Teen M Reyna confirms commitment to USMNT

Gio Reyna ended speculation by confirming his commitment to the U.S. men's national team.

Eligible to play for the U.S., England, Argentina and Portugal, the 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder told the newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten he will represent the red, white and blue.

"It's very clear for me: I will only play for the United States," he said in an interview published on Thursday. "That's my home."

Reyna has competed for the U.S. at the U-15, U-16 and U-17 levels and is scheduled to make his debut with the senior team during friendlies later this month against the Netherlands (March 26) and Wales (March 30).

Reyna starred with the New York City FC Academy team from 2015-19 before making his debut in the Bundesliga on Jan. 18. At 17 years and 66 days, he became the youngest American ever to play in Germany's top professional flight.

--Field Level Media

Five key questions about the MH17 trial

Four suspects are to go on trial in the Netherlands next week accused of playing a role in downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in July 2014.

All 298 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777 jet died in the crash, which international investigators said was caused by a Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missile.

Here are five key questions about the trial:

Who is on trial?

Three Russians - Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov, and a Ukrainian, Leonid Kharchenko - are on trial. All have been linked to separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Girkin, 49, also known by his pseudonym "Strelkov", is a former Russian spy and a historical re-enactment enthusiast who helped kickstart the war in eastern Ukraine and ruled part of its territory with an iron fist.

Dubinsky, 57, is a former Russian military intelligence officer who also served as military intelligence chief for the separatists.

Pulatov, 53, is a former Russian special forces officer who served as Dubinsky's deputy.

Kharchenko, 48, also known as "Krot", allegedly commanded a separatist combat unit and is accused of securing the missile launcher.

READ | MH17 victim families sue Putin, Russia in European rights court

What are they accused of?

They are charged with murder and deliberately and unlawfully destroying an aeroplane, leading to the deaths of the 298 people on board.

The four suspects "closely worked together to obtain the BUK missile and (set) it up with the aim to shoot down a plane", according to Dutch prosecutors.

Under international law, the men are accused of being "co-perpetrators", which does not mean they physically pushed the button but rather that their deliberate actions enabled MH17 to be shot down, said Marieke de Hoon of Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.

ARCHIVE | Flight MH17 families voice concerns over new discovery of remains

If found guilty, sentences can range from 30 years to life as well as a fine of up to 87 000 euros ($95,000).

Will the accused show up?

Russia and Ukraine do not extradite their citizens so none of the four suspects is expected to show up for the trial.

Only Pulatov has appointed a Dutch law firm to represent him, according to media reports.

The trial however is being conducted under a combination of Dutch and international law, which enables the suspects to be tried in absentia.

"The Dutch legal system is respected and acts with some authority. It has gone through a lot of judicial scrutiny," said De Hoon.

Will the families be there?

Yes. Relatives of the victims are expected to play an active role from the start, being present in the courtroom and able to watch proceedings at a secure location away from the media.

ALSO READ | Three times passenger planes have been accidentally shot down

Relatives will also be asked later in the trial if they would like to make representations as well as eventually asking the court to award compensation.

Why is the trial in the Netherlands?

The trial takes place at The Hague District Court's high-security facility next to Schiphol international airport - a stone's throw from where the ill-fated flight took off.

The trial is taking place in The Netherlands largely because the plane to Kuala Lumpur left from Schiphol, and 196 of the passengers were Dutch.

READ | Russia must 'account for role' in MH17 tragedy - G7

The Netherlands also took the lead in the subsequent Joint Investigative Team (JIT), which also involved Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.

The trial will be conducted in Dutch, with translations available in English.

As Greek-Turkish Crisis Deepens, Erdogan Claims Success

ISTANBUL - As Greece works to turn back the thousands of migrants who are trying to cross the border from Turkey, the Turkish government is boosting its forces by deploying an additional 1,000 police officers to the border area.

The action comes in the wake of accusations by Ankara that Greek security forces fired on migrants and killed six of them in the week that followed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision Feb. 28 to open Turkey's borders and release the migrants into Western Europe.

