Naomi Osaka staged a second successive Roland Garros great escape on Thursday as fellow top seed Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams strolled into the last 32.
World number one Osaka, bidding to add the French Open to her US and Australian Open titles, came back from a set and 2-4 down to defeat former world number one Victoria Azarenka 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Her win came on the back of being just two points from defeat in her tournament opener against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
The 21-year-old held her nerve, despite squandering two match points late in the deciding set, to secure a clash against Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
"I was lucky to have played Victoria twice before. I knew she had been playing well coming into the tournament," said Osaka.
"It was an unfortunate second round draw for me so I am happy to win."
Osaka finished the two-hour 50-minute encounter on Court Suzanne Lenglen with 52 winners and 43 unforced errors.
She becomes the first top seed to win her two ...

Osaka survives as big daddy Djokovic and Serena stroll

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Top seed Naomi Osaka admitted that a 10-minute toilet break by Victoria Azarenka helped her to a second successive Roland Garros great escape on Thursday.
The Japanese star, bidding to add the French Open to her US and Australian Open titles, battled back from a set and a break down to defeat Azarenka 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Both players left Court Suzanne Lenglen before the start of the third set for toilet breaks.
Osaka returned quickly but former world number one and two-time major winner Azarenka disappeared for close on to 11 minutes.
While 21-year-old Osaka bided her time, many observers wondered if the lengthy delay was a deliberate act of gamesmanship.
If it was, it backfired.
"When I went to the bathroom to change, I was freaking out, because I didn't want to get a code violation," explained Osaka.
"So I was, like, rushing and stuff. And then I came back and saw that she wasn't back. That kind of just relaxed me.
"I was in such a rush changing, my hands were shaking during that entire 

Azarenka's 10-minute toilet break helps Osaka crown

South Africa star batsman Hashim Amla retired hurt after being hit by a Jofra Archer bouncer in the World Cup opener against England at the Oval on Thursday.
Amla had made five when he missed an intended pull off the fast bowler, the ball crashing into the grille of his helmet after he was beaten for sheer speed. He had several minutes of on-field treatment before walking off.
The Proteas were then 14 without loss in the fourth over chasing 312 to win on an Oval ground where Amla made a South Africa record 311 not out in a Test against England in 2012.
It was uncertain whether Amla would bat again in the innings, with a statement issued by Cricket South Africa on their Twitter feed saying: "@amlahash has been assessed and is doing fine."
It added: "Due to the sensitive nature of head injuries, he will undergo another reassessment during the course of the innings which will give an indication of his further participation in the match.

South Africa's Amla retires hurt after being hit by Archer bouncer

Kosovo's foreign minister said Thursday he would ban visits by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic after she made "racist" comments, fanning fresh tensions between the neighbours.
"I will not allow the Serbian prime minister to enter Kosovo as long as she maintains a racist and illicit ideology against the people of Kosovo," Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli wrote on his Facebook.
The move comes a day after the Serbian prime minister described Kosovo's leadership as "the worst type of populists" and "people who literally came out of forest".
The latter was a reference to the fact that many top Kosovo politicians were former fighters in the guerilla war against Serbia in the late 1990s.
"These people are terrorists who were not convicted," Brnabic added.
Serbia and its former province, which is mainly ethnic Albanian, still have a bitter and frequently tense relationship two decades after Kosovo broke away and went on to declare independence.
Long-running negotiations to normalise ties ..

Kosovo says it will bar Serbian PM visits for 'racist' comments

A former US special representative to Somalia who also served as Washington's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo has been tapped to be the next United Nations envoy to Somalia, replacing an emissary who was expelled four months ago.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council in a letter released Thursday that he plans to appoint James Swan as his envoy for Somalia.
Swan, who was also a US deputy assistant secretary of state for Africa and ambassador to Djibouti, will replace Nicholas Haysom, who was declared persona non grata by Somalia's government in January after he raised human rights concerns.
Swan's appointment is expected to be supported by the council, diplomats said.
Haysom, a South African lawyer and experienced diplomat, was told to leave Somalia after he questioned the government's decision to arrest an Al-Shabaab defector who was running in elections.
He served in the post for three months.
The United Nations is seeking to shore up ...

