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Friday's Sports Scoreboard

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:18:22 +0100

Egyptian soccer fans riot against Algeria

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:32:24 +0100

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian soccer fans burned Algerian flags and rioted outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, smashing cars and shop windows, in an escalating row between the two countries over a bitter World Cup rivalry.

Egyptian fans — and the country's media — have been thrown into a frenzy over reports that Algerians attacked and injured Egyptians after their countries' teams squared off in a World Cup qualifier in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, this week. Algeria won the game 1-0, giving them a spot in the 2010 Cup in South Africa.

Several hundred Egyptian fans rampaged in the streets around the Algerian Embassy overnight into the early hours Friday, scuffling with black-uniformed riot police. It began as a protest, with demonstrators beating drums, shooting jets of flame from aerosol cans and shouting obscenities and slogans against Algerians.

When riot police prevented them from getting close to the embassy, the demonstrators threw stones, smashed nearby cars and windows of shops and ransacked a gas station. Some fans, unable to reach the Algerians, pelted the nearby Indian Embassy with stones. The Interior Ministry said 11 police and 24 protesters were injured, 20 people arrested and 15 vehicles damaged.

During the day Friday, scattered groups of dozens of fans shouted and burned flags near the embassy, kept from the building by multiple lines of riot police with helmets and batons.

In a country where political demonstrations are rare and heavily suppressed by security forces, Egypt's soccer protests were an unusual show of anger in the streets.

The upscale neighborhood where the embassy is located, Zamalek, is on an island in the Nile that is home to many embassies, schools, expatriates and foreign university students.

The rivalry has brought violence from both sides the past week.

Wednesday's match in Khartoum was a playoff after Egypt beat Algeria 2-0 Saturday in Cairo. Before Saturday's game, Egyptian fans pelted a bus carrying the Algerian team with stones and injured three players. Afterward, 32 people were injured in clashes between Egyptian and Algerian fans. Algerians ransacked offices of Egyptian companies in Algiers.

Following Algeria's win, Egyptian fans were attacked in Khartoum. Protests have erupted outside the Algerian Embassy in Khartoum repeatedly since.

Egyptian papers have been running front-page stories with pictures of injured fans and headlines trumpeting Algerian attacks on Egyptians in Khartoum. TV shows have also been drumming up fury, airing amateur mobile phone videos of what appear to be Algerian soccer fans wielding knives and chanting anti-Egyptian slogans.

Speaking to a TV news program, Mohammed Fouad, a popular Egyptian singer who attended the Khartoum match, called the violence afterward a "bloodbath."

"If the Jews were beating us, even they wouldn't have done it so savagely," he said.

President Hosni Mubarak's eldest son, Alaa, who also attended the Khartoum match, said Egypt should "take a stance" and respond to the Algerians' "terror, hostility."

Alaa Mubarak — a businessman who unlike his politically prominent younger brother, Gamal, rarely speaks publicly — told Egyptian television, "It is impossible that we as Egyptians take this, we have to stand up and say 'enough.'"

"When you insult my dignity ... I will beat you on the head," he said.

On Thursday, Egypt's Foreign Ministry summoned Algeria's ambassador in Cairo to express "extreme dismay" over the attacks in Khartoum. Egypt's ambassador in Algiers, Abdul-Aziz Seif al-Nasr, was instructed to return to Egypt for consultations, a ministry statement said.

The Egyptian Football Federation even threatened on Thursday to withdraw from international play to protest the treatment of Egyptian fans in Sudan.

"We call on FIFA to take a serious stance to restore order to the world of football," the federation said in a statement.

FIFA suspends Iraq for political meddling

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:53:38 +0100

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA suspended Iraq from soccer because of political interference in the national federation.

Soccer's world governing body says it is "unacceptable" for Iraq's Olympic committee to disband the federation this week for alleged financial and administrative irregularities.

FIFA's emergency committee, led by president Sepp Blatter, imposed the suspension after Iraq missed an overnight deadline to reinstate the federation and hand back the headquarters seized by government security forces.

"The clubs and representative teams of Iraq are no longer permitted to take part in international matches, whether friendly or competitive," FIFA said in a statement.

FIFA rules require full independence of national associations. FIFA funding has been stopped and Iraq, which move up five places to No. 88 in the FIFA rankings on Friday, will be deprived of its vote at international soccer meetings.

Iraqi Olympic board member Samir al-Moussawi said Friday the committee was standing by its decision.

"We will continue our contacts with FIFA officials and we will provide them with evidence to support our claims," al-Moussawi told The Associated Press. "Anyhow, Iraqi football teams have no international activities in the next three months and we hope that during this period we will be able to resolve our differences with FIFA."

FIFA said Iraq's under-16 girl's team can play in a weeklong tournament in Jordan starting Sunday.

Iraqi soccer has had a troubled relationship with FIFA since its popularity peaked with a victory in the 2007 Asian Cup.

Last year, FIFA imposed a ban on Iraqi teams after the government dissolved the national Olympic committee, along with all sports federations.

The ban threatened Iraq's participation in World Cup qualifiers but was lifted after the government assured FIFA that soccer was excluded from the decision.

Last month, FIFA granted the Iraq Football Association until April 30, 2010, to adopt new statutes and elect a new board, stressing that the process had to be independent and free of government interference.

Police: 17 arrests in soccer match-fixing probe

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:47:25 +0100

FRANKFURT (AP) — German prosecutors investigating match-fixing in soccer say 15 people in Germany and two in Switzerland have been arrested and about 200 games in Europe are under suspicion.

Police said more than 50 raids have been conducted in Switzerland, Germany and Britain, and documents, $1.48 million in cash and other valuables have been seized.

Authorities believe they have arrested the leaders of the gang suspected of manipulating games to make money on betting. No identities were released, although they said about 200 people are involved.

Peter Limacher, UEFA's representative who appeared at the news conference in Bochum, said he believed it was the biggest match-fixing scandal to hit Europe.

The betting leaders are suspected of bribing players, coaches, referees and other officials to fix games and believed to have made at least $14.82 million, according to Bochum's police director Friedhelm Althans.

The investigation began in January and has been supported by UEFA, Europe's governing body of soccer.

"UEFA will be demanding the harshest of sanctions before the competent courts for any individuals, clubs or officials who are implicated in this malpractice, be it under state or sports jurisdiction," UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

Games in nine European countries are believed to have been manipulated, although none in England, Spain, Italy or France.

The suspected games in Germany were played in the second-division or lower. Other countries involved are Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia and Austria.

Among the games believed to have been manipulated are three Champions League games and 12 Europa League games, all this year. Prosecutors did not specify whether those were qualifying games or group-round matches.

The Berliner Morgenpost reported Thursday that Ante Sapina and his brother Milan were among five people arrested in Berlin. Ante Sapina's lawyer Stefan Conen confirmed Friday that his client was in custody.

Ante Sapina was convicted of fraud in 2005 and sentenced to 35 months in prison for fixing or attempting to fix 23 games by paying German referee Robert Hoyzer to rig matches Sapina and his brothers bet on. Ante Sapina's brothers Milan and Filip were given suspended sentences.

