Sunday 1 November 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Four suspects of Ranipur polling station firing arrested

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KHAIRPUR (Dunya News) – According to SSP Khairpur, for suspects involved in firing incident outside a polling station during Loval Government (LG) elections in Ranipur have been arrested on Sunday. The arrested persons were shifted to some undisclosed location for further investigation. The SSP further said that the heirs of the victims in the tragic incident have also been informed about the arrests.Also Read: Ranipur tragedy: Martyrs, CM Sindhs former advisor laid to restEarlier, martyrs of Ranipur tragedy including former Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh have on Sunday been laid to rest. Funeral prayers of eight of the martyrs were offered in Sanghar. Shutter-down strike was observed in Sanghar, Umar Kot, Pingriyo and Pir Jo Goth on Pakistan Muslim League – Functional’s (PML-F) appeal.Also Read: 12 die in bloody clashes during LB polls in Punjab, SindhAt least 12 people were killed and 15 other were wounded following a deadly clash between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional during voting in local government election in Ranipur town of Khairpur on Saturday. PML-F leader and former Advisor to CM Sindh, Faqeer Noor Hassan Khaskheli was also among the dead.Funeral prayers of eight of the martyrs were offered in Sanghar. There were tears in every eye on this occasion. All of the martyrs were laid to rest after the funeral prayers. Funeral prayers of two other PML-F workers were offered in Khadro while the other two were offered in Khaproo.Shutter down strike was observed in Sanghar, Umar Kot, Pingriyo and Pir Jo Goth on PML-F’s appeal and PML-F leaders organized Quran Khawanis for the martyrs.

Karachi: Two terrorists killed in encounter with police

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, police conducted a search operation in Lyari, Baghdadi and Mochko areas during which terrorists opened fire at the police party. Police returned the fire as a result commander of Lyari gang war Sheraz Comrade group named Wazir and a target killer were killed.According to SSP City, the terrorists were involved in 20 target killing incidents. He further said that the dead terrorists were also wanted in several cases of hand grenade attacks.Also Read: Two suspected bomb makers arrested in Karachis ManghopirElsewhere, some unidentified persons opened fire and wounded a man in Gulistan Johar area while police have also recovered a dead body of a man who was strangulated the death from Dhobi Ghat area of Lyari.

Kalat: Six militants killed during search operation

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KALAT (Dunya News) – According to details, Frontier Corps (FC) and other law enforcement agencies conducted a search operation in Johan area of Kalat on Sunday on a tip-off that militants of a banned outfit are present in the area. The militants present in the area opened fire at the personnel of law enforcement agencies who retaliated as a result six militants were killed while two of their accomplices were arrested. According to FC officials, automatic weapons were used by the militants in exchange of fire with the searching party. A huge cache of weapons was also recovered from the possession of dead militants.Earlier in the day, four people were killed and 12 others sustained injuries when an Improvised Explosives Device (IED) blasted near a railway track in Dasht, area near Mastung in Balochistan.According to initial details, the explosion took place when Quetta-Rawalpindi Jaffar Express was passing, claiming lives of four passengers and injuring 12 people.The injured were at once shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta and Bolan Medical Complex Hospital for medical assistance whereas the hospital staff has also declared emergency in the hospitals.Also Read: Armed men gun down shop-owner, FC arrests 10 militants in BalochistanThe Pakistani military has vowed to crush the insurgency and assured China of security for a planned China-Pakistan economic corridor from the Baluchistan port of Gwadar up to the Chinese border in northern Pakistan.Pakistani security forces have been battling militants for over a decade following the late 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

