"Mr. Randy Travis has been under heavy sedation since he came out of surgery late Wednesday night, July 10th, and is resting comfortably. He is still in critical condition," Travis' publicist Kirt Webster said in a statement.

Travis, 54, underwent a procedure to relieve pressure on the brain at the Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, located north of Dallas, on Wednesday. He had been admitted to hospital last week for a heart condition caused by a virus.

A six-time Grammy award winner known for hits such as "Forever and Ever, Amen" and "Three Wooden Crosses," Travis has received an outpouring of support from country music stars and his fans.

Webster said Travis' family continued to ask for prayers and support as he recovers.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Though Secretary of State John Kerry traveled back to Washington, D.C., from Boston, where he was at the side of his ill wife Teresa Heinz Kerry, to open a dialogue conference between U.S. and Chinese leaders, it was clear that his thoughts were with home. The secretary grew emotional as he spoke about her condition at the top of his remarks.

"I just want to thank everyone for your extraordinary well wishes in the last days. Teresa is doing better under evaluation, and we hope improving," said Kerry taking a pause, his voice breaking.

"I want to thank everyone for the remarkable outpouring of good wishes. It's been really special. We are very, very humbled by the expressions of support, I think she's coming along and I know when she's able to, she'll thank everyone herself," he said

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, who was in attendance at the event, along with Vice President Joe Biden, told Kerry during his remarks that he wishes Mrs. Heinz Kerry a "speedy recovery."

Teresa Heinz Kerry has been hospitalized since last weekend, after her family witnessed her having "seizure-like" symptoms while vacationing with Secretary Kerry in Nantucket. After being hospitalized first on the island, Heinz Kerry was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston late Sunday for further treatment. Doctors have since ruled out several serious causes of her illness such as a heart attack, stroke, or a brain tumor, family spokesman Glen Johnson said in a statement on Tuesday.

She remains in "fair" condition and "the family does not anticipate making any further statements until Mrs. Heinz Kerry is discharged from the hospital," Johnson said.

On Wednesday State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki confirmed to reporters that Secretary Kerry is headed back to Boston and will not participate in the remaining sessions of the U.S.-China Strategic -Economic Dialogue, taking place over the next two days. Deputy Secretary Bill Burns will attend in his place. The Secretary does plan to attend a routine meeting with President Obama and Vice President Biden before leaving Washington, Psaki said. She had no further updates on Kerry's immediate schedule.

Ernie Els climbed out of the back seat holding the shiny claret jug he won last year at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, and he promptly handed it over to Royal & Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson.

"Thank you," Dawson told him. "You've been a great champion."

Now it's up to the 43-year-old South African to reclaim the silver prize, and that doesn't figure to be easy.

Els won last month in Germany. He won the last time the Open was played at Muirfield in 2002. He has more top 10s in the British Open than any other major. But he has this piece of history working against him the last major champion in his 40s to successfully defend his title was Old Tom Morris, and that was 151 years ago.

The Big Easy is not a betting man, but he was asked to pick someone to wager a pound on at Muirfield.

"I'd have to look at the odds, wouldn't I?" he said, trying to buy time. "Maybe a long shot. I like to go for the long shots."

That's what he might have been considered last year at Royal Lytham. He was winless on a major tour in two years, failed to qualify for the Masters for the first time in nearly two decades and was No. 40 in the world. But he was close to flawless on the back nine and was the recipient of a shocking collapse by Adam Scott, who made bogey on his last four holes to finish one shot behind.

Back to the wager. He was asked who should be considered in the pole position.

"To name one, I'm going to have to name 20," Els said. "That's how close it is. I don't know. A guy who likes the layout. A guy who likes the bounces. I'm not sure."

That was a good start.

There is nothing like links golf, with its humps and mounds along the fairways, a landscape framed by tall grass and dotted with pot bunkers. It can be played in the air when the grass is green during wet summers, or played on the ground when the course is crusty and yellow, which is the case this year at Muirfield.

Els remembers his first experience with links golf, and he loved it right away.

"The sound is different. The divot into the fairways are different. The whole experience is different than anything else around the world," Els said. "So it's something you're either going to really like or you're not going to like. I was fortunate enough that I really fell in love with it."

A long shot?

Maybe someone like Jordan Spieth, the 19-year-old Texan who was headed toward another top finish on the PGA Tour until he holed a bunker shot for birdie on the last hole at the John Deere Classic, got into a playoff when Zach Johnson made bogey on the 18th, and won on the fifth extra hole. Next thing he knew, Spieth was on a charter flight to Scotland for his first British Open. He has experience with links golf, having played the Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen in 2011.

