Sunday 3 May 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Rebels kill 8 Indian paramilitary soldiers

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GAUHATI (AP) - Police say suspected rebels have ambushed and killed eight Indian paramilitary soldiers in insurgency-wracked northeast.A police officer says rebels armed with automatic weapons fired at two trucks carrying the soldiers in Nagaland state on Sunday.Another six soldiers were injured and four were missing in Mon district, nearly 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Gauhati, the capital of Assam state. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.Police blamed the Khaplang faction of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland for the killings. The group last month called off peace talks with the Indian government.Naga rebels have been demanding an independent homeland in Indias northeast. India is offering wide autonomy to the group.

Clashes as Ethiopian Israelis protest 'police brutality'

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TEL AVIV (AFP) - A Tel Aviv rally of thousands of Ethiopian Israelis against alleged police brutality and institutionalised discrimination turned violent Sunday as clashes erupted between protesters and police, an AFP correspondent said.Mounted police used riot dispersal methods to prevent groups of demonstrators from storming the Tel Aviv municipality. Police said five officers were injured by stones and bottles hurled by protesters, one of whom was arrested. Sundays protest came three days after a stormy demonstration in Jerusalem sparked by footage showing two policemen beating a uniformed Israeli soldier of Ethiopian origin.Scores of other Israelis also joined Sundays rally, chanting and holding up signs reading: A violent policeman must be put in prison and We demand equal rights.As they marched central Tel Aviv, some held their arms in the air, wrists crossed as if handcuffed.Demonstrators had blocked the Ayalon expressway for a long time during rush-hour, causing huge traffic jams on one of the countrys central highways before police forcefully evacuated them.Protesters then walked to the Tel Aviv municipality, where they clashed with police.Being black, I have to protest today, 34-year-old Eddie Maconen told AFP before the clashes broke out.I never experienced police violence against me personally, but it is aimed at my community which I have to support, he said.Maconen, who came to the country aged three, said the protesters wanted violent policemen to be put on trial before deeper issues of social inequality were tackled.First the police need to be dealt with, then well get to all the other (official) bodies that screw over Ethiopians, he said.Police estimated 3,000 people attended the demonstration, while media reports cited organisers as putting the number at 10,000.Zion Cohen, an Israeli who joined the demonstration, told AFP the Ethiopians were a hundred percent right to protest.Its a racist country and we dont accept them, he said.As the rally began, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying that on Monday he would meet Damas Pakada, the soldier who was beaten, as well as other representatives of the Ethiopian community.Police had pledged a crackdown on those members of the force who have used violence after the video footage went public.More than 135,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel, having immigrated in two waves in 1984 and 1991.But they have struggled to integrate into Israeli society, despite massive government aid.

