SANDWICH, England July 17 (Reuters) &#8211; For most of the past three days South Africa&#8217;s Louis Oosthuizen made links golf look as easy as shelling peas as he plotted a smooth route through the sand traps and treacherous rough at Royal St George&#8217;s.
On Saturday, however, the first chinks appeared in his armour as the metronomic iron play that had seen him lead the British Open from round one suddenly went a little &#8220;all over the place&#8221;.
It was hardly a meltdown as the South African still managed a one-under 69 to follow the rounds of 64 and 65 that had set a new 36-hole low-scoring record for the British Open.
And Oosthuizen is still in great shape with a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa ahead of the final round as he attempts to finally win another major after his 2010 triumph at the British Open.
His bogey at the 11th was only his second of the tournament but another followed at the 13th and with errors creeping in, he narrowly avoided another at the 15th before re-setting to birdie the par-three 16th and finish calmly to lead on 12-under-par.
The 38-year-old will be taking nothing for granted on Sunday though with sunny conditions and light winds likely to see some storming rounds from a high-quality chasing pack.
&#8220;I was 13 (under) at one stage and probably a good back nine I could have gone to 14 or 15,&#8221; Oosthuizen told reporters.
&#8220;I made a few bad swings there in the middle of the round, a horrible swing on the 14th, and that put me in some awkward positions and ended up making two bogeys.&#8221;
Since his romping 2010 win at St Andrews, Oosthuizen has come second or tied second at six majors and it is not a position he wants to find himself in again.
&#8220;Finishing second isn&#8217;t great, so I will play my heart out tomorrow and see if I can lift the Claret Jug again,&#8221; he said.
Oosthuizen has remained unflappable all week and even when things were going awry on Saturday he barely flinched.
It is a calmness that he will need on Sunday.
&#8220;I think all of us are just human to think of lifting the trophy, and that&#8217;s going to be in your mind,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But I think you just need to know it and how to handle it.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t really change my routine whether I&#8217;ve got a two-shot lead or I&#8217;m trailing by eight.&#8221;
Should Oosthuizen claim the title he would become the second South African to win at Sandwich after Bobby Locke won in 1949. (Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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Golf-Oosthuizen blip offers hope to chasers

Louis Oosthuizen emerged from a three-way tie late Saturday with a picture-perfect birdie on the 16th hole to move to 12 under, taking the lead for the third straight round at the Open Championship.
After consecutive runner-up finishes at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, the South African will return to Royal St. George&#8217;s in Sandwich, England, on Sunday looking to secure his second career major title &#8212; 11 years after his 2010 victory at the Open.
Collin Morikawa (68) is a stroke behind at 11 under, with Jordan Spieth in third at 9 under.
Oosthuizen (69) landed his tee shot at the par-3 16th less than 10 feet in front of the cup and converted the birdie to regain the solo lead. Entering that hole, he, Morikawa and Spieth were knotted at 11 under.
Spieth (69) tarnished another strong round by closing with two bogeys, including a muffed three-foot par putt on No. 18.
Scottie Scheffler (69) and Canada&#8217;s Corey Conners (66) are tied for fourth at 8 under. U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm (68) of Spain, Canadian Mackenzie Hughes (68) nd South Africa&#8217;s Dylan Frittelli (70) are T6 at 7 under.
Royal St. George&#8217;s had no defense on Thursday and Friday without strong coastal winds, producing an uncharacteristically low scoring average. In response, the R&amp;A set up the course at its maximum length Saturday and chose more difficult pin locations.
For the third straight day, Oosthuizen made it through the front nine bogey-free and touched 13 under with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9. Morikawa, meanwhile, recovered from two early bogeys with consecutive birdies on the seventh and eighth.
But after Oosthuizen made just his second bogey of the championship at No. 11, there was a two-shot swing at No. 13. Oosthuizen missed left of the green and failed to save par after Morikawa drained a long birdie, bringing the 24-year-old within a shot of the South African.
At No. 14, Oosthuizen again missed his approach left and saved par, and Morikawa tied him and Spieth at 11 under with a two-putt birdie.
Spieth chased Oosthuizen early with four birdies and a bogey over his first eight holes. He walked in another birdie on the 10th to cut his deficit to one shot &#8212; then found a bunker off the tee at the par-3 11th and gave a shot back.
Spieth wouldn&#8217;t score under par again. He slipped out of the three-way tie with a bogey on No. 17, where his bump play on the second shot didn&#8217;t make it up over the false front and rolled back to him. Then came his surprise three-putt on the final hole.
Conners shot up the leaderboard with a 4-under 66. He opened with nine straight pars before doing the entirety of his damage with four birdies across Nos. 10-14. Scheffler&#8217;s quiet 69 featured 15 pars and kept him where he started the third round &#8212; in a tie for fourth.
Rahm muddled through the first part of his day until he birdied Nos. 12, 14 and 17 and saved par at 18 to shoot a 68 and remain in contention. Hughes (68) sank a long birdie putt on his final hole to join the tie at 7 under.
Dustin Johnson&#8217;s errant approach shot on No. 4 hit the rear end of a marshal who had his back turned to the course. His ball redirected back toward the hole but rolled off the front lip of the green.
It led to the first of five bogeys over Johnson&#8217;s first 11 holes. The World No. 1 took himself out of the hunt with a 73 that dropped him to 4 under after 54 holes.
In the early part of the day, Scotland&#8217;s Robert MacIntyre produced the low round with a 5-under 65. From off the 18th green, he drained an incredible lag putt with multiple breaks for his sixth and final birdie.
Rory McIlroy came out hot with five birdies and one bogey on the front nine. But the star from Northern Ireland came apart after the turn, carding three bogeys and no birdies on the back. He hurled his iron to the ground after an errant tee shot on No. 14 and finished with a 1-under 69 to follow a pair of 70s.
&#8211;Field Level Media
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Louis Oosthuizen leads Collin Morikawa by one at The Open

