President Donald Trump said Monday that trade talks with China, which had stalled out in May, have "already begun" following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit over the weekend. The renewed talks were being held by phone, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. The president added that any deal between the two economic superpowers would need to lean in the United States′ favor. "They're speaking very much on the phone but they're also meeting. Yeah, it's essentially already begun," Trump said. "It actually began before our meeting." "It has to be better for us than for them because they had such a big advantage for so many years," Trump added. The president also said that China's ample trade surplus over the U.S. for years should mean that a potential trade deal with Beijing "has to be a deal that is somewhat tilted to our advantage." Trump and Xi had agreed during a bilateral meeting at the summit in Osaka, Japan, to hold off on imposing new tariffs on imports of each other's goods and to move forward with trade negotiations. The U.S. has slapped duties on $250 billion in Chinese goods, and has threatened to tariff virtually all other Chinese imports, as well. Beijing has imposed tariffs on $110 billion in U.S. goods. Negotiations between the U.S. and China collapsed in May after a delegation from Beijing traveled to Washington for high-level talks. Trump claimed that China "broke the deal" that had been near completion by reneging on some stipulations that had been agreed upon.


Washington, D.C is preparing for the annual July 4th celebrations to be held on the National Mall.President Trump plans to deliver a speech. A U.S. official tells AP military vehicles to be used in the event are stored at a railyard. Preparations are underway for Independence Day celebrations in Washington, DC as they set up for President Donald Trump's 'Salute to America' event honoring service branches on Independence Day at the Lincoln Memorial, July 2, 2019, in Washington. A worker washes one of two M1A1 Abrams tanks that are loaded on rail cars at a rail yard on July 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Trump asked the Pentagon for military hardware, including tanks, to be displayed during Thursdays July 4th Salute to America celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. Workers build a stage and bleachers for the "Salute to America" Fourth of July event on the National Mall in Washington, DC, July 1, 2019. Workers set up for President Donald Trump's 'Salute to America' event honoring service branches on Independence Day at the Lincoln Memorial, July 2, 2019, in Washington. Visitors navigate temporary fencing installed along the National Mall as workers set up for President Donald Trump's 'Salute to America' event honoring service branches on Independence Day at the Lincoln Memorial, July 2, 2019, in Washington. Preparations are underway for Independence Day celebrations in Washington, DC. Visitors are limited to a single walkway along the Reflecting Pool as workers set up for President Donald Trump's 'Salute to America' event honoring service branches at the Lincoln Memorial on Independence Day, July 2, 2019, in Washington. Two M1A1 Abrams tanks and other military vehicles sit on guarded rail cars at a rail yard on July 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Trump asked the Pentagon for military hardware, including tanks, to be displayed during the 4th of July Salute To America on the National Mall. A worker carries a security camera to be installed at the Lincoln Memorial ahead of Thursdays July 4th Salute to America celebration, on July 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. Workers install fencing at the Lincoln Memorial ahead of Thursdays July 4th Salute to America celebration, on July 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. Jogger Janice Wright yells photobomb as she runs past the Lincoln Memorial ahead of Thursdays July 4th Salute to America celebration, on July 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. A fire extinguisher sits near a row of loaded firework launchers at West Potomac Park ahead of Thursdays July 4th Salute to America celebration, on July 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. Preparations are underway for Independence Day celebrations in Washington, DC as they set up for President Donald Trump's 'Salute to America' event honoring service branches on Independence Day at the Lincoln Memorial, July 2, 2019, in Washington.


When it comes to losing belly fat, I always tell people that the best workout to get rid of belly fat doesn't really exist. I'm a Trainer, and These Are the Workouts You Should Do If You Want to Lose Belly Fat When it comes to losing belly fat , I always tell people that the best workout to get rid of belly fat doesn't really exist. I know this is slightly annoying, but hear me out. We're all unique people with different bodies, which respond to various styles of training differently. There may not be one perfect workout to reduce belly fat, but click through the slideshow above to see what can help. What Styles of Training Will Help You Lose Belly Fat Everyone has specific goals and areas they'd like to "tone up," but I suggest taking a global approach to fat loss and focusing on the bigger picture. There are two styles of training I recommend people do if their goal is to lose body fat: strength training and cardio. No matter a person's skill level, in my opinion, strength training is a must. I recommend strength training because it can increase your bone mass and lean mass, while also improving your body composition, cardiovascular fitness, and strength, according to a 2006 article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine . For the general population, I recommend doing full-body workouts that incorporate compound exercises in order to get the most bang for your buck. Compound exercises are multijoint movements like deadlifts and push-ups that work multiple groups of muscle at once. They're great because they require more energy to perform - a push-up is a lot harder than one rep of a triceps extension - which means your body will burn more calories and fat. What burns the most fat? Cardio is also another proven method to lower your body-fat percentage. Cardio can be catabolic and burn both fat and muscle , so you'll want to keep your cardio sessions at or under 30 minutes. If long runs aren't your thing, you can get your cardio in with sprint intervals, HIIT, or short runs. If you want to know the style of training that will help you burn the most fat, I recommend finding a specialized clinic that offers the FatMax Protocol test. This test measures fat oxidation at various exercise intensities and reports the intensity level where your body burns the most fat. In the meantime, here are a few workouts and plans that can help you burn fat: A cardio and strength HIIT workout A 15-minute sprint workout A four-week beginner's workout plan to get back in shape and build muscle A four-week muscle-building workout plan Nutrition Is Also Important For Losing Belly Fat I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't remind you that your nutrition also plays a key role in your overall health and ability to lower your body fat percentage . I'm not a fan of extreme and restrictive diets, but I do recommend implementing nutritional changes such as drinking more water and fewer sugary drinks, cutting out processed foods, and eating more whole foods. A general recommendation for fat loss is that 50 percent of your daily caloric intake should come from carbohydrates, 25 percent should come from protein, and 25 percent should come from fats, Nikki Jupe , MS, RD, LD, CSSD, senior sports dietitian at the University of Oregon told POPSUGAR in a previous interview . Because this number can vary person to person, consider speaking to a registered dietitian who can create an individualized plan based on your goals and needs.


LINWOOD, N.C.   A head-on collision killed two people in Linwood Monday evening, according to Highway Patrol. At about 5:07 p.m., troopers responded to the crash at 900 Wilcox Way in Linwood, near the Rowan County line. Highway Patrol reports a 2005 Malibu was heading north on Wilcox Way as a 2018 Camry headed the opposite direction. The Malibu crossed the center line and hit the Camry head-on. The two cars hit the guard rail before stopping in the middle of the road. Both drivers died. A male passenger was in the Camry, as well as a child in a child safety seat. No one else was in the Malibu. Troopers say there is no indication in the report of any other injuries and no indication that speed or alcohol played a role.     ©2019 WGHP-TV, Greensboro Visit WGHP-TV, Greensboro at www.myfox8.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


A man and woman died and at least three other people were injured in a chain-reaction crash triggered by a pickup truck on the 10 Freeway near Pomona on Sunday morning, authorities said. A total of five vehicles were involved in the collision, which took place about 8:45 a.m. on the westbound 10 Freeway, just west of Via Verde Avenue, Officer J. Ortiz of the California Highway Patrol said in a written statement. The fatal impact took place between a 2017 Ford F-550 pickup truck and a 2013 Buick Encore SUV. A 66-year-old woman driving the Buick, as well as a 91-year-old man riding as a passenger, died in the crash, officials said. The CHP previously described the man who died as 19 years old. An 86-year-old woman who was riding as a passenger in the Buick suffered injuries including a broken hip and ribs, and a 32-year-old man who was a passenger in the SUV was treated for minor injuries. All four people inside the Buick were described as Corcoran residents. A 49-year-old Anaheim man was driving the Ford pickup truck at 70 to 75 mph when he made "an unsafe lane change" as traffic was slowing ahead of him, Ortiz said. The truck sideswiped a Toyota Sienna minivan before slamming into the back of the Buick, officials said. The impact pushed the Buick forward into the back of a Nissan pickup truck. The Nissan, in turn, was pushed forward into a charter bus. A man riding as a passenger in the Ford truck was treated for minor injuries, according to the CHP. No injuries were reported to people inside the minivan, the Nissan truck or the charter bus. The cause of the crash is being investigated by the CHP's Baldwin Park-area office. Anyone with information can reach the office at 626-338-1164. California Highway Patrol announced a SigAlert for the left three lanes of the I-10 just before 10 a.m. The lanes were all reopened shortly before 1:30 p.m. KTLA's Alexandria Hernandez contributed to this report. Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly described the series of events involved in the collision. The story has been updated. ___ (c)2019 KTLA-TV, Los Angeles Visit KTLA-TV, Los Angeles at www.ktla.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