101-year-old rescued after Nepal quake as fears grow in rural areas

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KATHMANDU (AFP) - Rescuers have pulled a 101-year-old man alive from his ruined home a week after Nepals earthquake claimed at least 7,200 lives, as the government warned Sunday the death toll will climb much higher.Funchu Tamang was rescued on Saturday from the rubble of his house with only minor injuries to his ankle and hand, after the quake ripped through the impoverished country on April 25.He was brought to the district hospital in a helicopter. His condition is stable, police officer Arun Kumar Singh told AFP from Nuwakot district, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) northwest of Kathmandu.Nepals National Emergency Operation Centre, part of the Ministry of Home Affairs, tweeted that a 101-year-old was rescued in Nuwakots Kimtang village.Police also pulled three women survivors from under rubble on Sunday in Sindhupalchowk, one of the worst-hit districts, although it was not immediately clear how long they had been trapped.The rescues were rare good news for the devastated country after officials on Saturday ruled out finding more survivors buried in the ruins and the focus shifted to trying to deliver aid to thousands of people in remote Himalayan areas.Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat said the death toll was likely to jump once relief teams reach mountain villages flattened in the worst quake to hit the nation in more than 80 years. There are still villages where we know that all houses have been destroyed, but have not yet been able to reach, Mahat said in a statement.The aftershocks have not receded and we expect the final casualty numbers to climb much higher, the minister said, as he appealed for hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign donations to help rebuild the country. The 7.8-magnitude quake wreaked a trail of death and destruction, reducing much of the capital Kathmandu to rubble and triggering a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest.In the worst-hit districts of Gorkha and Sindhupalchowk, almost 90 percent of the mostly stone and mud homes have been destroyed, the United Nations said in its latest situation report.Our priority now is really to try to reach those people (in remote areas), get immediate assistance to them, the UNs head of humanitarian affairs Valerie Amos said.The relief effort received a boost late Sunday when a United States Air Force C-17 aircraft and four tilt-rotor Ospreys landed in Kathmandu.Theyre going to make an immediate difference, US Brigadier General Paul Kennedy said.Weve got search and rescue teams waiting to go out to the remote areas, weve got relief supplies, especially shelters. Most people dont understand that a shelter is the most pressing need, so were going to take these things out starting tomorrow morning, he added.International planes loaded with relief supplies have poured into landlocked Nepal, but there have been numerous reports of many getting stuck at Kathmandus small airport, and customs officials stopping trucks filled with aid from crossing into the country from neighbouring India.Amos had said she was worried that tonnes of foreign aid was being held up by red tape.I was extremely concerned to hear reports that customs was taking such a long time, Amos told AFP on Saturday, saying she had asked Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to speed up customs clearance for aid materials.He has undertaken to ensure that happens, so I hope that from now we will see an improvement in those administrative issues.Tribhuvan International Airport has been closed to heavy planes over concern about the condition of the single runway after the quake and a series of strong aftershocks, said Birendra Prasad Shrestha, the airports manager.We have issued a notice saying that aircraft with a total weight exceeding 196 tonnes will not be allowed to land at Kathmandu airport, Shrestha told AFP.There are no visible cracks in the runway but there have been so many tremors recently that we have to take precautions -- we dont know whats happening below the surface.This runway is the only lifeline for Kathmandu -- if it goes, everything goes.The death toll from the disaster has hit 7,250, according to the Emergency Operations Centre, with more than 14,000 injured. More than 100 were also killed in India and China.Fifty-one bodies, including those of six foreigners, have been found in the popular Langtang trekking region hit by a quake-triggered avalanche.We estimate that about 100 foreigners might still be missing in the area, senior local official Uddav Prasad Bhattarai said.Our priority was to get the survivors out. We rescued over 350 people, about a half of them were tourists or guides, he told AFP in Rasuwa district that includes Langtang, north of Kathmandu.Climbing firms Sunday called off their Everest spring expeditions, after the quake-triggered avalanche killed 18 on the worlds highest peak.With ongoing aftershocks and tremors we cant continue expeditions, said two-time Everest summiteer Dawa Steven Sherpa of Kathmandu-based Asian Trekkers.

Two dead, 21 injured in Athens prison fighting

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ATHENS (AFP) - Two inmates were killed and 21 others injured during fighting that broke out in an Athens prison on Sunday, the justice ministry said.The violence erupted between Albanian and Pakistani groups of prisoners using improvised weapons in Korydallos prison in western Athens, said a source close to the investigation. The reason for the dispute was unclear.Eight of the injured were said to be in serious condition, and several ambulances could be seen in front of the prison after the incident.By 8:00 pm (1900 GMT), prison guards appeared to be back in control, conducting body searches on inmates returning to their cells.The overcrowded Korydallos prison houses a wide array of inmates, ranging from common criminals to anarchists and corrupt politicians.Korydallos also has a specially-built courtroom that hears cases that have a political nature. On Thursday, Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn leaders will be tried in the prison courtroom.

Badin: Police postpone arrest of Zulfiqar Mirza

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BADIN (Dunya News) - Sindh Police have decided to postpone arrest of former Sindh home minister Zulfiqar Ali Mirza despite the fact that a case under the sections of anti-terror act was registered against him for storming Badins Model Police Station and attacking a DSP.The decision to postpone arrest of Zulfiqar Mirza was taken a meeting of high level police officials at the Badin’s SP office on night between Sunday and Monday.On the other hand, the supporters of Zulfiqar Mirza have announced a shutter down strike in the Badin District today (Monday).

