Monday 28 July 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Six Palestinians die in Israeli strike at refugee camp: medics

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GAZA CITY (AFP) - Six Palestinians were killed by Israeli artillery fire at the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip Tuesday, medics said.The six include three children and two women. Another 15 people were wounded, emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.Meanwhile, bloodshed in and around Gaza surged Monday with a strike killing eight Palestinian children and a mortar shell leaving dead four in Israel, shattering hopes for an end to three weeks of devastating violence.It was a bloody start to the three-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr which began on Monday, with international demands for an end to the fighting falling on increasingly deaf ears.In the name of humanity, the violence must stop, pleaded UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after holding long talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to stop the violence and heed international calls for a ceasefire.But Netanyahu appeared determined to press the offensive.We must be prepared for a lengthy campaign, he said in a live broadcast after a mortar attack killed four people in southern Israel, and troops fought a gun battle with Palestinian militants who sneaked across the border.We will not end this operation without neutralising the tunnels whose sole purpose is killing our citizens.As he spoke, the military sent messages to thousands of Palestinians in Shejaiya, Zeitun, Jabaliya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanun, urging them to flee their homes and seek shelter in central Gaza City as troops prepared to step up their 21-day campaign.Shortly afterwards, the cloudy skies over Gaza lit up with flashes as the army began an intensive wave of air strikes and heavy shelling across the strip, AFP correspondents said.Medics said 10 people were killed in the first wave of strikes, among them three children who died with two adults when a shell hit a house in the northern town of Jabaliya, emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.Another five died in a strike on Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, taking to at least 29 the number of killed on Monday, and 1,067 in the 21 days of violence.

Huge oil depot blaze puts Tripoli under threat

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TRIPOLI (AFP) - Firefighters on Monday failed to extinguish a blaze at an oil depot on the outskirts of Tripoli, sparking fears of a huge fireball that could cause carnage over a wide area.The authorities rushed to evacuate people from their homes in the area along the road to the airport, where rival militias have been fighting each other for the past two weeks.The depot, about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Libyan capital, caught fire on Sunday when it was hit by rockets fired by the combattants, who are jostling for control of the airport.Containing six million litres of fuel, the plant was burning steadily and the authorities feared the blaze could spread to a natural gas reservoir in the same plant, run by state-owned National Oil Corp, where 90 million litres are stored.There is a risk of a massive explosion which could cause damage over a radius of three to five kilometres, spokesman Mohamed al-Hrari said.Firefighters have been trying for hours to put out the blaze but to no avail. Their water reserves finally ran out and they've had to leave.He said the only option left was intervention by air, as the government said several countries had offered to send fire-fighting aircraft in response to an appeal for international aid.Fighting in the area has claimed the lives of 97 people and left more than 400 injured, according to the latest figures released by the health ministry.On Monday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, a huge pall of black smoke hung over the plant and explosions could be heard at regular intervals.An AFP photographer said projectiles had fallen close to the plant.While the oil burns, in Tripoli itself motorists are suffering a severe petrol shortage, as service stations have closed over fears for the safety of staff in the light of the fighting.As the lawlessness spreads, several countries, including Britain, France, Germany and Egypt have all warned their citizens not to travel to Libya, while the United States evacuated its embassy over the weekend.Other countries, among them the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Tuurkey have advised their nationals to leave the country immediately.Italy and Malta have sent aircraft in the past few days to the Miitiga military airport to airlift their nationsls out of Libya.The exodus of foreign workers will further hit the strife-torn country, while the health ministry warned of a shortage of medical staff after the Philippines announced it was withdrawing its citizens, including 3,000 doctors and other healthcare workers.

