The first time Rose Bauer told the Pleasanton Police Department her 38-year-old son had mental health issues was less than two months before his death. Several days later, her husband, John Bauer, went to the police station and told an officer that Jacob Bauer was going through psychotic episodes but was unarmed and harmless. Rose and John Bauer filed a wrongful death claim Thursday in Alameda County Superior Court against the department, alleging the department had ample warning of their son Jacob Bauer's deteriorating mental health before he died in their custody last August . "They knew he was in crisis, they knew he was mentally ill and yet they brutalized him before he died," said Jayme Walker, the attorney representing the Bauer family. Noah Blechman, an attorney who represents the city, said the city does not comment on pending litigation. The district attorney's office is still investigating the incident. Police reported at the time that Bauer resisted arrest and bit and scratched the responding officers before they shocked him with a Taser. He died later at a hospital. Bauer's declining mental health started in early 2018, his family said. "He just became very paranoid about people watching him or people talking to him," John Bauer said at a news conference. "When he was driving, he thought that people were following him. He really thought he was being followed all of the time. If there were planes going overhead, he thought those planes were spying on him." Before Bauer's death, his parents said they interacted with the police department four times to ensure the safety of their son. They worried that their son could come into contact with police during a bout of paranoia that could end badly. On Aug. 1, a Raley's store manager in Pleasanton called 911 to report Bauer for theft and vandalism after he allegedly slammed a shopping cart to the ground and broke alcohol bottles. Pleasanton officers responded to the scene and deployed a Taser when Bauer resisted arrest and bit and scratched the responding officers. John Bauer was walking his dog, Buddy, near his home   three blocks away from the grocery store   where he lived with his son when a neighbor told him, "Someone went crazy at Raley's and the police killed him." "I ran down there and walked through the crime scene tape and started yelling, 'Is it Jacob Bauer?'" John Bauer said tearfully. Bauer died after being transported to the Stanford ValleyCare Hospital. An autopsy report showed that he had minor blunt force trauma, conjunctival petechial hemorrhages, and a toxicology report found methamphetamine in his system. The Alameda County Coroner ruled his cause of death as acute methamphetamine toxicity. But attorneys representing the Bauer family commissioned their own independent autopsy that found Bauer's death was a result of asphyxia that resulted from physical restraint by the police, as well as the methamphetamine in his system, the use of a Taser and his morbidly obese body. "I spent a lot of time with Jake," said Rose Bauer. "He was such a big part of my life and I miss him terribly." Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani


Since crashing to a 4-1 defeat in the Europa League final to Chelsea in May and, so far, signing only one player this summer window, things have looked rather bleak for Arsenal and their supporters. From what we know, signings are on their way, but until then it is just matters on the pitch that are taking centre stage. A highly youthful side eased to a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids, presenting fans with an insight into the raw talent the Gunners have in their youth ranks, but Thursday's victory over Bayern Munich coughed up further positives, and negatives, after they secured a 2-1 win over the German champions. Here's four things we learned from the morale-boosting victory. There's Some Real Gems Knocking on the Door of the First Team The addition of Freddie Ljungberg as assistant first-team coach was designed to offer Emery the link between the senior squad and the youth teams. Arsenal are desperate to incorporate their younger players more smoothly, and it seems as though the backroom switch is, so far, paying dividends. Naturally, Nketiah will take the headlines for his goal. The 20-year-old striker netted his first Premier League goal for the club on the final day of last season, with his gradual progression to the first team gathering pace. He was only on the pitch for less than ten minutes but showed his killer instinct by popping up in the right place to steer the winner home. More impressively, however, was the performance of Joe Willock in midfield alongside Granit Xhaka. Faced with the daunting task of going toe-to-toe with Thiago and Leon Goretzka, the 19-year-old looked assured, and offered the composure and energy that his midfield compatriot lacked. The kids are alright!   #ArsenalinUSA x #ICC2019  pic.twitter.com/tx6NwpdmUg   Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) July 18, 2019 Academy graduate Tyreece John-Jules also demonstrated a level head, while equally confident enough to display his technical ability in the face of the Bundesliga giants. Futhermore, what is the most clear sign of Ljungberg's influence, Robbie Burton made his first appearance for the Gunners, with Emery admitting after the game he had no idea who the player was before the Swede brought him to his attention. Mesut Ozil Looked Backed to His Best in the Number 10 Role It is no secret that Emery would prefer to offload the German and his monumental £350k-per-week salary, but no with no suitors for the 30-year-old, it is very much a case of making do. With all that said though, Ozil looked sharp. He kept the play flowing, drifting into the pockets of space in between the lines and with options either side aimed to feed to marauding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at any given opportunity. He also showcased a willingness to support Alexandre Lacazette, with Gunners fans seeing a glimpse of the qualities the German possesses that so painfully abandoned them for much of last season. Emery Appears to Have a Preferred Formation It's an aspect of his management that divided Arsenal fans during his debut campaign in charge. On one side, Emery showed a flexibility to adapt to different matches, but equally it was deemed that he didn't know his best starting XI and the constant change of formation stunted the players' performances. Nevertheless, it seems that he is more partial to a 4-2-3-1 setup than any other, a move which was made more clear with his unwillingness to change the formation despite Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sead Kolasinac coming under increasing pressure from Bayern's wingers in the second half. Granted, Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman are frightening wingers, but had it been a league match, Emery would most likely have altered his side tactically to accommodate. The Issues in Defence are Still Just as Prevalent Ok, few thought they would just be eradicated overnight, but it was still painstakingly clear that Shokdran Mustafi is not up to scratch, while Kolasinac struggles continually with the defensive side of his game. In terms of Mustafi, he started the match and produced the kind of performance that Arsenal fans have grown so accustomed to. Sloppy defending all-round went hand in hand with a general lack of concentration. Passes going astray and a total lack of awareness were abundantly clear, yet there was still the odd moment of quality - including a fine sliding tackle in the first half - yet these don't come anywhere near making up for the glaring deficiencies in his game. Kolasinac posed a threat down the left, but he too fails to perform his most vital task, and the duo combined to allow Die Roten to get the opener. Kolasinac was too slow to prevent Gnabry's cross, which went into the box where Mustafi lost sight of the most dangerous player in Bayern's side, allowing Robert Lewandowski. As usual, his classic arms in the air complaint followed. Thankfully, a move for another left back in Kieran Tierney is edging closer, while William Saliba is set for a move to Arsenal while a interested remains in Olympiakos defender Pape Abou Cisse.


The Oconee County sheriff has a new tool that he said will cut back on the time it takes to find a missing person. The department has traditionally used a helicopter to find missing people or criminals on the run. But after using leftover funding from FEMA, the Oconee County Sheriff's Office has a drone. "This is much more affordable, much more economical, much less dangerous and much cheaper to operate," said Oconee Sheriff Mike Crenshaw, comparing the drone to the helicopter operated by the Oconee County Sheriff's Office. The $20,000 machine uses two cameras, but its most important camera uses infrared technology to sense heat, turning the county's wooded landscape into a heat map. The camera technology is known as FLI (Forward Looking Technology). On Wednesday morning, Sgt. Justin Ward, one of two certified pilots, demonstrated the drone's capabilities. He walked WYFF News 4 through the first training scenario. Ward said between setup and functionality, it's much different than piloting the department's helicopter. "The technology in that thing does a lot of the hard work for you," he said. "It's self-stabilized and things like that, so pretty much, you're just telling it where to go." Crenshaw said the summer season is a busy time for reports of missing hikers in Oconee County. In rescue missions, less time can be the difference between life and death, he said. "If you can get to someone that's injured a hiker that may have fallen, the quicker we find them, the greater chance that first responders have of saving their life," he said. "There's many times, looking back on different operations, this piece of machinery would have assisted us in locating someone much quicker." Right now, Ward and one other person are trained to fly the drone. Crenshaw says he'd like to have more pilots trained in the near future. He said someday, he'd like to see another drone on the force. The current drone will be used whenever it is needed, he said. Crenshaw said the department paid for $3,000 of the $20,000 needed to purchase the drone. He said the other $17,000 came from FEMA funding. READ MORE: Oconee County Sheriff's Office uses infrared drone CHECK OUT WYFF: Get the latest Greenville news and weather. For live, local, late-breaking Greenville, SC, news coverage, WYFF is the place to be.


Austin Corbett's rookie season didn't go as well as expected. Taken in the second round out of Nevada, Corbett struggled in his audition at left tackle and was quickly shuffled inside to back up Joel Bitonio and Kevin Zeitler in Cleveland. Now Zeitler is gone, traded to the New York Giants. The door is wide open for Corbett to seize the right guard job in his second year. He talked about the situation in a good interview with the Bull and Fox show on 92.3 The Fan on Monday. "I have a really great opportunity in front of me," Corbett told the hosts. "Replacing a guy like Kevin Zeitler who is just a phenomenal player, great guy, was able to learn a lot from him last year. Now with this hole open, it's up to me to go win that position." The presumptive starting right guard knows he can't just coast in on his second-round draft status from a year ago, however. "All the coaches and (GM John) Dorsey they've told me that by no means is this going to be given to me. And I don't want that. I don't want to be given anything in life. I have this opportunity to win a starting job in the NFL." The job is there for the taking, but it was last year at left tackle, too. Hopefully the year of experience and perspective helps Corbett seize the day. MORE: Two members of the Sharks almost fought during their morning skate before Game 6 Lions OTA notebook: First impressions from the first open day Ranking the 5 best wide receivers in the AFC West Aaron Rodgers excited about new Packers RG Billy Turner VIDEO: Louisiana coach goes viral with 'Daddy Ball' speech on toughness


