Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi Face Off in 'El Clasico'

There are two ways to view Real Madrid's 2-2 draw in the El Clasico at Barcelona at Nou Camp on Sunday.

On one hand, the tie ended Barcelona's amazing streak of six consecutive wins to start the Spanish La Liga season.

On the other hand, the deadlock did nothing in helping cut into Real's huge deficit this early in the season.

Barcelona still remains atop the First Division, with a 6-0-1 record and 19 points, as the team from Madrid finds itself trailing by eight points with a rather ordinary 3-2-2 mark and 11 points. Atletico Madrid (5-0-1, 18) was in a position to tie Barca for the league lead in points if it defeated Malaga in a late Sunday encounter.

It should come as no surprise to any soccer fans as to who scored for both sides. The legendary Lionel Messi struck twice for Barca, as did Portuguese great Cristiano Ronaldo for Real in this entertaining confrontation.

Martin Montoya, who came on as a defensive substitute for the injured Dani Alves in the opening half, almost walked away as the unlikely hero for the hosts as he launched a long-range shot that bounded off the crossbar in the 89th minute.

After three minutes of stoppage time, the game was in the history books.

"We were superior at times but it was a very even game," Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets told Spanish television. "Everything is the way it was but with one match less.”

Barca is not necessarily known for its defense, as Real demonstrated first half in front of a capacity crowd of 95,000 and the millions watching worldwide on TV or the internet.

Ronaldo ended a remarkable eight-day span in which he scored eight goals. Those spoils included a pair of hat-tricks in a 5-1 dismantling of Deportivo Coruna in league play last Sunday and in a 4-1 rout of Ajax (Netherlands) in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

Not surprisingly, it was Ronaldo who opened the visitors' account as he converted a superb pass from Karim Benzema, who played the star a pass on the left side of the penalty area. Ronaldo did the rest, firing a shot past goalkeeper Victor Vales at the near post.

Ronaldo became the first player to find the back of the net in six successive Clasicos, breaking a record he held with former Chilean great Ivan Zamorano.

Several minutes later, Benzema almost doubled the lead as he clanged a shot off the post while he fell backwards, a goal that certainly would have put Barcelona on its heels.

The hosts, however, recovered and struck for the equalizer in the 31st minute on a Real defensive error. Messi got a hold of a deflected Pedro cross. Pepe could not control the ball and the Argentine international had a relatively easy tap-in from four yards.

It was the third consecutive Clasico, and the fifth time in history, that Messi and Ronaldo scored at least one goal.

A pretty remarkable achievement from opposing star players.

But those two were far from finished as they matched goals in the second half.

This time it was Messi's turn to go first. Xabi Alonso fouled a Barcelona player some 30 yards from the goal, although a jeering crowd wanted the referee to show the Real midfielder a second yellow card for the infraction. Messi stepped up and curled a beautiful shot over the defensive wall and past goalkeeper Iker Casillas into the upper corner for a 2-1 Barca lead in the 61st minute.

But only five minutes later, Ronaldo matched that score as Mesut Ozil set up the Portuguese international, who slotted it home into the corner.

As always, this Clasico is just another line in the story as there is never any real final word when these two teams clash.

The next time these two archrivals meet will be at Santiago Bernabeu, when Real hosts Barcelona on March 3. Real has plenty of time to make up that eight-point deficit, but the Spanish powerhouse squandered a wonderful opportunity to make it a bit closer on Sunday.

Source: latino.foxnews.com

Read more »

Hugo Chavez re-elected as Venezuelan president

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has won a fourth term in office, after opposition leader Henrique Capriles admitted defeat.

Mr Chavez won 54% of the vote, the country's electoral council announced, with turnout at about 81%.

Noisy celebrations among Chavez supporters erupted across the capital, Caracas, following the result.

Mr Chavez said Venezuela would continue its march towards socialism but also vowed he would be a "better president".

Electoral council president Tibisay Lucena announced that with 90% of votes counted Mr Chavez had taken 54.42% of the vote with Mr Capriles on 44.97%.

'Victory was perfect'

"The revolution has triumphed," President Chavez told a cheering crowd from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.

"Viva Venezuela! Viva the fatherland! The battle was perfect and the victory was perfect," he said.

However, Mr Chavez also sounded a conciliatory note, saying he wanted to "include everybody", adding: "I commit to being a better president than I've been these past few years."

A subdued Mr Capriles congratulated Mr Chavez but told opposition supporters not to feel defeated.

