USA TODAY's top 10 Travel stories of 2019: Hurricane, scorpion on plane, jetway births - USA TODAY
USA TODAY's top 10 Travel stories of 2019: Hurricane, scorpion on plane, jetway births - USA TODAY |
- USA TODAY's top 10 Travel stories of 2019: Hurricane, scorpion on plane, jetway births - USA TODAY
- A Decade Ends: Top-10 USA Highlights & Michael Phelps' Fond Farewell - Swimming World Magazine
- U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad stormed by protesters after Iraq airstrikes - NBC News
- NFL power rankings: Playoff-bound Titans crack top 10 in final poll of 2019 regular season - USA TODAY
| Posted: 31 Dec 2019 10:47 AM PST CLOSE  Before we officially put 2019 in the rearview mirror, we're taking one last look back at the travel stories that had readers clicking – and talking – this year. Surprisingly, the ongoing saga of the Boeing 737 Max groundings and the tourist deaths in the Dominican Republic that were initially linked to tainted alcohol (but were later attributed to natural causes) didn't make the top 10. Nor did the furor over rising resort fees or the trend toward banning Uber and Lyft from picking up passengers at the curb. Read on to see which stories did. 10. Viking Sky evacuates after issuing mayday off Norwegian coastOn a Saturday in late March, the oceanliner Viking Sky airlifted more than half of its 900 passengers after experiencing engine troubles and a harrowing encounter with rough waters and high winds off Norway's western coast. The next day, the ship limped into port with the aid of a towboat. Passenger Carolyn Savikas of Pennsylvania described the terror to Norway's VG newspaper, saying she heard a "terrible crash" and the ship rocked, causing water to rush in. "We were in the restaurant when a really huge wave came and shattered a door and flooded the entire restaurant," she said. "All I saw were bones, arms, water and tables. It was like the Titanic – just like the pictures you have seen from the Titanic." 9. Southwest passenger bombarded by 'inappropriate photos' from stranger on flightKat Pitman was settling into her aisle seat on a Southwest Airlines flight from Louisville to Chicago on a Friday morning in June, texting her husband, when her iPhone buzzed. She looked down to see an AirDrop request. Someone whose name she didn't recognize was sending her a pornographic image. The sender's name? A NSFW take on Bilbo Baggins from "The Hobbit.'' "It was just very explicit. It just shocked me,'' the 40-year-old frequent flyer said in an interview with USA TODAY. She said she was "amazed" when flight attendants picked up the intercom and told "Mr. Baggins'' to immediately stop AirDropping. And thanks to Pitman and Mr. Baggins, iPhone users realized they should change their Airdrop settings so that they can't receive files from "everyone." (If you haven't yet, here's how.) 8. The haunted house you have to sign a 40-page waiver to enterIn October, a haunted house that took blindfolded "contestants" to locations in Tennessee and Alabama went viral for its hair-raising requirements for entry. Participants had to clear a background check, pass a doctor's physical and mental exams, and sign a 40-page waiver. If they got through all that – and survived the haunted house itself – they got $20,000. Plenty of speculation and outrage arose online over how safe the extreme haunted experience really is. Creator Russ McKamey told USA TODAY, "It's all entertainment. Halloween is nothing more than a big play. (The Manor) is just putting on a big show. That's all it is, just a big production." 7. United Airlines flight attendant walks on aircraft's wing in mid-airSabrina Swenson, a United flight attendant based in Frankfurt, Germany, decided to go big for her 50th birthday last winter: She strapped herself to the wing of a Boeing Stearman plane in Sequim, Washington, and went for a ride over the Olympic Peninsula. "My time wing walking in beautiful Sequim will live on in my memory until my last day," she wrote in a blog post on United's website. "You simply don't forget one of the best days of your life!" 6. Hurricane Dorian: How popular Bahamas destinations faredHurricane Dorian was expected to focus its wrath on southern Florida – and Alabama if you believed President Trump's Sharpie-edited map – but the storm stalled over the Bahamas over the Labor Day holiday, pounding the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama, killing more than 60 people and leaving 70,000 homeless. With sustained winds of 185 miles per hour, the Category-5 Dorian was the strongest and slowest hurricane to hit the Bahamas since records began in 1851. It was a devastating blow for a country where tourism accounts for 60% of the gross domestic product (the most of any Caribbean nation). More than three months later, the country is still trying to return to normal. Grand Bahamas International Airport reopened to flights in late November while Marsh Harbour Airport on Great Abaco didn't reopen until Mid-December. 