Tuesday 5 January 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Polling begins in PP-89 by-elections

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TOBA TEK SINGH (Dunya News) - Polling in the by-elections in PP-89, Pir Mehal, got underway early Wednesday morning. The seat fell vacant after the demise of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Makhdoom Ali Raza, Dunya News reported.A close contest is expected between PML-N candidate Ali Baba and independent candidate Syeda Sonia Raza Shah, daughter of Makhdoom Ali Raza. It is pertinent to mention here that Sonia Raza Shah enjoys the backing of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI).Total registered voters in this constituency are 166,613 and 147 polling stations have been set up for them. Voting started at 7:30 am and will continue till 5 in the evening without any interval.Tight security arrangements have been made for the purpose. More than 1,300 police officials have been deployed to deal with any unwanted situation.

Pathankot attack: Contradictory statements land SP Gurdaspur into trouble

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LAHORE (WebDesK) – Contradictory statements by central eyewitness of Pathankot airbase attack, Superintendent of Police (SP) Gurdaspur Salwinder Singh, landed him into trouble as he was declared suspicious by the Indian intelligence and taken into custody Tuesday.According to the interrogation department, they will completely investigate Singh’s statements and the kidnapping incident.SP Salwinder Singh, his cook, and his friend Rajesh Varma were allegedly abducted by the attackers of the airbase, who were then released unconditionally.Singh had earlier stated that his eyes were closed due to which he could not see the attackers. Having said that, Singh however later claimed that there were five attackers and even identified without seeing that they were Pakistani.According to Singh, the attackers were communicating in Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu but on the other hand he claimed that he could not understand what the attackers were actually saying.Indian intelligence stated that they are investigating why Singh was not with the rest of his officers and what was he doing near the airbase at a time when nobody is normally seen at that place.

UN urges ceasefire in Yemen amid Saudi-Iran rift

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday called for a new ceasefire in Yemen and a return to peace talks despite the diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran.The 15-member council urged the Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels to resume a meaningful and sustainable ceasefire and engage in dialogue without pre-conditions, said Uruguays ambassador Elbio Rosselli, who holds this months council presidency.The appeal came a day before UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed is due to hold meetings in Riyadh to press for a return to political negotiations and an end to the war.There has been alarm that Saudi Arabias move to break off diplomatic relations with Iran could derail fragile peace efforts in Yemen.We all hope that the parties that have influence in Yemen will be responsible and enter into dialogue and prevent the situation from impacting elsewhere, Rosselli told reporters.At least 2,795 civilians have been killed in Yemen since a Saudi-led coalition launched an air war in March against Iran-backed Huthi rebels who had overrun the capital Sanaa, the UN said.The coalition on Saturday announced that it was ending a truce with the rebels that was announced on December 15 but had been repeatedly violated.In December at least 81 civilians were killed, most of them by Saudi-led airstrikes, the UN office of the human rights commissioner said.Yemens government sat down with the rebels and their allies in Switzerland last month for six days of talks that ended with no major breakthrough. The UN envoy has called for a new round of talks on January 14 but the sides have yet to confirm that they will attend.The council expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen which continues to worsen and demanded that vital supplies such as fuel and medicine be allowed to reach the impoverished country.