Serbian police make arrest in soccer fan death

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:02:21 +0100

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbian police say they have arrested another suspect in the fatal attack on a French soccer fan in Belgrade two months ago.

Police say a 39-year-old man identified only as Dejan S. from Belgrade is suspected of taking part in the killing of French citizen Brice Taton.

Taton was among a group of Toulouse fans who were attacked by Partizan Belgrade hooligans before a Europa League match between the teams in September. Taton was badly injured in the attack and died several days later in a Belgrade hospital.

Serbian authorities have arrested 11 suspects in the attack and moved to ban violent soccer fan groups.

Serbian authorities don't release the full last name of criminal suspects.

Egypt, Algeria soccer tiff grows

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:37:18 +0100

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Algeria for consultations as part of a growing diplomatic row caused by a bitter soccer rivalry between the two Arab nations that has sparked violence among fans.

Egyptian fans were attacked after Algeria won a make-or-break World Cup qualifying game Wednesday in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, and offices of Egyptian companies in Algeria were ransacked after a matchup in Cairo over the weekend.

On Thursday, Egypt's Foreign Ministry summoned Algeria's ambassador in Cairo to express to him "extreme dismay" over the attacks. Egypt's ambassador in Algiers, Abdul-Aziz Seif al-Nasr, was instructed to return to Egypt as soon as possible, a ministry statement said.

Late Thursday night, hundreds of angry soccer fans marched through the streets near the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, beating drums and chanting anti-Algerian slogans and "Allahu Akbar." They threw stones over the wall of the nearby Indian Embassy, but riot police at the scene allowed the crowd to continue marching toward the Algerian Embassy as they screamed "To the Embassy."

Algeria advanced to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 after its 1-0 victory in Wednesday's game. That match was a playoff after Egypt won Saturday's game in Cairo, 2-0.

Ahead of Saturday's game, Egyptian fans pelted a bus carrying Algerian players soon after their arrival in Cairo. Three players were injured and two of them played with head bandages. Clashes between Egyptian and Algerian fans after that game injured 32 people.

A separate official Egyptian statement Thursday said the summoning to the foreign ministry of the Algerian ambassador, Abdul-Qader Hajar, was ordered by President Hosni Mubarak himself.

The Egyptian leader also chaired a top level meeting Thursday to look into the situation in Khartoum, to which thousands of Egyptian fans traveled, according to the statement.

It said most of the fans have returned safely to Egypt, but made a brief mention of the "difficulties" encountered by some on the way to Khartoum airport.

Egyptian media reports said several buses carrying Egypt fans to the airport were pelted with rocks, allegedly by Algerians, and that several of them were slightly hurt.

Charges in some Egyptian media outlets that Sudanese security forces stood by as Algerian fans attacked the Egyptians in Khartoum led to another diplomatic row, this time between Cairo and Khartoum.

Sudan's official news agency said the Sudanese Foreign Ministry summoned Egypt's ambassador in Khartoum Thursday to express to him the government's "absolute objection" to the media reports, which it said insulted Sudan and its people.

For the Algerians, however, Wednesday brought sweet revenge.

Egypt qualified to the 1990 World Cup at their expense, beating them in a decider played in Cairo in 1989. The Khartoum win sent thousands of people celebrating on the streets of Algiers, Paris and the French port city of Marseille. France is home to a large Algerian community.

Cairo was subdued after Wednesday's game, with only several hundred noisy fans protesting near the Algerian Embassy against the attacks on Egyptians in Sudan and Algeria. The protest continued until the early hours Thursday, but a riot police cordon kept protesters away from the embassy.

Headlines in Cairo's Thursday newspapers reflected the soccer-mad nation's disappointment to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with front-page photos of tearful Egyptian players.

Egypt, a record six-time African champion, last appeared on the game's biggest stage in 1990.

"Algeria qualified and the dream is lost," bemoaned the red banner of the daily Al-Gomhuria. "The World Cup dream turned into ruins," said the independent Al-Masry Al-Youm daily.

____

Associated Press reporter Marjorie Olster contributed to this report from Cairo.

'We got robbed': Irish demand replay with France

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:05:41 +0100

DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland appealed to France and FIFA on Thursday to replay their World Cup playoff after an obvious hand ball by Thierry Henry set up the deciding goal.

Ireland's government and soccer association asked for Wednesday's 1-1 draw in the second leg at Stade de France to be replayed. France advanced to next year's World Cup in South Africa 2-1 on total goals.

FIFA said it received Ireland's request for a replay, though it was unclear if the governing body of soccer would seriously consider it.

Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni called the prospect of a rematch "impossible." Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he would "have a chat about it" with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at a meeting of the 27 EU leaders in Brussels.

"Fairness is part of the game," Cowen said.

FIFA declined to comment specifically on Ireland's protests but pointed to its rule forbidding second-guessing of on-field decisions by referees.

John Delaney, the Football Association of Ireland's chief executive, said he doubted FIFA would respond positively unless French soccer authorities agreed to Ireland's call for a rematch.

"It's up to them, in particular the French, to recognize there was a travesty last night, an injustice," Delaney said.

In extra time, Henry twice handled the ball, then passed to William Gallas in the Irish penalty box for the deciding goal. At the time, the game was 17 minutes from reaching a penalty-kick shootout.

In 2005, FIFA invalidated the result of a World Cup qualifier between Uzbekistan and Bahrain following a referee's critical error. Trapattoni appeared to immediately undercut that appeal by offering his own assessment of FIFA politics.

"I know it's impossible to repeat the game," Trapattoni said.

Instead, he urged FIFA and the European soccer's governing body to consider video replays, saying what happened to Ireland "can be repeated in the future. That's why we have to stop it."

Ireland assistant manager Liam Brady and several players appealed to France's sense of honor.

"If the game's going to survive, it's got to be an equal playing field," Brady said. "If we're going to have integrity and dignity in the world game, the game should be replayed. And we'll go to Paris to play it."

Some Irish players accused Henry of lying when he told them that his hand ball had been accidental and instinctive.

"I asked him on the pitch: Did you hand-ball it?" Irish left back Kevin Kilbane said. "And he said, 'Yes — but I didn't mean it.'"

Kilbane said he also asked referee Martin Hansson after the final whistle if he had seen the play.

"He said: 'I can 100 percent say it wasn't hand ball.' When he said that to me, I knew full well that he was just lying to me because he hadn't even seen it."

Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said he doubted FIFA would sanction a replay. He reflected the widespread Irish view that the sport's powers favored France's qualification.

"They probably won't grant it as we are minnows in world football," Ahern said, "but let's put them on the spot anyway."

Irish lawmaker Joe McHugh said France should follow the 1999 precedent set by Arsenal's French manager, Arsene Wenger, who volunteered to replay a match in England's FA Cup after Arsenal won on an unfair goal.

Several Irish players were in tears after the game and rued their missed scoring chances after outplaying France much of the night.

"We got robbed," Ireland defender Sean St. Ledger said. "We feel cheated. We were the better team."

