BALTIMORE   Hall of Fame trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert sit side by side in the corner of the stakes barn at Pimlico Race Course sizing up the Preakness. "A lot of speed in there," Baffert says. Lukas responds without missing a beat, "My horse is fast." "There's some nice horses in here," Baffert says. "Pretty evenly matched." The banter sums up this year's Preakness. For the first time since 1996, the Preakness doesn't have the Kentucky Derby winner and therefore no Triple Crown possibility, but it is one of the most-wide open in recent history. Baffert-trained Improbable opened as the favorite   because he said some horse had to be favored   and without any of the first four horses to cross the finish line at the Derby, the Preakness feels like almost anyone's $1.5 million race to win. "It's wide open   there's four or five horses that can win it," Improbable co-owner Elliott Walden said Friday. "It's kind of like the NCAA Tournament. Just because Duke got beat, the No. 1 seed, didn't mean they didn't have a Final Four and it wasn't as impactful at the Final Four." Unlike when Baffert brought Justify to Pimlico a year ago looking Triple Crown-caliber, this isn't a one-horse race. Improbable and War of Will are among the legitimate contenders to become just the 19th horse all time and first since Afleet Alex in 2005 to fall short in the Derby but win the Preakness and Belmont. Then there's Alwaysmining, who's looking to be the first Maryland-bred horse to win the Preakness since 1979 and make Kelly Rubley the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race. And there are a couple of other horses who ran in the Derby to keep an eye on   Win Win Win and Bodexpress. And intriguing newcomer Warrior's Charge, who cost owners $150,000 just to enter him, merits watching. "The owners were pretty confident that (Warrior's Charge) could run with these horses," said trainer Brad Cox, who's saddling his first two Triple Crown runners in Warrior's Charge and Owendale. "It's a big ask for him, but we think if you can get the right setup, he could be in the mix." Video by CBS Baltimore Around the stakes barn at the historic but aging track, almost every trainer believes his or her horse is in the mix. The chance to grab an almost million-dollar first place prize even drew Dale Romans to enter long shot Everfast hours before the post position draw Wednesday, and it lured Lukas back with Market King . Trainer Mark Hennig said not having Maximum Security, who crossed the finish line first in the Derby, or Country House who was declared the winner after Maximum Security was disqualified, helped him make the decision to enter Bourbon War. And he's certainly not alone. "Here's the rule: If there's one horse, always run. If there's two, look at it critically. If there's three, maybe," Lukas said. "I'm talking about really superstar horses. Things happen to one or two horses in these races. We saw that two Saturdays ago." The surreal situation May 4 at Churchill Downs spurred owners to pull Maximum Security off the Triple Crown trail and sue race stewards . Country House developed a cough days afterward and was taken out of consideration, and Tacitus and Code of Honor not running means the first four horses to cross the finish line at the Derby aren't in the Preakness. Improbable was placed fourth after the disqualification and on paper is the best in the 13-horse field with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith aboard. "He's only stubbed his toe once in the Derby when it was a really bad racetrack and he was off the board," said Walden, who also co-owns Justify. "That's a tough race to win anyway. We're looking for him to bounce back in a big way." Trainer Mark Casse is also counting on War of Will to bounce back after being interfered with in the Derby. Thankful his horse is OK after near-disaster , Casse isn't so sure all the buzz around horse racing from the DQ is all that bad when it comes to drawing interest for this race. "I've ran into people that know nothing about horse racing, that's all they can talk about," said Casse, who's looking for his first Triple Crown victory. "We have our horse and we have horse racing and we have a big audience now that's paying attention, so let's take advantage of it. I may be wrong, but I think a lot of people will be watching the Preakness that normally don't watch the Preakness." Lukas conceded that no Derby winner makes the Preakness a little "vanilla" but still believes it will be a great race. Ken McPeek, who trains Signalman said there are 1.5 million reasons to enter a big race like this, and he knows well after winning the 2002 Belmont with 70-1 shot Sarava. Blaine Wright has Anothertwistafate here as the third betting choice and doesn't quite agree with other trainers that there isn't a superstar horse in the race. "They could all be super horses," Wright said. "I mean, we're hoping ours is. You never know." Related slideshow: Preakness winner the year you were born (Provided by Yardbarker)


Former NFL quarterback Jared Lorenzen aka "The Hefty Lefty" has been hospitalized due to multiple health issues. Word emerged on Friday that Lorenzen had been hospitalized, and his family issued a statement a day later through Kentucky Sports Radio's Matt Jones. In the statement, the family said Lorenzen was in intensive care due to an infection, and kidney and heart issues. They added that Lorenzen had not been feeling well for a few weeks. Jared Lorenzen's family has asked me to share this update on his condition Prayers for my good friend pic.twitter.com/lOmFGiPeAm   Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) June 30, 2019 Lorenzen, 38, started four seasons for Kentucky in college from 2000-2004, throwing for 78 touchdowns and 41 interceptions in his career. He signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004 and even won a Super Bowl ring with the team. Lorenzen was best known for his weight and was listed at 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds in his playing days. The former quarterback's weight issues became worse over time, and he actually weighed over 500 pounds when he started filming a documentary about his attempts to lose weight called "The Jared Lorenzen Project." Lorenzen had buried his head in the sand regarding his weight as recently as five years ago.


Elijah "Pumpsie" Green, who simply wanted to play for his hometown Oakland Oaks but was thrust into the national spotlight as a trailblazer and first black player on the Boston Red Sox, died Wednesday. He was 85. The Red Sox, under racist owner Tom Yawkey, were the last big-league team to integrate. Twelve years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Green debuted with the Red Sox in 1959. Before Wednesday night's game at Fenway Park, the Red Sox acknowledged Green with a moment of silence. During an interview with The Chronicle in October, Green said he didn't dream as a kid of playing in the major leagues. His goal, he said from his home in the El Cerrito hills, was to play for the Oaks of the old Pacific Coast League. He never got the opportunity. "I did the best I could with what I had," said Green, noting in the interview he was dealing with diabetes. "I had a little success, and I enjoyed that. I always say to myself, 'I accomplished the first thing I set out to do because I always wanted to be ...' well, I didn't always want to be a major-league ballplayer, I've always wanted to be an Oakland Oaks ballplayer because that was the big team around here." Green was raised in Richmond and attended El Cerrito High School and Contra Costa College. He signed with the Oaks as a teenager and played for two of their farm teams, but before he could make it to Oakland, he was sold to the Red Sox. Before the Giants and Dodgers moved West in 1958, the PCL was the highest brand of baseball on the West Coast. "I grew up listening to Bud Foster," Green said of the Oaks' radio broadcaster. "That was my team, down the street on 40th and San Pablo (in Emeryville). That was a heck of a league, my league. The major leagues weren't my first preference. If I could play for the Oakland Oaks, I wouldn't have played in the major leagues. I never got the chance." In the den in his El Cerrito home, Green sat on a recliner next to a table with well-worn hats of two big-league teams, the Red Sox and Giants. On the wall: a team picture of the Oakland Oaks. Green hit .246 with 13 home runs and 74 RBIs in parts of four seasons with the Red Sox and one with the Mets. Sixty years ago Sunday, on July 21, 1959   three years after Robinson retired   Green became the Red Sox's first black player in the opener of a doubleheader in Chicago. His first home game was Aug. 4. He batted leadoff, played second base and hit a first-inning triple. "The place was rocking," he said. "I took a deep breath. I looked at the umpire. He said, 'Pumps, how are you doing?' I said, 'Fine.' I hit a line shot to left-center field, high off the Green Monster. I kept running toward second. I saw the ball still in the outfield. I just kept going, and I slid into third very easily. "Another standing ovation. I thought the stands were going to break down." Green experienced discrimination throughout his time in the Red Sox organization. He was one of the top-performing players in spring training in 1959 but was left off the Opening Day roster. Once he reached the majors, he initially wasn't allowed to stay or eat with his white teammates. "When I came along, the biggest thing was where will you stay, where are you going to eat, what are you going to do, where are you going to go?" he said. "It practically overshadowed a lot of things I might've enjoyed more, but the conditions I was in, it just took a lot away from me, but I never let it get to me. Well, except a couple of times." John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle's national baseball writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey


Chipmaker Broadcom is buying cybersecurity specialist Symantec Corporation's enterprise security business for $10.7 billion in cash, the companies announced Thursday. The deal signals Broadcom's continued efforts to diversify beyond its main memory-chip business. Symantec is America's largest cybersecurity company. Its anti-virus software helps companies thwart cyber threats across their physical devices and in the cloud. Previously, Broadcom acquired network equipment maker Brocade in 2017 and enterprise security company CA Technologies in 2018. The company said following the Symantec acquisition in the first quarter of 2020, it expects 29% of its total revenue to come from software, up from a projected 22% in 2019. Broadcom aims to "build one of the world's leading infrastructure technology companies across hardware and software," CEO Hock Tan said on a call with analysts on Thursday. The proposed acquisition is still subject to antitrust approval. And it comes just over a year after Broadcom's $117 billion bid for rival Qualcomm was blocked by President Donald Trump over national security concerns. The Trump administration argued that the proposed takeover would cause Qualcomm to fall behind in next-generation 5G technology, allowing competitors such as China's Huawei to gain an edge. It was concerned that Broadcom's plan to borrow $100 billion for the deal meant it would have had to squeeze cash out of Qualcomm, leaving less money for 5G research and development. But unlike that deal, the Symantec aquisition will not require approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which was involved in blocking the Qualcomm deal, because Broadcom moved its headquarters from Singapore to San Jose, Calif. in April 2018. Symantec's consumer business will remain separate and be rebranded. Symantec's shares were up nearly 3% in after hours trading Wednesday. Broadcom's were up less than half a percent. Broadcom Inc, headquartered in San Jose, California, is one of several companies that have taken a hit from an escalating US campaign against Huawei. Washington has urged its allies to keep the Huawei's telecom equipment out of their 5G networks, and in May banned US companies from selling it components without a license. Trump announced on June 29 that he would relax the ban but it is not yet known what impact that will have. "It is clear that the US-China trade conflict including the Huawei export ban is creating economic and political uncertainty and reducing visibility for global customers," Broadcom's Tan said in an earnings call last month, after the company missed analyst expectations for the first quarter of 2019 and slashed its full year revenue outlook by $2 billion.


