By HUSSEIN MOHAMED A Somali soccer referee who was denied permission to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup received a hero’s welcome from a cheering crowd at the airport upon his return to his home country. The referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, is widely admired in Somalia, a country of 19 million people in the Horn of Africa, where he is a rare example of someone recognized internationally for sports. Artan was one of 52 officials, seven of them Africans,

The Puerto Rican National Team opened the Davis Cup Americas Group III tennis tournament with a 3-0 victory over host Costa Rica. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rican National Team opened the Davis Cup Americas Group III tennis tournament in San José, Costa Rica with a 3-0 victory over the host team on Tuesday. In the first singles match, Jake Fellows defeated Paulo Pocasangre 6-1, 7-6(2) in a contest that lasted one hour and 52 minutes. Subsequently, Marko Mesarovic extended P

Ponce’s Yahelis Muñoz tied the all-time home run record and reached 100 career runs scored. By THE STAR STAFF Several players made history in the Women’s Premier Softball League (LPSF) record books during the young season’s second weekend. Leonas of Ponce star catcher Yahelis Muñoz hit the 18th home run of her career, tying Ninostka Amaro for the league’s all-time lead in home runs. Additionally, Muñoz became just the 12th player to reach 100 runs scored -- a milestone she ac

Brady Manek (45) scored 21 points for Ponce in a loss to Quebradillas. Quebradillas downs Ponce with late run By THE STAR STAFF The Vaqueros of Bayamón used smothering defense and a high-velocity transition game in a 105-63 thrashing of the outmanned Capitanes of Arecibo at Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón on Tuesday night. With the victory, the defending champions returned to first place in Conference A of the Superior National Basketball league, while struggling Arecib