Sunday 5 March 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Iraqi forces battle IS in heavy west Mosul fighting

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MOSUL (AFP) - Iraqi forces battled the Islamic State group in hours of heavy clashes in west Mosul on Sunday, as the number of people who fled fighting in the area topped 45,000.Iraqi forces have recaptured several areas in west Mosul since launching the push to retake it on February 19, but their pace has slowed amid bad weather which muddies streets and makes air support more difficult.West Mosul is the largest urban population centre still held by the Islamic State group, followed by the city of Raqa in Syria and the town of Tal Afar, which is located between Mosul and the Syrian border.The fall of west Mosul would effectively mark the demise of ISs cross-border caliphate, which its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced from a mosque in the city in 2014, but the threat posed by the jihadists would still be far from over.Black smoke billowed over west Mosul on Sunday as Iraqi forces battled IS in a fight marked by explosions and continual automatic weapons fire.In the course of the fighting, security forces targeted an approaching IS car bomb, detonating it and sending a fireball rising over the area, and also fired on a jihadist drone flying overhead.Rapid Response forces are moving toward important governmental buildings such as the governorate building and the police directorate, Lieutenant Colonel Abdulamir al-Mohammedawi, a member of the elite interior ministry unit, told AFP.The jihadists are using snipers, mortars and bombs planted in streets and houses, Mohammedawi said.Al-Dawasa, which includes the Nineveh province governors headquarters and other government buildings was among several areas assaulted by Iraqi forces on Sunday.The Joint Operations Command said the Rapid Response forces and federal police were attacking Al-Dindan and Al-Dawasa, while the Counter-Terrorism Service assaulted Al-Sumood and Tal al-Rumnan.Lieutenant General Raed Shakir Jawdat later said in a statement that police -- presumably along with forces from the Rapid Response Division -- had advanced to within dozens of metres of the government buildings in Al-Dawasa.The Counter-Terrorism Service and Rapid Response are two special forces units that have spearheaded most of the advances in the Mosul area.The Iraqi army is also taking part in the fight for west Mosul, with the 9th Armoured Division advancing through the desert surrounding the city, aiming to cut if off from Tal Afar, farther west.More than 45,000 people have fled west Mosul since the push to retake it began, while over 200,000 are currently displaced as a result of the battle to retake the city, which was launched on October 17, according to the International Organization for Migration.The IOM figures indicate the number of people who came from west Mosul to sites for the displaced from February 25, when the arrivals began, through Sunday.More than 17,000 people arrived from west Mosul on February 28 alone, while over 13,000 came on March 3, according to the IOM.On Saturday, Iraqs minister of displacement and migration publicly criticised United Nations-led efforts to aid those displaced by the west Mosul fighting, while the UN said such assistance was the top priority.Unfortunately, there is a clear shortfall in the work of these (UN) organisations, Jassem Mohammed al-Jaff said in a statement.The UN, which has been providing shelter, food and other assistance to Iraqis who have fled Mosul during the nearly five-month-long battle, said it is working as fast as possible to help those displaced.The top priority for humanitarians is to make sure that there is sufficient capacity at emergency sites to deal with the number of civilians who are fleeing western Mosul, said Lise Grande, the UNs humanitarian coordinator in Iraq.IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes and other support have since regained most of the territory they lost.

