Super Football Conference All-Division teams, 2024
SAN FRANCISCO – The Bay Area’s new WNBA team made Iliana Rupert its first player selected in the 2024 WNBA expansion draft on Friday afternoon. The 6-foot-4 center from France started her career with the champion Las Vegas Aces in 2022. She played for Atlanta in 2023, but did not participate in the 2024 season. She was the first of the 12 picks that general manager Ohemaa Nyanin will make in the nationally-televised draft on ESPN. The Valkyries took then Maria Conde from Chicago, guard Veronica Burton from Connecticut, Carla Leite from Dallas, Temi Fagbenle from Indiana, and Kate Martin from Las Vegas. In the WNBA’s first expansion draft since 2008, the Valkyries are allowed to select one player from each of the other 12 teams, provided that they are not one of the six players each team was permitted to protect. The list of protected players was finalized on Nov. 26 but the league did not make the names public. Of the unprotected players, the Valkyries can draft only one unrestricted free agent over their 12 picks. After the draft, the Valkyries will be able to make trades and sign free agents."Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.
Princess Kate’s star-studded Christmas carol service kicks off as royal fans gather to watch her special message of hopeTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli soldiers raided a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. The war was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because to a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.
Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a “state of credit card report” for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use more frequently than traditional payment methods. To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card. From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card. The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it through the mobile wallet. Same goes for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard® when you use it to make purchases via the PayPal digital wallet. The Kroger grocery store giant has a co-branded credit card that earns the most when you pay using an eligible digital wallet, and some major credit cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories have a history of incentivizing digital wallet use. But again, these days it’s not just about the rewards. Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayPal can offer to your credit line while you wait for your physical card to arrive after approval. Indeed, most major issuers including Bank of America®, Capital One and Chase now offer instant virtual credit card numbers for eligible cards that can be used upon approval by adding them to a digital wallet. Additionally, many co-branded credit cards — those offered in partnership with another brand — commonly offer instant card access and can be used immediately on in-brand purchases. Credit cards typically take seven to 10 days to arrive after approval, so instant access to your credit line can be particularly useful if you need to make an urgent or unexpected purchase. Plus, they allow you to start spending toward a card’s sign-up bonus right away. As issuers push toward mobile payments, a growing number of merchants and businesses are similarly adopting the payment method. The percentage of U.S. businesses that used digital wallets increased to 62% in 2023, compared to 47% the previous year, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by the Federal Reserve Financial Services. Wider acceptance is potentially good news for the average American, who according to Experian has about four credit cards. While that won’t necessarily weigh down your wallet, it can be hard to manage multiple cards and rewards categories at once. Mobile wallets offer to store and organize all of your workhorse cards, while not having to carry around ones that you don’t use often. They can also help you more easily monitor your spending and rewards, and some even track your orders’ status and arrival time. Plus, paying with a digital wallet offers added security. That’s because it uses technology called when you pay, which masks your real credit card number and instead sends an encrypted “token” that’s unique to each payment. This is unlike swiping or dipping a physical card, during which your credit card number is more directly accessible. And again, because a mobile wallet doesn’t require you to have your physical cards present, there’s less chance of one falling out of your pocket or purse.
