighting as a pimp.Jon Wertheim: You seemed to get that guy.Michael Keaton: Yeah, I got that guy. it was kind of there on the page. You know, the-- like, I'm an idea man that was the fundamental thing.Michael Keaton: And they were welcoming in all the improv.Jon Wertheim: You could bring your improv chops.Michael Keaton: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, they were good about that. Jon Wertheim: –kind of the best of both worlds. You're not doing stand-up. But, like… Michael Keaton: 100%.He would lean on those skills one year later in "Mr. Mom." But right before Hollywood could corner Keaton solely as a comedic actor, he swiveled in the opposite direction – with movies like "Clean and Sober" and the thriller "Pacific Heights."Jon Wertheim: Not a lot of typecasting here. Accident or design?Michael Keaton: I wanted to set it up so that-- I had more shots. I wanted to be able to play a lot of different things. Because, I learned real quickly that they were going, "Oh, we like when he does that. Get him to do that. Let's hire him to do that thing." I thought, "Oh boy, that could I think, frankly, I would have been out of the business." People would have been, if they're not bored already, bored to tears early with me. This overlay of light and dark convinced director Tim Burton that Michael Keaton was right for the lead in his next big budget movie: "Batman." Keaton would embody Bruce Wayne – as a complicated, even tormented tycoon hellbent on justice, hardcore fans of the DC comic hero were horrified about casting Mr. Mom as the Caped Crusader. Michael Keaton: You know, I have a long memory. You know, so a couple occasions where, you know, people were kinda-- not just, maybe did more than doubt you. You go, "Okay. I'll wait."Jon Wertheim: Peers or reviewers or? Michael Keaton: Just things that happened a couple times. You just kinda clock it.Jon Wertheim: You remember that stuff.Michael Keaton: Yeah.Jon Wertheim: So you're comin' into this role. And you're the new Batman.Michael Keaton: Yeah, yeah. No, I am the-- Batman.Jon Wertheim: You're the Batman. But you've got this lineage…Michael Keaton: Yeah. Let's be clear about that. No, I'm kidding. Michael Keaton: "Batman," the first "Batman" I think Tim and I both knew if that doesn't work-- that one, I had awareness of. I thought, "Ooh, this-- this could really fail."Jon Wertheim: Yeah, I mean, it strikes me, that's another risk of a different kind, right?Michael Keaton: Yeah. Yeah. There was a lot of pressure on that movie for everybody.Holy gamble-that-paid-off, Batman. The movie made more than $400 million and catapulted Keaton to a new plane of stardom – proof that resisting conventional Hollywood wisdom had its advantages. Keaton continued his game of character hopscotch in another 30 movies from Shakespeare to "Spotlight." Some brought more box office success than others. But when he wasn't acting, Keaton was a hands-on dad to his son, Sean— who is now 39 and a successful songwriter in Los Angeles. And Keaton had reached a point where he could be choosy. In 2014, enter "Birdman" and Keaton's almost absurdist role that earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor.Jon Wertheim: Hardest role you've had?Michael Keaton: Mostly, yeah. It had to be so specific and so precise. You actually had to be, like, on a certain word or a point in the sentence and geographically in a spot. Like, on-- in a hallway or down a set of stairs. Specifically word perfect. And it was really hard. Scary every day.Jon Wertheim: Do people in your line of work have rivals like athletes? I mean, are you-- "You know, hey--Bill Murray, I'm coming for you?" Michael Keaton: I don't know. You know, that's the thing. There's nothing' we can do. You know, we can't go, like, box each other. (LAUGH) You know, I mean. We're all in-- a brother and sisterhood to some degree, you know? Like-- you know, the criticism of people's performances I find really bush league, you know? It's like, "What do I know?" I'm not sure I even know enough. And I'm not being humble. I'm being honest. I don't-- I don't know that I even know enough to say, "Well, that's not any good."In his latest project, Keaton is back to interpreting the American male, "Dopesick," released last October, is a Hulu mini-series about the country's opioid epidemic. Keaton plays a doctor in a coal-mining town overwhelmed by oxycontin. But this time, he admits there's a little more to the part.Michael Keaton: You know, that means a lot to me, 'cause, you know, I lost a nephew to fentanyl and heroin.Jon Wertheim: What's it like when you have this kind of personal connection to a role?Michael Keaton: You have to remove the emotion and just, like I keep saying, you know, what's-- what's the job at hand, you know, what's-- I'm just a storyteller.Befitting a man who pivots from role to role, Keaton is especially thrilled by Pittsburgh's transition from steel to tech. He returns home often and invited us to a modified steel mill turned innovation center not far from where he grew up. Keaton is an investor in a construction company, Nexii, that here in Pittsburgh plans to make eco-friendly alternatives to concrete. Michael Keaton: I get this. And I actually like it. And if I'm gonna-- man, just look at this summer. If I'm going to-- have an opportunity to do anything and put my money where my mouth is. You can't just have an opinion about climate change anymore. It's, like, here now. Jon Wertheim: The bill's come due, huh?Michael Keaton: That's right. The bill's-- the bill's come due. Keaton would happily spend more time here, and in Montana, if it weren't for that pesky day job. He finished filming "The Flash," reprising his role as Batman, 30 years after he left the franchise. And we had to know...Jon Wertheim: But is this Bruce Wayne still the tortured somewhat dark figure he was as we recall?Michael Keaton: Ish. He's kind of-- you know, I can't give too much of this away. I'm one of those guys who goes, "Well, I-- I-- I'm not givin' that s*** away." Go see the movie.Jon Wertheim: How's the costume fit?Michael Keaton: (LAUGH) Proud to say I slipped right back into it. Jon Wertheim: You're 70 years old, and you're still kicking bad guys' ass. That's gotta feel good.Michael Keaton: Yeah. If you know anybody whose ass needs kicked, just don't call me. (LAUGH)Produced by Michael Karzis. Associate producer, Katie Kerbstat. Broadcast associate, Elizabeth Germino. Edited by Craig Crawford. Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | Movies |
Dave Chappelle Honored By High School ... Months After Students Heckle Him 6/20/2022 1:00 AM PT Dave Chappelle's alma mater is paying tribute to him by renaming a building in his honor ... just months after he got heckled on campus during the transgender controversy. Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C. is set to rename its performance theater after its most noted alumni ... the school says it's honoring Dave because of his "ongoing commitment and service to the school." Getty Dave Chappelle Faces Off with H.S. Students Over Trans Controversy As we reported, Dave paid a visit to his old high school back in November, while he was taking heat for his jokes about the transgender community. Things got heated when he invited students who disagreed to speak during an assembly. One student stepped up and called him a bigot, adding, "I'm 16 and I think you're childish." Some students wanted the school to reverse its decision over naming the building after him. Dave challenged both his supporters and his opponents -- asking both sides to raise money for the school, and if the opponents raised more money, he'd gladly forego the honor of having the building renamed. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. As it turns out, his supporters raised the most money so the building will be called the Dave Chappelle Theatre. | Celebrity |
