South African taps run dry after power shortages
Electricity problems have led to water shortages and those with money are digging their own boreholes.
2023-06-19 07:23
NBA rumors: Bradley Beal trade could include third team for Chris Paul
The Bradley Beal trade has the All-Star going to the Suns, but a third team might get involved in order to facilitate Chris Paul landing with a contender.The Bradley Beal trade sent shockwaves throughout the league with the Wizards sending the All-Star to the Phoenix Suns. But it also might not ...
2023-06-19 07:22
Schwarber's 20th homer propels Phillies to 3-2 victory over the A's, series sweep
Kyle Schwarber opened the game with his 20th home run and added an RBI single to lead the sizzling Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday
2023-06-19 07:22
Giants finish off rare sweep of Dodgers in Los Angeles with 7-3 win
The San Francisco Giants completed a rare rivalry series sweep on the road with a 7-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday
2023-06-19 07:18
TikTok allowed millions of people to see Canadian ‘helicopter’ wildfire conspiracies before taking down videos
More than 400 wildfires are raging across Canada, and misinformation about the blazes is spreading as well, particularly on TikTok. As Media Matters for America (MMFA) noted in a recent analysis, videos on TikTok claiming the fires were started intentionally by helicopters, arsonists, and “directed energy weapons” have garnered millions of views this month, with the false ideas in these videos then spreading to other social media platforms. Only a few of the most viral false videos have been taken down, the analysis notes. Further scrutiny of such claims provides easy evidence to the contrary, with Canadian officials attributing the fires to a combination of lightning strikes, human accidents, and dry, climate crisis-fueled conditions across the country. “We are already seeing one of the worst wildfire seasons on record,” Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said in a statement earlier this month. “We must prepare for a long summer.” Other videos about the fires featured clips from a controlled burn by fire officials, as well as what was actually a 2015 wildfire, MMFA found. The Independent has contacted TikTok for comment. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes including large numbers in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. Hundreds of firefighters have arrived from countries like Australia, New Zealand, the US, South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica and France to assist the exhausted Canadian crews. As The Independent has previously reported, misinformation spreads quickly on TikTok during ongoing disasters, thanks in part to public distrust of government officials and an increasingly anti-science bent in US politics. “Social media can be helpful. It alerts people to a situation. It’s a way for widespread dissemination,” Dr Erin Haynes, professor of preventive medicine and environmental health at the University of Kentucky told The Independent in March in the wake of the Ohio train derailment disaster. “But because of that it allows widespread dissemination of false information, so it can go both ways. You have to be very cautious when using social media. Fact-check, find the source of that information.” Read More Canadian wildfire smoke gives Minnesota city the worst air in the US Satellites capture Canadian wildfire smoke pouring into US Midwest Wildfire smoke from Canada might be a problem ‘all summer’
2023-06-19 06:59
Fleetwood grabs slice of US Open history with 63
Tommy Fleetwood became the first golfer with two rounds of 63 on his US Open resume, soaring with two eagles in the final round at...
2023-06-19 06:59
Kevin Durant gets trolled for trying another Big 3 with Suns after Beal trade
Another season, another superteam for Suns star Kevin Durant. What's new?The Bradley Beal trade has the West shook and Kevin Durant's haters jamming their keyboards indignantly tweeting at a scorching-hot pace.On Sunday, the Phoenix Suns finalized a trade with the Washington Wizard...
