Sunday 24 May 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Karachi: 8 suspects arrested during search operations

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Eight suspects including gang war accused and drug peddlers were arrested in police operations in different parts of Karachi on Sunday.According to details, police conducted a search operation in Rangiwara area of Lyari and arrested six drug peddlers. Police informed media that the arrested accused belonged to Lyari gang war group. Police also recovered latge quantity of arms and drugs from their possession.Police have also arrested an accused after an encounter during seach operation in Site Area while a drug peddler was arrested from Faisal Colony.

IS executes 217 in, near Syria's Palmyra in 9 days: monitor

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BEIRUT (AFP) - The Islamic State group has executed at least 217 people, including civilians, in and around the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra in the last nine days, a monitor said Sunday.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had documented the executions of 67 civilians, including children, and 150 regime forces by IS jihadists in different parts of Homs province since May 16.The Observatory has confirmed that the Islamic State has executed 67 civilians, including 14 children and 12 women in Sukhnah, Al-Amiriyah, the outskirts of the Officers Housing and Palmyra, the Britain-based group, referring to several areas in the east of Homs province.IS also executed more than 150 members of the army, National Defence Forces and Popular Committees (pro-regime militias) and others accused of being informers loyal to the regime, the Observatory said.Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said whole families had been executed, including children along with their parents.Most of the deaths were in Palmyra, some of the executions were shootings, others were killed with knives and beheaded, he told AFP.The toll from the Observatory came hours after Syrian state media said IS had carried out a massacre in Palmyra, slaughtering some 400 civilians, mostly women and children.The Observatory said the executions came in the days after IS began a sweep into Homs from their stronghold in neighbouring Deir Ezzor province.They captured the strategic town of Sukhnah on May 13, and took Palmyra some 24 hours later, prompting international concern about the fate of the citys famed ancient ruins.The Observatory said another 600 people had been taken prisoner by IS in their sweep through the area, among them regime forces and pro-government militants, but also civilians accused of ties to the regime.

Blow to Yemen peace efforts as UN talks postponed

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ADEN (AFP) - A United Nations conference designed to help forge peace in war-ravaged Yemen has been postponed, a UN official said Sunday, just four days before it was due to begin.There had been growing uncertainty over which of the warring Yemeni parties would attend the talks, slated to begin on Thursday in Geneva, and the postponement is a further blow to UN efforts to broker peace in a country where nearly 2,000 people have been killed since March. I can confirm that the meeting has been postponed, the UN official told AFP, without providing further immediate explanation.Underlining the difficulty of trying to get the rivals around the negotiating table, exiled Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi laid out his governments demands to attend the talks in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, insisting Shiite Huthi rebels must withdraw from territory they have seized.Hadi fled to the Saudi capital Riyadh along with his government in late March when the Iran-backed rebels advanced on his southern stronghold, the port city of Aden.He reiterated his position on Sunday during talks in Riyadh with the UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.The embattled leader demanded full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216.The April resolution called on the Huthis to relinquish territory they seized and surrender weapons they took from the army and other state institutions.The spokesman of the exiled government, Raja Badi, told AFP the resolution must be implemented in order to bolster the talks.It is difficult for us to attend consultations in Geneva on Thursday under the present circumstances, he said, before the announcement that the talks had been mothballed.More than 545,000 people have been displaced in the Yemeni conflict and although some aid trickled in last week during a five-day ceasefire, people still lack basic needs, including water, electricity and fuel.A ship carrying 460 tonnes of Emirati humanitarian aid docked Sunday in Aden.The shipment, including medical and food supplies, is the second from the United Arab Emirates following the delivery of 1,200 tonnes of aid last week, said local aid coordinator Ali al-Bikri.Another ship carrying 400 tonnes of diesel also arrived on Friday, said Bikri, who was appointed by Yemens government-in-exile.Aden needs urgently at least 200,000 food rations for the displaced, Bikri added.Aden has been rocked by fierce fighting between the Huthi rebels backed by troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and southern fighters allied with the exiled Hadi.In a bid to restore the authority of Hadi and his government, Saudi Arabia has been leading an air campaign against the Huthis since March 26.The Saudi-led coalition bombarded Shiite rebels across the country at the weekend.Air raids struck several targets in the evening, including the landing strip at Aden airport, and the citys northern suburbs, officials said.Strikes by the coalition also hit positions of the pro-Saleh elite Republican Guard in the central province of Taez, as well as rebel posts in Raymah province, west of the capital Sanaa, witnesses said.Sources close to the Huthis said at least 10 of the rebels fighters were killed in the air strikes.Ten civilians also died and 80 were wounded in shelling of several neighbourhoods of Taez, Yemens third largest city, medics said.Coalition warplanes circled Sanaa several times on Sunday, prompting rebel forces on the ground to open fire on them with anti-aircraft guns, triggering panic among residents.Witnesses said a Republican Guard base west of Sanaa was hit three times by coalition raids, after a night in which strikes also targeted arms depots belonging to the rebels southwest of the capital.

