It seems like just yesterday McLaren created a new road-car division, McLaren Automotive, and released the MP4-12C upon the world. In just nine years, the company has cemented itself as a true competitor in the supercar arena, with top-tier performers like the P1 and Senna, and excellent higher-volume cars like the 570S and 720S. McLaren Automotive announced today it just built its 20,000th car: A right-hand drive 600LT Spider, painted in Chicane Grey with a red interior. McLaren began a second shift at its Woking, UK factory in 2016, which helped it increase production to over 20 cars per day. Last year, it made 4800 cars total. A drop in the bucket for a carmaker like Honda or Ford, sure, but for a young company that only builds six- and seven-figure supercars, that's pretty good. McLaren intends to increase annual production to around 6000 cars by 2025 as part of its Track25 business plan , but it won't build any more than that to maintain some level of exclusivity. For the next few years, expect the company to make around 5000 cars annually, ramping things up as 2025 draws closer. "While demand for our products continues to grow, we aim to balance that to maintain exclusivity for our brand and our customers," said McLaren chief operating officer Dr. Jens Ludmann in a statement. "It is fitting that we celebrate this achievement with a 600LT Spider which has been a huge success for us with all production slots for the coupe variant now sold out."


A Canadian national who was detained by the Syrian government for months has been released and appeared at a press conference in Beirut on Friday. "I thought I was going to be there forever," Kristian Baxter said, as he sat next to Lebanon 's security chief Abbas Ibrahim and Canadian ambassador Emmanuelle Lamoureux. "Thank you for helping me get free," he said as he shook Ibrahim's hand. "I didn't know if anyone knew I was alive," Baxter added, breaking down in tears. Baxter was held in Syria "for violating Syrian laws," Ibrahim said at the press conference, adding that it was Lebanon's mediation efforts that "reduced his detention." "We are very relieved that Mr. Kristian Baxter has been released from Syria," the Canadian government said Friday. "Canadian consular officials have been actively engaged throughout this case and continue to provide consular services to Mr. Baxter and his family," it said. "Due to provisions under the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed." The Canadian government also expressed appreciation to Lebanon for its assistance in the case. Previous reporting by The Canadian Press news agency cites Baxter's mother as saying she last heard from him on December 1, 2018. She described him at the time as a "world traveler and adventurer," according to The Canadian Press report. No additional information was immediately available. Second Westerner recently released Baxter is the second Western prisoner to be released from Syria in recent weeks through Lebanese mediation. In late July, the family of US citizen Sam Goodwin confirmed that the 30-year-old was "healthy and with his family" after being held in Syria for 62 days. The 30-year-old had sought to travel to every country in the world and was last seen and heard from on May 25, near Qamishli, Syria, a family spokesperson said. Several other Americans are believed to remain in Syria, including Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz. Tice, an American journalist, went missing in Syria in 2012. State Department Special Representative for Syria Jim Jeffrey said in December 2018 that the US believes Tice is alive and "is being held captive inside Syria." Tice's parents told NBC News in May that they had "no doubt" their son is alive. In January , Kamalmaz's family made a public plea for the release of the 61-year-old psychotherapist. He was arrested in Syria more than two years ago and has not been heard from since.


Chan Sung Jung, better known as "The Korean Zombie," was on the receiving end of one of the most shocking knockouts in MMA history last November. It looks like the featherweight has recovered just fine. 'The Korean Zombie' is back, UFC Fighting as a +160 underdog against fifth-ranked featherweight Renato Moicano, Sung Jung landed a massive right hook and just kept striking the Brazilian from there. Moicano immediately went down and took some more shots from Sung Jung before briefly tying him up, but the Zombie kept going until he had the TKO. THAT'S IT! 🇰🇷 🧟♂ @KoreanZombieMMA finishes Moicano in the first round! Wow! #UFCGreenville pic.twitter.com/T0MAsHGbU4   UFC (@ufc) June 23, 2019 "The Korean Zombie" won his seventh Performance of the Night for his efforts, putting him in some pretty strong MMA company. Jung won Performance of the Night, so he ties Ronda Rousey for the most fight-night bonuses in a fighter's first seven UFC bouts (seven). Jung also joins Rousey and Conor McGregor as the only fighters to receive a bonus in six of their first seven UFC fights. ( @ESPNStatsInfo )   Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) June 23, 2019 That's a strong comeback for a fighter who was left unconscious at the end of his last fight in a literally last-second KO . Facing Yair Rodriguez at Denver's UFC Fight Night last Novmber, Sung Jung took a seemingly accidental elbow to the head with just a second left in the fight. The ending earned Knockout of the Year honors, but haunted Sung Jung as he prepared for his next fight . The MMA world was pretty happy to see Sung Jung back on top, especially a UFC Greenville crowd that was repeatedly chanting "Zombie, Zombie, Zombie!" during the brief fight. Greenville is apparently Korean Zombie country. They're loving him over there. Beautiful stuff from TKZ and a great way to rebound from that heartbreaker back in November,   Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 23, 2019 KOREAN ZOMBIE IS BACK!!! Knocks moicano down immediately with a right hand and ground and pounds to the finish! Don't bury the Zombie yet kids!   Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) June 23, 2019 KOREAN ZOMBIE!!! WOOOOOAAAAAAHHHH!!! #UFCGreenville #TurnBackTheClock   Corey Anderson UFC (@CoreyA_MMA) June 23, 2019 Korean Zombie is the man!! Great performance!   James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) June 23, 2019 Woooow zombieeee is back!!! pic.twitter.com/rLifstDBX7   Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) June 23, 2019 More from Yahoo Sports: Yankees can win without Judge, but they do need depth Phillies' Harper fails to make list of All-Star finalists Curry: Stakes of next presidential election are 'extremely high' USWNT has tough lineup questions as knockout stage begins


Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson has one of the greatest RBs of all time on his team currently in Adrian Peterson, but he still looks to model his game after someone else. In a recent ESPN feature where they delved into current athlete's favorite athletes, Thompson revealed that he has a soft spot for former Los Angeles Chargers legend LaDanian Tomlinson. "My guy that I really looked up to was LaDainian Tomlinson," said Thompson, via ESPN. "He was one of the first guys that I remember seeing that I paid attention to growing up that was a runner as well as a good receiver. That's what I wanted my game to be." Tomlinson took the league by storm in the early part of the century, rushing for 145 touchdowns in his 11-year career. Thompson has a long way to go in order to put up eye-popping stats that would rival LT, but if he can even bring forth a semblance of the future Hall-of-Famer, the Redskins will be lucky. MORE: UFC fighter Ben Askren had an excellent response to getting knocked out in 5 seconds Five potential Russell Westbrook trade destinations WATCH: Jorge Masvidal Knocks Out Ben Askren in Five Seconds 2 Cowboys passers on list of 25 all-time greatest QBs At which positions are the Packers lacking depth entering training camp?


Fitness guru Jillian Michaels has never been a fan of the keto diet, but now, she's speaking out against restrictive diets of all kinds. In an interview with the Daily Mail , Jillian says that restrictive diets aren't the best way to lose weight. "I'd say it's never necessary," she says. "I've taken the most unhealthy individuals with every obesity-related, health-related condition and reversed it with common sense, clean eating and a reasonable, consistent fitness regimen." Jillian encourages people who want to lose weight to address other parts of their lives before going on a restrictive diet. "Individuals who struggle with weight already have to overcome the emotional and psychological components associated with being overweight-adding an extremely restrictive diet that isn't sustainable to the mix is a recipe for disaster," she says. Instead, Jillian told the Daily Mail the two keys to weight loss are 1) understanding simple calories-in versus calories-out math, and 2) paying attention to the ingredients in your food. From a nutrition perspective, Jillian is a big proponent of clean eating and developing a healthy, balanced routine. She previously told Women's Health that she starts every morning with a cup of joe. "I always caffeinate first thing," she said. "In fact, coffee has a ton of antioxidants and polyphenols in it which is why its benefits have been linked to improved cognitive function, heart health, fitness performance, decreased risk of liver disease, and it can even help with type 2 diabetes." Aside from coffee, she preps for the day with about 500 calories of breakfast; a quarter of her daily caloric intake. "I aim for a relatively even blend of healthy complex carbohydrates, protein, and polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats." Though she doesn't diet, Jillian likes to swap out extra carbs for healthier options, using lettuce as a bun or doing zoodles instead of pasta."If you feel like you want pasta, the key is whole grain, go organic when you can, and work it into a balanced diet," she said. Outside her meals, Jillian keeps a stash of high-protein, low-carb snacks if she feels a mid-day craving. "I always keep food with me, and in order to do that, most of my go-tos are grab-and-go options," she told Women's Health , like organic jerky , trail mixes, nut butter packets with a piece of fruit. But above all, Jillian encourages her clients to take care of themselves. "You are worthy and deserving," she said . "Treat yourself with the love and care and kindness you treat your kids with." Slideshow: 30 things you should never, ever do at the gym (Provided by Women's Health)


The Los Angeles Rams may have ranked just 15th in the NFL in sacks last season, but they pressured the quarterback far more than their sack numbers indicate. Thanks to Aaron Donald carrying the team with 20.5 sacks - half the team's total - last season, the Rams have one of the best pass rushes in the league. So when Bucky Brooks of NFL.com ranked the top pass-rushing tandems , it was hard to keep the Rams out of the top five, even though they don't have another dominant rusher next to Donald. He put Donald and Dante Fowler Jr. fourth on his list of the best pass-rushing duos in football. You could make the argument that Donald and any defender should garner a spot on this list based on No. 99's sheer dominance as an interior pass rusher. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year is a Tasmanian devil on the inside, with a combination of speed, quickness and power that makes him impossible to block at the point of attack. Fowler showed flashes of brilliance once he settled in as an edge rusher in Wade Phillips' defense after being traded from the Jaguars at midseason. He's a scrappy player with a violent set of hands and a nasty demeanor. After leading the league in sacks last season, it's difficult to argue against Donald being the best pass rusher in the NFL. No matter who you pair him with, the tandem is going to rank among the top duos around. He's simply that good. If the Rams did have a legitimate 10-sack player somewhere else on defense, be it with Fowler or Samson Ebukam, it would change the level of the defense. Donald will only get more one-on-one opportunities if teams are forced to focus their attention on another dynamic edge rusher, which the Rams may not have at the moment. MORE: Players on both teams were upset with Raptors fans for cheering Kevin Durant's injury Watch as jury convicts former NFL player Kellen Winslow Jr. of raping homeless woman Roundup: New York City Helicopter Crash; Kylie Jenner's Birthday Party; Gulf of Mexico 'Dead Zone' News: Do Cowboys have best group of QBs across the entire league? 2 things to look for during the Raiders mandatory mini-camp


