Action group: Ex-Olympic boxer injured in Syria (AP)

Beirut - a Syrian boxer who won a medal at the Olympic Winter Games of 2004 was injured with at least 20 others Monday under the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad has swept through several towns and cities to crush an uprising was, said activists.

Nasser al-Shami, a champion who shared bronze in Athens, was in stable condition after being hit by pellets shotgun in the city of Hama, said Rami Abdul Rahman, the Syrian human rights observatory Director London-based. Abdul Rahman said he had spoken to the physician who treated the athlete.

Tanks and troops Syrian Hama closed and blocked roads, in an apparent attempt to crush the growing dissent and return to the city in a month after the withdrawal of security forces. About 300,000 demonstrators held huge protests against the regime at Hama last week, a sign that the city has escaped all control of the Government.

"There is a kind of a seat on the city." "They close all the roads leading to Hama," said based on the Syria of the human rights activist Mustafa Osso.

Hama, who has a history of Islamic militancy against the Assad regime, there is a suppression of Government almost three decades. In 1982 deceased ordered Assad father and predecessor, Hafez Al-Assad, his troops to crush an uprising by Sunni fundamentalists, killing between 10 000 and 25 000 people, human rights groups say.

Monday, said activists also Syrian security forces opened the fire on the people flee in nearby Turkey, injuring a mother and her young son.

Thousands of Syrians have refuge in refugee camps in Turkey, a source of deep embarrassment to Damascus. To the South, on the outskirts of Damascus, of Dumair, armoured tanks rolled in after that all communications were cut, said an activist in the region.

The activist, who spoke condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said soldiers and police officers from the patrol at random were all men from teenagers to people 60s containment.

The revolt against Al-Assad has lasted almost four months despite a deadly government crackdown led to international condemnation and sanctions. Al-Assad is the most serious challenge to his family of four decades of domination by Syria.

Activists say the security forces have killed more than 1 400 people - most of them in hands naked demonstrators - since mid-March. The regime does toll "armed" and the conspirators to blame for the unrest.

The Syria has banned almost all foreign media and the media attention limited, making it almost impossible to independently verify events on the ground. But, evidence, including interviews with refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries, provide a brutal crackdown on the protest movement.

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Bassem Mroue follow on http://twitter.com/bmroue

Work of the NFL: paperwork lawyers reprocess (AP)

NEW YORK - counsel for the NFL Players Association and reclassification of language of the contract and the details that could accelerate the process of a new collective agreement.

A person with knowledge of the situation told Associated Press that lawyers began meeting for a second day running Wednesday in a firm headquarters of Manhattan.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a judge has ordered that the details of the Court ordered mediated negotiations may not be transmitted.

Commissioner of the NFL Roger Goodell and head of the COORS DeMaurice Smith should resume negotiations Thursday with the players and the different owners.

76ers Top nets 115-90, and hang the playoffs (AP)

Philadelphia-Thaddeus Young has 22 points, Elton Brand had 21, and the Philadelphia 76ers winning a playoff with a 115-90 on the New Jersey NET win Friday night.

Jrue Holiday registered 17 points and Andre Iguodala had 14 lead the Sixers to the playoffs after an absence of one year. The Sixers won 27 games the season last as Eddie Jordan and long rebuilding process appeared on the horizon.

Enter coach Doug Collins. He is out of the TNT broadcast booth the Sixers in winners. The Sixers were up 37-23 since the beginning of a 3-13 and may end up with a positive sheet for the first time since 2004-2005. Philadelphia has not won a series of playoffs since 2003.

Brandan Wright had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the net, who lost their fifth straight game.

Mark is set for its first playoff since it for the Clippers played in 2005-2006. He signed an $ 80 million, five year contract with the summer 2008 as the anticipated missing piece that would change the Sixers in suitors. Instead, he missed most of his first season in Philly with a shoulder injury and has not played in the loss of their game in Orlando.

Winger gets his chance now with a team of the Philadelphia currently have seed No.. 6 of the Conference is.

The Sixers of care they do not play in the team. A roster led by 20 usually has a topic of growing confidence in the playoffs.

Nets top Avery Johnson called Young, one of the sixth coach in the NBA, MVP of the Sixers. It would be difficult to argue the winger who has grown under Collins. There are at least 21 points marked in each of the last three games and home of the play of the game in the third.

