Thursday 2 February 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Trump says his travel ban is needed to ensure US religious freedom

Posted:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump defended his order to temporarily bar entry to people from seven majority-Muslim nations, which has come under intense criticism at home and abroad, saying on Thursday it was crucial to ensuring religious freedom and tolerance in America.Trump, speaking at a prayer breakfast attended by politicians, faith leaders and guests including Jordans King Abdullah, said he wanted to prevent a beachhead of intolerance from spreading in the United States.The world is in trouble, but were going to straighten it out, OK? Thats what I do - I fix things, Trump said in his speech.Trumps executive order a week ago put a 120-day halt on the U.S. refugee program, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The measure, which Trump says is aimed at protecting the country from terrorist attacks, has drawn protests and legal challenges.Trump, a wealthy businessman and former reality TV star who had never previously held public office when he was sworn in on Jan 20, also sought to reassure the large crowd about the nature of his phone calls with world leaders.The Washington Post said Trump had a tense call with Australias Prime Minister about his immigration order.Believe me, when you hear about the tough phone calls Im having - dont worry about it. Just dont worry about it, Trump said. He did not specify which calls he was referring to.Were taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. Its not going to happen anymore, said Trump, who campaigned on a stance of America first that he said would ensure the country was not taken advantage of in its trade or other foreign relations.Trump said violence against religious minorities must end. All nations have a moral obligation to speak out against such violence. All nations have a duty to work together to confront it, and to confront it viciously, if we have to, he said.Trump said the United States has taken necessary action in recent days to protect religious liberty in the United States, referring to his immigration action.Critics of the measure have accused him of violating the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, because the designated countries are majority-Muslim, and of slamming the door shut to refugees.Trump has said the move was necessary to ensure a more thorough vetting of people coming into the United States.Our nation has the most generous immigration system in the world. There are those who would exploit that generosity to undermine the values that we hold so dear, Trump said.There are those who would seek to enter our country for the purpose of spreading violence, or oppressing other people based upon their faith or their lifestyle - not right. We will not allow a beachhead of intolerance to spread in our nation, he said.Trump said his administrations new system would ensure that people entering the United States embrace US values including religious liberty.He also pledged to get rid of the Johnson Amendment, a tax provision that prevents tax-exempt charities like churches from being involved in political campaigns.The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the travel order clarifying that legal permanent residents, or green card holders, from the designated countries require no waiver to enter the United States.

Merkel in Turkey to salvage battered alliance

Posted:

ISTANBUL (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Turkey for the first time since the failed July coup, seeking to keep a key partnership alive after a series of crises.Merkel is expected to meet both President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim during the hugely sensitive one-day visit to the capital Ankara.The relationship between the two NATO allies has been battered in the last months by a series of rows in the wake of the July 15 failed coup aimed at ousting Erdogan.Berlin has repeatedly expressed unease over the extent of the crackdown that has seen some 43,000 people arrested in the wake of the putsch, under a state of emergency that has now lasted over half a year.Erdogan, meanwhile, has vented his exasperation that Germany has not responded to requests for the extradition of hundreds of suspects linked to the coup, the Kurdish militant movement and the ultra-left.The number of asylum requests made to Germany from Turkish citizens has shot up from 1,700 in 2015 to 5,700 in 2016, likely due to the crackdown after the coup.Last week it was reported that 40 Turkish soldiers stationed at NATO bases had asked Berlin for asylum, with Turkey pressing for the bids to be rejected.While Germany has expressed alarm over an alleged deterioration of press freedoms in Turkey, Ankara wants Berlin to hand over the former opposition Cumhuriyet newspapers editor-in-chief Can Dundar who escaped the country after the coup.But Dundar has founded a new anti-Erdogan news portal in Germany -- Ozguruz (We Are Free) -- and been received as an honoured guest by officials including President Joachim Gauck.The visit is all the more sensitive with Erdogan planning a referendum in April on new powers that critics say will create one-man rule. Merkel meanwhile is also thinking of elections at home in September where Turkey policy will be a key issue.Germany is home to some three million people of Turkish origin, the legacy of a massive guest worker programme in the 1960s and 70s and the biggest population of Turks in the world outside of Turkey.The controversy over Turkeys post-coup crackdown has dealt a new blow to its long-running EU membership bid, although Berlin has stopped short of backing Austrian calls for the entire process to be halted.This trip is taking place because we are convinced it is necessary to stay in continuous contact with Turkey, an important NATO partner, a very important EU neighbour, said Merkels spokesman Steffen Seibert.These days it is important to talk, he added.Merkel will also want to press Turkey to keep implementing a deal that has so far successfully reduced migrant flows to Europe, despite threats by Erdogan to walk away from it due to a failure to fulfill a pledge to grant Turks visa-free travel.The chancellors visit will be her first to Turkey since the coup, after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held prickly talks in Ankara in November.With the hugely controversial constitutional referendum looming in April, the visit has not been universally welcomed in Turkey with opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu saying he was disappointed in Merkel.She could say that Turkey must improve its democratic standards and a separation of powers is the backbone of the highest democratic standards, he told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.But Seibert said it was absurd to suggest Merkel was positioning herself to back Erdogan ahead of the referendum.

