History beckons for Serena, Venus in the way (Read full details)

This combination of pictures created on January 27, 2017 shows<br />Venus Williams of the US (L) hitting a return against Coco Vandeweghe of the US during their women's singles semi-final match and Serena Williams of the US (R) hitting a return against Croatia's Mirjana Lucic-Baroni during their women's singles semi-final match on day 11 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 26, 2017.<br />Serena and Venus will contest the Australian Open women's singles final on January 28 setting up their first major final together in eight years.<br />SAEED KHAN, GREG WOOD / AFP

History beckons for Serena Williams at the Australian Open on Saturday as she targets a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title — with her sister, Venus, standing in the way.

It will be the 29th major final for Serena since making her Grand Slam debut in Australia in 1998, and she powered through to the decider without dropping a set.

Much less predictably, her elder sister will be on the other side of the net, searching for her first Grand Slam crown in nine long years since Wimbledon in 2008.

A seventh Melbourne triumph for Serena will finally push her past Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 major titles, with only Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24 still to beat.

“It would mean a lot to me,” said the second seed, who also stands to reclaim the world number one ranking from Angelique Kerber. “I wouldn’t know what to do actually. I’m still taking it one point at a time.”

Regardless of what is on the line, it will a special occasion for Serena as she is unexpectedly facing Venus, whom few had tipped to reach the final aged 36 and after years of illness and injury problems.

“It’s the one time that I really genuinely feel like no matter what happens, I can’t lose, she can’t lose,” Serena, 35, said of the all-Williams encounter.

They are each other’s greatest rivals, playing 27 times in their long careers, including in eight Grand Slam finals. Serena holds a 6-2 edge in the major deciders, with a 16-11 win-loss record overall.

Venus, who has won seven Grand Slam finals and lost another seven, has become the Australian Open’s oldest finalist in the Open era as she attempts to crash her sibling’s party.

“Honestly I probably just need to continue playing as I’m playing. I’m not playing badly,” said Venus.

“Okay, it won’t be an easy match. You have to control yourself, then you also have to hopefully put your opponent in a box.”

Seeded 13, Venus now holds the record for the longest wait between major finals, at seven-and-a-half years since her last appearance at Wimbledon in 2009.

Following them on court will be the men’s doubles final, where American veterans Bob and Mike Bryan play Finland’s Henri Kontinen and Australia’s John Peers.

History beckons for Serena, Venus in the way

GM moving more than 600 jobs from Canada to Mexico: union (Read full details)

General Motors is shifting 625 jobs from a plant in Canada that makes popular crossover utility vehicles to Mexico, the Canadian auto workers union said Friday.

The cuts represent one-fifth of the facility’s workforce and comes less than a year after GM expanded the Canadian plant, with part of a Can$560 million (US$426 million) investment in its overall Canadian operations.

The layoffs at the plant in Ingersoll, Ontario — which produces the Equinox and Terrain models — are a “betrayal” that show “why NAFTA is a terrible deal for Canadian jobs,” Unifor said in a statement on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

“It is another example of how good jobs are being shifted out of Canada for cheaper labor in Mexico,” Unifor president Jerry Dias said.

The announcement is “a shining example of everything wrong with NAFTA, it must be renegotiated,” he added. “It is imperative that we have trade rules that help ensure good jobs in Canada.”

GM spokesman Mathew Palmer told AFP in an email the cuts “are strictly related to the end of the older generation Equinox production” at the Ingersoll plant, and have nothing to do with moving Terrain production to Mexico, which had already been announced.

The new Equinox model is to start production at the Ingersoll plant in July.

NAFTA has linked Canada, the United States and Mexico since 1994.

US President Donald Trump has vowed to renegotiate the trade pact, threatening to impose stiff import duties on foreign-made cars sold in the United States.

Auto makers responded with goodwill overtures, playing up their efforts to create jobs and invest in the United States.

Asked for a comment, Canadian Economic Development Minister Havdeep Bains said through a spokesman that the government “is concerned about the impact of job losses on workers and their families and our thoughts go out to those affected.”

But, he added, “We remain optimistic about the strength and future of Canada’s automotive industry.”

