| Afghanistan set for tough Pakistan test in Asia Cup Posted: FATULLAH (Online) - It would be a trial by fire for Afghanistan when the gutsy team from the strife-torn country makes its Asia Cup debut by taking on defending champions Pakistan today (Thursday).Mohammad Nabi's Afghanistan was brought into the Asia Cup after it qualified for the 50-over World Cup scheduled next year.And they would look to make a good impression in front of their four sub-continental neighbours, namely India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.The interest that they have managed to generate by their presence notwithstanding, Afghanistan are not expected to go too far in the tournament given that they have played just two one-dayers against Test nations, losing both matches to Pakistan and Australia.That exposure also came way back in 2012 and it would be interesting to see how the minnows have grown since then.What would count in their favour in the Asia Cup is the team's firm understanding of the local conditions given that eight from the current squad have participated in various domestic competitions here including the Bangladesh Premier League.Rahmat Shah, Azghar (Stanikzai), Gulbadin Naib, (Mohammad) Shahzad, Shapoor (Zadran), maybe half the team has played in Bangladesh and this is a good experience for them and for Afghanistan, said Nabi, himself a regular at the T20 event.We will try our best against every team. There is no target. We will play good cricket and when the time comes we will win, he added.Whatever the end result, Afghanistan are expected to put their best foot forward on the field, making them exciting prospects at the regional mega-event.Pakistan, on the other hand, would have to quickly shake off the disappointment of losing their tournament-opener against Sri Lanka.  |
| COAS witnesses Field Firing in Kotri Posted: RAWALPINDI (Online) - Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif visited Kotri Ranges to witness Field Firing and Battle Inoculation Exercise of Karachi Corps Wednesday. These exercises are aimed at training troops in various tactical operations under battlefield environment. Fighter aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and armoured fighting vehicles of Mechanized Division also participated in live firing maneuvers as part of the field firing.COAS commended the standard of training of the participating troops and lauded their skills, precision and accuracy in engaging the targets and said that strenuous training and highest standard of preparedness in peacetime are the only guarantors of peace. Perpetual quest for modern techniques, seizing initiative from the enemy and mastery in battle procedures are essential for success in all kinds of military operations, whether conventional or unconventional.Speaking on the occasion COAS emphasized on all ranks to continue to focus on training and combat preparedness to respond to full spectrum of threat with speed and effectiveness. He reiterated the resolve of armed forces and said in unequivocal terms that with the backing of the Nation, we will accomplish our mission of defeating every threat to our motherland in accordance with the expectation of the people of Pakistan.Earlier, on arrival at Kotri, the COAS was received by Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani, Corps Commander Karachi.  |
| US court orders Google to pull YouTube anti-Islam film Posted: LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A US appeals court on Wednesday ordered YouTube to take down an anti-Islamic movie that triggered protests in the Muslim world, after an actress alleged she had been duped into appearing in it.The 2012 appearance of Innocence of Muslims on Googles video-sharing site provoked deadly violence, but the current legal case against it relates only to the concerns of one of its stars.US actress Cindy Lee Garcia brought a lawsuit claiming she was tricked into appearing in the film, without realizing its provocative anti-Muslim slant, and has received death threats as a result of it.A lower court refused to grant an injunction forcing Google to remove the film while her case goes forward, but on Wednesday the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision.Judge Alex Kozinski said: While answering a casting call for a low-budget amateur film doesnt often lead to stardom, it also rarely turns an aspiring actress into the subject of a fatwa.But thats exactly what happened to Cindy Lee Garcia when she agreed to act, he wrote in the 37-page ruling.He ruled that Garcia had established she could suffer irreparable harm if the film was not taken down because she was subject to death threats.The amateurish movie, which depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a thuggish deviant, triggered a wave of violent protests that left dozens dead in September 2012.During the period of the protests, militants attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya and US ambassador Chris Stevens and three more Americans were killed, although the extent to which popular local anger over the film played a role in the assault is a matter of fierce debate in the US.Google, which refused to take the video down arguing that it would violate its freedom of speech rights under the US Constitution, did not immediately