Dunya TV

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• Karachi violence claims 9 lives
• Peshawar: 6 killed as militants attack on DPO Kohat convoy
• Ibad summons Sindh Assembly meeting on May 29
• Policeman, five gunmen killed in Kabul Taliban attack
• Syria regime to attend peace talks: Russia
• US, Turkey, Qatar seek urgent UN rights debate on Syria
• Small plane crash kills 3 on Spanish island
• Nadal could get Djokovic in French Open semifinals
• For 1st time since '82, 3 US men qualify in Paris
• Monfils to face Montanes in Open de Nice final
• Bayern calm, Dortmund excited ahead of CL final
• Squash: Mathew offers a message with a warning
• Oil ends week down 2 pct on tepid demand outlook
• Police refuses to confirm they are investigating Rauf
• Chennai official arrested in IPL spot-fixing case

Karachi violence claims 9 lives Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – Three persons were killed in clash between two rival groups of a banned organization in Pakhtunabad area of Manghu Pir.According to details, a group of banned Tehrik-e-Taliban attached members of Mir Zaman group and during exchange of firing three persons, including Khan Boss and Toor Khan were killed.Police have shifted the dead bodies to Abbasi Shahid Hospital. Police have also found a grenade wrapped around the body of a deceased.In Railway City Colony, a 24-year-old man Musa and 30-year-old Taj Muneer were gunned down by unidentified gunmen. Bodies of the victims were shifted to Civil Hospital for legal formalities.Meanwhile, two people were killed in firing incident in Surjani Town while two tortured dead bodies were found from Chakiwara and Maripur areas.

Peshawar: 6 killed as militants attack on DPO Kohat convoy Posted: PESHAWAR (Dunya News) - According to details, DPO Kohat, Dilawar Bangush, got injured when his convoy came under rocket and gun attack in Ghaziabad area of Matni near Peshawar from militants when he was coming to Peshawar from Kohat.Reinforcement of police was called in from Peshawar after which exchange of fire between police and militants took place. At least six police personnel were killed during exchange of firing. Police and security forces have codoned off the area and launched a search to arrest the militants.Meanwhile, DPO Dilawar Bangash has been shifted to CMH Hospital Kohat where his condition is stated to be stable.

Ibad summons Sindh Assembly meeting on May 29 Posted: KARACHI (Online) - Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad has summoned first meeting of newly elected members on Wednesday, May 29 at 10:00 am.The sources said that the notification stated that the newly-elected members of the assembly would take oath in the meeting.Moreover, members of the provincial assembly would elect Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the next term.

Policeman, five gunmen killed in Kabul Taliban attack Posted: KABUL (AFP) - Explosions rocked central Kabul for several hours on Friday after Taliban gunmen launched a major suicide and gun attack centred on a compound of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).One police officer was killed and five militants were shot dead as security forces hunted down the attackers, with prolonged bursts of gunfire and grenade blasts heard across the Afghan capital.A United Nations building and several other official premises were caught up in the coordinated assault that started when a suicide car bomb sent a plume of dark smoke into the sky.Commandos shot dead five gunmen who were firing and throwing grenades from a building, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP.One policeman was killed by the suicide car bomb and at least five local civilians and two police officers were injured, he said.No other fatalities were immediately reported, but an Italian woman working for IOM was seriously wounded by a grenade explosion.I strongly condemn todays terrorist attack centred on a compound of the International Organization for Migration, Jan Kubis, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said in a statement.Three IOM staff members were injured, one seriously. A staff member from the International Labour Organization was also injured.The Geneva-based IOM, which is affiliated with the UN, works across the world to improve management of cross-border migration.IOM spokesman Chris Lom confirmed to AFP that the badly wounded employee was an Italian woman.Fridays attack comes a week after another suicide car bomb in Kabul targeted a foreign military convoy, killing 15 people including five Americans.The Taliban announced their annual spring offensive on April 27, opening a crucial period as local security forces take the lead in the fight against the insurgents.The blasts hit the centre of Kabul at about 4:00 pm (1130 GMT) on Friday -- Afghanistans weekly day off -- and fighting continued into the night.Norwegian soldiers were among the security forces involved in the response operation, an AFP photographer witnessed, but the NATO-led military coalition gave no further details.Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP that his group was responsible and that the main target was a guesthouse allegedly used by Afghan and US intelligence staff.A group of mujahideen armed with heavy and light weapons took position in a building and are firing on several targets, he said.

