Posts
Armed men have stormed an Iraqi provincial council building in Baquba after two car bombs exploded outside, killing at least eight people and wounding dozens more, police and health officials say.
Two car bombs were set off outside the government compound in the city on Tuesday, after which armed men attacked the building and took hostages in the nearly three-hour siege.
Baquba, Diyala province's capital, is located 60km northeast of Baghdad.
Large numbers of Iraqi police and soldiers were deployed to the scene, with military helicopters hovering overhead and periodically firing onto the building during the siege, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, said that the hostage-taking appeared to have ended following the efforts of Iraqi security forces.
"According to officials the building was stormed by Iraqi security forces, special forces and the Iraqi army, who killed three attackers and wounded a fourth," she said.
"One witness says American forces joined them. The Americans say that is not true."
The attack closely mirrored a similar March 29 incident, claimed by al-Qaeda, on Salaheddin governorate offices in Tikrit that left 58 people dead.
"There has been no claim of responsibility so far, but it very much bears the hallmarks of an al-Qaeda linked group and that is indeed what officials here are saying," our correspondent said.
An official at Diyala's security command centre initially said dozens of armed men took part in the raid, but Baquba police later said as few as five may have been involved.
Al Jazeera's Arraf said the events took place during a weekly council meeting of provincial council members, but many of them did not show up having been warned of the possibility of an attack.
The attack in Baquba is the latest test for Iraqi forces as they prepare for the planned withdrawal of US troops at the end of the year. see video here http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/06/20116149850364801.html
The Dallas Mavericks returned home in triumph on Monday, cheered by hundreds of fans celebrating the franchise’s first NBA title and the first professional championship of any kind in the area in more than a decade.
Owner Mark Cuban walked off the plane at Love Field carrying the championship trophy he was handed after Sunday’s Game 6 win over the Miami Heat.
Next came forward Dirk Nowitzki(notes) with hardware of his own: The NBA finals MVP trophy that was awarded after he overcame a finger injury, illness and smothering defense from the Heat to power fourth-quarter comeback wins.
Cuban, the Dallas billionaire who bought the team in 2000, had the championship trophy in a seat next to him on the plane and he apparently kept it close throughout the Sunday night celebration.
“This will sound weird,” he wrote on Twitter. “I’m laying in bed. With the trophy next (to) me.”
Cuban will keep the party going at least through Thursday morning, the date set for the team’s victory parade through the streets of downtown Dallas.
Team spokeswoman Sarah Melton confirmed the date Monday, but said the precise route and other details would be announced Tuesday. Cuban has said that he will pick up the tab for the city’s parade costs.
The championship, the first in the 31-year history of the Mavericks, represents a breakthrough. The franchise was once one of the worst in the NBA and, even after Cuban’s infusion of cash and energy, had a reputation of failing to win big games—including a loss to Miami in the 2006 Finals after leading the series 2-0.
The title is city’s first since the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and it comes four months after the Super Bowl in suburban Arlington included not the hometown Cowboys but Green Bay and Pittsburgh along with a spate of bad weather. The Texas Rangers advanced to the last World Series, but lost to San Francisco.
As the Mavericks wore down the Heat, fans crowded into downtown Dallas on Sunday night to celebrate. Police reported 14 arrests, including six for public intoxication, four for disorderly conduct and four people taken into custody on outstanding warrants.
By Monday, attention had turned to the homecoming.
The team charter passed under a water cannon salute after it landed. Cuban, a cigar in his mouth, walked off first, followed by Nowitzki, both holding the trophies high. They then went across the runway to a security fence, touching off a celebration that lasted about 30 minutes and allowing fans who spent hours waiting in 90-degree heat to get a taste of the title.
Cuban eventually handed off the championship trophy to members of the team, who walked along the fence as fans held cell phones high to take photos. As Nowitzki was driven away, he held the MVP trophy aloft through the sun roof of his sport utility vehicle.
Monday, June 13, 2011
NBA Finals 2011: Caron Butler Injured As Mavericks Are 2011 NBA Champions - SB Nation DC
Posted by ray_acebedo
THE BIG THREE CRIES AFTER LOSING GAME 6.