A line stretching for what seemed like miles wound around an Abercrombie & Fitch as Boston Celtics wing Jayson Tatum waited to greet fans in support of his new cologne while chatting with ESPN's Tim Bontemps about the coming season. Excited about former UConn luminary Kemba Walker joining the team, Tatum gushed about his role in convincing the three-time All-Star to sign with the team: "I'm very excited … I think I had a big part with him coming here. I was with him in Paris … I never told him to come, but I told him I would love for him to join the team and told him how it was. Obviously everybody has to do what's best for themselves, and I'm happy for him." Clearly the sales pitch involved more than the very abstract pitch the former Duke wing alluded to; what exactly did he say to convince one of the league's most loyal players to decamp from the only NBA team he's ever known? This was the line to see Jayson Tatum at the unveiling of his signature cologne at Abercrombie & Fitch today. pic.twitter.com/mxbNEOlMeh - Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) August 1, 2019 "I just told him about Boston, the city, the atmosphere, our fans, the culture, the coaching staff. I answered all the questions he had," including how the fans and organization treat players, and what playing for the Celtics is like. It seems to have done the trick. After an interminable season for players and fans alike, Tatum is ready to turn the page. "I'm excited, and just ready for the season to start and everybody to be around each other and build some chemistry and just get it going." That's not all that has Tatum excited involving playing with Walker, who was with Taco Jay in Paris during the days leading up to the NBA's summer signing period. The two are excited to join Team USA and hope to play together on the national team's finalized roster alongside teammates and fellow invitees Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown. Jayson Tatum on the Team USA Celtics: "I think that's pretty cool…Hopefully we all four make it and start some early chemistry for the season." https://t.co/ymdhBW8MPr - Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) August 1, 2019 "I think that's pretty cool," he said on the prospect of playing with as many as four Celtics on this year's team. "I know a lot of people dropped out and I feel like everything happens for a reason, so hopefully we all four make it and start some early chemistry for the season." It's an excellent chance for a franchise nearly leveled by poor chemistry last season. The same franchise whose short-term future was largely salvaged by Walker's arrival. Tatum tells Himmelsbach that he plans on taking a leap next year as a leader, focusing on the intangibles that foster team success as much as developing their skills on the court. "It's a great opportunity and just build from it and carry on into the season and have a great season individually and as a team … I'm really looking to take a bigger jump. Be more vocal, be more of a leader. Just be a better version of myself." This is what you want to hear from a young player emerging from a trying season with less growth than many hoped for and expected. An explanation of what went wrong would certainly be welcomed too but the St. Louis native doesn't really have a single thing he'd point to, something his teammates tend to echo despite popular narratives casting former teammate Kyrie Irving as the root of their collapse. "There's no specific answer, but I kind of feel like everybody is ready to leave last year behind us. It's a new season, we've got a new team, new guys … so last year is behind us." Both Duke alumni, Irving and Tatum bonded early and kept close even through the tumult of last season and beyond. "We still keep in touch," Tatum explained. "That's like family. We talk often. Nothing in particular, nothing specific about last season, just friend talk. … I'm all for guys doing what's best for them. It doesn't change the dynamic of our friendship." For now, the focus remains firmly on the future, meaning the 2019 FIBA World Cup and the 2019-20 regular season. "I played [with the] USA three times when I was in high school, and it's an honor to play for the country and to be along other great players," said Tatum. "That's what I'm most excited for, being around other guys and competing in practice and coming together for a greater purpose." MORE: Five potential Jeremy Lin landing spots in free agency Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Jordan Crawford says Nike still owes him $500 for his legendary dunk on LeBron Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Roundup: Julianne Hough Bares All; Ninja Ditches Twitch; Bud Foster's Last Year


PHILADELPHIA   The U.S. men's national team's 1-0 victory over Curacao on Sunday was forgettable. It was sloppy and scruffy, and at times even worrying. On the whole, it was fairly underwhelming. But it sent the USMNT to the 2019 Gold Cup semifinals. The performance was sufficient on the day, even if carbon copies likely won't be going forward. Weston McKennie's first-half goal proved decisive: PULISIC ➡ MCKENNIE = GOAL 🔥 The two 20-year-olds connect to put USA on 🔝 #GoldCup2019 pic.twitter.com/cBWrhDZtT5   FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 1, 2019 The hosts were well on top for a half-hour. Thereafter, they were poor. Curacao, an island of 160,000, had several half-chances to equalize. It outshot the U.S. 15-10, with five efforts on goal to the Americans' three. It had Gregg Berhalter throwing on Omar Gonzalez as a third center back in stoppage time to see out a narrow win. But the lone goal was ultimately enough. And it was a thing of beauty. The U.S. goal was a worthy winner McKennie's header came at the end of a 14-pass move that U.S. boss Gregg Berhalter will have loved. Weston McKennie's goal capped a 14-pass, nine-player, 43-second sequence for the #USMNT . 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/e0hf1qRSvf   Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) July 1, 2019 The final five passes were especially excellent. Gyasi Zardes checked to the ball, and pulled Curacao's right-sided center back with him. Michael Bradley found Zardes, who played first-time to Aaron Long. Seconds later, Paul Arriola checked toward the sideline, pulling Curacao's other right-sided defender with him. That left space for Christian Pulisic to run into. If somebody has the overhead/tactical cam of the #USMNT goal, please GIF it. Sequence to get Pulisic down the left was cool, but can't really tell from broadcast angle pic.twitter.com/xllAxyz8O9   Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) July 1, 2019 Pulisic then crossed for McKennie, who'd arrived to create an overload in the box at the back post. Pulisic was the best player on the field Pulisic, in general, was the USMNT's creative engine   as he should be. Playing in his No. 10 position that allows him to drift wide, he was able to break down Curacao with on- and off-ball movement. He nearly scored early from close range. He also created the second big chance of the game by himself, carrying the ball half the length of the field in transition. His shot from the top of the box trickled comfortably wide, but the play exemplified one reason Berhalter likes to play Pulisic centrally rather than as a winger. It makes him more dangerous on the break. Curacao had its chances The U.S. seemed to be well on top early. Suddenly, toward the end of the half, it looked flustered. Bradley and McKennie might have even lost the midfield battle. The pressure from the U.S. front six wasn't coordinated. That led to some nervy moments. Curacao nearly got in on goal shortly before halftime. Tim Ream tracked his runner and cleaned up. But the trend continued after halftime. Curacao had 15 shots to the Americans' 10. The U.S. eventually threw on Omar Gonzalez as a third center back to hang on for the win. Zack Steffen's flying save in the 83rd minute, to keep a 20-yard Leandro Bacuna drive out of the top corner, preserved the U.S. win. Great save by Zack Steffen at full extension, preserving the 1-0 lead. He's been the busier goalkeeper in the second half. #USAvCUW #USMNT #GoldCup pic.twitter.com/G0NImbSSPi   Joga Bonito (@Jasoninho10) July 1, 2019 Other notes At times under Berhalter, McKennie and Pulisic have both played in advanced attacking midfield roles. On Sunday night more than ever before, McKennie was deep and right back Nick Lima was high. This, roughly, was the USMNT's attacking shape: Tyler Boyd had the worst game of his young U.S. men's national team career. Jordan Morris replaced him on 63 minutes. The attendance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia was 26,233. The U.S. had a clever set-piece routine foiled ... by the referee: the McKennie-ref collision pic.twitter.com/tDP98x10U3   Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) July 1, 2019 Zardes' involvement in the goal wasn't his only involvement. His link-up play was better than usual   though not better than Jozy Altidore's. Walker Zimmerman's distribution was a mixed back. He gave the ball away multiple times, and missed Pulisic badly once with a long ball when the U.S. No. 10 was in space. But he also played a pinpoint chip to Boyd that nearly resulted in a big chance. USMNT lineup Gregg Berhalter rolled out what seems to be his first-choice lineup for the third time in four Gold Cup games. From back to front, right to left, in a 4-3-3 (subs in parentheses): Zack Steffen; Nick Lima, Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long, Tim Ream; Michael Bradley, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic; Tyler Boyd (Jordan Morris), Gyasi Zardes, Paul Arriola (Omar Gonzalez). The one exception to the "first-choice lineup" part might be Altidore, who came into the tournament at less than 100 percent match-fit. When asked Saturday whether Altidore was his first-choice striker if 100 percent match-fit , Berhalter said the following: "I think that's an impossible question to answer. There's always competition for spots. You want guys to be performing well. I know Jozy is an outstanding player. I know he can really help this team. And I know he has a lot to give. But in terms of   I don't think any player is guaranteed to start. It has to depend on their form. It has to depend on their fitness, and how they fit into the gameplan, and everything like that." Up next The U.S. gets Jamaica in the semis on Wednesday night in Nashville. The Raggae Boyz beat Panama 1-0 Sunday on a second-half penalty. They'll be the toughest test the tournament has thrown at the U.S. thus far. But the Americans will be favored.               Henry Bushnell is a features writer for Yahoo Sports . Have a tip? Question? Comment? Email him at henrydbushnell@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @HenryBushnell , and on Facebook .


