NEWCASTLE, England (AP) Liverpool overcame the loss of Mohamed Salah to a heavy knock to the head to beat Newcastle 3-2 thanks to a late goal by Divock Origi and return to the top of the English Premier League on Saturday. Origi's header at an 86th-minute free kick glanced off the top of Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles' head and into the net as Liverpool collected an eighth straight league win, which put the team on 94 points, two clear of Manchester City. That points total would have won the Premier League in all but two seasons since its inaugural year in 1992-93. ''I don't feel pressure,'' Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. ''If we are champions then we are champions. You can't feel pressure when you do your best.'' However, City remains the favorite. The champions play Leicester on Monday in their game in hand and then at Brighton on the final day. They will retain the title by winning their last two matches. Salah appeared to be in tears when he was carried off the field on a stretcher in the 73rd minute after smashing his head against the ground following a collision with Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. Klopp said Salah took a ''proper knock to the head'' but was ''OK,'' and watched the end of the game from the locker room. It is unclear if Salah will be available on Tuesday for the second leg of the Champions League semifinal against Barcelona, which leads 3-0 from the first match. Salah, with his league-leading 22nd goal, put Liverpool in the lead for the second time in a thrilling game at St. James' Park off a right-wing cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was the center of attention in the first half. Having also set up Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool's opener in the 13th minute, Alexander-Arnold blocked the ball on his own goal line with his elbow moments before Christian Atsu equalized in the 20th minute. The referee could have chosen to award a penalty and send off Alexander-Arnold, but the right back stayed on the field and wound up assisting Salah for his goal eight minutes later. Salomon Rondon equalized in the 54th for Newcastle, but Liverpool - playing just 72 hours after losing to Barcelona at the Camp Nou Stadium - showed its fighting qualities to eke out a win that keeps the pressure on City. ''The lads showed the spirit once again. They have showed it the whole season,'' Alexander-Arnold said. ''Many times we have been down and out but equalized late on, or scored a late (winning) goal. ''It was important to put the pressure back on City and hopefully Leicester will be able to do something for us on Monday night.'' Liverpool is seeking its first top-flight title since 1990, and 19th in total. Before its final league game at home to Wolves a week on Sunday, Liverpool will attempt to overturn the deficit against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday. --- More AP English soccer: https://apnews.com/PremierLeague and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Luna, the mother cat, nursed the baby skunk who lost his mom. She let him feed off her along with her kittens like he was one of her own babies.


The Orlando Magic have extended qualifying offers to both Khem Birch and Amile Jefferson , the team announces in a press release. Magic had until June 29 to make a decision on the pair. Birch, who appeared in 50 games for Magic last season, is reportedly generating substantial interest on the market. As a restricted free agent, the Magic would have the right to match any offer sheet he receives. Jefferson played under a two-way contract last season, appearing in just 12 games with the franchise. He spent much of his time in the G League for the team's affiliate.


One of the most interesting dramas in any NFL season is the training camp battle between two players for the same roster spot, or overall position of importance. You're trying to fill a team need, and you've got a teammate with similar skills breathing down your neck, wanting the same thing. It makes for dynamic competition, and here are the most compelling training camp battles of the 2019 season. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Buffalo Bills: Cody Ford vs. Ty Nsekhe Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports The Bills did a ton in free agency and the draft to try and ascend in the AFC East and make their second playoff game in the new millennium. Chief among those moves were the acquisition of ex-Redskins swing tackle Ty Nsekhe, and the second-round selection of Oklahoma lineman Cody Ford. Nsekhe has the edge as far as experience is concerned, but anyone who's seen Ford's strength and amazing athleticism understands that it's only a matter of time before he takes that spot for a good long time. Green Bay Packers: Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Equanimeous St. Brown (Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports) This battle for Green Bay's receiver spots behind Davante Adams and perhaps Geronimo Allison might not be the NFL's most compelling, but it's certainly the best-named. And if Aaron Rodgers is to thrive in Matt LaFleur's offense, at least one of these guys is going to have to step up to a next level. Back-to-back late-round picks in the 2018 draft, both Valdes-Scantling and St. Brown showed flashes of potential in their rookie campaigns. "MVS" was a regular deep target and saw more opportunities in the slot, while "ESB" (we gotta get these guys some nicknames) started to ramp things up late in the season. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Houston Texans: Julie'n Davenport vs. Matt Kalil (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) If you're an offensive line aficionado, this is less a training camp battle and more a demolition derby between two battered Yugos. Kalil has been trying to find his game for years as injuries diminish his effectiveness, and Davenport may have been the NFL's least effective left tackle in 2018, with 12 sacks and a league-leading 67 total pressures allowed, as well as a league-leading 16 penalties, per Pro Football Focus. Kalil missed the 2018 season for the Panthers with knee issues, but he allowed 46 pressures and had 10 penalties in 2017. The only thing keeping first-round pick Tytus Howard from taking this job as soon as possible is a lack of experience at the NFL level, and Deshaun Watson had better get used to running for his life again. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Indianapolis Colts: Chester Rogers vs. Parris Campbell (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) The position of secondary receiver in the Colts' offense is semi-prime real estate, even with Frank Reich's preferred two-tight end concepts. T.Y. Hilton is the obvious alpha, but there's room to move up behind him. The Colts signed Devin Funchess in March as an ostensible second guy who can at least move the chains, and last season, Rogers was the main slot guy who caught a ton of screens and returned punts to decent effect. But when the Colts took Campbell out of Ohio State with the last of their three second-round picks, that may have had Rogers' ears burning. Campbell thrived despite a limited route role with the Buckeyes, and if he can expand his route palette to match his athleticism, he could add an electric aspect to this offense Rogers would find tough to match. Reich has said nice things about Rogers at times through the 2019 preseason, but there's this… Frank Reich on Parris Campbell's best practice so far: "You see those? The two plays he made in the end zone today weren't gadget, hybrid, slot-receiver type plays, they were legit, NFL, I'm gonna be a stud receiver plays." - Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) July 28, 2019 Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Miami Dolphins: Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Josh Rosen (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports) After years of trying to make Ryan Tannehill happen, the Dolphins are now betwixt and between at the position. Fitzpatrick is the wily veteran who will undoubtedly look better in the short term as the team adjusts to Chad O'Shea's offense, while 2018 Cardinals first-round pick Rosen-cast aside by Arizona after one disastrous season brought about mostly by horrible coaching-has the raw and definable talent to become what Tannehill never was over time. Look for Fitzpatrick to get the early reps, with Rosen's skill set defining his ascent as time goes on. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins New Orleans Saints: Nick Easton vs. Erik McCoy (Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports) Last season, including the playoffs, Max Unger played all 1,152 snaps for the Saints, allowing four sacks, three quarterback hits, and 11 quarterback hurries, and adding his typically strong run-blocking. Unger's surprise retirement in March put the Saints in the lurch regarding what has been one of the league's best-developed offensive lines. Now, it's up to former Vikings interior lineman Nick Easton, who hasn't allowed a sack in 1,159 career snaps, but missed the 2018 season while recovering from a neck procedure, to beat out 2019 second-round pick Erik McCoy out of Texas A&M. McCoy probably has the edge here when it comes to pure talent, and his college tape shows a power-based blocker who needs work in pass protection, but is also a highly experienced run blocker in space, and can run a quick passing game. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Pittsburgh Steelers: James Washington vs. Diontae Johnson (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) While JuJu Smith-Schuster has the talent to replace Antonio Brown in a lot of ways in Pittsburgh's multi-faceted passing game, it's hard to imagine offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner erasing his new No. 1 guy as one of the league's best slot receivers. This, of course, magnifies the situational need for the kind of outside receiver who can match up against top cornerbacks as Brown did so well. Johnson, the Steelers' third-round pick, certainly fits the profile as an undersized speed guy out of the MAC who can make big plays happen all over the field. Washington has the speed for big plays, but in Pittsburgh's offense last season, he did more on short and intermediate stuff, both outside and from the slot. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Seattle Seahawks: David Moore vs. Jaron Brown (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports) Doug Baldwin's retirement robbed the Seahawks of their best receiver just as Russell Wilson became the NFL's richest quarterback. Now, with near-perfect target Tyler Lockett moving up a notch and second-round rookie D.K. Metcalf lighting things up in practice with his athleticism, there's still a need for a receiver who can at least approximate Baldwin's otherworldly route-running and field awareness. Moore did a bit of that for the Seahawks, primarily as an outside guy with some speed, and he's challenged by Jaron Brown, the veteran who caught a career-high 31 passes for 477 yards and four touchdowns for the Cardinals in 2017. Brown caught just 14 passes for 166 yards for Seattle in 2018, but five of those receptions were touchdowns. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Tennessee Titans: A.J. Brown vs. Taywan Taylor (Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports) Corey Davis had a bit of a breakout year in his second season with the Titans, but Mike Vrabel's team needs more receiver depth like few others in the league. 2017 third-round pick Taywan Taylor had a bump in production last year as well, catching 37 passes for 466 yards and a touchdown. But when a running back (Dion Lewis) is your second-leading receiver, the need is obvious. Signing former Bucs slot guy Adam Humphries helps a bit, but Humphries isn't going to create explosive plays. The sleeper in this group, as he was at Ole Miss behind D.K. Metcalf, is second-round pick A.J. Brown, who actually outperformed Metcalf statistically, and had an 85-catch season for the Rebels in 2018. It's Brown who may have the well-rounded skill set to get this receiver group over the top. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vernon Hargreaves III vs. Sean Murphy-Bunting (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) To call Tampa Bay's 2018 secondary a disaster is to insult disasters. The Bucs' defense allowed a 72.5% opponent completion rate, and a 110.9 opponent passer rating last season. Only the 2015 Saints were historically worse. Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III was a part of the problem in his absence, as he was able to play in just one game last season due to a shoulder injury. The 2016 first-round pick has played just 1,593 snaps in his three-year career, and he hasn't been overwhelmingly great when on the field. The Bucs selected three cornerbacks in the 2019 draft, and Central Michigan's Sean Murphy-Bunting is the most interesting of that group. He fits the physical profile of a big press cornerback, and he allowed just 17 completions on 37 targets for 210 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 41.5. If Hargreaves is going to turn his career around, now would be the time to do it. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins Washington Redskins: Case Keenum vs. Dwayne Haskins (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports) The Redskins may not have expected Dwayne Haskins to fall to them with the 15 th overall pick-after all, you'd think a guy who threw 50 touchdown passes in a season for Ohio State would get top 10 consideration. But with Alex Smith's football future very much in doubt, and a quarterback room filled with the likes of Case Keenum, Colt McCoy, and Josh Woodrum, something had to be done. Head coach Jay Gruden has a long history of preferring quarterbacks with low ceilings who will follow his program to the letter, which gives Keenum the edge, as he has the highest of the low ceilings. Haskins is the quarterback of the future, to be sure, but he'll have to work out his issues when throwing on the run and under pressure before he'll make presentable starts at the NFL level. Bills | Packers | Texans | Colts | Dolphins | Saints | Steelers | Seahawks | Titans | Buccaneers | Redskins MORE: Trevor Bauer angrily fired a baseball over the centerfield wall before being pulled from game Roundup: Miley Cyrus Not Performing At VMAs, VICE in Talks to Buy Refinery29, Triple H Turned 50 Tom Brady disobeys Bill Belichick at practice, and suffers the consequences Packers impressed with Rashan Gary's effort early at training camp News: Trysten Hill ok after cart exit, early Elliott replacement ID'd


