With the third major of the year falling right between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July not to mention that it is America's national championship expect to see plenty of patriotic style at the this week's U.S. Open. Red, white and blue are already the most popular colors in golf apparel when it comes to creating clean and classic looks, but there's a lot of opportunity to mix and match the shades into fun patterns and unique statements. As remixed camo continues to gain popularity on and off the course, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler will both wear different camo-esque patterns inspired by the stars and stripes. The California coastal venue of Pebble Beach has also inspired apparel companies to dress their pros in summer-ready shades, with pops of turquoise and pink expected to be seen across the field. These colors will be found on Brooks Koepka's hat, Dustin Johnson's golf shoes and even in Tiger Woods' scripting. It's likely to be the most colorful major, apparel-wise, we've ever seen. Check out the looks here: Tiger Woods When if comes to golf shirts, Tiger Woods is not afraid to try new styles and colors as long as it's not on Sunday. At Pebble Beach, Woods will start the week in violet, move to a fuschia golf shirt and enter the weekend in a turquoise shade. These colors will be seen across the Nike staff players' scripting and were heavily inspired by the beachfront locale. (Oh, yeah, and he's going again with the mockneck on Sunday.) Thursday Shirt Nike Men's Tiger Woods AeroReact Golf Polo (in Rush Violet), BUY NOW: $90 | Pants For a similar look try the Nike Flat Front Flex Golf Pants, BUY NOW: $80 | Shoes Nike AirZoom TW71, BUY NOW: $150 Friday Shirt Nike Men's Tiger Woods AeroReact Golf Polo (in Active Fuchsia), BUY NOW: $90 | Pants For a similar look try the Nike Flat Front Flex Golf Pants, BUY NOW: $80 | Shoes Nike AirZoom TW71, BUY NOW: $150 Saturday Shirt Nike Men's Tiger Woods AeroReact Golf Polo (in Cabana), BUY NOW: $90 | Pants For a similar look try the Nike Flat Front Flex Golf Pants, BUY NOW: $80 | Shoes Nike AirZoom TW71, BUY NOW: $150 Sunday Shirt Nike Men's Tiger Woods Red Mock Neck Golf Polo, BUY NOW: $85 | Pants For a similar look try the Nike Flat Front Flex Golf Pants, BUY NOW: $80 | Shoes Nike AirZoom TW71, BUY NOW: $150 Justin Thomas Justin Thomas will debut his new collaborative line with Polo Golf at the U.S. Open. He'll start the week in stripes under a classic navy vest for a simple and sophisticated look. Amping up the excitement during the second round, Thomas will wear the new camo stars print pants. The Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Pant features a blue camo print with red, white and blue stars across it. He'll smartly pair the look with a solid white golf shirt to avoid clashing with the bold pattern. On Saturday, Thomas' flag sweater is sure to turn a few heads. It's a simple navy sweater with a flag across the chest that is patriotic, without going overboard. He'll return in the patriotic star camo print on Sunday with the design on his lightweight quarter-zip knit. Thursday Shirt Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Polo, BUY NOW: $95 | Vest Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Vest, BUY NOW: $168 | Pants Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Pant (in French Navy), BUY NOW: $125 Friday Shirt Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Polo (in White), BUY NOW: $95 | Pants Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Pant (in Star Camo Print), BUY NOW: $125 Saturday Sweater Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Knit, BUY NOW: $198 | Shirt Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Polo (in Navy), BUY NOW: $95 | Pants Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Pant (in Basic Sand), BUY NOW: $125 Sunday Quarter-Zip Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Knit (in Star Camo), BUY NOW: $148 | Shirt Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Polo, BUY NOW: $95 | Pants Polo Golf x Justin Thomas Pant (in French Navy), BUY NOW: $125 RELATED: Justin Thomas teams with Polo Golf on a patriotic collection for the U.S. Open Dustin Johnson The 2016 U.S. Open champion will bring some uncharacteristically bold shades to Pebble Beach. DJ's Adidas golf shirt is in a shade called "shock red" to start the week bright and colorful. He'll move to a more traditional blue on Friday, a stylish red heather stripped top on Saturday and back to his classic navy on Sunday. The looks are athletic with a sprinkle of patriotic color palettes that will look great on the 6-foot-4 golfer's build. Johnson will pair the shirts with simple tapered golf pants, a safe move when working with these variety of colors. Keep an eye out for his golf shoes as well. The upper of the new Tour360XT Parley Golf Shoe ($200) is made from of upcycled plastic waste that was intercepted from beaches and coastal communities, the first of its kind. It's also in a fun coastal-inspired blue-green shade that will bring some color and personality to any ensemble. Thursday Shirt Adidas climachill Heather Polo (in shock red), BUY NOW: $75 | Pants Ultimate365 3-Stripes Tapered Pants, BUY NOW: $90 | Shoe Tour360XT Parley Golf Shoe, BUY NOW: $200 Friday Shirt Ultimate365 Climacool Hyper Athletic Polo (in true blue), BUY NOW: $75 | Pants Ultimate365 3-Stripes Tapered Pants, BUY NOW: $90 | Shoe Tour360XT Parley Golf Shoe, BUY NOW: $200 Saturday Shirt Ultimate365 Heather Stripe Polo (in red and dark marine heather), BUY NOW: $80 | Pants Ultimate365 3-Stripes Tapered Pants, BUY NOW: $90 | Shoe Tour360XT Parley Golf Shoe, BUY NOW: $200 Sunday Shirt Ultimate365 Climacool Hyper Athletic Polo (in collegiate navy), BUY NOW : $75 | Pants Ultimate365 3-Stripes Tapered Pants, BUY NOW: $90 | Shoe Tour360XT Parley Golf Shoe, BUY NOW: $200 Related: Adidas' new TOUR360 XT golf shoes are made exclusively from recycled plastic waste Brooks Koepka Brooks Koekpa's hats have been the talk of the majors. He's showed up in patterns, graphics and altogether head-turning golf caps. He'll maintain his streak of striking hats at Pebble Beach in gray-floral and pastel-floral prints that Nike designers made with California in mind. The design is inspired by Golden State wildflowers with a mix of clamshells to honor the waterfront course and a stone wash to enhance the beachy-look. Kopeka will start the week in quiet shades of navy and white and work toward a fun turquoise color on Saturday before finishing off the week in a bold fuchsia shirt. Shirt Nike Men's Vapor Solid Golf Polo, BUY NOW: $65 OR Nike Men's Vapor Jacquard Golf Polo, BUY NOW: $65 | Pants: Nike Men's Flat Front Flex Golf Pants, BUY NOW: $80 | Hat Nike Men's Majors AeroBill Classic99 Golf Hat, BUY NOW: $35 | Shoes Nike Men's Tour Premiere Golf Shoes, BUY NOW: $200 Rickie Fowler Rickie Fowler will wear four distinct, stylish and primarily Americana-themed looks at the U.S. Open. He'll start the week in a white polo with a whimsical red-and-blue pattern that will pair great with his bright blue pants. When working with flashy shades like this, don't be afraid of patterns, just make sure you stay in similar color families to avoid competing looks. He'll debut a quieter ensemble on Friday in a vintage-inspired blue heather golf shirt with a simple thin stripe pattern that runs through the chest and sleeves. Turning up the excitement on Saturday, Fowler's red, white and blue camo golf shirt with white pants look is sure to top the style charts. The heathered camo is a fun remix on the traditional pattern and great for the ultra-patriotic venue. Fowler will return to his traditional orange for the final round in a thin-striped polo paired with white pants. Thursday Shirt Puma Ditsy Polo (in bright white), BUY NOW: $70 | Pants Puma Jackpot 5 Pocket Pants (in Dazzling Blue) BUY NOW: $85 | Shoes Puma IGNITE PROADAPT, BUY NOW: $200 | Hat Puma P 110 Snapback (in Peacoat/Dazzling Blue), BUY NOW: $28 Friday Shirt Looping Polo (in peacoat heather), BUY NOW: $70 | Pants Jackpot 5 Pocket Pants (in Bright White) BUY NOW: $85 | Shoes IGNITE PROADAPT, BUY NOW: $200 | Hat P Snapback Stars & Stripes, BUY NOW: $28 Saturday Shirt Raleigh Polo (in Dazzling Blue), BUY NOW: $70 | Pants Jackpot 5 Pocket Pants (in Quarry) BUY NOW: $85 | Shoes IGNITE PROADAPT, BUY NOW: $200 | Hat P 110 Snapback (in Quarry/Peacoat), BUY NOW: $28 Sunday Shirt Caddie Stripe Polo (in Orange), BUY NOW: $65 | Pants Jackpot 5 Pocket Pants (in Bright White) BUY NOW: $85 | Shoes IGNITE PROADAPT, BUY NOW: $200 | Hat PUMA Utility Patch 110 Cap (in Vibrant Orange), BUY NOW: $32 Rory McIlroy Coming off a strong win at the RBC Canadian Open, Rory McIlroy's head is certainly focused on the winner's circle at Pebble Beach. The four-time major champ will be dressed the part in colorful looks inspired by vintage golf styling and beach-y palettes. From a muted purple to the brighter turquoise and pinks, McIlroy's striped Nike Golf Shirts inspired by California wildflowers will brighten up the 30-year-old's apparel scripting in an ultra-stylish way. Shirt Nike Dri-FIT Player Polo, BUY NOW: $85 | Pants Nike Flex Pant, BUY NOW: $80 | Shoe Nike Victory Tour NRG, BUY NOW: $180 | Hat Nike Heritage86 Hat, BUY NOW: $30 | Vest Nike Dri-FIT Sweater Vest, BUY NOW: $80


As training camp continues to draw near, fantasy football managers are hard at work researching and preparing for the upcoming drafts trying to find value anyway they can. Finding value in drafts is key to building a successful fantasy football team. The Colts should have one of the best offenses in the league, which should translate to several players have relevancy. In checking the average draft position of the Colts' top fantasy players, we will include how their ADP has changed over the last two weeks since we previously checked. All ADP data is courtesy of Fantasy Football Calculator and data is taken from 12-team, half-PPR drafts. QB Andrew Luck - QB2 - 5.03 (5.01 on June 18) The most relevant fantasy asset for the Colts comes in the form of their franchise quarterback. He's expected to have another stellar and consistent season while projecting as a top 3 finish potentially. His ADP correlates to his ceiling, going as the second quarterback drafted behind Patrick Mahomes. Luck's ADP has been on a steady decline over the past month but is likely hitting a plateau. This is where he can be expected to go in regular drafts. While I'm not bullish on taking a quarterback this early, it's understandable why some managers do. He'll be consistent as ever in a high-volume offense with several weapons to target. RB Marlon Mack - RB14 - 3.01 (3.03 on June 18) The starter in the backfield for the Colts should get plenty of love come draft day. His ADP is right about where most analysts believe Mack can finish in 2019. Though it hasn't risen considerably, Mack's ADP has been on a steady rise over the past two weeks. Because he won't be much of a factor catching the ball, Mack's ceiling is limited. This will keep his ADP roughly in the third round, maybe end of the second at its highest. I like Mack here at RB14, especially since he has the potential to break off an RB1 (top 12 finish) week each outing. RB Nyheim Hines - RB54 - 13.01 (12.08 on June 18) Despite having the role to himself as the pass catcher out of the backfield, Hines is currently being drafted as an irrelevant fantasy asset. Though he finished as high as the RB20 in some formats during his rookie season, he struggled to maintain that pace after Mack returned in Week 6. Even in full-PPR formats, Hines is nothing more than a flier. His role might be solidified in the backfield, but even then he might not see a ton of production with Parris Campbell working mostly from the slot. Expect Hines' ADP to continue falling. WR T.Y. Hilton - WR9 - 2.11 (2.11 on June 18) Nothing has changed with Ghost's ADP. He's still going at the end of the second round, which is likely where he should be at his ceiling. If he can put together a healthy campaign, he has a chance to put up some strong numbers. However, it should be noted that there are more targets for Luck in the passing game. While Hilton will most certainly lead the team, some of his target share could take a slight hit with some of the new additions arriving. That said, I would be comfortable taking Hilton here. WR Devin Funchess - WR53 - 12.01 (11.07 on June 18) The free-agent acquisition for the wide receiver corps, Funchess has some big question marks entering training camp. While his ceiling is extremely high in the Colts offense, his ADP won't reflect that until managers start seeing some production in the preseason. Consider him similar to Eric Ebron in 2018. The potential is there, but he's likely to be a late-round pick to combat the risk of being irrelevant again. As a fantasy manager, I want to see Funchess work with Luck before feeling comfortable drafting him-even in the later rounds. WR Parris Campbell - WR 57 - 13.08 (12.07 on June 18) In dynasty leagues, I absolutely love Campbell. However, in redraft leagues, it's smarter to be hands off for now. Rookie wide receivers historically don't produce until the second half of the season for the majority of the time, which is part of why his ADP is low and continuing to fall. Campbell has some great talent and is a perfect fit for the offense, but it's going to take time for him to become a consistent fantasy threat. If you want to draft him this late and stash him, be my guest. That's not a bad move. Just don't expect production immediately. TE Eric Ebron - TE7 - 6.11 (6.04 on June 18) Ebron's ADP is beginning to fall, though I expect most drafters to look at his 2018 stat line and be very excited to get him in the sixth or seventh round. Personally, I'm not one of those. I'm likely not considering Ebron unless he hits the double-digit rounds. His talent is immense and proved to be perfect for the offense. But when Jack Doyle returns, it will be his tight end room and Ebron will see 30% of the snaps each week. He'll have his chances to score, but I'm not taking that risk in the sixth round. TE Jack Doyle - TE16 - 13.12 (14.02 on June 18) Once Doyle returns during training camp, his ADP is likely to rise pretty quickly. It won't get super high, but enough to where he won't be as much of a bargain. I'm still targeting him in the later rounds though. Given how much he will be on the field to go along with his chemistry with his quarterback. Doyle will absolutely finish better than the TE16 on the year. All he has to do is stay healthy. It will be interesting to see if his ADP changes at all as training camp nears and eventually gets underway. MORE: Kawhi Leonard Rumors: No Decision Yet, Lakers Not Ahead of Clippers or Raptors Klay Thompson celebrates new deal with Warriors with hilarious 'Wolf of Wall Street' video Projected depth chart for the 76ers with Al Horford, Josh Richardson Stephen A. Smith: 'Andre Iguodala is planning on joining the Lakers' Do Cowboys have horses to absorb another Ezekiel Elliott suspension?


BANGKOK, July 31 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat on Wednesday warned outside countries not to amplify disputes in the South China Sea, where recent Chinese maneuvering in the energy-rich waters has rattled regional states and drawn condemnation from the United States. Chinese Councillor Wang Yi touted progress on an eventual Code of Conduct with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after meeting counterparts in the Thai capital. Tensions have risen in the South China Sea over recent incidents between Chinese and Vietnamese and Philippine ships, the latest confrontations in a potential global flashpoint where the United States challenges China's sweeping maritime claims. "We think non-regional countries should not deliberately amplify such differences or disputes left from the past," said Wang, responding to a question on the involvement of U.S. and other non-Asian countries in the discussions. "Non-regional countries should also not make use of these differences to sow distrust between China and ASEAN countries." China said last week U.S. criticism of its role in the South China Sea, including comments from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was "slanderous." Wang is due to meet Pompeo on Thursday. "I hope that both sides are able to speak in a frank and constructive manner," Wang told a briefing after meeting Thailand's foreign minister. Wang said China is in discussions to expand and "institutionalize" joint military drills with ASEAN countries in the region following two previous exercises. The South China Sea was a key topic for ASEAN foreign ministers. "Concerns were expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations, activities and serious incidents in the area," they said in a final communique. The reference to "serious incidents" was stronger than that in the communique after their meeting last year, pointing to the extent to which tension over the region has risen. China claims large parts of the South China Sea through which roughly $3.4 trillion in shipping passes each year. Countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam contest the territorial claims. China has unnerved the region and angered the United States by installing military equipment and other facilities on artificial islands it has made by reclaiming land and building up reefs and shoals. Researchers and analysts say the latest standoff between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels could give the United States a new incentive to pressure China. But they said China was unlikely to want to inflame the situation given its trade dispute with the United States and protests in Hong Kong. "That tension right now going on between China and Vietnam will be the United States' anchor into making any statements on the South China Sea," said Jay Batongbacal, an expert on the South China Sea at the University of the Philippines. "What China will be more concerned about is if the U.S. tries to rally international support against China's activities," he said.


The Baltimore Ravens saw the return of nearly all their 91-man roster on Friday's practice. After missing six players on Day 1 of training camp, outside linebacker Shane Ray, and offensive linemen Jermaine Eluemunor and Orlando Brown Jr. passed their conditioning tests and were allowed to practice on Day 2. But that still left wide receiver Marquise Brown and guard Alex Lewis absent due to their injuries. Coach John Harbaugh further elaborated on Lewis' injury status at the end of practice, however. Harbaugh said they were given a date of early August for Lewis to be "full go" and cleared for practice. Coach Harbaugh on Alex Lewis' status: pic.twitter.com/N1pq61Iyu0 - Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 26, 2019 Lewis started all 10 games he was active in last season but a scary neck injury and offseason shoulder surgery have seen him find his way to the PUP list . He's expected to be at the middle of the competition for the starting left guard job at training camp . Fighting with Lewis is Eluemunor, James Hurst and rookie Ben Powers - who practiced with the first team on Day 1 . The sooner he can come back, the better, as Lewis' roster spot is far from guaranteed at this point. Getting him back in early August would mean Lewis should get a few weeks of practice and some preseason games in before Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. MORE: UFC's Thiago Santos shares brutal update on injuries suffered in loss to Jon Jones Latest MLB Trade Rumors: Noah Syndergaard, Trevor Bauer, Shane Greene on the Move? Report: Giants will work out Flynn Nagel, other receivers Instant observations from Day 2 of Patriots training camp Chiefs FB Anthony Sherman drove Clint Bowyer's NASCAR stock car to training camp


If you're on the hunt for a rental, you know how hard it can be to find a bargain. So what does the low-end rent on a rental in Sacramento look like these days   and what might you get for the price? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments in Sacramento via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find. Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) 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. 3227 W St. This one-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling, situated at 3227 W St. in North Oak Park, is listed for $995/month for its 850 square feet. In the unit, you're promised a dishwasher and a walk-in closet. The building features garage parking, on-site laundry and outdoor space. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is somewhat walkable, is great for biking and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the complete listing here .) 603 11th St. Here's a studio apartment at 603 11th St. in Alkali Flat, which, at 550 square feet, is going for $995/month. Amenities offered in the building include on-site laundry, outdoor space and secured entry. The listing also promises carpeted floors and a walk-in closet in the apartment. Pets are not permitted. The listing specifies a $25 application fee. According to Walk Score, the surrounding area is very walkable, is easy to get around on a bicycle and offers many nearby public transportation options. (See the full listing here .) 6815 24th St. Then there's this 650-square-foot living space with one bedroom and one bathroom at 6815 24th St. in Woodbine, listed at $1,000/month. In the unit, expect to find a renovated kitchen. Animals are not permitted. The building offers on-site management and outdoor space. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location is somewhat walkable, is convenient for biking and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Kendrick Norton was at fault for the car wreck that resulted in him sustaining severe injuries and ultimately resulted in his arm getting amputated, according to the crash report obtained by ESPN . The Dolphins defensive tackle was ticketed for improper lane change, which caused the chain of events that led to the horrific crash. According to Florida Highway Patrol's report, Norton was driving his Ford F250 truck on the outside lane of State Road 836 in the Miami area when he made a quick turn to try and get to the inside lanes going southbound. As he sped up and changed lanes, he clipped the front of a Maserati, which caused Norton to crash into a concrete barrier and overturn the truck. Per the report, the driver of the Maserati was able to stop on his own. Drugs and alcohol were not considered a factor in the crash. Norton, 22, has been in the hospital since the July 4 crash, where doctors were forced to amputate his arm due to the severity of his injuries. He's already undergone four surgeries and more are expected as he prepares to get a prostheitc arm. Norton's NFL career is now over, but the league has agreed to cover all his medical costs. His agent, Malki Kawa, said that Norton's "spirits are up considering the traumatic accident that he suffered and he's thankful for the support." MORE : NFL training camp 2019: Surprising roster cuts to watch for | Redskins' Josh Norman runs with bulls in Pamplona, Spain: It was 'crazy' | Hue Jackson hopes to be an NFL head coach again The Dolphins claimed Norton off waivers from the Panthers in 2018. He was placed on Miami's 53-man roster and expected to compete for playing time this season along the defensive line. The former collegiate standout was a seventh-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2018 after he had 84 tackles, 18 for loss, five sacks and a forced fumble over his three-year career at the University of Miami. Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NFL Draft (provided by imagn)


Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said this week that he expects running back Melvin Gordon to be at next week's mandatory minicamp and Gordon confirmed his plans on Thursday. Gordon told Wendi Nix of ESPN that he'll join Lynn and the rest of the team at the three-day camp. Gordon did not join the team for the voluntary portions of the offseason program. Gordon's absence came as he is heading into the final year of the deal he signed after being selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. Gordon is set to make $5.6 million this season. Eric Williams of ESPN.com reports that negotiations on a new deal have started between the team and Gordon's camp. Gordon ran 175 times for 885 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games last season. It was the second time in three years that he ran for 10 touchdowns and he added four more scores as a receiver.


MOSCOW   Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday dismissed two senior police officers involved in the arrest of an investigative journalist on drug charges that were later dropped for lack of evidence, in a case that provoked national outrage. The firings, which came a day after massive arrests at a protest rally in the Russian capital, reflect a careful balancing act by the Kremlin, which seeks to assuage public anger while maintaining a tight lid on dissent. Last week's arrest of Ivan Golunov on drug-dealing charges he rejected as sham drew an unprecedented show of solidarity, with three top national newspapers publishing front pages demanding his release. The interior ministry dropped all charges against the reporter on Tuesday in a highly unusual move, and asked Putin to dismiss two senior officers who oversaw the case. The Kremlin on Thursday announced the ouster of Moscow police's anti-drugs chief, Yuri Devyatkin, and head of the police department for western Moscow, Andrei Puchkov. The firings follow arrests at an unsanctioned but peaceful rally supporting Golunov in Moscow on Wednesday. Moscow police said about 200 people were detained, while independent monitoring group OVD-Info said over 500 were taken into custody and some of them were beaten. The vast majority were released quickly without charges. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Thursday that the Kremlin is aware of complaints about excessive use of force by police and expects an official inquiry to look into that. Peskov told reporters that the president will consider proposals to revise legislation to prevent police from using drug charges to frame innocent people. "If such initiative is formulated it will be considered," he said. He added that it's premature to conclude that Golunov's case highlights an urgent need for sweeping police reforms, saying that the Kremlin would await the results of an official probe. The decision to drop charges against Golunov and fire police generals responsible for his arrest marked an unusual shift for the Kremlin, which has staunchly backed law enforcement officials in other cases widely seen as trumped up. Observers say that this time the damage from Golunov's arrest was too big for the Kremlin to stick to the familiar pattern. They also say that the officials allegedly involved in fabricating the case were too insignificant to merit high-level protection. "Moscow police's expectations for political support were rooted in their belief that the Kremlin wouldn't act against those protecting its own security, and that was a major mistake," analyst Tatiana Stanovaya wrote in a commentary for Moscow's Carnegie Center. Stanovaya noted that the Kremlin was angry to see a big image problem resulting from a case apparently driven by personal interests of minor officials. "Golunov was freed not only because of public outrage, but because those who arrested him have no political value for Putin," she wrote. "In the world of Putin, they are like dust."


When you start counting down NFL teams on June 18, you know things are going to change before you get to No. 1 at the end of July . Still, this seems a bit extreme. The past few weeks have had plenty of headlines about holdouts, injuries and Tyreek Hill dodging a suspension. Suddenly we have teams dealing with issues they weren't anticipating a month ago. Some of these storylines could have a major impact on the season. [Join or create a 2019 Yahoo Fantasy Football league for free today] Let's rank the biggest injuries and holdouts, based on the likelihood they linger into the season and how they could impact their teams: 7. New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman's injury: Edelman ranks the lowest on this list because he's supposed to be fine by the season opener. Edelman suffered a broken thumb. But it's a little alarming because New England doesn't have much else at receiver coming into the season. They need Edelman healthy. 6. Jacksonville Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue : ESPN.com pointed out that Ngakoue's contract is tricky to navigate because the Jaguars have a $16.5 million dead cap hit from releasing Blake Bortles. A horrendous decision to extend Bortles gets even worse. It seems like a good bet that Ngakoue will report and the team will work on a contract solution. They need Ngakoue, one of the league's underrated pass rushers. 5. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott's holdout: It seems like a foregone conclusion that Elliott will report by Aug. 6. He needs to report by then to get an accrued season toward free agency . It's hard to believe Elliott would push his free agency another year into the future with a holdout, but even if he reports, will he be happy to log another 300-plus carries on a team that might not want to pay him ? 4. Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green's injury: Green had minor surgery on his ankle after injuring it in practice, and coach Zac Taylor said the team expects Green to miss multiple regular-season games. Even if Green misses just two games, that's a huge blow for a rookie head coach installing a new offense. 3. Washington Redskins OT Trent Williams' holdout: Whenever the phrase "Ereck Flowers will fill in at left tackle" is used, it's a scary situation. Williams, a seven-time Pro Bowler, hasn't reported. He has a contract dispute and also some issues with the team's medical staff . Of all the situations listed here, this seems like the one that has the best chance to linger well into the season. 2. Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon's holdout and OT Russell Okung's medical condition: The Chargers have the worst luck. They should have hopes of winning it all, but two huge questions on offense punched them in the face before camp. Gordon wants a contract extension, but the Chargers don't seem to want to pay him what he wants. Then came news that Okung experienced chest pains and found he had pulmonary embolism caused by blood clots . Okung hopes to return soon, but it's a scary situation. Football-wise, it's bad news for an offensive line that was already the weak link of a good team. 1. Houston Texans OLB Jadeveon Clowney's holdout: Technically Clowney isn't holding out; he hasn't signed his franchise tag tender. But he's not in camp and nobody seems to know when he'll report. Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported it's likely Clowney is back before Week 1, but how many times did we hear optimistic reports about Le'Veon Bell last season? Clowney has been the subject of endless trade rumors. Given how the Texans rely so heavily on four superstars and the uncertainty over what Clowney might do, this is the most concerning of the preseason situations. There are plenty of other situations to monitor over August, as we get the preseason started Thursday night with the Hall of Fame Game. We didn't adjust the pre-preseason Power Rankings (which were revealed with our team previews over the last few weeks) but there will likely be plenty of changes to the next Power Rankings, which will roll out before Week 1 of the regular season. Here's how it stands before the preseason starts, and for a full in-depth preview of each team , click the team name below: 32. Arizona Cardinals There has been no better peek into what the Cardinals' new offense could look like than t his report from Arizona's camp by Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson . If you're curious about Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury's Air Raid, read it. 31. Miami Dolphins It makes no sense if Ryan Fitzpatrick starts over Josh Rosen. However, that would be Rosen's fault. The organization has every reason to start him. But coach Brian Flores can't start his tenure starting Rosen if he's clearly being outplayed. Flores would have credibility issues in the locker room if he did so. If Rosen can't win the job, that's on him. 30. Oakland Raiders I don't even know what to say about the Raiders promoting new linebacker Vontaze Burfict as a mentor and leader of their locker room . 29. New York Giants Golden Tate is unlikely to win an appeal of his PED suspension, Sterling Shepard has a broken thumb and Corey Coleman is done with a torn ACL. Saquon Barkley might get every single touch in the Giants offense this season. 28. Cincinnati Bengals If I had reshuffled the rankings, I'd have moved the Bengals down. A.J. Green's injury is a huge blow. They lost rookie left tackle Jonah Williams to shoulder surgery and guard Clint Boling to retirement. It has been a bad few weeks for Cincy. 27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers According to the Tampa Bay Times , new Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said he has been to the hospital every year he has coached. His health has been a story through the years, and he doesn't seem to worry. "You can die at any moment doing anything," Arians told HBO's "Real Sports," via the Times. "I mean, so why not do what you love to do. If I die on game day, have a drink. Celebrate." 26. Washington Redskins Jay Gruden has a very hot seat coming into the season and knows it. He was forthcoming about that issue with Yahoo Sports' Kimberley Martin . If you wanted to bet on the first NFL coach fired, Gruden probably tops the list. He needs a fast start. 25. Detroit Lions The addition of defensive lineman Mike Daniels is a good (and unexpected) one before the preseason. If Daniels is healthy, he can be a productive player. Cutting him could end up being a regrettable move by Green Bay. 24. Buffalo Bills While the Bills continue to tout LeSean McCoy as their No. 1 back , everyone else seems to believe he could be traded or cut. How the Bills handle McCoy, coming off the worst season of his career, will be a story through August. 23. New York Jets Tight end Chris Herndon was suspended four games due to a DWI arrest last year. While Herndon isn't a household name yet, he's a very interesting player and losing him for a quarter of the season is a big blow to the Jets. 22. Denver Broncos Emmanuel Sanders' return from an Achilles injury has been a big topic at Broncos camp. He looks fast and is already back to 11-on-11 drills. We'll see when games start if he has lost any separation, but he looks good so far and that's great news for Denver's offense. 21. San Francisco 49ers No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa is over the hamstring injury that set him back earlier this offseason. He is already drawing rave reviews at 49ers camp . 20. Jacksonville Jaguars One player to keep a close eye on this season: receiver Dede Westbrook. He has been starring in Jaguars camp . He could have a true breakout season. 19. Atlanta Falcons Julio Jones hasn't made a big deal over contract negotiations , taking the angle that the team promised it would take care of him and he believes it. What happens if we get to the end of the month and there's no deal? Just because Jones is in camp now doesn't necessarily mean the story is over. 18. Tennessee Titans The Titans are being secretive about running back Derrick Henry's lower-leg injury, but nobody in Nashville seems too worried. It seems the Titans will just be careful, knowing Henry will get all the carries he can handle when the games count. 17. Carolina Panthers Since Cam Newton is progressing fine and the Panthers are having a quiet camp, it's worth mentioning that Amazon's "All or Nothing" series on the 2018 Panthers was fantastic. If you haven't seen "All or Nothing," you're missing out. It's better than "Hard Knocks." 16. Minnesota Vikings Dalvin Cook is healthy and ready to have a big workload. "I was brought here to do a job, and my job is to carry the football as many times as they want to hand it to me,'' Cook told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press . 15. Seattle Seahawks The Jarran Reed six-game suspension is bad news for the Seahawks. Seattle already had a lot of pass-rush questions, and Reed had 10.5 sacks last season. 14. Baltimore Ravens John Harbaugh is already predicting more than 139 carries (Cam Newton's career high) for Lamar Jackson. It makes sense. There's no real reason to believe a quarterback has more of a health risk running the ball than a running back. It's just that if the starting quarterback goes down like running backs often do, it's much tougher to replace him. 13. Pittsburgh Steelers The timing of a one-year extension for Mike Tomlin was curious. It seemed a message to impatient Steelers backers to not bother complaining about Tomlin, because he's not on the hot seat. 12. Houston Texans The most interesting scenario with Jadeveon Clowney's discontent over his contract is the Texans trading him. Hey, at this time last year Khalil Mack was holding out from the Raiders and we figured he'd report at some point. 11. Dallas Cowboys Now that Michael Thomas has gotten his huge deal from the Saints , all eyes turn to Amari Cooper. Thomas got $20 million per season, and Cooper probably will be asking for something similar. If he gets paid before Dak Prescott or Ezekiel Elliott, that will turn some heads. 10. Cleveland Browns Already the coaches are publicly criticizing tight end David Njoku . It's not the best sign that they feel Njoku still needs to be motivated that way. 9. Green Bay Packers When a player gets cut in late July and immediately signs a one-year, $9.1 million deal elsewhere, someone screwed up. Either the Lions were crazy to overpay defensive lineman Mike Daniels, or the Packers dumped a potential impact player and got no 2019 benefit out of it. 8. Philadelphia Eagles This is the one team, as I wrote all the previews, that I regretted having too low. The roster is loaded, and I shouldn't have hedged so much on Carson Wentz's health. Philadelphia seems confident he'll stay healthy, having given him a huge extension already. 7. Chicago Bears I like the confidence Mitchell Trubisky exuded to Yahoo Sports' Eric Edholm . Trubisky is right. You can talk yourself into the Bears offense being much better this season. 6. Los Angeles Chargers I think the Chargers have the leverage in the Melvin Gordon holdout. I like to see players get paid and Gordon is very good, but I think Los Angeles knows it will be fine with Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson (still, Philip Rivers shouldn't have said it ). 5. Indianapolis Colts At what point do we get worried about this Andrew Luck calf injury? Not yet? OK, but I don't want to hear about any more setbacks. 4. Kansas City Chiefs Chris Jones reported. Tyreek Hill wasn't suspended (and we'll assume his quad injury will be OK). Frank Clark already is impressing the team . It has been a good start to camp for the Chiefs. 3. New Orleans Saints One player I'm interested to see this preseason is Teddy Bridgewater. He was great last preseason, not so good in Week 17 last season, but still lines up at Drew Brees' successor, if Brees ever retires. 2. Los Angeles Rams I'm fascinated by Sean McVay admitting to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson that he knew during the Super Bowl that Bill Belichick had out-coached him. It was a surprising bit of candor. 1. New England Patriots It's concerning that 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn is still working back from an Achilles injury. He's penciled in as the Patriots' starting left tackle. Guard Joe Thuney is next in line, and while he's a good player, shifting him from guard to tackle is not ideal. Yet, because it's the Patriots, there doesn't seem to be any worry over left tackle because they always figure it out.               Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab Related slideshow: 2019 NFL draft: The top picks (Provided by imagn)


There's no debating that Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High School shortstop and pitcher Bobby Witt Jr., who received the Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year award Wednesday , is one of the top MLB high school prospects in years. What can be debated is just how strong his potential is historically, particularly among high school shortstops. Luckily, Jim Callis is perfectly suited to adjudicate just such a debate. The MLB.com senior writer behind the MLB Pipeline service, Callis was previously the Executive Editor of Baseball America. He's been at the forefront of the MLB prospect world for 30 years between his years at Baseball America and now MLB.com. And in all his years, Callis - and others he's surveyed - think Witt Jr. may be the second best shortstop prospect since the MLB Draft moved to its modern unified format in 1987. The one shortstop Callis and the scouts might have taken ahead of Witt Jr.? You can probably guess who it is: "Alex Rodriguez is the best shortstop prospect I've seen, but Bobby Witt Jr. certainly belongs right up there," a longtime scout currently with a NL club told Callis . "He can match up with guys toolswise and what he also has is a high baseball IQ. People lose sight of it because the tools are so strong, but he's a really good player to go with it." As for Witt Jr., his impending selection - he's widely expected to go No. 2 overall to the Kansas City Royals - comes with a full novel worth of subplots. His father, former MLB pitcher and World Series champ Bobby Witt, was once the No. 3 overall draft pick. The son will soon be expected to achieve even more than his famous father, and will almost certainly be the higher draft pick. Obviously, just because Witt Jr. is expected to be such a high draft pick doesn't mean he'll deliver on that promise. Still, the list of the other top-10 shortstop prospects can provide comfort for fans of whichever team does pick the Colleyville slugger; among the players ranked behind Witt Jr. on Callis' list are Chipper Jones, Manny Machado, both the Upton brothers, Derek Jeter and Carlos Correa. Not bad company to be in. https://compass.pressekompass.net/compasses/usatodayhss/where-does-bobby-witt-jr-rank-among-top- MORE: Five potential Chris Paul trade destinations Kyle Busch was so frustrated during Coke 600 that he told Joe Gibbs he quit NBA Wants Drake To Tone Down Sideline Antics Report: The Celtics are no longer the favorites to sign Kyrie Irving 5 things we'll be watching at Lions week 2 of OTAs Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


There's a lot of eyes on Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota as he enters the fifth and final year of his rookie deal. Mariota still has a lot to prove, but he's shown flashes of potential and has generally been solid for his team when healthy. How does the former Oregon Duck compare to other Titans quarterbacks of the past? Titans team writer Jim Wyatt recently compared his stats to those of other signal-callers like the great Steve McNair. Here's a look at how the two stack up in each category over their first four NFL seasons, with stats from TitansOnline.com. Passing Elsa/Getty Images) Steve McNair (45 games, 38 starts from 1995-1998) Stats: 634-of-1,130, 7,659 yards, 56.1 %, 6.8 pass yds/att, 170.2 pass yards per game, 38 TDs, 28 INTs, 78.0 rating, sacked 79 times, 23-22 record. Marcus Mariota (56 games, 55 starts from 2015-2018) Stats: 1,015-of-1,605, 12,004 yards, 63.2 %, 7.5 pass yds/att, 214.4 pass yards per game, 69 TDs, 42 INTs, 89.4 rating, sacked 130 times, 28-28 record. Based on these statistics alone, Mariota has found much more success on the pass than McNair initially did. This is interesting to look at, considering how widely Mariota has been regarded as a mobile, running quarterback. With an offensive line which looks to be improving, and a host of new targets to throw to, it's reasonable to expect these numbers to increase for Mariota. Rushing Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports Steve McNair Stats: 220 attempts, 1,440 yards, 6.55 rush average, 14 rush TDs. Marcus Mariota Stats: 218 attempts, 1,270 yards, 5.83 rush average, 11 rush TDs. Mariota may be known for his running abilities, but McNair outdid him by a small bit over his first four seasons. It will be interesting to see how these numbers compare at the end of Mariota's fifth season. MORE: Five potential Chris Paul trade destinations Kyle Busch was so frustrated during Coke 600 that he told Joe Gibbs he quit Roundup: NFL Owners Want 18-Game Season Again, Alex Trebek Cancer Near Remission, Israel Redoing Election ESPN graders not big fans of the Browns offseason moves Report: The Celtics are no longer the favorites to sign Kyrie Irving


First, Anthony Davis withdrew. Then, James Harden withdrew. Then, several others withdrew. All told, USA Basketball went through more than 50 players until settling on its star-deficient World Cup training-camp roster. It's not shocking so many players turned down Team USA in the first place, though I thought more would be eager to play in China. The World Cup typically draws less talent than the Olympics, the premier event for international basketball. The World Cup is now only a year before the Olympics, which would mean back-to-back summers for players who want to play in the 2020 Olympics. The World Cup is also close to the NBA season, when many teams will travel abroad for preseason games. But those factors have been present all along. Why did so many players sign up then withdraw? Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum , one of the players to do that, explained. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: CJ McCollum talks star USA players and the FIBA World Cup summer on The Woj Pod. https://t.co/BMJqjF3m0f pic.twitter.com/TDjxY5k2MF   Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 6, 2019 McCollum: Their decision didn't affect me. I was thinking about me. I was thinking about the Portland Trail Blazers and my family. I think other guys looked at it like, "Why would I want to go potentially be the face of what could be a losing roster?" Or the workload part. If we all played, the workload is less. Twenty, 25 minutes. You're getting blowouts, whatever. You're moving on. A lot of guys don't play, your minutes might go up. Your usage might go up. Each player made his own decision for his own reasons. Sometimes, it's the reason given publicly. Sometimes, it's not. But I'm glad McCollum gave voice to the suspicion I've held   that these dropouts have not been independently determined. When top players withdraw, they put more pressure on the remaining top players. Then, the new top players make the same calculus   that the pressure is too great. Then, the new top players make the same calculus   that the pressure is too great. And so on. I can't confirm that's what's happening. But it looks like that's what's happening. McCollum's assessment only adds evidence, though it's possible he too is supposing. The Americans are still favored in the World Cup. They have an unmatched depth of NBA talent. But this also resembles the Team USA rosters that have previously fallen short of gold . Don't assume a U.S. victory. For the Americans to win, they'll need to lean heavily on their top players. On paper, that's Kemba Walker , Khris Middleton and, if he's healthy, Kyle Lowry . Maybe young players like Donovan Mitchell and De'Aaron Fox are ready to breakout. Whoever it winds up being, those players must carry a heavy load on a team not assured of success. Which is McCollum's point.


According to Chatbots Magazine, 67 percent of US millennials said they are likely to purchase products and services from brands using a chatbot. But, what happens if you have a chatbot on your site that nobody is using? If you want to see the full benefits of having a chatbot on your website, you need to get your audience comfortable talking to robots. Seems difficult doesn't it? Well, it's actually not that crazy of a task at all. There are a number of simple ways to get your users to start a conversation with that little box in the corner of your site. Here's how to increase your chatbot engagement. Promote digital assistants instead of "chatbots." Chatbots can seem very limited, like basic bots with canned responses. Because of this, users might not bother interacting with your chatbot at all; if they assume that your chatbot can only answer basic FAQs and sometimes not answer them well, what's the point? So, if you want to increase your chatbot engagement, you need to promote your chatbot as a digital assistant instead. A digital assistant doesn't just answer simple questions like a chatbot. Instead, it improves the entire customer experience. A digital assistant is able to help users with the onboarding process, provide actionable advice, and make helpful recommendations. This type of chatbot experience might seem complicated and costly to provide but it's really not thanks to AI (artificial intelligence). There are a number of AI-powered chatbots on the market that are able to interpret complex language, understand the context of a conversation, predict user behavior and reply to users in a natural way. When users know that they can do more with your chatbot, they'll be more likely to use it. Add a "human face" to your chatbot. Many users prefer speaking to a real human. In fact, according to a survey reported by eMarketer, more than eight in 10 US respondents said that even as technology improves, they will want to interact with a real person. To combat this sentiment, you can make your chatbot a little more "human-like." Putting a face to your chatbot can make the user feel like they're talking to a real person, even if it's not a real human face. For instance, take a look at this example from HSBC. They created a human-like chatbot avatar for their virtual assistant. You can even name your chatbot a human name, like Julie for example, and create a chatbot personality that matches your brand in order to help users better connect to your company and feel more comfortable chatting with a robot. Offer personalized experiences. Personalized experiences make consumers feel valued and important, making them more likely to return to your website again and again. According to RetailDive, 63 percent of consumers are interested in personalized recommendations and experiences. So, you should be providing personalized experiences with your chatbot. Chatbot conversations should start off by greeting the customers by name. You can make it even more personal by referring to their location by saying something like "Hey Gary, hope you're having a great day in Houston." But, greeting users by name isn't enough. Take personalization even further by using historical user data such as their order history to provide them with superior customer service. For instance, think about a pizza delivery business. A pizza delivery chatbot could look at what the user orders most frequently, remember that frequent order, and offer to automatically order it for the user again. Aside from a quick repeat order, you can use user data to give more personalized product recommendations as well as offer advice based on the user's past customer support issues. Utilize push notifications. While many users will notice your chatbot in the corner of your website, other website visitors will completely miss it -- unless you utilize push notifications. A quick hello or welcome message along with a sound effect, a new message icon or a popup chatbot window, will grab the attention of your website visitors and make them aware of your chatbot. Take a look at this example from WP Engine's website. Their chatbot alerts website visitors with a sound effect, a new message icon and they even including a typing indicator when the chatbot is writing a message -- it's like getting an instant message from a friend. A simple prompt is all some users need to encourage them to start interacting with your chatbot. You can also use your chatbot to deliver company news and product updates. Using your chatbot to deliver relevant news to users is a great way to get them used to your chatbot as a way of communicating with your company. Over to you. A chatbot is only helpful if people use it, so use these tips to encourage your website visitors to interact with your chatbot. Once users become aware of your chatbot and all it has to offer, your chatbot will become your most popular communication channel.


Cheick Diallo was squeezed out of New Orleans due to a numbers crunch, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM tweets . The Pelicans didn't want to lose the young power forward but they essentially had to choose between Jahlil Okafor and Diallo, according to Gambadoro. New Orleans got three players back in the Anthony Davis deal, added three first-rounders -- including top pick Zion Williamson -- and signed free agent guard JJ Redick . New Orleans did not make a qualifying offer to Diallo, which made him an unrestricted free agent. He signed a two-year contract with the Suns. We have more from the Southwest Division: Marcus Morris said he meant no disrespect when backed out of a verbal two-year agreement with the Spurs to sign a one-year contract with the Knicks, as he told Shams Charania of The Athletic . "The first thing that I did when I knew I would be going another direction, I called and made sure they knew. There was no shade. There's no disrespect," Morris said. "I had great conversations afterward, and as long as I feel that I'm clear with them and gave them my truth, I feel good about moving forward. … I thought at the time that the Spurs deal was all that I had. The process wasn't what I expected and it didn't go the right way." The way Morris' free agent journey played out contributed to bad blood between the two organizations. Andre Iguodala remains in limbo after getting traded to the Grizzlies, Charania reports in a video post . The Rockets, Clippers, Mavericks and Nuggets have all shown interest in the veteran forward. Houston and the Clippers are the top contenders, but the Rockets have major luxury-tax concerns while the only thing that would make sense for the Clippers salary-wise would be to move Maurice Harkless , whom they acquired from the Trail Blazers. However, the Clippers don't want to ship out Harkless, Charania adds. The Pelicans believe they can turn big man Derrick Favors into a bigger offensive threat than he was with the Jazz, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. Favors was acquired for two second-rounders in a salary dump by Utah. The opportunity to play alongside Jrue Holiday , Zion Williamson and Redick will facilitate the process. Favors will be utilized more often as a passer and be encouraged to develop his 3-point game, Guillory adds.


Are Olivia Culpo and Zedd a hot new item? The model was spotted getting awfully close to the DJ while out celebrating her 27th birthday at Swan restaurant in Miami on Friday, May 10. "[Zedd was] getting cozy with Olivia all night, and sat next to her for the entirety of the dinner," an insider revealed to Page Six . "They were definitely into each other." The former Miss USA was feted with a lavish three-tier cake from her friends at the bash, which included fellow Sports Illustrated models Jasmine Sanders, Winnie Harlow, Dev Windsor, and Danielle Herrington. A party-goer even captured footage from Olivia and Zedd's flirty interaction during the festivities. Video on Instagram shows the "Happy Now" singer putting his hand on Olivia's leg as they both laughed at jokes from friends that her birthday cake looked more like a wedding cake. Olivia's pal Jasmine can be heard joking in the background, saying, "She's getting married!" When the cake was first brought out, another friend asked Olivia, who was seated directly next to Zedd, "Is it your wedding?" Following the dinner, Olivia and her crew headed to LIV Nightclub to take in a live performance from Cardi B. She was first spotted hanging out with Zedd at Coachella last month. An eyewitness told TMZ his arms were around her during Ariana Grande's whole set and she was backstage during his gig at the music festival. Olivia was last linked to NFL star Danny Amendola, but they split in October of last year. The latest celeb PDA pics:


A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was dragged about 100 feet early Thursday when a driver fled from a traffic stop in downtown Orlando. Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol said Trooper Victor Rivera attempted to pull over a Toyota Corolla around 3 a.m. near Colonial Drive and Orange Avenue. Officials said Rivera had clocked the Toyota going 81 mph in a 40 mph zone. Troopers said the driver of the car became caught at the train tracks while the train was moving through. The driver jumped out and ran, while the passenger stayed in the car. Trooper Rivera chased after the fleeing driver, but they eventually ended up back at the car. The person in the passenger seat had moved into the driver's seat and started driving, dragging both the trooper and original driver, officials said. Troopers said the original driver managed to get back into the car and the vehicle continued to drag the trooper. Trooper Rivera was dragged about 100 feet before the car got away. He suffered a few cuts and injuries and is expected to be OK. Investigators said they've located the car, but the two men involved remain at large. READ MORE: Video shows trooper being dragged 100 feet by fleeing vehicle in Orlando CHECK OUT WESH: Stay in the know with the latest Orlando news, weather and sports. Get the top stories and all the scores from the team at WESH.


Beyond Meat shareholders have enjoyed a historic run since the fake meat company's IPO in May, with the stock gaining 800% through Monday's close. Now some insiders are getting the opportunity to pocket some gains at a historically fast clip. Along with its first earnings report as a public company, Beyond Meat said on Monday that it's holding a secondary share sale , enabling early investors like Kleiner Perkins and Obvious Ventures to sell some of their stock. CEO Ethan Brown and some other executives and board members are also participating. By announcing a secondary offering so soon after hitting the public market, Beyond Meat is allowing those investors to work around the lock-up period that forbids insiders from selling for six months after the initial share sale. Under that schedule, shareholders would remain fully locked up until November. The risk of waiting three more months is that the hype could wear off, even just a bit, and send the stock spiraling downward. After all, Campbell Soup is currently worth less than Beyond Meat despite having about 33 times the revenue. While the selling stockholders still own most of their stakes   none are selling more than about 10%   they're at least allowed to take some risk off the table. "Typically, very early follow-ons occur when the price has risen a lot, increasing the public float at a time when there aren't a lot of shares available to investors," said Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business and an IPO expert. "The company and selling shareholders are happy to take advantage of investor optimism, and investors like the increased liquidity." Venture-backed companies often hold secondary sales, but not so close to the IPO date. Among tech IPOs in recent years, only Splunk in 2012 announced a secondary within three months of its IPO, based on a review of FactSet data. That was at a 66% premium to the software company's debut price. In 2016, Twilio held a secondary about four months after its IPO, while LogMein (2009), ServiceNow (2012), GrubHub (2014), and Cloudera (2017) each waited about five months. Beyond Meat said that existing shareholders will be selling 3 million shares, equivalent to about 5% of shares outstanding, and the company will sell an additional 250,000 shares to to invest in building out its production capabilities and marketing its products. Kleiner Perkins will sell almost 705,000 of its 7.75 million shares, assuming the underwriters exercise their options. Obvious, the firm co-founded by Twitter co-founder Ev Williams, will sell just over 405,000 of its 4.46 million. The price of the offering hasn't yet been disclosed. Beyond Meat shares tumbled 13% after the announcement to $192.60. A company's stock often declines ahead of a secondary sale on concern that new shares will flood the market and there won't be sufficient demand to keep the price up. But nothing about Beyond Meat's first three months on the market has been typical. The company's market cap has jumped from $1.5 billion at its debut to over $13 billion at Monday's close. In May, Canada's Tim Hortons said it was adding Beyond Meat's imitation sausage in a few markets, and more recently Dunkin' introduced a breakfast sandwich made with Beyond Sausage, starting at stores in Manhattan. Beyond Meat's revenue surged 287% in the quarter to $67.3 million, exceeding analysts' estimates of $52.7 million, according to Refinitiv. WATCH: Follow @CNBC t ech on Twitter for the latest tech industry news.


QBs on the course! ⛳ @AaronRodgers12 x @BrettFavre @TheShowdownGolf pic.twitter.com/6QWt5imvSz - Green Bay Packers (@packers) June 29, 2019 Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre golfed together at the Baha Mar Showdown in The Bahamas. The two-day celebrity event is being hosted by Rodgers and NBA star Chris Paul. It will conclude with a team of NFL golfers facing off against a team of NBA golfers. First, Rodgers and Favre got a chance to play together. "I love golf, and The Bahamas is a stunning setting for this unique event. It will be a special one for fans too, getting up-close-and-personal with some amazing pro athletes," Rodgers said in a press release distributed by Turner Sports . Favre posted this photo with Rodgers and his grandson at the event: Here's an idea for next year: Have Rodgers and Favre mic'd up for another round, and sell the event pay-per-view style, with all proceeds going to charity. Who isn't going to pay to watch that? MORE: Women's World Cup Schedule, Germany vs Sweden Live Stream, How to Watch World Cup Online, TV Channel, Start Time Danny Green: 'This is the time where I need to maximize the dollars on the longest amount of years that I can do' Vegas Sportsbook moves up Lakers title odds due to Kawhi Leonard rumors Francis Ellis Fired from Barstool Sports [UPDATE] Report: Pats 'fired up over what they've seen' from Jamie Collins Related slideshow: 2019 NFL draft: The top picks (Provided by imagn)


The Thunder entered 2017-18 with Russell Westbrook , Paul George , Carmelo Anthony and major expectations. They lost in the first round. Yet, George   who'd telegraphed so much Lakers interest   still re-signed last summer. He explained his choice: "Looking back on it, if I would've made another decision, I would have looked back at that one year in Oklahoma and thought, 'What if?'" George says. It appeared George relinquished plenty of flexibility to answer that question. His contract with Oklahoma City locked him in for three years before a player option. But after the Thunder again lost in the first round this year, he requested and received a trade to join Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers. Rachel Nichols of ESPN: PG on OKC: "This was nothing that came out of the blue; we were all on the same page. The initial plan was to give it another year, see what we could do & I did that. We played another year & it felt like we were just stagnant. Next thing was, let's move forward with other plans"   Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) July 24, 2019 More from PG on OKC: "Again, it was mutual amongst everybody. Thunder got amazing packages out of it, for myself, for Russ when Houston involved. And we all thought it was a win across the board, we all thought it was the best moment to pull the plug."   Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) July 24, 2019 This really sounds like Oklahoma City pitched him on re-signing with a promise to trade him later if he wanted. George could get long-term contract security without losing the freedom to change teams. Not only does George's statement indicate that, so does the Thunder's historically quick pivot into rebuilding . They appeared ready for this. Everything worked well for both sides. George got to L.A., where he wanted to be. The Thunder got a massive haul of draft picks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari . Moving George also freed Oklahoma City to trade Russell Westbrook without backlash. But this is a dangerous model to follow, if this were somewhat pre-arranged. The Thunder didn't have to trade George. They didn't have to send him to his desired team. The next player who tries to have his cake and eat it too   gaining long-term contract security while thinking he's maintaining freedom to choose his team   might not be so fortunate. He could easily wind up stuck somewhere he doesn't want to be. These arrangements are non-binding. The only way for players to ensure their ability to choose their team annually is to sign a one-year or 1+1 contract. That carries risk. But otherwise, they are beholden to their team   which is just another risk.


It's not a huge surprise that at the final major of the year, the British Open apparel scripting is very navy. With traditionally dreary weather conditions, Open Championship competitors will match their outfits with the dark skies. And with layering an integral part of planning for any golf played in the United Kingdom, darker shades can be easier to match rain gear and jackets to. Luckily, some of the tour's boldest, most stylish golfers like Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas will use these navy backdrops as an opportunity to use pops of color and fun patterns. Adding bright details to a dark base color is a safe way to add personality to an outfit, without creating a blinding look. We'll see that incorporated by some of golf's biggest apparel companies in our favorite looks for the British Open here: Tiger Woods, Nike Tiger Woods will stick with his non-traditional collar looks for the Open Championship, but switch up the design to match the metallic details that will be seen across the Nike athletes at the tournament. Nike's reflective theme at the Open Championship was designed with the mantra "be seen, be heard" in mind. Woods will start the week out in a blue golf shirt ( Nike Dri-FIT Tiger Woods Vapor Polo, $85 ) with a reflective chest design, move to a black top on Friday, opt for white on Saturday. For the final round, Woods will return to his classic Sunday red Nike Dri-FIT Tiger Woods Vapor Top Mock ($85). Shirt: Nike Dri-FIT Tiger Woods Vapor Polo | BUY NOW: $85 OR Nike Dri-FIT Tiger Woods Vapor Top Mock | BUY NOW: $85 Pants: For a similar look, Nike Men's Flat Front Flex Golf Pants | BUY NOW: $80 Hat: TW Aerobill Classic 99 Hat | BUY NOW: $35 Shoes: Nike Air Zoom TW71 | BUY NOW: $150 Related: The argument for Tiger Woods' mock neck shirt Rickie Fowler, Puma Celebrating 10 years with Puma, Rickie Fowler will debut the new X_Collection at Royal Portrush. According to the company, the X_Collection fuses progressive design with classic style, deriving inspiration from traditional fabrics and patterns of the British Isles, with Houndstooth detailing and a navy, green and white color pallet that pays homage to the region where golf was born. Fowler will switch between a Houndstooth-inspired patterned golf shirt, Skerries Polo ($85), and a retro pocket polo, the Donegal Polo ($85). He'll wear each shirt in both green and navy. Fowler will also wear a modern jogger golf pant ( Atrim Pant, $110 ) during the third round for a fresh, refined look. First- and Final-round Shirt: Skerries Polo | BUY NOW: $85 Second- and Third-round Shirt: Donegal Polo | BUY NOW: $85 First- and Third-round Layering: Dunluce ¼ Zip | BUY NOW: $120 Second- and Final-round Layering: Rotation ¼ Zip | BUY NOW: $75 First-, Second- and Final-round Pants: Jackpot 5 Pocket Pants | BUY NOW: $85 Third-round Pants: Atrim Pant (in Peacoat) | BUY NOW: $110 Shoes: IGNITE PROADAPT X | BUY NOW: $200 Hat: P 110 X Snapback | BUY NOW: $30 Justin Rose, Bonobos Justin Rose will continue his superior-style year with Bonobos, bringing strong looks in a variety of themes. He'll start out the week in a sleek all-black ensemble that's edgy and means business. The 38-year-old will switch to a brighter blue-stripe M-Flex Flatiron Golf Polo heathered golf shirt with a not-quite-navy but still ultra-stylish blue pant ( Highland Tough Golf Pant, $128 ). Continuing on the gradually bolder path, Rose's third-round ensemble consists of a white pant and navy floral-patterned top. Rose will end the week in a Rose-pattern golf shirt , as is tradition now for him. All of Rose's scripting is included in Bonobos' 30 percent off sale , ending Tuesday (July 16). Shirt: M-Flex Flatiron Golf Polo | BUY NOW: $47.60 (regularly $68) Pants: Highland Tour Golf Pants | BUY NOW: $89.60 (regularly $128) For a more in-depth look at Justin Rose's British Open Apparel: Justin Rose's Open Championship Bonobos outfits are on sale and shockingly affordable Dustin Johnson, Adidas World No. 2 Dustin Johnson will stick to his comfortable blue color palette at Royal Portrush, primarily in the Adidas Ultimate365 Gradient Polo. This golf shirt has a solid chest that is accented by distinct stripe patterns on the sleeves. This mixed pattern look is modern, athletic and adds a touch of style to Johnson, who typically dresses super traditionally. First-, Second- and Final-round shirt: Ultimate365 Gradient Polo | BUY NOW: $65 Third-round shirt: Ultimate Color Block Polo | BUY NOW: $65 Pants: Ultimate365 tapered pant | BUY NOW: $90 Shoes: TOUR360XT golf shoe OR Adipure SP golf shoe | SHOP NOW: $170-$200 RELATED: The best Amazon golf deals for Prime Week Brooks Koepka, Nike Sticking with the Nike reflective theme, Brooks Koepka will wear the Nike Men's Vapor Reflective Golf Polo ($65) all four rounds at Royal Portrush. The solid-colored golf shirt is accented by metallic side panels, adding a nice touch to the four-time major winner's shirt. Koepka's shoes will certainly generate some buzz, as he's set to wear custom Nike Tour Premiere Reflective Golf Shoes. A gold seam taping accents the metallic upper and royal chrome sole. The shoe is not currently for sale in the U.S., but similar styles will be made available during the tournament so stay tuned for more information on the Nike Reflective Pack. Shirt: Nike Dri-FIT Vapor Polo Reflective | BUY NOW: $65 Pants: Nike 5 Pocket Flex Pant | BUY NOW: $85 Hat: Nike AeroBill Classic99 Hat | BUY NOW: $35 Shoes: Custom Nike Tour Premiere Reflective Golf Shoes | Shop the original Nike Tour Premiere Golf Shoes, here. Jordan Spieth, Under Armour Jordan Spieth's looks for the final major of the year are simple and classic, sticking to simple base colors and easy-to-match pieces. This allows his accessories to shine the brightest in his Open Championship scripting. Spieth's limited-edition Spieth 3 Golf Shoes feature pops of gold and maroon on the primarily navy shoe a nod to the Royal Portrush Golf Club logo. The shoe collar lining is inspired the iconic carpet pattern seen throughout the clubhouse. The shoe will be available in very limited quantities. First-round Shirt: UA Vanish Polo | BUY NOW: $70 Second-round shirt: UA Tour Tips Seamless Polo | BUY NOW: $85 Third-round shirt Shirt: UA Playoff Polo 2.0 | BUY NOW: $65 Final-round shirt: UA Tour Tips Seamless Polo | BUY NOW: $85 Pants: UA Showdown Tapered Pant | BUY NOW: $80 Belt: UA Braided 2.0 Belt | BUY NOW: $40 Shoes: UA Spieth 3 Golf Shoes | BUY NOW: $200 First- and final-round hat: UA Official Tour Cap 3.0 | BUY NOW: $35 Second-round hat: UA Elevated Jordan Spieth Tour Cap | BUY NOW: $35 Third-round hat: UA Jordan Spieth Washed Cap | BUY NOW: $28 Justin Thomas, Ralph Lauren As to be expected, Justin Thomas will wear some bold looks at the Open Championship. The highlight of his British Open apparel will be his final-round tartan pants ($125). He'll pair the plaid pants with a soft pink golf shirt ( POLO GOLF Classic Fit Performance Polo, $89.50 ) that will amp up 26-year-old's look. First Round Shirt: Performance Pique Golf Shirt | BUY NOW: $89.50 Pants: Performance Chino Golf Pant | BUY NOW: $98.50 Layering: RLX GOLF Stretch Wool Golf Jacket | BUY NOW: $228.00 Second Round Shirt: For similar look, RLX Diamond Dot Airflow Jersey | BUY NOW: $69 Pants: RLX GOLF Tailored Fit Golf Pant | BUY NOW: $98.50 Layering: For a similar look, RLX Brushback Tech Jersey Quarter Zip | BUY NOW: $90 Third Round Shirt: For a similar look, RLX YD Lightweight Tech Pique Golf Shirt | BUY NOW: $90 Pants: Performance Chino Golf Pant | BUY NOW: $98.50 Layering: For a similar look, Brushback Tech Jersey Half Zip | BUY NOW: $125 Final Round Shirt: POLO GOLF Classic Fit Performance Polo | BUY NOW: $89.50 Pants: Polo Golf Tailored Fit Seersucker Pant | BUY NOW: $125 Layering: RLX GOLF Stretch Wool Golf Jacket | BUY NOW: $228.00


Artem Anisimov 's name has been floating in trade speculation for more than a year now, and on Tuesday afternoon the Chicago Blackhawks finally moved him. The Blackhawks announced they have traded Anisimov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Zack Smith . It is a one-for-one deal that will probably make a bigger impact on both team's financial situations than on the ice. Both players are 31 years old, have two years remaining on their current contracts, and are coming off of somewhat similar seasons in terms of their performance. Anisimov scored 15 goals and 37 points in 78 games for the Blackhawks this past season, while Smith had nine goals and 28 points in 70 games for the Senators. [ ProHockeyTalk's 2019 NHL free agency tracker ] So what is important here for both teams? Money, obviously. For the Blackhawks, the Anisimov-for-Smith swap saves them a little more than $1 million against the salary cap as they go from Anisimov's $4.5 salary cap hit to Smith's $3.25 number. For a team that is consistently pressed against the cap and still has a ton of big-money players, every little bit of extra space helps. Especially as they have to work out new deals for Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome over the next year. The Senators, meanwhile, had a different set of problems. They were still sitting under the league's salary floor before the trade and are now finally above it. Anisimov's contract not only gets them over the floor, but because the Blackhawks have already paid Anisimov's signing bonus for this season the Senators actually owe him less in terms of actual salary, which is also probably an important factor for a team that is seemingly always in a cost-cutting and money-saving mode. The Blackhawks have been extremely busy this offseason making multiple changes to their roster after a second straight non-playoff season. Along with acquiring Olli Maatta and Calvin de Haan in trades to try and upgrade their defense, they also signed goalie Robin Lehner in free agency and brought back veteran forward Andrew Shaw . This past week they traded former first-round pick defender Henri Jokiharju to the Buffalo Sabres for Alex Nylander. Related: Blackhawks shaping up as NHL's biggest wild card   Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz .


The Arizona Cardinals as a team have gotten their first taste of how Kliff Kingsbury will coach his players. So far, one major difference is the more relaxed feel to practice . Steve Wilks and Bruce Arians both would yell a lot. Arians would use foul language. Wilks was intense. Kingsbury is much more mellow. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph balances that out. While Kingsbury seems to keep things relaxed and focused on execution, Joseph seems to be more like Wilks. "He's an intense guy and he expects a lot from his players," said outside linebacker Brooks Reed on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM . Reed says Joseph inspires his players to do more and compete. On offense, they keep things cool. On defense, they keep things more intense. The goal? Joseph and the defense don't want to give the offense anything in practice. Reed expects great competition between the offense and defense in practices as the year progresses. Listen to the latest from Cards Wire's Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio . View embedded content MORE: This flying-knee KO just 10 seconds into a PFL fight had the MMA world in awe Mallory Edens: Five Things To Know About Bucks Owner's Daughter Spurs' DeMar DeRozan 'possibly could be on the trade block' to Lakers Source: Warriors brought in Terence Davis for pre-draft NBA workout How Gerald McCoy's contract directly impacts the Lions


Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made clear Friday that she won't miss Alex Acosta. "Thank god he's gone," she told a group of reporters in the Capitol. Acosta, President Trump's Labor secretary, announced Friday that he'll step down on July 19 amid an intensifying controversy over his role in a 2008 criminal case involving the New York financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was arrested Monday on sex charges involving underaged girls. Acosta, as a U.S. prosecutor in Miami more than a decade ago, had worked to secure a plea deal that kept Epstein, then facing similar charges, out of federal prison. On Thursday, Acosta staged a televised press conference to defend his conduct surrounding the episode, arguing that the federal case was a "roll of the dice" and he therefore pursued the lesser state charges to ensure a guilty plea and some jail time for Epstein. "I wanted to help them," Epstein said of the victims. Appearing with Acosta on the South Lawn of the White House Friday morning, Trump lauded his Labor secretary and lamented his departure. "This was him not me, because I'm with him," Trump told reporters. "I hate to see this happen." Pelosi voiced a different verdict, saying Acosta's "sweetheart deal" for Epstein should have disqualified him from the Labor secretary spot to begin with since the evidence of Epstein's guilt was "very clear at the time." "We have a secretary of Labor whose department oversees the sex-trafficking issue, where we have him do a sweetheart deal for a sex offender engaged in such sex trafficking, especially of children, young girls," Pelosi said. "He should never have been appointed; he should never have been confirmed; and he should have resigned. "I guess we'll have another acting secretary."


Charlotte is expected to experience light rainfall this coming week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Wednesday's forecast shows the greatest possibility of rain at 88 percent, with rain likely through Saturday. The next few days will also see warm temperatures, forecast to last through Wednesday. Temperatures will rise even more on Thursday, with a high of 91 degrees. Skies will be partly cloudy today and mostly cloudy tomorrow. Winds will remain fairly calm over the course of the week, with the highest speeds today at only 9 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The provision of federal law criminalizing unlawful entry into the United States   which some Democratic presidential candidates now want to undo   was crafted by an avowed white supremacist who opposed the education of black Americans and favored lynching, which he justified by saying, "to hell with the Constitution." The law, referred to as Section 1325, became a flash point in the first of two Democratic presidential debates this week, when Julián Castro, a former secretary of housing and urban development, challenged his rivals to back its repeal. The measure's little-known history did not arise on Wednesday night in Miami , where the first cohort of Democrats vying to compete against President Trump took the stage. No one mentioned Sen. Coleman Livingston Blease. But the legacy of the criminal lawyer and neo-Confederate politician from South Carolina hangs over the 2020 election. Blease was the architect of Section 1325, the part of Title 8 of the United States Code that makes it a misdemeanor to enter the country without authorization. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post The statute , adopted in 1929, is the basis for Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, which his administration used to justify separating families at the border. And as the contestants in Wednesday's debates sought to burnish their images as opponents of that policy, it was the call for Section 1325′s repeal that became one of the starkest dividing lines in a crowded field. Castro's quest for the statute's annulment forms part of his " People First Immigration " plan unveiled in April. Some, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, have backed the idea . "The reason that they're separating these little children from their families is that they're using Section 1325 of that act, which criminalizes coming across the border, to incarcerate the parents, and then separate them," Castro said from the debate stage. "Some of us on this stage have called to end that section, to terminate it." Others, he added, singling out his fellow Texan, former congressman Beto O'Rourke, have not. That Section 1325 got airtime on Wednesday indicates its significance in American political history, according to Kelly Lytle Hernández, a professor of history at the University of California at Los Angeles and the author of a 2017 book that exposes the explicit racial motivations for the statute. "I'm thankful to hear it's being brought to the surface," Hernández, author of " City of Inmates: Conquest, Rebellion, and the Rise of Human Caging in Los Angeles, 1771-1965 ," said in an interview with The Washington Post. "One of the things that this president has gifted us is the opportunity to finally talk about what immigration control and immigration law is in the United States. There is no immigration reform without grappling with the hold that Jim Crow has on our immigration regime." The influence of Jim Crow on the nation's immigration laws is personified by Blease, whom Hernández called an "unrepentant white supremacist." His ideas gained currency as part of a larger effort to enforce racial exclusion a century ago, including through national origin quotas and a complete ban on immigrants from Asia. That system was scrapped during the civil rights era, but criminal penalties for unlawful entry remain. "The world that Blease imagined in 1929 is very much the world in which we're living," Hernández said. Coleman Livingston Blease was born in 1868 in the foothills of South Carolina, raised near the mill town of Newberry. Tall and slender, he walked with a swift gait. A felt hat with a broad rim covered a shock of dark hair, which matched his prominent mustache. Asking voters to call him "Coley," Blease entered politics as a protege of Benjamin Tillman, the white supremacist governor and senator from South Carolina who would go on to denounce his former disciple for his extreme populism, saying, "Catiline among the Romans and Aaron Burr among the Americans are the only other men I have ever read of who were equal to Blease in bamboozling the people." "He is a past master in the arts of a demagogue," Tillman added. "He knows full well that when the angry passions of the masses are aroused they lose their reason." Casting himself as an ally of poor whites, including textile workers in upper South Carolina, Blease became a state legislator in 1890 and the governor in 1911. He was a Southern Democrat, in favor of segregation, before party realignment in the second half of the 20th century. Blease defended violence against people he called racially inferior, saying a band of white men had done "exactly right" for whipping blacks, saying that "the morals and the mode of living between colored people are not up to the standard adopted and lived up to by the white people." Blease defended lynching , dismissing legal concerns with vigilante justice. "Whenever the Constitution comes between me and the virtue of the white women of the South, I say to hell with the Constitution," he argued. Blease had similar scorn for the judgments of courts, which he said served mainly to prop up the rich. Before resigning the governorship in 1915, he pardoned more than 1,000 state prisoners, among them a man convicted of murdering his wife, as well as many of his former clients who had enlisted his services as a well-known defense attorney. Blease won election to the Senate in 1924, bringing his campaign of racial agitation in Washington. He proposed prohibiting interracial marriage by constitutional amendment. Incensed by the decision of the first lady, Lou Hoover, to invite the black wife of a congressman to tea at the White House, he offered a resolution demanding that the president and his wife "remember that the house in which they are temporarily residing is the 'White House.' " Many of Blease's efforts were fool's errands, Hernández notes in her book. He was less intent on shaping policy than on riding a "wave of anti-black racism" coursing through the country. One of his biographers wrote that he harbored "Negro-phobia that knew no bounds." In 1929, however, as Congress strained to develop a policy on Mexican immigration, Blease became the broker of a compromise between nativists and a faction protective of business interests that required cheap labor. As a result, he was able to transform American immigration law, which bears his imprint to this day. "Blease shifted the conversation to controlling unauthorized Mexican migration rather than capping authorized migration," as Hernández's account explains. "Citing the large number of unauthorized border crossings made by Mexicans each year, Senator Blease proposed criminalizing unlawful entry into the United States." His bill was approved in March 1929, yielding Section 1325. By 1939, United States attorneys had prosecuted more than 44,000 cases of unlawful entry, as Hernández chronicles. In the decades that followed, law enforcement often pursued other priorities , deciding that prosecuting a stream of misdemeanor cases was not worth the time or resources. Immigrants caught crossing the border without authorization could still be returned, as they were before criminalization. Prosecution was stepped up during the George W. Bush administration, in response to an increase in border crossings. Supporters of such an approach argue that it is necessary to deter unlawful entry, said Tom K. Wong, an associate professor of political science at the University of California at San Diego and an adviser to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during the Obama administration. But the evidence is not conclusive on that point, he maintained, while the costs have been significant. Meanwhile, abandoning the criminal classification of unlawful entry, and treating it instead as a civil infraction, could be "immensely consequential for undocumented immigrants," Wong said. For one, it would prevent large-scale detention and end the practice of separating children from their parents, as the adults would no longer face criminal proceedings. Critics of Section 1325 also argue that the statute deters migrants from turning themselves in to immigrant officials, which is necessary to claim asylum. Those who do not favor its repeal say it is possible to overhaul the country's immigration system and do away with "zero tolerance," while maintaining criminal penalties. "You're looking at just one small part of this," O'Rourke told Castro. "I'm talking about a comprehensive rewrite of our immigration laws. And if we do that, I don't think it's asking too much for people to follow our laws when they come to this country." Hernández sees benefit in the discussion, which could cast light on the "extraordinary power of federal law enforcement" in the area of immigration, she said, where "what we presume to be people's constitutional rights can be violated." But she is ultimately skeptical about the likelihood of ambitious changes. "I think it's more likely that we would satisfy ourselves with fairly moderate reforms to our immigration laws rather than thinking more broadly about how the economic system, political system and military system dictate the flow of human beings around the globe," she said. Blease's transgressions are easy to recognize today. And yet, Hernández said, "there are many Bleases." Russ Ewing, TV news reporter who convinced more than 100 suspects to turn themselves in, dies at 95


It's not much fun to think about life insurance. But preparing for the day when you shuffle off this mortal coil is a good idea for many of us, especially if you have dependents. Life insurance can provide funds for surviving family members or other loved ones to cover major costs ranging from mortgages and college tuition to your funeral expenses. Finding the right life insurance provider can be an intimidating prospect for many people. Recently, J.D. Power offered help to those shopping for a policy when it released the findings of its latest Life Insurance Study, which measures customer satisfaction among life insurance providers. It's not the usual blah, blah, blah. Click here to sign up for our free newsletter. J.D. Power measured satisfaction in four areas: Annual statement and billing Interaction Policy offerings Price J.D. Power then used a 1,000-point scale to assign a score to each company based on the findings. According to the survey, the top 10 insurers are: State Farm: 825 points Northwestern Mutual: 812 Nationwide: 810 MetLife: 793 Mutual of Omaha: 792 New York Life: 791 Protective Life: 791 Prudential: 784 Pacific Life 783 MassMutual: 781 Those 10 insurers were the only companies in the survey to beat the industry average of 779 points. The study data included responses from 5,391 individual life insurance customers. Do you need life insurance? Though life insurance can be a great product, it's not for everybody. As we note in " 7 Questions You Need to Ask Before You Buy Life Insurance ": "If you have no spouse or dependents, a life policy might not be necessary. Also, if you have enough financial resources to provide for your dependents if you died unexpectedly, buying life insurance may be a waste of money." Going through the list of questions in that story will help you determine if you need a policy   and, if so, which type of coverage you should buy, and how much coverage you would need. Another Money Talks News story, " How to Save on Every Type of Insurance ," can help you drill down further on the type of coverage you need. As the story explains, life insurance comes in two main varieties: term life and whole life. Term life is the better choice for many people. As we write: "Term life insurance covers you for a fixed period of time and pays a death benefit if you die during that period. That money is tax-free, and your beneficiary can do whatever he or she wants with it." By contrast, a whole life policy will likely cost you more money, although it does offer advantages that might appeal to some people. Do you have an opinion about life insurance? Sound off in comments below or on our Facebook page .


Of all the Bills' position battles at training camp, the deepest might be at wide receiver. Entering training camp, there was a presumed top-four which included Cole Beasley, John Brown, Zay Jones and Robert Foster. Thus far, Foster's been a bit rocky after a strong 2018 season that came out of left field. Even with those four, there's still no clear No. 1 receiver. Brown appears to be that top-target, but compared to other NFL rosters, he's still much closer to the pack than say, Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins is in Houston. With that in mind, there's always seemingly a large battle for the bottom of the receiver depth chart. Duke Williams is included in that bunch this year at Bills training camp. Coming from the CFL, Williams is a guy that was a little different than the rest of his competition. He's a big-bodied target at 6-foot-4 but he has a bit of a rocky past. After he was ranked as one of the countries top prospects in college and potentially a high draft pick, he went undrafted due to off-field issues and eventually landed in Canada's league. Now with a second chance at the NFL, Williams is trying to channel his past to build his future with the Bills. "I've been dogged before. I've been down. I've been criticized my whole life," Williams told the Buffalo News. "There's always a chip on my shoulder." Despite his shortcomings previously in the NFL, Williams comes to the Bills having righted the ship, it appears. He did't just have a successful CFL spell, Williams exploded in 2018, recording 88 receptions for 1,359 receiving yards, leading the league in receiving for Edmonton. Williams previously said he's not going to take things for granted with the Bills, but currently he has an uphill battle. Along with the prior mentioned top-four targets, the Bills appear to like other players such as Andre Roberts, Ray-Ray McCloud and Isaiah McKenzie a little more thus far through camp. However, Williams is a physical target and there simply isn't as much physicality during football practices anymore. Williams will have to prove his abilities when the pads and energy is really on during preseason action. The 25-year-old said he's fine with that and at all worried just yet. "I've got vets in front of me. I'm just trying to work my way up. I've got four weeks to do this, so eventually I know I'll work my way up in four weeks. I'm built for it. I overcame adversity my whole life, so this is nothing new to me," Williams said. The Bills signed Williams to a reserve/ futures contract in January. Buffalo's preseason starts in a week on Aug. 8 against the Colts and Williams is certainly one depth player to keep an eye on in the contest. MORE: Jordan Crawford says Nike still owes him $500 for his legendary dunk on LeBron Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Winners and losers from first week of Raiders training camp 2019 Hall of Fame Game: Who's sitting out for the Falcons?