Syria regime to attend peace talks: Russia Posted: MOSCOW (AFP) - Syrias most powerful ally Russia on Friday said the Damascus regime had agreed to attend an international peace conference on the crisis that world powers hope will take place in Geneva in June.But President Bashar al-Assads fractured foes expressed immediate scepticism over Moscows announcement and questioned why the Damascus government itself remained silent.Diplomatic efforts to hold a conference first proposed by Moscow and Washington on May 7 gained further steam when US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov agreed by telephone to meet in Paris on Monday to discuss progress in getting the sides to talk.The actual date of the conference has not been made clear amid few signs of any end to a conflict that has killed more than 90,000 people in 26 months.Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Moscow had received the Damascus governments assurance it would take part in the talks during a visit this week by Syrias Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad.We note with satisfaction that we have received an agreement in principle from Damascus to attend the international conference in the interest of the Syrians themselves finding a political path to resolve the conflict, Lukashevich told reporters.Russia is seen as the nation exercising the most influence over the Syrian regime thanks to years of military and other cooperation that stretch back to Soviet times.Moscow has in recent weeks also been keen to show its diplomatic muscle in the region by ensuring that Assads representatives attend the conference after a failed effort at getting the conflict resolved in Geneva last June.The announcement came as Syrias main opposition group held a second day of talks in Istanbul aimed at finding a joint approach to what has already been dubbed the Geneva 2 talks.The Western-backed National Coalition -- the main opposition group -- said it wanted to see goodwill gestures from Assad.We want to make sure that when we enter those negotiations the bloodshed in Syria will stop, Khaled al-Saleh, a spokesman for the group, told reporters in the Turkish city.Assads place in any new transitional team proposed by Moscow and Washington remains the main stumbling block to the talks taking place in the coming weeks.Some rebel leaders have said that no negotiations were possible with Assad remaining in power. The Damascus government counters that it wants assurances that the presidents role will not be a subject of debate in Geneva.Divisions within the oppositions ranks about whether to attend the talks at which Assad would be represented translated Friday into scepticism about the regimes own commitment to the negotiating process.We would like to hear that statement from the Assad government, Coalition spokesman Louay Safi said in Istanbul.This has been related to us through the Russians, I have no idea why the Syrians are silent.Some European media have reported that the meeting has been already tentatively scheduled for June 10 despite all the disagreements.But Lukashevich said reports of a specific date for the conference cannot be taken seriously because the ranks of Assads foes remained so split.We are again hearing about the precondition that Bashar al-Assad leaves power, and that a government be formed under the auspices of the United Nations, Lukashevich said.And he condemned attempts by Western and regional powers to convene a human rights conference at the United Nations as a one-sided attempt to further discredit Assad.The calls for the UN Human Rights Council to initiate a debate on the deteriorating situation in Syria were renewed on Friday by the ambassadors to the body from the United States as well as Turkey and Qatar.Meanwhile -- in a dramatic and rare intervention -- Lebanons President Michel Sleiman cautioned the Shiite group Hezbollah over its militia fighting alongside regime troops in Syria.Hezbollah should not get bogged down in the sands of dissension, whether in Syria or Lebanon, Sleiman said in a statement.

US, Turkey, Qatar seek urgent UN rights debate on Syria Posted: GENEVA (AFP) - The United States, Turkey and Qatar called Friday for an urgent debate on Syria at the UN's top human rights body next week, citing the escalating conflict and the regime's assault on the central town of Qusayr.We ... request the Human Rights Council to hold an urgent debate on the deteriorating situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, and the recent killings in Al Qusayr, the ambassadors of the three countries wrote in their request to council president Remigiusz Henczel.The UN human rights council is due to open its next three-week session on Monday, and the three countries called for the urgent debate to be held during the first week, lamenting the escalating grave human rights violations in Syria.Council spokesman Rolando Gomez told AFP that president Henczel and other administrators would now examine a possible date for the debate, adding that Tuesday or Wednesday looked likely.This would not be the first time the UN's top rights body meets to discuss the spiralling violence in Syria.The council has previously held one urgent debate on Syria and four special sessions outside its usual four annual meetings and is already set to hear during the coming session a report from UN investigators into the human rights situation in the war-torn country.That report will be presented on June 3.The request for an urgent debate on the situation in Syria comes after the Friends of Syria group of governments that back the rebels met in Amman this week as part of the diplomatic efforts to convene a peace conference in Geneva next month.The conference, dubbed Geneva 2, is intended to build on a never-implemented deal agreed in the Swiss city last year that called for a halt to the violence and a transitional government.Since then, the conflict has spiralled ever more out of control.