The Heisman Trophy has generally been synonymous with the best quarterback on one of the best teams in recent years but there have been a few running backs who have broken through to win the most prestigious award in all of college football. Hoping to become the next tailback to break the signal-callers' grip on the stiff arm? That would be Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor , who appears to have a budding campaign for the trophy that was launched by the school on Thursday: Jonathan Taylor is Bringing Running Back Let us explain 👇 #JT23 https://t.co/kJHdGtECsb   Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 18, 2019 Best running back in 2018 Best r̶u̶n̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶ player in 2019 @JayT23 is Bringing Running Back Don't miss the show. #JT23 pic.twitter.com/SBnDSJ43ey   Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 18, 2019 " Herschel Walker. Ron Dayne. Ricky Williams. Adrian Peterson. LaDainian Tomlinson . Dominant running backs. Legendary names. Unrivaled production … until now," one tagline reads. "There's a new kid on the block and he's "Bringing Running Back," back into the spotlight, just like those that came before him. And his name is Jonathan Taylor." The website goes through all of the notable stats that Taylor has piled up in just two seasons in Madison and while it doesn't explicitly say everything is designed to raise the junior's awareness ahead of Big Ten Media Days and the upcoming 2019 campaign, it does note that his fellow Wisconsin Doak Walker Award winners have all been finalists in New York at some point in their career. i.e. hint, hint media this guy is pretty good. And nobody is debating that after he has set numerous records during his first two years on campus. Key to actually making it to New York though might be how Taylor's team does around him. If the Badgers can get back to being in contention for the Big Ten title once again in 2019, chances are high that the tailback's play will play a bigger part in getting him the attention he deserves than a website and a hashtag.


Hungry? A new neighborhood barbecue spot has you covered. Called Butcher's Smokehouse , the new addition is located at 1221 Walnut St. in Washington Square. Butcher's Smokehouse is a fast-casual barbecue joint by owner Tom Lau, according to Philly Eater . On the menu, expect to see meat plates like St. Louis-style ribs and smoked chicken, along with Southern-style pulled pork sandwiches and barbecue chicken tacos. Butcher's Smokehouse has made a good impression thus far, with a 3.5-star rating out of six reviews on Yelp. Allen W., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on July 9, wrote, "The ribs were very juicy and slid right off the bone. I've never had barbecue in Texas before, but this place definitely made a nice first impression on me." Yelper Myles B. added , "The ribs and pork were great. The tacos were gorgeous and had a bit of a kick." Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. Butcher's Smokehouse is open from 11 a.m. 10 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 11 a.m. midnight on Friday and Saturday. Want to keep your finger on the pulse of new businesses in Philadelphia? Here's what else opened recently near you . This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Democratic 2020 field will take the stage starting tonight in Detroit for CNN's Democratic presidential debate. With 19 other candidates trying to make their case, here's what it takes to stand out from the crowd and win a debate in 2020.


Pole sitter Joey Logano backed up his qualifying effort by holding off Alex Bowman to win Stage 1 in the rain-delayed FireKeepers Casino 400. Logano made it look pretty easy in the first stage until he started coming up on lapped traffic with six laps to go in the stage. Bowman, who started the race in 20th, was able to work his car up through the field and got to within a couple of car lengths of Logano for the lead by the final lap of the 60-lap Stage 1. Erik Jones followed in third with Aric Almirola, who started on the front row alongside Logano in fourth. Kurt Busch, who scraped the wall and suffered minor right-side damage to his No. 1 Chevrolet on Lap 42, was able to rebound late and finish fifth. Martin Truex Jr. also challenged Logano for the lead at times, was sixth with Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Paul Menard and Brad Keselowski rounding out the top 10. At the start of the race Joey Logano led the field to the green flag but was passed in Turn 3 by Denny Hamlin who led Lap 1. Logano was able to get back by Hamlin on Lap 4 bringing Menard with him in second place with Logano leading up until the competition caution on Lap 21. Kevin Harvick was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop for a potential loose wheel, falling a lap down. Logano led 57 of the 60 laps in Stage 1 as he continues his quest for second win of the season. . @joeylogano is your Stage 1 winner at @MISpeedway ! 📺: @FS1 pic.twitter.com/gSBWfPT8gN   #NASCARSalutes (@NASCAR) June 10, 2019


The opioid crisis is drawing attention from all sides. Fed Chair Jerome Powell even mentioned it during recent testimony to the House Financial Services Committee, speaking to how it's affected labor force participation. Legislations to provide funding for drug abuse treatments have received bipartisan support, and the White House has taken its own course of action. But is the Trump administration doing enough? Dr. Paul Christo, a Maryland-based pain management and opioid expert, isn't so sure. "I don't think they are," Christo said on Yahoo Finance's The First Trade. "I think there is a lot of talk but I haven't seen a lot of action yet. The epidemic is huge." He added: "Now in 2018, we may see fewer opioid-related deaths, and I hope we do, but I don't really see them doing a lot in terms of policy changes. And what we've also seen is really a shift from prescription opioid overdoses to heroin and then now to a lot of overdoses related to illicit fentanyl use. I think we need more policy to address that aspect." White House efforts In October 2018, President Trump signed the Substance-Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, meant to target overprescription and opioid trafficking. The White House's official website also has an entire section dedicated to the administration's effort to curb opioid addiction, which states that $6 billion in funding was secured to help this effort. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is now trying to get generic treatments for opioid overdoses, such as Narcan, to the market in a quicker manner, which Christo sees as a positive. "The opioid epidemic is huge," he reiterated, noting the increase in opioid-related deaths from 2016 to 2017. "And I would say right now the main response to that is Narcan. Narcan can save lives. So, I think the availability of Narcan to a greater extent is key." But is it up to the FDA to find generic treatments for the life-saving treatments , or should the responsibility lie elsewhere? "I think the responsibility is shared," Christo said. "This problem started in the 1990s and at that time, there was a liberalization of the use of opioids on the part of health care practitioners, on the part of physicians. And even the government at that time was very interested in combating the problem that we have of chronic pain." The blame is 'broad' Politicians have been more candid about the topic. During the Democratic presidential debates, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) didn't hold back his feelings about the role pharmaceutical companies play in opioid addiction. "They should absolutely be held criminally liable, because they are liable and responsible," he said, adding "It is time that we have a national urgency to deal with this problem and make the solutions that are working to actually be the law of our land and make the pharmaceutical companies that are responsible help to pay for that." Christo, however, doesn't hold them entirely responsible. "Some of the pharmaceutical companies at that time I think did aggressively market opioids," he said. "So they do share the blame, but I think it's broad   not just pharmaceutical companies, I think it's many of us. "Remember, we have 100 million Americans suffering from chronic pain in this country. It's a major epidemic in and of itself." Adriana is an associate editor for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @adrianambells . READ MORE: Fed Chair Powell: Opioid epidemic is 'a national crisis' hitting the economy U.S. opioid crisis: 'A lot needs to be done' in 3 key areas Experts on Warren's $100 billion opioid plan: 'There's a tremendous amount to like' Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Flipboard , SmartNews , LinkedIn , YouTube , and reddit .


Manchester United faces a nervous wait to discover the extent of an injury suffered by Anthony Martial during France's 2-0 friendly loss to England on Tuesday. Martial started the match at Wembley Stadium and impressed before being withdrawn, apparently unhurt, in the 67th minute, with Antoine Griezmann coming on in his place. However, the 19-year-old was later pictured on crutches with his left foot in a bandage. Speaking after the match, France coach Didier Deschamps revealed Martial received "a knock to the top of his foot" and was "in quite a bit of pain." It remains to be seen if the attacker has suffered mere bruising or a more serious problem. Signed by United from Monaco in September for a fee potentially rising to 57.6 million pounds ($87.7 million), the young forward has outshone higher profile attacking teammates Wayne Rooney and Memphis Depay so far in 2015-16. United manager Louis van Gaal and Deschamps will both be keen to learn more about the health of a player who is quickly becoming a key man for club and country. United is away to Watford in the Premier League on Saturday, while France has qualified automatically for the European Championship finals next year as the host nation.


