Tuesday 31 March 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

New Zealand's Mills follows Vettori into retirement

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WELLINGTON (AFP) - New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Mills announced his retirement from all cricket Wednesday, following Daniel Vettori in calling it quits after the World Cup final.Mills was consistently ranked among the worlds top 10 one-day bowlers throughout his illustrious 14-year career, and for a long time was ranked number one.Its been an honour and privilege to play cricket for my country over the past 14 years and I will miss it greatly, the 36-year-old said.However the time is right for me to step away from playing this great game and devote more time to my family who have sacrificed so much for me to keep playing the game I love.Mills represented New Zealand in 170 ODIs and took 240 wickets to be the Black Caps second highest wicket-taker in the shortened game behind Vettori, who took 297.Vettori announced his international retirement on Tuesday when the New Zealand side returned from Melbourne after losing the World Cup final to Australia by seven wickets.Mills took part in three World Cups, although in the latest edition he was one of three members of the New Zealand squad who did not take the field as the Blacks Caps kept a largely unchanged line up throughout the tournament.He also played 42 Twenty20s and 19 Tests for his country.Kyle has been a wonderful ODI player over a long period of time and, but for injury, would have played closer to 200 games for New Zealand, New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said.However, what Ill always remember Kyle for most was when he knocked over the England Test teams top-order during his match-winning spell at Hamilton in 2008, dismissing in quick succession Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan, Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen.Mills finished that innings with his best return of four for 16 from 13 overs. His best ODI figures were five for 25 against South Africa in Durban in 2007.To have the longevity that Kyles had takes an incredible work ethic and desire to represent your country, coach Mike Hesson said.On top of what hes achieved on the field, hes also a fantastic bloke and a great team man. Hes a natural leader who did a superb job of captaining the side in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka last year and has brought a lot of passion to the group.

Australia's final World Cup sledge ends with apology

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has offered an unusual half-apology after his final World Cup sledging of New Zealand, suggesting that liquid celebrations may have fuelled his frank comments during a radio interview.The arch sledger had been at the forefront of big send-offs for Kiwi batsmen Martin Guptill and Grant Elliott as well as spinner Daniel Vettori after their key dismissals in Sundays final in Melbourne, where Australia thrashed their traditional rivals.The next day Haddin went on local radio and, asked about the send-offs, added a few more remarks.You know what? They deserved it, the wicketkeeper said.They were that nice to us in New Zealand (when Australia lost a pool match) and we were that uncomfortable. They were that nice to us the whole week.I said in the team meeting: I cant stand for this anymore. Were going at them as hard as we can.I said, Im not playing cricket like this. If we get another crack at these guys in the final Im letting everything (out). And Im not going to play another one-day game so they can suspend me for as long as they like.But Haddin has since tempered his words and suggested the celebrations after winning the tournament might have had something to do with his comments.We were celebrating a World Cup win and enjoying ourselves after a long tournament, he said.In hindsight, we should have stayed off the radio. If I offended anyone, it was never my intention.Haddins sober remarks stood in stark contrast to his earlier on-air descriptions of the party antics of coach Darren Lehmann and all-rounder James Faulkner among other players.Ill paint a picture for you now, Haddin said during the radio interview. Ive got a coach whos spooning the World Cup who cant speak.Ive got James Faulkner whos got his clothes off but dont tell everyone.And Ive got the Marsh boys, and you know I cant even talk about the Marsh boys because you know what trouble they have.Ive got Josh Hazlewood ... hes never been drunk in 30 years. Its a problem. We just cant get him drunk. Hes an absolute nightmare to drink with.Defeated New Zealand arrived home Tuesday after diplomatically playing down the send-offs.It wasnt really discussed within the group, said captain Brendon McCullum.Send-offs are send-offs. Its not something we necessarily are concerned about. I think the focus should be on how well Australia played and how they deserved this victory rather than any minor issues.Australia won by a crushing seven wickets.

Tennis: Djokovic storms back to reach Miami quarters

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MIAMI (AFP) - Desperate Novak Djokovic fought back from a set and a break down to defeat Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-0 Tuesday, salvaging hopes of defending his Miami Open title.World number one Djokovic won 24 of the last 27 points to reach a quarter-final against Spanish sixth seed David Ferrer, a 7-6 (7/5), 6-0 winner over Frenchman Gilles Simon at the ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament.Ukraine challenger Dolgopolov was unable to stretch his lead to a double break in the second set, Djokovic saving two break points in the fourth game.I was really frustrated, Djokovic said.The Serbian top seed turned the match on its head in a 22-minute final set in which he could do no wrong, sustaining his chance for a US double after his Indian Wells final victory over Roger Federer.Dolgopolov began breaking down in the third set after getting blisters on both feet taped. Near the end he was clasping at his thighs with cramps as he went down to defeat.Britains Andy Murray won his 500th career victory, defeating South Africas Kevin Anderson 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.The third-seeded Scotsman, who holds two Grand Slam titles, needed his best effort against his 17th-ranked rival.Murray, who has won four of five matches against Anderson, improved his career match record to 500 triumphs and 155 defeats with 31 titles, including the 2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon crowns.I hope Ive still got a lot more wins in me, Murray said. To get to 500 is good. Its not an easy thing to do at my age. Its nice. Hopefully I can keep going.Murray is the first British man, the ninth active player and the 46th man in the post-1968 Open Era to achieve the 500-win plateau.There have not been loads of players that have done it. Its nice for me the fact that it happened here as well, said Murray, who trains in Miami in the off-season. Its just fitting just because I have spent so much time training here and working to get better and to improve. That was nice.Next up for Murray will be Austrian Dominic Thiem, who defeated Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5.He had his best year on the tour last year. Hes a very talented guy. Hes strong, said Murray. I know him fairly well and practice with him quite a bit. I expect tomorrow will be a tough match.Japans fourth seed Kei Nishikori beat Belgian David Goffin 6-1, 6-2 with Nishikori set to move to a career-best fourth in the world, sending Rafael Nadal to fifth.Another quarter-final was set as Czech eighth seed Tomas Berdych advanced thanks to a mid-match withdrawal from Frances injury-hit Gael Monfils.Berdych won 6-3, 3-2 when his opponent stopped a game after falling heavily on his right hip. Monfils has now withdrawn 15 times in his career.In the end I feel sorry for Gael. Thats not the ideal way to finish up the match, Berdych said. But in the end, Im through. Thats what matters. Thats what counts.Im happy with the win. Really its not the way that you want to finish the match, but thats how it is. So we need to move on and just go for the next one.Berdych will take on Argentinas Juan Monaco, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Fernando Verdasco. Monaco will be playing in the last eight at the ATP Masters level for the first time in three years.On the womens side, German ninth seed Andrea Petkovic ousted Czech 14th seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2, in a quarter-final.Petkovic saved six of the eight break points she faced while breaking five times in the 75-minute victory.Ive been playing really well in practice but I just couldnt transfer my game into the match, and I was very upset and very disappointed with that, Petkovic said.But now Im playing well, it was good that I stayed calm. I believed in myself. I knew that I was playing well and I worked on a lot of things.

Tennis: Britain's Murray takes milestone 500th victory

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MIAMI (AFP) - Britains Andy Murray won his 500th career victory Tuesday, defeating South Africas Kevin Anderson 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the ATP and WTA Miami Open quarter-finals.The third-seeded Scotsman, who holds two Grand Slam titles, needed his best effort against his 17th-ranked rival.Murray, who has won four of five matches against Anderson, improved his career match record to 500 triumphs and 155 defeats with 31 titles, including the 2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon crowns.A brief post-match ceremony paid tribute to Murrays achievement.Murray is the first British man, the ninth active player and the 46th man in the post-1968 Open Era to achieve the 500-win plateau.Next up for Murray will be Austrian Dominic Thiem, who defeated Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5.Another quarter-final was set as Czech eighth seed Tomas Berdych advanced thanks to a mid-match withdrawal from Frances injury-hit Gael Monfils. Berdych won 6-3, 3-2 when his opponent stopped a game after falling heavily on his right hip. Monfils has now withdrawn 15 times in his career.In the end I feel sorry for Gael. Thats not the ideal way to finish up the match, Berdych said. But in the end, Im through. Thats what matters. Thats what counts.Im happy with the win. Really its not the way that you want to finish the match, but thats how it is. So we need to move on and just go for the next one.Berdych will take on Argentinas Juan Monaco, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Fernando Verdasco. Monaco will be playing in the last eight at the ATP Masters level for the first time in three years.Spanish sixth seed David Ferrer beat French 12th seed Gilles Simon 7-6 (7-5), 6-0.On the womens side, German ninth seed Andrea Petkovic ousted Czech 14th seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2.

Football: Cape Verde record historic win over Ronaldo-less Portugal

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JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Cape Verde upset a weakened Portugal 2-0 in Estoril on Tuesday as seven days of international football friendlies involving African teams ended.Portugal lacked many stars, including the biggest one of all Cristiano Ronaldo, having won 2-1 at home against Serbia just 48 hours earlier in a Euro 2016 qualifier.The Blue Sharks scored twice within six minutes close to half-time at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota for a rare away victory over European opposition.An Odair Fortes cross found the corner of the net on 38 minutes and Gege tapped the ball over the goal-line at the far post to double the lead to seal a win over a side that had four players making their debuts. Former Portuguese colony Cape Verde comprises a string of islands off the coast of Senegal and has just 500,000 inhabitants.The Sharks are ranked 38 in the world -- 31 places below Portugal -- and made a first-round exit from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea after three consecutive draws.Ghana and Mali drew 1-1 at Stade Sebastien Charlety in southern Paris, enabling both countries to avoid suffering two straight losses during the international window.Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, who has not scored for Serie A outfit Udinese this season, put the 2015 Cup of Nations runners-up ahead on 53 minutes.He nudged a through ball past Soumaila Diakite and then ran past the fallen goalkeeper to tap the ball into the net.Bakary Sako from English second-tier promotion contenders Wolves levelled by converting a 71st-minute penalty needlessly conceded when Richmond Boakye fouled Molla Wague.Malian Modibo Maiga rattled the crossbar during the first half and Boakye struck the post after half-time.Mali lost 4-3 to Gabon last Wednesday and Ghana fell 2-1 to Senegal three days later.A stoppage-time equaliser from Yu Dabao forced Tunisia to settle for a 1-1 draw with China in the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre stadium. After conceding a couple of late goals to lose 2-0 in Japan, the Tunisians looked set for victory having taken the lead on 39 minutes.Substitute Mohamed Ali Moncer crept unnoticed to the far post and gave the Chinese goalkeeper no chance with a powerful header.Saber Khalifa wasted a chance to double the advantage soon after half-time as his penalty was blocked and he fired the rebound wide.Democratic Republic of Congo, who exceeded expectations with a third-place Cup of Nations finish, were the only African team to lose both friendlies.A 1-0 defeat by Iraq at Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium in Sharjah followed a 2-1 loss to the same country three days ago at another United Arab Emirates venue.Yaser Kasim from English third-level side Swindon Town scored the winner on the hour, running across the field just outside the box before unleashing an unstoppable rising shot.Corentin Martins celebrated his first success since succeeding fellow Frenchman Patrice Neveu as coach of Mauritania with a 2-0 victory over Niger in Nouakchott.After 73 goalless minutes at Stade Olympique, Adama Ba put the hosts ahead from a penalty and Ali Abeide added a second soon after.Moussa Konate, whose two goals sank Ghana last Saturday, was on target again as Senegal won 2-1 at French Ligue 2 club Le Havre. Pape Souare was the other Teranga Lions scorer.