Small plane crash kills 3 on Spanish island Posted: MADRID (AP) - Spanish officials say the pilot of a small plane carrying three passengers is the only person to survive a crash on the island of Mallorca.The Cessna 172 single-engine plane took off from the island's Son Bonet de Marratxi airfield just after 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) Friday, failed to gain altitude and crashed into a nearby field, a regional Interior Ministry spokesman said.Two men and a woman, all Spanish nationals, died in the accident and the pilot was rescued from the flaming wreckage, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.Television images on state broadcaster TVE showed firefighters battling flames and rescuing the badly injured pilot.The cause of the accident was being investigated, the ministry spokesman said.

Nadal could get Djokovic in French Open semifinals Posted: PARIS (AP) - Seven-time champion Rafael Nadal could face top-seeded Novak Djokovic in the French Open semifinals a year after they met to decide the title.Friday's draw for the clay-court Grand Slam tournament placed Nadal and Djokovic on the same half of the field, while Roger Federer could face David Ferrer in the other semifinal.Federer, the owner of a record 17 major titles including the 2009 French Open, will face a qualifier in the first round and if he wins that, he'll play a qualifier in the second round, too.Djokovic faces a far more intriguing start: The reigning Australian Open champion's first-round opponent is David Goffin, a 22-year-old Belgian who took a set off Federer in the fourth round in Paris last year after making it that far as a lucky loser.No man has won the title at Roland Garros as many times as Nadal, who broke a tie with six-time champion Bjorn Borg by defeating Djokovic in last year's final and is 52-1 for his French Open career. Nadal also has reached the finals of all eight tournaments he's played in 2013.But because the Spaniard missed about seven months with a left knee injury, his ranking slipped to No. 4, and the French Open decided not to bump him to a higher seeding.If the tournament, which starts Sunday, had placed Nadal at No. 2, he and No. 1 Djokovic could have met only in the final; instead, a Nadal-Djokovic rematch for the championship can't happen in 2013.If you're not Nos. 1 and 2 of the world, Nadal said, that can happen.Jean Gachassin, president of the French tennis federation, said Friday his group has not yet discussed whether to switch to a seeding system similar to Wimbledon's, which takes into account past results on a specific surface rather than only the ATP rankings.That will be a debate that we will have after this French Open, Gachassin said.Nadal has lost eight of his last 11 matches against Djokovic, including on clay at Monte Carlo last month.It definitely gave me the confidence boost, Djokovic said about that most recent encounter against the Spaniard. Winning against Nadal on clay is not something that happens every day, you know. It's a big challenge.Nadal is seeded No. 3 because second-ranked Andy Murray, the reigning U.S. Open champion, withdrew from the French Open with a back injury.The possible men's quarterfinals are: Djokovic against No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic, his Davis Cup teammate for Serbia; Nadal against No. 7 Richard Gasquet of France; No. 2 Federer against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France; and No. 4 Ferrer against No. 5 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.Berdych was drawn to face Gael Monfils of France in the first round, drawing groans from some members of the audience.The last man from France to win the French Open was Yannick Noah in 1983, a 30-year gap mentioned more than once at Friday's ceremony.Serena Williams wants to end her own, shorter drought in Paris her lone French Open title came in 2002 and her bid for a second championship will begin against 83rd-ranked Anna Tatishvili in the first round.A year ago in Paris, Williams lost her opening match to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano, the American's only first-round loss in 50 career Grand Slam tournaments.Williams is seeded No. 1 this year and is on a 24-match winning streak, the longest of her career.Tatishvili, from the former Soviet republic of Georgia, is 2-10 this season. She's also 0-2 at Roland Garros and 6-8 overall at Grand Slam tournaments. Williams, in contrast, has won 15 major titles.The possible women's quarterfinals are: Williams against No. 8 Angelique Kerber, defending champion Maria Sharapova against No. 7 Petra Kvitova, No. 3 Victoria Azarenka against 2011 champion Li Na, and No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska against 2012 runner-up Sara Errani.It's very meaningful to come back as a defending champion. It means you have done something pretty good, and you're coming back into that position and you're trying to defend it, said Sharapova, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning last year's French Open. I think it's one of the best honors you can have as a tennis player.One noteworthy first-round matchup is No. 10 Caroline Wozniacki, who used to be No. 1, against 35th-ranked Laura Robson, a British teenager who reached the fourth round at last year's U.S. Open.

