Dunya TV

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• Obama lifts ban on Guantanamo transfers to Yemen
• Police make new arrests in London soldier killing
• 26 killed in 2 simultaneous car bombs in Niger
• Anti-war protester shouts at Obama during speech
• Counting US drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen
• Nadal favored, but not seeded No. 1 at French Open
• Bayern, Dortmund take rivalry to new level
• Squash: Ashour racks up 38th successive win
• Rosberg quickest in both Monaco GP practice runs
• Monfils reaches Nice semis, Simon and Querrey out
• Oil recovers after dive on Chinese data
• Pakistan, Ireland tie first ODI
• NZ going with all-pace attack in 2nd test
• Flintoff set for 'big bash' with rugby league stars
• Obama defends drone strikes

Obama lifts ban on Guantanamo transfers to Yemen Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is lifting his self-imposed ban on transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen, where a leadership upheaval has improved the country's security but not eliminated the terrorist organization trying to recruit jihadists.Lifting the ban is a step toward Obama's goal of closing the Navy-run prison in Cuba since nearly 100 of the 166 terrorist suspects held there are from Yemen and have had nowhere to go even if they had been cleared for transfer. Obama wouldn't send them home and no other country was welcoming them, and their hopelessness after a decade or more of imprisonment had contributed to a hunger strike at the detention facility that helped reignite the long-stalled effort to close it.But Obama's decision is not without risk detainees who have been released to Yemen in the past have joined terrorist fighters in the Arab nation. The security concerns prompted Obama to suspend transfers to Yemen in January 2010 after a Nigerian man attempted to blow up a U.S.-bound flight with explosives hidden in his underwear on instructions from al-Qaida operatives in Yemen.Yemeni watchers in the U.S. say there is reason to hope security has improved since longtime authoritarian leader Ali Abdullah Saleh was ousted after mass uprisings last year. Al-Qaida had been on the upswing under Saleh, but successor Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has made fighting terrorism a top goal and restored cooperation with the United States in the effort.Obama announced that he was lifting the moratorium on Yemeni transfers in a speech Thursday at the National Defense University in which the president also defended targeted killings by U.S. aerial drones and pushed Congress anew to authorize Guantanamo's closure. The president did not explain his rationale behind the change in Yemen policy, but senior administration officials told reporters in a conference call cited Hadi's leadership.It's unclear what kind of systems are in place to monitor former detainees once they return to Yemen. Yemeni authorities had a system, but it ceased to function after massive anti-government protests swept most of the country, starting in early 2011. Of the estimated 30 Yemenis who returned from Guantanamo, only a handful had stayed in Sanaa, the capital, while the rest moved to remote areas where government authority is minimal, or nonexistent.Yemen's Embassy in Washington welcomed Obama's lifting of the ban. It said in a statement that Yemen's government will work with the United States to take all necessary steps to ensure the safe return of its detainees and will continue working towards their gradual rehabilitation and integration back into society.David Remes, an attorney who represents many Guantanamo detainees, described a system roughly like parole for his clients who have been released to Yemen. He said they have been flown in shackles aboard a military aircraft back to Sanaa and turned over to state forces who spend a couple days debriefing them about their years of captivity before they return to their families. If they want to leave town, they are required to register with state security forces who keep track of their movements, Remes said.Although there is no such thing as zero risk, the men who have returned from Guantanamo are overwhelmingly living peaceful lives, Remes said. And you can't hold 99 of 100 men captive because one might engage in bad acts when he is released, even two.Yet some have returned to jihad. Among them is Saeed Ali al-Shihri, who emerged as the second-most senior commander of Yemen's branch of al-Qaida after being released from six years of detention at Guantanamo Bay. Yemini officials said in January that al-Shihri was killed in a U.S. drone attack, but al-Qaida denied he was killed and last month released an audio recording of him criticizing Yemen's neighbor Saudi Arabia for its policy of allowing the U.S. to launch drone strikes from bases in the kingdom.In confusion that underscores how difficult it can be to keep tabs on former detainees, it was the second time the group denied al-Shihri's death. U.S. officials had previously announced al-Shihri's death in an airstrike in September last year. A DNA test, however, proved that the body recovered was not that of al-Shihri.According to security officials in Yemen, there has not been any evidence to link any of the returnees with suicide bombings in the country. However, some of them are thought to have fought against government forces in the southern Abyan province in 2011 and 2012 , when al-Qaida fighters took advantage of the security vacuum to seize large swathes of the area before they were pushed back by security forces last year. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.Christopher Swift of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service said research has shown the recidivism rate for former detainees sent to Yemen has been about 15 to 20 percent.That would great progress if you were talking about drug dealers, but you are talking about terrorism, Swift said. The political class in America has a zero tolerance approach to these issues.Swift said there have been improvements to security under Hadi's leadership, who with support from the United States and other Arab nations has dispersed the terrorists out of their strongholds and left fighters struggling to reorganize. But he said al-Qaida has not been eliminated and the government has more improvements to make.Suffice it to say the government is highly dysfunctional, but it is much more functional than it was a year ago or even two years ago, Swift said.