Iran denies agreement on military site inspections

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TEHRAN (AFP) - An Iranian negotiator on Sunday denied accepting military site inspections as part of a nuclear deal with world powers, a delicate issue in talks that must be concluded by the end of June.Abbas Araghchi, who is also deputy foreign minister, made the remarks as he briefed a parliamentary committee on the progress of the talks with the P51 -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany.In his report, Mr. Araghchi said that inspections of military sites have been accepted but the inspections are regulated and will be seriously managed, ultra-conservative lawmaker Javad Karimi-Ghodoussi was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.The remarks appeared to contradict those of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said this week that inspections of military sites and interviews of scientists by foreign experts were excluded from a framework nuclear agreement.Araghchi denied the lawmakers comments on his Instagram page.What can we do except put the fate of Karimi-Ghodoussi and Fars in the hands of God? he wrote alongside a picture of a Fars headline that read: We accepted the inspection of military sites.Araghchi said later that during the briefing both he and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated their objection to inspections or visits to any military centres or interviews with our nuclear scientists.We presented necessary explanations... regarding security measures which countries implementing the protocol usually take in order to protect their military, nuclear and industrial information and prevent spying, he said in a statement from the ministry.The United States says Iran has agreed in principle to enhanced inspections of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), particularly under the Additional Protocol that allows snap inspections.The exact details of the inspection regime are still being worked out, said US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf.She expressed hopes for a solution that will give us and the IAEA the assurances we need with regard to access (to the sites) and transparency of the Iranian nuclear programme.Tehran denies any foreign access to its military facilities, in order to protect national military or economic secrets.The official IRNA news agency quoted parliamentary spokesman Behrouz Nemati as saying it will not be like the Americans can inspect any place at any time and these inspections will be regulated.The long-running nuclear talks between Iran and the P51 are aimed at preventing the Islamic republic from getting the bomb, in exchange for the easing of international economic sanctions.The parties have until June 30 to finalise the deal.

One killed, several missing in Texas flooding

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - At least one man was killed in record-setting flash flooding in Texas that also left several people missing and destroyed homes Sunday, authorities said, warning of more wild weather to come.Residents of hard-hit San Marcos city were ordered to evacuate their homes in the early morning as the flood waters rose menacingly around them, following torrential rain that turned normally bone-dry streets into meandering rivers.Cars and trucks were submerged and people used inflatable lounge chairs to float down the street, in surreal scenes.The city, which canceled Mondays Memorial Day ceremony, said it had opened temporary shelters to host residents who could not return home. Evacuation messages have gone out via reverse 911 and police officers and firefighters are going door-to-door to notify residents in affected areas, the city said in a statement.It noted that the fast-rising Blanco River had broken record levels set in the 1920s.Crews were searching for several missing people and a curfew was to be enforced in San Marcos from 9:00 pm Sunday (0200 GMT Monday) to 7:00 am Monday in an effort to avoid more fatalities.On Twitter, the city said it had not yet identified the man who died in the flooding.Three people were missing in the San Marcos area, CNN reported.The National Weather Service warned that strong to severe thunderstorms were expected across a large stretch of the central and southern plains toward the Mississippi River Valley.Isolated tornadoes, hail and damaging winds are all possible, it added, noting that flash flooding was also forecast from central Iowa into southern Texas, set to get the brunt of the downpours.

