Fifty years ago this summer, the Chiefs entered training camp with what my friend Michael MacCambridge in his book "America's Game" called "a sense of purpose verging on a crusade" after a 41-6 playoff loss to the Oakland Raiders. With a coach (Hank Stram) and eight players who would later be installed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, (including six defenders with the upcoming induction of safety Johnny Robinson), they went on to win Super Bowl IV over the Minnesota Vikings. It remains to be seen what the collective frame of mind will be when the Chiefs report to this training camp in late July in the wake of their first whiff of a Super Bowl since, an overtime loss to New England in the AFC Championship game. Plus, hunger and desire and all that notwithstanding, their chances of finally breaking through again to the so-called ultimate game will be greatly influenced by what comes of the thorough overhaul of a porous defense. But if the changes aren't likely to produce six future Hall of Famers, it might be enough if new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can coax competence out of the group. Because quarterback Patrick Mahomes stands over all this like a colossus, already their best quarterback since Hall of Famer Len Dawson led teams of that Super Bowl era. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player in his one full season as a starter has established himself as a revolutionary force who challenges all conventional beliefs … both in terms of how the position can be played and how profoundly it can impact every game. As the Chiefs on Thursday were shutting down until the start of camp, offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz subtly said it all. "With Pat back there," he said, "everything is looking pretty good these days." A year after Mahomes erupted into stardom by throwing for 50 touchdowns and more than 5,000 yards, chances are that he might not be able to duplicate those gaudy numbers … particularly if the indefinitely suspended Tyreek Hill is no longer part of the team. But the more pertinent chances are that he'll be an improved quarterback regardless of what the numbers say and as pivotal or more to the Chiefs' Super Bowl hopes. Because of another year of experience (with a lot more in his "memory bank," as Schwartz said), his continuing emergence as a leader, an obvious ongoing zeal to improve and ever-increasing chemistry with coach Andy Reid. Reid is known as an innovator, of course, and they realized a certain something between them from the get-go. But imagine what you can't even imagine could be in play here as the freakishly-armed guy who makes the no-look pass routine gets more and more and more in a groove with the guy who concocted Hungry Pig Right. "He has ideas, and they're good ideas," Reid said. "So I'll listen to that and then I try to bring him a nice basket of plays and let him try to digest those." When he's not apparently going on picnics with Reid … Also reassuring, for all the pandemonium around and about him, Mahomes continues to demonstrate perspective and poise in how he goes about everything. He retains his tellingly agreeable habit of prefacing the answer to most questions with the word "yeah …" He believes in himself but doesn't need to say it and remains self-deprecating and humble of demeanor. When he was honored on Thursday night by the Kansas City Sports Commission as its Sportsman of the Year, he was tuned in the whole time and graciously cited specific points he'd heard mentioned about other winners. Meanwhile, he's also grown in the last year in many ways, including finding his way as a leader. And not just in spending time with teammates on and off the field to develop relationships with everyone from linemen to receivers. "I think just knowing when (to) talk and when I need to be vocal to kind of help get the guys going," he said. "Whenever I may see practice starting off and maybe not the right way. It's stuff like those little things where you kind of know when to talk, whenever you can change a practice instead of sitting back and letting it happen." Which has a bit of a parallel to something he worked on during the Chiefs organized team activities   navigating when to let things happen and when to make them happen. Even megastars, it turns out, have to keep working on fundamentals. "I feel like it gets repetitive with me saying it, but (he's stressing) my footwork," he said. "I make a lot of off-scheduled plays, scrambling around and throwing the ball. There are so many little plays that I will miss because my feet aren't in the right position and I rely too much on my arm. That's one thing that I have to repeatedly work on." He added, "Decide when and when not to take chances. That's another one. I've had a lot of big plays happen, and I've had plays where I've thrown an interception when I'm trying to force it a little too much." Now it's about this force like virtually no other getting ready for a camp that will be among the most anticipated in nearly 50 years, a quest ready to unfold. Because with Pat back there, everything is looking pretty good these days.     ©2019 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) Visit The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) at www.kansascity.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Archaeologists working near the pyramids of Giza have discovered an ancient Egyptian burial ground dating back to around 2500 BCE and hosting the tombs of high-ranking officials. The remarkable find includes a limestone family tomb from Egypt's fifth dynasty, a period spanning the 25th to the 24th century BCE, the country's Ministry of Antiquities said while unveiling the site. The tomb contains the mummies of two people: Behnui-Ka, who held seven titles during the period, including priest and judge; and Nwi, also known as the "chief of the great state" and the "purifier" of the pharaoh Khafre. Khafre, who built the second of the three famous pyramids of Giza, is believed to have reigned for around 25 years. Archaeologists also found various artifacts elsewhere in the tomb, officials said, including a limestone statue of one of the men, his wife and their son. Other parts of the burial site were used more extensively from around the seventh century BCE, they added. A number of wooden coffins dating back to that era were found, with several featuring bright colors and elaborate decorations. Some of the coffins also featured hieroglyphics on their lids and were found close to fragments from wooden masks. The ministry is hopeful the new discoveries will help boost tourism to Giza, which was hit by the turmoil that followed the 2011 Arab Spring and has been slow to recover. Giza's long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum has been built with this aim. Expected to open in mid-2020, the $1 billion museum will rehouse and restore some of the country's most precious relics.


Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said on Thursday his philosophy of democratic socialism was aimed at creating a more fair economy that was not tilted to benefit the rich, portraying it as a logical heir to popular government programs such as Social Security and Medicare. In a long-promised speech meant to ease the concerns of some voters about the "socialist" label, Sanders cited former President Franklin Roosevelt's Depression-era policies to put Americans back to work and provide a broad social safety net as the model for his democratic socialist agenda. "Our government belongs to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires," Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, said in a speech at Georgetown University. "We need to develop a political movement which, once again, is prepared to take on and defeat a ruling class whose greed is destroying our nation." Sanders said Roosevelt's programs to create jobs and lift Americans out of poverty during the Great Depression, including the Social Security retirement program, the concept of a minimum wage, the 40-hour work week and strong banking regulations, were all called "socialist" at the time. "Yet these programs have become the fabric of our nation and the foundation of the middle class," he said. Sanders, who has long described himself as a democratic socialist, trails Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in polls but has galvanized the party's liberal wing with his calls for greater income equality, free college tuition and a break-up of the big banks. But he has acknowledged the socialist tag makes some voters nervous with its Cold War-era images of government-controlled economies, and that he needed to ease those worries in order to expand his support and convince Democrats he can be a viable nominee in the November 2016 presidential election. Sanders cited Roosevelt's 1944 call for a second Bill of Rights that would guarantee economic security for all Americans. He said his version of democratic socialism would end tax breaks for corporations, put millions of Americans back to work rebuilding the infrastructure, raise the minimum wage to $15 and create a single-payer, Medicare-style healthcare plan for all. "The next time you hear me attacked as a socialist, remember this: I don't believe government should own the means of production, but I do believe that the middle class and the working families who produce the wealth of America deserve a fair deal," he said. For more on the 2016 U.S. presidential race and to learn about the undecided voters who determine elections, visit the Reuters website. (http://www.reuters.com/election2016/the-undecided/) (Editing by Cynthia Osterman)


Miami is set to experience light rainfall this coming week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Sunday's forecast shows the greatest chance of rain at 81 percent, with predicted rainfall of 0.37 inches. The coming days will also bring warm temperatures, expected to last through Wednesday. Temperatures will reach a high of 87 degrees on Tuesday. Skies will be clear today and partly cloudy tomorrow. Winds will reach a modest high of 13 mph on Sunday, and remain in the teens through Tuesday. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Along with Tom Brady, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is one of the older, but still elite, quarterbacks in the NFL. Brady is very focused on pliability and following the TB12 method , and it's contributed to the quarterback staying dominant into his 40s. Ryan received advice about pliability from Brady a decade ago, according to his recent interview with NBC Sports' Peter King. "The Patriots came down here and practiced with us maybe in 2009 or 2010, I can't remember what year it was, but I was having tendinitis in my elbow, and I remember Tom was working out in our weight room right here after one of the practices. "And I just was in there doing my routine after and just talked to him a little bit about how he was staying as healthy as he could like this time in his career - I was only in Year 2 or 3 - and he was saying, 'When we're young, we do all this lifting and we get real tight and bulked up and all these things, and you just hurt.' He's like, 'And now I'm trying to lengthen and be strong but be mobile and all those things.' I remember hearing that as a young player and being like, 'Man, that makes a lot of sense. He might be on to something.' I think the trend has gone that way. Obviously, him with the TB12 and their method and everything that he does, obviously he's doing a great job with it, but I think there's a lot of guys who are following that mold." FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.-Matt Ryan told me a good story today about advice the young Matt Ryan got from @TomBrady . pic.twitter.com/HIfBCVid6p - Peter King (@peter_king) July 30, 2019 Brady has consistently worked on these techniques with his personal trainer Alex Guerrero, and the results have been incredible. He will be 42 years old this season - and he's looking younger than ever . MORE: Roundup: A$AP Rocky Pleads Not Guilty; Katy Perry Owes Damages for 'Dark Horse'; Pound Plummets as Boris Johnson Preps for Brexit Chiefs have CB Tremon Smith playing RB at training camp Angler lands 946-pound marlin by himself for 'historic catch' Dez Bryant has 'no interest in playing football right now' Jon Gruden has high expectations for Raiders' safeties, Karl Joseph and Johnathan Abram


