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Showing posts from November 26, 2015

Ranieri backs Martial to find form

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After criticism from Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes, the Foxes manager has backed the France striker to improve and praised his strong character Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is confident Anthony Martial will come good for Manchester United . Martial hit the ground running at United, scoring four goals in as many matches following his £36million arrival from Monaco in September, but the 19-year-old has struggled to find the back of the net lately. The France international has scored one goal in 15 appearances for club and country after United were held to a goalless draw by PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday. Former United midfielder Paul Scholes was critical of Martial's on-field persona and the perceived lack of care amid his goal drought. However, Ranieri - who signed Martial from Lyon during his time at Monaco in 2013 - believes the youngster will rediscover his best form.

Davis Cup final: Andy Murray and Kyle Edmund lead GB bid

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Great Britain hope Kyle Edmund can spring a surprise on day one of the final in Belgium and put the visitors within sight of a first Davis Cup victory since 1936. Edmund will make his competition debut against Belgian number one David Goffin in the opening match (12:30 GMT). British number one Andy Murray will then take on world number 108, Ruben Bemelmans. The best-of-five tie takes place over three days in Ghent's Flanders Expo. A capacity crowd of 13,000 is expected each day, with more than 1,000 Britons due at each session despite recent security fears in Belgian capital Brussels, 35 miles away. The British team arrived a day later than planned on Monday but Murray said the team were "comfortable" with security efforts since their arrival. Davis Cup final draw Day one David Goffin v Kyle Edmund; Ruben Bemelmans v Andy Murray Day two Kimmer Coppejans/Steve Darcis v Jamie Murray/Andy Murray Day three David Goffin v Andy Murray, Ruben Bemelmans v Kyl

Pochettino: I'm happy Chelsea want Kane

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The England international has been linked with a move to the Blues this summer, but the Argentine insists he will remain at White Hart Lane for the foreseeable future Mauricio Pochettino is happy to see Harry Kane linked with Chelsea  but insists the Tottenham striker wants to stay at the club. The Blues are reportedly in the market for a striker, with Diego Costa struggling for form this season, and reports have suggested they will target the England international, who has scored nine goals so far this season. But Pochettino has told Jose Mourinho to forget about signing the forward, who, along with Hugo Lloris, has ambitions to fulfil at Spurs. "I am happy that a big club wants our player - this is because they show they are a top player with top performances," Pochettino told reporters. "It is good when they are linked. But Harry, like Hugo, wants to stay here. He is one of the best players and he is very happy. "He wants to grow up with us

Miss World Canada 'barred from China flight'

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Canada's Miss World contender has said she was barred from boarding a plane from Hong Kong to the Chinese city hosting this year's pageant. Chinese-born Anastasia Lin, 25, says she did not receive an invitation to attend the event, which meant she could not apply for a visa. But she attempted to travel to Sanya, via Hong Kong, as Canadian tourists are eligible for visas on arrival. Ms Lin has blamed the apparent ban on her human rights campaigning. She has criticised the "repressions and censorship" in China and is a practitioner of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement which China deems a cult and has banned. The Miss World tournament is due to happen in the seaside resort of Sanya on 19 December. When Ms Lin first made her claim that she was not sent an invitation to attend, the BBC tried to get in touch with Miss World authorities, but received no response. Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail quoted a statement from the Chines

Shoot us or help us': 3 stories from refugee crisis

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"Shoot us or help us." Hundreds of migrants stuck in no man's land at the Greek-Macedonian border stand next to these heartbreaking words scrawled on a piece of cardboard. On Turkey's border with Syria, a man fleeing unbearable violence in his homeland is allegedly beaten by a guard and forced back into a war zone. In Sweden, the deputy prime minister struggles to contain her tears: Her country can no longer cope with the influx of people and is closing its doors to all but a few. These are three snapshots of life for refugees and migrants trying to find a new home in a continent consumed by terror and overwhelmed by the human cost of Syria's war. The attacks in Paris earlier this month may have overshadowed the so-called refugee crisis -- but the greatest migration of people on the European continent since World War II continues unabated. 'Iranians' sew lips shut In one of the most extreme protests seen since the start of the refu

Turkey Refuses To Apologise For Downing Jet

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Turkey has refused to apologise for shooting down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border, say reports. Instead, President Tayyip Erdogan said Moscow should apologise for violating his country's airspace. "Our pilots and our armed forces, they simply fulfilled their duties, which consisted of responding to ... violations of the rules of engagement. I think this is the essence," CNN quoted him as saying. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was still waiting for an apology or offer of reimbursement from Ankara. He also said Turkey had not given assurances that "the culprits of the crime" will be punished. "It seems that the Turkish leadership is deliberately driving relations (between Russia and Turke

Turkey won't apologize for downing Russian warplane, Erdogan says

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Turkey will not apologize for downing a Russian fighter jet it says violated Turkish airspace near the Syrian border, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an exclusive CNN interview Thursday in Ankara. "I think if there is a party that needs to apologize, it is not us," he said from the Turkish capital. "Those who violated our airspace are the ones who need to apologize. Our pilots and our armed forces, they simply fulfilled their duties, which consisted of responding to ... violations of the rules of engagement. I think this is the essence." In a meeting with community leaders in Ankara, Erdogan said, "If the same violation occurs today, Turkey has to react the same way." Turkey has repeatedly said it shot down the Russian warplane on Tuesday only after the plane ignored several warnings and entered Turkish airspace. Russia has contested the claim, and its rescued co-pilot Capt. Konstantin Murakhtin told state media that &q

Turkey 'will work' to calm tension over downed Russian jet

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Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu has said Ankara "will work with Russia and our allies to calm tensions" after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane. Writing in the UK's Times newspaper, Mr Davutoglu stressed that fighting Islamic State was the main priority. But he also said Turkey must protect its sovereign territory. Russia says a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down one of its SU-24 bombers over Syria on Tuesday. Turkey says the bomber violated its airspace. The plane crashed into a mountainside in a rebel-held area close to the Turkish border. One of the two Russian pilots was killed by gunfire as he parachuted from the burning jet. The other pilot was rescued by Russian and Syrian special forces. Tensions have sharply escalated between the Ankara and Moscow over the incident, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning of "serious consequences". On Thursday, he also rejected Turkey's claims that it did not know the downed plane was Russian.

World Paris Memorial Service To Remember Attack Victims

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Hundreds of people who lost loved ones in terror attacks in Paris two weeks ago will attend a memorial service in the French capital later. Up to 1,000 family members have been invited to the official tribute at Les Invalides, in the heart of the city. A number of those wounded in the attacks are also expected to attend. There is expected to be a minute's silence, and names of victims will be read. In the run up to the commemoration, Mr Hollande has called on French citizens to hang out the Tricolour. "Every French citizen can take part (in the tribute) by taking the opportunity to deck their home with a blue, white and red flag, the colours of France," Mr Hollande said.