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CBS Evening News June 20, 2022 / 7:04 PM / CBS News Barrier-breaking Black cyclist honored Barrier-breaking Black cyclist honored in Indianapolis 01:43 As Americans celebrate Juneteenth, hundreds of cyclists traveled to Indianapolis to honor its hometown hero. Major Taylor was a superstar in the world of cycling and broke barriers and records nearly a half-century before Jackie Robinson. Riders hit the streets in Taylor's name.Marshall "Major" Taylor became the first Black American to win a sports world championship in 1899. He was born in Indianapolis shortly after the end of slavery and was forced by racism to compete overseas."He went against all odds during a time where he wasn't supposed to do that as a Black man," said Damia Thomas of Velo City Riders in Baltimore. But Taylor's legacy mostly died with him."All these world records and nobody knew of him," said George Harper, the founding president of the Major Taylor Cycling Club in Columbus, Ohio. In 1979, Harper and his biking friends happened across Taylor's story and dedicated their club to him."His spirit was one of inclusiveness, a unifying element. 'Let's bring everyone together because we have a common goal,'" said Jed Romura, the founding vice president of the Columbus cycling club.Now, there are almost 90 clubs worldwide in his name that promote cycling in communities of color.Taylor's hometown also now honors him. The Indiana State Museum has one of his only remaining bikes on display near signs of the hate he endured. The collection includes racially motivated caricatures and articles Taylor saved during his time of competing. One article talked about him being choked to the point where he almost went unconscious.This Juneteenth weekend, hundreds from across the country rode while wearing his name."My goal was just to get people together so we could talk. I never knew this is what would come out of it," said Bill Gaston, the president of the Major Taylor International Cycling Alliance. In: Juneteenth 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 |
WNBA star Brittney Griner tried to call her wife nearly a dozen times through the American embassy in Russia on the couple’s fourth anniversary Saturday, but they never connected since the phone line at the embassy was not staffed, Cherelle Griner said Monday. The couple has not spoken by phone in the four months since Griner’s arrest in Russia on drug-related charges. That was to have changed Saturday, when a long-awaited call was to have finally taken place. But the day came and went without any contact, leaving an anguished Cherelle Griner to wonder what went wrong and to suspect at least initially that Russian authorities had thwarted the call. On Monday, she said she learned from her wife’s lawyers a more distressing truth: Brittney Griner had actually tried to call 11 times over a period of several hours, dialing a number she’d been given at the US embassy in Moscow, which the couple had been told would then patch the call through to Cherelle Griner in Phoenix. But each time, the call went unanswered because the desk at the embassy where the phone rang was apparently unstaffed on Saturday. “I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up,” Cherelle Griner told The Associated Press. “I’m pretty sure I texted BG’s agent and was like: ‘I don’t want to talk to anybody. It’s going to take me a minute to get my emotions together and just tell everybody I’m unavailable right now. Because it just knocked me out. I wasn’t well, I’m still not well.”COLLEGE BASEBALLAuburn’s bats wake up as it bounces Stanford from College World SeriesGet Sports HeadlinesThe Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.Cole Foster’s three-run double in the sixth inning gave Auburn the lead, and the Tigers beat No. 2 national seed Stanford 6-2 in a College World Series elimination game for their first win in Omaha in 25 years. The Tigers (44-21) will play Tuesday against the loser of Monday night’s game between Arkansas and Mississippi. Stanford (47-18) concluded a short, disappointing stay in Omaha. The Cardinal lost their opener against Arkansas 17-2 — the most lopsided game here in 34 years — and then did next to nothing after taking an early lead against Auburn. Stanford, which staved off elimination five times in its regional and super regional, went 0-2 in a CWS for the first time in 18 appearances. Trace Bright (5-4) went five innings for the win and Blake Burkhalter, the Tigers’ star closer, struck out six of the eight batters he faced for his 16th save. Auburn had been 0-3 in the CWS since beating Rice 10-1 in 1997.TENNISSerena Williams skips practice at Eastbourne ahead of returnSerena Williams skipped her scheduled practice session at Eastbourne at late notice as the 23-time Grand Slam champion prepares to make her return to competition after a year away. Williams trained at a nearby club over the weekend and was expected to have an on-site session at Devonshire Park ahead of playing doubles with Ons Jabeur. Their first match is set for Tuesday against Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova. The 40-year-old Williams, who hasn’t competed anywhere since she was injured in the first round of Wimbledon last year, was awarded a wild card for singles at the All England Club. Jabeur said it was “unbelievable” to have been asked by Williams to be part of her journey back to competition at the Wimbledon warmup. “I’m a good secret keeper — yes, I’ve known (since) before the French Open,” said the No. 3-ranked Jabeur, who arrived at Eastbourne after winning the title in Berlin on Sunday. “Many players were jealous because I’m playing with her. Honestly, Serena is Serena. She is a legend and always will be.”SWIMMINGCeccon sets world record, Ledecky claims yet another titleItaly’s Thomas Ceccon set a world record in the men’s 100 backstroke and Katie Ledecky claimed yet another gold at the swimming world championships. Ceccon stunned the competition in Budapest by clocking 51.60 seconds to shave 0.15 seconds off the previous best mark set by American Ryan Murphy at the 2016 Olympics. Murphy finished second, 0.37 seconds behind, followed by compatriot Hunter Armstrong, 0.38 behind Ceccon. “Hats off to Thomas,” Murphy said of seeing his record beaten. “That’s a really, really fast time and it’s going to be an exciting couple of years.” Ledecky extended her record world title haul to 17 with her fourth in the 1,500 freestyle. Ledecky never looked threatened and clocked 15:30.15 – just under 10 seconds more than her world record from 2018 – to finish 14.74 seconds ahead of fellow American Katie Grimes. | Swimming |
Notable athletes, including NFL star Patrick Mahomes, NBA players Ben Simmons, DeAndre Ayton, and Kyle Lowry, are among limited partners in Andreessen Horowitz’s fund.Getty Images NFL star Patrick Mahomes and Nascar driver Bubba Wallace have joined the growing list of athletes investing in a third fund led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The firm, known as a16z, launched its third Cultural Leadership Fund, or CLF, which has the goal of growing Black wealth through ownership of future technology companies. The fund also attracted NBA player Blake Griffin, WNBA stars Nneka Ogwumike and Maya Moore, and NFL running back Leonard Fournette, as well as music producer Pharrell Williams and pop star The Weeknd. CLF’s investment portfolio includes equity stakes in blockchain company Dapper Labs, video game developer Roblox and publishing platform Substack. A16z said the fund has raised over $60 million since 2018. In a statement sent to Forbes, Wallace called CLF “important work” as its purpose is to enhance “access and equity for Black communities in tech.” Diversity in the tech sector remains an ongoing issue. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission estimates Black people make up only 7.4% of the tech workforce. White people make up 68.5%, Asians represent 14%, and Hispanics make up 7.9%. Andreessen Horowitz launched its CLF fund in 2018.Getty Images Wallace, who has become the face of Nascar’s diversity push, told Forbes that he’s witnessed “how powerful representation can be to inspire and engage future generations.” Wallace added that the fund provides “a front-row seat to the technology shaping our future, but also to have an impact on increasing Black representation and ownership in tech.” In 2018, A16z launched the first CLF with investors including Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, hip-hop stars Sean Combs and Nas, and legendary composer Quincy Jones. A16z launched CLF II in June 2021.
The fund targets Black cultural influencers in sports, music and business and co-invests in a16z portfolio companies, including a variety of tech startups. In addition, a16z said it donated more than $2.5 million in management fees and earnings associated with the CLF to nonprofit organizations with the mission of improving diversity in the tech sector. A16z says it has more than $33 billion in assets under management. That includes funds with investments in multibillion-dollar-valuation companies, including crypto platform Coinbase, e-commence company Fanatics and freight platform Flexport.
In a blog post announcing the third fund, a16z partner Megan Holston-Alexander called CLF III investors “true representations of cultural leadership” who are “excited about technology, curious about the innovation process, and want to play a role in building the future.”
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After a couple of cryptic videos that didn't actually show anything, Hyundai finally released the first legit teaser of the upcoming Ioniq 6 on Monday. The new electric sedan was previewed by the Prophecy concept in 2020, and the production version should stick pretty close to that stunning design.The sole image is a sketch of the Ioniq 6's profile, which is positioned below a more abstract teardrop shape that reminds me of the original Citroën DS, my personal choice for the most beautiful car in the world. It has a one-bow silhouette, kind of like the Mercedes-Benz EQS, though the Ioniq 6's rear end comes to a sharper, steeper point. There's a prominent rear spoiler, which the Prophecy also had, and what look like brake ducts at the front and rear bumpers. Hyundai says the Ioniq 6's 'Electrified Streamliner' design philosophy is both aesthetically and functionally pleasing, and its aerodynamic shape and clean lines will influence other EV models.The Prophecy concept Hyundai Like the existing Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 will be built on Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP platform. The base model should have a single motor at the rear while a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version will be available. Expect over 300 horsepower at launch, and with the boxier Ioniq 5 having over 300 miles of range, the Ioniq 6 should hit at least 350 miles on the EPA cycle. There should be a performance N version eventually, too. In terms of size, the Ioniq 6 seems analogous to the Sonata, making the recent rumors of the Sonata's demise understandable as Hyundai works to launch over a dozen fully electric cars by 2030.Hyundai says the Ioniq 6's exterior and interior will both be revealed by the end of the month, and it will likely make its public debut at July's Busan Auto Show. Next up will be the three-row Ioniq 7 SUV, which was previewed by this year's Seven concept. | Automotive and Transportation |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Brittney Griner, who has been detained abroad since February, tried to call her wife 11 times through the American embassy in Russia on their fourth anniversary, but nobody was there to patch her through.Cherelle Griner told the Associated Press on Monday she was set to speak to her wife from a Russian jail after four months of no communication. Things were set to change Saturday after getting approval from the Russian government to connect with Griner.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury kisses her wife Cherelle Griner in the stands after the Mercury defeated the Las Vegas Aces 87-84 in Game Five of the 2021 WNBA Playoffs semifinals to win the series at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Oct. 8, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)But Cherelle Griner learned the truth from her wife’s lawyers on Monday.The Phoenix Mercury center actually dialed the number she’d been given at the U.S. embassy in Moscow nearly a dozen times. The couple had been told the embassy was going to patch the call through to Cherelle Griner in Phoenix. The call went unanswered because the desk at the embassy where the phone rang was unstaffed on Saturday."I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up," Cherelle Griner told the Associated Press. ""I'm pretty sure I texted BG's agent and was like: ‘I don't want to talk to anybody. It's going to take me a minute to get my emotions together, and just tell everybody I'm unavailable right now.' Because it just knocked me out. I wasn't well, I'm still not well." Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury is defended by Azurá Stevens #30 of the Chicago Sky during the first half of Game Four of the WNBA Finals at Wintrust Arena on October 17, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)The State Department expressed regret over the "logistical error." Cherelle Griner said a contact within the U.S. government apologized for the error.BRITTNEY GRINER'S RUSSIA DETENTION 'SOMETHING THAT I’M PERSONALLY FOCUSED ON,' BLINKEN SAYSCherelle Griner told the AP she was "very p----ed" about the incident, especially since the call had been on the schedule for two weeks and there was no mention of a potential snafu."I find it unacceptable and I have zero trust in our government right now," she added. "If I can’t trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife’s behalf to come home? Because that’s a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call."She added she had hoped she would get to talk to President Biden, but "at this point it’s starting to feel like a no." WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner leaves a courtroom after a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Griner has been held in Russia since February. The WNBA star was arrested for allegedly bringing vape cartridges containing oils derived from cannabis oil through a Moscow airport. Her detention has been extended three times, with the latest being July 2.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPGriner could face up to 10 years in a Russian prison if she’s convicted.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Other Sports |
Entertainment June 20, 2022 / 8:05 PM / CBS News It's coming. "Break My Soul," the first song from Beyoncé's forthcoming seventh album, "Renaissance," will drop at midnight EDT, the singer announced on social media Monday. Beyoncé made the announcement by changing the bio on her social media accounts to "6. BREAK MY SOUL midnight ET," suggesting that the song will be the sixth track on the album. The singer has not shared much about the album, though she set a July 29 release date and has shared several images from a recent photo shoot for British Vogue's July issue.
Jay-Z and Beyonce have previously released music exclusively to Tidal — but "Renaissance" will also premiere on Apple Music and Spotify. According to Apple Music's pre-order option, the album will have 16 tracks. "Renaissance" will be Beyoncé's seventh solo album. She's the most decorated woman in Grammys history, boasting 29 awards, and was nominated for an Oscar this year for her original song "Be Alive" in the film "King Richard." Tre'Vaughn Howard Tre'Vaughn Howard is a digital associate producer and writer for CBS News, focusing on international and culture stories. Twitter | Music |
Lefthander Chris Sale pitched in a game for the first time since last October, logging one inning in Port Charlotte, Fla., against Rays minor leaguers (and one noteworthy rehabbing big leaguer) in the Florida Complex League.Sale, who suffered a stress fracture in his right ribcage in late February, then was slowed by a non-baseball health concern that Sale described as related to his family’s medical history, had been slated to work up to two innings. The Sox elected to call it a night after an eventful one.Sale issued a leadoff walk, but rebounded by striking out Rays star (and fellow rehabber) Wander Franco, with the runner advancing to second on a third-strike wild pitch. After a pop-up and stolen base, Sale allowed a run-scoring single before getting out of the inning with a groundout.Less significant to the Red Sox than the results was the mere fact that the lefthander has started his rehab progression, with plans for him to make several more starts on a normal pitcher routine while building up to at least five innings in the minors.Get 108 StitchesAn email newsletter about everything baseball from the Globe's Red Sox reporters, in your inbox on weekdays during the season.“He’s excited. The night game is kind of cool, too. Just makes it kind of normal,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “I know people get excited when he gets on the mound, but we’ve got to be patient. We’ve got to go through the whole process, and just getting him on the mound in a game, now we can see it, right? He’ll be here at one point and he’s going to contribute.”Though Cora suggested the Sox won’t take any shortcuts, he noted Sale has considerably greater arm strength than he did when coming back from Tommy John surgery a year ago. Cora has also noted that Sale’s feel for his changeup appears better than it was in 2021, when he essentially had to abandon the pitch in his two-month, year-ending return to the big leagues.“He’s in a much better spot,” said Cora. “[His eventual return is] a trade that not everybody can do.”Alex Speier can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @alexspeier. | Baseball |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green delivered a fiery message to the critics and doubters during the team’s championship parade on Monday.Green reminded the crowd they told them they were better than everybody else and proved it with a 4-2 series victory over the Boston Celtics to secure a fourth championship in eight years last week.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green holds the Larry O'Brien trophy during the NBA Championship parade in San Francisco, Monday, June 20, 2022, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/John Hefti)"I'm just trying to think of the most controversial thing I can say, like the media, like they do, you know. Nah, I mean this is great. I don’t know, what y’all want me to tell you? That we better than everybody? We f---ing knew that. What do you want from me?" Green told the crowd, via NBC Sports Bay Area."This has been an amazing year. I told y’all, don’t let us win a f---ing championship, and clearly, nobody could stop it. I warned y’all, so I’m just going to continue to destroy people on Twitter, as I have been, and Instagram stories." Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green stands next to the Larry O'Brien trophy during the NBA Championship parade in San Francisco, Monday, June 20, 2022, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/John Hefti)FORMER WARRIOR NICK YOUNG TAKES STRANGE DIG AT JAYSON TATUM: ‘HIS TRUE LIGHT SKIN COLORS CAME OUT’Green along with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala won their fourth ring.The star forward earned his fourth All-Star appearance this season. He averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7 assists per game. In 22 games in the playoffs, he averaged 8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter in Game Six of the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 16, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Elsa/Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHe turned on the intensity in the final two games of the Finals and helped turn Golden State’s hopes around. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Basketball |
Five years ago, the Hubble Space Telescope spotted a large comet at the farthest distance ever, as it was approaching the sun from way out between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus. Now, that giant space snowball is coming in for its closest pass by Earth in just a few weeks. Comet C/2017 K2 will be at its nearest point to us on its current swing through the inner solar system on July 14. Even at its closest, however, it will still be farther away from us than the average distance between Earth and Mars. This will likely make it difficult to see the comet without at least a small telescope, despite its substantial stature. There's a significant amount of uncertainty at this point around just how big the comet's nucleus is, according to NASA solar system ambassador Eddie Irrizarry and Kelly Kizer Whitt in EarthSky, with different observations suggesting a range between 11 and 100 miles (18 and 161 kilometers) wide. That means C/2017 is somewhere between just legitimately big and among the handful of biggest comets discovered so far, like Hale-Bopp and Bernardinelli-Bernstein. The size of the comet's tail, or coma, is similarly massive and unclear. Early observations suggest the trail of dust and gases behind C/2017 K2 is anywhere between 81,000 and 500,000 miles (130,000 and 800,000 kilometers) across. So, somewhere between the width of one and six Jupiters -- that's an utterly epic trail. To see the comet for yourself, you can look to public online observatories like the Virtual Telescope Project that are certain to host watch parties at some point. You can also get your hands on a telescope and start practicing spotting objects now using an app like Stellarium, which will also be able to point your lenses in the right direction as the comet comes closer. After it passes us in July, C/2017 K2 will continue on toward perihelion, which is its closest pass by the sun, before heading back out toward deep space. Comets tend to behave unpredictably the closer they come to the sun. This one could suddenly become more active and brighter, or it could break apart and disappear from view altogether.Whatever happens, this visit will likely be our only chance to get acquainted with this comet. Its orbit is so long that it won't be back for a few million years. | Space Exploration |
SAN FRANCISCO — Somewhere between Second and Third street, a small crisis arose on Draymond Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson’s championship parade bus.
The speaker broke.
You’d hardly know it was broken — the roar of the crowd and ambient music down Market street created its own soundtrack to the Warriors’ celebratory parade. But Green’s close friends made sure to get a new speaker up to the front of the double-decker bus as soon as possible without interrupting the party.
I was on that bus, on the roof, squished between the 2022 NBA champions’ family and friends. So, naturally, I was on the assembly line to pass a bunch of wires up front to get “Big Rings” by Drake and Future playing again. The bumping bass was just the beginning of a sensory overload atop that bus. Champagne sprayed into the crowd came back onto us, the sun was beating down, and all eyes and phones from the throngs of Warriors fans packed onto the street were pointed our way.
Not only were we inundated with sights and smells, but we had to keep our head on a swivel. Fans would throw their shoes and hats up to the bus — one hat hit me square in the face — perhaps in hopes that a player would sign it and toss it back. The fans weren’t holding back, and neither were the players.
It was the Warriors’ fourth championship in eight years, but judging from the party you might have thought it was the first.
“Nothing compares to the first one,” Mary Babers, Green’s mother, said on the bus. “But this one is sweet.”
Green and Toscano-Anderson had the Larry O’Brien trophy first on their bus. Confetti flying, they came together at the front of the bus to show it off. Somewhere between Third and Fourth street, Green went missing.
After fleeing the bus to dance with the Jabbawokeez, slap hands with the fans and hold up a “Most Valuable Podcaster” sign with his podcast art on it, Green disappeared into the streets. Turns out, he was a little hungry. He and his mom went back up the block to the Ghirardelli chocolate shop for some strawberry and mint ice cream. Dray security guard is in the 4th quarter. Two minutes left. Chasing Draymond 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/oGf4yknhNt
— chan0.eth 💍💍💍💍 (@chanodesigns) June 20, 2022 Green, drenched in champagne, stormed back onto Market Street to a crowd of people. The barricades blocking the road weren’t doing much good. Fans had hopped the fence and started swarming him and Toscano-Anderson as they danced among the people.
Then Green hopped up on a riser for a live TV hit with rapper Mistah F.A.B and comedian Blake Anderson, when Green made his appearance brief and typically controversial.
“This is live TV, right?” he asked. Assured that it was, he let loose with two words. The first one should not have gone over the airwaves, by law. The second one was “them.” Then Green sprinted a few blocks up, back to the bus and hopped on. Only it wasn’t his bus.
Green went up to the second deck and saw his teammates, Andre Iguodala and Jonathan Kuminga. Eventually he hopped off with a confused look on his face — ‘Where’s our bus?’ — and jogged back to his own.
Later, he’d try another live TV hit, joined by mom, with former Warrior Festus Ezeli with a clearer message:
“Winners win. No one understands that. Y’all try to quantify it. Y’all try to make it about points. But winners win. I said it all, shut up. That’s what I said. Shut up,” he said. “We don’t want to hear it no more. Shut up! Straight like that… We drinking Lobos and telling y’all to shut up.”
Somewhere between Seventh and Eighth street, Toscano-Anderson saw a hat he liked in the crowd. A black and silver sombrero. So Toscano-Anderson hopped the barricade, waded into the crowd and emerged with a gift, the sombrero on his head. A new addition to the party bus.
That wasn’t Toscano-Anderson’s first foray into the crowd. The second Mexican-American to win an NBA championship (Mark Aguirre, 1989) was savoring every bit of the celebration. As the bus rolled at about one-mile per hour down the street, dozens of Mexican flags popped up from the crowd. Toscano-Anderson, who is half Mexican and played for their national team, acknowledged each one he saw with a finger point.
Fans congregated on one corner and chanted “Mexico” when the bus passed. One time, Toscano-Anderson made sure to get a bottle of tequila for one fan holding a Mexican flag over the barricade. JTA makes sure a bottle of tequila gets to a fan with a Mexican flag. pic.twitter.com/PV9iTfqcyw
— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) June 21, 2022 All afternoon, Green and Toscano-Anderson were spraying liter bottles of Moet & Chandon champagne on the crowd to cool them off.
Green’s older kids, DJ and Olive, had a more age-appropriate cool-down. Super soakers.
With help from Green’s wife, Hazel, the two Green kids filled their super soakers with water and sprayed the crowd. Olive danced for them, too. Draymond’s daughter, Olive, was dancing along with the crowd. DJ was super soaking them with a water gun. pic.twitter.com/DmBblxw3DV
— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) June 20, 2022 The party kept going once the bus sped up and turned off the parade route back to Chase Center. But no one wanted to leave.
The two teammates posed together for photos, and maybe to soak in the moment. Once they stepped off that bus, this fairytale season would be over. Onto the next. | Basketball |
Tennis - Australian Open - Men's Doubles Final - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 29, 2022 Australia's Nick Kyrgios during the final with Thanasi Kokkinakis against Australia's Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell REUTERS/Asanka Brendon RatnayakeRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 20 (Reuters) - Nick Kyrgios on Monday became the first athlete to join Evolve, the new sports agency co-founded by four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.Osaka broke with IMG last month to launch Evolve with longtime agent Stuart Duguid. Evolve describes itself as a multifaceted agency focused on brand partnerships, investing, creating athlete-owned businesses, and philanthropy."Kyrgios embodies the types of athletes we want to work with at Evolve," Osaka told sports business website Boardroom.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"He's got an unmatched style, passion, and personality that is unlike any other in the sport. We have some big things in the pipeline for him that are very unique and pioneering."Duguid called the fiery and controversial Kyrgios the most talented and entertaining tennis player on the tour.The world number 45 is one of the biggest draws in the sport thanks to the unpredictable nature of his matches. While the hugely talented Australian often bamboozles opponents with an array of incredible trick shots, his on-court histrionics and run-ins with umpires have often dominated the headlines."Love or hate him, you definitely can’t keep your eyes off him. If you go to any junior tennis tournament, you will see Nick’s influence," he said."For Gen Z and younger, he is absolutely the icon."The big-serving Kyrgios, 27, won the Australian Open doubles title in January. He has won six singles titles on the ATP tour.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
A temporary protection order against actor Ezra Miller was issued out of Greenfield District Court Wednesday to a mother on behalf of her 12-year-old child, according to news reports.The temporary harassment prevention order, which was granted on behalf of the child and was first reported by the Daily Beast, is the second protection order issued against “The Flash” star this month. It follows a series of allegations made against Miller, 29, who uses they and them pronouns and identifies as nonbinary.According to NBC News, the Massachusetts court order states it “was issued without advance notice because the Court determined that there is substantial likelihood of immediate danger of harassment.” NBC reported, however, that the order “does not contain any allegations against Miller.”The Daily Beast reported the mother of the child alleges that on Feb. 2, “the actor menaced their family one evening in their downstairs neighbor’s home.” Miller allegedly acted inappropriately toward the child, who is 12 years old and identifies as nonbinary, according to the Daily Beast.The home in Greenfield is around 40 miles from Miller’s ranch in Stamford, Vt., according to the Daily Beast. The neighbor of the mother and child is allegedly in a band with Miller’s friend, the Daily Beast reported.Miller has starred in the three “Fantastic Beasts” movies, as well as “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” according to IMDb. They have also starred as The Flash in the 2016 iteration of “Suicide Squad” and “Justice League.”This year, Miller has been arrested twice in Hawaii on charges of disorderly conduct and second-degree assault, according to NBC.In March, Miller was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment after they allegedly yelled obscenities, grabbed a microphone from a singing woman, and lunged at a man playing darts at a bar in Hawaii, according to the Associated Press. They were allegedly aggravated by the song “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.Also in March, a Hawaii couple who previously filed a temporary restraining order against Miller dropped their petition, according to the AP.In April, Miller was arrested and charged with assault after they allegedly threw a chair that struck a 26-year-old woman and left a half-inch gash, according to the New York Times. Miller was asked to leave a private residence in Hawaii and became upset, which allegedly led to them throwing the chair.Miller was released from jail after posting $500 after their first arrest and paid a $500 fine after pleading no contest to the count of disorderly conduct, according to NBC. Miller was arrested and later released on the assault charge “pending further investigation,” according to the New York Times.The first protection order was filed by the parents of 18-year-old Tokata Iron Eyes, according to NBC. Chase Iron Eyes, an environmental activist, lawyer, and Tokata’s father, filed the order, according to NBC.The order was filed in an attempt to end an alleged “abusive relationship” between Miller and Tokata Iron Eyes, according to reports from NBC and TMZ.According to NBC, legal documents filed in Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court showed that Tokata Iron Eyes has known Miller since Tokata was 12.When Tokata turned 18, Tokata’s father told NBC, they dropped out of school and moved in with Miller.The interim order, which was granted June 7, “asks Miller to cease contact with the Iron Eyes family, including Tokata, and not to come within 100 yards of the Iron Eyes’ residence,” according to NBC. A hearing is scheduled for July 12.As of Thursday, Miller had not been served the papers as the court had not been able to locate the actor, according to the Daily Beast.The Daily Beast reported that the family who was granted the temporary protection order in Greenfield has not heard from Miller since the Tokata Iron Eyes news was reported. Miller’s Instagram account was recently deactivated, and Instagram said it did not remove the account, according to NBC.Material from the Associated Press and Globe wire services was used in this report.Matt Yan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @matt_yan12. | Celebrity |
Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green celebrates the team's championship with fans at a parade on Market Street, in San Francisco, California, U.S., June 20, 2022. REUTERS/Rory CarrollRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSAN FRANCISCO, June 20 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of jubilant blue-and-gold clad Golden State Warriors fans lined Market Street in San Francisco on Monday to celebrate the team's fourth NBA championship triumph in eight years.The players, who beat the Boston Celtics 4-2 for the title, basked in the adoration of the crowd with several of them leaving their buses to embrace delirious "Dubs" fans under sunny skies clouded only by blasts of confetti."This one is the sweetest," a champagne-soaked Draymond Green told Reuters as he took a break from the festivities to pick up an ice cream sundae.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAfter finishing with the worst record in the league in 2020 and missing the playoffs last season, few experts thought the Warriors and their aging core would reach the pinnacle again.But led by sharpshooting guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, emotional leader Green and a stellar supporting cast, the team got healthy in time for the playoffs and rolled from there to claim the franchise's seventh title overall.The team has clearly relished proving the doubters wrong."What they gonna say now?" Curry, who took home Finals MVP honors, tweeted alongside a photo of him with an armful of trophies and a cigar in his mouth atop his parade bus.The team's success even surpassed head coach Steve Kerr's expectations."When we started camp, I thought we could be pretty good but I didn't know we could win the whole thing," said Kerr, who has five championships as a player and four as the Warriors coach."So to be sitting here enjoying the parade today and feeling the love of the whole Bay Area, it's pretty incredible."Now that the pressure is off, Green said he had just one plan for the summer."Chill. Worldwide chill," he said with a smile.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comEditing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Basketball |
SAN FRANCISCO — Jordan Poole cupped one ear and leaned over the side of the bus encouraging the crowd to roar. He then hopped to the other side and did the same thing.
The second group, far louder than the first, won.
The prize? A bottle of champagne sprayed in their direction. He poured the leftover bubbly into a water gun before spraying Dubs Nation as he celebrated his greatest accomplishment yet, an NBA championship.
Hundreds of thousands of fans flocked to San Francisco and packed the 1.5-mile parade route to commemorate another Warriors title. Some supporters climbed scaffoldings, street signs and bus stops just to catch a glimpse at the Warriors buses as they rolled by. “It feels like a dream,” Andrew Wiggins said.
It sure did.
The parade has become a semi-annual ritual for fans and some of the Warriors — Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Steve Kerr have played a part now in four in eight years; and Kevon Looney three. But for first timers like Poole, Wiggins and this reporter, it was a euphoric and at times overwhelming experience in all the best ways.
Wiggins and Poole, who shared a double-decker bus with their friends and family, had seen clips of previous victory processions on TV and social media in past years, though nothing could prepare them for the exhilarating scene of fans lined up more than a dozen deep, waving handmade signs and chanting their names.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Poole said sitting inside his bus for a moment of relief from the scorching sun. “Coming into it with no expectations is pretty awesome because you get to experience all of it. It is everything I thought it would be, it’s cool.” “Everything I imagined and more, this is crazy,” Wiggins said on the ride back to Chase Center. “To be a part of it, it’s different.”
This reporter, also experiencing a championship parade on a float for the first time, can concur. The players’ proud parents also described the day as nothing short of a thrill of a lifetime.
“Somebody asked me, ‘Are you still pinching yourself?’ I need to bite my arm because it’s just crazy,” said Poole’s mother, Monet, who yelled “That’s my son!” to some fans dressed in swimming garb in honor of the Poole party. “It is surreal for sure and couldn’t be with a better group of guys and the organization is phenomenal.”
Everyone on the buses thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they sipped from gold chalices, red solo cups or in some cases straight out of the bottle. They danced in the aisles as Wiggins served as a DJ.
Perhaps no one was more active during the three-hour procession than Poole, who spent more time on the street than the bus.
Poole signed innumerable autographs on a variety of items — from hats, shirts and basketballs to some man’s random brown rain jacket — and possibly snapped even more photos. He took a reporter’s microphone to interview Wiggins and then grabbed another person’s camera to record his first-person account of the festivities.
Poole, who turned 23 Sunday, said this was the perfect way to ring another trip around the sun. His mother agreed.
“There’s nothing I need to buy him [for a gift],” Monet Poole said. “You will never compare to this as a birthday gift.”
Wiggins was overcome with joy throughout the day as a smile rarely left his face. Long behind him are the days of being a scapegoat for the Timberwolves woes. He’s found a new home in the Bay Area, where he hopes to stay.
“He’s been a great fit here,” said his father, Mitchell Wiggins, who played six seasons in the NBA. “He’s going to be here for a while and I think he’s very happy.”
Andrew Wiggins waved at the crowd as they chanted his name numerous times. The Toronto native especially lit up when he found someone wearing an old jersey of his or waving a Canadian flag. At one point, he had his 3-year-old daughter perched on his hip as he went down the line high-fiving fans.
“I’m living in the moment right now, soaking it all in and enjoying it, but the journey, the grind, makes this feel so much better,” Wiggins said. “I knew today was going to be crazy. I knew the fans were going to be pumped, energetic, I prepared myself for this. I was ready for it. I enjoyed myself.”
The metal barricade only kept fans at bay for so long. Wiggins actually caught a fan from falling over.
Slowly but surely, however, people pressed through and approached Wiggins and Poole as they hopped on and off their ride throughout the march. By the end, however, so many fans swarmed them and the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in Wiggins’ possession that the players needed to be escorted back to safety — but not before Poole sprayed the crowd with champagne one last time.
Poole and Wiggins are hoping this is the first of many championship celebrations that they can be part of. But for now, the two are going to savor this year’s title for a few more days before getting back to work.
“Wherever the party goes, I go,” Wiggins said. | Basketball |
The Stars will hire experienced NHL coach Peter DeBoer to be their head coach, according to a Sportsnet report on Sunday night.DeBoer most recently coached Vegas, but was fired this spring after the Golden Knights missed the playoffs. During stints in San Jose (2015-20) and New Jersey (2011-15), DeBoer’s teams advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season at the helm. DeBoer also coached Florida (2008-11).The Stars did not announce the hiring on Sunday night. Stars general manager Jim Nill did not respond to a message from The News.DeBoer, 54, owns a career .566 points percentage and went 98-50-12 during parts of three seasons as the coach of the Golden Knights. Under DeBoer, Vegas was a top-five team in shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, high-danger chances, expected goals and goals (per 60 minutes of 5 on 5).He spent parts of five seasons as the head coach in San Jose, advancing to the 2016 Cup Final with current Stars forward Joe Pavelski on the roster.DeBoer would replace Rick Bowness as Stars coach. Bowness’ contract expired at the end of this season, and he stepped aside shortly after Dallas was eliminated in the first round by Calgary. Bowness was 89-62-25 during parts of three seasons leading the Stars, which included a run to the Cup Final in 2020.The Stars began the coaching search with 30-35 candidates on three different lists: one for experienced NHL coaches, one for NHL assistant coaches who could be ready for a head coaching opportunity, and one for coaches in the AHL, Europe, college and junior hockey.“There’s lots of good candidates out there,” Nill said recently. “Unfortunately, a lot of good guys got released from their teams this spring. On the good side, a lot of great candidates for us moving forward. We’ll take our time. I think we’re a great destination for the next head coach, whoever it is.”DeBoer would be the fifth coach under Nill, joining Lindy Ruff, Ken Hitchcock, Jim Montgomery and Bowness.DeBoer’s teams have often been among the most shot-happy teams in the league because of his emphasis on shots from the point, especially on low-to-high passes from beneath the goal line. It’s part of the reason why Pavelski fit into San Jose’s scheme, as he would tip shots from defensemen, and pounce on rebounds at the net-front. It’s likely that Stars general manager Jim Nill spoke with Pavelski about DeBoer during the search.Bowness previously instructed Stars defensemen to get more involved in the offense — jumping into the rush, pinching down the walls and shooting from the point — but the Stars still finished 25th in the NHL in goals scored by defensemen (30). Vegas was third in the league in goals by defensemen (51), and second behind Colorado by having 19.5% of goals coming from the blue line.DeBoer’s teams also play strong defense, as the Golden Knights allowed the third-fewest shots per 60 minutes at 5 on 5 in the NHL during his tenure. Nill mentioned last month that the Stars still valued a coach and system that prioritized defense.Vegas struggled on the power play under DeBoer, ranking 24th last season with 6.59 goals scored per 60 minutes on the man-advantage. The Golden Knights were mediocre at generating shot attempts and shots on goal on the power play, but were also without key contributors like Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Reilly Smith and Jack Eichel for large chunks of the season.DeBoer has been criticized recently for his handling of goaltenders, most notably and publicly by agent Allan Walsh, who represents Marc-Andre Fleury. When Fleury was on the Golden Knights and Vegas began riding Robin Lehner, Walsh tweeted a photo of Fluery with a sword through his back. “DeBoer” was written the sword. Down the stretch of the 2021-22 season, DeBoer and Lehner had friction as Lehner battled an injury.Regardless of whether DeBoer ends up behind the Stars bench, the next question turns to Nill, who only has one year left on his contract. Is there an extension in place for Nill, or will the next coach enter the fall not knowing who will be his boss the following season?+++Related:Report: Dallas Stars will hire Peter DeBoer as head coachFind more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.Matthew DeFranks. Matt began covering the Stars for SportsDay in 2018-19, and previously covered the Florida Panthers for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He's also covered college football, the Miami Marlins, the Kansas City Royals and the Los Angeles Angels for a variety of outlets. He graduated from the University of Notre [email protected] /mdefranks @MDeFranks | Hockey |
Tennis - Eastbourne International - Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, Eastbourne, Britain - June 20, 2022 Spain's Garbine Muguruza in action during her round of 32 match against Poland's Magdalena Frech Action Images via Reuters/Andrew BoyersRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 20 - Fifth-seeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain opened with a 6-1, 7-6 (7) win over Magdalena Frech on Monday in the first round of the Rothesay International in Eastbourne, Great Britain.Countrywoman Sara Sorribes Tormo didn't fare as well, losing to No. 16 seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-1. Czech seventh seed Barbora Krejcikova's match against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk was suspended after two sets, each player with a win apiece.No. 17 Alison Riske fell to Magda Linette of Poland in a match that lasted three hours, nine minutes. Linette battled back to win 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (4) to advance.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBad Homburg OpenNinth-seeded Alize Cornet of France opened with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Anna Kalinskaya of Russia at Bad Homburg, Germany.Germany's own Angelique Kerber, the third seed, had her match against Russia's Anastasia Gasanova suspended in the first set, with Kerber up 4-2.Other first-round winners included Belgium's Greet Minnen and Germany's Jule Niemeier and Tatjana Maria.--Field Level MediaRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
The Red Sox made it six wins in eight games with a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night at Fenway Park, reaching six games better than .500 (37-31) for the first time this season.Jarren Duran continued to show considerable comfort, and potentially a promising glimpse of a Red Sox future, atop the lineup. He led off the first with a five-pitch walk against Tigers starter Alex Faedo, stole second, and scored on a one-out J.D. Martinez single to right-center.After the Tigers scratched out a game-tying run in the second against Sox starter Josh Winckowski, Duran — amidst perhaps the most well-rounded game of his early big-league career — once again played the role of catalyst in the third. He jumped on an elevated slider from Faedo, ripping a ground-rule double to the warning track in right-center and cruising home when Rafael Devers followed by pulverizing a fastball to right-center for an RBI double.Get 108 StitchesAn email newsletter about everything baseball from the Globe's Red Sox reporters, in your inbox on weekdays during the season.It was Devers’ major league-leading 41st extra-base hit of the year.Duran later lashed a single to left on a fastball away and stole a base on the back end of a double steal, finishing the night ***3-for-4*** with a pair of runs. The three times on base matched a career high, while the two steals were a new one.The Sox sustained steady pressure against Faedo and the Tigers, adding a run in the fourth when Trevor Story reached on a two-base error and later jogged home on a sac fly, and two more in the fifth when Franchy Cordero dropped a two-run single to center against lefty reliever Tyler Alexander to put the Sox ahead, 5-1.That stake proved ample for rookie Winckowski, who delivered his second straight impressive outing. Just as he did against Oakland last week, the righthander pitched to contact while getting weak contact throughout the night, logging 6⅔ innings in which he permitted two runs on seven hits while walking just one and striking out two.Winckowski leaned chiefly on his mid-90s sinker and slider, but mixed in a smattering of four-seam fastballs and hard (90 m.p.h.) changeups to avoid becoming too predictable. Though he didn’t miss bats, Winckowski avoided loud contact against the Tigers, getting a steady stream of groundouts and weak fly balls — a performance that convinced manager Alex Cora to leave him on the mound into the seventh inning.The 23-year-old nearly completed that frame, but after a double-play grounder, Winckowski allowed a single and RBI double to end his night after 92 pitches. Cora summoned lefty Jake Diekman, who gave up a screaming liner to pinch-hitter Eric Haase, but a diving catch in left by Alex Verdugo allowed the Sox to escape the seventh with a 5-2 lead intact.Detroit continued chipping away in the eighth, and brought the tying run to the plate with a one-out Victor Reyes single off Matt Strahm and a two-out Javier Baez double against John Schreiber. Schreiber, though, froze No. 2 MLB prospect Riley Greene with an outside-corner fastball for an inning-ending strikeout before Tanner Houck handled the ninth, earning his fifth save in as many tries.Alex Speier can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @alexspeier. | Baseball |
Dave Chappelle Shocks Students By Turning Down Naming Honor 6/20/2022 1:00 AM PT UPDATE 7:06 PM PT -- Chappelle is shifting gears ... at tonight's naming ceremony, he announced he is not placing his name on the Duke Ellington High School theater. Instead, Chappelle decided it will be called the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression. While addressing the crowd, Chappelle mentioned the backlash from students about his special "The Closer" sincerely hurt him. 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. Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT | Celebrity |
ATLANTA — There was good reason to circle this series on the calendar. The defending World Series champions. The 107-win team that missed out on its chance to dethrone them in the playoffs. Even a pregame ring ceremony for the player who switched sides in the offseason.
