Friday 1 January 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Passengers protest as PIA flight from Jeddah to Sialkot landed in Karachi

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Passengers on early Saturday morning protested severely against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) as its flight PK-747 bound for Sialkot from Jeddah was landed in Karachi instead. Passengers refused to step off the plane in protest.According to the irate passengers, the flight was already suffering from a six and a half hour delay from Jeddah after which the landing in Karachi became an even bigger nuisance.PIA administration has stated that the aircraft was landed due to bad weather conditions. However, sources say that the flight Captain’s duty timing had finished and he simply landed the plane in Karachi and went home.The rest of the crew then proceeded to switching off the air conditioning and then left as well due to which some of the passengers suffered loss of consciousness and sickness.

Obama to tackle 'unfinished business' of gun violence in 2016

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama made fighting gun violence his chief resolution for 2016 in a New Years Day address, calling it a major piece of unfinished business for his White House administration.The US leader announced he would meet with Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Monday, his first day back at work after the year-end break, to discuss our options in reducing the toll of deaths and injuries from firearms.As he marked the start of his final year as president, Obama expressed regret at the little progress made in the past seven years towards remedying the firearm epidemic that claims more than 30,000 lives in America each year, over half of them suicides.My New Years resolution is to move forward on our unfinished business as much as I can, he said. Thats especially true for one piece of unfinished business, thats our epidemic of gun violence.With time running out on his presidency, and with little prospect of reaching common ground with Congress on the highly contentious guns issue, Obama is expected to resort to the use of executive powers that would allow him to unilaterally impose certain new anti-gun measures.The United States is one of the most gun-loving countries in the world, with more guns than inhabitants, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. In his New Years address, the president said measures to be discussed with Lynch will focus on keeping an irresponsible, dangerous few from inflicting harm on a massive scale.According to CNN and the New York Times, which cited gun control advocates familiar with the administrations plans, Obama is expected to announce executive action to expand background checks on gun sales before his State of the Union address on January 12.Reports said the measures imposed by the president could include tighter restrictions on reporting guns lost or stolen in transport, as well new licensing restrictions on small gun sellers.Obama is taking the action against the backdrop of a relentless succession of shootings, which cast him each time in the role of consoler-in-chief to a grieving nation.The president has made increasingly plain his frustration at the bloodshed, faulting Congress for its lack of action to curb gun violence.Last month, we remembered the third anniversary of Newtown, Obama said in his address, referring to a December 2012 mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that left 20 young children and six adults dead.This Friday, Ill be thinking about my friend Gabby Giffords, five years into her recovery from the shooting in Tucson, he said, speaking of a former US congresswoman and victim of another of the nations spasms of gun violence. All across America, survivors of gun violence and those who lost a child, a parent, a spouse to gun violence are forced to mark such awful anniversaries every single day, and yet Congress still hasnt done anything to prevent what happened to them from happening to other families, the president said.Three years ago, a bipartisan, commonsense bill would have required background checks for virtually everyone who buys a gun, he said, recalling that such a measure -- ultimately blocked in the Senate -- had the support of the vast majority of the American public, including gun owners.Since then, tens of thousands of our fellow Americans have been mowed down by gun violence. Tens of thousands, Obama said.The issue of gun control has polarized the US legislature and divided the nation, with Americans holding radically different views on the pros and cons of gun ownership.The depth of the schism could be seen in new laws that went into effect on Friday in Republican-red Texas and its political polar opposite states of California and Oregon.The new gun law in California would make it easier for courts to seize the firearms of people deemed to present a danger to themselves or others.In its west coast neighbor, the liberal state of Oregon, a measure took effect barring anyone convicted of certain domestic abuse offenses from having guns or ammunition.Gun-friendly Texas, meanwhile, on Friday introduced an open carry law meaning gun owners no longer will be required to conceal their weapons when packing heat.