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. The idea of passing a sorely needed infrastructure bill has been raised and shelved so many times since Donald Trump became president that "Infrastructure Week" has become a punch line about this administration's fecklessness and ineptitude. This is a tale with an important lesson not only for the remaining 20 months of Trump's term and the four years of his second term, should he win reelection, but the term of any Democratic president, as well. To put it simply, bipartisanship is not in the cards, and the problem is not "Washington." That doesn't mean there can't be productive governing, but only if we stop fooling ourselves about how politics works right now. Let's start here : Business leaders and communities around the country are expressing alarm that the bitter partisan impasse in Washington is paralyzing efforts to revamp the nation's deteriorating and outdated infrastructure. As millions of Americans hit the road for the Memorial Day weekend, they traveled across aging bridges, on crumbling roads and through tunnels in dire need of repair   infrastructure that earned a D+ grade in the most recent report from the American Society of Civil Engineers. At the same time, President Trump, who campaigned in 2016 touting his skills as both a builder and a dealmaker, has been unable to reach a grand bargain with Congress, further dimming hopes that upgrading the nation's roads, bridges and tunnels will bypass the capital's infamous gridlock anytime soon. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post Infrastructure is an important issue in itself, but this is really about the larger question of legislating and governing. It's not that Democrats and Republicans won't ever be able to pass a bipartisan bill on anything; in October, Congress passed a bill to address the opioid epidemic, for instance. But whenever a bill touches on any of the differences in priorities or values that distinguish Democrats from Republicans, there will be little or no realistic chance of agreement. We often talk about that problem as though it had nothing to do with sincere beliefs about substance and just involved petty squabbling. If that were true, it wouldn't be hard to solve. But it goes much deeper than that. Although infrastructure might seem like something the parties could agree on, it brings up just enough of those value differences to make the divide difficult to cross. In simple terms, Democrats want to build infrastructure by building infrastructure, while Republicans want to mostly provide tax incentives to private corporations so they'll build infrastructure from which those private entities can profit. (I explained in greater detail here .) So, why didn't Republicans just pass an infrastructure bill to their liking during the first two years of the Trump presidency, when they controlled both houses of Congress? Apparently, they just didn't care enough about it to forge an agreement among themselves. It would have been possible had they wanted it badly enough, or had Trump wanted it enough to force them to do it. But he didn't. That points to a key factor in how governing works these days: The Republican agenda has gotten quite narrow, and it contains almost nothing that's affirmative in any way. Republicans want to dismantle regulations on the environment and labor rights. They want to take health insurance away from as many people as they can. They want to attack abortion rights and make life more miserable for transgender Americans. And, of course, a giant meteor could be headed to destroy the Earth in 48 hours and they'd try to force through one more tax cut for the wealthy and corporations before we're all vaporized. But in terms of actually doing anything positive, they're not really interested. Meanwhile, Democrats have a long list of ambitious things they'd like to do: achieving universal health coverage, expanding pre-K, fighting climate change, guaranteeing voting rights, making college affordable, raising the minimum wage   but Republicans are opposed to all of it. Which isn't surprising, because the two parties represent fundamentally different value systems. Yet we keep telling ourselves that with enough openness and good will, we can make those value differences fade away and come up with solutions to our problems. Unfortunately, politicians do a great deal to mislead voters about how politics works. Every election, candidates for the House and Senate tell voters that the problem is this thing called Washington, whose dysfunctions can be cured with the proper kick in the keister. And I, the candidate says, am just the person to do it, to change Washington into what it ought to be. Why? Not because I have policy expertise or relevant experience; those things don't matter. No, it's because I have common sense, and I know how to get things done. Thinking about this issue, I went back and looked at something I wrote just after the 2014 midterm elections, when Republicans took control of the Senate. It began this this way: There are two phrases that have been on everyone's lips in Washington since Tuesday night. Republicans now need to "show they can govern," because everyone wants to "get things done." Republican leaders, the New York Times tells us, are eager to "demonstrate that they can get things done." President Obama has expressed optimism that GOP leaders want to "find some common ground," adding that "we want to get things done." Vice President Joe Biden opined that Republicans are "going to choose to get things done." We know what happened next: Republicans continued with the same strategy of obstruction that was so effective for them in the previous six years, and two years later they won the White House. The reality is that we're in an era when, unless there's unified government, not much is going to get done, at least in terms of legislation. That's not because there's something wrong with Washington; it's because the two parties have fundamentally different ideas about what we ought to do. Which means that, as they try to win back the White House and plan what to do with it if they succeed, Democrats don't need to devise a strategy to persuade Republicans to join with them in a new era of bipartisan governing. They need a strategy to win full control of Congress, then a strategy to keep their members together to pass their agenda. If they manage that, nobody will complain that Washington can't get anything done. Read more: E.J. Dionne Jr.: Democrats need to pick up this trait. Republicans need to nix it. Paul Waldman: The 'electability' claim is swallowing up the Democratic primaries. But it's nonsense. James Downie: Why are Democratic leaders still foot-dragging on impeachment hearings? Paul Waldman: On abortion rights, time for Democrats to go on offense Megan McArdle: When Washington abandoned policymaking, it gave up on trying to improve people's lives


The federal government estimates that there are more than one million people living with HIV to date in the U.S. Among these people, one in every seven may not know that they are infected. Researchers from Scripps Research Institute hope to reduce the number of people contracting the virus with a new HIV vaccine. The team said they were able to block the "death star" strain that has been preventing scientists from creating an effective treatment for HIV. The strain, called SIVmac239, is widely known in the scientific community for being "indestructible." However, the Scripps team said their HIV vaccine was able to fight death star and another hard-to-fight strain. The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine , states the approach has the potential to protect uninfected individuals from multiple forms of HIV. In addition, the vaccine showed durability during tests. A single shot provided animal subjects with long-term defense against the infection. "We have solved two problems that have plagued HIV vaccine studies to date--namely, the absence of duration of response and the absence of breadth of response," study author Michael Farzan said in a statement . "No other vaccine, antibody or biologic protects against the two viruses for which we have demonstrated robust protection." An HIV vaccine that works provides long-term protection with a single dose would significantly help at-risk communities where medical support is unavailable. How The HIV Vaccine Works The Scripps team designed a protective protein, called eCD4-Ig, that is then carried by a harmless, lab-made virus to the body to block HIV infection. The virus uses muscle cells to travel around the body. eCD4-Ig attracts HIV and when the harmful virus approaches the protein, it will undergo conformational change prematurely. The process then cuts HIV's ability to infect the body. Researchers said that during lab tests, the vaccine did not cause serious immune reactions. The use of good virus to create treatments comes after the Food and Drug Administration's recent approval to use gene therapy tool. Farzan said their HIV vaccine promises to save lives. "We hope ultimately to prove that our approach is safe for both infected and at-risk persons at a cost that makes it useable everywhere," he added. Related video: New HIV breakthrough may lead to cure (Provided by CBS News)


If you're a fan of Jaws , The Meg , or the totally realistic Sharknado , you might hear the phrase "Wall of Sharks" and think you're in for a brand-new ocean-centric thriller. And you'd be right but the thrills here aren't seen on the big screen. Instead, the Wall of Sharks is a totally real phenomenon that you can actually experience in person (if you're in the right place at the right time, that is). The nickname is used to describe an annual gathering of hundreds of sharks off the island of Fakarava in French Polynesia. As one of the largest shark sanctuaries in the world, the waters surrounding the island are typically teeming with the sea's apex predators. A narrow pass, where the open sea meets a lagoon, is particularly rich with sealife, from plankton to fish, that attract hungry sharks at any given time. But once a year on the full moon in July the south passage goes from casual dining to full-on buffet. That's because it's at this precise moment, while the sharks arrive to feast, a slew of marbled grouper are also arriving to mate. Biologists first discovered the surprisingly high numbers of gray reef sharks while studying the aggregation of groupers, which travel from near and far to spawn in numbers that surpass 20,000 (it's thought to be the largest known aggregation of large reef fish). But the researchers soon found that groupers weren't the only gilled creatures hanging around. The pass, where 250 sharks typically linger in the warm summer months, suddenly saw an influx of up to 900 sharks at once. And in a relatively small patch of water at just over 300 feet wide, the pass is narrow enough that "when diving inside, you can see both sides of the channel," says shark researcher Dr. Johann Mourier that's a significantly high concentration of sharks. Hence, the apt nickname Wall of Sharks. Since word spread about the fascinating phenomenon, the site has become a popular spot for brave divers from around the world. Top Dive , a company that hosts guided dives around French Polynesia, offers trips to the pass year-round, including during the fleeting Wall of Sharks time frame. (Even if you miss the July full moon, however, the south pass of Fakarava is a "veritable undersea Garden of Eden" year-round, according to Top Dive.) And if you're thinking what we're all thinking, let your worries be appeased: Underwater photographer Laurent Ballesta says the sharks see humans merely as "obstacles not prey" so divers are generally safe. And, contrary to what Hollywood might have you believe, sharks really aren't the mindless killers we make them out to be, but rather a vital part of the ecosystem in need of protection . So, whether you're ready to slip into a wetsuit or not, can we all just agree that this is pretty much the coolest thing ever?


Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews has found his new NFL home. It was announced earlier in the week that he was practicing with the New Orleans Saints on a tryout basis, but it's now become official he's signed with the team. The 29-year-old was originally a seventh-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2012, and also saw time with the Titans and New York Jets. Matthews made just eight appearances for Tennessee before requesting to be released in September. On an eight-season career, Matthews totals 230 receptions for 3,160 yards and 21 touchdowns. MORE: NBA world reacts to news that Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 loss Roundup: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Leaving; Taylor Swift's New Song; Darren Rovell Hit Piece NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Recap of Howie Roseman's dominant offseason Hightower on Mayo's work as defensive play-caller


The Cubs have activated left-hander Xavier Cedeno from the injured list to make his 2019 debut, per MLB.com's Jordan Bastian ( via Twitter ). In a corresponding move, right-hander Allen Webster takes Cedeno's slot on the injured list with radial nerve inflammation in his throwing arm. Cedeno split 2018 between the Brewers and White Sox, pitching to a combined 2.43 ERA across 48 games. Cedeno, 32, put together back-to-back solid campaigns for Tampa Bay after being DFA'ed by the Nationals early in 2015, but a forearm injury cost him most of 2017, leading to another non-tender prior to 2018. He bounced back for the White Sox and Brewers, pitching without a real platoon split. Right-handers hit only .212/.316/.288 and lefties hit .207/.281/.293. Still, the Brewers rarely used Cedeno for more than a batter at a time, and he got as many as four outs in an appearance only three times last season. Webster, meanwhile, hit a career high in appearances with 12 this season with the Cubs, though his 11 total innings have a ways to go before catching the 59 innings he threw as a starter for the Red Sox in 2014. Results have been underwhelming for Webster in 2019: 4.91 ERA to 5.48 FIP while surrendering 11.5 hits per nine innings.


Only driven 500 miles after restoration, this beautifully presented Nassau Blue is a show stopper Americana of the 1960s was an automotive powerhouse. Some of culture's most iconic cars were produced at this time. Chevrolet's original Corvette had seen huge success, and the launch of the second generation only served to boost the popularity of the aspirational model. This fully restored 1966 example for sale with Savannah Classic Cars is a beauty in blue. We've seen a lot of convertible C2 Corvettes, but this one appears a real showstopper in its specification. Finished in a mesmerising shade of Nassau Blue, the distinctive lines of this model are exaggerated further as light hits it. Roof up or down, this stunning machine will draw crowds. More on Corvette Restored 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Is Ready For Summer Blown 2007 Corvette Z06 Gets Up To Speed With 900HP The interior compliments the exterior with dark blue leather upholstery throughout. A large wooden sports wheel sits proudly amongst chromed switchgear and a manual shifter that easily falls to hand. Its black convertible top is in good working order and ideal for sheltering from those summer showers. Under the hood is a 327 Ci V8 L79 motor that grants the driver 350-horsepower under their right foot. Disc brakes at each corner also give you the confidence to use that performance, safe in the knowledge that there's plenty of stopping power. A four-speed manual transmission creates a true sports car experience that automatic models can only dream of. The odometer reads over 58,000 miles, but this example has actually only been driven around 500 miles since its restoration was completed. The C2 Chevrolet Corvette was actually the first Corvette to be developed using a wind tunnel, something that not only made it more aerodynamically efficient but also produced its striking looks. This generation launched in 1962 with the final car leaving the production line in 1967. This example would be a great addition to any 'American classics' collection, with its current asking price being $69,950. Source: Savannah Classic Cars


The Vancouver Canucks are another team with a high profile forward set to hit restricted free agency for the first time, as Brock Boeser 's current deal will expire on July 1. The 22-year old sniper has 59 goals through his first 140 NHL games and looks like he will be a key part to whatever success the Canucks experience in the future. With that said, while this summer's negotiation is extremely important, it may also be nowhere near concluding. Irfaan Gaffar of Sportsnet reports that the Canucks and Boeser are "not close at all" at this time, but are expected to meet again soon. Boeser's situation isn't exactly the same as some of the other RFA forwards this summer. While Mitch Marner , Mikko Rantanen and Brayden Point all achieved new highs this season and set themselves up for long lucrative contracts, Boeser has dealt with injury through the first two years of his career and played just 69 games this season. While still extremely effective during those years, his camp may see value in taking a short-term deal and betting that he can put himself in another category altogether with a full season. Jacob Trouba 's name continues to come up in trade speculation around the league, and Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that there is "significant interest" in the Winnipeg Jets defenseman. That's easy to understand given the season Trouba just had, scoring 50 points for the first time in his career and stepping into an increased role on the Winnipeg blue line. Still, Trouba has now completed six seasons despite being only 25 years old and has just a single year of restricted free agency left. He also has no contract, meaning anyone who acquires him runs the risk of him filing for arbitration and walking right into unrestricted free agency in 2020. That possibility is likely exactly why the Jets are even having trade discussions about him, as he has never seemed likely to sign a long-term deal in Winnipeg. Defenseman Jake Massie has decided to turn pro , though nothing has been announced yet in terms of an NHL contract. Massie told his team at the University of Vermont that he would not be returning and instead will "pursue opportunities in professional hockey." The Chicago Blackhawks own Massie's rights after a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2015, just a few months after he was selected in the sixth round. The 22-year old played three seasons at Vermont and totaled 23 points in 95 games.


Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said recently he opposes paying government reparations to the descendants of American slaves, has a family history deeply entwined in the issue: Two of his great-great-grandfathers were slave owners, U.S. census records show. The two great-great-grandfathers, James McConnell and Richard Daley, owned a total of at least 14 slaves in Limestone County, Alabama   all but two of them female, according to the county "Slave Schedules" in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. The details about McConnell's ancestors, discovered by NBC News through a search of ancestry and census records, came in the wake of recent hearings on reparations before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Asked about the reparations issue, McConnell, R-Ky., said he was opposed to the idea, arguing it would be hard to figure out whom to compensate. "I don't think reparations for something that happened 150 years ago, when none of us currently living are responsible, is a good idea," he said June 18, a day before the House reparations hearing. "We've tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a civil war, by passing landmark civil rights legislation. We've elected an African American president." NBC News, in several phone calls and emails to McConnell's office, asked if the senator was aware that his great-great-grandfathers were slave owners. The office did not respond to those requests. Slavery experts have stressed that descendants of slave owners should not be held personally responsible for the deeds of their forebears. But they have also argued that the families that descended from slave owners, like McConnell's, are likely to have benefited from the labor of slaves that propped up farm families in earlier generations   a point made by many reparations supporters, who have said that descendants of slaves were never compensated for the economic benefit their forebears made to white families. "Smaller farms and plantations still benefited enormously from the unpaid labor of enslaved people, which likely helped them build multigenerational wealth," said Chuck Collins, senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, a liberal think tank in Washington. Collins' assertion is supported by research done by two American professors and one Danish college professor, who found that the Southern slave owners were able to rebound more rapidly economically than non-slave owners after the Civil War. "We see recovery for the sons of both small and large slaveholders, as well as in the counties that specialized in non-plantation crops," wrote the authors of "The Intergenerational Effects Of A Large Wealth Shock: White Southerners After The Civil War," a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the nation's leading nonprofit economic research organization. No news articles were found in which McConnell has previously spoken of his ancestors being slave owners. And in his 2016 memoir, "The Long Game," he wrote that he was descended from "a long line of hardworking and often colorful McConnells," but did not mention that any of them owned slaves. He did mention another James McConnell   apparently the father of the slaveowning James McConnell   who he said came from Ireland in 1760s and fought for the colonies in the American Revolution. As a legislator, McConnell has generally been supportive of civil rights measures , and said his parents, whom he has described as "very enlightened Southerners," opposed the rampant segregation that surrounded his family in northern Alabama. He has said his hero is Sen. John Sherman Cooper, a Kentucky Republican who died in 1991, best known for breaking the filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act that had been led by other Southern senators. However, like most Republicans, he supported the narrowing of the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court in 2013, and has also been an advocate for strong voter ID laws. Both positions have been criticized by current civil rights leaders for making it more difficult for minorities to vote. In the 1850 census, his maternal great-great-grandfather Richard Daley owned five female slaves ages ranging in age from 2 to 22. Four are classified as "mulatto"   a now-offensive term for mixed-race people. Their ages were 2, 4, 18 and 20. One 22-year-old slave was identified as black. None of them are named in the document. Little is known about the four female slaves listed in the 1860 census who were owned by McConnell's paternal great-great-grandfather, James McConnell. They are identified in the records only by their ages, which were 1, 3, 4 and 25, and by their race   "mulatto." Richard Daley, in that same census, owned five slaves, three females and two males. Two of those females, ages 30 and 11, were classified as mulatto, according to the records. The other woman, who was 39, was listed as black. Both males, one who was either 10 or 12 years old and one who was 7, were listed as mulatto. None are identified by name. It appears from the records that most of the McConnell and Daley family slaves managed to run away. The 1860 census slave schedule indicates that prior to the census count, all of James McConnell's slaves escaped, as did all but one of Daley's slaves. In the 1850 census, four of Daley's five slaves were also marked as having escaped, so it appears that he acquired additional slaves between 1850 and 1860. "There were a lot more runaways, including some gone for years, than many historians have believed," said Gwendolyn Midlo Hall, a pioneering historian who has spent much of her life gathering records about slaves . "The enslaved in the Deep South escaped into the wilderness including swamps, by boat to Cuba or the North, Midwest and Canada, and some headed south to Mexico." Hall is a co-founder of " Slave Biographies : The Atlantic Database Network," an online project that describes itself as a "database of information on the identities of enslaved people in the Atlantic World." Even if they had not run away, tracking down the descendants of slaves who worked the smaller holdings can be hard because record-keeping in rural places like northern Alabama was hit-or-miss, Tony Burrough, a Chicago-based African American genealogist, said. "Identifying the descendants and finding them would be a complicated project, and what I mean by that is that it would take a lot of work, searching for all kinds of records that might include the names of the enslaved people." Burroughs said. "It is very rare that the story of who enslaved a person gets passed down from generation to generation. There is the assumption that somebody with the same surname owned their ancestors, but that doesn't always hold true." In cases where better records were kept, however, it has been possible to track down the descendants of slaves. NBC News was able to build a McConnell family tree by locating obituaries of his predecessors, by searching through online genealogical websites like Ancestry.com, and by tracking down his memoir and news articles in which the senator spoke about his relatives and his family's deep roots in northern Alabama. In addition, members of the McConnell family have built and posted a separate online family tree , which supports the genealogical trace performed by NBC News. These family trees do not themselves show slave ownership, but the names, dates and locations of the great-great-grandfathers match precisely with the slave ownership records in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. There was no one else with the same names as the two slave owners, James McConnell and Richard Daley, listed in the two censuses for Limestone County. McConnell is now closely identified with Kentucky as its best-known politician, but he was born Feb. 20, 1942, in Sheffield, Alabama. Generations of his family had lived in and around Limestone County, which is west of Huntsville and just south of the Tennessee border. From ages 5 to 8, McConnell lived in a rented bungalow in Athens, Alabama, as he has recounted . His paternal grandparents are buried in the Athens City Cemetery. And he has spoken proudly in the past about his north Alabama roots. In a Dec. 28, 2014, interview with The News Courier , a daily newspaper published in Athens that covers Limestone County, McConnell described his ancestry in detail. "My great-grandfather was a circuit-riding Cumberland Presbyterian minister," the senator told the paper. "We still have his original saddle in my wife's and my archives in Louisville." The senator related the same story in his memoir. "My dad's grandfather was a circuit-riding Calvinist preacher who sermonized at a different church every Sunday, carrying his Bible in the saddlebags I still have," he wrote. McConnell was talking about the Rev. Samuel Porter McConnell , who lived from 1844 to 1921, and was married to Othella Daley, according to a marriage record on Ancestry.com. The minister was the son of James McConnell, the slave owner, according to Alabama death records. Othella Daley, Sen. McConnell's great-grandmother (whose maiden name was spelled Daily or Daly in some records) was the daughter of Richard Daley, the slave owner. She appears in an 1850 census record from Limestone County, which identifies her (under the first name Offillia) as a 1-year-old member of Daley's household. She and the Rev. McConnell were the parents of the senator's grandfather, Robert McConnell, owner of the McConnell Service Funeral Home in Athens, according to death records and an April 17, 1958 obituary in the Huntsville Times. "My grandfather, Robert Hayes McConnell, went into business with his brother, Add, and bought what became McConnell funeral home, which still carries the name," the senator told The News Courier. Robert Hayes McConnell's son, Addison Mitchell McConnell, was Sen. McConnell's father. (The senator's first name, like his father's, is Addison.) Historians say that contemporary Americans can learn from slave owner genealogies how many families directly or indirectly benefited from the labor of generations of slaves. "No one is seeking to judge anyone's ancestors," said Seth Rockman, a history professor at Brown University and co-editor of "Slavery's Capitalism: A New History of American Economic Development." "The whole conversation is about the American economic system as a whole, and the degree to which the debasement of African-descended people created the structures through which other Americans were able to prosper," he said. Louis Cain, professor emeritus at Loyola University Chicago and an expert on the economics of slavery, said more Americans have been stained by slavery than they realize. "I suspect with the mobility of the American population in the 20th and 21st centuries, most of us have ancestors that owned slaves, including many individuals who did not arrive until well after the Civil War," Cain said. "The responsibility for what happened was collective, not individual."


The hype around the Cleveland Browns is approaching a fever pitch. For the first time since returning to the NFL in 1999, they appear to have a real solution at quarterback in Baker Mayfield. He's joined by a slew of exciting young talent on both sides of the ball, most notably pass rusher Myles Garrett, cornerback Denzel Ward and running back Nick Chubb. And he'll start the season with an ace in the hole after the Browns traded for All-Pro receiver Odell Beckham in the offseason. For the first time in a long time, it's good to be a Browns fan. But one prominent sports bettor isn't buying the hype   Jeopardy phenom James Holzhauer. Holzhauer recently ensnared the attention of the TV-watching nation with a 32-game Jeopardy winning streak that earned him $2,463,216 courtesy of a seemingly endless knowledge base and aggressive betting style that changed how the gameshow is played. A professional sports bettor, Holzhauer advised Football Morning in America's Peter King and his readers to avoid the Browns like the plague on the futures market. "But if you're looking to invest in a futures ticket, I would say that the big thing to avoid is look away from the teams that have all the hype surrounding them," Holzhauer said. "I can't believe we live in a world where the Cleveland Browns are the most hyped team in the preseason. But I would say they're probably the single worst bet to win the Super Bowl right now." While it's a damper on the spirits of Browns fans, it's probably best that they hold off on the angry tweets for now. While he's clearly not buying the Browns hype, he's not calling them the longest shot to win the Super Bowl. He just doesn't like them at their current price. As of the timing of this post, Vegas Insider listed the Browns at 20-1 to win the Super Bowl , alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. They're listed as high as 12-1 on Bovada , tied with the Chicago Bears and trailing only the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, and Los Angeles Rams as betting favorites. As for the teams Holzhauer likes? He went chalk. "If I had to pick a team or two to make it to the Super Bowl, win the Super Bowl, the boring answer is the Patriots and the Rams. Everyone knows these guys are the best teams out there." More from Yahoo Sports: Forty takeaways from the college football schedule Eagles preview: Loaded without Super Bowl hangover Tigers trade chip blasts Comerica Park: 'A joke' NWSL attendance spikes in first games with USWNT stars back