Hotels, missiles and an entire town...read on to find out more It's tempting for car-makers to branch out of the automotive industry. For some, it's a way to invest the profits from car-building into more lucrative areas. For others, it's a way to stay afloat when an economic downturn whacks the new car market. Join us as we look at some of the random and unlikely sectors car companies have ventured into. PICTURE: 1946 NW5 diesel locomotive, built by General Motors BMW's bobsled Starting in 2012, BMW s North American division spent over a year designing a bobsled for the US Olympic team . It leveraged its expertise in composite materials to develop a light two-person sled made out of carbon fiber. Its experience in aerodynamics also came into play as stylists penned a brand-new sled design. Equipped with the ultimate sledding machine, the American bobsledding team finished third at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. It was the team s first podium finish since 1952 . Fiat's daily newspaper Fiat purchased Turin-based Italian newspaper La Stampa in 1926. Under Fiat ownership, La Stampa grew from a regional newspaper to one of the largest daily publications in Italy. Interestingly, it ran afoul of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 1978 after publishing a series of satirical articles about him. He threatened to strike back at Fiat, not La Stampa , by putting it on a boycott list if the paper didn t fire its editor. La Stampa stood its ground and Gaddafi didn t keep his promise of black-listing the auto-maker. In 2014, Fiat and the powerful Perrone family lumped La Stampa and ll Secolo XIX into a new company named Italiana Editrice. Fiat's successor company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles finally sold its ownership interest in La Stampa in 2017. Ford's industrial town Henry Ford established an entire town in Brazil in a bid to secure rubber for car parts. Named Fordlândia , the project began in 1926 as a planned community with American-style houses buried deep in the Amazonian rainforest. The town was split up into distinct areas for the Brazilian workers and the American managers and it even included a hotel for visiting guests. Tree and men were both prone to disease and the project was a magnificent failure. Ford deserted the town in 1934. He abandoned a second town in 1945 when he realized it was easier to make synthetic rubber than to harvest natural rubber in South America. Today, about 3,000 people live in Fordlândia . Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz's mapping service Rivals BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz set aside their differences when they jointly purchased the HERE mapping service from Nokia in 2015. Each partner holds an equal stake in the company, which was formerly called Navteq . Mercedes parent company Daimler explained the purchase ensures car-makers can mold a mapping service for their future self-driving cars without having to play by rules set by Apple or Google . GM's Electronic Data Systems General Motors (GM) continued its expansion outside of the automotive industry in 1984 when it purchased Ross Perot s computer giant Electronics Data Systems (EDS). Executives presented the investment as a surefire way to make GM s computer systems leaner by leveraging EDS  IT expertise. In turn, the changes implemented would help the car-maker better compete against its Japanese rivals at home and abroad. EDS revenues boomed shortly after the sale but the relationship turned sour. It became evident the two companies couldn t work hand-in-hand. GM spun off EDS in 1996 and Hewlett Packard acquired the company in 2008. GM's Hughes Electronics Corporation General Motors outbid Boeing and arch rival Ford in 1985 to purchase Hughes Aircraft from the murky estate of the eccentric deceased billionaire Howard Hughes. The company later merged with Delco Electronics to become GM Hughes Electronics, and the Hughes aerospace knowhow allowed GM to become the first car company to offer a production version of a heads-up-display, in the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme . The newly-minted firm made car parts , commercial satellites and missiles , among other items. The company entered millions of American households when it launched a digital television service named DirecTV in 1994. As its profits fell, the American car-maker progressively divested most parts of the business in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, and DirecTV is now part of AT&T . Ford's sidewinder missiles In 1951, Ford Aerospace secured a US Navy contract for the engineering and manufacturing of parts required to build the AIM-9 Sidewinder series of air-to-air missiles. The American firm initially produced the guidance and control sections of the weapon while helping with logistics. The AIM-9 missile was widely used during the Vietnam War and dozens of countries still employ its various evolutions. Ford sold the business in 1990 and it s now part of Lockheed Martin . Honda's robot Honda s many divisions make a long list of products including cars, motorcycles, airplanes, lawn mowers, snow blowers and water pumps. The Japanese giant also developed a human-like robot named Asimo that walks, runs, jumps and interacts with mere mortals. It even recognizes its name and shakes hands. Asimo regularly makes public appearances in Japan and abroad. When it s not traveling, it s often displayed at Honda s headquarters in central Tokyo. Hyundai's trains Hyundai can sell you a Santa Fe or build a train capable of taking you and hundreds of other passengers to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The company s Rotem division designs and manufactures light rail vehicles, high-speed trains, diesel-electric locomotives and subway cars. The South Korean firm also makes tools , machines for assembly lines , artillery , aircraft parts and robots , among other products. Ford's savings accounts Ford wants to help you save for the new Ranger you ve been lusting after. In England, its Ford Credit division obtained the banking license required to offer savings products like a flexible cash individual savings account, and currently offers a reasonably competitive annual interest rate of 1.42% . Ford Credit manages billions annually, according to its official website. Renault s RCI Banque arm offers similar services in Europe as well. Mitsubishi's many many things Mitsubishi s car-building arm shares its name and logo with numerous other entities. The group s areas of expertise include mining , building cruise ships , selling real estate , making electronic toll collection systems , designing high-speed trains , refining oil , and banking . Having built the fearsome Zero fighter during World War 2, it now builds Japanese versions of the F-15 , F-16 (pictured) and F-35 fighters under license from US aerospace groups Boeing and Lockheed Martin . There s a good chance it made the air-con unit that keeps your office cool, too. Peugeot bicycles Peugeot began making high-wheeler bicycles in 1882 . By the end of the 1880s its catalog included tricycles and regular bicycles with equal-sized wheels. Peugeot s car- and bicycle-building division split into separate entities in 1926. The brand still exists today as part of the Cycleurope group, which also designs and manufactures Bianchi, Puch and Gitane bicycles. Tata's hotels Jaguar and Land Rover live under the same roof as the Indian Hotels Company. Owned by Tata , the group entered the world of luxury hotels in 1903 when it opened a five-star property in Mumbai named Taj Mahal Palace (pictured). It s grown to become one of the largest hotel groups in Asia . Tata s activities don t end where cars and hotels meet. It runs over 100 companies present in a dizzying array of segments. Tata notably provides computer systems support, makes coffee and Tetley Tea , supplies life insurance and transports passengers on an airline named Vistara . You could buy a plane ticket over the phone, get insurance for the trip, board a plane and buy a coffee in-flight without leaving Tata s sphere of influence. Peugeot's salt, pepper and coffee grinders Peugeot sold its first coffee grinder in 1840 and it branched out into the pepper grinder business in 1874. Named Model Z , its first pepper grinder was originally made out of porcelain. The basic design is still in production today though it s more commonly made of wood. Named Poivrières Salières Production (PSP) Peugeot, the grinder part of the business is not operationally linked to Peugeot s car-making division; cars and grinders aren t designed in the same studio or built under the same roof. However, the Peugeot family that owns 14 percent of Groupe PSA also holds a 90 percent stake in PSP . Tonino Lamborghini's coffee Ferruccio Lamborghini sold his eponymous business in 1974 and retired to hunt and make wine. The auto-maker ultimately joined the Volkswagen Group and none of its founder s children work for the company. However, Ferruccio s son continues to use the name and the logo on a line of luxury goods that touts Italian design. The Tonino Lamborghini script shows up on sunglasses , watches , ties and wallets , among other items . The brand also makes two types of coffee (pictured), chocolate , vodka and energy drinks . Tesla's home batteries The battery technology that keeps Tesla s Model S and Model X moving can also power a house during an outage. Named Powerwall , the device is a maintenance-free lithium-ion battery pack that draws electricity from the city s power grid or from solar panels. Tesla promises a fully-charged Powerwall can keep an average-sized house juiced up for about a week. Not sure where to get a solar panel? Tesla makes and sell those, too. Peugeot power tools Peugeot made its first hand tools in 1810 , well before there was an automotive industry for it to leap into. The company continues to sell tools today including drills, drill bits, saws, grinding machines and vice grips. The Peugeot family sold the rights to the tool-making business in 2012 to a French company named MPO . Toyota's houses By Toyota s own account, it  builds 21 st century comfort and luxury houses in Japan.  The Japanese auto-maker began dabbling in the housing market in 1975. Today, it offers three different types of pre-fabricated houses that take as little as 45 days to build and come with a 60-year warranty. GM's trains Yes, it's General Motors again, this time in the train business. By 1930 GM CEO Alfred P Sloan was convinced his conglomerate approach to making cars could be applied to the wider transport world, and that year purchased Cleveland s Electro-Motive Company (EMC). GM correctly guessed that American railroads would move to diesel power away from steam leading to demand for new engines, and also saw synergy for that power-source with its cars. EMC eventually became America s largest producer of diesel locomotives alongside arch-rival General Electric, though beneficial cooperation with GM s car arm was elusive in the event. It exported all over the world, including to the UK as in this example, a EMD 710 12-cylinder diesel engine, that output 3000 hp. GM sold EMC in 2005 to a private equity group; in 2010 it in turn sold EMC to construction equipment giant Caterpillar . Citroën's V-shaped gears André Citroën s first company specialized in making gears with V-shaped teeth. They were quieter than straight-cut gears and they were much stronger, though they needed to be machined with utmost precision. Patents in hand, Citroën started companies in Russia and in France that provided V-shaped gears to a long list of clients, including Škoda . He founded the car company that bears his name in 1919 . The double chevron logo its vehicles still wear today directly references Citroën s start as an international gear-maker. Toyota's speedboats In 1990 Toyota saw an opportunity to apply its automotive expertise to the marine sector, and today offers a range of craft for the well-heeled. Its most powerful, the Ponam 35 (pictured), is propelled by two 4.5-litre V8 diesel engines more commonly found in the Land Cruiser SUV. They deliver a combined 750hp of power and a top speed of around 30 knots (35mph), and is 11.95m long (39 feet). They sell for around US$800,000 each, and can carry 12 people. Unlike Toyota s land-based vehicles, this particular Toyota club is an exclusive one   the company only builds 15 or so of these boats a year, though the company also makes slightly smaller and cheaper vessels. Citroën's helicopter Citroën built a small personal helicopter as a last-ditch attempt to cash in on its Comotor fiasco; Comotor was a joint venture with Germany's NSU to make rotary engines. Named RE-2 , the company's first and only helicopter used an evolution of the ill-fated GS Birotor's Wankel engine equipped with larger rotors and a fuel injection system designed in-house. Early on, Citroën removed the prototype's doors in case something went wrong and the test pilots had to jump out mid-flight. No one had to use the parachute, but the RE-2 failed to obtain flight certification because its engine overheated high in the rev range. Development continued at a snail's pace until new owners Peugeot ordered Citroën to immediately end the project and focus on more lucrative ventures, like finally concocting a replacement for the 2CV. The prototype flew for a total of 38 hours. Honda's private jets Honda s global reach extends well beyond cars. The Japanese company also makes snow blowers, ATVs, motorcycles and even planes. Officially named HA-420, the HondaJet takes the form of a small aircraft intended as a private plane for travelers in the 1%-and-above bracket. It offers space for up to six passengers and two crew members. We d say it s the first Honda with wings, but we re afraid the Civic Type R will protest with a rev of its turbo four. You can pick one up new for around US$5 million, which as private jets go is something of a bargain. Volkswagen' sausages And finally... Volkswagen's most popular product has no wheels and no engine. For decades, the company has manufactured pork sausages and uses them to make currywurst , a popular type of fast food in Germany. It distributes its currywurst to workers in some of its factories, in brand-owned restaurants and at events like classic car shows. They're even sold at some grocery stores in Wolfsburg, the company's home town, along with ketchup also made in Volkswagen's kitchens. The sausages carry their own part number, like a fuel filler flap - it's 199-398-500-A for next time you're down at the dealership - and they're very popular. In 2015, Volkswagen made 7.2 million sausages against 5.8 million VW-branded cars. We had a snoop around the factory in 2018 (pictured).