Falcons tight end Austin Hooper has improved statistically every year he's been in the NFL and we're predicting that his 2019 campaign will push him into the elite, top-five category at his position. Let's talk about why Hooper is ready to break into the elite tier of the league's tight ends. Given how offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has used Tony Gonzalez and other tight ends during his time in the NFL, Hooper should be in line for a minimum of 100 targets this year. Koetter has made it clear he believes players like Hooper and O.J. Howard are the best weapon in football, per The Tampa Bay Times . "First off, the true Y tight ends are a dying breed in college football. . . There's not many teams left that utilize a player like O.J. I think in the NFL, that's the best weapon you can have. Here's a guy who can run down the seam and can block a defensive lineman at the line of scrimmage and there's just not many of them around. I think that position can thrive in most NFL offenses. I'm the first to admit that I like tight ends.'' He was not lying. Koetter likes his tight ends and so does Mike Mularkey. To get a better idea of what kind of year Hooper could have, let's delve into some stats on the featured tight ends in their systems. If you average Delanie Walker's 2014-2017 seasons under Mularkey and Tony Gonzalez's 2012-2013 seasons under Koetter, Hooper's 2019 projections would come out to something like this: Targets: 117.75 (which would have ranked 4th in 2018) Yards: 895.375 (which would have almost tied for 4th at 896 in 2018) Touchdowns: 6.5 (which would have ranked 4th in 2018) Hooper could do even better than that, though. These last few years in Tampa, Koetter has excelled at using tight ends down the field. That should play right into Hooper's hands, because he's already proven he can produce when he's targeted 10+ yards downfield. According to Pro Football Focus, "among the 40 tight ends who have seen at least 30 targets of 10 or more yards downfield over the last three seasons, Hooper's 122.7 passer rating when targeted ranks eighth - just behind Rob Gronkowski (123.5)." Koetter's offense will also be featuring more up-tempo plays, and Hooper has said he and the rest of the tight ends really enjoy the new style . Add it all up, and Hooper has every reason to expect great things from himself this year. MORE: Trevor Bauer angrily fired a baseball over the centerfield wall before being pulled from game Roundup: Miley Cyrus Not Performing At VMAs, VICE in Talks to Buy Refinery29, Triple H Turned 50 Tom Brady disobeys Bill Belichick at practice, and suffers the consequences Packers impressed with Rashan Gary's effort early at training camp Steelers WR Diontae Johnson off to hot start at training camp


CHICAGO (CBS)   Even with an additional 1,500 officers on the streets, Chicago still saw significant violence over the long holiday weekend, with at least 68 people shot, five of them fatally, since July 4th. The most violent day of the weekend was Friday, when 17 people were wounded and three were killed in shootings across the city. There were 16 shootings to start the weekend on Thursday, two of them fatal. Saturday saw 15 total shootings, and Sunday saw 17. The most recent deadly shooting was at about 7 p.m. on Friday, when two men were shot while standing on the sidewalk near Laramie and Fulton. Police said two gunman walked up and shot them before fleeing in a gray sedan. A 40-year-old man was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, and a 65-year-old man was taken to Stroger in critical condition. Around 3 a.m. Friday in the Fuller Park neighborhood, a gunman approached a 22-year-old woman near 42nd and Wells, and shot her once in the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene. About 15 minutes earlier, a 37-year-old man was killed and a 32-year-old woman was wounded, when they were shot after getting into a fight with a group of people near Lavergne and Augusta in the Austin neighborhood. The man was shot in the chest, and was taken to West Suburban Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The woman was shot twice in the arm, and went to Stroger Hospital, where she was stabilized. There were two other fatal shootings on July 4th. In Humboldt Park, a 32-year-old man was killed when he was shot while standing near the intersection of Homan and Iowa around 11:30 a.m. A 31-year-old man, a 23-year-old man, and a 17-year-old boy also were wounded in the shooting. Around 1:30 a.m. in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, a 35-year-old woman was drinking with a man inside a home near Wilcox and Kildare, when one of them pulled out a gun. The woman was shot in the head during a struggle over the weapon, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The 11th District on the West Side had more shootings than any other police district, with six shooting incidents over the weekend. Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been vocal about her focus on curbing violence in the city. This weekend, photos from the Chicago Police Department show her attending a midnight roll call. This evening, @ChicagosMayor attended the 1st watch midnights roll call in @ChicagoCAPS07 . Mayor Lightfoot addressed Officers and went out for a ride-along to see first hand how 7th District Officers and the residents of Englewood interact. pic.twitter.com/yWQG0h6JrO   Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) July 6, 2019 She was later out on the beat with 7th District officers who patrol the Englewood community, an area considered a hot spot for violent crime. Last week, Police Supt. Eddie Johnson addressed what police were doing differently this holiday weekend. "One of the things that we're going to do a bit differently, we have a lot more undercover officers out here this time than we did, and so they'll be serving the purpose of our eyes and ears along with the communities," he said. The city's Navy Pier fireworks show was marred by violence, as three people were stabbed during a gang-related fight. At least 13 others were injured in a stampede after someone set off a firecracker at Harry Caray's at Navy Pier.


Throngs of people gathered in the streets of New York on Sunday for a Gay Pride march expected to draw three million rainbow flag-waving supporters, 50 years after the Stonewall riots that galvanized the modern gay rights movement. "I believe we are going to have the greatest Pride celebration in the history of the globe," Mayor Bill de Blasio, a vocal defender of gay rights and a Democratic presidential hopeful, said ahead of the weekend events. Stonewall Day commemorates the June 1969 riots sparked by repeated police raids on the Stonewall Inn, a well-known gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village, that proved to be a turning point in the LGBTQ community's struggle for civil rights. New York's Gay Pride -- a month of events marking Stonewall every year -- has long been a lure for tourists, drawing hundreds of thousands of people, plus politicians and celebrities. The city held its first Gay Pride march one year after the unrest, kicking off a tradition that would spread to other cities around the world -- made all the more pertinent as some 70 countries still criminalize homosexuality today. This year organizers have gone all out as they plan to host what they called World Pride with visitors from around the globe. The event comes against what critics say is Donald Trump's Republican administration opening the door once again to overt discrimination against the LGBTQ community. - A step back - At mid-morning, several thousand took part in the Queer Liberation March organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition in Greenwich Village -- the hub of the city's gay community and the location of the Stonewall Inn. The event was cast as an alternative to the main march, which some activists say has become too commercial, with major corporate sponsors including L'Oreal, Danone and the Macy's department stores. High-profile British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell said he came from London to participate in the alternate march "to celebrate the radical tradition of Stonewall 1969." "Our goal was never just equality and LGBT+ rights. I wanted to transform society," he said. Bennett Sherr, a 20-year-old student at Cornell University, said it was "important that the Pride movement not be so corporatized." "You see corporations giving money to Pride and then handing millions to anti-LGBT politicians," Sherr told AFP. Many marchers carried anti-Trump signs, denouncing his policies on everything from transgender rights to abortion to immigration. The main march was to begin shortly thereafter from Fifth Avenue and 26th Street in Greenwich Village. Some 150,000 people are signed up to take part in the main rally, but organizers say they expect an estimated three million people to line the streets and watch. With so many people expected, police plan to deploy thousands of officers on city streets and rooftops, and also use drones and helicopters to keep an eye on everything. The day is scheduled to conclude with a big bash in Times Square featuring performances by artists including Madonna, who is hugely popular in the gay community. - Honoring history - Visitors from abroad who are planning to march include Helen Gollin, a 63-year-old Australian, who helped found Sydney's first Mardi Gras gay march in 1978. "It's about honoring all that went on before us and all those who died in the name of freedom," said Gollin. "It's our history, it's the reason why we can be whoever we want to be. That's why it was important to come and celebrate," added Francesco Servalli, 38, who came from Italy with four friends to take part in the march. Servalli and others said Gay Pride is important for another reason: to muster strength to keep fighting for LGBTQ rights at a time when people they call extremist politicians -- like Trump, or Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil -- have come to the fore. "I feel like we are going backward," said Servalli, citing in particular violence against transgender people. "But maybe it's history: sometimes you need to go backward to continue going further."


Welcome to 90min's live blog of all things Manchester United! Here, we'll keep you updated with all the latest transfer news, rumours and done deals - as well as bringing you the latest player insights into events at Old Trafford. ">


Residents in multiple Chinese cities have claimed to see a mysterious light moving fast across the sky, sparking speculation that Beijing was secretly testing its new nuclear missile. The shiny spot, which appeared to have a massive 'tail', was witnessed yesterday in eastern and central parts of China, including the provinces of Henan, Hebei and Zhejiang, according to state media. Sina, one of China's largest news portals, reported that the unidentified flying object was likely to be related to a classified military test of Julang-3 (or JL-3), a submarine nuclear missile alleged to be capable of reaching North America. The author also said that the suspected experiment could be China's response to Washington amid an intensifying trade war and after the U.S. recently tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. One video of the mystical light, said to be shot from Zhengzhou in central China, shows the object flying above the city's central business district before turning away and slowly disappearing. One person can be heard saying 'wow, what is this?' before another voice added '[it] looks like something flown up from the ground'. A third voice then said 'wah, it is so fast'. The minute-long clip has gathered more than 1,900 comments from yesterday, with many viewers wondering what the light could be. Zhao Haibing, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing, told Global Times that the object was unlikely a 'natural glowing object'. The researcher said it was likely to have been shot up from the ground. Sina Military today reported that the object could be related to Beijing's experiment of JL-3 and that the missile had been equipped with a hypersonic warhead. Aircraft and missiles are said to be hypersonic once they exceed speeds of Mach 5 and above, or five times the speed of sound. The news outlet cited a notice posted by the Maritime Safety Administration of Liaoning Province which warned ships not to pass Bohai Sea and Bohai Strait to make room for 'a military mission'. The ban was imposed between 2:30am and noon yesterday, and the light was reportedly seen during the wee hours between Bohai Sea on the eastern coast and Xinjiang Autonomous Region in western China. Sina added that the light looked similar to other phenomena observed during previous experiment of hypersonic weapons in China. 'Therefore [we] judged: [it was] an experiment of a new type of submarine strategic missile shot from nuclear submarine such as 094B or 096 under Bohai Sea...', the article said. '... In addition, [it was] a new JL-2B or JL-3 missile carrying a hypersonic warhead. The combination of the two technologies means that China is the first to deploy hypersonic missiles on nuclear submarines,' it added. The article, written by a military critic called Chen Guangwen, said the suspected experiment could be Beijing's response to Washington amid an escalating trade war and after the U.S. tested Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile last month. The development of JL-3 has been gathering much attention in the West. Previous reports claimed that the missile, capable of carrying 24 missiles, would have a full operational range between 7,456 miles and 8,700 miles, which is enough to destroy targets in most part of the United States from Chinese coasts. It was also suggested that JL-3 was an improved version of Beijing's Dongfeng-41, or DF-41 ballistic missile. DF-41 is said to have the longest range of any ballistic rockets in the world. China has never openly commented on the development of JL-3. Nearly all of the information of the missile on the Chinese internet is cited from U.S. media reports. An annual report from the U.S. Department of Defence last year suggested that China's next-generation submarine Type 096 would be armed with JL-3 and construction of the submarine would begin in early 2020s. According to a report from Sina Military in July, Beijing will begin building the Type 096 submarine 'in a few years'.