5. Delta ranked best airline in annual list; Frontier worstCLOSE Not a week goes by that we don't see some kind of ranking of U.S. and international airlines, sorting them according to factors like on-time performance statistics, family-friendliness or onboard water quality. In April, Delta topped the 29th annual Airline Quality Rating, which took into account metrics like mishandled baggage, consumer complaints, on-time performance and involuntary denied boardings over the course of 2018. The study, a joint research project of the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona, campus, found that overall, the airline industry improved in every area but on-time performance, the most heavily weighted element. It also found that 2018 saw the lowest rate of bumped passengers, the lowest rate of mishandled baggage and the lowest rate of customer complaints for the industry since the study began in 1991. Frontier's last-place finish was attributed to its poor on-time record (nearly one out every four flights was delayed), lackluster cabin features and high rate of customer complaints. 4. United Airlines passenger stung by scorpion on flight to AtlantaCLOSE United might want to beef up their pest patrol efforts after passengers on a June flight from Venice to Newark discovered their plane was infested with ants. A scorpion bit a woman on a December flight from San Francisco to Atlanta, giving us ideas for a sequel to the 2006 Samuel L. Jackson movie "Snakes on a Plane." 3. Shark attack: California student killed by trio of sharks in the BahamasCLOSE Hurricane Dorian wasn't the only sad story in the Bahamas in 2019. In June, California resident and Loyola Marymount University student Jordan Lindsey, 21, was attacked by three sharks while snorkeling with her family near Rose Island. Officials said her arms, legs and buttocks were bitten and her right arm was severed. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. "There was no medical attention provided to Jordan," the Lindsey family said later in a statement. "They had no first aid kit – no basic supplies for any type of injury. It felt like a lifetime as they waited for a boat to arrive." The family called on tour companies to change their safety protocols and tourists to be more aware to "ensure a tragedy like this does not happen again." 2. Why economy passengers should stop reclining their seatsCLOSE If you're a regular reader of travel columnist Christopher Elliott, you know he has some strongly held convictions about how airlines treat passengers – especially those sitting in economy – and how those passengers treat each other. In a November column, he argued that with airlines giving passengers as little as 28 inches of legroom, "Reclining your airline seat is unacceptable because we're officially out of space. It's rude – and it's wrong." Plus, as he noted, "If you recline your airplane seat, you'll probably end up in someone's lap. Literally." 1. Woman gives birth on American Airlines jetwayCLOSE An American Airlines flight landed with an extra passenger the day before Thanksgiving when Nereida Araujo gave birth to a healthy baby girl on the jetway of Flight 868, after landing in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Tampa, Florida. "Baby Sky decided to enter the world on a plane," Araujo wrote on Facebook. "Mommi (sic) handled it well thanks to everybody who assisted us with love & care." For those wondering why she was flying at all, Charlotte TV station WSOC reported Araujo was 38 weeks pregnant and cleared to fly by the airline and her doctor. Sky wasn't the only airplane baby of 2019: In February, an expectant mother gave birth to a baby boy thousands of feet in the air on a JetBlue flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The birth of the airline's "youngest customer to date" coincidentally happened on a plane named "Born To Be Blue." Dishonorable mention: The guy who claimed he had a plane to himselfFilmmaker Vincent Peone went viral in August when he documented what it was like to have a Delta plane all to himself – a rarity in this age of overbooked flights. But it was too good to be true: It turned out the plane departed without him. Three days later, he broke his silence, tweeting, "The story took off fast, but the plane did not." He wrote, "My video is 100% true… and then I stopped filming. After the private jet broke down again with mechanical problems, I took a normal one the next morning. The footage I have tells a short, funny and positive story – because those are the kind of stories I like to tell. I make comedy!" The media outlets who reported the story weren't amused when Peone went radio silent for several days after the initial story, refusing to answer questions after the truth got out. Contributing: Dawn Gilbertson, David Oliver, Julia Thompson, Morgan Hines, Hannah Yasharoff Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/12/31/usa-todays-top-10-travel-stories-2019-stories-you-cared/2782151001/  |