Tennis: Federer wins at Roland Garros, dodges fan scare

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PARIS (AFP) - Roger Federer cruised into the French Open second round Sunday before having to quickly sidestep a spectator who breached tight security to race towards the Swiss legend on the showpiece Philippe Chatrier Court.Federer, the 2009 champion and seeded two this year, began his 62nd consective Grand Slam with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Colombian lucky loser Alejandro Falla.It was Federers eighth win in eight matches against Falla and he goes on to face either Spains Marcel Granollers or Mathias Bachinger of Germany for a place in the last 32.He fired 43 winners in his 1hr 50min stroll and looked more concerned when a fan sprinted from the stands and past muscular security guards in an effort to grab a selfie with the 17-time major winner.Although the 33-year-old Federer was not harmed and the fan was prevented from reaching his target, the incident will lead to more questions over security at the event which has endured similar court invasions in the past.Federer, one of a record 39 men over 30 in the first round, is desperate to make the most of a kind draw which dumped top seed Novak Djokovic, nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and third seed Andy Murray all in the opposite half.As a result, he can only face one of his main rivals for the title in the June 7 final and not before.Federers Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka, the eighth seed, took just 96 minutes to make the second round, seeing off Turkeys Marsel Ilhan 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.Wawrinka, who made the last-eight in 2013, goes on to face either Serbias Dusan Lajovic or Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina in the next round.Romanias Simona Halep, the 2014 runner-up and third seed, saw off Russian world number 91 Evgeniya Rodina 7-5, 6-4 and next faces Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, the Croatian player who knocked her out of the US Open last year.Its not easy to start a new tournament but I am happy to be back in Paris where I have so many great memories from last year, said the 23-year-old Halep who was broken three times and committed 26 unforced errors.Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori is also in action on Sunday against Paul-Henri Mathieu, the 33-year-old Frenchman, now ranked at 123 and who has won just one tour match all year.Nishikori has yet to get beyond the fourth round in Paris but retained his claycourt title in Barcelona this year as well as making the semi-finals in Madrid.He also has the added benefit of 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang as coach.Serbian seventh seed Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, starts her campaign against Kazakhstans Yaroslava Shvedova, a quarter-finalist in 2010 and 2012.In other standout matches on the first day, Ernests Gulbis, who knocked Federer out of the competition last year on his way to the semi-finals, faces Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands.Gulbis has just two wins all year to his name.French 14th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a semi-finalist in 2013, takes on Swedish qualifier Christian Lindell, the world number 200 who is making his Grand Slam debut.In other early matches on Sunday, German 22nd seed Philipp Kohlschreiber saw off Japans Go Soeda 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 while volatile Russian Mikhail Youzhny, a quarter-finalist in 2010, retired with a back injury after dropping the first two sets against Bosnias Damir Dzumhur.Cypruss Marcos Baghdatis accounted for the first seeded victim, putting out Ivo Karlovic, the 25th seed from Croatia, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4In the womens singles, Russian ninth seed Ekaterina Makarova breezed past US wildcard Louisa Chirico 6-4, 6-2.Spanish 21st seed Garbine Muguruza, who shocked Serena Williams in the second round last year, beat Croatian qualifier Petra Martic 6-2, 7-5 and next faces Italys Camila Giorgi.