Adding to the reasons to tune in, the Giants and Braves have also been the National League’s hottest teams since the calendar turned to June. Despite early season stumbles, both teams entered Monday’s series opener nine games over .500.
Safe to say, their first of seven eventual showdowns lived up to the billing, a 2-1 walk-off loss to Atlanta that wasn’t decided until Orlando Arcia’s two-out, ninth-inning single off Camilo Doval. Matt Olsen, who reached on a walk to lead off the inning, raced home from the second base and just beat Joc Pederson’s throw from left field.
Staff aces Logan Webb and Max Fried traded zeros almost all game. Webb delivered another gem — Travis d’Arnaud’s second-inning solo blast amounted to the only run he’s allowed over his past 15⅔ innings — but the Giants’ offense was equally flummoxed by Fried.
It wasn’t until the eighth that the Giants mounted any serious scoring threat. By then, Fried had thrown 95 pitches, and he would be done by No. 102, setting up a critical bullpen decision by Atlanta manager Brian Snitker.
In the first three batters of the eighth, the Giants had nearly as many men reach base (three) as they did for the first seven innings (four), loading the bases with no outs and forcing Fried from the game. They trailed 1-0, with the tying run 90 feet away.
Rather than bring in a right-hander that would have likely set up pinch-hit matchups with the Giants’ left-handed bats waiting in the wings — Joc Pederson, who delivered so many clutch hits here for home team last year, among them — Snitker opted for former San Francisco left-hander Will Smith, who allowed the game-tying hit, anyway.
The rally was started by Luis González, who laid down a bunt base hit to lead off the inning, then scored the Giants’ first run of the game on a bases-loaded single by Austin Slater, who came to the plate instead of Pederson because the Braves stuck with the lefty. Pederson got his chance — and a standing ovation as he stepped to the plate — in the ninth, pinch-hitting against closer Kenley Jansen as the Giants cleared their bench against one of the toughest relievers in the game. He singled and reached third base on a piece of aggressive base running on a single to center from González, but it went to waste as Brandon Crawford and Thairo Estrada struck out to end the inning.
The Braves (16-4) were one of only two teams to enter Monday night with a record since May 29 better than the Giants (13-7), and neither team got any breathing room all night.
It stood in contrast to many of their meetings over the past decade, perhaps an indication of their evenly matched rosters. Nearly half of their games since 2012 — 24 of 60 — had been decided by five or more runs, more than any other set of matchups featuring an NL West team.
Not Monday night. Neither team would come close to five runs, which maybe also should have been expected with Webb and Fried and the pitching staffs who owned two of the three best ERAs in the majors this month (SF: 2.69; ATL: 2.53).
Webb, with seven innings of one-run ball, now has strung together his best two outings since the first two of the season. Manager Gabe Kapler has also extended him further than he has all season, allowing him to throw 107 pitches Monday, his fourth straight outing with a triple-digit pitch count, after he threw a season-high 112 over seven shutout innings against the Royals in his last start.
Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani is expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list Tuesday and make his first start since the third week of April as the Giants look to bounce back from the series-opening loss. | Baseball |
“It had to be horrible,” Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy told an assembled gathering of graduating seniors and their families Monday morning at the 36th Globe Foundation / Richard J. Phelps Scholar-Athletes awards ceremony, held in the Dell Technologies Club at Fenway Park.“If I lost a season of high school sports to COVID [as a student at Groton High] or not being with my friends every day, telling stories and creating those lifetime memories, it would have crushed me. You guys made it through.”Get Sports HeadlinesThe Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.Continuing a tradition that began in 1987, and expanded when Phelps came on board as a cosponsor in 1991, a panel of Globe judges awarded $3,000 college scholarships to 18 distinguished Scholar-Athletes representing seven MIAA districts, the city of Boston, and Eastern Mass. prep schools.The 94-year-old Phelps, a longtime businessman/philanthropist who has attended a game at Fenway Park for 89 straight years since his childhood in Watertown, emphasized the importance of the three A’s to the scholars: athletics, academics, and attitude. He also encouraged the seniors in attendance to be ‘givers’ going forward in their journey of life.Dick Phelps encouraged the Scholar-Athletes to be "givers' in their journey of life going forward. David L. Ryan/Globe StaffIn addition to the Scholar-Athletes, the Globe awarded its annual Will McDonough Male and Female Athlete of the Year honors to Josh Robertson (Marblehead) and Kendall Blomquist (Westwood).Robertson piloted the Magicians to a thrilling 35-28 Division 3 Super Bowl victory over North Attleborough at Gillette Stadium, the first championship in program history. The Northeastern Conference MVP in both football and lacrosse, Robertson compiled over 2,500 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns and rushed for 10 more, the most by a quarterback in school history.“It’s definitely a great honor,” said Robertson, who is headed to Union College. “The kids here are some of the best student-athletes in the state, so to be named among them is definitely an honor. Like any other individual award, it’s a team award; the team, the coaches, I couldn’t have done it without them.”The Tri-Valley League MVP in field hockey and ice hockey, Blomquist set up the winning goal to propel the Wolverines to a 1-0 win over Nashoba in the Division 2 field hockey title last November. She will play the latter at Holy Cross this fall.“It’s a really big accomplishment and honor,” Blomquist said. “It’s really something special to close out my high school career.”Blomquist capped her high school career in grand style Monday night: starting on defense as Westwood (25-0) repeated as Division 1 girls’ lacrosse champion with its 49th straight win, a 16-1 victory over Wellesley at Babson.James Donohue, a Reading resident who set the pace as a three-season runner at Belmont Hill, was honored as the NEPSAC Male Athlete of the Year. The state’s 2020-21 Gatorade Track & Field Male Athlete of the Year, Donahue owns course records at seven Independent School League cross-country layouts, swept the ISL 800, 1,500, and 3,000-meter races outdoors this spring, and has the state record in the mile (4:01.39). He will continue his running career at Virginia.Myra Bhathena, who earned 12 varsity letters at Phillips Andover as a soccer and track standout, was the NEPSAC Female of the Year. The Harvard-bound Bhathena won New England prep titles in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, never losing a race, and was a dynamic captain as a striker for Lisa Joel’s soccer team.Andy Yosinoff, who has put together a legendary 878-victory run as the women’s basketball coach less than a mile away on The Fenway at Emmanuel, passionately encouraged the honorees to be the hardest worker in the room.“When you work extra hard and outwork all your competitors at whatever you do, good things are going to happen to you down the road,” said Yosinoff, the morning’s keynote speaker.“Give back to people,” said Yosinoff. “That is so important to me and I think everyone else in this room. Don’t think about yourself, think about how you can help other people. There are so many opportunities to volunteer. You’ll get more from helping other people than thinking about yourself.”The Globes's Athletes of the Year for 2021-22 (clockwise from top left): Josh Robertson (Marblehead), Kendall Blomquist (Westwood), Myra Bhathena (Phillips Andover), and James Donahue (Belmont Hill).
David L. Ryan/Globe StaffThe Phelps Scholars and the Globe's 2021-22 Athletes of the Year received top billing at Fenway Park on Monday. David L. Ryan/Globe StaffThe 18 Phelps Scholar-Athlete recipients:▪ District 2-3 — Graham Straface (Nashoba Regional / Quinnipiac) and Connor Geary (Quabbin Regional / UMass Amherst).▪ District 4 — Sophie Brown (Wakefield / University of California at San Diego) and Liam Harrington (Concord-Carlisle / Georgetown).▪ District 5 — Carolina Bettero (Revere / Northeastern) and Craig Michalowski (Marblehead / Brown).▪ District 6 — Casey Curran (Archbishop Williams / Bryant) and Jackson Delaney (St. John’s Prep / Brown).▪ District 7 — Kendall Blomquist (Westwood / Holy Cross) and Dylan Buchanan (Mansfield / Miami).▪ District 8 — Laura Martel (Westport / Husson) and Jacob Furtado (Diman / UMass Dartmouth).▪ District 9 — Reagan Hicks (Barnstable / Endicott) and Keegan Sullivan (Scituate / Trinity).▪ City of Boston — Jennifer Delgado Rosario (East Boston / Boston University) and Malcolm Chrispin (Latin Academy / Northern Illinois).▪ Preps — Nyah Greene (Lexington Christian / Miami) and Mark Henshon (Roxbury Latin / Brown).BOSTON GLOBE/WILL McDONOUGH ATHLETES OF THE YEAR2021-22Boys’ winner: Josh Robertson, MarbleheadGirls’ winner: Kendall Blomquist, Westwood2020-21:Boys’ winner: Brendan Fennell, MelroseGirls’ winner: Paige Gillette, Andover2019-20:Boys’ winner: Duncan Moreland, BeverlyGirls’ winner: Sydney Scales, Walpole2018-19Boys’ winner: Jake McElroy, North AndoverGirls’ winner: Audra Tosone, Walpole2017-18Boys’ winner: Sal Frelick, LexingtonGirls’ winner: Elle Hansen, CohassetAdvertisement2016-17Boys’ winner: Patrick Flynn, HanoverGirls’ winner: Angela Alibrandi, Westford Academy2015-16Boys’ winner: Jeff Trainor, BillericaGirls’ winner: Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Cambridge Rindge and Latin2014-15Boys’ winner: Brooks Tyrrell, MarbleheadGirls’ winner: Leah Cardarelli, Acton-Boxboro2013-14Boys’ winner: Michael Panepinto, NeedhamGirls’ winner: Maggie Layo, Sandwich2012-13Boys’ winner: Andre Rolim, SomervilleGirls’ winner: Hannah Murphy, Duxbury2011-12Boys’ winner: Casey DeAndrade, East BridgewaterGirls’ winner: Kara Charette, Fairhaven2010-11Boys’ winner: Shayne Collins, MansfieldGirls’ winner: Andrea Keklak, Lincoln-Sudbury2009-10Boys’ winner: Conor Ressel, GloucesterGirls’ winner: Molly Breen, Millis2008-09Boys’ winner: Sean Ryan, NortonGirls’ winner: Kirsten Kasper, North Andover2007-08Boys’ winner: Tim Rich, ChelmsfordGirls winner: Melanie Baskind, Framingham2006-07Boys’ winner: James Hamilton, HarwichGirls’ winner: Denise Beliveau, Framingham2005-06Boys’ winner: Chris Nixon, DuxburyGirls’ winner: Lauren Mahoney, Archbishop Williams2004-05Boys’ winner: Chris Barnicle, Newton NorthGirls’ winner: Ashley Waters, Amesbury2003-04Boys’ winner: Jason Blydell, SwampscottGirls’ winner: Katie Brooks, Winchester2002-03The Globe Athlete of the Year Award was changed to the Boston Globe/Will McDonough Award following the death of the longtime Globe columnist in January of 2003.Boys’ winner: Matt Antonelli, St. John’s PrepGirls’ winner: Rachel Smith, Somerset High School2001-02Boys’ winner: Jim Unis, GloucesterGirls’ winner: Brittany Cheney, Abington2000-01Boys’ winner: Robert Whitaker, BrocktonGirls’ winner: Lisa Tisbert, Andover1999-2000Boys’ winner: Dante Balestracci, New BedfordGirls’ winner: Katie Collins, Reading and Tracy Prihoda, NeedhamAdvertisement1998-99Boys’ winner: Kevin Truelson, Archbishop WilliamsGirls’ winner: Hillary Dunn, Medfield1997-98Boys’ winner: Abdirizak Mohamud, Boston EnglishGirls’ winner: Jenna Stacer, Holliston1996-97Boys’ winner: Jonathon Riley, BrooklineGirls’ winner: Emily Desjardins, Bishop Fenwick1995-96Boys’ winner: James Perry, Malden CatholicGirls’ winner: Rebecca Sangster, Falmouth1994-95Boys’ winner: Peter Woodfork, SwampscottGirls’ winner: Nicki Castonguay, Somerset1993-94Boys’ winner: Anthony Palmer, WinthropGirls’ winner: Katie Kiladis, Framingham1992-93Boys’ winner: Brett Budzinski, IpswichGirls’ winner: Sarah Dacey, Framingham1991-92Boys’ winner: Chris Blades, MarianGirls’ winner: Kelly Amonte, Thayer Academy1990-91Boys’ winner: Andy Downin, DuxburyGirls’ winner: Leanne Burke, Randolph1989-90Boys’ winner: Bill Counihan, DedhamGirls’ winner: Lisa Moore, Wellesley1988-89Boys’ winner: Dan O’Connell, TritonGirls’ winner: Sarah Behn, Foxboro1987-88Boys’ winner: Carmine Cappuccio, MaldenGirls’ winner: Kendall Daly, MasconometBOSTON GLOBE NEPSAC ATHLETES OF THE YEAR2021-22Boys’ winner: James Donahue, Belmont HillGirls’ winner: Myra Bhathena, Phillips Andover2020-21* Seasons cancelled because of COVID.2019-20Boys’ winner: Kalel Mullings, Milton AcademyGirls’ winner: Catherine Barry, Tabor Academy2018-19Boys’ winner: Jake Spaulding, PingreeGirls’ winner: Lily Farden, Noble & Greenough2017-18Boys’ winner: Joey Luchetti, Lawrence AcademyGirls’ winner: Cassidy Kearney, Thayer Academy2016-17Boys’ winner: Jeff Costello, Buckingham, Browne & NicholsGirls’ winner: Amaya Finklea, Noble & Greenough2015-16Boys’ winner: Griffin Beal, PingreeGirls’ winner: Courtney Cashman, Governor’s Academy2014-15Boys’ winner: Cole O’Connor, BB&NGirls’ winner: Sophia Sgroi, Newton Country Day2013-14Boys’ winner: Charlie Mitchell, WaringGirls’ winner: Lauren Dillon, Nobles2012-13Boys’ winner: Brian O’Malley, St. Sebastian’sGirls’ Winner: Maeve McMahon, Groton School2011-12Boys’ winner: Brian Hart, Phillips ExeterGirls’ winner: Bryanna Bourbeau, Tilton2010-11Boys’ winner: Brendan Oliver, PingreeGirls’ winner: Alex Carpenter, Governor’s Academy2009-10Boys’ winner: Derek Papagianopoulos, BB&NGirls’ winner: Beverly Leon, Milton Academy2008-09Boys’ winner: David Lawson, MiddlesexGirls winner: Casey Griffin, Nobles2007-08Boys’ winner: Chris Dwyer, Salisbury SchoolGirls’ winner: Sarah Plumb, Nobles2006-07Boys’ winner: Corey Gatewood, Belmont HillGirls’ winner: Bray Ketchum, Greenwich Academy2005-06Boys’ winner: James Williams, Roxbury LatinGirls’ winner: Micaela Long, Pomfret2004-05Boys’ winner: Brian Morrissey, Governor DummerGirls’ winner: Sarah Parsons, Nobles2003-04Boys’ winner: Charlie Davies, Brooks SchoolGirls’ winner: Devon Shapiro, Middlesex School2002-03Boys’ winner: Dan Shribman, Deerfield AcademyGirls’ winner: Kaylan Tildsley, Brooks School2001-02Boys’ winner: Jason Haley, LandmarkGirls’ winner: Louisa Butler, Phillips Andover2000-01Boys’ winner: Andrew Cleary, Belmont HillGirls’ winner: Meredith Hudson, Phillips AndoverCam Kerry can be reached at [email protected]. | Other Sports |
As the Wings approach the middle of the WNBA season, they find themselves far from a finished product.“We’re still becoming,” coach Vickie Johnson said. “We have spurts. You can see our defense, you can see the flow of our offense, and then we go back to becoming a young team.”But while the team is still growing and evolving, Dallas finds itself in a great position in the standings as the No. 6 seed with an 8-8 record.With this week marking the halfway point of the 36-game campaign, here are five things we have learned about the Wings in the first half of the season and five things to watch for the rest of the way.Five things we learnedTeam showed resolve: The Wings haven’t been the best team against adversity over the past few seasons, which isn’t surprising considering their youth. But something has clicked with this year’s team. Dallas no longer goes down without a fight.Only two of the Wings’ losses have been by double-digits. The other six were all by eight points or less, and all six went down to the final few minutes. That wouldn’t have been the case last year. Games like June 12′s five-point loss to Seattle — where Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally all were unavailable by the end of the third quarter — likely would have been settled by much larger margins.That fight has manifested itself in wins, too. Dallas came back from a 12-point halftime deficit in Connecticut to defeat the Sun in May. More recently, the Wings repelled a late charge from the Mercury on Friday to win by five.Gray, Mabrey step forward: Allisha Gray and Marina Mabrey have been good basketball players since they entered the league. Gray was Rookie of the Year in 2017 and won a gold medal with the 3-on-3 team in Tokyo. Mabrey averaged double figures her first two years with the Wings.But both have taken major steps forward in 2022.Gray is likely to earn her first All-Star appearance later this month thanks to an all-around game that has become nearly impossible to overlook. The naturally quiet Gray has been more vocal about her impact on winning basketball games and her desire to be All-Defense, and that mindset is translating to on-court confidence as well.Mabrey has made the starting point guard position her domain. As a score-first guard with the ability to get a bucket off the dribble and a knockdown 3-pointer, Mabrey is a great fit next to Ogunbowale. She is still learning the intricacies of playing the point, but her competitive fire has been key in many Dallas wins.Solid Commissioner’s Cup: The Commissioner’s Cup in-season tournament was not very exciting this year. Las Vegas ran away with it in the West and clinched its berth in the championship against the Wings last Wednesday. Chicago clinched its berth Sunday and has an 8-1 record in the competition.Dallas, who has only one Commissioner’s Cup game remaining against the Lynx, could presumably finish second in the West standings. While second place doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme, it would mark an improvement on last year’s 3-7 record.Coach-mixed lineups: Some coaches have a strict lineup rotation. Not Vickie Johnson. She is a tinkerer who enjoys the challenge of identifying mismatches and attempting to exploit them. She mixes and matches so much sometimes it feels like she would fit in well with the scientists at UTA’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, located just a few buildings away from College Park Center.That mindset is why role players like Awak Kuier and Veronica Burton see their minutes fluctuate from game to game. It is also why players might sit at different intervals. Johnson evaluates the opponents and adjusts to what she thinks is the best lineup on the floor.“I know our strengths and our weaknesses as individuals and as a team,” Johnson said. “That’s why I try to plug people in. Fans may not like it, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to win games.”Discipline lacking: The word Johnson has emphasized most over the last two-plus weeks has been “discipline.”Before Sunday’s game, Dallas had been struggling to put four quarters together. Johnson said the reason was a lack of discipline that resulted in taking quick shots, getting stagnant on offense, fouling on defense and falling back into bad habits.Playing with discipline results in consistent, steady play from half to half and game to game. Johnson will continue to hammer that home the rest of the season.“Great teams like Seattle that have vets, they already have a routine,” Johnson said. “They don’t change their routine. It is what it is. This is who I am every night. For us, we’re learning, we’re becoming consistent, disciplined in every area of the game. Especially late game, we have to be disciplined.”Five things to watchMcCowan’s role: Teaira McCowan arrived from Indiana with major expectations. The former No. 3 pick averaged 10.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in her first three seasons and spent this winter playing at an elite level in Turkey.But after arriving late due to her overseas commitment, McCowan spent the first month of her Dallas career adjusting to a new team and learning a new system. The result was a collection of underwhelming performances, all limited to 10 minutes or less.But something changed June 12 against Seattle. McCowan stopped overthinking.McCowan is a cerebral player who wants to know what her teammates like to do. But that mindset was hampering her adjustment to Dallas. She was trying too hard to figure out the tendencies of her teammates instead of playing her game.This change has worked wonders. McCowan scored 13 points against the Storm, notched her first double-double against the Mercury last Friday and finished with a plus/minus rating of plus-24 against the Sparks.At 6-7, McCowan provides an interior presence unlike anyone else on the Wings roster. Her offensive rebounding and defensive prowess were a difference-maker in the win over Phoenix. At her best, she can be that difference on a day-in, day-out basis. The question is whether she will have the time to get to that level consistently this season.Ogunbowale’s evolution: Ogunbowale quietly has been playing great basketball over the last two weeks. Except for the game she was ejected from at halftime, she has scored over 20 points five times and notched six assists twice.The face of the franchise can be difficult to evaluate. She is never going to be the most efficient shooter — her field goal percentage of 39.2% is right in line with her career average of 39.3% — but there’s nobody who can score the basketball like she can. Her second-quarter barrage Sunday was a prime example of that.It can be hard to remember that Ogunbowale is only 25 years old and has not had an older veteran to guide her since she came to the league. She’s had the burden of doing a lot on her own. But she is starting to let her teammates carry some of that burden, too.“I think she understands that to get the real accolades in the W, it has to be more than scoring,” Johnson said. “She has to become a willing passer and I think she’s becoming that. She ain’t completely there but she’s working towards it.”Chicago games, must-see: As the defending WNBA champions, the Chicago Sky are circled on every opponent’s schedule. But there will be an extra emphasis on the Wings’ three matchups against Chicago.For one, Dallas lost to the Sky in the first round of the playoffs last year in a game that many players have said stuck with them long after the final buzzer. Wings president Greg Bibb scheduled Chicago in the preseason because he thought it was important to return to where their 2021 campaign ended. They won that game, but the Wings will still have that chip on their shoulder when they face off for the first time in the regular season on July 16.The other reason is that Chicago is one of the league’s best teams this season at 10-5.Dallas is 3-6 against the five WNBA teams with winning records. But those three wins were all impressive road victories at Washington, at Connecticut and at Seattle.Beating the W’s best teams instills confidence. Beating Chicago — especially in the Windy City — would do that and then some.Final homestand crucial: Dallas will play seven games the final two weeks of the season. While they will end the year on the road at Phoenix and Los Angeles — whom they are 3-1 against this season — the Wings have a four-game homestand leading into that final West Coast swing.Those four games arguably will be the biggest stretch of the season for Dallas. The Wings will face Las Vegas, Indiana and then New York twice. The league-leading Aces will be tough to beat but Dallas has played them tough twice already this season. A win would be a huge confidence booster, but it’s the other three games that will be more important.Those are three very winnable games, and ones that Dallas should win on its home court. The middle of the pack in the WNBA is always fairly close. Taking care of business down the stretch at home can be the difference between a favorable first-round matchup or a difficult one.What does playoff success look like?: A lot has been made of Dallas’ youth over the past few seasons, and rightfully so. The Wings haven’t had a veteran with more than eight years of experience since 2016.That inexperience still showcases itself during the regular season. But as the team continues improving, those moments will happen less and less.But the playoffs are a different animal. You can play in playoff-like regular season games, and Dallas has had a few so far, but you can’t fully recreate the atmosphere of a playoff game.The Wings crossed the playoff Rubicon last season, and the experience paid tremendous dividends. But the team’s 12 players have still combined to play 18 playoff games.The playoffs are nearly two months away but it looks like Dallas is in great position to grab a seed between five and seven. There’s never an easy path in the WNBA playoffs. But the Wings have the potential to hit another major milestone for the franchise: Advance to the second round for the first time since moving to Dallas.For a team that has never hosted a home playoff game, that would be a major step forward.+++Find more WNBA coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. | Basketball |
French Montana My New Album is OG Wave... Just Ask NYC Mayor Adams, Haaan!!! 6/20/2022 2:20 PM PT Instagram / @frenchmontana French Montana says he and his mopstick are ready to clean up the rap competition this summer with his album "Montega" -- an album that now has certified approval from NYC Mayor Eric Adams. French & fam were out in The Big Apple last night at Sei Less restaurant soaking up the sounds of the new project, which won over listeners with features from Quavo, Rick Ross and late collaborator Chinx ... over a bangin' bevy of longtime producer Harry Fraud's beats. French tells TMZ Hip Hop he's back in his bag saying, "This album takes me back to my roots and original wave sound with Harry. I create my best work with him and always trust him to see the vision." He adds, "I think the fans are going to appreciate this one, it’s really going to bring them back." Last weekend, French dropped off the intro track video "Blue Chills" and plans to keep the hype moving into the album's June 24 release date. Interesting to note: Mayor Adams' take on French's new music is night and day from his reaction to the city's drill music. Just sayin' ... but for whatever reason, hizzoner's riding for Montana's "Montega." | Music |
Mar 28, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) hits a backhand against Jenson Brooksby (USA)(not pictured) in a third round men's singles match in the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 20 - No. 6 seed Alex de Minaur began defense of his Rothesay International title with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Cristian Garin in a first-round match on Monday in Eastbourne, England.The 23-year-old Australian broke Garin four times en route to dispatching the Chilean in 83 minutes.Other seeded players were not as fortunate, however. Maxime Cressy cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 win over fifth-seeded Reilly Opelka, and Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik rallied to a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-0 victory over seventh-seeded Frances Tiafoe.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comMallorca ChampionshipsNo. 5 seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain posted a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory of Taro Daniel of Japan in a first-round match in Spain.Also on Monday, Ilya Ivashka of Belarus cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 win over Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland to set up a second-round meeting against second-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi advanced to set up a match versus third-seeded Denis Shapovalov of Canada after Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo retired while trailing 6-3, 4-2.--Field Level MediaRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Tennis |
Rapper and activist Killer Mike says that rap lyrics shouldn’t be used as criminal evidence in court cases, amid the high-profile detainments of Atlanta-based rappers Young Thug and Gunna. In an interview with ABC News published on Saturday, Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, said that Young Thug used his rapping career to escape his troubled upbringing on the streets of Atlanta, the city where Render grew up as well. “[Young Thug] came out of a very desperate situation,” Render, half of the hit duo Run the Jewels, told ABC News. “The side of town he comes from — Cleveland Avenue, southeast Atlanta — has been wrought with poverty forever … he managed to escape the streets using rap lyrics, and he’s managed to help people change their lives.” “Young Thug — that’s a character that Jeffery Williams created … but Jeffery Williams is a father,” Render added, using Young Thug’s legal name. “He’s a human being that’s capable of love, care and compassion.” Young Thug and Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, were among the more than two dozen individuals charged with racketeering by authorities last month, with prosecutors alleging that Williams founded a street gang and promoted its lifestyle through music and social media posts. The indictment unsealed against them in Fulton County, Ga., includes lyrics from both artists’ music. “These lyrics are no more than braggadocio rap lyrics,” Render told ABC. “It is no more than Killer Mike saying I’m a killer on the mic.” Both rappers have been denied bail and are set to appear in court in January, ABC noted. “For now, I don’t have my freedom. But I am innocent. I am being falsely accused and will never stop fighting to clear my name!” the “Pushin P” Kitchens said in a statement, adding, “Nothing will stop me from chasing my dreams, I won’t stop being a good person, even if some unnamed and unknown accusers want the world to see me as a bad person.” Render, who won a Grammy award with acclaimed hip-hop duo OutKast, said that hip-hop is a form of art, noting that authorities targeting Black art in criminal cases is a part of dehumanizing Black people in the U.S, according to ABC News. Render said, “Hip hop is not respected as an art because Black people in this country are not recognized as full human beings. If we allow the courts to prosecute these men based on characters they created and stories of pretend that they tell in rhyme then next, they’ll be at your door.” | Music |
Golf - The Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 8, 2022 Will Zalatoris of the U.S. tees off on the 4th during the second round REUTERS/Mike BlakeRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 21 - Will Zalatoris withdrew from this week's Travelers Championship on Monday, one day after finishing in a tie for second place at the U.S. Open.Zalatoris' withdrawal from the tournament in Cromwell, Conn., was announced by the PGA Tour. Zalatoris didn't immediately comment on the decision.The 25-year-old Zalatoris had a chance to force a playoff at the U.S. Open but missed a 14-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole. The miss made Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick the winner at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., and left Zalatoris in a tie for second with Scottie Scheffler at 5-under 275.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIt marked the third time Zalatoris has narrowly missed out on a major title. He finished second at the 2021 Masters and at the PGA Championship earlier this year.Though Zalatoris is ranked a career-best 12th in the world, he has to yet to win a PGA title.Also withdrawing from the Travelers were Russell Henley and Patrick Rodgers. The PGA said South Africa's Dawie van der Walt, Australia's Brett Drewitt and Joshua Creel have been added to the field as replacements.--Field Level MediaRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Golf |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Transgender women will be barred from sanctioned women’s international rugby league matches "until further research is completed to enable the IRL to implement a formal transgender inclusion policy," the International Rugby League (IRL) said in a statement.The IRL’s statement on transgender participation came after FINA, the international governing body on elite swimming, said it will only permit swimmers who transitioned before the age of 12 to compete in women’s events. FINA members voted 71.5% in favor of the new policies.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM A general view of Twickenham, home of England Rugby during the International match between England and Barbarians at Twickenham Stadium on June 19, 2022 in London, England. (CameraSport via Getty Images)The IRL cited the International Olympic Committee’s 2021 publication "Framework on Fairness, Non-Discrimination and Inclusion on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations" in its decision-making."The IOC concluded that it is the remit of each sport and its governing body to determine how an athlete may be at a disproportionate advantage compared with their peers — taking into consideration the differing nature of each sport," the league said."In the interests of avoiding unnecessary welfare, legal and reputational risk to International Rugby League competitions, and those competing therein, the IRL believes there is a requirement and responsibility to further consult and complete additional research before finalizing its policy."The IRL said it would continue to work on developing a policy that will be fair to everybody. Lewis Ludlam of England warms up ahead of the International match between England and Barbarians at Twickenham Stadium on June 19, 2022 in London, England. (RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)"To help achieve this, the IRL will seek to work with the eight Women’s Rugby League World Cup 2021 finalists to obtain data to inform a future transwomen inclusion policy in 2023, which takes into consideration the unique characteristics of rugby league," the IRL said.FINA FACES BACKLASH OVER NEW 'GENDER INCLUSION POLICY' FOR TRANSGENDER SWIMMERSFINA’s announcement came Sunday.There was also a proposal for a new "open competition policy." 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."In the 24-page policy released Sunday, FINA said transgender women and athletes whose legal gender and/or gender identity is female can compete in FINA-sanctioned events if "they can establish to FINA’s comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later." A logo of the is the international governing body of swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and open water swimming, FINA is displayed during the FINA World Championships in Rome on July 25, 2009. (MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)The athlete must produce evidence they have "complete androgen insensitivity and therefore could not experience male puberty" or "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," or "an unintentional deviation from the below 2.5 nmol/L requirement may result in retrospective disqualification of results and/or a prospective period of ineligibility, or "an intentional deviation from the below 2.5 nmol/L requirement may result in retrospective disqualification of results and a prospective period of ineligibility equal or commensurate in length to periods imposed under the FINA DRC for intentional anti-doping rule violations involving anabolic steroids."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPTransgender athletes who do not meet the eligibility standards may compete in "any open events" the organization could develop in the future. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Other Sports |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A settlement agreement has been reached on the eve of a second trial pitting the Kardashian family against former reality TV star Blac Chyna. Jury selection had been set to begin Monday in the trial over Chyna’s allegations that her former fiance Rob Kardashian maliciously posted nude photos of her in 2017 after their tumultuous breakup, but according to court documents, the parties informed the judge that they had agreed to a settlement.Emails to attorneys for both sides seeking comment and details on the terms of the settlement were not immediately returned.A trial had seemed a virtual certainty after the judge last week denied a motion by Kardashian’s attorneys to enforce a settlement agreement they said the two sides had reached. The trial was to be a sequel of sorts to a defamation trial earlier this year in which Chyna, whose legal name is Angela White, alleged that Kardashian’s mother and sisters — Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Kylie Jenner — had defamed her as violent and unstable, and persuaded producers and executives to cancel her reality show, “Rob & Chyna.”The Kardashians won a clear-cut victory in that trial May 2. The four women had attended most of the proceedings, and all four testified, though they were in New York at the Met Gala when the verdict was read. Rob Kardashian, who has a daughter with Chyna, was not a defendant in that trial, but he gave often angry and sometimes sad testimony about the late-night fight that led to the end of their relationship.Chyna had initially filed one lawsuit against the whole family, but the judge ruled that the allegations against Rob — which also included assault accusations — should get their own trial. Fewer members of the famous family had been expected to attend the second trial, and only Rob and Kris Kardashian had been expected to testify. At the first trial, jurors found that the Kardashians acted in bad faith in their conversations about the couple’s troubles with producers of “Rob & Chyna” and executives from the E! network, which aired it. But they found that it had no substantial effect on Chyna’s contract or the fate of the show, and she was awarded no damages. Chyna’s attorney Lynne Ciani said after the verdict that she and her client were disappointed but felt vindicated by the jury’s findings, which she said demonstrated that Chyna had not physically abused Rob, and validated their claim that the Kardashian women had attempted to interfere with her contract to be on the show. ___Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton | Celebrity |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, June 21 (Reuters) - South Korea is set for a second test launch of its domestically produced Nuri space rocket on Tuesday, eight months after the first test successfully blasted off but failed to place a dummy satellite in orbit.On Monday, the rocket was erected on its launch pad at the Naro Space Center on the southern coast of South Korea. The test had been scheduled for last week, but was scrubbed in the hours before launch because of a problem with an oxidizer tank sensor.Officials will decide Tuesday afternoon whether to proceed.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe three-stage KSLV-II Nuri rocket, designed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to eventually put 1.5-ton payloads into orbit 600 to 800 km above the Earth, is a cornerstone of the country’s plans to jumpstart its space programme and achieve ambitious goals in 6G networks, spy satellites, and even lunar probes.It uses only Korean rocket technologies, and is the country's first domestically built space launch vehicle. South Korea’s last booster, launched in 2013 after multiple delays and several failed tests, was jointly developed with Russia.Nuri is key to South Korean plans to eventually build a Korean satellite-based navigation system and a 6G communications network. The country also plans to launch a range of military satellites, but officials deny that the Nuri has any use as a weapon.People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on the KSLV-II NURI rocket launching from its launch pad of the Naro Space Center, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File PhotoSouth Korea is also working with the United States on a lunar orbiter, and hopes to land a probe on the moon by 2030.Space launches have long been a sensitive issue on the Korean peninsula, where North Korea faces sanctions over its nuclear-armed ballistic missile programme.In March, South Korea's military separately oversaw what it said was its first successful launch of a solid-fuel space-launch rocket, another part of its plans to launch spy satellites.In Nuri's first test in October, the rocket completed its flight sequences but failed to place the test payload into orbit after its third-stage engine burned out earlier than planned.Engineers adjusted the helium tank inside Nuri's third-stage oxidizer tank to address that problem, Yonhap news agency reported.The stakes will be higher in Tuesday's test, as in addition to a dummy satellite, Nuri will carry a rocket performance verification satellite and four cube satellites developed by universities for research.KARI has said it plans to conduct at least four more test launches by 2027.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Josh Smith. Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Space Exploration |
The rule banning transgender female players will apply to rugby league's World Cup later this year (file pic)Rugby League has banned transgender players from women's international matches while it does further research on its inclusion policy.The move comes as a number of sports are wrestling over trans inclusion.Transgender swimmers were on Sunday banned from women's elite races if they have gone through male puberty.And World Athletics president Lord Coe has hinted to the BBC that the sport could follow swimming's example, revealing that it is set to discuss adopting a new eligibility policy and insisting "fairness is non-negotiable".The International Rugby League (IRL) said it had considered "relevant developments in world sport" in coming to its decision to ban transgender athletes until it had completed research on its final inclusion policy.The ban will apply to the league's World Cup to be held in October. The competition involves teams from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cook Islands, England, France, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea."It is the IRL's responsibility to balance the individual's right to participate - a long-standing principle of rugby league and at its heart from the day it was established - against perceived risk to other participants, and to ensure all are given a fair hearing," the organisation said."The IRL will continue to work towards developing a set of criteria, based on best possible evidence, which fairly balance the individual's right to play with the safety of all participants," its statement added.A number of sports have been considering their inclusion policies in recent months, especially after the International Olympic Committee ruled earlier this year that participation policies governing transgender athletes should be determined by each sport - depending on its particular characteristics. The IRL said it would work with the nations competing at the women's Rugby League World Cup to obtain data to inform a transgender policy in 2023.Critics of transgender athletes' participation in some women's sports argue they can have a disproportionate advantage to their peers based on their birth biology. However, the claim is strongly disputed by many transgender athletes and their supporters.Swimming's recent move inflamed the controversy. Transgender rights groups slammed the decision, while US women's football star Megan Rapinoe, one of the most influential voices in sport, said it was "disgusting"."Show me the evidence that trans women are taking everyone's scholarships, are dominating in every sport, are winning every title. I'm sorry, it's just not happening," she told Time magazine."I have confidence that we can figure it out. But we can't start at the opposite. That is cruel. And frankly, it's just disgusting. We're putting everything through 'God forbid a trans person be successful in sports.' Get a grip on reality and take a step back." | Other Sports |
To coincide with tickets going on sale, Marvel has dropped a new Thor: Love and Thunder teaser trailer. It reveals new footage from the Thor sequel, including a scene where Thor gives an inspirational speech.It happens about halfway through the minute-long teaser. Catch it below.