In India's Punjab, jobless youth take a chance with anti-establishment party

Posted:

TEONA(Reuters) - Twenty seven-year-old Rupinder Kaur Ruby is a political novice but her message is clear: jobs for young people.Grabbing the microphone, the law student tells a few hundred supporters in a dusty village square in the northwest Indian state of Punjab that the ruling parties have failed them.Punjab is not in a good place. And the youth are the most affected. They want to fight back, she said, raising her fist to cheers, as the crowd covered her in garlands before heading off to canvass for votes in a state election on Saturday.Ruby is one of several inexperienced candidates her Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party is fielding to tap anger among an increasingly aspirational but frustrated youth, and to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his party heads into five state polls over the next month starting with Punjab.A strong showing by AAP, which won a handful of seats in Punjab in the 2014 general election and governs the city-state of Delhi, would serve as a mid-term warning for the still-popular Modi as the economy fails to fulfil expectations.The young in Punjab have been hit hardest by factory shutdowns, amid allegations that corruption has hastened the economic decline of a relatively rich state of 28 million people bordering Pakistan.Unemployment tops voter concerns there, according to a recent poll, and young people are less and less willing to work their parents fields in the state known as Indias bread basket.Most recent opinion polls show Congress, Indias main opposition party, in the lead in Punjab, ahead of AAP which has been criticised by rivals for failing to flesh out how it would boost employment were it to come to power.But Rubys party is most popular among the young, reflecting a generational shift in India that poses a problem for Modi as newer parties seek to capitalise on the lack of jobs.Nearly two-thirds of Indias 1.3 billion people are under 35 - a demographic bulge that will create the worlds largest working-age population before 2050.Despite average annual economic growth of 6.5 percent between 1991 and 2013, India added less than half the jobs needed to absorb new entrants into the workforce.The incumbent Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party that rules Punjab alongside Modis Bharatiya Janata Party, and Congress, have governed the state alternately for decades with a focus on Sikhism, the states dominant religion, and farm subsidies.Those priorities resonate less among the young, and now all the main parties are promising free smartphones and 2,500 rupees (£30) a month for the unemployed.The other parties are all the same, said 30-year-old Jaskaran Sharma, who works as a truck driver in the Middle East and was helping with Rubys campaign in between jobs.She is energetic, and young people understand the system, he told Reuters in the village of Teona.Punjabs official unemployment rate in 2015/16, at 6 percent, was above the national average of 5 percent, according to the Labour Bureau, although economists say the figures do not reflect the true picture.Levels of underemployment are higher; only 17 percent of Punjabs population earns a regular wage.AAP, which scored surprise wins in local elections in Delhi in 2013 and 2015 on a broad anti-corruption platform, is led by 48-year-old Arvind Kejriwal, a former tax inspector who hopes to expand into other regions by channelling anger over unemployment.AAP workers like Ruby, daughter of a local government retiree, have built young teams to fan out across villages and campaign door-to-door.We depend on our volunteers. This is a ground-up campaign, she told Reuters over tea and biscuits, while young men snapped photos with her.Ruby has the lowest declared wealth, at 175,000 rupees (US$2,600), of any candidate in the state, according to reports. The 10 poorest candidates are from AAP, although the party has also chosen several well-off politicians as candidates.The youth are looking for change, and for that they are going to take a risk with AAP, said Ashutosh Kumar, a professor of political science at Panjab University.The ruling party, led by the wealthy Badal family, still commands support among older generations and better-off farmers, while Congress is attracting voters who see AAP as inexperienced.Sitting outside the office of his SAD party in the Badal heartland of Lambi, landlord farmer Bagga Singh said Kejriwal was a traitor who had fooled people.The protest vote boosting AAP would peter out, he predicted, because the Badals had established skill centres, curbed corruption and job creation would soon pick up.Still, he acknowledged more needed to be done.Young people dont want to work in agriculture. The margins are down and they dont want the hard work, the bearded 70-year-old said, wearing a pink Sikh turban. They want to sit in an air conditioned office.