6 children among 15 dead in Aleppo bombing: Syria monitor

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Six children were among at least 15 civilians killed in overnight bomb attacks by government and rebel forces in the divided city of Aleppo, a monitoring group said Monday.At least nine civilians, three of them children, were killed in barrel bombs (dropped by regime aircraft) in Shaar, an eastern district, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.The Britain-based group, which relies on an extensive network of medical, military and activist sources on the ground, warned the death toll could rise because of the large number of people of seriously wounded. Six more civilians, including three children and a woman, were killed in mortar shelling by rebels of the government-held district of Jabiriyeh, the Observatory said.The northern metropolis of Aleppo, once Syria's commercial capital, has been divided since 2012 into western sectors held by the government and rebel-held areas.Hundreds of people have died in near-daily regime air raids, many with the use of crude and inaccurate barrel bombs, despite repeated condemnation by the international community.The latest bloodshed came at the start of the Eid al-Fitr feast which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.In Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad received a warm welcome from the congregation as he joined Eid prayers Monday at a mosque in Muhajarin, although the Observatory said the area was struck in the morning by rebel shellfire.

President, PM dedicate Eid to Pak Army jawans, NWA IDPs

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ISLAMABAD (Online) - President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have dedicated this Eid-ul-Fitr to all the Pak Army soldiers fighting to rid North Waziristan Agency (NWA) of terrorists, and the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of NWA, who had to leave their homes because of Operation Zarb-e-Azb.In their messages, the President and the PM wished Eid greetings to the Muslim Ummah and in particular the Pakistani nation.“On the auspicious occasion of Eid, we thank Almighty Allah and pay rich tributes to all those martyrs, who have laid down their lives for the defence and security of their country.”They said that Eid is a day of jubilation, but pointed out that “our joy will remain incomplete till the women, children and elderly uprooted from Waziristan, are fully and safely rehabilitated”.The President said that Eid is a day of gratitude after the successful completion of a month of fasting in compliance with Allah’s commandment.The PM said that the month of Ramazan gives a lesson of patience and tolerance and urged that the one-month long training be utilised in our daily lives.The PM said that we must also try to share the joy of Eid with relatives, neighbours and the poor, and demonstrate high moral values, so that Pakistan reflects a picture of a real civilised society,”“I pray for peace, progress and prosperity of every citizen of Pakistan and its every city, Ameen.”

Lower Dir: 6 killed in firing at MPA Bakht Baidar house

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LOWER DIR (Dunya News) – Some unidentified persons opened fire at the residence of Qaumi Wattan Party MPA, Bakht Baidar, in Chaqdara area of Lower Dir on early Tuesday morning, killing at least six people.Those who were killed in the firing incident included Bakht Baidar’s brother Ishaq, two police officials and three guests.MPA Bakht Baidar was not present at his house at the time of attack. Large contingent of law enforcement agencies reached the spot and cordoned off the area. The dead bodies were shifted to a nearby hospital.

