SAN FRANCISCO   The player who eventually replaced Pablo Sandoval as the San Francisco Giants' third baseman carries around a dog-eared self-help book, leaves himself reminders to eat   lest he wither away   and has been tagged with a nickname that hardly fits his physique. If the Giants had requested the exact opposite of their once-beloved Panda from central casting, they would have been sent Matt Duffy. The 6-foot-2 rookie, who may push the scales up to 175 pounds after a big meal, has dispelled any yearning for the rotund Sandoval with such consistent and unexpected production, the Giants didn't bother seeking an upgrade at the trade deadline. "We look at him as our third baseman now and for the foreseeable future,'' general manager Bobby Evans said. Those plans may eventually change, considering Duffy began the season as a utilityman and doesn't exactly fit the profile of the prototypical third baseman. His Duffman nickname   based on the Simpsons muscular character   was clearly inspired more by his surname than his slender build. But the Giants may be hard-pressed to find equal production, let alone similar value. Duffy, 24, heading into Tuesday has the second highest batting average (.301) and the seventh-highest on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.797) among National League rookies. So did highly touted rookies Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs, power hitters who have attracted national attention. And yet, Bryant trails Duffy in OPS, slugging percentage and wins above replacement (WAR) and Pederson trail in SLG and WAR. "They're great baseball players, exciting baseball players,'' Duffy said of his rookie of the year competitors. "To even be lumped into a conversation or even a footnote with them is exciting.'' Duffy is perfectly aware he wasn't supposed to be here, not in the role of starting third baseman and No. 3 hitter for the defending World Series champions. The Giants had traded for Casey McGehee to replace Sandoval, who signed a five-year, $95 million contract with the Boston Red Sox in the offseason, eschewing a similar offer from San Francisco. Duffy earned a spot on the team as an infield backup only after batting .361 in his first major league training camp. "He was our most productive offensive player in spring training,'' Evans said. "He never let up.'' That was the continuation of a remarkable transformation for a player who batted .254 with zero home runs in three college seasons at Long Beach State, and who was drafted in the 18th round in 2012 to provide the farm system defensive depth in the middle infield. The offensive makeover actually began between Duffy's sophomore and junior seasons, when he came under the tutelage of coach Benny Craig in the wooden-bat Cape Cod league. Craig suggested Duffy stand farther away from the plate to avoid getting jammed and that he incorporate a leg kick to improve his load, showing him video of the impact such a change had on Jose Bautista's career. After a week and a half of feeling out his new swing, "It clicked one day and it was like, 'Wow, that's how it's supposed to be,''' Duffy said. "I'd face a guy throwing like mid-90s and the ball looked like it was mid-80s.'' Duffy went from filler to All-Star in the league, finishing third in batting average at .348. Craig said Duffy's outstanding hand-eye coordination and his analytical mind allowed for the modifications to set in quickly. "Matt's just a grinder,'' Craig said. "It's funny he went to Long Beach because they're the Dirtbags. He's a baseball dirtbag.'' A digestive ailment just before his junior season forced Duffy to drop 10-12 pounds he could ill afford to lose, down to the low 160s, and he wound up batting just .244 that season. The Giants still liked his defensive skills and competitive at-bats enough to draft him, and at Craig's urging Duffy picked up Harvey Dorman's "The Mental Keys to Hitting'' before his first pro spring training. The book has become Duffy's hitting bible   he has read it about 10 times   and he still turns to it for reinforcement when he falls in a slump. "I think that book is 12 chapters or so of saying the same thing over and over,'' said Craig, "trying to brainwash you: You can only control so much. Come game time, trust your swing, let your eyes take over, let them be your No. 1 tool.'' With that approach, Duffy batted .303 with an .832 OPS his first full pro season in 2013, then really caught the Giants' attention by winning the Class AA Eastern League batting title with a .332 average last season. He was called up in August and included in all the postseason rosters. Hoping to improve his strength, Duffy went through great efforts to gain weight in the offseason, setting an alarm so he would remember to eat something every hour, even if it was just a banana, a protein shake or an energy bar. "If I ever felt hunger, I'd waited too long,'' said Duffy, who did gain about 10 pounds to 180 but is now down to 170-175. "It was kind of a chore being full all the time. It definitely made eating not as pleasurable, but I understood what it was for and I knew I was going to be better because of it.'' When McGehee faltered so badly he was demoted to Class AAA in late May, Duffy took over at third   a position he played in only three games in the minors   and never let go. He has grown into the position while demonstrating remarkable offensive consistency, batting .313 in May, .313 in June and .319 in July. McGehee, making $4.8 million   or $4.3 million more than Duffy   was released July 8. Two weeks before that, manager Bruce Bochy moved Duffy to the third spot in the lineup ahead of Buster Posey, and has kept him there since. Duffy is hitting .312 with an .811 OPS in the 3-hole. "He just kept coming up with big hit after big hit,'' shortstop Brandon Crawford said. "He was hitting .300 when Casey was really struggling, so everybody could kind of see there was probably going to be a change. He has hit in the middle of the order for us consistently.'' There is some concern that Duffy may wear down in the season's final two months, especially with the Giants facing a stretch of games in hot-weather cities. He acknowledges the need to hydrate and eat frequently to keep his fast metabolism fueled. But Bochy said he's not among those stunned by Duffy's production, which includes nine homers, 48 RBI and a robust .457 slugging percentage. Bochy points to Duffy's athleticism, his opposite-field approach and ability to turn on inside pitches as evidence he's legit. "I thought this last year: This kid's going to hit for more power. I really thought that, watching his swing, his great balance,'' Bochy said. "He rotates on the ball well. He's a rotation hitter, and he has some strength. I thought he would start hitting, not many more home runs but doubles, and he's got a few home runs too. I'm not surprised.''


A man from Alabama in the Bronx to visit relatives died early Saturday after a street brawl broke out in front of him   and police want to know why. Cops responding to reports of a fight found Troy Scott, 40, sprawled out unconscious on E. 169th St. and Prospect Ave. in Foxhurst just before 1 a.m. Everyone involved in the fight had run off, officials said. Scott died at Lincoln Hospital. Sources said he had a deep cut on the back of his head. Detectives are investigating the possibility that Scott was swept up in the fight and knocked to the ground and suffered a fatal head injury, police sources said. An autopsy has been slated to determine how he died. It doesn't appear that Scott instigated the fight or was heavily involved in the brawl, they said. Scott had traveled 975 miles from Birmingham to the Bronx to visit his relatives, friends told police.


Tiger Woods may have slumped outside the world's top 100 golfers but he remains king of the sport's marketing values even though Rory McIlroy is on course to take that title too, a business study suggests. The 39-year-old Woods, who will attempt to save his nightmare year at The Masters this week, still has an 81% global awareness, according to the Repucom sports marketing data group. World number one McIlroy from Northern Ireland has 33%. But The Masters and other majors this year could prove decisive in how long Woods, now ranked 111th in the world, remains in the eye of sponsors and sports equipment makers.


The second Isle of Man TT Supersport race has been postponed until Thursday due to rain, while the Senior finale has been brought forward to 10:30am on Friday. Wednesday's schedule was due to have three races, with the second SSP contest headlining the bill alongside the Lightweight and Zero TT races. However, rain in the morning led to a two-hour delay in proceedings, with the Zero race moved back to Thursday with the Superstock race. A further 90 minutes was added to the delay, with organisers taking the decision at 3:00pm to not run the second SSP instalment of the week. Roads around the course will open until 6:00pm, with a shortened three-lap LTW race due to get underway at 6:30pm. As a result of the schedule change, the second SSP race will run on Thursday along with the STK and Zero events. From the editor, also read: Isle of Man TT: Johnston scores maiden victory in Supersports Daley Mathison killed in Isle of Man TT Superbike crash Isle of Man TT: Tuesday's Superstock race postponed Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson also confirmed a revised Friday schedule, with the second Sidecar race being brought forward to Thursday. Due to forecasted inclement weather on Friday, the six-lap Senior TT finale will get underway at 10:30am and will be the only race of the final day. A qualifying session for the SBK/STK classes is due to run on Wednesday evening, as well as an outing for the Sidecars. Tonight's three-lap LTW race will feature a compulsory pit stop at the end of the first lap as a safety precaution to stop the field getting out of position during this phase. Thursday's action will begin at 12:15pm with the postponed four-lap STK race, with the second three-lap Sidecar event following. At 4:00pm, the Zero TT will get underway, with the second SSP race and a SBK practice completing the day at 6:30pm and 8:10pm. Ashcourt Racing's Lee Johnston secured his maiden TT win in Monday's shortened SSP race, which was completed after two laps due to rain fall on the west of the circuit.


We've focused a lot this year on how many kids get out of vaccinations with exemptions , and how those pockets of unimmunized children propel ongoing measles outbreaks . We've focused less on a larger group of people: those without an exemption who still aren't vaccinated. We don't keep great track of these folks, but 28 states maintain counts of how many kindergarteners enter school undervaccinated, and how many of those have exemptions their parents applied for based on religious or philosophical objections. Of those states, 26 have MMR vaccine coverage under the herd immunity threshold of 95 percent (meaning that not enough people are vaccinated to reliably keep measles from spreading). But if every kid without an exemption got vaccinated, the CDC estimates that 20 of those states could get over the threshold. In 11 of those 28 states, there were fewer unvaccinated kindergarteners with exemptions than unvaccinated kindergartners without . There are any number of reasons why these kids might be un- or undervaccinated. Their parents might not be against vaccines at all, but instead may not have the insurance to easily afford a shot for their kids, or perhaps have no time to bring their child to a pediatrician. That's why schools have generally granted provisions to give parents more time to get their kids to see a doctor. But the Associated Press reports that officials say there's no system to actually follow up to make sure those kids got vaccines in a timely fashion. And even if there were, schools may not feel comfortable barring a child from attending until they're vaccinated. It's only in dire circumstances, in districts with large, active outbreaks, that officials step in to prevent kids from attending in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading. It's much less justifiable to keep a child out of class if they're unvaccinated due to lack of access, especially when a virus like measles isn't active in the area. Data from the 2017-18 school year Some states have virtually no kids enrolled with these provisions. In Connecticut, for instance, 2.3 percent of kindergarteners have some form of exemption (most of them not related to medical issues), but no kids who are unvaccinated without an exemption. Arkansas is near the top of the list with 8.5 percent of kids enrolled without vaccination or exemption, substantially more than the 1.7 percent of students with an exemption. Across the U.S., the CDC estimates the median number of exemptions still exceeds the median number of provisional enrollments: 2.2 percent to 1.8 percent. The 2018 report also highlights some important, positive changes. Pennsylvania has shortened its provisional enrollment period from 240 days to just five, and requires a certificate from a doctor's office indicating when the child will get their missing vaccines. Kentucky enabled school nurses to access vaccination histories, allowing them to confirm whether a child is up to date. Virginia upped the number of local health departments holding back-to-school immunization clinics. All of that is sure to help, but we'll need a longer, more sustained effort if the entire country is going to increase vaccination rates. We can't only focus on those people who seek exemptions we have to help those who can't get health care in the first place. Related Video: Yes, You Can Vaccinate Your 6-Month-Old Baby Amid Measles Outbreak (Provided by WUSA-TV Washington, D.C.)


