Auburn Basketball Star Tahaad Pettiford, 19, Charged with DUI in Alabama

Auburn Basketball Star Tahaad Pettiford, 19, Charged with DUI in Alabama

Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Tahaad Pettiford, a star college basketball player at Auburn University, has been charged with DUI The 19-year-old athlete was arrested in Alabama early in the morning on Saturday, July 12, and released the same day Pettiford was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in March, and he chose to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft to spend another season in college Tahaad Pettiford, a star college basketball player at Auburn University, has been charged with DUI. According to reports fromESPNandYahoo Sports, the 19-year-old athlete was arrested early in the morning on Saturday, July 12, in Lee County, Ala., where Auburn is located. A source told ESPN that he was released about midday. According to jail records, he posted bond in the amount of $1,000. "We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family," Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl told PEOPLE in a statement. "We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward." Pettiford, a recent contender for the Southeastern Conference's Player of the Year, recently withdrew from the 2025 NBA Draft. Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty The teen averaged 11.6 points per game in his freshman season for Auburn, and his team secured the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, the outlets reported. The Auburn Tigers reached the final four that season. Though Pettiford eventually withdrew from the NBA Draft in hopes of solidifying himself as a first-round pick, experts and commentators projected that he would be selected late in the first round of this year's draft, or in the second round. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams," Pettiford toldESPNat the time of the draft in May. "Going back to Auburn is a better situation for me. I see myself being a higher pick next year. It wasn't 100% this year, so I didn't want to take that chance." "Being a short guard, it won't be easy to play in the league, but I know I can do it. It's maybe not the right time," he added. In March, Pettiford was named to theSEC All-Freshman Team, and ESPN reported that he is on the short list of players who may enter the 2025-2026 season as a possible preseason All-American. Read the original article onPeople

byMario Satorik

in

July 13, 2025

Auburn Basketball Star Tahaad Pettiford, 19, Charged with DUI in Alabama

Auburn Basketball Star Tahaad Pettiford, 19, Charged with DUI in Alabama Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Tahaad Pettiford, a star college basketb...

Read More

Cooper Flagg appears to be as good as advertised

Cooper Flagg appears to be as good as advertised

LAS VEGAS — It's just Summer League, keep repeating it. It's not the regular season, nowhere near it, but if Cooper Flagg struggled again, it would be cause for concern on some levels.The No. 1 pick, though, looked mighty comfortable in his second Summer League game Saturday— and probably his last one here in Las Vegas. It took a quarter and a half to find his rhythm but a flurry followed: walk-up triples, dunks in transition, dunks in traffic. All in all,the showdown between the No. 1 pick and No. 2 pick Dylan Harperwas as good as it was expected to be, even if it wasn't advertised on the same level as Flagg's debut against the Los Angeles Lakers — and Bronny James. As a hyped American prospect with plenty of expectations and a likely target on his back to go along with the hope in his eyes, Flagg seems ready for the weight that will follow him — on and off the floor. "Same thing going into college, same expectations, same people talking about you," Flagg said. This is different, this is the Show, and he seems well aware of what's expected of him. He's passing these preliminary tests thus far. Flagg finished with 31 points and four rebounds against a physical defense that followed him from the point the ball was inbounded to him, while Harper wasn't exactly a slouch himself with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 monster block in transition. DYLAN HARPER GOT UP FOR THE BLOCK 🔼(via@NBATV)pic.twitter.com/QNU1nwBPqf — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports)July 12, 2025 The only demerit on Flagg's performance was missing five of his 13 free-throw attempts in his 31 minutes. And if one cares about such things, the San Antonio Spurs did defeat the Mavericks, 76-69. The Mavericks fans in attendance couldn't care less about the final score, because once Flagg was pulled in the final minute, he was given a rousing ovation, and the fans weren't too far behind as they headed for the exits. They'd gotten their money's worth. "I got to the line a little bit better today, so missed a bunch of free throws," Flagg said. "You know, I know my mom probably wasn't very happy with that." In the front row of the Thomas & Mack stands sat several members of the Dallas Mavericks brain trust, starting with team architect Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd. They probably had to cover their mouths with laughter at some of the plays Flagg was making and the luck they've stumbled into, getting this level of talent following the season they had. They are probably not concerned about missed free throws, not in the least. Kidd made it known he wanted Flagg to play point guard in Summer League, to see how Flagg would fare in an uber-physical environment. Kidd did the same with Giannis Antetokounmpo when Antetokounmpo made his jump from raw athlete to polished freak of nature, and Kidd wants Flagg on a similar track, but quicker. Mavericks Summer League coach Josh Broghamer made note that in 60 minutes through two games, Flagg has committed just three turnovers. "I mean, I would say that's pretty good, especially with the ball pressure and, you know, Summer League spacing and all that stuff," Broghamer said. "We haven't knocked shots down here two games, and that's gonna allow people to be more aggressive against him. And he's handled it really, really well." The Mavericks signed D'Angelo Russell to serve as their point guard, especially as Kyrie Irving recovers from ACL surgery and is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season. But Flagg seems ready as a secondary playmaker to handle those duties, if two summer games are any indication. "I think I was pretty solid," Flagg said. "I think I was able to handle the ball against pressure and bring it up. So just depending on different matchups and what coach wants to, I think I did a solid job, for sure." Nobody's getting too far ahead, but it bears repeating time and again: Flagg's not even 19 yet, even as his basketball development hits the fast-forward button. "It's a new environment, new setting," Flagg said. "They want to see me be aggressive and do that type of stuff, so I was trying my best to just be aggressive and assert myself." It's just Summer League. Keep repeating it. But it's OK to look forward with wonderment.

