Monday 24 July 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Israel removes metal detectors from sensitive holy site

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JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel removed metal detectors from a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday and said they would no longer be used after the new security measures set off deadly violence.The move came after intensive international diplomacy seeking to stop the outbreak of wider unrest, with warnings that it could spread far beyond Israel and the Palestinian territories.A work crew could be seen in the early hours of Tuesday removing the metal detectors at one entrance, an AFP journalist reported.Muslim officials said all had been dismantled.Israels security cabinet accepted the recommendation of all the security bodies to change the inspection with metal detectors to a security inspection based on advanced technologies and other means, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said.As word spread of the decision, a few hundred Palestinians gathered to celebrate near an entrance to the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.One person set off a firework, prompting Israeli police to raid and disperse them using sound grenades.Details of the advanced technologies the cabinet spoke of were not clear, though cameras were installed at entrances to the site this week.It was also not clear whether they would be accepted by Muslim worshippers.This movement is a movement of the street, said Sheikh Raed Dana of the Islamic Waqf organisation, which administers the holy compound.We as the Waqf listen to the street. The street says yes and we say yes; if the street says no to the measures, we will say no.Israel installed metal detectors at entrances to the site, which includes the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, after an attack on July 14 that killed two policemen.Palestinians viewed the new security measures as Israel asserting further control over the site. They refused to enter the compound in protest and prayed in the streets outside instead.Israeli authorities said the metal detectors were needed because the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the site and emerged from it to shoot the officers.Clashes have broken out during protests over the measures, leaving five Palestinians dead.Three Israelis were also killed when a Palestinian sneaked into a house in a West Bank settlement and stabbed them.The decision to remove the metal detectors follows talks between Netanyahu and Jordans King Abdullah II.Jordan is the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.It also comes after one of US President Donald Trumps top aides, Jason Greenblatt, arrived in Israel for talks over the crisis and with the UN Middle East envoy warning of a further escalation.It is extremely important that a solution to the current crisis be found by Friday this week, the envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, said after briefing the UN Security Council, which met to discuss how to defuse the tension on Monday.The dangers on the ground will escalate if we go through another cycle of Friday prayer without a resolution to this current crisis, he said, warning that violence there could spread beyond the Middle East itself.There was speculation that a separate diplomatic standoff may have helped push negotiations to remove the metal detectors along.On Sunday night in Amman, an Israeli embassy security guard shot dead a Jordanian who attacked him with a screwdriver, according to Israeli officials.A second Jordanian was also killed, apparently by accident.Jordan insisted on questioning the security guard, while Israel said he had diplomatic immunity.The guard arrived back in Israel late Monday along with other embassy staff, apparently after an agreement was brokered.During discussions with Netanyahu, Abdullah had demanded that Israel remove the metal detectors.Fridays main weekly Muslim prayers -- which typically draw thousands to Al-Aqsa -- had brought the situation to a boil.Clashes erupted between Israeli security forces and Palestinians around the Old City, elsewhere in annexed east Jerusalem and in the occupied West Bank, leaving three Palestinians dead.They continued on Saturday, leaving two more Palestinians dead.Friday evening also saw a Palestinian break into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank during a Sabbath dinner and stab four Israelis, killing three.The Israeli army said the 19-year-old Palestinian had spoken in a Facebook post of the holy site and of dying as a martyr.The holy site in Jerusalem has served as a rallying cry for Palestinians.In 2000, then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharons visit to the compound helped ignite the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, which lasted more than four years.It is in east Jerusalem, seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.Considered the third holiest site in Islam, it is the most sacred for Jews.

Erdogan sees progress in Qatar crisis, says more time needed

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said his visit to the Gulf region made a contribution to easing the crisis surrounding Ankaras ally Qatar, but indicated that more time was needed to end the standoff.Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia and Kuwait at the weekend before heading to Qatar earlier Monday for talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in a trip aimed at defusing the crisis.Erdogan has voiced support for Kuwaits mediation efforts, a possible indication that Ankara sees the emirate as the key to resolving the crisis.On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran.Doha denies the claims and has been strongly backed by Ankara throughout the standoff.The crisis has put Turkey in a delicate position and Erdogan had hoped his visit would help ease a crisis which he had described as not being in anyones interest.I think that our visit and contacts (in the region) have been an important step on the way to rebuilding stability and mutual confidence, he told reporters at Ankara airport after returning from Qatar.But he cautioned: Of course its easy to demolish something, what is hard is to again rebuild something that has been demolished.And in relations between states this takes more time and trouble, he added.Throughout the crisis Turkey has sought to balance its strategic alliance with Qatar with preserving its own relations with regional kingpin Saudi Arabia.Crucially, Turkey is in the throes of setting up a military base in Qatar, its only such outpost in the region. It has sped up the process since the crisis began and reportedly now has 150 troops at the base.Erdogan said the base had come up in the talks in Doha and also praised what he said was Qatars positive attitude in trying to solve the crisis.Earlier the Qatari state news agency QNA reported that Erdogan and Qatari ruler al-Thani had discussed joint efforts to fight terrorism and extremism... in all forms and sources of financing, and finding a peaceful solution.

