Thursday 19 January 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tennis: Volatile Vandeweghe ends Bouchard dream

Posted:

MELBOURNE (AFP) - Volatile Coco Vandeweghe extended Eugenie Bouchards Grand Slam misery on Friday when she ousted the Canadian comeback queen in a three-set epic at the Australian Open.The 35th-ranked American beat the unseeded Bouchard, battling back after her high-flying career plunged into a tailspin, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the third round.She will next face either world number one Angelique Kerber or Czech Kristyna Pliskova, the twin sister of fifth seed Karolina, for a place on the quarter-finals.I got a bit passive with my game plan in the second set but I was able to turn it around by playing on my own terms, said the 25-year-old.Asked about a potential clash with Kerber, she replied: She is just another opponent in the way of my goal for this tournament.The American right-hander has a reputation for being hot-tempered and there was always the chance of fireworks.She threw a temper tantrum in her second-round clash against Pauline Parmentier, slamming her racquet into the ground three times when she gave away a break point.It was the second time in as many weeks that her frustrations had boiled over, pulling a similar stunt at this months Sydney International.But despite her fiercely competitive nature, she largely kept her emotions in check against the Canadian, only throwing down her racquet once, but not smashing it.The match opened with plenty of gruelling, physical rallies as they bombarded each other from the baseline probing for an opening.It didnt come until the seventh game when Bouchard double-faulted to go 4-3 behind, before the American served out the set.But Vandeweghes serve wasnt consistent and successive double faults handed Bouchard a break to go 2-0 ahead in the second set and ultimately level the match at one set each.The momentum was with the Canadian and she broke early in the deciding set, but Vandeweghe was not done and Bouchard sprayed a forehand long in the eighth game to set up a thrilling finale.She held her nerve, and a sizzling backhand down the line put her into Australias last 16 for the first time, after reaching the same stage at Wimbledon in 2015 and 2016.For Bouchard, 22, it is back to the drawing board after the end of a promising run.She made the semi-finals at Melbourne Park in 2014 and the quarters a year later but has never regained those heights, with her last fourth round appearance at any Grand Slam coming at the US Open in 2015.

Football: Barca end Sociedad hoodoo, Atletico cruise

Posted:

MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona ended a decade-long drought without winning away to Real Sociedad on Thursday as Neymars first-half penalty handed the Spanish champions a 1-0 Copa del Rey quarter-final, first leg lead.Atletico Madrid also took a huge step towards the semi-finals as goals from Antoine Griezmann, Angel Correa and Kevin Gameiro downed an under-strength Eibar 3-0 at the Vicente Calderon.Barca hadnt won in their last eight meetings at Anoeta with coach Luis Enrique describing their 1-1 draw back in November as almost a miracle given how his side had been outplayed.However, the Catalans continued signs of their return to form in a bright start that was rewarded when Neymar was clearly upended by Aritz Elustondo 20 minutes in.Just as in the last round, Lionel Messi handed over responsibility from the spot to the Brazilian and he sent Geronimo Rulli the wrong way.It is always difficult to play at Anoeta and against Real Sociedad, but I think it was a complete performance, Enrique told GolTV.We were very solid in defensive and efficient in attack.No matter the result we have gained, the return leg always presents difficulties but for us it is a good result and very good news.Neymar should have added to Barcas lead early in the second-half when he took a poor touch with just Rulli to beat.And Neymar came close again moments later when he curled just wide of the far post from a lovely Messi backheel.Sociedad enjoyed plenty of possession, but failed to break down the Barca defence as a dangerous cross from Yuri that just had too much pace for Mikel Oyarzabal at the far post was the closest they came.Indeed, the hosts were fortunate not to concede a second penalty when Neymar was booked for diving 25 minutes from time despite Rulli appearing to clip his heels as the Barca forward rounded the keeper.The two sides meet again for the second leg at Barcas Camp Nou on January 26.Despite largely empty stands amidst freezing temperatures in the Spanish capital, Atletico made light work of an Eibar side shorn of many of their usual starting line-up to ensure the return leg should be a mere formality.It was difficult in the first-half but you could see the chances would come if we were a bit more precise and that happened in the second-half, said Atletico boss Diego Simeone.The hosts had the ball in the net on 25 minutes, but Stefan Savic was harshly adjudged to have been offside as he slotted home from close range.However, Atletico had to wait only three minutes more to open the scoring when Jose Maria Gimenez beat Rodriguez to a free-kick lofted into the area and Griezmann headed the Uruguayans knockdown into an empty net.Rodriguez nearly redeemed himself in the second-half when Yannick Carrasco bore down on goal, but despite saving the Belgians effort, the ball fell kindly for Correa to tap home the rebound.Seven minutes later Atletico killed the tie off when Griezmann headed across goal from Kokes corner and the grateful Gameiro was left unmarked to nod home.