Thousands flee anti-IS offensives in Iraq and Syria

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MOSUL (AFP) - Tens of thousands of civilians have fled offensives against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where the jihadists are battling to keep what remains of their territory, the UN said Sunday.IS overran large areas of both countries in 2014, declaring a caliphate in territory it controlled, but the jihadist group has since lost ground to Iraqi forces and faced advances from different groups in Syria.Amid intense fighting in recent days, tens of thousands of displaced have been seen arriving in areas outside IS control, many hungry and terrified after years under jihadist rule.In Iraq, the offensive by US-backed Iraqi forces to retake west Mosul from IS has displaced more than 45,000 people in little more than a week, the UN migration agency said.In neighbouring Syria, more than 26,000 people have been forced to flee fighting in the countrys north in the same period from February 25, UN humanitarian agency OCHA said.Before the battle for Mosul was launched in October, a million-plus civilians were thought to still live inside Iraqs second city, which is ISs last major bastion in the country.Iraqi forces backed by US air strikes in January retook the eastern side of the city, which is divided by the Tigris River, before setting their sights on its smaller but more densely populated west.They launched a major push to recapture west Mosul from IS on February 19, retaking the airport and then pushing up into the city from the south.Families escaping the battle for west Mosul have arrived in droves at sites for the displaced in the past week, the International Organization for Migration said.On Saturday, Iraqs minister of displacement and migration criticised UN-led efforts to aid those displaced by the fighting, while the UN said that such assistance is the top priority.More than 200,000 are currently displaced as a result of the Mosul operation, while more fled but later returned to their homes, IOM said.In Syria, OCHA said 26,000 people had fled areas in the northern province of Aleppo where government forces backed by Russian air power have been waging a fierce offensive against IS.Those areas lie east of the town of Al-Bab, which Turkey-backed rebels seized from IS on February 23 after several months of fighting in another advance on the jihadist group.The UN agency said the nearly 40,000 people displaced from the town since November fled north to areas controlled by other rebel forces.Many have sought refuge in areas around Manbij, a town controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. An AFP correspondent in Manbij said that long queues of families were still forming at checkpoints leading to the town on Sunday. Pick-up trucks full of children and women wearing full black veils were being searched by SDF personnel before being allowed to enter.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said Saturday that 30,000 people had been displaced by the governments offensive on IS.The push is aimed at IS-held Khafsah, the main station pumping water into Aleppo.Residents of Syrias second city, under full regime control since December, have been without mains water for 48 days after the jihadists cut the supply.On Sunday, Russian and regime warplanes bombarded IS positions in support of Syrian troops, which had advanced to around 11 kilometres (seven miles) from Khafsah, the Observatory said. It said twin suicide attacks, both claimed by IS, killed 15 people on Sunday in Aleppo province.A car bomb near the IS-held town of Deir Hafer, which lies between Aleppo city and Khafsah, killed eight pro-regime fighters, the monitor said. In a second attack in the rebel-held town of Azaz, a suicide bomber killed seven fighters.Since war broke out in Syria in March 2011, more than half of its pre-war population has been forced to flee their homes.Aleppo province hosts tens of thousands of displaced Syrians, many in camps near the Turkish border.We left our homes with nothing: no fuel, no bread. Our children are starving, said Jumana, a 25-year old Syrian woman who fled the clashes with her two children.Turkey launched an unprecedented military campaign inside Syria in August, backing opposition rebels to fight IS. But it views the Syrian Kurds who lead the SDF as terrorists. The SDF are pressing an advance towards retaking the groups de-facto capital of Raqa, backed by a US-led coalition that has been carrying out air strikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014.

Trump asks Congress to probe wiretap claims

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PALM BEACH (AFP) - The White House on Sunday called for Congress to follow up on President Donald Trumps explosive, unsubstantiated allegation that Barack Obama tapped his phone during last years election campaign.Twenty-four hours after Trumps incendiary claim about his predecessor, his aides scrambled to limit the political fallout -- admitting it was still unproven and calling on Congress to investigate.Citing still undefined reports of politically motivated investigations, press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump was calling on Congress to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016. Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders echoed those comments.If this happened, she told ABC, this would be the greatest abuse of power, and overreach, that has ever occurred in the executive branch. Trump, who was taking meetings and phone calls at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, has not publicly commented further on his allegations.On Saturday, he tweeted: How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy He provided no evidence to back up the claim.Watergate is the generic term for the scandal that brought down president Richard Nixon in 1974. It began with the revelation of a secret wiretap in the offices of the Democratic National Committee at Washingtons Watergate Hotel.Obama, via a spokesman, denied Trumps new allegation as simply false.US presidents cant legally order such wiretaps, which require the approval of a federal judge and reasonable grounds for suspicion.Obamas director of national intelligence James Clapper told NBC there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time as a candidate or against his campaign.Trumps comments appear to have been based on unverified claims made by the right-wing Breitbart News outlet. His chief strategist, Steve Bannon, used to run it.FBI Director James Comey, who considers Trumps accusation to be false, asked the Justice Department to correct the claim by publicly rejecting it, The New York Times reported Sunday, citing senior US officials. The department has not done so.Comey made the request on Saturday because there is no evidence to support it and it insinuates that the FBI broke the law, the paper reported the officials as saying.Previous media reports have indicated that US prosecutors investigated communications between a server registered to the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.In his previous roles as a reality TV showman and presidential candidate, and now as president, Trump has repeatedly embraced conspiracy theories, including the suggestion that Obama was not born in America. Obama was born in Hawaii, a US state.Trump leveled the latest charges in a string of tweets early Saturday, at the end of a week in which his administration was battered by controversy over links between his advisors and Russian officials.Trump was said to be furious that good reviews of his maiden speech to Congress on Tuesday were overtaken by a series of revelations about aides meetings with Russian officials.The president was also said to be angry that Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any campaign or Russia-related investigations.Sessions recusal came after it emerged that, speaking under oath during his Senate confirmation hearings about campaign contacts with Russia, he failed to disclose two meetings with Moscows ambassador in Washington.Amid that and several other revelations of Trump aides holding meetings with Russian officials, the White House has denied allegations of collusion.US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a campaign to meddle in last Novembers presidential election in a bid to tilt it in Trumps favor.Former CIA director Leon Panetta on Sunday accused Trump of diversionary tactics.They are trying to obfuscate and trying to cover up. They are trying to somehow raise other issues, he told CBS.In the end, it is going to be the truth that will determine what is involved here, and not tweets, but the truth.However, the Republican chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Devin Nunes, said his panel would look into Trumps claims.The Committee will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political partys campaign officials or surrogates, and we will continue to investigate this issue if the evidence warrants it, he said in a statement.Democrats and a growing number of Republicans in Congress have called for the appointment of a special prosecutor and a bipartisan inquiry to look into the Russia issue. With approval ratings already low, Trump could do without another scandal in his young presidency.Republicans have largely stood behind him, hoping he will enact tax cuts and other policies they favor.But some Republican lawmakers appear to be losing patience with the drama of Trumps presidency.We are in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust, Senator Ben Sasse said, adding that Trumps allegations of wiretapping demand the thorough and dispassionate attention of serious patriots.

