All across California's hot, flat Central Valley, the almond trees wait. Their gnarled branches are heavy with dusty green almond hulls, fuzzy to the touch. In two weeks' time, the hulls will split, revealing the porous, caramel-colored shell beneath. For now, the orchards exist as silent, geometric forests, stretching across 1 million acres of California land. Occasionally, a microsprinkler sprays a light rain, the moisture soaking rapidly into the thirsty ground. A tractor ambles between the neat rows of trees, unleashing clouds of dust. In California, money does grow on trees. Almonds constitute a $5.6 billion industry, and 2.26 billion pounds were shipped from California last year to be roasted and salted, or turned into anything from frothy, barista-friendly almond milk to marzipan sold on the streets of Berlin. In two weeks, heavy steel machines will shake the trees into a frenzy, the nuts clattering into the dusty ground, then raked into neat rows to bake out in the sun for several days. The harvest will begin. A nutty history "Take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds." From the Bible's Genesis to ancient Hebrew texts, almonds have accompanied humans throughout thousands of years of history. In 1325 BCE, Egypt's King Tutankhamen was buried with a handful of almonds to snack on during his arduous trip to the underworld. Almonds also symbolize rebirth, according to Ken Albala, a professor of history at the University of the Pacific and author of "Nuts: A Global History." In medieval paintings, the Virgin Mary is often depicted within an almond shape, which hinted at the shape of a birth canal for Jesus' rebirth. Several hundred years later in the 14th century, within the walls of King Richard II's castle, his master chef stewed fermented porpoise porridge, seasoned with almonds, milk and saffron. The chef recorded the recipe into one of the world's oldest English language cookbooks, "The Form of Curye." Almonds appear in some of the world's oldest recipes, ranging from Icelandic almond oil to Turkey's tavuk gogsu, a rosewater and milk pudding enhanced with a splash of almond milk, sugar and shredded chicken. First planted along the Mediterranean coast around 4000 BCE, almonds spread quickly through the Eurasian continent. "The trade connections go from there to Norway, to Germany, to Venice, to the Eastern Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean to India, all the way around to Asia," said Albala. The valley of almonds For the last century, the almond's home has been in the Central Valley, whose climate is almost Mediterranean   if not for the Valley's lack of water. From seed to tree to nut, almond growing is a 25 year, water-intensive process. The almond tree first starts to bear nuts around age 4 or 5, and produces yearly profitable harvests of nuts for the next 20 or so years. "An almond tree is like a little baby," said Carlos Rodriguez, a laborer at Done-Again Farms in Arbuckle. "You need to take care of that tree from the bottom until it dies." Fifty years ago, almond grower David Phippen's father marked down on his calendar to open the floodgates of his irrigation canal every 30 days. "He irrigated every 30 days whether he needed to or not," Phippen said. "He farmed by the calendar." Every month, the locks on the canal turned, and thousands of gallons of water would sweep across the orchard, soaking every inch of soil. Nowadays, at Done-Again Farms in Arbuckle, almond grower John Monroe Sr. employs an intricate irrigation system that's highly sensitive to the orchard soil's moisture levels. "Each acre takes 4 feet of water to bring in a crop," Monroe said. "You get a foot of it from rain if you're lucky." The other 3 feet must come from irrigation. On one of his newest orchards, Monroe uses a dual-line drip system. The system combines both buried line and microsprinkler irrigation. Buried line irrigation involves inserting a hose a few inches underground and allowing water to seep out via little holes. The water bubbles up from underground   one of the most efficient irrigation methods in practice today. Microsprinkler irrigation involves tiny, localized sprinklers set up around the tree's root system. They are set off by signals from a soil moisture probe, whenever the soil surrounding the trees' roots becomes too dry. When used in tandem, this irrigation powerhouse makes water usage around 90 percent efficient. Twenty years ago, irrigation technology was only 80 to 84 percent efficient, according to David Phippen. During the wet season, from December through February, the orchard irrigation system lies fallow. Then, 1 million acres in California suddenly bloom with delicate white flowers, and growers unload thousands of boxes of bees, imported from all over the country. Growers deploy one or two hives per acre, each of which costs between $180 and $200 per season, unleashing the bees only on the sunniest days. Bees are so essential to almond production, that two summers ago in Fresno, thieves stole 2,500 hives worth $1 million. "Every bee in the country comes to California for a winter vacation," Monroe said. After four or five weeks of the pollination craze, the trees settle into a five-month growing phase, when the fuzzy green almond hulls slowly ripen and harden throughout the hot, dry summer months. At David Phippen's farm, Travaille and Phippen, it's nearly time for the harvest. In mid-August, a yellow tractor will drive through the neat rows of trees, stopping at each tree. Lobster-like claws will extend from the machine, gripping the base of the tree and vigorously shaking it. Almonds will rain down, and dust will blow. In the next few days, another machine, called a sweeper, will project a circular red fan that sends the resting almonds flying into a neat row in the middle of each row of trees. From there, another tractor arrives to collect the almonds, sucking the nuts into a conveyor belt that stores them inside the tractor. The nuts are then transported to the hulling and shelling facility, on an enormous lot directly adjacent to the orchards at Travaille and Phippen. The nuts first pass through an enormous filter, which removes the large sticks and stones. The almonds then pass through a series of machines on a conveyor belt and are hulled and shelled. They emerge from the facility naked, stacked into enormous piles as tall as an average adult, ready to be sorted. At the Travaille and Phippen processing facility, next door to the hulling and shelling, the nuts are sorted by size, and then by a robot, the only one of its kind. The robot reaches a long, jointed arm, painted red, to select and pick out the nuts that are chipped, cracked, or display an abnormal color. First, the nuts are rapidly photographed by the robot, and those with impurities are picked out by the machine with long, dexterous fingers. Even after this intense vetting process, each nut is scrutinized by employees, who sit at stations wearing blue gloves, running their hands over each nut to ensure that only the most perfect ones make it into the final pile. The final group of almonds, which exhibit that perfect, characteristic taper, and a deep, warm woody color, are packaged neatly into white sacks in the packing and shipping facility, where they await foreign destinations such as India, Japan, China and Germany. Only 10 percent of Travaille and Phippen nuts stay in the United States. However, at Done-Again Farms, the nuts are shipped straight to Blue Diamond in Sacramento. The most versatile nut on earth Blue Diamond is an almond cooperative, an expansive umbrella organization that covers 3,000 almond growers in California. It operates via an elected board of 11 growers and distributors who represent nine growing districts and serve three-year terms. John Monroe is the director of the Arbuckle district. Nearly every grocery store in the United States carries its signature Almond Breeze almond milk and its roasted almonds. "Every major brand name company like cereal or granola bars, if they have almonds in them, chances are they're getting those almonds from Blue Diamond," said spokeswoman Alicia Rockwell. "We process them   we may roast them, slice them, or turn them into flour or butter." The almonds are trucked into Sacramento from all over California, and within its headquarters at 1802 C St., they are blanched, sliced, roasted, or turned into paste for almond milk and almond butter, or powdered into flour or meal. Almonds are one of the most versatile nuts grown on this planet. The almond innovation center at Blue Diamond, the world's only research and development center for almonds, operates behind the processing building. Past its heavy glass double doors is a laboratory equipped with two ovens for roasting almonds, and anything a food scientist could dream of having, from tiny jars labeled with flavors like saffron, vanilla, coffee, cardamom, sriracha and coconut, to precision weights and pH buffers. At the lab, senior food scientist Stephanie Doan picks up a bag of barbecue-flavored chips. "These don't have almonds in them, but we like to stay informed about industry trends," Doan said. The counter is stacked with new flavors that the scientists have innovated, from black truffle and pumpkin spice to wasabi and soy sauce. Almonds have proved enduringly popular in America. They are heart healthy, full of omega-threes, and promote skin health. At the moment, they represent California's third most valued commodity, worth $5.6 billion. But they also have proved problematic, especially in the wake of California's recent drought and in an age of increasingly extreme weather, according to Michelle Sneed, a hydrologist at the United States Geological Survey. The state's crop already is embroiled in a struggle over water rights. And no matter how innovative and efficient almond growers become, they eventually must face the reality of California's climate, scientists say. There isn't enough water, and there are too many almonds. Almond acreage in California continues to creep up each year, increasing by 70,000 acres from 2017 to 2018. "Something's gotta give," said Sneed.     ©2019 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) Visit The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) at www.sacbee.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