Kyrie Irving's decision to part ways with his longtime agent to reportedly join forces with Roc Nation threw some for a loop . The timing was interesting with free agency set to get going in less than three weeks. It also doesn't seem to be a a coincidence that Irving opted for Roc Nation, which was founded by former Nets minority owner Jay-Z. According to a report from Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald , it most definitely was not a coincidence that Irving latched on with the agency. "According to a source with ties to Roc Nation, the organization expected to become Irving's new representative, the All-Star point guard is prepared to sign with the Brooklyn Nets when he becomes a free agent next month," the report read . "A separate league source told the Herald that his team (not the Celtics) has received the same information and is operating under the belief that Irving wants to join the Nets." Teams still can't negotiate with pending free agents. Despite this, it has long been a foregone conclusion that Irving would leave Boston for Brooklyn . The writing has been on the proverbial wall for some time. However, this is the first time someone tied to Irving's new reps has gone on record to say as much. Things will still need to be hashed out before the start of free agency next month. But for now, it appears that Irving will be calling Brooklyn home next.


New color photos of the dwarf planet Pluto were released Wednesday afternoon by NASA's New Horizons mission. The photos reveal a series of dark spots about 300 miles in diameter, something scientists have not seen before. The mission found the two sides of the planet are distinct from each other; one face is smooth, while the other holds peculiar spots. The dark spots appear to be at the base of the planet in the photos, which is a result of Pluto's tilt; if the planet were aright, the spots would appear to be in the middle of the planet. 'It's a real puzzle   we don't know what the spots are, and we can't wait to find out,' said New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute, Boulder in a press release from the mission. The New Horizons team members were able to create color photographs, which show what Pluto would look like from the perspective of the spaceship, by combining black-and-white images of Pluto and Charon (one of Pluto's moons), from the spacecraft's Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), with lower-resolution color data from the Ralph instrument. The combination of the detail from the black and white photos, with the color enabled the scientists to present an accurate depiction of the two sides of the lonely planetoid. The New Horizons mission is the first of its kind to explore the icy bodies that are found mostly in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune. It is believed that these planets reflect what other worlds, including Earth, were like before the planets condensed. Scientists hope to sample the chemical clues locked in these frozen tundras to gain a glimpse of what Earth and other planets were like in their primitive years. Exploration of these types of planets was placed on NASA's list of most important missions for this decade, according to the New Horizons press site. "[A]t least in our lifetimes I don't believe we'll be able to look at exoplanets like we're going to look at Pluto," said Jim Green, who heads NASA's planetary-science division in Washington, to The Christian Science Monitor in April. The mission also discovered the presence of frozen methane on the planet, which was announced on Wednesday as well, confirming long held theories about the chemical composition of the planet. The race to the planet began in part because of fears that Pluto's atmosphere would freeze to the surface before it could be explored. However, 'Pluto's atmosphere is alive and well, and has not frozen out on the surface,' said New Horizons deputy project scientist Leslie Young, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder. The $700 million mission was launched in 2006, with the goal of returning the first-ever up-close looks at Pluto and its moons. The first color photos of the mission were released in mid-April and came from a distance of 71 million miles from the icy planet. The mission is currently 9.5 million miles away from Pluto and is set to reach the planet for a fly-by on July 14. This article was written by Shontee Pant from Christian Science Monitor and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.


If you own a small business, you are faced with countless decisions every day. One that comes up regularly is how to pay for business purchases. When it comes to buying items for yourself, putting the purchase on a business credit card is a big no. It makes taxes more complicated When tax season rolls around every year, it is important to have updated financial records from your business. This helps you complete the legally required tax return for your business, whether it is a Schedule C on your personal tax return or gets a business tax return of its own. While you have to report every dollar your business brings in, you can also deduct nearly every dollar you spend on your business. Putting business purchases on a business credit card makes tracking these expenses much easier. But if you clutter up your account statement with personal purchases, tallying up deductions is a lot more work. It can pierce the corporate veil Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs), S-Corporations, and C-Corporations are popular ways to structure a business to protect yourself from personal liability in the event of a business lawsuit. Your business won't protect you if you don't follow certain rules, however, and one of those rules is keeping business and personal finances separate. If an occasional purchase is made between the two, it isn't a huge deal as long as you track it, keep your receipts, and make the correct reimbursements as necessary. When those lines get blurred, you may lose your corporate legal protection. It makes it hard to understand your profits While the two reasons above are each enough of a reason to keep your finances separate, this final reason may be the most important of all: As a business owner, you need good information on your business finances to make good business decisions. Large companies have full-time financial planning and analysis professionals with accounting and finance degrees. I used to work in this field, and I was charged with things like keeping accounting records accurate and updated. I spent hours looking for business trends to cut expenses or improve revenue. I focused completely on finances and financial results. Small business owners don't have FP&A teams, however. You have to do all of that yourself. Thankfully, accounting apps like Quickbooks , Xero , and Wave Accounting include reports that give you much of this information with just a few clicks. But it only works when you have accurate financial records in your accounting app. If you keep your personal finances out of your business, you can link your business bank and credit card accounts to automatically import transactions. Then it just takes a little work by you or a bookkeeper to categorize them and you have all of the reporting you need. How to keep your personal and business finances completely separate Keeping your personal and business finances separated is easy. It does take a little work at the start to get things set up correctly, but once they are it is simple to keep a hard line between personal and business accounts. Business credit cards offer their own rewards programs, and you can use them in conjunction with your personal cards. I use the Ink Business Cash Credit Card from Chase myself, which is great because I can combine rewards with my personal Chase Ultimate Rewards account. With the Ink Business Cash , you earn a bonus of $500 cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases within three months of opening the card, and 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary year in combined purchases at office supply stores, as well as internet, cable and phone services. Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is another great choice. The Ink Business Preferred has a $95 annual fee, but you earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months after opening the card, which is worth $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. With Ink Business Preferred , you also earn three points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year and 1x points per $1 on all other purchases, with no limit to the amount you can earn. The Ink Business Preferred also provides cards for your employees at no extra cost, and has no foreign transaction fees. If you are a fan of premium travel, check out The Business Platinum Card from American Express . The Business Platinum Card has a $595 annual fee, but you can earn up to 75,000 Membership Rewards points - 50,000 once you spend $10,000 in the first three months of membership, plus an extra 25,000 points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases in the same time period. In addition to 5x the points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, you can get an airline bonus, statement credits from Dell , and (if you register before 12/31/2019) a year of Platinum Global Access from WeWork that provides access to more than 300 workspaces in more than 75 cities. While it may seem easier to dump business receipts in a shoe box and let your accountant deal with them every spring, updating your financial records at least monthly gives you the freshest information to run your business. It helps protect your corporate veil and makes tax time a breeze. There are many reasons to keep your business finances walled off from your personal money - but the only reason to mix your money is being too lazy to set things up properly. Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network if you apply for a credit card, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.


