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Audi's Tom Kristensen won the Le Mans 24 Hours for a record ninth time on Sunday in a victory dedicated to fellow-Dane Allan Simonsen, the friend whose death cast a pall over the race's 90th anniversary. _0"> With Danish flags at half-mast over the podium, a standing ovation was held before the victory ceremony in memory of the Aston Martin driver who died after crashing only minutes into the race on Saturday. Kristensen, Denmark's greatest racing driver, told the crowd he had intended to pay tribute to his father but the first race fatality in 27 years at the Sarthe circuit had forced a change of plan. "He can wait for the next victory of mine," he said, voice laden with fatigue and emotion after the final stint to the chequered flag. "This victory today I dedicate to Allan Simonsen, a great fellow Dane." The muted win, after a race littered with safety car periods on a wet weekend in western France before the sun came out at the finish, w

South Africa's Ernie Els held off final round challenges from Thomas Bjorn and Alexander Levy to seal a one-shot start to finish victory at the BMW International Open in Munich on Sunday. _0"> The British Open champion led the field from the opening round and started Sunday tied with France's Levy and Sweden's Alex Noren. The 43-year-old's lead slipped during the final round to both Denmark's Bjorn and tour rookie Levy, but his third consecutive card of three-under par 69 was enough for an 18-under par total, following his stunning 63 on the opening day.   "I just felt good this week," Els told the europeantour.com website. "I just felt my game was there and lucky enough it was one shot good enough. "I really had it going and then I made it tough for myself again. Thomas was playing great, he stumbled on 14, I was watching the kid - I played with him yesterday and he looked like he had a great game - but he stumbled as well on the

Police sorted through bags of items retrieved from the home of New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez on Sunday amid a deepening investigation into last week's shooting death of a 27-year-old man. Hernandez, 23, a tight end and rising star in the National Football League, is at the center of an investigation into the death of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player for the Boston Bandits. Lloyd's body was discovered on Monday in an industrial park about a mile from Hernandez's home in North Attleborough, some 40 miles south of Boston, near Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots play. Investigators searched Hernandez's house for nearly four hours on Saturday, removing several bags of material. A law enforcement official with knowledge of the case said on Sunday that police investigators were now busy examining the items, but he declined to give details.   Hernandez has not spoken publicly about the case, and his agent and lawyer have repeatedly

A decade on from his debut grand slam success, Roger Federer will begin 'Mega Monday' at Wimbledon as the defending champion, the holder of a record 17 grand slam titles and in pursuit of an unprecedented eighth trophy at the All England Club. What was clear from the reaction of the public on Sunday was that 10 years on from lifting the gilded, pineapple-topped Challenge Cup for the first time, Federer has not lost any of the magic that makes him a fan favourite no matter where he plays.   After the Swiss knocked around a few balls on the practice courts tucked away in a corner of Wimbledon's vast grounds, he sat down with Reuters to talk about the desire to prolong his career, the fact he feels safe on court despite recent security concerns and the influence of Nelson Mandela. REUTERS: In all your years at Wimbledon, this is the first time that you will have to potentially beat three top-five players to win since Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray are both in your half of the

Russia won the European team championships for the third year running on Sunday thanks to a flurry of points in the final three events. _0"> They finished the two-day competition in Gateshead, north east England, on 354.5 points, with Germany (347.5) second and Britain (338) third. After 37 of the 40 events, Germany held the lead but just three points separated the top three. Dmitriy Tarabin's personal best throw of 85.99 metres for victory in the javelin put the defending champions back in front.   Second place in the men's 4x400 metres relay behind home favourites Britain secured the title for Russia after Germany could only manage to cross the line in fourth. Mariya Kuchina sweetened victory for the Russians by winning the women's high jump, which had been moved indoors due to the rainy weather, with a personal best of 1.98 metres. The bottom three countries, Belarus, Greece and Norway were relegated and will be replaced next year by the Czech Republic,

American shot putter Adam Nelson took a victory lap for his 2004 Olympic gold medal on Sunday nine years after the Athens Games. _0"> The 37-year-old Nelson, now retired, was elevated to the gold medal in May after original winner Yuriy Bilonog of Ukraine was stripped of the win for a doping violation following the retesting of his 2004 sample. "Hopefully the message here is it does pay to do it the right way," Nelson said after receiving a wreath and flowers and the playing of the U.S. anthem as he stood on the U.S. championships podium at Des Moines, Iowa.   "It may not pay right away, but over the long term, you have always got your integrity and eventually that will pay off," he said with his wife and two daughters at his side. A total of five Athens medallists have had their results annulled since last year when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) target-tested some 100 samples using more modern methods. The IOC stores samples for eight yea