Thor's speech doesn't go totally to plan, with Miek drawing noisily with markers on a whiteboard in the background.Most of the other scenes appeared in the official Thor trailer, mainly including fight sequences. Thor's enemy this time around is Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who promises that, "All gods will die." He also reveals a little more personality, grinning and declaring in a sneery, Orc-like manner, "How exciting."Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) can also be seen in battle with the Voldermort-esque Gorr and Mighty Thor, aka Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), is there wielding Mjolnir the hammer.Thor: Love and Thunder arrives in theaters July 8. Grab tickets at Fandango now. | Movies |
Sports June 20, 2022 / 5:59 PM / AP WNBA star Brittney Griner tried to call her wife nearly a dozen times through the American embassy in Russia on the couple's fourth anniversary Saturday, but they never connected since the phone line at the embassy was not staffed, Cherelle Griner said Monday.The couple has not spoken by phone in the four months since Griner's arrest in Russia on drug-related charges. That was to have changed Saturday, when a long-awaited call was to have finally taken place. But the day came and went without any contact, leaving an anguished Cherelle Griner to wonder what went wrong and to suspect at least initially that Russian authorities had thwarted the call.On Monday, she said she learned from her wife's lawyers a more distressing truth: Brittney Griner had actually tried to call 11 times over a period of several hours, dialing a number she'd been given at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, which the couple had been told would then patch the call through to Cherelle Griner in Phoenix. But each time, the call went unanswered because the desk at the embassy where the phone rang was apparently unstaffed on Saturday. "I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up," Cherelle Griner told The Associated Press in an interview, recounting how an anniversary she had eagerly anticipated was instead spent in tears. "I'm pretty sure I texted BG's agent and was like: 'I don't want to talk to anybody. It's going to take me a minute to get my emotions together and just tell everybody I'm unavailable right now. Because it just knocked me out. I wasn't well, I'm still not well." Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury is seen during the game against the Indiana Fever at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on September 6, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images The experience has further exacerbated already simmering frustrations about the U.S. government's response to her wife's case. U.S. officials have repeatedly said they are working behind the scenes to get the two-time Olympian home from Russia and consider her case a top priority. But Cherelle Griner said she remains "very pissed" by the snafu, especially since the call had been on the schedule for two weeks and yet no one warned her during that time that it might be logistically impossible because of the weekend. The State Department said Monday that it was aware of the issue and was looking into it. Cherelle Griner said a contact in the U.S. government had apologized to her for the error. She said she's since learned that the one number Brittney Griner had been told to dial typically processes calls from prisoners on Mondays through Fridays but not weekends."But mind you," Cherelle Griner said in the interview, "this phone call had been scheduled for almost two weeks — with a weekend date."She added: "I find it unacceptable and I have zero trust in our government right now. If I can't trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife's behalf to come home? Because that's a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call."Cherelle Griner said she was still hoping to talk to or meet with President Joe Biden, but "at this point it's starting to feel like a no." U.S. considers Brittney Griner wrongfully detained 00:20 Brittney Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport on February 17 after authorities there said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. The State Department in May designated her as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, effectively the government's chief hostage negotiator. Russian state-run news agency Tass reported last week that her detention had been extended until July 3.So far, Cherelle Griner says she's had to rely exclusively on others' assessments about her wife's condition. Lawyers and consular affairs officials have been able to speak with the basketball star, but her wife has not. On the evening before the call, she went to sleep at 5 p.m. so that she'd be awake and alert at midnight to receive the anticipated call from Russia to Phoenix that never came."This was such a big moment because this would have been the first time where I truly could tell if she's okay," Cherelle Griner said. "This would have been the first time for me to actually just hear her in real time and to truly know if she's okay or to know if she's seconds away from not being in existence anymore." In: WNBA Joe Biden Brittney Griner Russia Crime | Basketball |
Andy Murray reveals 'the plan is still to play' at Wimbledon next week... but British icon is STILL unable to practice serves and overheads since injuring a stomach muscle in his Stuttgart Open final defeat against Matteo BerrettiniAndy Murray injured a stomach muscle at the Stuttgart Open earlier this monthHe has not been able to practice his full array of shots since that injuryHowever, he is still hopeful that he will be able to compete at Wimbledon Published: 15:07 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 17:03 EDT, 20 June 2022 Andy Murray is cautiously optimistic that he will be fit for Wimbledon next week, but parts of his game are still not functioning properly.The 35-year-old Scot will join the star-studded roll call of the unready when The Championships begin, due to the strained stomach muscle that kept him out of Queen’s last week.He has been unable to hit serves and overheads so far in his training sessions at the All England Club, which have been taking place under the eye of Ivan Lendl, who has arrived in London to oversee preparations. Andy Murray needed treatment for a stomach muscle injury during the Stuttgart Open final His preparations have been hampered by injury, but Murray still intends to play at Wimbledon‘The positive is that I've been able to get on the practice court and hit balls and work on a lot of different things, but there's specific shots that I have not been able to practise,’ admitted Murray on Monday. ‘That has obviously hampered the preparations. In the next couple of days, I'll have to start to increase that and test it to see where it's at.‘Obviously the plan is still to play. The injury that I had is improving. I've had it rescanned since then (his withdrawal from Queen’s) and it's progressing in the right way.’ Andy Murray is wearing the Championship Collection from his signature AMC range which he will be playing in for Wimbledon 2022. Technically advanced and beautifully designed for maximum performance. View the kit at www.castore.com/collections/amc Andy Murray is wearing the Championship Collection from his signature AMC range which he will be playing in for Wimbledon 2022. Technically advanced and beautifully designed for maximum performance. View the kit at www.castore.com/collections/amcMurray had been coming nicely to the boil - playing nine matches across the Surbiton Trophy and Stuttgart Open – moving well and making the final of the latter, where he lost to Matteo Berrettini. The nine matches played in less than a fortnight were a workload he has been unaccustomed to in recent years due to the various problems that have been related to his metal hip.‘It's frustrating to be in this position in the build-up to Wimbledon, but I've been in worse situations in recent years. The positive for me is that I've dealt with certainly worse issues in the last few years and handled them okay.’Andy Murray is wearing the Championship Collection from his signature AMC range which he will be playing in for Wimbledon 2022. View the kit at www.castore.com/collections/amc Advertisement | Tennis |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Tampa Bay Lightning woke up in Game 3.The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning doused the Colorado Avalanche with four goals in the second period on their way to getting their first win in the series, 6-2.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMTampa Bay came up big in the second period to bounce back from a 7-0 shutout in Game 2 and make it a series against Colorado.It looked like it was going to be more of the same from the Avalanche early in the game. Gabriel Landeskog scored the first goal of the game on a power play opportunity on assists from Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. It was Landeskog’s 10th goal of the postseason. Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) celebrates goal after scoring in the first period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)It would have put Colorado up 2-0 but an early goal by the Avalanche was waved off because of an offside call.Tampa Bay would score their first goal since Game 1 less than 5 minutes after the Landeskog goal thanks to Anthony Cirelli. The Lightning got the lead woth an Ondrej Palat score more than a minute later.The second period would be where the Lightning really broke the game open.LIGHTNING'S STEVEN STAMKOS MESSAGE TO TEAMMATES: 7-0 LOSS IN STANLEY CUP FINAL 'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE'Tampa Bay scored four goals from four different players in the period and eventually chased Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper out of the net. Nick Paul, Steven Stamkos, Pat Maroon and Corey Perry. Pavel Francouz came in and only allowed one goal to the Lightning. Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) celebrates with Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon (14) after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)Kuemper had 17 saves but allowed five goals. Francouz had nine saves.It was Stamkos’ 10th goal of the season. Landeskog would get one past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy in between Paul and Stamkos’ scores.Vasilevskiy had 37 saves in the win. Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Corey Perry (10) celebrates a goal during the second period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)Tampa Bay bounced back nicely to cut the deficit in the series to 2-1. Colorado hadn’t lost a playoff game since May 25 – an overtime defeat by the St. Louis Blues.The Lightning will look to tie the series up at 2 apiece with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday night. The Lightning were also down 2-0 to the New York Rangers before coming back to win the Eastern Conference final.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPGame 4 will take place in Tampa, Florida, at 8 p.m. ET. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]. | Hockey |
X Factor star Tom Mann has revealed his fiancée Danielle Hampson died on Saturday - the morning of their wedding day. The singer, 28, shared a heartbreaking Instagram tribute on Monday as he revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth-month-old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday. The singer-songwriter - who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks - shared a photograph of Dani and their son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son. Tom had just returned from a holiday with PR Executive Danielle, 34, in Sardinia last month. Danielle did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown. Tragic: X Factor star Tom Mann, 28, has revealed his fiancée, 34, and the mother of their eight-month-old son died suddenly on their wedding day as he shared an emotional tribute about being 'completely broken' Heartbreaking: The X Factor star (pictured on the show in 2013) revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth month old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday - the day of their weddingTom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June.'On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak.'I feel like I have cried an ocean. We never made it to the alter; or got to say our vows, or dance our first dance, but I know you know that you were my entire world and the best thing that has ever happened to me, Danielle.'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you.' Broken: The singer-songwriter - who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks - shared a photograph of Dani and their son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son Tom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June' Tom went on to vow that he would stay strong for his son, penning: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy.'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud.'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that. 'I will try to find peace in your messages and comments, but right now I am grieving and I will be for a very, very long time.'Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' He continued: 'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you' Tom went on to vow that he would stay strong for his son, penning: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy' Love: They announced their engagement in December 2019, with Tom sharing a gushing post about his 'future wife' after he popped the question in a jazz cafe in London Time with friends: Danielle had celebrated her future wedding with a mini hen do with her girls prior to the big day Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' Loved-up: The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom He penned: 'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud'The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom. They announced their engagement in December 2019, with Tom sharing a gushing post about his 'future wife' after he popped the question in a jazz cafe in London. Her last social media post came three weeks prior to her death when she shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia with friends. Tom received an outpouring of support and condolences from his celebrity friends. Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle wrote: 'Sending so much love, light & healing to you, Bowie & everyone who loved Dani!!'Mimi Webb penned: 'Tom I’m so so sorry ❤️ sending all my love to you & thinking of you❤️ love you brother x we are with you', while Strictly star HRVY wrote: 'so so so sorry Tom, we all love you ❤️ thinking of you man.'Lewis Capaldi commented: 'Love you brother ❤️'Tom's old bandmate Barclay Beales said: 'Sending all my love brother so sorry' Last post: Danielle's last social media post came three weeks prior to her death. She shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia Family snaps: Danielle had shared a gallery of images with her fiancé and their baby boy Fun with friends: Danielle and Tom had been joined by a group of friends on their trip Tom auditioned for X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of the ITV singing show in 2014.The group consisted of Jake Sims, Chris Leonard, Charlie Jones, Casey Johnson, Barclay Beales, Reece Bibby, and Tom.Tom wrote the band's first single Love Me So and at the time said: 'For me to have written our first single it's a massive honour that it's been chosen and everyone in the band loves it'I wrote the single within a day. I can't come back to a song, I have to finish it.'He went on to write songs for acts including JLS, Lewis Capaldi, Becky Hill and Mimi Webb. The group split up in 2015 just 10 months after they were formed on The X Factor.A statement to fans on the eight-piece boy band's Facebook page revealed they decided to go their separate ways after struggling to secure a record deal. Tom said of Danielle: 'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that' Condolences: The star's famous friends reached out to share their support The group wrote: 'We all feel the time has come for us to now continue our journeys individually.'We have learnt first-hand just how tough the industry is as an unsigned act. Unfortunately, due to these circumstances, we are no longer able to carry on as a band.'Please understand that there is nothing more that you could have done and that this is a situation completely beyond both your control and ours. We have considered endless ways of how we might try to make this work, but it is logistically impossible for us to continue as Stereo Kicks.'From the bottom of our hearts, we will be forever grateful for all of your hard work, support and love. We can't thank you enough.'The group went on to add that there had been no falling out between the members before they decision to call it a day: 'We still remain the BEST of friends and will continue to support each other in everything we do. Band: Tom auditioned for the X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of X Factor in 2014'Although this is really sad for us, we felt that we wanted to end on a high. You guys have been with us every step of the way and have been the first to hear our news, and we wanted to keep it that way!' The group all performed a solo artists during the auditions stage of The X Factor in 2014, before being merged into a group by the judges.Tom, who was 19-years-old when he auditioned, was a football coach from Southampton who sang the Cyndi Lauper classic, 'Girls Just want to Have Fun' during the Boot Camp stage on the popular ITV show.Former panellist Louis Walsh then put the boys through to the live shows, where they stayed until they were kicked out after a sing-off with Lauren Platt in week eight.Louis fumed at Simon Cowell at the time, insisting he would regret his decision not to save them when they became a huge hit. First post: The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom Tragedy: The couple had shared pictures of the save the date for the wedding which tragically never took place He said to the Metro: ‘It was totally the wrong decision by Simon. The potential for these boys is incredible and time will tell who will do well between these boys and the girl.‘I am never going to let him forget it. And when they sell all those records I will say, “Do you remember when you voted them off?”’The group had been tipped to be the next One Direction, but suffered a series of scandals in the early days of their formation.Barclay was the victim of revenge porn at the end of last year after an explicite naked photo was leaked online.Meanwhile, Jake was caught up in two drugs scandals in a month after pictures showing him lying in a daze after allegedly snorting Class A drug ketamine emerged just weeks after he was accused of making several references about smoking drugs online. Celebrity spot: Danielle (pictured with Gary Barlow) did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown | Celebrity |
Beyonce has released the first single from her forthcoming seventh solo studio album Renaissance earlier than expected - to the surprise and delight of her fans."Bey is back and I'm sleeping real good at night," she declares on the track - Break My Soul - which was scheduled for release at midnight EST (5am GMT).
However, it dropped on Tidal, the streaming service co-owned by her husband Jay-Z a couple of hours earlier, and as a lyric video on YouTube. YouTube Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options "You won't break my soul," the 40-year-old singer repeats in the chorus."Release your anger, release your mind / Release your job, release the time / Release your trade, release the stress / Release the love, forget the rest," continues the new track, which features interjections from rapper Big Freedia. The catchy dance-friendly track was hailed as "reviving 90s house/dance" as fans raved about it on social media.
One wrote: "I love the fact that we never know where Beyoncé is going musically. Break My Soul is the first single but the album could sound completely different. That's what is so fun about a Beyoncé era. All you know for sure is that you'll get superb quality music and visuals!" More on Beyonce Beyoncé announces her first album in six years, Renaissance, to be released in July Beyonce sparks fan speculation over new music after deleting her social media profile photos Patrick Demarchelier: Photographer of Princess Diana, J-Lo and Beyonce dies at 78 Twitter Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options Beyonce, who has scored three number one albums and five number one singles in the UK, announced last week that she would be releasing a new album next month after a six-year hiatus.The 28-time Grammy Award winner also included the subtitle "act i", hinting that Renaissance may be split up into several parts.The announcement came days after the star wiped her social media profile photos, prompting speculation from fans that new music was on the way.The pop superstar's last full-length solo release was Lemonade in 2016, which was accompanied by a 65-minute film of the same title and went to number one in many countries.In 2013, her self-titled album was released in the early hours of the morning without warning. | Music |
Ryan Giggs has resigned as Wales manager, having originally stepped aside in November 2020 after being arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and assault.The former Manchester United winger is scheduled to go on trial at Manchester crown court on August 8. The 48-year-old is accused of controlling and coercive behaviour against his former girlfriend, Kate Greville, between August 2017 and November 2020.Giggs is also accused of assaulting Greville, causing her actual bodily harm, and of the common assault of her younger sister, Emma Greville, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on November 1, 2020. Giggs has pleaded not guilty to all allegations. The case was delayed from January due to a lack of court space.After Wales secured their spot at | Other Sports |
Despite his limited pro rugby experience, Suliasi Vunivalu says playing in four NRL grand finals with Melbourne means he can handle the pressure of a Wallabies debut in the England Test series next month. The 26-year-old winger is finally injury-free and eager to get his international career started ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in France. With Marika Koroibete a Wallabies Test certainty, Vunivalu’s selection would see the Fiji-born duo reunited as a wing pair for the first time since the 2016 NRL grand final which the Storm lost to Cronulla. Koroibete then switched to rugby union with Vunivalu following him at the end of 2020.Australia have not beaten England in their last eight attempts but Vunivalu says he’s ready for the challenge if he gets the nod from Wallabies coach Dave Rennie with the first Test in Perth on 2 July.“100% – I’ll back myself every time,” Vunivalu said on Tuesday from the Wallabies camp, after announcing he had signed on until after the World Cup. “If he [Rennie] has that belief in me and wants to throw me in there I will back myself to play.”Vunivalu’s code switch has been hampered by hamstring troubles which have limited him to 15 Super Rugby games over two years. He says he has unfinished business, which is why he rejected a lucrative return to the NRL.“There was talks about me going back to the NRL but I wanted to stay as I haven’t really done anything in union,” Vunivalu said. “I want to prove myself and try to make my goal of going to the World Cup.”He believes the injuries are behind him, crediting former Storm high performance director Dean Benton, who holds the same role with the Wallabies. The pair spent a year together at Melbourne in 2016, before Benton joined Eddie Jones for a two-year stint with the the England rugby team.Benton had previously worked with the Australian side in the build-up to the 2015 World Cup, where they made the final. Vunivalu admitted he hit a mental low due to his injury battles, but he now felt back to his best.“When I did my second hamstring, I really struggled,” he said. “This year it’s all different ... Dean and them have been helping me throughout and that shows, playing six or seven games straight. I worked with him after my second surgery for three months and it’s been awesome and I’ve never felt so good with my hamstring before.”Vunivalu said he had leaned on Koroibete, among the world’s best wingers, since his code switch. He said the Wallabies coaches wanted to see him improve his work-rate off the ball, something Koroibete is renowned for.“Since my first time in [camp], he’s been the player that I go to and ask tips,” Vunivalu said. “His work ethic on the field speaks for itself.” | Other Sports |
Quavo Gifts Takeoff Migos Chain For Bday ... A Sign They're Still A Trio!!! 6/21/2022 12:50 AM PT Migos are still amigos, and the proof is in the icing ... 'cause Quavo gifted Takeoff a Migos chain to mark his birthday. Quavo bought Takeoff the bling for his 28th birthday two days ago ... this according to celebrity jeweler Elliot Eliantte. We're told each group member now has matching customized chains -- each chain has a picture of all 3 Migos and each member is the center of their own chain. Eliantte Quavo and Offset got the chain last year as birthday presents. As for Takeoff's, Quavo spent a pretty penny on it ... $350K!!! Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. The gift comes on the heels of rumors that the trio might have broken up ... after Offset and Quavo stopped following each other on Instagram. Takeoff, on the other hand, kept following both. MAY 2022 BACKGRID At one point, our photog asked Huncho about a possible split, but he didn't say much and instead talked about his collab with Takeoff, "Hotel Lobby". A label rep later told us, the trio was still very much together ... but they had to cancel their Governors Ball performance because of a scheduling conflict. Well, if you didn't believe it before ... a matching group chain is certainly a clear sign they're still one band, one sound. | Music |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, June 21 (Reuters) - South Korea conducted the second test launch of its domestically produced Nuri space rocket on Tuesday, eight months after the first test successfully blasted off but failed to place a dummy satellite in orbit.The rocket lifted off from Naro Space Center on the southern coast of South Korea at 4 p.m. (0700 GMT), and officials expected to know about an hour later whether it had successfully placed its payload in orbit.The three-stage KSLV-II Nuri rocket, designed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to eventually put 1.5-ton payloads into orbit 600 to 800 km above the Earth, is a cornerstone of the country’s plans to jumpstart its space programme and achieve ambitious goals in 6G networks, spy satellites, and even lunar probes.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIt uses only Korean rocket technologies, and is the country's first domestically built space launch vehicle. South Korea’s last booster, launched in 2013 after multiple delays and several failed tests, was jointly developed with Russia.In Nuri's first test in October, the rocket completed its flight sequences but failed to put the test payload into orbit after its third-stage engine burned out earlier than planned.Engineers adjusted the helium tank inside Nuri's third-stage oxidizer tank to address that problem, Yonhap news agency reported.People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on the KSLV-II NURI rocket launching from its launch pad of the Naro Space Center, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File PhotoThe stakes were higher in Tuesday's test, as in addition to a dummy satellite, Nuri carried a rocket performance verification satellite and four cube satellites developed by universities for research.KARI has said it plans to conduct at least four more test launches by 2027.Nuri is key to South Korean plans to eventually build a Korean satellite-based navigation system and a 6G communications network. The country also plans to launch a range of military satellites, but officials deny that the Nuri has any use as a weapon.South Korea is also working with the United States on a lunar orbiter, and hopes to land a probe on the moon by 2030.Space launches have long been a sensitive issue on the Korean peninsula, where North Korea faces sanctions over its nuclear-armed ballistic missile programme.In March, South Korea's military separately oversaw what it said was its first successful launch of a solid-fuel space-launch rocket, another part of its plans to launch spy satellites.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Josh Smith. Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Space Exploration |
Entertainment Updated on: June 21, 2022 / 2:47 AM / CBS News It's out. "Break My Soul," the first song from Beyoncé's forthcoming seventh album, "Renaissance," has dropped.The superstar singer announced on social media Monday that it would drop at midnight. But Billboard reports it actually happened at 10 Monday night, EDT. Beyoncé made the announcement by changing the bio on her social media accounts to "6. BREAK MY SOUL midnight ET," suggesting that the song will be the sixth track on the album. She hasn't revealed much about the album, though she set a July 29 release date and has shared several images from a recent photo shoot for British Vogue's July issue.
Jay-Z and Beyonce have previously released music exclusively to Tidal — but "Renaissance" will also premiere on Apple Music and Spotify. According to Apple Music's pre-order option, the album will have 16 tracks. "Renaissance" will be Beyoncé's seventh solo album. She's the most decorated woman in Grammys history, boasting 29 awards, and was nominated for an Oscar this year for her original song "Be Alive" in the film "King Richard." Tre'Vaughn Howard Tre'Vaughn Howard is a digital associate producer and writer for CBS News, focusing on international and culture stories. Twitter | Music |
Today, one out of three people don't have access to safe drinking water. One reason is that 96.5% of that water is found in our oceans. It's saturated with salt, and undrinkable. Most of the freshwater is locked away in glaciers or deep underground. Less than 1% of it is available to us.Desalination is an important tool in the fight against water scarcity. Its reliability is becoming critical. If you have a desalination plant, energy and seawater, you can reliably get clean water. But it's not a cure-all. There are concerns about the amount of energy required, how much it costs and its environmental impacts.Water scarcity is a complex, difficult problem. Climate change is introducing growing uncertainty. Desalination uses a large amount of energy and, for some, it's fundamentally difficult advocating for a technology that would be adding to our growing, and mostly fossil fuel-based energy needs.Watch the video to see how desalination provides safe drinking but creates other environmental concerns in the process. | Chemistry and Material Sciences |
Kim & Kanye Communicating & Co-Parenting ... Even Breaking Bread!!! 6/21/2022 1:00 AM PT The deafening silence between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West is slowly becoming audible ... because we've learned the couple is communicating again and even able to attend events together with their kids. As we reported, both mom and dad attended North's basketball game over the weekend ... and while they didn't sit shoulder to shoulder, we're told Kim and Kanye drove to and from the game together with North in the car. The co-parenting didn't stop with North -- sources close to both say Kim and Kanye also attended a family lunch Saturday, following a dance recital for Chicago. Backgrid Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson Spend Time Together with Daughter True When we say it was a family lunch, we mean it ... Kris, Grandma MJ, Kylie, Travis Scott, Khloe and Tristan all grubbed out at Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas. We posted photos of the lunch, but Kim and Kanye were nowhere to be seen, even though we now know they were present. While we're told the relationship's still obviously a work-in-progress. They're able to communicate on issues involving their 4 kids, but that's about it. We're told any talk of dating just doesn't happen. Kim wished Kanye a Happy Father's Day Sunday, sharing sweet words about her ex-hubby with photos of Ye in dad mode. Considering where Kim and Kanye were just a few months ago -- their progress is game-changing -- Kim has always maintained she wants Kanye to be with their kids as much as possible, provided they work around the children's schedules. Of course, there have been some significant bumps in the road -- but we haven't seen any social media attacks toward Kim or bf Pete Davidson since Ye was suspended from Instagram back in March. | Celebrity |
In a bombshell decision, rugby league has banned transgender athletes from competing in international events such as the World Cup, just one day after the world swimming body FINA did the same.International Rugby League (IRL) announced male-to-female players will be unable to play in sanctioned international rugby league matches until the sporting body can conduct further research into the issue. This includes the World Cup, which is due to be played later this year. Australia's delegates to the IRL are Australian Rugby League (ARL) commissioners Peter Beattie and Wayne Pearce, while the board is chaired by fellow Aussie Troy Grant. Male-to-female rugby league players will not be able to compete at international level. Pictured is a shot of the 2022 NRLW grand final between the Roosters and Dragons'The International Olympic Committee (IOC) concluded that it is the remit of each sport and its governing body to determine how an athlete may be at a disproportionate advantage compared with their peers - taking into consideration the differing nature of each sport,' the IRL said in a statement.'In the interests of avoiding unnecessary welfare, legal and reputational risk to International Rugby League competitions, and those competing therein, the IRL believes there is a requirement and responsibility to further consult and complete additional research before finalising its policy.'The IRL's decision comes after FINA became the first international sporting body to take a strong and decisive approach to transgender athletes, in a move that will change swimming forever. American transgender swimmer Lia Thomas will not be able to compete in FINA eventsThey made the ruling only biological women can compete in female events, while simultaneously announcing new race categories will be created for transgender athletes, who don't fit into traditional gender classifications.American transgender swimmer Lia Thomas brought the issue into prominence by making waves in the US college swimming scene.The swimmer had also made her intentions to trial for the Paris 2024 Olympics clear, making a decision on transgender athletes a somewhat urgent requirement for the international body. Thomas will now not be able to compete in the 2024 Paris OlympicsFor their part, the IRL was keen to reiterate they consider rugby league a game for any and all genders, but indicated they needed more information and research before they could permit transgender players to compete at an international level. 'The IRL reaffirms its belief that rugby league is a game for all and that anyone and everyone can play our sport. It is the IRL’s responsibility to balance the individual’s right to participate - a longstanding principle of rugby league and at its heart from the day it was established - against perceived risk to other participants, and to ensure all are given a fair hearing,' the IRL statement read.'The IRL will continue to work towards developing a set of criteria, based on best possible evidence, which fairly balance the individual’s right to play with the safety of all participants.'To help achieve this, the IRL will seek to work with the eight Women’s Rugby League World Cup 2021 finalists to obtain data to inform a future transwomen inclusion policy in 2023, which takes into consideration the unique characteristics of rugby league,' said the IRL. Only biologically female rugby league players will be able to compete internationally Australia's first trans rugby league player reveals how she fought on despite being BASHED by her own teammates and having a bounty put on her head Caroline Layt battled discrimination and ignorance as Australia's first trans rugby league player - and now she's revealed she had to battle her own teammates, as well.The 56-year-old trailblazer was playing women's first-grade rugby in Sydney in 2005 when she says she was bashed by six of her fellow players after her coach outed her a few weeks beforehand.'The first one was holding my arms while the rest took turns punching my head... bang, bang, bang,' she said.Her team's coach discovered she was trans during an incredible conversation when he said Layt didn't have any experience in the sport - and got a very unexpected comeback. Layt excelled on the footy field, with her coach advising her to try to play for Australia She knew it was 'wrong' for her to be male from the age of three or four and asked her father, 'Why can't I be a girl?' before transitioning just before turning 30'I replied ... 'Well, actually, I played for Easts 20 years ago, against you,'' recalled Layt, who played a rugby league State of Origin match for NSW in 2007.The following year she was playing in the same competition when a bounty was placed on her, with an elbow to the head worth $25.'Whoever injured me the most, they got the cash,' she told the Daily Telegraph.But despite having to deal with violence and intimidation, Layt insists her time in women's sport 'isn't a sad story'.She started playing footy aged four, and was good enough to take the field for South Sydney in rugby league in her early 20s.But all the while, something didn't feel right.'From around three or four I knew,' Layt told Daily Mail Australia. 'I just knew it was wrong to be that way.'I remember asking my dad, "Why can't I be a girl, why can't I be pretty?"' Layt (pictured carrying the ball) played for the NSW Blues in the 2007 Women's State of Origin Today Layt is an advocate for trans women in sport - and she wants to speak with NRL bosses Andrew Abdo and Peter V'landys about trans players making their mark in the NRLW After acting 'totally macho' during her time at an all-boys Catholic boarding school, she took up traditionally masculine sports and was selected by Souths aged 23. Almost seven years later, just before her 30th birthday, she decided to transition.'It was tough. In those early transition stages people can tell that you’re trans and they stare and are rude. When I started passing more it got easier, but there were stages where it would flare up. I got attacked by a 16-year-old kid one day,' she said.Sport became a saving grace for her as she won four golds, a silver and a bronze in the Sydney Gay Games, then decided to play footy again after playing a game of touch at a high school reunion where her classmates embraced her new identity.She excelled, being named a finalist for the women's player of the year in the Sydney Morning Herald's 2004 rugby awards. Her coach wanted her to play for Australia at the time.Her Origin debut for the Blues followed three years later, and she missed playing more games for NSW when a knee injury ruled her out for 2008 and much of 2009. Layt was always a handy footballer. She returned to the field after transitioning when playing a game of touch at a school reunion reignited her love of the gameTrans women playing sport - especially contact sports where there are concerns about other competitors getting hurt by bigger and more powerful trans opponents - has become a big issue in Australia. Layt is right in the thick of the debate now that she works as a journalist, blogger and advocate for trans women.'Nobody was killed. Nobody was hurt,' she said of her time in rugby league.'The year I played for NSW, Queensland beat us 38-16. And you can find the footage, I was just another player.'Layt wants to sit down with NRL bosses Andrew Abdo and Peter V'landys to talk about trans women playing in the NRLW.'As a minimum, I think trans athletes should have to wait at least two years after transitioning before they can play footy,' she explained, adding that her bench press dropped substantially when she transitioned, and her drop in endurance was worse. | Other Sports |
Three hours before the announced release time of her new single, Beyoncé surprise-dropped “Break My Soul,” the first single from her forthcoming seventh solo studio album “Renaissance,” and it’s the Bey jam fans have been waiting for: A driving dance track co-produced by the “Single Ladies” team of Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, with a plinking, insistent hook, a hot beat and periodic exhortations from Big Freedia.“Release your anger, release your mind/ Release your job, release the time/ Release your trade, release the stress/ Release the love, forget the rest.”Also in the writing credits are Jay-Z, Adam Pigott (a.k.a BlaqNmilD, who’s worked with Drake, Quavo, Megan Thee Stallion and many others), Freddie Ross, a.k.a Big Freedia, and the writers of Robin S’s 1993 hit “Show Me Love,” which is prominently sampled in the song.For her part, Bey is on message with both her return and the disco theme of the song: The title is flipped by saying “You won’t break my soul,” and a statement of intent follows:“I’mma let down my hair ’cause I lost my mindBey is back and I’m sleeping real good at nightThe queen’s in the front and the Dom’s in the backAin’t taking no flicks but the whole clique snapped.”It’s filled with dancefloor-friendly lines like: “Motivation/ I’m looking for a new foundation/ I’m on that new vibration/ I’m building my own foundation” and a repeated exhortation of “Everybody.”In an apparent slight to major streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, the song initially appeared only on Tidal — the streaming service co-owned by Beyoncé's husband, Jay-Z — three hours before its announced release time of midnight ET, and on Vevo/YouTube an hour or so later. Beyonce has a history of this: Her 2016 “Lemonade” album was available only on Tidal for three years, a move that likely cost her millions in streaming royalties.Beyoncé announced early Thursday that the long-expected album will be arriving on July 29. The singer sounded the alarm that something was coming earlier this month, when she wiped her social media accounts, which, as evidence by the lack of profile pictures, still have not been fully repopulated.Beyoncé actually has released four albums since her blockbuster 2016 outing “Lemonade,” although none of them are full Beyoncé solo albums. In 2018, she dropped “Everything Is Love,” a tag-team with husband Jay-Z under the name The Carters; in April of 2019, she released “Homecoming,” an album of her galvanizing 2018 headlining performance at Coachella, for which she was accompanied by a full marching band (which was also released as a Netflix special as part of a $60 million deal; and that summer she followed with “The Lion King: The Gift,” a companion album to the Disney film that featured several new songs from her — featuring contributions from Kendrick Lamar, Donald Glover and others — as well as songs featuring 070 Shake, Tierra Whack and African artists like Burna Boy, Mr. Eazi, Tiwa Savage and others; a deluxe edition of that album featuring three additional tracks was released a year later. | Music |
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak join top Tories as well as guests including Holly Valance and Nick Candy for summer party at London's V&A museumPrime Minister Johnson and top members of his cabinet headed to London's V&A museum on Monday nightGuests were jeered and booed by group of members of the PCS Union who gathered campaign for better payEarlier this year, Boris Johnson announced 91,000 job cuts across the civil service, with the secretaries of state asked to prepare plans for redundancies across their departments by the soon-approaching 30 June Published: 19:33 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 20:55 EDT, 20 June 2022 Advertisement Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak joined top Tories and guests for a Conservative summer party being held at V&A museum this evening.The fundraising event on Monday night saw the Prime Minister and top members of his cabinet head to the London museum to woo Tory donors.Also in attendance were billionaire Nick Candy and his Australian actress wife Holly Valance, political strategist Lynton Crosby and former investment banker Lubov Chernukhin. It came hours after the Prime Minister retook the reins of government yesterday afternoon, after undergoing surgery on a sinus problem.The Prime Minister is feeling well and will be holding meetings this afternoon, after the minor operation under general anaesthetic at an unspecified London NHS hospital, his spokesman said.Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital at 6am for the scheduled procedure, and returned to Downing Street around 10am. It was the first time the PM had visited hospital since he suffered from Covid in the spring of 2020, and his spokesman said they two were not related. Boris Johnson (pictured) and Rishi Sunak joined top Tories and guests for a Conservative summer party being held at V&A museum this evening The fundraising event on Monday night saw the Prime Minister and top members of his cabinet head to the London museum to woo Tory donors (Rishi Sunak pictured) Also in attendance were billionaire Nick Candy and his Australian actress wife Holly Valance, pictured, who were escorted in by police through crowds of protesters Businessman Nick Candy is pictured with wife, Australian actress Holly Valance, arriving hand-in-hand for the Conservative Summer Party at V&A on Monday evening Former investment banker and Conservative party donor, Lubov Chernukhin, who has donated more than £2million to the Tories, is picturedAs they arrived at the party, guests were jeered and booed by a group of members of the PCS Union who gathered outside to campaign for better pay.Earlier this year, Boris Johnson announced 91,000 job cuts across the civil service, with the secretaries of state asked to prepare plans for redundancies across their departments by the soon-approaching 30 June.Conservative party Chairman Oliver Dowden arrived at the museum for the do, as well as foreign secretary Liz Truss, health secretary Sajid Javid.In April, the Prime Minister hosted a luxurious champagne and canapes do at Mayfair hotel Claridge's and joked about Partygate just hours before the cost-of-living bills came into place for Britons.Johnson and fellow Cabinet ministers 'schmoozed' Tory donors on April 2, ahead of the life-changing rise in costs for bills and council tax for the people of the UK. It is understood that the event on Monday evening was similar in that Tories were 'schmoozing' their regular donors. Conservative party Chairman Oliver Dowden (pictured left) arrived at the museum for the do, as well as foreign secretary Liz Truss, health secretary Sajid Javid Also in attendance was secretary of state for Wales, Simon Hart, pictured right, on Monday evening outside the V&A museum Guests were jeered and booed by a group of members of the PCS Union who gathered outside to campaign for better payThe following day after the April do saw millions of ordinary Britons face an assault on their budgets because council tax, car tax, national insurance, water bills and the cost of broadband, phones and TV are all going up in April. All the while Mr Johnson was wooing wealthy backers, with his aim to get cash for the Conservative's marginal seats funds.Earlier today, Boris Johnson retook the reins of government hours after undergoing surgery on a sinus problem this morning.The Prime Minister is 'feeling well' and held meetings this afternoon, after the minor operation under general anaesthetic at an unspecified London NHS hospital, his spokesman said. Businessman and notable Tory donor Nick Candy (pictured) and his Australian actress wife Holly Valance also went to the event on Monday Culture secretary Nadine Dorries was booed by protesters, who are government workers including civil servants. Pictured is foreign secretary Liz TrussMr Johnson was admitted to hospital at 6am for the scheduled procedure, and returned to Downing Street around 10am. It was the first time the PM had visited hospital since he suffered from Covid in the spring of 2020, and his spokesman said they two were not related.It is understood Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab remains on hand to assist with any major decisions, in line with the general advice to the public on not making significant choices for the first 24 hours after undergoing general anaesthesia.However, Boris Johnson remains Prime Minister and will continue acting as such, No 10 said. Advertisement | Celebrity |
London CNN — For Claire Heafford, the abuse she says she suffered as a young gymnast has left a lasting mark on her life. Heafford, who’s now in her 40s, told CNN Sport she experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after competing in British gymnastics in the 1990s, when she alleges, she was physically and emotionally abused. Now, she says she finally feels “vindicated,” after years fighting for reform in the sport through the organization she co-founded, Gymnasts for Change. Last week, an independent review concluded that British Gymnastics allowed for a culture of physical and emotional abuse and failed to provide a safe environment for gymnasts, with children body-shamed, belittled and abused. Heafford said she felt “a massive feeling of vindication” following the release of a review conducted by barrister Anne Whyte, saying it “completely validated everything that we’d anecdotally known and had been reporting and campaigning on for two years.” Released Thursday, Whyte’s 300-plus page review concluded that British Gymnastics should have been aware of the “bullying, harassment and excessive control” that occurred in training clubs between 2008 and 2020. “My own experience was that I was trained by the first Russian that was brought over to the UK in the 90s,” Heafford told CNN’s Amanda Davies. “I grew up in a Soviet training camp in the heart of the home counties [the counties surrounding London]. It was too bizarre to be believed. So as a kid just at an ordinary state school, trying to explain to my school friends, what my training life was like was difficult,” she said. In the report, Whyte highlighted the “recruitment of a significant number of coaches” from the former Soviet Union and the Soviet bloc. “The technical skill and experience of these coaches, whilst formidable, was sometimes accompanied by an attitude to the gymnast which was autocratic and dismissive and left athletes feeling like commodities,” Whyte wrote, adding that the ability of these coaches to produce decorated gymnasts was admired and later emulated by coaches in the UK. Heafford says what she experienced in the 1990s mirrors incidents reported to Whyte, who was commissioned by UK Sport and Sport England to review allegations that British Gymnastics failed to address complaints for decades. Whyte received over 400 submissions and interviewed 190 people after her call for evidence in August 2020. In response to the review, British Gymnastics chief executive Sarah Powell admitted Thursday that the organization failed the sport of gymnastics and apologized on behalf of the sporting body. “I wish to accept all of the recommendations and the key findings, and we will work hard to ensure that these are acted upon quickly and robustly,” stated Powell. “But most importantly, I want to wholeheartedly apologize on behalf of the leadership and the board for those gymnasts who have suffered because we have not met the standards that are expected for our sport.” “When you do try to raise the alarm as a child and you’re shut down, it makes you think that if you do speak out, you’re not going to be believed,” Heafford, who left the sport in 1995, told CNN. “From that point on, I never watched gymnastics. I got the hell away from it. And I went into athletics, which is where I had wonderful experiences, and I loved every minute of being a track and field athlete. So it was only when I stopped competing that I started to get PTSD symptoms showing up from my time in gymnastics,” she added. After distancing herself from the sport for years, Heafford now coaches adults in gymnastics, runs body positive gymnastics classes and campaigns for change in the sport – particularly for the recognition of historic abuse. Other gymnasts have been vocal in their support of the report’s release. Two-time Olympian Becky Downie, who competed for Great Britain in the 2008 and 2016 Olympic Games, said the report “feels like a vindication for myself and so many who have known for so long of the serious cultural problems within the sport. A sport I love more than anything.” “Finally everyone knows the truth and while it won’t directly benefit those who have experienced it, it’s encouraging to know that if the recommendations are implemented, it’ll protect and enhance the next generation of gymnasts,” she wrote on Instagram and Twitter. Whyte recommended systemic changes in her review, including calling on British Gymnastics to improve its complaints system by offering better guidance on how concerns should be investigated and strengthening how complaints are monitored so that patterns of abuse can be better recognized. Whyte also recommended that British Gymnastics reassess the level of responsibility delegated to volunteers and employ trained, expert staff, as well as introducing mandatory safeguarding training for all club owners and managers. She added that British Gymnastics must appoint board members with expertise in promoting the welfare of children and protecting them from harm, as well as a director of education with responsibility for the education of coaches and welfare officers. Downie added: “While it’ll never make what has been allowed to happen to myself and so many others ok, it has been made clear us athletes have been heard, and I’m overwhelmingly encouraged for the future of young gymnasts in this country.” UK Sport and Sport England said they accepted and endorsed the review’s recommendations, and that they would continue to support British Gymnastics. “At this time, our intention is to continue to fund British Gymnastics, as we believe that withdrawing funding would not only prevent them from implementing the vital changes outlined in the report but also negatively impact on the support to and wellbeing of gymnasts now,” the joint UK Sport and Sport England statement reads. “However, we are clear that continued funding for British Gymnastics will depend on its new leadership team making significant changes to the sport, to the timelines set out in the report’s recommendations.” This week, 18-year-old former elite acrobatic gymnast Eloise Jotischky won the first civil case against British Gymnastics for the abuse she said she experienced at the hands of a coach. She and Heafford are among a group of 39 plaintiffs involved in civil cases focusing on historic abuse by coaches who fell under the auspices of British Gymnastics, according to a representative for Gymnastics for Change. British Gymnastics admitted full liability in Jotischky’s case and reached a settlement with the former gymnast, whom the BBC reported also received an apology from the chief executive of the organization. Jotischky, who said her coach subjected her to inappropriate weight management techniques and verbal harassment, told CNN Sport in an email she was glad the report had “finally exposed the catastrophic safeguarding failures that led to the abuse of hundreds of gymnasts.” In the report, Whyte highlighted submissions detailing how “some coaches went to damaging lengths to control what gymnasts ate and weighed, to the extent of searching luggage and rooms for food. As a result, some gymnasts suffered from (and still suffer from) eating disorders and associated mental health issues.” Jotischky, who competed in the sport between the ages of eight and 14, told CNN Sport she was encouraged that British Gymnastics intended to implement the report’s recommendations. But she expressed concern, saying that “more needs to be done to address and reform the endemic culture of abuse that has been so deeply ingrained within the sport.” In particular, Jotischky said she believes a register of coaches is critical: “Without a register of coaches, parents will never know when their child is being coached by someone who has had allegations of abuse against them. The failures of the past have proved that parents should not be shut out, especially in a sport where the coaches are being entrusted with the welfare of young children.” When approached for a comment on Jotischky’s remarks, British Gymnastics declined to comment further. Jotischky said that, since becoming the first gymnast to win her legal case against British Gymnastics, she has been overwhelmed by the number of gymnasts who have contacted her to share their experiences. “It shows there are so many gymnasts who are afraid to speak out publicly and that must change,” she said. Heafford agreed. “The reality is that national governing bodies operate within a vacuum from a legal point of view. And the only thing that will bring actual cultural change to sport generally and specifically to the sport of gymnastics is legislative change,” she said, adding that she is calling for mandatory reporting whereby parents, gymnasts and coaches within training facilities would legally be required to report any abuse they observed. Heafford said that it was difficult for survivors to speak up, adding “there is such defensiveness within the culture of gymnastics.” “You know that as a gymnast, if you speak out about culture, there will be repercussions. You’ll be ostracized from the community, so it’s not an easy thing to do,” she said. UK Sport and Sport England referred CNN to last week’s joint statement when approached for further comment. The report comes as gymnastics institutions worldwide have been forced to reckon with claims of abuse and safeguarding failures following an outpouring of survivor testimony. In March, more than 70 former and current gymnasts in Canada called for an investigation into “ongoing toxic and abusive practices” gymnasts are allegedly subject to in the country. In an open letter addressed to Sport Canada, the athletes have called for the governing body to conduct an “independent, third-party investigation.” At the time, GymCan said it was aware of the letter being circulated and agreed that an external and independent organization must be established to oversee complaints. In May, GymCan and its Provincial Member Organizations said they had been informed by the media of a proposed class action lawsuit, filed with the Supreme Court of British Columbia, in which they are named as defendants. “Although we have not been served, the allegations we have been made aware of in the claim describe behaviour that is unacceptable in any sport environment, and we take them very seriously,” GymCan said in a statement, adding they are committed to addressing all allegations with “diligence and due process.” This comes four years after disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in Michigan state prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct. At the sentencing, 156 victims, including Olympic gold medalists Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, recounted stories of how they went to Nassar to receive treatment for sports injuries, only to be sexually assaulted and told it was a form of treatment. Attorneys for more than 90 women and girls who were sexually abused by Nassar this month submitted claims for over $1 billion to the FBI, saying investigators could have ended Nassar’s predation and protected other victims had they not mishandled the case. The claimants include Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, Raisman and Maroney and world championship medalist Maggie Nichols. Each has asked for $50 million, according to the law firm that represents them. CNN this month contacted the Department of Justice, which oversees the FBI, and officials there declined to comment. | Other Sports |