AI misuse The misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in Pakistan is a growing concern, with personal videos being leaked and manipulated into fake content. This not only violates privacy but also damages reputations. The widespread availability of deep-fake technology worsens the problem, compounded by weak laws and public unawareness. To combat this issue, the government must enact strong legislation, equip cybersecurity units with AI detection tools, and launch public awareness campaigns on digital privacy. Social media platforms should also be held accountable for hosting fake content. Protecting privacy and digital security requires urgent attention from authorities and responsible behaviour from individuals. Faizan Shafiq Jamali BadinWe did not discuss ETCA with India – Vijitha
Through the lens of idealised romanticism, the Old West continues to capture the imagination as a wild and untamed frontier ready to be harnessed by those with the determination, courage and grit required to endure it. And despite the dangers – from an unforgiving terrain to the pervading lawlessness – there were great opportunities for a handful of big personalities to make a name for themselves. They robbed banks and stagecoaches, proved their speed and skill with a pistol in a gunfight, and embraced the chaos and change of an era marked by clashes between incoming settlers and Native Americans, farmers and businessman, the past and the future. They are some of the most famous figures in American history: cowboys. What was a cowboy? Symbols of the Wild West, cowboys could be all things, from frontiersmen, ranchers, farmers, wranglers, marshals and, of course, outlaws. It was an identity as much as it was an outright occupation. Beyond the bluster of the ubiquitous anti-heroes of Hollywood movies, their real-life stories provide insight into the broader forces underlying the expansion of the American frontier. Through their deeds, we can see the land disputes, the end of indigenous sovereignty, the rise of the railroad, and the slow march of federal law into a space once thought to be uncontrollable. 13 famous cowboys from the American Wild West Billy the Kid c1859–1881 Is there any name that evokes the outlaws of the Wild West more than Billy the Kid ? Born Henry McCarty, the gunslinger was an orphan by his early teens and quickly turned to crime to survive. He went by a number of aliases, including William H Bonney and Kid Antrim (the latter a reference to his slight build and youthful features), before making his first recorded killing in 1877 at the age of 17. But it would be his involvement in the Lincoln County War in New Mexico Territory that earned him his reputation. This wasn’t just a feud between ranchers, which was common enough across the frontier: it was emblematic of the power struggles in the Old West as cattle barons, merchants and corrupt officials wrestled for control. Billy the Kid’s part in this violent conflict made him something of a folk hero, presented as a young man standing up against wealthy ranch owners and corrupt lawmen. He evaded capture and, even when he was caught and sentenced to death, pulled off daring escapes from jail. His outlaw career would be brief, however. By 1881, Billy the Kid was ambushed and shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Dead at just 21 – and having claimed that he had killed 21 men – his premature death arguably bolstered his legacy as a daring outlaw in a land where laws were still being written. Jesse James 1847–1882 Jesse James became a legend as the leader of the James-Younger Gang, along with his brother Frank, which committed audacious bank and train robberies. Born in 1847 in Missouri, James was still a teenager at the outbreak of the American Civil War , but he hastened to join a band of pro-Confederate guerillas. It was after the war his headline-grabbing career as an outlaw began in earnest. The two James boys led their notorious gang on a series of bank, train and stagecoach robberies across the Midwest, and despite their inclination towards violence and bloodshed they were hailed in the papers. James was regarded as a Robin Hood figure. Far from giving to the poor, though, his motivations were more self-serving. Still, he could always rely on people hiding him and his gang from authorities. The post-Civil War era left many communities embittered and impoverished, and James capitalised on that sentiment by portraying himself as a Southern hero resisting the oppression of the North. Even when James was killed in 1882 – shot in the back of the head by one of his own men, Robert Ford – he was mourned, while his assassin was condemned as a coward. Wyatt Earp 1848–1929 Wyatt Earp may be one of the most recognisable lawmen of the Old West, but his record was far from clean. Over the years, he was a pimp, a thief and a con artist; he owned saloons and gambled; and he found himself on the other side of prison bars numerous times. From his first law enforcement job in 1870, Earp’s career as a sheriff and deputy took him on many adventures across dangerous frontier towns. But it was undoubtedly his time in Tombstone, Arizona, where his brother Virgil was town marshal, that cemented his place in history. Specifically, it was his role in the Gunfight at the OK Corral in 1881. The Earps, joined by their other brother Morgan and friend Doc Holliday, had been feuding with a gang of cattle rustlers and thieves calling themselves the Cowboys. The resulting gunfight allegedly lasted only 30 seconds, leaving three men