The intention to turn a St. Petersburg clinic treating pediatric cancer patients into one that would exclusively serve judges and staff of Russia's highest courts spread widespread public dismay.

More than 100,000 people signed a petition to President Vladimir Putin, a city native, urging him to scrap the plan to change City Hospital No. 31. Among those who signed were prominent figures from the worlds of art and sciences, including physicist Zhores Alfyorov, a Nobel Prize winner who is a member of Russia's parliament.

U.S. women who smoke today have a much greater risk of dying from lung cancer than they did decades ago, partly because they are starting younger and smoking more — that is, they are lighting up like men, new research shows.

Women also have caught up with men in their risk of dying from smoking-related illnesses. Lung cancer risk leveled off in the 1980s for men but is still rising for women.

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has extended his contract with the Serie A club through 2014-15.

Buffon and Juventus President Andrea Agnelli announced the news Wednesday.

People familiar with the situation say David Beckham's son is having a trial with London club Chelsea.

Brooklyn Beckham was spotted with his father at a Chelsea academy game on Tuesday.

Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica is getting back on a racing circuit for the first time since an accident put his career on hold nearly two years ago.

Mercedes said Kubica will test one of its cars from the German Touring Car (DTM) circuit. Thursday's test will take place at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.

Roger Federer defeated No. 7-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open semifinals for a 10th consecutive year.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion will now play U.S. Open winner Andy Murray, who advanced in straight sets earlier Wednesday over unseeded Jeremy Chardy of France.

All but about 50 of hundreds of research chimpanzees belonging to the National Institutes of Health should be retired to the national sanctuary in northwest Louisiana, and all of them should have plenty of room to play and climb, an NIH committee recommended Tuesday.

The NIH Council of Councils Working Group approved the proposal, which also calls for major cuts in grants to study chimps in laboratories and no return to breeding the great apes for research.

The toughest group at the African Cup of Nations delivered two thrilling finishes on Tuesday, adding some excitement to a tournament which had produced five draws in the first six matches.

Ivory Coast needed a late goal to beat scrappy Togo 2-1 to open Group D, while Tunisia produced a remarkable injury-time winner to edge North African rival Algeria 1-0 in the later match in Rustenburg.

Serena Williams' dominating run at the majors ended in a painful loss to American teenager Sloane Stephens.

After the biggest and most unexpected victory of her life, 19-year-old Stephens is headed to the semifinals of the Australian Open.

The Oklahoma City Thunder stamped itself as the team to beat this season by winning 109-97 at their nearest NBA rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Detroit pulled away to beat undersized Orlando, Milwaukee's improvement under its new coach continued with a win over Philadelphia and Cleveland won back-to-back home games for the first time this season by defeating Boston.