Henry's hand ball, he said, "has cost a lot of us our dreams."

As Henry shows, soccer players can't be trusted

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:03:18 +0100

PARIS (AP) — Soccer players just can't be trusted to be honest and Thierry Henry proved that by choosing to play volleyball against Ireland, blatantly handling the ball for the goal that sent France to the World Cup.

Cheating, plain and simple. More proof, if it was needed, that soccer needs far better on-field policing.

"Something has got to be done," says Graham Barber, a former Premier League and FIFA referee with hands-on experience of dealing with Henry.

The answer is not video replays. Video could have helped in Paris on Wednesday night, because replays clearly showed France's captain steering the ball with his left forearm and hand onto his right foot for the pass that William Gallas then headed in.

But video isn't always clear-cut. More importantly, stopping every few minutes to consult replays would ruin the flow of the game.

Soccer isn't tennis. Technology works in that sport because play has already stopped when players use the high-tech Hawkeye system to challenge linesmen's calls.

But in soccer, play often continues after shirt-pulling, dives, handballs and other fouls that could, in theory, be spotted on video when missed by referees. That action flows one after another, end to end, is part of soccer's magic. Stop-start, stop-start shouts from referees of "Hang on a second, let's pause and take a few seconds to look at that on television" would be a disaster. Might as well toss in commercial breaks while we're at it, too.

Barber says frequent referrals to video would be like "pulling the emergency chain on the train if someone spilled a cup of coffee."

"I don't think video cameras will work because it won't work for the game," he says.

But adding more officials now makes more sense than ever.

Henry most likely would have been caught red-handed had the two extra assistant referees being experimented with this season in European club soccer been employed for this World Cup playoff.

The additional eyes in UEFA's Europa League specifically watch the goal area. Radios link the assistants to the referee.

The Swedish firefighter who officiated at Stade de France, Martin Hansson, was 20 yards away when Henry used his hand, too far to see. The view of Hansson's assistant on the touchline also was seemingly obscured by Gallas as he rushed in to head the goal. Until that horrible mistake, Hansson had an excellent match, seemingly unfazed by the 79,000-strong crowd.

But an extra official alongside the goal, as in the Europa League, could have been perfectly placed to disallow Gallas' vital score that broke Irish hearts.

"Whatever happens people will make mistakes. If you have 10 officials around the field, people will still make mistakes," Barber says. "But the more eyes you can have on it, the better."

The players themselves also could be doing far more to keep play fair.

Rather than immediately tell the referee that he had broken the rules of the game, Henry charged off in celebration behind Irish 'keeper Shay Given's goal, spreading his arms wide with joy. After the match restarted, chants of "Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!" rang out from the thousands of Irish fans when Henry next touched the ball.

Belatedly, after the match, France's record goal scorer confessed that he'd handled. He said the ball "bounced" onto his hand, although it looked intentional. As if to excuse his actions, the Barcelona forward recalled that he had been on the receiving end of a similar injustice when he played his club soccer for Arsenal in England. He seemed amused when a reporter asked him if he'd considered saying something straight away to the referee.

"I stop, speak to him and then pass (to Gallas)? You're funny," he said.

Barber recalls yellow-carding Henry for a dive in the 2003 FA Cup final and says the player acknowledged afterward that the caution was deserved.

"I do think that Thierry Henry is an honorable man," he says.

But the sad truth is that many players, like Henry, also do whatever they can to get away with fouls and unjust decisions. Ireland defender Sean St. Ledger acknowledged as much, in speaking about Henry's handball.

"If it had been one of our team we'd have probably done the same," the Times of London quoted him as saying.

So bring on more officials, or the cheats will continue to prosper.

___

John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester(at)ap.org

Multiple arrests in German soccer corruption probe

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:54:12 +0100

FRANKFURT (AP) — German police have arrested an undisclosed number of people suspected of fixing matches in major European soccer leagues.

The arrests, in Germany and abroad, came as part of an investigation into match-fixing supported by UEFA, according to a statement by the prosecutor's office in Bochum.

A Berlin newspaper reported that a Croatian man convicted as the mastermind of a German match-fixing scandal in 2005 was among those arrested Thursday. The Berliner Morgenpost's online edition said Ante Sapina and his brother were among five people arrested in Berlin and that 15 arrest warrants in 10 countrties had been issued.

The investigation has been under way since the beginning of the year and targeted an international gang suspected of wide-ranging match-fixing.

The gang is suspected of bribing players, coaches, referees and officials in "high-ranking European leagues" to manipulate games in order to make money on betting, the statement said Thursday.

It said raids were conducted in Germany and Europe on Thursday and a large number of arrests were made. A news conference is scheduled for Friday in Bochum.

UEFA said it was aware of Thursday's arrests, adding that it had been "working closely with German authorities through its betting fraud detection system for monitoring irregular betting patterns."

The Morgenpost reported that games in the Turkish top division were suspected of being manipulated and that the probe by Bochum investigators targeted 200 people. Top players in Turkey are among the suspects, the newspaper said.

Quoting Berlin security sources, the newspaper said the gang apparently operated from Germany and its boss apparently lived in Berlin.

Hoyzer was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 29 months in prison after admitting he had manipulated games mostly in German lower divisions on behalf of the three brothers, who made millions by betting on the games.

UEFA said two months ago it was investigating 40 cases of suspected match-fixing in the Champions League and UEFA Cup, mostly involving eastern European clubs. The matches under investigation were early qualifying games that took place over the last four seasons.

UEFA has beefed up its efforts to protect against illegal betting and match-fixing. President Michel Platini has described those issues as the greatest problem facing European soccer.

The detection system monitors all top two divisions across Europe and domestic cup games.

Real Salt Lake gains financial partner

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:01:49 +0100

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The owner of Real Salt Lake is selling a stake in the soccer team to a Utah real-estate developer.

Team owner Dave Checketts is praising his new partner, Dell Loy Hansen, for making a "bold" commitment.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed Wednesday. The Salt Lake Tribune says Hansen bought a 49 percent stake in the team.

RSL spokesman Trey Fitz-Gerald told The Associated Press that Checketts and Hansen are being referred to as co-owners and that the organization will not discuss specific figures or amounts.

Coach Jason Kreis has said the new capital can help RSL build a practice facility closer to its stadium in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy.

Checketts didn't address any financial goals or strategy in a news release on Wednesday.

RSL will play the Los Angeles Galaxy for the Major League Soccer championship on Sunday in Seattle.

Flag-raising for 32 nations marks WCup milestone

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:12:23 +0100

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The flags of the 32 nations that qualified for the 2010 World Cup are flying in Johannesburg.

A flag-raising ceremony livened by dancers, a choir and giant soccer player puppets was held Thursday at the offices shared by World Cup organizers and South African soccer authorities next door to Soccer Stadium, the venue that will host the opening and closing matches. South African school children and ambassadors from the qualifying nations did the honors.

Uruguay ambassador Guillermo Pomi made it to the ceremony even though he had been awake into the early morning hours watching his team claim the final spot with a 1-1 draw against Costa Rica.