Two killed, seven wounded, in Tel Aviv shooting

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TEL AVIV (AFP) - Two people were killed and at least seven wounded Friday when a gunman opened fire on a pub and nearby cafe in central Tel Aviv, but the motive was not immediately clear.The shooting came amid a recent wave of Palestinian attacks on Israelis and days after the leader of the Islamic State (IS) group threatened the Jewish state with violence.However, police stressed they were investigating in all directions. Media reports identified the shooter as an Arab in his late 20s from northern Israel who had recently been jailed for trying to snatch a soldiers weapon, but police refused to confirm.Ayman Odeh, who heads the Joint List that groups the main Arab parties in parliament, said that while not all the details of the incident are clear yet, he sharply and clearly condemned any attack on innocent people.CCTV footage from a nearby grocery store shows a bespectacled young man with a backpack calmly pretending to shop before going to the exit, placing the backpack on a trolley, removing what looks like a submachine gun and opening fire in the street.A police spokeswoman refused to confirm or deny reports that a copy of the Koran was found in the assailants backpack. Medics said they took nine people to hospitals in Tel Aviv, with police saying two of them had died.One of those killed was identified by his father as Alon Bakal, a law and business student who was a manager at Simta, the pub targeted, with police naming the second as Shimon Ruimi from southern Israel.An AFP reporter said patrons at the pub and a nearby cafe had been shot at, and that the sidewalk was strewn with chairs and broken glass as forensic officers examined the scene.Witnesses said people had braved the chilly weather to sit outside on terraces at both venues, located on Dizengoff Street, a central thoroughfare of pubs, cafes and shops.Police units searching Tel Aviv area for suspect who carried out shooting. All injured taken to Tel Aviv hospitals, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld wrote on Twitter.Hundreds of police were scouring the area, entering buildings in the vicinity as police helicopters buzzed overhead.Haim Pinto was closing his jewelry store near the pub when the shooting began.People started running in my direction, yelling terrorist, terrorist. I saw the commotion and went right back into my store, another girl came in and we hid in the bathroom till the shooting ended, he told AFP.Pinto said the pub had opened just a few months ago.Osnat David, who owns a hair salon near the pub, said she was outside smoking a cigarette just two minutes before the attack began.If I were there when it happened I would have been dead, she told AFP, recounting how she hid in her salons storage room with a few customers, clutching a pair of scissors and waiting for the shooting to end. French tourist Alexandre Lambez was at a cafe across the street from the one targeted.I heard gunshots and turned around; I saw people rushing to the back of the cafe. I heard screaming and saw a man shooting. He was brown haired, wearing a grey sweater and fled the scene, he told AFP. I immediately thought of the attacks in Paris, he said, referring to jihadist attacks in November that killed 130 people at bars, a concert hall and the Stade de France stadium.In a recording released Saturday, IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is apparently heard pledging to attack Israel, saying his group has not forgotten Palestine for a single moment.Twenty Israelis, an American and an Eritrean have been killed in a wave of Palestinian attacks since October 1 including stabbings, car-rammings and gun fire targeting security forces and civilians.According to an AFP count, 138 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of the latest violence, most while carrying out attacks on Israelis.Earlier on Friday, Israel handed over to their families the bodies of 23 Palestinians killed during recent attacks on Israelis, in an apparent bid to ease tensions.

Driver shot as he drives at French soldiers guarding mosque

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LYON (AFP) - A driver was shot and wounded on Friday as he drove a car at four soldiers guarding a mosque in southeastern France, local authorities said, as the country remained on high alert after the November 13 Paris attacks.Police said the driver deliberately sped his vehicle at the troops, injuring one of them, as they were stationed in a car park outside a large mosque in a suburb of Valence.The driver bore down on the team a first time, prompting them to shout a warning, and when he returned for a second pass, they opened fire, they said.The impact of the car, a Peugeot 307 station wagon, left the soldier with injuries to his knee and shin, police said.The driver was shot in the arm and the leg and was taken to hospital, the prefecture of the Drome department (county) said.The defence and interior ministries in Paris said in a joint statement the drivers injuries were serious but currently not life-threatening.A stray bullet also hit a passerby, a worshipper at the mosque, in the calf. Police said the drivers motive remained unclear.Local mayor Nicolas Daragon praised the soldiers for what he said was remarkable self-control, and Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian were swift to add their backing.My support for the soldiers attacked in Valence. Fully appreciate our forces, mobilised for the security of France, Valls said in a tweet.Le Drian and Cazeneuves statement said the soldiers responded with defensive fire against the assailant.The incident occurred in mid-afternoon, between two prayer sessions, when there was a large crowd outside, the rector of the mosque, Abadallah Dliouah, said. The prefecture said the mosque was usually very calm, and worship there takes place peacefully.The soldier is among 10,000 security personnel protecting sensitive sites around the nation after the deadly jihadist assaults in Paris in 2015.Attacks in Paris on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket killed 17 people in January 2015, with a series of coordinated shootings and bombings in the city in November leaving 130 people dead and 350 wounded. The traditional New Years Eve fireworks display in Paris was cancelled over fears of a terrorist attack.Instead, the large crowds on the Champs-Elysees avenue were treated to a giant video projection on the Arc de Triomphe featuring the French flag, people smiling and images of famous Parisian landmarks, intended as a show of national unity and solidarity.