CGames: Matthew, David retain squash titles

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GLASGOW (AFP) - Nick Matthew lead an English sweep in the men's squash at the Commonwealth Games on Monday as Nicol David joined Malaysia's gold medal run by winning the women's event.Matthew became the first squash player to win the men's title in successive Commonwealth Games by beating compatriot James Willstrop 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5 at Scotstoun Sports Campus.It's down to my physio, she deserves the medal. I've been a physio's nightmare in the last five weeks. And it's just incredible to be here, said Matthew, who underwent knee surgery in June.England won all three medals in the men's singles after Peter Barker beat India's Saurav Ghosal earlier on Monday.David crushed English world champion Laura Massaro 12-10, 11-2, 11-5 in a one-sided women's final which lasted just 44 minutes to retain her title.It is a great win -- probably even more special being the Commonwealth Games gold medal, said world number one David.To actually win it for the second time round is such an amazing feat. It's such a high being at the Commonwealth Games. It's the pinnacle of any squash multi-sport games to be winning this gold.Malaysia later secured a third successive Commonwealth Games gold medal in the mixed teams badminton with a 3-1 win over England in Glasgow.In weightlifting, Marie Fegue won the women's 69kg weightlifting category to hand Cameroon its first Commonwealth Games gold medal since 2002.A hard year of work has paid off by winning the gold. That was my only goal, said Fegue, after totalling 234kg from a 102kg snatch and 132kg in the clean and jerk.Nigerian Itohan Ebireguesele claimed silver with 222kg (100122) to go one better than her bronze four years ago as Canada's Marie-Josee Ares-Pilon won bronze with a total of 214kg (99115).In bowls, South Africa defeated Northern Ireland 19-10 to take the men's triples gold and Scotland's Alex Marshall and Paul Foster were too good for Malaysia in the men's pairs final winning 20-3.It was a 12th gold medal for the hosts, topping Scotland's previous record tally of 11 won at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.India won a seventh gold medal of the games through Jitu Rai in the men's 50m pistol at Carnoustie on Scotland's east coast, while England's Dan Greaves topped the para-sport discus competition at Hampden Park.Star turn on the first full day of action in the famed football arena was Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada as he progressed smoothly to the semi-finals of the men's 400m, winning his heat in 45.52 seconds.But the top performance of the morning session belonged to Canadian decathlete Damian Warner, who produced a blistering 10.29sec in the opening 100m of the two-day 10-discipline event.The Games record and personal best gave Warner, the reigning world bronze medallist, a massive 1,025pts to kick off his campaign.The evening session at Hampden Park sees the semi-finals and finals in both the men and women's 100m.Over in the pool Australia's Cameron McEvoy took first blood in the men's 50m freestyle heats ahead of Aussie rival James Magnussen.McEvoy was beaten to gold in the 100m freestyle on Sunday night, but qualified for Monday evening's semi-finals fastest in a time of 22:04sec.McEvoy already has four medals from the meet in Glasgow as he also took silver in the 200m freestyle and was part of the Aussie team that struck gold in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays.Attention turns to the women's 100m freestyle on Monday night as world champion Cate Campbell of Australia, her sister Bronte, and England's Fran Halsall look set to battle it out for the medals.The Campbells went fastest in Sunday's semi-finals, but Halsall has already claimed two golds in Glasgow in the 50m freestyle and butterfly.In shooting, England's Michael Gault failed in his bid to become the all-time most-decorated Commonwealth Games competitor as he missed out on qualification for the final of the men's 50m pistol won by India's Rai.Gault on Saturday tied the all-time record of 18 with a medal in the 10m air pistol.Olympic champion Nicola Adams of England begins her bid to become one of the first women to win a Commonwealth Games boxing gold medal.Fighting in the flyweight division, the 31-year-old is favourite after she became the first women's Olympic boxing champion at London in 2012.

CGames: Bailey-Cole fills Bolt void, but Okagbare ruins double

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GLASGOW (AFP) - Kemar Bailey-Cole made up for the absence of Jamaican teammate Usain Bolt by winning gold in the men's 100m at the Commonwealth Games on Monday, although there was no Caribbean delight in the women's sprint.Bolt, a six-time Olympic medallist and double sprint world record holder, did not race in his country's national championships which doubled as trials for the Games in Glasgow, and will only compete in the 4x100m relay.Bailey-Cole clocked 10.00sec in a close men's race, England's Adam Gemili claiming silver in 10.10sec, with another Jamaican, Nickel Ashmeade, taking bronze (10.12).But there was no Jamaican joy in the women's 100m as Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare produced a scintillating run to claim gold in a new Games record of 10.85 seconds.For Okagbare, her victory was one step on her path to a Commonwealth treble as she also competes in the 200m and long jump.The 25-year-old Nigerian, who won long jump silver and 200m bronze at the 2013 world championships, got off to a quick start in the women's 100m and maintained her form throughout to clock a Games record of 10.85sec.Jamaican duo Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart took silver and bronze at Hampden Park in 11.03 and 11.07sec respectively.A new season's best and a win, said Okagbare. I'm happy I was able to put on a show. I executed it and stayed patient like my coach said I should and after 70 metres it just felt easyI still have the 200m and the long jump and I'm looking forward to both of those events now.In the field, Canada's Sultana Frizell threw a Games record of 71.97m to comprehensively defend her hammer throw title, Julia Ratcliffe of New Zealand taking silver (69.96) and England Sophie Hitchon bronze (68.72).New Zealand's Jacko Gill failed to translate his amazing youth and junior form into a first senior title in the men's shot put, finishing 11th (18.05m) in a competition won by Jamaican O'Dayne Richards in 21.61m, also a Games record.Gill's teammate Tom Walsh took silver (21.19) and Canada's Tim Nedow bronze (20.59).Canadian Damian Warner predictably took the overnight lead in the decathlon, finishing the first day of action on 4378 points, England's John Lane in second.The reigning world bronze medallist produced a blistering 10.29sec in the opening 100m of the two-day 10-discipline event, earning himself a massive 1,025 pts to kick off his campaign.Warner leapt out to 7.50m in the long jump, managed bests of 14.04m in the shot put and 1.96m in the high jump, before clocking 47.78sec in the 400m.The second day of competition on Tuesday sees the decathletes compete in the 110m hurdles, pole vault, discus, javelin and 1500m.

