Saturday 4 April 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Football: Van Gaal backs United for late title bid

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal insists he has not given up hope of ending his first season in charge as a Premier League champion after a 3-1 win over Aston Villa lifted his team into third place.Uniteds fifth consecutive victory, courtesy of two goals from Ander Herrera and one from Wayne Rooney, took United above defending champions Manchester City, who they meet in next weekends derby, and kept them within eight points of leaders Chelsea.Van Gaals team also have an eight-point gap over fifth-placed Liverpool, making Champions League qualification all the more likely.But Dutchman has now his sights set on overhauling Chelsea, who host United in a crunch clash later this month, rather than worrying about the teams below.The Champions League is not done yet but we made a big gap to Liverpool so we can suffer a defeat, van Gaal said.But of course Im also looking higher up the table and then we have to win every week and then everything is possible.Liverpool are now eight points behind us and we are more than eight points behind Chelsea so its not likely that we shall be the champions. But when you give pressure - and Arsenal are also giving pressure to Chelsea - then it is possible.We have to play the top three in the league and normally, if you play against better teams they have achieved more points than you, so its not yet done.However, key United players are hitting a rich vein of form currently, led by Herrera, who now has seven goals in his debut season in English football.I knew already that Herrera had a very good technical shot, said van Gaal. But sometimes he is not composed at the right moment.He has developed himself so he is more composed. When you score seven goals in a season where you dont play all the matches, that is a fantastic season for him, in his first year.Derby showdownThere is now added importance to the Manchester derby for United, but van Gaal is aware City will provide far tougher opposition than Villas defensive-minded approach.We knew the performance could have been better but we won and the most important thing is we have to play for higher place in the table next week, van Gaal said.I think against Manchester City it will be a different game.I think Manchester City shall not come here in such a defensive organisation and that is what we have seen against Tottenham and Liverpool.Those were the matches that you can say were fantastic matches although of course the result was always the most important thing. Maybe I hope we play ugly next week but we win. Thats the most important thing.Christian Benteke brought the game back to 2-1 for the final 10 minutes, but Villa, three points above the relegation zone, never appeared likely to snatch a point.And for the visitors, the disappointment of the defeat was compounded by the loss to ankle injury of defender Alan Hutton who, along with Scott Sinclair and Ashley Westwood, will miss a crucial meeting with fellow strugglers QPR on Tuesday that could determine both clubs fate.Ive never known an injury list like it. Its unbelievable, said Villa manager Tim Sherwood.But Tuesday was always going to be a massive game, irrespective of what QPR did today.Were looking to be six points clear of them by the end of Tuesday night.I thought we stayed in the game. I wanted to come here and compete and we did that.But they have good players who have been around the block before. They recognise when to speed a game up, when to slow it down, and they managed the game well. Theyre a good side.