NBA free agency opens at 6 p.m. EST on Sunday. With more than half the league hitting the market and a wealth of teams holding salary cap space   including both franchises in Los Angeles and New York   it should be a wild first week of July. Teams cannot actually sign players until July 6 at 11 a.m., when the league lifts its moratorium, but they can make handshake agreements in the meantime. Then, it's just a matter of holding that handshake until pen hits paper. ( Hi, DeAndre Jordan .) We already know recently traded All-Stars Anthony Davis and Mike Conley are on the move, but who will join them? We tried to simplify the frenzy with a free-agency primer, sorting players most likely to swap teams into four Top 5 categories: the top players, the best mid-tier values, the most overvalued and the cheapest bargains. Top 5 free agents 1. Kawhi Leonard Incumbent team: Toronto Raptors Chief competitor: Los Angeles Clippers Rumored suitors: Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks He is the NBA's kingslayer . Leonard is the Finals MVP for the NBA's last two unconventional champions, toppling super-teams led by LeBron James and Kevin Durant. This past season with the Raptors was proof that he can single-handedly swing a good team to a title. And he is still just 27 years old. Despite lingering concerns about the health of his right leg and how much load management it might take to get him through his next contract, pay him whatever he wants. 2. Kevin Durant Incumbent team: Golden State Warriors Chief competitor: New York Knicks Rumored suitors: Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers In the aftermath of Durant's torn Achilles tendon, multiple league sources told Yahoo Sports that the Warriors and Knicks are still expected to offer him a max contract despite his expected absence for all or most of next season. That means five years, $221 million from the Warriors or four years, $164 million from the Knicks. Other teams, namely the Nets and Celtics, may also be willing to pay $164 million for three years of an unknown percentage of pre-injury production from a 32-year-old Durant, which may still be worth the investment. That's how good he is. 3. Kyrie Irving Incumbent team: Boston Celtics Chief competitor: Brooklyn Nets Rumored suitors: Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks Irving just enjoyed his best statistical season, but there is considerable risk in committing long-term to him as the best player on a team with title aspirations. The 27-year-old undoubtedly played a role in fracturing the Celtics' locker room and all but quit on them in the playoffs, which is likely why the Nets are reportedly hesitant about signing Irving if he does not bring a superstar with him. Cleveland can attest to the benefits and drawbacks of employing him as a secondary star. Someone will meet Irving's max contract demands, because he is an otherworldly talent. 4. Jimmy Butler Incumbent team: Philadelphia 76ers Chief competitor: Houston Rockets Rumored suitors: Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat As Philadelphia's lone capable shot creator late in playoff games, Butler is worth more to the Sixers than anyone else, pushing them within four unfriendly bounces of the conference finals. He too carries baggage. Just ask Chicago and Minnesota. Butler's brief Philadelphia stay has seen its share of challenges , too. The Rockets reportedly offered four first-round picks for Butler in October, and while they have no cap space, GM Daryl Morey is creative in his quest for star talent . Every other team one piece away from contention should also be scheming for his services. 5. Kemba Walker Incumbent team: Charlotte Hornets Chief competitor: Boston Celtics Rumored suitors: Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks Waker's best season resulted in a Third Team All-NBA selection, which puts him in line for a super-max extension from the Hornets worth $221 million over the next five years. The Hornets may not be willing to commit that much to a player who has led them into the lottery each of the last three years, and Walker may be willing to accept less than that to stay with a team built for middling. Where they are willing to compromise could determine whether the New York native tests the free agency waters in Boston or anywhere else with loftier organizational goals than Charlotte. Next 5: Klay Thompson ( likely staying put ), Kristaps Porzingis ( restricted free agent ), D'Angelo Russell, Al Horford, Khris Middleton ( who need him ) Top 5 value free agents Trevor Ariza We're a year removed from Ariza being a key to Houston's spread offense and switching defense, and what a year it's been for the 33-year-old journeyman wing. He took a big payday to go to Phoenix, who dealt him to Washington, another team in a nosedive. With that experience behind him, a return to his role as a 3-and-D wing on a playoff team seems likely. Whoever signs him can hope the spacing provided by more talented teammates causes a spike in his 3-point shooting again. Patrick Beverley The 30-year-old All-Defensive guard pesters everyone from Damian Lillard to Kevin Durant. He has also shot 39.4 percent on nearly 1,000 3-point attempts over the last four seasons. That has the Mavs trying to pry him from a Clippers team angling for bigger fish. His experience is attractive to playoff teams, but their ability to sign him for something close to the midlevel exception may depend on whether a lottery team is willing to spend otherwise unused cap space on him setting their culture. Dewayne Dedmon The 7-footer emerged as a rim protector starting half a season alongside LaMarcus Aldridge on the 61-win San Antonio Spurs in 2016-17. He cashed that into a two-year, $14 million deal from the Atlanta Hawks, where he honed his jump shot in his late twenties. After attempting only one 3-pointer in his first four seasons, Dedmon made 83 of his 217 attempts (38.2 percent) in 2018-19. That's all well worth another short-term pay raise from a team in need of a floor-spacing big. And who isn't? Austin Rivers Overlooked in Houston's six-game conference semifinals loss to Golden State: The flu that kept Rivers from playing in a Game 1 that came down to the final minute. The Rockets were 7.5 points per 100 possessions better with Rivers on the floor for the remainder of that series, a reflection of his in-case-of-emergency playmaking and defensive effort. He has survived seven seasons of unwarranted criticism for benefiting from nepotism to emerge as a reliable third guard on a contender. Ricky Rubio Once a teen sensation, the Spaniard is now a 28-year-old in search of his third NBA team in four years. When Utah dealt for Mike Conley last week, Rubio publicly thanked the fans, signaling the end to a two-year stint that looked much like his time in Minnesota   defensive intensity, dazzling playmaking and subpar shooting. He is still a solid point guard, and now that the four-year, $55 million contract he signed as a promising prospect has expired, his salary should reflect his ability. Next 5: Seth Curry, Ed Davis, Danny Green, Wesley Matthews, Terrence Ross Top 5 free agents about to be overpaid Harrison Barnes He fit well with the Warriors and was headed that way alongside the young Kings building blocks, but at what cost? Barnes opted out of the final season of the four-year, $94.4 million deal he signed in the spend-happy summer of 2016, which likely means he sees someone offering similar compensation beyond next season. That's a lot, even for a guy who is good at the skills you want from a modern NBA player   chief among them the ability to space the floor and defend multiple positions. Tobias Harris Nearly half the league could have max cap space, and a few teams can create two max slots. With only a handful of true franchise-altering talents available and a few second-tier stars likely staying put, there will be a team that offers serious cash to Harris, who was a borderline All-Star last season. But the midseason trade that sent him from the Clippers to the Sixers should give suitors pause, since he disappeared at times in the playoffs for Philadelphia and wasn't missed all that much in L.A. Kevon Looney In his fourth season with the Warriors, Looney emerged as their most dependable center   a rim runner and protector who holds his own when switched onto guards in pick-and-roll defense. The league got a long look at his talent, and then saw how much his broken collarbone hindered Golden State in the Finals. He is 23 years old and will have his share of suitors who believe they can elevate him to an elite level. It seems just as likely, though, that Looney's next team discovers he isn't so great when he's not surrounded by all-time shooters and a Defensive Player of the Year. Julius Randle The former top-10 pick left a lot of Lakers fans regretting his exit last season, when he averaged 21.4 points (60.0 true shooting percentage), 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a 24-year-old on a Pelicans team in turmoil. Randle chased stats for $8.6 million in hopes of more than doubling that this summer, when more teams have cap space to burn. Bidders should be warned that the Pelicans operated at league-low defensive levels whenever Randle was on the court without Anthony Davis. Nikola Vucevic The 7-footer just enjoyed a contract season for the averages, averaging career highs of 20.8 points, 12 rebounds and 3.8 assists for a team that made the playoffs for the first time in his seven seasons in Orlando. That's what might scare teams off a max contract. Still, Vucevic shot 36.4 percent on almost three attempts per game from distance (after entering the season as a career 30.8 percent 3-point shooter), and Magic coach Steve Clifford showed you can build a top-10 defense with him as your starting center. Those are things a team with cap space can talk itself into. Next 5: Rodney Hood, Nikola Mirotic, Marcus Morris, Terry Rozier, Jonas Valanciunas Top 5 minimum-salaried free agents Vince Carter The 42-year-old is returning for a 22nd and final NBA season, so long as the league will have him. He has spent the past two seasons mentoring youth movements in Sacramento and Atlanta, but it's high time his steady hand chases a ring before calling it quits. Carter shot nearly 40 percent on an average of four 3-point attempts over 76 games with the Hawks, and he showed enough athleticism to still throw down dunks on occasion and stay in front of opposing wings on the defensive end. Darren Collison It's hard to gauge what the market will be for players like Collison, who played his last two seasons in Indiana for $10 million. With so many available players, will teams spend like crazy on top- and mid-tier talents, leaving only minimum deals and exception scraps for a 31-year-old with playoff aspirations? Or will teams save room in an effort to add depth, like a point guard who has shot 40 percent from distance for four straight seasons? If history is any indication, it may be the former. Danuel House He was somewhat of a savior for a reeling Rockets team, effectively filling the wing void left by Ariza and Luc Mbah A Moute this past season. In 39 games split between a two-way contract and a standard NBA deal, the 6-foot-7 House shot better than 40 percent on nearly five 3-point attempts per game, and he can defend three positions. That's all you can ask from a 26-year-old G League convert. Joakim Noah At 34 years old with a litany of leg ailments, he is no longer the Defensive Player of the Year that anchored Tom Thibodeau's Bulls, but as he proved in Memphis this past season, he's also not cooked in the way it seemed he might be before he was run out of New York . In limited minutes, he produced the sort of stats you would like to see from a backup big, and more importantly the Grizzlies' defense operated at league-best levels when he was on the floor. He is nothing if not uber-intense. Isaiah Thomas The two-time All-Star is still slow grinding his way back from the hip injury that made him expendable by the Celtics, Cavaliers, Lakers and now Nuggets. Thomas returned from hip surgery to play 12 games in Denver before coach Mike Malone removed him from the playoff rotation. He was nowhere as explosive as he was when he submitted a legendary offensive season in 2016-17   the kind of year that more than masks any defensive deficiencies for a 5-foot-9 dude   but he is still well worth a flier in hopes he can be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate again. Next 5: Wilson Chandler, JaMychal Green, Robin Lopez, Elfrid Payton, Nik Stauskas               Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach More from Yahoo Sports: Rapinoe: 'I'm not going to the f---ing White House' Machado feels the love in his return to Baltimore Iggy says Warriors called fractured leg a 'bruise' Women's World Cup is succeeding, no thanks to FIFA Related slideshow: The top picks in the NBA draft (Provided by imagn)