The annual Red, White & Boom! Festival is back in Minneapolis with a full day of events. It all starts with the annual TC Half-Marathon, Relay and 5K organized by Twin Cities in Motion and presented by Summit Brewing Company. Some 3,500 people will participate in the races. Once they're done, a picnic will be held. RELATED: Fourth of July fireworks in the Twin Cities: Where to find them Later in the day, check out music, food and family activities along the downtown riverfront from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Then it all comes to a close with the annual fireworks display, which starts at 10:00 p.m. The city celebration is hosted by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. More than 75,000 people are expected to attend this year's events. Red, White & Boom! has a map of all their activities posted online. READ MORE: State parks provide quiet escape during July 4 holiday Keeping your pets calm during fireworks


The Kansas City Chiefs are set to sign two tryout players following their mandatory minicamp, which wrapped up on Thursday. The team waived three players following the final mandatory minicamp practice. That left three vacancies on the 90-man offseason roster for the Chiefs to fill. Brett Veach decided to add two players that the team is familiar with. They inked Northwest Missouri State RB Josh Caldwell and Kansas State OG Abdul Beecham. Both players participated in the Chiefs' local pro day , rookie minicamp and most recently mandatory minicamp on a tryout basis . Caldwell and Beecham took to social media to announce their new deals with the Chiefs. 1 Local day tryout.. 2 minicamp tryouts… Finally inked a deal!!!! Never give up on your dreams. Let's roll Chiefs Kingdom! pic.twitter.com/SzXfXIO1Sj - Joshua L Caldwell (@25StillRunning) June 14, 2019 Caldwell is from Lee's Summit, Missouri. He is closer to what Veach likes at the running back position than some of the other guys they've added. He was listed at a hair under 5-11 and 215 pounds during the Chiefs' local pro day. During the 2018 season he split carries with Isaiah Strayhorn, showing that he can produce as a complementary back. He finished the season with 139 carries for 830 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also added 13 receptions for 55 yards and two touchdowns, showing some versatility to his game. I just signed a deal I'm on, Yeah yeah… Thank you @Chiefs . We just gettin started pic.twitter.com/vC58spUXnq - Beech (@TweetsByBeech_) June 14, 2019 Beecham is a Texas native, but got the invite to the Chiefs' local day after making Manhattan, Kansas his home. At 6-2 and 315 pounds, Beecham is a bit undersized for the position in the NFL. Experience is not something he lacks, with 29 starts at guard for the Wildcats throughout his career. Beecham also helped lead the way for running back Alex Barnes to earn the Big 12 rushing title in 2018. The Chiefs still have one roster spot up for grabs, and if another tryout player doesn't fill that spot, it's possible the Chiefs could be working out some more players leading up to training camp. MORE: Drake was so fired up after the Toronto Raptors won the NBA title VIDEO: Here's Drake Celebrating the Toronto Raptors Title Why the Toronto Raptors won the NBA title Report: Lonzo Ball 'most important' piece of Anthony Davis deal Top of Packers WR depth chart takes shape following minicamp


He's gone from late to overdue. Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed Monday that he will not announce his 2020 presidential bid this week after all, despite insiders' widespread belief that he was planning to take the plunge. "It's not the night, no," de Blasio said on NY1 when host Errol Louis asked if he planned on breaking the news. "And not the week." On Friday, the Daily News exclusively reported that de Blasio would jump into the presidential race as early as Wednesday, joining a jam-packed field of 21 other Democratic hopefuls and two Republicans, according to four well-placed sources. "There was a story that assumed some specific thing that never was and you can't have an announcement before there's a decision," de Blasio said, admitting that he's still deciding. "I think that's normal, it's a big decision, obviously." He added, "I think different people are going to put it through their own perspective." The last-minute decision to throw his hat in the ring   and postpone yet again   reinforces de Blasio's reputation for chronic tardiness. In 2014, de Blasio was late to an event honoring victims of American Airlines Flight 587, and he is known for regularly being late to other gatherings. Slideshow by Business Insider


Dreaming about spending your holiday on a small, private island? At only 16 miles long and three miles wide, Anguilla certainly qualifies as small but instead of twiddling your thumbs in solitude, you'll be astounded by the diversity of activities, resorts, cuisine, and amenities this little island offers. Dreaming about spending your holiday on a small, private island? At only 16 miles long and three miles wide, Anguilla certainly qualifies as small but instead of twiddling your thumbs in solitude, you'll be astounded by the diversity of activities, resorts, cuisine, and amenities this little island offers. Off the beaten path Anguilla (which rhymes with vanilla) is a British Overseas Territory in the Eastern Caribbean more specifically, it's the first in the chain of the Leeward Islands. Unless you're traveling by private jet or originating in Puerto Rico, fly into Saint Martin, and then take a public ferry service from the Marigot Ferry Terminal in St. Martin. Alternatively, schedule a charter straight from St. Martin's airport to the Blowing Point Ferry Terminal on Anguilla you'll enjoy island music, rum punch, and stunning views as far as the eye can see on your 25-minute ride north. Perfect weather While you'll need to bring an umbrella to most Caribbean islands, you can (most likely) leave it behind when packing for Anguilla it's one of the sunniest spots in the region. Thanks to its flat topography made mostly of limestone, rain clouds aren't as attracted to the area as nearby islands featuring mountains and volcanos. Plus, the cooling trade winds keep the humidity at bay and temperatures rarely exceed 90 degrees. It's basically a desert landscape in a tropical climate. See? It really is paradise. 33 beaches If your #vacationgoals include being a complete beach bum, then Anguilla is the island for you. While you simply can't go wrong with any of the 33 pristine white-sand beaches, those in the know put Shoal Bay East at the top of their list. This two-mile powdery strip is perfect for strolling up and down the shoreline, and the reef makes for a fun place to snorkel through turquoise waters and marvel at the tropical fish. All of the island's beaches are public and free to visit, so there's no need to limit yourself to just one small slice of this paradise. For future vacations, add these other 49 best beaches in the world to your bucket list. Family-friendly resorts What's even more fun than splashing around with your kids at a gorgeous pool? The Splash Pad at CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa . This brand-new wet play area will keep the youngsters and the young-at-heart entertained for hours. The resort also has new tennis courts and bocce courts perfect for blowing off some steam or creating a little friendly competition. And just up the beach is the Anguilla Watersports' Aqua Park at Cove Bay, an inflatable water park made of trampolines, climbing structures, and slides which offers daily races and events. Plus, it's staffed with a certified water rescue team for added peace of mind. Book now Beachfront boutique hotels For a more romantic vibe, book an ocean-view room at Zemi Beach House Hotel & Spa . Located on six acres of the island's serene Shoal Bay East beach, guests enjoy contemporary luxury mixed with island touches. Soak in the sun at the adults-only pool one of the 10 most beautiful infinity pools around the world  play a round of volleyball on the beach or tennis on the artificial turf courts, give your core a workout with standup paddle boarding, take a kayak out for an adventure before ending the day with a private candlelit dinner on the beach. Sunset happy hours come complete with specialty cocktails, appetizers, and live music. Don't miss breakfast with your toes in the sand at the casual 20 Knots restaurant or a weekend dinner at Stone, the resort's fine-dining restaurant that fuses Caribbean and Asian flavors. Local flavors Anguillians take TGIF to a whole new level, by ushering in their weekends at The Strip in the Valley a street lined with food trucks and stalls serving up unpretentious, tried-and-true recipes. The Strip buzzes with energy on Friday and Saturday nights, partially due to the thumping music, but mostly due to the locals who faithfully congregate here every weekend to catch up on each other's lives. To indulge in all the best flavors the island has to offer, plan on a progressive-style dinner up and down the street. Start at Ken's BBQ, where you can watch Ken grill up ribs and chicken with his homemade sauce before sitting down at a wooden picnic table and digging into your own plate. From here, follow your nose to whichever stall makes you salivate, such as Good Korma Restaurant and Sharpy's Shake Shack. There are more options than there is room in your stomach, so pace yourself. Luxurious spas To many, the fastest way to decompress from the real world is a day of pampering at the spa. For an unexpected treat, visit the Thai House Spa at Zemi Beach House Resort and Spa this 300-year-old Thai house was flown in straight from Thailand and features the island's only hammam (Turkish bath). Cucumber and aloe wraps soothe your skin after a day at the beach, a five-element holistic massage relieves muscle tension from a long flight, and a radiance body scrub will slough off dead skin to reveal the tropical glow you deserve while relaxing in paradise. Don't miss the yoga classes, juice bar, and the relaxation deck furnished with bird-cage hanging chairs and loungers perfect for reading a book or dozing off in between treatments. Golf with a view Sometimes it's better not to have too many choices on vacation perhaps that's why there's only one golf course on Anguilla. The CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa is home to an 18-Hole Greg Norman Signature Designed Champion Golf Course that offers sweeping panoramas of St. Martin and the Caribbean Sea. The holes are challenging, but the vistas make it impossible to have a bad round. Celebrity spotting If you live by the general rule of thumb that 'if it's good enough for Jay-Z and Beyoncé then it's good enough for me,' Anguilla will make you feel like the star you were born to be. The list of visiting A-listers runs deep, including Cuba Gooding Jr., Lebron James, Harry Styles and Kendall Jenner (who vacationed here together a couple years ago, sparking rumors that they were an item), Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston, Janet Jackson, Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton, Leonardo Di Caprio, Sandra Bullock, Michael Jordan, Paul McCartney, Shia LeBeouf, Liam Neeson, Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Robert de Niro, Jimmy Buffett, and Nas. The celebs especially love how the paparazzi don't swarm them here, so you never know who'll you'll spot casually sipping an umbrella drink on the beach. Rum tasting As with all Caribbean islands, rum is the spirit of choice on Anguilla you'll find it in punches, cocktails; and even desserts. If you're new to rum or haven't yet found your favorite brand, stop by the chic Rhum Room at Zemi Beach House for a few pointers. Just say the word and the staff Rhummelier will help guide you to palate-pleasing options from their collection of over 100 varieties from around the world, including a selection of small-batch, single-estate rums. Island music No trip to Anguilla is complete without stopping at Bankie Banx's Dune Preserve beach bar, a five-minute walk east on the beach from CuisinArt. You'll hear the legendary 'Anguillian Bob Dylan' sing his reggae tunes on Wednesdays and Fridays, while you enjoy a famous Dune Rum Punch you can't beat the backdrop of Rendezvous Bay and the mountainous views of St. Martin across the way. Another hot spot for music every night of the week is the Sunset Lounge at Four Seasons, an open-air bar with views of Barnes Bay (that are particularly spectacular during sunset) where you can chill with a Cuban cigar while sipping cocktails. Local lobster Think lobster should only be served in fancy restaurants while donning a bib? Think again! Throw a cover-up over your swimsuit (or not) and enjoy a leisurely lunch at Palm Grove Bar & Grill, known by the locals as Nat's Place (in honor of owner Nat Richardson). Despite Nat's allergy to shellfish, this open-air beachside shack is known for its grilled Caribbean spiny lobster (which, unlike Maine lobster, doesn't have large, edible claws) and Johnny cakes. While your lobster is cooking, take a short stroll across the warm sand to Junk's Hole Bay, a beach on the Atlantic side of the island that's far more picturesque than its name would lead you to believe. Fun festivals There's no shortage of festivals to plan your vacation dates around each has a different vibe and will help you better connect with the island's culture and community. Bankie Banx started Moonsplash in the '90s, and this weekend-long musical extravaganza is usually held during the full moon each March. The Extraordinary Eats event, which debuted in 2019, is a two-week long celebration of Anguillian food a couple dozen participating restaurants offer a prix-fixe menu that showcases their culinary skills (dates for 2020 have not yet been finalized, so check back ). And the most historic event of all is Anguilla Day, a public holiday celebrated every May 30 th in remembrance of the sacrifices made during the 1967 Anguilla Revolution. The island offers a host of activities, including a sailboat race around the entire island, concerts and a colorful parade. These festivals may not make our bucket list of the best food-themed festivals around the United States , but that shouldn't give you pause, reviews call many of them a must-do. Book now


