News – Page 1029

'Born And Raised' Podcast: How 'That One Dish' Can Change Your Life

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

Listen to “Born And Raised” on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

We all have favourite foods, but there’s always “that one dish” that transports us back to childhood, reminds us of people we care about, and, sometimes, plays a role in fostering who we are.

When people emigrate, they may leave everyone and everything behind, but they find a way to put their culture on a plate — and connect to the next generation.

Host Angelyn Francis and reporter Al Donato kick off the five-part “Born And Raised: Food” mini-series podcast with stories from second-generation Canadians about “that one dish.” They also pay tribute to their own food faves: Jamaica’s red pea soup and the Philippines’ palabok.

Listen to “That One Dish”

Can’t play it on this page? Listen on the SoundCloud site.

Read a transcript of this episode

Meet the guests:

When Amir Ahmed and his fiancée, Carine Abouseif, eat at Indian restaurants, he doesn’t let them order biryani. He doesn’t let his friends order it either. He’s got a good reason for this, and he feels strongly about it. Will Carine ever get to enjoy biryani without having to ask Amir’s mother to make it?

Paul Taylor was raised by his mom, and grew up in Toronto. He would tell schoolmates that he liked going on long walks during their lunch break. In reality, he was hiding the fact that he often didn’t have anything to eat. But when his mom taught him to make an easy, affordable dish from her home country, St. Kitts and Nevis, everything changed.

Kumari Giles’ grandma taught them that Sri Lankan food was love, and their grandmother had a special place in her heart for katta sambol, a dish made of onions and spices. After their grandmother’s death, Kumari continued to make katta sambol, and often, a guest would join them in the kitchen when they were cooking.

Places mentioned in this episode:

Biryani was sourced from My Roti Place in Toronto, Ont.

Stream this episode and more: Find “Born And Raised: Food” on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

By Tncse

25 Finalists Selected for Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association is proud to announce the 25 finalists for the 2016 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year award.

This group of student-athletes is represented by 22 different programs and 15 conferences. Thirteen from the original Top-50 “Watchlist” made the cut with the final group consisting of 14 seniors, six juniors and five sophomores.

No. 3 Humboldt State led the way with three selections, while No. 5 North Georgia is represented by two student-athletes. The Great Lakes Valley Conference topped the list with four honorees. The California Collegiate Athletic Association and Peach Belt Conference had three apiece, while the Great American Conference, Gulf South Conference and Lone Star Conference earned two nods each.

The Top 10 finalists will be announced on May 6 and the Top 3 on May 12 with the 2016 Schutt Sports NFCA Division II National Player of the Year revealed on Tuesday, May 17.

Behind the collaboration between the NFCA and the Division II Head Coaches Committee, and the generosity of Schutt Sports, the award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievement among softball student-athletes throughout Division II. University of North Georgia’s Courtney Poole was the inaugural winner of the award a season ago.

Schutt Sports / NFCA Division II Player of the Year Top 25

Stephanie Adkins Saint Leo RHP Junior Kaitlyn Bannister* UAH 3B Junior Janessa Bassett* Dixie State OF Sophomore Lyndsay Butler* Wayne State (Mich.) P/RF Junior Morgan Foley* Indianapolis RHP Senior Ally Foster* Bellarmine P/UT Senior Brooke Goad Southern Arkansas OF Sophomore Stephanie Hartness North Georgia OF Junior Haley Hodges Southern Indiana C/IF Junior Hanna Holland* Humboldt State OF Sophomore Courtney Iacobacci Fairmont State OF Senior Makayla Kovac* Colorado Mesa SS Senior Lexi Loos Wayne State (Neb.) OF Senior Brenna Martini* Adelphi 3B Sophomore Katie Obemma Humboldt State RHP Senior Hannah Perryman* UMSL LHP Senior Courtney Poole* North Georgia RHP Senior Kiley Rusen* Valdosta State 1B Senior Jessica Simmons Southeastern Oklahoma State 2B Senior Lacey Taylor* West Texas A&M C Senior Carley Tysinger Catawba RHP Senior Kelsey Vining Montevallo OF Sophomore Katelyn Vinson* Midwestern State 3B Senior Madison Williams Humboldt State RHP Junior Kat Zabielski NYIT 1B Senior

* Denotes original Top 50 watchlist

By Tncse

Grenade injures dozens, kills 1 in India’s part of Kashmir amid spike in tensions with Pakistan

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

Dozens of people were injured on Thursday, one of them killed, after a grenade exploded at a bus stop in Jammu, one of the biggest cities in the Indian-controlled part of the disputed Kashmir region.

The grenade reportedly detonated under a bus, with the explosion producing a lot of flying shrapnel inside the vehicle. It shattered the windows of the bus and several other vehicles parked nearby, according to local media.

“It seems that the grenade was brought from outside and rolled under the bus,” MK Sinha, the city police chief, said.
The casualty report was updated several times over the day, with the latest putting the number of injured at 29. One person was killed in the incident, according to the police.

