Category Archives: News

Coby White’s 42-point performance in Play-In Tournament showed why he should win Most Improved Player

CHICAGO — Coby White drained a 31-foot 3-pointer with just below seven minutes left within the sport to place the Chicago Bulls up by 21 factors towards the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night time. It gave him 37 factors, tying his profession excessive, and compelled Hawks coach Quin Snyder to name a timeout. White’s 3-pointer despatched the followers contained in the United Middle right into a frenzy, and booming “Coby White” chants stuffed the 23,500-capacity enviornment as he put the ending touches on the very best efficiency of his skilled profession.

The seventh general choose within the 2019 NBA Draft ended the sport with 42 factors, and whereas it will not depend within the official report books as no statistics from play-in video games do, it’s going to function the head of what is been a standout fifth season for the 23-year-old guard. Coming into the season, White was in a battle with Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter for who could be the Bulls place to begin guard as Chicago would endure one other season with out Lonzo Ball working the present. Popping out of coaching camp and preseason, White received the job, however it wasn’t till December that the trajectory of his season began to skyrocket.

However that ascension was no accident. In reality, it was the direct results of Bulls’ All-Star guard Zach LaVine happening with a foot harm in late November. LaVine tried to return in January however was finally dominated out for the remainder of the season after present process foot surgical procedure, and his absence meant somebody wanted to step up for the Bulls to help DeMar DeRozan on offense.

Not solely did White step into that position, he proceeded to show in supremely environment friendly performances on a nightly foundation. Over the course of the season, he is averaging profession highs throughout the board, none extra spectacular than his taking pictures effectivity, the place he is taking pictures 44.7% from the sphere and 37.6% from deep. His 19.1 factors, 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds are all profession highs, and when he is on the ground, the Bulls rating 5.6 extra factors per 100 possessions, which ranks within the 89th percentile within the league. White’s shotmaking, passing, choice making and protection have all seen main enhancements. And if the common season served because the groundwork for his Most Improved Participant candidacy, then Wednesday night time’s play-in sport towards the Hawks ought to function the stamp of approval to etch his identify on the trophy.

“I assumed he performed a extremely full sport, I do know the quantity, 42 [points] is a large quantity, and it is phenomenal, however I assumed he performed a extremely full sport,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan mentioned. “I assumed he defended, I assumed he assisted, I assumed he received downhill, made the sport straightforward for the fellows, I assumed it was an ideal efficiency by him.”

The sport simply regarded extremely straightforward for White towards the Hawks. He took full benefit of Atlanta’s porous inside protection, which permits the sixth-most factors within the paint (53.7 factors per sport). He received to the rim at will, and even when he was met with resistance, he had no drawback adjusting. There was a string of possessions on the finish of the third quarter the place he made Atlanta look significantly silly.

The primary got here in transition off a missed Hawks jumper. White pushed the tempo and acknowledged he had two weak defenders, in Trae Younger and Bogdan Bogdanovic, in entrance of him. He simply so effortlessly shirked off Younger, used his momentum to spin off Bogdanovic and completed simply on the rim.

On the subsequent Bulls possession, off a missed 3-pointer from Jevonte Inexperienced, White corralled the offensive board, and as Donovan mentioned, he made the sport straightforward for his teammates by feeding a reducing Inexperienced for this thunderous dunk:

Proper after that, White was proper again at it pushing the tempo in transition, and as soon as once more made fast work of Younger and Bogdanovic making an attempt to problem him. 

The Bulls may actually use this sport towards the Hawks because the tape to show why White ought to win Most Improved Participant. He did a bit little bit of every little thing to indicate not solely that he’s able to stepping up in massive moments but additionally that he has grown in a number of areas of his sport.

“I am simply grateful to be the place I am at, that first playoff collection I ever had in my profession did not go how I needed it to go, after which final 12 months I performed higher within the play-in, after which this 12 months — I simply needed to be aggressive and take what the protection gave me, and simply attempt to lead. Coming into the sport, I need to impression successful on each ends of the ball, and that is what I concentrate on. And tonight, I used to be simply aggressive and issues had been going my means.”

Certain, White is getting way more alternative this season as a result of accidents to the Bulls roster, so naturally, his stats would go up, however nobody may’ve predicted that White could be such an environment friendly scorer, as he was a profession 41.9% shooter from the ground going into this season. He is upped his manufacturing whereas additionally enhancing his effectivity, a tough process for younger gamers to do, and his choice making as a facilitator has him only a hair behind DeRozan for main the group in assists. His dedication and willingness to defend has additionally helped him enhance on that finish of the ground, and whereas he is not precisely locking anybody up, he is lively simply sufficient to trigger issues for the opposing group.

White’s been having an unbelievable season, and whereas Wednesday night time’s efficiency felt like a peak second in his breakout 12 months, the Bulls will want him to construct upon that for his or her subsequent sport towards the Miami Warmth. It will likely be one other win-or-go-home scenario for Chicago, and in contrast to the Hawks, the Warmth will put up a much better battle defensively. There’s an opportunity Jimmy Butler is probably not wholesome for that sport, however both means, the Bulls will want White to ship as soon as once more in the event that they need to seize the ultimate playoff spot within the Jap Convention. And if Wednesday night time was any indication, White shouldn’t be afraid of a high-pressure second.

Dad runs Boston Marathon in memory of 3 slain children

A Massachusetts man crossed the end line of the Boston Marathon in reminiscence of his three kids, who have been killed final yr.

Patrick Clancy ran the 26.2 mile race Monday whereas sporting the names of his kids — Cora, Dawson, and Callan — on his bib, and sporting an merchandise that belonged to every youngster: A hair bow of 5-year-old Cora’s, a wristband of 3-year-old Dawson’s and a bracelet of 7-month-old Callan’s, he advised WCVB-TV, the ABC station in Boston.