How can anyone not be impressed by a murdered-out and slammed modern Camaro? In stock form the Chevrolet Camaro is an intimidating machine. After all, it's one of the modern survivors of the gold age of muscle cars, showing it has real grit. This 2012 Chevrolet Camaro has been customized to look even more menacing. Showing it's not all bark, this ride has some performance upgrades that will make it a hit at the track, plus a killer sound system to impress on city streets. Research the Chevrolet Camaro on MSN Autos | Find a Chevrolet Camaro near you First off, this ride has been dressed up to turn plenty of heads, without being too flashy. A silky smooth black paint job and blacked-out trim keeps everything simple. Thanks to the VU4 Accuair air suspension, you can adjust just how high or low this car rides. Thanks to black 20-inch Avant Garde wheels and low profile tires, there's no unsightly wheel gap for that aggressive stance everyone loves. More American Cars See Everything In A 1955 Ford Crown Victoria Glass Top Topless Beauty Comes As A 1970 Pontiac GTO Convertible Own This Exceptional Low Mileage 2005 Ford GT Someone Needs To Grab This Famous 1970 Plymouth Cuda AAR Under the hood is a killer Magnuson 2300 supercharger bolted onto the 6.2-liter V8 engine. This car was professionally modified by Davenport Motorsports using a stage 2 package, which also includes upgraded injectors, cold air intake, intercooler, stage 4 Brian Tooley Racing cam, plus platinum LS springs. Everything was tuned for maximum output. That means you get an earth-shattering 750-horsepower kicking out of the rear wheels. The Hurst 6-speed manual transmission means you enjoy the ultimate in control for plenty of tire shredding. If that's not enough performance, the upgraded sound system will almost literally blow you away. The custom-build and professionally-installed Pioneer setup comes with 5 Pioneer PRS-D800 Bridgeable amplifiers. Those are necessary and not just for show, because also in the trunk are 2 12-inch mounted subwoofers, combining with door and front pillar speakers for plenty of bone-rattling fun. Factory luxuries like a sunroof, black leather upholstery, and front seat heaters are a nice bonus. To find another 2012 Chevy Camaro with the same setup isn't very likely. While too much car for some, this ride will surely make its next owner grin with happiness for years to come. Related Video: How to Replace a Floorpan in a 1969 Camaro (Provided by: Hotrod) Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter


Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been upgraded to questionable for Game 4 against Milwaukee this Monday, the team announced on its Twitter feed today. Smart, who has missed all of Boston's seven playoff games to date, has been rehabbing from a left oblique tear since early April. He told reporters that he's hopeful to make his return in Game 4 and responded well to 3-on-3 contact on Saturday, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. "Feeling good today," Smart said after Boston's practice. "Today was a good day. I was able to participate with the team. … The boxes are being checked. "We're taking it one day at a time, but we're definitely in the right position, right time, progressive phase to where I'm getting really close to coming back here." The Celtics have missed Smart's defensive intensity and energy, going down 2-1 in the series and losing home-court advantage after Friday's loss. Should Smart not play on Monday, he could still play when the Celtics travel to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Wednesday night. Smart became a permanent starter in November and was a key cog for the Celtics during the regular season, averaging 8.9 points, four assists and a career-best 1.8 steals per game. He appeared in a career-high 80 games this season before suffering the injury.


Justin Verlander joined some elite company Sunday afternoon. The Astros ace was on fire against the Mariners, recording four strikeouts on the day. Those four strikeouts pushed Verlander to 200 strikeouts on the season. Out of Verlander's 15 seasons in the league, nine of them saw him record at least 200 strikeouts. According to ESPN Stats and Info, that makes Verlander the seventh pitcher in MLB history to have nine seasons with 200-plus strikeouts. Justin Verlander has reached 200 strikeouts this season. He becomes the 7th pitcher in MLB history to record 9 200-K seasons, joining Nolan Ryan (15), Randy Johnson (13), Roger Clemens (12), Tom Seaver (10), Pedro Martínez (9), and Bob Gibson (9). pic.twitter.com/2mz0C1KHRN   ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 4, 2019 Along with Verlander, Nolan Ryan (15), Randy Johnson (13), Roger Clemens (12), Tom Seaver (10), Pedro Martínez (9), and Bob Gibson (9) all have accomplished the feat. Out of these six pitchers, only Clemens isn't in the MLB Hall of Fame. MORE : Chris Sale not optimistic umpire will be held accountable for missed calls: There's nothing MLB is going to do | Gerrit Cole 'flattered' by John Smoltz saying Astros rotation better than '90s Braves: We have a ways to go | MLB wrap: Yankees sweep doubleheader as Red Sox team meeting not enough to halt losing streak Verlander leads active players with the most 200-plus strikeout seasons, as well. Both Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw have seven seasons with 200 or more strikeouts. Verlander, 36, has shined this season in an All-Star rotation that features Gerrit Cole and now Zack Greinke. Before Sunday's game, he had a league-best 14-4 record in 23 starts with an AL-best 2.73 ERA. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. Democrats are hoping former special counsel Robert Mueller's July 24 testimony before Congress next week will provide the impetus needed to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Trump. Congress last week voted to table articles of impeachment against Trump. It's the third time Democrats have brought an impeachment measure to the House floor. But 95 Democrats (40% of the caucus) voted in favor of it this time, a significant increase over the past two attempts, which earned 58 votes and 66 votes respectively. It's a sign that pressure is increasing on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and Mueller's testimony could push more undecided lawmakers into the impeachment camp. "How many will join us after Mueller testifies before Congress?" Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-California, queried last week on Twitter. Mueller has spoken publicly about the report only once   in a nine-minute, impromptu press conference on May 29. He said if called to testify before Congress he would "not provide information beyond that which is already public." But Democrats, who issued a subpoena for Mueller to appear, believe they can find out more about obstruction. They say Mueller, who did not draw an conclusion on whether Trump tried to obstruct the probe, nonetheless provided examples of obstruction in the report, including an instance where the president asked his then-counsel Don McGahn if he could fire Mueller. "We are still doing what we wanted to do in the very beginning," said Rep. Val Demings, D-Florida, who sits on the two committees that will query Mueller. "Which is make sure the public has all the information we can possibly have. And that we continue to lay out a case to begin impeachment proceedings." Mueller is scheduled to testify twice on Wednesday. He'll first answer questions for three hours before the House Judiciary Committee. Then, he'll testify for two hours before the House Intelligence Committee. Both panels are headed by Democrats who are staunch Trump foes. Lawmakers in both parties have met privately to plot out their questions to Mueller. Republicans on the intelligence panel will zero in on whether the probe was justified in the first place. "We'll be asking about the origins and the conduct of the counterintelligence investigation, both before and after the special counsel took over," a GOP aide told the Washington Examiner. Judiciary GOP lawmakers believe Mueller will make the case that "nothing is there," regarding alleged collusion between Trump and the Russians, an aide told the Washington Examiner. Democrats will focus on obstruction, in particular the McGahn episode, which Trump has denied. Evidence of obstruction would pave a clear pathway to impeachment proceedings, many Democrats believe. Mueller, in his brief public statement, said he did not exonerate Trump. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. Pro-impeachment Democrats view that line as a tantalizing suggestion that there is more wrongdoing to uncover. Democratic leaders, however have lower expectations for the Mueller testimony. "I think that the report has brought some clarity and his own public statement brought further clarity and now when he speaks about it more people will know what is in the report," Pelosi told reporters last week. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, appeared on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers Thursday to talk about the upcoming hearing. He described Mueller's testimony as "the Cliff Note version" of the 438-page report, but not much more. "We need real talk, and we're going to try to bring that out on behalf of the American people," Jeffries said. Pro-impeachment Democrats said Mueller's public testimony about the report will convince the public it's time to oust Trump, even if nothing new is revealed. "I think there will be more and more members who call for an impeachment inquiry," Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pennsylvania, a member of the Judiciary Committee, told CNN. "I think Robert Mueller is the very first step. He'll be before our Judiciary Committee. We'll very thoughtfully elicit from him the narrative, the wrongdoing that is revealed in that report." Pelosi made no promises about impeachment after Mueller's appearance. "Let us go where the facts take us," she said.


A flying forest, a styrofoam mausoleum and a giant seesaw will greet visitors to Hong Kong's Art Basel fair from Friday as the finance hub transforms into a creative playground. The annual show comes as Hong Kong's status as a centre for collectors grows, with artists, gallerists and celebrities gathering at the harbourside convention centre. Greater China, grouping the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, maintained its market leader status in 2014, accounting for $5.6 billion in global art sales -- closely followed by the United States -- according to data firm Artprice. But while the slick international display of Art Basel, which drew 60,000 visitors last year, is the headline event during Hong Kong's Art Week, smaller shows pop up all around town to coincide with the show -- many of them throwing the spotlight back on grassroots talent. "The art market in Hong Kong has seen such a boom in these last few years and yet local art is still pigeon-holed as 'emerging'," says Katie de Tilly, of Hong Kong's central 10 Chancery Lane gallery and co-founder of the Chai Wan Mei Design Festival. Chai Wan is a mainly residential area in the far east of Hong Kong Island, where former industrial warehouses are now home to galleries and local artists' studios. "It's less polished than the whirl of the fairs and you really get a feel for Hong Kong's artistic soul," she said of the festival, which is in its fourth year. Co-founder Claudia Albertini compared the Art Week buzz to the atmosphere at European fashion weeks. "I don't think Hong Kong is far behind art cities like Miami and Berlin, it plays an important part on the global art stage," she said. A new event, Art Central, will also take place from Saturday on the Hong Kong waterfront. "The fair is completely rooted in our city, with a focus on Hong Kong galleries and artists, and regional market trends," said co-founder Tim Etchells. - 'Natural curiosity' - Art Basel Hong Kong kicked off three years ago and is the newest addition to the international art show, which started in Switzerland in 1970 and also has a Miami Beach edition. Champagne-soaked and glamorous it attracted celebrities including model Kate Moss and Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich to Hong Kong last year, with Victoria Beckham and Hollywood star Susan Sarandon set to attend this year. Central to the display will be the large-scale "Encounters" pieces, including a suspended forest of olive trees by Irish artist Siobhán Hapaska, a mausoleum made from styrofoam boxes by Hong Kong-based Portuguese artist João Vasco Paiva and a giant seesawing log propped up by Indian Buddhist statues by Indian artist Tallur L.N. The Asian artists on show will be displaying an experimental streak, while keeping true to their artistic traditions, says new Art Basel Hong Kong director Adeline Ooi. "I think the artists are approaching the mediums in a more daring way," Ooi said. "It's just a natural curiosity especially with the younger group." Ooi added that collectors' appetites are also broadening as they look to snap up pieces from a variety of cultures. But while Art Basel can shine a spotlight on new talent, Hong Kong-based art critic John Batten said the city needs to go further if it wants to be taken seriously as an art hub, including boosting the number of art museums. Hong Kong, which is home to multiple gallery spaces, currently has just one museum dedicated to art, the Hong Kong Museum of Art. "We are very poorly furbished by our public arts sector," says Batten. "That's one of the reasons why this week has such a big buzz in Hong Kong, because we don't get much of it in the year." The government is developing a new art and culture district on the Kowloon waterfront, where contemporary art museum "M+" is expected to boast a world-class collection. For Ooi, Art Basel is a chance to highlight "the best that Asia can offer". "It also shines the light on the Hong Kong scene... you literally see the city light up in a different way."