Lewis Capaldi has led tributes after X Factor star Tom Mann revealed his fiancée Danielle Hampson, 34, died on Saturday - the morning of their wedding day.Tom, who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks, made the devastating announcement on Monday evening, leading to an outpouring of love from his colleagues in the music industry.Singers Lewis Capaldi and Ellie Goulding paid tribute, while Take That star Howard Donald penned a post dedicated to 'super talented' dancer Danielle. Danielle worked with a number of big name artists during her successful career as a dancer. Her last major performance before she became a mum last year was a role in Harry Styles' 2021 music video for his hit Treat People With Kindness. Tom had just returned from a holiday with Danielle, 34, who also worked as a PR Executive, in Sardinia last month. Danielle did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown. Shock: Howard Donald and Lewis Capaldi have led tributes after X Factor star Tom Mann revealed his fiancée Danielle Hampson, 34, died on SaturdayLewis Capaldi commented on Tom's Instagram post: 'Love you brother'. Ellie Goulding wrote: 'I’m thinking of you non stop… You are so strong. Here for you always. Love you xxxx'.Take That star Howard revealed he had worked with Dani on the band's 2017 Wonderland tour, as he wrote on Twitter: 'I'm gutted beyond words that one of our dancers on wonderland has passed away. What a beautiful and super talented dancer she was.'I'm happy to say I danced with her and the uk dance world will be shocked and saddened just like I am.' Condolences: The star's famous friends reached out to share their support including Lewis Capaldi, Ellie Goulding and Nadine Coyle Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle wrote: 'Sending so much love, light & healing to you, Bowie & everyone who loved Dani!!'Mimi Webb penned: 'Tom I'm so so sorry sending all my love to you & thinking of you love you brother x we are with you', while Strictly star HRVY wrote: 'so so so sorry Tom, we all love you thinking of you man.'Tom's old bandmate Barclay Beales said: 'Sending all my love brother so sorry'.Dancer Sarah Lou Richards commented: 'I’m so so sorry Tom. She was so special. Sending all my love and strength to you and little Bowie.' Dancer: Take That star Howard revealed he had worked with Dani on the band's 2017 Wonderland tour, writing: 'I'm gutted beyond words' (pictured with Danielle during a Take That Strictly Come Dancing performance in 2017)Talented: Danielle worked with a number of big name artists during her career as a dancer. Her last major performance before she became a mum last year was a role in Harry Styles' 2021 music video for his hit Treat People With Kindness Sucessful career: She also danced on the Spice World 2019 tour (pictured in rehearsals with Geri Halliwell and fellow dancers)Arena performances: Danielle called her time performing alongside the Spice Girls 'a childhood dream I never believed would come true'Danielle worked with a number of big name artists during her successful career as a dancer. Her last major performance before she became a mum last year was a role in Harry Styles' 2021 music video for his hit Treat People With Kindness.She also danced on the Spice World 2019 tour, calling her time performing alongside the Spice Girls 'a childhood dream I never believed would come true.' Emma Bunton paid tribute on Monday, writing on Tom's Instagram post: 'Heartbroken for you. A beautiful soul that will live on. Thinking of you all.'Singer-songwriter Tom shared a photograph of Dani and their eight month old son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son. Tom had just returned from a holiday with Danielle, 34, who also worked as a PR Executive, in Sardinia last month. Danielle did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown. Tragic: Tom, who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks, made the devastating announcement on Monday evening, leading to an outpouring of love from his colleagues in the music industry Heartbreaking: The X Factor star (pictured on the show in 2013) revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth month old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday - the day of their weddingTom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June.'On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak.'I feel like I have cried an ocean. We never made it to the alter; or got to say our vows, or dance our first dance, but I know you know that you were my entire world and the best thing that has ever happened to me, Danielle.'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you.' Broken: The singer-songwriter - who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks - shared a photograph of Dani and their son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son Tom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June' Tom went on to vow that he would stay strong for his son, penning: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy.'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud.'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that. 'I will try to find peace in your messages and comments, but right now I am grieving and I will be for a very, very long time.'Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' He continued: 'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you' Tom went on to vow that he would stay strong for his son, penning: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy' Love: They announced their engagement in December 2019, with Tom sharing a gushing post about his 'future wife' after he popped the question in a jazz cafe in London Time with friends: Danielle had celebrated her future wedding with a mini hen do with her girls prior to the big day Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' Loved-up: The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom He penned: 'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud'The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom. They announced their engagement in December 2019, with Tom sharing a gushing post about his 'future wife' after he popped the question in a jazz cafe in London. Her last social media post came three weeks prior to her death when she shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia with friends. Last post: Danielle's last social media post came three weeks prior to her death. She shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia Family snaps: Danielle had shared a gallery of images with her fiancé and their baby boy Fun with friends: Danielle and Tom had been joined by a group of friends on their trip Tom auditioned for X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of the ITV singing show in 2014.The group consisted of Jake Sims, Chris Leonard, Charlie Jones, Casey Johnson, Barclay Beales, Reece Bibby, and Tom.Tom wrote the band's first single Love Me So and at the time said: 'For me to have written our first single it's a massive honour that it's been chosen and everyone in the band loves it'I wrote the single within a day. I can't come back to a song, I have to finish it.'He went on to write songs for acts including JLS, Lewis Capaldi, Becky Hill and Mimi Webb. The group split up in 2015 just 10 months after they were formed on The X Factor.A statement to fans on the eight-piece boy band's Facebook page revealed they decided to go their separate ways after struggling to secure a record deal. Tom said of Danielle: 'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that' The group wrote: 'We all feel the time has come for us to now continue our journeys individually.'We have learnt first-hand just how tough the industry is as an unsigned act. Unfortunately, due to these circumstances, we are no longer able to carry on as a band.'Please understand that there is nothing more that you could have done and that this is a situation completely beyond both your control and ours. We have considered endless ways of how we might try to make this work, but it is logistically impossible for us to continue as Stereo Kicks.'From the bottom of our hearts, we will be forever grateful for all of your hard work, support and love. We can't thank you enough.'The group went on to add that there had been no falling out between the members before they decision to call it a day: 'We still remain the BEST of friends and will continue to support each other in everything we do. Band: Tom auditioned for the X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of X Factor in 2014'Although this is really sad for us, we felt that we wanted to end on a high. You guys have been with us every step of the way and have been the first to hear our news, and we wanted to keep it that way!' The group all performed a solo artists during the auditions stage of The X Factor in 2014, before being merged into a group by the judges.Tom, who was 19-years-old when he auditioned, was a football coach from Southampton who sang the Cyndi Lauper classic, 'Girls Just want to Have Fun' during the Boot Camp stage on the popular ITV show.Former panellist Louis Walsh then put the boys through to the live shows, where they stayed until they were kicked out after a sing-off with Lauren Platt in week eight.Louis fumed at Simon Cowell at the time, insisting he would regret his decision not to save them when they became a huge hit. First post: The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom Tragedy: The couple had shared pictures of the save the date for the wedding which tragically never took place He said to the Metro: 'It was totally the wrong decision by Simon. The potential for these boys is incredible and time will tell who will do well between these boys and the girl.'I am never going to let him forget it. And when they sell all those records I will say, 'Do you remember when you voted them off?'The group had been tipped to be the next One Direction, but suffered a series of scandals in the early days of their formation.Barclay was the victim of revenge porn at the end of last year after an explicite naked photo was leaked online.Meanwhile, Jake was caught up in two drugs scandals in a month after pictures showing him lying in a daze after allegedly snorting Class A drug ketamine emerged just weeks after he was accused of making several references about smoking drugs online. Celebrity spot: Danielle (pictured with Gary Barlow) did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown | Music |
Wimbledon is turning to big data to help improve fans’ tennis knowledge, after discovering even ticket holders at the Championships were not aware of most of the players in the game.Crowds at this year’s tournament – set to return to sold-out levels after the coronavirus pandemic – are to be exposed to more facts and figures which organisers hope will help get them “closer to the sport”. AI-powered stats will seek to better explain the strengths and weaknesses in players’ games but also predict upsets and rising stars, with data built in part from trawling newspaper headlines.Alexandra Willis, the All England Club’s director of communications and marketing, said the idea had come about before Covid. “We found that most fans didn’t watch tennis the rest of the year,” she said. “They also hadn’t heard of most of the players [and] this was a specific barrier to engagement.”Now spectators at Wimbledon fortnight, as well as television viewers and app users, will have access to Win Factor, a tool that will aggregate data from a number of sources to better predict a player’s chances of victory in a given match. Fans will be able to input their own match predictions too, while being encouraged to scour more information on some of the game’s lesser known players.“Leveraging technology to help fans become more informed, engaged and involved throughout the Wimbledon fortnight is at the core of our strategy to ensure we … keep Wimbledon relevant,” Willis said, admitting the tournament needs to strike a balance between tradition and innovation. “We can’t just celebrate the past, we need to look forward,” she said.Wimbledon will be leaning on IBM, its technology partner of 33 years, to provide the information. While the technology company boasts of its artificial intelligence capabilities it also has staff physically recording stats courtside on every Wimbledon match and says it has 9.2m tennis datapoints now on record. Another data tool uses AI to scour media sources to gauge “sentiment” on players, leaving open the possibility that a tabloid scandal could have an unwelcome effect on a player’s Win Factor chances.Sign up to The Recap, our weekly email of editors’ picks.The new features are part of Wimbledon’s response to a challenge faced by many sports, that of trying to court a modern audience. Following Formula One’s successful rejuvenation, the All England Club – alongside other tennis bodies – have secured a deal with Netflix to produce a Drive to Survive-style series that will chronicle events at the sports’ grand slam events, while also drawing out some of the game’s personalities.A refresh of Centre Court, 100 years old this summer, is also just about complete. There will be a restoration of old architectural details and an increase in the number of accessible seats, but one small detail could prove significant too: the screen covering the players’ tunnel is to be removed, providing a better shot for the cameras as stars come on to court. | Tennis |
The 2002 Major League Baseball draft saw a healthy crop of future All-Stars – such as Zack Greinke, Cole Hamels and Prince Fielder – pen their first professional contracts. It also produced a misguided selection widely regarded as one of the all-time biggest busts, when the Pittsburgh Pirates took pitcher Bryan Bullington with the No 1 overall pick.But the 2002 class will forever be associated with a book that sent ripples around the sporting world. Michael Lewis’ Moneyball told the story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane and his ground-breaking, analytics-based approach to recruitment during the 2002 draft and MLB season. It was turned into a movie starring Brad Pitt in 2011 and continues to shape thinking across many sports.And 20 years on, the 16th pick of the Moneyball draft still vividly remembers how Beane, and Lewis’ book, launched his career.“This was before all the rankings and the systems and the predictors,” says Nick Swisher, the former A’s and New York Yankees outfielder and first-baseman. “A bunch of scouts would come to watch you play – ‘Can the kid play or can you not?’ So I’m glad a bunch of those guys thought I could actually play. The night before [the draft], I received a phone call from Billy Beane telling me, ‘Swish, if you’re there at 16, we’re taking you.’ I got goosebumps.“Billy Beane was like a father figure to me. I can’t thank him enough for that opportunity. In the grand scheme of things, just to be part of that book and to be part of analytics before analytics were even analytics, that was pretty badass.”Swisher featured prominently in sections of Moneyball owing to the fact he was a rare example of a player on whom Beane – who prized on-base percentage above intangibles and other statistics more valued by baseball’s conventional wisdom of the time – and the A’s traditional scouts agreed.“People have always told me that they broke the mould when they made me,” says Swisher, who will be taking part in MLB’s new Home Run Derby X event in London on 9 July. “My personality and my outgoingness is very new-school, but the way I play the game is very blue collar. I didn’t have the Mike Trout talent. I didn’t have the Aaron Judge power. I didn’t have the Yasiel Puig arm. Just because you don’t have all those skills doesn’t mean that you don’t provide value and you’re not able to compete at a high level.“It was pretty cool to be known as a guy the new-school, analytics scouts were like, ‘Wow, this guy’s numbers really match up.’ I think that was because I was a patient hitter with power. That’s exactly the type of hitter you’re looking for in today’s game. You want someone that gets on base and someone that provides thump, that can put the ball in the seats.”Although no one could have predicted the cross-over success and widespread influence Moneyball would achieve, Swisher was aware of the project in its infancy, having been interviewed by Lewis alongside fellow rookies while the author’s wife, former MTV reporter Tabitha Soren, snapped photographs. And it wasn’t long after the book’s 2003 release, while he was still playing in the minor leagues, that Swisher began to appreciate the scale of Moneyball’s reach.“The one time that really stuck out to me was when we were in the minor leagues,” he says. “Most people were signing baseball cards. We were signing books. That was when it really clicked – ‘Wow, this book is very influential.’ It gave such a different perspective of the game. It was kind of the first time that people really got that inside look on how organisations that don’t have all the money have to find talent.”Swisher spent three seasons with the A’s, but the greatest triumph of his career came after he signed for the Yankees in 2008. Originally brought in to be the starting first-baseman, he found himself rooted to the bench after the Yankees acquired Mark Teixeira.Displaying the grit and endeavour that once so impressing the old-school A’s scouts, Swisher fought his way into the starting line-up at right-field early in the season and was a key contributor as the Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win the 2009 World Series.Nick Swisher will be participating in MLB Home Run Derby X. Photograph: MLB“I’ve always been a fighter,” he says. “Having the opportunity to play for an iconic organisation like the New York Yankees, you just knew that once you got your opportunity, you better shine, because you know how many people are right there behind you trying to take your spot.“The first person I ran into [at the World Series celebrations] was Jay-Z. I’m just like, ‘You know this is gonna be a big party!’ But I’ll never forget, we were doing the ticker-tape parade. We were driving down and there are people 10, 20, 30, 40 storeys up, launching paper out the window. It looked like it was snowing in November. It was one of the more magical things that my eyes have ever seen and something that I hold near and dear to my heart.“It is the God’s honest truth: there’s no better place to win than New York City, baby. I can promise you that.”Swisher became an All-Star the next season, following in the footsteps of his father, Steve, who played for the Chicago Cubs in the 1970s. Nick Swisher retired in 2017 after a brief second spell with the Yankees, but he will don the famous pin stripes once more for the Home Run Derby X.“My guys have been all over me,” he says of his preparation for the event that will see teams comprised of former MLB stars, rookies, women’s softball players and “wildcard” celebrities represent the Yankees, Cubs, Boston Red Sox and LA Dodgers. “They’re like, ‘You’ve got to start working out. You’re wearing the Yankee logo. You’ve got to make sure that you post.’ So I’ve been going down to the ballpark. We started hitting a couple times this week, just to start getting back at it.”Twenty years after it all began, Swisher is able to take stock and reflect on a full and storied baseball career. The only minor regret? That he didn’t feature in the Moneyball movie, which focused on the A’s trades and on-field tactics rather than their prized draft acquisition.“We all knew it when Brad Pitt was gonna play Billy Beane,” Swisher laughs. “We knew we were out. It wasn’t gonna be us, man.“If you haven’t seen the movie, see the movie. But if you haven’t read the book, read the book.” To find out more about the Home Run Derby X event, check out mlb.com/HomeRunDerbyX. You can follow the full Home Run Derby X Tour at @mlb and @MLBEurope. | Baseball |
Former X Factor singer Tom Mann has paid tribute to his fiancée after sharing the news she tragically died on the morning of their wedding day.Mann appeared in the eleventh series of The X Factor in 2014, finishing in fifth place as part of boyband Stereo Kicks, a group formed on the show, before going on to work as a songwriter for artists including Lewis Capaldi, Rita Ora and Tom Grennan.
He and his fiancée Danielle Hampson, mother to their eight-month-old son, Bowie, were due to marry on Saturday.Writing on Instagram, Mann said: "I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June."On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak. I feel like I have cried an ocean. We never made it to the alter; or got to say our vows, or dance our first dance, but I know you know that you were my entire world and the best thing that has ever happened to me, Danielle. I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you. "I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy. I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud."
Mann went on to describe his fiancée, who worked as a PR executive, as "the most beautiful person inside and out" and "the most incredible soul". More on X Factor The X Factor: Bad auditions, tantrums and sobbing contestants - the most unforgettable moments Jedward call Simon Cowell 'a bad facelift' in tirade against X Factor and the music industry James Arthur: 'A lot of people compare me to Lewis Capaldi' He continued: "We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that. I will try to find peace in your messages and comments, but right now I am grieving and I will be for a very, very long time."My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever."Mann did not say how Ms Hampson died.Stars including Emma Bunton, Nadine Coyle and Capaldi were among those paying tribute and sending their love to Mann following his post."Heartbroken for you," Bunton wrote. "A beautiful soul that will live on. Thinking of you all.""Sending so much love, light & healing to you, Bowie & everyone who loved Dani!!" wrote Coyle, while Capaldi said: "Love you brother." | Celebrity |
I have a confession to make as a Boston sports fan: I love Draymond Green.This is controversial given that Green’s main role in the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Boston Celtics in this year’s NBA finals was to do everything in his power to get under the team’s skin. The truth is that the league needs its trolls – and Green has spent his post-championship victory lap cementing his status as its alpha disruptor.Most players would be happy to bask in the glow of a title victory, but Green won’t be satisfied until he drinks the tears of his foes. So, of course, he’s not letting the Memphis Grizzlies off the hook just because the Warriors eliminated them more than a month ago. Back on 28 March, the Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr trolled the Warriors by tweeting the phrase “strength in numbers” after a regular-season victory.Golden State guard Klay Thompson was the first to bring that tweet up after the Warriors clinched their fourth championship in eight years last week, using a press conference to call Jackson a “freaking bum.” Memphis’s Ja Morant went to Twitter to suggest that his team was still living in the Warriors’ heads (which may be a valid point). That was a tactical mistake, because the Warriors promptly unleashed their not-so-secret weapon in a war of words: Green, who went scorched-earth on the Grizzlies’ young star.Here’s the problem for those who don’t like Green verbally demolishing a team the Warriors already humbled on the court: there’s nobody that can tell him he hasn’t earned the right to say what he wants. With the Warriors’ latest title, he now has four rings as part of the core of a genuine NBA dynasty. He’s been named an All-Star four times and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 (and probably deserved that honor in other years). Not a bad career for a relatively undersized power forward who infamously wasn’t selected until the second round of the 2012 draft.Green is a Basketball Heel, which is beyond a simple Trash Talker. Trash talking, after all, is an accepted and vital part of the game: there’s something about a sport that requires players to constantly pester opponents that has made the personal insult a useful tool. Even Hall of Fame players such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett (possibly the more extreme trash-talker in NBA history) had reputations as being extremely unfriendly during games.Yet, those players mostly confined their efforts to the court, especially the ones who were trying to sell you shoes. The Basketball Heel keeps their mouth going after the game, even after losses and especially after wins. In an essay for GQ about the modern-day phenomenon of NBA heels, Nathaniel Friedman pinpointed the origins of the modern-day basketball Trickster figure to Allen Iverson – loathed by the NBA establishment during his career but venerated by the younger generations – whose legacy turned on a single word: “practice.”Maybe Iverson is the best example, but there are others from the 1990s-00s who fit the bill. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley were would-be comedians who have devoted their entire post-playing careers to essentially treating the league like Statler and Waldorf treated The Muppet Show. Even those that hated Rasheed Wallace during his NBA days find themselves repeating his “ball don’t lie” catchphrase when opponents miss free throws they were given thanks to questionable whistles. The man once known as Metta World Peace once so successfully trolled a city that it resulted in a full-blown riot.OK, that last example isn’t exactly positive, but heels are bringers of chaos and not even they can predict what is to come. In ancient mythologies, the Trickster archetype sometimes brings with them the forces of creation … and sometimes nothing but destruction. There’s no denying that Green brought both of these with him in the playoffs, possibly in unequal measure.As the Guardian’s Andrew Lawrence wrote back during that series against the Grizzlies: “There’s been much debate as to who’s the best remaining player in the NBA playoffs. But there is no doubt about who’s the most exasperating.” Green went on to put his stamp in Game 2 of the NBA finals, gaming the system to escape a should-have-been ejection while committing enough not-entirely-clean plays that Celtics fans spent the entirety of Game 3 aiming abuse at him.He ended up having the last laugh. After the Warriors closed out the Celtics in six games, Green went to Twitter (the Heel’s playground) to write the following: “Getting ready for Game 7 tonight… (lock emoji) in!!! Happy Father’s Day.”Getting ready for Game 7 tonight… 🔒in!!! Happy Father’s Day— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) June 19, 2022
It should have infuriated me, both as a mourning Celtics fan and as someone who lost out on a chance to liveblog a Game 7. Yet all I could do was laugh. And then retweet him.In an ideal world, every team would have a Designated Heel like Green to get into the other’s team head, launch and maintain feuds and provide the public with an endless amount of free entertainment. Like professional wrestling except with mostly unscripted results (give or take a Tim Donaghy or two), the NBA is grand entertainment that’s centered around oversized personalities. There’s a reason why the wrestling term “heel” quickly wormed its way into the basketball lexicon and there’s definitely a reason that we sportswriters can’t stop using it to describe Green. Heck, he even owns his own custom-made WWE belt!More than maybe any of his peers, Green has earned the right to needle the rest of the league. If anybody in the league wants to shut him up, well, they can probably find him in next year’s playoffs. | Basketball |
Remember being excited about new streaming services? A decade ago, when Netflix launched in the UK, it felt like a bracing (and cheap) antidote to expensive DVD box sets. Rather than shelling out £20 every time you wanted to watch a single season of Breaking Bad, you could access every episode – plus seemingly every episode of every other show that anyone liked – for £5 a month.That golden age now seems like ancient history. Today’s streaming landscape is cluttered and overly partitioned. Swarms of competing streaming services have flooded in to carve up the market, each with a hefty subscription fee, and the result can be only bad news for the viewer. Now, if you want to keep abreast of all the buzzy new shows, you require (at a minimum) Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, Now and BritBox – a collection that adds up to more than £800 a year. Want to add in sports or family accounts, or anything remotely niche on top of that? Great, but it will cost you.During the cost of living crisis, many people have been cutting back. Netflix’s share price tumbled in April when it revealed that it had lost more than 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022. The company estimates that it will lose another 2 million in the second quarter.All of this makes it the worst possible time to launch a streaming service. Yet still new platforms appear. On 22 June, Paramount+ will become available in the UK, with its slate costing £69.90 a year. We are now in a situation where hardly anyone can afford to watch everything. Paramount+ could announce that it will livestream the birth of my next child and at this point I would have trouble justifying the outlay.So, if you want to streamline your streaming, but don’t want to give it up completely, which platforms offer the best value for money? Here is a guide.NetflixNetflix banker … Ryan Gosling in The Gray Man. Photograph: © 2022 Netflix, Inc.Cost: £6.99-£15.99 a month.Best shows: Stranger Things, a retro teen-horror phenomenon now in its fourth season. Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad’s peerless prequel. Squid Game, a dark South Korean drama – nay, phenomenon – with a staggeringly high body count. Heartstopper, an achingly gorgeous LGBTQ+ love story.Best films: The Power of the Dog, an Oscar-winning revisionist western. Uncut Gems, an unbearably stressful Adam Sandler drama. The Mitchells vs the Machines, a riotous, joyful animation about a robot uprising. The Adam Project, a big, fun sci-fi comedy starring Ryan Reynolds. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a delightful Coen brothers anthology.Best hidden gem: Standing Up, Fanny Herrero’s long-awaited follow-up to the beloved Call My Agent. Following a clutch of aspiring standup comedians in Paris, the series is full of warmth, heart and sharply defined characters. A complete joy.Coming up: The Gray Man, Netflix’s biggest movie so far. A globe-trotting action thriller, starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, directed by the Russo Brothers of Marvel fame. Netflix really needs this film to work, so expect to be bored senseless with trailers.Verdict: It might be losing pace to younger rivals, but Netflix still has an enviably large catalogue. It would benefit from some of the big legacy franchises that have migrated to other services, but you can still justify a subscription. Hopefully the long-promised ad-supported version will drive down prices in the near future, too.Amazon Prime VideoComedy gold … Jean Smart in Amazon Prime’s Hacks. Photograph: Amazon Prime VideoCost: OK, this is tricky. Technically, a subscription costs £7.99 a month, but this also gets you free next-day delivery for many Amazon products. However, expect to find several hidden extras. Amazon offers about 50 additional channels – for sport, reality TV, foreign channels, movies, documentaries, etc – and these tend to cost between £5 and £10 a month each. Plus, some films and TV shows have to be bought on top of the subscription. There is basically no upper limit to the cost.Best shows: Hacks, a beautifully observed Jean Smart comedy about an ageing Las Vegas performer. The Boys, an audacious superhero satire that is the platform’s buzziest show. Undone, a mind-blowing rotoscoped sci-fi drama about mental illness. Hunters, a series in which Al Pacino hunts Nazis. Clarkson’s Farm, a show in which Jeremy Clarkson attempts an agricultural side-hustle.Best films: Sound of Metal, Riz Ahmed’s deaf-drummer drama. One Night in Miami, a fizzy civil rights movie. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, a lovely musical adaptation.Best hidden gem: Sea Oak, a dark comedy about Glenn Close dying and wreaking a terrible revenge on everyone around her, created by the Booker-prize-winning author George Saunders. Amazon commissioned it as a pilot, then bewilderingly neglected to make it into a series.Coming up: Brace yourself for a very big deal. In September, Amazon will launch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, a wildly ambitious Tolkien prequel series that will reportedly be the most expensive TV series in history. Again, you will hear about this one ad nauseam.Verdict: A strange one. There are long stretches of time where Prime Video seems like an afterthought, a semi-neglected sideshow to all the commerce and logistics of its parent company. Based on its current offerings, it is hard to know who Prime Video is for. Perhaps The Lord of the Rings will change all that.Apple TV+Warmhearted … Brendan Hunt (left), and Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. Photograph: APCost: £4.99 a month.Best shows: Severance, a Kaufmanesque workplace sci-fi. Ted Lasso, a warmhearted football sitcom. Mythic Quest, a video-game-development sitcom by the creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The Morning Show, a ludicrously operatic #MeToo drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. For All Mankind, a wildly ambitious alternative-universe drama.Best films: Coda, this year’s best picture Oscar winner. The Tragedy of Macbeth, Joel Coen’s stirring Shakespeare adaptation. Greyhound, in which Tom Hanks plays a naval captain in the second world war.Best hidden gem: Physical, a bizarrely undiscussed comedy drama in which Rose Byrne discovers herself through the medium of aerobics in the 1980s.Coming up: Killers of the Flower Moon, the next Martin Scorsese movie.Verdict: For a while, thanks to a shaky launch that included a terrible Jason Momoa series, Apple TV+ looked destined to become the streaming service that was easiest to avoid. But in the past few months, it has managed to find its feet with a procession of some of the best-reviewed TV shows in recent memory. For a fiver a month, Apple TV+ is pound for pound the best-value platform available.Disney+The gang’s all here … Avengers: Infinity War and every other Marvel film on Disney+. Photograph: null/PR Company HandoutCost: £7.99 a month.Best shows: The Dropout, a magnificent retelling of the Theranos scandal. WandaVision, a genre-bending Marvel series that felt like an extension to, rather than a competitor of, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Mandalorian, an epic space western that takes Star Wars to a new place. Only Murders in the Building, Steve Martin’s riotous and forensically plotted murder-mystery. Dopesick, a harrowing pharmaceutical drama.Best films: Every Marvel film, every Star Wars film, every Disney film, every Pixar film.Best hidden gem: Reservation Dogs, Taika Waititi’s thoughtful, low-key sitcom about life on a Native American reserve.Coming up: A Cars spin-off, a Willow spin-off, a Pinocchio remake, a Big Hero 6 spin-off, loads of Marvel shows, loads of Star Wars shows.Verdict: As you may have guessed from the above, your enjoyment of Disney+ will probably hinge on how much you enjoy watching Disney+ properties being spun off into infinity. If you can’t imagine your life without Star Wars or The Avengers, a subscription will be mandatory. At the same time, however, you can’t help feeling it would benefit greatly from some new ideas.NowOne of the best shows of all time … Succession on Now. Photograph: HBOCost: £14.99 a month to watch TV shows, £14.99 a month to watch films, plus £33.99 a month to watch sport.Best shows: Barry, Bill Hader’s incredibly dark hitman comedy. Succession, one of the best shows of all time. Yellowjackets, an all-female Lost-style drama that may well be about cannibalism. The Sopranos. The Wire. Curb Your Enthusiasm.Best films: Dune, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Pig. Many new cinema releases eventually end up on Now.Best hidden gem: Girls5eva, a tremendous comedy about a reforming girl group. It is produced by Tina Fey, so expect more gags per minute than anything else on television.Coming up: Season four of Westworld, a show that manages to be simultaneously beloved and impenetrable.Verdict: A tricky one. By far the most expensive streaming service, Now is basically Sky in fancy clothes. It has possibly the best selection of any service (thanks to its deals with HBO and NBC), but its movie offerings are noticeably lighter than they were a year ago (thanks to other platforms nabbing the good stuff). Also, it is worth noting that HBO and NBC have their own streaming services in the US. If they migrate over here, Now’s appeal will evaporate.BritBoxSkippable … Carry on Screaming on BritBox. Photograph: Studiocanal Films/REX/ShutterstockCost: £5.99 a month.Best shows: The Beast Must Die, a Jared Harris thriller. Lambs of God, an Australian drama about abandoned nuns. Spitting Image, a revived version of the satirical puppet show.Best films: Trainspotting, Bent, all the Carry On films.Best hidden gem: The Dry, an Irish comedy drama about a recovering alcoholic.Coming up: To the Manor Born. Verdict: BritBox is by far the most skippable streaming platform. There are several reasons. First, its original programming is nowhere near grabby enough to make people want to part with money. Second, the bulk of its offering comes in the form of old BBC and ITV shows, and as such should probably be made available on BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub, which are free.Paramount+Coming soon to Paramount+ … Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris in The Man Who Fell to Earth. Photograph: Rico Torres/ShowtimeCost: £6.99 a month.Best shows: All the new Star Trek shows. South Park. Halo, a video-game adaptation. The First Lady, a drama about three American first ladies. Super Pumped, a drama about Uber.Best films: The Star Trek movies, Paw Patrol: The Movie, most films made by Paramount.Best hidden gem: It’s hard to say pre-launch, but probably The Man Who Fell to Earth, a new series starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris.Coming up: Paramount+ hasn’t launched yet, but expect many Showtime favourites – Billions, Dexter – to be cordoned off here. If you want to see what happens on the next series of Yellowjackets, chances are you will need a Paramount+ subscription.Verdict: At the moment, the thought of parting with yet more money to watch another streaming service is galling. There is a good chance that Paramount+ will represent the moment where households dig their heels in and refuse to shell out any more. True, this will mean missing out on the big, prestigious Showtime shows that have traditionally been available as part of a Now subscription. But times are hard and money isn’t limitless. Besides, at the end of the day, it is just TV. | Movies |
The BBC is 'considering all options' as bosses determine Jessie Wallace's future at EastEnders following her arrest outside a nightclub over the weekend.The star is said to have 'told a police officer to "f*** off you fat c***" during five minutes of carnage' in Bury St Edmonds on Sunday in which she also allegedly kneed him in the groin, leaving him on his knees in agony.Footage released last night showed the moment Wallace - best known for playing barmaid Kat Slater in the flagship soap - was detained following a 'drunken' night out, with witnesses claiming she had been kicked out of Flex nightclub for being 'gobby'.The actress was released without charge after receiving a conditional caution.Corporation chiefs are 'concerned' by the revelations - the latest controversy in a troubled career which saw her suspended from EastEnders just two years ago following an 'incident while filming'.Crunch talks about her future were said to have been held last night, as a source told the Sun: 'She clearly hoped this wouldn't come out and didn't want the production team to know about it, which may explain why she was so quick to accept the conditional caution and avoid a public court hearing. 'At first she played down the claims, but pictures and videos as well as onlookers tell a much more serious tale and one that the BBC are very concerned by. They’re considering all options.' Video has emerged of EastEnders actress Jessie Wallace being arrested outside a nightclub The star, who is known for playing Kat Slater in the BBC soap, was detained in the early hours of yesterday on suspicion of assaulting a police officer as well as drunk and disorderly conduct in Bury St Edmunds Footage shows the star, best known for playing Kat Slater in the BBC soap, being arrested by officers outside a Burger King in Bury St Edmunds, in the early hours of yesterdayShe was later released without charge by Suffolk Police after receiving a conditional caution. A Suffolk Police spokesman told MailOnline today: 'A 50-year-old woman was arrested early on Sunday morning in St Andrew's Street, Bury St Edmunds, on suspicion of assaulting a police officer / drunk and disorderly conduct and was released without charge after receiving a conditional caution.' Wallace was out at Flex nightclub at Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk on Saturday night (file picture)Jessie Wallace arrested after 'drunken' night out: Eastenders star's previous encounters with the law and her co-starsFootage has shown the moment Jessie Wallace was arrested outside a nightclub after allegedly attacking a police officer following a 'drunken' night out.But it is not the Eastenders star has had a run-in with law enforcement.Wallace was banned from driving for three years and fined £1,000 in 2003 for an offence of drink driving. Police stopped the then 32-year-old in Chelmsford, Essex, in March after she was caught breaking the speed limit in her £32,000 silver Mercedes.She was one and a half times the legal limit, with tests revealing 51mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.Wallace claimed she had been drinking wine, which someone had 'laced' with vodka. However a judge rejected her claim and banned her for three years.A three-year ban was imposed because it was her second drink-related driving offence. Former colleague Barbara Windsor also revealed how she had a blazing row with Wallace when working together on the Eastenders set. Windsor said she had lost her temper because then 39-year-old Wallace, kept her waiting.‘Jessie Wallace was the first time I erupted. She was late, she was young. She’s not like that any more. I lost my temper,’ said Barbara. In 2017, Wallace was also filmed launching an expletive-ridden tirade after being reportedly kicked out of a pub. Video filmed by the Old Eagle in Camden, north London, showed the soap star with a friend shouting 'f**** you' at a man who had accused her of creating a disturbance inside.In December, she appeared strained as she spoke to police near her London home alongside her daughter Tallulah, 16.Wallace emerged in her slippers to speak to two police officers, who parked their squad car in the middle of a suburban street on December 28.She was flanked by Tallulah, who she shares with Mr Morgan, as they engaged in the strained conversation with the law-enforcement officers.The actress previously blasted Met Police's failure to investigate when Tallulah was mugged in north London in 2018. This incident is the latest in a series of troubles for Wallace, who has been suspended from work before, with reports claiming she was boozing on set in 2020, forcing bosses to write her out of a number of episodes.She was also found guilty of drink driving in 2003, which resulted in a £1,000 fine and a three-year ban from sitting behind the wheel.Wallace also suffered heartbreak in 2011 as she called off her wedding to fiancé Vincent Morse after he allegedly sent his ex-girlfriend an explicit picture of the soap star.During the incident on Sunday, it is claimed she kneed the officer in the groin before she was arrested and placed into a police van. Earlier in the day Wallace had been with her new builder boyfriend watching a Madness gig at Thetford Forest, Brandon - where she posed for photographs with fans.The star was later detained on suspicion of assaulting a police officer as well as drunk and disorderly conduct.A witness said: 'It was truly shocking behaviour. She was out of control. It was worse than anything Kat Slater has done.'She was a one-woman rampage. It was five minutes of carnage. The police dealt with it very well.' But she was later released without charge by Suffolk Police after receiving a conditional caution.On Monday a Suffolk Police spokesman told MailOnline: 'A 50-year-old woman was arrested early on Sunday morning in St Andrew's Street, Bury St Edmunds, on suspicion of assaulting a police officer/drunk and disorderly conduct and was released without charge after receiving a conditional caution.'The force would not confirm she was arrested, while neither her agent nor manager responded to a request for comment. The arrest was first reported by The Sun.One witness told MailOnline how Wallace was arrested after being kicked-out of the club for being 'gobby'.The witness said: 'She was acting very drunken disorderly, assaulting police officers and swearing constantly.'She then went on to shout out, “I hope this is all entertainment for you c***s”, whilst barging through the middle of our group. She then ended up banging on the door of the police wagon she was in. 'Bouncers had chucked her out due to how gobby and annoying she was being to others.'Earlier this month, Wallace was pictured outside a party in Hackney after the British Soap Awards.The star was wearing a glitzy top with bright white trousers and no shoes as she left the party in east London.It comes after Wallace revealed she had been dating her builder boyfriend for a year.It was previously reported that Wallace had fallen for the workman after booking him for a job, but the star has since clarified they've known each other far longer.In May, she shared an Instagram that they had known each other for 34 years before commencing their romance.Predicting that it will be a long-term union, a source told The Mirror: 'It's like a plotline from the soap – a classic Kat escapade. Jessie seems to be over the moon.' The NTA winner laughed up a storm as she chatted with him in the Transit in May.She split with her last boyfriend, father of five Paul Kempin in 2019 after a two year relationship and, before that, was dumped by musician Tim Arnold in 2016.Wallace had been dating the singer since 2012, but he claimed to have become 'tired' of the limelight at the time.Before she began a relationship with Tim, the award-winning actress was engaged to catering boss Vince Morse, but she called off their wedding after she found out he'd sent raunchy texts to a former lover the night before their wedding day.Wallace, originally from Enfield, north London, joined EastEnders in 2000 having featured in The Bill a year earlier.She played the role of barmaid Kat Slater, the partner of popular character Alfie Moon - played by Shane Richie. She quickly became a fan favourite.The pair had a five-year break from the screen before returning in the autumn of 2010 for another stint on the popular soap.They left again for six months in 2015 to film their own BBC One drama, Kat & Alfie: Redwater. Earlier in the day Wallace had been with her new builder boyfriend watching a Madness gig (pictured) at Thetford Forest, Brandon - where she posed for photographs with fans In May, she shared an Instagram that her and her boyfriend (pictured together at the Madness concert) had known each other for 34 years before commencing their romance Dating: The EastEnders star shared on Instagram that they had known each other for 34 years before commencing their romance Her man: It was previously reported that Jessie fell for the workman after booking him for a job, but the star has since clarified they've known each other far longer Jessie Wallace outside a party in Hackney after the British Soap Awards in London on June 11 Jessie Wallace (left) at a party in Hackney after the British Soap Awards in London on June 11 Jessie Wallace, pictured at the National Television Awards at The O2 in London in January 2019 Wallace is known for playing Kat Slater in the BBC soap EastEnders (pictured in August 2021)In the series Kate and Alfie go to the fiction Irish town of Redwater to 'search for answers to some very big questions' and put their past behind them. After the six-part drama, Wallace returned to EastEnders as Kat in 2018. In early 2020, Wallace was suspended from EastEnders again by the BBC, with a two-month suspension incurred due to an 'incident while filming'.She was said to have been summoned to a meeting with bosses of the show who ordered her to 'sort herself out' before returning. It is not the first time Wallace has had a run-in with the law. She was banned from driving for three years and fined £1,000 in 2003 for an offence of drink driving.Police stopped the then 32-year-old in Chelmsford, Essex, in March after she was caught breaking the speed limit in her £32,000 silver Mercedes.She was one and a half times the legal limit, with tests revealing 51mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.Wallace claimed she had been drinking wine, which someone had 'laced' with vodka. However a judge rejected her claim and banned her for three years.A three-year ban was imposed because it was her second drink-related driving offence. The actress recently became a grandmother after her 17-year-old daughter Tallulah gave birth to a boy. | Celebrity |
Reality TV star Blac Chyna has reached a settlement agreement ahead of what would have been a second trial against the Kardashian family.Chyna had accused her former fiance Rob Kardashian of maliciously sharing nude photographs of her in 2017 after their relationship ended.
