SHANGHAI, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - Google has launched a free music search service in China in partnership with a website backed by investors who include basketball star Yao Ming.

BEIJING, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - Dirk Nowitzki, one of the stars of American professional basketball, will be Germany's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the German Olympic Committee announced Wednesday.

Nowitzki, voted the National Basketball Association (NBA) player of the year in 2007, will be competing in his first Olympics at the age of 30.

SHANGHAI, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - United States basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski described his team's lacklustre 87-76 win over Australia in their final Olympic Games warm-up as the side's 'worst performance'.

BEIJING, August 5, 2008 (AFP) - Usain Bolt might have his hands full over the coming weeks in his bid for an Olympic sprint double here, but the Jamaican sprinter will also be rooting for the NBA stars of the US basketball team.

'I'm rooting for the USA,' said the 100m world record holder, who stands 1.96m (6ft 4in) tall.

BEIJING, August 5, 2008 (AFP) - Defending champions Argentina are looking to their quartet of NBA stars to help inspire a second successive Olympics basketball gold.

BEIJING, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant, who sparked the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals, smiled when asked about his summer plans following the playoffs.

Mindful of teammate Pau Gasol and his role in leading Spain to the world championship in 2006 at Japan, Bryant tossed down the challenge.

SHANGHAI, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - It will not always be pretty, but defence will be the key for Team USA as they head to the Beijing Olympics this week where they will seek to redeem themselves after a bronze medal performance in 2004.

SHANGHAI, August 3, 2008 (AFP) - Team USA showed their strength Sunday as the world's top basketball team powered past European champion Russia 89-68 before an energised crowd in Shanghai in an Olympic Games warm-up match.

DALLAS, August 2, 2008 (AFP) - Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard was arrested on charges of street racing in North Carolina, the Dallas Morning News reported on Friday.

Howard, who is hosting a basketball camp in his hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was pulled over late Thursday night when police clocked him at 94 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone, the newspaper said.

MACAU, August 1, 2008 (AFP) - LeBron James' Team USA buried European heavyweights Lithuania 120-84 on Friday to lay down a marker for reclaiming the Olympic title.

The 12-time champions, humbled at Athens 2004, matched defensive ferocity with offensive class as they shot to a big early lead, stifled a brief comeback, and then ran away with it in front of a packed Cotai Arena.