The injured were taken to Jammu’s Government Medical College and Hospital, with two remaining in critical condition. Police cordoned off the scene of the incident.

“The attack was clearly intended to disturb the state’s internal peace. We are collecting evidence and an investigation is underway. No suspect has been taken into custody yet,” Sinha said.

Kashmir has been disputed by India and Pakistan since Britain partitioned its colony in 1947. Last week, there was a major flare-up between the two nuclear-armed nations after India launched an air raid into Pakistani territory to bomb a suspected camp of a terrorist group responsible for a deadly suicide bombing in February. The next day, Pakistan sent warplanes to attack targets on the Indian side as a show of force, resulting in the first direct air engagement since the 1971 war.

Think your friends would be interested?

By Tncse

Middle East leaders kick back at US Golan Heights decision

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

President Donald Trump’s call for the United States to recognise Israeli sovereignty over occupied territory in the Golan Heights prompted global anger Friday, with Syria warning it would recover the area "through all available means".

The call broke from decades of US foreign policy and a United Nations resolution, which treated the Golan Heights as occupied territory whose future would be negotiated in talks with Syria on a comprehensive peace.

While Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, thanked the president in a phone call, telling him "you’ve made history", Damascus, its allies and fellow states in the region criticised the move as provocative.

Syria’s foreign ministry said it showed “the blind bias of the United States” towards Israel but would not change “the fact that the Golan was and will always be a Syrian Arab territory”.

"The Syrian nation is more determined to liberate this precious piece of Syrian national land through all available means," the ministry statement said.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, tweeted he was "shocked by @realDonaldTrump continuing to try to give what is not his to racist Israel."

Turkey, which hosted the last indirect peace talks between Israel and the Syrian government in 2008 but has backed Syrian rebels in the civil war, said the change risked plunging the region into a "new crisis".

"We will never allow the occupation of the Golan Heights to be made legitimate," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Russia warned that the policy U-turn could spark new conflicts.

"Certainly, such appeals can considerably destabilise an already tense situation in the Middle East," Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said. "It’s just a call for now, hopefully it will remain a call."

The Arab League said Mr Trump’s comments were "completely outside international law".

Some even accused the US president of interfering with a close upcoming election in Israel in order to help ally Mr Netanyahu.

The White House endorsement of Israeli sovereignty over the plateau, which was seized from Syria in 1967, fulfills a request from Mr Netanyahu and came less than three weeks before the country’s April 9 vote.

Mr Trump denied that was his intention, telling Fox News. “I wouldn’t even know about that. I have no idea. I hear he is doing okay,” adding that he had been thinking about it for a long time.

The UN Human Rights Council yesterday criticised Israeli settlement expansion in the Golan Heights.

The UN rights forum adopted an annual resolution on the Syrian Golan, brought by Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), with 26 states in favour, 16 against and five abstentions.

European members including Britain voted against it.

By Tncse

Spider-Cop Makes Debut as Actual, Real Marvel Comics Character

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

Spoilers for Spider-Geddon #5 and light spoilers for Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 follow.

Spider-Cop, who was used as a persona for Spider-Man in PS4’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, is now a real Marvel comics character thanks to issue #5 of Spider-Geddon.

As reported by comicbook.com, Spider-Geddon #5, the finale to the crossover mini-series, has a panel that includes many versions of our beloved Spider-Man from Marvel’s multiverse, and one of them is none other than Spider-Cop himself.

Photo: Marvel Entertainment

While that is all we get of Spider-Cop, the mere knowledge that he exists is exciting and leaves the door open in the future to hopefully explore the many adventures of the grizzled police officer known to many as Spider-Cop.

Spider-Geddon, which includes PS4’s Spider-Man, has a ton of alternate versions of Spider-Man and we’ve gathered them all in one article/slideshow.

The PS4 Spider-Man\r\nTechnically, Spider-Geddon didn\u0027t introduce the version of Spider-Man featured in the PS4 game, but it did officially induct that Peter Parker into the larger Marvel multiverse. This Spider-Man is one of several heroes recruited by Otto Octavius, and the two men quickly formed a bond stemming from the fact that this Peter had a much closer relationship with his world\u0027s Otto than most.”,”height”:675,”width”:1199,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-man-ps4-1541100821044.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-man-ps4-1541100821044_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”02″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

Spider-Byte\r\nIf Spider-Man existed in the world of Ready Player One, the result would be Spider-Byte. This heroine is a high schooler named Margo who spends her time in between classes entering the VR realm and battling evildoers. That means she doesn\u0027t have powers in the real world, but she could still be handy in a situation that calls for a little technical expertise.”,”height”:783,”width”:1393,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-byte-1541100821040.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-byte-1541100821040_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”03″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

Spider-Ben & Spider-Pete\r\nThis version of Spider-Man is actually a tag-team duo. In this world, Peter Parker was bitten by the radioactive spider a little earlier than normal. And when Uncle Ben was shot by a mugger, this Peter was able to give him a life-saving blood transfusion that also granted Ben spider-powers. Together they fight evil as Spider-Pete and Spider-Ben.”,”height”:734,”width”:1306,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-ben-1541100821037.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-ben-1541100821037_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”04″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

