(CNN) -- Three women died after a stampede at a night club in Hungary's capital, state media reported.
People inside the West Balkan club rushed toward the exits when the music suddenly stopped during an event Saturday night, witnesses told Hungary's official MTI news agency.
According to MTI, event sponsor Noise Night Life said the stampede happened after someone shouted, "knifing!" But a police investigation had not turned up any evidence of a stabbing, MTI reported.
Police said they were investigating whether the number of people inside the club exceeded the legal capacity, and a district mayor said the club had failed to get a permit for the event, the news agency reported Sunday.
About 2,500 people were in the club when panic broke out, MTI said.
A statement on the club's website expressed condolences to the victims' families and said the club would be closed for three days. The club's managers told MTI that they had rented out the club to Noise Night Life for the event.
(CNN) -- With the launch of an App Store for the Mac last week, Apple has proved that its all-in-one digital marketplace model -- so successful for the iPhone, iPod and iPad -- can flourish on old-fashioned laptop and desktop computers as well.
Developers with software ready for the store's January 6 opening were met with throngs of click-happy customers.
Mac users have appeared eager to spend money on apps, even for software that was previously available on the Web and in brick-and-mortar stores. Downloads on the first day exceeded 1 million -- out of a pool of about 1,000 apps, Apple said.
Distributed evenly, that works out to 1,000 downloads for each app, although name recognition and how Apple allocates promotion tend to skew results. But some development houses did gangbuster business.
Scott Forstall, Apple's vice president for iPhone software, said last year that the company's iPad would spark "a whole new gold rush for app developers," a prediction that must now apply to the Mac store as well.
App Store winners
One big winner from the Mac App Store launch has been Evernote. The free note-taking app catalogs text and multimedia files; synchronizes them over the internet to be accessed from phones, a website or desktop software; and lets you search through them.
Evernote was downloaded 90,000 times on the App Store's opening day. That's about a 10th of all apps purchased that day. It's been consistently listed in the section of most popular apps.
"Having a well-formed app store is the most important part in getting attention," Evernote CEO Phil Libin said. "We were on the iPhone App Store since that launched as well. We've kind of been through this once before, so we had pretty high expectations of what being in an app store means for getting attention."
The Mac App Store launch, Libin said, "exceeded our expectations."
Being in the Mac App Store helped expose Evernote to 40,000 people who had never used it, he said.
Evernote has also benefited from Apple's promotional efforts in the store. It sometimes gets top billing in a rotating list of featured apps, similar to the top section of the iTunes Store. Apple spokeswoman Jacqueline Roy also listed Evernote among the top five "must-have" apps, which is determined by consistent top performers in downloads and ratings.
Another Mac App Store hit is SketchBook Express, No. 7 on the must-have list. Autodesk, the maker of that free drawing program, says the store "effectively doubled" the number of people using the professional version of SketchBook on opening day. The company declined to provide exact figures.
SketchBook Pro costs $30 on the Mac App Store, versus almost $70 on Amazon.com. It's now among Apple's highest-grossing apps.
A lucrative business model
Apple takes a 30% cut of app sales, which makes its app stores a lucrative business for the company as well as developers. Because of this success, the stores are facing increased competition from Google's popular Android Market, a forthcoming Amazon.com app store and other rivals. This week, Microsoft contested Apple's trademark request for the term "app store."
Free applications benefit from the app store exposure too, even though they don't help Apple's business as directly. For example, Twitter is also on the Apple must-have list. The social networking company launched on the store with its first official desktop client, based on work by the engineer who made the iPhone app.
A Twitter spokeswoman said the company is "pleased" with the results but declined to say how many times the free app had been downloaded.
The App Store program is included as part of a software update for Mac computers running the newest version of the operating system, called Snow Leopard. Further enhancements to the app model will come as part of OS X Lion, which is scheduled to go on sale this summer.
Previously, Mac software could be found on vendors' websites or in stores (in cardboard boxes, no less; how quaint).
For developers, submitting an application to Apple for sale in the Mac App Store can be easier than getting their software on a retailer's shelf, which can require complex business deals. It is also easier to sell through an established app store than through a developer's own website, which can require building payment mechanisms and systems for licensing customers' copies.
Mac owners like the store because it makes software easier to find, manages what's been downloaded, makes it easy to move apps between computers and provides alerts when a new version is available.
Some software makers complain that Apple's rules about what it will accept are too stringent and that the company takes too big a cut of revenue. But Apple doesn't bar developers from distributing their wares in other locations on the Web.
Pros and cons
But are these early success stories sustainable?
Caffeine, a simple utility that helps prevent the computer from automatically going into sleep mode (get it?), did exceedingly well early on. The app has been downloaded more than 135,000 times. About one-third of those sales came on launch day; as for other apps, they have tapered somewhat since.
While daily downloads are decreasing steadily for Caffeine at a pace of about 30% per day, the app continues to attract new customers at a rate several times greater than anytime since it came out four years ago.
"The App Store opens up the opportunity to sell 99-cent apps, which was previously not really feasible, and I think that could bring a lot of new smaller apps," Caffeine developer Tomas Franzen said. "It's a lot easier when they handle hosting and payment for you.
"I'd say I'm a believer" in the app-store model, he wrote. "The App Store makes downloaded software easy for regular people, and it turns out there are a lot of regular people out there!"
However, not every company has the Midas touch for launching app stores. Google, which produced a hit with its Android Market, has drummed up minimal interest in its Chrome Web Store.
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales isn't sold on the app-store concept. At an event in England, Wales spoke out against the idea of app stores, calling them "a threat to a diverse and open ecosystem," according to blog reports.
A magic formula?
But many developers seem convinced that Apple has hit on the right formula.
Scott Gilbert had been planning to build a weather-report app for the iPad or iPhone. The product manager for Swackett immediately changed course when he heard Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveil plans for the Mac App Store in October.
"There's so much competition in the regular App Store," Gilbert said of Apple's mobile software store and its 300,000 apps. "I thought if we could be there on day one in the Mac App Store, we could rise above the noise."
And they did. Swackett was on track to get 100,000 downloads in its first week. The developers are making money from ads, which had been shown 2 million times in six days.
"We would not have come out with a Mac app first if not for the (Mac) App Store," Gilbert said.
And for the 61-person team at Evernote, the App Store is something of a blessing.
"We don't have experts here that think about logistics or channels or distribution or advertising," said Libin, the Evernote CEO.
Evernote had the distribution method in place on its site, but that was created out of necessity, said Libin, who was happy to let Apple take the reins on managing server infrastructure and promotion.
"Before, you used to make a great product, but no one would ever get it or use it or be able to buy it," he said. "The app stores have made the software business more of a meritocracy than it's ever been, which really favors geeks like us."
Michael Carrick feels Harry Redknapp is doing everything required to put himself in line to replace Fabio Capello.
As a former Tottenham player, Carrick pays special attention to the goings-on at White Hart Lane, even if there will be no room for sentiment tomorrow when Manchester United head south to defend their unbeaten Premier League record.
And, by not only qualifying for the Champions League, but emerging top in a group containing holders Inter Milan to reach the last 16, Redknapp has made another significant entry on his CV in addition to the FA Cup he won with Portsmouth in 2008.
Given the Football Association are committed to choosing an English candidate when Capello leaves after Euro 2012, Redknapp has to be a front-runner.
It is not an assertion Carrick is going to disagree with.
"He's certainly getting a good few mentions," said the midfielder.
"I'm sure he's focused on bringing success to Spurs. It's a great job for him at the moment.
"We will see what is in the future but he is doing a good job and is certainly not doing himself any harm if that is what he wants to do."
Redknapp's record also proves he is capable of handling pressure.
Carrick spent two years at Tottenham, and was part of the side that came agonisingly close to reaching the Champions League in 2006.
So he knows exactly how desperate the club's supporters are for a return to the 1960s glory era under Bill Nicholson.
"Even when I was there, you used to get compared to teams of the past," he said.
"It was not a problem. It is a major part of the club.
"At the time, they had a few funny years, so for us to go into the last game with a chance of getting into the top four was a big achievement. That was seen as success.
"But the longer you go, the measurement of success changes.
"For them to get into the Champions League and do what they have done this season, will mean the expectation level rises again.