By Camillus Eboh
ABUJA, July 17 (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria has designated three companies, including Dangote Sugar Refinery, as the country&#8217;s sole importers of sugar, the central bank said, adding it would still need to approve such purchases.
The Central Bank of Nigeria said in April it would no longer provide foreign currency for importers of sugar and wheat as the country tries to conserve national dollar reserves and encourage local production.
In a circular dated July 16, the central bank&#8217;s trade and exchange department said Dangote, which is owned by Africa&#8217;s richest man Aliko Dangote, Bua Sugar Refinery and Golden Sugar Company were the only firms allowed to import sugar and would have access to dollars from official dealers.
The central bank justified its decision by saying the three firms, while still falling short of meeting demand, had made &#8220;reasonable progress&#8221; in producing refined sugar locally, but said they would still have to seek permission for purchases.
&#8220;Authorised dealers shall not open Forms M or access foreign exchange in the Nigerian foreign exchange market for any company or the three listed above for the importation of sugar without prior and express approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria,&#8221; the bank said, referring to the mandatory statutory document that all importers of goods into Nigeria are required to complete.
The move could effectively create an oligopoly in the sugar importing business as other companies will not have access to dollars from official dealers.
Africa&#8217;s most populous country, and its biggest economy, relies on imports to feed its 200 million people. The central bank restricted access in 2015 to foreign exchange for 41 items it says can be produced locally, and has gradually added to the list since then. (Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe, Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
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Nigeria chooses three companies to officially import sugar

Jul 16 (OPTA) &#8211; Scores from the PGA Tour Barbasol Championship on Friday -13 J.T. Poston (USA) 65 66 -12 Ryan Armour (USA) 65 67 Joseph Bramlett (USA) 65 67 -11 Luke List (USA) 65 68 Taylor Pendrith (Canada) 65 68 Seamus Power (Republic of Ireland) 65 68 Brian Stuard (USA) 64 69 -10 David Hearn (Canada) 67 67 Bo Hoag (USA) 66 68 -9 Dominic Bozzelli (USA) 70 65 Derek Ernst (USA) 69 66 Michael Gligic (Canada) 67 68 Beau Hossler (USA) 67 68 Mark Hubbard (USA) 66 69 Anirban Lahiri (India) 68 67 David Lingmerth (Sweden) 65 70 Ben Martin (USA) 66 69 Patrick Rodgers (USA) 68 67 Sam Ryder (USA) 66 69 Adam Schenk (USA) 66 69 Nick Watney (USA) 69 66 -8 Jason Bohn (USA) 68 68 Ryan Brehm (USA) 70 66 Rafael Campos (Puerto Rico) 70 66 Jason Dufner (USA) 67 69 Henrik Norlander (Sweden) 68 68 Cameron Percy (Australia) 67 69 Ben Taylor (England) 67 69 Josh Teater (USA) 69 67 Vincent Whaley (USA) 69 67 -7 Greg Chalmers (Australia) 66 71 Austin Cook (USA) 69 68 Jim Herman (USA) 67 70 Satoshi Kodaira (Japan) 68 69 Mito Pereira (Chile) 67 70 Ted Potter Jr (USA) 69 68 Vaughn Taylor (USA) 65 72 Davis Thompson (USA) 67 70 -6 Mark Anderson (USA) 69 69 Bronson Burgoon (USA) 69 69 Matthys Daffue (South Africa) 70 68 David Gazzolo (USA) 70 68 Will Grimmer (USA) 64 74 Lee Hodges (USA) 67 71 Andrew Loupe (USA) 71 67 Davis Riley (USA) 68 70 Shawn Stefani (USA) 67 71 -5 Ricky Barnes (USA) 69 70 K.J. Choi (Korea Republic) 71 68 Robert Garrigus (USA) 69 70 James Hahn (USA) 69 70 Richard S Johnson (Sweden) 69 70 Wilco Nienaber (South Africa) 68 71 Rob Oppenheim (USA) 70 69 Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 71 68 Trey Shirley (USA) 70 69 Greyson Sigg (USA) 68 71 Zack Sucher (USA) 70 69 Bo Van Pelt (USA) 67 72 -4 Paul Barjon (France) 71 69 Jonathan Byrd (USA) 68 72 Brice Garnett (USA) 71 69 Scott Harrington (USA) 65 75 J.J. Henry (USA) 72 68 Michael Kim (USA) 69 71 Tom Lewis (England) 69 71 David Pastore (USA) 73 67 Wes Roach (USA) 71 69 Roger Sloan (Canada) 69 71 J.J. Spaun (USA) 71 69 Stephen Stallings Jr (USA) 67 73 Nick Taylor (Canada) 71 69 Sahith Theegala (USA) 69 71 Kevin Tway (USA) 69 71 Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 71 69 -3 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) 73 Chris Baker (USA) 70 John Huh (USA) 68 Stephan Jaeger (Germany) 71 D.A. Points (USA) 69 Robby Shelton (USA) 72 Richy Werenski (USA) 71 -2 Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 71 Scott Brown (USA) 70 Daniel Chopra (Sweden) 71 Case Cochran (USA) 72 Tyler Duncan (USA) 70 Michael Gellerman (England) 71 Will Gordon (USA) 70 Scott Gutschewski (USA) 71 Hunter Mahan (USA) 73 Preston Summerhays (USA) 72 Hudson Swafford (USA) 70 -1 Charlie Beljan (USA) 73 Fabian Gomez (Argentina) 69 John Pak (USA) 68 Chase Seiffert (USA) 69 D.J. Trahan (USA) 70 Johnson Wagner (USA) 71 0 Eric Axley (USA) 69 Bill Haas (USA) 68 Russell Knox (Scotland) 71 Denny McCarthy (USA) 72 George McNeill (USA) 69 John Senden (Australia) 70 Kevin Stadler (USA) 71 1 Ryan Blaum (USA) 74 Ken Duke (USA) 73 Tommy Gainey (USA) 68 Rhein Gibson (Australia) 71 Grayson Murray (USA) 70 Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 74 John Rollins (USA) 73 Andres Romero (Argentina) 73 Martin Trainer (USA) 73 2 John Daly (USA) 76 Chesson Hadley (USA) 73 Kristoffer Ventura (Norway) 74 3 Nelson Ledesma (Argentina) 74 John Merrick (USA) 73 Omar Uresti (USA) 78 4 Ben Crane (USA) 71 Parker McLachlin (USA) 73 6 Brendon De Jonge (Zimbabwe) 76 Andrew Stephens (USA) 75 21 Smylie Kaufman (USA) 87 25 Matt Every (USA) 69 27 Arjun Atwal (India) 72 29 Sangmoon Bae (Korea Republic) 74 Will MacKenzie (USA) 73 
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PGA Tour Barbasol Championship Scores