byMario Satorik

in

July 13, 2025

Cooper Flagg appears to be as good as advertised

Cooper Flagg appears to be as good as advertised LAS VEGAS — It's just Summer League, keep repeating it. It's not the regular season...

Read More

Trump's attorney general drops fraud case tied to COVID vaccinations

Trump's attorney general drops fraud case tied to COVID vaccinations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday dropped a case against a Utah doctor accused of falsifying COVID-19 vaccination certificates and destroying more than $28,000 worth of government-provided COVID-19 vaccines. Bondi, in a statement posted on X, said Michael Kirk Moore Jr., of Salt Lake County, Utah did not deserve the jail time he was facing. Moore was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2023 and his trial had begun earlier this month. "Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so. He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today," Bondi said. COVID-19 vaccine skeptics have been embraced by the Trump administration. The Pentagon, for example, has sought to re-enlist servicemembers who were ousted for refusing to be vaccinated during the pandemic. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who for decades has sown doubt about the safety of vaccines contrary to evidence and research by scientists, wrote on X in April: "Dr. Moore deserves a medal for his courage and his commitment to healing!" According to a 2023 statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah, Moore allegedly ran the false certifications out of a plastic surgery center. His activities allegedly included administering saline shots to minors, at the request of their parents, so the children would think they were receiving COVID-19 vaccines, the statement said. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a U.S. lawmaker from Georgia and staunch Trump supporter, had championed dropping the case against Moore, who she called a hero in a statement on Saturday. "We can never again allow our government to turn tyrannical under our watch," she said in a post on X. The latest move by Bondi comes amid scrutiny of her firings of senior Justice Department officials who worked on investigations into Trump, stoking accusations of political retribution in a department whose mission is to enforce U.S. laws. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Barghav Acharya; Editing by Don Durfee and Alistair Bell)

byMario Satorik

in

July 13, 2025

Trump's attorney general drops fraud case tied to COVID vaccinations

Trump's attorney general drops fraud case tied to COVID vaccinations WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday d...

Read More

Americans' views on immigration take a massive positive swing amid Trump's crackdown

Americans' views on immigration take a massive positive swing amid Trump's crackdown

