Saturday 14 March 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

RugbyU: Brumbies on top, Chiefs end Stormers winning start

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Two-time champions ACT Brumbies mauled the hapless Queensland Reds to go top of Super Rugby this weekend as the Waikato Chiefs ended the Western Stormers winning start to the season.The Wellington Hurricanes remain the only unbeaten team this season and lie two points behind the Brumbies after downing the Auckland Blues 30-23 in the New Zealand derby.The Otago Highlanders came from behind to beat defending champions NSW Waratahs 26-19 in Dunedin to climb into the top six where they were joined by South Africas Coastal Sharks.The Durban-based Sharks had a 27-10 away win over the Central Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.The Northern Bulls, who had a bye this weekend, are one of three teams outside the top six on 10 points along with the Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels, who hung on for a 21-17 win over Western Force in Perth.Seven-time champions Canterbury Crusaders thumped South Africas Golden Lions 34-6 in Christchurch to get their season back on track.The Brumbies humbled the Reds 29-0 in Brisbane to underline their claims as the leading Australian title contender this season.It was the second time in two months the Brumbies have kept the troubled Reds try-less, with the overall tally now 76-3 in the Brumbies favour this season.The beleaguered Reds showed plenty of heart but were blown away by the well-drilled Brumbies, who scored five tries, including a double for Wallabies front-rower Ben Alexander.Youve got to beat the teams from your conference to get through to the finals and we certainly put in enough to keep our rhythm together tonight against the Reds, Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham said.Blockbusting winger Julian Savea scored two tries as the Hurricanes downed the Blues to make their best-ever start to a Super Rugby season.The Hurricanes ran in four tries to two, making it four wins from four this season, in an open game of rugby in which the lead changed four times.The result left the Blues winless after five games in 2015, heaping further pressure on coach John Kirwan after their worst start ever.Coetzee tops listAll Blacks fly-half Aaron Cruden contributed 18 points as the Chiefs fought back to defeat the Stormers 28-19 in Cape Town.Cruden scored the first of Chiefs three tries and kicked two conversions and three penalties from seven shots at goal.It was the Stormers first defeat of the season after four victories.The unheralded Highlanders earned a bonus point in their come-from-behind victory over the Waratahs.A week after they rallied late to beat the highly-rated Chiefs, the Highlanders put the squeeze on the Sydneysiders with two tries on either side of half-time.Sharks loose forward Marcell Coetzee became the joint leading Super 15 try-scorer this season with a brace in the win over the Cheetahs.The Springbok flanker has bagged four tries in five matches -- the same number as Hurricanes All Black wing Savea.The Rebels had a hard-fought win over struggling Australian rivals Western Force, taking advantage of another slow Force start to open up a 15-point lead before hanging on to win for the sixth time in their last seven clashes.The Crusaders All Blacks-stacked scrum dominated the Lions and after stuttering through the first half with one try they produced a more fluid attack in the second spell to add three more.The four tries equalled the total number they had scored in their first three games, when they suffered two losses in yet another slow start to the season.

Football: Arsenal ready for Monaco test says Wenger

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LONDON (AFP) - Arsene Wenger insists his Arsenal players believe they can overturn a 3-1 deficit against Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday, but the Gunners manager is less confident about their chances of winning the Premier League.Goals from Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini secured a 3-0 win over West Ham that left Arsenal in buoyant mood ahead of their tricky last 16 second leg trip to Monaco in midweek.It also moved them just six points behind Chelsea in the league, albeit with the leaders having two games in hand.So, Wenger was asked, are Arsenal back in the title race?Not at the moment, he responded. We just keep going. We have won eight of the last nine.While it might be too late for Arsenal to mount a title charge, Wenger claimed it was only the effects of the World Cup that prevented his side being in a position to put more pressure on Chelsea.And he said they are now a different, more fluent, team because the players know each other much better.Today we are a different team. We suffered a lot post-World Cup, he said.What is for sure is the players understand each other much better than six or seven months ago and that makes everyone much more dangerous.That could be seen throughout Saturdays game at the Emirates Stadium, especially for the key first goal from Giroud on 45 minutes.Laid siegeArsenal had by that point laid siege to the West Ham goal, although with no reward, because goalkeeper Adrian was putting in a supreme performance.Adrians display was all the more impressive because West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald revealed that the Spaniard had dislocated a finger in the warm-up, but insisted on playing on.West Ham had already had to reshuffle their team with so many injuries, resulting in Cheikhou Kouyate playing in defence.Hes had it strapped up, McDonald said of the keepers injury. Hes stood up and been counted, which is great.Even Adrians heroics werent enough however.Mesut Ozil, Ramsey and Giroud interchanged exquisitely, before the French striker rifled the ball in off the far post to make it 1-0.Giroud had received criticism for his misses against Monaco, but has now responded with two goals in his last two league games and Wenger praised his resilience.Always, its one of his great strengths. This is a boy who played at 22-23 in division two in France. You need mental strength for that. Theres no red carpet there, he said.West Ham put Arsenal under pressure in the second half, which was oddly disrupted by a calf injury to referee Chris Foy, who had to go off for fourth official Anthony Taylor.But Arsenal eventually picked off the visitors.Giroud combined with Ramsey for the Welsh midfielder to fire past Adrian in the 81st minute, before Flamini made it 3-0 with an easy finish three minutes later.The final score was somewhat unfair on West Ham and McDonald said boss Sam Allardyce didnt attend the post-game press conference because he wanted to pick the players up, who were feeling really sorry for themselves.There was none of that with Arsenal, whose week had started with an FA Cup quarter-final win at Manchester United, and Wenger was gushing about their belief that they can do something special in Europe on Tuesday.We now go to Monaco, come out of big week, played at Manchester United, played today a derby. We have a little belief, he said.If you have no belief, you have no chance. We have to have belief and give everything.

