Olympics-Relay controversy key to Belarusian sprinter’s defection
Tsimanouskaya had been set to run the 200m on Aug. 2, a day after she was removed from the team. The Belarusian Olympic Committee said she was being sent home on doctors’ advice relating to her emotional and psychological state. Some athletes have said Tsimanouskaya’s objections at having to run the event without having trained for the distance were legitimate. “The 400m is a completely different distance from what from Krystsina runs,” Belarusian decathlete Andrei Krauchanka, the 2008 Olympic silver medallist, told Reuters. “To run 400m can damage your health, it’s crazy work.”“Krystsina has no blame at all in this situation.
Source:MetroXpress
August 07, 2021 02:48 UTC
Australia suffers worst COVID day this year with millions in lockdown
With about 15 million people in the three states, or 60% of Australia’s population, under a strict lockdown, the country also reported five coronavirus-related deaths, one of the highest this year. NSW suffered its worst pandemic day, reporting 319 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, with Sydney and neighbouring regional centres spanning 200 km (120 miles) of coastline under a stay-at-home order for six weeks already. There are 345 people admitted to hospital in NSW, with 56 in intensive care and 23 under ventilation. NSW authorities, who had been reluctant to put Sydney into a lockdown, said lack of observance of rules has been a problem. “What we have happening right now is some people are not complying,” NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.
Source:MetroXpress
August 07, 2021 02:37 UTC
Olympics-Volleyball player claims innocence over positive drug test
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A Brazilian volleyball player suspended for doping while competing in the Tokyo Olympics has claimed the banned substance found in a July test was introduced accidentally into her system. “We fully trust that we will prove Ostarina entered accidentally into the athlete’s organism and that it was not used to enhance sporting performance,” said the lawyer’s letter. “Recently, numerous Brazilian athletes have been victims of incidents involving Ostarina,” it added, without clarifying further. The Brazilian Olympic Committee broke the news of her positive test shortly before Brazil’s semi-final against South Korea. The positive test was taken out of competition at the Brazilian volleyball training centre on July 7, the committee said.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 23:37 UTC
Something's fishy about the story of the Detroit woman with a pet hyena in viral Facebook post
click to enlarge Courtesy photoThis Detroit woman says she mistakenly bought a pet hyena thinking it was a dog. click to enlarge Courtesy photosPhotos allegedly showing a pet hyena. According to a Detroit woman's viral Facebook post, she recently took her puppy to the vet only to make a startling discovery — it was not actually a dog but rather "mostly hyena. The post already went viral, and the woman has spoken to numerous media outlets. The station did interview two animal control experts, who said that owning a hyena is legal in Michigan but not in the city of Detroit.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 21:33 UTC
White House announces final extension of student loan repayment pause
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday announced a final extension of a coronavirus relief pause on federal student loan repayments, interest and collections until Jan. 31, 2022. The extension of the pause, which had been due to expire on Sept. 30, comes as cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus continue to surge around the United States. In a separate statement, Biden said the pause extension is needed because the “road will still be long” for many borrowers despite Friday’s jobs report showing July’s unemployment rate at a 16-month low of 5.4 percent. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and two fellow Democratic lawmakers hailed the extension, but said the measure did not go far enough. “Our broken student loan system continues to exacerbate racial wealth gaps and hold back our entire economy,” he said in a statement with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 20:37 UTC
The Outwrite 2021 Submissions
Sebastien didn’t know what to make of this man as they settled into a corner table, but he soon understood they shared something. She didn’t know why she felt the need to capture these images and send them to her closest friend, Chloe. Ode to Returning to My DogBy Jona ColsonI didn’t know before you came hereabout the hesitation and guilt of leaving. “Impatient guests.”“They can wait.” Nate didn’t want to think about the stuffy basement or Alden’s guests. OutWrite 2021 will be held virtually from Friday, August 6 to Sunday, August 8.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 20:03 UTC
Suspect in Boston road rage pulled over by Southborough, Westborough police
A Grafton man involved in a possible road rage incident in Boston on Thursday has not been charged after he was pulled over and detained in Westborough, authorities said. According to state police, around 6:20 p.m. an Audi A6, driven by the 32-year-old Grafton man, was involved in a road rage incident with a taxi driven by a man with a male passenger. The Southborough officer followed the car into Westborough, where he and Westborough officers stopped the car and detained the man until state police officers arrived, according to the Southborough Police Department. Police did not find any ballistics evidence on the taxi or any evidence in the area where the incident occurred. The Grafton man was released.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 17:26 UTC
European soccer’s Messi finances
Graphic: Wage-to-revenue ratios in Europe’s top soccer leagues – https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/akpezgllkvr/Pasted%20image%201628255753945.pngA decade ago, wages in the Big Five leagues added up to around 5.6 billion euros ($6.6 billion), Deloitte estimates. By last season, that combined European wage bill had ballooned to 17 billion euros. COVID-19 and empty stadiums though meant the leagues’ revenues fell by an average of 11%. Tottenham Hotspur have jumped 158% from being worth 800 million euros to just over 2 billion, while Manchester United and Barcelona have seen 15% and 16% gains to around 3.3 billion and 3.2 billion euros. Graphic: Net financial debt of Europe’s top soccer clubs – https://graphics.reuters.com/SOCCER-FINANCES/qzjpqzdklvx/chart.pngManchester United and Juventus were next with 524 and 390 million euros of debt respectively.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 17:26 UTC
Former Flint mayor accuses Whitmer, Nessel of helping Snyder 'get away with murder'
