MIAMI: South African Ernie Els ended his barren two year spell by winning the WGC-CA Championship by four strokes this morning after a classy six-under final round of 66 held off compatriot Charl Schwartzel.

Els last won on the tour in March 2008 at the Honda Classic, and his victory comes just a week after he tied for 67th at the same event in Palm Beach Gardens.

TOKYO: A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 jolted northern Japan on Sunday, seismologists said, shaking buildings in the capital Tokyo some240 km (150 miles) away.

There were no reports of injuries or damage and no tsunami warning was issued. The magnitude of the quake, at 5:08 p.m.(0808 GMT), was measured at 6.6 by the US Geological Survey and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The epicentre was about 40 km (25 miles) beneath the oceanoff Honshu, Japan's main island, the JMA said.

CONCEPCION: Chilean rescuers used shovels and sledgehammers on Sunday to find survivors of a huge earthquake in Chile that unleashed a Pacific tsunami and triggered looting by desperate and hungry residents.

Saturday's quake, one of the most powerful in a century, killed more than 400 people and devastated homes and highways, dealing a heavy blow to infrastructure in the world's No. 1 copper producer and one of Latin America's most stable economies.

SYDNEY: A tsunami generated by a 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile hit beaches in eastern Australia on Sunday, witnesses and officials said, but there were no initial reports of damage.

Australia issued an alert overnight for most of its east coast, and for eastern parts of the island state of Tasmania.

SANTIAGO: A powerful earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday halted production at two oil refineries and two major mines in the world's top copper supplier, but exports of the metal will not be affected, officials said.

The 8.8-magnitude quake forced state mining company Codelco to halt operations at its El Teniente and Andina mines, and Mining Minister Santiago Gonzalez said it could take two days for production to resume.

TOKYO: Japan warned on Sunday that its northern pacific coast faced a possible tsunami of 3 meters (10ft) or more and ordered thousands of coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground, after a massive earthquake in Chile.

The tsunami could hit northern areas of Japan's main island of Honshu around 1 p.m. (11 p.m. EST), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

The affected coast, where around 140 people died in a previous tsunami 50 years ago, has many small harbors that will concentrate the force of a tsunami.

HONOLULU: Hawaii started evacuations ahead of a tsunami generated by a massive earthquake in Chile, a civil defense official on the US island said on Saturday.

It sounded civil defense sirens across the island state at 6am local time (1600 GMT) after the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami was generated that could cause damage along the coasts of all the Hawaiian islands.

SANTIAGO: A huge magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early on Saturday, killing at least 147 people, knocking down homes and hospitals, and triggering a tsunami that rolled menacingly across the Pacific.

Buildings caught fire, major highway bridges collapsed and wide cracks opened up in streets. A 15-storey building collapsed in the city of Concepcion, near the epicenter, and overturned cars lay scattered below a fallen overpass in the capital.

DUBAI: Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko overcame an early fright to beat France's Florent Serra 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-1 this morning in an error-strewn first-round battle at the Dubai Championships.

Sixth seed Marin Cilic had an easier time, thriving in the sweltering conditions to power past Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-2, 6-4. Fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had just won the first set 7-6 when his opponent, fellow Frenchman and last week's Marseille Open winner Michael Llodra, pulled out with a hamstring injury.

DUBAI: Venus Williams retained her Dubai Championships crown by defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3, 7-5 in yesterday's final.

DUBAI: Israel's Shahar Peer is comfortable with the tight security surrounding her at the Dubai Championships and confident about her chances against top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the third round, she said this morning.

Shahar has been isolated from the other players for security reasons. Asked if it felt odd, she said: "No, I've got used to it ... it's pretty nice.

MALLORCA (Spain): Rafa Nadal has shaken off the knee injury that forced him to abandon his Australian Open title defence last month and is confident of making a successful tour return at Indian Wells in March.

The world No 3, who practised on an indoor court near his home in Mallorca this morning, said the tendon had healed in his right knee and he was working to get back to the same level of fitness he reached at the start of the year.

MADRID: Sevilla lost 1-0 away to Getafe but hung on to qualify for the Copa del Rey final 2-1 on aggregate this morning, thanks to the heroics of their goalkeeper Andres Palop.

The 36-year-old Sevilla captain held his side together and was only beaten once as Getafe completely dominated at the Coliseum.

"That's what we're there for, to make saves. I was only doing my job," Palop said. "In all honesty we suffered too much. I don't like that. I prefer to enjoy games more. Getafe played a great tie and they have to be congratulated, but we're the ones in the final."

SINGAPORE Telecommunications, Southeast Asia's biggest telecom firm, today reported an 18 per cent rise in quarterly underlying net profit driven by strong growth in mobile operations, but missed forecasts.

The company, 54 per cent owned by Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings, said it maintained its outlook
for low single digit growth in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for its core markets Singapore and Australia.

PACIFIC PALISADES (California): Steve Stricker won the Northern Trust Open this morning by two strokes after shooting a final round 70 to finish with a 16-under total of 268.

It was Stricker's eighth tour victory and his fifth since 2007. Briton Luke Donald, who shot a 66, finished second while Dustin Johnson tied with J.B. Holmes for third, three strokes further back.

Stricker had to return to the course early this morning to finish his third round which had been suspended due to bad light. He had a five-stroke lead with four holes remaining and extended it to six.

MAKHACHKALA (Russia): The police chief of the southern Russian city of Makhachkala was shot dead in his car on Friday, one of 16 people killed in a string of attacks in the mainly Muslim North Caucasus.

At least six insurgents and five Russian troops were killed in gun battles in the mountains of Chechnya, while five people were killed in attacks in Makhachkala, capital of neighbouring Dagestan, officials said.

Near-daily attacks in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan, mostly targeting law enforcement and government officials, have alarmed the Kremlin in recent months.

VALENCIA: Fernando Alonso delighted his legions of Spanish Formula 1 fans this morning with the quickest time in testing on an emotional debut for Ferrari.

The double world champion, who was cheered on by an astonishing 36,000-strong weekday crowd at Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit, played down suggestions of being the early favourite in the title race, however.

"No, I don't think so. It's just the first day," the former Renault driver said.

PACIFIC PALISADES (California): Padraig Harrington has called for an urgent resolution to the simmering debate over the legality of square grooves on the PGA Tour.

While the three-time Major winner was uncertain of the best way forward for the US circuit, Harrington said he would keep his own options open on whether to use the controversial 20-year-old Ping wedge.

"It has to be black and white, it really does," the 38-yearold Irishman told reporters while preparing for this week's Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.

VALENCIA: Tung Ho-pin broke new ground with Renault this morning when be became the first Chinese driver to be named in a Formula 1 team line-up. The Dutch-born 27-year-old, already the first Chinese national to drive a Grand Prix car, will be Renault's official third (reserve) driver this season. Tung will also be racing in the GP2 support series with the DAMS team in Renault colours.

"This step will be the breakthrough I think in terms of media attention, of interest," he said at the launch of the new Renault F1 car.