Usually when guys sit out of OTAs, they want something. For Packers safety Josh Jones , it's a new address. According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, Jones is skipping OTAs in hopes of a trade to a new team. The 2017 second-rounder (61st overall) has asked to be traded and thinks a change of scenery would be best for both sides, but the Packers seem to have come to that conclusion without him. After being leapfrogged by undrafted rookie Kentrell Brice last year, the handwriting was on the wall in large letters. Then the Packers spent heavily in free agency for Bears safety Adrian Amos , and used a first-round pick on Darnell Savage Jr.


Bill Hagerty, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, hasn't officially announced he's running for Senate in Tennessee next year   but President Donald Trump is already on board. Trump's tweet Friday afternoon served as both campaign rollout and presidential endorsement: Hagerty, Trump's Tennessee Victory chair during the 2016 campaign, would be running for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander. "Tennessee loving Bill Hagerty, who was my Tennessee [Victory] Chair and is now the very outstanding Ambassador to Japan, will be running for the U.S. Senate. He is strong on crime, borders & our 2nd A. Loves our Military & our Vets. Has my Complete & Total Endorsement!" the president tweeted . Hagerty is working through the process of departing from his current position, according to a person familiar with the operation. Veteran GOP strategist Ward Baker, a former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, will head Hagerty's campaign, according this person. Baker served as top consultant for the campaign of now-Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) last year. Blackburn and Alexander have been making calls on Hagerty's behalf, this person said. The endorsement from Trump comes after several other Tennessee Republicans passed on the Senate race this week. Former Gov. Bill Haslam, who left office earlier this year, declined to run, as did Republican Rep. Mark Green. Manny Sethi, a trauma surgeon, is the most prominent Republican currently in the race, and Republican Rep. David Kustoff tweeted earlier this week that he would consider running. Veteran and attorney James Mackler is the only Democrat in the race, though Republicans are heavily favored to hold the seat.


A Chandler couple and 14 other people was arrested following an investigation into the purchase and resale of stolen baby formula from boosters, who shoplifted it from local stores, Chandler police said. Rafid Khoshi, 46, and his wife, Manal Sulaiman, 43, both of Chandler, were arrested on May 23 on suspicion of purchasing stolen baby formula from boosters, said Detective Seth Tyler of the Chandler Police Department. The boosters would shoplift the baby formula from a variety of Albertsons, Bashas', Fry's, Safeway, Target and Walmart stores and then sell it to the Chandler couple for 30 to 50 cents on the dollar, Tyler said. The couple would then ship the stolen baby formula from Chandler to El Cajon, California, where they would sell it to a local distributor for a profit, Tyler said. Khoshi and Sulaiman used the OfferUp app to recruit more than a dozen regular boosters, who supplied them with about 2,000 cans a month of Enfamil and Similac brands of baby formula, Tyler said. One of the boosters, 31-year-old Jesus Tirado Lara, is suspected of selling $46,000 worth of product to the couple and was arrested in December, Tyler said. For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com . A Chandler detective went undercover in the investigation and acted as a booster, police said. Investigators made 12 separate transactions with Khoshi, with the last sale being a pallet of baby formula valued over $15,000, Tyler said. Detectives believe Khoshi and Sulaiman shipped more than 25,000 cans of baby formula to California, valued around $425,000 in all, since detectives learned of the suspected crime in September, Tyler said. Khoshi was booked into a Maricopa County jail on 12 counts of trafficking in stolen property, 12 counts of theft, one count of conspiracy, one count of fraudulent schemes, one count of participating in a criminal syndicate and one count of illegal control of an enterprise, Tyler said. Sulaiman was booked into a Maricopa County jail on two counts of trafficking in stolen property, two counts of theft, one count of conspiracy, one count of fraudulent schemes, one count of participating in a criminal syndicate and one count of illegal control of an enterprise. In addition to the arrests of Khoshi, Sulaiman and Lara, detectives arrested 13 people who made up the majority of the boosters who are suspected of supplying the couple with the baby formula, Tyler said. It is unclear what these additional people are being charged with at this time. The case was filed in Maricopa County Superior Court. Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan commended detectives on their work in a press release: "The financial losses to the victims were great and so was the reach this criminal enterprise had in the community." Breaking News Intern Molly Hudson can be reached at Molly.Hudson@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on twitter @AsuMollyh Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chandler couple, 14 others arrested in stolen baby formula investigation


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. Despite spin from congressional Democrats (and Republican Rep. Justin Amash ), special counsel Robert Mueller was not secretly gunning for impeachment in his statement on Wednesday. And it would be divisive for the nation and a boon to our global competitors if Democrats choose to hobble our national agenda with superfluous, partisan impeachment. During his press conference, Mueller said that Attorney General Robert Barr acted in "good faith" in his handling of the report. He also said that he was resigning from the Justice Department and returning to private life. Clearly, Mueller is moving on and it's time for us to move on as a country, too. We should focus on stopping Russian intervention in the 2020 elections. Parsing a non-convincing argument about a hypothetical obstruction case   one not definitively outlined by Mueller and that the Department of Justice has completed   is a waste of time. Related video: Hear Mueller's account contrasted with Barr's comments (CNN) Former George W. Bush White House spokesman Ari Fleischer accurately characterized Mueller's statement and overall behavior in a tweet: "Mueller is the anti-Comey. He wants no PR ... And (on Wednesday) he made no new news..." Mueller's statement and the reactions to it were a continued example of a political Rorschach test: People who despise the President saw it as further ammunition and supporters saw absolute vindication. Regardless of one's views, the political reality is that House Democrats would be foolish   and Russians will rejoice   if they push forward with impeachment. By a nearly 20-point margin, the American people do not want impeachment, according to polling by the Washington Post and ABC News . Let's move on and focus on issues that actually help the country, like opioid crisis alleviation, national security, infrastructure and health care. Related slideshow: Here are all the major Democrats who want to impeach Trump (Business Insider) Strategically, Democrats seeking to take back the White House would be diminishing their 2020 prospects if they ramrod through impeachment. According to the Washington Post, "about 6 in 10 independents are against impeachment now." Pursuing impeachment could cause Democrats to lose some of these voters, putting their goal of defeating Trump in 2020 in jeopardy. It appears Speaker Nancy Pelosi so far isn't part of the impeachment chorus, yet a half-baked, ongoing investigation would likely have the same effect on the country's morale as impeachment. Continuing to undermine our President's good faith efforts to improve our economy, protect against foreign threats, reform our immigration system and more is the opposite of uniting our country at this polarizing time. On issues like criminal justice reform , combating the global criminalization of the LGBTI community, suicide prevention and more, the Trump administration has shown its willingness to work across the aisle. It's time for Democrats to follow suit.


CLEVELAND - Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton woke up in the fetal position Monday, still fully clothed, even wearing his dress shoes. It was 1 in the morning. He was wide awake, and starving. Go ahead, you try getting a good night's sleep when you are 13 hours away from playing a game you wondered would ever come, and on the heels of one of the most turbulent periods of your life. It had been 7 1/2 months since he last stepped on a major league field, but it sure seemed like a lifetime ago Monday as Hamilton returned to baseball and made his 2015 big-league debut at Progressive Field. RELATED: Rangers win sixth straight game Perhaps it wasn't the performance Hollywood would have scripted - hitless in three at-bats with two strikeouts and a misplayed ball in the outfield - but Hamilton was too elated to care, particularly with the Rangers winning their sixth game in a row, 10-8, over the Cleveland Indians. He kicked himself for taking a bad route and not catching Jason Kipnis' line drive in the second inning, and was too antsy at the plate, but not even the scattered fans who chanted, "Just Say No!,'' were going to diminish the privilege of wearing a major-league uniform again. "It was a lot of fun,'' said Hamilton, who last played with the Rangers on Oct. 5, 2012. "It was exciting, man. I look forward to more of them.'' The alcohol and drug relapse during the offseason, the tumultuous breakup with the Los Angeles Angels and trade back to the Rangers, and the divorce and child custody conflict with his wife seemed to fade the moment he put on his uniform again. "I've kind of been under a microscope my whole life, really," Hamilton said. "It's a reality check. You have to grow up. You have to live your life differently, make decisions differently." Hamilton, 34, has four daughters who live with their mother, Katie. He wants to see them again. He wants to be a great father for them. He may be back playing the game he loves, but when asked if his four daughters would be watching his game on TV, he had no idea. The divorce proceedings apparently have halted communication. Sure, maybe you can blame the relapse on troubles at home, but Hamilton certainly made it clear Monday he was taking full responsibility for his actions. "I'm not saying I'm not a responsible guy, but you look at life a little differently and you make decisions a little differently," Hamilton said. "You're making them for kids and for life after baseball." There's hardly a soul in baseball who doesn't want to see Hamilton, who has three years remaining on his contract, perform well. Sure, the days of hitting 40 homers and driving in 130 runs are gone. He likely will never be an All-Star again. Still, he can be a productive player and, most important, a productive person in society, resisting the temptation of drug use that has tormented him for 15 years. "Life after baseball is very important," Hamilton said. "That's why I've made some decisions. I want to be able to get out of baseball what I can. I know I have only a few years left." If Hamilton were a jerk or a cancer in the clubhouse, this would be different, of course. You wouldn't see veteran All-Stars Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder bearhugging him and joking with him. You wouldn't have seen general manager Jon Daniels convincing ownership that his return would not be the best for his career, but for his well-being. And you wouldn't have even seen the opposing Indians players openly rooting for his success. If Monday's reaction from the crowd of 13,614 was any indication, maybe he'll be treated with compassion. Hanging out for a couple of innings with the fans standing above the left-field railing at Progressive Field   wearing everything from Johnny Manziel T-shirts to Kenny Lofton jerseys, and, yes, some whose legs and arms were covered with tattoos just like Hamilton   there wasn't a single nasty comment toward Hamilton. "You're always going to have one or two people,'' Hamilton said, "but other that, it's always good to see people have good things to say.'' Maybe everyone can understand this is an addiction Hamilton will deal with the rest of his life. It's not someone using a performance-enhancing drug to get an illegal edge during his career. "I'm so happy for him, because he's going through a lot," Cleveland center fielder Michael Bourn told USA TODAY Sports. "If you've ever known someone that has gone through that, it's a real-life struggle. "It's a life-long battle. It's every day, and nobody knows what he's going through except for him. "So I wish the best for him, not just baseball, but for life." Hamilton realizes he'll always be watched as long as he plays. "Nobody expects me to come back and be that old me, but I'm expecting it out of myself," Hamilton said. "Having the slip and having to go through the arbitration process in New York, and then trying to get things situated with the Angels to get somewhere I could play, it's been a huge, long process. "I have a lot of good people working hard for me to make it happen that I could get back here and play." Those are the people, Hamilton vows, that he'd love to repay. "He's had it rough for a while," said Indians outfielder David Murphy, a former teammate with Texas. "His time with the Angels didn't work out, but he's come back to a place where he had the best years of his career. "Hopefully it can reignite that spark and he can finish his career strong, the way he started it. "I think we'd all love to see it."