Olympics: First Rio Games tickets go on sale

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Tickets for the Rio Olympics went on sale Tuesday with the first batch of a total 7.5 million tickets made available online to thousands of fans who had pre-registered via the official web portal, www.rio2016.com portal.The sales process for Brazilian nationals and residents started from 1700 GMT after organizers last week released a detailed competition schedule for each sport allowing fans to seek out their favoured events.Tuesday, fans were asked to choose based on sport, game day and event site, give their financial details and apply online.One missing element was tickets for football matches due to be held in Sao Paulo amid a dispute with Corinthians football club, owners of the Corinthians Arena, over who must pay for overlay costs to adapt the venue for the Olympic tournament.The club wants local government to stump up funds running to an estimated $10 million, though the figure is widely disputed.The football event is the only sport to host action outside Rio owing to the amount of matches.World governing body FIFA has given the green light to six cities and seven stadiums -- Rio, Salvador, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Manaus in Amazonia and Sao Paulo.Porto Alegre in the south and Fortaleza in the northeast are possible stand-in options should Sao Paulo ultimately be dropped -- but organizers insist there is no plan B.Tuesday, a source said: Sao Paulo football tickets will be included in due course once negotiations are completed.Home fans had to register via the official website for the initial sales phase running to April 30.Seventy percent -- or 5.2 million -- tickets have been earmarked for Brazilian residents, millions of whom will be eligible for discounts and also able to pay in up to five monthly instalments.Tickets will bear the name of the applicant, each of whom may apply for up to 20 event sessions and a maximum of 4-6 for each -- four for the most popular attractions. An electronic platform is being established to redistribute returns.Foreign fans must apply through a separate process for the August 5-21, 2016 extravaganza, South Americas first ever Olympiad.Fans have been required to register for both lottery draws -- the current one whose result will be announced in June, then again in July, prioritizing unsuccessful first-wave applicants.A real time, first come first served, sale of remaining tickets will follow from October for Brazilians and Brazil residents.On-site box office sales for the remnants will then start from June next year prior to tickets being sent out from May, completing what organizing committee president Carlos Nuzman and commercial executive director Renato Ciuchini praised earlier this year as a fair and transparent process.Just over half of the tickets will be available for 70 reais ($30) or less.The cheapest full price tickets will be 40 reais for weightlifting.Pensioners, the disabled and students will enjoy half price concessions, meaning the cheapest deal of all will be just 20 reais.National Olympic Committees have around one million -- around 13 percent of the total -- to sell to foreign fans outside of Brazil via authorised resellers listed on the official site.Three percent of tickets will cost upwards of 600 reais for marquee events, including the mens 100m final whose defending champion is world record holder Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt.Such events are pricey propositions for the poorest fans in a country where the minimum monthly wage is just 788 reais ($246) after Januarys annual readjustment.The most expensive seats of all will be box seats for the opening ceremony at the Maracana stadium costing a hefty 4600 reais ($1440). Organizers have warned ticket touts will face fines -- selling tickets on for higher than face value, a practice illegal in Brazil but which notably occurred at last years World Cup.

Barriers outside Bilawal House removed

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - The barriers and barricades placed outside Bilawal House in Karachi have been removed on night between Tuesday and Wednesday. Heavy machinery was used to remove the barriers.According to PPP leader Sherry Rehman, the barriers outside Bilawal House have been removed on the directives of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.Zardari had given orders to remove barriers outside Bilawal House despite security threats. Necessary directives were issued to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in this regard.Rangers had appealed to Karachi citizens last week to remove barriers from their neighbourhoods within three days, as they were hampering movement of law enforcement agencies.

Tiny songbird can fly the Atlantic, say scientists

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PARIS (AFP) - A diminutive songbird weighing the equivalent of just three teaspoons of sugar can fly over the north Atlantic, scientists said on Tuesday, resolving a 50-year mystery.The tiny superbird is the blackpoll warbler (Setophaga striata), they reported in the journal Biology Letters.Tipping the scale at a mere 12 grammes (4.2 ounces), the white-throated, black-capped bird migrates each autumn from New England to South America.For half a century, scientists have debated whether the birds fly non-stop over the ocean or take breaks on land to carry out this marathon flight.Backpack flight recorders, attached to 40 of the birds, have now provided irrefutable evidence that they do it all in one go, the scientists said.The geolocators, weighing only 0.5g (0.02 ounces), found that the birds completed an astonishing non-stop flight of between 2,270 and 2,770 kilometres (1,410-1,721 miles).This was the distance from their summer homes in Vermont and Nova Scotia to Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Greater Antilles islands, where they made landfall before continuing to northern Venezuela and Colombia.The devices were able to track the birds flight path but were not big enough to transmit the data in real time.Three devices with the stored information were recovered for analysis from the Vermont birds, and two from the Novia Scotia group.Albatrosses, sandpipers and gulls are famous for their ultra-long flights -- but they have broad, long wings and can settle on water if they get tired or blown off course.For a forest bird no bigger than a tennis ball, which would drown if it touched the sea, to do such a feat is a wonder, the researchers said.For small songbirds, we are only just now beginning to understand the migratory routes that connect temperate breeding grounds to tropical wintering areas, said Bill DeLuca at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Were really excited to report that this is one of the longest non-stop overwater flights ever recorded for a songbird, and finally confirms what has long been believed to be one of the most extraordinary migratory feats on the planet.The trackers provided confirmation that had thwarted previous investigations into the blackpolls.The indirect evidence in favour of an Atlantic voyage was fairly strong, said Ryan Norris, a professor of biology at the University of Guelph, Ontario.You have birds landing on ships in the Atlantic, radar studies off the tip of Nova Scotia showing the birds heading south, and very few sightings of blackpolls in the southern US in the fall.

New ECB chairman Graves mulls four-day Tests

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LONDON (AFP) - Incoming England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves confirmed on Tuesday that he is considering tabling proposals to shorten Test matches from five days to four.Personally, I think we should look at four-day Test cricket and play 105 overs a day starting at 10.30am in the morning, and finish when you finish as all the grounds now have lights, Graves, who takes up his role in May, told the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) website.The ECB could not itself introduce four-day Test matches, but it could push for changes to the Test format in international negotiations.Expanding on the idea, Graves added: Every Test match would start on a Thursday, with Thursday and Friday being corporate days and then Saturday and Sunday the family days.From a cost point of view, youd lose that fifth day, which would save a hell of a lot of money from the grounds point of view and the broadcasters. I would look at that.The proposals first came to light earlier this year after an ECB document entitled Strategy Conversation Summary was leaked.Reacting to the leak, the ECB revealed that it was in the early stages of formulating a long-term strategy for the game in England and Wales, which we anticipate will take a year to complete.Graves and new ECB chief executive Tom Harrison have also held initial talks about future proposals for the English county championship and a possible English Premier League Twenty20 competition.

McCullum joins Birmingham Bears for T20 Blast

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LONDON (AFP) - New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum confirmed Tuesday he has signed for the Birmingham Bears for the defence of their T20 Blast title.McCullum joins the Bears -- Warwickshires T20 name -- on a seven-match deal after playing a major role as New Zealand reached the World Cup final, where the Black Caps lost to co-hosts Australia.The Birmingham Bears had a great season last year, including winning the T20 Blast, and hopefully I can make a big contribution and ensure that we can progress in the tournament, said McCullum.Edgbaston is a fantastic ground to play at and hopefully it will be rocking for the big Friday night matches. Im really excited about becoming a Bear and the challenge ahead.McCullum will link up with the Bears after New Zealands tour of England with his first game against Lancashire Lightning on June 26 at Old Trafford.He played a starring role at the top of the order in the Black Caps run to the World Cup final.Among his four half-centuries in nine matches was a destructive 77 off just 25 balls against England in Wellington.Birmingham Bears director of rugby Dougie Brown said: Brendons dynamic performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup have demonstrated once again exactly why he is one of the most feared batsmen in the game.Securing his availability for our last seven games has to make him one of the biggest overseas player signings in the competitions history.His power at the top of the order and experience of playing in big matches are great assets to bolster our already strong squad as we look to win through to the quarter-finals and defend our NatWest T20 Blast title.McCullum is the leading run scorer in the history of T20 internationals, with 2,105 at an average over 35, with two centuries.