Twin IS suicide attacks kill 15 in north Syria

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Twin Islamic State group suicide attacks killed 15 people in Syrias northern province of Aleppo, where the jihadists have faced simultaneous assaults in recent weeks, a monitor said on Sunday.One attacker detonated a car bomb near the IS-held town of Deir Hafer, killing eight fighters with regime forces late Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. IS claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out by fighter Abu Abdullah al-Shami with an explosive-laden vehicle. Deir Hafer lies on a key road linking Aleppo city to the IS-controlled town of Khafsah, which holds the main station to pump water into Aleppo, and further east to the jihadist groups de facto capital Raqa. Residents of Aleppo city have been without mains water for 48 days after the jihadists cut the supply.On Sunday, Russian and regime warplanes bombarded IS positions in support of Syrian troops, which had advanced to nine kilometres (less than six miles) from Khafsah, the Observatory said. They were just six kilometres from the pumping station, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. The United Nations on Sunday said 26,000 people had fled the fighting since late February, while the Observatory said as many as 30,000 had been displaced. In a second attack, IS said a fighter detonated his suicide belt in the rebel-held town of Azaz, also in Aleppo province. The Observatory said the suicide attack in the town killed seven fighters and wounded several others, some of them in critical condition. In January, a massive tanker truck bomb ripped through a market in Azaz, killing 48 people and wounding dozens, the Observatory said.It was suspected that IS was behind that attack. Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011 with protests against President Bashar al-Assad, but has escalated into a complex conflict that has killed more than 310,000 people.Air strikes on the northwestern province of Idlib on Sunday killed six people, including five members of the same family, the Observatory said. The raids on the town of Kafranbel also wounded 21 people.

