Donnie Loftis, who is to become a General Assembly member for North Carolina’s 109th District in the wake of former state Representative Dana Bumgardner’s death earlier this month, told WRAL he “peacefully exercised my first amendment rights in front of the U.S. Capitol” and was “surprised and disappointed to watch others storm the entrance as violence ensued.” “I had absolutely zero involvement in the rioting and categorically condemn the storming of our Capitol building that day,” the station reported Loftis told them in a text message exchange....

University of Illinois psychologist Ed Diener, who has studied happiness for a quarter century, was in Scotland recently, explaining to members of Parliament and business leaders the value of augmenting traditional measures of a country’s wealth with a national index of happiness. Such an index would measure policies known to increase people’s sense of well-being, such as democratic freedoms, access to health care and the rule of law. The Scots were all in favor of such things, but not because they make people happier....

In the NBA, the generation gap approaches absurdity. The old guys are 30. The young upstarts–Iverson, Shawn Kemp, Isaiah Rider, Chris Webber–are 25, or maybe 20. Everybody’s a millionaire. And the self-appointed voice of maturity can be … Charles Barkley. ““This league is full of rappers and wanna-be movie stars,’’ he says. ““Everybody wants to do everything else except play the game.'' Magic Johnson got a sour whiff of the gap last season, after he came out of retirement....

Bradley: Swansea job an opportunity for American soccer The 31-year-old is suffering from the “hardening of a buttock muscle” that has prevented him from training, Wolfsburg has revealed. “Mario Gomez must pass on the upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic (Oct. 8th in Hamburg) and Northern Ireland (Oct. 11th in Hannover),” a Wolfsburg statement reads. “The Wolves number 33 was forced to pull out of the DFB selection due to hardening of a buttock muscle and will not participate in training for a couple of days....

Razaf’s grandfather, John Waller (no relation to Fats), was an ex-slave from Missouri who became a lawyer, Republican politician and American consul to Madagascar. There his daughter married the queen’s nephew Henri Razafkeriefo. In 1895, the French, who had imperial designs on the island, imprisoned Waller; Henri was probably murdered by French invaders. The family escaped, and Andreamentania Paul Razafkeriefo was born later that year in Washington, D.C. He was a promising student-he’d wanted to be a poet-but his mother, now a stenographer, made him drop out of school at 16....

Harrison Barnes could make his return as soon as Monday against the Hornets while reigning MVP Stephen Curry is questionable to play against his hometown team, according to the team. MORE: Classic photos of Stephen Curry Barnes has been out of the lineup with a sprained left ankle since late November. The team has gone 14-2 in his absence but was 17-0 without him. Curry reinjured his shin in the second quarter of his team’s 111-108 overtime win over the Nuggets on Saturday after missing his first two games of the season against the Mavericks and Rockets....

Kane has scored 24 Premier League goals this season, but the incredible form of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah looks set to deny the England international a third consecutive Golden Boot. Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has regularly described Kane as one of the best strikers in world football. But Son, who struck twice in Tottenham’s last league game – a win at Bournemouth, after Kane was withdrawn due to an ankle injury – ranks his colleague even higher....

The Duke of Sussex—like other royals—scrambled to Scotland hoping for a chance to say goodbye to his grandmother in the final hours of her life. However, while Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, got a plane together, Harry and his team were left to arrange his own travel plans. The other royals arrived together, heartbreakingly, just too late to see Elizabeth alive and the monarch’s death was announced minutes before Harry’s plane landed in Aberdeen....

De Vere House is the real-life property in Suffolk, England, where, in the films, Harry Potter was born and lived with his parents Lily and James Potter, who were later killed by Lord Voldemort. The historic home sits in the heart of the medieval village of Lavenham, which is home to more than 300 protected heritage properties and formed the backdrop of the fictional village of Godric’s Hollow in the film Deathly Hallows Part One, according to the property’s website....

American Express is partnering with the former One Direction singer to make tickets available for his show on Friday, December 13, 2019. At the show, Styles will be performing his new album live for the first time. Fans need to get on down to The Forum, Los Angeles, on December 11, 2019, for 10:00 a.m. PT where tickets will be given out for the show. American Express has also created the Harry Styles Love Bus, which will act as the distributor of the tickets....