WASHINGTON   As disaster costs keep rising nationwide, a troubling new debate has become urgent: If there's not enough money to protect every coastal community from the effects of human-caused global warming, how should we decide which ones to save first? After three years of brutal flooding and hurricanes in the United States, there is growing consensus among policymakers and scientists that coastal areas will require significant spending to ride out future storms and rising sea levels   not in decades, but now and in the very near future. There is also a growing realization that some communities, even sizable ones, will be left behind. Want climate news in your inbox? Sign up here for Climate Fwd: , our email newsletter. New research offers one way to look at the enormity of the cost as policymakers consider how to choose winners and losers in the race to adapt to climate change. By 2040, simply providing basic storm-surge protection in the form of sea walls for all coastal cities with more than 25,000 residents will require at least $42 billion, according to new estimates from the Center for Climate Integrity, an environmental advocacy group. Expanding the list to include communities smaller than 25,000 people would increase that cost to more than $400 billion. Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter "Once you get into it, you realize we're just not going to protect a lot of these places," said Richard Wiles, executive director of the group, which wants oil and gas companies to pay some of the cost of climate adaptation. "This is the next wave of climate denial   denying the costs that we're all facing." The research is limited in that it considers only sea walls, and not other methods for minimizing flood risk that may be more practical in some places, such as moving homes and shops away from the most flood-prone areas. The figures also don't include the additional and costlier steps that will be required even with sea walls, such as revamping sewers, storm water and drinking water infrastructure. Still, the data provides a powerful financial measuring stick for the tough decisions that countless communities   large and small   are starting to confront. In March, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a $10 billion project to protect a slice of Lower Manhattan from flooding, asking the federal government to pay for it. In April, the Army Corps of Engineers said the levee system around New Orleans, upgraded after Hurricane Katrina at a cost of $14 billion, is sinking , and could become inadequate in as little as four years. In May, officials in Charleston held a public meeting on where to find the estimated $2 billion the city needs to prepare its drainage and water infrastructure for climate change. The cities that are quick to adapt to climate risks "are going to attract the jobs and the factories of the future," said Eric Smith, president and chief executive officer for the Americas at Swiss Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies. "There's going to be communities that I think will be left way, way behind." The new research identifies 241 cities of 25,000 people or more that will require at least $10 million worth of sea walls by 2040 just to protect against a typical annual storm. Many cities, especially small ones, will not be able to meet the costs facing them. Those that can't will depend on federal funding; the Trump administration is expected to soon unveil the details of two new large spending programs to fund disaster mitigation. The design of those programs could help determine which places are best able to withstand the force of climate change. The administration is working on rules governing $16 billion in grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help cities and states protect themselves against the effects of future natural disasters, the largest such award ever made by the department. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also currently preparing rules for grants to pay for climate-resilient infrastructure . A FEMA spokeswoman, Abigail Dennis, said the agency is asking governments, businesses, academics and "vulnerable and at-risk populations" to provide input on the design of its new grant program, called Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. "The increasing frequency, impact and cost of disasters demands that we invest in mitigation and reduce disaster suffering," Ms. Dennis said by email. The program "will support measures to reduce the vulnerability of communities and public infrastructure before a disaster strikes." But even that funding is likely to fall far short of the vast need. So experts have proposed ways of focusing federal money where it can do the most good   even if that means some places are left out. One approach would be for the federal government to spend the money based simply on where it would most reduce the future cost of damages, according to Craig Fugate, who ran FEMA during the Obama administration. "The way I would do it is, how much risk avoidance do I get for every dollar I invest?" Mr. Fugate said. He acknowledged that Congress would probably object to that approach, since it would likely mean FEMA would concentrate its resilient-infrastructure funds in just a handful of states. "Which then immediately runs into, 'Well, what about my state?'," Mr. Fugate said. "My sense is, knowing how the Senate works, they're going to have to give every state something." Another option would be for the federal government to distribute climate protection money based on a city's property value, its historical and cultural importance, and how much it contributes to the national economy, said Harriet Tregoning, who was in charge of the housing department's Office of Community Planning and Development during the Obama administration. Cities could increase their chances of getting money by reducing their exposure to disasters, perhaps by retrofitting their buildings, implementing aggressive building codes and zoning restrictions, and helping residents leave the most vulnerable neighborhoods, Ms. Tregoning said. And there could be extra points for cities that take in people forced to flee other parts of the country. A city seeking federal money for climate protection should "do everything within its power to make that investment worthwhile," Ms. Tregoning said. Many experts believe that there are hard choices ahead. Robert S. Young, director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University, said Congress should appoint a group of technical experts to decide which coastal communities the federal government should protect. That decision would depend on which places are most important, and also which are easiest to defend. Congress would then vote to accept or reject the list, similar to the process for deciding which military bases to close. "We cannot protect all of those places where they are," Mr. Young said. "We should choose the places that are most sustainable." He acknowledged that the odds of Congress taking such an approach weren't high, at least not yet. "To be able to sensibly make these kinds of decisions in an organized fashion, using data?" Mr. Young said. "That's a gigantic assumption, in my opinion." Mr. Smith, of Swiss Re, said that cities should take responsibility for protecting themselves from the rising toll of disasters, rather than waiting for the federal government. In his view, the chief obstacle is the refusal by some local officials to acknowledge what is happening. "The challenge is, we're fighting about whether or not there's climate change," Mr. Smith said. "They don't want to embrace what's right in front of us." For more news on climate and the environment, follow @NYTClimate on Twitter .


Officials at the Forest Service informed staffers on Friday that at least nine of the agency's 25 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers would be closing. The conservation centers, which are run by federal employees, help train youth in wildland firefighting, forestry, disaster recovery and other outdoor jobs. Their official mission is to educate 16- to 24-year-olds, many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds, while helping U.S. conservation efforts on public lands. Many kids end up with vocational and GED certificates as a result of the program. Working in different units of the Forest Service, apprentices in the program also help first responders during national emergencies and disasters. Most of the centers are clustered in the South and West on national forest lands. Those slated to close are in Montana, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Virginia, Washington, Kentucky, North Carolina and Oregon. Forest Service officials told staffers that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue would be transferring control of all 25 of the job centers to the Labor Department. Fifteen would continue to operate, they said, but nine would be "deactivated," and there would be layoffs as a result. "Please know that this was a high-level policy discussion and decision, and in no way reflects on the excellent work and dedication that you all demonstrate on a daily basis," Vicki Christiansen, the chief of the Forest Service, said on the call. The union representing federal employees who staff the sites has been fighting to keep them open under the Trump administration. The National Federation of Federal Employees has been warning since 2017 that the job corps centers could be on the chopping block, calling the plans "a divestiture in America and in our young people." "Forest Service Job Corps is a program of opportunity," the agency says on its website . "The majority of its students come from low-income communities, both urban and rural, who are seeking pathways to prosperity. After completing training, graduates return to their communities as productive workers, consumers, community leaders and entrepreneurs." This is a developing story. Check back for updates. This article originally appeared on HuffPost .


Greetings, golf gambling enthusiasts. Who's ready for some action in the Lone Star State? We're feeling good entering the week after a successful Wells Fargo showing, where we finished +155 tokens thanks to a few wise plays. We saw a ton of value on Joel Dahmen as a slight underdog in his matchup with Chez Reavie, and Dahmen nearly won the whole thing with a solo second finish. Keith Mitchell also made us look good with a top-10 finish, as wagered upon. We regret not getting more action on Dahmen because his sneaky-good season doesn't look so sneaky anymore. Anyways, that puts us up to +558 tokens for the season and we're looking to build the bank roll up again this week ahead of the PGA Championship action. We usually rely pretty heavily on a player's course history with the individual matchups and it won't do any good this week, with the Byron Nelson played at Trinity Forest for just the second time. It's a links-style layout and one of the most unique courses these guys will play all year, so we'll proceed with caution on this week's bets. Here are my top bets for the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson. All odds courtesy of OddsShark and Points Bet . Henrik Stenson (-120) over Patrick Reed 120 tokens Risking 120 to win 100 on Stenson. These are nuanced greens and precise irons play is a must this week. Stenson ranks first on Tour in Strokes Gained approach-the-green, whereas Reed is near the bottom of the pack at 129th. Reed seems to have found his way out of a nasty slump but isn't quite there yet, falling down the board with a final-round 74 at Quail Hollow. We do believe Reed is trending in the right direction and will have off-the-radar value soon, and we know this is a home game for him. Stenson still seems like the smarter pick at Trinity Forest. Jordan Spieth (+160) over Brooks Koepka 100 tokens Speaking of smart plays, here's one that looks dumb on the surface (and might actually be dumb above and below the surface. We'll get back to you on Sunday). Risking 100 to win 160 on Spieth. First and foremost, we liked what we saw from Spieth at Augusta National. He fought hard to make the cut and played better than the score indicated. The slump is definitely concerning and it's shocking to see him at No. 39 in the Official World Golf Ranking, behind names like Eddie Pepperell, Haotong Li and Alex Noren, to name a few. He insists he's staying patient, but there has to be some sense of urgency ahead of his Career Grand Slam bid at the PGA Championship. Especially at a tournament that's meant so much to him over the years. Koepka said this week he hadn't touched a club since New Orleans, which isn't unusual for him, but he uses these major lead-in weeks to get back in rhythm above all else. It doesn't sound like a very results-oriented process. We also think Spieth's course-management skills will suit him well this week, and there's just enough value at +160 to get us to bite. Ryan Moore to finish top-10 (+400) 25 tokens Risking 25 to win 200 on Moore. He's doing everything well lately and ranks 16th on Tour in Strokes Gained overall, with two top-10 finishes and a solo third last month at the Valero Texas Open. Last week: +155 Season total: +558 MORE: Tottenham's miraculous Champions League comeback sent the sports world into a frenzy What should we expect from Raiders DT Maurice Hurst in Year 2? Interesting PFF stats to know about the Packers in 2019 WATCH: Lucas Moura Scores Miracle Goal To Send Tottenham To Champions League Final NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players