Connected Iguodala a pass in transition to a young streaks for the alley-oop and a advance 80 - 59. Lou Williams hit a 3 on the next possession and retirement was booming.

Iguodala has led the Sixers with a point 12 of the first quarter. He shook the left knee tendinitis and hamstring woes to have his best season in the individual general competition. Against the net, Iguodala got his points at the beginning, and then let his teammates to treat most of the notation. He had also seven assists.

The Sixers erased the nets in the first half strong shooting (54%) and only three rotations. By the fourth, the minutes of garbage-time became a dunk contest for the deep reservations. This group included starter night Jason Kapono opening and 2010 No. 2 overall draft Evan Turner. Turner is buried at the Bank and should not play in the playoffs.

Turner was drafted to team with holiday for a rear lines to help the Sixers to respectability.

Unlike Turner, made his day of the party. He had seven assists and 6 rebounds, and the Sixers are marked fire had on the 60 per cent of the floor deep mark in the fourth quarter.

It was a terrible night for the net. Deron Williams scored only four points in 23 minutes.

Notes: the Sixers were 43-39 in 2004-2005. ... The Sixers had winning records in each of the past four months (December_March), their longest streak since the season 2000-01. ... Mario West became the 22nd player to play for the nets this season, the team of. Record of New Jersey for most of the players used in a season is 23.

Fredette BYU, Notre Dame de Brey get awards AP (AP)

Jimmer Fredette-HOUSTON was a star of a single name in his last season at BYU.

The country in scoring position helped on a team from the second half of the season ranked in the top 10.

Friday, Fredette - excuse me; Jimmer - was selected Associated Press player of the year.

"It is quite a turn and it is very fun and I would not repeat anything, Fredette a."I had quite the career at BYU."" "There were many ups and downs, but there were many more ups this year".

The Cougars won the title in the regular season Mountain West Conference and San Diego State lost in the last tournament. A seed of no. 3 in the NCAA tournament, they lost to Florida in overtime in eighths and is finished with a record of 32-5.

"I knew from the beginning we can be a very good year with the boys to come back, and it is one of the most talented teams that I've ever played on," said Fredette, who was averaging 28.5 points. "When we started to play well and beat Arizona, and I knew from there that we could be a force." This is what has happened because we stayed hungry throughout the year, and it is that we separated from the other teams. »

Our Lady of Mike Brey was selected coach of the year as he led the Irish in fighting a second place finish in the Big East and not. 5 ranking in the last survey.

"The personality of this group was so stable or it is a great victory or a loss, they have remained stable," said Brey, who spent eleven seasons at notre-Dame. "When she had great victories no change." If they had a heavy loss do not change. "Stable is the word".

Fredette received 48 votes in the 65-member national media panel which selects the weekly Top 25. Right to vote was made before the NCAA tournament.

Kemba Walker of Connecticut was second with 11 votes. Nolan Smith of the Duke had five and Jared Sullinger in the State of Ohio one.

"To see the Jimmer progress and a leader of his team that his legacy will be basketball," said BYU coach Dave Rose. "It is pushed not only the best player, it may be, but is how he has helped his teammates to win." He has always found a way. This is what I remember most.

Fredette is the first BYU player to win the award and the first West of the mountain since Andrew Bogut for Utah in 2005.

Next to the project of Fredette NBA 6-foot-3.

"I have the impression that, as long as I get in a good situation can I can succeed, but this is the situation", he said. "I hope, if I were in this situation I will prove that I can play and the respect of my teammates, coaches and General Manager, worldwide involved and I hope that playing well for them.".

BREY in the fight against the Irish 27-7 record, their victories of second most in a season. Their brand of 14-4 in Big East tied their record for Conference WINS. Notre Dame has been a seed No. 2 Florida State, NCAA tournament lost in the third round.

BREY attracted by 28 votes, 14 more than finalist Steve Fisher of San Diego State.

BREY is the first Notre Dame coach to win the award, and it is the second straight Big East coach to obtain after Jim Boeheim of Syracuse last year.

A tournament early in the season in Orlando, Florida, so-called Brey that he had the makings of a good team.