Erdogan's AKP regains majority in stunning election comeback

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkeys long-dominant Justice and Development Party (AKP) scored a stunning electoral comeback on Sunday, regaining its parliamentary majority in a poll seen as pivotal for the future of the troubled country.The party founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won 49.4 percent of the vote to secure 316 seats in the 550-member parliament with nearly all votes counted, easily enough to form a government on its own.Today is a day of victory, a beaming Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a crowd of jubilant supporters in his hometown.He appealed for unity in the country, destabilised by renewed Kurdish violence and bloody jihadist attacks and facing escalating concerns about the faltering economy and what critics say is Erdogans authoritarian rule.Today there are no losers but winners, he said. We are coming to rebuild a new Turkey along with each and every citizen. The outcome was a shock to many as opinion polls had predicted a replay of the June election when the AKP won only 40 percent of the vote and lost its majority for the first time in 13 years.The result is a huge personal victory for 61-year-old Erdogan, Turkeys divisive strongman who may now be able to secure enough support for his controversial ambitions to expand his role into a powerful US-style executive presidency.Analysts said it appeared voters had turned away from nationalist and Kurdish parties.Erdogan rode the wave of violence back to power, said Aykan Erdemir of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a former Turkish opposition MP.Underscoring one of the key challenges ahead for a new AKP administration -- the state of the Kurdish peace process -- clashes erupted briefly between police and protesters in the main Kurdish city of Diyarbakir.During the election campaign, Erdogan declared that only he and his loyal Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu could guarantee security, criss-crossing the country with the message: Its me or chaos.A report by the Brookings Institution think-tank had warned that whatever the outcome, the challenges facing Turkey are growing by the day.It highlighted the Kurdish crisis along with the parlous state of the economy and the fallout from the conflict in neighbouring Syria as the most urgent issues.The political landscape has changed dramatically in Turkey since June, with the country even more divided along ethnic and sectarian lines.Many Turks are fearful of a return to all-out war with outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels after fresh violence shattered a 2013 truce in July, just a month after a pro-Kurdish party won seats for the first time and denied Erdogans AKP a majority.The threat of further jihadist violence also overshadowed the poll after a string of attacks blamed on the Islamic State group, including twin suicide bombings on an Ankara peace rally last month that killed 102 people -- the bloodiest in Turkeys modern history.This time round, the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), led by charismatic lawyer Selahattin Demirtas, lost support but appeared to have scraped over the 10-percent threshold to stay in parliament.Demirtas said it was not a fair election after his party halted campaigning in the wake of the IS attacks that targeted pro-Kurdish activists.But its still a big victory, we have lost one million votes but we have stood tall against this policy of massacres and fascism, he said.He also vowed to pursue the faltering push for peace between Ankara and PKK rebels.We will not back down on our stance for the need for a new constitution and for the peace process, he said at a press conference in Ankara.The main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) scored about 25.4 percent of the vote, similar to its June result.Support for the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) fell to just under 12 percent, with commentators suggesting its voters shifted to the AKP.The IS attacks have drawn Turkey even further into the quagmire in neighbouring Syria as it struggled with the burden of more than two million refugees and found itself at odds with its NATO allies over the conflict.After long supporting rebels fighting the Damascus regime, Ankara was cajoled into joining the US-led coalition against the IS group and launched its own war on terrorism targeting the jihadists as well as PKK fighters and even US-backed Syrian Kurds.Erdogan, dubbed the big master or Sultan who has dominated Turkeys political scene for more than a decade, is revered and reviled in equal measure.He was hailed in the West for creating what was once regarded as a model Muslim democracy but is now accused of blatantly cracking down on opponents and critical media.Opponents fear that if he succeeds in expanding his powers, it would mean fewer checks and balances in a country that has long aspired to join the EU.Turkeys economy is also in trouble, with growth slowing sharply from the dizzy heights of five years ago, unemployment rising and the Turkish lira plunging more than 25 percent in value this year.Im very sorry but the results mean that the people are comfortable with the current situation, said 22-year-old law student Sevim. People get the governments they deserve. So we got what we deserve.

UN peace envoy in Damascus after Vienna talks

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DAMASCUS (AFP) - UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Sunday in Damascus, two days after attending international talks on Syrias four-year war, a UN official said.The Syrian newspaper Al-Watan, which is close to the government, said the UN envoy was in Damascus to brief officials on the details of the Vienna talks.Top diplomats from 17 countries, as well as the United Nations and the European Union, gathered on Friday in Vienna to narrow their divisions over the war which has killed more than 250,000 people.For the first time, the meeting brought together all the main outside players in the crisis, including Russia and Iran, key allies of the government of President Bashar al-Assad.But the Syrian regime and the opposition were not represented.De Mistura was expected to leave Damascus on Monday, the UN official said, declining to provide further details on the diplomats visit.Syrias state television said Muallem had expressed to... de Mistura the importance of numerous points in the statement released at the end of the Vienna talks.Participants at the talks agreed to ask the United Nations to broker a peace deal between the regime and opposition to clear the way for a new constitution and UN-supervised elections.But divisions remained on the fate of Assad, with Russia and Iran resisting Western and Saudi pressure to force the Syrian president from power.De Mistura last visited Damascus in September to discuss his proposal for joint working committees to discuss counterterrorism, political and legal issues, reconstruction, and safety and protection.