Dutch back Muslims as far-right MP vows to close mosques

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AMSTERDAM (AFP) - Hundreds of Dutch citizens met at an Amsterdam mosque Sunday to show solidarity with the countrys Muslim population, as an anti-Islam MP again vowed to shut mosques and ban the Koran should he win upcoming elections.Some 200 people representing a broad coalition against racism in The Netherlands gathered at the central Al-Kabir mosque, saying they were deeply worried about the rise of discrimination against Muslims in the European country.Its very important that we make our voice heard. We as a Muslim community pose no danger whatsoever to society, said Najem Ouladali, one of the organisers of the meeting which also included members of Amsterdams gay and lesbian community.In fact, we are victims too of Islamic extremism, added another speaker, Abdou Menebhi, who chairs a Moroccan organisation in The Netherlands.Various estimates put The Netherlands Muslim population between 840,000 to 960,000 people, or around 5.0 percent out of a population of some 17 million people. Most Muslims are from Turkish or Moroccan descent, according to the Dutch central statistics office.Talk during the meeting, which was paused for afternoon prayers, constantly returned to Dutch firebrand far-right MP Geert Wilders, who is campaigning ahead of elections on an anti-Islam ticket.The 53-year-old Wilders has courted controversy with his hardline anti-Islam, anti-immigrant stance and his incendiary insults against Moroccans and Turks.He has vowed in his partys one-page manifesto that if elected he would ban the sale of Korans, close mosques and Islamic schools, shut Dutch borders and ban Muslim migrants.Support however for Wilders and his extreme stance seems to have withered in recent days according to the latest polls. We believe that what Wilders is doing is very dangerous to our society, Ouladali told AFP after the mosque meeting, speaking in Dutch.Ineke van der Valk, a researcher at the University of Amsterdam told the meeting that incidents of hate crimes against Muslims were on the rise in The Netherlands.Since 2015 incidents involving discrimination have almost doubled and there were at least 54 incidents involving mosques -- like threatening letters displaying Nazi symbols she said.There has been a worrisome rise in this kind of activity in our country, Van der Valk said.Meanwhile the firebrand Wilders again vowed to close mosques, should he become prime minister after the vote, seen as a key litmus test of the rise of populist and far-right parties ahead of other national elections to be held across Europe later this year.Closing mosques may be more difficult but you can do it, Wilders told journalists in an industrial suburb of Amsterdam earlier at a press meeting.You have to change the Constitution. It takes time, certainly in Holland... but I am a lawmaker and if anyone can change the constitution and propose this, its me, Wilders said. Just 10 days before elections Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) appears to have slipped into second place behind the Liberal party of incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte after months of leading the opinion polls. I am confident we will all have excellent results, Wilders told a gaggle of mainly foreign journalists, referring also to Frances far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen.Even if that will not be the case, the genie will not go back into the bottle... certainly things will change in Europe, he insisted.Boosted by the polarising debate over immigration, and initially by the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential race, Wilders had been leading polls since late last year.But the latest collated polls by the Dutch website Peilingwijzer (Poll indicator) from seven different agencies on Saturday showed Ruttes VVD party would now win 23 to 27 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament, with the PVV set to garner 22-26 seats if elections were held today.

Football: Aguero on target as Man City go third

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SUNDERLAND (AFP) - Sergio Agueros 23rd goal of the season helped Manchester City reclaim third place in the Premier League thanks to a comfortable 2-0 win at struggling Sunderland on Sunday.A fifth goal in three games from the in-form Argentina international, whose future at the club has been clouded by the recent impact of the now injured Gabriel Jesus, paved the way for Citys seventh victory in eight unbeaten games.The win left Pep Guardiolas side a point behind second-placed Tottenham Hotspur and eight adrift of leaders Chelsea.Not for the first time, Agueros finishing instincts in front of goal embellished what was never more than a workmanlike display against Sunderland. Citys top scorer was denied a late second goal by keeper Jordan Pickford after Leroy Sane put the result beyond doubt by doubling his sides advantage just before the hour when the German midfielder rounded-off a counter-attack to score for the third consecutive game.Sunderlands problems continued as they stretched their unwanted league run to just one victory in 10, a sequence which has seen them take just five points from the last possible 30 to leave them six points adrift of safety going into the final 10 games of the season. Aguero struck at the end of a first half where the hosts carved out the better openings, but were made to pay for failing to take their chances.Three minutes of the opening period remained when Yaya Toure broke from the Sunderland half to feed David Silva, whose ball found Raheem Sterling wide on the right. The wingers deflected low cross should have been cleared, but Aguero beat his marker, Lamine Kone, to the ball to send a deft first-time touch into the net at Pickfords near post.Silva thought he had doubled the lead in added time, but the Spaniards close-range effort was correctly ruled offside. David Moyess side had done enough to go in at least level and were unfortunate when Jermain Defoe struck the post from distance mid-way through the half. The former England forwards shot on the turn from 20 yards beat keeper Willy Caballero, only to bounce back off the woodwork with Fabio Borini unable to keep his effort on target from the rebound.Sunderlands main threat was at set-pieces, with defender Billy Jones twice going close with headers near half-time.Jones forced a low save from Caballero when he met Adnan Januzajs corner and then, from a Seb Larsson delivery, the full-back showed why he has not scored for almost 17 months as he headed inches wide when allowed to jump unopposed six yards out. Agueros deadlock-breaking effort -- his fifth goal in as many games against the Wearsiders -- ensured Sunderland were made to rue such profligacy in front of goal as the South American continues to fill the goal-scoring void left by the injury to Jesus.Silva almost put the visitors ahead shortly before Agueros latest clinical finish, when the Spaniard, in front of an unguarded goal, narrowly failed to reach Sanes low cross at the culmination of another Toure-inspired move. Sane, however, went from provider to goalscorer 14 minutes into the second half to kill the game as a contest.Sterlings pass released Silva from the half-way line to exploit the time and space afforded him by the Sunderland defence. He played a perfectly-weighted through ball for Sane to outpace the labouring Jones before beating Pickford with a low angled drive from 12 yards which found the net via the keepers left-hand post.Defoe had a late effort ruled out for offside, and Caballero saved from Seb Larsson and Kone in the space of 60 seconds to help seal a third league clean sheet in four appearances since the Spaniard replaced Claudio Bravo in goal. It cemented a fifth straight league victory for City, their best run since they opened the campaign with six consecutive wins.