""I made sure that cut us nets in Orlando and said Disney people"We Don ' t" I said ' do you this year. "Get a scale". As independent for as long that we do not have many chances to break down the nets. The large image and for this year. Boost was enormous confidence. »

Larry Dixon leads qualifying (AP) the top fuel

Champion high season of fuel of the LAS VEGAS - protection Larry Dixon has led to the lead Friday qualifying in nationals SummitRacing.com NHRA at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Dixon, which led to one of its twelve season victories on the work of last year, had a second 3.904 run lead mph 312.78 eligible order in the category of 7,000 horsepower.

Cruz Pedregon led the funny car field and Mike Edwards topped the Pro Division of Stock.

Pedregon edges season 15-time champ John Force for the first place with a race, 306.19 located in his Toyota Camry. Winning defensive event that was second to 4169 and 304.25 in a Ford Mustang.

Edwards took a down nearly 205.63 in a Pontiac GXP.

Penn, fight Fitch to draw on UFC 127 (AP)

SYDNEY-BJ Penn and Jon Fitch fought a draw of majority Sunday to cfu 127, second major of the UFC Show in Australia.

Michael Bisping arrested English Middleweight Jorge Rivera at the beginning of the second series event with a whirlwind brutal punches, intimidated co-main subsequently his opponent pinned Acer Arena.

The former champion of the division of the two Penn (16-7-2) spent most of the fight fighting near the cage with Fitch, who has only lost once in the past seven years. Fitch (26-3-1) is specialized in grinding of the victories, and he posted a third round dominant after injured Penn Fitch the nose in the second round.

Two judges scored the bout as a tie, a third favourite of Fitch 29-28. The two fighters say they open for a revenge.

"I came back and ready to go out on top," said Fitch. "I think I have enough at least to win a split decision.". ... I was looking for him to be, counterbox and counterwrestle. It was a great game plan, and he threw me. It was not until the second round to go together. »

Veterans spend most of the first two rounds nearly on the struggle of the Octagon, but Penn appeared to get the best out of most of the exchanges. Penn that also Fitch bloody nose with an elbow in the second round.

Fitch took Penn on the Web within seconds of the opening of the third, and then spent every round punches Regents in the custody of the Penn. Calls the monotonous action huées of the crowd, but the grinding victories are the specialty of Fitch, based in San Jose.

Penn is a world weight welterweight back after losing his lightweight title to Frankie Edgar last year. Penn recognized with visible frustration on his face that he expected to lose a decision.

"I believe that I have some a dominant position in the first and the second, but he struck my ass in the third," Penn said. "I think that I was not really what I was going to do with my career that I lost this luttemais given that the gods were nice to me and gave me a draw with the fate, if he wants to do again"I think we do it again. »

The bolt was unsatisfactory that the second draw in a major event of the UFC in less than two months, the following Edgar draw with Gray Maynard in a lightweight title on the day of new year's end.

Bisping (22-3) lost about his fight by disqualification in the first round after illegally kept give knee Rivera (18-8) in the face while his opponent on the canvas knelt.

Silver light German Dennis surprised the crowd of Sydney with a unanimous decision on George Sotiropoulos the Australia, which is unbeaten in eight UFC fighting.

UFC 127 took place Sunday afternoon in Sydney for a Saturday night of broadcast in North America. The map was the second sellout UFC in the arena, the current heavyweight Cain Velasquez champion victory in February last the UFC 110.

Bisping and Rivera landed in the days before their end, almost come beating on the roads to and refuse to touch their combat gloves. After Rivera twice in the opening minutes, shaken Bisping Rivera with a patently illegal knee with 2: 15 left in the round, Rivera directing to the Octagon.

Although Rivera have resumed in the fight, he fought to follow Bisping packaging and combinations.

While Rivera still on the canvas after the battle, Bisping has tried to confront him again, shouting, "Apologize!" for what felt disparaging Bisping about his father.

"I am a sensitive boy, so I apologize for losing control, perhaps," said Bisping. "I never said anything bad on it, but it came with all of these things."

SOTIROPOULOS had the home crowd firmly behind him, but Silver (18-7) hit him several times in the first round, in particular, he senseless dropping back with a left hook. SOTIROPOULOS (14-3) survived and came back strong in the second round, but money based in Mannheim has more damage in a convincing decision, General win 30-27, 30-28, and 29-28.

SOTIROPOULOS had not lost since October 2006, when he was disqualified for a strike at 5 seconds in a bolt in the promotion of Shooto. It is not to extend its series of new fighting in the UFC, which would have been the second longest streak in the history of the UFC.