Police make new arrests in London soldier killing Posted: LONDON (AFP) - British police made two further arrests Thursday and raided houses across London following the brutal murder of a serving soldier who survived a tour of duty in Afghanistan.Prime Minister David Cameron appealed for calm after 25-year-old Lee Rigby was butchered outside a London army barracks on Wednesday, while an extra 1,200 officers were deployed on the capital's streets in a bid to reassure the public.The intelligence agencies meanwhile came under scrutiny after it emerged that the two murder suspects, who were injured in police gunfire at the scene, had been known to the security services.Both men, aged 28 and 22, are believed to be Britons of Nigerian origin. One of them had frequented meetings by the now-banned Islamist group Al-Muhajiroun, its UK leader Anjem Choudary told AFP.The two chief suspects are under arrest in separate hospitals. They are both stable and their injuries are not life threatening, police said.In a brazen mid-afternoon attack in Woolwich, southeast London, the pair apparently hacked Rigby with knives and a meat cleaver before attempting to explain their actions in an Islamist tirade to passers-by.The victim, who has a two-year-old son Jake, was a machine gunner who served with NATO-led forces in Afghanistan in 2009, the defence ministry said.Police searched five properties in London and one in a village in eastern England, and announced the arrests of a man and a woman, both aged 29, for conspiracy to murder.This is a large, complex and fast-moving investigation which continues to develop, a spokesman said.Detectives are sifting through witness statements, social media and security camera footage, while forensic experts have been combing the scene in Woolwich for evidence.Cameron has condemned the barbaric attack and said it was likely terrorist-related, while experts said the murder had the hallmarks of a militant Islamist attack.Media reports citing witnesses said the men first ran over their victim in a car before finishing him off with the knives.A government source said we will be looking into the possibility that they were known to the security services.British media are naming one of the suspects as Michael Adebolajo, a 28-year-old Londoner.Islamist preacher Choudary told AFP Adebolajo was from a Nigerian family, converted to Islam in 2003 and took the name Mujahid. He regularly attended sermons by banned Islamist preacher Omar Bakri, the Al-Muhajiroun founder.He used to attend some of our activities over the years. Very peaceful chap actually, not violent at all, Choudary said, adding that he lost contact three years ago.

26 killed in 2 simultaneous car bombs in Niger Posted: NIAMEY, Niger (AP) - Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously on Thursday, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing a total of 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France.A surviving attacker took a group of soldiers hostage, and authorities were attempting to negotiate their release.The timing of the attacks, which occurred at the same moment more than 100 miles apart, and the fact that the bombers were able to penetrate both a well-guarded military installation and a sensitive, foreign-operated uranium mine, highlight the growing reach and sophistication of the Islamic extremists based in neighboring Mali. Both attacks were claimed by a spinoff of al-Qaida, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, which earlier vowed to avenge the four-month-old French-led military intervention which ousted them from town's in Mali's north.The most deaths were in the desert city of Agadez, located almost 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of the capital, where the attackers punched their explosive-laden car past the defenses at a military garrison and detonated inside the base, killing 20 soldiers and injuring 16 others, said Niger's Minister of Defense Mahamadou Karidjo at a hastily assembled press conference in Niamey on Thursday. Three suicide bombers also died, but a fourth escaped and grabbed a group of military cadets, said Interior Minister Abdou Labo.Draped in an explosive belt, the attacker was threatening to blow himself up along with his hostages, said Labo, who could not confirm how many cadets were being held. Almost 12 hours later, the military was still negotiating with the suicide bomber for their release.At the same time the Agadez attack occurred, more than 240 kilometers (150 miles) northeast of Agadez, a different group of suicide bombers slipped past a truck entering a uranium mine operated by French nuclear giant Areva. The car exploded once inside the campus, injuring 14 employees of the French company, one of whom died later, according to a statement by the French corporation and witnesses. Two suicide bombers were also killed, said the ministry of defense.