“They have been my motivation,” Clancy stated of his children in an interview with WCVB-TV after the race. “It was therapeutic. It was goal. I knew we might make a giant distinction and we did, so it was good.”

Patrick Clancy, father of three slain kids, completes Boston Marathon of their honor, April 15, 2024.

WCVB

Clancy’s spouse and the mom of their three kids, Lindsay Clancy, is going through homicide and assault prices associated to the deaths of the kids final January.

On the day of the incident, Jan. 24, 2023, police obtained a 911 name simply after 6 p.m. ET from a person who stated his spouse had tried suicide by leaping out of a window at their home.

First responders subsequently discovered three younger kids, a 5-year-old woman, a 3-year-old boy and a 7-month-old boy, inside the house “unconscious with apparent indicators of extreme trauma,” Plymouth County District Lawyer Timothy Cruz stated on the time.

Patrick Clancy is pictured along with his spouse and their three kids.

Kevin Reddington on behalf of Patrick Clancy

Lindsay Clancy survived with severe accidents.

She stays held and has an upcoming court docket date on Might 28, a spokesperson for the Plymouth County District Lawyer’s Workplace advised ABC Information Tuesday. She has pleaded not responsible to the costs.

Patrick Clancy has stated beforehand that he forgives his spouse, a sentiment he echoed once more after the marathon, telling WCVB, “I stated I forgive my spouse and I do. I will simply depart it at that.”

The Duxbury, Massachusetts, resident ran the marathon to boost cash for Boston Youngsters’s Hospital, the place he stated his youngest son, Callan, was handled earlier than his demise. He has to date raised over $76,000 for the hospital, in line with his fundraising web page.

“Callan spent his final moments in my arms earlier than he handed at Boston Youngsters’s Hospital. Though I needed so badly for a unique consequence, I used to be overwhelmed by the compassion and professionalism of the docs and nurses within the ICU,” he wrote on the web page. “They gave me a bit extra time with my boy and I’ll perpetually be pleased about that.”

Patrick Clancy, father of three slain kids, completes Boston Marathon of their honor, April 15, 2024.

WCVB

Patrick Clancy, who gained nationwide consideration after the deaths of his kids, stated he felt supported by strangers all through the course of the Boston Marathon.

“Ninety-five p.c of the individuals who referred to as my identify out, I do not even know who they have been. I haven’t got my identify on my bib, so I do not know the way they knew me,” Patrick Clancy stated. “It was simply actually shifting and I am glad I did it.”

Describing his three kids, he stated, “They have been great folks. That they had quite a lot of buddies. Everyone beloved them. That they had brief lives, however that they had actually good lives.”

Coby White scores career-high 42 points as Bulls roll past Hawks in play-in game

CHICAGO (AP) — Coby White drew roars from the gang early on with vicious crossovers and spins towards the basket. He was so efficient he had followers chanting his identify as the ultimate minutes ticked away.

It was that sort of night time.

White scored a career-high 42 factors, and the Chicago Bulls superior within the play-in match, knocking out the Atlanta Hawks with a 131-116 victory on Wednesday.

White had by no means scored greater than 37 factors in an everyday season or postseason recreation. However in a breakthrough season, he delivered his greatest efficiency to this point.

“It was a dope second for that to occur,” White mentioned. “I am grateful for the followers. It felt like a playoff vibe. The place was rocking tonight.”

Chicago visits Miami on Friday for a shot on the No. 8 seed within the Japanese Convention playoffs and a first-round matchup with Boston. The Warmth misplaced 105-104 to Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Dejounte Murray led Atlanta with 30 factors. However the Hawks got here up quick once more after dropping their last six regular-season video games.

Nikola Vucevic had 24 factors and 12 rebounds for Chicago. DeMar DeRozan completed with 22 factors and 9 assists.

Ayo Dosunmu added 19 factors after lacking the ultimate 4 regular-season video games due to a bruised proper quadricep.

However White stole the highlight. He went laborious on the rim and made 15 of 21 subject objectives in a recreation the place the Bulls shot 56.8% from the sphere. He additionally had 9 rebounds and 6 assists.

“I root for guys that work laborious and are nice individuals,” Murray mentioned. “DeMar DeRozan’s a brother to me and he speaks extremely of him. He says he works laborious, he is an ideal man, he is dealt with his enterprise, he is knowledgeable on and off the ground. After I hear these issues, I root for guys across the league simply to have success. I feel he is at all times been good. He by no means actually acquired the chance to showcase what he is showcasing now, and the sky is the restrict.”

Atlanta’s Trae Younger and Clint Capela every scored 22. Younger, who missed 23 video games late within the common season due to a torn ligament in his left pinkie, had 10 assists however dedicated six turnovers. Capela grabbed 17 rebounds. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 21 factors.

The Bulls have been up 88-85 when Vucevic nailed a 3-pointer with 4:59 left within the third quarter to kick off a 17-2 run.

White had the followers roaring when he scored on a neat spin round Younger and fed a reducing Javonte Inexperienced for a dunk. White then scored on a layup following a block by Dalen Terry to make it 105-87 with 1:27 left within the third.

The Bulls led 40-22 after closing the primary quarter on a 16-2 run, punctuated by Terry’s dunk off a steal by Alex Caruso. Younger dedicated 5 turnovers within the interval.

The Hawks rapidly acquired again into it, reeling off 14 straight to begin the second. The Bulls acquired the lead again as much as 58-44 halfway by way of the quarter when a rotating Dosunmu blocked De’Andre Hunter, drawing an enormous roar from the gang, and DeRozan broke for a three-point play.

The Hawks made one other push close to the top of the half, pulling inside three within the closing minute. However Caruso answered an alley-oop dunk by Capela with a 3 and Chicago headed to the locker room with a 73-67 lead.

Caruso exited within the third quarter with a left ankle harm. Whether or not he’ll be able to play in opposition to Miami was unclear.

“My mindset will probably be to play ’til my physique tells me I am unable to,” he mentioned.