White House says Israeli settlement building may not help peace

Posted:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration said on Thursday that Israels building of new settlements or expansion of existing ones in occupied territories may not be helpful in achieving peace with Palestinians, adopting a more measured tone than its previous pro-Israel announcements.In a statement issued two weeks before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to visit U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House said the administration has not taken an official position on settlement activity.Trump, a Republican, has signalled he could be more accommodating toward settlement projects than his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama. The latest statement reflects slightly more nuanced language on how the new administration views settlement activity.While we don’t believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal, the White House said in a statement.The statement could disappoint Israels far-right, which had hoped Trump would give an unqualified green light on rapid settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem - areas Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke by phone with Netanyahu on Thursday, the State Department said. It did not say whether they discussed the White House statement.Obama routinely criticized settlement construction plans and his administration often described settlement activity as lacking legitimacy and impeding peace.The White House statement came as Israel has ratcheted up settlement activity. On Wednesday, it said it would establish a new settlement in the occupied West Bank, the first since the late 1990s. It also announced plans for 3,000 more settlement homes in the West Bank, the third such declaration in less than two weeks since Trump took office.An announcement a week ago by Israel that it would build some 2,500 more dwellings in the West Bank, where Palestinians now seek statehood, drew rebukes from the Palestinians and the European Union.

Larkana: Firing incident claims two lives

Posted:

LARKANA (Dunya News) – According to details, some unidentified persons opened fire and killed two people village Wali Muhammad Jagirani in the jurisdiction of Mahota Police Station near Larkana on Thursday.The bodies of the deceased were recovered from the fields near the village. The attackers managed to escape after the incident.Police have shifted the bodies to Chandka Hospital. The deceased were identified as Ashfaq Bhutto and Mukhtar Jagirani. Police have registered a case and started investigation.

Karachi: Two accused arrested in police operation

Posted:

KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, police conducted an operation in Industrial Area near Super Highway in Karachi on Thursday and arrested two accused involved in street crimes.Police sources said that the arrested accused, Nauman and Ahsan, were involved in several cased of street crims. Police have also recovered arms from their possession.On the other hand, dacoits opened fire and wounded a man on offering resistance during a robbery attempt in residential area of Jamia Karachi.Police sources said that the wounded person is the husband of female professor of Jamia Karachi. Police have registered a case and started investigation.

IG Sindh takes notice of police highhandedness in Sukkur

Posted:

SUKKUR (Dunya News) – Inspector General of Police, Sindh has taken notice of police baton charge on protesters in Sukkur and transferred ASP Essa Sukhaira and directed him to report to head office, Dunya News reported. According to details, members of Khosa and Mirani communities clashed over a land dispute in Sukkur on Thursday during which SSP Sukkur, Anjad Sheikh allegedly favoured the Mirani community.Khosa community staged a protest against this favour upon which police baton charged the protesters and barred them to go to Press Club.IG Sindh has taken notice of police highhandedness and transferred ASP Essa Sukhaira. He also suspended SHO Site while all the police officials who resorted to baton charge were put under house arrest.

Any party can fill political void created by MQM split: Governor Sindh

Posted:

KARACHI (Dunya News) – Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair has said that the political void created due to split in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) will have to be filled by some other political party.During an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation after taking oath as the 32nd governor of Sindh, Muhammad Zubair said that MQM had the mandate of the people of Karachi for the past 30 years but now it has been divided into different factions thus creating a political void in the city. He said that some other political party would definitely fill this gap.Answering a question regarding his personal bitter relations with the PPP in the past, Muhammad Zubair said that it is time to move on instead of looking back at the events that happened in the tenure of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government.He said that that ZA Bhutto’s government committed many errors but the nation must move forward.Muhammad Zubair said that he will not exceed his constitutional limits and rejected possibility of any rift with the Sindh government during the upcoming days.He backed the ongoing Karachi operation against criminal elements and warned that nobody will be allowed to sabotage peace efforts in city. He further said that all the development projects will be completed very soon to make Karachi the real economic hub to the country.

