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Giants rookie DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee) set to make NFL debut on Monday night

  The No. 5 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft is set to make his debut in Week 3. Sidelined for the first two weeks of his rookie season due to an MCL sprain, New York Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is officially active and will play in his first career game when Big Blue faces the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. Unfortunately for the Giants, they will be without wide receiver Kadarius Toney (hamstring) and defensive lineman Leonard Williams (knee), who were each doubtful coming into the game. Thibodeaux, who was questionable coming into Monday, was injured in a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 22. There was optimism the Oregon product would be available for the season opener or by Week 2, but Thibodeux's first game was delayed until Week 3. Rife with star potential on and off the field, Thibodeaux playing his first game in prime time seems only right. The Cowboys (1-1) and Giants (2-0) kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET. For full Cowboys-Giants inactives, click here. Read the full article

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Apple will manufacture iPhone 14 in India

  NEW DELHI —  Apple will make its iPhone 14 in India, the company said Monday, as manufacturers shift production from China amid geopolitical tensions and pandemic restrictions that have disrupted supply chains for many industries. “The new iPhone 14 lineup introduces groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities. We’re excited to be manufacturing iPhone 14 in India,” Apple said in a statement. Apple unveiled its latest lineup of iPhones earlier this month. They will have improved cameras, faster processors and longer-lasting batteries at the same prices as last year’s models. India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market after China but Apple iPhone sales have struggled to capture a large share of the market against cheaper smartphones from competitors. The announcement from the Cupertino, Calif.-based company dovetails with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for local manufacturing, which has been a key goal for his government ever since he took office in 2014. The tech company has bet big on India, where it first began manufacturing its iPhone SE in 2017 and has since continued to assemble a number of iPhone models there. Apple opened its online store for India two years ago, but the pandemic has delayed plans for a flagship store in India, according to local media reports. The latest model will be shipped out by Foxconn, a major iPhone assembler, whose facilities are on the outskirts of Chennai, a city in southern India. Apple is likely to shift about 5% of its iPhone 14 production to India later this year, raising it to 25% by 2025, according to a JP Morgan report quoted by the Press Trust of India news agency. The analysts expect nearly a quarter of all Apple products to be manufactured outside China by 2025, compared with about 5% now. Supply chain risks such as the stringent COVID-19 lockdowns seen in China probably are the trigger for such relocation efforts that will continue over the next two or three years, the report said. “Apple has been trying to diversify its supply chain for a while, but these efforts have grown in the last two years over trade sanctions between the U.S. and China,” said Sanyam Chaurasia, an analyst at Canalys. Last year, the tech giant manufactured about 7 million iPhones in India. This news is likely to significantly increase India-made Apple smartphones, he added. He said the plan to make more iPhones in India may also lead Apple to drop its prices for the Indian market, making it more competitive. “You can adopt a more aggressive pricing strategy if you manufacture locally,” Chaurasia said. Most of Apples smartphones and tablets are assembled by contractors with factories in China, but the company started asking them in 2020 to look at the possibility of moving some production to Southeast Asia or other places after repeated shutdowns to fight COVID-19 disrupted its global flow of products. Apple hasn’t released details, but news reports say the company planned to set up assembly of tablet computers and wireless earphones in Vietnam. Other companies are keeping or expanding manufacturing in China to serve the domestic market while shifting export-oriented work to other countries due to rising wages and other costs, as well as the difficulty for foreign executives to visit China due to anti-COVID-19 travel restrictions. AP writer Joe McDonald contributed to this report. Read the full article

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January Jones back in bikini after ‘NASCAR rebranding’

  January Jones has ditched her “NASCAR-esque rebranding” for a Betty Draper-style aesthetic. The “Mad Men” actress, 44, shared a new snap of herself rocking a baby pink bikini with matching accessories including a necklace from Ivy Diamond Cole jewelry and earrings from uncommon matters. She topped off the beach look with Linda Farrow sunglasses ($426). “⚠️TOXIC FEMININITY⚠️ Apparently you guys didn’t appreciate my attempted Nascar’esque rebranding so here ya go,” she captioned the Instagram post on Saturday. It seems Jones was referencing some recent snaps, in which she appeared to change up her usual aesthetic in favor of cutoff shorts, trucker hats, and colorful shades. However, it’s not clear what she meant by her caption, as most of the comments on her post were positive. Jones revealed she was reverting back to her usual look.Instagram/januaryjones “#BigDadEnergy I’ll take your cute girl with a fast car pic and raise you,” she captioned a photo last month, which showed her posing in front of a red McLaren, and donning a backwards cap with New Balance sneakers. “Oh my gosh amazing 😍😍,” one follower commented, while another referenced her iconic turn in “Mad Men” opposite Jon Hamm’s Don Draper. The actress had also shared a snap in colorful sunglasses.Instagram/januaryjones “Betty comin for Dons whole career,” they wrote. A third fan chimed in, “Looks perfect with the perfect 80’s mom outfit❤️.” The mother of two also used her social media platform earlier this year to clap back at trolls who criticized her makeup-free posts. Jones has traditionally worn more feminine ensembles -- a stark contrast to the trucker hats and sneakers she has donned recently. Getty Images for NET-A-PORTER/La Jones has traditionally worn more feminine ensembles -- a stark contrast to the trucker hats and sneakers she has donned recently. WireImage, Up Next Close Chyna, 34, posed in a pair of daisy dukes and... She shared a hilarious video singing Celine Dion’s classic “My Heart Will Go On” while wearing ripped jeans, an oversized tee and no makeup. “Wow, is that what she looks like without makeup. Yikes,” one person commented, to which Jones responded, “Oh it gets worse, I also haven’t brushed my teeth yet and I have stye.” Read the full article

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Alaska To Receive Over $14 Million for Recreation Infrastructure | U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

  09.26.22 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will invest $37.75 million to improve recreation related infrastructure on national forests and grasslands, including $14.4 million specifically for projects within the Tongass and Chugach National Forests. These investments are made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Senator Murkowski helped write, negotiate, and shepherd into law last year. Maintaining both heavily used and remote cabins located along lakes, atop mountains and on coastal islands that are available year-around requires resources and staff capacity, which has been in short supply for many years threatening the very existence of the recreation cabin program.  To respond to the call of local Alaskans and Alaska adventurers alike to save these cabins, Murkowski specifically included a carve-out for construction, reconstruction, and operation and maintenance of recreation public use cabins in Alaska in the bill. Of the $37.75 million announced nationwide: - $18 million for recreational cabins and historic buildings to support improvements and construction of new cabins.?   - $19.75 million for recreation sites, including for maintenance, repairs, construction of new facilities, and the installation and expansion of individual campsites, powerlines, and other related improvements.   “Alaska is home to the best outdoor opportunities in the world, and recreation is a key part of our economy. To maintain and grow this world-class industry, we need infrastructure that is modern, safe, and accessible,” Murkowski said. “My efforts to support recreation infrastructure in Alaska – including recreational cabins and historic buildings – started long before the infrastructure bill was ever considered and date back to my time as Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The work we did there, along with the special consideration and funding that I ultimately added to the infrastructure bill, are a home run for all us who are blessed to call Alaska home and for our visitors.” There are more than 155 special use cabins in the Tongass and 50 in the Chugach. The USFS is planning a collaborative process to include local communities in determining a strategy on improving its cabins. For more information on public engagement opportunities, visit the Alaska Region Cabin Strategy website. Background: The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law on November 15, 2021. The law provides historic investments into roads, bridges, ports, airports, broadband, ferries, water and wastewater, resilience, and energy projects—modernizing and upgrading the nation’s core infrastructure. Senator Murkowski was a lead author and negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure package, which also garnered support from Senator Sullivan and the late Congressman Don Young. Related Issues: Infrastructure   Read the full article

