Dunya TV
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- No-ball wicket woes strike again for Aussie bowlers
- Karachi: Security forces action, recover 2000 bullets buried in ground
- At least 14 killed in bomb blasts in Syria's Homs: state media
- Boko Haram kills over 50 people in two days of attacks
- Okara: Police kill 2 brothers in alleged encounter, family protests
- Iran ships uranium to Russia under nuclear deal
- Rare evacuation of Syria towns as deadly blasts hit Homs
- US hails recapture of Ramadi by 'brave Iraqi forces'
- Moderate 4.7-magnitude earthquake shakes Swat, Shangla
- Okara: Two dacoits killed in alleged police encounter
- Football: Inspired Ozil fires Arsenal to top spot
- Football: Man Utd give Van Gaal respite in Chelsea draw
- Football: Late penalty gives Stoke win in seven-goal thriller
- Football: Hired, fired in same day - Barcelona sack 'insulting' player
- Yachting: Comanche takes line honours in Australia's Sydney-Hobart
| No-ball wicket woes strike again for Aussie bowlers Posted: MELBOURNE (AFP) - Australias no-ball wicket curse continued Tuesday as the West Indies battled to save the second Test against the odds in Melbourne.After James Pattinson had two wickets denied to him by overstepping on Sundays third day, it was fellow paceman Josh Hazlewoods turn on the fourth day.Hazlewood had first-innings top-scorer Darren Bravo caught behind by Peter Nevill on 12, only for the dismissal to be overturned by the third umpire for overstepping the bowling crease with his front landing foot.It was another setback for the Australian bowling attack, who have been clearly on top of the West Indies batting but have thrown away three wickets in the Melbourne Test with no-balls.At lunch on the fourth day, Bravo and Rajendra Chandrika were stonewalling Australias attempts to push on for victory after a second declaration in the Melbourne Test.Skipper Steve Smith declared on Australias overnight second innings total of 179 for three for a 459-run lead.The Australians removed Kraigg Brathwaite in the 12th over for 31 but the tourists leading batsman Bravo and opener Chandrika dug in.The West Indies were 64 for one at lunch with Bravo on 14 and Chandrika not out 17 to trail Australia by 395 runs.Bravo defied the Australians with 81 off 204 balls in the first innings and was the key man for the embattled tourists.Lyon grabbed the only wicket by coaxing Brathwaite into an attempted cut shot only to be snapped up by Smith at slip.Smith remained 70 not out when he made the declaration at the start of the fourth day and finished 2015 with most Test runs of 1,474 at 73.70.Only Joe Root (1,372) was in a position in Englands current Test match against South Africa in Durban to overtake him in the final Test of the year.The longest Test fourth innings in Australia was Indias 445 off 1,132 balls at the Adelaide Oval in 1978.The West Indies will need to survive a minimum of 1,080 balls to draw in Melbourne.The West Indies have yet to pass 300 in seven Test innings against Australia this year.  |
| Karachi: Security forces action, recover 2000 bullets buried in ground Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – Security forces in Karachi intensified their action against criminal elements Monday night. Rangers recovered more than 2000 bullets that had been hidden by criminals by burying deep the ammo deep in the ground in Lines Area of Karachi.According to the details, Rangers reached the hiding spot on identification of a previously arrested convict. Using heavy machinery, Rangers dug up the area and recovered the bullets. The ammo included bullets of Sub-Machine Gun (SMG), 8mm pistol and G-3 assault rifle. Rangers’ sources say that the arrested felon belongs to a political party.On the other hand, Eid Gah Police arrested an injured suspect after a clash with the criminals. Police say that the arrested suspect is linked to Lyari Gangwar.Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies conducted action at Jamshed road and apprehended an official of a political party.  |