Tyson Gay rocketed to the year's fastest 200 meters, clocking 19.74 seconds at the U.S. trials on Sunday to set up a double sprint clash with Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt at August's world championships. _0"> The big win by Gay came two days after he ran a world-leading 9.75 seconds to win the 100 meters at the U.S. meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. Collegian Isiah Young took second place in the 200 at 19.86 with Curtis Mitchell third at 19.99.   The victory ensured Bolt and Gay, barring injury, will be in both the 100 and 200 meters at the August 10-18 championships in Moscow. Bolt won the 100 at the Jamaican championships in Kingston this weekend. He has a wild card bye in the 200 meters. Collegiate champion Kimberlyn Duncan upset Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix in the women's 200. Duncan clocked a wind-assisted 21.80 seconds with Felix finishing second in 21.85. Jeneba Tarmoh took third. (Editing by Larry Fine)

Chris Stroud chipped in from behind the green at the 18th hole to force a sudden-death playoff with Tour veteran Ken Duke at the Travelers Championship on Sunday in Cromwell, Connecticut. _0"> Stroud's spectacular chip-pin capped a three-under-par 67, while the 44-year-old Duke shot 66 for his 12-under-par 268 total. Both Stroud and fellow American Duke were going for their first career PGA Tour wins as they headed back to the 18th tee at the TPC River Highlands course to begin the playoff.   (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Mark Meadows)

Women Electrocuted by the Apple iPhone is getting investigated by the apple inc official to understand what actually caused the death of 23 year-old women. A woman electrocuted by an iPhone has died in China and Apple is now investigating the claims -- and potentially the cause. On July 15, the Los Angeles Times reported that a 23-year-old woman was talking on her phone while it was charging and she got electrocuted. The woman has been identified as Ma Ailun, a China Southern Airlines flight attendant. The accident occurred last Thursday. "We are deeply saddened to learn of this tragic incident and offer our condolences to the Ma family. We will fully investigate and cooperate with authorities in this matter," Apple said (via the Los Angeles Times). Getting electrocuted by an iPhone has been a concern for many people especially after random reports of people's iPhone's "blowing up" while on charge surfaced online over the past year or so. Some believed that

Tour veteran Ken Duke beat fellow American Chris Stroud with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Travelers Championship on Sunday to notch his first PGA victory at the age of 44. _0"> After they both parred the 18th in the first hole of sudden-death, they returned to the 18th tee. This time Duke knocked his approach inside three feet and sank the winning birdie putt after Stroud's long birdie try trickled by the hole.   Both players finished the regulation 72 holes in 12 under par at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, with Duke firing a four-under 66 and Stroud chipping in at the last to post a 67 and force the playoff. Graham DeLaet of Canada finished one stroke out of the playoff on 11-under-par 269 after shooting 69. Another stroke back was 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson, who relinquished the lead with a triple-bogey six on the par-three 16th after finding the water fronting the green with his tee shot. (Reporting by Lar

Ken Duke notched his first career PGA Tour title in his 187th start by beating Chris Stroud with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Travelers Championship on Sunday. _0"> The 44-year-old became the oldest first-time winner in 18 years when he claimed victory by sinking a two-foot birdie putt after fellow American Stroud's long birdie try trickled just past the hole on the 18th green. "Worked hard," said Duke, who had been a runner-up three times on the tour.   "I knocked on the door a lot and here we are." Both players parred the 18th in the first hole of sudden-death before returning to the 18th tee for what turned out to be the decider at the TPC River Highlands course. Duke became the oldest first-time winner on the tour since Ed Dougherty, who was 47 when he won the 1995 Deposit Guaranty Classic. Stroud forced the playoff by chipping in from across the green for birdie after sending his approach shot long after b

With the finish line of a punishing two month playoff marathon in sight, the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks could end the Stanley Cup Finals without their top players as the grind of four best-of-seven series takes its toll. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, the leading scorer in the Finals, never saw the ice during the third period of Chicago's Game Five 3-1 win over Boston on Saturday after going down with injuries. The Blackhawks walked away from the wreckage with a 3-2 series lead and can clinch the Stanley Cup with a Game Six win in Boston on Monday but they may have to finish the job without Toews, their leader and talisman.   Both coaches remained tight-lipped on Sunday about the status of their players, leaving the rumor mill to speculate on the nature of the injuries. In the National Hockey League teams treat injuries like state secrets and they fall into two categories, upper or lower body. Toews's injury appears to be

Roger Federer began the defense of his Wimbledon title by breezing to a straight sets victory over Romanian Victor Hanescu on the opening Centre Court match of the championships on Monday. The third-seeded Swiss barely broke sweat in demolishing his 48th-ranked opponent 6-3 6-2 6-0 with the final set taking only 17 minutes.   On a chilly afternoon Federer strolled serenely around the lush court and was never remotely troubled in a match lasting only 68 minutes. "I've won it (Wimbledon) a few times now but it still feels special," Federer told the BBC. "I still enjoy myself in the first round and it's a pleasure playing on Centre Court again this year. I thought it was a good first round for me. I'm very happy, conditions are pretty cold but it releases some of the pressure now." Hanescu lost his opening service game and was 3-0 down within six minutes as Federer showcased his broad armory of attacking shots. His serve regularly found the lines, w