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Mac Jones suffers severe high ankle sprain vs. Ravens: Patriots, QB discussing next steps, per report

  Getty Images New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones departed Sunday's 37-26 Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens after suffering an apparent lower-leg injury. In the hours since Jones' injury, it has been revealed to be a high ankle sprain that ESPN reports is severe and would cause many to have surgery. While Jones and the Patriots are still discussing his options and the best course of action going forward, he is likely to miss multiple games. The Patriots are scheduled to take on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field next Sunday. If Jones cannot go -- which sounds likely at this juncture -- the veteran Brian Hoyer is set to take over at quarterback. The 36-year-old's last start came in Week 4 back in 2020, when he completed 15 of 24 passes for 130 yards and one interception in a 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Jones' injury occurred when Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell hit Jones high, and came down on the backside of his left leg. Jones' reaction was a frightening one, as he immediately knew something was wrong. Right after the hit, Jones got up on his right leg and hopped over to the sideline. According to the Boston Sports Journal, Jones was screaming in pain while he was carried down the stairs to the locker room. Initial X-rays were negative, per reports, but the Patriots then feared Jones had suffered tendon and/or ligament damage in his ankle. Jones struggled Sunday afternoon as he completed 22 of 32 passes for 321 yards and three interceptions. He also rushed five times for 31 yards and one touchdown. After the game, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did not give an update on his quarterback. Read the full article

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Bam! NASA spacecraft crashes into asteroid in test of defense technology

  This illustration made available by Johns Hopkins APL and NASA depicts NASA's DART probe, foreground right, and Italian Space Agency's (ASI) LICIACube, bottom right, at the Didymos system before impact with the asteroid Dimorphos, left. (Steve Gribben/Johns Hopkins APL/NASA via AP) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft rammed an asteroid at blistering speed Monday in an unprecedented dress rehearsal for the day a killer rock menaces Earth. The galactic slam occurred at a harmless asteroid 7 million miles away, with the spacecraft named Dart plowing into the space rock at 14,000 mph. Scientists expected the impact to carve out a crater, hurl streams of rocks and dirt into space and, most importantly, alter the asteroid’s orbit. “We have impact!” Mission Control’s Elena Adams announced, jumping up and down and thrusting her arms skyward. Telescopes around the world and in space aimed at the same point in the sky to capture the spectacle. Though the impact was immediately obvious — Dart’s radio signal abruptly ceased — it will be days or even weeks to determine how much the asteroid’s path was changed. The $325 million mission was the first attempt to shift the position of an asteroid or any other natural object in space. “We’re embarking on a new era of humankind,” said NASA’s Lori Glaze, planetary science division director. Earlier in the day, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson reminded people via Twitter that, “No, this is not a movie plot.” He added in a prerecorded video: “We’ve all seen it on movies like ‘Armageddon,’ but the real-life stakes are high.” Monday’s target: a 525-foot asteroid named Dimorphos. It’s actually a moonlet of Didymos, Greek for twin, a fast-spinning asteroid five times bigger that flung off the material that formed the junior partner. The pair have been orbiting the sun for eons without threatening Earth, making them ideal save-the-world test candidates. Launched last November, the vending machine-size Dart — short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test — navigated to its target using new technology developed by Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, the spacecraft builder and mission manager. Dart’s on-board camera, a key part of this smart navigation system, caught sight of Dimorphos barely an hour before impact. “Woo hoo,” exclaimed Adams, a mission systems engineer at Johns Hopkins. “We’re seeing Dimorphos, so wonderful, wonderful.” In this image made from a NASA livestream, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft crashes into an asteroid on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. (ASI/NASA via AP) With an image beaming back to Earth every second, Adams and other ground controllers in Laurel, Maryland, watched with growing excitement as Dimorphos loomed larger and larger in the field of view alongside its bigger companion. Within minutes, Dimorphos was alone in the pictures; it looked like a giant gray lemon, but with boulders and rubble on the surface. The last image froze on the screen as the radio transmission ended. Flight controllers cheered, hugged one another and exchanged high fives. A mini satellite followed a few minutes behind to take photos of the impact. The Italian Cubesat was released from Dart two weeks ago. Scientists insisted Dart would not shatter Dimorphos. The spacecraft packed a scant 1,260 pounds, compared with the asteroid’s 11 billion pounds. But that should be plenty to shrink its 11-hour, 55-minute orbit around Didymos. The impact should pare 10 minutes off that, but telescopes will need anywhere from a few days to nearly a month to verify the new orbit. The anticipated orbital shift of 1% might not sound like much, scientists noted. But they stressed it would amount to a significant change over years. Planetary defense experts prefer nudging a threatening asteroid or comet out of the way, given enough lead time, rather than blowing it up and creating multiple pieces that could rain down on Earth. Multiple impactors might be needed for big space rocks or a combination of impactors and so-called gravity tractors, not-yet-invented devices that would use their own gravity to pull an asteroid into a safer orbit. “The dinosaurs didn’t have a space program to help them know what was coming, but we do,” NASA’s senior climate adviser Katherine Calvin said, referring to the mass extinction 66 million years ago believed to have been caused by a major asteroid impact, volcanic eruptions or both. The non-profit B612 Foundation, dedicated to protecting Earth from asteroid strikes, has been pushing for impact tests like Dart since its founding by astronauts and physicists 20 years ago. Monday’s feat aside, the world must do a better job of identifying the countless space rocks lurking out there, warned the foundation’s executive director, Ed Lu, a former astronaut. Significantly less than half of the estimated 25,000 near-Earth objects in the deadly 460-foot range have been discovered, according to NASA. And fewer than 1% of the millions of smaller asteroids, capable of widespread injuries, are known. The Vera Rubin Observatory, nearing completion in Chile by the National Science Foundation and U.S. Energy Department, promises to revolutionize the field of asteroid discovery, Lu noted. Finding and tracking asteroids, “That’s still the name of the game here. That’s the thing that has to happen in order to protect the Earth,” he said. Read the full article

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Hurricane Ian: Buccaneers moving practice to Miami; NFL monitoring Week 4 game vs. Chiefs in Tampa Bay

