Monday 4 April 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tennis: Djokovic retains rankings lead, Kyrgios into top 20

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PARIS (AFP) - Novak Djokovic remains streets ahead of the rest in the ATP world rankings, after claiming a record-equalling sixth Miami Open title on Sunday.The Serb beat world number six Kei Nishikori in straight sets in the final to add to his Indian Wells success.There are no movers in the top 10, but 20-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios has broken into the top 20 for the first time by reaching the semi-finals.Belgian David Goffin jumps a couple of places despite losing to Djokovic in the last four.ATP world top 20:1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 16,540 pts2. Andy Murray (GBR) 7,8153. Roger Federer (SUI) 7,6954. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6,3705. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4,9556. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,4907. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 3,6308. David Ferrer (ESP) 3,3709. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 3,13010. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 2,84011. Marin Cilic (CRO) 2,77012. Milos Raonic (CAN) 2,74013. David Goffin (BEL) 2,560 (2)14. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 2,42015. John Isner (USA) 2,235 (-2)16. Gael Monfils (FRA) 2,22017. Robert Bautista Agut (ESP) 2,015 (1)18. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 1,930 (-1)19. Gilles Simon (FRA) 1,90020. Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 1,765 (6).

Tennis: Miami champion Azarenka continues rankings rise

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PARIS (AFP) - Victoria Azarenka has jumped up to world number five in the latest WTA rankings, after beating Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Miami Open final on Saturday.The former world number one became just the third woman, after Kim Clijsters and Steffi Graf, to win in Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back.Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber retakes second spot from Agnieszka Radwanska thanks to her run to the semi-finals, where she lost to Belarusian Azarenka.Serena Williams still holds a substantial lead at the top, despite losing to Kuznetsova in the last 16, her first defeat at the tournament since 2012.Two-time major winner Kuznetsova is the biggest mover in the top 20, leaping six places to 13th.WTA world top 20:1. Serena Williams (USA) 8,625 pts2. Angelique Kerber (GER) 6,025 (1)3. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 5,775 (-1)4. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 4,831 5. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 4,530 (3)6. Simona Halep (ROM) 3,785 (-1)7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 3,7638. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 3,595 (1)9. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 3,432 (2)10. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,34011. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 3,160 (-5)12. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 3,03313. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 3,010 (6)14. Venus Williams (USA) 2,887 (-1)15. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 2,76816. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 2,750 17. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) 2,735 (3)18. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 2,590 (-4)19. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 2,531 (-2)20. Sara Errani (ITA) 2,420 (-2).

Loralai: Poisonous gas inside coal mine kills one miner

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LORALAI (Dunya News) – According to details, one miner, Rehmat Ullah, was killed and seven other fell unconscious as poisonous gas accumulated inside coal mine in Loralai, Balochistan on Monday.At least seven miners including Taj Muhammad, Aziz Ullah, Abdul Hakim, Rohullah, Sadiqullah, Adam Khan and Allah Din fell unconscious and were shifted to a nearby hospital where condition of four miners is stated to be critical.