CGames: Malaysia win third Games gold in badminton

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GLASGOW (AFP) - Malaysia secured a third successive Commonwealth Games gold medal in the mixed teams badminton with a 3-1 win over England in Glasgow on Monday.They trailed after the first rubber with Chris Adcock and Gabrielle Adcock beating Chan Peng Soon and Lai Pei Jing 21-14, 28-26 in the mixed doubles.But Chong Wei Feng pulled them level with a 21-17, 19-21, 21-19 win over Rajiv Ouseph in the mens singles in 71 minutes.After pulling level in the second game, Ouseph led in the third by 11-7 but then lost eight of the next nine points as Chong pulled off a key victory.Tan Wee Kiong and Goh Wei Shem were always in control as they beat English duo Chris Adcock and Andy Ellis 21-19, 21-17 in the mens doubles, which included several controversial line calls.Tee Jing Yi then made short work of a 21-16, 21-17 win over Sarah Walker in the womens singles as Malaysia, without injured mens world number one Lee Chong Wei, took the gold.Malaysia coach Jeremy Gan felt that Chongs win over Ouseph was crucial to the victory and maintains that he always had faith in the team despite the absence of Lee.He said: I always thought we would win a medal but I didnt know what colour. The turning point was the mens singles. I knew that if we won it would give my players confidence and if we didnt it would put us under pressure.Before we came here we lost our top mens singles player but I still believed this team could make it.We had the second best mens player and the best doubles. There are only two players here from Delhi. It is a new team which I think can achieve things.Chong admitted that he felt huge relief when he tied up his win over Ouseph, sinking to his knees when the match was won.He said: I had many thoughts. I knew that it was important to win because Malaysia was trailing and I thought I might lose.I think I showed mental strength and that is important in badminton.Ouseph accepted that his loss changed the momentum of the match but believes there are positives to take forward for the individuals in the English team.He said: When we started the tournament if you had offered us silver we would have taken it but with the way the match was and with my lead in the third set Im disappointed at how I let it go.That probably shifted the momentum back to Malaysia in the whole team match but Im really proud of the rest of the team.It shows that we can push Malaysia. They were missing their top singles player but on our day we can definitely push them so thats something for us to take forward.Singapore won the bronze medal earlier, with a 3-2 victory against India.The mens and womens singles competitions begin on Tuesday, with Chong the favourite to win gold.

Quick, short runs pack health benefits: US study

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Going out for a quick, daily run may be just as effective as a long-distance jaunt when it comes to prolonging your life, said a study out Monday.Running as little as five to 10 minutes per day can significantly cut the risks of getting heart disease and dying young, said the findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.People who exercised by running showed a 30 percent lower risk of death and a 45 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than people who did not run at all.Runners could be expected to live about three years longer on average than non-runners.Even more, the benefits of running were the same whether people ran a little or a lot, fast or slow.There was no statistically significant difference among those who ran 50 minutes per week and those who ran 180 minutes per week, it found.Nor did it matter if the running was happening at a pace of less than six miles per hour (10 kilometers per hour).Even these minimal runners and slow joggers fared far better than people who did not run at all.Since time is one of the strongest barriers to participate in physical activity, the study may motivate more people to start running, said lead author Duck-chul Lee, an assistant professor in the Iowa State University Kinesiology Department.The study was based on more than 55,000 adults -- average age 44 -- in Texas who were followed for 15 years. Most were white; about one quarter of those in the study were women.For the analysis, researchers broke the participants into six groups: non-runners and five groups of runners according to weekly running time, distance, frequency and speed.Even the lowest quintiles of weekly running distance (six miles or less), frequency (one to two times)... and speed (less than six mph) had significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality compared with not running, the study said.Similar trends were observed with the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.Studies have shown that globally, between 40 percent and 80 percent of the public does not exercise enough.US health authorities recommend 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise, or 150 minutes (a half hour a day, five days a week) of moderate-intensity exercise.Although such low compliance with physical activity guidelines could be due to unawareness of the strong benefits of exercise, it is also possible that the standard is perceived as being too high, which could deter many people from even trying, said an accompanying editorial. Instead, establishing goals that can be attained with minimal effort becomes important.Researchers also found that when comparing running to walking, a five-minute run brought the same health benefits as a 15-minute walk.A previous study in The Lancet in 2011 showed that brisk walking for 15 minutes a day -- half the recommended time amount -- could also add three years to a person's life.

