Wednesday 16 November 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tennis: Bring on Djokovic Murray braced for final clash

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LONDON (AFP) - Andy Murray is braced for the tantalising prospect of facing Novak Djokovic in the final of the ATP Tour Finals with the world number one ranking on the line.Djokovic has qualified for the semi-finals after winning his first two group matches at Londons O2 Arena and Murray should also make the last four with two victories going into his last match against Stan Wawrinka on Friday.If the old rivals finish top of their groups, they wouldnt be able to meet before Sundays final.That is a thrilling proposition given the final would decide not only the winner of this seasons Tour Finals but also the holder of first place in the year-end world rankings.Murray is currently in pole position after ending Djokovics 122-week reign at the top, but the world number two will regain first place if he wins the Tour Finals for a record-equalling sixth time.It could come down to a match between me and Novak. Who knows whats going to happen the next few days, Murray said.For me and Im sure for Novak, both of our goals would be to try to win the event. For him, whether thats by beating me, someone else, or for me if its winning against Novak or another player, it doesnt change for us as players. But I think for the tournament, for everyone interested in tennis, that would probably be the perfect way to finish the year.Murray has never reached the final of the Tour Finals, but the Wimbledon champion is on a 21-match winning streak that has brought him four successive titles and the number one ranking.On Wednesday, the Scot survived the longest match since the Tour Finals moved to London in 2009 as he saw off Japans Kei Nishikori in three hours and 20 minutes.Recovering from that gruelling experience in time for his remaining matches will be a test and could give Djokovic an advantage.But Murray believes the prize on offer provides all the motivation he needs to play through the pain.Im a bit tired obviously. But you tend to feel it more the following day, sort of in terms like stiffness and soreness in the body, Murray said.I was in the ice bath after the match. That obviously helps kind of make you feel a bit better. But, yeah, sort of 10, 12 hours afterwards the body starts to stiffen up. Im sure tomorrow Ill be a bit sore. But its positive I get a days rest, a days recovery tomorrow.Just from my side, concentrate on trying to win my own matches, get through as many as I can, make it as tough as possible for Novak to jump me.

Pak vs NZ: Rain threatens to washout opening day's play

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CHRISTCHURCH (AFP) - Rain threatened to wash out the opening day of the first Test between New Zealand and Pakistan in Christchurch on Thursday.The heavy rain that fell through the morning eased to frequent showers in the afternoon, but the dry spells in between were not long enough to remove the covers fully.The umpires have made hourly inspections and each time ruled out the possibility of a start, although by the scheduled tea adjournment they had still not abandoned play for the day.The forecast is for continuing showers on Thursday but with fine weather for the remaining four days of the Test.Pakistan are on a high coming into the Test after crushing the West Indies last month, while New Zealand are hoping for improvement after a disastrous tour of India.Just days after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the city and devastated parts of the South Island, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq looked to cash in on a perceived lack of confidence in the New Zealand ranks after their disastrous tour of India, where they suffered a series whitewash.But although Pakistan are on a high after crushing the West Indies last month, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson claimed his side was rejuvenated by returning to home conditions and familiar seamer-friendly wickets.Squads: Pakistan (From): Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt), Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Imran Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz (3), Mohammad Rizwan, Rahat Ali, Sami Aslam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Sharjeel Khan, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan.New Zealand (From): KS Williamson (Capt), TD Astle, TA Boult, C de Grandhomme, MJ Henry, TWM Latham, JDS Neesham, HM Nicholls, JA Raval, TG Southee, LRPL Taylor, N Wagner, BJ Watling.