US soldier killed in Afghan mission: NATO

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KABUL (AFP) - A US soldier was killed and two wounded in an operation in Afghanistans Helmand province, where Afghan troops are battling to push back Taliban insurgents, a NATO defence official said Tuesday.We are deeply saddened by this loss, said Brigadier General Wilson A. Shoffner, a spokesman for the NATO mission in Afghanistan, adding our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of those involved.Afghan troops were also wounded Tuesday during the special forces mission near Marjah, a US defence official said.NATO added the US troops were conducting a mission in support of their Afghan counterparts.Afghan forces are currently fighting to repel Taliban insurgents who seized large swathes of the key opium-rich district of Sangin in the southern province of Helmand, a traditional stronghold of the insurgents.The offensive prompted the first British deployment to the volatile province in 14 months.The deployment, in addition to a recent arrival of US special forces in the region, comes a year after NATO forces formally ended their combat operations in the country. A military helicopter that landed at the scene of the latest operation to carry out medical evacuations was grounded after a mortar exploded nearby. Crews were inspecting it for damage.Colonel Michael Lawhorn, a spokesman for the NATO mission in Afghanistan, confirmed a US helicopter had landed in Marjah and was experiencing mechanical problems. It was not shot down, he said. A second defence official, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said the affected helicopter is a UH-60 Black Hawk.A Taliban source claimed to AFP that the insurgents had shot the helicopter down, with all those on board killed. The Taliban, who regularly exaggerate their battlefield claims, have in the past shot down several military helicopters with small-arms fire.In October a US F-16 was struck by enemy fire in eastern Afghanistan, in a rare case of an advanced jet fighter coming under a Taliban-claimed attack.In November the insurgents attacked a helicopter chartered by the Afghan army that crash landed in the north, killing at least three of those on board -- including a Moldovan crew member -- and taking others hostage.Afghan officials said the helicopter had made an emergency landing due to technical reasons, but the helicopters private Moldovan operator Valan ICC said it had been shot down. The unrest in Helmand, blighted by a huge opium harvest that helps fund the insurgency, comes after the Taliban briefly captured Kunduz city in September -- their biggest victory in 14 years of war. US President Barack Obama in October announced that thousands of US troops would remain in Afghanistan past 2016, backpedalling on previous plans to reduce the force and acknowledging that Afghan forces are not ready to stand alone.

US Republicans blast Obama's gun control measures

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obamas critics Tuesday savaged his gun control steps as an unlawful assault on Americans constitutional rights, with Republican White House hopefuls pledging to immediately repeal the orders if they are elected in November.Obama, wiping away tears as he pleaded for citizens and lawmakers to be more resolute in tackling gun violence, announced measures to tighten federal background checks for gun sales, require those in the business of selling guns to be licensed or face criminal prosecution, and expand mental health treatment.Republicans, in the heat of a presidential campaign, immediately balked, with White House candidate Jeb Bush warning that Obama was trying to do an end-run on the US Constitution despite an increased terrorism threat.Rather than taking guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens as Obama and (Hillary) Clinton would like to do, we should focus on keeping guns out of the hands of the terrorists who want to kill innocent Americans, Bush wrote in Iowas Gazette newspaper.When I am president of the United States, I will repeal Obamas anti-gun executive orders on day one of my administration.Republican hopeful Marco Rubio pledged the same, while long-shot candidate Mike Huckabee offered a stinging rebuke to Obama, linking the gun control fight to another hot-button battle in Americas culture wars: abortion.You say if we can save one life we should, Huckabee tweeted to the president. Well, apply 5th & 14th amendments to the unborn & save 4,000 lives a day.Former business executive Carly Fiorina slammed Obamas move as lawless unconstitutional overreach, while retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson warned the president was merely advancing his political agenda.Obama, in his White House address, said there was no slippery slope towards eroding gun owners rights and confiscating guns.But critics including the top Republican in Congress accused him of intimidation that undermines Americans right gun rights.No matter what President Obama says, his word does not trump the Second Amendment, House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a tweet as Obama unveiled his executive actions.Several Democrats spoke out in support of Obamas plans, including the three candidates running for their partys presidential nomination.Frontrunner Clinton took to Twitter to thank Obama for taking a crucial step forward on gun violence. Our next president has to build on that progress -- not rip it away.