“I got lucky,” Matt Damon once said of his bride, Luciana Barroso. “I fell in love with a civilian.” Sure, it’s sweet to think that opposites attract, but the likelihood of a Hollywood star and an average Joe (or Jane!) getting together seems like a better fit for a story that unfolds on the big screen—which makes the times that it does happen all the more romantic. For proof that there’s plenty of love to be found beyond the limelight, here we’re taking a look at 17 couples who demonstrate that love knows no star power (or lack thereof).Riz Ahmed and Fatima Farheen MirzaPhoto: Getty ImagesMarried: Late 2020This actor-writer pair made waves at the 2021 Oscars when Ahmed stopped to fix Mirza’s hair, and their meet-cute was no less romantic: the two met at the same table in a coffee shop. As Ahmed recalled on The Tonight Show, “We were both jostling over the same laptop plug points.” A secret pandemic wedding followed: “We did it in a backyard, which is nice in lots of ways,” Ahmed revealed. “And I think the nicest thing about it was you didn’t have 500 aunties hanging around you, pinching your cheeks.”Meryl Streep and Don GummerPhoto: Getty ImagesMarried: September 1978You might expect one of Hollywood’s greatest living actresses to have a spouse similarly high up in the entertainment industry, but that’s not the case for Meryl Streep; her husband, Don Gummer, is a sculptor, and the pair have four children together. “First, I’m going to thank Don, because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with the music, and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives, you’ve given me,” Streep said in 2012, as she accepted the best-actress Oscar for her role in The Iron Lady.Wanda Sykes and Alex NiedbalskiPhoto: Getty ImagesMarried: October 2008Sykes met her wife, French businesswoman Alex Niedbalski, on a ferry to Fire Island, where Niedbalski was deep in conversation with a young child. “Something really said to me—like, audibly—‘Wow, that’s what you need, Wanda,’” Sykes told The Guardian in 2018. The two have been married for over a decade, and are now parents to twins, Olivia Lou and Lucas Claude.Matt Damon and Luciana BarrosoMatt Damon and Luciana Barroso
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: December 2005Damon met Barroso, then a bartender at Miami’s Crobar, when he was in town filming Stuck On You. After a long day of shooting, some crew members invited Damon to get a drink. “They said, ‘Come on,’ and kind of dragged me along,” Damon told Ellen DeGeneres in 2011. “I literally saw her across a crowded room and eight years and four kids later, that’s my life. I don’t know how else our paths would have crossed if that didn’t happen.” The moral of the story? “When you’re tired, suck it up and go to the bar and you might meet your wife,” says Damon. The couple renewed their marriage vows in April 2013 with a small sunset ceremony in St. Lucia.Jon Stewart and Tracey McShaneJon Stewart and Tracey McShane
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: May 2000Stewart met then–veterinary technician McShane on a blind date at a Mexican restaurant in 1996, just one month after Stewart was fired from his show on MTV. “It’s a fairy tale from my end,” McShane later told Oprah. “I had just gotten out of a seven-year relationship. I was depressed, and my friends were trying to set me up all the time. After a bad date, they’d ask, ‘What are you looking for?’ I had discovered The Jon Stewart Show, so I said, ‘Someone funny and sweet, like Jon Stewart.’” As fate would have it, McShane’s roommate at the time was working as a production assistant on Wishful Thinking and played matchmaker when Stewart stopped by the set. In February 1999, Stewart proposed to McShane through The New York Times, having enlisted the newspaper’s crossword puzzle editor for help (among the clues specific to the couple? The answers to “Valentine’s Day Request” and “Recipient of the Request” were “Will You Marry Me” and “Tracey”).Anne Hathaway and Adam ShulmanAnne Hathaway and Adam Shulman
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: September 2012Hathaway met Shulman, an actor-slash-jewelry-designer, at the Palm Springs Film Festival in 2008, through a mutual friend. Their chemistry was so apparent that Hathaway told her pal: I’m going to marry that man. “I think he thought I was a little nuts, which I am a bit, but I’m also nice,” Hathaway has said. “I knew from the second I met him that he was the love of my life.” While Shulman’s acting career hasn’t mirrored the same success as his wife’s, aside from a part in the 2015 Meryl Streep dramedy, Ricki and the Flash and producing Song One, which Hathaway also starred in, he has a jewelry line called James Banks. He even helped design Hathaway’s ethically sourced, six-carat diamond engagement ring when he proposed in 2011.Jerry Seinfeld and Jessica SklarJerry Seinfeld and Jessica Sklar
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: December 1999Sklar was a newlywed at the Reebok gym on the Upper West Side, wearing headphones and filling a water bottle when she met Seinfeld. “I was going through a difficult time, and I was approached by Jerry Seinfeld and he attempted to make me laugh, and I was really not interested in being entertained at that moment,” Sklar has said. “He came around again and said something funny, and I actually had to laugh.” At the time, Sklar was a PR executive for Tommy Hilfiger and had just married Eric Nederlander, the son of theater magnate Robert Nederlander, two months earlier. (When they were wed, guests’ invitations were styled after Playbills and indicated Sklar was “making her Broadway debut.”) Soon after meeting Seinfeld, Sklar broke things off with her marriage and became engaged to Seinfeld a year later, after he proposed at Soho’s Balthazar.Reese Witherspoon and Jim TothReese Witherspoon and Jim Toth
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: March 2011The Oscar-winning actress first crossed paths with the talent agent at a friend’s party when a drunk guest was hitting on her and Toth intervened. “He was like, [slurring, scowling, pointing finger in her face] ‘You don’t know me,’ ” Witherspoon recalled in a 2012 interview. “Jim came over and said, ‘Please excuse my friend. He's just broken up with someone.’ ” Witherspoon and Toth hit it off and were married the next year. Since then, Toth has continued his career as an agent at the Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles, where he has represented everyone from Scarlett Johansson to Robert Downey Jr. and Matthew McConaughey.Eddie Redmayne and Hannah BagshaweEddie Redmayne and Hannah Bagshawe
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: December 2014Redmayne and Bagshawe started out as friends. Redmayne was studying at Eton College, the English all-boys boarding school, while Bagshawe attended a neighboring boarding school for girls. When Bagshawe and her classmates organized a fashion show for charity, Redmayne volunteered to walk the runway. Shirtless. “I was this pasty, freckly guy and when I came on, the girls in the audience didn’t take much notice of me,” Redmayne later recalled. Someone did take notice, however, and so began the 12-year-long friendship: Redmayne caught glimpse of Bagshawe from across the room at an after-party: “She was very beautiful and very funny and she loves the arts and theater just as I do, so we became friends.” The actor and the former financial publicist began dating in 2012, before making their red carpet debut together that December at the London premiere of Les Misérables.Patrick Dempsey and Jillian FinkPatrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: July 1999The Grey’s Anatomy star found his match at Fink’s salon, Delux, in 1994. When the hairstylist noticed there was an appointment under the name “Patrick Dempsey,” she wrote it off as a joke. “I was shocked,” Fink said of her surprise when Patrick Dempsey himself came in for a trim. “But at the same time, I was happy because he was so cute.” Both were in relationships with other people, and it took three years of regular haircuts before the two got together.Alec Baldwin and Hilaria ThomasAlec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: June 2012Baldwin and Thomas were first introduced in February 2011 at Pure Food and Wine, a since-closed vegan restaurant in Union Square. As Thomas recapped the event for the couple’s New York Times wedding announcement: “I was standing near the door with my friends when he walked up and took my hand and said, ‘I must know you.’ ” (The actor has since admitted his opening line was “none too clever.”) Thomas was 27 years old and working as an instructor at Yoga Vida, a studio she helped open upon graduating from NYU. “I saw right away that she was very dedicated,” Baldwin told the Times. “She’s the yoga queen of the Village.”Vince Vaughn and Kyla WeberVince Vaughn and Kyla Weber
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: January 2010Vaughn’s movie-producer friend reportedly introduced him to Weber at a wedding in 2008. A former Calgarian from rural Alberta, Weber was raised on a small farm in Blackie (population est. 400) and worked as a real estate agent. “Because she lived far away, at first I was nervous to date her because it’s one of my best friends’ wife’s best friend from childhood…. If it goes wrong, you’re talking about awkward,” Vaughn said during an appearance on Live! with Regis and Kelly. “She’s a civilian, which is good.” According to Vaughn, they started off by exchanging emails and phone calls, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.Christian Bale and Sibi BlazicChristian Bale and Sibi Blazic
