Thursday 23 February 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Spot-fixing: Third arrest made in Pakistan corruption probe

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LONDON (Reuters) - A third man has been arrested in relation to an ongoing investigation into possible corruption in Pakistani cricket, Britains National Crime Agency (NCA) has said.Officers from the National Crime Agency arrested a British man in his thirties this morning in the Sheffield area as part of its investigation into the spot-fixing of cricket matches, the NCA said in a statement on their website.He was bailed pending further inquiries.The NCA arrested two other men earlier this month as part of the investigation, which they said was being done in conjunction with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and International Cricket Council.The PCB suspended three players, including former test opener Nasir Jamshed, as part of the investigation.Batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were also provisionally suspended this month and sent home from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 tournament, which is being played in Dubai.The PCB said at the time they were investigating whether an international betting syndicate was trying to influence matches in the PSL.Three Pakistan players, Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, were jailed in Britain in 2011 for conspiracy charges relating to spot-fixing after no balls were bowled to order during a test against England at Lords.

Trump wants to make sure US nuclear arsenal at 'top of the pack'

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants to ensure the U.S. nuclear arsenal is at the top of the pack, saying the United States has fallen behind in its weapons capacity.In a Reuters interview, Trump also said China could solve the national security challenge posed by North Korea very easily if they want to, ratcheting up pressure on Beijing to exert more influence to rein in Pyongyangs increasingly bellicose actions.Trump also expressed support for the European Union as a governing body, saying Im totally in favour of it, and for the first time as president expressed a preference for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but said he would be satisfied with whatever makes the two sides happy.In his first comments about the U.S. nuclear arsenal since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump was asked about a December tweet in which he said the United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capacity until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.Trump said in the interview he would like to see a world with no nuclear weapons but expressed concern that the United States has fallen behind on nuclear weapon capacity.“I am the first one that would like to see ... nobody have nukes, but we’re never going to fall behind any country even if it’s a friendly country, we’re never going to fall behind on nuclear power.It would be wonderful, a dream would be that no country would have nukes, but if countries are going to have nukes, we’re going to be at the top of the pack, Trump said.Russia has 7,000 warheads and the United States, 6,800, according to the Ploughshares Fund, an anti-nuclear group.The history of the Cold War shows us that no one comes out on the top of the pack of an arms race and nuclear brinkmanship, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the independent Arms Control Association non-profit group.Russia and the United States have far more weapons than is necessary to deter nuclear attack by the other or by another nuclear-armed country, he said.The new strategic arms limitation treaty, known as New START, between the United States and Russia requires that by February 5, 2018, both countries must limit their arsenals of strategic nuclear weapons to equal levels for 10 years.The treaty permits both countries to have no more than 800 deployed and non-deployed land-based intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missile launchers and heavy bombers equipped to carry nuclear weapons, and contains equal limits on other nuclear weapons.Analysts have questioned whether Trump wants to abrogate New START or would begin deploying other warheads.In the interview, Trump called New START a one-sided deal.Just another bad deal that the country made, whether its START, whether its the Iran deal ... Were going to start making good deals, he said.The United States is in the midst of a US$1 trillion, 30-year modernization of its ageing ballistic missile submarines, bombers and land-based missiles, a price tag that most experts say the country cannot afford.Trump also complained that the Russian deployment of a ground-based cruise missile is in violation of a 1987 treaty that bans land-based American and Russian intermediate-range missiles.To me its a big deal, Trump said.Asked if he would raise the issue with Putin, Trump said he would do so if and when we meet. He said he had no meetings scheduled as of yet with Putin.Speaking from behind his desk in the Oval Office, Trump expressed concern about North Koreas ballistic missile tests and said accelerating a missile defence system for U.S. allies Japan and South Korea was among many options available.Theres talks of a lot more than that, Trump said, when asked about the missile defence system. Well see what happens. But its a very dangerous situation, and China can end it very quickly in my opinion.China has made clear that it opposes North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and has repeatedly called for denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and a return to negotiations between Pyongyang and world powers.But efforts to change Pyongyangs behaviour through sanctions have historically failed, largely because of Chinas fear that severe measures could trigger a collapse of the North Korean state and send refugees streaming across their border.Trumps meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this month in Florida was interrupted by a ballistic missile launch by North Korea.Trump did not completely rule out possibly meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at some point in the future under certain circumstances but suggested it might be too late.Its very late. Were very angry at what hes done, and frankly this should have been taken care of during the Obama administration, he said.According to Japanese news reports, the Japanese government plans to start debate over the deployment of a U.S. missile defence system known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, and the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defence system to improve its capability to counter North Korean ballistic missiles.The strength of Trump’s remarks in favour of the EU took some Brussels officials by surprise after his support for Britains vote last summer to exit from the EU.Im totally in favour of it, Trump said. I think its wonderful. If theyre happy, Im in favour of it.Statements by him and others in his administration have suggested to Europeans that he sees little value in the Union as such, which Trump last month called a “vehicle for Germany.