UP NEXT

Bulls: The Bulls and Warmth cut up 4 video games, with every crew profitable one on the highway. ___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Champions Shine and History Made from Start to Finish at 128th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America

Courtesy Pictures, Transcripts, Outcomes Accessible Right here; Credit score B.A.A.

BOSTON (15-April) – A course file, an historic tempo at midway, potential Olympic berths on the road, and the biggest pack of girls at 20 miles the race has ever seen: The 128th Boston Marathon offered by Financial institution of America supplied drama at each flip as 26,596 starters made their approach from Hopkinton to Boston, cheered by big crowds on a dry, sunny spring Patriots’ Day.

Within the skilled races, Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia triumphed on Boylston Road in 2:06:17; Hellen Obiri of Kenya repeated her win of final 12 months, this time in 2:22:37; Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Nice Britain was a shock wheelchair winner in 1:35:11, and Switzerland’s Marcel Hug received for the seventh time right here, breaking his personal course file when he broke the tape in 1:15:33 regardless of a daunting mid-race crash.

Lemma and Obiri every took dwelling $150,000 for his or her victories and certain elevated their possibilities of being chosen by their respective international locations to compete within the Olympic marathon this summer time.

For some time, it appeared as if the 33-year-old Lemma – with a private finest of two:01:48, the quickest man within the subject – would possibly break Geoffrey Mutai’s 2011 course file of two:03:02. Lemma completed thirtieth in his Boston debut in 2019 and failed to complete in 2017 and 2022 however he nonetheless mentioned he felt assured from the beginning.

“Since there was no pacesetter, I made a decision that I wished to begin quick early,” he mentioned. “I mentioned I used to be going to redeem myself. I ran very exhausting, began very quick, so I used to be in a position to win.”

By the Mile 5 mark, he was 6 seconds forward of course-record tempo and gapping the sphere. He hit midway in 1:00:19, 1:39 forward of Mutai’s midway cut up and 1:49 forward of a big pack. For some time, he was even on tempo to set a world finest.

However a lead that at one level reached round 2 minutes, 20 seconds started to dwindle with the assistance from Kenyans John Korir and Evans Chebet, who was looking for his third-consecutive win right here, and from the brutal course itself.

“After the 30K mark, that was very exhausting,” he mentioned. “Not the hills. The [Boston College] downhill after.”

His early confidence, nevertheless, could be rewarded: Lemma held on within the last miles to win by 41 seconds, with Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa ending second (2:06:58) and Chebet third (2:07:22). Prime American was C.J. Albertson, seventh in a private finest 2:09:53.

The ladies’s race couldn’t have performed out extra in another way from the boys’s, with a pack of 17 nonetheless collectively at 20 miles. Quickly after, two-time Boston winner Edna Kiplagat helped determine it was time to maneuver issues alongside. All of a sudden, 5 ladies had separated themselves, and round Mile 23 it was three: 44-year-old Kiplagat, defending champion Obiri, and 2022 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon winner Sharon Lokedi of Kenya.

Kiplagat fell again quickly after, and the race grew to become a duel between Obiri and Lokedi till Obiri took command in Kenmore Sq., with a couple of mile to go. She would kick on to win by 7 seconds over Lokedi (2:22:45), with the ageless Kiplagat third – and the masters champion for the third time – in 2:23:21.

“The Boston Marathon has been like my second dwelling,” mentioned Obiri, who in 2023 received not solely the marathon but in addition the Boston 10K offered by Brigham and Ladies’s Hospital in late June. “The Boston Marathon has opened my solution to win the New York Marathon [last fall] and I’m certain it opened my solution to win the Olympics, so subsequent 12 months [I will come here] as Olympic champion.”

In profitable, Obiri grew to become solely the sixth lady to defend her Boston Marathon title, and the primary since Catherine Ndereba in 2005.

“I’m so pleased, as a result of defending the title was not simple. Since Boston began, solely six ladies have carried out it. Folks will look again and say Hellen was one in all them.”

Ending as first American for the second 12 months in a row was Emma Bates, this 12 months in twelfth place in 2:27:14.

The ladies’s wheelchair race might need launched a brand new star: Eden Rainbow-Cooper, the primary lady from Nice Britain to win the division right here. Rainbow-Cooper, simply 22, started racing marathons solely two years in the past, and wept with pleasure after breaking the tape.

“It’s past my wildest desires,” she mentioned. “I simply can’t imagine it.”

Rainbow-Cooper’s first main victory came visiting none apart from Manuela Schär, who was looking for her fifth win right here. Schär completed second in 1:36:41.

For the boys, Hug was on course-record tempo as quickly because the starter’s horn sounded. “It was a time trial from the start,” he mentioned. “I feel I even had a pace file downhill.”

His solely severe challenger was the barricade reverse the Newton firehouse on the flip onto Commonwealth Avenue: Hug misplaced steering simply as he rounded the flip, crashing into the barricade and tipping over.

“It was my fault,” he mentioned. “Fortunately nothing occurred with the tires, so I may go ahead.”

Within the Para Athletics Divisions, the next champions have been topped:

T11/T12 (Imaginative and prescient impairment) – Irwin Ramirez, 3:24:21 / Joyce Cron, 4:27:46

T13 (Imaginative and prescient impairment) – Andrew Thorsen, 3:02:23 / Lisa Thompson, 4:00:58

T45/T46 (Higher-limb impairment) – Atsbha Gebremeskel, 2:54:14 / Adrienne Keane, 4:44:26

T61/T63/T43 (Decrease-limb impairment) – Adam Popp, 3:11:56 / Tatsiana Khvitso-Trimborn, 4:00:04

T62/T64; T42/T44 (Decrease-limb impairment) – Marko Cheseto Lemtukei, 2:46:45 / Kelly Bruno, 3:31:30

T35-T38 (Coordination impairment) – Joseph Drake, 4:32:44 / Cristina Burbach, 3:41:17

T20 (Mental impairment) – Thomas Cantara, 2:35:23

 

Medical volunteers assist assist from begin to end.