GM moving more than 600 jobs from Canada to Mexico: union

Wenger given four-game ban for touchline row (Read full details)

Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger (2nd L) is sent to the stands by English referee Jonathan Moss (L) as fourth official Anthony Taylor (R) looks on during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Burnley at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 22, 2017.<br />Arsenal won the game 2-1. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON /

Arsene Wenger was given a four-game touchline ban with “immediate effect” by the Football Association on Friday after accepting a misconduct charge following an incident that saw the veteran Arsenal manager sent off in Sunday’s dramatic win over Burnley.

Wenger was sent to the stands by referee Jon Moss after allegedly using abusive or insulting language towards fourth official Anthony Taylor after Burnley were given a stoppage-time penalty at the Emirates Stadium.

The French coach, 67, tried to watch the final moments of the match from the entrance to the tunnel and was shown pushing Taylor when the official asked him to leave the area.

Arsenal went on to win the game 2-1 after being awarded a penalty of their own in the final minute, but Wenger’s post-match apology for his behaviour couldn’t stop the FA, English football’s governing body, charging him.

The FA said Friday that it was alleged that Wenger, Arsenal’s manager since 1996, had “in or around the 92nd minute, used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official”.

The FA statement added: “It was further alleged that following his dismissal from the technical area, his behaviour in remaining in the tunnel area and making physical contact with the fourth official amounted to improper conduct.”

Wenger was also fined £25,000 ($31,000, 29,000 euros) after formally admitting the charge at a personal hearing before an independent regulatory commission.

His ban will start with Arsenal’s FA Cup fourth-round tie away to Premier League rivals Southampton on Saturday.

Wenger given four-game ban for touchline row

Trump vows to defer to Pentagon chief’s opposition to torture (Read full details)

US President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May in the East Room of the White House on January 27, 2017 in Washington, DC.<br />MANDEL NGAN / AFP

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he will defer to his Pentagon chief regarding interrogation techniques widely condemned as torture, although he himself continues to support their use.

Defense Secretary James Mattis “will override because I’m giving him that power,” Trump told a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. “He is an expert. He is highly respected.”

“And he has stated publicly that he does not necessarily believe in torture or waterboarding or however you want to define it — enhanced interrogation I guess would be words that a lot of people would like to use,” Trump said, adding that he himself does “not necessarily agree.”

Trump’s views on torture have raised concerns that he will try to reverse laws put into place by predecessor Barack Obama outlawing the brutal interrogation techniques like waterboarding used by the CIA on suspects following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

US media earlier this week reported that the Trump administration was drafting a order that would reauthorize the “black site” prisons around the world where US officials subjected suspects allegedly tied to Al-Qaeda to now-illegal “enhanced interrogation techniques.”

White House press secretary Sean Spicer denied that the document had originated in the White House.

But in an interview Wednesday Trump said that torture is effective.

“Do I feel it works? Absolutely, I feel it works,” he told ABC News.

During a hearing earlier this month to confirm his position as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, former Congressman Mike Pompeo said he would not back torture and “can’t imagine” that he would be asked to do so by Trump.

But he suggested that he could support changing the law, if useful.

“If experts believed current law was an impediment to gathering vital intelligence to protect the country, I would want to understand such impediments and whether any recommendations were appropriate for changing current law,” he said.

Trump vows to defer to Pentagon chief’s opposition to torture

Pope Francis to no longer grace Vatican euro coins (Read full details)

Pope Francis / AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI

The Vatican will stop minting euro coins bearing Pope Francis’ image beginning in March, religious news agency I.media reported Friday, saying the coins will now carry the Vatican’s coat of arms and European Union stars.

The EU’s official journal on January 24 published pictures of the Vatican’s new coins (eight pieces ranging from one cent to two euros), and they show that Pope Francis’ image has been replaced.

The image on the tails side of the Vatican coin is the same as on all of the other eurozone coins.

Pope Francis, who is known as “the pope of the poor,” has railed against the negative power of money.

Yet, because of their rarity, the coins that have born his image since 2014 have become collector’s items.

They are legal tender everywhere in the eurozone but people who find them through sales generally resell them on the collectors’ market.