Chelsea ends title-winning season with victory

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LONDON (AP) - Before raising the Premier League trophy aloft, Chelseas players first decided to lift something just as precious: striker Didier Drogba.In an unusual, mid-game pause around 30 minutes into Sundays season-ending match against Sunderland, which Chelsea won 3-1, Drogba was carried to the touchline in a planned flamboyant substitution.Then in his final moments as a Chelsea player, the 37-year-old Ivorian removed his shirt and waved farewell to each corner of Stamford Bridge and removed the armband handed to him for the day by club captain John Terry.It was Johns desire to give him the armband and for the players to bring him from the pitch was up to them, they like him a lot, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. He was very good for the young players ... and he made a fantastic contribution for us this season.Drogba was persuaded to return for one final season by Mourinho, two years after leaving Chelsea following his winning penalty kick in the 2012 Champions League final. This time it really seems to be the end at Chelsea for the former Africa player of the year.Its a difficult moment for me, Drogba said in an address to fans after clutching the Premier League trophy he also won three times during his first eight years at Chelsea.This one is really special because its going to be the last one as a (Chelsea) player.But Drogba, who played for Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray before returning to west London, does not want to hang up his boots yet.I want to play for at least one more season and in order to play more football I feel I need to go to another club, said Drogba, who contributed seven goals this season. All the fans know my love for Chelsea and I hope to be back here in the future in another role.There was no final goal for Drogba on Sunday, with his replacement, Diego Costa, instead quickly scoring from the penalty spot to cancel out Steven Fletchers Sunderland opener.Loic Remy then scored twice for the champions in the second half before the title party could begin with Drogba returning to the field. Blue and white streamers descended from above as the trophy was handed over. It is the fourth league title in 11 seasons, but only the fifth in Chelseas 110-year history.Mourinho delivered the 2005 and 2006 titles before spending 2007-2013 away from Chelsea.This team is at the beginning, they have won one (League) Cup and one Premier League, they have to win more to be better than that, the Portuguese said. You can win something in a certain moment and thats it, or you can win on a regular basis, thats what makes the difference. Lets try to motivate them to do that.Sunderland is now waiting to discover if Dick Advocaat wants to stay as manager or retire. The 67-year-old Dutchman was hired on a temporary deal two months ago and completed the task of keeping the northeast club in the Premier League.Wait and see, he said. They offered me already two or three years. But I have to be honest to myself and to everybody what I will do for the future.

Football: Maradona rounds on 'dictator' Blatter

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LONDON (AFP) - Argentina legend Diego Maradona has attacked world football chief Sepp Blatter, calling the 79-year-old Swiss a dictator and claiming his bid for a fifth term as FIFA president is an absurdity.Maradonas scathing personal attack in The Daily Telegraph comes days before Blatter seeks an unprecedented fifth term at the helm of footballs governing body.Blatter is in a two horse race to continue in the post he assumed in 1998 - the only other candidate being Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan after Luis Figo and Michael van Praag pulled out last week.Blatter has been widely criticised during his reign and Maradona is aghast that he is the overwhelming favourite to retain his position.The 1986 World Cup winner told The Telegraph: Under Sepp Blatter, Fifa has become a disgrace and a painful embarrassment to those of us who care about football deeply.While I find almost no one openly supporting Blatter, many think he will win a fifth term. Why? The whole notion of a fifth term is an absurdity in 2015.No one has argued that he is the best man for the job and deserves to win.Recently he pledged to follow through in addressing racism in football and promoting women in the sport. That made me laugh. My question is: Sepp, what were you doing in your last four terms?We have a dictator for life. I call Blatter the man of ice because he lacks the inspiration and passion that are at the very heart of football. If this is the face of international football, we are in a very bad place.The election takes place at the FIFA Congress in Zurich on Friday, with the winner needing a majority from FIFAs 209 member federations. Blatter has received strong public backing from nearly every regional confederation except Europes UEFA.But the football strongmans fourth term has been overshadowed by controversy, not least over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