Chris Harris is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but where will he fit into the team's new defense this season? "[We have to] decide whether he is more of a corner or a nickel for us," Broncos coach Vic Fangio said at the team's pre-camp press conference Wednesday. "He's got two positions to learn, not just one. The nickel position is totally different that the corner position - there is no carryover, mentally. So, he's got a lot of work to do in these next five weeks, six - whatever it is." Harris thinks he's a "perfect fit" for Fangio's defense and he's willing to line up wherever the team's coaching staff wants him. Denver's secondary is full of versatile players, which could lead to players like Harris and Kareem Jackson changing their positions on a week-to-week basis. "I think I [will] have a different role every week," Harris said Wednesday. "We've got so many guys that are interchangeable, but we've got a chance of me playing all outside and then one day of me playing the inside. "To me, I think it just looks different with me inside. I'm just a totally different man inside compared to everybody else." Regardless of where he plays, Harris will be looking to earn his fifth Pro Bowl selection in 2019. He is the only player in the NFL with multiple interceptions each year since 2012. If that streak continues under Fangio, Harris should have no trouble earning another All-Star nod. MORE: Dan Le Batard delivers impassioned rebuke of racist 'send her back' chant despite ESPN rules Roundup: Tiger Woods is Struggling; Alex Morgan's New Project; Area 51 is Big Business Any and everyone has weighed in on Ezekiel Elliott's contract, but him Ranking the Packers' position groups from weakest to strongest Report: Celtics want to sign Tacko Fall, bring him 'in the fold'


The first round of funding from South Carolina's share of the Volkswagen Settlement Fund will be used to invest in new, propane-powered school buses to replace aging buses at the South Carolina Department of Education, and to invest in clean energy public transportation in the Lowcountry and in the City of Anderson. Gov. Henry McMaster was joined Tuesday by S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman and S.C. Department of Insurance Director Ray Farmer to make that announcement. "This is a good day for South Carolina and a good day for our team," said McMaster. "I want to thank Superintendent Spearman for submitting this proposal and making sure this money goes towards getting the new buses that our students need. I also want to thank Director Farmer and his team for doing the work necessary to determine that this is the best use of these funds for our students and the people of South Carolina." "I've had the pleasure of serving alongside Gov. McMaster and the South Carolina General Assembly, and we've all been committed to improving South Carolina's school bus fleet," said Molly Spearman. "Today is an exciting day   I am so thankful that the Department of Insurance has seen the need and has supported us in this effort." For video of the event, visit the governor's YouTube page . In June of 2017 , McMaster designated SCDOI as the lead agency in determining how the state's share of the Volkswagen Settlement Fund, totaling $34 million, should be invested. Under the settlement terms, the lead agency must administer and develop a written Beneficiary Mitigation Plan explaining how the funds will be used within our state to reduce emissions and seek public input for the use of funds. "While these initial funds are a great step, our work on the project is only beginning," said Farmer. After a public comment period, SCDOI partially funded three of eight total applications. The award recipients are as follows: SC Department of Education 78 Thomas Built propane school buses Lexington District 1 (22 buses) Horry County Schools (20 buses) Richland District 2 (18 buses) Beaufort County Schools (18 buses) Award amount: Up to $7,872,618.00 Total project costs: $7,872,618.00 SCDOE will provide funding from the following sources: *Revenues from scrappage of buses to be replaced will be allocated toward project costs Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments 2 Proterra electric transit buses + charging stations will be purchased for CARTA Award amount: Up to $1,386,950.40 Total project costs: $1,733,688.00 BCDCOG will provide funding from the following sources: 20% of total project costs will be funded through Charleston County sales tax ($346,737.60) Revenues from scrappage of buses to be replaced will be allocated toward project costs City of Anderson 1 ElDorado National Axess compressed natural gas transit bus Award amount: Up to $73,568.55 Total project costs: $490,457.00 The City of Anderson will provide funding from the following sources: 85% of total project costs will be funded through a federal grant ($416,888.45) Revenues from scrappage of buses to be replaced will be allocated toward project costs For more information on the Volkswagen Settlement Fund, visit https://doi.sc.gov/889/Volkswagen-Settlement/ . READ MORE: A look at what Volkswagen settlement funds will be used for in South Carolina CHECK OUT WYFF: Get the latest Greenville news and weather. For live, local, late-breaking Greenville, SC, news coverage, WYFF is the place to be.


Newark will continue to see warm weather over the next few days, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Your weather today includes a high temperature of 83 degrees and Friday's will be 86. The coming days will also bring partly cloudy skies, expected to persist through Tuesday. Skies will become fully overcast on Wednesday. Winds will continue to be light throughout the week, with the highest speeds on Monday at only 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Things are quiet around the NFL this time of year. The Browns are in their second week of OTAs with the media having limited access to any on-field play. From now until training camp in July, the weeks are filled with projections, preparation and maybe, just maybe, some last-minute additions . The spotlight this offseason hasn't been shy to new coach Freddie Kitchens, though. Through press conferences, radio appearances and the " Building the Browns " series, we've gained access beyond the Dawg Pound sweatshirt-wearing, "Sweet Home Alabama"-singing coach on the sideline. We've learned he keeps his distance from social media, he isn't afraid to make up words (in case you haven't seen the " whoopty-hell " clip yet) and that he really, really loves Odell Beckham Jr . Pretty sure you can figure out who picked this song for Day 2 of rookie minicamp pic.twitter.com/BFztbjrVOT - Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 4, 2019 More important, though, as the noise and expectations around the Browns continues to build, we've seen a leader saying all the right things. Of course the real pressure has yet to begin - being at the head of the table is a whole lot different than making decisions sitting alongside it. But for now, it's hard not to feel confident in what Kitchens brings to the table. The days of Cleveland's head coach and general manager operating in isolation appear to be behind us. Since the hire was announced, Kitchens and general manager John Dorsey haven't just been co-existing; they've been thriving. Instead of owner Jimmy Haslam at the center, it's now Dorsey and Kitchens making the calls, fielding the offers and shuffling the pieces around. From both their words to their actions ( they recently attended Kareem Hunt's baptism ), the two are following the same playbook as the Browns enter their most exciting season in decades. Kitchens has proved he can manage the offense and make the right calls in high-pressure situations. He has the trust of his quarterback, an important quality in a league where the coach-quarterback relationship is becoming increasingly delicate. Yet, what is most promising about Kitchens' leadership is his humility. "There are a lot of things about this job that are going to come up I have no idea. … Sometimes as a coach, you are self-centered and you don't want to ask for help because that admits weakness," Kitchens told the official team site. "I am a curious person, and by being curious, you have to have the guts to raise your hand and ask a question. And I will ask questions because it benefits us all." If only Hue Jackson had exhibited some, too… With the help of Dorsey, Kitchens has surrounded himself with experienced coaches. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has spent 14 years coaching in the NFL, including his most recent stint as head coach of the Cardinals. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer brings 13 seasons of experience to a Browns special teams in desperate need of a reboot . Priefer was the 2012 Special Teams Coach of the Year, while Wilks has two Super Bowl appearances on his resume. The Browns' offensive line and wide receiver group are also led by proven coaches, with James Campen having spent 20 years in Green Bay and Adam Henry adding in eight seasons to the mix, including two in New York with Beckham. Kitchens has been open and honest about his first head coaching position. He'll continue to make the play calls while still granting a comfortable amount of freedom and flexibility to his staff. There is no instruction manual for a first-year head coach - especially not for one whose franchise has gone from laughingstock to legitimate Super Bowl contender over the course of one season. When expectations mount, drama can follow. The Browns will inevitably face controversial situations, big-game mistakes and player-on-player conflict. But having a coach that is willing to self-evaluate, listen to feedback and utilize the help around him is an important step in quashing the Browns' dysfunctional culture for good. When discussing the importance of relationship-building and developing trust with players, it's clear that Kitchens has a vision in mind . "They have to be able to trust me," he said. "They have to be able to trust John Dorsey and (front office executives) Alonzo Highsmith and Eliot Wolf. They have to be able to trust Todd Monken and Steve Wilks and Mike Priefer and Tyler Tettleton and Jim Dray. They're going to trust our coaches, they're going to trust our managers, our upper management and everything we do here is going to be about trust and respect and loyalty - eventually loyalty." If Kitchens can continue to lead with that mentality, and more importantly, if he can put action behind his words, he'll need a new playoff supply of Dawg Pound sweatshirts come January. "Whoopty-hell," or something like that. MORE: Jon Gruden excited to see Raiders DT Eddie Vanderdoes this offseason Chris Long admits to regular marijuana use during NFL career and explains how he beat tests Packers WR J'Mon Moore excited about a fresh start in Year 2 Kyle Rudolph confirms Vikings have offered him 5-year extension NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players