For 1st time since '82, 3 US men qualify in Paris Posted: PARIS (AP) - Jack Sock, Denis Kudla and Steve Johnson all won their qualifying matches Friday to earn berths in the main draw at Roland Garros.A trio of American men hadn't done that together in Paris since 1982, when Charles Strode, Craig Wittus and Derek Tarr qualified. That year, all three lost in the first round of the main tournament.Sock's first opponent will be Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain, Kudla meets Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic and Johnson plays Albert Montanes of Spain.Sock and Kudla are both 20; Johnson is 23. None has played in the French Open before.They'll be joined in the main draw by Rhyne Williams, a 22-year-old American who lost in qualifying but got into the tournament as a lucky loser a player who sneaks into the field via someone's withdrawal.In the first round, Williams will face Michal Przysiezny of Poland, who just so happens to be the player who beat Williams in qualifying.The tournament starts Sunday.

Monfils to face Montanes in Open de Nice final Posted: NICE (AP) - France's Gael Monfils beat Pablo Andujar 7-5, 6-4 at the Open de Nice on Friday to line up a final against Albert Montanes of Spain.Montanes defeated French wild-card entry Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 in the earlier semifinal. Montanes hit 11 aces and clinched victory with a backhand return winner.A former top 10 player, Monfils was hampered last year by a right knee injury and has dropped to 109th in the rankings.Monfils hit 17 winners to eight for Andujar to take the first set, when the Spaniard netted a backhand volley. The Frenchman then rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the second.The Open de Nice is a warm-up tournament for the French Open, which starts Sunday.

Bayern calm, Dortmund excited ahead of CL final Posted: LONDON (AP) - Bayern Munich is trying to playing things down as the title favorite, while outsider Borussia Dortmund is eager to play up its chances.Even before a ball is kicked in Saturday's Champions League final, the German rivals are at odds in their approach to the biggest game in club football.Bayern is approaching its third final in four years with the self-assured calm of a team fully in control after a season of dominance, while Dortmund is enjoying the role of underdog with everything to gain and nothing to lose.Bayern winger Thomas Mueller summed up his side's mood on Friday, saying that the showdown is just a normal Champion League game.Of course you get goose bumps when you're on the pitch and we know what's at stake. We won't let it drive us crazy though, the 23-year-old said.There was a similar sense of focus from Bayern captain Philipp Lahm, who sees victory for his side as a matter of progression ahead.The players are the right age now, the right character. There's nothing against us winning tomorrow, said Lahm, who added that he wouldn't be surprised if Bayern was to play a fourth final in five years next season.Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp is happy with one.If this is the only final in my life, this is the perfect place for it, and this is the perfect opponent, said Klopp, who spoke of the honor of playing at Wembley Stadium.Klopp said it was clear his side was the rank outsider, but he added that his players were determined to make the most of their opportunity.We will approach the game with unbridled enthusiasm, with huge motivation for the task, and with the knowledge it can all go to pieces, Klopp said. But people have climbed Mt. Everest knowing that they could fall three meters from the top and yet they still tried it. And that's why we're going to try too, and hope for good weather.While Klopp was speaking metaphorically, London greeted both teams with traditional British weather, and the unrelenting drizzle helped contribute to traffic problems that delayed both sides' arrival for their run outs on the pitch.Klopp said the team received a police escort from the airport and if we're to make it on time for the game tomorrow we'll need another. So if someone knows a policeman, please ask.The build-up to the 101st competitive meeting between the two rivals has been overshadowed by Mario Goetze's decision to leave Dortmund for Bayern and reports that Polish striker Robert Lewandowski is planning to follow suit.For Dortmund defender Mats Hummels, the prospect of the club winning a second Champions League title after its triumph in 1997 was motivation enough.It would be great to show the players who may be going that our team can achieve great things too, he said.