Two people were able to walk away from an airplane that made a crash landing along a busy street in Buena Park on Thursday afternoon, officials said. The mishap was first reported about 5:15 p.m. at Commonwealth Avenue and Indiana Street, Fullerton Police Department officials said. The plane has just taken off from nearby Fullerton Municipal Airport, Orange County Fire Authority officials said. A small airplane made an emergency landing on Fullerton streets on June 20, 2019. (Credit: KTLA) Aerial footage from Sky5 showed the Cessna 172 sitting upright on its landing gears near the center divider of Commonwealth Avenue with its right wingtip bent. There were no signs of a fire. A pilot and passenger aboard the aircraft were able to get themselves out of the plane. They could be seen waiting at the scene and speaking with law enforcement officers. No injuries were reported on the plane or on the ground, OCFA officials said. A fuel leak was quickly stopped before the airplane was loaded onto a tow truck and hauled back to Fullerton Municipal Airport. The single-engine airplane was registered to a Fullerton man and had a valid flight status through February 2021, Federal Aviation Administration records show. No further details were available. KTLA's Nidia Becerra and Alexandria Hernandez contributed to this report. Hard Landing in Buena Park with 2 people on board, not inured and fuel leak stopped. NTSB cleared the plane to be removed from Commonwealth street in Buena Park. Plane placed on tow truck and returned to Fullerton Airport https://t.co/fcVB3uGtJN pic.twitter.com/kKiEp1C4dY   OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) June 21, 2019     ©2019 KTLA-TV, Los Angeles Visit KTLA-TV, Los Angeles at www.ktla.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Fall brings colorful leaves and mild temperatures that make exploring the outdoors all the more ideal, with America hosting a range of cities and stops to enjoy autumn festivities and take in scenic foliage views. To help travelers plan their fall getaways , Priceline has pulled together the top 20 most affordable U.S. locations to visit this autumn, with results based on stops that provide the lowest round-trip trip ticket prices and nightly hotel rates at properties with three or more stars. The company looked at historical travel data for travel in September and October of 2017 and 2018 to determine the results, with the top 20 most affordable locations highlighted below. 20. Amarillo, Texas In Amarillo, visitors can take part in fall activities that range from catching mesmerizing foliage views to farmhouse visits and jazz performances that take place in the area throughout October. Average round-trip ticket: $453 Average nightly hotel rate: $95 19. Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls offers a range of locations for viewing prime fall foliage, including at Falls Park where visitors will find trails, viewing platforms, and an observation tower offering 360-degree views of the park and the skyline. Average round-trip ticket: $432 Average nightly hotel rate: $93 18. Fargo, North Dakota Explore farmers markets and pumpkin patches, see leaves change color, or stop into one of the many Oktoberfest and craft fairs taking place throughout the fall in Fargo to enjoy family-friendly activities. Average round-trip ticket: $447 Average nightly hotel rate: $92 17. Roanoke, Virginia The Roanoke Valley and Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains become carpeted in a kaleidoscope of leaves in the fall, with the Blue Ridge Parkway providing immaculate views of the scenery throughout. Corn mazes, hay rides, and fairs and festivals abound in the fall. Average round-trip ticket: $447 Average nightly hotel rate: $90 16. Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix comes alive with festivals in the fall, ranging from beer celebrations and donut festivals to pizza parties, while a range of scenic drives provide views of red rocks, soaring mountains, and colorful foliage to admire. The city is also in close proximity to national parks like Grand Canyon National Park and Canyonlands National Park . Average round-trip ticket: $347 Average nightly hotel rate: $99 15. Newport News, Virginia Mild temperatures in the fall in combination with the foliage that arrives makes the season a prime time to visit Newport News to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking, fishing, boating, and golfing in one of the area's more than 30 parks. Special events like the Newport News Fall Festival allow visitors to learn crafts ranging from woodworking to quilting in a festive atmosphere. Average round-trip ticket: $394 Average nightly hotel rate: $95 14. Little Rock, Arkansas Explore fairs dating back to the 1930s, scenic parks, prime museums, and romantic inns that even offer special packages for leaf peeping in the fall in Little Rock. Average round-trip ticket: $413 Average nightly hotel rate: $92 13. Killeen, Texas Killeen is home to more than 20 different parks and hiking and biking trails that make for lovely adventures in the fall, while golf courses like the Stonetree Golf Course sit surrounded by a variety of trees and small lakes dotted with fountains for a relaxing escape. Average round-trip ticket: $408 Average nightly hotel rate: $92 12. Billings, Montana Cooler days provide prime opportunities to gaze at animals like America's largest herd of wild horses and a range of bears that call the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area home. Billings is also home to Montana's only walkable brewery district, offering visitors a range of breweries, distilleries, and a cider house to explore alongside art galleries, museums, and more. Average round-trip ticket: $448 Average nightly hotel rate: $88 11. Grand Junction, Colorado The scenery around Grand Junction comes all the more alive in the fall as the leaves change color, with visitors able to spot them on bike rides through Colorado's Wine Country, on chair lift rides with views of golden aspen trees below, or on on the various trails that weave to the Grand Mesa. Average round-trip ticket: $464 Average nightly hotel rate: $85 10. Charleston, West Virginia West Virginia turns into a colorful spectacle in the fall, with options to admire it on everything from ATVs to rafts and on hikes. Various state parks provide prime opportunities to get up-close to the magnificent displays that arrive in mid-September and late October. Average round-trip ticket: $448 Average nightly hotel rate: $87 9. Fresno, California Fresno is a relaxing stop for nature lovers with its range of outdoor activities and its close proximity to several national parks, national forests, and wilderness areas. Visitors can explore country farm trails that showcase fresh produce, while a range of accommodations nestled in nature provide the perfect starting point for enjoying the destination's natural attractions. Average round-trip ticket: $407 Average nightly hotel rate: $89 8. Flint, Michigan: Michigan is bursting with colorful foliage in the fall, with its roads often providing some of the most mesmerizing views. Take the 150-mile-long loop from Bloomfield Hills to Flint and back down to the Brighton area in early to late October to find an array of colors to admire alongside cider mills, nature trails, and state parks. Average round-trip ticket: $389 Average nightly hotel rate: $91 7. Minot, North Dakota North Dakota is filed with main street celebrations, pumpkin patches, fairs, and Oktoberfest celebrations to discover. In Minot, visitors can pick their own fresh produce and taste freshly baked goods at gardens or spend their days surrounded by animals ranging from cattle to horses across over 500 privately-owned acres of native prairie with Black Butte Adventures . Average round-trip ticket: $497 Average nightly hotel rate: $79 6. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Pumpkinville arrives to Oklahoma City every October, with the Myriad Botanical Gardens transforming into a "pumpkin town" with thousands of pumpkins and hundreds of gourds that sit surrounded in foliage for visitors to admire. Haunted river cruises also bring fun twists to Halloween-themed experiences. Average round-trip ticket: $385 Average nightly hotel rate: $89 5. Wichita, Kansas A range of festivals arrive to Wichita in the fall, from the Tallgrass Film Festival to beer celebrations and chili cook-offs. Orchards offer ripe goodies for picking while pumpkin and corn mazes bring fun to all ages. The Kansas River also provides a magnificent backdrop to see the array of colorful leaves that hang from the trees, all from the comfort of a kayak. Average round-trip ticket: $386 Average nightly hotel rate: $88 4. Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette hosts a celebration for everything from boudin and gumbo to beer and sugarcane in the fall. Mild temperatures in the season make it all the more ideal to explore its many events, which also include free concert series and festivals like the Feast of the Hunters Moon   a historic reenactment of 18th century life in the area that includes traditional crafts and dishes ranging from Scottish meat pies to fry bread. Average round-trip ticket: $439 Average nightly hotel rate: $77 3. Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown is located in Lehigh Valley, meaning visitors can look forward to spectacular fall foliage scenery. Thanks to a rich automotive history, Allentown hosts a range of historic attractions like the America on Wheels Museum , where visitors can check out cars, bikes, motorcycles, gas-powered carriages and more from transportation's early days. Average round-trip ticket: $408 Average nightly hotel rate: $138 2. Tulsa, Oklahoma Oktoberfest is a popular occasion in Tulsa, where visitors can learn polka dancing, take part in beer keg races, and try everything from bratwurst to smoked turkey legs. Tulsa is also home to stops like the Gathering Place riverfront park, which offers play structures imported from Germany and events like free movie screenings in both the summer and the fall for families. Average round-trip ticket: $384 Average nightly hotel rate: $79 1. Canton, Ohio In addition to hosting the Pro Football Hall of Fame , Canton is also home to attractions and events like the Yankee Peddler Festival , where participants can step back 200 years in time to sample traditional dishes cooked over open fires before stepping into the array of rustic shops set up among streams and acres of nature. Average round-trip ticket: $344 Average nightly hotel rate: $77 Related video: These 5 Undersea Hotels Are So Cool You May Never Want To Come Back To Ground (Provided by GeoBeats)


Packers safety Josh Jones requested a trade this offseason, but no deal materialized and that's left Jones to fight for playing time in the Green Bay secondary. He fought a little bit too much for head coach Matt LaFleur's liking during Wednesday's practice. According to multiple reports from Packers practice, Jones hit running back Tra Carson after the whistle and a scuffle between the two players ensued. Jones did not return to the field for the rest of the session and LaFleur confirmed that he decided to sit Jones down. "I told him to get out at that particular moment ," LaFleur said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette . LaFleur said he doesn't want players tackling as Jones did and that he has a "zero tolerance policy" for fighting during the team's practice sessions.


An officer fatally shot a woman as he attempted to arrest her at an apartment complex in Baytown, police said. The altercation and shooting were recorded Monday night by a witness in a video that was widely circulated on Snapchat and Facebook . In the video, the woman can be heard shouting "I'm pregnant" before she was shot, but a family member tells KHOU 11 News that claim wasn't true. Baytown Police Lt. Steve Dorris also confirmed that she was not pregnant. The altercation and shooting happened in the 1600 block of Garth Road at about 10:40 p.m., according to Lt. Steve Dorris with the Baytown Police Department. A law enforcement source told KHOU 11 News the woman who was shot was Pamela Shantay Turner, 44. KHOU 11 has chosen to not show the entire unedited video as it is very graphic. It is also unclear who recorded it. Dorris said an officer was patrolling The Brixton Apartments when he saw the woman, who he had previous encounters with. The officer said he knew the woman had outstanding warrants, so he approached her to arrest her. Police said a struggle ensued, forcing the officer to use his Taser on the woman. As he was attempting to take her into custody, the suspect managed to get control of the Taser, and she allegedly used it on the officer. The officer then pulled his gun and shot the woman at least once. The witness video appears to show the woman on the ground when about five gunshots ring out. Police said the officer attempted to render aid to the woman, but she died at the scene. The officer's name has not been released, but Dorris said he is an 11-year-veteran of the force. "This is the first shooting the officer has been involved in," said Dorris. "We'll be out for some time tonight to reconstruct the events and get questions answered." The officer was not seriously hurt but suffered pain, police said. KHOU 11's Michelle Choi spoke with a woman who said she is the woman's niece. She claims Pamela Turner suffered from mental health issues and was not actually pregnant, despite screaming "I'm pregnant" before she was shot. RELATED: Verify: Rumors surrounding deadly shooting involving Baytown officer, woman The niece also told KHOU 11 her aunt had prior run-ins with Baytown police. Court records obtained by KHOU 11 show she was charged recently. Lt. Dorris believes the officer who shot her was wearing a body cam, but that video will not immediately be released as the investigation continues. Photos: Investigation into fatal officer-involved shooting When asked about the witness video going around Snapchat, Lt. Dorris said they'd like to speak with the witness who recorded it. "It's unfortunate that someone takes a tragic incident like this and starts posting it on social media," said Dorris. "It's extremely disrespectful for everybody involved. But that's the day and age we Live in with social media." "It's a tragic event for everybody involved," said Dorris. "Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased, as well as our officer." Dorris told KHOU 11 the apartment complex parking lot is part of the officer's regular patrol and it's "very common" for officers to go through complexes on their beat looking for crime overnight. The Harris County District Attorney's Office is assisting in the investigation, and as per standard protocol the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave. Baytown police said the officer's name will not be released for at least three days. ► Make it easy to keep up-to-date. Download the KHOU News app now . Have a news tip? Email us or message us on our Facebook page or Twitter feed .