Turkey Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the additional deployments are meant to prevent Greek security forces from sending the migrants back to Turkey, a practice the Turkish official described as illegal.

"They [Greek security forces] wounded 164 people. They tried to push 4,900 people back to Turkey," Soylu told reporters at a location near the Greek border on Thursday. "We are deploying 1,000 special force police to the border system ... to prevent the pushback."

Six migrants were shot, one fatally, according to a statement Wednesday by the governor's office of the Turkish border city of Edirne. The same report said the men were shot in the legs, feet and groin, and that one person was shot in the head. Athens dismissed the report as "fake news."

Greece, EU face criticism

International rights groups are condemning the tactics employed by Greek guards at the border.

"It's a very disturbing sight. Greek border guards are repeatedly using tear gas to force back crowds of people," said Turkey researcher Andrew Gardner of Amnesty International, speaking close to the Turkish-Greek border. "There are reports of injuries, and we've seen at least three ambulances rushing to the border."

The latest violence took place as leaders of the European Union visited Greece Wednesday in a display of solidarity. Backing Athens's tough stance, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Greece as an "aspida," Greek for "European shield."

"Praising Greek border guards using tear gas and other violent means to prevent a crossing at the land border and engaging in dangerous, and possibly criminal, behavior against asylum-seekers," said Lotte Leicht, EU director at Human Rights Watch. "If the EU's highest officials are willing to turn a blind eye to such abuses and violations of international law, they will invite more of the same."

Erdogan's strategy

Last week, Erdogan took the EU by surprise, announcing that Turkey can no longer carry the burden of hosting 4 million refugees, and that Turkish authorities would no longer stop those wanting to enter neighboring countries of EU members.

"This a desperate attempt to get Europe's attention, and it achieved that end," said Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Turkey wants to renegotiate the refugee deal of 2016, and seeks more funding for the refugees already in Turkey."

The 2016 migration deal between Turkey and the EU ended the mass movement of refugees into Europe from Turkey. However, Erdogan accuses Brussels of failing to honor its financial commitments, along with a series of political concessions, including EU visa-free travel for Turkish citizens. Brussels countered, blaming Ankara for failing to honor its obligations.

But the deepening crisis on the Greek border seems to be focusing European leaders' minds on trying to find a solution to the migration crisis.

Is Turkish leader succeeding?

On Monday, Erdogan quipped that Europe's leaders are now "queuing" up to speak to him. President Charles Michel of the European Council met the Turkish president on Wednesday.

However, analysts suggest domestic politics could also be driving Erdogan's new hard-line EU stance. Last week's lifting of border controls coincided with the killing of over 30 Turkish soldiers in Syria.

"There is the goal, which is changing the domestic debate. I think after the Syrian and Russian attack on Turkish forces, you have had a significant outrage in the Turkish public," said Aydintasbas.

Therefore, the new story about the refugees and Turkish border somehow change the Turkish debate, and almost channels this anger about the Syria policy back to the Europeans."

Last month, Ankara reinforced its military presence in Syria's Idlib province in a move to prevent Damascus from overrunning Syrian rebels' last stronghold.

Erdogan is pledging not to allow Idlib to fall to Damascus, warning it would trigger millions of new refugees into Turkey. The Turkish president is now seeking to link the fate of Idlib to the current refugee crisis with the EU.

"If European countries want to solve the migration crisis, they should support Turkey's political and humanitarian solutions in Syria," Erdogan told Parliament on Wednesday.

The Turkish president is looking to European countries to back his plan to create a safe haven in Idlib, protected by a no-fly zone. The strategy appears to be gaining some traction.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced support Monday for a safe haven. On Wednesday, Stef Blok, Dutch minister of foreign affairs, tweeted, "The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in #Idlib is immense. Another million refugees are forced to flee. That is why I call for de-escalation and talks between the EU, Russia & Turkey about a no-fly zone for Assad above Idlib."