react to Wednesdays ruling.Garcia was paid about $500 for three-and-a-half days of filming on the movie, which had the working title Desert Warrior, after being cast by producer Mark Basseley Youssef, who had a variety of pseudonyms.Desert Warrior never materialized, and Garcias only realized what had become of the footage when she saw Innocence of Muslims on YouTube.She discovered that her brief performance had been partially dubbed over so that she appeared to be asking Is your Mohammed a child molester? Kozinski wrote.These, of course, are fighting words to many faithful Muslims and, after the film aired on Egyptian television, there were protests that generated worldwide news coverage.Garcia asked eight times for the film be taken down, but Google refused to comply so she applied for a restraining order seeking removal of the film from YouTube, claiming that it infringed her copyright in her own performance.Youssef was jailed in November 2012 for breaching the terms of his probation for a previous offense -- a bank fraud conviction in 2010 -- by using a series of pseudonyms including Nakoula Basseley Nakoula and Sam Bacile.He was released last year. In November he told the Hollywood Reporter that he was seeking partners to make a new movie and a TV show about the roots of Islamic terrorism.  |
| Kerry urges Russia to keep pledge over Ukraine unity Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday urged Russia to keep its word and respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine as Moscow said it was boosting security measures in southern Crimea.We are making it clear that every country should respect the territorial integrity here, the sovereignty of Ukraine. Russia said it will do that, and we think it is important Russia keeps its word, Kerry said.He stressed that Washington was not looking for confrontation amid the political upheaval in the former Soviet satellite, denying that the US was meddling in the countrys internal politics.The key here is to give the people of Ukraine the full space within which to make their decisions about where they want to go. Thats what were trying to do, the top US diplomat told MSNBC television in an interview.Were not putting pressure on them. Were not urging something that they havent themselves expressed as a desire, Kerry saidWe are trying to honor their intentions of putting together a democratic pluralistic government that breaks away from this kleptocracy that existed there.Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday that Moscow was taking measures to ensure the security of its Black Sea naval fleet based on Ukraines Crimean peninsula.Sevastopol, which has hosted the Black Sea fleet since tsarist times, has witnessed several pro-Russian demonstrations in recent days with hundreds rallying outside city hall on Tuesday.Russia does not need or want a Ukraine that is unstable and more violent going forward. And economically a basketcase, Kerry insisted.What we need now is not to get into an old Cold War confrontation. We need to work together in what does not have to be a zero sudden game to provide the capacity of the people of Ukraine to choose their future. Thats all thats at stake.  |
| Syria army ambush 'kills 175' rebels near Damascus Posted: DAMASCUS (AFP) - More than 170 Islamist rebel fighters, including Saudis, Qataris and Chechens, were killed Wednesday in a Syrian army ambush near Damascus, state news agency SANA reported.The attack, apparently the deadliest against the rebels for months, took place in Eastern Ghouta, a key rebel stronghold targeted in a chemical attack in August 2013 that killed hundreds of people.SANA said an army unit spotted Al-Nusra Front (jihadist) and Liwa al-Islam (Islamist) terrorists near Damascus, and killed 175 of them and wounded several others.Saudis, Qataris and Chechens were among the dead, it said.State television had earlier reported dozens killed, mostly non-Syrians, in a well-organised ambush following a tip-off.The army also seized the rebels weapons, the broadcaster said, following the regimes practice of using the term terrorists to refer to the armed opposition.Al-Nusra Front is Al-Qaedas official affiliate in Syria and is committed to the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad and the establishment of an Islamic state.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group with a network of contacts inside Syria, confirmed that dozens were killed in the ambush.Dozens of Islamist fighters were killed and wounded in an ambush by loyalist troops, with the help of (Lebanese Shiite group) Hezbollah, near Otaybeh village in the Eastern Ghouta area, it said.A government security source said most of the fighters were Jordanians or Saudis, and that they had crossed over into Syria from Jordan earlier the same day.The source said the ambush took place at around 5:00 am (0300 GMT) and killed 156 rebels. Another 10 were taken prisoner, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.The Otaybeh area has seen several army ambushes in past months.Syrias war has since March 2011 killed more than 140,000 people and forced millions more to flee.  |