Richie Incognito is returning to the NFL, and we can only presume he has been properly rehabilitated after an extended absence to think about his locker room misdeeds. Actually, we don't need to presume. The new owner of the Buffalo Bills told us as much in a statement this week announcing the signing of the former chief bully for the Miami Dolphins. ''We are convinced that Richie is prepared to move forward and has and will continue to take the necessary steps to improve himself as a person and a teammate,'' Terry Pegula said. Incognito has had plenty of time to do just that after missing a year and a half of football in the wake of the Dolphins' bullying scandal. Remember, though, that this is a guy who sent teammate Jonathan Martin fleeing from Miami and was once called ''the dirtiest player in the NFL'' by defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, who just happens to be one of his new teammates. Whether the Bills actually believe they're getting a new and improved man in Incognito, they're not taking much of a gamble in signing him. Not from teammates and coaches who will like what he brings to the offensive line and certainly not from fans, who tend to have short memory spans when it comes to misbehaving players. The storyline is hardly new. We're a society that embraces second chances, and that's especially true in sports. Incognito is simply the latest of a long line of athletes who have resurrected themselves and their careers after facing public contempt. He bullied Martin terribly, and seemed to get great pleasure from it. Incognito also was the focus of a May 2012 police report that said a female volunteer at a Dolphins charity golf tournament complained that Incognito touched her inappropriately with his golf club, leaned close to her as if dancing, and then emptied bottled water in her face. A bully from the locker room to the golf course. Just the kind of guy you want representing your franchise. But, hey, Incognito can still block, or at least the Bills believe he can. And that means something in the NFL, where memories are often short when it comes to talented players. Michael Vick ran a dog fighting ring where dogs were killed in sick ways and still returned to cheers from fans in Philadelphia and New York. And you can be sure Adrian Peterson will be back, too, even if child abuse is especially repulsive. No, it may not be with the Minnesota Vikings, but some die-hard Minnesota fans seem to have already forgiven Peterson. A handful of them showed up at his suspension hearing in Minneapolis last week in Vikings apparel to shout their support for his return. Ray Rice and his wife, meanwhile, are doing everything they can to present the running back as a man who made one mistake and deeply regrets it. He's eligible again to play in the NFL, and some team might sign him if they think his talent might somehow make the elevator video go away. And does anyone think Jameis Winston won't be a top pick in the NFL draft despite a woman claiming he sexually assaulted her at Florida State? Rehabilitation can work wonders, even if it doesn't actually always work. And fans have especially short memories when it comes to the stars they still want to see. It's not just NFL players, though the league seems to lead the way when it comes to misbehaving players. Lance Armstrong still had a lot of people rooting for him despite his repeated lies about performance enhancing drug use. Barry Bonds is cheered every time he appears in public in San Francisco, and Alex Rodriguez surely will be if he hits seven more home runs this season to pass the great Willie Mays on the all-time home run list. Does anyone even remember that Kobe Bryant faced sexual assault charges in Colorado in 2003 that could have put him in prison for years? Or the same Ray Lewis you see on Monday Night Football pleaded to obstruction charges stemming from the killing of two men outside an Atlanta nightclub in 2000? Barely, and that's the biggest thing Incognito has working in his favor. Memories grow fuzzy as time goes by, and even if we don't forget we tend to forgive. Incognito's return is a little different. Assuming he can still block, he'll play to cheers again, too. ---- Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg


Gareth Bale's proposed transfer to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning has been called off by Real Madrid, according to a report from the BBC . The 30-year-old is now expected to remain in the Spanish capital for the upcoming season. [ MORE: Saturday's transfer rumor roundup | Friday | Thursday ] Bale was set to earn an astonishing $1.25 million per week upon completing the move, but it seems that someone at Madrid has had a change of heart at the last possible moment. That someone is almost certainly not manager Zinedine Zidane, who just last week said, "We hope he leaves soon. It would be best for everyone" if Bale left the club immediately. Zidane announced that Bale was "very close to leaving." Club president Florentino Perez is said to have blocked the transfer as he believes Bale is too valuable as a player to let him leave cheaply. [ MORE: Rodgers not sweating Maguire links to Man United ] Bale, who has helped to deliver four Champions League trophies to the Santiago Bernabeu in his six seasons at the club, has three years remaining on his current contract. Follow @AndyEdMLS


The ninth day of Chargers training camp continues on Sunday at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA. The Bolts concluded their second and final joint practice with the Rams at their home turf yesterday. Training camp can be attended for free for the general public, but if you're unable to attend, you will still be informed of all the action throughout the course of it. The team at Chargers Wire will have full coverage of training camp with live updates from practice below, courtesy of media members in attendance along with fan posts. Jerry Tillery taking team reps for the first time in training camp. pic.twitter.com/nSvVSmjRc0 - Eric Williams (@eric_d_williams) August 4, 2019 Walkthrough speed for the #Chargers today. Makes sense coming off those two joint practices. - Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 4, 2019 Jerry Tillery (shoulder) participating in team drills today. First time doing so in training camp for the first round pick. #Chargers - Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 4, 2019 Forrest Lamp starts at LG with first team. #Chargers - Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 4, 2019 Easton Stick #Chargers pic.twitter.com/NnV1NtIFxv - Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 4, 2019 Tight end update: Hunter Henry is practicing. He left early yesterday because of illness. Virgil Green returns to practice after a week off because of a "mild strain." #Chargers - Gilbert Manzano (@GManzano24) August 4, 2019 The QB group now has helmets on besides Philip Rivers. Looks like a rest day. Rivers said he threw 80 passes in the two scrimmages with the Rams #Chargers - Gilbert Manzano (@GManzano24) August 4, 2019 Philip Rivers not practicing today. Would be surprised if he played on Thursday against Arizona. pic.twitter.com/ARLvVDYYQf - Eric Williams (@eric_d_williams) August 4, 2019 Virgil Green back at practice today. pic.twitter.com/nNvkNwDxsx - Eric Williams (@eric_d_williams) August 4, 2019 MORE: 2020 aggregate mock draft 1.0: Here are the top NBA prospects to know Antonio Brown's foot issues look absolutely gruesome How Andre Iguodala could still be attainable for Houston Former NFL team doctor weighs in on foot ailment of Raiders WR Antonio Brown Week 1 of NFL preseason will have these 4 games on national television