And for those who believe experience is required, Ben Curtis won in 2003 in his first major championship, let alone his first time playing links golf. Curtis reunited this week with Andy Sutton, the local caddie he hired at Royal St. George's. Sutton was told of an American player looking for a caddie 10 years ago and had never heard of Curtis. Not to worry. A lot of Americans had never heard of him, either.

Tiger Woods is always a favorite, and he has the best odds this week, even though he hasn't won the claret jug since Hoylake in 2006.

Els is well aware of the quality of champions Muirfield tends to produce, from Harry Vardon and James Braid to Walter Hagen and Henry Cotton, from Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player to Lee Trevino and Tom Watson, along with Nick Faldo and Els.

And yes, he believes the course has something to do with that.

"It's just a wonderful design," Els said. "The par 3s are unbelievable. The par 5s have been changed a little bit they're longer. Each and every hole is a little bit different. There's left-to-right, right-to-left, and it all happens out there. Every links shot that you can imagine, you're going to play it this week."

Els returned to Muirfield a few weeks ago, and he played a quiet nine holes Sunday evening. He remembers much about Muirfield, a course where he tied for fifth in his professional debut in 1992 and won a decade later. And there are some shots he is trying to forget, such as the double bogey on the 16th hole that nearly cost him a chance at having his name on that claret jug.

Els had to make birdie on the par-5 17th and close with a par just to get into a four-man playoff over four holes, and he won in the first sudden-death moment in Open history over Thomas Levet on the fifth hole. Even then, Els hit into a bunker on the 18th and had to save par for the win.

He certainly is not ruling himself out this week, not after the victory in Germany and his tie for fourth in the U.S. Open. Els might not win as much as he used to, but he plays the hard courses well. And with a forecast for dry weather and strong wind, this might be hard.

The claret jug is the oldest trophy in golf, first awarded in 1873. Els took it around the world over the last year, as he did after winning in 2002. The jug stayed outside London the last two weeks, cleaned and buffed so it was shiny when he handed it back to the R&A.

[More from BGR: ]

Giving something exclusive or unique has been more of an incentive to support the devices in market, Harlow said in an interview with AllThingsD.

[More from BGR: ]

The executive also acknowledged the downsides of exclusive partnerships, however, but she noted that while devices may not be available to consumers on their preferred network, Nokia doesnt plan on changing its current strategy anytime soon. The company will instead focus on rapidly introduced new models.

Thewill bewith a new two-year agreement.

This article was

The findings indicate that as the ancestors to modernevolved, anatomical changes significantly lagged behind habitat and behavioral adaptations, said Adrian Lister, a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in London, England.

"It only makes sense that behavior is a powerful driver of evolution, and that by taking the behavioral step to eat grass, it imposes the selection pressure for the right kind of teeth," Lister told LiveScience. "The idea has been around for around 100 years, but there have been few demonstrated examples. This is the first example from the fossil record."

About 10 million years ago, during a time period known as the Miocene epoch, the east African climate became dryer and cooler, prompting the gradual spread of grasslands over areas that were once heavily forested. []

"What we find with a lot of mammal groups is that some species switched their diets," Lister said. "During this time, the earliest true elephants went from what we describe as 'browsers,' which eat mostly leaves from trees and shrubs, to what we call 'grazers,' which mostly eat grass."

Lister used data that looked for specificof ancient elephants in east Africa. As animals' teeth grow and form, chemical traces of food and water become locked into the enamel, which enable paleontologists to determine the diets of extinct animals.

By studying these fossilized teeth, Lister noticed that the change in feeding behavior occurred about 7 million years ago, which is about 3 million years before corresponding anatomical changes evident in the structure and shape of the teeth can be found in the fossil record.

Since grass is tougher to eat than leafy greens,tend to have higher-crowned teeth with more enamel ridges, Lister said. This is because grazers tend to pick up more grit from the soil, which can wear teeth down

"We don't see this change in crown height until about 4 million years ago, so there's a lag of several million years," Lister said. "Even with the wrong teeth for it, by starting to eat grass as food, these animals were imposing a lot of selective pressure. But, it required the behavioral change first."

While Lister is still unsure why the gap between the behavioral and anatomical changes is so great, he hopes future studies will be able to unearth more clues.

"The reason for the lag is not completely and satisfactorily explained," Lister said. "What I was hoping to do with this paper is show the kind of data that we can put together to answer these types of questions. We can see whether behaviors drive the , which, in my opinion, has been sidelined in evolutionary biology. Now, because we have the means to look at it directly in the fossil record, we can try looking for it."

Detailed results of the study were published online today (June 26) in the journal Nature.

Follow Denise Chow on Twitter . Follow LiveScience , & . Original article on.

