Stoner rules Rossi to launch MotoGP title bid

Ducati rider Casey Stoner saw off world champion Valentino Rossi to triumph in the delayed first MotoGP race of the season and complete a hat-trick of wins in Qatar. The curtain-raiser was postponed 24 hours until Monday after torrential rain saw the floodlit race in Qatar called off at the last moment. Stoner was undeterred as he completed his third victory at Losail International circuit, just outside Doha

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Fighting Piracy: Coordinated Action Still Missing

If Europe occasionally winces at accusations that it is not pulling its weight in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan against the Taliban, it has been prouder of its take-charge role in combating Somalia’s relentless pirates. However, much like the Afghan war, that effort appears to be floundering in the face of a relentless, quickly adapting and resurgent enemy — despite successes like Sunday’s dramatic rescue of Richard Phillips, the American ship captain held hostage since Wednesday by defiant Somali pirates

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Legend Player leads Augusta farewells

Golfing legend Gary Player and 1979 winner Fuzzy Zoeller bade emotional farewells to the Masters while Greg Norman, quite possibly the best player never to win the hallowed major, may well have played his last competitive round at Augusta as he narrowly missed the halfway cut. Three-time champion Player was playing his 52nd Masters, finally giving in to Old Father Time at a still spritely 73, but taking in the unique atmosphere for one last time. The South African was cheered to the rafters at every hole and received a standing ovation as he walked up 18 on Friday — 17-over-par but nobody cared.

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Serena loses World No.1 spot to Safina

Dinara Safina will go to the top of the world rankings in place of Serena Williams after the American’s shock defeat at a tournament in Spain, the WTA announced on its official Web site www.sonyericssonwtatour.com. Williams went down 6-4 3-6 6-1 to Klara Zakopalova at the Andalucia Open in Marbella which means the Russian will go to world number one in the ranking lists released on April 20. Safina is only the second Russian woman, after Maria Sharapova, to claim the top spot and it will match the achievement of her brother Marat who was the top men’s player in the world in 2000

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Serena crashes to shock Andalucia defeat

World number one Serena Williams has suffered a shock defeat in the first round of the Andalucia Open in Marbella, Spain, losing in three sets to little-known Czech Klara Zakopalova. The American, playing her first clay-court match of the season, was beaten 6-4 3-6 6-1 by her world ranked No.95 opponent.

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NATO allies pledge 5,000 troops to Afghanistan

America’s NATO allies in Afghanistan are committing 5,000 more troops to the fight against the Taliban, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Saturday. Around 3,000 forces from allied and partner nations will provide security leading up to Afghan elections later this year

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Ceremonies open 2nd day of NATO summit

A symbolic ceremony was under way Saturday to mark France’s return as a full NATO member and to remember those who have died in NATO-led missions during the alliance’s 60-year history. NATO leaders were gathering on a footbridge over the Rhine river separating France and Germany, which are both hosting a two-day NATO summit that concludes Saturday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will walk from one side and French President Nicolas Sarkozy planned to walk from the other to meet in the middle and greet each other

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