TUNIS, July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; Tunisia recorded 205 deaths in the last 24 hours, a daily record since the start of the pandemic, the health ministry said on Friday.



The ministry reported 6,787 new cases, raising new concerns about the country&#8217;s ability to fight the pandemic, with intensive care departments completely filled and a lack of oxygen supplies. The vaccination campaign is very slow.



The World Health Organization says that the daily death rate in Tunisia is the highest in Africa and the Arab world.



The total number of cases has climbed to around 530,000 and more than 17,200 deaths.



Tunisia health authorities have called the situation catastrophic. (Reporting by Tarek Amara Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)



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Tunisia reports daily record 205 coronavirus deaths

July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; A rare case of human monkeypox was detected in Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday, making it the first case of the virus seen in the state.
The viral illness was found in a U.S. resident, who recently traveled from Nigeria to the United States and is currently hospitalized in Dallas.
&#8220;While rare, this case is not a reason for alarm and we do not expect any threat to the general public,&#8221; Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. (https://bit.ly/2Tf90H9)
Other than Nigeria, outbreaks have also been reported in central and western African countries since 1970, with a large outbreak in people in the United States in 2003, according to the CDC.
CDC said it was working with the airline, state and local health officials to contact passengers and others who may have been in contact with the patient. (https://bit.ly/3xLFVSX)
Monkeypox, which belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox, is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes, gradually progressing to a widespread rash on the face and body.
It can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. The CDC said since travelers were wearing masks due to COVID-19, the risk of spread of monkeypox via respiratory droplets to others on the planes and in the airports was low.
The patient was infected with the strain most commonly found in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria, CDC added.
There have been at least six reported monkeypox cases in travelers returning from Nigeria, prior to the current case, including in the United Kingdom, Israel and Singapore, according to the CDC. The latest case was not related to the previous cases. (Reporting by Trisha Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
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First case of monkeypox detected in Texas resident

DOUALA, July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; The five months that two transgender women in Cameroon spent in prison were &#8220;hell&#8221;, one of them told Reuters on Friday after they were released, describing how they were initially forced to sleep with chains around their legs.
Shakiro and Patricia left Douala&#8217;s main prison in a taxi after a judge ordered them freed until a court could hear an appeal of their five-year sentences.
They were arrested on Feb. 8 for wearing women&#8217;s clothing in a restaurant and convicted https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/cameroonian-transgender-women-convicted-attempted-homosexuality-2021-05-11 of &#8220;attempted homosexuality,&#8221; public indecency and failing to carry identification.
&#8220;Prison is hell. It&#8217;s hellfire. Especially when they accuse you of homosexuality,&#8221; said Shakiro, a celebrity in Cameroon with thousands of social media followers, during an interview at her family&#8217;s house.
&#8220;They put chains on our legs, something that is not normal,&#8221; she said. &#8220;That day we slept with those chains and we paid money for them to remove the chains.&#8221;
A spokesperson for Cameroon&#8217;s justice ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Human rights activists say the arrests reflect a growing criminalisation of sexual minorities in Cameroon. Their appeal is expected to be heard in September.
&#8220;This day is the most beautiful day of my life because I did not believe that these children would make it out of prison with their health intact,&#8221; Shakiro&#8217;s mother, Josephine Njeukam, told Reuters. (Reporting by Josiane Kouagheu; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Rosalba O&#8217;Brien)
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Transgender woman in Cameroon describes ‘hell’ of five months in prison