Football: Mane scores as Senegal reach quarter-finals

Posted:

FRANCEVILLE (AFP) - Liverpool star Sadio Mane scored as Senegal defeated Zimbabwe 2-0 in Franceville Thursday to become the first qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.The Senegalese Teranga Lions burst out of the blocks in the southeastern Gabonese city to score twice within 13 minutes through Mane and Henri Saivet.Senegal are assured of topping Group B, even if they lose their final match against struggling Algeria, and will tackle the Group A runners-up for a last-four place.Tunisia look likeliest to join them in the knockout phase having recovered from a loss to Senegal four days ago to defeat Algeria 2-1 in the first half of a double-header.When Senegal face Algeria in Franceville next Monday, Tunisia will meet Zimbabwe in the Gabonese capital, Libreville.Senegal have six points from two matches, Tunisia three and Algeria and Zimbabwe one each going into the final round.Teranga Lions coach Aliou Cisse made one change to the line-up that started a 2-0 first-round win over Tunisia, preferring Saivet to Pape Ndiaye in midfield.It proved a master stroke by the 2002 World Cup star as Saivet played a prominent role in the opening goal before doubling the lead himself.Red lights were flashing for Zimbabwe almost from the kick-off with Senegal going close to scoring twice within six minutes.They did surge into the lead on nine minutes as a superb Saivet pass set up Keita Balde to cross and unchallenged Mane tapped in at the far post.When Onismor Bhasera fouled Balde soon after just outside the box, Saivet curled the free-kick over the defensive wall and past goalkeeper Tatenda Mkuruva.A rout was in prospect as Senegal toyed at times with Zimbabwe, effortlessly passing the ball among themselves as if at a training session.But the west Africans did not increase their goal tally before-half-time and Zimbabwe had a chance to halve the deficit.Khama Billiat, runner-up to Uganda goalkeeper Denis Onyango in the 2016 Africa-based Footballer of the Year poll, got past Kara Mbodj only to have a weak shot easily saved.Rattled Zimbabwe opted for a more physical approach in the second half, introducing South Africa-based attackers Evans Rusike and Tendai Ndoro.Mane had two chances in quick succession to double his goal tally on the night, but the first attempt was blocked by Mkuruva and the second headed away by Costa Nhamoinesu.

Golf: Stenson surges to Abu Dhabi lead

Posted:

ABU DHABI (AFP) - Henrik Stenson started his new season in the same dominant fashion that helped him become the European number one in 2016, shooting a bogey-free eight-under par 64 to take a two-shot lead Thursday in the $2.7 million Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.The Swedish world number four was one of the early starters, paired with reigning US Open and Masters champions Dustin Johnson and Danny Willett, and made full use of the calm conditions and a receptive golf course to record eight birdies.Germanys Martin Kaymer -- the most successful player in the history of the tournament with three wins -- was among a group of four players tied for second place at six-under par 66. Thailands Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Scotlands Marc Warren and Englands Oliver Fisher were the other players alongside Kaymer.Englands Tyrrell Hatton also made a bright start with a five-under par 67. He was joined there by in-form Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Frenchman Julien Quesne and Englands Tommy Fleetwood.The 42-year-old Stenson, who has played all 11 previous editions of the tournament and holds the course record of 62, began in brilliant fashion covering his first nine holes in six-under par. He then made six consecutive pars on his back nine, before finishing with two birdies in the last three holes.Must be the lack of practice that does it ... lack of sleep, lack of practice, said Stenson, who arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday after being voted Swedish Male Athlete of the Year.Im delighted with that score. I think I scored a bit better than what I played, but I kept it under control somewhat and hit a couple of close iron shots and made the putts. It seems like whatever I did at the back end of last year, seemed to be working still. If you finish off playing pretty good like I did in the Bahamas in Tigers Hero World Challenge (finished second), theres nothing that says you cant pick it up where you left it.Kaymer, winner in 2008, 2009 and 2011, started with two birdies in his first two holes, and even though he matched Stenson for number of birdies, the two-time major champion also made two bogeys.A satisfied Kaymer said: Some golf courses, you need to work hard to shoot 4- or 5-under par. This golf course, for me, doesnt feel like I need to do a lot of special things in order to play well, because I usually putt well on these greens.It doesnt feel like a hard-working day. I just like a lot of the tee shots. They really suit my eye, and again, if you are making putts, you do score well.World number three Johnson and compatriot and defending champion Rickie Fowler both endured a slow start and were even-par 72.Willett, who made a triple bogey seven on the 14th hole, started with a 74.