With third-year running back D'Onta Foreman no longer with the Houston Texans, the backup to starter Lamar Miller is wide open. The team has a large group of backs currently available on the roster including veterans Josh Ferguson, Buddy Howell, Taiwan Jones, and undrafted rookies Karan Higdon and Damarea Crockett. Now that Foreman is gone, all of these guys will be looking to impress this offseason knowing a bigger role is up for grabs. On Monday night after day one of Houston's joint practice with the Green Bay Packers up in Wisconsin, the " Texans Talk Podcast " got a chance to speak to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle who has been on the front line watching these backs closely. "The two rookies and that would be Damarea Crockett and Karan Higdon, they run hard, they run low to the ground, they know how to keep their pads level, both of them work hard as a blocker," said McClain. "They were lost in the offseason program, Higdon had some kind of injury, but every day I look up including today and Crockett and Higdon they're making plays and are bouncing off of people." Crockett, formerly of the University of Missouri, and Higdon out of Michigan have both shown potential this camp and their abilities as blockers and special teamers will be key if Bill O'Brien is to include either of them in the final roster. Thursday night could be a big night for any of these backs, however, with more meaningful reps now available to them and another spot to fill on the roster. "I can't wait to see Ferguson, Crockett, and Higdon Thursday night, and we're going to get to see them a lot in preseason," said McClain. MORE: 'Bachelor in Paradise' 2019 cast guide: Meet all 37 contestants Bears QB coach uses unique analogy to assess Trubisky's deep passes 5 takeaways from the Raiders' first depth chart of 2019 season Packers CB Tony Brown taking advantage of first-team reps Roundup: Dow Plunges; Lindsay Lohan; Hannah Brown Speaks Out; Ryen Russillo Leaving ESPN


The window is almost closed. This isn't about the opportunity the Dallas Cowboys have to compete for a Super Bowl, but it could be seen as a way to get to the end game. No, this window is about compensatory picks and the fact that any free agent left standing after 4:00 p.m. eastern on Tuesday will no longer count towards the complicated formula the league has in determining which teams get a piece of the additional 32 picks handed out each year. The Cowboys have signed the same amount free agents who qualified for the formula as they have lost but can still release players counting in the formula, all the way through Week 10 of the regular season like WR Deonte Thompson in 2018. The big names on the market are DE Ziggy Ansah, DT Ndamakong Suh and RB Jay Ajayi. The Cowboys are currently at a zero balance when it comes to the 2020 comp pick haul, but those names likely matter little to Dallas. Many NFL teams are now hip to the game and that's a big reason why there are so many well-known names still on the market. Because there remains a chance to get a pick, possibly an additional fifth for losing Cole Beasley , it behooved Dallas to wait until the window closed before making any more additions. 2019 Compensatory Pick Ledger PLAYER LOST CONTRACT Qualifying APY PROJECTED ROUND PLAYER SIGNED CONTRACT Qualifying APY Projected Round Cole Beasley 4 yr / $29M $7.25M 5th Randall Cobb 1 yr / $5M $5M 6th Damien Wilson 2 yr / $5.8M $2.835M 7th Christian Covington 1 yr/ $2.5M $1.68M 7th Geoff Swaim 2 yr / $6.38M $2.75M 7th George Iloka 1 yr/ $1M $1M 7th Non-Qualifying Free Agent Moves PLAYER LOST CONTRACT REASON PLAYER SIGNED CONTRACT APY REASON Codey McElroy 1 yr - $495k too little Kerry Hyder 1 yr - $887k non-tendered RFA Now that the team has acquired their draft picks and know what holes remain, things are once again open for business. Here's a group of players the Cowboys should be considering, but probably won't. Not all are part of the comp pick formula, as some were released by their prior teams but still warrant being mentioned. Comp Formula Guy: S Tre Boston Yes, Boston is a free safety. Yes, Boston also has experience playing in the box (about a quarter of his snaps over the last few years) and more importantly, he's a sure-handed tackler. That's really the gripe most have with free safety-turned strong Jeff Heath, the horrible ability to wrap up and take correct angles. Boston has far outpaced Heath in tackling efficiency over the last several years and is much more of a ball hawk. Comp Formula Guy: DB DeShawn Shead Shead is now two years removed from a torn ACL and is free after spending 2018 with the Detroit Lions. A former UDFA signing in Seattle, passing game coordinator Kris Richard is well aware of what a healthy Shead can do. Shead has experience playing wide corner but has also dabbled in the box at times for Richard. At 6-foot-2, 216 pounds, he makes sense to take a flyer on. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports Comp Formula Guy: LB Manti Te'o Te'o was performing well in New Orleans but the Saints rightly moved him aside to get Alex Anzelone snaps. Dallas has a strong plan at linebacker, starting Jaylon Smith in the middle with Leighton Vander Esch at the weakside. Sean Lee will play Sam and backup LVE, with Joe Thomas backing him up. If Smith gets hurt, LVE slides to the middle, but with a player like Te'o, they wouldn't have to interrupt multiple spots for one injury. Continue… Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports Released FA: QB Sam Bradford Bradford? No, seriously. My favorite veteran backup ideas for Dak Prescott are long gone. Still, if Dallas is all-in on 2019, turning the reigns over to Mike White or Cooper Rush for a couple games seems like a scary proposition. Over the last 3 seasons, Bradford has started 20 games, with 25 touchdown passes against nine interceptions. He doesn't threaten downfield much, but his short game is highly accurate and Dallas has enough run-after-catch assets that this could be a winning formula for a game or two. Released FA: S Eric Berry No one outside of the football world knows the status of Berry's health. However, if he's healthy, he certainly seems like a wise addition to Dallas' secondary. He's an immediate upgrade to Heath and seems like a great role model to have in the room for Donovan Wilson, the club's sixth-round pick. Continue… Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports Released FA: K Matt Bryant Upgrading over Brett Maher is paramount to the improved special teams play that is necessary. Maher was one of the league's worst kickers despite setting the Dallas franchise record for longest field goal ever at 62 yards. He only hit 80 percent of his kicks, ranking No. 25 in the entire league. His college career percentage was 78. His CFL career percentage was 78 . His NFL percentage was 80. He's not good. Bryant hit 95.2 percent, third best in the league. He was also perfect from 40-49 yards, and four for five from over 50 yards. Released FA: Dion Sims Sims isn't a grab for offensive production, he offers none. What he does bring to the table is solid blocking from the position. This wouldn't be a move to make now, but if the team gets to camp and the youngsters don't look like they've made much of an improvement in blocking, Sims could be a guy brought in for that reason alone. Continue… Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via USA TODAY Sports Injury Consideration: Edge Nick Perry Does Perry have anything left in the tank? Depending on how the younger pass rushers look early (and they often take time to develop) and how healthy Perry's legs are, he could be an addition to augment the rush from right defensive end. Do the Cowboys have enough to compete with? Certainly. Would more pass rushers be better than less rushers? Certainly. Injury Consideration: DT Muhammad Wilkerson Wilkerson looked to ressurrect his career and reputation in Green Bay last season after being labeled a malcontent and locker room problem. A Week 3 injury ended his year. This is probably the biggest reach of any as it's doubtful Garrett would invite this sort of player into his locker room with so much riding on this season. MORE: Liverpool vs Barcelona Live Stream, Lineups, How to Watch Champions League Semifinals Online, US TV Channel, Live Stream Which Packers rookies are most likely to start in 2019? Bears K Eddy Pineiro has the leg and 'mental edge' to succeed NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Quandre Diggs believes Tracy Walker can be the 'total package' at safety


Tiger Woods still hasn't found his best game yet, but he is hanging around. The 15-time major champion shot a 1-over 72 to move to even par at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach after the second round. Woods made just one birdie on his day to go with two bogeys while he sprinkled in 15 pars around a course which was much harder to start the day on Day 2 than it was on Thursday. Only one player has finished the day better than 3 under as veteran Jim Furyk shot a 4-under 67 to move to 2 under on the tournament. Scoring was difficult and Woods felt that throughout a difficult day. Though he did hit some good shots as his approach on his second hole of the day came back nicely to set up his lone birdie. Put it in reverse, @TigerWoods . First of the day. pic.twitter.com/jGaJNdo1r1   PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 2019 While Woods did not have his best round he is by no means out of the tournament. At the closing of his round he was seven shots back of Justin Rose, who sits on his own in first place at 7 under for the tournament. MORE : U.S. Open 2019: Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth heat up as Tiger Woods tries to 'hang in there' | U.S. Open 2019: Tiger Woods enters Friday's Round 2 trying to 'hang in there' If Woods can put together two good rounds on the weekend he could very well get into contention.