Football: Kane double keeps Spurs in title hunt

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LONDON (AFP) - Harry Kane extended his hot streak with a blistering brace as Tottenham beat Everton 3-2 to close the gap on leaders Chelsea to seven points on Sunday.Kane opened the scoring with a thunderous first-half strike at White Hart Lane and netted again after the break to take his goal tally to 24 in 28 games this season.Everton forward Romelu Lukaku, Kanes closest rival in the race to finish as Premier League top scorer, got one back before Dele Alli struck for Spurs in the closing moments.There was still time for Enner Valencia to score Evertons second, but Tottenham held on for a third victory in their last four league games.Kanes prolific form puts a little more pressure on runaway leaders Chelsea, who must win at West Ham on Monday to restore their 10-point advantage.Harry is one of the best. I repeat that not only if he scores, even if he does not score. He was fantastic. He deserves all the praise, Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino said.We deserved to win. I feel very proud. Were in a very good position here.Everton could have no complaints about their first defeat in their last 10 league games, a setback which dents their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.Tottenham had an early penalty appeal when Kyle Walker surged past Leighton Baines into the area, but the Everton defender recovered impressively, just getting a foot on the ball with his last-ditch challenge.Although Spurs were monopolising possession, all the neat passing from Pochettinos men hadnt forced Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles into action.Sensing that his team needed to be more direct, Kane took matters into his own hands to break the deadlock in the 20th minute.When Kane found himself on the ball 30 yards from goal, he quickly moved menacingly towards the penalty area and, with Everton midfielder Gareth Barry fatally failing to close him down, the Spurs star was free to unleash a superb strike that flashed past Robles.Kane should have netted again moments later when he collected Allis pass and cleverly cut inside Baines for a close-range effort that was straight at Robles.Christian Eriksen smashed the rebound over the crossbar and the Tottenham midfielder was off target with another opportunity, this one steered wide after he broke clear.After watching Merseyside boxer Tony Bellews win against David Haye in a heavyweight bout on Saturday evening, Everton boss Ronald Koeman took to social media to hail the Everton fans warrior spirit.But there was little of that against-the-odds mentality from Everton, who failed to lay a glove on Tottenham in a one-sided affair.Victor Wanyama nearly doubled Tottenhams lead when his long-range effort cannoned off a post.Pressing for the knockout blow after the interval, Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen stormed into the Everton area, but couldnt beat Robles from an acute angle.If Everton were to halt Spurs serene progress, they needed much better service for the isolated Lukaku.Instead they shot themselves in the foot and gifted Kane his second goal in the 56th minute.Robles rolled the ball out to Morgan Schneiderlin and, with two Tottenham players lurking nearby, he passed to Ashley Williams, but not quickly enough to stop Alli stealing possession.A quick pass put Kane clean through and the England international kept his composure to slot a cool finish past Robles.It took 80 minutes for Everton to give Lukaku a sight of goal and he snapped up the chance, taking Ross Barkleys pass, accelerating away from the stumbling Vertonghen and firing home.Tottenham were unfazed and Alli made a well-timed run to flick Harry Winkss smart free-kick past Robles in the 90th minute.Valencias close-range finish in stoppage time came too late for Everton to undo Kanes latest heroics.

