World number one Ash Barty on Thursday withdrew from the Indian Wells and the Miami Open tennis tournaments, saying her body has not recovered after her January triumph at the Australian Open.

The 25-year-old Australian has struggled with shoulder, back and foot injuries during her career, in which she has won three different Grand Slam events.

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"Unfortunately, my body has not recovered the way I'd hoped after the Australian Open and I have not been able to adequately prepare for Indian Wells and Miami," she wrote in a message on Twitter.

"I don't believe I am at the level necessary to win these events and as a result I have decided to withdraw from both tournaments," she said.

"I love these events and am sad not to be there competing but getting my body right must be my focus."

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Barty's opponent in the Australian Open final, top-ranked American Danielle Collins, also withdrew from Indian Wells on Thursday, citing a "continuing injury".

The Indian Wells main draw begins next week with the Miami Open following at the end of the month.

World number one Ash Barty on Thursday withdrew from the Indian Wells and the Miami Open tennis tournaments, saying her body has not recovered after her January triumph at the Australian Open.

World number one Ash Barty on Thursday withdrew from the Indian Wells and the Miami Open tennis tournaments, saying her body has not recovered after her January triumph at the Australian Open. The 25-year-old Australian has struggled with shoulder, back and foot injuries during her career, in which she has won three different Grand Slam events. ALSO READ: Australian cricket star Rod Marsh dies at 74 "Unfortunately, my body has not recovered the way I'd hoped after the Australian Open and I have not been able to adequately prepare for Indian Wells and Miami," she wrote in a message on Twitter. "I don't believe I am at the level necessary to win these events and as a result I have decided to withdraw from both tournaments," she said. "I love these events and am sad not to be there competing but getting my body right must be my focus." ALSO READ: Strong stance on China and Peng Shuai helps land WTA a new title sponsor Barty's opponent in the Australian Open final, top-ranked American Danielle Collins, also withdrew from Indian Wells on Thursday, citing a "continuing injury". The Indian Wells main draw begins next week with the Miami Open following at the end of the month.

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty pulls out of Indian Wells, Miami Open

Afghan Air Force Major Dastagir Zamaray had grown so fearful of Taliban assassinations of off-duty forces in Kabul that he decided to sell his home to move to a safer pocket of Afghanistan's sprawling capital.

Instead of being greeted by a prospective buyer at his realtor's office earlier this year, the 41-year-old pilot was confronted by a gunman, who walked inside and, without a word, fatally shot the real estate agent in the mouth.

Zamaray reached for his sidearm but the gunman shot him in the head. The father of seven collapsed dead on his 14-year-old son, who had tagged along. The boy was spared, but barely speaks anymore, his family says.

Zamaray “only went there because he personally knew the realtor and thought it was safe," Samiullah Darman, his brother-in-law, told Reuters. "We didn’t know that he would never come back."

At least seven Afghan pilots, including Zamaray, have been assassinated off base in recent months, according to two senior Afghan government officials. This series of targeted killings, which haven't been previously reported, illustrate what US&nbsp;and Afghan officials believe is a deliberate Taliban effort to destroy one of Afghanistan's most valuable military assets: its corps of US- and NATO-trained military pilots.

In so doing, the Taliban, who have no air force, are looking to level the playing field as they press major ground offensives. The militants are quickly seizing territory once controlled by the US-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani, raising fears they could eventually try to topple Kabul.

Reuters confirmed the identities of two of the slain pilots through family members. It could not independently verify the names of the other five who were allegedly targeted.

In response to questions from Reuters, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the group had killed Zamaray, and that it had started a programme that will see Afghan Air Force pilots 'targeted and eliminated because all of them do bombardment against their people'.

Afghanistan's government has not publicly disclosed the number of pilots assassinated in targeted killings. The nation's Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The Pentagon said it was aware of the deaths of several Afghan pilots in killings claimed by the Taliban, but declined comment on US&nbsp;intelligence and investigations.

Afghan military pilots are particularly attractive assassination targets, current and former US&nbsp;and Afghan officials say. They can strike Taliban forces massing for major attacks, shuttle commandos to missions and provide life-saving air cover for Afghan ground troops. Pilots take years to train and are hard to replace, representing an outsized blow to the country's defences with every loss.

Shoot-downs and accidents are ever-present risks. Yet these pilots often are most vulnerable in the streets of their own neighborhoods, where attackers can come from anywhere, said retired US&nbsp;Brigadier General David Hicks, who commanded the training effort for the Afghan Air Force from 2016 to 2017.

"Their lives were at much greater risk during that time (off base) than they were while they were flying combat missions," Hicks said.