It's pretty easy to figure out who these guys are. Once training camp begins, Bruce Arians and his staff will be watching and analyzing almost every single player down to the finest detail. But the key word in that sentence is almost . Like any NFL team, there are players that are a lock for the roster. They are solid, trustworthy, dependable, and they produce. Still, there are some players that are held in an even higher regard - the elite players that define what a team is able to do on a weekly basis. These players, such as your Tom Bradys, Russell Wilsons, Saquon Barkleys, Alvin Kamaras, Deandre Hopkins - the list goes on - simply cannot be replaced if anything were to affect their ability to step onto the football field. So, now you have to ask: Who are these players that follow this criteria for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ? I'm glad you asked. I now present you with the three indispensable Bucs on offense. 3. QB Jameis Winston The only surprise about Winston on this list is that many of you probably expected him to be higher. He is the starting quarterback after all. But regardless of rank, Winston is easily one of the three indispensable players on offense. Just look at the quarterbacks who would take over if something were to happen to him. Journeyman Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin (who has never taken a NFL snap in a real game) would be the ones to fill Winston's shoes in light of an emergency. I know Winston has had his ups and downs on the field, but I'm sorry, neither Gabbert nor Griffin would come within miles of matching Winston's production. Even with all of the weapons on offense, Winston is strictly a better quarterback. It's that simple. Gabbert has familiarity in Arians' system, but he didn't really do much when given the opportunity. He started five games under Arians in 2017 and compiled a 2-3 record to go along with a 55.6% completion rate and six touchdowns to six interceptions. His advanced stats weren't any good, either. He finished 2017 with a 4.06 ANY/A mark. For context's sake, that placed him as the 35th-best quarterback in the league amongst players with at least five starts. Not good. Jameis, stay healthy. Please. 2. WR Mike Evans Again, a lot of you are probably surprised at this ranking. And just like Winston, it's easy to see why Evans is one of the team's irreplaceable players. Evans' numbers alone will shatter any objection to his place on this list. What he can do at his size not only makes him an elite player on the Bucs, but in the league as well. He's a pure receiver. One that can get physical when needed, but also has the touch and grace to make difficult catches on the sideline. His first touchdown catch against the Atlanta Falcons in the 2018 season finale exemplifies the elite body control and balance that he has for a man of his size. The receiving corps is a bit different than the quarterbacks when it comes to depth. Chris Godwin and Breshad Perriman (and even OJ Howard if you want) are good options, but none of them have quite the effect on the offense that Evans does. If he were to miss games, the passing attack would take a pretty serious hit. I'm not saying that it would fall off a cliff, but it's suffice to say that Evans' presence not only frees up his fellow receivers, but also gives Winston a big target to throw to - and a dependable security blanket, too. 1. G Ali Marpet And for the finale, another surprise ranking. But for those who have paid close attention to Marpet , it's not much of a surprise at all. He is easily Tampa Bay's best offensive lineman, which is absolutely incredible to think about considering he came out of a Division III program. Marpet is a mauler who can run block and pass protect at a high level. He has gotten better and better as each year has passed and was rewarded heavily with a big contract before the 2018 season. Those who study the league are beginning to take notice as well. The @Buccaneers have all sorts of talented offensive weapons. One of those weapons, you may not realize, resides in the trenches. @PFF_Chichester goes in depth of why you should pay some attention to Ali Marpet at the line of scrimmage this season. : https://t.co/QIXppIvTyd pic.twitter.com/H0U4Cuz51D   PFF TB Buccaneers (@PFF_Buccaneers) July 10, 2019 Ali Marpet has been quietly outstanding along the Buccaneers' interior offensive line. PFF's NFL Editor @PFF_Chichester takes an in-depth look at the play of the Bucs guard: https://t.co/65KBJuvfX6 pic.twitter.com/YYFExujFI9   PFF (@PFF) July 10, 2019 My picks: Aaron Donald (AP) Deshaun Watson (PB) Keenan Allen (PB) Laremy Tunsil Ali Marpet Marlon Humphrey   Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) June 26, 2019 Looking at the OL All Pro voting in general. Voters did a good job giving votes to the guys who've played well with one glaring exception. Ali Marpet of the Bucs got zero votes at LG. He should have been 2nd or 3rd at that position.   Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) January 5, 2019 Ali Marpet has been the best LG in football through 10 weeks. Extremely well-rounded and is putting it all together in year 4: pic.twitter.com/utTk9RN76K   Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) November 13, 2018 Get the picture? If Marpet were to go down, it would be an unmitigated disaster for the Bucs' offense. Not only is there basically zero depth behind him, but the rest of the starters up front are iffy at best. Donovan Smith still has plenty of questions, Ryan Jensen did not play well last year, no one really knows what the hell is going on at right guard, and Demar Dotson - while still effective - will turn 34 in October. Point is, there is a high chance that an already struggling offensive line - one that ranked at the bottom of the league in all major advanced statistics outside of pass pro in 2018 - would falter without its best player. And since everything starts up front, the trickle down effect could have serious implications. Hopefully it's easy to see why these three guys are the indispensable ones on the offensive side of the ball. Be sure to check back in a couple of days for the three indispensable Bucs on defense!


It is getting real as the troops have reported to camp and the Cleveland Browns hype train is gaining steam like we have never seen. Preseason kicks off against the Washington Redskins on August 8th and that will help to alleviate some of the pain we are all feeling waiting on the season. However, the good stuff starts on September 8th at home against the Tennessee Titans. Obviously, every Cleveland game is must see TV, but the five below stick out for a few different reasons. 5. Week 11, November 14 vs. Pittsburgh Last season the Browns opened the season tying the Steelers 21-21, but James Conner scampered for 146 yards and two touchdowns during the second contest in October and this resulted in an extremely disappointing 18-33 loss. This season the first game for the divisional rivals is in November and in Cleveland, which means this game may have playoff implications. This game is more intriguing than usual, because Pittsburgh is clearly on the downturn with stars like Antonio Brown leaving, Ben Roethlisberger aging and locker room distractions becoming the norm. It appears it is Baker's time to take the throne. The Steelers have gone to the playoffs in four of the last five years, winning the AFC North in three of those years, if Cleveland can hammer them on nationally televised Thursday Night Football, then they can take claim to being the most dangerous team in the division. 4. Week 2, September 16 @ N.Y. Jets The week three game against the Jets last year will go down in Cleveland history as the day Baker Mayfield presented himself as the savior. The Browns barely squeaked out a 21-17 victory, but that win meant so much more. This season the two clubs face off in week two on Monday Night Football and both teams should be much improved. Leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft the big debate was between Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield and Baker is looking to make it 2-0 against his rival. This game is also extremely interesting due to new Cleveland head coach, Freddie Kitchens facing off against former interim head coach and annoying personality, Gregg Williams, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Jets. Another part of this match-up is another former Browns assistant and textbook definition of nepotism, Blake Williams, who is now riding his father's coattails to a new destination. 3. Week 14, December 8 vs. Cincinnati I tried not to focus on divisional games, but this one is another juicy contest where the Browns can really showcase who they are. I know the Browns swept this squad last season, but there is a shocking amount of optimism coming out of Cincinnati. By the time Week 14 rolls around, we should have a strong idea of who these two teams are and it may be more of a blockbuster game than people think. There has been nothing but positives said about new Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor and there are a few people that believe he can really turn this offense into a powerhouse and that may occur sooner rather than later considering they have A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon to work with and if Taylor can get anything out of speedster John Ross, then this can be a dangerous offense. 2. Week 3, September 22 vs. L.A. Rams This is obvious right? This is an early-season contest against a Super Bowl contender, there is no better barometer. If the Browns can stop the high powered Rams offense, than the Browns will have shown the NFL that they are legit on nationally televised Sunday Night Football. This will be the first Sunday Night Football game for Cleveland since 2008 and watching how Freddie Kitchens and his crew react to the atmosphere will be something to watch. 1. Week 8, October 27 @ New England If playing the Super Bowl loser is number two on this list than the Super Bowl champion is obviously number one. Cleveland will be coming off of a week seven bye week when they take on New England in unfriendly confines. Tom Brady is largely seen as the GOAT and we all saw that cheesy NFL 100 commercial, where Brady hands his rings to Baker. It is just a silly narrative, but if the Browns can leave New England with a W than that says a lot. MORE: Behind the scenes with new-look Nets: 'We got stars without mortgaging everything'' James Harden and Russell Westbrook fight over last shot in amazing NBA 2K edit Jayson Tatum's bold predictions for the 2019-20 season Sherra Wright pleads guilty in killing of LeBron's former teammate Lorenzen Wright Competition at inside linebacker heating up at Steelers training camp


SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket successfully made it back to Earth last month , touching down gently at Cape Canaveral after traveling out of our atmosphere, into space, and back again. Now, SpaceX boss Elon Musk says, the rocket is ready for another mission . In an Instagram picture, posted a few hours before the new year was set to start on the east coast of the United States, Musk showed the Falcon 9 rocket in its Cape Canaveral hangar. "No damage found," he wrote, noting that the rocket was "ready to fire again." It's not yet clear when a mission that will use the veteran craft will take place, but if SpaceX can regularly re-use rockets on its jaunts into space, then it could potentially save itself a lot of money   Musk says that a Falcon 9 costs $16 million to build, but only $200,000 to fuel.


