Times Today Update

Between all the traveling I've done so far this year, I think I've done a pretty good job at eating healthy and keeping a steady workout. It's not easy, but it's so worth it! When I workout I feel like I have more energy to get things done plus working out always puts me in a great mood.  While I was shopping for new workout clothes, I thought I would create a guide for that fitness obsessed friend (we all have one or two) or even for you! You're on someone's Christmas List too, right!? Plus, I think fitness-related gifts are perfect for Christmas because January is just around the corner and the beginning of the year is when everyone is motivated to start working on new fitness-related goals.  Some of my essentials for working out are a pretty water bottle, a cute yoga mat, and a cool gym bag. But I've included cook books, towels, workout bands, and so much more! So whether your friend is a zen vegan who practices yoga every day, or your friend goes to the ...

BOSTON — It was clear that Jayson Tatum was going to be a huge part of the Boston Celtics' future when they drafted him with the No.3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. But the talented 19-year-old wasn't expected to log heavy minutes and be one of Boston's go-to guys through the first 22 games.  Things change. When the Celtics lost All-Star forward Gordon Hayward to a gruesome ankle injury just five minutes into the 2017-18 NBA season, Tatum's role expanded. The Duke product is averaging 13.7 points and shooting 49.7 percent from the field while playing 30.6 minutes per game early in the season, and the Celtics will continue to ask more of him as the season heads into 2018. Boston has needed to rely on the 19-year-old more than most NBA title contenders would like to, but Brad Stevens knows if the Celtics are to reach their ceiling in 2017-18, Tatum will be a big reason why.  "Well, you know, I think the biggest thing is that we need him," Stevens said Thurs...

​ The top secret project – known as Wildfire, a name recently registered by the Walkinshaw Group – involves shoehorning the LF3 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 used in the Cadillac CTS V-Sport under the bonnet of the Colorado dual-cab 4x4. It arrives as brands as diverse as Ford, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz look to expand the reach – and performance – of their top-end utes. For the Walkinshaw Group – which also produces HSVs for Holden – the Wildfire is the first step towards a new breed of high performance road cars. However, the company is tight-lipped for now. "We make a point of not discussing future models or business strategy," Walkinshaw Performance general manager, Gary Beer, said. "There are many projects we are exploring, but until we have a specific vehicle solution in place we won't be adding to the speculation." It's that dual personality that is shaping the new breed of hot utes. HSV is also working on a version of the Colorado; although, that car will us...

​ UFC NEWS - Express Sport brings you the latest headlines from the Ultimate Fighting Championship. UFC president Dana White has claimed he won't force Conor McGregor to fight again if he decides to retire from mixed martial arts. He said: "Do you know how many people, including Iole and all kinds of people over the last however many years, have been telling me, 'Georges St-Pierre is your biggest star. Don't tell me you don't want Georges St-Pierre to fight again.'  "Everybody says to me, 'You have to want this guy to fight, you've got to want this guy to fight.' I don't want anybody to fight, unless they want to fight. "This isn't a business where you can just make people fight. You either want it, or you don't. And that was my big thing with GSP. He wasn't acting like a guy who really wants it. At the end of the day, I'm going to run this business with or without anybody."  "Also I can be a dual champ, which...

​ For Jimmy Garoppolo, the wait is over. It's time to show he is ready to be a franchise quarterback, and that begins against his hometown team. Garoppolo makes his first start for San Francisco when the 49ers visit the Chicago Bears on Sunday in a game that matches struggling franchises. "It's exciting," he said. "It really is. I've got a lot of family and friends going. They're just as excited as I am. It's going to be a fun opportunity. Good challenge for our team." Garoppolo grew up a Bears fan in suburban Arlington Heights and played at Eastern Illinois. He had Brian Urlacher and Anthony Thomas jerseys as a youngster. But when he arrives at Soldier Field on Sunday, it will be his first time there for a Bears game. He'll have quite a vantage point as the 49ers (1-10) try to pick up a rare win and hand the Bears (3-8) their fifth straight loss. Acquired from New England for a second-round draft pick in late October, Garoppolo finally gets ...

