A highly-educated 33-year-old resorted to robbery to feed himself after failures in starting a business, Nanjing-based Modern Express reported.

After receiving a masters degree from a German university, Zhang Heng (not his real name), from Changzhou city, Jiangsu province returned to China in 2012. He opened a company in Beijing, seeing it as an easier route than being employed to gain Beijing permanent residency for his girlfriend and himself. He also needed to make money to please his would-be father-in-law to allow their marriage. The business failed and his girlfriend left him after he went bankrupt. Running out of money and ashamed to ask for help from his family since April this year, he stole three times and was caught by police on May 9.

About 1,000 Chinese investors spent $353 million purchasing land and real estate in Dubai last year, according to statistics from the Dubai Land Department, China Business News reported.

The investment is about three times that of 2012, when 288 Chinese nationals spend $132 million in the same sectors. The newspaper said the annual investment income rate on Dubai real estates reaches about 30 percent.

Beijing police will deploy 20 specially trained dogs to patrol key subway stations during APEC, bjnews.com.cn reported. According to Chen Baoyun, the police dog battalion chief of Beijing police, the animals can help spot gasoline and explosives and 12 have been working in some stations since early June. The dogs do not bark or bite but follow targets while on duty, Chen said.

More than 10 villagers were overcome by gas in a land compensation dispute and?eight were hospitalized with lung lesions in Gujundian village, Liaocheng city, East China's Shandong province, Beijing News reported.

Chen Zhaoquan, the contractor of a dam construction project has confessed to being responsible for the attacks after some villagers thwarted his project as they haven't received land appropriation compensation. The gas sample attackers used is under examination but Chen said ordinary anti sexual harassment sprays were employed.

CPPCC vice-chairman sacked

Su Rong, a vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, has been removed from office after Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China said earlier this month he was being investigated for graft, Xinhua News Agency reported. Su, 66, a vice-State level official, is the highest ranking among all probed officials since the CPC elected its new leadership in November 2012.

Soccer's World Cup has boosted lottery ticket sales, according to the China Sports Lottery Administration Center. Before the Cup, average daily sales were less than 100 million yuan ($16 million), but since it began on June 12, daily sales have averaged more than 400 million yuan.

Six prospective Henan students were punished for organizing substitutes to take the national college entrance exam, or gaokao, for them, education authorities said. The Provincial Higher Education Admission Office said it has invalidated the six students' results and barred them from re-taking the gaokao for three years. Police are investigating the group's parents and exam invigilators, the office said.

A hospital in Hunan province has become the first in China to experiment with 3-D printing technology in vascular surgery. Huang Jianhua, director of surgery at Hunan Xiangya Hospital, said 3-D printing was used in an operation to remove an aneurysm from a patient's abdomen.

Atletico Madrid's Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion Merodio (L) and David Villa celebrate their team's first goal against Barcelona during their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match in Madrid, April 9, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - Bayern Munich kept alive their Champions League title defence by suppressing a resilient Manchester United to reach the semi-finals on Wednesday, while the power shift continued in Spain as Atletico Madrid edged past La Liga rivals Barcelona.

United gave the Germans a scare when Patrice Evra's thunderbolt finish put them ahead in their quarter-final second leg, but goals from Mario Mandzukic, Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben saw them safely through with a 3-1 win on the night and a 4-2 aggregate success.

La Liga leaders Atletico confirmed their current status as the top club in Spain by ousting Barcelona after Koke's early goal proved enough to secure a 1-0 win and 2-1 victory over the two legs.

After a cagey first half in Munich, United's Evra stunned the home crowd with a powerful drive in the 57th minute that left Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer rooted to the spot on its way into the top corner.

The visitors' celebrations had barely died down, however, when Bayern drew level with Mandzukic evading the attentions of United's centre backs to glance a header past David De Gea.

Mueller sidefooted in from close range to put them ahead in the tie and Robben ended a mazy run across the penalty area by finishing low into the bottom corner via a deflection off United defender Nemanja Vidic.

In Madrid, it was one-way traffic in the early stages as Atletico tore into Barcelona, scoring after five minutes when Koke side-footed into an empty net at the far post moments after Adrian Lopez had hit the post.

It could have turned into a rout as David Villa hit the woodwork twice more in the first half, but their failure to add to their lead ensured a nervous finish.

Bayern and Atletico will be joined in Friday's semi-final draw by Chelsea, who knocked out Paris St Germain on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate draw on Tuesday and Real Madrid, who beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 over two legs.

Ba helps Chelsea eliminate PSG to reach CL semis

Lucky Real escapes from Dortmund with last-four spot

Bayern holds upper hand after 1-1 draw at United

Barcelona's Lionel Messi reacts during his team's match against Atletico Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match in Madrid, April 9, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] Ba helps Chelsea eliminate PSG to reach CL semis  Lucky Real escapes from Dortmund with last-four spot  Bayern holds upper hand after 1-1 draw at United

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney (C) reacts after their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match against Bayern Munich in Munich, April 9, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] Ba helps Chelsea eliminate PSG to reach CL semis  Lucky Real escapes from Dortmund with last-four spot  Bayern holds upper hand after 1-1 draw at United

Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller challenges Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic (R) during their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match in Munich, April 9, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] Ba helps Chelsea eliminate PSG to reach CL semis  Lucky Real escapes from Dortmund with last-four spot  Bayern holds upper hand after 1-1 draw at United

Athens Olympics relay champion Sherone Simpson has been suspended for 18 months after testing positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine during last June's Jamaican trials.

Simpson was the second Jamaican athlete to be handed a doping ban on Tuesday as Olympic discus thrower Allison Randall was suspended for two years after failing a drug test during the 2013 national trials.

"Miss Simpson has admitted the anti-doping violation and, now having listened and reviewed all of the evidence and listened to the detailed submissions of counsels, this panel is unanimously of the view that she was negligent in all the circumstances as an elite athlete and, as such, the period of ineligibility will be 18 months," said Lennox Gayle, a member of the Jamaica Anti-doping Disciplinary panel.

During a hearing in January, Simpson said a supplement provided by her Canadian trainer was responsible for her positive test.

Simpson's agent, Paul Doyle, said on Tuesday she would lodge an appeal against the ban.

"We feel that this ruling is incredibly unjust and we will be appealing to the Court of Arbitration of Sport immediately," Doyle said in a statement.

"The case in our opinion should be very straight forward. Sherone took a legal supplement that was contaminated with oxilofrine.

"Two different labs that we commissioned to test the supplement both determined that oxilofrine was present and that it was not declared on the label."

Simpson, the 2004 Olympic 4x100 relay gold medalist, said she was not familiar with one of the five supplements given to her, but when she searched online she noted none of the substances printed on the bottle of Epiphany D1 appeared on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list.

"On our advice, the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) ordered the supplement directly from the company and tested it themselves and confirmed the same," said Doyle.

"Subsequently, USADA has posted a warning on its website, warning athletes not to take the supplement because it contains banned substances that are not declared on the label.

"These are the core facts of Sherone's case and cannot be disputed.

"The fact the panel has given 18 months suspension and has provided no explanation as to why is unacceptable in our opinion. As a result, we will be seeking justice instead from the Court of Arbitration of Sport."

Simpson was one of five Jamaicans to test positive at last June's national championships. She and former world 100 record holder Asafa Powell returned adverse findings for oxilofrine.

Powell will hear his verdict on Thursday.

The guarantees came a day after international sporting federations, meeting in Turkey, criticised the Brazilian government for the slow pace of work and a lack of institutional support.

"We are fully aware of the issues that need to be resolved. We are grateful for the input from all stakeholders," Rio2016 said in a statement.

"Progress has been made in the past two weeks, since the last visit of the IOC Coordination Commission for Rio 2016. We move ahead every single day.

"There is absolutely no question in our minds that Rio will deliver great Games."

Although Rio won the right to host the event in 2009, construction work at venues where eight events will take place has yet to start and the pace of progress at others is slow.