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: January 2000Blazic was working as personal assistant to Winona Ryder when she met Bale, according to reports, at one of the actress’s barbecues. They later eloped in Las Vegas, and an Elvis impersonator reportedly officiated the marriage; Bale was 26 years old and Blazic was 30. When Bale won an Oscar for best actor in a supporting role for The Fighter, he told reporters: “I get choked up about that stuff…. [My wife] had to be married to so many different characters over our marriage. I know that it truly would be impossible to do it without her. She’s such a good, strong woman.” Case in point: The following year Blazic was a stunt driver in The Dark Knight Rises.Paul Rudd and Julie YaegerPaul Rudd and Julie Yaeger
Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: February 2003After his breakout role in Clueless (1995), Rudd moved to New York and, on the advice of Amy Heckerling, the film’s director, got a publicist. When he arrived to the city, Rudd went straight to his publicist’s office, where Yaeger also worked as a publicist herself. As Rudd was late for an audition, Yaeger offered to drop Rudd’s bags at his friend’s apartment. A few days later, hardly knowing a single soul in Manhattan, he asked her out for lunch, and the rest, as they say, is history.George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin George Clooney and Amal AlamuddinPhoto: Getty ImagesMarried: September 2014Long considered one of Hollywood’s most infamous bachelors, Clooney fell in love with Lebanese-British human rights lawyer Alamuddin when a mutual friend brought her by his Lake Como home. After marrying Clooney in Venice in 2014, Alamuddin gave birth to a set of twins, Ella and Alexander, in 2017.Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke MaroneyJennifer Lawrence and Cooke MaroneyPhoto: BackgridMarried: October 2019Lawrence and art dealer Cooke Maroney epitomize power-couple style, to the point where it’s hard to believe they met through a mutual friend only in 2018. One year later they got married at a 150-person ceremony in Rhode Island (to which the bride wore Dior of course.)Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer Photo: Getty ImagesMarried: February 2018Schumer went from joking about her famously messy love life to living the dream, a.k.a. marrying a gorgeous guy who can cook. Fischer, a Martha’s Vineyard chef who authored The Beetlebung Farm Cookbook, was introduced to Schumer through his sister Molly, who happened to be Schumer’s personal assistant. Sparks flew, and the two wed in a surprise Malibu ceremony in 2018; now the two are parents to baby Gene, who was born in May 2019. | Celebrity |
Disney's animated movie 'Lightyear' flopped in its first weekend in theaters, with the new Toy Story spin-off film earning $51.7 million in North America. Not only did the movie open lower than expected, but it also failed to conquer 'Jurassic World: Dominion', which held on to the first-place spot with $58.7 million in its second weekend. Expectations were high for 'Lightyear', an origin story about the movie that inspired the space ranger action figure in the 'Toy Story' movies, with some analysts pegging the movie for a $70 million North American debut. But it didn't come close to that figure. The disappointing start came after controversy over Disney's decision to include a brief kiss between a lesbian couple in the movie and to replace the conservative star Tim Allen with Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz Lightyear.'Lightyear' opened in 4,255 locations domestically and in 43 markets overseas - but 14 Muslim-majority nations banned the movie from playing in their cinemas because Disney included a lesbian kiss. The disappointing start came after controversy over Disney's decision to include a brief kiss between a lesbian couple in the movie and to replace the conservative star Tim Allen with Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz Lightyear 'Lightyear' opened in 4,255 locations domestically and in 43 markets overseas - but 14 Muslim-majority nations banned the movie from playing in their cinemas because Disney included a lesbian kiss Not only did the movie 'Lightyear' open lower than expected, but it also failed to conquer 'Jurassic World: Dominion' (pictured), which held on to the first-place spot with $58.7 million in its second weekendThe United Arab Emirates, a Muslim-led nation that criminalizes homosexuality, became the first nation to ban the movie from cinemas in response to the same-sex scene.Malaysia has also been blacklisted the movie - the country's film censors said it was Disney's decision to ax 'Lightyear' from the nation's theatres after refusing to cut scenes that 'promote' homosexuality.Malaysia's Film Censorship Board said it approved the movie with parental guidance for those under 13 on the condition that scenes and dialogues 'found to contain elements promoting the LGBT lifestyle' that violated guidelines were 'cut and muted.'But Disney apparently did not agree to the conditions and decided instead to cancel the screening, the board said, adding that it would not compromise on any LGBTQ scenes. The board's statement did not specify which scenes violated censorship guidelines but the $200 million film includes a lesbian space ranger character, Alisha, voiced by actress Uzo Aduba, and her partner starting a family together and greeting each other with a kiss on the lips.The scene had been originally cut from the film by Disney earlier this year bit it was reinstated in March after Pixar staffers complained about the censorship in an open letter obtained by Variety.The letter criticized the company's CEO Bob Chapek on his handling of the issue, accusing him attempting to censor 'gay affection.' Banned: After the gay kiss was restored in Lightyear, the United Arab Emirates has banned the movie from cinemas and Malaysia also outlawed the animated blockbuster The note further criticized his handling of Florida's controversial 'Don't Say Gay' bill, which saw the company at first take a tentative stance on the bill before succumbing to public pressure and condemning it.The bill bans the teaching of lessons on sexuality, gender identity and sexual orientation from kindergarten up to third grade.A total of 14 countries- Malaysia, The UAE, Indonesia, Lebanon, Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Syria and Iraq- have barred citizens from seeing the film due to the kiss between a same-sex couple. Disney also faced criticism over 'Lightyear' after it replaced Tim Allen, 69, with Marvel superhero Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz Lightyear.There is growing concern among many that his endorsement of former President Donald Trump and attendance at his inauguration was the root cause of it. Others fear it could be down to a series of risky jokes on his social media pages that have put him at the mercy of the left-wing mob. Tim Allen (pictured in 2020) appears to be finding his latest rebound harder than usual, having been overlooked to reprise the role of Buzz Lightyear in the spin off movieAllen appeared to have understood the position he was in, admitting he had a huge target on his back in Hollywood due to his right-wing politics.Asked about attending Trump's inauguration by Jimmy Kimmel in 2017, he said: 'You get beat up if you don't believe what everybody believes.'This is like Thirties Germany. I don't know what happened. If you're not part of the group, ''You know what we believe is right'', I go, ''Well, I might have a problem with that''. I'm a comedian, I like going on both sides.'He added: 'I literally don't preach anything. What I've done is I've just not joined into, as I call it, the ''we culture''. I'm not telling anybody else how to live. I don't like that.'Disney and Pixar have denied Allen lost his role in Toy Story and sitcom Last Man Standing due to his politics despite some reports.But his friends and supporters have still blasted the companies for apparently tossing the beloved actor out to dry.Everyone Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton said: 'Saw the trailer for Buzz Lightyear and all I can say is Disney/Pixar made a HUGE mistake in not casting my pal Tim Allen in the role that he originated, the role that he owns.'She wrote in the tweet: 'Tim IS Buzz! Why would they completely castrate this iconic, beloved character?'Producer Galyn Susman added: 'Tim really is the embodiment of the toy Buzz, and this isn't the toy world, so it really doesn't make sense.'There's not really a role. It would just cause more confusion for audiences instead of helping them understand the movie we're trying to tell.' Pixar's 'Lightyear' has been banned in multiple counties due to the fact the animated film shows a same-sex kiss between two characters - a scene parent company Disney initially took out, but reinstated following complaints from offended staffTicket sales for movies in US theaters 1. 