Americans'views on immigrationtook a massive positive swing this year amidPresident Donald Trump'songoing crackdown, according to new Gallup polling. The share of Americans who thought immigration should decrease – 55% – reached a 5-year high point in 2024. This year, it has dropped to 30%, and positive views of immigration have hit a record high of 79%, according topoll resultsreleased July 11. The poll surveyed 1,402 Americans between June 2 and 26. The Trump administration ramped up its promise tocarry out widespread deportationsin June, sending outmasked immigration agents to raidrestaurants, farms and hardware stores and touching off widespread protests.He has unveiled a new"Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility for migrants in the Florida Everglades. The administration hasfaced legal challengesat every turn, bringing it several times to thebrink of clashes with judgeswho have imposed barriers on the scale and tactics of the crackdown. During former PresidentJoe Biden's administration, Americans'views on immigration took a dipamid asurgeof migration andreports of disarrayon the southern border. But this year, even among Republicans, views on immigration have grown significantly rosier – 64% of Republicans now believe immigration is a good thing, a 25-point jump from June of 2024. The fraction of Republicans who think immigration should decrease has fallen from 88% to 48% in that time span. Trump's immigration policies are broadly unpopular, with just 35% disapproving of his handling of the issue, according to the poll. The Trump administration faced heavy pushback over its immigration policies in March when itdeported hundreds of mento a brutal prison in El Salvador – even though most were Venezuelan. It was forced to returnKilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man from El Salvador who a judge ordered could remain in the U.S., amid an ongoing legal battle. TheSupreme Court has since giventhe Trump administration the green light to deport people to countries from which they do not originate. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Americans' views on immigration hit a high point amid Trump crackdown

byMario Satorik

in

July 13, 2025

Americans' views on immigration take a massive positive swing amid Trump's crackdown

Americans' views on immigration take a massive positive swing amid Trump's crackdown Americans'views on immigrationtook a massiv...

Read More

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns Rookie, Arrested amid Allegations of Domestic Violence

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns Rookie, Arrested amid Allegations of Domestic Violence

Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Quinshon Judkins was reportedly arrested for alleged domestic violence on Saturday, July 12 The Cleveland Browns rookie, 21, received a charge of battery and domestic violence in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., per ESPN and CBS Sports He is currently being held in jail without bond, according to reports Cleveland Browns rookie Quinshon Judkins has been charged with alleged domestic violence, according to reports. The 21-year-old running back was arrested on a "touch or strike," battery and domestic violence charge in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, July 12, according to Broward County arrest records obtained byESPNandCBS Sports. A Browns spokesperson said they are aware of the situation and "gathering information," per ESPN. No other details surrounding the arrest have been shared at this time. Broward County Jail The Cleveland Browns drafted Judkins, an Ohio State high-achiever, with the 36th overall pick in the 2025 draft, per ESPN. He is one of over a dozen picks who remain unsigned following the second-round picks from this year's draft. The Alabama native kicked off his football career at Ole Miss University of Mississippi. He scored 2,725 yards and received 31 touchdowns on 545 carries throughout two seasons playing there in college, per CBS Sports. The football star then transferred to Ohio State, where he scored 14 touchdowns for the national champions, according to the outlet. Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Judkins is being held without bond in custody in Broward County jail, perDaily Mail. A date for a court hearing has reportedly not yet been scheduled. UnderFlorida law, the charge Judkins received is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of one year in jail, one year of probation and a $1,000 fine. PEOPLE has reached out to the Cleveland Browns, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Broward County Sheriff's Office for comment. Read the original article onPeople

byMario Satorik

in

July 13, 2025

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns Rookie, Arrested amid Allegations of Domestic Violence

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns Rookie, Arrested amid Allegations of Domestic Violence Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Quinshon J...