Earlier this afternoon, FC Bayern Munich Basketball teased a "big" signing announcement for tomorrow, and Emiliano Carchia of Sportando is now reporting that the team is planning to announce the signing of NBA veteran big man Greg Monroe . Monroe, 29, appears to be prioritizing playing time and perhaps financial gain with the move to Europe, which makes sense given the nine-year veteran's recent struggles to carve out a niche in the ever-growing small-ball atmosphere of today's NBA. The 2010 NBA Draft's seventh-overall pick, Monroe was named NBA All-Rookie Second Team for his efforts during the 2010-11 season. For his career, he holds averages of 13.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 2.1 APG, but has become a journeyman of sorts over the past couple of seasons. Monroe will join fellow former first-round pick Josh Huestis on Bayern Munich's 2019-20 roster, where the club will look to three-peat as Basketball Bundesliga champions this upcoming season.


There's nothing like the love between a mother and a daughter. It's true that the bond between a mother and a daughter is something special. This Mother's Day, let your mom know how truly loved she is with these sweet quotes and sayings . Whether you're looking for a message to write in a Mother's Day card or a caption on Facebook, we found the best mother-daughter quotes to share when you just can't seem to find the words. Plus, here are some of our favorite Mother's Day gifts for her. Adriana Trigiani "I like it when my mother smiles. And I especially like it when I make her smile." Sada Malhotra "By the time you realize your mother was right, you have a daughter who thinks that you're wrong." Ama H. Vanniarachchy "The bond between a mother and her child is the only real and purest bond in the world, the only true love we can ever find in our lifetime." Ellen J. Barrier "A mother's love is like an everlasting bed of roses, that continues to blossom. A mother's love bears strength, comfort, healing, and warmth. Her beauty is compared to a sunny day that shines upon each rose petal and inspires hope." Sarah Addison Allen "Her mother would tell her she was beautiful and that everything was all right" Anna Quindlen "When someone asks you where you come from, the answer is your mother." Sandra Vischer "The woman who is my best friend, my teacher, my everything: Mom." N.K. Jemisin "In a child's eyes, a mother is a goddess." Barbara Delinsky "Mother-daughter disagreements were, in hindsight, basically mother stating the truth and daughter taking her own sweet time coming around." Mary Stewart "Mother and daughter got on very well indeed, with a deep affection founded on almost complete misunderstanding." Cardinal Meymillod "A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take." Viola Shipman "A mother's and daughter's love is never separated." Christie Watson "No daughter and mother ever live apart, no matter what the distance between them." Melia Keeton-Digby "Mothers and daughters together are a powerful force to be reckoned with." Caitlin Houston "Words are not enough to express the unconditional love that exists between a mother and a daughter." Mitch Albom "When you look into your mother's eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth." Erich Fromm "Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved." Unknown "Life doesn't come with a manual, it comes with a mother." Unknown "A daughter is someone you laugh with, dream with, and love with all your heart." Laurel Atherton "A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give." Maya Angelou "To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow." Pramoedya Ananta Toer "A mother knows what her child's gone through, even if she didn't see it herself." Hope Edelman "No one in your life will ever love you as your mother does. There is no love as pure, unconditional and strong as a mother's love. And I will never be loved that way again." Unknown "Angels are often disguised as daughters." Agatha Christie "A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path." Unknown "There is nothing as powerful as mother's love, and nothing as healing as a child's soul." Jojo Moyes "Because even if the whole world was throwing rocks at you, if you had your mother at your back, you'd be okay. Some deep-rooted part of you would know you were loved. That you deserved to be loved." Unknown "A daughter may outgrow your lap…but she will never outgrow your heart." Honore de Balzac "The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness." William Makepeace Thackeray "Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children." Terri Guillemets "I love my mother as trees love water and sunshine. She helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights." Jodi Picoult "My mother: She is beautiful, softened at the edges and tempered with a spine of steel. I want to grow old and be like her." Iyanla Vanzant "One of the most important relationships we'll have is the relationship we have with our mothers." Princess Diana "A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's." Charley Benetto "When you are looking at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know." Rumi "We are born of love; love is our mother." Catherine Pulsifer "A mother's treasure is her daughter." Unknown "Mothers and daughters are closest, when daughters become mothers." Abigail G. Whittlesey "Good daughters make good mothers." Anita Diamant "The more a daughter knows the details of her mother's life, the stronger the daughter." Naomi Wolf "A mother who radiates self-love and self-acceptance actually vaccinates her daughter against low self-esteem." Signe Hammer "Mothers of daughters are daughters of mothers and have remained so, in circles joined to circles, since time began." Letty Cottin Pogrebin "We mothers are learning to mark our mothering success by our daughters' lengthening flight." Wynonna Judd "The mother-daughter relationship is the most complex." Irish Proverb "A son is a son until he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life." Katherine Howe "Of course mothers and daughters with strong personalities might see the world from very different points of view." Letty Cottin Pogrebin "A daughter without her mother is a woman broken. It is a loss that turns to arthritis and settles deep into her bones." Elmina S. Taylor "Mothers, look after your daughters, keep them near you, keep their confidence that they may be true and faithful."


The Jets have conducted four interviews with candidates for their General Manager vacancy and there aren't any other meetings on the docket, so there's an expectation that they'll be hiring someone for the job in the near future. Head coach Adam Gase said on Tuesday that he hopes that's the case, but said the team will take "however long it takes us to get the right guy." He also didn't rule out bringing in other candidates, although it does seem that Bears assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly, Eagles vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas, Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer or Saints director of pro scouting Terry Fontenot will be the choice. Gase participated in the interviews with all four candidates, but said the ultimate decision will be made by CEO Christopher Johnson . "We went through some interviews this weekend," Gase said at a press conference. "Those guys did a great job. It was a great process we've gone through so far. We'll just keep huddling up and figuring out where we are with that until Christopher's ready to make a decision." Douglas is regarded as the favorite for the job and joins Kelly in having a past working relationship with Gase, but it remains to be seen if he'll wind up as Mike Maccagnan's successor.


Flowers aren't nearly as thoughtful a Mother's Day gift as they seem. Online purchases in categories like jewelry and fashion spike in the weeks leading up to the holiday, but buyers tend to only order flowers at the last minute, accord to data from online advertising company Criteo. Only 20 percent of mothers surveyed even want flowers, yet more than 60 percent of Americans will buy them this year, according to a recent survey by Offers.com . All those unwanted bouquets will contribute to $2.8 billion in total flower sales this Mother's Day, according to the National Retail Federation . The surge in last-minute flower sales are great news for online retailers, which experience a 950 percent increase in flower and gift sales three days before the holiday, compared to earlier in April, according to Criteo. Conversion rates the number of online visitors who make a purchase for online flower and gift sellers more than double, and online advertisers get a 5 percent boost in click-through rates. The surge in flower sales starts to drop off the day before Mother's Day, as shoppers realize their online orders might not make it in time. At that point, they join the 75 percent of buyers who purchase their Mother's Day gifts offline, according to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation. Jewelry buyers seem to be the most forward-thinking, buying their gifts a full 12 days before Mother's Day. Last year, jewelry sales peaked at 80 percent above baseline on April 29. Fashion and luxury goods peak six days before Mother's Day. Both jewelry and fashion see smaller increases in conversion rates and larger jumps in ad click-through rates during their peaks maybe because buyers have more time to shop around instead of panicking and buying the first bunch of flowers they find.