'Jurassic World: Dominion,' $58.7 million2. 'Lightyear,' $51 million.3. 'Top Gun: Maverick,' $44 million.4. 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,' $4.2 million.5. 'The Bob's Burgers Movie,' $1.1 million.6. 'The Bad Guys,' $890,000.7. 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' $959,631.8. 'Downton Abbey: A New Era,' $830,000.9. 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2,' $228,000.10. 'Brian and Charles,' $198,000. 'Toy Story' launched Pixar in 1995 and its four films have made over $3 billion. 'Toy Story 3' and 'Toy Story 4' also both broke the $1 billion mark.Including international showings, which grossed $34.6 million, 'Lightyear's' global opening weekend totals to $85.6 million. The family audience has proved a little more reluctant than other segments to return to movie theaters. Many studios, including Disney and Pixar, have opted for streaming or hybrid releases for their animated titles. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the company has sent its Pixar titles - 'Soul,' 'Luca,' and 'Turning Red' - directly to Disney+ free for subscribers. Disney's other big animated titles, 'Raya and the Last Dragon' and 'Encanto' got hybrid releases.'There may have been a little confusion about whether it's just in theaters,' Dergarabedian said. 'This is a movie that is going to have to be marketed in real time as family audiences connect the dots.'Critics were mostly favorable to 'Lightyear,' which features Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear and a supporting voice cast that includes Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi. Directed by Angus MacLane, it currently holds a 77% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore.With a reported production budget of $200 million, which doesn't account for the millions spent on marketing and promotion, 'Lightyear' has a long journey ahead of it to get to profitability. But it could also have a slow, steady burn over the summer. And it's the only big family offering playing in theaters until 'Minions: The Rise of Gru' opens July 1.'Jurassic World: Dominion,' meanwhile, has now earned over $622.2 million worldwide with $259.2 million of that coming from U.S. and Canadian theaters. It's only the seventh movie released during the pandemic to surpass $600 million.In its fourth weekend, 'Top Gun: Maverick' dropped only slightly, bringing in an additional $44 million to take third place. Its domestic total is now at $466.2 million. Globally, the high-flying sequel has grossed over $885 million.Dergarabedian said it's especially notable that there are three movies made over $40 million this weekend.'We haven't seen that in a while,' he said. 'We have a summer movie season here.'Rounding out the top five are 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' with $4.2 million and 'The Bob's Burgers Movie' with $1.1 million. | Movies |
FINA members voted 71.5% for a new “gender inclusion policy” that permits only swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events.Lia Thomas finishes the 200-yard freestyle for the University of Pennsylvania at an Ivy League swim meet against Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on Jan. 22.Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty ImagesJune 19, 2022, 7:06 PM UTCBUDAPEST, Hungary — World swimming’s governing body effectively banned transgender athletes from competing in women’s events on Sunday.FINA members at the organization’s extraordinary general congress voted 71.5% in favor of its new “gender inclusion policy” that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events.“This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It’s what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair,” James Pearce, who is the spokesperson for FINA president Husain Al-Musallam, told The Associated Press.“They’re not saying everyone should transition by age 11, that’s ridiculous. You can’t transition by that age in most countries and hopefully you wouldn’t be encouraged to. Basically, what they’re saying is that it is not feasible for people who have transitioned to compete without having an advantage.”FINA’s new 24-page policy also includes proposals for a new “open competition” category. FINA said it was setting up “a new working group that will spend the next six months looking at the most effective ways to set up this new category.”Pearce told the AP that the open competition would most likely mean more events but those details still need to be worked out.“No one quite knows how this is going to work. And we need to include a lot of different people, including transgender athletes, to work out how it would work. So there are no details of how that would work. The open category is something that will start being discussed tomorrow,” Pearce said.The members voted after hearing presentations from three specialist groups — an athlete group, a science and medicine group and a legal and human rights group — that had been working together to form the policy following recommendations given by the International Olympic Committee last November.The IOC urged shifting the focus from individual testosterone levels and calling for evidence to prove when a performance advantage existed.FINA said it recognizes “that some individuals and groups may be uncomfortable with the use of medical and scientific terminology related to sex and sex-linked traits (but) some use of sensitive terminology is needed to be precise about the sex characteristics that justify separate competition categories.”In March, Lia Thomas made history in the United States as the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming championship. She won the 500-yard freestyle.Other sports have also been examining their rules.On Thursday, cycling’s governing body updated its eligibility rules for transgender athletes with stricter limits that will force riders to wait longer before they can compete.The International Cycling Union (UCI) increased the transition period on low testosterone to two years, and lowered the maximum accepted level of testosterone.The previous transition period was 12 months but the UCI said recent scientific studies show that “the awaited adaptations in muscle mass and muscle strength/power” among athletes who have made a transition from male to female takes at least two years. | Swimming |
Ten Premier League clubs have pushed up the prices of season tickets despite an ongoing cost of living crisis which has Brits struggling to put food on the table and pay soaring energy bills Premier League clubs have been accused of taking advantage of fan loyalty after season ticket prices have climbed dramatically(REUTERS) RICH Premier League clubs are being accused of kicking loyal supporters in the teeth by hiking the prices of season tickets. Half of the 20 multi-million pound teams are charging more, despite the cost of living crisis gripping the country. The biggest shock will be for Aston Villa fans. The cheapest adult season ticket soars £161 from £370 to £531. The near 44% increase, the first rise since Villa were promoted from the Championship in 2019, has caused fury. Fan Jack Mullins said: “I’m still raging.It’s a small drop in the ocean for these multi-million pound businesses but will put a huge hole in the pockets of the fans who have been loyal through years of suffering s***e football.” Aston Villa have raised their prices by as much as 44%(Getty Images/iStockphoto) Villa said: “The club is conscious of the rising cost of living and for this reason we have limited these price rises to levels which still keep us in the lower half of Premier League benchmarking.” Arsenal charges the most and justified lifting the price of the cheapest season ticket from £891 to £927 by saying the ticket includes seven home cup games as well as all 19 home Premier League fixtures. | Soccer |
Glastonbury will feature its oldest and youngest headliners as the festival returns this week for the first time in three years.Billie Eilish, 20, will become the youngest-ever solo headliner when she takes to the Pyramid Stage on Friday night. Meanwhile, Sir Paul McCartney, 80, will close out the festival as the oldest-ever solo headliner on Sunday evening.
