Robin Van Persie became the latest big-name player to slip from Arsenal's grasp when the Netherlands striker completed his move to Manchester United on a four-year deal on Friday.

Van Persie agreed personal terms and passed a medical examination to complete a transfer that is believed to have cost United about 24 million pounds ($38 million).

The Santa Fe Opera has announced its 2014 season will feature the American premiere of a work by Chinese-born composer Huang Ruo.

His opera, "Dr. Sun Yat-Sen," is about the leader of China's revolution that overthrew the monarchy in 1911 and established a republic.

Production on "Iron Man 3" is on hold after star Robert Downey Jr. hurt his foot during filming.

Marvel Studios said Thursday that Downey was injured while performing a stunt and "there will be a short delay in production while he recuperates." The 47-year-old actor is shooting the third installment in the superhero franchise in North Carolina.

Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray was brought back to earth on Thursday with a surprise defeat by unseeded Jeremy Chardy at the Western and Southern Open.

While his regular rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic won through to the quarterfinals, Murray lost 6-4, 6-4 to Chardy, an opponent he'd beaten easily the four previous times they'd played.

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said Luka Modric is training on his own while the midfielder holds discussions with Real Madrid about a move to the Spanish champions.

The Croatia international is widely reported to be on the verge of joining Madrid in the coming days, ending his four-year spell at Tottenham.

The United States has expressed deep concern on the Syrian civil war’s spill over into Lebanon and called on all sides to exercise restraint following a string of kidnappings.

“We are deeply concerned about spillover from the Syrian crisis that could impact on the stability, on the sovereignty of Lebanon, and we firmly condemn kidnapping as a tactic,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Thursday.

Beginning Thursday, Facebook's early investors and a few directors will be able to sell stock they own in the company as a lock-up period barring them from doing so begins to expire.

Thursday marks 90 days after Facebook's initial public offering. That's when early investors who were selling stockholders in the IPO get to sell their shares, according to regulatory filings. Other shareholders, such as many Facebook employees, will be able to sell beginning in October. The last lockup deadline expires next May, a year after Facebook's IPO.

Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam count will stay stuck at 11 for now, sidetracked by another knee problem.

The third-ranked Spaniard withdrew from the U.S. Open on Wednesday. Tendinitis has kept him out of action since his stunning loss at Wimbledon in late June.

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer won their opening matches at the Western and Southern Open near Cincinnati in straight sets Wednesday, getting accustomed to the heat after spending the last two weeks in London and Canada.

Djokovic got the bronze medal at the Olympics in London, then won the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Sunday night. He was a little off in his opening set on a court baked in sunshine and 86-degree heat, before pulling away from Andreas Seppi of Italy 7-6 (4), 6-2.

After Manchester City secured its first Premier League title in a dramatic finale last season, it was widely believed manager Robert Mancini would again spend big to usher in an era of domination in English football.

But the lack of action speaks volumes - City has only signed midfielder Jack Rodwell from Everton during the summer.