By Michelle Nichols and Ahmed Elumami
NEW YORK, July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; Libya&#8217;s unity government Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said on Friday he was unaware of any understanding between Russia and Turkey on a withdrawal of their foreign fighters, but that such a move would be welcomed.
Speaking to Reuters in New York, Dbeibah also said he was committed to holding elections on Dec. 24, but warned that some lawmakers may be reluctant to give up power. Dbeibah, a businessman appointed interim prime minister in February, said he has not yet decided whether to run for office.
Libya has had little stability since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, then head of state. A U.N.-led peace process brought a ceasefire last summer, after fighting between rival factions paused, and then a unity government.
Following a U.N.-backed conference in Berlin last month, German and U.S. officials said Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in Libya, reached an initial understanding https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/libya-needs-hold-election-december-ensure-lasting-peace-blinken-2021-06-23 on a step-by-step withdrawal of their foreign fighters.
&#8220;I have not heard of this agreement regarding the withdrawal of fighters. But we welcome any agreement &#8230; and we welcome the exit of any forces, fighters or mercenaries with any support from any party,&#8221; Dbeibah said. &#8220;We are talking with all parties regarding the withdrawal of foreign forces from Libya.&#8221;
U.N. sanctions monitors have reported that thousands of Syrians had been fighting in Libya either alongside unity government troops &#8211; who were also advised by Turkish troops &#8211; or with Russia&#8217;s Wagner group in support of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar&#8217;s Libyan National Army (LNA).
Under the ceasefire reached last October, all foreign fighters were supposed to have left Libya by January.
Russia&#8217;s deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told the Security Council on Thursday that Moscow supported a &#8220;step-by-step phased withdrawal of all foreign forces and contingents.&#8221;
&#8220;At the same time, we need to make sure that the current balance of forces on the ground not be disrupted, because it is thanks to this balance that the situation in Libya remains calm and no threats of armed escalation emerge,&#8221; Polyanskiy added.
Addressing the Security Council, Dbeibah said the continued presence of foreign fighters poses &#8220;a real and serious risk to the current political process and it also threatens the efforts to continue the ceasefire&#8221; and to uniting the army in Libya.
Dbeibah told Reuters it would be &#8220;very difficult&#8221; to unify Libya&#8217;s military. U.N. special envoy for Libya, Jan Kubis, said on Thursday that the LNA has not allowed Dbeibah&#8217;s unity government to take control of the area it commands.
&#8220;Of course, communicating with Haftar, he is a difficult military person, but we communicate with him. But things are not easy,&#8221; Dbeibah said during an interview at Libya&#8217;s U.N. mission.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Will Dunham)
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Libya PM unaware of Russia, Turkey deal on foreign fighters

Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa set a new Open Championship 36-hole scoring record with an 11-under 129, cruising past Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth on Friday for the second-round lead at Royal St. George&#8217;s in Sandwich, England.
Building on a first-round 64 to begin Friday atop the leaderboard, Oosthuizen carded a 5-under 65 with four birdies and an eagle. He missed a birdie putt on No. 18 for a 128, which would have tied the 36-hole record across all majors. The previous Open record of 130 was held by Nick Faldo (1992) and Brandt Snedeker (2012).
The 2010 Open champion enters the weekend two strokes ahead of Morikawa (64 Friday) and three ahead of Spieth (67). World No. 1 Dustin Johnson made seven birdies late in the day for a 65, tying Scottie Scheffler (66) and South Africa&#8217;s Dylan Frittelli (67) for fourth at 7 under.
Oosthuizen captured the outright lead with a birdie-birdie-eagle stretch on Nos. 12-14. He spun his approach on the 12th to two feet of the pin for the first of two birdies. On the par-5 14th, he played two flawless shots to reach the green and then sank a lengthy eagle putt. He remained bogey-free for the first 33 holes until a missed par putt Friday at the par-3 16th hole.
It&#8217;s the fifth time in the past nine major rounds that Oosthuizen earned at least a share of the lead. That includes temporary leads at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open &#8212; where he finished runner-up each time.
&#8220;Look, in the lead two rounds to go, there&#8217;s probably a little bit more pressure on you,&#8221; Oosthuizen said on the Golf Channel broadcast. &#8220;But 36 holes around this golf course can change very quickly and a two-shot lead is not a lot, so I just need to play well the next two days.&#8221;
Playing a few groups ahead of Oosthuizen, Spieth made three birdies and a bogey over his first four holes. He managed two more birdies at Nos. 10 and 12 to briefly tie Morikawa&#8217;s lead but played the final seven holes 1 over par.
&#8220;I just didn&#8217;t stay focused like I was early in the round. Wasn&#8217;t very sharp,&#8221; Spieth said. &#8220;It&#8217;s an easy solution for tomorrow &#8230; But today was an afternoon where I was looking &#8212; I was eyeing a number lower than what I finished at, as Louis is showing.&#8221;
Morikawa was dialed in with his irons and wedges to grab the midday lead, hitting 15 greens in regulation and setting up short birdie putts on Nos. 5, 9 and 14. He birdied seven of his first 14 holes and was on pace to challenge Branden Grace&#8217;s single-round major record of 62 at the 2017 Open.
But Morikawa three-putted for bogey on No. 15 and missed birdie putts on the last three holes to settle for 64, taking a three-shot lead into the clubhouse.
Morikawa won the 2020 PGA Championship in his tournament debut, the first of seven majors in a 12-month stretch concluding at the Open after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world golf schedule to reshuffle. Now, in his Open debut, he&#8217;ll play with Oosthuizen in the final pairing on Saturday.
&#8220;I look at (majors) as obviously they&#8217;re starred,&#8221; Morikawa said. &#8220;We have four of them a year, and you&#8217;re trying to definitely win these four because they&#8217;re that big.
&#8220;For me, it&#8217;s just let&#8217;s go figure out this golf course Monday through Wednesday like I have been the past couple years, and figure it out on what I need to do to play well.&#8221;
Johnson, Spaniard Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka made late-afternoon pushes up the leaderboard as Friday&#8217;s sunny conditions allowed for several low numbers. Rahm polished off a bogey-free 64, and Koepka birdied his final three holes to card a 66 as both reached 5 under for the week.
Five players were tied for seventh at 6 under, including Argentina&#8217;s Emiliano Grillo, who also posted a 64 that included nine birdies. His approach into the final green glanced a slope with some side-spin, rolled left and touched the cup, just missing a hole-out eagle that would have handed him a surprise 63.
Jonathan Thomson, a 6-foot-9 Englishman, carded the first ace of the championship on No. 16 by bouncing his shot off a slope in front of the green and rolling it in the side door.
Seventy-seven players qualified for the weekend at 1 over or better. Notable players to miss the cut included Englishman Tyrrell Hatton (2 over), Patrick Cantlay (3 over), Patrick Reed (3 over) and Phil Mickelson (12 over).
Hatton badly missed the 18th green with his second shot and snapped his iron in half. Earlier in the round, he was seen giving the middle finger to someone in the gallery.
Bryson DeChambeau saved crucial pars on his last two holes to record a 70 and make the cut on the number at 1 over. A day after some public drama in which he said his driver &#8220;sucks&#8221; and his equipment representative criticized him over it, DeChambeau drove the ball far more accurately, hitting 10 fairways in regulation after just four Thursday.
&#8211;By Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media
(c) Copyright Field Level Media. All Rights Reserved. 2021
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Louis Oosthuizen grabs Open lead at 11-under

By Paul Lorgerie
BAMAKO, July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked the Security Council to authorise additional troops for the peacekeeping mission in Mali in response to rising violence by Islamist militants, according to a report seen by Reuters.
The proposed increase of 2,069 soldiers and police officers would take the authorised size of the mission, known as MINUSMA, to 17,278 uniformed personnel, the largest since it was established in 2013.
Guterres made the proposal in a report to Security Council members that is dated July 15 but has not yet been released publicly.
He said additional personnel were needed to respond to Islamist militants, many tied to al Qaeda and Islamic State, who have expanded their operations from their strongholds in the desert north into Mali&#8217;s centre and neighbouring countries.
&#8220;Scaling up MINUSMA&#8217;s uniformed personnel capacity would enhance the ability of the Mission to protect civilians in central Mali and create further space for the peace process in the North,&#8221; Guterres said.
The additional 2,069 personnel would include 1,730 soldiers and 339 police officers. Three quick reaction force companies, comprising 750 personnel in total, and two helicopter units with 260 members would be created.
In central Mali, the epicentre of the conflict in recent years, additional troops would be used to create forward operating bases &#8220;to expand the reach and mobility of the Mission&#8221;, the report said.
Guterres said the plan could only work in concert with stepped-up efforts by Malian authorities to bolster security and enhance governance.
But the proposal comes as Malian forces increasingly pull back from the hotspots in the countryside where they have suffered steep losses, effectively ceding control to the militants.
Former colonial power France has also announced plans to begin drawing down its 5,100-strong taskforce that targets the militants across West Africa&#8217;s Sahel region.
Meanwhile, Mali is mired in political uncertainty after military officers in May conducted their second coup in nine months. (Additional reporting and writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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U.N. Security Council asked to authorise more troops for Mali mission