You've probably known since elementary school that Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. You heard the stories about intrepid explorers, daring rescues like this one , and you've seen the blockbuster movies. But a lesser-known, and surprising, mountaineering fact is the number of mountain peaks out there that are not as tall as Everest, but that have not been climbed, unlike Everest. Determining which of these is the "tallest" can be tricky business, since it can be difficult to determine exactly where the "top" of a mountain is, and because there's no concrete record of mountains where people have and have not reached the top. But most sources consider a mountain in Bhutan, Gangkhar Puensum or "White Peak of the Three Spiritual Brothers," to be the highest unclimbed peak in the world. This mountain lies on the border of Bhutan and China and reaches 24,836 feet above sea level. For reference, Mount Everest is 29,029 feet above sea level. If Everest is the tallest mountain in the world and thousands of people have climbed it, why is this shorter mountain still unclimbed? It actually doesn't have much to do with the physical conditions. While scarce rescue services in the area are part of the reason , the primary reason has to do with national law. In this area of Bhutan, local customs consider mountains to be sacred places, home to holy spirits. As such, a law in Bhutan, which has been in effect since 1994, prohibits mountaineers from climbing higher than 6,000 meters (Gangkhar Puensum is more than 7,500). And, considering the way climbers are ruining Mount Everest , we can't say we blame them. Before the law took effect, a few expeditions did try to climb the mountain but had to turn back. A Japanese team also tried to climb the mountain post-law, in 1998, hoping that approaching the summit from the Chinese side would allow them a loophole, but officials in Bhutan got wind of it and convinced the Chinese government to revoke the climbers' permit. So, tempting as it may be to dream about being the first to reach the world's highest unclimbed peak, you're better off keeping a Gangkhar Puensum hike off your travel itinerary. Instead, consider planning a trip to one of these other 14 most remote locations in the world . The post This Is the Tallest Mountain That Has Never Been Climbed appeared first on Reader's Digest . WATCH: 50 People Pick Their States' Best City (Video by Condé Nast Traveler)


MIAMI   Immigration activist LuzHilda Muñoz spit out her anger when she learned Saturday that President Donald Trump had just tweeted he was delaying planned immigration raids, a prospect that had sent fear through her community. While glad about the reprieve, Muñoz said she was not convinced Trump's tweet was true, and it did little to calm the anxiety she felt after hearing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would round up undocumented families in several U.S. cities starting Sunday. Trump said he would delay it for two weeks. "Its just very infuriating to know he feels he has the right to f------- play with our lives," said Muñoz, who runs a deportation defense program for immigrant advocacy group United We Dream. Marjorie Murillo, a community liaison specialist for Miami Dade Public Schools, said going from hyper-vigilance to wait-and-see was like keeping up with a hurricane. "It's coming, maybe it will turn a little bit, stay on guard," Murillo said. "We can't ever let our guard down." Since the planned roundups became public knowledge on Friday, advocacy groups have been in rapid-response mode. They ratcheted up warning and reporting systems that they have developed to inform people to stay in their homes, not answer their doors and be aware of their rights. Lawyers were told to be ready on standby to help arrestees, and volunteers offered to open their homes to targeted people so agents would not find them at home. Groups organized volunteers to drive people to work, children to school and families to grocery stores so they wouldn't have to worry about being pulled over. Then came Trump's tweet that he was postponing the plan for two weeks. But advocates said they are not standing down. "We don't trust him in any way," Murillo said. "I've been calling and sending messages everywhere that they are postponed, but where I live, parents and everyone, they are never safe." Richard Morales, director of immigration campaigns for Faith in Action, the largest faith-based network in the country, said his group told the 45 affiliates in 22 states to "stay vigilant". "I feel that he's holding our families hostage," Morales said. "People are afraid to go out. I'm fully expecting tomorrow that the persons that normally go out to church are not going to go out because they are afraid." He said many affiliates are calling for guidance about what to do now. He reminds them that members have been training regularly on immigrants' rights and are prepared for whenever the raids might occur. "I want to be clear, we are going to be ready tomorrow or in two weeks," Morales said. "We'll be ready to respond." Murillo said people in immigrant communities have been on higher alert since Trump's inauguration, but the planned raids escalated the anxiety. "He's making an announcement as if these deportations are not already happening," she said. "He's saying if Democrats don't do what I want them to do, deportations will start in two weeks. Deportations have been happening since he went into office." Muñoz and other advocates said they believe the roundup plan is being used by the administration as a tool to try to squeeze more money out of Congress for immigration enforcement agencies. On Friday, Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced a $4.5 billion emergency border supplemental funding bill that would give more money to Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to United We Dream. It also includes money for Democratic priorities, such as medical services, transportation, legal services and other things, according to the House Appropriations Committee's website . A full House vote was expected as soon as next week on the emergency funding bill. The Senate has its own version. Murillo criticized Democrats for considering the additional enforcement funding, possibly as soon as next week. "Every dollar they are giving to agencies is exactly creating these types of situations," she said. "Every dollar they give to them is what is feeding these machines." Morales noted that Trump announced his re-election campaign this week in Orlando, Florida. "He wants to be sure that his base is clear about what his stance is on immigration and on deportation and the wall," Morales said. FOLLOW NBC LATINO ON FACEBOOK , TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM .


MANCHESTER, NH (CBS)   Presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren laid out her college debt forgiveness plan during a town hall Monday night at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. "The position of the federal government has been 'good luck to you you're on your own,'" Sen. Warren said. Warren wants to change that and wipe out existing loan debt up to $50,000 for households that make under $100,000. "My proposal is to say this isn't right," Warren said. "What we have to do as a country is roll back that debt." The second part of Warren's plan would make public universities free. The senator plans to pay for the proposal with an "ultra-millionaire tax," a two percent tax on anyone with more than $50 million. "This is about opportunity for everyone," Warren said. Reaction to Senator Warren's plan on campus is mixed. "I don't think that it should be free," said St. Anselm student Julia Tahissell. "I think that people should work for what they get. Personally I've worked hard my whole life to get where I am academically and athletically." "So if you start forgiving these loans then forgive my auto loan, or forgive my home loan," said Brendan Flaherty. Those in favor say it's long overdue. "I think that's a great program to try and fix the previous problem," said Graham Macklin. "I don't know that it's the best way to move forward, but I think it could be super helpful for kind of cleaning up the mess we already created." "It's just a matter of trying to give everyone a fair chance to make it in the world," said David Stein.


Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson grew up about 20 miles from Anderson, South Carolina and he reached out to the family of an 11-year-old girl who was shot and killed in that town this week. Ja'Naiya Scott was killed when someone shot at her home more than 35 times early on Sunday morning. Her 18-year-old sister and and 11-year-old cousin remain in the hospital after being shot in the same incident. Lawson reached out to the girl's mother and let her know that he would pay for the little girl's funeral expenses. He said he has a sister about the same age and felt he wanted to do anything that "could possibly help out" at such a trying time. Lawson also sent a message to whoever fired the gun. "Whoever did this needs to come forward and tell the truth," Lawson said, via the Greenville News . "And whoever's hiding, it's wrong that you're hiding. This is a little girl who is gone. It's just pointless killing people   killing an innocent child. She was at home, a place she was supposed to be safe." No suspects have been identified at this point and police have asked for anyone with information to contact them as soon as possible.


Patriots offensive tackle Marcus Cannon has agreed to a restructured contract, according to Michael Silver of NFL.com . Cannon, who is signed through 2021, had been scheduled to collect a $5.5M salary and up to $500K in per-game roster bonuses in 2019. Instead, he'll now earn a $1M base salary, a $3.5M signing bonus, and up to $1.5M in per-game roster bonuses, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Per Silver, New England also added incentives to Cannon's deal that could raise its remaining value to more than $24M. Because Cannon's new $3.5M signing bonus will be prorated through the rest of his contract, the right tackle's 2019 cap charge will decrease from $7.456M to $4.935M, a savings of roughly $2.5M. Cannon can still make $6M for the 2019 campaign, but he'll need to be active for all 16 regular-season games in order to do so (as a result of his new per-game roster bonus figure). Cannon, 31, became a full-time starter for the Patriots in 2016 and signed a five-year, $32.5M extension that fall. He has been a high-quality right tackle ever since, although injuries have forced him to miss 12 games over the past two seasons.


If you're considering taking a trip on your own this year, you're not alone. More and more people are planning solo travel . "Traveling alone can be a unique experience, and it's something that a majority (66 percent) of Americans either have done or would consider doing," according to YouGov , a market research and data analytics firm that recently surveyed U.S. adults about solo travel. According to the survey, 46 percent of respondents said their motivation to travel alone was to have the "freedom to choose their own itinerary without input from others." The second most popular reason, selected by 37 percent of respondents, was that it's "easier to relax and unwind when they're alone." The other reasons people chose solo travel included bolstering their own sense of independence and self-confidence (32 percent), wanting to go to destinations that their family and friends weren't interested in (32 percent), and finding it easier to meet new people alone (17 percent). As for where these solo adventurers want to go, 57 percent of responders said they're interested in taking a trip to another U.S. city alone, 50 percent want to hit the open road for a road trip, 40 percent want to visit a foreign country , 37 percent want to take a cruise, 30 percent are feeling a beach vacation, and 25 percent said a solo camping trip is for them. RELATED VIDEO: The Introvert's Guide to Enjoying Solo Travel


NASA has a message for space lovers this month: Look up. The largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter , will be clearly visible June 10   and to see its biggest moons you'll only need to grab a pair of binoculars. NASA said the gas giant is at its " biggest and brightest this month " and will be visible all night. The planet will reach opposition, the annual occurrence when the Jupiter, Earth and the Sun are arranged in a straight line, with Earth in the center. So, mark your calendars for Monday, as it will be the best time of the year to see it. What's Up for June? 🔭 Jupiter is up all night, while Mercury and Mars decide to get close, and the Moon reveals its tilted orbit. Downloadable video and transcript available at https://t.co/tPYUwcimlm pic.twitter.com/lPw2pIEyZ0   NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) June 3, 2019 While the planet famous for its brilliant stripes and swirls will be visible to the naked eye, binoculars or a small telescope only enhance its clarity. The devices will also allow people to spot Jupiter 's four largest moons, and possibly even a "glimpse" of part of the banded clouds that surround the planet. Scientists believe the planet has a combined 79 moons   53 named and 26 awaiting official names. However, for those who want an even closer look at the planet, NASA's Juno spacecraft is currently orbiting Jupiter and has captured stunning footage .