Anti-war protester shouts at Obama during speech Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama was interrupted three times by a woman who shouted about drones and detainees in Cuba as he delivered a speech on national security.The woman was identified as Medea Benjamin from the anti-war group Code Pink. Benjamin yelled from behind a bank of cameras before she was removed from the hall at National Defense University in Washington.Obama said at one point he was willing to cut the young lady some slack because the issues he was addressing are worth being passionate about.Benjamin shouted, quote, 86 were cleared already. Release them todayThat appears to be a reference to detainees who remain in Cuba despite being cleared for transfer from the facility.

Counting US drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama said Thursday that he will engage Congress in exploring a number of options for increased oversight of lethal drone strikes outside of war zones like Afghanistan.The official U.S. figures of number of strikes and estimated deaths remain classified.But, according to the New America Foundation which maintains a database of the strikes, the CIA and the military have carried out an estimated 416 drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen, resulting in 3,364 estimated deaths, including militants and civilians. The Associated Press also has reported a drone strike in Somalia in 2012 that killed one.The think tank compiles its numbers by combining reports in major news media that rely on local officials and eyewitness accounts.Strikes in Pakistan spiked in 2010 under Obama to 122. But the number has dropped to 12 so far this year. Strikes were originally carried out with permission of the Pakistani government of Pervez Musharraf, though subsequent Pakistani governments have demanded strikes cease. Most of those killed by the strikes in Pakistan are militants, according to the New America Foundation database.The CIA and the military have carried out some 69 strikes in Yemen, with the Yemeni government's permission.2002 - Up to 10 killed in 1 strike in Yemen2003 - None.2004 - Up to 7 killed 1 strike in Pakistan2005 - Up to 15 killed 3 strikes in Pakistan2006 - Up to 94 killed 2 strikes in Pakistan2007 - Up to 63 killed 4 strikes in Pakistan2008 - Up to 301 killed 37 strikes in Pakistan2009 - Up to 634 killed in 56 strikes in Pakistan and Yemen2010 - Up to 855 killed in 123 strikes in Pakistan and Yemen2011 - Up to 647 killed 87 strikes in Pakistan and Yemen2012 - Up to 621 killed in 81 strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia2013 - Up to 118 killed in 22 strikes in Pakistan and Yemen.Total estimated strikes: 417Total estimated deaths, including militants and civilians: 3,365.