A fan of The Beatles and Linkin Park, Eilish began writing songs at the age of 11.Sir Paul's performance will mark more than 60 years of music-making, with his set due to be full of hits from his time in the Beatles and Wings, as well as some of his best-known solo material.Read more: The full Glastonbury line-up Image: Sir Paul last performed at Glastonbury in 2004 He is expected to attract an especially large crowd and could rival those of The Rolling Stones in 2013 and Adele in 2016.
The Somerset festival is finally celebrating its 50th year after the COVID pandemic forced organisers to cancel it twice. More on Glastonbury Couple gear up for Glastonbury for first time as lottery millionaires in old caravan Sir Lenny Henry 'surprised' by lack of black people at UK music festivals Train strike: Walkouts threaten to 'shut down the system' - what train lines and big events will be hit? But revellers face difficulties arriving at the site in Pilton.Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out on 21, 23, and 25 June in the biggest outbreak of such industrial action in a generation.People are due to start arriving at the festival site on Wednesday 22 June - right in the middle of the planned strikes.Great Western Railway, which operates the route between London Paddington and Castle Cary close to the festival, has said it "plans to maintain timetabled trains" throughout the course of the week.National Express, the official coach partner for the event, has warned demand for travel is high with a significant increase in inquiries and bookings around the days of the strike. A warm start to the weekendThose who do successfully make it to Worthy Farm will be greeted by warm weather on Wednesday and Thursday before temperatures drop over the weekend.A spokesman for the Met Office said: "On Wednesday there will be highs of around 24C (75F) and high UV levels throughout, so a bit of a warm start to the festival."It will be similar again on Thursday. It will stay dry with sunshine throughout the day and temperatures a little bit higher so 25C or 26C (77F to 79F) possibly and high UV levels."From Friday there will be an increased risk of showers, with temperatures around 20C (68F). Ringo Starr launches Glastonbury campaignSir Paul won't be the only Beatle with a presence at the famous festival, with Sir Ringo Starr joining a host of musicians as part of a campaign to send postcards to the prime minister urging action on climate change.WaterAid's Climate Fight campaign will be officially launched at Glastonbury, and the postcards feature designs created by music stars to celebrate the power of water.Festivalgoers can send a postcard to Boris Johnson and another to themselves as a reminder of how they can play their own part.Sir Ringo, a long-term WaterAid supporter, designed a postcard showing him at a tap that has run dry.The former Beatle said: "We all share one world, and we need to come together to protect it, and each other, as we face the threat of climate change."Read more: Levels of illegal drugs high enough to harm wildlife found in river running through site Ukrainian bands bring anti-war messageGlastonbury will also play host to a number of Ukrainian acts this year, amid Russia's invasion of their country.Kyiv folk quartet DakhaBrakha will perform on Sunday afternoon on the Pyramid stage.The group, who combine the musical styles of several local ethnic groups, have described themselves as "ambassadors of free Ukraine" and have long used their performances to voice their opposition to war and the policies of Vladimir Putin.Go_A will open the John Peel stage on Saturday with a performance of electronic folk music and soaring vocal melodies. Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker The group, which formed in 2012, represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021 with the anthemic dance track Shum, placing fifth.Band member Ihor Didenchuk is also a member of Kalush Orchestra, which triumphed during the contest this year. | Music |
Published: 03:31 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 04:22 EDT, 20 June 2022 He's been taking the UK by storm as he arena hops for his 2022 tour, dubbed Love On Tour.And Harry Styles shared an extra special moment with one fan during his Wembley gig on Sunday evening, as he helped him come out as gay live on stage.After parading a rainbow LGBTQ+ pride flag around the stage, the 28-year-old singer announced: 'Congratulations, you are a free man'. Special: Harry Styles, 28, helped a fan come out as gay live on stage on Sunday during his Wembley Stadium performance The fan, named Mattia, gave Harry a cardboard sign which read 'From Ono to Wembley: Help me come out', to which the Watermelon Sugar singer was more than happy to help out with.Picking up a rainbow Pride flag, he dragged the flag along the stage back and forth, explaining: 'When I wave this flag above my head, you will officially be gay my boy'.Teasing fans, Harry built the suspense amongst a sea of oo's and ahh's, before finally waving the flag high above his head and congratulating Mattia, declaring him a 'free man'. Sweet: The fan, named Mattia, gave Harry a cardboard sign which read 'From Ono to Wembley: Help me come out', to which the Watermelon Sugar singer was more than happy to help out with Touching: The singer was happy to help out, as the crowd cheered him onIt's not the first time that Harry has done the honours for a fan, after assisting a fan last year during a performance at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After spotting a girl holding a sign which read 'Help me come out', Harry threw up a rainbow pride flag and said: 'Anyone particular you’d like to come out to?''Is it for yourself? When I raise this flag you’re officially out, heard that’s how it works! She’s oooout,' he declared.The star had a weekend of success as he took Wembley Stadium on both Saturday and Sunday to wow 180,000 concert-goers.But despite his overwhelming success, Harry's mum, Anne, took to Instagram to show that she was still his biggest fan.Sharing a snap to Instagram of the singer at Wembley, the proud mother wrote: 'When I thought you couldn’t get better .. and I couldn’t be prouder .. you blew me away tonight'.Pride: Picking up a rainbow Pride flag, he dragged the flag along the stage back and forth, explaining: 'When I wave this flag above my head, you will officially be gay my boy'His sister Gemma was also in attendance, as the pair proudly watched Harry perform a range of his chart-topping hits.Following from his Wembley performances, the former One Direction star is set to take on Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Wednesday - before jetting off to Germany.After a hectic run, the tour will finally round off in New Zealand in March 2023, after stints in Mexico and Australia. Stage star: The star had a weekend of success as he took Wembley Stadium on both Saturday and Sunday to wow 180,000 concert-goers Doting mum: But despite his Wembley success, Harry's mum, Anne, took to Instagram to show that she was still his biggest fan Advertisement | Music |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Legendary boxer Mike Tyson was seen strolling through LAX for a flight, just two months after a viral video showed him punching another airline passenger.Tyson on Friday told TMZ Sports, which captured video of him walking through the airport, that the incident from April is not on his mind. Mike Tyson attends the weigh-in for boxers Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant on November 5, 2021 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)When asked by a videographer for the outlet if he is worried about who sits behind him on a plane, Tyson said, "No way!"The former boxer then proceeded to tout his new marijuana brand.SOCIAL MEDIA WEIGHS IN ON MIKE TYSON AIRPLANE INCIDENT: 'DUDE GOT EXACTLY WHAT HE DESERVED' Former professional boxer Mike Tyson attends Celebration of Smiles Event hosted by Dionne Warwick on her 81st Birthday on December 12, 2021 in Malibu, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)"That's what I'm about now, man. I'm all about Tyson 2.0," he said.MIKE TYSON THROWS PUNCHES AT UNRULY PASSENGER ON JETBLUE FLIGHT: REPORTTyson was asked by TMZ, just before he went through a security door, about advice he would give celebrities who face fans like the one he struck.CALIFORNIA DA DECLINES CHARGES FOR MIKE TYSON AFTER ALLEGEDLY PUNCHING AIRLINE PASSENGER Former Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson attends the official weigh-in between Canelo Alvarez vs Caleb Plant on November 5, 2021 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"Love them," Tyson responded.The fan he punched in April hired a lawyer after the incident, but a California district attorney declined to file charges against the former Heavyweight champion. | Boxing |