Afghan Air Force Major Dastagir Zamaray had grown so fearful of Taliban assassinations of off-duty forces in Kabul that he decided to sell his home to move to a safer pocket of Afghanistan's sprawling capital.

Afghan Air Force Major Dastagir Zamaray had grown so fearful of Taliban assassinations of off-duty forces in Kabul that he decided to sell his home to move to a safer pocket of Afghanistan's sprawling capital. Instead of being greeted by a prospective buyer at his realtor's office earlier this year, the 41-year-old pilot was confronted by a gunman, who walked inside and, without a word, fatally shot the real estate agent in the mouth. Zamaray reached for his sidearm but the gunman shot him in the head. The father of seven collapsed dead on his 14-year-old son, who had tagged along. The boy was spared, but barely speaks anymore, his family says. Zamaray “only went there because he personally knew the realtor and thought it was safe," Samiullah Darman, his brother-in-law, told Reuters. "We didn’t know that he would never come back." At least seven Afghan pilots, including Zamaray, have been assassinated off base in recent months, according to two senior Afghan government officials. This series of targeted killings, which haven't been previously reported, illustrate what US and Afghan officials believe is a deliberate Taliban effort to destroy one of Afghanistan's most valuable military assets: its corps of US- and NATO-trained military pilots. In so doing, the Taliban, who have no air force, are looking to level the playing field as they press major ground offensives. The militants are quickly seizing territory once controlled by the US-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani, raising fears they could eventually try to topple Kabul. Reuters confirmed the identities of two of the slain pilots through family members. It could not independently verify the names of the other five who were allegedly targeted. In response to questions from Reuters, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the group had killed Zamaray, and that it had started a programme that will see Afghan Air Force pilots 'targeted and eliminated because all of them do bombardment against their people'. Afghanistan's government has not publicly disclosed the number of pilots assassinated in targeted killings. The nation's Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The Pentagon said it was aware of the deaths of several Afghan pilots in killings claimed by the Taliban, but declined comment on US intelligence and investigations. Afghan military pilots are particularly attractive assassination targets, current and former US and Afghan officials say. They can strike Taliban forces massing for major attacks, shuttle commandos to missions and provide life-saving air cover for Afghan ground troops. Pilots take years to train and are hard to replace, representing an outsized blow to the country's defences with every loss. Shoot-downs and accidents are ever-present risks. Yet these pilots often are most vulnerable in the streets of their own neighborhoods, where attackers can come from anywhere, said retired US Brigadier General David Hicks, who commanded the training effort for the Afghan Air Force from 2016 to 2017. "Their lives were at much greater risk during that time (off base) than they were while they were flying combat missions," Hicks said.

Afghan pilots assassinated by Taliban as US withdraws

Serena&nbsp;Williams&nbsp;reluctantly pulled out of this year&#39;s Australian Open on Friday, the American saying that while she is close to regaining full fitness after giving birth to her first child in September, she is not ready to defend her title.

The 36-year-old was eight weeks pregnant last year when the American triumphed for a seventh time at Melbourne Park to claim an Open-era record 23rd grand slam title and then took the rest of the year off before giving birth to a daughter.

She has played just once in public since, losing to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi last week, but was still hopeful of making a remarkable return at the Australian Open until she admitted defeat a week ahead of the event.

&quot;My coach and team always said &#39;only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way&#39;. I can compete - but I don&#39;t want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time,&quot;&nbsp;Williams&nbsp;said in a statement.

Williams&nbsp;is the latest big-name player to withdraw from the year&#39;s opening grand slam, which will be played from Jan. 15-28, with Britain&#39;s Andy Murray (hip) and Japan&#39;s Kei Nishikori (wrist) having already said they would not compete.

There is also uncertainty over whether former champions Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, the latter of which arrived in Melbourne earlier on Friday, will be fit to take to the court.

The 36-year-old was eight weeks pregnant last year when the American triumphed for a seventh time at Melbourne Park to claim an Open-era record 23rd grand slam title and then took the rest of the year off before giving birth to a daughter

Serena Williams reluctantly pulled out of this year's Australian Open on Friday, the American saying that while she is close to regaining full fitness after giving birth to her first child in September, she is not ready to defend her title. The 36-year-old was eight weeks pregnant last year when the American triumphed for a seventh time at Melbourne Park to claim an Open-era record 23rd grand slam title and then took the rest of the year off before giving birth to a daughter. She has played just once in public since, losing to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi last week, but was still hopeful of making a remarkable return at the Australian Open until she admitted defeat a week ahead of the event. "My coach and team always said 'only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way'. I can compete - but I don't want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time," Williams said in a statement. Williams is the latest big-name player to withdraw from the year's opening grand slam, which will be played from Jan. 15-28, with Britain's Andy Murray (hip) and Japan's Kei Nishikori (wrist) having already said they would not compete. There is also uncertainty over whether former champions Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, the latter of which arrived in Melbourne earlier on Friday, will be fit to take to the court.