Sailors have criticized the filthy waters where the sailing events will take place and strikes have crippled some projects.

Shots were fired on Monday after construction workers downed tools and blocked roads outside the Olympic Park, one of the games' main venues.

But Rio officials said they were working hard to alleviate the concerns and get the city ready.

"We have listened carefully to the comments made in Turkey by the International Sport Federations (IFs)," the statement added.

"We have taken their concerns on board. We talked with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board today. The commitment to be frank and to work closely together was renewed. That is the spirit of partnership that we cherish."

Rio will become the first South American city to host the Olympics. Brazil is also hosting soccer's World Cup in 12 cities in June and July.

Three of the 12 arenas are still unfinished with 64 days until the tournament kicks off, and some airports and public transportation projects are so far behind schedule the government has admitted they will not be ready in time.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Dante Cunningham, charged last week with choking his live-in girlfriend during a domestic assault, is now suspected of sending her threatening messages, police said on Monday.

Cunningham, 26, was arrested on a felony domestic assault charge and ordered to stay away from the woman after an alleged attack on Thursday in Medina, Minnesota, a suburb west of Minneapolis.

He posted a bond and was released on Friday. He then traveled to Orlando and played nearly 34 minutes in a 100-92 loss against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

The Timberwolves have already been eliminated from NBA playoff contention.

Police said they returned to the home early on Sunday to investigate a potential violation of the protective order after a report that the same woman was receiving threatening messages from Cunningham.

"They were direct threats that rose to the terroristic level," Medina Police Chief Edgar Belland said in a telephone interview on Monday.

Reuters

(China Daily 04/09/2014 page24)

Chelsea's Demba Ba scores the first goal for the team during their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match against Paris St Germain at Stamford Bridge in London, April 8, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] LONDON - Chelsea snatched a dramatic late goal through Demba Ba to beat Paris St Germain 2-0 and reach the Champions League semi-finals on the away goals rule on another memorable European night at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Substitute striker Ba, who replaced Frank Lampard midway through the second half, struck with time running out for the 2012 European champions, who looked to be going out of the competition after losing the first leg 3-1 last week.

But Ba's goal in the 87th minute levelled the tie at 3-3 and Chelsea, evoking memories of their battling and ultimately successful campaign two seasons ago, went through on away goals thanks to Eden Hazard's penalty in Paris last week.

Andre Schuerrle, who replaced the injured Hazard after only 17 minutes on Tuesday, had given Chelsea hope with a superbly taken goal after 32 minutes but Jose Mourinho's perfect record of winning all eight European quarter-finals he had been involved in, seemed about to end with time running out.

Ba sealed victory, though, when a Cesar Azpilicueta shot was deflected to him in the area and he scooped the ball past keeper Salvatore Sirigu to send the home fans into raptures as Mourinho sprinted down the touchline to join his celebrating players.

"It all happened so quick," said Ba. "I saw the ball and it was in the goal. I just do what I have to do when I get chances. I didn't have chances this season but tonight I took it."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho added on ITV: "Demba made a crucial finish for us and I think very much deserved. The team that decided to defend was punished and the team that played with their heart deserved to go to the semis."

The Portuguese coach's dash along the touchline evoked memories of his famous Old Trafford celebration when his Porto side beat Manchester United in 2004 although this time he was also keen to tell his players not to take any risks.

It is the seventh time in 11 Champions League campaigns that Chelsea have reached the last four and Mourinho is on course to become the first manager to win the European Cup with three clubs after triumphs with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010.

Mourinho had told his players to "go out and play with a smiles on their faces" as they had nothing to lose after last week's defeat, but they failed to make an early impression as PSG dominated the midfield and pegged Chelsea back.

Thiago Motta, Blaise Matuidi and Marco Verratti took a stranglehold in the middle of the park for the visitors, who were playing with the kind of confidence that comes from a team who have won their last 11 matches.

But PSG coach Laurent Blanc, who said his best form of defending their first leg lead was to attack, appeared to have different tactics in reality and his side failed to seriously test Chelsea when they held the upper hand.

Bayern draws 1-1 at United

PSG sinks Chelsea, Real eases past Dortmund

Bayern ousts Arsenal

Chelsea's John Terry reacts at the end of their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match against Paris St Germain at Stamford Bridge in London, April 8, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

SUCCESS INEVITABLE

Although PSG were minutes away from reaching the last four for the first time since 1995, their was an increasing air of inevitability that Chelsea would steal that chance from them.

The visitors' only real attempts came in the closing stages with the score still 1-0 on the night and PSG 3-2 ahead on aggregate when striker Edinson Cavani twice went close.

If either of those efforts had gone in, Chelsea would have probably gone out but the London side survived and took their own scoring opportunity when it came.

They had also gone close twice early in the second half when first Germany international Schuerrle, who had a magnificent match, and then Oscar, from a freekick, clattered the bar.

With their fans roaring them on, Chelsea finished by far the better team and it seemed a matter of time before they repeated their heroics against Napoli in 2012.

On that occasion they came back from losing the first leg 3-1 in Italy to win 4-1 at Stamford Bridge after extra time before going on to win the trophy a few months later.

"This competition means a lot to us," said Chelsea defender and captain John Terry, who was suspended for the final when Chelsea won the competition for the only time.

"The experiences we have had keeps you fighting and believing. Winning it was the best feeling ever. These big performances are what we live for.

"Everyone doubted us tonight but we showed great character and fight to come back. It all paid off," he added on ITV ahead of Friday's semi-final draw.

Bayern draws 1-1 at United

PSG sinks Chelsea, Real eases past Dortmund

Bayern ousts Arsenal

Chelsea's Demba Ba (L), who scored the second goal for the team, consoles Paris St Germain's Yohan Cabaye at the end of their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London, April 8, 2014. Chelsea won the match 2-0 and qualified for the next round. [Photo/Agencies]

Bayern draws 1-1 at United

PSG sinks Chelsea, Real eases past Dortmund

Bayern ousts Arsenal

Chelsea will hope to draw inspiration from its 2012 Champions League triumph when it attempts to overturn a 3-1 deficit in its quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Javier Pastore's 90th-minute solo goal in last week's first leg at Parc des Princes gave PSG a two-goal advantage that puts it firmly in control of the tie ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Only 24 percent of the teams to have lost 3-1 in the away leg of a UEFA tie since 1970 have gone on to reach the next round, but Chelsea can take heart from the fact it pulled off just such a feat two years ago.

A 3-1 defeat at Napoli in the last 16 precipitated the sacking of coach Andre Villas-Boas, but his successor, Roberto Di Matteo, oversaw a 4-1 win after extra time in the return leg, before leading the west London club to victory on penalties over Bayern Munich in the final.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has never lost a European quarterfinal, and defeat by PSG would be doubly difficult for the Portuguese to swallow in the light of Di Matteo's achievement in 2012 and last year's Europa League success under interim manager Rafael Benitez.

Furthermore, with Chelsea's Premier League title challenge wobbling, success in the Champions League has taken on even greater importance.

Chelsea breezed to a 3-0 win over Stoke City on Saturday, briefly taking it back to the top of the table, but Mourinho insists that its position is "fake" due to the fact rival Manchester City still has two games in hand.

He is nevertheless relishing the prospect of Tuesday's game beneath the lights in west London, declaring his side can approach the match "without fear".

"I want to enjoy that game. I enjoy the difficulty," Mourinho said.

"Now we know that we need to win 2-0, 3-1, 4-1, 5-2. We know that we need a crazy result against Paris. We must be ready to go without fear, go at them and see what happens.

"If we have to lose after a magnificent night of football, a magnificent night of emotion, we have to lose."

Chelsea has kept eight consecutive clean sheets at Stamford Bridge, but PSG is on a club-record run of 11 successive wins and has lost by two clear goals only once in its past 110 fixtures.

Chelsea will be missing the suspended Ramires and is also likely to still be without Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, who missed the first leg with a hamstring injury and did not feature against Stoke on Saturday.