Video by CBS News WASHINGTON   House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez met face-to-face Friday after weeks of public friction between the two high-profile Democrats. "It went very well," Pelosi said after the meeting. When asked if she and Ocasio-Cortez resolved any of their differences, Pelosi replied, "we don't have that many differences." The speaker wrote in a tweet later that the two met "to discuss working together to meet the needs of our districts and our country, fairness in our economy and diversity in our country." The collegial tone after the meeting appears to be the latest iteration of the sometimes-contentious relationship between the speaker from California and the freshman lawmaker from New York, who has come to represent the progressive wing of the party. The two have quibbled over both policies and tactics during their six months together in the House but recently appeared to unify after President Donald Trump made racist attacks against four minority members of Congress. Today, Congresswoman @RepAOC and I sat down to discuss working together to meet the needs of our districts and our country, fairness in our economy and diversity in our country. pic.twitter.com/eVp1LS0Gpw   Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 26, 2019 Budget deal: Donald Trump's budget deal with Democrats passes House but conservatives pan it as reckless The pair condemned Trump's tweets in which he told the four House Democrats, which included Ocasio-Cortez, to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came." Pelosi said the tweets were "disgraceful and disgusting" and introduced a resolution to condemn the comments as racist. But before Trump's attacks, signs of tensions between the two had been visible from the time of Ocasio-Cortez's congressional orientation, when she joined a climate protest outside Pelosi's office . And they continued as Ocasio-Cortez disagreed with the speaker's cautious approach to pursuing impeachment proceedings against Trump, while Pelosi offered lukewarm support for Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal . Tensions appeared to boil over after Ocasio-Cortez and three other first-year congresswomen from the party's progressive wing were the only Democrats to vote against a version of a border funding bill that Pelosi promoted. '45 is a puppet': Trump appears in front of altered presidential seal saying '45 is a puppet' During an interview with New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, Pelosi criticized Ocasio-Cortez, along with Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan for voting against the bill. "They didn't have any following. They're four people and that's how many votes they got," Pelosi said. That article prompted Ocasio-Cortez and her chief of staff to criticize Pelosi and centrist Democrats on social media. Pelosi then called out Ocasio-Cortez and the other three freshman congresswoman in a caucus meeting. "You got a complaint? You come and talk to me about it," Pelosi said, according to a source in the room. "But do not tweet about our members and expect us to think that that is just OK." From impeachment to indictment: 5 repercussions from Robert Mueller's testimony Ocasio-Cortez responded by saying it was "outright disrespectful" for Pelosi to repeatedly single out newly elected women of color, though she later tried to downplay any ill-will between herself and the speaker. On Thursday, Pelosi minimized reports of strain in her relationship with Ocasio-Cortez, saying, "We're good, we're good." "I don't think there are tensions," she said. When asked about the meeting Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez said, "I don't think I have a strong message for her." Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, views the meeting between Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez as a further sign of de-escalation. "The speaker is our coach and leader, and (Ocasio-Cortez) is a star recruit freshman who's capable of big plays," he said, "so they should see that they both have a particular role to play on the team and ultimately the goal is for the team to win." Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar for the American Enterprise Institute, said Trump's comments "actually brought Democrats together." "They felt under siege in a completely vile way and that created a commonality," he said. "It created an opening for a different kind of dialogue between the speaker and AOC." Ornstein said the meeting is significant because "the speaker doesn't meet individually with a lot of members on a regular basis because she has so many other things going on." Contributing: Christal Hayes This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'We don't have that many differences': Pelosi minimizes differences with Ocasio-Cortez


The Carolina Panthers' Luke Kuechly is one of the good guys in the NFL. He had some fun with a camper, KD Smith, who then made some pretty slick moves on the linebacker. When you do that to an All-Pro, the star teaches you a lesson. Kiddingly, of course MORE: Poker player wins 723K chips in 'bloodbath' hand at WSOP Main Event Former Steeler DeAngelo Williams throws shade at WR Ryan Switzer Three Potential Trade Destinations for Russell Westbrook No selections made by the Lions in the 2019 Supplemental Draft Bleacher Report names Raiders LB Te'Von Coney a potential UDFA star


The Raiders have signed No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell , according to a team announcement. Per the terms of his slot, the Clemson product will receive a four-year deal worth $31.4M with a $20.8M signing bonus. And, as a first-round pick, the Raiders will hold a fifth-year team option to continue his contract through the 2023 season. Ferrell's selection was the first major shock of the draft. With the No. 4 overall pick, many expected the Raiders to tap Kentucky pass rusher Josh Allen , but as it turns out, the Raiders were never all that enamored with him . The Raiders badly wanted Ferrell, and despite his late first-round rank on most draft boards, the Raiders were not willing to wait and risk losing out on him. Ferrell, lauded for his toughness and work ethic, finished out his Clemson stay with new career highs in tackles for a loss (20) and sacks (11.5). Questions remain about his agility and open-field tackling ability, but the Raiders still envision big things for the 6'4″, 264-pound athlete. With Ferrell and five other draft picks signed, the Raiders still need to address fellow first-rounders Josh Jacobs and Johnathan Abram , as well as second-round cornerback Trayvon Mullen .


Sen. Kamala Harris acknowledges that a 2010 state truancy law she sponsored resulted in some parents being jailed. But she misleadingly claims that jailing parents was an "unintended consequence" of the law. In fact, the law added Section 270.1 to the California Penal Code to allow prosecutors to fine and/or jail a parent "who has failed to reasonably supervise and encourage the pupil's school attendance." Under the law, which was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sept. 30, 2010, a parent could face up to a year in jail and $2,000 fine. The law took effect in 2011. Harris, a Democratic candidate for president, was San Francisco District Attorney from 2004 to 2011 . As district attorney, she launched a three-stage program to lower the San Francisco United School District's truancy rates in 2006. If the first two stages   education and intervention   failed, then parents could be prosecuted. "Parents of truant children who do not change course in Stage 2 are subject to prosecution," the district attorney's office said in a brochure that describes the initiative. "Parents must report to a specialized Truancy Court we created that combines close court monitoring with tailored family services. We have SFUSD and Children and Family Services on hand to resolve underlying issues such as transportation, unstable housing, substance abuse, mental health, neglect or unresolved special education needs. Parents who are continually reluctant to send their children to school are subject to fine or imprisonment." The brochure said that 20 parents in San Francisco were prosecuted for truancy in 2008. We don't know how many were prosecuted in all, but the Los Angeles Times writes that no one was jailed. "Harris issued citations to parents whose children missed more than 50 days of school, but none of them were put in jail," the Los Angeles Times wrote in an April 17 story. However, as the San Francisco District Attorney, Harris sponsored a state Senate bill   SB 1317   that was introduced by state Sen. Mark Leno, who is also from San Francisco. The state bill was modeled on her truancy initiative in San Francisco, and did result in some parents being jailed. Los Angeles Times , April 17 : Harris took that advocacy statewide, sponsoring a 2010 law to make it a misdemeanor for parents whose young children miss more than 10% of school days a year without a valid excuse. Parents could be punished with a maximum $2,000 fine, up to a year in county jail or both. In an interview on CNN's " State of the Union ," Harris said her initiative improved school attendance in San Francisco and "not one parent was sent to jail." Host Jake Tapper then asked about the state law that she sponsored. Tapper, May 12: Well, you pushed for a statewide law, right, a statewide truancy law. Harris : And the state… Tapper: And people were thrown into jail under that law. Harris: Not by me. Tapper : Not by you, but you supported the law. Harris : I supported the law that   this is what I supported, and our initiative was that in the   and here's   we're going to get in the weeds, but give me the patience of time to explain it. When I was looking at the issue of truancy, I realized that, when we define truancy, we defined it as three or four unexcused absences, you're truant. I was seeing kids that were missing up to 80 days of a 180-day school year. So, my point was, why isn't the education code recognizing that? What ended up happening is, by changing the education code, it also changed   it, by reference then, was in the penal code. And then that was an unintended consequence. And if I could do it over again, I would have made sure that it would not have increased penalties or the ability to prosecute anywhere in the state to prosecute parents, because that was never the intention. And it was never anything that I did. The possibility of jailing parents was not an "unintended consequence," and the bill did not just change the education code. It also created a new section to the California Penal Code, as we have already noted. Harris knew this, of course. After taking the oath of office as the California attorney general in January 2011, Harris said in her inaugural address that she was "putting parents on notice" that they could face "the full force and consequences of the law" if their kids miss too many days of school. Harris, Jan. 3, 2011 : We know chronic truancy leads to dropping out, which dramatically increases the odds that a young person will become either a perpetrator or a victim of crime. Folks, it is time to get serious about the problem of chronic truancy in California. Last year we had 600,000 truant students in our elementary schools alone, which roughly matches the number of inmates in our state prisons. Is it a coincidence? Of course not. And as unacceptable as this problem is   I know we can fix it. In San Francisco, we threatened the parents of truants with prosecution, and truancy dropped 32 percent. So, we are putting parents on notice. If you fail in your responsibility to your kids, we are going to work to make sure you face the full force and consequences of the law. In 2013, her office issued the first statewide report on truancy. In a press release about the report, her office described the 2010 state law as "combining meaningful services with smart sanctions in the California Penal Code." California attorney general's office, Sept. 30, 2013: The initiative also served as a model for SB 1317 (Leno), which defined "chronic truancy" for the first time under state law and established the initiative's model of combining meaningful services with smart sanctions in the California Penal Code. The bill was sponsored by then-District Attorney Harris and was enacted in law in 2010. The 2013 report itself urged district attorneys to jail parents "in only the most extreme cases," because "it is both traumatic for children and families and costly for taxpayers." It provided no statistics on prosecutions, but it said that on average "district attorneys reported prosecuting 3 [to] 6 Section 270.1 cases per year." It provided one example, saying the Kings County district attorney used "Penal Code 270.1" to jail "a mother whose two elementary school children had a combined 116 absences in a single school year." (The report links to a news story that says the woman was sentenced to 180 days in prison.) We don't know how many people have been arrested, fined or jailed since the 2010 state law went into effect. The state attorney general's office does not keep such data, and referred us to local jurisdictions. In a March story on Harris and the impact of the law, HuffPost provided some county-level data. It said, for example, that Kings County "has charged 19 misdemeanors under Harris' law in the past four years, and at least two mothers have been sentenced to jail." We asked Harris' campaign about her use of the phrase "unintended consequences" regarding the imprisonment of some parents under the law. It referred us to comments that she made on April 17 to Pod Save America . But Harris gave PSA some of the same answers that she gave to Tapper. Harris said the educational code did not adequately deal with chronic truancy cases. She even repeated her claim that imprisonment was an "unintended consequence" of the state law. She also said the arrests were "not under my watch," and that she had "no control" over the arrests   even though she sponsored the state law that allowed for the arrests, and her office provided guidance to local district attorneys on when prosecutions should and should not be made. "My regret is that I have now heard stories where, in some jurisdictions, DAs have criminalized the parents. And I regret that that has happened," Harris told the PSA host, Jon Favreau , a former speechwriter for President Barack Obama. "And the thought that anything that I did could have led to that, because that certainly was not the intention   never was the intention." That's some serious spinning. Harris said she has "now heard stories" about parents being jailed, but as we said her first statewide report on truancy contained an example of a parent being jailed under the state law. It gave advice on when to prosecute and not prosecute cases. A year later , the attorney general's 2014 report on truancy said that "prosecution should be a last resort"   but it did not say imprisoning parents should never be done. Clearly, the state law intended for some parents to be jailed for their children's chronic truancy, despite Harris' claim that jailing parents was an "unintended consequence" of the law. She may regret the law, but she can't redefine it. The post Kamala Harris Spins Facts on Truancy Law appeared first on FactCheck.org .