Golf: Top-ranked Johnson captures WGC Mexico crown

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MEXICO CITY (AFP) - World number one Dustin Johnson held off Spanish rookie Jon Rahm and Englands Tommy Fleetwood over Sundays final holes to win the World Golf Championships Mexico Championship by one stroke.The reigning US Open champion became only the fifth player to capture his first event after moving atop the world rankings, matching a feat done by Welshman Ian Woosnam, Australias Adam Scott, Fijis Vijay Singh and American David Duval.It means a lot, Johnson said of the achievement. Its a tough spot to be in. Theres a lot of pressure on you. I came out and hit the ball really well. I played great all week.After back-to-back 66s, Johnson fired a three-under par 68 Sunday, overcoming two back-nine bogeys with a birdie at the par-5 15th and three closing pars to finish 72 holes on 14-under par 270.Fleetwood finished second on 271 after closing with a 40-foot birdie putt while Rahm shared third with Englands Ross Fisher on 272 with Belgiums Thomas Pieters and American Justin Thomas fifth on 273.I played just well enough I guess because I won by one, Johnson said.It was the second victory in as many starts for the 32-year-old American after taking the title last month at Riviera and marked the 14th PGA triumph of Johnsons career.Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy, who could have overtaken Johnson atop the rankings with a victory, fired a 71 to share seventh with Americans Phil Mickelson and Brandt Snedeker on 274.Johnson began a stroke behind Thomas, who opened with a birdie to stretch his edge to two strokes, but the world number one seized command from there.Thomas never found the fairway at the second and made bogey while Johnson sank a 15-foot birdie putt to share the lead.Johnson put his approach at the par-5 sixth to five feet and sank the birdie putt to seize the lead alone, then saw Thomas stumble back with a double bogey after finding water at the par-3 seventh and a bogey at eight.Johnson dropped a 30-foot birdie putt at the eighth and sank an eight-footer at the ninth to make the turn with a four-stroke edge.But just when Johnson looked to run away, he stumbled with bogeys at the par-4 12th, missing a five-foot par putt, and par-3 13th, finding a bunker off the tee.That opened the door and late-charging Rahm, a 22-year-old Spaniard in his WGC debut, battered it down.Rahm, who won his first PGA title in January at Torrey Pines with a 60-foot eagle on the final hole, eagled the par-5 11th with a 14-foot birdie and sank a 33-foot birdie putt at 14 to match Johnson for the lead at 13-under par.Rahm briefly took the lead with a four-foot birdie putt at the par-5 15th, but Johnson, in the final group just behind Rahm, blasted out of a bunker to two feet from the pin and sank a birdie putt at 15 to regain a share of the lead.The Spaniard missed a six-foot par putt at 16 and an eight-foot par putt at the par-3 17th to leave Johnson ahead by two.Fleetwoods final birdie capped a round of 66 to keep the pressure on the leader after Rahm faded and Johnson found a fairway bunker off the 18th tee.But he safely found the green with his approach, rolled his first putt inches from the cup and tapped in for the victory.

Karachi: One terrorist killed, four arrested in CTD operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - One terrorist was killed in an encounter with Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) while four others were taken into custody during an operation in Mehran Town area of Korangi in Karachi on Sunday night, Dunya News reported.According to the CTD in charge, Umar Khatab, the CTD personnel raided a house in Mehran Town area on intelligence report during which terrorists hiding in the compound opened fire. The CTD personnel returned the fire as a result one terrorist was killed while four of his accomplices were arrested.The CTD in charge further informed that the dead and arrested terrorists belonged to a banned outfit. A large quantity of explosive material was also recovered from the house.

PM Nawaz to leave for Kuwait today

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will embark on a two-day official visit to Kuwait from today (Monday), Dunya News reported.Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi and Chairman Board of Investment Miftah Ismail will accompany the Prime Minister on the tour.The Prime Minister will meet the Kuwaiti leadership during the visit. Important regional and international issues of mutual interest are expected to come under discussion during the visit.

Karachi: 18 suspects arrested during police search operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, police conducted a search operation on intelligence reports in areas around Shahra-e-Faisal in Karachi on Sunday and arrested 18 suspects, Dunya News reported.Police sources said that all the entry and exit points of the area were sealed before the start of the operation. Police arrested at suspects, including Afghan nationals during house-to-house search in the area. Police have also recovered a TT pistol and a Kalashnikov from two arrested persons. Further investigation is ongoing.On the other hand, police arrested a dacoit after an encounter in Defence area. Police have also recovered stolen goods from his possession.