Tennis: Federer ends clay drought with 85th title

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ISTANBUL (AFP) - Roger Federer defeated Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay to clinch the Istanbul Open on Sunday for his 85th career crown and first title on red clay for over a half a decade.The Swiss world number two and 17-time Grand Slam winner showed imperious form ahead of the French Open, beating world number 23 Cuevas after a thrilling second set tie break.Top seed Federer showed dexterity and power despite resolute defence from his opponent, who required two injury timeouts for treatment on his wrist, to win through 6-3, 7-6 (13/11) in one hour 36 minutes.Its been a while since I won a title on clay, said a delighted Federer. Its been a pleasure playing here.I picked up confidence and I picked up another title. I feel really good about my game now. Its been a fitness test and a mental test.The title was Federers first on all kinds of clay since his victory on the blue clay of Madrid in 2012 and his first on the traditional red clay since his sole French Open win in 2009.Federer has been given celebrity status in Istanbul over the last week on his first ever appearance in the country with banners around the court reading Welcome to Turkey, King and the crowd chanting his name.In the first set, Federer raced to 4-1 lead in just 20 minutes, adapting better to the slow conditions on the court after a heavy afternoon shower before the match. He also showed none of the weakness on this first serve that had plagued his game earlier in the week, with an overall first serve percentage of 70 percent and firing down seven aces.With Federer serving for the first set, Cuevas let out a howl of frustration as he missed the baseline yet again.Cuevas problems mounted in the second set when he called two injury timeouts for treatment from the trainer on his wrist. Federer, on top of his game and thrilling the crowd, broke Cuevas in the seventh game with a well taken forehand volley.But Cuevas shrugged off the injury and began to play potently from the baseline, seizing his chance to break back immediately and level at 4-4 and saved three break points on his own serve with some superb baseline play. The second set went to a tie break with the pair beginning to exchange thrilling rallies. Federer then took his mini-break when Cuevas badly mishit a forehand but the Uruguayan levelled with attacking play of his own. Showing the tension, Cuevas double faulted but Federer missed a chance on match point when he pushed a possible backhand winner into the tramlines. Cuevas then himself missed an easy forehand volley on set point and Federer saved another set point with an outstanding backhand return winner.But with Federer now playing some brilliant attacking tennis, he finally converted a match point to win the tie-break 13/11.The tie-break was a fitting conclusion to Turkeys first ever ATP World Tour tournament and Federer expressed satisfaction that the match had such a dramatic conclusion.The tie break was crazy, he told reporters.There was a good atmosphere and winning 6-3, 6-3 would not have been the same thrill. It was tough and Pablo played really well. I tried to stay aggressive.Federer said his recovery would now be important after the series of testing matches in Istanbul as you dont want to roll into the French Open tired.He said he would take some days off ahead of the upcoming Madrid Open and would then decide whether to play in Rome the subsequent week.Cuevas admitted he had struggled to adapt to the slow conditions, with the balls not as fast as I wanted them to be.It is difficult to face Roger and not get distracted from the game, he said.

Tennis: Kyrgios maiden title hopes ended by Gasquet in Estoril

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ESTORIL (AFP) - Richard Gasquet defeated Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-2 to win the Estoril Open on Sunday, ending the Australians hopes of a first tour title.But Kyrgios was pleased at his achievement of competing in his first ATP final after stalling at the quarter-final stage previously on the tour.Playing in my first final, there was definitely a bit of pressure out there, said the 46th-ranked Aussie, who remains in the running for a possible seeding at the French Open later this month.I had fun out there today as well. I lost, but thats why hes a world-class player. He was way too good for me and I need to get better.My serve was getting me through matches all week and today I dont feel I served well. I was pleased with the way I was hitting the ball, but I didnt take my opportunities.Gasquet, a former top 10 player now ranked 28th after suffering a series of back injury problems, lost the finals at the Portuguese venue in 2007 and 2012.I am really happy with the victory, said Gasquet. Yesterday it (semi-final) went three sets and today I was more confident and started better. To feel no pain its a good thing for me.I needed to play a good clay-court match, to make him run. Hes a very good player, very powerful with a big forehand and big serve.It was a tough match and Nick put up a fight, hes a very dangerous, part of the future of the sport.My fitness improved all week and I served better in each match,The Frenchman made up for past disappointments as he defeated the seventh seed in 63 minutes, never facing a break point until he saved three to take a lead of a set and 5-1.The fifth-seeded Frenchman claimed his first trophy on clay since Nice in 2010 on the first of three match points. The winner of three career ATP clay honours had lost two previous Portuguese finals -- in 2007 (Novak Djokovic) and 2012 (Juan Martin del Potro).Estoril was his first event in six weeks after quitting his opening match at Indian Wells in mid-March as a disc problem from 2014 returned.The win marked Gasquets 12th career title and he also avenged his loss to Kyrgios last year at Wimbledon when the Australian saved nine match points in their second round tie.Kyrgios had been bidding to become the first Australian in nearly two decades to claim an ATP trophy on clay.The last to achieve the feat was Richard Fromberg in Bucharest in 1997.