Oil falls despite trouble in Libya and other hotspots

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices dropped Monday in spite of worsening violence in Libya and ongoing trouble in other petroleum hotspots as traders focused on the lofty state of oil supplies.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for September delivery declined 42 cents to $101.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.European benchmark Brent oil for September delivery fell 82 cents to $107.57 a barrel in London. We have ample supplies of oil, said Gene McGillian, broker and analyst at Tradition Energy, who cited high output from the North Sea and West Africa, among other places. With half the US summer driving season over, fundamentals really haven't tightened as much as people thought, and that's starting to weigh the market down, he added.Monday's decline in oil prices came despite a growing fire at an oil depot on the outskirts of Tripoli that the Libyan government warned could become a disaster with unforeseeable consequences.The blaze erupted when a rocket struck a tank containing more than six million liters (1.6 million gallons) of fuel. Firefighters have fled the scene because of clashes between rival militias. The uptick in violence in Libya calls an expected recovery in oil production into question from the North African country, said Timothy Evans, analyst at Citi Futures.Traders are also eyeing ongoing violence in Israel and Ukraine, with the European Union readying new sanctions on Russia over its involvement in Ukraine.Even though it seems the geopolitical hot spots are still kind of simmering, I think the market is reflecting that we really haven't had a supply disruption yet, McGillian said.Still, McGillian said the fighting in key oil-producing areas will start to provide more and more support to the market.

Euro edges up against dollar

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro pushed slightly higher against the dollar Monday after last week's losses in a quiet forex market ahead of Wednesday's Federal Reserve meeting and its possible update of US rate plans.The euro was at $1.3438, up from $1.3430 Friday. The yen and the pound were little-changed against both.The Fed meeting comes amid rising voices for Chair Janet Yellen to signal a less dovish stance on interest rates to quell what some analysts say are overheated asset markets and bubbles in some sectors, including corporate debt.Increasingly, economists say the Fed needs to accelerate its plan to begin lifting interest rates off the near-zero level from late 2015 to early in the year.Richard Fisher, the hawkish head of the Federal Reserve's Dallas branch, said in a newspaper piece on Sunday that the country is experiencing financial excess that is of our own making.He warned that Yellen's plans to use broader economic and financial system supervision to protect against bubbles is not enough and is providing an artificial sense of confidence.But bond markets did not appear to take that warning deeply: Treasury bond yields rose slightly Monday but remained well below the year's highs.