Bruce Buck is stepping down as chairman of Chelsea after almost 20 years in the role.Buck, who will leave his post at the end of this month, will continue to be involved in the club as a senior advisor. The news follows the completion of the Todd Boehly-led consortium’s takeover of Chelsea at the end of May.“I am proud to have helped Chelsea realise great success on the pitch and make a positive impact in the community,” Buck told Chelsea’s official website. “Now is the right time to step down and let new ownership build on the strong foundations we have in place.”Buck has been chairman since 2003 after playing a key role in Roman Abramovich’s acquisition of the club and the 76-year-old American has overseen huge success on the pitch for both the men’s and women’s teams and major development off it.“Bruce has led Chelsea Football Club to the highest levels of international and domestic football, while also developing one of the most active social responsibility projects in sport,” Boehly said in a statement. “We thank Bruce for his service and his commitment to the club.” | Soccer |
BREAKING NEWS: Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck STEPS DOWN after 19 years in the role, just three weeks into Todd Boehly's ownership, after the government urged club to ditch long-standing links to Roman AbramovichChelsea have confirmed that Bruce Buck will step down as chairman on June 30 The 76-year-old has held the role as chairman of the club for the last 19 yearsIt comes weeks after Todd Boehly completed his takeover at Stamford BridgeBoehly was spotted alongside Buck in the stands towards the end of last seasonThe government urged the club to ditch links to ex-owner Roman Abramovich Published: 04:12 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 04:39 EDT, 20 June 2022 Chelsea have confirmed that Bruce Buck will step down as chairman at the end of the month, after 19 years in the role.The new comes just three weeks into the ownership of Todd Boehly, who replaced Roman Abramovich after a long-running saga in which the Russian oligarch was sanctioned by the UK Government due to his close ties with the country's president Vladimir Putin.The government had urged the Blues to ditch long-standing links to Abramovich, and Buck was appointed as chairman towards the start of the Russian's ownership of the club, In a statement on Chelsea's official website, he said: 'I am proud to have helped Chelsea realize great success on the pitch and make a positive impact in the community.'Now is the right time to step down and let new ownership build on the strong foundations we have in place. 'The owners have a compelling vision for Chelsea’s future, and I look forward to helping them achieve it in this new role alongside our incredible staff, players, coaches and supporters.' Chelsea have confirmed that chairman Bruce Buck will stand down from the role The news just comes three weeks after Todd Boehly (right) became the new owner of ChelseaDespite leaving his role as chairman, Buck will continue to support the club as a senior advisor going forward. In a statement of his own, Boehly thanked Buck for his work in the role.He said: 'Bruce has led Chelsea Football Club to the highest levels of international and domestic football, while also developing one of the most active social responsibility projects in sport. We thank Bruce for his service and his commitment to the Club.'Despite stepping down as chairman, he will continue to support the club as a senior advisor Buck was a close aide of Roman Abramovich (left) who sold the club after he was sanctioned by the UK Government due to his close ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin Abramovich's sanctioning caused several issues for Chelsea off the pitch before the takeoverBuck, along with director Marina Granovskaia, played significant roles in Boehly's takeover, which raised eyebrows as the two closest aides to Russian oligarch Abramovich.Their positions at the club were said to be uncertain due to Boehly's takeover, but there has been no change as yet in terms of Granovskaia's position at Stamford Bridge. German publication Bild however reported that she could leave the club in August after one final transfer window with the club. Buck had been seen sitting alongside Boehly before the takeover was completed, at matches towards the end of last season. During Buck's time at the club, Chelsea solidified their status as one the world's most successful clubs, winning 18 major trophies. Buck's exit raises a question on the future of director Marina Granovskaia, who like the 76-year-old was a close aide of Abramovich during the Russian's time at Stamford BridgeChelsea's statement also wrote: 'The Club (under Buck) also grew its commercial revenues significantly, established world class training facilities at Cobham, and developed one of the best youth academies in football. 'In 2010, Buck, as Trustee and Chairman, helped establish The Chelsea FC Foundation, which supports a broad range of initiatives including increasing access to youth athletics, hosting education and employment programmes, and leading anti-discrimination campaigns.'Chelsea were a club in turmoil off the pitch on the back of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Chelsea are expected to have a busy summer under Boehly following the American's takeover Manchester City star Raheem Sterling is one of several players strongly linked with ChelseaAbramovich's sanctioning led to the club being unable to sell match-day tickets, negotiate new contracts for players or work on signing new additions to the squad.Thomas Tuchel's side, who finished third in the league last season, are expected to be busy under American Boehly this summer. The likes of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have departed this summer, while Cesar Azpilicueta, Romelu Lukaku and Marcos Alonso could all follow out the exit door. Chelsea have been linked with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Ousmane Dembele, while Jules Kounde could be recruited to bolster their defence. Advertisement Read more: Neuer Sportchef für Thomas Tuchel: Marina Granovskaia vor Chelsea-Aus! - FUSSBALL - SPORT BILD Bruce Buck to step down as Chairman of Chelsea Football Club | Official Site | Chelsea Football Club | Soccer |
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The surprise announcement by BTS last week that they were taking a break to focus on members’ solo projects stunned their global fanbase, shaking their label’s stock price and leaving many questions about the K-pop supergroup’s future.HYBE, the company behind the band, denied the group was taking a hiatus — a word used in a translation of the group’s emotional dinnertime video announcement. In the days since, band members have remained active on social media, continuing the stream of posts, photos and assurances that the band wasn’t breaking up.Despite the immediate impacts — HYBE’s stock initially dropped more than 25% and has yet to fully recover — several factors may still affect BTS’ future. One is looming military enlistment for older BTS members, as well as how engaged the group and their devoted fans, known as ARMY, will continue to be in social issues.In 2020, at the height of BTS’ success, the South Korean government revised the country’s military law that requires able-bodied South Korean men to perform approximately two years of military service. The revised law allows top K-pop stars — including Jin, the oldest member of BTS — to defer their military service until they turn 30 if they’ve received government medals for heightening the country’s cultural reputation and apply for the postponement. All BTS members meet the criteria as recipients of government medals in 2018.