(CNN) -- Fernando Alonso savored the sweet taste of victory in front of his home fans after kickstarting his Formula One title bid with a commanding victory in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.

The two-time world champion won by more than nine seconds from Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen after starting from fifth on the grid, as he reduced his deficit behind overall leader Sebastian Vettel to 17 points.

"It's very special winning at home, it doesn't matter how many times you do, it's always like starting from zero," said the 31-year-old, whose only other victory at the Circuit de Catalunya was back in 2006 in the same season he won his second world title with Renault.

"It was fantastically emotional and the fans really helped because you feel the support from everyone.

"The last laps are very long because you want the race to finish as soon as possible, but I'm very happy for the team."

F1 interactive: Latest results and standings

It was a good day for Ferrari, as Felipe Massa bounced back from the three-place grid penalty that dropped him to ninth at the start, with the Brazilian claiming third on the podium ahead of Vettel and the German's Red Bull teammate Mark Webber.

"I was a little disappointed after qualifying yesterday, but the race was very good for us and we were very aggressive," Massa said.

"We struggled a bit on the tires to survive in a good way -- and the race was very good for us."

Alonso, who made a flying start, had four pit stops as opposed to the three of Raikkonen due to an early puncture but was able to take the checkered flag for the 32nd time in his career to move above Lewis Hamilton into third place overall. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who won the Spanish Grand Prix?
2. When?
3. What place did he start in?
4. How much did he win by?
5. Who was the leader overall?
6. How far behind him is Alonso?
7. How many times has he been a World Champion?
8. What title is he trying to get?
9. Where was he when he won?
10. How old is he?
11. How do the fans help?
12. When did he win at his home track previously?
13. What is the name of the track?
14. What else happened that season?
15. With who?
16. How many pit stops did he have?
17. What about Raikkonen?
18. Why?
19. How many times did he win?
20. What place did that put him in?
Answer: 1. Fernando Alonso
2. Sunday
3. fifth
4. more the nine seconds
5. Sebastian Vettel
6. 17 points
7. two
8. Formula One
9. home
10. 31
11. he could feel support
12. 2006
13. Circuit de Catalunya
14. he won his second world title
15. Renault
16. four
17. three
18. a puncture
19. 32
20. third

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The guard who killed the half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, had for years worked with International Security Assistance Forces against Taliban militants, according to three local officials with direct knowledge of the dealings.

Sardar Mohammed, who authorities say shot and killed Kandahar's provincial council chief Ahmed Wali Karzai, received training from ISAF and participated in intelligence gathering against militants across the region, according to Besmellah Afghanmal, a provincial council member with close ties to the Karzai family.

He "was one of the trusted commanders for the Karzais," Afghanmal told CNN. "Sardar Mohammad was working with American Special Forces closely and he was participating in many operations with American Special forces against the Taliban in (the) south."

Others, like provincial parliament member Hashim Watanwal, say Mohammad had worked with both U.S. and Canadian forces in Kandahar -- an ethnically Pashtun dominated region long-considered the Taliban heartland.

Baz Mohammed, a Kandahar tribal elder with close connections to the Karzai clan, said the guard was "a trustworthy person" who collaborated regularly with ISAF in Kandahar.

An ISAF spokeswoman declined to comment on the claims.

Though suspected of corruption and opium dealing, Wali Karzai was considered a major power-broker in Afghanistan's restive south and a bulwark for his brother against the Taliban militancy.

His death Tuesday sent shock-waves across Afghanistan's political landscape, and prompted President Karzai to weep as mourners gathered for his half-brother's burial the following day.

Saidkhan Khakrezwal, a member of the Kandahar provincial council, said he and others were with Wali Karzai when the guard came into the room and asked to talk to him. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. who was killed?
2. Who was killed?
3. what was his name?
4. who killed him?
5. how was he murdered?
6. Did he know the vicitim?
7. Was the killer a known terrorist?
8. was anyone with Karzai when he was shot?
9. How did Hamid Karzai react to his half brother's death?
10. Did the murderer work with U.S. forces in the past?
Answer: 1. President Hamid Karzai
2. the half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai
3. Wali Karzai
4. Sardar Mohammed
5. he was shot
6. No
7. No
8. No
9. He wept
10. Yes

(CNN) -- Around the world, media reaction to the Democrats' victory has poured in, as newspapers and broadcasters reflect on the Barack Obama campaign and the global impact his win will have.

A woman picks up a copy of a newspaper in Sydney, Australia

The International Herald Tribune said that America had "leaped" across the color line, calling Obama "a 47-year-old black man who made history both because of his race and in spite of it."

The Times of London said Obama had revitalized U.S. politics. "The immense turnout in yesterday's election was testament to the energy, excitement and expectations of a rejuvenated American democracy, as well as the fears of a nation standing at a crossroads of history," the paper said.

It added that Obama's inheritance would be challenging. "The new president faces economic and social convulsions at home, conflict abroad."

Also in London, The Guardian focused on the historic nature of the Democrats' win, saying: "Victory in the end came as easily as the polls had predicted," and comparing Obama's achievement with Roosevelt's of 1932 and Reagan's of 1980.

In Germany, Der Spiegel's Gregor Peter Schmitz, writing from Chicago, called Obama's rise "astonishing," adding that his "curious ability to remain untouched by all the razzmatazz around him is likely to prove a source of strength."

Al Jazeera said Obama had "surfed to power on a wave of voter discontent generated by the failures of President George Bush and the Republican Party" and added that he faces "unique challenges." It continued that he must "act quickly" to restore confidence in the economy and with his country "sick of war" is "unlikely to make any additional major overseas military commitments." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. The world is reacting to what event?
2. What did the International Herald Tribune say America had done?
3. What did they say Obama had made?
4. Why?
5. What did The Times say he had done for U.S. politics?
6. How did they characterize the election turnout?
7. What did they say it was a testimonial to?
8. And what else?
9. Did they think Obama's inheritance would be easy?
10. What do they believe he has to face in the U.S.?
11. And internationally?
12. What did The Guardian emphasize?
13. Did they call it a hard-won triumph?
14. What prior victorious Democrat did they compare Obama's win to?
15. And which Republican's?
16. What year did the first of those triumphs take place?
17. And the latter one?
18. How did Der Spiegel describe Obama's ascension?
19. What did Al Jazeera describe as the cause of his success?
20. Caused by what?
Answer:
1. The Democrats' victory.
2. "Leaped" across the color line.
3. History.
4. Both because of his race and in spite of it.
5. Revitalized them.
6. Immense.
7. The energy, excitement and expectations of a rejuvenated American democracy.
8. The fears of a nation standing at a crossroads of history.
9. No.
10. Economic and social convulsions.
11. Conflict.
12. The historic nature of the Democrats' win.
13. No.
14. Roosevelt's.
15. Reagan's.
16. 1932.
17. 1980.
18. Astonishing.
19. A wave of voter discontent.
20. The failures of President George Bush and the Republican Party.