Football: Messi denies tax evasion in Panama Papers scandal

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BARCELONA (AFP) - The family of Lionel Messi denied on Monday that he was involved in tax evasion after the Barcelona star emerged as one of many personalities accused of shady offshore dealings in the Panama Papers scandal.The Messi family wants to make clear that Lionel Messi has not carried out any of the acts attributed to him, and accusations he created a...tax evasion plot, including a network of money-laundering, are false and insulting, it said in a statement.The scandal erupted on Sunday when media groups made public a year-long worldwide investigation into a trove of 11.5 million documents leaked from a Panama-based law firm that exposed a tangle of offshore financial dealings by the elite.Among the accused are close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Icelands Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson as well as sports celebrities and screen stars.Messi and his father are named as owners of a Panama company that had not previously been disclosed during a Spanish probe into their tax affairs.The Panama company to which they refer to is a totally inactive company that never had any funds or any open current accounts, the Messi family said.They added that the firm was created by the familys former tax advisers and that everything had since been brought into line where Messis fiscal situation was concerned.Barcelona published a message of support to their star player on their official website.The club supports the arguments which the Messi family published in a statement today, said the Barca statement.Since the very first moment that the Panama papers which accuse Leo Messi were released, FC Barcelona has sent its affection and support to the player and to his whole family. The Club makes all of its judicial means, fiscal and administrative, at the familys disposal in order to make his actions and honour clear in this case.Messi and his father Jorge have been charged with tax fraud in a separate case for allegedly failing to declare 4.16 million euros ($4.74 million) in taxes related to his image rights between 2007 and 2009 through front companies in Belize and Uruguay.The pair are accused of ceding the players image rights to the companies in order to avoid declaring money made from lucrative deals with sponsors in Spain.Their trial in this case is set to begin on May 31 at a court in Barcelona and is expected to run until June 3.Lawyers acting on behalf of the tax office have asked for both defendants to be slapped with prison sentences of 22-and-a-half months.Both father and son have denied the accusations and instead blamed a former financial advisor.Jorge Messi made a voluntary corrective payment of four million euros in August 2013 which is expected to mitigate any sentence.Even if convicted it is unlikely that either Messi or his father would enter prison as jail terms of less than two years are usually suspended for first-time offences in Spain.In December Messi and his father were cleared of separate allegations relating to charitable friendlies played in 2012 and 2013 after a judge heard testimony from an Argentine businessman who organised the matches.The player had been investigated in that case to see if he had failed to declare to the tax man any revenue made from taking part in a series of friendlies in Mexico, Colombia, the United States and Peru.In other developments related to the Panama Papers, a member of FIFAs Ethics Committee, Juan Pedro Damiani, has come under investigation due to his business dealings with fellow Uruguayan Eugenio Figueredo, a disgraced former football official who is mentioned in the papers.We confirm that on March 19th the investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee was informed by the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber, Hans-Joachim Eckert, about becoming recently aware of a business relationship between the member of the adjudicatory chamber Juan Pedro Damiani, and Eugenio Figueredo Aguerre, said a FIFA Ethics Committee statement sent to AFP.After receiving the information Dr. Cornel Borbely, chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, has immediately opened a preliminary investigation to review the allegations in question. Dr. Borbely is currently looking into said allegations in order to determine if there is a breach against the FIFA Code of Ethics and decide any further measures.Figueredo is facing corruption and extortion charges in Uruguay while the US has asked for him to be extradicted to face their FIFA corruption scandal investigation into millions of dollars of bribes being paid in return for commercial contracts at major football tournaments.Damiani risks a charge of conflict of interests due to his business ties to Figueredo.

Golf: McIlroy aces as Masters practice begins

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AUGUSTA (AFP) - Rory McIlroy kick-started his 2016 Masters campaign and Grand Slam quest with an ace at the par three, 16th hole on the first day of official practice at Augusta National.McIlroy was in a match-play bet for dinner with lanky Englishman Chris Wood and was 2up at the time on Wood when he holed his 7-iron from 170 yards out.That roar was large considering it was a practice round and I dont think Ive ever heard a roar that large in a practice round, said McIlroy.So it was good as at the time I was 2up on Chris with three to play, so it was a sensational way to end the match.But it was nice practice round and good to play with Chris.McIlroy had singled out the 16th as a key hole but didnt expect to begin his eighth Masters campaign with an ace.Yes, the 16th is not a pushover especially when the pin is over on the right, but then you have a decent chance when the pin is on the left, he said.The course is not very different at all from what we saw last year. I feel like the way the course is now, is probably the way the course played last year because it was soft and a little slow. Im sure they are trying to get it faster and firmer as the week goes on.McIlroy arrived into Augusta on Sunday night and admitting he spent the first three days of last week as a couch potato before hitting the Bears Club on Thursday in the company of his long-time coach Michael Bannon and fitness coach, Steve McGregor.I had three days off early last week and then Michael and Steve got into town on Thursday and started working then, he said.It was only two weeks in a row, but Austin felt like a long week so three days off was good, and besides the weather wasnt very good so I sat on the couch and caught up on some TV.I also played the one ball off the tees today and that gets me into a nice mindset of this is how Im going to play, so Im going to try to do the same tomorrow, play 18 and a match with someone or a fourball match if three others want to come and join.I feel thats the best way for me to prepare, its competitive, youre trying to shoot a score. The pins arent in the spots where they are going to be at the weekend but at the same time you still have to get the ball in the hole and hole putts that you feel a little bit of pressure on.

Dozens apprehended during search operation in parts of Punjab

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Police conducted search operations in different cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Bahawalpur, and apprehended more than 100 suspects, Dunya News reported.According to details, police launched a search operation in Kot Lakhpat and its surrounding areas and arrested 10 persons who failed to produce identity documents.Police also conducted search operations in different parts of Sialkot and arrested more than 100 suspects while three suspects, including two proclaimed offenders were taken into custody during operation in Bahawalpur.Police conducted search operations in Jaranwala and Khairianwala areas of Faisalabad and apprehended 28 suspects.

Karachi: Police arrest 6 persons during search operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, police arrested six persons during search operation in Lines Area of Karachi and arrested six persons, Dunya News reported.A heavy contingent of police cordoned off the area and conducted house-to-house search. According the SP Dr Fahad, six persons were taken into custody during operation.On the other hand, a security guard of a private company was wounded when his gun went off accidentally in Murtaza Chorangi area.