dead. In the 20th century, it became the stuff of legend. The motivation behind the gunfight is still a matter of debate. Was Earp a righteous defender of law and justice or using his position as a means to further his own interests? There is no question that he could be bloodthirsty: after his brothers were attacked afterwards, Earp embarked on what has been called the ‘vendetta ride’, during which his posse killed at least two Cowboys. Either way, the famous shootout is a microcosm of the tensions between law and disorder that dominated the frontier at a time when the line between lawman and vigilante was far from distinct. Butch Cassidy 1866–1908 Butch Cassidy was a leader of the train and bank robbers calling themselves the Wild Bunch alongside his partner Harry Longabaugh, the so-called Sundance Kid. Unlike many outlaws of the time, he had a reputation for being relatively non-violent, preferring to use smarts instead of shootouts. Still, Cassidy (whose real name was Robert LeRoy Parker) found himself pursued by Pinkerton detectives across a landscape rapidly shifting and modernising. By the late 1800s, railroads, telegraphs and federal law enforcement were concluding the lawlessness that had defined the Old West. Seeking refuge, Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fled the United States altogether and headed for South America. There, they operated a ranch in Argentina, but also slipped back into their outlaw ways. What happened to them remains something of a mystery. The most common story is that they got cornered by Bolivian soldiers in 1908 and were gunned down. Some less likely claims suggest they escaped and lived out their lives under assumed identities. Calamity Jane c1852–1903 Born Martha Jane Canary around 1852, the legendary Calamity Jane became a frontier icon. Not only was she highly skilled as a shooter and rider – in later life, she appeared in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show – but she bucked the traditional role of women in the Old West. She wore men’s clothing and could take care of herself. Both her parents had died when she was still a teenager, leaving her to look after her fiver younger siblings as they travelled cross country. In adult life, Jane allegedly worked as a scout for the US Army, got involved in long-running conflicts with Native American tribes, and potentially shacked up with one of the frontier’s most revered gunslingers, Wild Bill Hickok. Their relationship would not last long: Wild Bill was shot and killed in 1876, while playing poker. Beyond that, separating fact from fiction when it comes to the life of Calamity Jane is a difficult task. Illiterate, she left behind no written records, but as a result of her fame she did dictate a small autobiographical account in the late-19th century. The stories within were often exaggerated, distorted or completely fabricated. One thing is known: for most of her life, Jane suffered from alcoholism. She spent her last months in Terry, in South Dakota, and died in poverty. Wild Bill Hickok 1837-1876 A gunslinger, scout, lawman, and showman, Will Bill Hickok was an emblem of the Old West. Born James Butler Hickok in Illinois, Hickok served in the Civil War working as a scout and spy for the Union Army, earning renown for his sharpshooting and bravery. Post-war, Hickok turned his talents to the wild frontier, where his exploits as a lawman and gambler in Kansas and Nebraska towns cemented his legendary status. As a marshal in Abilene, Kansas, Hickok was known for his steely nerves and deadly aim, but also for his preference to avoid violence when possible. Nevertheless, his career was punctuated by famous shootouts, including a deadly encounter in Springfield, Missouri, in 1865 where he killed David Tutt in what is often called the first “quick-draw” duel. Hickok’s fame spread through dime novels and newspaper stories, which painted him as the archetype of the Old West hero. But his personal life was tumultuous. His friendship and rumoured romance with Calamity Jane added to his mystique, as did his reputation as a gambler. Hickok met his untimely (but perhaps unsurprising) end in Deadwood, South Dakota, in 1876. While playing poker in a saloon, he was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall, a drifter with a grudge. Hickok’s hand at the time (two black aces and two back eights) has since become known as the Dead Man’s Hand. Doc Holliday 1851–1887 John Henry ‘Doc’ Holliday was not a typical outlaw. He initially trained as a dentist in Pennsylvania, but moved to the Southwest after contracting tuberculosis. The hope was that the warm and dry climate would ease his symptoms. It was while drifting through the frontier towns that he met Wyatt Earp. He forged a friendship with the lawman after saving his life, and followed Earp to Tombstone, Arizona, where he was a major player in the legendary Gunfight at OK Corral in 1881. He would then join Earp on his vendetta ride against the Cowboys. While he maintained a deadly reputation as a gunslinger and canny gambler, much of Holliday’s life was ultimately shaped by his illness. His last years were spent receiving treatment in Colorado, before he succumbed in 1887 at the age of 36. Bass Reeves 1838–1910 The runaway slave who became one of the first black deputy US marshals in the Old West, Bass Reeves was no ordinary lawman. Born into slavery in 1838, Reeves managed to flee from his owners during the American Civil War and went to live among Native American tribes. There, he learned multiple languages and