Nadal favored, but not seeded No. 1 at French Open Posted: PARIS (AP) - Used to be the French Open was the scene for clay-court specialists and surprise champions.Scan the list of past winners and runners-up. There's Gaston Gaudio and Albert Costa, Guillermo Coria and Martin Verkerk, Andres Gomez and Mariano Puerta. Not so much a Who's Who. More like a Who's He?The women's list features fewer out-of-nowhere names, yet does include those such as Iva Majoli, Anastasia Myskina and Francesca Schiavone, who all won the French Open while never making it past the quarterfinals at any other major championship.With the year's second Grand Slam tournament set to begin Sunday at Roland Garros, there is little thought being given to that sort of stunning outcome, thanks to Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.As seven-time major champion John McEnroe put it: It's pretty obvious who the favorite is.He meant, of course, Nadal, who won his record seventh French Open title last year and is 52-1 for his career at the place. Consider, too, the nearly perfect way the Spaniard has played after seven months off the tour because of a left knee injury: Since returning in February, Nadal is 36-2, reaching the finals at all eight tournaments he's entered, winning six.I am enjoying every moment, and eight finals in a row is wonderful, Nadal said. Four, five months ago, it was impossible to think about this.He wore a wrap of white tape below that troublesome knee while practicing Thursday afternoon on Court Philippe Chatrier with the temperature in the 40s (below 10 degrees Celsius) for about an hour before heavy rain fell; the forecast is for more wet weather in the coming days.Nadal has cut down on the amount of time he spends training on court, one concession to recurring knee problems, which also forced him to pull out of Wimbledon in 2009, when he would have been the defending champion.I'm really happy for him, and impressed that he's come back, said McEnroe, now a TV analyst. It seems like he's barely lost anything, if at all. Right now, he seems to be finally, he says, playing the best he's been playing the whole year, which is sort of frightening for the other players.And yet Nadal will not be seeded No. 1 when the draw is held Friday.That's because the French Open decided to strictly follow the rankings, and Nadal's time away deducted enough points that he is currently No. 4 (he'll move up one spot to No. 3 in the seedings, because No. 2 Andy Murray, the reigning U.S. Open champion, withdrew because of a bad back.Tournament director Gilbert Ysern explained that while he could have opted to ignore the rankings and even contemplated doing so, because Nadal is the best player on clay and Roland Garros is a bit like his garden there wasn't a consensus it was the proper thing to do.You can understand the argument that those who are higher than him in the rankings in a certain way deserve their ranking, Ysern said, and to move these players back to move Nadal forward could have been considered unfair.Nadal, for his part, did not sound too fussed about the matter, saying, I had a very good chance to be No. 10 (given the time off), and there are lots of chances to be worse, and I accept the situation.So last year's French Open runner-up to Nadal, Novak Djokovic, will be seeded No. 1, and 17-time major champion Roger Federer will be seeded No. 2.Djokovic handed Nadal one of his two losses of 2013, in the Monte Carlo final on clay last month, proof that Nadal is not completely invincible, even on the slow surface he dominates.The No. 1-ranked Williams, meanwhile, has been unbeatable lately. She arrives in Paris having won a career-high 24 consecutive matches and is 36-2 like Nadal with a tour-leading five titles this season. That's part of a stretch in which she's gone 67-3, including titles last year at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the London Olympics.That 70-match stretch of excellence dates, probably not coincidentally, to her last match at Roland Garros, a shocking loss to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France in the first round in 2012. It is her only opening loss in 50 career Grand Slam tournaments precisely the sort of thing that seems to happen around these parts.While there certainly are other women who realistically can harbor hopes of lifting the trophy in a little more than two weeks defending champion Maria Sharapova is the best example Williams appears to be playing as well as ever at the moment.She already owns 15 Grand Slam singles titles, but the French Open is the only major tournament she's won fewer than four times. Her lone championship in Paris came in 2002.Nothing is ever perfect and I learned that last year when I felt perfect, Williams said. So I am still in a danger zone.

Bayern, Dortmund take rivalry to new level Posted: LONDON (AP) - Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will take their increasingly acrimonious rivalry to a new level Saturday in the first all-German Champions League final.Relations between Germany's top two teams were always likely to be fraught ahead of their clash at Wembley Stadium, but a power struggle off the pitch has increased the stakes for the biggest prize in European club football.Dortmund, in particular, is unhappy with Bayern's transfer dealings as Mario Goetze is switching to the Bavarian side next season and top-scorer Robert Lewandowski is apparently keen to follow suit.Despite finishing a record 25 points ahead of Dortmund in the Bundesliga, Bayern is keen to cement its status as the country's undisputed No. 1 after suffering the ignominy of watching Dortmund claim back-to-back titles while earning plaudits for its attractive style of play.Dortmund really annoyed us for two years. This is a wonderful response, said Bayern president Uli Hoeness after his side wrapped up the title with a record six games to spare.Goetze is arguably Germany's most exciting prospect and Bayern is paying his buy-out clause of 37 million euros ($50 million) for the two-pronged effect of reinforcing an already formidable side while dealing a blow to its main domestic rival.Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp told British newspaper The Guardian that he almost had a heart attack on hearing the news of the 20-year-old's departure and said that several of his players had trouble sleeping afterwards. He also compared Bayern to a James Bond villain.Bayern's sports director Matthias Sammer hit back at the comments.To think the whole world is behind you is also a form of humility, Sammer said. We have freedom of speech in Germany. He gives his opinion on certain things and we don't.Sammer, who won the title as a player with Dortmund in 1997 and later coached the team to the 2002 Bundesliga title, clashed with Klopp on the sideline during the sides' ill-tempered 1-1 draw in the Bundesliga earlier this month.Lewandowski is another issue of contention.The Polish striker, who has scored 10 Champions League goals this season, has refused to sign a new deal at Dortmund and had reportedly told club management he only wants to join Bayern. Dortmund is torn between the option of selling him with one year left on his contract or letting him go for free in 2014.While Lewandowski is set to play what could be his last game for Dortmund on Saturday, Goetze will miss out after failing to recover from the hamstring injury sustained 12 minutes into the semifinal second leg at Real Madrid.Dortmund routed Bayern 5-2 in last year's German Cup final with Goetze on the bench, however.It was that defeat, and the shock of losing the Champions League final on penalties to Chelsea in its own stadium that has fueled Bayern's determination this season.The club's dominance has not been restricted to the Bundesliga. Bayern faces Stuttgart in the German Cup final on June 1.First though, Bayern turns its attention to winning its fifth European Cup.Jupp Heynckes' side dispatched Juventus and Barcelona by a combined score of 11-0 over four matches to reach Bayern's third final in four years.Dortmund is bidding to repeat its 1997 triumph from its only previous final. Then, as now, the team surrendered back-to-back Bundesliga titles to Bayern and lost its last league game 2-1 at home. In 1997, Stuttgart won the German Cup.When everything happens that you couldn't believe, then it must be a fairytale, Klopp said.His counterpart will be hoping for a fairytale ending to his tenure at Bayern. The 68-year-old Heynckes has two games left to complete a remarkable treble before former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola takes over.