Health and fitness startup MobieFit, co-founded by actress, activist and fitness advocate Gul Panag, has raised $1.35 million (Rs 8.7 Crore) in a pre-Series A funding round led by Dubai-based fund NB Ventures with co-investment from healthcare data management company MediAssist, a company statement said. Owned and operated by MobieFit Technologies Pvt. Ltd, the startup was established in 2015 by Gourav Jaswal, Shantanu Raghav, Pravar Peri and actress, and Panag. The company operates two health-related products, Mobiefit Run and Mobiefit Body, offering various fitness-related services including running tips and guidance, exercise routines, and health tips. "With the launch of its paid programmes six months ago, Mobiefit became the first fitness app from India to offer training programmes via in-app subscriptions" Panag said. The company had previously raised $1 million from MediAssist and other angel investors including Siddharth Parekh, founder of private equity firm Paragon ...

The Thunder lost to the Magic 121-108 Wednesday, extending their losing streak to three games. They have lost five of their last six. Many people have been critical of Oklahoma City so far this year, but Antonio Daniels may have summed up their problems best on the Thunder's postgame show. "This team is about talk right now," the 13-year NBA veteran turned analyst said on Fox Sports. "They are not taking anything from the pregame or postgame press conferences and applying it to the floor." What he is talking about is simple, and it was brought up on more than one occasion in the broadcast Wednesday, the team's offense is not running the way it should be. The team is not sharing the ball and it is costing the Thunder wins. The Thunder had just 17 assists on 38 field goals made Wednesday. It's easy to say it's a one-night thing, but in truth, it has been a season-long problem because the Thunder are averaging 21 assists per game — tied for 21st in the ...

​ An Uber-like service for ordering robot cabs is coming to WA. Perth, Western Australia's sunny capital, is set to become one of the first places in the world to trial an Uber-like driverless car ridesharing service. From April 2017, trial passengers will be able to order robot cars via their phones and be taken to such destinations as (fires up Wikipedia) Elizabeth Quay, Forrest Place, and the famous Swan River—without having to make small talk with anybody. Except for the human "chaperone" who is legally required to sit in on the ride to make sure nothing goes wrong. The West Australian government has partnered with the RAC and a French driverless car company, NAVYA, to bring the service to Perth. Another trial will take place in Paris, and in a US city yet to be announced. The cars use multiple 3D sensors to detect obstacles in their pathand respond to unexpected situations. They'll fit up to six passengers, driving at a maximum speed of 90km per hour (although du...

​ DETROIT – Francis Ngannoubelieves he has the support of the UFC brass going into Saturday's heavyweight title eliminator with Alistair Overeem at UFC 218. Ngannou (10-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who meets Overeem (43-15 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in the UFC 218 pay-per-view co-headliner at Little Caesars Arena following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass, is one of the few legitimate contenders who has yet to challenge current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic (17-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC). Overeem lost to Miocic by first-round knockout at UFC 203 just 14 months ago, and Ngannou believes there's little interest in a second fight. He believes the UFC would prefer him to win, and he said there's no doubt he would deserve a crack at the gold after beating Overeem. "Not just because (I'm a fresh contender), because I deserve it," Ngannou said at today's UFC 218 open workouts. "I'm contender No. 4, and Alistair is contender No. 1. After I beat him, what should be my ranking? Probably...

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) A week of missing practice with a groin injury allowed Clay Matthews to get an up-close view of injured quarterback Aaron Rodgers' rehab work after collarbone surgery. Matthews might be back this week for the Green Bay Packers. If the linebacker had any say, Rodgers might follow him back to the field in a few weeks, too. First things first for the Packers: Green Bay must beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday to keep flickering playoff hopes alive. Getting the veteran pass rusher back would help. "I'm feeling good actually," Matthews said after practice Wednesday. "But every day I was getting exponentially better, so I feel really good today … granted it was a light practice, but I definitely envision seeing myself out there Sunday."  Matthews returned to practice as a limited participant after missing all of last week leading up to the 31-28 loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers that left Green Bay at 5-6. It's two games out of a ...

