"It was intense and fun to watch" Murphy"s bronze-medal run

Clayton Murphy After Winning 2016 Olympic Trials 800

C.J. Osborne, 11, was hunkered in front of a giant screen at the Tri-Village High School commons with about 30 of his best friends. Seemingly the entire village of residents was packed around them.

All yelled in unison then lapsed into a defending roar for most of one minute, 42.93 seconds Monday night.

Thats how long it took for favorite son and Tri-Village grad Clayton Murphy to etch his name and this wee village tucked in Darke County next to the Indiana border into Olympic track and field history.

It was intense and fun to watch him, gushed Osborne, after Murphy went from sixth to third over the final 200 meters to place third and capture a coveted bronze medal at the Rio Olympic Games. I want to run track, now.

C.J. likely isnt the only inspired youth in this country after watching Murphy, 21, blaze to world-wide fame. The gangly kid with the infectious smile and cherub-like presence has the running heart of a champion.

Many of the towns residents who know him and his family, and just as many children who only know of him, rooted Murphy on. Among the vocal and partisan Patriots fans were his former Tri-Village track and field coach Scott Warren. The first-year varsity football program had its stadium added this past spring and summer around an all-surface running track that was put down when the school was upgraded in 2004.

Thats where Warren initially envisioned the potential of a skinny underclassman with a big heart. But the thought of Murphy representing the United States last year at the Pan Am Games (he won) and the World Games (12th) would have been a stretch.

He had a great work ethic, said Warren, up front with friends and neighbors during the race that was delayed by weather until about 9:45 p.m. local time. He was a big leader. You just knew he was special; we all knew he was special. This is absolutely amazing; just what we planned for. Its pretty amazing. I was really wishing for the gold, but thats a huge task. I was just hoping hed get in the medals.

Most of Murphys immediate family were at Rio to root him on.

Murphys July U.S. Olympic Trials win was yet another example of the high-caliber and gritty runner hes evolved into since graduating from Tri-Village in 2013. He squeaked out of the first round of the 800 at Rio to claim a non-automatic qualifying spot in the semis. Then he smoked a personal best 1:44.30 for the fourth fastest overall time in the semifinals.

He reset his personal best in the two-lap race yet again on Monday, following an even-pace script that has served him so well. Instead of blazing a first lap, he instead ran close to even lap splits and appeared to run down at least three runners after the final turn. Instead, they slowed and he maintained pace.

Tri-Village athletic director Brad Gray said the school will make contact with Murphy and organize a coming-home event. Murphy has several more international races remaining this season. He turned pro after the trials after running for three seasons at Akron University.

Were going to reach out to him and see what we can do; you can count on that, said Gray, also the schools ultra-successful girls basketball coach. Its unreal to have a kid from this community whos competing as a world-class athlete on the global stage. Thats what dreams are made of, right there.

Source: http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/sports/thats-what-dreams-are-made-of-right-there/nsGWM/

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Kathleen Kane"s "war" claims its final casualty: Analysis | PennLive.com

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane Found Guilty | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

[*This post has been updated to correctly reflect the number of charges lodged against Kathleen Kane.]

Kathleen Kane went to war to punish her enemies. And she went all in, leaking secret grand jury material to embarrass the critics she believed were out to get her.

In prosecuting it, Kane ended the careers of two state Supreme Court justices. She hounded others from state government in a single-minded attempt to root out an "Old Boys" network of e-p**n trading judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys.

And on Monday, Kane"s war claimed its final victim, the attorney general herself, as a Montgomery County jury,comprised of the very voters she"d once sworn to protect, made a clean sweep of it.

The Democratic Attorney General was found guilty on all ninecounts lodged against her, including two felony perjury counts and other misdemeanor counts that included false swearing, obstructing justice, conspiracy and official oppression.

Kane, of Lackawanna County, betrayed no emotion as the jury rendered its verdict, PennLive"s Wallace McKelvey reported.

But it"s tempting to think what emotions must have been roiling her.