Count John Ross among those excited for the competition about to unfold in the Cincinnati Bengals' wideout room. Much was made of the Bengals not drafting at least one wideout with 10 selections in the draft. But Ross didn't see it as a surprise - he's ready for the competition the established depth chart will provide. "I think the bigger our room gets, the heavier the competition gets. The more fun it gets," Ross told the media . "I think that's the best thing about our room, the ability to compete. I don't think it is anybody in our room scared of competition…I love playing alongside these guys." Ross also noted he's ready to help newcomers, should they arrive, and pointed out Bengals veterans did the same for him after he got drafted and was behind schedule with the playbook because he was finishing school. But Ross not being surprised by the lack of wideouts drafted makes sense. He's on a depth chart deep with names like A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, Alex Erickson, Josh Malone and developmental types like Auden Tate, not to mention a big-name undrafted player like Stanley Morgan. Ross has had his ups and downs as a pro so far. But this interview should be reassuring for fans in the same way he himself was reassured when Zac Taylor personally called him when trade rumors before the draft popped up. MORE: Shaq's line after threatening to knock out Charles Barkley had Ernie Johnson in tears Roundup: Billboard Music Awards Fashion, Eddie Vedder Takes Batting Practice, SuperDome Renovation PFF: Packers got a draft steal in DL Kingsley Keke Should the Raiders consider trading for Cowboys OL La'el Collins? Giants will benefit from Daniel Jones' smarts, speed and accuracy


Four years ago, Hillsborough County deputies found 56-year-old Myriam Dienes and 67-year-old Robert Dienes dead from gunshot wounds in their Carrollwood home. Nicole Nachtman, now 25, is accused in the deaths of her mother and stepfather. Her murder trial begins Monday. Nachtman, then 21, claimed she had been at Florida State University in Tallahassee when the killings occurred. Deputies said neighbors claimed to have seen Nachtman near a window hours before they heard gunshots. When detectives called FSU, the school said Nachtman had not used her school ID within the last seven days. Detectives then talked to Nachtman's roommate, who said Nachtman told her, "if anyone asked, she was in her room" on Aug. 20, 2015. The roommate told detectives that wasn't true, and she had no idea where Nachtman was on the night of the killings. Detectives say another witness had contact with Nachtman and said she confessed to him. That witness said Nachtman told him she drove on Aug. 18 to FSU to pay for her dorm room. While on campus, Nachtman told the witness she "continuously heard screaming voices in her head and began thinking about killing her mother." The witness said Nachtman then began seeing signs on campus inferring "that your dreams were about to come true." Detectives say Nachtman headed back to Hillsborough County where she went into her parents' home and killed her father, which allegedly caused the voices to fade. Investigators said she waited overnight for her mother to come home, but Nachtman had second thoughts so she tried to escape through a window. Detectives say Myriam confronted Nachtman, who then shot and killed Myriam. Nachtman was later arrested on campus in Tallahassee. In September 2015, Nachtman pleaded not guilty to the murders. The State Attorney's Office said it would seek the death penalty, but withdrew that notice of intent in July 2017. In November 2018, Nachtman's defense team requested to have a doctor testify regarding Nachtman's claims of "battered child syndrome." Her attorneys say Nachtman suffered abuse from her parents and the doctor will "offer her opinion, within a reasonable degree of psychological certainty, that Ms. Nachtman had a severe mental illness at the time of the crime and suffered battered child syndrome." Prosecutors also requested to have another doctor interview Nachtman regarding the claimed "battered child syndrome," but the defense filed to prohibit it. The defense said "battered child syndrome is not being offered as a mental health defense. Per the Court's ruling, battered child syndrome is merely being offered to support a claim that the Defendant feared the victim when she acted in lawful self-defense." The most recent movement in this case came April 24, 2019, when the defense said it would rely upon an insanity defense. Nachtman's attorney's said she did not know what she was doing or the consequences of her actions because she was suffering from schizophrenia. Nachtman's trial begins Monday with jury selection. What other people are reading right now: Lightning strike injures 8 people on Clearwater Beach Fire shoots through roof of Tampa Bay-area middle school Video shows boat burning in Gulfport after lightning strikes it, sets it on fire Florida-bound tropical wave has a 20-percent chance of development Moon landing events, Christmas in July, Lego Movie Days: 10 things to do this weekend in Tampa Bay ► Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now . Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com , or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed .


After facing a devastating defeat to Simona Halep in the Wimbledon final Saturday, Serena Williams used her platform to keep fighting for equality. She had a simple but poignant message: "The day I stop fighting for equality ... will be the day I'm in my grave." Williams then stood up and walked off from her news conference. Williams, who was hoping to earn an eighth title at Wimbledon and a record-equaling 24th overall at Grand Slam tournaments before Saturday's loss to Halep, responded to comments Billie Jean King recently made questioning her focus. King said ( via Metro ): "She's got business, a baby, she's trying to help gender equity, particularly for women of color, she's actually on the Billie Jean King leadership initiative, she and Venus are both advisors for it. (It makes winning a Slam) much harder. I would like to see her put everything else aside from that. She's got people working on these things. MORE : Wimbledon 2019: Serena Williams says knee issue wasn't factor in Simona Halep defeat | Wimbledon 2019: Serena Williams says she was a 'deer in the headlights' in loss to Halep | Wimbledon 2019: Simona Halep calls victory over Serena Williams her best match "I wish she would just make a commitment for the next year-and-a-half to two years and just say, 'I'm going to absolutely devote what's necessary for my tennis so when I look in the mirror when I'm older that I can go back in my mind and know I gave everything I had and be happy.' But if she's happy doing it this way it's fine. It's not about us." King added it's "not fair" to ask that of Williams, but it's "just a wish I have" to see what the star could do if tennis were her only focus.


FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - If Rory McIlroy wins the 101st PGA Championship on Sunday in New York, it will be his second big victory in a week in the Northeast. The other one came last Thursday while partnering a man who knows a thing or two about claiming the greatest prizes in his sport: Tom Brady. McIlroy and the Patriots quarterback played a friendly match against his Wall Street pal Jimmy Dunne and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald last Thursday at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., which hosts the U.S. Open in 2022. The result was a resounding 7&6 win for McIlroy and Brady. "And that was with losing the first," McIlroy said with a laugh. The two-time PGA champion managed 11 holes of practice with Scotland's Russell Knox on Tuesday, a day when course traffic was moving about as fast as rush hour on the Long Island Expressway. McIlroy insists he's a fan of the stern Black Course despite mixed results in his previous visits. In the two Barclays Tour stops staged here - 2016 and 2012 - he finished T31 and T24, respectively. He was T10 in the last major held here, the 2009 U.S. Open. Rory McIlroy won a round of golf playing with Tom Brady last week in Brookline, Mass. (Peter Casey/USA TODAY Sports) "You get rewarded for good shots, and you get punished for bad ones. I feel sometimes at major championships courses are brought to the edge, and sometimes good shots are punished," he said. "Whether that's fair or not is up for debate, but I think it's a very fair golf course. I think the setup is very fair." Course setups for the PGA Championship typically lack the gleeful severity common to U.S. Opens, and as he made his way around on an overcast afternoon McIlroy said he anticipates a winning score lower than the 4-under-par Lucas Glover posted in that Open a decade ago. What would you take now and expect it to be good on Sunday night I asked? "Eight under par," he replied."Four 68s." That total would match the highest winning score - posted three times - over the last 10 years in the PGA Championship. Any winning total this week would vault McIlroy into an elite group of men with at least three PGA titles: Tiger Woods , Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen. It would also end a drought in the majors that extends back five years, to his last PGA triumph at Valhalla in 2014. He enters the week riding a wave of solid form, highlighted by a win at the Players Championship in March. His only finish outside the top 10 in nine starts this year was his T21 at the Masters. McIlroy's preparation for Bethpage was a little more conventional than his Boston tee party with Brady. He spent time last week working in Florida with his swing coach Michael Bannon and his putting guru Brad Faxon. During his Tuesday morning press conference, the four-time major winner also faced questions about the Olympics in 2020. For most athletes, that's a routine subject. For natives of Northern Ireland - where the Catholic population largely favors an Irish identity while Protestants lean British - it's a loaded subject about which flag they will compete under. McIlroy might have assumed those identity questions might not come until a couple of majors down the road, when the Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush. Rory McIlroy says it will take "eight under par . . . four 68s" to win the PGA Championship this week. (Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports) Asked it he plans to play in Tokyo, McIlroy said, "More likely than not I will play. I think it would be a great experience." That queued up the next question he knew was coming. Under which flag? "The same one that I said I was a few years ago," he replied tersely. That would be Ireland. That's the expected decision, not least because golf has always been played as a cross-border sport in his homeland, where all golfers, irrespective of religious or national identity, can play for Ireland. McIlroy himself played for Ireland as an amateur and intends to represent the flag in Tokyo. After dealing with geopolitics, McIlroy admitted his routine this week will be much more humdrum. "I've got to catch up on the latest episode of Billions ," he said with a smile. "I missed that on Sunday night." View embedded content MORE: Tommy Boy is Almost 20: Here Are 20 Fun Facts About the Film Steph Curry thought it was weird to see his mom cheering for him in Trail Blazers gear Bills were not going to draft receiver at 2019 draft NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players NBA Draft Lottery results: Celtics stay at 14 but get good news


