Spate of attacks kills 65 in Iraq

Posted: BAGHDAD (AFP) - Ten bombings mainly targeting Shiite-majority areas of Baghdad province killed at least 41 people on Sunday, while 24 died in other attacks in Iraq, officials said.The attacks are the latest in a surge in violence that has killed over 650 people so far this month, and more than 5,350 this year.The 10 blasts, which hit nine different areas in and around Baghdad, also wounded more than 110 people, security and medical officials said.One of the worst-hit neighbourhoods was Shaab in north Baghdad, where two car bombs exploded in a commercial area, killing at least eight people and wounding at least 18.Blasts also struck the areas of Bayaa, Baladiyat, Mashtal, Hurriyah and Dura in Baghdad, and Saba al-Bur, Nahrawan and Tarmiyah near the capital.The Mashtal blast hit a bus station while bombs in Bayaa, Dura, Saba al-Bur and Tarmiyah targeted commercial areas.And south of Baghdad, three mortar rounds struck houses in the Shiite-majority Jaara area, killing at least three people and wounding at least eight.Sunni militants often carry out attacks against members of Iraqs Shiite majority, whom they consider apostates.Iraq has since last month restricted many Baghdad residents to using their cars only every other day, but the measure has failed to prevent dozens of vehicle bombs exploding in the capital.In the northern city of Mosul, a car bomb targeting soldiers waiting outside a bank to collect their wages killed at least 14 people, among them three soldiers, and wounded more than 30 people.Unknown gunmen also shot dead two soldiers and a civilian in two separate attacks in Mosul, while a car bomb exploded near an army checkpoint in the city, killing a woman and wounding eight people.And gunmen killed two Shiite civilians in the Muqdadiyah area, northeast of the city of Baquba, while a tribal leader was killed by a magnetic sticky bomb on his vehicle in the same area.Violence in Iraq has reached a level not seen since 2008, when the country was just emerging from a brutal sectarian conflict.The surge in bloodshed this year, which has included sectarian attacks, has raised fears Iraq may relapse into the intense Sunni-Shiite conflict that peaked in 2006-2007 and killed tens of thousands of people.Analysts say the Shiite-led governments failure to address grievances of the Sunni Arab minority, which complains of political exclusion and abuses by security forces, has been a main cause of the heightened unrest.The level of violence rose sharply after security forces stormed a Sunni protest camp in northern Iraq in April, sparking clashes in which dozens died.And while authorities have made some concessions aimed at placating the protesters and Sunnis in general, such as freeing prisoners and raising the salaries of Sunni anti-Al-Qaeda fighters, the underlying issues remain unaddressed.More than 650 people have been killed so far this month, and over 5,350 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.A study released this month by academics based in the United States, Canada and Iraq said nearly half a million people have died from war-related causes in Iraq since the US-led invasion of 2003.In addition to major security problems, the Iraqi government has failed to provide adequate basic services such as electricity and clean water, and corruption is widespread.Political squabbling has paralysed the government, while parliament has passed almost no major legislation in years.

13 killed in north Lebanon violence: security Posted: TRIPOLI (AFP) - The death toll from a week of clashes in Lebanon between supporters and opponents of Syrias regime has risen to 13, a security official said on Sunday.Two people died in clashes on Saturday and another two were killed early on Sunday in the northern port city of Tripoli, the official said, adding that scores more were wounded, including 16 in the past two days alone.Sunni and Alawite gunmen have been fighting since Monday in the Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen districts of Tripoli, Lebanons second city.Until Saturday, six Sunnis and three Alawites had been killed in the latest bout of fighting which broke out on Monday.Residents of Bab al-Tebbaneh support the revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while those in Jabal Mohsen back Assad. They have fought frequently since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011.Tripoli is home to 200,000 people, 80 percent of whom are Sunni Muslims, 6-7 percent Alawites and the rest Christians.Acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Saturday that security forces will take every step to put an end to the violence and chaos in the city. They will be strict and impartial.A security official said the army had separated the two sides and pushed them back.The fighting broke out on Monday as a Lebanese private television aired an interview with the Syrian president, in which he said the time is not ripe for a peace conference to try to resolve the 31-month conflict and said he was ready to run for re-election in 2014.The violence prompted residents to flee the impoverished neighbourhoods, and schools and universities have been closed since the middle of last week.Lebanon is deeply divided into pro- and anti-Damascus camps.The division has widened since Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah admitted in May it was sending fighters into Syria to support Assads troops.Small radical Sunni organisations have also sent men across the border to fight alongside rebels.Lebanon was dominated politically and militarily by Damascus for 30 years until 2005.