Toys "R" Us, the victim of high debt and consumer patterns toward buying online, collapsed and closed its entire store system. It will be back for the holidays, according to a major source, although its new stores will be small. The last Toys "R" Us store closed on June 29 of last year. The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2017. When it filed, it had a debt loan of $4.9 billion. Revenue had fallen far enough and losses had risen fast enough that it could not even pay the interest on its debt. As its owners liquidated the company, approximately 30,000 people lost their jobs. Retail in general was so bad that several companies in the sector were among brands most likely to disappear According to The New York Post, this holiday season people will be able to shop at Toys "R" Us , which they could not do during the same period last year. The paper reported: "Tru Kids Brands, a licensing firm formed last year by creditors following the toy chain's September 2017 bankruptcy filing, plans to open a handful of US stores in time for the holidays that will span about 10,000 square feet each." The head of Tru Kids confirmed the news: "We are a little startup company now." Toys "R" Us was founded in 1957 by retail legend Charles Lazarus. The company eventually had over 1,000 stores in the United States and another 500 overseas. At its peak, in 2001, it opened a flagship store in Herald Square in New York City. It covered 110,000 square feet of space and cost $35 million to build . In 2005, a group of private equity firms, which included Bain Capital Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Vornado Realty Trust, paid $6.6 billion. Toys "R" use was unable to pay even a small portion of that back. The high debt even frightened some suppliers, which became wary about whether they would get paid for merchandise sent to the company. The new Toys"R" Us may be extremely small compared to its former national footprint. But the new plans will bring back a retail icon that millions of people remember as the place they took their children to buy them toys for the holidays. It was on a list that has grown immensely recently -- that of the retailers that closed the most stores. Related video: Ghost of Toys R Us still haunts toy companies (provided by Associated Press)


Video by FOX News WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Democrat on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee said Sunday he believes there is "substantial evidence" that President Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors, and he plans to ask former Special Counsel Robert Mueller to present those facts at a congressional hearing on Wednesday. "The report presents very substantial evidence that the president is guilty of high crime and misdemeanors, and we have to let Mueller present those facts to the American people and then see where we go from there," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said on "Fox News Sunday." "The administration must be held accountable, and no president can be above the law." Nadler's comments are significant because evidence of such crimes would be required if Democrats pursue impeachment proceedings against the president. In two nationally televised back-to-back hearings on Wednesday before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, Democrats are expected to try and get Mueller to focus his testimony on specific examples of Trump's misconduct. By having Mueller lay bare the unflattering details of how Trump tried to stymie the investigation into his campaign, Democrats hope they can build support for their ongoing investigations into the president and potentially, impeachment proceedings. Some Democrats in Congress support impeaching Trump, but they have not managed to win traction from House Democratic leadership including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has preferred a more cautious approach that entails conducting congressional fact-finding investigations into Trump's conduct. Last week, the House voted 332-95 to table an impeachment resolution. Mueller completed his nearly two-year long probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election in March, and the Justice Department released a redacted copy of his report in April. The report laid out numerous contacts between Russian officials and Trump's campaign, but found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy. It also gave examples of 10 incidents in which Trump sought to hinder the investigation, but it did not draw any conclusions on whether Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General William Barr later concluded he did not see enough evidence to bring obstruction charges. Whether Democrats will get Mueller to discuss Trump's conduct in detail remains to be seen. Mueller has made it clear he has no desire to appear before Congress, saying the report is his testimony, and he is also notorious for being tight-lipped and for giving one-word answers in hearings. Nadler said Democrats plan to ask very specific questions about Trump's obstructive conduct and ask Mueller to read passages from the report aloud. "We hope it won't end up being a dud," he said of the hearing. Meanwhile, Nadler said Sunday he plans to go to court "within a couple of days" after the Mueller hearings to enforce a subpoena, after the White House ordered former White House Counsel Don McGahn not to testify about incidents he witnessed which many say show Trump tried to obstruct justice. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)


There is a breathtaking amount of soccer happening this summer. In addition to the Women's World Cup, the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 46th edition of the Copa America will be taking place. Here's all the vital info for the South American jamboree. What is it? It's the championship of CONMEBOL, the South American confederation. It features all 10 member nations and two guests to bulk it out to 12 teams. For this edition, the guests are both from the Asian Federation: Japan and World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar. It's a quadrennial tournament that serves as the South American equivalent of the European championships. It's the oldest international continental soccer competition in the world, predating the World Cup and the Euros. Hang on, if it's held every four years in South America, why was there a Copa America in 2016 in the USA? That was a special one-off Copa America Centenario, held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first-ever edition in 1916. It was staged in conjunction with CONCACAF and expanded to 16 teams, in order to include six CONCACAF nations. It was held in the U.S. because … well, it's hard to think of a reason that doesn't revolve around making more money. OK, so they'll resume the quadrennial schedule and the next one after this will be in 2023? Actually, no. The next one is actually going to be held in 2020, as CONMEBOL want to switch it to even years, so that it will be held in the same summer as the European Championships from now on. It means we will have had four Copa Americas in a six-year period. That's confusing. It is, and it means a lot more summer tournament soccer for South American players. That's good for fans, but not so good for the overworked stars who may have already put too many miles on the clock (we're looking at you, Alexis Sanchez). Where is it being held? Brazil! The samba nation was originally scheduled to host the 2015 edition, but swapped with Chile for their 2019 tournament, due to the burden of organizing the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. Six stadiums in five cities will host. The revered Maracana in Rio will host the final and four other matches, while you may recognize three of the other stadiums from the 2014 World Cup   the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paolo, the Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte and Salvador's Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova. The two stadiums you did not see at the World Cup are the open-air Estádio do Morumbi in Sao Paolo, and the impressive Arena Grêmio in Port Alegre. Despite its futuristic design, the Grêmio stadium was mysteriously snubbed by the World Cup organizers. When does it start? The action kicks off on Friday, when Brazil hosts Bolivia in Sao Paolo at 8.30 p.m. ET. The final will be on July 7 at 4 p.m. ET. What is the tournament format? The teams are split into three groups of four, so each nation gets three group stage games. The top two from each group go through to the quarterfinals, along with the two best-performing third-placed teams. Hence, only four teams don't make it into the knockout stages. Is there a group of death? The top three CONMEBOL teams by ranking   Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina   have been separated. Arguably, Group B is where the most parity may be found. An Argentina side that hasn't covered itself in glory recently will face Colombia and Paraguay, along with guests Qatar. The controversial 2022 World Cup hosts may offer more than people think: They won the Asian Cup earlier this year and beat top 10-ranked Switzerland last November. So it's held in Brazil and the hosts don't have a tricky group. Are we going to see Neymar lift the trophy? Afraid not. Brazil's star player will miss the tournament after rupturing ankle ligaments in a friendly against Qatar last week. The last time Neymar was injured while Brazil hosted a major tournament it didn't turn out too well , but the Selecao are the favorites this time. Their group isn't too taxing and they are undefeated since the 2018 World Cup. They also have some worthy understudies for Neymar: Ajax sensation David Neres will likely fill in for the Paris Saint-Germain star on the left flank, while Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison and Roberto Firmino will be relied upon for goals. Brazil hasn't won the tournament since 2007 and will be keen to show their prowess, particularly if they meet arch rival Argentina in the knockout stages. They have met 19 times in Copa America and Brazil has been triumphant in the last three meetings, dating back to 1999. Argentina is second favorite, with Lionel Messi touted as the clear favorite to receive the Golden Boot, based on another excellent season at Barcelona. Jesus, Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Sergio Aguero and Firmino are also in the running for top scorer. So Brazil must have historically dominated the Copa America, right? Not at all: The Selecao have won only eight of 45 editions. Argentina has won it 14 times, but the most successful team in the tournament is Uruguay, with 15 wins. They last won it in 2011, when goals from Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan toppled Paraguay in the final. Uruguay is third favorite this time, and comes into the tournament has won its last three matches by an aggregate 10-0 scoreline. Will the guests nations pose a threat? Possibly. Japan has been in strong form since they nearly evicted Belgium from the 2018 World Cup. They reached the Asian Cup Final in February, where they were defeated by … Qatar. The aforementioned 2022 World Cup hosts are also in good form, but neither Asian confederation guest is expected to make it as far as the final   it would be highly embarrassing for CONMEBOL if they did. However, there is a reasonable chance they could make the knockout rounds, at the expense of a South American side. At the 2016 edition, for example, both the U.S. and Mexico topped their groups. Incidentally, this is the first Copa America since guests were introduced that a CONCACAF team won't feature. Mexico has been an ever-present guest since the 1993 edition, but this year's Copa America directly clashes with the Gold Cup. How do I watch it? All 26 games will be available on the ESPN+ service. Telemundo, meanwhile, will show all the matches except the semifinals and final, which will be on Universo. They are all occurring in friendly time zones too, with much of the action taking place in east coast prime time. More from Yahoo Sports: Robinson: KD injury a lesson about 'laying it on the line' Wetzel: Why USWNT was right to run up score vs. Thailand Mariano Rivera on David Ortiz shooting: 'It was hard to see that' Durant reportedly still a top free agent target despite injury


The Colts' 2018 draft class likely goes down as one of the best in team history if for no other reasons than Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard . Both earned All-Pro honors last season, and Leonard was defensive rookie of the year. But don't forget about receiver Deon Cain , a sixth-round pick. The Colts haven't. "You guys know we were very excited about what Deon showed [early in training camp], how quickly he picked things up and the playmaking ability that he showed," coach Frank Reich said, via Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan. Cain tore an anterior cruciate ligament in the 2018 preseason opener Aug. 7 and spent his rookie season rehabbing. It remains unknown when Cain will get back on the field as a full participant, but he figures to be contributing at least by the season opener. Cain projects as the fourth receiver behind T.Y. Hilton , Devin Funchess and Parris Campbell . "I feel like everyone hyped up [by what I did] in practice," Cain said. "Everybody knows that I'm more of a gamer. That's just totally me. Practice you are supposed to do that and the game you are just supposed to have fun. "I'm more excited about the preseason than anyone else to go out there, get my feet wet and make plays. That's what I'm supposed to do. I'm actually ready for the games. That's how I know I can really get jiggy."