"They have got the squad and have adapted well to the demands of playing in the Champions League and coming back to play league games.
"Now it is up to them to be consistent over the course of a season, which is what you need if you are going to be successful."
Consistency is not something United have had a problem with this season.
Over halfway through the campaign, they remain unbeaten and will assume strong favouritism to reclaim their Premier League title if they avoid defeat tomorrow.
The returns of Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Edwin van der Sar ensure Sir Alex Ferguson will be selecting from strength for a fixture United traditionally do well in.
It is a decade since they last lost as Tottenham, and even then they had already secured their first championship hat-trick.
Even Ferguson admits they have not faced a Spurs team quite like this one though, a view which Carrick endorses.
"You would have to say it is the best Spurs team we've seen for a while. They have certainly improved on years gone by and become a big threat this season," he said.
"Tottenham have some major threats, particularly in wide areas with Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon. Luka Modric has been in good form, as has Rafael van der Vaart, who has weighed in with a good few goals as well so I expect them to pose us a few problems.
"I am not exactly sure what Harry has done to turn things around.
"Just knowing how to get the best out of his players is a major factor.
"When you are a manager, you need a feeling for what is required at each different stage and how to treat certain players.
"You can see they're playing with confidence and they'll be looking forward to this as much as us."
After their 0-0 draw, Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp believes Manchester United won't go unbeaten.
United went back to the top of the Premier League and kept their unbeaten league record intact following a goalless draw against Tottenham at White Hart Lane in which United full-back Rafael was sent off.
But after a match of few clear-cut chances Redknapp said: "I couldn't say they (United) are on another level and are going to walk away with the title. I can't see them going the year unbeaten. There are lots of teams who could beat them on any given day.
"You can't be as good a team as you were a year or two ago when you had (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Carlos)Tevez.
"I think other teams have improved and got closer to them, but at the moment they are still top of the pile after losing players like that."
Redknapp admitted Rafael's sending off, for a foul on Benoit Assou-Ekotto in the second half after receiving a yellow in the first, was harsh.
He said: "He's just run in and clipped his (Assou-Ekotto's) heels. He hasn't stuck his leg out. It was Mary Decker and Zola Budd wasn't it? What can you do about that? He hasn't broken his stride.
Sir Alex Ferguson, however, refused to comment on the sending off by referee Mike Dean.
Ferguson said: "I'm not going to discuss it. It's not worth discussing because everyone can see that. It's out of my bounds."
The United manager preferred to concentrate on the form of his defence which was back to its best with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic back in harness.
Ferguson said: "We defended very well, they never gave us any trouble with their attacking. We had one or two good opportunities at times when we got to the last third of the field but we just didn't quite have the cutting edge.
"The kind of pressure we were under was just long balls into the box really. With Ferdinand and Vidic as your centre-backs you know you can cope with that. They were fantastic. The whole back four did really really well.
"We showed good possession but were also careless in possession at times. In the context of Tottenham's home record this season and the performances they have given, we have got to take it as a good point for us. It's about winning games and keeping your nerve and today, defensively, we kept our nerve."
The game was Ryan Giggs' 600th league appearance for the club and Ferguson said of the veteran Welshman: "He's an incredible human being and an example to anyone that wants to use him as a role model."
Redknapp was also pleased with the point which sees Tottenham stay in fifth place just behind Chelsea in the race for the Champions League places.
Redknapp said: "What it does to me is show we are not a million miles behind the other teams. We played United close, we battered Man City here first game of the season and drew.
"We have to believe we are not inferior to anyone. We are getting closer and closer. The top five teams are getting closer and closer. We are outsiders, but the favourites will be Man United still."
Redknapp also admitted that time was running out in his bid to sign David Beckham on loan.
He added: "David has to be back there (America) in February and there's not a lot of time, which is a shame."
He also appeared to rule any chance of landing Newcastle's Andy Carroll.
"He's a good player, he's a handful, you'd like to have him in your team," Redknapp said. "But we are nowhere near getting Andy Carroll. How much is he? You are talking £30m to £40m."
Editor's Note: "Jaime's China" is a weekly column about Chinese society and politics. Jaime FlorCruz has lived and worked in China since 1971. He studied Chinese history at Peking University (1977-81) and served as TIME Magazine's Beijing correspondent and bureau chief (1982-2000).
Beijing, China (CNN) -- When U.S. President Richard Nixon first visited China in 1972, I happened to be in China, working on a state farm in Hunan province. I remember being so stunned by the news.
The American president was a stout enemy of Communism. I found it incredible that Nixon would be in Beijing, shaking hands with Chairman Mao.
Speaking at a banquet in Beijing, Nixon hailed the beginning of a new era in China-U.S. relations. That was another shocker to my incredulous Chinese friends who stood around a tiny radio, listening to translation of his speech.
Only days earlier, these farmers were singing revolutionary songs and chanting: "Down with U.S. imperialism!" No permanent enemies, we reminded ourselves, only permanent national interests.
But Nixon's momentous journey in 1972 opened the door to diplomatic ties and helped precipitate subsequent changes in China and the world.
Dramatic changes are evident in how China perceives President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States next week.
"Compared to Nixon's visit, this upcoming visit won't be that dramatic," China's vice minister of foreign affairs, Cui Tiankai said in an exclusive interview with CNN.
"We now have normal relations, frequent exchanges and intensive coordination. This visit will build on very sound basis and provide a clear direction for the future. It will give our people great hope and the rest of world reassurance that China and the U.S. will work together to address common concerns."
Cui, 58, is China's point-person on America. Fluent in English, he has spent seven years in Chinese diplomatic missions in the U.S.
"What do you think is the most common misperception of China among Americans?" I asked.
"It's the so-called China threat," he said. "I really do not understand why some people in the U.S. believe that China is posing a threat to the U.S.
"China's development has offered great opportunities to the U.S. When the international financial crisis came, China's economy played a great role to restore global economic growth."
The United States is the unchallenged world superpower, but its clout has declined in recent years, bogged down by economic crisis at home and military conflicts overseas.
China is catching up, its firepower backed by economic clout. China is boosting its military capacity and increasing its diplomatic and economic reach into Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. In the past few months, it has formed closer ties to Europe.
How does the United States deal with this?
"China has become increasingly confident and assertive in recent years," notes Willem van Kemanade, a Dutch writer based in Beijing. "The U.S. had better get used to that."
When Hu Jintao sits down with President Barack Obama next week, both sides will be bringing tough issues to the table.
China is especially upset over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Beijing considers the island a breakaway province that is part of China. Lately it has stressed peaceful reunification while warning that independence for Taiwan will not be tolerated.
Washington irked Beijing last year when it approved the sale of a $6.4 billion package of arms to Taiwan. China protested, saying it was an "interference in China's internal affairs" and noting that it comes at a time when the mainland's relations with Taiwan have warmed. In protest, Beijing suspended military exchanges with the United States.
China earlier this week hosted a long-postponed visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, marking the resumption of military exchanges. But mistrust lingers.
In its 2009 budget, China allocated a 14.9 percent rise in military spending to $70.3 billion. Some observers say actual Chinese military spending is much higher.
David Zweig, a political science professor at the Hong Kong University of Science Technology, said: "As China's need for imported oil grows, it has to think about ways to protect its own sea lanes. Does it build a blue-water navy, does it build aircraft carriers, expand its naval presence around the world? There are now people in China who are advocating that."
Cui dismisses such concerns. "China's military expenditure is very, very small compared to the military expenditure of the United States," he said. "So the U.S. has nothing to worry about. China follows a defensive defense policy. China does not threaten anyone."
So why, I asked, does China need to develop aircraft carriers and stealth jet-fighters?
"May I ask you," he retorted, "why do you have so many [of them]? We still don't have them. We are only developing."
Other bread-and-butter irritants could crop up. The U.S. complains that China is undercutting American exports and stealing American jobs by keeping its currency artificially low.
Is China ready to act to placate its critics in Washington?
"The value of China's currency is determined by the market fundamentals, not by any politicians," Cui replied. "This has nothing to do with the economic difficulties the U.S. might have for the time being. We will continue our currency reform but it will be determined by China's economic development, not by politicians."