Syria regime bombs rebels as Aleppo food aid runs out

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ALEPPO (AFP) - Syrian government and Russian warplanes pounded rebel-held parts of northern Syria Wednesday, including battered second city Aleppo, where food aid rations were near-depleted after months of regime siege.The renewed bombardment killed at least 35 people in Aleppo city in 24 hours, and sparked anger from Washington and the United Nations.It came as President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview that US president-elect Donald Trump could be a natural ally if he fights terrorists.Damascus considers all those who oppose Assads government to be terrorists like the Islamic State jihadist group, which Trump has said should be the focus of US involvement in Syria.The regime and its ally Russia launched a wide-ranging assault on rebels on Tuesday, shattering a month of relative calm in the rebel-held east of devastated Aleppo.But Moscow denied carrying out air strikes on east Aleppo.Planes of the Russian air force have not been carrying out strikes on Aleppo for the past 29 days, said Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the defence ministry.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said six children were among the 35 killed in government strikes and artillery fire on besieged opposition-held districts since Tuesday.The Independent Doctors Association, a medical group, said barrel bomb attacks had damaged two facilities it supports in eastern Aleppo -- the childrens hospital and the only blood bank in the area.Medical facilities have regularly been hit, and sometimes completely destroyed, in the governments fight against rebels, though Damascus and Moscow deny they target hospitals.The Observatory also reported 21 people were killed in Batabo, a village on the border between Aleppo and Idlib province, where Russia and Syria were carrying out strikes.The monitor said it was not immediately clear if the strikes on Batabo were carried out by Russian or Syrian planes.The bombardment ended a period of relative respite, particularly in eastern Aleppo, where Moscow halted air strikes on October 18 ahead of a series of brief ceasefires.The ceasefires were intended to encourage residents and surrendering rebels to leave the east, but few did so, fearing moving into government-held territory.Food aid stockpiled in the east is all-but-exhausted, with international organisations and their local partners saying they have distributed final rations in recent days.No aid has entered the eastern neighbourhoods since government troops surrounded them in mid-July.Once Syrias economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been ravaged by the war that has killed more than 300,000 people nationwide since it started in March 2011 with anti-government protests.Russia intervened in September 2015 in a bid to bolster the government, and Tuesday said its forces were launching a major operation in Idlib and central Homs province, targeting IS and former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front with air strikes from a carrier in the eastern Mediterranean.But the bombardment has been criticised by both the UN and Washington, with the General Assemblys human rights committee voting overwhelmingly Tuesday to condemn escalating attacks on civilians.Washington said it had received reports that the latest bombing raids had damaged civilian infrastructure in rebel areas. We strongly condemn the resumption of air strikes in Syria by the Russians as well as the Syrian regime, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said.The most recent reported attacks are on five hospitals and one mobile clinic in Syria. We believe its a violation of international law.Washington was an early backer of the uprising against Assad, and has supported the rebels fighting his government.But that could change under the next administration, with Assad telling Portugals RTP state television Tuesday he welcomed Trumps campaign comments suggesting Washingtons involvement in Syria should be focused exclusively on fighting jihadists.We cannot tell anything about what hes going to do, but if... he is going to fight the terrorists, of course we are going to be ally, natural ally in that regard with the Russian, with the Iranian, with many other countries, Assad said. Washington already leads an international coalition carrying out strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq, but it does not coordinate with Damascus and Assads government has condemned it as ineffective.The coalition is supporting an operation by the Kurdish-Arab alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture the IS bastion of Raqa.We are advancing even though IS is mining the villages as they flee, SDF commander Rodi Derik said Wednesday in the village of Tuwaylaa, recently captured from IS.

Iraqi paramilitaries say reached airport west of Mosul

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi paramilitary forces announced Wednesday that they had entered the Tal Afar airport west of Mosul and were fighting to clear pockets of Islamic State group jihadists inside it.The airport is located some six kilometres (four miles) south of the town of Tal Afar, the ultimate target of an operation billed as an attempt to cut off jihadists in Mosul from territory they control farther west.Fighting towards Tal Afar has so far been the main task for the Hashed al-Shaabi, an umbrella organisation for pro-government paramilitaries that is dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias, in the massive operation aimed at recapturing Mosul that was launched on October 17.An operation to pursue pockets of (IS) hiding inside the airport is happening now, Hashed al-Shaabi spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi said in a statement.The airport will be a launch point for Hashed al-Shaabi forces to liberate the centre of the Tal Afar district, and cut the last (IS) supply lines between Mosul and Tal Afar, Assadi said.Hashed forces have been pushing their way toward Tal Afar from starting points south of Mosul for more than two weeks, retaking a series of villages from IS along the way.There has been opposition both inside and outside Iraq to the idea of Shiite militia forces, which have been repeatedly accused of rights violations against Sunnis, being involved in the battle for predominantly Sunni Arab Mosul.The Hashed push for Tal Afar, which had a Shiite majority prior to being seized by IS in 2014, gives these forces a role in the battle but so far only federal forces have entered the city.IS seized Mosul along with swathes of other territory in June 2014, but Iraqi forces have since regained much of the areas they lost two years before, and the city is now the countrys last major population centre still in jihadist hands.The Hashed al-Shaabi, which was established in June 2014 but includes militias that were founded years earlier, played a major role in halting the initial IS offensive and later in pushing the jihadists back, and is widely admired among Iraqs Shiite majority.