And he did it at a high level.

"I always said I'd go right until the tank was empty," he said. "And, I believe I did."

Chelios and fellow defensemen Scott Niedermayer along with forward Brendan Shanahan found out Tuesday they will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.

Only Hall of Famer Gordie Howe was an older NHL player than Chelios, the only player in league history to play in at least 400 games with three different teams. His career ended with the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2009-10 season when he was 48.

"I was part of an era, Chris was part of a few," Niedermayer joked.

Chelios, Niedermayer and Shanahan will be joined in the 2013 class by Geraldine Heaney, the third woman to be enshrined in the hall, and coach Fred Shero, who led the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup in 1974 and '75. He was selected posthumously in the builder category.

"There's no sense looking back as to why it didn't happen sooner, because today's a happy day to celebrate the fact that a guy that deserves it immensely has finally been elected to the Hall of Fame," Flyers chairman Ed Snider said.

Chelios and Niedermayer earned hockey's biggest individual honor in their first year of eligibility, and Shanahan got in on his second shot.

New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello raved about all three players, each of whom he had a connection to during their careers.

"Scott was an integral part of our success in New Jersey, not just on the ice, but off the ice," Lamoriello said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

"Shanahan was a part of my first draft back in 1987 and he went on to establish himself as one of the best, all-time power forwards in the history of the game. Chelios, who I was with in the 1996 World Cup and the Olympics, is one of the best success stories for an American hockey player."

Shanahan was a teammate of Chelios' in Detroit, and played with Niedermayer during the Olympics in 2002 when Canada won gold by beating Chelios and the Americans in Salt Lake City.

"When you got to play with them, it was a thrill," Shanahan said. "I spent some years playing with Cheli, and there's not another guy that you would want to go into a tough situation looking out for you.

"It absolutely makes it more special to go in with people I not only played against, but played with and got to know well."

Shanahan and Niedermayer are members of what's known as the Triple Gold Club, a group of players who have won the worlds, the Olympics and a Stanley Cup.

Each player is still working in the sport. Chelios is an adviser to hockey operations in Detroit. Niedermayer is an assistant coach in Anaheim. Shanahan is the NHL senior vice president of player safety.

Niedermayer won four Stanley Cups in 17 full NHL seasons to go along with a Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy. He played for the New Jersey Devils from 1991-92 through the 2003-04 season and finished his career in Anaheim in 2010.

Among the game's best U.S.-born players, Chelios won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman three times.

The Chicagoan split much of his career with three storied franchises in Montreal, Chicago and Detroit and was asked which team he will be affiliated when he is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"U.S.A.," he said.

Shanahan finished his career with 656 goals and 698 assists. He won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, an Olympic gold medal and was the quintessential scoring power winger of his era.

Shanahan started his career with the Devils, went on to play in St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit and for the New York Rangers before ending his playing career back in New Jersey.

Heaney was a defenseman on Canada's gold-medal-winning team at the 2002 Olympics and is considered one of the best female players in history.

"As a young girl playing hockey, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be going into the hall," she said.

___

Follow Larry Lage on Twitter: http://twitter.com/larrylage

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Writer-director Pedro Almodovar's "I'm So Excited" was the top-grossing independent movie this weekend, taking in $103,000 from just five screens for Sony Pictures Classics.

That's a $20,600 per-screen average - better than any movie in the marketplace - for Almodovar's latest, a comedy that takes place mainly on an airplane.

That's good, but not as strong as the opening for his last film, "The Skin I Live In," which averaged $37,187 at five theaters. It went on to take in $3 million in North America, and $30 million worldwide.

Javier Camara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Duenas and Raul Arevalo star in "I'm So Excited," while Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and Paz Vega make cameo appearances.

Also debuting was IFC Films' "Byzantium," a thriller directed by Neil Jordan. It brought in $18,000 from six theaters across the country, a $3,000 per location average. Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton star in the supernatural tale of two mysterious women who seek shelter at a small-town resort.

Tribeca Films opened Adrian Grenier's documentary "How to Make Money Selling Drugs" in five cities this weekend and it took in $10,500 for a $6,071 per-theater average. It debuted earlier this month on iTunes and Demand, and on Wednesday at the IFC Center in New York.

Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions rolled out "Redemption," starring Jason Statham, on 19 screens and it took in $18,221, a $959 per-screen average. That's soft, but the film debuted on video-on-demand and digital platforms at the same time. It was the No. 3 movie - and top action film - on iTunes over the weekend.

Joss Whedon Shakespeare update "Much Ado About Nothing" took in $589,500 from 217 theaters in its second week for the same two companies. That's a 2,715 per-theater average for the film, which taken in a total of $2.1 million.

