Dunya TV
Dunya TV |
- Palestinians pray outside holy site after Israeli restrictions
- Russia orders US to cut diplomats in response to sanctions
- US imposes new sanctions targeting Iran's ballistic missile programme
- N. Korea leader says 'all US' within range after missile test
- Terminally-ill British baby Charlie Gard dies
- Multan: 3 terrorists of banned outfit arrested in CTD operation
- Rain likely in various parts of country: Met Office
- Karachi: 20 suspects nabbed in Rangers search operation
- Roland-Jones rips through South Africa in third Test
- South Africa's Philander sent for hospital tests
- Australia cricket manager hopeful of Bangladesh visit
- Kohli puts India on target for crushing win
- Warner hits back in bitter Australia pay row
- Scientists ready to unveil the secrets of 'lost continent' Zealandia
- Alonso considering possible year in America
| Palestinians pray outside holy site after Israeli restrictions Posted: JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel barred men under 50 from Friday prayers at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site after two weeks of tensions and deadly unrest, leading thousands of Palestinians to hold mass prayers outside.Thousands of others entered the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, for prayers after Palestinians ended a boycott of the site the previous day.Despite fears of violent clashes around the compound, which includes Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the area was largely calm following Fridays midday prayers.Dozens of young Palestinians shouted and protested near one entrance to the compound and minor scuffles broke out with police.Clashes did however erupt between Israeli forces and Palestinians in parts of the occupied West Bank, including in the Nablus, Bethlehem and Hebron areas, the Israeli army said.A Palestinian also tried to stab soldiers at a junction in the West Bank and was shot dead by Israeli forces, the army said.And Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager and wounded seven others during clashes near the border fence in Gaza, Palestinian authorities there said.The Palestinian Red Crescent said 225 Palestinians were wounded, including at least 87 from live or rubber bullets.Tensions at the holy site were high -- even after thousands of worshippers returned to the compound Thursday, ending a boycott over new security measures set up following an attack that killed two policemen.The outside prayers on Friday were due to the Israeli age restrictions and were not the start of a new boycott, after Israel removed the security measures this week.By the evening, the gates to the mosque compound were open and Palestinians of all ages were allowed in without any restrictions, an Israeli police spokesman and a Palestinian official said.It was a victory for you and for your beliefs and for Jerusalem, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Ahmad Hussein told worshippers at Al-Aqsa mosque of the boycott.Police earlier barred men under the age of 50 from praying amid fears of disturbances.Roads around Jerusalems Old City, where the mosque compound is located, were closed and some 3,500 police were deployed.Police said people who tried to stay inside Al-Aqsa mosque overnight were removed.It is a cowardly act, Amjad Hassoun, a young man from Jerusalem, said of the age restriction.At least 187 people were wounded inside the mosque compound and in adjacent areas as clashes erupted on Thursday, the Red Crescent said. Police said stones were thrown at officers.Amnesty International said Israeli security forces fired stun grenades, tear gas and sponge-tipped bullets into a peaceful crowd at an entrance to the compound.The Palestinian Prisoners Club said some 119 people were detained and 21 still in custody, including minors, adding that some were beaten by police.Thousands of worshippers streamed into the compound for afternoon prayers Thursday for the first time in two weeks, ending a boycott after Israel removed new security measures installed following a July 14 attack that killed two policemen.In previous days, Muslims refused to enter the compound and prayed in the streets outside to protest against the security measures, which Palestinians viewed as Israel asserting further control over the site.Israeli authorities said the measures, including metal detectors, were needed because the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the compound and emerged from it to attack the officers.The United States lauded the efforts undertaken to de-escalate tensions in Jerusalem.Jordan, the custodian of Jerusalems Muslim holy sites, welcomed the removal of the security measures but said Israel should not provoke Palestinians there.Unless Israel acts responsibly, then well be facing another crisis that will push us all towards the abyss, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said.Deadly unrest had erupted in the days after the new measures were introduced, with clashes breaking out