A group of 1,900 medical volunteers served at this 12 months’s race from begin to end. With temperatures climbing into the upper-60s as anticipated, the medical group supplied care throughout 30 medical stations.  As of 6:00 p.m. ET, 77 athletes had been transported to native hospitals.

The medical group continues to tally therapy counts for individuals, and can present an replace at tomorrow’s press convention.

 

Outcomes search, athlete monitoring and leaderboards can be found right here.

Stay monitoring for individuals and reside leaderboards will be discovered at each www.baa.org and throughout the Boston Marathon Racing App offered by TCS. Go to our Boston Marathon Media Assets web page (https://bstnmar.org/Media) for transcripts, outcomes, and extra occasion data.

 

CHAMPIONS MEDIA AVAILABILITY – TUESDAY, APRIL 16

128th Boston Marathon offered by Financial institution of America Champions’ Press Convention | 10:00 a.m. | Fairmont Copley Plaza

Held within the Fairmont Copley Plaza Grand Ballroom, this convention will function Boston Marathon champions Hellen Obiri, Sisay Lemma, Eden Rainbow-Cooper, and Marcel Hug in addition to B.A.A. President and CEO Jack Fleming. As a reminder, media aren’t permitted to take images with any skilled athletes as a matter of courtesy to the athletes and your fellow working media professionals.

 

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.) 

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Affiliation is a non-profit group with a mission of selling a wholesome way of life by sports activities, particularly operating. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and helps complete charity, youth, and year-round programming. The 128th Boston Marathon offered by Financial institution of America is scheduled to happen on Monday, April 15, 2024. The Boston Marathon is a part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, together with worldwide marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York Metropolis. For extra data on the B.A.A., please go to www.baa.org.

‘The Tortured Poets Department’: What we know about Taylor Swift’s album

Taylor Swift, the self-professed “Chairman of the Tortured Poets Division,” will quickly name into session a gathering the place she’ll launch her newest album.

For probably the most half, Swift has saved a whole lot of particulars concerning the album near the chest, however as cryptic as she’s been whereas rolling out her eleventh studio album, there are nonetheless some issues we will glean about “The Tortured Poets Division” from Swift herself.

Let’s begin with what we all know for certain: “The Tortured Poets Division” will probably be out on Friday at midnight Jap, or on Thursday at 9 p.m. in the event you’re on the West Coast, and the primary music video – the music for which remains to be a thriller – will probably be launched Friday at 8 p.m. EDT after the album is launched.

The songs

The album consists of 16 tracks and one bonus observe titled “The Manuscript,” and options collaborations with Submit Malone on a observe titled “Fortnight” and with Florence + The Machine on a observe titled “Florida!!!”

Three vinyl variants can even be out there for buy, every that includes a distinct bonus observe: “The Bolter,” “The Albatross,” “The Black Canine.”

The timetable

When Swift first introduced the album in February whereas accepting a Grammy award for finest pop vocal album for 2022’s “Midnights,” she revealed that she’s been preserving this album a “secret” for the final two years.

A couple of days later throughout an “Eras Tour” live performance in Tokyo, Swift advised her viewers that she started engaged on “Tortured Poets” instantly after she completed “Midnights.”

“I saved engaged on it all through the US tour and when it was excellent, in my view, when it was adequate for you, I completed it,” she stated on the time, in line with footage from the present posted to social media.

The theme

Swift additionally spoke about how a lot this album means to her throughout an “Eras Tour” live performance in Melbourne in February, saying “Tortured Poets” is an album that “greater than any of my albums that I ever made, I wanted to make it.”

“It was actually a lifeline for me. Simply the issues I used to be going by way of, the issues I used to be writing about it was like, it sort of jogged my memory why songwriting is one thing that really will get me by way of my life,” video footage posted to social media from the live performance confirmed. “I’ve by no means had an album the place I wanted songwriting greater than I wanted it on ‘Tortured Poets.’”

She stopped in need of revealing something about what the music will truly sound like, however all indicators level to the album being about heartbreak, which may tackle many types.

The temper

To attach the dots: Earlier this month, Swift created a sequence of playlists for Apple Music concerning the 5 phases of heartbreak. Every playlist consists of songs from her catalog of music that match every stage: denial, anger, bargaining, melancholy and acceptance.

The titles of every playlist are lyrics that Swift had beforehand teased in varied Instagram posts.

Except 2020’s “Folklore,” Swift’s albums are sometimes autobiographical in nature and her romantic relationships are usually a recurring subject.

Swift doesn’t look like experiencing any heartbreak in her present relationship with three-time Tremendous Bowl champ Travis Kelce. Earlier than Kelce, Swift was courting actor Joe Alwyn and in April 2023, CNN reported that their six-year relationship had ended.

Figuring out what Swift had shared about when she truly wrote this album, we will all take from that what we are going to.

With that stated, the sensation of heartbreak isn’t solely restricted to romance. It may actually imply something, so we’ll simply depart a clean area for that.

Grassley Presses Werfel to Listen to IRS Whistleblowers after Learning Their Meeting Requests Have Gone Unanswered

WASHINGTON – Upon studying two IRS whistleblowers have been unsuccessful in securing a sit-down with company management, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) took in the present day’s Senate Finance Committee listening to as a possibility to induce Commissioner Daniel Werfel to lastly settle for their assembly requests. 

“I do know [IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and Special Agent Joseph Ziegler] requested to satisfy with you. […] I’d assume they wish to let you know what’s flawed throughout the dealing with of sure circumstances. I’d assume you, on the high of the IRS, would wish to hearken to them.

“I’m going to do now what I advised them I’d do: I used to be going to ask you to satisfy with the 2 of them and simply hearken to them. Whether or not you’re taking motion or not is as much as you, however I feel you must not less than hearken to them. I feel whistleblowers all through authorities are among the most patriotic folks I do know, and I’d ask you to do this.” 