| Israel tests anti-missile system for passenger planes Posted: JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel has successfully completed tests of a new missile defence system for commercial aircraft and plans to start fitting it to its passenger fleet, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.It said the automatic laser-based SkyShield system detects shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles and also scrambles their guidance systems, rendering them harmless.The tests, conducted in a test range in the south of Israel, were the most complex and sophisticated ever held in the state of Israel, the ministry said in a statement.The series of tests included a wide variety of threats that the SkyShield system would have to tackle in order to protect passenger aircraft.It did not say when SkyShield would enter service.Last August, the airport in the Israeli Red Sea resort town of Eilat was briefly closed over unspecified security concerns.The town next to Egypts troubled Sinai Peninsula has been the target of cross-border rocket attacks, and Israeli media said on Wednesday that SkyShield would be fitted to domestic flights going there as well as to international destinations.In 2002, a flight of Israels Arkia airline with 261 passengers on board came under attack from two shoulder-fired missiles as it took off from Mombasa, Kenya. They narrowly missed their target.  |
| Football: Chelsea in pole position after Galatasaray draw Posted: ISTANBUL (AFP) - Chelsea have the upper hand in their Champions League last-16 tie with Galatasaray after coming away from a testing environment in Istanbul with a 1-1 first-leg draw on Wednesday.The visitors led at half-time thanks to an early goal from Fernando Torres, but Galatasaray improved in the second half and restored parity after the hour mark when Cameroon defender Aurelien Chedjou found the net.A draw was a fair reflection of the way the game went, but Chelsea will now hope to finish the job in the return at Stamford Bridge on March 18.Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho opted to select Torres in attack ahead of Samuel Eto'o in one of three changes to the team that beat Everton at the weekend, with Ramires and Andre Schuerrle also coming in.It proved to be an excellent decision as it was Torres who finished off a clinical breakaway to put the Blues in front with just nine minutes played, giving Chelsea the lead they deserved as their hosts paid for a poor start.Former Arsenal man Emmanuel Eboue lost possession high up the field, and Chelsea pounced down the left flank, Schuerrle releasing Cesar Azpilicueta, who advanced into the box and drew goalkeeper Fernando Muslera before squaring for his fellow Spaniard to apply an easy finish.It was a sixth goal in his last five Champions League starts for Torres, and it briefly silenced the boisterous Turkish fans inside the impressive Turk Telecom Arena.Chelsea could possibly have put the tie to bed in the minutes that followed, with Galatasaray utterly disorganised and poor in possession.Willian had an effort comfortably stopped by the Uruguayan Muslera before Schuerrle's low ball from the right - with the home defence at sixes and sevens - was met first time by Ramires at the edge of the box, but his shot flew high over the bar.There was little by means of a response from Roberto Mancini's men, with Didier Drogba unable to wriggle free from the marking of John Terry and Wesley Sneijder incapable of influencing proceedings from the left flank.Winger Izet Hajrovic saw his snap-shot from 20 yards saved by Petr Cech, but the recent signing from Swiss side Grasshoppers was then the victim of a tactical switch by Mancini, who sent on central midfielder Yekta Kurtulus in his place and changed to a 4-2-3-1 formation.Gala improved after that and an Alex Telles cross-cum-shot had Petr Cech panicked before Burak Yilmaz put the ball in the net after a quickly-taken throw, but with an extra ball on the pitch at the time, the Spanish referee disallowed the goal, and booked Chelsea skipper John Terry for throwing one ball away.A lively Torres almost made it 2-0 for Chelsea in the 52nd minute, bursting through the middle of the home back line before seeing his shot turned behind for a corner by Muslera.However, Galatasaray finally started to grow into the contest in the second half, the raucous crowd receiving a lift when Gary Cahill nearly turned the ball into his own net after intercepting a Burak Yilmaz pass intended for Drogba.The Ivorian striker almost created an equaliser against his old club in the 62nd minute, heading down a left-wing cross for Selcuk Inan, but the home captain somehow contrived to stab the ball against the post from a yard out.The Turkish champions were not to be denied a leveller three minutes later, though, Chedjou wriggling free of his marker to convert a Sneijder corner from point-blank range.Galatasaray finished strongly, although the closest they came to winning the game was from a fierce Telles shot that Cech tipped over.  |