Iran leader says fresh elections needed in Syria

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TEHRAN (AFP) - Irans supreme leader dismissed Sunday the chances of foreign countries bartering a deal over Syrias future, suggesting they should focus on securing a halt to fighting that allows fresh elections.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also repeated his ban on direct talks with the United States about turmoil in the Middle East, saying US objectives in the region were utterly at odds with Iranian policy.The comments, to Irans ambassadors and other top diplomats, were Khameneis first since his country joined international negotiations on the four-year Syrian conflict.He said Syrias people must choose who their leader would be, rather than the US and other foreign powers trying to decide for them.The Americans seek to impose their own interests, not solve problems. They want to impose 60, 70 percent of their will, he said, alluding to the peace talks which took place Friday in Vienna.So whats the point of negotiations? he said, insisting that military and financial support given to rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, principally from Gulf states and the US, must stop if the Syria conflict is to end.Top diplomats from 17 countries, as well as the United Nations and the European Union, had gathered in Austria, seeking to narrow divisions over Syrias civil war, which has killed more than 250,000.For the first time, the meeting brought together all the main outside players in the crisis, including Russia and Iran, key allies of Assads government.The Syrian regime and the opposition were not represented.Iran and the US held direct negotiations for almost two years which led to a deal over the Islamic republics nuclear programme on July 14, but afterwards Khamenei banned bilateral talks on other issues.The meeting in Vienna only reiterated the international split over Assads fate but the talks will resume in two weeks.The United States, Saudi Arabia, Britain and France say the Syrian leader has lost all legitimacy and must step down, even if not immediately.Iran and Russia, however, have increased their support for Assad, with President Vladimir Putin ordering air strikes on regime targets while Tehran has upped its count of military advisers on the ground.Alluding again to hopes of a peace settlement generated in Vienna, Khamenei appeared to suggest the debate over Assad was unhelpful, reiterating that the eventual solution is a ballot. Theres no point in other countries getting together and deciding about a system of government and the head of that state, the supreme leader said.This is a dangerous innovation which no government in the world would accept being imposed on itself. The solution to Syrias problem is elections, he added.A halt to support for rebels could ensure Syrian people elect whoever they want in a safe and peaceful environment, Khamenei said, without mentioning Irans support for Assad.Khamenei also took aim at wider US policy in the Middle East.America is the main part of the problem in the region, not part of the solution, he said, citing US support for the Zionist regime in Israel.These policies differ 180 degrees with the policies of the Islamic republic, he added, also criticising Saudi Arabia for its double standards of conducting an air war in Yemen.They have intervened in this country upon a request by a resigned and fugitive Yemeni president, Khamenei said.But on Syria they are not prepared to stop supporting the armed opposition upon a request by the legal president.Meanwhile, a top Iranian official criticised remarks made by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who said Saturday he hoped Tehran would use money unfrozen by the nuclear deal to improve its economy rather than for aggressive policies.Irans deputy foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian told the official IRNA news agency: We warn Adel al-Jubeir not to test the Islamic Republic of Irans patience.

Thirteen migrants, including six children, drown off Greece: coastguard

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ATHENS (AFP) - At least 13 migrants, six of them children, drowned as two boats making the hazardous crossing from Turkey capsized in the Aegean Sea off Greece on Sunday, the coastguard said.The first tragedy occurred off the island of Samos when a boat overturned just 20 metres (yards) from shore.Ten bodies -- including six children, four of them babies -- were found in the vessels cabin while that of a girl was washed up on the island, where dozens of refugees have perished trying to reach Europe in recent days.Two others were still missing with coastguards saying 15 were plucked from the water.A boat from the European border agency Frontex also recovered two bodies near the island of Farmakonnisi, near Samos, the coastguard said.Frontex also rescued three others, who said their boat was carrying 15 people when it sank in Turkish waters.Greek authorities and the Turkish coastguard continue to search the zone to find the migrants who disappeared in the sinking, which probably took place off the Turkish coast, a representative of the Greek coastguards press office told AFP.The new sinkings add to a string of migrant boat tragedies since Monday off the Greek islands of Lesbos, Kalymnos and Rhodes in which more than 60 people have drowned, at least 28 of them children.On Friday alone 22 people, including 17 children, lost their lives trying to cross to the eastern Aegean islands from Turkey, to which more than two million Syrian refugees have fled. That followed another black day on Wednesday when 24 migrants -- 11 of them children -- died in five shipwrecks off Lesbos, Samos and Agathonisi.With the arrival of rough winter weather, and fears that Europe is about to close its doors to refugees, more than 80 people -- most of them children -- have drowned trying to reach Greece in October, according to an AFP count.Since the beginning of the year, 580,125 migrants have landed on Greeces shores, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, with a total of 723,221 crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Friday that the drownings were a humanitarian tragedy and a shame for Europe.He is to travel to Lesbos this week with the president of the European parliament, Martin Schultz, his office said.