The existing agreement between the EU’s monetary union and Italy, which the Vatican relies on to mint its coins, includes a quota especially for the Vatican.

The first annual series of papal coins entered circulation on March 1, 2002 bearing the image of then Pope John Paul II.

Pope Francis to no longer grace Vatican euro coins

IMF says Greece debt ‘explosive’ in long term (Read full details)

Pedestrians walk past the International Monetary Fund headquarters' complex in Washington (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Greece’s government debt remains highly unsustainable and will be “explosive” in the long run, requiring a more credible debt relief plan from Europe, the International Monetary Fund said in a report obtained by AFP.

Addressing the debt burden of the beleaguered nation will require significant debt relief from European institutions, including dramatically extending the grace periods and maturities of the loans, the IMF said in its annual report on the Greek economy.

The IMF board is due to discuss the confidential report, which includes a debt sustainability analysis, on February 6, after which the findings will be made public.

Even with full implementation of the economic reforms the country has agreed to, “Greece’s debt is highly unsustainable” and “will become explosive in the long run,” as the government will have to replace highly subsidized official financing with market financing at much higher rates, the IMF said.

The pessimistic report, though in keeping with the fund’s repeated statements on the topic, makes it less likely the IMF will participate in any new European loan deal for Greece.

Months of bickering have delayed progress on Greece’s 86-billion-euro ($92.4 billion) bailout program agreed in 2015 and officials are increasingly worried that elections this year in the Netherlands, France and Germany could further poison the efforts.

The IMF report says that in order to “provide more credibility to the debt strategy for Greece, further specificity will be needed regarding the type and scope of debt relief to be expected” from Europe.

This must include “ambitious extensions of grace and maturity periods, a full deferral of interest on European loans, as well as a locking in of the interest rate on a significant amount of European loans … to put debt on a sustained downward path.”

– Dispute with eurozone –

The IMF calls for extending the grace period until 2040, during which time Greece would not be required to make any debt payments, and extending the term of the loans to 30 years, in some cases, to 2070, dramatically longer than what Europe agreed to in 2012.

Europe’s economic commissioner Pierre Moscovici said he would wait for the official release of the IMF report before commenting, but expressed confidence in the prospects for agreement.

“The IMF has a constant stance on the need to lower Greek debt, and we are working on it,” he told AFP.

“The European Commission is therefore confident about the approach taken by the Europeans and will continue to work with Greece, euro-zone countries and other institutions to further reduce Greece’s debt.”

The fund and the 19-nation single currency area are battling over how much debt relief Greece needs, and over economic targets required of Athens that the IMF says are too stringent.

The IMF, headed by the tough-talking Christine Lagarde, currently traveling in Africa, refuses to lend further to Greece without significant changes to the eurozone’s demands, as the institution’s rules prevent it from lending unless the debt is sustainable.

At the heart of the dispute is a demand by the eurozone that Greece deliver a primary balance, or surplus on public spending before debt repayments, of 3.5 percent of GDP, far in excess of the 1.5 percent the IMF says is feasible.

– Greece can’t outgrow debt –

Even with ambitious structural reforms to the economy, beset by a high pension burden and tax evasion, “Greece cannot grow out of its debt problem” on its own, the IMF said.

And, the report points out, “The Eurogroup committed to additional debt relief for Greece.”

The fund said Greece does not require further spending cuts, but should pursue “more ambitious” reforms in other areas including to its pension system, and improving tax collection while reducing tax rates.

Output of the economy has contracted by more than 25 percent since 2008 and unemployment is the highest in the eurozone, at over 20 percent.

The IMF is projecting a rebound in growth to 2.7 percent this year, after just 0.4 percent in 2016, and continue above two percent through 2020, but the Greek government expects growth to average near three percent through 2019.

IMF says Greece debt ‘explosive’ in long term

Trump’s envoy warns UN: ‘We’re taking names’ (Read full details)

US President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the White House January 27, 2017 in Washington, DC.<br />Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Washington’s new ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, vowed Friday to show US strength, bluntly warning those who oppose President Donald Trump’s policies that she is “taking names” and will respond.

The former South Carolina governor served notice that the new US administration will push for an overhaul of the United Nations, in her first remarks at UN headquarters.