Squash: Ashour racks up 38th successive win Posted: HULL (AFP) - Ramy Ashour, seeking to become the first Egyptian in nearly 50 years to win the British Open title, scored his 38th successive victory as he hurtled into the quarter-finals in little more than 20 minutes on Thursday.Ashour overcame Chris Simpson, a qualifier from England, by 11-2, 11-4, 11-9, en route to what he hopes will be the eclipse of another Englishman, Nick Matthew, the defending champion whom he is seeded to meet in Sunday's final.Ashour, who has already taken away Matthew's world title and world number one ranking, revelled in the cold conditions at Hull's football stadium, which placed an even greater premium on fast movement and early attack.He captured the first 10 points in only three minutes, and threatened to swamp the home hope completely until Simpson relaxed and played better, making a contest of the third game.You know how easily things can go to your head, so I haven't thought about the winning streak. I am just trying to concentrate on what I have to do, said Ashour.I have done a lot of work and made a lot of sacrifices and I don't want to waste it. I am just trying to do what I have to do on court.He next faces Borja Golan, the first Spanish-born player to reach the quarter-finals of the British Open, and could have a semi-final with James Willstrop, the Englishman who was world number one for much of last year.Willstrop's match with Simon Rosner of Germany was interrupted by rain at 6-5 in the first game, and eventually forced to move late at night to a conventional plaster court at a nearby club.Willstrop, the third seed, went on to complete a 11-9, 11-1, 11-6 win.However, the surprise packet in the top half is Cameron Pilley, the Netherlands based Australian who recovered from a game and 3-9 down, and then save three match points in a sensational 13-15, 4-11, 11-9, 11-6, 13-11 win over Mohamed El Shorbagy, the Egyptian who was close to becoming world champion in Doha in December.You have to have faith in yourself -- it was under control all the time, Pilley joked afterwards. Seriously though, I am not too sure how I turned it around.There had been no real purpose to my game, and he was just killing me. But I relaxed a bit and straightened it up a bit, added Pilley, who also used his long reach to increasingly good effect on the volley, and fought with great tenacity.Later there was also a good fight-back by Laura Massaro, the second-seeded Englishwoman who has twice this year beaten Nicol David, the long-lasting world number one from Malaysia.Now Massaro found herself four times within a point of going two games down to Dipika Pallikal, the 15th-seeded Indian whose ability in the front court and liking for angles boasted off the sidewall were well suited to the cold conditions.I didn't realise I was that far down, said Massaro after her 6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 survival. I knew that in those conditions things can swing around very quickly because the ball was so dead, so I was just focussed on trying to keep very sharp.Massaro will now play Omneya Abdel Kawy, the 2010 World Open runner-up, who beat Nour El Sherbini, her 17-year-old Egyptian compatriot, who was British Open runner-up last time.Kawy had to save three game points in the first game and retrieve a 4-7 deficit in the third in her 16-14, 11-7, 11-8 success.