Safraz Merchant records statement before FIA

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Safraz Merchant on Monday recorded his statement before Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Islamabad against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in money laundering case.Safraz Merchant also handed over proofs of MQM chief involvement in money laundering and his connections with Indian intelligence agency RAW. He also handed over all e-mail data to FIA. His statement will be a part of additional First Investigation Report (FIR)Founder of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Mustafa Kamal will also record his statement before FIA after a few days.

Oil drops on doubts over producer deal

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices retreated again Monday as doubts mounted over a potential agreement by major producers to limit output in order to strengthen prices.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery fell $1.09 to $35.70 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Brent North Sea oil for June delivery lost 98 cents at $37.69 a barrel in London.Hopes for a April 17 producers summit in Doha to agree to cap output at January 2016 levels had helped lift oil prices back above $40 a barrel in early March. However, confidence in a deal has been waning and took another hit Friday, when Saudi Arabias deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, told Bloomberg that Saudi Arabia would only cap output if the move was matched by Iran and other major producers.Irans oil minister, Bijan Zanganeh, said on Sunday that Irans oil exports surpassed two million barrels per day following the lifting of international sanctions.Russia, too, has been pumping aggressively, reaching 10.91 million barrels per day in March. That is the highest level in some 30 years and slightly more than January.Russia also does not appear to see any obligation to stick to the agreed production caps, Commerzbank said.Weve reset the expectations from being fairly optimistic that theres going to be some sort of freeze agreement on April 17, said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities.Now it seems quite apparent that with the Saudis being quite adamant that they will not participate alone, without Iran showing similar good will, that these expectations are unwinding and with it, much of the rally.

Euro unchanged vs dollar despite employment gain

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro-dollar rate held steady at $1.1394 Monday despite an improvement in the eurozone unemployment rate.The Eurostat statistics agency said unemployment in the 19-member eurozone fell to 10.3 percent in February, a four-and-a-half year low, from a revised 10.4 percent in January.But analysts worried that jobs gains were slowing, and may not be enough to help get Europe through the current economic soft patch.Doubts about the strength of new hiring could end up whittling back the euros recent gains, Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management said.Renewed dovishness could trigger significant profit taking in the pair, she said.Meanwhile, the British pound scored a modest rise to $1.4265 and the yen slipped to 111.28 per dollar.

Windies board offers talks with new T20 champs

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KOLKATA (AFP) - The West Indies board has offered talks with its new World Twenty20 champions to defuse a long-running dispute, saying it wants to find ways of ensuring players dont turn their backs on international cricket.The Windies victory in the final in Kolkata on Sunday night was soured by an outburst from skipper Darren Sammy who said it was disappointing the team had received no support from the board before the match. Dave Cameron, the boards president, responded by calling the comments inappropriate in a statement that reserved its warmest words for the tournament organisers rather than the victorious players.However Cameron did offer an olive branch by saying the board would meet players after the end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) next month to persuade them to play for the West Indies, rather than opt for lucrative Twenty20 leagues.We want to see how we can find common ground in ensuring that the best players in the region are available for selection for West Indies teams, Cameron said.We are fully aware of the financial rewards on offer in the lucrative international T20 leagues, but we believe deeply in the importance of cricket to the people of the region and of West Indies crickets place in world cricket.It is therefore a priority to have all of our players competing and available for selection.Relations between the board and team have often been poisonous in recent years, with players furious over what they see as inadequate financial rewards.A pay dispute two years ago led to the the team flying home in the middle of a tour of India and the players only reluctantly agreed to sign contracts for the World T20 a few weeks before the tournament began.Many senior players such as Chris Gayle no longer play Test matches, instead turning out in T20 leagues where they can earn more money in six weeks than they are paid by their board in a year.When the West Indies were thrashed by Australia in a Test series at the turn of the year, Gayle and Sammy were both unavailable for selection as they were playing in Australias Big Bash T20 tournament.Amid growing fears that the proliferation of T20 leagues is turning some players away from Test matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said it wants to draw up a timeable to avoid clashes.Many of the West Indies T20 champions are expected to play in the IPL, which begins this coming weekend and ends in late May.We are aware of that schedule, hence the plan to meet at that time, said Cameron.We will also engage the ICC on this so that we protect not only the rich heritage and legacy of West Indies cricket, but also its future, he added.