Spider-Man (Norman Osborn)\r\nIn most universes, Norman Osborn is one of Spider-Man\u0027s greatest foes. But in one particular world, Osborn actually is Spider-Man. This Osborn is still as twisted as all the rest, however, with the death of his valued lab assistant Peter Parker teaching him that with great power must also come great sacrifice.”,”height”:785,”width”:1395,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-man-osborn-1541100957328.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-man-osborn-1541100957328_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”05″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

Web-Slinger\r\nThis version of Spider-Man draws inspiration from classic cowboy heroes like the Lone Ranger and Rawhide Kid. Web-Slinger roams the Wild West, battling evil wherever he goes and riding a horse who\u0027s also decked out in full Spider-Man regalia. Because why not?”,”height”:749,”width”:1331,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/webslinger-1541100821046.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/webslinger-1541100821046_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”06″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

Spider-Kid\r\nSpider-Kid hails from a grimmer version of the Marvel Universe, one where he\u0027s less concerned with costumed supervillains than he is drug dealers and criminals making the streets of Queens unsafe. He\u0027s also named Charlie Parker rather than Peter, likely in tribute to the famed jazz musician.”,”height”:585,”width”:1040,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-kid-1541100821042.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/spider-kid-1541100821042_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”07″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

Astro-Spider\r\nLittle is known about this version of Spider-Man, apart from the fact that he seems to inhabit the same irradiated wasteland where the Inheritors were imprisoned after the events of Spider-Verse. Astro-Spider wears a full spacesuit that also helps protect him from the toxic environment of this world.”,”height”:877,”width”:1559,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/astro-spider-1541100821020.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/astro-spider-1541100821020_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”08″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

The Savage Spider-Man\r\nCross Spider-Man with Tarzan and this is what you get. In this world, Peter Parker crash-landed in the Savage Land as a baby and was adopted by a group of oversized spiders. Thanks to their care and various supernatural rituals, he\u0027s grown up to become a super-powered hero who defends his jungle home from poachers like Wilson Fisk.”,”height”:780,”width”:1387,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/savage-spider-man-1541100821034.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/savage-spider-man-1541100821034_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:”09″,”albumTotalCount”:10},{“caption”:”

Octavia Otto\r\nOctavia is an alternate version of Doctor Octopus rather than Spider-Man, but she\u0027s thrown her lot in with the spiders all the same. In all the multiverse, she seems to be the one variation of Otto Octavius that is completely, genuinely good. She feels a bond with the Superior Spider-man, but she may not be thrilled to learn what crimes this hero committed before taking up the mantle of Spider-Man.”,”height”:778,”width”:1383,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/octavia-otto-1541100957321.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/11\/01\/octavia-otto-1541100957321_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s New Spider Characters From Spider-Geddon”,”relativePosition”:10,”albumTotalCount”:10}]’
data-ads-disabled=’false’
data-ad-frequency=’3′
data-image-size=’1280w’>

Speaking of the latest PS4 title, Marvel will be releasing a new comic series, Marvel’s Spider-Man: City at War, that will look to follow the plot of the game that is currently in the running for our Game of the Year 2018.

For more on Spider-Man and the countless other versions of the web-slinger, be sure to check out our review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, in which we said it is amazing and “delivers a dynamic visual experience unlike any other.”

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who loves a good crossover event. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst.

By Tncse

Chipola Selected 2015 NJCAA DI National Coaching Staff of the Year

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Head coach Belinda Hendrix, along with associate head coach Jimmy Hendrix and assistant coach Kelly Brookins of the National Champion Chipola College (Fla.) have been selected as the NFCA National Junior College Athletic Association DI National Coaching Staff of the Year, announced on Friday.

Under the guidance of the 11-year veteran Hendrix, the Indians enjoyed an undefeated run to the program’s second NJCAA DI national title. Chipola posted a 5-0 mark to claim the FCSAA/Region VIII State Championship, which included wins over No. 1 Central Florida College (5-3) and in the title game against Miami Dade (3-2). The momentum carried into the NJCAA DI Championship in St. George, Utah where the third-seeded Indians culminated their perfect (10-0) postseason with a 7-2 triumph over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in the national title game.

Chipola finished its 2015 campaign with a 49-10 mark and earned the Panhandle Conference title with a 13-3 regular season record. Behind her team’s run to the title, Hendrix improved her 11-year record at Chipola to 507-144. For their work this year, Belinda Hendrix, Jimmy Hendrix and Brookins were also chosen as the NFCA South Region Coaching Staff of the Year.