"You know, I always talk about 'how to get away with murder?'" "The article reported evidence that the phones of Snyder's top health officials and aides had been wiped just before a criminal investigation was launched. Everybody else underneath Governor Snyder, they get charged with real criminal charges, but he gets a misdemeanor — and we knew that he knew? "Weaver said she believes that Snyder and other Republicans supported Whitmer for governor over Schuette because they knew Schuette as attorney general was pursuing criminal charges. ""That's what I was told, is 'People have flint fatigue,'" Weaver says.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 16:07 UTC
Tencent will inspect WeChat’s ‘youth mode’ after prosecutors initiate lawsuit
BEIJING (Reuters) -Tencent said it would investigate the functions of its popular social messaging app WeChat’s “youth mode”, after Beijing prosecutors initiated a civil public-interest lawsuit against a subsidiary of the company on Friday. Prosecutors had said the “youth mode” on WeChat does not comply with laws protecting minors. “We will earnestly inspect and check the functions of WeChat Youth Mode, accept user suggestions humbly and sincerely respond to civil public interest litigation,” the company WeChat team said in a post on Weibo. The document did not say how WeChat’s “youth mode” broke Chinese law. WeChat’s “youth mode”, when turned on, limits young users’ access to some games and functions, such as payments or finding nearby friends.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 15:24 UTC
State Senate President Karen Spilka of Ashland backing universal masking in schools
YoungState House News ServiceThe pressure on the Baker administration to require masks in classrooms this fall gained a strong voice Friday when Senate President Karen Spilka formally called on the governor to require universal masking in schools. "Public health experts and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree that universal masking in schools is an effective way to keep our vulnerable children and residents safe as we continue to fight this global pandemic. To the dismay of teachers' unions and some parents, the Baker administration has left decisions around masking in schools to local officials. State health and education officials have recommended that schools allow vaccinated students to remain unmasked. Spilka had previously indicated that she was leaning toward support for a school mask mandate.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 15:11 UTC
Dave Chappelle adds three more shows at the Fillmore, will tape Netflix special in Detroit
click to enlarge NetflixComedian Dave Chappelle will be performing four live shows at the Fillmore Detroit this month. Dave Chappelle has come a long way from his "I'm Rick James, bitch!" days, which is to say the 47-year-old global comedy superstar, and notorious button-pusher, line-crosser, and the guy who jokingly praised COVID-19 for forcing "murderous whites" to stay indoors is unstoppable. Detroit is going to have a hard time stopping Chappelle next week because the Yellow Springs, Ohio resident just announced an additional three performances to his previously announced four performance run to reopen Detroit's Fillmore which has been closed since March 2020.Wait, there's more.The performances on Thursday, Aug. 12 through Sunday, Aug. 15 will be filmed for Chappelle's fifth Netflix special and his tenth overall since his debut HBO special,in 2000.As is the case with most Chappelle performances, no cell phones, recording devices, or smart watches will be allowed into the show. If you choose to bring a prohibited device, they will be placed in a locked Yondr pouch which can be unlocked at designated stations in the lobby of the Fillmore.Additionally, attendees will be subject to a rapid COVID-19 test before entry.The initial run of shows Tuesday, Aug. 10-Thursday, Aug. 12 are already on sale but are largely sold out, save for verified resale tickets which are going for $150+ per ticket.The new batch of dates Friday, Aug. 13-Sunday, Aug. 15 go on sale at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 9 via Ticketmaster.com Anyway, here's a video of Dave Chappelle "singing" Radiohead's "Creep" with the Foo Fighters at Madison Square Garden in June.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 14:48 UTC
Michigan’s ethnic intimidation law protects transgender people, court rules
A Michigan law that makes it a crime to intimidate people based on their gender protects transgender residents, the state Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.The ruling involves a case in which a transgender woman was shot at a gas station in July 2018. “By affirming that the definition of gender in our state's ethnic intimidation law includes transgender people, the Court has granted greater justice for crime victims. Fair Michigan was honored to work with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in charging ethnic intimidation in this case, and we are thrilled by the Court's ruling. Charging ethnic intimidation is a powerful tool that can be used to protect our most vulnerable communities. This ruling supports that priority and reinforces our most basic and fundamental protections under the law."
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 14:48 UTC
Reopened restaurant a 'beacon of hope' in Boston's Financial District
"The Financial District is a very unique part of Boston that relies heavily on the men and women that come to work here every day," Wang said. "I'm very hopeful that today marks a turning point, not only for Fóumami, but for the Financial District, this neighborhood as a whole as it starts to show life coming back." State, city and industry officials cast the reopening as a reawakening of the Financial District, a business hub that, in normal times, would be swarming at lunchtime with employees looking for a bite to eat. Wang said many restaurants in the Financial District rely heavily on corporate catering, a service that was no longer needed when people started working from home. Janey said restaurant owners have voiced a need for more support from government officials, not just financial, but assistance in attracting and retaining staff.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 14:37 UTC
Summer Restaurant Week 2021: Everything You Need to Know
“What we want to be most mindful of is they need butts in seats. The same applies today.”More than 200 establishments, ranging from fast-casual spots to fine-dining destinations, will participate in this year’s Summer Restaurant Week, offering diners three-course menus at lunch or brunch for just $22 and at dinner for $35 or $55, depending on the restaurant (before tax and tip). For further guidance on new or notable restaurants to try, there’s also a list of recently announced finalists for RAMW’s 2021 RAMMY Awards. The roster includes All Purpose, Bresca, Chloe, Convivial, Farmers Fishers Bakers, Immigrant Food, Jaleo, Little Coco’s, Thamee, and Unconventional Diner. “And we were very focused on being inclusive and casting a wide net to make sure that recognition goes far and wide.”Summer Restaurant Week starts Monday, Aug. 9, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 15, at participating area restaurants.
Source:MetroXpress
August 06, 2021 14:34 UTC