Right-hander Blake Parker rejected an outright assignment from the Twins and has instead elected free agency, the team announced to reporters ( Twitter link via Betsy Helfand the St. Paul Pioneer Press). The 34-year-old Parker was non-tendered by the Angels last winter and went on to sign a one-year, $1.8M deal with the Twins. Parker is still a bit shy of five years of MLB service time, meaning his decision to opt for free agency will actually result in him surrendering the remainder of that contract in exchange for a return to the open market. He'll look to latch on with another club in hopes of a quick return to the big leagues. Parker logged a 4.21 ERA in 36 1/3 innings with the Twins but struggled more than that number would indicate. The right-hander's velocity dipped to its lowest mark since 2014 (91.5 mph average fastball), and he averaged four walks per nine innings pitched   the worst mark of his career excluding a small 17-inning sample in 2016. Parker's overall strikeout rate, his swinging-strike rate and his first-pitch strike rate were all down from his 2017 peak with the Halos, and he gave up far too much hard contact; Statcast put his 42.9 percent opponents' hard-hit rate in just the 10th percentile among MLB pitchers and felt that he was actually fortunate to escape with a .246/.331/.442 opponents' batting line (based on the quality of the contact he allowed). Parker turned in an outstanding 2017 season with the Angels when he logged 67 innings of 2.54 ERA ball with 11.5 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 with a 47-percent grounder rate. But after striking out more than a third of batters he faced that season, Parker whiffed just 21.7 percent of opponents this year, and his walk rate jumped four percent as well. Between the diminished K/BB numbers and a career-high 1.73 HR/9, fielding-independent metrics like FIP (5.35), xFIP (4.79) and SIERA (4.58) were all rather bearish on Parker's performance.


Influential, progressive U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., feels minority Democrats in the Republican-run Senate should put up their dukes. "My belief is we've got to fight," Jayapal told Netroots Nation, a national progressive gathering whose annual conference drew 3,500 people this year. "We can't have the Senate doing these big bipartisan votes. We lose leverage in the House . . . If we lose, we lose fighting." A big $4.6 billion aid package for security at the U.S.-Mexico border, passed two weeks ago, prompted Jayapal's criticism. The Congresswoman is herself an immigrant and sharp critic of conditions under which children are being held. The Democratic-run House laid out conditions on the aid package: No waiving of requirements for how children are held. Private contractors, getting $750 per child each day, would have contracts blocked if they do not deliver humane treatment. The Senate went ahead and voted for a package without these requirements. Only eight Democrats voted no. Faced with the overwhelming Senate vote, and under pressure from moderate Democrats, the House caved and voted for the Senate version. (Jayapal and Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash, voted No.) The result was "an horrendous outcome," said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, appearing with Jayapal, one of the eight "no" votes in the Senate. Merkley, too, has toured camps in which kids were being held, or tried to. He was barred. "We lost all the leverage Rep. Jayapal fought to get in the bill," Merkley said. Added Jayapal: "It was clear accountability was not built into the bill." Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash, is a member of the Senate Democratic leadership. Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., deliver a shower of press releases denouncing treatment of immigrant kids at the border, regularly demanding answers in angry letters ignored by the Trump administration. They have also introduced legislation, sure to be blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. But Jayapal , co-chair of the 95-member House Progressive Caucus, wants to see more from the Senate's 47 Democrats. "A big bipartisan vote in the Senate takes away our leverage in the House," she said.


Madi Moore, the standout volleyball player who rallied an Indiana community as she fought leukemia and, in April, was chosen to announce the Indianapolis Colts draft picks , has died. The 17-year-old player at Linton-Stockton High, 90 miles southwest of Indianapolis, died early Monday at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. "Around 7:30 a.m. this morning, our sweet, beautiful girl went home to be with Jesus," her mom, Tera Orman, posted on Facebook. "She waited for all of the immediate family to be here and took her last breath." Madi was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in January 2018. In August, she received a stem cell transplant and was declared cancer-free. But twice her body was attacked by graft-versus-host disease; her donor stem cells rejected by her own body. Eventually, the disease caused her lungs to fail. "Our family is devastated, but we know she is no longer in pain and is rejoicing in heaven with Jesus and all of our loved ones who went before her," said Orman, who is married to Madi's stepdad, Gregg Orman, a pastor. "I want to say thank you for all of the prayers and support you have all given Madi and our family, and please know that we will forever be grateful. Love you all." 'It might help inspire other kids' In April, Madi was one of three Riley patients chosen to help announce the Colts' fourth and fifth round picks of the NFL draft. Inside the hospital with Indianapolis Colts cornerbacks Kenny Moore and Pierre Desir, Madi's face was swollen and her eyes were in intense pain due to the steroids pumping through her body. Still, she went, appearing live on NFL Network, Colts.com and NFL NOW. She said at the time she was nervous about her appearance, but she was excited, too. She said she wanted to show her story, her battle with an awful disease. "It might help inspire other kids to keep pushing," Madi said. At the time, Madi's nurse practitioner on the stem cell transplant team at Riley, Stayce Woodburn, told IndyStar if there were anyone tougher than an NFL player, it was Madi. Whether Madi had chemo coursing through her veins or was hanging onto life in the intensive care unit   Woodburn never saw her without a smile on her face and an air of gratitude. "When I think about sports or I think about all of the ups and downs of winning and losing, I really think her journey is very parallel to that," said Woodburn. "She is the perfect person for this." Madi's journey It started with an exhaustion Madi had never felt before as she practiced with the Minor Cadets at Linton-Stockton, performing with rifles and flags. She tried to push through, but eventually she couldn't. After doctors appointments, negative flu tests and a lot of blood work, the phone rang. "Get her immediately to the ER," Tera Orman remembers the doctor saying. Madi's blood counts were critically low. Inside Riley, the family received the diagnosis. Madi had leukemia and the cancer had overtaken her body. The next 15 months were a battle. Madi fought to get to the point where a transplant could happen. She spent weeks in the intensive care unit. She missed volleyball season. Having to fight graft-versus-host disease after all of that took a toll on her spirit; still Madi fought hard. "It's a process we are going through, even with the tremendous battle with the leukemia, it doesn't seem like it's ever finished until it actually is finished," Gregg Orman said in April. "So, we are trying to get this thing to the finish line." The day before she appeared on NFL Network, Madi said her goal was to get healthy enough to go back to school this fall for her senior year and play on the volleyball team. "She was so beautiful and courageous," Jennifer Maloney, one of nearly 2,000 people to post about Madi on Tera Orman's Facebook page, wrote. "Such an inspiration to others in that condition, plus she inspired other teens. Such an awesome human being. R.I.P. Madison." Services for Madi have not yet been set. Cruise-In for a Cause will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. in Linton's Humphreys Park in Madi's honor and to help her family with expenses. Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via e-mail: dbenbow@indystar.com. Original story: Fighting leukemia, Madi Moore selected to announce Colts' picks on NFL Network Support our journalism If you enjoy stories like this, please support the work of IndyStar reporters and visual journalists by becoming a subscriber today. Get unlimited digital access here! . This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Teen volleyball player who revealed Indianapolis Colts draft picks dies


