Tuesday, July 16, 2013

China protests over U.S. support for Taiwan's U.N. aviation bid

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday it had lodged a protest with the United States over President Barack Obama's signing of legislation expressing U.S. support for Taiwan's campaign to attend meetings of a U.N. civil aviation body.

The bill supporting Taiwan's bid for observer status with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a U.N. agency that promotes safe air travel, easily passed both chambers of the U.S. Congress in June.

China claims Taiwan as a wayward province though the two sides have been governed separately since defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the Chinese civil war.

China says it alone has the right to represent Taiwan internationally, like at the United Nations, though it has made exceptions for membership of some bodies, such as the World Trade Organization, as long as the island is identified as "Chinese Taipei".

"The joining of international organizations like ICAO by Taiwan compatriots is a matter for the Chinese people," China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

"China opposes any foreign government, group or individual poking their nose in," she added.

The actions by the United States run contrary to the "one-China" principle and China has "lodged stern representations with the U.S. side", Hua said.

"We urge the United States to strictly abide by its promises to the Chinese side on the Taiwan issue and cautiously and appropriately handle matters related to Taiwan and stop interfering in China's internal affairs."

Most countries, including the United States, follow the "one-China" policy of officially recognizing Beijing and shunning formal ties with Taiwan.

Beijing and Washington have long argued about democratic and self-ruled Taiwan, most often over U.S. arms sales to the island which enrage China.

Relations between China and Taiwan, however, have improved markedly since 2008 with the election on the island of a China-friendly president, Ma Ying-jeou, and the two sides have signed landmark trade and economic deals.

Taiwan's bid for observer status at the ICAO is expected to be decided when the agency holds its assembly in Montreal in September.

China has not explicitly opposed Taiwan's participation attempt, in keeping with efforts to ensure current good relations remain on track.

In 2009, Taiwan gained observer status at the World Health Assembly, the policy-making body for the U.N. World Health Organization.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-protests-over-u-support-taiwans-u-n-093647653.html

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Monday, July 15, 2013

France saves jobs with sale of Alpine aluminium plant

PARIS | Sun Jul 14, 2013 3:42pm BST

PARIS (Reuters) - France breathed a sigh of relief at the weekend after Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) said it had received a binding offer for its French aluminium plant, in a deal that - if approved - would save more than 500 jobs.

Unions feared Rio Tinto's aluminium plant in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in the Alps would close after it was put up for sale last year.

Rio Tinto, the world's third-largest miner, received a firm offer for the plant and associated smelter from Germany's Trimet aluminium AG in a deal backed by the French state and energy group EDF (EDF.PA), which is planning to take a minority stake.

The plants produce aluminium wire rods which are used to make electric cables for the energy industry and connecting elements in the automobile industry.

For Rio Tinto, the disposal is part of a strategy to reduce its aluminium activities and lower costs.

France, which is battling recession and rising unemployment, has seen many smelters and metals production sites close in the past decade as global mining groups transferred their production to lower-cost regions.

In April, ArcelorMittal (ISPA.AS) shut down a major steel plant in Florange in eastern France, stirring anger among workers as President Francois Hollande had promised during his election campaign to revive France's industry.

The Rio Tinto aluminium deal involves an investment of more than 200 million euros over six years. Other details or financial elements of the transaction were not disclosed.

"The Trimet group gives new life to this site with a Franco-German partnership," said French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault who travelled to the site on Saturday to conclude the deal. "There is no future for France without industry."

Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg, also present at the signing in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, said last week the transaction gave hope France was "building a Franco-German Pechiney.

French aluminium giant Pechiney, which used to own the Alpine plant dating back to 1907, was sold to Canada's Alcan, itself later absorbed by Rio Tinto.

(Reporting by Catherine Lagrange and Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/UKBusinessNews/~3/I5OnX2Eidy8/story01.htm

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Sunday, July 14, 2013

Cory Monteith, star of hit show 'Glee,' found dead

FILE - This Aug. 19, 2012 file photo shows actor Cory Monteith at the 2012 Do Something awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Monteith, who shot to fame in the hit TV series "Glee" but was beset by addiction struggles so fierce that he once said he was lucky to be alive, was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room, police said. He was 31. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - This Aug. 19, 2012 file photo shows actor Cory Monteith at the 2012 Do Something awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Monteith, who shot to fame in the hit TV series "Glee" but was beset by addiction struggles so fierce that he once said he was lucky to be alive, was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room, police said. He was 31. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - This Aug. 19, 2012 file photo shows Cory Monteith, left, and Lea Michele at the 2012 Do Something awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Monteith, who shot to fame in the hit TV series "Glee" but was beset by addiction struggles so fierce that he once said he was lucky to be alive, was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room, police said. He was 31. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

In this Saturday July 13, 2013, photo, police officers enter the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel where Canadian actor Corey Monteith was found dead in his room earlier in the day in Vancouver, British Columbia. Monteith, the actor who shot to fame in the hit TV series "Glee" but was beset by addiction struggles so fierce that he once said he was lucky to be alive, was found dead in his hotel room, police said. He was 31. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

FILE - In this May 25, 2012 file photo, Canadian actor Cory Monteith looks on while attending a charitable announcement at Project Limelight, a not-for-profit children's theatre program, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Vancouver police say Canadian born actor Montieth, star of the hit show "Glee" has been found dead in city hotel. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck, File)

FILE - In this Monday April 12, 2010 file photo, Cory Monteith, a cast member in the television series "Glee," arrives at the "Glee" Spring Premiere Soiree in Los Angeles, Vancouver police say Canadian born actor Montieth, star of the hit show "Glee" has been found dead in city hotel. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) ? Cory Monteith, the handsome young actor who shot to fame in the hit TV series "Glee" but was beset by addiction struggles so fierce that he once said he was lucky to be alive, was found dead in a hotel room, police said. He was 31.

The Canadian-born Monteith, who played star quarterback-turned-singer Finn Hudson on the Fox TV series about a high school glee club, was found dead in his room on the 21st floor of the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel on Vancouver's waterfront at about noon Saturday, according to police.

Acting Vancouver Police Chief Doug LePard said there was no indication of foul play and "the cause of death was not immediately apparent."

Monteith's body was found by hotel staff who entered his room after he missed his check-out time, LePard said. Monteith had checked into the hotel on July 6.

"We do not have a great deal of information as to cause of death," said British Columbia Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe. She said further tests would be needed to determine how Monteith died.

"The exact nature of those examinations will depend on investigative findings within the next day or two as information is gathered from medical records and discussions with family take place," she said.

LePard said Monteith had been out with people earlier and that those people are being interviewed.

Video and electronic records from the hotel indicate Monteith returned to his room by himself early Saturday morning, and he was believed to be alone when he died, LePard said.

Lapointe said he had been dead for several hours by the time his body was found.

"I have no words! My heart is broken," Dot-Marie Jones, who plays football coach Shannon Beiste on "Glee," said in a post on her Twitter account Saturday night. She called Monteith a "hell of a friend" and an "amazing" man.

Josh Sussman, who plays Jacob on "Glee," tweeted: "I am so saddened to hear about Cory. He was such a great guy/Super-kind &warm."

"What an absolutely tragic loss of a very talented young man," tweeted Zooey Deschanel, star of another Fox show, "New Girl."

Fox and the producers of "Glee," including 20th Century Fox Television, called him an exceptional performer "and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously."

"We are in shock and mourning this tragic loss," his representatives at Viewpoint Public Relations in Los Angeles said in a statement.

In April, Monteith admitted himself to a treatment facility for "substance addiction" and asked for privacy as he took steps toward recovery, a representative said at the time.

Lea Michele, his "Glee" co-star and real-life girlfriend, told People magazine that she loved and supported him and was proud he was seeking help.

It was not Monteith's first time in rehab. He received treatment when he was 19 and had previously talked about his addiction struggles, saying he had a serious problem and took just "anything and everything."

He told Parade magazine in 2011 that he was "lucky to be alive."