No big breakthroughs are expected from the summit. Drew Thompson, director of China Studies at The Nixon Center, said: "The relationship is being updated, but the U.S. is focusing on Iran, North Korea and currency and trade as topics for the summit, so there is little likelihood that there will be dramatic progress on any one item."
Cui is optimistic about the chemistry between Hu and Obama. "They have a very good working relationship," he said. "Every time they met, they spent longer time than planned. That means they have very substantive discussion and are both very serious about our relationship."
Just as Nixon and Mao did 39 years ago, China's diplomats hope Hu Jintao and Obama can turn competition into a peaceful coexistence.
Read last week's "Jaime's China" about smoking and health.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has told Tottenham not to bother putting together a £30million bid for striker Andy Carroll.
The 22-year-old was in the stands at the Stadium of Light to watch the Magpies' 1-1 draw with Sunderland as he continued his recovery from a thigh injury.
He arrived on Wearside after waking this morning to see reports that the North London club are ready to step up their bid to sign him during the remaining two weeks of the transfer window.
Speaking after the game, Pardew said: "They can put together whatever they like. He is not for sale.
"I am going to say it one last time, he is not for sale."
The two sides meet at St James' Park next Saturday, and Pardew is hopeful that Carroll will be fit to line up against his suitors.
He said: "I hope so. He was certainly smarting in the dressing room today wanting to play."
Asked if he was tempted, Pardew said with a smile: "No, not with one leg, no. I think that would have been a bit harsh on the other strikers."
Steve Bruce praised the Sunderland fans who handed over to police a pitch invader on Sunday.
The supporter ran from behind the goal and appeared to push Steve Harper to the ground in the immediate aftermath of Asamoah Gyan's injury-time equaliser as the Black Cats snatched a face-saving draw at the Stadium of Light.
There were ugly scenes after the final whistle too as rivals fans hurled seats at each other, and the Football Association are awaiting referee Howard Webb's report.
Webb was quick to spot the earlier incident and make sure stewards and police knew who the alleged offender was, and Bruce was quick to condemn the intruder's actions.
The Black Cats boss said: "All I saw was Steve Harper on the floor. I didn't know what had happened at the time.
"I would like say a 'well done' to the Sunderland fans who gave the kid up - and he is a kid, that's what I can't understand either, the age of the lad.
"But the Sunderland fans gave him up, and rightly so. He's in police custody as we speak.
"The one thing we are up here, we love the football and the passion and all the rest of it, but you don't need to see any scenes like that.
"I hope they ban the kid for a long, long time because he deserves it.
"When I saw the age of him, I just really can't understand society today. What goes through his mind when we have just scored with a minute to go?
"Why the hell he has got to come on to the pitch and confront Steve Harper baffles me.
"When you see the age of this young kid, it is quite remarkable how has got that in his mind, to run on to the pitch.
"Why don't you just celebrate with 50-odd thousand like everybody else did?
"Unfortunately, it is a sad indictment of where we are with the youth of today.
"He's a kid. It's ridiculous."
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew also voiced his disapproval, but was happy that Harper had not suffered any injury in the incident.
He said: "When you get a last-minute goal in a derby match, there is going to be an over-reaction from everybody, perhaps, you could argue.
"That particular fan, that shouldn't happen, as we know. He got over-exuberant.
"I think he pushed him [Harper] in the back. I don't think there was anything malicious about it.
"I don't really want to harp on about the incident towards the end of the game. When you get a last-minute goal like that, passions are running high and people have to control themselves.
"That is, of course, out of our control, but the two sets of players conducted themselves well, and that's what we will take from the game.
"Harps said he barged him in the back. When I first saw it, I thought it was an uglier incident, if I am honest.
"I didn't look a good incident, but I don't think it was that bad in terms of hurting Harps or anything. No punch or anything like that was thrown."
Northumbria Police confirmed there had been 24 arrests before, during and after the game, which was attended by a crowd of 47,864, for offences including drunk and disorderly, disorderly conduct and going into the playing area.
The match commander, temporary Chief Superintendent Steve Neill, said: "The crowd was mainly good natured and the overwhelming majority wanted nothing more than to enjoy the action on the pitch in an atmosphere free from violence and disorder.
"However, there were still some troublemakers who were determined to spoil things for the genuine fans.
"We had anticipated the potential for disorder and had the resources in place to deal with it swiftly and firmly.
"The policing operation went well and I would like to commend the actions and professionalism of all the officers involved who managed to diffuse a number of difficult situations.
"I would also like to thank the stewards for their assistance."
Colombo, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- United States became the second country to offer emergency assistance to more than a million affected by flooding in Sri Lanka.
U.S. ambassador to the country, Patricia A. Butenis, said in a statement that Washington was donating U.S. $300,000 to provide various goods and services to areas hardest-hit by the floods.
She said the funds have provided boats to local government in the eastern district of Batticaloa.
"We are helping the government to identify families in need and make an accurate assessment of the situation," she said.
On Friday, an Indian air force aircraft brought in 34 tons of relief supplies. They included food, medical supplies, clothing and sleeping gear.
Another shipment will arrive on Monday, an Indian high commission official said.
The Sri Lanka government has about $1.3 million of assistance funds so far for the flood victims.
Though the rains have diminished or receded in most areas, disaster center officials in Colombo warned that the dangers were not yet over.
The Sri Lanka branch of the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that floods and receding waters may unearth mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) " and carry explosives from contaminated areas into areas thought to be safe."
Mine officials and local authorities have urged vigilance from residents and people working in affected areas.
The army has also sent out instructions to their installations in affected areas to warn the public, Maj. Gen. Udaya Madawala said.
The mines are remnants of a war between Sri Lankan security forces and the Tamil Tiger rebels. Sri Lankan troops defeated the rebels in May 2009.
The OCHA report said that the worst affected districts were Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee in the eastern province.
Initial estimates indicate that more than 250,000 acres of crop land and 200,000 acres of paddy have been severely damaged. OCHA warned that prices of rice and other commodities may increase as one of the most productive paddy areas of the country have been affected.
The number of camps for displaced people has gone up to 600 camp, according to disaster officials.
Hannover climbed to second place in the Bundesliga courtesy of a convincing 3-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Sunday
The visitors quickly stamped their authority on the match, with two early goals effectively ending the contest in the first half.
Mohammed Abdellaoue opened the scoring after 15 minutes and Christian Schulz doubled the lead six minutes later. Didier Ya Konan then wrapped things up in the dying moments.
It was a sixth win in seven games, lifting Hannover above Bayer Leverkusen and Mainz, although they remain 12 points adrift of leaders Borussia Dortmund.
Kaiserslautern shrugged off being a man down to recover for a 1-1 draw at home to Cologne.
Cologne opened the scoring through Lukas Podolski in the 29th minute before Kaiserslautern's task was made all the harder by the dismissal of Srdjan Lakic after 39 minutes.
The hosts refused to give up, however, and on 51 minutes found an equaliser through Jan Moravek.
Saturday
Mainz went down 1-0 at struggling Stuttgart while champions Bayern Munich could only manage a 1-1 draw at Wolfsburg.
Dortmund moved 13 points clear at the summit with a 3-1 win at third-spotted Bayer Leverkusen last night, and Stuttgart substitute Martin Harnik's 79th-minute strike proved enough to deny Mainz the opportunity to close the gap.
Bayern also fell further off the pace - the Bavarians finished the weekend 16 points adrift - following their 1-1 draw at Wolfsburg.
Thomas Muller put the visitors in front in the seventh minute and Philipp Lahm missed a penalty for Louis van Gaal's side, who appeared to be in control of the game.
However, they lost Franck Ribery to injury and saw Sascha Riether level matters four minutes from the end after Grafite had also missed a spot-kick for the home side on the stroke of half-time in their first game since the sale of star striker Edin Dzeko to Manchester City.
At the other end of the table, bottom club Borussia Monchengladbach started 2011 by picking up only their third league victory of the season - 1-0 at Nurnberg.
Midfielder Roman Neustadter netted the game's only goal in the eighth minute to get his side within five points of fourth-bottom St Pauli and firmly in the hunt for survival. Javier Punola had the chance to level but missed from the spot four minutes from time.
St Pauli twice relinquished the lead to draw 2-2 at home to sixth-placed Freiburg, Marius Ebbers and substitute Gerald Asamoah seeing their goals cancelled out by a Papiss Cisse brace. The Senegalese striker's double made up for his earlier miss from the spot when the score was 0-0.