Russia deploys forces to police Syria safe zones

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MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia has deployed military police to monitor two safe zones being established in Syria, it was announced on Monday, with officials touting it as a new era of US cooperation.Senior commander Sergei Rudskoi said Russian forces had set up checkpoints and observation posts around a zone in the south-west and in another covering Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus.The two areas are part of a broader Moscow-backed plan to create four de-escalation zones in rebel-held parts of Syria.The defence ministrys announcement marks the first deployment of foreign troops to bolster the safe zones as Moscow seeks to pacify Syria after its military intervention swung the six-year conflict in favour of President Bashar al-Assad.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday praised the creation of the safe zones, saying it showed Russia can work with the United States under President Donald Trump.He was giving an interview on Monday to Kurdish Rudaw television whose transcript was posted on the ministry siteRussias top diplomat said the fact that President Vladimir Putin and Trump agreed on creating de-escalation zones in southern Syria at their first meeting at the G20 in Hamburg was a concrete example that we can work together.Earlier this month Russia, the US and Jordan struck a deal to fix the boundaries of this zone and impose a ceasefire in the area.Lavrov contrasted the negotiations with Barack Obamas administration, which he said turned out to be incapable of separating terrorists from the normal opposition in Syria.Only now through the concept of safe zones are we getting results in this area, Lavrov said.Rudskoi said Russian personnel on July 21 and 22 established two checkpoints and 10 observation posts along the boundaries dividing rebel forces and government troops in the southern zone.Moscow has also informed Israel of its deployment and that the nearest Russian position is 13 kilometres from the demarcation line between Israeli and Syrian troops in the Golan Heights, Rudskoi said.Under a second deal Moscow said it struck with moderate rebels over the weekend in Egypt, Russian forces on Monday also set up two checkpoints and four observation posts in the area covering conflict-ravaged Eastern Ghouta, he added.The Syrian army on Saturday announced a halt in fighting for parts of Eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held region on the outskirts of the capital, but a London-based monitor said regime war planes still carried out raids.Assads forces have surrounded Eastern Ghouta for more than four years, and regime forces have regularly targeted the area.On the other two proposed safe zones, Rudskoi said that while boundaries have been fixed in the north of the Homs province they have still not been agreed in Idlib on the border with Turkey.Further discussions on hammering out details of those two zones are set to take place at a fresh round of peace talks in Kazakhstan in late August.

Saudi, allies blacklist 'terrorist' Yemeni, Qatari groups

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RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi Arabia and its allies on Tuesday announced they had blacklisted charity groups and individuals with ties to Yemen, Qatar and Libya, labelling them terrorist over suspected ties to Islamist extremism. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt released a joint statement naming nine charity organisations and nine individuals directly or indirectly linked to Qatari authorities as terrorist, according to a statement carried by the SPA state news agency. The four Arab states last month suspended ties with Qatar over allegations the Gulf state bankrolled Islamist extremism, an accusation Doha has consistently denied. The four states recalled their ambassadors from Doha, banned Qatar from using their airspace and ordered all Qataris to repatriate. Among the demands of Riyadh and its allies are the closure of Qatari broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, which has been banned in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Three organisations in Yemen and six based in Libya were accused of ties to Al-Qaeda and a Syrian affiliate of the group in Tuesdays statement. The statement also said three Qatari nationals, three Yemenis, two Libyans and a Kuwaiti citizen were involved in fundraising campaigns to support Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist militias in Syria. Kuwait has not joined the states boycotting Qatar and is leading mediation efforts to resolve the crisis, the worst to hit the Gulf since the establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council in 1981. Saudi Arabia and the UAE lead an Arab military coalition allied with the Yemeni government in a violent war against Yemens Iran-backed Huthi rebels. The war has killed more than 8,000 civilians since the coalition intervened in 2015, according to the World Health Organization.