Football: Cameroon beat Ghana to reach Cup of Nations final

Posted:

FRANCEVILLE (AFP) - Michael Ngadeu and Christian Bassogog both netted in the second half as Cameroon beat Ghana 2-0 in Franceville on Thursday (Feb 2) to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final.A finely-poised tie remained goalless until the 72nd minute, when Ghana goalkeeper Razak Brimah failed to deal with a free-kick into his area and John Boyes weak defensive header merely served as an assist for Ngadeu to control and fire home.Bassogog then broke away to clinch the win and spark wild celebrations as Hugo Brooss side progress to a final against Egypt in Libreville on Sunday.That will be the Indomitable Lions first Cup of Nations final since they lost 1-0 to the Egyptians in 2008. Then they also beat Ghana in the semi-finals.Ghana, who have still never beaten Cameroon at the competition, will now go to Port-Gentil for a third-place play-off against Burkina Faso on Saturday.This was their sixth consecutive Cup of Nations semi-final, but their wait to win the trophy for the first time since 1982 will go on.Just as in their quarter-final win against DR Congo, Ghana were once again without Asamoah Gyan at kick-off as their captain struggled to shake off a groin injury.In his absence, the Black Stars were second best for most of the first half and Cameroon were unfortunate not to be in front after a lively start to the match.Adolphe Teikeu saw his header from a Benjamin Moukandjo corner cleared off the line by Harrison Afful and Razak had to get down to save when Robert Ndip Tambe swept a Moukandjo cross towards goal.Moukandjo, the France-based captain of this inexperienced Cameroon side, also headed onto the roof of the net as the Ghanaians weathered the storm.With Andre Ayew struggling to get into the game from his position on the left flank, Avram Grants side made little impression going forward until five minutes before half-time.That was when Christian Atsus pass into the box split the Cameroonian defence and found Jordan Ayew, whose shot from a tight angle whistled just wide of Fabrice Ondoas far post.In a reversal of roles, Ghana were the better team at the start of the second half with the lightning quick winger Atsu their main source of danger.When one of his runs was illegally halted outside the area, Mubarak Wakaso whipped in the resulting free-kick and Ondoa flew high to his right to turn the ball behind.The Indomitable Lions steadied themselves and got the breakthrough from a set-piece of their own, the goal Cameroons first in almost five hours since Ngadeu netted the winner against Guinea-Bissau in the group stage.Ghana then sent on Gyan for the closing stages but as they pushed men forward Bassogog broke downfield and beat Razak to make it 2-0 in the third minute of added time.

Djokovic the exception as he clocks in for national duty

Posted:

LONDON (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic will be a notable exception this week after clocking on for Davis Cup duty for Serbia when a host of other big names are resting up after their Australian Open exertions.World number two Djokovic is the only member of the top 10 in action over the weekends ties although he perhaps needs some sharpening after a shock second-round loss to Uzbekistans Denis Istomin in Melbourne left him with more time on his hands at the start of the season that he was anticipating.Which is good news for Serbia as they host a young Russian side in a World Group first round tie in Nis.Every year we are hoping to repeat what we did in 2010, Djokovic, whose presence packed out the stadium in practice on Wednesday, told the ITFs website.But the Russians have a young and motivated team, therefore we have to take them very seriously, added the 12-times grand slam champion who opens against Daniil Medvedev.While Serbia will benefit from Djokovics participation, Canada and Britain will both be without their weapons of choice when they meet in Ottawa. Britain, 2015 champions, are without world number one Andy Murray and Canada are missing Milos Raonic.Understandably, considering his magical exploits in winning an 18th grand slam title in Australia at the age of 35, Roger Federer will not feature for Switzerland in the U.S. while the visitors are also without Stan Wawrinka.The theme continues in Buenos Aires where champions Argentina take on Italy without talisman Juan Martin del Potro while in Japan the hosts are without Kei Nishikori against a French side lacking Gael Monfils and Joe-Wilfried Tsonga.Croatia, runners-up last year, are hosting Spain without Marin Cilic and will do well to hold a Spain side that, despite not having Rafael Nadal, still boasts the likes of Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta.Three-times champions Germany will fancy their chances of a long run having fallen at the first round stage for the past two years, especially with Alexander Zverev and his brother Mischa, Murrays Australian Open conqueror, in the side.It is the first time Germany have ever had siblings playing in the same tie and Alexander, 19, said it is a special moment.He almost had no ranking in 2015 and now for us to both be playing for our country is a very proud day, the supremely talented world number 22 said after the draw in Frankfurt which pitched him against Belgiums rookie Arthur de Greef.While Djokovic will be keen to banish bitter Australian Open memories, so too will Nick Kyrgios who exited his home grand slam to boos from the crowd ringing in his ears after losing a five-setter from two sets up to Andreas Seppi in round two.World number 15 Kyrgios lines up for Australia against the Czech Republic in Melbourne where he will hope for a warmer reception.