Werder Bremen eased their own relegation worries with a 2-1 home triumph over Hoffenheim to condemn Marco Pezzaiuoli to a losing start to his reign at the visitors' helm.
Boris Vukcevic looked to have nicked Hoffenheim a point when he equalised three minutes from time after Claudio Pizarro had given the hosts a first-half lead, but Torsten Frings' last-gasp winner put paid to that idea.
In the late kick-off, Hamburg boosted their European hopes by climbing to seventh place with a 1-0 win at Schalke, Ruud van Nistelrooy's 53rd-minute strike proving decisive in front of 61,673 fans at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen.
Sunday's Results and Reviews
Kaiserslautern 1-1 Cologne
Eintracht Frankfurt 0-3 Hannover
Saturday's Results and Reviews
Wolfsburg 1-1 Bayern Munich
St Pauli 2-2 Freiburg
Stuttgart 1-0 Mainz
Nurnberg 0-1 Borussia Monchengladbach
Werder Bremen 2-1 Hoffenheim
Friday's Result and Review
Bayer Leverkusen 1-3 Borussia Dortmund
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Nine civilians were killed in a road mine explosion in Afghanistan's Baghlan province, a spokesman for the province's governor said Sunday.
Six women and a child were among the dead, Mahmood Haqmal said, adding that some of the victims may have been from the same family.
A Toyota Corolla hit the mine while driving from the Pol-e-Khomri district to the Dand Shabuddin village, Haqmal said.
Elsewhere, six Afghan civilians were killed in another road mine explosion Saturday in Helmand province, the provincial governor's spokesman said. The Taliban is believed to be behind the blast, Daud Ahmadi said.
A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said Sunday that "72 terrorist and destructive attacks" occurred last week, mostly in the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Helmand.
"In total, 14 policemen and 26 civilians were killed and 37 policemen and 44 civilians were injured in the entire country," Zmary Bashari said.
AC Milan missed the chance to go six points clear at the top of the Serie A table after a 1-1 draw at struggling Lecce.
Sunday
AC Milan missed the chance to go six points clear at the top of the Serie A table after a 1-1 draw at struggling Lecce.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic struck the opener for Milan four minutes after half-time, scoring with a wonderful lob from 30 yards after a quick break, but Ruben Olivera equalised with eight minutes to go.
The result leaves them four points clear of Napoli, who drew with Fiorentina last night, and Lazio, who gained their first win of 2011 thanks to a late goal from substitute Libor Kozak against Sampdoria.
The match at the Stadio Olimpico looked headed for a goalless draw until the Czech Republic forward popped up to score the winner six minutes from time.
Kozak came off the bench and met Cristian Ledesma's cross with a powerful header to give Lazio all three points.
Alberto Aquilani scored a terrific later winner as Juventus arrested a run of three games without a win with a 2-1 success over Bari.
The on-loan Liverpool midfielder drove home from the edge of the box with 11 minutes remaining to condemn rock bottom Bari to another defeat.
The evergreen Alessandro del Piero had given Juve a first-half lead, only for Gergely Rudolf to level shortly after the break.
A late own goal by Maximiliano Pellegrino handed Roma a narrow 1-0 victory at Cesena.
The luckless defender stuck out a foot in the hope of clearing Fabio Simplicio's close-range effort but poked the ball into the back of his own net.
Seconds earlier, Roma substitute Marco Borriello had struck the crossbar.
Udinese continued their excellent run of form with a convincing 4-2 win at Genoa.
For the second game in a row, the Bianconeri scored four goals on the road, although this time they were rewarded with all three points.
Pablo Armero put them ahead in the 27th minute but Omar Milanetto levelled for the hosts in first-half stoppage time.
Antonio Di Natale put Udinese back in front in the 56th minute only for Mattia Destro to respond just a minute later.
Alexi Sanchez and German Denis added two further goals for Francesco Guidolin's side as they deservedly took all three points at the Stadio Luigi Ferrrais.
Goals from Francesco Bega and Alessandro Diamanti gave struggling Brescia a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Parma.
The dismissal of Massimo Paci inside half an hour left Parma on the back foot and Bega broke the deadlock in style in first-half injury time.
Parma's best chance went begging when no attacker could meet Antonio Candreva's cross and Diamanti's well-taken late effort made the result safe.
Cagliari lifted themselves into the top half of the table thanks to a 3-1 win over Palermo.
Alessandro Matri put the hosts in front in the 23rd minute before an own goal by Antonio Nocerino early in the second half gave them a two-goal cushion.
Javier Pastore reduced the arrears within minutes, but Davide Biondini sealed the win for Roberto Donadoni's side shortly afterwards.
Catania and Chievo failed to put significant distance between themselves and the relegation zone as they played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Stadio Angelo Massimino.
Maxi Lopez fired the hosts ahead from the penalty spot after 29 minutes but a Sergio Pellissier strike 20 minutes into the second period ensured the points were shared.
Saturday
A third straight win in Serie A - and fourth in all competitions since Leonardo took charge during the winter break - lifted Inter to fourth place in the table, eight points behind leaders AC Milan but with a game in hand in their favour.
Dejan Stankovic put Inter ahead after 20 minutes and Diego Milito added a second nine minutes later.
Cameroonian striker Eto'o made it 3-0 after 62 minutes and grabbed the fourth goal nine minutes later, rendering Henry Gimenez's effort for Bologna in the 76th minute of no great concern to the hosts.
Second-placed Napoli, who have played two more games than Inter, who they head by five points, were held to a goalless draw at home by mid-table Fiorentina.
Match Results and Reviews
Napoli 0-0 Fiorentina
Inter Milan 4-1 Bologna
Cagliari 3-1 Palermo
Lazio 1-0 Sampdoria
Genoa 2-4 Udinese
Brescia 2-0 Parma
Catania 1-1 Chievo
Juventus 2-1 Bari
Cesena 0-1 Roma
Lecce 1-1 AC Milan
Nova Friburgo, Brazil (CNN) -- The death toll from devastating flooding in Brazil continued to rise Sunday, surpassing 600, the government said.
At least 631 deaths were reported in a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, northeast of the city of Rio.
Other states in the South American country have also seen heavy rainfall.
Last week, authorities in neighboring Sao Paulo state said 24 people had been killed by flooding. Forecasters there said late Sunday that an approaching cold front could bring more flooding and landslides.
Most of the deaths in Rio de Janeiro state were reported in the cities of Nova Friburgo and Teresopolis, with 287 and 269 fatalities, respectively. The state's health and civil defense department reported 56 fatalities in the town of Petropolis and 19 in Sumidouro.
Officials in that office also warned residents of the risk of waterborne diseases. Several thousand vaccines against tetanus and diphtheria have been distributed, they said.
Rescuers have not been able to reach some hard-hit areas, and many more people are feared dead. The rain is predicted to continue for several days in areas already submerged in water or slathered with mud.
Members of the army entered parts of Teresopolis and were able to rescue 110 families.
Thousands of families are still living on mountain slopes or on riverbanks and face extreme risk of being washed away. One resident described the disaster as a tsunami that fell from the sky.
In a statement, Rio Gov. Sergio Cabral said he had a panic attack when he was traveling to Nova Friburgo and saw a devastated mountainside.
Outside a makeshift morgue in Teresopolis, a crowd of people waited for their turn to identify loved ones.
Marco Antonio Siqueira Costa said the last time he saw his brother, sister-in-law and niece was a few days ago, before mud buried their house.
"I think that last meeting was God's way of granting us a farewell," he said.
Residents in the city donned masks and helped clean streets or deliver first aid. Others combed the city, searching desperately for missing loved ones.
Red Cross volunteer Maria Helena de Jesus was helping with first aid.
"You have to almost have a heart of stone," she said. "It was very difficult."
Teresopolis Mayor Jorge Mario Sedlacek declared his city a natural disaster area.
President Dilma Rousseff flew over flood-affected areas last week and landed in Friburgo, the agency said. The floods are her first test as president.
She trudged through mud to talk to residents in a neighborhood where four of seven firefighters trying to rescue people had been buried under mud. The other three were pulled out alive.
"We are going to take firm action" to help the devastated areas, said Rousseff.