More than 50 dead in heavy Yemen fighting

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ADEN (AFP) - Heavy fighting between government forces and rebels in north and west Yemen has left 51 dead, as a new peace efforts appeared to stumble, military officials said Wednesday.They said forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi have clashed since Tuesday with Shiite Huthi rebels and allied renegade troops in the countrys northwest, near the border with Saudi Arabia.The fighting as loyalists launched an attack on three fronts to recapture the coastal town of Midi and nearby Haradh, the officials said.Fifteen loyalists and 23 rebels were killed in the fighting, the officials said.Our military operations will continue until we push them out, said army Colonel Abdul Ghani al-Shubaili, whose forces had air support from a Saudi-led Arab coalition.Elsewhere, nine rebels and four soldiers were killed in fighting on the outskirts of the flashpoint city of Taez, in southwest Yemen, military officials said.Pro-Hadi forces have advanced towards the citys presidential residence and police headquarters, both under rebel control, witnesses said, reporting heavy fighting and loud explosions that shook the city.Fighting in Taez and its surroundings on Tuesday killed 39 people, including five civilians, 20 soldiers and 14 rebels, military officials said.The UN says more than 7,000 people have been killed and nearly 37,000 wounded in Yemen since the Arab coalition launched a military campaign in March 2015 in support of the government against the Iran-backed rebels.Millions are in need of food aid, and another 21 million people urgently need health services, according to the United Nations.US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that rebels were ready to observe a ceasefire plan taking effect this week, but the government swiftly dismissed the proposal.Kerry spoke a day after meeting Huthi negotiators in Oman, but Hadis government said it was not aware of any new peace initiative.Six attempts to clinch a ceasefire in Yemen have foundered, including a three-day October truce that fell apart as soon as it went into force. It was designed to allow aid deliveries to millions of homeless and hungry Yemenis.

South Africa to keep De Villiers as skipper

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SYDNEY (AFP) - AB de Villiers job as South African captain is safe despite Faf du Plessis impressing with his leadership as stand-in skipper during thumping back-to-back Test wins over Australia, selectors say.Star batsman de Villiers was ruled out of the series with a left elbow injury that required surgery with du Plessis seamlessly taking over.His vision has been praised in steering the team to an unassailable 2-0 lead. A win in the final day-night Test in Adelaide next week will consign Australia to their first home series whitewash in history.Despite this, selectors are not considering promoting du Plessis to do the job full-time.At the moment its clear to us that Faf is stand-in captain and AB is the current captain when he comes back, chairman of selectors Linda Zondi told reporters in Hobart late Wednesday. AB is still the captain.Officials hope de Villiers will be fit for the home series against Sri Lanka, starting on December 26.We will be guided (as to when he can play) by the medical team in terms of where he is and in terms of match fitness, Zondi said.He has been away for five months -- a long time. For starters, he has to be match fit.South Africa thrashed Australia by 177 runs in the opening Perth Test and followed it up with an innings and 80 run demolition of the hosts in Hobart this week.It was a fifth straight defeat for Australia which saw chairman of selectors Rod Marsh quit, with Trevor Hohns temporarily replacing him.The third and final Test starts on November 24 in Adelaide.