LONG BEACH (CBSLA)   Long Beach police are looking for a suspect who opened fire on officers when they responded to report of a hit-and-run crash in Long Beach Thursday morning. No one was hurt. At around 1 a.m., officers responded to a call about a hit-and-run in the 1600 block of the Pacific Coast Highway, police report. As they were arrived on scene, officers heard gunshots and moved to take cover in a parking lot, a police watch commander said. As they were taking cover, the suspect opened fire on them. No officers were hurt and none of them returned fire. SWAT was called out, but the suspect escaped and remains at large. It's unclear why the suspect opened fire on officers and whether any hit-and-run occurred. The suspect remains at large. No officers were hit and a department SWAT team was called to the scene, where evidence of a shooting was located, Blair said. No arrest was reported and a motive for the shooting was unknown, he said. The PCH was shut down between Orange and Cherry avenues. As of 7 a.m., it still remained closed.


Curious just how far your dollar goes in Phoenix? We've rounded up the latest rental offerings via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to hunting down housing in Phoenix if you're on a budget of $2,100/month. Take a peek at what rentals the city has to offer, below. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 4001 N. Central Ave. (Encanto) Listed at $2,003/month, this 1,052-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom abode is located at 4001 N. Central Ave. In the unit, you can anticipate hardwood flooring, in-unit laundry and a walk-in closet. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are welcome on this property. According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is convenient for biking and has good transit options. (See the complete listing here .) 290 E. Roosevelt St. (Central City) Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom abode situated at 290 E. Roosevelt St. It's listed for $2,025/month for its 1,080 square feet. The unit comes with a ceiling fan and in-unit laundry. Both cats and dogs are welcome. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is quite walkable, is fairly bikeable and has good transit options. (Take a gander at the complete listing here .) 4949 N. Seventh St. (Camelback East) Here's a 1,184-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom abode at 4949 N. Seventh St. that's going for $2,055/month. In the unit, expect to find a mix hardwood and carpeted flooring, a walk-in closet and in-unit laundry. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are allowed. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is quite walkable, is relatively bikeable and has good transit options. (Take a look at the full listing here .) Working with a tight budget? Here are the cheapest rentals recently listed in Phoenix . This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Ravens' first-round draft pick isn't ready to go just yet. Rookie wide receiver Marquise Brown has been placed on the Ravens' on the non-football injury list to start camp. Brown had Lisfranc surgery in February (Brown actually did suffer the foot injury playing football, but the non-football injury list also encompasses players who came into the offseason recovering from an injury suffered the previous season.) Brown isn't the only rookie on the list: Ravens third-round linebacker Jaylon Ferguson fifth-round defensive tackle Daylon Mack and underafted wide receiver Jaylen Smith are also on the non-football injury list. Undrafted offensive tackle Patrick Mekari is on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Going on these lists at the start of camp often just means the player isn't physically ready to complete a full practice as well as the team's conditioning test. It's not a reason to think they won't be ready when the season starts.


The Oklahoma City Thunder have reportedly freed up one of the organization's two-way contracts. According to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports, the Thunder have waived Donte Grantham. Grantham made his NBA debut with Oklahoma City in 2018-19, appearing in parts of three games. He spent the majority of last season with the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League. Grantham played in 34 games for the Blue, averaged 10.5 points. 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 40.4 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from three. While with the Thunder's 2019 Summer League squad in Las Vegas, Grantham only averaged 7.2 points per game on 34 percent shooting. While playing 22.2 minutes per game, the forward averaged four rebounds, one steal, 2.4 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game. The Oklahoma City Thunder have waived Two-Way player Donte Grantham. - Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 26, 2019 Prior to latching on with Oklahoma City, Grantham attended Clemson for four years. In his senior year, the forward averaged 14.2 points per game and shot 56 percent from the field. He signed with the Thunder in 2018 as an undrafted free agent MORE: UFC's Thiago Santos shares brutal update on injuries suffered in loss to Jon Jones Latest MLB Trade Rumors: Noah Syndergaard, Trevor Bauer, Shane Greene on the Move? Instant observations from Day 2 of Patriots training camp Miles Sanders looking a RB2 in Fantasy Football Packers signing former Jaguars RB Corey Grant


(Credit: KTLA) ( KTLA )   A pilot died after a plane crashed and exploded into flames at the Fullerton Municipal Airport on Thursday, officials said. FOX40 sister station KTLA reports the incident was first reported just after 7:50 p.m. at the airport on West Commonwealth Avenue, Fullerton Police Department officials said. Initial reports stated the twin-engine plane had become engulfed in flames. The Beechcraft Duke crashed during takeoff from Runway 24, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said. "The aircraft rolled to the left and caught fire." Gregor says the pilot was believed to be the only person on board and Fullerton Fire Department Division Chief Kathy Schaefer told KTLA he was later pronounced dead. The aircraft had just been gassed up and was traveling about 15 feet above ground at around 80 mph when it suddenly veered hard to the left and plowed into the ground, Schaefer said. Footage of the scene posted to social media showed intense flames rising up from the tarmac. FAA records show the airplane was registered to a company based in Helena, Montana and had a valid flight status. The plane was believed to be destined for Utah, officials said. No further details were immediately available. Looks like an airplane crashed at Fullerton airport, may have been during taxi. This is moments after @SoCalSafety1st pic.twitter.com/JTusigEuQq   Matt Borgelt (@mattcyborgelt) April 19, 2019     ©2019 KTXL-TV, Sacramento Visit KTXL-TV, Sacramento at www.fox40.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the league "years ago" moved away from using the term "owner," which some observers believe is racially insensitive in a league where three-quarters of the players are black. TMZ Sports first reported earlier this month that several NBA teams have stopped using the term "owner," but recently caught up with Silver for an interview where he confirmed the change in style. "I don't want to overreact to the term because, as I said earlier, people end up twisting themselves into knots avoiding the use of the word 'owner,'" Silver told TMZ Sports . "But we moved away from that term years ago with the league. We call our team owners 'governors' of the team and 'alternate governors.'" Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has been particularly outspoken about use of the term "owner." In 2017, Green sparked controversy when he remarked, '[W]hen you look at the word 'owner,' it really dates back to slavery. The word 'owner,' 'master'   it dates back to slavery. ... We just took the words and we continued to put it to use." Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban bristled at Green's remarks, telling ESPN : "For him to try to turn it into something it's not is wrong. He owes the NBA an apology. I think he does, because to try to create some connotation that owning equity in a company that you busted your a  for is the equivalent of ownership in terms of people, that's just wrong." In an episode of LeBron James's HBO show "The Shop," Green suggested the use of terms such as "CEO," chairman" and "majority shareholder." MORE : Chris Paul addresses trade rumors, says he's 'happy' with Rockets | Lonzo Ball reacts to being traded from Lakers to Pelicans | Kawhi Leonard free agency rumors: LA billboard woos 'King of SoCal' for Clippers While Silver concedes NBA memos still sometimes include "owner," he is "sensitive" to the issue. But he admits there is not consensus around the league about the issue. "Players have gone both ways. I think a few players have actually spoken out and said the greatest thing that ever happened was when Michael Jordan was able to call himself an owner," Silver said. "But, of course, Draymond Green has been very public about the fact that we should be moving away from the term ... and I completely respect that." Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NBA Draft (provided by imagn)


McCANDLESS, PA - The Giant Eagle in McIntyre Square off of McKnight Road sold a winning Mega Millions lottery ticket worth $5 million on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Lottery officials announced. The ticket matched all five white balls drawn, 10-50-55-56-58, but not the yellow Mega Ball 15, to win $5 million, less applicable withholding.It was sold with the $1 Megaplier option, which boosted the prize to $5million instead of $1 million, because the multiplier drawn was five. The Giant Eagle sore will receive a $10,000 selling bonus for selling the winning ticket. If you have the winning ticket, you should sign it, call the lottery office at 717-702-8146 and file a claim at the nearest Lottery office . Pennsylvania Lottery Mega Millions prizes expire one year from the drawing date.


