Departing Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri bid farewell to the Turin fans in the team's final home game this season on Sunday, a 1-1 stalemate against Atalanta that kept the visitors' hopes of a first-ever Champions League qualification alive.
The Juventus fans paid tribute to Allegri, who the club's management have decided will not be their coach next season, despite winning 11 trophies in five years, but missing out on winning the Champions League.
Juventus have already wrapped up their record eighth consecutive title, which was Allegri's fifth.
The team were officially presented with this year's Serie A trophy -- the first for Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Former World Cup winner Andrea Barzagli played his final home game after eight years in Turin, and received an resounding ovation when he came off after an hour.
On the pitch, forward Mario Mandzukic struck ten minutes from time to cancel out Josip Ilicic's 33rd-minute goal for Atalanta.
The point keeps Atalanta's ...

Atalanta grab crucial point at Allegri's Juventus farewell party

PTI Automatic

Pakistan batsman Asif Ali is expected to leave the tour of England following the death of his daughter, who had been having treatment for cancer in the United States.
A statement issued by Islamabad United, the team Asif plays for in the Pakistan Super League, late Sunday said: "ISLU family pays its deepest condolences to @AasifAli2018 on the tragic loss of his daughter. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Asif & his family. Asif is a great example of strength & courage. He is an inspiration to us."
Earlier on Sunday, the 27-year-old Ali made 22 during Pakistan's 54-run defeat by England in the fifth and final one-day international at Headingley -- a loss that saw England take the series 4-0 after the opening match was washed out.
Ali featured in every game of the series, scoring two fifties with a career best of 52 in the third ODI in Bristol.
The hard-hitting Ali has scored 342 runs in 16 ODIs at an average of 31.09.  He was not included in Pakistan's preliminary squad for ...

Pakistan cricketer Asif Ali's daughter dies after cancer treatment

Defending French Open champion Rafael Nadal said Sunday he can't wait to hit the clay courts of Roland Garros after claiming his first title this season and ninth Italian Open trophy.
Nadal defeated world number one Novak Djokovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 for a record 34rd Masters, leaving his vanquished foe to label the Spaniard as "the number one favourite for Roland Garros".
"I am going to be there with time enough, as always," said 32-year-old Nadal, who wants to capture a 12th trophy in Paris.
"I'm going to repeat my normal routines. For sure I can't wait to be there and have the feeling, see the stadium, watch all the new great things that Roland Garros is doing," the 17-time Grand Slam winner said of the rebuilt Philippe Chatrier Centre Court.
"I saw a picture. Looks great. Still open, still not closed. Is a different stadium, but the feeling probably will not be very different.
"This year, I don't see a big difference. The wind is going to be the same as always. Court is still big." His .

Nadal can't wait to return to new-look Roland Garros

For more than a year after being moved to a Jordanian wildlife reserve from war-hit Syria, two bears, Loz and Sukkar, would cower whenever planes flew by, traumatised by past bombardments.
They are among dozens of animals that have been rescued from regional war zones, including the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, and brought to Jordan's Al Ma'wa For Nature and Wildlife.
The sanctuary located in Jerash province north of Amman was set up by the Princess Alia Foundation, named after the king's sister, in cooperation with the international animal welfare organisation Four Paws.
Sukkar (sugar in Arabic) and Loz (almond) are Asian black bears, now aged nine, who were trapped by war in the Magic World Zoo outside Syria's second city, Aleppo, before being rescued in the summer of 2017.
"When they were brought here they were terrified by the sounds of aircraft, especially helicopters and for more than a year they would hide in a room inside their pens each time they heard planes go by," said ...

Traumatised by conflict, animals find haven in Jordan

Around 400 people took to the streets in the capital city of the southern US state of Alabama on Sunday to rally against the nation's most restrictive bans on abortions in decades.
Women's reproductive rights defenders gathered in Montgomery, as well as in Birmingham, Anniston and Huntsville where hundreds more were estimated to have joined in denouncing the "Alabama Human Life Protection Act," or HB314, which virtually outlaws terminations of pregnancy.
Protesters in Montgomery held up signs reading "her body, her choice" and "we are not ovary-acting." There we no counter-demonstrators.
A woman wearing beige underwear that made her look naked had a drawing of her reproductive system attached to her abdomen and a banner reading: "More than an incubator." Several other women were dressed as characters forced to bear children in the dystopian novel and television series "The Handmaid's Tale." One of them, who gave her name only as Amanda, accused Alabama's legislators of "trying to ...