Grassley then requested concerning the IRS Whistleblower Program he shepherded by means of Congress, which, so far, has recouped over $6 billion for the taxpayer. He additionally pressed Werfel on the steps IRS is taking to higher safeguard taxpayers’ delicate information. Full video is under, adopted by subject-specific excerpts from Grassley’s questioning. 

VIDEO

Addressing Whistleblower Program Backlogs:

“[…T]he common wait time for folks to get their case closed has gotten longer and is now as much as 10 years. The lengthy common wait time is partly because of the IRS coverage in opposition to paying partial awards. Beneath this coverage, the IRS will wait years till all years of a declare are accomplished to pay something in any way. Successfully, the IRS has created boundaries to paying awards by itself that aren’t within the Whistleblower statute handed by Congress.

“It’s good to look at the pointless coverage within the IRS Income Guide and work to permit partial awards to be paid to whistleblowers as rapidly as attainable. May you try this?”

Werfel characterised Grassley’s concern as a “very excessive precedence.”

Defending Taxpayer Data:

“How was an activist with plans to steal taxpayer data in a position to get employed and acquire entry to taxpayer data? What actions is the IRS taking to make sure an activist worker or contractor is rarely once more in a position to entry and share delicate taxpayer data?”

In response, Werfel recited IRS’ to-do record for bolstering information safety. The commissioner added, “All of that is ongoing and put in place to verify this kind of unauthorized entry by a contractor or an IRS worker can by no means occur once more. […] Unauthorized entry from insider threats, it’s unimaginable to eliminate utterly. However I’m dedicated to decreasing the likelihood to as small as it may be by placing within the sweat fairness to shut all these gaps.”

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As Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ drops, here’s everything you need to know

A brand new period of Taylor Swift is close to.

The artist’s eleventh studio album, “The Tortured Poets Division,” drops Friday.

The lead-up to launch day has been suffering from puzzles, Easter eggs and different hallmarks of Swift’s ever-theorizing fan base.

This is what to know forward of the discharge.

When does the album formally debut?

“The Tortured Poets Division” will likely be launched Friday at 12 a.m. ET. It’s at present obtainable for preorder.

Should you plan to stream “The Tortured Poets Division” proper after its launch, be ready for potential delays. When Swift’s most up-to-date model new album, “Midnights” was launched, Spotify briefly crashed due to intense demand.

What number of tracks are there?

The album consists of 16 songs.

There will likely be 4 bonus tracks: “The Manuscript,” The Bolter,” “The Albatross” and “The Black Canine.” Every bonus observe will likely be obtainable on separate bodily album variants and received’t be on the streaming model of the album.

Traditionally, Swift has made vinyl exclusives obtainable on streaming platforms a number of months after their bodily launch.

The typical observe size on “The Tortured Poets Division” is 4 minutes and 4 seconds — the third longest throughout Swift’s discography.

The longest track on the album is “However Daddy I Love Him,” which clocks in at 5 minutes and 40 seconds. “I Can Repair Him (No Actually I Can) is the shortest at 2 minutes and 36 seconds. The size of every bonus observe has not but been revealed.

Who else labored on the album?

Florence + the Machine and Put up Malone are each featured artists on the album. The 2 are additionally credited as co-writers on their songs.

Aaron Dessner — songwriter, producer, and band member of The Nationwide and Huge Crimson Machine — is certainly one of two producers who labored on “The Tortured Poets Division,” together with Swift’s longtime good friend and collaborator, Jack Antonoff. Dessner is credited as a songwriter on 5 of the 16 tracks on the usual album, whereas Antonoff co-wrote eight tracks.

Swift is credited as a songwriter on each observe on the usual album, together with two completely self-written tracks: “My Boy Solely Breaks His Favourite Toys” and “Who’s Afraid of Little Previous Me?”

Why is it referred to as ‘The Tortured Poets Division’?

Followers have been fast to notice that “The Tortured Poets Division” is the longest title for a Taylor Swift album by a big margin, a distinction beforehand held by her third album, “Converse Now.” Earlier than “TTPD,” “Converse Now” was her solely album title consisting of multiple phrase.

Hypothesis surrounding the brand new album and its uncharacteristic title has primarily revolved round Swift’s 2023 breakup with British actor Joe Alwyn after their six-year relationship.

After the album announcement, a 2022 Selection interview between Alwyn and Paul Mescal resurfaced on X. The pair revealed within the interview that they have been each members of a WhatsApp group chat titled “The Tortured Man Membership,” prompting some followers to attract parallels between Alwyn and Swift’s upcoming album.

The true that means of “The Tortured Poets Division” stays to be seen, however the rollout of the album has featured references to well-known poems like Charles Baudelaire’s “The Albatross,” amongst different literary references.

When can followers anticipate a brand new music video?

In a video of the “TTPD Timetable” posted on her Instagram account Tuesday, Swift introduced she is going to launch a music video at 8 p.m. ET Friday.

She didn’t specify which observe the video could be for.

The announcement within the timetable was accompanied by 14 tally marks, main some sleuthing Swifties to theorize that the video could possibly be for the album’s first observe, “Fortnight (ft. Put up Malone), the title of which refers to a 14-day interval, or the album’s 14th observe, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.”

What is the Spotify pop-up that is in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles Swifties celebrated launch week with a pop-up library in partnership with Spotify.

The three-day occasion ran from April 16-18 on the Grove and featured a sneak peak at among the album’s lyrics.

A manuscript was entrance and middle on the set up, revealing new lyrics periodically because the pages have been turned over the course of three days.

Followers took to social media to establish different potential Easter eggs within the pop-up library, similar to a bust of a peace signal, a quill and fountain pens, and a globe that gave the impression to be pointing to Florida, the title of a observe on the album.