Read More

India bowlers dominate England on lively fourth morning at Lord's

India bowlers dominate England on lively fourth morning at Lord's

LONDON (AP) — India collected four wickets and England stumbled to 98-4 by lunch on a lively fourth morning of the third test at Lord's on Sunday. Mohammed Siraj took two wickets and Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep got the others. Joe Root was 17 not out at the interval with captain Ben Stokes on 2 and England was leading by 98 runs in its second innings. The pitch was offering plenty for the seamers with deliveries flying off a length, rearing up almost dangerously. It was such a minefield that England seemed fortunate to lose only two wickets in the first hour while Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj hurled the new ball. In Bumrah's five-over morning spell, he smashed Zac Crawley twice on the gloves and conceded three boundaries but all of them were uncontrolled edges. Siraj took the wickets from the other end. Ben Duckett went first on 12, swatting straight to mid-on. Siraj followed through by screaming "Come on" twice in Duckett's face and they brushed shoulders. It seemed to be a hangover from the first episode of spikiness in the series at the end of Saturday's play. India was riled by Crawley's deliberate time-wasting to prevent India from bowling more than one over. Siraj then got Ollie Pope next for 4, lbw to one that nipped back and would have hit the top of middle and leg. Siraj successfully reviewed to overturn the umpire's not out decision. Crawley's brave but skittish innings finished in the 15th over, driving at Reddy and edging to Yashasvi Jaiswal at backward point. While the Indians celebrated Jaiswal finally taking a catch — he dropped four in Leeds — Reddy seemed to be giving the departing Crawley a verbal spray. Reddy got Crawley, 22 off 49 balls, for the second time in the match. As the ball got older and became somewhat easier to play, Brook relieved the tension. He scooped Deep twice to the boundary then crashed the next delivery into the members' pavilion. But Deep got his revenge when Brook swept and Deep bowled him around the pads, flattening his middle stump for his first wicket of the match, and first wicket since his 10-for in Birmingham. Brook was out for 23 off 19 balls. Stokes, before he got off the mark, edged Deep but the ball didn't carry to second slip. England may have only nine wickets to play with in its second innings. Whether the injured Shoaib Bashir bats may depend on the situation. He injured the little finger of his non-bowling left hand on Saturday after lunch and didn't return to the field. England said on Sunday he will bowl again if India bats a second time. ___ AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

byMario Satorik

in

July 13, 2025

India bowlers dominate England on lively fourth morning at Lord's

India bowlers dominate England on lively fourth morning at Lord's LONDON (AP) — India collected four wickets and England stumbled to 98-...

Read More

Trump rips 'so-called' friends' attacks on Bondi, tells MAGA to move on from Epstein

Trump rips 'so-called' friends' attacks on Bondi, tells MAGA to move on from Epstein

WASHINGTON –President Donald Trumpthrew his full support behind Attorney GeneralPam Bondiin a furious social media post that lit into his "so-called 'friends'" in MAGA and told them to move on fromfevered demandsthat she release files related to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein," Trump wrote on July 12 in a lengthypost on Truth Social. Trump loyalists have been steadily berating Bondisince the Justice Departmentand FBI said that a "systematic review" of documents related to Epstein "revealed no incriminating 'client list.'" The statement led to allegations from far-right personalities, includingTucker Carlson, that the Trump administration was engaged in a cover-up. Bondi said earlier this year in an interview on Fox News after she was asked about Epstein's client list that it was"sitting on my desk right now to review."She promised at another point that"everything's going to come out to the public." Defending her stance at a July 8 Cabinet meeting at the White House, Bondi told reporters: "I was asked a question about the client list and my response was, 'It's sitting on my desk to be reviewed,' meaning the file, not the client list." Trump took another tack. In his statement on social media this weekend, he alleged that the government documents could have been written by political opponents and critics such as former President Barack Obama and former FBI Director James Comey, whom he fired during his first term. Epstein timeline:Trump's team promised transparency on Epstein. Here's what they delivered. "They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called 'friends' are playing right into their hands," Trump wrote. The dossier, assembled by former British spy Christopher Steele, contained salacious allegations about Trump, including alleged connections between the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. Trump saidhe'd considerdeclassifying the Epstein files during the 2024 presidential campaign. Vice President JD Vance called for the release of Epstein's purported client list last fall. FBI DirectorKash Patelrepeatedly pushed for the alleged client list to be released when Joe Biden was in the White House. "To me, that's a thing I thinkPresident Trumpshould run on. On Day 1, roll out the 'black book,'" Pateltold Glenn Beckon Dec. 13, 2023. In his social media post on July 12, the president offered the now-FBI director some cover. He said Patel and the FBI "must be focused on investigating" allegations of voter fraud and other red meat issues for the base, "instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein." He told his supporters not to "waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about." "LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB – SHE'S GREAT!" he said. Contributing: Aysha Bagchi This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump defends AG Pam Bondi, asks MAGA to move on from Epstein case

byMario Satorik

in

July 13, 2025

Trump rips 'so-called' friends' attacks on Bondi, tells MAGA to move on from Epstein

Trump rips 'so-called' friends' attacks on Bondi, tells MAGA to move on from Epstein WASHINGTON –President Donald Trumpthrew his...

Read More