Mourinho, who bemoaned the lack of "real strikers" in his squad after the first leg, is therefore expected to select Fernando Torres at the tip of his attack.

PSG also has problems up front with talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic unavailable after injuring his thigh in the first leg, but in record signing Edinson Cavani the French champion has an able deputy.

With the Uruguay international set to replace Ibrahimovic at center-forward, Lucas Moura is in line to come into the team on the right flank.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc had the luxury of being able to rest almost his entire first-choice starting XI in Saturday's 3-0 win over Reims, with rightback Gregory van der Wiel making his first appearance for a month.

However, Blanc is reluctant to meddle with a winning team and said Christophe Jallet was likely to continue on the right flank of his side's defense.

"Van der Wiel's return, which I hadn't necessarily anticipated, gives me competition on the right with Jallet and even Marquinhos, who I tried at the end of the match (against Reims)," said Blanc.

Augusta National, an all-male golf club until 20 months ago, crowned its first female champions on Sunday, but don't look for women wearing the green jackets of Masters winners anytime soon.

Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said on Sunday a women's version of the Masters was not something the club was contemplating even after its historic gender milestone at the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt Championship for children.

"Currently, no, I don't know that we have the energy, resources or time on our schedule," Payne said when asked about the possibility of hosting the world's best women's players at an Augusta National tournament.

Payne, the driving force behind organizing the 1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympics, said adding the inaugural youth event was easy to factor in on the day before the first official practice round of Masters week.

"Adding a day when we were already here was relatively easy," Payne said.

It was only 20 months ago when Augusta National ended 80 years of men-only membership by admitting former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore.

Now Augusta National has more female role models to offer young golfers and young women in general.

"This is a life-changing experience for me to come out here," said Natalie Pietromonaco, the 12-13 age group girls winner.

Just last year the youth event was created by Augusta National, the PGA of America and US Golf Association to try and reverse declining interest in the sport, offering four boys and four girls trophies for youth ages 7-15.

"They are so invigorating, these kids," Payne said, calling the feeling they add to Augusta National "wholeheartedly powerful and emotionally exciting".

"We are going to have a lot of kids who want to find their way to Augusta National," Payne said.

Kelly Xu, a nine-year-old Chinese-American, won her age group crown to become the first female champion at Augusta National, complete with a putt on the 18th green after drive and chip contests on the same practice area used by the world's top male players for the Masters.

- Agence France-Presse

Lexi Thompson holds the trophy after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship on Sunday in California. [Photo/Agencies]

Lexi Thompson left Michelle Wie behind - off the tee and on the leaderboard in the Kraft Nabisco Championship on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Thompson beat Wie into Poppie's Pond, too, capping her breakthrough major victory with the traditional victory leap into the water near the 18th green. "It is just a dream come true," Thompson said.

Thompson closed with a bogey-free 4-under 68 for a three-stroke victory. She birdied four of the first nine holes to open a five-stroke lead and parred the final nine.

"This is what I have worked so hard for," Thompson said. "This was one of my goals coming into the year, to win a major. I have always seen myself winning a Kraft Nabisco. It is such a huge honor with all the history behind the tournament."

Wie was second, birdieing the final hole for a 71. She used her driver only four times, choosing to hit fairway-metal stingers on the other 10 driving holes - leaving her as much as 60 yards behind Thompson. When both hit 3-woods, Thompson also had the advantage.

"I stuck with my game plan and I think it was the right play," Wie said. "Who knows? In hindsight you would do something here or do something there, make a putt there. That is the way golf is. I just couldn't get anything going today."

Thompson became the second-youngest major winner in LPGA Tour history at 19 years, one month, 27 days. Morgan Pressel set the record in her 2007 victory at Mission Hills at 18 years, 10 months, nine days.

Thompson finished at 14-under 274 for her fourth LPGA Tour victory. She opened with a 73, shot a tournament-best 64 on Friday and had a 69 on Saturday to tie for the lead with Wie at 10 under. She had only one bogey - missing a 3-footer for par on the 18th Saturday - in her last 55 holes.

"You have to hit it in the fairway and, if you miss it, just miss it small," she said. "I think just staying into it mentally. When I had a bad hole, I would just fight right back. Or if I hit a bad shot, just know that I can get it up-and-down or get it on the green."

Thompson won the 2011 Navistar LPGA in Alabama at 16 to become the youngest winner in tour history, a mark broken by Lydia Ko in the 2012 Canadian Women's Open. Last year, Thompson won the LPGA Malaysia and Lorena Ochoa Invitational titles.

The 24-year-old Wie made her 12th start in the event. She was ninth in 2003 at age 13, fourth the following year and tied for third at 16 in 2006. She also was sixth in 2011.

"I thought I played OK," Wie said. "I think it just got to a point where I just tried to force it. I think I needed to really come back with a lot of birdies and I think it got to a point where I just tried too hard. But I am just proud of myself for how the week went."

Wie has two tour victories, winning the 2009 Lorena Ochoa Invitational and 2010 Canadian Women's Open. She has been in the top 16 in all six of her starts this season.

"Lexi played amazing today," Wie said. "She played probably the best I have ever seen her play. She hit the ball so well. She made everything. It was just hard to catch up to her all day today. I am really happy for her. I am really proud of her."

Stacy Lewis, the 2011 winner, had a 67 to finish third at 7 under while defending champion and world No 1 Park In-bee closed with a 75 to tie for 38th at 4 over.

FIFA Ambassador Christian Karembeu (second from left) exchanges gifts with Chinese Football Association Vice-President Lin Xiaohua (third from left) upon the golden trophy's arrival in Beijing during the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour on April 6, 2014. [Photo provided for chinadaily.com.cn]

Fan Zhiyi, a former national captain and youth soccer official, speaks to media at the launch ceremony of the Trophy Tour at the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Beijing on April 6, 2014. [Photo by Sun Xiaochen / chinadaily.com.cn] Only by strengthening its youth foundation can Chinese soccer hope to win a World Cup trophy, a former national captain and official said at the launch of a trophy tour in China.

Sponsored by Coca-Cola, the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour had its 88th stop in Beijing and will be on display to local soccer fans on Tuesday at Chaoyang Joy City, allowing the public to get close to the coveted trophy that will be presented by FIFA to the country that wins the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Chinese soccer has to work harder on its youth development and professionalization to qualify for the tournament, said Fan Zhiyi, the center back of the 2002 World Cup qualifying national squad.

"I have experienced the tournament and the excitement of being able to compete for the trophy. That kind of feeling is appealing to me and to all the soccer players in the world, I believe," Fan told China Daily at the launch of the Trophy Tour at the Imperial Ancestral Temple on Monday.

"But now we can only watch it as spectators and have nothing to do with the event, which is very sad," said Fan, who retired in 2005 and now works with the Chinese Football Association on junior development.

Due to its poor performance in the preliminaries, China missed a berth at the Brazil World Cup, which begins on June 12, and its 5-1 loss to Thailand in an international friendly in June drew nationwide criticism from notable figures, including Fan.

"They (the current national team players) lost face and it's a huge shame," Fan was quoted by Five-Star Sports as saying after that loss.

Despite high expectations from fans, Fan said Chinese soccer should set its sights lower on some practical and urgent issues and not have unrealistic dreams of making the World Cup.

"With Chinese soccer struggling in a valley now, we have to be patient and stay committed to invest more funds and resources into youth training and grassroots promotion. Only by making such efforts consistently, will the dream of getting close to the World Cup become a real quest," Fan said.

Fan's remarks were echoed by former French international midfielder and FIFA Ambassador Christian Karembeu, who also attended the ceremony on Monday.

"I think Mr Fan said very well that before hoping for big results, we need to work from the grassroots in academies to show children how to perform and practice in the right way," said Karembeu, who was part of the World Cup-winning French team in 1998.

Karembeu, who played for top European clubs including Real Madrid during his prime in the 1990s, suggested that China should introduce more expertise from the West.