Turkish-backed forces seize centre of Syria's al-Bab from IS

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ISTANBUL/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkish-backed rebels have seized the centre of al-Bab town from Islamic State, Turkish state media and rebels said on Thursday, in a boost to Ankaras drive to defeat the militant group in northern Syria.Turkey launched its Operation Euphrates Shield in August in an effort to push Islamic State from its border and stop the advance of a Syrian Kurdish militia.Taking control of al-Bab, an Islamic State stronghold 30 km (20 miles) from the Turkish border, would deepen Turkish influence in an area of Syria where it has effectively created a buffer zone and would allow the Ankara-backed forces to press on towards Raqqa, Islamic States de facto capital in Syria.The Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters, a loose coalition of Syrian Arabs and Turkmen, have been attacking al-Bab since December, aided by Turkish warplanes, tanks and special forces.Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency, citing its correspondent in al-Bab, said the rebels had seized control of the town centre and were now clearing mines and explosive devices laid by the jihadists. Some 1,900 square kilometres (734 square miles) in northern Syria has now been cleared of militant groups, it said.A war monitor, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said later on Thursday that Euphrates Shield forces had taken full control of al-Bab and of two neighbouring towns, Qabasin and al-Bezah.We had reached the city centre yesterday but there was a suicide attack so we had to withdraw a little bit. And today we attacked again. I can say that 85-90 percent of the city is under control, a fighter from the Sultan Murad Brigade who is in al-Bab told Reuters by telephone.They have dug tunnels all under Bab and those who have remained are all suicide bombers. The whole of the city is mined. I can say that every metre is mined.Another fighter with an FSA group contacted via a social networking site said there was complete calm in al-Bab. The fighter said he was speaking from the city centre.Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik told Anadolu the rebels had entered the town centre and that most of the town itself was now under their control.However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said that more than half of al-Bab was still under IS control, and that battles continued.There was no immediate comment from the Turkish military.Earlier, a Turkey-based rebel official from a group previously involved in fighting in Aleppo province said the rebels had taken control of al-Bab, although pockets of IS militants were still fighting.There has been cleaning up of the last remaining areas of (IS) control, and there were street battles, Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim faction told Reuters, adding that all the strategic areas of the city had been captured.Turkish officials have repeatedly said that the al-Bab operation was taking longer than anticipated because of numbers of civilians still in the town and the care being taken not to harm them. It dropped leaflets on the town as long ago as December urging civilians to seek shelterWhile Euphrates Shield has been largely focused so far on combating Islamic State, Ankara is also determined to prevent the Kurdish YPG militia, which it considers a terrorist group, from linking the cantons it controls along the Turkish border.Turkey fears that advances by the YPG could enflame a Kurdish insurgency at home.President Tayyip Erdogan has said the next target for the Turkish offensive should be Raqqa but that the YPG should not be involved.