Oil slumps as Iran talks deadline looms

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices fell Tuesday as global powers and Iran raced to reach a deal on Tehrans nuclear program that could ease sanctions on the crude producer, adding to the global oversupply.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery lost ground for the third day in a row, losing $1.08 to $47.60 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.In London, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in May, the global benchmark, tumbled $1.18 to settle at $55.11 a barrel.Marathon talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, looked set to miss a self-imposed Tuesday midnight deadline (2200 GMT) to agree the outlines of a agreement that could lead to an easing of sanctions placed on Iran based on beliefs that it was developing a nuclear weapon.As the deadline nears late Tuesday, Washington said there had been enough progress to keep going into Wednesday.An Iranian nuclear deal could mean an eventual increase in Iranian supply that has the potential to turn a passing surplus into a more persistent oversupply on the global market, said Tim Evans of Citi Futures.Commerzbank analysts, citing shipping sources, said that Iran has at least 30 million barrels of oil in storage onboard tankers.In other words, it could make an additional one million barrels of crude oil available per day for at least a month if sanctions were to be lifted, without even having to ramp up its oil production, putting immediate pressure on the market, Commerzbank said in a research note.The stronger dollar also weighed on oil, which is priced in the US currency. The euro was down to $1.0746 around 1845 GMT, from $1.0825 late Monday, on Greek debt pressures.Meanwhile, traders awaited the Department of Energys weekly US oil inventories report Wednesday, expecting another increase in crude stockpiles to a new record high.

Dollar firms as US consumers grow more confident

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar gained further ground against the euro Tuesday as traders weighed an upbeat report on American consumer confidence and tense Greek bailout talks. The Conference Boards March consumer confidence report came in better than expected, solidly rebounding from a slump in February. Americans were more optimistic about conditions in the worlds largest economy in the coming months, particularly about jobs availability and wage growth.The confidence report came ahead of Fridays US March jobs report.Another strong month of hiring in excess of 200,000 (net new jobs) would reinforce an outlook of higher US interest rates and buoy the greenback, said Joe Manimbo, an analyst at Western Union Business Solutions.Traders followed the tortuous talks between Greece and its creditors on a disputed list of reforms presented by Athens in hopes of unblocking 7.2 billion euros in loans to stave off a possible debt default and eurozone exit.EU Council President Donald Tusk said Tuesday that the negotiations were complex, and a late April deadline agreed between Greece and its EU-IMF creditors was still within reach.I hope we will reach an agreement by the end of April, for me it is possible, Tusk said.

France refuses supply of submarines over issue of transfer of technology

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Secretary Defense Alam Khattak said on Friday that forces would be sent to Saudi Arabia on the discretion of government. Talking to the standing committee, Alam Khattak was told that the transfer of submarines to Pakistan was suspended by France due to issues pertaining to transfer of technology, reported Dunya News.Secretary Defense Lieutenant General(R) Alam Khattak explained army’s stance for the first time during the ongoing Yemen crisis.The Defense Secretary said that the army would follow the policy outlined by the government.Disagreement arose between members of the committee regarding Pakistan’s involvement in Yemen crisis at the meeting.Officials of Pakistan Navy told the committee that government had sent a summary to Chinese government for demand of 8 submarines.The officials told the meeting that government was in talks with Germany, Britain and France regarding procurement of submarines however France has refused amid worries over transfer of technology.The officials informed that the Navy was being upgraded to in accordance with defense policy which demanded the induction of submarines into the fleet.The defense officials dismissed the claims of Chinese equipment as faulty adding that the defense technology acquired from China is completely reliable.

Jinnah Ground incident violates electoral code of conduct: ECP

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ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – Jinnah Ground incident has on Tuesday been declared as violation of the electoral code of conduct by the Election Commission of Pakistan. It directed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to display political reconciliation and tolerance, Dunya News reported.The ECP took notice of the clash between PTI and MQM workers in Jinnah Ground Karachi and declared it as violation of electoral code of conduct. ECP directed the leaders and workers of both the parties to stop hurling baseless allegations against each other.ECP directed the two parties to act with maturity and adopt political reconciliation. It also directed them to hold public meetings in accordance with the orders of the district administration.

Muslim myths surrounding April Fools' Day - and reality

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LAHORE: (Web Desk) – There are many myths and legends surrounding the April Fool’s Day and almost all of them look quite compelling, especially when compared to the myths circulating on the internet, and given currency to by some of the columnists in Pakistan, regarding the victimization of the Muslims by Christians on this day. There are several such stories circulating on the web but the top three will be discussed here.Fall of Granada and Christian conspiracy:Granada was one of the most glorious cities ruled by the Muslims in the past. It was the heart of Muslim Spain containing some of the most beautiful monuments built by the Umayyad caliphs of the region. The conspiracy theory regarding the fall of Granada says that the Muslims were unbeatable in Spain some 1000 years ago. When the Christians of Spain realized that they could not defeat the Muslims in a combat, they finally decided to introduce liquor and tobacco to the Muslims, according to this theory. When in 1492, the Muslim fort was finally taken by Ferdinand and Isabella; they celebrated the day as April Fool’s Day because according to this theory, Christians conspiracy had worked.Fact:To discredit this theory, the very fact that Muslims surrendered on 12th of January and not 1st of April is enough. However, there is more to it. Truth is that the Europeans were introduced to tobacco after quite some time and Muslims were introduced to liquor way before 1492.Muslim massacre by Spaniards:Another story says that when Muslims were being shipped back from Spain after the fall of Granada in 1492, they were given guarantees of security by the Spaniards. But when they were in the middle of the sea, all of them were massacred by the Spanish crew of the ship.Fact:The theory is again highly misleading as Muslims were not ordered to evacuate Spain until 1609.Bahadur Shah Zafar presented with his son’s skull:When the last king of Mughal dynasty Bahadur Shah II, or more commonly known as Bahadur Shah Zafar, was sacked by the East India Company in 1857 as a result of the mutiny in India, he was exiled to Burma, currently Myanmar. It is said that he was presented with his son’s skull as breakfast on April 1st and that it was an act of celebrating April Fool’s Day by Major Hodson.Fact:This theory also remains ill-founded. Although Bahadur Shah was presented with his son’s skull but that was in accordance with the Nowruz celebrations, a Persian festival that was regularly celebrated in Mughal India. Although the festival also starts on March 21 and this is quite possible that the skull arrived a few days late given the means of transport in those days, the fact remains that it was in accordance with Nowruz and not the April Fools’ Day.The latest: Tipu Sultans deathIn a stream of conspiracy theories, the latest one has been coined by none other than the Punjab governments spokesperson Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri who has said on Tuesday that Muslims should not celebrate April Fools Day because Tipu Sultan, the eighteenth century Muslim ruler of the Mysore kingdom, in Southern India, also embraced martyrdom on 1st of April.Fact:Although remedies as banal as facts cannot cure the disease that the conspiracy theorists suffer from, the sad fact is that this theory, too, is ill-founded. Sultan Fateh Ali Khan Tipu, or Tipu Sultan, actually embraced martyrdom on 4th of May, 1799.Reality of April Fools Day:According to most historians, April Fools’ Day started to be celebrated in the sixteenth century when the Pope declared 1st of January as the start of the New Year replacing 1st April, which was previously believed to be the first day of the year. There were some people who refused to celebrate the New Year on 1st of January and stuck with 1st of April. These were the people who were started to be called as April Fools by those who had abided by the Pope’s verdict and had started to celebrate the New Year on 1st of January.However, there is nothing concrete. Even this theory is contested by many others but one thing is for sure that all the myths about Muslims being fooled into massacre by the Christians on 1st of April stand completely baseless.The most beautiful of all these theories is that of the Earth’s indigenous people celebrating the arrival of the spring season and playing pranks over each other to enjoy the festival, or whatever that would be. This must have been for all the people across the globe and something that would unite the people living throughout the world in those days unlike the theories that divide the people today.
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Monday 30 March 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

4 death row inmates hanged in various cities

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Mianwali (Dunya News) – 4 prisoners on death sentence were hanged in various citites of the country. Culprit Habdar Shah was hanged in Mianwali’s Central Jail. Shah was accused of killing 2 people in 2002.One death row prisoner was sent to the gallows in Attock’s District Jail. The culprit Ikram-ul-Haq was accused of kidnapping a 3 year old girl for ransom in 2002.Another prisoner was hanged in Sargodha’s District jail. Felon Mohammad Riaz was given death sentence by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in 2002. Riazwas found guilty of killing 2 people during a bank robbery in 2000.A prisoner was sent to the gallows in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. The accused Mohammad Amin was convicted of killing a person.

Husband provided with facilities in jail: Saulat Mirza's wife

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) member Saulat Mirza’s wife on Monday revealed that her husband was given a different treatment in jail as compared to other prisoners. Mirza’s wife stated that her husband was provided different facilities by jail officials on behalf of MQM. She stated that the MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s birthday was celebrated on the gallows in the jail.According to the details, she stated that MQM workers were provided the facility of phones. She said that she used to meet Mirza in his room in jail. Mirza’s wife further revealed that MQM chiefs birthday was celebrated every year with a great zeal and honor. She stated that the gallows were decorated with the political party’s flags and Hussain’s large portraits. She also revealed that cakes used to be cut and dhol was played.She stated that MQM’s prominent leaders used to visit the jails especially for that occasion and took pictures with the inmates. Mirza’s wife also showed colorful photographs some of which were of weddings attended especially by MQM leaders. Rest of the pictures was of MQM chief’s birthday celebrations being held at the jail’s gallows.

Karachi: Police becomes active against terrorists, 5 suspects killed

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Karachi’s police force became active against terrorists on Tuesday as 5 suspects were killed in action against suspects in various areas of the city. An exchange of fire occurred between the police and gangwar operatives in Layari. 3 suspects of Baba Ladla group were killed during the clash. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Fida Hussain, killed operative Sameer Kaichi was a close partner of Baba Ladla. The suspect was also involved in the killing of 100 people.On the other hand, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted a raid on an intelligence report In Orangi Town Tori Bangush area. Two terrorists of a banned organization were killed during the raid. The terrorists belonged to Tehreek-e-Taliban Khan Zaman Mehsud group. According to CTD Incharge killed suspects were involved in various activities of terrorism. He informed that a large amount of explosives was confiscated from them.Meanwhile, a person named Mohammad Khan was shot dead in Faqir Goth area.