Bell, Ballance pile on runs against India in third Test

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SOUTHAMPTON (AFP) - Ian Bell ended his century drought in style after Gary Ballance made his Test-best score as England piled on the runs against India in the third Test at Southampton on Monday.Bell made 167 and Ballance 156 before Test debutant Jos Buttler rode his luck to make 85 as England captain Alastair Cook declared on 569 for seven.India then saw struggling opener Shikhar Dhawan caught by Cook at first slip off James Anderson for six.However, Murali Vijay (11 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara (four not out) survived until stumps, with India 25 for one at the close on the second day -- a deficit of 544 runs.Bell's hundred was his 21st Test century but his first in 20 innings, with the 32-year-old Warwickshire batsman having last got to three figures at this level when making 113 against Australia in Durham in August last year.His innings also took Bell into the top ten of England's all-time leading Test run-scorers with 7,068 runs in 103 matches. Individual achievements are nice, but the important thing is we do well as a team, Bell told Sky Sports.The more I score the more it will help, added Bell, whose innings meant both of England's senior batsmen had ended a long sequences of modest scores following captain Alastair Cook's 95 on Sunday.England, 1-0 down in the five-match series and without a win in their previous 10 Tests, resumed Monday on 247 for two.Zimbabwe-born left-hander Ballance was 104 not out -- his third hundred in six Tests. Meanwhile Bell, who might have been lbw for a duck to a brilliant delivery from unlucky India debutant Pankaj Singh, was 16 not out.India, without the injured Ishant Sharma -- the seven-wicket hero of their 95-run win in the second Test at Lord's -- continued to struggle for penetration, having lost the toss on an even-paced pitch.Ballance soon surpassed his previous highest Test score of 110, made last time out at Lord's, with three fours in four Bhuvneshwar Kumar balls.And with the sun breaking through to make conditions ideal for batting, Ballance pulled Singh to the boundary to get to 150 in 278 balls with 23 fours.But soon afterwards the 24-year-old was given out, caught behind off the gentle spin of Rohit Sharma, the recalled batsman taking his first Test wicket.Bell, after England lost Joe Root and Moeen Ali cheaply early in the second session, reached his hundred in style by driving left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for six.He then looked up to the skies, with Bell saying afterwards: My Grandad (who died recently) took me to cricket games when I was young and that one is for him.Bell scored 20 runs in four successive Jadeja deliveries, the straight six followed by a cover drive for four before another straight six and a cut four completed the over.Bell eventually holed out off Kumar, having batted for nearly six hours, facing 256 balls with 19 fours and three sixes.Buttler, in for the injured Matt Prior, was fortunate not to start his Test career with a duck after edging Bhuvneshwar Kumar low towards Ajinkya Rahane, who appeared to hold a catch at second slip. However, on-field umpires Marais Erasmus (South Africa) and Rod Tucker (Australia) referred the decision to television umpire Rob Bailey, the former England batsman.As is often the case in these situations, replays clouded the issue and Buttler survived.Buttler was also dropped by Dhawan at slip on 23, while India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed a chance to stump his opposing wicketkeeper when the Lancashire gloveman had made 59.The 23-year-old made India pay with the kind of quickfire innings that has already made him England's wicketkeeper-batsman in limited overs cricket, driving Jadeja for six to take England to 500.Jadeja, one of four India bowlers to concede more than a hundred runs, eventually had his revenge when Buttler played on, the signal for Cook to declare.By then Buttler had scored 85 off just 83 balls with nine fours and three sixes.