| At least 14 killed in bomb blasts in Syria's Homs: state media Posted: DAMASCUS (AFP) - At least 14 people were killed and dozens wounded in large bomb blasts Monday in the central Syrian city of Homs, state media reported.The preliminary toll in simultaneous terrorist explosions that hit the citys Al-Zahraa neighbourhood is 14 dead and 132 wounded, state television reported in a news flash. It said two explosions caused by car bombs and a blast caused by a suicide attacker wearing an explosives-laden belt hit Al-Zahraas main square. The residents of Al-Zahraa are mostly Alawites, the minority sect of Syrias ruling clan. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed the blasts and reported at least 32 dead.The attack came less than three weeks after the Islamic State jihadist group claimed explosions in the same neighbourhood that left 16 people dead.IS has seized large parts of Homs province, including the historic city of Palmyra. More than 250,000 people have been killed in Syrias war, which began in 2011 with anti-government protests but spiralled into a bloody conflict.Homs city, once dubbed the capital of the revolution, came under full government control earlier this month after a ceasefire deal with rebels.  |
| Boko Haram kills over 50 people in two days of attacks Posted: KANO (AFP) - Over 50 people were killed in a 48-hour wave of attacks blamed on Boko Haram jihadists in northeastern Nigeria, sources said Monday, days ahead of the governments deadline to stamp out the group. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari pledged to end the insurgency by December 31, saying Thursday his government had technically defeated Boko Haram and reduced the groups capacity to mount conventional attacks in Africas most populous nation. But in an expected show of defiance, Boko Haram countered with a series of devastating attacks on towns in the countrys northeast, claiming dozens of fatalities in a bloody killing spree that began Christmas Day. Riding astride bicycles, fighters invaded Kimba village in Borno state -- a Boko Haram stronghold -- Friday, shooting and killing at least 14 residents before torching their homes. Two days later, the militants launched rocket-propelled grenades and used a small army of suicide bombers, killing 22 people in the key northeastern city of Maiduguri, the spiritual home of the insurgency. There have been more than a dozen suicide blasts in Maiduguri between last night and this morning, Babakura Kolo, a civilian vigilante assisting the military in fighting Boko Haram, told AFP on Monday. The suicide attacks were carried out by young suicide bombers who managed to make their way into the city during the gun battle between soldiers and Boko Haram gunmen last night. Further attacks rocked the town of Madagali in Adamawa state Monday, when two young female suicide bombers detonated their explosives in a busy market, killing a reported 30 people. Analysts say the Christmas attacks are a damaging set back for Buhari, who was voted into power in May on a platform promising to tackle the Boko Haram threat.Saying Boko Haram is technically defeated in a period where the organisation is historically very active - Christmas - could only make him look bad, Yan St-Pierre, terrorism analyst at Berlin-based Modern Security Consulting Group, told AFP. President Buharis credibility and popularity will be greatly damaged by this, St-Pierre said. Boko Haram is still extremely dangerous, and its gaining resources, notoriety, credibility and successfully expanding its reach, St-Pierre said. In their quest to create an independent Islamic state, the insurgents have been carrying out deadly cross-border raids in neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger, fuelling fears that the hardline Muslim movement is growing into a regional jihadist threat.While the Nigerian government may have succeeded in dislodging the sect from territory it assimilated and controlled since July 2014, Boko Haram has by no means been defeated, Ryan Cummings, security analyst at Red24, a risk consultancy firm, said. 2015 has seen Boko Haram shift back from a short-lived campaign of conventional warfare to guerilla warfare which has dominated its insurgency against the Nigerian government, Cummings said. The term defeat would suggest that the Nigerian government has effectively curtailed the threat Boko Haram poses, which is clearly not the case. Since taking up arms against the Nigerian government in 2009, the insurgents have razed towns and killed over 17,000 people.According to the Global Terrorism Index, a report released by the New York-based Institute for Economics and Peace, Boko Haram has become the most deadly terrorist group in the world.Boko Haram has destroyed swathes of what little infrastructure existed in the countrys impoverished north at a time when Nigerias coffers are empty as a result of the plunging oil price.  |