Tennis: Djokovic advances to fourth round at Miami

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MIAMI (AFP) - World number one Novak Djokovic moved closer to a possible fourth Miami Open trophy Monday by defeating Belgiums Steve Darcis 6-0, 7-5 to reach the fourth round.Defending champion Djokovic, seeking his third March hardcourt double of Indian Wells and Miami in the same year, fired five aces and broke Darcis five times.Djokovic will next play Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov, who ousted Brazils Thomaz Bellucci 7-5, 6-4.Australian Open winner Djokoivic wrapped up victory with a break in the final game to earn his 21st victory of the season as he pursues his third title of the year.Djokovic needed less than half an hour to take the first set but had to come back from a break down in the second, trailing 5-4 before rallying for the triumph.The first set went completely my way, but I had a drop of intensity and didnt use opportunities early in the second set, made it close, Djokovic said.I managed to come back in the right moment. I elevated the intensity and started playing a little bit of depth on the ball. But I still complicated my life in the second set. Japans Kei Nishikori took just over an hour to defeat Serbias Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-2 to secure a fourth-round berth.Asias top player -- who reached the semi-finals in Miami last year -- could not fault his performance.I played good tennis today, almost perfect. Im excited that Im playing good here. Maybe he was hurting a little bit, but still I was giving him a lot of pressure with my return, Nishikori said.It was a great match today. I felt great on the court, so very happy to win.Nishikori hit five aces and 16 winners, breaking 39th-ranked Troicki on five of six chances.Nishikori, who reached his first Grand Slam final last year at the US Open, beat David Ferrer and Roger Federer on his way to the Miami semi-finals last year only to withdraw prior to a match with Djokovic due to a groin injury.Next up for Nishikori will be Belgiums David Goffin, who beat Polands Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 6-3.Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic overcame a second-set swoon before recovering to defeat Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7/3) while Spanish sixth seed David Ferrer beat Lukas Rosol 6-4, 7-5.In womens play, Serena and Venus Williams advanced to the quarter-finals, each cruising to a straight-set triumph.World number one Serena Williams, seeking a third consecutive Miami crown and record eighth title at the hardcourt event, hammered Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-3 while 16th-seeded elder sister Venus defeated fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 7-6 (7/1).Between them, the Williams sisters have won the Miami singles title 10 times. The only players to win the crown three years in a row are Serena, from 2002-2004, and Steffi Graf, who did it from 1994 to 1996.Serena, 33, took 73 minutes in beating 2006 Miami champion Kuznetsova, improving her overall Miami record to 70-7.I dont think Im cruising, Serena Williams said. I have my matches and Im really focused in my matches because all these players I play are really good.When Venus is playing before me Im always excited to see her results and hopefully (see) a win. But I dont usually watch her match because Im trying to focus on mine.Serena could face her sister in the finals. While Venus, who suffers from the chronic medical condition Sjogrens syndrome, has struggled in recent seasons, she has played well in 2015, winning her 46th career title in January at Auckland and making a run to the Australian Open quarter-finals, her deepest at a Grand Slam event since the 2010 US Open semi-finals.Shes playing really well, shes playing really aggressive, Serena Williams said of her sister. I have always said what Venus has gone through has really motivated me.Venus Williams, 34, is playing her home event for the 16th time and owns three titles. The American took the win despite 37 unforced errors in a match riddled with a dozen breaks of serve. Williams has never lost to former number one Wozniacki, now 7-0 against the Dane.Im persistent. I dont give up and I believe in myself no matter what the odds are and what you may experience, Venus Williams said. Ive always seen it as something to overcome and not something that could stop me.Having that perspective of glass half full helped me a lot.Spanish 12th seed Carla Suarez Navarro upset seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 and will play Venus Williams next.

Pakistan-born Fawad Ahmed named in Australian test squad

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MELBOURNE (AP) - Pakistan-born refugee Fawad Ahmed has been named in Australias test squad for tours of the West Indies and England later this year after an impressive domestic first class season.Legspinner Ahmed joins Nathan Lyon as Australias spin bowling options, while batsman Adam Voges will have a chance to press for a spot in the top order.Brothers Shaun and Mitch Marsh were also included, with all-rounder Mitch preferred ahead of World Cup star James Faulkner.World Cup player of the tournament Mitchell Starc has been rewarded for his efforts, while fellow paceman James Pattinson is ruled out of the West Indies tour with an injured left hamstring.Australia plays two tests in the West Indies from June 5, ahead of the five-test Ashes series starting in England from July 8.

Solar Impulse lands in China after 20-hour flight from Myanmar

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SHANGHAI (AFP) - Solar Impulse 2 landed early Tuesday in China, the worlds biggest carbon emitter, as it completed the fifth leg of its landmark circumnavigation of the globe powered solely by the sun.With pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls, the revolutionary plane landed in Chongqing airport at 1:35 am (1735 GMT Monday) after a 20-and-a-half hour flight from Myanmar, its vast wingspan lit up by rows of led lights.The plane had been expected to make just a brief stop in the southwestern city and quickly travel on to Nanjing, about 270 kilometres (170 miles) from Shanghai, but that has been delayed due to weather and safety concerns, with the team now expecting to stay a few days waiting for better conditions for the trip east.We are tired but we are still very, very happy to be in Chongqing, said mission engineer Michael Anger on the projects website.In China it was demanding, this flight, especially for Bertrand but also for the team preparing two flights in a row and then this afternoon cancelling the second flight due to bad weather in Nanjing.Piccard, one of the two Swiss pilots of the solar-powered plane, battled extreme cold as low as -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit) in the cockpit and the general unpredictabilities of flying above the mountainous Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan.On a previous circumnavigation, Piccard passed over China in a specially designed balloon, but only after he flew to Beijing personally to negotiate the trip with conditions the balloon avoid large swathes of the country.Flying at high altitude for most of the journey, Piccard had to use additional oxygen on the 1,375-kilometre (854-mile) route.The flight from Mandalay to Chongqing was the most difficult, Raymond Clerc, flight director for Solar Impulse, said on a video interview on the projects website.The team behind Solar Impulse 2, which has more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings, hopes to promote green energy with the circumnavigation attempt.Ridiculed by the aviation industry when it was first unveiled, the venture has since been hailed around the world, including by UN chief Ban Ki-moon.Muscat was the first of the 12 planned stops on the planes maiden journey around the world from Abu Dhabi, with a total flight time of around 25 days spread over five months.

One dead as police fire on car in incident at US spy HQ

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FORT MEADE (AFP) - US police opened fire and one suspect died Monday after two men dressed in womens clothing tried to ram their car onto the grounds of the National Security Agency (NSA) outside Washington.One police officer and a second suspect were hurt in the incident, said the National Security Agencys director for strategic communications, Jonathan Freed.It was not immediately clear whether the suspects were shot or wounded when their car crashed into a police security vehicle. A US official confirmed reports the men were wearing womens clothing. An FBI spokeswoman said the incident at Fort Meade, the electronic eavesdropping agencys super-secure base in suburban Maryland, was not believed to be related to terrorism.Officials said the drama was quickly contained and NSA headquarters staff were not at risk, but it will inevitably recall similar recent security incidents at federal sites.According to Freed, a vehicle carrying two individuals was directed to turn back after it made an unauthorized attempt to enter the base.Instead, the car accelerated toward an NSA vehicle blocking the road. Police opened fire, but the car crashed into the security truck.One of the unauthorized vehicles occupants died on the scene. The cause of death has not been determined, Freed said, in a statement.One NSA police officer was injured and taken to a local hospital. The incident was contained to the vehicle control point.The FBI has taken charge of the investigation and the White House said President Barack Obama had been briefed on the situation. News footage from helicopters showed the crash-damaged police vehicle and a civilian vehicle outside a main gate, and an injured person being transferred to an ambulance. The FBI said it has opened an investigation, joining other law enforcement agencies and deploying agents to the scene to gather evidence and interview witnesses.The shooting scene is contained and we do not believe it is related to terrorism, said Amy Thoreson, a spokeswoman for the FBIs Baltimore office.We are working with the US attorneys office in Maryland to determine if federal charges are warranted, she said.About 11,000 military personnel and 29,000 civilians work at Fort Meade, which also houses the headquarters of the US Cyber Command and other military units.Fort Meade said all personnel and residents on the base were safe.Security at US federal installations has been under scrutiny in recent months after a number of incidents, including one in which a troubled veteran wielding a knife vaulted a fence and sprinted into the White House.In another incident, a private civilian drone crashed into the grounds of the executive mansion, leading authorities to ban their use within the capital.Most of the incidents have proved minor, but in September 2013, a lone gunman stormed a naval command center in the Washington Navy Yard and killed 12 people before he was in turn slain by police.The NSA specializes in code breaking and electronic surveillance, operating a global network of satellite surveillance, land listening stations and online data collection.It has been the focus of intense controversy since mid-2013, when former contractor Edward Snowden revealed the huge scope of its eavesdropping in a leak to the media.Washington has denounced Snowdens document dump and subsequent flight to Russia, but Obamas administration has agreed to reform some of rules governing data interception.

Family of death row prisoner protest outside Ch Nisars residence

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RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – The family of a prisoner on death sentence protested outside Federal Interior Minister Chaudary Nisar’s residence located in Faizabad. The protest by the family of the death row inmate named Amin continued well into the night. The family protested that Amin’s hanging should be postponed for a day saying he was younger than 18 years of age and the relatives of the victim have even pardoned him. They stated that he was being hanged just because the case registered against him has terrorism provisions in it. They also stated that his Amin’s age at the time of the crime was 17 years and 5 months.According to the details, 2 men and women protested outside Federal Interior Minister’s residence.Station House Officer (SHO) Sadiqabad and a heavy contingent of the police arrived upon report of the protest. The protestors were shifted to Deputy Superintendent of Police’s (DSP) office in New Town. The negotiations went well into the night. The protestors were informed that their demands have been conveyed to high officials.