US denies Obama knew of Merkel spying Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - The imbroglio over the tapping of Angela Merkels phone deepened Sunday, after a US denial that President Barack Obama was personally informed for years of electronic surveillance against the German chancellor.As a sense of betrayal spread in European capitals about spying activities conducted against world leaders and ordinary citizens, German media reports said tapping of Merkels phone may have begun as early as 2002.Bild am Sonntag newspaper quoted US intelligence sources as saying that Americas National Security Agency chief General Keith Alexander had briefed Obama on the operation against Merkel in 2010.Obama did not halt the operation but rather let it continue, the newspaper quoted a high-ranking NSA official as saying.News weekly Der Spiegel reported that leaked NSA documents showed Merkels phone had appeared on a list of spying targets for over a decade, and was still under surveillance weeks before Obama visited Berlin in June.But NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines, in Washington, flatly denied the claims.Alexander did not discuss with President Obama in 2010 an alleged foreign intelligence operation involving German Chancellor Merkel, nor has he ever discussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Merkel, Vines said.News reports claiming otherwise are not true, she added.The allegations, derived from documents acquired from US fugitive defense contractor Edward Snowden, have stoked global outrage that American spy agencies were responsible for broad snooping into the communications of several dozen world leaders and likely millions of ordinary people.A poll for Der Spiegel found that 60 percent of Germans believe the scandal has damaged bilateral ties.European leaders have since called for a new deal with Washington on intelligence gathering that would maintain an essential alliance while keeping the fight against terrorism on track.Germany is to send its own spy chiefs to Washington to demand answers.Swiss President Ueli Maurer warned the revelations risked undermining confidence between states.We dont know if were only seeing the tip of the iceberg or if other governments are acting in the same ruthless manner, he told the Schweiz am Sonntag weekly.With anger simmering in Berlin, Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich sharpened his tone.Surveillance is a crime and those responsible must be brought to justice, he told Bild, while Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle decried the highly damaging spying among friends.Merkel confronted Obama with the snooping allegations in a phone call Wednesday saying that such spying would be a breach of trust.The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung said Obama had told Merkel during their call that he had been unaware of any spying against her, while Spiegel said he assured her that he would have stopped the operation at once.Merkels office declined to comment on what Obama told her.The White House has said it is not monitoring Merkels phone calls and will not do so in future, but it has refused to say whether it did previously.

Britain braces for worst storm in a decade Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Britain was braced on Sunday for its worst storm in a decade, with heavy rain and winds of more than 80 miles (130 kilometres) an hour set to batter the south of the country.The Met Office national weather centre warned of falling trees, damage to buildings and disruption to power supplies and transport when the storm hits overnight to Monday.Between 20 and 40 millimetres (0.8 to 1.6 inches) of rain is predicted to fall within six to nine hours starting on Sunday evening, with a chance of localised flooding.It will be followed by widespread gusts of 60 to 70 miles an hour across southern England and south Wales on Monday, with winds reaching more than 80 miles an hour in some areas, forecasters say.The Met Office issued an amber wind warning for the region, the third highest in a four-level scale, and urged people to delay their Monday morning journeys to work to avoid the worst of the bad weather.Londons rush-hour looked set to be chaotic after train companies First Capital Connect, C2C, Greater Anglia, Southern and Gatwick Express services all said they would not run services on Monday until it was safe to do so. That is likely to be after 9.00am (0900 GMT), according to forecasts.Major airports also warned of disruption to flights with London-hub Heathrow expecting approximately 30 cancellations.Cross-channel train service Eurostar said it would not be running trains on Monday until 7.00am, meaning delays to early services.Several ferry operators said they had cancelled some cross-Channel services and Irish Sea crossings.Britain last experienced similar wind strengths in March 2008, but forecaster Helen Chivers told AFP the expected damage was more comparable with a storm seen in October 2002.Prime Minister David Cameron received an update from officials on contingency planning in a conference call on Sunday, amid fears of similar damage wrought by the Great Storm of October 1987.That left 18 people dead in Britain and four in France, felled 15 million trees and caused damages worth more than 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion or 1.2 billion euros at current exchange rates) as winds blew up to 115 miles an hour.Martin Young, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: While this is a major storm for the UK, we dont currently expect winds to be as strong as those seen in the Great Storm of 1987 or the Burns Day storm of 1990.This weather system is typical of what we expect to see in winter but as its coming in during autumn -- when trees are in leaf -- and while the ground is fairly saturated, it does pose some risks.We could see some uprooted trees or other damage from the winds and theres a chance of some surface water flooding from the rainfall -- all of which could lead to some disruption.Veteran weather forecaster Michael Fish also said Sundays storm was unlikely to be as severe as 26 years ago, although his comments will be taken with a pinch of salt in Britain.Fish was the BBCs main television weatherman in 1987 but famously denied that a major storm was on its way just hours before it hit.This years storm has been named St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is on Monday.It is likely to affect northern France before heading off towards Denmark, forecasters said.