Hundreds protest strict Alabama abortion law

Sudan's army rulers and protest leaders remained locked in talks early Monday to finalise a new governing body that would replace the generals who took power after ousting longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir last month.
The resumption of talks comes following pressure from world powers to reach an agreement over an interim government that would be civilian-led -- a key demand of demonstrators.
The talks began at around 12.30 am IST on Sunday and were still continuing in the early hours of Monday, an AFP correspondent reported from the presidential palace where the negotiations were being held.
"The meeting is still on to discuss the transitional body," the Sudanese Professionals Association, which initially launched the nationwide protest campaign against Bashir, wrote on Twitter.
"We are not in a hurry for the crucial victory ... whatever be the outcome, it will be a step forward," it wrote without elaborating.
The generals and protest leaders have been at loggerheads on the thorniest ..

Sudan army rulers, protesters in talks over new governing body

The US ambassador to China is making the first trip to Tibet by an American envoy in four years after obtaining rare access to the restricted region, his embassy said Monday.
The visit by Ambassador Terry Branstad comes two months after the US State Department said Beijing had "systematically" impeded access to Tibetan areas for US diplomats, journalists and tourists.
Branstad was scheduled to visit Qinghai province and the neighbouring Tibet Autonomous Region from Sunday until this Saturday, an embassy spokesperson said in an email to AFP.
"This visit is a chance for the Ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said.
"The Ambassador welcomes this opportunity to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region, and encourages authorities to provide access to the region to all American citizens."
Branstad will have official meetings, visit schools and tour ...

US ambassador makes rare visit to Tibet

Japanese GDP expanded 0.5 per cent in the first quarter of this year, official data showed Monday, in a better-than-expected result for the world's third-largest economy.
It was the second successive expansion for the Japanese economy after growth of 0.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year and defied gloomy expectations by analysts who predicted a small decline at the start of 2019.
The latest data was being closely watched amid speculation Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government could postpone a planned sales tax hike for the third time if the GDP growth figure were very weak.
Net exports contributed strongly to the latest growth figures but only because the fall in imports outweighed a decline in exports, the Cabinet Office said.
Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute, said: "The headline figures were unexpectedly good but if you take a closer look, the data was not something we should be pleased about." "Rather, the data clearly showed weak points .

Japan's economy grew 0.5 per cent in first quarter: data

Australia's ruling conservative coalition is set to secure a governing majority in its shock election victory over the centre-left Labor Party, the national broadcaster ABC projected Monday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Liberal-National coalition will hold at least 77 seats in the 151-member lower house, one more than needed to govern on its own, ABC's election analysts projected.
The coalition will not hold a majority in the Senate, the upper house, meaning it will need the support of independents and minor parties to pass legislation.
A number of close races across the vast island continent were still to be officially decided following Saturday's vote, with the formal count by the Australian Electoral Commission not expected to conclude until later this week.
Among Morrison's first tasks following his victory was forming a new cabinet after several moderate ministers chose to retire from politics rather than contest the election.
Morrison has indicated he will also make promised .

Australia's conservatives secure majority government: ABC

The Russian army on Sunday said President Bashar al-Assad's Syrian forces had ceased fire "unilaterally" in northwestern Idlib province, where the UN fears a "humanitarian catastrophe".
"From 00:00 on May 18, Syrian armed forces unilaterally ceased fire in the Idlib de-escalation zone," the Russian military's centre for reconciliation in Syria said in a statement.
"However, firing targeting government forces' positions and civilians in the provinces of Hama, Latakia and Aleppo continues," it added.
The statement came after Britain, France, the United States and eight other countries at the UN Security Council warned on May 10 of a potential humanitarian catastrophe from an all-out assault in Idlib region, in a statement opposed by Russia.
Western powers are concerned that the Russia-backed Syrian government will launch a full-scale assault, despite a deal reached with Turkey, who back rebel forces, to set up a de-escalation zone in Idlib.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, ...