US promises no mass deportations in bid to calm Mexico

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MEXICO CITY (Agencies) - US officials promised Mexico no mass deportations or use of military force to expel immigrants, moving to calm tensions over President Donald Trumps vow to crack down on bad dudes illegally residing in his country.US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Mexican ministers who expressed concern and irritation over Trumps combative stance on trade and migration ties with Mexico.Trump has outraged the United States southern neighbour by vowing to build a wall along the border to keep out migrants from Latin America, whom he branded rapists and criminals during his presidential campaign.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday issued new orders to step up the arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants, many of them Mexicans.But Kelly promised at a news conference in Mexico City Thursday there will be no, repeat no mass deportations. Everything we do in the DHS will be done legally. He added: There will be no use of military force for immigration operations.Earlier at the White House, Trump had described the stepped-up deportation drive as a military operation.But his spokesman Sean Spicer later told a news conference that Trump was using the term military simply as an adjective to mean efficient.Or as Trump himself put it earlier: Were getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before.US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was also in Mexico City where he met with his Mexican counterpart, Luis Videgaray.The Mexican minister repeated his vow not to let the United States impose migration reforms on it unilaterally.There is concern and irritation among Mexicans about what are seen as policies that could be detrimental for Mexicans in Mexico and abroad, he said. There are well-known differences and the best way to resolve them is through frank, clear dialogue.Tillerson said the two sides reiterated our joint commitment to maintaining law and order along our shared border by stopping potential terrorists and dismantling the transnational criminal networks moving drugs and people into the United States.But he agreed that cooperation on border security had to work both ways.We underscored the importance of stopping the illegal firearms and bulk cash that is originating in the United States and flowing into Mexico, he said. Theres no mistaking that the rule of law matters along both sides of the border.Kelly said the two countries were also cooperating on ways to stop US-bound migrants traveling up through Mexico from the impoverished and violent nations of Central America.The US envoys were due to meet later with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. He cancelled a planned meeting with Trump in Washington last month over the US leaders vow to make Mexico pay for the wall.In a move that may be aimed at pressuring Mexico, Trump has ordered US government agencies to count up how much aid they are giving to that country. Mexico sends 80 per cent of its exports to the United States.Trump has vowed to crack down on US companies producing in Mexico, hoping to see jobs shifted back to the United States. He has threatened to block remittances sent to Mexico by Mexican workers in the United States.Trump has called for a renegotiation of the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada.The US leader said Thursday he was determined to reduce the US$70 billion US trade deficit with Mexico even at the risk of harming ties. Were going to have a good relationship with Mexico, I hope, he said. And if we dont, we dont.

Muslims raise over $78,000 for vandalised Jewish cemetery in Missouri

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Muslim Americans have helped raise more than US$78,000 to repair vandalised headstones at a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, according to an online fundraising page, amid attacks and threats against Jewish institutions.About 170 headstones were toppled or damaged at the century-old Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery over the weekend, according to cemetery staff.Some Jewish groups described the vandalism and threats as the latest evidence that anti-Semitic groups have been emboldened by the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. His campaign last year drew the support of white nationalists and right-wing groups, despite his disavowals of them.Muslim Americans stand in solidarity with the Jewish-American community to condemn this horrific act of desecration, the fundraisers said on their website. More than 2,700 people had donated US$78,546 as of Wednesday afternoon.Jewish community centres across the United States have reported a surge in bomb threats, all of which have so far proved to be hoaxes. On Wednesday afternoon, the Anti-Defamation League, one of the countrys most prominent Jewish advocacy groups, said its national headquarters in New York City received an anonymous bomb threat but was later given the all clear.Trump condemned the threats as anti-Semitism for the first time on Tuesday after repeatedly declining to do so when asked by journalists last week. Some Jewish organisations have criticised his approach, saying they fear that the groups that supported Trump had become more active.The fundraising effort was launched by Linda Sarsour, a liberal political activist, and Tarek El-Messidi, the founding director of Celebrate Mercy, a non-profit organisation that teaches the public about Mohammad, the founder of Islam.On Tuesday night, Sarsour posted on Twitter that she was raising the funds in solidarity with our Jewish sisters and brothers.Sarsour was a supporter of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders in his bid to become the Democratic Partys presidential candidate, and went on to become one of the organisers of the Womens March on Washington, which drew record crowds to the capital on Jan. 21, the day after Trumps inauguration.Cemetery staff, who did not respond to a request for comment, were still calculating the cost of repairing the damaged tombstones as of Tuesday. The organisers of the fundraising campaign said they would donate any excess funds to repair any other vandalised Jewish centers.

Militants kill 15 Niger soldiers in patrol ambush

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NIAMEY (Reuters) - Militants ambushed an army patrol in Niger on Thursday, killing 15 soldiers and wounding 19, the Defense Ministry said, occurring in an area near the border with Mali where violent Islamists have been seeking to expand their reach.A search operation is underway to neutralise the terrorists, the ministry statement said of the attack just outside the town of Tiloa.Militants and allied criminal gangs have long exploited the areas around the vast, desert border between Mali and Niger to launch attacks, even after a French-led military intervention pushed insurgent groups back from northern Mali in 2013.Attacks in Niger are much rarer than in Mali, although militants in the past year have been expanding across borders in the fragile Sahel region into Niger and Burkina Faso.Gunmen riding motor bikes and other vehicles raided a village and killed five soldiers in Niger in November. Assailants kidnapped a U.S. aid worker in central Niger a month earlier.