LAS VEGAS   Jaxson Hayes skied toward the rafters, his interminable left leg functioning more like a pogo stick. As the Pelicans' rookie center soared higher and higher, his right knee collided with poor, 6'4" Mychal Mulder's throat. The Chicago Bulls' guard here at Summer League crashed to the hardwood. Hayes viciously tomahawked the unquestioned highlight of this year's July event. Hayes dapped multiple players sitting along the baseline. Both benches erupted. The Thomas & Mack center momentarily recaptured the electricity from Friday night's earth-rattling debut of Zion Willliamson. Only then the arena's public address announcer revealed Bulls Summer League head coach Nate Loenser was challenging the foul. "I was like, what are they challenging?" Hayes told SI.com. "He slid in late, it's definitely not a charge." The NBA first tested a coach's challenge during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League, and after being implemented in the G League the past two seasons, plus another trial run during this week's games, the Board of Governors voted on Tuesday to bring the program to the NBA on a one-year trial basis during the 2019-20 season. Each coaching staff will hold one challenge per game regardless of whether the rebuttal is successful with the option to trigger reviews for called personal fouls charged to their own team; a called out-of-bounds violation; or a called goaltending or basket interference violation. A team can use its challenge on a called personal foul at any point in the game. But in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter or the last two minutes of overtime, out-of-bounds and goaltending calls will not be challengeable. Those situations are only reviewable by the on-court referees. To issue a challenge, teams must immediately call a timeout and the head coach must sequentially twirl a finger toward the referees. In congruence with typical replay reviews, conclusive visual evidence is required to overturn a call on the floor. Milwaukee challenged a whistled foul late in the Bucks' Friday afternoon 107-106 loss to Philadelphia. Milwaukee's staff thought a critical scrum in the paint appeared to have led to a clean strip of the ball. Bucks assistant Josh Longstaff served as the Erie Bayhawks' head coach during 2017-18. Harboring a familiarity with the challenge, Longstaff advised Milwaukee's Summer League head coach Darvin Ham to twirl his finger and trigger the appeal. The Bucks' protest failed, however, costing Milwaukee an important timeout in an eventual single-point defeat. "You better be sure, because it will cost you," Ham said. "Later on in the game, it came down to where we definitely could have used a timeout." Sixers Summer League head coach Connor Johnson, who led the Delaware 87ers this past season, debated challenging a foul on a three-pointer late in the fourth. "That's a pretty big play: three points with a two and a half minutes left. Do we challenge that?" Johnson said. "I don't think anyone's really figured out the science of that yet and we will as we go." G League coaches have typically holstered challenges for critical fourth quarter whistles. Oklahoma City Summer League head coach David Bliss opted against challenging an out-of-bounds call in the Thunder's Monday afternoon bout with Johnson's Sixers. "I wanted to save the challenge in case I needed it late in the game," Bliss said. "It's always one of those kinda Catch-22s. It's like, I'm pretty confident that we could get that play, but how much does that change the game?" The ability to challenge fouls had been a controversial development amongst league personnel discussing the 2019-20 trial. Coaches and fans alike have long recognized whistles favor star players versus supplementary glue guys and rookies. Beaming a microscope on such an inconsistent judgement could ultimately prove suboptimal for the NBA, just as the league's last two minute reports have sparked mixed reviews on that level of transparency. And there are still many wrinkles to iron out within the challenge's guidelines as well. "In some situations, you have to draw up two different plays depending on the outcome," said Steve Gansey, Indiana's Summer League head coach who has piloted the Fort Wayne Mad Ants since 2015. "The ball could be out of bounds or in a different spot or even be ruled a jump ball. I wish they would give you 30 seconds after the outcome to draw something up when you know the exact situation." Gansey also suggested allowing coaches to challenge calls in the final two minutes. Objectively, it would make sense for a staff's one attempt to overrule an official to be accessible during a game's most-scrutinized moments. Another touch point: the immediacy of the challenge was not an element in this Summer League's test run, or at least it wasn't enforced. The Nets' staff believed a called blocking foul actually should have been deemed a charge, but polled their players before signaling for a challenge. Theo Pinson was adamant the defender's feet was set, and so Brooklyn's Summer League head coach Adam Harrington twirled his finger. "I told Theo that he'd owe me dinner if we lost it," Harrington said. Pinson did not have to relinquish any of his per diem. The NBA's general experimentation with video replay, just like the coach's challenge, is still in its infancy. A new "courtside administrator" will be stationed at each arena's scorer's table to expedite communication between the NBA Replay Center and the game's officials, for example. In this era of efficiency, the league is determined to accelerate the speed of its in-game reviews. How the coach's challenge impacts the overall stoppage time due to replay may be one of the deciding factors on the rule's future beyond 2020. For now, coaches' ability to call for a replay review… will remain under review itself. Related slideshow: 2019 NBA offseason moves (Provided by imagn)


Johnny Sauter's suspension is providing Myatt Snider an extra race in the Gander Outdoors NASCAR Truck Series. ThorSport Racing announced Thursday that Snider will drive Sauter's No. 13 Ford in Saturday night's race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Sauter was suspended one race by NASCAR for intentionally wrecking driver Austin Hill while the race was under caution last Sunday at Iowa Speedway. ThorSport elected not to appeal the penalty. Snider, 24, has run a partial schedule in Trucks with ThorSport this season and has also been competing fulltime in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series . Last season at Gateway, Snider started 14 th and finished fourth. "We had one of our best finishes of the year last season at Gateway, and I can't wait to see what we can do again this year with the No. 13 Tenda team and ThorSport Racing," Snider said. "I'm really thankful for Duke and Rhonda Thorson to give me the chance to step back into the truck and compete this weekend. "I'm pumped for the race, and to work with many of my guys from last year on the No. 13 Ford Performance team." Snider has made two Truck starts in 2019 recording a season-best finish of sixth at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Sauter remains eligible to compete for the Truck Series championship as long as he remains in the Top 20 of points (a virtual certainty). From the editor, also read: NASCAR suspends Truck Series veteran Johnny Sauter Johnny Sauter faces possible suspension for incident at Iowa


The train wreck that is the never-ending chaos surround Ezekiel Elliott now reportedly involves a $20 million lawsuit against the Dallas Cowboys because of a car accident in 2017. TMZ reports: The suit stems from a January 11, 2017 car crash - 4 days before the Cowboys played the Packers in an NFC Divisional Round game - when Zeke slammed a GMC Yukon into a BMW 750 driven by Ronnie Hill on his way to the Cowboys practice facility. Hill claims Zeke was obviously at fault because the running back was running late to practice and had "barreled through a red light" - causing more than $33,000 in damage to Hill's vehicle. Hill claims he suffered "serious and permanent" injuries in the wreck. In his suit, filed by attorney Larry Friedman, Hill claims Dallas Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown had raced to the scene of the accident and told Hill, "We will take care of everything." Frisco Police Dept. told TMZ: "Both parties to the crash were offered medical attention and both refused. Emergency medical services were not requested by either party. Neither party was treated or transported." Elliott, meanwhile, continues his holdout and reportedly is training in Mexico. MORE: Jayson Tatum and others defend LeBron James for celebrating at Bronny's AAU game Eagles' CB after barreling into Jeffrey Lurie: "I ain't never even seen the owner" Dee Ford, Dre Greenlaw leave 49ers practice early with injuries Will McClay: Taco Charlton not assured roster spot in 2019 Kenny Clark agrees: Montravius Adams is Packers most improved defender


Kendell Beckwith 's season ended before it could even start. On Friday, the Buccaneers placed the linebacker on the reserve/non-football injury list. Beckwith showed promise as a rookie in 2017 as he notched 73 tackles, one sack, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to build off of that in 2018 thanks to a car accident that mangled his ankle. His surgically-repaired ankle continues to keep him off of the field and it's not clear whether he'll be able to resume playing in the future. Beckwith has overcome adversity in the past   that standout rookie season game on the heels of an ACL tear that ended his final LSU campaign prematurely. Hopefully, he'll be able to battle through his ankle injury and get on the gridiron again.


A fire department near Guadalajara, Mexico is now using gear donated from Iowa fire departments. In May, KCCI first told told you about the major donation, organized by the Newton Fire Department. Their chief gathered equipment from departments in Marion, Waukee and Comanche. The gear was just delivered to the fire base down in Degollado, Jalisco. READ MORE: Department in Mexico ready to fight fires thanks to Iowa donations CHECK OUT KCCI: Get the latest Des Moines news and weather. The KCCI news team brings you the best in local coverage and all the top stories from across the state.


