Paintsil scores 2 goals, Nascimento adds 1 goal, Galaxy beat Whitecaps 3-0

Paintsil scores 2 goals, Nascimento adds 1 goal, Galaxy beat Whitecaps 3-0

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Paintsil had two goals, Matheus Nascimento also scored a goal and the LA Galaxy beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 on Friday night to snap a three-game winless streak. LA (2-13-6), the defending MLS Cup champion, won for the first time since it beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 on May 31 to snap a 16-game winless streak to open the season. The Galaxy went into the game with 13 points, fewest in all of MLS. The Whitecaps (11-4-5) have lost three of their last four. Vancouver is second in the Western Conference with 38 points, behind San Diego (39). Edwin Cerrillo flicked a shot from 30 yards outs that was deflected by goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka and Nascimento put away the rebound with afirst-touch finishto open the scoring in the second minute. Paintsil made it 2-0 in the 60th. Gabriel Pec played an long arcing ball to the top of the penalty box, where Marco Reus tapped a first-touch pass to a wide-open Paintsil, who calmly flicked a shot inside the back post from the left side of the area. Paintsil converted from the penalty spot in the 77th minute for his first career multi-goal game. The 27-year-old forward has three goals and one assist this season after he finished with 10 goals and 10 assists last season, his first in MLS. Takaoka had five saves for Vancouver. Jayden Nelson was shown a yellow card in the 55th minute and another in stoppage time as the Whitecaps played a man down for the final few minutes. Novak Micovic had a save for LA. The Galaxy had 55% possession and outshot Vancouver 12-6, 8-1 on target. The Whitecaps beat the Galaxy 2-1 at home on March 2. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byLiam Oneel

in

July 05, 2025

Paintsil scores 2 goals, Nascimento adds 1 goal, Galaxy beat Whitecaps 3-0

Paintsil scores 2 goals, Nascimento adds 1 goal, Galaxy beat Whitecaps 3-0 CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Paintsil had two goals, Matheus Nasc...

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Spanish coach of India's soccer team leaves. Sport is also troubled at the club level

Spanish coach of India's soccer team leaves. Sport is also troubled at the club level

Manolo Márquez has left his position by mutual consent as head coach of India's soccer team after just one win in eight games and less than a year in the job. The Spanish coach's only victory was in a 3-0 friendly over the Maldives in March. More important is qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup but a draw with Singapore and a 1-0 loss in Hong Kong in June has put India's chances of a third successive appearance at the tournament in doubt. "After careful evaluation, both coach Márquez and the federation recognized that the objectives we had set out to achieve a year ago were not progressing as intended," Kalyan Chaubey, president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), told The Associated Press on Saturday. "Out of mutual respect and understanding, we agreed it was best to part ways. This decision was taken in the larger interest of Indian football." Held two jobs As well as being in charge of the national team, Márquez is also head coach of FC Goa, a leading club in the Indian Super League (ISL), and signed off with a Super Cup win with the club in May. Although there has been criticism of Márquez holding both jobs, Chaubey the situation was not without precedent. "I understand why that perception exists, but globally coaches like Alex Ferguson, Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat, and many others have held club and national roles simultaneously," Chaubey said. Shaji Prabhakaran, former general secretary of the AIFF, said that if India does not qualify for the Asian Cup, "it would be catastrophic for the development of Indian football." India, ranked 127th by FIFA, is at the bottom of its group behind Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangladesh. "We are the highest-ranked team of the four, but we are last and need to win all four of the games left," Prabhakaran said. Prabhakaran disagreed with Chaubey and said Márquez should not have held both national and FC Goa jobs. "The responsibility for this situation lies with the people who took the decision to hire a coach with dual responsibilities," Prabhakaran said. "No coach can do two jobs at the same time, he has to work for the national team all the time and for the future of Indian football." Issues also at club level That immediate future in India is looking uncertain at club level, too. The ISL, the top tier of the country's domestic system, was set to start its 12th season in September, but that has been put on hold. The 15-year contract between AIFF and commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited, which runs the ISL, is due to expire at the end of 2025 but there has, as yet, been no agreement on a new deal. India's Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling on AIFF's constitution later in July, and has told the federation not to enter into negotiations until then. Amid such uncertainty, only six of the 13 ISL teams have confirmed participation in the upcoming Durand Cup, Asia's oldest knockout competition, that starts later this month. "Most of the ISL teams have declined to play because they are not ready," Arshad Shawl, chief executive of Real Kashmir FC, a club in the second tier I-league said. "There is no clarity about next season and it is affecting the entire ecosystem." Prabhakaran believes that the ISL deal should not have been allowed to reach this point. "This should have been sorted a year ago," he said. "Why wasn't it concluded? I don't know a country can be in a situation where we don't know if the league will happen." ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byLiam Oneel

in

July 05, 2025

Spanish coach of India's soccer team leaves. Sport is also troubled at the club level

