Sports

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer The United States will stage a Rugby World Cup for the first time after being voted as the host of the men’s tournament in 2031 and the women’s tournament two years later. Australia also is staging back-to-back tournaments in 2027 (men) and 2029 (women). World Rugby announced the host

SCALEA, Italy (AP) — French cyclist Arnaud Démare has beaten Caleb Ewan in a photo finish to win a second successive Giro d’Italia stage. Juan Pedro López kept hold of the leader’s pink jersey after the race’s sixth leg. Démare came from behind to edge Ewan by the smallest of margins with Mark Cavendish about

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says midfielder Fabinho will miss the FA Cup final on Saturday but has a chance of playing in the Champions League final on May 28. The Brazil international was forced off with a hamstring problem in the 2-1 win at Aston Villa in the Premier League on

NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid are two of the finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, the NHL’s most valuable player award. New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is also in contention. Matthews, who earned this season’s Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The city of Memphis and the University of Memphis will be spending at least $150 million to renovate and renovate the home of the annual Liberty Bowl before the 2025 season. The renovation announced Thursday could reach $200 million for the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Memphis studied options of renovating the

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman has been named the NBA basketball executive of the year.  The 33-year-old Kleiman is the youngest to ever win the award and is the second executive with the Grizzlies to receive the honor. Jerry West won the award for the 2003-04 season while working with

By HAU DINH Associated Press HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The Southeast Asian Games have officially kicked off with a mask-optional opening ceremony in Vietnam’s capital, the first major gathering in the country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Athletes from 11 nations paraded and about 600 artists performed traditional acts and dances in My

LONDON (AP) — Greg Norman’s brushing off of Jamal Khashoggi’s killing as a “mistake” has been condemned by the fiancee of the late Washington Post columnist. The former No. 1 golfer is leading a series of Saudi Arabia-funded tournaments in England and has come under criticism for his comments about Khashoggi’s gruesome death inside the

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — The challenger to the Russian incumbent in the presidential election at the troubled International Boxing Association has been ruled ineligible a day before the vote. Dutch boxing federation president Boris van der Vorst was subject to complaints of “prohibited collaboration” with candidates in other IBA elections.

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — It’s been a long season for Barcelona. Lionel Messi left in tears. Ronald Koeman was fired. The team dropped out of the Champions League and into Europa League and will end the season without a title. The club’s focus now is to ensure that next season

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — The name “FIFA” can bring to mind images of the World Cup and soccer’s greatest players, like Pele, Zinedine Zidane or Lionel Messi. The acronym for the sport’s governing body may also remind some of shameless bribery and corruption. For many, though, it’s the video