“Obviously, there’s a looming military enlistment so they might have thought it’d be good to do something individually before it’s too late and that’s why I think military enlistment was the biggest factor,” said Lee Dong Yeun, a professor at Korea National University of Arts.There have been calls — including from South Korea’s former culture minister — for an exemption for BTS because of their contribution to heightening South Korea’s international reputation. But critics say that such an exemption would be bending the conscription rules to favor the privileged.Jin, 29, is expected to enlist this year unless he receives an exemption.Military enlistment of members has always been a headache for HYBE; BTS once accounted for 90% of the label’s profit. Currently, the group makes up 50%-60% of the label’s profit according to a report from eBest Investment & Securities.The eBest report noted that the rapid stock plunge might have resulted from an “anticipation that the activities as the whole group might be uncertain after being discharged from the military.”HYBE has been attempting to diversify its portfolio by debuting new K-pop bands, making online games, and rolling out Korean language tutorials.As the most successful K-pop band to date with hits like “Dynamite” and “Butter,” BTS has for years commanded tremendous attention on social media and with each new music release. They recently performed several sold-out shows in the United States, became the first K-pop act to get a Grammy Award nomination, released an anthology album, “Proof,” and channeled their global influence with an address at the United Nations and a trip to the White House to campaign against hate crimes directed at Asians.“Once you achieve success like BTS achieved success, then it means there’s a constant expectation to continue doing something that is connected to what you’ve already done, where you’ve already been. In the most recent releases that BTS has brought out, also we can see how they continually reflect back on where they have been,” said CedarBough Saeji, professor of Korean and East Asian Studies at Pusan National University.She said Tuesday’s announcement signaled the band’s intention to figure out “where they are going for themselves without interference from other people” and “being able to choose their own path forward as artists.”Last week’s announcement also leaves in doubt the group’s social justice efforts, which have included vocal support for the Black Lives Matter movement and anti-violence campaigns. BTS’ legions of fans have embraced the causes, matching a $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter after George Floyd’s death. But the group has faced mushrooming questions about why it isn’t as vocal about discrimination in their own country. A leading South Korean newspaper recently published a column in which the author mused why South Korea, despite having BTS — “the ambassador of anti-discrimination and human rights” — has struggled to enact an anti-discrimination law for 15 years. “It’s an irony,” the writer said. “South Korea needs their force for good.”The country’s lack of an anti-discrimination law has led to unfair treatment against women and foreigners, among others.Jumin Lee, the author of the book “Why Anti-Discrimination Law?” told the Associated Press that there’s a dire need for the anti-discrimination law in the country.“South Korea is in essentially the same situation legally as America’s Jim Crow South. Equal protection exists as a constitutional concept, but there is no implementing legislation that allows the government to force private businesses to comply,” Lee said. “What that means in practice is that if I’m a business owner, I could post a sign on my door tomorrow that says ‘no gays’ ‘no blacks’ or ‘no old people,’ and absent extraordinary intervention by the Constitutional Court, there’s very little the law can do to stop me.”Lee recently expressed disappointment in the band for not speaking up about the important domestic issue. “BTS and their business folks know that speaking up in the US is profitable but doing the same back home would be more trouble than it’s worth. So they don’t,” tweeted Lee after the band’s visit to Washington. Despite that, Lee said the band’s silence is understandable, stating that BTS would be met with “indifference at best and hostility at worse” from politicians if they did speak up.Some South Korean celebrities like singers Harisu and Ha:tfelt have been speaking out on touchy subjects such as the anti-discrimination law and feminism, despite backlashes.After speaking out about the 2014 sinking of the Sewol ferry, which killed 304 people in one of the country’s worst disasters, Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho and director Park Chan-wook were blacklisted by the administration of the ousted President Park Geun-hye, noted Areum Jeong, a scholar of Korean pop culture.“So, although many idols might be politically conscious, they might choose not to discuss social issues,” Jeong said.Several BTS members said during last week’s announcement that they were struggling with the group’s successes and having trouble writing new songs.“For me, it was like the group BTS was within my grasp until ‘On’ and ‘Dynamite,’ but after ‘Butter’ and ‘Permission to Dance,’ I didn’t know what kind of group we were anymore,” member RM said. “Whenever I write lyrics and songs, it’s really important what kind of story and message I want to give out but it was like that was gone now.”While that clouds what BTS’ next steps might be, Saeji said their continued candor was necessary because of how much the group has impacted their fanbase.“They’re meeting the fans with that same honesty and saying to them, ‘You had my help when I needed it. And now I need my help,’” she said. “‘I need to be on my own. To think for myself, to know what I want to write a lyric about, to understand my own mind, to become inspired on my own.’” | Music |
Lisa Keegan was celebrating her 50th birthday with a party at home when a brawl broke out, ending in a visit by the police - with the embarrassing footage watched by thousands onlineVideo LoadingVideo UnavailableLancashire: Family brawl erupts at woman's 50th birthdayA mum’s 50th birthday party descended into a family brawl with one of the participants eventually given a lift home by police. Lisa Keegan had been enjoying her boozy celebrations until family friend Adam, 40, snatched an e-cigarette from one of the teenagers at the party. When her daughter's boyfriend Tony, 52, came to the lad’s aid, the situation became heated and Lisa tried to separate the enraged pair. Soon the two men were exchanging drunken punches, with some accidentally heading towards the birthday girl rather than their opponent. Furious Lisa eventually separates the pair to gain control, before finally warning Tony away by picking up a chair and wielding it towards him. The humiliating brawl during the birthday party was captured on video (
Image:
Kennedy News & Media) The brawl ended with a visit from the police (
Image:
Kennedy News & Media) The embarrassing scenes were captured on video. Lisa, from Colne, Lancashire, said: "You're only 50 once and this is certainly a birthday I'll never forget, it was mayhem. "Adam was just winding people up, and he took [a lad's] e-cig. Tony stuck up for him, but instead of punching Adam he was punching me. "They couldn't pack a punch between them because everyone was so drunk. I was in the middle of them to break it up, but I should have just left them to it. The mum was nearly hit by some of the rogue punches (
Image:
Kennedy News & Media) The family called the video "funny to watch back" (
Image:
Kennedy News & Media) "The video's hilarious. It's like something out of Shameless. I was like a meme. When I fell over backwards I just started laughing. Even the dog was barking to tell them off. "When I watched it back, I thought 'oh my days'. I was embarrassed. We've been getting a lot of stick about it but some people are calling me a legend. “A lot of my friends think it's brilliant." Lancashire Police were called and have confirmed they escorted a man home as enquiries continue. Despite police being called to the scene both Tony and Adam say they made up at the end of the night. Tony added: "It's funny to watch back. My girlfriend was falling over, Lisa was shouting and yelling, Everyone's falling all over the place. Lisa Keegan had been celebrating her birthday (
Image:
Kennedy News & Media) "Adam was being cocky, but we were all p**sed up. It was more funny than anything else. He's not my mate but I know him. He's a nice lad. "I accidentally threw a few punches at her but I didn't mean to. I didn't even know. I was tired more than anything. I'm too old for that sort of thing. "There wasn't anything malicious in it. We sorted it out and the police gave me a lift home. "It was more like shadow boxing. We'd had one too many drinks, then we had a few cross words and that's what happens.” The video, which Colleen captioned 'this is how birthday celebrations end', has earned more than 13,000 shares and 300 comments. Read More Read More | Celebrity |