French businessman Frederic Sausset will become the first quadruple amputee to drive in the storied but gruelling Le Mans 24 Hour Race in June, claiming he needs to "give new meaning to my life". The 48-year-old had his arms and legs amputated in July 2012 after picking up a rare but potentially fatal bacterial disease on vacation. "There are only 40 cases per year worldwide -- 85 percent are fatal," said Sausset on Friday as he launched his bid for June's famous endurance race. "It was a toxin and had a rate of necrosis of 12cm per hour." Four months after his surgery, his dream of taking part at Le Mans was born. "I had to give my life new meaning. What is more natural than to find a challenge that matched my passion," he explained. "That passion is motor sport and has been ever since I was a kid even if I never had the chance to drive or take part in competitions." At Le Mans, Sausset will drive a specially-modified car, a Morgan-Nissan LMP2. He will pilot the car using a joystick attached to the remainder of his right arm. His ambition is to finish the marathon race, a staggering target for a man who only drove a race car for the first time in February 2015. He will share driving duties at Le Mans with mentor Christophe Tinseau, an 11-race veteran and a third driver who is still to be named. "When I see how far we have come, it's extraordinary," said Sausset. He has already tested his steering system, which he says he first pictured when he came out of hospital, in lower-tier races as well as on the Circuit Bugatti without problems. "I am here to announce my participation as someone who is a little different but who has succeeded at doing something," he added.


Looking for a sublime Latin American meal near you? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Latin American restaurants around Orlando, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt. 1. Border Grill Fresh-Mex Topping the list is Border Grill Fresh-Mex . Located at 5695-A Vineland Road in Florida Center, the Mexican and Latin American spot is the most popular inexpensive Latin American restaurant in Orlando, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,051 reviews on Yelp. Orlando Weekly included Border Grill Fresh-Mex's chorizo taco on its list of Orlando's top 20 tacos "you need to try right away." The menu also offers chimichangas, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, flautas and tortas. 2. Lechonera El Barrio Restaurant Next up is Hibiscus' Lechonera El Barrio Restaurant , situated at 435 N. Semoran Blvd. With 4.5 stars out of 79 reviews on Yelp, the Latin American spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a low-priced option. This restaurant gained brief national attention when then-President Barack Obama stopped in while campaigning for reelection in Florida. Orlando Weekly lists it as Orlando's best lechonera: "If the line out the door isn't an indicator that Lechonera El Barrio is (number 1), sit down for a plate of their heavenly pernil with sides of arroz con habichuelas and boiled yuca with Dominican-style cebolla." 3. Latin Square Cuisine The Central Business District's Latin Square Cuisine , located at 250 S. Orange Ave., Suite 185P, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the affordable Latin American and breakfast and brunch spot 4.5 stars out of 115 reviews. The Orlando Sentinel has listed Latin Square Cuisine as one of the city's dining bargains, noting, "You'll be hard-pressed to find much on the menu of this fast-casual eatery that's more than $5." On the menu, you'll find a quarter oven-roasted chicken with chimichurri sauce and a side, as well as ropa vieja, sandwiches, soups, salads and daily specials. 4. Cindy's Café Authentic Cuban Kitchen Cindy's Café Authentic Cuban Kitchen , a cafe and Cuban and Latin American spot in North Orange, is another much-loved, affordable go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 60 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2512 N. Orange Ave. to see for yourself. Morning offerings include a Cuban breakfast (it comes with a choice of two croquettes) and a Latin breakfast (two eggs over white or yellow rice). Lunch specialties include Cuban sandwiches and authentic Cuban platters that include picadillo and chicharrones de pollo. 5. Arepera La Nueva Check out Arepera La Nueva , which has earned four stars out of 96 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Latin American and breakfast and brunch spot, which offers empanadas and more, by heading over to 29 S. Semoran Blvd. Arepas are the Venezuelan national dish, and the Blanco family, originally from a small town there, says they've been serving them up to Floridians since 1977. You can also get other dishes, such as grilled chicken breast or skirt steak, and mondongo on Saturday and Sunday. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Transfer rumours. You love them. I love them. We all love a bit of #thegoss. Close your eyes for two seconds and you'll miss an avalanche of rumours, with deals ready to fly in all over the shop. Let's not waste any more time, here's seven stories to whet your appetite for the transfer window. West Ham's Move for La Liga Defender Stalls Kicking this list off on a high note with a deal in which literally nothing has happened. West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini is on the lookout for defensive reinforcements, and he's zeroed in on Alaves star Guillermo Maripan. So, Pellegrini said "hey, I want to sign that guy", and Alaves said 'no'. Well then. That was nice while it lasted. AS (via Inside Futbol ) claim the La Liga side are not entertaining offers for the centre-back, so that's probably the end of this story. Crystal Palace & Burnley to Battle for Cardiff Star if Bluebirds Are Relegated Both Crystal Palace and Burnley could do with a new forward who could propel their team to new heights, but it seems they're not looking for one because they're sniffing around Josh Murphy. Football Insider state that both sides are ready to pounce for the 24-year-old winger if Cardiff City get relegated, and why wouldn't they? I mean, everyone loves a winger who can grab three goals in 28 appearances. He was great as part of Norwich City 's academy as a youngster, but things have not gone as expected. To be fair to Murphy, he has been one of Cardiff's top performers this year, but that probably tells you everything you need to know about the Bluebirds' season. Arsenal & Man City Ready to Battle for Ligue 1 Breakout Star Potentially the oldest breakout star in history, it has been a pretty good year for Strasbourg's 27-year-old right-back Kenny Lala, who has shone in Ligue 1 this season. Pep Guardiola loves a good shopping spree in the full-back department, and Lala could be the next man to join his ludicrously priced army as Le10Sport state Manchester City scouts have been sent to watch the Frenchman on a number of occasions this season. However, The Sun add that Arsenal want him too, so it might not be so straightforward. Strasbourg are said to want around £13m for the defender - does Guardiola even know that defenders can be bought for that kind of money? Expect a £50m bid just in case. Man Utd Joined by Arsenal in Pursuit of Lyon Forward It seems like Arsenal have just stolen the Manchester clubs' transfer plans for the summer. This time it's Manchester United who are going to have to deal with the Gunners. L'Equipe state that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has his eye on Lyon star Moussa Dembele, but so does Unai Emery of Arsenal. The 22-year-old has struck 13 league goals in his debut season with the Ligue 1 side, and he may be keen on a return to the Premier League , having failed to score in 88 minutes of action with Fulham in the 2013/14 season. Apparently, Solskjaer has been asking all about his attitude, because he's clearly fed up with some of the hot-and-cold players he currently has at his disposal (did someone say Paul Pogba ?) Tottenham Want Adrien Rabiot But Only if You're Reading in England Unless you've been living under a rock for the last six months, you probably know Adrien Rabiot is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer. He has been sat on the naughty step in Paris since December 2018 after refusing to sign a new contract, but who knows where he will end up? In a post on their Italian website, Calciomercato will treat you to a whole page about how much Juventus want to sign him, but they just casually mention that Tottenham Hotspur might want him too. No biggie. But, if you switch over to their English website , Spurs get their own place in the headline, as well as a whole paragraph about how they are ready to break the bank for him. There's obviously something to this story, but Calciomercato only seem to think it's worth mentioning to their English fans. Anyway, it feels like we've been here before - didn't Rabiot already reject the idea of moving to Spurs ? Atletico Madrid Close in on Man City's Forgotten Man Nicolas Otamendi You have to wonder what Nicolas Otamendi said to Pep Guardiola last summer to see himself dropped to the bench. He was a vital part of what many deemed to be the strongest Premier League side ever last season, but has been little more than an afterthought this time around. He has fallen behind Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and the walking fitness concern that is Vincent Kompany , and now AS reckon he might be on his way out, with Atletico Madrid meeting with his agents to get a deal over the line. With Lucas Hernandez heading to Bayern Munich and Diego Godin nearing a thoroughly dragged out move to Inter , there looks to be an Otamendi-sized void in Atletico's defence. PSG Want Rid of Edinson Cavani With Romelu Lukaku on Shortlist of Replacements It feels like Edinson Cavani has been the subject of rumours in every transfer window since about 2008. Here we are, 11 years later, and he's back in the spotlight. Paris Saint-Germain insiders Paris United state director Antero Henrique has been on his phone non-stop trying to find a buyer for the Uruguayan, so PSG can move for any one of Mauro Icardi , Luka Jovic, Romelu Lukaku and Moussa Dembele. Fellow in-the-knows Euro United add that the Red Devils are desperate to cut ties with Lukaku, so these two stories could come together to form one sweet transfer merry-go-round.