Had been there some other notable Easter eggs main as much as the discharge?

QR code murals appeared in cities internationally similar to Melbourne, Paris, Chicago and London. Every QR code revealed a singular letter, which Swifties pieced collectively to spell “For A Fortnight.”

In a collaboration with Apple Music, Swift sorted a few of her present discography into thematic playlists, together with audio messages from the singer. These messages appeared to verify some followers’ theories that the playlists mirrored the 5 levels of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, despair and acceptance – indicating that the brand new album could grapple with grief or loss.

Swift later used a track from every playlist to disclose a hidden phrase on Apple Music every day main as much as the discharge of “The Tortured Poets Division.”

The ultimate phrase, “mortem,” was revealed Thursday, hidden within the lyrics of the track “Start Once more.” The key message was “We hereby conduct this publish mortem.”

Indiana Fever select Iowa’s Caitlin Clark No. 1 in 2024 WNBA draft

NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark is formally a professional.

Clark, the record-breaking face of ladies’s faculty basketball, was chosen No. 1 general by the Indiana Fever within the 2024 WNBA draft Monday night time on the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

The draft was held with followers for the primary time because the 2014-2016 iterations of the occasion. Tickets for 1,000 spectators bought out inside quarter-hour of occurring sale a couple of months in the past.

Clark’s coronation was lengthy anticipated after she introduced in late February she was headed to the league as an alternative of utilizing her further 12 months of collegiate eligibility.

However that did not make the second any much less particular for Clark, her family members, her Iowa household and the ecstatic followers who packed Gainbridge Fieldhouse again in Indianapolis to see her maintain up a Fever jersey on the jumbotron.

“Whenever you’re simply sitting at a desk ready in your title to be referred to as, that basically permits the feelings to feed you,” Clark stated. “You are with your loved ones. Clearly, enjoying a basketball recreation, I am not on the market with my household. So sharing that second with them and having fun with it, and folks that have actually had my again and believed in me greater than anybody, is tremendous particular.”

The Los Angeles Sparks, rebuilding following the departure of Nneka Ogwumike in free company, chosen two gamers within the lottery: Stanford’s Cameron Brink at No. 2 and Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson at No. 4. Brink joins Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike because the third Stanford participant chosen within the high two of the WNBA draft and is this system’s fifteenth first-rounder.

“I really like that I get to remain on the West Coast, and I really like that they took an opportunity on me,” Brink stated. “I really feel like I am simply going to point out that I can work actually exhausting and assist them quite a bit. But additionally, I will be near household, which is basically necessary for me.”

Jackson, who began her profession at Mississippi State, is Tennessee’s nineteenth first-round choose, the second most in WNBA draft historical past.

The Chicago Sky made a splash in deciding on South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso (No. 3) and LSU’s Angel Reese (No. 7), the 2024 and 2023 Remaining 4 Most Excellent Gamers, respectively. Cardoso helped the Gamecocks win their third nationwide championship to finish an undefeated season, then attended the group’s championship parade Sunday earlier than touring to New York.

“She’s a terrific participant, and I am a terrific participant,” Cardoso stated of Reese, somebody she performed in opposition to in highschool and in SEC play. “No person’s going to get no rebounds on us,” she added with fun.

In a brand new period with WNBA legend Teresa Weatherspoon on the helm, the Sky swapped picks with Minnesota on Sunday to draft seventh.

Reese’ 61 double-doubles over the previous two seasons have been essentially the most in Division I and second most in LSU historical past, behind solely Sylvia Fowles. Reese — who rose to superstardom in main the Tigers to their first nationwide championship in 2023 — is LSU’s highest choose since Fowles (No. 2 general in 2008).

“Understanding the conversations have been so good and [Weatherspoon] felt like a mom to me,” Reese stated. “Having the ability to be a Black girl and as a head coach, and every part she’s performed on the NBA stage, I simply knew every part they have been bringing to the desk. Jeff [Pagliocca], the GM, was wonderful, too, and participant growth is one thing that I used to be on the lookout for they usually regarded for in me. I am tremendous excited for this transfer, and I am simply wanting ahead to attending to Chicago.”

With the ladies’s faculty recreation exploding in reputation as gamers similar to Clark and Reese grew to become family names, the arrival of the 2024 draft class is extensively regarded to be a possible watershed second for the WNBA.

“It is a generational class,” Jackson stated. “I really feel like this class is simply so completely different. I do know this class is completely different. … Girls’s basketball is on an uproar. Everyone is tuning in. … I am grateful to be part of this draft class. I really feel like we’re simply trending in the best course.”

Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon went fifth to the Dallas Wings, and the Washington Mystics took UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards at No. 6. Edwards put up profession highs in each scoring (17.6 factors per recreation) and rebounding (9.2) in 2023-24.

Minnesota drafted Alissa Pili of Utah eighth. Pili averaged 21.1 factors over the previous two seasons, which ranked fourth in Division I behind solely Clark (29.7), Ta’Niya Latson (21.3) and McKenna Hofschild (21.3).

The New York Liberty, who made the WNBA Finals final 12 months, chosen Marquesha Davis with the eleventh choose. Davis turns into simply the fourth Ole Miss participant to be chosen within the first spherical.

Three worldwide gamers have been additionally chosen within the first spherical: Carla Leite of France (No. 9 to Dallas), Leïla Lacan of France (No. 10 to the Connecticut Solar) and Nyadiew Puoch of Australia (No. 12 to the Atlanta Dream). It marks the fourth time three or extra worldwide gamers have been chosen within the first spherical of the WNBA draft (2021, 2001, 2000).

Clark, a 6-foot guard and West Des Moines, Iowa, native, enters the league on high of the world. A two-time nationwide participant of the 12 months, she ended her collegiate profession with 3,951 factors, essentially the most in males’s and ladies’s Division I historical past, whereas propelling the Iowa Hawkeyes to back-to-back nationwide title recreation appearances, their first in program historical past.