"I want to congratulate the candidate, the president of the republic," he said at his campaign headquarters.

He added: "We have planted many seeds across Venezuela and I know that these seeds are going to produce many trees."

Jubilant Chavez supporters held impromptu street parties in central Caracas, blaring horns and waving flags.

"I'm celebrating with a big heart - Chavez is the hope of the people and of Latin America," said Chavez supporter Mary Reina.

Construction worker Edgar Gonzalez said: "I can't describe the relief and happiness I feel right now.

"The revolution will continue, thanks to God and the people of this great country."

At the Capriles' campaign headquarters, some opposition supporters were in tears at the news.

Mr Capriles said he hoped Mr Chavez would recognise that almost half the country disagreed with his policies.

Mr Capriles said: "There's a country that is divided and to be a good president means to work for all Venezuelans, to work for the solution of all Venezuelans' problems."

'Bolivarian revolution'

Mr Chavez, 58, was diagnosed with cancer last year but says he is now fully recovered.

He has been in power since 1999 and said he needed another six-year term to continue his "Bolivarian revolution" towards socialism.

During his time in office Mr Chavez has nationalised key sectors of the country's economy.

Venezuela is a major oil producer and high oil prices have allowed his government to fund healthcare, education programmes and social housing.

In his campaign, Mr Capriles, who headed a coalition of 30 opposition parties, said the president's policies had led to bureaucracy, inefficiency and shortages.

Earlier, Defence Minister Henry Rangel Silva said the armed forces had identified some groups planning to cause public disturbances but said violence was "unlikely".

A week before the election, three opposition activists were killed during a campaign rally, while four people were injured in a shooting during a voting rehearsal in September.

From Saturday evening to Monday evening, the sale of alcohol has been banned and only the security forces are allowed to carry arms.

Analysts say Mr Chavez's victory will also be welcomed by several countries in the region - including Cuba and Nicaragua - that benefit from his Petrocaribe scheme which provides Venezuelan oil at preferential rates.

He also has strong ties to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, backing Argentina's sovereignty dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands.

After the election result was announced, President Fernandez tweeted: "Your victory is our victory! And the victory of South America and the Caribbean!"

President Chavez's new six-year term will begin on 10 January.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Read more »

Two migrant workers face death penalty in Malaysia

Two Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, Haryanto Azlan and Effendi, are facing the death penalty for their alleged involvement in two different cases.

Haryanto, who is being detained at the Kluang Penitentiary in Johor, was allegedly involved in a brawl that resulted in fatalities four years ago.

Effendi, meanwhile, was accused of possessing illegal drugs and is being detained at Sungai Buloh Prison in Selangor.

Currently, both men are in the process of filing appeals to the Kuala Lumpur High Court, kompas.com reported on Monday.

According to the executive director of Migrant Care, Anis Hidayah, more than 6,000 Indonesian migrant workers are currently detained in Malaysia; 300 of whom are facing the death penalty. (han/iwa)

Read more »

Chavez re-elected as Venezuelan president, defeating Capriles

Caracas, Venezuela (CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was re-elected Sunday to a new six-year term, overcoming an energetic challenge by a candidate backed by an opposition coalition, according to nearly complete results announced by election officials.

Chavez, who has been president since 1999, defeated Henrique Capriles Radonski, whose campaign criticized the Chavez administration for inefficiencies, infrastructure shortcomings and corruption.

Fireworks began to pepper the sky over Caracas soon after the provisional results were announced.

"Today we have demonstrated -- comrades, compatriots -- that our democracy is one of the best in the world," Chavez said in a speech from the balcony of the presidential palace to thousands of supporters who cheered and waved flags.

He thanked those who had voted for him and acknowledged those who had voted against him, applauding their "democratic attitude."

Chavez has had more than a decade to implement his vision of 21st century socialism, a view that emphasizes use of state oil windfalls to fund social programs. During his campaign, he highlighted his accomplishments in housing, education and health initiatives and acknowledged he need to do more on crime and government bureaucracy.

The ebullient leader is 58 years old and has been visibly weakened by two surgeries for cancer. He has kept secret his kind of cancer and prognosis.

His victory gives him "the opportunity to consolidate his policies" and also reaffirms the approach his government has taken to international relations, said Miguel Tinker Salas, a Latin American history professor at Pomona College in California.

Chavez's influence over Latin America's left-leaning governments has often rankled the United States, Venezuela's largest trading partner. Venezuela is the fourth-largest exporter of oil to the United States.