Was it really worth it? That was the first question I asked British Gymnastics’ new chief executive, Sarah Powell, when those stomach‑retching stories in the Whyte review became public. Were those 16 shiny Olympic medals won since 2008 really justified by the human cost – of so many young gymnasts starved, humiliated and abused by a system that ruthlessly put the pursuit of glory over their welfare? “For me it is not about medals and welfare,” she replied. “It can be both and it should be both.”That has certainly not always been the case at British Gymnastics. We have heard a lot about British sporting exceptionalism since the London 2012 Games. But there is nothing exceptional about girls as young as seven being sat on by coaches to “overstretch” their bodies. Or getting strapped to bars for long periods of time as punishment. Or being forced to train when injured and then punished for crying. It has been part of the playbook of former Soviet states and China for decades. To realise it was common in one of Britain’s golden sports is sickening and damning.Whyte even uncovered multiple accounts in her £3m review of desperately hungry gymnasts hiding food in socks, knickers or hotel ceilings to escape coaches checking their rooms “army style” – and suffering eating disorders as a result. “One wonders how many sporting scandals it will take before the government of the day appreciates it needs to take more action to protect children who participate in sport,” she writes at one point. “An ombudsman is an obvious step in the right direction.”A welcome step yes. But one that does not go far enough. Whyte’s review has convinced me that British sport can no longer police itself. We now need an independent sports regulator, with the teeth and tenacity to force the system finally to change.The status quo cannot continue – not when we have heard the phrase “culture of fear” in relation to British sport so many times – in gymnastics, cycling, para-swimming, canoeing, rowing, bobsleigh, archery and judo – that it could almost be a shortcut on a journalist’s keyboard. Yet with every scandal there is a review of some kind, and perhaps an apology, but no one carries the can. The system moves on, leaving the broken behind.And how can it be right that it is usually journalists – Martha Kelner, Matt Lawton, Dan Roan, Steve Scott, George Dobell, Riath Al-Samarrai and Nick Harris spring to mind – who uncover wrongdoing and abuse, not the sports themselves? Shockingly, the Whyte review reckoned that between 2008 and 2020 there were an estimated 3,500 complaints made to British Gymnastics. No one knows for sure as no records were collected for eight years. Yet it was only when brave whistleblowers went to the media that their voices were heard.The Whyte review revealed young gymnasts had been starved, humiliated and abused by a system that put the pursuit of glory above their welfare. Photograph: Visionhaus/Corbis/Getty ImagesThe underlying problem, of course, is there is a power imbalance in many sports between administrators and coaches – who decide who gets funding and selected on teams – and the athletes. There is real risk if you break the omerta.As one whistleblower told me when I wrote about bullying, racism, sexism and financial mismanagement in British Bobsleigh in 2017: “It reminds me of a battered wife or bruised child situation because people are terrified. No one will stand up and say ‘This is out of order’ because we are scared of being sent home, getting our funding cut and not making the Olympics.”But this problem goes far beyond Olympic sports. Remember what Azeem Rafiq told parliament last year when asked why it had taken more than a decade for the shocking racism, discrimination and bullying he experienced to be made public? “I tried to raise my concerns at Yorkshire County Cricket Club while I was under contract. But nothing was done.”All this is totally unacceptable . . . but also fixable. We have independent regulators for energy, the media and many other sectors. Why not sport? Imagine a body packed with the sharpest detectives, investigative journalists, lawyers, financial accountants and safeguarding officers, one with investigation and enforcement powers. Such a department could be responsible for protecting athletes and children, integrity issues, financial regulation and even catching sporting cheats – it certainly couldn’t do any worse than UK Anti-Doping on that score.However, insiders tell me the government is minded against a sports ombudsman or regulator. They say it will cost money and take time to legislate, which is true, although it could surely be funded by a levy on TV-sport rights deals. Some also point to the difficulties of getting Tracey Crouch’s football regulator in her fan‑led review over the line.I accept some of that. However, I am also told that the government believes that UK Sport and Sport England, which fund elite and grassroot sports, have enough levers to control organisations to which they give money. That will come as news to UK Sport. Any journalist who asks about abuse in Olympic sports tends to get an email that states “we do not have regulatory or investigatory powers regarding internal sporting disputes or the affairs of sports governing bodies”.While Sport England does have the power to take money from organisations it funds, there are also many governing bodies – especially in martial arts – it has no control over. In truth, it is far too lawless for comfort.Incidentally I am told that the government is consulting heavily on a new sports strategy which it intends to publish in the coming months. So there is still time to think again about a sport regulator. And if they do not act after the most shameful and damning abuse scandal in British Olympic history, then when? | Olympic Sports |
FINA have barred trans athletes from competing in women's competition if they went through any stage of male pubertyBritish Culture Secretary Nadine Dories welcomed the decision by FINACulture Secretary Nadine Dorries has urged other sports to follow the example of swimming’s world governing body FINA and bar transgender athletes who have gone through puberty from competing in women’s events. FINA announced the decision after an extraordinary congress in Budapest, adding that it will look to set up an open competition category in which athletes can compete irrespective of their sex or gender identity. Dorries welcomed the move and indicated she is already in the process of bringing together leaders of other sports with a view to establishing similar parameters across the board. She told LBC Radio that FINA had made “absolutely the right decision”, adding: “I have been of the opinion that FINA came to today for a long time and have discussed this with my own department and established a policy. “We’re about to have a round table with all of the sports’ governing bodies. It is just unacceptable that trans women compete in women’s sport.” The move means Lia Thomas, who in March became the first transgender swimmer to win a major US national college title, will be ineligible to compete in the women’s category with immediate effect. FINA’s announcement comes two weeks after cycling’s governing body, the UCI, voted to double the period of time before a rider transitioning from male to female can compete. Lia Thomas surged to international fame after the transgender woman won the NCAA title in March (
Image:
USA TODAY Sports) FINA president Husain Al-Musallam said: “We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events, especially the women’s category at FINA competitions.” FINA’s 34-page policy document clarifies that male-to-female transgender athletes are still eligible to compete in the women’s category “provided they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 [which marks the start of physical development], or before age 12, whichever is later”. Female-to-male transgender athletes will be eligible to compete in male categories, but in the sports of high diving and water polo they will be required to submit an ‘assumption of risk’ form, and are advised to seek advice on their physical capability. Lia Thomas planned to compete for a place in the United States swimming team at the Paris Olympics in 2024 (
Image:
USA TODAY Sports) Do you agree with the decision to change the policy by FINA? Let us know in the comments section. Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, who has led a vocal campaign against transgender athletes being able to compete in women’s sport, also welcomed FINA’s announcement. She wrote on social media: “I can’t tell you how proud I am of my sport for doing the science, asking the athletes/coaches and standing up for fair sport for females. “Swimming will always welcome everyone no matter how you identify but fairness is the cornerstone of sport.” Read More Read More | Swimming |
Subsets and Splits