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Ronaldo: Team Trophy with Portugal is Main Aim

Cristiano Ronaldo said he would like to win the world player of year prize but he places more importance on helping Portugal win its first international trophy.

He added in an interview posted on the Portuguese Football Federation website on Wednesday, "Careers are made by trophies that are won collectively, not individually.

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Barcelona Cancels Meetings as Vilanova Reported Ill

Barcelona canceled meetings with the club president and journalists on Wednesday amid reports that coach Tito Vilanova is ill.

The club said on its website "it has suspended a meeting with President Sandro Rosell scheduled for this afternoon" and "canceled Christmas lunch with the media."

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S. Korea Elects First Woman President

South Korea appeared to have elected its first female president Wednesday as national TV predicted a clear victory for conservative Park Geun-Hye, daughter of the country's former dictator.

More than three hours after polling stations closed, the KBS, SBS and MBC national broadcasters all declared Park "certain" to secure an historic win over her liberal rival Moon Jae-In.

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Syrian Troops Battle Rebels in Damascus Suburbs

Syrian government forces are carrying out a broad offensive against rebels in the suburbs of Damascus, the state media said Wednesday.

The state-run SANA news agency said that troops have killed "scores of terrorists" — the government term for the rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad.

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Anti-Whaling group told to keep away from ships

A U.S. appeals court ordered American anti-whaling activists to keep 500 yards (457 meters) away from Japanese whaling ships off Antarctica.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction against the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which sends vessels every December to disrupt whale killings by Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research.

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Cassadee Pope Wins Season 3 of 'The Voice'

Cassadee Pope, who was country singer Blake Shelton's protege on the third season of NBC's "The Voice," has won the show's competition.

The 23-year-old singer is stepping out into a solo career after performing with a band called Hey Monday. Her victory over Scottish native Terry McDermott and long-bearded Nicholas David was announced at the end of a two-hour show Tuesday.

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Serena Has Surgery on her Big Toes

Serena Williams has undergone surgery on her big toes and withdrawn from an exhibition match against top-ranked Victoria Azarenka in Thailand this month.

A medical certificate from Florida podiatrist Jeffrey Rockefeller says Williams "was treated for a chronic foot disorder which involved minor procedures on both of her great toes."

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Spain Tops FIFA Rankings, Brazil Sinks to No. 18

World Cup and European champion Spain has completed a full year atop the FIFA rankings, and Brazil has plummeted to No. 18.

The 2014 World Cup host has dropped while playing only non-competitive matches, and failed to win last month.

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Spurs Beaten again, Nuggets Win 112-106

San Antonio's worrying form dip continued with a 112-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday in which the Spurs threatened a comeback from a big deficit yet could not sink the vital shots in the final seconds.

San Antonio suffered its fourth loss in five games and dropped to second in the Southwest Division behind idle Memphis. Other leading teams had wins on Tuesday, with Miami, Atlanta, Chicago and Golden State among the victors.

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Bayern Marches on, Schalke out of German Cup

Bayern Munich overcame a red card for Franck Ribery to reach the quarterfinals of the German Cup with a 2-0 win at Augsburg on Tuesday.

Ribery set up Mario Gomez for Bayern's opening goal in the 26th minute of the third round match, when the Frenchman got his cross in despite the attention of three defenders.

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