Recent NBA trade rumors are out that the Los Angeles Lakers could be ready to trade Julius Randle for a 2018 first-round draft pick before February's deadline. Randle has been demoted to a substitute role this season after starting for head coach Luke Walton last year. Fansided's Hoops Habit suggested the rumor, saying that the Lakers are looking to obtain a first-round pick next year "to get back into the mix on draft day." The Lakers have had the top 2 pick in the last three years and had drafted Randle seventh overall in 2014. Randle is set to become a restricted free agent next summer as his rookie contract's expiration draws near. The report said that Randle "will likely be looking for a significant pay raise," which is something the Lakers are rumored to be not willing to give.  Lakers team president Magic Johnson is reportedly hoping to land two big name free agents in 2018, and according to the latest NBA rumors, spending "big bucks" on...

The study showed that when a nursing or pregnant mother is exposed to a food protein, it combines with her antibodies, which are transferred to the offspring through breastfeeding. Breastmilk of nursing mothers who eat foods that commonly cause allergy, such as milk, eggs, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish during pregnancy can help protect newborns from developing food allergies, suggests a new research. The mouse study, led by the University of Michigan, showed that when a nursing or pregnant mother is exposed to a food protein, it combines with her antibodies, which are transferred to the offspring through breastfeeding.  The food protein-antibody complexes are then introduced to the offspring's developing immune system, triggering the production of protective T immune cells that suppress allergic reactions to the food. These protective cells also persist after antibodies from the mother are gone, promoting long-term tolerance to the food.  The findings support th...

​ Raising a toddler can be hard at the best of times, but taking a one-year-old on a 1,800km hike across the outback presents a whole new parenting challenge. Lauren and Justin Jones have returned to their Sydney home after spending 102 days on foot with their now 18-month-old daughter, Morgan. The couple set off from Dockers Creek in the Northern Territory in July and ended their journey at Port Augusta in South Australia. The Jones's endured temperatures ranging from zero to 42 degrees, and battled severe thunderstorms and flash flooding. They received six food drops on their marathon trip, and survived on a basic diet of healthy freeze-dried vegetables. Morgan was pulled along in a custom-built buggy, while her parents walked by foot for an average of seven hours a day. Lauren and Justin documented their unique experiences in the outback on Instagram, with many photos capturing barren Australian outback. But taking on nature is nothing new for Justin, who has kayaked from Austra...

​ Eddie Alvarez cut a promo for the ages Monday ahead of his battle with Justin Gaethje. UFC 218's clash of fan favorites practically sells itself, but when asked whether Gaethje's typically violent self would show up Saturday in Detroit, all Alvarez could do was tell us to buckle up and expect nothing less than all-out war on "The MMA Hour." "I'm gonna be honest, I don't f--kin' know, I don't have a crystal ball," Alvarez said. "I don't know what's going to happen on Saturday ... I don't and I'm not going to lie to the fans. I will say this, it's going to be f--kin' nuts because I've spent a good deal of this training camp working not giving a f--k myself and I've been fighting better and better the less I care. I don't have a crystal ball but I can tell fans right now, nobody better grab a f--ckin' soda or popcorn during the fight because it's going to be something special to watch." A M...

Having taught sports law for many years, I am well aware of the rarity of sports-related cases that reach the United States Supreme Court, a number that can be counted on one hand. Well, we can add one to this short list, as this Monday the Court will hear oral arguments in Christie v. NCAA, a final attempt by New Jersey and its outgoing governor, Chris Christie, to overturn lower court rulings and legalize sports betting in the state. The Court will weigh the constitutionality of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), a 1992 statute that bars states from implementing sports gambling, with exceptions for Nevada and a couple of others who had pre-existing sports betting and were allowed to continue. New Jersey, seeing an opportunity to create revenue and juice flagging casino activity in Atlantic City, has waged a years-long battle with the sports leagues and the NCAA to have PASPA declared unconstitutional. And when the United States Solicitor General recommended t...

