List of All Articles with Tag 'son'

17-year-old prospect Yoeilin Cespedes has been rising through the ranks and even got compared to a revered Red Sox player.The Boston Red Sox hope for great things in young prospect Yoeilin Cespedes, who has been developing his skills in the Dominican Summer League this past year.Cespedes has...

Extra funding to protect test cricket and the women’s game has been proposed by the MCC’s world committee

Two advocacy groups and an attorney who works with sexual assault victims are suing Idaho over a new law that makes it a felony to help minors get an abortion without their parents’ consent

Nato leaders have refused to offer Ukraine a timetable or clear conditions for membership – a stance the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky called absurd. A communique released on the first afternoon of a two-day summit in Lithuania said only that Kyiv would join the alliance “when allies agree and conditions are met”. It came despite Mr Zelensky denouncing delays to the process, accusing Nato of handing Russia “motivation” in its invasion. “It’s unprecedented and absurd when [a] time frame is not set, neither for the invitation, nor for Ukraine’s membership,” he said as the summit began. He also claimed the alliance was leaving a “window of opportunity” for Ukraine to be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with its invaders and expressed anger at a “vague” draft agreement. “Uncertainty is weakness,” he said. Later, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg insisted the alliance had taken “key decisions at a critical moment” and that allies have agreed “a strong, united and positive message for Ukraine” as well as a “positive path forward for membership”. Asked about Mr Zelensky’s concerns, Mr Stoltenberg said it was important to ensure that Ukraine wins the war because “unless Ukraine prevails, there is no membership to be discussed at all”. “There has never been a stronger message from Nato at any time, both when it comes to the political message of the path forward for membership and the concrete support from Nato allies,” he said, adding that previous members had joined without a timeline. “They are conditions-based, have always been,” he said. Mr Stoltenberg could not disguise the differences between the 31 members over Ukraine’s pathway to membership. Britain had been pushing for the US and other more hesitant allies, such as Germany, to agree to language signalling bolstered support for Ukraine to join, while many eastern European nations have pushed for swift resolution. However, all attendees – including Ukraine – agree the country cannot join during the war, as to do so would risk pulling the group into direct conflict with Russia. Nato did not specify conditions Ukraine needs to meet, but said members would help Kyiv to make progress on military matters as well as on additional democratic and security sector reforms. The US, in particular, has been keen for Ukraine to make progress against corruption. Later, speaking to a crowd of thousands in central Vilnius – many waving Ukrainian flags – Mr Zelensky’s disappointment was clear. “I embarked on a trip here with faith in decisions, with faith in partners, with faith in a strong Nato. In a Nato that does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor,” he said. “And I would like this faith to become confidence – confidence in the decisions that we deserve – all of us deserve, and every warrior, every citizen, every mother, every child expects,” he added. “Is that too much to expect?” President Joe Biden has stressed Nato needs to stay united. “I still think that President Putin thinks the way he succeeds is to break Nato and we’re not going to do that,” Mr Biden said. Rishi Sunak told reporters that both Britain and Ukraine recognised Kyiv could not join the alliance “in the midst of a conflict”. Mr Sunak said: “I’ve always said that Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato and that we stand by the language of Bucharest in 2008. I think what is important at this summit is that that commitment is reaffirmed and also that there is demonstrable progress towards that goal.” He also appeared to confirm reports Ukraine would be offered an "Israel-style" security deal, as part of a multi-year plan to defend itself from Russia. Mr Sunak told reporters he was “keen to try and get this over the line”. He said it was “distinct from the Nato conversation” and would “send a very strong signal of deterrent to Putin, that he can't wait people out, in terms of this conflict”. The UK and its G7 allies will agree a new framework to guarantee Ukraine’s long-term security on Wednesday, in a system that has been dubbed “Nato-lite”. Under the plans, Ukraine receives more defence equipment, intelligence, support for cyber and hybrid threat defences as well as expanded training programmes. The move will also help develop Ukraine’s industrial base. The UK will also announce new support for Ukraine, including thousands of extra rounds of ammunition for Challenger 2 tanks and more than 70 combat and logistics vehicle. As the war takes its toll on Ukraine’s military resources there will also be a £50m package to help repair equipment and a new military rehabilitation centre will be established. Mr Sunak said countries were “stepping up our formal arrangements to protect Ukraine for the long term”. Wednesday will also see the first meeting of the new Nato-Ukraine Council. Western nations continued to pledge arms and monetary support to Ukraine’s fight against Russia. President Emmanuel Macron said France would begin supplying long-range cruise missiles, following a similar announcement by Britain. With a range of 250km (155 miles), the missiles nearly triple Ukraine’s previous capabilities, allowing forces to hit Russian troops and supplies deep behind the front lines. Defence secretary Ben Wallace said Ukraine has already “successfully” used the UK missiles, known as Storm Shadow. Germany, too, announced new aid worth €700m (£600m), including two Patriot air defence missile launchers, and more tanks and fighting vehicles. A coalition of 11 nations will also start training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets in August in Denmark, and a training centre will be set up in Romania. The summit was also buoyed by the prospect of Sweden joining as its newest member after Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan abruptly dropped his objections to the move, while pushing to revive talks for Turkey to join the European Union. Finland also attended the summit as a member for the first time after its own entry into the alliance in April. Moscow, which has disingenuously cited Nato’s eastern expansion as a factor in its decision to invade Ukraine, said Europe would be the first to face “catastrophic consequences” should the war escalate. “Potentially, this issue [of Ukraine joining Nato] is very dangerous for European security... and therefore those who will make the decision must be aware of this,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary G7 allies set to announce security package for Ukraine at Vilnius Nato summit Biden blames busy schedule for skipping Nato leadership dinner Ukraine still has conditions to meet before it can join Nato, leaders say

Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber has named 10 of the 14 players who traveled ahead to New Zealand and missed last weekend’s match against Australia in his lineup for Saturday’s Rugby Championship test against the All Blacks

Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. will not play in the All-Star Game after feeling tightness in his right calf during the Home Run Derby

If you needed more proof that it really is a Barbie world, Crocs’ new collaboration with the live-action film has already sold out online, much to the frustration of fans. Crocs is the latest brand to launch a collaboration with the Barbie movie, which hits theatres on 21 July. The shoe company debuted its new collection on Tuesday 11 July, with each shoe fittingly coated in Barbiecore pink. The Mega Crush Clog, which has already sold out online, features a 2.9-inch platform sole with a glittery midsole design and eight built-in Barbie movie charms with the classic “B” logo. The new collection also includes the Barbie Cozzzy Sandal, lined with plush pink fuzz; the Barbie Crush Clog in black; and a Barbiecore version of Crocs’ classic clog. The brand additionally released a set of kidswear shoes alongside the collection, though Barbie is for every age. Earlier this week, Crocs announced its Barbie collaboration on social media by sharing a first look at the pink shoes. However, it appears the heads-up wasn’t enough for Barbie fans, who already snatched up the collection just hours after it dropped. As of Tuesday, the platform Mega Crush Clog – which retails at $84.99 (£65.72) – is currently sold out in all sizes. However, the black Crush Clog is still available in select sizes at $74.99 (£57.99), as well as the Barbie Classic Clog at $59.99 (£46.39) and the Barbie Cozzzy Sandal at $64.99 (£50.25). Unsurprisingly, Barbie fans took to Twitter to reveal whether they were one of the lucky ones who snagged the limited edition Crocs. “Secured a pair of the Barbie Crocs before they sold out,” said one user. “The Barbie Crocs are soooo cute,” said another fan. “The Barbie Crocs are out they’re tempting me so bad,” a third person wrote, while someone else admitted: “Yes I bought the Barbie Crocs, yes they were incredibly expensive, yes my wallet hurts but my heart is happy!!!!!” However, not everyone was able to purchase a pair of the coveted Barbie shoes before they sold out online. “All the Barbie Crocs sold out in my size before I could get them,” tweeted one person. “This in my villain origin story.” “I want you to know that not being able to get the Barbie platform Crocs is absolutely my breaking point,” another wrote. While some Barbie Crocs have sold out on the brand’s website, fans can still purchase the collection items at Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Urban Outfitters, and Hibbett. This isn’t the only brand to collaborate with the Mattel doll ahead of the Barbie premiere. Last month, Airbnb announced that fans of the live-action film will be able to stay in Barbie’s oceanfront Malibu mansion free of charge. “The Barbie Malibu DreamHouse is back on Airbnb – but this time, Ken’s hosting,” Airbnb wrote on Instagram, sharing their announcement. “While everyone’s favourite doll makes her live action film debut in Barbie, Ken transformed the pink palace with maximum Kenergy – cowboy hats, rollerblades, you name it.” The home rental company said: “The stay will cost zero dollars, as Ken couldn’t figure out how to put a price on Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse.” According to Airbnb, two individual one-night stays in Ken’s bedroom inside the Barbie dreamhouse will be available on 21 and 22 July 2023. Fans can request to book their stay beginning on 17 July at 10am PT at airbnb.com/kendreamhouse. The upcoming Barbie movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, had its star-studded world premiere on 9 July in Los Angeles, California. The film stars Margot Robbie as the titular Barbie, along with Ryan Gosling as Ken. Barbie hits theatres in the US and UK on 21 July. Read More ‘Annoying’: Barbie director Greta Gerwig names two A-list cameos she failed to secure for film Michael Cera explains brilliant reason he wasn’t in the Barbie group chat Ryan Gosling’s subtle tribute to Eva Mendes at the Barbie premiere Michael Cera twinned with Ryan Gosling at Barbie premiere for sweet reason Ryan Gosling’s subtle tribute to Eva Mendes at the Barbie premiere Ryan Gosling says his daughters were ‘huge inspiration’ for his role in Barbie

By Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold and John Irish VILNIUS Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets NATO leaders on Wednesday

The Justice Department has reversed its position that Donald Trump can't be held personally liable for remarks he made about a woman who accused him of rape because he was president when he made the comments

The Department of Justice has told a federal judge in New York that it will no longer defend former president Donald Trump in a defamation case brought by writer E Jean Carroll, who earlier this year won a civil judgement against the ex-president for sexual battery and defamation in a separate matter. In a letter to the attorneys for Mr Trump and Ms Carroll, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton said the department would now decline to certify that Mr Trump was acting in the scope of his job as President of the United States when he denied attacking Ms Carroll in June 2019 and accused her of fabricating a sexual assault claim against him to boost book sales. Mr Boynton said the decision, which reversed an earlier effort to defend Mr Trump which had begun during his term in the White House, came due to clarified appellate court precedent which stated that courts need not always find that an elected official’s statements to the press were in the scope of their employment. “Applying the clarified D.C. respondeat superior standard, the Department has determined that it lacks adequate evidence to conclude that the former President was sufficiently actuated by a purpose to serve the United States Government to support a determination that he was acting within the scope of his employment when he denied sexually assaulting Ms. Carroll and made the other statements regarding Ms. Carroll that she has challenged in this action,” he said. The Justice Department official also said the department had considered new evidence of Mr Trump’s state of mind when he made the statements at issue, and determined that it “does not establish that he made the statements at issue with a ‘more than insignificant’ purpose to serve the United States Government”. Additionally, Mr Boynton noted that even though the defamatory statements regarding Ms Carroll and the allegations she was making against Mr Trump were made during a press gaggle on the South Lawn of the White House, they were not made in the context of “a work-related incident”. “Here, although the statements themselves were made in a work context, the allegations that prompted the statements related to a purely personal incident: an alleged sexual assault that occurred decades prior to Mr Trump’s Presidency. That sexual assault was obviously not job-related,” he said. Although the Justice Department official conceded that an elected official’s “ability to retain the trust of his constituents” is “an important part of his ability to effectively perform his job,” he said the “evidence of personal motivation” in the case at hand “outweighs any public- purpose inference one might draw in other circumstances,” and cited statements Mr Trump made about Ms Carroll after he left office — and after a New York jury found that he had defamed her in a separate trial in May. “The later statements are substantially similar to the three June 2019 statements at issue in this action, and because he was no longer the President when he made the later statements, Mr. Trump could not have been motivated by any interest in serving the United States Government,” he said. He added later that the jury’s finding that Mr Trump sexually assaulted Ms Carroll in a department store changing room in the 1990s “supports an inference that Mr Trump was motivated by a ‘personal grievance’ stemming from events that occurred many years prior to Mr Trump’s presidency”. Without the Department of Justice’s intervention to defend the twice-impeached ex-president, he will not be able to argue that he enjoys any immunity from the lawsuit and he will not be able to substitute the US government as a defendant in the case. And because a prior jury already found similar statements he made about the former Elle magazine writer to be defamatory, legal experts say it will be a simple matter for Ms Carroll to obtain another jury verdict against him when the case goes to trial. Ms Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said: “We are grateful that the Department of Justice has reconsidered its position. We have always believed that Donald Trump made his defamatory statements about our client in June 2019 out of personal animus, ill will, and spite, and not as President of the United States. Now that one of the last obstacles has been removed, we look forward to trial in E Jean Carroll’s original case in January 2024.” Read More Trump loses bid to throw out E Jean Carroll defamation lawsuit Donald Trump countersues E Jean Carroll for defamation over rape claims Trump is funneling 10% of 2024 campaign donations to cover his legal bills Judge lets columnist amend defamation claim with over $10 million demand for damages from Trump

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara pleaded no contest on Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge over a fight last year in Las Vegas...

Donald Trump was dealt a blow in E. Jean Carroll’s remaining lawsuit against him after the US Justice