| Okara: Police kill 2 brothers in alleged encounter, family protests Posted: OKARA (Dunya News) – Okara police on Monday shot dead 2 out of 3 brothers in an alleged encounter. Police had arrested the 3 brothers on the alleged charges that they were involved in murder. Family of the killed brothers had earlier protested outside Lahore Press Club against the arrest of the brothers. According to the District Police Officer (DPO) Okara, police had shot dead the two suspects during a robbery while one of their accomplices had managed to flee. DPO Okara stated that the suspects were engaged in looting the citizens.One of the killed has been identified as Pervaiz alias Baichi. DPO further added that the brothers were accused of murder, robbery and drug dealing. Family of these brothers protesting against the police 2 hours before the encounter had alleged that the 3 brothers Bilal, Pervaiz and Shahzain, on the orders of the DPO, had been tortured and then arrested from Lahore by Baseerpur police for a case involving murder of a former police officer. The family said it feared that the brothers had been murdered in an encounter.The protest also included women and children of the family. Demonstrators burned tyres and blocked the road. The demonstrators have appealed that Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Shahbaz Sharif take notice of the incident so they can be provided justice.  |
| Iran ships uranium to Russia under nuclear deal Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - Iran sent a major shipment of low-enriched uranium materials to Russia on Monday, a key step in Tehrans implementation of this years historic nuclear accord with world powers.The United States hailed the move, which Secretary of State John Kerry said marked significant progress in Tehrans fulfillment of a deal to stop it developing nuclear weapons.The Russian foreign ministry confirmed the report after Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Irans Atomic Energy Organization, told the ISNA news agency: The fuel exchange process has taken place.According to ISNAs report, Iran had sent 8.5 tons of low-enriched nuclear material to Russia and received around 140 tons of natural uranium in return.State Department spokesman Mark Toner described the cargo as a 25,000-pound combination of forms of low-enriched uranium materials including five and 20 percent enriched uranium, scrap metal and unfinished fuel plates.So that actually constitutes, I think, almost all of Irans current stockpile of enriched uranium, he added.Under the deal struck in July in Vienna between Iran and the P51 group of world powers, Tehran agreed to cut its low-enriched uranium (LEU) stockpile to less than 300 kilograms (660 pounds).This would mean that it would not have enough fuel on hand to rapidly enrich enough to the levels needed to build a nuclear weapon -- lengthening its so-called breakout time to more than a year.Kerry said that Irans shipment to Russia had already tripled the amount of time it would take to produce enough fuel for a bomb from two or three months up to six or nine.And he dubbed it a significant step toward Iran meeting its commitment to have no more than 300 kilograms of low-enriched uranium by Implementation Day.This Implementation Day, which could come as early as next month, will come after the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, rules that Tehran has complied with its obligations.The IAEA had no immediate comment on Mondays shipment, and Toner said the United States would wait until the UN agency makes a ruling to say formally whether Washington now accepts that Iran has less than 300 kilos of LEU.After Irans compliance has been verified, the United States and its allies will begin to dismantle the sanctions imposed on Tehran in response to its nuclear program.Weapons researchIran has long insisted it had no intention of building a nuclear bomb, and a recent IAEA report found that it had conducted no weapons research since 2009.But Tehrans past interest in developing such a weapon and its growing stockpile of enriched uranium stirred fears it could disturb the power balance in the Middle East and trigger a regional nuclear arms race.Irans enemy Israel is believed to have an undeclared nuclear arsenal, and richer Sunni Arab states like Saudi Arabia could spend billions in a bid to catch up, derailing global non-proliferation efforts.Washington reiterated that Tehran still has other tasks to perform, including removing and permanently destroying the core of its Arak nuclear reactor, which could have produced weapons-grade plutonium.The IAEA will be given greater access to Iranian facilities for its inspectors, and will install seals and monitoring devices to ensure there is no backsliding.Kerry promised that the United States would repeal its nuclear-related sanctions once Implementation Day arrives.But he warned we will remain vigilant to ensure that its implementation achieves exactly what we set out to do from the very beginning of these negotiations, to ensure that Irans nuclear program is and always remains exclusively for peaceful purposes.Kerry also thanked Kazakhstan for its help in supplying Iran with the non-enriched uranium it received in exchange for surrendering its stockpile, and Norway, which helped manage and fund the operation to conduct the transfer.  |