Other regional winners this season were:

Midwest Region – Blinn College (Texas)

Head Coach: Rick Church
Assistant Coaches: Jami Ingram
Record: 45-16 (21-3 Region XIV)

In Church’s 16th season at the helm, the Buccaneers garnered a trip to the NJCAA DI National Championship Tournament after taking home the Region XIV crown. In making the program’s sixth trip to the NJCAA tournament under Church, Blinn went 2-2 in St. George, Utah. It defeated Georgia Perimeter in the opener and followed that with a 3-2 triumph over Chattanooga State. However a pair of defeats to national runner-up Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2-5 in 9 inn.) and Howard ended the Buccaneers’ tournament run. This is the fifth Midwest Region honor for Church and Ingram.

West Region – Howard College (Texas)

Head Coach: Kelly Raines
Record: 49-14 (23-5 Region V)

Garnered a Region V title and a trip to the NJCAA DI National Championship tournament. Raines’ Hawks put forth a 4-2 showing at the national tournament. They split their first two games defeating Jefferson College (4-3 in 10 inn.) and falling to eventual national champion Chipola (1-6). Howard would win three straight elimination games before having its tournament come to end at the hands of Chattanooga State. Howard claimed the Region V title by defeating Midland College (9-4) in a winner-take-all title game.

By Tncse

PUBG Gets Its First 6×6 Map, the Snowy Vikendi

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

PUBG is getting its first 6×6 map, the snowy Vikendi, as well as a new assault rife and brand new Snowmobile.

Announced at The Game Awards, Vikendi is filled with snow, meaning players fighting for their chicken dinner will have to pay attention to their footprints as they trek through the wintry new map, as they can potentially lead others to their location.

Vikendi will be available tonight on PC Test Server, and will launch on PC Live Server on December 19.

Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners will be able to try out the new map in January 2019.

Tomorrow, December 7, PUBG finally arrives on PlayStation 4, making it almost a year since PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds joined Xbox Game Preview in December of 2017.

To celebrate, PUBG and Metal Gear Solid movie director Jordan Vogt-Roberts collaborated for a live-action short film.

In addition, PUBG is now part of Xbox Game Pass, joining a list of 15 others announced at Xbox’s X018 event and many more that are already available to play.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who loves winter and snow so this announcement is pretty, pretty cool. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst.

By Tncse

New Zealand broadcasts Muslim call to prayer on day of mourning for mosque shooting victims

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

Click:Cosmetic glass jar

At 1.32pm, exactly a week after a gunman began shooting people at two mosques in Christchurch, the nation of New Zealand observed a two-minute silence to remember the 50 victims.

Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old suspected white supremacist from Australia, had launched the attack to try to repel “invaders” from New Zealand, he wrote in a manifesto. Yet, the nation came together on Friday to observe the Muslim call to prayer, which was sounded around the country — including on national radio and television — before ceremonies were attended by tens of thousands of people who paid tribute to the dead and heard calls for unity.

Addressing a crowd of thousands standing quietly at Hagley Park, near the Al Noor mosque where 42 people were killed, Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s prime minister, said: “New Zealand mourns with you. We are one.”

Imam Gamal Fouda, from the mosque, told the crowd: “We are broken-hearted, but we are not broken. We are alive, we are together, we are determined to not let anyone divide us.”

He added: “To the people of New Zealand, thank you for your peace. Thank you for your haka. Thank you for your flowers. Thank you for your love and compassion.”

Many women wore headscarves to demonstrate solidarity with the grieving community. Across New Zealand, small ceremonies and prayers were conducted at mosques, schools, cafes and offices.

New Zealand mosque massacre – In pictures

The nation’s The Press newspaper carried a front page simply saying “Salam, peace” in English and Arabic, and The Dominion Post listed the names of the victims, alongside the words: “1.32pm — Today we remember”.

Following the ceremony, mourners gathered at a cemetery to attend a burial service for 26 of the victims, including three-year-old Mucaad Ibrahim, the youngest of the dead. Despite Islamic custom requiring speedy burials, the funerals had been delayed due to the painstaking effort by authorities to identify the victims.

The first to be buried on Friday was Naeem Rashid, a 50-year-old who died trying to tackle the gunman near the entrance of the Al Noor mosque. His 21-year-old son Talha Rashid was also killed. His wife, Ambreen Naeem Rashid, 44, told The Courier Mail of the murderer: “I feel really sorry for him. I feel sorry for all the people who hate in their hearts. They can never have satisfaction.”

New Zealand’s terror alert level remains high, despite authorities being confident that the attack was conducted by a lone gunman.

Ms Ardern has announced a ban on military-style semiautomatic weapons and on the parts and ammunition used in the attack, ahead of a wider overhaul of gun laws over the coming weeks. She and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison have called for an international effort to force technology firms to prevent the spread of online hate speech. The gunman livestreamed his attack on Facebook, which, along with other sites such as YouTube and Twitter, has struggled to prevent the footage being republished online.

About one per cent of New Zealand’s 4.8 million residents are Muslim.

Imam Fouda said the attack “did not come overnight” and urged the global community to combat Islamophobia.

“[The attack] was the result of the anti-Muslim rhetoric of some political leaders, media agencies and others,” he said. “The rise of white supremacy and right-wing extremism is a great global threat to mankind and this must end now.”