Monteith, who turned 31 on May 11, starred in "Glee" as a high school football player who puts his status and popularity at risk to join the glee club and its outcast members.

The show, with its pop music-based song-and-dance numbers and high-profile guest stars including Gwyneth Paltrow, became an immediate hit and made stars of its relatively unknown cast.

The series, which debuted in 2009, is in its fourth season.

On his Twitter account, Monteith described himself as "tall, awkward, canadian, actor, drummer, person."

In a 2010 interview with The Associated Press, Monteith was upbeat about life. He said that if "Glee" were to be canceled he would be OK.

"I've never been afraid of working," he said. "I've never been afraid of auditioning for jobs. Obviously, I've never been afraid of anonymity. I was happy (before 'Glee'). I'm happy now. I guess I'm well adjusted."

Monteith was among the "Glee" actors who remained series regulars as their characters graduated high school and moved on to other adventures.

According to his biography on Fox's website, Monteith was born in Calgary, Alberta, and moved to Vancouver Island as a child. Before turning to acting, he held a variety of jobs including Wal-Mart greeter, school bus driver, roofer and cab driver.

"Thanks for always being kind Cory. You came a long way from hanging on the beaches in Vancouver with the gang pre-Glee," tweeted Gerard Funk, an actor from Vancouver who joined the "Glee" cast last year.

Monteith's TV credits included roles on the series "Kaya" and "Kyle XY" and guest appearances on "Smallville," ''Supernatural," ''Stargate," ''Flash Gordon" and "Interns." His film credits included "Final Destination 3," ''The Invisible," ''Deck the Halls" and "Whisper."

___

Elber reported from Los Angeles.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-07-14-Glee%20Actor%20Dead/id-186191e31bab44429de1f248a031bc66

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Sports News Headlines - Yahoo! News