Trump pressures Republicans to repeal, warns 'Obamacare is death'

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Donald Trump strongly warned Republicans on Monday that they must pass health care reform, taking his party to task and bluntly declaring that Obamacare is death.With the effort to repeal and replace the health care law of Trumps predecessor floundering in Congress, the Senate prepared to vote Tuesday on whether to begin debate on the latest Republican plan.Several measures have been considered but then collapsed in recent weeks. The latest is a bid to dismantle the 2010 Affordable Care Act, but delay the actual implementation of the repeal to allow time for a viable replacement to be crafted.Senate Republican leaders acknowledge they do not know whether there is sufficient support to open debate on the new plan, a sign of Republican division about the impact such reforms might have on millions of American families.With less than three weeks before the Senate is to leave Washington for its already-delayed summer recess, Trump took to his bully pulpit and demanded his party get in line.Any senator that votes against starting debate is telling America that you are fine with the Obamacare nightmare, Trump said at the White House, where several victims of Obamacare stood as a backdrop to his remarks.Obamacare is death, Trump added. Its gone. And now its up to us to get great health care for the American people.Trump has repeatedly grilled fellow Republicans for not following through on their -- and his -- campaign pledge to repeal and replace Obamacare, something he said he aimed to do immediately once in office in January.Over and over again they said repeal and replace. And for Senate Republicans, this is their chance to keep their promise.Republicans hold 52 of the Senates 100 seats. With all Democrats opposed, Trump can afford just two defectors.But with Senator John McCain convalescing in Arizona following a brain cancer diagnosis, that magic number is down to one.As of last week, three Republican holdouts said they will vote no on Tuesdays so-called motion to proceed, which opens debate on the legislation.Trump went to one of their home states Monday, where he was to personally lobby Senator Shelley Moore Capito as the two attended a Boy Scouts convention in Beaver, West Virginia.Several other Republicans have also expressed concerns, but have not announced how they will vote.I think until the vote is actually on the floor of the Senate, some people may not tell you what theyre actually going to do, Senate Republican John Barrasso told CBS talk show Face the Nation on Sunday.Once the repeal-only bill is on the floor, it could be amended in various ways, Barrasso said, including changing it to a repeal-and-replace bill.Forecasts by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office on various health reform bills have predicted that millions of Americans would lose health care if the measures become law.In the case of a bill that repeals Obamacare and provides no replacement, 32 million more people would be uninsured by 2026 as compared to current law, CBO forecast.Some Republicans have expressed concern with how legislation would impact Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor and the disabled.The latest repeal-and-replace bill would roll back an expansion of Medicaid and slash its federal funding.It would also end the mandate that most individuals have health insurance, and allow states to let insurance companies offer bare-bones plans not allowed under current law.Despite the concerns voiced by some Republicans -- and several outside groups -- Trump issued an ominous threat.If Republicans dont Repeal and Replace the disastrous ObamaCare, the repercussions will be far greater than any of them understand he tweeted.It was not clear if Trump was referring to the prospect that failure to pass reform will lead to election challenges against GOP incumbents, or hurt American families.Majority Leader Mitch McConnell meanwhile opened the Senate Monday by urging his colleagues to vote to kick off a robust debate in which senators can introduce amendments to the bill.

Hundreds battle wild fires across southern France

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BASTIA (AFP) - Hundreds of firefighters were battling blazes across southern France on Monday, with one inferno spreading across 900 hectares of forest and threatening homes on the island of Corsica, emergency services said.Residents were evacuated from homes at the edge of the town of Biguglia, on the islands northeastern coast. The fire is very fierce and heading to urban areas of Biguglia, lieutenant-colonel Michel Bernier, of Frances civil defence forces, told AFP.The blaze engulfed a sawmill and burned 10 vehicles.We are awaiting reinforcements, said regional deputy fire chief Jean-Jacques Peraldi. Around 160 people were battling the blaze aided by more than a dozen fire engines.Local official Gerard Gavory said that three firefighting planes were also involved, and have been surveying the area to make sure no homes are affected. Another fire on the south of the island, which destroyed 110 hectares around the town of Aleria, was brought under control on Monday, Bernier said. Elsewhere in France, a fire raged in the forests around Luberon in the Vaucluse region, covering 800 hectares by late Monday. Firefighters told AFP they had been unable to keep the flames under control.Around 100 homes in the village of Mirabeau and a neighbouring hamlet had to be evacuated, according to officials. Up to 500 firefighters were expected on the scene. In the nearby Var region, another fire burned over 200 hectares at Gigaro, close to the Mediterranean resort of Saint-Tropez.Another blaze in Carros, north of Nice, burned a house, three vehicles and a warehouse and led to some homes being evacuated, according to regional authorities. More than 270 firefighters were on the scene. Its a very dangerous day, Bernier said. And the fight is going to be very, very long tonight.