  National Hurricane Center A matchup between two contenders who recently met in the Super Bowl is scheduled to take place Sunday night, as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are set to visit Tampa to face Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. However, Hurricane Ian has changed how the teams are preparing for the important showdown, and may even reschedule the game altogether. Hours after the National Hurricane Center upgraded Ian to a Category 2 storm on Monday, the Buccaneers finalized plans to evacuate Tampa on Tuesday and spend the rest of the week practicing at the Dolphins' training facility in Miami, according to CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. Since the Dolphins play the Bengals on the road this Thursday, their stadium and fields were available for use. In the meantime, the NFL is continuing to monitor storm developments to determine whether the Buccaneers' Sunday night matchup with the Chiefs can proceed as scheduled in Tampa. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles previously said Monday that the team is working with the NFL to make contingency plans in case they are forced to move Sunday's game. "Right now, we're still monitoring things but we're working things out with the league and we should have a decision hopefully later on today about what we're going to do," Bowles said, via Rick Stroud. Hurricane Ian is quickly approaching Cuba, and is expected to rapidly strengthen into a major hurricane as it moves into the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, per The Weather Channel. As of now, the projections show the hurricane making its largest impact/landfall in Tampa on Wednesday through Thursday. Read the full article

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Floridians face empty grocery shelves, rationing as Hurricane Ian nears

  Floridians are rushing to stock up on basics like water and food ahead of Hurricane Ian, prompting one Publix supermarket to ration its supplies of bottled water. The grocery chain said it authorized stores to limit customer purchases of water and other essentials as the violent storm approaches coastal areas in the state. One Publix grocery store in St. Petersburg, Florida, is limiting households to buying two 24- or 32-packs of individual bottled water per day and four 1-gallon water containers per day, according to local CBS News affiliate WTSP. Hurricane Ian is on a path to hit Florida as a major hurricane this week. Forecasters expect it to intensify rapidly and to become a Category 4 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico Monday, before striking the west central coast of Florida on Wednesday. Consumers often rush to buy water and other staples ahead of major storms, which can cause shortages on store shelves. "As we continue to monitor Ian, Publix locations may limit quantities of items, such as water, to best serve the majority of our customers," a Publix spokesperson said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. "We have seen increased purchases on items such as bread, water, batteries and canned goods, just to name a few." On its website, the supermarket is encouraging people who may find themselves in the hurricane's path to stock up on emergency supplies and food items, including water, powdered drinks, dried fruit, peanut butter and jelly, and baby formula. The chain has not yet capped purchases of bread, batteries, canned goods or other items for which it is seeing higher demand as Hurricane Ian barrels toward Florida. Empty shelves in the water aisle greet shoppers at a supermarket in Kissimmee, Florida, on September 26, 2022, as people brace for the arrival of Hurricane Ian.  Gregg Newton/AFP via Getty Images   Shelves at another Tampa Bay-area Publix were sparse, with only individual bottles of water remaining, according to WTSP. Residents of Clearwater are also making storm preparations, lining up for sandbags, which can prevent flood water damage, and clearing grocery store shelves. And Floridians are lining up at the pump, according to CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca. One South Florida resident told CBS station WFOR-TV that she tried to stock up on water but was unsuccessful and left local stores empty-handed. Southeastern Grocers, which owns supermarket chains Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket and operates more than 500 grocery stores across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, said it is also seeing surging demand for items like bottled water, batteries and cleaning supplies, according to WTSP. Trending News Read the full article

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Was Mars A ‘Water World?’ See The New Images Of An Ancient Reservoir As Martian Water Map Is Revealed

  Holden Basin on Mars as seen by Mars Express on April 24, 2022.   ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO Even if you’re the kind of space fan that keeps an eye on the latest raw images coming back from NASA’s Perseverance rover and its Ingenuity helicopter it’s doubtful that you see many images of the red planet from orbit. The orbit of Mars is comprehensively covered by the space agencies of Earth. There are actually eight active space probes now orbiting Mars, each sending back images of it as required, though the public’s enthusiasm for seeing the dusty redness of Mars has waned. Or has it? The European Space Agency (ESA) recently published some brand new images of Mars from above taken by its Mars Express probe. They reveal how and where water—which used to exist there—carved geological features. They’re incredible. The images show Holden Basin, a 140 kilometer-wide crater in the planet’s southern highlands. A “true color” image that apes what would be seen by the human eye, it shows a series of channels and sinks that may have once drained up to 9% of the Martian surface.   This oblique perspective view of part of Mars’ informally named Holden Basin was generated from the ... digital terrain model and the nadir and colour channels of the High Resolution Stereo Camera on ESA’s Mars Express.   ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO Thought to have once been a water-filled reservoir, Holden Basin is an important area in the search for ancient life on Mars and is sure to one day be visited by a rover—or possibly even by a crewed mission. The image above shows shows a crater and the walls of the basin sloping towards it. This oblique perspective view of part of Mars’ informally named Holden Basin was generated from the ... digital terrain model and the nadir and colour channels of the High Resolution Stereo Camera on ESA’s Mars Express.   ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO This image, above, is of the northeast of the Holden Basin and it shows where water would have flowed. The bumps you can see are evidence that at some point in Mars’ history some water-ice under the surface of Mars melted. The new images come as ESA publishes the first detailed global maps of hydrated mineral deposits on Mars. Created using data from ESA’s Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the map pinpoints clays and salts—telltale evidence that water once flowed on the Martian surface and chemically altered its rocks. Scientists think that clays were created on Mars during an early wet period while the salts—still visible today—are the product of the water drying-up. It’s thought that clays could have played a role in the origin of life on Earth by creating a “reaction center” for organic molecules. Data from two Mars missions have been used to create the first detailed global map of hydrated ... mineral deposits on Mars.   ESA/Mars Express (OMEGA) and NASA/Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (CRISM) “The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought—the water didn’t just stop overnight,” said John Carter at the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS) and Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), Université Paris-Saclay and Aix Marseille Université, France. “We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars.” The maps also show that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does, according to Carter. The same researchers also created a mineral map of Jezero crater, where NASA’s Perseverance rover is currently exploring. The map mostly pinpoints clays and carbonate salts. Jezero crater and its surroundings on Mars display a rich array of minerals that have been altered ... by water in the planet’s past. The close-up data were obtained from a global map of minerals produced by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.   ESA/Mars Express (OMEGA and HRSC) and NASA/Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (CRISM and HiRISE) ESA’s Mars Express satellite has been at Mars since 2003. Only NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbit from 2001 has been there longer. The agency’s first interplanetary mission, it was a two-parter that saw a Beagle 2 lander descend to the Martian surface map its minerals and measure its permafrost using radar. Sadly the lander’s solar panels didn’t deploy correctly. The Mars Express orbiter long ago detected water-ice in the planet’s south polar ice cap and in 2020 found three lakes beneath it. NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter got to Mars in 2006 to study the red planet’s geology and climate. Mars will go into its bi-annual close “opposition” on December 8, 2022 when, as seen from Earth, Mars will look at its biggest, brightest and best since 2020. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes. Read the full article

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SOHRA announces horse racing will return to Grants Pass Downs in 2023 | KMVU Fox 26 Medford