Brazilian authorities have been criticized for a lack of disaster planning and allowing people to build homes in areas known to become treacherous in the rainy season.
They are under increasing pressure to show a strong response. Brazil is scheduled to host the World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympics.
The season may already be over for Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery.
He lasted only 17 minutes of their Bundesliga fixture at Wolfsburg on Saturday.
The Frenchman was in agony with a knee injury which curtailed his first match of 2011 and he now faces an anxious wait to discover how serious the blow is.
He is due to undergo tests in Munich with suggestions that he may have torn his cruciate ligaments.
"We have got to wait and see," said coach Louis van Gaal after the game. "We will find out either on Sunday or Monday."
Ribery's season has barely got off the ground.
He was sidelined until November due to an ankle injury and now faces the prospect of another lengthy lay-off, although at least his injury-enforced substitution led to Arjen Robben's comeback after six months out.
AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri was frustrated with his side's 1-1 draw against Lecce.
Although he admitted he was pleased with how his side played, Allegri admitted being "disappointed" with the two dropped points from the result.
"We try our best to use the qualities that [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic has, and tonight he scored a wonderful goal," the Italian said to Sky Sport. "It is, though, disappointing to have dropped two points on the road.
"In the first-half, we created very little, but in the second-half after we scored, the team started to play well. When we had the lead, we failed to keep Lecce out.
"When our opposition made their substitutions, we did not clarify which player should mark who, and this hurt us, especially when they scored. We know what we could have done, and matches like this can occur.
"We do not need to be worried, as Lecce barely got close to our penalty area in the first-half. We finished the match playing strongly, and a result like this is normal throughout a long season," he added.
The draw against Lecce cut AC Milan's lead at the top of Serie A to just four points ahead of nearest rival Napoli, who drew 0-0 with Fiorentina.
(CNN) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao this week will lay out his vision for U.S.-Chinese relations based on strategic mutual trust, state-run media reports, amid recent hints of Washington's frustrations with Beijing.
Hu is expected to lay out his blueprint during his three days in Washington, where he'll meet with President Barack Obama, top legislators and business executives, followed by a stop in Chicago.
A report Sunday in Xinhua, China's official news agency, said that despite certain differences a constructive, comprehensive partnership between the powers could be mutually beneficial and help ensure stability in Asia and worldwide -- points Hu will stress during time in the United States.
Zhang Yesui, China's ambassador to the United States, hyped the visit as vital to relations between the Communist state and democratic power, according to another Xinhua report published Saturday.
He said that it was important to continue bilateral ties and address issues through dialogue, while adding that disagreements were inevitable given political, cultural and economic differences. Ultimately, Zhang said, the nations can and should create a "win-win situation" through positive diplomacy.
This hopeful rhetoric, though, comes as officials in Washington have recently suggested that Beijing has been slow to act in some respects, and generally should consider altering its approach to reflect its increasing influence.
On Friday, a U.S. delegation sent to China to negotiate economic deals returned from a three-day trip "highly disappointed" with the lack of progress, according to a senior administration official.
The official, displaying obvious frustration, told CNN that "prospects for a joint economic statement" before Hu's visit to the White House "are hanging by a thread."
Typically the joint statement is a formal expression of agreement between the two countries. A failure to issue one is often considered a sign of failed diplomacy.
"That doesn't mean things can't improve," the official said, "but we haven't seen it yet."
In a speech at the State Department Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that China must assume the responsibility of being a world power, rather than basing policies on its own self-interest.
"Embracing the obligations that come with being a 21st-century power will help to realize a future that will give the Chinese people even more, in fact, unimagined opportunities," she said. "But that means accepting a share of the burden of solving common problems, abiding by and helping to shape a rules-based international order."
Clinton acknowledged that relations between Beijing and Washington were at a "critical juncture," noting persisting tensions on economic and security issues and accusing China of discriminatory practices that put American firms at a disadvantage.
Still, insisting that the United States doesn't view China as a threat, she said, "our economies are intertwined and so are our futures."
"A thriving America is good for China, and a thriving China is good for America," said the top U.S. diplomat.
One hot-button issue that Beijing addressed on Sunday was the Korean peninsula, days after Clinton urged China to use its "unique ties" with North Korea to tamp down tensions there.
Urging an early resumption of long-stalled six-party talks committed to reining in North Korea's nuclear program, Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue told Xinhua that "the peninsula's denuclearization and the normalization of relations" was in all parties' interest.
"China will continue to work with all the parties concerned and the international community to ensure peace, stability and prosperity," he said.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola believes his squad will have to remain consistent to win La Liga.
David Villa struck twice for the Catalans - with Andres Iniesta and Pedro also on the scoresheet - as Barca thrashed Malaga 4-1 to rack up a record points total at the league's halfway stage.
After 19 games, Barca have 52 points, beating their previous record of 50 - set in Guardiola's first season in charge.
This time around, the Catalans have won 17 of their 19 league matches - including their last 13 - and have now gone unbeaten in 28 games in all competitions.
"It's an impressive total," Guardiola said after the match.
"When we got 50 points two years ago, I didn't expect us to beat that, but these players have done it - they've been outstanding."
Barca saw title rivals Real Madrid slip up at bottom-of-the-table Almeria - they drew 1-1 - earlier in the evening, meaning the league leaders will start the second half of the championship with a four-point advantage over Jose Mourinho's side.
But that, says Guardiola, means little at this stage.
"It's a ridiculous distance at this stage of the competition," he said.
"They (Madrid) dropped points today, but that could happen to us too.
"We could drop points at any ground; it could happen against Racing (Santander) next week or against Hercules.
"There is a long, long way to go and four points is nothing because Madrid are a very strong team."
Barca still have to face Madrid away from home and Guardiola is also wary of tough trips to the likes of Villarreal, Valencia and Sevilla.
"We still have to go to the Santiago Bernabeu, to Villarreal, to Valencia and Sevilla," he said.
"It will be very tough but we depend on ourselves and if we manage to play with the same intensity we have shown in the first half of the championship, we will have a great chance - it has been an extraordinary first half of the season."
Against Malaga, the Catalans were in control from the outset.
Iniesta fired the home side in front after seven minutes and goals from Villa and Pedro saw the champions go 3-0 up at the interval.
Duda reduced the deficit with a brilliant free-kick midway through the second period, but Villa made it 4-1 six minutes later.
"We played a very good first half against a good team," Guardiola said.
"We created a lot of chances and we need to keep competing like that in every game."
After the match, Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta confirmed defender Gabi Milito - who had been expected to sign for Malaga on loan - will be staying at the Catalan club.
"It's a great piece of news," Guardiola said.
"He wants to play, but he is getting stronger all the time after his injury and we will help him - he has so much to give."
Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini, who refused to discuss his club's frustrated move for Milito, was philosophical in defeat.
"It's difficult to take anything positive out of a 4-1 defeat," he said.
"Our objective is to move up the table, but we came up against a very strong team tonight."
Despite losing 4-1, Malaga did better than Pellegrini's former side Madrid, who went down 5-0 here in December.
But that, the Chilean said, was no consolation at all.
"I'm at Malaga now and focused on this club. We lost 4-1 and that is disappointing enough. What other teams do does not concern me."
Pellegrini's Madrid lost out by three points last year to Barca, but the Chilean believes the gulf in class between the big two remains large, despite his former club's recruitment of Mourinho.
"The difference (between Barca and the rest) is still important," he said.
Bayern Munich captain Mark van Bommel could leave the club this winter, six months before his contract expires.
The Dutchman is unlikely to be offered a new deal for next season by the Bavarian club and he has already been linked with a move to Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg.
The arrival of Luiz Gustavo from Hoffenheim puts his place in the Bayern midfield under threat and he admitted before leaving with his club for a winter training camp in Doha today that he is open to offers.
"I cannot say for definite that I will be staying at Bayern," he said.
"The transfer window is open until January 31 and we will just have to wait and see. My phone will be switched on while I am in Qatar."
At the same time, Van Bommel denied that the signing of Luiz Gustavo had prompted him to consider his future.
"I am very happy that he is coming," said the Dutchman. "We have got to welcome anybody who strengthens the squad and help them settle in as quickly as possible.
"That helps the team and the club."