Spanish coach of India's soccer team leaves. Sport is also troubled at the club level Manolo Márquez has left his position by mutual con...

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The Most Controversial Moments From This Beloved '90s Sitcom — Would They Air Today?

The Most Controversial Moments From This Beloved '90s Sitcom — Would They Air Today?

The Most Controversial Moments From This Beloved '90s Sitcom — Would They Air Today?originally appeared onParade. It's been 36 years sinceSeinfeldfirst aired — and sitcoms haven't been the same since, and for good reason. The hit comedy, starringJerry Seinfeld,Julia Louis-Dreyfus,Jason AlexanderandMichael Richards, follows a group of friends navigating life in New York City, encountering the kinds of quirky characters and absurd situations that could only happen inSeinfeld— and in The Big Apple. The classic series gave us countless unforgettable moments, from the Soup Nazi to Elaine's questionable dance moves, it truly left a permanent mark on pop culture. But as fans have pointed out, some of the show's humor hasn't aged quite as well. Like many '90s sitcoms,Seinfeldpushed the envelope — and sometimes, crossed lines that wouldn't fly today. To its credit,Seinfeldhas held up better than many shows of its time. Iconic episodes like "The Puffy Shirt," where Jerry reluctantly models a ridiculous blouse and shouts, "But I don't wanna be a pirate!" remains as a fan favorite. Still, certain episodes fall flat, or worse, when viewed through a modern lens. From cultural appropriation to tone-deaf jokes, some plots are just plain problematic. Two episodes were even scrapped entirely due to controversial content. Yet other episodes made it to air and continue to spark debate amongst fans. One of the most controversial episodes is Season 5's "The Cigar Store Indian" — and the title alone tells you why. In it, Jerry tries to smooth things over with Elaine by giving her a Native American statue. When he presents it, he begins making stereotypical and offensive remarks — unaware that one of Elaine's friends that's standing there is Native. According toScreen Rant, writersTom GammillandMax Prossoriginally planned for Jerry to give her a moose head, which would've upset her animal rights activist friend. But Seinfeld reportedly felt that was too old school — and pushed for something more politically incorrect. The result? One of the show's most cringe-worthy and offensive episodes. Another poorly aged plot appears in Season 4's "The Outing." In it, Elaine tries to "convert" a gay man after falling for him — missing the mark entirely on how sexual orientation works. The episode tries to play off the humor with the now-infamous line, "Not that there's anything wrong with that," but the concept still feels off. Then there's Season 6's "The Chinese Woman." Jerry starts dating a woman he assumes is Chinese based on her name, only to be surprised when she's not. When Elaine confronts him, he defends himself by saying, "If I like their race, how can that be racist?" Not exactly the best argument. ThoughSeinfelddidn't get everything right, fans of the beloved series still binge watch it today — and continue debating whether the finale was a satisfying ending to their favorite sitcom. The Most Controversial Moments From This Beloved '90s Sitcom — Would They Air Today?first appeared on Parade on Jul 5, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

byLiam Oneel

in

July 05, 2025

The Most Controversial Moments From This Beloved '90s Sitcom — Would They Air Today?

The Most Controversial Moments From This Beloved '90s Sitcom — Would They Air Today? The Most Controversial Moments From This Beloved ...