Sports News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/sports/ Get the latest sports news headlines from Yahoo! News. Find breaking sports news, including analysis and opinion on top sports stories.en-USCopyright (c) 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reservedSat, 13 Jul 2013 03:26:50 -04005Sports News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/sports/ http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/th/main_142c.gifAP Source: Alex Rodriguez meets with MLB<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-alex-rodriguez-meets-mlb-025516002.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/IgJ2szmxLYY9smSu86iwXQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/434f735911bd3217370f6a706700fbca.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Alex Rodriquez stretches before batting in the fourth inning for the Tampa Yankees against the Dunedin Blue Jays in a minor league rehab game in Tampa, Fla., Wednesday, July 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott Iskowitz)" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Alex Rodriquez stretches before batting in the fourth inning for the Tampa Yankees against the Dunedin Blue Jays in a minor league rehab game in Tampa, Fla., Wednesday, July 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott Iskowitz)" border="0" /></a>TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Alex Rodriguez met with Major League Baseball officials probing the distribution of banned performance-enhancing drugs.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-alex-rodriguez-meets-mlb-025516002.htmlSat, 13 Jul 2013 03:26:50 -0400Associated Pressap-source-alex-rodriguez-meets-mlb-025516002<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-alex-rodriguez-meets-mlb-025516002.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/IgJ2szmxLYY9smSu86iwXQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/434f735911bd3217370f6a706700fbca.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Alex Rodriquez stretches before batting in the fourth inning for the Tampa Yankees against the Dunedin Blue Jays in a minor league rehab game in Tampa, Fla., Wednesday, July 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott Iskowitz)" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Alex Rodriquez stretches before batting in the fourth inning for the Tampa Yankees against the Dunedin Blue Jays in a minor league rehab game in Tampa, Fla., Wednesday, July 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott Iskowitz)" border="0" /></a>TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Alex Rodriguez met with Major League Baseball officials probing the distribution of banned performance-enhancing drugs.</p><br clear="all"/>Puig & Pirates, Homer & Harper highlight 1st half<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/puig-pirates-homer-harper-highlight-1st-half-223017294.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/IIjP0i31LwH_8qd7BUj3bw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/78ba897050446617370f6a706700733a.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="File-This April 23, 2013 file photo shows Colorado Rockies&#039; Eric Young Jr., center, and others trying to keep warm in below-freezing weather before the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves in Denver. When the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies started up at Coors Field in late April, it was 23 degrees. That made it the coldest game time temperature since STATS began recording them more than two decades ago. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez, File)" align="left" title="File-This April 23, 2013 file photo shows Colorado Rockies&#039; Eric Young Jr., center, and others trying to keep warm in below-freezing weather before the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves in Denver. When the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies started up at Coors Field in late April, it was 23 degrees. That made it the coldest game time temperature since STATS began recording them more than two decades ago. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez, File)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Just for fun, let&#039;s turn back the baseball clock a few months.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/puig-pirates-homer-harper-highlight-1st-half-223017294.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 22:37:16 -0400Associated Presspuig-pirates-homer-harper-highlight-1st-half-223017294<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/puig-pirates-homer-harper-highlight-1st-half-223017294.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/IIjP0i31LwH_8qd7BUj3bw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/78ba897050446617370f6a706700733a.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="File-This April 23, 2013 file photo shows Colorado Rockies&#039; Eric Young Jr., center, and others trying to keep warm in below-freezing weather before the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves in Denver. When the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies started up at Coors Field in late April, it was 23 degrees. That made it the coldest game time temperature since STATS began recording them more than two decades ago. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez, File)" align="left" title="File-This April 23, 2013 file photo shows Colorado Rockies&#039; Eric Young Jr., center, and others trying to keep warm in below-freezing weather before the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves in Denver. When the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies started up at Coors Field in late April, it was 23 degrees. That made it the coldest game time temperature since STATS began recording them more than two decades ago. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez, File)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Just for fun, let&#039;s turn back the baseball clock a few months.</p><br clear="all"/>Jeter to miss weekend series with quad strain<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jeter-miss-weekend-series-quad-strain-195546875.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/rgMjK0TCa1oM0lv32he23A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/4b4989416a6e6817370f6a706700fff0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter watches from the dugout during the second inning of the Yankees&#039; baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, July 12, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter watches from the dugout during the second inning of the Yankees&#039; baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, July 12, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Derek Jeter was not going to take it easy, not after spending 91 agonizing games sidelined with a broken ankle. That&#039;s not Jeter.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/jeter-miss-weekend-series-quad-strain-195546875.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 20:44:13 -0400Associated Pressjeter-miss-weekend-series-quad-strain-195546875<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jeter-miss-weekend-series-quad-strain-195546875.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/rgMjK0TCa1oM0lv32he23A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/4b4989416a6e6817370f6a706700fff0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter watches from the dugout during the second inning of the Yankees&#039; baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, July 12, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter watches from the dugout during the second inning of the Yankees&#039; baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, July 12, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Derek Jeter was not going to take it easy, not after spending 91 agonizing games sidelined with a broken ankle. That&#039;s not Jeter.</p><br clear="all"/>Pierce, Garnett to Nets as blockbuster finishedNEW YORK (AP) ? Feeling he was close to a deal for Paul Pierce, a thought crossed Billy King's mind.http://news.yahoo.com/pierce-garnett-nets-blockbuster-finished-182621672.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 18:35:37 -0400Associated Presspierce-garnett-nets-blockbuster-finished-182621672Dodgers rookie Puig leaves game because of hip<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/dodgers-rookie-puig-leaves-game-because-hip-034301628.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/RPQhOnU0Jvjtqr_Wm35KzA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/5d4ece446aa56917370f6a706700e104.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig, left, hugs Adrian Gonzalez during batting practice before their baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, July 12, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)" align="left" title="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig, left, hugs Adrian Gonzalez during batting practice before their baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, July 12, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Rookie Yasiel Puig has left the Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; game against Colorado after four innings.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/dodgers-rookie-puig-leaves-game-because-hip-034301628.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 23:43:24 -0400Associated Pressdodgers-rookie-puig-leaves-game-because-hip-034301628<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/dodgers-rookie-puig-leaves-game-because-hip-034301628.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/RPQhOnU0Jvjtqr_Wm35KzA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/5d4ece446aa56917370f6a706700e104.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig, left, hugs Adrian Gonzalez during batting practice before their baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, July 12, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)" align="left" title="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig, left, hugs Adrian Gonzalez during batting practice before their baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, July 12, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Rookie Yasiel Puig has left the Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; game against Colorado after four innings.</p><br clear="all"/>Pedroia's hit leads Red Sox past A's, 4-2<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/pedroias-hit-leads-red-sox-past-4-2-052055866.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_IVZzshM.19PNQKOqkDu3w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/1b0e91986b7c6c17370f6a706700c950.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Boston Red Sox&#039;s Dustin Pedroia swings for a two run single off Oakland Athletics&#039; Ryan Cook in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 12, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)" align="left" title="Boston Red Sox&#039;s Dustin Pedroia swings for a two run single off Oakland Athletics&#039; Ryan Cook in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 12, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)" border="0" /></a>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? There was a time earlier this season when the Boston Red Sox struggled to drive in runs with two outs.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/pedroias-hit-leads-red-sox-past-4-2-052055866.htmlSat, 13 Jul 2013 02:28:26 -0400Associated Presspedroias-hit-leads-red-sox-past-4-2-052055866<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/pedroias-hit-leads-red-sox-past-4-2-052055866.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_IVZzshM.19PNQKOqkDu3w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/1b0e91986b7c6c17370f6a706700c950.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Boston Red Sox&#039;s Dustin Pedroia swings for a two run single off Oakland Athletics&#039; Ryan Cook in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 12, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)" align="left" title="Boston Red Sox&#039;s Dustin Pedroia swings for a two run single off Oakland Athletics&#039; Ryan Cook in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 12, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)" border="0" /></a>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? There was a time earlier this season when the Boston Red Sox struggled to drive in runs with two outs.</p><br clear="all"/>Keselowski wins pole at New Hampshire<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/keselowski-wins-pole-hampshire-215832139.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PXgmJpiKt.CXysm2TfhuJA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/277501ce503e6617370f6a70670020da.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Brad Keselowski watches cars during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Friday, July 12, 2013. Keselowski won the pole. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)" align="left" title="Brad Keselowski watches cars during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Friday, July 12, 2013. Keselowski won the pole. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)" border="0" /></a>LOUDON, N.H. (AP) ? Brad Keselowski is back on top of NASCAR.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/keselowski-wins-pole-hampshire-215832139.