Panesar back in Northamptonshire squad

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LONDON (AFP) - Former England spinner Monty Panesar will try to revive his career at the club where it all started after he was included in Northamptonshires squad for the forthcoming county season.Panesar, 33, was released by Essex at the end of last term after struggling to gain a regular first-team place following a series of off-field problems that included mental health concerns. His time with Essex came after a spell at Sussex that ended following a bizarre incident which saw Panesar fined by police for urinating on nightclub bouncers in Brighton in 2013.Now though Panesar hopes to be making headlines purely for his cricket, with the undeniably talented left-armer having taken 167 wickets in 50 Tests for England, the last of which was in Melbourne three years ago during a 5-0 Ashes whitewashing by Australia.Getting a chance to play at Northants, where I first started to play my cricket, its nice to be back home, Panesar, who trained with the county during the English winter while recovering from shoulder surgery, told Sky Sports on Monday. Im really looking forward to it. Ive done a lot of hard work and in the next few weeks I think Ill be ready to go, added Panesar, who played for Northamptonshire from 2001-2009.David Ripley, the Northamptonshire coach, said he had been impressed by Panesars commitment.Monty has worked hard at his fitness which is progressing, Ripley said. He joined us on our pre-season tour to Barbados of his own volition where he fitted in well with the rest of the lads. He will now have to prove himself for selection, the former Northamptonshire wicket-keeper added.That point was emphasised by county captain Alex Wakely, who said: I would be very excited to have Monty as part of the squad as his Test pedigree and experience will be really helpful to the rest of the lads.Weve all had some honest conversations, but he is fitting in really well. He still has to prove his worth and Graeme White is bowling very well at the moment so he still faces some challenges to get a place on a team.

Nicholas sorry for 'short of brains' comment that riled Sammy

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LONDON (AFP) - English commentator and columnist Mark Nicholas apologised Monday for suggesting that World Twenty20 champions West Indies lacked cricketing intelligence.Following the Caribbean sides stunning four-wicket win over England in Sundays final in Kolkata, a victory sealed when Carlos Brathwaite hit four successive sixes in the last over, victorious West Indies captain Darren Sammy said Nicholass remarks had riled his side. Mark Nicholas described us as a team with no brains, said Sammy in an emotional post-match interview.Sammy was referring to a March 3 column for the ESPNCricinfo website when, looking ahead to the World Twenty20, Nicholas wrote: West Indies are short of brains but have IPL (Indian Premier League) history in their ranks.Nicholas, in his latest Cricinfo column, published Monday, said he offered an unreserved apology to Sammy, a man I hold in the highest regard, for his throwaway phrase.He added: Clearly, the West Indies team is not short of brains.I did not say West Indies were brainless or had no brains....but I did say something unworthy of the game and disrespectful to a great cricketing legacy, explained Nicholas, a television commentator with both Englands Channel Five and Australias Channel Nine.Former Hampshire captain Nicholas played alongside several West Indian greats during his time with the English south coast county, including outstanding pacemen Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall.On Monday, he lauded Roberts, off whom he took his first first-class catch, as the man who led the thinking of a truly great collection of West Indian fast bowlers.Then I had 13 years with Malcolm Marshall, my best friend in cricket. I also had the privilege of giving the eulogy at his funeral in Barbados -- the saddest occasion, recalled 58-year-old former batsman Nicholas.Although critical of Nicholas in his post-match interview, all-rounder Sammy was even more scathing regarding the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), with whom leading players have been locked in a long-running pay dispute, and said they had disrespected the team.Nicholas said he understood the captains frustration, writing: Those of us who have let him down took a hammering. Fair enough too.I shall never forget the World T20 final of 2016. Neither will Sammy. I wish him and his men nothing but joy.

Hussain Nawaz confirms names of three companies mentioned in Panama leaks

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LAHORE (Web Desk/Dunya News) – Hussain Nawaz, younger son of Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, has confirmed the names of the three companies operated by the Sharif family that have been mentioned in the Panama leaks, reported Dunya News.While talking in Dunya News programme “Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Saath”, Hussain Nawaz stated that whatever has been mentioned in the recently disclosed classified information regarding the secret possessions of world leaders in the Panama leaks is true. He added that Maryam Nawaz does not own any possession in the form of property.Hussain admitted that two apartments were purchased in London after selling a steel factory operating in Saudi Arabia, adding that no tax is imposed on the particular apartments as is imposed on land owned by overseas Pakistanis.He denied claims of any business partnerships in Pakistan and stated that no advantages were taken from the governments of UK and Saudi Arabia in regards to the family’s businesses.He challenged his critics to bring forth accurate information regarding any piece of land owned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif.

PCB dissolves selection committee, new coach to be appointed by Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Selection committee has been dissolved by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday while PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan has promised to open bio-mechanic lab soon, reported Dunya News.The recommendations made by enquiry committee have emerged on the surface. After Waqar Younis and Shahid Afridi have resigned, selection committee has also been dissolved. PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan said that new selection committee and captain will be announced soon while the task of coach selection has been appointed to Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja. Unfit players will be fined.Before tour to England, a joint training camp will be organised between Pakistan cricket players and Pakistan Army in Abbottbad. A Psychiatrist will also be consulted for mental fitness of the players.In the light of long-term policy of the National Academy schools, universities and cricket club will also be improved.PCB has also promised to start bio-mechanic lab soon.Interestingly, the enquiry committee has not blamed any cricketer or any other official nor has blamed anyone with regard to heart-wrenching defeat in World T20 2016.
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