The former movie producer appeared in court virtually on Tuesday as a judge cleared away a petition from his defense team opposing the extradition. According to the LA Times, Weinstein’s defense team has spent months attempting to challenge the extradition, alleging that his paperwork was done incorrectly, and questions about his health were also a concern. Weinstein is currently receiving medical treatments in New York and his defense claims he should be able to continue receiving his treatment....

“Often, commonly used medications may have subtle effects which may not be detected for years,” Dr. Kashif Munir, associate professor in the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and nutrition at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and an investigator on the study, tells Verywell. Munir says that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) “are used by millions of people and small studies have shown possible benefits in patients with diabetes"—including his team’s research....

The rodents had plagued Lehua Island for decades and proved difficult to tackle, with a failed attempt to eradicate the population taking place in 2009. Using bait and traps over a two-year period, Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) said it had now successfully managed to rid the island of the last of the introduced rats. “After extensive on-island monitoring, we’re 99.99 percent certain there are no more rats on Lehua, which builds on the successful removal of invasive herbivorous rabbits, and secures a future for Hawai’i’s wildlife and ecosystems,” said Sheri S....

The 56-year-old man from Lahaina, Hawaii, was paddling in Honolua Bay, Maui, on Tuesday morning when he encountered a shark. He was given first aid on shore and then rushed to hospital in a critical condition. The man died on Wednesday, Tracy Dallarda, a spokesperson for the Maui Memorial Medical Center, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. No additional information was given. Photos shared by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) showed a huge bite mark—about 17 inches wide—in the man’s surfboard....

The rock, 5 feet in diameter, missed Caroline Sasaki by just a couple of feet as she was walking into her living room at the very moment the boulder punched through the external wall and shot across directly in front of her. The incident was caught on film by a home-security camera at the family’s house in Palolo, O’ahu, Hawaii, on Saturday at 11:45 p.m. Footage shared online by local news channel KHON 2 has been viewed more than 1....

The Hawks center was ejected from Monday night’s game against the Celtics after receiving his second technical in the third quarter for hanging on the rim — an ejection the NBA later said never should have happened. On his way off the court, Howard wanted to give away a souvenir. DEVENEY: Biggest winners and losers at trade deadline Oh, but that souvenir was not going to a Celtics fan. Absolutely not....

Line: -9 Total: 208.5 The Lakers (12-50 SU, 30-32 ATS) are coming off a tough trip to Denver on Wednesday in more ways than one. The 117-107 final (as 8.5-point dogs) was their ninth loss in 10 games, while also suffering two key injuries to Kobe Bryant (shoulder) and Jordan Clarkson (knee). Bryant (16.8 PPG) and Clarkson (15.6 PPG) are listed as questionable tonight. Guard Louis Williams (15.3 PPG) is out after missing last game with his hamstring issue....

Hazard stays, Costa goes - Desailly Antonio Conte will remain Chelsea’s manager and is keen to make sure that he builds a bright future for his club, who are looking almost certain to win the Premier League and return to playing in the Champions League next term. The Blues are currently in the process of scouting talent, while Conte is in regular communication with other decision makers at the club over new players....

After a disappointing campaign last time out, the resurgent Hazard – the winner of the accolade in 2014-15 – has been integral to Chelsea’s return to the top of the Premier League table, contributing 14 goals and five assists in 29 appearances. Hazard & Kante only choices for POTY Since joining on a free transfer in July 2016, Ibrahimovic has established himself as the spearhead of United’s attack under Jose Mourinho – the 35-year-old Swede scoring 28 goals in 43 outings in all competitions....

The 27-year-old was in fantastic form as he provided two goals in Chelsea’s 4-0 win as they got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. Real Madrid are understood to be interested in signing Hazard but Chelsea are also trying to offer him a big pay-rise to remain at Stamford Bridge. Hazard joked that his father Thierry is in trouble for the interview he made in Le Soir but clarified that he will begin talks after the season has finished....