Syria's declared chemical arms '100% destroyed': watchdog

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THE HAGUE (AFP) - Syrias declared chemical weapons arsenal has been completely destroyed capping more than two years of work, a global arms watchdog said Tuesday, amid concern sarin gas is still being unleashed in the countrys complex civil war.The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) -- which oversaw the dangerous removal and elimination of Syrias avowed stockpile -- has for months been warning of the continued use of mustard, sarin and chlorine gas in the brutal conflict.But it has avoided blaming either the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the rebels or the Islamic State group for the use of the weapons banned under international law.After years of denials, the regime caved to international pressure in September 2013 and agreed under a US-Russia deal to hand over its toxic stockpile to the OPCW for destruction.The admission came after a sarin gas attack in August that year on rebel-held areas near Damascus that was blamed by the West and the opposition on the regime. Hundreds of civilians were killed. The removal of the weapons was the result of a historic deal which averted threatened US air strikes against Damascus after the August attacks.One hundred percent has been destroyed, Malik Ellahi, the OPCW spokesman, told AFP on Tuesday.With the UN Security Council poised to discuss the chemical weapons issue on Tuesday, OPCW director general Ahmet Uzumcu said: This process closes an important chapter in the elimination of Syrias chemical weapon programme.But he acknowledged the organisation based in The Hague was still continuing efforts to clarify Syrias declaration and address ongoing use of toxic chemicals as weapons in that country.In a separate report released Monday after being sent to the Security Council last week, the watchdog said it was investigating 11 incidents reported by the Syrian government in which people may have been exposed to sarin or sarin-like gas.Further investigation would be necessary to determine when or under what circumstances such exposure might have occurred, the report said.Previous fact-finding missions by the OPCW in Syria have pointed to the use of chlorine and mustard gas.Both the regime and the so-called Islamic State group have been accused of using chemical weapons in the war, although it remains unclear where the arms have come from.Under the terms of a deal hammered out in Geneva in September 2013 by US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Syria finally admitted to possessing over 1,000 tonnes of chemical weapons and agreed to hand them over for destruction.Under the agreement, Syrias entire chemical arsenal had been due to be eliminated by June 30, 2014, and all chemical effluent by December 31, 2014. But the timetable slipped badly amid protractions by the Assad regime and complications posed by the nearly five-year civil war which has claimed more than 250,000 lives.The last remaining vestiges of the regimes declared stockpile -- some 75 cylinders of highly-corrosive hydrogen fluoride -- were destroyed by the US firm Veolia at its treatment plant Port Arthur in Texas, the OPCW said.This completes destruction of all chemical weapons declared by the Syrian Arab Republic, the OPCW said in a statement issued Monday.The need to devise a technical solution for treating a number of cylinders in a deteriorated and hazardous condition had delayed the disposal process, it added.The first shipment of chemical weapons left Syria from its port of Latakia in January 2014.A total of 1,300 metric tonnes of chemical weapons have now been removed from Syria, with the majority neutralised on the US Navy ship MV Cape Ray and turned into less harmful effluent.The OPCWs work in Syria saw it being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013.

25 Iraq fighters killed thwarting IS assault: commander

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - At least 25 Iraqi fighters have been killed repelling a major three-day offensive by the Islamic State group in the western region of Haditha, security sources said Tuesday.We have given 25 martyrs in 72 hours, a tribal commander, Sheikh Abdallah Atallah, told AFP by phone from Haditha, an area that includes a key dam and has held off IS since 2014.It was one of the biggest offensives we have seen. It came from three directions, he said, adding that dozens were also wounded.The mayor of Haditha, located in Anbar province about 200 kilometres (120 miles) northwest of Baghdad, confirmed the casualty toll.We have more than 20 martyrs and more than 50 wounded. They are from the army, CTS (the counter-terrorism service), the police and the tribal fighters, Mabrouk Hamid said.Haditha was targeted Sunday by a massive offensive involving more than 40 vehicles, all armoured and some explosives-laden, Hamid said.They were destroyed by coalition and Iraqi air strikes, he said.Both the mayor and tribal commander said IS had lost very large numbers of fighters in their failed assault.The US-led coalition confirmed it provided support to the Iraqi forces defending Haditha, a strategic area where Sunni tribal fighters opposed to IS have resisted several previous waves of attacks.There have been several ISIL (IS) attacks near Haditha. None of these attacks have been successful thanks to stronger aerial support, US-led coalition spokesman Colonel Steve Warren wrote on social media.The jihadists appeared to make an offensive on Haditha -- one of the most coveted prizes for the group in Iraq -- their priority after losing control of the provincial capital of Ramadi a week ago.Senior military commanders said when the security forces launched their offensive on central Ramadi late last month that IS had redeployed some of its assets further west in Anbar.In the course of their latest offensive on Haditha and the neighbouring towns of Barwana and Haqlaniyah, further south along the Euphrates, IS was nonetheless able to seize a village called Sakrana, several sources told AFP.Daesh controls the village of Sakrana... but they are surrounded by our forces and we should clear it within hours, Atallah said, using an Arab acronym for IS.They used 20 suicide car bombs just for Sakrana -- this is why they were able to take it, he said.Hamid also confirmed that IS fighters were inside the village, east of Haditha.The dam north of the city of Haditha is the countrys second largest after the Mosul dam.Both sources also said families were trapped in a district just north of Barwana called Al-Shay, which IS fighters were able to seize.The area is only about two square kilometres. All the rest of the city and the main checkpoints are controlled by us, said Atallah, from the Jughaifi clan which has spearheaded tribal resistance to IS in the Haditha area.Several families, including children, are besieged there, he said.Iraqi security forces are currently trying to rescue them, said Ziad al-Nimrawi, from Barwana police.They were not able to say exactly how many civilians were trapped in Al-Shay.

