Newsmakers

Cleared Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming is confident that he’ll be ready for the start of the NBA regular season after a team doctor declared his surgically repaired left foot fully healed on Tuesday. Yao missed last season after surgery in July 2009. Team doctor Tom Clanton has cleared Yao to resume basketball activities. General manager Daryl Morey says the team will be cautious with Yao and limit his minutes early in the season.

Retired Defenseman Aaron Ward, a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams, is retiring from the NHL after 13 seasons. Ward spent most of last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, where he won the Cup in 2006. He was traded in March to Anaheim. Ward, 37, was also a member of Detroit’s back-to-back title teams in 1997 and 1998.

Signed The Nashville Predators have signed their top goal scorer, forward Patric Hornqvist, to a three-year, $9.25 million contract. Hornqvist, 23, is Nashville’s first draft pick to score 30 goals, and he led the team with his 30 goals last season. That also marked the fourth highest total in franchise history. Hornqvist is from Sollentuna, Sweden.

• Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, signed a three-year contract extension with German apparel company Puma that is said to be the biggest for a track and field athlete. Bolt is the record holder in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Out PGA golfer Mike Weir has a partially torn ligament in his right elbow and is likely out for the rest of the season. Weir told the Canadian Press that he had an MRI exam over the weekend. He plans to rest the elbow and seek treatment to avoid surgery.

Convicted Former Olympic ski jump champion Matti Nykanen of Finland was convicted of attacking his wife with a kitchen knife in their home on Christmas Day last year. Nykanen, 47, was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He will appeal.

Split Olympic champion Kim Yu-na has parted ways with coach Brian Orser. No reason was given to the coach by the 19-year-old skater.