South Africa draw Test, jump to number one spot

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COLOMBO (AFP) - A gritty South African tail fought off Sri Lanka's spinners to snatch a nerve-jangling draw in the second Test and seal a historic 1-0 series win on the island.The series victory propelled South Africa to the top of world Test ranking ahead of Australia and also ended their 21-year-old jinx in Sri Lanka where they last won a Test series in 1993.South Africa had won the opening Test in Galle by 153 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-Test rubber.Chasing a target of 369, the visitors were reeling at 148-8 but tailenders Vernon Philander (27 not out) and Imran Tahir (four not out) hung on in the final nine overs to finish on 159-8.It started raining a bit so it took a few overs out, said Hashim Amla, who won his first series as South African captain.It was a tough battle. Lasting 110 overs on that wicket with quality spinners was credit to the guys. When we conceded 400 in the first innings, that was a setback, and then we were 13 for two. But it set it up nicely for the end.For Sri Lanka, it was only their second home series defeat since 2006.The South Africans were booed by the small but noisy crowd at the SSC ground after Tahir indulged in some time wasting tactics towards end of play. Starting the day at 38-1, South Africa added just 121 runs off 94 overs, opting for defensive batting rather than press for a win.To their credit, the Sri Lankan spinners gave it their all but constant rain breaks and sloppy fielding put paid to their efforts.Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath led the pack with 5 wickets from 45 overs while giving away just 40 runs. The stocky 36-year-old was well supported by off-spinner Dilruwan Perera who grabbed 3-60.It's disappointing not to end up on the winning side, said Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews. We did everything right (but) they are a very hard team to beat, whether home or away.South Africa owed much to Amla who occupied the crease for close to three hours despite a troublesome hamstring, making 25 off 159 balls in a remarkable show of resistance. Amla, playing his first series since succeeding Graeme Smith as Test captain, at one stage faced 57 successive dot balls, frustrating the Sri Lankan bowlers no end.He was finally dismissed by Perera who had him caught by Mahela Jayawardene in the fourth over of the final session.Jayawardene then caught Faf du Plessis (10) for his 200th catch at slip to hand Herath his fourth wicket of the innings.Jayawardene, who struck 165 in the first innings, was later named man of the match while Dale Steyn was the man of the series.Jean-Paul Duminy (three) fended off the spinners for 65 balls before being trapped leg before off Perera.Herath had Steyn caught behind with just 20 minutes left for close of play, raising hopes of a Sri Lanka win. The second session saw Herath uproot the off-stump of AB De Villiers (12) after having Quinton de Kock (37) caught by Kithuruwan Vithanage at backward short leg.Opener Dean Elgar was dismissed by Perera in the truncated start-stop first session that saw the visitors add 17 runs off seven overs.Elgar made 13 off 65 balls and shared 43 runs for the second wicket with De Kock.The hosts, who posted 421 in their first essay, had bowled out South Africa for 282 in their first innings to gain a 139-run lead.Sri Lanka declared their second innings on 229-8.

ICC investigating Ali's Gaza wristbands

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SOUTHAMPTON (AFP) - England cricketer Moeen Ali risked disciplinary action after the International Cricket Council (ICC) said they were investigating his decision to wear wristbands in support of Gaza during the third Test match against India on Monday.Ali wore wristbands that read Save Gaza and Free Palestine, while batting during Englands first innings at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.An ICC spokesman told AFP: Were investigating and will report in due course.Meanwhile an England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman told reporters at Southampton that, as far as we are concerned, he has not committed any offence, adding it was up to the ICC to decide what action, if any, Ali should face.The ICC regulations prohibit players from displaying political, religious or racial statements on their clothing and equipment while taking part in international matches.Nevertheless other cricketers expressed their support of Ali on Twitter.Absolutely love this Well done Moeen bro Keep showing your support Pray4Gaza wrote England cricketer Ajmal Shahzad.Good on brother mo prayforGaza wrote Lancashire and former England bowler Kabir Ali.We have always worn wristbands or ribbons when showing support 4an incident or raising awareness,we do it for animal rights too,y not humans, wrote former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Mahmood.The 27-year-old Ali, a practising Muslim of Pakistani descent, was photographed earlier this week helping raise funds for Gaza relief efforts in his home city of Birmingham in central England.The Worcestershire all-rounders wristbands were only on public display for 42 minutes while he made 12 runs off 28 balls before he was caught off India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.On Friday, Malaysian cyclist Azizulhasni Awang was warned he risked being thrown out of the Commonwealth Games if he repeated wearing gloves bearing the message Save Gaza.Awang could have been ejected from the 2014 Glasgow Games after wearing the gloves in competition on Thursday.Instead the 26-year-old was given a reprimand and warned not to wear them again.The Commonwealth Games Federation seeks to avoid its competitions being used for political means.Though Awang insisted his message was humanitarian rather than politically-charged, he issued an apology.

Nation set to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr today

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Millions of faithful will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr today (Tuesday) across Pakistan with religious fervor.Eid congregations will be held in cities, towns and villages across the country. The main Eid congregation in Lahore will be held at the Badshahi Mosque.Special prayers will be offered for the prosperity of the country and unity among the Muslim Ummah. Muslims will pray for the progress, safety and success of Pakistan Army in its war against the terrorists. Pakistanis will also pray for the innocent Palestinians who are being slaughtered by the Israeli army.Earlier, Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chairman Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman made a formal announcement in a press conference on Monday at Met Complex Karachi.Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee received evidences from Sukkur, Jewani and Jacobabad. After receiving three evidences of moon sighting, Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman announced that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in Pakistan on Tuesday.
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