July 7

Crowds blocked roads with burning cars

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At least 19 people have been killed in riots in Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos, following the death of the opposition leader.

Thousands have taken to the streets after hearing about the sudden death of the popular politician, Chief Moshood Abiola, at 1400 GMT.

Mobs of young men ran through Lagos - a major centre of support for Chief Abiola - shouting and smashing and burning cars.

For many Nigerians he represented democracy and freedom and he was expected to return to power after the death last month of the military dictator General Sani Abacha.

Chief Abiola has been in custody since 1994, a year after the military regime - led by General Abacha - annulled the democratic election that looked likely to return him as president.

The 60-year-old collapsed in front of a delegation from Washington which was there to help secure his release.

Officially Chief Abiola, like General Abacha, died from a heart attack but his relatives and others have alleged that he was murdered by the military.

President Clinton has tried to allay these fears by making a statement about the Chief's death which was witnessed by US envoys.

Hundreds have swarmed the gates of Chief Abiola's house to express their grief and find out how he died.

The regime has agreed to carry out an internationally monitored post-mortem with the permission of Chief Abiola's family.

Nigeria's interim leader General Abdusalam Abubaker is expected to speak on television to offer a schedule for elections and reforms.

The unrest in Lagos reflects the dissatisfaction with military rule and the traditional ethnic tensions between the northern, Hausa speaking people - who lead the military - and southern Yoruba area, where Chief Abiola came from.

Boris Becker is the youngest man ever to raise the Wimbledon trophy

Boris Becker, a 17-year-old unseeded outsider before the tournament began, raised the coveted silver trophy above his head torapturousapplause on centre court.

Becker is also the first German ever to win the title, and the first unseeded player.

He had dominated the match from the start, taking just three hours and 18 minutes to overpower eighth-seeded Kevin Curren, a South-African-born American.

The match was a dramatic clash in the brilliant sunshine, made more spectacular by Becker's flamboyant style.

His massive serve sent balls scorching across the net. He scored 21 aces to Curren's 19.

Becker also has a habit of flinging himself around the court, diving headlong for volleys and baseline shots.

For half a set he played with his shirt caked in dirt after one particularly spectacular fall.

The final result was 6-3,6-7,7-6,6-4.

"This is going to change tennis in Germany," he said after the match. "I am the first Wimbledon winner and now they have an idol."

After his defeat, Kevin Curren said he thought the game would see an increase in the number of successful young players, and predicted they would have more intense, but shorter, careers.

There was some speculation that Curren had been unnerved by Becker's openly aggressive style.

The young player sent a hostile stare to his opponent before and after points, and in the final caught Curren's shoulder as they passed when changing ends.

But Becker defended his tactics, saying "I'm going on court to win, to fight, to do what I can."

Becker has had a brief but brilliant career. He began playing tennis aged eight, and by 12 years old was concentrating almost wholly on the game.

He won the West German junior championship aged 15 and was runner-up in the US junior championship.

Last January he took the Young Masters tournament in Birmingham, and won his first Grand Prix tournament at Queen's just three weeks ago.

He has won 28 of his 39 matches this year, and is expected to lead West Germany in the Davis Cup against the United States next month.

rapturous :filled with great joy or rapture;ecstatic（欢天喜地的；兴高采烈的）