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Mel Gibson Slammed for ‘Expensive’ London Film and Comic Con Prices

Mel Gibson Slammed for 'Expensive' London Film and Comic Con Prices

Mel Gibson Slammed for 'Expensive' London Film and Comic Con Pricesoriginally appeared onParade. Mel Gibsonis making his London Film & Comic Con debut, but his V.I.P. photo and autograph package prices are the main reason fans are talking about his appearance. A standard autograph from theBraveheartactor, 69, will cost fans £195, which is equivalent to $266.28. A standard photoshoot with Mel is £175 ($238.97), while aMad Maxprop photoshoot costs £200 ($273.11). For fans who want the exclusive Diamond Pass, which includes one autograph, one standard photoshoot and one gift, they will have to pay £425 ($580.36). The convention's guests can also choose to purchase a photo with Mel and hisLethal WeaponcostarDanny Gloverfor £270 ($368.70). London Film & Comic Con will commence on Saturday, June 5, and will conclude two days later. Showmasters announced they had booked Mel for the convention on May 22 viaX, leading fans to comment on Mel's pricey autograph and photo prices. "We're thrilled to announce Hollywood legend MEL GIBSON is joining us for London Film & Comic Con, marking his first and only planned European comic con appearance!" the statement read. "Mel is a legendary actor, director and producer, best known as Martin Riggs inLethal Weapon, William Wallace inBraveheartand Max in the originalMad Maxtrilogy!" The post continued, "He's also appeared inConspiracy Theory, theJohn Wickprequel showThe Continental,What Women Want,We Were Soldiersand provided voices for Rocky inChicken Runand John Smith in Disney'sPocahontas, to name just a few of his credits!" Fans replied to the announcement, leading one fan to write, "As much as I would love to meet Mel Gibson, Showmasters is having a laugh if they think [I] am paying that." A second person reacted to the comment and was upset about the markup of the add-on package from the event. "It shows the lack of awareness of Hollywood people," the fan wrote. "He's a millionaire and thinks his fans are if they'd pay that much for a photo or an autograph." Meanwhile, a third person replied, "I would've paid to get a photo with him, but not at that price, Mel might be a millionaire, but I'm not." Nonetheless, other attendees raved about purchasing their add-ons and shared their excitement toward the event. "Going on that day. I hope to do Mel twice for Braveheart or Lethal Weapon posters but I may have to stick with one cause Mel is expensive," a separate fan explained. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Mel Gibson Slammed for 'Expensive' London Film and Comic Con Pricesfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 5, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

byLiam Oneel

in

July 05, 2025

Mel Gibson Slammed for ‘Expensive’ London Film and Comic Con Prices

Mel Gibson Slammed for 'Expensive' London Film and Comic Con Prices Mel Gibson Slammed for 'Expensive' London Film and Comic...

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Athletics cruise past Giants 11-2 with six scoreless innings from Sears

Athletics cruise past Giants 11-2 with six scoreless innings from Sears

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — JP Sears pitched six scoreless innings, Nick Kurtz and Denzel Clarke hit home runs, and the Athletics cruised past the San Francisco Giants 11-2 on Friday night. Jacob Wilson and Brent Rooker both drove in two of six early runs off Justin Verlander as the Athletics took a 6-0 lead after three innings. Sears (7-7) allowed three hits and two walks, striking out six. Rookie Jack Perkins gave up two runs — one earned — in three innings for his second save in his third appearance. Verlander (0-6) was tagged for six runs on seven hits in three innings but fanned five. After Lawrence Butler singled in the first and scored on Rooker's single, theAthletics used four doublesin the second to score four times. Tyler Soderstrom and Max Muncy had two straight leading off for the first run. Wilson followed with a two-out, two-run double before scoring on a double by Rooker for a 5-0 lead. Zack Gelof — on the injured list since spring training — hit a sacrifice fly in the third. The game was delayed in the middle of the sixth when home plate umpire Andy Fletcher left after taking an earlier foul tip off his mask. Tripp Gibson finished behind the plate. Clarke tripled when play resumed and scored on Butler's single. Two outs later rookie Kurtz hit his 13th home run for a 9-0 lead. Clarke's two-run shot in the seventh capped the A's scoring. Brett Wisely homered in the eighth and the Giants got an unearned run in the ninth. Key moment Wilson's two-out double to left in the four-run second came on a 0-2 pitch from Verlander. Key stat Verlander is 262-152 in his career but winless in his first 14 starts with the Giants. He hasn't won since his final start for the Astros last season, beating the Guardians 4-3 on Sept. 28. Up next Giants RHP Logan Webb (7-6, 2.61 ERA) starts Saturday opposite Athletics RHP Luis Severino (2-9, 5.09). ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byLiam Oneel

in

July 04, 2025

Athletics cruise past Giants 11-2 with six scoreless innings from Sears

Athletics cruise past Giants 11-2 with six scoreless innings from Sears WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — JP Sears pitched six scoreless inning...