US diplomat to succeed ousted UN envoy for Somalia

President Donald Trump said Thursday he "couldn't care less" whether a US Navy destroyer bears the name of his late rival John McCain, but insisted he would not have ordered hiding the vessel from view during his Japan trip.
US media reported that efforts were made to obscure the USS John S. McCain's name during Trump's visit to an American military facility in Japan on Tuesday, accusations also denied by the Pentagon.
"I don't know what happened, I wasn't involved. I would not have done that," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about the incident.
"I wasn't a fan of John McCain and never will be," Trump added, acknowledging he was "very angry" with the senator, a fellow Republican, for blocking Trump's 2017 effort to dismantle the existing health care law.
"But I certainly couldn't care less whether or not there's a boat named after his father." Crew serving aboard the 154-meter (505-foot) vessel, whose uniforms bear the ship's name, were prevented from attending a ...

Trump says 'would not have' ordered hiding of USS John McCain

China and Iran want to make a deal with the US as they have become very "weakened" nations, President Donald Trump has said.
The US and China, the world's two largest economies, are engaged in a trade war after talks to resolve the issue between them apparently failed, with Trump putting a ban on Huawei, the China's biggest telecom equipment manufacturer, and threatening to slap additional tariffs on the remaining USD 300 billion worth of Chinese exports
Trump, who kicked off the trade war last year, demanded China to reduce the massive trade deficit which has climbed to over USD 539 billion last year. The US has imposed a tariff on USD 200 billion Chinese products while hit back, Beijing increased tariff on USD 60 billion US products, which will take effect Saturday.
The US is also on a collision course with Iran after it reimposed sanctions on Tehran in November after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six world powers.
"China is becoming a very weakened nation, 

China, Iran have become weakened nations: Trump

A US court Thursday will weigh the fate of the last abortion provider in the state of Missouri amid a national offensive by conservatives seeking to topple women's constitutional right to the procedure.
Planned Parenthood, a non-profit that provides reproductive health care in the United States, filed suit this week seeking a restraining order against the state's refusal to renew its license to perform abortions at its St. Louis health centre.
If the order is denied, Missouri would become the first US state in more than 45 years where abortions can no longer be obtained.
"We hope that the court will see exactly what is happening, which is that over the last 10 years, the state of Missouri has imposed regulation upon regulation that has no basis in medicine," Dr Leanna Wen, president of Planned Parenthood, said on CBS.
The hearing before Judge Michael Steltzer was scheduled for 10:30 am (1530 GMT).
The case comes as more than a dozen US states have passed laws restricting abortion as ..

US court weighs fate of sole abortion provider in Missouri

Pakistan's former military ruler General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf's health suddenly deteriorated on Thursday and was rushed to a hospital here, according to a media report.
Musharraf, 75, has been restricted from meeting or talking to anyone, The Nation newspaper reported from Dubai.
Musharraf, who has been living in Dubai since March 2016, is facing treason charges for suspending the Constitution in 2007, a punishable offence for which he was indicted in 2014.
A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.
The former army chief left for Dubai for medical treatment and has not returned since, citing security and health reasons.
The former president has been ill for a while now. He was earlier shifted to hospital in January when he fell sick.
The former president's disease has "weakened his nervous system". Musharraf has difficulty in standing and walking, earlier reports said.
Earlier, a special court while accepting Musharraf's request to postpone ...

Musharraf's health deteriorates, rushed to hospital

President Donald Trump says that if Iran wants to talk, he's available.
Trump says that Iran's economy is suffering from US sanctions and that the country is becoming a "weakened nation." As tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate, Trump claims Iran wants to make a deal.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, says that negotiating with the US would bring nothing but harm.
He said Wednesday that his country will not negotiate on issues related to its military capabilities. He insists that Iran isn't looking to acquire nuclear weapons  not because of sanctions or the United States, but because they are forbidden under Islamic Sharia law.
At the White House on Thursday, Trump told reporters: "If they want to talk, I'm available.