Ryan Kalil 's decision to come out of retirement and sign with the Jets was a shock to everybody around the league, but it wasn't that sudden for him. The center decided that last season would be his last after battling injuries, but by March he was already feeling the itch to play football again, he told Rich Cimini of ESPN.com . He started lifting weights then, and was working out fully by May, so he won't be coming in completely cold. His weight had dropped all the way down to 260 pounds, but he's already back up to 297. Cimini also reports that the Jets reached out to Kalil before camp even started, so it sounds like this comeback has been in the works for a little while. Kalil has often been one of the league's better centers, and his presence will be a huge boost to New York's offensive line and Sam Darnold's development. He hasn't been slacking off during his time away from the game, so it sounds like Kalil will easily be ready to man the pivot for the Jets come Week 1. Here's more from around the league on Hall of Fame induction night. Things haven't gone too smoothly for Cardinals linebacker Haason Reddick during his first couple of years in the league. The 13th overall pick of the 2017 draft has had his position changed multiple times, and is in his third defensive system in three years. He also apparently hasn't been fully healthy, as he recently underwent "minor surgery," according to Mike Jurecki of the team's official site (Twitter link ). We don't have many details on the injury, but Reddick said he'd be ready for the opener. There were rumors last year that Reddick was on the trade block, and we've heard recently 2019 will be a pivotal year in determining his future with the team. The Temple product has been moved back to inside linebacker for this season. The Giants conducted a minor workout, bringing in cornerback DeJuan Neal for a visit, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link ). Neal is an undrafted rookie from D-II school Shepherd University, and the fact that he hasn't already latched on somewhere tells you all you need to know. The Buccaneers added to their staff, hiring Dave Hamilton as director of performance science, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link ). Hamilton had been working at Penn State, and Auman notes that he'll be "helping team's focus on innovation in optimal preparation/health for their players."


Problems and troubles continue to grow for former NFL star defensive lineman Aldon Smith. The former San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders sack machine from the University of Missouri was reportedly arrested Monday night on the suspicion of driving under the influence. Per KansasCity.com: Police initially stopped Smith on a traffic violation. He was arrested around midnight on suspicion of DUI. He was taken to the Mission police station, where he was issued citations and released to a friend, said Capt. Kevin Self, a spokesman for the Mission Police Department. The specifics of the citations were not immediately available, but all were municipal charges, Self said. Smith had an NFL record with 33 1/2 sacks his first two seasons with the 49ers, who drafted him in the first round in 2011. The 49ers released him in August 2015 after multiple run-ins with the law. The Oakland Raiders signed him nefore the start of the 2015 season. He played in nine games before being suspended again for at least one year. The Raiders cut him in March 2018 after San Francisco police said they were searching for him in connection with a domestic violence allegation. MORE: SS Karl Joseph wants to be a Raider for life Should the USWNT have stopped celebrating goals against Thailand in World Cup blowout? Pete Carroll: Nobody is in better shape than Chris Carson Packers rookie CB Ka'dar Hollman impressing early with press coverage 2019 aggregate mock draft 9.0: First look after withdrawal deadline


An Arlington Heights woman has been charged with stabbing her parents to death in their northwest suburban home over the weekend, according to police. Deborah Martin, 43, was taken into custody soon after she came downstairs in the family's home at 3 S. Derbyshire Lane while emergency responders were tending to her mother and father early Saturday, police said. Anne Martin, 71, and David Martin, 72, had both "suffered traumatic injuries and were without any sign of life," according to a statement from Arlington Heights police department. The Cook County medical examiner's office determined Anne Martin died from "multiple sharp force injuries" and David Martin from "multiple stab wounds." The office ruled both deaths as homicides, and the state's attorney's office approved felony homicide charges against her, police said. Police received a 911 call from the house at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday but no one was speaking on the line, according to police. Officers were sent to the home and, upon arrival, "first responders forced entry after an unresponsive female, with obvious signs of violence, was observed on the kitchen floor," police said. The couple were determined by paramedics to be "beyond medical attention," according to police. Deborah Martin first encountered authorities as she came down to the first floor from upstairs inside the home she shared with her parents, police said. She was detained and taken to the police station for questioning. Felony charges were later approved against her. Deborah Martin was expected to appear at a bond hearing Monday afternoon at the Third Municipal District Courthouse, police said. Check back for updates. kdouglas@chicagotribune.com Twitter @312BreakingNews Read more local breaking news »


SYDNEY (Reuters) - The United States is planning to build additional military infrastructure in Australia once Congress gives approval to the U.S. Navy for $211.5 million, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Tuesday. The plans for a bigger U.S. footprint in Australia come at a time when the Western allies have become increasingly concerned by China's efforts to expand its influence in the Pacific. "The development of facilities will support the Force Posture Initiatives," Payne told Sky News, referring to agreements reached in 2011 between the United States and Australia to enhance their defense relationship. Those initiatives entail 2,500 U.S. Marines training in Australia each year, and regular joint training between the allies' air forces. Payne did not say what military infrastructure the United States aimed to build, but Australian media reported earlier this month that Washington had plans for a new port facility near Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory. U.S. Marines deployed in an annual rotation for training are housed in an Australian base at Darwin. "A port is the missing leg of the stool in U.S. military engagement with Australia," said Euan Graham, director of the national security program, La Trobe University. A U.S. embassy spokesman in Canberra declined to comment, and Australia's Defense Department said it would expect concrete plans only when the proposal is approved by the U.S. Congress. If the United States does build a port facility in Darwin it would be located near the Port of Darwin, which China's Landbridge Group Co secured a 99-year lease over in 2015 - much to the annoyance of the United States. Tensions between Washington and Beijing have escalated since the 2016 election of U.S. President Donald Trump, who ignited a trade war with China, while also increasing military exercises in the Asia-Pacific region.


A Kentucky court of appeals sided with a health department after a teen sued the department over a policy that barred him from attending school without receiving the chickenpox vaccination. Jerome Kunkel sued his local health department in March after he refused to get the vaccine citing his Christian faith. Boone County Circuit Judge James Schrand sided with the Northern Kentucky Health Department in April, rejecting Kunkel's request to prevent the health department from enforcing a policy that temporarily barred students at his school who weren't immune against chickenpox from attending classes and participating in extracurricular activities. The Commonwealth of Kentucky Court of appeals denied the teen's request for an injunction in the case on Monday. The Northern Kentucky Health Department announced in March that all students at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart/Assumption Academy in Walton, Kentucky, where Kunkel was enrolled, needed to have proof they were vaccinated before they could attend school after 32 people were affected during an outbreak. The policy stated that all students at the school without "proof of vaccination or proof of immunity against chickenpox will not be allowed to attend school until 21 days after the onset of rash for the last ill student or staff member." As a result, Kunkel was told he couldn't attend school or play in any upcoming basketball games. Kunkel sued the health department and told CNN affiliate WLWT that he was being discriminated against because of his religious beliefs. In response to Kunkel's lawsuit, the health department said its policy "was in direct response to a public health threat and was an appropriate and necessary response to prevent further spread of this contagious illness." Kunkel was diagnosed with chicken pox in May, two months after going to court over the policy, and was able to return to school shortly after, his attorney Christopher Wiest told CNN. Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease that causes a blister-like rash, itching, fever and tiredness, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus spreads by contact with infected individuals. The CDC recommends against people intentionally exposing children to chickenpox in hope that they get the disease.