Uruguay was the first host and first World Cup winner, and Pomi says, "We expect to go far" in South Africa.

France makes World Cup despite Henry controversy

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:28:52 +0100

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — France qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup when officials missed an obvious hand ball by Thierry Henry that led to William Gallas' overtime goal in a 1-1 tie against Ireland on Wednesday night.

With help from Swedish referee Martin Hansson, who failed to call the hand ball, France avoided a penalty-kicks shootout and won the home-and-home, total-goals playoff 2-1. The French had come away with a 1-0 victory in Dublin last Saturday.

The game appeared headed to penalty kicks when Florent Malouda sent a free kick to Henry at the post to the right of goalkeeper Shay Given in the 103rd minute. Henry got between defender Paul McShane and Given, stopped the ball with his left hand, then used his hand again and poked the ball with his outstretched right foot in front of the net.

"He almost caught it and walked into the net with it," said Robbie Keane, who had put the Irish ahead in the 33rd minute.

Gallas headed the ball into the net from about 1 yard as Irish players raised their hands in protest at Hansson.

Soccer does not allow officials to use video replay, although the assistant referees can point out infractions to the referee.

"I will be honest, it was a hand ball. But I'm not the ref," Henry said. "I played it. The ref allowed it. That's a question you should ask him."

Gallas hardly knew what happened.

"It went so fast. I saw Thierry's pass. The Irish were surprised, and I put my head, my chest," he said as his voice trailed off.

Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni was livid and had to be calmed by officials. Irish fans — about 8,000 in one section behind the goal — chanted "Cheat! Cheat!" at Henry.

"I'm not only disappointed tonight, I'm also very sad," Trapattoni said. "The referee should have asked Henry, I'm sure he would have admitted there was a hand ball."

Added Keane:

"When you see the reaction of Shay, he's two yards away from it. You don't get a reaction like that (otherwise).

"He's an absolutely top player and has been for a long time, but it was a clear hand ball. He actually dragged it in from going out. I wouldn't expect it from anybody."

At the final whistle, Given collapsed and lay on the ground in dejection for several minutes as France celebrated. Gallas jumped into coach Raymond Domenech's arms.

"It was difficult, arduous and sometimes miraculous," Domenech said. "It was a victory by the skin of our teeth."

Domenech felt it was a shame that Ireland didn't qualify, as well.

"I want to congratulate the Irish players for this battle," he said. "They gave us a very hard time."

Ireland, which is missing its second straight World Cup, had gone ahead when Keane took a pass from Damien Duff and beat goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

France had an appeal for a penalty kick turned down by Hansson after Nicolas Anelka tried to go around Given and went down in the eighth minute of overtime.

Lloris made two great saves, on Keane in the first half and against Duff midway through the second.

Domenech had to reshuffle his team because of injuries, replacing Eric Abidal with Julien Escude to partner Gallas in the center of the defense.

Escude was injured in a clash of heads with teammate Patrice Evra, then was carried off on a stretcher and replaced by Sebastien Squillaci in the ninth minute.

"We suffered for two years. We have been having some problems with our press, our fans, with other people," Henry said. "It would have been better to do it in another way, but as I said, I'm not the ref."

English soccer team sells Katy Perry-inspired top

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:32:49 +0100

LONDON (AP) — West Ham is selling lingerie after singer Katy Perry wore a top made out of three jerseys at this month's MTV Europe Music Awards.

The American singer wore a claret-and-blue corset with the Premier League club's badges on the chest at the Nov. 5 show in Berlin as a tribute to her boyfriend, British comedian and Hammers fan Russell Brand.

West Ham says it is responding "to huge demand" for the outfit.

Designer Siobhan Dillon says she "thought it would be cool to try and make the shirt as football-oriented as possible." Dillon will initially make 50 of the tops, to be sold for around $500 each.

Cyprus soccer fans will need IDs for tickets

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:11:53 +0100

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Soccer authorities in Cyprus say all fans will need to show state identity cards to buy tickets for domestic league matches in a bid to curb violence at games.

Wednesday's announcement follows weekend clashes between fans of rival Nicosia clubs APOEL and Omonia that left a 20-year-old man critically injured.

The Cyprus Football Association says ID card numbers will be printed on tickets starting late this month as a means of identifying hooligans and enforcing banning orders.

The association also says visiting fans at matches that are marred by violence will be given 18-month bans from buying tickets for matches between the two teams involved.

Tuesday's Sports Scoreboard

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:48:07 +0100

Ovechkin tops Gaborik and Rangers in return

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:55:25 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Bradley bounced back from having his face bloodied in a first-period fight to net the winning goal with 4:51 left, and Alex Ovechkin also scored in his return from injury to lift the Washington Capitals to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

Bradley went to the dressing room with 9:21 left in the opening period after taking several hard blows to the face from New York's Aaron Voros. Those injuries didn't bother him a bit when he knocked the puck away from Wade Redden and raced up ice on a break. Matt Gilroy couldn't catch him from behind, and Bradley beat goalie Henrik Lundqvist with a rising shot to the glove side for his fourth of the season.

Ovechkin missed six games because of an upper body injury, believed to be a strained left shoulder, but came back with a flourish. He netted his NHL-leading 15th goal, in only 15 games, while New York's Sean Avery sat in the penalty box. That erased the Rangers' 1-0 advantage in the first period.

Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau earned his 100th NHL victory.

Marian Gaborik scored both goals for the Rangers and moved into a tie with Ovechkin with his 15th, Gaborik gave New York a 1-0 lead just 1:16 in and then made it 2-2 at 8:23 of the third with a power-play goal against Washington backup goalie Semyon Varlamov.

Brooks Laich pushed the Capitals in front 2-1 when he got to a rebound of defenseman Mike Green's shot in the crease and knocked it past Lundqvist and into the net with 4:16 remaining in the second. Green also earned the primary assist on Ovechkin's goal.

Brian Pothier scored an empty-netter with 16.7 seconds left to make it 4-2.

The Rangers were fortunate to be trailing by only a goal heading into the third period as they were outshot 21-11 through 40 minutes. New York finished with 20 shots, tying its season low.

New York netted the equalizer when Gaborik scored from the goal line to Varlamov's right, snapping in a shot from a difficult angle after the puck bounced to him. The Rangers converted on the second of back-to-back penalties.

Washington went 4-2 while Ovechkin was out, then beat New York despite missing top forward Alexander Semin, who was sidelined by a sore right wrist. Varlamov got the start in place of No. 1 goalie Jose Theodore, who was home because of a personal reason.

Varlamov played well against the Rangers after replacing Theodore in the nets during the first round of last season's playoffs and was a major reason why the Capitals were able to erase a 3-1 series deficit and advance. He made 22 saves on Tuesday.

NOTES: Boudreau is 100-45-19. ... The Capitals recalled C Jay Beagle and G Michal Neuvirth from Hershey (AHL). Beagle replaced Semin in the lineup, and Neuvirth served as Varlamov's backup. Beagle earned an assist on Bradley's goal. ... The Rangers, who beat Ottawa on Saturday, have not won consecutive games since a seven-game victory streak ended in mid-October. They are 4-8-1 since.