US, Iran in new nuclear talks as tempers fray

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LAUSANNE (AFP) - Iran and the US aim in talks starting Sunday in Switzerland to begin closing in on a milestone deal reducing Tehrans nuclear activities to within strict limits after 18 months of tortuous negotiations.Time is however running very short and tempers are fraying in Washington where critics fear that the mooted accord will not do enough to prevent the Islamic Republic getting the bomb.US Secretary of State John Kerry, due to meet his Iranian counterpart in Lausanne, sought to allay such concerns on the eve of talks, saying the aim was not just to get any deal, it is to get the right deal.The target is for Iran and six world powers -- the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- to agree the outlines of a deal by March 31 and to fine-tune the details by July 1.Kerry said he hoped an interim agreement could be clinched in the coming days.My hope is that in the next days that will be possible, Kerry told CBS television.Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has however criticised the two-step process, saying matters should be handled in one fell swoop.Khamenei is due to give a closely watched Iranian New Years address on March 21. On Thursday he said the other side in the talks was deceitful and stabs in the back.Rouhani thawThe US and Iran have not had diplomatic relations for 35 years and the standoff over Tehrans nuclear programme has dogged its international relations for more than a decade.But the 2013 election of President Hassan Rouhani resulted in a minor thaw and the past 18 months have seen an intense diplomatic effort to resolve the issue.Under a November 2013 interim deal, Tehran stopped expanding its activities in return for minor sanctions relief. Since then the parties have been pushing for a lasting accord.But to the alarm of Israel and US Republicans, the US has abandoned insisting that Iran dismantles all nuclear activities, tolerating instead a small programme under tight controls.In theory, this still leaves Iran with the possibility to get the bomb, critics say, and last week 47 Republicans took the unprecedented step of writing an open letter to Irans leaders.They warned that any nuclear deal could be modified by Congress or revoked with the stroke of a pen by whomever succeeds President Barack Obama, a Democrat, in 2017.This followed a barnstorming address to US lawmakers -- on a Republican invitation -- by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning against a deal.Republicans have also threatened to bring draft legislation imposing more sanctions towards the end of March, something which would likely prompt Iran to walk away.The letter provoked a storm in Washington with Vice President Joe Biden calling it dangerous and the State Department saying it was harmful to American security.Obama said in a Vice media interview to be released Monday that he was embarrassed for the signatories, while Washingtons allies in its talks with Iran were also unimpressed.The negotiations are difficult enough, so we didnt actually need further irritations, German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier said last week.And Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told top clerics: In truth, it told us that we cannot trust the United States.Third extension?Some progress has been made towards a final deal but the two sides remain far apart on several key issues.These include the future size of Irans uranium enrichment capacities -- which can make nuclear fuel but also the core of a bomb -- the pace at which painful UN, US and EU sanctions would be lifted and the accords duration.We made some progress, but there are still some gaps, important gaps, Kerry said in Egypt on Saturday.Two deadlines, in July and November, passed without an agreement but in view of the controversy in Washington -- and pressure in Iran on Rouhani to deliver -- extending yet again will be very tough.There is no time for additional extensions, said Kelsey Davenport, an analyst at the Arms Control Association.After March, it becomes much more difficult to hold off legislative attempts to by Congress to sabotage the deal, Davenport told AFP.