One dead as Storm Doris hits British Isles

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LONDON (Agencies) - One person was killed by falling debris on Thursday as Storm Doris slammed into the British Isles, also causing flight disruptions at Europes busiest air hub and train cancellations.A woman suffered a fatal head injury from a piece of debris blowing down onto the street in Wolverhampton, central England.Storm Doris was heading eastwards from the Atlantic Ocean across the British Isles, and was expected to clear the east coast around sunset.The gales caused around 10 per cent of flights to be scrapped at London Heathrow Airport.In Britain, the top wind speed of 94 miles (151 kilometres) per hour was recorded at Capel Curig near Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.In Ireland, wind speeds of 87 mph (140 kph) were recorded at Mace Head in County Galway on the Atlantic west coast.West Midlands Ambulance Service said several paramedics were sent to the fatal incident in Wolverhampton.On arrival, crews found a woman who had suffered very serious head injuries, a spokesman said. Sadly, it quickly became apparent that there was nothing that could be done to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene.A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: The incident is believed to be related to Storm Doris.Rebecca Davis, a 40-year-old teacher who saw the victim receiving emergency treatment, said the debris was a big piece about the size of a coffee table.The storm caused travel disruption.A Heathrow spokesman said: Strong winds and poor weather across the UK have resulted in approximately a 10 per cent reduction to Heathrows flight schedule.Speed limits of 50 mph (80 kph) were imposed on several train lines in Britain, while many trains were cancelled, including services linking London with Manchester and Liverpool.The Port of Liverpool in northwest England was closed due to the winds, while some ferry services to Scotlands west coast islands were disrupted.Some roads were shut due to strong winds and snow.The Republic of Irelands state Electricity Supply Board said some 37,000 customers were without power due to around 1,000 separate faults, with high winds and falling timber damaging electricity lines.In neighbouring Northern Ireland, NIE Networks said they had restored electricity to around 14,000 customers, with some 2,700 still affected.

Karachi: Foreigners among 26 nabbed in police operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Police conducted operation in different parts of Karachi on Thursday and apprehended six foreigners and 20 suspects, Dunya News reported.According to details, FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Cell carried out an operation in Al-Asif Square and arrested four Afghan nationals. Police have also registered a case against them.Two other foreigners were taken into custody during police operation in Gabool Town area. Police sources said that Hafeez Ullah and Bismillah were residing illegally in Pakistan. A case under Foreign Act has been registered against them. On the other hand, police apprehended at least 20 suspects during combing operation in Manghu Pir area. According to SP Hassan Sardar, the operation was part of National Action Plan (NAP).

Military courts: PPP agrees to end parliamentary leaders meeting boycott

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Speaker National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, convinced Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to end boycott of parliamentary leaders meeting on extension of military courts.Ayaz Sadiq contacted opposition leader in the National Assembly and PPP leader Syed Khurshid Shah and requested him to end boycott of Parliamentary leaders meeting on military courts revival.Khurshid Shah said that the PPP top leadership has given a green signal to attend the meeting of Parliamentary leaders in regard to military courts extension. He further said that PPP’s parliamentary leader Syed Naveed Qamar would represent the party in the seventh meeting.In the sixth meeting of the Parliamentary leaders held on Thursday, PTI, MQM and ANP put forward two demands. First was to retain the previous draft and the second was to formulate a parliamentary committee of national interest for the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP).Moreover, MQM also demanded provision of powers to local governments in return for their support to the military courts extension.

Karachi: Section 144 imposed within Federal Urdu University premises

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to a Federal Urdu University spokesman, Section 144 has been imposed within the premises of Gulshan Iqbal Campus and Maulvi Abdul Haq Campus on Thursday, banning all kinds of gatherings and functions for an indefinite period.The spokesman further said that assembly of five or more people within Federal Urdu University premises has been banned. He said that the decision to impose Section 144 was taken after consultation with security agencies.

