Preliminary magnitude 5.1 quake shakes Southern California amid Hilary threat

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 jolted parts of Southern California Sunday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, as residents in the region braced for Tropical Storm Hilary.

The earthquake was centered about four miles southeast of Ojai, California, about 80 miles northwest of Los Angeles. It struck shortly after 2:40 p.m. local time at a depth of approximately 9 miles, the USGS said.

Following the earthquake, several aftershocks with magnitudes up to nearly 4 were recorded in the area, according to the USGS. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said no tsunamis were expected.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services said assessments were underway. No substantial issues, such as injuries and major damages, were immediately reported.

“We are currently surveying all cities and counties,” said Ventura County Fire Department Deputy Chief Chad Cook.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office also said it was actively monitoring the areas of Ventura and Los Angeles, noting that residents should be prepared for potential aftershocks.

'Very sharp' earthquake

During a live broadcast about the earthquake, seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones said it was the first time that a magnitude 5.0 quake or higher had registered in the area since 1941.

Frances Fitting, who works at a local department store, described the quake as "very sharp" and said the area continued to have aftershocks. "We still have power and most of the things are still intact," she added.

Several parts of the Los Angeles area also felt the violent shake as Southern Californians shared their shock on social media.

Correlation with Tropical Storm Hilary?

The earthquake occurred at the same time a historic tropical storm hit Southern California. Although Hilary has been downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, officials are warning of the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flooding for much of the southwestern United States.

To the best understanding of geoscientists, the earthquake is coincidental, and not related to heavy rainfall in the Los Angeles area, Daniel L. Swain, a climate scientist at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California, Los Angeles, told USA TODAY on Sunday.

And according to the USGS, there is "no pattern in California of large, damaging earthquakes occurring more frequently during periods of heavy precipitation or periods of drought."

"It's unlikely that seismic hazard is affected by precipitation," the agency said on its website. "This makes sense as rainwater cannot easily percolate several kilometers below the earth's surface to the depths where most earthquakes occur."

 

Wander Franco allegations draw mixed reactions in Tampa, Dominican Republic

Recio, who also works as a general editor for ESPN Deportes in the Dominican Republic, said Wednesday that if Franco does not have a lawyer who could speak on his behalf, getting one would be “a good idea.”

“It’s important to understand that in our legislation, there are no consensual relationships between a minor and an adult,” said Recio. “There are no mitigating factors.”

Dominican authorities who are following the case said they are unable to share details while they’re investigating, gathering information and verifying other details.

For now, we ask for your understanding, because any information that is disclosed could hinder the process,” said the Attorney General’s Office.

Relationships between adults and minors under 18 years of age are prohibited in the Dominican Republic under Law 136-03, which outlines the Code for the Protection and Fundamental Rights of Children and Adolescents. This code stipulates prison sentences ranging from two to five years, as well as fines. Dominican authorities categorize such relations as sexual abuse. This applies even if the minor gives consent.

On Monday, a group from Major League Baseball traveled to Peravia province, along the southern coast of the Dominican Republic, as part of the league’s investigation, according to El Nuevo Diario. The office of the National Agency for Boys, Girls, Adolescents and Family and Gender Violence Unit, which is handling the Franco probe and is chaired by Dominican judge Olga Diná Llaverías, a specialist on child abuse cases, is also located in Peravia.

According to Recio, this is the first publicly known instance of issues related to minors involving a Dominican baseball player in a country where baseball is the most popular sport. Baseball, known as “pelota” in the Caribbean nation, often represents a chance to overcome poverty and aspire to a brighter future.

On Sunday, social media posts went viral alleging Franco has been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a minor in the Dominican Republic. The following day, Franco and the Rays mutually agreed for him to be placed on the restricted list for at least a week and “take leave from the club” as Major League Baseball’s investigation continued. That stay could be extended pending the status of the investigation. The Rays have agreed to pay Franco during his time on the restricted list.

Some Dominicans believe the allegations against Franco are a case of extortion against a wealthy player; others think he is guilty.

“But one thing is for sure: Baseball is both a conservative and family-oriented sport,” said ESPN Deportes reporter Enrique Rojas, who is Dominican and lives in Central Florida.