In a remarkable twist of fate, a Boston franchise was utterly shafted by the referees on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. And don't give me DeflateGate or SpyGate or WhateverElseGate as your examples of New England sports teams getting screwed. The refs weren't doing the screwing in either of those cases. RELATED: Julian Edelman shows up to practice in Bruins jersey, sparks mass projectile vomit pandemic They absolutely were on Thursday though, when late in the third period St. Louis Blues center Tyler Bozak tripped the hell out of Boston Bruins forward Noel Acciari, a penalty that went uncalled by the officials. It was a trip so blatant that even Bozak was expecting a call to come, but it never did. The Blues scored mere seconds later to go up 2-0, making the no-call a huge black eye for NHL officiating. If you haven't seen it, have a watch: https://twitter.com/emarinofsky/status/1136825739708370944 It is, 100 percent, a joke that this went uncalled. There is too much hyperbole on the internet these days, but it's not outlandish to call this one of the five or 10 worst calls in the history of the National Hockey League, because it could very well end up deciding the series. The Blues eventually won 2-1 thanks to this goal, giving them a 3-2 series lead as they head back to St. Louis with a chance to raise the Stanley Cup on Sunday. Bruins fans, players and coaches had every right to be upset afterwards, and they were. Of course, the rest of the world is taking great pleasure in seeing a Boston team get jobbed (I'd be lying if I wasn't one of them), but the fact remains that this is a potentially history-altering call that Boston should hold a grudge over forever should they lose the Stanley Cup. As if the Bahhhhstonians weren't angry enough, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch triggered the entire city all over again on Friday morning with this A+ troll job of a front cover: https://twitter.com/stlhensley/status/1136976557401096194 There is twisting the knife and then there is this. Pray for Boston. More importantly, pray for the person who came up with this headline, because if Boston finds out who you are you might be a dead man/woman walking. Have you seen what they do to each other? https://twitter.com/hochman/status/1136825510099587072 Yikes. Just imagine what they'd do to an actual opponent. Shocking and scary stuff from such a classy, level-headed city. RELATED: What PGA Tour pros would look like if they played in the NHL instead


Apple took a major step toward supplying its own smartphone chips by purchasing the majority of Intel's modem business in a deal valued at $1 billion, the companies said Thursday. Under the deal, about 2,200 Intel employees will join Apple, along with intellectual property, equipment and leases. Combined with its existing portfolio, Apple will have 17,000 wireless technology patents, ranging from cellular communication standards to modems, making it a more powerful player in global licensing talks that will likely take place between major 5G patent holders such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. The deal sent Intel shares up as much as 1.5% to $52.98 in after-hours trading. Apple shares were unchanged on the news. After the deal, Intel will retain the right to develop modems for non-smartphone applications, such as PCs, industrial equipment and self-driving cars. Modem chips connect devices like the iPhone to wireless data networks, but Apple has always relied on outside suppliers for the part. Intel positioned itself as the sole source of iPhone modem chips over the past year after Apple got into a prolonged legal fight with previous supplier Qualcomm Inc over Qualcomm patent licensing practices. Cupertino, California-based Apple reached a surprise settlement in April that called for the iPhone to once again use Qualcomm modem chips. Within hours, Intel said it would quit the smartphone modem business. Apple's deal with Intel will bolster Apple's goal to make its own modem chip. Two of Apple's biggest global rivals - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Huawei - already have the ability to self-supply modem chips. Technology news publication The Information last year reported Apple's efforts to develop its own modem, but the iPhone maker has never formally acknowledged it. In February, Reuters reported that Apple moved its modem engineering efforts into the same chip design unit that makes the custom processors for its devices, signaling a doubling down on the pursuit of self-designed modem chip. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has also long said the company wants to control its own technological fate, what analysts have called the "Cook Doctrine." "We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make," Tim Cook told investors back in 2009. SPEEDING UP DEVELOPMENT The purchase of Intel's assets could help Apple meet its aggressive timeline for producing a modem. A person familiar with the matter said Apple plans to use Qualcomm's modem technology for a 5G iPhone in 2020 but wants to have an internally developed 5G modem technology ready for use in some of its products by 2021. But any replacement of Qualcomm is likely to happen in phases, this person said, as Apple builds up its ability to ensure that its modems work on all the networks and countries where Apple sells phones. Ensuring worldwide compatibility is Qualcomm's historical strength, and Apple might still have to rely on Qualcomm for some modems during a transition period to its own devices. "There's a fierce desire (at Apple) to have Independence, but they also realize it has to be done responsibly," this person said. Apple's chip supply agreement with Qualcomm lasts six years, and Apple is likely to continue to use the San Diego firm's chips in its flagship models even if it phases in its own silicon for lower-end and older models, said one chip industry veteran who requested anonymity to discuss confidential matters. Apple has engaged with Taiwan's Global Unichip Corp, a chip design house in which Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co is an investor, to explore a modem design, but the work is in early stages. "Clearly Apple saw the handwriting on the wall, because they came around and did a deal with Qualcomm," this person said. Apple, Qualcomm, TSMC and GUC all did not immediately respond to requests for comment. PATENTS AS LEVERAGE The most valuable aspect of the Intel deal for Apple could turn out to be patents. To sell a 5G iPhone, Apple will need to strike deals with the major holders of 5G patents, including Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei and Qualcomm. Apple executed a licensing deal with Qualcomm, but it has not disclosed whether it has deals in place with the others. Erick Robinson, a patent attorney who had worked in Qualcomm's licensing division in Asia, said the patents could give Apple better leverage in licensing talks. "I don't think Intel has quite the portfolio that Qualcomm has, but they certainly have a large enough one to impact the valuations when it comes to a cross-licensing deal," he said. "It'll save (Apple) a huge chunk of change in cross-license deals."


CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- On his 30th birthday, Rory McIlroy used words like "patience" and "discipline" to move within two shots of the lead Saturday in the Wells Fargo Championship, giving the old man a shot at his third title at Quail Hollow. In his first time in the final group on the weekend, Joel Dahmen needed those traits even more. RELATED: Leaderboard RELATED: Weather halts play Five holes into the round -- long before the two storm delays of a little more than an hour each at Quail Hollow -- Dahmen hit a pitch into a bunker to make double bogey and blasted a chip 25 feet by the hole for a bogey and suddenly was four shots behind. "I think in the past I probably would have went on to 77 or 80," said Dahmen, the happy-go-lucky cancer survivor. Dahmen recovered with an eagle-birdie-bogey-birdie stretch around the turn, held his breath when his shot on the 16th nearly went in the water and shot 1-under 70 for a share of the lead with Max Homa and Jason Dufner. Dahmen only felt the nerves when he made his double bogey. Homa, who now gets his turn in the final group for the first time, felt them all day until he put a club in his hand. He handled the bustling crowd -- he played with McIlroy -- to seize the lead for most of the day until a tough bogey from behind a tree on the 18th for a 70. Dufner made consecutive bogeys during the storm delays, answered with consecutive birdies and joined them at the top with a 71. They were at 11-under 202. Pat Perez had a bogey-free 66 and was one shot behind. Six players were separated by three shots going into the final round, a group that includes Justin Rose, who bogeyed the 18th hole from a poor tee shot and shot 68. Dahmen had never been in the top five starting a round on the weekend, and he had a chance to fade quickly when he was 3 over for his round after five holes. But then he answered with a shot into 12 feet on the par-5 seventh for eagle, a wedge to 6 feet for birdie on the next hole and was solid the rest of the way. "I thought I was going to be a lot more nervous in those opening holes and I wasn't," Dahmen said. "After I made double, then I got nervous because I didn't want to shoot myself out of this thing. I wanted to keep having fun and keep being in this tournament. Geno, my caddie, did a great job today, just kept it light." That would be Geno Bonnalie, who two years ago when McIlroy parted with his caddie put out a mock application for the job on social media that began by taking credit for guiding Dahmen to a tie for 68th in the Reno-Tahoe Open. Homa ended 30 holes without a bogey when he missed a 6-footer for par on the 11th hole, and he failed to convert two birdie chances before his bogey at the end. Now it's his turn to play in the final group on Sunday with Dufner. "All you can ask for is to have a chance," Homa said. "I think I did that today. Obviously, we have a long 18 holes to go on a hard golf course, but I'm proud of the round. I like how I played, I like my chances and I like where I'm standing after three days." Dahmen will be in the penultimate group with Perez. With two players going for their first win, and Dufner still trying to emerge from a slump, McIlroy liked his position two shots behind. He heard "Happy Birthday" at every turn, made his first birdie as a 30-year-old on hit the par-5 seventh hole and looked to be ready to make a move when he hit from a loose divot on the 12th fairway to just outside 10 feet. That's when the second horn sounded to stop play. McIlroy returned and ran his birdie putt 5 feet by the hole, missed the next one and lost ground with a bogey. That was his last mistake. He picked up birdies on the reachable 14th and the par-5 15th and is poised to join Tom Weiskopf as the only three-time winners at Quail Hollow. Weiskopf won the old Kemper Open three times on this course before the tournament moved to Washington. "This golf course really rewards patience and rewards discipline," McIlroy said. "And I feel like I was both of those today." The top of the leaderboard looked similar to when the round started, except that McIlroy and Perez are a lot closer, and they all have a lot more company. Paul Casey made 15 pars and still managed to make up five shots on the lead, courtesy of a pair of eagles and on birdie. He was four shots back at 7-under 206, along with Seamus Power (69). Another shot behind was a group that include Sergio Garcia, who shot 30 on the front nine in the morning on his way to a 65, and Rickie Fowler, who had a 66. Fowler won his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow in 2012. Related slideshow: Best of the 2019 Masters (provided by imagn)


Want the inside word on Houston's most talked-about local spots? We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which local businesses have been in the limelight this month. To find out who made the list, we looked at Houston businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance. Read on to see which spots are extra hot, right now. Loch Bar Open since June, this upscale restaurant and bar, which offers seafood and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp. Citywide, bars saw a median 2.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Loch Bar saw a notable 150% increase, maintaining a convincing four-star rating throughout. Located at 4444 Westheimer Road, Suite G110, Loch Bar offers a raw bar an expansive menu featuring fresh local and Gulf seafood. Loch Bar serves local craft beer, a whiskey list and handcrafted cocktails, and the tavern hosts live music every day. Katsu Bar & Noodle Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Mid West's Katsu Bar & Noodle , the Japanese spot, which offers burgers and noodles, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data. While businesses categorized as "Japanese" on Yelp saw a median 1.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, Katsu Bar & Noodle bagged an imposing 207.7% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a healthy four-star rating. Open since June at 9296 Westheimer Road, Suite 132, Katsu Bar & Noodle offers a build-your-own Katsu plate dining experience, as well as Katsu burgers, ramen and udon noodles bowls, edamame, gyoza and chicken wings. Milk teas, fruit teas, slushies and smoothies are also on the menu. Monument Inn Monument Inn is also making waves. Since its April re-opening at 4406 Independence Parkway S, the popular traditional American spot, which offers waterfront dining overlooking the Houston ship channel, has seen a 2.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.8% for all businesses tagged "Seafood" on Yelp. Monument Inn specializes in fresh Gulf seafood dishes, such as raw oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp and broiled crab cakes, and it also serves steak, chicken and pastas. Over the past month, it's maintained a superior four-star rating among Yelpers. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