She"d once been mentioned as a potential governor, perhaps even a future United States Senator.

The catalogs of her early successes was an impressive one. She closed the so-called "Florida loophole" on gun permits; she derailed Republican Gov. Tom Corbett"s efforts to privatize the day-to-day management of the Pennsylvania Lottery; She famously refused to defend the state"s gay marriage ban, punting a political hot potato back to Corbett himself.

Then, the unraveling. The unforced errors. The botched cases, including revelations of anaborted Philly corruption sting that prompted her to lash out at her critics in the first place.

Thestar that rose and shone so brightly with her election in 2012, as the first woman and first Democrat to serve in the post, went nova with stunning speed.

The history here is worth considering

The jury"s verdict came 21 years and not quite two months after another Attorney General, Republican Ernie Preate, who, like Kane, hails from Scranton,pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud charges and was trundled off to prison to serve a 14-month sentence.

He"d been a rising star once too, andbragged three decades ago that he could serve his time "standing on his head."

But the judicial system, as Preate learned, and Kane has too, or may soon learn, is the great equalizer.

These days, Preate, who literally wrote the book on how to put someone to death, practices law in Scranton andpursues reforms to the very judicial system he once wielded like a cudgelagainst others.

Preate resigned just nine days after entering his plea in June 1995. Under court precedent, Kane doesn"t have to step down until she"s sentenced, which could take weeks.

She could hang on until then. But what would be the point of such an exercise?

For all practical purposes, Kane hasn"t been attorney general in months, since the state Supreme Court suspended her law license.

Bruce L. Castor, the former Montgomery County DA who ran unsuccessfully for AG himself, has been running the office in her absence, leaving little reason for her to stay in a job she no longer does.

She"s not running for re-election. Her career in politics is over.

And if Kane doesn"t quit, it"s entirely likely that the General Assembly will act to remove her. The Republican leaders in the House and Senate called on her to quit, as did Gov. Tom Wolf.

What could happen if not?

Impeachment proceedings willlikely grind back into motionin the House. The state Senate couldresurrect its effort to use an obscure clause of the state Constitution to bounce her from office.

Some wars have victors, generals who can point to hard won territory that charted their path to victory.

Others can only stand among smoldering wreckage of their defeat and contemplate the magnitude of their ruin.

"Wars have casualties," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said during closing arguments on Monday. "Wars leave scars."

And scars take years to heal - if they ever do at all.

Source: http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2016/08/kathleen_kanes_war_claims_its.html

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Evolution of women"s beach volleyball uniforms

Women"s Beach Volleyball Semi-Finals - USA v CHN | London 2012 Olympics

LAURA WALTERS

Last updated13:52, August 8 2016

SHAUN BOTTERILL/GETTY IMAGES

It"s taken a while but women"s beach volleyball uniform regulations are finally catching up with the diverse beliefs of the sport"s international competitors.

Many beach volleyballersarechoosingto stick withthe traditional two pieces of lycra in Rio, but they no longer have to.

Egyptian teamNada Meawad and Doaa Elghobashy shunned the bikini during their match against Germany on Monday morning (NZT)in favour of long sleeves and long pants -Elghobashy covered her hair with a hijab.

The picture of the pair, the first Egyptian women"s volleyball team to compete at the Olympics,was a stark contrast to what thesport has become known for, since it was added to the Olympic bill in 1996.

SHAUN BOTTERILL/GETTY IMAGES

Egyptian volleyballers Doaa Elghobashy (L) and Nada Meawad opted for long sleeves, long pants and a hijab in a move away from the skimpy bikini that often defines the Olympic sport.

Women"s beach volleyball is one of those much-talked about, highly anticipated events- usually for all the wrong reasons.

READ MORE:*Live: Rio Olympics - day two*Aussie swimmer admits drug taunt was a mind game*Rush for Rio gold costs Kiwi*Three cracks in rider"s spine*Female beach volleyballers can now cover up*Bikinis dominate beach volleyball questioning*There"s more to beach volleyball than skimpy outfits

Shaun Botterill

Laura Ludwig, left, and Kira Walkenhorst of Germany, who defeated the Egyption pair of Doaa Elghobashy and Nada Meawad.