Despite that tight economic relationship, the two countries are far from close allies: Chavez often rails against the United States and its allies as "imperialists" and has supported controversial world leaders like President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran.

The election result Sunday means the U.S. government will have to continue to deal with Chavez's provocatively independent brand of diplomacy.

"I think Washington will have to start getting used to the fact that countries in Latin America, especially South America, are charting their own course," said Tinker Salas.

With 90% of the ballots counted Sunday night, Chavez has 54.42% of the vote compared with 44.97% for Capriles, according to Tibisay Lucena, president of the National Electoral Council.

Chavez had secured 7.4 million votes and Capriles 6.1 million votes, election officials said.

In a speech to his supporters, Capriles congratulated Chavez on his victory and urged him to take into account the different views expressed by voters.

"Being a good president means working for the vision of all Venezuelans," he said.

Observers had said Capriles, 40, represented a moderate alternative to Chavez, the charismatic standard-bearer of the Latin American left. Capriles had vowed not to end the social programs that Chavez had set up, and he had promised to fight corruption that had grown in the public sector.

Capriles is a high-profile conservative who was a mayor, a parliament member and governor of Miranda, which adjoins the nation's capital. The attorney-turned-politician had been so active on the campaign trial that he earned the nicknamed the "roadrunner."

He appeared to have mounted one of the strongest challenges so far in Chavez's 13 years in power. But his efforts ultimately proved insufficient to unseat the incumbent.

The opposition will now have to try to maintain a unified front for regional elections scheduled to take place December, Tinker Salas said. That may prove difficult, he said, since "the one thing that brought them together was the figure of Chavez."

The country saw one of its high participation rates in decades on Sunday, with almost 81% of voters going to the polls, according to Lucena of the electoral council.

In fact, some polls were kept open two hours after their scheduled closing because of lines of voters waited for ballots.

The army was deployed around the country throughout the day to ensure a peaceful and secure vote, said Maj. Gen. Wilmer Barrientos, commander of strategic operations command.

Nearly 140,000 troops were deployed throughout the country to guard polls and keep the peace, state-run VTV reported.

In a phone call aired on state-run television earlier in the evening, Chavez had asked people to remain calm until the election results were completed and for there to be no violence.

Long lines began forming in the early morning hours at polling stations from remote regions of the Amazon to the bustling capital of Caracas.

By mid-afternoon, Barrientos reported 15 electoral offenses throughout the entire country, the Venezuelan military said on its Twitter account. No further details were immediately available.

The election also drew voters from beyond the country's borders as thousands of Venezuelans living abroad lined up to cast their ballots at diplomatic offices.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, voters streamed into the Venezuelan Consulate. Many traveled by bus from Miami, where Venezuelan authorities closed a consulate in January after the United States expelled the office's top Venezuelan diplomat.

In Caracas, voters said they were happy to be casting their ballots.

"I'm really proud of the people, because everyone is cheerful about this event and I think there is a good feeling," said Jesus Betancourt, a 25-year-old student.

Standing outside the Caracas school where Chavez cast his ballot, Katherene Rivas said she hoped Venezuelans would respect the results.

"For now, everything is quiet here, and we want that after the results are announced, that people remain calm," she said.

Source: edition.cnn.com

Read more »

South Korea says U.S. agrees to extend Seoul's ballistic missile range

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- South Korea announced Sunday that it reached a deal with the United States that allows Seoul to extend the range of its ballistic missiles, a move a senior security official says will deter military provocation from North Korea.

The announcement from South Korean national security adviser Chun Yung-woo comes amid increased tensions between the two Koreas following Pyongyang's test firing in April of a long-range rocket, which exploded shortly after it was launched.

The deal with Washington revised the range of Seoul's missiles from 300 kilometers (186 miles) to 800 kilometers (497 miles), Chun told reporters.

"The important goal in revising the missile pact is to deter armed provocation from North Korea," Chun said.

"If North Korea is to attack or provoke, we are able to incapacitate its nuclear and missile (capabilities) in the early stage. We have guaranteed various capabilities to protect the life and safety of our people."

At that range, the missile range would include North Korea's northern peninsula.

Under the amended pact, South Korea also can increase its current restricted payload of 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds), depending on the range of the missile. The plan allows for three times the current payload for ballistic missiles with a range of 300 kilometers.

South Korea first agreed in 1972 to limit its missile range to 180 kilometers (112 miles) in exchange for access to U.S. missile technology. A bilateral agreement between the two countries was signed in 1979, though the guidelines were revised in 2001 to allow for a range of 300 kilometers.