Tennis: Halep, Bouchard crash in Madrid as Serena, Sharapova cruise

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MADRID (AFP) - World number two Simona Halep crashed to a shock 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 defeat to Frances Alize Cornet, whilst Eugenie Bouchards slump continued in the first round of the Madrid Open on Sunday.However, there were no such problems for world number one Serena Williams or defending champion Maria Sharapova who both eased through in straight sets.Halep reached the final in the Spanish capital last year, but looked out of sorts as a double fault handed Cornet the opening set in a tie-break.And the Romanians serve crumbled when serving to stay in the match in the second as Cornet wrapped up victory in just under two hours.It went great for me -- I played really amazing on the centre court, said Cornet.The first set was really tight and I saved a set point by doing an amazing backhand down the line.The second was tight as well. The score doesnt really mean anything and I had to be focused to the end. I was a bit stressed because I was about to beat the world number two, but finally it was just a big relief and Im really proud of myself.Wimbledon finalist Bouchards alarming slump in form continued as she lost a sixth consecutive match to the Czech Republics Barbora Strycova.Bouchard, the eighth seed, looked to be set for a morale-boosting win as she cruised through the first set 6-0, but Strycova stormed back to win the next two sets 6-3.Williams moved to 21-0 on the year with a 6-0, 6-1 destruction of fellow American Madison Brengle in under an hour on court.The 19-time Grand Slam champion will face compatriot Sloane Stephens in round two.My preparation wasnt as great as I wanted it to be, but its ok, said Williams.I definitely feel I know what to do more on the clay and being ready mentally and being ready for longer points, longer matches.There will be no clash between the Williams sisters in round three, though, as two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka eased past Venus Williams 6-3, 7-5Sharapova showed no signs of her recent struggles as she beat Switzerlands Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 6-3.Haleps exit could be a big boost for Sharapova had been set to meet the Romanian in the last four had both women made it that far.The Russian dominated the Bacsinszky serve in the first set to break three times and then depended on her own in the second.One break in the eighth game was enough to set up a second round clash with Colombian Mariana Duque-Marino.Fourth seeded Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova had to come from a set down to see off Belaruss Olga Govortsova 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.Danish fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki continued her encouraging form of late with a comfortable 6-3, 6-0 win over Australias Jarmila Gajdosova.The Danes conqueror in the final in Stuttgart last weekend, Angelique Kerber, suffered an early exit, though, as the German lost out 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to former US Open champion Samantha Stosur.There was also plenty for the home fans to cheer as 10th seed Carla Suarez Navarro and world number 20 Garbine Muguruza booked their places in the second round with straight sets wins over Zarina Diyas and Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor respectively.

Football: Chelsea win title as Man City eye Champions League

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LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea won the Premier League title on Sunday as former champions Manchester City strengthened their bid for direct entry into next seasons Champions League.Eden Hazard scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in front of their own fans at Stamford Bridge to give the Blues an unassailable lead at the top of the table with three games to spare.On the stroke of half-time, Hazards poorly-struck penalty was saved by Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni only for the Belgian star to head in the rebound. Every title is a consequence of hard work and a reason to be happy and proud, said Blues manager Jose Mourinho, who has now won three league titles with Chelsea after previous successes in 2005 and 2006 during his first stint.By the time second-placed City kicked off across London, away to Tottenham Hotspur, they knew they had been deposed as champions.However, Manuel Pellegrinis men still had something more than pride to play for as while the top four clubs at the end of the season qualify for the Champions League, only the top three go straight into the tournament, with the fourth-placed side having to enter a qualifying round.City started the day level on points with third-placed Arsenal and two in front of Manchester United, whose shock 1-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion revived fifth-placed Liverpools seemingly ailing bid for Champions League football. Sergio Aguero cemented his position as the Premier Leagues top-scorer this season by firing in the only goal of the game as City won 1-0 at White Hart Lane.Agueros 22nd top-flight goal this term came just before the half-hour mark when, after good work by David Silva, he finished off a rapid counter-attack with a blistering shot into the top corner.England goalkeeper Joe Hart preserved Citys lead with several fine saves as Spurs remained sixth.Sergio can always get us a goal, we managed to get the ball up to him and then weve defended for our lives, Hart told Sky Sports.Congrats to Chelsea on winning the title, it is well deserved. To lead from the front and stay there -- weve done that before and its difficult -- is impressive. But they know we will be back stronger next season.Frustrated Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said: I feel proud of our players. The performance was very good and we deserved much more.Citys win left them 13 points behind Chelsea, with only a maximum of nine on offer to Pellegrinis side in their three remaining league games.Meanwhile Arsenal will kick-off away to Hull on Monday 16 points adrift of Chelsea, with only 15 more available to Arsene Wengers men.