The federal government on Thursday reimbursed the city of Houston for more than $6.2 million worth of vehicle and equipment repairs and replacements stemming from Hurricane Harvey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a news release. The funds, which came through FEMA's public assistance grant program, required a $692,000 local match from the city. Mayor Sylvester Turner's office did not immediately say how many or what types of vehicles would be replaced. A news release from FEMA said the funds would go toward "several city vehicles, fire department vehicles and equipment." The city lost 226 vehicles to Harvey floodwaters, including cargo vans, dump trucks, sedans and utility vehicles, according to FEMA. The flood destroyed 16 fire department vehicles, the agency said, along with such equipment as weed sprayers, air compressors, mowers, chainsaws, power cables and bolt cutters, among others. As of last month, the city had paid $367 million for work eligible for FEMA reimbursement, according to Houston's recovery czar, Steve Costello. About $163 million of that was for debris removal immediately after the storm.


There's a little something for everyone coming up on the events calendar this week. From a robotics seminar to a summer kick-off party, here are the best options to help you get social around town. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Dominicans in Boston From the event description: The Dominican community will unite in an effort to provide suggestions on the policies and priorities of economic development in Boston. This event will be held in Spanish with English interpretation. Light refreshments will be served. When: Thursday, June 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: Curtis Hall Community Center, 20 South St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Robotics seminar and networking From the event description: Explore the field of robotics and technology hosted by the Cambridge Innovation Center this Thursday. The night will be filled with expert speakers, drinks and networking. When: Thursday, June 13, 6:15-9:30 p.m. Where: CIC, 50 Milk St., Floor 16 Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Funk Boston: A Wild & Sour Beer Fest From the event description: Mingle with 35 brewers for A Wild & Sour Beer Fest at Cyclorama this Friday. Sample from over 125 different beers, from American and European brewers. When: Friday, June 14, 6 -Saturday, June 15, 9:30 p.m. Where: Cyclorama, 539 Tremont St. Admission: $65 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Summer kick-off party From the event description: Celebrate the start of summer on the patio at The Bowery Bar this Friday. DJ Dave Solimine will be spinning '80s music throughout the night. The event highlights a cash bar and complimentary appetizers. When: Friday, June 14, 8 p.m.- Saturday, June 15, 12 a.m. Where: The Bowery Bar, 2261 Dorchester Ave. Admission: $15 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Parking in Boston can be tough, especially during popular events. To find free or cheap parking and to book parking in advance, see this map of Boston parking from SpotAngels. And to get there by public transportation, check the MTBA's website for nearby stations and schedules. This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is on course to make an early injury comeback after rupturing his achilles, possibly increasing his chances of joining Bayern Munich in the summer. The 18-year-old underwent surgery after hobbling off in the recent league draw with Burnley, bringing an end to his breakthrough season with the Blues. It was initially feared that he would be sidelined for more than half a year, but the youngster's recovery has gone superbly and he is now expected to return in just four to five months. The Sun report that the Bayern hierarchy are still monitoring Hudson-Odoi's situation, having failed with a £35m offer to the Stamford Bridge club in the January transfer window. It is anticipated that the wide man will resume training during pre-season and should be available to play competitive matches by September. The Sun suggests that an early comeback 'boosts' the likelihood that Hudson-Odoi will join the Bundesliga champions. The Chelsea youth product has only one year left to run of his contract with the Blues and will be free to discuss a move elsewhere once he enters the final six months of his current deal. Fortunately for Die Roten, the England international is thought to be pushing for a switch to Bavaria having handed in a transfer request over the winter period. A driving force between Hudson-Odoi's desire to leave west London is his lack of game-time under Maurizio Sarri, the Italian starting him in just four  Premier League fixtures this season. The manager's reluctance to play the starlet has left him frustrated, especially given his involvement in Gareth Southgate's England squad. Niko Kovac, on the other hand, would guarantee him a prominent role in his Bayern side.


London   Britain's parliament has voted to extend abortion and same-sex marriage rights to Northern Ireland if the country is unable overcome local political deadlock before Oct. 21. Currently, women who terminate pregnancies in Northern Ireland face life in prison, and doctors are required to turn women who have abortions into the police . Northern Ireland is part of the U.K. along with England, Scotland and Wales, where same-sex marriage is legal and abortion rights are much more liberal. Northern Ireland is largely run by a local, "devolved" government that hasn't functioned for over two years because of a deadlock involving its two main political parties. A United Nations committee has declared Northern Ireland's abortion laws a "grave and systematic" breach of women's rights, and a majority of U.K. supreme court judges have said Northern Irish laws were not compatible with human rights in cases of sexual crimes and fatal fetal abnormalities, though the relevant case was dismissed because of a legal technicality. Tuesday's vote was over a bill to keep Northern Ireland running as politicians try to end the stalemate. Members of Parliament tacked on amendments that would extend abortion and same-sex marriage rights on Oct. 21 if the deadlock continues. They argued that there should not be a delay in addressing these issues because of unrelated political turmoil. If politicians in Northern Ireland can come to an agreement and create a functioning government, they will be able to approve or repeal the new legislation. A long fight A woman is currently facing criminal charges in Northern Ireland for getting her 15-year-old daughter abortion pills to end an unwanted pregnancy in 2013. The woman's lawyer says the police were alerted after the daughter, who was in an abusive relationship, told a therapist she had taken the pills. The mother is scheduled to appear in court on November 18, and faces up to five years in jail. If she had administered the pills, she could have faced life in prison. Grainne Teggart, head of campaigns in Northern Ireland for Amnesty International, said the outcome of the case will have wide ranging implications. "Women are reluctant to go to their doctors and seek help, because they see cases like this mother where she's being prosecuted, and they're afraid," Teggart told CBS News. "So they stay at home, and they bleed." "Defining moment for women's rights" "The grave harm and suffering under Northern Ireland's abortion regime are finally coming to an end," Teggart said of Tuesday's vote. "At a time when prosecutions are still a grim reality, this cannot happen quickly enough." But some, including anti-abortion rights activist Bernadette Smyth, would prefer Northern Ireland's abortion laws remain as they are. "Our law says unborn children are protected here, and we want to keep it like that," Smyth told CBS News. "We've got drug pushers in Northern Ireland who are providing dangerous pills to women. I think that they're the real criminals," she said. It was unclear how Tuesday's vote would affect the mother's prosecution.