By Tncse

April 14-17 Featured Five

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Throughout the 2016 softball season, the NFCA will feature some of the sport’s highest-profile contests in our “Featured Five” Games of the Week.

Each weekly installment will be released on Thursday, providing live stat links, game notes, team info, social media accounts and any available broadcast links in hopes of becoming another reason for fans to visit us during the season for information on some of collegiate softball’s best games.

As the year continues, we will attempt to expand our focus to include matchups throughout as many divisions as possible. This week’s featured games come from NCAA Division I, II and III.

We open in Division II as NCAA-record holding pitchers go head-to-head for the final time in the regular season as No. 1 Indianapolis and No. 8 UMSL face off in a key Midwest Region and Great Lakes Valley Conference twin bill in St. Louis. Indy’s Morgan Foley and UMSL’s Hannah Perryman are the No. 1 and No. 4 all-time strikeout leaders in Division II. They have combined to fan over 3,100 batters during their illustrious careers, while totalling 248 wins between them. In addition, Foley owns two single-game strikeout records, while Perryman has twirled a Division II-best nine perfect games.

The fifth-ranked Ragin’ Cajun of Louisiana-Lafayette head to Gainesville for a top-five non-conference tilt against top-ranked Florida. In SEC action, a pair of programs (Georgia & Tennessee) coming off sweeps of nationally-ranked squads go head-to-head in Athens, Ga. Also on the docket, is a battle for second place in the Sun Belt between South Alabama and Georgia Southern.

In Division III, No. 8 Illinois Wesleyan and No. 24 (tie) Wheaton (Ill.) face off in a pivotal College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader.

We may not be able to highlight every division or big game each week, but our hope is to provide a spotlight for as many different teams and games as possible throughout 2016.

Make sure you follow the NFCA on our social media (NFCAorg) through Twitter (Periscope), Instagram and on Facebook and let us know what you think of our “Featured Five” segment.

DII – No. 1 Indianapolis at No. 8 University of Missouri-St. Louis

April 17 | 12:00 CT (DH) | UMSL Softball Field | St. Louis, Mo. | Great Lakes Valley Series

TEAMS

QUICK HITS

38-1, 21-1

Twitter

Statistics

Team BA: .325 | Team ERA: 1.22 | Runs Scored: 245 | Runs Allowed: 63

* Acended to the No. 1 ranking three weeks ago
* Started the season 32-0
* Swept two GLVC doubleheaders last week
* Morgan Foley is 30-0 with a 0.68 ERA… She has struck out 351 batters, third most in Division II, but leads the NCAA with 13.3 strikeouts per seven inning pitched… Earlier this season, the senior righty fanned all 21 batters in a no-hitter, setting a new DII benchmark
* With 17 punchouts on Thursday, she became the 4th DII pitcher to reach 1,500 strikeouts
* On the offensive side of the ball, Natalie Lalich leads the way, hitting at a .407 clip with 50 hits, seven doubles, 10 home runs, 49 RBI and a .740 slugging percentage
* Seven starters bat .316 or better and 10 different Greyhounds have homers, nine have multiple long balls
* Defensively, Indy fields at a .972 clip, committing just 29 errors in 1,034 attempts

41-4, 19-3

Twitter

Statistics | Live Stats | Live Video

Team BA: .313 | Team ERA: 1.03 | Runs Scored: 247 | Runs Allowed: 51

* UMSL has won five straight and seven of its last eight contests… The Tritons swept a pair of GLVC road doubleheaders from Missouri S&T and Drury
* The Tritons have been riding the left arm of Hannah Perryman, the Division II all-time strikeout queen… The senior has fanned 1,603 batters during her four-year career… She also owns the DII record for perfect games with nine and is one shy of the all-time NCAA mark of 10
* Perryman has tossed all but 43 innings, posting a 36-2 mark with a 0.94 ERA and DII-best 445 strikeouts (7th highest in a single season) in 261.2 innings of work… She has twirled an NCAA-high 20 shutouts and held opponents to a .138 batting average
* The offense is very balanced as seven starters hit above .300 led by Alex Stupek at .366 with 56 hits, nine doubles, 10 home runs 37 RBI, 35 runs and 22 stolen bases… Sarah Kern (.298) and Jennah Perryman (.311) also provide pop at the plate with 10 and nine homers, respectively… Kern matches Stupek with a team-best 37 RBI

Other Notable Division II Games

April 14

4 & 6:00 CT – RV Northwest Missouri (xx) at No. 15 Missouri Western (33-10, 19-3 MIAA) | Live Stats | Audio

April 15

1 & 3:00 PT – No. 3 Humboldt State (39-3-1, 28-2 CCAA) at San Francisco State (23-20, 17-13, CCAA)| Live Stats

April 16

3 & 5:00 CT – RV West Florida (33-11, 19-8 Gulf South) at No. 21 Delta State (33-12, 21-6 Gulf South) | Live Stats | Audio