According to Fidelity Investments , the average 401(k) balance was $103,700 as of the first quarter, an 8% increase over the previous quarter. Still, investment advisers say Americans are saving too little on the whole. Here are some steps to take to make sure you're taking advantage of the current market conditions   and shielding your savings from the next downturn. See if you're overweight in stocks   and risk If you haven't touched your mix of stocks and bonds in years, there's a pretty good chance that your allocations might reflect more risk than you want to take on, explains Dana Levit, owner of Paragon Financial Advisors. "It's a really good time to take a look at asset allocations," Levit says, "Because most people do sort of set it and forget it." Since investment gains are re-invested back into your 401(k) holdings, a rally in equities can feed on itself. For instance, if you had 70% of your assets in stocks several years ago, that could have crept up to 75% or more by now. With the market at all-time highs, this can be good news for your bottom line   but it also could leave you more exposed than you might expect if stocks take a nosedive. "With these huge run-ups, you're going to see that the amount of stock allocation has gone up significantly, just because the market has," Levit says. "You may be even higher in stocks than you meant to be." If that's the case, you'll want to sell some stock funds and buy some bond funds to get your portfolio back to where it should be. One caveat: you don't need to rebalance if all your money is in a target-date fund. These funds, which are pegged to your estimated retirement date, are professionally managed; the asset mix gradually becomes more conservative over time, as you approach retirement. Similarly, if there are major market disruptions, target-date funds are quickly readjusted back to a pre-specified balance with a more appropriate risk level, so you need not act, says Rich Weiss, chief investment officer, multi-asset strategies, for American Century Investments. Don't try to time the market With certain economic indicators flashing red , you may be planning to make your portfolio more conservative at the first sign of trouble. But a much better approach is to rebalance as needed and then stay the course, experts say. "I do not try to time the markets," Levit says. Retirement savers shouldn't be day trading with their 401(k)s, either. For most people, it's more painful to lose money than it is to miss out on market gains, she says, which means we're prone to responding to emotional cues (and reactions like yanking all our money out of stocks) that might not make financial sense in the long run. You may feel safe with your money out of stocks, but if you stay on the sidelines you're going to miss the market's upswing when it happens. Investment experts say this advice rings especially true today because there are a couple of factors that make it harder, and riskier, for an individual investor to game the system. The proliferation of algorithmic trading that relies on technology rather than human traders means that markets can turn up or down on a dime, while the growth in investment offerings that benchmark a particular index can make the market riskier out there for people trying to get out ahead of market swings. Think of index funds as the SUVs of the stock market: If you're inside one, you're safer   but if you're playing fast and loose trying to whiz around and cut them off, you risk getting squashed. Because each of these funds is required to buy or sell in order to maintain a balance that mirrors that of the index they track, market volatility is magnified because so many players are trying to recalibrate at the same time. Use tax math to suss out potential savings One big advantage of traditional 401(k)s is that contributions are tax-deferred, but most people don't use that benefit for maximum leverage, says Jamie Cox, managing partner for the Harris Financial Group. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included a recalibration of the tax brackets, so figure out if you're in a new tax bracket   and how close you are to the income threshold for that tax bracket. There are charts that illustrate at a glance how the tax percentages and income thresholds have shifted under the new law. (Need to brush up on how to calculate your top marginal tax rate   and what that means in the first place again? We've got you covered here .) "Review where you are relative to breaks in the tax brackets… to find out how much tax benefit can be gleaned by putting more in the 401(k)," Cox says. Since traditional 401(k) money is deposited pre-tax, it lowers your taxable income. If you're not contributing the maximum, and your annual household income is just above the threshold for a higher marginal tax bracket, an increase in pre-tax contributions that drops you down into a lower tax bracket could reduce the taxes that come out of your take-home pay. Running "what if" scenarios with your contributions at different levels can show you if contributing more to your 401(k) might boost your retirement savings with little impact to your take-home pay, Cox says. For instance, if you're a single filer with net income of $45,000 in 2019, the top $5,524 of that is taxed at a 22% marginal tax rate (compared to the 10% and 12%, respectively, at which the first $39,475 is taxed). So if you can afford to sock away another roughly $5,500 into retirement savings, you can avoid having to pay the higher rate   and you might find that it's not as much of a hit to your take-home pay as you might expect. "If you're already spending the money, why not reallocate it?" he says. "You can sometimes get more mileage out of small contribution increases."


Luc Donckerwolke, the man who oversees design at Hyundai , Kia , and Genesis , is determined to get more differentiation into the model range. He not only wants greater visual separation between all the models in the range, he also wants more distinction between Hyundai Group cars and others in the respective segments, and global distinctions so that a Hyundai in China doesn't necessarily look like one built for North America. He told Autocar , "We will not have a global design language because otherwise it's too rigid. [The alternative is] more work, but it's more flexible." Donckerwolke gets an extreme look at the results of homogeneous design, because an enormous number of cars on the road in South Korea are Hyundai Group products. "[Our] core task is to differentiate the design philosophy of the three brands, not least because we have a big [around 70%] share in Korea. We need to differentiate each model, otherwise the landscape is too homogeneous." Research the latest new models from Hyundai on MSN Autos Top-down, each brand gets a design brief. Hyundai will be Hyundai's "sexy, seductive and sensuous, sporty, eager and stylish," holding onto its value proposition while adding emotion. Kia will be "young, challenging and cool   cooler than before," said brand design chief Byungchul Juh, with Donckerwolke adding that it's about "streetwear   bold, fresh and young." And Genesis is "haute couture." Donckerwolke characterizes the design philosophy as not "Russian dolls but ... chess pieces, with a look that reveals its own charismatic character. For example, Kia's used to be about the tiger nose grille, separate headlights and the lower intake. Now it's going to be more of a mask that will deliver sportiness and a presence." Kia designer Juh said, "There will be a distinct version of tiger face for each segment, and we'll keep the tiger nose grille. In principle it's the same, but there's a different interpretation for each segment, and more of a 3D feeling. We're moving from a nose to a face." The sketches we've seen of Kia's coming small global crossover take a first step, and we're told the next Sportage will make more impact than the new Tucson . As for Hyundai, the next Sonata will "be the design flag-bearer." We wait to see how much of the vehicle all of this affects. But right now, look at the 2020 Elantra and Sonata from the front three-quarter; ignore their front fascias, and they're two sizes of one sausage. It might be too late to put the Russian-doll approach back in the bottle, though, based on how difficult it's been for other brands with the same intentions. At best, the results end up in distinctions so fine that it even takes enthusiasts a long time to note them. Take Audi's head of design Marc Lichte, who's talked about more progressive, singular design since he assumed his position in 2014 , then again in 2015 , in 2016 , in 2017 , and 2018 . The latest A8 was meant to signal the new regime. We think it still takes focus to figure out which Audi sedan or SUV is which from more than 20 feet away. BMW announced the same kind of push earlier this year. We hope Donckerwolke avoids the same creative restraints that brand identity and globalization impose. Still, he's been saying the same thing since at least 2017 . And in 2018 , and again in 2018 . Real design freedom is on the way, he says, and it's powered by batteries. "Get rid of the ballast" of the internal combustion engine, he said, "and create again. There is nothing simpler than an electric car ." Hyundai Group design chief wants more differentiation between models and brands originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 May 2019


You probably already have your favorite order, but there's a new item on the menu at Whataburger that's a surprise   the whole enchilada. The company that proudly declares it's "family-owned-and-operated since 1950" has confirmed that it is considering a possible sale. According to a report in the San Antonio Business Journal , Whataburger has hired investment bank Morgan Stanley. In a statement to the publication, Whataburger said, "Our company is growing and is always attractive to investors, and we've brought in Morgan Stanley to help us explore our options." RELATED: Whataburger for sale? Texas-based fast-food chain confirms hiring Morgan Stanley to explore sale Whataburger was founded nearly 70 years ago in Corpus Christi, and from that first humble burger stand, it has grown to operate in 10 states. But the brand, operating the vast majority of its locations within the borders of the Lone Star State, is distinctly Texan. Famously-loyal Whatafans return again and again for the burgers, fries and "Fancy" ketchup. That loyalty is valuable. According to one report from Reuters, the business could be worth some $6 billion. It's not clear what a sale would mean for the iconic orange and white brand, but diners in Fort Worth took the news in stride today. They said they'll continue to come, as long as whoever owns the brand maintains its quality and traditions. "If that's the way it goes, I guess that's business," said a regular named Brandon. "As long as they keep it the same recipes and everything, I think we're good."


These are boom times for snitches who turn in tax cheats to Uncle Sam. The Internal Revenue Service awarded more than $312 million to tipsters last year, according to a little-noticed report released in February. This total far outstrips the previous record of $125 million awarded in 2012. The 2018 rewards, paid in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, were for additional collected revenue of $1.4 billion, compared with $191 million in fiscal 2017. And the agency has already paid $115 million to whistleblowers for 2019, according to lawyers Dean Zerbe, Jeffrey Neiman and Gregory Lynam. They expect more to come. Some recent payouts have been huge. Last year, one tipster was awarded about $100 million, nearly one-third of the total, for turning in a multinational corporation. The person, a client of Mr. Zerbe, wishes to remain anonymous as nearly all whistleblowers do. To date, the largest known IRS whistleblower payment of $104 million went to Bradley Birkenfeld, a former private banker for UBS AG who did go public. His 2012 award was for turning in the Swiss banking giant, which admitted it encouraged U.S. taxpayers to hide assets abroad. The surge of recent awards shows that a key expansion of the IRS's whistleblower program is finally taking hold. The change was enacted by Congress 2006 and pays up to 30% of the revenue collected to tipsters in large cases, those involving more than $2 million of tax. For smaller cases, the payout has typically been a much smaller percentage. Get news and analysis on politics, policy, national security and more, delivered right to your inbox "The large-awards whistleblower program is now hitting on all cylinders," says Mr. Zerbe, a former aide to Sen. Charles Grassley (R., Iowa), who sponsored the change. Despite the surge in awards, people who dream of being rewarded for turning in a neighbor with a new Mercedes but no job should consider the many hurdles they face. For starters, the IRS rejects about three-quarters of whistleblower claims right away. Of the rest, about one in seven gets paid, says Mr. Lynam. The IRS had 29,000 whistleblower claims open in 2018, but many of them are likely to be rejected. Last year, the IRS says it paid out 186 small-program awards totaling about $12 million. The explosive growth stems from awards in large cases, which rose to 31 last year from 19 in 2015 and totaled $300 million. This surge is in part due to a favorable 2018 clarification of the law that raised payments in offshore-cheating cases. The IRS then paid out awards that had been in limbo. Nearly all successful whistleblowers seeking large awards, and many seeking smaller ones, use specialized tax attorneys to prepare their submissions. Their fee is typically 25% to 40% of an award. The attorneys say the package for the IRS needs to include items such as account statements, internal memorandums, emails and perhaps even voice recordings. Yes, voice recordings. One whistleblower had to wear a wire to get incriminating information twice, because the device malfunctioned once. She and another person collected an award of nearly $18 million for submitting evidence that led a Swiss bank to plead guilty to encouraging U.S. tax evasion and pay $74 million. "The key to getting an award is to give the IRS the case on a silver platter," says Mr. Neiman. IRS whistleblowers don't have to be above reproach. The law doesn't prohibit those convicted of wrongdoing from receiving awards unless they were architects of the cheating. Mr. Birkenfeld, for example, was convicted of conspiring to help a billionaire hide money in UBS accounts and served nearly 30 months in prison. He still got an award because he helped the Treasury recover billions of dollars. Award seekers with accepted cases must be patient. Getting an award often takes at least seven years, according to the 2018 report, and a payout in five years is considered "fast." Whistleblowers can receive large awards for reporting corporate cheating, fraudulent gift-and-estate transfers, or cheating by high-net worth individuals. But a big growth area involves reporting offshore cheating, such as by a foreign bank that has assured U.S. officials it has turned over information on all American clients when it hasn't. In such cases, says Mr. Neiman, a bank employee or other person can turn in the bank or the customers, collect an IRS whistleblower award, and still remain anonymous. IRS interest in these tipsters, especially from Asia, is on the rise even as its other offshore-enforcement programs have waned. Whistleblowers who do get awards also owe tax, except for overseas tipsters from some countries. The tax is assessed on awards minus the attorney's fee, at ordinary income rates and it is usually withheld. Related video: Will Your 2019 Tax Refund Be Sweeter Than Usual?