| Rare evacuation of Syria towns as deadly blasts hit Homs Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - A rare UN-backed deal between Syrias warring sides saw hundreds of fighters and civilians evacuate three towns on Monday, as bomb blasts in the regime-held city of Homs killed at least 19 people.President Bashar al-Assads regime has agreed to several ceasefires with rebel groups in the past but Mondays evacuation plan was one of the most elaborate in the nearly five-year war.The United Nations has been pushing for such local deals as global powers pursue wider efforts to resolve a conflict that left more than 250,000 dead and forced millions from their homes.More than 450 fighters and civilians, including the wounded, began leaving three flashpoint areas in Syria as part of a six-month truce reached in September.At least 120 people, including rebels and some civilians, crossed Monday into Lebanon from Zabadani, the last rebel bastion on the Syrian border, an AFP journalist at the scene said.The Syrian Red Crescent was seen handing over the wounded from Zabadani to the Lebanese Red Cross at the border.They were to fly from Beirut to Turkey, before travelling back into opposition-held areas in Syria, said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Another 335 people, also including civilians, travelled from two regime-controlled villages in northwestern Syria into Turkey on Monday, Abdel Rahman said.Residents of the mainly Shiite villages of Fuaa and Kafraya crossed through the Bab al-Hawa border point and are to fly into Beirut to travel overland to Damascus.According to a source close to the negotiations, national flag carrier Turkish Airlines will fly both sets of evacuees.Humanitarian agreementWe appreciate the cooperation of all sides, of the Syrian, Turkish, and Lebanese governments, and all the sides that have signed on to this humanitarian agreement, said UN humanitarian coordinator Yaacoub El Hillo.It is the first time the neighbouring countries are involved in such an evacuation deal.The next part of the agreement, according to the Britain-based Observatory, would see humanitarian aid delivered into the towns.The Observatorys Abdel Rahman said Assads regime was keen to reach such agreements as part of its efforts to secure the capital by seizing control of rebel-held areas or through ceasefire deals.Al-Manar, a Lebanese television station affiliated with pro-Assad Shiite group Hezbollah, broadcast live footage of the Zabadani convoy entering Lebanon.Dozens of people gathered at the Masnaa crossing rushed the buses as ambulance sirens wailed.The station had provided coverage earlier of bearded fighters wearing military-style fatigues boarding the buses amid bombed-out ruins in Zabadani.Similar ceasefire deals have been implemented in other parts of the country throughout Syrias war, often after crippling sieges of rebel-held areas.Government figures and local leaders reached a deal last week to evacuate thousands of jihadists and civilians from southern Damascus, but the agreement was apparently derailed after the death of rebel chief Zahran Alloush on Friday.Alloush, the head of Jaish al-Islam, the foremost rebel group in Damascus province, was killed in an air strike claimed by Syrias government.Cowardly attacksIn one of the most significant such deals so far, anti-government rebels earlier this month quit the last opposition-held district of the central city of Homs, once dubbed the capital of the revolution.But violence has since rocked the city.On Monday, at least 19 people were killed and dozens wounded in large bomb blasts in the citys Al-Zahraa neighbourhood, Syrias state news agency SANA said.State television said two explosions caused by car bombs and a blast caused by a suicide attacker wearing an explosives-laden belt hit Al-Zahraas main square.The station broadcast scenes of chaos in the central city, as firetrucks tried to extinguish flaming cars and rescue workers carried bloodied victims.The residents of Al-Zahraa are mostly Alawites, the minority sect of Syrias ruling clan.These terrorist, cowardly, and desperate attacks come in response to the growing spirit of national reconciliation throughout Syria, Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said in comments carried by state news agency SANA.The Observatory confirmed the blasts and reported at least 32 dead.The attack came less than three weeks after the Islamic State extremist group claimed explosions in the same neighbourhood that left 16 people dead.Elsewhere in Syria, at least 11 people were killed and 40 wounded in rebel shelling of a government-controlled neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo, state TV reported.  |