Dubbed as Mega Monday, the first day of Wimbledon bursts into life later with defending champion Roger Federer, home crowd favorite Andy Murray and women's contender Maria Sharapova all in action on Centre Court. _0"> Seven-time Wimbledon winner Federer begins his tournament against Victor Hanescu of Romania at 1200 GMT (8 a.m. EDT), while Russia's Sharapova takes on Kristina Mladenovic straight after. Eyes will then focus on last year's runner-up Murray, who begins his search for an elusive Wimbledon crown in a tie with Germany's Benjamin Becker. Other showcourt feature matches include Rafa Nadal, who has his first round match against Steve Darcis on Court One, while French powerhouse Jo-Wilfried Tsonga plays Belgian David Goffin on Court Two.   In the women's singles, world number two Victoria Azarenka meets Maria Joao Koehler and Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki is up against Spain's Estrella Cabeza Candela on Court Three. (Reporting By Mark Pa

Olympic bronze medalist Warren Weir ran a scorching 19.79 seconds to win the 200 meters on the final day of the Jamaican trials in the joint 14th fastest time ever on Sunday. On a day that Tyson Gay clocked 19.74 to win the American title, Weir covered the entire field by 90 meters and powered away before shutting down in the last 10 meters and slapping his chest in an echo of Usain Bolt at the Beijing Olympics . "Excellent race," Weir, 23, told Reuters. "London was not a fluke and this was a simple statement of things to come in Russia because I'm feeling powerful."   The trials will decide the Jamaican team for the August 10-18 world championships in Moscow. Double Olympic 100 meters champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce secured her second straight national title in the half-lap sprint in a season's best 22.13. Veronica Campbell-Brown, who is facing an anti-doping hearing for using a banned diuretic at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 4, ha

The Detroit Tigers took full advantage of a pair of late Boston errors as they topped the Red Sox 7-5 on Sunday in a battle of two first-place teams. _0"> With the game tied 4-4 in the eighth inning, Boston outfielder Daniel Nava dropped a fly ball before reliever Andrew Miller made an errant throw that led to Detroit's go-ahead rally.   Prince Fielder delivered a two-run single and the Tigers scored three runs in the critical eighth to key their victory and give them a four-game lead atop the American League Central. Despite the defeat, the Red Sox (45-33) remained two games in front of Baltimore (42-34) in the AL East. The Orioles had a chance to gain some ground, but they ran into the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays, who routed them 13-5 for a team record-equaling 11th straight win. Toronto buried Baltimore early by building a 9-0 lead through three innings and cruised in the finale of a three-game home sweep. Edwin Encarnacion hit his 21st home run and finished with t

South African athletes will head to the world championships in Moscow as planned, despite the country's Olympic committee cutting ties with Athletics South Africa (ASA) on Sunday. The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) took the decision to suspend ASA's membership as they claim president James Evans axed seven members of his own board unconstitutionally after he was impeached over alleged, and as yet unproven, financial irregularities.   The IAAF have sided with ASA on the matter though and that means South Africa's top athletes, including former Olympic long jump silver medalist Khotso Mokoena and javelin star Sunette Viljoen, will be able to compete in Moscow in August. "We will still be taking athletes to Russia , the decision of SASCOC has no impact on that at all," Evans told Reuters on Monday. "They have never funded us specifically, hopefully this just means they will now leave us alone." However, SASCOC have

The European Space Agency is preparing to launch an experimental reusable spaceship next summer following a successful atmospheric test flight this week, officials said at the Paris Airshow. A mock-up built by Thales Alenia Space was dropped from a helicopter flying 1.9 miles above the Mediterranean near Sardinia on Wednesday to check its handling and parachute system, company officials said. The 14.4 foot long (4.4 meter) craft, known as "IXV" as it is an intermediate experimental vehicle, splashed down in the ocean and was retrieved by an awaiting ship.   The test flight clears IXV for a follow-on demonstration run beyond the Earth's atmosphere in August next year. That program, in turn, paves the way for an orbital prototype dubbed "Pride", slated to launch in 2018. The aim is to help Europe develop an autonomous atmospheric re-entry system that could be used on vehicles flying experiments in space, Roberto Provera, director of space transportation prog