Golf: Garcia leads, Woods struggles in Dubai

Posted:

DUBAI (AFP) - Sergio Garcia led as Tiger Woods struggles continued at the Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday.Garcia shot a superb opening round of seven-under par 65 to top the leaderboard by one shot from Chiles Felipe Aguilar and South Africas George Coetzee.For Woods, 41, it was a day to forget as he slumped to a birdie-less five-over par 77.The American world number 666 was among the morning groups to tee off, and from his first hooked drive on the 10th hole, which led to a bogey, it was a relentless but futile search for the former world number one.He made the turn at three-over par after hitting his third shot into the water on the par-5 18th.Even though he seemed to be hitting the ball much better on his back nine (the front nine of the Majlis course), he missed four birdie chances and made two further bogeys.The 14-times major winner shrugged: Well, I didnt hit the ball very well. I left there probably about 16 putts short. I just couldnt get the speed of these things, and consequently, it added up to a pretty high number.There were a couple of shots during the round where he walked gingerly after hitting, but Woods said he wasnt in any pain.I was just trying to hit shots and I wasnt doing a very good job, he added.At the end, I finally hit some good ones but damage had already been done. On top of that, I could have hung in there, I could have shot something near even par if I would have made some putts, but I made nothing.Garcia meanwhile made the most of the calmer morning conditions as he took a one-shot lead when play was suspended due to bad light.The Spaniard, who made an eagle three on the par-5 third hole, started from the 10th tee and was bogey-free for 16 holes before making one on the eighth.Ive done very well I guess. Obviously, it was a nice way to start. A good, solid round. It was getting a little bit tasty there at the end, the last five, six holes.So it was nice to be able to get it in on a good score and see what happens. Tomorrow is supposed to be a tough day, so well see, said Garcia, who plans to marry his girlfriend Angela Akins this year.Aguilar was bogey-free in his 66 with three birdies on each side of the golf course, while Coetzee started with a bogey before making seven birdies.Englands Ian Poulter was part of a four-man group at five-under par 67.Indias Dubai-based 17-year-old amateur Rayhan Thomas shot a four-under par 68 to share eighth with 2007 champion and European No1 Henrik Stenson of Sweden, 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell and two others.Defending champion Danny Willett, who was playing with Woods, signed for one under par 71.Australian Ryan Fox had the best score of 68 among the afternoon groups, which were affected by windy conditions.

Former England and Chelsea midfielder Lampard retires at 38

Posted:

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard announced his retirement from professional soccer on Thursday after spending last year with New York City in Major League Soccer in the United States.Lampard, who started his career at West Ham United, established himself as one of Europes finest midfield players during a 13-year spell at Chelsea.After 21 incredible years, I have decided that now is the right time to finish my career as a professional footballer, Lampard said in a statement.Whilst I have received a number of exciting offers to continue playing at home and abroad, at 38 I feel now is the time to begin the next chapter in my life.Looking forward, Im grateful to the FA for the opportunity to study for my coaching qualifications and I look forward to pursuing the off-field opportunities that this decision opens.Lampard, who was capped 106 times for England, is also Chelseas all-time top goalscorer with 211 goals in over 400 appearances in all competitions.The midfielder won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League during a trophy-laden spell at Chelsea.

Kuwaiti Sheikh Ahmad seeks re-election to FIFA council

Posted:

KUWAIT CITY (Reuters) - Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait will seek re-election to the FIFA Council after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) named him as one of eight candidates for the four spots available for the continent.Sheikh Ahmad, who heads the Association of National Olympic committees and is an influential International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, currently has a FIFA Council seat, the term of which ends in May.Kuwait are currently banned by both the IOC and FIFA for government interference in the running of the national sports associations.The FIFA Council replaced the largely discredited Executive Committee as FIFAs decision-making body under reforms instituted in the wake of the 2015 corruption scandal in soccers world governing body.The four successful candidates at Mays AFC congress in Bahrain will represent Asia on the body along with Bahraini vice president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, also the head of the AFC, and members from Japan and Malaysia.The four spots include one reserved for women.The Asian Football Confederation has received the candidatures of eight candidates for the four places available to the AFC on the FIFA Council, the AFC said in a statement.Australian Moya Dodd, formerly a co-opted member of the old FIFA Executive Committee, will take on Mahfuza Ahkter of Bangladesh, Han Un-gyong of North Korea and Susan R. A. Shalabi of Palestine.Chinese Football Association general secretary Zhang Jian, Mariano V. Araneta Jr of Philippines and South Korean football chief Chung Mong-gyu will vie with Sheikh Ahmad for the three other seats.The above list of candidates for the FIFA Council will be submitted to the FIFA General Secretariat in order for the FIFA Review Committee to carry out the eligibility check on each candidate, the AFC added.Last September, the AFC extraordinary congress, called to conduct the elections for the FIFA Council, was postponed over the disqualification of a Qatari candidate.