Long Beach will see a return of last week's warm temperatures over the next few days, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Temperatures will reach a high of 71 degrees today, then turn cooler from Sunday to Wednesday. The coming days will also see mostly cloudy skies, lasting through Saturday. Skies will partially clear on Sunday. Winds will stay light through the week, with the highest speeds on Monday at just 8 miles per hour. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


After the Jets fired General Manager Mike Maccagnan last week, one of the names floated as a possible addition to the personnel department was NFL Media draft guru Daniel Jeremiah. Jeremiah has worked for the Ravens as a scout and Mike Mayock jumped from a similar job to the Raiders this year, so it wasn't out of left field that Jeremiah could make the move. It appears Jeremiah will be staying put, however. Jeremiah said on an NFL Media podcast that he hasn't had any conversations with the Jets. "Look, I haven't said anything on any of this stuff with the Jets," Jeremiah said. "The reason I haven't said anything [is] I have not been contacted by anybody with the Jets. I'm very happy doing what I'm doing here. I couldn't be happier, things couldn't be better." Eagles exec Joe Douglas was quickly identified as a candidate to replace Maccagnan and there's word of interest from the team in hiring Peyton Manning, but head coach Adam Gase remains the interim G.M. for now.


New 2016 contender Donald Trump has surged to second place in the latest poll of New Hampshire GOP primary voters. The billionaire real estate magnate, who announced his candidacy last week, now trails the head of the pack, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, by just 3 percentage points, 14 percent to 11 percent, in the new Suffolk University poll released Tuesday . "Jeb Bush continues to lead, but Donald Trump has emerged as an anti-Jeb Bush alternative in New Hampshire," David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, said in a statement. Trump's numbers highlight both his high name recognition and the strong aversion to his candidacy among many voters. His second-place finish vaults him ahead of the rest of the GOP field, including Gov. Scott Walker (Wis.) and Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.), Rand Paul (Ky.) and Ted Cruz (Texas). But 49 percent of voters said they view him unfavorably, the highest of any Republican candidate tested. In a question asking which 10 candidates should appear in the GOP debates, which will cap the number of contenders on the main stage, Trump finished in 11th place. "Many of those who like Trump are voting for him, and although many more dislike him, the unfavorables are split up among many other candidates. It's the politics of plurality," Paleologos said. The poll also has good news for Rubio, who finishes in fourth behind Walker, Trump and Bush, with 7 percent. The Florida senator's 61 percent approval rating is the highest of all candidates tested, and more voters want to see him in the debates than any other candidate except for Bush. But despite Bush's lead, the poll finds that his his stance on immigration could make him vulnerable. Eighty-one percent of voters would disagree with an unnamed Republican candidate who said that illegal immigration is an act of love, a a phrase Bush used last year.


West Ham look set to secure the services of Maxi Gomez from Celta Vigo, after pipping Valencia to the post with a new £45m bid. Gomez, who notched 13 goals and five assists last season, after scoring 19 the season before, has recently been on international duty with Uruguay at the Copa America. However, that did not stop his two suitors from attempting to lure him away from the Galician side. And, according to Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol on Twitter, Valencia have dropped out of the race with the forward rejecting Champions League football for West Ham's big-money offer. Big statement of intent by West Ham. Set to break club record by signing Maxi Gomez from Celta Vigo for £45m. Valencia have dropped out. Gomez turning down Champions League football at Valencia to join West Ham   Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) July 7, 2019 Solhekol wrote: "Big statement of intent by West Ham. Set to break club record by signing Maxi Gomez from Celta Vigo for £45m. Valencia have dropped out. Gomez turning down Champions League football at Valencia to join West Ham." That £45m offer was enough to trigger his release clause, as well as break the Hammers' club record for a transfer, which was previously the £36m they spent on Felipe Anderson last summer. After a substantial early bidding war, Valencia appeared to be in pole position to sign the 22-year-old, especially with their ability to offer Champions League football. However, with further funds freed up following the sale of Marko Arnoutovic to Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG, and no remaining striker at the club save for Javier Hernandez, the Irons have now put their money where their mouth was in the pursuit of Gomez. Should the move be completed, the Uruguayan would join Spanish playmaker Pablo Fornals, who was bought for £24m last month from Villarreal, at the London Stadium.


The final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations is almost here as the magnificent tournament finally draws to a close in Egypt, with Senegal and Algeria emerging as the two finalists. The tournament has been one of unlikely heroes and late drama. Madagascar and Benin will be thrilled at their quarter-final runs, while Egypt, Morocco and holders Cameroon were surprise early casualties. The final will be a historic night for both countries but potentially slightly more so for the dominant Senegal, who have conceded just one goal in the 2019 tournament so far, but have never won the competition previously. Algeria, who provided some of the tournaments biggest drama as they squeaked past Nigeria and Ivory Coast, are looking for their first crown in almost 30 years, when they went all the way back in 1990 as the host nation. Check out 90min's preview for Thursday's final below. Where to Watch When is Kick Off? Friday 19 July What Time is Kick Off? 20:00 (BST) Where is it Played? Cairo International Stadium TV Channel/Live Stream? Eurosport Referee? Victor Gomes Team News The only casualty for Alou Cisse's side is goalkeeper Edouard Mendy who suffered a fractured hand earlier in the tournament and remains out. SPAL keeper Alfred Gomis (man of the match in the semi-final win over Tunisia) is set to continue his role between the sticks. The main question for Sengeal is who will partner Sadio Mane in attack, with Krepin Diatta, Keita Balde Diao and Ismaila Sarr all battling for the other wide spot. Algeria too could name an unchanged lineup from the semi-finals if they wish, with no known fitness concerns. Predicted Lineups  Senegal Gomis; Gassama, Sabaly, Koulibaly, Kouyate; Sarr, Mane, Gueye, Ndiaye, Saviet; Niang Algeria Mbolhi; Zeffane, Bensebaini, Mandi, Benlamri; Mahrez, Belaili, Geudioura, Feghouli, Bennacer; Bounedjah Head to Head Record Senegal and Algeria have faced each other 22 times and it's the Desert Foxes who have the superior record winning 13 and only losing four. With four wins from their last five over Senegal, including the 1-0 win in the group stages, Djamel Belmadi's side may feel the more confident of the two going into the final. In Group C back on 27 June, the Lions of Teranga were narrowly edged out as Algeria's Youcef Belaili scored the only goal of the game just after half-time. While Belaili's strike was the only one Cisse's have conceded at the tournament this year, Senegal have never beaten Algeria at an AFCON in eight attempts. Recent Form Algeria look incredibly strong as they approach this final. Conceding only two goals throughout the whole tournament. However, with the quarters and semis proving particularly tough, the fatigue of an international tournament could be catching up on El Khadra. Senegal also look in fine form defensively and haven't conceded in the knockout stages. As the highest world ranked country going into the tournament, they will know they have been playing well for a substantial period of time. However, does form count for anything in the final of a major tournament? Or does it all fly out of the window as soon as the first whistle is blown? Senegal Algeria  Senegal 2-0 Tanzania (23/06) Algeria 2-0 Kenya (23/06) Senegal 0-1 Algeria (27/06) Senegal 0-1 Algeria (27/06) Kenya 0-3 Senegal (01/07) Tanzania 0-3 Algeria (01/07) Uganda 0-1 Senegal (05/07) Algeria 3-0 Guinea (07/07) Senegal 1-0 Benin (10/07) Ivory Coast 1-1 (3-4p) Algeria (11/07) Senegal 1-0 (a.e.t) Tunisia (14/07) Algeria 2-1 Nigeria (14/07) Prediction Both sides have had impressive tournaments and have genuine world class, match-winning talents in Mane and Mahrez (both still vying for the Golden Boot with three goals each so far). However, Senegal seem to be struggling to hit the net against the tougher opposition with players like Mbaye Diagne and, M'baye Nianga and Keita Bale Diao struggling to replicate their club form to ease the burden on Mane. Algeria, meanwhile, can't stop scoring and lead the overall scoring charts this tournament. Napoli's Adam Ounas and Mahrez are both on three goals, while Balaili, Baghdad Bounedjah and Sofiane Feghouli have all chipped in and provide a threat that Kouilbaly and the Senegal backline will need to be at their best to prevent. Algeria will likely want to open the game up a little more than the previous meeting between the two and will take confidence that they can, knowing they've already beaten Senegal once. If they can achieve this then they could be lifting the AFCON trophy on Friday night, but it is a risky tactic. Prediction: Senegal 1-2 Algeria