Football: Pellegrini demands fading City finish on a high

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LONDON (AFP) - Manuel Pellegrini has challenged Manchester City to end the season with eight successive victories as the champions look to revive their fading bid to retain the Premier League title at Crystal Palace on Monday.City travel to Selhurst Park nine points behind leaders Chelsea after Pellegrinis side drop to fourth place following resounding wins for Arsenal and Manchester United over the weekend.Fortunately for Pellegrini, who has come in for mounting criticism in recent weeks, fifth placed Liverpool were beaten at Arsenal to give City a seven-point cushion in the battle to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish.While Pellegrini is not looking over his shoulder at the chasing pack, the Chilean concedes City need a lengthy winning run, ideally to close the gap on Chelsea but also to seal a top four spot.I think in this league you can never be sure you are going to have a Champions League place, he said.You have six or seven teams that from the beginning all of them play for that position.At the moment, for the whole year, we are in the position of the Champions League. I hope that now we will continue.I hope we can do it. We have to play eight finals from now until the end. I hope in these eight games we continue playing that way.Of course I always expect to win all the games from the beginning of the season to the end. That is the mentality we must have as a big team.So many times you ask me after a defeat if we are obligated to win. We are always obligated to win. This team demand you to win every game.Now it is important to take it game by game and we must focus on our mind on Crystal Palace.Troubled seasonAfter a run of just two victories in their last six games, a sequence that also included two defeats and European exit against Barcelona, Pellegrini acknowledges there is no further margin for error in a disappointing campaign.At least City have a completely clean bill of health following the international break, although the troubled season endured by club skipper Vincent Kompany continued in Israel where he was red carded during Belgiums 1-0 victory.However, Pellegrini insisted that Kompany offers him little about which to be concerned ahead of the resumption of league action.I dont worry about Vincent because I know him, said Pellegrini. He knows perfectly in the way he must play.I dont know about the sending off because I didnt see it but I think he improved a lot with our team in the last game so I dont worry about him. There are not any problems.Palaces revival since Alan Pardew took charge in January means they are now targeting a top half finish rather than looking over their shoulders towards the relegation zone.The dynamic displays of wingers Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie have been instrumental in transforming the fortunes of Pardews side.Zaha is back at his former club after a brief, unsuccessful stay at Manchester United and the player admits he is relieved to have moved on from Old Trafford.Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: When I was there United were going through a transition. Sir Alex Ferguson was leaving, which I didnt know before I signed, so I didnt really get the chance that I wanted there because obviously the new manager came in with a lot of pressure as well.I have trust in Alan Pardew and he has trust in me. When he says he will do something he will do it.This gaffer understands that I am not going to get everything right, that its my job to create and try and take on people.

Football: Wenger plays down Arsenal's title chances

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LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that the Premier League title is still beyond his players despite their emergence as the English top flights form side ahead of the season run-in.Saturdays 4-1 demolition of Liverpool took Arsenal another step closer to securing the seasons minimum objective of qualification for the Champions League.Leaders Chelsea remain seven points above them with a game in hand, but Arsenal, who have won 10 of their last 11 matches, will have a chance to trim that gap when they host Jose Mourinhos side later this month.But for all the optimism engendered by his sides excellent form, Wenger believes they have too much work to do due to a sluggish start to the season.Mathematically we can do it, said the Frenchman. But we need to be perfect and for Chelsea not to be perfect. Lets focus on what we can master, which is our performance.We missed important players at the start of the season and dropped points. We have quality to fight at the top. But when you have players coming back from the World Cup and players who are not available, it is not easy.At one stage we played six games and earned one win, which leaves you with a mountain to climb.Arsenal tightened their grip on the top four while all but extinguishing Liverpools hopes with a crushing win at the Emirates Stadium.Three goals in eight first-half minutes wrapped up the victory as Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez all struck.Liverpool responded via a Jordan Henderson penalty, but the damage was already done.A bad day for a depleted Liverpool got even worse when Emre Can received two yellow cards, before Oliver Giroud struck again for Arsenal in stoppage time.Giroud, who has scored seven times in his last six league games, was not quite as downbeat about his sides title credentials.Focus on FA CupWe want to finish strongly, but we have to take it game by game and focus on ourselves before looking at Chelsea and Man Citys results, he said.We want to win every single game and then well see what happens.Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said that there was too much ground to make up for his side to secure a Champions League place, after back-to-back defeats against Manchester United and Arsenal.He also faces a fight to retain the services of England forward Raheem Sterling, who has turned down a new 100,000-a-week ($148,320, 137,710 euros) contract and been linked with rival clubs including Arsenal.But Rodgers played down concerns over Sterlings future, saying: Raheem is a kid focused on his football. He works hard every single day and he just wants to play his football.The kid for me gives me everything every time he trains and plays. The only thing I will say is that for his football development and financially, Liverpool is the best place for him.He has an opportunity to play, which is key for a young player. He wont be going anywhere in the summer and we will sit down and try and find a solution.Ive had a good chat with him and given my opinion. He just wants to play his football. I think he enjoys being here and knows he is privileged to play in front of the Liverpool supporters.As long as the player can see the ambition. The summer was very difficult in losing Luis Suarez, losing Daniel Sturridge to injury and with the integration of new players.Liverpools last remaining hope of silverware this season lies in the FA Cup, ahead of Wednesdays FA Cup quarter-final replay away to Championship side Blackburn Rovers.We have been dealt two big blows in our last two games, Rodgers added.We very much wont be in the top four as theres too much ground to make up and we must focus on the FA Cup, which is important to us.