Brazil anti-austerity protest turns violent

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Rio de Janeiro riot police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades Wednesday into an angry crowd protesting proposed austerity measures.More than 2,000 people, ranging from teachers to off duty police officers, faced off against elite Shock Battalion police outside the state legislature in the center of Rio.They blew whistles and chanted calls for the resignation of Rio state Governor Luiz Fernando Pezao who is pushing budget cuts in response to nearly empty public coffers.Public servants wont pay for the crisis read banners.A handful of protesters threw stones at the ranks of police who were protected by shields, while others brandishing red and blue smoke flares taunted the officers.Police stood behind two metal barriers protecting the steps of the legislature but retreated when a group of demonstrators managed to break down the first fence.The skirmish triggered more than an hour of unsuccessful attempts by police to disperse the growing number of protesters in the avenue outside.Officers fired dozens of stun grenades and tear gas canisters at the generally peaceful demonstration, on occasion aiming horizontally into the crowd.That went right past my head shouted one man as he fled along with hundreds of other people from the clouds of tear gas swirling down the palm-lined street in the business district.Shame, shame, chanted the crowd as police reinforcements arrived -- first a water cannon truck, then about 20 riot police on horseback. The water cannon was also brought into action, prompting chants of cowardsEach time the police firepower died down, however, the crowd reconverged on the legislature.AFP reporters saw at least three people injured, including one who appeared to be unconscious and was receiving CPR treatment. An AFP video journalist suffered light injuries in a leg after a stun grenade explosion.Among the austerity measures under examination is an increase in the 11 percent withholdings from public servants pensions to 14 percent. An increase of as much as 30 percent has previously been considered.The state government, which has barely enough money to pay many public employees or keep hospitals functioning, could also raise transport and utilities costs, as well as cutting subsidies for the poor. The state has been in crisis all year and required a huge federal bailout just before hosting the Olympic Games in August.The irony of government employees clashing with police who are also struggling to get their full salaries and even basic funding for police stations was not lost on demonstrators.Its police attacking police, said one off-duty officer in disbelief as he retreated from another tear gas attack.There arent any criminals here, only policemen, firefighters, teachers, working class people, fathers of households -- people who have bills to pay, said first responder Francisco Gabriel Cordoba.No one here is a criminal, whereas these politicians, they dont work. They want to rob us even more, they want to take more and more from us to pay the states debts.Brazilian media reported that two riot police officers left their posts and joined the demonstrators, prompting cheers.