“Our goal with the administration is to show value at the UN, and the way that we will show value is to show our strength, show our voice, have the backs of our allies and make sure that our allies have our back as well,” Haley said.

“For those who don’t have our backs: we’re taking names,” she added. “We will make points to respond to that accordingly.”

The 45-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants made clear that some cuts were in store at the world body, which critics describe as a bloated, ineffective bureaucracy.

“This is a time of strength. This is a time of action. This is a time of getting things done,” Haley said.

“Everything that is working, we are going to make it better. Everything that is not working we are going to try and fix. Everything that seems to be obsolete and not necessary, we’re going to do away with,” she said.

The United States is by far the UN’s biggest financial contributor, providing 22 percent of its operating budget and funding 28 percent of peacekeeping missions, which currently cost $7.8 billion annually.

The White House is reportedly preparing an executive order that could deprive the United Nations of billions of dollars in US financial support.

– Fresh eyes, new strength –

In his pledge to pursue an “America First” foreign policy, Trump has dismissed the United Nations as “just a club for people to get together and have a good time.”

Relations became tense after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution in late December demanding that Israel end settlement construction.

The previous US administration declined to use its veto to block that measure, prompting Trump to promise that “things will be different” at the United Nations under his administration.

Tough-talking Haley echoed that stance, promising “fresh eyes, new strength, new vision” as the US envoy.

“You are going to see a change in the way we do business. It’s no longer about working harder but working smarter,” she said.

The ambassador presented her diplomatic credentials to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and held a 20-minute meeting with the UN chief, who was “delighted to meet her,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

“It was an introductory meeting and the start of engagement with the new US administration,” he said.

Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, is also pushing for changes at the United Nations to improve its ability to respond to crises.

A US official said following the meeting: “They had a good and productive conversation about ways they can work together to reform the UN.”

Haley’s appointment has been welcomed by many diplomats who notably praised her for her strong stance against racism as South Carolina governor, when she ordered that the Confederate flag be pulled down from the state capitol.

Her lack of diplomatic experience however is expected to be a challenge as she confronts a string of complex issues on the agenda of the Security Council, where the United States is one of the five veto-wielding powers.

Trump’s envoy warns UN: ‘We’re taking names’

Monaco’s Falcao back in groove after English travails (Read full details)

Monaco's Colombian forward Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Bordeaux (FCGB) and Monaco (ASMFC) at the Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux, southwestern France, on December 10, 2016.<br />ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP

Colombian striker Radamel Falcao says he is back in the groove after two misfit years with first Manchester United, then Chelsea in England.

Falcao, who made his name first with Porto then Atletico Madrid by scoring hatfuls of goals, was regarded as one of the world’s top strikers when he headed to Old Trafford on loan three years ago.

But he never came to terms with the rigours of the English Premier League and an option to make the deal permanent did not materialise, either with United or with Chelsea, where he equally flopped abysmally in a side which was struggling in the final days of Jose Mourinho’s reign.

But he said Friday he “has not forgotten how to play football” even after his two years of English travails which culminated in his returning to Monaco.

Now “I am dreaming of a title with Monaco” he explained ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Paris Saint Germain.

“We are expecting much of this great match, one all players dream of being involved in. The team is ready and in a good place mentally.

“Having reached the league cup final we are very motivated” to put one over a PSG side three points behind the Monegasques, the current league leaders.

Falcao, a championship and Europa League winner with Porto — he also won the latter honour with Atletico — said the PSG game was clearly a significant step on the path to a potential first league crown since the turn of the millennium.

But “the match against PSG has the same importance as one against Nice, Lorient or Metz. If we win it then it would underpin our motivation — but much can still happen” between now and the end of the season.

“Paris are a great team with great players. They are always dangerous.”

On his own form, Falcao, 30, said he was “enjoying my best moment of the season. I play every match and feel that my game is there. I am very happy at Monaco and dream of winning titles here”.

The veteran striker conceded it would be hard to resist, even so, if a Chinese club came calling offering untold riches of the kind offered in recent months to the likes of another former United player, Argentina’s Carlos Tevez.