Venezuela gears up military machine amid economic crunch

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CARACAS (AFP) - Rolling out tanks, missiles and 100,000 men, Venezuela launched 10 days of military exercises Saturday, amid sky-high tensions over US sanctions slapped on officials accused of an opposition crackdown.President Nicolas Maduros socialist, Cuban-allied government -- struggling with sliding oil prices, the regions highest inflation, desperate shortages and rising discontent -- threw the spotlight on its Chinese armored amphibian tanks, Russian-built missiles and other military hardware.Congratulations to the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, and to the people, for the joint exercises, tweeted Maduro, who in two years time has alleged over a dozen coup bids against him and his government by the United States or local opposition members.Civilian-military union to keep having a Fatherland, Maduro added. And may our sacred fatherland never have a (US) imperial boot set foot on it. Long live VenezuelaCivilian-military union emphasisThe nationwide exercises, covered for hours on end on local television, will last 10 days and enlist the participation of 20,000 civilians, in addition to government troops in the South American OPEC member with the worlds largest crude reserves, officials said.The maneuvers come at a time of heightened tensions with the United States, which Venezuela has labeled an imperial brute since the time of Maduros late mentor, longtime president Hugo Chavez.Both elected socialists, they have been harsh critics of the United States, which they slam for failing to cooperate with leftists when they win democratically-held elections.But critics note that the government under Chavez and Maduro has acted to curb dissent in the legislature and on the streets.And Venezuela, closely allied with communist Cuba, is now experiencing severe shortages of even the most basic needs, such as milk, toilet paper or diapers.Maduro recently accused Washington of backing an opposition plot to overthrow him in a coup that would have involved bombing the presidential palace. The US government has dismissed the charges as baseless.In April 2002, when Chavez was briefly ousted for two days, the United States did not come to his aid but instead threw its support behind an adversary, in a move that cost the US much credibility in the country.Relations hit a new low on Monday, when US President Barack Obama slapped new sanctions on the regime, calling Venezuela an extraordinary threat to the national security of the United States.How does Venezuela threaten US?Caracas responded by angrily recalling its envoy to Washington and ramping up its military preparedness.Despite the frosty ties, the United States is still the biggest consumer of Venezuelas oil.Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino Lopez said that the military maneuvers, many of which were to be held in the south of Caracas, were meant to prepare soldiers for their mission, their goal and with the will to be victorious.Other exercises in the show of might focus on Venezuelas oil-producing areas, including the Caribbean coast and an oil field some 200 kilometers (125 miles) to the west of Caracas.Military officials said they will also test the nations air defenses and will ensure that its anti-aircraft systems are ready to be deployed if needed.Interviewed on television about the exercises, the officials echoed Maduros line that the civilian-military union was defeating imperialists, people who have no fatherland and invaders.Now Maduro is seeking extraordinary powers from the legislature that would allow him to rule by decree.His popularity has sunk in the past year amid the economic crisis.Elected to succeed his late mentor Hugo Chavez in April 2013, Maduro had obtained yearlong powers to impose economic laws by decree.

Netanyahu, Herzog in first election debate

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JERUSALEM (AFP) - A long-awaited debate between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his key election rival, Labours Isaac Herzog, took place on television Saturday, focusing on diplomatic and security issues.Despite their repeatedly exchanging barbs in the run-up to Tuesdays general election in campaigning that ends Sunday night, this was their first face-to-face confrontation.They debated for several minutes in Channel 2s Meet the Press programme.But Likud chief Netanyahu, seeking his third consecutive term, was not physically in the studio -- he appeared by video link.Netanyahu focused on the sensitive issue of Jerusalem and security.Why do they (Herzog and Tzipi Livni of the Zionist Union coalition) condemn construction in Jerusalem? Why do they not support me when I fight to neutralise threats like Iranian nuclear weapons, he asked.Why do they refuse to say they support the massive security effort we are undertaking?Herzog replied: Israels security is more important than everything for us. We know how to defend it and we will know how to do it. The only one who sets Jerusalem at the front of the stage even if no one speaks about its division is Benjamin Netanyahu.The final two voting surveys released Friday night by private television channels gave the Zionist Union a four-seat lead over Likud.A large majority of Israelis, both leftwing and rightwing, oppose a divided Jerusalem. Israel captured the eastern, Arab part of the city in the 1967 war and later annexed it in a move not recognised by the international community.Netanyahu accused Herzog and Livni of giving in immediately under international pressure, and not being able to protect our national interests.The international community knows that you are weak and does not accept your position, Herzog retorted.The Palestinians have identified your weakness, and thats why they have undertaken international approaches, he said.Palestinian membership of the International Criminal Court (ICC) takes effect on April 1, setting the scene for potential legal action against Israelis for alleged war crimes, in a move that has infuriated the Jewish state.Interviewed earlier on the show, Herzog said the election was a choice between despair and hope.The Israeli public is fed up with Netanyahu and knows that Im the only one who can replace him, he said.