Her brand 3-pointers, highlight-reel assists and offensive firepower (she averaged 31.6 factors as a senior, and 28.4 factors for her profession) have drawn sellout crowds in Iowa Metropolis and on the highway, whereas shattering tv scores throughout a large number of networks and streaming platforms alongside the best way.

She has her personal cereal field and State Farm commercials, and simply this previous weekend she appeared as herself on “Saturday Night time Stay.” Now, her largest problem, and largest alternative, awaits.

The Fever have not appeared within the playoffs since 2016, the legendary Tamika Catchings’ remaining season. However with Clark becoming a member of forces with final 12 months’s No. 1 general choose, Aliyah Boston, the pairing appears destined to vary the trajectory of the franchise — and probably the league — for the years to come back.

Winners of the 2012 WNBA title, Indiana has languished since Catchings’ retirement, sporting the worst successful share within the league because the begin of the 2017 season regardless of deciding on lottery picks in every of the previous seven drafts. 4 of these seven picks are now not with the group.

Indicators of progress emerged this previous season with Boston, the franchise’s first No. 1 choose, because the Fever received 13 video games, tied for essentially the most since Catchings’ retirement. With Clark now within the combine, snapping the longest energetic playoff drought appears properly inside attain.

“That is undoubtedly our purpose, is to get again to championship habits,” Clark stated, joking that regardless that Indiana Hoosiers followers did not love her when she was at Iowa, she hopes to show them into Fever followers now. “I am very fortunate to be going there to a corporation that basically loves ladies’s basketball. You see it immediately, I feel that they had 17,000 tickets claimed to only watch the draft. I feel that reveals the joy in Indianapolis. It is a terrific basketball metropolis.

“For myself, I am unable to think about a extra good match, a greater place for me to begin my skilled profession, a corporation that basically simply believes in ladies’s basketball and desires to do every part the best approach. So I could not be extra excited to get there.”

Fever normal supervisor Lin Dunn shared Clark’s sentiment.

“It is an ideal match for us,” Dunn stated. “She’s from the Large Ten, the Midwest — is there anywhere higher for her than Indianapolis, Indiana? I am unable to consider it.”

Dunn was requested in regards to the franchise having back-to-back No. 1 picks, as was the case when she was normal supervisor of the Seattle Storm with Lauren Jackson (2001) and Sue Chicken in (2002).

“Properly, it would not occur fairly often. And so when it does occur — and you’ll look again traditionally — it normally implies that it results in championships,” Dunn stated. “I feel that is the start of us getting again on monitor to win one other championship right here. Once we have been in a position to put Chicken and Jackson collectively — a terrific level guard and a terrific publish participant — we have been in a position to take off in Seattle, and I feel that might occur right here if you put Clark with Boston.”

Clark, the one Division I ladies’s participant with greater than 3,000 factors and 1,000 assists, could have two equally younger however elite publish targets in Boston, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the 12 months, and NaLyssa Smith, a 2022 lottery choose. After Clark developed sturdy chemistry with Iowa publish gamers Monika Czinano and Hannah Stuelke, the connections she, Boston and Smith can type in Indianapolis are tantalizing prospects for Fever followers.

“Going to a corporation that has, in my eyes, the most effective publish gamers in the whole world. My level guard eyes simply gentle up at that,” Clark stated of Boston. “My largest job is I am simply feeding Aliyah the ball each single day. That is what I’ll do. I’ll be in there and be like, go make a layup. She’s going to make my life simple.”

Clark may also share the backcourt with two veteran guards in Kelsey Mitchell, No. 4 on the NCAA Division I all-time scoring checklist and a high 3-point shooter within the league final season, in addition to returning level guard Erica Wheeler.

“I am 22 years previous, and I haven’t got all of the solutions on the earth,” Clark stated. “That is one thing new to me. It is a new problem. That is one thing I am excited for. However having these sort of individuals round me to lean on and ask questions, or when issues get exhausting, to be there for me.”

Of the opposite prospects invited to the draft Monday: UConn’s Nika Muhl was taken with the second choose of the second spherical by the Storm; Ohio State’s Celeste Taylor is headed to Indiana after being chosen No. 15 general; Syracuse’s Dyaisha Truthful (No. 16) — who completed her collegiate profession third on the all-time Division I ladies’s profession factors checklist behind solely Clark and Kelsey Plum — and Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley (No. 24) have been chosen by the Las Vegas Aces; and UCLA’s Charisma Osborne was picked with the primary choose of the third spherical by the Phoenix Mercury.

Iowa’s Kate Martin, within the crowd to assist teammate Clark, was additionally chosen No. 18 general by the Aces.

ESPN’s Michael Voepel and ESPN Stats & Info contributed to this report.

Mercredi dans la LNH | Nikita Kucherov atteint le plateau des 100 aides ; un dernier gain pour les Coyotes

Lisez les comptes rendus des matchs disputés mercredi dans la LNH.




Consultez les sommaires des rencontres

Victoire de du Lightning contre les Leafs, Matthews s’arrête à 69 buts

Nikita Kucherov est devenu le cinquième joueur de l’histoire de la LNH à obtenir au moins 100 mentions d’aide lors d’une même saison alors que le Lightning de Tampa Bay a battu les Maple Leafs de Toronto 6-4, mercredi soir.

Kucherov a mis la desk pour le 46however de la saison de Brayden Level, en deuxième période, rejoignant ainsi Wayne Gretzky (11 fois), Mario Lemieux (1988-89), Bobby Orr (1970-71) et Connor McDavid (2023-24) parmi ce groupe de renom. McDavid a réalisé l’exploit lundi soir, dans une victoire de 9-2 des Oilers contre les Sharks de San Jose.