Press conferences are often filled with bikini-focussed questions rather than talk of medal hopes or team strategies.

"Will you promise you will wear bikinis even if it rains?" -A question from a male reporter to UK OlympianZara Dampney.

In 2012, then-London Mayor Boris Johnson referred to "semi-n***d women playing volleyball...glistening like wet otters".

GETTY IMAGES

The Egyptian team"s uniform was a stark contrast to the uniforms worn by most beach volleyball competitors, who say a bikini is best for peak performance.

"The whole thing is magnificent and bonkers," Johnson said in a column titled20 jolly good reasons to feel cheerful about the Games, which was publishedin The Telegraph.

Johnson"s bizarre description of these world-class athletes coincided with the first Olympics where female beach volleyball players were not restricted to lycra by the International Volleyball Federation"s (FIVB) uniform code.

In March2012, FIVB caught up with the diverse culturaland religious beliefs of the sport"s international players, adding three more options to its approved uniforms.

SHAUN BOTTERILL/GETTY IMAGES

Competitors who do opt for the bikini must adhere to the guidelines that state the side panel of the brief must be no wider than 7cm.

If you were a female beach volleyball player pre-2012 you could wear a one-piece bathing suit or a bikini with a maximum side width of 7cm (yes, it was that specific. And that small).

The rules stated competitors could also wearfull body suits could also be used under the bikini in cold weather, something that was rarely done.

Now, there are three extra choices. Players can wear shorts of a maximum length of 3cm above the knee with sleeved or sleeveless tops or a full body suit.

QUINN ROONEY/GETTY IMAGES

Some competitors say they are sick of being sexualised because of their uniforms, others shrug off the attention, saying no other outfit would allow them to perform at their best.

The FIVB said the change was made in order to"respect the custom and/or religious beliefs" of players.

In 2009, New Zealand netballer-turned-volleyballer Anna Scarlett said it was unfortunate the mediafocusedon the bikinis and not the sport itself.

"I find it frustrating, and I know the other players do too. I suppose unfortunately it has been sold a lot on the sexual aspect. If that gets numbers and people interested in the game then that"s a good start...

"I couldn"t think of anything else you could play beach volleyball in. Your pockets fill up with sand, it gets so hot out there and even when it"s raining if you are playing in shorts and singlet it would get heavy."

While some women"s volleyballers, like Scarlett, feelfrustrationat their sport being defined by the lycra in which they compete, US beach volleyballer Kerri Walsh Jennings has shut down the bikini critics.

Walsh Jennings, whose competing in her fifth Olympics,told the Huffington Postbikinis are best for thejob.

"The original way to play beach volleyball was in a bikini and board shorts, and I don"t know what else they want us to wear...

"When it comes to beach volleyball, we"re playing in 100-degree-plus weather.

"I think we"ve just gotta educate the public, take it with a grain of salt and make sure that we"re working hard and not playing up the s*x appeal because it"s inherent anyway."

The bikini she will wear when taking on China with teammate April Rosson Tuesday, is designed for peak performance. It"s not about being "sexy" or "flashy", she says.

-Stuff

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/82926043/Evolution-of-womens-beach-volleyball-uniforms

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Rio Olympics: Simone Biles is human, Allyson Felix just misses gold on Day 10

Allyson Felix Makes History With Seventh Olympic Medal

Everyone expected Tuesday to be another coronation for Simone Biles, but a stumble sent ripples through the gymnastics world.

Meanwhile on the track, Allyson Felix lost in the most unexpected of ways in the 400-meters. Here are some takeaways from Day 10.

Simone is not a robot

The clear favorite heading into the balance beam final, Simone Biles lost control just enough to have to grab the beam with her hands. The slip-up cost Biles, as she scored nearly a full point below her qualifying score. Because of her skill level, she was still able to secure bronze, her fourth medal of the games.