15 drown in Egypt Nile boat accident

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CAIRO (AFP) - At least 15 people drowned when an unlicensed ferry capsized in Egypts Nile river north of Cairo overnight, the government said on Friday.Rescue teams recovered 15 bodies in the Kafr al-Sheikh province north of Cairo, the cabinet said in a statement, adding that three survivors of the accident were hospitalised. The government said the boat was carrying 18 people, although its maximum capacity was seven passengers, and its licence had expired.The accident came months after at least 36 Egyptians were killed when a party boat collided with a cargo ship in the Nile.Following that accident in July, the government pledged to achieve discipline on the waterway.It banned the use of loud speakers on vessels hired for private ceremonies and on ferries transporting people. The cabinet also decided not to build new berths along the river.The Nile, which runs the length of Egypt, is dotted with cargo ships, party boats and fishing vessels.

Rival Taliban factions agree on ceasefire; leader Mansour absent

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PESHAWAR (Reuters/Dunya News) -Rival factions of the Afghan Taliban agreed to stop deadly infighting and on exchange of prisoners, officials said, but tensions remained over the status of new leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who has not been seen since reportedly being shot last month.Leadership of the Taliban has been in dispute since the confirmation last July of the death of the hard-line Islamist insurgency’s founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, nearly two years previously.Despite leadership disputes, the Taliban have made big advances this year, inflicting heavy casualties on Afghan forces fighting largely on their own since the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops last year.On Friday, representatives of a splinter group headed by Mullah Mohammad Rasool Akhund calling itself the ulema, which rejects Mansours authority, travelled to an undisclosed location to meet the exiled insurgency leadership headed by Mansour, according to two senior officials from both camps.We agreed on ceasefire and prisoners swap, but the ulema were not given access to Mansour, Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, Rasools deputy, told Reuters by telephone.Niazi said the delegation was only able to meet Mansour’s deputy, Haibatullah Akhund, who told the representatives that from now on, Mullah Mansour would not meet people because of security issues.The secrecy surrounding Mullah Mansour, and its similarity to the Taliban public narrative pushed by Mansour for two years while Mullah Omar was actually dead, has raised new suspicions among the dissident Taliban commanders.Like many other people, we also believe that Mullah Mansour is dead and thats why his deputy ‎Sheikh Haibatullah refused access to the ulema council to him, Niazi told Reuters.

Terror attack at India's Pathankot air force base

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NEW DELHI (AFP) - A group of four to five gunmen attacked an Indian air force base near the border with Pakistan early Saturday, a top police official said, with fighting ongoing.The base came under attack from four to five terrorists at around 3:30 am. The gunfire is still going on, Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, director general of police in Pathankot district in Punjab state told AFP.Two of the attackers are believed to be dead in the gunfight while the rest are holding out inside one of the buildings in the base, he said.He added that there had been no damage to fighter planes at the base and that security forces were still trying to identify the attackers.Note: This is an initial story. Details will be added soon.