Fenerbahce team bus shot at after Rizespor away game

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ANKARA (AFP) - Gunshots were fired at a bus carrying Turkeys Fenerbahce football team back from their 5-1 victory over Black Sea side Rizespor on Saturday, the club said, injuring the driver but leaving the players unhurt.Several shots were aimed at the bus as the Turkish Super Lig league leaders passed through the northeastern town of Trabzon following their away game in nearby Rize, said the clubs vice president Mahmut Uslu.The driver managed to bring the bus to a stop despite being wounded in the face, and was immediately taken to hospital in a police car, said Uslu, who was on the bus at the time. He accused the attackers of trying to crash the bus and kill the players.Its unbelievable, he told Turkish television.None of the players were injured in the attack, which happened as they returned to Istanbul.Pictures of the bus showed a damaged windshield on the drivers side.Trabzon governor Abdil Celil Oz confirmed the gun attack on the bus and said the drivers life was not in danger.At first we thought stones had been thrown at the bus but police investigators at the scene have concluded it was an armed attack, he told the television station 360.The governor said he received a phone call from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a supporter of the Istanbul club, asking him about the investigation into the attack.The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) issued a statement condemning the incident in the strongest possible terms and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.The players and their entourage were later met by hundreds of supporters in the clubs blue-and-yellow strip at Istanbuls Sabiha Gokcen airport, along with Fenerbahces president Aziz Yildirim, images broadcast on Turkish news channels showed.Sports minister Cagatay Kilic described the attack as cowardly and barbaric but said the championship would go ahead as planned, as Turkish media responded with shock to the unprecedented attack on a club in the football-mad country.It comes at a moment of high tension in Turkey after a week of political violence ahead of June elections.On Tuesday, two Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) militants took a prosecutor hostage at an Istanbul courthouse and held him for hours before all three were killed in a shootout with the police.A day later police in Istanbul killed an armed woman linked to the DHKP-C after she tried to storm the police headquarters in the capital.

Cycling: Quintana favourite for Basque country victory

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MADRID (AFP) - Giro dItalia winner Nairo Quintana will be the man to beat when the six-stage Tour of the Basque County gets underway on Monday.The Colombian won the race back in 2013 and will be looking to build on his win at the Tirreno-Adriatico last month as he steps up his preparation in the quest for a first Tour de France victory in July.I have very good memories (of this race), the truth is I like it and I have a lot of teammates that know the race very well, Quintana told the races website.This reassures us and with the team we have we shouldnt have any problems. The route is well-suited for me, but I have to have my rivals in mind.Quintana wont come up against the men he is likely to be battling for victory at the Tour in a few months time as Chris Froome, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali are not involved, whilst Movistar teammate Alejandro Valverde is concentrating on the spring classics.The biggest challenge is likely to come from Polish world champion Michal Kwiatowski.He is the world champion, what more do we need to say, added Quintana.He is a very strong and complete rider, therefore between the time trial and in the climbs which arent very long the route will suit him. We need to look for a strategy to beat him.Kwiatowski was runner-up to Contador last year having finished on the podium in five of the six stages.However, he has one eye on the Ardennes Classics as well as on challenging Quintana.I like the race a lot and on top of that it is the ideal preparation for the Ardennes Classics. If I am in good form here then I can do well in the classics.Kautsha rider Joaquim Rodriguez is another contender for the general classification on home soil despite a quiet start to the season.Meanwhile, Mikel Nieve will lead for Sky in his home region in the absence of Froome and the in-form Richie Porte.After two undulating stages which could favour breakaways, mountain stages on days three, four and five form the backbone of the race, but the 18.3km time trial on the final day could hold the key to overall victory with a tricky climb to the finish line in wait.