The season was ended, Dallas Mavericks won the 2011 NBA Championships they shows determination and teamwork to win the championship in game 6. They did great job on offense and defense to ensure the lead. "Hands down, they were the better team in this series," Bosh said. "They deserve everything that they've gotten." Added Bosh: "They had timely shots, timely offensive rebounds, they never got flustered. They just kept their composure and kept coming in waves. When it was time, they just stayed tight and they executed very well."" It is a big frustrations to the players of Miami Heat they give their best but their best was not good enough to beat the sharp shooters of Dallas Mavericks. Lebron James did well on the first half of the game but because of the undisputed three points shooters of Dallas they still lead the 2nd 3rd and 4th quarter in scoring. "Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra stopped short of saying that the Dallas Mavericks were the better team. He admitted that the Heat "got beat by a team that played better," but he didn't go any further.
Will Miami Heat extend to game 7? or Dallas will win the NBA Champions?
Game 6 is the most important game of the Miami Heat they should make a big come back after losing game 5 on the NBA Finals. It is the most awaited moment of the Mavs if they win game 6 it is over for the Heat. The game 6 is officially started please watch it on your respected cable provider. or watch live streaming http://www.pbb247.com/2011/06/livestream-1.html
Chris Bosh, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade the big three of Miami.
The big three should be well conditioned for game 6 tomorrow. Many Miami Heat fans trust the big three to win the NBA finals and also to their coach Eric Spoelstra. They must do everything to win game 6 for them to extend the finals to game 7. I'am a fan of Miami Heat, for me the best thing they do is to have a tight defense on the shooters of Dallas specifically Dirk Nowitzki who make impossible shots to defeat Miami. If they will still keep making mistakes defending on Dirk it will be the end of their mission to get the crown. Dirk is the best shooter in NBA, for my opinion he is a perfect shooter but if they will defend them as hard as they can they can stop Dirk from scoring big points. Lebron James should perform well, give everything he has for the game 6. James should be more aggressive on offense because as i observed on the past 5 games he was struggling on his offense.Chris Bosh will dominate inside and grab rebounds play hard and have confidence in making shots just like what he did on game 3. Dwayne Wade is a great player that can penetrate to the hoop and make amazing shots, he was the top scorer of the Miami Heat team. Wade is the most athletic player that Miami have they must support him in every plays give him pick and rolls to open a wide open shot. They must perfect all the plays that Eric Spoelstra thought to them avoid turnovers and have focused on the game. The bench should also participate on offense like Mario Chalmers and Mike Miller who are the trusted three point shooters of Miami. This strategy will make them win game 6. Good luck Miami Heat.
The Miami Heat bench plays better in home just like Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, and Mike Miller that can make threes in crucial time but i also give attention to other players just like Mike Bibby and Juwan Howard. The Heat have a big possibility of winning game 6 if Mario Chalmers will knock down threes and Mike Miller so that they can answer the three pointers in Dallas like DeShawn Stevenson, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and the superstar of Dallas Dirk Nowitzki. The team should make good plays and a big defense for the offense of Dallas. The defense of Heat on game 5 was poor and that was the reason why they loss, Erik Spoelstra should make adjustments on the defense of the Heat. Lebron James should contribute big points on game 6 to win, i know that James will do everything he can to win the game because game 6 is the most important game of Miami Heat. The big three should be in good condition to win the important game of the season.
Erik Spoelstra was born November 1, 1970 is an American professional basketball coach and the current head coach of the National Basketball Association's Miami Heat. He is the first Filipino-American head coach in the NBA, as well as the first Filipino-American head coach of any North American professional sports team.[2] From 2001 to 2008, he served as assistant coach/director of scouting for the team. He coached the Heat to 90 wins and two playoff appearances in his first two years as coach.
Spoelstra joined the Heat staff in 1995 as the team's video coordinator. After two years, he was named assistant coach/video coordinator, then promoted to assistant coach/advance scout in 1999. He became the assistant coach/director of scouting in 2001. He was cited by Sports Illustrated (May 30, 2005) for honing star guard Dwyane Wade’s "shooting balance and smoothing out his release after the Flash’s return from the Athens Olympics."
Spoelstra was an assistant coach with the Miami Heat when they won the 2006 NBA Finals by defeating the Dallas Mavericks, overcoming a 0-2 deficit.
In April 2008, Spoelstra was named successor to Pat Riley as head coach of the Miami Heat. In naming Spoelstra as head coach, Riley said: "This game is now about younger coaches who are technologically skilled, innovative, and bring fresh new ideas. That's what we feel we are getting with Erik Spoelstra. He's a man that was born to coach." Riley also noted: "A lot of players want the discipline; they will play [hard] for Spoelstra, because 'they respect him.'"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)