| A Decade Ends: Top-10 USA Highlights & Michael Phelps' Fond Farewell - Swimming World Magazine Posted: 31 Dec 2019 12:12 AM PST A Decade Ends (Michael Phelps) In a nation as stacked as the United States, choosing 10 highlights from the past decade was not an easy task. As readers peruse this piece, several will stop and wonder, "why was this moment left out?" Managing a consensus is rarely an achievable feat when compiling lists of this type, but the 10 items selected for inclusion here are no doubt noteworthy and among the biggest highlights of the past 10 years. Of course, some of the biggest names are included, Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky leading the way. With Phelps in retirement, next decade will be the first since 1990-99 in which he was not a major factor. For Ledecky, she'll jumpstart her next decade with an Olympic season and in search of a rebound from a 2019 season that was hampered by illness at the World Championships. Beyond Phelps and Ledecky, the past 10 years witnessed the revival of a sprint star, a spectacular two-year run by one of the most affable women swimming has seen and a barrier-breaking performance that promoted – hopefully – greater inclusion of minority athletes. 1. Michael Phelps Waves Farewell With a Flourish
Photo Courtesy: International Business Times The initial goodbye from Michael Phelps, which came at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, was done with smoke and mirrors. Between Phelps' masterpiece of eight gold medals at the Beijing Games and the 2012 Olympics, Phelps did not put his entire focus on the sport. His training was routinely interrupted and the passion that drove Phelps to the greatest achievement in Olympic history waned. Still, the man was gifted enough to still capture six medals, including four of the gold variety. But as the 2016 Olympics crept closer, Phelps developed the urge to give the sport another go – and he did so on terms that were more in line with what Phelps and Bob Bowman sculpted early in his career. With a renewed commitment, Phelps was the headliner of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he won six medals, including five gold. He recaptured his title in the 200-meter butterfly, the event that jumpstarted the entire Phelps Phenomenon, and delivered a dynamic leg on the United States' victorious 400 freestyle relay. With a final ledger of 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them landing Phelps on the top step of the podium, the greatest swimmer in history left the competitive pool in the most appropriate fashion: On top, and in dominant form. 2. A 15-Year-Old Katie Ledecky Makes A Loud Announcement
Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch Most fans will remember Katie Ledecky's decade most for what she accomplished at the 2016 Olympics, where the American freestyle star won five medals and joined Debbie Meyer (1968) as the only athlete to prevail in the 200 freestyle, 400 free and 800 free in the same Olympiad. Four years earlier, though, marked Ledecky's true emergence. After opening eyes at the United States Olympic Trials with her victory in the 800 freestyle, Ledecky used the stage of the 2012 Games to announce her presence to the world. Racing alongside reigning Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington, the British star competing in front of her home crowd, Ledecky blasted her way to an American record of 8:14.63, beating Spain's Mireia Belmonte by more than four seconds, and defeating Adlington by nearly six seconds. The title for Ledecky launched a new era, one which will continue to take shape in the next decade. Ledecky is already widely considered the greatest female swimmer in history, and her world-record performances over 400, 800 and 1500 meters of freestyle sit in a land that others can only dream of visiting. 3. Breaking Down Barriers: Simone Manuel's Statement
Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports These days, Simone Manuel is simply known as one of the world's premier sprinters. As an Olympic and world champion, she has stamped herself as – perhaps – the most-clutch performer in the sport. Time and again, Manuel has gone into races as a perceived underdog, only to emerge from the race with the scoreboard displaying Manuel in the top spot. Put Manuel in a pressure situation and she's guaranteed to elevate her performance a level or two. Manuel's 2016 Olympic crown in the 100 freestyle, which she shared with Canadian teenager Penny Oleksiak, was much more than her first international title. The triumph by Manuel made her the first African-American swimmer to win an individual gold medal in Olympic competition, and Manuel welcomed this status as an opportunity to inspire and motivate African-Americans to get involved in swimming, a predominantly white sport. "I think it's really cool that me swimming up the pool just a couple of times on TV can inspire people to get in the pool and learn how to swim or dream about things that they never thought they possibly could achieve," she said. 4. The Old Man and the Sprint Sea: Anthony Ervin's Triumphant Title