Trump says if Iran wants to talk he's available

The Russian Foreign Ministry has angrily rejected a US claim of Moscow's possible violation of a global nuclear test ban.
Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, the director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, said Wednesday that Russia "probably" is not adhering to a pact banning nuclear weapons testing.
Speaking at the Hudson Institute, Ashley said Russia's nuclear activities would help it improve its weapons capabilities.
Russia's Foreign Ministry dismissed Ashley's assertion as a "crude provocation."
It emphasized that Russia ratified the ban in 2000 and has "strictly adhered to its letter and spirit."
The ministry said Ashley's "absolutely unfounded" claim could reflect an attempt to divert attention from Washington's staunch refusal to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and may herald a U.S. intention to resume nuclear weapons tests.

Russia rejects US claim of violation of nuke test ban

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri Thursday got off to a great start with a two-under for the first 12 holes at the Memorial Tournament.
Hitting his approach shots very well, Lahiri gave himself a lot of chances and converted most of them. He had four birdies and one bogey as he turned in two-under and added one more on tenth.
Lahiri has often called the Memorial as one of his favourite events, and it is played at Jack Nicklaus' course. The Memorial is where he came tied-second in 2017, which has been his best on the PGA Tour. He was tied-37th last year.
Tiger Woods, starting from the back nine, was even par through seven holes, while Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau were one-over through eight and seven holes respectively.
Lahiri birdied the second, fifth, ninth and 11th and his dropped shot came on par-5 seventh, where he went to right rough and then to a green side bunker on his third. He did have a 10-footer for par but missed it. He then missed the green on Par-3 12th and failed to .

Lahiri starts with two-under through 12 holes at the Memorial

India's junior women's team beat Canada 2-0 in their final warm-up game prior to the Cantor Fitzgerald U21 International 4-Nations tournament.
Sharmila Devi and Mariana Kujur scored the goals for India.
Sharmila provided lead through a counter attack in the third quarter after India custodian Bichu Devi pulled off some good saves.
Kujur then rounded off the tally in the final quarter by converting a drag-flick.

Junior Hockey: India women beat Canada 2-0 in friendly

Britain and Canada raised concerns Thursday that expatriates living and working in Hong Kong could face extradition to mainland China under a controversial proposed extradition law, risking a chill on commerce.
Hong Kong's pro-Beijing authorities are pushing a bill through the legislature that would allow extraditions to any jurisdiction with which it doesn't already have a treaty -- including mainland China.
Historically, the semi-autonomous city has balked at mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty.
"We are concerned about the potential effect of these proposals on the large number of Canadian and UK citizens in Hong Kong, on business confidence and on Hong Kong's international reputation," Britain and Canada said in a joint statement.
"Furthermore, we believe that there is a risk that the proposals could impact negatively on the rights and freedoms set down in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
"It is 

Britain, Canada worry over Hong Kong extradition 'risk'

Indian team has always been considered as a safe "catching unit" but fielding coach R Sridhar now wants improvement in the conversion rate for direct throws in the upcoming World Cup.
Save Ravindra Jadeja, some of the younger Indian players in the current squad, despite their supreme fitness and agility, are not able to get their direct throws on target, a crucial aspect during close games.
Trying to beat the monotony, fielding coach Sridhar introduced a new fielding drill 'Round The Clock', wherein fielders at six different positions will take a shy at the non-striker's end.
While the drill seemed to be like 'old wine in a new bottle', the players seemed to be enjoying the session, which is the key during a big tournament.
"We had an interesting fielding session today. The theme of the session was direct hit. The focus was on boys getting it right from different angles at the non-striker's end. Initially, we started with a drill called 'Round the Clock', where there were six ...

India Training: 'Round the Clock' drill to get direct throws right, Kohli's friendly off-breaks

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen appointed the head of the country's constitutional court as Austria's first female chancellor Thursday to lead an interim government until elections later in the year.
Brigitte Bierlein will now be tasked with forming a cabinet after the previous government collapsed spectacularly over the so-called "Ibiza-gate" corruption scandal.
"I will seek to win Austrians' trust," Bierlein said alongside Van der Bellen in a televised statement Thursday, saying she would hold talks with political parties and civil society organisations in the coming days.
She said that Clemens Jablons, a previous president of the Supreme Administrative Court, was "ready to take up the posts of vice-chancellor and justice minister".
She added that she would put forward diplomat Alexander Schallenberg for the post of foreign minister.
"If this is surprising for you, it is for me as well," Bierlein told journalists gathered for the statement.
Van der Bellen called Bierlein 