| Football: Real crush Schalke in CL last 16 first leg Posted: GELSENKIRCHEN (AFP) - Real Madrid cruised to a rare victory on German soil as they romped to a 6-1 win at Schalke 04 in Wednesday's Champions League's last 16, first-leg clash.Real are now all but guaranteed a quarter-final place even with the return leg to come in Madrid on March 18 after Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale both scored braces.Real's Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo also scored twice on his return from a three game suspension to see him take over from Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the competition's top-scorer this season with 11 goals.The team has played a lot of good games and this is one more, said Ronaldo.We played well and didn't allow Schalke to play at their best. We are happy and a step away from the next round.The Schalke goalkeeper did very well and made good saves, but I believe in my ability and my teammates helped me a lot.I am very happy to score two goals.Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann admitted his side had been outclassed as Real fired in 21 goal attempts compared to 10 by the hosts.One save against Ronaldo isn't enough. Real Madrid were a class apart tonight, said Faehrmann.When you start conceding goals, it's almost impossible to come back against Real Madrid.Netherlands striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored a 91st-minute consolation goal for Schalke, but it couldn't prevent the Royal Blues suffering their heaviest defeat in European competition.You can see the disappointment is etched on our faces, but we will come back from this, said Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes.Carlo Ancelotti's Real are now unbeaten in their last 27 games dating back to October.After the early goal, we started getting a lot of room, that was the reason for our perfect night, said the Italian.The huge victory went some way to correcting Real's terrible away record in Germany as they made the Royal Blues of Schalke look anything but regal.This was only Real's second win in 26 visits to Germany after 18 defeats, including their 4-1 drubbing at Borussia Dortmund in last season's Champions League's semi-final.Real needed just 13 minutes to take the lead at the Veltins Arena as their star-studded attack clicked into gear.Bale cut in from the right, the ball came to Ronaldo and his backheel was deflected by a Schalke defender to Benzema and he fired past Faehrmann.Schalke could have equalised almost immediately as teenage midfielder Max Meyer fired over the bar with the goal at his mercy after Iker Casillas had blocked Julian Draxler's shot. Schalke were punished for wasting their rare opportunity and with 21 minutes gone, Bale held off two Schalke defenders to make it 2-0.Schalke's situation was not helped by Ronaldo effortlessly switching with Bale from the left to the right wing midway through the first half, only to revert back after the break.Schalke came out all guns blazing for the second-half as Kevin-Prince Boateng forced Casillas into a save.But Ronaldo finally got on the scoresheet at the fourth attempt to claim his 10th European goal of the season in his sixth Champions League match.He effortlessly turned Cameroon centre-back Joel Matip inside, then out before tucking the ball just inside the far post with 52 minutes gone.Just five minutes later, his deft backheel fell into Benzema's path for the Frenchman to drill home his second of the night and Real's fourth.It was one-way traffic by now and Bale scored his second and Real's fifth when Sergio Ramos's through ball was driven low into the bottom left-hand corner on 69 minutes.Ronaldo then grabbed his second on 89 minutes to leave him with 36 goals in 33 games for Real this season before Huntelaar finally put Schalke on the board just before the final whistle.  |
| Tennis: Federer pushed to the limit by canny Stepanek Posted: DUBAI (AFP) - Former men's world number one Roger Federer had to dig deep to progress to the quarter-finals of the Dubai Open on Wednesday eventually beating fellow veteran Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-7 (4/7) 6-3 in their second round clash.The 32-year-old Grand Slam record-holder -- who has won the Dubai title a record five times -- struggled for long periods against a 35-year-old who is barely a full-timer on the ATP Tour these days.Federer was four times within a point of going 0-3 down in the final set, any one of which could have inspired the talented and unpredictable Czech to close out the game.Once Federer had held on in that game, and broken back, he created some momentum of his own, and the ace which took him to 4-2 signalled he had turned the tide.It was a difficult match and a bit typical of a second round at Dubai, and I found it difficult to get rhythm, admitted Federer.Radek is talented and agile, and it didn't look good for a while in the third set.It was a bit frustrating. I didn't take advantage after the first set when you hope to keep it going.At the start of the second he stuck in a quick break and I was under pressure for the rest of that set.I had to figure out how to deal with it. I am glad I made it. Stepanek -- who has played only four games on the Tour this year -- also showed a remarkable ability to raise his game as it became evident he had a chance of pulling off a big result, and he mixed up his tactics with unorthodox brilliance.When Federer broke back from 5-3 down in the second set he seemed to be out of danger.However the opening point of the tie-break had to be played three times - Federer winning a Hawkeye appeal and the umpire over-ruling the next line decision - and that appeared