Rohingya Muslims flee Myanmar army crackdown to Bangladesh

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DHAKA/SITTWE (Reuters) - Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims are fleeing a military crackdown in western Myanmar to Bangladesh, trying to escape an upsurge of violence that has brought the total number of dead confirmed by the army to more than 130.Some of the Rohingya were gunned down as they tried to cross the Naaf river that separates Myanmar and Bangladesh, while others arriving by boat were pushed away by Bangladeshi border guards and may be stranded at sea, residents said.The bloodshed is the most serious since hundreds were killed in communal clashes in the western Myanmar state of Rakhine in 2012. It has exposed the lack of oversight of the military by the seven-month-old administration of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.Soldiers have poured into the area along Myanmars frontier with Bangladesh, responding to coordinated attacks on three border posts on Oct. 9 that killed nine police officers.They have locked down the district, where the vast majority of residents are Rohingya, shutting out aid workers and independent observers. The army has intensified its operation in the last seven days and has used choppers to reinforce, with dozens reported killed.Aid workers, camp residents and authorities in Bangladesh estimated at least 500 Rohingya had fled Myanmar since the October attacks. The refugees are now staying in four Rohingya camps on the Bangladeshi side of the border, they say.But on Tuesday, Bangladeshi border guards pushed back a large group of Rohingya trying to cross.Early Tuesday, 86 Rohingya including 40 women and 25 children were pushed back by the BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) from the Teknaf border point, said Lt. Col. Anwarul Azim, commanding officer of the Coxs Bazar sector in eastern Bangladesh.All of them tried to enter Bangladesh and came by two engine-operated boats. Now we have beefed up our patrolling and additional forces have been engaged to ensure security in the border area, he said.Reuters sources said the Rohingya group was unlikely to have gone back to the villages in Myanmar and might be stranded at sea.The stateless Rohingya are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.Col. Htain Lin, Border Affairs Minister of the Rakhine state government, refused to comment on the situation. Police Major Kyaw Mya Win, from the Maungdaw police, said the people were trying to escape because they tried to attack the military.The villagers have become insurgents, including women in the village, said Kyaw Mya Win.The recent upsurge in violence has brought the number of suspected militants killed to 102 since Oct. 9, while the security forces toll stands at 32, according to a Reuters tally based on state media releases.Four Rohingya from northern Rakhine contacted by Reuters by telephone on Wednesday confirmed that hundreds were trying to escape and cross the river to Bangladesh. They said some were gunned down.The residents told me nearly 72 people were killed near the riverbank, that the military shot into the crowd on the river bank, said a Rohingya community leader who declined to be identified.Another man from Maungdaw said women and children from around 10 villages were trying to flee to Bangladesh and some were killed as they were trying to get into the boats. A lot of dead bodies were floating in the sea, said the man. He added that these people were not travelling together, but that they had separated into groups of 20 or 50 to get on to the boats.Residents and rights advocates have accused security forces of summary executions, rape and setting fire to homes in the recent violence. The government and army reject the accusations.Diplomats have also appealed for an independent and credible investigation, but the government has not announced any plans to carry it out, instead cautioning against a misinformation campaign by a violent group based in Rakhine.They are using our country, our region as a base...with the intention of disrupting the area, causing unrest, chaos in the area, they are doing this to get international attention, to pressure Myanmar, said Aye Aye Soe, director general of Myanmars Ministry of Foreign Affairs, run by Suu Kyi.She said the group was doing this to get financial support with the intention of getting their political agenda through. The extremist group did not want peace in Rakhine, she said.The suspected Rohingya militants have identified themselves as the previously unknown Al-Yakin Mujahidin in videos posted online. In a fresh clip, a man who has appeared in previous videos stands in front of several men prostrated on the ground with wounds on their back and bloodied legs.We are Rohingya and we want to restore our usurped rights, the man shouts to the camera. We deserve our rights and we are not terrorists.Authorities have denied independent journalists access to the area, so Reuters has been unable to independently verify either the military accounts or the accounts of the residents.

Case filed against 7 MQM London members for creating chaos

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Case was filed against 7 Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) London workers for creating chaos on Wednesday, reported Dunya News.MQM London workers had faced off with MQM Pakistan workers in Azizabad. The case was filed for hate speech and provoking people.MQM Pakistan leader and mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar reached Azizabad Jinnah ground after he was released from jail, but chaos was created between supporters of parties as they faced off.

Karachi: 4 accused arrested in police operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Crackdown against criminal elements under National Action Plan (NAP) continues in Karachi as four more accused were arrested during police operations in different parts of the city on Wednesday, Dunya News reported.According to details, two officials of Rizvia Police Station, identified as Bandal Shah Bukhari and Muhammad Bota, were arrested in a police raid in Docks area for their involvement in the cases of kidnapping for ransom. Police sources said that the officials were taken into custody while collecting ransom money from a trader. Sources further informed that a case has also been registered against the arrested police officials.On the other hand, police conducted an operation in Lyari’s Baghdadi area and arrested two accused involved in street crimes. Police sources said that arms were also recovered from the arrested persons.

Tayyip Erdogan to visit Lahore today

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LAHORE (Dunya News) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who reached Islamabad on Wednesday on a two-day visit to Pakistan, will reach Lahore today (Thursday).The Turkish President is scheduled to address a joint session of parliament in Islamabad today after which he will travel to Lahore where he will attend the inaugural ceremony of Iqbal Parks as a chief guest.Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif will host a banquet in the honour of visiting Turkish President at the Hazoori Bagh in front of Badshahi Masjid. Tayyip Erdogan will also attend a cultural programme to be arranged in his honour.