2023-06-19 06:54
Aussie Dollar, US Futures Rise on US-China Hopes: Markets Wrap
The Australian dollar and US equity futures rose in early Asian trading Monday amid signs of improving ties
2023-06-19 06:51
Max Verstappen aims to ‘keep winning’ after matching Ayrton Senna’s 41 victories
Max Verstappen completed another crushing performance in Canada on Sunday to match Ayrton Senna’s tally of 41 victories – and then promised to keep the good times rolling. A day after taking pole position in the wet, Verstappen reigned supreme in the dry at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to beat Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton and move into joint fifth in the pantheon of Formula One winners. Even an early collision with a bird could not stop the flying Dutchman, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealing that his star driver completed the majority of Sunday’s 70-lap race with part of the animal lodged in his brake duct. Verstappen will not celebrate his 26th birthday until September, but his sixth victory from the opening eight fixtures of the year leaves only Hamilton (103), Michael Schumacher (91), Sebastian Vettel (53) and Alain Prost (51) ahead of him in the record books. “When I was a little kid driving go karts, I was dreaming about being an F1 driver and I would never had imagined I would win 41 grands prix,” said Verstappen, who also notched up Red Bull’s 100th victory in the sport. “To tie with Ayrton is incredible and I am proud of that but I hope it doesn’t stop here. I hope we keep on winning more races. “It is also a great achievement for the team. We knew this was the first opportunity to win 100 races. I am happy that is done, but I hope we will win more than 100 so the new target is 200.” Remarkably, Verstappen has won 15 of the last 19 races in F1, with Red Bull failing to taste victory on just one occasion in that streak. Red Bull could yet become the first team to win every race in a single season. And with Verstappen at the wheel – rather than team-mate Sergio Perez who finished only sixth on another trying weekend for the Mexican – they have every chance. Verstappen’s triumph – his fourth in succession – was all but sealed on the short dash to the opening chicane after he fended off a slow-starting Alonso. Hamilton, who gazumped Alonso, set his sights on Verstappen’s Red Bull gearbox, but by the end of the opening lap, the seven-time world champion was eight tenths back – and when a virtual safety car was deployed on lap eight after Logan Sargeant broke down in his Williams, the gap was the best part of three seconds. With Verstappen racing off into the distance, Alonso was the filling in a Mercedes’ sandwich. But that changed on lap 12 when George Russell slammed into the wall on the exit of Turn 9. Russell’s front wing snapped in half, while his right-rear tyre dangled off his Mercedes. With debris littering the circuit, the safety car came out and the main players stopped for new tyres as Russell pulled in for repairs. After changing all four tyres, Hamilton was released into Alonso’s path. Alonso said he had to slam on the anchors to avoid running into the back of the Mercedes man, and the flashpoint was duly noted by the stewards, and latterly investigated, but the British driver would escape without punishment. The safety car came in five laps later and Verstappen executed a fine getaway to leave Hamilton trailing. Indeed, after the opening two turns, he was already one second up the road. Rather than looking ahead, Hamilton’s attention was occupied by Alonso behind. And on lap 22, the Spaniard dived past Hamilton with a fine move at the final chicane. Hamilton had a nibble back at Alonso as they raced to the opening corner, but the evergreen Spaniard held his nerve to keep the Mercedes man behind. Russell raced back from last to eighth before he was forced to park a Mercedes riddled with excessive brake wear with 15 laps remaining. Verstappen took the chequered flag 9.5 sec clear of Alonso. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari. Alex Albon crossed the line a commendable seventh in his Williams. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen claims pole position during rain-hit qualifying for Canadian GP Lewis Hamilton fastest as practice for Canadian Grand Prix finally gets started Max Verstappen closes in on ‘amazing achievement’ of matching Ayrton Senna
2023-06-19 06:50
Spain beat Croatia on penalties to win Nations League final