"I think we need to exchange players (at the youth level), providing them infrastructure, suitable conditions and instructions to play, then you can join the elite of soccer competition."

Karembeu said exposure to the trophy helps ignite passion for the game globally.

"We are trying to inspire hopes and dreams. Behind the trophy there is a big message that we are trying to inspire people to believe in our values and share our commitment and goals. We brought this event to the world to show that sport is great inspiration and everybody has the right to dream."

This is the second time the trophy has been displayed in Beijing, following a 2006 tour, and it will also travel to Shanghai for the first time on Wednesday to be displayed at the Daning International Plaza and Wujiaochang Wanda Plaza.

Opportunities for photographs with the trophy will be available and fans can receive instant prints or retrieve digital copies at http://trophytour.fifa.com by using a FIFA photo code.

The tour will continue in Japan and the United States before ending its 221-day 150,000km journey, which covers 90 countries, in Brazil on April 21.

"Coca-Cola has once again joined hands with FIFA to bring global fans the utmost unique trophy experience. With the appearance of the authentic trophy in China, we sincerely wish a bright future for China football," said David Brooks, chairman of the Coca-Cola Greater China and Korea business unit.

FIFA Ambassador Christian Karembeu holds the golden trophy upon its arrival in Beijing during the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour on April 6, 2014. [Photo provided for chinadaily.com.cn]

The launch ceremony of the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour is held at the Imperial Ancestral Temple upon the golden trophy's arrival in Beijing, on April 6, 2014. [Photo by Sun Xiaochen/chinadaily.com.cn]

Oscar Pistorius attends his trial at the high court in Pretoria April 7, 2014. South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Pistorius took the witness stand in his own defence at his murder trial on Monday, saying the shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp had left him sleepless, terrified and plagued by nightmares. [Photo/Agencies]

All about PistoriusPRETORIA - His voice trembling with emotion, Oscar Pistorius took the witness stand in his own defence on Monday, saying the Valentine's Day shooting of his girlfriend last year had left him sleepless, terrified and plagued by nightmares.

The disabled South African track star, on trial for murder, apologized to the mother of model Reeva Steenkamp, saying he had fired four times through a toilet door at his luxury Pretoria home in the belief he was defending her from an intruder.

Steenkamp, a law graduate and model, was hit by at least three rounds, one of which - to the head - killed her almost instantly, the court has heard.

"I was simply trying to protect Reeva," Pistorius told the Pretoria High Court at the start of his testimony. Reeva's mother June Steenkamp, sitting stony-faced in the packed public gallery, bowed her head.

The 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic star, who faces life in prison if convicted of murder, testified he had been on anti-depressants and sleeping pills because of his disturbed state of mind since the shooting.

"I'm scared to sleep. I have terrible nightmares about things that happened that night," he said.

"I can smell blood. I wake up to being terrified."

He recounted one occasion when he woke up so scared in the middle of the night that he crawled into a cupboard before calling his sister, who came round to sit with him.

"I wake up in a complete state of terror to the point that I would rather not sleep," he said, adding that his faith had helped pull him through.

"There have been times when I've just been struggling a lot," he said, fighting to maintain his composure.

"My god is my god of refuge."

Earlier, during graphic forensic testimony from a defence pathologist, Pistorius retched into a bucket in the dock.

Pistorius takes stand in own defence at murder trial

Pistorius vomits at Steenkamp autopsy details in court

'Bloodcurdling' screams heard in Pistorius' home

Oscar Pistorius' sister Aimee Pistorius reacts during his trial at the high court in Pretoria April 7, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Obsession with guns

All about PistoriusThe distraught, bespectacled figure was in stark contrast to the gun-obsessed, fast-living hothead that prosecutors had described in the first 16 days of the trial.

As well as murder, Pistorius is accused of firing a pistol through the sun roof of a friend's car while on a public road, and discharging a handgun under the table of a packed Johannesburg restaurant.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Now in its 17th day, the trial has gripped South Africa and millions of fans around the world who have seen in Pistorius a symbol of triumph over physical adversity.

The sprinter's lower legs were amputated as a baby but he went on to achieve global fame as the "Blade Runner", after the slender carbon fibre prosthetic limbs he wears on the track.

After winning gold medals at the Beijing and London Paralympics, he stunned the world by reaching the semifinals of the 400 meters in the London Olympics against able-bodied athletes.

In testimony, Pistorius described his difficult early years as a disabled child before his sporting prowess earned him respect and recognition at school.

He also spoke of the pressures of fame, the toll travelling to athletics meetings took on his family and personal life and of his fears of life in crime-ridden South Africa.

"When we were growing up, we were exposed to crime - house break-ins, family members being assaulted and hijacked," he said. "Many members of my family have been victims of house break-ins and violent crime."

Pistorius takes stand in own defence at murder trial

Pistorius vomits at Steenkamp autopsy details in court

'Bloodcurdling' screams heard in Pistorius' home

Oscar Pistorius becomes emotional during his trial at the high court in Pretoria April 7, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

"Exhausted"

All about PistoriusHis defence hinges on his assertion, made under oath at his bail hearing, that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder hiding in the toilet and opened fire.

However, witnesses living close to Pistorius' home in a gated Pretoria community have testified to hearing the terrified screams of a woman before and during a volley of shots in the early hours of Feb 14, 2013.

South Africa's firearms and self-defence laws make clear a person may only shoot if there is a direct threat to somebody's life - regulations Pistorius acknowledged in a written gun-licence test presented by the prosecution.

Ashen-faced, Pistorius said he had not slept the night before his testimony, leading Judge Thokozile Masipa to adjourn the session early after little more than an hour of cross-examination.

"He does look exhausted," Masipa said. "He does sound exhausted." As he stepped from the witness box, Pistorius slumped into the outstretched arms of his sister Aimee.

The trial resumes at 0730 GMT on Tuesday.

Pistorius takes stand in own defence at murder trial

Pistorius vomits at Steenkamp autopsy details in court

'Bloodcurdling' screams heard in Pistorius' home

June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva Steenkamp, looks on during the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius at the high court in Pretoria, April 7, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]   Pistorius takes stand in own defence at murder trial Pistorius vomits at Steenkamp autopsy details in court 'Bloodcurdling' screams heard in Pistorius' home

Goal barrage needed to keep German team's title hopes alive

Borussia Dortmund insists it has not given up hope of a Champions League miracle in Tuesday's quarterfinal, second leg against Real Madrid, even with the Spaniards holding a 3-0 lead.

Last season's finalist Dortmund stand son the verge of a Champions League exit as it needs to overturn the huge deficit at its Westfalenstadion after last Wednesday's defeat at Madrid's Bernabeu.

World player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo is set to start after he was forced off with a knee problem toward the end of the first leg, having scored Real's third goal, and was rested for Saturday's 4-0 win away to Real Sociedad.

The 29-year-old Portugal star trained with the Madrid squad on Sunday and looks set to travel to northern Germany.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti was delighted with how his side coped without Ronaldo as goals from Asier Illarramendi, Gareth Bale, Pepe and Alvaro Morata sealed a convincing victory at Sociedad.

Madrid's Italian manager was particularly pleased not to have picked up any more injuries.

"This victory reinforces the team and, moreover, we avoided injuries and showed a good level physically," he said.

Angel di Maria is also expected to start at Dortmund after only appearing as a substitute against Sociedad.

The Argentine also missed the first leg due to gastroenteritis and Fabio Coentrao will return at leftback after being rested at the weekend.

To progress, Dortmund must better its stunning 4-1 semifinal, first-leg win at home to Real nearly 12 months ago when Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, who joins Bayern Munich next season, scored all four goals.

A similar result would see the Germans bow out on away goals but they picked up a confidence boost with a 2-1 comeback win over Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Lewandowski, who was suspended for the first leg, scored Dortmund's opening goal on Saturday and will be an obvious concern to the Real back four.

