French duo Gael Monfils and Benoit Paire said having active player Gilles Simon as team captain gave them the winning edge in the ATP Cup against Chile on Saturday.
Paire opened with a tough 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-3 win over Nicolas Jarry in Brisbane before Monfils triumphed 6-3, 7-5 over Cristian Garin.
The Chileans salvaged some pride after combining to beat Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the doubles 7-5, 6-2.
France is captained by world number 55 Simon, and both Paire and Monfils credited the 35-year-old with helping them overcome their opponents.
"He was top 10, so he's still playing. He has a lot of things to say about the opponent, about my game, so it's good," Paire said.
Simon reached a career-high world ranking of six in 2009 but is not playing the ATP Cup because of the depth of French men's tennis.
Six of his countrymen are currently ranked higher than him in singles, while Mahut is ranked third in doubles and Roger-Vasselin 16th.
Monfils said he talked with Simon .

French team praises captain Simon's role at ATP Cup

PTI Automatic

New Zealand made a secure start after a Marnus Labuschagne double century lifted Australia to a massive 454 first innings total in the third Test on Saturday.
The rock-solid number three reached his highest Test score of 215 in Sydney with the Australians dismissed just before tea on the second day.
In reply, the Blackcaps grittily batted through the final session without losing a wicket, leaving skipper Tom Latham on 26 and Melbourne Test centurion Tom Blundell at 34 in their team's 63.
There were a couple of close calls -- notably a leg before wicket appeal off Nathan Lyon and a possible edge off Pat Cummins -- but the Kiwis showed plenty of fight after enduring five tough sessions in the field in sapping heat.
The day belonged to Labuschagne, who sweated on 199 for 20 minutes before he thick edged Colin de Grandhomme through the vacant slips to the ropes to bring up his double ton.
The milestone came off 363 balls with 19 fours and a six and eclipsed his previous Test record of 185 

New Zealand on the chase after Labuschagne's double ton in Sydney

Hundreds of soldiers and rescuers frantically picked through the rubble of a collapsed building in southern Cambodia on Saturday looking for bodies as the death toll from the disaster rose to seven.
They used excavators, drills and power saws to clear concrete the morning after the seven-storey hotel under construction in seaside Kep province crumbled to the ground with an estimated 30 workers inside, prompting an all-night rescue.
It was the latest deadly accident to mar the kingdom's poorly regulated building sector even as hotels, high-rises and casinos spring up in a construction boom.
Cambodian leader Hun Sen, who travelled to the site on Friday evening, said on his official Facebook page that seven people had been killed so far while the "search continues".
Eighteen survivors were also pulled out of the debris, according to the Kep provincial administration, but tearful relatives were waiting for more information about loved ones who had not been found.
"I don't have any hope, ..

Search for survivors as Cambodia building collapse toll rises to 7

Thousands of Iraqis chanting "Death to America" joined the funeral procession Saturday for Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, both killed in a US air strike.
The cortege set off around Kadhimiya, a Shiite pilgrimage district of Baghdad, before heading to the Green Zone government and diplomatic compound where a state funeral was to be held attended by top dignitaries.

Thousands of Iraqis join Baghdad funeral for slain commanders

A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general.
The killing of Quds Force commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send more troops to the region -- even as President Donald Trump insisted he did not want war.
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, told CNN that the killing was an "act of war on the part of the United States".
A new strike on Saturday targeted a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary network dominated by Shiite factions with close ties to Iran.
The Hashed did not say who it held responsible but Iraqi state television reported it was a US air strike.
A police source told AFP the strike left "dead and wounded," without providing a specific ...