Golf: An wins PGA Championship with record-breaking score

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WENTWORTH (AFP) - South Koreas Byeong-hun An turned the European PGA Championship into a procession winning the prestigious event by six shots at Wentworth on Sunday.Twenty-three-year old An carded a final round 65 to finish on a tournament record mark of 267, 21-under par, beating the 19-under winning scores recorded by Scott Drummond in 2004 and Anders Hansen in 2002.An pocketed a winning prize of 833,333 euros for the best performance of his career in his 31st event on the European TourOn a memorable day for Asian golf Thailands Thongchai Jaidee finished in a tie for second on 273 alongside Spains Miguel Angel Jimenez and two shots clear of Englands Chris Wood who had a hole-in-one on his way to a 66.Italys Francesco Molinari, who was tied for the lead with An overnight, faded to a closing 74 and fifth after leading for the first three days.An was the youngest winner of the US Amateur when he claimed the crown aged 17 in 2009 at Southern Hills but had won just once as a professional before this win and this was his first appearance in Europes biggest event outside the British Open.But he had shown form this season with a share of fifth place at the Qatar Masters being the first of three top-10 finishes.An was tied with Molinari at 14-under par at the start of the final day, the first time he had led a European Tour event, but Molinari fell away after bogeying the first whilst An had a bogey-free front nine of 33, two-under par.He pressed the accelerator after the turn to put daylight between himself and the rest of the field by birdying the par-4 11th and making an eagle three at the 12th.By the time he rolled in a birdie putt on the 15th An was five clear and the rest of the field were playing for place money.A birdie on the par-5 17th got An to 21-under the card and a solid par-5 at the last brought the curtain down on his record-breaking win and a breakthrough win for the Seoul-born player.An became the first European Tour rookie to win the flagship event since Scott Drummond did the trick in 2004 and only the third in the history of the tournament, after Drummond and Bernard Gallacher in 1969.Wood had a hole-in-one at the 164 metre par-3 14th, using a seven-iron, and won himself a luxury BMW car on his way to fourth place.Irelands Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood of England shared sixth place with Lowry shooting a last-round 69 but Fleetwood who was two-under after four holes and the closest challenger to An early in the round finished with a level 72 as his challenge petered out.Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke finished on 286, two-under par, meaning Donald is likely to stay out of the worlds top-50 when the new rankings are announced on Monday.The 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell finished his disappointing week on 290, level with South African Ernie Els.

Formula One: Rosberg celebrates after Hamilton pit stop fiasco

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MONACO (AFP) - Nico Rosberg took full advantage of one of Formula Ones greatest tactical errors on Sunday to land an unexpected victory and become only the fourth man to claim a hat-trick of consecutive wins in the Monaco Grand Prix.The 29-year-old German -- who was winning his second successive race this season -- came home in his Mercedes ahead of compatriot Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari with long-time leader and Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton third.Rosberg, who reduced the gap between himself and Hamilton in the world championship standings to 10 points after six races, trailed his team-mate for 63 laps until an accident prompted a Safety Car intervention that, in turn, led the team to call the Briton in for an unexpected and unnecessary pit-stop.Obeying his team, Hamilton, who led by 21 seconds before he pitted, came out in third place and, after the race was re-started with eight laps remaining, found it impossible to pass Sebastian Vettels Ferrari, let alone Rosberg, to claim his fourth victory of the year.Ive lost the race, havent I? asked Hamilton on seeing his reversal of fortunes after exiting the pit lane.Whats happened, guys?Hamiltons team were swift to apologise for the misjudgement, but their actions had deprived him, and the spectators, of a fair sporting outcome after he had dominated the 62nd running of this classic 78 laps contest.Rosbergs triumph enabled him to join Briton Graham Hill, Frenchman Alain Prost and Brazilian Ayrton Senna in completing a Monaco hat-trick.I am very happy, said Rosberg, who was also winning two consecutive Grands Prix for the first time.But I know it was just a lot of luck. Lewis drove brilliantly and would have deserved the win, for sure, but thats the way it is in racing.I know I got lucky. I will just enjoy the moment...Hamilton, who has won just once at Monaco, was remarkably relaxed about the mishap -- outwardly at least.It was not the easiest of races, said Hamilton.But the team has been amazing all year and we win and lose together.Asked about his mind set, he added: Come back and win the next one.Mercedes director Niki Lauda said the team had apologised for the mistake.Yes, it was clear... I dont know why it happened. Too much confusion. It was the wrong decision, he said.Team boss Toto Wolff said: For the team, I apologise. It was a mistake.Until the Safety Car, after Dutch teenager Max Verstappen in his Toro Rosso had crashed at Ste Devote, it had been Hamiltons race, but he ended up settling for a disappointed third ahead of the two Red Bulls of Russian Daniil Kvyat and Australian Daniel Ricciardo.Finn Kimi Raikkonen finished sixth for Ferrari ahead of Mexican Sergio Perez of Force India and Briton Jenson Button who claimed the struggling McLaren Honda teams first points of the year in eighth place.Brazilian Felipe Nasr came home ninth for Sauber and remarkably, after starting from the pit lane, Spaniard Carlos Sainz finished 10th to score a point in the second Toro Rosso car.