Asterix artwork raises 150,000 euros for Charlie Hebdo victims

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PARIS (AFP) - An original page of artwork from the 1971 comic Asterix and the Laurel Wreath went under the hammer in Paris on Saturday for 150,000 euros, with the proceeds going entirely to the families of victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack.The storyboard from the 18th comic in the popular French series will carry a special dedication by co-creator Albert Uderzo while auction house Christies said it would waive its commission for the charity sale.The artwork, which was sold at an auction dedicated to comic books, had been valued at between 150,000 and 200,000 euros ($157,000-$209,000). There was no immediate information about the buyer.Twelve people were killed when two Islamist gunmen stormed the Paris offices of the satirical Charlie Hebdo weekly on January 7, in an attack that shocked France. The publication had repeatedly been threatened for its cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed.Two days after the shootings, Uderzo came out of retirement to pen cartoons in tribute to the victims, who included some of the countrys most celebrated cartoonists.Moi aussi je suis un Charlie (Im Charlie too) says Asterix in one of the cartoons, echoing the Je Suis Charlie slogan adopted by people around the world protesting at the attack on freedom of expression. The drawing also showed the Gallic cartoon hero punching an adversary high into the air.The second cartoon showed Asterix and his sidekick Obelix bowing their heads in grief, holding their hats. Asterix grasps a rose, and their pet Dogmatix looks on with a sad look.Charlie Hebdo and Asterix are very different, of course. I am not going to change my stripes, 87-year-old Uderzo told Europe 1 radio at the time.I simply wanted to show my friendship for these cartoonists who have paid with their lives.

Cricket: Super Sunday to decide World Cup quarter-final line-up

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SYDNEY (AFP) - The World Cups marathon group stage finally comes to an end on Sunday with the last two quarter-final places still up for grabs.Pakistan, the 1992 champions, 1975 and 1979 winners the West Indies and non-Test side Ireland are the three teams battling for two remaining places in the knockout phase from Pool B.The winners of the match between Pakistan and Ireland in Adelaide will be guaranteed a quarter-final spot in a fixture that will take place almost eight years to the day since the Irish knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup.It will be an emotional occasion for Misbah-ul-Haqs team as that defeat in Jamaica was followed the day after by the death of their coach Bob Woolmer.I remember Bob a lot, he contributed so much to Pakistan cricket, said veteran batsman Younis Khan of the former England international.I hope we can win this game and some more in the World Cup. There would be nothing better to dedicate to Bobs memory.Pakistan are on a roll after three straight wins, including a defeat of highly-fancied South Africa, after starting the tournament with two straight losses.Ireland have already beaten two Test nations at this World Cup in the West Indies and Zimbabwe but skipper William Porterfield tried to ease the pressure on his team by saying: Its just another game of the group.Obviously result-wise its a key match, but you are still going to prepare like you do for each match.Some lads may think about it more than others and that may be an extra motivating factor for them. But as long as we prepare how we have done for each individual game, then well be fine.Ireland produced a major upset with their three-wicket victory over Pakistan at Jamaicas Sabina Park in 2007 but Porterfield, who played in that match, said another win on Sunday would be no shock.Over the last eight years weve obviously grown massively as a cricket-playing nation, he said.So I dont think it will be as big surprise if we do go out there and win tomorrow as it would have been back in 2007.Gayle injuredIn Napier, the West Indies were expected to roll over the United Arab Emirates to grab fourth spot in Pool B and a quarter-final against New Zealand in Wellington.They currently have four points compared to Pakistan and Irelands six apiece, heading into their match against the amateurs of the UAE.However, they suffered a major blow when big-hitting opener Chris Gayle was ruled out after failing to shake off a back injury.Its all about putting it together today. We are going to field first, said skipper Jason Holder on winning the toss.We have to just come in and execute our plans. Weve got one forced change. Unfortunately, Chris Gayle pulled up with a sore back this morning, so Johnson Charles gets his first game.West Indies need to have one eye on the Napier skies and the other on the scoreboard in what is a must-win game if they are to have any chance of going through to the quarter-finals.Cyclone Pam thousands of kilometres away in the South Pacific could blow away their chances if it brings heavy rainfall to New Zealands North Island.A washout would send Holders men tumbling out of the tournament -- they need two points from a victory as the solitary point awarded for a no-result will not be enough.Further complicating matters, the West Indies must soundly beat the UAE by 70 runs to ensure a place in the last eight.Its a must-win game for us, said West Indies captain Holder. Obviously if the weather plays a part, its beyond our control, but we just need to control what we can control, and thats the game.New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Australia and Bangladesh have all qualified for the quarter-finals from Pool A, while India, the defending champions, and South Africa have both made it through from Pool B.