Motorcycling: Rossi eyes 10th title in wide open 2017 season

Posted:

MADRID (AFP) - Motorcycling superstar Valentino Rossi expects at least six challengers as he targets an elusive 10th world title in a new MotoGP season dominated by riders switching allegiances and thereby changing bikes too.After a tense rivalry over the past four years with Jorge Lorenzo, which peaked when veteran Rossi accused current world champion Marc Marquez of conspiring to help Lorenzo win the title in 2015, Lorenzo has jumped ship to Ducati.Lorenzos move triggered a domino effect as Maverick Vinales joined Rossi at Yamaha, whilst Andrea Iannone made way at Ducati to move to Suzuki.It will be very interesting this season because three top riders change bike, said Rossi, who last won the title in 2009, at the launch of the YZR-M1 bike in Madrid on Thursday.I think Lorenzo was a historical move. After eight years with Yamaha it will be very interesting, but not more easy.A record nine drivers won a grand prix in 2016 and Rossi expects another open championship.Maybe nine different riders is hard because it is very strange, but it is good for MotoGP. I think at minimum six riders can win this year.Rossi has finished second in the championship each of the last three seasons, but it was 2015 that stung the Italian most as he was involved in a series of bust-ups with Marquez, including kicking the Spaniard off his bike in Malaysia as Lorenzo came from behind to snatch the title by five points.And with the far less experienced Vinales, 22, now by his side, Rossi is hoping for less drama this season.The rivalry on the track is always very hard, especially with your teammate.After there is a different relationship off the track. I think we can have a good relationship, yes (with Vinales).From 2013 when I went back to Yamaha my relationship with the racers was not so bad for all the years.We had some problems at the end of the 2015, so I think we can have a good relationship and we can work together on the bike to improve the bike.Rossi has even talked up Vinales as a potential title challenger after finishing fourth in the world championship last season.Yet, even at 37, he admitted he can learn from his mistakes last season to finally land his much-awaited 10th world title.Last year I had good speed, I was competitive in a lot of tracks and a lot of conditions, but I made some mistakes, sometimes I was unlucky, he added.It is very important dont stop working and dont stop improving. It is quite similar to last season, but make the small details better.The 18-race MotoGP season gets underway in Qatar on March 26.

Karachi: Accused involved in policeman killing nabbed

Posted:

KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, police conducted an operation in Ghani Chourangi area of Karachi on Thursday and arrested an accused involved in murdering a police official.Police sources said that the accused, Abdul Majeed Baloch had killed a police official and wounded another in 2015 in SITE area. Police have also recovered a hand grenade and other arms from him.On the other hand, Police Investigation Unit conducted an operation in area near Shahra-e-Faisal and apprehended a fake DSP. Police have also recovered a fake appointment letter and other documents from him.

Multan: Blaze gutted shoes godown

Posted:

MULTAN (Dunya News) – According to details, fire broke out at a shoes godown in Haram Gate area of Multan which spread quickly and engulfed the two-storey building.Fire brigade and rescue teams reached the spot and brought the fire under control after a hectic effort of two hours. The fire destroyed goods worth millions of rupees.Rescue sources said that the fire was caused by short circuit. No loss of life was reported in the blaze.

Multan: 8-year-old child worker tortured by shopkeeper

Posted:

MULTAN (Dunya News) – According to details, eight-year-old Mohsin was working at a shop in Multan for the past four months. On Thursday, Mohsin demanded his salary from the shop owner who instead brutally tortured him with an iron rod in injured him.Dunya News aired the news of Mohsin’s torture after which police arrested the shop owner and registered a case against him. Eight-year-old Mohsin was also shifted to Nishtar Hospital for treatment.