Germany winger Marco Reus, who scored its 77th-minute winner against Wolves, said his side needs to repeat Saturday's impressive second-half display after a poor opening 45 minutes.

"We have not given up (against Real)," said Reus.

"If we play like we did (against Wolfsburg) in the first half, then it will be very difficult.

"If we play as well as we did in the second, we honestly have a chance. It will be damn hard, but we'll give it everything."

Dortmund will be without suspended defensive midfielder Sebastian Kehl, which leaves coach Juergen Klopp without an obvious replacement with Sven Bender and Ilkay Gundogan injured.

Rightback Kevin Grosskreutz is set to prove his versatility once more with Klopp hinting he might switch the Germany international into the midfield.

Dortmund is also set to welcome back goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, who will take over the captain's armband from Kehl, after the 33-year-old missed the Wolves win after injuring his arm in the defeat at Madrid.

"We will not give anything away on Tuesday," said Klopp, who has endured a horror run of injuries this season with winger Jakub Blaszczykowski and Neven Subotic out with long-term knee problems.

"We want to play two 45 minutes like we did in the second half against Wolfsburg and then we will see how things stand."

(China Daily 04/08/2014 page23)

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has come under fire from his Bundesliga peers for fielding a weakened team ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarterfinal, second leg at home to Manchester United.

The European champion suffered its first German league defeat in 18 months on Saturday, abruptly ending its record 53-match unbeaten Bundesliga run with a 1-0 defeat at Augsburg.

Guardiola paid the price for naming three teenagers in his starting lineup as he made seven changes from last Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Manchester United in the first leg.

With the German league title already secured with a record seven matches to spare, Guardiola defended his decision to rest his stars for United.

"The game against Manchester is (effectively) a final, it comes down to life or death now," said the Spaniard.

"If it (the Augsburg game) had been important, Philipp (Lahm), Franck (Ribery) and Arjen (Robben) would have played.

"But (this season's) Bundesliga is over, it is in the museum at Bayern Munich and will remain there forever."

Guardiola's peers were quick to criticize his decision to hand reserve team wing backs Ylli Sallahi and Mitchell Weiser their Bundesliga debuts while Pierre-Emile Hoejbjerg was named on the left wing.

"It's not OK for the league," said Eintracht Frankfurt coach Armin Veh. "Of course, anyone can lose against Augsburg, but if you look at the starting line-up I must say: you reap what you sow."

Guardiola fielded a bench in Augsburg containing internationals David Alaba, Thomas Mueller, Mario Goetze, Jerome Boateng and Dante.

According to Werder Bremen coach Robin Dutt, a cursory glance at Bayern's replacements gave the impression "as if the Bundesliga was just a bit of leisure activity".

Horst Heldt, third-placed Schalke 04's general manager, said Guardiola and Bayern had done the Bundesliga a disservice by clearly prioritizing the Champions League.

"Bayern always send out a few clever sayings which the rest of us are expected to take on board," he told German radio.

(China Daily 04/08/2014 page23)

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg fought out a nail-biting desert duel in the Bahrain Grand Prix and then claimed they had put the fizz back into Formula One.

The sport has been deluged with complaints this season that it has become a boring spectacle due to a raft of technical changes which have seen the classic throaty roars of F1 engines replaced by hush-hush hybrids.

But on Sunday Hamilton edged his German teammate to take his first win at the Sakhir circuit and the 24th of his career, taking him level with Juan Manuel Fangio.

Hamilton, who also won last weekend in Malaysia, finished 1.085 sec ahead of Rosberg in another triumph for the Mercedes team which has won all three races this season.

The 2008 world champion had to constantly fend off a series of bold passing moves by Rosberg, who had started on pole, to achieve the win while down the field other teams allowed their drivers to fight in close combat.

"Lewis did a good job defending but it was a massive fight out there and that is what I am here for," said Rosberg.

"For racing like that. I think it was a good day for the sport, which is important, because of recent little bits of criticism.

"I think they are all going to be rather quiet tomorrow - which is a very good thing. It is good that us as Silver Arrows, we made it happen."

It was a tense fight between the two men which eventually left Rosberg still on top of the standings albeit with a reduced margin.

Rosberg, the Australian Grand Prix winner, has 61 points with Hamilton on 50.

"Today, I knew I needed to get a good start and things generally went my way, except when the pace car came out," said Hamilton who pipped Rosberg to the first corner and then steadily opened up a healthy nine-second lead.

"Nico drove fantastically well. When you are with your teammate it is very, very hard to make the right decisions of where to put your car, where to brake, all these different things, but yeah, it was great."

(China Daily 04/08/2014 page24)

Other nations are puzzled about the concept of student amateurism, and how college students can compete in front of full stadiums and have their jerseys sold, but don't receive a salary. Even in England, where rowing and rugby college events can draw thousands of fans, the competition is more of a friendly match, not an engine for revenue like March Madness or a major college football rivalry.

From their posts across the world, AP reporters described how top athletes are developed in different sports.

Agentina

Players are often signed as children by scouts from local soccer clubs. There is no age limit, although players have to be 18 for Argentine clubs to sell them to foreign teams without parental consent. Parents generally consent to the sale of younger players. Although the player gets a salary, the club gets the transfer fee.

Australia

In Australian rules football and rugby, talented players are scouted in their early teens and join academies and feeder teams run by the big clubs. There are no significant national university-level competitions. Top players get scholarships for elite private high schools, or "centers of excellence" at state government-run schools. Many players take low-paid rookie contracts immediately after high school and use those as the route to the big leagues.

China

The world's most populous nation has an organized state sports system. Children are selected as young as 4 and encouraged to focus on the sport for which they show the most aptitude. They are sent to schools that are sometimes far from their homes. Some of the most successful Chinese athletes have recently broken with the state-controlled system, choosing their own coaches and taking charge of their careers, including tennis star Li Na and young golfer Feng Shanshan.

England

England hasn't won a major title in soccer since the 1966 World Cup and the way talent is developed in the country is often criticized. The best young English players are scouted at an early age by local clubs with trials. The very best often join Premier League clubs' academies before the age of 10. But at big clubs' academies such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, English youngsters are competing with foreign talent and very few local players successfully make the transition from youth squad to the club's first team. In 2012, the Football Association opened a national football center designed to emulate its French rivals Clairefontaine. The focus at the football center is to educate coaches capable of nurturing technically gifted players from the age of 5.

India

Young cricket players compete in city and provincial competitions. Schools and universities play a small role in player development. Around the world, the best cricket players represent their countries in youth competitions. The Indian Premier League and the growing popularity of Twenty20 cricket - the shortest form of the game at senior level - is giving more players at a lower level the chance to be professionals, with more clubs, shorter seasons and a chance for players not on the national team to be recognized. The Indian Premier League holds annual player auctions.

Japan

Pro baseball teams can't negotiate with young players until they've finished high school at the age of 18. There is an amateur draft every fall. Heavily scouted teenage players often turn pro straight out of high school, a route that set Yu Darvish and Daisuke Matsuzaka en route to the majors. Other talented players join corporate leagues or go to college to develop their games before signing with professional teams.

Mexico

Mexico's top flight soccer teams are allowed to sign youth players to professional contracts regardless of age. The only restriction is that the length of the contract cannot be for more than three years. Most professional squads have their own soccer schools, where kids from 5 to 12 participate.

Spain

In Spain, young soccer players can sign professional contracts when they turn 16, the minimum work age stipulated by Spanish law. Before that, children join training academies run by soccer clubs that field youth teams in amateur leagues. The most well-known example in Spain is Barcelona's "La Masia" academy, where Lionel Messi started training at the age of 13 when his family emigrated from Argentina. While major clubs may entice the families of some high-profile young talents with offers of jobs or even money, most children play for the training academies of their hometown clubs. Spanish law obliges children to stay in school until 16, the same age when players can join the union.