| US hails recapture of Ramadi by 'brave Iraqi forces' Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Monday welcomed the Iraqi forces victory over the Islamic State group in the city of Ramadi.We commend the government of Iraq and the brave Iraqi forces that are displaying tremendous perseverance and courage in this fight, Secretary of State John Kerry said.Iraq had earlier declared that it had liberated Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province west of Baghdad, and was sweeping it for bombs and booby traps left behind by IS fighters.A US-led military coalition is supporting Iraqs campaign to drive the Islamic State group from the country and carried out 630 air strikes during the Iraqi operation in Ramadi.A White House official said President Barack Obama, who is on vacation in Hawaii, had been briefed on the battle and had saluted the Iraqi forces courage and determination.We will continue to support our partners fighting against ISIL on the ground until it is defeated, the official said.Concerns have been expressed that the militia units that supported the government offensive may mistreat the civilians living in liberated Anbar cities.But Washington welcomed the victory, which Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said was a step towards the next campaign to liberate the northern city of Mosul in 2016.The United States and the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL have proudly supported this effort with training, advice, and equipment as well as precision air strikes, Kerry said.That support will continue as the mission in Ramadi is completed and we prepare for post-conflict stabilization.General Lloyd Austin, head of US Central Command which is overseeing the US role in the campaign, said the fall of Ramadi clearly demonstrates that the enemy is losing momentum as they steadily cede territory.Looking ahead, I expect our partners on the ground in both Iraq and Syria, with coalition assistance, to continue to roll back ISIL gains as we work together to defeat this enemy, he added.  |
| Moderate 4.7-magnitude earthquake shakes Swat, Shangla Posted: SWAT (Dunya News) – A moderate earthquake measuring 4.7 on Richter Scale shook Swat, Shangla and adjacent areas on early Tuesday morning, Dunya News reported.The tremor was also felt in Islamabad. According to seismological centre, the epicenter of the quake was 26 kilometres east of the town of Bisham at the depth of 10 kilometres.Also Read: Woman dies, 78 injured, buildings cracked after 6.9 earthquake shakes PakistanFear and panic has gripped the residents as people came out of their houses while reciting Kalma. No loss of life or damage to property was reported till filing of this report.  |
| Okara: Two dacoits killed in alleged police encounter Posted: OKARA (Dunya News) According to details, two dacoits were killed in an alleged police encounter near Basirpur in Okara on Monday, Dunya News, reported.Another dacoit managed to escape from the scene. The DPO Okara informed media that the killed dacoits were busy in robbing the residents.A police spokesman informed that the killed dacoits were involved in cases of murder, robbery and several other heinous crimes.  |
| Football: Inspired Ozil fires Arsenal to top spot Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Arsenals title challenge is back on track following a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth on Monday which sent them to the top of the Premier League and saw goalkeeper Petr Cech set a new clean-sheet record. Goals from Gabriel and Mesut Ozil, who was again Arsenals key performer, were enough for the Gunners to settle a few nerves following a shock 4-0 defeat at Southampton two days earlier.The victory also marked an important landmark for Cech who kept his 170th clean sheet in the Premier League - most of them in Chelsea colours - to overtake the previous mark set by David James. With former leaders Leicester due to play fourth-placed Manchester