Anthony Ervin; Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports When Anthony Ervin emerged as a sprint star at the turn of the millennium, sharing the gold medal in the 50 freestyle with Gary Hall Jr. at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, he was pegged as a legend in development. In 2001, Ervin added gold medals at the World Championships in both sprint freestyles, and the expectations only grew. However, after the 2003 World Champs, Ervin ventured away from the sport for seven-plus years, opting to explore a life beyond a rectangle filled with water. In his absence, there was a sense of unfulfilled potential, but no man should be held to completing the expectations of others, and Ervin did what he felt was right. In 2011, Ervin returned to the water and at the 2012 Olympics, he finished fifth in the 50 free, a hell of a comeback by any measure. Still, it paled in comparison to what Ervin pulled off at the 2016 Games, where Ervin upended reigning champion Florent Manaudou by a hundredth of a second and captured his second gold medal in the 50 freestyle – this time as a 35-year-old. The effort made Ervin the oldest Olympic swimming champion in history, and marked a 16-year gap between titles. 5. Two Years of Magic From Missy Franklin
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick For two years in the early portion of the decade, Missy Franklin was the Golden Girl of the sport, her mix of talent and personality defining her as a can't-miss athlete. At the 2012 Olympics, Franklin swept the backstroke events and fueled the United States to three medals, including a pair of gold. Her come-from-behind win over Australian Emily Seebohm in the 100 backstroke was complemented by a world record in the 200 backstroke that endured for seven years. At the next year's World Championships, Franklin collected six gold medals. As she replicated her backstroke double, Franklin added a global title in the 200 freestyle and propelled Team USA to a sweep of the relay events. With Michael Phelps into the first of his retirements, Franklin emerged as the go-to persona for USA Swimming. Unfortunately, injuries started to hinder Franklin's career beginning in the 2014 campaign and Franklin was never the same. Yet, the way she carried herself amid her struggles was characterized by pure class and can be used in the future to illustrate how to handle adversity and maintain a positive attitude. 6. Lilly King and the Wave of a Finger
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick Diplomacy and an unwillingness to be critical of controversial subjects tends to be the road most often traveled by world-class athletes. American Lilly King possesses quite the opposite personality, as she is willing to call out her rivals for violations such as doping. The proof was provided at the 2016 Olympics, where King dueled with Russian Yuliya Efimova. Efimova, banned for 16 months in 2013 for testing positive for traces of an anabolic steroid, had to get a late injunction from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to race in Rio, after Russia was banned from competition. Once allowed to race, Efimova engaged in a back-and-forth finger-wagging ordeal with King, who publicly opposed Efimova's participation in the Games. In the final of the 100 breaststroke in Rio, King topped Efimova for the gold medal and used the platform provided to further state her opposition to leniency when it comes to doping violators being allowed to compete on the global stage. It was a refreshing stance by an athlete during a time when others would take the politically correct route and not get critical of those with whom they share the deck. 7. Allison Schmitt: Strengthening Others Through Opening Up
Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports We could place Allison Schmitt on this top-10 list of the decade's highlights based on her sensational performance in the 200 freestyle at the 2012 Olympics. Behind an effort of 1:53.61, Schmitt prevailed by nearly two seconds over Frenchwoman Camille Muffat. But it is what transpired after the London Games that earned Schmitt a spot on this list. After Schmitt found Olympic glory, she struggled – as many athletes do – with the post-Olympic letdown and fought depression. Eventually, Schmitt reached out for support and took advantage of resources that were available. As important, she took her experiences to the public in the hopes of helping others who battled depression, and to erase the unfortunate stigma that is sometimes connected to the disease. As Schmitt noted, as has her friend and former training partner, Michael Phelps, there is nothing wrong with confiding in friends or therapists that you are overwhelmed and having a difficult time. "Being vulnerable is not weakness," Schmitt said. "It shows you are strong enough to know that life is sometimes hard for you to handle and you need support." 8. Ryan Lochte Rules the World
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick History will view Ryan Lochte's career through several angles. In some instances, he will be remembered as the Robin to Michael Phelps' Batman. In some minds, he will be recalled for the behavior that smeared his career, namely the gas-station incident at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. But Lochte will also be lauded for his tremendous career, which continues to trudge along, and his performance at the 2011 World Championships should never be forgotten. Lochte was the headliner in Shanghai, where he snared four individual titles. In addition to winning titles in the 200 backstroke and 400 individual medley, Lochte got the best of Phelps, his longtime rival, in the 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley, the latter event producing a world record that remains on the books. Although Lochte did not repeat these exploits at the next year's Olympics, he used his momentum from Shanghai to capture the 400 medley in London in the fastest textile-suit time in history. That effort was complemented by four more medals, including silver in the 200 medley and bronze in the 200 backstroke. 9. Caeleb Dressel Competes in Another Stratosphere