Science just confirmed what aestheticians and dermatologists have known all along. The science behind the moves You may not need to run straight for the first Botox-filled needle at your dermatologist's office, because a new study conducted by Northwestern University just revealed that 30 minutes a day of facial exercises, or at least a few times a week, results in a younger appearance with fuller and firmer upper and lower cheeks. That's great news for people who are seriously committed to natural beauty and saving loads of cash on pricey beauty products. Do face exercises work for the average woman, though? You'll be pleased to know the women who took part in the study looked an average of three years younger after 20 weeks of exercise, as rated by dermatologists. If you're eager to give face exercises a whirl at home, they're pretty simple, and we spoke to Heidi Frederick, the founder of FaceLove , a beauty business specializing in facial fitness. You'll also want to check out these secrets on looking younger from top dermatologists . Click through the gallery above to learn more. Facial Exercise 1: Eye-firming cheek plumper Place both hands horizontally just below your lower lash line and on top of your cheekbones. Index fingers should be under your lashes, while your little fingers are just under cheekbones. Press your hands on the surface of the skin to hold muscles in place. Squint your eyes while squeezing cheeks up toward eyes like making a squishy sour face. Hold for five counts and repeat three to five times. Facial Exercise 2: All-over face tone Create a resistance platform under your chin by putting your hands together in a flat fist. Squeeze every muscle in your face, squint your eyes, pucker your lips, and tuck your chin to your chest while the platform provides resistance under your chin. It's helpful to keep your arms and elbows tucked. Hold this for five counts. Alternate with the opposite exercise of expansion instead of contraction. Release your platform, lift your eyes up, arch your eyebrows up, open your mouth wide, and slightly lift your chin. Hold for five counts. Repeat both movements three to five times. Do facial exercises work? Only if you do them at least most days of the week, and the all-over face tone is a good one to practice until you memorize it perfectly. You should also check out these genius tricks to looking younger from makeup artists . Facial Exercise 3: Jawline defined Create a resistance platform under your chin by putting your hands together in a flat fist. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth with your lips while tucking your chin to your chest. Repeat this for five counts, holding on the fifth count for five additional counts. Alternate this exercise with an open mouth, dropping your chin and jaw to your DIY platform. Repeat for five counts, holding on the fifth count for five additional counts. Repeat three sets, alternating each movement. Adopt these 50 everyday habits for looking younger and you'll get carded next time you buy wine.


Two Mexican businessmen with financial ties to San Antonio   one who faces fraud charges and one who moved to Texas after he was accused of pilfering millions from his savings and loan   have been arrested. Spanish police arrested Alonso Ancira   a mining empresario known as Mexico's steel king who splits his time between his home country and a Boerne ranch   on the Spanish island of Mallorca last week as part of a corruption sweep by Mexico's new president. Ancira, the cousin of San Antonio auto dealer Ernesto Ancira Jr., faces allegations that he defrauded Mexico's state-run oil company, Pemex, according to a news release from the Mexican federal prosecutor. In the second case, immigration officials in San Antonio said they have detained Rafael Olvera Amezcua, the former owner of a failed savings and loan in Mexico. Olvera has been accused of embezzling as much as $100 million from depositors and moving the money to the U.S. An Express-News investigation in 2015 found companies connected to Olvera purchased more than 100 pieces of real estate in San Antonio and in Florida while the alleged fraud was happening. Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wouldn't say why they are holding Olvera, but online records show he's being held at the South Texas Detention Facility in Pearsall. A Florida lawyer representing him in a civil case said he couldn't comment. Olvera, who has kept a low profile and isn't well known in San Antonio, fled Mexico nearly five years ago after his savings and loan, Ficrea, collapsed into insolvency. Ancira is better known here through his philanthropy and business deals. A parking tower is named after him at the University of Incarnate Word, and he has funded a San Antonio-based nonprofit, Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, which focuses on improving binational relations. Mexico's treasury department announced before he was arrested last week that it was freezing bank accounts connected to Ancira and former Pemex head Emilio Lozoya Austin. According to Mexican news reports, Ancira faces charges over the sale of a subsidiary of his company, Altos Hornos de Mexico, to Pemex. A spokesman for the Spanish judiciary said a judge ordered Ancira held in jail while Mexico pursues his extradition. Pemex, the state-run oil company, bought the Altos Hornos nitrogen producer in 2014 for $275 million. But the Mexican government later criticized the sale, saying the facilities were in a state of disuse and calling some equipment "junk." In a statement on its website, Altos Hornos said Pemex officials had been to the site and knew the condition of the plants they were purchasing. Ancira's arrest comes as Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who took office last year, tries to make good on promises to address corruption and impunity. In recent weeks, a prominent federal prosecutor resigned and Mexican officials have announced the investigation of a supreme court justice. "This is an easy area for Mr. López Obrador to gain points," said Federico Estévez, a political science professor in Mexico City. "He doesn't have to succeed at everything, he doesn't have to tackle everything, but this is low-hanging fruit. It's important. He needs a few victories." Ancira has faced allegations of misconduct in the past, and for nearly two years in the early 2000s lived in Israel to avoid what he called persecution by previous Mexican presidents. The Alonso Ancira Tower on the UIW campus was completed in 2009. Lou Agnese Jr., the university's president emeritus, said he hasn't spoken to Ancira in years and that the donation that earned the steel magnate's name on the tower came in the form of construction materials. "It actually was steel, he never gave us any money," Agnese said. Ancira also gave $1 million to the San Antonio Archdiocese's effort to restore the city's Spanish Missions. But he's perhaps best known in South Texas for his involvement with a coal mine in Maverick County . The mine, owned by Altos Hornos subsidiary Dos Republicas Coal Partnership, produces coal that is shipped across the border because it's too low grade to burn in the U.S. Residents of the border city of Eagle Pass, which is seven miles from the mine, have waged an unsuccessful effort for decades to halt work there. No one answered the phone at the Southtown offices of Ancira's nonprofit this week. Neither Ernesto Ancira Jr., Alonso's cousin, nor former Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade, both of whom sit on the board of Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, responded to requests for comment. In the Olvera case, the Ficrea savings and loan collapsed in 2014 and depositors lost billions of pesos, more than $350 million at the time. Mexico's banking commission said most of the money was siphoned off to a pair of companies connected to Olvera, who shortly after the insolvency moved to the U.S. and fought criminal charges in Mexico. It is unclear if those charges remain pending. He owns residences in San Antonio and Florida through limited liability companies, according to a 2016 lawsuit. A trustee charged with liquidating Ficrea's assets alleged that $100 million from Ficrea's depositors was transferred to a pair of Mexican companies controlled by Olvera, then to bank accounts in the U.S. and Europe. The lawsuit asks a judge to turn over to the trustee dozens of Texas and Florida properties, including high-priced condos and a house in the Summerglen gated community north of Stone Oak, allegedly purchased with money stolen from Ficrea's depositors. The lawsuit alleges that Olvera used the money to qualify for a foreign investment visa in the U.S., and eventually a provisional green card. The day he was detained in San Antonio, Olvera's lawyers in Mexico asked judges across the country to block any efforts to arrest or extradite him, according to news reports. A spokesman for the Mexican attorney general's office did not respond to questions Friday about whether Olvera has outstanding warrants in that country.


The Nuggets have reached a deal with undrafted Iowa forward Tyler Cook , reports Mike Hlas of The Gazette . Per Hlas, the contract will contain a partial guarantee, but the value of that guarantee is unknown at this time. Cook, an early entry for the 2019 NBA Draft, averaged 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in his junior year, while shooting 51.9 percent from the field. Unfortunately, Cook also posted a disappointing .143 three-point shooting percentage while in college, going 3-of-21 over three seasons in Iowa City. Cook will not be joining the Nuggets for the 2019 NBA Summer League due to a high ankle sprain he suffered in a workout with the Pistons leading up to the draft, but he presumably expects to be ready for training camp. He worked out for the Nuggets back on May 22.