Saudi-Iran crisis widens as Kuwait recalls envoy

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RIYADH (AFP) - The diplomatic crisis surrounding Saudi Arabia and Iran widened on Tuesday as Kuwait recalled its ambassador to Tehran and Bahrain severed air links in the face of growing international concern.Joining Riyadh and its Sunni Arab allies in taking diplomatic action, Kuwait said it was withdrawing its envoy over a weekend attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.Kuwaits move came after the UN Security Council strongly condemned the attack by protesters angry over Saudi Arabias execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.Tensions between Saudi Arabia, the main Sunni power, and Shiite-dominated Iran have erupted this week into a full-blown diplomatic crisis, sparking widespread worries of regional instability.Iran lashed out again at Saudi Arabia for the execution on Tuesday, with President Hassan Rouhani accusing Riyadh of seeking to cover its crime by severing ties.One does not respond to criticism by cutting off heads, Rouhani said, referring to the usual Saudi practice of carrying out executions with beheading by the sword.Washington and other Western powers have called for calm amid fears the dispute could raise sectarian tensions across the Middle East and derail efforts to resolve conflicts from Syria to Yemen.The Security Council joined those calls late on Monday, issuing a statement urging all sides to take steps to reduce tensions in the region.The statement by the 15-member council condemned in the strongest terms the attacks which saw protesters firebomb the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Irans second-biggest city Mashhad.But the council made no mention of the event that set off the crisis -- Saudi Arabias execution on Saturday of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a cleric and activist whose death sparked widespread Shiite protests.Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in protest at the attacks on Sunday and has severed air links with Iran.Some of its allies among Sunni Arab states followed suit, with Bahrain and Sudan breaking off ties and the United Arab Emirates downgrading relations on Monday.Bahrain -- base of the US Fifth Fleet -- cut air links with the Islamic republic on Tuesday.Kuwait said Tuesday the embassy attacks represent a flagrant breach of international agreements and norms and a grave violation of Irans international commitments.Rouhani has condemned the attacks and Tehrans mission to the UN vowed in a letter to the Security Council to take necessary measures to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents in the future.Iranian officials have brushed aside the dispute, with government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht saying Tuesday it will have no impact on Irans national development.It is Saudi Arabia that will suffer, he said.US Secretary of State John Kerry called his Iranian and Saudi counterparts on Monday to urge calm as European leaders raised concerns and Moscow offered to mediate.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also spoke by phone with the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers to urge them to avoid any actions that could further exacerbate the situation, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.A breakdown of relations between Riyadh and Tehran could have very serious consequences for the region, Dujarric said.The UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, rushed to Riyadh in a bid to defuse tensions. He is also expected in Iran later this week and in Damascus on Saturday, UN sources said.The official Saudi SPA news agency, without referring to the Iran crisis, said Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir reaffirmed to the envoy Tuesday Riyadhs view that (President) Bashar al-Assad doesnt have any role in Syrias future.The UN quoted De Mistura as saying Riyadh was determined that regional tensions will not have any negative impact... on the continuation of the political process that the UN, together with the International Syria Support Group, intend to start in Geneva soon.The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of Sunni Arab states said it would meet in Riyadh Saturday for talks on the embassy attacks, a day before an Arab League emergency meeting.Regional powerhouse Turkeys Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu urged all involved to show common sense and take steps aimed at easing the tensions in the region.He said Ankara was ready to make any effort to help.The foreign minister of Shiite-majority Iraq was due in Tehran Wednesday, Irans IRNA news agency reported, in the framework of improving Iran-Iraq bilateral relations.Media reports said his counterpart from Oman, which has often played the role of mediator in the region, was also expected in the Iranian capital at the same time.Iran and Saudi Arabia are on opposing ends of a range of crucial issues, including the war in Syria -- where Tehran backs Assads regime and Riyadh supports rebel forces -- and Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Shiite insurgents.The spike in tensions comes after Iran last year secured a historic nuclear deal with world powers led by the United States, sparking major concern in longtime US ally Riyadh.Nimr, one of 47 men executed on Saturday, was a driving force behind 2011 anti-government protests in eastern Saudi Arabia.He was arrested in 2012 after calling for two Saudi governorates to be separated from the kingdom. At the time Riyadh labelled him an instigator of sedition.