Iran lawmakers reject president's minister pick Posted: TEHRAN (AP) - In a vote Sunday, 141 out of 261 lawmakers present voted against Reza Salehi Amiri, who Rouhani nominated as sports and youth minister.Opponents said Salehi Amiri lacked experience for the post, mismanaged other positions he served in and had a role in unrest after the countrys 2009 presidential election. Salehi Amiri, a member of Rouhanis presidential campaign, denied all the allegations.Rouhani will propose a new nominee for the post in the coming days.Lawmakers approved two other of Rouhanis ministerial choices Sunday. They confirmed Reza Faraji Dana as science, research and technology minister and Ali Asghar Fani as education minister.

Del Potro beats Federer in Swiss Indoors final Posted: BASEL (AP) - Roger Federer is playing better tennis these days just not quite good enough to win titles again.Juan Martin del Potro denied Federer his hometown Swiss Indoors title for the second straight year, winning the final 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4 on Sunday.Federer trailed throughout his first final in more than four months, though showed no sign of the back problems which have hampered him during the most difficult season of his career.I am a winner, I dont take much confidence from losing matches, Federer said. I am happy about the level of my play, its getting better, but its not in losing where I get much confidence.Federer had hoped that the raucous crowd support in Basel where he is a five-time champion could help revive his form, but he has still won just one title in the past 14 months.Del Potro beat the player he described as a big inspiration for the third straight time, including the 2012 Basel final.I think Roger is playing well, the top-seeded Argentine said. For me, he has the perfect game. He played much better when he has the chance to play the top guys.Still, with this loss against fifth-ranked del Potro, Federer has only one victory against a top-10 opponent in 2013. That was back in January, against then-No. 8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Australian Open quarterfinals, before a series of shocking defeats against opponents outside the top 50.Federer can take one positive from his Swiss Indoors run, as it all but secured a place in the eight-man lineup at the ATP World Tour Finals in London starting a week from Monday.The sixth-ranked Swiss would confirm his London place at the Paris Masters in midweek if he wins a second-round match against Kevin Anderson of South Africa or Mikhail Youzhny of Russia. Even with a loss, he can only be kept out by an unlikely sequence of victories for several rivals in the points race.Looking forward to Paris and London, he is going to be a really difficult opponent, del Potro said. Then he has the time for recovery to be ready for next season.Del Potro earned his 17th career title and fourth this season. He also won at Rotterdam in February, Washington D.C. in August and Tokyo this month, all on his favored hard-court surface.The 32-year-old Federer still holds a 13-5 career record against del Potro, but last beat him in the London Olympics semifinals at Wimbledon.On Sunday, Federer lost the first set despite playing some of his best tennis this week.After del Potro forced a 5-3 lead with the first break, Federer responded with four straight points on his opponents serve and shouted in triumph.Facing two set points in the next game, Federer hit an ace and won a long, slugging rally that brought a yell of delight from the sold-out crowd of 9,200.Still, del Potro dominated the tiebreaker helped by two net cords in his favor, and clinched the set when Federer sent a forehand wide.Federer leveled the match with much less drama in the second set, after breaking to take a 2-0 lead with a forehand crosscourt winner.He broke again to clinch the set, set up by a pinpoint forehand winner, and got a standing ovation as he headed back to his seat.Roger started to play much better. In the finals, you cant relax in any moment, del Potro said.Federer quickly wasted the advantage of serving first in the decider, despite saving a break point with a leaping backhand overhead winner after del Potros deft lob. He double-faulted to give del Potro a second opportunity and then hit a forehand long.I did hand the break over to him a little bit too easily in the third set but I did well today, Federer said.Serving for the match, del Potro hit an ace to set up three match points, and converted the second with strong ground strokes to move Federer around the court.Del Potro improved to 48-13 this season and earned 348,000 euros ($480,000) for the victory.Federer, now 40-14 in 2013, was playing his first final since winning the low-key grass-court event in June at Halle, Germany.He remains tied with John McEnroe on 77 career singles titles, third most during the 45-year Open era. Jimmy Connors has 109 titles and Ivan Lendl has 94.He is also a better person than he is a tennis player, del Potro said of Federer. I am very proud to have a good relationship with him.