Football: Aguero downs Spurs to lift City spirits

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LONDON (AFP) - Sergio Aguero lifted Manchester Citys spirits as the Argentines fine finish clinched a 1-0 win at Tottenham on the day his sides reign as Premier League champions came to an end.Manuel Pellegrinis team kicked off just half an hour after Chelsea were crowned champions with a victory over Crystal Palace and, given the lacklustre nature of their title defence, it would have been little surprise to see City turn in a disinterested display at White Hart Lane.But Agueros predatory instincts came to the rescue as he netted the first half winner that kept City in second place and effectively guaranteed their berth in next seasons Champions League.Citys third successive win moved them nine points clear of fifth placed Liverpool with a vastly superior goal difference and only three games remaining.It was a close game and Sergio scored a great goal, Pellegrini said. Im very happy because we played well against a difficult team.You must remember against Tottenham that Chelsea conceded five goals, we have a clean sheet.Maybe Chelsea are more consistent this year and they won the league, but we scored more when we did it.While City were able to restore some pride in north London, Tottenhams eighth defeat in their last nine encounters with the Eastlands outfit all but ended their own bid for a top four finish.It left Mauricio Pochettinos side seven points behind fourth placed Manchester United.With Chelseas title party in full swung across London, Pellegrinis men badly needed a dynamic performance to raise morale after limply surrendering their crown.But Tottenham striker Harry Kane should have drawn level with Aguero in the race to finish as the leagues top scorer after woeful City defending allowed him to race unopposed onto Erik Lamelas pass, only for the England international to drag his hurried shot wide.After that shambolic opening, City settled and Aguero smashed a volley narrowly past the far post.Aguero should have punished a rush of blood from Hugo Lloris when the Tottenham goalkeeper sprinted out of his area in a failed attempt to intercept Pablo Zabaletas long pass.The ball bounced through to Aguero but before he could take aim at the empty net he lost his balance with Tottenham defender Federico Fazio in pursuit, sparking an unsuccessful penalty appeal.Aguero had pounded the turf in frustration when he was denied that spot-kick, but he was soon celebrating a typically clinical piece of finishing in the 29th minute.Prompted by City goalkeeper Joe Harts quick clearance from a Tottenham corner, David Silva advanced unchecked before delivering a fine pass to pick out Agueros astute run and, with Tottenhams defenders failing to pick him up, the Argentina forward had time and space to blast his shot high into the roof of the net.Agueros fifth goal in his last four appearances was nearly followed by a much rarer strike for City team-mate Fernandinho, who saw his effort cleared off the line by Danny Rose.Another quick City break exposed Tottenhams fragile rearguard again, but Fernandinho fired wide and Pochettinos side would have been level before half-time if Hart hadnt made an excellent stop to deny Ryan Mason.Citys costly penchant for suicidal defending has haunted them this season and they were fortunate to escape on the hour when Martin Demichelis inexplicably let the ball run through to Kane, whose shot was blocked by Hart.Aguero scuffed wide from close-range after losing his balance as he rounded Lloris, who then had to produce a leaping save to keep out Aleksandar Kolarovs fierce drive.The departure of injured City substitute Samir Nasri just moments after he came on amused Tottenham fans who still dislike the former Arsenal star.But the home supporters didnt get the last laugh as Harts excellent saves denied Paulinho and then Lamela as Tottenham failed to land a late equaliser.