City 24 hours after this fixture, the result leaves Arsenal one point clear at the top of the table -- and goes some way to answering criticism that Arsene Wengers side were starting to buckle under the pressure of trying to win the title for the first time since 2004.If you took only history into account then this fixture would be one of the most uneven the Premier League has ever seen -- mighty Arsenal, 13-time champions, 12-time FA Cup winners and perennial Champions League participants against a club that was playing in the fourth tier of English football only 12 years ago. But theres a lot more to English football than that and there was not a huge chasm between the teams as Arsenal ground out a crucial three points. Bournemouth, renowned for their attractive style of play, went into the game having not lost since early November, including morale-boosting victories over Chelsea and Manchester United. Arsenal by contrast had seen their own six-match unbeaten run brutally ended by Southampton in defeat at St Marys, a result which almost instantly deflated the euphoria which had been building in north London.Perhaps that is why the atmosphere at the Emirates was so muted at the start of a match that Wengers side simply could not afford to lose.Gabriels header from an Ozil corner after 27 minutes, however, soon settled those nerves. Set-pieces have been Bournemouths Achilles heel all season and the Brazilian defender was totally unmarked as he stooped to head home at the far post. Gabriel, in fact, was one of four players brought into the Arsenal side by Wenger following that miserable evening on the south coast, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs also selected in a rare shake-up -- and Lauren Koscielny surprisingly left on the bench.Gabriel justified that faith as he hit the post with another header from another Ozil corner minutes later, the ball bouncing back off the upright onto Per Mertesacker and dropping wide. Gabriel was also outstanding in defence and the game was effectively over when the mercurial Ozil played a delightful one-two with Olivier Giroud before accepting the Frenchmans back-heeled pass and sliding the ball home in the 63rd minute.Arsenal, who missed a string of chances to add to their lead, now face struggling Newcastle at home next weekend before potentially more difficult fixtures against Liverpool, Stoke and Chelsea.  |
| Football: Man Utd give Van Gaal respite in Chelsea draw Posted: MANCHESTER (AFP) - Manchester United bought beleaguered manager Louis van Gaal some much-needed respite with an improved display in Mondays 0-0 draw at home to under-performing Premier League champions Chelsea.Van Gaal has admitted that he is contemplating leaving Old Trafford after a wretched slump in form, but although his team have now gone eight games without victory in all competitions, they avoided sinking to five straight defeat for the first time since December 1936.In a performance that will give Uniteds board reason to hope the Dutchman may yet steer the club out of their dip, the home side played with greater enterprise than of late and hit the woodwork through Juan Mata and Anthony Martial.But Chelsea had their moments, too, and might have given Guus Hiddink the first win of his second spell as interim manager had David de Gea not saved smartly from John Terry, Pedro Rodriguez and Cesar Azpilicueta or Nemanja Matic not blazed over when clean through in the second half.The result left Chelsea, unbeaten against United in nine encounters, three points above the relegation zone, while their opponents are five points off the top four in sixth place.Meanwhile, the spectre of Jose Mourinho, sacked by Chelsea 11 days ago, continues to haunt Van Gaal, whose future remains uncertain.His face and Special One nickname adorned scarves sold outside Old Trafford by opportunistic stallholders, while his name was chanted by the away fans inside the ground.Rested for the 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, Wayne Rooney was one of four players brought in by Van Gaal -- Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin the others -- and the captain set the tone for the hosts in the first half with his confident probing and crisp passing.Playing up front, with Martial exiled to the left, the England captain set up two early chances for Mata and Schneiderlin, the Spaniard slamming a shot against the bar, the Frenchman drilling wide.In between, United goalkeeper De Gea produced a brilliant one-handed save after Terry met Willians right-wing corner with a bullet header, but for most of the first half