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick Outside of the United States, times produced in short-course yards racing are largely misunderstood. But this is the format adopted for short-course racing in America, and it is uniquely appreciated on this side of the pond. And when a guy like Caeleb Dressel comes along, certain barriers become known around the world. In his time at the University of Florida, Dressel altered the landscape of sprinting in a way never seen before. It wasn't long ago in which Auburn's Fred Bousquet crashed through the venerable 19-second barrier in the 50-yard freestyle and dipping below 19-point remains an impressive feat. For Dressel, going that time was a warmup, and when he powered his way to a 17.63 clocking in the 50 free at the 2018 NCAA Champs, it was difficult to comprehend. Ditto for when Dressel went 39.90 in the 100-yard free, becoming the first man to break the 40-second barrier. Dressel is on track to become one of the leading names of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, as he will be favored for gold in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 butterfly, and will be a key relay cog for the United States. Inevitably, comparisons to Michael Phelps will flow. In this past decade, though, Dressel might be best remembered – despite his multiple world titles – for his Beamonesque performances in the little pool. 10. Oh Maya, Oh My: DiRado Disrupts Hosszu's Pursuit of Fourth Gold
Photo Courtesy: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports As Katinka Hosszu hopped into the pool for the final of the 200 backstroke at the 2016 Olympics, there was a high likelihood the Hungarian would capture her fourth gold medal of the week. Maya DiRado had other ideas, and in one of the biggest upsets of the Rio Games, the Stanford graduate left Hosszu staring at a shocking loss by a mere .06. DiRado didn't race in Rio with the fanfare of her compatriots Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky. Rather, she played the role of the grinder, someone who chugged along under the spotlight and rose to the occasion when the moment presented itself. This approach worked admirably for DiRado, whose stay in Brazil yielded a silver medal in the 400 individual medley and a bronze in the 200 medley. There was also a gold medal as a member of the United States' 800 freestyle relay. The 200 backstroke, held on the penultimate day of racing, proved to be DiRado's exclamation point on her first Olympiad. As the four-lap race unfolded, DiRado sat second to Hosszu through each of the turns, only to charge down the final 50 meters and overhaul the Hungarian at the finish. As DiRado looked to the scoreboard, the shock of her win led to an exuberant celebration and one of the more heartwarming moments of the eight-day week.  |
| U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad stormed by protesters after Iraq airstrikes - NBC News Posted: 31 Dec 2019 09:24 AM PST  Dozens of people stormed the compound of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq on Tuesday in response to U.S. airstrikes that killed dozens of fighters from an Iran-backed militia group. Guards inside the embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone used tear gas to prevent demonstrators from moving toward the main buildings inside the compound, an Iraqi security source told NBC News on condition of anonymity. The United States is sending about 750 soldiers to the Middle East after thousands of people stormed the compound of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday night. Esper said President Donald Trump ordered the deployment, which will come an nfantry battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, More personnel are on standby to deploy if they're needed, he said. "This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today," Esper said in a statement. "The United States will protect our people and interests anywhere they are found around the world." U.S. fighter jets on Sunday bombed weapons depots in Iraq and Syria that the United States said were linked with a group called Kataeb Hezbollah, which it blames for attacks on bases of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in recent months. At least 25 militia fighters were killed in the airstrikes. A large crowd of supporters gathered Tuesday after funerals for some of the dead and marched on the embassy, chanting "Down, Down USA!" while hurling water bottles and smashing security cameras, according to The Associated Press. An AP reporter saw flames rising from inside the compound and at least three U.S. soldiers on the roof of the main building inside the embassy. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics Live bullets and tear gas injured at least 62 demonstrators, according to the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group for the militias recognized by the Iraqi government. NBC News couldn't independently verify the claim. Let our news meet your inbox. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday mornings. There were about 6,000 protesters at the height of the demonstrations, a U.S. official said, made up mostly of Kataib Hezbollah members. The embassy was on lockdown by evening, but U.S. personnel weren't being evacuated, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation. The official said discussions were underway about next steps should an evacuation be necessary. Trump, who tweeted that he expected protection from Iraq's security forces, accused Iran of having orchestrated the attack, saying the government "will be held fully responsible." He doubled down later Tuesday, saying Iran would "pay a very BIG PRICE. This is not a Warning, it is a Threat." His press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, said the president would choose "how and when we respond to their escalation." The United States plans to ramp up security around the embassy, deploying about 100 Marines, a defense official said. Additional security was being provided by AH-64 Apache helicopters from an air weapons team. Half of the extra Marines landed at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on two Osprey aircraft, while the other half were en route to the embassy. Democrats said the attack was the latest example of the failure of the Trump administration's policy in the region. "It's hard to overstate what a total failure Trump's Iran policy has been," Ben Rhodes, a top national security aide to President Barack Obama, wrote on Twitter. "Nuclear program resumed. Regional provocations escalated. US isolated." Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said the attacks were a reminder of how "catastrophic" the year has been for U.S. interests in the Middle East, and he tweeted a long list of problems in the region. "Really hard to overstate how badly Trump has bungled things in the Middle East," Murphy wrote. "One of the only good things going — anti-Iran street protests in Iraq — have now morphed into anti-U.S. protests thanks to Trump's mishandling of Iran policy." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi and President Barham Salih separately by phone on Tuesday and told them that "the United States will protect and defend its people, who are there to support a sovereign and independent Iraq," the State Department said in a statement. "Both Abdul-Mahdi and Salih assured the Secretary that they took seriously their responsibility for and would guarantee the safety and security of U.S. personnel and property," the statement said. Matthew Tueller, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, was out of the country, two U.S. officials with knowledge of the situation said. Abdul-Mahdi issued a statement urging people to leave the U.S. Embassy, warning that "any aggressive behavior against foreign embassies" would be "strictly stopped by security forces" and punished. The clashes follow anti-government protests in recent months in which hundreds of people have been killed, according to protest groups, most of them by Iraqi security forces. The mass uprisings prompted the resignation last month of Abdul-Mahdi, who remains prime minister in a caretaker capacity. The United States blames Kataeb Hezbollah for 11 attacks on bases used by the U.S.-led coalition over the past two months. The latest came on Friday, when a rocket attack killed a U.S. contractor and injured four U.S. service members. The U.S. airstrikes have been met with an angry reaction from both Iran and Iraq. The United States has about 5,000 personnel in Iraq to train and assist government troops in the fight against ISIS. But the Iraqi government is also allied with a powerful network of militia groups, many of which are backed by or linked to Tehran. Tehran called the U.S. airstrikes "terrorism," and Iraq called them a "violation" of its sovereignty. The militia has vowed to respond. CORRECTION (Dec. 31, 2019, 10:31 a.m.): An earlier version of this article misidentified the White House press secretary. She is Stephanie Grisham, not Graham.  |
| Posted: 31 Dec 2019 04:24 AM PST CLOSE NFL power rankings with 2019 regular season now complete: 1. Ravens (1): They rode franchise-best 12-game winning streak and record-setting offense to first No. 1 seed in club history. Next question is whether presumptive league MVP Lamar Jackson's upward trajectory will continue in playoffs, where he short-circuited last year. 2. 49ers (2): Of past four instances when Niners have secured NFC's top seed, they lost in NFC Championship Game thrice ... but also won it all in 1994. 3. Saints (3): Recent playoff hexes already becoming a topic du jour. Surely Sean Payton will loop clips of "Minneapolis Miracle" this week ... 4. Chiefs (4): TE Travis Kelce was their only player to exceed 1,000 yards from scrimmage, however K.C. did have five others who topped 500 yards. 