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Jonathan Toews is grateful and excited to play again after signing with his hometown Winnipeg Jets

Jonathan Toews is grateful and excited to play again after signing with his hometown Winnipeg Jets

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Jonathan Toews is back in the NHL with his hometown Winnipeg Jets after a two-year absence. The three-time Stanley Cup champion was introduced Friday as the newest member of the Jets, donning a jersey with his signature No. 19 at a team news conference. The Jets announced their intention to acquire the 37-year-old center last month, but it only became official this week, with Toews signing a one-year deal worth $2 million, plus performance bonuses tied to games played and playoff success. The longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain last played in April 2023. On Friday, he told reporters he was just grateful for the opportunity to return to the ice, let alone with his hometown club in front of friends and family. "It's an honor and one that has really lit that fire again, that excitement for the game," Toews said. "You have these moments throughout your career where I don't want to say you get jaded, but you get used to it, and you kind of settle in. This is another moment that kind of brings me back to that new feeling like you're getting drafted again." Chosen one of the NHL's top 100 players from its first 100 years, Toews played 15 seasons with the Blackhawks and was one of the faces of the franchise. He also helped Canada win gold at back-to-back Olympics in 2010 and '14. Toews stepped awayfrom hockey two years ago citing the effects ofChronic Immune Response Syndrome and long COVID-19. His exit coincided with Chicago trading fellow star Patrick Kane and going into a full-scale rebuild. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff called Toews' signing an exciting day for Winnipeg and said it's something he's been thinking about making happen for more than a decade. Cheveldayoff, an assistant GM in Chicago when Toews and the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup, said that when he joined the Jets the following year, he and team co-owner Mark Chipman mused about the possibility of seeing Toews in a Winnipeg jersey one day. "At that point in time it was merely a dream or a concept," Cheveldayoff said. "Last week, when we finalized everything, I sent Mark a text, and it said 'Toews is a Jet.' It was an emotional feeling." "One of the most decorated hockey players in Manitoba history is coming home." Toews is joining a Jets team that's coming off a Presidents' Trophy-winning season as the NHL's top regular-season club. Earlier this week, Winnipeg lost a key offensive piece when winger Nikolaj Ehlers signed a six-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. ___ AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

byLiam Oneel

in

July 04, 2025

Jonathan Toews is grateful and excited to play again after signing with his hometown Winnipeg Jets

Jonathan Toews is grateful and excited to play again after signing with his hometown Winnipeg Jets WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Jonathan Toews ...

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Jennie's Photo Dump Stirs Excitement Ahead of BLACKPINK Tour

Jennie's Photo Dump Stirs Excitement Ahead of BLACKPINK Tour

Jennie's Photo Dump Stirs Excitement Ahead of BLACKPINK Touroriginally appeared onParade. BLACKPINK will finally be in your area. The global K-pop sensation, made up of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa, is set to reunite for their highly anticipatedDeadline World Tour, kicking off this Saturday at Goyang Stadium in South Korea. This marks their first group tour since theirBorn Pink World Tour, which took place from October 2022 to September 2023. Afterward, the girls decided to pursue their own projects. Rosé released an emotional solo album in early December 2024 and collaborated with Bruno Mars to make the album's lead single "APT." The 28-year-old singer recently worked with Alex Warren on a new song, "On My Mind," which was released last week. Lisa dropped her debut solo albumAlter Ego,which featured many collaborations such as Doja Cat, RAYE, Rosalía, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla and Future. The Thai singer also made her acting debut as Mook in Season 3 of HBO'sThe White Lotus. Meanwhile, Jisoo released her solo EPAMORTAGEin February and went on a tour around Asia in March. Lastly, Jennie released her debut solo album,Ruby, which was also filled with collaborations with many artists such as Dua Lipa, Doechii, Dominic Fike, Childish Gambino and Kali Uches. She also had two solo shows in Los Angeles' Peacock Theater and New York City's Radio City Music Hall in March. After a year of thriving individually, the quartet is finally reuniting andreleasing a new songtitled "JUMP," and fans couldn't be more excited. To celebrate this, Jenniewent to Instagramon Friday to give fans a behind-the-scenes scoop ahead of the group's first show. "DEADLINE TOUR STARTS TOMORROW @blackpinkofficial," Jennie wrote as her caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by J (@jennierubyjane) Fans were all over social media, expressing their excitement for BLACKPINK's comeback and theDeadlinetour starting tomorrow. An Instagram fan account dedicated to Jennie and the girls wrote, "The queens are back 🖤🩷😍." "OMG OMG CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW 😭❤️‍🔥🔥," a fan commented on Jennie's Instagram post. One fan wrote, "Can't wait to see youuuuu Nini 😍❤️." "BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA AGAIN!"an X user posted. "So hyped 🔥🔥🔥." "Ahhhhhh my queen posted 🤤🤤🤤," one fan commented. "can't wait to see you." Another X user commented, "the biggest and most anticipated event of the decade." BLACKPINK will perform at Goyang Stadium in South Korea this weekend before kicking off the U.S. leg of their tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on July 12. Jennie's Photo Dump Stirs Excitement Ahead of BLACKPINK Tourfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 5, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