Kucherov a aussi marqué un however pour terminer sa saison avec 144 factors, ce qui devrait lui permettre de gagner le trophée Artwork-Ross pour une deuxième fois en carrière. L’attaquant de l’Avalanche du Colorado Nathan MacKinnon, son plus proche poursuivant, a récolté 138 factors cette saison et il doit disputer son dernier match jeudi soir, contre les Oilers.

Anthony Duclair, Nicholas Paul et Brandon Hagel ont également amassé un however et une help dans la victoire du Lightning, qui savait déjà qu’il se mesurerait aux Panthers de la Floride lors du premier tour éliminatoire. Tanner Jeannot a aussi fait mouche.

Matt Tomkins a repoussé 34 rondelles pour la formation de Tampa, qui a mis fin à une séquence de deux revers.

Ryan Reaves, TJ Brodie, Pontus Holmberg et John Tavares ont été les marqueurs des Maple Leafs, qui croiseront le fer avec les Bruins de Boston en première ronde. Martin Jones a cédé six fois en 32 tirs pour les Torontois, qui ont subi une deuxième défaite de suite.

Auston Matthews a conclu sa campagne avec 69 buts, soit le plus haut complete depuis les 69 de Lemieux en 1995-96. Matthews tentait de devenir le premier marqueur de 70 buts dans la LNH depuis Teemu Selanne (76) et Alexander Mogilny (76) en 1992-93.

La Presse Canadienne

Les Coyotes remporte leur dernier match en Arizona

PHOTO MARK J. REBILAS, USA TODAY SPORTS

Dylan Guenther a récolté un however et une passe dans une victoire de 5-2 des Coyotes de l’Arizona face aux Oilers d’Edmonton, mercredi, lors du match qui mettait fin à la présence de 28 ans des Coyotes dans la région de Phoenix.

Liam O’Brien, Matias Maccelli, Lawson Crouse et Sean Durzi ont signé les autres buts des Coyotes, qui se tournent vers Salt Lake Metropolis.

PHOTO ROSS D. FRANKLIN, ASSOCIATED PRESS

On s’attend à ce que le propriétaire du Jazz de l’Utah, Ryan Smith, achète le membership d’Alex Meruelo dans une transaction de 1,2 milliard through la LNH, possiblement dès jeudi.

Connor Ingram a stoppé 25 tirs, étant battu par Sam Carrick et Warren Foegele. Ce dernier atteignait le cap des 20 buts pour la première fois de sa carrière.

Calvin Pickard a fait 16 arrêts.

John Marshall, Related Press

Les Stars s’assurent du meilleur file dans l’Ouest

PHOTO JEROME MIRON, USA TODAY SPORTS

Jason Robertson a été le seul à marquer en fusillade et les Stars de Dallas ont obtenu le premier rang de l’Ouest pour la première fois depuis 2016, mercredi, l’emportant 2-1 contre les Blues de St. Louis.

Le match allant au-delà de 60 minutes, les Stars soutiraient ainsi un 112level, devenant assurés de faire mieux que les Canucks de Vancouver.

Les Canucks termineraient avec 111 factors s’ils l’emportaient à Winnipeg jeudi.

Robert Thomas a marqué au deuxième tiers avant la réplique de Mason Marchment des Stars, au troisième vingt.

Au premier tour, Dallas va affronter les Kings de Los Angeles ou les Golden Knights de Vegas. Ces derniers sont les champions en titre de la Coupe Stanley.

Related Press

Les Islanders ont le dessus sur les Penguins

PHOTO DENNIS SCHNEIDLER, USA TODAY SPORTS

Brock Nelson

Simon Holmstrom a réussi le however clé au troisième tiers et Ilya Sorokin a stoppé un tir de punition de Sidney Crosby, mercredi, alors que les Islanders de New York ont prévalu 5-4 devant les Penguins de Pittsburgh.

Samuel Bolduc et Brock Nelson ont chacun fourni un however et une passe.

Casey Cizikas et Kyle Palmieri ont été les autres buteurs des Islanders.

Bolduc a inscrit son deuxième filet dans la Ligue nationale.

Les Islanders ont gagné huit de leurs neuf derniers matchs, à l’approche de leur série de premier tour face aux Hurricanes de la Caroline.

La confrontation débutera samedi, à Raleigh.

Sorokin a fait 39 arrêts, dont celui sur un tir de punition accordé à Crosby, dans la dernière minute de la rencontre.

Jeff Carter, Rickard Rakell, Evgeni Malkin et Valetteri Puustinen ont riposté pour les Penguins.

Crosby a obtenu deux passes, terminant la saison avec 42 buts et 94 factors.

Alex Nedeljkovic a bloqué 27 tirs pour les Penguins, écartés des séries pour une deuxième année de suite.

Scott Charles, Related Press

Record rain hits UAE, 18 dead in Oman

The Arabian peninsula was hit by unprecedented rainfall and floods, shutting colleges and grounding flights on Wednesday, with elements of the desert nation United Arab Emirates receiving 10 inches of rain in 24 hours.

In Oman, not less than 18 individuals have died in current days due to the extreme climate, the nation’s Nationwide Committee for Emergency Administration stated.

The storms swamped roadways and created harmful situations throughout the area, a usually arid a part of the world that’s unaccustomed to intense rain and flash flooding.

Dubai’s airport suggested passengers early Wednesday to not journey to the airport until “completely mandatory.” Main airline Emirates stated in a post on X it was suspending check-in for all passengers at Dubai till midnight Wednesday (3 p.m. ET).

The Nationwide Heart of Meteorology in Abu Dhabi stated the rain within the UAE surpassed something since data started in 1949, when the world was nonetheless a British protectorate and earlier than the invention of oil.

The Khatm Al Shakla space outdoors town of Al Ain, close to the border with Oman, acquired 10 inches of rain in lower than 24 hours.

The meteorology heart known as it “an distinctive occasion within the UAE’s local weather historical past for the reason that begin of recording local weather knowledge, and it’s anticipated that the approaching hours will witness the recording of bigger quantities of rainfall.”