Selection of jurors had been set to begin on Monday ahead of a trial - however, according to court documents seen by the PA news agency, the parties have now informed the judge they have agreed to a settlement. Image: Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna pictured in 2016. Pic: John Misa/MediaPunch/IPX It comes following a defamation trial between Chyna and the Kardashians earlier in 2022.Chyna, whose legal name is Angela White, claimed that Rob Kardashian's mother Kris Jenner and three of his famous sisters - Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner - had defamed her as violent and unstable, and allegedly persuaded producers and executives to cancel her reality show, Rob & Chyna. Chyna had sued for $108 million (£77 million) but the Kardashians, who all testified during the hearing, won the case - and she was awarded zero damages.
Despite jurors deciding that the Kardashians did act in bad faith in their conversations about the couple's troubles with producers of Rob & Chyna and executives from the E! network, which aired the series, they also found that this had no substantial effect on Chyna's contract or the fate of the show. Image: (L-R) Khloe Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Kris Jenner sketched in court during the earlier defamation trial Rob Kardashian, who has a daughter with Chyna, was not a defendant in that trial but gave evidence, as did the Kardashian women.Chyna had initially filed one lawsuit against the entire family, but the judge ruled the allegations against Rob Kardashian - which also included assault accusations - should be tried separately.After the verdict in the first trial, lawyers for the Kardashian and Jenner family "expressed appreciation" for the jury and said they were "thankful for the steady hand" of Judge Gregory Alarcon."The jury sent a clear message to Ms White and her lawyer - I hope they are listening," the attorneys said in a statement. "Justice has prevailed."Only Rob and Kris Kardashian had been expected to testify at the second trial, had it gone ahead. | Celebrity |
Aston Martin used in No Time to Die to be sold at auction this weekend for around £500k - and it's not the only 007 motor going under the hammer2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Coupe from the film to be sold by BonhamsIt will be available on Friday and the Goodwood Festival of Speed auctionThe car was driven by the new 007 character, Nomi, played by Lashana LynchIt was loaned to EON Production by the vendor as Aston Martin no longer had any of the limited edition cars available to provide to the film companyA converted Land Rover Defender that featured in Spectre is also up for grabs Published: 04:16 EDT, 21 June 2022 | Updated: 05:09 EDT, 21 June 2022 An Aston Martin used in the latest James Bond hit, No Time to Die, is set to go under the hammer later this week, with the winning bid expected to reach half a million pounds.The 2019 DBS Superleggera Coupe was driven on screen in the final film to feature Daniel Craig as the British Secret Service agent by the character Nomi - his 007 successor - played by Lashana Lynch.And it won't be the only Bond car going under the hammer, with a Land Rover used in the filming of Spectre also going to the block as part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed sale hosted by Bonhams on Friday. This Aston Martin DBS Superleggera featured in the latest Bond film, No Time to Die. On Friday, it will go under the hammer at a UK auction where it is expected to fetch half a million poundsThe Bond-film Aston Martin has an estimate of £400,000 to £500,000.That's around double the price when it was new, with the 200mph-plus British motor costing £225,000 when it hit showrooms in 2018.The car was affiliated with the cult film franchise before No Time to Die hit the screen, with Aston Martin in 2019 unveiling a DBS Superleggera to celebrate 50 years since the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service hit the big screen. The 2019 DBS Superleggera Coupé was driven by the character Nomi - played by Lashana Lynch (pictured right)The car being offered to the highest bidder will be seen as an opportunity for enthusiasts to get their hands on a genuine modern-era Bond car and a significant item of movie memorabilia The Aston Martin was loaned to Eon Productions by the vendor, its first and only owner, as the British car maker could not provide a factory DBS Superleggera for the productionThat limited edition version of the supercar followed the specification of the original DBS used in the film, with an olive green paint job - though only 50 units were made.The car being offered to the highest bidder will be seen as an opportunity for enthusiasts to get their hands on a genuine modern-era Bond car and a significant item of movie memorabilia.It was driven in scenes from the film with Daniel Craig as the passenger, with the footage filmed on location in Scotland and at RAF Brize Norton.However, this car wasn't provided by the iconic British car firm. It was loaned to Eon Productions by the vendor, its first and only owner, as Aston Martin could not provide a factory DBS Superleggera for the production. The film company kept the DBS for two years for filming and promotional purposes and covered 800 of the car's existing 850 recorded miles. The supercar has a massive 715bhp 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine under its bonnet It can accelerate from rest to 62mph in 3.4 seconds and onto a top speed of 211mphPerformance wise, the supercar has a massive 715bhp 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine under its bonnet, which propels it from rest to 62mph in 3.4 seconds and onto a top speed of 211mph.This DBS Superleggera is offered with a mounted and framed certificate from Aston Martin, thanking the vendor for the loan of the car, sill plates marking the car's use in the production and an engine plate indicating that the Aston's 'final inspection' was carried out by Daniel Craig.Also being offered at the same sale is a 2014 Land Rover Defender SVX 'Spectre' 4x4 Utility. Another Bond-film motor: This Land Rover was one of the cars used in 2015 film, Spectre It is one of 10 converted Land Rover Defenders used in the action-packed snow chase scene sequence, of which only seven cars survived The Defender, one of the last of the previous-generation 4X4s, has been extensively modified by off-road racing specialist Bowler Motorsport. This means it has incredible off-road abilityIt is one of 10 used in the 2015 film's action-packed snow chase sequence, of which only seven of the Land Rovers survived, with those that didn't flipping and exploding as Craig's Bond evaded the enemy.This left-hand drive SVX was extensively modified by off-road racing specialist Bowler Motorsport to surpass standard Land Rover off-road capability, including fitting Rose-jointed suspension and rally-specification Bilstein shock absorbers. Its exterior enhancements include a full roll cage, LED roof lights, bonnet rope and WARN electric winch. Inside, supportive Recaro front seats were fitted for stunt-driving purposes. Inside, supportive Recaro front seats were fitted for stunt-driving purposes The custom-built Defender has Rose-jointed suspension and rally-specification Bilstein shock absorbers Its exterior enhancements include a full roll cage, LED roof lights, bonnet rope and WARN electric winchThe auction house says it expects the 4X4 to change hands for a fee in the region of £150,000 to £200,000. The two Bond vehicles will be under the hammer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed event at Goodwood House, West Sussex.Tim Schofield, head of Bonhams Motor Cars UK, said: 'Bonhams has a history of successfully selling motor cars from the James Bond films, and so we are delighted to present two recent stars of the series.'Both offer a golden opportunity to acquire a genuine James Bond film vehicle and in the case of the DBS, a "real" 007 Aston Martin.' History of the Aston Martin DBS The DBS V8 pictured with models Jenny Lowe (left) and Carol Craig sitting on the bonnet at the 1970 Earl's Court Motor Show The DBS nameplate was first used in 1967 on a six cylinder V6 vehicle created by Aston martin's in-house designer William Towns. It was designed to be a dramatic departure from the DB6 it replaced, although the the fastback four-seater DBS was produced alongside the ageing DB6 for three years, until the older car was finally phased out in 1970.Two years into production, the six-cylinder DBS was joined by the DBS V8 powered by Aston Martin’s all-new 5.3-litre V8 engine hailed as 'the world’s fastest four-seater production car'. Just over 1,000 DBS cars were built between 1967 and 1972, including both V6 and V8-powered editions.After a gap of 35-year the DBS name was revived in 2007, when the all-new DBS - a development of the DB9 - was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the US before going on sale the following year and replacing the first generation Vanquish S.Powered by a 6.0-litre, 510bhp V12 engine linked to a six-speed manual gear-box, it had a top speed in excess of 190mph.Later DBS versions had a choice of manual or automatic transmission. In 2009 Aston Martin introduced the DBS Volante - the first ever open-top DBS. Production of both the second-generation DBS and DBS Volante ceased in 2012. Advertisement Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence. Guides for my financesThe best savings ratesBest cash IsasA better bank accountA cheaper mortgageThe best DIY investing platformThe best credit cardsA cheaper energy dealBetter broadband and TV dealsCheaper car insuranceStock market dataPower Portfolio investment trackerThis is Money's newsletterThis is Money's podcastInvesting Show videosHelp from This is MoneyFinancial calculators | Movies |
Veteran American actor Martin Sheen has revealed that changing his name is something he "regrets" and that he "paid for it later".The star of TV White House drama The West Wing, in which he played Democratic President Jed Bartlet, says he never changed it legally and just adopted it as a stage name.
His real name is Ramon Estevez."It's still Ramon Estevez on my birth certificate," he said in an interview with Closer Weekly."I never changed my name officially. It's on my marriage license, my passport, driver's license." Sheen, who was also in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 war movie, Apocalypse Now, said he lacked "insight" before going ahead with the change.
"Sometimes you get persuaded when you don't have enough insight or even enough courage to stand up for what you believe in, and you pay for it later," he told the magazine."But, of course, I'm only speaking for myself."His son Emilio Estevez - also an actor - who starred in The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire and The Outsiders, did not follow his father's lead.Martin Sheen commented: "The only influence I had on Emilio was to keep his name."When he started out, his agent was advising him to change his name to Sheen and he wouldn't do it. And I thank God he didn't." Image: Martin Sheen and his son Emilio Sheen is also the father of Two And A Half Men star Charlie Sheen, 56, whose real name is Carlos Estevez. Image: Charlie Sheen Looking back at his time on The West Wing, Sheen said he gets letters from "people who are just discovering it".He added: "A lot of young people were inspired to go into public life because of it."Sheen's father did not want him to go into show business."You couldn't blame him," he said. "Both my parents were immigrants. My father was from Spain, and my mother was from Ireland. My real name is Ramon Estevez."My father was very practical. He was a factory worker for most of his adult life, and he wanted me to go to college and improve my chances of making a better living than he did. We had some very, very painful confrontations about it." | Celebrity |
Lisandro Martínez, AjaxWith Jurrien Timber increasingly likely to stay at Ajax, interested parties seem to have turned their attention to the Dutchman’s centre-back partner. Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United have all been linked with Lisandro Martínez.The Argentinian was our highest rated defender in the Eredivisie last season. His passing is exceptional. Martínez made 92.4 passes per 90 minutes last season – more than any other player in the division – and his pass success rate of 88.9% ranked sixth in the league. In addition, his tally of 6.1 accurate long balls per 90 minutes was the fifth best of all outfielders in the Eredivisie.Martínez helps Ajax retain possession and move the ball upfield as quickly as possible. He also excels off the ball, winning possession for his side aggressively, with 4.5 tackles and interceptions combined per 90 minutes. A left-footed centre-back seems to be a priority for a number of clubs in the Premier League this summer, so it’s no wonder they are considering Martínez.David Raum, HoffenheimIt’s been a whirlwind 12 months for David Raum. Having left Greuther Fürth for Hoffenheim on a free transfer last summer, the left wing-back’s stock has soared considerably. Raum made his Germany debut only last September, yet is now established as first choice for Hansi Flick’s side. Hoffenheim will have to either bat away substantial interest in their prized asset or make a hefty profit on the 24-year-old.Trent Alexander-Arnold (90) and Filip Kostic (87) were the only full-backs to make more key passes than Raum (83) in Europe’s top five leagues last season, with Alexander-Arnold (12) the only full-back to register more assists than the German (11).Manchester United have Luke Shaw and Alex Telles on the books but a player of Raum’s calibre would be hard to turn down. Chelsea, meanwhile, may lose Marcos Alonso and Emerson this summer, so they need another left-back.Evan Ndicka, Eintracht FrankfurtTottenham’s interest in a left-sided centre-back is well known. After a failed attempt – for now – to sign Alessandro Bastoni from Inter, Pau Torres emerged as their top target. If they miss out on the Villarreal and Spain defender, Evan Ndicka is a good option. The 22-year-old only has a year left to run on his contract with Eintracht Frankfurt so may be available for lower than market value.Only Nico Schlotterbeck earned a higher rating than Ndicka in the Bundesliga last season, with the Frenchman excelling in both a four-man and a three-man backline for the Europa League winners. He made 108 tackles and interceptions combined, the 12th most in the Bundesliga.Ndicka also proved a threat in the final third for Eintracht, directly contributing to eight league goals, scoring four. He may not be a household name, but the youngster has the potential to shine under Antonio Conte.Evan Ndicka and his Eintracht Frankfurt teammates celebrate after beating West Ham in the Europa League semi-finals. Photograph: Alexander Scheuber/Uefa/Getty ImagesJonathan Clauss, LensAfter a slow start in his first campaign in Ligue 1, Jonathan Clauss took the division by storm in 2021-22. He was directly involved in 16 goals for Lens, more than any other full-back or wing-back in Europe’s top five leagues. His fine form for Franck Haise’s side earned him his first call up for France earlier this year.Lens finished seventh in Ligue 1, meaning he will not play European football this coming season unless he moves on. A number of Europe’s top sides have been credited with an interest in the 29-year-old. Chelsea are reportedly monitoring his progress, which isn’t a huge surprise given the system Thomas Tuchel plays.Clauss would provide solid competition for Reece James for the right wing-back spot and he would give Tuchel a quality option in the role when James is absent. If Clauss is available this summer, Chelsea should not pass up the chance to sign him.Lautaro Martínez, InterTottenham have already signed Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma but they are keen to keep spending. It looks like their move for Alessandro Bastoni has fallen by the wayside for now, but they could return to Inter and capitalise upon the club’s need to sell players.Last summer Spurs reportedly agreed a fee for the forward Lautaro Martínez only for the move to fall through when Inter sold Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea. With Inter working on deals to bring back Lukaku and sign Paulo Dybala, Spurs may have an opportunity to reignite a deal for Martínez. The Inter CEO, Beppe Marotta, has said that Martínez is “a key player for our plans” but he also admitted that they may be “forced to sell” this summer.Martínez finished fourth for goals and assists combined (24) and first for possession won in the attacking third (34) in Serie A last season. He has also worked under Antonio Conte in the past. It’ll take a huge bid to convince Inter to sell the Argentina international, but he would be an ideal fit for Conte’s system. | Soccer |
Over the next several weeks, stargazers will have the rare opportunity to see five planets line up in the predawn sky in a stunning celestial display that is visible to the naked eye and won’t be seen again for nearly 20 years.Starting from the eastern horizon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will appear across the east-southeast sky in order of their distance from the sun each morning, and a crescent moon will join the lineup on Friday morning, astronomers say.Allyson Bieryla, manager of the Science Center Astronomy Lab and Telescope at Harvard University, said Venus will appear the brightest because it is the closest to Earth, and Jupiter should be just as easy to spot.“These objects are much brighter than stars, so it should be fairly obvious even to a novice observer,” Bieryla wrote in an e-mail Monday.With the proper gear, even more heavenly bodies will be visible, she said.“If you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope, point them at the planets and moon,” Bieryla wrote. “With even a small telescope, or binoculars on a tripod, you can see Jupiter’s largest 4 moons (called the Galilean moons) and Saturn’s rings. If you are in a dark enough location with a small telescope, you might also be able to see the atmospheric bands in Jupiter’s atmosphere!” The last time these planets were so clearly visible was 2004, and it won’t happen again until 2041, according to Sky & Telescope magazine.The display is expected to remain visible into early July, so if cloud cover or poor weather keeps you from seeing the planets one morning, there will be other chances. This week, Tuesday morning is expected to have the clearest skies before some morning clouds begin to set in later in the week, said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.Light pollution is always a concern, but the planets are bright enough that they may even be visible from urban areas.“As with all observing, the best conditions are clear, dark skies but luckily these are all bright, naked-eye objects so you should be able to see the lineup even from the city!” Bieryla wrote.The best viewing time to see all five planets is just before dawn, she said.“You should be able to spot Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and even Venus for several more weeks in a similar lineup,” Bieryla wrote. “Mercury is only visible for brief periods of time and only fairly low in the horizon because of its orbit, but if you miss all 5 planets, I encourage you to look up in the early morning anytime over the next several weeks to see how many planets you can spot. The moon will only appear in this lineup for the next few days, and then not again until next month.”Nick Stoico can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @NickStoico. Matt Yan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @matt_yan12. | Space Exploration |
In 2009, the state of NASA’s human spaceflight programs looked dire. The space shuttle fleet would soon be grounded, leaving Russian Soyuz spacecraft as the only means of reaching orbit. NASA’s now-defunct plans for a shuttle replacement, dubbed Constellation, had veered off course, behind schedule and over budget. The glory of the Apollo era and the moon landings of the 1960s seemed far away, and the time for big changes had come.That was Lori Garver’s view, as she and Charlie Bolden took the helm of the agency under President Obama. As deputy administrator, she helped push NASA in a new direction, investing in the growing commercial space industry, contracting with private companies with the aim of reducing the cost of space travel. She played a leading role in bringing about NASA’s commercial crew program in 2011, through which the agency has partnered with private companies to launch astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station, most notably leading to SpaceX’s development of the reusable Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule. She opposed the development of NASA’s own bigger rocket, the Space Launch System, and Orion capsule, which will have their first flight this summer—both of them years later and costing billions more than planned.NASA Deputy Administrator, Lori B. Garver.
Photograph: Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty ImagesIn a new memoir, Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age, Garver chronicles her experiences at NASA and the private sector during this tumultuous time. Throughout the book, she’s not afraid to name names, showing how she frequently tried to overcome resistance from many in NASA’s bureaucracy—including, at times, Bolden himself, as well as from the aerospace industry and members of Congress with established space companies in their district that stood to gain from continuing the old way of doing things.Garver, a self-proclaimed “space pirate,” sought to change the status quo and aided the rise of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and other new space companies. (Musk and Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic’s cofounder, both praise Garver in book blurbs.) Nine years after her departure, the space agency still bears the marks of her efforts. The commercial crew and cargo programs continue to flourish, and NASA will never be the same again.This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.WIRED: When you joined NASA as deputy administrator, what were your main goals?Garver: I think my main goal was to set the agency on a course for the 21st century. We had a space program that, when I grew up, seemed like it would have—in human spaceflight at least—gone farther. (I’m 61 now.) If you ask me what my number-one goal would’ve been, I think lowering the cost of space transportation would’ve been it.What was it like at NASA while the shuttle program wound down and while trying to prepare for the programs that came next?It was a hard time to be at NASA for the end of the shuttle program because there were so many people involved that were transitioning their jobs, losing their jobs. I also had the stress of flying the program out safely. There was an intensity, and at the same time, a sadness. And I was in the middle of that, trying to create something that would keep the US in a leadership position in space.From the start, were you trying to support commercial partnerships with the space industry, or did that develop out of necessity?I would describe the goal as being to increase the efficiency of the tax dollar and to reduce the cost of getting to orbit. Because then at that point NASA can be doing more cutting-edge, unique, interesting, important things in space.Partnering with industry wasn’t a goal. It was an outcome, a path to reach a goal that we all shared in space policy—since the Nixon administration—to reduce the cost of space transportation. Doing it with the private sector was something that started in the ’90s, and continuing those efforts was the obvious way to go. We had lost nearly the entire launch market to the French, Chinese, and Russians in the late ’90s, and winning back that market share by paying [private US companies] to take cargo and astronauts to the space station was a big economic boom for the nation.A few years ago, you said that NASA needs to abandon its “socialist” approach to space exploration. What did you mean by that, and do you still believe that?That was in direct response to the Space Launch System and Orion, which were started by Congress after our proposal [to defund them] had not been accepted. Really, the shuttle, the Constellation program, which the Bush administration established to follow the shuttle, and then SLS/Orion, were all done in a government-directed way that mimics a Soviet approach.NASA collaborated on a commercial crew program with SpaceX, and now Boeing, to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. Would you say that was a prescient approach, following subsequent troubles with Russia and how it’s harder to get flights on Soyuz spacecraft?I guess I feel less “prescient” than it was just so obvious to me, and to a lot of people, that we didn’t want to count on the Russians forever. For one, they were a monopoly provider. They kept increasing their prices, and there was absolutely nothing we could do about it. We needed our own systems, and ideally more than one.Look, we had the experience with the shuttle: The government developed one. We had two accidents. After each of the accidents, it stood down for more than two years. So it was a bit surprising that the concept seemed so controversial.What kinds of resistance did you face, and from whom, as you tried to expand NASA’s support or partnerships for the private space industry?At the time, it seemed like everyone. In NASA, there wasn’t support in the leadership. As I say in the book, the head of NASA—I was the deputy—was not supportive and did not request money for the [commercial crew] program in the budget. But I had led the transition team and had talked to the president about it and was working closely with the chief science adviser of the White House and the Office of Science Technology and Policy, the National Economic Council, Office of Management and Budget. They were all very much in favor of this policy. So it got into our budget without the NASA administrator or the senior leaders responsible for human spaceflight at NASA really being involved.But when the budget was released, [Capitol] Hill and the aerospace industry, together with the NASA leadership—the community that has been involved in human spaceflight over the years—didn’t want to loosen their grip. They didn’t want to have someone having the ability to come in and compete for this, who wouldn’t be directed by the government, and those jobs might therefore be outside the districts where they currently were. They liked the traditional way of contracting, even though that had not gotten us very far in the last 50 years.Private companies don’t have the same kinds of transparency and oversight space agencies do, and CEOs aren’t vetted by the Senate like NASA administrators are. At NASA, how did you try to make sure companies deliver on their contracts and develop reliable spacecraft?That’s been a huge challenge. With human spaceflight, NASA had been doing it by putting one or two government people for each contractor, and having them work onsite together, directing them, and making sure there was paperwork on everything. And because it was taxpayer money, that was supposed to be in the public domain.When you are trying to develop capability that can be used by other markets, and the companies are putting their own funding at risk, that is no longer public domain. There has to be an ability for the industrial partner to capitalize on that and bring in other customers. So that really gave people at NASA pause for how to work with companies they weren’t that familiar with. They were OK sort of doing that with the Boeings of the world, but with new folks, less so.Unfortunately, two out of the 135 space shuttle trips ended in tragedy. Some day a SpaceX or Boeing spacecraft with NASA astronauts or somebody on board might fail. What should or could NASA do in that situation?In the book, I acknowledge that this is not something that you’re likely to do perfectly every time. With the shuttle, I think those of us following it really closely, we knew there would be an accident. And I thought, “Well, let’s just hope we’ve done enough of them, and when there is one, we can find the culprit and fix it.”With the private sector, I make this comparison with the airlines, because I was a general manager at the Air Line Pilots Association union for five years after NASA. And my contention is that those are regulated, as are commercial spaceflights, and they are the safest mode of transportation that we have. And the private sector has that motivation not to fail. Back when we used to lose more airplanes, we have seen airlines fail after one fatal accident. The US has had more than a 10-year run without a US airline losing a plane. The private sector manages very challenging safety programs with public safety involved. And I would expect that that’s the same kind of regime that will eventually be in place when they’re doing this for space travel.In the book, I talk about how the government’s aviation non-combat-related deaths are much higher than the private sector’s. But if the airlines had the same level of safety, and casualty numbers were similar to the military, we would lose thousands of planes, and people would never stand for it. The argument that the government is inherently safe is difficult to make.Lori Garver touring SpaceX’s Hawthorn, Pennsylvania, facility with Elon Musk in September 2010.
Courtesy of Lori Garver/NASANASA has funded quite a few new contracts with SpaceX and Blue Origin. On the one hand, it’s all business, and you want the contracts to be successful and keep costs down. But on the other hand, how do you feel about the baggage that comes with Musk and Bezos, considering the labor issues and allegations of sexual harassment at their companies or their problematic political statements, for example?It’s an unexpected challenge, because in the ’90s we didn’t foresee this privatization being led by anyone other than the traditional aerospace companies. These two companies have been willing to risk billions that a publicly traded company isn’t likely to because of the timeframes involved with the return. Their personal visions have aligned with what NASA is doing, and therefore they have been able to win these contracts.Some in the public feel, “Oh, we’re turning our program over to billionaires,” which I know we’re not doing. And aerospace company CEOs have had misbehavior as well, but they are not as personally tied to that company, and oftentimes those people are just let go. So it’s not the same thing. I have been thinking a lot more about the disappointment that I have had with the charges and experiences of people who worked at both Blue and SpaceX, which were not holding up equity and inclusion as a really important goal.I started an internship program for women and gender minorities in aerospace, and these companies have overwhelmingly welcomed them for internships across the board. So there is progress. But at the same time I’m also very disappointed that we aren’t moving faster with these goals.In May, current NASA Administrator Bill Nelson criticized “cost-plus” contracts as a “plague” on the agency. Such awards, which pay contractors for their costs along with a fee, can realize ambitious projects like the James Webb Space Telescope and the Space Launch System but can also result in ballooning budgets and cost overruns. What are your thoughts on that?I don’t think it’s as simple as them being a “plague” on all programs. It’s ironic, because I think it’s a plague on the program he forced on us, the Space Launch System and Orion. When he was in the Senate, he structured those programs, the way that they were focused, and forced us to do them. I think all of us agree, and maybe even him now, that was a mistake. We don’t have that vehicle flying yet. We’ve spent $40 billion, and the private sector is developing similar capabilities on their own dime. We could’ve incentivized a larger rocket being developed in a similar way to what we did with commercial cargo and crew and gotten that, certainly by now, for much less.The reason to use cost-plus contracting is when you have something you’ve never done before and have no way for a company to estimate with any kind of reliability what it would cost. The Webb telescope, it seems to me, would meet that.So why did it balloon to something like $11 billion when it started at $500 million? There’s a lot to unpack there. The government still works to set the contract and set incentives, and we clearly can do that better. We need to be able to break these things into steps where you aren’t setting a program’s technology and the way they are going about their program 15 to 20 years before it’s going to get there. Because at the rate that technology changes, you’re missing all of that. I think it’s positive that the head of NASA, who used to strongly believe in cost-plus contracting, sees it has flaws.What motivated you to write this book, Escaping Gravity?I have been asked a lot by journalists for my notes, to try to explain how this happened and why. Because it is a pretty big transition of our human spaceflight program. And I felt like my insider experience at NASA and in the private sector meant that I had an up-close experience that should be shared. I really feel like the experiment worked so well that the government can learn from it for other programs, not just NASA. Human spaceflight is still such a compelling aspect of the US. We’re one of only a couple nations that do it. Finding a way to do that keeps driving the human spirit as well as innovation, and was worth talking about. | Space Exploration |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Netflix publicly addressed a car crash in Mexico that left two actors in its series "The Chosen One" dead in a statement released to Fox News Digital."We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took the lives of Ray Garduño and Juan Francisco González," the streaming giant said in the statement. "Our thoughts are with their loved ones and with those injured during this unfortunate accident." A Netflix logo. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)The two actor were killed and six other cast or crew members were injured after the van they were riding in crashed on Mexico's Baja Peninsula late Thursday.Redrum, the production company for the show, also addressed the actors' deaths saying in a statement, "All of us on the production of The Chosen One are shocked by the tragic accident that occurred last Thursday, while on transit from Santa Rosalía, Baja California, to the local airport."MEXICO: 2 ACTORS IN NETFLIX SHOW ‘THE CHOSEN ONE’ ARE DEAD FOLLOWING CRASHThe statement continued, "We are deeply saddened by the passing of our colleagues Ray Garduño and Juan Francisco González and are closely supporting all those affected by this unspeakable tragedy." The Netflix logo is seen on the side of a building. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson//File Photo/File Photo)Redrum said it is cooperating with local authorities, and stated that "all safety protocols were in place" insisting that the crash was an "unfortunate accident."JOHNNY DEPP PERFORMS WITH JEFF BECK IN FINLAND AS AMBER HEARD IS SPOTTED SHOPPING FOLLOWING DEFAMATION TRIALA Netflix description for "The Chosen One," which is not yet released, reads: "A 12-year-old boy learns he's the returned Jesus Christ, destined to save humankind. Based on the comic book series by Mark Millar and Peter Gross." The Netflix logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen. ((Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images))It's unclear how the deadly crash will impact the show's production.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPNetflix currently has an unrelated show by the same name on its site that is about three doctors who bring a Zika vaccine to the remote Pantanal.Fox News' Lawrence Richard contributed to this report. Lorraine Taylor is an editor at Fox News. News tips can be sent to [email protected] or on Twitter @LorraineEMT. | Movies |
Peter Doherty had, for a period in the mid 00s, the kind of fame that made him recognisable even in silhouette. Like his friend Amy Winehouse, he was a fixture on tabloid front pages, whether in disrepair or ducking out of a courtroom. Doherty had gone from a cultish figure as co-frontman (with Carl Barât) of the Libertines – a band with a devoted following and tantalising capacity for implosion – to a threat to the nation’s impressionable youth and himself. His drive to self-destruction was served up as cartoonish sideshow, his trajectory fast-tracked from public health risk to pitiable train wreck, amplified by his relationship with Kate Moss, a famously guarded A-lister. Playing up to the “why him?” angle, the couple duetted on a tellingly titled song, La Belle et la Bête.Doherty has made it out the other end of flashbulb infamy but, as A Likely Lad makes clear, it was touch and go. The book is an “authorised biography” put together by the music writer Simon Spence from more than 60 hours of conversations the pair had during lockdown. Spence has organised its chronology but hasn’t put words in Doherty’s mouth. As the singer notes in the foreword, he’d been clean of drugs for more than a year when they began the process and he’s a lucid, honest presence, admitting at one stage part of him had wanted to be “the most fucked-up person in the world”. Doherty reveals that beyond the tabloid hoopla, it wasn’t all brinksmanship and squalor; there was joy too, in the excess, in his relationship with Moss – at times “an Evelyn Waugh scene”, we learn, all secret rendezvous and four-poster beds – and in the camaraderie among bands, especially in the Libertines’ more ramshackle days.Self-mythology was always part of Doherty’s approach and you sense at times a weakness for a fanciful thought, such as the one about imagining Morrissey in intensive care with him, suffering from “suspended melancholy”. In the main he offers a fairly unvarnished recounting of his life, and if some of the exploits are carnivalesque, his narration, at least, is free from self-pity.Doherty paints his drive to introduce chaos to the Libertines as an anti-capitalism kick – though that’s not the only reason why they played cash-in-hand shows. Recalling the launch for Up the Bracket, the band’s 2002 debut album, Doherty complains “they wouldn’t let me smoke crack inside”, which seems fair enough. You sense, off stage, the pain and frustration of Barât, as his friend’s dissolution imperilled their band in its infancy. Doherty sees that his behaviour was a destabilising force, but maintains he could have been offered more understanding.We hear stories about the “underground” figures who abounded in Doherty’s orbit, headed by sometime co-writer Peter Wolfe, AKA Wolfman, a fellow addict and, we are told, the reason for Doherty leaving various rehab units, as well as his short-lived association with Amy Winehouse, when he was “under manners to try and look after her… I could see how fragile she was”. There was a lot of “dark energy” about, he says, the records “crafted out of the scraps”.There’s a paradox at the heart of Doherty’s story. We learn of his enduring urge for fame, a “desperation to get on telly”, mixed with a distrust of the “industrialisation of the Libertines” as he describes their label Rough Trade’s handling of their early years. He sometimes made use of tabloid curiosity, selling photographs and stories to pay debts, a naivety guiding his approach: “I thought I’d be able to crack it.”There is a sense of reckoning, too, a well of sorrow over friends lost, such as Winehouse and sometime collaborator Alan Wass. Doherty speaks about the drug scene in which he sought refuge from the paparazzi and police, stealing phones to “prove myself” to a dealer or hiding out at a super-fan’s flat. He doesn’t emerge well from the death of Mark Blanco – who fell to his death from the balcony of a east London flat at a party in 2006 – maintaining he fled the scene to protect himself and the teenager he was with. Four years later, film-maker Robin Whitehead died of a suspected heroin overdose in the flat where she had been filming Doherty and Wolfman. Doherty was sentenced to six months in prison for possession of class A drugs. He refers to that time as “penance… time to mourn”.The Doherty of 2022 has a wife, whom he married last year, and harbours aspirations of running a bookshop and literary imprint. If this isn’t quite a comeback story, it does end on a hopeful note, with Doherty – a musician again rather than a caricature – optimistic about what’s to come, intent on repairing various relationships once pushed to breaking point. In his foreword he says he “can’t really admit defeat” and, despite a few near misses, he hasn’t had to. Declan Ryan’s first collection of poetry, Crisis Actor, will be published by Faber next year | Music |
Topline
Transgender rugby players will be barred from international women’s competitions while officials develop a formal inclusion policy, the sport’s international governing body announced on Tuesday, the latest federation to ban transgender athletes as the sporting world tries to balance inclusion, fairness and safety. International Rugby League said trans women would be barred from international women's competitions ... [+] while the organization finalizes guidelines on trans inclusion. getty Key Facts The International Rugby League (IRL) said it considered “several relevant developments in world sport” when making the decision, including the International Olympic Committee’s recent guidance that each sport should determine their policies governing the inclusion of transgender athletes. The ban means trans athletes will be barred from competing in the women’s Rugby World Cup in October. In explaining its decision, the IRL said it had a duty to balance the right to participate with the “perceived risk to other participants” and the body will undertake further research to finalize its inclusion policy in 2023. The decision follows a vote on Sunday from FINA, swimming’s global governing body, to bar the majority of trans women from competing in elite events and comes amid reports that a number of other sporting federations are considering similar policies. Lord Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, hinted on Monday that track and field could suit and bar trans athletes from women’s competitions, telling the BBC that “biology trumps gender” and “fairness is non-negotiable.” FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, told Reuters it is also reviewing its policies, though would not comment on specifics. Key Background
The inclusion of trans people, especially trans women, in sport is a divisive and contentious issue that has troubled sporting federations for years. The IOC’s recommendation that individual sports handle the matter themselves means that rugby league and swimming are likely the frontrunners of many new policies. Not all policies will bar trans women from competing and cycling’s international governing body, which also updated guidance this month, tightened its eligibility criteria though did not bar athletes. News Peg
Debates over trans inclusion in sport have recently flared in cases of trans success, notably the competition of New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a trans woman, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the success of Lia Thomas, a trans woman and former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, who became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I individual national title in March. Tangent
Critics tend to argue that trans participation is unfair and at the expense of other athletes, with the biological advantages like elevated testosterone levels used to justify excluding competitors from events that fit with their gender identity, even if they have transitioned. Scientific research suggests there may be a possible advantage for trans women competing in women’s events, though this is far from definitive and does not necessarily back barring trans athletes from competing. Despite the purported advantage trans athletes have, there is scant evidence that trans athletes invariably dominate the sports they compete in. For example, despite nearly two decades of eligibility at the Olympics, the first openly trans athletes qualified for Tokyo 2020. Of these athletes, just one—Canada’s Quinn, a trans nonbinary soccer player—scored a medal. Hubbard also competed, as did nonbinary skateboarder Alana Smith. While neither medalled and Quinn won gold, media coverage and commentary was dominated by Hubbard. Chief Critic
Activists have spoken out against the bans as discriminatory and not rooted in science. Joni Madison, the interim president of the Human Rights Campaign, said FINA’s “discriminatory decision is a blatant attack on transgender athletes who have worked to comply with longstanding policies that have allowed them to participate for years without issue.” Madison said the policy was an example of swimming organizations “caving to the avalanche of ill-informed, prejudiced attacks targeted at one particular transgender swimmer” and urged FINA to rethink its decision. The policies are “fueled by discrimination, not facts,” the organization added. Further Reading
World Swimming Federation Bars Most Transgender Women From Elite Events—But Weighs ‘Open Competition’ Category (Forbes)
Record Numbers Of Openly LGBTQ+ Athletes Will Compete At Beijing 2022 — Including First Openly Nonbinary Winter Olympian (Forbes)
Here Are The First Openly Transgender And Nonbinary Olympians Making History In Tokyo (Forbes)
The Battle Over Gender Therapy (NYT)
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The celebration is winding down. The parade is over.
And one thing has been made abundantly clear since the Warriors won their fourth title since 2015: Success doesn’t leave much time for contemplation.
Welcome to the 2022 NBA offseason, ladies and gentlemen.
The Warriors are the oddsmakers’ favorites to repeat as champions, but, like with this season, there will be nearly a dozen teams that can make the argument that they’ll be in the mix to win the title next season. I don’t know if they all have a claim, but I do see three squads in the Western Conference (let the East take care of itself) that the Warriors should keep close an eye on this offseason, because they represent the strongest threats to the crown:
Memphis Grizzlies One could make the argument that the Grizzlies — not the Mavericks or Eastern Conference champion Celtics — provided the Warriors their biggest scare this postseason.
There is certainly an alternate universe where Ja Morant never injures his knee and Memphis upsets the Dubs in the second round in May.
But Morant did injure his knee, and the Warriors beat the Grizzlies in six games because of it.
What stood out in that second-round series was how valuable Gary Payton II was, or, I suppose, would have been. Payton was injured in the early moments of Game 2 by a cheap-shot flagrant foul from Dillon Brooks that broke the Warrior’s elbow. I know it feels like a decade ago, but remember: without Payton, the Warriors had no one who could stay in front of Morant on the perimeter, and that provided Memphis with the upper hand in the series until Morant’s injury.
Memphis is young, Morant’s injury appears to be minor in the grand scheme, and with a couple of simple moves, the Grizzlies could be under the NBA’s salary cap by enough to add a clear No. 2 to the mix.
After the Warriors won the title, a number of them spent some time chirping at the Grizzlies in press conferences and on Twitter. There’s some energy for a real rivalry here both on and off the court.
Memphis is going to come strong again next season. If the Warriors want to position themselves to beat them again, they need to bring back Payton, at whatever the cost.
Dallas Mavericks The Warriors were able to beat the Mavericks in five games because Dallas was a one-trick pony.
Their plays include Give The Ball to Luka and Get Out of Luka’s way. There’s not much else in there.
Against the vast majority of NBA teams, Luka Dončić is singlehandedly enough to win games. But the Warriors — who harkened back to their battles with James Harden in the Western Conference Finals — are not the “vast majority.”