Pakistan sees hope after PSL final in Lahore

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LAHORE (AFP) - Pakistan staged its biggest cricket match in almost a decade Sunday, as a packed stadium in Lahore watched the final of a Twenty20 league organisers hoped would restore faith in the countrys ability to safely host foreign teams.The scoreboard showed a one-sided win for domestic side Peshawar Zalmi over rival Quetta Gladiators -- though for many the result was less significant than the fact the match took place in the militancy-wracked nation at all.Thousands of police and troops patrolled the area around the Gaddafi Stadium and military helicopters whirred overhead in heavy security more commonly associated with visiting heads-of-state. It was just outside this ground almost exactly eight years ago that Pakistan cricket suffered its worst blow when Islamist militants opened fire on a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers, killing eight people and wounding nine, including six visiting players.The attack effectively snuffed out international sporting fixtures at home, with no major teams visiting the country since. Holding the final in Pakistan had drawn criticism from some quarters, after a series of militant attacks in February left 130 people dead and broke a long lull in violence that had encouraged authorities. Fears of a fresh incident threatened to overshadow Sundays final, as major draws like Quettas Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright pulled out ahead of the clash despite featuring in the group stage of the event held in the United Arab Emirates.But West Indian Darren Sammy, skipper of Peshawar Zalmi and the most high-profile foreign star to play in the final, credited his appearance on team mate Shahid Afridi, who was forced to miss the match with a hand injury.My good friend Lala said: If we get to the final you should come to Lahore, Sammy told a presenter, using a nickname for the flamboyant former Pakistan allrounder. I am glad I came to experience the atmosphere here. Even though Peshawar came out on top, cricket was the real winner in Lahore, he added after his sides victory.Fans at the stadium enthused about the match, described as a momentous occasion for Pakistan by legendary paceman Wasim Akram. I felt no fear and I just came to give a message to terrorists that Pakistanis are not afraid of their cowardly acts, said Mohammad Nauman, who paid $40 for his ticket. Others held up patriotic banners, such as: Pakistan wins today.Peshawar Zalmi rode on a 32-ball 40 by in-form Kamran Akmal who clobbered six boundaries and a six to reach 148-6 in their 20 overs.Skipper Sammy meanwhile hit two sixes in his 28 not out, while fellow West Indian paceman Rayad Emrit took 3-31 for Quetta.In their reply, Quetta were shot out for 90 after being rocked by left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar who finished with 3-16 in his four overs. Quetta finished runners up for a second time after losing last years final to Islamabad United. Eight security experts meanwhile attended the game including officials from the International Cricket Council. The presence of high level delegates from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was also noted, as both teams are due to play Pakistan this year and are rumoured to be candidates for a possible tour of the country.We will give good news to fans soon that an international team will come to Pakistan, teased Najam Sethi, the tournaments chairman, though previous vows made in recent years have gone unfulfilled.Peshawar and Pakistan international fast bowler Wahab Riaz hailed the security forces on duty.U have shown by risking ur life but making it possible for the people of Pakistan n around the world that how much cricket means to us, he tweeted.Cricket-starved fans were equally happy. Giant screens were placed in market places around the country while social-media users tweeted under the hashtag CricketComesHome. And we won the battle against terrorism today, said user @ManalAyub4, echoing a common sentiment.

Root, Woakes steer England to Windies win

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ST. JOHNS (AFP) - Joe Root compiled a composed, unbeaten 90 while all-rounder Chris Woakes hit an undefeated 68 as England completed a four-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second one-day international on Sunday.Responding to the home sides total of 225 all out off 47.5 overs after they chose to bat first, the tourists reached 226 for six off 48.2 overs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead with the final match to be played in Barbados next Thursday.England, who won the first match at the same venue two days earlier by the relatively comfortable margin of 45 runs, were cantering towards the target on the back of opening batsman Jason Roys belligerent half-century at 108 for two in the 21st over.But then the specialist spinners got the West Indies back into the match, triggering a slide which saw four England wickets tumbling for 16 runs.Ashley Nurse returned his best-ever figures of three for 34 while Devendra Bishoo claimed two for 43. However with fast bowler Shannon Gabriel unavailable after an opening three-over spell because of a side strain, captain Jason Holder resorted to part-time spinners on a helpful track without success.Woakes, the more adventurous of the seventh-wicket pairing in a stand that put on an unbroken 102 runs, was missed at long-on by substitute fielder Rovman Powell off Carlos Brathwaite in what was the West Indies last real chance of staying in the game and squaring the series. He was dropped again, by Holder at mid-off off Kraigg Brathwaite in the 47th over, by which time England were on the verge of victory.Root struck just three boundaries in a controlled innings, his only blemish being an edge off Bishoo between the wicketkeeper and slip.It was just about staying calm because we were so far ahead of the required rate, he explained after victory was formalised. Chris (Woakes) took a lot of the pressure off me with his aggression.Fresh from claiming career-best ODI figures (4 for 40) in the first match, seamer Liam Plunkett played a key role in stifling West Indies quest to accelerate on a bright morning. He removed topscorer Jason Mohammed (50) and Jonathan Carter (39) before adding the scalp of Nurse to finish with three for 32.Leg-spinner Adil Rashid, apart from showing a safe pair of hands with the catches to dispose of both Mohammed and Carter, also accounted for dangerous big-hitters Holder, via a steepling catch of his own bowling, and Carlos Brathwaite.Fast bowler Steven Finn did the early damage to the West Indies innings on the same pitch used for the series-opener which England won by 45 runs on Friday.Poor shot selection contributed to Evin Lewis demise, a leading edge giving a simple catch to Sam Billings at cover, while a miscued pull by new batsman Kieran Powell presented Finn with the catch off his own bowling that took him to the milestone of 100 ODI wickets.Reaching the landmark in his 67th match, he is the third-fastest Englishman to the feat behind Darren Gough and Stuart Broad.We need to seize the opportunities that come our way, Holder noted in reflecting on batsmen failing to capitalise on good starts and also chances missed in the field in both matches in Antigua. We keep losing too many wickets to poor shots at the top.