byLiam Oneel

in

July 04, 2025

Jennie's Photo Dump Stirs Excitement Ahead of BLACKPINK Tour

Jennie's Photo Dump Stirs Excitement Ahead of BLACKPINK Tour Jennie's Photo Dump Stirs Excitement Ahead of BLACKPINK Touroriginally ...

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Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Independence Day: Resurgence

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Independence Day: Resurgence

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solvetoday's puzzlebefore reading further!Independence Day: Resurgence Constructor:Kate Chin Park Editor:Amanda Rafkin TWO (25A: Number of MVP awards for Steph Curry) I am giving myself points for at least knowing who Steph Curry is! Steph Curry plays basketball for NBA's Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were NBA champions in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. He has been named NBA MVP (most valuable player) TWO times, in 2015 and 2016. IPAS (61A: Beers with West Coast varieties) The word "beers" in the clue allowed me to correctly guess the answer. However, not being a beer drinker, I didn't realize there were different IPA varieties. IPAS (India pale ales) are hoppy beers that originated in the United Kingdom to be exported to India (thus the name). The interest in craft beer in the United States during the late 20th century led to a renewed interest in IPAS and the development of IPA subtypes. West Coast IPAS, also referred to as Classic IPAS, are considered the traditional American IPA style. PEZ (6A: Dispenser candy) PEZ candy has been around since 1927. The first PEZ dispensers were similar in shape to a cigarette lighter, and dispensed mints marketed as an alternative to tobacco. It wasn't until 1955 that PEZ placed heads on the dispensers and began marketing them to children. Since that time, over 1500 different PEZ dispenser designs have been created. I don't know what it is about PEZ. I don't really like the candy, and it's a pain to get the candy into the dispensers (which are made of plastic – also not great), but I do have a soft spot for these silly candy dispensers. INNIE (16A: Work persona, in "Severance") On the TV seriesSeverance, workers at Lumon Industries agree to a "severance" procedure that separates work memories from non-work memories. After the procedure, there is a work persona, or INNIE, and a home persona, or outie. DANCING ON MY OWN (19A: Robyn hit about being alone in the club) Robyn is a Swedish singer and songwriter. Her song"DANCING ON MY OWN,"was a hit when it was released in 2010 and has since been covered by other artists and used in several TV shows, includingRuPaul's Drag RaceandOrange is the New Black. The song talks about DANCING alone while watching an ex dance with a new love. "I keep DANCING ON MY OWN." NEST (23A: Stick-y home) This is a fun clue. Not a "sticky" home, as in glue, but a "stick-y" home, as in a NEST made of sticks. ALOHA (29A: Word on a Hawaii license plate)The nice thing about this clue is that it's inferable even for solvers who might not have seen a Hawaii license plate recently. CARL (32A: Cranky 78-year-old in "Up") Indeed, CARL, the 78-year-old character voiced by Ed Asner in Pixar's 2009 movieUp, is a tad cranky. He's a lovable curmudgeon though, and he does come around in the end.Upis a great movie. LOSE YOU TO LOVE ME (36A:Selena Gomezhit about leaving a toxic relationship) The lyrics of Selena Gomez's 2019 song"LOSE YOU TO LOVE ME"focus on discovering one's true self. That's always a worthy message. "I needed to LOSE YOU TO find ME / This dancing was killing me softly..." PESOS (41A: Money in Sinaloa) Sinaloa is one of Mexico's 31 states. It is located in northwest Mexico. The currency used in Mexico is PESOS. SINCE U BEEN GONE (51A:Kelly Clarksonhit about triumphantly moving on)"SINCE U BEEN GONE"is a 2004 song from Kelly Clarkson's album,Breakaway. The song talks about moving on from a relationship. "But SINCE you've BEEN GONE / I can breathe for the first time / I'm so moving on, yeah, yeah / Thanks to you / Now I get what I want..." EAR (62A: Triangular cat part) and FEET (47D: Padded cat parts) My cat, Willow, is a fan of the choice to clue EAR and FEET in reference