Starry Galaxy wary of scrappy Salt Lake in MLS Cup

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:50:52 +0100

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The only obstacle between David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy and a Major League Soccer championship is an MLS Cup opponent that barely made the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a losing record.

Sure, it might sound like a simple Sunday in Seattle for Beckham, Landon Donovan and the star-studded Galaxy. Yet Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena is certain it'll be anything but easy to finish off Real Salt Lake in the league final.

"I don't think any of us focus on who are the underdogs or anything like that," Arena said Tuesday. "Very little separates one team from the other. ... Let me tell you, Salt Lake was not a team with a record of six more losses than wins this year or something. They were a team that was right up there. They've been a competitive team throughout the season."

The Galaxy and Real will travel to the Pacific Northwest later in the week for the one-game culmination of the MLS season, with Los Angeles looking to win its third league title in its record sixth appearance in the championship. Salt Lake squeaked into the playoffs' eighth seed at 11-12-7 before winning three straight postseason games to make its first final.

"Wow, it sounds like we better not even go," said Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "We don't even have a chance, do we?"

Nobody in either locker room expects a coronation for the Galaxy, even after they finally meshed their star talent with outstanding results. Los Angeles finished with the Western Conference's best record despite a rocky start to the season during which Beckham was booed by the home crowd during a friendly against AC Milan for his elongated dalliance with that Italian team.

"We've been growing as a team all year, and this is definitely the culmination of that effort," said defender Gregg Berhalter, who scored the extra-time winner — his first goal all season — in last Friday's Western Conference final against Houston. "We haven't given up on ourselves, and we've been plugging away when a lot of people were saying we weren't that good of a team."

With Beckham playing the best soccer of his U.S. career while Donovan rose to the top of the MLS playoff scoring charts, both stars happily missed national team assignments this fall to pursue the league title. Since that rocky homecoming in July, Beckham has reclaimed most of the fan support he lost during his elongated stint in Italy — even though he's headed back to AC Milan in January.

"I think the reason (fans staying angry with Beckham) didn't happen was because of the way David played and demonstrated he cares about the LA Galaxy," said Arena, who will go for his third league title after winning two with DC United in the 1990s.

"His performance has quieted his detractors," Arena said. "I think that day against AC Milan in the exhibition, obviously there were some frustrated fans, and things weren't perfect, but I never felt David wouldn't be able to handle it. He's played with the biggest clubs in the world. I thought he was able to handle anything, and he's done that."

Real Salt Lake also opened the season under a spotlight. They were a popular preseason pick to contend for the league title after reaching the conference championship game last season, but an early seven-match winless skid suggested Real was overrated — even to Kreis, who blamed himself for his club's early struggles with poor motivational ploys and faulty lineups.

"It was dire, and I think I contributed to that because I was very overconfident," Kreis said. "I think I added to what was a little bit of an underlying thing on the team that we were a bit overconfident going into this season. We had been reading a bit too much about how we would compete for a championship this year, and we forgot the little things that got us here. We don't have stars on our team, and we had got away from that a little bit."

Salt Lake was the last side to make the eight-team MLS playoff field, winning the tiebreaker with DC United and Colorado after all three finished with 40 points apiece. Real's 11-12-7 record wasn't spectacular, but it was good enough to get in — and since then, they've won three straight matches to advance to their first league final.

While European observers might scoff at the idea of crowning a champion that couldn't even win more than it lost during league play, the system works for Arena and MLS.

"No one cares what the rest of the world thinks," Arena said. "We have a system here that's really an American sports tradition here: playoffs. It's not that unique."

Shanahan retires from NHL after 21 seasons

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:24:38 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — Brendan Shanahan is retiring from the NHL after 21 seasons and an almost certain Hall of Fame career.

The 40-year-old forward announced Tuesday that he wouldn't play again. After going through training camp with the New Jersey Devils, the team he spent his final season with, he and the club mutually parted unexpectedly shortly before opening night of the season.

"I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League," Shanahan said in a statement released by the NHL. "While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream."

Shanahan, who scored 656 career goals, decided to leave the Devils in October one day after he was told there was no spot for him on New Jersey's top three lines.

He has not played this season.

Shanahan ranks 11th on the league's career goals list and is the only player with 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes. The eight-time All-Star also played for St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit and the New York Rangers. He won three Stanley Cup titles with Detroit.

"He's the best," said Rangers forward Sean Avery, a teammate of Shanahan's with New York and Detroit.

Now that his playing days are done, Shanahan could be a fit for the NHL Players' Association, which is in a state of flux following the firing of executive director Paul Kelly and the resignations of several union officials.

Kelly was dismissed during a meeting in August, and his interim replacement Ian Penny is also gone along with the eight-member advisory board. Interim ombudsman Buzz Hargrove stepped down last week, citing the inability to perform his duties as the reason. Donald Fehr, the outgoing executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, has been appointed to assist the NHLPA in its search for an executive director.

Shanahan conducted a summit during the NHL's 2004-05 lockout, and that gathering of people from all aspects of hockey produced several suggestions that led to rules changes after a new collective bargaining agreement was reached.

"Maybe he can help us out with our NHLPA situation. Maybe he will be our new executive director," said Rangers backup goalie Steve Valiquette, the team's player representative. "Shanny is a leader through and through, so his leadership will be valuable in any capacity. He is either going to be a general manager or he could work for the NHLPA.

"He could do a million things that would influence hockey. He will do something great in hockey, you'll see."

The left winger rejoined the Devils last season after the Rangers declined to offer him a deal to return to New York for a third year. Shanahan went back to New Jersey, the team that selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 1987 draft, and agreed to a deal in mid-January.

He played his first game on Jan. 19 and scored in his debut at Nashville. Shanahan had six goals in 34 games last season, and added a goal and two assists in the Devils' first-round, seven-game playoff loss to Carolina. Shanahan signed a new $1 million contract with New Jersey during the offseason.

"I didn't think he was going to retire," Valiquette said. "I thought he was going to come back and play still. He would've contributed well to New Jersey had that situation worked out.

"A number of teams were looking at him and I am sure he had options, so I am surprised that he is not playing."

Shanahan recorded 1,354 points and 2,489 penalty minutes in 1,524 NHL games.

"Great player and a great pro," former Rangers coach Tom Renney told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "Huge insight on the game, and very helpful in the player/coach role. I saw him as a superior leader who cared more about winning than anything else, but took great pride in helping young players grow.

"The game is better for having had Brendan in it and will continue to (be) as long as he stays involved."

Egypt-Algeria: when fair play died

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:02:10 +0100

PARIS (AP) — The first rock was thrown with such force that it traveled through the bus, smashing windows on its way in and out, Michel Gaillaud, a French doctor, recalls.

Panicked, he and the soccer players he treats dived for cover.

"We were bombarded with stones," Gaillaud says. "People were screaming. We were lying on the floor. Someone started shouting, 'There's blood! There's blood!'"

And fair play died.