A similar system exists in Spanish basketball. A player under 16 can play for the club's top team but cannot have a professional contract. This was the rare case for the Minnesota Timberwolves' Ricky Rubio, who debuted for Joventut at the age of 14. Families with children under 16 may receive some type of compensation from clubs in the form of payments to cover travel expenses or to help with their children's studies.

United States

Football and basketball players typically compete in high school, and the best players are scouted by college coaches. Players can attend all-star games and college camps in the offseason. The best athletes sign with colleges for four years, in exchange for a scholarship. The National Football League will not select players until three years after their high school class graduates. The National Basketball Association will not select players until one year after their high school class graduates. College football and men's basketball generate billions in revenue for the schools and the NCAA.

In baseball, players compete in high school and the best are scouted by college coaches and Major League Baseball teams. Some have the opportunity to play in college for full or partial scholarships, or sign professional contracts after high school. Players start in the minor leagues, playing for a team run by one of the MLB clubs.

Budding stars clinch four titles at inaugural championship

Chinese-American children won the first four titles in the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt Championship on Sunday at Augusta National, one of them handed his trophy by reigning Masters champion Adam Scott.

Kelly Xu, a nine-year-old Californian, won the 7-9 girls crown to become the first female champion at the famed home of the Masters, an all-male club until 20 months ago.

"This is the best day of my life," Xu said.

Xu, a fourth-grader whose favorite things about school are lunch and spelling, said her historic triumph was special.

"Winning this and seeing the reward for all the hard work I put in is most of what I am feeling good about," Xu said, adding that being the first female winner "is just playing a part" in her excitement.

In all, four boys and four girls from 7-15 won age-group titles after scoring points in driving, chipping and putting contests.

Leo Cheng, an 11-year-old from California whose father is a stunt coordinator with Jackie Chan, sank a 20-foot putt on the 18th green to capture the 10-11 boys crown.

The putt was from the area where Scott sank his 20-foot birdie on the 72nd hole in last year's Masters on his way to beating Angel Cabrera in a playoff to become the first Australian to win the Masters.

"I felt like Adam Scott when I was putting that," Cheng said.

Minutes later, Cheng was greeted by Scott in a surprise at the trophy presentation.

"I thought the ceremonial duties would mean a lot in my career," Scott said.

It meant a lot for Cheng as well.

"He told me, 'great job,' and 'You should be really proud of what you have accomplished," Cheng said.

Cheng, whose family is from Beijing and Hong Kong, placed fourth in the driving distance contest that opened the competition in each of four age groups for boys and girls ages 7-15.

"I felt like my heart stopped for a second," Cheng said.

After he won the chipping contest and sank his winning putt, complete with a right fist pump, Cheng was given a green jacket by his parents, one his mother bought during a family vacation to China after he had qualified to play at Augusta National.

While it lacks the official color and logo of Augusta National's Masters champions jackets, it capped a day that brought a big smile to Cheng's face.

"This was really a crazy experience," he said.

Xu, who cited Augusta National co-founder and amateur legend Bobby Jones as her favorite golfer, said she felt the tension of playing at Augusta.

"I was extremely nerve-wracked," she said. "But when I went to hit the ball I was extremely comfortable, ... like I had been doing this for a long time."

Xu, whose grandparents live in China, has dreams of a green jacket as well.

"The trophy is pretty nice," she said. "Next year they should make it green jackets."

Treed Huang, the 7-9 boys winner whose parents came from Guangdong to America in 1998, was impressed with Augusta National.

"It is beautiful," the nine-year-old Texan said. "It is much more than I ever expected."

His father, Huang Yufu, was shocked to see his son holding the winner's prize.

"We didn't expect to win," he said. "To win the Masters, that' is not even a dream right now."

It is a dream for Lucy Li, the 10-11 girls winner from California who last year became the youngest qualifier in US Women's Amateur history at age 10.

"It is unbelievable," said Li, whose family is from Hong Kong. "It means a lot to be here where all the great players have won. It is really amazing."

Other winners were Natalie Pietromonaco and Bryson Bianco in the 12-13 age group and Hunter Pate and Patrick Welch in the 14-15 age group.

The event, aimed at boosting golf's decline in popularity in recent years, will add a third qualifying level next year and open to more than 50,000 players, triple the number who took part in this year's competition.

"You have already achieved what every golfer dreams," Augusta National chairman Billy Payne told competitors. "You have earned the right to compete at Augusta National."

(Front L-R) Lucy Li, Leo Cheng, Kelly Xu, Treed Huang, (Back L-R) Natalie Pietromonaco, Bryson Bianco, Hunter Plate and Patrick Welch pose with their trophies after winning in their age group at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Royston Ffrench, winner of the 2,200-meter Chengdu Dubai International Cup and the 1,200-meter Wenjiang Sprint, waves his hand toward audience. [Photo by Peng Chao/China Daily]

Royston also won another race, the 1,200-meter Wenjiang Sprint, which carried a purse of 500,000 yuan ($80,500). He was the only jockey to win two races.

Jockeys from several countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, France and Argentina, competed in five races that carried a total purse of 3.75 million yuan ($603,000) during the one-day race.

The first three races, the 1,200-meter Wenjiang Sprint, 1,400-meter Guangsha Handicap and 1,600-meter Meydan Mile, each carried a purse of 500,000 yuan ($80,500).

The 1,600-meter Wenjiang Meydan Classic was worth 750,000 yuan ($120750) and the final race, the 2,218-meter Chengdu Dubai international, was the day's richest, worth 1.5 million ($241,500） yuan.

This is the first time that Meydan group, organizers of the Dubai World Cup, held a world-class horse event in China, according to Frank Gabriel, chief executive officer of the Dubai Racing Club.

Frank said all the horses that competed in the races were prepared by Dubai Racing Club trainers and ridden by jockeys who take part in the United Arab Emirates racing season, including the $10 million Dubai World Cup Carnival.

The event was organized by the Meydan Group in partnership with Chengdu Municipal Government, Chengdu Sports Bureau, Wenjiang District Government and China Guangsha Group.

Chengdu Dubai Intl Cup purse totals 3.75 million yuan

Chengdu Report: Chengdu shines in the west

China's Ding Junhui displays his trophy after beating world No 1 Neil Robertson to win the 2014 World Snooker China Open in Beijing, April 6, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Ding Junhui lost to Murphy in Haikou Open

Ding crashes Li 5-1 at Haikou OpenBEIJING - Chinese snooker ace Ding Junhui tied snooker legendary Stephen Hendry's five ranking title record during one season after overcoming world No 1 Neil Robertson 10-5 in China Open final on Sunday.

This title also marked Ding's personal second in this tournament after winning in 2005, the first year when it was settled down in Beijing.

Before the China Open, Ding has won titles in Shanghai Masters, Indian Open, International Championship and German Masters.

"Robertson showed toughness, especially during the second half. I felt much energetic from the start, concentrated on restraining his performance and tried to score as many as I could, which paid off during the second," said Ding.

In the best-of-19 final, Ding built up a comfortable 7-2 lead after the first half, making the second less vague on Sunday night.

"I suffered few turnovers in the first. I didn't play at the same level as that in the second, while trying to reduce his chances," said the 2014 China Open champion.

After Ding took the first two frames with breaks of 87 and 61, both sides had an intense third frame.

Ding had 48 points in a row, before his opponent came back to make it 58-60, leaving the last black on the table.

Then Robertson missed the most crucial black, slipping away chances to Ding for "killing" this frame 67-58.

Robertson pulled one frame back with a top break of 102 in the eighth, while suffering turnovers shortly afterwards, giving Ding another chance to enlarge the margin again.

Robertson and Ding halved the first four victories during the second half, giving Ding the champion point after the 13th frame.

The world top snooker player saved one championship point with a 74-9 win in frame 14, before Ding finally secured the victory with 66 points in a row.

"Before this match, I know it would be an intense one, and there would be few chances for me to win. Ding played well today," said Robertson.