to have an effect on the Swiss.When Federer double faulted it left him trailing 6-2, and although he saved two set points, Stepanek was soon performing one of his notoriously extravagant celebrations and hop-skipping his way into a deciding set.Federer turned it round by reining in his ambitions, and mixing in a little containment with his forcefulness and will take note of that when he takes on Lukas Rosol, conqueror of Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon two years ago, in Wednesday's quarter-finals.The last match of the day saw Novak Djokovic, who will equal Federer's record of five titles if he succeeds again, also reach the quarter-finals, beating Roberto Bautista Agut, the world number 51 from Spain, 6-1, 6-3.Although it was only Djokovic's second match in more than five weeks, the top-seeded Serb was untroubled, and earned a meeting with Mikhail Youzhny, the Russian who has reached the Dubai final twice.If Djokovic beats Youzhny he should have a semi-final with Federer.Earlier Stepanek's compatriot Tomas Berdych cruised into the quarter-finals and looks in the type of form that could see him reach the final for a second successive year.The world number six was the only top ten player not to have won a title last year, though an overwhelming 6-2, 6-1 victory over Sergiy Stakhovsky now hinted how his chances of remedying that are improving.Berdych has lost only ten games in four sets of tennis here, his steep serve and fierce forehands proving formidable weapons, and the win was his 13th in 14 matches.He next plays Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the fifth-seeded Frenchman, who rushed here from contesting the final in Marseille on Sunday, and who was pleased to get a day's rest when Nikolay Davydenko, the former world number three from Russia, withdrew with an injured rib.  |
| Golf: Tiger tees off near home but thinking of Masters Posted: PALM BEACH GARDENS (AFP) - World number one Tiger Woods makes his third start of the year Thursday at the US PGA Tour Honda Classic near his home but his thoughts are already on the Masters.Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the record 18 major wins of Jack Nicklaus, will be tested by an all-star lineup in the $6 million event at PGA National.Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia, reigning British Opwn champion Phil Mickelson and Northern Ireland stars Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are also in the field at the first of four consecutive Florida stops on the US tour ahead of the year's first major, the Masters, in early April at Augusta National.Once we get to Florida, we're all thinking about it, on our way to Augusta, Woods said.For most of the guys, this is like their prep to Augusta this week. The quality and the depth of the field has gotten so much better in recent years.Woods is already pondering how the 17th hole at Augusta National will play now that the huge century-old pine nicknamed the Eisenhower Tree has been removed from the left side of the fairway following damage from an ice storm.I've hit it a few times. It's an iconic landmark, Woods said. I can't say some of the guys are going to miss it, but there will be a difference, no doubt about it.You don't really see the trees on the left because Eisenhower blocks them out. Before you could only see the tops of the trees. With Eisenhower gone, now you will be seeing the line you are hitting a little bit better.Woods, who tees off from the 10th tee on Thursday in round one alongside 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson and 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley, lives near enough to be able to sleep in his own bed every night.I'm going home to my own home, my own remote (TV command), my own bed -- those are things we don't get to do very often, Woods said. Most golfers spend pretty much their entire career on the road.Woods will be making only his third start at the event, staged on a 7,241-yard layout that has had the toughest scoring in relation to par outside the majors, but one drenched by rain.The fairways are a little bit spotty with all the rain we've had, Woods said. I didn't expect the greens to be this slow. They have kept them slower than they normally are. We're going to have to make a few adjustments there.Woods shared 80th at Torrey Pines and 41st at Dubai in his two prior 2014 starts. In 16 of his 17 pro seasons, Woods has finished in the top six or better at least once in his first three starts to a year.But he does like the state of his swing.It feels good, Woods said after a Wednesday practice round. I was pleasantly surprised with how well I was hitting it.And while the Masters is on his mind, Woods is more concerned about victory this week than how well he is hitting the ball.If i hit it great and win, if I slap it all over the place and win, I win, he said. That's the intent.  |