Squash: Mathew offers a message with a warning Posted: HULL (AFP) - British Open champion Nick Matthew issued a warning that he won't relinquish his title without a fight and followed it by answering those who criticise the tournament for its on-off problems.Rain forced the famous event from its first-ever outdoor venue back to conventional indoor courts, where Matthew produced his best form for weeks during a high-speed, straight games victory over Karim Darwish, the former world number one from Egypt.Although Matthew is seeded second behind another Egyptian, Ramy Ashour, he only needed 40 minutes to complete an impressive 11-6, 11-2, 12-10 success.The Yorkshireman was then dismissive of those who slate the outdoor initiative. The test match, the golf, and the Giro d'Italia are all off today, but the British Open squash is on - so what's the problem? Matthew said.I don't appreciate those who knock people who try something different. We have these different facilities, and it's great to be able to use them like this.Matthew was as sharp with his deeds as his words. A lengthy training break before the British Open seems to have paid dividends, for he played a high pace and only in the third game did Darwish seem likely to answer it.The Egyptian then led 7-6 and recovered from 7-9 down to 9-9 with some fine front court play. However, Matthew maintained the pressure admirably, taking the ball early, volleying smartly and focusing intently - all redolent of the high quality which has made him the only Englishman ever to have won the British Open three times. Earlier Greg Gaultier, the only Frenchman to have won the British Open, seemed less enamoured of the venue change, although he had moments of brilliance while overcoming Tarek Momen, the talented Egyptian, 11-8, 11-7, 15-13.However, the match was marred by 22 of its 83 minutes being taken up by falls and repeated delays for cleaning a slippery surface.I'm sorry to interrupt the game but I've been injured this way before, Gaultier said. I was scared to move fast - I don't want to play ice hockey.Earlier an explanation of the pioneering decision to stage the British Open out of doors was made by Alex Gough, the chief executive of the Professional Squash Association, the men's tour's governing body.Some people don't realise how squash has been evolving, Gough said. We have had tournaments out of doors for quite a long time in different parts of the world. They are staged very successfully and it is quite reasonable to try the same thing in Britain.Matthew now has a semi-final with Gaultier on Saturday, while Ashour, the world champion was due for a quarter-final later on Friday with Cameron Pilley, the surprise survivor from Australia.Earlier the other defending champion, Nicol David, survived a difficult beginning and a dangerously hard-hitting opponent before reaching the semi-finals.David had to save a game ball in the first game of a 13-11, 11-8, 11-1 win over Joelle King, the tall sixth-seeded New Zealander, who created 15 minutes when it seemed she might bully the champion into difficulties.The change of conditions from the cold outdoors to the warmer bouncier ball indoors disrupted both players' rhythm, but for a while appeared to place more pressure on David.The difference was like day and night, said David. But we have to deal with what we are given. It's difficult but at the same time everyone is on the same boat. It's a matter of whoever handles it better.The record-breaking seven-year world number one from Malaysia now has a semi-final with Alison Waters, the fourth-seeded English woman who beat her in New York in September.

