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Sports Briefs

■ Grand Prix
Raikkonnen secures pole
Kimi Raikkonen took pole position yesterday for today's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, while Formula One champion Fernando Alonso starts his title defense beside him at the front of the grid. It was Raikkonen's 12th career pole, but his first in a Ferrari. Formerly of McLaren, the Finn joined Ferrari to replace seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who retired last year. Raikkonen completed the 5.303km Albert Park circuit with a time of 1 minute, 26.072 seconds. His last pole position was at the Italian GP in September, but he was winless last season after winning seven races in 2005 for McLaren.

■ Soccer
Kahn and Lucio accused
UEFA accused Bayern Munich players Oliver Kahn and Lucio on Friday of improper conduct after last week's European Champions League win against Real Madrid. Kahn, the team's goalkeeper, and the Brazilian defender "breached basic rules of good conduct" at the post-match doping control, according to European soccer's governing body. UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body will hear the case next Thursday. "This is completely new to us -- we can't say anything to it at the moment," Bayern spokesman Markus Horwick said. Bayern beat Madrid 2-1 and advanced on away goals after the two teams played to a 4-4 aggregate draw.

■ Soccer
Two charged over violence
German authorities have raised charges against two people allegedly involved in violence five weeks ago that left 39 police officers injured. The charges of serious breach of peace and attempted to cause serious bodily harm against two men were the first to be brought since the riots at a game involving Lok Leipzig and Erzgebirge Aue, two lower league teams, on Feb. 10. About 800 Leipzig fans attacked 300 police and security officers after Leipzig lost the cup match 3-0. Six fans were also injured.

■ Cricket
Bangladesh upset over death
Habibul Bashar said his Bangladesh World Cup squad was in shock after waking to the news that a teammate was killed in a road accident at home. International cricketer Manjural Islam, 22, died in an accident when an ambulance slammed into a motorcycle in southwestern Bangladesh earlier on Friday. Manjural and his friend Sajjadul Islam, also a domestic cricketer, were killed in the accident that occurred in Khulna district, 136km southwest of the capital, Dhaka. "It's a shocking news for all of us, he was a friend and a teammate. The boys are very upset," Bashar said. Left-arm spinner Manjural played six tests and 25 one day internationals. He made his one-day debut in 2003 at the age of 19 and his test debut in the same season against Zimbabwe.

■ Cycling
Popovych takes fifth stage
Yaroslav Popovych won Friday's fifth stage of the Paris-Nice race, while Italy's Davide Rebellin held the overall lead. Ukraine's Popovych, who surged ahead in a small pack of riders at the 9km mark, gradually moved away from his rivals along the 178km trek from Sorgues to Manosque. The breakaway win was reminiscent of Popovych's stage victory in last year's Tour de France. Popovych crossed the finish line 14 seconds ahead of a pack of 49 other riders, including Rebellin. Gerolsteiner rider Rebellin holds a six-second lead over Spain's Alberto Contador of Discovery Channel in second. Lampre rider Tadej Valjavec of Slovenia is third, 23 seconds off the leader's pace.

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