it was one-way traffic.Martial was a menace with his relentless desire to get the ball down and run, driving a shot against the left-hand post after skinning Branislav Ivanovic and drawing a booking for John Mikel Obi -- preferred to Cesc Fabregas by Hiddink -- with a burst from halfway.Shortly before the half-hour, Rooney picked up a loose ball and took aim from 30 yards with a shot that was arrowing into the top-left corner until the flying Thibaut Courtois pushed it behind.Uniteds level dropped as half-time approached and they survived a scare early in the second half when De Gea produced a fine double-save to thwart first Pedro, teed up by the impressive Eden Hazard, and then Azpilicueta.The home side were soon back on the attack and it took a tremendous reflex stop from Courtois to prevent Ander Herrera tucking away Martials drilled left-wing cross.But Uniteds fans hearts leapt into their mouths again moments later when from Pedros pass, Matic suddenly found himself bearing down on De Gea, only for the Serbian midfielder to hoist his shot into the crowd, unleashing a burst of mocking laughter around the ground.The final chance fell to Rooney, picked out at the back post by substitute Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, but from inside the six-yard area the United number 10 volleyed well over.Frustrated, Rooney planted his studs into Oscars calf shortly after and was lucky to escape with a booking.  |
| Football: Late penalty gives Stoke win in seven-goal thriller Posted: LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Marko Arnautovic scored a last-gasp penalty as Stoke City beat Everton 4-3 in a thrilling game at Goodison Park on Monday.Arnautovic beat Tim Howard from the spot as the match moved into stoppage time after the Austrian forward had gone down under a John Stones challenge inside the area.It was a dramatic end to a humdinger of a game as Everton came away with nothing despite Romelu Lukaku scoring twice to take his tally to 11 goals in his last 10 games and go level with Leicester Citys Jamie Vardy atop the Premier League scorers charts with 15 for the season.It was a second straight home loss for Everton and a blow to their European hopes, while Stoke followed their 2-0 win against Manchester United on Boxing Day to go above their opponents and into eighth in the table.Everton boss Roberto Martinez was furious with referee Mark Clattenburg for awarding the penalty.It is such a wrong call. Someone with his experience should understand the game a bit more, he said.Clearly John Stones gets a touch of the ball and from that point on you can see there is a doubt from the referee.He does not give it straight away, so he wants confirmation, and he waits for the linesman -- who is probably about 45 yards away from the incident -- to give him his view.It is very disappointing at that point for us to lose a draw.Mark Hughess side had beaten United thanks to goals by Bojan Krkic and Arnautovic and that duo were involved when the visitors opened the scoring on a blustery Merseyside afternoon. The game was just 16 minutes old when Bojan accelerated into the area down the left and found Arnautovic, the big Austrian helping the ball on to leave Shaqiri with an easy finish for his first Stoke goal. Everton were only behind for six minutes, though, as Ross Barkley and James McCarthy combined to set up Lukaku, who turned and fired past Jack Butland having been played on by Erik Pieters. Brendan Galloway shot just wide and Seamus Coleman might have had a penalty when he went down under a Pieters tackle as the home side pushed forward, but Stoke were back ahead thanks to a stunning goal just before the interval. Bojans superb cross-field pass caught out the Everton defence and Swiss former Bayern Munich star Shaqiri outpaced Galloway before beating Howard with a sublime first-time chip that sailed into the net. Again Lukaku struck to bring Everton level just after the hour mark as he controlled a long ball forward from substitute Tom Cleverley before smashing past Butland to make it 2-2. It was his eighth goal in his last seven Premier League games at Goodison and he was involved again as Everton took the lead for the first time on 71 minutes, finding Barkley before the England mans ball across goal was turned in by Gerard Deulofeu. Martinezs side looked set to go and win it but they were denied as Stoke hit back again with 10 minutes remaining. Howard could only help on a cross from the left by Arnautovic and substitute Joselu volleyed in at the back post, the goal the 40th scored at Goodison in 10 games this season, but not the last of the day as Arnautovic won it.Hughes was full of praise for Shaqiri.Were delighted for Shaq. In recent weeks his influence on games has been really high. The only thing missing before today was goals.  |