While some individuals might remain unaffected by a tarnished reputation, that’s not the case in baseball. It’s rare to hear about a baseball player being involved in such a relationship,” said Rojas. “And even in a country as liberal as this, there’s a strict stance against offenses related to sexual activities with minors.”

Since the Rays started playing as a Major League Baseball franchise in 1998, they have rapidly and consistently diversified their roster with Latino players. This tradition has gone hand in hand with the signing of million-dollar contracts, such as Franco’s, the biggest contract in Rays history: $182 million over 11 years and up to $223 million over 12. For that reason, Dominican fans in Tampa Bay felt the news like a slap in the face.

“The allegations are so serious that they can impact the future of one of our best players,” said Miguel Mieses, 38, a Dominican father from Riverview and a dedicated fan of the Rays. “I would no longer like to support him as a player, because he is involved in something so delicate.”

Another Dominican, Francisco Martinez, 54, from Tampa, believes Franco is not innocent but said some girls might do a lot for fame and money.Wendy Dominguez, 51, from Seffner, called it unfortunate to see Franco in such controversy.

Bitcoin drops to new two-month low as world markets sell off

LONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Top cryptocurrency bitcoin hit a fresh two-month low on Friday, breaking out of its recent tight range as a wave of risk averse sentiment swept through world markets.

On Thursday, bitcoin fell 7.2% in its biggest one-day drop since November 2022 when top exchange FTX collapsed.

It then slipped to a two-month low of $26,172 during Asian trading hours on Friday, its lowest since June 16 . By 0835 GMT, it had partly recovered to $26,441, down 0.8% on the day.

Global markets have been hit by a wave of selling, with Wall Street's main indexes closing lower on Thursday and Asian shares heading for a third week of losses over concerns about China's economy and fears that U.S. interest rates would stay higher for longer given a resilient economy.

Ether, the second biggest cryptocurrency, was steady at $1,685.20 , having also dropped sharply on Thursday.

Some analysts attributed crypto's drop to a Wall Street Journal report that Elon Musk's SpaceX sold its bitcoin holdings after writing the value down by $373 million. Musk is influential among crypto enthusiasts, and bitcoin prices have previously moved in response to his tweets.

The SpaceX report was the "immediate catalyst" for bitcoin's sell-off, said Ben Laidler, global markets strategist at eToro.

"The broader driver is that crypto assets are not immune to the deepening risk-off selling pressure seen across all asset classes," Laidler added.

Joseph Edwards, head of research at Enigma Securities, attributed the bitcoin price move to low volatility and a lack of enthusiasm from retail investors.

Bitcoin had been hovering close to $30,000 in recent months, having gradually recovered this year after dropping sharply in 2022 when various crypto firms collapsed, leaving investors with large losses.

Crypto markets were boosted in June by BlackRock applying to launch a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States. Some investors interpreted that move as an indication that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission would approve spot bitcoin ETF applications from various asset managers, including Grayscale.

"The big concern right now is that this might be a frontrun on the outcome of Grayscale's lawsuit against the SEC; optimism on that front has been keeping markets inflated above whether they might otherwise be for much of the summer," Edwards said.

Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; editing by Dhara Ranasinghe, Elaine Hardcastle

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari separate after a year of marriage

Spears and Asghari met on the set of a music video in 2016 and tied the knot at Spears' Los Angeles home last summer. Asghari has filed for divorce, a source said.

Pop star Britney Spears and her husband, Sam Asghari, have separated after just over a year of marriage, a source familiar with the situation said.

“They’re separated and it’s best for Britney," the source said in a text message.

Asghari has filed for divorce, according to a second source, who said Asghari has moved out of the home the couple shared and is living in his own place.

Representatives for Spears, 41, an Asghari, 29, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Spears and Asghari met on the set of Spears' "Slumber Party" music video in 2016 and began dating shortly afterward. The couple announced their engagement in September 2021 and held a star-studded ceremony inside Spears' Los Angeles home in June 2022.

Asghari told ABC's "Good Morning America" in an interview last year that the wedding was intimate, with 50 to 70 guests to celebrate with them. He said Spears was doing “amazing.”