5. Packers (5): Free agent additions Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith wound up combining for 25½ sacks. Nice investments who need to continue paying off. NFL mock draft 2020: QBs Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa land in top five 32 things we learned: From Week 17 of the 2019 NFL season NFL Week 17 winners, losers: 49ers have playoff squad to fear, Patriots stumble in finale NFL coaching buzz tracker: Browns hope to interview Patriots' Josh McDaniels 6. Seahawks (8): Despite adding Jadeveon Clowney and Ziggy Ansah, Seattle's 28 sacks were fewest in NFC. Not a good omen with Carson Wentz on deck. 7. Texans (6): One of league's most perplexing teams poised to add new layer of mystery — assuming J.J. Watt is, in fact, healthy enough for wild-card round. 8. Titans (11): Resting rushing champ Derrick Henry in Week 16 looks like one of season's genius moves. Now Mike Vrabel and other ex-Pats get shot at ending champs' reign in Foxborough. 9. Patriots (7): If they're to secure seventh Lombardi, they have to go through Titans, Chiefs and probably Ravens to reach Super Bowl. You taking that bet? 10. Vikings (10): Not to worry, Kirk Cousins, your playoff opener is at 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday ... not Monday night. Also, Dalvin Cook should resurface. 11. Bills (9): As Josh Allen readies for playoff debut, he'll surely face questions as to whether he can keep pace against counterparts like Deshaun Watson. 12. Eagles (12): Since 2017, they're league-best 15-5 once December begins. Burning question now for scalding Iggles is whether Carson Wentz is Mr. January. 13. Cowboys (15): Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper aren't only players who need new deals. DBs Byron Jones and Jeff Heath plus WR Randall Cobb also unsigned. 14. Rams (16): They only had to wait 17 weeks (in a game with no playoff implications) for QB Jared Goff to play up to that record $110 million guarantee. 15. Falcons (19): Updating a previous item ... Atlanta should build 2020 offense around Olamide Zaccheaus and Ty Sambrailo. Glad it worked out, Coach Quinn. 16. Bears (20): Awfully quiet second half for Khalil Mack, who will cost Chicago one more first-round pick once 2020 draft arrives. 17. Jets (21): Despite owning league's worst offense, they went 6-2 in second half. Yet as weakest of six 7-9 teams, NYJ draft 11th, not 16th. 18. Steelers (13): If you thought Ducks could swim, apparently that doesn't hold when it rains in Baltimore. To think, Pittsburgh was 8-5 after Week 14. 19. Buccaneers (14): So how does Bruce Arians regard Jameis Winston? "If we can win with this one, we can definitely win with another one, too." Welp. 20. Broncos (22): They're 27-37 with nary a playoff berth since Peyton Manning rode into sunset. Can Vic Fangio and Drew Lock really change that trend? 21. Cardinals (17): "Air Raid" offense ranked 24th passing, no Arizona receiver averaging 55 yards per game. Only Redskins worse in time of possession. 22. Raiders (23): Playoff long shots came up snake eyes in Week 17. As Las Vegas relocation begins in earnest, will they deal Derek Carr better hand of WRs? 23. Colts (18): Time for GM Chris Ballard and Frank Reich to take hard look at Jacoby Brissett as they mull strategy for salary cap war chest, 2020 draft. 24. Browns (24): A year ago this was regarded as talent-laden roster primed for playoff stratosphere. Players haven't changed much, but perception sure has. 25. Giants (26): In their first 94 seasons, Big Blue never had a rusher manage 1,000 yards in each of his first two years. Saquon Barkley changed that in campaign No. 95. 26. Chargers (25): Tough to see obvious frustration and emotion of Philip Rivers, currently headed for free agency, as he and Bolts reach crossroads following campaign that was unmitigated disaster on many fronts. 27. Dolphins (29): Week 17 upset of Patriots capped Miami's .500 second half. Now Fins head into hopeful offseason that includes three first-round picks. 28. Jaguars (27): No rookie quarterback played better than Gardner Minshew in 2019. But will a guy lacking first-round pedigree of Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins get opportunity he deserves to continue ascension next year? 29. Bengals (32): Given how Joe Mixon played down stretch, this offense might look pretty good with Joe Burrow and healthy A.J. Green in 2020 ... assuming Cincy forks up green for Green. 30. Redskins (28): Aside from rookie WR Terry McLaurin, how many other players really look capable of being foundational pillars for Washington's future? 31. Lions (31): Last time they drafted third, Joey Harrington came to town. Before that debacle, previous No. 3 pick brought Barry Sanders ... which is long way of saying, who knows where Detroit heads next? 32. Panthers (30): QB quandary remains mystery. But defense just fine, torched for 33.3 points per week during Carolina's season-ending eight-game skid. Oof. (Previous ranking in parentheses) *** Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis If you love talking football, we have the perfect spot for you. Join our Facebook Group, The Ruling Off the Field, to engage in friendly debate and conversation with fellow football fans and our NFL insiders.  |
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