Scottsdale will face off against the Satanic Temple in federal court Tuesday to defend the city's decision that blocked the Satanists from leading an invocation at a City Council meeting. In 2016, the Satanic Temple's Arizona chapter asked to deliver an invocation . The city approved the request for the Arizona group's co-founder, Michelle Shortt , but later reversed its decision, saying the group had no substantial ties to Scottsdale. "Scottsdale's practice of allowing only those with substantial connections to the community is nondiscriminatory and applies equally to all groups," the city said in court documents. The Satanic Temple, represented by Stuart de Haan, filed suit in U.S. District Court for Arizona last year, saying the city had no written policy regarding prayer and only reversed its decision after backlash from the community and city officials . "Here, the City acquiesced to the tyranny of the majority," de Haan said in court filings. "The City took direct and specific efforts to deprive (The Satanic Temple) and its adherents from equal protection of the law on the basis of their religious beliefs." For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com . The city's policy Before the Satanic Temple asked, speakers in Scottsdale were selected from a list and invited to speak, according to court documents. No written policy was ever formalized. The Satanic Temple maintains that it was discriminated against and never was asked in the application process if it had a significant tie to Scottsdale. The Satanic Temple's Arizona chapter, based in Tucson, has made requests to deliver invocations in cities such as Phoenix, Sahuarita and Scottsdale but has never successfully been able to deliver an invocation. The Phoenix council voted to end invocations at its meetings after the temple requested to speak. "In every constitutionally permissible respect, (the Satanic Temple) is similarly situated to the groups that have been permitted to participate," de Haan argued in court documents. "This unconstitutionally treats similarly situated groups different." Scottsdale maintains that the city had a longstanding practice of allowing invocations only from groups with a substantial connection to Scottsdale, such as a physical location in or near the city, or a large representation of Scottsdale residents as members or congregants. "Courts have approved similar practices and policies limiting invocations to groups with an 'established presence in the community,'" the city said. "There are no facts in this case that require the Court to come to a different result here." Council disparaged Satanism In its original complaint, the temple argued that the mayor and several council members made disparaging remarks about the temple before the decision. On Feb. 11, 2016, three days after the Satanists had requested to speak, Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield sent responses to constituents stating that she did "NOT want the Satanists" and considers allowing them to speak "taking equality too far," according to the complaint. Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp made a statement the next month announcing that she intended to leave the meeting if the Satanic Temple were to give an invocation, according to court documents. The court documents also say that Mayor Jim Lane claimed that he "stopped so-called 'Satanists' from mocking City Hall traditions with a 'prayer'" in an election pamphlet. "These statements incur the highest culpability because they were made with full understanding that (the Satanic Temple) is protected by the Constitution," de Haan said in court documents. The city argued in court documents that while the mayor and members of the council voiced their displeasure with the Satanic Temple, they ultimately "didn't have a say on the issue one way or the other." When will the judgment come down? Scottsdale has not turned anyone else away who has requested to speak, according to the mayor's office. Tuesday's hearing is before U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell. A ruling from the bench is not expected after Tuesday's arguments. "The City disparaged Ms. Shortt's religious faith and precluded her from participating in the blessing ceremony, specifically because of her religion," de Haan said in court documents. "This violates both the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment." Reach the reporter Lorraine Longhi at llonghi@gannett.com or 480-243-4086. Follow her on Twitter, @lolonghi . Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale and Satanists argue in U.S. District Court over meeting invocations


A lightning strike is the likely cause of a fire that destroyed a home in South Berwick on Wednesday afternoon, officials said. The fire was reported at about 4 p.m. on Dover Eliot Road. Officials said one person in the home at the time got out safely. A severe thunderstorm moved through the area at the time of the fire. At one point Wednesday evening more than 6,000 Central Maine Power customers were without power. As of late Thursday morning, just a few hundred outages remained. Damage from the storms was reported from the Maine-New Hampshire border in York County up to Sanford. In North Conway, New Hampshire, police reported a foot of water covering Route 16 from Burger King into North Conway Village. Authorities also said flooding was impacting the area of the Hampton Inn on Route 302. READ MORE: Storms knock out power to thousands; lightning likely cause of fire that destroyed home CHECK OUT WMTW: Stay informed with the latest Portland news and weather from the team at WMTW. Browse the newest Portland, Maine, news stories and stay in the know.


For the last 21 years, Maurice Legere has been a security officer at the Lotte New York Palace, a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. And for the last decade, in addition to keeping the building safe, Mr. Legere has given a tour of the hotel to loyal fans of the "Gossip Girl" television show, showing them the spaces where the series was filmed. The tour isn't advertised online or at check-in for hotel guests. The only way to find out about it is through word-of-mouth. The hotel was the home of Serena van der Woodsen and Chuck Bass, some of the teen cult drama's main characters. Throughout the show's six seasons, the hotel became a character of its own with much of the scheming, fighting and other drama in "the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite" taking place there and its characters referring to it as just "the palace." Sign up for The New York Times' Weekly Travel Newsletter " I started doing it because people come into the courtyard, they look and I notice them right away because they start giggling and laughing," Mr. Legere said. "They say, Oh my God this is the 'Gossip Girl' hotel." So he started offering to show them the most "Gossip Girl"-linked spots inside the hotel. With the show's reboot on HBO Max, announced earlier this month , Mr. Legere may get even more takers for the tour, for which he does not charge. It typically begins in the lobby where Mr. Legere points to a gold balcony, gives its history and recalls a memorable scene from the show's 2007 pilot . "Serena stood up there looking down at Dan when they went on their first date she had the gold dress on," he said. From the lobby, Mr. Legere takes guests up the hotel's grand staircase and into the ballroom where Blair and Serena's cotillion took place in the first season. Then Mr. Legere goes to the Gold Room, where Serena and Blair decided not to be friends in the pilot. The bar's décor has changed since the show was filmed, but the show's most loyal fans can imagine the scenes. "It was cool to walk around and visualize scenes from the show like where Serena and Nate had drinks in the hotel bar," said Jessie Sporn, who went on Mr. Legere's tour in April. "When Maurice described certain things happening in a specific room, I could remember the scenes perfectly." Mr. Legere then takes guests into the Villard restaurant, where Chuck regularly ate breakfast, and Villard's kitchen, where Chuck made Serena a truffle grilled cheese . The next stop on the tour is a marble staircase where Nate watched his father buy drugs . Thanks to the natural light streaming through a window near the bottom of the staircase, tourists always want a photo of themselves standing on the stairs. "I've become a freelance photographer," Mr. Legere said recently. "I take so many photos of people here. They want all the angles." Mr. Legere's tour is not included with the "Gossip Girl" Getaway offered by the Lotte Palace, which includes a small box of macarons and prosecco gummy bears, two "Gossip Girl" Champagne cocktails at the hotel's bar, Trouble's Trust, or in the Gold Room, a 25 percent discount on tickets to the " Gossip Girl" sites tour from On Location, a group that offers TV and movie themed tours of New York and Boston, and postcards with images of the show's most famous locations at the hotel (rates start at about $400 a night). Ms. Sporn, 22, said that she also went on a separate tour of other locations in the city that are in the show, but not affiliated with the hotel. "We also went to the Met steps and the rooftop bar of the Empire Hotel, which are in the show," she said. "The hotel had 'Gossip Girl' drinks and at The Met there were other people who were there because they had seen it on the show, so it was interesting to see the cultural impact of the show." Ms. Sporn added that a group of people she spoke with mentioned that they had come to the museum because of the show. In the series, Blair often had lunch on the Met steps. Mr. Legere began giving the tour about a decade ago and said that it has become more popular in the last four or so years, likely because the show is available on Netflix and more people have access to it. He said that he has given at least a thousand tours to groups big and small and with guests from all over the world. David Shenman, director of sales and marketing for the hotel, anticipates that the reboot will bring even more people to the hotel and to Mr. Legere's tour. "I feel like any time there's a resurgence, like when the show became available on Netflix, there is additional interest that brings people here," Mr. Shenman said. "We just started talking about this last week, but obviously being the Palace we will find something to do celebrating the return." 52 PLACES AND MUCH, MUCH MORE Follow our 52 Places traveler, Sebastian Modak, on Instagram as he travels the world , and discover more Travel coverage by following us on Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter : Each week you'll receive tips on traveling smarter, stories on hot destinations and access to photos from all over the world.


Lewis Hamilton says he decided against blocking his Mercedes Formula 1 teammate Valtteri Bottas while the pair were battling in the early laps at Silverstone, as it would've been "not the right thing to do". Hamilton managed to squeeze past race leader Bottas at Brooklands on the fourth lap, but Bottas then surged back past heading into Copse. Hamilton said had he been fighting a driver from a different team, he would have taken more risks. "It's no secret that Valtteri wants to beat me and I want to beat him," said Hamilton. "And that fighting spirit is stronger than anything, individually for all of us. I think it's so vital though, to have a respect. "I know how hard is it to get a pole here. He did a fantastic job [in qualifying], and I know how hard it is to wake up and deliver every weekend, as do these other drivers, so the respect is there between us. I think we want to race wheel-to-wheel and tough. When you're racing with a teammate, it's on a different level. "If I were racing a Ferrari, you take more risks. Still respectful, but you can lean on them a bit more but as team mates, we sit down at the beginning of the race, we talk about Turn 1 and how we're going to respect each other, make sure we don't collide. And even when I overtook him and he was coming back, I could have swept across the front and blocked him   but that's not the right thing to do. "Ultimately it enabled him to get back past   but that's racing. It was really fair, and it was great." More from the British GP: Mercedes wary of 'unconscious favouritism' via split strategies Bottas rues "mistake" of ruling out one-stop strategy Why Bottas was always doomed to lose to Hamilton Hamilton said his aggressive early charge came as a surprise to Bottas, who was expecting him to be preserving his tyres. "Today I was supposed to start the race and save the tyres, and today I went flat out from the beginning, which was definitely not expected from everyone. Valtteri definitely didn't expect it. The long runs, everyone else's tyres were degrading massively, and I had the best long run on Friday of everyone. "I'm sure everyone would have seen my data and been looking at how I saved the tyre, and tried to do the same, and I just did the opposite. I just went for it and risked it all basically trying to get past. We had a great, great battle, which was awesome. I hope we get to have more like that." Hamilton insisted that the safety car didn't give him the victory, as his one-stop strategy would have played out in his favour "I was going to do a one-stop, and he was on a two, so the safety car wouldn't have made any difference. When he pitted on lap 16, I think it was, my plan was to offset as much as I could. I think I went four laps or something, and I probably could have done another lap or two. "And at the time he was not catching me. He should have been catching me, but he wasn't catching me, and I was keeping the gap generally the same. "He came out of the pits seven tenths inside my window - and then it came to one [second], then one and a half, but it stayed around one and a half to two. If I'd done another lap it would have maybe got to two and half, and I would have come out on my fresh hards. "And I could have just sat behind him if I wanted to, and he then he would have had to pit. So I would still have had that 21-second gap. So it didn't really make a difference. Even though I was behind him I would have of course tried to overtake him, but in hindsight I didn't need to."