around the compound, and in the West Bank, leaving six Palestinians dead.A Palestinian also broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank and stabbed four Israelis on July 21, killing three of them.Israel removed the metal detectors on Tuesday after intense international diplomacy.Newly installed railings and scaffolding where cameras were previously mounted were also removed on Thursday.The removal was seen as a defeat for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had ordered the security measures and was forced to backtrack after warnings the unrest could spiral out of control.It represented a rare victory for Palestinians, who remained united in their boycott.Israeli officials said they were to replace the new security measures with advanced technologies -- widely believed to be smart cameras with facial recognition technology.The holy compound lies in east Jerusalem, seized by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.The third-holiest site for Muslims and the most sacred for Jews, it is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has served as a rallying cry for Palestinians.In 2000, a visit to the compound by then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon helped ignite the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.  |
| Russia orders US to cut diplomats in response to sanctions Posted: MOSCOW (AFP) - Moscow on Friday ordered the US to slash its number of diplomats in Russia and froze two embassy compounds in a pre-emptive strike against tough new sanctions being readied in Washington.On Thursday, the US Senate passed new bipartisan sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea, sending the package to President Donald Trump, who must decide whether to accept the tough approach to the Kremlin or veto the measure.A US government source told AFP the White House had received the bill just before 2:00 pm (1800 GMT), which now awaits Trumps signature.The move was a further blow to hopes in Moscow that Trumps election might help improve ties that slumped to their lowest point since the Cold War over the Kremlins meddling in Ukraine and alleged interference in the US election.It has also upset some European nations fearful that it could hit their businesses. Germany warned it would not accept sanctions that targeted companies involved with Russias energy sector.The Kremlin had previously said it would hold off from responding until the sanctions became law. But it appeared to change tack after President Vladimir Putin insisted Thursday that he could not endlessly tolerate this kind of insolence.A Russian foreign ministry statement demanded the US cut its diplomatic presence in Russia by September to 455 -- the same number Moscow has in the US -- in a move sources said could force out hundreds of diplomats. It also said it was barring the US embassy from using a Moscow summer house and storage facility in the city from August 1. The United States under the absolutely invented pretext of Russian interference in their internal affairs takes one grossly anti-Russian action after another, it said.Moscow reserves the right to carry out other measures that could affect the interests of the US, the statement added.In a phone call later with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that the measures from Moscow were a necessary step, his ministry said. Lavrov said that Russia was still ready to normalise bilateral relations with the US and to cooperate on the most important international issues.However, this is possible only on the basis of equality, mutual respect and a balancing of interests, the ministry statement added. Earlier, US ambassador in Moscow John Tefft expressed his strong disappointment and protest at the development, an embassy spokesperson told AFP.The spokesperson declined to comment on the current number of US diplomats and staff in Russia, but Russian wires cited informed sources saying hundreds of people would have to leave. The punishment announced by Moscow closely resembled punitive measures announced by then President Barack Obama in December. That was over an alleged Kremlin hacking and influence campaign to sway the 2016 US elections in favour of Trump.Obama ordered out 35 Russian diplomats and closed down two embassy summer houses that Washington said were being used by Moscow to spy on the US.At the time, Putin made the surprise choice not to respond to the US move, saying that he was waiting to see how Trump handled the situation once he came to power. Trump repeatedly insisted during his election campaign that he wanted to improve ties with Russia, sparking hope in the Kremlin for an improvement.Moscow is already the subject of tough US sanctions over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and support for a bloody insurgency in the country. But allegations from the US intelligence community that Putin interfered in the US elections to get Trump elected have made any concessions to Trump politically toxic. The White House opposed the new sanctions package that curbs Trumps ability to lift the punishment, but the near-total support in the US Senate and House puts him in a major bind. Even if Trump decides to veto the bill, Congress could likely muster enough votes to override him.Despite tensions over alleged Russian interference into the US election, Moscow and Washington have worked closer together on Syria.The two countries thrashed out a ceasefire in the south of the war-torn nation despite being on opposing sides of the conflict.  |
| US imposes new sanctions targeting Iran's ballistic missile programme Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Friday imposed new sanctions targeting Irans ballistic missile program, one day after Tehran tested a satellite-launch rocket -- an act that Washington had called provocative.The US Treasury singled out six companies owned or controlled by Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG), which it said was central to the Islamic republics missile program, freezing their US assets and barring US citizens from dealing with them.Foreign financial institutions could face punitive measures if they deal with the sanctioned entities, it added.SHIG was already under UN, US and European Union sanctions.Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions underscore the United States deep concerns with Irans continued development and testing of ballistic missiles and other provocative behavior.He warned that Washington would continue to aggressively counter Irans ballistic missile-related activity, whether it be a provocative space launch, its development of threatening ballistic missile systems, or likely support to Yemeni Huthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia such as occurred this past weekend.According to the Treasury, space launch vehicles use technologies that are closely related to those of an intercontinental ballistic missile and this launch represents a threatening step by Iran.Iranian state television broadcast footage of the takeoff from the Imam Khomeini space center, named after the late founder of the Islamic republic, in Semnan province in the east of the country.The report said the launch vehicle, named Simorgh after a bird in Iranian mythology, was capable of propelling a satellite weighing 250 kilograms (550 pounds) to an altitude of 500 kilometers (300 miles) above earth.Western states suspect Iran of developing the technology capable of launching long-range ballistic missiles with conventional or nuclear payloads, a charge denied by Tehran, which insists its space program has purely peaceful aims.Tensions have mounted between Washington and Tehran since US President Donald Trump took office six months ago.  |
| N. Korea leader says 'all US' within range after missile test Posted: SEOUL (AFP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said Pyongyangs latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile confirmed all the US mainland was within striking range, state media reported Saturday.Kim said Fridays test demonstrated the Norths ability to launch at any place and time, the Korean Central News Agency reported, adding the leader said proudly the test also confirmed all the US mainland is within our striking range.Dear Leader Kim Jong-Un expressed great satisfaction with the perfectly successful test and praised its developers, KCNA said.The report said the test confirmed the missiles nuclear detonation control mechanism operated normally and that the warhead could endure the intense heat of re-entering the atmosphere.With its second ICBM test this month, North Korea is doubling down on its threat to develop nuclear-strike capability against the US mainland in the face of severe warnings from President Donald Trump.The US leader denounced the launch as a reckless and dangerous action and rejected Pyongyangs claims that such tests helped ensure its security.By threatening the world, these weapons and tests further isolate North Korea, weaken its economy, and deprive its people, Trump said in a statement.The United States will take all necessary steps to ensure the security of the American homeland and protect our allies in the region.South Korean, US and Japanese monitors all detected the unusual late-night test Friday, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying the missile may have landed within Japans maritime exclusive economic zone.We assess that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said, adding that the projectile travelled about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.However, the Russian military said it appeared to be a medium-range ballistic missile.The launch came a day after North Korea celebrated what it calls Victory Day -- the anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Pyongyang regularly times its missile tests to coincide with symbolic dates.In Seoul and Tokyo, the governments convened meetings of their national security councils.And the US and South Korean militaries began conducting a live-fire exercise using surface-to-surface missiles in response to the latest test, the US army said.Joel Wit, a senior fellow at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University and an expert on the Norths nuclear weapons programme, said Fridays launch confirmed time was running out for Washington to find a way out of a pressing security crisis.Another North Korean test of what appears to be a missile that can reach the United States further emphasises the need for the Trump administration to focus like a laser on this increasingly dangerous situation, Wit said on the institutes 38 North website.US military and South Korean intelligence officials had in recent days warned that North Korea appeared to be prepping another missile test -- likely of an ICBM.The ICBM test on July 4 had triggered global alarm, with experts saying the missile had a theoretical range to reach Alaska.Kim Jong-Un, who also personally oversaw that launch on Americas Independence Day, described it as a gift to the American bastards.It sent tensions soaring in the region, pitting Washington, Tokyo and Seoul against China, Pyongyangs last remaining major ally.The United States instigated a push at the United Nations for tougher measures against Pyongyang, with Trump saying he was considering a pretty severe response.Fridays launch came just hours after the US Senate passed bipartisan sanctions on Pyongyang.North Koreas accelerated drive towards a credible nuclear strike capability poses a thorny policy challenge for Trump, who is at loggerheads with Beijing over how to handle Kim Jong-Uns regime.Its clear Kim Jong-Un remains undeterred by the threat of tightened sanctions, and is not listening to its one major ally, China. The longer the world waits to deal with North Korea, the more advanced Pyongyangs arsenal will become, said Jean Lee at the Wilson Center thinktank.Trump has repeatedly urged Beijing to rein in its recalcitrant neighbour, but Beijing insists dialogue is the only practical way forward.There remain doubts whether the North can miniaturise a nuclear weapon to fit a missile nose cone, or if it has mastered the technology needed for the projectile to survive re-entry into the Earths atmosphere.But since Kim came to power there has been a series of technical advances, including three nuclear tests and a string of missile launches.France on Friday called on fellow members of the UN Security Council to swiftly adopt strong and additional sanctions against Pyongyang.Reacting to the launch, UN spokesman Farhad Haq said it was frustrating that the secretary generals calls for all sides to de-escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula had gone unheeded.In an apparent reference to China, Haq said it was important for all parties to use their particular influence to help resolve this.In all, six sets of UN sanctions have been imposed on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006, but two resolutions adopted last year significantly toughened the sanctions regime.Meanwhile, the US military is preparing to conduct another test of a missile-intercept system in Alaska, perhaps as soon as Saturday.  |
| Terminally-ill British baby Charlie Gard dies Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Charlie Gard, the terminally-ill British baby whose plight drew sympathy from Pope Francis and US President Donald Trump and sparked a debate about medical ethics, died on Friday, his mother said.His parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, had fought a lengthy legal battle to allow him to be taken to the United States for treatment for a rare genetic condition.But despite the international attention brought by his case, he died exactly one week short of his first birthday.Our beautiful little boy has gone. We are so proud of you, Charlie, his mother Yates said in a statement.A court had ordered that the 11-month-old should be moved from hospital to a hospice, where his life support was withdrawn.Supporters around the world donated 1.35 million pound ($1.75 million, 1.5 million euros) via an online fundraising site to support his parents and their efforts to keep their son alive, while 350,000 signed a petition demanding that he be allowed to receive experimental treatment in the US.Following news of the boys death, Pope Francis, who supported the campaign, tweeted: I entrust little Charlie to the Father and pray for his parents and all those who loved him.British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was deeply saddened by the death while US Vice President Mike Pence wrote he was: Saddened to hear of the passing of Charlie Gard.Gard was born on August 4 last year with a rare form of mitochondrial disease that causes progressive muscle weakness, including in key organs such as the heart.He was admitted to hospital at eight weeks old and his condition progressively deteriorated.Gards parents fought a five-month legal battle for him to be taken to the United States for experimental treatment.They lost a series of appeals in British courts and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.Their campaign led to offers of help from the United States and the Vatican, leading the hospital to ask the courts for a final assessment of any new evidence.On July 2, Pope Francis called for the couple to be allowed to care for their child until the end, saying he had followed the case with affection and sadness.The following day, US President Donald Trump said in a tweet: If we can help little Charlie Gard, as per our friends in the UK and the pope, we would be delighted to do so.But the boys parents gave up their battle last week, saying time has run out, after they were shown scans indicating that his condition had deteriorated too far.We are so sorry that we could not save you, they said in an emotional statement at the High Court in London.Judge Nicholas Francis summed up the emotion involved in the case.It is impossible for any of us to comprehend or even begin to imagine the agony to which Charlies parents have been subjected in recent weeks and months as they have had to come to terms with the decision that they have now made, he said in a judgement.The parents then asked for Gard to be taken to their home for his final days but were overruled by the hospital which said the ventilator keeping him alive was too bulky to fit through their front door.They finally agreed for him to be placed in a hospice.The case raised fundamental questions about whether parents or the state should have a final say on a childs wellbeing and whether a childs fate should be settled in a courtroom.It provoked strong reactions, with an army of supporters shouting shame on GOSH following this weeks court hearing.The hospital issued a statement Friday, saying: Everyone at Great Ormond Street Hospital sends their heartfelt condolences to Charlies parents and loved ones at this very sad time.  |
| Multan: 3 terrorists of banned outfit arrested in CTD operation Posted: MULTAN (Dunya News) - The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) carried out an operation on intelligence report at the Vehari Road in Multan on Friday and arrested three terrorists, Dunya News reported.According to CTD spokesperson, the arrested terrorists were members of a banned organisation. Three hand grenades, a pistol and other ammunition was also recovered from them.The spokesperson further said that the terrorists were planning to target sensitive installations in Multan. The arrested terrorists were later shifted to some undisclosed location for further investigation.  |
| Rain likely in various parts of country: Met Office Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rain in different parts of the country during the next 24 hours, Dunya News reported on Friday.According to Met Office, a weak seasonal low lies over northwest Balochistan. Monsoon currents are penetrating eastern parts of country and likely to continue during next few days.Hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country during next 24 hours. However, rain-thunderstorm with few heavyfalls is expected at scattered places in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Lahore, Faisalabad, D.G Khan, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Sukkar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir.Rain-thunderstorm is also expected at isolated places in Kohat, Bannu, D.I.Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, Hyderabad, Zhob, Naseerabad, Sibbi, Kalat divisions and FATA.  |
| Karachi: 20 suspects nabbed in Rangers search operation Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – At least 20 suspects were taken into custody during Rangers search operation in different parts of Karachi on Friday night, Dunya News reported.According to details, Rangers conducted search operation in Lines Area and Jacob Line areas of the city on intelligence reports that criminal elements are present in these localities.All the entry and exit points in these areas were sealed ahead of search operation. Rangers personnel carried out house-to-house search during which 20 suspects were arrested.Rangers sources said that the arrested suspects were shifted to some undisclosed location for further investigation.  |
| Roland-Jones rips through South Africa in third Test Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Toby Roland-Jones removed all of South Africas top four in a sensational debut display as England seized control of the third Test at The Oval on Friday.The Proteas collapsed to 126 for eight at stumps on the second day, with Middlesex paceman Roland-Jones taking four wickets for 39 runs in 11 overs in what is the 100th Test at The Oval.South Africa were now 227 runs adrift after all-rounder Ben Stokess century against an attack without the ill Vernon Philander propelled England to 353 in their first innings.Its a pretty special day, Roland-Jones told BBC Radios Test Match Special.I just tried to keep it simple and stick to the basics, added the 29-year-old, who also made a run-a-ball 25.On as first change behind the vastly experienced new-ball duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, Roland-Jones struck with just his 10th ball in Test cricket when Dean Elgar was caught behind to force an early tea.After the interval, Roland-Jones had Heino Kuhn lbw and South Africa were 23 for two.Hashim Amla had made 311 not out, South Africas highest individual score at this level, when the Proteas last played a Test at The Oval in 2012.Five years on, however, it was a different story as Amla exited for just six, when he could do nothing other than glove a lifting Roland-Jones ball to wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow.That felt like the best of the bunch, with all hes done in the game, said Roland-Jones, whose hat-trick against Yorkshire at Lords sealed Middlesexs County Championship title triumph last season.And when Quinton de Kock, aiming legside, was caught at gully by Stokes, South Africa were 47 for four with Roland-Jones having taken four for 15 in 24 balls at that stage.Anderson, Englands all-time leading wicket-taker, then had South Africa captain Faf du Plessis lbw for one playing no shot.The Proteas were 51 for six when Anderson, who turns 35 on Sunday, gave himself another early birthday present when he caught and bowled Chris Morris.One meagre consolation for South Africa came when, even with the floodlights on, the skies above The Oval were so dark that the only way to avoid play being halted for bad light was for England to bowl spin at both ends via captain Joe Root and Moeen Ali.Temba Bavuma (34 not out) and Kagiso Rabada (30) put on 53 to take South Africa past their lowest post-isolation Test total of 79 against India at Nagpur in 2015.The clouds lifted to allow the quicks back, with Rabada bowled by Broad to end a gutsy stay of almost an hour.Earlier, Philander only bowled five overs Friday before going to hospital for tests on what was thought to be a stomach complaint.It was a huge loss for the Proteas, with the in-form seamer having taken two for 17 in 12 overs on Thursday.Several former captains had slammed Englands batting in a huge 340-run second Test defeat at Trent Bridge that saw the Proteas level this four-match series at 1-1.But Stokes got the balance right on Friday.England resumed on 171 for four, before former captain Cook fell for 88 when lbw to fast bowler Morne Morkel after his typically painstaking near five-hour innings laid the platform for their subsequent run-spree.Fellow left-handed batsman Stokes, who made a Test-best 258 against South Africa at Cape Town last year, cashed in against the old ball and saw off the new.He was, however, still nine runs shy of his fifth Test hundred when No 11 Anderson came in.But the 26-year-old went to three figures via two sixes off consecutive balls from left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.The first, a slog to long-on, was caught by du Plessis but he touched the boundary rope, meaning Stokes had a six.There was no doubt when the subsequent ball sailed into the stands as Stokes completed a 144-ball century and he hoisted Maharajs next delivery over deep square for another six.Stokes eventually holed out off Morkel but the damage was done.  |
| South Africa's Philander sent for hospital tests Posted: LONDON (AFP) - South Africa paceman Vernon Philander has been taken to hospital after spending most of the second days play in the third Test against England at The Oval on Friday off the field.Philander took two wickets for 17 runs in 12 overs in between bouts of what was said to be stomach illness on Thursdays rain-marred first day.But he only bowled five more overs in Fridays first session before leaving the field and has yet to return to play.A team spokeswoman said Philander had been taken to hospital for tests to determine the precise nature of his condition, which now appears to be more serious than initially thought.The 32-year-old Philander is one of the leading seam bowlers in world cricket, having taken 171 wickets in 46 Test at an average of 22.14.He has also become an increasingly effective batsman, with Philander named man-of-the-match for his all-round contribution to South Africas 340-run win in the second Test at Trent Bridge that saw the Proteas level this four-match series at 1-1.  |
| Australia cricket manager hopeful of Bangladesh visit Posted: DHAKA (AFP) - Australias cricket authorities are hopeful that a Bangladesh tour due to start in less than a month will go ahead despite a player rebellion over pay, a senior team official said.The scheduled two-Test series has been placed in jeopardy by the long-running dispute, which has pitted Australias top cricket stars against the games governing body.There is obviously a lot of work to be done. But we are hopeful and optimistic that the tour will go ahead, Gavin Dovey, Australia cricket team manager told reporters in the Bangladesh city of Chittagong late Thursday.The fate of the series depends on the resolution of a revenue sharing deal between Cricket Australia and players. An Australia A tour of South Africa has already been cancelled because of the dispute.Cricket Australia said Thursday it will take the bitter row to independent arbitration if an agreement cannot be reached by early next week.Dovey made his remarks at the end of a four-day tour by a Cricket Australia team to inspect facilities and security arrangements in the South Asian nation.The team visited the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong which is to host the second Test from September 4-8.Australia are scheduled to arrive Bangladesh on August 18. The first Test is at Dhakas Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on August 27-31.Australia have not played a Test in Bangladesh since Ricky Pontings team visited in 2006, six years after Bangladesh were granted Test status.They were due to play two Tests in Bangladesh in October 2015 but the tour was cancelled amid security fears after attacks by Islamist extremists in the Muslim-majority nation.Australia refused to send their team to last years Under-19 World Cup in Dhaka over security worries.Bangladesh hosted England last year, drawing the Test series 1-1.We were very disappointed not to come in 2015 but obviously the safety and security of the players and the team is paramount, irrespective of whether we tour to Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world, Dovey said.Bangladesh has promised head-of-state style security for Australias cricketers this time.  |
| Kohli puts India on target for crushing win Posted: GALLE (AFP) - Virat Kohli and Abhinav Mukund fired quick runs off dispirited Sri Lankan bowlers on Friday to power India to a hefty second-innings lead of nearly 500 in the first Test.Skipper Kohli hit an unbeaten 76 and Mukund was out for 81 on what turned out to be the final ball of the third days play in Galle.It was a crushing day for the home side. After smashing 600 in the first innings and then bowling out Sri Lanka for 291 earlier in the day, India reached 189-3 and a lead of 498.Kohli will head out again on Saturday looking to make a century before trying to finish the job inside four days.Even an 84-minute rain break could not dampen Indias determination and Sri Lankas stand-in captain Rangana Herath went off for the final hour after hurting a finger trying to stop a Kohli drive.Kohli and Mukund made 133 for the third wicket. No Sri Lankan bowler made much of an impact until Danushka Gunathilaka claimed Mukund lbw.Mukund at first stood his ground, but the TV umpire gave part-time spinner Gunathilaka the wicket.India lost their first-innings batting heroes Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara cheaply.Kohli and Mukund then hit out, scoring at virtually 4.5 runs an over, with 13 boundaries between them.Sri Lanka came back from an overnight score of 154-5. Former skipper Angelo Mathews went from 54 to 83 before flashing at a Ravindra Jadeja ball and sending it straight to Kohli at short cover.Veteran Dilruwan Perera hit a top score of 92 -- with 10 fours and four sixes -- but ran out of partners before he could get a deserved century.Sri Lanka had only 10 batsmen because Asela Gunaratne broke his thumb on Thursday.Jadeja picked up three wickets. Kohli decided against enforcing the follow-on but is still on course to make Sri Lanka suffer.  |
| Warner hits back in bitter Australia pay row Posted: SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia vice-captain Dave Warner has accused Cricket Australia (CA) of wrongly blaming players for not resolving a bitter pay dispute saga which threatens next months Test tour to Bangladesh.CA chief executive James Sutherland upped the ante on Thursday when he said unless intensive talks over the next few days produced a compromise, his organisation would seek the intervention of an industrial umpire to end the impasse.The Australian Cricketers Association hit back, saying CA was to blame for the crisis dragging on and that it had lost the players through its hardball tactics.Warner, who has been outspoken in the push for players to keep a 20-year revenue-sharing arrangement in place against CA opposition, also fired back at the governing body.This Baggy Green (cap) means the world to me, he wrote on Instagram late Thursday beneath a picture of himself in his Test kit.Myself and all the other players, female and male, want to get out there and play.We offered Aus$30 million ($24 million) of our money to grassroots as a peace plan. It was ignored. We asked for mediation twice before and it was rejected. Now CA says there is a crisis.The players are unemployed and some are hurting financially but continue to train. Administrators all still being paid. How is it our fault no deal is done?After months of negotiations, the players and CA have failed to reach agreement, leaving 230 cricketers unemployed since the end of June when their contracts expired.Sutherland went on the attack after knocking back recent compromise proposals from the ACA, who remain adamant that players must receive a percentage of the games gross revenues.We feel that what has been proposed actually jeopardises not only the Bangladesh tour but in turn the Indian tour that is upcoming and beyond that even - dare I say it - the Ashes tour, Sutherland said Thursday.We have concerns that the urgency at our end is not being reciprocated at the other side and thats why we can hopefully bring the matter to resolution and failing that an independent arbitrator to come in, make a decision and we accept the umpires decision.The ACA likened arbitration to an adversarial process more akin to a courtroom.This dispute has arisen from Cricket Australias attempts to, without making the case, end a successful 20-year partnership with players, it said.Cricket Australia has lost the players and most of the games stakeholders in the process.The first match on the Test tour of Bangladesh is due to start on August 22, followed by a one-day tour to India in September and October ahead of the showpiece home Ashes series, beginning in November.  |
| Scientists ready to unveil the secrets of 'lost continent' Zealandia Posted: SYDNEY (AFP) - Scientists are attempting to unlock the secrets of the lost continent of Zealandia, setting sail Friday to investigate the huge underwater landmass east of Australia that has never been properly studied.Zealandia, which is mostly submerged beneath the South Pacific, was once part of the Gondwana super-continent but broke away some 75 million years ago.In a paper published in the Geological Society of Americas Journal GSA Today in February, researchers made the case that it should be considered a new continent.They said it was a distinct geological entity that met all the criteria applied to Earths other continents, including elevation above the surrounding area, distinctive geology, a well-defined area and a crust much thicker than that found on the ocean floor.Covering five million square kilometres (1.9 million square miles), it extends from south of New Zealand northward to New Caledonia and west to the Kenn Plateau off Australias east.Drill ship Joides Resolution will recover sediments and rocks lying deep beneath the sea bed in a bid to discover how the region has behaved over the past tens of millions of years.The recovered cores will be studied onboard, allowing scientists to address issues such as oceanographic history, extreme climates, sub-seafloor life, plate tectonics and earthquake-generating zones.Co-chief scientist Jerry Dickens, from Rice University in Texas, said the region was a vital area to study changes in global climate.As Australia moved north and the Tasman Sea developed, global circulation patterns changed and water depths over Zealandia fluctuated, he said.This region was important in influencing global changes.Australian National Universitys Neville Exon said the two-month expedition, setting out Friday from Townsville, would also help better understand major changes in the global tectonic configuration that started about 53 million years ago.This is around the time that the Pacific Ring of Fire, a hotspot for volcanoes and earthquakes, came into existence.In the February scientific paper, lead author Nick Mortimer said experts had been gathering data to make the case for Zealandia being a continent for more than 20 years.But their efforts had been frustrated because most of it was hidden beneath the waves.If we could pull the plug on the oceans, it would be clear to everybody that we have mountain chains and a big, high-standing continent, he said at the time.  |
| Alonso considering possible year in America Posted: BUDAPEST (AFP) - Fernando Alonso reiterated on Friday that he is determined to try and win a third drivers world title and would consider joining any team that can help him do so.The Spaniard has previously declared that he will allow McLaren-Honda until September to demonstrate that they can deliver the potential for that level of performance.Alonso said also that he was considering a full Indycar season as an alternative to racing in Formula One again next year.Its one possibility, said Alonso. Ive always said Im very open (to anything) that may come in the future. My priority is still Formula One and winning the third championship, but Im open to find the way in any team to achieve that.Im open to see another series if that is not possible for next year, so lets see in one month or one month and a half.I want to win next year and to win we need some good changes here -- many changes here. If those happen, therell be a possibility that I stay and thats something that I will have to consider in September.Asked if he had experienced any positives this year, the 35-year-old said: Yes, the Indy 500.No. We expected to be much more competitive and we are not delivering what our expectations were.We are working very hard to improve the situation as soon as possible, but it is definitely tough.  |
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