Syrian forces have called ceasefire in Idlib: Russia

A Katyusha rocket crashed Sunday into Baghdad's Green Zone which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission, Iraqi security services said in a statement.
The rocket -- which came after Washington ordered the evacuation of non-essential diplomatic staff from the Baghdad embassy and the Erbil consulate citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups -- caused no casualties, it said.

Katyusha rocket crashes into Baghdad Green Zone: security services

Oil supplies were sufficient and stockpiles were still rising despite massive output drops from Iran and Venezuela, said OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and key producer UAE on Sunday, as oil exporters met in Jeddah.
Producer nations gathered to discuss how to stabilise a volatile oil market amid rising US-Iran tensions in the Gulf, which threaten to disrupt global supply.
But "we see that (oil) inventories are rising and supplies are plenty," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters at the start the meeting.
"None of us wants to see the (oil) stocks swell again," he added, with reference to a supply surplus that sent prices sharply lower in the second half of last year.
"We have to be cautious," Falih said.
The UAE's energy minister said there was no need to relax a deal by the OPEC+ group of oil exporting countries to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day to support prices.
"We have seen inventory building. I don't think it makes sense" to alter the existing deal, said ...

Saudi, UAE see sufficient oil supplies, rising stocks

A young Malaysian side shorn of legend Lee Chong Wei battled to defeat against powerful hosts China on the opening day of the Sudirman Cup on Sunday.
Lee is one of the finest badminton players of all time but his career appears to be nearing a sad conclusion after he was diagnosed last year with early stage nose cancer.
The 36-year-old former world number one's absence is a severe blow to Malaysia's hopes of making an impact at the Sudirman Cup, the world mixed-team championships.
In his place, Lee Zii Jia, aged 21, faced China's world number two Shi Yuqi with Malaysia already trailing 2-0 to the hosts in the city of Nanning.  Shi was an easy 21-12, 21-11 winner in 35 minutes and China ran out 5-0 victors in the tie.
But the Chinese, who along with top-seeded Japan are the favourites, did not have it all their own way against the brave Malaysians.
Soniia Cheah, ranked 34 in the world, pushed third-ranked Chen Yufei to three games.
The men's doubles also went to a deciding game with Li 

Beaten Malaysia miss Lee Chong Wei in Sudirman Cup opener

Sudanese protest leaders said Sunday they will insist a civilian runs a planned new governing body in new talks with army rulers, as Islamists warned against excluding sharia from the political roadmap.
The Alliance for Freedom and Change is determined that the country's new ruling body be "led by a civilian as its chairman and with a limited military representation", it said in a statement.
The protesters' umbrella group said talks would resume with the military council -- which has ruled Sudan since president Omar al-Bashir was deposed on April 11 -- at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Sunday.
Talks over a transfer of power by the generals have repeatedly stalled, resulting in international pressure to return to the table after the military rulers suspended negotiations earlier this week.
The generals insist the new body be military-led but the protest leaders demand a majority civilian body.
On Sunday, the protest movement raised the ante by insisting that the ruling body should be headed by .

Sudan protesters insist on civilian head for new governing body

Imad Wasim and Shaheen Shah Afridi led a Pakistan fightback but England still scored 351 for nine at Headingley as Tom Curran again pressed his case for a World Cup place.
England, in their last one-day international before the tournament hosts and favourites name their World Cup squad on Tuesday, were set for a huge score at 191 for two off 25 overs.
But several batsmen got themselves out, including Test skipper Joe Root, who top-scored with 84, and one-day captain Eoin Morgan, who made 76 on his return to the side.
Left-arm spinner Imad finished with fine figures of three for 53 in his maximum 10 overs.
Fast bowler Afridi took wickets at both ends of the innings in a return of four for 82.
But the last over saw Curran hit six and then ramp an outrageous four off successive Hasan Ali deliveries to take England to a competitive total.
Curran finished on 29 not out -- the second match in a row where the Surrey paceman had proved his worth as a lower-order batsman following his 31 in a .