Auto Racing: Montoya edges Power to win 99th Indy 500

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INDIANAPOLIS (AFP) - Colombias Juan Pablo Montoya won his second Indianapolis 500 title on Sunday, outdueling Australias Will Power and New Zealands Scott Dixon with dramatic passes for the lead over the tension-packed final laps.Montoya passed Dixon with four laps remaining and went outside Power on the front straightaway on the next lap and held him off to the finish for an emotional triumph that has the South American pumping his fist just moments after crossing the finish line.This is what IndyCar is all about, awesome racing all the way down to the wire, Montoya said. I dont even know what to say. This is too good.Montoya also won the Indy 500 in 2000, then spent six years in Formula One and nine seasons in the US stock-car NASCAR series before returning to IndyCar last year and taking fifth at the Indy 500.The gap between Indy 500 triumphs is the longest in the races 99-year history, the prior mark being the decade between A.J. Foyts 1967 and 1997 victories.Montoya fell back early to 30th in the field of 33 after rear wing damage when the car was struck by Britains Pippa Mann during a caution period. Montoya ran over an air hose on a slow pit stop and seemed to be struggling.But he battled through the field as the 200 laps wore on at the 2.5-mile (4km) oval.I had a good feeling all day, Montoya said. The car under me was awesome. The Chevy (engine) was good all day.Power led Montoya and Dixon out of the pits after the final refuel stops but a major crash involving Britains Jack Hawksworth, Monacos Stefano Coletti and Colombian Sebastian Saavedra forced a restart with only 15 laps remaining.The crowd roared as lap after lap the trio exchanged thrilling high-speed passes. Montoya overtook Dixon only two turns after the restart but Dixon was in the lead less than two laps later.Power and Dixon swapped the lead again before Montoya and Power went around Dixon on the front straightaway, then Montoya passed Power for the lead in the first turn with nine laps to go.Power answered by passing for the lead in turn one with eight laps remaining and Dixon regained second place with seven laps left, only to set up Montoyas charge past both to win.I was trying to keep the lead. I got close to him and had to lift and that was the race, Power said after his career-best runner-up effort.That was a lot of fun. Man, there was too much push there at the end. That was all I had. Damn. It sucks finishing second.Pole-sitter Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 winner who led 85 laps, faded late to finish fourth behind American Charlie Kimball.When I really needed to go I just couldnt turn the car, Dixon said. As the laps counted down I was trying to make something happened but when I tried to pass I couldnt make it.All praise to Juan. He made a hell of a comeback. Well come back. This one always hurts, though.Added Kimball: We just couldnt get close enough to make a run at them at the end.It was the 16th Indy 500 victory for team owner Roger Penske, whose racers battled those of Chip Ganassi all day for the lead.Brazils Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 winner, crashed on lap 152, losing control and slamming into the outer wall of turn four.It got really lose and unfortunately we lost it, Kanaan said. It was the last stop. We were going for it. Id rather get out of the race going for it than sitting back.Spectacular practice crashes involving cars becoming airborne and flipping forced qualifying rule changes for safety and added to the tension, but no cars went airborne in Sunday incidents.In a pit row incident, Aussie James Davisons car was forced into a crewman working on the car of Frances Tristan Vautier, rivals coming side-by-side down the pit lane denying Davison space to exit. The crewman, Dan Yang, was hospitalized.