| Golf: McIlroy still undecided about Rio Olympic ties Posted: PALM BEACH GARDENS (AFP) - Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy remains undecided about whether he would play for Ireland or Britain at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, when golf returns to the Games programme.For the first time since 1904, golfers will compete for Olympic gold but that brings the tricky question of nationality into play because Northern Ireland does not field its own team.I haven't made a decision yet, McIlroy told the US PGA Tour website on Wednesday.There's no real urgency at the moment, and I couldn't even imagine planning my schedule that far ahead. I will have to decide, however, and take into consideration many sensibilities.Another Northern Ireland golf star, Graeme McDowell, played for Ireland at last year's World Cup of Golf. That locked him into representing Ireland at Rio in 2016.It's a very touchy subject, McDowell said at the event. You are going to end up upsetting someone.McIlroy, a two-time major champion, plays this week at the $6 million US PGA Honda Classic, which he won in 2012 to secure the world number one ranking for the first time in his career.But last year, McIlroy walked off the course in the middle of his second round, citing a toothache and mental fatigue, what he called his lowest moment of the 2013 season.I made a mistake walking off the course and disappointed not just myself, McIlroy said.What's important, though, is that I have learned from that episode. I need to stay patient and play my way through the difficult patches.  |
| US oil rises after stockpiles report points to demand Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Global oil prices rose on Wednesday, with US prices gaining a boost from a bullish stockpiles report and another wintry blast of cold hitting the country.New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in April, gained 76 cents over the session, closing at $102.59 a barrel.Brent North Sea crude for April ticked up one cent to settle at $109.52 in London trade.The US Department of Energy's weekly petroleum stockpiles report lifted New York crude prices in morning trade, with its details pointing to potential improvement in demand in the world's largest crude-oil consumer.Commercial crude oil supplies rose only by 100,000 barrels last week, one-eighth of what analysts expected.And supplies at the Cushing, Oklahoma, depot, which serve as a reference for WTI, fell by 1.1 million barrels, supporting prices, said Andy Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates.The opening of the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline, bringing oil from Cushing to Gulf Coast refineries in Texas, has eased a buildup of WTI at the hub.Higher refineries' runs... are keeping US inventories under control, Lipow said.The difference between WTI and Brent prices has narrowed since Monday to levels not seen for months. At Wednesday's Brent close, the spread stood at $6.93, its lowest gap since October.The DoE also reported a tick higher last week in distillate stocks, which include heating oil, by 300,000 barrels. Although the increase ended six straight weeks of declines, the level remained 9.0 percent lower than a year ago as large parts of the country have been hammered by severe winter cold.Lipow predicted the distillate market would continue to be supported by the cold weather which is expected to continue for the next 10 days.Political unrest in oil-producing Venezuela, as well as in Libya and South Sudan, was still underpinning the market, analysts said.The market is concerned about supply disruption in Venezuela, Lipow said.  |
| Dollar firmer ahead of Yellen's Senate testimony Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar firmed against other major currencies on Wednesday as investors awaited Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's testimony to Congress on Thursday on US economic conditions and monetary policy.The euro fell to $1.3683 around 2200 GMT, down from $1.3744 late Tuesday.The dollar edged up to 102.38 yen from 102.22 yen, while the euro dipped against the Japanese currency, to 140.11 yen from 140.49.Investors are buying US dollars today ahead of tomorrow's testimony from Janet Yellen on monetary policy, said Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management.Yellen will appear before the Senate Banking Committee in a hearing delayed by two weeks because of severe winter weather that has also been blamed as a large factor in a recent spate of disappointing economic indicators.Analysts were not expecting Yellen, who succeeded Ben Bernanke at the helm of the US central bank on February 1, to deviate from winding down The Fed's stimulus program, as spelled out in her February 11 testimony in the House of Representatives.The Fed has cut $20 billion from its asset-purchase program so far this year, to $65 billion a month, and is on track to exit the program before the end of the year if economic conditions hold up.We believe that Yellen's comments will be more beneficial than detrimental to the dollar tomorrow, Lien said.Although new-home sales surprised to the upside today, most of the recent economic reports have been disappointing and some investors are hoping that Yellen will acknowledge the deterioration, using it as a justification for keeping monetary policy easy for a longer period of time. The dollar rose to 0.8906 Swiss franc from 0.8866 franc late Tuesday.The pound slipped to $1.6667 from $1.6680.  |