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 19:00:42 -0400Associated Presskeselowski-wins-pole-hampshire-215832139<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/keselowski-wins-pole-hampshire-215832139.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PXgmJpiKt.CXysm2TfhuJA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/277501ce503e6617370f6a70670020da.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Brad Keselowski watches cars during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Friday, July 12, 2013. Keselowski won the pole. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)" align="left" title="Brad Keselowski watches cars during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Friday, July 12, 2013. Keselowski won the pole. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)" border="0" /></a>LOUDON, N.H. (AP) ? Brad Keselowski is back on top of NASCAR.</p><br clear="all"/>Jets OL Aboushi defends himself against websiteNEW YORK (AP) ? New York Jets rookie offensive lineman Oday Aboushi, one of the few Palestinian-Americans to play in the NFL, defended himself Friday against a website's article that called him a "Muslim extremist."http://news.yahoo.com/jets-ol-aboushi-defends-himself-against-website-031643409.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 23:16:43 -0400Associated Pressjets-ol-aboushi-defends-himself-against-website-031643409Toronto fails to sign its top pick in MLB draftNEW YORK (AP) ? Just one first-round selection failed to sign under the second year of baseball's new draft restrictions, with Toronto unable to reach an agreement with No. 10 pick Phil Bickford.http://news.yahoo.com/toronto-fails-sign-top-pick-mlb-draft-221254342.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 20:18:19 -0400Associated Presstoronto-fails-sign-top-pick-mlb-draft-221254342LSU's Hill pleads guilty to misdemeanor batteryBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) ? Suspended LSU running back Jeremy Hill has pleaded guilty to simple battery in connection with a bar fight in April.http://news.yahoo.com/lsus-hill-pleads-guilty-misdemeanor-battery-161906569.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 12:19:06 -0400Associated Presslsus-hill-pleads-guilty-misdemeanor-battery-161906569Kuroda helps Yankees beat struggling Twins<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kuroda-helps-yankees-beat-struggling-twins-050745145.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/hNvE6yy5y1WfFHz8Y1vLew--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-13T050745Z_1_CBRE96C0E9000_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-BASEBALL-ROUNDUP.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Kuroda pitches to Minnesota Twins during their MLB American League baseball game in New York" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Kuroda pitches to Minnesota Twins during their MLB American League baseball game in New York" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda returned after a lengthy rain delay to complete five innings of solid pitching, while Brett Gardner and Robinson Cano each had RBI singles, as New York beat the visiting Minnesota Twins 2-0 on Friday. Japanese right-hander Kuroda (8-6) allowed six hits and struck out five to help the Yankees win their third straight game and improve to 51-42 for the season. Boone Logan recorded three clutch seventh-inning strikeouts to preserve the lead and Mariano Rivera finished off the eight-hitter for his 30th save on a soggy, windy evening at Yankee Stadium. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/kuroda-helps-yankees-beat-struggling-twins-050745145.htmlSat, 13 Jul 2013 01:07:45 -0400Reuterskuroda-helps-yankees-beat-struggling-twins-050745145<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kuroda-helps-yankees-beat-struggling-twins-050745145.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/hNvE6yy5y1WfFHz8Y1vLew--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-13T050745Z_1_CBRE96C0E9000_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-BASEBALL-ROUNDUP.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Kuroda pitches to Minnesota Twins during their MLB American League baseball game in New York" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Kuroda pitches to Minnesota Twins during their MLB American League baseball game in New York" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda returned after a lengthy rain delay to complete five innings of solid pitching, while Brett Gardner and Robinson Cano each had RBI singles, as New York beat the visiting Minnesota Twins 2-0 on Friday. Japanese right-hander Kuroda (8-6) allowed six hits and struck out five to help the Yankees win their third straight game and improve to 51-42 for the season. Boone Logan recorded three clutch seventh-inning strikeouts to preserve the lead and Mariano Rivera finished off the eight-hitter for his 30th save on a soggy, windy evening at Yankee Stadium. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Unshattered record: pro baseball bats now break 50 percent less, USDA says<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/unshattered-record-pro-baseball-bats-now-break-50-020419317.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uiGIjTOo7_zJ2neaLleE3w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-13T020419Z_1_CBRE96C05RF00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-USA-BASEBALL-BATS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Minnesota Twins&#039; Justin Morneau breaks his bat as he flies out to Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter during their American League MLB game in Minneapolis" align="left" title="Minnesota Twins&#039; Justin Morneau breaks his bat as he flies out to Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter during their American League MLB game in Minneapolis" border="0" /></a>By Deborah Zabarenko WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Shattered baseball bats pose real danger when shards of wood go flying, but this happens half as often as it did just five years ago after the U.S. Forest Service joined Major League Baseball to figure out how to make bats more shatter-resistant. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the finding on Friday, in a statement timed to dovetail with baseball&#039;s All-Star Game on Tuesday. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/unshattered-record-pro-baseball-bats-now-break-50-020419317.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 22:04:19 -0400Reutersunshattered-record-pro-baseball-bats-now-break-50-020419317<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/unshattered-record-pro-baseball-bats-now-break-50-020419317.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uiGIjTOo7_zJ2neaLleE3w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-13T020419Z_1_CBRE96C05RF00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-USA-BASEBALL-BATS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Minnesota Twins&#039; Justin Morneau breaks his bat as he flies out to Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter during their American League MLB game in Minneapolis" align="left" title="Minnesota Twins&#039; Justin Morneau breaks his bat as he flies out to Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter during their American League MLB game in Minneapolis" border="0" /></a>By Deborah Zabarenko WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Shattered baseball bats pose real danger when shards of wood go flying, but this happens half as often as it did just five years ago after the U.S. Forest Service joined Major League Baseball to figure out how to make bats more shatter-resistant. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the finding on Friday, in a statement timed to dovetail with baseball&#039;s All-Star Game on Tuesday. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Allen a record five ahead at U.S. Senior Open<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/allen-record-five-ahead-u-senior-open-015143460.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/pbyfb6kkQkhbeH40Xpf0Qg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-13T015143Z_1_CBRE96C056B00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-GOLF-SENIORS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Michael Allen of the U.S. tees off on the first hole during the third round of the 2012 U.S. Open golf tournament on the Lake Course at the Olympic Club in San Francisco" align="left" title="Michael Allen of the U.S. tees off on the first hole during the third round of the 2012 U.S. Open golf tournament on the Lake Course at the Olympic Club in San Francisco" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - American Michael Allen seized control of the U.S. Senior Open in commanding fashion on Friday, eagling the par-five 14th on the way to a record five-shot lead after the second round at Omaha Country Club in Omaha, Nebraska. Counting himself lucky to be playing professional sport for a living instead of working in the &quot;real world&quot;, Allen fired a dazzling seven-under-par 63 on the hilly layout to break clear of a congested leaderboard with a 10-under total of 130. Rocco Mediate, who lost a playoff to Tiger Woods for the 2008 U.S. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/allen-record-five-ahead-u-senior-open-015143460.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 21:51:43 -0400Reutersallen-record-five-ahead-u-senior-open-015143460<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/allen-record-five-ahead-u-senior-open-015143460.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/pbyfb6kkQkhbeH40Xpf0Qg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-13T015143Z_1_CBRE96C056B00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-GOLF-SENIORS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Michael Allen of the U.S. tees off on the first hole during the third round of the 2012 U.S. Open golf tournament on the Lake Course at the Olympic Club in San Francisco" align="left" title="Michael Allen of the U.S. tees off on the first hole during the third round of the 2012 U.S. Open golf tournament on the Lake Course at the Olympic Club in San Francisco" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - American Michael Allen seized control of the U.S. Senior Open in commanding fashion on Friday, eagling the par-five 14th on the way to a record five-shot lead after the second round at Omaha Country Club in Omaha, Nebraska. Counting himself lucky to be playing professional sport for a living instead of working in the &quot;real world&quot;, Allen fired a dazzling seven-under-par 63 on the hilly layout to break clear of a congested leaderboard with a 10-under total of 130. Rocco Mediate, who lost a playoff to Tiger Woods for the 2008 U.S. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Rookie Reed joins Johnson and Glover in tie for lead(Reuters) - Unheralded PGA Tour rookie Patrick Reed found himself in major-winning company on Friday after charging into a three-way tie for the lead in the second round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. In pursuit of a maiden victory on the circuit, Reed fired a sizzling eight-under-par 63 on a day of low scoring at the TPC Deere Run to finish at 12-under 130, level with former major winners Zach Johnson (66) and Lucas Glover (62). ...http://news.yahoo.com/rookie-reed-joins-johnson-glover-tie-lead-010942720.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 21:09:42 -0400Reutersrookie-reed-joins-johnson-glover-tie-lead-010942720Golf-Rookie Reed joins Johnson and Glover in tie for leadJuly 12 (Reuters) - Unheralded PGA Tour rookie Patrick Reed found himself in major-winning company on Friday after charging into a three-way tie for the lead in the second round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. In pursuit of a maiden victory on the circuit, Reed fired a sizzling eight-under-par 63 on a day of low scoring at the TPC Deere Run to finish at 12-under 130, level with former major winners Zach Johnson (66) and Lucas Glover (62). ...http://news.yahoo.com/golf-rookie-reed-joins-johnson-glover-tie-lead-004801964.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 20:48:01 -0400Reutersgolf-rookie-reed-joins-johnson-glover-tie-lead-004801964Penn State trustees approve settlement offers to abuse victimsBy Dave Warner PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Penn State trustees on Friday authorized the university to make settlement offers to the sexual abuse victims of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. University officials attending an open trustees meeting did not say how much the settlements would be worth. They said the decision had been made at a separate meeting covered by attorney-client privilege. "Today's action is yet another important step toward the resolution of claims from Sandusky's victims," university President Rodney Erickson said in a statement. ...http://news.yahoo.com/penn-state-trustees-approve-settlement-offers-abuse-victims-222558043.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 18:25:58 -0400Reuterspenn-state-trustees-approve-settlement-offers-abuse-victims-222558043Yankees' Jeter injured, out until after All-Star break<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/yankees-jeter-injured-until-star-break-213516061.