The Mavericks know that there’s a big gap between them and the champions and they’ve already started working on cutting that down by trading for center Christian Wood, who will provide some sorely-needed rim protection and has a chance to be a nice roll-man with Dončić.
Dallas’ issue is that they need a better No. 2 scorer. Steph had Klay Thompson and, at one point, Kevin Durant. Jalen Brunson is a nice backup point guard, but he’s nowhere near that caliber of player.
But Brunson is due a new contract this offseason. If the Mavericks lock him in long-term, they will also lock in roughly their current status as championship contenders in theory only. Dallas does have some payroll flexibility and can play around with sign-and-trade possibilities because they can easily fit under the luxury tax line.
If Dallas makes a big, bold move (or two), they could be right back in the Western Conference Finals again in 2023 with an even better chance of winning. This is the team to keep an eye on this offseason.
Los Angeles Clippers
There are only a few teams that can boast, as the Clippers can, that they can stand pat and be true title contenders, if not the favorites.
Yes, the Clippers were a play-in team this past season — not even making it to the real playoff tournament — but they have one of the most valuable players in basketball returning next year, giving them the best 1-2 punch in the league at the most important position in the game.
Wings win titles. Just ask the Warriors, who saw Andrew Wiggins have an out-of-body experience in the postseason to be, inarguably, the team’s second most important player.
Wiggins did his best Kawhi Leonard impression over the last two months.
The Clippers get the real Leonard back next season.
When you pair him with Paul George, a great coach in Ty Lue, a deep roster and a deep-pocketed owner, you have a fascinating combination that might not thrive in the regular season but could be — if healthy — a wickedly tough out when the games really matter. | Basketball |
If you value the condition of your car, you know just how important a good set of floor mats can be. On a wet day when you must trudge through water or mud to get to your car -- or on a dry day when your shoes are kicking up dirt and dust -- floor mats are the only thing between your feet and the interior of your vehicle. And since you as the vehicle owner spent a lot of money on your car, you'll want to keep it clean inside and out.The right set of car floor mats will keep you from transferring the grime, slime and debris that clings to your feet outside to your car's interior. These automotive accessories are designed to be removable, cleanable and ultimately replaceable -- so if you get them dirty or stained, it's no big deal. The only issue that remains is how you pick the set of mats that's right for you and your vehicle.To answer that question, we've compiled a list of some of the best car floor mats across a variety of categories, based on customer satisfaction and expert opinion. Odds are there'll be one (or more) that seems like a good fit for you. Plus, after you're done browsing our selections, read on for some more important information about car floor mats. Husky Liners The best overall mats need to protect each and every square inch of your car's floor. They need to be sturdy and stable, but also easy to clean -- because they will get dirty quickly. They also need to be reasonably priced for the service they offer. Husky Liners X-act Contour Floor Liners check all these boxes and more.It's important to note that Husky Liners X-act Contour Floor Liners are designed to fit individual vehicles for the best fit possible. For every vehicle the rubber mats will vary in terms of size and price.Husky Liners X-act Contour Floor Liners have 4.8 stars out of five on Amazon, with over 1,600 ratings. Satisfied customers cite the custom floor mats' exact fit and ability to stay in place during use. WeatherTech Really, it's a tossup between the Husky Liners X-act Contour Liners above for the best floor mats overall title. Just like the Husky Liners above, the WeatherTech FloorLiner sets are specific to each vehicle model (which means the price varies from set to set). WeatherTech laser measures every car to provide precise fit for maximum protection, ensuring that you won't be caught with a bare section of floor.The WeatherTech FloorLiners are designed with ease in mind. Not only are they custom-fit for each vehicle, but the rubber mats have a high outer lip that prevents spills from sloshing over onto the floor. These sturdy, heavy-duty custom floor mat excel in their category -- like the X-act Contour Liners, the WeatherTech FloorLiners have 4.8 stars out of five on Amazon. Husky Liners Like any other automotive accessory, car floor mats vary in price -- and while there are always bargains to be had and products to avoid, if you want the best floor mats money can buy, you'll have to spend a bit extra. You'll also end up with Husky Liners WeatherBeater floor liners.As the name suggests, WeatherBeater floor liners are built to stand up to pretty much whatever you can bring inside a car -- whether it's snow, ice, water, dirt, mud, debris or food and drink spills. The liners are built to specific vehicle measurements and they have cleats that keep them steady. Still, rubber floor mats are easy to remove when you need to clean them.The Husky Liners WeatherBeater has 4.7 stars out of five on Amazon with over 1,400 reviews. Satisfied customers cite the durability of the custom floor mats, as well as their ability to grip vehicular floor carpet. WeatherTech WeatherTech's FloorLiners are among the best mats you can get -- and if money is no object, you can go even further and opt for their premium mats, sold under the FloorLiner HP banner. Like the regular FloorLiners, they're built to size for specific vehicles (which means prices vary), but they're all sturdy and effective when it comes to keeping your vehicle's interior clean from debris.What sets the FloorLiner HP models apart from the regular FloorLiners is just how durable they are. They're made from a Thermoplastic Elastomer compound designed to hold up under extreme weather conditions, which means they can take a pounding. They also have plastic nubs on the underside to prevent the mats from moving during use. Rugged Ridge There's not much that will get the floor of your car dirty as quickly as mud. We make sure to take off our shoes inside so we don't track mud in our houses, but we don't have the same luxury with our vehicles. Our choice comes down to a reliable floor mat or a dirty car interior.Thankfully, there are many mats that are up to the task of handling excessive mud, with Rugged Ridge's All-Terrain Front Row Floor Liner at the top (the same product is also available for back seats). These heavy-duty thermoplastic mats create a protective barrier designed to fit your car and the treads catch mud and channel it away from your shoes.Rugged Ridge's All-Terrain Black Floor Liners have 4.6 stars out of five on Amazon based on more than 1,400 customer ratings. They also have an "Amazon's Choice" designation, which the site reserves for preferred products. Husky Liners Snow presents a unique challenge for car interiors -- when drivers or riders track it into a car on their shoes, it slowly melts, meaning that the level of liquid to which the floor is exposed increases over time. The right floor mat for dealing with snow needs to be able to contend with this fact.Once again, it's a selection from Husky Liners' WeatherBeater line that takes the cake. The WeatherBeater liners are designed with a tread pattern that holds and contains liquid during a car ride. The liners can then be removed from the car and washed or dried as necessary.Husky Liners WeatherBeater Floor Liners are highly praised on Amazon -- site users have given the liners 4.8 stars out of five, with nearly 8,000 ratings. Again, please note that these mats are made for individual vehicles and need to be ordered for your specific vehicle. FH Group Some floor mats may be better suited for specific weather conditions, but if you're going to keep the same mats on your floor year-round, you'll want to make sure they can handle all sorts of weather in a satisfactory manner.FH Group's Universal Fit Rubber Automotive Floor Mats are waterproof and stain-resistant, meaning that rain, snow, mud, dirt and any other seasonal messes won't phase them. They're also easy to clean -- just use soap and water for liquid messes or a vacuum for solids. They can also be trimmed to fit your vehicle precisely for the best protection. It's also worth noting that not only are these all-weather mats great at protecting your car's floor year-round, they're also one of the least expensive mat sets on Amazon at $15. This has earned them the "Amazon's Choice" designation, as well as 4.5 stars out of five on the site with more than 6,000 ratings. BDK When it comes to car floor mats, carpet makes for an entirely different experience than rubber or plastic. While those mats are designed to channel liquid messes away from a driver or pedestrian's feet, carpet mats are meant to absorb liquid messes. This makes them more effective at getting rid of liquids.BDK's Carpet Car Floor Mats offer that level of absorbency, much like heavy foot traffic welcome door mats in front of your home. They're sized to fit most cars, trucks, vans and SUVs and they have grips on the underside that will keep them from sliding around. They're also available in a variety of different colors.BDK's Carpet Floor Mats are the seventh-best-selling automotive floor mats on Amazon and they too have an "Amazon's Choice" designation. Over 5,000 satisfied customers have given the mats an average rating of 4.4 stars out of five. BDK BDK is a major player when it comes to carpet floor mats, so it's natural that another one of its products would rank as our runner up in the category. BDK's Classic Floor Mats are a little bit less costly than their regular floor mats, but they might be the answer to your needs.Where the products differ is that the classic floor mats are all a single color, while the regular floor mats have colorful faux leather trim. That's really it -- just a stylistic difference. Beyond that, the absorption capabilities are the same and the universal fit sizing works the same way.BDK's Classic Floor Mats are the sixth-best-selling mats on Amazon and they're also listed as "Amazon's Choice." They have 4.2 stars out of five with more than 2,600 customer ratings. Husky Liners Different car mats are designed with different fits in mind. Some are custom made for a specific vehicle's make and model. Others have what's known as a "universal fit" -- they're meant to be trimmed down (either by a user or a professional) to fit the spaces in which they're going to be placed. These mats can work in a wide range of vehicles and are typically cheaper than custom-made mats.Husky Liners Uni-Fit All Weather Floor Mats are heavy-duty, universal-fit mats that can be trimmed to fit just about any automobile. They're made of a rubberized DuraGrip material and designed with channels that lead water and other liquid messes away from their center. This means that they can keep spills away from your feet until you have a chance to clean.Husky Liners Uni-Fit All Weather Floor Mats currently have 4.5 stars out of five on Amazon. WeatherTech WeatherTech is another major name in car floor mats, and like Husky Liners, they also have a contender for best overall universal floor mats. The WeatherTech Universal Trim to Fit All Weather Floor Mats are that contender, made of a durable material and designed with channels that catch mud, dirt and liquids.The WeatherTech mats are cheaper than our top pick, the Husky Liners, but it's also worth mentioning that the WeatherTech mats are not designed to fit specific vehicle models. Instead, they come in set sizes and can be trimmed to fit your car's floor, either by a driver or a professional.WeatherTech's Universal Trim to Fit All Weather Floor Mats currently have 4.6 stars out of five on Amazon, with nearly 1,700 ratings. While customers have expressed some difficulty getting the mats trimmed to the perfect size, they've spoken highly of the durability and price. Armor All If you want to save some money by picking a universal-fit mat over a custom-fit mat, but you don't want to sacrifice quality or cleanliness, Armor All Rubber Rubber All-Season Floor Mats are another great choice.These Armor All mats are designed to be easily trimmable, so they can fit your car no matter what. They're also designed to keep from cracking in sub-zero temperatures. Please note that the mats are actually available in different colors and in different set sizes, with the noted price applying to a black four-piece set. Two-piece and three-piece sets are also available, if those suit your needs.Armor All Rubber Rubber All-Season Floor Mats currently have 4.5 stars out of five with more than 15,000 customer ratings. Comparison of the best floor mats for 2022 Floor mats Material Type Best floor mats overall Husky Liners X-act Contour Floor Liners Rubber Custom fit Best floor mats overall runner-up WeatherTech FloorLiner Rubber Custom fit Best floor mats if money is no object Husky Liners WeatherBeater Floor Liners Rubber Custom fit Best floor mats if money is no object runner-up WeatherTech FloorLiner HP Rubber Custom fit Best floor mats for mud Rugged Ridge All-Terrain Floor Liners Rubber Custom fit Best floor mats for snow Husky Liners WeatherBeater Floor Liners Rubber Custom fit Best cheap floor mats FH Group Universal Fit Rubber Automotive Floor Mats Rubber Universal trim-to-fit Best carpet floor mats BDK Carpet Car Floor Mats Carpet Universal fit Best carpet floor mats runner-up BDK Classic Carpet Floor Mats Carpet Universal fit Best universal floor mats Husky Liners Uni-Fit All Weather Floor Mats Rubber Universal trim-to-fit Best universal floor mats runner-up WeatherTech Universal Trim to Fit All Weather Floor Mats Rubber Universal trim-to-fit Best affordable floor mats Armor All Rubber All-Season Floor mats Rubber Universal trim-to-fit Husky Liners What are floor mats?Car floor mats are designed to protect the interior floor of your vehicle from any messes it may encounter -- whether brought in from outside (like mud or dirt) or created inside (like spills). Many cars come with factory floor mats, but these typically aren't of the highest quality and may not fit your car well.Floor mats are typically made from either rubber, vinyl or carpet, with different materials offering different benefits. For instance, carpet is very absorbent, while rubber mats use ridges to capture and guide liquids. These ridges can ultimately become caked with mud or other forms of moisture and are then difficult to clean. Some models combine materials -- for instance, with carpet on the top and rubber on the bottom. They also vary in terms of thickness with thicker carpet mats providing greater absorbency.While both ultimately serve the same purpose, there's a difference between floor liners and floor mats. Liners are usually custom made to fit the exact floor shape of your vehicle with very little space (if any) left unprotected. Mats are generally premade and come in a variety of sizes. This means that liners offer more comprehensive protection and are more expensive than mats, while mats are less costly and easier to remove and wash. WeatherTech "While the traditional rubber or carpeted floor mats can do the job if you are super careful, I find that liners that are laser-measured do the job best," said Chaya Milchtein. Milchtein is the founder of Mechanic Shop Femme, an online resource devoted to helping women and members of the LGBTQ community feel empowered when it comes to their vehicles. "One size fits most doesn't work too well in the clothing industry because bodies are different and that carries over to cars as well. The shape of the floor beneath your feet varies greatly from car to car. In addition, poorly sized floor mats can move and shift, creating a safety issue if they slide to cover or interfere with your pedals. Floor liners tend to inch up the sides of the floor area, protecting not just the carpet beneath, but the sides as well, in a precise way."Custom-made mats are available as well, which are cut to a specific vehicle's floor size. And there are universal floor mats, which are sold in a few set sizes that are meant to cover the entire gamut of interior dimensions. If you want a good fit without spending too much money, you can also buy universal floor mats and cut them down to the size of your car's interior.If a mat isn't tailor-made to your vehicle's specifications, it will be prone to slipping around. Many car mats are designed with tread patterns on the bottom that's meant to keep them in place, but it's not a perfect system. If you have a mat that slips, you can secure it with carpet tape or clips. Rugged Ridge To determine which kind of floor mat is right for you, you'll want to take many factors into consideration, such as the price you're willing to spend, the amount of coverage you want and the amount of time and effort you're willing to devote to cleaning and maintenance. You may also want a mat that matches your car's interior -- whatever your needs, you'll eventually be able to find the right mat."If you're looking for a good floor mat you need to know the use case," said Andy King, founder and managing director of Jamjar.com. Established in 1997, Jamjar is an online service devoted to car-buying comparisons "For example, if you think that you'll be getting a lot of dirt in your car because of the area that you live and the activities that you're doing, synthetic rubber or plastic floor mats might be the best choice. This will make for easy cleaning while protecting your flooring. However, the bottom of your shoes won't dry, so that is something to watch out for. If you'd prefer to get mats that are more absorbent, look for something that has a non-slip backing so that the mat doesn't move around while you drive. These mats often have nylon fibers to make them stronger and last longer." WeatherTech How do you care for floor mats?Just because of where they sit and how they're used, car mats tend to get very dirty very quickly. If you want to keep your vehicle as clean as possible, you'll have to wash your mats frequently. While your cleaning tactics will vary based on the material of your mats, you'll always want to remove your mats from your car, wash them thoroughly and let them dry off before replacing them.Of course, if you use a set of floor mats long enough, you'll eventually have to replace them. There are many reasons to retire a set of mats, but some of the most common include the mats becoming moldy or smelly or carpet mats losing their absorbency. You may also decide to replace a rubber mat if the treads get caked with dirt and it's simply too difficult to clean them completely.Written by Scott Fried for CNETMore car accessory recommendationsBest Car Cover for 2022Best Windshield Wipers for 2022Best Car Vacuum for 2022Best Jumper Cables for 2022Best Car Battery Chargers for 2022Best Battery Maintainer for 2022Best Car Buffer for 2022Best Car Drying Towel for 2022Floor mats FAQs Should I get custom-made mats or universal mats? It really depends on what you're looking for and how much money you want to spend. Custom-made mats will be a better fit for your vehicle, but they'll also be far more expensive than mats that you can buy off the rack and cut yourself. Universal mats may leave areas of your floor unprotected, and if you have to cut them down to size, they'll require additional work on your part. What material do I want for my car floor mats? Floor mats are available rubber, vinyl or carpet. The material that's best for you will ultimately depend on your needs. Rubber and vinyl mats are less absorbent than carpet mats, but they're also easy to clean with just a hose. Carpet mats retain more moisture, which can be handy if you live in an area that gets lots of rainfall. However, when carpet mats absorb too much moisture and get dirty, the result can be mold or odors or both. How do I secure my mats to my floor? If you have custom-made floor mats, or if you're able to cut your floor mats to the exact size needed, they should fit the area of the floor in front of each seat with minimal slipping. If your mats aren't custom made, they won't fit on your floor perfectly and will be prone to slippage. Use carpet tape, hooks or some other kind of fastener to keep them steady. How thick do I want my floor mats to be? Thicker carpet mats absorb more liquid. If you're getting carpet mats, it may be worth spending a little extra to ensure that they can handle any spill that comes their way. When it comes to vinyl or plastic mats, the thickness won't affect the level of absorbency, but thicker vinyl and plastic mats will have a longer life as they're harder to tear. How do I clean my car floor mats? Most plastic and vinyl mats are relatively easy to clean -- simply take them out of your car and use a high-powered hose setting to blast dirt and grease away, then finish with a hand wash to make sure you get everything. Carpet floor mats may require more thorough hand-washing or vacuuming in order to get clean. Individual manufacturers may also have specific instructions for cleaning their mats, so make sure to familiarize yourself with these. | Automotive and Transportation |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, June 21 (Reuters) - South Korea's second test launch of its domestically produced Nuri rocket successfully placed several satellites in orbit on Tuesday, officials said, taking a major step in efforts to jumpstart its space programme after a first test failed last year.The rocket lifted off from Naro Space Center on the southern coast of South Korea at 4 p.m. (0700 GMT). A 162.5-kg (358 lb)satellite designed to verify the rocket's performance successfully made contact with a base station in Antarctica after entering orbit, officials said.The rocket also successfully placed a 1.3-ton dummy satellite and four small cube satellites developed by universities for research, into orbit.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"The sky of the Korean universe is now wide open," Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho told a briefing. "Our science and technology has made great strides."The three-stage KSLV-II Nuri rocket, designed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to eventually put 1.5-ton payloads into orbit 600 to 800 km (370 to 500 miles) above the Earth, is a cornerstone of the country’s ambitious goals for 6G networks, spy satellites, and even lunar probes.It uses only Korean rocket technologies, and is the country's first domestically built space launch vehicle. South Korea’s last booster, launched in 2013 after multiple delays and several failed tests, was jointly developed with Russia.President Yoon Suk-yeol watched the launch from his office and thanked everyone involved as he was briefed by Lee and others about the success, vowing to keep an election pledge to create a new agency to take charge of space affairs, according to a statement by his office."Now the road to space from our land has been opened," Yoon said. "It was the product of 30 years of daunting challenges. From now on, the dreams and hopes of our people and our youth will extend into space."South Korea’s domestically produced Nuri space rocket lifts off from its launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Korea, June 21, 2022. Mandatory credit Korea Pool/Yonhap via REUTERS In Nuri's first test in October, the rocket completed its flight sequences but failed to put the test payload into orbit after its third-stage engine burned out earlier than planned.Engineers adjusted the helium tank inside Nuri's third-stage oxidizer tank to address that problem, Yonhap news agency reported.KARI has said it plans at least four more test launches by 2027. Nuri is key to South Korean plans to eventually build a Korean satellite-based navigation system and a 6G communications network. The country also plans to launch a range of military satellites, but officials deny the Nuri has any use as a weapon.South Korea is also working with the United States on a lunar orbiter, and hopes to land a probe on the moon by 2030.After Tuesday's successful launch, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul said on Twitter it is looking forward to U.S.-South Korea cooperation in space.Space launches have long been a sensitive issue on the Korean peninsula, where North Korea faces sanctions over its nuclear-armed ballistic missile programme.In March, South Korea's military separately oversaw what it said was its first successful launch of a solid-fuel space-launch rocket, another part of its plans to launch spy satellites.In recent years, South Korea and the United States agreed to scrap bilateral limits on Seoul's missile and rocket development, clearing the way for new civilian and military launches.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin, Editing by William Maclean and Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Space Exploration |
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s bid for a three-peat is alive and well.With Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy leading the way, the star-laden, two-time defending champions beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 Monday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.The victory, two nights after suffering the most lopsided loss in the team’s playoff history, trimmed Tampa Bay’s series deficit to 2-1 and breathed hope in the team’s quest to become the first franchise in nearly 40 years to win three consecutive NHL titles.“There’s a reason why we’re here and there’s a reason why we won tonight. There’s a reason why this has gone on for the last couple of years,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.“The guys you need to lead you have been doing that, and then everybody falls in line,” Cooper added. “You watch Stammer’s growth and Hedman’s growth through the years, and it’s probably not a coincidence that winning has followed us.”Stamkos, Pat Maroon and Ondrej Palat each had a goal and an assist, and the Lightning scored four times in the second period to bounce back from an embarrassing 7-0 loss in Game 2 of the best-of-seven matchup.Anthony Cirelli, Nicholas Paul and Corey Perry also scored to help Tampa Bay storm back after playing poorly while losing the first two games on the road. Kucherov and Hedman had two assists, and Vasilevskiy stopped 37 shots.“I don’t know why we started the series the way we did. ... But any way you slice it, it’s 2-1 now,” Stamkos said.“A big part, too, is our goaltender,” Cooper added. “For him to go through what he went through two nights ago and then perform like he did tonight … not only that, but to have them score first and then have the team to respond and back him up, I guess that’s how you get to the places that we’ve been.”Stamkos, Paul, Maroon and Perry scored in the second period, when the Lightning chased Colorado goalie Darcy Kuemper while pulling away.Gabriel Landeskog had two goals and Mikko Rantanen and Cale Maker each had two assists for the Avalanche. Kuemper gave up five goals on 22 shots before he was replaced by Pavel Francouz, who finished with nine saves.Game 4 is on Wednesday night at Amalie Arena, where the Lightning have won a franchise-record eight straight playoff games and Colorado lost on the road for the first time this postseason.“Right now I feel like we’re still in the driver’s seat up 2-1,” Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon said. “We’ve got to really show up for Game 4, regroup, be better and stay even-keeled.” | Hockey |
Disabled Liverpool supporters will tell the French Senate today how they had to flee for their lives, chased by a baying mob of hundreds of yobs outside the Stade de France, after the Champions League final.Ted Morris, chairman of the Liverpool Disabled Supporters' Association, will tell the commission investigating the appalling scenes at the French national stadium, that he was among Liverpool fans targeted by hooligans throwing bottles and wielding knives, while the police stood by, before teargassing the traumatised supporters.Morris, a wheelchair user since he lost the use of his legs through a medical condition seven years ago, will present nine harrowing testimonies from disabled fans, while Joe Blott, chairman of the Spirit of Shankly group, will also submit evidence of mismanagement at the final and abuse of those attending. There was an initial attempt to solely pin the blame of the disorder last month on Reds fansMore than 9,000 Liverpool fans – half of all of those who went to the final against Real Madrid on May 28 – have now filed complaints, which are being collected by Liverpool Football Club. ‘Leaving the stadium was the worst bit,’ Morris, 58, told Sportsmail ahead of the hearing in Paris. ‘We got to the bottom of the underpass. That is where the police were. It left a 400m stretch from there to the train station. Within yards of leaving the underpass these gangs of locals started attacking us.‘Bottles are raining down on us, they are running in with knives trying to rob anyone, it was the most terrifying thing I have ever been through in my life, especially in a wheelchair'You have seen nothing like it. Just gangs everywhere who seemed to see us as human cashpoints.' Some politicians that Sportsmail had spoken to believe that Liverpool fans were scapegoatedMorris said hundreds were robbed as wave after wave of yobs attacked the helpless fans. ‘The police never left the underpass,' he recalled. 'Once we left the underpass there was not one police officer. Not one. Once we left there were just hundreds of these locals unchecked for a 400m stretch. It literally felt like you were running for your life. It was only by the grace of God there were no fatalities.‘When we got to the station and thought ‘thank God for that’, and they tear gassed us.’Morris, who left the game, which Liverpool lost to Real Madrid 1-0, on the 86th minute, said he was one of hundreds of supporters running the gauntlet, but thousands more were caught up in the horror before and after him.He said that around 150 disabled fans from Liverpool attended the game, 38 of them in wheelchairs. Morris has an electric wheelchair and as he picked his way across no man’s land without police protection, the power warning lights came on and he was terrified he may be stranded.The scenes he witnessed will stay with him for the rest of his life. Morris said the image of a seven-year-old girl in her full Liverpool kit clinging to her father, eyes streaming from tear gas is an image he cannot forget.He will present testimonies today from a family separated in the carnage from their eight-year-old autistic son and a blind man caught in the chaos and tear gas after he had lost his guide.‘To be in a wheelchair with a baying mob attacking you or a disabled child separated from your parents… that can’t be allowed to happen.’ France's interior minister Gerald Darmanin admitted mistakes were made by the authoritiesOnce Morris and other fans made it to the safety of the station, he said they were rocked by two blasts and a wave of tear gas swept through the building.‘We got on the train back to Gare du Nord,’ he recalls. ‘No one was saying a word. Eyes were streaming. People were in a state of shock. It felt like we had just come out of a war zone. What made it worse was the people that we thought were going to protect us, teargassed us. They need to explain to us why they did that.However, Morris and Blott are grateful to the French authorities for allowing them to speak at the Senate and address the ‘false narratives’ pedalled in the aftermath of the final, in which it was claimed 30-40,000 Liverpool supporters descended on the stadium with counterfeit tickets. That claim has now been exposed as groundless. Didier Lallement, head of Paris police, conceded he made a mistake over his fake ticket claim‘This commission seems really, really fair,’ added Morris. ‘It seems to go where the truth goes and you can’t ask for any more than that. Credit where credit is due.‘We just want some accountability, an apology and from my point of view to ensure no disabled supporters are ever placed in harm’s way like that.‘We need someone to take accountability for this. Someone needs to hold their hands up and say this is wrong.’Interior minister Gerald Darmanin, who initially perpetuated the claims over false tickets has since admitted that mistakes were made by those responsible for the running of the event and said he 'deplores the errors' which led to the chaos. French authorities blocked attempts to portray an accurate picture of the causes of the chaosThere has been widespread outrage at the treatment of supporters for the match Countless accounts have laid bare crippling congestion issues, poor organisation and assaults and robberies from local gangs as fans left the stadium.The head of Paris police, Didier Lallement, has conceded his claim that up to 40,000 Liverpool supporters looked to get into the ground with fake tickets was incorrect.However, during his own testimony, Lallement attempted to defend the use of tear gas. | Soccer |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Two Florida deputies have each been suspended for about two weeks for leaking news about actor and comedian Bob Saget’s death before his family was alerted, officials said.The Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed Monday that the two deputies were each suspended for 81 hours without pay.“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. “The deputies acknowledged their wrongdoing and were disciplined for their actions.”One of the deputies told his brother about Saget's death shortly after responding to the scene, and then the brother posted the information on social media, according to an investigation report. The other deputy, who was off-duty and not involved in the death investigation, told his neighbor about Saget's passing, officials said.Saget, 65, was found by a hotel security officer at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando on Jan. 9 after he had failed to check out of the hotel and his family had asked for a well-being check. A medical examiner later determined that the “Full House” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos” star had died from an accidental blow to the head, likely from a backward fall. | Celebrity |
Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (16) tips a shot past Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) for a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Tuesday, November 30, 2021. Dallas won 4-1.(Brandon Wade / Special Contributor)Peter DeBoer is not the Stars head coach yet, but his hiring could become official in the near future.Monday came and went without an official announcement from the Stars, following Sunday night’s Sportsnet report that DeBoer would be the next coach in Dallas and Monday morning’s TSN report that the two sides were working on a four-year contract worth more than $4 million annually.The details of DeBoer’s contract were not finalized, and thus, the Stars did not announce the new hire. Stars general manager Jim Nill did not respond to a message from The News.In DeBoer, the Stars would be hiring an experience NHL coach who would be taking over his fifth team. He previously coached the Golden Knights (2020-22), Sharks (2015-20), Devils (2011-15) and Panthers (2008-11). DeBoer was fired by Vegas in the spring.DeBoer advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in his first seasons in New Jersey and San Jose and advanced to the final four twice with Vegas. The Golden Knights missed the playoffs this season, leading to DeBoer’s dismissal.If the DeBoer hire becomes official, there will be some beneficiaries in Dallas. Here’s a look at some potential winners and losers.WinnersJoe Pavelski: Pavelski is the only current Stars player who has played for DeBoer previously, and he found tremendous success as a key cog in San Jose’s system that placed an emphasis on shots from the point. Pavelski was the perfect player to execute around the net-front, tipping pucks and collecting rebounds, when an avalanche of shots came from the blue line.He served as a captain under DeBoer and was likely consulted by Nill about DeBoer during the search process. Pavelski, who turns 38 in July, led the Stars with 81 points in 82 games last season.Miro Heiskanen: DeBoer places a heavy emphasis on his defensemen getting involved in the play — on the rush, in the offensive zone, on the power play and with point shots — which led to Vegas being one of the best teams in the league at producing offense from the back end. Heiskanen has yet to take the next step forward offensively, and maybe this would be a way to do so.Heiskanen has long been one of the best defensive defensemen in the game, but coaching can help maximize his tools at the offensive end of the ice (with matchups, partners and power-play usage).LosersJohn Klingberg: Right as the Stars appear set to welcome a coach who wants defensemen to produce offense, the team’s best shooter on the blue line may be out the door. Klingberg will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, looking to cash in despite a downturn in production the last few seasons.It will be interesting to see what the market looks like for Klingberg, but he and the Stars have been unable to find common ground in the last year of contract negotiations. Klingberg prefers a more possession-based approach to offense instead of a forechecking style for which the Stars were known under former coach Rick Bowness.Jake Oettinger: It’s tough to fully understand the personal dynamics that go on within a team, but DeBoer had public beefs with each of the Golden Knights’ last two goaltenders.With Marc-Andre Fleury, it got to the point that Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh tweeted a picture of Fleury being stabbed in the back by a sword that read “DeBoer” on it. With Robin Lehner, DeBoer publicly criticized the goalie while he was playing injured.Last year was Oettinger’s first as the No. 1 goalie, and it came under a coach who would send him supportive text messages after each game. Goaltending coach Jeff Reese is slated to be back next season, which will help Oettinger.While DeBoer had success with Martin Jones in San Jose, it’s tough to ignore his recent history with goalies.POSTGAME REACTION: Head Coach Peter DeBoer on Martin Jones."You guys like to grab little pictures of things that work for the story you're writing...He's having a great year for us. Our goaltending has been excellent all year." #sjsharks pic.twitter.com/90REdcEV3v— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) January 19, 2018 Wait and seeDenis Gurianov: Gurianov struggled last season and was a healthy scratch multiple times (including in the playoffs) under Bowness. One of DeBoer’s many jobs is to get Gurianov going, and we’ll see how he plans on doing that.Wyatt Johnston: Johnston was the OHL MVP this season, and is the Stars’ top prospect, a right-handed center with a great shot to make the NHL roster in the fall. DeBoer oversaw Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl’s breakouts in San Jose. What does it mean for Johnston?+++Related:What hiring long-time NHL coach Peter DeBoer would mean for the Dallas StarsFind more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.Matthew DeFranks. Matt began covering the Stars for SportsDay in 2018-19, and previously covered the Florida Panthers for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He's also covered college football, the Miami Marlins, the Kansas City Royals and the Los Angeles Angels for a variety of outlets. He graduated from the University of Notre [email protected] /mdefranks @MDeFranks Be the smartest Stars fanNews, analysis and opinion about the Dallas Stars delivered FREE to your inbox.By signing up you agree to our privacy policyMost Popular on DallasNews.com123456 | Hockey |
In a landmark agreement, members of the U.S. men’s national soccer team have agreed to pool their World Cup prize money with the women’s team. Call it solidarity, call it charity, but please don’t call it equality. Men should keep earning more than women from their World Cup participation because the men’s tournament generates much more profit. The situation is not unique to the World Cup, but applies to national soccer leagues, basketball and most other professional sports. Men’s sports generate more money because people are typically more interested in watching men compete. There are some sports, such as figure skating and gymnastics, where women athletes tend to attract more interest. That is the reason why many of the highest-earning professional figure skaters are women. But the NBA is about 50 times more popular than the WNBA, and there are no women’s pro leagues in the other major spectator sports in America — football, baseball and ice hockey. Why are people more interested in watching men compete? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that male athletes are generally superior to women in most athletic pursuits. Years ago, when tennis super stars Serena and Venus Williams played a low-ranking male tennis player on a practice court at the Australian Open, the man beat them both handily. When the U.S. women’s soccer team played against a team of teenage boys in 2017, the women’s team lost. Why were they even scrimmaging against 14-year-old boys in preparation for the World Cup? Presumably, the boys’ team from Dallas was considered a decent approximation of their international competition. Biological differences in strength, speed and stamina are the reason most sports are segregated by sex. If women were competitive against men, women would not be demanding more money, they would be demanding the end of segregation. Professional baseball used to be segregated by race; Black players were excluded from Major League Baseball (MLB) until about 75 years ago, preventing them from earning their fair share of the revenue generated by “America’s pastime.” This was a clear and grotesque example of inequality. In response, Black athletes did not ask the MLB players to share their profits with the Negro leagues; they demanded equal access to the MLB. That was a fair solution to systemic discrimination. I hail from Finland, a country that is frequently considered one of the most gender-equal in the world. In 2019, the Finnish ombudsman for equality concluded that the Finnish national soccer association did not discriminate against women by compensating men at a much higher rate. The decision was informed by the observation that only the men’s national team generated profit. Some of this profit was used to sponsor the women’s team, which was found to be losing money for the organization. Apparently, Finnish society remains open to the theory that merit justifies unequal outcomes. Although the path-breaking labor agreement within U.S. Soccer has been greeted as a sign of progress, it sends exactly the wrong message to the women and girls of America: If you can’t compete with men – if you are unable to perform at the same level – you can always count on the chivalry of men. Whatever the men end up earning from playing for the national team is only a fraction of what they make as professional athletes in Major League Soccer and the European leagues. At least for now, that source of their income is based on market forces rather than the court of public opinion. I suspect that is the main reason the men agreed, however begrudgingly, to sign this contract. They just want this thing to go away already. Jukka Savolainen is a Heterodox Academy writing fellow and a sociology professor at Wayne State University, where he teaches sociology of sport. | Soccer |
“There’ll be no fireworks, no wind machines, and no butt-whacking choreography – just a bunch of guys with guitars,” Don Henley tells Liverpool by way of introducing Eagles’ 50th anniversary tour, addressing an audience who for the most part appear to have been around to witness all five of those decades, accompanied by a few of their offspring. That said, the setlist dwells almost entirely on the 1970s, the era of Hotel California and Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), still among the biggest selling albums ever.Tales of Eagles excess in those days are legendary, but today they’re men in their 70s, presenting their young selves’ back catalogue with flawless five-part harmonies and machine-tooled precision. Not all the 1970s members made their 1994 reunion; since then, they lost co-founder Glenn Frey in 2016. But US country star Vince Gill sings his songs with care and empathy, bringing the perfect amount of aching yearning to Take It to the Limit, and smiling in delight as he realises Anfield is singing along to Lyin’ Eyes. There’s a surprise reappearance of Frey’s son, Deacon, who quit touring with the Eagles last year but returns for the likes of Take It Easy: quintessential, Californian soft-rock from another time, which sounds strangely comforting now.“We just want you to forget about the news cycle, have a few beers and enjoy yourselves,” urges Henley, who peels off his sublime 80s solo smash, The Boys of Summer. Guitarist Joe Walsh – who looks as if he’s enjoyed a party in his time – admits it was “a lot more fun being 20 in the 70s than 70 in the 20s”, by way of introducing Life’s Been Good, his 1978 solo hit, a knowingly affectionate send-up of rock-star excess (“My Maserati does one-eighty-five / I lost my licence, now I don’t drive”).As darkness falls, Heartache Tonight gets the crowd on their feet and the band crank up the guitars for Life in the Fast Lane. The opening chords of Hotel California trigger instant euphoria, and the stadium-sized audience sings along with every word. | Music |
After three decades of playing Sonic the Hedgehog games, I should be immune to the speedy blue Sega hero's charms. Sonic Origins proved me wrong. Slightly irritable after a busy day, I loaded up this collection of classic '90s platforming games on my PS5 and the tension just melted away as soon as I heard that iconic title music.Sonic Origins, which hits PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on Thursday, includes the original Sonic, Sonic CD, Sonic 2, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles. It also costs $40, which is a bit pricey for four retro games that have been released countless times over the years. However, it's beautifully presented with plenty of twists and modern additions to spice up these old games and offer new ways to experience them. I spent most of my time playing in the Anniversary Mode, which gives you slightly enhanced visuals, full screen display and infinite lives, because it's new for this collection and I have no patience for game-over screens any more. I saw enough of those as a kid, thanks.
For the purists, Classic Mode lets you play with retro visuals, a 4:3 aspect ratio (with bars on the sides of the screen) and limited lives. I'm glad it's possible to re-create the old style of play, but it hardly feels like the ideal way to experience these games in 2022.Diving into the original Sonic the Hedgehog, which first came out Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive, as most regions outside the US knew it) in 1991, was as fun as it has been the last 31 years. There's a satisfying sense of speed as you zip through the more open levels, while the more labyrinthine ones are fun to explore.Playing as Tails in the original Sonic is one of the fun elements of Sonic Origins. Sega It's also harder than I remember -- the chase sequence Labyrinth Zone Act 3 took me far too many attempts to get through (infinite lives, phew). Hearing Starlight Zone's absolute belter of a theme made it all worthwhile though.The first game feels relatively simple compared with its more sophisticated sequels but remains an essential piece of gaming canon everyone should play at least once. This is also the console version where you can play as Tails and Knuckles (who were added in a 2013 remaster on iOS and Android), which lets you explore the levels in whole new ways with their flying, gliding and climbing abilities.Sonic CD is likely the game that the fewest people have played since you needed the expensive Sega CD Genesis add-on to do so back in 1993. I'd never completed it before because the level design always felt like a step down from the Genesis games and I struggled to wrap my head around the time travel mechanic. (I just wanted to go fast!)Sonic CD is the quirkiest game in the collection. Sega It has incredible music and animation though -- the super cool anime-style cut scenes are included in all their glory. Good luck getting the theme song, Sonic Boom, out of your head too. Having finally completed it in this collection, it's certainly a game I've come to appreciate and look forward to exploring more, especially completing it lets you play through again as Tails. (Knuckles isn't playable in Sonic CD, unfortunately.)Sonic 2 is my sentimental favorite, having spent countless hours on it since it came to Genesis in 1992. This game is the perfect sequel, adding layers of sophistication through more colorful levels -- Chemical Plant and Casino Night Zones are a particular favorites -- whose more open design lets Sonic, Tails or Knuckles rip through. Sonic and Tails take to the sky in Sonic 2, an image you might have seen in the 2022 movie sequel. Sega The final boss (a design the second movie mirrored closely earlier this year) is much easier than I realized as a kid, but it still took me a whole bunch of attempts and several increasingly irate rants to my partner about invincibility frames before I beat him. I loved every second of replaying this incredible game.Sonic 3 & Knuckles -- presented for the first time in widescreen in this collection -- is kinda two games in one, since it fuses Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. They were originally intended to be one game, but Sega opted to release them separately in 1994 due to time constraints and cartridge size limitations (and presumably the opportunity to make a boatload more money).Sonic 3 and Knuckles has the collection's most satisfying boss fights. Sega This game oozes confidence from the opening moments to the epic finale; stunning character animations -- seeing Sonic snowboard at the start of Ice Cap Zone is still awesome -- more levels than any of the others, compelling transitions between stages, loads of memorable bosses and moments of intense speed.I'm not as nostalgic about this game as I am the second one, but playing one after another highlights Sonic 3 & Knuckles' superiority. Choosing Knuckles offers a significantly different experience to doing so as Sonic or Tails too, encouraging multiple play-throughs.There's plenty of additional replay value in this collection too. Once you complete each game, you can access a mirror mode that lets you go through each level from right to left (which feels a bit wrong initially), a boss rush mode that lets you challenge all the big baddies in succession, and smaller missions that task you with beating a certain number of enemies or getting through a challenging obstacle course.The missions offer new challenges to Sonic veterans. Sega You can also play through all four games in a seamless story mode, linked by beautiful animated cut scenes created for Sonic Origins. Across every mode, you collect coins that let you unlock music and art in the in-game museum or retry each game's special stages if you're trying to collect all the Chaos Emeralds (which you need to get the true endings).A hard mode, extra music tracks and some aesthetic menu options are exclusive to a $45 digital deluxe edition, but they weren't available during the review period. This article will be updated once I've had a chance to check out those features, but the game didn't feel incomplete without them.This collection's version of Sonic 2 includes the Hidden Palace Zone, which wasn't available in the original version. Sega Regardless of which edition you want, $40 is still a lot to ask for decades-old games -- Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers can play a no-frills version of Sonic 2 at no extra cost right now. You could also play Sonic Mania, which paid glorious homage to all four of these games in 2017.Despite the high price, the Genesis Sonic games are some of the best platformers ever made, and Sonic Origins presents them in the most visually stunning compilation yet. If you're looking to revisit classic 2D Sonic games or want to introduce them to a new generation of players who've discovered Sonic through the recent movies, this collection is the slickest, most accessible way to experience them. And it still puts me in a better mood whenever I load it up. | Video Games |
"I think she was more upset than I was," Hemsworth said of the on-set gaffe, which caused Stewart to apologize mid-take. Kristen Stewart, Chris HemsworthAP Chris Hemsworth is reflecting on being accidentally hit by Oscar nominee Kristen Stewart while filming “Snow White and the Huntsman” a decade ago.