Pietersen shouldn't expect England recall says Stewart

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LONDON (AFP) - Exiled England star Kevin Pietersen shouldnt expect an international recall despite his return to county cricket, according to his Surrey coach Alec Stewart.Pietersen has rejoined Surrey to play in County Championship Division Two this season in a bid to win a Test recall for Englands Ashes showdown with Australia later this year.The 34-year-old South Africa-born batsman was sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board after the 2013-14 whitewash in Australia.ECB managing director Paul Downton insists Pietersen will not be brought back into the fold, while Test captain Alastair Cook rated the prospect highly unlikely, and former England opener Stewart agrees.If England are winning, they have a good West Indies tour which we expect, then its going to take an injury or a huge loss of form for a vacancy to become available, Stewart told BBC Radio Five Live.But all Kevin can do and, thats what hes said to us, hes going to score runs, sit back and see what happens.Pietersen was reported to have fallen out with several senior members of the England squad before he was axed, but Surrey director of cricket Stewart claimed he has never had any problems with his attitude.Hes been as good as gold with us. If he was a bad character we wouldnt have had him, Stewart said.Whenever hes been with us he has been outstanding. Hes helped the youngsters, hes been in the nets, hes put on batting clinics and hes tried his heart out.So hopefully, and I have no reason to disbelieve it, he will be exactly the same this time, if not even more hard working and desperate to score runs.

Dollar resumes climb in wait on Greece deal

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar headed higher against the euro Monday, with markets on the watch for movement in talks on a new Greek bailout deal.Traders held out hopes for progress toward an agreement after a weekend of talks, but worries of a breakdown were also still in the air.Experts from the IMF and the EU are scrutinizing a list of proposed reforms put forward by Athens to try to unblock a new 7.2 billion euro ($7.81 billion) tranche of EU-IMF loans and avoid a debt default.But Greece was told the list needs more work and details.Were not there yet, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas warned. However, he added, the fact that experts worked through the entire weekend and continue today is a positive sign.Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda trading group, was upbeat.I just dont think people are buying into the Grexit anymore, he said. A deal is always done and it would be truly bizarre if the same didnt happen this time.Also boosting the dollar -- which rose on the British pound and Swiss franc as well -- were hints from China that more easing might be in the works for the sagging Chinese economy.Peoples Bank of China governor Zhou Xiaochuan told the Boao Forum on Sunday that we need to be vigilant to see if the disinflation trend will continue, and if deflation will happen or not.China can have room to act, both with interest rates and quantitative measures, he added in comments reported by Bloomberg News.

MQM Rabita Committee strongly condemns workers' arrest

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Rabita Committee on Monday strongly condemned the growing number of arrests of its workers by police and government officials. According to an issued statement, MQM Rabita Committee stated that consecutive arrests and unannounced ban on their political activities has been going on.MQM’s Rabita Committee mentioned the names of some of their arrested members which include MQM’s joint incharge of municipal sector unit C/112 Mohammad Zulifiqar, unit committees’ member Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Tariq and municipal sector C/112’s workers. The Rabita Committee stated that these members were arrested early in the morning on Monday from Musharraf Colony by government officials during a raid.Rabita Committee stated that no information about the arrests is being provided to any member of the party or families of the arrested.MQM’s Rabita Committee has demanded that Pakistan’s Prime Minister (PM), Federal Interior Minister Chaudary Nisar take notice of the unjustified arrests of their party members. The Rabita Committee has demanded that these arrests should seize immediately and a free environment should be provided to MQM for its political activities.

Jonathan, Buhari neck-and-neck in tense Nigerian elections

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ABUJA (AFP) - President Goodluck Jonathan was neck-and-neck with his main opposition challenger in Nigerias knife-edge general election on Monday, with tensions and fears of violence running high as results trickled in.The presidential election pitting Jonathan against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari is the closest in Nigerias history, and the first with a credible opposition challenge.International election observers gave broadly positive reactions to the conduct of the vote, despite late delivery of election materials and technical glitches with new voter authentication devices.Nigerias Transition Monitoring Group, which had observers across the country, said: These issues did not systematically disadvantage any candidate or party.Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) won five states while Jonathan, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took three plus the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.But the 57-year-old Jonathan was marginally ahead on the overall number of votes won so far, with the next tranche of results expected later in the evening.The PDP and the APC on Sunday traded allegations of vote rigging and other irregularities, raising the possibility of a legal challenge to the results.Violence has often flared in previous Nigerian votes after the winner is announced and the United States and Britain warned against any interference with the count.So far, we have seen no evidence of systemic manipulation of the process, US Secretary of State John Kerry and British foreign minister Philip Hammond said in a joint statement.But there are disturbing indications that the collation process -- where the votes are finally counted -- may be subject to deliberate political interference.Kayode Idowu, spokesman for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told AFP that there was no evidence of political interference.Jonathans campaign spokesman Femi Fani-Kayode told reporters in Abuja that the claims were absolutely balderdash and challenged Kerry and any other foreign powers to provide evidence. Nigerias central Kaduna state, one of the areas worst-affected by violence four years ago when some 1,000 people were killed in post-election clashes, was said to be calm.Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu, president of the Northern People Unity and Reconciliation Union, welcomed positive statements from foreign observers about the conduct of the election.But he warned that places such as Kaduna remained a powderkeg, particularly if electoral fraud is suspected in any ruling party victory.If it does happen that it is declared that President Jonathan is the winner, not General Buhari, looking at what has happened so far in Nigeria at this election, I can tell you that Kaduna will catch fire, he said.Some 2,000 women protesting against the conduct of the elections were teargassed as they tried to converge on the local electoral commission offices in the southern oil city of Port Harcourt.The protest over alleged vote rigging by the PDP -- and a counter-protest demanding the results hold -- forced the Rivers state government to impose an overnight curfew.The electoral commission is investigating the claims of electoral fraud.Political parties have been urged to take any disputes to the courts rather than the streets.Jonathans PDP has been in power since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999 but is being pushed to the wire by Buhari.The prospect of a democratic transfer of power -- plus economic woes caused by the slump in global oil prices, concerns about corruption and fears about insecurity -- energised the vote.The winning presidential candidate needs not just the most votes but at least 25 percent support in two-thirds of Nigerias 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to avoid a run-off.Voting was pushed into an unscheduled second day Sunday after failures in controversial new technology designed to read biometric identity cards to combat electoral fraud.Among those affected by the technical hitches was the president himself.Some 348 polling stations had to open again on Sunday to complete the vote, for which 68.8 million people are registered out of Nigerias population of 173 million.But election chief Attahiru Jega said the number of affected devices was minimal and the commission was confident of meeting its goal of a free, fair, credible and peaceful election.We appeal to all Nigerians to remain peaceful as they await the return of these results, he told a news conference on Sunday.Boko Haram has dominated the campaign, with military operations against the Islamist militants forcing a six-week delay to the scheduled February 14 election.On Sunday, residents and a military source said soldiers supported by two fighter jets had intercepted militants at Dungulbe village, seven kilometres (four miles) from Bauchi city in the northeast.A spokesman for the Bauchi state governor said a round-the-clock curfew had been imposed on three areas because of the fighting.The militants were believed to have come through the town of Alkaleri, 60 kilometres away, where there was a dawn raid on Saturday.A series of suspected attacks on polling stations in neighbouring Gombe state on Saturday killed at least seven.Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau had vowed to disrupt the election, calling it un-Islamic.

Iran talks stretch into the night hours before deadline

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LAUSANNE (AFP) - Marathon talks aimed at curtailing Irans nuclear programme stretched into the night Monday as negotiators grappled with the remaining tricky issues blocking a deal with a deadline just hours away.There still remain some difficult issues, Kerry told a CNN reporter in his luxury lakeside hotel in the Swiss town of Lausanne. We are working very hard to work those through. We are working late into the night and obviously into tomorrow.Global powers are racing against the clock to nail down the final pieces of a framework deal aimed at stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb by Tuesdays midnight deadline.Adding to the drama, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov left the crunch talks with Iran in Switzerland after a series of meetings, Russian media reported. He will only return if there is a realistic chance of a deal, his spokeswoman said earlier.Kerry said there was a little more light ... today, but there are still some tricky issues. Everyone knows the meaning of tomorrow. State Department acting spokeswoman Marie Harf appealed to the Iranians to help overcome the last hurdles. Its sort of time to see whether they can make these decisions.German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said major points of contention were Irans very ambitious demands once a first phase of a deal lasting around 10 years expires.We must take precautions to ensure that what happens after the 10 years expire really is verifiable and transparent, he told German broadcasters. We cannot allow there to be a really explosive development after 10 years.Lavrov and his counterparts from the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany are trying to pin down the outlines of a deal which will then be fleshed out with technical annexes by June 30.They want Iran to scale back its nuclear programme to give the world ample notice of any dash to make the bomb and end a crisis that has threatened to escalate dangerously for 12 years.A Western diplomat said it was yes or no time, adding the talks remained blocked on three major issues -- the length of the accord, the lifting of UN sanctions and a mechanism to ensure both sides stick to the deal.The diplomatically isolated Islamic republic denies wanting atomic weapons and is calling for the lifting of sanctions that have strangled its lifeblood oil exports and its access to the global financial system.Global powers only want a gradual easing of the sanctions to ensure they can be snapped back into place if Iran reneges on the deal.The threat of new US sanctions, and domestic pressure on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for his attempts at rapprochement with the West, all but rule out any further extension of the deadline.We had a very important meeting, and detailed discussions, Irans lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi said, while insisting we have solutions for most of the remaining issues.Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi said he was cautiously optimistic adding the differences between the parties were narrowing.With all eyes focused on Tuesdays deadline, Harf said she could not predict what would happen if the outlines of a deal were not agreed in time.Obviously we always are planning for contingencies, she told reporters, adding: We will have to take a very hard look at where we are and we will have to decide what happens next.The administration of President Barack Obama is facing a looming battle with rival Republicans who have threatened to try to slap new sanctions on Iran once they return from recess on April 14.Western diplomats say some areas in a highly complex jigsaw puzzle are tentatively agreed. One said Iran had more or less agreed to slash the number of its centrifuge enrichment machines from 20,000 to 6,000 and to ship abroad most of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium.Iranian officials dismissed the numbers as speculation, with Araghchi ruling out sending the stocks abroad, although he said other options were being examined, such as diluting low-enriched uranium or converting it to another form.The powers also want Irans remaining facilities to be subject to an unprecedented level of inspections by the UN atomic watchdog.Its underground facility at Fordo would also likely be barred from uranium enrichment, diplomats said, although it might be kept open for research purposes.