SEOUL, South Korea   North Korea on Monday called U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton a "war monger" and "human defect" after he described its recent tests of short-range missiles as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The statement by an unidentified North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson came as President Donald Trump visited Japan for meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at which the nuclear standoff with North Korea was expected to be high on the agenda. Bolton told reporters in Tokyo on Saturday that there was "no doubt" that North Korea's recent missile launches violated U.N. resolutions, and that sanctions against the North must be kept in place. Trump later downplayed the missile tests, tweeting, "North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me." North Korea tested short-range ballistic missiles on May 4 and 9, ending a pause in launches that began in late 2017. The tests were seen as a way for North Korea to pressure Washington to soften its stance on easing sanctions against it without actually causing negotiations to collapse. In the statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, the North Korean spokesperson said the North was exercising its right of self-defense with the launches. North Korea has never recognized the U.N. Security Council resolutions, which it views as denying its "rights to existence and development of a sovereign state," the statement said. "If any object is launched, it is bound to fly in trajectory," the statement said. It said a demand that North Korea ban all launches that use ballistic technology regardless of the range is the same as asking it to relinquish its right to self-defense. The spokesperson said Bolton was an "ignorant" hard-liner who throughout different U.S. administrations pushed provocative policies against North Korea including endorsements of pre-emptive strikes and regime change. The spokesperson also said that Bolton's "hammer act" was responsible for the collapse of a major nuclear deal between the countries reached in 1994, when North Korea agreed to halt its nuclear program in exchange for U.S. fuel aid. The deal broke down in 2002 after U.S. intelligence agencies said North Korea was continuing its pursuit of bombs with a secret uranium enrichment program. "It will be fit to call Bolton not a security adviser striving for security but a security-destroying adviser who is wrecking peace and security," the spokesperson said. "It is not at all strange that perverse words always come out from the mouth of a structurally defective guy, and such a human defect deserves an earlier vanishing." Experts say the weapons North Korea tested this month are new solid-fuel missiles that are potentially nuclear capable and would strengthen the North's ability to strike targets throughout South Korea. South Korea has expressed concern that the launches may run against the spirit of an inter-Korean military agreement reached last year to reduce tensions, but has been eager to downplay the significance of the tests as it tries to keep a positive atmosphere for dialogue alive. South Korea's presidential office and military have refused to call the launches outright provocations, and have yet to confirm that the missiles were ballistic weapons, although most experts say they clearly were. "There's no way for us to know why National Security Adviser Bolton made such comments," said a South Korean presidential official, who asked not to be named during a background briefing of reporters on Monday. "There's no change in our official stance that the South Korean and U.S. militaries under coordination are continuing to analyze the missiles." Negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea have been at a standstill since February, when a summit between Trump and leader Kim Jong Un broke down over what the United States described as excessive North Korean demands for sanctions relief in exchange for only a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities. Kim since then has said the United States has until the end of the year to come up with mutually acceptable terms for a deal to salvage the negotiations. Bolton acknowledged that the United States has not been "hearing much from North Korea" since the summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. The U.S. special envoy to North Korea, Stephen Biegun, "can't wait to talk to his North Korean counterpart, but they haven't responded," Bolton said, adding that Biegun was "ready at any point to get on a plane and go anywhere." The North Korean comments on Bolton came as South Korea began annual summertime defense drills involving thousands of civilians and troops. Although the drills have been modified to exclude large-scale military exercises with the United States that were suspended to create space for diplomacy with the North, KCNA described them as "provocative" in a separate statement Monday. The four-day Ulchi Taeguk exercises will include massive civilian evacuation drills and a South Korea-only military drill aimed at preparing for war situations and disasters.


SOUTH BEND, Indiana   As he soared from obscurity to top-tier presidential candidate this year, Mayor Pete Buttigieg rooted his unlikely campaign in an argument he hoped would fit both the moment and his relatively thin resume: that what a nation fed up with big government truly needs is to "get Washington to look more like our best-run cities and towns." Now that South Bend is in the throes of a crisis over race , policing and city leadership, that rationale is running headlong into the inconvenient reality that when things go sour, mayors can be held immediately and directly responsible in a way that senators and congressman are not. The recent unrest in South Bend   triggered by the fatal shooting of Eric Logan , a black man, by a white police officer a week ago   has become the most profound hurdle for Buttigieg's candidacy to date. It has also tested his readiness to confront an issue that seems to call for a visceral, emotional response, rather than the cerebral, levelheaded comportment that has made the 37-year-old mayor seem so unflappable on the campaign trail. For the first time, cracks in Buttigieg's composure have publicly emerged, as he's struggled to find the right tone to respond to piercing questions from his own constituents about whether he's a racist and what the life of a black person means to him. As a hastily arranged town hall meeting Sunday in South Bend descended into chaos   with attendees screaming profanities at him, at his police chief and each other   Buttigieg seemed to vacillate between despondency over the jeers, irritation over being interrupted and wonky erudition as he offered explanations about local laws on police misconduct that only further angered the crowd. Yet once the gathering dispersed after the nearly two-hour meeting, the testiness from Buttigieg seemed to turn to sadness as he fielded questions from reporters. He became visibly emotional when asked whether it had been wise to hold the event given the communal shouting match it ultimately became. "I just think it's my job," Buttigieg said. "I don't know if it's smart or not. I don't know if it's strategic or not. But it's my city." Buttigieg has tried to explain to his constituents that laws spell out exactly how officer-involved shootings must be handled and potential police misconduct investigated   and that no amount of grief or anger, however warranted, can justify circumventing that process to punish people before the investigation is complete. Yet in the eyes of many constituents who came to his town hall, that answer was insufficient. So Buttigieg has been left with the futile task of trying to scratch an emotional itch for a grieving community with few options at his disposal, but the eyes of the national media and the Democratic primary electorate watching. So the young mayor sought to strike a delicate balance, between conceding that his efforts on race and policing to date have been insufficient and gingerly pushing back on "the suggestion that we haven't done anything." He said he hoped black Americans watching the town hall would see a city facing the issue of racism head-on, adding, "We're not running away from it." "This problem has to get solved in my lifetime. I don't know of a person or a city that has solved it," Buttigieg said after the crowd dispersed. "But I know that if we do not solve it in my lifetime, it will sink America." In the packed 2020 Democratic presidential primary, few candidates bear the political burden that can come from being mayor. This year most of the candidates running are members of Congress, who do not often get blamed for specific incidents or crises in such a personal capacity. Although governors do get judged by the wellbeing of their state, few are running this year, and governors are less frequently held responsible for individual incidents such as a shooting on a city street. Indeed, when Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel unexpectedly announced last year he would not run for a third time, it was widely believed the decision was connected to the uproar over his role in the aftermath of the police shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014. McDonald's name has been invoked several times by South Bend residents this past week in comparison with the shooting here a week ago. While another mayor is running in the Democratic primary this year   New York's Bill de Blasio   his candidacy has yet to attract anywhere near the level of attention as Buttigieg's. And while New York has more than 8.5 million residents, Buttigieg's position at the helm of a community of roughly 100,000 means that any misstep may ricochet more personally throughout a close-knit community, with the eyes of the national media and the Democratic primary electorate watching. "For a mayor, it's different," Mayor Steve Adler of Austin, Texas, told NBC News. "It's difficult. In a political situation, everyone is going to be taking that incident and all incidents and putting it through the lens of the campaign." "You don't get to control all of the messaging," added Adler, who has endorsed Buttigieg. "All you get to control is how you do your job." For Buttigieg, the spotlight on his handling of issues of policing and race is one he had invited upon himself long before the shooting in South Bend. As he worked to explain why he's more qualified than President Trump or any of his Democratic competitors to occupy the Oval Office, Buttigieg routinely cited his experience in handling precisely this type of situation. "I know I'm the youngest person in the race," he told The Washington Post in May. But Buttigieg argued he had what the senators and businessmen and former vice president all lack: "The experience you get as a mayor, handling everything from an economic development puzzle to a racially sensitive officer-involved shooting   literally getting the 3 a.m. call." Compounding problems for Buttigieg, the incident in South Bend just so happened to overlap directly with his biggest obstacle as a candidate   his thus-far limited appeal to black voters. After spending weeks honing his message and economic plan for African Americans, Buttigieg was just starting to see the fruits of those efforts in the way of improved poll numbers with black voters in South Carolina when the Eric Logan shooting occurred. As frustration in South Bend's African American community has built in the week since, it seems increasingly clear that there is little the mayor could do or say that would sufficiently mollify the community's desire for immediate, decisive action   save for summarily dismissing the police chief, firing the officers involved or resigning himself. "I think as mayor of the city, he should be doing something about this. And I just can't even see anything else he is doing because every day I hear a new shooting going on and it's just unacceptable," said Susan Ellis of South Bend as she left Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church services on Sunday morning. But asked what exactly Buttigieg was failing to do, Ellis replied: "I'm not a politician. He's the mayor, he's the person who should have the ideas."