Iraq forces clear east Mosul ahead of push for west bank

Posted:

MOSUL (AFP) - Iraqi forces battled the last holdout jihadists in east Mosul Thursday after commanders declared victory there and quickly set their sights on the citys west, where more tough fighting awaits.The announcement that the left bank of the Tigris River that divides Mosul had been retaken was a key milestone in an offensive that began three months ago but could yet last several more.Staff General Talib al-Sheghati, who heads the Counter-Terrorism Service spearheading the fighting in Mosul, declared the left bank liberated at a big press conference on Wednesday.Iraqi forces were still fighting there on Thursday, flushing out fighters from the Islamic State group in northern neighbourhoods east of the river.According to the Joint Operations Command coordinating the fight against IS, federal forces retook a large hotel and a presidential compound. They also recaptured the town of Talkif, further north, which they had besieged for weeks.Only a handful of areas on the east bank remained to be cleared, including the neighbourhood of Rashidiyah, commanders said. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said around the new year that ridding the country of IS, which seized around a third of it in 2014, could take three more months.He had initially promised to do so by the end of 2016 and many observers have argued his new timetable was still optimistic.Before Iraq launched its massive offensive against IS-held Mosul on October 17, the west bank had always been thought to be where federal forces would meet the toughest resistance.But elite troops struggled in the east too and only broke the back of the jihadists there in recent days, after stepped up coordination and increased aerial and advisory support from the US-led coalition.Once they have fully secured the east coast, Iraqi forces will need to tackle the west bank of the river, which is a little smaller but more densely populated.Patrick Martin, Iraq analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, said the worst may be yet to come.The coalition and the ISF (Iraqi security forces) should plan for western Mosul to be the hardest fight in Mosul, he said.It is denser urban terrain, with older neighbourhoods and narrower streets that will make clearing operations challenging.IS and Sunni insurgent groups also have had historical support zones in western Mosul, he added, warning that federal forces advancing in the streets could encounter more hostile residents than they have on the eastern side.The UN estimates about 750,000 people still live on Mosuls west bank, which includes the old city and key landmarks such as the mosque where IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed his caliphate in June 2014.Colonel John Dorrian, spokesman of the US-led coalition that has dropped close to 10,000 munitions on IS targets in the Mosul area since the operation began, said the battle would be tough but argued the jihadists had also been severely weakened since October.They lost a lot of fighters, a lot of resources, a lot of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and a lot of weapons during the first half of this battle, he said.The city is for all intents and purposes surrounded so they wont be able to resupply or reinforce whatever remains, he explained.Unlike most of the previous major battles to retake Iraqi cities from IS, the current offensive did not empty Mosul of its population.The UN and other relief organisations had planned for an unprecedented exodus of up to one million people but so far about 150,000 civilians have been displaced as a result of the Mosul offensive.The presence of so many residents in west Mosul as IS fights to the death for its last major bastion in Iraq was a concern, however.Many families have escaped the horrors of Mosul, but at least 300,000 children remain trapped in the west of the city and now face the prospect of a brutal siege, said Misty Buswell of Save the Children.Children have already paid a heavy price during the battles for the east, with civilians so far making up nearly half of all casualties in the conflict, she said.In the narrow and densely populated streets of the west, in Mosuls old city, children and their families run an even greater risk of being caught in the crossfire or being hit by bombs.

Tehran mayor says 20 firefighters dead in high-rise collapse

Posted:

TEHRAN (AFP) - Many firefighters were killed and others missing under the rubble after the Iranian capitals oldest high-rise building collapsed Thursday following a blaze, officials said.Rescue workers, soldiers and sniffer dogs were desperately hunting for survivors in the debris of the 15-storey Plasco building, which contained a shopping centre and hundreds of clothing suppliers.There was no official confirmed death toll several hours after the collapse.The capitals mayor, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, rowed back on an earlier statement that more than 20 firefighters were known to have died.Around 20 of my colleagues in the fire brigade managed to save people but went back to make sure nobody is inside, he told state television.Before they managed to get to the lower floors, the building collapsed and some of my colleagues were martyred.Fire brigade spokesman Jalal Maleki said: About 20 are under the rubble for sure, and definitely some have been martyred.Dramatic images showed flames pouring out of the top floors of the 55-year-old building, which then collapsed live on television after a four-hour blaze.The fire was initially contained but was then reignited by an explosion on the 10th floor, fatally weakening the buildings steel structure, Ghalibaf said.A Red Crescent aid official said 13 teams of sniffer dogs and four robot search devices were working at the scene. A tunnel had been dug from an adjacent car park to reach the basement of the building where survivors may still be trapped, a city councillor told the ISNA news agency. President Hassan Rouhani said the nation of Iran mourns and praises those sacrificing firefighters, and he asked citizens to pray for their families and the injured.Condolences came from around the world, with the London Fire Brigade tweeting: Our thoughts are with the friends and families of the firefighters who have died in Tehran.Some 78 people -- mostly firefighters -- were injured during the initial stages, the head of Tehrans emergency services told state television, and six were still in hospital by late evening.I was inside and suddenly I felt the building is shaking and is about to collapse. As we gathered colleagues and got out, a minute later the building collapsed, said Ali, a firefighter at the scene.Local media said the workshops were especially full of clothes in the build-up to Nowruz, the Iranian New Year which falls in March.Rouhani demanded an immediate investigation.More than 30 times we warned the buildings owners that it was not safe, but unfortunately they did not pay attention, said municipality spokesman Shahram Gilabadi.The fire brigade spokesman said the building was known to breach safety standards.Even in the stairwells, a lot of clothing is stored and this is against safety standards. The managers didnt pay attention to the warnings, Maleki told state television, adding that the building lacked sufficient fire extinguishers.Dozens of Tehranis queued to donate blood, with one young man telling state television: This is the least we could do for those who take their lives into their hands to rescue others.Tehrans tailors union said there were around 400 clothing suppliers inside. They were preparing clothing for the New Year and thats why all supply units were full of clothes, its head said.The Plasco building was Tehrans first shopping centre and Irans tallest building when it was finished in 1962, before being dwarfed by the construction boom of later years.It was built by Habibollah Elghanian, a prominent Iranian-Jewish businessman who was arrested for ties to Israel and sentenced to death and executed after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Fresh jail riot erupts as Brazil unrest spreads

Posted:

NATAL (AFP) - Stick-wielding inmates hurled stones and lit fires Thursday in a Brazilian jail where dozens were previously massacred, as authorities struggled to contain a spreading wave of gang violence.Police fired rubber bullets to try to separate two groups of inmates as they fought a pitched battled in the courtyard of the Alcacuz prison in the northern town of Natal, AFP reporters overlooking the facility saw.The governor of the surrounding Rio Grande do Norte state, Robinson Faria, called for the armed forces to deploy in the streets of Natal after rioting spread beyond the prison.Globonews television channel showed pictures of injured inmates being evacuated from the jail.Rioting also broke out in six towns in the state, a spokesman for local authorities told AFP.Six cars and a truck were set on fire and seven people were arrested in that unrest, the spokesman said.One person died and five were hurt during another prisoner uprising in the nearby town of Caico, he said.On Wednesday, elite officers entered the Alcacuz prison near the northern city of Natal and transferred 220 inmates to another jail.The Alcacuz facility was the scene of gruesome violence between two rival gangs last weekend when 26 inmates were massacred, most of them beheaded.That was the third major mass-killing in a Brazilian prison this year.So far this year, 134 people have been killed in prison violence, according to the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, citing justice ministry figures.Authorities are accused of allowing gangs to run the overcrowded jails.In a bid to wrest back control, the government is deploying 1,000 troops to clean out arms, explosives and cellphones from various cellblocks in the country.Defense Minister Raul Jungmann called the situation a national emergency.Brazilian police had stormed the Alcacuz prison early Sunday to halt the bloodbath, but were still not in full control four days later.Rival groups of prisoners remained loose in the courtyard, sheltering behind barricades of mattresses and furniture.The prison was built for a maximum of 620 inmates but currently houses 1,083, the state justice department said.Experts say the violence is part of a war between drug gangs battling for control of one of the worlds most important cocaine markets and trafficking routes.Brazil shares borders with Colombia, Bolivia and Peru, the worlds three biggest cocaine producers. It is a key route for trafficking the drug to Europe.At Alcacuz, inmates from the countrys biggest gang, the Sao Paulo-based First Capital Command (PCC), faced off against allies of their rivals from the Rio de Janeiro-based Red Command.The Natal massacre raised fears that the wave of violence could spread across the country -- including to the crime-plagued metropolis of Rio de Janeiro.About 60 inmates were killed in the northwestern city of Manaus on January 1. Many were beheaded and mutilated.A further 33 died in a prison riot in Roraima state on January 6.After those two riots, Temer announced the federal government would spend $250 million to build new prisons.