Pakistan recall Malik, Sami for Zimbabwe one-day series

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LAHORE (AFP) - Pakistan Sunday recalled former captain Shoaib Malik and paceman Mohammad Sami in a 16-man one-day squad for the three-match series against Zimbabwe but under-performing batsman Umar Akmal failed to make the cut.The 33-year-old Malik played last of his 216 one-day internationals in the 2013 Champions Trophy held in England in 2013 while Sami last featured in a one-day on the 2012 tour of Sri Lanka.Also returning to the squad is opener Ahmed Shehzad who was dropped from the team for last months one-day series against Bangladesh with an attitude problem.Pakistan were whitewashed 3-0 in Bangladesh, a result which triggered the experienced Maliks recall.However Malik failed in the preceding Twenty20 series, which Pakistan won 2-0 on Sunday, with scores of seven each.Sami though impressed with his quick pace, taking four wickets in two Twenty20 matches.Azhar Ali, who replaced Misbah-ul-Haq as one-day captain after the World Cup in April, was retained despite Pakistans loss in Bangladesh.Ace spinner Saeed Ajmal continued to be sidelined after he struggled with his remodelled action on the Bangladesh tour following his clearance in February this year.Ajmals action was deemed illegal in September last year and he had to remodel that to lift his suspension from international matches.In Ajmals absence leggie Yasir Shah will be the frontline spinner in the squad. Shah missed the Bangladesh one-day series with a finger injury.Opener Sami Aslam, who played a one-day on the tour of Bangladesh, was replaced by Babar Azam while there was no place for injured pacemen Mohammad Irfan, Rahat Ali and Sohail Khan.Allrounder Hammad Azam made the grade after three years in wilderness from one-day cricket while left-arm spinner Imad Wasim was also given a chance for the first time.Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Anwar Ali, Hammad Azam, Imad Wasim, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Junaid Khan.

Pakistan pull off sensational win to take Twenty20 series

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LAHORE (AFP) - Pakistan pulled off a sensational last over win by two wickets in the second Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe in Lahore on Sunday to take the two-match series 2-0.With 12 needed off the last paceman Brian Vitoris last over number ten Bilawal Bhatti hit a six and four besides taking a double to help Pakistan overhaul a stiff 176-run target in 19.4 overs.Opener Mukhtar Ahmed hit his second consecutive fifty during his 40-ball 62 to entertain another packed 27,000 holiday crowd.The win added to Pakistans joy as the series marked the return of international cricket in Pakistan since terrorists attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009. Heavy security continued to remain alert with 4,000 policemen guarding the stadium as helicopters surveilled both teams arrival in the evening.Zimbabwe only agreed to tour after Pakistan Cricket Board guaranteed foolproof security normally reserved for heads of state.Mukhtar, who made a quick 45-ball 83 in the first match, put on 44 by the fifth over with Ahmed Shehzad (18) and another 37 with debutant Nauman Anwer (18) before Pakistan lost four wickets in quick succession.Mukhtar, dropped on 15 and 55, holed out at mid-on before Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi -- who both made seven each -- and Umar Akmal (30) fell to leave Pakistan needing 24 in the last 4.1 overs.Mukhtar smashed six boundaries and a six off 40 balls.Anwar Ali (two) and Mohammad Rizwan (six) fell in the space of five balls before Bhattis heroics sealed the win for Pakistan.The 2-0 win keeps Pakistans fifth place in the Twenty20 rankings intact while Zimbabwe remained as low as 12th.Pakistan captain Afridi said he was happy that both matches were held without any mishap.I think its a matter of great happiness that both the matches went without any problem, said Afridi. The crowd was very good in both the matches and the win added to our joys which is great.Zimbabwean allrounder Sean Willaims said his team gave away the match.We are not satisfied with the result, said Williams, who tood two wickets besides his half-century. We were short on few runs in both the matches and dropped catches did not help us today.Earlier, Williams hit a rapid 32-ball 58 not out with seven boundaries and a six and opener Vusi Sibanda 46-ball 49 to help Zimbabwe to a solid 175-3 after winning the toss.Sibanda added an invaluable 68 for the opening stand with fellow opener Hamilton Masakadza (39) before adding the same tally with Williams as Pakistani bowlers struggled to stop the flow of runs.Masakadza hit three successive boundaries off seamer Bilawal Bhatti before he holed out off spinner Shoaib Malik who took 1-23 in his four overs.Sibanda hit two boundaries and a six before becoming Afridis first wicket in the last three Twenty20 matches.Williams hit Afridi for six to reach his maiden fifty off just 26 balls, improving on his previous best T20 score of 38 made against Bangladesh in Khulna nine years ago.Elton Chigumbura lifted the score by hitting three successive sixes in paceman Mohammad Samis over. Chigumbura made 21 off just nine balls. Sami, Afridi and Malik took a wicket apiece.Both teams will now play three one-day internationals on May 26, 29 and 31.