PM Nawaz to leave for two-day visit to Maldives today

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will leave for an official two-day visit to the Maldives today (Tuesday) on the invitation of the President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.PM Nawaz will attend the 52nd Independence Day celebrations of Maldives on July 26. During the visit, the Prime Minister will also hold official talks with the Maldivian President. A number of MoUs/Agreements for cooperation in various fields would also be signed after the talks.Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with the Maldives which are characterized by cordiality, mutual respect and commonality of interests.Diplomatic relations with Maldives, established on 26th July, 1966, have grown from strength to strength. Both the countries closely coordinate with each other at regional and international fora on issues of mutual importance.Pakistan - Maldives relationship is marked by close and warm sentiments between the people of the two countries.The visit of the Prime Minister will provide impetus to further strengthen our bilateral relations with the Maldives in all areas including political, trade, economic, defence, tourism, education and people to people contacts.The visit is in line with our pro-active policy of engagement with the countries of our region.

Karachi: 4 terrorists killed in encounter with police

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – At least four terrorists of a banned outfit were killed in exchange of fire with police in Sachal area of Karachi on Monday, Dunya News reported.According to SSP Rao Anwar, the dead terrorists were members of Tekreek-e-Taliban Swat and were planning to attack police party gathered at the Abul Hassan Isphani Road.Rao Anwar informed media that Tekreek-e-Taliban Swat commander Mullah Akbar Swati was also among the dead terrorists.Rao Anwar also said that Mullah Akbar Swati phoned his accomplices to assemble in Sachal upon which police launched an operation. Upon seeing approaching police the terrorists opened fire at the law enforcement agency personnel. Police returned the fire as a result four terrorists were killed.

Lahore: 7 suspects nabbed during police operation

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – At least seven suspects were taken into custody during police search operation in different parts of Lahore on Monday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police carried out search operation in Siddiqia Colony na Khokhar Road in Badami Bagh area and various localities in Lari Adda aea.Police conducted house-to-house search and also checked hotels and hostels in these areas. Biometric device was also used in the identification of residents and seven suspects who failed to produce any identity documents.The arrested persons were later to police station for further investigation.

Aussie players reportedly mull Bangladesh boycott

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australias senior players have voted to boycott next months tour of Bangladesh unless their long-running pay dispute with Cricket Australia (CA) is settled before they leave, reports said Monday.Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner attended an undisclosed meeting with Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief executive Alastair Nicholson to consider their options after a breakdown in the talks with CA last week.The Australian newspaper said the players discussed a range of options, including going ahead with the Bangladesh tour under a special contractual arrangement.But they resolved to stand by the resolutions reached at a previous meeting and refuse to take part in any tours unless there is a new memorandum of understanding in place.The players are entering their fourth week of unemployment since the failure to reach a new agreement on pay at the end of June.The squad voted to attend the training camp in Darwin on August 10 but will not leave for Bangladesh a week later unless an agreement is reached, the newspaper said.The first match of the two-Test series was due to start 10 days later.The Australia A squad went through a similar process before abandoning the tour to South Africa earlier this month.The dispute is over CAs refusal to renew a revenue-sharing arrangement which has been part of all deals over the past two decades.Reports said the ACA was close to a deal with CA last week. Players proposed they retain the revenue-sharing model but sacrifice up to Aus$30 million ($24 million) of their pay to grassroots cricket.But CA would not offer a revenue-sharing deal.The players expressed disappointment at the latest developments in the protracted dispute, which threatens the showpiece Ashes home series against England later this year.Not sure the players can do much more to solve the dispute. Were really proud to offer up to an extra $30 million for grassroots fairshare, Warner tweeted.Fast bowler Pat Cummins added:Players are as frustrated as anyone else. We want to play. Offering even more to grassroots to get a deal fairshare.