Bayern will train in Qatar for the next seven days before returning to Germany in preparation for their first Bundesliga match of 2011 at Wolfsburg on January 15.
Kuwait concluded their preparations for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals with an impressive friendly win over Zambia.
Kuwait opened the scoring after 19 minutes through striker Yousef Naser and Fahad Al Enezi doubled the advantage just two minutes later.
Bader Al Motawaa added a third in the 25th minute and Al Eenzi completed the rout with his second of the goal eight minutes later.
Kuwait have been drawn in Group A at the Asian Cup along with hosts Qatar, China and Uzbekistan.
Their first game is against China on January 8.
Jordan continued their preparations for the forthcoming 2011 AFC Asian Cup with a 2-2 draw with fellow finalists Uzbekistan.
Jordan finished the first half with a 1-0 lead as Amer Deeb opened the scoring after 32 minutes before Jasur Hasanov levelled the scores for Uzbekistan in the 70th minute.
Jordan regained their lead in the 75th minute through Odai Al Saify just two minutes before Olim Navkarov levelled the scores for Uzbekistan.
Pedro struck both goals to give Barcelona a narrow 2-1 win over Levante at the Nou Camp as La Liga resumed following its winter break.
Pedro struck both goals to give Barcelona a narrow 2-1 win over Levante at the Nou Camp this evening as La Liga resumed following its winter break.
After a goalless first half, the Spain winger netted twice in the space of 12 minutes to give Pep Guardiola's side the upper hand.
The Catalans held on to provisionally move five points clear of fierce rivals Real Madrid, despite Christian Stuani's late volley.
Real travel to the outskirts of Madrid to face local rivals Getafe tomorrow.
Ten-man Valencia got one over on Champions League rivals Espanyol with a clearly offside winner deep into injury time at the Mestalla.
Pegged back to 1-1 when Ricardo Costa's own goal levelled after Aritz Aduriz's opener, Los Che then lost their goalscorer to a harsh red card.
They had the last laugh, though, as Juan Mata stole in at the far post to head home Costa's knockdown from an offside position to earn three vital points and go clear above Espanyol in fourth.
Frederic Kanoute struck the only goal of the game as Sevilla ended a run of five successive Primera Division defeats with a narrow victory over Osasuna.
Kanoute headed in Jesus Navas' free-kick in the 36th minute as Sevilla recorded their first league win since mid-November.
Earlier, Malaga climbed out of the relegation zone after fighting back from a goal down to defeat fellow strugglers Sporting Gijon 2-1 at El Molinon.
Sporting, who started the day one place and one point behind third-bottom Malaga, took the lead through a Diego Castro penalty in the 42nd minute to boost hopes of a first win in 12 league and cup matches.
However, their joy was short-lived as Malaga drew level on the stroke of half-time through Weligton before the visitors claimed all three points thanks to Apono`s spot-kick just before the hour.
Deportivo La Coruna striker Adrian Lopez took centre stage to help his side shatter Athletic Bilbao`s six-match winning streak at San Mames with a 2-1 win.
Adrian won and converted a first-half penalty to put Depor ahead, was the player brought down that led to Mikel San Jose`s 34th-minute dismissal and also netted Depor`s second goal seven minutes into the second half.
That proved enough to help improving Depor claim their sixth win of the season, although Athletic will feel they deserved at least a draw out of what was an entertaining encounter.
Match Reviews
Sporting Gijon 1-2 Malaga
Barcelona 2-1 Levante
Athletic Bilbao 1-2 Deportivo
Sevilla 1-0 Osasuna
Valencia 2-1 Espanyol
Alexandria, Egypt (CNN) -- Emotional congregants returned to their church Sunday in Alexandria, Egypt, mourning the loss of fellow worshippers in a bombing a day earlier.
Inside the Church of the Two Saints, grisly reminders of the explosion -- believed to be caused by a suicide bomber -- remained as tearful worshippers lighted candles to honor the dead. Broken glass and debris littered the church's interior and portions of the walls were splattered with blood.
Outside, a heavy police presence guarded the church.
At least 21 people were killed and 97 others injured in Saturday's blast, which occurred shortly after midnight as Coptic Christians were attending services at the church, according to Egyptian government officials. Evidence indicates that a suicide bomber caused the blast, the country's interior ministry said Saturday, though witnesses reported seeing a car parked outside the church explode.
"Why would my son or brother go to celebrate the mass by prayer, not by drinking or doing drugs or anything like that, but by praying in the church, and then this would happen to them at the church gate?" one worshipper said Sunday. "What religion or law, whatever it is, would approve what happened yesterday?"
Another worshipper at the church said she lost three family members in the attack.
"What did we do to them? Nothing! We live together (Copts and Muslims) and nothing happens. How would they do this to us, hurt us and make us orphans?" she said.
Copts, who are adherents of an Egyptian sect of Christianity, make up about 9% of the nation's population. About 90% of Egyptians are Muslims.
A small group of Coptic men held a demonstration against the attack about a block away from the church Sunday.
Tensions have been running high between Egypt's Muslim majority and minority Christians.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said in November that 10 Coptic Christian homes and several businesses were burned and looted in Qena province in southern Egypt following rumors of a romantic relationship between a Christian man and Muslim woman.
World leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict XVI, condemned Saturday's bombing.
"The perpetrators of this attack were clearly targeting Christian worshippers, and have no respect for human life and dignity," Obama said in a statement. "They must be brought to justice for this barbaric and heinous act."
But Bishop Makar, the spokesman for the Church of the Two Saints, downplayed sectarian tensions in the region.
"In the beginning, we thought the attack was sectarian, to be honest," he said Sunday. "But now we're quite certain that it has nothing to do with sectarianism especially that we have little sectarianism in Egypt. The vast majority are good and love each other. Here in our area by the way we have no sectarian issues at all."
A nearby mosque was also damaged in the blast and eight Muslims were among the wounded, the interior ministry said.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called for a swift investigation of the "criminal act" and urged Egyptians to stand together "in the face of ... terrorism and those who want to disrupt the nation's security, stability and unity of its people," presidential
spokesman Ambassador Sulaiman Awad said Saturday.
Alexandria Gov. Adil Labib told state-run Nile TV that samples from the scene had been sent to a government lab as part of an investigation. Authorities believe the bomber was killed in the blast, Egypt's Interior Ministry said in a statement Saturday. Forensic testing confirmed that the explosive device used was homemade and contained nails and ball-bearings, the statement said.
"The attack targeted all Egyptians and not just our Coptic brethren," Labib said, according to the country's official Middle East News Agency (MENA).
Mubarak has vowed to find the perpetrators of the attack, saying in an address to the nation Saturday that "this terrorism act has shocked us, hurt hearts of the Egyptians, Muslims and Coptics."
Birmingham City midfielder Lee Bowyer is facing the prospect of a possible FA ban following Saturday's loss to Arsenal.
Television replays showed Bowyer appearing to stamp on the knee of Gunners defender Bacary Sagna as he lay on the ground.
In a separate incident Bowyer was shown to apparently catch Sagna down the back of his Achilles near the touchline.
Referee Peter Walton took no action at the time and Bowyer was eventually substituted by Birmingham manager Alex McLeish.
The FA will now contact Walton to find out whether or not he saw the incidents involving Bowyer during Arsenal's 3-0 win.
If Walton confirms he did not see what occurred, then the FA have the power to pursue the matter and to decide whether or not to charge Bowyer with violent conduct.
If a charge was made and subsequently proved, then the former Newcastle and West Ham player could face a three-match ban.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger preferred not to highlight Bowyer's actions after the game.
He said: "I do not want to talk too much about that because I haven't seen any replays.
"During the game, it was very difficult the challenge on Fabregas (by Roger Johnson) and Sagna (by Bowyer).
"I will watch that again and give you my opinion later."
McLeish said that he "did not see it" when asked about Bowyer's alleged stamp in his post-match press conference.
Sunset Hills, Missouri (CNN) -- An orange X was painted on homes destroyed in a Missouri town during a series of fast-moving Midwest and Southern storms that left at least seven people dead, dozens injured and even more without a home.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Saturday toured a neighborhood in Sunset Hills, a St. Louis suburb.
"The devastation in this neighborhood was complete," Nixon said. "Many of the houses we saw that were standing had the orange X on them, which means they're going to knock them down, not even try and repair them. Bottom line (is) significant property loss."