Tennis: Nadal survives scare in Doha

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DOHA (AFP) - Former world number one Rafael Nadal survived a first-round scare in the Qatar Open on Tuesday, winning in three sets against fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.Nadal lost the first set in a tie-break and looked set to follow defending champion David Ferrer out of the tournament, who lost earlier in the day to Ukraines Ilya Marchenko, ranked number 94 in the world.But the 14-times Grand Slam winner rallied after a difficult start to take the match 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.In the second and third sets, I played well, little mistakes and I was very positive, said Nadal.He added: I think I changed a little bit at the beginning of the second (set). I played with a little bit higher intensity and being a little bit more aggressive, going a little bit more for the shots. When I was able to make that happen, everything changed, no?The powerful Carreno Busta squandered three set points in the first, before finally winning the tie-break 7-5.The world number 67 stretched his opponent at times and it looked as if Nadal, who won last week in Abu Dhabi, might exit the competition in the first round as he did last year.But he recovered to give himself a second-round match against the dangerous Robin Haase in the second round on Wednesday. There was no such luck for Ferrer, who like Nadal the previous year, crashed out at the first hurdle while defending his title.Ferrer, this years number four seed, struggled throughout, losing his serve in the very first game, hitting 43 unforced errors and eventually going down 7-6, 3-6, 2-6 in an eventful clash lasting over two and a quarter hours.He was better than me all the match. From the first set, he deserved to win the match, said a gracious Ferrer, the world number seven.The Spaniard, who said he lacked energy throughout the match, was playing with a new racquet but said this was not the reason for his loss.I am happy with the racquet. The problem is not the racquet, its my serve.For Marchenko, the result represented the best victory of his career.Before Tuesdays game he had never beaten anyone in the top 10.It was a fantastic day for me, I am really happy with the performance, said the 28-year-old.Its a fantastic way to start the season.Marchenko even missed a chance to take the first set after squandering a set point serving while 5-4 ahead.This allowed Ferrer to claw his way back in typical fashion, eventually taking the tie-break 10-8 in an opening set lasting one hour and eight minutes.But any thoughts that Marchenko might fold were immediately dismissed when the Ukrainian broke the Spaniards serve at the first attempt in the second set. The 28-year-old held onto his lead and then powered through the final set to claim a famous victory.Despite double-faulting three times in the final game, Marchenko eventually closed the match out to claim a second-round clash on Wednesday against Russias Teymuraz Gabashvili.Earlier on Tuesday, Tomas Berdych, the number three seed and last years beaten finalist, beat another Ukrainian, Sergiy Stakhovsky, in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4.The Czech said he was feeling good after his victory.