OPINION: Fifa, Uefa need to do more to eradicate racism in football

The modern game of football has radically changed and evolved over the last decade.

We have seen managerial stalwarts like Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger (unofficially) retire, while soccer greats such as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard swiftly made the move to the technical area after hanging up their boots.

Technology has been at the forefront of the change, with goal-line technology doing a superb job in giving players, coaches and fans clarity on whether the soccer ball has crossed the goal-line.

VAR (video assistant referee) has its issues, but with everything new and fresh, amendments will eventually take place that I hope improves the game for the better despite worldwide disagreements on the much-used technology.

However, the one thing that I am grateful for is that technology has raised awareness around racism - and not just in football.

Video footage and online interaction have given people evidence that racism - and other forms of discrimination - still exist in the game.

Racism is an ongoing ill in the world, people of colour - from all walks of life - are discriminated against daily.

And despite the many changes happening in soccer, the issue around racism remains a huge concern.

Are Fifa and Uefa doing enough to eradicate racism in football?

In July last year, Fifa amended its Disciplinary Code with the biggest change allowing referees to bring an end to a game if there is persistent racism in the stands under a three-step protocol:

- If the referee detects racism in the stands, it will ask the PA announcer to issue a warning

- If the racist actions persist, the referee can halt the match until it ends

- If the racist activity fails to stop, the referee can end the match

In a Portuguese topflight match last month, FC Porto striker Moussa Marega was subject to racist abuse from the Vitoria de Guimaraes fans in the stands.

The video made the rounds on social media and many were in disbelief by what they saw.

Despite the obvious racist chants directed towards the player, what was alarming is that none of the above-mentioned protocols were considered by the referee.

Marega, who was in his own right to be upset, walked off the pitch but before he could be taken off via substitution, his team-mates (the majority of them white) were attempting to stop him from walking off.

It was a disturbing sight.

If referees are not using the disciplinary code to alleviate such disgraceful behaviour what else needs to be done?

This has certainly not been the first case, and sadly, likely won't be the last.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin says the European governing body will amend its disciplinary code following several racism incidents in recent months.

"Things need to change," he said at the Uefa Congress in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

"We must begin by applying the rules we already have. That would be a good starting point. That means applying the three-step procedure. We must not be afraid to do so. Everywhere. No exceptions."

Referees, players, coaches and fans need to take more accountability when it comes to these horrific acts - by taking action and bring the culprits forward. And if that were to happen, it would make Fifa and Uefa's job a bit easier.

I could sit here and write a lengthy list of racist incidents that have been recorded and occurred in stadiums around the world for the past decade - and some punishments were handed out to fans and clubs - but those chastisements were deemed to be too soft for appropriate punishment.

With Uefa's congress done and dusted, Fifa is set to hold its own yearly assembly in May.

The top brass at FIFA are aware that all eyes are on them and it remains to be seen whether further adjustments will be made to the disciplinary codes.

More needs to be done to fight racism in football!

Sizzling 63 sees Buhai surge to the top in Jabra

Cape Town - Olympics-bound Ashleigh Buhai equalled her lowest career round at Glendower Golf Club with a stunning 63, which saw her surge into a four-shot lead in the opening round of the R600 000 Jabra Ladies Open on Wednesday.

It was a spectacular start to the penultimate event of the 2020 Sunshine Ladies Tour season for Buhai, who overhauled Stacy Bregman for the top spot.

Bregman had earlier ramped up the fans with a flawless five-under 67, while 21-year-old Kelsey Nicholas stunned with a four-under 68 to finish a further shot back in third.

Mimmi Bergman from Sweden and Nicole Garcia carded rounds of 69 to share fourth, but local favourite Casandra Hall missed out on the three-way tie for fifth after a late bogey on the par four 16th saw her sign for 70.

Nobuhle Dlamini - back in action after a two week stint on the Ladies European Tour in Australia - dropped two shots early in the round, but the eSwatini golfer rallied with a trio of birdies to grab a seat on the distinctly international bus on one-under.

The 2019 Investec Order of Merit winner shares seventh with Standard Bank SA Women's Masters champion Jane Turner from Scotland, India's Shamilla Nicollet, Caroline Rominger from Switzerland, Dutch golfer Pasqualle Coffa, Leticia Rad-Anderica from Germany and South Africa's Nicole Schoeman, who leads the 10-strong amateur challenge.

The day belonged to three-time former Investec SA Women's Open Champion Buhai.

After an opening pair of birdies, the 28-year-old Johannesburg golfer followed a third gain on the seventh with an eagle on the par five eighth. She atoned for a lone bogey on the ninth with five birdies on the bounce from the par four 12th, which propelled her to the summit.

Just a little over a year since Buhai picked up her 10th title on the local circuit with a wire-to-wire performance in the Canon Sunshine Ladies Tour Open at Irene Country Club, South Africa's leading golfer was delighted to set a blistering pace in her first start of the season.

"I've had a couple of other 63s before - on the East and West courses at my home club (Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club), at Durban Country Club and at Greenbay on the LPGA Tour - so it's tough to compare, but it felt great to put a 63 on the card at Glendower, " Buhai said.

"I believe it's the lowest score since the changes to the course, but we had placing, so it won't be an official course record. After all the rain on Sunday and Monday, the course played long and it was challenging in the wind. I played really well in Australia so my game was in good shape and I did some work with my coach Doug Wood last week. I hit my drives and long irons really well and I could wedge it close because the greens are still soft and receptive.

"I holed a nice 20-footer on the first and nearly holed my approach on the second, so it was a really great start. The next couple of holes is a tough stretch, but I kept it going and took advantage on seven and eight. I hit a bad tee shot on nine and took my punishment.

"I hit it close on 10 and 11 and missed the putts, but on 12 holed the birdie putt and that sparked the run. I hit a great bunker shot from 30 metres to eight foot on 13, a good 9-iron on 14 and holed a downhill putt and I got a little lucky on 15 after pulling my tee shot. Just knocked it on and holed a 25-footer for birdie. I Nice birdies, but that's what happens when things are going your way.

"On 16, I made a really good birdie. I was in the left rough and I hit a hybrid about 20 foot left of the pin where I had to hit it too, and holed the putt. The last two holes was a little scrappy, but I scrambled well and I was proud of myself for saving two great pars. Really pleased with this start."

The round was by no means stress-free, but her more relaxed attitude took the edge off.

"I've worked hard to stay more relaxed during the round and it is definitely helping me to score. I knew there is an expectation for me to do well, but I try not to put pressure on myself."

Bregman has also been working hard on improvements to her game in the off-season and began to see the fruit of her labour in the Joburg Ladies Open last week.

"I played really well at Soweto Country Club, but I got a few unlucky bounces and I couldn't quite get the measure of the greens," Bregman said. "I felt confident, though, with the game I was bringing to Glendower. I hit a lot of fairways and greens today and I putted really well.

"Unfortunately I lipped out for birdie on the par five eighth, but I'm happy with birdies on two. The greens are absolutely awesome; you just have to allow enough break and trust your green reading. This course is such a good test of golf and probably one of the best courses in the country. To shoot five-under in a bogey-free round; I'm pretty chuffed with that."

Nicholas, playing in her second season on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, was equally delighted with her performance. "I had four birdies on the front and I made a great birdie on 17. It was so unexpected. I was 15 metres away, but my caddie and I agreed on the line quickly and I just committed to the putt.

"It was in the whole way. I've never thrived at Glendower. My caddie kept saying its home course advantage and I kept saying Glendower and I don't get along; I'm just over the moon with a 68," said the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington golfer.