Tennis: Djokovic begins 2016 season in Qatar

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DOHA (AFP) - Six weeks after completing one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, Novak Djokovic begins his 2016 campaign and warm-up for his Australian Open defence in Qatar. The Serbian, also current holder of Wimbledon and the US Open, heads a strong field at the Qatar Open starting in Doha on Monday, which also includes Rafael Nadal, Tomas Berdych and defending champion David Ferrer. All eyes though, at least at the start, will be on Djokovic to see if he can maintain the exceptional heights he achieved last year and to gauge his form ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year, which begins in Melbourne on January 18. The 28-year-old dominated mens tennis last year, all but sweeping away the competition to take three majors, make 15 consecutive tour finals and win more than $21 million (19 million euros) in prize money. He also became the third man to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a year, losing out only in the French Open to Stan Wawrinka. Given his achievements last season, Djokovic must be looking to become the first player since Rod Laver, in 1969, to win all four Grand Slams in a single season.There is also the extra prize of a fifth major this season, with an Olympics gold medal up for grabs in Rio in August. Here we come again to a new season, Djokovic said in an upbeat statement before arriving in Qatar on December 30. Im so excited to come back and perform at my best in this season opening tournament, stay tunedLast year though, Doha represented one of his rare failures. The big serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic beat him in three seats in the quarter-finals. The other big story in Doha is Rafael Nadal. Now the world number five, Qatar should give some indication if the Spaniard is returning to form as he suggested he might be at the end of last season. Nadal said hes had a great pre-season training at home in Mallorca and told journalists in the UAE at the end of last month that he aims to be very competitive during 2016. He is the number two seed in Doha and could barely do worse than he did 12 months ago when he crashed out in the first round, losing to Germanys Michael Berrer in three sets. The previous year, Nadal, 29, had won in Qatar. This years defending champion is Nadals dogged compatriot David Ferrer, so he may feel himself a little unlucky to be seeded fourth.Ferrer beat the Czech Berdych, this years number three seed, in straight sets in January 2015, one of five tournaments he won last year as the 33-year-old showed no signs of slowing down. I will be there to defend my title and I hope I will be able to do so, he said in a statement released ahead of the tournament. Also playing this year are the world number 29 Andreas Seppi and Argentinas Leonardo Meyer, ranked 35. The Qatar Open is played outdoors on a hard court and lasts from January 4-9. Temperatures for the week are predicted to be around the low 20s Celsius, (high 60s, low 70s Fahrenheit). Given the riches of Qatar, it is unsurprising that total prize money for the event is $1,189,605, the largest purse for an ATP World Tour 250 event. The draw for the first round takes place on January 2. The tournament has been held since 1993 when a 25-year-old Boris Becker triumphed beating Goran Ivanisevic in the final in three sets.

Nadal takes confidence from Mubadala victory

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ABU DHABI (Agencies) - Rafael Nadal was delighted to hit the ground running in 2016 with a three-set victory over David Ferrer at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.Nadal will face Milos Raonic in the final of the three-day exhibition event after prevailing 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 against fellow Spaniard Ferrer on Friday.It was a great match, said Nadal. The first match of the season and the rhythm and the intensity of the game is like after six months of the season.I thought we both played a great match, and I think both of us were happy with the way that we played.I am happy with the way that we moved and the way that we competed. We tried our best and I think people enjoyed it. We played some great points and for me that was important so start with a victory.Tomorrow [Saturday] I get the chance to play again which I am excited about. I am playing much better now and I am feeling good on court. I am just happy with the way I played in all aspects and I just need to keep going.Raonic defeated Stan Wawrinka 7-5 7-5 in Fridays other semi-final, while Feliciano Lopez claimed fifth place by winning two tie-breaks against Kevin Anderson.

Football: More woe for Hasselbaink as QPR crash

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LONDON (AFP) - Former Chelsea star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is still waiting for his first win as QPR manager after his Championship side crashed to a 2-1 defeat against Hull on Friday.Hasselbainks side looked to have rescued a point at Loftus Road when Sebastian Polters 86th minute header cancelled out Abel Hernandezs 61st minute opener.But a mix-up between QPR defender Grant Hall and goalkeeper Rob Green in stoppage-time proved decisive as the pair collided while trying to clear Sam Clucas cross and the ball rebounded off substitute Adama Diomande and into the net.QPR find themselves 15th in the English second tier table six matches into Hasselbainks reign, while Hull moved into third place after Brighton were beaten 1-0 by Wolves earlier on Friday.Hasselbaink, who arrived from Burton as replacement for the sacked Chris Ramsey, insisted he wasnt feeling the pressure of seeking his first win.Im not even thinking of that and we shouldnt even be thinking about promotion, the former Netherlands striker said.We should just be thinking about improving the team. Everybody is thinking about the outcome, but we need to get other things right first.Of course its frustrating, but believe it or not that (getting the first win) is not the focus.If you are going to focus on win, win, win, you are not going to get the game right, and you have to get the game right to win.

