Miami's LeBron James had 39 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as the Heat trampled the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-100 on Thursday in a clash of NBA title contenders before the All-Star break.

Chris Bosh chipped in 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Heat won their sixth straight against the Thunder dating to the sweep of last year's NBA Finals.

After suffering the ignominy of an early exit from the Champions League as defending champion, Chelsea began its quest to win the Europa League by beating Sparta Prague on Thursday.

Oscar scored late to give the London side a 1-0 victory — and a valuable away goal — in the first leg of the last-32 match.

USA Wrestling executive director Rich Bender knows it will take an international push to save Olympic wrestling.

To that end, the Americans have formed a star-studded group designed to help get their sport back on the Olympic program.

Tamagotchi is re-hatching as an app.

Bandai Co. and Sync Beatz Entertainment are hoping to revive the electronic pet craze of the 1990s with a new mobile app launching Thursday for Android devices. The app duplicates the egg-shaped plastic toy that became a must-own sensation like Beanie Babies, Tickle Me Elmo and Furby after it was first released in 1996 in Japan.

France has said it will hand back seven old master paintings that hang in state galleries taken from two Jewish families during World War II.

The oil works were destined to be displayed in a gallery Adolf Hitler had planned. It ends years of struggle for the two families, whose claims were all validated by the French prime minister last year.

The research center largely responsible for launching the "green revolution" of the 1960s that dramatically raised crop yields is getting support from the world's richest men to develop genetically-modified seeds to help farmers in the developing world grow more grain in the face of a changing climatic conditions and increased demand.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Mexican telecom magnate Carlos Slim donated a total of $25 million to build a new cluster of biotechnology labs at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.

Paralympic superstar Oscar Pistorius was charged Thursday with the murder of his girlfriend who was shot inside his home in South Africa, a stunning development in the life of a national hero known as the Blade Runner for his high-tech artificial legs.

Reeva Steenkamp, a model who spoke out on Twitter against rape and abuse of women, was shot four times in the predawn hours in the home, in a gated community in the capital, Pretoria, police said.

Borussia Dortmund twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Shakhtar Donetsk in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday following Mats Hummels' late equalizer.

Hummels' powerful header from Marcel Schmelzer's corner in the 87th minute ensures the defending Bundesliga champions will have the advantage of two away goals in the second leg at home on March 5.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored with a spectacular header Wednesday as Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 home draw by Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League due to a dominant performance by visiting goalkeeper David de Gea.

After Danny Welbeck gave United the lead against the run of play with a header from a 20th-minute corner, Ronaldo rose high to meet Angel Di Maria's swinging cross 10 minutes later for his 183rd goal for Madrid — and first against his former club.

The specter of racism hangs over the resumption of the Europa League on Thursday, with Liverpool expressing its "major concern" that the last-32 match against Zenit St. Petersburg will be marred by racist abuse from the Russian team's fans.

Liverpool officials are concerned about the welfare of the club's players in light of a document published by a section of Zenit supporters in December, urging the team not to sign black or gay players.