Serena beats Li Na for WTA title Posted: ISTANBUL (AP) - The way this season has been going for Serena Williams, there was only one fitting way for it to end.Williams capped a career year in style Sunday, earning her 11th title of 2013 by coming from behind to beat Li Na 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 for her second straight WTA Championships crown.Williams became the eighth woman to win 11 or more titles in a year and the first since Martina Hingis had 12 in 1997. She is also the first to repeat as champion at the season-ending WTA Championships since Justine Henin in 2007.It was an awesome year of tennis, said Williams, who sank to her knees after firing a backhand winner on her second match point.The victory brought Williams prize money total for the year to $12,385,572. The only player, male or female, to earn more in a year was Novak Djokovic with $12,803,737 in 2012 and $12,619,803 in 2011.The American won her fourth WTA Championship, having captured the elite tournament for the top eight players also in her debut in 2001 and in 2009 and 2012.Williams has won 78 of 82 matches this year and will finish the year as the top-ranked player for the third time in her career after 2002 and 2009.Williams titles this year included the French and U.S. Opens for a total of 17 Grand Slam crowns. Her winning percentage of .951 is the best on the tour since 1990. Martina Navratilova had an 86-1 record and a .989 percentage in 1983.Still, Williams said she would have preferred to have won at least one more Grand Slam title.I live to win slams. I mean, obviously Im so excited to be the WTA champion, Williams said. I cant say its the best (season). I cant say its not the best. I dont know. I really dont know.Li was in her first WTA Championships final and will finish the year at a career-high No. 3.The final featured two players above the age of 30 for the first time in the championships 43-year history. Williams is 32 and Li is 31 but both are playing some of their best tennis.Li got off to a better start over a sluggish-looking Williams, who struggled a day earlier to beat Jelena Jankovic and complained later of being exhausted after a long season.I felt good this morning, much better than I did yesterday, but then in practice I was like, Oh, no. I was a little worried, but I just hung in there and just kept going and going, Williams said.The Chinese was quick to break serve for a 2-1 lead and rolled through the first set, which ended with Williams netting a forehand and hitting a backhand passing shot wide.Williams won a key game at the start of the second set that went to nine deuces and lasted nearly 12 minutes as the American fended off two break points before finally prevailing with a service winner.I guess looking back it was definitely a very important game for me to win, Williams said. She had been on a real roll. I guess I was determined to win that game at any cost.Li blasted an ace, her only one of the match, to level at 3-3. But she produced a double-fault and a forehand error to give Williams a chance to serve out the set. Williams needed three set points to close it out.After a set and a half, I was feeling no more energy left. Its a tough tournament, because I played five days in a row, Li said. Every opponent (is in the) top eight, so you never have an easy match in this tournament.It was another double-fault by Li that gave Williams a break of serve at the start of the third and the American never looked back.Williams did have to save five break points, the last one with her sixth ace, before wrapping up the title.Li, the 2011 French Open champion, fell to 1-10 against Williams. She lost a set at 6-0 for the second straight time they played. She won only three games in her loss to Williams in the semifinals of the U.S. Open.I have a little bit bad taste, because its at love, but I still feel more positive things, Li said.After three years in Istanbul, the tournament moves to Singapore for the next five years.

Youzhny upsets Ferrer to take Valencia title Posted: VALENCIA (AFP) - Russian Mikhail Youzhny claimed his second title of the year as he upset home favourite David Ferrer 6-3, 7-5 to win the Valencia Open on Sunday.Ferrer was aiming for his fourth title in his home region, but was far from his stubborn best as Youzhnys power and depth of ground strokes proved too much for the number one seed.I can only thank my team for helping me get to this part of the season and being able to win a tournament, said Youzhny.It has been a great week for me and I hope I can keep playing in the same way to finish the year in Paris next week.However, there was disappointment for Ferrer, who had come through an awkward draw to beat Gael Monfils, Jerzy Janowicz and Nicolas Almagro only to fall at the final hurdle.It wasnt the best final for me and even more so at home, said Ferrer.I tried my best, it wasnt to be but I really enjoyed my week and the support of the crowd and my team was great.Youzhny got off to a flying start as he raced into a 5-1 lead in the first set.Ferrer responded to claim one of the breaks of serve back, but Youzhny held on to serve it out 6-3.It was roles reversed at the beginning of the second as Ferrer went 4-1 ahead as Youzhnys level dipped slightly.However, the world number 21 regained his composure and rattled off six of the next seven games to seal his 10th career title.