Imagine the outrage and quick condemnations that would have followed had this been a star-studded team like England, Spain, France or Portugal that was attacked by hooligans in Egypt before a vital World Cup qualifier.

Imagine the stern repercussions had David Beckham, Fernando Torres, Thierry Henry or Cristiano Ronaldo ended up, like midfielder Khaled Lemmouchia, with a chunk of glass embedded in his scalp.

But these victims were Algerians. Africans. Nobodies, apparently. Because, to soccer's shame, the show went on as if nothing had happened. Having to field two players with head bandages, as Algeria did, is no way to play the game.

Not surprisingly, it lost 2-0.

A lucky escape for soccer officials. Who knows how Cairo might have boiled over had Saturday's result not kept alive Egyptian hopes of qualifying for the World Cup?

Even in victory, tempers flared. Egypt's Health Ministry says 12 Egyptians and 20 Algerians were hurt in post-match scuffles.

"Letting us play this match was reckless. I scarcely dare think what would have happened if we had equalized. We, the players, would have been in danger," Lemmouchia told French sports newspaper L'Equipe.

And what says FIFA, the supposed guardian of international soccer and the rules meant to govern it?

Nothing.

It is at a loss to explain why the match wasn't postponed or moved to another less heated venue after the Algerian bus was pelted with stones two days before the encounter, on a short trip from Cairo's airport to their hotel.

When called, FIFA's media office asked for a list of written questions and then provided this e-mailed response: "FIFA is currently reviewing the reports and documentation received on this matter. We are therefore not in a position to make any comments at this time, as the process is still ongoing."

The 2-0 result was enough for Egypt to finish tied with Algeria in their qualifying group. To decide which squad goes to South Africa next June, they'll compete in a playoff in Sudan on Wednesday.

Egypt is lucky to get this second chance.

As host, it was responsible for the Algerians' security. FIFA rules are clear: "Match organizers must guarantee, in cooperation with the local police authorities, the safety of the participating teams and their officials as well as the FIFA match officials during their whole stay, from arrival to departure."

The violence has precedent. In 1993, FIFA annulled Egypt's 2-1 win against Zimbabwe in Cairo in World Cup qualifying after Zimbabwe goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar says he was struck on the head by concrete and coach Reinhard Fabisch says he was hit by a rock and had a wound stitched at the stadium. Egyptian officials say fans hurled oranges, not rocks.

FIFA ordered the match replayed in neutral France. The scoreless draw ended Egypt's qualifying hopes.

This time, FIFA braced for trouble. It wrote to soccer authorities in both Egypt and Algeria asking for fair play.

One might think that Egyptian police could have protected a few players had they put their mind to it. Yet Gaillaud, the French doctor, says he was struck by how little security there was for the team bus to the hotel. He recalls just one police van, carrying four or five officers, traveling with it.

French journalist Guillaume Pivot, who was following behind in a car, says the bus had police motorcycle outriders, too.

"It was the sort of convoy that you get for a League One match in France. It was completely ill-adapted to the situation," he says.

Lemmouchia needed three stitches for his cut scalp; strips and a bandage were used to close a cut on the left eyebrow of defender Rafik Halliche; a couple of other players suffered minor cuts.

Less visible was the shock.

The first missile, for example, narrowly missed forward Karim Matmour.

"He felt the stone whizz past his head," Gaillaud says. "He was as white as a sheet."

Matmour lasted just half the match and was substituted.

"They were physically capable of playing, but were they mentally is a whole other question," the doctor says. "I doubt that they were at 100 percent of their capacities and, with that in mind, I think things were skewed."

"The match shouldn't have gone ahead."

___

John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester(at)ap.org

Principales informaciones deportivas de The Associated Press

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:56:56 +0100

Martes 17 de noviembre del 2009. Los editores son Ricardo Zúñiga en Ciudad de México hasta las 2200 GMT y Eric Núñez en Nueva York hasta las 0000 GMT

Greinke gana Cy Young de la Liga Americana

Brasil vence 2-0 a Omán en amistoso

Uruguay recibe a Costa Rica a un paso del mundial

F1: Glock manejará por Manor GP

DEP-FUT MUNDIAL URUGUAY-COSTA RICA

MONTEVIDEO — Uruguay saborea la clasificación a Sudáfrica al llegar con la ventaja de un gol como visitante al partido definitorio contra Costa Rica por el repechaje mundialista. ENVIADO.

DEP-FUT MUNDIAL EUROPA-PANORAMA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Escudada con un exiguo 1-0 a su favor, Portugal se encontrará en una verdadera caldera cuando el miércoles se juegue el pase a la Copa Mundial al visitar a una Bosnia-Herzegovina desesperada de clasificarse por primera vez a la cita cumbre del fútbol. Por Aida Cerkez-Robinson. Con fotos. ENVIADO.

-DEP-FUT OMAN-BRASIL: Brasil supera 2-0 a Omán. ENVIADO.

-DEP-FUT ESLOVAQUIA-CHILE: Chile vence 2-1 a Eslovaquia en amistoso. ENVIADO.

-DEP-FUT REAL MADRID-C.RONALDO: C.Ronaldo supera examen médico y volverá a entrenarse. ENVIADO.

-DEP-FUT FIFA-IRAK: FIFA advierte a Irak que deje de meterse en el fútbol. ENVIADO.

-DEP-FUT SUDAMERICANA RIVER PLATE-ALTURA: River Plate no le teme a la altura de Quito. ENVIADO.

-DEP-FUT SUDAMERICANA FLUMINENSE-CERRO PORTEÑO: Fluminense a un paso de la final de la Sudamericana. ENVIADO.

-DEP-FUT CONCACAF SORTEO: Toluca enfrentará a Columbus en cuartos de final. ENVIADO.

DEP-BEI CY YOUNG-AMERICANA

NUEVA YORK — Zack Greinke gana el premio Cy Young de la Liga Americana al superar con claridad al venezolano Félix Hernández y tras completar una temporada espectacular de pocas victorias pero de dominio absoluto. Por Ronald Blum. Con fotos. ENVIADO.

-DEP-BEI INDIOS-ALOMAR: Indios contratan a Sandy Alomar Jr. como coach de primera

-DEP-AUT F1 MANOR-GLOCK: Glock es el nuevo piloto de Manor GP. ENVIADO.

-DEP-TEN RODDICK-MASTERS: Roddick se perdería la Copa Masters. ENVIADO.

DEP-GLF OCHOA

GUADALAJARA, México — Este ha sido uno de los mejores años en la vida de Lorena Ochoa, y no ha tenido nada que ver por su condición de número del golf femenino. Por Stephen Wade.

Golden State en Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Indiana en Nueva Jersey, 7:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City en Miami, 7:30 p.m.

L.A. Clippers en Nueva Orleáns , 8 p.m.

Phoenix en Houston, 8:30 p.m.

Toronto en Denver, 9 p.m.

Chicago en Sacramento, 10 p.m.

