World Top News

By ROB HARRIS, AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — If Roman Abramovich hoped to distance Chelsea from any threat to his ownership, the claim to have handed over the “stewardship and care” to the Premier League club's charitable foundation trustees only sowed greater confusion. What has been heard from Abramovich is a vague suggestion of ceding control of Chelsea without legally doing so. What hasn’t been heard is condemnation by Chelsea and its Russian oligarch owner of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Not even in the statement issued by Chelsea on Sunday about what it called the “conflict in Ukraine” and described as “horrific and devastating” with no mention of the Skechers Shoes  aggressor behind the war: Russia. “Everyone at the club is praying for pe...

By EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer Earlier this month, Ukrainian skeleton rider Vladyslav Heraskevych flashed a sign at the Olympics: “No war in Ukraine.” On Sunday, he was hunkered down about 150 kilometers (93 miles) outside of his nation's capital with weapons nearby in case he needs to defend his country. “I am a student,” the 23-year-old said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “I am not experienced in these type of things. But I am ready to stand strong and help in any way I can.” With Russian troops encircling the capital of Kyiv, Heraskevych was among some four dozen athletes from Ukraine and elsewhere who sent an open letter to Hoka Sneakers Olympic and Paralympic leaders, urging them to immediately suspend the Russian and Belarusian Olympic ...

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Locked-out players and management officials were bargaining for the seventh straight day Sunday, just one day before Major League Baseball's deadline to salvage March 31 openers and a 162-game schedule. Negotiators narrowed some differences Friday and Saturday. But entering the 88th day of the work stoppage they were still far apart on big issues that include luxury tax thresholds and rates, the size of the new bonus pool for pre-arbitration players and minimum salaries. A smaller group of players that included Max Scherzer, Andrew Miller and Marcus Semien walked into Roger Dean Stadium shortly before 1 p.m. along with union head Tony Clark, chief negotiator Bruce Meyer and staff. A few minutes late...

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Roger Penske celebrated his 85th birthday in victory lane with the Daytona 500 trophy. He skipped the post-race hamburger party with winner Austin Cindric to get back to Detroit for a regularly scheduled global call with Penske associates, and then finally it was on to St. Petersburg for the IndyCar season opener. The Captain will have you know he’s feeling just fine. “I'm doing well. I'm still getting up every morning and I feel great,” Penske said in an interview with The Associated Press. “You always feel good after a big win like this past weekend. It gives you a few more years, you know?” Cindric's victory Sunday at Daytona International Speedway was the third Daytona 500 win for Pens...

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Alexander Zverev was fined $40,000 by the men's professional tennis tour and will forfeit more than $30,000 in prize money and all rankings points from the Mexican Open after hitting the chair umpire’s stand with his racket following a loss in doubles. In addition to those penalties, the ATP announced Thursday it would undertake “a further review of the incident.” Zverev was the 2020 U.S. Open runner-up. He is currently ranked No. 3 and was the defending singles champion in Acapulco. The 24-year-old German was kicked out of the tournament after yelling and cursing at official Alessandro Germani and violently striking the umpire’s chair no fewer than four times. Zverev and partner Marcelo Melo had just ...

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Kurt Kitayama came into the Honda Classic with 25 previous appearances on the PGA Tour, most of them ending by missing the cut. He’s on track to do a bit better this week in the Honda Classic. Kitayama — ranked No. 289 in the world — was nearly flawless at PGA National on Thursday, shooting a 6-under 64 to take a one-shot lead over Daniel Berger, Chris Kirk and Rory Sabbatini. It was Kitayama's best score in 69 rounds on the PGA Tour, fueled by a career-best run of four consecutive birdies on his second nine. And he qualifies as a surprise leader, considering even he didn’t expect a start like this. “Maybe not a start like that, but I felt like I’ve been playing well, and I’ve started...