Sports

VERSAILLES, France (AP) — A French court trying an alleged blackmail case involving Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema and four other defendants expects to render its verdict on Nov. 24. The trial in Versailles wrapped up Friday. Benzema denies wrongdoing and didn’t attend the trial. He is charged with complicity in the alleged attempt in

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates say they have imprisoned a television journalist over apparently leaked pre-match comments made before the Emirates’ tie with Iraq during a World Cup qualifier earlier this month. Authorities did not identify the journalist they imprisoned from the state-run Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, nor

KITAKYUSHU, Japan (AP) — Zhang Boheng of China has edged Olympic champion Daiki Hashimoto to win the gold medal in the men’s all-around at the gymnastics world championships. Zhang, who didn’t qualify for China’s team for this summer’s Olympics, held a slim lead over local favorite Hashimoto heading into the final apparatus, the horizontal bar

By PAT EATON-ROBB AP Sports Writer STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Dan Hurley needed three seasons as UConn’s coach to get the Huskies back into the NCAA Tournament after a five-year absence. In his fourth year, his team expects to take a bigger step — contending for a Big East title and possibly the program’s fifth

By ERIC WILLEMSEN Associated Press SÖLDEN, Austria (AP) — Alpine skiing heads into its Olympic season this weekend with the first World Cup races of a 37-event schedule that looks more balanced than in previous years. Both the men’s and the women’s calendars include 18 speed races and 18 technical events. There is also one

MOSCOW (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka’s first tournament since testing positive for the coronavirus ended after only two matches. The second-ranked Belarusian lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup. Alexandrova will face Maria Sakkari in the semifinals. Sabalenka was playing in her first tournament since reaching the semifinals of the

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Villanova coach Jay Wright has yet another team good enough to win a national championship. If he wins a third national championship, Wright would match Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski as the only active D-I coaches with three titles. The No. 4 Wildcats went 18-7 last season.

LONDON (AP) — The decisive match of the test series between England and India has been rearranged for next July after the original date was called off last month amid health concerns among India’s players following a coronavirus outbreak in their camp. The July 1-5 match will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham instead of

ROME (AP) — Defending Alpine skiing downhill gold medalist Sofia Goggia has been named as Italy’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò also announced that snowboard cross gold medalist Michela Moioli will carry the country’s flag at the closing ceremony for the Feb. 4-20 Winter

DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Borussia Dortmund coach Marco Rose says striker Erling Haaland will be out for “a couple of weeks” with a hip muscle injury. Haaland returned only last week from another muscle injury and played the whole game in Dortmund’s 4-0 loss to Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday. Dortmund’s next game

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates say they have imprisoned a television journalist over apparently leaked pre-match comments made before the Emirates’ tie with Iraq during a World Cup qualifier earlier this month. Authorities did not identify the journalist they imprisoned from the state-run Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, nor

VERSAILLES, France (AP) — A French court trying an alleged blackmail case involving Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema and four other defendants expects to render its verdict on Friday. Benzema hasn’t been attending the trial that opened Wednesday in Versailles and is scheduled to wrap up Friday. He is charged with complicity in the alleged

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — Hee Jeong Lim shot a 6-under 66 and first-round leader Na Rin An a 69 to leave the South Korean players tied for the lead after two rounds of the LPGA Tour’s BMW Ladies Championship. Lim and An had 11-under totals of 133 on the par-72 LPGA International Busan course.

BRUGGE, Belgium (AP) — Prosecutors say the Manchester City supporter who was attacked on his way home from the team’s Champions League match against Club Brugge in Belgium has been upgraded to “stable” condition though he remains in a coma. Five men were arrested after the incident that left the 63-year-old City fan, who is

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — Hee Jeong Lim shot a 6-under 66 and first-round leader Na Rin An a 69 to leave the South Korean players tied for the lead after two rounds of the LPGA Tour’s BMW Ladies Championship. Lim and An had 11-under totals of 133 on the par-72 LPGA International Busan course.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s capital Beijing has begun offering booster shots against COVID-19, four months before the city and surrounding regions are to host the Winter Olympics. State media reported those older than 18 who have received two-dose Chinese vaccines and belong to at-risk groups, including those organizing or working on games facilities, would be