Sports

NEW YORK—New York Knicks player Enes Kanter urged U.S. President Donald Trump to be more vocal about human rights in Turkey, after prosecutors in Istanbul requested the basketball player's arrest and extradition over his ties to a U.S.-based cleric. The 26-year-old center has been an outspoken critic of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his human rights record. He was indicted by a Turkish court last year on charges of belonging to an armed terrorist group, which he denies. Istanbul's state prosecutor has sought an Interpol "red notice" to detain the basketball player and requested his extradition, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office said on Thursday. Interpol declined to comment. Kanter describes himself as a close ally of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, wanted in Turkey on suspicion of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016. Gulen denies the accusation. Kanter said he had been receiving death threats because of his views and had decided to skip his team's game … [Read more...] about NBA player Enes Kanter urges Trump to act on Turkey’s human rights record

Serena Williams stepped up her drive for a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam Thursday by swatting aside Eugenie Bouchard, as world No. 1 Novak Djokovic won an emotional 2008 Australian Open final rematch with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. But women's top seed Simona Halep and young gun Alexander Zverev had to dig deep to make the third round on a day of epic battles and the latest start to a match ever at the tournament. American great Williams followed up her first round 49-minute romp by spending just 70 minutes on Rod Laver Arena to dispose of the Canadian 6-2, 6-2. "It wasn't an easy match tonight," said the 37-year-old, seeded just 16. "So I knew 'Serena, you've got to come out hot, you've got to come out firing, she's a really good player and I haven't had many matches since last year'." Williams is bidding to match Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam crowns, and win an eighth in Australia, on her first return to Melbourne Park since lifting the trophy in 2017 while pregnant. Serbian … [Read more...] about Australian Open: Serena in charge as Djokovic races past Tsonga

David Eggert and Corey Williams, Associated Press Updated 8:15 am CST, Thursday, January 17, 2019 FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2018 file photo, Michigan State University interim President John Engler listens as he runs his first Michigan State University Board of Trustees meeting on campus in East Lansing, Mich. Engler will resign as interim president of Michigan State University amid public backlash over his comments about women and girls sexually assaulted by now-imprisoned campus sports doctor Larry Nassar, a member of the school's Board of Trustees said Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. (Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal via AP, File) less FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2018 file photo, Michigan State University interim President John Engler listens as he runs his first Michigan State University Board of Trustees meeting on campus in East Lansing, Mich. ... more Photo: Matthew Dae Smith, AP … [Read more...] about Michigan State says John Engler’s resignation effective immediately

The Manny Machado free agency is kind of going as expected. And when we say that, we mean things are getting a little out of hand.With the "negotiations" dragging on and really no hard news available, Machado's camp more or less went crazy over a report from Bob Nightengale and and Buster Olney (two of the most reliable sources in the industry) that the White Sox had offered Machado seven years and $175 million. This, of course, to a player who is only really being shopped by three or four teams who was rumored to potentially net somewhere near $400 million when free agency began.Here's what Machado's agent said in a press release:I have known Bob Nightengale and Buster Olney for many years and have always had a good professional relationship with both. But their recent reporting, like many other rumors in the past several months, have been inaccurate and reckless when it comes to Manny Machado. I don’t know if their sources are blatantly violating the Collective Bargaining … [Read more...] about Live MLB free agency news, updates, rumors: What the heck is going on with Manny Machado?