Joe Johnson scored 18 points, and Andray Blatche had 17 points and 13 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets beat the Boston Celtics 95-83 on Wednesday after Rajon Rondo was ejected for fighting.

The Celtics point guard was ejected after he shoved Kris Humphries to retaliate for the Nets forward's hard foul against Kevin Garnett. Humphries and Brooklyn forward Gerald Wallace were also sent off the court for their roles in the second-quarter skirmish.

Robin van Persie's first-minute strike earned Manchester United a nervy 1-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday, keeping the team top of the Premier League by a point ahead of archrival Manchester City.

The Netherlands striker grabbed his ninth league goal when his shot deflected off James Collins and over the head of goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen after just 32 seconds, making it the quickest goal in the league this campaign.

Two goals by David Villa on Wednesday eased Barcelona into the fifth round of the Copa del Rey with a 3-1 home win against Alaves to advance 4-1 on aggregate.

Alaves silenced the Camp Nou ahead of celebrations to mark its 113th birthday later this month by taking the lead when Borja Viguera headed Miquel "Miki" Martinez's long-range cross into the net in the 17th minute.

Chelsea was held to a second straight 0-0 draw under interim manager Rafa Benitez as Fulham claimed a deserved point at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, dropping the hosts further off the pace in the Premier League.

Benitez was hoping a victory against Chelsea's west London neighbor would kick start the process of winning over fans unhappy about his controversial hiring last week, following the firing of Roberto Di Matteo.

Gareth Bale was involved in all three goals Wednesday as Tottenham beat Liverpool 2-1 to end the visitors' eight-match Premier League unbeaten run.

The Spurs winger eluded several defenders after collecting the ball in his own half before crossing inside the box for Aaron Lennon to tap in at the far post in the seventh minute at White Hart Lane.

Security forces cracked down on protesters occupying a copper mine early Thursday, using water cannons and other devices to break up the rally hours before opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was expected to hear their grievances.

Unexplained fires engulfed the protest camps at the Letpadaung mine in northwestern Myanmar and dozens of Buddhist monks and villagers were injured, according to several protesters. Those who fled the site emerged with burns and charred clothing on their bodies.

Katy Perry is adding some new scents to her perfume line.

The singer and songwriter will develop a line of signature scents with beauty company Coty Inc., according to an announcement Wednesday. Coty will distribute them on a larger scale than the Purr and Meow! perfumes that Perry previously crafted.

A new exhibition celebrating the life and work of legendary fashion designer Valentino is opening in London.

The exhibition at Somerset House showcases over 130 handmade Valentino designs worn by the world's most glamorous women over the past 50 years, from Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly and Jackie Onassis to Gwyneth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Two dozen Tibetans have set themselves on fire in western China this month in a dramatic acceleration of the protests against authoritarian Chinese rule, activist groups say.

The surge in self-immolations, along with an increase in large demonstrations, mark a new phase in the Tibetan protests.

Rare letters written by Vincent van Gogh, John Lennon and other iconic figures are being offered at an upcoming auction of more than 300 historical documents in New York City.

The property of an anonymous U.S. collector is being offered by Profiles in History in an online and phone auction Dec. 18.