Look out for Laurie

Biles" teammate, 16-year-old Laurie Hernandez, established herself as a dominant force in the gymnastics world by taking silver in the balance beam final. She also won gold in the team competition.

A loss to a dive

Allyson Felix narrowly missed out on a gold medal as Bahamanian Shaunae Miller dove towards the finish line at the last second to earn the victory in the women"s 400-meters. The dive, which drew some criticism on social media, is perfectly legal.

No gold for USA

The U.S. did not win a gold medal on Monday, ending a streak that dates back to the Beijing games.

Live Updates

If the live blog below is not loading properly for you, please click here to view it.

Source: http://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/rio-olympics-2016-day-10-schedule-events-and-how-to-watch-live-stream/

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Kim Zolciak"s NFL Hubby Kroy Biermann Traded from Atlanta to Buffalo

Kroy Biermann 2014-15 Highlight Video

OLB Kroy Biermann signs contract with the Buffalo Bills. (Aug 15, 2016)

*Kim Zolciak is calling today one of her hardest days ever after seeing two of her sons start kindergarten and pre-kindergarten, and her husband Kroy Biermann leave the roost early to catch a plane to Buffalo, where he will begin his new stint with the Bills.

Biermann, 30, has played his entire career for the Atlanta Falcons, who made him a fifth-round pick in the 2008 NFL draft. The nine-year veteran has played mainly as a defensive end, but may scoot to outside linebacker in Buffalos 3-4 defensive front.

According to buffalobills.com, Biermann (6-3, 255) made a free agent visit to Buffalo in the spring when the free agent market first opened, but ultimately did not sign a contract with the club. The Bills lost OLB IK Enemkpali to a season-ending knee injury Saturday night when he tore the ACL in his right leg. It left Buffalo with just five healthy outside linebackers. Enemkpali (who came to Buffalo last year after sucker-punching Jets QB Geno Smith and breaking his jaw) was waived/injured to make room for Biermann on the roster.

This has been one of the hardest days ever for me. Kash turning 4 and starting Pre-K, KJ starting kindergarten and my best friend, my everything left this morning to play for @buffalobills, Zolciak wrote on Instagram along with a photo of her husband hugging KJ and Kash goodbye.

Biermann will have several in-laws with him in Buffalo. Zolciaks parents grew up in the town and she still has family members in the area. Still, though, It was hard to say goodbye, wrote the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star.

The new season of her Bravo series Dont Be Tardy premieres Sept. 14 at 10 p.m.

Watch a first look below:

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNHscYdjeVB84IN3FFO3kMNXLmL01Q&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=sxWzV-iPJ8ak3gGyyYOIBQ&url=https://www.eurweb.com/2016/08/kim-zolciaks-nfl-hubby-kroy-biermann-traded-atlanta-buffalo/

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Rio 2016 apologizes to Ryan Lochte, three other US swimmers after they were robbed at gunpoint

Ryan Lochte Talks To Billy Bush About Being Held Up At Gunpoint | TODAY

The spokesman for Rio 2016 apologized Monday to Ryan Lochte and three other U.S. swimmers who said they were robbed at gunpoint a day earlier.

We regret the violence has got so close to the athletes, Mario Andrada said during the daily media briefing at the Games. We have requested the security authorities need to make sure everybody is safe everywhere in the city. We apologize to those involved and regret that violence is an issue in these Games.

Lochte, the 12-time Olympic medalist, was in a taxi early Sunday from Frances hospitality venue to the Olympic Village along with teammates Gunnar Bentz,Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen. They said they were pulled over and robbed by men posing as police officers.

Andrada said police have spoken to some of the swimmers and are looking for the cab driver.

None of the swimmers were injured.

Also Monday, the International Olympic Committees spokesman, Mark Adams, explainedhis initial denial that any incident involving Lochte had occured.