Spain held their nerve to win the UEFA Nations League final by beating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes in Rotterdam. Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal converted the winning spot-kick after Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon had saved efforts from Croatia’s Lovro Majer and Bruno Petkovic. Spain’s triumph saw them seal a fifth major trophy and become the second nation after France to have won the World Cup, European Championship and the Nations League. Manchester City pair Rodri and Aymeric Laporte, who scored and missed for Spain respectively in the shoot-out, have won a fourth major trophy of the season. Croatia, who beat the Netherlands 4-2 after extra time in their semi-final on Wednesday, had been hoping to win their first major tournament. Spain did not have one shot on target in a poor first half of regulation time, while Laporte’s last-ditch tackle thwarted Andrej Kramaric, and Ivan Perisic’s header forced Simon into a diving save. Spain went close in the 58th minute when Marco Asensio headed their best chance up to then just over from the over-lapping Jordi Alba’s cross. Croatia responded through Mario Pasalic’s header, after another ball in from Perisic, before Spain stepped it up, with Fabian Ruiz’s chipped effort and Asensio’s shot on the turn both going close. Spain went closest to breaking the deadlock in the 86th minute when Perisic blocked Ansu Fati’s shot on the goal-line following fellow substitute Mikel Merino’s cut-back. Croatia substitute Majer was also denied by last-ditch defending as his shot after a counter-attack was blocked by Nacho in the first period of extra time. Spain threw caution to the wind in the second period and finished the game on top. Dani Olmo and Asensio had shots deflected for a corner and Rodri’s effort was blocked as the third Nations League final went to penalties, with Carvajal converting a nerveless winner. Earlier on Sunday, Italy beat the Netherlands 3-2 in the third-place play-off in Enschede. Roberto Mancini’s side, who sealed Nations League bronze for the second tournament running, made a flying start as Federico Dimarco and Davide Frattesi put them 2-0 up in 20 minutes. Steven Bergwijn reduced the deficit for the Netherlands midway through the second half, but Federico Chiesa struck Italy’s third four minutes later. Georginio Wijnaldum ensured a nervy finale with the Netherlands’ second goal in the 89th minute, but it was not enough to prevent a third defeat in four games under boss Ronald Koeman, in his second stint in charge. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tommy Fleetwood agonisingly close to slice of major history Ireland boss Stephen Kenny insists he has not sought assurances over his future Northern Ireland’s Paddy McNair has a positive outlook ahead of Kazakhstan clash
2023-06-19 06:50
Tommy Fleetwood shoots 63 in final round of US Open
Tommy Fleetwood has shot 63 in the final round of the U.S. Open for the second time in five years
2023-06-19 06:48
Ireland boss Stephen Kenny insists he has not sought assurances over his future
Stephen Kenny has insisted he has not sought assurances over his future as Republic of Ireland manager despite facing mounting criticism. Kenny’s position has been questioned and potential successors touted in the wake of a hugely disappointing 2-1 Euro 2024 qualifying defeat in Greece on Friday evening which left Ireland’s hopes of making it to the finals in severe jeopardy after just two games. However, asked if he had been given any assurances by the Football Association of Ireland that he would see out the campaign, the 51-year-old replied: “I haven’t sought any assurance. That’s not something I do.” Kenny, who complained about “a lack of respect” at his pre-match press conference, was asked how he felt he was doing as Ireland manager. He said: “I’m not going to sit here and do a full press conference on an assessment of my period in charge or anything like that, I’m here really to prepare for tomorrow, the game against Gibraltar. “It’s a big game for us. Obviously, I’m disappointed that we lost against Greece, but we’ve got to bounce back against Gibraltar and I’m fairly sure we can do that, and we’ll take that into September.” For all Kenny’s bullishness, Ireland have won only four of the 23 competitive games they have played under his charge and lost five of the last eight. Asked if that was a source of disappointment, he said: “It’s a fair question. I’m disappointed about the Greek game, I’m disappointed we didn’t get the result that we needed. Listen, we have lost a game that we wanted to win and we have to bounce back against Gibraltar.” Former Ireland boss Brian Kerr was critical of Kenny’s tenure in his role as a TV pundit, while counterpart Liam Brady, one of the nation’s most gifted former internationals, described the current squad as “the worst group of players that any manager has had in my lifetime”. James McClean, who will captain the side against Gibraltar on Monday as he collects his 100th cap, said: “It would be very stupid and naive for me to sit here and take on Liam Brady and criticise Liam Brady with the calibre of player that he was and what he was. I’m not going to do that. “But look, we have a tendency, especially in this country, to get carried away. We are two games in now. This country in the past has shown that we have big results in us when no-one has expected it. “There is a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the campaign. We’re not naive, we know it’s going to be tough, very tough, but we have to start somewhere and we aim to do that on Monday night against Gibraltar and take it a game at a time.”
2023-06-19 06:28
