It’s been a mixed bag for Lincoln Riley in two seasons as USC’s head coach.He went 11-3 in his first season in Southern California with a Cotton Bowl loss and followed that up with an uninspiring 8-5 season in 2023 with a Holiday Bowl win.Yes, he brought the Trojans a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Caleb Williams and generally has raised the profile of the program back up on a national level. Still, we’re not at prime Pete Carroll-era levels, yet, and (fair or not) it’s not even close. With that said, the newly released AP preseason top 25 checked…
Author: THE CONNECTING NEWSPAPER
As the war enters its 901st day, these are the main developments.Here is the situation on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Kursk incursion The commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskii, said Kyiv’s troops had taken control of 74 settlements in Russia’s Kursk region and were still advancing, gaining control over 40sq km (15sq miles) of territory in the past 24 hours. In Russia, special forces commander Major General Apti Alaudinov said Ukraine’s troops had been halted. The Ministry of Defence said Russian troops had repelled attacks in villages about 26 to 28km (16 to 17 miles) from the border. Kursk…
Police are looking for a suspect involved in a daring late night robbery in Central Park as the NYPD warns robberies in the beloved landmark locale are up 200%. The latest robbery occurred at the plaza on the southeastern edge of the park at 59th Street and 5th Avenue around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the NYPD. Police said three people were walking together when they were approached by a group of four, and one person within that approaching group simulated having a firearm. One of the suspects took a pair of AirPods and a chain, and as the…
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier transferred custody of 79 kilograms of cocaine and nine suspects to federal authorities in Puerto Rico, Monday. The seized contraband is estimated to have a wholesale value of $829 thousand, and the interdiction is the result of multi-agency efforts involving Coast Guard’s Western Hemisphere Strategy, the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force Initiative and Operation Unified Resolve. The Drug Enforcement Administration, in collaboration with the Coast Guard Investigative Service and Homeland Security Investigations, is leading the investigation in this case. During the morning of August 5, 2024, the aircrew…
The U.S. government reaffirms its commitment to fight wildlife trafficking and corruption at the second Combating Wildlife Trafficking National Forum held in Antananarivo on August 13-14, 2024. The forum was hosted by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Transparency International – Madagascar Initiative (TI-MG) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Countering Corruption and Wildlife Trafficking (CCWT) activity. The event brought together the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Minister of Justice, Charge d’affaires for the U.S. Embassy to Madagascar and the Comoros, anti-corruption agencies, and other key stakeholders to discuss achievements and key issues…
Fans have reacted with shock and division to Peter Okoye’s scathing open letter to his twin brother, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy. In this letter, Peter accused Paul of constant disrespect, sabotage, and attempting to turn fans against him. The letter, posted on Peter’s Instagram page on Monday, August 12, 2024, has sparked a heated debate among fans. Many took to social media to share their thoughts on the highly publicized feud between the former P-Square duo.Furthermore, the letter addresses Paul’s recent interviews, where he claimed to have written and sung 99% of P-Square’s songs, discrediting Peter’s contributions to the group.…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to suit up for the Miami Dolphins, making quarterback Tua Tagovailoa a little antsy. Per Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley, Beckham hasn’t practiced or played with the Dolphins since signing a one-year, $3M deal in May and is still on the PUP list. In a Tuesday news conference, Tagovailoa noted he’s worked with Beckham some this offseason but wants more reps with the wideout to see how he fits in the offense. “I think it’s more confidence for him once he’s able to start running and catching balls, and seeing it in…
The Ukrainian leader says his country’s daring operation is evidence that its army maintains the ability to seize the initiative.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukrainian forces are now in control of 74 Russian settlements in the Kursk region, the result of a Ukrainian cross-border operation. In an evening address on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces continue to advance into the Kursk region and take Russian prisoners. “There are 74 settlements under the control of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader has presented the daring operation as evidence that his country maintains the ability to seize the initiative and…
New York City has denied shelter to 1,660 migrants since the May rollout of a new system of time limits designed to help the city reduce the number of people living in its migrant shelters, new figures obtained by THE CITY show. The updated numbers from the city’s Office of Emergency Management come a week after THE CITY documented a burgeoning homeless encampment outside the city-sponsored Randall’s Island migrant shelter. When Mayor Eric Adams got a question about the encampment at his once-a-week open-press briefing, his chief of staff, Camille Varlack, responded, saying that people barred from city shelters are…
By Takiyah Smith GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – A comprehensive marine survey of the Cayman Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is currently underway, beginning Tuesday 13 August. Led by US-based ocean mapping company Saildrone, the survey will allow the existing nautical charts to be updated for Safety of Navigation, as well as guide policymaking for sustainability and climate resiliency, maritime security and disaster response. The survey is being funded by London & Amsterdam Trust Company Limited, as an extension of philanthropy and public-private partnership. Premier and minister for district administration & lands Juliana O’Connor-Connolly expressed the benefits of the Cayman Islands…