Lane Johnson was full of praise for his Eagles teammate and stud pass rusher, Josh Sweat over the weekend, even drawing the ire of some who thought he was only joking. Johnson wasn't joking and doubled-down on his statement about Sweat having a big 2019 season. While addressing the media on Tuesday, the Eagles top evaluator of talent compared Sweat to Jadeveon Clowney, providing further proof that Sweat is ready to take the next step as a pro. Come for Lane Johnson's serious endorsement of Josh Sweat, stay for the @BaldyNFL cameo. pic.twitter.com/rClVaJXTsJ - Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) July 30, 2019 The athletic and lean former Florida State star added 22 pounds to his frame this summer in hopes of being able to hold up at the point of attack. For Sweat, he's hopeful that he'll have "a big year" as Lane Johnson predicted. If Sweat can assume the role of 4th pass rusher on the defense, this 2019 unit could be dangerous. MORE: Jayson Tatum and others defend LeBron James for celebrating at Bronny's AAU game Eagles' CB after barreling into Jeffrey Lurie: "I ain't never even seen the owner" Will McClay: Taco Charlton not assured roster spot in 2019 Candlestick Chronicles: Early 49ers training camp takeaways Observations from Lions training camp, Day 5: Jahlani Tavai makes play of the day


With a plethora of cultural and sporting activities right on your doorstep, today's resort homes offer the perfect spot to while away your retirement in the ultimate lap of luxury. Amazing resort homes you'll want to retire to With fantastic facilities on your doorstep and a packed social calendar, today's resort homes have so much to offer the young at heart searching for their last home. Whether you're looking for a quiet country bolthole or a sunny villa by the beach, we've picked out some perfect vacation spots to invest in for a blissful retirement... Seaside apartment, Malaga, Spain: $450,000 If your dream home has stunning sea views, on-site sporting facilities and a spa just around the corner, this is surely the place for you. Located on a gorgeous stretch of the Costa del Sol, this secure two-bed apartment is less half a kilometer from the beach and has several balconies overlooking the Med. Part of the luxury Reserva del Higuerón Resort complex, the building is conveniently situated just 20 minutes from Málaga International Airport. Seaside apartment, Malaga, Spain: $450,000 Built with the utmost attention to detail and comfort, the contemporary apartment has real wood floors, a fully equipped kitchen and a flawless finish. There's no need to worry about decorating or shopping for dishwashers as this residence has everything you need to start your new life in Spain. Simply pick out the floors and fittings to put your own stamp on the place, then sit back and relax. Love this? Step inside eight of the best retirement villages in America Seaside apartment, Malaga, Spain: $450,000 If you're committed to staying active then fear not   the property comes with a year's free membership to Reserva del Higuerón's sports center and spa. With everything from a pool and meditation room to an outdoor tennis court and gym, the resort caters to every interest and ability. At the end of a day of activities, retire to one of the on-site restaurants or bars and share a drink with friends as you soak up the sunset. Does life get any better than this? Seaside apartment, Malaga, Spain: $450,000 Designed to maximize natural light, the apartment boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views over the nearby beach. With 215 square feet of outside terraces, you can enjoy the sunshine all year round. The building is designed to stay cool in the summer, but if the heat gets too much, simply retire to the stunning, open-plan kitchen diner with integrated air conditioning. Golf penthouse, Grande Baie, Mauritius: $500,000 Want to spend your retirement taking your golfing skills to the next level? Then this property will suit you down to a tee! Located in the idyllic grounds of Mont Choisy Golf and Beach Estate, the one-bedroom penthouse is just a short walk from the resort's 18-hole championship golf course. With a ready-built community of fellow golfing enthusiasts, the estate offers a unique opportunity to form lasting friendships with expats from around the world. Golf penthouse, Grande Baie, Mauritius: $500,000 Boasting expanses of crystal-clear glass and wood paneling that merges seamlessly with the tropical landscape, the estate is a serene and comfortable retreat away from bustling Grande Baie. The 1,259-square-foot penthouse offers covered terraces with views over the immaculately landscaped resort and glittering communal pool. Golf penthouse, Grande Baie, Mauritius: $500,000 While the Clubhouse is very much the social hub of Mont Choisy, there's plenty of other activities to enjoy in the nearby town of Grande Baie. Whether you want to kick back on the palm-fringed beach or try out an array of water sports, the busy port offers a wealth of options to keep you busy. Plus with restaurants and bars offering a range of different cuisines, the location is perfect for those who prefer to spend their time outdoors. Golf penthouse, Grande Baie, Mauritius: $500,000 Just one hour from SSR International Airport, the property is conveniently located for keen travelers, making it easy for friends and family to come and visit. The apartment block has a lift for easy access and a parking bay just a few minutes' walk away. Purchasing property over $500,000 (£398k) also gives you and your family access to a Mauritius residency permit. Love this? Take a tour of the most luxurious homes in the world . Country villa, La Romana, Dominican Republic: $530,000 Part of the exclusive Casa de Campo resort on the outskirts of the capital, this stunning property combines lush vegetation and ocean views with all the amenities you could possibly wish for. A traditional timber-framed home with a red-tile roof, it features a large, fully planted garden, an expansive terrace and a glittering pool. The bungalow comes fully furnished so you can move in and enjoy your retirement without any hassle. Country villa, La Romana, Dominican Republic: $530,000 The spacious property is divided into two large, open-plan spaces, creating a comfortable and airy feel that's perfectly suited to laid-back living. Off the main living space, there's a fully equipped kitchen with a classic country vibe, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The terrace at the back of the house comes fitted with cushioned benches, ideal for lounging with friends in the evening. Country villa, La Romana, Dominican Republic: $530,000 The property's main attraction is undoubtedly its location within the Casa de Campo residential community. The 7,000-acre resort is located on the south-eastern coast of the Dominican Republic and hosts a whole range of activities from sailing to polo, as well as offering three championship golf courses. If you feel in need of some pampering, there is also a spa offering a range of holistic therapies and a physical therapy center. Country villa, La Romana, Dominican Republic: $530,000 On the edge of the resort by the Chavón river, the village of Altos de Chavón is a perfect replica of a 16th-century town complete with a stone church, amphitheater and tiled houses. The village is ideal for a Sunday stroll and often hosts live music events. Back in the heart of the resort, there's an array of different dining options as well as a beach club with an infinity pool. Marina apartment, San Roque, Spain: $825,000 Just up the coast from Gibraltar, the community of Ribera del Marlin boasts a modern housing complex complete with manicured lawns, extensive facilities and views over the lively marina. A short walk from the Port of Sotogrande, this 3,143-square-foot apartment is a rare find and a perfect retirement pad for those looking for a place in the sun. Marina apartment, San Roque, Spain: $825,000 The property boasts an open-plan living space with gorgeous marble floors and a kitchen equipped with all the necessary appliances. Three en suite double bedrooms provide ample space when friends and family come to stay, each with access to a terrace overlooking the garden or marina. The bathrooms are all fitted with underfloor heating and the apartment also has AC units with both heating and cooling systems. Love this? Check out the secret holiday homes of the rich and famous . Marina apartment, San Roque, Spain: $825,000 If you're looking for a secure, friendly and active community, then this condo was made for you! Ribera del Marlin enjoys a wide range of facilities including two pools, a gym, sauna and landscaped gardens, with plenty of opportunities to socialize and make new friends. The apartment comes with two underground parking bays with elevator access up to the property, as well as a concierge service and 24/7 security office. Marina apartment, San Roque, Spain: $825,000 The vibrant marina is ideal for an evening stroll and is filled with shops and restaurants to suit any taste. The Ribera del Marlin complex is also close to one of the region's most stunning beaches, so you can enjoy the sunny Spanish summers to the max. If you want to practice your swing, the Royal Sotogrande Golf Club with its expansive green lawns and verdant woods is just a short drive away. Luxury ski chalet, Megève, France: $1.3 million Close to the Swiss and Italian borders, the charming town of Megève was the first purpose-built resort in the Alps. Overlooking the village from the Parc du Mont d'Arbois, this contemporary chalet apartment is slightly off the beaten track, ensuring peace and quiet over the busy winter holidays. With stunning mountain views and easy access to amenities, this gorgeous property is perfect for powder-loving retirees. Luxury ski chalet, Megève, France: $1.3 million Finished to the most exacting standards, the apartment boasts three double bedrooms with en suites, an open-plan kitchen and living room and two terraces with panoramic views. There's even a wine cellar to house your favorite vintages and a ski locker for all your mountain kit. The ski-in, ski-out location makes it easy to explore the resort's 445 kilometers of pistes, but if you want to venture further afield, you can also purchase a garage or parking space. Luxury ski chalet, Megève, France: $1.3 million A private spot away from any crowds, the apartment is housed within a complex with only 17 other properties. At 936 square feet, it's big enough for friends and family to come and stay, but small enough to feel intimate and cozy. Its proximity to Megève's golf course is a huge draw in the summer months, while the preserved area ensures you get your fill of the lush alpine landscapes. Luxury ski chalet, Megève, France: $1.3 million The town itself is just over an hour from Geneva and even has its own little airport. With cobbled streets and medieval-style architecture, it retains a bijoux charm, while offering a range of fine-dining options (including several Michelin-starred restaurants), a casino and a sports center complete with sauna and Turkish baths. Love this? Step inside the world's most dreamy ski resort homes . Tropical getaway, Denarau Island, Fiji: $2.2 million If you're yearning for your own private tropical paradise with every amenity imaginable, this next property might be just the ticket. Located on Fiji's Denarau Island, the largest integrated resort in the South Pacific, this spacious three-bedroom home comes complete with a tranquil pool and terrace which faces out onto the azure water. Tropical getaway, Denarau Island, Fiji: $2.2 million Inside, the main open-plan living room is bright and airy, with herringbone wood flooring and contemporary furnishings. Bifolding doors draw the stunning ocean views indoors, for the ultimate indoor-outdoor space. Behind the dining zone, the kitchen offers top-of-the-range appliances and a wine fridge to keep your sauvignon blanc crisp. Tropical getaway, Denarau Island, Fiji: $2.2 million There's no sharing here   each of the three bedrooms comes with its own opulent en suite, with two of the bathrooms featuring private outdoor baths and showers so you can soak alfresco for the full island experience. Average temperatures in winterless Fiji come in at a toasty 79°F so we reckon they'll get plenty of use! Tropical getaway, Denarau Island, Fiji: $2.2 million The master bedroom opens out onto the spacious terrace area, which features a covered raised deck where you can shelter from the strong midday sun. If you decide to move to this exclusive gated resort, you'll have access to golf courses, the Port Marina shopping center, a luxury spa, an array of international restaurants and even a pontoon to moor your boat. Family mountain home, Colorado: $2.3 million If you're looking for a retirement property where all the family can gather, this expansive four-bedroom villa has it all. Nestled in a valley below the snow-capped San Juan mountains, it's perfectly situated for lovers of nature and alpine sports. The resort may be named Purgatory, but this is one place where you won't mind being stuck for all of eternity. With amenities galore and the mountains at your fingertips, this is one of the most exclusive retirement properties on the market. Family mountain home, Colorado: $2.3 million Featuring vaulted ceilings, timber cladding and a huge stone fireplace, this house is half alpine chalet and half luxury villa. The double-height living room is the hub of the home; a capacious yet cozy open-plan space where you can take in breathtaking views of Engineer Mountain. Leading on from the lounge, the kitchen is made for entertaining with an expansive granite island, wine sink and bar   just make sure it's fully stocked for guests! Love this? These ranches for sale are fit for a cowboy Family mountain home, Colorado: $2.3 million Concerned about the upkeep of such a colossal home? Fear not! The house comes fitted with all the essential amenities including a central vacuum system, dishwasher, three sets of washing machines and dryers, and even a caretaker s annex. There s also underfloor heating to keep your toes toasty in the winter, and a Japanese tub to relax in after an afternoon s hiking or skiing. Family mountain home, Colorado: $2.3 million If the property itself wasn't enough, homeowners also benefit from being part of the Durango Mountain Master Association. Perks include a free on-call shuttle to the base of the resort and access to Purgatory Lodge's facilities, which include a fitness room, pool and spa. The resort itself offers a whole host of restaurants, shops, events, activities and clubs. For the social butterfly, this really is a property made in heaven. Beach condo, Florida: $2.6 million This next resort property is the perfect place for beach lovers in search of the easy life. A colorful high-rise, the Acqualina Resort and Spa in sunny Florida offers its residents a relaxing lifestyle in a breathtaking coastal location. Homeowners here have exclusive access to the luxury resort's spa, beach club, three swimming pools and numerous restaurants, plus a handy concierge service. Beach condo, Florida: $2.6 million With three bedrooms and three bathrooms, this stunning 2,214-square-foot apartment in the complex is the perfect beach-chic base to soak up the rays in the Sunshine State. Decorated in a Hamptons-inspired palette, the open-plan living space features a gourmet kitchen, a curved flat-screen TV and a spacious balcony leading off from the lounge   ideal for alfresco dining with a view. Beach condo, Florida: $2.6 million The formal dining space is sleek and stylish, with swathes of windows framing stunning views of the ocean and Sunny Isles Beach below. If you tire of lounging around on the dazzling white-sand beach and fancy taking up a more active hobby, this stunning spot is in easy reach of Oleta River State Park too, where you can paddleboard, kayak and mountain bike. Beach condo, Florida: $2.6 million Channeling a nautical theme with rope accessories and a blue and white color scheme, the property's three bedrooms offer a relaxing space to unwind after a hard day of sun-worshipping or exploring the stunning natural landscapes. A veritable lap of luxury, the complex was recently named the best resort in the continental US by the US News and World Report. Love this? Live the high life in these perfect penthouses for sale Waterfront apartment, Baja California Sur, Mexico: $2.7 million If slow living and sweeping ocean views are top of your retirement agenda, then this Mexican apartment in the private resort of Las Ventanas al Paraiso could be the perfect match. A favorite haunt of the rich and famous, the luxury complex offers a spa, fitness center, tennis courts, a concierge and valet service, plus a 24-hour personal butler service, so you'll hardly have to lift a finger. Waterfront apartment, Baja California Sur, Mexico: $2.7 million Brimming with rustic character, this three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment celebrates traditional Mexican design, from the exposed beams to Conchuela stone flooring and intricate ironwork. The open-plan layout creates a seamless flow between living zones, with the kitchen fitted out with state-of-the-art appliances for cooking up a storm and entertaining friends. Waterfront apartment, Baja California Sur, Mexico: $2.7 million In the decadent master bedroom, the attention to detail is clear. An oversized mosaic headboard creates a dramatic tropical focal point for the room, while antique metal gates lead through to a luxurious en suite for the ultimate pamper. A wraparound balcony encircles the apartment, offering direct access outdoors from almost every room in the plush property. Waterfront apartment, Baja California Sur, Mexico: $2.7 million However, the apartment's pièce de résistance has to be the large outdoor terrace. Built-in sofas provide the perfect vantage point to soak up those breathtaking views of the sea, preferably over a cocktail or two, and wrought iron fish artwork adds a quirky touch. Elsewhere, the resort also offers residents access to a number of infinity pools to cool off from the heat. Ocean villa, Kamuela, Hawaii: $4.4 million Do you dream of watching the sun setting over the ocean as you relax on your private terrace, with a salt-tinged breeze whispering through the fronds of the palm trees? At Mauna Lani's newest development, that dream could become a reality. Part of an exclusive and intimate community of just 17 villas, this opulent property enjoys sweeping vistas over the resort's golf course, set against a backdrop of green mountains and turquoise sea. Ocean villa, Kamuela, Hawaii: $4.4 million The ultimate in luxury living, the bungalow boasts a large outdoor pool and spa, spacious rooms that open out onto the surrounding terraces and sleek, modern fittings. The kitchen has all the latest mod-cons and furnishing packages are also available to take all the hassle out of moving in. With four bedrooms and bathrooms, the house is tailor-made for entertaining, ensuring family and friends can make regular visits. Ocean villa, Kamuela, Hawaii: $4.4 million One of the property's biggest draws is its location in the stunning Mauna Lani resort. With two championship golf courses and the WikiWiki short course, the complex is ideal for golf lovers and offers lessons, courses and a range of tournaments. Sports fans can enjoy everything from canoeing to snorkeling, while those seeking a more laid-back lifestyle can sample a range of cultural activities organized by the resort. Ocean villa, Kamuela, Hawaii: $4.4 million Situated in the north of the Big Island, this stunning home is less than half an hour's drive from Kona International Airport and close to the Pu'u O Umi Nature Reserve. If you're looking to retire to an idyllic oasis with a range of social activities on your doorstep, this bungalow definitely ticks all the boxes. When can we move? Loved this? Step inside the world's most exclusive retirement homes


