Isco: I’m not joining Barca! The former France and Madrid star was promoted from running the Castilla side to leading the first team in January 2016, replacing Rafael Benitez in charge, leading them to success in the Champions League and Club World Cup within his first calendar year. Kroos has been a key player under Zidane and is joint-second in La Liga’s assist chart with 10 - sitting alongside Neymar and behind only Luis Suarez, while the Germany international has created 63 chances - a figure bettered by just four players in the Spanish top flight....

After a series of near misses, the Stars are hoping to end what will be a 37-year wait for an Afcon gold at Cameroon 2019. And although the team came mightily close by reaching the semifinals of each of the last six events and playing in the final in 2010 and 2015, Kuffour reckons 2019 will still not be Ghana’s time. “Our target must be 2021," the former Bayern Munich centre-back said....

Driscoll is seeking a protective order against Busch, whom she accuses of assault for allegedly smashing her head against his motorhome wall Sept. 26 at Dover International Speedway. Four days of testimony concluded Tuesday, and a decision from the family court commissioner handling the case won’t come for at least another two weeks. MORE: Kurt Busch’s bizarre testimony | Former GM sues Kyle Busch | Top Sprint Cup prospects...

He hasn’t been charged (the allegations were brought to police attention two days ago). He denies the allegations. NASCAR has made the decision to let him race. MORE: Shocking details of Busch allegation | Harvick doesn’t regret shoving Keselowski | Phoenix picks Without a sponsor — his sponsor is his team co-owner Gene Haas — to pull him from the car, it appears that Busch will go out and compete and try to prove this weekend that he is still a great racecar driver while his attorneys are working hard at clearing his name....

Denys Monastyrsky, Ukraine’s Interior Minister, his deputy minister Yevheniy Yenin and state secretary Yurii Lubkovich, were on board a helicopter belonging to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) when the crash occurred at 8.20 a.m. near a kindergarten in the city of Brovary during foggy weather conditions. SES said a building belonging to the emergency service, a 14-story residential building, and three vehicles were damaged, along with the kindergarten....

NASCAR officials decided to allow racers onto the track for Sunday’s race, the fifth-last of the regular season, despite the fact that mist was falling on the track. The rain picked up as the race began, with drivers and pit crews communicating to NASCAR that racing conditions weren’t optimal. It all came to a head in Turn 1 of Lap 3: Busch, coming off a runner-up finish in Atlanta last week, lost traction heading into the turn, spinning out into the wall....

Just one day later, his hard work paid off: The two sides agreed to a seven-year, $50M ($7.14M average annual value) contract Saturday. The new deal makes the 22-year-old forward the second-highest-paid player on the Jets’ active roster. Dustin Byfuglien’s salary cap hit is $7.6 million this season, but he is currently suspended by the team in anticipation of a decision on his playing future. Connor was drafted 17th overall in 2015 and debuted in the 2016-17 season....

Kuzma has yet to feature for the Lakers this NBA season due to a stress reaction in his left ankle, missing the team’s opening four games. However, Kuzma — who suffered the injury while on duty for Team USA ahead of the FIBA World Cup — is set to make his season debut against the Mavericks on Friday. “It’s going to take him a little bit to get into game shape,” James told reporters of the 24-year-old after Thursday’s practice....

Reason? Larson’s car was found to have an improperly installed lug nut. MORE: Michigan schedule | Pocono results | Keselowski-Gordon snit Chip Ganassi Racing will not appeal the suspension of Chad Johnston, according to a team representative. Expect a replacement chief to be named in the next couple days. Johnston also was fined $20,000 and placed on probation the remainder of the year, NASCAR disclosed Wednesday in its weekly penalty report....

Pitts was able to exit the field of his own volition, but after a brief stint in the medical tent he went to the locker room and was declared questionable to return to the game. The injury came as he was securing a ball and was hit low over the middle of the field by Bears free safety Eddie Jackson. The hit bent his leg awkwardly backward, leading to the concern about Pitts’ knee....