Torres gives Chelsea third straight league win Posted: LONDON (AP) - Nine games into the Premier League season, Chelsea has finally beaten a leading team thanks to Manchester Citys defensive blunder in the 90th minute.Matija Nastasic headed the ball back over Joe Hart, who was committed on the edge of the penalty area, leaving the goalkeeper stranded as Fernando Torres pounced to clinch a 2-1 victory for Chelsea on Sunday.In a dynamic display, Torres set up Andre Schuerrles opener in the first half, although that was canceled out by Sergio Aguero soon after the break.Having previously been held to draws by Manchester United and Tottenham, Chelseas third straight league win will raise the teams title hopes as it sits second two points behind Arsenal.Tottenham is a point behind Chelsea after beating Hull 1-0 on Sunday, while Sunderland climbed off the bottom with a 2-1 victory over Newcastle in the northeast derby. The days other game saw Swansea and West Ham draw 0-0.But one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the season so far was at Stamford Bridge as the leagues biggest spending teams over the last decade met.Torres had missed an open goal before charging down the right flank and squaring the ball into the penalty area for Schuerrle to sweep in the opener in the 33rd minute.But Aguero leveled four minutes into the second half after running onto Samir Nasris throughball and getting past Cahill before beating goalkeeper Petr Cech at his near post.Torres continued to search for his first league goal since May, but he flicked a header straight at Hart and lifted the ball over at the back post.Then Torres produced the winner with the game about to enter stoppage time causing manager Jose Mourinho to launch himself into the crowd behind the bench to celebrate with his son and other supporters.Our team isnt physical, we need (Torres) physicality, Mourinho said. The people playing behind him: Schuerrle is fragile, Juan (Mata) is little, Oscar is fragile, (Eden) Hazard is little.You see City, even Aguero, hes the little one but hes a powerful tank, so we need Fernando, he gives us a lot. After that, if he scores or doesnt score its OK, we know we can count on him.It was Chelseas third straight win, while City has now dropped 11 points in nine games.At White Hart Lane, Tottenham relied on Roberto Soldados penalty in the 80th to clinch the win against Hull and return to the top four.Soldados third penalty of the season came after Ahmed Elmohamady was adjudged to have handled Jan Vertonghens cross.Tottenham had struggled to break down a spirited Hull side until then and manager Andre Villas-Boas felt the home fans werent supportive enough,We played in a very difficult atmosphere, very tense, very negative and we looked like the away team but we kept our cool, Villas-Boas said. We had to dig deep within ourselves because we werent getting help from anybody, the stadium reflected this atmosphere, very tense and without a lot of support until the first goal.Sunderland has its first win of the league season after edging the derby against Newcastle.Fabio Borini, who is on loan from Liverpool, blasted in his first Sunderland goal for an 84th-minute winner after being set up by Jozy Altidore.Steven Fletcher had headed Sunderland in front after five minutes and Mathieu Debuchy equalized from close range in the 57th.But Borinis goal ensured Sunderland rose off the bottom of the standings, a point above Crystal Palace, just two matches into Gus Poyets reign as manager.