to cats. I chose a photo that shows Willow's triangular EARs and her padded FEET. SUNNI (3D: Largest denomination of Islam) The two main branches of Islam are SUNNI Islam and Shia Islam. SUNNI is the largest Islam denomination, accounting for 87-90% of Muslims. ERIC (4D: Comedian Andre) ERIC André is the creator, host, and co-writer ofThe ERIC Andre Show, which aired on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block from 2012-2023. He is known for his surreal comedy and shock humor. STEINWAY (5D: High-end piano maker) STEINWAY (officially STEINWAY & Sons) was founded in New York City in 1853 by German piano builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (who was later known as Henry E. STEINWAY). As the company grew, an additional factory was opened in Hamburg, Germany. STEINWAY is known for its high quality, as well as its inventions in piano development. NEO (20D: "The Matrix" role) InThe Matrixmovies - of which there have been four to date - Keanu Reeves portrays computer programmer Thomas Anderson, who operates as a hacker using the name NEO. The name NEO is an anagram of "one." InThe Matrix, "The One" refers to a randomly selected human that carries a special code. I have never seenThe Matrix,but I have learned this information from solving crosswords. OSLO (31D: Setting for the Norwegian film "The Worst Person in the World") The 2021 movieThe Worst Person in the World(in Norwegian,Verdens verste menneske) is the third film in director Eskil Vogt's OSLO trilogy. The movie is a romantic dramedy (a hybrid of comedy and drama). As the clue informs us, the movie is set in OSLO, Norway.The Worst Person in the WorldmadeThe New York Timeslist of the 100 best movies of the 21st century. ORC (43D: "Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!" speaker, in "The Two Towers")"Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!"is a line from the 2002 movieLord of the Rings:The Two Towers. It is spoken by an ORC, and the line has become infamous among theLord of the Ringsfandom, as fans say the ORC would have had no idea what a menu is. IOWA (52D: Cedar Rapids' state) This clue hit close to home. Cedar Rapids is about 30 miles north of where I live, and it is the second largest city in IOWA, following the state's capital, Des Moines. However, this is IOWA, so our second largest city has a population of around 135,000 people. It would take 62 cities the size of Cedar Rapids to equal one New York City. The nickname of Cedar Rapids is the "City of Five Seasons," the "fifth season" being time to enjoy the other four. To Iowans, Cedar Rapids is also known as the "City of Five Smells." The smell of the city varies depending on the daily production at the Quaker plant. A few other clues I especially enjoyed: IRL (45A: Like face time, but not FaceTime (Abbr.)) PILOT (6D: Airplane's "driver") THE THING IS (25D: "Okay, but listen...") DANCING ON MY OWN (19A: Robyn hit about being alone in the club) LOSE YOU TO LOVE ME (36A: Selena Gomez hit about leaving a toxic relationship) SINCE U BEEN GONE (51A: Kelly Clarkson hit about triumphantly moving on) INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE: Each theme answer is the title of a song that is about a woman becoming independent after the breakup of a relationship. One of the theme answers inyesterday's puzzle, which was titled "Independence Day," referenced the 1996 movieIndependence Day. There is a 2016 sequel to that movie titledIndependence Day: Resurgence. The title of today's puzzle cleverly uses the sequel's title to indicate that, like yesterday's puzzle, the theme of today's puzzle is "Independence Day" – it's a sequel of a sort. I really enjoyed the approach to this theme. What a great trio of songs represented here. Thank you, Kate, for this excellent puzzle. USA TODAY's Daily Crossword Puzzles Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Crossword Blog & Answers for July 5, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

byLiam Oneel

in

July 04, 2025

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Independence Day: Resurgence

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Independence Day: Resurgence There are spoilers ahead. You might want to so...

