Scotland head coach Andy Robinson hails the retiring Dan Parks


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Andy Robinson, the Scotland head coach, paid tribute to the retiring Dan Parks as he signalled his readiness to turn to a new generation of fly-halves in Sunday's Six Nations clash with Wales.

Parks ended his Scotland career with immediate effect yesterday after 266 points - including a Scottish record 17 drop-goals - and after winning the last of 67 caps in last Saturday's Calcutta Cup loss to England.

Edinburgh's Greig Laidlaw is set to inherit the number 10 jersey in the team for Cardiff named today, with Duncan Weir poised to be named on the replacements' bench alongside fellow uncapped Glasgow Warrior Stuart Hogg, who can play outside centre and full-back.

Robinson said: "I have really enjoyed working with Dan. He wasn't in my first Scotland squads but through his own determination, hard work, skill and competitive spirit he forced his way back into selection.

"It's never an easy decision to make but I feel Dan has made the right decision and thank him for his contribution over the years."

Warren Gatland, the Wales coach, will discover later today the extent of Bradley Davies' punishment for his reckless tip-tackle on Ireland forward Donnacha Ryan in Dublin last weekend.

Davies, 25, faces an independent Six Nations disciplinary panel in London after being cited by match commissioner Achille Reali.

It appears inconceivable that 33 times capped Davies will avoid a ban, given the incident's severity. And Press Association Sport reports that a three-month suspension is being mooted in some quarters.

Davies' second-row colleagues Luke Charteris and Alun-Wyn Jones are currently injured and unavailable, but it has emerged that flanker Dan Lydiate and prop Gethin Jenkins are expected to resume full training this week following respective ankle and knee problems.

Gatland has delayed announcing his team to face Scotland until tomorrow afternoon.

Ireland will also discover this afternoon whether Stephen Ferris is available for Saturday's match with France.

Ferris was yesterday cited for a tip-tackle on the Wales lock Ian Evans in the final minute of game at Lansdowne Road. Ireland feel aggrieved by the decision to cite Ferris, who at the time was shown a yellow card and conceded the match-deciding penalty.

The low end entry level sanction for the offence is three weeks, though this can be reduced on such grounds as contrition or a clean disciplinary record.

Michael Kearney, the team manager, who is accompanying Ferris to the hearing, is "hopeful" the 26-year-old Ulster flanker will be cleared.

"Stephen is very disappointed. He's not a player who has been guilty of any form of foul play in his entire career," said Kearney.

"He has played 31 times for Ireland and has never received so much as a yellow card."

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised

General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.

"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.

He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.

Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

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Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.

The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.

The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.

The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg:

Juventus 1 Ajax 2

Ajax advance 3-2 on aggregate