RugbyU: Toulon reclaim Top 14 summit, Toulouse into fifth

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PARIS (AFP) - Reigning European and French champions Toulon, with a batch of internationals away on Six Nations duty, regained the Top 14 summit on Saturday with a 22-14 win at strugglers Lyon.Clermont had taken temporary control at the top of the table in France on the strength of a 31-23 win over Bordeaux-Begles 24 hours earlier.First half tries from David Smith, Delon Armitage and Drew Mitchell, with Argentine fly-half Nicolas Sanchez contributing two conversions and a penalty, proved Lyons undoing.This was the fourth straight win on the road for Bernard Laportes team but it started badly when their hosts took an early lead through former South Africa scum-half Ricky Januaries six minute try, with Stephen Brett adding three second-half penalties.It also came at a price with six players leaving the pitch due to injury.We were missing ten players, and others were injured quickly, Laporte pointed out.After a cautious opening quarter of an hour we played well for 25 minutes. The second half when we didnt score was tougher.But Id warned the players this wasnt going to be easy, There are no small teams in the championship.Toulons players wore black armbands and there was a minutes applause before kick-off in honour of French Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat, one of the ten victims of this weeks helicopter crash in Argentina who was born in Nice.Earlier, an opportunistic brace of tries from veteran France winger Vincent Clerc helped Toulouse to an 18-13 victory over Montpellier.With just six matches remaining to cement a place in the top six teams who advance to play-offs, every match has become a must-win in the highly competitive French league with but a few points separating five teams in mid-table.The victory moved Toulouse up into fifth spot on 49 points, while Montpellier came away with a bonus defensive point.It was the fourth time this season these two teams had met, having been drawn together in the same European Champions Cup pool, and Toulouses win drew it level at 2-2.Montpellier, with Francois Trinh-Duc making his return as a replacement after a five-month injury lay-off, took an early lead through Benoit Paillaugue and Ben Lucas penalties, Luke McAlister hitting back with two of his own just before half-time.But it was Toulouse replacement Vincent Clerc who proved the difference.First Montpellier winger Rene Ranger, who will return to the Auckland Blues in a bid to get back into the All Blacks squad, made a hash of clearing a kick, the ball bobbling away over the line and out of the Kiwis reach but into Clercs.Rangers nightmare continued just minutes later when he fumbled a McAlister up-and-under behind the tryline, Clerc again on hand to pounce on the loose ball, McAlister kicking the extras.Ranger went some way to regaining his game-breaking kudos with a fine break and one-handed offload to Fijian full-back Timoci Nagusa for the try, converted by Lucas to make for a nerve-racking final 10 minutes.Grenoble moved into the sixth spot with an emphatic 30-21 win away at third-placed Stade Francais as just nine points separated eight clubs from Toulouse in fifth to La Rochelle in 12th.Oyonnaxs hopes were hit with a 35-20 defeat by La Rochelle while Brive moved out of the relegation zone with a stunning 36-12 victory over fourth-placed Racing-Metro.Bottom-placed Castres suffered a 21-19 defeat by Bayonne thanks to an injury-time 45-metre penalty by Argentine Martin Bustos Moyano.