New details about his reaction immediately following the protest surfaced in video footage that showed Kenosha Detective Ben Antaramian interviewing Dominick Black, who is accused of supplying Rittenhouse with the rifle used to shoot Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz on August 26. Rosenbaum and Huber were killed, and Grosskreutz sustained lasting injuries. Black was arrested earlier this month and is charged with two felony counts of intentionally selling a dangerous weapon to a minor....

The 18-year-old gave testimony on Wednesday for the first time since he killed two men and injured a third during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25, 2020. Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, were shot dead by Rittenhouse. Gaige Grosskreutz, 26 at the time, was wounded. The teenager, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, is being tried on six criminal counts, including intentional and reckless homicide....

MORE: Vikings’ impact rookies to watch | Minnesota’s to-do list The couple announced that they’re expecting twins … at the Twins game. Rudolph’s recognizable No. 82 on the back of his jersey was accompanied by “It’s Twins” on the name plate. Very cool. A big congratulations to the sixth-year tight end and his wife, and good luck. Free time in the Rudolph household soon will cease to exist.

Lance was impressive in the victory. He started slowly but finished the day completing 16 of 23 passes for 249 yards passing, two touchdowns and an interception. His biggest highlight was a long touchdown strike to Deebo Samuel. Lance also used his legs to make plays throughout the day and ran for 31 yards on eight carries. ANTONIO BROWN: WR “no longer a Buccaneer” after on-field meltdown All told, Lance looked a lot different than Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been the normal starter for the Niners this season....

McMillan had his hand out as soon as Boston guard Kyrie Irving took a pass on the left wing from Terry Rozier. Irving had an open look from about 26 feet away and stepped cleanly into a jumper as McMillan implored big man Myles Turner to come and contest. It was no use. NBA PLAYOFFS 2019:Full schedule | Picks from first round to Finals Irving launched the shot and McMillan, standing behind him, began calling a timeout even before the shot went down....

Irving landed awkwardly on his left leg after bumping knees with the Thunder’s Russell Westbrook during a shot block attempt. He grabbed his knee after he fell to the floor. He was helped off the court and taken the locker room several minutes later. Cleveland was already without LeBron James, who sat out the game with knee soreness.

The reason is a rogue cop turned whistleblower named Rafael A. Perez. Perez, who took part in the Shatto Place raid, has been telling LAPD investigators about police brutality, perjury, planted evidence, drug corruption and attempted murder within the Rampart Division and its anti-gang unit, known as CRASH (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums). His charges have cast what Mayor Richard Riordan calls a “dark shadow” over the entire police department, which is still struggling to recover from the Rodney King and O....

The impromptu meeting, first reported by The (New Orleans) Advocate, was orchestrated by Ryan, who was passing through the area and supposedly called Collins on a whim. Collins also has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning with the Dolphins and has received interest from “almost every” NFL team, the report said. MORE: Draft grades | Madden 16 cover candidates | 2016 Mock Draft | LINEMAKERS: 2015 win totals Collins, a left tackle prospect with a first-round draft grade, was not selected in last week’s NFL Draft....

The 33-year-old spent much of his career in France’s Ligue 1, having played over 100 times for both Lorient and Bordeaux, while also having spent time in Serie A with Lazio and in La Liga with Espanyol. The club, which sold Jelle Van Damme in mid August, has struggled in MLS play this season, picking up just 23 points from 25 matches, and will hope their new acquisition can help bring some stability to a defense that has shipped 47 goals so far this year....

The lava flow has slowed significantly, growing thicker and higher. Many residents are concerned that the lava may spread out in coming days, rather than just flowing out to the sea. Already, it covers 410 acres and has taken around 350 homes. Stavros Meletlidis, a volcanologist at Spain’s National Geographic Institute, told Radio Televisión Canaria that the lava flow has slowed from reaching the surface and hitting buildings and farmland....