Hohns named interim chief selector of Australian cricket team

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Trevor Hohns was Thursday appointed Australias interim chairman of selectors after Rod Marsh quit, with Greg Chappell drafted in to help a national team in crisis.The experienced Hohns, who previously served as chief selector during a hugely successful period for Australia, currently sits on the four-man selection panel along with Mark Waugh, coach Darren Lehmann, and now Chappell.Cricket Australia chairman David Peever said Hohns had agreed to step up to ensure continuity while the search for a full-time chairman is carried out.Trevor is highly experienced as a selector, and will ensure we place our best players on the field this summer while we seek a permanent replacement for Rod, said Peever.Former Test fast bowler Jason Gillespie and ex-captains Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh have all been touted as possible successors to Marsh.The retired wicketkeeper resigned on Wednesday with immediate effect after a run of five heavy Test defeats left the team humiliated and facing demands for heads to roll.They crashed to a third-straight home series defeat to South Africa on Tuesday and now face being whitewashed in a home series for the first time in their history if they lose to the Proteas in Adelaide next week.While spinner Hohns only played seven Tests for Australia in the late 1980s, he had a highly successful previous stint as chairman of selectors.Under his guidance, Australia won a record 16 successive Test matches and claimed the 1999 and 2003 World Cups in a golden era. He rejoined the selection panel in 2014.He will be helped in trying to turn around the teams fortunes by former Test captain Chappell, who has been drafted in on a temporary basis with a raft of changes expected for Adelaide.Lehmann declared only four players -- captain Steve Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood -- were sure to keep their places after Australias second demoralising collapse in the Hobart Test this week.Peever said Chappell had been instrumental in restructuring Cricket Australias youth pathway programme and had his finger on the pulse of young talent.His in-depth knowledge of up-and-coming talent in the Australian system will be invaluable, he said.Australias team announcement for next weeks third and final day-night Test in Adelaide has been delayed until Sunday so selectors can assess players form in domestic Sheffield Shield matches.

Bilawal reaches Lahore from Dubai

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto rescheduled his engagements and reached Lahore from Dubai on a special plane on Wednesday to inquire about the health of his sister Asifa Bhutto who got injured during a walk at the Bilawal House, Dunya News reported.Bilawal Bhutto is also scheduled to visit the residence of former PPP secretary general and veteran politician Jahangir Badr to express condolence with his family over his death.The PPP chairman will also hold meetings with party leaders from Punjab in an effort to reorganize his party in the province.

Rain delays start of Pakistan, New Zealand Test

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CHRISTCHURCH (Dunya News) – The start of first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand on Thursday has been delayed due to persistent rain in Christchurch, Dunya News reported.Showers are forecast throughout the day, but with fine weather for the following four days.Just days after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the city and devastated parts of the South Island, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq looked to cash in on a perceived lack of confidence in the New Zealand ranks after their disastrous tour of India, where they suffered a series whitewash.But although Pakistan are on a high after crushing the West Indies last month, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson claimed his side was rejuvenated by returning to home conditions and familiar seamer-friendly wickets.Squads: Pakistan (From): Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt), Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Imran Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz (3), Mohammad Rizwan, Rahat Ali, Sami Aslam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Sharjeel Khan, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan.New Zealand (From): KS Williamson (Capt), TD Astle, TA Boult, C de Grandhomme, MJ Henry, TWM Latham, JDS Neesham, HM Nicholls, JA Raval, TG Southee, LRPL Taylor, N Wagner, BJ Watling.

Monfils withdraws from world tour finals due to injury

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LONDON (AFP) - Gael Monfils withdrew from the ATP Tour Finals on Wednesday due to a rib injury.Monfils had lost both his group stage matches at Londons O2 Arena and, with no chance of making the semi-finals, the Frenchman decided not to risk aggravating the problem in his final match, which was due to be against Novak Djokovic on Thursday.Definitely I cant play tomorrow because my ribs feel worse and worse, Monfils said.Even yesterday was tough in the game. I couldnt practise.Monfils originally suffered the injury in a match in Stockholm last month and had been troubled by it during his defeats against Dominic Thiem and Milos Raonic in London.You work so hard for this moment and not to be able to finish is a huge disappointment, he added.Belgiums David Goffin will step in to replace Monfils against Djokovic who is chasing a fifth straight Tour Finals crown to equal Roger Federers record of six titles.
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