New air strike on pro-Iran convoy in Iraq ahead of Soleimani funeral

Defending champion Xander Schauffele defied gusting winds and sometimes driving rain on Friday, firing a five-under par 68 to take a one-stroke halfway lead in the US PGA Tour Tournament of Champions.
In wild weather on the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, Schauffele managed to shake off his early impatience and notch five birdies without a bogey on the way to a nine-under par total of 137.
He was one stroke clear of US compatriot Patrick Reed and overnight leader Joaquin Niemann of Chile.
Reed grabbed eight birdies in a seven-under par 66 and was joined on eight-under 138 by Niemann, who carded a one-under 72.
American Rickie Fowler was alone in fourth after a 71 for 139, one stroke in front of Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas -- who closed with back-to-back bogeys.
"It was an interesting day," Schauffele said.
Play was halted twice -- with players remaining on the course -- when heavy downpours left standing water on the course.
"I wasn't really thinking about my score .

Defending champ Schauffele leads US PGA Tournament of Champions

Tens of thousands of Indonesians were still unable to return to their waterlogged homes Saturday after flooding hit the Jakarta capital region, killing at least 53 people, authorities said.
More than 170,000 people took refuge in shelters across the massive urban conglomeration -- home to some 30 million -- after whole neighbourhoods were submerged.
Torrential rains that started on New Year's Eve unleashed flash floods and landslides in the region and neighbouring Lebak at the south end of Java island.
On Saturday, Indonesia's disaster agency said the death toll had climbed to 53 with one person still missing.
"We've discovered more dead bodies," said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo.
Officials would be visiting the homeless Saturday in the hardest-hit areas, he added.
Shelters filled up with refugees, including infants, resting on thin mats as food and drinking water ran low.
Some had been reduced to using floodwaters to clean themselves and dishes.
"We badly 

Thousands in shelters as Indonesia flood death toll hits 53

About 1,000 people rushed to a New Zealand beach Saturday to try to save a pod of whales that stranded overnight, overwhelming conservation workers who were appealing for specialist assistance.
Three of the short-finned pilot whales had died and an attempt to refloat the surviving seven was to be made on the mid-afternoon high tide at the beach on the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island.
"Seven whales that stranded at Matarangi Spit are being looked after by as many as 1,000 people," the marine conservation group Project Jonah said in a statement.
"This is an overwhelming response, and we ask that, unless you are a trained medic, you do not visit the stranding." Short-finned pilot whales are closely related to the long-finned pilot whales that are regularly involved in mass strandings in New Zealand waters.
Two years ago, more than 330 pilot whales died in two strandings at Farewell Spit at the top of New Zealand's South Island.

Crowds rush to save whales stranded on New Zealand beach

Bolivians will choose a new president on May 3, more than six months after a disputed election sparked a social revolt and the resignation of Evo Morales.
Interim leader Jeanine Anez has been overseeing a caretaker government since then, after Morales fled the country for Mexico.
The new presidential election will be "the first Sunday of May, I can let you know that much," said the vice president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Oscar Hassenteufel.

Bolivia to hold presidential vote May 3: electoral tribunal

Apple chief Tim Cook saw his annual pay slip to $11.6 million in 2019 after the company registered a weaker financial performance compared with the previous year, according to documents filed Friday.
Cook, who took home $15.7 million in 2018, is paid a base salary of $3 million, in addition to a bonus and various compensations.
His 2019 incentive bonus, which is tied to Apple's performance, tallied about $7.7 million, and was calculated based on the fact that Apple exceeded its sales target by only 28 percent.
That compared with $12 million in 2018, based on the company exceeding its sales target by 100 percent, the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
Cook's 2019 pay was also reported to include another $885,000 worth of benefits, most of which were for security and use of a private jet.
"For security and efficiency reasons, the board requires Mr. Cook to use private aircraft for all business and personal travel," the filing said.
Apart from his salary, Cook also .

CEO Tim Cook sees pay ebb along with Apple performance

Libya's military strongman Khalifa Haftar has called on all Libyans to take up arms in response to a prospective military intervention from Turkey aimed at shoring up the UN-backed government in Tripoli.
The beleaguered Tripoli government, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, has been under sustained attack since April by Haftar, who heads a rival administration in the east backed by Turkey's regional rivals -- Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
Turkey's parliament on Thursday approved the deployment of troops to Libya after it received a request for military support from Sarraj's elected government.
"We accept the challenge and declare jihad and a call to arms," said Haftar in a televised address on Friday.
He urged "all Libyans" to bear arms, "men and women, soldiers and civilians, to defend our land and our honour".
He said it was no longer a question of liberating Tripoli from the militias, but of "facing a coloniser", accusing Ankara of wanting to "regain control of Libya", .