The Indianapolis Colts made it a point during the 2019 NFL Draft to add more speed, athleticism and competition to a linebacker corps that was thinner in the eyes of the front office than most anticipated. Having rookie Darius Leonard enjoy a historic season along with the underrated production of Anthony Walker alongside him was solid, but the depth in the room was questionable if and when any one of those players went down with an injury. This led general manager Chris Ballard to select three linebackers in the draft and two on the second day. Those selections now set the Colts up to have one of the more heated position battles throughout the roster, one that hasn't been seen at the linebacker position in quite some time. Barring injury, we know that the aforementioned Leonard has a starting spot. He's the prototype for the Colts defense. He's the Mark 42 of Iron Man suits, the linebacker that is supposed to set a new bar for athleticism and production. He's not going anywhere. However, all of the spots behind Leonard are expected to be up for grabs. This includes the starting role that Walker claimed in 2018. The Colts added three linebackers to all three positions in the middle of the defense. Second-round pick Ben Banogu is expected to compete at SAM while third-round pick Bobby Okereke will work at MIKE and fifth-round pick E.J. Speed will work behind Leonard at WILL. The biggest competitions are likely to take place at SAM and MIKE. Though Banogu was drafted to work mostly in that spot, former seventh-round pick Matthew Adams will be the one competing with him at that position. Adams wound up carving out that particular role down the stretch of the 2018 regular season. How often the Colts use the SAM backer will be a development to watch. They rarely used it in 2018 given how much the nickel package is used but with the addition of Banogu, they could be looking to go more toward the traditional 4-3 front rather than the 4-2-5 nickel packages. The other position battle to watch will be in the middle at MIKE between Walker and Okereke. Walker had an underrated 2018 campaign, but his struggles in coverage are likely what forced the Colts to add a rangy linebacker like Okereke, who has already drawn comparisons to Leonard. It could be that the Colts use Walker mainly on early downs to help against the run while Okereke sees most of his work on third downs and passing situations given his immense range and length. The Colts defense is expected to be a unit that is far more athletic than the group from the previous season, and much of that will stem from how the heated linebacker competition pans out during training camp and the preseason. MORE: Most bizarre and incredible catches by fishermen in past decade 3 Raiders players who could have breakout seasons in 2019 NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Rumor: LeBron made a visit to Kawhi Leonard during Raptors-Sixers series Roundup: Major Floods Hit Houston; New Ed Sheeran-Justin Bieber Jam; Howard Stern's Cancer Scare


Researchers in Canada have found that a plant known to eat bugs also consumes salamanders.


India launched a bid to become a leading space power Monday, sending up a rocket to put a craft on the surface of the Moon in what it called a "historic day" for the nation. Chandrayaan-2 -- or Moon Chariot 2 -- took off on time at 2:43 pm (0913 GMT) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on an island off the coast of Andhra Pradesh state. Applause broke out in the mission control room as the rocket blasted off into the grey skies over the Indian Ocean and mission control announced that the orbiter had broken away from the rocket with no problem. "Today is a historic day for space, science and tech in India," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K. Sivan said. The launch came a week after a fuel leak forced a previous attempt to be scrubbed 56 minutes before the scheduled blast-off. The South Asian nation is bidding to follow Russia, the United States and China in landing a spacecraft on the Moon. President Ram Nath Kovind watched the launch alongside 7,000 dignitaries and flag-waving children. The rocket carried an orbiter, a lander and a rover, and has been almost entirely designed and made in India. The 2.4-tonne (5,300-pound) orbiter is expected to circle the Moon for about a year, taking images of the surface, looking for signs of water, and studying the atmosphere. The lander -- named after Vikram A. Sarabhai, the father of India's space programme -- will carry the rover and be placed on the surface near the lunar South Pole. The operation is expected to take place in early September. ISRO scientists will remotely control the rover named Pragyaan -- "wisdom" in Sanskrit -- as it carries out experiments. It will work for one lunar day, the equivalent of 14 Earth days, studying rocks and soil on the Moon's surface. - National pride - Former NASA scientist Kumar Krishen said India's space agency should be praised for taking on ambitious projects such Chandrayaan-2. "We should keep in mind that space exploration is risky as many systems have failed in the past and many lives lost," he told AFP. Aside from propelling India into the rarefied company of spacefaring nations, Chandrayaan-2 also stands out because of its low cost. About $140 million has been spent on preparations for the mission, a much smaller price tag compared with similar missions by other countries. The United States -- which is marking the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong becoming the first human on the Moon -- spent the equivalent of more than $100 billion on its Apollo missions. Chandrayaan-2, and India's space programme as a whole, are a source of national pride. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to send a manned mission into orbit by 2022, and India also hopes to seek out lucrative commercial satellite and orbiting deals. The new mission comes almost 11 years after the launch of India's first lunar mission -- Chandrayaan-1 -- which orbited the Moon and searched for water.


Video by USA Today Sports Two weeks after a tryout at their rookie minicamp, the Colts have signed embattled QB Chad Kelly to add depth at a position that already includes Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett and Phillip Walker. Kelly, a seventh-round pick of the Broncos in 2017, was released by Denver last October after he was arrested for trespassing inside a woman's home after a Halloween party at a teammate's house. He pleaded guilty and was sentences to one year of supervised probation and 50 hours of community service. Kelly was also involved in an altercation outside a nightclub in Buffalo in 2014 (criminal charges were later dropped after Kelly pleaded guilty for disorderly conduct) and he transferred from his first collegiate stop, Clemson, after getting into an argument with the coaching staff during the game. More: Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo feels younger than ever: 'Call me Benjamin Button' More: Doyel: One year later, Colts go from punch line to powerhouse He is the nephew of Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly, a longtime teammate and friend of Colts head coach Frank Reich. The Colts   as with any player they draft or sign with a troubled past   believe they have a plan in place that will help Kelly avoid the missteps of his past. They also believe Kelly understands he has no leniency when it comes to any off-the-field issues that arise. Asked about his approach to adding players with character concerns after the conclusion of last month's draft, GM Chris Ballard said, "I'm into giving second chances." "I mean, my wife always tells me, 'Chris, you think you can save everybody,'" he continued. "I mean, at my core, that's who I am ... and I do. But I also have learned that when you take somebody that does have issues even though they are really good, the strain it puts upon not only the coaching staff but the locker room and other plays because they have got to answer questions too. So we're selective. I don't want to sit here and say we will never take a shot because I know me well enough and there will come a point when we do, but it's going to be one that we've researched, we feel comfortable that we can handle it and there is a humbleness inside of him that he has been remorseful and he wants to fit into our locker room." In three college seasons at Clemson and later Ole Miss, Kelly threw for 6,858 yards and 50 touchdowns. He'll join a Colts roster that will being OTAs this week, and was looking to add an extra arm for offseason workouts that will stretch until mid-June. Training camp is scheduled to begin in late July, and the Colts prefer having four healthy quarterbacks on the roster for the duration of the preseason. Support our journalism Become an IndyStar subscriber today to support stories like this one. Get unlimited digital access here! This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts sign embattled QB Chad Kelly


Le Mans MotoGP pole-sitter Marc Marquez said that his qualifying crash was a consequence of his strategy, as he fell on the lap where he went all-in. Due to rain ramping up, track conditions during qualifying gradually got worse, meaning the early laps in the session proved decisive in the pole battle. Marquez recorded what eventually ended up the pole position time on his first try, and then suffered a crash on the next lap, sliding off into the gravel at La Chapelle. He elaborated that it was his strategy to push on his second lap, after having already set a time. "Was a difficult qualy because was not only about speed - was about strategy, being smart, understanding track conditions," said Marquez. "Immediately when I went out I saw that we made the correct decision, that was to start with the wet [tyres], and then immediately I saw that light rain becomes heavier and heavier. "In the first lap I push a little bit, was enough to be in pole, and then on the second lap   [that] was the strategy, first lap push a little bit and second lap was give everything. "When I give everything, just was three corners very good, but then in the fourth corner I fell down." Following his crash, Marquez was able to remount his Honda and continued to log laps without coming into the pits. "When I crash, I saw that the bike was pretty good. And then I immediately understand that the track was a little bit more slippery, and was very difficult to be faster than 1[m]41[s]. "Tomorrow maybe [we will race] in these conditions, so I stay out to understand the way to ride, the way to set up the bike, and still we need to improve a few things, but yeah, I stay out for prepare the race." Marquez also had a crash in the pre-qualifying FP4 sessuib, when he entered the damp circuit on slicks but fell while taking Turn 9 at low speed. While Marquez was confused by the incident, he said it didn't take away any of his confidence. "I was not pushing, even I was not touching the knee on the floor, but was maybe the tyre too cold, was from yesterday, used, and then Michelin tyres when are used, the first two laps are difficult to warm [up the tyre]. "But the track was dry, I don't know what's happened on that crash, was very strange, but didn't take off confidence from myself because I knew that was something strange, so I keep going later."