Golf: McIlroy wins WGC World Match Play crown

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - World number one Rory McIlroy added the WGC World Match Play Championship to his four majors with a 4&2 victory over US journeyman Gary Woodland in Sundays final.Northern Irishman McIlroy, who turns 26 on Monday, was playing in his second WGC Match Play final, having lost to Hunter Mahan in the 2012 championship contest.McIlroy was a perfect 7-0 in the first year of the events new format featuring three rounds of pool play, followed by knock-out rounds.Danny Willett defeated Jim Furyk 3&2 to win the consolation match.McIlroy took control early against Woodland, notching four birdies in a row from the fourth hole to take a commanding lead.Woodland took the 11th and 12th, but missed a four-footer at 13 that would have gotten him within 1-down.Woodland bogeyed the 14th to slide 3-down. Woodland conceded the match on 16 after missing a birdie chip.It was a markedly easier victory than the grandstand finish McIlroy needed to get past Furyk 1-up in the semi-finals at Harding Park.McIlroy was trailing by one hole at the 16th after a roller-coaster of a match when he firstly hit his tee-shot to within four feet for birdie at the par-three 17th.He then drained a 44-foot eagle putt at the last to stun the veteran American.Woodland also hit back to defeat Englands Willett 3&2 in a semi-final no-one expected.McIlroy, who claimed his second tournament win of the year after the Dubai Desert Classic in late January, admitted after his semi-final win that he could do without the late-match dramatics.I wish I didnt have to finish like that all the time, he said.McIlroy was the first in action on Sunday, resuming his quarter-final tie against Englishman Paul Casey after the two had been forced to suspend play overnight tied after three fruitless sudden-death extra holes.McIlroy wasted no time by birdieing the par-five first hole to end what had been a gruelling contest.Minutes later, McIlroy again birdied the opening hole, but saw Furyk hole from 15 feet for a half, before a par on the third was enough for McIlroy to take the lead in the semi-final.That was shortlived as McIlroy bogeyed the fourth, but the four-time major winner reclaimed the lead thanks to a birdie on the fifth and looked like moving further ahead when he chipped in from short of the green on the seventh.However, Furyk followed McIlroy in from 20 feet there and also birdied the eighth, while a par was good enough to move one up at the ninth as McIlroy failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker.McIlroy won the 11th and 12th to go back ahead, but he could not hold on to his lead once again as Furyk took the 13th and 15th to edge into the lead.The American had victory in his sights only for McIlroy to snatch it away from him with two outstanding holes of golf.

Golf: Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn split

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Former world number one Tiger Woods and his skiing star girlfriend of three years Lindsey Vonn have separated, it was confirmed Sunday.Vonn announced the split in a statement on her Facebook page, saying the couple had parted due to incompatible schedules.After nearly three years together, Tiger and I have mutually decided to end our relationship, Vonn said. Unfortunately, we both lead incredibly hectic lives that force us to spend a majority of our time apart.I will always admire and respect Tiger. He and his beautiful family will always hold a special place in my heart.Woods issued a similar statement on his website.I have great admiration, respect and love for Lindsey and Ill always cherish our time together. She has been amazing with Sam and Charlie and my entire family, he said.Unfortunately, we lead very hectic lives and are both competing in demanding sports. Its difficult to spend time together.Woods, 39, and Vonn, 30, had emerged as the golden couple of American sport since news of their relationship three years ago.Fallen idol Woods had regained his world number one status before a catastrophic 2014 blighted by injury and poor form.The winner of 14 major titles has seen his ranking plunge outside the top 100 this season, and he has only played three events.Vonn, the 2010 Olympic downhill champion, has seen her career disrupted by two serious knee injuries but made a successful return to the World Cup circuit.