NEW YORK (AP) All night long, Michael Conforto had chances to come through. Once he finally did, the New York Mets were riding high at Citi Field. Conforto busted out of his slump in a big way, hitting a two-run double that snapped an eighth-inning tie and lifted the Mets over the New York Yankees 4-2 on Tuesday. ''It felt great. Definitely, that's a good way to break out, for sure,'' Conforto said. ''Anytime you can change the game with a big hit, especially in a Subway Series, it's going to feel good.'' On the other side of the city rivalry, the Yankees failed to homer for the first time in 32 games - ending their major league-record streak. J.D. Davis did homer and also delivered a tying double to help the Mets rally from behind in the eighth for the second consecutive game. They scored five times in their final turn at bat Sunday night to beat the Braves, ending a seven-game slide. ''We're never out of the fight. We always come back, especially late in the game,'' Davis said. A tough error on third baseman DJ LeMahieu helped the fourth-place Mets (39-47) take down another division leader after they were stymied by James Paxton for six innings. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen watched the first 4 1/2 innings from the center field bleachers with the 7 Line Army of orange-clad Mets fans. Back from London, where they won two slugfests against the rival Red Sox last weekend, the Yankees had their five-game winning streak stopped and lost for only the second time in their past 15. ''Our bullpen's been fantastic. They've been unreal all year long,'' Paxton said. ''We're going to lose some games late sometimes. It doesn't happen very often with the guys we have out there.'' Seth Lugo (4-2) worked a hitless eighth and Edwin Diaz earned his 18th save in 22 attempts. With a runner aboard, catcher Wilson Ramos corralled Brett Gardner's foul tip for a game-ending strikeout after a couple of bobbles off his mitt and bare hand. A disappointed Gardner gave Ramos a quick pat on the back as he headed for the mound to celebrate. Potential trade chip Zack Wheeler struck out eight over 6 1/3 solid innings for the Mets, who split a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium last month following a rainout. The crosstown combatants play for the final time this season Wednesday night. ''My mind's right here right now. So, trying to help this team win and that's all I'm worried about. The rest will take care of itself,'' Wheeler said. ''This win is big for us. ... Hopefully, we can start rolling and get back in it.'' The Mets trailed 2-0 before Davis hit a leadoff homer against Paxton in the sixth. Davis tied it with an RBI double to center field off Adam Ottavino (3-3) in the eighth, just beyond a diving Aaron Hicks - who was shaded well over toward right-center. With the bases loaded and one out, Zack Britton entered for a lefty-lefty matchup with Conforto, who drove the first pitch to deep left field and short-hopped the wall. ''We just really didn't get the job done,'' Britton said. ''Conforto right there - very rarely does he swing first pitch on our charts. So, tried to steal a strike right there, bases loaded, and then go after him. But, give him credit. He took the best pitch I probably was going to throw him and hit it hard into the gap.'' That snapped a 1-for-24 skid for a fired-up Conforto, who pumped his arms and gestured toward the Mets bench. ''We know this guy can hit, and that's the one at-bat that it probably takes for him to just start going off like Michael Conforto can for a while,'' Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. Earlier in the game, Conforto grounded into a pair of inning-ending double plays with two on. ''Honestly, just a little frustrated,'' he said. ''But that's why we play nine innings, and I knew I was going to get another shot at the end of the game.'' Gleyber Torres had an RBI single for the Yankees in the second, and Paxton got his first career RBI with a well-executed safety squeeze. GREAT EXPECTATIONS As the international signing period opened, the Yankees inked highly touted 16-year-old Jasson Dominguez, a switch-hitting center fielder from the Dominican Republic, for a record $5.1 million signing bonus - nearly all that was available in their bonus pool. ''He is an elite-level athlete. He has elite baseball tools,'' Director of International Scouting Donny Rowland said on a conference call. ''He's the kind of player that kind of makes the hair on your arm stand up when you watch him.'' Rowland said it was ''an easy decision'' to go ''all in'' on Dominguez, already nicknamed The Martian for his out-of-this-world ability at his age. ''Every now and then the right player comes along,'' Rowland said. ''This one's worth it.'' WELL DONE In a pregame video tribute, the Mets congratulated Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia on ''an outstanding career.'' Sabathia plans to retire after this season. TRAINER'S ROOM Yankees: 1B Luke Voit was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sunday, after straining his abdomen in London. The team thinks Voit can return against Toronto during the weekend right after the All-Star break. ... Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez was in the cleanup spot after exiting Sunday's game with a jammed left thumb. Mets: Veteran relievers Jeurys Familia (shoulder), Justin Wilson (elbow) and Luis Avilan (elbow) were reinstated from the injured list. Wilson retired both batters he faced in the seventh. UP NEXT Yankees RHP Domingo German (9-2, 3.86 ERA) comes off the injured list to start the series finale against LHP Jason Vargas (3-3, 3.66), who won at Yankee Stadium last month to improve to 1-7 with a 6.59 ERA against the Bronx Bombers. German has been sidelined since June 8 with a strained left hip flexor. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Like millions of other Muslims, Cory Ireza from Indonesia travelled to Mecca to pray in the Grand Mosque. But she also found a new attraction just a stone's throw away from Islam's holiest shrine. After performing the pilgrimage, Ireza, her husband Dodi and their two children were among the first visitors to a museum built inside the world's largest clock at the top of the globe's third tallest building. Overlooking the Kaaba, a black structure inside the Grand Mosque towards which Muslims around the world turn to pray, the four-storey Clock Tower Museum opened a month ago. It is filled with models and structures on astronomy and galaxies, as Saudi authorities aim to lure more Muslim tourists to the country. "This museum allows us to bring the family not only for prayers but also for some extra activity... and recreation," Ireza said. Looking down from a height of around 600 metres (almost 2,000 feet) as thousands of worshippers walked around the Kaaba, Dodi said he felt "very emotional". Dozens of other visitors also took in the panoramic views of the mosque, the sprawling holy city and surrounding black mountains. - Clock hands - The four-faced Mecca Clock, as the museum is also known, with each face measuring 43 by 43 metres (47 yards), is the largest in the world and weighs some 36,000 tonnes. It is 35 times the size of the clock at Westminster in London, known colloquially as Big Ben. Equipped with protection against rain, sandstorms and winds, the clock is covered by a 100-million-piece glass mosaic adorned with 24-carat gold leaf. The Clock Tower is the main high-rise building in a complex of seven towers, comprising 3,000 hotel rooms and apartments. The Abraj Al-Bait hotel complex is a multi-billion-dollar project built after the demolition of the historical Ottoman Ajyad fortress in 2002 that sparked a diplomatic rift with Turkey. The clock has a 128-metre-tall (420-foot) spire with a 23-metre golden crescent on top. By night over two million LEDs illuminate the clock, making it legible from distances of eight kilometres (five miles). Among dozens of visitors to the museum, Amro Mohammed Masadi from southern Saudi Arabia, was busy reading information printed on glass boards. "Initially, I thought it was just a clock with normal minute hands, but I found a massive project... I've learnt new information about the age of the universe, the galaxies and other things," said Masadi, a Yemeni. In the first floor of the museum, visitors are introduced to the universe, the sky and galaxies with audio illustrations. The second floor is devoted to the sun and how the moon and the earth revolve around it. Visitors to the third floor learn of instruments and methods used to determine time, and the balcony overlooking the Grand Mosque is on the top floor. When the call for prayers sounded, Masadi and others stood in line behind the fence for the mid-day prayers. - New vision - The museum is run by MISK, a non-profit organisation headed by Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Museum supervisor Yaseen al-Mleaky said the Mecca Clock has received 1,200 visitors a day, with entrance costing $40, since it opened in the second week of May. It will also be used to observe crescent moons and for lunar research, he said. In Prince Mohammed's Vision 2030 reform programme to diversity the kingdom's economy away from oil, the kingdom aims to attract 30 million visitors to Mecca in 2030, up from the current 20 million.


Have you ever been in an Audi Q3 and thought that the daylight opening of the greenhouse could stand to be incrementally smaller and that it needed a roofline to provide slightly worse rear seat headroom? You're absolutely in luck, pal! Audi has just the car for you in the Q3 Sportback. Research the Audi Q3 on MSN Autos | Find an Audi Q3 near you The Sportback has been lengthened by about 2/3rds of an inch over its standard Q3 stablemate, and it sits about 1.1 inches shorter while width remains the same. This is the new car equivalent of 1950s hot rodding, if hot rodders chopped 1.1 inches out of the roof and left the rest of the car exactly as it was before. There's not much change going on between the standard Q3 and the Sportback version. The interior of the Sportback is unchanged from the standard model, except for the lowered roof and the corresponding smaller storage capacity and headroom. On the outside you get a very similar design, except the D-pillar window is smaller, and the pillar itself is angled slightly more aggressively. I'm honestly not sure I could tell which one it was if I saw a Q3 parked in a grocery store lot. Some of the trim appears to be slightly different, as the Sportback has grey trim where the standard model has body-colored trim. Likewise, much of the standard car's metal trim, like that around the windows or the grille, has been swapped to black. The Q3 Sportback is available from the launch as a Sportback 45 TFSI quattro S tronic with a 2.0-liter turbo inline four making 226 hp. The car will also be available with two 2.0-liter diesels making 147 hp and 187 hp respectively, which are unlikely to make it to the U.S. market. Similarly, a manual transmission will be available, but probably not for us. Interestingly, the Q3 Sportback will be available with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline motor paired with a 48V mild hybrid system. Apparently this hybrid system will help the small CUV save as much as "0.4 l of fuel per 100 km in real life driving" which I think amounts to saving one gallon of fuel for every 620-ish miles driven. Check the math on that. What's the point? I guess that same question could be asked of this car as a whole, as well. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter