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Monday, February 27, 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

All eyes on Trump for landmark address to Congress

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Donald Trump will have a chance to breathe new momentum into his month-old presidency in an address to Congress Tuesday night, but he will need to strike the right tone -- far from his score-settling tweets at foes of all stripes.For his maiden address to the American body politic -- the House of Representatives and Senate but also his own cabinet and the assembled Supreme Court justices -- the Republican leader will lay out his legislative priorities in a setting a far cry from the charged-up rallies of which he is so fond.After the dark pitch of Trumps inauguration speech on January 20, the virulence of his attacks on the media and his disconcerting first solo press conference earlier this month, the tenor of the presidents speech to millions of Americans will be closely watched.The White House said the theme of the address would be the renewal of the American spirit.I think this is an opportunity for him to lay out a very positive vision for the nation and to really let America know where we can go and how we can get there, and the potential that we have as a nation, said the presidents spokesman Sean Spicer.From securing US borders to modernizing its infrastructure or slashing environmental regulations, the major themes of his first weeks in office are expected to loom large.According to Trumps incoming Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, so will the question of economic reforms.The president is very, very focused on us getting back to sustained, long-term economic growth... and were going to start with tax reform, he said on Fox News.The Trump administration is betting on a sustained annual growth rate of at least three percent, a target seen by many economists as highly optimistic.On paper, US Republicans are in an enviable position: for the first time since 2006, the Grand Old Party controls both chambers of Congress as well as the White House.But relations between the partys lawmakers and their billionaire president are complicated.Many are uncomfortable about some of his proposals -- in particular his economic isolationism -- but also with his personality and style in office.Im not a fan of the daily tweets, was the understated assessment given mid-February by Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate.Nevertheless, the huge majority of the partys lawmakers -- their eyes set on driving through a major series of conservative reforms -- are taking care not to cross the new occupant of the White House.The central question in the coming weeks and months will be how much autonomy they can wield when it comes to drawing up legislation on tax and health care reform.Trumps evolving popularity among voters will also be monitored intently by lawmakers on Capitol Hill as the country moves toward the 2018 mid-term elections.According to an NBC/WSJ poll released Sunday, only 44 percent of Americans approve of Trumps performance as president -- against 48 percent who disapprove -- a record low for an incoming leader who could normally expect a post-election boost.But the same poll also shows that Trump maintains a solid core of support: for instance, 82 percent of Republicans say his suspended travel ban on seven Muslim-majority nations was needed to combat terrorism.Tuesday will kick off with the broadcast of an interview of Trump by the conservative morning show Fox & Friends -- the most honest in the presidents own words.A few hours before his first solemn address to the nation, in a venue loaded with history, the 45th US president may seize the occasion to renew his attacks on the rest of the media whose dishonesty he has denounced with a virulence that grows stronger by the day.

UN envoy sets out framework for sputtering Syria talks

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GENEVA (AFP) - Several more rounds of Syrian peace talks will be needed to reach any accord, the UN envoy bidding to kickstart the sputtering process has told the rival sides, setting out three key discussion areas.In a paper given to both sides, and seen by AFP Sunday, he said that by the end of the current session we would have a deeper shared understanding of how we can proceed in future rounds in discussing each area.Syrian regime and opposition negotiators are in Geneva for a fourth round of UN-sponsored talks, but they have been overshadowed by deadly attacks on the ground. The talks could last until March 5, a couple of days longer than originally scheduled, according to an opposition source. The first full day of talks was Friday.On Saturday, suicide attacks in Syrias third city Homs killed dozens of people, leading the Damascus envoy to Geneva to demand that all opposition negotiators condemn the assault or be considered accomplices of terrorism.In the paper handed out in Geneva by UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, he identified the three baskets of issues to be discussed as governance, constitution and elections, I have asked you to be ready to engage in a continuous and inclusive process over the weeks and months ahead. If we are to succeed, we will need several rounds of talks, obviously, he wrote in an introduction.So far there have been no face-to-face talks between the two sides, with the UN envoy meeting each delegation separately, as in the three previous rounds the last of which was in April 2016.Nevertheless I shall remain open throughout bilateral sessions during these initial talks to all possibilities for direct engagement and negotiations between the sides, de Mistura wrote.He set out a series of ground rules for the talks, including to respect the others who are present in these proceedings. No one has the right to question the legitimacy of others, he wrote.He said he plans to spend an initial day bilaterally on each of the three main areas, followed by another day on each issue. It is clear that any progress on any basket is welcome. It is equally clear that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.I would hope that by the end of this round we would have a deeper shared understanding of how we can proceed in future rounds in discussing each issue basket.

Iraq forces in west Mosul aim for key bridge

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MOSUL (AFP) - Iraqi forces battled jihadists in west Mosul on Sunday, aiming to build a floating bridge across the Tigris to establish an important supply route linked to the recaptured east bank.A week into a major push on the western side of the city, where an estimated 2,000 holdout jihadists and 750,000 civilians are trapped, government forces made steady progress.But after relatively easy gains on the citys outskirts, they encountered increasingly stiff resistance from the Islamic State group (IS) defending its emblematic stronghold.We had an important operation this morning to move towards the bridge, Colonel Falah al-Wabdan of the interior ministrys Rapid Response units that have spearheaded the breach into west Mosul told AFP in the Jawsaq neighbourhood.We have moved past a large berm constructed by Daesh (IS) with tunnels underneath, he said, adding that the area was heavily mined and his forces had killed 44 jihadists on Sunday alone.Wabdan was referring to what is known as the fourth bridge, the southernmost of five bridges -- all of which are damaged and unusable -- across the Tigris River that divides the northern Iraqi city.Government forces retook the east bank from IS a month ago, completing a key phase in an offensive on Mosul that began on October 17 and has involved tens of thousands of fighters.Wabdan said that securing the bank area near the fourth bridge would allow engineering units to extend a ribbon bridge to the other side and further pile pressure on the jihadists.It is very important because if we take it, engineering units... will be able to throw a bridge across from the left bank so we can move supplies and ammunition from the battle field, he said.Bridging operations under fire are complex and perilous, but Iraqi forces have been trained by the US military and successfully used that strategy before in the fight against IS.A ribbon bridge assembled with US assistance over the Euphrates River was considered a turning point in the battle that eventually saw Iraqi forces retake the western stronghold of Ramadi from the jihadists a year ago.Rapid Response was confident it could reach the bridge on Sunday but IS was fighting back with suicide car bombs, roadside bombs, snipers and weaponised drones.The elite Counter-Terrorism Service that has done most of the fighting against IS in Mosul so far entered the western neighbourhood of Al-Maamun on Friday.Troops from the US-led coalition assisting Iraq in its efforts to claw back the swathes of territory it lost to IS in 2014 have stepped up their involvement on the ground in recent weeks.They are officially deployed in Iraq as trainers and advisers, but have increasingly been drawn into combat and been more visible than ever on the front lines since the push on west Mosul was launched on February 19.The western side of the city is a little smaller than the east but more densely populated and home to some areas considered traditional jihadist strongholds.It includes the Old City, where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his only public appearance and proclaimed a caliphate in July 2014, and several of Mosuls key landmarks.Around three quarters of a million people are virtually besieged there, in some cases used as human shields by the IS fighters preparing to defend their last major bastion in the country.With the battle to retake western Mosul now in its second week, we are extremely concerned about the 800,000 or so still trapped in some of the most dire conditions, Karl Schembri, spokesman for the Norwegian Refugee Council, told AFP.Food supplies have dwindled as fast as costs have soared, leaving many on barely a meal a day.Were hearing reports of people eating bird feed inside western Mosul as they cannot afford the skyrocketing prices, Schembri said.Residents and medical workers say that the combined effect of malnutrition and the shortage of drugs is starting to kill the weakest.The United Nations has planned for an exodus of at least 250,000 people from west Mosul, but in the absence of humanitarian corridors only a few hundred have been able to flee so far.Around 160,000 are currently displaced as a result of the first phase of the Mosul operation. Iraq has a population of more than three million people who have been displaced by the IS conflict.

'Ring of fire' eclipse delights Africa, South America

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SARMIENTO (AFP) - Stargazers applauded as they were plunged into darkness Sunday when the moon passed in front of the sun in a spectacular ring of fire eclipse.Astronomers and enthusiasts in Argentina were among the first to see the so-called annular eclipse as it crossed South America shortly after 1200 GMT, on course for Africa.Staring up through special telescopes, protective glasses or homemade cardboard pinhole devices, they watched the Sun all but disappear briefly as the Moon crossed its path.The eclipse was most visible in a 100-kilometer (62-mile) band across Chile, Argentina, Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.Around 300 stargazers gathered in a remote spot near the southern city of Sarmiento, the point in Argentina where the eclipse left just a bright ring in the dark sky.Several onlookers blew notes on erkes, long traditional South American horns.I have already seen six annular eclipses and each one was different, said Josep Masalles Roman, an enthusiast who came all the way from Barcelona in Spain.The spectacle passed on to Angola south of the town of Benguela, then Zambia and DR Congo just before the Sun set.In Angolas capital Luanda, few seemed aware of the unusual event in the skies above, but those with forewarning got a glimpse of the eclipse for around 15 minutes from 1630 GMT.Its the first time that Ive witnessed this phenomenon -- Im completely happy, said stargazer Providencia Luzolo. Its just I didnt manage to see it that well as it hurt my eyes.An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Moon and Sun line up.But even when perfectly aligned, the Moon is too far from Earth to completely block out the Sun, creating instead the impression of a fiery ring.Terry Moseley of the Irish Astronomical Association warned that viewers should not observe the eclipse with the naked eye.According to the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA), such eclipses can be safely observed using a basic pinhole projector.Punch a tiny hole in a piece of paper with a sharp pencil, hold it into the Sun, and project the image onto a second sheet.The gaps between tree leaves make for a similar effect on the ground, says the ASSA website, calling this the coolest and safest way to watch a solar eclipse.As about 90 percent of the Sun is covered, youll notice a distinct drop in temperature and brightness, and a change in the quality of the light which is hard to describe, Moseley told AFP.Locals in the province of Chubut around Sarmiento said they noted changes in the height of the tide and animals acting unusually.Experts say that as the day darkens, birds and animals enter a night-time routine, thinking sunset is nigh.At the height of the eclipse the Moon is right in the middle of the Sun, leaving a perfect ring of light around the edge.It takes about two hours for the Moon to move across the face of the Sun, but the ring of fire peak lasts a mere minute.Starting in the southeast Pacific Ocean at sunrise, the eclipse passed over southern Chile then Argentina before sweeping over the South Atlantic.At sea, the eclipse peak was to last 44 seconds and only be visible to any ships that happen to be in the right place at the right time, said Moseley.

Famine-hit South Sudanese eat weeds and water lilies to survive

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JUBA (Reuters) - Like thousands of other South Sudanese families caught up in famine, Sara Dit and her 10 children are hiding from marauding gunmen in the swamps and islands of the river Nile.The refuge has a steep price: families cannot farm crops or earn money to buy food. They eat water lily roots and the occasional fish. Dits family have not eaten for days.Last week the United Nations declared that parts of South Sudan are experiencing famine, the first time the world has faced such a catastrophe in six years. Some 5.5 million people, nearly half the population, will not have a reliable source of food by July.The disaster is largely man-made. Oil-rich South Sudan, the worlds youngest nation, plunged into civil war in 2013, after President Salva Kiir fired his deputy Riek Machar. Since then, fighting has fractured the country along ethnic lines, inflation topped 800 percent last year and war and drought have paralyzed agriculture.Dit and her children are among more than 100,000 people that the United Nations says face imminent starvation in the counties of Leer and Mayendit in greater Unity state, which borders Sudan.The children are sick but what can I do? There are no hospitals near us and we cant move far from where we are hiding. My older children go fishing but we cant get enough because we dont have tools, Dit told Reuters on Saturday, cradling her four-year-old son in a temporary nutrition clinic set up by UNICEF, the U.N. agency dedicated to children.Staff said her son will die without immediate help.Nyaluat Chol, a mother of six, said her family had survived on water lilies and palm fruit for the past year.We have been running from fighting for a long time. We settled in the island because its much better there. But we cant leave to go buy food. We eat the weeds floating on the river, sometimes we get fish, the 31-year-old said.The women were among a crowd of 20,000 people that emerged from the swamps and assembled at the rebel-held village of Thonyor, in Leer county, when they heard the United Nations was registering people for emergency rations.Some families received fishing nets and rods from aid workers to keep them going until food arrived.It was the U.N.s first trip to Thonyor in a year. Many parts of the country are inaccessible due to fighting. Others are just very remote. South Sudan, the size of Texas, has only 200 km (120 miles) of paved roads, nearly six years after independence from neighboring Sudan.What weve seen is a lot of people coming from the islands, said George Fominyen, a spokesman for the World Food Programme. They have been living on water lilies, they have been living on roots, from weeds in the Nile, at most they eat once in a day.County commissioner Majiel Nhial said when villagers received food aid last year, they were attacked. Men in uniform looted and burnt their homes, he said.We lost all our properties, cows and our houses were looted. We were attacked, women were raped and girls abducted, he said.

Eight drown after boat capsizes in southern India

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CHENNAI (AFP) - At least eight domestic tourists drowned and 17 others were rescued after a boat carrying them capsized on Sunday in southern India, local media reported. The accident occurred near the port city of Tuticorin, around 530 kilometres (330 miles) from Chennai, the capital of southern Tamil Nadu state.I do not know how many tourists were travelling in the boat. Eight people have drowned and 17 others have been rescued and hospitalised, Tuticorin district collector M. Ravi Kumar told the Press Trust of India.Police have detained a boat operator for questioning, while the local administration has ordered a probe amid fears that the death toll could increase. Police said the tourists apparently paid a boat operator around $2 for a joyride on Sunday evening. The vessel later capsized in rough seas. Boating in the sea for joyrides is strictly prohibited in these areas, district police superintendant Ashwin M. Kotnish, who visited the accident site, told AFP. Boat accidents are common in India, mainly because of overcrowding, poor maintenance, lax regulations and the lack of life jackets and other safety equipment. Around 26 people died last month when an overcrowded wooden boat capsized in the Ganges river in eastern Bihar state. More than 100 people lost their lives in 2012 in Assam when a boat sank in the Brahmaputra river during a storm.

Football: Goal-crazy PSG hammer Marseille

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PARIS (AFP) - Edinson Cavani bagged his 35th goal of a spectacular season as Paris Saint Germain swept aside Marseille 5-1 on Sunday in Le Classique to move second in Ligue 1.The reigning French champions are three points behind prolific league leaders Monaco and level with Nice, but go second thanks to a better goal difference in what has become a three-way tussle for the title.A Stade Velodrome record 65,252 packed into the stands in the hopes of seeing a Marseille side buoyed by fresh investment and the return of Dimitri Payet derail their old rivals title charge.But the vociferous home fans were silenced after just six minutes when skipper Thiago Silva rose to powerfully nod the ball back across goal and fellow Brazilian defender Marquinhos headed home unchallenged.Payet, who forced his way out of West Ham in the winter transfer window for 30 million euros ($32m), had Marseilles first real chance when he flashed a long-distance strike just wide on the quarter hour.A minute later however it was 2-0 when the Argentine attacking midfielder Javier Pastore -- recalled after injury at the expense of Julian Draxler -- cleverly dinked the ball through to Cavani, who poked in past the advancing Yohann Pele in the home goal to continue his deadly form in front of goal.It was the Uruguayan predators 35th goal in all competitions this term and 26th in the league.Cavani might have had a second on 23 minutes as PSG dominated, but he miscued his scissor kick over with the goal gaping.The second half was more of the same and it was 3-0 on 50 minutes when another Brazilian, Lucas Moura, profited from poor defending to prod in from close range.Blaise Matuidi claimed the assist but it was Pastore, back in boss Unai Emerys starting XI and back to fitness, who provided a classy touch on the way.Emery replaced Pastore with Draxler early in the second half and just after the hour the German international made it 4-0, firing in first time after a pinpoint Thomas Meunier cross.Marseille grabbed a 70th-minute consolation through Rod Fanni, before Matuidi made it a rout with the goal of the night, steering the ball into the top corner from just outside the box.The heavy defeat leaves Marseille in seventh.Earlier, Manchester United flop Memphis Depay struck twice as Lyon, a distant fourth, smashed Metz 5-0.Nerveless Fabinho chipped in a late penalty as Monaco beat Guingamp 2-1 away on Saturday to move clear at the top.Nice were also winners, but they made hard work of it too, coming from behind to beat Montpellier 2-1 on Friday.

Football: Zidane hails impact subs in Madrid comeback

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MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane hailed the impact of Isco and Alvaro Morata off the bench as the European champions came from 2-0 down at Villarreal on Sunday to win 3-2.Morata completed the comeback after Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo had hauled Madrid level to ensure Zidanes men move back ahead of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.Real hold a one-point lead over their title rivals, who won 2-1 at Atletico Madrid on Sunday, but also have a game in hand.They deserve (to play) more for sure, Zidane said of the Spanish international duo.The did very well, they changed the game. In any case we will need every player between now and the end of the season.They are all up for it. It is a long season, but this shows that everyone is ready when they are called upon.With everything that happened today it was vitally important to get the three points.Real had suffered just their second league defeat of the season at Valencia in midweek.And Zidanes men looked well on course to suffer another reversal when Villarreal struck twice in six minutes early in the second-half through Manu Trigueros and Cedric Bakambu.However, Zidane reacted immediately by introducing Isco for the more defensively minded Casemiro.Having been outplayed for the opening hour, Madrid forced Villarreal onto the back foot and were rewarded when Bales header halved the arrears 25 minutes from time.Ronaldo then smashed home a controversial penalty after Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano was harshly adjudged to have handled inside his own box.And the comeback was complete when Morata, who only replaced Karim Benzema 13 minutes from time, powered home Marcelos cross six minutes later.At 2-0 down you have to change something, added Zidane.It worked out well for us. It allowed us to camp much more in their half.Bale was making his first start for three months and was forced to play almost the full 90 minutes given the circumstances before hobbling off to be replaced by Lucas Vazquez a minute from time.However, Zidane said the Welshman suffered just a knock and should be fine to feature against Las Palmas on Wednesday.Villarreal keeper Sergio Asenjo was not so fortunate as he appears to have suffered a fourth cruciate knee ligament injury of his career.Asenjo, who has presided over La Ligas best defence, went down after turning Benzemas header to safety midway through the first-half.Asenjo seems to have torn his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his left knee. Its a real shame, said Villarreal coach Fran Escriba.His absence proved vital as back-up keeper Andres Fernandez let Moratas header slip under his body for the winner.Escriba had to watch that goal from the stands after being dismissed from the touchline for taking his protests over the penalty too far.The match was over for us after the penalty, added Escriba.We lost our focus.

Multan: Three dacoits killed in police encounter

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MULTAN (Dunya News) - At least three dacoits were killed in an alleged police encounter in Jalalpur area near Multan on Sunday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police from Makhdom Rashid Police Station were taking two under-custody dacoits to Jalalpur for recovery of looted goods when their accomplices opened fire at the police party. The under-custody dacoits, Nadeem and Bilal, were killed by the firing of their own accomplices.Police also returned the fire as a result one more dacoit was killed while two other managed to escape from the scene.Police have shifted the bodies of the dacoits to Nishtar Hospital, Multan for autopsy while started a search operation to arrest other dacoits.

Karachi: 10 accused nabbed during police operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminal elements continues in Karachi under National Action Plan (NAP) as police arrested 10 more accused during operation in different parts of the city on Monday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police arrested two dacoits after an encounter in Orangi Town. Police sources said that dacoits were looting residents in Orangi Town when a police party reached there. Dacoits opened fire at the police party. Police returned the fire after which two dacoits were taken into custody.Police conducted an operation in SITE Area and arrested a street criminal. Police sources said that a stolen motorcycle and arms were also recovered from him.Police also carried out an operation in Orangi Town and arrested five accused. Police sources said that the arrested persons were involved in several cases of street crime. Separately, police also apprehended a proclaimed offender from Baldia Town while a drug peddler was taken into custody from Musharraf Colony.

Two bogies of Bolan Express derailed near Sehwan

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SEHWAN SHARIF (Dunya News) - Bolan Express, going to Karachi from Peshawar, escaped a major disaster when its two bogies were derailed near Sehwan Sharif in the early hours of Monday, Dunya News reported. No loss of life was reported in the accident.The accident disrupted train service at the track and Khushal Express, going to Quetta from Karachi, was stopped at the Sun Railway Station. The passengers faced difficulties due to cold weather and darkness.According to Pakistan Railway sources, rescue teams have been dispatched to clear the railway track.

Pacquiao to fight Amir Khan in 'super fight'

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LONDON (Reuters) - Multiple world champion Manny Pacquiao has agreed to fight Britains Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan on April 23, both boxers said on Sunday.The 38-year-old Pacquiao had said four days ago that he and Khans management were in discussions for the fight, despite an earlier announcement the Filipinos next bout would be against Australias Jeff Horn in Brisbane.Pacquiao, however, had said that Horn was one of many possible opponents.Negotiations between team Pacquiao and team Khan have come to terms for the April 23 bout as this is what the fans wanted, Pacquiao tweeted.The 30-year-old Khan, who won silver as a lightweight at the Athens Olympics, has not fought since last May when he moved up two weight classes to fight middleweight Canelo Alvarez.The much bigger Mexican proved too powerful and the Briton was knocked out in the sixth round and he is likely to drop back to welterweight to fight Pacquiao, who holds the World Boxing Organisation title at the weight.My team and I have agreed terms with Manny Pacquiao and his team for a super fight, Khan said on his Twitter page.Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight title last November against American Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas with an unanimous decision.No venue for the fight was announced.