Golf: Bogey-free Moore grabs one-shot lead over Spieth

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PALM HARBOR (AFP) - American Ryan Moore birdied four of the last six holes to fire a four-under par 67 for a one-stroke lead after Saturdays third round of the $5.9 million PGA Valspar Championship.Moore opened with 12 pars and shot one of only two bogey-free rounds surrendered Saturday by the Innisbrook resorts Copperhead course to stand on nine-under 204 after 54 holes.Jordan Spieth, a 21-year-old American who shared second at last years Masters, fired a 68 to stand second on 205 with compatriot Derek Ernst third on 206, American Sean OHair fourth on 207 and Swede Henrik Stenson joining the US duo of Matt Kuchar and Patrick Reed on 208.Moore seeks his fifth US PGA triumph, the past two coming at the 2013 and 2014 CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He also won in 2012 at Las Vegas and took his first PGA title in 2009 at Greensboro, North Carolina.Moore missed a four-foot birdie putt at the par-5 opening hole but saved par from 12 feet at the par-3 fourth and eight feet at the par-3 eighth.I just hit it closer, Moore said of his late birdie run. I missed a lot of greens early, made a few chips and some great par savers. I made some good birdie chances from (13 on) and was able to hole them out.Moore sank eight-foot birdie putts at the par-3 13th and par-5 14th holes, rolled in a birdie from 31 feet at 16 and closed with a five-foot birdie putt at 18 to seize sole possession of the lead.You just always have to be mindful on this course, Moore said. You have to let it dictate what you do out there and thats how Ive tried to play it.Spieth seeks his third title in five months, although his only US PGA career title so far came at the 2013 John Deere Classic. Spieth won the Australian Open last November and followed up by winning the Hero World Challenge charity event hosted by Tiger Woods last December near Orlando.Spieth opened with a tap-in birdie but took his lone bogey at the third, finding the left rough and a greenside bunker and missing a seven-foot par putt. He sank a seven-footer for birdie at the ninth and a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-5 11th, then birdied from 11 feet at the par-3 15th.Spieth would become the youngest US PGA two-time winner since Spaniard Sergio Garcia in 2001.Ernsts lone top-25 finish in 61 US PGA starts was a 2013 victory at Quail Hollow, when his par at the first playoff hole defeated Englands David Lynn for the title. Ernst had been a fourth alternate and ranked 1,207th in the world at the time.This week marks his first run of three sub-par rounds this season.Im just going out there, taking it easy, trying to stay relaxed and having a great time, Ernst said.

Bombs found in camp for displaced people in Nigeria's Maiduguri city

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KANO (AFP) - Nigerian soldiers on Saturday detonated two homemade bombs found in a camp housing people displaced by Boko Haram violence in the restive northeastern city of Maiduguri, witnesses told AFP.Two men suspected of planting the explosives were arrested and an investigation is ongoing, they said.The bombs were found in the citys Yerwa primary school, prompting panic until soldiers destroyed the bombs from a distance.The school was converted into a camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) after Boko Haram terrorists captured the town of Bama, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) from Maiduguri, last July.Two improvised bombs were found in Yerwa primary school IDP camp by the people who notified soldiers stationed nearby, local vigilante Ari Butari said.The soldiers asked people to evacuate before shooting the bombs from a distance, triggering two explosions that didnt harm anyone, he said.Two men were arrested on accusation that they were involved in planting the bombs. They drew suspicion because they were not known to be living in the camp, he added.Butari accused Boko Haram of being behind the foiled bomb attack.His account was supported by Suleiman Yusuf, an IDP staying in the camp.Some people saw two abandoned black polythene bags and called the attention of our leaders in the camp who in turn informed security personnel, Yusuf said.The bags turned out to be containing bombs and the soldiers asked everyone to stay clear of the bombs which they detonated from a distance, he said.He confirmed that two men were detained after raising suspicions.Everyone is vigilant and once a new face shows up we all remain on the alert, he said.Scores of IDP camps dot Maiduguri following a huge influx of people fleeing towns and villages seized by Boko Haram, doubling the population of the city which stood at around one million people.This is believed to be the first foiled attempt to attack any of the camps in the city.The six-year-old Boko Haram insurgency has killed some 13,000 people and displaced 1.5 million in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Tennis: Japan's Nishikori rolls over Harrison at Indian Wells

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INDIAN WELLS (AFP) - Japans Kei Nishikori, the highest ranked Asian player in ATP Tour history, opened his Indian Wells campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ryan Harrison on Saturday.The US Open runner-up broke Harrison five times to advance to the third round of the WTA and ATP Masters hardcourt tournament.I broke him many times today and that was the key for todays match, Nishikori said.The 25-year-old Nishikori, who is seeded fifth, advanced to the third round, where he will play Fernando Verdasco of Spain.Nishikori came into Indian Wells having won last month in Memphis after reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open.He also reached the finals in Acapulco and has reached the quarters in all four tournaments he has competed in this year.It was the second match in a short period of time and just the second career ATP meeting between the two. Nishikori beat Harrison in three sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Memphis.It was different because it was indoors, Nishikori recalled of that encounter. It was a long match. He played good, but I played well in the second set.Saturdays second round match was equally entertaining.Neither player was able to take command in the first set, combining for seven breaks of serve. Nishikori would eventually convert on his third set point.He secured a break to open the second set and then clinched the victory on his second match point when Harrison hit a shot long.Flavia Pennetta opened the defence of her WTA title by beating American Madison Brengle 6-4, 6-2 in second round action.Pennetta, who turned 33 last month, clinched the victory with a crosscourt forehand winner in a match that lasted 75 minutes.Last year, Italys Pennetta dominated Polands Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-1 to win the biggest title of her career in the California desert.Last year I played so well here. I have so many good memories, Pennetta said.The world number 16 said she was nervous about launching her title defence.This morning I woke up and I was shaking a little bit. During the match I was trying to be focussed on what to do and not be rushed, she said.Pennetta is also hoping to use this event as a springboard to success for the remainder of the year. She had a rough start to the season, but did reach the semi-finals in Dubai.Brengle was coming off a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Chinas Zheng Sai-Sai in the first round.In the third round, Pennetta will face either Taylor Townsend of the United States or Samantha Stosur of Australia.In other womens matches involving seeded players, fifth seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic defeated Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-1 and Italys Sara Errani, who is seeded 11th beat Chinas Zhu Lin 6-0, 4-6, 6-2.