The Indianapolis Colts have no shortage of alumni that love to give back to the players currently wearing the horseshoe, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that rookie Ben Banogu worked with the organization's greatest pass rusher: Robert Mathis. Mathis, who stepped away from a coaching role with the Colts this offseason, has been working at a sports performance facility focusing on helping pass rushers develop their games. He's still helping the Colts as a consultant. Among the players Mathis worked with this offseason was one of the Colts' second-round picks in Banogu, who is expected to spend the majority of his time at defensive end to begin his career. "Yeah, I trained about a week and a half with him, just working on pass rush stuff, working on my technique, stuff that I can use during camp and going on into the season," Banogu told reporters Wednesday. "I think that was good for me." The former TCU defender turned some heads during the spring workouts, flashing some intriguing ability as a pass rusher. Those flashes have forced the Colts to start him out as a defensive end despite the desire to work him as a SAM linebacker following the draft. The Colts' franchise leader in sacks (123.0), Mathis has been working with the young pass rushers since he retired. Even if it was just a short time this offseason, Banogu is appreciative for the opportunity to learn from one of the greats. "It was definitely different. He's a guy that's great at what he did. He's going to be a Hall of Famer," said Banogu. "He's an awesome dude, so just kind of getting to work with him and understanding why he did certain things and how he could implement some moves into my game was something that I was really appreciative about. I'm hoping that it's a pretty good transition going from that into the season." The Colts were impressed to see what Banogu brought to the defense during the spring as a pass rusher. Working in TCU's read-and-react defense is much different than what the Colts will ask him to do-which is pin your ears back and get upfield as a rusher. There will be a heavy competition to monitor on the edge and Banogu hopes his work with Mathis this offseason will help lead to a significant role during his rookie season. MORE: Mike Trout's perfect 98.6 MPH throw to home plate had everyone in awe Packers GM explains reasoning for releasing DL Mike Daniels Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Big Threes News: Elliott expected in Oxnard, Cowboys great bet to win it all Chiefs rookie RB Darwin Thompson calls Patrick Mahomes: 'A real-life jug machine'


Russell Wilson has been a constant presence for the Seahawks, never missing a start in his career, and barely any team functions at all. So his absence Friday stood out. According to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times , Wilson missed practice to fly back to the East Coast for his grandfather's funeral in Norfolk, Va. It's just the second practice the quarterback missed during his tenure with the Seahawks. The first was during OTAs in 2015 was to attend the funeral of then-teammate Jimmy Graham 's surrogate mother. Wilson is scheduled to return for a mock game Saturday.


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. And so it continued yesterday morning, a little after 8 o'clock. President Trump tweeted, "Our Country is Free, Beautiful and Very Successful. If you hate our Country, or if you are not happy here, you can leave!" With that Trump framed his previous inflammatory tweets demanding four progressive congresswomen "go back" to their countries as a prelude to a simple test of patriotism. Trump had tweeted out Sunday that "Democrat Congresswomen" should go back and fix the "corrupt" and "crime infested places" they came from and then "come back and show us how it's done." The Herald's Hillary Chabot deftly described the strategy behind the tweets and there is no doubt that the president is focused on his re-election, but his words were disgraceful and must not be dismissed as political strategy. U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) are all Americans. They are accomplished women who are as much an example of the American success story as countless figures in our history. For a sitting president of the United States to make an irresponsible determination of the worthiness of a fellow American to inhabit the same borders based on the kind of speech they practice is grotesque. Terms like "racism" and "xenophobia" are tossed around so much in today's politics that using such labels no longer evokes the passionate response it once did. In the case of President Trump's tweets, though, we needn't dig that deep   his words were un-American to the core. No elected politician should assign value to a fellow citizen based solely on his or her beliefs. Unfortunately, that is exactly what we got from Ayanna Pressley at the Netroots Nation conference on Saturday, during which she demanded conformity and threatened exclusion to any up-and-coming politician who even entertained the idea of straying from the progressive playbook. "If you're not prepared to come to that table and represent that voice," she said, "Don't come, because we don't need any more brown faces that don't want to be a brown voice. We don't need black faces that don't want to be a black voice. We don't need Muslims that don't want to be a Muslim voice. We don't need queers that don't want to be a queer voice." It is the cynical theme of intersectionality: You are the sum of your identity, be it racial, gender, etc., and you are nothing more. It is pure prejudice based on immutable characteristics. While the various parties in Washington, D.C., compete to out-bombast one another, real things are happening. We've still got a crisis on the border that can only be resolved with action by Congress. The North Koreans are acting up again, and too many Americans lack adequate health care and can't afford what they do have. After an ICE facility was attacked in Washington State on Saturday night, no member of the "squad" could be bothered even condemning the event. Americans deserve representation in Congress dedicated to their needs rather than political newbies looking for fame and Twitter validation. We also need a president in the Oval Office representing all Americans, from every corner without making them casualties of his spats with political rivals.


Joel Embiid has struggled to play like his usual self against the Toronto Raptors, but on Thursday night, his play took a positive turn. Embiid has battled a stomach illness as well as an upper respiratory infection in the Philadelphia 76ers' series against the Raptors. He hasn't been effective on either end of the floor, and his scoring and defense has been missed. But in Game 6, with the Sixers facing elimination, Embiid helped his team stay afloat. The Sixers forced a Game 7, defeating the Raptors 112-101. Embiid recorded a +40, the highest plus-minus of his career, according to Basketball Reference. He scored 17 points on 35.7 percent shooting, along with grabbing 12 rebounds and posting two blocks. Brett Brown: "Tonight you saw a healthier Joel Embiid. That plus-40 number is stupid." #Sixers - Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) May 10, 2019 This is the best game Embiid has played in the series since Game 3, when the Sixers trounced the Raptors 116-95. He scored 33 points in that game, and though he didn't shoot a good percentage in Game 6, Thursday's game marks the most points Embiid has scored since Game 3. But Embiid got the highest plus-minus of his career because of grabbing rebounds and playing good interior defense. Embiid was a force on the defensive end, and as the Raptors drove into the paint, his presence was a factor. In the video below, Embiid helped ignite the Sixers' fastbreak, blocking Kawhi Leonard as he attempted a layup. this sequence #PhilaUnite | #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/nHEzudDCz2 - Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 10, 2019 Embiid drops into the lane often to contest defenders, but that's his main strength as a rim protector. He's skilled at tracking players' shots and blocking them on time. With the Sixers facing elimination, they needed Embiid to contribute in some way. He's struggled to produce in this series, but Embiid's performance aligned perfectly with his teammates. Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons were the Sixers' leading scorers, so Embiid didn't have to score too much. Instead, Embiid's impact on the Sixers' defense was more important than his scoring. If he can have a similar performance in Game 7, then the Sixers should be positioned to have a chance at advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Sixers and Raptors will play Game 7 on Sunday at Scotiabank Arena at 7 p.m. EST. MORE: Prepare yourself for 'LeBron to the Knicks' rumors if the Lakers turmoil continues Rumor: LeBron made a visit to Kawhi Leonard during Raptors-Sixers series NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Richard Jefferson Has Inside Info On The Lakers, Says Rob Pelinka Needs To Go PFF: Jermaine Kearse would be 'perfect fit' for Giants