| Football: Hired, fired in same day - Barcelona sack 'insulting' player Posted: BARCELONA (AFP) - Diehard Real Madrid fan Sergi Guardiolas decision to write offensive tweets aimed at Barcelona came back to haunt him Monday when he was hired and fired by the Spanish giants on the same day.The 24-year-old striker penned a deal with Barcas B team but was sacked just a few hours later when angry fans of the Catalan club made officials aware of Guardiolas Twitter tirade from 2013, www.lequipe.fr reported.His tweets had included Allez Madrid and Fuck Catalans.FC Barcelona has decided to terminate the contract signed with Sergi Guardiola, after finding that he had published offensive tweets about the club and Catalonia, said a Barcelona statement.  |
| Yachting: Comanche takes line honours in Australia's Sydney-Hobart Posted: SYDNEY (AFP) - American yacht Comanche won line honours in Australias gruelling Sydney to Hobart Monday, staging a stunning recovery from damage which had nearly ended her race.The supermaxi was first across the finish line in the 71st edition of the 628-nautical-mile course in 2 days, eight hours, 58 minutes and 30 seconds, organisers said.The 100-footer blitzed the field in one of the roughest races of recent years, with more than 30 boats retiring after bad weather struck on the first night.Co-owner Kristy Clark, the first female owner to take line honours in the blue water classic, said after the win there were many emotions at sea including pure terror at one stage.Its one of the best things Ive ever done, she added in Hobart, where she was met by co-owner husband, Netscape founder Jim Clark.Comanche had sustained damage in punishing winds which tore into the fleet off the New South Wales coast on Saturday night, shredding sails, damaging rudders and hulls and breaking one yachts mast.A savage southerly blasted the yachts, resulting in 32 of the 108 entries which began the race from Sydney Harbour on Saturday pulling out of the journey down Australias east coast.Among the casualties were two strong contenders for line honours -- eight-times fastest finisher Wild Oats XI, forced back to Sydney after her mainsail ripped, and supermaxi Perpetual Loyal with rudder damage. Comanche was also damaged, hitting an unidentified submerged object which broke one of her twin rudders and a daggerboard.Skipper Ken Read had initially considered retiring but decided to punch on through and running repairs were made to the boat.I dont care if we limp over the line. We are going to finish this damned race, he said ahead of the win.Read praised his crew on Monday as hundreds gathered on the dock to welcome the yacht for just the fact that we got this thing here in one piece when, probably, we shouldnt have.Comanche finished runner-up for line honours to Wild Oats XI in her first Sydney to Hobart last year, and had been a hot favourite this year after setting a new 24-hour monohull record of 618.01 nautical miles in July.Her biggest competition for line honours had been from fellow American yacht Rambler which also hit an object in the water on Saturday, sustaining similar damage. We have no idea what we hit, we couldnt see it, the yachts navigator Andrew Cape said.It might have been marine life or flotsam, but it was a solid hit. It shook the boat.But while Comanche kept extending her lead on Monday in good conditions, the 88-footer Rambler was slowed by a lack of breeze in the final stages of the race. Comanche crossed the line some 50 nautical miles ahead of Rambler.In third position is Australian entry Ragamuffin 100, followed by the Giovanni Soldini-skippered Maserati, Chinese Whisper and Ichi Ban.Sailors returning to Sydney on Sunday spoke of the terrifying conditions for this years race, with winds of up to 40 knots.It was like hitting a wall of water; hitting you in the face, sea water, rain water -- you couldnt tell, Julia Cooney, on board Brindabella, told The Australian newspaper. Ragamuffin 100 was revealed Monday as the latest of the supermaxis to be damaged, with the port daggerboard completely sheared off in the race organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.The race record, set by Wild Oats XI in 2012, is one day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds.Comanche is the first American entry to take line honours since 1998.  |
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