Before NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft can reach out and grab a piece of asteroid Bennu, it needs to find a safe spot on the space rock's surface. And for that, NASA wants your help. Osiris-Rex, which arrived at Bennu on Dec. 3, 2018 , aims to become the first US spacecraft to return a sample from an asteroid to Earth. Japan's Hayabusa mission brought back asteroid particles in 2010, with another asteroid-wrangling mission out of Japan under way this year. Since the NASA craft arrived at Bennu, the team has discovered an extremely rocky terrain that threatens the vehicle's safety. So NASA is asking volunteers to develop a hazard map by measuring Bennu's boulders and mapping its rocks and craters via a web interface. "Bennu has surprised us with an abundance of boulders," Rich Burns, Osiris-Rex project manager at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. "We ask for citizen scientists' help to evaluate this rugged terrain so that we can keep our spacecraft safe during sample collection operations." All that's needed to hang out on the asteroid is a mapping app, a screen large enough to clearly see images of the asteroid's surface and a mouse or trackpad that can make precise marks. An interactive tutorial explains how to get around the CosmoQuest app circling craters, measuring boulders and erasing mistakes. CosmoQuest , a project run out of the Planetary Science Institute that supports citizen science initiatives, offers additional user assistance through an online community where mappers can share tips and high-fives and ask questions. CosmoQuest also shares guidance through livestreaming sessions on Twitch. The original design for capturing a piece of the space rock was based on locating a hazard-free zone with a 160-foot (25-meter) radius on Bennu's surface. However, because of the unexpectedly rocky terrain, the team is yet to identify such a site. The volunteer asteroid mapping is straightforward work that involves dragging and dropping, an eye for detail and a bit of perseverance. When I signed up Wednesday night at about 9 p.m. PT, more than 70 "Bennu Mappers" were online scouring the asteroid's surface. The Bennu mapping campaign continues through July 10. Bennu measures about 1,600 feet (500 meters), only slightly wider than the height of the Empire State Building, and is considered potentially hazardous. "There's a very small chance that it will impact Earth in the next century," Burns has said. Which means you probably don't need to get out your helmet just yet. In its first five months communing with Bennu, Osiris-Rex has already discovered trapped water and determined that Bennu is between 100 million and a billion years old , making it significantly more mature than predicted. But the mission's coup de theatre, the sample grab, won't take place until 2020. That's when the spacecraft's fancy robotic arm will reach out and tag the asteroid's surface with its Touch-And-Go Sample Arm Mechanism, or Tagsam. While touching the rock, the arm will blow a burst of nitrogen gas to loosen up bits of debris that will be then be brought back to Earth when the spacecraft returns in September 2023. The asteroid may contain unaltered material from the beginning of our solar system. The hope is that Bennu's cargo will yield insights into astronomical processes and resources in near-Earth space and improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth.


Kyle Larson will start from the Busch Pole in Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway (3 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) for the third straight year at the California road course. Does he merit a spot in your Fantasy Live lineup? We've dissected the numbers to offer a suggested lineup worthy of your Fantasy Live consideration. PLAY NOW: Set your lineup | How the game works | Tips to set your lineup RJ Kraft's Fantasy Live lineup for race day at Sonoma: 1. William Byron 2. Clint Bowyer 3. Kurt Busch 4. Jimmie Johnson 5. Chris Buescher Garage: Martin Truex Jr. RELATED: Odds for Sonoma | 10-lap averages | Weekend preview | Podcast: Fantasy Fastlane Analysis: I made no secret on the podcast that I am valuing drivers that should be after stage points more than others for this race. That means, by in large, I am going after drivers without wins that need good points day to improve their position in the standings. So with that said, I'm taking Byron, who's starting second, and I think the No. 24 camp will play this like they did Pocono where he gobbled up stage points. Bowyer, Busch and Johnson are all winless and have strong Sonoma histories so they make the lineup. Buescher has been a favorite of mine all week and I've seen no reason to move away from that as I think he'll benefit from running 12th-15th when the leaders pit and he can score some stage points. Among the drivers with wins, I like Truex, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin the most here for combination of history and where I stand with usages. I'm going to plug Truex   the defending race winner   in the garage for now. Based on last year and the way crew chief Cole Pearn talked about strategy in general on the podcast, I don't expect the No. 19 to score stage points so I will need to be confident that they can score a top five to activate him out of the garage. Larson has looked strong this weekend, but I don't trust the Sonoma history with him. He generally qualifies well   thanks for the five bonus points, Kyle   but he has never finished better than 12th at the California road course and that scares me away from the play. I also gave consideration to Alex Bowman as well based on his solid 10- and 15-lap averages and the fact that he should chase the points. For the bonus picks, I'm going with Joey Logano in Stage 1   I think Penske will follow its Pocono playbook and try to nab playoff points   and Bowyer in Stage 2 with Truex taking the victory. Each week in this space, we'll also highlight two Props Challenge items for players. MORE: Need Props help? The Action Network has you covered | Play the Props Challenge today 1. Will the polesitter lead the first eight laps of the race? Larson has a history of burning up his tires early in runs at Sonoma. In last year's race, he led just two laps out of the gate. In 2017, he led the first nine. A split decision on past performance, but my gut leans toward the more recent result and so I say "No" to this one. 2. O/U 27.5 race points for Jimmie Johnson. I'm over on this one and not just because he's in my lineup. If I was managing the 48 strategy, given his position in the points, I'd be looking to gather as much as I could in the stages and then let the chips fall wherever they do. I think Johnson should be able to grab at least nine stage points, so even a 15th-place finish would cover the over here. Count me in for that, especially when you consider he's hit the over the past three years and finished between 11th and 13th in those races. ]]>


Almost a half a century of service to the Scottsdale community was celebrated as one of their own firefighters retires. Captain Tim Cooper served as a firefighter for a total of 45 years. "It's a job you can get, once you get through probation, you can have as long as you want," Cooper said. Cooper joined Rural/Metro back in 1974, served there for 31 years, and has been with Scottsdale Fire Department since it's inception in 2005. "He's been a mentor to pretty much everybody in this fire department," Capt. Sasha Weller with Scottsdale Fire Department said. Cooper is best known for his work in special operations developing and teaching others on the tactical rescue and hazmat teams. "When you have folks like Captain Cooper you sleep a lot better at night," Scottsdale Fire Chief Tom Shannon said. "Things that he's taught others have really impacted this city for the better so we're going to miss him so much." At the end of 45 years, Cooper said it's the relationships he's build that makes it hard to leave the profession he's loved. "The fire service is really like a family," Cooper said. "So, you know, it's hard to leave but, there's a time and a place for everything." Cooper says his last day is Saturday. But he'll continue to be active with the fire service, saying he has opportunities to continue teaching others like he has been for so many years.


The small wars of the future may be fought with small drones to match. The Shadow drone, a light scout used by the U.S. Army, just successfully dropped bombs in a recent test. With American law now changed to allow selling armed drones abroad , America's allies may finally get a drone bomber to match their smaller budgets. It's hard being the middle sibling of a robot family. Large drones like the Predator and Reaper catch headlines and combat deployments as they launch strikes abroad. Small drones, like the RQ-11 Raven, come with troops into battle, hand-tossed to look over the next hill. The RQ-7 Shadow, and its slightly larger Shadow M2 sibling, is instead an in-between tool. Used as an advanced scout for brigades, it supports a group already bristling with firepower, so in American military service there's been no real push to arm them. For other countries that lack the full size and scale of the American war machine, an armed Shadow could provide just the extra little punch they need for fighting against rebellions or insurgents . As Patrick Tucker notes at DefenseOne : Made by Maryland-based Textron Systems and flown by the U.S. military under the designation RQ-7B, the unarmed Shadow 200 can fly about 77 miles and stay aloft for about 9 hours, and the company sells a satellite-linked version that can be flown beyond line of sight and from a remote location. It has a far smaller range and capacity than a $4 million Predator, but also costs significantly less, according to Textron, which wouldn't provide an exact number. The savings are in "not just up-front cost, but in sustainment and other life-cycle costs," Textron Systems said in an email. The armed version of the Shadow carries just a couple of bombs, but the Predator itself only started with two missiles. (The larger reaper can carry up to four). For a country with a small defense budget, the Shadow may just be the tool they need.