Vettel claims 4th straight F1 world title in India Posted: GREATER NOIDA (AP) - He drives with the poise of a seasoned veteran but Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel says hes still too young to appreciate his fourth straight Formula One championship title.Starting from pole, the 26-year-old Vettel turned in a trademark clinical performance to win the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday and join F1 greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as just the third driver to win four consecutive championships. The only other driver to win four titles was Alain Prost.Vettel is also the youngest four-time world champion by eight years.Im way too young to understand what it means, he said of his achievement. I might be 60 one day, maybe then I will understand, but nobody cares anymore. I care. Its difficult to realize something that nobody can take away from you basically.As in the past two years in India, Vettel won from pole position, finishing almost 30 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg in second, with Romain Grosjean taking his second straight third for Lotus after starting from 17th on the grid.Youve won it in style, an elated Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Vettel over the car radio immediately after the race. Brilliant stuff. Youve joined the greats.After taking the checkered flag, Vettel performed several donuts on the track before climbing from his car, acknowledging the crowd and kneeling with his head bowed to the track. He then climbed the pit lane fence to embrace members of his team.Vettel was later reprimanded and Red Bull fined 25,000 euros ($34, 500) by race stewards for the display of exuberance and failing to proceed directly from the circuit to the post-race parc ferme (secure area) without delay.The penalties are unlikely to dampen the celebrations.Im overwhelmed, dont know what to say, Vettel said immediately after the race. It is one of the best days of my life.With Vettels win, Red Bull also claimed its fourth straight constructors title, despite losing Mark Webber to mechanical problems while in second place.Ferraris Felipe Massa was fourth with teammate Fernando Alonso finishing a disappointing 11th.Today is the day to congratulate (Vettel) and for him to enjoy the championship, Alonso said, who is 115 points behind the Red Bull driver in second place in the standings with three races remaining.Vettel has now won 10 races this season, including the last six.A clearly emotional Vettel, taking occasional swigs from his celebratory magnum of champagne, thanked his team and his family in a post-race media conference. He spoke of his respect for the Indian people and rivals including Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Webber.To win four titles, I dont know, its just a big number you know? Vettel said. Fangio put the number of five titles and everybody appreciated him as the best driver in the world. Michael (Schumacher) came along ... its incredible that one guy managed to score more championships (seven) than (Fangio) did.Starting on the quick but fragile soft tires, Vettel lasted just one lap before switching to the medium compounds, emerging from the pit lane in 17th place.Vettel wove his way back toward the front, gradually narrowing the gap and passing McLaren driver Sergio Perez on the 22nd lap to move into second behind Webber.Webber eventually entered the pits for his first tire change to soft tires on the 29th lap and Vettel made his second and last stop three laps later to new medium tires, returning to the track just over eight seconds behind Webber.When Webber switched back to medium tires two laps later, he effectively handed the race to Vettel.Red Bull then ordered a stunned Webber to stop while in second place on the 42nd lap due to a problem with his cars alternator.Disappointing, but theres not much I can do, Webber said. There was something wrong with the car, so we had to stop straight away.With the Australian out, the race became a tussle for the lesser podium places, with pacesetting Rosberg passing Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen for second on the closing laps before Grosjean capped a dogged race by defying the odds and reaching the podium after being eliminated in the first qualifying session Saturday.I would not have bet a penny on me being on the podium today, Grosjean said. But the car came back. Vettel meanwhile was struggling to come to terms with the enormity of his achievement.It was a difficult emotion to cross the line and feel happy all of a sudden because youre in a rhythm, you know what youre doing, you have a routine, he said. I think it takes time to understand what happened.

Sebastien Ogier wins Rally of Spain Posted: GANDESA (AP) - World champion Sebastien Ogier won the Rally of Spain on Sunday after coming from behind on the third and final day.The French driver entered the last leg run on gravel after two days of asphalt in fourth place, 46.5 seconds behind Volkswagen Polo teammate and pacesetter Jari-Matti Latvala after being slowed down by a damaged wheel on Saturday.But Ogier ripped through the final six stages to overtake the frontrunners and beat Latvala by 32.9 seconds.It was a fantastic day, Ogier said. We pushed really hard. We didn't know if it would be possible because we knew dust would be a problem but we took risks this morning.It was Ogier's eighth win in 12 rounds this season. He clinched the world title in France earlier this month.Local favorite Dani Sordo, who entered the day less than two seconds behind Latvala in second place, broke the suspension on his Citroen during the second-to-last stage.The last event of the season is in Wales from Nov. 13-17.

Iraq oil exports plunge to 19-month low: ministry Posted: BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq's oil exports hit a 19-month low in September, oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said on Sunday, attributing the decline to maintenance and improvement projects at the country's ports.Iraq exported 62.1 million barrels of oil in September, or about 2.07 million barrels per day (bpd), Jihad said -- the lowest daily average since February 2012.The country earned $6.511 from the exports, its lowest monthly figure in over a year.Sales of crude, which account for the vast majority of Iraq's government income, had averaged 2.579 million bpd in August and raised revenues of $8.3 billion.Jihad said the September decline was due to periodic maintenance activities for the southern ports and projects to add new floating oil storage facilities and increase the ports' export capacities.Iraq is heavily dependent on oil exports, and the government is seeking to dramatically ramp up its sales in the coming years to fund the reconstruction of its battered infrastructure.Officials are aiming to increase production capacity to nine million bpd by 2017, a target that the International Monetary Fund and International Energy Agency have warned is over-optimistic.