The two Koreas signed an armistice that ended the 1950-1953 Korean war, though a peace treaty was never signed. Technically, the two countries remain in a state of war.

Roughly 28,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea. (Sourse: edition.cnn.com)

Read more »

iPhone 5 users complain about purple photos

Some iPhone 5 users are complaining that a burst of purple is showing up in their photos -- and Apple seems to be acknowledging it's just part of how the camera works.

Since Apple's new smartphone was released just over a week ago, some of the millions of users have reported that, when a strong source of light is present in their photographs, the light takes on a purple hue.

The problem was first noted on the forums of online computer magazine Anandtech, where a thread discussing the issue had more than 180 comments Wednesday.

"Yeah, I have a feeling this is going to be Antennagate all over again," one forum member wrote, referencing antenna problems with the iPhone 4. "I've taken 20,000+ photos on my 4S, never ONCE had this problem."

That user then posted two photos that appear to show the flare.

An e-mail from Apple appears to confirm that the purple haze isn't all in users' minds.

Tech blog Gizmodo quoted an e-mail from Apple support to a reader. He claims Apple support staff first said the discoloration shouldn't be happening but shifted after talking to Apple engineers.

"Our engineering team just gave me this information and we recommend that you angle the camera away from the bright light source when taking pictures," read the e-mail, as reported by Gizmodo. "The purple flare in the image provided is considered normal behavior for iPhone 5's camera."

Apple did not respond to a message seeking comment for this story.

A comparison by Mashable, a CNN content partner, studied similar images taken with an iPhone 5, an iPhone 4S and a Nikon D300. Some of the 5's images had a purple glow around light sources, while others didn't, Mashable reported. None of the images from the other two devices displayed the flares.

Some have speculated that the problem is caused by a sapphire cover that Apple added to the phone's camera.

"The new iSight camera in iPhone 5 features a sapphire crystal lens cover that is thinner and more durable than standard glass with the ability to provide crystal clear images," Apple wrote in promotional material for the phone.

The iPhone 5 has been Apple's biggest launch to date, selling 2 million units in the first 24 hours and 5 million over its first weekend on the market.

But with its popularity have come a handful of persistent complaints, the purple glow being the most recent to gain traction.

Foremost have been problems with Apple's new Maps feature, which for the first time replaced Google Maps as the default mapping software on Apple's mobile operating system. The problems -- landmarks misplaced or misnamed, huge swaths of major cities missing -- prompted Apple CEO Tim Cook to offer a rare apology, promising that it will be fixed and going so far as to suggest other apps in the meantime.

Other iPhone 5 complaints have ranged from its aluminum casing scratching easily to light leaking from openings on the phone.

Sourse: edition.cnn.com

Read more »

Philippines, Muslim rebels reach peace deal

The Philippines has reached a preliminary agreement with Muslim rebels after 15 years of talks, the president announced Sunday, marking a major milestone after decades of militant insurgency in the nation's troubled south.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has fought for decades for an independent Islamic state in southern Philippines. It has been blamed for rampant attacks in the region.

President Benigno Aquino III described the deal as a "framework agreement" for establishing a new autonomous region to be administered by Muslims in the south.

It comes after 15 years of negotiations between the government and the rebels. "This framework agreement paves the way for a final, enduring peace in Mindanao," Aquino said.

"It brings all former secessionist groups into the fold; no longer does the Moro Islamic Liberation Front aspire for a separate state." It also provides a framework on issues such as power structure and revenues in the southern region.

"This means that hands that once held rifles will be put to use tilling land, selling produce, manning work stations and opening doorways of opportunity for other citizens," he said. The new autonomous region will be named Bangsamoro.

"It deserves a name that symbolizes and honors the struggles of our forebears in Mindanao, and celebrates the history and character of that part of our nation," the president said.

The preliminary deal marks a major milestone after years of negotiations with the Moro group to help end an insurgency that has killed tens of thousands.

The Moro group is estimated to have 12,000 members, but military sources say it may have been splintered when government troops conducted offensives in 2000.

British officials applauded the agreement. "I wholeheartedly welcome the announcement of the framework agreement ... to bring peace and development to Muslim Mindanao," Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement.

"This is a testament to the commitment and vision of the parties." The new region is expected to replace the current one by 2016, when the president's term ends, according to officials.

Sourse: edition.cnn.com

Read more »