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Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits 34th and 35th home runs, eclipsing career high before MLB All-Star break

Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits 34th and 35th home runs, eclipsing career high before MLB All-Star break

Cal Raleighadded to his MLB home run lead, blasting his 34th and 35th of the season for theSeattle Marinersin a 6-0 win over thePittsburgh Pirateson Friday. Raleigh won the vote forthe American League's starting catcherin the MLB All-Star Game and joined the Home Run Derby field this week. And he maintained his lead over Aaron Judge, who also homered on Friday to reach 32 on the season. Perhaps most impressively, Raleigh has already matched his home run total for last season on July 4. The Mariners have eight games left to play before the All-Star break. Raleigh went deep in the first inning, reaching down and in for a 92 mphBailey Falterfastball. The homer was the hardest hit ball of Raleigh's career at 115.2 mph,according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, and went 433 feet into T-Mobile Park's left-field seats. He followed that up in the sixth, taking Falter deep again on another fastball down and in. With his 35th homer, Raleigh matchedthe third-highest home run totalbefore the All-Star break. He also tied Mariners Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. for the most in team history prior to MLB's midseason hiatus. HISTORY.With 35 home runs, Cal Raleigh ties Ken Griffey Jr. for the most in franchise history before the All-Star break.#TridentsUppic.twitter.com/1MP1E1Yx1o — Seattle Mariners (@Mariners)July 4, 2025 Only Barry Bonds (39), Chris Davis, Mark McGwire, Reggie Jackson and Luis Gonzalez (each with 37) have hit more by that point. And as mentioned, Raleigh can still add to that total in the next week. Raleigh's two home runs also gave him seven games this season in which he's hit multiple homers. Only four other players have achieved that feat before the All-Star break,according to Langs. Jackson has the most with eight. Two weeks ago, Raleigh hit his 29th homer, surpassing Johnny Bench's mark forthe most ever by a catcherbefore the All-Star break. With his 30th home run, he becamethe first switch-hitterto reach that total before the season's halfway point. Raleigh has hit 14 home runs as a right-handed batter this season, including both of Friday's blasts. He's hit 21 long balls from the left side. Raleigh's three RBI also gave him 74 for the season, tying theChicago Cubs'Seiya Suzukifor the MLB lead in that category. Additionally, his .650 slugging percentage and 1.030 OPS both rank second in MLB to Judge.

byLiam Oneel

in

July 04, 2025

Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits 34th and 35th home runs, eclipsing career high before MLB All-Star break

Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits 34th and 35th home runs, eclipsing career high before MLB All-Star break Cal Raleighadded to his MLB home run...

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Hot Dog Eating Contest prize money: How much did Nathan's champs win?

Hot Dog Eating Contest prize money: How much did Nathan's champs win?

Joey Chestnutgot more than the Mustard Belt for his victory at the2025 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. He will pocket $10,000, as willwomen's champion Miki Sudo. For Chestnut, that worked out to be about $142 for each hot dog and bun he consumed, eating total of 70½ during the annual10-minute contestin Coney Island, New York. "It's awesome," said Chestnut, who returned to the competition after a one-year ban. "I'm really lucky. You know, competitive eating, it's not like people are buying tickets to watch it. And it's not tons and tons of advertising, so there's not the most money involved it in." Chestnut confirmed he makes exponentially from his three-year contract with Nathan's, although he has declined to reveal the terms of the deal. The competitors at Nathan's compete for a total of $40,000 in prize money, $20,000 for the men and $20,000 for the women. While $10,000 goes to each of the winners, the second-place finishers each get $5,000, the third-place finishers each get $2,500 apiece and the remaining $2,500 is split among other the fourth- and fifth-place finishers, according to George Shea, co-founder of Major League Eating and the host of the Nathan's contest. Winner: $10,000 Second place: $5,000 Third place: $2,500 Fourth place: $1,500 Fifth place: $1,000 The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Nathan's Hot Dog Contest prize money: What is purse for Joey Chestnut?

byLiam Oneel

in

July 04, 2025

Hot Dog Eating Contest prize money: How much did Nathan's champs win?

Hot Dog Eating Contest prize money: How much did Nathan's champs win? Joey Chestnutgot more than the Mustard Belt for his victory at the...

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