Residents from Mississippi to Missouri spent the first day of the New Year assessing the damage and sifting through piles of debris.
Three people died in the small northwestern Arkansas town of Cincinnati, which reported power outages after the strong storm went through, said Ann Upton, Washington County's emergency management deputy.
Two additional fatalities occurred in a trailer in Dent County, Missouri, according to Mike O'Connell of the state department of public safety.
The storm also struck a trailer near Rolla, Missouri, about 106 miles southwest of St. Louis, according to the governor's office. One person died Friday and a second occupant, an 80-year-old woman, died of her injures Saturday, O'Connell said.
The storm injured residents and destroyed some 25 homes in Phelps County, home to Rolla, after it earlier left more than a dozen people hospitalized in northwestern Arkansas, medical officials said.
"As soon as I shut the door everything started rumbling underneath me," Rolla resident Jason Stevenson told CNN affiliate KPLR. "The whole house looked like it imploded. I got picked up and down at least three times I know of before I come to a slamming halt up against a small little tree in front of the house."
Michael Spencer, a relief worker with the American Red Cross, said some residents in Arkansas, Missouri and Mississippi already were working on their recovery plan.
"It's been just a little bit over 24 hours and families are just beginning to pick up the pieces of their lives again," Spencer said Saturday from Cincinnati, Arkansas. "The roads are littered with power lines, there's tons of debris in fences and trees," he said, but residents are making their way to shelters to get and offer assistance.
More than 30 people were gathered at the Central United Methodist Church of Cincinnati on Saturday morning to meet with Red Cross workers, Spencer said. Similar efforts are under way in Missouri and Mississippi, he said.
As those states began recovery, forecasters warned of more potentially severe weather elsewhere. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for eight counties in Alabama and three counties in Florida on Saturday. The watch extends to 5 p.m. CST.
"Unfortunately, this storm system is not letting up and we are dispatching additional Red Cross teams as the storms continue to plow across the country," Spencer said.
In Arkansas, six homes and four chicken production facilities were destroyed, while five homes suffered moderate to heavy damage, said Matt Garrity, Benton County's manager of emergency services.
A fire station, three buildings and one store were also damaged, said Garrity, and an airport that serves northwestern Arkansas was closed due to debris in the area.
"We are in part of tornado alley," he said. "So even a small storm does a lot of damage."
In Mississippi, the storm system knocked out power to nearly 20,000 homes in the central part of the state, said Mara Hartman, a spokeswoman for Entergy Corporation.
Elsewhere, the storm caused injuries and damage in Pulaski and Laclede counties in Missouri, knocking out power at Fort Leonard Wood, a U.S. Army post that took a direct hit from a suspected tornado, according to Laclede County Emergency Management spokesman Gail Teter.
Four people at the base were treated for minor injuries after the storm hit, the army said. The tornado cut through several miles from the training areas into where families live.
CNN affiliate KMOV on Friday broadcast images of heavy damage -- including destroyed homes and overturned vehicles -- in Sunset Hills, about 15 miles southwest of St. Louis.
"It's causing havoc," said Sunset Hills police spokeswoman Donna Palasky.
Nixon declared a state of emergency in Missouri Saturday and toured a neighborhood where a suspected F-3 tornado struck, though there were no serious injuries.
"One young family, two young adults and a 9-year-old, scurried into their basement and hid in a cubbyhole and their entire house was blown away," he told CNN. "If they hadn't gone down there they certainly would have had very serious injuries, if not death."
The storm also left heavy structural damage to buildings in its wake -- including a popular shopping center and Catholic church -- in the town of Fenton, some 18 miles southwest of St. Louis, said Fenton Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Heidbreder.
In the nearby town of Ballwin, police spokesman Jim Heldmann said the storm caused heavy damage to homes and buildings, but no injuries were reported.
(CNN) -- Republicans on Sunday demonstrated a united front against health care reform passed by the Obama administration, an issue that is sure to fan the flames on the left and right when a divided Congress returns Wednesday.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, said members in the House and Senate will try to "defund the Obama care bill and start over."
"I think this fight is going to continue to 2012 and it will move from Washington to the states," Graham said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "It will be one big fight over the role of health care and should Obama health care be in existence in 2012 the way it is today."
California Rep. Darrell Issa, who will chair the House Oversight and Government Reform committee in the new Congress, said the committee will identify where "waste, fraud and abuse" exists in the plan to find where government can be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
"As Republicans, our goal is to repeal what was done on a partisan basis, come back and do on a bipartisan basis, real reform," Issa said on CNN's "State of the Union."
Incoming House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Fred Upton went a step further, saying there are 242 Republicans and a "significant number of Democrats" who want to repeal the legislation. The Michigan Republican, whose committee will play a key role in the roll-back effort, said he believes the House may be close to having the votes necessary to override a presidential veto. And if they don't have the votes for repeal, Upton said the House will "go after this bill piece by piece."
Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota said the GOP will try to repeal the bill because "that's what the American people want us to do."
However, New York Democratic Rep. Steve Israel criticized Republicans for focusing on health care instead of job creation.
"They're (Republicans) talking about wasting time repealing health care, when they know that the Senate and administration won't go along with it," Israel said on CNN's "State of the Union." "Don't waste time, create jobs."
In fact, even if repeal is possible in the House, it is unlikely to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate or receive traction in the White House.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that signed into law in March was a pillar of the president's agenda and was met with strong opposition from Republicans.
The measure was designed to help millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans receive adequate and affordable health care through a series of government-imposed mandates and subsidies. Critics have equated it to socialized medicine, fearing that a bloated government bureaucracy will result in higher taxes and diminished health care services.
Parts of the historic legislation have recently been challenged by individual states.
In December, a Florida U.S. District Court judge struck down the "individual mandate" requiring most Americans to purchase health insurance by 2014, litigation supported by 19 other states. The Justice Department is expected to challenge the judge's findings in a federal appeals court.
The Supreme Court rejected the first constitutional challenge of the law because the justices refused to get involved at a relatively early stage of the legal process.
Sir Alex Ferguson has slammed football agents and revealed the exorbitant demands some of them make of Manchester United.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, the Scot revealed that an agent even asked the Red Devils to buy him a block of flats in order to push a transfer through.
In an interview with RTE Radio 1, the manager also recalled another agent who demanded that his client, who was a striker, be paid a bonus every time he hit the back of the net.
Ferguson said: "I said (to the United board), "Can you please remind him that's why we are buying in the first place - because he's a goalscorer". This is what you're dealing with. It's unbelievable.
"I get annoyed when managers phone me and say such and such a player - and I'm talking about players who couldn't lace my reserve team's boots - is asking for £1million a year.
"That's when it's disappointing . . . the way some agents work a miracle by getting these terms for players who are not stars."
The manager also defended the wages that his top players are on, saying: "At United I think most of my first-team players deserve what they're getting.
"They're playing in front of 75,000 people every week, they're achieving, successful, good footballers, honest professionals.
"They produce on the field, they bring people into the grounds, and they deserve it. But there are some players at other clubs who get paid enormous amounts of money and I don't know why."
On the other hand, with Stoke's clash against Manchester United looming, Dean Whitehead is confident that his side can capitalise on United's recent defensive frailities.
He said: "There are a few games they have won which have been close games - against us here is an example. But if you get at them they are vulnerable at the back, I think. So I'm sure we will be working on ways to get at them."
The Red Devils will have to do without Wayne Rooney against Stoke, as the player twisted his ankle in the game against West Bromwich Albion during the weekend.
(CNN) -- A woman convicted of murder and adultery and sentenced to die by stoning said Saturday she would sue the two German journalists who interviewed her son, Iran's government-backed Press TV reported.
The men, identified only as a reporter and photojournalist, were arrested in October after they interviewed the son and lawyer of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was convicted of adultery in 2006 and sentenced to death by stoning.
Her case has drawn sharp criticism from the international community. No date has been set for her execution.
Ashtiani told reporters in the northwestern city of Tabriz that she planned to sue the German nationals, Press TV reported. The men, who work for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, are charged with espionage and are accused of working illegally as journalists in Iran.
Germany-based anti-stoning activist Mina Ahadi said that government and prison officials were also at the press conference.
