Gunmen fire on police in Belfast as flag dispute continues

Man to face charges of attempted murder after shots were fired at officers during disturbances following loyalist rally

Riots have broken out in Belfast after police came under gun attack for the first time in the continuing violent loyalist flag dispute.

A taxi was hijacked and there are reports that a bus was set on fire just hours after shots were fired at police lines along the Newtownards Road in the east of the city, following a loyalist rally.

Police confirmed they were investigating reports of gunshots directed at officers.

A spokesman said two men had been arrested, including a 38-year-old who will face charges of attempted murder.

Murray into third round at Brisbane

• US Open champion taken to three sets by world No199
• Watson a doubt for Australian Open with elbow problem

Andy Murray narrowly avoided the wrath of his coach, Ivan Lendl, after labouring to a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 win over the Australian qualifier John Millman in his opening match at the Brisbane International.

The US Open champion ran hot but mostly cold against the world No199 in a match of wildly fluctuating tennis that lasted two hours and four minutes at the Pat Rafter Arena.

Murray revealed that the former world No1 Lendl, who was due to arrive in Brisbane on Friday, had not even considered the possibility of the Scot losing to Millman. Before the second-round match, Lendl had sent a text message to the 25-year-old's hitting partner Danny Vallverdu asking what time Murray's quarter-final against Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin would be on Friday.

ESPN's Hannah Storm returns 3 weeks after accident

NEW YORK (AP) -- ESPN anchor Hannah Storm returns to the air New Year's Day, exactly three weeks after she was seriously burned in a propane gas grill accident at her home.

Storm suffered second-degree burns on her chest and hands, and first-degree burns to her face and neck. She lost her eyebrows and eyelashes, and roughly half her hair.

Storm will host ABC's telecast of the 2013 Rose Parade on Tuesday. Her left hand will be bandaged and she said viewers might notice a difference in her hair texture where extensions have been added.

"I'm a little nervous about things I used to take for granted," she said by phone this weekend from Pasadena, Calif. "Little things like putting on makeup and even turning pages on my script."

The award-winning sportscaster and producer was preparing dinner outside her home in Connecticut on the night of Dec. 11 when she noticed the flame on the grill had gone out. She turned off the gas and when she reignited it "there was an explosion and a wall of fire came at me."

60 Killed in Ivory Coast Stampede

Officials in Ivory Coast say at least 60 people were crushed to death during a stampede at a New Year's celebration in Abidjan.

Rescue workers say about 50 others were injured in the incident early Tuesday near a stadium in the Plateau district, where hundreds of thousands of people had gathered to watch fireworks.

Most of those killed were children and teenagers. The government says it is investigating what caused the stampede. President Alassane Ouattara calls it a national tragedy.

Ivorian journalist Landry Kohon said that two large waves of people, moving in opposite directions, bumped into each other on a narrow street.

Hornets extend Bobcats' skid to 18 games

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Eric Gordon made his return to the lineup Saturday night. And for the better part of 24 minutes, he looked as if he'd never been away.

Gordon had 24 points and seven assists, helping the New Orleans Hornets overcome a 21-point first-half deficit and extend the Charlotte Bobcats' losing streak to 18 games with a 98-95 victory Saturday night.

The Bobcats are one game away from a winless December. They haven't won since Nov. 24 and are closing in on their franchise-record 23-game losing streak to close the 2011-12 season.

Gordon, who hadn't played since April 22 following arthroscopic right knee surgery, was 5 of 13 from the field and 12 of 14 from the free throw line. He had two steals and two turnovers.

"I felt pretty good, I was kind of surprised," Gordon said. "Now I'm just going to try to get better and better from here. I wouldn't have had a chance to help this team earlier with my knee, but I'm glad everything is working out now."