In deciding how to exhibit the space shuttle Atlantis, which goes on display next week, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida opted for a perspective that would allow the public a rare view. "One of the ideas that developed very early was to show the orbiter as only astronauts had seen it - in space," said Bill Moore, chief operating officer with Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts, which operates the visitors center for NASA at Cape Canaveral.   The developers of the exhibit raised the 150,000-pound (68,000-kg) spaceship 30 feet into the air and tilted it 43 degrees over on its left side, simulating the vehicle in flight. The shuttle's 60-foot-long cargo bay doors were also opened, a gutsy move since the 2.5-ton panels were designed for the weightless environment of space, and a mock-up robotic arm was added - the real one could not support its weight in Earth's gravity. Then a viewing ramp was built to bring visitors almost within arm'

Plants do complex arithmetic calculations to make sure they have enough food to get them through the night, new research published in journal eLife shows. _0"> Scientists at Britain's John Innes Centre said plants adjust their rate of starch consumption to prevent starvation during the night when they are unable to feed themselves with energy from the sun.   They can even compensate for an unexpected early night. "This is the first concrete example in a fundamental biological process of such a sophisticated arithmetic calculation," mathematical modeler Martin Howard of John Innes Centre (JIC) said. During the night, mechanisms inside the leaf measure the size of the starch store and estimate the length of time until dawn. Information about time comes from an internal clock, similar to the human body clock. "The capacity to perform arithmetic calculation is vital for plant growth and productivity," JIC metabolic biologist Alison Smith said. "

Federal agents on the U.S.-Mexican border would double to about 40,000 under a deal reached on Thursday in the Democratic-led Senate to draw more Republicans to a landmark immigration bill headed toward anticipated passage. Some questioned the costs and benefits of up to $50 billion in the extra border security, which also will include high-tech surveillance equipment such as manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, radar and seismic devices.   But concerns were overshadowed by the deal's main goal: win votes for an overhaul of U.S. immigration law that will open a pathway to citizenship for up to 11 million undocumented immigrants. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid was expected to set a test vote for as early as Monday in a bid to have the deal added to the White House-backed bill in the form of an amendment. A senior Democratic aide predicted the amendment would get upward of 60 votes in the 100-member chamber, more than enough to clear any procedural roadblocks. A vote on p

Twelve of the 14 judges who have served this year on the most secret court in America are Republicans and half are former prosecutors. One is a former director of the Illinois State Police. Another helped direct the White House war on drugs. One served as a prosecutor in the Whitewater case involving the Clintons' real estate investments. Another forced President Bill Clinton to testify during the same scandal. But judges of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, drawn from regular trial courts across the country, also have issued orders in public cases that belie their conservative, law-enforcement roots, sometimes ruling against the government in terrorism-related cases.   Years after the drug official - Reggie Walton - left George W. Bush's White House, he sentenced Scooter Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, to 30 months in prison for perjury. And years after Bush appointed the Whitewater prosecutor - John Bates - to the federal bench, he decl

Call them Obamacare's army. From the chief actuary at the California health insurance exchange that President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law established to the legions of call center staffers who will help people trying to buy insurance through such state exchanges, the number of people working to implement "Obamacare" has reached the tens of thousands, a Reuters analysis has found.   No one said that overhauling healthcare, which accounts for 17 percent of all national spending, was going to happen with a skeleton crew. State offices that will run insurance exchanges are hiring tens of thousands, either on staff or through outsourcing firms. Federal agencies that are key to implementing the law, such as the Internal Revenue Service, plan to hire thousands more, and private non-profit groups backed by the White House are dispatching thousands of newly hired staffers and volunteers into the field. The number of such workers, obtained through documents and i

President Barack Obama on Friday appointed Caroline Atkinson, a former journalist who has worked at the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Bank of England, to be deputy national security adviser for international economics. _0"> Atkinson will take the position vacated by Michael Froman, who became the U.S. trade representative. She will serve as the president's senior international economic adviser, the White House said in a statement.   Atkinson is currently special assistant to the president on international economic affairs, a job she took in August 2011. She has played a key role in the administration's response to the European economic crisis and in U.S. interactions at Group of Eight and Group of 20 summits of industrialized nations and emerging market economies, the White House said. "Caroline is respected around the world for her understanding of how the global economy works, her tireless efforts to promote strong, balanc

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has expressed regret to an Indian-born college professor for jokingly asking, "you're not a member of the Taliban, are you?" seconds before the professor rose to ask a question. _0"> Hagel's spokesman said the joke was not directed at anyone in particular, and the defense secretary called the professor, Robin Gandhi, to tell him as much hours after the Wednesday event at the University of Nebraska, where Hagel gave a speech and took questions from the audience.   Still, the remarks have drawn considerable media attention, particularly given the announcement this week that the United States and the Taliban intend to hold talks after nearly 12 years of war in Afghanistan . Hagel "expressed regret for any trouble that this caused the professor," spokesman George Little told reporters. "They had a very good discussion and (Hagel) wanted to leave no impression that this joke was directed at anyone in particula