Karachi: 2 suspects killed in police clash

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – 2 terrorists were killed on Tuesday during a clash with the police near Kushti Chowk area of Napier Police Station in Karachi. Claim that ammunition was recovered from the suspects has been made.According to Station House Officer (SHO) Azam Khanm, joint action was conducted by Napier Police and Kalakot Police. He stated that information was received that gangwar operatives were busy in plundering in the area. Khan said that the suspects tried to flee as the police arrived and fired upon the police as well. He said 2 suspects were killed during the retaliatory fire.Khan also informed that 2 pistols were found from the terrorists. He stated that nothing was recovered from the suspect’s however which could be used to immediately identify the felons.The dead bodies were shifted to Civil Hospital.Meanwhile, Nabi Buksh police arrested an injured suspect Asif, son of Ahmed and confiscated ammunition from him.

16 dead in Peru bus accident: police

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LIMA (AFP) - At least 16 people were killed Monday when a bus went off a mountain road in southeastern Peru, plunging 1,000 meters into a ravine, police said.The bus belonging to the Sanchez line was on a road linking the cities of Nazca and Puquio in the region of Ayacucho when the accident occurred, highway police chief Orfiles Bravo told RPP radio.It apparently went off the road and has fallen some 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) he said.There are 16 dead and 49 injured, he added.Earlier officials had given a toll of 12 dead and 20 injured.Bravo said the death toll may still rise, as some of the injured are in serious condition.Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rains in the area, police reported.The accident came a week after 37 people were killed and at least 70 injured in a multiple-vehicle collision in northern Peru.Deadly accidents are not uncommon in Peru. In the first half of last year, 1,406 people were killed in road accidents. The full-year death toll was 3,590 in 2013 and 4,138 in 2012.
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Sunday 29 March 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tsunami warning after Papua New Guinea hit by 7.7 quake

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SYDNEY (AFP) - A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Papua New Guinea Monday, US seismologists said, with hazardous tsunami waves possible within 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) of the epicentre.The quake hit at a depth of 65 kilometres, some 54 kilometres from the nearest city of Kokopo on New Britain island and 789 kilometres from the capital Port Moresby, the United States Geological Survey said.Based on preliminary earthquake parameters... hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 kilometres of the earthquake epicentre, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.The tsunami risk was expected to be limited to PNG and the Solomon Islands.The initial quake was followed by a smaller 5.7-magnitude aftershock in the same area.Geoscience Australia seismologist Jonathan Bathgate said there was a possibility of a local tsunami but based on the magnitude of the quake it was likely to be on the lower end of the scale.Although people would have felt strong shaking... theres probably not going to be a lot of widely spread damage, he told AFP.The nearest town of Kokopo, the capital of East New Britain, has a population of around 20,000. It started to grow after nearby Rabaul was flattened by volcanic eruptions in 1994.Earthquakes are common in PNG, which sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.The last big tremor off the Pacific nations coast was a 6.8-magnitude quake that struck Bougainville island in December.In 2013 the neighbouring Solomon Islands were hit by a devastating tsunami after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake rattled the region. That tsunami left at least 10 people dead, destroyed hundreds of homes and left thousands of people homeless.

Australia lauded for World Cup win

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Australia lauded its World Cup winning team Monday for a fairytale victory on home soil over New Zealand, with praise heaped on retiring one-day captain Michael Clarke after a dream farewell.Clarke hit 74 as Australia cruised home by seven wickets in a one-sided final in front of a record crowd of 93,013 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.The win, culminating a gruelling tournament, was front page news across the country with The Australian newspaper saying: Pitch perfect Australia lives the dream to claim fifth World Cup.Done it without raising a sweat or anybodys pulse, the broadsheets cricket writer Peter Lalor said.Michael Clarkes side made easy work of New Zealand at the MCG, much as they had with India in the semi-final and Pakistan in the quarter.The Sydney Daily Telegraph focused on the outgoing Clarke, who announced his retirement from the one-day international format on the eve of the final.Pups fairytale farewell as Aussies crowned world champions, it said on its front page, referring to Clarke by his nickname.Lifting the trophy provided Clarke the fairytale ending that seemed so unlikely in November, when his chronic hamstrings again betrayed him and the ambition of captaining a World Cup winning team appeared far-fetched, it added.The captain, wearing a black armband, dedicated the win to Phillip Hughes, the team-mate who died after being hit on the head by a bouncer last year, which the Telegraph said was a fitting tribute.Of course no silverware could erase the painful memories of Phillip Hughes tragic and traumatising death, cricket writer Richard Hinds said.Yet, at the twilight of a confronting, even brutal summer, this was rich reward for Australias experience, endurance and composure.Australia batsman Hughes died on November 27 last year, two days after being hit on the head by a Sean Abbott bouncer in a first-class match in Sydney.With Clarke choosing to now focus on Test cricket, The Age in Melbourne said the team was in transition but was in good hands with Steve Smith expected to be named his successor.In Michael Clarke and Steven Smith, two generations of Australian cricket steered their team through the final leg of their long trek to a fifth World Cup, wrote Malcolm Knox, the Fairfax Media cricket writer.The outgoing captain and the incoming; the elder who has battled his health all summer to get in, and the younger who has been almost impossible to get out.With Clarkes retirement from the one-day game, Australia is already in transition, he added. Brad Haddin, and presumably Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson, will not be defending their title in England in 2019, but otherwise the strength of the current team is its youth.

Tennis: Serena thrashes US teen to advance at Miami

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MIAMI (AFP) - Serena Williams crushed a teenaged talent less than half her age Sunday to reach the fourth round of the ATP and WTA Miami Open, defeating American Catherine Bellis 6-1, 6-1.The 15-year-old US challenger was no match for the 33-year-old American, a 19-time grand slam champion who is bidding for a record eighth trophy at her home event.Bellis, the junior world number one, found herself in a major test against the games current dominator in her first WTA appearance since the US Open, where she upset Dominika Cibulkova.World number one Williams is competing in Miami for the 15th time since debuting as a teenager herself in 1998, a year before Bellis was born.Top-seed Williams will next face Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, a winner over German 13th seed Angelique Kerber 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.Williams, bidding for a third consecutive Miami title, stretched her win streak to 14 matches at Crandon Park. Her career Miami record now stands at 69-7.Williams wrapped up the affair in 41 minutes with 15 winners and five breaks of the prodigys serve. Bellis committed 21 unforced errors.If you break down her age and her ability and how well I think she handled the moment and how well she played, I think it was good, Williams said.Shes young and her being an American, you want to see people like her do well. When youre up against them, you have to kind of put that aside, even though Im always cheering for her. Otherwise I have to put it aside and play the match.Williams said that the knee injury which knocked her out of an Indian Wells quarter-final last week continues to improve.Ive been feeling pretty good, much better than I did in my last tournament. Ive surpassed my expectations, Williams said. When Im out there I dont feel it as much. It feels a little better every day.Third seed Simona Halep defeated Italys Camila Giorgi 6-4, 7-5 to continue the momentum she took from last weeks title at Indian Wells. The Romanian overcame five double-faults in a victory requiring nearly 90 minutes.Halep is bidding for a fourth WTA title this season after winning at Shenzhen, Dubai and Indian Wells.Italian 15th seed Flavia Pennetta defeated two-time Miami champion Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (8/6).In the mens draw, Britains Andy Murray won his 499th career match, downing Colombian Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 6-4 to reach the fourth round.The 27-year-old Scotsman, who won the Miami title in 2009 and 2013, would become the ninth active player to reach 500 victories if he wins his next match against South African 15th seed Kevin Anderson, who eliminated Argentinas Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-4.Hopefully I can win some more throughout my career, Murray said. Maybe it doesnt happen in a couple of days. I hope it does. But if not, then, you know, Im sure at some stage I will get there.I obviously want to try and win more, and hopefully still have quite a few years ahead of me left to add to that number. Its a lot of wins. Its not easy these days to win that many matches, so thats a good sign.Murray was pleassed with his showing.I played well, I thought it was a good performance. I hit the ball pretty clean, he said. He came out and started swinging a bit towards the end of the match and made it a little bit tricky, but I thought for the most part I played very well.Murray won in 84 minutes, breaking three times and hitting 19 winners took advance. Against Anderson, Murray has three wins from four matches, the last in Valencia last year.Frances 32nd-ranked Adrian Mannarino won his first match in 13 attempts against a top 10 opponent as he stunned an off-form Stan Wawrinka, the seventh seed, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), while Gael Monfils won an all-French match with good friend and 11th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).

Football: Germany boost Euro campaign with Georgia win

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TBILISI (AFP) - Marco Reus and Thomas Muellers first-half goals sealed a 2-0 win in Georgia on Sunday to put world champions Germanys Euro 2016 qualifying campaign back on track.After suffering a shock defeat to Poland and drawing at home to Ireland last October, Joachim Loews Germany arrived in Tbilisi needing three points to stay in the hunt for top spot in Group D.Scotlands 6-1 drubbing of bottom side Gibraltar in Glasgow means the Scots, Poland and Germany are all level on 10 points in the table ahead of Sunday nights qualifier in Dublin between Ireland and Poland.After failing to impress in their seven internationals since winning Brazil 2014, this was a far more polished display from the world champions.Germany created 13 chances while restricting their hosts to just two shots, and only an outstanding display from Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria kept his side in the game.Having experimented with a 3-1-4-2 formation in Wednesdays 2-2 friendly draw at home to Australia, Loew reverted to the 4-2-3-1 line-up with which he won the World Cup.Leow started with seven of the side which won the World Cup final while captain Bastian Schweinsteiger made his first appearance since Germany were crowned world champions in Rio de Janerio.Georgia suffered an early set back when experienced centre-back Aleksandr Amisulashvili was forced off injured, to be replaced by uncapped teenager Lasha Dvali with just four minutes gone.Reus, who also scored Germanys opening goal against Australia, hit the crossbar with five minutes gone, while Mueller fired just wide on 12 minutes.Georgia are second from bottom of Group D after also losing to Poland, Ireland and Scotland, but the home crowd passionately cheered every counter-attack by the hosts at the sold-out Boris Paichadze stadium.The Germans went ahead when Mario Goetze, who was playing up front, wove his way through the defence and rolled his pass to the unmarked Reus, who drilled home on 39 minutes.The Borussia Dortmund winger was only denied his second moments later when Loria palmed his long-range shot over the bar.With half-time beckoning, Mesut Ozils well-timed pass found Mueller, who held up his marker and fired home to fouble the lead.The games tempo dropped in the second half, but Georgia enjoyed their best period in the final 20 minutes with some sustained pressure.Schweinsteiger was forced to clear from a late corner as Georgia kept the visitors on the back foot.The win sets up Germany ahead of their next qualifier away to minnows Gibraltar in June before key qualifiers home to Poland, then away to Scotland and Ireland in September and October.