At least 12 killed as Shebab attack Somalia hotel

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MOGADISHU (AFP) - At least 12 people were killed in the Somali capital on Sunday after Shebab gunmen used a vehicle packed with explosives to blast their way inside a hotel, police said.The Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab claimed responsibility for the dawn attack at the Sahafi hotel, which is popular with members of parliament, government employees and businessmen.After the car bomb ripped a hole in the hotels fortified walls, gunmen stormed the building firing semi-automatic rifles and throwing grenades, witnesses said. This is the action of an increasingly desperate, internally-divided group of extremists, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a statement, after security forces overpowered the attackers in a gunbattle.Our security forces have full control of the situation, he added.Somalias National and Intelligence Agency declared the attack over several hours after the shooting began, although special forces appeared to be carrying out mopping-up operations for some time afterwards.The African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a 22,000-strong force fighting the Shebab, said it had helped government troops repel the attack and secure the hotel.Attackers exploded a car bomb to gain entry before going inside... we have reports of 12 dead, policeman Abdulrahid Dahir said.Among the fatalities was a Somali freelance journalist, the Somali Association of Journalists said, adding that a photographer with the Reuters news agency had been slightly hurt.The pair were hit when they arrived at the hotel to report on the first explosion. It was then that the second car bomb detonated.A former senior army commander was also among the dead.The UN envoy to Somalia, Nick Kay, condemned the bloody attack which he said underlined the need to help support Somalias security forces in stopping such assaults.Witnesses said they had seen several bodies of people killed in the initial blast, when a minibus packed with explosives was reportedly used to ram the gates of the hotel compound. A second heavy explosion followed shortly afterwards.The fighters then poured inside, with witnesses reporting intense gunfire and several loud blasts.There was a huge explosion and people around the entrance were killed, said Mohamed Ismael, a witness, who was nearby when the attack began.Shebab insurgents, who are fighting to overthrow the internationally backed government in Mogadishu, have carried out a string of attacks on hotels in the capital.The Islamists have frequently used car bombs driven by suicide bombers to break into a complex or a building, with more attackers then following on foot.Like other international hotels in Mogadishu, the Sahafi is heavily fortified.It was the site of the kidnapping of two French security agents in 2009, one of whom later escaped while the other was killed by the Shebab during a failed rescue attempt in 2013.Shebab spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musab claimed the gunmen had overrun the hotel, which is situated near the major K4 roundabout.The mujahedeen fighters took control of the Sahafi hotel, where apostates and invading Christians were staying, he said in a statement.The Shebab are on a mission to disprove claims they are close to defeat since being routed from Mogadishu in mid-2011 and losing several alleged commanders in US drone strikes.Beside staging frequent attacks within Somalia the militants, who still hold large swathes of the countryside, have also carried out a string of strikes in neighbouring countries.This week, President Mohamud called on Shebab fighters to surrender amid reports some factions may have shifted allegiance from Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State group.Mohamud said the reported divisions were symptomatic of a group that has lost its way, and warned that Somalis do not need a new brand of horror and repression.In a statement, AMISOM said it strongly condemned Sundays heinous terrorist attack.AMISOM reiterates the need for continued cooperation and support to the government of Somalia and its troops, to stop these acts of terror perpetuated on the Somali people by al Shabaab, it said.The African Union stands firm in its resolve to work towards restoration of lasting peace in Somalia.