Motorcycling: Lorenzo wins Spanish MotoGP

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JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA (AFP) - Jorge Lorenzo celebrated being kept on by Yamaha for next season by winning the Spanish MotoGP at Jerez on Sunday in commanding style to also give himself a special present on the eve of his 28th birthday.The two-time world champion, winning his first MotoGP since the Japanese one last year, came home well clear of world champion Marc Marquez on a Honda delivering a perfect result for former Spanish King Juan Carlos, who was watching from the stands along with 120,000 other spectators.Indeed the former King -- a noted motorbike rider and enthusiast in his younger days -- presented the prizes.Marquez, who rode here despite a broken pinky finger on his left hand, held off Italian legend and series leader Valentino Rossi, who had the consolation of becoming the first rider to achieve the 200 podium mark -- 15-time world champion and fellow Italian Giacomo Agostini, who was watching from the pits, is next best with 159.Rossi retains the lead in the overall standings, he has 82 points after four races, a 15 point lead over Andrea Dovizioso with Lorenzo and Marquez 20 and 26 points adrift respectively of him. Lorenzo, who was winning his 34th race in the category and 55th in all classes, said it had been a perfect weekend but didnt want to speculate as to what this meant for the title race.Well enjoy this for the moment, he said.It was an impressive win and I felt very good on the bike.It is an extra special win after a long time of waiting.Today I could take advantage of my impressive pace and talent.Marquez for his part said it had been one of the most difficult races of his career.Yes it definitely was tough, not so much my finger but because I felt great pain in my right arm, said Marquez.At one point I couldnt move my fingers so to be second here is important.Rossi, who had won two of the three races coming into the Spanish MotoGP, said he hadnt felt comfortable throughout the weekend.I try and try and try to get up to Marc but my speed wasnt great and then my front wheel started to be unreliable so I eased up, said the 36-year-old Rossi.My 200th podium, thats not so badRossi made a good start moving from sixth to fourth, in stark contrast to compatriot Andrea Iannone who paid for fiddling with his clutch on the start line and dropped from the front row to ninth -- while another Italian, Andrea Dovizioso, went into the gravel and slipped from eighth to last although he was to recover and finish in the top 10.Lorenzo had no such problems getting away with Marquez on his tail, with Rossi moving into third with 24 laps remaining.The order remained the same, with neither Marquez -- whose Honda team had modified the handlebar to facilitate his broken pinky finger -- nor Rossi able to challenge Lorenzo.With just over half of the race gone, the leading trio maintained their positions with Marquez seemingly holding Rossi off with ease.However, with 10 laps remaining the irrepressible Italian then began to make his move and began eating into the world champions advantage over him.An enthralling battle continued -- with Lorenzo safe as houses out in front -- as initially Rossi looked odds on to overcome Marquez before the young Spaniard fought back and halted Rossis progress.

Battling Windies win third Test by five wickets

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BRIDGETOWN (AFP) - West Indies defied the odds and a wearing pitch to complete a series-levelling five-wicket victory over England on the third day of the third and final Test on Sunday.Set a daunting target of 192 after the tourists were dismissed for 123 in their second innings, a 108-run fifth-wicket partnership between Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood tilted the match decisively the Caribbean sides way.That allowed them to celebrate their first victory over England since the opening match of the 2009 series in Kingston, Jamaica.Bravos controlled knock of 82, his 11th Test half-century, ended when he attempted to make the victory hit off Ben Stokes as Stuart Broad pulled down the catch at mid-off.It was left to Blackwood to finish off the match in the next over, hoisting Moeen Alis off-spin over long-on to finish unbeaten on 47 and complete a team and personal triumph following his first innings top score of 85 out of a total of 189. He was named man of the match.I always try to play my natural game but you have to be mindful of the situation as well, said Blackwood.(Darren) Bravo told me to just keep positive and we would be able to bring it home.West Indies seemed on the verge of another capitulation when veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul played on to James Anderson without scoring to leave the home side uncomfortably placed at 80 for four just after tea.Anderson took the man of the series honours for his 17 wickets in the three matches, lifting his overall Test tally to 397.Its disappointing, but they chased down that target very well, he said.Blackwood, who replaced Chanderpaul, capitalised on a significant moment of luck -- a missed stumping by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler off Joe Root when only on four -- to stay with his senior partner. Gradually they wore down the England bowlers before unfurling the attacking shots that sped the West Indies to the target that seemed beyond them at the start of the chase given the state of the pitch and the low-scoring nature of the match.Losing the toss turned out really well for us. The bowlers performed superbly, said victorious West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin. Anything over 220 would have been trickier, but we had a real belief in our team in this series.Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope saw off the early assault from Anderson and Broad, although not without a few anxious moments.But the introduction of Chris Jordan into the attack brought the breakthrough that England craved as the debutant fell leg-before for nine. In the very next over, Jordans brilliance at slip throughout the series was again in evidence as he held on to a sharp chance left-handed to remove Brathwaite off Alis off-spin for 25.England had started the day brightly, putting on 51 in the first hour for the loss of just one wicket from a perilous overnight position of 39 for five.Gary Ballance was that early casualty after England resumed in the perilous overnight position of 39 for five. He became the first of two wickets for Veerasammy Permaul, the left-arm spinner removing the left-hander to a catch at slip and then breaking a 33-run seventh-wicket partnership between Stokes and Buttler via a miscued drive from Stokes (32) that was well held by Chanderpaul at short extra-cover.Buttler kept on playing positively and was left unbeaten on a top score of 35.Fast-medium bowler Jason Holder, who dismissed Jordan and Broad off successive deliveries, finished with the best figures of three for 15. Permaul and pacer Jerome Taylor also picked up three wickets apiece.Getting dismissed for 123 in the second innings opened up the match this morning, England captain Alastair Cook conceded. Defending 190-odd, you need to take every chance and we didnt do that. Well have to take it on the chin because we didnt do enough to win the series.England won the second Test in Grenada by nine wickets while the opening game of the three-match series in Antigua was drawn.