"It was very strong," Sotiropoulos said. "He threw a few shots heavy has argued that, and I felt that their.". My plan was to continue to fight and take them down, but he defends well. His defence was really good, and the leg was a little slippery at the time, it was difficult to get a good grip on it. »

Earlier, Kyle Noke beat Chris Camozzi with a rear naked choke just 95 seconds in the first combat on the diffusion of television in the map of the Australia and Brian Ebersole won his UFC debut after more than 60 fighting previous prodisrupt Chris Lytle UFC veteran with a unanimous decision.

Winners of Houston Kim, Wagner camps again (AP)

Humble, Texas-course knowledge is important in the Houston Open.

Rookie PGA Tour Chris Kirk shot a 3-under 69 Friday to take a stroke a cerebral advance on defending champion Anthony Kim and winner 2008 Johnson Wagner after two rounds at Redstone.

Kirk was 9 - under the by and played his last few holes as the wind picked up in the afternoon and makes it difficult to mark.

Kim and Wagner took advantage of calm morning conditions and their background used on the route to move the submission. Kim shot a 64, the lowest round of the day, and Wagner had a 67.

"I have very good feelings as soon as I step on the property here," said Wagner.

Padraig Harrington, first round leader Jimmy Walker and Josh Teater were two back shots at 7 under.

Organizers provided the course of the tournament at Redstone to simulate conditions that will see players to master the next week, and the establishment has attracted many of the best players in the world in Houston.

Phil Mickelson (70) and Lee Westwood (72) were part of a large group 4 slots and Ernie Els (72) and Fred Couples (72) were among the players to 1.

Kim tries to be the first winner, back to back of the event as Vijay Singh won in 2004 and ' 05, the last two years he played on one side of the course members.

The tournament-course host was in 2006, and Kim had almost every visit.

Before he turned Pro, Kim was the only player to break by winning an event collegiate here in 2006. It is fifth in the Houston Open as a rookie in 2007 Tower and fired three shells of sub - 70 year last to win her third career victory.

"It helps," said knowing that I was playing well before, knowing that I made a few rolls when it mattered, it. "I had a few shots that are similar, some rolls that I are very similar, so I try to remember these things and play.

64 Of Kim was four strokes better than his lower tower when he won last year.

From the back nine, Kim made six birdies in his first 10 holes, including the chip-ins on our 12 and 16. He needed only 22 rolls on equal lowest turn since January.

Before the tournament, Kim said that its major re-engineering required swing and that he spent a few days in collaboration with Adam Schreiber coach for changes. Happy Kim work already produced results.

"It feels a lot of this sense of confidence and to go, a few good golf swings and perhaps a few wraps after that, said Kim."

Wagner feeling a more emotional connection with Redstone, after obtaining his first victory of the tour here three years ago. He needs to win this week to qualify for the Masters, but says major next week has defended sentence.

A resident of Charlotte, Wagner is the tournament at Quail Hollow near his house and everything important that every year, he played Houston event.

"There are a few events regular tour that I love", he said. "Houston and Charlotte will be always my two events preferred that we play."

Kirk has general information on Redstone, too. He played for the Georgia and participated in the collegiate even event Kim won in 2006.

"I think he loves the course," said Kirk. "I shot a lot of 74 s or SW, nothing very memorable."

Second, Kirk, birdied on the list of money Nationwide Tour last year, two of his last three holes the pure and simple shows the way to a double bogey on the by-5-4.

"I made a bad swing off the tee, and it is not yet really bad," Kirk said. "One of these things." Any measure you play, that kind of thing sometimes happens. »

Harrington was also threatened, after briefly Binder for lead early Friday. He made three straight bogies on the back nine to withdraw, then reached the 8th by-5 in two shots to set up an eagle to go back to 7 below.

"Just I fell asleep," said Harrington, sporting a beard this weekend because he has forgotten to seize a razor. "I really the type of road down the hatches for the last few holes, trying not to make too many mistakes after I lost my way."

Note average for players who started in the morning (71.46) has been more than two shots better than the average for players who are late in the day (73.78 CertainTeed).

"As the wind picked up, the ground got really powerful," Kirk said. "You need to be a little more cautious, do really think your way".

Former President George H.W. Bush considered first a golf cart handles and welcomes the Mickelson and couples as they left Greens. Bush regularly attends major sporting events in Houston, where he lives.