Tennis: Federer ends long Nadal drought for seventh Basel title

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BASEL (AFP) - Roger Federer rated his 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Rafael Nadal as the best of his Swiss Indoors career after claiming a seventh title at his home event on Sunday.The 34-year-old Swiss took special pride in the two-hour victory after last beating Nadal three and a half years ago. He improved to 11-23 in the series which defined mens tennis for a decade.This was my best victory in Basel, considering everything Ive done throughout my career here, said Federer, playing in a record tenth consecutive trophy match at his local venue, where he began as a ballboy two decades ago.It was a big match for me, probably more than for him.After all the matches and big finals weve played over the years, to have a final here in Basel was amazing for the crowd and for me personally. To come through and win was very special.The match was close, I think I had a bit more of it throughout, I had chances in the second set but he fought back well like hes done throughout the week.I had some closer moments in the third set, overall I was pretty happy how I played. It was a great atmosphere and a very special day.Federer and Nadal last met in the Australian Open semi-finals nearly two years ago and played their last final in Rome in 2013.Sundays win was Federers 88th career title while taking his season record to 58-9.I had a good game plan today, everything worked out. There were no real surprises there, I was match-ready. This one was played at high quality, it was entertaining and exciting for both of us, said the world number three.The win at the St Jakobshalle gave Federer his first victory over Nadal since the semi-finals of the 2012 Indian Wells Masters, and ended a five-match winning streak by the Spaniard.Nadal had won 14 of their previous finals, with Federer claiming six. But the Swiss has now improved to 5-1 against Nadal on indoor surfaces.Nadal was still pleased with his own effort this week.A few small things made the difference, like one game in the third set (when he was broken for 3-5). I was not very far away, said the 29-year-old.He played too well and I didnt play bad either. It was a positive final for me -- I lost but I was very close to the win.He added: Losing on the surface where Ive only beaten Roger once, and playing well at his home is all good news for me.My goal is to be competitive against the top players again.Ive had huge support all week -- maybe a bit less today, but I understand, he joked.Top seed Federer got away to a good start, earning a break for 3-2 and concluded the opener with a second break to take the lead after 37 minutes.But Nadal, who has been making comebacks all week, was having none of it.With Federer on a roll, the Swiss won the fifth game with three aces and fired his ninth ace to secure a 5-4 lead.Nadal earned a break point in the next game and converted to shock the Swiss with a 6-5 lead. The Spanish third seed quickly levelled the match at a set each on the first of three set points.Federer came alive just in time in the final set, breaking for 5-3 and serving out victory a game later on his second match point after two hours.Basel is the fifth tour event at which Federer has won at least seven times. He has eight titles on grass at Halle, Germany, his all-time best.

Tennis: Tearful Radwanska wins WTA Finals thriller

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SINGAPORE (AFP) - Agnieszka Radwanska wept tears of joy on Sunday as she claimed the biggest title of her career with a tense WTA Finals victory over Petra Kvitova in Singapore.Radwanska, who lost twice at the round-robin stage, came from a break down in the deciding set to beat an injury-impeded but gritty Kvitova 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and five minutes.The 26-year-old Pole, who was a late qualifier for the eight-player season finale, was highly emotional after winning the prestigious and highly lucrative title at her seventh attempt.A few weeks ago, I didnt even know that I had any chance to be here, and there you go. In the final day winning. An incredible day for me, she said. That was the biggest day of my life.Radwanska looked stunned and covered her face with her left hand after an error from two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova handed her the Billy Jean King Trophy and $2.05 million first prize.It was the first time that anyone had won the eight-player season finale after losing two matches in the round-robin stage.It just means everything -- it was my first final (at the tournament) and it couldnt have been any better, Radwanska said.The Pole dominated the first set but Kvitova hit back to win the second and take it to a decider at an increasingly tense Singapore Indoor Stadium.Radwanska went down a break early in the third but she snatched back control and saw off a gritty fightback by Kvitova, who seemed hampered by an injury to her heavily strapped right leg.Asked after the match if she was in pain, Kvitova said a little bit but it was okay.Radwanskas route to the title was full of twists and turns. She only qualified for WTA Finals a week before it started when she won the Tianjin Open in China.And her tournament started poorly when she lost her first two matches to Maria Sharapova and Flavia Pennetta, before her tournament started to fire when she beat top seed Simona Halep.Even so, Radwanska needed Sharapovas straight-sets over Pennetta to reach the semis but she grabbed her chance with both hands, upsetting fast-rising world number three Garbine Muguruza.In Sundays final Radwanska, one of the best defenders on the womens tour, broke Kvitova in the first game and repeated it to go up 4-1, before drilling an ace to make it 5-1.She took the opener 6-2 and broke again early in the second set, before Kvitova broke back and held to love with a forehand crosscourt winner to lead for the first time at 4-3.Both players then held serve but with Radwanska serving to stay in the set at 4-5 down, Kvitova pounced on a weak second serve to take it 6-4 and push the final into a deciding set.Kvitova seized the early advantage in the third set but Radwanska hit back with a double break, before Kvitova fired off three winners to wrench it back onto serve.However, Radwanska got another break after a double fault and error by Kvitova and held to 5-3, before four successive errors by the Czech quickly brought the match to an end.With her 17th title, Radwanska moves to $21.3 million in career earnings and will finish the year as the world number five.Earlier, Swiss veteran Martina Hingis and Indias Sania Mirza crowned a stunning year for their partnership by winning their ninth doubles title.The top seeds, who have lifted two Grand Slam trophies since joining forces in March, beat Spains eighth seeds Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-3 in 66 minutes.