China's Ding Junhui in action during the 2014 World Snooker China Open final against world No 1 Neil Robertson in Beijing, April 6, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]  China's Ding Junhui in action during the 2014 World Snooker China Open final against world No 1 Neil Robertson in Beijing, April 6, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

It is Norway's first world champion in recent nine attempts, while defending champion Sweden added a silver medal to their trophy cabinet with a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

"Happy and I haven't ever been exciting like this," said Pal Trulsen, head coach of the Norway team, "This has been a very long week. When the competition is over you feel kind of empty. It's a good result for Norway. The last time we won the world champion was in 1988."

Norway got off to a great start scoring a point in each of the first two ends and two points in the third. Another one point in the fourth end led Norway 5-0 going into the fifth.

Defending champion Sweden came back in the seventh end and earned two points, but it was not good enough to take down the dominant Norway team led by skip Thomas Ulsrud. Norway answered with two points in the eighth end and brought the match to the end.

"We got off to a good start and we were leading 5-1 at the half way point. At that point you don't get very spontaneous, it was a relief to finish strong," said Trulsen, "They (Sweden) didn't have their best day, they had to take chances and we just floated on the lead we had."

Earlier in the day, Switzerland beat Sochi Winter Olympic champion Canada 7-5 to claim the bronze medal of the Championship. This is the first time that Canada didn't get medal in the world championship in 13 years.

Chelsea's Frank Lampard (L) celebrates scoring a goal against Stoke City during their English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London April 5, 2014.

LONDON - Chelsea reclaimed the lead in England - at least for a day - and Atletico Madrid remained in front in Spain on Saturday. Whether they'll end the season with the trophy is still too early to determine.

Chelsea provisionally dislodged Liverpool from top spot by cruising to a 3-0 victory over Stoke, while title rival Manchester City routed Southampton 4-1.

Atletico found it tougher, only overcoming Villarreal 1-0, while closest rivals Barcelona beat Real Betis 3-1 and Real Madrid routed Real Sociedad 4-0.

Here's a look at the action from the leading leagues in Europe:

ENGLAND

Mohamed Salah marked his first Chelsea start with his second goal for the club and also helped creat goals for Frank Lampard and Willian. Liverpool can ensure Chelsea's stay at the top is short-lived with a victory at West Ham on Sunday.

For third-place Man City, Yaya Toure scored from the penalty spot in the third minute before Southampton striker Rickie Lambert leveled. City produced a rapid response to the equalizer, with Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko both scoring in first-half stoppage time, and Stevan Jovetic added a late fourth.

Manchester United has struggled at home all season but maintained its good away form, with David Moyes' sixth-place side claiming a league-leading 10th road win by beating Newcastle 4-0 with Juan Mata scoring twice.

Fulham climbed off the bottom with a 2-1 win at Aston Villa to 18th place, five points from Norwich, which lost 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion.

Crystal Palace's recovery continued with a 3-0 win at Cardiff that moved the London club seven points clear of danger above Swansea, which lost 1-0 at Hull.

Bayern draws 1-1 at United

PSG sinks Chelsea, Real eases past Dortmund

Bayern ousts Arsenal

Barcelona's Lionel Messi (L) vies for the ball with Betis' Jose Antonio Delgado "Nono" during their La Liga soccer match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona April 5, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

SPAIN

With leading scorer Diego Costa out for Atletico Madrid, it was left for Raul Garcia to score and see off Villarreal. Gareth Bale's long-range goal also ensured Real Madrid didn't miss star Cristiano Ronaldo as it cruised to a 4-0 victory at Real Sociedad, staying within three points of the pacesetters in third place.

Lionel Messi converted an early penalty and then slotted in the rebound after a second spot kick was blocked by goalkeeper Adan Garrido to seal Barcelona's victory late on against Real Betis. Barcelona unfurled a banner in the Camp Nou stands before the match that read "Hands Off La Masia," referring to FIFA's one-year transfer ban after football's governing body found the Catalan club guilty of breaching regulations in signing youth players for its renowned training academy.

FRANCE

Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc rested key players and still saw his team take a step closer to a second straight French title after coasting to a 3-0 win against Reims. Edinson Cavani made the most of a rare start in his favored center forward position, scoring his 15th league goal of the season as PSG moved provisionally 16 points clear of second-placed Monaco, which hosts Nantes on Sunday.

Bayern draws 1-1 at United

PSG sinks Chelsea, Real eases past Dortmund

Bayern ousts Arsenal

Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger reacts after their German first division Bundesliga soccer match in Augsburg April 5, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] GERMANY Bayern Munich's record 53-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga ended with a 1-0 loss to Augsburg, as coach Pep Guardiola fielded a weakened lineup having seen his team already clinch the title last month. Sascha Moelders scored the goal that handed Bayern its first league loss since a 2-1 defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Oct. 28, 2012. "That's football, that's sport," Guardiola said. "You can't always win. There was going to be a loss sooner or later." Guardiola's priority is the second leg of the Champions league quarterfinals against Manchester United, having drawn 1-1 at Old Trafford. ITALY Inter Milan twice squandered the lead and missed a penalty as its Europa League hopes were dented by a 2-2 draw at home to relegation-threatened Bologna in Serie A. Inter, which was booed off the pitch at halftime and full time, remained fifth but Atalanta can close the gap to one point with a win over Sassuolo on Sunday. Bayern draws 1-1 at United PSG sinks Chelsea, Real eases past Dortmund Bayern ousts Arsenal

British jockey Royston Ffrench said riders are looking forward to the event. [Photo by Peng Chao]

The purse for Sunday's Chengdu Dubai International Cup Wenjiang-Meydan Classic will total 3.75 million yuan ($603,000), said Frank Gabriel, chief executive officer of the Dubai Racing Club.

Nine jockeys from five countries will compete in five races, riding around 50 thoroughbred horses that were mostly raised in Dubai, England and the United States.

Gabriel said the first three races, the 1,200 meter Wenjiang Sprint, 1,400 m Guangsha Handicap and 1,600 m Meydan Mile, will each carry a purse of 500,000 yuan.

The 1,600 m Wenjiang Meydan Classic is worth 750,000 yuan and the final race, the 2,218 m Chengdu Dubai international, is the day's richest carrying a purse of 1.5 million yuan.

Gabriel said prize money is at very "competitive purse levels" considering it is the first time the event has been staged in Chengdu.

Horses were airlifted to Chengdu from Dubai by Boeing 747 and will be returned the same way after the meeting.

"It is relatively rare that the (Meydan) group send so many horses to a country just for one-day's racing," said Tony Terry, media relations manager of the Meydan group.

All horses are prepared by Dubai Racing Club trainers and ridden by jockeys who take part in the United Arab Emirates racing season, including the $10 million Dubai World Cup Carnival.

US trainer Douglas Watson said none of the horses have taken part in this year's Dubai World Cup, having been selected for the Chengdu event several months ago.

"The horses are in good shape," said Douglas, describing the weather in Chengdu as "horse weather". "Although it is a little cooler than Dubai, the horses will probably like the weather," he added.

The races take place at the Jinma Racecourse in Chengdu's Wenjiang district, where the China Equestrian Festival has been held for the past three years.

Royston Ffrench, a jockey from the United Kingdom, said the facilities are as good as anywhere around the world. "Everything is going well, and we are looking forward to the races," he said.

The Chengdu Dubai International Cup Wenjiang-Meydan Classic takes place at the Jinma Racecourse in Chengdu's Wenjiang district on Sunday. [Photo by Peng Chao]

Carroll did not fit into manager Brendan Rodgers's plans when the Irishman took over at Anfield, and 18 months after becoming the most expensive English player ever following his $58.2 million move from Newcastle United, he joined West Ham on loan before signing permanently last year.

Carroll, 25, faces Liverpool for the first time since leaving for $23 million, and if he turns in the type of scoring performance he produced in a 2-1 win at Sunderland on Monday, his old club's title hopes could be jolted.

A win would also leave West Ham in a secure position, with the Hammers currently in 11th place with 37 points, 11 above the drop zone.