Baltimore lifts curfew, National Guard begins pullout

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BALTIMORE (AFP) - Baltimores mayor on Sunday lifted a curfew that was imposed across the East Coast city following widespread riots, as thousands of National Guard troops began to pull out.Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake had faced growing calls for the curfew to be scrapped, particularly from store and restaurant owners who said the 10:00 pm to 5:00 am nightly restriction was wrecking business.My goal has always been to not have the curfew in place a single day longer than was necessary, Rawlings-Blake wrote on Twitter. I believe we have reached that point today.Hundreds of people meanwhile rallied again at City Hall plaza, summoned by local religious leaders. Baltimore took the unusual step of a citywide curfew after rioters torched cars, pelted police with stones and ransacked stores on April 27. The riots stemmed from protests over the death of Freddie Gray, 25, who suffered a serious spinal injury while in the back of a police van on April 12.He died a week later. A total of 113 officers were wounded and 486 protesters were arrested, including 46 overnight into Sunday, Baltimore police spokesman Captain Eric Kowalczyk told reporters.The curb on nighttime activity was initially supposed to remain in place until Monday.To help prevent repeat violence, authorities sent about 3,000 Maryland National Guard troops into Baltimore.Yet the sense of siege will persist as long as Governor Hogan leaves military forces in the city -- we urge him to remove them now, warned Deborah Jeon, legal director of the Maryland chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Soon after the curfew ended, Governor Larry Hogan said the troops had already started to leave the city.Its going to take a couple of days to get everybody out, Hogan cautioned. We had to build an entire city to save the city.Hogan called for healing and prayer in Baltimore and spoke of the devastating financial ramifications of the riots and curfew.The governor, who is Roman Catholic, attended mass with the citys Archbishop William Lori.About 200 businesses, most minority-owned, were lost in the rioting on April 27, according to Hogan. He estimated the losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.Prosecutors say Gray should never even have been arrested and had committed no crime. Six Baltimore police officers, three white and three black, were charged Friday with multiple counts, including second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the death.Baltimores police union has condemned what it calls an egregious rush to judgement, as it defended the officers and expressed confidence they would be cleared.Grays case is the latest in a growing roster of high-profile deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police, and has rekindled national debate and simmering tensions about whether police are too hasty to use deadly violence when dealing with African American or minority suspects.One of the most prominent cases is that of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old who was fatally shot in Ferguson, Missouri.The death and subsequent lack of legal action against the police officer who shot him prompted widespread riots in the St Louis suburb.Similarly, the death of father-of-six Eric Garner, 43, sparked broad protests. Garner died after being held in a police chokehold while being arrested for illegally selling cigarettes in New York.Many residents in Baltimore, a port city of 620,000 people, reacted jubilantly to news of the six officers being charged, and demonstrations since the April 27 riots were generally peaceful. Thousands took to the streets to celebrate on Saturday.Many residents and business owners grew outraged over the curfew, with an online petition calling for its end drawing more than 2,000 signatures. Bar owner Ron Furman told the Baltimore Sun that his business had lost tens of thousands of dollars, with sales down an estimated 95 percent. Its devastating for us, Furman told the newspaper. Were talking about an impact thats going to be felt throughout the entire year.
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