Beirut - Two people suspected of spying for Israel have been arrested in Lebanon, the Lebanese army said Saturday.

"The (Army) Directorate of Intelligence, after a series of investigations in the Bekaa region (eastern Lebanon) detained two people belonging to a network of espionage and terrorism linked to the Israeli enemy," an army statement said.

"They admitted gathering information on political party offices and monitoring the movements of party figures for this enemy," it added.

Paris - James Blake said that injures which forced Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to quit the Paris Masters "couldn't be a clearer signal that the year is too long."

The American, who lost 6-4, 6-3 in Saturday's Bercy semi-final against Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga, will miss a trip to the season-ending masters Cup in Shanghai for the second straight year after playing the 2006 final against Federer.

Federer withdrew prior to a Friday quarter-final with back pain while Nadal quit with knee problems after losing the first set against Nikolay Davydenko the same day.

Moscow - The presidents of France and Russia telephoned Saturday in preparation for the resumption of talks about closer ties between Russia and the European Union, the Interfax news agency reported Saturday.

The EU suspended those talks on a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement after Russia's war with Georgia this summer.

But officials from France, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, have given signs that the talks are set to resume and that a timetable for further talks could be laid out at a November 14 meeting in Nice.

Paris - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga eliminated James Blake from the race to the year-end championships while insuring a spot for Argentine Juan Del Potro with a Saturday victory into the final of the Paris Masters.

Australian Open finalist Tsonga became the first Frenchman since Sebastien Grosjean, the 2001 winner, to figure in a final at the Bercy arena as he defeated Blake 6-4, 6-3.

The result sends Tsonga into a Sunday title match against Argentine defending champion David Nalbandian, who advanced over Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours.

Sao Paulo - Ferrari's Felipe Massa took pole position for for Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit in qualifying Saturday while championship leader Lewis Hamilton starts from fourth on the grid.

Massa registered a time of 1 minute 12.368 seconds for the 4.309- kilometre circuit to claim a third pole in succession at his home GP while Toyota's Jarno Trulli caused a major surprise by taking the second spot on the front row in 1:12.737 minutes.

London - Nicolas Anelka netted a hat-trick as Chelsea crushed Sunderland 5-0 on Saturday to go top of the English Premier League table on goal difference.

Alex and Frank Lampard scored the other goals to lift Chelsea alongside Liverpool on 26 points, but with a better goal difference. Liverpool can regain the lead if they avoid defeat in the day's late match at Tottenham Hotspur.

Champions Manchester United edged out high-flying Hull City 4-3 to go third above Arsenal, who were stunned 2-1 at lowly Stoke City.