Romanian security guard kidnapped from Burkina Faso mine

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OUAGADOUGOU (AFP) - Gunmen on Saturday kidnapped a Romanian security officer working at a mine in northern Burkina Faso and fled with him towards the border with Mali, security sources in both countries said.The man was seized when five armed men attacked a patrol at the manganese mine in Tambao, the mines director general Souleymane Mien told AFP.A gendarmerie officer and a driver who were in the same car as the Romanian national were injured after coming under fire in the attack, he said.The policeman was hit in the head, chest and the pelvis. The driver was shot in the thigh, he added.The account was confirmed by a Burkinabe police official.First they fired at the policeman, seriously injuring him, before kidnapping the Romanian man who was not armed, the source told AFP.The unidentified gunmen then took off in the direction of the nearby frontier with Mali.The perpetrators of the abduction were heading for the Malian border, we have sent men to try to intercept them, a Malian security source said.Kidnappings of foreigners, often for ransom, occasionally occur in neighbouring Mali and Niger, but not usually in Burkina Faso.There was no immediate indication of who was behind the attack.They were wearing turbans. We dont know who they are because there are several communities living in this area, said Mien.The Romanian foreign ministry did not confirm or deny the kidnapping, saying only that it was analysing the information coming out of Burkina Faso. Romania does not have an embassy in the impoverished west African country.Foreigners evacuatedA Western diplomat based in the capital Ouagadougou told AFP that an attack at the mine in January prompted a large-scale evacuation of staff, including most of the foreign employees.But the mines director-general said there had been no security threats against the site.A high-ranking Burkinabe army official said a military detachment was on its way to the town of Tambao where the soldiers are expected to be joined by an elite unit of the presidential guard.The Tambao manganese mine, run by Australian-Romanian businessman Frank Timiss Pan African Minerals, is estimated to contain more than 100 million tonnes of the metal.Locals from nearby villages staged a protest against the mining company in late February, accusing it of not living up to its promise of building a road in the region.The firm had also agreed to build a railway linking Tambao to the town of Kaya, more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) further south.The government last month suspended the companys export permit.The mine is located some 350 km from Malis main northern city of Gao, where a Red Cross worker was killed in a terrorist attack on Monday.Malis vast desert north is riven by ethnic rivalries and an Islamist insurgency.Extremists linked to Al-Qaeda controlled Malis north for more than nine months in 2012 until they were routed by a French-led military intervention, but extremist fighters remain active throughout the restive northeast.Mali is also struggling with ethnic Tuareg militants fighting the army over northern territory they claim as their homeland and call Azawad.Burkina Fasos former president Blaise Compaore, who was ousted in a popular revolt in October after 27 years in power, had acted as a mediator in peace talks between the Malian government and Tuareg-led rebels.

Boxing: Stevenson keeps WBC belt with decision over Bika

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QUEBEC CITY (AFP) - Canadian southpaw Adonis Stevenson retained his World Boxing Council light heavyweight world title with a lopsided decision over Australian Sakio Bika.Haitian-born Superman Stevenson dropped Bika twice, but he couldnt finish him off.Bika, who was born in Cameroon, and formerly held the WBC super middleweight world title, fell to 32-7 with three drawn and 21 knockouts -- but hes still never been stopped inside the distance.I know Sakio Bika is a tough guy, so I prepared for 12 rounds, Stevenson said.Stevenson took some time to get to grips with Bikas awkward style, but got to him with some hard punches in the fifth when Bika went down in what was ruled a slip.He sent Bika to the canvas in the sixth with a big left, and connected with a short left to the mouth to drop him again in the ninth -- Bika barely making the count before the bell sounded to end the round.The ringside judges scored the bout 115-111, 116-110 and 115-110 in favor of Stevenson, who had the vocal support of the crowd in his adopted home of Quebec City.With Bika dispatched, Stevenson appears headed for a light heavyweight unification bout against unbeaten Russian Sergey Kovalev.Stevenson took plenty of flak for missing a chance to fight Kovalev last year, allowing Kovalev to face Bernard Hopkins in November in a fight the Russian won by unanimous decision to unify the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization belts.The WBC had already declared that Kovalev would be Stevensons mandatory WBC title opponent should Stevenson get past Bika.Im ready, Stevenson said this week of a potential Kovalev showdown. To unify the titles is no problem for me. I should have those titles.On the undercard, Montreal-based Russian Artur Beterbiev crushed former title-challenger Gabriel Campillo, knocking out the Spaniard at 2:22 of the fourth round with a massive right-left combination in a light heavyweight bout.It was the eighth knockout in as many pro bouts for Beterbiev, who enjoyed a standout amateur career.Campillo fell to 25-7-1, with 12 knockouts, dominated the whole way by Beterbiev who proclaimed himself ready for a professional world title shot.