July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; Opener Janneman Malan smashed the fourth highest score in South Africa’s one-day international history as his swashbuckling 177 not out helped steer the tourists to a series-levelling 70-run victory over Ireland at Malahide, Dublin on Friday.
Malan put on 225 for the first wicket with the equally impressive Quinton de Kock (120 from 91 balls) as South Africa amassed 346 for four in their 50 overs, before bowling Ireland out for 276 in 47.1 overs of their reply.
Malan struck 16 fours and six sides in his 169-ball stay at the crease, falling 11 runs short of Gary Kirsten’s South Africa record of 188 not out against the United Arab Emirates in the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Ireland were in early trouble in their innings as left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (2-51) picked up quick wickets to leave the home side reeling at 27 for three.
Simi Singh (100 not out) scored his maiden ODI century, and the top score for an Irishman batting at number eight, to go with a half-century for South African-born Curtis Campher (54).
Tabraiz Shamsi (3-46) was the pick of the tourists&#8217; attack, but they put in another sloppy display in the field that saw a number of dropped catches.
Ireland won the second ODI by 43 runs on Tuesday after the first game had been washed out by rain.
The teams will now contest a three-match Twenty20 international series starting on Monday. (Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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Cricket-Malan blasts South Africa to victory in third ODI v Ireland

Jul 16 (OPTA) &#8211; Scoreboard at close of play of 3rd odi between Ireland and South Africa on Friday at Dublin, Ireland South Africa win by 70 runs South Africa 1st innings Janneman Malan Not Out 177 Quinton de Kock c Mark Adair b Simi Singh 120 Rassie van der Dussen c Harry Tector b Craig Young 30 Heinrich Klaasen c Lorcan Tucker b Joshua Little 3 Andile Phehlukwayo b Joshua Little 6 Temba Bavuma Not Out 3 Extras 0b 4lb 0nb 0pen 3w 7 Total (50.0 overs) 346-4 Fall of Wickets : 1-225 de Kock, 2-306 van der Dussen, 3-311 Klaasen, 4-331 Phehlukwayo Did Not Bat : Verreynne, Maharaj, Nortje, Shamsi, Williams Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Craig Young 9 0 61 1 6.78 Mark Adair 9 0 74 0 8.22 1w Joshua Little 9 0 53 2 5.89 Simi Singh 10 0 52 1 5.20 Andy McBrine 10 0 66 0 6.60 George Dockrell 3 0 36 0 12.00 2w &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230; Ireland 1st innings Paul Stirling c Janneman Malan b Keshav Maharaj 11 Andrew Balbirnie c Janneman Malan b Keshav Maharaj 7 Andy McBrine c Quinton de Kock b Lizaad Williams 9 Harry Tector lbw Tabraiz Shamsi 29 George Dockrell c Quinton de Kock b Andile Phehlukwayo 15 Curtis Campher c Janneman Malan b Andile Phehlukwayo 54 Lorcan Tucker lbw Andile Phehlukwayo 1 Simi Singh Not Out 100 Mark Adair c Kyle Verreynne b Tabraiz Shamsi 15 Joshua Little c Heinrich Klaasen b Tabraiz Shamsi 2 Craig Young c Temba Bavuma b Anrich Nortje 8 Extras 2b 8lb 2nb 0pen 13w 25 Total (47.1 overs) 276 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-12 Stirling, 2-19 Balbirnie, 3-27 McBrine, 4-81 Tector, 5-84 Dockrell, 6-92 Tucker, 7-196 Campher, 8-226 Adair, 9-229 Little, 10-276 Young Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Keshav Maharaj 10 1 51 2 5.10 1w Anrich Nortje 7.1 0 37 1 5.16 1nb Lizaad Williams 8 0 62 1 7.75 5w 1nb Andile Phehlukwayo 10 0 56 3 5.60 4w Tabraiz Shamsi 10 0 46 3 4.60 3w Heinrich Klaasen 2 0 14 0 7.00 &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230; Umpire Paul Reynolds Umpire Roland Black Video Alan Neill Match Referee Kevin Gallagher 
(c) Copyright Opta Sports Data 2021. All Rights Reserved
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South Africa in Ireland 2021 Scoreboard

MEXICO CITY, July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; Some 92 Cuban doctors and nurses who lent a hand to Mexico during the coronavirus pandemic in recent months have been flown home, Mexico&#8217;s foreign ministry said on Friday.
Communist-led Cuba has exported doctors as a central part of its diplomatic efforts since its 1959 revolution. Its doctors were in the front lines in the fight against cholera in Haiti and ebola in West Africa in the 2010s.
In Mexico, the doctors worked mostly in the eastern part of the capital Mexico City, which is now experiencing another flare-up in coronavirus cases.
&#8220;Mexico &#8230; returned to Havana, Cuba, 92 doctors and nurses who in recent months provided their services in our country to help address the COVID-19 pandemic,&#8221; the foreign ministry said in a statement.
&#8220;The support of Cuban doctors is proof of the historical friendship that Mexico has with Cuba.&#8221;
Cuba&#8217;s critics in the United States say the doctors work under exploitative conditions and are used to support the Communist government&#8217;s allies.
But Mexican officials have been grateful for the help at a time when their healthcare system was stretched to a breaking point.
In January, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador thanked the Cuban medical staff for their help in fighting the pandemic.
It is not clear why the doctors left as Mexican hospitals are under increased pressure amid another wave of coronavirus cases. This week daily confirmed coronavirus cases spiked to their highest level since early February.
It was also not immediately clear if any Cuban medical practitioners remained in Mexico. (Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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Mexico says Cuban doctors who helped with COVID-19 fight flown back to Cuba