12 & 2:00 PT – RV Azusa Pacific (27-9, 14-4 PacWest) at No. 9 California Baptist (35-7, 18-4 PacWest) | Live Stats & Video

1 & 3:00 PT – No. 3 Humboldt State at San Francisco State | Live Stats

April 17

12 & 2:00 ET – No. 19 Caldwell (23-10) at New Haven (17-9) | Live Stats | Video

1 & 3:00 ET – Charleston (32-7, 19-3 Mountain East) at No. 16 West Virginia Wesleyan (37-5, 19-3 Mountain East) | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Video (G1 / G2)

1:00 CT – RV West Florida at No. 21 Delta State | Live Stats | Audio

DI – No. 5 Louisiana-Lafayette at No. 1 Florda

April 16-17 (Sat.-Sun.) | 1:00 (DH) / 1:00 ET | Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium | Gainesville, Fla. | SEC Network+ (G1 / G2 / G3)

TEAMS

QUICK HITS

32-3

Twitter

Facebook

* Louisiana swept Georgia State in a three-game Sun Belt series in Atlanta to extend its winning streak to seven games
* Lexie Elkins was named a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 finalist… She was named a top-26 finalist last season
* Elkins, one of Division I’s premier power hitters and catchers, is out approximately 4-6 weeks with a thumb injury… She is tops in the nation with 17 home runs
* Aleah Craighton was named Sun Belt Player of the Week… She is currently hitting .386 with 10 doubles, 13 home runs and 38 RBI
* The pitching staff has the fourth-lowest ERA in Division I and is led by the combined effort of Alex Stewart and Kyle Jo Trahan… Stewart is 17-1with a 1.55 ERA, 121 strikeouts in 122 innings, while Trahan is 10-2 with a 1.76 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 67.2 innings… Both hurlers have walked just 19 batters and recorded five shutouts each

38-3

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Game Notes | Statistics | Audio

Team BA: .321 | Team ERA: 0.85 | Runs Scored: 245 | Runs Allowed: 41

* Coming off a suspended extra-inning affair against No. 8 Florida State… The scoreless game was halted with one out in the bottom of the ninth and will be resumed on May 4th in Tallahasee prior to the scheduled road contest against the Seminoles
* Gators started an eight-game homestand on Wedenesday
* Returned to the No. 1 ranking after falling to No. 2 in the NFCA poll last week
* Owns the highest winning percentage (.927) in the country and is on top of the the SEC with a 12-3 mark
* Florida is unbeaten in its last 26 regular season non-conference games and has won 117-of-119 non-league games dating back to the start of the 2013
* The Gators sport the best ERA (0.84) and fielding percentage (.982) in Division I, allowing just 41 runs and committing 19 errors through 41-plus games
* Aleshia Ocasio and Delanie Gourley were named Top 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year

DI – No. 10 Georgia at No. 15 Missouri

April 16-17 (Sat-Sun) | 1:00 / 7:00 ET | Jack Turner Stadium | Athens, Ga. | SEC Series | G1 ESPNU | G2 SEC Network

TEAMS

QUICK HITS

#15
31-10, 10-5

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Softball Central | Statistics | Audio

Team BA: .335 | Team ERA: 2.35 | Runs Scored: 319 | Runs Allowed: 120

* The Vols are coming off a four-win week which included a series sweep of then-No. 11 Texas A&M
* Rainey Gaffin was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of hte Week and SEC Player of the Week… She recorded eight RBI and a 1.077 slugging percentage to go along with two wins in the circle
* Tennessee holds a 37-29 advantage in teh series and has won seven straight dating back to 2012… The Vols have been victorious in 14 of the last 16 meetings
* This will be Tennessee’s fifth straight ranked SEC opponent and is 7-2 over their last nine contests against ranked foes
* The Vols are averaging 7.78 runs per game
* Gaffin is batting .380 with 11 doubles, four home runs, 31 RBI and 22 runs, while posting an 8-2 mark in the circle with a 2.47 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 73.2 innings… Freshman Aubrey Leach tops the squad with a .387 average, while Meghan Gregg paces the offense with a .373 average, 12 doubles, five homers, 46 RBI and 33 runs scored

#10
35-8, 8-4

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Game Notes | Statistics | Live Stats (G1 / G2)

Team BA: .371 | Team ERA: 2.01 | Runs Scored: 321 | Runs Allowed: 102

* The Bulldogs trounced in-state rival Georgia Tech, 15-0 on Wednesday as Chelsea Wilkinson and Kylie Bass combined on a five-inning perfect game… Tina Iosefa and Alex Hugo each homered twice
* Georgia swept then-No. 15 Missouri in Columbia to move into a tie for fifth with Alabama in the SEC
* Cortni Emanuel was named a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 finalist
* Alyssa Dicarlo was tabbed SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season… She is hitting .389 on the season with 11 doubles, 41 RBI and 31 runs scored
* The victory against GT brought head coach Lu Harris-Champer’s overall win total to 975 with 766 of those coming with the Bulldogs
* Emanuel leads the squad with 65 hits, 47 runs, .503 OBP and 27 stolen bases
* Iosefa leads the squad with 16 round trippers, 63 RBI and .878 slugging percentage
* Wilkinson is 20-2 with a 1.80 ERA and 147 strikouts in 132.1 innings, while holding her opponents to a .189 batting average