"This regime has a history of pressuring innocent people into confessing on television. This is just another example of their propaganda," she said.
Speaking outside the prison, Ashtiani criticized her lawyers for politicizing her case and denied she had been pressured to give interviews, Press TV said.
Ashtiani's son, Sajjad Qaderzadeh, was released from jail three weeks ago on humanitarian grounds, according to Press TV.
He had served more than a month in prison for granting the interview, Press TV reported.
Qaderzadeh appeared with his mother on Saturday and similarly said that he would sue the German nationals as well as his lawyers, who asked him to do the interview, Press TV said.
The son also added that he plans to take legal action against Issa Taheri, who Press TV said murdered Qaderzadeh's father in collaboration with Ashtiani.
Germany's Bild newspaper, a sister publication of Bild am Sonntag, published an editorial Sunday criticizing the reported lawsuit plans.
"The woman who has been sentenced to death was allowed to leave her jail cell for a few hours to declare in front of western TV cameras that she would file a suit against our reporters," the editorial said.
It concludes, "Does Iran really think that a strange farce like this will improve the credibility of its justice system abroad?"
Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal are "tougher mentally" this season to cope with the demands of the Premier League.
The Gunners harnessed resilience to their customary free-flowing football in overpowering Birmingham 3-0 at St Andrew's.
It was only Birmingham's second home defeat in 30 matches and this season they have beaten Chelsea and drawn with Manchester United in front of their own fans.
Wenger feels the growing maturity of his players means they are well equipped for the battles ahead and they currently lie in third spot - two points behind the two Manchester clubs.
He said: "We are tougher mentally this season because we have matured. Players are now in the 23-years-of-age bracket and starting to get experience.
"What they are doing is outstanding at that age. They want to win and they have learnt from the previous years. It is down to mental stamina now."
Wenger added: "I am pleased with the attitude of the whole squad and with the quality of our game.
"You could see at Birmingham that they were really up for it. We were strong in the physical challenge, we played good football and we were mentally calm and resilient.
"It was a fantastic job by us. We had everything that makes a football game great.
"You saw some outstanding football from my team."
Arsenal have so far taken seven points out of nine from the festive programme ahead of Wednesday's home clash with Manchester City.
He said: "It is a big game. We've known since the start of December that the games at home against the big sides would have a big impact on the league.
"We have started well by beating Chelsea a few days ago.
"I think that win lifted the team and we can go into the Manchester City game with confidence.
"We have played 11 out of 20 games away so far.
"We know at the Emirates we have a good opportunity to take advantage of the number of games we have to play at home - especially against the big teams.
"We will be ready for it. We have a bit of recovery time now, four days, and we will focus on that and try to do well."
Wenger also believes there has been an overall improvement in the standard of the Premier League with no opposition a soft touch.
He said: "We have learnt two things since the start of the season. It is very tight, so the most consistent team will win it, and the second thing is you can drop points everywhere.
"You saw West Brom against Manchester United and they played outstanding football.
"That has changed in the Premier League now, so that everywhere you are under threat."
Birmingham's big concern is becoming embroiled in a relegation battle as their lack of goal-power and conceding soft goals has been evident during the first half of the campaign.
Blues manager Alex McLeish said: "There is no doubt that we've got to improve in terms of taking chances during the second half of the season.
"Last season was probably similar in terms of the goals we scored but we had an awful lot of shut-outs and didn't lose as many daft goals as we have this season.
"We have lost uncharacteristic goals. It is a big challenge for the players now, a big challenge for us all, to try and put that right during the second half of the season.
"I don't think our position (19th) is a true reflection of the way we've played but the bottom line is we've not scored enough goals to have us further up the table."
McLeish could also lose the services of midfielder Lee Bowyer if the Football Association decide to charge him with violent conduct over an apparent stamp on Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna.
Real Madrid playmaker Kaka could make his first appearance of the season after being included the squad against Getafe.
The Brazil international, a £56million signing from AC Milan in the summer of 2009, has not represented Madrid since last May and underwent a meniscus operation in August, but he has been called up by Jose Mourinho for the trip to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Also included is Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago, who has not played for Madrid this campaign either due to a knee problem.
Gonzalo Higuain and Jerzy Dudek are absent through injury, though, while Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho are suspended and Mahamadou Diarra has been omitted.
Mourinho confirmed Kaka is not yet ready to push for a starting spot but suggested the Brazilian could get a run-out at the end of tomorrow`s derby.
"He will not be a starter against Getafe, he`s not even close to that yet. He can give us 15 or 20 minutes of his great quality, but no more," said the Portuguese.
"We need to highlight what a fantastic professional he is for having done such an incredible job. The medical team have followed him very closely and he's had a recovery expert with him practically 24 hours a day working very hard.
"Now that Kaka has returned it`s time to congratulate everyone who has worked with him, and above all the player himself, who has been a fantastic processional."
The return to fitness of Kaka is a timely one as it is not known when Higuain will be back.
The Argentina international, who was Madrid`s leading scorer in La Liga in the last two seasons, is facing surgery on the back problem that has sidelined him since November.
That would leave Madrid with just Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema as senior players to lead the line for Madrid, but the availability of Kaka will give Mourinho more options up front.
Mourinho said: "For the six months when we were missing Kaka we built a team without Kaka. Now Higuain isn`t available and we will have to build a team without him. A team has to adapt to the circumstances and at times the players have to play in positions which aren't theirs."
Regarding any possible exits during the January transfer window, Mourinho added: "The information from the club is that no players are going. We have 25 places occupied, the players who have played less are quality ones, we have confidence in them and their time will come.
"The information that I have is that we will continue until the end of the season with the same 25, which would then be 24 because of Higuain."
AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is disappointed at the departure of Ronaldinho but is excited at Antonio Cassano’s arrival.
Brazilian midfielder Ronaldinho flew to Brazil from Milan's training camp in Dubai on Saturday to iron out the minor details of his looming move to boyhood outfit Gremio.
Italian striker Cassano on the other hand, has been training with the Milan squad in Dubai and is formally expected to be unveiled in the coming days.
The former Roma and Real Madrid player only joined Milan after being sacked by Sampdoria for arguing with club president Riccardo Garrone.
While his past antics and history of disciplinary issues with former clubs has led him to be labeled as a disruptive figure, Ibrahimovic claims that he is getting alone fine with Cassano and is also sad to see former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho leave the Milan giants.
"I want to win everything there is to win, although I'm sorry that I will not be there at Cagliari (he is suspended)," said the Swedish striker, according to Calciomercato.com.
"I always want to play, but we're a great team and we will do well just the same.
"I regret that Ronnie is not here anymore, he is one of the strongest champions of all time. He was not happy on the pitch lately. But he must do what he wants.
"Cassano? I found him well, he needed to go on a little diet. He's a professional, I do not think that we will quarrel. He can't get a situation better than this."
Milan ended the year 2010 at the summit of the Serie A table, three points ahead of second placed Napoli.
Blackburn Rovers could make a sensational swoop for two-time FIFA World Player of the year Ronaldinho.
According to reports in the Daily Mirror, Blackburn owners Venky's are preparing to make the player their highest paid addition by offering him £130,000-a-week to join them for two and a half years.
Roberto De Assis, who is the Brazilian's agent and brother, confirmed their interest.
"Blackburn have contacted us. There is also other interest in England but this is confidential," De Assis said.
"Everything will depend on how negotiations in Porto Alegre go. If we don't reach an agreement with a club in Brazil, he will return to Milan, as he is still a Milan player.
"We are not ruling anything out," concluded De Assis.
However, the player himself is considering a move back home to Brazil to Gremio, which could dash hopes at Ewood Park.
After injuring his left ankle against West Bromwich Albion, Wayne Rooney will miss Manchester United's clash against Stoke City.
The striker managed to break his duck against West Brom after a nine month open play goal drought, but will be disappointed after twisting his left ankle towards the end of their 2-1 win.
While manager Sir Alex Ferguson was worried that the player might be out for two weeks, according to reports in the Express, Rooney believes he will only miss one match and should be fit to return to face Liverpool in the FA Cup third round during the weekend.
The Red Devils are current atop of the Barclays Premier League table, and will hope to extend their lead from rivals Manchester City by beating Stoke on Wednesday.
