NHL, union to resume labor talks

TORONTO — The NHL and its players' union are to resume bargaining Friday for the first time since the lockout began, although the talks will concentrate on secondary economic issues.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly and NHL Players' Association special counsel Steve Fehr met Tuesday in Toronto and set up the session, which will be in New York. These will be the first formal negotiations since Sept. 12, when the players and owners exchanged proposals.

With the league and union far apart on money, both sides decided to discuss other economic issues that also are necessary for an agreement. Fehr said the topics will include pension and medical plans, schedule rules, drug testing and the grievance procedure.

"Obviously, we've got to talk before you can get a deal, so I think it's important to get the talks going again," Daly said Monday. "But you also have to have something to say. I think it's fair to say we feel like we need to hear from the players' association in a meaningful way because I don't think that they've really moved off their initial proposal, which was made more than a month ago now."

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NFL, officials' union resume talks

NEW YORK — The NFL and the officials' union were talking again.

Two people familiar with the talks say that the NFL and the locked-out officials' union met on Sunday.

It was uncertain whether progress was made in an attempt to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, or when further negotiations would take place.

The two people spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity because the talks are not being made public.

The NFL locked out the officials in June after their contract expired. The league has been using replacement officials, and through three weeks of the regular season there has been much criticism over the way some games are being handled.

Earlier Sunday, the NFL players' union sent an open letter to team owners calling for an end to the lockout.

The sides also met last week for two days, but the negotiations remained far apart.

Also, the league last week warned teams that it won't tolerate confrontational behavior toward the new officials.

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Sumo tourneys set to resume: sources

KYODO — The sports ministry has decided to allow sumo to resume regular tournaments in July, according to sources familiar with Wednesday's talks between the heads of the ministry and the Japan Sumo Association.

JSA Chairman Hanaregoma, visiting the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, explained sumo's measures aimed at preventing the recurrence of match-fixing as well as structural reform plans to continue receiving preferential tax treatment.

Sports Minister Yoshiaki Takaki told Hanaregoma to be vigilant in his leadership, while saying sumo fans are eager to see a regular tournament.

The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in July will be the first regular tourney since the New Year basho in January.

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