- Celtics dominate Knicks to launch NBA title defense
- North Korean leader Kim inspects missile bases, ballistic weapons
- Harris says US ready for woman president
- King Charles winds up Australia trip, flies to Samoa summit
- Porn stars urge men to vote against Trump
- Judge orders Giuliani to hand over valuables in bankruptcy
- Mourinho reunion a reminder of how little has changed for mediocre Man Utd
- Taiwan says Chinese warships sailing towards sensitive strait
- Chile ex-international footballer Valdivia held over rape complaint
- McDonald's linked to one death, dozens of food poisonings in US
- Miners, farmers protest COP16 host Colombia's nature protection plans
- Safieddine, the apparent Hezbollah heir who was killed by Israel
- Roman Polanski 1970s sexual assault lawsuit dismissed: lawyer
- ABBA's Bjorn among 11,000 artists issuing AI warning
- Vinicius hat-trick saves Real Madrid in Champions League, Villa go top
- Mexico arrests suspected killer of prominent priest
- Toure snatches last-gasp win for Stuttgart at Juventus
- McDonald's linked to dozens of food poisonings, one death in US
- US regulator finalizes air taxi rules
- PSG pay for missed chances again in PSV Champions League draw
- Aston Villa beat Bologna to go top of the Champions League
- Vinicius treble fires Champions League holders Madrid to Dortmund comeback
- Arsenal grind out win over Shakhtar in Champions League
- Uganda fuel truck explosion kills 11
- Austria's Grand Slam winner Thiem ends career cheered on by home crowd
- Union sees 'tight' vote on contract to end Boeing strike
- Reijnders fires AC Milan to first Champions League points with Club Brugge double
- Record-breaking Liverpool vow to improve against Leipzig
- Uganda fuel truck explosion kills at least 10
- Forest owner Marinakis banned for spitting towards officials
- ECB chief Lagarde invites Trump to visit after central bank criticism
- Blinken urges Israel to reach Gaza truce, allow more aid
- As Trump touts tariffs, Yellen says US has rejected 'isolationism'
- Argentina prosecutors deny releasing Liam Payne toxicology tests
- India, China and S.Africa leaders bolster Putin at key summit
- Windfall tax backlash menaces Spain's green energy sector
- England winger Gordon signs Newcastle contract extension
- Ex-Abercrombie CEO charged with sex crimes
- US plans to contribute $20 bn for Ukraine loan: Yellen
- Critically endangered whale species rebounds slightly
- US interest rate, election uncertainty hit stock market sentiment
- Russian dissident Navalny's memoir published worldwide
- Strong auto prices lift GM results as it eyes China revamp
- 'Dutchman' Hirscher to step out of retirement in Soelden
- UN eyes modest 2024 maritime trade growth, but future uncertain
- 70% of Cuba's population has power back after blackout
- Families separated by front line in Russia's Kursk region
- India, China and S.Africa leaders underpin Putin at key summit
- Navalny memoirs spark mix of curiosity, indifference in Moscow
- Modi calls for quick end to Ukraine conflict in talks with Putin
Biles continues Olympic build-up with ninth all-around US gymnastics title
Simone Biles won a record-extending ninth US all-around gymnastics title Sunday, signalling she's a force in the sport as the Paris Olympics approach even as a couple of miscues gave her something to work on before the US trials.
"Today it's just getting out here, getting comfortable and confident in my gymnastics, and hopefully going to Olympic trials and making that next step towards Paris," Biles told broadcaster NBC after piling up 59.300 points on the second night of competition to take her total to 119.750.
She was almost six points clear of runner-up Skye Blakely, who totalled 113.850 with Kayla DiCello taking bronze with 110.800.
The top two finishers were assured of berths at the Olympic trials June 27-30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where at least a dozen athletes are expected to make their final case for a trip to Paris.
Biles had cracked 60 points on the first night of competition on Friday, and while she couldn't match that, she earned gold on all four apparatus.
"I couldn't be more proud of how I'm doing this time in the year, and just gaining that confidence over and over, getting myself back in front of a crowd and just doing what I do in practice," Biles said.
The sheer power that has helped Biles grab four Olympic gold medals and build an array of daunting signature skills was in evidence in her few errors.
She stepped out of bounds after her triple-twisting double somersault in floor exercise and skittered backwards onto her back on the landing of her Yurchenko double pike vault.
The vault is so difficult that she still scored 15.00 points -- down from the 15.800 she earned on Friday.
Biles said she has no trouble taking that kind of mistake in stride.
"It's not my first time out there," she said. "I'm a little bit older, so I know exactly how to kind of reboot and re-collect myself to move on to the next event, even if I feel like something wasn't how I wanted it to go."
Among those who will be trying to punch their tickets to Paris later this month, Blakely displayed impressive consistency over two days and Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympic all-around champion, was an impressive fourth place as she continues her return from career-threatening kidney disease.
Shortly after competition ended, USA Gymnastics confirmed it had accepted petitions from Shilese Jones and Kaliya Lincoln to compete at trials, despite injuries this week.
Jones withdrew with a shoulder injury while Lincoln pulled out after two apparatus on Friday with an ankle injury.
D.Kaufman--AMWN