Save Some Car-Buying Cash If You're a College Student or Recent Gra Save Some Car-Buying Cash If You're a College Student or Recent Grad You ve worked for years to get the reward of a college degree, and now you're ready to reap the rewards of graduation. One of those rewards is the ability to take advantage of special college graduate programs from automakers for the purchase or lease of a new vehicle. Many carmakers offer programs for recent college graduates, with some of the programs extending to current college and trade school students. All of the programs are different, with various benefits and requirements for participation. It's a good idea to contact your local dealer to verify the criteria for eligibility. Of course, the automaker knows that once they have your business they have the brand loyalty advantage when you buy your next new vehicle. Some of the programs offer rebates on a car purchase, while others provide discounts on both purchase and lease transactions. Many provide auto loans for college graduates who would typically not qualify for financing due to lack of credit history. Take a look at the following pages to see the best college graduate discounts available. Note that the term of the programs can change and not all dealers participate in the graduate programs. Honda $500 Discount When You Finance Through Honda Financial Services Honda offers a $500 discount on a new vehicle when you finance your auto loan or initiate a lease through Honda Financial Services. It applies to any 2018 or newer car you find on a Honda dealer's lot. The deal is available to students who have graduated in the last two years or will graduate during the next six months from a U.S.-accredited college or registered nursing school with a bachelor s, associate s, or master s degree. Applicants are required to provide Honda with a copy of their transcripts or diploma. They must meet credit requirements, monthly income requirements, and have proof of current or future employment. Honda is U.S. News & World Report s 2019 Best SUV Brand winner. Research the latest new models from Honda on MSN Autos BMW Save $1,000 on a New or Certified Pre-Owned BMW The BMW College Graduate Program is one of the most generous for recent graduates and those who will soon graduate. They offer a $1,000 discount on a new or certified pre-owned BMW. You need a sufficient credit history and a debt-to-income ratio below 20% to qualify with BMW Financial Services. Program participants must have graduated in the last two years or will be eligible to graduate in the next six months. An official transcript or diploma from a U.S.-accredited college or university is required. It applies to students earning undergraduate, associate s, and graduate degrees. The college grad program applies to both purchase and lease deals and provides applicants with the lowest interest rate their credit score qualifies them for. Research the latest new models from BMW on MSN Autos Ford / Lincoln $500 Discount on Select Vehicles The FordDrivesU program isn t just for graduates. It provides a $500 discount on the purchase or lease of most new Ford and Lincoln vehicles to current college and trade school students, as well as associate s, bachelor s, master s, and doctorate degree recipients within three years of their graduation dates. To confirm eligibility and receive a certificate that you take to the dealership, visit FordDrivesU.com and complete the application. Proof of admittance, current enrollment, or graduation is required. Unlike many programs, Ford does not require you to use a specific lender to take advantage of the offer. The offer does not apply to certain vehicles, including (but not limited to) the Ford Mustang Bullitt and GT350, Ford GT, Ford F-150 Raptor, Ford Focus RS, Lincoln Aviator , and Lincoln Corsair . Research the latest new models from Ford & Lincoln on MSN Autos Hyundai $400 off Purchase or Lease / $900 Toward Payment of Student Loans (in Select Markets) College grads nationwide can take advantage of a $400 discount on a new Hyundai purchase or lease. Those who have graduated from a U.S.-accredited college, university, or nursing school in the past two years or who will graduate in the next six months are eligible for the deal. Applicants must use Hyundai Motor Finance, meet their credit requirements, and provide a copy of their diploma or a letter from their school s registrar showing their prospective graduation date. They also need to show proof of employment or future employment that starts within 90 days of signing their loan papers. Students or graduates with student loans who purchase or lease in the state of California or the city of Phoenix, Ariz. may be eligible for the new Hyundai Student Assurance program. When you buy or lease an eligible vehicle from dealer stock and are its primary owner or driver, Hyundai will give you up to $900 to put toward your federal, U.S.-based lender private or refinanced student loans. The loan must be in good standing and not owned by a collection agency. Research the latest new models from Hyundai on MSN Autos Acura $500 Savings When You Finance Through Acura Financial Services Recent and soon-to-be college graduates are eligible to receive $500 off the purchase or lease of a 2019-or-newer Acura vehicle when they take advantage of the company s recent college grad program. The deal applies to those who qualify and receive a loan or lease through Acura Financial Services. The college grad rebate program applies to those who have or will receive a master s, bachelor s, or associate s degree from a U.S.-accredited college or registered nursing school. Proof of current or future employment is required, as is a demonstrated ability to meet current financial obligations. Applicants must provide a copy of their diploma or transcripts to be eligible for the college discounts. Unfortunately, the Acura NSX is excluded from the program. Research the latest new models from Acura on MSN Autos Nissan Discounts of up to $1,000 off the Price of a New Nissan The Nissan College Grad Program allows recent and near-future diploma earners to get discounts of up to $1,000 off the price of a new Nissan , while also taking advantage of most other available Nissan purchase and lease incentives . The offer applies to those who have graduated in the last two years and those on track to get a degree in the next six months from an accredited four-year college, two-year college, university, junior college, technical college, trade, vocational, or registered nursing degree program. It also applies to graduate students and those who have completed grad school within the prior two years. They need to show current employment or proof of a job that starts within 90 days of getting their car. Students at more than 100 schools are eligible to receive $1,000 discounts on the purchase of a Nissan Leaf through a special program. They can add the discounts to any other Nissan Leaf car deals they qualify for. A list of qualifying schools is available on the Nissan Leaf College Student Discount page . Research the latest new models from Nissan on MSN Autos Toyota $500 Rebate When You Finance or Lease Through Toyota Financial Services Toyota offers recent and soon-to-be college graduates savings of $500 when they purchase or lease a new vehicle and get their financing or lease through Toyota Financial Services. They need to have graduated in the last two years or will graduate in the next six months. The program is offered to students receiving degrees from accredited universities, colleges, registered nursing schools, trade schools, vocational schools, junior colleges, community colleges, or technical colleges. The company also offers the Toyota College Graduate Finance Program, which provides qualifying applicants with competitive rates and lease terms on new Toyotas and certified pre-owned vehicles . Toyota s college grad programs and terms may vary by region and may be terminated at any time. Research the latest new models from Toyota on MSN Autos Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC Special Pricing for Students and Recent Grads Three General Motors brands offer discounts to current college students and graduates. You must be an enrolled student or have graduated in the last two years to qualify for the deals. You need to apply at GMCollegeDiscount.com to get an authorization number that you take to the dealership. The deals are offered on a variety of Chevrolet , Buick , and GMC vehicles, but do not include high-performance models like the Chevrolet Camaro or Corvette . GM does not include any Cadillac vehicles in the program. The offers may be combinable with many current Chevrolet , Buick and GMC car deals with low-interest financing or cash back. Unlike many college programs, you are not required to use GM's financial arm to secure your auto loan or lease. You can get it from any independent lender. Some special APR offers may require you to use specific lenders, however. Research the latest new models from Chevrolet , Buick , and GMC on MSN Autos Volkswagen $500 Discount When Purchasing or Leasing a New VW If you have graduated within the last two years or will graduate in the next six months from an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university, Volkswagen will give you a $500 discount on the purchase or lease of a new vehicle, when financed or leased using Volkswagen Credit. It applies to associate s, bachelor s, master s, doctorate, nursing (RN or LPN) graduates or soon-to-be graduates. Applicants need to have a permanent full-time job or a written commitment from a future employer. The Volkswagen College Graduate Program also provides applicants with competitive interest rates even if they have a limited credit history, so long as it is in good standing. The program allows any lease security deposit to be waived. Research the latest new models from Volkswagen on MSN Autos Subaru Special Financing Program for Recent College Graduates Subaru doesn t offer any cash back with their college grad program, but what they do offer can save you more money than many other graduate programs. When you are approved to finance or lease using Subaru Motor Finance, you automatically qualify for any special lease or finance offers available. That means a recent or near-future graduate could potentially get a zero percent financing deal on a 2019 Subaru Outback , even if they have no credit history or one that s limited with no adverse credit history. Applicants must have proof of current or future employment, with a start date no later than 90 days from when they sign for their financing. The program applies to students who are on track to graduate within six months or have graduated in the previous two years from an accredited two- or four-year college, graduate school, trade school, or nursing school. Research the latest new models from Subaru on MSN Autos Mini $500 off When You Finance Through Mini Financial Services If you re within four months of getting a college degree or have graduated in the last two years, Mini offers $500 off the purchase or lease of a new or certified used Mini vehicle. You must be currently employed or have a verifiable offer of future employment to qualify. The offer applies to those earning an associate s, graduate, undergraduate, or doctorate degree from an accredited college or university. You must have at least a six-month credit history with no derogatory items to qualify. If you do, Mini will extend their best available rates for your financing. Research the latest new models from Mini on MSN Autos Mercedes-Benz Special Financing Program for Recent College Graduates The Mercedes-Benz Rising Stars Program allows local or international college students and recent graduates with no or minimal credit histories to qualify for lease and financing through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Graduates of four-year colleges, universities, and registered nursing programs can qualify, as can current students with proof of enrollment. The program is also available to first-time car buyers. Mercedes requires a significant amount of documentation to apply for the program. You can find more details on the website of your local Mercedes-Benz dealer. Taking advantage of programs like the Mercedes program allow recent grads to get behind the wheel of a new car without needing a co-signer on their auto loan or lease. As we discuss in our guide to co-signing an auto loan , it s a good idea not to be a co-signer. Research the latest new models from Mercedes-Benz on MSN Autos Audi Special Financing Program for Recent College Graduates The Audi College Graduate Program allows recent and near-future college graduates with full-time jobs or commitments from a full-time employer to get competitive interest rates, be free from having to have a co-signer, and skip the security deposit on the Audi leases   even if they have no credit history. If they do have an existing credit history, it needs to be in good standing. Program participants must have graduated from a U.S. or Canadian college or university in the last 2 years or are on track to in the next six months. It applies to new Audi vehicles and Audi certified used cars. Research the latest new models from Audi on MSN Autos Lexus $1,000 Discount When You Finance or Lease Through Lexus Financial Services Buyers or lessees of a new Lexus can take advantage of the automaker's college graduate program and get a $1,000 discount. To get the deal, they must have graduated in the last two years from an accredited four-year college or university. Lexus also offers this deal to recent graduates of registered nursing programs. The program is also available to graduates of accredited two-year, junior, and technical colleges. Students on track to earn a degree within the next six months are also eligible for the discount. All applicants must show proof of current employment or a new job that starts within 120 days of their purchase or lease. Research the latest new models from Lexus on MSN Autos More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report No matter how good the college graduate discount programs are, you'll never get a great deal unless you get a great car that fits your needs and budget. Our new car rankings and reviews allow you to compare models side-by-side, using factors that buyers tell us are critical to their decisions. Many of the programs for college grads can be combined with special purchase and lease incentives offered by automakers on slow-selling models and those near the end of their product cycles. Our new car deals page shows offers with interest-free and low-interest financing, plus cash back deals that can be applied to your down payment. Our lease deals page lists dozens of special offers with low monthly payments, small amounts due at signing, or both. With many college programs, the discount can be applied to the amount due at signing or your first payment if it's a zero-down lease. While most car deals are only available to well-qualified buyers with top-notch credit scores, some of the college programs allow these offers to be extended to recent graduates. Another excellent way to save money on a car is to take advantage of the U.S. News Best Price Program . We connect buyers and lease customers with pre-negotiated prices at local dealers. On average, buyers save more than $3,000 when they use the program. It's critical for buyers to consider the cost of auto insurance when they buy or lease. Our car insurance hub offers a plethora of resources to guide you to the right policy at the best value. 18 Car Brands With the Best Discounts for College Students and Grads Honda - $500 Discount When You Finance Through Honda Financial Services BMW - Save $1,000 on a New or Certified Pre-Owned BMW Ford / Lincoln - $500 Discount on Select Vehicles Hyundai - $400 off Purchase or Lease / $900 Toward Payment of Student Loans Acura - $500 Savings When you Finance Through Acura Financial Services Nissan - Discounts of up to $1,000 Off the Price of a New Nissan Toyota - $500 Rebate When You Finance or Lease Through Toyota Financial Services Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC - Special Pricing for Students and Recent Grads Volkswagen - $500 Discount When Purchasing or Leasing a New VW Subaru - Special Financing Program for Recent College Graduates Mini - $500 off When You Finance Through Mini Financial Services Mercedes-Benz - Special Financing Program for Recent College Graduates Audi - Special Financing Program for Recent College Graduates Genesis - $400 off Purchase or Lease Lexus - $1,000 Discount When You Finance or Lease Through Lexus Financial Services