World Cup heroine Shrubsole lives out Lord's dream

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LONDON (AFP) - Anya Shrubsole said her match-winning display in Englands Womens World Cup final win over India at Lords on Sunday was proof that dreams can come true.The 25-year-old pace bowler turned the match on its head with a spell of five wickets for 11 runs late on as England snatched a nine-run win.India were on course for victory at 191 for three, chasing 229.But they were dismissed for 219 to deny captain Mithali Raj a winners medal in what the star batsman said was her last World Cup match.Just days before the final Ian Shrubsole, Anyas father, tweeted a picture of his then nine-year-old daughter watching him play in a club final at Lords, with the caption: What a place Id like to play here... for England... in a World Cup final.Following her stunning display in front of a sold-out Lords, Shrubsole, whose return of six for 46 was the best by any bowler in a Womens World Cup final, joked: Dads Twitter profile has gone through the roofIf someone had said to me that all this time later Id be at Lords, winning a World Cup final, I would have laughed them away -- you never think that sort of thing happens.Recalling that childhood visit to Lords, Shrubsole told BBC Radio Five Live: I remember the day, I remember watching him in that game -- I dont remember saying that but I guess it just shows that dreams can come true.This World Cup altered many entrenched perceptions regarding womens cricket, with Kapil Dev, captain of the India side that won the 1983 mens World Cup final at Lords, telling the Hindu newspaper: Mithalis team too has won the hearts of the nation.I know that not every daughter will become a champion, but I am sure that the mindset of parents is bound to change now.He added: Honestly, I was not a keen follower of womens cricket, but I am their biggest fan now. I am sure... people will pray to be blessed with daughters. Hats off to them.Shrubsole agreed this World Cup had marked a turning point for the womens game, with the final drawing a global television audience of 100 million according to some estimates.I think its a watershed moment for womens cricket, said Shrubsole.The final was a really fitting tribute to the whole tournament, which has been brilliant from start to finish.We obviously set out to win, but we also want to inspire women and girls to play cricket and hopefully our win, and the way we have played, has done that.As for the thrilling conclusion to the final, Shrubsole -- also involved in a run-out -- said: Once we got Raut it just gave us a little bit of hope, a little chance with the new batters coming in under a huge amount of pressure.There threatened to be a late twist when, with India nine wickets down but still in sight of victory, Jenny Gunn dropped an easy catch to reprieve No 11 Rajeshwari Gayakwad.But Shrubsole -- who struck a first-ball four to seal a two-wicket semi-final win over South Africa after England almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory -- bowled Gayakwad next ball.In the end, Englands total in the final of 228 for seven, featuring Natalie Scivers 51 and valuable late-order runs had proved just enough.Its still pretty surreal to be honest, said Shrubsole.Youve always got to believe you can win no matter what the score and no matter what the game situation.We fought until the end and it came off.

Shastri on mission to keep India at number one

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GALLE (AFP) - New India coach Ravi Shastri will Wednesday look to prove his team remains the worlds best Test side when they take on Sri Lanka in the first of three matches.Shastri, who took over the demanding role after Anil Kumbles acrimonious exit last month, has backed India to continue the fearless brand of cricket that helped them regain the number one position last year from Pakistan.While India lost the Champions Trophy final to their arch-rivals, the Virat Kohli-led side is on a roll after winning 10 of the last 13 Tests, overcoming top sides like New Zealand, England and Australia.They know their job. They are professional cricketers. Once they step on the field they take over. That is how it should be, said Shastri, who became head coach after Kumble quit over his untenable relationship with Kohli.My role will be to get the guys to express themselves and play a fearless brand of cricket, the former all-rounder added.While India start as overwhelming favourites after the seventh-ranked Sri Lanka scraped past Zimbabwe in a one-off Test last week, Shastri has warned against complacency.Sri Lanka cant be taken lightly at home. Their track record playing at home is as good as any another team. We would look to improve in the series, said the 55-year-old.The visitors have played a two-day warm-up game in Colombo with returning batsman Shikhar Dhawan among the scorers.Meanwhile Indian opener Lokesh Rahul, who scored a half-century in the practice game, was ruled out of the first match due to viral fever.India could start with three spinners and use left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav with the experienced Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.Ashwin said the players were looking forward to working with Shastri.Ravi has been a fabulous person to have in the dressing room. Even when he was here last time, we lost that Test in Galle and he really picked us up from that low point in our careers, Ashwin told reporters.Sri Lanka, whose new Test skipper Dinesh Chandimal has been ruled out through flu, will need all the experience of stand-in captain Rangana Herath.The left-arm spinner, who took 11 wickets against Zimbabwe and his 31st five-wicket haul in 81 Tests, is key for Sri Lanka.Sri Lankas pace lineup has been bolstered by the return of veteran Nuwan Pradeep, who is likely to start at Galle International Stadium.Dhananjaya de Silva adds muscle to their strong batting arsenal, comprising former captain Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella.Sri Lankas interim coach Nic Pothas said the team should take inspiration from Kohlis men, who overcame a 1-0 deficit to beat the islanders in a three-Test series in 2015.The triumph resurrected Indias fortunes as they registered their first series win in Sri Lanka for 23 years and went on to become the number one Test side again a year later.I think we probably are in the same situation that Virat was talking about the Indian team being in a few years ago. We are in that rebuilding phase, said Pothas.The South African, who took charge after Graham Fords exit last month, added he was focused on changing the teams culture and unleashing their potential.Squads:Sri Lanka: Rangana Herath (Captain), Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Malinda Pushpakumara, Nuwan Pradeep.India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice captain), Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund.