Eugene Laverty has been taken to hospital after a heavy crash in the opening practice session for this weekend's Imola World Superbike round. The Go Eleven Ducati rider suffered a high-side coming out of the Acqua Minerale right-hander with 31 minutes remaining of the session, bringing out the red flags. Laverty was transported to the medical centre by ambulance, and it was established he had suffered fractures in both wrists. He was then taken to hospital in the town of Imola for further checks. It means Laverty will almost certainly take no further part in this weekend's Imola round. The Irish rider arrived at the Italian track 14th in the points on his customer Ducati V4 R, his best results of the year so far having been two sixth-place finishes at Aragon. He had already missed one race this year, the superpole race in Buriram, after his Go Eleven team could not repair his bike in time after a heavy crash in the previous day's opening race. Jonathan Rea topped the opening practice session of the Imola weekend by 0.288 seconds from Chaz Davies, while points leader Alvaro Bautista was third-fastest. Eugene Laverty, Team Go Eleven Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images


A rare formation of clouds wowed onlookers at Virginia's Smith Mountain Lake on Tuesday. The photo shared on social media captured clouds that look like ocean waves in the sky. These clouds rarely form on windy and unstable days, but when conditions are just right, the natural phenomenon, known as Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves, occurs. The National Weather Service defines it as "vertical waves in the air associated with wind shear across statically-stable regions." "They can appear as breaking waves and as braided patterns in radar images and cloud photos," the NWS says. In other words, different layers of the atmosphere have differing wind speeds, creating the appearance of rolling waves. If the temperature and humidity are just right, it can produce these striking clouds.


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.   NASCAR announced that it disqualified the third-place car of AJ Allmendinger after the Kaulig Racing car failed inspection early Saturday morning at Daytona International Speedway. Wayne Auton, Xfinity Series managing director, said the engine would not hold a vacuum when tested. "Whenever you go especially to restrictor-plate style races, the teams are very much aware that everything has got to be sealed up tight," Auton said. "It could compromise the availability of the restrictor plate to do its job. Auton said this issue was checked on Thursday in inspection before the race. He said all the cars passed that inspection. "Postrace, we automatically teardown the winner and second place and there's always a random car and (Allmendinger's car) was picked as the random this week," Auton said. "We took the car back and did our due diligence." Auton said the winning car of Ross Chastain and the car of runner-up Justin Haley each passed but Allmendinger's car "failed to hold a vacuum. The team was advised that they would be DQ'd." The team stated Saturday that it was a part failure that caused the violation and that the team accepted NASCAR's decision. ‼statement regarding this mornings post-race ruling for our No. 10 @DISupdates ‼ pic.twitter.com/mBjo5LG9ST   Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) July 6, 2019 This is the second Xfinity race in a row that a car has been disqualified after the event. Christopher Bell 's third-place car was found to be too low. #NASCAR Xfinity Series Managing Director Wayne Auton on what caused AJ Allmendinger's third-place car to fail inspection. pic.twitter.com/ZvFmyeV6t5   Dustin Long (@dustinlong) July 6, 2019 #NASCAR Xfinity Series Managing Director Wayne Auton explains the vacuum test that the third-place car of AJ Allmendinger's car failed. pic.twitter.com/LziACQ4oiE   Dustin Long (@dustinlong) July 6, 2019


With tours of six new cities, Detour has gotten a lot more useful to travelers. A new series of "location-aware audio walks" in Barcelona, Berlin, London, Marrakech, New York, and Paris are making what might be the world's best audio guide app even better. Until this week, Detour  which Condé Nast Traveler previously called "an audio guide that's actually worth paying for"  only had walks in its hometown of San Francisco and, in a one-off collaboration with Radiolab for SXSW, Austin. Detour differs from other audio guides in that it immerses travelers in stories similar to what you hear on "This American Life" or "99% Invisible" and uses the iPhone's navigation tools to discretely steer users to locations in the narrative. Listeners can sync up with their friends' iPhones via Bluetooth and travel through the stories together, too. To fully appreciate a Detour, you need to be on location, but an excerpt of its Making Market Street walk in San Francisco demonstrates the concept: Detour releases a new audio tour for San Francisco on the third Thursday of each month, but the launch of walks through these six cities is just "a one-time thing due to some exceptional circumstances," said Andrew Mason, Detour's co-founder and the former CEO and founder of Groupon. Detour's New York releases are a collaboration with Soundwalk . The international walks were spearheaded by Aaron With, a former Groupon employee who Mason commissioned to "run around the world and make Detours." The choice of destinations, then, was driven as much by With's desire to visit the cities as it was the fact that all are highly suitable for in-depth walking tours. While Mason says Detour has no plans to publish new walks outside the San Francisco Bay area in 2015, he does say that more walks for New York City and Los Angeles are coming in 2016. (Walks cost $4.99 each; a $19.99 annual subscription gets you access to all of the San Francisco programs.) Detour also has intriguing plans to open the publishing platform in the future. "By the end of the year, we're planning to release our creation tools in private beta. That will allow anyone, anywhere to create Detours," Mason says. "The hope is to do a more public rollout of that next year." More from Condé Nast Traveler Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List 2015: The Best New Hotels in the World The Most Beautiful Places in Asia The Top 30 Islands on Earth


The first pass of Sam Darnold 's rookie season was picked off by Lions safety Quandre Diggs and returned for a touchdown. Darnold's first pass of this year's preseason almost turned out the same way. Darnold tried to hit wide receiver Quincy Enunwa , but Giants safety Jabrill Peppers undercut the route to put himself in prime position to pick the ball off. It went off his hands, however, and Darnold had better luck during the rest of his short stint. He avoided pressure and hit tight end Chris Herndon for 32 yards on the next play and added three more completions for 36 yards on a touchdown drive. The score came on a three-yard toss to Jamison Crowder and the free agent acquisition also turned a short pass from Darnold into a 28-yard gain earlier in the drive. That's what the Jets were looking for when they signed Crowder and the drive is exactly what they hope to see all year from Darnold. It was also all they wanted to see from him on Thursday night and Trevor Siemian is now running the offense for the Jets.


The roughly 4,000 athletes who trained for Sunday's New York City Triathlon will have to wait for another event -- thanks to this weekend's major heat wave that's scorching much of the United States. The 19th annual endurance race in Manhattan is canceled, organizers said Thursday, with temperatures and humidity expected to be beyond safe racing conditions. Racers will be refunded their registration fees automatically in two to three weeks, organizers said. "After exhausting all options to mitigate athlete, volunteer, spectator and staff exposure alike, we are unable to provide either a safe event experience or an alternate race weekend," organizers said . Sunday's high temperature in New York is expected to be in the mid-90s Fahrenheit -- but humidity will make it feel like 105-110 degrees, forecasters say. The race would have begun at 5:50 a.m., before the day's high temperature, but organizers said conditions throughout the morning still will be too hot and humid. The National Weather Service has put New York City under an excessive heat warning from noon Friday until 8 p.m. Sunday. That kind of warning is issued when the combination of heat and humidity is expected to make it feel like it is 105 degrees or more. An associated sports and fitness expo still be open Friday and Saturday at the Hilton Midtown hotel, organizers said. The race -- drawing registrants from 33 countries and 45 US states -- would have had participants swimming 1,500 meters in the Hudson River before cycling 40 kilometers and running 10 kilometers in Manhattan. The heat wave is canceling other sporting events around the nation, including horse races in New York state and Maryland.


The Indianapolis Colts made one of their biggest splashes of the offseason when they signed veteran pass rusher Justin Houston in free agency, and it hasn't taken long for him to buy into the standard being set on that side of the ball. Through the first week of full training camp practices, Houston has been impressing with his ability to pressure the quarterback. What also caught the eye of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was how quickly the veteran bought into the mentality of the unit. "The first thing I see when you mention his name is that the buy in. He's buying in to the effort and the mentality, which our standards are set. So that's number one," Eberflus told reporters Wednesday. After being released by the Kansas City Chiefs-the only team he'd played for since entering the league in 2011-Houston quickly signed on with the Colts. It was a bit of a surprise given that there were no indications of interest from either side. However, the Colts needed to add some depth and talent to a pass rush that was far too inconsistent in 2018. That's another aspect Ebeflus has noticed with Houston. "And then the power, those are the things that he brings to the table. He could level rush and come back inside and use that extreme power and lean that he has," said Eberflus. "He's done a nice job with that - the one on one periods as well as team periods. So he brings a lot of power too." The success of the Colts defense will depend largely on how consistent the pass rushers can get home to the quarterback. Houston should be able to have an immediate impact now that he's working in a scheme that simply asks him to pin his ears back. At 30 years old, Houston might not be the pass rusher he once was. But he's a mentor and leader to the young corps of Colts pass rushers, and the fact that he's buying in so quickly to the standard being set on that side of ball bodes well for the youthful development. MORE: Carmelo Anthony Wants to Play Again, Believes Rockets Dumped Him for Non-Basketball Reasons Five potential Jeremy Lin landing spots in free agency Jordan Crawford says Nike still owes him $500 for his legendary dunk on LeBron Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract


In addition to the theme parks, this Florida destination offers a remarkable variety of interesting things to see and do. Entertainment looms large in Orlando, and thanks to its globally famous and universally loved theme parks, it's a world leader in welcoming families. Millions of people pass through the various Disney and Universal parks every year, often on their very own trip of a lifetime. Beyond the parks, though, there's a wealth of cultural and educational experiences to be had. Space ages past and present come alive at EPCOT and the Kennedy Space Center, and there's a call to nature at Gatorland and the Disney Wilderness Preserve. Downtown Orlando is often overlooked, but make time for Church Street and the Milk District, not to mention the upscale options at Winter Park. Wondering how much you were missing? Read on for our guide of what to do in Orlando and find out. Church Street District What can we see in this area of Orlando? Downtown Orlando is a much-overlooked location, especially given the worldwide fame of its surrounding attractions. The neighborhood dates back to the 19th-century, and some of the period aesthetic remains in the form of wrought-iron balconies and bridges and cobbled streets. You won't find huge malls; rather, smaller boutiques and independent stores and restaurants that offer an interesting alternative to the chains and global brands dominating most of the city. Wow. What are some of the best parts? The original railroad depot, which dates back to 1889, is still standing, evoking a time before the theme parks arrived in this corner of the world. Today Downtown Orlando is a big dining destination; stand-outs include Hamburger Mary's and the Kres Chophouse and Lounge. Head to Chillers and Native Social Bar for drinks; later on, dance at The Beacham or Tier. The Amway Center is home to the Orlando Magic NBA team, and also hosts regular concerts and other large-scale events. There's also great culture in the form of the Mad Cow Theater and state-of-the-art Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. What's the best way to get around? The relatively new SunRail commuter rail station, linking Church Street to other downtown neighborhoods in Orlando, is the easiest way to travel if you want to avoid finding (and paying for) parking. Cool. So who would you recommend this for? There's something for most visitors here, from small clothing boutiques and galleries to a plethora of nightlife and entertainment options. Given the artificiality of the worlds inside the theme parks, this also a good place to reconnect to actual city living. Bok Tower Gardens Set the scene for us. What's the vibe at the Bok Tower Gardens? Quiet green spaces aren't the first thing that spring to mind when one thinks of Orlando, but thanks to author and journalist Edward E. Bok, the city has at least one park where quiet contemplation and tranquility reign. Bok Tower Gardens consists of 250 acres of beautifully kept parkland that contains it own nature trail and bird sanctuary. It's a welcome retreat from the clamor of the theme parks and it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fun! Any parts we should be sure to check out? This park is built around its striking centerpiece, the 200-foot-tall Singing Tower, which mixes Gothic Revival and Art Deco architecture and has its own reflection pool. Within the tower sadly not open to the public is a carillon of 60 bells, and a bell-ringing concert takes place every day at 3 p.m. There's also a mile-long nature trail (The Pine Ridge Trail) that offers the chance to glimpse rare gophers, snakes, and mice. How easy is it to navigate? There's a Visitor Center with maps and suggested itineraries for various time scales. There's also a shuttle that can transport guests to the Singing Tower. That sounds cool. Who would you recommend the gardens for? There aren't too many places to find true peace and quiet in Orlando, and any visitors with theme park fatigue would do well to recharge here. Gatorland What's the story behind this park? What began as a working farm in the 1950s has since grown into a wildlife attraction in its own right. Unlike the technologically focused parks of most of Orlando, this one has a more rustic, old-fashioned feel, but that doesn't mean it has any less charisma. It's now a zoo and sanctuary where you can see alligators up close, whether from rickety wooden walkways or in a show, from tiny babies to huge adults laying out in the sun or slithering around the swamps and pools that comprise much of the parkland. Fun! What are some of the best moments of the visit? Just seeing the gators is fairly exciting, but most people also want to see a bit of action; the Jumparoo feeding time where gators leap up and lunge at raw chickens and the gator-wrestling presentations are always popular. The zip line over the park and the Stompin' Gator Off Road Adventure are also popular. Got it. How easy is it to get around? The park isn't huge, and it's easy enough to navigate by walkway. The observation towers and zip line attraction may prove challenging to some, but otherwise it's all pretty easy. That sounds cool. Who do you think would most enjoy this park? The focus here is on (duh) alligators, and fans of the huge reptiles will be in their element. There are other areas of the park, though, where you can see emus, snakes, giant tortoises, bobcats, and flamingos. There's even a small petting zoo for younger visitors. Legoland Florida Resort Start from the top. What's this place all about? Legoland Florida Resort is the largest of all Legoland theme parks. Beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Eloise, the complex offers a huge array of things to do, with exciting rides, chances to build with Lego bricks, Lego reproductions of cities and landmarks, live shows, and a water park. It's a playful, hands-on atmosphere that has broad appeal for kids and adults alike. Fun! So what are some of the highlights? MiniLand has nine themed areas of miniature reproductions, from the Kennedy Space Center to the "Star Wars" set. The Quest for Chi is a relatively new interactive boat ride; the Coastersaurus is an old-fashioned roller coaster set in prehistoric times. For a change of pace, the Legoland Water Park has slides and attractions, and the historic Cypress Gardens offer a shady place to find some tranquility. Got it. How easy is it to get there, and to get around? Legoland is just outside Orlando, about an hour's drive from downtown. Navigating the park is is easy thanks to maps, signposts, and guides. The majority of the main park, the water park, and Cypress Gardens are accessible, although some of the bigger rides have height and mobility restrictions. Excellent. So who do you think will get the most out of a visit to Legoland? Families will love areas such as the interactive Imagination Zone and, for younger kids, Duplo Valley. Older children and adults will enjoy the rides, the water park, and Cypress Gardens. Icon Park Tell me: What's this place all about? ICON Orlando, an entertainment complex, centers around a huge observation wheel, but there are enough attractions to fill a full day. The modern, bustling center, aimed at families, also packs in shopping, dining, and nightlife. Cool! So what are the best parts? Anything we absolutely cannot miss? The main attraction is of course ICON Orlando, a 400-foot observation wheel and the largest of its kind on the East Coast. It offers panoramic views of the surrounding region; it's also one of the few places around that lets you ascend that high without also traveling upside down at 50 miles an hour on a coaster. Among the other main attractions are the underwater sights of Sea Life Orlando Aquarium, the celebrity lookalikes of Madame Tussaud's Orlando, the 450-feet high swings of the Orlando Star Flyer, and the fascinating skeletons of the Museum of Osteology. How easy is it to get around? It's a modern, well-equipped complex with easy signage and help for people with mobility issues. It pays to plan your visit a little ahead of time and book a spot on the ICON if you want to see sunset, for instance, but it's quite compact and you can explore at your own speed without feeling you're rushing not to miss out on anything. Anything else we should know before planning a visit? The best part of the complex is that you can pick and choose without paying one large entrance fee, and just walking around the facility is free. Kennedy Space Center Tell us a bit of the history behind the Kennedy Space Center. The Kennedy Space Center was most famously the launch pad for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon in 1969. Today the complex welcomes around 1.5 million visitors a year, and encompasses more than 130 square miles. It's a comprehensive space experience, with real-life artifacts and spacecraft mixed in with impressive multimedia presentations. Wow. What can we expect to see on an average visit? One of the main draws here is the actual space shuttle, the Atlantis orbiter, which goes hand-in-hand with the Shuttle Launch Experience, an immersive simulator. A little more retro but still engaging is the Apollo/Saturn V Center, again with an actual rocket on display and a recreation of a control room. The Astronaut Hall of Fame and the Rocket Garden are both fascinating, paying tribute to the work of NASA; an IMAX theater shows some great films, too. How easy is it to get there, and to get around? The Center is around an hour's drive from downtown Orlando and one that's well worth it. There's a great bus tour if mobility or Florida heat is an issue, but apart from that, the facility is easy to navigate and everything is well signposted. What's the crowd like? The center is very much geared toward fans of space exploration and science, and it's much more educational than many other Orlando attractions. However, there are enough interactive and ride-like attractions to keep things interesting for those with short attention spans. Orlando Museum of Art Zoom out. What's the story behind this place? The idea of the Orlando Museum of Art dates back to 1924, but the modern-day facility, with its large, white, rotund exterior, was completed in 1997. Although the exterior looks traditional and historic, the interior is much more contemporary and modern. The museum presents 10 or 12 onsite exhibitions at a time, and is home to one of the best collections of fine art in Florida. What will we find among their permanent offerings? The collection here, which includes 2,400 objects, focuses on American art from the 18th-century to the present day and international contemporary art. Paintings and photography are presented alongside textiles, pottery, and mixed media. Any temporary displays we should check out? The exhibits are constantly changing, from paintings by Orlando resident Winifred Johnson Clive to post-impressionist works by the Belgian artist Louis Dewis. Exhibitions around a specific theme are also common. What's the crowd like? It takes a little effort to hunt down fine art in a city that's more famed for its coasters, and so the crowds here are generally art aficionados and well-versed culture-vultures. There can be a few families with particularly attentive kids, but it's mostly a more mature, educated cross section of visitors. How easy is it to get around? This museum is fully equipped to welcome visitors with special needs, and provides complimentary wheelchairs and listening devices. Anything else we should know before planning a visit? Given the transient nature of the exhibits, some planning is necessary. Check the museum website in advance. Epcot Let's start big picture. What will we find at Epcot? Epcot is actually an acronym and stands for the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow." Originally intended to be a utopian version of the future, the park has developed into an educational center and a permanent version of the World's Fair exhibition. The park's two halves encompass 250 acres; Future World is all about education and entertainment, while World Showcase pays tribute to international cultures. Fun! What are some of the best parts? Spaceship Earth, synonymous with Epcot, is a huge geodesic sphere with scenes portraying mankind's progress from the earliest of times. Mission: SPACE is perhaps the most impressive ride, simulating everything from the cockpit of a spacecraft to the g-force of takeoff. The Seas With Nemo and Friends is a technologically impressive journey to the bottom of the ocean, and the race-car simulation of Test Track is also wildly popular. Got it. Is it easy to get around? Maps and guides on the ground make visiting fairly easy, though some advance planning and and booking is still the way to go. Most of the park is designed to be accessible, though some of the rides may be off limits for people with mobility issues. That sounds cool. All said and done, what makes this such a worthwhile attraction? It's always nice to see a theme park bring Epcot's level of education to its millions of visitors, and there are dozens of genuinely interesting and engaging exhibits here. Parents will gain a well-rounded outing and kids will enjoy the interactive nature of the exhibits and, of course, the rides. Universal Studios Florida Set the scene. What's the story behind this park? Once a single park, this facility eventually become two parks and an entertainment complex; Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk are both stand-alone attractions in their own right. Universal Studios itself is a mix of high-octane rides and meticulously rendered movie sets that immerse park guests. It's a relatively adult-friendly atmosphere, especially compared to the other major parks, but that's not to say there aren't plenty of things for kids. The park is also a working movie production studio. Fun! What are some of the best parts? One ultra-popular addition to the park is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter   Diagon Alley and its companion ride, Escape From The Gringotts. Other major rides include Men In Black Alien Attack, which simulates battling aliens with cannons, and TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D, which mixes state-of-the-art rollercoaster technology with enhanced 3-D visual effects. Shrek 4-D, Jaws, and the earthquake-themed ride Disaster! are also crowd pleasers. Sounds cool. How easy is it to navigate? To maximize the experience, visit during the low season; also, be sure to look over the maps and download the park's app before you arrive. As with all the bigger theme parks, planning is everything, so head for popular spots such as the Harry Potter area as early as possible. There are plenty of signposts and guides to help point the way. That sounds cool. So who do you think Universal Studios is best for? The cross-section of movies represented here is impressive, and most people should find at least one or two they especially like. There's a special section for younger visitors (Woody Woodpecker's Kids Zone) and enough high-end rollercoasters to appeal to even the most hardened thrill seekers. Disney's Hollywood Studios What's the story behind Hollywood Studios? For nearly 20 years, Disney's Hollywood Studios functioned as a working movie and TV production facility. That stopped in 2004, but today it remains a must-see park themed around Disney films. The attractions are a mix of rides and shows, and there's also a fair amount of interactive, educational experiences. Fun! So tell us about the rides. The most popular ride is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror , arguably Orlando's scariest ride, set in what looks like an abandoned hotel. The high-speed Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is also a crowd favorite; visit both of these attractions early. Fantasmic! is a nightly show that combines music, lasers, water features, and a cast of more than 100 actors and dancers. Got it. Is it easy to find your way around? Hollywood Boulevard acts as the main drag and connects the various areas, but there are plenty of staff and signposts on hand to point you in the right direction. As with all theme parks, plan ahead and make sure to hit the big rides early. To get the best seats at Fantasmic!, turn up an hour before showtime yes, really. That sounds cool. So what makes this park stand out among all the theme parks in Orlando? This is one of the more manageable theme parks in Orlando, with a good variety thrill rides, shows, and more sedate attractions. Fans of Star Wars will find lots to explore, and there are plenty of Disney characters that younger kids will recognize. Magic Kingdom Park Start from the top: What makes the Magic Kingdom so special? This world-famous theme park is the quintessential Disney experience, with an army of cartoon characters and 107 acres of rides and attractions that at once create a sense of nostalgia and a vision of the future. Seven "lands" evoke individual eras and themes, from the Wild West to jungle to space, all complemented by rollercoasters, parades, street performers, and the most popular Disney characters brought to life. Fun! What are some of the highlights? The most popular and spectacular rides are Space Mountain, It's a Small World, the Haunted Mansion , Splash Mountain , and Pirates of the Caribbean . The Festival of Fantasy parade passes through Frontierland every afternoon and is a great place to stake out a viewing spot. Got it. How easy is it to find the rides we want to hit? The Magic Kingdom is huge, and some advance planning is necessary prioritize the various rides and attractions. The train that loops around the park provides a good lay of the land, and the park is well equipped to welcome guests with mobility issues. Additionally, there are helpful guides and staff at every turn. That sounds cool. Who would most enjoy a visit to the Magic Kingdom? It's hard to imagine anyone having a bad time at the Magic Kingdom it really does have almost-universal appeal, especially for families. An aversion to crowds could be problematic, though there are quieter spaces to relax if it all gets too much.