During a GQ video interview looking back on his most memorable roles, the “Thor: Love and Thunder” star revisited the 2012 update on the “Snow White” fairytale, in which Hemsworth portrayed the titular huntsman. Co-star Stewart, as Snow White, infamously hit Hemsworth while filming an action scene.
“I was more upset she didn’t continue on through the take,” Hemsworth joked of Stewart. “She kind of hit me and then immediately went, ‘Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.'”
He added, “I was like, ‘That would’ve been the perfect, most truthful take that we had.’ I think she was more upset than I was.”
Hemsworth discussed the “brashness” of his huntsman character, Eric, saying, “There was a carefree chaotic sort of nature to him which allowed us to have a lot of fun with it.” At the time, Hemsworth admitted he was “still happy to be employed and working in big films, popcorn blockbusters if you will.” The MCU star continued, “Those were the films I loved growing up but I also had an appetite to do some more smaller character-based kind of films where special effects and big action scenes weren’t necessarily the most dominant force.”
And the “Spiderhead” actor isn’t the only star to accidentally bop a co-star in the face on set. Ryan Reynolds, who also stars as MCU superhero Deadpool, revealed on “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman” (via The Independent) that he hit Denzel Washington on the set of “Safe House,” which premiered in 2012 along with “Snow White and the Huntsman.”
Reynolds explained that he didn’t mean to “smash” Washington in the face. “I felt it hit his eye so hard I was sure that it split wide open,” Reynolds said, adding that he feared for his own life afterward. But Washington “was fine; he was like, ‘Hey, accidents happen. Let’s do it again, and we’ll shoot it from the other side so we can keep shooting, so you don’t see this.'” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. | Movies |
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSAN FRANCISCO, June 20 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of jubilant blue-and-gold clad Golden State Warriors fans lined Market Street in San Francisco on Monday to celebrate the team's fourth NBA championship triumph in eight years.The players, who beat the Boston Celtics 4-2 for the title, basked in the adoration of the crowd with several of them leaving their buses to embrace delirious "Dubs" fans under sunny skies clouded only by blasts of confetti."This one is the sweetest," a champagne-soaked Draymond Green told Reuters as he took a break from the festivities to pick up an ice cream sundae.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comAfter finishing with the worst record in the league in 2020 and missing the playoffs last season, few experts thought the Warriors and their aging core would reach the pinnacle again.But led by sharpshooting guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, emotional leader Green and a stellar supporting cast, the team got healthy in time for the playoffs and rolled from there to claim the franchise's seventh title overall.The team has clearly relished proving the doubters wrong.Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green celebrates the team's championship with fans at a parade on Market Street, in San Francisco, California, U.S., June 20, 2022. REUTERS/Rory Carroll"What they gonna say now?" Curry, who took home Finals MVP honors, tweeted alongside a photo of him with an armful of trophies and a cigar in his mouth atop his parade bus.The team's success even surpassed head coach Steve Kerr's expectations."When we started camp, I thought we could be pretty good but I didn't know we could win the whole thing," said Kerr, who has five championships as a player and four as the Warriors coach."So to be sitting here enjoying the parade today and feeling the love of the whole Bay Area, it's pretty incredible."Now that the pressure is off, Green said he had just one plan for the summer."Chill. Worldwide chill," he said with a smile.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comEditing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | Basketball |
SEOUL -- South Korea successfully launched and put its homegrown space rocket into orbit Tuesday, becoming the seventh nation capable of launching practical satellites using a self-developed propulsion system.“The Nuri rocket launch was a success,” Lee Sang-ryul, director of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute told the press after the launch. “After the launch, Nuri’s flight process proceeded according to the planned flight sequence.”KARI set off its 200-ton homegrown space rocket from the Naro Space Center in the Southern coastal village of Goheung. The launch was delayed from the original test date last Thursday due to weather conditions and a technical glitch.The Nuri rocket, the first domestically produced space rocket, lifts off from a launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Korea, June 21, 2022.Korea Pool/Yonhap via APLoaded with a 162.5-kilogram (358-pound) performance-verification satellite -- as well as four cube satellites for academic research and a 1.3-ton dummy satellite -- Nuri reached its target orbit of 700 kilometers (435 miles) above the Earth. All three stages of its engine were combusted according to plan, separating the mounted satellites at the arranged moment.With Tuesday's launch, South Korea joined the U.S., Russia, France, China, Japan and India in its self-developed propulsion capabilities, according to officials.“The launch opens up a new era for South Korea’s space program and science technology,” Aerospace Engineering professor Cho Donghyun of Pusan National University told ABC News.People watch a TV screen showing a news program about the country's rocket launch at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, June 21, 2022.Lee Jin-man/APThe Nuri Development Project, also known as the Korean Launch Vehicle project, commenced in 2010. The completion of its three-stage launch vehicle system technology enabled the team to test-fire South Korea’s first homemade rocket last October.Back then, the rocket made it to the target altitude of 700 kilometers but failed to put a dummy satellite into orbit, making the launch a half-success. The rocket launched on Tuesday stably settled the performance-verification satellite into orbit.The Nuri rocket, South Korea's first domestically built space rocket, lifts off from a launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Korea, June 21, 2022.Kim In-chul/Yonhap via AP“The Nuri spacecraft is fired up by not just one engine but a clustering of four 75-ton grade liquid engines. This gives potential to build larger projectiles with more engines in the future,” Cho said.A latecomer in the aerospace industry, South Korea’s rocket-launch journey began in 2013 when it blasted its first carrier rocket, Naro-1, to achieve orbit. The aircraft was a collaborative project with Russia’s Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and KARI.In the 12 years since that collaboration, South Korea developed its very own space rocket. South Korea invested $616 million on space research in 2021, according to South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT, a figure considerably less than the $48 billion the U.S. spent in the same period.South Korea's domestically produced Nuri space rocket is on its launchpad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Korea, June 21, 2021.Korea Pool/Yonhap via Reuters“We have set the stage for us to travel to space whenever we’d like, without having to rent a launchpad or a projectile from another country,” Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong Ho said. “The South Korean government plans to enhance the technical reliability of the Nuri rocket through four additional launches until 2027.”ABC News' Eunseo Nam contributed to this report. | Space Exploration |
The team behind the viral hit explain why they passed on big opportunities to invent a DIY approach for their creation's next chapter. In 2010, when filmmaker Dean Fleischer-Camp and then-partner Jenny Slate made the three-minute short “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” they couldn’t have predicted the fame to come. Over a decade later, the viral hit about the talking seashell who rambles off charming life philosophies has been adapted to a surprise feature-length film that landed at Telluride this week without warning.
The movie’s existence after all this time is the result of a long journey for the two collaborators, who separated in 2016. The original “Marcel” short (which played Sundance and AFI) found Slate voicing the eponymous stop-motion shell with a single googly eye who made charming, high-pitch observations about his low-key life. Following the viral acclaim, Fleischer-Camp and Slate made a sequel in 2011 followed by a pair of illustrated children’s books. In the meantime, the filmmaker and standup comedian fielded serious offers for a character they never expected to resonate on a large scale. “We fielded a lot of offers and heard people out,” Fleischer-Camp said in an interview at the festival this week. “I didn’t know what I was doing as a filmmaker back then. I could see it getting out of hand and we could end up making a project that I didn’t relate to because the character has such broad appeal. He’s cute and has bright colors. Certain people in the industry will see it in a certain way and wonder if it could be a ride at Disneyland. We really wanted to protect it.”
There were a few moments where Fleischer-Camp realized their passion project was in danger of pure IP exploitation. “We literally did meetings where some studio head said, ‘Oh, it would be great if he fought crime with Ryan Reynolds,’” he said. (That conceit may have come to fruition in the form of “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.”) “This is a character who is very dear to us. Everyone we met when this first became a sensation was paying attention to the wrong thing by seeing it as IP.”
At one point, they fleshed out a proposal for a TV show. “In retrospect, it was pretty wackadoodle,” Fleischer-Camp said. “It wasn’t specifically adult but it was very fractured and vignette-based. Audiences may be more ready for something like that now.” Now, the movie is among the few sales titles seeking U.S. distribution at Telluride, where CAA and WME are jointly selling it as buyers consider where its real market lies.
“I know that my impulses are maybe overly niche, but I feel like this is a movie I want as many people as possible to see,” Fleischer-Camp said. “A mainstream distributor might look at it and think it’s too niche or just for kids. But I feel like the character has resonated with people at every possible age.” Dean Fleischer-Camp and Jenny Slate in 2010MCMULLAN CO/SIPA
In fact, the surprise of “Marcel” comes from its unexpected emotional sophistication. As IndieWire’s Kate Erbland wrote in her review, “It’s the cutest film about familial grief you’ll see all year, perhaps ever.” Adopting a mockumentary style, Fleischer-Camp plays a fictionalized version of himself behind the camera as he attempts to document the chatty shell roaming around a mostly empty Airbnb. Marcel’s only additional company comes from his sagacious grandmother, a gardening-obsessed shell voiced by Isabella Rossellini, and a trio of mute spiders that come and go. Eventually, Marcel’s real-life viral popularity becomes part of the plot, culminating in a “60 Minutes” episode where Leslie Stahl plays herself.
As Marcel wrestles with his loneliness while the rest of the world embraces his rambling insights, the movie delivers a bittersweet dose of whimsy that suggests “Adventure Time” by way of “Catfish” as it playfully navigates the boundaries of personal and public identities in the digital age. “Jenny and I both saw this rare opportunity to do something ebullient, fun, and funny that also surprises you with its depth,” Fleischer-Camp said.
In doing so, they also invented a new production method. Over the course of five years, the pair improvised dialogue for Marcel and developed animatics for each scene, which Fleischer-Camp and co-writer Nick Paley edited into a rough feature they could screen for peers. “The editing style of our movie is more influenced by radio than other movies,” Fleischer-Camp said. They then rewrote specific scenes as a more complete narrative took shape before shooting the live-action scenes where stop-motion characters would be inserted later on. “It was a very long runway,” Fleischer-Camp said. They were aided by “Obvious Child” producer Elisabeth Holm, who helped put the project on the radar of non-profit Cinereach, which supported the movie across a glacial, multiyear pre-production process before it was completed earlier this year. The project was kept under wraps, Fleischer-Camp said, in part because they had no idea how long it would take. “We were making it in a way that nobody’s made a movie before,” he said, noting that the initial animation shoot was interrupted by the pandemic. “The timeline shifted quite a bit and I didn’t want to promise when the movie would come out. Also, we had a really clear vision of what we wanted, and it was not going to be helped by pressure from the internet.”
These days, Fleischer-Camp said he was wary of viral fame, despite the community that initially embraced their creation. ”It feels a lot less democratic and innocent,” he said. “I don’t know if it would take off virally now because the paths of the internet are so driven by sponsored content and algorithms. That took off very organically.” Now that the movie is done, Fleischer-Camp and Slate said they were comfortable taking their time to sort out the next chapter. “We’ve built all these characters I love,” he said. “It’s a tricky feat to keep that alive. I hope that we get the opportunity to expand it at our own pace.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. | Movies |
Fifa has confirmed it is reviewing its gender eligibility regulations as world sports governing bodies seek to establish policies that will make their competitions fair and inclusive across the board.The inadequacy or absence of existing gender policies was brought into sharp focus on Sunday when Fina, swimming’s governing body, voted to bar transgender women from elite female competitions if they have experienced any part of male puberty. In addition, Fina promised to create a working group to establish an “open” category for trans women in some events as part of its new policy.“Fifa is currently reviewing its gender eligibility regulations in consultation with expert stakeholders,” said a spokesperson. “Fifa thereby takes guidance from many stakeholders [medical, legal, scientific/performance and human rights] as well as the November 2021 IOC framework on fairness, inclusion and non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex variations.“Due to the ongoing nature of the process, Fifa is not in a position to comment on specifics of proposed amendments to the existing regulations.“Should Fifa be asked to verify the eligibility of a player before the new regulations will be in place, any such case will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, taking into account Fifa’s clear commitment to respect for human rights.”The Football Association’s chair, Debbie Hewitt, has also acknowledged the difficulties in establishing a policy that would ensure the sport remained fair and safe while also respecting the rights of all those who wish to compete. “It is a really tricky subject,” she said.“We talk about inclusive but it has to be inclusive for everybody and it has to be fair, that’s the line that any sports administrator has to think about” | Other Sports |
NBA's Montrezl Harrell 'Never' Trafficked Marijuana ... Attorneys Say 6/21/2022 6:23 AM PT Montrezl Harrell's attorneys tell TMZ Sports the NBA player has "never" trafficked marijuana or been a part of "any other illegal activity" ... this despite prosecutors hitting the Charlotte Hornets center with a felony drug charge last month. As we previously reported, Harrell was charged with trafficking less than five pounds of weed after a car he was riding in was pulled over by Kentucky State Police back on May 12. In police documents, officers say the car that Harrell was in had three pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed bags inside of a backpack on the back seat. Harrell -- who was not arrested at the scene -- was given a citation ... and then formally charged. If convicted on the count, the 28-year-old could face up to five years behind bars. But Harrell's attorneys, Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg, tell us they believe Harrell did nothing wrong ... and are confident that will get proven through the legal system. "We want to be clear that Mr. Harrell was not driving the vehicle and following the stop he was only given a ticket to appear in court at a later date for a marijuana related charge as were all occupants of the vehicle," Harrell's attorneys said. "Mr. Harrell was never placed under arrest. We believe that there are legal and factual issues with this case that will be addressed in court, if that becomes necessary." They continued, "Mr. Harrell, is a devoted family man and a committed professional basketball player and has never been a part of any form of marijuana trafficking or any other illegal activity." Harrell -- an upcoming free agent who averaged 14 points and nearly 7 rebounds per game last season -- is expected to appear in court for a hearing on the matter next month. | Basketball |
With teams permitted to carry no more than 13 pitchers as of Monday, the Sox (who’d been carrying 14, versus 12 position players) called up Jeter Downs from Triple-A Worcester for his big league debut and designated recently acquired righty James Norwood for assignment.Downs said that he’d been sleeping in on a WooSox off-day, and with his phone on do-not-disturb, he missed a couple of phone calls from the team. Finally, he saw a text from WooSox manager Chad Tracy asking him to call.“He was like, ‘You trying not to get to the big leagues?’ I couldn’t believe it,” Downs relayed. “Started crying. It was pretty surreal.”Downs is hitting .180/.297/.397 with 11 homers and 11 steals in 53 games this year for the WooSox, playing solid defense at both second and short. Though his 31.1 percent strikeout rate in Triple A remains concerning, he’s shown considerable improvement in his plate discipline and pitch selection this year, evident both in his 11.4 percent walk rate and in the frequency with which he’s making hard contact.Get Sports HeadlinesThe Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.The 23-year-old is likely to be with the Sox only briefly. Both Kiké Hernández (hip) and Christian Arroyo (who rejoined the team after a COVID-19 infection on Monday) are going to the WooSox on rehab assignments in the coming days and could rejoin the Sox early in their coming road trip. Manager Alex Cora said that the righthanded-hitting Downs will get a start against Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal on Wednesday, but it’s possible that he could be back in the minors by the weekend.Even so, for Downs — whose mother, girlfriend, brother (Jerry, a former Red Sox minor leaguer), and best friend made it to Fenway — the duration of his first big league stint mattered less than the fact that it had arrived.“I can’t believe I just took [batting practice] here,” Downs beamed. “I still can’t believe it happened and that I’m here. I’m trying to take it in, every single second. Watch the older guys and how they go about their business and learn as much as possible.”Norwood, 28, was acquired from the Phillies for cash considerations on Saturday, added to the roster on Sunday, and designated on Monday. The Sox are hoping that he’ll clear waivers so that he can be outrighted to the minors and emerge as part of the team’s bullpen depth.Alex Speier can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @alexspeier. | Baseball |
Music 6/21/2022 6:21 AM PT The house anthem throws it back to the '90s with a sample of Robin S's 1993 hit "Show Me Love" and reunites the singer with Big Freedia, who previously collaborated with Bey on "Formation," by sampling "Explode." "Break My Soul" is the first single from Beyonce's upcoming seventh studio album, "Renaissance," out July 29. #Beyonce | Music |
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tom Mann performing with Stereo Kicks in London in 2015Former X Factor star Tom Mann says he has been left "completely broken" after his fiancee Danielle died hours before they were due to get married.Danielle Hampson, a PR executive and dancer with the likes of Take That and Little Mix, died on Saturday, he said."What was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak," wrote Mann, whose boy band Stereo Kicks were on the show in 2014.His 34-year-old partner's cause of death has not been revealed."I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning," he wrote on Monday."I feel like I have cried an ocean. We never made it to the altar; or got to say our vows, or dance our first dance, but I know you know that you were my entire world and the best thing that has ever happened to me, Danielle."Mann, 28, went on to say that he now needed "to use any strength I can muster" to look after their baby son."I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted," he said."I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud."Hampson's final dancing performance, before becoming a mother last year, was in a music video for Harry Styles' 2021 track Treat People With Kindness.She previously also danced on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing and on the Spice World 2019 tour.'A beautiful soul'Spice Girl Emma Bunton led the tributes, replying to Mann's message, saying: "Heartbroken for you. A beautiful soul that will live on. Thinking of you all."Take That star Howard Donald wrote: "I'm gutted beyond words that one of dancers on [2017 tour] Wonderland has passed away. What a beautiful and super talented dancer she was."Mann's old bandmate Barclay Beales said: "Sending all my love brother so sorry."Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tom Mann, Casey Johnson, Jake Sims and Reece Bibby of Stereo Kicks performing in London in 2015The former X Factor star was perhaps best remembered on the show for his individual acoustic rendition of the Backstreet Boys song I Want It That Way.After Stereo Kicks, Mann has worked as a songwriter and producer for artists like Lewis Capaldi, Rita Ora, Tate McRae and Mimi Webb.Capaldi offered his support on Instagram, writing: "I love you brother."Pop star MNEK said: "Awful news Tom. Sending u so much love and light- here for you."Fellow singer Ellie Goulding offered: "I'm thinking of you non stop... You are so strong. Here for you always. Love you xxx" | Music |
It is that time of year, when the French yearn for a French winner of Le Tour and the British yearn for a British triumph at Wimbledon. Perhaps the yearning was never more deeply felt than for Tim Henman because he came so tantalisingly close, reaching the semi-finals in SW19 four times in five years.It was a specific form of yearning. We knew he was good. We were not guessing that he could be a champion, we had evidence. It nags away all the same; was too much pressure put on Henman and was that, ironically, why he could not take the all-important next step? Well, you can pack away the guilt right now. Henman loved every drop of the attention.“If I could | Tennis |
Wednesday lunchtime, and a restaurant on Hove seafront is being treated to a drum’n’ bass remix of Althea & Donna’s 1978 reggae hit Uptown Top Ranking. You could call the volume it’s playing at cutlery-rattling if there were any cutlery in the restaurant to rattle, but there isn’t. Service is suspended, the tables have been pushed to the side, and in the centre of the room Norman Cook is teaching Jess and Amber, two twentysomething women, how to DJ: headphone on one ear only so you can hear the track you’re cueing up while listening to the track that’s currently playing with the other. It’s a task he approaches with huge enthusiasm and an admirable lack of pretension – “They make a kind of ‘wow’ sound,” he shrugs, indicating the filter knobs on the mixer – which is both hugely engaging and, for anyone who’s followed Cook’s career as Fatboy Slim, doesn’t come as much of a surprise.In the late 90s superstar DJ era, when some of his peers were wont to make eyebrow-raising claims – Paul Oakenfold famously justified his fees by noting that he didn’t merely play records, he also raised his hands, pointed at people in the crowd and smiled, concluding: I am an entertainer – Cook regularly incurred their wrath by declining to take his job as seriously: “A monkey could do what I do,” was one of his more celebrated pronouncements. He doesn’t say anything like that today – “I think,” he smiles, “I was probably being a bit over-modest when I said that stuff, because I’d been a musician [in the Housemartins] and all my musician friends were like, ‘but you’re just playing records’” – but he does suggest to his students that the most important thing to remember about the filter knobs on the mixer is to “make a face when you’re turning them”. “This is mine,” he adds, leaning forward and throwing his head back in apparent ecstasy.Cook is here as part of a charity-funded NHS scheme to set up arts events for people with severe mental health problems, that also involves singing workshops, samba classes and sound healing. “I really wanted to make music accessible for all,” says Natalie Rowlands, a senior occupational therapist who programmed the events, “to break down the stigmas around mental illness, to build people’s confidence and to have really high-class music workshops in really nice venues. A lot of the people here have been musical in the past, but they’ve gone through so much, they’re coming out of it again, and this gives them an amazing opportunity.”“Natalie reached out to me, and it sounded interesting,” nods Cook. “It’s sort of life-affirming really, it’s good for me to see the people who’ve never touched a set of decks before going between two tracks and thinking: ‘Whoo!’ Sometimes I can get a bit blase about what I do for a job, and seeing that innocent joy about the way you can manipulate music: it’s exciting, it centres you, it gives you a nice warm feeling. So it’s joyful to see people who’ve been struggling going through that process.”Brighton rocked … 250,000 fans turned up for the Big Beach Boutique in 2002. Photograph: Everynight Images/AlamyIt seems faintly amazing that Cook has time to get involved. At 58 – and almost a quarter of a century after Fatboy Slim’s commercial peak as a recording artist – his DJ schedule sounds exhausting: Switzerland, Poland, Glastonbury, France, Berlin. Two nights on Brighton Beach, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his Big Beach Boutique event, which legendarily attracted 250,000 people and brought the city to a standstill: in the aftermath, there was so much uproar that Cook subsequently left the country at the suggestion of his then-neighbour Paul McCartney. “It turned out that if you put all the people who are going to little nightclubs in one place, there was a lot of us,” he says. “This one is limited to 7,500 people, they’re in a pen on the beach and there’s no glass allowed onsite. It’s a very boutique Big Beach Boutique.”It all comes as a vast relief after what he calls an “interesting” lockdown. “My whole job is to make large amounts of people commune and do everything that we weren’t supposed to be doing. For the first couple of weeks, I thought: what do I do?”Like a lot of DJs, he posted weekly mixes online, “which kind of kept my mental health on track, and I had the summer off that I’d always promised myself. Then in the autumn, my son went off to university, and my daughter was back in school and the walls started to close in a bit.”Eventually, he took a job serving in the cafe he owns in Hove. “We had a case of Covid, lost two-thirds of our staff and so it was either shut down, or all hands on deck. I worked there for seven months. People would walk along the seafront because that’s all they were allowed to do and it was where they got their coffee at the end of the walk, so it felt like we were the last bastion of community and connection. It was interesting, because I’ve never done an honest job for years. It kept me sane, really. But being back has been joyous.”The return … Fatboy Slim plays Coachella 2022 last April. Photograph: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for CoachellaIn May 2021, he played a mask-free show in Liverpool as part of the government’s Events Research Programme, to see if it was viable to return to mass gatherings. “It was just freaky. There was that thing of “if this cocks up, that could be everybody stuffed for another six months. Our job was to test first and then go all-in and just lick each other’s faces and get properly involved and see what happens, which we were all prepared to do. It felt weird for the first two minutes and then…” He grins. “It was the moment of the clock striking 12 on New Year’s Eve, but all night. Just kissing strangers, hugging strangers because you could. DJing’s a two-way thing, it’s a conversation, if you DJ without an audience, for a livestream or whatever, it’s just a middle-aged man playing records in his kitchen. You forget the euphoria and the connection. Within three minutes, it was ‘why is my heartbeat so fast? Oh, I’m excited, I’m thrilled to be here. I remember this feeling’.”Covid notwithstanding, Cook’s DJing career just seems to have steamrollered on at an arena-packing level, unaffected by changing times, tastes or indeed his decision to, more or less, stop making music of his own. He told the Guardian in the early 00s that if his records stopped selling, he would “seriously consider packing it all in”, and proved true to his word after 2004’s Palookaville failed to match the platinum success of previous Fatboy Slim albums. His 2009 album under the name Brighton Port Authority – which came complete with umpteen star guests including Iggy Pop and Dizzee Rascal and a complex backstory involving the career of a fake band – attracted few takers. Since then, he’s released only a scant handful of tracks, although one of them, 2013’s Eat Sleep Rave Repeat was a meme-provoking Top 3 hit: variations on its title circulate online to this day. “My enthusiasm for making records kind of waned a bit. But my enthusiasm for DJing has never waned. And because I enjoy it so much, it’s not just arena tours, I play in clubs all year round. It’s like freshers’ week – the new intake are down the front at the clubs. There’s kids going ‘My parents played your records when I was growing up,’ and because I’m playing at their local club down the road, they come and see me out of interest and …” – he laughs – “another soul is mine.”Family fun … Cook with daughter Nelly at Camp Bestival in 2021. Photograph: Dan Reid/Rex/ShutterstockStill there are definite markers of time’s passing, not least the fact that his children have started DJing. His 10-year-old daughter Nelly performed on a livestream for Camp Bestival during lockdown: there was a fabulous moment when Cook attempted to adjust something on the mixer and was shooed away. His son Woody, meanwhile, is “proper full-time – he did five gigs last week. Got into DJing because his flatmate was a DJ. Two months after he left home: ‘I’m going to be a DJ now.’ All those years when I could have imparted my wisdom and he didn’t want to know! Last summer, he played in Ibiza at Mambo, and I was in the DJ booth with him. As the sun set, he played At the River by Groove Armada and I burst into tears! I can remember when he used to sit in the corner of the DJ booth, couldn’t even see out over the top – it was the only safe place to put him, because there was such mayhem going on all around. Me and Zoe [Ball, his ex-wife] never, ever pushed it on either of them. But he’s grown to love it and choose it completely independently.”So, it appears, have at least some of the participants in today’s workshop. I talk briefly to Jess, a 34-year-old drummer, who was at music school until her mental health “hit me hard”. She says she came at the suggestion of her support worker – “You can just vanish into nothingness in creativity, but you need to just hang on somehow and put yourself out there again.” She found matching beats quite easy and “genuinely loved it”: “It makes you want to pursue it more and think, ‘I am good enough, I do exist in this world, I’m not just past it.’”Back in the restaurant, the sound of drum’n’ bass is still ringing out. Another of the participants seems to have completely got the hang of mixing, including the filter knobs. Cook steps back and looks on. “Well, there’s nothing more I can teach you now,” he grins and gives her a high-five. | Music |
Team GB legend Tom Daley has a glittering resume when it comes to taking to the diving board for his country, however he will not be adding to it this summer after withdrawing from the Commonwealth Games.Tom Daley will miss the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham Team GB diver Tom Daley has confirmed he will not be competing at this summer's Commonwealth Games, after committing to spend time with his family. Daley who has four Commenwealth golds and one silver, confirmed his absence following a post on his Instagram account. There will be more to follow on this breaking news story. We'll bring you the very latest updates, pictures and video. Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story HERE. Get email updates on the day's biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters. Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following The Mirror. Follow The Mirror on Google News - CLICK HERE and click the star Follow The Mirror on Apple News - CLICK HERE - available on Apple devices Follow The Mirror on Flipboard - CLICK HERE and click Follow Follow @MirrorFootball on Twitter : The official Mirror Football Twitter account for all the latest football news as it happens in real time. Follow @MirrorSport on Twitter: The official Mirror Sport Twitter account for all the latest sport news as it happens in real time. You can sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news here - @MirrorBreaking_ - and follow @DailyMirror for the latest real time news. | Swimming |
Ed Sheeran and his Shape Of You co-songwriters have been awarded more than £900,000 in legal fees after winning their copyright trial over "baseless" claims about the hit earlier this year.Sheeran and two of his co-writers - Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid and producer Steve McCutcheon, known as Steve Mac - had been accused of plagiarising part of a track called Oh Why by Sami Chokri, a grime artist who performs as Sami Switch, and his co-writer Ross O'Donoghue.
But in April, following a High Court trial in March, the judge who heard the case ruled that the star "neither deliberately nor subconsciously" ripped off a hook from the song when writing the "Oh I" phrase for Shape Of You. Image: British singer-songwriter Sami Chokri, known as Sami Switch, alleged a phrase in Shape Of You copied part of his 2015 song Oh Why In the latest ruling, Mr Justice Zacaroli has now said the lesser-known songwriters should pay the legal costs for the case, ordering an interim payment of £916,200 - an amount which is expected to be assessed and finalised at a further hearing.After Sheeran won the case, lawyers for Chokri and O'Donoghue argued that the star and the other claimants should pay their own legal costs, claiming they had failed to provide documents and demonstrated "awkwardness and opacity". However, making the order for costs on Tuesday, the judge said: "I consider it is appropriate that the claimants' success is reflected in an order that their costs are paid by the defendants, without reduction save for that which is made as part of the process of detailed assessment."