| Captain Kohli steers India past Bangladesh Posted: FATULLAH (AFP) - Virat Kohli won the battle of the captains as reigning World Cup champions India defeated host Bangladesh by six wickets in the second match of the Asia Cup in Fatullah on Wednesday.Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim hit 117 off 113 balls, sharing a third-wicket stand of 133 with Anamul Haque (77), to lift the hosts to 279-7 after India elected to field.Kohli, standing in for the injured Mahendra Singh Dhoni, then smashed 136 off 122 balls to steer India past the challenging target in 49 overs.The prolific 25-year-old hit 16 boundaries and two sixes in his 19th one-day century, 17 of which have been in winning causes.Ajinkya Rahane (73) provided valuable support to his captain, adding 213 for the third wicket with Kohli after India were reduced to 54-2 by the 13th over of the day-night game.Kohli, later named the man of the match, preferred to dwell on the team's performance rather than his own stand-out batting.I am very happy with the way the team performed, he said. It was good to see everyone step up in the absence of Dhoni.And it was very important for someone like Ajinkya to bat through the innings. He played beautifully. He is a very positive guy and works very hard. It was a good stand with him.Bangladesh spinner Abdur Razzak, who attended the presentation ceremony instead of his captain, blamed the evening dew for the defeat.We had enough runs on the board, but the dew caused problems. It made it difficult to grip the ball and we had not anticipated that. But we will need to push more for runs if we bat first again.Earlier, Rahim hit seven fours and two sixes in his second one-day century, before he was dismissed in the final over attempting a big hit.Anamul and Rahim came together after opener Shamsur Rahman and Mominul Haque were removed by the 13th over with the score at 49.Anamul smashed fast bowler Varun Aaron for two sixes to long-on, then reached his half-century with another six off Ravichandran Ashwin over the bowler's head.Aaron, who conceded 56 runs in 6.5 overs, finally found success when he bowled Anamul with the last ball of his seventh over, the 37th of the innings.Rahim slammed two boundaries and a six when Aaron bowled next, but the batsman was hit on the chest by a full toss delivery later in the same over and needed medical attention on the field.Aaron, who had also sent down a full toss earlier in the match, was not allowed to bowl by the umpires for the rest of the innings and finished with expensive figures of one for 74 from 7.5 overs.Seamer Mohammad Shami was the most impressive Indian bowler with four for 50 from his 10 overs.India are without Dhoni for the entire five-nation tournament due to a side strain suffered during the recent tour of New Zealand.Bangladesh were missing injured opener Tamim Iqbal and premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who is serving a three-match ban on disciplinary grounds.Shakib will also miss the home team's second match against Afghanistan on Saturday.Defending champions Pakistan, who were beaten by Sri Lanka in Tuesday's tournament opener, take on minnows Afghanistan on Thursday.  |
| Trott on course for cricket return: Amiss Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Jonathan Trott is set to make his comeback for county side Warwickshire in April and wants to play international cricket again, former England batsman Dennis Amiss said Wednesday.Trott, 32, left Englands Ashes tour of Australia with a stress-related illness after twice falling cheaply to fast bowler Mitchell Johnson in a crushing 381-run loss in the first Test at Brisbane.That prompted concerns the South Africa-born batsman, who made a hundred on Test debut against Australia at The Oval in 2009, might struggle to return to the international arena.But Amiss, chairman of Trotts benefit committee, said he expected the top-order batsman to face Gloucestershire in a pre-season friendly in April.Hes still very hungry, Amiss told the BBC. He wants to continue succeeding both for Warwickshire and for England.Trott, who has scored 3,763 runs, including nine hundreds, in 49 Tests for England at an average of 46.95, has been granted time for a family holiday while Warwickshire are on their pre-season tour in Barbados.But he will join up with the squad on their return and is in line to play against Gloucestershire at Warwickshires Edgbaston headquarters in Birmingham, central England, on April 1-2.He will also be considered for the first-class match against Oxford University from April 7 and the County Championship opener against Sussex from April 13.Amiss, who was Warwickshire chief executive when Trott arrived at Edgbaston from South Africa in 2002, said he had been encouraged by the players state of mind during their recent meetings.Hes doing very well, Amiss said. Hes had a great rest, which is very important, and he is raring to go again.Cricket is his passion and I believe he has qualities, as weve seen, to be able to score a mass of runs for Warwickshire to get himself back into the England side and regain his position.Trott has not spoken publically since he left Australia on November 25, saying: I dont think it is right that Im playing, knowing that Im not 100 percent.Amiss added: I think it was essentially burnout. The England and Wales Cricket Board has helped him while he has been back. Everybody has given him a lot of help. Rest has been the most important thing.  |