Libya's Haftar makes 'call to arms' over possible Turkey intervention

Multiple Grand Slam winners Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova are set to resume their 16-year rivalry after being drawn Saturday to face each other in the first round of next week's Auckland WTA Classic.
Tournament top seed Williams, 38, and Kuznetsova, 34, are in a competitive half of the draw in which the veterans are competing against the rising stars of tennis, including American teen sensations Amanda Anisimova and Coco Gauff as well as 22-year-old Latvian Jelena Ostapenko.
Williams leads Kuznetsova 10-3 in their head-to-heads dating back to 2004 and has won 23 Grand Slams compared to two for the Russian.
The last time Williams played in Auckland, in 2017, she had problems with the wind and was bundled out in the second round before going on to win the Australian Open a few weeks later.
The 15-year-old Gauff, who hit the headlines with her first round win over Venus Williams at Wimbledon last year, opens against World number 56 and 2019 Auckland semi-finalist Viktoria ...

Serena, Kuznetsova to resume rivalry in Auckland

Former world number one Angelique Kerber knows the pressure of starting a new season as the player everyone wants to beat, but she is confident Ashleigh Barty can meet the challenge.
The Australian had a breakout year in 2019, winning the French Open along with the prestigious WTA Finals, where she cemented her place atop the year-end rankings.
Both Kerber and Barty, along with former world number one Naomi Osaka, begin their 2020 campaigns at the Brisbane International from Monday.
"She's always a tough opponent. She's such a great player, a great person as well and I'm really happy for her that she reached the number one spot," the German told reporters of Barty.
"She put a lot of effort in and she worked hard. It's always a tougher year to start as the number one player but I think she will deal with that situation."
Kerber well knows the perils of battling to back up a breakthrough season.  After winning Grand Slams in 2016 and 2018, she struggled to emulate her results in the ...

Kerber backs Barty to handle world No.1 pressures

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has vowed to kick-start struggling AC Milan's Serie A season as their local rivals Inter Milan recommence a title battle with Juventus this weekend after the end of the winter break.
Milan play host to Sampdoria on Monday, their first game since the humiliating 5-0 goal defeat to Atalanta last month which sparked Ibrahimovic's return.
"I'm ready and I really hope I can play," said the 38-year-old Ibrahimovic as he returned to Milan nine years after his departure for Paris Saint-Germain.
"Things need to be improved on the pitch and that's why I'm here. I know what I have to do, Zlatan is still here."
Seven-time European champions Milan are 11th in the table, 14 points off the Champions League places and just seven points clear of the relegation zone.
By contrast Inter are challenging champions Juventus' hegemony at the top of Serie A, with both sides level on 42 points after 17 games.
Antonio Conte's Inter travel to Napoli, while Juve are at home against sixth-placed 

Ibrahimovic vows to kick-start Milan as Conte's Inter seek rare win at Napoli

The US Soccer Federation said Friday it had cancelled plans for the men's national team to train in Doha, Qatar, this month "due to the developing situation in the region."
The decision was announced after the United States assassinated top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in an air attack in Iraq's capital Baghdad.
The federation said it was seeking a new site for the training camp, scheduled for January 5-25, in the United States.
The Americans are scheduled to play a friendly match against Costa Rica on February 1 in Carson, California, near Los Angeles.
"We are working with the Qatar Football Association to find an opportunity in the near future for our team to experience Qatar's world-class facilities and hospitality," USA Soccer said in its statement.
US Soccer had hoped the camp in Qatar would give players a chance to check out the country that will host the 2022 World Cup.
US coach Gregg Berhalter had already called 25 players to participate in the training ...