Tennis: Kerber into Dubai semis, stays on target for top spot

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DUBAI (Agencies) - Angelique Kerber hammered out a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Ana Konjuh on Thursday to stay in contention for a return to the top WTA ranking at the Dubai Tennis Championships.Germanys double Grand Slam winner from 2016 can take back the top spot from Serena Williams through a title at the Aviation club on Saturday.The 29-year-old will first have to get by Elina Svitolina, on course for her own breakthrough into a first-time top 10 ranking if she can win the event.The Ukrainian reached the final four with a 6-0, 6-4 defeat of Lauren Davis.Kerber has used Dubai as a building block to repair her modest early season form.Im really happy about the match today again. Ana is a tough opponent, shes going for it. You have to play until the last point. It was nice to get through in two sets. I was just focusing on myself and trying to take the rhythm from the last days.The match with Svitolina will be another tough one. I have to be aggressive and just like the last days here. Ill just try to enjoy the next match and of course I will try to go out there and to win another match here.Svitolina, seeded seventh and winner of a fifth career title this month in Taipei, was pleased to advance.Im really happy the way I started and the way I finished the match, I was being very aggressive and it worked really good, said Svitolina.I was calm and positive today. Im really happy with the performance. I was expecting she would do something different after losing 0-6 - its always tough. I was expecting her to come back to the game.I was trying to stick to my plan and stay really positive. I knew that there would be some up-and-downs, but I tried to do more, more effort from my side so I didnt lose my focus too much.Tenth seed Caroline Wozniacki produced an identical scoreline to Kerber as she put out teenaged Californian Catherine Bellis 6-3, 6-2 to end the 17-year-olds run of form which had produced a third-round upset of fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska.Latvian Anastasija Sevastova ended the weeks last Chinese hope, defeating Wang Qiang 6-4, 7-5 as the Asian lost her first sets of the week.

Africa tells FIFA it wants 10 places at expanded World Cup

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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Africa will be looking to double the number of places it has at an expanded World Cup, the continents football association presidents have told soccers world governing body FIFA.Africa wants at least 10 spots in the 48-team World Cup that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed from 2026 as the continent gave a ringing endorsement to the expansion plans.“All associations back the idea to expand the World Cup and there is the hope that Africa can have 10 places in future,” South African FA chief Danny Jordaan said on Wednesday.That would be double the five places the continent has at the next two finals in Russia next year and Qatar in 2022.Europe is seeking a minimum of 16 places, up from 13, and wants its sides to be separated in the 16 opening round groups of three teams, with the top two advancing to a 32-team knockout phase under plans approved by FIFA last month.Asia are expected to get eight to nine places, compared to 4-1/2 now, and South America, which has 10 member countries, a total of six, also up from 4-1/2.The CONCACAF region, made up of the Caribbean, Central and North American countries, would get 6-1/2 places, compared to 3-1/2, with Oceania, the small Pacific Islands confederation, having one automatic place at the finals instead of 1/2.Inter-continental playoffs between countries with 1/2 a place would determine the additional spots at the finals.The final allocation of places must be passed by the FIFA Council.The subject of the expanded World Cup featured prominently at a three-day summit between FIFA chief Infantino and more than 50 presidents of the African FAs.The talks were behind closed doors but FIFA officials told Reuters on Wednesday that Infantino had outlined plans for an expanded World Cup and new development assistance for member countries.It is the first time a summit of this type has been held, giving Africas FA representatives informal contact with the FIFA leadership, including the world governing bodys recently appointed general secretary Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura.“It has been a very good idea and a chance for the associations to also speak directly to the FIFA leadership about their issues and concerns,” said Ahmad, the president of the Madagascar Football Federation.Ahmad, who uses just one name, is running for the presidency of the Confederation of African Football against long-standing incumbent Issa Hayatou of Cameroon next month.The summit comes three weeks before the CAF elections in Addis Ababa on March 16 and the FIFA event in Johannesburg has been dominated by intense lobbying, delegates said.“Most of the business at this summit is actually outside of the conference room, in the corridors and the hotel lobby as different candidates try to persuade associations to vote for them,” said one African FA chief, who asked not to be named.