the customs of indigenous peoples, as well as the survival and tracking skills that would be so important in his career. In his 32 years as a federal officer, Reeves reportedly killed 14 outlaws and arrested more than 3,000 people all across Oklahoma and Arkansas. Perhaps most impressively, given how ruthless and violent many of the men were that he chased down over the years, he lived to see his retirement and ended his illustrious law enforcement career as a police officer in Muskogee. Belle Starr 1848–1889 Belle Starr, born Myra Maybelle Shirley, became infamous not for large-scale robberies or shootouts, but rather for her association with outlaws. Raised in a relatively prosperous family and educated in a classical manner, Starr’s path into criminality seems to have stemmed from choice rather than necessity. After the American Civil War, during which her brother had died fighting as a bushwhacker, she became involved with the outlaws who would form the James-Younger Gang. Belle, who was a skilled shooter, would wear black velvet and a plumed hat, giving her a strong image. Yet it was after her death that her reputation truly flourished, thanks to the sensationalised nature of her apparent murder in 1889 – shot while riding home on her horse, seemingly with her own gun. The circumstances of her death remain unclear. Was she ambushed and shot by a hidden rival while riding home? Or did her own shotgun misfire? Black Bart c1830–1917 Charles E Boles, better known as Black Bart, was a rather unconventional outlaw. His choice of weapon was not a revolver, shotgun or rifle, but poetry. He would leave behind little verses at the scenes of his crimes. Although he robbed dozens of stagecoaches across California and Oregon in the 1870s and 1880s, Bart earned a reputation as a ‘gentleman bandit’. He would be polite to his victims and never resorted to violence, which distinguished him from other more bloodthirsty outlaws. That said, his prose proves that he could sometimes stray from gentlemanly behaviour. Perhaps the most iconic of his poems reads: “I’ve labored long and hard for bread / For honor and for riches / But on my corns too long you’ve tred / You fine haired Sons of Bitches.” Bart’s criminal career ended in 1883 when he was captured and imprisoned, following a botched robbery in which he dropped his handkerchief. This allowed Pinkerton detectives to track him down. The distinctive combination of his refined manners and poetic flair places him firmly as one of the Old West’s more eccentric figures. John Wesley Hardin 1853–1895 For John Wesley Hardin, violence seems to have been an inescapable part of life. He had been born into a turbulent post-Civil War Texas and killed his first man at just 15, setting the stage for a life defined by bloodshed. Hardin claimed to have killed over 40 men – the real figure is thought to be closer to 20 – often in situations that began as minor disputes, but quickly escalated. His volatile nature and talent for the quick draw made him both feared and hunted. His eventual capture in 1877 led to a 25-year prison sentence, of which he served 17. After his early release, Hardin, now 41, studied law and passed the oral Texas bar examination. His would-be career as a reformed lawyer never took off, however. In 1895, while in a saloon in El Paso, Hardin was shot in the back of the head, and then shot several more times after falling to the floor. His killer, John Selman Sr, had feuded with Hardin; he escaped punishment for the blatant killing. Bill Doolin 1858–1896 Bill Doolin was a founder of a gang of outlaws called the Wild Bunch (not to be confused by the gang led by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). Also known as the Doolin-Dalton Gang, they terrorised the Old West in the 1890s with a series of daring bank and train robberies. Unlike the more publicity conscious outlaws like Cassidy, Doolin was known for his proclivity for violence. He took part in numerous shootouts with lawmen and narrowly escaped capture multiple times. Eventually, he was caught and imprisoned while in a bathhouse, but managed to escape. Not long afterwards, however, he was confronted by a deputy US marshal and killed with a shotgun. The morbid photograph of his body shows him riddled with holes. Doolin’s story demonstrates how the misdeeds of cowboys evolved as the 19th century developed. Starting with skirmishes over land and horse theft, lawlessness became more organised and ambitious as the expansion of railroads promised bigger rewards. It was a brief period, though, before federal authority gradually imposed order. Charles Goodnight 1836–1929 Decidedly not an outlaw, Charles Goodnight was a legendary cowboy in the truest sense. He was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners for his shaping of the Old West. Most notably, he helped establish the Goodnight-Loving Trail, a major route for driving cattle from Texas to markets in New Mexico Territory. And his innovations, such as the chuck wagon (a mobile kitchen for cowboys on the trail) would transform the way that these drives operated. But not all of Goodnight’s life was peaceful. In his earlier years, he frequently fought against the Commanche both with local militia and as a member of the Texas Rangers, before serving in the Frontier Regiment during the American Civil War. Surviving into his 90s, dying in the late-1920s, Goodnight’s reputation stretched far beyond the era of the Wild West and into the modernity of the 20th century.
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