Rosberg quickest in both Monaco GP practice runs Posted: MONACO (AP) - Finishing fastest in both of Thursday's practice sessions for the Monaco Grand Prix isn't enough to get Nico Rosberg too excited. He knows Mercedes has yet to prove it can last the pace on race day.The German driver clocked a time of 1 minute, 14.759 seconds to finish .318 in front of teammate Lewis Hamilton and .437 ahead of Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso in the second session. The times were generally faster than in the first session.But having taken pole position in the past two races and failed to finish in the top five, Rosberg is wary about reading too much into qualifying and practice speeds. Hamilton topped the grid at the Chinese GP three races ago, and Mercedes secured a 1-2 in qualifying two weeks ago in Spain but neither driver has won a race yet.It seems that we are quick again on one lap, but we have been working hard again to make improvements to our race pace, said Rosberg, whose best result this season was fourth at the Malaysian GP. It will be interesting to see where we are compared to the others over the weekend, as it's not really representative today.Monaco is the hardest track for overtaking, and a repeat front-row performance in Saturday's qualifying will set up Mercedes to end that barren run but only if the car improves its durability.The true test will come on Sunday, but I'm pleased with the technical work that we covered in the two practice sessions today, team principal Ross Brawn said. Both Nico and Lewis, along with our engineers, did a very good job working together through the program. A pleasing start to the weekend, and now we have to make the right decisions for Saturday and Sunday.Hamilton, the 2008 F1 champion, has two third-place finishes this season and feels Mercedes is close to getting that first win.The car is almost there and the pace looks good, the Briton said. We'll look at the data tonight and work on those areas which can still be improved.Three-time defending F1 champion Sebastian Vettel finished 10th in the morning session and ninth in the afternoon.Unfortunately we lost quite a lot of time in the afternoon while we were making some changes, Vettel said. We'd like to be a little bit more competitive, so we need to try and find some more lap time.Romain Grosjean was forced out of the second session after smashing into the barrier at Sainte Devote. He was unharmed and his car was lifted off the track by a crane. The session was briefly halted by a red flag as marshals removed some metal debris from the track.I didn't have the grip I expected going into the corner, but there was nothing wrong with the car, Grosjean said. My braking and entry speed were all wrong and I ended up hitting the barrier ... I was committed to the corner so that was it.Hamilton and Alonso both had narrow escapes, going perilously close to hitting barriers.Alonso won the Spanish GP, with Kimi Raikkonen finishing second and Massa third. Finishing ahead of both Red Bulls was a boost for Ferrari, with Vettel coming fourth and teammate Mark Webber fifth.On Thursday, Webber was fifth quickest in the second run, ahead of Lotus driver Raikkonen.Rosberg finished ahead of Alonso and Grosjean in the first session.Ferrari's brief in recent races has been to close the gap on Red Bull in qualifying, because neither Massa nor Alonso has been on pole.Alonso won in Spain from fifth on the grid, but that is unlikely to be good enough in Monaco. Only two drivers have won from outside of pole in the last 10 years on this track and they both started from third place.Red Bull has captured the past three races in Monaco, all from pole. Webber won last year and in 2010, and Vettel took the checkered flag in 2011.

Monfils reaches Nice semis, Simon and Querrey out Posted: NICE (AP) - Second-seeded Gilles Simon of France and third-seeded Sam Querrey of the United States were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Open de Nice on Thursday.Spaniards Alberto Montanes and Pablo Andujar and Frenchmen Gael Monfils and Edouard Roger-Vasselin reached the last four.Wild-card entry Roger-Vasselin beat Querrey 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1. The Frenchman broke Querrey twice in the final set to lead 5-1 before converting his first match point with a forehand winner.Roger-Vasselin will next play clay-court specialist Montanes. The Spaniard beat Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 6-4, 6-1.A semifinalist at the Madrid Open earlier this month, Andujar stunned Simon 6-4, 7-5. The Spaniard hit a drop shot to break Simon at 4-4 in the opening set before rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the second.Andujar will meet Monfils, who ousted Robin Haase of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-3.A former top 10 player, Monfils won the last five games. The Frenchman has been bothered by a right knee injury last year, dropping to 109th in the rankings.The Open de Nice is a warm-up tournament for the French Open which starts Sunday.

Oil recovers after dive on Chinese data Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Global oil prices closed little changed Thursday, recovering from sharper losses earlier in the day after weak Chinese manufacturing data.New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate light sweet crude for July, edged down three cents to settle at $94.25 per barrel. WTI had hit an intraday low of $92.21.Brent North Sea crude for delivery in July settled at $102.44 per barrel, down 16 cents from Wednesday.Oil prices have continued their recent declines for the third day in a row on both Brent and WTI as economic data continues to point to reduced demand against a backdrop of high inventories, said CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson.HSBC bank reported China's manufacturing output contracted in May, raising concerns about energy demand in the world's second-largest economy.The market was kind of reeling in the morning with the news from China, said Rich Illczyszyn of iiTrader.com.But WTI found pretty tough resistance at the $92 level, he said, and pulled back from its lows as traders were looking for buying opportunities after Wednesday's sharp drop and preparing for the long holiday weekend.People don't want the risk of exposure and going home for the Memorial Day weekend with a big short position, Illczyszyn said.US gasoline demand is expected to surge this weekend as the Memorial Day holiday Monday kicks off the summer vacation driving season.