He also dismissed arguments that Chokri and O'Donoghue would have changed their approach to the case if some documents and explanations about how Shape Of You was written had been provided earlier. More on Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran crowned UK's most-played artist of 2021 - and also wins accolade for most-played single 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 "None of the disclosure or explanations, once provided to the defendants, caused them to alter their approach at all," Mr Justice Zacaroli said."Instead, they not only maintained their attack on Mr Sheeran but broadened it by asserting that he was a 'magpie' who habitually misappropriated song ideas from other writers." Image: After hearing the evidence, the judge found in Sheeran's favour. Pic: Elizabeth Cook/PA Legal proceedings were initially launched by Sheeran, his co-authors and their music companies in May 2018, asking the High Court to declare they had not infringed Chokri and O'Donoghue's copyright.Chokri and O'Donoghue issued their own claim two months later, for "copyright infringement, damages and an account of profits in relation to the alleged infringement".However, after hearing the evidence in the trial, Mr Justice Zacaroli dismissed the counterclaim.In a video statement released after the judgment was handed down, Sheeran told fans that "baseless" copyright claims were "damaging" to the songwriting industry. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 'I am not a corporation' "I'm not a corporation. I'm a human being," he said. "I'm a father, I'm a husband, I'm a son. Lawsuits are not a pleasant experience and I hope with this ruling, it means in the future baseless claims like this can be avoided."Shape Of You, from the star's Divide album, is his biggest hit - with some 5.26 million chart sales (sales and streams combined) as of November 2021, according to Official Charts. It spent 13 consecutive weeks at number one in 2017 - the UK's best-selling song of the year - and is the UK's most-streamed song of all time.Some £2.2 million in royalties was frozen during the dispute, the High Court heard during the 11-day trial in central London.The allegations against Sheeran and his co-writers Image: Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid is one of the co-writers of Sheeran's hit Shape Of You Chokri and O'Donoghue claimed the central "Oh I" hook in Shape Of You is "strikingly similar" to the "Oh Why" refrain in their own composition, with Chokri telling the court he felt "robbed" after he heard it.However, Sheeran, McDaid and McCutcheon all denied being aware of Oh Why prior to writing Shape Of You.During two days spent in the witness box giving evidence, Sheeran told the court he is not an artist who "alters" words and music belonging to others to "pass as original", and refuted an allegation that he "borrows" ideas from unknown songwriters without acknowledgement.He told the court he "always tried to be completely fair" in crediting people who contribute to his music. The star also denied using litigation to "intimidate" the less-famous songwriters, saying he was in court simply to "clear my name".What did the judge say? Image: Ross O'Donoghue co-wrote Oh Why with Chokri Following the hearing, the judge concluded that while there are "similarities" between the OW (Oh Why) hook and the OI (Oh I) phrase, there are also "significant differences" and that "such similarities are, however, only a starting point for a possible infringement action".He also said that "compelling evidence" had been provided to show that Shape Of You "originated from sources other than 'Oh Why', and that claims Sheeran had heard the song before writing his own were "no more" than "speculative".Sky News has contacted representatives for Chokri for comment on the costs ruling. | Music |
Tom Mann's fiancée Danielle Hampson shared a string of Instagram posts in the weeks before she died on her wedding day.X Factor star Tom announced the tragic news of his wife-to-be's death on Monday evening, after she died on Saturday June 18, just hours before the couple planned to tie the knot.Dani, who previously had a successful career as a dancer before becoming a mum to the couple's son Bowie eight months ago, last posted on her Instagram account three weeks prior to her death when she shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia with friends. Last post: Tom Mann's fiancée Danielle Hampson shared a string of Instagram posts in the weeks before she died on her wedding day including snaps from a family break to Sardinia, three weeks before her deathThe photos from the May trip show the couple happily posing with their baby son as well as enjoying drinks and food by the ocean with a group of friends.Another of her final posts was a sweet video showing Tom singing and playing guitar to Bowie as the couple marked six months since his birth. Tom - who was part of the band Stereo Kicks - sings an acoustic version of Cold Heart by Dua Lipa and Elton John in the video to little Bowie, with the proud mum writing alongside the footage: 'Happy 6 months my darling boy. Family moments: Another of her final posts was a sweet video showing Tom singing and playing guitar to Bowie as the couple marked six months since his birth Mother: Tom - who was part of the band Stereo Kicks - sings an acoustic version of Cold Heart by Dua Lipa and Elton John in the video to little Bowie, with the proud mum writing alongside the footage: 'Happy 6 months my darling boy''I played this song almost every day of my 3rd trimester, it was in my labour playlist & it was number 1 the day Bowie was born… determined for it to be 'our song' & for it always remind us of life's good bits.'Dani also shared a poignant message on September 25, 2020 - the date the couple were originally due to marry before the pandemic derailed their plans - which read: 'I can't wait to marry you, but the world has other plans.'Tom, who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks, made the devastating announcement of Dani's death on Monday evening, leading to an outpouring of love from his colleagues in the music industry. Family snaps: Dani last posted on her Instagram account three weeks prior to her death when she shared pictures from the couple's holiday in Sardinia with friends Fun with friends: The photos from the May trip show the couple happily posing with their baby son as well as enjoying drinks and food by the ocean with a group of friends Tragic: Dani is seen in one stunning holiday photo cradling her baby son as she poses by the oceanSingers Lewis Capaldi and Ellie Goulding paid tribute, while Take That star Howard Donald penned a post dedicated to 'super talented' dancer Danielle. The performer worked with a number of big name artists during her successful career as a dancer. Her last major performance before she became a mum last year was a role in Harry Styles' 2021 music video for his hit Treat People With Kindness. Tom had just returned from a holiday with Danielle, 34, who also worked as a PR Executive, in Sardinia last month. Danielle did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown. Shock: Howard Donald and Lewis Capaldi have led tributes to Danielle after she died on SaturdayLewis Capaldi commented on Tom's Instagram post: 'Love you brother'. Ellie Goulding wrote: 'I'm thinking of you non stop… You are so strong. Here for you always. Love you xxxx'.Take That star Howard revealed he had worked with Dani on the band's 2017 Wonderland tour, as he wrote on Twitter: 'I'm gutted beyond words that one of our dancers on wonderland has passed away. What a beautiful and super talented dancer she was.'I'm happy to say I danced with her and the uk dance world will be shocked and saddened just like I am.'Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle wrote: 'Sending so much love, light & healing to you, Bowie & everyone who loved Dani!!' Condolences: The star's famous friends reached out to share their support including Lewis Capaldi, Ellie Goulding and Nadine Coyle Mimi Webb penned: 'Tom I'm so so sorry sending all my love to you & thinking of you love you brother x we are with you', while Strictly star HRVY wrote: 'so so so sorry Tom, we all love you thinking of you man.'Tom's old bandmate Barclay Beales said: 'Sending all my love brother so sorry.'Dancer Sarah Lou Richards commented: 'I'm so so sorry Tom. She was so special. Sending all my love and strength to you and little Bowie.'Danielle worked with a number of big name artists during her successful career as a dancer. Her last major performance before she became a mum last year was a role in Harry Styles' 2021 music video for his hit Treat People With Kindness. Dancer: Take That star Howard revealed he had worked with Dani on the band's 2017 Wonderland tour, writing: 'I'm gutted beyond words' (pictured with Danielle during a Take That Strictly Come Dancing performance in 2017)Talented: Danielle worked with a number of big name artists during her career as a dancer. Her last major performance before she became a mum last year was a role in Harry Styles' 2021 music video for his hit Treat People With Kindness Successful career: She also danced on the Spice World 2019 tour (pictured in rehearsals with Geri Halliwell and fellow dancers)Arena performances: Danielle called her time performing alongside the Spice Girls 'a childhood dream I never believed would come true' Heartbreaking: The X Factor star (pictured on the show in 2013) revealed the love of his life and mother of his eighth month old son passed away in the early hours of Saturday - the day of their wedding Who was Dani Hampson? Dani Hampson, from Bolton, was born in 1988 to parents Martin and Janette and had a younger brother called Andrew.The 34-year-old was a professional dancer and performed on tour with the likes of Take That and Little Mix.'As well as performing on BBC One's Strictly and ITV series The Voice, Dani also danced alongside the likes of Robbie Williams and Harry Styles.Dani features in the One Direction singer's video for Treat People With Kindness that also stars Fleabag actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge.Her appearance in the 2021 video marked the end of Dani's career as a dancer, as she announced her retirement from the profession in the same post.In June 2021, Dani and her singer-songwriter fiancé Tom announced they were expecting their first baby together.The engaged couple welcomed son Bowie Andrew Mann in October and said the newborn's arrival had 'changed their lives forever.' She also danced on the Spice World 2019 tour, calling her time performing alongside the Spice Girls 'a childhood dream I never believed would come true.' Emma Bunton paid tribute on Monday, writing on Tom's Instagram post: 'Heartbroken for you. A beautiful soul that will live on. Thinking of you all.'Singer-songwriter Tom shared a photograph of Dani and their eight month old son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son. Tom had just returned from a holiday with Danielle, 34, who also worked as a PR Executive, in Sardinia last month. Danielle did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown.Tom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June.'On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak.'I feel like I have cried an ocean. We never made it to the alter; or got to say our vows, or dance our first dance, but I know you know that you were my entire world and the best thing that has ever happened to me, Danielle.'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you.' Tom went on to vow that he would stay strong for his son, penning: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy.'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud.'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that. 'I will try to find peace in your messages and comments, but right now I am grieving and I will be for a very, very long time.'Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' Tragic: Tom, who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks, made the devastating announcement on Monday evening, leading to an outpouring of love from his colleagues in the music industry Broken: The singer-songwriter - who found fame in the band Stereo Kicks - shared a photograph of Dani and their son Bowie as he revealed that he was feeling 'completely broken' but vowed to stay strong for the sake of their young son Tom wrote in his Instagram post: 'I can't believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June' He continued: 'I will wear this ring that I was always supposed to wear as a sign of my unconditional love to you' Tom went on to vow that he would stay strong for his son, penning: 'I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don't know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy' Love: They announced their engagement in December 2019, with Tom sharing a gushing post about his 'future wife' after he popped the question in a jazz cafe in LondonThe couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom. They announced their engagement in December 2019, with Tom sharing a gushing post about his 'future wife' after he popped the question in a jazz cafe in London. Tom auditioned for X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of the ITV singing show in 2014.The group consisted of Jake Sims, Chris Leonard, Charlie Jones, Casey Johnson, Barclay Beales, Reece Bibby, and Tom.Tom wrote the band's first single Love Me So and at the time said: 'For me to have written our first single it's a massive honour that it's been chosen and everyone in the band loves it Time with friends: Danielle had celebrated her future wedding with a mini hen do with her girls prior to the big day Tom added: 'My darling Dani, the brightest light in any room, my world is nothing but darkness without you. I will miss you forever.' Loved-up: The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom He penned: 'I will not be a mark on the parent that you had already become but I promise I will do my everything to raise Bowie just the way we always wanted. I promise you he will know how amazing his mummy was. I promise to make you so so proud''I wrote the single within a day. I can't come back to a song, I have to finish it.'He went on to write songs for acts including JLS, Lewis Capaldi, Becky Hill and Mimi Webb. The group split up in 2015 just 10 months after they were formed on The X Factor.A statement to fans on the eight-piece boy band's Facebook page revealed they decided to go their separate ways after struggling to secure a record deal. Tom said of Danielle: 'The most beautiful person inside and out. The most incredible soul. We have lost such a special person and I am sure we are about to see an abundant outpouring of love that reflects that' The group wrote: 'We all feel the time has come for us to now continue our journeys individually.'We have learnt first-hand just how tough the industry is as an unsigned act. Unfortunately, due to these circumstances, we are no longer able to carry on as a band.'Please understand that there is nothing more that you could have done and that this is a situation completely beyond both your control and ours. We have considered endless ways of how we might try to make this work, but it is logistically impossible for us to continue as Stereo Kicks.'From the bottom of our hearts, we will be forever grateful for all of your hard work, support and love. We can't thank you enough.'The group went on to add that there had been no falling out between the members before they decision to call it a day: 'We still remain the BEST of friends and will continue to support each other in everything we do. Band: Tom auditioned for the X Factor as a solo artist but was put in Stereo Kicks, which made it to the final of X Factor in 2014'Although this is really sad for us, we felt that we wanted to end on a high. You guys have been with us every step of the way and have been the first to hear our news, and we wanted to keep it that way!' The group all performed a solo artists during the auditions stage of The X Factor in 2014, before being merged into a group by the judges.Tom, who was 19-years-old when he auditioned, was a football coach from Southampton who sang the Cyndi Lauper classic, 'Girls Just want to Have Fun' during the Boot Camp stage on the popular ITV show.Former panellist Louis Walsh then put the boys through to the live shows, where they stayed until they were kicked out after a sing-off with Lauren Platt in week eight.Louis fumed at Simon Cowell at the time, insisting he would regret his decision not to save them when they became a huge hit. First post: The couple are believed to have been dating since 2015, when Danielle shared her first Instagram post with Tom Tragedy: The couple had shared pictures of the save the date for the wedding which tragically never took place He said to the Metro: 'It was totally the wrong decision by Simon. The potential for these boys is incredible and time will tell who will do well between these boys and the girl.'I am never going to let him forget it. And when they sell all those records I will say, 'Do you remember when you voted them off?'The group had been tipped to be the next One Direction, but suffered a series of scandals in the early days of their formation.Barclay was the victim of revenge porn at the end of last year after an explicite naked photo was leaked online.Meanwhile, Jake was caught up in two drugs scandals in a month after pictures showing him lying in a daze after allegedly snorting Class A drug ketamine emerged just weeks after he was accused of making several references about smoking drugs online. Celebrity spot: Danielle (pictured with Gary Barlow) did not suffer from any known health problems and her cause of death is unknown | Celebrity |
The last major musical statements the world heard from Beyoncé were Black Parade, an electronic growl of anger at police brutality and racism that slowly built into a euphoric celebration of African American and African culture, and Be Alive, her Oscar-nominated contribution to the soundtrack of King Richard: a ballad set to a relentless, pounding rhythm that hammered home its message of Black empowerment. They were, spiritually at least, of a piece with the albums that preceded them in 2019, the Beyoncé-produced alternative soundtrack for The Lion King, which dragged the sound of Afrobeats into a mainstream spotlight, and the live recording of her extraordinary Coachella performance Homecoming: evidence of an artist committed to taking musical risks, of constantly pushing forward and trying something different.It makes the release of the first single from her forthcoming album Renaissance all the more surprising. Rather than presenting her audience with something strikingly different, Break My Soul sounds weirdly familiar. It’s a mid-tempo house track based around a keyboard bass sound that – without wishing to be overly technical – very closely resembles setting number 17 on the Korg M1 synthesiser. Even if you’ve never heard of a Korg M1 synthesiser, you’ve heard that sound: it’s the basis of the 1993 Stonebridge remix of Robin S’s Show Me Love and MK’s 1992 remix – or “Dub of Doom” of the Nightcrawlers’ Push the Feeling On, two of the most influential house tracks in recent pop history.Beyoncé: Break My Soul – videoIn Britain at least, we’ve heard a lot of pop singles that sound like one or both of them in the last decade. The vogue for reviving Robin S’s Show Me Love reached a peak around the middle of the 2010s, the era of Kiesza’s chart-topping Hideaway, Disclosure’s White Noise and covers of the track by Clean Bandit and Sam Feldt. Push the Feeling On was revived around the same time – you could hear its influence on Tinie Tempah and Jess Glynne’s Not Letting Go – and has proved even longer-lived. In 2020, it was sampled on both AJ Tracey’s Dinner Guest and Mist and Fredo’s House Party, and last year formed the basis of Riton x Nightcrawlers’ Friday, a Europe-wide hit.It’s worth pointing out that neither the original 90s tracks, nor their latter day successors, had anything like the kind of impact in the US that they had elsewhere. And Break My Soul is an extremely classy example of its type. It’s decorated with a bouncy piano line, raw-voiced interjections sampled from rapper Big Freedia and a hook that irrevocably works its way into your brain and features an impressively unexpected key change 3:14 in. It offers an ever-shifting chorus of harmony vocals and a typically fantastic lead performance: amid the lyrics about quitting your job, letting your hair down and finding new drive lurks the line “Bey is back and I’m sleeping real good at nights”, which seems destined to join “Becky with the good hair” and “I woke up like this” in the pantheon of endlessly quoted, swaggering Beyoncé lyrics.It’s obviously going to be a huge hit, but it also isn’t a Single Ladies or Run the World or Crazy in Love, the kind of Beyoncé single that stops you in your tracks: it feels like it’s following a musical trend rather than setting one. That said, you only need to look at the kaleidoscopic contents of her last solo studio album Lemonade to realise that Break My Soul probably isn’t representative of Renaissance as a whole: her albums tend to teem with ideas, of which Break My Soul’s 90s house revivalism is doubtless only one. | Music |
Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Ed Lacey/Popperfoto/Getty Images Arthur Ashe hits a shot at Wimbledon in 1969. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Harry Harris/AP Ashe, far right, shakes hands with opponents at the Eastern Junior Tennis Championships in 1959. Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1943 and began playing tennis at an early age. He first tested his skills on a Blacks-only playground in the city. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Jerry Cooke/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images Ashe plays at Wimbledon in 1964. A year earlier, he won the NCAA title at UCLA and became the first African American to represent the United States in the Davis Cup. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Rowland Scherman Ashe signs autographs for children in 1965. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Bob Gomel/Premium Archive/Getty Images Ashe is interviewed by reporters at the US National Championships, now known as the US Open, in 1965. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Rowland Scherman After graduating from UCLA, Ashe spent three years in the US Army. He continued to play in tennis tournaments during this time. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Ashe works with children during a tennis clinic in Washington, DC, in 1968. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Bob Peterson/The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images Ashe poses with other Davis Cup team members for a portrait in 1968. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Julian C. Wilson/AP Ashe returns a shot during a Davis Cup match in Cleveland in 1968. The United States won the competition that year. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Hulton Archive/Getty Images Ashe is congratulated by his father, Arthur Ashe Sr., after winning the US Open in 1968. Ashe was the first Black man to win a grand slam singles title. He would also go on to win the Australian Open in 1970 and the US Open in 1975. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Ashe attends a hearing at the United Nations in New York in 1970. He was campaigning for South Africa to be excluded from the International Tennis Federation. He had earlier been denied a visa by the country's apartheid government. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe David Ashdown/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Ashe holds the Wimbledon trophy after his upset win over Jimmy Connors in the 1975 final. That year, he also became the world's top-ranked tennis player. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe PA Images/Getty Images Ashe leads fellow Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King onto the dance floor at a post-tournament ball in 1975. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Bettmann/Bettmann/Getty Images In 1977, Ashe married Jeanne Marie Moutoussamy in New York. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Los Angeles Times/AP Ashe holds a certificate commemorating his entry into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985. The world was shocked in 1979 when the super-fit Ashe suffered a heart attack and underwent a bypass operation. He was set to return to the tennis tour when further complications arose and he was forced to announce his retirement. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe Ashe sits with his daughter, Camera, in 1990. He and his wife adopted Camera in 1986. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe Ashe meets with South African leader Nelson Mandela during a visit to New York in 1991. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Malcolm Clarke/AP Ashe, his wife and his daughter attend the Arthur Ashe AIDS Tennis Challenge in 1992. That year, Ashe announced to the public that he had AIDS. It was thought that Ashe contracted HIV from infected blood transfusions during his heart operation many years before. He began campaigning to debunk myths about AIDS and the way it is contracted. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Greg Gibson/AP Ashe takes part in a demonstration outside the White House in 1992, protesting the Bush administration's policy on Haitian refugees. He was later arrested during the protest. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Hai Do/AFP/Getty Images Ashe addresses the World Health Organization during a meeting on World AIDS Day in 1992. He founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe AP Ashe's casket is carried into the Governor's Mansion in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, in 1993. A few days earlier, Ashe had died of AIDS-related pneumonia. He was 49 years old. Among those on the right is his widow, Jeanne, a professional photographer. She is with their daughter. Photos: Tennis great Arthur Ashe Al Bello/Getty Images Fireworks are set off during the dedication ceremony for the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York in 1997. It's the main stadium at Flushing Meadows, which hosts the US Open, and it's the largest tennis stadium in the world. A statue of Ashe is outside. Story highlights Arthur Ashe won three grand slam titles First African American to achieve feat of winning a slam Died aged 49 in 1993 of AIDS related illness from an infected blood transfusion Stadium court at Flushing Meadows named in his honor Editor’s Note: The new CNN Film “Citizen Ashe” explores the enduring legacy of tennis legend and humanitarian Arthur Ashe. It airs Sunday, June 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. This article has been updated to mark the debut of the film. CNN — Tennis hero, inspiring role model for African Americans, social activist and high-profile campaigner for the HIV and AIDS communities, Arthur Ashe died in 1993, but it is a measure of his influence that, decades later, he shines as brightly as ever. The main stadium court at Flushing Meadows, where the US Open is staged, is named in his honor, a striking statue of Ashe adorns the grounds, while the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day is a glittering annual bash that kick starts the fortnight for the final grand slam of the season. Michelle Obama was the guest of honor in 2013, while Bradley Cooper, Carmelo Anthony, Justin Bieber and Will Ferrell have been included in an eclectic list of celebrities over the years. Ashe’s widow, Jeanne Moutoussamy Ashe, has made it her life’s work to ensure that her late husband’s memory is preserved for generations and the presidential endorsement is the icing on the cake. “It makes me very proud that Arthur has his name raised up for kids who didn’t have a clue who he is,” she told CNN’s Open Court program in 2013. “It was such a great honor. I’m born and raised on the south side of Chicago, as is Mrs. Obama, so to be sitting here next to her with her daughters was just great fun. “And that she’s so supportive of the Arthur Ashe Learning Center and so supportive of Arthur’s legacy. I don’t think we could have asked for a better situation that day, it was just wonderful.” Moutoussamy Ashe was sharing her experiences with former American Davis Cup star James Blake, who retired from the ATP Tour in 2013. Blake told her that Ashe has been his idol and inspiration growing up. “Being an African American playing tennis, his impact on me was great and I wanted to follow in his footsteps, being someone that went to college and was educated and had such a great influence on the world,” he said. The impact that Blake talks about went far beyond the narrow confines of professional sport. Ashe once famously said: “I don’t want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments” and Moutoussamy Ashe has done her level best to promote his wish. “The game of tennis really just gave him a platform to speak about the issues that he cared so much about,” she said. “I think he was a role model for a whole lot of kids which is why his legacy is so important to promote today. “We don’t want a whole generation of kids today and generations to come to not know that he was more than a tennis player.” Born in 1943, Ashe was brought up in the segregated South in Richmond, Virginia and first tested his tennis skills on a Blacks-only playground in the city. He developed his talent in high school and earned a tennis scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1963, that year becoming the first African American to represent the United States in the Davis Cup. A member of the Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC), Ashe was eventually required to do military service and spent three years in the United States Military Academy at West Point, rising to the rank of second lieutenant. Ashe was still a serving officer when he won his first grand slam title at the 1968 US Open, the first of the Open Era when professionals were also allowed to compete. “He wasn’t just the first African American male to win the US Open, but he actually was the first American period to win the US Open because the US Open didn’t begin until 1968,” Moutoussamy Ashe emphasizes. Ashe was discharged from the Army in 1969 and, after winning his second grand slam crown at the 1970 Australian Open, turned professional. A prominent supporter of the American civil rights movement, Ashe’s political principles were tested when he was denied a visa by the apartheid government of South Africa to compete in their national open later that year. Ashe campaigned for South Africa to be excluded from the International Tennis Federation but although his demands were not met, he was eventually allowed a visa to compete in the 1973 South African Open, the first Black male to do so. Ashe continued to speak out against the apartheid regime and after Nelson Mandela was released having served 27 years in prison, the tennis star returned to South Africa in 1991 as a member of a 31-strong delegation to observe the profound political changes in the country. He met Mandela several times and modestly observed: “Compared to Mandela’s sacrifice, my own life has been one almost of self-indulgence. When I think of him, my own political efforts seem puny.” But others would disagree. Andrew Young, the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, once famously said of Ashe: “He took the burden of race and wore it as a cloak of dignity.” Young, a pastor turned leading politician, presided over Ashe’s wedding to Jeanne in 1977 after they had met at a charity event just six months previously where Moutoussamy Ashe was attending as a working photographer. Ashe was by then a three-time grand slam singles champion having shocked top seed Jimmy Connors in an epic 1975 Wimbledon final, but it was to prove his last as injury and eventual illness took their toll. The world was shocked in 1979 when the super-fit Ashe suffered a heart attack and underwent a bypass operation. He was set to return to the tennis tour when further complications arose and he was forced to announce his retirement, doing it in typically fastidious fashion. “He had about 30 letters that he had written individually to people, contracts that he had, promises and commitments he had to people, he just wrote them personally and said: ‘I’m retiring and I want you to be the first to know,’” recalled Moutoussamy Ashe. In retirement, he took over as captain of the United States Davis Cup team, but in 1983, he had to undergo a second round of heart surgery in New York. It was during this operation that Ashe is believed to have contracted the HIV virus from infected blood transfusions. He learned of the diagnosis in 1988 after another health scare, but for the sake of their adopted two-year old daughter Camera, Ashe and his wife kept the illness private. Only in 1992 was he forced to go public and, true to his ideals, began campaigning to debunk myths about AIDS and the way it is contracted. He founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of Aids to build on the work of an institute he had set up to promote public health. Ashe completed his memoir, “Days of Grace,” shortly before his death on February 6, 1993 from AIDS-related pneumonia. For Blake, the book was an inspiration. “As soon as I read ‘Days of Grace,’ it has always been my answer to what’s your favorite book of all time,” he told Moutoussamy Ashe. Young officiated at Ashe’s funeral in Richmond, which was attended by thousands of mourners. He was buried alongside his mother, Mattie, who died in 1950 when he was just six years of age. Later in the year that he died, Ashe was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton. It was the first of a string of high profile honors in recognition of a truly remarkable man, but for his widow, who has carried his torch now for so many years, it is his impact on communities and the younger generation which is so important. “I think if Arthur were here today, he would promote tennis on a grass roots level, drawing that metaphor that tennis not just a sport, but more importantly, a profession that might be able to get you a college scholarship to get you through school,” she said. Others like Blake and Mal Washington followed in Ashe’s footsteps on the male side of the men’s game, but Moutoussamy Ashe is equally delighted by the impact the Williams’ sisters have had on African American sport. “Venus and Serena, I’m so proud of what they are both doing. Venus has her challenges yet she’s moving her life forward and still stays very involved in the game of tennis whenever she can. “Serena has been I think on top form, not just in tennis but as a person during this particular US Open,” she added, reflecting on the world No.1’s 17th grand slam singles crown. Moutoussamy Ashe is hoping the Arthur Ashe Learning Center, which contains a wealth of her own photographs and memorabilia collected over his life, can find a permanent home. “It’s really important that not just today’s generation but generations to come understand him as more than just an athlete, as more than just a patient, as more than just a student and a coach. “That they’ll understand the importance of being a well-rounded human being, that you might not be a great champion, but if you’re a well-rounded human being, then you can do just about anything to succeed in life.” Ashe himself is the perfect example of that, battling his modest background and an undercurrent of prejudice to achieve the highest honor that can be bestowed on an individual in the United States. “Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can,” Ashe said and he stands eloquent testimony to the truth of his words. | Tennis |
'X Factor' Star Tom Mann Fiancee Dies Suddenly on Wedding Day 6/21/2022 6:40 AM PT "The X Factor" star Tom Mann suffered a horrible tragedy over the weekend ... his fiancee died just hours before their wedding. Dani Hampson, a 34-year-old publicist, had no apparent health issues and the cause of her death has not been revealed. She had posted pics of her and Tom, along with the 6-month-old son Bowie, just days before she died. Tom and Dani were actually supposed to get married Sept. 25, 2020, but the pandemic got in the way. At the time she posted, "I can't wait to marry you, but the world has other plans." Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Dani also had posted a video of Tom -- a member of the group Stereo Kicks -- singing Elton John and Dua Lipa's song, "Cold Heart. She used the song to wish Bowie, "Happy 6 months my darling boy." She wrote, "I played this song almost every day of my 3rd trimester, it was in my labour playlist & it was number 1 the day Bowie was born… determined for it to be “our song” & for it always remind us of life's good bits." Tom announced Dani's death Momday, calling her the "brightest light in any room," adding he will miss her forever. He told his followers, "I can’t believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani - my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life - passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June. On what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak." He went on to say, "I am completely broken trying to process this and I honestly don’t know where to go from here, but I do know I need to use any strength I can muster for our little boy." Tom auditioned as a solo singer for "X Factor" back in 2014, but producers created the group, Sound Kicks, of which he was a member. Dani was 34. RIP | Music |
There was widespread havoc outside the Stade de France in Paris as Liverpool and Real Madrid prepared to face off in the Champions League final at the end of MayLiverpool legend Alan KennedyLiverpool legend Alan Kennedy has opened up about his "frightening" Champions League experience which saw him fear for his life outside the Stade de France. The Reds' encounter with Real Madrid was delayed by 36 minutes due to issues faced by travelling fans attempting to enter the stadium. Tear gas and pepper spray were deployed used on supporters by local police as chaos ensued in the French capital, with some fans appearing to be trapped against fences. When the game did get underway, some ticket holders were still not in the stadium and many did not gain entry at all. Liverpool issued a statement after the final saying they were "disappointed at the stadium entry issues and breakdown of the security perimeter that Liverpool fans faced". Further investigations have taken place to pinpoint the causes of the lack of organisation. The French senate is hearing accounts from Liverpool fans and UEFA as part of their probe into the incident. Kennedy, who attended the game, admitted it was the scariest experience he has had in a football ground. He also added he "came close to death" before the match. He told GB News : "It was a scary night. It was the most frightening experience I have ever had in a football stadium. "I was like every other supporter. At the time, I was finding my way into the stadium and my son was helping me along the way and we seemed to get funnelled into an end where there wasn't, there was no answer, there was no end to it. Liverpool fans appeared to have tear gas fired at them prior to the Champions League final (
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Getty Images) "And I eventually was hauled over a fence which must have been six to eight feet high by a couple of lads and my son and I were out of danger at that particular time but I'll tell you I was close to death." "I was that scared. I've never been in that situation before and I never want to see it again," he added. "And hopefully when they have this investigation, they will go through all people's [experiences] at that particular time and come up with hopefully the right answer. "I didn't think security was handled very well and particularly when you got to the actual ticket... Liverpool fans could be heard pleading for fellow supporters to relax (
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Twitter @JacobsBen) "They were having problems that obviously there were one or two forgeries going about at that particular time but nobody seemed to be funnelling you in the right direction. "No matter where I went, I had problems and again, being hauled over an eight-foot high fence wasn't the ideal action, and it’s just as well I did because I think I would have been in real trouble. "So that was really the big, big problem…can I just say all the police, OK, who worked fine at the time, but they used the pepper spray a little bit too much for my liking. "They thought everybody was a troublemaker and they would instantly get it out and flash it in your face." Read More Read More | Soccer |
Kim Kardashian I Asked Therapists, Waited 6 Months Before Pete Met My Kids 6/21/2022 6:46 AM PT NBC Kim Kardashian wanted to make sure she waited long enough before introducing her kids to new bf Pete Davidson, consulting therapists and asking friends in similar situations how much time should pass before an appropriate meeting. Kim was on "Today" Tuesday -- chatting about everything from Kanye to Marilyn Monroe's dress and her skincare line, SKKN by Kim -- but she also dished about things behind the scenes with her and Pete. NBC Hoda Kotb asked Kim about the timing on introducing her 4 kids to Pete. Kim says she met with friends who had experienced introducing friends to new partners and even spoke with therapists -- who all recommended 6 months ... so that's what she did. TMZ.com Remember, it was in April when we first saw Pete with one of Kim's kids, when he and North were spotted cruising around in a golf cart. Considering the first time we saw Kim and Pete together in public was back in October, it appears she truly did follow the 6 month rule. Since then, we've even seen Pete with Saint at Walmart and making a stop at The Grove shopping center in L.A. Kim was also asked about how things were going with Kanye, she said things were "good" and that she and the kids spent fathers day at the house together with Ye. TMZ broke the story -- Kim and Kanye have been communicating again, as it pertains to the kids -- a huge step compared to where things were just a few weeks ago. | Celebrity |
Beyoncé 'Break My Soul' Dance Track ... First Single In Forever!!! 6/21/2022 6:51 AM PT Beyoncé dropped her first new song in what feels like a lifetime ... and fans are loving every second of the upbeat track. Her new track "Break My Soul" dropped Monday night ahead of her anticipated 7th album, "Renaissance," which is set for release late next month. "Break My Soul" sends a message of breaking out of that normal 9-5 gig -- which a lot of people actually did during the pandemic -- and finding some new motivation ... she says what all her fans are thinking -- "Bey is back, and I'm sleeping real good at night." Big Freedia, who has collabed with Beyonce before, is featured on the song too, and unsurprisingly -- the song's been trending on Twitter and is aiming to break the charts. It's Beyoncé's first solo track release since 2016. TMZ broke the story ... Google searches for the word "Renaissance," the title of Bey's upcoming album, increased 50% in one day -- searches for the phrase "renaissance definition" more than doubled. | Music |
Pittsburgh Pirates Staffers Can't Corral Loose Squirrel On Field ... Hilarious Video 6/21/2022 6:51 AM PT Three Pittsburgh Pirates staffers looked more like The Three Stooges on Monday night ... because they failed to corral a squirrel that had gotten loose in the outfield during a game -- and it was comical. The little critter jetted out into left field during the second inning of the Buccos' game against the Chicago Cubs ... and a short time later, Pirates officials apparently thought it'd be good to send three guys out with a bucket, a towel and a net to get it away from players. Something’s going on in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/9OXaf06K9c— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) June 20, 2022 @WatchMarquee Turns out ... that was not a great idea. Check out video from the game's broadcast, the trio hilariously tried everything they could to capture the squirrel -- but the animal juked them at every turn. Eventually, the squirrel grew tired of making the guys look silly -- and bolted through a fence. The scene was so hysterical, the MLB even had some fun with it ... tweeting out, "sandy cheeks wildin." The Pirates, though, didn't let the failed efforts to capture the squirrel dampen their night ... they got a huge game from some star rookies, and beat the Cubs easily, 12-1. | Baseball |
Celebrity | 6/21/2022 6:50 AM PT "I'm so not capable of making healthy, smart decisions." Sandra Bullock is retreating from the spotlight, taking a break from both acting and producing after appearing in two films this year; "The Lost City" and the upcoming "Bullet Train." Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Bullock explained her upcoming hiatus from Hollywood, after previously saying she wanted more time to focus on her family. The 57-year-old actress -- who lives in Austin, Texas -- is mom to two kids; Louis, 12, and Laila, 10. "I don't want to be beholden to anyone's schedule other than my own," she told the publication. "I'm so burnt out. I'm so tired, and I'm so not capable of making healthy, smart decisions and I know it." "Work has always been steady for me, and I've been so lucky. I realized it possibly was becoming my crutch," she continued. "It was like opening up a fridge all the time and looking for something that was never in the fridge. I said to myself, 'Stop looking for it here because it doesn't exist here. You already have it; establish it, find it and be OK not having work to validate you.'" When asked how long her break could last, Bullock replied, "I don't really know." Despite her plan, Bullock's decision to star in and produce "The Lost City" for Paramount wound up being a pretty smart one. The movie, which hit theaters in March, was a box office smash and has pulled in nearly $190 million worldwide -- a feat during these Covid times. The fact it was based on an original IP as well makes it all the more impressive. For Bullock, however, it also reminded her how much she hates the publicity aspect of dropping a new movie. "I shrivel up when it comes to press, when it comes to being in public and when it comes to doing a photo shoot," she told THR. "I just collapse. I'm not good at that, but what I love is working in tandem with people to create something." While she has her hiatus on the horizon, sources told the outlet that Paramount would love to work with Bullock and fellow "Lost City" producer Liza Chasin -- so don't count out a sequel! "The Lost City" is streaming now on Paramount+. | Celebrity |
Vince McMahon Appears On 'Monday Night Raw' ... Amid WWE Probe 6/21/2022 6:58 AM PT WWE Vince McMahon made another unexpected appearance on TV -- this time he surprised the Raw crowd in Nebraska -- just days after WWE announced the boss would be temporarily stepping aside as CEO and chairman of the company. McMahon, who's being investigated for allegedly paying an ex-employee "hush money" after the two had an affair, started off his segment by thanking the fans for making "Raw" the longest episodic running program in TV history. Vince, 76, was also there to announce to the capacity crowd that John Cena, a future WWE Hall of Famer, would be at next week's episode of "Raw." McMahon, however, did not address the scandal. WWE Monday's appearance marks the second time Vince has been seen on WWE programming since the The Wall Street Journal report. He also kicked off Friday Night's "Smackdown" show ... where many thought he'd address the decision to voluntarily relinquish his duties as the org.'s top boss. In a recent press release, WWE and its Board of Directors said McMahon "will retain his role and responsibilities related to WWE's creative content during this period" -- adding Vince is committed to cooperating with the review. McMahon, largely credited for building WWE into the global powerhouse it is today, has been a staple on the company's TV shows over the decades ... but he's seemingly appearing more since the allegations against him came to light. Vince's daughter, Stephanie, is serving as the interim CEO and chairwoman in her father's absence. | Celebrity |
Image: John P. Johnson (HBO)The new season of HBO’s dreary robot drama Westworld will soon return for its fourth season. In the words of Jeb Bush, “Please clap.”Everybody has their preferences when it comes to TV and movies and my preference is to steer clear of Westworld. I don’t really understand how it’s possible to make a show about killer robots boring, but the creators of this prestige HBO drama have accomplished just that. The series, which returns on June 26, has big actors, huge budgets, and some of the coolest visuals on TV, yet it still can’t manage to eek out decent dialogue, or plotting that doesn’t feel incoherent, pretentious, or just straight up stupid. Most of the characters speak in tired, fortune-cookie platitudes, and the performances are about what you’d expect from people tasked with playing literal machines. It often feels that the show runners should have spent less time trying to make the series profound and just tried to make it entertaining instead.To each their own. In the case of my “own,” I suggest you skip Westworld and check out these 11 robot-focused alternatives.[*The last three entries of this slideshow were added by Giz Tech News editor, Blake Montgomery.]Westworld (1973) Yeah, that’s right. If you’re going to skip HBO’s shitty show (you should), try going back to the source material from whence it sprung. Novelist and screenwriter Michael Crichton’s 1973 original (which he wrote and directed) is basically Jurassic Park (which he also wrote) but with robots. The premise is simple: In the future, a theme park exists where you can live out your wildest fantasies in separate “worlds” populated by robots. There’s Romanworld (ancient Rome), Medievalworld (European Middle Ages), and, yes, Westworld, where you can play marauding cowboy. It’s all fun and games until something goes wrong (hint: the robots go haywire and start killing everybody). It’s a simple, effective concept, that is nonetheless fully realized, thought-provoking, deeply creepy, and better than its successor. 3 / 13The Stepford Wives (1975) The Stepford Wives (1975) The Stepford Wives, based upon a 1972 novel of the same name, is a creepy sci-fi parable that posits that all straight men really want in a girlfriend or wife is an accommodating, compliant, sex object. A classic 1970s thriller that adeptly mixes techno-paranoia and social commentary, the story centers around a woman named Joanna whose husband whisks her out of New York City to a suburb in Connecticut, where all the women act really weird. The reason that they act really weird is (*spoiler*) because their husbands are part of a local men’s association that turns wives into robots.If nothing else, you should watch the trailer for this movie. The narrator sounds like he was...uh...excited...by the premise.The Terminator (1984) James Cameron’s The Terminator is a lot creepier than you remember it. While T2 might be the best of the franchise, the 1984 original is something of an overlooked classic. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a killer robot from the future who is sent back in time to murder the mother of John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance movement in the war with the machines and...you know, what? I’m pretty sure you already know what this movie is about. And, if you don’t, for the love of God get your shit together and watch it already. Robocop (1987) Paul Verhoeven’s fantastic 1987 film Robocop may be a violent satire of Ronald Reagan’s corporatist, right-wing America, but it’s also just a helluva good time. In the future, things in Detroit are so bad that the city decides to privatize the police force, ceding control of it to a megacorporation called Omni Consumer Products. Omni then decides to roll out an experimental security product: a cyborg called Robocop. The product was created using the mangled body of a slain Detroit police officer, who is essentially brought back to life and put inside a cybernetic suit. Robocop hunts down the city’s criminals, obeying his corporate overlords...until he doesn’t. The Matrix (1999) Was The Matrix an allegory for transgender identity? A commentary about the internet? Or a sly way for the Illuminati to tell us we are all living in a computer simulation? Honestly, I’m game for all three. It’s just awesome watching Keanu fire a giant gun out of a helicopter or practice his kung fu moves on Hugo Weaving’s Agent Smith—a sneering computer program who wants to stop the human insurgency at any cost. Any way you slice it, it’s a fun watch and one of the most influential films to come out of the 1990s.7 / 13A.I., Artificial Intelligence (2001) A.I., Artificial Intelligence (2001) You and your partner ever wanted a kid? Maybe a cute little boy with big, beautiful eyes? You won’t want that anymore after watching Haley Joel Osment play the creepiest kid ever in A.I. Artificial Intelligence. This 2003 movie, directed by Steven Spielberg and sourced from a treatment originally developed by Stanley Kubrick, is deeply weird and depressing. It’s also really, really good. Osmond plays David, a robot child who is procured by a man for his wife, after their son slips into a seemingly interminable coma. Things go okay for a little bit, but then the son wakes up and the family abandons David on the side of the road like some poorly behaved pooch. He subsequently goes on an odyssey of self-discovery that takes nearly two and a half hours to accomplish, but which ultimately involves a lot of amazing imagery, narrative twists, and great acting. Worth a watch! 8 / 13Futurama: Bender’s Big Score (2007) Futurama: Bender’s Big Score (2007) This movie based on the hit Matt Groening TV show went direct-to-video. But it’s more entertaining than Westworld! Watch it and have a laugh. Ex Machina (2014) All hail Alex Garland, one of the few filmmakers active today who consistently makes cool, entertaining, original work. Garland really made his mark with this 2014 psychological thriller about a corporate worker bee (Domhnall Gleeson) who gets whisked away to the estate of his Bezos-like boss (Oscar Isaac), who wants to test out his new robot on him. That robot is played to “uncanny valley” perfection by Alicia Vikander, who looks and sounds a lot like a robot. A really hot robot, that is. Things don’t go as planned and problems ensue. If you want to be even more weirded out, check out Garland’s more recent movie Men, which is about Jessie Buckley booking the worst Airbnb of her life. 10 / 13Love, Death, and Robots (2019-Present)Love, Death, and Robots (2019-Present)An anthology series that mimics the feel of a short story collection, Love, Death, and Robots swings wildly from comedy to action to horror. The show’s got something for every type of sci-fi fan. Each episode is about 15 minutes or less, so you’ll get yourself hooked and find yourself already done in a tiny span of time compared to some of the other recommendations on this list. My personal favorites are the first episode and the finale of the first season. The first, “Three Robots,” is slapstick post-apocalyptic robot comedy. The finale, “Zima Blue,” is a profound meditation on the nature of humanity and art and a touching tribute to real-life artist Yves Klein. Chills.Big Hero 6 (2014)Set in a futuristic San Francisco that Silicon Valley engineers could only dream of, Big Hero 6 features a robot tightly integrated into one family, so much so that Hiro Hamada can’t imagine life without the cuddly, Michelin-Man-esque Baymax. When the two are chased by a villain in a Kabuki mask who can control malevolent nanobots with his mind and get no help from the cops, it’s time for both of them to grow up and live up to Hiro’s namesake.Robots (2005)It’s in the title: this is a movie about robots. Disney’s star-studded (Halle Berry? Amanda Bynes? Drew Carey? Mel Brooks?) animated tribute to a robots-only society of the future features a teenager (Ewan McGregor) coming of age and making his way in “Robot City,” the bright and clanking metropolis of the metal-bodied. Robin Williams makes a memorable turn as a sidekick paparazzo, and his character’s animated mannerisms mimic Williams’ own distinctive, hilarious body language. | Movies |
Scottie Scheffler’s resume isn’t the only thing that’s grown larger after this strong season. Following the second place finish at the U.S. Open Scheffler broke Jordan Spieth’s record for most official money earned in a PGA Tour season.The U.S. Open finish earned him $1,557,687 to put his total at $12,896,849 so far this season with 10 PGA Tour events left. Scheffler’s record earning total was $12,030,465 back in the 2014-15 season. Lately Scheffler has been on a ridiculous tear this season with four wins, which came in a six start span, and three runner-up finishes. He is one of four players with four or more wins and three or more second place finishes since 2000. The others who accomplished this feat include Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.+++Related:At the U.S. Open, Dallas’ Will Zalatoris finishes runner-up at a major championship againFind more golf coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. | Golf |
Wimbledon is turning to big data to help improve fans’ tennis knowledge, after discovering even ticket holders at the Championships were not aware of most of the players in the game.Crowds at this year’s tournament – expected to return to sold-out levels with easing of coronavirus restrictions – are to be exposed to more facts and figures organisers hope will help get them “closer to the sport”. AI-powered stats will seek to better explain the strengths and weaknesses in players’ games but also predict upsets and rising stars, with data built in part from trawling newspaper headlines.Alexandra Willis, the All England Club’s director of communications and marketing, said the idea had come about before Covid. “We found that most fans didn’t watch tennis the rest of the year,” she said. “They also hadn’t heard of most of the players [and] this was a specific barrier to engagement.”Spectators at Wimbledon fortnight, as well as television viewers and app users, will have access to Win Factor, a tool that will aggregate data from a number of sources to better predict a player’s chances of victory in a given match. Fans will be able to input their own match predictions while being encouraged to scour more information on some of the game’s lesser-known players.“Leveraging technology to help fans become more informed, engaged and involved throughout the Wimbledon fortnight is at the core of our strategy to ensure we … keep Wimbledon relevant,” Willis said, admitting the tournament needs to strike a balance between tradition and innovation. “We can’t just celebrate the past, we need to look forward.”Wimbledon will be leaning on IBM, its technology partner of 33 years, to provide the information. While the technology company boasts of its artificial intelligence capabilities it also has staff physically recording stats courtside on every Wimbledon match and says it has 9.2m tennis datapoints on record. Another data tool uses AI to scour media sources to gauge “sentiment” on players, leaving open the possibility that a tabloid scandal could have an unwelcome effect on a player’s Win Factor chances.Sign up to The Recap, our weekly email of editors’ picks.The new features are part of Wimbledon’s response to a challenge faced by many sports, that of trying to court a modern audience. Following Formula One’s successful rejuvenation, the All England Club – alongside other tennis bodies – have secured a deal with Netflix to produce a Drive to Survive-style series that will chronicle events at the grand slams, while also drawing out some of the game’s personalities.A refresh of Centre Court, 100 years old this summer, is also just about complete. There will be a restoration of old architectural details and an increase in the number of accessible seats, but one small detail could prove significant: the screen covering the players’ tunnel is to be removed, providing a better shot for the cameras as players come on to court. | Tennis |
Harper Finkle In 'Wizards of Waverly Place' 'Memba Her?! 6/21/2022 12:01 AM PT American actress Jennifer Stone was just 14 years old when she was cast as Harper Finkle -- the rule-follower and intelligent student who makes her own clothing -- in Disney's 2007-2012 teen sitcom "Wizards of Waverly Place." Stone was cast alongside Selena Gomez as the mischievous and sometimes rude middle child and wizard, Alex Russo, David Henrie as Alex's smart, hardworking brother and wizard, Justin Russo, Jake T. Austin as the Russo-kid whose magic often leads to trouble, Max Russo and Gregg Sulkin as Alex's charming and laidback boyfriend, Mason Greyback. Guess what she looks like today at 29 years old! | Celebrity |
The comedian said he didn’t want his name to be on the theater if it would distract students. The space will instead be called the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression.Dave Chappelle attends UFC 264: Poirier v McGregor 3 at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, 2021, in Las Vegas. Stacy Revere / Getty Images fileJune 21, 2022, 11:43 AM UTC / Source: VarietyDave Chappelle has revealed that he’s decided against having the theater at his former high school named after him after plans for him to become the venue’s eponym were originally put in place.The standup comedian made his opinion on the matter public Monday night while he was visiting Washington, D.C. for a dedication ceremony of the venue at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, his alma mater. The Washington Post first reported the story.While Chappelle reaffirmed that he believed criticisms against him weren’t productive, he also stated that he didn’t want his name to be on the theater if that would distract students.Instead of the student theater bearing his name, the space will instead be called the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression.Representatives for Chappelle could not be immediately reached for comment.The school had initially made plans for a naming ceremony with Chappelle last year, but the dedication was postponed after the comedian became the subject of a wave of controversy from members and allies of the LGBTQ community for using language described as transphobic in his 2021 Netflix special “The Closer.”More specifically, Chappelle also became the subject of criticism from some members of Duke Ellington’s student body in November when he visited the campus. Some students questioned the comedian directly regarding his dismissal of the criticism he’s received from LGBTQ individuals.“I’m 16 and I think you’re childish, you handled it like a child,” one student reportedly told Chappelle at the time.“The Ellington family is my family,” Chappelle affirmed on Monday evening after voicing his decision.Chappelle remains one of Duke Ellington’s most prolific donors and supporters, having given several millions of dollars to the institution, appeared for commencement speeches and hosted masterclasses for students. He had described the initial decision to name the theater after him as “the most significant honor of my life.” | Celebrity |
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