Tennis: Williams romps to eighth Miami crown

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MIAMI (AFP) - World number one Serena Williams joined an elite club Saturday, winning her eighth Miami WTA title with a comprehensive 6-2, 6-0 win over Spains Carla Suarez Navarro.The 33-year-old US superstar, who won her 19th Grand Slam title in Australia this year, lifted the trophy in the elite premier level tournament for the third straight year.She also won three straight Miami titles from 2002-04 and back-to-back titles in 2007-08.Williams had already surpassed Steffi Graf for most Miami triumphs with her win last year.On Saturday she joined Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert as the only Open Era players to win the same event at least eight times.Graf won nine titles in Berlin, Evert won eight in Hilton Head, and Navratilova achieved the feat in seven tournaments -- including her nine Wimbledon titles.It feels really good to have eight under my belt, Williams said.Cant say I thought I would win eight, especially in the beginning of the week, added the champion, who had struggled with her serve and unforced errors in previous matches.I had a couple matches where I had nearly 60 unforced errors in both, so I just needed to kind of get my mind back there and say, Serena, you normally dont play like this, so just go to how you normally play, she said of how she tried to regroup after clawing past world number three Simona Halep in the semi-finals.In Suarez Navarro, Williams faced an opponent she had beaten in four prior encounters without dropping a set.Serenas the bestWorld number 12 Suarez Navarro, playing in the biggest final of her career, wasnt surprised to find the winners zinging past her from every part of the court.When I play with Serena I know that shes the best, Suarez Navarro said. She has the game to make me play bad.But this time I believed in me, in how Im playing the other matches. I tried. I tried until the last point, but it was tough and difficult for me.Suarez Navarro held her nerve and her serve through the first five games.But Williams converted her third break chance of the sixth game to grab a 4-2 lead in the opening set, consolidating the break with an easy hold.Suarez Navarro saved two set points against her serve in the next game, but Williams gave herself another chance with a forehand winner and Suarez Navarro handed her the set with an error.Suarez Navarro had a chance to break in the first game of the second set, but Williams held on then broke at love in the next game.She polished off the triumph in just 56 minutes.It was a satisfying win for Williams, coming after a troublesome knee prompted her to forfeit her scheduled semi-final at the premier level tournament in Indian Wells a fortnight earlier.Williams hasnt lost a competitive match since October, when she fell to Halep in the round robin phase of the WTA Finals -- which Williams went on to win.Suarez Navarro lost her seventh WTA final in eight appearances. But her fine week in Florida, where her victims included Venus Williams, will see her break into the top 10 in the world rankings on Monday.

Boko Haram kill four in NE Nigeria village raid

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KANO (AFP) - At least four people were killed Saturday when suspected Boko Haram fighters raided a local market in a village near the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, security sources said.Scores of Boko Haram gunmen stormed Kayamla village, 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) from Maiduguri, capital of restive Borno state, and opened fire on a weekly market, killing four traders, a senior security official in Maiduguri told AFP.The attackers looted food stores and took away livestock from the market before fleeing into the bush, said the security official, who asked not to be named.It was obvious they were looking for food to replenish their supplies because they didnt target residents as they normally would, the official said.The attack on the village was the sixth in as many months, according to vigilantes in the area.Troops and vigilantes mobilised from the nearby town of Konduga to the village but the attackers left before the troops arrived, said Abubakar Sani, who was among the vigilantes that accompanied troops to the village.When we reached Kayamla the gunmen had left, Sani said.We found four dead traders in the deserted market and we were told by residents that the attackers took away food supplies and livestock, he said.This was the first Boko Haram raid in a few days, although an explosion outside a bus station in the northeastern city of Gombe on Thursday that killed 10 people was blamed on the terrorists.Sweeping offensives against the terrorists by a regional coalition involving troops from Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon appear to have substantially weakened Boko Harams capabilities.Last Saturday Nigeria held presidential and parliamentary elections that were generally peaceful despite attacks on polling stations in parts of the northeast that killed nine voters.Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau had threatened to disrupt the elections.