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/LLLYvjKo1sex3WdCinKQFg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T213516Z_1_CBRE96B1NZ000_RTROPTP_2_BASEBALL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees batter Jeter reacts as he warms up for his game against the Kansas City Royals before their MLB American League baseball game in New York" align="left" title="New York Yankees batter Jeter reacts as he warms up for his game against the Kansas City Royals before their MLB American League baseball game in New York" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - The New York Yankees hurried Derek Jeter back to the lineup to aid their anemic offense and now will have to wait to see how long the shortstop will be out after straining his quadriceps in his first game back. Jeter, 39, injured the leg muscle while unsuccessfully trying to beat out a grounder in the fifth inning of Thursday&#039;s 8-4 win against the Royals. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Jeter would skip the weekend series against the visiting Minnesota Twins and then be reevaluated after the four-day All-Star break before the schedule resumes on Friday. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/yankees-jeter-injured-until-star-break-213516061.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 17:35:16 -0400Reutersyankees-jeter-injured-until-star-break-213516061<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/yankees-jeter-injured-until-star-break-213516061.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/LLLYvjKo1sex3WdCinKQFg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T213516Z_1_CBRE96B1NZ000_RTROPTP_2_BASEBALL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees batter Jeter reacts as he warms up for his game against the Kansas City Royals before their MLB American League baseball game in New York" align="left" title="New York Yankees batter Jeter reacts as he warms up for his game against the Kansas City Royals before their MLB American League baseball game in New York" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - The New York Yankees hurried Derek Jeter back to the lineup to aid their anemic offense and now will have to wait to see how long the shortstop will be out after straining his quadriceps in his first game back. Jeter, 39, injured the leg muscle while unsuccessfully trying to beat out a grounder in the fifth inning of Thursday&#039;s 8-4 win against the Royals. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Jeter would skip the weekend series against the visiting Minnesota Twins and then be reevaluated after the four-day All-Star break before the schedule resumes on Friday. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Els misses cut as Scot Doak leads way at Inverness<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/els-misses-cut-scot-doak-leads-way-inverness-205524878.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PQGn9RyMkdjXyZ6amXwqww--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T205524Z_1_CBRE96B1M4K00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-GOLF-EUROPEAN.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Els watches his tee shot on the first hole during second round play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA golf tournament in Orlando" align="left" title="Els watches his tee shot on the first hole during second round play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA golf tournament in Orlando" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Four-times major winner Ernie Els, who will defend his British Open title at Muirfield next week, missed the cut in the Scottish Open at Inverness on Friday. The 43-year-old South African made an early exit after carding a 70 for a two-under total of 142. Former British Open champions Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington and Scottish Open title holder Jeev Milkha Singh of India also missed the cut on 141. Scot Chris Doak, who has had only one top-10 finish on the European Tour, hit a second successive six-under 66 to take the halfway lead in his local event. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/els-misses-cut-scot-doak-leads-way-inverness-205524878.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 16:55:24 -0400Reutersels-misses-cut-scot-doak-leads-way-inverness-205524878<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/els-misses-cut-scot-doak-leads-way-inverness-205524878.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PQGn9RyMkdjXyZ6amXwqww--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T205524Z_1_CBRE96B1M4K00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-GOLF-EUROPEAN.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Els watches his tee shot on the first hole during second round play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA golf tournament in Orlando" align="left" title="Els watches his tee shot on the first hole during second round play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA golf tournament in Orlando" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Four-times major winner Ernie Els, who will defend his British Open title at Muirfield next week, missed the cut in the Scottish Open at Inverness on Friday. The 43-year-old South African made an early exit after carding a 70 for a two-under total of 142. Former British Open champions Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington and Scottish Open title holder Jeev Milkha Singh of India also missed the cut on 141. Scot Chris Doak, who has had only one top-10 finish on the European Tour, hit a second successive six-under 66 to take the halfway lead in his local event. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Nets finalize blockbuster trade with rebuilding Celtics<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nets-finalize-blockbuster-trade-rebuilding-celtics-203257308.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/UbEm1qOxrH.ZAA9BIJgmZA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T203257Z_1_CBRE96B1L3200_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-NBA-NETS-TRADE.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett is seen before Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against the New York Knicks in Boston" align="left" title="Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett is seen before Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against the New York Knicks in Boston" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - The Brooklyn Nets officially acquired Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from the Boston Celtics on Friday as part of a nine-player blockbuster trade that puts them on the short list of NBA title contenders. The rebuilding Celtics, who also agreed to part ways with Jason Terry and D.J. White, will receive Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/nets-finalize-blockbuster-trade-rebuilding-celtics-203257308.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 16:32:57 -0400Reutersnets-finalize-blockbuster-trade-rebuilding-celtics-203257308<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nets-finalize-blockbuster-trade-rebuilding-celtics-203257308.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/UbEm1qOxrH.ZAA9BIJgmZA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T203257Z_1_CBRE96B1L3200_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-NBA-NETS-TRADE.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett is seen before Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against the New York Knicks in Boston" align="left" title="Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett is seen before Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against the New York Knicks in Boston" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - The Brooklyn Nets officially acquired Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from the Boston Celtics on Friday as part of a nine-player blockbuster trade that puts them on the short list of NBA title contenders. The rebuilding Celtics, who also agreed to part ways with Jason Terry and D.J. White, will receive Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Golf-European Tour Scottish Open scoresJuly 12 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the European Tour Scottish Open at the par-72 course on Friday in Inverness. The cut was set at 140. 132 Chris Doak (Britain) 66 66 133 Peter Uihlein (U.S. ...http://news.yahoo.com/golf-european-tour-scottish-open-scores-190031974.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 15:00:31 -0400Reutersgolf-european-tour-scottish-open-scores-190031974Cubs, city of Chicago agree on Wrigley Jumbotron<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/cubs-city-chicago-agree-wrigley-jumbotron-202719931.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Xj2oxTZbxJvBw0R238W4ew--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/dfe17747309b4a17370f6a706700bc27.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE -This file photo shows an artist rendering provided May 1, 2013 by the Chicago Cubs showing planned renovations at Wrigley Field. The Cubs said that have reached an agreement with the city that would allow the team to build a Jumbotron in left field at the team&#039;s historic ballpark while adding another sign in right field. The agreement over the changes to Wrigley Field must be approved by Chicago&#039;s landmarks commission, which is meeting Thursday, July 11, 2013. A team spokesman said the Jumbotron is slightly smaller than what the Cubs initially wanted and the right field sign is significantly smaller. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Chicago Cubs, File)" align="left" title="FILE -This file photo shows an artist rendering provided May 1, 2013 by the Chicago Cubs showing planned renovations at Wrigley Field. The Cubs said that have reached an agreement with the city that would allow the team to build a Jumbotron in left field at the team&#039;s historic ballpark while adding another sign in right field. The agreement over the changes to Wrigley Field must be approved by Chicago&#039;s landmarks commission, which is meeting Thursday, July 11, 2013. A team spokesman said the Jumbotron is slightly smaller than what the Cubs initially wanted and the right field sign is significantly smaller. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Chicago Cubs, File)" border="0" /></a>CHICAGO (AP) ? The Chicago Cubs, which waited decades to install lights at Wrigley Field and has waited more than a century to win a World Series, took a giant step toward ending the wait for something every other team in the majors already has: a Jumbotron.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/cubs-city-chicago-agree-wrigley-jumbotron-202719931.htmlFri, 12 Jul 2013 00:09:01 -0400Associated Presscubs-city-chicago-agree-wrigley-jumbotron-202719931<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/cubs-city-chicago-agree-wrigley-jumbotron-202719931.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Xj2oxTZbxJvBw0R238W4ew--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/dfe17747309b4a17370f6a706700bc27.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE -This file photo shows an artist rendering provided May 1, 2013 by the Chicago Cubs showing planned renovations at Wrigley Field. The Cubs said that have reached an agreement with the city that would allow the team to build a Jumbotron in left field at the team&#039;s historic ballpark while adding another sign in right field. The agreement over the changes to Wrigley Field must be approved by Chicago&#039;s landmarks commission, which is meeting Thursday, July 11, 2013. A team spokesman said the Jumbotron is slightly smaller than what the Cubs initially wanted and the right field sign is significantly smaller. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Chicago Cubs, File)" align="left" title="FILE -This file photo shows an artist rendering provided May 1, 2013 by the Chicago Cubs showing planned renovations at Wrigley Field. The Cubs said that have reached an agreement with the city that would allow the team to build a Jumbotron in left field at the team&#039;s historic ballpark while adding another sign in right field. The agreement over the changes to Wrigley Field must be approved by Chicago&#039;s landmarks commission, which is meeting Thursday, July 11, 2013. A team spokesman said the Jumbotron is slightly smaller than what the Cubs initially wanted and the right field sign is significantly smaller. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Chicago Cubs, File)" border="0" /></a>CHICAGO (AP) ? The Chicago Cubs, which waited decades to install lights at Wrigley Field and has waited more than a century to win a World Series, took a giant step toward ending the wait for something every other team in the majors already has: a Jumbotron.</p><br clear="all"/>Freeman, Delabar elected as All-Stars; Puig misses<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/freeman-delabar-elected-stars-puig-misses-224745067.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/gTdpXrit2QdvWYCf3S5B0w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/76ffc7ed2d5e3b17370f6a7067004a3f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig (66) and Mark Ellis high-five after scoring on a double by Hanley Ramirez during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Wednesday, July 10, 2013, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)" align="left" title="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig (66) and Mark Ellis high-five after scoring on a double by Hanley Ramirez during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Wednesday, July 10, 2013, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)" border="0" /></a>So much for Puig-mania sweeping the country. Give this contest to Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/freeman-delabar-elected-stars-puig-misses-224745067.htmlThu, 11 Jul 2013 23:25:27 -0400Associated Pressfreeman-delabar-elected-stars-puig-misses-224745067<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/freeman-delabar-elected-stars-puig-misses-224745067.