Rooney to stay at Manchester United

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LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester Uniteds Wayne Rooney intends to stay at the club, ending speculation that he could move to China.“Despite the interest which has been shown from other clubs, for which I’m grateful, I want to end recent speculation and say that I am staying at Manchester United, Rooney said in a statement on Thursday.British media had reported that Rooneys agent, Paul Stretford, was in China to see if he could negotiate a deal for the England forward to leave United and join the fast-growing Chinese Super League.Rooney, 31, has been unable to command a regular starting place under manager Jose Mourinho and faces a race to be fit for a likely substitutes role in the League Cup final against Southampton at Wembley on Sunday.He missed his clubs Europa League win at St Etienne on Wednesday with a hamstring injury and Mourinho said he could not guarantee that the player would still be at Old Trafford for the final year of his contract, which expires after the 2017-2018 season.In January Rooney broke Bobby Charltons club goal-scoring record but has fallen behind the likes of Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford in the competition for a first-team place.In the statement, on Uniteds website, he said: I hope I will play a full part in helping the team in its fight for success on four fronts.Rooney, who joined United from Everton as an 18-year-old, began the season in the first team, scoring in their opening Premier League match - a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth.Yet he has fallen down the pecking order under Mourinho, making only eight starts in 17 Premier League appearances this season, and scoring just two goals.Rooney, who joined United in 2004, broke Charltons Manchester United scoring record on Jan. 21 when he scored their equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Stoke City - his 250th goal for the club.He is also Englands top scorer, overtaking the same player when he scored his 50th international goal, against Switzerland in September 2015.He hopes to add to his current tally of 53 - and 119 caps - but was dropped for the first time in his England career by manager Gareth Southgate for the World Cup qualifier against Slovenia in October, although he returned to captain his country against Scotland a month later.His hopes of beating Peter Shiltons England appearance record of 125 internationals look doubtful, but if he had moved to China, where British media reported he could have more than doubled his current 300,000 pounds (US$376,230)-a-week wages, they would likely have been non-existent.

Barca looking to rediscover top form at Atletico

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BARCELONA (Reuters) - Title hopefuls Barcelona need to capitalise on a rare lapse by Real Madrid if they are to take full advantage of Valencias midweek success against the leaders of La Liga.The Catalan club must prevail at in-form Atletico Madrid on Sunday to step up the pressure on their rivals, whose 2-1 defeat at Valencia on Wednesday was only their second of the season.Real, just one point clear of Barca and three ahead of Sevilla, play later on Sunday at Villarreal.Barca, still reeling from their 4-0 defeat at Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League on Feb. 14, were booed last Sunday when they needed a late Lionel Messi penalty to beat strugglers Leganes 2-1 in their latest La Liga game.Were not going through our best moment of form, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique told reporters this week. Were focused on finding solutions.The most important thing is to get back to playing the way we like to play.Reals defeat at a struggling Valencia, however, has given Barca an opportunity to move top of the standings, at least for a few hours.Real, hoping to capture the La Liga crown for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign, are starting to look vulnerable.They conceded two goals in the opening nine minutes at Valencia - a deficit that Zinedine Zidanes men could not overcome.Atletico have had their struggles and are in fourth place, seven points behind Real. But they appear to be hitting their stride. The latest evidence was a 4-2 triumph at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.Atletico handed Barcelona a scare earlier this month in the Kings Cup semi-finals when they drew 1-1 in the second leg at the Camp Nou, although Barca reached the final 3-2 on aggregate.Now Luis Enriques men must rediscover their defensive solidity against an Atletico attack boasting a red-hot Kevin Gameiro, who followed his hat-trick in Sundays 4-1 win at Sporting Gijon by scoring again and setting up another at Leverkusen.Fernando Torres, Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco have also been on target of late.Real have won just one of their last four away games in La Liga and face a tricky trip to Villarreal, who have lost only twice at home this season.Third-place Sevilla head into Saturdays city derby at Real Betis on the back of Wednesdays 2-1 home win over Leicester in the Champions League.

Peterson leading Joburg Open as rain halts play

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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Paul Peterson opened a two-shot lead on the opening day of the Joburg Open before rain stopped play on at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.Peterson, 28, was among the early starters who got through most of their rounds before wet weather left waterlogged parts of the two courses used for the tournament.Peterson, who won his first European Tour title at the Czech Masters last year, hit nine birdies in a nine under par 62 on the West Course.Aaron Rai and Paul Waring were joint second after carding seven under 65 on the tougher East Course.Just under half the field had still to complete their rounds when play was called off for the day. It will resume early on Friday, when more wet weather is forecast.The field of 210 players is the biggest of the year on the European Tour. Each player plays one round on both courses at the club over the first two rounds.Three players from the top 10 who are not already exempt for the British Open will win a place in the tournament, to be held at Royal Birkdale from 20-23 July.
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