Football: Coentrao gets winner as Portugal see off Serbia

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LISBON (AFP) - Real Madrids Fabio Coentrao scored the winning goal as Portugal beat Serbia 2-1 in Lisbon on Sunday to move top of Euro 2016 qualifying Group I.Coentrao arrived at the back post to convert a low ball across the box from Joao Moutinho to decide the encounter at the Estadio da Luz after Nemanja Matic had cancelled out Ricardo Carvalhos early opener with a spectacular strike.Cristiano Ronaldo captained the home side but in the absence of another Real Madrid star, central defender Pepe, the veteran Carvalho played alongside Bruno Alves in the heart of the back four.And the 36-year-old Monaco man got the breakthrough 10 minutes in, heading past Vladimir Stojkovic from a Coentrao cross to score his first international goal in eight years after Dusan Basta had needlessly given away a corner.Serbia, playing their first competitive game under Radovan Curcic and struggling in the section, drew level from a corner of their own in the 61st minute.Aleksandar Kolarovs ball in from the left was helped on by Radosav Petrovic and Chelsea midfielder Matic -- back on the ground where he used to star for Benfica -- connected with a stunning acrobatic overhead kick that left Rui Patricio helpless in goal.But Serbia were only level for two minutes before Coentrao got Portugals winner, to the delight of the home fans in the crowd of more than 58,000.

Football: Lacazette on target in France victory

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SAINT-ETIENNE (AFP) - Alexandre Lacazette scored his first international goal to set France on the way to a 2-0 friendly victory over Denmark in Saint-Etienne on Sunday evening.The Lyon striker set the ball rolling in the 14th minute and Arsenals Olivier Giroud added another before half-time as Les Bleus bounced back from their 3-1 defeat to Brazil at the Stade de France last Thursday.Coach Didier Deschamps made eight changes to his starting line-up from that game, with Raphael Varane, Morgan Schneiderlin and Antoine Griezmann the only players to keep their places.Young Real Madrid defender Varane wore the captains armband in the continued absence of the injured Hugo Lloris, while Saint-Etiennes Stephane Ruffier was handed a start in goal in front of his home fans.The bitter rivalry between Saint-Etienne and Lyon ensured that the crowd at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard gave Lacazette and his OL teammate Christophe Jallet a hostile reception, but the former overcame that to open the scoring.When Griezmanns effort was blocked by Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, Lacazette -- the leading scorer in Ligue 1 this season with 23 goals -- lashed home the loose ball to open his international account on his sixth cap.The Euro 2016 hosts continued to press and Dimitri Payet curled a shot just wide before the second goal arrived seven minutes prior to the interval.Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia drove towards the Danish penalty area and set up Giroud -- with 37 caps the most experienced member of the French starting line-up -- to beat Schmeichel with a low left-foot finish.That was the end of the scoring, although the visitors should have equalised just before the break, but Nicklas Bendtner, who netted a hat-trick in last weeks friendly win against the United States, headed against the right post from close range.Christian Eriksen saw his long-range effort saved by Ruffier in the second half as the goalkeeper marked a rare international start with a clean sheet.France are next in action on June 7 when they host Belgium at the Stade de France before travelling to Albania six days later.Denmark currently sit second in Euro 2016 qualifying Group I behind Portugal halfway through the campaign, with their next match at home to Serbia in June.

Golf: Ramsay returns to form with victory at Trophee Hassan II

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AGADIR (AFP) - Scotlands Richie Ramsay overcame a bumpy front nine before striking back with three straight birdies as he won the Trophee Hassan II tournament on Sunday by one stroke for his third European Tour victory.A final round of 69, on the picturesque par-72 Golf de Palais Royal layout in Agadir, left Ramsay on 10-under and one shot clear of Frenchman and fellow overnight leader Romain Wattel.It was a glorious return to form for the 31-year-old from Aberdeen after missing the cut in four of his five starts this season. I made some great putts on nine and ten and when I stood over my putt on 12 (for birdie), I felt really confident with my putter and just told myself to go for it, a delighted Ramsay told Sky Sports. The seven iron I hit on the last hole was one of the greatest shots Ive ever made and this victory means a huge amount. This is for my brother and my family who are watching back at home. Ive gone through some tough times but I always kept believing. It was so much fun out there today and its absolutely brilliant, Im going to go out now and celebrate with my caddie. He began the final round as one of three men in front with Wattel and Scotlands Andrew McArthur with a group of seven players just one shot back on six under. Wattel moved within a shot of the Scot with a birdie at the relatively easy par-5 17th but couldnt muster the birdie he needed to force a playoff when he couldnt chip in from the fringe on the 18th green. Wattel was looking for his first European Tour victory but settles for a morale-boosting runner-up finish. It appeared a third victory, to follow previous triumphs in 2009 at the South African Open and European Masters in 2012, had slipped away from Ramsay when he dropped three shots at eight and nine where he made bogey-double bogey allowing Wattel to take the outright lead. But he refound his putting touch early on the inward turn with three consecutive birdies at 12, 13 and 14 to catch and then overtake the 24-year-old from Montpellier and never looked back. Steady golf down the stretch, with four straight pars to close, and the fact that none of the challengers, apart from Wattel, were able to mount a serious challenge left Ramsay to savour a fine victory. A group of six players finished on eight under and two shots back including Englishman Chris Wood, who shot a 67, Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, Swede Mickael Lundberg, South African duo George Coetzee and Jaco Van Zyl as well as Irishman Kevin Phelan. McArthur endured a difficult final day and slumped home with a three over 75 to slide down the leaderboard into a tie for 34th. Spanish veteran Jose Maria Olazabal, 49, who won the Ryder Cup both as a player and captain and also won the Masters twice, finished strongly with a blistering 66 to finish in a tie for ninth at seven under with four other players.

Golf: Walker wins Texas Open before hometown supporters

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SAN ANTONIO (AFP) - Hometown hero Jimmy Walker captured his fifth US PGA Tour title on Sunday, firing a two-under-par 70 final round to win the $6.2 million Texas Open by four strokes.Walker, who lives only a half-hours drive from the TPC San Antonio course, led by four shots when the day began and finished on 11-under 277 to defeat fellow Texan Jordan Spieth by that same margin.Its at home. Its cool. You can feel the love from your friends and family, Walker said. Its not everyday that you can win in your hometown.It was the second US PGA triumph of the season for Walker, who won his second consecutive Sony Open in Hawaii title earlier this year and also captured last years Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the 2013 Frys.com Open.Walker birdied the par-5 second and eighth holes but took bogeys at the fourth and par-3 seventh to make the turn level for the day. He began the back nine with a birdie from 16 feet but then missed a five-foot putt for par at 12 and took a bogey.Walker added a 16-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th and an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-4 17th, then parred the 18th to secure the victory, his fifth win in 37 starts after playing for nine years before securing his first PGA title.It was playing hard, Walker said. It wasnt giving up many pars. I was leaking some oil there but I started making some putts.Walker, who snapped a streak of 10 54-hole PGA leaders that had failed to win, will take practice rounds at Augusta National on Monday and Tuesday.I like Augusta, Walker said. All this adds momentum and confidence. Its what were constantly building toward.Spieth, a 21-year-old Texan who shared second at last years Masters, will rise from sixth to fourth in the world rankings out on Monday, trailing only world number one Rory McIlroy, Swedish world number two Henrik Stenson and defending Masters champion Bubba Watson.Spieth has had eight top-seven finishes in his past 10 worldwide starts.The top 14 finishers were all US players, with 2014 PGA playoff winner Billy Horschel third on 284, seven shots adrift, and Daniel Summerhays with Chesson Hadley on 285.Dustin Johnson and Ryan Palmer shared sixth on 286 with Brendan Steele, Chris Kirk and Scott Pinckney on 287.

Motorcycling: Rossi wins thrilling Grand Prix of Qatar

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DOHA (AFP) - Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi, on a Yamaha, won a spectacular Grand Prix of Qatar on Sunday as he withstood a furious onslaught from fellow Italian Andrea Dovizioso over the final laps to take the opening race of the season. A see-saw battle saw the the lead change hands numerous times before the 36-year-old Rossi opened up a slight gap on the final two laps and held off the charging Dovizioso on his Ducati, who was looking for his first win in MotoGP. It was a stunning 109th victory for the iconic Rossi and his 197th podium as Italy swept the board with Andrea Iannone, also on a Ducati, coming home third.It was a first time Italy took the top three places since the Japanese MotoGP in 2006. Rossi won by 0.174sec with Iannone 2.250 back, Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo in fourth and world champion Marc Marquez well back in fifth at 7.036 after a nightmare start. This was one of the best victories for me, said Rossi with his trademark grin. The bike was fantastic, I never gave up but it was a real fight with the Ducatis and the Hondas who were really strong. Im so happy for me, for the team and for Yamaha. The second part of the race was really good and Im very happy because we had difficulties in testing and practice but my experience helped today. This is a great, great victory but I had a good feeling this morning. he added. Lorenzo, also on a Yamaha, was also in the hunt for victory and led midway through the race before Rossi, who began from eighth on the grid, charged to the front and went into battle with his compatriot Dovizioso. It came down to an all Italian battle with Rossi seizing the lead for the final time with two laps to go and just hanging on to cross the line ahead of Dovizioso, who started from pole position. Dovizioso, who was the 125cc world champion in 2004, was delighted with his performance despite missing out on a maiden win in the sports most prestigious category. Im happy to come back from what Ive been through and it was a really tight race right until the final lap, he said. I had no more grip on my tyres so I couldnt attack but to come second in the first race of the season is really great. he added. Marquez never fully recovered from a dreadful start when he was forced off the track and left last, although the Spaniard did battle back to finish fifth.Earlier, German rider Jonas Folger won the Moto2 season-opening race on a Kalex at the Losail circuit.The 21-year-old -- winning his first race in this category after two podium finishes in his maiden season last year -- beat home two other Kalex riders in Belgiums Xavier Simeon and Thomas Luthi of Switzerland. French rider Alexis Masbou won the Moto3 event as the 27-year-old -- recording his second success at this level having won the Czech race last year -- edged out fellow Honda riders Enea Bastianini of Italy and Briton Danny Kent.