Pope condemns indifference to terrorist atrocities against Christians

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VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Francis condemned indifference and complicit silence to terrorist attacks on Christians as he presided over Easter ceremonies in the wake of a massacre of nearly 150 people at a Kenyan university by Shebab terrorists.The leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics brought up the extremist persecution of Christians as the holiest ceremonies of the Church calendar reached a climax Sunday, when believers celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.The extremists behind Thursdays university attack that shocked Kenya are reported to have separated out their victims into Muslims and non-Muslims, before killing the Christians.Today we see our brothers persecuted, decapitated, crucified for their faith in you, under our eyes and often with our complicit silence, the pope said after the traditional Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession through Rome on Friday, which recreates Christs last hours before he was crucified.The Vatican has increasingly voiced frustration that attacks on Christians in places such as Iraq, Libya, Pakistan and Nigeria have not been more strongly condemned by Muslim authorities and Western governments.In France, Prime Minister Manuel Valls tweeted on Saturday: We have to give our total support to Eastern Christians who are the victims of barbarism.He made the comment after facing criticism after a poster for concerts in support of Christian communities in Syria and Iraq was banned from the Paris transport system.

Football: Chocolate eggs for AC Milan as Mancini cancels Easter

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MILAN (AFP) - AC Milan are facing nine finals as they look to salvage another poor season with qualification for the Europa League as city rivals Inter reacted to their increasing dire straits by cancelling Sundays Easter holiday.A 2-1 win at Palermo on Saturday was AC Milans second victory on the trot, and first away win since October as Inters winless streak stretched to five games after a morale-sapping 1-1 draw at home to crisis-hit basement side Parma.Come what may, embattled AC Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi looks increasingly likely to be replaced come the end of the campaign, according to pundits in Italy.But the former Champions League winner with the Rossoneri has bought valuable time after seeing French forward Jeremy Menez pounce late to secure three precious points at a notoriously difficult Barbera stadium.AC Milan remain eighth in the table, 29 points behind leaders Juventus and 14 behind Lazio in the third and last Champions League qualifying place.Inzaghis men are also seven points off the last Europa League place but with nine games remaining, Europes second tier competition is a welcome target for the seven-time European Champions.Its three fundamental points, we needed them, especially as we hadnt won away from home in a long time, said midfielder Luca Antonelli.There are nine finals to go, but lets enjoy our Easter and from Tuesday we will start to think about Sampdoria (their next game).Im very happy, said Inzaghi, who has been under increasing pressure since AC Milans lean period began weeks into the New Year.Theres a long way to go, but the desire and spirit shown by the players is remarkable. Victories give you confidence and open your horizons.Im happy with these back-to-back wins and so is the President, added Inzaghi, referring to club owner Silvio Berlusconi.We have to make him happier, and we hope to do the same for the fans in this final part of the season.Mancini jeeredIt has been several weeks since Inzaghi was jeered off the pitch by the clubs frustrated supporters, but that was Mancinis lot on Saturday after another two dropped points left his side three points adrift of AC Milan.Mancini promptly cancelled his players day off on Easter Sunday, but quickly admitted he was partly to blame.As the coach I have to take responsibility for this situation were in, Mancini said.We werent clinical enough... we started well but Parma levelled and in the second half I dont think we showed the right attitude. Its hard to win if you concede every game.Mancini, who won seven trophies including three consecutive league titles during his previous, four-year spell in charge (2004-2008) of Inter, added: Sadly, its not a good year for us. Im sorry that instead of getting better the situations got worse.But we need to knuckle down. Well be back out for training tomorrow.Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio was cynical in his explanation why Easter was cancelled: It seems only right everyone goes back to work tomorrow (Sunday), given they all had a day off today.Tomorrow they can train and start preparing for next weeks game.Inter were Italys last Champions League winners, in 2010, but asked if they can snatch a place in the Europa League next season, Colombian forward Fredy Guarin said: Thats our target, but first we have to focus on playing as a team and winning every game.