Curious where Washington's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some trends are harder to see. We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month. To find out who made the list, we looked at Washington businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance. Read on to see which spots are riding a trend, right now. Grazie Grazie Open since May, this spot to score salads and sandwiches is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Sandwiches" on Yelp. Citywide, sandwich spots saw a median 2.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Grazie Grazie saw an impressive 142.9% increase, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Grazie Grazie's review count increased by more than 1,500%. It's not the only trending outlier in the sandwich category: Büna Coffeehouse has seen a 28.6% increase in reviews, and Roy Boys has seen a 15.8% bump. Located at 85 District Square SW at The Wharf, Grazie Grazie offers a variety of cheesesteaks and sandwiches that include fresh mozzarella, prosciutto and basil pesto, and hand-breaded grilled chicken with provolone cheese. It also offers meatball and sausage grinders. Duke's Grocery Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Foggy Bottom's Duke's Grocery , the bar and gastropub, which offers burgers and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data. While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 1.9% increase in new reviews over the past month, Duke's Grocery bagged an 85.7% increase in new reviews within that time frame, with a slight upward trend from a three-star rating a month ago to its current 3.5 stars. The English-style pub, which has two other locations in the District, opened at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (between North I and North 21st streets) in May. The menu changes daily, but typical offerings include truffle mac and cheese and jerk chicken thighs. A variety of British and other imported beers are on offer. Nicoletta Italian Kitchen Mount Vernon Square's Nicoletta Italian Kitchen is also making waves. Open since April at 901 Fourth St. NW (between North I and North K streets), the Italian restaurant, which offers pizza and salads, has seen a 39.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.5% for all businesses tagged "Pizza" on Yelp. There's more than one hot spot trending in Washington's pizza category: Stellina Pizzeria has seen a 26.8% increase in reviews. Nicoletta Italian Kitchen offers pizzas with fried eggplant, breaded chicken or thick-cut pepperoni, among other options. It also serves pasta, lamb and fish entrees and salads. Over the past month, it's maintained a sound 4.5-star rating among Yelpers. Olive Bistro Cafe Olive Bistro Cafe in Tenleytown is the city's buzziest breakfast and brunch spot by the numbers. The Mediterranean breakfast and brunch spot, which has been open at 4619 41st St. NW (between North Chesapeake Street and North Wisconsin Avenue) since 2018, increased its new review count by 15.2% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.2% for the Yelp category "Breakfast & Brunch." It outperformed the previous month by gaining five times more reviews than expected based on past performance. Olive Bistro Cafe features Turkish dishes, including menemen   scrambled eggs with feta cheese, tomatoes, green peppers and herbs   and a traditional breakfast platter with feta cheese, eggs, kashkaval cheese, olives, cucumbers, honey butter and homemade bread. Circa Circa at the Navy Yard is currently on the upswing in the traditional American category on Yelp. While businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp saw a median 2% increase in new reviews over the past month, this traditional American and New American spot increased its new reviews by 23.6%  and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 170% on a month-to-month basis. Circa, which has three other locations in the area, opened at 99 M St. SE, Suite 100 in February. It offers lobster ravioli, blackened Atlantic salmon and braised short ribs, among other dinner options. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The world may be seriously underestimating the amount of plastic waste along its coastlines, researchers said Thursday as they unveiled findings showing hundreds of millions of plastic fragments on a remote Indian Ocean archipelago. A team of experts travelled to the Cocos Islands, a group of 27 small atolls 2,100 kilometres (1,300 miles) west of Australia and found an estimated 414 million pieces of plastic. In all, the plastic fragments would weigh around 238 tonnes, the team said. Images taken from the survey show white sand beaches blanketed with plastic waste. But according to lead study author Jennifer Lavers, the fragments on the surface of Cocos Island beaches -- and beaches around the world -- may just be the tip of the iceberg. "I've been working on remote islands as a marine biologist for 15 years or so and all of them have at least some debris, so I've come to expect it," she told AFP. "One of the big surprises was that when I was digging down in the sediment to look at how much was buried and where, the quantity sometimes did not drop off with depth." Lavers and the team dug multiple holes across beaches on the Cocos Islands, and found plastics, mainly in the form of small or microparticles, throughout the sand layers. They estimate that the true amount of plastic pollution on the beaches surveyed may be as much as 26 times greater than the fragments visible on the surface. The study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, concludes that global plastic waste surveys "have drastically underestimated the scale of debris accumulation". - 'Change all aspects' - Plastic production has exploded worldwide in recent years, with half of all plastics produced in the last 13 years. Mankind throws millions of tonnes of plastic into the sea every year, and much of it gets washed back ashore onto beaches where it poses a risk to wildlife. It can also enter the food-chain in the form of microplastics, which have been found at all ocean depths and latitudes. Lavers, from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, said such plastic concentrations found on a remote group of islands was deeply concerning. "While the five oceanic gyres or 'garbage patches' tend to garner a lot of research and media attention, the Cocos Islands are not located near or within one of these gyres," she said. "Plastic is everywhere, in all corners of the ocean, being distributed by current systems big and small." Significantly, the team estimated that as much as 25 percent of the plastic items surveyed on Cocos were disposable or "single-use", such as food packaging, straws, forks and knives and toothbrushes. In March nations failed to agree to a timetable to phase out all single-use plastics, opting instead to "significantly reduce" their production. Lavers said industry- and society-wide changes in behaviour -- from production, to consumption and re-use -- were needed to stem the plastic waste epidemic. "Some islands have significant quantities to the point that it forces one to pause and consider all aspects of their life, from the simple items used each day (eg. to brush one's teeth) to how I communicate the outputs of my research," she said. "These islands change you."