Jean-wearing devotees barred from south India temples

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NEW DELHI (AFP) - Hindu temples in southern India began turning away devotees wearing western clothes Friday after a court order banning jeans and shorts as inappropriate for spiritual worship came into effect.In December the Madras High Court ordered temple authorities in Tamil Nadu state to refuse entry to anyone wearing jeans, bermuda shorts, skirts, short-sleeves or tight leggings to enhance spiritual ambianceHundreds of staff members in the coastal states 6,000 temples, ranging from small shrines to major religious sites, remained on alert Friday for people flouting the ban, which came into force on January 1. We have enforced the court order from today. A few people were politely turned back for not wearing the prescribed dress, a superintendent at the Arulmigu Ramanatha Swami Temple in Rameswaram district told AFP, asking not to be named.The dress code applies to both locals and foreigners visiting the temples, some of which are major tourist attractions. Arulmigu Ramanatha Swami temple alone receives more than four million visitors each year, the official said.Men are allowed to wear dhoti -- a traditional long lower garment -- or pyjamas with a cloth top or formal pants and shirts, while women are allowed to wear sarees or half sarees with a blouse.We should dress for public worship in a way that is generally considered appropriate, the court said in the order.Several Hindu temples and other religious sites in India restrict devotees from entering the premises on pretext of dress, eating habits -- some do not allow non-vegetarians to enter -- as well gender. In Mumbai a womens rights group is fighting a legal battle to overturn a four-year ban on entry of women to Haji Ali Dargah, a Muslim shrine, where menstruation was cited as the reason for the restriction. While in urban centres such as New Delhi and Mumbai many people, especially men, wear western clothes, in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala traditional garments are more popular.

Amir promises wickets and love on comeback trail

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LAHORE (AFP) - Paceman Mohammad Amir, who served a prison term for spot-fixing, said he was ready to respond to his critics with wickets -- and love -- after being selected on Friday for Pakistans limited-overs tour of New Zealand.The 23-year-old left-armer, who is set to make his international comeback less than four months after completing a five-year ban, remains a polarising figure for Pakistans cricket-mad public and even some teammates.Last week Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali left a training camp which Amir was attending in protest at his prospective selection. They were later forced to return after being threatened with disciplinary action.In an interview with AFP, Amir said he was confident most fans were on his side.I am sure fans will love me, he said. But even if there are taunts and harsh remarks I am ready for that and will do my best to reply to them with love and by taking wickets.Pakistan will play three Twenty20s and as many one-day internationals in New Zealand later this month.Amirs inclusion however remains contingent on him being issued a visa by New Zealand -- a potential hurdle given his criminal conviction for his role in arranging deliberate no-balls during Pakistans tour of England in 2010, along with two others.After pleading guilty to conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments, Amir was handed a six-month jail sentence at the Feltham Young Offenders Institution but was released after three months.He said: I have toured New Zealand before and know they love the game and they are so caring and loving, so I dont expect anything untoward from them.I am sure they will adore me, he added.Before his suspension Amir was regarded as one of the hottest properties in international cricket, having taken 51 wickets in 14 Tests and 25 in 15 one-day internationals, as well as 23 wickets in 18 Twenty20 matches.Since his ban was relaxed in April last year and completely lifted in September, he has seemingly picked up where he left off, taking 86 wickets in 21 domestic four-day and Twenty20 games.Amir said he was grateful he had been handed a second innings in cricket.Its very difficult to get a second chance, so its a big thing from my country, officials and fans that they have given me another chance, he said.When my ban was relaxed I began playing club cricket. Imagine, for a person who had played at Lords, to play with a club team who didnt have proper kit against another club team in Lahore.One of the three stumps was broken and we played with a 300 rupee ($3) ball, but that match helped me concentrate on putting the bad times behind me.Also returning to the squad is fast bowler Umar Gul, who last played for Pakistan on the tour of Bangladesh in April 2014.The three Twenty20s will take place on January 15, 17 and 22, while the ODIs will be played on January 25, 28 and 31.Twenty20 Squad: Shahid Afridi (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Sohaib Maqsood, Sarfraz Ahmed, Anwar Ali, Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Aamer Yamin, Umar Gul, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Amir, Saad Nasim.One-day squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sohaib Maqsood, Zafar Gohar, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir.