First Round Scores

63 - Ashleigh Buhai

67 - Stacy Bregman

68 - Kelsey Nicholas

69 - Mimmi Bergman (SWE), Nicole Garcia

70 - Casandra Hall

71 - Sharmila Nicollet (IND), Jane Turner (SCO), Nicola Schoeman AMA, Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ), Caroline Rominger (SUI), Leticia Ras-Anderica (GER), Pasqualle Coffa (NED)

72 - Tandi McCallum, Zhen Bontan (NED), Maria Beautell (ESP), Hannah Arnold (USA)

73 - Gabrielle Macdonald (SCO), Michaela Fletcher, Bianca Lohbauer AMA, Lejan Lewthwaite, Clara Pietri (SUI), Monique Smit, Kim Williams

74 - Rachael Goodall (ENG), Kaiyuree Moodley AMA, Lindi Coetzee, Kiera Floyd AMA, Astrid Vayson De Pradenne (FRA)

75 - Larissa Du Preez AMA, Emie Peronnin (FRA), Sideri Vanova (CZE), Florentyna Parker (ENG), Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Kim de Klerk AMA, Woo-Ju Son (KOR)

76 - Lauren Taylor (ENG), Anna Magnusson (SWE), Cara Gorlei, Rachel Rossel (SUI), Rosie Davies (ENG), Siviwe Duma, Lenanda van der Watt

77 - Mae Cornforth, Alexandra Bonetti (FRA), Sunelle von Molendorff, Hayley Davis (ENG), Marion Duvernay (FRA), Ellinor Haag (SWE), Shawnelle de Lange, Ivanna Samu

78 - Hannah McCook (SCO), Michelle Leigh

79 - Brittney-Fay Berger, Flora Peuch (FRA), Kyle Roig (PUR), Christina Gloor (SUI), Kiran Matharu (ENG), Nadia van der Westhuizen AMA

80 - Zethu Myeki

81 - Carey Dodds AMA, Kristyna Napoleaova (CZE), Madeleen Grosskopf

82 - Tijana Kraljevic, Julie Berton (FRA), Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (NAM)

83 - Yolanda Duma, Francesca Cuturi, Eleonora Galletti AMA

84 - Lynette Fourie, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)

85 - Julie Bruyns-Leach, Carmen Taljaard AMA

89 - Chiara Contomathios

Yates bros' Mitchelton team pull out of European races

Paris - Australian cycling team Mitchelton Scott announced Wednesday that it was pulling out of a series of major races including Paris-Nice and Milan-San Remo over coronavirus fears.

"We, as team doctors and the wider team, have a duty of care to protect health and wellbeing of all our riders and staff," said the team headed up by the Yates twins, Adam and Simon.

"We will not have any input into, or control over, the measures that race organisers may or may not put in place to manage the COVID-19 risks."

The team will sit out races between 4 to 22 March in Italy (Strade Bianche, GP Industria, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo, Trofeo Binda), France (Paris-Nice), Belgium (Nokere) and the Netherlands (Ronde van Drenthe).

"We are a moving, international logistical puzzle, with staff and riders travelling between different countries with different health systems and strategies around COVID-19," the team added.

"Constant travel will increase the health risks and make management of logistics, potential quarantine periods, etc, extremely difficult."

International Criminal Court Allows Afghanistan War Crimes Probe

ISLAMABAD - The International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled Thursday that an investigation can go ahead into war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed by the United States and other warring parties to the conflict in Afghanistan

The global court in the Hague overturned an April 2019 rejection of the probe.

"The Appeals Chamber considers it appropriate to amend the appealed decision to the effect that the prosecutor is authorized to commence an investigation into alleged crimes committed on the territory of Afghanistan since May 1, 2003," Presiding Judge Piotr Hofmanski said.

The ruling will allow ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to examine the actions of U.S. armed forces and members of the CIA, the Taliban insurgency, Afghan government security forces and other armed groups operating in Afghanistan.

Bensouda has been seeking a formal investigation into the alleged crimes since 2017.

Washington is not a signatory of the ICC and disputes its authority over American citizens. Afghanistan, however, is a member of the global court.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last year that the Trump administration would revoke or deny visas to ICC staff seeking to investigate alleged war crimes and other abuses committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan or elsewhere.

The Afghan government has also opposed the investigation.