Detroit en L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

___

Si tienen alguna pregunta sobre los despachos enviados o pedidos de cobertura de alguna noticia, pueden llamarnos al (5255) 3300-7624 en Ciudad de México o al (212) 621-1645 en Nueva York. También escribirnos a rzuniga@ap.org o enunez@ap.org. Para consultas sobre fotografías favor comunicarse al teléfono (5255) 3300-7640 o alw correo electrónico latamphotodesk@ap.org.

Informaciones principales de The Associated Press, CABEZA

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:56:34 +0100

Martes 17 de noviembre del 2009

Obama y Hu prometen cooperar, pero no dan detalles

Congreso resolverá el 2 de diciembre situación de Zelaya

Estudio: Haití, Venezuela, Paraguay y Ecuador los más corruptos en Latinoamérica

Dinamarca pide a EEUU compromisos climáticos específicos

España: Liberan a los 36 marineros secuestrados en Somalia

Estadounidenses a favor de que ricos paguen impuestos para reforma de salud

Nuevo artefacto le da más años de vida a los pacientes cardiacos

PRIMERA PLANA

OBAMA-GIRA

BEIJING — Barack Obama y Hu Jintao se comprometen a promover juntos soluciones a diversos males globales, pero muestran escasos avances más allá de la buena voluntad. Por Charles Hutzler. AP foto. ENVIADO.

AMC-GEN HONDURAS

TEGUCIGALPA — Congreso convoca para el 2 de diciembre la votación sobre la restitución o no al poder del derrocado mandatario Manuel Zelaya, mientras el subsecretario estadounidense adjunto para el Hemisferio Occidental regresa a Honduras para destrabar el proceso de diálogo. Por Feddy Cuevas. ACTUALIZADO.

EUR-GEN CORRUPCION-LATINOAMERICA

BERLIN — Haití, Venezuela, Paraguay y Ecuador son los países más corruptos de Latinoamérica, según un estudio internacional que también destaca la corrupción en Afganistán e Irak, que reciben millonarias ayudas internacionales. Por Kirsten Grieshaber. ENVIADO.

MUN-CLI CAMBIO CLIMATICO

COPENHAGUE — El primer ministro de Dinamarca pide compromisos específicos de Estados Unidos que para reducir los gases con efecto invernadero para la conferencia de cambio climático del próximo mes. Por Jan M. Olsen. AP foto. ENVIADO.

MUNDO HISPANO Y CARIBE

EUR-GEN PIRATAS

MADRID — Liberan a los 36 tripulantes del atunero español Alakrana después de seis semanas de secuestro a manos de piratas somalíes en aguas del Oceáno Indico. Por Jorge Sainz. ENVIADO.

AMS-GEN CHILE-PERU ESPIONAJE

SANTIAGO DE CHILE — La presidenta Michelle Bachelet rechaza las acusaciones de espionaje del presidente peruano Alan García y exige respeto en las relaciones entre los dos países. AP foto. Por Federico Quilodrán. ACTUALIZADO.

AMN-GEN GUERREROS MEXICANOS

MEXICO — Indios yaqui del norte de México entierran los restos de sus guerreros, devueltos por el Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Nueva York, donde las víctimas de una de las últimas masacres de indígenas en Norteamérica estuvieron en depósito durante más de un siglo. Por Mark Stevenson. ENVIADO.

—AMS ARGENTINA-POLICIA: Destituido jefe de policía de Buenos Aires por supuesto espionaje a presidenta. ENVIADO.

—AMS-CLIMA BOLIVIA LLUVIAS: Lluvias traen alivio a regiones castigadas por la sequía en Bolivia. ENVIADO.

—AMS-GEN PARAGUAY-STROESSNER: Familiares de Stroessner devuelven mansión confiscada durante su gobierno. ENVIADO.

EEUU

AMN-GEN EEUU-SALUD-SONDEO

WASHINGTON — A la hora de pagar la reforma de la salud, los estadounidenses ven una sola posibilidad, cobrar impuestos a los ricos, según una encuesta realizada por The Associated Press. Por Erica Werner. ENVIADO.

—AMN-GEN FORT HOOD: Matanza de Fort Hood ocasiona examen del Pentágono. ENVIADO.

RESTO DEL MUNDO

EUR-GEN CUMBRE ALIMENTARIA-AMERICA LATINA

ROMA — El presidente de Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, denuncia que en estos dos años de crisis "hemos retrocedido 10 años de lucha contra el flagelo del hambre, la desnutrición y la muerte". Por Jorge Piña. ENVIADO.

—EUR-GEN CUMBRE ALIMENTARIA: Presidente de Zimbabue usa cumbre de la FAO para fustigar políticas de Occidente. Por Ariel David. AP foto. ENVIADO.

MOR-GEN IRAN-NUCLEAR

TEHERAN — El enviado nuclear iraní niega que los inspectores de la ONU hayan encontrado pruebas de que la república islámica intenta fabricar armas nucleares. ENVIADO.

—ASI-GEN AFGANISTAN: Tras ataque, líderes afganos expresan dudas de que la OTAN podrá derrotar al Talibán. ENVIADO.

—MOR-POL IRAK: Los curdos de Irak amenazan con boicotear las elecciones. ENVIADO.

—EUR-GEN R.CHECA-REVOLUCION: Checos conmemoran 20o. aniversario de "Revolución de Terciopelo". ENVIADO.

—EUR-GEN UE-PALESTINOS: La UE rechaza pedido de palestinos de reconocer su estado. ENVIADO.

—EUR-GEN ALEMANIA-NAZI: Ex miembro de la SS nazi es acusado de masacre de judíos en 1945. ENVIADO.

ECONOMIA

AMN-ECO EEUU-INFLACION

WASHINGTON — Los precios al mayoreo en Estados Unidos aumentaron menos de lo previsto en octubre, con una economía débil que sirve de freno a las presiones inflacionarias. Por Christopher S. Rugaber. ENVIADO.

EUR-ECO UE-COMERCIO

LONDRES — Los 16 países de la eurozona registran un sorpresivo superávit comercial en septiembre al aumentar las exportaciones a pesar de la fuerza del euro. Por Pan Pylas. ENVIADO.

—AMN-ECO MEXICO-PRESUPUESTO: Congreso de México aprueba presupuesto 2010 para hacer frente a crisis económica. ENVIADO.

—AMS-ECO VENEZUELA-EEUU: Cae 52,13% intercambio comercial entre Venezuela y EEUU. ENVIADO.

—AMS-ECO CHILE-URUGUAY GAS: Uruguay interesado en comprar gas natural a Chile. ENVIADO.

SALUD, CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA

AMN-MED BOMBA CARDIACA

ORLANDO, Florida — Un nuevo tipo de dispositivo mejora la supervivencia de pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca grave y podría usarse como tratamiento permanente. Por Marilynn Marchione. ENVIADO.

—OCE-MED AUSTRALIA-SIAMESAS: Siamesas unidas por la cabeza son separadas en Australia. ENVIADO.

—AMN-GEN MICROSOFT-PAUL ALLEN: Cofundador de Microsoft es tratado por linfoma. ENVIADO.

—AMN-CIE CARBON-CONTAMINACION: Aumenta la contaminación, impulsada por China. ENVIADO.

