■ Boxing
Laila Ali marries NFL star
Boxer Laila Ali and retired NFL star Curtis Conway were married on Sunday, her manager, Eric Kaufman, said on Monday. Kaufman wouldn't release any details of the wedding in Los Angeles. Guests included Ali's parents, Muhammad Ali and Veronica Porsche Anderson; her sister Hana Ali; Conway's 12-year-old twin sons, Cameron and Kelton; and his eight-year-old daughter, Leilani, People magazine reported on its Web site. The 29-year-old four-time super-middleweight champion wore a champagne-colored silk charmeuse strapless mermaid gown, the magazine reported.
■ Soccer
Kangaroo cleats banned
The California Supreme Court has banned the sale of soccer cleats popularized by David Beckham and other goods made from kangaroo leather. But the statewide prohibition -- the only one of its kind in the US -- may be short-lived. Legislation allowing kangaroo-derived products made by the sporting goods maker Adidas and other companies passed the state Senate this year. It's expected to clear the Assembly and land on California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk as early as September. Still, animal rights activists who sued Adidas were emboldened by Monday's ruling, which overturned two lower court decisions holding that California's kangaroo ban interferes with federal support of Australia's wildlife management plans.
■ Rugby Union
School year changed for Cup
New Zealand will change its school year to allow as many people as possible to watch the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, after the proposed date of the Auckland match was announced yesterday. The final will be played at Auckland's Eden Park on either Saturday, Oct. 22 or Oct. 23, 2011, a Labor Weekend public holiday in New Zealand, Rugby World Cup organizers said. The date is likely to be finalized during this year's World Cup in France. New Zealand's Labor Party government has consulted with education sector groups over the change and reached agreement that the final term of New Zealand's four-year school term should be shortened to fit in with the Cup final.
■ Soccer
Fiszman keeps Arsenal stake
Arsenal's largest shareholder, Danny Fiszman, intends to hold on to his stake in the Premier League club in the face of rumored interest from American billionaire Stan Kroenke. The ownership of the club has been discussed since vice president David Dein was ousted from the board in April, but Fiszman said on Monday he would not be tempted into any deal. Fiszman, who is also a director of the club, said the agreement the board entered into in April to hold onto their interests for at least a year still held. "I have no intention of selling my shares in Arsenal for the foreseeable future," Fiszman said.
■ Cricket
Black Caps retain Bracewell
John Bracewell will continue as New Zealand cricket coach for another two years, while former India mentor John Wright joins the national team in a new high-performance role. "We believe that John [Bracewell] has made good progress with the [New Zealand team] and we are delighted to retain him as the team's coach," New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said yesterday. Bracewell, a former Test off-spinner, has coached the team since 2003 when he succeeded Denis Aberhart. His new contract will see him steer the team until April 2009.
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
‘SOURCE OF PRIDE’: Newspapers rushed out special editions and the government sent their congratulations as Shohei Ohtani became the first player to enter the 50-50 club Japan reacted with incredulity and pride yesterday after Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The Los Angeles Dodgers star from Japan made history with a seventh-inning homer in a 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami. “We would like to congratulate him from the bottom of our heart,” top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo. “We sincerely hope Mr Ohtani, who has already accomplished feat after feat and carved out a new era, will thrive further,” he added. The landmark achievement dominated Japanese morning news
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or