Afghanistan gave CIA money to Al-Qaeda to free diplomat: report

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Afghanistan used about $1 million provided by the CIA to a secret government fund to pay Al-Qaeda in 2010 for a diplomats release, The New York Times reported Saturday.The terror groups leader at the time, Osama bin Laden, worried that the Americans knew about the payment and were either tracing the cash or had laced it with poison or radiation, and suggested it be converted to another currency, according to the Times.The newspaper said letters by bin Laden and his groups general manager Atiyah Abd al-Rahman were found among computers and documents seized by US Navy SEALs during a 2011 raid in which the Al-Qaeda leader was killed in Pakistan.They had been classified until presented as evidence by federal prosecutors at the trial in New York of Abid Naseer, an Al-Qaeda operative convicted this month of supporting terrorism and plotting to bomb a British shopping center.Abdul Khaliq Farahi was serving as Afghanistans consul general in Peshawar, Pakistan, when he was kidnapped in September 2008, just weeks before he was due to start in a new post as Kabuls ambassador in the country.He was released more than two years later after Afghanistan paid Al-Qaeda $5 million, a fifth of which came from a secret fund the CIA supplied with monthly cash payments to the presidential palace, according to the Times, which also cited Afghan and Western officials.In addition to the CIA funds, Pakistan paid for nearly half the ransom, and the rest came from Iran and Gulf states.It seems a bit strange somewhat because in a country like Afghanistan, usually they would not pay this kind of money to free one of their men, bin Laden wrote about the funds.In the end, the United States appeared to have inadvertently funded the very militant group it was fighting only due to poor oversight and controls.Rahman wrote that the cash would be used for weapons, operational needs and to pay families of Qaeda fighters imprisoned in Afghanistan, which refused an offer from the group to release fighters in exchange for Farahis freedom.The CIA cash sent to the secret fund was used to buy the loyalty of warlords, lawmakers and other prominent Afghans, though the payments have slowed under new President Ashraf Ghani, the Times noted.

CT scan, other tests equally effective for heart patients

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Standard stress tests and CT scans used to diagnose heart problems are equally effective in helping patients avoid death and heart attacks, researchers said Saturday.But a patient who undergoes a CT scan for initial diagnosis is less likely to need subsequent tests, doctors told the annual gathering of the American College of Cardiology in San Diego.The scientists followed 10,003 patients, some of whom underwent standard tests that measured their hearts response to stress -- using electrical signals, sound waves or imaging.The rest of the patients underwent a heart CT scan, which produces a 3D image of arteries.Until this study, we have essentially been guessing on decisions about which initial test to use for this huge population of patients who need evaluation for cardiovascular symptoms, said Duke University professor of medicine Pamela Douglas, the studys lead author.Our study shows that the prognostic outcomes are excellent and are similar regardless of what type of test you use.But she added that CT scans could be safer in some instances, helping patients to avoid subsequent testing as well as radiation exposure associated with the nuclear stress tests that many patients receive.The US and Canadian patients who participated in the study had no known coronary artery disease, but all had new symptoms indicating heart disease.Most had at least one risk factor for heart disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes or a history of smoking.The study found that the rate of death, heart attack, major procedural complications or hospitalization for chest pain for both groups during two years of check-ups was roughly three percent, a number that researchers said was lower than expected.The team also studied medical costs and reimbursements for the procedures and are presenting those findings separately.At least four million patients report symptoms of heart disease each year, including chest pain and shortness of breath, the researchers said.

