Speaking recently on ESPN Dallas 103.3, the Mavericks great shared his thoughts on the Raptors winning their first NBA title after defeating the Warriors in Game 6 on Thursday and saluted the injured stars for their last-ditch effort at a three-peat. “Well deserved, that fan base deserves it. It’s a fun place to play up there,” Nowitzki said, via the Dallas Morning News. “But sad, of course, for (Kevin) Durant and Klay (Thompson)....

On December 23, the United Kingdom reported its highest number of daily recorded COVID-19 figures since the pandemic began, with 106,122. The previous record was 68,053 on January 8, 2021, when the U.K. was in lockdown. The U.K. government is tackling the rise with a renewed push for everyone to get a booster shot of the COVID vaccine. All adults over age 18 are currently eligible as long as they had their second dose of the vaccine at least three months ago....

The idea of crawling out from under the covers and heading to “Camp Sanderson” for intense hour-long offseason sessions with Jon Sanderson, Michigan’s strength and conditioning coach, and teammate Caris LeVert wasn’t exactly appealing when his whole body ached and he would have rather stayed in bed at least a few more minutes. In those bleary-eyed moments, Stauskas always returned to the darkest hour of his college basketball career and found ample motivation....

Sharks are cartilaginous fish, meaning their skeletons are made from cartilage rather than bone. It is generally thought this type of skeleton evolved before bony ones, suggesting sharks split from other animals before this happened. While sharks kept their cartilaginous skeletons, other creatures went on to develop bones. However, this notion of how they evolved is starting to change. In 2015, scientists announced the discovery of a 380-million-year-old shark that appeared to have the remnants of bone cells within its cartilaginous skeleton....

“I think as time goes on, we all grow and improve and become better versions of ourselves, and I’m no different than that,” he said during a video conference with reporters, according to The Associated Press. “You learn from all the experiences that you’re in, and you become better. “It’s no different right now, going through a very trying time right now in the world with the global pandemic, and I believe we’re going to come out of this, and when we come out of this people are going to be better people for it and more passionate and compassionate towards each other and more patient....

Local non-profit organization White Shark Conservation Trust (WSCT) posted an image of the dead animal—a juvenile—over the weekend. The non-profit said the shark appeared to have stab wounds to the head, indicating that it was killed after it was brought to shore at Pilot Bay, Tauranga—located on New Zealand’s North Island. “Someone must have seen the shark being caught or cut up,” WSCT said in a Facebook post accompanying the photo....

Rob Marshall, who will be directing the film, said: “After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role.” Bailey has made a name for herself alongside older sister Chloe, 21, in the R&B group Chloe x Halle. The pair first rose to prominence in 2013 in when their cover of the Beyoncé song “Pretty Hurts” landed Bailey and her sister a music contract with Parkwood Entertainment....

The ad released on the Disney Parks Jobs Twitter account shows cast members throughout Disney World parks and resorts greeting guests by saying “Welcome home,” while wearing face masks. The clips are interspersed with attractions and rides from the park such as Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life and a parade in front of Cinderella’s Castle. The ad ends with a stormtrooper from Star Wars putting his own spin on the greeting....

The Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Collection, created in collaboration with Allure Bridals, features a total of 16 wedding gown styles in different silhouettes and fabrics. The designs all capture “the style and spirit of Disney Princess characters such as Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Tiana, and Snow White,” according to a statement from Allure Bridals. The fantasy gowns feature various timeless silhouettes, with “romantic ball gowns, mermaid trains and fit-and-flare hemlines” incorporated throughout the collection....

Did Nanny really know best? Thatcher’s rebellious children came of age after her sweep to power in 1979, and most have no memory of any Labor government. But crushed by the longest recession since the 1930s, they have lost Conservative faith. Major has presided over mortgage rates of 15 percent and unemployment rates of 9.4 percent. In 1987 Britons 18 to 34 years old narrowly went Tory. But plenty of 28-year-old money managers have lost their jobs in London’s financial district, and the latest MORI poll shows young voters leaning heavily toward Labor....

Erivaldo Alves Silva shared video of his find in the waters off the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, 220 miles from the Brazilian coast. Silva was diving to catch octopi on Sept. 14 when he came across the unusual specimen, which he didn’t recognize right away. His footage shows what appears to be an orange-colored pouch floating on the water. “I have never seen such a thing in my life,” he said....

Shlomi Katzin, a diver from Atlit, Israel, was scuba diving off the Carmel Coast on Saturday when he spotted several artifacts on the seafloor that were uncovered by currents and ocean waves. The artifacts included pottery fragments, anchors made of stone and metal, and the sword with a meter-long blade. Katzin brought the artifacts up to the surface worried that they would be covered up by sand again and contacted the IAA’s Northern District Robbery Prevention Unit inspector Nir Distelfeld....

The rookie’s debut was in question after he had knee surgery, which found “minimal” damage, just less than three weeks ago. Metcalf, however, said he’s ready to play in Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Bengals at CenturyLink Field. “I sharpened up my mental game,” he said (via the Seattle Times). “I got to learn the offense a little more. Coming from that first game, I kind of got used to the speed of the game....

Although humans started domesticating the animals thousands of years ago, researchers have only just begun to investigate their ability to communicate with humans. A study by behavioral scientist Atsuko Saito from Sophia University in Tokyo found cats can indeed recognize their owner’s voice. The report, titled “Vocal recognition of owners by domestic cats” and published in the Animal Cognition journal in 2013, determined that cats are able to use vocal cues alone to distinguish between humans....

Pancreatic Enzymes The first study assessed the effectiveness of prescribing the pancreatic enzyme lipase to patients who suffer from the symptoms of diarrhea predominant IBS (IBS-D) following meals (postprandial). Lipase is an enzyme that assists with the digestion of fat. The study used a pancrelipase formulation known as PEZ. The study design required participants to identify their own trigger foods and to take either PEZ or a placebo prior to eating meals that contain those triggers....

It may sound like an innocuous jingle. But listen again: this commercial for St. Ides malt liquor has all the subtlety of a drive-by shooting. Broadcast on urban contemporary radio stations, the spot compares a bottle of the potent brew to a Smith & Wesson handgun. A few lines later, it alludes to pouring liquor “out on the curb for the homies,” a reference, in urban parlance, to the tradition of dumping beer into the street in honor of an absent–often deceased–gang member....

Physical therapists work in a variety of settings. You can find them in hospitals, nursing homes, and sports clinics. There are even physical therapists who can come to your home after an injury. Physical therapists work with people across the lifespan as well, from birth until the end of life. Physical therapist Dana Davis describes physical therapy as a conservative treatment method addressing the management, healing, and prevention of injuries and disabilities....

After a difficult start to the season, which included a home loss to Brighton & Hove Albion and that hugely embarrassing 4-0 loss at Brentford, Erik ten Hag has taken a firm grip on the tiller of a ship that has been listing in troubled waters for far too long. Fourth in the Premier League and alive in three knockout competitions, this could end up being a highly successful first term in charge for the former Ajax boss....

The verdict on whether pets can help you live longer is a bit astonishing, even to the researchers who discovered it. University of California, Riverside health researchers Howard Friedman and Leslie Martin analyzed data collected from an 80-year study of 1,500 people. The study, initiated in 1921 by psychologist Lewis Terman, is one of the only long-term studies that follow people from their childhood onward. About the Findings Subjects in their 60s were asked detailed questions about how often they played with pets....