New Zealand captain Ross Taylor led from the front with an unbeaten 119 as New Zealand ended the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on 223 for two wickets on Sunday.

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny on Wednesday appealed to the husband of Savita Halappanavar, an Indian dentist who died due to pregnancy-related complications after being denied abortion, to meet the head of the team probing her death, amid his demand for a full public investigation.

Rangana Herath exploited New Zealand's weakness against spin to claim six wickets as Sri Lanka scored a 10-wicket victory on the third day of the first Test in Galle on Monday.

Barcelona equalled the La Liga record for the most points after 10 games and moved three clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of the table thanks to a 3-1 win at home to Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Lionel Messi took his senior career goals tally to 301 as he scored twice in Barcelona's 5-0 victory at Rayo Vallecano which put them three points clear at the top of La Liga.

Us Congressman Meryvn M Dymally, like the late Democratic lawmaker Stephen J Solarz, was always in India's corner on capitol hill during the Cold War years when it wasn't cool to be a friend of India, and New Delhi was considered by many United States lawmakers as a surrogate of the erstwhile Soviet Union

Bayern Munich left more than 50 million eurosworth of new signings on the bench, yet still managed to destroy shoddy VfB Stuttgart 6-1 in an embarrassingly one-sided Bundesliga contest on Sunday.

Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill put on a 123-run partnership to help New Zealand end the fourth day of the first Test on 199 for three, on Saturday, but two late wickets will give the West Indies hope of securing a victory.

Martin Guptill fell three runs short of his third Test century as New Zealand closed the first day of the first Test against West Indies on 232 for four at North Sound, Antigua.

Paris St Germain have reached an agreement with AC Milan to sign Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Ligue 1 club's general manager Leonardo said on Tuesday.

New Zealand bowled out West Indies for just 161 to earn an 88 run win, their first victory on their tour of the Caribbean, in the third One-Day International in St Kitts on Wednesday.

Defender Andrea Ranocchia and forward Mattia Destro were left out of Italy's 23-man Euro 2012 squad on Tuesday but centre back Leonardo Bonucci was included despite the match-fixing crisis engulfing the country.

Top Pentagon leaders have warned US lawmakers against including their "pet projects" in the annual defence budget, particularly at a time when it is struggling to save money in view of the tough economic environment.

A near billion-dollar arms and defence equipment procurement deal between Bangladesh and China may raised eyebrows in New Delhi while giving ground to the belief of China's "strategic encirclement" of India. However, the present government of Bangladesh has been trying to modernise its defence not only with arms from China, but also from countries like Russia and other countries in recent years.

The White House has hosted an interactive meeting with Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain leaders to listen to their concerns and issues, indicating their increasing role in America's socio-political milieu.

Ranti Martins scored all of his team's goals as Dempo Sports Club floored Sporting Clube de Goa 4-1 and ensured they have more than just a hand on the I-League trophy in the 25th round I-League encounter at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on Sunday.

Kane Williamson scored his second Test century and guided New Zealand to an unexpected draw as the hosts made 200 for six at the end of the third and final Test against South Africa at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday.

Wayne Rooney's 21st Premier League goal of the season secured a 1-0 victory for Manchester United over Fulham on Monday to put them three points clear of Manchester City in the title race.

New Zealand finished the fourth day of the final Test 274 runs behind South Africa on Monday and lost Ross Taylor to a broken arm after the skipper was struck by a Morne Morkel bouncer.

Round up of the I League matches being played in various parts of the country.

A Xavi free kick and an exquisite lob from Lionel Messi fired Barcelona to a 2-0 win at Sevilla that cut Real Madrid's lead at the top of La Liga back to seven points on Saturday.

Vernon Philander bagged six wickets, for a match haul of ten, as South Africa wrapped up a nine-wicket victory that gives them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

South Africa grabbed the second Test against New Zealand by the scruff of the neck on Friday, reducing the hosts to 65 for four at the close of the second day's play at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

Chris Martin struck back for New Zealand with two quick wickets to leave South Africa on 27 for 2 at the close of play on a rain-hit first day in the second Test in Hamilton on Thursday after the hosts' middle order had collapsed.

Fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer was ousted from the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Tuesday as Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer both moved into the fourth round.

Captain Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum kept New Zealand's slim hopes of scoring 401 runs to beat South Africa in the first Test alive after they helped the hosts reach 137 for two at the close of the fourth day's play at University Oval in Dunedin on Saturday.

South Africa skipper Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis both scored centuries and combined for a 200-run partnership as the tourists virtually batted New Zealand out of the first Test.

Medium fast bowler Chris Martin grabbed three wickets in four balls after tea to seize the momentum for New Zealand as the hosts reduced South Africa to 191 for seven at the close of the opening day of the first Test.

Manchester City raced five points clear in the league with a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday while Chelsea's woes under Andre Villas-Boas continued after a 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

India rode on Sandeep Singh's brilliance to virtually seal its place in the final of the men's hockey Olympic Qualification tournament after defeating Canada 3-2 in a hard-fought round-robin match in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Opening batsman Richard Levi took advantage of the small boundaries at Seddon Park to blast a world record 13 sixes and guide South Africa to an eight wicket win over New Zealand to level their Twenty20 series in Hamilton on Sunday.

Poland created the first upset in the men's competition of the hockey Olympic Qualification tournament by defeating higher-ranked Canada 3-2 while France registered their second successive win in the tournament, spanking a lowly Singapore 9-0 in New Delhi on Sunday.

Martin Guptill continued his rich run of form as he scored 78 not out to help New Zealand to a six-wicket victory over South Africa in their Twenty20 international at Wellington Regional Stadium on Friday.

Dempo SC consolidated their place at the top of the I-League table beating Pailan Arrows 2-0 at the Yuba Bharati Krinangan in Kolkata, on Sunday.

Captain Brendan McCullum smashed his fourth One-day International century off 79 balls as New Zealand completed a sweep of their three-match series against Zimbabwe with a 202-run victory at McLean Park in Napier on Thursday.

Salgaocar Sports Club overcame stiff second half resistance from Prayag United SC, to score a solitary goal victory in the 19th round I League match, at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa on Monday.

A 10-man Sporting Clube de Goa held home favourite Prayag United SC 2-2 in a 17th round encounter of the I-League at the Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata, on Saturday.

New Zealand's captain Ross Taylor's 111 not out has put the hosts in a commanding position against Zimbabwe. New Zealand are five for 331 on the first day of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Napier on Thursday.

A spectacular pile-driver from former international Deepak Mondal gave Prayag United the necessary lead to help it upset the Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan 2-1, in a 16th round I-League match, played at the Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata on Sunday.

Roberto Silva's brace of goals helped Churchill Brothers beat hosts Shillong Lajong 2-0 in a 15th round I-League encounter at the J N Sports Complex, in Shillong, on Wednesday.