General Motors will invest nearly $150 million at its Flint Assembly plant to boost production of heavy duty trucks, the company said Wednesday. The announcement is the latest in GM's investment in Flint. In February, GM said it would add 1,000 jobs to build a new generation of heavy-duty pickups. This latest investment will not add jobs beyond those announced, a GM spokesman said. GM is launching the 2020 Heavy-Duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. It began shipping the vehicles, which GM hopes will help it get a bigger cut of the booming truck market, to dealers this week. "We have tremendous opportunities to grow our heavy-duty pickup business, because we've invested in capability, performance, innovation and capacity," said GM President Mark Reuss in a statement. "Our Flint team is up to the challenge to build world-class quality products to drive the growth." GM has invested about $1.6 billion in Flint Assembly since 2013 to increase the plant's production capacity of the heavy-duty pickups by about 40,000 vehicles a year, including more crew cab models and diesels versions, GM said. About 3,500 people work at Flint Assembly building the heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra crew and regular cab pickups and the light-duty Chevrolet Silverado Crew and Regular Cab Trucks, according to GM's website. Last month, GM CEO Mary Barra visited GM's plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where GM builds the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups. Barra told its 4,500 workers that GM will invest $24 million on assembly line technology to speed up pickup production. Last year, GM launched redesigned 2019 Silverado and Sierra 1500 light-duty crew cab pickups built at the Fort Wayne truck plant. Double cab and regular cab models are now available as well. GM's investments in Flint and Fort Wayne are the latest in the automaker's move to strengthen its pickup and SUV sales. Other investments include those previously announced in Dayton, Ohio; Parma, Ohio; Romulus, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; Spring Hill, Tennessee; and Lansing, Michigan. In the first quarter, Silverado sales were down 15.7 percent and Sierra sales were down 2.2 percent. GM is projecting a significant increase in pickup sales for the second quarter. The investments in the plants also help boost GM's public goodwill image. Barra's visit to Fort Wayne capped a series of plant pit stops she's made since January. Her public relations team said her appearances are not intended to mitigate the criticism from the UAW and many politicians, including President Donald Trump, over GM's decision late last year to cut some 14,000 total jobs and indefinitely idle four plants in the United States and one in Canada. More: GM CEO Mary Barra's factory visits are more about goodwill More: GM adding 1,000 jobs at Flint to build heavy duty trucks GM spokesman Pat Morrissey said: "She feels it's important for her to be visible to the employees and to the community to make these announcements." Still, GM has endured an onslaught of criticism by politicians and the UAW for its decision last fall to idle five of its factories in North America by early 2020. Two of the plants are in Michigan: Detroit Hamtramck and Warren Transmission. GM has vowed to relocate all of its affected workers to jobs in other plants. In February, Reuss said that 900 of the 1,000 jobs at Flint were available for workers from those unallocated plants. He said that included Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly and Lordstown Assembly in Ohio. More: Here's where GM layoffs stand after stunning blow to factory workers One those workers was Dnitra Landon, 56, who lost her job at Detroit-Hamtramck on Feb. 21. She was fortunate to quickly get a transfer to Flint Assembly on March 18. She told the Free Press her situation, "worked out great" for her, but many of her former colleagues remained displaced and struggling. Contact Jamie L. LaReau at 313-222-2149 or jlareau@freepress.com . Follow her on Twitter @ jlareauan . Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter . This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GM puts $150M into truck production in Michigan


McLaren boss Andreas Seidl says teams and drivers cannot complain that there are too many rules in Formula 1 these days, because they are the ones who pushed for them in the first place. The controversy over a recent run of penalty decisions   which included Max Verstappen's move on Charles Leclerc in Austria being given the all-clear   has prompted many people to suggest that F1's rule book needs a major shake-up. Some believe that F1 would be better off getting rid of a lot of regulations, which would allow drivers more freedom to battle harder. boss Christian Horner suggested in Austria that "maybe we are over-regulated anyway" because of the way that the Verstappen incident needed an investigation. But Seidl thinks that F1 teams and drivers have to accept the current situation, because the FIA has only introduced so many regulations because they were asked to do so. "For me it is a bit like the tyre discussions," said Seidl, reflecting on the similarities between driver conduct rules and recent talks to revert F1's tyre construction back to what it was in 2018. "The rules we have in place are the result of team bosses and drivers asking for these rules. So this is why I think we have to accept we have these rules now. We have to trust the stewards that they make the right decision." Seidl believes, however, that what the sport does for 2021 could be better if teams do not have the final say in what the rules should be. "My opinion, and it is also for the regulations, technical, financial and sporting which are being developed at the moment, it should be a consultative approach that teams get asked for their feedback," he explained. "But there should be a strong authority from the FIA and from F1 to go the way that they think is the right one. "We have this unique opportunity in F1 and the FIA at the moment where we have very, very strong and experienced guys that have recent F1 experience, which is unique. "I think they have never been that strong in the past in terms of their own knowledge - with Ross [Brawn] and [Nikolas] Tombazis   so they know exactly what needs to be done in terms of achieving the objectives which we all agree on. "We are really in favour that they should pull through now with the direction that they have put in the current proposals of the regulations, because we are convinced this would be the right thing for the sport."


Fringe conspiracy-theory outlet InfoWars settled a lawsuit Monday over their use of cartoon character "Pepe the Frog," paying $15,000 to Pepe's creator and promising never to use the cartoon again. Pepe a morose, previously apolitical character created by cartoonist Matt Furie was co-opted by far-right groups and Trump supporters during the 2016 election. Furie has since tried to regain control over the character's image, pursuing legal action against a series of websites. The InfoWars lawsuit, filed last year, centered on a poster sold by InfoWars featuring Pepe alongside Trumpworld personalities like Roger Stone, InfoWars founder Alex Jones, and pundits "Diamond & Silk." Before settling, InfoWars tried a novel legal strategy of suggesting, without evidence, that Furie had actually based Pepe on an Argentinian amphibian cartoon character named "El Sapo Pepe." But on Tuesday, InfoWars agreed to destroy all remaining copies of the poster, and pay back the $14,000 it made from the poster sales along with an additional $1,000. "From our perspective, we got everything we wanted," said Louis Tompros, one of the attorneys representing Furie pro bono . Despite paying Furie $15,000, InfoWars also claimed vindication , describing the settlement as a "strategic victory" in a blog post. "They would have made more money if they went and waitressed with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a few months," InfoWars attorney Robert Barnes said in a statement. "So, the Pepe trial is over. We made our point." Furie is donating the extra $1,000 to amphibian conservation group Save the Frogs. "It's a charity dedicated to frog preservation," Tompros said. "Real frogs, not cartoon frogs." Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here


Kliff Kingsbury is a 39-year-old NFL coach who has catapulted to success even at times when it defied his record. He has been heralded as an offensive genius. He has dapper suits, a deep Southern drawl and is literally named Kliff. In many ways, he is different from normal humans, but we can all take solace in one overlap: When Kingsbury sees a picture of himself that he doesn't like, he gets upset, too. His complaints at training camp on Tuesday weren't about a picture, however, but his video-game rendering in "Madden NFL 20." Are you a sports fan? Stay in the know. Subscribe to azcentral.com today . Each year's edition of "Madden" brings an onslaught of objections from players who believe their subjectively quantified abilities have been boiled down to a number below what is true and what is right. Kingsbury has heard the chirps from players who felt they had been wronged by the system, but it took a personal run-in with the cruel decision-makers at EA Sports before the Cardinals coach could truly empathize. "It's funny you bring that up, because I had seen a bunch of guys kind of getting in their feelings about their ratings," Kingsbury said Tuesday. "And then , somebody sent me a picture of what I looked like on there. So I want to get adjusted on looks rating. I look like I'm on 'The Walking Dead' in that picture." Maybe it was a wake-up call for a tired, tired man. Kliff Kingsbury thinks he looks like a character from 'The Walking Dead' in 'Madden NFL 20' https://t.co/UsXXY9ExkN pic.twitter.com/0pGCF4hJox   SportsDebatable (@SportsDebatable) July 30, 2019 With the countless hours Kingsbury is dedicating to installing a new offense, grinding through film, and just getting through the grueling schedule of training camp, it would be understandable if he were to look like a decrepit zombie from the post-apocalyptic drama series. (For transparency's sake, this reporter also plans on looking tired for the duration of football season.) But Cardinals fans can rest assured that despite the little rest he's getting this time of year, his joints are not falling out and he's not dealing with any festering flesh wounds. It's not the highest bar to clear, but it is a bar nonetheless. Besides, at least something was pretty on the field at State Farm Stadium, though also under wraps. Kingsbury reiterated Tuesday that his offense will look "pretty vanilla" throughout training camp and the preseason. This is two-pronged. The Cardinals are still figuring out what their offense will be, and once they do, they don't want to clue in other teams. "I think, just like most teams in the NFL, we'll be pretty vanilla," he said. "We want to execute plays at a high level and compete and win those preseason games, but we'll keep it vanilla just like everybody else." Ahead of Tuesday's training-camp session, he said they were "not quite halfway through" the installation. Plus, he's still evaluating personnel . The starting center, for example, is still up in the air. "We want to give those guys ample time to compete," he said of Mason Cole and A.Q. Shipley. Outside of that, it will vary by position, but Kingsbury is in no rush: "There's quite a few that will go into that last preseason game." In most cases, Kingsbury is brief and detached when asked about his offense. Some of that is because of redundancy; He has been answering questions of a similar nature since he was hired in January. But the question about "Madden" brought out something different. It was something new to talk about, of course, but it was also a point of passion. Like a flesh-eating maggot, this had been gnawing away at him. "So, yeah, I apologize that I thought, 'Hey, it's just a video game. Why are you upset?' 'Cause I saw my picture on there, and I'm not pleased with where we're at," he said. "So we'll have to work on that. But yeah, I don't play the game, but I know it's a big deal." Outside of Kingsbury's gripes about appearances, the Cardinals' ratings are a sore sight. After their 3-13 campaign, there were few positives for "Madden" evaluators to glean, and the raw numbers reflect that. "It looks like they're all pretty low to start, so I don't think anybody in that locker room is probably pleased with where they're at in that game, so hopefully we can boost a lot of those up," said Kingsbury, who was given a 66 rating in "Madden NFL 06." It has been perhaps a humbling experience all around, but "Madden" does allow for in-season adjustments to ratings, and the zombie night is darkest just before the zombie dawn. "Somebody sent me a text, one of my really kind friends, and it just said, 'Looking good, bud,' " Kingsbury said, on how he first saw the maddening depiction. "So let's work on that, adjusters." Looking dead inside in a video game is one thing. Another season of looking dead on the field would be much more grave. Reach the reporter at kfitzgeral@gannett.com or 480-356-6407. Follow her on Twitter @kfitz134 . Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today . What's next for the Cardinals at training camp? This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals: Kliff Kingsbury not a fan of 'Madden NFL 20'