Oil ends week down 2 pct on tepid demand outlook Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - The price of oil fell 2 percent this week, as oil traders worried about global demand and shared the stock markets concerns about possible changes to the Federal Reserve economic stimulus program.The loss Friday was just 10 cents, to $94.15 a barrel. But four straight losses resulted in a weekly decline of $1.87 a barrel for the U.S. benchmark oil contract.The global economic picture was clouded by weak manufacturing data from China. That raised questions about the strength of oil demand in the worlds No. 2 economy. In the U.S., a report from the Energy Department showed the country is well-supplied with oil, and gasoline demand remains below year-ago levels.One question overhanging the market is what the Federal Reserves next moves will be with its monetary policy. Recent comments from Fed policy makers, including Chairman Ben Bernanke, raised concerns that the Fed will scale back its effort to support the economy sooner than traders had expected.The uncertainty led U.S. stock markets to their first weekly loss in a month. Oil tracked stocks for most of the week, as oil traders looked to their equities counterparts for clues on how to react to the Fed.Brent crude, a benchmark for many international oil varieties, rose 20 cents to $102.64 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Police refuses to confirm they are investigating Rauf Posted: MUMBAI (AFP) - Police said Friday they were investigating all the angles in the Indian spot-fixing scandal but refused to confirm if they were targeting top Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf.Rauf was withdrawn from next month's Champions Trophy in England amid media reports that he is under police investigation for spot-fixing, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Thursday.Police in the Indian city of Mumbai would not confirm whether the umpire was being investigated as part of the probe which has led to the arrests of three Indian cricketers, including Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, and 11 bookmakers.A police official said we are investigating all the angles, adding that Rauf has not been called in for interrogation.The ICC said the decision to withdraw Rauf was made after media reports on Wednesday that the Mumbai police are conducting an investigation into the umpire's activities.We feel that it is in Asad's best interests as well as those of the sport and the event itself, that he is withdrawn from participating in the Champions Trophy, the ICC said in a statement.At this stage, the ICC has no further comment to make.Rauf, who has stood in 48 Tests and 98 one-day internationals, was one of the umpires during the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the centre of the corruption probe.The withdrawal comes a week after police arrested the three cricketers, accusing them of deliberately bowling badly in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars during the ongoing IPL.Spot-fixing is an illegal activity where a specific part of a game, but not the outcome, is fixed.Sreesanth, who has played 27 Tests for India, is alleged to have been paid four million rupees ($72,000) to give away around 14 runs in an over while playing against the Kings XI Punjab on May 9.His Rajasthan Royals teammates, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, are said to have agreed to similar deals in two other IPL matches.The scandal widened when police in Mumbai arrested a Bollywood actor, Vindu Dara Singh Randhawa, earlier this week as part of the probe, which has caused outrage among fans in the cricket-mad nation.

Chennai official arrested in IPL spot-fixing case Posted: NEW DELHI (AP) - A top official of the Chennai Super Kings was arrested on Friday for his alleged involvement in spot-fixing less than 48 hours before the team was to play in the final of the Indian Premier League.Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of Board of Control for Cricket in India president Narainswamy Srinivasan, was arrested by Mumbai police late on Friday after initially being called in for questioning.We've come to the conclusion that there is evidence of his (Meiyappan's) involvement and therefore he has been placed under arrest, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police Himanshu Roy told reporters. He'll be produced in court within 24 hours as per law.The move follows the arrest of test player Shantakumaran Sreesanth and two other cricketers last Friday on suspicion of spot-fixing.Meiyappan's arrest was met with calls for the sacking of Srinivasan, considered the most powerful man in world cricket owing to India's financial clout in the sport.Srinivasan, who is managing director of India Cements which owns the Chennai team, has often been criticized for holding offices which have a conflict of interest since he is both a top board official and runs a company that owns an IPL franchise.Srinivasan must quit immediately, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi told the CNN-IBN news channel. It will be a disgrace if Chennai Super Kings are allowed to play the final (on Sunday evening).The owners of the Chennai Super Kings had tried to downplay Meiyappan's role earlier in the day when his arrest had looked imminent.Meiyappan had in the past been referred to as the chief executive and was present in players' auctions as well as many post-match awards functions on behalf of the Chennai team, but on Friday owners distanced themselves from him.India Cements clarifies that Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan is neither the owner, nor CEO/Team Principal of Chennai Super Kings, the company said in a statement. Mr. Gurunath is only one of the Members (Honorary) of the Management Team of Chennai Super Kings.Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested last week for allegedly manipulating certain parts of IPL games for their Rajasthan Royals team and receiving money from bookmakers in return.Sreesanth has denied his involvement in spot-fixing but charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust have been brought against the three for conceding a fixed minimum number of runs per over in exchange for up to 6 million rupees ($110,000) from bookmakers for every over.Several bookmakers have been arrested across the country over the past week along with their associates, which include three domestic-level cricketers and Randhawa, who has been shown by television channels as watching an IPL game in the company of the wife of India and Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.The BCCI said Friday it is eager to see a law to curb spot-fixing.The strongest possible law for match-fixing is needed as quickly as possible, IPL Commissioner and BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said in New Delhi. The absence of a proper law is being taken advantage of. We've met the law minister and will also be meeting the sports minister in this regard.It is not for the first time that spot-fixing has been reported in India.Last year, little-known allrounder T.P. Sudhindra was handed a life ban after he was filmed in a sting operation by India TV, agreeing to bowl a no-ball at a predetermined time in a local Twenty20 game in the central Indian city of Indore.

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