Later on, Dave called and said he was going to come back to do some other things that needed attention. I told him he was not welcome in my house and that I'm furious he would do such a thing. He apologized and said he hoped I could forgive him.

I am so angry! I no longer want to be in his company. I also don't like that I have to keep his behavior a secret from my sister. I haven't told anyone, and it is keeping me up nights. Please help. -- FUMING IN FLORIDA

DEAR FUMING: Your mistake was in not setting your amorous brother-in-law straight the first time he made a pass at you. Because you didn't, he thought his advances were welcome.

Now that you have made plain to him that you're not interested, you will probably have nothing more to worry about. But you are wise not to have him over unless your sister is with him.

I don't blame you for being angry, but do nothing until you cool off. The question then will be whether to tell Sis that her husband behaves inappropriately and how you know.

DEAR ABBY: I recently moved back to my home state and in with my grandmother to get away from my abusive husband. I have also filed for divorce. I love my grandmother dearly, but when it comes to the divorce or the therapy I go to weekly, she is not understanding and constantly brings up what he did to me.

I believe she's frustrated because I'm in therapy and she doesn't see a reason for me to go. She thinks "if it's not talked about, then it never happened." I have tried to explain to her that I can't just let go of what he did to me and my son. How can I make her understand that I'm trying to heal wounds that aren't visible from the outside? -- TRYING TO HEAL ON THE INSIDE

DEAR TRYING TO HEAL: Your grandmother may come from a generation in which therapy was something to be ashamed of. A way to help her understand the importance of what you are doing would be to invite her to a session with your therapist, let her air her concerns, and let the therapist explain to her why it is important that you work this through to become healthy again. This must be very uncomfortable for you, and you have my sympathy.

DEAR ABBY: I'm a teenage girl living with my mom, who is a single parent, and my younger sister. We have struggled financially, but we mostly live a relatively comfortable life, and Mom owns her own home.

However, she constantly says things to me and my sister like, "We're so poor," or, "We're going to live under a bridge," even in public! We have asked her to stop several times, but she doesn't care that we are upset and embarrassed. How can I get her to stop? -- EMBARRASSED IN THE SOUTH

DEAR EMBARRASSED: Rather than ask her to stop, don't you think you should approach her privately and ask why she is saying it? She may be joking, but her concerns could also be a holdover from when her financial situation was less secure. Please do it. Her response might be educational.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby ator P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Good advice for everyone -- teens to seniors -- is in "The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It." To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

RELATED:

What's at issue are paycheck cards, essentially debit cards that are refilled by some employers each pay period.at the recent growth in use of the cards on its front page Monday. It's understandable that the cards would become more common — for two of the three parties involved, they're a pretty good deal. Employers can save on processing fees when distributing salaries. Banks make up a lot of the small fees that were targeted after the recession. The problem is that those small fees add up for the third participant, the employee. And those employees don't have any choice.

“It’s pretty bad,” he said. “There’s a fee for literally everything you do.”

The Times articulates some of the fees assessed by a company called NetSpend: "$2.25 for out-of-network A.T.M. withdrawals, 50 cents for balance inquiries via a representative, 50 cents for a purchase using the card, $5 for statement reprints, $10 to close an account, $25 for a balance-protection program and $7.50 after 60 days of inactivity." For the employer, it's all savings.lets you calculate how much a business can save by moving your employees over to the cards. If you have 50 employees paid weekly, you could save $4,300 a year.

RELATED:

The key context comes from Bintou Kamara, who works a retail job in New York and pays $1.50 to transfer from her work card to her bank account. "I just make such little money that it seems like a lot to pay just to get access to it." Which gets back to our first point. If you make $7.25 an hour, paying $40 a month in fees just to get access to your salary is 3.45 percent of everything you earn. Forty dollars may not seem like a lot to you, but it is to Kamara and Yates.

RELATED:

The Times also ran stories this weekend aboutand themassive payouts to fired executives. We took four examples of people making more than minimum wage and calculated how much those fees would be if they reflected the same percentage of their salaries.

RELATED:

* This isn't a direct analogy. James Mulva , which isn't a salary. But for illustrative purposes, it's interesting.

RELATED:

The amount some of these low-wage workers pay in fees each month would be like Larry Ellison paying over $275,000 to his bank. It's as if Barack Obama had to pay eight dollars every time he used his work-issued debit card.

We can do the comparison one better. Enter your salary below (we don't store this info or anything, of course) and see how much you'd be paying in fees and costs if you paid at the same rate as the paycheck card employees.

Enter your salary: Earned: HourlyAnnually

[More from BGR: ]

This article was