USA Soccer cancels plans for men's team to train in Doha

Marnus Labuschagne reached a double century to inflict more pain on New Zealand in the third Sydney Test on Saturday.
The rock-solid number three sweated on 199 for 20 minutes before he thick edged Colin de Grandhomme through the vacant slips to the ropes to bring up his double ton.
It came off 346 balls and eclipsed his previous Test record of 185 against Pakistan in Brisbane last November.
Labuschagne was Test cricket's leading run-getter last year with 1,104 runs and is carrying on where he left off in 2019.
Australia pushed their total to 403 for five with his double century.

Labuschagne reaches double century in Sydney Test

Sevilla gave Barcelona and Real Madrid the chance to pull further clear in La Liga's title race after they began the year by drawing 1-1 at home to Athletic Bilbao on Friday.
Bilbao took an early lead through Ander Capa at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan and while an own-goal from Unai Nunez brought Sevilla level on the hour, the home side were unable to find a winner.
It means Sevilla trail Real Madrid, who they play at the Santiago Bernabeu on January 18, by two points and Barcelona by four.
Those gaps will grow on Saturday if Madrid win away at Getafe and Barcelona overcome local rivals Espanyol.
With Atletico Madrid struggling for goals and Valencia still recovering after removing their coach, Sevilla have looked like the team most likely to challenge Spain's established duo.
But after an encouraging run of form in October and November, Julen Lopetegui's side have managed only one win from their last four league matches.
Qualification for the Champions League may soon be the best they ..

Sevilla slip again after draw against Bilbao

The home of a Greek referee was on Friday attacked for the second time in two weeks, raising the possibility of a strike by football officials.
The glass entrance door to Angelos Evangelou's home was smashed in an attack which follows an assault on December 22 with firecrackers that caused extensive damage.
Evangelou was the video assistant on December 22 when Olympiakos had a goal disallowed and a penalty appeal ignored as they drew 0-0 at Volos.
The result dropped Olympiakos to second in the table and the 44-time Greek champions lodged a protest about "bad officiating" and filed a lawsuit against the five referees, accusing them of taking bribes.
They have also sent protest letters to football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA, claiming "a deliberate and surgically precise alteration of the outcome of a match in which VAR was used".
After the first attack, league referees called a strike but on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to suspend the action after receiving assurances from the ...

Greek referee's home attacked for a second time

Marnus Labuschagne was proving an indomitable obstacle for New Zealand as he neared a double century in searing temperatures to build Australia's first innings in the third Test on Saturday.
Resuming on 130, Labuschagne moved to 181 at lunch in Sydney with Australia at 354 for five, adding just 71 runs off 28 overs. Tim Paine was not out on 10.
Labuschagne had faced 308 balls and was playing with patience, waiting for the right ball to score.
The rock-solid number three was Test cricket's leading run-getter last year with 1,104 runs and is carrying on where he left off in 2019.
The Australians lost two wickets on the second morning of the Test.
Matthew Wade was out in the day's first over, bowled off-stump while attempting to sweep off-spinner Will Somerville for no addition to his overnight score of 22.
With ideal batting conditions in soaring temperatures, the second new ball 10 overs old and a weakened Kiwi bowling attack, it was a poor judgment by Wade so early in the ...

Labuschagne bats on towards double ton in Sydney Test

A new US air strike targeted a commander in Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force early Saturday, state television reported, a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general.
The channel said the strike took place north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad but did not name the targeted figure.
A police source told AFP that bombardment there hit a Hashed convoy and left "dead and wounded," without providing a specific toll.

New US air strike targets Hashed commander in Iraq: state TV

President Donald Trump on Friday said top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was "terminated" when he was on the verge of attacking US diplomats but he insisted that Washington is not seeking to topple Iran's government.
"Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him," Trump said in a statement before television cameras in Florida.
While referring to the Iranian military mastermind, killed in a US air attack earlier Friday in Baghdad, as "sick," Trump attempted to lower tensions by insisting that he does not want war with Iran.
"We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war," he said, adding: "We do not seek regime change.

AFP

AFP

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