The NFL Pre-season is arguably a waste of time unless you are a die-hard football fan, a desperate gambler, or you're related to someone who is actually playing in the games. It's simply practice for players who are hoping to make the team, and for television analysts working on their one-liners and hottakes. Because deep down everyone knows that nothing matters until the real games start, right after Labor Day. The same applies to America's other favorite pastime, Presidential politics. As much as the 24-hour-news cycle has been enamored with real estate mogul Donald Trump's antics and infrequent polling most Americans haven't cared that much about the candidates up until now. Labor day has always been the official start of the campaign season, and just like in sports analysts, it's time to start making some predictions about the real season we're about to embark on -- whether we like it or not. With the Democratic debates starting, fundraising getting serious and final plans in the works for the fall here are three things to expect at the start of the real political season for the 2016 election. Uncle Joe Isn't Coming The biggest story in the post Labor Day Political cycle will be whether or not Vice President Joe Biden is actually jumping into the presidential race. Political insiders and most D.C. consultants have said that Biden needs to make a decision by October 1 st at the latest or the campaign train will have finally left the station. Well, no need for Biden supporters to start buying tickets because he will not chose to run for president. Why? Because, deep down, Biden's heart really isn't in it. He lost his son (and best friend) just a few months ago and all reports are that he's still in mourning and may not have the heart to enter the race. More importantly by waiting this late to start a presidential run he's put himself at a severe strategic disadvantage in getting a team on the ground in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Not to mention he would be significantly behind in fundraising. But, because the political game is addictive Biden will likely wait until the very last minute to inform the public that he's not running, because once he finally tells the public he's out of the game he's accepting the end of a long and successful career in Washington. There Will Be Two More Surges The last week has been all about Dr. Ben Carson and how he's the new insurgent presidential candidate who may give Trump a run for his money. This is, at best, a temporary surge, one that won't survive attacks from other candidates or real scrutiny, but more importantly it won't be the last. The Republican debates after Labor Day have the potential to give the public a new superstar every month or so. Doing well in an upcoming debate, or performing above expectations is likely to boost someone into double digits or the nebulous realm of 'contender' only for them to flutter down to the median by the time we get to Iowa. Best candidates for yo-yo-ing in and out of relevance in the post Labor Day season? Carly Fiorina is likely to get a boost in the September 16 th CNN debate when she faces off against the full Republican slate. John Kasich will likely follow up on his strong first debate performance and wake up one morning to find himself jumping ahead of the pact in Iowa or New Hampshire. But in the end, Iowa voters are flirts. They'll play footsie with new comers to the campaign, but in the end they tend to gravitate towards candidates who've been campaigning for years when the caucuses actually start. Hillary Clinton Will Stabilize Hillary has more or less hit rock bottom, so there's no place else for her to go but up, or possibly out of the presidential race. Since you couldn't pry her (or her husband, the former president, Bill Clinton) out of this race without a crowbar and 4 gallons of WD40 it's much more likely that her decent into 'trouble' will stabilize in the coming months. This doesn't mean that Bernie Sanders will suddenly overtake Hillary in Iowa, let alone someone like Jim Webb or Martin O'Malley, because that is unlikely as well. What this means is that given her longstanding popularity amongst Democratic voters, and the fact that the majority of Democratic voters don't really care about the "email scandal" it's unlikely that her overall polling numbers will ever dip below 35 percent or so in Iowa. She may hover along in the mid to low 30s for the next couple of months but she's not going to drop any further because her reputation is too strong with the Democratic faithful. And as a bonus prediction, take a look at the 'undecided' numbers for Iowa. They're still hovering around 10 percent -- which is a bad sign for Sanders and other Hillary challengers. Undecided voters tend to break late at about 3-to-1 for the incumbent or the front-runner, which means it's very possible that even if Hillary is hovering around 35 percent for months that she could blow her competition out of the water by the time the rest of the voters decide.


Four USWNT players are on the shortlist for the FIFA best women's player award. Midfielders Julie Ertz and Rose Lavelle along with forwards Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe made the list based on their performances throughout the past year. After leading the USA to a record fourth World Cup crown in July, co-captain Rapinoe is seen as a favorite by many. She won the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball and scored the opener in the final to earn her FIFA player of the match honors in Lyon. Video by USA Today Sports Morgan took home the Silver Boot after scoring scored six goals and three assists in France. 🚨 Here they are! 🚨 #TheBest Women's Player nominees: 🏴 @LucyBronze 🇺🇸 @julieertz 🇳🇴 @CarolineGrahamH 🇳🇴 @AdaStolsmo 🇫🇷 @amandinehenry6 🇦🇺 @samkerr1 🇺🇸 @roselavelle 🇳🇱 @VivianneMiedema 🇺🇸 @alexmorgan13 🇺🇸 @mPinoe 🇫🇷 @WRenard 🏴 @ellsbells89 Voting NOW OPEN 👇 https://t.co/t8x1884tdq   FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 31, 2019 Head coach Jill Ellis has also been nominated for the best women's coach award. Ellis and the USWNT announced on Tuesday that she will step down from her position in October after leading the team to two World Cup victories. Ellis is expected to coach five more games with the USWNT as they complete their victory tour . The winners will be revealed on Sept. 23 following a public vote.


Two people are dead after a wrong-way crash Thursday morning on State Road 429 near Winter Garden, troopers said. The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash happened around 10 a.m. when a white Range Rover traveling southbound crossed the median and slammed into a truck that was traveling in the northbound lanes. The truck rolled onto its side and the driver was taken to Advent Health for treatment but did not survive. The driver of the Range Rover was pronounced dead on scene. Two other vehicles, a Toyota Camry and a Chevy Cruz were also involved. The drivers of those vehicles were not hurt. READ MORE: 2 dead following wrong-way crash on State Road 429 CHECK OUT WESH: Stay in the know with the latest Orlando news, weather and sports. Get the top stories and all the scores from the team at WESH.


The Mercedes Formula 1 team admits it has a tyre warm-up "concern" for Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, despite its imperious form in the two Thursday practice sessions. The German team arrived in the Principality as a strong favourite following its five successive one-two finishes and its pace advantage in low-speed corners in Spain. It delivered on that form in Thursday practice, with Lewis Hamilton topping both sessions and leading a Mercedes 1-2 in FP2, as the W10 cars outpaced the best of the opposition by around seven tenths. However, chief race engineer Andrew Shovlin said after Thursday's running that the W10 was taking too long to get the tyres in an optimal state for a flying lap, which could pose problems on Saturday given the traditionally hectic and traffic-heavy nature of qualifying at the short street circuit. "We still seemed to have problems getting lap one out of the soft, despite the hotter track temperatures in the afternoon," Shovlin said. "Our number one concern is getting the soft tyre to work on the first lap; our headline times were good today but it took us a lot of laps to get there and qualifying is so important at this track. "We've got Esteban [Ocon, reserve driver] in the simulator this evening and tomorrow so hopefully he can help with some of that learning." Shovlin acknowledged the practice sessions had been "fairly smooth" for Mercedes otherwise, although stressed that traffic meant the team couldn't gather as much data as it would've liked. "The first session was good, we were trying to run in the quiet parts of the session and were able to give the drivers a lot of time in clear air. "The car was quite well-balanced once we got the tyres up to temperature. We started the second session on the medium tyre, expecting it to be a bit of a handful but actually it was working quite nicely. "On the long runs we were suffering with an incredible amount of traffic and the drivers struggled to put two clear laps together. That has meant we've not got quite the level of information we'd like going into the race." Nearest rival Sebastian Vettel, who was third fastest for Ferrari, had tyre concerns of his own and described his day as "not that productive". "Obviously lacking a bit of pace compared to Mercedes, struggling a bit to get the tyres to really work, so a bit of work ahead of us," he explained. "Not yet at the full level of confidence, [it's been] tricky to get the tyres in the right window, we struggled a bit more than other people." Teammate Charles Leclerc said he too was struggling to get the Pirelli rubber switched on, which caused his muted 10th-place showing in FP2 after a strong opening session. "We are working to close the gap [to Mercedes], so we don't know yet what we need to do," he said. "We expected them to be strong here because they were very strong in the low-speed corners in Barcelona, but yeah, we need to focus on ourselves, try to put these tyres in the right window, which we don't do at the moment, and we'll see." Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF90 Photo by: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images