On the same day that Magic Johnson rehashed his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers while also painting a picture of dysfunction within the franchise, the Lakers franchise got a much-needed PR win with the introduction of new head coach Frank Vogel. Not only did Vogel appear ready for the job of leading the Lakers team into next season, he sounded more like a leader than anyone else in the Lakers organization during Monday's introductory press conference as LeBron James looked on. Vogel spoke about the need to "block out the noise," which he admitted is louder with the Lakers than anywhere else and added that the Lakers need "organizational togetherness" to do it. He discussed that he would hold everyone accountable and that everyone would be coached very hard. He also opened up about how he's evolved his basketball philosophy. But more than anything Vogel's wisdom on organizational togetherness in light of Magic Johnson's scorched-earth First Take appearance is what the Lakers franchise needed. "We need to build togetherness within the organization," Vogel said in the press conference that was shown on NBA TV. "And I don't just mean with the 15 guys or 17 guys in the locker room. I'm talking about organizational togetherness, starting with ownership, front office, to the coaching staff, the trainers, the business side. We're all going to be pulling in the same direction. This is something I've always preached as a head coach, we can accomplish amazing things if everybody is together. How we do things day-to-day translates to the court and how we play. We're going to be unselfish. We're going to be trusting the pass. Defensively, communicating, talking to each other and covering for each other. Working together. It starts organizationally wide when you win big. Vogel also discussed how he envisions the Lakers playing under his command. "I've got a strong plan for how we're going to play as a basketball team. I'm really, really excited about the chance to instill my beliefs in how it's going to look. Like I said, playing for each other. Having an analytics based approach to playing the game outside-in. Using the 3-point line and the space that creates to open up a really strong basket-attacking team. And defensively building the team from the inside out. For all the talk of the 3-point line, it's still most important to build your defense from inside to out. The basket is still the top priority, the paint is a top priority but then we will spread out and guard the 3-point line." The Lakers were below average in the league in 3-point attempt rate last season, but part of the reason they were below average is they were bad at shooting them. They were 29th in the league in 3-point percentage, something that will have to change next season and should be a point of emphasis in free agency. MORE: This photo of Kyler Murray led to more speculation about his height Kyle Rudolph could be a late offseason acquisition Cowboys need VIDEO: Magic Johnson Calls Out Rob Pelinka for Backstabbing on First Take Patriots will prove Super Bowl LIII shutdown defense was no fluke 5 undrafted free agents who could make the Raiders roster in 2019


The number of crime reports in Atlanta saw an overall decrease last month, after a previous rise, according to data from SpotCrime , which collects data from police agencies and validated sources. Incidents fell by 9.2%, from 2,258 in May to 2,050 in June. Despite last month's decrease, crime reports remain about even with the same month last year. Crime tends to follow similar patterns over time, with seasonal ups and downs, making a year-over-year comparison most relevant. The month-to-month decrease in reports was led by theft and assault. Theft fell from 1,175 reported incidents in May to 1,016 in June, and has fallen by 679 incidents since June of last year. Assault incidents went from 268 to 217 for the month, or about a 19% decrease. However, assault reports have increased since a year ago, so there is still some ground to recover. While a somewhat smaller category, there was also a notable percentage decrease last month in robbery, from 189 incidents per month to 175. Robbery reports have increased considerably since the same month last year. Among the few types of offenses that saw an uptick last month, burglary reports went from 609 to 622. Burglary incidents have seen an overall upward trend since the same time last year. There were four reported shootings in June compared with no shootings in May. Considering the concentration of crime across the city, the largest decline last month occurred in Grove Park, Old Fourth Ward and Home Park. Carver Hills, Washington Park and Atlanta University Center also saw considerable percentage decreases in crime offenses for the month, although they continue to have lower overall crime levels. Over the past year, crime has gone up the most in Midtown, and declined the most Downtown. Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays saw the most reported crimes last month. The largest decrease from the previous month occurred on Fridays, Thursdays and Wednesdays, while incidents on Sundays and Saturdays went up. Comparing times of day, after midnight, late morning and midday saw the most crime last month on average each day. To report a crime in progress or life-threatening emergency, call 911. To report a non-urgent crime or complaint, contact your local police department. Head to SpotCrime to get free local crime alerts in your area. This story was created automatically using local crime data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about our data sources and local crime methodology. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.


Boris Johnson the front runner in the race to become the next prime minister of the U.K. has said he would not support U.S. military operations against Iran as the international community watches Tehran nervously for signs of nuclear proliferation. Speaking alongside rival and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the final leadership debate on Monday, Johnson said he would not support strikes against Iran if he becomes prime minister at the end of this month. Johnson is widely expected to defeat Hunt in the race to become the next Conservative Party leader and thus prime minister when the result of the contest is announced on July 23. Neither Hunt nor Johnson both of whom have served as foreign secretary under outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to support President Donald Trump if the U.S. went to war with Iran. Hunt was careful not to give too direct an answer to the question. "The risk we have is something different, which is an accidental war, because something happens in a very tense and volatile situation," he said. But Johnson was uncharacteristically frank on the same point, though the former London mayor's reputation for political duplicity suggests he could change his tune once in office. Johnson described the regime in Tehran as a "disruptive, dangerous, difficult" administration, but stressed that military action would not be "a sensible option for us in the west," Bloomberg reported. "Diplomacy must be the best way forward," Johnson added. "If you ask me if I think, were I prime minister now, would I be supporting military action against Iran, the answer is 'No."' Tensions remain high between Washington and Tehran over the beleaguered Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, colloquially known as the Iran nuclear deal. Since Trump pulled out of the multilateral Obama-era accord last year, the remaining signatories have struggled to keep it alive. The deal is floundering under the pressure of U.S. sanctions and ramped up Iranian uranium enrichment . Tehran is stubbornly resisting White House efforts to get it back to the table to negotiate a more restrictive agreement. Britain has been pulled deeper into the crisis after Royal Marines seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar earlier this month, which officials said was attempting to transport oil to bolster President Bashar al-Assad in war torn Syria in contravention of European Union sanctions. Outraged Iranian leaders called for the vessel's immediate release and threatened retaliation. Days later, Iranian vessels belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly attempted to seize a British tanker in the strategically-vital Strait of Hormuz, but were chased off by a Royal Navy warship. Trump appears to have taken a liking to Johnson, and observers have been quick to point out similarities in their opportunistic, populist styles and inflammatory and often offensive rhetoric. Both Johnson and Hunt have tried to avoid public criticism of Trump as their leadership campaigns progress. Trump has been positive about both men but has repeatedly praised Johnson, predicting he would make a "great" prime minister. But gaffe-prone Johnson has had to balance the boon that Trump's endorsement has given him with Conservative Party members with the fact that the president is deeply unpopular among the wider British electorate. Though much of the British public abhors the president's pugnacious style and proudly nationalist ideology, pro-Brexit politicians and voters have sought closer relations with Trump in the hope of securing a trade deal with the U.S. once the U.K. leaves the EU. The diplomatic dance was especially evident following leaked emails from the U.K.'s Ambassador to the U.S., Kim Darroch, in which he described Trump's White House as "insecure," "clumsy" and "inept." The president took the emails to heart, and hit back at Darroch branding him a "pompous fool" and a "very stupid guy." Unwilling to risk a major diplomatic incident before even becoming prime minister, Johnson failed to defend Darroch in a live leadership debate, prompting widespread condemnation in the U.K. The ambassador resigned from his post the following day, citing Johnson's non-committal stance as a factor in his decision. Related Articles U.S. Claims to Have International Support Against Iran Nuclear Deal, It Does Not Pompeo Gives Iran's Foreign Minister Visa That Limits Access to Six New York Blocks: 'U.S. Diplomats Don't Roam Around Tehran' Israel Compares Europe's Iran Nuclear Deal Decision to Appeasing Nazi Germany Before World War II Sign up to our newsletter and get Newsweek stories delivered to your e-mail


DeSean Jackson is one of the best in NFL history at tracking the deep ball and has been among the league leaders in yards per reception for years, but one Pro Football Hall of Famer and a former all-time great running back doesn't believe he's the best in the NFL as a deep threat. Tomlinson, an analyst on NFL Network, pegged Jackson's former teammate in Tampa Bay, Mike Evans, as the best deep-threat wide receiver in the NFL. "The guy averages over 17 yards per reception," Tomlinson said. "It's because of that 6-foot-5, 6-foot-6 frame, but a guy that can also run 4.4 (40-yard dash) and he constantly puts pressure on the cornerback by his size and his speed. He does this in his sleep, man, catches the ball down the field." That would all be great, except Jackson has been the best deep ball receiver since he entered the league in 2008, has led the league in yards per catch four times and currently has a career average of over 17.4 yards per reception. Last season was Evans best as a pro, as he amassed 86 receptions for 1,524 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 17.7 yards per catch. Jackson has 589 catches for 10,261 yards and 53 touchdowns in his 11 NFL seasons, to go along with his career average of 17.4 per catch and he's done it over a more consistent basis of time. MORE: Steph Curry opens up about Kevin Durant's exit, state of Warriors after big changes Chris Paul's Contract Is So Bad The Rockets Gave Up Everything in Thunder Trade News: Major trade target at safety, levels to Cowboys WRs, NFL's best back NBA Depth Charts The Ringer believes Raiders could trade SS Karl Joseph to Cowboys


We are just days away from the debut of HBO's Hard Knocks with the Oakland Raiders. To get you excited for the premiere, HBO has released a teaser named "The Autumn Wind is a Raider." Take a look at the teaser video below: MORE: Five potential Jeremy Lin landing spots in free agency This Patrick Mahomes throw from Chiefs practice can't be real Sean McVay, Rams are flipping the script on practice and the preseason Dez Bryant: Saints will get first opportunity to sign me Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp


The LMP2 points-leading Signatech Alpine FIA World Endurance Championship squad faces a "tricky situation" in this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours, admits Nico Lapierre. Lapierre and his teammates Pierre Thiriet and Andre Negrao hold a slender four-point advantage over Jackie Chan DC Racing trio Ho-Pin Tung, Stephane Richelmi and Gabriel Aubry with 39 points up for grabs in the 2018/19 season finale. DragonSpeed pair Roberto Gonzalez and Pastor Maldonado also have an outside shot at title glory, with 26 points to make up on the Signatech Alpine drivers. Lapierre, who set the third-fastest time of the month in the Le Mans test day at the start of the month, admitted to Motorsport.com that striking a balance between aiming for class honours at Le Mans and doing enough to seal the title will be tough. "It's a new situation for us, it's the first time we finish the championship at Le Mans, it's difficult   especially leading the championship by such a small margin," he said. "We've got to be careful about the championship. We also want to win the race, as a team you prepare for this race the whole year. We are a bit in between. "We don't want to take extra risks, but we also want to push to fight for the win and if you don't take any risks you've no chance to win. It's a bit of a tricky situation for us. "I would say there are five or six cars that can win the race. It's going to be a tough battle." #38 Jackie Chan DC Racing Ligier JSP217 Gibson: Ho-Pin Tung, Stéphane Richelmi, Gabriel Aubry Photo by: Paul Foster Richelmi, whose teammate Tung was fastest in LMP2 on test day, said the drivers of the #38 Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca face a similar headache. "We arrive here as hunters," Richelmi told Motorsport.com. "We have to finish ahead of them [Signatech]. We have to do a great race to score four points [more]. "For us, the hardest thing honestly is the speed of certain amateurs in GT, and the speed at which we arrive behind them. It's there where we lose out enormously, and where we have to take precautions. "Regardless, we are fighting for the championship, and even if we are fighting for the victory, we can't take reckless risks in traffic." Lapierre: Michelin has regained edge over Dunlop Signatech switched from Dunlop to Michelin tyres at the start of the year, and which brand performs better could be key to determining the destiny of LMP2 honours. Lapierre said he feels Michelin has regained an edge over the Dunlop, especially as race week is set to feature much cooler temperatures than the test "We ran in the test with really high temperatures which is not going to the case for the race, so there a lot of unknowns right now," he said. "In Sebring it was a bit hard, Dunlop was a bit faster, but since then Michelin has been at least as fast as Dunlop, probably a bit faster. "We have to see in the cold conditions, it's a bit of an unknown. The new Dunlop tyre, they never ran it in low temperatures, so we have to see in the race. It's difficult to judge." Michelin tyre Photo by: Nikolaz Godet


To say Dr Tom Frazer faces a daunting workload as he begins his new job as Florida's first chief science officer would be an underestimation. From the increasing risk of ever stronger Atlantic hurricanes, toxic algae blooms that have inundated the state's beaches and inland waterways, and rising sea levels that threaten to leave Florida underwater by the end of the century, the challenges appear immense. But where many see a five-alarm climate emergency laying siege to his state, Frazer, with a measured approach honed from more than three decades' experience of working in environmental science, sees only opportunity. Related: Everglades in crisis: can this Florida treasure avert an environmental tragedy? "It's a very exciting time in the state of Florida," he said in an interview with the Guardian and several local reporters as he assumed the role created by the new Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, soon after he took office in January. "There's a clear focus in this state right now on water quality issues, so that is my priority moving forward. Rising sea levels are [also] a priority issue and factor prominently in how we're looking at some of the other issues we're dealing with. I don't know how to say it any clearer than that." While Frazer and his new boss, Noah Valenstein, Florida's secretary for environmental protection , were reluctant to characterize it as such, the appointment of a chief science officer   the first such state-level position in the nation   is a literal sea change from the approach taken by DeSantis's predecessor, Rick Scott. As governor, Scott was widely seen as a disaster for the environment, slashing $700m from the water management budget , rolling back crucial water quality safeguards and pursuing pro-industry policies that critics said turned a blind eye to pollution and polluters. Florida's recent tourism and wildlife-killing red tides , they insist, were far worse as a result. Scott was also credited with banning the phrases climate change and global warming from the official state lexicon, something he repeatedly denied during his ultimately successful run for a US Senate seat in November. Frazer, who most recently served as director of the University of Florida's school of natural resources and environment, believes his appointment can help steer the state back on course. One of his main roles will be to provide lawmakers and others who help shape state policies with accurate, up-to-date scientific facts and considerations. "There is a lot of information out there and it's distributed widely throughout the state," he said. "It's important to harness that information, simplify it, provide it to individuals responsible for making policy and carrying out management actions, so in that regard science is intended to really inform those policy decisions." In the coming weeks Frazer will begin working with a newly convened task force to investigate the devastating naturally occurring green-blue algae blooms in Lake Okeechobee and inland waterways that many environmentalists believe were worsened by nutrient run-off from sugar and other farming industries. "The taskforce will try to better understand the causes of these blooms throughout the state and how we can contain them, what technology, for example, we can bring to bear on dealing with them," Frazer said. There is, however, no bigger pressing issue in Florida than global heating, which science has linked to higher sea levels and more powerful hurricanes , such as last October's Hurricane Michael, the first category 5 storm to strike the state since 1992. Some experts even predict a complete collapse of Florida's economy : Spencer Glendon, a fellow at Woods Hole research center, said he thought it was "insane" for anybody to own or lend on property in Florida. Such dire warnings have prompted municipalities to act. Miami Beach, the city of Miami and Miami-Dade county all have their own resilience officers and billions of dollars have been spent on flood prevention, improved drainage and raising roadways . But until now there has been no cohesive statewide approach. Valenstein says DeSantis's new, "science first" approach is intended to change that. "The idea of having the first chief resilience officer is clear recognition of the importance of dealing with sea level rise and resiliency issues throughout Florida," he said. He pointed to other moves DeSantis has made, including renaming the state department of environmental protection's coastal division the office of resilience and coastal protection, and pledging $2.5bn for the environment over four years. Frazer, meanwhile, said he intended using his experience to tackle Florida's environmental challenges across the board, and on an issue-by-issue basis. "I've worked in springs, coastal rivers, estuary and marine environments, offshore, coral reef work down in the Florida Keys," he said. "[I] hope to bring that experience to bear on the many issues we're facing."


In the history of the FIFA Women's World Cup, there has only been one team to retain their title with back-to-back success. Germany was that team, accomplishing the feat in 2003 and 2007 when the tournament was held in the United States and China, respectively. Now, the United States are looking to emulate that achievement this summer, but there's some stiff competition in their way. The host nation France are attempting to become the first nation to have their men's and women's team win back-to-back tournament, while Germany boast an exceptionally strong squad, boasting the likes of Lyon stalwart Dzsenifer Marozsán among their ranks. Australia, meanwhile, have one of the most clinical goalscorers in the world in Sam Kerr, and Canada possess Christine Sinclair - who is eyeing her own piece of history by targeting Abby Wambach's all-time international goalscoring record. If things go their way, United States have a great chance of going back-to-back - here's three things they need to do in order to achieve that goal. They Will Need to Ably Support Becky Sauerbrunn Defence is a tricky area for a lot of teams. As mentioned, Australia has one of the best goalscorers in the world, but they lack the ability to keep clean sheets. For the United States, Becky Sauerbrunn is the hardened veteran in the back, who will be playing in her third FIFA Women's World Cup. Her starting spot is rarely disputed and although head coach Jill Ellis often tinkers with the lineup, she always keeps faith with Sauerbrunn when she's fit and available. Right now, she's healthy. But despite being an invaluable presence within the team, she can't do it all on her own. Elsewhere, Ellis has tinkered with the defence and slotted Crystal Dunn as a left back, even though she plays as a striker for her club team, North Carolina Courage. Dunn is great at getting up the field to help the attack, but her defensive skills need to be improved. Elsewhere, Kelley O'Hara has been battling various injuries for almost two years, and has made the squad despite only featuring in two club matches this season for Utah. There is depth to the States' defence pool though. While Sauerbrunn is usually put at centre back with Abby Dahlkemper, Tierna Davidson can fill the role. However, she's a younger, inexperienced player and although playing her against Thailand would aid her development, trusting her against an experienced Sweden side would be a big call. Someone else has to help Sauerbrunn and shoulders some of the responsibility, as the most important thing is communication - and keeping a clean sheet. Don't Underestimate Their Group Stage Opponents  As mentioned in the USWNT preview , the last time the United States faced off with Group F opponents Thailand and Chile, they won handsomely. However, in the World Cup, anything can happen. Nobody expected Russia to beat Spain in the last 16 of the FIFA Men's World Cup last year, and the group stages are also prone to the odd upset. Chile boast a number of good attacking players, including forward Yanara Aedo, while Thailand are an experienced side looking to make the most out of their second ever tournament appearance. United States will be heavy favourites, and although they should pick up wins by comfortable margins, they will quickly refocus for the big test in this group: Sweden. There's a lot of history between the States and Sweden. Who could forget their meeting in the 2016 Rio Olympics (which Sweden won on penalties) or the 2015 World Cup group stage match that ended goalless? Two games that have shown that this will be far from an easy task for the States. Undoubtedly, the Swedes are a tough team and under the guidance of Peter Gerhardsson, who was appointed two years ago, they will be a tough nut to crack. The States are used to competing against a team managed by Pia Sundhage, so they'll need to adapt to the different tactics that are likely to be implemented. Shake up the Midfield  The United States have fantastic depth in midfield, with solid defensive midfielders Julie Ertz and Sam Mewis both putting in positive showings during the tune-up matches. Rose Lavelle, should she remain healthy throughout the whole tournament, can sneak through defenders with her size and speed whilst Lindsey Horan, who had an outstanding 2018 for both club and country, continues to stake her claim as one of the USWNT's best midfielders. Morgan Brian and Allie Long are great options off the bench, even though Long hasn't been to a World Cup. She has plenty of club experience and can draw up the experiences of Brian, who was the youngest player at the 2015 tournament. If Ellis wants to succeed this summer, she'll shake up the midfield with smart substitutions at the right time - closing out games by perhaps bringing Lavelle off in favour or Mewis to see things out. Final Thoughts While hosts France are the favourites, the United States are also expected to do very well this summer. Bonjour, (•_•) <) )╯ WE 🇺🇸 / \ \ (•_•) ( (> HAVE 🏆 / \ (•_•) <) )> ARRIVED 🇫🇷 / \ pic.twitter.com/Ueu7QmwOlt   U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) June 7, 2019 That said, strong competition from Japan, England, Germany and Netherlands will ensure this is one of the most competitive World Cup's in history. It's now up to Jill Ellis and her team to live up to the billing, and deliver another World Cup triumph for the stars and stripes.


Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has made a strong effort to beef up his social media game this offseason. After a late-night tweet announcing his new contract in which he was lying in bed with Ciara and wearing gold chains, Wilson has continued creating unique social media content, as opposed to the cookie-cutter pictures and videos of previous years. Wilson posted a handful of tweets on the Fourth of July. His first tweet of the day was pretty generic, a nice message to Seahawks fans about making sure they showed love and gratitude while wishing everyone a happy holiday. Say Something Kind. Happy 4th of July!!! pic.twitter.com/hVBjQKjLSH - Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) July 4, 2019 The cornrows are hard to take seriously, but the message itself was heartfelt. Next, Wilson helped promote Ciara's appearance at the Macy's fireworks spectacular, which was shown on NBC. Can't wait to watch you tonight Momma!!! @Ciara #4thofjuly2019 on @NBC https://t.co/1awR1ApF9m - Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) July 4, 2019 Finally, Wilson decided to end the day with a tweet that expressed his excitement about his wife, fireworks … and Season 3 of the Netflix hit show "Stranger Things." This can't be!? @Stranger_Things 3, Fireworks, and @Ciara all in one night pic.twitter.com/JpW6FIrtZD - Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) July 4, 2019 Wilson appears to be trying to level up his Twitter game, and his use of emojis and goofy videos is a development for the star quarterback this offseason. Seahawks fans have just under three weeks until the start of training camp - which begins on July 25 - so Wilson's goofy tweets will have to hold everyone over until then. MORE: What Kawhi Leonard is doing with his decision should be applauded News: Cowboys who could be traded, triple-threat WRs, Eric Berry talk These are the top scorers in Vegas Summer League history The Steelers got their new Brett Keisel with Isaiah Buggs Roundup: Donald Trump's Plane Thoughts; Colin Cowherd is Unflappable; Classic Mets Stuff


Curious just how far your dollar goes in Arlington? We've rounded up the latest rental listings via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to finding an apartment in Arlington if you've got $1,600/month earmarked for your rent. Take a peek at what rentals the city has to offer, below. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 425 E. Lamar Blvd. First, there's this studio apartment located at 425 E. Lamar Blvd. It's listed for $1,525/month for its 819 square feet. In the apartment, you'll see in-unit laundry, carpeted floors, a dishwasher and a walk-in closet. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are permitted on this property. According to Walk Score, the area around this address is somewhat walkable and is relatively bikeable. (See the complete listing here .) 5903 Guildwood Drive Next, check out this 1,608-square-foot three-bedroom, two-bathroom spot that's located at 5903 Guildwood Drive. It's listed for $1,525/month. The building has garage parking and outdoor space. You can also expect to find hardwood flooring in the unit. Good news for animal lovers: both dogs and cats are permitted here. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location requires a car for most errands and is somewhat bikeable. (Check out the complete listing here .) 1401 Nandina Drive Finally, ocated at 1401 Nandina Drive, here's a 882-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's listed for $1,530/month. The apartment comes with a walk-in closet, a fireplace and hardwood flooring. The building features garage parking and secured entry. Pet lovers, take note: cats and dogs are welcome, but look out for extra fees. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location isn't very walkable and isn't particularly bikeable. (Take a gander at the complete listing here .) Working with a tight budget? Here are the cheapest rentals recently listed in Arlington . This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Former NFL quarterback Jared Lorenzen has died at the age of 38. "The family of Jared Lorenzen would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation for all of your support and prayers over the past six days," Lorenzen's family said in a statement to Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio. "We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Jared today, July 3, 2019. Again, we appreciate all of the warm wishes and prayers, but as a family, we would request your respect and privacy. We will offer arrangement information in the coming days. Please keep Jared's family and especially his children in your thoughts and prayers." The Lorenzen family confirmed last week that Jared was in intensive care as a result of an infection and kidney and heart issues. Lorenzen, who was the heaviest quarterback in the NFL and was jokingly referred to as the "Hefty Lefty," admitted in retirement that he had weighed as much as 500 pounds and that his weight had caused serious health problems. Growing up in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, Lorenzen became one of the best high school football players in the country and committed to play in the high-flying offense of Hal Mumme at the University of Kentucky. He left school as the Wildcats' all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. His brief NFL career saw him back up Eli Manning for two years with the Giants and then spend a short time with the Colts.


One of the biggest names expected to be available at this year's trade deadline is San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner. The 29-year-old left-hander has not been able to work out a contract extension with his original club, making it very likely he will be traded before he reaches free agency this winter. The only circumstance that might change that is San Francisco playing itself into contention. Based on the early returns this season, that doesn't seem very likely. Only the Orioles, Royals and Marlins are farther from first place in their respective divisions. So the questions now are simple to ask, yet a bit more complex to answer. We're going to look at where Bumgarner's value is now, and where it could be headed over the next few months. And we'll look at how Bumgarner's strategic use of his no-trade clause could impact the race to acquire his unmatched big game pitching experience. Let's dig in. Madison Bumgarner's trade value It's weird to think this would even be in question. The last two seasons though have forced us to change how we look at Bumgarner. A pair of freak injuries have dented Bumgarner's reputation as a durable ace, and have left him fighting an uphill battle to regain his complete effectiveness. The good news is there are promising signs that Bumgarner is about to clear that hurdle. While his 3.99 ERA through eight starts might not blow anyone away, it's the radar gun that tells a more positive story. Data shows that Bumgarner's fastball statistics are back in line with his most dominant stretch from 2013-2016. Giants television analyst Mike Krukow has seen all of Bumgarner's MLB starts. He says right now Bumgarner is the best he's been since in two years because of the velocity increase. From KNBR: "That crack of the whip gives you maybe another mile-per-hour on your fastball, but the most important thing is it gives you finish, it gives you late movement and that's always been what Bumgarner's all about," Krukow said Wednesday on KNBR. "It's the best he's been in the past two years, and that's such a great sign for this club," Krukow added. So far this season, Bumgarner's fastball is averaging just a tick under 92 mph. The more he's able to let loose and have confidence in that pitch, the better chance he'll have to dictate matchups, put batters away and resemble the bulldog that's carried San Francisco's rotation. Potential destinations On Saturday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal revealed Bumgarner's no-trade list. Madison Bumgarner's eight-team no-trade list, per sources: #Braves #RedSox #Cubs #Astros #Brewers #Yankees #Phillies #STLCards Bumgarner chose teams strategically; list comprised solely of contenders that might want to acquire him from #SFGiants , not teams he wants to avoid.   Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 11, 2019 The Braves, Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Brewers, Yankees, Phillies and Cardinals are the teams Bumgarner can block a trade to. They're also the most likely destinations for the former World Series MVP. The no-trade list doesn't mean Bumgarner isn't interested in pitching for any of those contenders. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Further explanation on Bumgarner: Players include contenders on their no-trade list to gain leverage if a trade agreement is reached, NOT because they have no interest in winning.   Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 11, 2019 In other words, Bumgarner can do his own negotiating before approving a trade. Perhaps he can even work out an extension if it's a team he'd be interested in joining long-term. That would put the onus on the acquiring team to satisfy both the Giants needs and Bumgarner's wishes, which could complicate matters to some degree. It could also allow a surprise team to get into the mix. What's the Giants asking price? As for what the Giants might be seeking in a deal. ESPN's Tim Kurkjian recently told NBC Sports Bay Area that the asking price will be four prospects . And not low-level prospects either. That could effectively eliminate some of the teams mentioned above. Notably, the Yankees and Brewers are thin on high-end prospects following their recent trades. It could benefit the Braves though, who are now loaded with prospects and young MLB depth. Chances are we're still a long way away from a resolution, but don't be surprised if Bumgarner's market is the first one to really heat up. More from Yahoo Sports: Keyser: Red Sox shouldn't have gone to White House David Beckham banned from driving for 6 months Troubling events clouding Cubs' red-hot start Lakers' offer to Lue was 'pitiful,' says Billups Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


TORONTO (AP) Chris Wondolowski scored his 149th and 150th MLS goals in the San Jose Earthquakes' 2-1 victory over Toronto FC on Sunday night. The MLS career goals leader scored both from close range. Wondolowski got a yard's separation from Drew Moor and deftly redirected in Cristian Espinoza's cross in the 37th minute to tie it at 1. The go-ahead goal in the 81st minute was a virtual replay, with Espinoza finding Wondolowski in space. The San Jose striker has six goals in two games. He scored all four goals in a 4-1 victory over Chicago last weekend to surpass Landon Donovan's league record of 145 goals and up his career total to 148. Richie Laryea opened the scoring for Toronto (5-6-2) in the 28th minute San Jose (5-6-2) won for the first time in six road games this season.


Nottingham Forest have confirmed the departure of manager Martin O'Neill, with the Northern Irishman leaving the club just five months after taking over. Sabri Lamouchi - former manager of Rennes and Ivory Coast - has immediately been named as O'Neill's successor. #NFFC can confirm that manager Martin O'Neill has left the club. https://t.co/CrN1hQwQYh   Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) June 28, 2019 O'Neill joined in January after Aitor Karanka was sacked, with the club then sitting in ninth place and six points off the play-offs. Tasked with turning their fortunes around, the former Republic of Ireland boss failed to move his side up the table, as they ended up eight points behind rivals Derby County, who occupied sixth place, and they are now looking for their third permanent manager in a year. A club statement read on O'Neill's departure: "Nottingham Forest can confirm that manager Martin O'Neill has left the club. The club would like to thank Martin for all his efforts during his time at The City Ground and wish him well for the future." #NFFC are delighted to announce that Sabri Lamouchi has been appointed as the club's new head coach. https://t.co/ZvqVXabJwy   Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) June 28, 2019 Lambouchi has immediately been confirmed as his stand in - though his title is head coach - and joins alongside six new members of staff. He led Ivory Coast to the 2014 World Cup and most recently managed Ligue 1 club Rennes for a season in 2017/18. In his playing days, he represented the likes of Marseille, Parma and Inter, while he earned 12 caps for France. Forest will be hoping their next boss can finally bring an end to their 16-year spell outside the top flight and book their return to the Premier League for the first time since 2004.