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/gTdpXrit2QdvWYCf3S5B0w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/76ffc7ed2d5e3b17370f6a7067004a3f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig (66) and Mark Ellis high-five after scoring on a double by Hanley Ramirez during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Wednesday, July 10, 2013, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)" align="left" title="Los Angeles Dodgers&#039; Yasiel Puig (66) and Mark Ellis high-five after scoring on a double by Hanley Ramirez during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Wednesday, July 10, 2013, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)" border="0" /></a>So much for Puig-mania sweeping the country. Give this contest to Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman.</p><br clear="all"/>Power game helps Perry into seven-way tie for lead<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/power-game-helps-perry-seven-way-tie-lead-011423257.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Ag_nUlD3XTpV.vSKqYbTjg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T011423Z_1_CBRE96B03G400_RTROPTP_2_GOLF-PGA.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Kenny Perry of the U.S. watches his tee shot on the first hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio" align="left" title="Kenny Perry of the U.S. watches his tee shot on the first hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Kenny Perry&#039;s prediction that improved power and accuracy off the tee would put him in contention at the U.S. Senior Open proved correct as he split one fairway after another to move into a seven-way tie for the lead in Thursday&#039;s opening round in Omaha, Nebraska. Seeking a second successive major title on the over-50s Champions Tour, Perry birdied two of the three par-fives in challenging conditions on the way to a three-under-par 67 at Omaha Country Club. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/power-game-helps-perry-seven-way-tie-lead-011423257.htmlThu, 11 Jul 2013 21:14:23 -0400Reuterspower-game-helps-perry-seven-way-tie-lead-011423257<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/power-game-helps-perry-seven-way-tie-lead-011423257.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Ag_nUlD3XTpV.vSKqYbTjg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-12T011423Z_1_CBRE96B03G400_RTROPTP_2_GOLF-PGA.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Kenny Perry of the U.S. watches his tee shot on the first hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio" align="left" title="Kenny Perry of the U.S. watches his tee shot on the first hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Kenny Perry&#039;s prediction that improved power and accuracy off the tee would put him in contention at the U.S. Senior Open proved correct as he split one fairway after another to move into a seven-way tie for the lead in Thursday&#039;s opening round in Omaha, Nebraska. Seeking a second successive major title on the over-50s Champions Tour, Perry birdied two of the three par-fives in challenging conditions on the way to a three-under-par 67 at Omaha Country Club. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Flawless Johnson in tie for John Deere lead<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/flawless-johnson-tie-john-deere-lead-003834268.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_xRnexF8z2lpBz2H9nhbxw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-11T200233Z_1_CBRE96A1JOF00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-GOLF-PGA.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Johnson of the U.S. tees off on the second hole during the second round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach" align="left" title="Johnson of the U.S. tees off on the second hole during the second round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Rejuvenated by improved form with his driver, Zach Johnson made a strong start to his title defense at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois as he surged into a share of the lead in Thursday&#039;s opening round. The 37-year-old American piled up seven birdies in a flawless display for a sizzling seven-under-par 64 at the TPC Deere Run, finishing joint top with Colombia&#039;s Camilo Villegas. Burly Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge was a further stroke back, mixing four birdies with an eagle at the par-five 10th to end the round level with Americans Matt Bettencourt and Daniel Summerhays. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/flawless-johnson-tie-john-deere-lead-003834268.htmlThu, 11 Jul 2013 20:38:34 -0400Reutersflawless-johnson-tie-john-deere-lead-003834268<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/flawless-johnson-tie-john-deere-lead-003834268.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_xRnexF8z2lpBz2H9nhbxw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-07-11T200233Z_1_CBRE96A1JOF00_RTROPTP_2_CSPORTS-US-GOLF-PGA.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Johnson of the U.S. tees off on the second hole during the second round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach" align="left" title="Johnson of the U.S. tees off on the second hole during the second round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - Rejuvenated by improved form with his driver, Zach Johnson made a strong start to his title defense at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois as he surged into a share of the lead in Thursday&#039;s opening round. The 37-year-old American piled up seven birdies in a flawless display for a sizzling seven-under-par 64 at the TPC Deere Run, finishing joint top with Colombia&#039;s Camilo Villegas. Burly Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge was a further stroke back, mixing four birdies with an eagle at the par-five 10th to end the round level with Americans Matt Bettencourt and Daniel Summerhays. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Golf-Flawless Johnson in tie for John Deere lead* Johnson ends first round level with Villegas * Opens with a seven-birdie 64 (Updates at end of round) July 11 (Reuters) - Rejuvenated by improved form with his driver, Zach Johnson made a strong start to his title defence at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois as he surged into a share of the lead in Thursday's opening round. The 37-year-old American piled up seven birdies in a flawless display for a sizzling seven-under-par 64 at the TPC Deere Run, finishing joint top with Colombia's Camilo Villegas. ...http://news.yahoo.com/golf-flawless-johnson-tie-john-deere-lead-003530366.htmlThu, 11 Jul 2013 20:35:30 -0400Reutersgolf-flawless-johnson-tie-john-deere-lead-003530366Jeter returns, exits with tight quad, Yankees win<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jeter-returns-exits-tight-quad-yankees-win-204231380.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/KK5LXmlEDSDs6tdh2IMVqQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/09bdf357311e4c17370f6a7067009f42.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter reacts during a sixth-inning at-bat in a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 11, 2013, in New York. The Yankees beat the Royals 8-4. Jeter left the game early with a tight right quadriceps. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter reacts during a sixth-inning at-bat in a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 11, 2013, in New York. The Yankees beat the Royals 8-4. Jeter left the game early with a tight right quadriceps. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Derek Jeter walked to home plate, toyed with his batting gloves, stepped into the batter&#039;s box as fans chanted his name and legged out an infield hit.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/jeter-returns-exits-tight-quad-yankees-win-204231380.htmlThu, 11 Jul 2013 19:41:43 -0400Associated Pressjeter-returns-exits-tight-quad-yankees-win-204231380<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jeter-returns-exits-tight-quad-yankees-win-204231380.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/KK5LXmlEDSDs6tdh2IMVqQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/09bdf357311e4c17370f6a7067009f42.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter reacts during a sixth-inning at-bat in a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 11, 2013, in New York. The Yankees beat the Royals 8-4. Jeter left the game early with a tight right quadriceps. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)" align="left" title="New York Yankees&#039; Derek Jeter reacts during a sixth-inning at-bat in a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 11, 2013, in New York. The Yankees beat the Royals 8-4. Jeter left the game early with a tight right quadriceps. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)" border="0" /></a>NEW YORK (AP) ? Derek Jeter walked to home plate, toyed with his batting gloves, stepped into the batter&#039;s box as fans chanted his name and legged out an infield hit.</p><br clear="all"/>Patriots' Dennard accused of DUI in Nebraska<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/patriots-dennard-accused-dui-nebraska-153509453.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7s4TYjEJbjJcz0AgOnWFCw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f7c703f02faa4617370f6a70670021ae.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2013 file photo, New England Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard walks along the sideline during the second half of the NFL football AFC Championship football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Foxborough, Mass.Dennard has been arrested and accused of driving drunk in Lincoln where he once starred as a Nebraska defensive back. Lincoln police say 24-year-old Dennard was pulled over southeast of downtown Lincoln just before 2 a.m. Thursday, July 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2013 file photo, New England Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard walks along the sideline during the second half of the NFL football AFC Championship football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Foxborough, Mass.Dennard has been arrested and accused of driving drunk in Lincoln where he once starred as a Nebraska defensive back. Lincoln police say 24-year-old Dennard was pulled over southeast of downtown Lincoln just before 2 a.m. Thursday, July 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)" border="0" /></a>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) ? Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was arrested and accused of drunk driving Thursday in Nebraska while on probation for assaulting a police officer, the second New England player to get in serious legal trouble this summer.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/patriots-dennard-accused-dui-nebraska-153509453.htmlThu, 11 Jul 2013 18:02:30 -0400Associated Presspatriots-dennard-accused-dui-nebraska-153509453<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/patriots-dennard-accused-dui-nebraska-153509453.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7s4TYjEJbjJcz0AgOnWFCw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f7c703f02faa4617370f6a70670021ae.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2013 file photo, New England Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard walks along the sideline during the second half of the NFL football AFC Championship football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Foxborough, Mass.Dennard has been arrested and accused of driving drunk in Lincoln where he once starred as a Nebraska defensive back. Lincoln police say 24-year-old Dennard was pulled over southeast of downtown Lincoln just before 2 a.m. Thursday, July 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2013 file photo, New England Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard walks along the sideline during the second half of the NFL football AFC Championship football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Foxborough, Mass.Dennard has been arrested and accused of driving drunk in Lincoln where he once starred as a Nebraska defensive back. Lincoln police say 24-year-old Dennard was pulled over southeast of downtown Lincoln just before 2 a.m. Thursday, July 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)" border="0" /></a>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) ? Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was arrested and accused of drunk driving Thursday in Nebraska while on probation for assaulting a police officer, the second New England player to get in serious legal trouble this summer.</p><br clear="all"/>Phegley's slam leads White Sox over Tigers 6-3<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/phegleys-slam-leads-white-sox-over-tigers-6-215942984.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/z5CCKnU_j9z1OEFs4bE6XA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/03cba54e30c54b17370f6a70670094dc.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Chicago White Sox&#039;s Josh Phegley, (36) is congratulated by teammates Jeff Keppinger, left, and Gordon Beckham (15) after his grand slam during the sixth inning of a