Ashwin hails India's rise to top Test ranking

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GALLE (AFP) - Ravichandran Ashwin, who will play his 50th Test against Sri Lanka this week, on Monday hailed Indias rebuilding effort to become the number one Test side.The 30-year-old Ashwin will be one of Indias key players in the match starting in Galle on Wednesday, the first of three Tests.Ashwin believes life has come full circle for Virat Kohlis India since their last tour of Sri Lanka in 2015.India lost the Galle Test then but bounced back to beat the hosts 2-1. That spurred them on to regain their number one Test crown a year later.In 2015 I think we were sandwiched in the middle of a leadership takeover. Virat had just taken over in Australia and we came here having played one Test in Bangladesh, Ashwin said.We had set ourselves a lot of goals for each other and I would say we have achieved them and come out with flying colours over the last couple of years as a group.We have produced a lot of good cricketers. Some young cricketers have come in and put their hands up and some others have excelled really. That includes me, (Ravindra) Jadeja, Puji (Cheteshwar Pujara).Sometimes I feel that even good cricketers lose out in this particular team because of the quality we have in the dressing room, he added.Ashwin became the fastest bowler to 250 Test wickets in a one-off match against Bangladesh in Hyderabad in February, his 45th Test.Looking ahead to his 50th since his debut in 2011 against the West Indies, Ashwin said Sri Lanka would always be special after he resurrected his career there in 2015.To come back to a place where I did really well last time in 2015 is like a dream come true, because it was some sort of a momentous occasion for me then because I was on the way back into the Test side, he said.It brings back a lot of good memories, coming back to the same venue.I think every Test match a blessing from here on, he added.The lanky bowling all-rounder has scored 1,903 runs and bagged 275 wickets in 49 Tests. He has scored four centuries and picked 25 five-wicket hauls.

Pervez Musharraf admits being 'friends' with Shehbaz, Nisar

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Former President Pervez Musharraf has admitted that he is friends with Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.During talk in Dunya News programme On The Front, Musharraf criticised the ruling party of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) saying the Sharif family established properties in 1988 while collected money later in 2008. “I have no regrets and would do the same if given second chance,” he told.While analysing the political unrest, he claimed the country would have been better off with Shehbaz Sharif as the Prime Minister. Moreover, he said there was no pressure on Finance Minister Ishaq Dar when he confessed to facilitating in corrupt practices of Sharif family.He claimed Dar has a 40-storey building in Dubai while he himself has only one flat. There will be more conflicts between junior and senior if Nawaz gets disqualified, he predicted.While guessing who will be named the new PM if Panama case verdict is against Nawaz Sharif, he said names of Khawaja Asif and Kulsoom Nawaz are being whispered. He told Pakistan Army would accept the call to make Kh Asif the next PM. Imran Khan is a straight forward person who doesnt has enough money to buy even an apartment.VIDEO: Musharraf speaks on Panama case

One traffic policeman martyred in Karachi firing

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Unknown persons on motorbike gunned down one traffic policeman at Abul Hassan Isphani Road and injured his partner on Monday.The injured law enforcement men were quickly transferred to the hospital in critical condition before one passed away. According to police, the martyred policeman was named Muhammad Khan.Traffic police official named Kamran was severely injured and currently undergoing medical treatment. 10 bullets of 10mm pistol were located from the crime scene.VIDEO: The rising number of street crime incidents in Karachi
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