Imad and Afridi strike but England still post 351-9 against Pakistan

The Arab League called Sunday on the German parliament to rescind a resolution that condemned a boycott movement against Israel as "anti-semitic".
The call by the pan-Arab bloc comes after the Bundestag passed a motion on Friday against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, warning that its actions were reminiscent of the Nazis' campaign against Jews.
BDS, founded in 2005, describes itself as a Palestinian-led movement, which calls for the boycott of Israeli goods, services and culture as a means of pressuring the Jewish state to end its occupation of Palestinian territories.
The Arab League's assistant secretary-general for Palestinian affairs Saeed Abu Ali said in a statement the Bundestag's motion against BDS is "regrettable... unjustified... (and) biased" in favour of Israel.
He urged Germany's parliament to "reverse this erroneous step and support the Palestinian people's right for liberation."
The non-binding resolution said the BDS movement's "Don't Buy" ...

Arab League urges German parliament to reverse anti-BDS motion

Saudi Arabia said Sunday that the kingdom's massive oil installations are well protected a few days after a drone attack claimed by Yemeni rebels on a key oil pipeline.
"We have strong (oil) industry security... everybody is vulnerable to extreme acts of sabotage," Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in Jeddah of major oil producers.
Yemen's Huthi rebels last week claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the huge east-west pipeline forcing it to temporarily shut down.

Saudi oil sector secure, minister says after attacks

Thousands of demonstrators prepared to take to the streets around the southern US state of Alabama on Sunday to rally against one of the nation's most restrictive bans on abortions in decades.
Women's reproductive rights defenders will gather in the capital, Montgomery, and in Birmingham, Anniston and Huntsville, to denounce the "Alabama Human Life Protection Act," or HB314, which virtually outlaws terminations.
"People should have the right to make the decisions that are best for their bodies without state interference," organisers said on Facebook.
Alabama passed a law last week that prohibits all abortions -- even in cases of incest and rape -- unless there is a risk of death for the mother.
"We're going to return to the back alleys. We're going to return to where women will do abortions to themselves," 81-year-old Maralyn Mosley told the Montgomery Advertiser.
She had an abortion at 13, after her uncle raped her.
"We will return to the coat hangers and perforated uteruses. We will 

Thousands expected to protest Alabama abortion

Saudi Arabia announced Sunday it deposited USD 250 million in Sudan's central bank as part of a support package for the country following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir.
"The ministry of finance has deposited 937.5 million Saudi riyals into the central bank of Sudan," it said in a statement.
In April, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced three billion dollars (2.7 billion euros) in financial aid for Sudan.
"USD 500 million has been provided by both countries... to strengthen its financial position," the kingdom's finance ministry said.
The UAE said on April 28 it was depositing USD 250 million in Sudan's central bank.
The oil-rich Gulf states pledged to inject USD 500 million into Sudan's central bank and USD 2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said last month.
It said the move was aimed shoring up the Sudanese pound.
In recent years Sudan has been hit by an acute lack of dollars, a ...

Saudi Arabia deposits USD 250 mn in Sudan's central bank

The Swiss voted Sunday to toughen their gun laws and bring them in line with EU legislation, heeding warnings that rejecting the change could have threatened relations with the bloc.
Final results showed that voters overwhelmingly supported reforming Swiss gun laws, with a full 63.7 percent casting their ballot in favour.
A majority of voters in all but one of Switzerland's 26 cantons backed the reform, with the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland the only outlier.
A demand from the neighbouring European Union that the Swiss toughen their gun laws prompted a rare national debate over firearm ownership in the wealthy Alpine nation, which has a deeply-rooted gun culture.
While the government cautioned that the new legislation was crucial to the non-EU country maintaining its treaties with the bloc, the proposal sparked a fierce pushback from the gun lobby and shooting enthusiasts, who gathered enough signatures to trigger a vote under Switzerland's famous direct ...

Swiss vote to tighten gun laws, safeguard EU relations

French-Spanish singer Nilda Fernandez, who won fame with hits in the late 80s and 90s and later became popular in Russia, died Sunday aged 61, his family told AFP.
He died of heart failure in the south of France.
Born in Barcelona, Fernandez grew up in the French city of Lyon and started playing in bars and clubs with just a guitar in the style of a French chansonnier.
By 1981, he recorded his first album but he waited over half a decade more for success with the 1987 song and album "Madrid Madrid" and then his biggest hit "Nos fiancailles" (Our Engagement) in 1991.
Known for his agile but vulnerable sounding voice, Fernandez in 2001 left for Russia where he stayed for half a decade, collaborating with Russian pop singer Boris Moiseev. He also worked in Cuba.

AFP

AFP

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