“It is not easy to turn down offers from China. But I have said no three times to going there. It is not easy for the club either to turn down a lot of cash — yet I feel this is an important season for my career and for the team.

“I want to win with Monaco and show I am 100 percent with the club. I dream of winning something here,” said Falcao, adding his decision to stay in Europe was not linked to potential concern about his international place.

On his time in England, Falcao said simply: “England is in the past I am only looking forward with Monaco.

“I didn’t forget how to play football. I just need to play matches, then everything comes naturally.”

Monaco’s Falcao back in groove after English travails

Rooney sees management in his future (Read full details)

Manchester United's English striker Wayne Rooney warms / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF /

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has revealed he wants to go into management when he hangs up his boots.

The 31-year-old, who recently became United’s record goalscorer, has made more than enough money to retire and spend the rest of his life relaxing, but the England captain loves the sport too much to walk away.

“My whole life has been around football, and the minute I finish playing I would like to try and stay in the game and hopefully get the opportunity to manage,” Rooney told the BBC on Friday.

“I think when you get a bit older you start to think a bit more about the game and it’s something I’d love to do.

“Players who are playing in this generation do have enough money to not have to go into management, so the ones who want to do it will be successful.”

Rooney surpassed Bobby Charlton’s record United tally of 249 goals with his stunning free-kick that grabbed United a late 1-1 Premier League draw at Stoke on Saturday.

But after 15 years of top-flight football and 250 goals for United, Rooney admitted finding the back of the net still provides an unrivalled rush.

Rooney revealed that celebrating a goal is perhaps the sole moment in a match when a player can burst their concentration bubble to appreciate the full impact of the crowd.

“It’s an amazing feeling when you score a goal,” said Rooney.

“The initial feeling, it’s like you’re playing football under water and when you score the goal you come up for air. And you can hear the crowd, the atmosphere for that four, five seconds; it’s a mad feeling.”

Rooney sees management in his future

Prince siblings decry ‘mismanagement’ of tribute (Read full details)

The late Prince

Two of Prince’s siblings have decried what they called mismanagement of the late pop icon’s tribute concert and sought a clearer accounting of the proceeds.

Prince, who died suddenly in April, was remembered in a funk-driven, five-hour concert on October 13 in his native Minnesota that starred his friend Stevie Wonder.

But the lineup emerged just a month before the show, which was moved to the 20,000-seat XCel Energy Center in state capital St. Paul from the newly built, 66,200-capacity US Bank Stadium in adjacent Minneapolis.

In a court filing this week, Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson and half-brother Omarr Baker asked that a special administrator that had been put in charge of the estate remain financially liable after it hands over control at the end of the month.

The siblings said that the administrator, Bremer Trust, caused “damage to the Prince brand” and said the family had “no way of knowing who profited” from tickets, merchandise and other sales.

The pair said Bremer Trust passed over concert giant Live Nation to give the project to newly created company Jobu Presents, which withdrew in August, in part over the failure to secure talent.

The siblings alleged that Prince’s longtime lawyer L. Londell McMillan, who was acting as an advisor to Bremer Trust, orchestrated the saga as he ultimately put himself in charge of the show.

“The Special Administrator’s disastrous mismanagement of the tribute and lack of supervision of the advisors is its own fault,” said the filing, which redacted monetary figures from the public record.

McMillan denied the allegations and said he was working to preserve Prince’s estate and legacy. He wrote on Twitter: “Some people lie with intent. We ignore gossip. We rise above hate.”

Prince, who died from an accidental overdose of painkillers, left no will and had no children.

At the end of the month Bremer Trust will transfer control of Prince’s estate to Comerica, a Dallas-based financial services company.

Prince siblings decry ‘mismanagement’ of tribute

Man City admit doping rules breach (Read full details)

Manchester City's French defender Gael Clichy (C) is mobbed by teammates as he celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on January 2, 2017.<br />Oli SCARFF / AFP

Manchester City are to appear before the Football Association after admitting breaching anti-doping rules, a club spokesman told AFP on Friday.

The Premier League side are now set to be fined around £25,000 ($31,000, 29,000 euros) after being charged with failing to ensure anti-doping officials knew where their players were for drug-testing.