Source: http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/sports

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Turtles have fingerprints? New genetic technique reveals paternity and more

June 24, 2013 ? For 220 million years they have roamed the seas, denizens of the bustling coral reef and the vast open ocean. Each year, some emerge from the pounding surf onto moonlit beaches to lay their eggs. Throughout human history, we have revered them, used them, and worked to protect them, but we have only begun to understand these ancient, iconic creatures. Now, with all five of the sea turtle species in the U.S. threatened or endangered, knowledge is more crucial than ever.

NOAA scientist Dr. Peter Dutton leads a team that's trying to answer some important questions about marine turtles. What will happen as sea levels rise, covering the nesting beaches turtles have used for hundreds of years? Which turtle laid this mysterious clutch of eggs on a remote beach? Where in the ocean do they mate, and how big is this population?

Thanks to a recent breakthrough in the genetics lab, Dutton and his colleagues have a clever way to find answers. Like detectives, they have learned that fingerprints help solve the puzzle?genetic fingerprints. For decades, most sea turtle studies and conservation efforts have focused on nesting females and hatchlings, because they're easiest for humans to access. Male sea turtles, which don't come ashore, are elusive characters.

Dutton's team has pioneered a technique that allows them to fill in the blanks using tiny DNA samples from nesting females and hatchlings. As Dutton and his colleague Dr. Kelly Stewart wrote in a recent article, "Hidden in a hatchling's DNA is its entire family history, including who its mother is, who its father is, and to what nesting population it belongs." (See: http://seaturtlestatus.org/sites/swot/files/report/030612_SWOT7_p12_Sea%20Turtle%20CSI.pdf)

This innovative tool is opening up new avenues in marine turtle conservation. Population recovery goals are based on how long turtles take to reach maturity, and genetic fingerprinting can help reveal this key piece of information, which may be different for each population. Dutton's team developed the technique while studying endangered leatherbacks on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. In the last four years, they have sampled 20,353 hatchlings there, and discovered the genetic identity of the fathers, even when multiple males have sired a single clutch of eggs; how often individual turtles mate and their reproductive success; and the ratio of males to females among the breeding turtles.

On Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, critically endangered Kemp's ridley turtles have been leaving scattered nests along remote beaches, but females are often long gone by the time monitors find the nests. There, NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center and the National Park Service are using the technique to match mystery nests to mother turtles. Identifying who's nesting where and when, survival rate, and breeding success over many years will help us monitor this small population and gauge the impact of major events like disasters.

In the most surprising news yet, green turtles have begun nesting in the main Hawai'ian islands for the first time in generations. Green turtles, or honu, have nested in the remote Northwest Hawai'ian Islands, primarily on the quiet, low-lying beaches of French Frigate Shoals, a coral atoll about 500 miles from Honolulu.

Genetic fingerprinting shows that about 15 untagged females have become "founders" on the main Hawai'ian islands, boldly nesting where no one has nested before?at least not for hundreds of years. It's possible that this pioneer population could provide a kind of buffer as sea level rise threatens to shrink their traditional nesting beaches. Many questions remain, but for now science is giving turtles, and those who care about them, reason to hope.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/ldgcQeFmidI/130624143922.htm

Esther Williams French Open

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Fish?hand Koehler his first win with late charge

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 1:00 a.m. ET June 21, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Drenched in all kinds of liquids poured out of a beat-up bucket that teammates conjured up in the clubhouse, Tom Koehler never felt better as a major league pitcher.

Pinch hitter Marcell Ozuna's two-run single gave Koehler his first victory in nine career starts, and the Miami Marlins rallied past the San Francisco Giants 2-1 Thursday night.

"I smell like a bar," Koehler said. "Other than the day I met my wife, this is probably the happiest moment of my life. Definitely the happiest baseball moment."

In his first career pinch-hit appearance, Ozuna's line drive to right field in the eighth inning off reliever Jeremy Affeldt (1-3) ended Koehler's run of futility. After six appearances in the bullpen, Koehler (1-5) had been winless in seven starts this season - and took the loss in his lone start last year - for the worst team in the majors.

He hugged Ozuna in the dugout following the hit that flipped the score. Koehler also had the game ball in his locker - soon to be resting on the mantle in his "man cave" back home, he said - that Steve Cishek handed to him after recording his 11th save in the ninth.

The right-hander's victory ended the third-longest winless streak to start a career in Marlins history, behind Marc Valdez's nine-start stretch from 1995-96 and Kevin Olsen's 12-start streak from 2001-02, according to STATS.

"It definitely didn't weigh on my confidence, but to say I didn't think about it would be a lie," Koehler said. "Every time I went out there I wanted to win the game. I was wondering what it would take to do it."

Giants starter Chad Gaudin tossed 4 1-3 scoreless innings, but he left the game after taking a hard line drive off his right throwing elbow. The team said he had a bruised elbow.

Far more concerning for the Giants was the status of center fielder Angel Pagan, who was on a rehab assignment with Class-A San Jose. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Pagan injured his leg running to first base and was carted off the field. Bochy said more information on Pagan's injury would come Friday.

One of the few good moments for San Francisco came when Joaquin Arias extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI triple in the seventh.

Koehler kept the Giants off the scoreboard otherwise. He didn't even allow a hit until Gregor Blanco's one-out single in the sixth. He struck out three, walked three and allowed three hits.

"He was really happy," Ozuna said.

San Francisco seems to be hounded by unfortunate injuries of late.

Gaudin took a line drive from Derek Dietrich off his elbow, fielded the ball and threw him out for the first out of the fifth inning. Gaudin grimaced as he paced around the mound, then he took a couple practice pitches before coming out.

Gaudin gave up two hits and two walks while striking out one. He was making just his fourth start of the season since entering the rotation for the injured Ryan Vogelsong.

"It didn't hit bone at all, just muscle," Gaudin said. "It's a little sore but there are no breaks or anything. It hurt. It hit square on top of the elbow. It's frustrating but something I can't control. I'll just deal with it."

It also was the second straight game the Marlins had taken out an opposing pitcher. Arizona's Trevor Cahill left in the first inning after a line drive from Ozuna bruised his right hip in Miami's 3-1 loss Wednesday.

The only blemish on Koehler's first victory came when Belt hit a two-out double in the seventh, sliding in safely when right fielder Giancarlo Stanton's throw sailed wide. Arias followed with an RBI triple in the right-center field gap.

Sandy Rosario was taken out after 2 1-3 innings when he walked Justin Ruggiano leading off the eighth. Ozuna later lined a two-out, two-run single to right on an 0-2 count against Affeldt to give the Marlins the lead.

The rookie had never pinch hit in the majors before.

"He's a pretty good pinch hitter," Marlins manager Mike Redmond quipped.

NOTES: The Marlins have won eight in a row at AT&T Park since July 28, 2010. ... Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval, on the disabled list since June 9 with a strained left foot, will join Class-A San Jose on a rehab assignment Friday - a day earlier than originally expected. He will likely join the Giants in Los Angeles on Monday. ... The Giants announced that Joseph Zito, the father of pitcher Barry Zito, died Wednesday in Van Nuys, Calif., at age 84. The cause of death was not disclosed. Zito, who said in a statement his father's death "has presented me with a difficulty I could not predict," was the first pitcher on the field for batting practice Thursday. He will still make his next start Saturday. ... Ozuna, mired in a 1-for-20 slump, wasn't in the starting lineup off for the first time since being called up from Double-A Jacksonville on April 30. ... The Marlins send Ricky Nolasco (4-7, 3.61 ERA) to the mound Friday and the Giants counter with Tim Lincecum (4-7, 4.57 ERA).

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Valuable 'mates

??HBT Daily: O's teammates Chris Davis and Manny Machado lead the early AL MVP race. Who does Craig Calcaterra favor for the award?