Tennis: Murray vows to play London ahead of Davis Cup final

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PARIS (AFP) - World number two Andy Murray says he intends to play the World Tour Finals in London despite the fact he must switch surfaces within a week and lead Great Britain against Belgium in the Davis Cup final. There were reports the 28-year-old would skip the eight-man season finale at Londons O2 Arena from November 15-22 in order to adjust to the indoor clay surface set to be used in Ghent when Britain chase a first Davis Cup since 1936 from November 27-29. My intention is to play at the O2, Murray said on the eve of the Paris Masters on Sunday. With hard courts set to be used in the French and English capitals for the final two major tournaments of the season, Murray intends to train on both hard court and clay in his buildup to the Davis Cup final. Britain are chasing a tenth Davis Cup crown while Belgium have never lifted the famous trophy.Their only other appearance in the final was in 1904 when they lost 5-0 to Britain.

Football: Kone treble sinks Sunderland, Saints win derby

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LONDON (AFP) - Ivorian forward Arouna Kone netted a clinical hat-trick as Everton demolished Sunderland 6-2 in the Premier League on Sunday, while Southampton overcame south-coast rivals Bournemouth 2-0.Sunderland had been buoyed by a 3-0 victory over derby rivals Newcastle United in their previous fixture, but despite hitting the post twice in the early stages and coming back from two goals down to make it 2-2, Sam Allardyces struggling side were well beaten at Goodison Park.Goals by Jerman Defoe and Steven Fletcher allowed Sunderland to level after Gerard Deulofeu and Kone had put Everton 2-0 up, but a Sebastian Coates own goal and a Romelu Lukaku effort restored the hosts control in the second half before Kone completed his treble.Everton manager Roberto Martinez praised Kone for fighting back from a career-threatening knee injury sustained in 2013, saying: His attitude, his focus never changed and he never chose to blame anyone and anything.He is a sensational example to any young footballer facing adversity.Kones performance had the added bonus of triggering an appearance clause in his contract that will see his deal automatically extended for a further 12 months at the end of the season.His treble helped Everton score six goals in a league game for the first time since a 7-1 win over the same opponents in November 2007, as Martinezs side climbed to ninth place in the table.Sunderland remain second from bottom, two points from safety, and new manager Allardyce, who switched to a three-man defence for the game, said his players had paid the price for a lack of positional discipline.We had 17 attempts on goal and 12 on target, he said.At the top end we can score a goal and create chances, but until we get into the habit of defending better out of possession, it is worthless how many goals we score if we defend like that.At St Marys, Steven Davis and Graziano Pelle scored neatly-constructed first-half goals as Southampton beat local rivals Bournemouth to move up to seventh place, four points below the Champions League berths.Davis volleyed in a cross from Ryan Bertrand in the 31st minute and Dusan Tadic teed up Pelle to head home five minutes later as Ronald Koemans team extended their unbeaten run to five league games.Southamptons Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama was sent off in the 78th minute after receiving a second yellow card for upending Lee Tomlin, but the 10 men emerged unscathed.The first 45 minutes was the best football so far this season. Good movement and great goals, said Koeman.Always an opponent will give a reaction and you have to deal with that. We lost balls and had no control. We need to do that better.Eddie Howes Bournemouth, beaten 5-1 by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City on their two previous league outings, remain a point above the bottom three in 17th place.I thought the second half was everything we wanted the first to be, said Howe.We were off the pace first half and Southampton played well. It was a reverse in the second, but the only thing missing were goals.