Tennis: Serena insists she will make Aussie Open

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PERTH (AFP) - The Australian Open preparations of Serena Williams suffered a potentially significant blow when she was forced to retire with a knee injury during the United States 3-0 Hopman Cup loss to Australia Gold on Tuesday evening.The world number one retired due to soreness in her left knee during her singles match against Jarmila Wolfe (nee Gajdosova) when trailing 7-5, 2-1.Veteran Lleyton Hewitt then secured the tie for Australia Gold with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Jack Sock, and it became a clean sweep for the home side when the mixed doubles was a walkover due to Williams absence.The result meant the US bowed out of contention in the tournament. But of more concern to their camp was the fitness of the defending Australian Open champion.Williams had already missed the United States opening Hopman Cup tie on Monday due to inflammation of her left knee and was keen to gain some valuable match practice against Wolfe.However, she appeared extremely restricted in her movements, particularly on her left side.The ailment appeared to cast significant doubt over her title defence in Melbourne, where she will aim for a seventh singles title later this month.Williams admitted she retired because she was being hampered by the knee and could not move around the court as she wanted.However, the 21-times Grand Slam singles champion was confident it was only a minor problem and even refused to rule herself out of Thursdays Hopman Cup tie against the Czech Republic.I just have some inflammation thats been going away very slowly, she explained.Its still there, its going away, but just needs a little more time. A little rest, a little treatment.Ive been training really hard during the off-season and really pushing myself beyond the limits, I just think a day off or two will make a world of difference.Williams said her 2015 campaign, which saw the 34-year-old on target for a calendar Grand Slam until she was beaten by Italian Roberta Vinci in the US Open final in early September, had taken a heavy physical toll.She barely played after the US Open, although she returned in the International Premier Tennis League in Manila last month.Williams coach Patrick Mouratoglou conceded Williams knees were troubling her in November.However, Williams said she remained confident of another successful Australian Open campaign.Speed is my strength so I definitely think I will be able to get it right for Australia, she said.I only think positive and I know Ill be okay.Earlier in the day, Alexandr Dolgopolov put Ukraine within reach of their second Hopman Cup final.In Ukraines first appearance at the event since being runners-up in 1995, world number 36 Dolgopolov gave his country two wins from as many ties with his victory over the Czech Republics Jiri Vesely.After the 19th-ranked Elina Svitolina upset world number 11 Karolina Pliskova in straight sets in the womens singles, Dolgopolov clinched the tie when he beat Vesely in similar fashion 7-5, 7-6 (7/3).In the dead mixed doubles rubber, the Czechs kept their final hopes alive with a 6-3, 6-1 win.Having already beaten the USA on Monday, the result puts Ukraine in pole position to reach Saturdays final.As the only unbeaten team in their group, Dolgopolov and Svitolina simply need to beat Australia Gold in their last round-robin match Thursday to reach the final.In Ukraines last appearance at the Hopman Cup, siblings Andrei Medvedev and Natalia Medvedeva were beaten in the final by Germanys Boris Becker and Anke Huber.