Minnows Bangladesh see best chance to beat Sri Lanka

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DHAKA (AFP) - Bangladesh will be hoping to improve their woeful away record with a win against an under-strength Sri Lankan side when a two-Test series against the hosts gets underway in Galle on Tuesday.The Test minnows have won just three of their 45 away matches -- two against the West Indies in 2009 and one against Zimbabwe in 2013 -- but have shown considerable improvement since their last victory abroad.At home, Bangladesh have won four Tests since 2014, drawn five and conceded only three. They showed impressive recent form against India and New Zealand in away matches despite losing both.Sri Lanka have a good record at home and beat Australia 3-0 in the last series they hosted in August 2016.But some heavyweight stars have pulled up stumps, something the tourists hope to capitalise on.This is probably our best chance to beat Sri Lanka, said Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim.Maybe they are inexperienced after several retirements. We will try to match them.Bangladesh will be buoyed by the return of paceman Mustafizur Rahman, who has not played a Test since his debut series against South Africa in 2015.But the tourists will not get ahead of themselves and are cautious of Sri Lankas impressive home record. The hosts have won their last five Tests on home soil and will be captained by experienced left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who replaces injured regular Angelo Mathews.The Sri Lankan cricket board did not say why Mathews was dropped, but he returned home last month halfway through the South African tour after twisting his ankle.Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said he expects a tough series against Bangladesh, who drew their first Test at Galle during a previous visit in 2013.We were fortunate to get over the line on that occasion. They have a few players who were part of that squad still playing for Bangladesh and this will be another competitive series, he said.The second Test in Colombo from March 15-19 will be Bangladeshs 100th since gaining full status 17 years ago.The teams are also scheduled to play three 50-over One-Day Internationals before facing off for two Twenty20 Internationals at the tail-end of the tour, which wraps up on April 6.Sri Lanka squad: Rangana Herath (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya Bandara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara.Bangladesh :Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mosaddek Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Subashis Roy, Rubel Hossain.

Windies slump to 225 all out against England

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ST. JOHNS (AFP) - Indisciplined strokeplay proved the downfall of the West Indies as they were dismissed for 225 off 47.5 overs against England in the second one-day internationalat the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday.In a must-win situation after surrendering the opening fixture by 45 runs two days earlier at the same venue, the hosts frittered away a potentially advantageous position with Jason Mohammed completing his second consecutive half-century.Fresh from claiming career-best ODI figures (4 for 40) in the first match, seamer Liam Plunkett played a key role in stifling West Indies quest to accelerate. He removed Mohammed and Jonathan Carter (39) before adding the scalp of Ashley Nurse to finish with three for 32.Leg-spinner Adil Rashid, apart from showing a safe pair of hands with catches to dispose of both Mohammed and Carter, also accounted for dangerous big-hitters Jason Holder, via a steepling catch off his own bowling, and Carlos Brathwaite.Fast bowler Steven Finn did the early damage after Holder chose to bat first on the same pitch used for the series-opener on Friday.Poor shot selection contributed to Evin Lewis demise, a leading edge giving a simple catch to Sam Billings at cover, while a miscued pull Kieran Powell presented Finn with the catch off his own bowling that took him to the milestone of 100 ODI wickets.Reaching the landmark in his 67th match, he is the third-fastest Englishman to the feat behind Darren Gough and Stuart Broad.Despite those setbacks, compounded by Ben Stokes removal of Shai Hope to another poor shot, West Indies were working into a competitive position via a 72-run fourth-wicket partnership between Mohammed and Kraigg Brathwaite.However the opening batsman, who lived a charmed life throughout his innings, was stumped for 42 off Moeen Ali. This ushered in Carter, who looked to be continuing with the good form that took him to 52 in the chase for 297 on Friday.But a drinks break appeared to interrupt the concentration of the two batsmen as they both perished to ordinary shots immediately upon the resumption.England took advantage of those lapses, tightening the screws on the lower order, and from being relatively well placed at 159 for four in the 37th over, West Indies failed to even last the full allotment of 50, last man Shannon Gabriel being run out to leave 13 deliveries unused.
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