Solar Impulse departs Myanmar for China

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MANDALAY (AFP) - Solar Impulse 2 took off from Myanmars second biggest city of Mandalay early Monday and headed for Chinas Chongqing, the fifth flight of a landmark journey to circumnavigate the globe powered solely by the sun.The single-seater aircrafts team spent more than a week waiting in Mandalay for weather conditions to improve in southwestern China for what will be one of the most challenging legs of the round the world attempt so far.Speaking on a live feed from mission control in Monaco, Prince Albert gave pilot Bertrand Piccard clearance for takeoff.Bertrand, from Albert, you are clear to proceed. Have a nice flight, Prince Albert said.Thank you very much my friend, Piccard replied before taking off at around 3:35 am local time (2105 GMT Sunday) into the dark pre-dawn skies.Piccard, one of the two Swiss pilots of the solar-powered plane, will have to battle extreme cold of down to -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit) in the cockpit and the general unpredictabilities of flying above the mountainous Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan.Flying at high altitude for most of the journey, Piccard will also need to use additional oxygen.The 1,375-kilometre (854-mile) route is expected to take around 18 hours.If the plane flies direct it will cross over a remote region of Myanmars border with China where intense fighting has broken out between predominantly ethnic Chinese Kokang rebels and Myanmars military.The fighting has forced tens of thousands of refugees to flood into neighbouring Yunnan province. Earlier this month Beijing mobilised fighter jets to patrol its side of the border after a bomb, apparently from a Myanmar warplane, landed in a sugar plantation in Chinese territory killing five. The team behind Solar Impulse 2, which has more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings, hopes to promote green energy with its circumnavigation attempt.Ridiculed by the aviation industry when it was first unveiled, the venture has since been hailed around the world, including by UN chief Ban Ki-moon.Muscat was the first of the 12 planned stops on the planes maiden journey around the world from Abu Dhabi, with a total flight time of around 25 days spread over five months.From Oman the plane flew to the Indian city of Ahmedabad before heading to Varanasi and then Mandalay. From Chongqing it will depart for the eastern coastal city of Nanjing before embarking on the most arduous leg of its journey, an 8,172-kilometre, 120-hour odyssey across the Pacific to Hawaii.

Clarke reveals Test aim after World Cup win

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Australia captain Michael Clarke said his next target after winning the World Cup in his last one-day international on Sunday was to take his team back to the top of the Test rankings.Clarke hit 74 as Australia defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in a one-sided final in front of a record crowd of 93,013 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.Australia bowled out the Black Caps for 183 and then galloped to victory in the 34th over to win one-day crickets showpiece event for the fifth time, with this World Cup triumph their first on home soil.The 33-year-old Clarke, who announced his retirement from the one-day international format on the eve of the final, added 112 runs for the third wicket with his likely successor Steve Smith, who made an unbeaten 56 and struck the winning boundary.Australia are currently second in the International Cricket Councils Test rankings, six ratings points behind South Africa.But leaving the 50-over format will give Clarke -- whose career has been blighted by back and hamstring problems -- an opportunity to concentrate on the five-day game.My next task is to try and get Australia back to the number one position in Tests, he told reporters after Sundays match.We have a busy period ahead with tours of the West Indies and then on to England for the Ashes. I hope my retirement from one-day cricket will prolong my Test career. I am only 33 and hope I have a few more years left in the game.Clarke said he had not made up his mind about playing in various Twenty20 leagues around the world due to his Test commitments.I have not thought about playing in the T20 leagues, he said. I just wanted to concentrate on the World Cup. Now that it is over, I will get time to think over it.But I am very excited about Test cricket. I dont want to rush to any decisions about other things.Clarke scored 7,981 runs at an average of more than 44 including eight centuries and a best of 130 in his 245 one-day internationals.He added signing off from the shorter format by winning the World Cup was the ideal way for him to bow out of ODI cricket.There are no such things as fairytales in sport but this is as close as it gets, he said.There was a lot of pressure and expectation playing in front of our own crowds. But the boys soaked up that pressure well. Mentally we were ready for the final.Clarke praised his bowling unit after the left-arm pace trio of Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson shared eight wickets on Sunday to set up the emphatic victory.Our bowlers won us the World Cup, he said. There is no doubt that Starc deserved the man of the series award for his 22 wickets. Starc and the whole bowling unit have done a great job.Our bowling in every single game has been exceptional.I think being aggressive and going for wickets was a good strategy. If there are wickets in hand, the last 15 overs can be very destructive. So its better to take wickets and not just restrict the runs.Clarke complimented New Zealand, whose unbeaten tournament run of eight consecutive victories ahead of the final included a one-wicket pool-stage win over Australia in Auckland, saying they were worthy finalists.New Zealand deserve credit for the way they played in the World Cup, he said. I wish them good luck for the future. But it was to be our day today.

Starc truth a lesson for future one-dayers

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Amidst all the blazing hitting witnessed at the 2015 World Cup, the value of one of crickets enduring constants was proved again -- nothing slows a run-rate quite like taking wickets.Few matches better demonstrated this point than Australias dominant seven-wicket win over New Zealand in Sundays final in Melbourne.Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, deservedly named man-of-the-tournament for a haul of 22 wickets at a stunningly meagre average of just over 10 apiece, summed up his brilliant six weeks in the finals opening over.The dynamic Brendon McCullum, New Zealands inspirational captain, couldnt lay a bat on the first couple of balls he faced and was then yorked for a duck by an express Starc delivery off the third.What this World Cup has clearly shown is that a fast, full and straight yorker is a very good delivery, tweeted former Australian paceman Jason Gillespie.Starc was one of several left-arm quicks, including New Zealands Trent Boult, who also took 22 wickets, to star at this World Cup.Both bowlers were well-supported by aggressive fields set by their respective captains in Australias Michael Clarke and McCullum, whose sides also showed the value of a genuine five-man attack.Nevertheless, this tournament witnessed the most 300-plus and even 400-plus totals at a World Cup.Crowds loved the big hits but many within cricket werent so sure, with the fielding restriction that means just four men are allowed outside the 30-yard circle in the last 10 overs under fire.In the old days you had one area you couldnt defend, now theres two and if a good batsman is set, as a bowler youve got very little price, said ICC chief executive David Richardson.One of the things we might look at is allowing an extra fielder out of the ring in the last 10 overs...That might be a sensible change.New Zealand may have lost their maiden World Cup final but on the way they won eight straight matches and in so doing disproved the theory that in order to play good aggressive cricket, it is also necessary to verbally abuse or sledge your opponents.New Zealands semi-final win over South Africa was a brilliant example of how you could play attacking, hard cricket and not worry about the man, said Richardson.The Black Caps also showed that with the ICC now being run by the Big Three of India, Australia and England -- whose dire effort in crashing out in the first round was no surprise -- that talent, good organisation and strong leadership can help compensate for a small playing base and a lack of financial clout.One crumb of comfort for England, who will host the 2019 tournament, was that the past two World Cups have now been won by the host nation in India and Australia.Plenty of colour, excitement and no little skill was provided in the early stages by the four non-Test or Associate sides, with Afghanistans Shapoor Zadran, the UAEs Shaiman Anwar and Scotlands Josh Davey all making a name for themselves.Meanwhile Ireland, for the third World Cup in a row, enjoyed success against Test nations with wins over the West Indies and Zimbabwe.Yet, as things stand -- despite Richardson leaving the door open to change -- the 2019 World Cup will feature 10 teams (the same number as there are Test nations) rather than this years 14.Remarkably, the next World Cup is scheduled to last slightly longer than the 44-day marathon of 2015 as there will be more marquee matches demanding prime-time television slots. Richardson made the point that the game must do more for the Associates between World Cups, but what is the long-term future for cricket in those countries if they do not have a realistic chance of playing in the sports showpiece tournament?In 2017, the top eight-ranked sides in the ICCs standings will gain direct entry to England 2019.The bottom four, in a list that will now include Afghanistan and Ireland, will play in a 10-team 2018 qualifier to determine the last two teams involved.The Associates will still have a meaningful chance, ICC chairman Narayanaswami Srinivasan told Fox Sports during the final.A record Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd of more than 93,000 made their feelings known by booing Srinivasan at the presentation ceremony.

150 Pakistanis stranded in Aden also hopeful after Sanaa evacuation

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SANAA (Dunya News) – The hopes of at least 150 Pakistanis stranded in Aden city of Yemen rose after Pakistan evacuated most of the citizens from Sanaa and escorted them to a safe location in Alhudaidah from where they’re being transported back to Pakistan.According to details, the government has decided to transport Aden-based Pakistanis via road to Al-Makla and the second PIA flight will bring more 250 passengers home on March 31.Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said that Pakistan Navy’s frigate ship has also left for Aden where it will help evacuate Pakistanis.

PIA's flight carrying 502 Pakistanis from Yemen lands at Karachi airport

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) special flight PK 7002 carrying as many as 502 passengers from Yemen has landed safely at Karachi airport, Dunya News reported.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed Shah Muhammad Shah and Humayun Khan to reach the airport to welcome the passengers.The flight landed at around 23:30 and will now transport several passengers to Islamabad early morning where Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry will welcome them.Prime Minister has ordered to send more flights to Yemen to escort more Pakistanis in next 48 hours.

Misbah terms Sangakkara 'best' batsman

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Outgoing Pakistan ODI captain Misbahul Haq on Sunday termed Sri Lankan cricketer Sangakkara as ‘best’ batsman and said that Shahid Afridi did not get chance to exhibit his batting spell, Dunya News reported.Talking exclusively at Dunya News’ show Yeh Hai Cricket Deewangi, Misbah said that he did not get the chance to play the ‘boom boom innings’.Talking about Rahat Ali’s dropped catch against Australia, Misbah said young bowler’s good performance must not be forgotten.
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