Graeme Smith called up to help South Africa

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CAPE TOWN (AFP) - Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith has linked up with the South African team as an adviser ahead of the second Test against England which starts at Newlands on Saturday.Graeme was a wonderful cricketer for South Africa and a wonderful captain, said current captain Hashim Amla. Smith will be with the team for the rest of the four-match series.Amla said Smiths experience could be important for South Africas batsmen, who have managed just three totals of more than 200 in their most recent 10 completed innings.South Africa will make at least two changes following a crushing 241-run defeat in the first Test in Durban.Amla announced that Kagiso Rabada will replace the injured Dale Steyn. He also dropped a strong hint that Quinton de Kock would come in as a wicketkeeper and batsman, with AB de Villiers relinquishing the gloves and playing as a specialist batsman.England, meanwhile, have added James Anderson to the eleven who won in Durban. The fast bowler missed the first Test because of a calf strain. Its an interesting call because the number of overs he has bowled on this tour isnt great and with the heat here its going to be a tough Test match, said captain Alastair Cook.You want your best players playing, said Cook. If hes fit and hes ready and hes confident hell be opening the bowling but weve got to make sure hes right. We dont want to hinder ourselves and have an injury that we could have prevented.Amla said De Kocks inclusion depended on the selectors. But he added: If Quinny does come in he will take a load off AB and he has also been in very good form with the bat. If he does play, the selectors will have to decide who they will leave out. It will be a tough decision, whether it is Faf (Du Plessis) or JP (Duminy) because these have been integral guys in our team for many years.Fast bowler Kyle Abbott will undergo a fitness test ahead of the match after feeling tightness in his left hamstring at the end of the first Test. If Abbott does not play, he will be replaced by either Chris Morris or Hardus Viljoen, who are both uncapped.Viljoen, 26, was called up as cover for Abbott. He took 20 wickets in the first two matches of the current seasons first-class campaign for the Lions franchise.Amla said he was not concerned that Smith, who captained South Africa in 108 Test matches before retiring two years ago, had made some strong criticisms of South Africas batting and selections in his capacity as a television commentator during the first Test.South Africa have not won a Test since last years New Year fixture against the West Indies at the same venue.When you win or lose a cricket game you are either going to be praised or there is criticism, said Amla. Thats just the nature of international sport. When people criticise the team theres going to be some value in it. You take it on the chin and move on. Wherever there is value that can be added you?ve got to take it.Cook said the biggest challenge for England was to find consistency. 2015 was a year when we were up and down a lot, he said, referring to the Ashes series against Australia, where wins were followed by defeats before England clinched the series 3-2.Winning in Durban took a lot out of us, said Cook. We came through some tricky situations. There were times when we didnt get it right bowling and we managed to get it right through absolute determination and skill. Its about whether we have got the same hunger to do it again. Weve got to set the same standards we set in Durban.

Hazlewood fit and ready for final Windies Test

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood said he was feeling fresh Friday and ready to go for the weekends final Test against the West Indies in Sydney.Hazlewood went wicketless and bowled a total of 41 overs in Australias 177-run trouncing of the Windies in Melbourne to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy series ahead of Sundays third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.There were suggestions that Hazlewood might be rested from his home Test after bowling throughout Australias five Tests this season against New Zealand and the West Indies.But Hazlewood said he was feeling in great shape and ready to play in his sixth Test of the southern summer, despite just a five-day turnaround from the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.Pace partner Peter Siddle is troubled by an ankle injury and is battling to play in the Sydney Test, thrusting more responsibility onto Hazlewood to lead the Australian pace attack.Im feeling pretty good. That extra day really helped, finishing (the second Test) on day four. I still got through quite a few overs but the body has pulled up pretty well, Hazlewood told reporters.I had a light bowl today and everything is feeling pretty good. Im feeling as ready to go as I have for all the other Test matches this summer.I bowled reasonably well in different spells and not so well in other spells (at the MCG). That happens every now and then. My body is feeling as good as it has all summer and I am ready to go.Following the Windies Test, Australia have five one-day internationals and three Twenty20s against India this month.The Australia squad for the India ODIs is expected to be announced during the Sydney Test.I guess I will just play it by ear as we go along, Hazlewood said.It depends how much I bowl in the next Test match and how I pull up. It would be difficult to play every (limited overs) game. We will have to pick and choose.

Rain delays New Zealand, Sri Lanka ODI

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NELSON (AFP) - Rain has delayed the start of the fourth one-day international (ODI) between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Nelson on Saturday.Although the heavy overnight rain had eased, further showers were forecast throughout the day. New Zealand lead the five-match series 2-1 and will take an unbeatable lead if the fourth game is washed out.The fifth and final match is in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday.
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