Austria gets first female chancellor

US President Donald Trump Thursday asserted that Russia did not help him get elected in the 2016 presidential elections and alleged that Moscow would have preferred Hillary Clinton as president.
"No, Russia did not help me get elected. You know who got me elected? You know who got me elected? I got me elected? Russia didn't help me at all. Russia, if anything, I think, helped the other side," Trump told reporters in the South Lawns of the White House.
"Do you believe that Russia helped you get elected?" he was asked by reporters.
Trump defeated Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party in the 2016 presidential elections. She was considered to be favourites by pollsters and the media in the 2016 elections, before Trump surprised everyone by his victory.
"What you ought to ask is this, do you think the media helped Hillary Clinton get elected? She didn't make it, but you take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton and the media. You take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton ...

Russia did not help me get elected: Trump

Top seed and world number one Novak Djokovic cruised into the French Open third round on Thursday and admitted it had been an emotional day playing for the first time in front of his four-year-old son.
Djokovic, bidding to become just the second man to hold all four Slams at the same time twice, cruised to a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 win over Swiss lucky loser Henri Laaksonen.
Watching from the player's box on Court Suzanne Lenglen was Djokovic's son Stefan.
"It's a very special day for me as it's the first time in my life that I have played in front of my son," said the 32-year-old Serb.
"He showed incredible patience to sit there for an hour and a half.
"Usually, he's not that patient with tennis." Last July, Stefan joined in with the celebrations on Centre Court as Djokovic claimed a fourth Wimbledon title.
However, he was not allowed to watch the final against Kevin Anderson as the All England Club bans all children under the age of five from attending during a match.
Djokovic goes on to face 

Father's day as Djokovic wins in front of his son

Serena Williams put her nervy start to the French Open behind her by thrashing Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara on Thursday to step up her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
The 37-year-old cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Williams will face Sofia Kenin for a last-16 spot, after her fellow American received a walkover following Canadian Bianca Andreescu's withdrawal through injury.
"I'm very serious when I play, but I'm happy," she said.
The three-time Roland Garros title winner had racked up her 800th career main draw win in a first-round match against Vitalia Diatchenko, which saw her unveil her 'mother, champion, queen, goddess' logo on her playing gear, despite dropping the opening set.
A mouthwatering quarter-final clash with Naomi Osaka, who famously beat Williams in a dramatic 2018 US Open final, remains a possibility after the world number one's thrilling three-set win over Victoria Azarenka.
Williams was back at her 

Serena crushes Nara to reach French Open third round

A man was arrested in southern Nepal for allegedly sacrificing a toddler to attain occult power, police said here on Thursday.
The 55-year-old shaman, identified as Shatrudhan Mahato, was arrested from Dhanusha district on Wednesday, Superintendent of Police Shekhar Khanal said.
Mahato allegedly "sacrificed the two-and-a-half-year old boy to attain occult power," the SP said, adding that he slit the throat of the child.
The boy went missing on May 6. His dead body was discovered on May 7, following which the child's grandfather complained to the police alleging that Mahato murdered his grandson.
The police registered an FIR against the shaman and he was arrested subsequently.
The murder weapon as well as the clothes Mahato was wearing during the incident have been confiscated from his possession, Khanal said.
According to a police investigation, Mahato abducted the child while he was playing in the courtyard of his house. The family of the child was away when the abduction took place.

Man arrested on charges of child sacrifice in Nepal

Pakistan spearhead Mohammad Amir says playing in the World Cup will be a dream come true after he missed the previous two tournaments following a ban for spot-fixing.
The 27-year-old nearly missed out this time as he was left out of the preliminary World Cup squad, having taken just five wickets in the 14 matches before the recent one-day international series against England.
He did not get to bowl in the first match against England at the Oval, which was ruined by the weather, and missed the last four games with a bout of chicken pox. The home side won the series 4-0.
But selectors decided to include him in the final 15 for the World Cup in England and Wales.
"It's a dream come true," Amir told AFP ahead of Pakistan's first match against West Indies at Trent Bridge on Friday.
"Every cricketer dreams of representing his country in a World Cup so this is my chance.
"My target is to take wickets and be a third-time lucky in England after winning the World Twenty20 and Champions Trophy," 

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