Decision for Assembly return to be made in meeting: Shah Mehmood Qureshi

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MULTAN (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday stated that the decision of whether or not to return to the Assemblies will be made after a meeting of PTI’s top leadership. He stated that the meeting will be held on Saturday.Shah Mehmood Qureshi stated these developments while talking to the media in Multan.

Karachi: Election candidates provided security, arrested people released

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Security was provided on Saturday to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) candidates for the NA-246 election campaign. According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) West Feroz Shah, 1 Superintendent Police (SP), 2 Station House Officers (SHO) and 15 officers will be designated for the security of each candidate. SP Liaqatabad Tahir Nurani has been designated as the focal person for candidates of both parties.DIG West stated that candidates of both parties will discuss their problems with SP Liaqatabad. He appealed to both MQM and PTI not to take the law into their hands.On the other hand, 7 individuals arrested previously for involvement in the attack on PTI’s camp during the election campaign were released by the police on Saturday. The individuals were released after the anti-terrorism sections registered against them were nullified by the police.Police officials stated that no concrete evidence was found against those arrested due to which they were released on bail.

Aid will reach Yemen when conditions right: coalition

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RIYADH (AFP) - Aid will be allowed into strife-torn Yemen when conditions are right, the Saudi-led military coalition said Saturday after the Red Cross urged a 24-hour ceasefire to address dire conditions.The humanitarian operation is part of our job, part of our responsibility, Brigadier General Ahmed Assiri told reporters on the 10th day of coalition air strikes against Shiite Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen.The operation has closed airports and restricted movement at seaports, hampering aid deliveries.Hospitals treating the wounded are running low on medicines and the streets of the southern city of Aden are strewn with bodies, the International Committee of the Red Cross said, calling for an immediate halt to the fighting.It added that food stocks are running low and there are fuel and water shortages.Assiri said aid will come when we are able to set the conditions (so) that this aid will benefit the population.He said the coalition requires that aid delivery does not interfere with the military operation, that aid workers are not put at risk, and that supplies do not fall into the wrong hands.We dont want to supply the militias, Assiri said.The coalition aims to defeat the Huthi rebels who seized power in the capital Sanaa in February, and who Riyadh feared would take over the entire country and shift it into the orbit of Shiite Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabias regional rival.

Saudi special forces 'involved in Yemen ops'

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RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi Arabian special forces are involved in the military operation against Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, a Saudi adviser said Saturday.A Saudi-led coalition began air strikes on March 26 against the Iran-backed rebels, but says it has no plans for now to deploy ground forces.However, Saudi army and naval special forces have carried out specific operations, said the adviser, without revealing if they had actually set foot on the ground.Army special forces supplied weapons and communications equipment to militia loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in the main southern city of Aden, the adviser told AFP.Naval special forces provided coordination and guidance to enable the loyalist fighters to launch a counter-attack on the rebels.Special forces will continue their engagements with the fighters loyal to Hadi, who has sought refuge in Saudi Arabia, said the adviser who did not want to be identified.He said army and navy special forces were also involved in operations against Huthi units that invaded Myun Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, through which much of the worlds maritime trade passes.On Friday, the coalition announced that air strikes had destroyed military equipment and missiles on the island, which could have posed a threat to shipping.Special forces have isolated the island as the operation continues to destroy all remnants of Huthi presence which was supported by foreign military technicians, the Saudi adviser said.Iran has dismissed as utter lies claims that it supplied weapons to Yemen, but a Western diplomat told AFP there have been a lot of shipments.Iran, which backs the Huthis, has accused Saudi Arabia of sowing instability in the region.Riyadhs ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, had on Thursday hinted at a special forces role, saying that we dont have troops, formal Saudi troops in Aden.The issue of ground troops is on the table but the decisions will be made depending on the circumstances and the need, he was quoted as saying by the Saudi-US Relations Information Service.Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Assiri, said on Saturday that there has been no announcement about boots on the ground.Even if it is true, I think the security and safety of the operation is most important for us, rather than announcing it through the media, he told reporters.
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