Golf: Thomas outlasts scrappy Scott, wins CIMB Classic

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KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Justin Thomas birdied four of his last six holes to hold off a spirited charge by Adam Scott and earn his maiden PGA Tour victory Sunday at the CIMB Classic.Thomas six-under-par 66 left him at 26-under for the tournament, one stroke better than former Masters winner Scott, who nearly snagged a come-from-behind victory with a superb 63. Thomas, who led after the second and third rounds, nearly threw it all away down the stretch when he chunked a shot into the water on the 14th hole for a double bogey.But I just kept telling myself I controlled the tournament before that shot, so I just need to get back in it, said Thomas, 22, who set a course record 61 in the second round.I had four more holes to try to make some more birdies and was fortunate enough to do it.The American rallied to birdie the next three holes and went on to clinch the win, $1.26 million in prize money, and 500 FedEx Cup points.The hot, humid conditions at the par-72 Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club had yielded a slew of sub-65 rounds throughout the tournament, and nothing less than a scintillating performance would win it on Sunday. Scott, who failed to win a tournament in the 2015 season, nearly caught Thomas by shooting the round of the day, a bogey-free nine-under 63 that included an eagle on the par-5 third.But a long eagle putt on 18 that could have tied it went wide.I threw everything I could at it today. Im playing well, and thats nice, because I havent played that well for awhile, said Scott, 35.Scott is among many players in the field hoping to take momentum into the World Golf Championships event in Shanghai next week.I would love to get into contention there and try and win, he said.So this is a step in the right direction.Americans Brendan Steele and Kevin Na tied for third at 24-under after respective rounds of 68 and 67.Japans Hideki Matsuyama finished in sole fifth place, two strokes further back.Seventy of the 77 golfers who completed the tournament finished under par.The $7 million tournament is jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGA Tour.It is the third event of the PGA Tours just-begun 2016 schedule.The win gives Thomas the early lead in the FedEx Cup race, but with a plenty of golf left to play.

Formula One: Rosberg grabs consolation win in Mexico

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MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Nico Rosberg gained some consolation for his grievances Sunday when he outpaced Mercedes team-mate and newly-crowned triple world champion Lewis Hamilton to win the Mexican Grand Prix.In the first Formula One race in Mexico for 23 years, the 30-year-old German made light of the altitude of more than 2,000 metres and his anger at the manner of Hamiltons successes by leading, bar the pit-stops, from the 20th pole position of his career to the chequered flag.It was his fourth win of the season and 12th of his career.Hamilton, who started second, was never able to mount a serious challenge to win the race in front of a crowd of 140,000 and came home behind his team-mate to confirm the overall dominance of the champion team.For Rosberg, it was a richly satisfying triumph seven days after he had thrown away victory with an error in the United States Grand Prix where Hamilton won, after a wheel-banging duel on the opening lap, to confirm his third drivers world championship.Rosberg, clearly delighted by his success after securing only two wins from 10 pole positions, came home 1.9 seconds clear for his first win since the Austrian Grand Prix. His win also lifted him back into second place in the championship ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel who crashed out in his Ferrari on a day when the Italian team also saw Kimi Raikkonen forced to retire after colliding with compatriot Valtteri Bottas.Bottas of Williams, also powered by Mercedes, came home third ahead of Daniil Kvyat of Red Bull, his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo and Felipe Massa in the second Williams.Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh ahead of his Force India team-mate local hero Sergio Perez, teenager Max Verstappen of Toro Rosso and Romain Grosjean of Lotus.In warm sunshine with a track temperature of 56 degrees Celsius, there were widespread fears about brakes overheating before the lights went out.Rosberg made a clean start and held off Hamilton on the 900-metre-long run down to the first corner where the champion tucked in behind him.Behind them, Vettels hopes were punctured on the first lap when he made contact with the surging Ricciardos Red Bull and was forced to limp back to the Ferrari pits.Kvyat swept through to take third place while behind them all the luckless Fernando Alonso fought from 18th to 16th before another failed Honda engine forced his retirement.The two-time champion Spaniard was one of three champions who started at the back of the grid, lining up ahead of Raikkonen and his McLaren team-mate Jenson Button.For Alonso, it was a sad ending to his 250th Grand Prix, but Raikkonen, who had been handed his penalty for an engine change, rose rapidly through the field and was soon into the top 12.Rosberg and Hamilton traded fastest lap times at the front, the determined German refusing to allow his team-mate even a glimpse of a chance as he controlled a lead of around 1.2-1.8 seconds over the opening 12 laps.Vettels early setback left the two Red Bulls to chase the Mercedes ahead of Versteppen and Perez, whose every lap was greeted by a near-deafening roar at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.Vettel suffered again on lap 18 when he spun and dropped to 15th while Rosberg pulled 2.8 seconds clear.On lap 23, Bottas and Raikkonen collided as they battled side-by-side, the Ferrari man suffering damage to his right rear wheel in what looked like a payback for their similar incident at the Russian Grand Prix. Raikkonen retired. Rosberg eventually pitted after 26 laps gifting Hamilton the lead for two laps before he pitted and Rosberg regained the lead.Hamilton cut the lead to 2.2 seconds within two laps.Vettel, who had flat-spotted his tyres, required another pit stop and seethed with frustration when ordered to allow Hamilton to pass and lap him.Mercedes were clearly worried that excessive tyre wear could wreck their team result, but Hamilton was not impressed and delivered a fastest lap in 1:20.853 before Vettel crashed into the barriers at the Esses and prompted a Safety Car intervention.On the re-start, Rosberg led the way as Bottas powered past Kvyat on the straight and Hamilton attempted to close up, in vain, to launch a bid for victory.