Pakistan, Ireland tie first ODI Posted: DUBLIN (AFP) - Pakistan could manage only a tie in the first one-day international against Ireland at a bitterly cold Clontarf on Thursday after Kevin OBrien hit the last ball of the match for four.Set a Duckworth-Lewis target of 276 to win in 47 overs, Ireland needed 15 off the last over by Saeed Ajmal, the number-one ranked bowler, but OBrien, the destroyer of England at the last World Cup, hit the fourth ball for six to set up the thrilling finale.He could not manage a repeat off the last ball to win the game for the leading Associate country but the boundary brought about the 28th tie in ODI history.OBrien finished 84 not out from just 47 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes, and followed on from Paul Stirling rampaging opening when he hit a 102-ball century to set up Irelands victory charge.Ireland had famously beaten Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup but they were never favourites to win this one.The tourists always appeared to hold the upper hand, getting wickets at vital times, but they will look back at the chance OBrien gave to Mohammad Irfan, when he was only 19, as the one that got away and ultimately cost them victory.Ajmals figures of 0 for 71 were his worst in 80 ODIs.On the day, he was out-bowled by spin twin Mohammad Hafeez who finished with two for 34 while Irfan had to make do with the wicket of Stirling. Junaid Khan also picked up two wickets but he conceded six runs an over.The Pakistan innings was interrupted four times by rain but only three overs were lost and the tourists scored 144 off 16 overs after the final rain-break to finish on 266 for five.All-rounder Hafeez still considers himself primarily a batsman and he showed why with a fluent innings full of well-timed drives and deft, late cuts.When he brought up his century in the 44th over, he kissed the Clontarf pitch before raising his bat to the many Pakistan fans at the Dublin venue.Nasir Jamshed had to retire hurt with back trouble early in his innings, although he returned later, and when Imran Farhat was caught at first slip by Stirling, both openers were back in the pavilion with only 33 on the board.But the Hafeez-Shafiq partnership put Pakistan in control, broken when the latter was caught at long-on, his 84 coming off just 89 balls with nine boundaries.Captain Misbah-ul-Haq was run out without facing a ball, after both batsmen ended up in the middle of the pitch but three fours from Kamran Akmal and a final flourish from Hafeez, who fittingly ended the innings with another boundary, left Ireland with much to do.Not for nothing, though, are they the ranked the leading nation outside the Full Members and Pakistan were just grateful to escape with a tie.

NZ going with all-pace attack in 2nd test Posted: LEEDS (AP) - Spinner and former skipper Daniel Vettori ruled himself out of the second test at Headingley, ensuring New Zealand will take on England with an all-pace attack from Friday.Vettoris decision to put the team first rather than play a 112th test and become the sole New Zealand record-holder for caps, means fast bowler Doug Bracewell will complement a seam attack with Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner.Its a gamble but when youre 1-0 down youve got to take it, captain Brendon McCullum said on Thursday.He will keep wicket for the first time in nearly three years, taking over from the injured BJ Watling. McCullum stressed it was a one-off situation, and hoped to manage the back complaint which forced him to drop the gloves in 2010.With Martin Guptill taking Watlings place in the lineup, the usual opener will bat at No. 6, followed by McCullum.New Zealand hoped that when Vettori joined them on Tuesday for the coming one-day series that he could replace the injured Bruce Martin. But Vettoris practices came up short. He hasnt played a test since July, missing the tour of South Africa with an Achilles complaint and the home series against England with ankle tendinitis. Lately, he was a mere net bowler in the Indian Premier League.He didnt scrub up that well today, McCullum said. He gave it his best shot. Hes not quite confident hell be able to get through five days and didnt want to let them team down.He said they were also mindful of not risking a flare-up of his injuries, as he was a big part of the ODI squad for the England series and Champions Trophy. McCullum added Vettori remained a test candidate.Back in though is Bracewell, who got himself in trouble when he was ruled out a day before the home series with England in March after cutting his foot while cleaning up after a party at his home. Hes grabbed nine wickets in the two warm-up games on this tour.Doug was outstanding in the warm-up games, McCullum said. While four seamers slightly adjusts our balance, with the overhead conditions we see it as a positive option.Bracewell will face England for the first time in his 15-test career. His uncle, John Bracewell, featured when New Zealand won at Headingley 30 years ago for its first win over England in England.Seamers tend to go OK here, McCullum said. From the games Ive played in here, seamers have certainly prospered. The wicket looked a touch dry underneath the initial grass covering ... you know, its a gamble.England counterpart Alastair Cook didnt think Headingley will be as bowler-friendly as Lords last week. He believed wickets will be harder to take.Over the last couple of years there have been some high-scoring games here and its quite similar to Lords, he said. If its sunny it can be a nice pitch to bat on and we will have to work hard in every session.On the postmortem of their 170-run loss in the first test at Lords on Sunday, following 68 all out in the second innings, McCullum said the reasons they came up with were varied, and he defended his batsmens apparent lack of technique and patience.Some of the guys knew their footwork was a bit lacking and some guys knew their hands were a bit far away from their body at the time. Was it a pressure situation or a technical deficiency? I dont think it was a technical deficiency. It was the situation. We lost the ability to access our skills. The guys have got to free up their mind the best they can rather than be carefree about it.Weve made the best with the situation weve got. Were still confident if we play well, stick to the things that have worked for us and can apply enough pressure on England, then in five days well be able to reflect on a job well done.