  GRANTS PASS, Ore. – The Southern Oregon Horse Racing Association (SOHRA) has announced there will be racing in 2023. SORHA announced the news at a meeting on Thursday. It says the season will be a split meet, with about eight racing days in the spring and summer and 12 days in the fall. Details are still being finalized, but they are expected to be approved by the beginning of 2023. The organization says it was especially excited to announce the news after the future of horse racing in Southern Oregon was in doubt at times this past spring. “The doom and gloom of what it looked like last year and that horse racing had the possibility of going away butt was very disappointing to the horsemen as well as the local communities, so this is really exciting news that we’re able to continue horse racing,” SOHRA Racing Director, Rod Lowe said. SOHRA has several board positions available for anyone looking to get involved with horse racing at the Grants Pass Downs. For more information, visit their Facebook page here. Copyright 2022 California-Oregon Broadcasting, Inc. Read the full article

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Daily horoscope 27 September 2022: Pisces can get an increment, know how your day will for Tuesday

  Lucknow:Horoscope 27 September 2022 On Tuesday, if we talk about financial and career, then the people of Aries, Gemini and Virgo will be lucky in financial matters. On the other hand, the people of Taurus, Libra and Aquarius will have to keep their expenses under control. Let us know how the second day of Navratri is going to be for you in terms of money and career. Check out astrological prediction for all zodiac sign- Also Read :- Daily horoscope 26 September 2022: Taurus can solve their financial problems, know how your day will be for Monday ARIES (MARCH 21- APRIL 19) The mind can be disturbed. Try to maintain peace of mind. Take care of the health of the family. Will get father’s support. Expenses will be more. You should mind your own business. You are likely to postpone your household work. Use the colour red and the numbers 1,8 as they are favourable for you. TAURUS (APRIL 20- MAY 20) Confidence will remain high, but avoid excess of anger. You can get the support of a friend in income growth. Spouse will get support. As a result, it will make you happy. Misunderstandings between married couples may vanish. Today, the luck is predicted to be in your favour. The colour white and the numbers 2,7 lucky for you. GEMINI (MAY 21- JUNE 20) There will be ups and downs in the mind. Stay away from unnecessary fights and disputes. Maintain harmony with the officers in the job. There may be difficulties in the workplace. Family will get support. Money situation will improve. Be more cautious about your hygiene. The colour yellow and the numbers 3,6 are fortunate for you. CANCER (JUNE 21- JULY 22) Be sober Try to have patience. You will get success in academic work. Writing and intellectual works will earn respect. Money can be obtained from the government. The mind will be happy. You might make good use of current opportunities. Use the colour milky and the number 4 to grace your day with fortune. Also Read :- Daily horoscope 25 September 2022: Scorpio people should take care of health, know how your day will be for Sunday LEO (JULY 23- AUGUST 23) There will be a lack of confidence. Avoid excess of anger and passion. Focus on academic work. Difficulties may arise. There are chances of getting money from an elderly family member. You may get rid of financial problems. Use the colour gold and the number 5 to make your ride smoother. VIRGO (AUGUST 23- SEPTEMBER 22) The mind will remain calm. Still, keep your emotions under control. Try to maintain peace in the family. There may be an increase in the scope of work. Work will be more. Your dominance at work is likely to soar. You might be able to resolve a huge problem today. Use the colour green and the numbers 3,8 to grace your day with luck. LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 23- OCTOBER 22) Chances are that people will doubt your productivity. Abstain from relying on others for your work. You should not start new work today. Your expenses are likely to spike. The colour white and the numbers 2, 7 are particularly lucky for you. SCORPIO (OCTOBER 23- NOVEMBER 21) You should not dodge your responsibilities. Chances are high for you to be proud of your children. Your image and wealth are likely to spike. You might give a lot of importance to your relationship. the colour red and the numbers 1,8 are particularly favourable for you. SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 22- DECEMBER 21) Domestic issues could stress you out. People are likely to appreciate you. You might learn new things at work. People associated with the stock market business might earn huge returns on their investments. Yellow is your lucky colour and 9, 12 are your lucky numbers. Also Read :- Daily horoscope 24 September 2022: Scorpio might get good job today, know how your day will be for Saturday CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 22- JANUARY 19) Chances are that you will obtain delightful news. The day might commence on a positive note. You are likely to start a new job. Working professionals could perform excellently at work. Using the colour cyan and the numbers 10, 11 will grace your day with fortune. AQUARIUS (JANUARY 20- FEBRUARY 18) Abstain from trusting people blindly. Do not spoil your friendship with your close companions. Your bad company is likely to tarnish your reputation. Chances are that today you might undergo joint pain. Use the colour cyan and the numbers 10, 11 in need of luck. PISCES (FEBRUARY 19- MARCH 20) Working professionals are likely to perform excellently at work. There might be an increment in the cards for you. Chances are that you might purchase a new property. The atmosphere of your family may be pleasant today. The colour yellow and the numbers 9, 12 will add more luck to your day. Read the full article

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Refreshed And Ready To Serve, Here’s What It’s Like To Stay At Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet

  A view of the Ottoman era prison turned hotel with the Hagia Sophia in the background   Four Seasons Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet offers an expertly renovated design oasis in the center of one of the liveliest cities in the world. Over the summer, Four Seasons Istanbul at Sultanahmet flung open its doors after a meticulous top to bottom renovation. Welcoming guests since 1996, the boutique hotel comprises 65 luxurious rooms and suites that wrap around a singular focal point: a romantic courtyard. Based in a 3-story, century-old neoclassical prison, the Four Seasons shut down in September 2020 to conduct a compolete interior makeover at the hands of Goddard Littlefair. According to insiders, the design studio’s goal was to update and modernize the intimate space to appeal to global travelers. Did it work? Here’s what it’s like to stay at the hotel. Romatnic courtyard dining at AVLU   Four Seasons After a delayed overnight flight out of JFK to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines, my husband and I landed around 7:30 AM, exhausted. Istanbul’s new airport frames vast empty space with glass and steel, someone’s version of lovely for its newness, at least in a sterile expansive way. However, whether you like the design or not, the airport’s biggest flaw is distance to the city. It sits an hour away in light traffic (nary a thing in Istanbul) and lacks public transportation other than bus service. (Please add a train, dear Istanbul!)   Thus, 90-minutes after landing, we arrived at the glass doors of the hotel. While never guaranteed, we had a fortuitous experience at check-in. Our room, unoccupied the night before, was available for immediate napping. After a mercifully quick registration, thanks to gracious staff, we were whisked upstairs to the king size bedroom where we dropped into the plush duvet to nod off for a few hours. Elegant furnishings in a guest room suite   Four Seasons Once rested, I rose and wandered the property. A ground-floor lobby featured a glittering golden bar, a patisserie devoted to delicate pastries and desserts, and a boutique selling Istanbul’s most refined textiles, from pillow shams to blankets. The hotel interiors, from hallway floors to artwork and furnishings, echoed the city’s strong aesthetic heritage though with a clean, modern polish. For example, gray rugs, black marble side tables, and navy-blue accent pillows formed a muted unifying color scheme to allow Anatolian art in gilded frames to pop on the walls above. Detailed floor tiles, archways, domes, and pillars referenced the late Ottoman era architecture of the building’s construction period. Four Seasons Sultanahmet Lobby Bar   Four Seasons Anyone familiar with the location of the hotel, smack in the middle of the old city, might imagine the property fading into the background against the intricate grandeur of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, both steps away. Yet, the buttercup yellow hue of the hotel’s façade acted as a beacon at dusk, guiding weary guests back into its calm embrace. Indeed, stepping out of the frenetic streets and into the oasis of the Four Seasons served as reason enough to book the property. We opted to eat on premise the day we arrived because, well, jet lag. Though I typically prefer to experience a local restaurant in a new city rather than dine at the hotel, I’m thrilled we did since AVLU would become a benchmark meal against which all the rest were judged. I’d fly back to Istanbul to dine there again. And I’d start with cocktails on the roof terrace at Süreyya, again, too. Rooftop bar Süreyya features awesome city views   Four Seasons Here’s your insider’s tip: whether a guest of the hotel or just looking for a drink at sunset, the best views of the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, the Blue Mosque, and the Old City can be found at Süreyya. We sampled a few drinks, met the mixologist who used local spices and ingredients as inspiration for his creations, then went down to the courtyard for a magical candlelit repast. AVLU’s executive chef Özgür Üstün, turns out exquisite Anatolian cuisine with local produce. We sampled way too much of the menu because everything sounded careful and purposeful, at least as it was described by our waiter. The gilded courtyard kitchen of AVLU   Four Seasons We tore through our food with abandon, every dish paired with a local wine, both white and red. I always appreciate the chance to drink something local, especially from a Muslim majority country like Turkey where wine production is hard-fought and its bottles rarely seen in the United States. This gesture of support to regional producers is often ignored by large legacy hotel and restaurant brands in favor of easy and popular selections. So points to AVLU for their list. After, I had a chance to ask the chef about his inspiration for the varied menu. “We wanted to create a concept that blended seven different regions of Anatolia with a bit of a modern touch without spoiling the original recipes” Üstün said, adding that nearly everything is created from scratch each morning from sustainable local products. Several dishes served at AVLU   Four Seasons Asked about his favorite dish, he hesitated like a parent choosing a favorite child before landing on duck tirit. He quickly added lamb küşleme and ‘sleeping plate,’ katmer with madımak herb, artichokes flavored with peach and basil, and kadaif as dessert, to the list. We had ordered all of these, so I appreciated learning how Üstün prepared them. The savory dish called katmer starts with a mixture of onions, roasted madimak (a common regional herb called knotweed), and curd cheese. Üstün wraps the blend first in baklava dough, then again in special katmer dough (made of flour and salted butter) and bakes the stuffed pastry in the oven. The dish comes served with spicy tomato jam, mashed vegetables, fresh herbs, and smoked yoghurt, and could turn even the most die-hard meat eater into a vegetarian. Think beef welling for vegetables, but better. Chef Özgür Üstün of AVLU   Four Seasons For the duck tirit, Üstün sources local fowl, first boiling it with vegetables then cooking it in a wood oven on low heat. Meanwhile, he prepares a sauce of dried thyme, cinnamon, and organic mulberry molasses to drizzle over fried dough topped with duck, hot duck broth, sour cherries and cloves. It’s a wildly flavorful, creative take on a traditional dish that makes use of stale bread, revived by broth and topped with meat. The next day, we skipped breakfast and wandered the city’s streets. Before departing, we got instructions from the concierge team on how to visit the neighborhoods of Kadıköy-Moda on the Asian side of the city. A tram and ferry ride later, we had hit paydirt for coffee shops, bars, and small cafes and restaurants. The concierge team went above and beyond giving us live directions via Whatsapp and dropping links to google maps in the chat as we wandered around. I even wrote up their guide to Kadıköy-Moda in a new column called ‘Ask the Concierge.’ Altkut Cafe in Moda, one of several stops recommended by the Four Seasons concierge team   Lauren Mowery To answer the question I started with – was the renovation a success? Does the updated and modernized hotel appeal to global travelers? I can’t speak for everyone, but the property certainly got my attention — and my loyalty. I’ll happily return on my next trip to Istanbul. Save a duck tirit for me, Üstün! Four Seasons at Sultanahmet is currently offering Welcome Back packages including 10% off our Room Rates and a EUR 100 credit. Click here for more details. Read the full article

[bbcworldnewstoday]

Cabinet okays ordinance to ban online gambling, regulate gaming in Tamil Nadu

  Express News Service CHENNAI:  Online gambling including online rummy is likely to be banned in Tamil Nadu as a State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday approved an ordinance for the same. It will be promulgated once Governor RN Ravi accords his assent. According to sources, the ordinance would ban online gambling but not online gaming. “Online games would be regulated,” the sources added. The draft ordinance had been prepared based on a School Education Department survey on the impact of online gaming on school students, and the opinions of the public received via emails and consultation meetings. On August 29, this draft ordinance was placed before the State Cabinet, and was approved after further fine-tuning. On June 10, the State appointed a committee headed by retired Judge K Chandru to advise the TN government on promulgating an ordinance on banning online gaming. The panel’s recommendations were also placed before the State Cabinet on Monday. The panel had received inputs from parents, think-tanks, teachers, students, psychologists, social activists and online gaming service providers on the proposed legislation. Sources said that almost all the feedback from the public was in favour of a ban on online games, while the political parties wanted a blanket ban. However, think-tanks and industry stakeholders suggested the games be regulated instead. While a blanket ban is not legally tenable, the government may look into restrictions on age and time spent on the games so as to counter addiction. The demand to place curbs on online games cropped up after Tamil Nadu reported 20 cases of deaths by suicide, during the past three years allegedly due to online gambling. This also comes as the Union government constituted an inter-ministerial task force to regulate the online gaming industry. The Centre is consulting with States on a legal framework for a separate legislation or changes in the existing one. Meanwhile, official sources told TNIE that the State Cabinet discussion was limited to the contours of the proposed legislation. Public bats for ban on online games Sources said almost all feedback from the public was in favour of a ban on online games, while political parties wanted a blanket ban. Think-tanks and industry stakeholders said games be regulated instead CHENNAI:  Online gambling including online rummy is likely to be banned in Tamil Nadu as a State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday approved an ordinance for the same. It will be promulgated once Governor RN Ravi accords his assent.  According to sources, the ordinance would ban online gambling but not online gaming. “Online games would be regulated,” the sources added. The draft ordinance had been prepared based on a School Education Department survey on the impact of online gaming on school students, and the opinions of the public received via emails and consultation meetings. On August 29, this draft ordinance was placed before the State Cabinet, and was approved after further fine-tuning. On June 10, the State appointed a committee headed by retired Judge K Chandru to advise the TN government on promulgating an ordinance on banning online gaming. The panel’s recommendations were also placed before the State Cabinet on Monday.  The panel had received inputs from parents, think-tanks, teachers, students, psychologists, social activists and online gaming service providers on the proposed legislation. Sources said that almost all the feedback from the public was in favour of a ban on online games, while the political parties wanted a blanket ban. However, think-tanks and industry stakeholders suggested the games be regulated instead. While a blanket ban is not legally tenable, the government may look into restrictions on age and time spent on the games so as to counter addiction. The demand to place curbs on online games cropped up after Tamil Nadu reported 20 cases of deaths by suicide, during the past three years allegedly due to online gambling.  This also comes as the Union government constituted an inter-ministerial task force to regulate the online gaming industry. The Centre is consulting with States on a legal framework for a separate legislation or changes in the existing one. Meanwhile, official sources told TNIE that the State Cabinet discussion was limited to the contours of the proposed legislation. Public bats for ban on online games Sources said almost all feedback from the public was in favour of a ban on online games, while political parties wanted a blanket ban. Think-tanks and industry stakeholders said games be regulated instead Read the full article

