SPORTS

Manchester United signed Sofyan Amrabat on loan as part of a hat-trick of arrivals at Old Trafford in the hectic final hours before Friday's transfer deadline, while Liverpool reportedly turned down a GBP150 million ($190 million) offer from Saudi Arabia for Mohamed Salah.

Spain's sports court agreed to investigate Luis Rubiales for forcibly kissing a Women's World Cup player as the scandal-hit football chief insisted he would defend himself to "prove the truth".

Girls with big white hair bows and boys in blazers held hands as they lined up for their first day back to school in Moscow, with parents watching proudly and, for some including Sergei Angelov, anxiously.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz edged closer to a US Open rematch with Italy's Jannik Sinner on Thursday as Grand Slam winners Aryna Sabalenka and Marketa Vondrousova booked their places in the third round.

The race for the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion was set to move into higher gear Thursday with a hotly tipped biopic about sports car supremo Enzo Ferrari starring Adam Driver.

Novak Djokovic sailed into the US Open third round Wednesday in his quest for a 24th Grand Slam triumph as Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff stayed on a quarter-final collision course in New York.

Carlos Alcaraz launched the defence of his US Open crown with a brisk victory after his opponent suffered an injury on Tuesday as third seed Daniil Medvedev strolled into the second round with a quick-fire win.

On the rocky foreshore of Popua, the poorest area of the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa, a group of girls and boys are tossing around a rugby ball.

American NBA stars ripped world sprint king Noah Lyles on social media for comments saying he is offended when teams declare themselves "world champions" for winning an NBA crown.

Iga Swiatek launched the defence of her US Open crown with an emphatic opening victory on Monday as Novak Djokovic eyed a return to the top of the men's world rankings on his long-awaited return to the tournament.

Prosecutors at Spain's top criminal court said Monday they had opened a preliminary investigation into Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales' forcible kiss on the lips of World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on grounds it could constitute a crime of "sexual assault".

Novak Djokovic launches his quest for a 24th Grand Slam singles title on Monday as the US Open gets underway with the Serb needing only a first round victory to reclaim the world number one ranking.

Influential figures including Spanish football great Andres Iniesta and Barcelona president Joan Laporta continued to mount criticism on federation president Luis Rubiales on Sunday, ahead of a potential government sanction against the suspended Spain chief.

FIFA suspended Luis Rubiales as president of Spain's football federation on Saturday for kissing Spanish Women's World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, and banned him from making contact with her.

There was double world sprint joy for Noah Lyles in Budapest on Friday while the second fastest women's 200m run in history saw Shericka Jackson dash Sha'Carri Richardson's hopes of also achieving the 100/200m sweep.

Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso joined a mass strike of women players on Friday after saying she did not consent to being kissed by the country's football federation chief Luis Rubiales after Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup final.

Amid a crowd gathered in support of Niger's military rulers stands star-of-the-moment Sergeant Maman Sani Maigochi.

Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales refused to resign on Friday after a week of widespread criticism for his unsolicited kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso following Spain's Women's World Cup triumph.

Liverpool's new-look midfield faces a stern examination as the Reds put their Premier League title aspirations to the test at Newcastle on Sunday, while Manchester United aim to kickstart their campaign against Nottingham Forest.

Femke Bol struck gold in the 400m hurdles amid an unexpected Jamaican double gold rush at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Thursday.

Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales will quit his post after being roundly condemned by the football world and beyond for forcibly kissing a Spain player on the mouth following the Women's World Cup final, several media outlets reported Thursday.

The Lelean Memorial School (LMS) punches above its weight as a rugby school in Fiji where some players train barefoot or share boots.

Spain's women's football league on Wednesday demanded Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales be sacked for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the country's World Cup victory, describing his behaviour as "disgusting".

Norway's Karsten Warholm produced a fighting performance to regain his 400m hurdles title but teammate Jakob Ingebrigtsen once again fell short in the 1500m on a pulsating night at the world championships on Wednesday.

The Spanish government on Wednesday demanded transparency and urgent action from the country's football federation against president Luis Rubiales over his kiss on the lips of a Women's World Cup player.

Kenya's Faith Kipyegon won a historic third world 1500m gold on Tuesday and although Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim missed out on a fourth crown, he became the first man to win five medals in the event.

PGA Tour chief executive Jay Monahan said Tuesday he is confident of meeting a December 31 deadline to hammer out details of the tour's merger with Saudi-backed LIV Golf.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday blasted as "insufficient" the apology given by Spain's football federation chief for kissing star player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women's World Cup.

Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, apologised on Monday for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women's World Cup.