Tennis: Venus, Ivanovic round one losers in Auckland

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WELLINGTON (AFP) - The top two seeds Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic were shock first round losers in the WTA Auckland Classic on Tuesday.Williams, 35, the tournament top seed and defending champion, was beaten in three sets by 18-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, while Ivanovic went down in straight sets to British qualifier Naomi Broady. On a day when the big names struggled, another former world number one Caroline Wozniacki made it through to the second round but with an unconvincing display against the world number 57 Danka Kovinic. Williams made an uncharacteristic 73 unforced errors against Kasatkina and after battling to take the first set 7-6 in a tiebreak she dropped the next two 3-6, 3-6.In the third set, Williams opened up a 3-1 lead before losing five straight games to former French Open junior champion Kasatkina.Broady, who only learned Monday she was in the main draw after coming through the qualifying tournament, fired down 14 aces to overpower Ivanovic 7-5, 6-4, winning the second set and match on a service break.Tournament third-seed Wozniacki, who was beaten by Williams in the final last year, moved into the second round with a straight sets win over Montenegros Kovinic.However, the win was not as comfortable as the 6-4, 6-4 scoreline indicated with Wozniacki down four games in the first set before reeling off seven straight games.When the Dane appeared to be in command going into the second set, Kovinic fought back to break her service twice before Wozniacki regained control. It wasnt a great start for me, Wozniacki said. Then I won seven games in a row and felt like it was getting there, but its always tough with the first match of the season. Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open champion was shown an early exit after a marathon three setter against Austrias Tamira Paszek.Schiavone made 28 unforced errors and served 12 double faults before going down 7-6, 4-6, 6-3.

Tennis: Shock exit for Kvitova in Shenzhen first round

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BEIJING (AFP) - Double Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova went out of the WTA Shenzhen Open in the first round on Tuesday, retiring hurt in a shock exit for the world number six.The second seed was broken twice as she lost the first set 6-2 against Chinas Zheng Saisai -- ranked 72 in the world -- in 41 minutes, and dropped out before a point was played in the second set.It was Kvitovas second consecutive first-round exit in China, after she went out at the first hurdle at the China Open in October -- when she played on painkillers while suffering the ongoing effects of glandular fever.Another unseeded home player also dumped out a higher-ranked player at the $500,000 WTA Shenzhen tournament on Tuesday, with Britains Johanna Konta losing to Wang Qiang.The number five seed, who reached the quarter-finals of the WTA Wuhan Open last year, took the first set but eventually lost 6-3, 3-6, 3-6 to the world number 110 in an hour and 50 minutes.Australian-born Konta, aged 24, is currently ranked 48 in the world and last year reached the final 16 of the US Open. In Wuhan she beat the then-world number two Simona Halep before finally going out at the hands of seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Venus Williams.There were no such problems for the Polish top seed Agnieszka Radwanska, the world number five who won the WTA Finals in Singapore in November.She brushed aside Serbias Aleksandra Krunic 6-4, 6-3, in little more than an hour.

Football: Rooney named England Player of the Year

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LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been voted Englands Player of the Year for the fourth time after breaking his countrys scoring record, the Football Association announced on Tuesday.The 30-year-old took his England tally to 51 goals, breaking Bobby Charltons longstanding record of 49, and top-scored with seven goals as Roy Hodgsons side qualified for Euro 2016 with a perfect record of 10 wins.Rooney, Englands captain, received 37 percent of the votes in a poll of England Supporters Club members. He previously won the award in 2008, 2009 and 2014.To win this award is always a huge honour and to win it for a fourth time is something Im very proud of, Rooney said on his personal website.The fact its voted for by the fans is what makes it very special for me. Its been a great year for the team and for me personally.I would like to thank all the fans for their continued support and hopefully 2016 will be an even better yearStoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland, who has produced some impressive performances this season, was elected the Under-21s Player of the Year.Rooney and Butland, 22, will be presented with their awards prior to Englands friendly against Germany in Berlin on March 26.