Stokes and Cook tons make New Zealand toil

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LONDON (AFP) - Ben Stokes scored the fastest-ever Test hundred at Lords, while England captain Alastair Cook weighed in with a less spectacular but equally valuable century of his own as the hosts fought back against New Zealand on Sunday.England were 429 for six in their second innings at stumps on the fourth day, a lead of 295 runs, despite having been outplayed for much of this match, the first of a two-Test series. Cook was 153 not out -- his fourth and highest Test century at Lords -- after Stokes had struck a truly thrilling hundred against the country of his birth in just 85 balls, including 15 fours and three sixes.Only three sides have scored more than 200 in the fourth innings to win a Test at Lords.West Indies, inspired by Gordon Greenidges double century posted 344 for one in 1984, while England have twice done it against New Zealand, with 282 for three in 2004 and 218 for three in 1965. England were in trouble when they lost Ian Bell, caught behind off a Tim Southee outswinger, to Sundays third ball without adding to their overnight score to be 74 for three.But Cook, whose century saw him extend his England Test record to 27, shared partnerships of 158 and 132 with Joe Root (84) and Stokes (101) respectively.Root, out for 98 in the first innings, again missed out on a century but Stokes followed his first-innings 92 with his second Test century but first in England following the Durham all-rounders 120 against Australia in Perth in 2013. I rode my luck a little bit but you need a little bit to succeed, Stokes told Sky Sports. Things just went my way all day.I was pretty nervous when I was in the nineties again but to get that one away was a pretty special feeling, and to do it at the home of cricket was fantastic -- and something Ill never forget.He added: It is a great day personally but more importantly we are in a good position as a team.Earlier, left-handed opener Cook scored his second hundred in as many Tests after he ended a near two-year-wait for a Test ton with 105 against the West Indies in Barbados earlier this month.It was also his first ton on home soil since his 130 against New Zealand at Headingley in 2013 and saw the 30-year-old Cook extend his England record for Test centuries to 27.As the ball became older, things got tougher for New Zealands quicks, while off-spinner Mark Craig was milked for 54 runs in 10 overs after lunch.But Root fell into an obvious hooking trap when he holed out to Trent Boult at long leg off Test debutant fast bowler Matt Henry.England were now 232 for four, effectively 98 for four, with the match very much in the balance.Nevertheless, a composed Cook off-drove Henry for three to complete a 206-ball century featuring 12 fours.New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum wasted no time in taking the new ball, with overcast conditions also promising to make batting difficult.However, Stokes, the Christchurch-born but England-raised son of former Kiwi rugby league international Ged Stokes, responded with two hooked sixes off successive Southee deliveries.The second was dropped by substitute fielder Doug Bracewell, clearly worried about stepping over the boundary rope.But when Southee pitched short next over, Stokes pulled him for a far more convincing six and next ball drove him down the ground for four.Southees first six overs with the new ball were savaged for 53 runs.Left-arm paceman Boult also got the Stokes treatment, driven down the ground for four as the 23-year-old went to 99.Then a single though midwicket saw left-hander Stokes to a stunning hundred as he bettered the 87-balls taken by Indias Mohammad Azharuddin for a Test century at Lords in 1990.But trying to thrash Craig, Stokes was caught by Ross Taylor at slip.In Stokess stand of 132 with Cook the skippers share was just 21, but the opener was still unbeaten at stumps after more than eight-and-a-half hours at the crease.

Yousuf Ayub Khan refuses appointment as PTI's provincial organizer

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LAHORE: (Web Desk) – Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader from Hazara Yousuf Ayub Khan has on Sunday refused to assume his responsibility as provincial organizer in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) citing personal reasons.According to details, Yousuf Ayub Khan had been appointed as the provincial organizer of PTI and Chairman PTI Imran Khan had announced dissolution of all party positions on Saturday in a press conference and had announced new provincial organizers and deputy organizers. However, Yousuf Ayub Khan declined from assuming the responsibility, thanking Imran Khan for considering him for the post.It is pertinent to mention here that Yousuf Ayub Khan had won the election from PK-50 in the General Election 2013 on a PTI ticket and was made a provincial minister as well but he was later disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
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