Athletics: Biwott, Keitany win New York Marathon titles

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Stanley Biwott notched the biggest win of his career on Sunday in the New York City Marathon, where fellow Kenyan Mary Keitany triumphed for the second straight year.Biwott, 29, broke away from his rivals in a leading quartet in the final two miles in Central Park to win in 2hr 10min 34sec.Kenyas Geoffrey Kamworor was second and Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa third.From the start the pace was a bit slow, but when I decided to make a move, I knew I was feeling strong, and I was feeling OK. I knew I could make it all the way to the finish. So I tried my best to reach, and that was the result, said Biwott, who was second in the 2014 London Marathon and fifth in New York in 2013.Kamworor, the world cross country champion and world silver medallist in the 10,000 meters, came home in 2:10:48 while Desisa clocked 2:12:10.Defending champion Wilson Kipsang was fourth -- another disappointment for the former world record holder in a season that saw him beaten into second place in London and forced to abandon at the World Championships.In contrast, Keitany was even more impressive this year in her title defense through the five boroughs of the Big Apple.The 33-year-old clocked 2:24:25 to became the eighth woman to win multiple New York titles and the first two win back-to-back editions since Britains Paula Radcliffe in 2007 and 2008.Ethiopias Aselefech Mergia was second in 2:25:32 and Ethiopian Tigist Tufa -- winner of the London Marathon in April -- was third in 2:25:50.In four starts in New York Keitany has always been on the podium, finishing third in 2010 and 2011.After winning by three seconds last year, she used a strong move between the 21st and 22nd miles to make sure things werent so close this time.She was part of a nine-woman group led by Portugals Sara Moreira that went through the halfway mark in 1:12:54.They were still together at 18 miles before the pace began to pick up.By 20 miles the lead group was down to Keitany and fellow Kenyan Priscah Jeptoo along with Tufa and Mergia.Keitany surged through the 21st mile, and powered into the finishing stage in Central Park all alone.We started together in the race. I started to move up, work by Tufa. And after 35 (kilometres) I was just alone in the street, and I kept on going.I say, Let me just go, and if somebody is more strong, she can come, and we can go, Keitany said. I was ready to go with her, but fortunately they never got me. So I just crossed the line alone. But I was ready to go with somebody.The double is Keitanys second in one of the worlds top marathons. She won in London in 2011 and 2012 and plans to take a run at Olympic gold next year at Rio.To win the Olympics, to get a medal means a lot, she said. Now Ive just started here, maybe now Ill go home and get some rest, and maybe we wait to be selected in Kenya. It would mean a lot to me and also to my life.
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