(Adds U.S. market open, adds byline)
* MSCI World index slides despite strong U.S. retail sales
* U.S. T-bill yields edge off lows; gold down
* Oil heads for biggest weekly drop since at least May
By Herbert Lash and Simon Jessop
NEW YORK/LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; The dollar edged higher on Friday after upbeat U.S. retail sales data reaffirmed that the economy accelerated in the second quarter, but global stock markets declined as investors grapple with inflation expectations and when interest rates may begin to rise.
Oil markets were on course for their biggest weekly drop since at least May as traders bet supply from OPEC producers could increase to meet an expected rise in demand as economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
How quickly that happens, though, is far from certain, with a resurgence in the coronavirus infection rates across a number of countries, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia as the Delta variant continues to take hold.
MSCI&#8217;s all-country world index, a broad gauge of global shares, slid 0.36%, as European markets gave up some of their earlier gains to turn lower. The pan FTSEurofirst 300 index fell 0.77 percent to 1,747.79.
Stocks on Wall Street initially rose after the Commerce Department said retail sales rebounded 0.6% in June as demand for goods remained strong even as spending shifts to services.
Earnings are up a decent amount from two-year ago levels, and inflation is likely running about 2.6%, once last year&#8217;s low base effect is removed, said Jason Pride, chief investment office for private wealth at Glenmede in Philadelphia.
&#8220;That should ultimately be acceptable to the (equity) market and permit an ongoing upward grind,&#8221; Pride said. &#8220;My one hesitation is equity market valuations are high.&#8221;
While companies with just 11% of the S&amp;P 500&#8217;s market cap have reported second-quarter results, earnings have surpassed estimates by 22.1% in aggregate, Jonathan Golub, chief U.S. equity strategist at Credit Suisse said in a note.
Economically sensitive industrials, energy, consumer discretionary, financials and materials are projected to more than double earnings, while so-called big tech and non-cyclicals are expected to grow 36% and 10%, respectively, Golub said.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.29%, the S&amp;P 500 slid 0.15% and the Nasdaq Composite traded close to break-even, down 0.05%.
Gold prices dipped as a stronger dollar and slightly higher yields dulled bullion&#8217;s appeal, while bond yields were subdued after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell this week pledged &#8220;powerful support&#8221; to ensure the U.S. economic recovery.
The yield on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury notes rose 1.8 basis point to 1.3154%.
Mark Haefele, Chief Investment Officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, adviser to many of the world&#8217;s super-rich, said he expected rates move higher as the recovery fully takes hold.
&#8220;We believe the downward trend in yields will reverse as confidence in the economic recovery mounts. However, we see a rebound in 10-year yields to 2% by year-end as consistent with a continued rally in equities.&#8221;
In Europe, Germany&#8217;s 10-year yield fell to a new three-month low in cautious trade ahead of next week&#8217;s European Central Bank meeting.
In foreign exchange, major currencies were little changed on the day but the dollar headed for its best weekly gain in about a month. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback versus a basket of six currencies, rose 0.134% to 92.707.
The euro slipped 0.08% to $1.1803, while the yen rose 0.25% to $110.1400.
Oil prices extended losses from the previous two sessions.
Brent crude fell $0.33 to $73.14 a barrel. U.S. crude slid $0.34 to $71.31 a barrel.
U.S. gold futures fell 0.3% to $1,824.20 an ounce.
Overnight in Asia, MSCI&#8217;s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan lost 0.4%, weighed down by a 1.1% drop in China&#8217;s blue-chip index and a 0.8% fall for Taiwanese shares.
The Asian weakness was in large part driven by lacklustre earnings from TSMC, Asia&#8217;s biggest firm by market capitalization outside China, which saw its shares fall 4.1%.
(Reporting by Herbert Lash, additional reporting by Hideyuki Sano, Swati Pandey, Sujata Rao and Dhara Ranasinghe; Editing by Sam Holmes, Mark Heinrich, Catherine Evans and David Gregorio)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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GLOBAL MARKETS-Dollar gains, stocks slide on muddled inflation outlook