Football: FIFA investigators ask for 9-year Valcke ban

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LAUSANNE (AFP) - FIFA investigators on Tuesday requested a nine-year ban against the bodys suspended secretary general Jerome Valcke, who was provisionally suspended from football in October for 90 days over corruption allegations. The investigatory chamber of FIFAs ethics committee, world footballs in-house prosecutor, also asked for Valckes temporary suspension to be extended for 45 days while FIFAs judges weigh evidence against the organisations former second-in-command. In a statement, FIFA prosecutors accused Valcke of violating the general rules of conduct, including duty of disclosure, cooperating and reporting conflict of interest, while accepting gifts and other benefits, among other charges. Investigators also called for the 55-year-old Frenchman to pay a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs ($99,000, 92,000 euros). Valckes suspension followed allegations of involvement in a ticketing scam, in which he was accused of selling World Cup tickets on the black market at above their face value. Valckes lawyer issued a statement on his behalf blasting FIFAs investigators.The Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee has chosen to ignore Jerome Valckes exemplary conduct and extraordinary contributions during his long tenure as Secretary General, said Barry Berke in a statement.Todays press release is nothing more than a self-serving public relations effort to wrongly attack Mr. Valcke in a desperate attempt to try to prove that FIFA can police itself. Mr. Valcke did absolutely nothing wrong as any independent and fair review of the facts would establish.Valcke had previously been accused of being party to a potential $10-million (9.25-million-euros) bribe paid to former head of the North and Central America football governing body CONCACAF, Jack Warner.Valckes suspension was due to expire at midnight and judges in FIFAs adjudicatory chamber may approve an extension later Tuesday. But even without that approval, Valcke will not return to work as he has also been banned indefinitely by FIFAs management, a penalty that is separate from the ethics committee suspension. Valckes link to alleged graft within world football goes back to 2006. While serving as FIFAs marketing director, he was thrown out of the organisation over a scandal involving key sponsor Mastercard. Valcke was found to have negotiated with MasterCards rival VISA in violation of the former companys right of first negotiation, a mistake that cost FIFA $90 million in a settlement.Six months later, FIFA president Sepp Blatter promoted Valcke to secretary general, and the two were reportedly close through much of the last decade.Blatter, 79, has been banned from football for eight years and is the target of a criminal investigation by Switzerlands attorney general. As part of their investigation, Swiss prosecutors reviewed Valckes emails.The allegations of involvement in a black market ticket scam came from emails sent to the British press by Israeli former professional footballer Benny Alon.Valckes potential downfall is the latest in world football, hit by an unprecedented series of scandals that have sparked demand for major reform across the globe.

Boxing: Pacquiao 'to retire' after Bradley fight

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GENERAL SANTOS (AFP) - Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao said he would end his legendary career after fighting Timothy Bradley in April to concentrate on his political career, dousing hopes for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather.The winner of an unprecedented eight world titles, who has flirted with the idea of running for president, said he was confident of winning a senate seat in the May elections.Pacquiao is facing American welterweight Bradley for the third time on April 9, after losing to his biggest rival Mayweather in the sports richest fight in May last year.I am retiring from boxing to concentrate on my political career. My fight with Timothy Bradley will be my last, Pacquiao said in an interview in his mansion late Monday.The 37-year-old member of parliament dismissed reports that he would not step away from the sport without a rematch with American Mayweather, who himself retired after beating Pacquiao.I did not say anything like that. Nobody interviewed me about that. I will retire after my April 9 fight, he said.Pacquiao lost by unanimous decision to his brash arch-rival Mayweather, whom he fought with a torn rotator cuff that later required surgery.He has won 57 fights, including 38 knockouts, lost six and had two draws in a professional career spanning more than 20 years after being raised in poverty. Pacquiao is ranked seventh in the race for 12 seats in the nationally-elected senate. He currently represents the southern province of Sarangani in parliament.The senate is a traditional springboard for future presential campaigns. Three of the last Philippines presidents, including the incumbent Benigno Aquino, were senators before they were elected to the countrys highest office.My survey rankings have been consistent and I expect it to improve once the campaign starts, he said.The former fish vendor is adored by the Filipino masses who are inspired by his rags-to-riches life story.Aside from politics, Pacquiao has parlayed his ring legend status to a career in movies, television and product endorsements.He is also a pastor in a born-again Christian group and credits his renewed faith for transforming him to a devoted family man from a hard-partying womaniser.In a recent television interview, Pacquiao said he prayed to God for guidance before deciding to concentrate on politics.Pacquiao, however, has been criticised for putting his boxing training before his duties in parliament. Last year, he attended just four of the 70 legislative sessions.In one of the rare times he took the floor in parliament in 2011, he argued against a bill that would provide free condoms for the poor, citing his Christian beliefs. The bill was eventually signed into law.
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