Asghari said in an interview with ABC last year: “It’s just surreal, man. It was way overdue for us, and we imagined this thing being a fairy tale, and it was."

The couple have been through a tumultuous few years as Spears fought to terminate the conservatorship her family placed her under in 2008. Spears had no legal authority over her own medical decisions or contracts, including a legal marriage, until the conservatorship was

Spears also revealed during her testimony requesting the termination that she did not have the authority to remove her intrauterine device, a contraceptive, while she was under the conservatorship. She told the court in 2021 that she wanted to have more children and that she was unable to because of her legal limitations.

She and Asghari revealed in May last year that she had suffered a miscarriage. Spears said on Instagram at the time that the couple had lost their “miracle baby.”

“This is a devastating time for any parent,” her statement said. “Perhaps we should have waited to announce until we were further along, however we were overly excited to share our good news.”

Spears most recently posted Instagram photos of her and Asghari together in July riding horses on a beach. Weeks before that, she posted photos and videos of them traveling together. 

Man City vs Sevilla final score, updates, lineups, highlights and result as Guardiola's men win UEFA Super Cup shootout

Manchester City added the UEFA Super Cup to their Champions League title thanks to a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Sevilla in Piraeus.

Youssef En-Nesyri stole in between Nathan Ake and full debutant Josko Gvardiol to emphatically convert Marcos Acuna's cross and give Sevilla a 25th-minute lead.

City, who will be without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne for a number of months with a serious hamstring injury, hogged the ball for long spell but often lacked a creative spark.

En-Nesyri should have doubled his and Sevilla's tally early in the second half, with City indebted to a couple of fine saves from Ederson as Lucas Ocampos wrought havoc down the left flank.

Man City: (4-2-3-1, right to left): 31. Ederson (GK) – 2. Kyle Walker, 25. Manuel Akanji, 24. Josko Gvardiol, 6. Nathan Ake – 8. Mateo Kovacic, 16. Rodri – 80. Cole Palmer (19. Julian Alvarez), 47. Phil Foden, 10. Jack Grealish – 9. Erling Haaland

Sevilla: (4-2-3-1, right to left): 13. Bono (GK) – 16. Jesus Navas (4. Gonzalo Montiel), 22. Loic Bade, 6. Nemanja Gudelj, 19. Marcos Acuna – 8. Joan Jordan, 10. Ivan Rakitic – 5. Lucas Ocampos, 21. Oliver Torres (26. Juanlu), 17. Erik Lamela – 15. Youssef En-Nesyri

England Under-21 winger Cole Palmer nodded in Rodri's cross to score as he did in the Community Shield against Arsenal 10 days ago. 

On that occasion, City came up short from 12 yards but Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker completed a flawless set of spot kicks.

Ocampos, Rafa Mir, Ivan Rakitic and Gonzalo Montiel showed the prowess that saw Sevilla win the Europa League against Roma in a shootout but Nemanja Gudelj, who performed superbly to help shackle Haaland, drove his kick against the crossbar to hand Pep Guardiola the fourth Super Cup triumph of his career.

How will Man City replace Kevin De Bruyne?

Guardiola boasts a squad of enviable talent, if not the depth in numbers that many assume. De Bruyne’s absence will sting and, after a close season where Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez departed for pastures new, there is a fairly sizeable deficit in terms of goal involvements that will need making up. Haaland can’t just score all the goals, however much he might love the sound of that arrangement.

There was plenty of excitement about Phil Foden slotting into the De Bruyne role but he was largely ineffective until a late switch to the right flank. That was the position where Palmer excelled after half-time but City’s reported interest in the direct and rapid Rennes winger Jeremy Doku made sense as they toiled, too often one-paced and predictable, against a disciplined Sevilla defence.

Bernardo Silva is expected to return from illness against Newcastle at the weekend but Kovacic could prove to be a huge asset for this De Bruyne-less City. The summer signing from Chelsea looks every inch a Guardiola player. His penetrative dribbling in central areas provides a point of difference and he naturally looks for quick through passes to Haaland in moments when his colleagues are more inclined to put their foot on the ball.