City had until 1600 GMT Friday to respond after being given more time to assess the charge, which was levelled earlier this month following an alleged third violation of ‘whereabouts’ rules in the last 12 months.

City have now informed the FA, English football’s governing body, they will not be contesting he charge and face a sanction of five figures.

Clubs must provide accurate details of training sessions and player whereabouts so they are available for testing at all times.

A date will now be set for an Independent Regulatory Commission to hear the case.

No specific details of the three incidents involved have been made public, but it is understood City face a general misconduct charge rather than one relating to particular individuals.

Sources have indicated the hearing will be held within the next few days or at most two weeks, rather than months.

The FA conducts drug testing post-match, at training sessions and at players’ home addresses.

Players can be selected for a drug test in either a random or a targeted basis.

In the last FA figures published, in 2014, there were nine violations from a total of 152,286 samples.

The charge facing City is purely an FA matter as the World Anti-Doping Agency and UK Anti-Doping do not have the jurisdiction to cover violations of drug rules by sports teams.

Any fine will be ploughed back into football via the FA, which is a non-profit making organisation.

Man City admit doping rules breach

Guardiola wants player input as City aim to bounce back (Read full details)

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola / AFP PHOTO / SCOTT HEPPELL /

Pep Guardiola has urged his players to help come up with a plan to spark a Manchester City revival, saying clubs can only be successful if a manager and his squad are on the same wavelength.

City boss Guardiola is under pressure to salvage something from the season after conceding the Premier League title was beyond his side following their 4-0 thrashing at Everton on January 15.

Now City are 12 points adrift of leaders Chelsea with 16 league matches left after just one win in their last four games –- and that was against the top flight’s worst away team, Burnley.

But they could yet end the season with a trophy, with City away to Premier League rivals Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday ahead of a last 16 Champions League tie at home to Monaco on February 21.

“It is a mix so we have to agree with one idea to play every day,” said former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola. “All the players sit down and say if we want to play that way, it is perfect.

“They are going to think about what is the best for this team-mate or his friend because every player has his own way of playing.

“The manager has to put his idea on the table and convince players to follow him,” the Spaniard added.

City resume their Premier League campaign in fifth spot, two points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool at West Ham United on Wednesday after this weekend’s Cup tie against south London club Palace.

Asked if it would be a failure not to finish in the top four, Guardiola refused to write off his team, saying: “We will see at the end of the season.”

– ‘Winning titles important’ –
But Guardiola was well aware of the significance of securing his first trophy as City manager.

“Winning titles of course is important,” he said. “I told the club I want to win the title so I’m not thinking about that.

“Of course winning would help for the future but I think the club has a plan for the long term and it doesn’t matter who the players and the managers are, they will keep going in that sense.

“Winning titles is important, like winning games.”

Guardiola watched City’s youth team beat Southampton 4-0 earlier this week, a result which saw them reach the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

And he believes there are several promising youngsters from Lee Carsley’s squad who will make it all the way to the first team in years to come.

“We follow them from the beginning. There are three, four or five players that are huge talents in that age group,” Guardiola said. “They will be able to play in that club in the future and they play well.

“We are delighted because Brian Marwood and all the people in the academy work for a long time, really well.

One area where City have a wealth of first-team options is in attack, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Gabiel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane, Kelechi Iheanacho and Nolito all competing for starting positions.

“We have seven strikers. It is a lot and Nolito played a lot in the beginning,” said Guardiola. “Leroy was not fit and Jesus played two or three games but he didn’t play in the last games.

“I try to involve everybody from what I see in the training sessions.”

Guardiola wants player input as City aim to bounce back

Queen Elizabeth back on duty after cold (Read full details)

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II pays a visit to the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, east England, on January 27, 2017. The Queen visited the 'Fiji: Art & Life in the Pacific' exhibition at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, University of East Anglia (UEA). / AFP PHOTO / POOL AND AFP PHOTO / Arthur Edwards

Queen Elizabeth II on Friday carried out her first visit since suffering a cold over Christmas, visiting an exhibition on Fijian art and culture.