The Cleveland Browns played the first-string offense for just one series in the preseason opener at home against the Washington Redskins. Baker Mayfield and friends gave the fans in FirstEnergy Stadium exactly what they wanted to see. Playing in a designed hurry-up scheme, Mayfield carved up the Washington defense on a 7-play, 89-yard drive where every play after the first one picked up a first down. Operating from the shotgun spread with four targets outside on every play, the Browns first drive resembled a video game. Receivers consistently got wide open, and Mayfield correctly identified the proper target every time. The wraparound draw to Nick Chubb worked masterfully for the run play, too. The 24-yard TD pass from Mayfield to Rashard Higgins was a frozen rope in between two Redskins in coverage, a perfect capper to an energetic drive. The celebration - a red carpet walk by "Hollywood" Higgins with Mayfield sliding in as paparazzi - was oddly appropriate for what the fans just saw. . @CALLME_WOOD 's red carpet walk is already in mid-season form #WASvsCLE pic.twitter.com/N7Qon2sZIq - Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 9, 2019 It's one drive in the preseason opener, but that is exactly what the raucous fans in the Dawg Pound wanted to see from the debut of Freddie Kitchens as the head coach. MORE: Packers vs. Texans: Time, TV schedule, streaming, how to watch A furious Chris Davis had to be held back from Orioles manager Brandon Hyde How to watch Patriots vs. Lions Colts vs. Bills: Time, TV, radio, streaming for preseason opener Deadline passes as Elliott loses accrued season, fines reach $500K


The USWNT were on the front foot from the opening minute and dutifully put three goals past Ireland in the first half to secure a 3-0 result and the first win of the victory tour in the team's first game one that did not come without a bit of controversy  since winning the World Cup. The game took place at the Rose Bowl, with plenty of fans in attendance to support the reigning World Cup champions. While some were likely disappointed not to see tournament heroes Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe get some playing time, the USWNT still provided a strong lineup for the friendly, with only Mallory Pugh also missing out due to picking up a knock in warmups. Official attendance at the Rose Bowl tonight is 37,040 fans! Now THAT sounds like a party!! #USAvIRL | 3-0 pic.twitter.com/XKz7onTvLd   The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) August 4, 2019 It didn't take long for Team USA to open up the scoring, as multiple threatening attacks around the Ireland box were rewarded in the 16th minute when Christen Press delivered a pinpoint cross for Tobin Heath to head in after making a run on the right side of the box. GOAL, #USWNT !! Tobin Heath gets the party going in Pasadena! Her header is assisted by Christen Press, who had a tremendous flick in the box. #USA leads by one! #USAvIRL | 1-0 | #VictoryTour pic.twitter.com/cb8IGKVnkT   The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) August 4, 2019 The USWNT struck again in the 31st minute when Lindsey Horan who may or may not have been offside slotted home after a penetrating ball from outside the box was deftly directed into her path by Press. GOAL, #USWNT !! Lindsey Horan remains onside and taps in the pass for the second goal of the night! #USA doubles their own lead over the Irish. #USAvIRL | 2-0 | #VictoryTour pic.twitter.com/08pX5kjWWB   The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) August 4, 2019 The final goal came from a familiar source, as Carli Lloyd added yet another tally to her collection of goals with a strong header that just beat the Irish goalkeeper and capped the scoring for the night. Carli Lloyd squeezes home the header in between 2 defenders 👏 pic.twitter.com/HSlB0eKRBd   ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 4, 2019 Chances for Ireland came few and far between, with much of the game taking place in its defensive third. Ireland finished the game with two shots and none on goal while the USWNT boasted 30 shots, nine of which were on target. The next stop on the victory tour will be Philadelphia on Aug. 29 when the team takes on Portugal.


