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CHENNAI, India, Indian police were investigating Wednesday a fire in a fireworks factory that killed at least 17 people in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. At least 21 others were injured when the fire broke out Tuesday evening in a suburb of Madurai, 500 kilometres (310 miles) from the state capital Chennai. Police said the impact of the resulting explosions caused the building to collapse. "The incident occurred while packing the crackers," said Madurai police superintendent M. Manoharan. It took four hours for fire officials to control the blaze, and their efforts were hampered by a water shortage. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 JAKARTA: Indonesia voted in only its second direct presidential election since the fall of the Suharto dictatorship on Wednesday with ex-general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono tipped to win a second term. Opinion polls suggest Yudhoyono could avoid a run-off in September by beating opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri and outgoing Vice President Jusuf Kalla with a clear majority in the first round. Victory will give the mild-mannered 59-year-old -- who likes to write love songs in his spare time -- a clear mandate to speed up bureaucratic reform and fight corruption in the most populous Muslim-majority nation.

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 TOKYO: Japan's most popular robot animation, Gundam, turns 30 this year, and the creator of the anime series says the times have caught up with the futuristic show launched in the late 1970s."Gundam has presented many propositions that we face today in the real world," said Yoshiyuki Tomino, the TV show's executive director. "It will certainly live on for many years to come, perhaps another 50 years."The animated sci-fi series "Mobile Suit Gundam" first aired in 1979. It was set 100 years in the future amid a space war between the Earth Federation and hostile space colonies. The show's popularity quickly skyrocketed and further Gundam series, comic books, video games and films were spun off.To mark the 30th anniversary of Gundam's launch, a massive replica of the robot is being erected at Tokyo's Odaiba seaside park. It is scheduled to be unveiled Saturday and can be viewed until Aug. 31 — part of Gundam's

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 WASHINGTON: The top U.S. military officer says a military strike to thwart Iran's nuclear development is an option no one should take. Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen says the possibility of a military strike remains on the table. But he told a Washington audience Tuesday that he worries about what Iran would do if attacked.He says a strike would be a threat to stability in the Middle East. He urged caution even though, as he put it, the clock is ticking.Mullen says Iran could have nuclear weapons capability in one to three years.He did not directly address remarks by Vice President Joe Biden, who suggested Sunday that the Obama administration would not stand in the way if Israel attacked Iran's nuclear facilities.

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO: Even before Michael Jackson's shimmering gold casket made it to downtown Los Angeles for his memorial, millions of his fans worldwide were watching and mourning online. Messages in an array of languages were fired off to Jackson memorial forums at Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and online haunts where video or news of the event were being shared in an unprecedented interactive global farewell. Mountains of Jackson memories are posted at an official Sony Music website in tribute to the King of Pop. "Rest in peace now Michael... I'm glad you went out a record breaker, a hero, and a fantastic performer the world will never be the same without," said a message signed with the name James Cleave. "As a kid I used to dance to your music from your 'Bad' album on my parents' LP player and everyone knew me to be one of your biggest fans on the island of Cyprus."

Wednesday, July 08, 2009, ZURICH: Jamaican athletics Asafa Powell and Shelly Ann Fraser won their respective 100m races, and Golden League Jackpot contender Kerron Stewart impressed in the 200m, all against strong headwinds in IAAF grand prix. Powell took his second consecutive win at the Stade Olympice de la Pontaise, repeating the same time as in Oslo last Friday with another 10.07 into a strong headwind (-1.8 m/s) with a solid margin over compatriot Steve Mullings (10.28), showing that his form is improving compared to race in Oslo where it took a photo finish to separate him from Daniel Bailey. Powell is returning to his best after his spring ankle injury and will be ready to clash against Tyson Gay in Rome on Friday. Third place went to this year’s US champion Michael Rodgers (10.30). In difficult conditions and running into a headwind (-0.9 m/s), the Jamaican “Thunder” Bolt, the triple Olympic champion and World record holder, broke the Athletissima meeting record he shared with

Tuesday, July 07, 2009 ABUJA: Pele has urged world football's governing body (FIFA) to introduce a salary cap for players and warned that the vast sums of money changing hands in the game could taint its image for future generations.Pele, in Nigeria to promote Rio de Janeiro's bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games, told Reuters he was concerned about how the game had changed with the influx of money from billionaire owners."My time was a little different -- we did not have the big sponsors," Pele told Reuters in an interview at the Brazilian embassy in Nigeria's capital Abuja late on Monday."Today they have big sponsors, big companies to support football. But in my point of view and the point of view of FIFA, these (players' salaries) must be controlled."FIFA President Sepp Blatter has spoken out about the huge sums of money in the game, echoing concerns from Europe's ruling body UEFA and other sports officials.However, Blatter also welcomed Cristi

Tuesday, July 07, 2009 GALLE: Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 50 runs in the first cricket Test here on Tuesday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Pakistan, chasing a modest target of 168, collapsed from their overnight total of 71-2 to 117 all out just before lunch on the fourth day at the Galle International Stadium.Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka made 292 runs in its first innings and Pakistan replied with 342, a 50-run lead.The hosts were dismissed for 217 in their second innings leaving Pakistan with 168-run target to win with two days to spare. But the visitors capitulated Tuesday to be dismissed for 117 runs on the fourth day.The second Test starts at the P. Sara stadium in Colombo on July 12. Scores: Sri Lanka 292 (Tharanga Paranavitana 72, Anjelo Mathews 42;Mohammad Aamer 3-74, Younis Khan 2-23) and 217 (TharangaParanavitana 49; Saeed Ajmal 3-34, Mohammad Aamer 3-38) Pakistan 342 (Mohammad Yousuf 112; Nuwan Kulasekera 4-71, ThilanThushara 2-77) and 117 (Salman Butt 28;

Tuesday, July 07, 2009 MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo received a rapturous welcome from 80,000 Real Madrid fans; an outpouring so exuberant the soccer star had to be hustled away when spectators leaped barriers and took the field.Ronaldo, who joined the famed club following his record transfer from Manchester United, appeared before the capacity crowd at Santiago Bernabeu stadium wearing the same No. 9 jersey worn by Real Madrid great Alfredo di Stefano."I've achieved one of my dreams," a beaming Ronaldo said before leading fans in a cry of "Viva Madrid!" "I want this to begin as quickly as possible so that I can show what I can do."Real Madrid had been chasing the world player of the year since 2006. He agreed to a six-year contract in a record $131 million transfer.Fans had begun lining up outside the stadium since early morning, hoping to glimpse the 24-year-old player. He completed a lap of honor to salute fans after performing a few juggling tricks.

The 24-year old British sprinter was challenged to the line by green jersey rival, Norway's Thor Hushovd, at the end of a 196.5km stage from Marseille to La Grande Motte. And he again paid credit to his Colombia-Highroad team, in particular Mark Renshaw, who led a breakaway in the closing kilometres that fractured the peleton. "We were the only team willing to take it on and what a way to stick it to everyone else," said Cavendish. "It showed the domination that we have in the first week of a Grand Tour. "It was closer than yesterday and Thor is one of the best sprinters on the planet but my team did everything right. "It was a headwind finish so I left it late but Mark delivered me perfectly to the line. This is a victory for the team." Lance Armstrong also got himself involved in the 25-strong breakaway group, supported by Astana's Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia. It meant he gained 41 seconds on his team leader Alberto Contador and overto