There are so many different reasons to at least consider going vegan. According to Julieanna Hever, MS, RD, CPT, a plant-based dietitian and health and fitness expert, "There is a spectrum of well-established benefits of a plant-based diet, from a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers to improved gastrointestinal health, immune function, and weight management." Rather than thinking about all the things you can't eat anymore, consider all the new and exciting things you get to try. "Have you seen how many varieties of whole grains and the wall of plant milks on the shelves these days?" Julieanna said. If you keep your thoughts positive - like a "glass half-full" person might - instead of whining about the food you're no longer eating, you'll enjoy cooking and eating much more. Experiment With New Dishes The restaurants and cafes where you're used to eating out may not have vegan options. Thi...

Ben Simmons has suffered an ankle injury in his much-anticipated first NBA clash with mentor LeBron James. James' Cleveland Cavaliers crushed Simmons' Philadelphia 76ers 113-91 in Philadelphia on Monday. The Cavaliers dominated most of the game and led by 12 points going into the final quarter, with James ending with 30 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. The arduous NBA season appears to be taking a toll on Simmons. An elbow injury forced the Australian rookie to miss the 76ers' game on Saturday against the Orlando Magic and with five minutes to go against the Cavs he was forced to the locker room with a sprained right ankle. The 21-year-old from Melbourne, who was given the defensive assignment on James, went scoreless in the second and third quarters and had a below average 10 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Simmons was averaging 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists heading into the game. Plenty of hype preceded the match-up, with James the four-time NBA MV...

Women's health has significantly worsened while that of men has improved since 1990, say scientists who suggests that gender disparities in the society is causing significant harm to the well-being of young females. Researchers at Umea University and Region Norrbotten in Sweden have studied health trends among women and men aged 25 -34 from 1990-2014. In 1990, 8.5% of women self-rated their health as being worse than peers in their own age group. In 2014, this trend increased to 20% of women. In contrast, a bigger part of the men self-rated their health as better at the end of the study period compared to the start. "In recent years, public debate has raised the issue of increased illness and sick leaves among women. Our study now shows, for the first time, that there are corresponding health trends also among young women," said Annika Forssen, co-author of the study published in the journal PLOS One. The researchers behind the study have, through a long- term, population...

The Cleveland Cavaliers (13-7) extended their winning streak to eight games Monday when they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (11-8). However, the reigning Eastern Conference champions could witness a roster shake-up closer to the Feb. 8 NBA Trade Deadline. According to Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon, the Cavs would be open to the idea of trading Tristan Thompson for Los Angeles Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan.  "A league source believes this move, (DeAndre) Jordan for (Tristan) Thompson, is one the Cavs would consider. How the Brooklyn pick figured in remains to be seen (Cleveland also has its own No. 1 pick), but if the Cavs felt Jordan was the only piece missing for them to take down the Warriors they'd have to consider this," Vardon wrote in a report published last Friday. Jordan, who signed a four-year, US$87 million (AU$113 million) deal with Los Angeles in 2015, is likely to decline his 2018-19 Player Option worth US$24 million (AU$31 million) this summer. As an unr...

There's probably at least one person in your office who taps their foot or shakes their leg incessantly while they work — maybe it's you. Indeed, some people concentrate better when they're able to fidget. And while "restless leg syndrome" sounds like it could explain this type of behaviour, it's actually something completely different. Restless leg syndrome is a neurological condition, which means any sensations it causes happen in the brain more than in the legs themselves. And while it is defined by an "irresistible urge to move the legs," according to Andy Berkowski, MD, a clinical assistant professor of neurology and sleep medicine at the University of Michigan Department of Neurology, it's not related to a general inability to sit still. If you're sitting at your desk for long periods of time, you might get uncomfortable or anxious because you haven't stretched or moved around. But with restless leg syndrome, people don't feel g...

Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball hasn't been your ordinary NBA rookie. Unlike most other greenhorns in the league, he doesn't have to put up solid stat lines to grab everyone's attention. Thanks in large part to his father's big personality, being a Ball is all it takes for Lonzo to be a daily conversation topic. That being said, he's still going to be judged more for his on-court exploits than his lineage. And while his shooting slump has been well documented, it doesn't affect how some people view Ball as a talented player who will only get better with time. Count Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant as among those who believe in the UCLA product.  Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball hasn't been your ordinary NBA rookie. Unlike most other greenhorns in the league, he doesn't have to put up solid stat lines to grab everyone's attention. Thanks in large part to his father's big personality, being a Ball is all it takes for Lonzo to be a ...

​ Georges St-Pierre became the UFC middleweight champion earlier this month, and he did it in a way not many saw coming. The long-time welterweight king scored a third-round rear-naked choke over then-champ Michael Bisping at UFC 217 in New York City. Since Bisping had only been submitted once in his entire 13-year-long MMA career and St-Pierre hadn't tapped anyone in a fight in almost 10 years, the idea of St-Pierre dethroning the champ with a submission was not a very popular one. However, grappling standout Garry Tonon went on record with MMA Fighting to say that there was a 'good chance' St-Pierre would submit Bisping days before their main event fight at MSG.  Tonon, who helped St-Pierre get ready for his 185-pound title bout, explained on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour why he felt confident that St-Pierre would end the fight with a submission. "Well, I did believe that that was going to be a high-probability circumstance mostly because I felt his skills to ...

​ Intro: Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans represented the fifth time this season the Indianapolis Colts were unsuccessfully able to protect a fourth-quarter lead. What was the talk in the locker room after Indy's 20-16 loss? INDIANAPOLIS — "Any given Sunday" is typically used to explain the ebbs and flows of a team's schedule with the expectation that the seesaw of an NFL season will tip a team's way a few times over the course of 16 regular season games. Sometimes it's a favorable call, a crazy bounce or just an exemplary performance by an individual or group that pushes a certain team over the top. But for one reason or another, that phrase doesn't seem to apply to the 2017 Indianapolis Colts in terms of winning close games, no matter how well the team plays, individually or collectively, for large stretches within each 60-minute set.  Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium was yet another trip down frustration ...

​ MARK Hunt is convinced he will fight in the UFC again after finally undergoing testing with American brain specialists. Six weeks after The Daily Telegraph first revealed Hunt had been withdrawn from UFC Sydney for "medical reasons", the veteran heavyweight has arrived in Las Vegas to attend the esteemed Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The Sydney slugger is expected to remain Stateside for at least a week, with the results of his screening due back within the fortnight. Already, Hunt has told close friends he's not only confident of being cleared, but will be back fighting with the company early in 2018 — most likely at UFC 221 in Perth next February. Slated to headline the UFC Sydney card at Qudos Bank Arena last Sunday, Hunt was sensationally withdrawn — and ordered to have extensive medical testing — after admitting to a series of health issues in an online edition of Players Voice.  In the website article, Hunt admitted to slurring his words, struggling to sleep a...

​ After another slow start, it's wildcard or bust for the Detroit Lions — but don't tell that to Jim Caldwell.  The Lions dug themselves a big hole for the third straight game, and it likely will cost them any chance of winning the NFC North.  Case Keenum threw for two touchdowns and ran for a TD as the Minnesota Vikings beat the Lions, 30-23, on Thanksgiving at Ford Field to take a three-game lead in the division with five games to play.  The deficit seems insurmountable for a Lions team that isn't playing its best football, though Caldwell warned not to rule his team out of the division race or playoffs. "Don't count us out just yet, all right?" Caldwell said. "We've got a lot of football yet to play and you don't know what's going to happen. There's other games that are being played, too. And that's a big thing. It'll act like, I know the media will paint it as the sky is falling. The sky is not falling for us. We've got to ...