Steyn rested for 2 ODIs against Pakistan Posted: DUBAI (AP) - South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn will be rested for the first two one-day internationals against Pakistan while former Proteas coach Gary Kirsten will join the team as batting mentor for part of the five-match series.The series begins in Sharjah on Wednesday.Cricket South Africa said Sunday that Steyn will fly back home before returning for the third one-day international in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 6.Steyn tightened his hamstring during practice last week but played in the second test which South Africa won by an innings and 92 runs on Saturday to level the two-match series 1-1.Kirsten will join the Proteas for five days during the break between the second ODI in Dubai on Friday and the third match in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 6. Abu Dhabi also hosts the fourth ODI two days later before the series returns to Sharjah for the fifth and final ODI on Nov. 11.Kirsten, the former South Africa opening batsman, successfully coached the India team which won the last 50-over World Cup at home in 2011.South Africa wants to benefit from Kirstens experience to prepare for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.Gary is a World Cup winning coach and it would be naive for us not to tap into his wisdom, team manager Mohammed Moosajee said. We have a crop of young batsmen in the squad we feel will gain a lot of insight from his vast batting experience and knowledge.South Africas leading batsman Hashim Amla is also yet to join the squad as he flew back home after the first test defeat in Dubai earlier this month to be with his pregnant wife.Middle order batsman Colin Ingram has been placed on standby in case Amla does not rejoin the team.

Donor marries man who received her kidney Posted: BROWNSBURG (Web Desk) - A young man who was offered a kidney – to replace his ailing ones – by a girl he’d only just met has married her four years later.Chelsea Clair and Kyle Froelich met in 2009 at a car show when they were 22 and 19 years old, respectively.After a lengthy battle trying to find suitable matches, Kyle had been told by doctors not to keep up his hopes of finding a donor to replace his struggling kidneys.However, Chelsea offered hers to the teen on the day they met in Indiana, US.‘We ended up being almost a perfect match,’ she said.As serendipity would have it, Kyle’s numerous mismatches paled into obscurity when the two underwent surgery and she successfully donated one of her kidneys one year later.Ms Clair, whose father died while needing a bone marrow transplant that he never received, was told by her family: ‘Chelsea, you can’t just go to Wal-Mart and buy a kidney,’ the Indianapolis Star reports.Her mother had apparently watched a kidney transplant online and tried to curtail her daughter’s insistence.However, the woman was determined and in the end the kidney worked straight away.Accompanying each other to hospital appointments they began to fall in love.‘There’s a bond that no one else, unless they’ve done it, can know,’ said Mr Froelich, now 23.‘She’s my best friend.’They married on October 12 and replaced ‘in sickness and in health’ with ‘I offer you my hand, my heart and my soul, as I know they will be safe with you’.

Govt to hold talks only with NWA, SWA militants: sources Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The government would hold talks only with Hakimullah Mehsood and Haji Gul Bahadur in North and South Waziristan.According to the sources, the government would not engage in negotiation with militants including Maulvi Fazlullah in Malakand Division, Abdul Wali in Mohmand Agency, Mangal Bagh in Khyber Agency and Qari Zia-u-Rehman in Bajaur.According to the government stance, these groups operate from Afghanistan and attack Pakistani areas from there.The sources added that the talks would not be hold in those areas too where the situation has normalized after completion of the military operation.On the other hand, Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen says that the government should not hold talks with Taliban.Addressing a conference in Karachi on Sunday, MWM leader Allama Nasir Abbas said that PML-N is scared to confront terrorists.Speaking on this occasion Amin Shahidi said that having talks with the Taliban would be like having talks with the devil.Having talks with the Taliban means having talks with those who reject the constitution of this country, Shahidi said.Meanwhile, Chairman Ulema Council Pakistan, Allama Tahir Ashrafi has urged the government to hold talks with Taliban.Addressing Istehkam-e-Pakistan Conference in Multan on Sunday‚ he said that talks with the Taliban should be conducted with the parameters of the constitution.He also demanded an immediate end to US drone attacks on Pakistan's territory.