Thursday's ICC ruling came just days after the United States and the Taliban signed a landmark agreement to try to bring an end to the Afghan war, now in its 19th year.

Rights groups welcome ruling

Afghan and global rights groups hailed the ICC for upholding the rights of victims to accountability, and paving the way for the United States to be held to account for the first time for its actions.

"ICC Appeals Chamber's decision to green-light an investigation of brutal crimes in Afghanistan despite extreme pressure reaffirms the court's essential role for victims when all other doors to justice are closed," noted Param-Preet Singh, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) welcomed Thursday's decision as an "important step for justice in Afghanistan.

"Today, the International Criminal Court breathed new life into the mantra that 'no one is above the law' and restored some hope that justice can be available - and applied - to all," said Katherine Gallagher, senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and ICC Victims Legal Representative.

"In authorizing this critical and much-delayed investigation into crimes in and related to Afghanistan, the Court made clear that political interference in judicial proceedings will not be tolerated," noted Gallagher.

A 2016 ICC report focusing on Afghan hostilities concluded there was a reasonable basis to believe that the U.S. military, Afghan government and the Taliban committed war crimes.

Prosecutor Bensouda alleged while arguing before the judges last year that members of the U.S. military and intelligence agencies "committed acts of torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity, rape and sexual violence against conflict-related detainees in Afghanistan and other locations, principally in the 2003-2004 period."

She said the Taliban and other militant groups have killed thousands of Afghan civilians since 2009 in attacks, including targeted killings. The report blamed Afghan security forces for allegedly torturing prisoners at government detention centers.

At a hearing before the Appellate Chamber in December, the Afghan government said it objected to the investigation and has set up a special unit to investigate war crimes.

There was no official U.S. delegation at the hearing, but President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, appeared on behalf of the European branch of the American Center for Law and Justice and told judges that the U.S. position wouldn't change.

He told appeals judges that "it is not in the interests of justice to waste the court's resources while ignoring the reality of principled non-cooperation."

This is why runner's addiction is adding to injury woes

Adelaide [Australia], Mar 5 (ANI): Each week, millions of runners around the world lace up their running shoes, spurred on by the psychological, health and social benefits that running delivers.

The birth of Parkrun in 2004 - now an international activity with more than 20 countries involved - is credited with a sharp rise in the popularity of running in the past decade, but with benefits come downsides.

A new research paper by the University of South Australia Adjunct Professor Jan de Jonge and his team reveals the price that runners (and society) pay when the sport becomes an obsession.

The research study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Prof de Jonge, based in the Netherlands at Eindhoven University of Technology and Utrecht University, surveyed 246 recreational runners aged 19 to 77 years to investigate how a person's mental outlook (mental recovery and passion for running) affects their risk of running-related injuries.

Not surprisingly, the more 'obsessively passionate' runners - where the sport fully controlled their life to the detriment of partners, friends and relatives - reported far more running-related injuries than those who were more 'harmoniously passionate' and laid back in their approach to running.

The latter group, who are in full control of their running and integrate the sport into their life and other activities, reported faster mental recovery after a run and sustained fewer running-related injuries.

They were more likely to heed the early warning signs of injuries and take both physical and mental breaks from running whenever necessary.

Obsessively passionate runners disregarded the need to recover after training and failed to mentally detach from the sport, even when running became harmful.

Their approach to running delivered short-term gains such as faster times but resulted in more running-related injuries.

Age and gender played a part. The older runners were able to mentally detach and recover a lot faster after a run than those in the 20-34 age group - especially females - who were more prone to running-related injuries.

"Most running-related injuries are sustained as a result of overtraining and overuse or failing to adequately recover, merely due to an obsessive passion for running. The majority of research focuses on the physical aspects of overtraining and lack of recovery time, but the mental aspects of running-related injuries have been ignored to date," said De Jong.

"When running becomes obsessive, it leads to problems. It controls the person's life at the expense of other people and activities and leads to more running-related injuries. This behaviour has also been reported in other sports, including professional dancing and cycling," added De Jong. (ANI)