Apparel retailers' earnings reports haven't been so disappointing since the Great Recession. Companies ranging from Gap to J.Jill to Canada Goose and Abercrombie & Fitch delivered disappointing earnings reports in recent days, casting blame on issues like cool and wet weather, weak traffic at malls, the wrong promotions in stores and overall product missteps for dragging on results. The bad news has sent those stocks, and the broader industry, tumbling. The S&P 500 Retail ETX (XRT) was down nearly 2% Friday afternoon and has fallen nearly 13% this month, putting it on pace for its worst month since Nov. 2008, when the XRT lost 20.25%. Apparel retailers' earnings, as a group, are down 24% for the first quarter of 2019, according to an analysis by Retail Metrics. The group had up until now been growing earnings since the third quarter of 2017. In the first quarter of 2018, apparel retailers' earnings climbed a whopping 26%. The last time the group's earnings were this bad was the first quarter of 2008, when they fell 40%, Retail Metrics said. "These are all mall-based retailers experiencing traffic issues," Retail Metrics founder Ken Perkins said. "The consumer is holding up ... sentiment numbers have been really high," he added. The problems arise when certain companies aren't investing in ways to drive customers to their stores and websites, while others are, he said. Walmart and Target both, for example, had upbeat fiscal first-quarter earnings reports, specifically calling attention to strengths in their apparel businesses. They've actually been investing in apparel, rolling out more of their own private labels for women's, men's and kids clothes. "It's not that people are buying fewer clothes," CGP president Craig Johnson said. But they're not going the same places anymore. The biggest victims of changing tastes are the "classic, women's, missy retailers," Johnson said   companies like Chico's and Talbots. "The demand for that product is a fraction of what it used to be a generation ago. Women aren't dressing like that." With fewer women flocking to its stores to buy patterned dresses, Ascena Retail Group recently announced it plans to wind down its Dressbarn business entirely, shutting more than 600 locations in the process. Earlier this week, Ascena's stock traded as low as 93 cents. And even as more people are going to one-stop shopping destinations like Walmart and Target to buy clothes, they're still shopping at off-price chains like TJ Maxx and Ross Stores, buying more directly from brands like Zara, Nike and Lululemon, from Amazon, or from online platforms like Stitch Fix and Rent the Runway. The threat of tariffs has also been a recent drag on apparel retail stocks   even though some haven't hit yet. The White House is still considering a 25% tax on clothing and footwear imported from China. And so many retail executives have been forced to address this issue on recent earnings conference calls. Many companies haven't yet factored the 25% tariffs into their profit outlooks, which could lead to future earnings disappointments if President Donald Trump ultimately pulled that trigger. Then, late Thursday, more uncertainty piled up when Trump raised the possibility of putting 5% duties on Mexican imports starting June 10 . This round of tariffs, which could gradually increase to 25% by October, would be aimed at putting pressure on Mexico to help curb illegal immigration. "A lot of companies are vulnerable," CGP's Johnson said. Week to date, shares of Abercrombie are down almost 30%, while Canada Goose shares have fallen 29.6%, Gap's stock is down nearly 15% and Michael Kors parent company Capri Holdings shares are down 13.3%. All of these companies reported earnings this week. CNBC's Gina Francolla and John Schoen contributed to this reporting.


Even for Chicago, with its endemic violence, the killing of 2-year-old Kyrian Knox stood out as among the most grisly in recent history. Kyrian's young mother, Lanisha Knox, had left him at the Rockford home of a friend's father for a couple of weeks in August 2015 as she and the friend traveled to Iowa to set up new lives, jobs and an apartment. By early September, Chicago police found Kyrian's left foot in a grove of willow trees along the shoreline of the weed- and debris-strewn Garfield Park Lagoon on Chicago's West Side. Investigators then located the child's right foot, both hands and eventually his head - weighted down with a barbell, police said at the time. Authorities never found the rest of his body, and the Cook County medical examiner's office wasn't able to determine a cause of death. More than a year later, in November 2016, Cook County prosecutors charged Kamel Harris, the father of Lanisha Knox's friend who had been left to care for Kyrian. But on Thursday, a jury acquitted the 44-year-old Harris on all charges after deliberating over parts of two days. Harris, who had been charged with first-degree murder, dismemberment and concealment of a homicidal death, was expected to be released from Cook County Jail as soon as Thursday night. Jurors had even been given the option by Judge Timothy Joyce to instead find Harris guilty of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter but passed on that as well. Earlier this year, prosecutors showed their concerns about the strength of the case by offering Harris a lenient sentence in return for pleading guilty. He was on the verge of accepting the deal before it fell through after the judge indicated he might not go along with prosecutors' recommended sentence. The verdict came a day after Harris, in a rather unusual move, took the witness stand in his own defense. He testified he had handed over Kyrian to three people who showed up at his residence after a woman he took to be the boy's mother gave permission by phone to do so. In closing arguments Wednesday, prosecutors has ridiculed Harris' account as "ridiculous." "He invented this fiction because he's trying to escape responsibility for what he did to that baby in this home," Assistant State's Attorney Anastasia Harper told jurors. Harris' attorney, K.S. Galhotra, had repeatedly stressed to jurors, however, that no forensic evidence tied Harris to the killing and that the prosecutors' case hinged on the testimony of three "snitches" who claimed Harris confessed to them while locked up in Winnebago County Jail for an unrelated matter. Following Thursday's verdict, Galhotra and co-counsel Julie Koehler, both assistant public defenders, commended the jury for not letting the emotional side of the case get in the way of the weakness of the evidence. "That jury had a lot of courage to find him not guilty because the evidence wasn't there, but public pressure to find him guilty was definitely present throughout the entire trial," Koehler said "The jailhouse snitches were shown to be the liars that they are," Galhotra said. Prosecutors declined comment as they left the courthouse. But during the trial, prosecutors made it clear they had no physical evidence tying Harris to Kyrian's death, relying instead on the jailhouse informants and telephone records that showed Harris and his live-in girlfriend traveled to Chicago days before the boy's remains were found. Harris had been on trial for the boy's killing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building since last week. Testifying in quiet, calm tones as he leaned forward with his hands clasped in front of him, Harris said he was suspicious at first of the three people who came to his home looking to take Kyrian. But he said he let the boy go with them after a woman he believed to be Kyrian's mother gave him her approval to do so by phone. "The individual on the phone said, 'Mr. Harris, he can go with his people. I can take care of my own responsibilities. He'll be fine,' " Harris testified Wednesday. "... At the time it wasn't really nothing to think, when it's the mother telling you to do one thing or do the other with their child ... so I gathered up the boy and went upstairs and packed his bags." Harris testified that while he was caring for Kyrian, he was also a main caretaker for his own son and grandson - both also 2, he said. He spoke fondly of his time with the three toddlers. "We played, we just tore up everything, cleaned up everything, tore up everything, go to the parks, play, throw rocks, throw sand, kick the balls, just regular boy things, what boys do," he said. Editorial from 2016: The life and death of Kyrian Knox » Prosecutors earlier presented testimony from jailhouse informants who said they heard Harris admit to the killing while locked up on an unrelated matter in Winnebago County Jail. On Wednesday, Harris strenuously denied their testimony, suggesting they lied about the high-profile case to benefit themselves. During a brief cross-examination, Harris confirmed he told police he was relieved to have Kyrian out of the house after having to care for three rambunctious 2-year-olds in a tiny apartment. He also said he never called his daughter to check on Kyrian after the three people came to pick the boy up. Prosecutors sought to portray Lanisha Knox, Kyrian's mother, as a struggling single young woman forced to make desperate choices such as leaving her child with Harris so that she could start over in Iowa. But Harris' lawyers countered by painting Knox as an impulsive young mother who often shuttled between cities when she became bored, dragging her small child along. Koehler also mentioned a supposedly tense relationship between Knox and Kyrian's father, noting a mean-spirited social media conversation between the two before the boy's disappearance. On the trial's first day of testimony, prosecutors called Knox to the witness stand. She testified about her life on the city's West Side, the casual relationship with a high school classmate that led to the birth of her son in 2013 and her fight for independence as a single mother with little money. After living with her mom for a time in Georgia, Knox said she reconnected with Harris' daughter. The two came up with a plan to work in Iowa, share an apartment and raise their sons, said Knox, who indicated they no longer speak since Harris was charged in the killing. But under cross-examination by Harris' attorneys, Knox, now 28, agreed that after dropping her son off at Harris' apartment, she never got a sense of anything amiss in his household or that her son would face any danger. She also testified the two-week arrangement stretched on an additional week because she received her paycheck a week later than agreed. She also agreed that her communication with her son at Harris' home became more sporadic, first after her own phone service was shut off and then after she was told one of the children in the home dropped Harris' phone in the toilet. But she pushed back against claims that she gave permission for anyone to pick up her son. Police previously said Harris killed Kyrian after the lactose-intolerant child - a fact challenged by Knox in her testimony - was fed milk and cried for an afternoon. Prosecutors said Harris confessed to one of the jailhouse informants that he was angry Kyrian's mother hadn't given him enough money. wlee@chicagotribune.com Read more local breaking news »


Justin Rose sinks a 50 foot birdie putt on No. 12 to move to 3-under par in the 2019 PGA Championship.