Lyon Feminin produced an emphatic display to overcome Barcelona Femeni with a comfortable 4-1 victory in the Women's Champions League final on Saturday. The French side retained their European crown for the fourth successive season, and now hold a record of six Champions League wins.  LYON 2019 #UWCL WINNERS!  6⃣th #UWCL title 4⃣th #UWCL title in a row #UWCLfinal   #UWCL (@UWCL) May 18, 2019 Barcelona were bidding to become the first club to win both the men's and the women's version of the competition, but ultimately came up short to a dominant display from the reigning champions at the Groupama Arena. Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg stole the show, as the 23-year-old scored a decisive hat-trick to steer Reynald Pedros' side on course to a storming triumph, adding to Dzsenifer Marozsan's early strike to complete an impressive four-goal haul for the French outfit. Games played: 198 Games lost: 2 Goal difference: +957 Quite a few people in women's football call Lyon Féminin the Globetrotters. They are, I think, the most dominant sports team on the planet. https://t.co/lI0CWsVZhE   Rory Smith (@RorySmith) May 18, 2019 Felt genuinely so crap for @toniduggan 😢 But how classy to take time to say how proud she was of @Lucybronze and how excited she is for the World Cup with the @Lionesses . Got everything crossed for you this summer Toni #UWCL #FCBFemení @nikefootball pic.twitter.com/pFKZiYqXL9   Ben Haines (@benhainess) May 18, 2019 Substitute Asisat Oshoala struck a late consolation goal for Barcelona, but Fran Sanchez's side struggled to compete with the quality of the champions in Budapest. The win capped another remarkable campaign for Lyon in which they have achieved a stunning treble, adding the Champions League title to their Division 1 Feminine and Coupe de France Feminine successes this season.  2015/16  2016/17  2017/18  2018/19 Lyon have won the Women's Champions League again! The greatest women's team on the planet  pic.twitter.com/p24UayMYY3   Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 18, 2019 Lyon are the record holders for titles in all three of the three major competitions, and Saturday's stunning victory to seal European glory once more has further established the French side as the premium force of the women's game on the continent.


New details have merged about SpaceX's ambitious plans to launch a huge constellation of micro-satellites designed to provide internet service here on Earth. CEO Elon Musk first announced the effort last fall, amid a boon in attention to satellite internet from major Silicon Valley companies despite a broad history of busts in the business from tech and communications moguls of all stripes. Now, Google and Facebook are out of the internet space race, but entrepreneur Greg Wyler's OneWeb is still pushing ahead, as is Musk's SpaceX. In a filing (pdf) with the Federal Communications Commission requesting an experimental license, SpaceX described a plan to launch six to eight satellites next year to begin testing for "a large constellation of small satellites for low-latency, worldwide, high-capacity Internet service in the near future." The company wants to start with two identical microsats, launched on its flagship Falcon 9 rocket. The satellites will communicate on high-frequency Ku-satellite spectrum to reach three ground stations on the west coast of the US SpaceX operations in Los Angeles and Redmond, Washington, and at Tesla Motors (Musk's other company) in Fremont, California in order to test the broadband antennas built into the satellites. The satellites will orbit at an altitude of 650 kilometers, about 150 km closer to Earth than most other communications satellites , which is one way that SpaceX hopes to reduce the lag between data transmission and reception. The company forecasts spending about 10 minutes of every day conducting test link-ups with the satellites, which can transmit both video and telemetry data. The primary reason for the filing with the FCC is to assure the government that these tests will not interfere with other communications broadcasts. Such licenses are typically approved or denied within six weeks. Should the tests planned for next year get approved and then succeed, the company would still face several challenges when it comes to deploying a fully functioning satellite internet network. It would need to secure usage rights to the appropriate satellite spectrum, for starters, as well as build, launch, and operate what could be the largest satellite constellation ever. But Musk has high hopes, reportedly telling a group of potential employees at an informal presentation that he wants the network to handle as much as 10% of internet traffic in densely populated areas. And, as always with Musk , there is a Mars angle: There would, after all, need to be more communications infrastructure in space to support a future colony on the red planet. The FCC and SpaceX declined to comment for this story.


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. After weeks of damaging gaffes, Joe Biden delivered a lackluster performance and stumbled during his first debate with the other Democratic candidates. In the most powerful moment of the debate on Thursday, Sen. Kamala Harris challenged his record on race, using her own biography to reveal the high cost of his opposition to school busing. Biden uttered a muddled response that sounded like a defense of state's rights and localism and eventually finished by abruptly saying, "My time's up, I'm sorry." Although one debate does not make or break a campaign, Biden's terrible performance was enough to raise concerns among Democrats about what his campaign is all about and whether he is really the most electable candidate on the bunch. Coming out of the Miami massacre, three big questions loom large about Biden. What does he stand for? Biden promises to run a campaign that can appeal to the center and be the politician most likely to compromise with opponents. But none of that says very much. As Walter Mondale famously asked Gary Hart in the 1984 Democratic primary debate, "Where's the beef?" Today, it seems appropriate to ask Biden whether his vision for the country has any substance, in addition to looking back and questioning whether he's been on the right side of history. The more reporters look into his long political history, the more questions arise. The New York Times has documented Biden's vigorous opposition to the school busing programs that were at the heart of civil rights in the 1970s. His legislative alliance with racist Sens. James Eastland and Strom Thurmond amplified his willingness to defy liberal ideas . Additional concerns about his mixed record on abortion, along with his support for tough on crime policies, cast Biden as a Democrat fundamentally out of step with many key issues for the party. Biden has pointed to other parts of his record, such as his role in protecting the Voting Rights Act or helping to pass the Affordable Care Act to highlight his advocacy of the liberal tradition. So which is it? Is Biden really just a likeable Democrat prone to gaffes with some blemishes in an otherwise stalwart career or is he a politician whose policy choices have been far too accommodating to conservative politics? Is he "most electable"? The "most electable" mantra has been Biden's biggest talking point. But is it really true? Much of the argument is based on polls, which show his front-runner status and high standing in key states. The numbers, which have been largely consistent ahead of the debates, are compelling. But the debate proved the skeptics right. Biden ran two failed campaigns -- in 1988 and 2008. He is prone to making damaging gaffes and has failed to attract the kind of passionate support his opponents have garnered. Biden is great at speaking to the room and saying what people want to hear, but delivering long, thoughtful and consistent messages that can frame a campaign is not necessarily his strong suit. In the months since he first launched his campaign, Biden has already undercut his opening argument about the values at stake in the election. His initial attack on the President's response to the deadly violence in Charlottesville has since been overshadowed by discussions of working with the James Eastlands of the world. Imagine Biden showing up to a debate against President Trump with the kind of performance on show on Thursday night. For Democrats, it would be a total disaster. His opponents have raised legitimate concerns and his supporters are rightly shaken about whether he has what it takes to win this election. Can Biden perform in a disciplined fashion? Can he rally voters and mobilize support? Can he really withstand the back and forth required to bring down the President in a debate? In the pivotal moments yet to come, will Biden step up and deliver? Is Biden the right Democrat for 2020? One of the big questions that looms over the Biden campaign is whether he is really the right Democrat for 2020. The stakes are high, and the Trump presidency has exposed fundamental divisions in American society over core issues like women's rights and immigration. Democrats need to consider which candidate best embodies the values the party wants to champion going forward. At a moment when Democrats want to distinguish themselves from the party that produced Trump, they need to think hard about a candidate whose views and identity were forged in the era of Ronald Reagan, despite eventually becoming the Vice President for Obama. The Democrat who is most electable will need to define what post-Obama Democratic politics will be about. During the debates, Harris, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Mayor Pete Buttigieg showed that they are thinking about the future of the party, not its past. In Trumpian fashion, Biden seems most centered on praising himself. He has considerable work ahead if he wants to fill out his vision of what Democratic politics will look like in years to come. There are many good reasons why Biden supporters like their candidate. But the debate should open some eyes and spark some serious introspection within the party as the campaign gets underway.


An Indian village in a western coastal state has imposed a ban on couples kissing in public, claiming the sight of such "obscene" behaviour is unwanted by local residents. The village parliament of Salvador-de-Mundo, eight miles north of Goa's capital Panaji, unanimously passed a resolution this week warning holidaymakers against engaging in public displays of affection. "We have adopted this resolution following complaints from villagers about couples kissing in public. This was the only way to put an end to it," deputy village chief Reena Fernandes told AFP on Thursday. She said they had complained to local authorities but a lack of response had forced the council to take matters into its own hands and pass a resolution which also "banned public drinking and playing loud music." However, she declined to comment on whether punitive action will be taken against potential violators of the bylaws. "We have serene beaches which attract tourists in a big way. Several times we saw couples acting indecently which irked us," villager Savio Rebeiro told AFP. The fishing hub on the Arabian sea coastline has now displayed banners in public places to spread awareness of the prohibitions. Goa's long sandy beaches have long been a haven for millions of tourists drawn mostly from the West, but a string of controversial statements by local politicians has dented its tourist-friendly image. The state is ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which this week barred its female employees from wearing jeans and sleeveless tops in the office. Last year a top Goa minister demanded a ban on wearing bikinis on beaches, drawing criticism from the public and tourism industry.