I contacted the [U.S. Olympic Committee and]they told me the story was not correct. I reported it was not correct, Adams said. I was asked to get an update from USOC, I got an update from USOC, I gave you USOCs update and there was another one after that.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-oly-rio-2016-rio-2016-apologizes-to-ryan-lochte-1471286384-htmlstory.html

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Role of UK police in training Bahrain"s forces "ignores abuses"

The Revolt That Never Went Away — Bahrain: An Inconvenient Uprising

British police have come under fire for their role in training Bahrains police force, which has been accused of ruthlessly suppressing public protests and dissent.

A confidential 27-page agreement for the provision of services, obtained by the Observer, was signed on 14 June 2015 by the UKs College of Policing and Bahrains Ministry of Interior. It spells out the explicitly commercial nature of the relationship between the two parties, but omits any mention of human rights issues.

Since it was created in 2012, the college has earned more than 8.5m from its international work, but has faced questions about its remit. Parliaments home affairs select committee recently criticised the colleges overseas training programme, claiming that opaque agreements with foreign governments, which have been criticised for human rights abuses, threaten the integrity of the very brand of British policing that the college is trying to promote.

Related: Bahrain paying for Royal Navy base despite human rights criticism

The committee attacked the Foreign Offices refusal to divulge such contracts on the grounds of commercial sensitivity as completely unacceptable.

Now a law firm acting on behalf of a Bahraini activist allegedly tortured by the countrys security services has written to the Foreign Office, claiming that the nature of the agreement with Bahrain raises concerns about the UKs commitment to protecting human rights.

Daniel Carey, of DPG Law, said the government needed to give reassurances that the college was not providing assistance to the kingdoms security forces that could undermine the UKs commitment to human rights. We know the college provides a wide range of training programmes domestically that are of potential concern, such as the use of communications data obtained by telecoms operators, the use of interception material, surveillance and undercover policing, and the scope of its courses to overseas customers is not limited in any accountable way," said Carey.

He also questioned whether the college was a legitimate entity. The College of Policing is doing something unusual for government in selling services overseas. It is a company limited by guarantee set up by the Home Office. Whether government ministers have the power to set up bodies effectively external to their own department through which they then run profit-making activities is a difficult question of constitutional law. The much safer course is to get parliaments authority, which didnt happen here.

The Foreign Office insists that all international work undertaken by the college is referred to the International Policing Assistance Board, which examines any potential impact on the UKs commitment to human rights. It is understood that all sub-contracts governed by the umbrella agreement have built-in clauses referring to human rights.

If anything, abuses at the hands of Bahraini police have increased in 2016 amid a culture of impunity

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: It is not good enough to merely criticise other countries from the sidelines. Only by working with Bahrain are we able to bring about the changes we would like to see in the country. The UK is working closely with the government of Bahrain to provide extensive reform assistance focused on strengthening human rights and the rule of law. We see this support as the most constructive way to achieve long-lasting and sustainable reform in Bahrain.

But Carey said the omission of human rights in the agreement was significant: The agreement cedes a lot of control to the Bahrain government to pick and choose the areas it would like training on. It provides for all of the other controls you would expect: freedom of information; force majeure; confidentiality; intellectual property; termination; bribery. Why not human rights? Saying that this will be slipped into a subcontract does not seem to be an effective way to protect against human rights risks, especially after resisting disclosure of any of these details to a parliamentary committee.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, called for the UK to end the commercial relationship between the college and Bahrains Ministry of Interior. We have continued to document widespread and systemic rights violations committed by the Bahraini police throughout this training, which started in 2013, he said.

If anything, abuses at the hands of the police have increased in 2016, amid a culture of impunity and a lack of transparency from both British and Bahraini institutions. As a result, the training has done little more than legitimise the status quo. Over the past few months, Bahrain has let go of all pretences of reform by cracking down on peaceful demonstrations, torturing detainees and arresting anyone with a critical voice.

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFBTNmAAn1_EGmpzMv2BccMoKaEGw&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779181070927&ei=ExGyV4iYBaPT3AG-rpLQCA&url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/13/british-police-trainers-ignore-human-rights-abuses-bahrain

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