When it comes to food and drink, there's plenty to do in San Antonio this weekend. From a cooking class to a pig roast, here's how to add some flavor to your social calendar. 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. International Flavors of San Antonio: German Cooking Class From the event description: German cooking class at Dharma Center. Anke Perez, from the former West Berlin, will teach us how to cook a potpourri of her family's recipes from various regions of Germany. When: Saturday, June 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Dharma Center (Rissho Kosei-Kai), 6083 Babcock Road Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets San Antonio Beer Week Kick-Off Party From the event description: Over 15 breweries from San Antonio and the surrounding area will be pouring one-off, rare and specialty beer that you can't typically get elsewhere. When: Saturday, June 15, 12-4 p.m. Where: Roadmap Brewing Co., 714 N. Alamo St. Admission: Free (Designated Driver); $15 (General Admission) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Father's Day Pig Roast From the event description: Celebrate Father's Day with a pig roast at Meadow! Chef PJ Edwards will be preparing two whole pigs! When: Sunday, June 16, 12-4 p.m. Where: Meadow Neighborhood Eatery + Bar, 555 W. Bitters Road, #110 Admission: $35 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets 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.


Europeans and Americans have their Visa and Mastercards. For everyone else, here comes… Libra? Facebook's new Libra digital currency is aimed at a huge potential market for financial services the entire developing world, with billions of people in areas such as India and Sub-Saharan Africa, where financial services are often less sophisticated and many people don't use traditional banking accounts. Whether or not these billions will want to make the switch is anyone's guess. The U.S., Europe, and most developed economies already have large, efficient payment systems. These allow people to buy and sell goods in real time and send money person-to-person through services like Zelle , PayPal, and Venmo. That's why the companies that joined Facebook's Libra association, as well as nonprofits involved with similar projects, say Libra's potential lies elsewhere. In developing countries, many tens of millions still live far from a bank or money transfer center, or currently use a currency prone to inflation or volatility. Libra could address this issue by providing a universal, stable currency that is easily transferrable between persons or businesses without involving setting up an entire payment infrastructure. It also potentially could work at a lower cost. In the last decade, citizens of developing countries have widely adopted cellphones as a way to store money, sending text message-based payments either to businesses or persons. It's been a broadly heralded development among policymakers and nonprofits focused on poverty because bank accounts are hard to come by or are too expensive. "The entire continent of Africa skipped right over cards and went straight into mobile payments," said Sanjay Sakhrani, an industry analyst with Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, who covers Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Western Union . But these payment systems are often constrained by the type of cellphone carrier each person is using. It's not uncommon in places like Africa to carry multiple cellphones in order to have the necessary access to the right money transfer system. Libra could solve this problem by creating a universal currency that can be transferred across multiple cellphone networks and across borders. There's also the issue of cost, which is cited by the World Bank as being the biggest issue with financial systems outside of developed markets. Facebook says Libra would have a near-zero cost attached to it. The Colombian border city of Cucuta, is one of the places where Libra could make a difference. Every day, thousands of needy Venezuelans cross into this sweltering town to buy food and medicines that are scarce at home. For many the first stop is Western Union, where they line up for hours to pick up cash sent by relatives living in abroad. The demand for cash remittances is so big in fact that migrants sometimes line up outside Western Unions the night before the branches open, sleeping on the sidewalk to keep their place in the queue. Digital currencies could make it easier to transfer funds to these migrants with no bank accounts, and save them hours of their time. Using them is also safer, says Typson Sanchez, a local software developer, because it prevents robberies. But despites its obvious benefits, merchants in Cucuta have been slow to adopt digital currencies, and only a handful currently accept it. "Merchants worry about the volatility " of currencies like bitcoin, says Sanchez, a software developer and co-founder of Panda Exchange, a digital payments start up. Other merchants find existing digital wallets difficult to use, and worry about its legality. Sanchez hopes that Facebook's Libra could help to overcome some of those obstacles. "They already have a very powerful platform with lots of users" Sanchez says. "They will be able to reach everyday people who are not into technology. And that's something that many companies haven't been able to do yet." Vodaphone, the Europe-based cell carrier, has a large presence in Africa and other developing countries and operates its own mobile wallet system known as M-Pesa . Already a dominant carrier in Africa, Vodaphone sees the potential in Libra to enable customers to send money across borders at a much lower cost. There's a lot of room for improvement. The average fee on a cross-border remittance is around 7%, according to the World Bank, with places in Sub-Saharan Africa charging as much as 10% to send a money transfer. Companies like Vodaphone and organizations involved with Libra like Mercy Corp and Women's World Banking said they've joined at least in part to make sure they have a "seat at the table" in case Libra does take off as a payment method. Libra's real-life use cases are still at least a year off, and much likely longer. Some would argue that Facebook's Libra is the wrong solution to the issue of accessing financial services in developing countries. In China, the dominant way to pay are WeChat and AliPay, two mobile apps that use messaging to send money either to a business or another person, at extremely low cost. Both apps are used by more than a billion people. "That to me is the simplest solution for developing countries," said Nicholas Economides, a professor of economics at the Stern School of Business, an expert in electronic commerce and payment systems. "You don't need to create a whole new currency. You just need the right app." There's a "well, why not?" factor into these companies' involvement. Facebook asked for a minimum $10 million investment in Libra from its for-profit partners. For a company like Visa, which made more than $20 billion in revenue last year, the Libra investment is pocket change. In exchange Visa gets insider access to Libra and its potential technologies, as well as a seat at the table. Visa declined a request for an interview regarding its involvement in the project, but a spokesman pointed to a blog post one of its executives published Tuesday, in which the company's interest is described as reflecting "a spirit of openness and curiosity." Mastercard has been looking into technology that underpins bitcoin and other digital technologies for some time, said Jorn Lambert, executive vice president of digital solutions at Mastercard. The company was attracted to Libra because it's private, unlike bitcoin which operates on an open network, and it's backed by reserve currencies. "This is a thing that could provide real consumer benefits, particularly in the developing world," Lambert said. Women's World Banking, a nonprofit focused on financial inclusion for women particularly in developing countries, also joined the association. WWB wanted to make sure the issues of women in developing countries who are often less technologically literate than their male counterparts were addressed. "Women are more than half of the unbanked population in the world. We wanted to be at the table to address women's needs," said Karen Miller, vice president of knowledge and communications. More must-read stories from Fortune :  The fall and rise of VR: The struggle to make virtual reality get real  "It's just lazy": Current's CEO on Facebook Calibra's similar logo  Slack went public without an IPO . Here's how a direct offering works  Welcome to the next generation of corporate phishing scams  Listen to our new audio briefing, Fortune 500 Daily Catch up with Data Sheet , Fortune 's daily digest on the business of tech.


