Barcelona paid 13.55 million euros ($18.6 million) to Spanish tax authorities on Monday to cover any potential irregularities in its signing of Neymar, all the while maintaining its innocence of the fraud charges levied against it.
The Spanish champion said in a statement it had paid the "complimentary" amount to cover any "eventual interpretations that could come out of the contracts signed relating to the transfer of Neymar. Meanwhile we are convinced of the legality of our initial fulfillment relating to our tax obligations."
Full Story
Rep. Steven Horsford has traded his suit and tie for a brown, short-sleeve UPS uniform — not because he's quitting Congress, but because it's a way to make closer contact with his constituents.
The Nevada Democrat went "undercover" Friday morning to help a UPS driver deliver packages to offices in his Las Vegas-area district.
Full Story
By the busload, the world's athletes and visitors rolled toward Sochi's airport and took off for home Monday, fresh from a Winter Games experience that many Russians pronounced a smashing success and that the Olympic movement's chief enthusiastically labeled a victory for the region and the host nation. "Yes! We did it!" one Olympic volunteer exulted as she darted into the night.
After 17 days of global sport and spotlight, Sochi ended the spirited chants of "Ro-ssi-ya! Ro-ssi-ya!" and started cleaning up.
Full Story
The Los Angeles Clippers showed they are a strong contender for the NBA Western Conference title by winning 125-117 at Conference leader Oklahoma City on Sunday, with Jamal Crawford scoring 36 points.
The result moved the Clippers 3 games clear atop the Pacific Division, while the Thunder's lead in the Northwest was trimmed to four-and-a-half games ahead of Portland, which staged a creditable comeback win over Minnesota despite being without leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge.
Full Story
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won a rain-delayed Daytona 500 on Sunday, a decade after his first victory in the "Great American Race."
Earnhardt snapped a 55-race winless stretch that dated to 2012, and also ended a frustrating sequence at Daytona International Speedway that had seen him finish second in three of the previous four 500s.
Full Story
Rafael Nadal returned from a troublesome back injury to win the Rio Open on Sunday, defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Nadal's victory comes four weeks after losing the Australian Open final to underdog Stanislas Wawrinka after tweaking his back while warming up.
Full Story
Atletico Madrid slumped to a stunning 3-0 loss at Osasuna on Sunday, leaving Real Madrid as the sole leader of the Spanish league for the first time since May 2012.
Osasuna beat Atletico at its own game, both in its tough, physical approach and its set piece strategy to take a three-goal lead at the break after one of Atletico's worst first halves in three years under coach Diego Simeone.
Full Story
Police say actor Sam Worthington has been arrested in New York City for punching a photographer after the man kicked Worthington's girlfriend in the shin.
The 37-year-old "Avatar" actor was arrested on an assault charge following the incident Sunday evening.
Full Story
A polio-like illness has afflicted a small number of children in California since 2012, causing severe weakness or rapid paralysis in one or more limbs.
The Los Angeles Times reports that state public health officials have been investigating the illness since a doctor requested polio testing for a child with severe paralysis in 2012. Since then, similar cases have sporadically been reported throughout the state.
Full Story
One person has died and three newborns have become ill in an outbreak of listeria linked to Hispanic-style cheese.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that the death was in California. Seven additional illnesses were in Maryland.
Full Story