Killer avalanche turns Italian hotel into 'coffin'

Posted:

PENNE (AFP) - At least 25 people, including several children, were feared dead Thursday after a devastating avalanche buried an Italian mountain hotel under snow and mud.As night fell, the prospects of anyone being rescued alive from the ill-fated Hotel Rigopiano looked bleak, with rescue efforts hampered by heavy snow that had blocked access roads to the remote site.The hotel was engulfed by a two-metre (six-feet) high wall of snow late on Wednesday afternoon with the impact powerful enough to rip the three-storey building from its foundations and move it ten metres (yards).The first rescue workers only reached the remote site in the early hours of Thursday and it was midday by the time a snow plough and the first mechanical excavation equipment got there. Two bodies were extracted from the rubble and two survivors were taken to hospital with hypothermia as frantic rescue efforts continued into the evening.We are trying to recover bodies, said fire service spokesman Luca Cari. Asked if there was any hope of survivors, he told AFP: You never know.He added: The building was basically run over by the avalanche leaving it buried.I saw mattresses that had been dragged for hundreds of metres, which shows how big the search area is. There are tonnes of snow, tree trunks and all kinds of detritus.Italian broadcasters showed images of piles of masonry and rubble in the entrance area of what they dubbed a coffin hotel.The region was hit by four seismic shocks measuring above five magnitude in the space of four hours on Wednesday, when at least one person was confirmed to have died. Quake experts said the tremors almost certainly triggered the snowslide.The hotels guests had been assembled on the ground floor awaiting an evacuation following the quakes that was delayed by snow-blocked roads when the avalanche struck.Local officials confirmed two guests who were not inside when the avalanche struck had been rescued. They were suffering from hypothermia but not in any danger.One of them, identified as Giampiero Parete, 38, was quoted by friends in Italian media as saying his wife and two children, a girl aged six and and a boy aged eight, had been inside the hotel.Officials said there had been between 20 and 22 guests staying and seven or eight staff on duty at the hotel on the eastern lower slopes of the Gran Sasso mountain. It was unclear if there were any additional people in the hotel.The first mountain police on the scene got there by helicopter around 0300 GMT with others following on skis.They reported no signs of life inside the building and one of their commanding officers told reporters: There are many dead.Ambulances were blocked for hours by two metres of snow in the nearest village, Farindola, some nine kilometres (5.5 miles) away, according to the civil protection agency.The hotel, a four-star establishment with its own spa and indoor pool, was located at an altitude of 1,200 metres (3,900 feet) around 90 kilometres (55 miles) east of the epicentres of Wednesdays earthquakes. They were also centred near Amatrice, the town devastated in an August quake in which nearly 300 people died.A region dominated by Gran Sasso, a majestic 2,912 metres (9,554 feet) peak, has numerous small ski resorts popular with day-trippers from Rome and urban centres on Italys east coast.The one person confirmed dead Wednesday was a man found buried under the debris of a building in Castel Castagna, a small town to the north of Farindola.The quakes affected an area that straddles the regions of Lazio, Marche and Abruzzo which is home to many remote mountain hamlets.Although many residents had been evacuated from their homes after last years quakes, there were fears for families who had decided to stay and are now cut off.Guido Castelli, the mayor of the Marche town of Ascoli said his staff were trying to check on around 1,000 people in cut-off hamlets.It is like Waiting for Godot, he said, referring to the play by Samuel Beckett, in which the main characters wait in agony.Some 130,000 homes were without electricity overnight as a result of quake-damage to pylons and other infrastructure. Less than half of them were reconnected Thursday.Schools in the affected region have been closed until next week to allow structural safety checks to be carried out.Italy is prone to earthquakes but has rarely suffered so many in quick succession.Since the Amatrice disaster, there have been nine shocks measuring more than a five magnitude and a total of 47,000 registered aftershocks.Italy straddles the Eurasian and African tectonic plates, making it vulnerable to seismic activity when they move.