Real battle back to win at Villarreal and stay top of La Liga

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MADRID (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale both scored as Real Madrid staged a remarkable late comeback from two goals down to win 3-2 at Villarreal and stay top of La Liga on Sunday.Substitute Alvaro Morata got the winner in the 83rd minute to complete a 19-minute turnaround that keeps Zinedine Zidanes side on course for their first La Liga triumph since 2012.Real are top on 55 points, one ahead of Barcelona who beat Atletico Madrid 2-1, and three clear of Sevilla, while Zidanes side have a game in hand on both of their title rivals.Villarreals Manu Trigueros lashed home from inside the area to put the hosts ahead five minutes after the break and Cedric Bakambu doubled the lead in the 57th with a fine finish past Keylor Navas, though he was fortunate not to be ruled offside.Real looked destined for a second loss in a week on the east coast after Wednesdays 2-1 reverse at Valencia but Bale, making his first start since November, headed a goal back in the 64th before Ronaldo levelled with a penalty 10 minutes later.Morata then headed Marcelos cross under Villarreals substitute goalkeeper Andres Fernandez, who had replaced first choice Sergio Asenjo when he sustained a muscle injury after making a stunning save to deny Karim Benzema.

Tennis: Murray says fully fit for Dubai ATP

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DUBAI (AFP) - Andy Murray leads a trio of Grand Slam champions into the Dubai Tennis Championships, their first matches since the Australian Open, with the Scot now fully fit after a bout of shingles.The world number one revealed on Sunday that he had consulted doctors in London earlier this month about the painful skin condition upon his return following a fourth-round Melbourne loss to Mischa Zverev. Im fine now, Ive been training flat-out for the past few weeks, Murray said in Dubai after light rain interrupted preparations for the tournament starting Monday.He said he had had to go easy for a little while.I didnt notice anything anyway until I got back from Australia.Murray, 29, the top seed, begins his campaign in the Gulf against Tunisian Malek Jaziri in the first round. Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland is seeded second with compatriot and seven-time champion Roger Federer third.I know him fairly well but Ive never trained with him, hes very talented with big forehand, Murray said of Jaziri.Murray, losing finalist to Federer five years ago here, is competing in the emirate for the first time since 2015, when he lost a quarter-final to Borna Coric. Defending champion Wawrinka is on the way back from injury which kept him from the Rotterdam indoor event earlier this month. Federer will be testing himself with back-to-back matches after his historic Australian Open title. This is a little bit of the unknown, the 35-year-old Swiss said. Ive said its going to take me until April to know exactly where I stand and see if I feel my best. Im still a work in progress, lets see how my body will react. My recent weeks in the Swiss Alps means Im fresh again.Wawrinka takes on Damir Dzumhur while Federer opens against Frenchman Benoit Paire, whom he has defeated three times but last played four years ago.Frances Gael Monfils will make the quick-change from Marseille indoors to take part as fourth seed, ahead of Czech Tomas Berdych and Spains sixth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, crowned Chennai champion in January.

Tennis: Sock takes Delray Beach title as injured Raonic withdraws

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MIAMI (AFP) - Jack Sock claimed his second ATP title of 2017 on Sunday as top-seeded Milos Raonic withdrew before the Delray Beach Open final with a torn hamstring.Canadas Raonic, ranked fourth in the world, was playing his first tournament since suffering his fourth adductor muscle injury in 12 months at the Australian Open in January.Raonic told the Tennis Channel he was hurt in a semi-final win over former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro on Saturday night.I didnt think much of it, Raonic said. I thought it was just tightness from the match, but this morning I woke up unable to walk properly and did quite extensive treatment with my team.We came down to the conclusion that it was a slight tear of the hamstring in my right leg.Sock, who added a second title of the year to the one he lifted in Auckland in January, called it very unfortunate.Weve had a lot of good battles and I was looking forward to the challenge, added Sock, who claimed a third career ATP title and is projected to reach a career-high 18 in the world rankings on Monday.Id be a little more excited and full of energy if I had gone out and won it on court, but on the flip side, a title is a title.Sock said that Raonic notified him personally about the withdrawal shortly before he was to warm up for the match.He said he was surprised after seeing Raonic defeat former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in the semi-finals on Saturday night.Im sure Milos would have loved to play, but youve got to look ahead with some big tournaments coming up, Sock said.

Posted by IMRAN ALI SOOMRO (DARVESH) at 2/27/2017 08:57:00 AM

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