DI – RV South Alabama at Georgia Southern

April 16-17 | 3 & 5:00 / 1:00 ET | Eagle Field ast GS Softball Complex | Statesboro, Ga. | Sun Belt Series

TEAMS

QUICK HITS

24-11, 12-2

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Game Notes | Audio

Team BA: .302 | Team ERA: 2.11 | Runs Scored: 176 | Runs Allowed: 88

* Riding a six-game winning streak and have swept their last two conference series against Georgia State and UT Arlington
* Offensively Emily Messer is hitting a team-best .463 with 57 hits, eigh double, five triples and 34 runs scored… Steph Pilkington (.337) has knocked in a team high 26 runs with nine doubles, two homers and 20 runs…
* The Jaguars have only eight home runs this season and actually have one more triple than long balls
* In the circle, Devin Brown is 14-7 with a 1.43 ERA, nine shutouts and 226 punchouts in 141.2 innings… The southpaw held her opponents to a mere .157 batting average

24-27, 9-3

Twitter

Facebook

Game Notes | Statistics | Live Stats (G1 / G2 / G3) | Video ($)

Team BA: .288 | Team ERA: 3.94 | Runs Scored: 201 | Runs Allowed: 195

* Coming off a 6-4 win over Kennesaw State in mid-week action, the Eagles have won four straight and six of their last seven
* Third in the Sun Belt, one game in loss column behind South Alabama
* Morgan Robinson and Lydia Witkowski pace the offense… Robinson is batting .309 with a team-best eight home runs, 43 RBI and .561 slugging percentage… Witkowski hits a team-high .352 and also leads the squad with 50 hits, four triples and 33 runs scored
* Dixie Bailey is 17-8 with a 3.24 ERA, three shutouts and 144 strikouts in 142.2 innings and has held opponents to a .226 batting average

Other Notable Division I Games

April 15

3:00 ET – Kent State (24-13, 7-4 MAC East) at Miami (23-14, 8-2 MAC East) | Live Stats | Video

3:45 & 6:30 CT – RV Texas (27-10, 2-3 Big 12) at No. 12 Oklahoma (31-7, 6-1 Big 12) | Live Stats | Audio (Texas / Oklahoma)

6:00 ET – RV Ohio State (xx) at No. 2 Michigan (29-4, 7-2 Big Ten) | Live Stats | BTN2GO

6:00 ET – No. 18 Missouri (28-10, 5-7 SEC)at No. 16 Kentucky (35-8, 11-4 SEC) | Live Stats | SEC Network+

6:30 CT – No. 4 Alabama (36-7, 8-4 SEC) at No. 16 Texas A&M (31-9, 5-7 SEC) | Live Stats | Audio (Alabama / A&M) | SEC Network+

7:00 PT – RV California (20-15-1, 5-5-1) at No. 9 Washington (26-8, 7-5 Pac-12) | Live Stats | Live Audio

April 16

1:00 ET – No. 18 Missouri at No. 16 Kentucky | Live Stats | SEC Network+

1 & 3:00 ET – Lehigh (25-9, 6-0 Patriot) at Army West Point (24-14, 6-2 Patriot) | Live Stats | Audio

1 & 3:00 ET – Kent State at Miami | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Video

2:00 ET – RV Ohio State (25-8-1, 9-1-1 Big Ten) at No. 2 Michigan (30-4, 8-2 Big Ten) | Live Stats | BTN2GO

2:00 CT – RV Texas at No. 12 Oklahoma | Live Stats | Audio (Texas / Oklahoma) | ESPN2

3:00 CT – No. 4 Alabama at No. 16 Texas A&M | Live Stats | Audio (Alabama / A&M) | SEC Network+

4:00 MT – No. 21 Arizona State (27-13, 3-6 Pac-12) at RV Utah (24-13, 5-4 Pac-12) | Live Stats | Pac 12 Networks

7:00 PT – RV California at No. 9 Washington | Live Stats | Live Audio

April 17

1:00 ET – No. 18 Missouri at No. 16 Kentucky | Live Stats | SEC Network+

1:00 ET – Lehigh at Army West Point | Live Stats | Video

2:00 ET – RV Ohio State at No. 2 Michigan | Live Stats | BTN2GO

3:00 CT – No. 4 Alabama at No. 16 Texas A&M | Live Stats | Audio (Alabama / A&M) | SEC Network+

12:00 PT – RV California at No. 9 Washington | Live Stats | Live Audio

7:00 MT – No. 21 Arizona State at RV Utah | Live Stats | Audio | Pac 12 Networks

DIII – No. 8 Illinois Wesleyan at No. 24 (tie) Wheaton (Ill.) | College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin DH

April 16 | 2 & 4:00 ET | Ruth Leedy Field | Wheaton, Ill.

TEAMS

QUICK HITS

19-5, 4-2

Twitter

Statistics

Team BA: .340 | Team ERA: 2.27 | Runs Scored: 136 | Runs Allowed: 66

* Senior outfielder Mary Rankin was this week’s CCIW Hitter of the Week after batting .647 (11-for-17) with five runs, four doubles, eight RBI and a .882 slugging percentage in the Titans’ 5-1 week
* Illinois Wesleyan’s .340 overall team batting average is just one point behind Wheaton, but leads Wheaton in CCIW play (.348 to .341)
* Wednesday’s 1-0 extra-inning loss to Millikin snapped four-game win streak and a stretch over which the Titans won 19 of 20 games
* Senior Jenna Noland and sophomore Mackenzie Marquis have combined to go 18-5 and pitch 133 of the Titans’ 157 innings in the circle
* Noland and Marquis combined to fan 25 Millikin batters and allow just five hits over 14 innings in the doubleheader split.

#24 (tie)

20-6, 6-2

Twitter

Statistics | Live Stats | Audio

Team BA: .341 | Team ERA: 2.15 | Runs Scored: 190 | Runs Allowed: 80

* Senior Katie Thornton earned her second CCIW Pitcher of the Week honor of the season after going 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched for the Thunder
* The Thunder are 14-3 over their last 17 games and 8-2 at home this season
* Leading hitter Thornton was 2-for-2 with a solo homer in Wheaton’s last game, a 15-3 five-inning win in the nightcap of a doubleheader split with Carthage. She also has a 14-4 record and 0.83 ERA in the circle
* Junior Katie Yergler (.424, three doubles, five triples, three homers) and freshman Hannah Clark (.391, eight steals) help anchor an offense that boasts five players hitting better than .380
* The Thunder pitching staff has nearly two and a half strikeouts for every walk they allow

Other Notable Division III Games

April 15

6:00 CT — Louisiana College (17-15) at No. 1 Texas-Tyler (31-2) | Suddenlink Field | Tyler, Texas

April 16

1 & 3:00 ET — Alfred (14-6) at No. 21 Ithaca (16-6) | Kostrinsky Field | Ithaca, N.Y. | Live Stats| Video

1 & 3:00 CT — No. 2 Luther (27-1) at Buena Vista (18-11) | Softball Field | Storm Lake, Iowa | Live Stats (Gm 1)| Live Stats (Gm 2)

By Tncse

French guards blockade prisons after ‘radicalized’ inmate stabbed 2 officers (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

Prison guards have blocked access to 18 prisons in France after two colleagues were stabbed in a brutal attack by a ‘radicalized’ inmate in Normandy. The prisoner’s wife, who was visiting at the time, died in the incident.

About 60 guards have blocked the Condé-sur-Sarthe prison in north-western France, the scene of Tuesday’s horrifying attack, setting fire to tires and palettes outside the secure facility. The two guards were seriously injured in the stabbing, and the suspect was shot and wounded by police.

The inmate is believed to have become a radicalized Islamist inside prison, with Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet telling French media there “is no doubt as to the terrorist nature of this attack.” The man’s wife, who died during the 10-hour siege following the stabbing, is thought to have smuggled a knife in to him during her visit.

A local union leader at the Fleury-Merogis prison outside Paris told the AFP that “colleagues want to go to work but we do not abandon them, we do not send them to die.” Footage from the prison shows that riot police have arrived on the scene and are calling on the guards to remove their blockades.

Think your friends would be interested?

By Tncse

Recent News

Category: News

DII – No. 1 Indianapolis at No. 8 University of Missouri-St. Louis

April 17 | 12:00 CT (DH) | UMSL Softball Field | St. Louis, Mo. | Great Lakes Valley Series

38-1, 21-1

41-4, 19-3

DI – No. 5 Louisiana-Lafayette at No. 1 Florda

April 16-17 (Sat.-Sun.) | 1:00 (DH) / 1:00 ET | Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium | Gainesville, Fla. | SEC Network+ (G1 / G2 / G3)

32-3

38-3

DI – No. 10 Georgia at No. 15 Missouri

April 16-17 (Sat-Sun) | 1:00 / 7:00 ET | Jack Turner Stadium | Athens, Ga. | SEC Series | G1 ESPNU | G2 SEC Network

#10 35-8, 8-4

DI – RV South Alabama at Georgia Southern

April 16-17 | 3 & 5:00 / 1:00 ET | Eagle Field ast GS Softball Complex | Statesboro, Ga. | Sun Belt Series

24-27, 9-3

DIII – No. 8 Illinois Wesleyan at No. 24 (tie) Wheaton (Ill.) | College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin DH

April 16 | 2 & 4:00 ET | Ruth Leedy Field | Wheaton, Ill.

19-5, 4-2

20-6, 6-2

#10
35-8, 8-4