[bbcworldnewstoday]

Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets look to move on from drama-filled offseason

  Seventeen players wearing Nets jerseys took turns at the podium on Monday, including two stars who the entire world expected to be elsewhere by now, and one wise veteran who frankly knew better. “It’s the NBA,” Markieff Morris said of a dizzying summer that included Kevin Durant’s trade request, Kyrie Irving’s contract standoff and far too many subplots to list here. “There’s something every summer that's gonna have everybody out of their seats, on the edge of their seats.” Morris just signed with Brooklyn a few weeks ago. But he’s logged 11 seasons in the NBA, with six other teams, including stops in Phoenix, Miami and Detroit, and a championship run with LeBron James and the Lakers in 2020. The man has seen some things. “It’s just the NBA,” Morris said with a verbal shrug. “We got to be able to sell something in the summer.” And, well, no league does drama quite like the NBA. Point taken, ‘Kieff. Though he was perhaps just a few percentage points too glib about it. Durant did make that trade demand—a fact he publicly acknowledged on Monday for the first time. Half the league did try to pry him from the Nets. General manager Sean Marks did make attempts to trade him (“We were relatively close on several things,” Marks said). Irving did flirt with leaving after contract extension talks went sour (“There were options, but not many,” he said). And Durant did, as a desperation ploy in early August, ask the Nets to fire Marks and coach Steve Nash in lieu of a trade. At any given moment this summer, you might reasonably have assumed the Nets were in a meltdown, done as a contender and doomed to a long, messy rebuild. But there was Durant on Monday, wearing his black No. 7 Nets jersey, holding a Nets-labeled microphone, in front of a Nets banner, on the Nets’ practice court at Nets headquarters in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and declaring, “I’m committed to moving forward with this team.” Irving followed him to the podium. A few hours later, Marks and Nash sat at the same table, with the same microphones, still holding their same job titles. And Durant seemed perfectly OK with all of it. Sometimes in this league, the drama outpaces the reality (a lesson we should all perhaps retain for the next inevitable saga, though probably no one will). It’s not that the demands and requests and hurt feelings were invalid or imagined. It’s just that none of this conflict was quite as dire as portrayed, and the most logical outcome was always the one we saw: with everyone back at that podium for media day, making the best of an imperfect situation. Durant wasn’t going to find a better place to chase titles, especially if his new team had to surrender its best players in a trade. Irving wasn’t going to find the massive payday he sought, whether as a free agent or in a sign-and-trade deal. The Nets were never going to get fair value for either of them. So here they are, still. Kevin Durant talks at Nets media day. Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports As imperfect situations go, this one is actually quite promising, if you can put aside all the summer weirdness. In Durant, Irving and Ben Simmons, the Nets have arguably the best Big 3 in the league, with an abundance of scoring, playmaking and versatility. Their supporting cast includes two of the league’s best shooters, in Joe Harris and Seth Curry, and ample veteran grit in Morris, T.J. Warren, Royce O’Neale and Patty Mills. On talent alone, the Nets should be a Finals contender—or at minimum, a 50-plus win team and a top-four finisher in the East. And yet … well, every discussion of the Nets demands a long series of “and yets” and caveats and pesky questions, such as: Is Durant fully invested, after that summer trade demand? (And can he stay healthy?) Is Irving, playing on a one-year contract, truly committed? Now that New York’s vaccine mandate is over, will he play the full season, or will something else derail him (because something, it seems, always does)? Is Simmons fully engaged after taking an entire season off to rehab his back and his mental state? Will these three ball-dominant stars mesh their talents effectively? When things go awry (as they inevitably do in this league), will they all stick together or come apart at the seams? And can Nash—who’s been repeatedly undermined by his stars—still effectively lead them after one of the greatest players of all time demanded his ouster? Those answers won’t be clear for weeks or months, and maybe not until the crucible of the playoffs next spring. But based on Monday’s surprisingly placid press conference, the Nets have reason for optimism. Durant calmly explained the concerns that led to his trade demand, and just as coolly put those concerns aside for now. “My whole thing was I want everybody to be held accountable for their habits as a basketball player every day,” Durant said. “I think a lot of that stuff was getting swept under the rug (last season), because ‘We're injured’ or ‘This guy’s not around.’ I thought we could have fought through that a little bit more and focused on the guys that were here a little bit more.” He mentioned the Warriors, who persevered last spring without the injured Stephen Curry, then marched to the title. He mentioned the Mavericks, who persevered for a time in the playoffs without Luka Dončić. And he wondered why the Nets, a veteran, star-laden team, couldn’t do the same as they plummeted to seventh in the Eastern Conference, before falling to the Celtics in a first-round sweep. Not mentioned by Durant: the extended absences by Irving, whose refusal of the coronavirus vaccine rendered him unavailable for much of the season; the midseason trade of James Harden, who was furious with Irving’s absences; or the unavailability of Simmons, who was acquired for Harden but never played a minute. “I felt like we could have fought through a lot of the stuff that I felt that held us back,” Durant said. “And championship teams do that. … That's what rose some doubt in my mind, is that when adversity hit, can we keep pushing through it?” He said as much to Nets officials when he demanded the trade. But longtime Durant observers know he can also be quick to change his mind, and that some storms just need to be ridden out. The team the Nets have now assembled seems to have allayed his concerns. And the lifting of the vaccine mandate means Irving should—should—be available all season. “It is a year of growth, and a year of us looking in the mirror,” Durant said. “Like, we f----- up as a team, and that only makes us better. So I’m banking on that. I got faith in that. We got guys in this locker room that care. You got people in this organization that want to see this organization be one of the prominent ones in sports. … I got faith that moving forward that we all want the same thing.” No one in the league disputes the Nets’ talent. And no one disputes they will be spectacularly compelling once again, one way or another. More NBA Coverage: Read the full article

[bbcworldnewstoday]