Aesthetics are subjective, but these cars fit our definition of beauty. "Beautiful" is a tough word to use when it comes to car design. There are many new cars that are great looking, striking, interesting, or thought-provoking, but it's difficult to make the jump to beautiful. The bar is high, and the criteria for clearing it is subjective-which is to say, the 15 cars we've gathered here are the most beautiful cars you can buy today, according to us. The list includes a Japanese compact sedan, a German luxury coupe, and a British hypercar that you can't actually buy (we'll explain). Read on to see the full roundup, and feel free to yell at your screen about how wrong you think we are. Design, after all, is subjective, and we won't hear you, anyway. Alfa Romeo Giulia Alfa Romeo's pointy, shield-shaped grille may not be for everyone, but the Giulia wears it well and is truly gorgeous. This sport sedan is perfectly proportioned, with a long hood and a cabin set back toward the rear wheels, and the body surfacing and details are exquisite. And every Giulia shares the same good looks; Alfa Romeo doesn't muck up the base models or relegate the choicest style for the range-topping, high-performance Giulia Quadrifoglio. We think that the base Giulia's tamer front and rear bumpers, lack of side vents, and additional chrome trim actually add to the design's appeal. Research the Alfa Romeo Giulia on MSN Autos | Find an Alfa Romeo Giulia near you Aston Martin DBS Superleggera If any automaker knows how to make a beautiful car, it's Aston Martin. The DBS Superleggera is both the brand's newest model and the best expression of its current design language. While it is based on the DB11 , the DBS' bodywork is unique save for the roof. The whale shark like grille design somehow isn't too big, its yawning opening harking back to Astons of yore, and the squared-off rear, short front overhang, and wide fenders give it excellent proportions. The DBS' more traditional detailing relative to the more futuristically styled DB11 further helps it earn the b-word descriptor. BMW i8 In creating the i8 hybrid , BMW designers must have traveled thirty years in the future to see what our robot overlords would consider beautiful. At least, that is what it seems like the stylists did. The i8 is a triumph of interesting surfacing and aerodynamic solutions neatly integrated into the overall design. The buttresses flowing off the C-pillar and floating above the origami-like rear fenders make a 1959 Cadillac's tailfins look subtle. In profile, the wedge-shaped i8 has Lamborghini-challenging visual drama. And yet, despite its riot of boundary-pushing cues, the i8 remains easily identifiable as a BMW. The droptop i8 Roadster is even funkier than the coupe, but to our eyes, the hardtop's cleaner lines and fixed roof give it the edge. Research the BMW i8 on MSN Autos | Find a BMW i8 near you Bugatti Chiron Bugatti's Veyron, while striking and instantly iconic, was not exactly beautiful. To many it was stubby, bulbous, and weird-looking, yet undeniably iconic thanks to its speed-related feats. Its successor, the Chiron , is only incrementally faster and a whole lot prettier. It's a good thing, too-lacking the Veyron's moonshot, speed-record-breaking wow factor, the Chiron needs to be beautiful. The design is more aggressive, with larger air scoops and vents; the whole rear end is practically one big mesh grille with taillights stuffed into its void. Each side of the car is dominated by a C-line that curves around the doors and visually bisecting the body into two distinct sections; this demarcation doubles as the color division for the Bugatti's available two-tone paint jobs. It is all very purposeful and dramatic, and the "it looks like it is moving when it's standing still" cliché applies. Infiniti Q60 We like the Infiniti Q50 well enough, but in lopping off two of its doors to create the Q60 coupe , Infiniti created something special. The Q60's slimmer lights, sportier bumpers, and sleeker rear end all are improvements over the sedan's pieces, but it's what's in the middle of the car that really wins. The Q60's roofline arcs though a near perfect sweep over the cabin, and it wears the best version yet of Infiniti's unusual, kinked C-pillar design. The Q60's shoulder line is higher up and more pronounced than it is on the Q50, and placing the door handle on that shoulder-as opposed to below it-cleans up the bodyside graphic. A subtle, delightful detail? The slightly curved crease that flows from the top of the fender vents to the back of the car; it catches light very well and isn't present on the Q50. Research the Infiniti Q60 on MSN Autos | Find an Infiniti Q60 near you Jaguar XJ It's easy to forget just how radical today's Jaguar XJ flagship sedan was when it debuted in 2009. The greenhouse, blacked-out D-pillar and all, is superb, keeping the car looking lithe despite its substantial size. The front end might still be the most successful application of Jaguar's current design language, and the claw-mark taillights remain striking. Subtle updates have kept the slinky XJ looking fresh, even though sales have lagged well behind its German limousine competitors. Research the Jaguar XJ on MSN Autos | Find a Jaguar XJ near you Kia Stinger Place a few strips of tape over the Stinger 's Kia badge, and it could easily pass for a car twice its price. Particularly in GT trim, the Stinger looks like it drove right off an auto-show turntable and into the real world. After starting out as a 2011 concept that Kia never intended to build, the Stinger launched looking nearly the same as that show car with clearly rear-drive proportions, a fastback roof, and an appealing Kamm tail design. There might be a few too many trim pieces on the exterior, but they all further the Kia's singular expression of speed and athleticism. Research the Kia Stinger on MSN Autos | Find a Kia Stinger near you Lexus LC The gloriously outrageous LC coupe began life as a similarly wild-looking 2012 concept car that Lexus had no plans to build. Four years after that show car debuted, it made a nearly edit-free transition to production as the LC coupe, reaching Lexus dealerships as a car people could actually buy. It's easy to miss the LC's classic grand tourer shape behind the eye-catching hourglass-shaped grille, squinting headlights, spectacular rear fenders, and "floating" roof. Minimalist the Lexus's design is not, but we think its sci-fi detailing adds to the car's beauty, not subtracts from it. Research the Lexus LC on MSN Autos | Find a Lexus LC near you Mazda 3 The previous-generation Mazda 3 already was one of our favorite designs on the market, but Mazda's all-new 3 is even better. Keep in mind, this is an affordable, right-sized car, albeit one with sophisticated body panels shaped to use light and curved surfaces to their advantage. Creases and body lines are held to an absolute minimum. The 3's shark nose pairs surprisingly well with the sedan's curving roofline and nicely sculpted trunk, and again, we should remind you that this is a compact front-wheel-drive sedan that looks anything but. We understand that the 3 hatchback, which has a curiously thick C-pillar and sports a severely raked rear window, might appeal to a narrower subset of the public, but we dig it. Research the Mazda3 on MSN Autos | Find a Mazda3 near you Mazda MX-5 Miata The Mazda MX-5 Miata has always been a great looking little roadster, but the fourth-generation ND model is the only one that made the leap to beautiful. Mazda's kodo design language dictates the Miata's squinty, smiley face and flowing, gently curving body surfaces and sculpted fenders. The line starting at each door handle and sweeps up around the cabin to the other side of the car is one of our favorite design details; it is subtle and gorgeous, like the rest of the Miata. Research the Mazda MX-5 Miata on MSN Autos | Find a Mazda Miata near you Mercedes-Benz S-class Coupe Every version of the current Mercedes-Benz S-class looks spectacular and represents an assemblage of upscale details, but our personal favorite is the two-door coupe . The roofline has a graceful, sweeping curvature that blends beautifully into the sculpted trunk lid via the convex rear window. Mercedes puffs out the coupe's hips more than the four-door sedan's, and the slight upward curve at the bottom of the rear windows resolves in a fantastic point at the C-pillar. At the rear, a horizontal graphic makes the car look lower and wider, and the long OLED taillights are stunning, to boot. Should the coupe's pillarless side glass fail to impress, there's always the S-class cabriolet; it might not look as good with its cloth roof in place, but when that lid is folded and stowed behind the rear seats, it resembles a land-based yacht. Research the Mercedes-Benz S-Class on MSN Autos | Find a Mercedes-Benz S-Class near you Porsche 911 There are few examples throughout the Porsche 911 's history of bad design. Surely somebody loves the 996-generation's scrambled-egg headlights, and the '80s 911s' bumpers could have been better, but the rear-engined sports car has consistently qualified as beautiful. The new 992 generation is the most streamlined 911 yet, all big hips, smooth edges, and clean lines. It represents a wholly modern take on the classic 911 theme, but Porsche tossed some retro 911 touches in for good measure, including the squared-off hood and the full-width taillights. Research the Porsche 911 on MSN Autos | Find a Porsche 911 near you Rolls-Royce Wraith Rolls-Royce's two-door Wraith is its sportiest offering and one of its best-looking and dramatic pieces. The bottom half of the Wraith is visually heavy and slab-like, with flat vertical surfaces bridging between the car's shoulder line and the ground and almost no distinctive embellishment. Consider it a solid base, on top of which Rolls-Royce supports the Wraith's fantastic fastback roofline. Starting at the raked windshield, the roof flows all the way back to the rear end, not resolving in any sort of visible trunk or hatch. The effect is simultaneously striking and classic, emphasized by the Rolls' massive scale and available two-tone paint finish. Research the Wraith on MSN Autos | Find a Rolls-Royce Dawn/Wraith near you Volkswagen Arteon Volkswagen now-discontinued CC was among the first mainstream cars to feature a so-called "four-door coupe" design. Its spiritual successor, the new Arteon , takes the same theme and puts a fastback spin on it. Unlike the CC, the Arteon is a hatchback, but you wouldn't know it from the way the roof flows into a vestigial trunk. The wide rear haunches and sculpted front fenders punctuate a body rife with tight lengthwise creases stamped into its panels. The slightly fussy front-end detailing is forgivable given the Arteon's overly technical appearance and utterly elegant tail. Volvo V90 If we're being honest, every single car in Volvo's current lineup could make it onto this list. But the range-topping V90 wagon -in Inscription trim, specifically-is the most beautiful of them all. The profile isn't as boxy as the mostly rectilinear detailing might have you believe, with a raked rear hatch and imposing length giving it a more modern silhouette than any Volvo wagon prior. Traditional Volvo cues such as the prominent shoulder line and tall, wraparound taillights have been remastered here for, you guessed it, a dash of modernity. Really, it's quite remarkable how Volvo has designed the V90 to be instantly recognizable as a Volvo and yet uncommonly upscale and elegant. Time will tell if the V90 will age as well (and last as long) as previous Volvo wagons, but we can safely say that it will always be remember as one of the prettiest. Research the V90 on MSN Autos | Find a Volvo S90/V90 near you Bonus: McLaren Speedtail Technically, you can't actually buy a McLaren Speedtail . Only 106 will be built, and they've all been sold already. Each one costs-ahem, cost -upwards of $2.1 million. Even if you could buy a Speedtail, it wouldn't be street legal in the United States. Lest we discourage your consideration of the Speedtail entirely, we should mention that the McLaren is a thing of absolute beauty, with echoes of art deco and mid-century modern themes combined in a futuristic form. The sports car's three-seat layout, interesting peaked windshield and teardrop-shaped greenhouse, and extremely tapered rear end are unlike any other car's. Everything about the Speedtail was designed with airflow and speed in mind, but unlike most other hypercars-McLaren's own Senna included-the pursuit of performance hasn't come at the expense of beauty: Note the utter lack of massive air vents and intake openings marring the aesthetic. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter


At last! After spending 9.5 years traveling 3 billion miles to reach Pluto, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has snapped an image of the dwarf planet that bears tantalizing hints of geologic features that will become clearer in the coming days. Until now, little has been known about what the ex-planet's surface might look like. But recent images from the spacecraft have revealed a number of strange features, including a giant, pale "heart" stamped across the surface and a dark region nicknamed the "whale" for its distinctive shape. The whale's tail, meanwhile, cradles a bright, round feature dubbed the "doughnut." This latest image, taken Thursday at a distance of 3.3 million miles and released the next day, brings those details into slightly sharper relief and reveals several more surprises. "Among the structures tentatively identified in this new image are what appear to be polygonal features; a complex band of terrain stretching east-northeast across the planet, approximately 1,000 miles long; and a complex region where bright terrains meet the dark terrains of the whale," Alan Stern, New Horizons' principal investigator, said in a statement. "After nine and a half years in flight, Pluto is well worth the wait." This and other recent images come as a welcome reward several days after a computer glitch temporarily sent the spacecraft into safe mode. Scientists reacted with jubilation in the control room Friday morning when the most recent image came down, showing some never-before-seen surface features. "We're close enough now that we're just starting to see Pluto's geology," said New Horizons program scientist Curt Niebur, who has taken a particular interest in the gray region above the whale's "tail," in a statement. "It's a unique transition region with a lot of dynamic processes interacting, which makes it of particular scientific interest," he added. The mission's rendezvous with Pluto is set to bring New Horizons to within 6,200 miles of the dwarf planet's surface on July 14, before the spacecraft heads farther out into space and toward the Kuiper Belt, the distant ring of icy debris that scientists think is the birthplace of comets.


Edge rusher Josh Allen didn't practice for the Jaguars on Thursday, but he was able to take care of some other business. The Jaguars announced that they have signed the seventh overall pick of the 2019 draft to his first NFL contract. It's a four-year deal with a team option for a fifth season. It was easy to find predictions that Allen would be off the board by the time the Jaguars were on the clock, but the Raiders took Clelin Ferrell and the Giants took Daniel Jones to help push the former Kentucky Wildcat to Jacksonville. Allen had 17 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss in his final college season. The Jaguars would welcome anything close to that kind of productivity off the edge. With Allen signed, there are now 15 unsigned first-rounders around the league. The Jaguars have one pick   third-round linebacker Quincy Williams   left to sign.