Angels mount seven-run rally vs. Felix, M's

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Staring at a seven-run deficit with Seattle's Felix Hernandez on the mound Thursday night, the Los Angeles Angels could have been excused for starting to think about the weekend.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/52271303/ns/sports-baseball/

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Intelligent REIT Insights On Digital Realty From Green Street Advisors

Digital Realty (DLR) has been in the news a lot. The San Francisco-based Data Sector REIT has been the target of a short play that began on May 8th when Highfields Capital made a case that the $9 billion REIT was worth two-thirds less than Mr. Market was claiming. Since that time, Digital shares have traded down by around 15.5% with a recent close of $56.28.

(click to enlarge)

Recently I caught up with Green Street Advisor's Senior Analyst, John Stewart. He is a leading industrial and technology analyst as he has covered the data sector at Green Street and other notable firms including Credit Suisse, Citigroup and Merrill Lynch. Stewart is a member of the CFA Institute and the New York Society of Securities Analysts. He earned his B.S. in Accounting from Oklahoma State University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.

Thomas: John, thanks for your time today. In a recent Seeking Alpha article I explained that the IRS has formed a "working group" to determine whether Iron Mountain's (IRM) record-warehousing model is defined as "real estate" as the agency is examining the business more closely to determine whether or not its "interest in real property" - primarily storage racks - are included (as "real estate"). My first question is related to the racking and specifically, how can Digital's racking system be considered real estate when Iron Mountain's racking systems are being questioned?

Stewart: The biggest distinctions in my mind are that Digital owns the dirt under its buildings, and leases space out to tenants - that's the definition of commercial real estate, as far as I'm concerned. I don't cover Iron Mountain, but it's in the document storage business. It leases, rather than owns, most of the real estate it controls, and it charges customers by the box, rather than the square foot.

Thomas: My second question has to do with Iron Mountain's business model. It seems that the company's "economic moat" is shrinking as the data sector REITs are growing. In other words, what is the future in document storage as the "paper" market share seems to be shrinking while the paperless (or cloud) space appears to be expanding?

Stewart: Again, I don't cover Iron Mountain, and I'm sure there will always be a need to store some important physical documents. On the other hand, there is definitely a trend towards "going paperless" where possible, and we're storing a lot of documents in Evernote these days instead of old-fashioned filing cabinets. It's also fascinating that Iron Mountain is getting into the data center business itself, notably with a large underground facility in a former limestone mine outside of Pittsburgh.

Thomas: Speaking of the cloud, Digital Realty has been under the microscope lately as the hedge fund, Highfields Capital Management, has recently shorted the largest data sector REIT maintaining that the shares should be trading at around $20 per share. Now I have publicly recommended Digital and my target price of $65.50 was justified by the 12.8x P/FFO multiple and consistent and growing dividends paid. What are your thoughts on Digital's current share price of $61.21?

Stewart: We have a published HOLD recommendation on shares of Digital Realty Trust. However, I would point out that Digital maintains a conservative balance sheet, and management has created significant value for shareholders over the company's tenure in the public markets. Buy-and-hold investors certainly have a much more attractive entry point here, than they did before Highfields started rattling cages back in early May, when the stock was trading at over $70/share.

Thomas: Green Street is one of the most outspoken REIT proponents for NAV-based valuations. Can you explain your NAV-based model for Digital Realty and what cap rate are you using and do you feel as there are sufficient comps to support your valuation of Digital?

Stewart: Sure. We essentially apply a "cap rate" to their rental income stream to arrive at our estimate of the value of the real estate they own, which is really no different than applying a multiple to a cash flow stream to arrive at the value of any other business. We currently use a 7.0% cap rate to value Digital's portfolio, and yes, I do believe there are sufficient comps to support our valuation. I think there was a time, early in the sector's life cycle, when data center cap rates were much more art than science, but the sector has really become a mainstream asset class over the past several years, and we do see enough data center comps to feel reasonably comfortable with the cap rate we use to value Digital's portfolio.

Thomas: One of Highfields' arguments has to do with the sustainability of the data sector model. It seems that the data sector REITs are in the infant stages of becoming a dominating REIT sector and with Equinix (EQIX) likely to list REIT shares in 2015, then the sector will be larger than the self-storage or triple-net sectors. How can the "cloud" be shrinking?

Stewart: Well, I don't think the cloud is shrinking. I think what Highfields was trying to say is that competition is increasing, and large tech companies like Google (GOOG) and Amazon (AMZN) are beginning to offer cloud services which will compete with Digital's data center business. I don't think there's any doubt that competition in this business has increased - Digital enjoyed first-mover status, had the field essentially to themselves for the first couple of years, and generated tremendous returns. Those outsized returns did attract competition, however, and several new entrants have moved into the space. On the other hand, I think the cloud services that Google and Amazon provide is a fundamentally different business than Digital's dedicated data center model. I also think demand is strong enough to support both business models.

Thomas: Another Highfields' argument has to do with declining lease rates and negative releasing spreads. Is that a valid argument?

Stewart: It is. Like I said, competition has definitely increased, and that has put downward pressure on rents. As a result, rents that may have been signed at the peak of the market are rolling down today. So, yes, rental rates have declined due to increased competition, and re-leasing spreads on expiring rents have been negative lately. On the other hand - despite the very recent backup in interest rates - it's still a low-return world, and return requirements on all asset classes have come down over the past several years. Consequently, even at today's lower rents, Digital is still able to generate a very healthy (several hundred basis point) spread relative to its cost of capital.

Thomas: It seems that one of the biggest issues that Highfields has questioned (regarding Digital) has to do with the financial accounting and specifically the cap-ex that is being (or not being) reported. Is this more of a transparency issue or an ethical issue? What is it that Highfields is contending?

Stewart: Well, I don't think Highfields necessarily got any of their facts wrong, but I do think they were on a mission to find a "smoking gun" that just wasn't there. Digital's disclosure is highly transparent (take a look at the quarterly Supplemental disclosure package on their website), and I have a high degree of confidence in management's integrity. I think Highfields was insinuating that Digital is cooking the books to defraud investors, and I just don't think that's the case.

Thomas: Digital appears to have a well-supported dividend that increased to $3.12 per share or 6.8% over 2012. The company has produced 15.3% compounded annual dividend growth since 2005 and its dividend policy (pay out a minimum of 100% of taxable income and <90% payout ratio) is sound. The first quarter (Q1-13) payout ratio was 84.1%. In your opinion, is Digital's dividend record sustainable?

Stewart: Yes. We believe Digital's dividend is well-covered and sustainable.

Thomas: Finally, I have spoken with Michael Foust and I have listened to several earnings calls. He appears to be a very experienced CEO and his leadership strategies seem to be well-aligned with shareholders and investors. It is interesting, however, that some investors have questioned his slow response to the Highfields short. I don't think Foust made a public statement regarding the Highfields' attack until I met you at the NAREIT REIT Week conference. Do you think he should have responded earlier?

Stewart: I'm not really sure what else he could have done. Keep in mind that Highfields has never published their presentation, they just made their remarks to a closed investor conference, so there was never any direct challenge to refute. You also can't control what other market participants are going to do. Some people are going to buy your stock, and some are going to sell. The best course of action, in my view, is to let actions speak louder than words, and prove the naysayers wrong by consistent execution. I think Digital is off to a great start on that front, as evidenced by the immediate stock price reaction following the well-received property tour and investor presentation at NAREIT.

Thomas: John, thank you for your time. Greatly appreciated.

Green Street Advisors, which started in 1985, is the leading independent research firm specializing in REITs, covering 83 North American real-estate companies and 29 in Europe. The firm employs more than 30 dedicated research professionals in the US and Europe, much more than other sell-side shops. Green Street's hallmark is its independence. The firm does not engage in investment banking or consulting projects for companies in its coverage universe. Of particular note is its excellent track record: the firm's Buy recommendations have returned 25% annually since 1993, versus 12% for all companies it covers and 0% for its Sells.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/1513932-intelligent-reit-insights-on-digital-realty-from-green-street-advisors?source=feed

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