26-year-old Sian Ryan is proof you don't have to do high intensity cardio workouts if you want to burn fat. Two years ago, Sian Ryan was unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend of 18 months on what was supposed to be a romantic weekend away. Heartbroken and shocked, Sian dragged herself to the gym so that she wouldn't just be sat at home crying. Fast forward two years, Sian has lost seven stone, six dress sizes and is now a newly-qualified personal trainer. "At my largest, I was 19 stone and a size 26," she told Cosmopolitan. "At first I went to the 24-hour-gym at night so no one could see me. I needed something to get me out of the house." She tried running on the treadmill at first, thinking that was what she had to do to lose weight, but she didn't enjoy it and it didn't work. She slowly realised that doing something you love and enjoy, consistently, is the key to getting healthier. And, for Sian, that was weightlifting. "I threw myself into ...

Some must-read Dubs material to get you through this off-day. When you watch a Golden State Warriors game, it can be easy to miss Klay Thompson. He doesn't scream, roar, and gesticulate like Draymond Green. He doesn't stand out as a physical specimen like Kevin Durant. And he doesn't create an endless stream of highlights like Stephen Curry. And if you blink, you'll miss him. Thompson may not seek attention, but he's clearly one of the league's elite players. And while his defense is incredible, and his playmaking improved, it's always been his shot that make him a great player. If you've ever wondered how Thompson manages to always get his shot off, even when crowded by a defender, well, you're not alone. FiveThirtyEight broke down Thompson's ability to find shooting space, which they determined was largely due to his incredibly quick transition from catching to shooting.  The best quarter of the season At the halfway point of Saturday's con...

​ In 2005, Cris Cyborg lost her mixed martial arts (MMA) debut, getting submitted by Erica Paes via kneebar in the very first round. Since that lightning-fast defeat, "Cyborg" has gone on one of the most terrorizing runs in all of MMA, winning 18 straight bouts. 16 of them via knockout. While impressive, every fighter -- Cyborg included — is beatable despite carrying an aura of invincibility into the cage night in and night out. It's a sentiment Holly Holm firmly believes in, as she says she won't make the mistake of losing the fight before it begins. "One of the biggest things is to believe that I can beat her. I think a lot of people see her as being unbeatable and they almost think they can't do it. If you don't think you can't do it, then it's not going to happen," said Holly on a recent edition of The MMA Hour. "When it comes down to the fight, it comes down to me performing it. She is very beatable, she is very tough and definitely...

​ Every time I open up Facebook, it seems another one of my friends has bought another car. Usually cheap, and of questionable classic provenance. A few of these friends have upwards of 10 vehicles, and the excuse for their most recent purchase is invariably that none of the others are working. But can you really care for and enjoy that many cars?  Former C&SC staffer 'Doctor' Dave Richards had a more practical outlook, underpinned by an agreement made with his better half before they were married. The rule? No more than six vehicles at any one time, which saw his fleet chop and change but never get too out of control. Great if you have the space to store the cars and the time to keep them running, but still no mean feat.  Every time I open up Facebook, it seems another one of my friends has bought another car. Usually cheap, and of questionable classic provenance. A few of these friends have upwards of 10 vehicles, and the excuse for their most recent purchase is invariabl...

​ There is nothing NBC would enjoy more than having the NFL "flex" the Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles to "Sunday Night Football" the final week of the season. That would mean a 16th game of the season at Lincoln Financial Field with playoff implications for both teams. A game with the NFC East championship on the line would be ideal. More realistically at this point, a game featuring the Cowboys' last ditch effort to tiptoe into the playoffs as a wildcard would be a strong contender as well. Coincidentally, the next step on the road to the New Year's Eve season finale comes Sunday when the Eagles visit the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.  The Eagles are soaring with the NFL's best record at 8-1. The Cowboys meanwhile are wobbling at 5-4. If the Cowboys have any hope to battle the Eagles for NFC East supremacy, Sunday's game would appear to be vital. "I hate to say it's a must win for the Cowboys, but it is as close to a must win as you can have...