ESPECTACULOS Y CULTURA

ESP-ART ARTE LATINO-SUBASTAS

NUEVA YORK — La casa de subastas Christie's espera facturar hasta 1,2 millones de dólares con la escultura de gran escala "Mujer fumando" del colombiano Fernando Botero. Por Sigal Ratner-Arias. AP fotos. AP Interactivo. A las 2330 GMT.

ESP-MUS MILTON NASCIMENTO

NUEVA YORK — A pesar de ser una de las leyendas de la música brasileña que ha llevado la bossa nova alrededor del mundo, el cantante Milton Nascimento no puede hablar de su carrera sin mencionar a una argentina singular: Mercedes Sosa. Por Claudia Torrens. AP fotos.

—ESP-LIB JOSE EMILIO PACHECO: Escritor mexicano José Emilio Pacheco recibe el premio Reina Sofía de poesía iberoamericana en Madrid. ENVIADO.

—ESP-MUS ALICIA VILLAREAL: Alicia Villareal homenajea a la mexicana fuerte y trabajadora en su nuevo álbum. AP fotos.

—ESP-MUS PREMIOS BILLBOARD: Puerto Rico será sede de los Premios Billboard de la Música Latina. ENVIADO

DEPORTES

DEP-BEI CY YOUNG-AMERICANA

—DEP-FUT OMAN-BRASIL: Brasil supera 2-0 a Omán en amistoso. ENVIADO.

—DEP-FUT FIFA-IRAK: FIFA amenaza con suspensión al fútbol iraquí. ENVIADO.

REPORTAJES

REP-CIN SIQUEIROS-PELICULA

BUENOS AIRES — El paso de David Alfaro Siqueiros por Buenos Aires en la década de 1930 dejó un mural poco conocido que estuvo sumergido en la oscuridad por años. Esa rica historia saldrá a la luz ahora con su exhibición en público por primera vez y con una película del laureado realizador Héctor Olivera. Por Almudena Calatrava. AP Fotos. ENVIADO.

REP-GEN HONDURAS-GOLPE-TURISMO

ROATAN, Honduras — El golpe en que fue derrocado Manuel Zelaya sorprende a una pareja de turistas estadounidenses en Honduras, pero no estropea sus vacaciones. Por Ryan J. Foley. AP fotos. ENVIADO.

REP-MED MAMOGRAFIAS-ESTRES

NUEVA YORK — Las mamografías son ya de por sí una de las experiencias más estresantes que enfrentan las mujeres. Y las cuarentonas tienen ahora razones adicionales para sentirse nerviosas ante las contradicciones surgidas entre los médicos en torno a la conveniencia de someterse a esos exámenes antes de los 50 años. Por Jocelyn Noveck. AP Gráfico. ENVIADO.

OTRAS NOTAS DE INTERES

—AMN-INM OCULTA EN MALETA: Mexicana intenta ingresar como equipaje a EEUU. ENVIADO.

Redacciones: Si tienen alguna pregunta sobre los despachos enviados, favor llamar a los teléfonos (52-55) 3300-7620 y (1-212) 621-1647, o escribir al correo electrónico msa@ap.org. Favor dirigir preguntas sobre el hilo de fotos al teléfono (52-55) 3300-7640 o al correo electrónico latamphotodesk@ap.org.

Editores hasta las 2100 GMT: Daniel Zadunaisky y Any Cabrera en Ciudad de México, Sergio Carrasco y Carlos Cisternas en Santiago de Chile. Sigal Ratner a cargo de espectáculos. A partir de esa hora: Roberto Lara y Sergio De León en Ciudad de México.

9 RI high school girls suspended for soccer fight

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:40:58 +0100

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Nine members of two high school girls' soccer teams have been suspended for their roles in a fight that sparked a brawl in the bleachers.

The suspensions were announced Tuesday by the Rhode Island Interscholastic League. They range from two games to one year. Coaches from both Woonsocket and Tolman high schools also were issued unspecified sanctions.

The fight broke out after two players collided during a Nov. 8 game. A television news camera recorded the girls throwing punches and pulling hair, and fans fought in the bleachers during an awards ceremony.

The Interscholastic League says the punishments show that fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct won't be tolerated.

FIFA advierte a Irak que deje de meterse en el fútbol

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:42:05 +0100

ZURICH (AP) — Irak podría ser suspendido del fútbol mundial si no permite que los líderes de su federación local de balompié regresen a sus cargos a más tardar el jueves.

La FIFA dijo el martes que es "incomprensible" que el comité olímpico de Irak haya disuelto el lunes la junta de directores de la federación de fútbol.

Los directores del comité olímpico alegaron que la federación de fútbol cometió irregularidades financieras y administrativas, y en repetidas ocasiones postergó sus elecciones.

"El motivo para tomar una decisión así es incomprensible para la FIFA", dijo en un comunicado el organismo rector del fútbol mundial. "Esto contradice los reglamentos de (la federación iraquí) y la FIFA".

El miembro de la junta del comité olímpico, Samir al-Moussawi, dijo que no dará marcha atrás a la decisión.

"Le vamos a enviar una carta a la FIFA para explicar nuestra postura", dijo al-Moussawi a la AP. "Esperábamos que los directivos de la FIFA nos llamaran en lugar de amenazar con suspender nuestra participación en el fútbol".

La FIFA se opone a la intervención del gobierno en los asuntos del fútbol.

FIFA warns Iraq to stop meddling in soccer

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:21 +0100

ZURICH (AP) — Iraq faces suspension from world soccer if it does not restore the disbanded national federation by Thursday.

World governing body FIFA said Tuesday it was "incomprehensible" for Iraq's Olympic committee to dissolve the national soccer authority's ruling board on Monday.

Iraqi Olympic officials alleged that the soccer federation had committed financial and administrative irregularities and repeatedly delayed elections.

"The basis on which such a decision could be taken is incomprehensible to FIFA," the governing body said in a statement. "This stands in total contradiction with (Iraqi federation) and FIFA statutes."

Iraqi Olympic board member Samir al-Moussawi said it would stand by the decision.

"We will send a letter to FIFA in order to further explain our position," al-Moussawi told The Associated Press. "We had hoped that FIFA officials would have contacted us instead of threatening to suspend our participation in football."

FIFA rules seek to protect soccer officials from government interference.

FIFA can ban national teams and officials, including referees, from taking part in international matches and events even if they are not to blame for government meddling.

Iraq has been told to restore the federation within 72 hours or FIFA's emergency panel will rule on the case.

The deadline allows 93rd-ranked Iraq to play the United Arab Emirates in an exhibition Wednesday in Al Ain City.

Iraqi soccer has had a troubled relationship with FIFA since its popularity peaked with a victory in the 2007 Asian Cup.

Last year, FIFA imposed a ban on Iraqi teams after the government dissolved the national Olympic committee, along with all sports federations.

The ban threatened Iraq's participation in World Cup qualifiers but was lifted after the government assured FIFA that soccer was excluded from the decision.

___

Associated Press Writer Sameer N. Yacoub in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Monday's Sports Scoreboard

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:48:10 +0100