New Zealand to bowl first against Bangladesh

Posted:

CHRISTCHURCH (AFP) - New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl in the second and final Test against Bangladesh in Christchurch on Friday. As expected for a New Zealand wicket, the Hagley Oval pitch has a distinct green tinge providing bowler friendly conditions.Hopefully we can do the job with the ball, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said.We want to do the job a little bit better than in Wellington, he added, referring to Bangladesh scoring 595-8 when sent into bat first on a green wicket in the first Test.Despite their imposing first innings then, Bangladesh were beaten by seven wickets.They have not won a game on their New Zealand tour and have lost three key players for this Test with Mushfiqur Rahim, Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque all out injured. They have also dropped Subashis Roy.Throughout the series we have had our moments. This is a new game, new challenge, captain Tamim Iqbal said.It is the first time in almost 10 years that Bangladesh has not featured Mushfiqur in its line up.Nurul Hasan replaces Mushfiqur behind the stumps, Soumya Sarkar comes in for opener Imrul Kayes, Nazmul Hossain Shanto will make his debut replacing Mominul and Rubel Hossain is in for Subashis. New Zealand have kept an unchanged line up and confirmed they will again adopt short-ball tactics in an attempt to unsettle the Bangladesh batsmen. When Pakistan batted first on the same wicket two months ago they were all out in their first innings for 133. But rather than being rattled by bounce, they were undone by Colin de Grandhomme who took six wickets with his modest medium pacers. Teams:New Zealand: Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, BJ Watling, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult. Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Soumya Sarkar, Nazmul Hossain, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi.Umpires: Nigel Llong (ENG), Paul Reiffel (AUS). Third Umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA). Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND).

Smith guides Australia to 7-wicket victory over Pakistan

Posted:

PERTH (AFP) - Pakistan were left lamenting missed chances after Australia capitalised on their errors to win the one-day international in Perth on Thursday by seven wickets, with skipper Steven Smith scoring a century.Pakistan made 263 for seven after being sent to bat, having looked set to post a much bigger score at several stages. But the home side replied with 265 for three, winning with 30 balls to spare.After paceman Josh Hazlewood applied the brakes to a promising Pakistan innings with three wickets, skipper Smith and ODI debutant Peter Handscomb put on 183 for the third wicket in the chase to set their team on the path to victory.It could have been much different for Pakistan, as they squandered two golden opportunities to remove Handscomb early in his innings.He was caught from a no-ball before he scored, and was then dropped on 10.Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur could only rue the mistakes that helped Australia take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.Our only chance of really exerting pressure was to take early wickets, and we nearly had that right, Arthur said.And where were at as a team, we just cant afford those little lapses, so very disappointing.When they claimed openers David Warner (35) and Usman Khawaja (nine) in five balls Pakistan had Australia wobbling at 45 for two.One run later Handscomb was on his way back to the pavilion for a duck on debut, caught at first slip from the bowling of Junaid Khan.Australia should have been 46 for three, but Handscomb was recalled to the centre due to a front foot no-ball.To make matters worse, Handscomb had another life on 10 when a simple catch was dropped at point, with Junaid again the aggrieved bowler.It proved to be Pakistans undoing.Handscomb eventually fell for 82 from 84 balls, but the game was safely in Australias hands by then and the Australia batsman admitted he had a lucky day.I think Im going to buy a lottery ticket tonight, Handscomb said.As I was walking off, I started to hear the crowd going nuts, and couldnt quite work out what was going on.So I looked up on the big screen and saw the no-ball.Smith brought up his eighth ODI century by pulling the 97th ball he faced to the mid-wicket boundary and finished unbeaten on 108.Earlier in the day, Hazlewood reined the visitors in after they made a flying start, picking up 3-32 from his 10 overs.He claimed the vital wickets of Babar Azam, who top-scored with 84 from 100 balls, Umar Akmal (39) and opener Mohammad Hafeez (4).Babar played beautifully and appeared set to add another century to his blossoming career, before he was brilliantly caught by Handscomb.In his 21st innings, the Pakistani number three equalled the record held by four other players for being quickest to 1,000 runs before falling to Hazlewood.He attempted a pull shot and Handscomb took a great diving catch in the outfield, with the third umpire confirming the Australian got his hands under the ball.Babar did have some luck and was twice dropped by bowlers on their follow-through.He was dropped low down by James Faulkner on 31 and then Patrick Cummins grassed a tough chance when he was 74.Umar should have been stumped on one to give part-time spinner Travis Head (2-65) a third wicket, but wicketkeeper Matthew Wade botched an easy dismissal.