With the end of the league campaign fast approaching and most teams having only six games to play, the outcome will have a crucial bearing on the title race, along with Chelsea's game at home to Stoke City and Southampton's visit to Manchester City.

Everton faces Arsenal at Goodison Park in a game that could determine which of those two finishes fourth and grabs a place in next season's Champions League qualifiers.

Liverpool thrashed hapless visiting Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Sunday for its eighth successive league win to reclaim top spot for the first time since Christmas. It has 71 points from 32 games, two more than Chelsea.

Manchester City, which has two games in hand, sits third with 67 points, followed by Arsenal, which has 64 from 32 games.

Everton, which has a match in hand on Arsenal, has 60 points, followed by Spurs with 56 and outgoing champion Manchester United with 54.

At the other end of the table, relegation battlers Cardiff City and Crystal Palace meet in South Wales, Norwich City hosts West Bromwich Albion and cellar-dwelling Fulham visits Aston Villa. Sunderland plays at Tottenham on Monday.

The two biggest games of the weekend are on Sunday when Carroll hopes to prove a point to Rodgers, who has based his game plan on using Luis Suarez as the focal point of his attack rather than Carroll - with handsome dividends.

Suarez became the first Liverpool player to notch 29 league goals in the Premier League era when he scored against Spurs.

His play with Daniel Sturridge and the improving Raheem Sterling in attack has contributed to Liverpool's top spot and league-leading 88 goals.

If it wins its remaining matches, including at home to title rivals Manchester City and Chelsea later this month, Liverpool will be champion for the first time in 24 years.

City also has its destiny in its own hands, and will grab the title if it wins its final eight games. It dropped two points but played well in a 1-1 draw at Arsenal on Saturday but cannot afford to slip up again against the tricky Saints.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said his team, which was beaten 3-1 by Paris St Germain in its Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday, was out of the title race after it surprisingly lost 1-0 at lowly Crystal Palace on Saturday.

But nobody else seems to think so.

"It is very, very close at the top and I think any one of the top four sides can win it," City coach Manuel Pellegrini said after his team's draw at Emirates Stadium.

"I think all of the top four will drop points, it is still very open. Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and us are all in it and all we can do is keep fighting."

Chelsea will go back on top, for 24 hours at least, if it beats Stoke at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, a ground where the visiting side has not won a league match since April 1974, although it did beat the west London side 3-2 at home in December.

Although Manchester United is out of the title race, it boosted its confidence with a 1-1 first-leg draw at home to holder Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.

A win at erratic Newcastle would keep United in the hunt for at least a Europa League place next season.

West Ham striker Andy Carroll celebrates scoring the opening goal against Sunderland in their English Premier League match in Sunderland on Monday. Ian Macnicol / AFP

(China Daily 04/04/2014 page23)

Mourinho takes team to task following first-leg loss to PSG

Chelsea manager Jos Mourinho criticized his team's sloppy defending and lack of a cutting edge after it went down 3-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.

The Premier League side recovered from an early Ezequiel Lavezzi goal to equalize courtesy of an Eden Hazard penalty just before the half-hour mark, but PSG seized the initiative again in the second period and a David Luiz own goal put it back in front before Javier Pastore's stoppage-time effort capped the victory.

The result handed the Ligue 1 leader a potentially decisive two-goal advantage heading into Tuesday's return at Stamford Bridge.

"I think from a strategical point of view the team had great discipline, and the most difficult things to do in the game they did very well," said Mourinho, who is looking to become the first coach to win the European Cup with three different clubs following previous triumphs with Porto and Inter Milan.

"They stopped (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic. (Edinson) Cavani was under control. The positional play from (Thiago) Motta and (Marco) Verratti in the center of the pitch was completely under control.

"But we couldn't transform the half-chances that we created into goals ... and on top of that we made defensive mistakes, individual defensive mistakes. So we paid the price."

The opening goal came from a poor defensive header by Chelsea captain John Terry while Luiz gave away the free kick that led to his own goal.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech was beaten at his near post for Pastore's tally.

"On the first goal, the ball goes to Lavezzi - control, half-volley, boom. It is like this at this level - one chance, one goal," said Mourinho.

"The game was under control and we had the chance to go 2-1 up at the end of the first half. But we didn't score and then after that we scored in our own goal and after that the third goal, it was a joke.

"It was not a goal it was a joke."

The Portuguese also confirmed his decision to select winger Andre Schuerrle in attack rather than Fernando Torres in the absence of the injured Samuel Eto'o reflected a lack of confidence in his misfiring strikers.

"I am not happy with my strikers' performances, so I have to try things, and with Andre at least we know we have one more player to associate with the other players.

"But football is not just about that. It is about scoring goals and getting in behind. And that is for strikers, real strikers."

Mourinho, who insisted his team has "nothing to lose now" must wish he could be reunited with Ibrahimovic, the PSG striker who played for him at Inter in 2008-09.

The Swede, who has scored 40 goals in all competitions this season, is doubtful for the second leg, however, after coming off with what looked like a thigh injury in the second half at the Parc des Princes.

If Ibrahimovic is unavailable, PSG can still call on Cavani, Lavezzi and Pastore, among others.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc singled out Lavezzi for praise after the Argentinian produced an outstanding performance and also lauded his team for its second-half display.

"Ezequiel is back on top form now and he brings us depth and pace in attack. And on top of that he got a goal ... and a forward always gets a better mark when he gets a goal," said the former France defender.

"The performance was encouraging. At the break maybe some were wondering if we were really up to the level of Chelsea, but we had a very constructive discussion. We knew we had to work harder and be more disciplined in midfield, and the second half was excellent."

On the significance of Pastore's goal, Blanc said: "I don't know if it will be decisive, but now I think Chelsea will be obliged to attack us.

"Our philosophy is to have the ball. It will be tough, but we have given ourselves the possibility to be able to play for a place in the last four, so bravo to the players."

(China Daily 04/04/2014 page23)

Barcelona was banned by FIFA from signing new players for next season after being found guilty on Wednesday of repeatedly breaching transfer regulations in bringing youth players to its renowned La Masia program.

The sanction, which covers the summer and January transfer periods, followed an investigation over the past year into Barcelona's signing of players under 18 from 2009-13.

FIFA found the signing of 10 unidentified players to be in breach of its rules covering the protection of minors. A fine of $509,000 was imposed on Barcelona, which was given 90 days "to regularize the situation of all minor players concerned".

The club released a 14-point rebuttal, vowing to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if it did not succeed in reversing the decision with soccer's governing body.

"Ever since FIFA opened the case, the players' licenses were canceled and they have not participated in any official games," Barcelona said in a statement that defended La Masia as "an example" of social responsibility in educating young players on and off the field.

"These players have all been given the option to remain with the club despite their licenses being revoked," the statement said.

The Spanish Football Federation was found by FIFA to have violated the rules covering the registration of minors and was fined $565,500.

Barcelona said in February 2013 that FIFA had sent a communication instructing it not to select six under-18 players for youth matches: South Korea's Lee Seung-woo, Paik Seung-ho and Jang Gyeolhee; France's Theo Chendr; Nigerian-Dutchman Bobby Adekanye and Cameroon's Patrice Sousia.

The international transfer of players under the age of 18 can only be approved if their parents move to the country for non-soccer reasons. Players between 16 and 18 can move within Europe if certain standards of education and living conditions are met.

The punishment leaves in doubt Barcelona's agreements with Borussia Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Croatian teenager Alen Halilovic.

Barcelona had three working days to inform FIFA of an intention to appeal and an additional week to provide its reasons for challenging the punishment.

Chelsea of England's Premier League had a one-year transfer embargo imposed after being found by FIFA to have induced teenager Gael Kakuta to leave Lens, but the penalty was overturned in 2010 by the CAS.

FIFA tightened its rules on transferring minors in 2010, to help end what the global players' union FIFPro described as the equivalent of "child trafficking".

(China Daily 04/04/2014 page23)