Collin Morikawa came up just shy of a record-setting round Friday as he fired a 6-under 64 and took the early lead in the second round of The Open Championship at Royal St. George&#8217;s in Sandwich, England.
Morikawa, 24, birdied seven of his first 14 holes and was on pace to set a course record and challenge Branden Grace&#8217;s major championship record of 62 at The Open in 2017.
But Morikawa three-putted for bogey on No. 15 and missed birdie putts on the last three holes to settle for 64. He took a three-shot lead into the clubhouse at 9 under just before 8 a.m. ET.
The PGA Tour leader in strokes gained: approach, Morikawa dialed in several stellar iron shots to hit 15 greens in regulation and set up short birdie putts, including on Nos. 9 and 14.
Morikawa won the 2020 PGA Championship, his debut at the tournament and the first of seven majors in a 12-month stretch concluding in England after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world golf schedule to reshuffle. On Friday he moved into contention to bookend that run with a victory in his Open debut as well.
First-round leader Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa (6 under Thursday), Jordan Spieth (5 under) and Brian Harman (5 under) teed off later in the afternoon. Spieth birdied his first two holes to jump back into second at 7 under.
Friday morning&#8217;s sunny conditions allowed for several low numbers. Argentina&#8217;s Emiliano Grillo matched Morikawa&#8217;s 64, South African Daniel van Tonder scored a 66 and Germany&#8217;s Marcel Siem shot a second straight 67, tying the three of them for second at 6 under.
Grillo poured in nine birdies to offset three bogeys. His approach into the final green glanced a slope with some side-spin, rolled left and touched the cup, just missing a hole-out eagle that would have handed him a surprise 63.
Of the several highly ranked players to tee off early, few besides Morikawa made noise. Justin Thomas posted a 3-under 67 to move to 1 under for the week. He eagled the par-5 seventh but parred the next 10 holes before a birdie at the last.
Xander Schauffele posted an up-and-down 71 to drop to even for the week. Rory McIlroy turned in his second even-par 70.
Englishman Tyrrell Hatton badly missed the 18th green with his second shot and snapped his iron in half. Earlier in the round, he was seen giving the middle finger to someone in the gallery. Hatton finished with a 70 that kept him at 2 over for the week.
Phil Mickelson followed a dismal 80 in the first round with a second-round 72, but at 12 over he is certain to miss the 36-hole cut (top 70 players and ties). The cut line was projected to be 1 over at 10 a.m. ET.
Masters runner-up Will Zalatoris withdrew Friday with a back injury after shooting a 1-under 69 in the first round that included an eagle hole-out. In a statement, Zalatoris said a shot out of heavy rough on No. 15 Thursday &#8220;sent a tingling down (his) left leg&#8221; and he was advised not to keep playing.
&#8211;Field Level Media
(c) Copyright Field Level Media. All Rights Reserved. 2021
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Collin Morikawa seizes Open lead with second-round 64

By Duncan Miriri
NAIROBI, July 16 (Reuters) &#8211; African countries need to get equal access to COVID-19 vaccines so they can start rebuilding their devastated tourism industries, Kenya&#8217;s tourism minister said on Friday.
About 21 million jobs have been lost in the sector across the continent since the start of the pandemic, Najib Balala said on the sidelines of a meeting of his African counterparts, called by the United Nations to discuss the crisis.
&#8220;Without the vaccination of hospitality workers, Africa will be isolated,&#8221; he said.
Africa has essentially had to pause its rollout of COVID-19 vaccines because of supply problems &#8211; and only 18 million people are fully vaccinated in a continent of 1.3 billion, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has repeatedly decried what he calls the scandalous difference in vaccine supplies between richer and poorer nations.
Balala said some rich nations had been hoarding shots, stockpiling enough doses for up to four times their populations, at the expense of African nations.
&#8220;We are just demanding fairness&#8230; so we can revive our economies,&#8221; he said.
The collapse of the tourism sector has deprived many African countries of one of their main sources of hard currency.
Kenya, which welcomed 2 million visitors in 2019, only got 300,000 visitors in the first half of this year, the tourism ministry said on Thursday.
Britain&#8217;s decision to put Kenya on its red list of countries had had a particularly significant impact, Balala said.
He called for a single, global protocol for travel to apply to all nations, to prevent rich nations from starving their African counterparts of travel and business opportunities.
Friday&#8217;s meeting in Nairobi, hosted by the U.N. World Tourism Organization, discussed ways of reviving the sector, including by encouraging inter-African travel. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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Africa needs fairness and vaccines to revive its tourism sector – minister

FIRST SHIPMENTS TO AFRICA OF U.S.-DONATED VACCINES TO ARRIVE IN BURKINA FASO, DJIBOUTI AND ETHIOPIA IN COMING DAYS &#8211; GAVI
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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South Africa in Ireland 2021 Scoreboard

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FIRST SHIPMENTS TO AFRICA OF U.S.-DONATED VACCINES TO ARRIVE IN BURKINA FASO, DJIBOUTI AND ETHIOPIA IN COMING DAYS – GAVI

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Golf-Oosthuizen blip offers hope to chasers

Louis Oosthuizen leads Collin Morikawa by one at The Open

Nigeria chooses three companies to officially import sugar

PGA Tour Barbasol Championship Scores

Tunisia reports daily record 205 coronavirus deaths

First case of monkeypox detected in Texas resident

Transgender woman in Cameroon describes ‘hell’ of five months in prison

Libya PM unaware of Russia, Turkey deal on foreign fighters

Louis Oosthuizen grabs Open lead at 11-under

U.N. Security Council asked to authorise more troops for Mali mission

Cricket-Malan blasts South Africa to victory in third ODI v Ireland

South Africa in Ireland 2021 Scoreboard

Mexico says Cuban doctors who helped with COVID-19 fight flown back to Cuba

GLOBAL MARKETS-Dollar gains, stocks slide on muddled inflation outlook

Collin Morikawa seizes Open lead with second-round 64

Africa needs fairness and vaccines to revive its tourism sector – minister

FIRST SHIPMENTS TO AFRICA OF U.S.-DONATED VACCINES TO ARRIVE IN BURKINA FASO, DJIBOUTI AND ETHIOPIA IN COMING DAYS – GAVI

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