Vanuatu appeals for aid after cyclone 'calamity'

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SUVA (AFP) - Vanuatus president made an emotional appeal for international assistance on Saturday after his island nation was hit by a calamity of a cyclone, wreaking devastation in what is feared to be one of the regions worst weather disasters.Though the full extent of the damage is unknown, the UN had unconfirmed reports of 44 people killed in just one province while aid agencies described scenes of destroyed homes, uprooted trees and blocked roads as a result of Super Cyclone Pam, a maximum category five storm.Media including the Wall Street Journal cited the countrys Disaster Management Office in saying six people were killed and a state of emergency declared over the tropical cyclone, which brought gusts of up to 320 kilometres (200 miles) an hour.Images showed the battered capital littered with debris as strong waves pounded onshore, while aid agencies described homes blown to pieces and widespread destruction.Vanuatus President Baldwin Lonsdale led appeals for international assistance, telling delegates at a UN conference on disaster risk reduction in Japan that he spoke with a heart that is so heavy.I stand to appeal on behalf of the government and people of Vanuatu to the global community to give a lending hand in responding to these very current calamities that have struck us, Lonsdale said.Aid agencies were scrambling for information and preparing to send teams to Vanuatu, whose main island is home to more than 65,000 people, with a UN disaster assessment and coordination team expected to arrive late Sunday.The humanitarian needs are enormous, said Augustine Garae of the Vanuatu Red Cross. We know there has been widespread destruction and many people have lost their homes.Absolute terrorResidents of the capital spent the night hunkering down as the terrifying storm raged.The scene here this morning is complete devastation -- houses are destroyed, trees are down, roads are blocked and people are wandering the streets looking for help, said Save the Childrens Tom Skirrow.The storm hit with devastating force said CARE Internationals Charlie Damon, saying homes have been blown to pieces and evacuation centres had also been flooded.Meanwhile, UNICEF spokeswoman Alice Clements described the cyclone as 15-30 minutes of absolute terror as it passed over.NGOs have also launched appeals and are hoping to start flying in emergency supplies of food, shelter and medicine from Sunday, when the airport in the capital Port Vila is expected to reopen.Australia offered assistance and said medical and search and rescue staff were on standby. Donations included $2.9 million from Britain, $733,750 by New Zealand and $1.05 million from the European Union. President Francois Hollande also said France would respond to requests for assistance.A disaster of this magnitude has not been experienced by Vanuatu in recent history -- particularly in terms of the reach of the potential damage and the ferocity of the storm, said Sune Gudnitz, who heads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Pacific.UNICEF New Zealand Executive Director Vivien Maidaborn said early reports are indicating that this weather disaster could potentially be one of the worst in Pacific history.The sheer force of the storm combined with communities just not set up to withstand it, could have devastating results for thousands across the region.Aurelia Balpe, head of the Pacific regional office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said that while there were reports of casualties in Port Vila, they had greater fears for outlying southern islands, home to more than 33,000 people, where communications had been cut.Caves were used to seek shelter in some parts of the country, the agency said.World Vision said more than 2,000 people had already sought refuge in emergency shelters in Port Vila, but warned that it could take weeks to reach more remote islands affected.The storm crossed the main Vanuatu island and a group of islands further south after affecting the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, where there were no reports of fatalities.France, which will host a crucial UN climate change summit in December, meanwhile said the tragedy once again highlights the danger posed to the planet by extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate disturbances.Fiji Weather Service meteorologist Neville Koop said the cyclone was weakening as it slowly moved away from Vanuatu, and would pass between Fiji and New Caledonia before brushing the North Island of New Zealand on Monday.Koop said Pam was not the strongest storm ever to hit the South Pacific -- Tropical Cyclone Zoe, which hit in 2002, was stronger -- but that it was packing gusts of 320 kilometres per hour and sustained winds of 250 kilometres per hour.

Ukrainian doctors visit pilot in Moscow jail

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KIEV (AFP) - Ukrainian doctors have visited pilot Nadiya Savchenko in her Moscow prison for the first time since her capture nine months ago, Ukraines government said Saturday.Thanks to joints efforts of many, from @ poroshenko (President Petro Poroshenko) to our consul in Moscow, Ukrainian doctors are now with Nadiya, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin tweeted under the FreeSavchenko hashtag.Her lawyer Mark Reigin confirmed that the visit was the first time Ukrainian medics were given access to the aviator, who broke off a more-than-80-day hunger strike earlier this month after her health nearly collapsed.The 33-year-old helicopter pilot, who is also a Ukrainian lawmaker, had previously been seen by German doctors.In a statement on the website of Savchenkos political party, gastroenterologist Nataliya Kharchenko described the pilots condition as satisfactory but said she should be under close medical supervision in hospital.Savchenko became a symbol of resistance in Ukraines war against pro-Russian separatists by refusing food to protest her detention.She is charged with involvement in the deaths of two Russian reporters, who were killed in a mortar attack during the fighting in eastern Ukraine.She denies the charges and says she was kidnapped and brought to Russia.
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