UEFA hands out 150 million euros to clubs for release of players

Posted:

ZURICH (Reuters) - UEFA has handed out a total of 150 million euros (US$162.18 million) to clubs who released players for the Euro 2016 qualifying matches and final tournament, European soccers governing body said Thursday.UEFA said that 641 clubs from 54 national associations had benefited from solidarity payments which were made under an agreement to appease clubs who often complain about the amount of time their players spend with their national teams.For the qualifying matches, an average of 3,536 euros was paid to a club each time one of their players was included in the 23-man squad of a national team, whether or not he played, UEFA said.For Euro 2016 itself, 7,321 euros per player per day was paid to so-called Category One clubs, 4,821 euros for Category Two clubs and 2,410 euros for Category Three clubs.I am very pleased to see that we are able to provide financial benefits to so many clubs of all profiles and sizes in order to reward their contribution to Euro 2016, said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), said clubs invested substantial resources in the development of players.It is important and fair to recognise and reward the clubs for the release of their players, he said. ECA is pleased that a serious agreement was found with UEFA, which benefits so many clubs from across Europe.A similar agreement exists with soccers governing body FIFA for the World Cup.Clubs have often complained that their players are involved in too many international games and sometimes come back injured, although they receive compensation under a FIFA scheme when that happens.Despite his comments on Thursday, Rummenigge had again complained earlier this week that too many dates had been added to the international calendar.When I was a player, we didnt play more than eight international games a season, now they play 15, said the former West Germany forward.According to the UEFA figures, Juventus received the biggest handout of 3.48 million euros, followed by Liverpool (3.39) and Tottenham Hotspur (3.07).

New Zealand to launch urgent inquiry into Napier washout

Posted:

NAPIER (Reuters) - New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and local authorities have agreed to an urgent inquiry to determine why the second one-day international between the hosts and Australia was abandoned on Thursday without a ball being bowled.Morning rain delayed the scheduled start time, but the conditions improved enough for the ground staff to prepare McLean Park in Napier for a shortened match.Practice facilities across the road from the ground were bone dry shortly after the rain stopped, according to New Zealand coach Mike Hesson, but the outfield at McLean Park failed to drain properly.There were parts of the ground where youd hit the ball and water would just go everywhere, Australia captain Aaron Finch told reporters. It wasnt ideal, I dont think it would have been safe for players to play on.The decision left thousands of fans frustrated and the players visibly annoyed.NZC chief operating officer Anthony Crummy said they had agreed with the ground owners, the Napier City Council, to begin an independent inquiry as soon as possible as to why the field did not drain effectively.Its too early to say what happened, Crummy said. We did have some rain today but not enough to have the game being abandoned. So we really need to have a look at what has happened.We have spoken to council and they have reassured us there will be a full independent review.Council chief executive Wayne Jack said he considered the review to be an urgent matter and would meet with NZC to start proceedings on Friday.The ground is due to host another ODI against South Africa on March 1. Crummy said it was too early to say whether that fixture was in doubt.Our number one priority is making sure that that game can go ahead without interruption, Crummy added. Again, we just have to find out what has happened and what steps need to take place that it doesnt happen again.Napier mayor Bill Dalton, while disappointed with the outcome, said he believed there was no issue with the drainage and stood by long-term groundsman Phil Stoyanoff.Dalton added that several people who had access to the playing area had been surprised the match was abandoned.It was only one small area of the park that was deemed not to be dry enough, Dalton said. I know people who walked over that particular area and couldnt see what the issue was.The general feeling amongst the public is that they couldnt understand why play didnt commence. But Im not an umpire, or a cricketer and cant make those calls.Crummy said all general admission ticket holders would receive a full refund. He said about six-seven thousand tickets had been sold but did not discuss how much money NZC would need to pay out, or their insurance arrangements.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)