Real Madrid supporters were heard crying out for Los Blancos to sign Kylian Mbappe prior to Eden Hazard's official presentation on Thursday evening. Hazard was presented in a Real Madrid shirt for the first time following his move from Chelsea where he greeted thousands of supporters at the Bernabeu shortly after completing a medical at La Moraleja University Hospital. While Real supporters were undeniably thrilled to witness Hazard parade around the stadium - kissing the badge in the process - they seemingly had other things on their mind before the Belgian made his grand entrance. Marca report that the some 50,000 supporters were heard repeatedly chanting: "We want Mbappe ! We want Mbappe!" That's as clear a message as you're likely to hear. Real have been routinely linked with a move for Mbappe, with recent reports claiming that the French star is now 'pushing' for a move to his dream club, but those claims remain unsubstantiated for the time being. 酪❤... #TrophéesUNFP pic.twitter.com/tsjW9YP6pF   Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) May 20, 2019 The report also tentatively claims that Mbappe's father is also trying to generate a move across to the Spanish capital, though Paris Saint-Germain are unsurprisingly unwilling to give an inch. Real have already made a splash in the transfer market this summer as they look to rebuild after a thoroughly disappointing 2018/19 campaign which saw them fall well short on all fronts. Alongside Hazard, Los Blancos have also snapped up Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Luka Jovic and, most recently, Ferland Mendy. 欄 @RealMadrid president Florentino Pérez and @hazardeden10 . #WelcomeHazard | #RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/Ma89KwysC9   Real Madrid C.F.  (@realmadriden) June 13, 2019 The La Liga giants may not be finished there as they are also being linked with both Manchester United's Paul Pogba, as well as Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele.


Roster turnover is inevitable in the NFL. Every new season brings new players. The cold reality of the new opportunities for those drafted and signed in free agency is that they push someone else off the 53-man roster. For the 2019 Detroit Lions, there will be some tough choices. GM Bob Quinn, head coach Matt Patricia and the team will likely say goodbye to some familiar faces, even guys who started for last year's team. Name value won't save them. Unlike prior incarnations of the Lions, prior draft status or familiarity with the fans and coaches will not keep a player on the roster. If any of these six are going to play in Detroit in 2019, it will be because they proved they earned their roster spot again. MORE: NBA fans had fun taking shots at Drake after hearing Kawhi Leonard will join the Clippers Russell Westbrook Chased Away Another Star Teammate NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players NBA knew about 'discontent' between Russell Westbrook, Paul George Kawhi Leonard spurs Lakers for Clippers, brings Paul George with him


The recent discovery of a "Superhenge" near Stonehenge has renewed interest in England's favorite prehistoric monument. You know what Stonehenge looks like and have probably heard the speculation about its purpose, but how well do you know the UNESCO World Heritage Site? 1. ITS CONSTRUCTION WAS A 1500-YEAR PROJECT. While many questions about the who, how, and why of Stonehenge's construction linger, scholars have a fair idea of when the massive monument was built. The oldest elements date back to around 3000 BCE, when a ditch 6 feet deep was dug in a field to form a circular enclosure. The signature stones started appearing around 2500 BCE, and the erection and rearranging of bluestones and digging of additional holes may have continued until around 1500 BCE. 2. THERE'S A SPECIAL VOCABULARY FOR DISCUSSING THIS SORT OF MONUMENT. Within Stonehenge, there are two main types of stones. The large verticals and arches are made of sarsen, a type of sandstone that is common in the region. The smaller stones are known as bluestones. While they're not all that blue, they appear to have a slight bluish tint when they're wet. The giant three-piece arches for which Stonehenge is known are called trilithons. 3. SOME OF THE MONUMENT'S STONES MAY HAVE TRAVELED OVER 150 MILES. When it was time to buy construction supplies, Stonehenge's Neolithic builders didn't buy local. Some of the monument's smaller bluestones which can still weigh up to four tons have been geologically linked to the Preseli Mountains in Wales. While not everyone agrees, most modern scholars think that these giant stones had to be moved 150 miles to become part of Stonehenge. The methods through which these stones made the trip is one of Stonehenge's great mysteries, with theories including everything from rafts to teams of oxen. 4. IN ITS EARLY DAYS, STONEHENGE WAS A CEMETERY. Although Stonehenge's full purpose is still shrouded in mystery, anthropologists can say with certainty that in the period before the first large stones appeared, the monument served as a resting place for cremated remains. The 56 pits or "Aubrey holes" in the area are now known to have housed the remains of at least 64 Neolithic people. 5. IT ALSO HOUSED A LATER SET OF REMAINS. For most of modern history, all of the human remains discovered at Stonehenge had been in ashen form. In 1923, however, archaeologists discovered a decapitated Anglo-Saxon man from the 7th century CE. The man's beheading suggests he was an executed criminal, but his burial at Stonehenge may indicate that he had previously been in a position of power, possibly even a royal one. 6. SPECULATION ABOUT ITS PURPOSE HAS RUN WILD. Stonehenge's murky past has given rise to countless theories about its original use. Theories range from Druid temple to early observatory to a ceremonial location for the coronation of Danish kings. More farfetched theories speculate that Stonehenge is a model of the solar system constructed by ancient alien visitors. English Heritage, the agency that administers the site, thinks that the astronomical explanation is probably accurate, noting, "Today, the interpretation of Stonehenge which is most generally accepted is that of a prehistoric temple aligned with the movements of the sun." 7. THE FIRST WRITTEN RECORD OF STONEHENGE CAME IN THE 12TH CENTURY. Historian and explorer Henry of Huntingdon made what is believed to be the first written mention of Stonehenge in the following passage, which dates to 1130 CE: "Stanenges, where stones of wonderful sizes have been erected after the manner of doorways, so that doorway appears to have been raised upon doorway; and no one can conceive of how such great stones have been so raised aloft, or why they were built there." 8. DURING MEDIEVAL TIMES, PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT MERLIN THE WIZARD CREATED STONEHENGE. Observers have been speculating about the origins and purpose of Stonehenge for centuries. In the absence of any more convincing theories, Medieval Britons sank their teeth into an unlikely proposition set forth by Geoffrey of Monmouth, a cleric and historian responsible for a good deal of British lore. Geoffrey proclaimed that the mysterious monument was the work of legendary wizard Merlin. The outrageous claim remained a trusted hypothesis for centuries. 9. ANOTHER POPULAR MYTH GAVE CREDIT TO THE DEVIL. Wizardry wasn't the only farfetched explanation that found traction. The mystery surrounding the bluestones' transportation from Wales to Wiltshire prompted a second paranormal explanation: They were put there by the Devil in a simple act of provocative mischief. The nearby Heel Stone, also known as the Friar's Heel, was allegedly chucked at a combative friar by the Devil, sticking permanently in the ground upon impact. 10. A GROUP OF NEO-DRUIDS USED STONEHENGE FOR A DRUNKEN RELIGIOUS CEREMONY. In 1905, a collective of neo-Druids reclaimed the grounds in the name of their ideological ancestry. The 700-man group, operating under the banner of the century-old Ancient Order of the Druids, orchestrated an elaborate induction ceremony, complete with wizard-like robes, fake beards, and a massive amount of alcohol. Unsurprisingly, the contemporary print media gleefully ridiculed the event. 11. VISITORS USED TO BE ALLOWED TO CLIMB ON THE STONES. It wasn't until 1977 that the mounting of Stonehenge's rock structures became explicitly prohibited. The decree followed significant erosion of the stones from their human interactions. That may sound wild, but things were even crazier until the early 20th century tourists were given chisels to facilitate souvenir-taking! 12. CHARLES DARWIN MADE SOME INTERESTING DISCOVERIES BY STUDYING EARTHWORMS AT STONEHENGE. In the later part of his life, Charles Darwin turned his focus to the humble earthworm, publishing the catchy The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms just a year before his death. A section of the book was devoted to the renowned naturalist's research at Stonehenge. In the 1870s, Darwin studied the endemic earthworm population to convince the world of their important role in nature, which included causing large stones to sink into the ground. His work was among the earliest in modern scientific excavations of Stonehenge. 13. STONEHENGE USED TO BE A COMPLETE CIRCLE. After spending years debating whether Stonehenge was ever a complete circle, archaeologists got help solving the mystery from an unlikely source: A 2014 drought. When conservators didn't have a long enough hose to water all of the grass around Stonehenge during a drought, they began noticing odd, patchy marks in the turf. The areas pointed at the position of stones that had previously been present or had been buried over the centuries and seemed to settle the question of whether Stonehenge had once been a circle. 14. AN AVERAGE CIVILIAN OWNED STONEHENGE FOR THREE YEARS IN THE 1910S. Stonehenge has been the legal property of the British state for most of the last century, but it might never have fallen into the government's hands if not for the charitable impulses of Wiltshire native and wealthy jack-of-all-trades Cecil Chubb. In 1915, the former student teacher, lawyer, racehorse owner, and city councilman bid on the Stonehenge land, newly up for auction following the death of the last surviving representative of the Antrobus family. Three years after his £6600 purchase, however, Chubb decided to donate the historic land to the state on the condition that it be dutifully preserved and remain open for public visitation. Chubb got a pretty sweet thank-you in the form of knighthood. 15. YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN BID ON STONEHENGE THIS FALL. On the centennial of Chubb's momentous real estate purchase, English Heritage is offering an interactive reenactment of the 1915 auction called "Sale of the Centuries." In the last week of October, visitors can bid along as the icon goes back on the auction block.