AFP - Petr Rada was on Thursday unveiled as the surprise choice to succeed Karel Bruckner as manager of the Czech Republic.

AP - Drugs hit the Tour de France again Thursday, and the third doping bust netted the biggest name yet: Italy's Riccardo Ricco, a winner of two stages.

AP - Yao Ming is back, transforming China's basketball team and providing a big relief for Olympic organizers.

AP - The day started with howling wind and soaking rain. By afternoon, the showers had stopped and the breeze tailed off.

AP - If this was nearly any other week, Padraig Harrington would already be home. Instead, he was strolling around blustery Royal Birkdale, still trying to cope with the pain in his right wrist, still trying to work out how he can possibly defend his British Open championship.

AFP - Fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova was sent crashing out of the WTA Stanford event while Anna Chakvetadze stepped up her play with a second round victory on Wednesday.

AP - The Los Angeles Kings went with experience in choosing a head coach. Terry Murray, who guided Philadelphia to the Stanley Cup finals 11 years ago and has coached 737 regular-season NHL games, was hired late Wednesday to succeed Marc Crawford.

AFP - Belarus international midfielder Alexander Hleb signed for Catalan giants Barcelona from English Premiership side Arsenal for 15million euros on Wednesday on a four year contract which will see him team up again with another former Gunner in Thierry Henry.

AP - Marquee starters were long gone. So were nearly all the other pitchers. His bullpen empty, National League manager Clint Hurdle approached David Wright and asked whether he had the right stuff to take the mound and close out the All-Star game. Did the New York Mets third baseman think chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon or general manager Omar Minaya would mind?

AP - James Posey has won NBA championships with two teams. The New Orleans Hornets hope to be his third.

AP - On a night when the United States woman should have been eyeing the upcoming Olympics, they were dealt a crushing blow to their gold medal hopes when Abby Wambach broke her left leg.