Per The Athletic's Jay King, the Boston Celtics hosted three prospects for predraft workouts on Monday, including Penn State's Josh Reaves. CelticsWire originally reported that Reaves, the 2018-19 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, was set to meet with Boston . Amir Coffey (Minnesota), Josh Reaves (Penn State) and Zach Norvell (Gonzaga) were among the players Boston had in for a predraft workout today, I'm told. Norvell hit 2.6 3-pointers per game this past season on 37.0% 3PT. Reaves won Big Ten DPOY. - Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 20, 2019 The conversation with Reaves starts with his defense, as the 6-foot-5, 214 pound guard has shown excellent awareness and is often found jumping the passing lanes and racing the other way with the ball. Players that demonstrate the level of defensive awareness that Reaves has shown often have one of the highest basketball IQs on the team. A four-year starter for the Nittany Lions, Reaves' experience also helps him be a pro-ready prospect despite not showing a high level of offensive skill. Reaves is a three-and-D wing archetype, taking 36.3 percent of his shot attempts from three for his career and 44.6 percent of his shot attempts from three last season. He shot 35.6 percent from three-point range last season but 37.7 percent from three in 2017-18, with a career three-point percentage of 32.4. He'll need to sharpen up his shooting stroke but should he, there's no reason that he can't be a rotation-level player who sticks around in the league for a number of years. Amir Coffey is a tall and athletic guard at 6-foot-8, 210 pounds and was named to the 2018-19 All-Big Ten third team following a season in which he averaged a career-high 16.6 points on 43.6 percent shooting from the field and 30.4 percent from three-point range. However, though Coffey was inefficient last season, he shot 45.9 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from three in the first two seasons of his three-season stint with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He's at his best in transition and at the rim, where he's shown the ability to finish with a flush or finesse. Finally, Gonzaga University's Zach Norvell Jr. is a 6-foot-5, 205 pound guard from Chicago, notable considering the number of players to hail from Chicago and turn into fine pros, including Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Anthony Davis, all potential Hall of Famers. Norvell hasn't demonstrated the level of talent as the aforementioned players but like fellow Chicago-native Patrick Beverley, he could stay in the league for years with his three-point efficiency and defensive ability. Norvell has averaged 13.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game in his brief two-year collegiate career, shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from three and 83.6 percent from the free-throw line. Named to the 2018-19 All-West Coast Conference (All-WCC) first team, the Celtics deciding to work out the lefty is further evidence that Boston is looking to add more players that thrive off-ball to their roster than they had last season. He, Coffee and Reaves, all likely to be taken in the second round of drafted, are all players who can space the floor for Boston as well as provide solid perimeter defense. With three guards on the roster last season at their best with the ball in their hands in Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier and the chance that Marcus Smart regresses as a three-point threat last season, adding a three-and-D wing would be best for their perimeter grouping. Even if Irving or Rozier was to leave the team in free agency, perimeter players like Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward are two other players at their best on-ball and should Irving leave, those two would have an even greater playmaking responsibility and the Celtics would retain their need for off-ball threats. * All stats gathered from Sports Reference MORE: Kevin Durant fired back on Twitter after Chris Broussard questioned his Warriors titles Magic Johnson confirms rumor that Lakers want to sign Kyrie Irving Where does Reuben Foster's injury leave the Redskins? Injury to Reuben Foster could help Chiefs, Redskins strike a deal Report: Patriots engaged in trade talks for TE Kyle Rudolph


A cat costume is always a classic choice for Halloween, but this year it even doubles as a pop-culture reference . If you're still not over the trailer for the upcoming Cats movie (I, personally, will never be) and you want to dress up as a feline creature that also kinda looks like a human for Halloween, then I have the perfect tutorial for you. Below, I've broken down beauty influencer Arshia Moorjani 's cat Halloween makeup tutorial into eight easy steps so you, too, can be a walking, talking, dancing cat worthy of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Step 1: Contour and Highlight Okay, the real first step is to put on your foundation and concealer, but after your base is set, sweep a bronzing powder underneath your cheekbones and along the temples of your forehead to sharpen your angles (and, you know, give your face a cat-like shape). Then, grab a highly pigmented matte powder (your translucent powder won't cut it here) in a shade lighter than you would normally use. With a medium fluffy brush , highlight the area around your upper lip (in between your smile lines and underneath your nose) and in the middle of your chin for a little definition. Step 2: Contour Your Eyes Brows aren't really the focus of this look, so fill them in lightly with a tinted gel or a lightweight powder and then get to work on your eyes. You'll want to prep your lids with primer or concealer to create a long-lasting base, then blend a matte-orange eyeshadow with a small brush to exaggerate and deepen your creases . Step 3: Contour Your Nose Next, layer a dark-brown eyeshadow with orange undertones on top of the crease color with a small blending brush . Keep the focus on the outer corners to create that cat-eye effect. Next, use the same brown shade to draw a continual line from the creases of your eyes, down the sides of your nose. Stop the lines just before the tip for a cat-like snout. Step 4: Draw the Tip of Your Nose Fill in the area around your nostrils and on the very tip of your nose with a super-pigmented black eyeliner . Arshia used a fine-tip liquid liner to outline the shape and filled it in with a cream pigment. Step 5: Emphasize Your Eyes Use the same black liquid liner to draw an exaggerated cat-eye flick from the inner corners of your eyes almost all the way to the tails of your brows. Then, use the same dark-brown shadow and a small pencil brush to s mudge the shade below your bottom lashes to make your eyes look even bigger . Finish with a shimmery highlight along your brow bone and in the inner corners of your eyes. Step 6: Apply Your Lashes Feel free to get a little creative with this step. You can play up your lashes with lots of mascara or top them with exaggerated falsies . Step 7: Fill In Your Upper Lip With your liquid liner , draw a line connecting the base of your cat nose to your Cupid's bow. Then, fill in your top lip completely. Make your mouth appear slightly wider by drawing outward lines two or three centimeters long from the corners of your mouth . Step 8: Finish With Whiskers Alternate using black and brown eyeliner to draw tiny whisker spots. Then, go back over them with white liner to add more dots  and lots of whiskers. The Final Result? Purr-fect And there you go! A totally convincing cat costume (Taylor Swift would be so proud).


ASBURY PARK, N.J. (AP)   A shooting on a crowded boardwalk in a New Jersey shore community has left two women wounded and a teenage boy facing a weapons charge. The shooting in Asbury Park occurred around 10 p.m. Thursday, shortly after the city staged its annual beach fireworks display which had drawn large crowds. Authorities say multiple shots were fired during the incident, causing some to quickly flee the boardwalk. A 55-year-old woman was treated at a hospital for a wound that wasn't considered life-threatening, while a 25-year-old woman refused treatment for what authorities said was a minor wound. A 16-year-old Asbury Park boy was arrested shortly after the shooting by a Manalapan Township police officer who was working a security detail for the fireworks show. The teen is charged with unlawful possession of a handgun. A motive for the shooting remains under investigation. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.


Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach Press Taylor is one up and coming offensive innovators in the NFL and a guy who'll certainly have his own franchise in the next few years. For now, the brother of Bengals head coach, Zac Taylor, Press is the guy who works closest with Eagles franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. The 31-year-old Taylor joined the Eagles as a quality control coach under Chip Kelly in 2013 and has remained ever since, getting elevated to quarterbacks coach last season, succeeding John DeFilippo. The pressure on Carson Wentz has intensified after signing a four-year, $128 million contract extension with the most guaranteed money in NFL history, and for the man, Taylor has referred to as a "grinder", it'll be imperative for the Eagles quarterback coach to ensure Wentz's continued maturation. while speaking with Dave Spadaro of the Eagles official website, the Birds quarterbacks coach highlighted the growth he's seen in the signal-callers during offseason workouts, OTAs and minicamp. "It's a good group," Taylor said. "I'm very pleased so far. We've all worked hard to learn the offense and get some timing down, and I think it's worked out well." For Taylor and the Eagles, the biggest change from last season is a completely healthy and locked in Carson Wentz, who has looked great all offseason and should take momentum into the start of training camp. Nate Sudfeld is making all the throws and looks like a legitimate No. 2 quarterback at this juncture, which is a vital assessment, given Wentz' injury history. MORE: See the dramatic final hand of 2019 WSOP Main Event that won Hossein Ensan $10 million News: Cowboys' $100 million men underpaid, and more dangerous in 2019 Roundup: Al Green Introduces Articles of Impeachment Against Trump; Emmy Nominations Announced; Earthquake Rattles Bay Area; Colts ranked No. 1 in NFL future power rankings Future looks bright for the Steelers according to ESPN