Girls Tennis: Rochelle finishes second in Lady Hub Invitational

  ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Lady Hub varsity tennis team held its annual Lady Hub Invitational at Rochelle Township High School on Saturday. Seniors Bailey Jackson and Marisa Whaley finished first in the No. 2 doubles bracket to lead Rochelle to a second-place performance in the five-team tournament that included DeKalb, Freeport, Newman Central Catholic and Kaneland. The Lady Hubs (2-7, 0-4 Interstate 8) totaled 20 points across five top-3 finishes in the meet. Jackson and Whaley went 3-1 overall, defeating Freeport’s Caitlyn Simpson and Arazara Lassandro 6-3 before falling 3-6 against Kaneland’s Kaci Randall and Nola Noring. Jackson and Whaley closed out the tournament with an 8-1 victory over Newman’s Laurel Chavera and Kaitlyn Conderman as well as a 5-4 victory over DeKalb’s Eesha Faisal and Alissa Kocjan. Junior Elin Zheng took second in the No. 1 singles bracket with a 3-1 record. Zheng fell 7-2 against Kaneland’s Anelle Dominguez before bouncing back with a 6-3 win over DeKalb’s Amirah Shakir. Zheng won consecutive matches to close out the tournament, taking down Freeport’s Audra Luecke and Newman’s Emma Oswalt with back-to-back 5-4 scores. Senior Abby Tarvestad took second in the No. 2 singles bracket with a 3-1 record. Tarvestad edged Newman’s Maria Ardis 5-4 and fell 6-3 against Kaneland’s Lexi Maberry over her first two matches. Tarvestad finished strong to record her second-place position, cruising 8-1 over DeKalb’s Aubree Judkins and shutting out Freeport’s Ryleigh Bach with a clean 9-0 sweep. Senior Maleah Pointer and sophomore Riley Doyle took second in the No. 3 doubles bracket with a 3-1 record. Pointer and Doyle won three consecutive matches to begin the tournament, defeating Newman’s Elise Vanderbleek and Maddy Taylor-Steffens 6-3, Freeport’s Ashlyn Erickson and Hanna Rackow 8-1 as well as DeKalb’s Nina Christopherson and Reina McGee 6-3. Pointer and Doyle fell 6-3 to Kaneland’s Annika Salchert and Anna Bischoff in Round 5. Seniors Torrin Nantz and Francesca Williams finished third in the No. 1 doubles bracket with a 2-2 record. Nantz and Williams downed DeKalb’s Ilanie Castorena and Emma Kraft 6-3 before outlasting Freeport’s Nicole Ocon and Addie Lang 5-4 in their second match. Nantz and Williams lost their last two matches, conceding a 5-4 defeat against Newman’s Julia Rhodes and Emily Beattie and a 7-2 defeat to Kaneland’s Lauren Andrews and Abby Grams. Read the full article

[bbcworldnewstoday]

Lakers don't have clear answer on Russell Westbrook's future

  For the first time since the sputtering end to their 2022 season, the Lakers’ principles gathered in a room to discuss why their upcoming campaign will be different. And in the face of question after question about Russell Westbrook’s fit with the current roster, the only thing clear is the Lakers still don’t have an answer. Nearly everyone of import was asked about Westbrook—in the final year of a contract that will pay him $47.1 million this year—and all of them, including Russ himself, did not sound nearly as excited about the former MVP’s presence as they did a year ago. (Even the customary photo op was subdued.) When asked if he could commit to Westbrook being on the team at the end of the season, basketball operations head Rob Pelinka demurred, offering platitudes about how the front office would look into all routes to improving the roster, which is not exactly a vote of confidence for Russ’s long-term future. Pelinka even made sure to add that the Lakers would be willing to part with first-round draft picks in a potential trade to bolster the rotation—long believed to be the price to move Westbrook’s contract. When asked if Westbrook, who has not come off the bench since his rookie year, would start for the team, new head coach Darvin Ham said, “We’re ways away. We have several options.” He went on to add players with a defensive mindset will be given priority when it comes to playing time. (The Lakers had a 113.5 defensive rating with Russ on the floor last season, per Cleaning the Glass.) LeBron James and Anthony Davis both expressed faith playing with Westbrook could still work, though they didn’t exactly dive into specifics. Davis said Russ needs to continue to be himself, which, when considering Westbrook’s efficiency to usage ratio, doesn’t quite hold up to scrutiny. James said Russ could still be successful in Los Angeles, though again not really outlining how that would function while on the floor. Meanwhile Patrick Beverley, a long-time Westbrook nemesis, claims Russ has been his best friend since he joined the team. This had to be clarified specifically because of how heated the rivalry has been between the two players for years. It’s also possible if not likely Beverley ends up starting and Westbrook does not, which has the potential to create an awkward dynamic for a player (Russ) who had issues with his playing time at points last season. And as for Westbrook himself, he summed up the questions surrounding his spot on the team succinctly: “Whether they want me here or not doesn't really matter,” he said. Later adding, rather philosophically, “We all have jobs, and some people at our jobs don't like us or don't want us there.” Russell Westbrook talks at Lakers media day. Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports It feels mean spirited to pile on Westbrook. In an ideal world, regardless of his contract, someone as talented as him could find a way to tweak his game to better complement the stars on his team. Instead, as long as he’s on the roster, he serves as a constant reminder for how precipitously the Lakers have fallen since their championship run in 2020. Westbrook alone is not responsible for Los Angeles’s current predicament—fighting simply to make the playoffs as opposed to being seen as a contender—but he’s the symbol for a head-scratching roster construction. Why there are still so many players on this team who can’t quite shoot and can’t quite defend remains a mystery. With or without Westbrook in the rotation, Ham will have his work cut out for him trying to coax championship-level 3-and-D play from the likes of Lonnie Walker IV, Kendrick Nunn, Dennis Schroder, and Austin Reaves. Who on this team is expected to guard Kawhi Leonard? Luka Dončić? Devin Booker? That’s why the Westbrook questions are relevant. Because trading him for players who are better fits is the Lakers’ only real chance at building a title contender this season. It’s hard to imagine the present-day roster making some kind of miracle run, even with a healthy James and Davis. (Notably, the Lakers were outscored with that duo on the floor last season, with or without Westbrook.) Ultimately, as Pelinka said himself, the organization must do everything they can to compete in the twilight of LeBron’s career. While media day is a long way away from the playoffs, the Lakers still need to figure out how they’re going to make that happen. More NBA Coverage: Read the full article

[bbcworldnewstoday]

Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Point guard draft tiers for 2022-2023 NBA season

  The 2022-23 NBA season is fast approaching, which means it's time to start getting ready for your fantasy basketball drafts. But don't worry, you're not alone. Fantasy analyst Dan Titus is putting in the work on his draft rankings as well as his position-by-position tiers — starting with the point guards below — to help you be prepared when you're on the clock. Note, not every player will have analysis when listed in the tiers below. Players with multi-position eligibility will only show up in the positional tier story they have the most minutes at. Tier 1: The Elite Luka Doncic Luka tops the list as one of the few heliocentric players in the NBA. He's averaged at least 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game in three straight seasons — basically on the cusp of a nightly triple-double. If he improves on his 74% free throw percentage from last season — he has top-3 potential in category leagues. Stephen Curry The 34-year-old four-time champion will remain the best source of threes and free throw percentage in fantasy. Curry's field-goal efficiency dipped last year, so if he gets back to his career 47%, he'll also be in contention to finish as a top-3 overall player. Stephen Curry should reward fantasy managers fortunate enough to draft him this season. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) James Harden "Hard work, plus patience." Harden dedicated this offseason to rehabbing a lingering hamstring injury and improving his conditioning. He finished fifth on a per-game basis last year on one leg! The Sixers' deep bench should lighten his load, but The Beard is one of the only players capable of averaging 20-plus points with 10 assists every night. He's the odds-on favorite to average the most assists this season — coupled with his ability to contribute to every category except for blocks, and he has top-5 potential. LaMelo Ball Incoming third-year breakout? No Miles Bridges and a new head coach will benefit the young point guard. With Steve Clifford at the helm, he alluded to building his offensive scheme around Ball while emphasizing the need to limit turnovers and improve defensively. You want to hear this flavor of coach speak when investing in a point guard. LaMelo should see more minutes, too — former Hornets PG Kemba Walker averaged 34 minutes per game under Clifford. Story continues Tyrese Haliburton Haliburton's playmaking ability, efficiency and opportunity elevate him into elite point guard status this season. Take a look at my first-round mock draft, and you'll see why Haliburton has "league-winner" written all over him. No cap. Trae Young Young's outlook hasn't changed except for All-Star guard Dejounte Murray coming to play for the Hawks. If you can stomach some lousy shooting nights from the field, Ice-Trae will still put 25+ points on the board, dish out at least eight assists and make a ton of free throws. Damian Lillard Last year was the first time in five seasons that he did not finish in the top-11 on a per-game basis in fantasy basketball. A core muscle injury shortened Lillard's season, but he's healthy and ready for a bounce-back campaign. He's one of the best sources of points, threes, assists and free throw percentage in all of fantasy. Tier 2: All-Star caliber Kyrie Irving Did you know Kyrie averaged a career-high in minutes last season at 37.6 per game? That was fifth in the NBA. Now, if he can only play during home games. Kidding aside, that shouldn't be an issue heading into the season (well, except for Toronto). Sure, Kyrie and his third eye could disappear at a moment's notice, but when he's on the court, he's one of the best. He's a threat to eclipse 50/40/90 shooting splits while racking up points, threes and steals… don't sleep on Ky. Fred VanVleet His head coach is Nick Nurse, meaning he will be top-3 in minutes played. The Raptors don't have a ton of depth at the point guard position, and FVV provides value in five categories: points, threes, assists, steals and a high free-throw percentage. Darius Garland A top-40 player a season ago, Garland saw career-highs across the board. Some might say his breakout occurred because of injuries to Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio. And that's fair. However, he also seized the opportunity and showed the basketball world why he's one of the best young guards today. The arrival of Donovan Mitchell will dilute some of his usages, but he'll still be an asset for fantasy managers looking for points, assists, threes, free-throw percentage and steals. Chris Paul Ja Morant Morant has always been a highlight waiting to happen, but it rarely translated to fantasy. His peripherals and lack of threes hurt his fantasy value in years past (finished No. 135 in '19-'20 and No. 206 in '20-'21 on a per game basis). However, he made an epic leap to become the NBA's Most Improved Player last season and finish inside the top 50 on a per-game basis. Hopefully, his No. 48 finish last season wasn't an outlier. Tier 3: High floor De'Aaron Fox Fox did work once Haliburton was shipped to Indiana in a deal for power forward Domantas Sabonis. How promising, you say? Try 27.8 points, 6.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds with 1.7 threes on 50.5% shooting from the field in 13 games with Sabonis in the lineup. Fox is a guy I'm very high on this season. De'Aaron Fox could be in for a breakout season with the Kings. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) Cade Cunningham Detroit's "MotorCade" has arrived. It didn't take long for Cunningham to adjust to the NBA game, delivering 21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 34 minutes per contest after the All-Star break. He accounted for 28.2% of his team's assists last year (98th percentile) and even chipped in almost two stocks (1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks) per contest. The Pistons have enough offensive talent around them to make an even greater leap in Year 2. CJ McCollum Jrue Holiday Shai-Gilgeous Alexander How many games will SGA play this season? The fifth-year guard has missed 91 games over the past two seasons, and he'll reportedly miss the start of training camp due to a grade two MCL sprain. With prized rookie center Chet Holmgren out for the season, SGA will boast high-end usage numbers. He's a late-season liability with the Thunder in tank mode, but when he's playing, he's well worth the pick (current Yahoo ADP of 33.3). 25.0 points with 6.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game is well within reach. Tier 4: Mid-round picks Jalen Brunson The newly acquired New York point god will log heavy minutes under Tom Thibodeau. Brunson proved to be a difference maker for the Mavs' 2022 postseason run and should settle in as a point guard with upside this fantasy season. He's only missed seven games across the past two seasons, so fantasy managers can expect Brunson to be a cheap and reliable source of assists with strong peripherals. He's a solid mid-round pick with an ADP in the seventh round. Jordan Poole Josh Giddey The season hasn't even started, and the second-year pro has his hands full. With SGA already nursing a knee injury and rookie Chet Holmgren out for the year, Giddey's ability to score will be the differentiator for the Thunder. He only connected on 33.6% of his jump shots last season, so if he can make headway in that category, he could be a compelling asset for fantasy managers. He finished last season as one of eight players to average at least 10 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Ben Simmons: One of my hardest players to rank for this season. Jamal Murray It's been 17 months since we've seen the Blue Arrow on the court, but I'm optimistic the time off has given him ample opportunity to get healthy and ready for the 2022-2023 season. He'll likely have a minutes restriction at the onset of the season, but it's encouraging he's been scrimmaging 5-on-5 since late summer. Before going down with a knee injury in 2021, he had a career-year averaging 21.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists with 2.7 threes per game on 47.7% shooting from the field. He could be a value pick if he falls outside of the seventh round in drafts. Marcus Smart D'Angelo Russell Tier 5: Sleepers with upside Tre Jones His struggles from the field are well-documented, but Tre Jones is in a great position to lead an underrated Spurs team to fantasy relevancy. Much like his older brother Tyus, he takes exceptional care of the ball, finishing second in assist-to-turnover ratio last season. It's a small sample size, but he averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in 11 games as a starter last year. The Spurs have yet to announce who'll be starting between him and Josh Primo, but you'll want to grab Jones before the draft price goes up. He's been going in the 10th round. Sleeper alert. Anfernee Simons Monte Morris New team, same Monte? He was the fourth option on the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the Washington Wizards. His situation doesn't change much playing alongside chuckers like Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma. But his shooting efficiency and assists with minimal turnovers are very serviceable for a bench guard. Kevin Porter Jr. A backcourt of bucket getters with green lights? Sign me up. KPJ certainly has room for growth in a few categories — field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage ( 42% and 64%, respectively, last season), and turnovers (3.1 per game). But he put up a solid 15-plus points with 4.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per contest. His efficiency woes put him outside the top 150 in '21-'22, but I think he takes a step forward in Year 3 and falls inside the top 100. Bones Hyland Jordan Clarkson Tier 6: Veterans without buzz Kyle Lowry Russell Westbrook Mike Conley John Wall Tier 7: An injury away, late-round contributors Malcolm Brogdon De'Anthony Melton Dennis Schroder Tyus Jones Cole Anthony Alex Caruso Davion Mitchell Reggie Jackson Ayo Dosunmu Gabe Vincent Derrick White Immanuel Quickley Jaden Ivey Jalen Suggs Devonte Graham Tier 8: Injured or deep bench streamers Markelle Fultz Lonzo Ball Payton Pritchard Patty Mills Patrick Beverley Goran Dragic Theo Maledon Jose Alvarado Jordan McLaughlin Malik Monk Coby White Delon Wright Malachi Flynn Killian Hayes Cameron Payne T.J. McConnell Jaden Hardy Facundo Campazzo Landry Shamet Ricky Rubio Tre Mann Read the full article