Trump arrives in Washington to lay claim to White House

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Donald Trump jetted into the US capital Thursday on the eve of the most consequential moment of his life -- his inauguration as the nations 45th president and the setting of a four-year course of American political reform.The Republican billionaires arrival caps an extraordinary and improbable run for the White House that, once he takes the reins from President Barack Obama at noon Friday, will launch the United States into new and uncharted waters.The journey begins and I will be working and fighting very hard to make it a great journey for the American people, Trump, a political novice, real estate magnate and former reality television star, tweeted before leaving Trump Tower, his Manhattan home.The 70-year-old leader-in-waiting traveled aboard an official government jet to a military base near the capital with his wife Melania.They and several relatives headed into the city, where Trump began attending pre-inaugural festivities that have become traditions for presidents-elect.It is a momentous day before a historic day, said Vice President-elect Mike Pence, as Washington put its finishing touches on the downtown area where hundreds of thousands of Americans will congregate for Trumps inauguration.After a luncheon with Republican leadership, his cabinet nominees and White House staff, Trump rode by motorcade to Arlington National Cemetery, where he and Pence laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.He then crosses the Potomac River to speak at the Lincoln Memorial, the epicenter of Thursdays events complete with a concert and fireworks, before spending the night at Blair House, the presidential guest accommodations across the street from the White House.Join me at 4pm over at the Lincoln Memorial with my family Trump tweeted.Trumps swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol will be carried live on screens around the globe. Rain is forecast.Numerous dignitaries, including his unsuccessful Democratic rival for the presidency Hillary Clinton, and three former presidents will be in attendance.Along with the crowds of Trump supporters, protesters have vowed to be out in force Friday.Trumps working-class supporters have sent him to Washington to turn the page on the Obama era and upend the political status quo.Trump has vowed to act, and swiftly. He is expected to sign four or five decrees Friday, and then a raft of others beginning Monday to dismantle every policy he can without waiting for congressional approval.Among his pledges for day one: signing orders to speed deportations of convicted criminals, begin building a wall on the US-Mexico border, and cancel billions of dollars in US funding to United Nations climate change programs.He is committed to not just day one, but day two, day three, of enacting an agenda of real change, incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters.Trumps first major legislative lift will be dismantling the health care reforms known as Obamacare. Congressional Republicans, led by House Speaker Paul Ryan, have sought for years to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and now Trump, despite potential pitfalls, is chomping at the bit.Should Ryan pass repeal legislation, hes actually got somebody thats going to sign it, Trump told the luncheon.Friday will revolve around the age-old ritual of the swearing-in, when the president-elect places his left hand on a Bible, raises his right, and takes the oath of office. His inaugural address will follow.In December, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump confided that he sought inspiration from John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan while writing his speech.Spicer said the words will be Trumps own, a personal and sincere statement that will last about 20 minutes, similar to Obamas first inaugural.I think its going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens, Spicer added.Obama, 55, issued a clear warning to his successor Wednesday. While he did not intend to get involved in day-to-day politics, he said he would speak out if certain red lines were crossed.I put in that category if I saw systematic discrimination being ratified in some fashion. I put in that category explicit or functional obstacles to people being able to vote, to exercise their franchise, he said.The Democratic opposition is organizing. About a third of US House Democrats will boycott Fridays ceremony. In the Senate, Democrats are obstructing the path of Trumps cabinet nominees, only a handful of whom look to be confirmed Friday. Republicans had hoped to confirm seven on that day.Trump on Thursday named Georgia ex-governor Sonny Perdue to be agriculture secretary, a move that completes his 15 cabinet selections.For the first time since Reagans 1980s presidency, the cabinet will feature no Hispanics.The new administration has asked over 50 individuals to remain in critical posts in order to ensure the continuity of government, Spicer said, including his predecessors special envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, Brett McGurk.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)