Flintoff set for 'big bash' with rugby league stars Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Andrew Freddie Flintoff may no longer be a member of the England side but that wont stop him from returning to cricket duty for Twenty20 action with an Australian twist.With the Ashes underway, Flintoff -- victorious in his one-bout boxing career -- will be back on more familiar territory with two Twenty20 matches involving English and Australian cricket stars of yesteryear.Also taking part in the Betfred Big Bash Challenge at the Grappenhall ground in Lancashire, north-west England, on July 30, will be players from the nearby Warrington Wolves rugby league club.Grappenhalls most famous member is former Lancashire and England batsman Neil Fairbrother, Flintoffs agent, who said Thursday: Fred will be up for this all right. He was forced to retire through injury at 30. He is 34 now and will be determined to show hes still got it.Wolves star Ben Westwood added: All the lads are up for it, especially the Aussie players. Picking 11 players will be the hardest part.My best effort at the wicket may have been back at school in Normanton (Yorkshire) when I went six, four and out. I cant wait to have a slog at Fred.A capacity crowd of 2,000 is expected at Grappenhall to see the likes of Mark Ramprakash, Devon Malcolm, Dominic Cork, Gladstone Small and Phil de Freitas featuring in Flintoffs England legends side.Former Test fast bowler Jason Gillespie, now the coach of Yorkshire, will captain the Aussie legends with the rest of his side to be announced soon.Flintoffs pace bowling and aggressive batting made him the star performer when England regained the Ashes in 2005.And four years ago, in his final Test series before his his body could no longer stand the strain, he took five for 92 in Englands first Ashes win at Lords since 1934.

Obama defends drone strikes Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - Declaring America at a ‘‘crossroads’’ in the fight against terrorism, President Barack Obama on Thursday revealed clearer guidelines for the use of deadly drone strikes, including more control by the US military, while leaving key details of the controversial program secret.The guidance includes requirements that a target must pose a continuing imminent threat to Americans, and says lethal action can be used only if a suspect cannot feasibly be captured, and there is a legal basis for acting.In a major foreign policy speech after some two weeks of dealing with domestic scandals, Obama underlined his support for press freedoms in the face of recent criticism of his administrations recent probes to stop leaks of classified information.Under a new presidential guidance signed recently, the Defense Department will take the lead in launching drones, as opposed to the current practice of the CIA taking charge.The president also announced a renewed push to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba, including lifting a moratorium on prisoner transfers to Yemen. However, shutting the prison will still require help from Republicans reluctant to back Obama’s call to move some detainees to US prisons and try them in civilian courts.Obama framed his address as an attempt to redefine the nature and scope of terror threats facing the US, noting the weakening of al-Qaida and the impending end of the US war in Afghanistan.‘‘Neither I, nor any president, can promise the total defeat of terror,’’ Obama said in remarks at the National Defense University. ‘‘What we can do, what we must do, is dismantle networks that pose a direct danger, and make it less likely for new groups to gain a foothold, all while maintaining the freedoms and ideals that we defend.’

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