Defending champion Serena Williams withdraws from Australian Open

Sri Lanka said on Tuesday it was withdrawing permission for a Chinese company to buy the freehold to 20 hectares of land being reclaimed under a $1.4 billion port project after India objected. 
 
Instead, it will grant the state-owned construction company a 99-year lease on the land next to the port in Colombo, under a new agreement. 
 
&quot;India had a big concern about giving freehold land to China near the Colombo harbour,&quot; government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters. &quot;We have amended the agreement. There will be no freehold land but it will be on a 99-year lease.&quot; 
 
The government had put the project on hold pending a review of all the big-ticket agreements signed under the previous administration of Mahinda Rajapakse. The former president relied heavily on Chinese investment to rebuild the country&#39;s infrastructure after the end of the island&#39;s decades-long ethnic war in May 2009, a move which some say alienated India. 
 
The Chinese-funded port was also controversial among environmentalists. Senaratne said the developers had agreed to drop a proposed Formula One track and increase public park space, and environmental safeguards would be put in place. 
 
The project is being funded by China Communications Construction Company and was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2014 during a visit to Colombo. 
 
Beijing has been accused of seeking to develop facilities around the Indian Ocean in a &quot;string of pearls&quot; strategy to counter the rise of rival India and secure its own economic interests. 
 
But Senaratne said the government had decided to go ahead with the project under new terms. Colombo would set up an offshore banking centre to compete with Dubai and Singapore, he said. 
 
The reclamation represents the biggest-ever single foreign investment in Sri Lanka. It will add 269 hectares (672 acres) of real estate in the congested capital, which has a population of over 650,000. Once completed, the Chinese will have 108 hectares (266 acres) on a 99-year lease for commercial development. 
 
Earlier, 20 hectares of that was to be on a freehold basis. Under the agreement, the Sri Lankan government will get 62 hectares (153 acres) and the rest will be public parks and access roads. 
 
China, the largest single lender to Sri Lanka, secured contracts to build roads, railways, and ports under Rajapakse, who is under investigation over allegations of corruption during his decade in power. 
 
The administration of President Maithripala Sirisena says the terms negotiated by the previous government were unfavourable. But it has still decided to go ahead with many of the Chinese-funded projects. 
 
(AFP)

Government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said Sri Lanka has amended the agreement, it will grant the Chinese company a 99-year lease instead

Sri Lanka said on Tuesday it was withdrawing permission for a Chinese company to buy the freehold to 20 hectares of land being reclaimed under a $1.4 billion port project after India objected. Instead, it will grant the state-owned construction company a 99-year lease on the land next to the port in Colombo, under a new agreement. "India had a big concern about giving freehold land to China near the Colombo harbour," government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters. "We have amended the agreement. There will be no freehold land but it will be on a 99-year lease." The government had put the project on hold pending a review of all the big-ticket agreements signed under the previous administration of Mahinda Rajapakse. The former president relied heavily on Chinese investment to rebuild the country's infrastructure after the end of the island's decades-long ethnic war in May 2009, a move which some say alienated India. The Chinese-funded port was also controversial among environmentalists. Senaratne said the developers had agreed to drop a proposed Formula One track and increase public park space, and environmental safeguards would be put in place. The project is being funded by China Communications Construction Company and was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2014 during a visit to Colombo. Beijing has been accused of seeking to develop facilities around the Indian Ocean in a "string of pearls" strategy to counter the rise of rival India and secure its own economic interests. But Senaratne said the government had decided to go ahead with the project under new terms. Colombo would set up an offshore banking centre to compete with Dubai and Singapore, he said. The reclamation represents the biggest-ever single foreign investment in Sri Lanka. It will add 269 hectares (672 acres) of real estate in the congested capital, which has a population of over 650,000. Once completed, the Chinese will have 108 hectares (266 acres) on a 99-year lease for commercial development. Earlier, 20 hectares of that was to be on a freehold basis. Under the agreement, the Sri Lankan government will get 62 hectares (153 acres) and the rest will be public parks and access roads. China, the largest single lender to Sri Lanka, secured contracts to build roads, railways, and ports under Rajapakse, who is under investigation over allegations of corruption during his decade in power. The administration of President Maithripala Sirisena says the terms negotiated by the previous government were unfavourable. But it has still decided to go ahead with many of the Chinese-funded projects. (AFP)

Sri Lanka withdraws freehold land offer to China after India's objection

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