The 90-year-old sovereign, who is the Church of England’s supreme governor, missed the Christmas Day church service at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England, with a heavy cold that lasted around a fortnight.

But she conducted her first visit of 2017 with a trip to the nearby town of Norwich to see an exhibition, “Fiji: Art and Life in the Pacific.”

Two Fijian warriors carrying war clubs and wearing skirts made from dried bark strands symbolically guarded the monarch on her arrival.

One of them was 19-year-old Joe Cokanasiga, a winger with London Irish rugby club.

“It was a bit cold out there but a real experience and honour to be asked to be here — we added some atmosphere to the occasion,” he said.

The head of state was fascinated by the war clubs inside the exhibition.

“We talked about the impact of one of those clubs, which would be quite impressive,” said co-curator Karen Jacobs.

Queen Elizabeth saw the tabua, or ceremonial whale tooth, which was presented to her during her first visit to Fiji in 1953.

The exhibition features sculptures, textiles, and ceramics alongside ivory and shell regalia.

Following its independence from Britain in 1970, Queen Elizabeth was Fiji’s monarch until 1987 when a coup installed a republic.

Queen Elizabeth back on duty after cold

APC gives Bello 4-week ultimatum to pay Kogi workers (Read full details)

Yahaya Bello

The Kogi State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has given the Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello four weeks ultimatum to reconcile the on-going staff audit in the state.

Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West), who spoke on behalf of the party gave the ultimatum at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

He said that staff audit the world over was a periodic exercise to monitor and evaluate public servants for promotions, retirements, new employment opportunities and elimination of ghost workers.

According to the chapter,the strategy adopted by the state government has in the exercise has caused so much pain among the genuine civil servants, rendering them jobless and without salaries for almost a year.

Melaye called on the governor to pay civil servants, pensioners and other concerned workers all their entitlements for the past one year.

He said that with the N30 billion bailout given to the state government, its workers ought not to be subjected to any form of hardship.

He said: “The bailout fund is primarily meant for those purposes, while part of the N 11.2 billion Paris Club refund was also aimed at ameliorating the suffering of our people.

“Any attempt for Yahaya Bello to think otherwise in this regard, after four weeks from today, will be met with peaceful revolution across the 21 local government councils.

“About 80 per cent of workers’ salaries and entitlements have not been paid since January 2016.

“We urge our civil servants to be patient and be very law abiding till the next four weeks.

“We also call on the state government to re-order the priorities of state in line with the needs and aspirations of our people.

‘’The solar street light, the Revenue House and SDG Office, being celebrated for 1 year in office for example, have no tangible value and cannot put food on the table of our people.

“All the public hospitals were filled to maximum capacity in the last eight months, until some few days ago when the Nigerian Medical Association officially called for their closure.‘’

He traced the development to ‘’non-payment of salaries and lack of needed drugs.’’

The lawmaker also expressed concern that rather than enjoying the dividends of democracy, Kogi indigenes were subjected to pains.

Meanwhile,the state Auditor- General, Alhaji Yusufu Okala, has said that the state lost approximately N213,034,857,280.44, to “ghost workers/unintended beneficiaries.”

He disclosed this when the Staff Screening & Validation Committee, jointly led by him and the Auditor-General of the Local Governments Areas, Malam Usman Ododo, submitted their report to Bello at a Stakeholders’ Forum at the Government House, Lokoja, July 25, 2016.

Okala said, “As at the time of inaugurating the Staff Screening and Verification Committee on Feb. 22, 2016, the total staff on the nominal payroll of the state (State MDAs and Local Governments) was 88, 973 with monthly wage bill of N5, 809,578,703.72.

”After the conclusion of this exercise on July 24, 2016, the cleared and validated workforce is 63, 870.

Receiving the report, Bello lamented the colossal loss recorded by the state through the syndrome but promised that his administration had put a permanent stop to financial theft in the state.

He also promised that the state government was determined to re-position the state civil service to facilitate economic drive and growth of the state.

The governor,therefore, announced the setting up of an 11-Man Review Committee to entertain complaints that might arise from the screening and submit its report within 21 days.

APC gives Bello 4-week ultimatum to pay Kogi workers

Begovic’s Chelsea future up for grabs as Blues eye Gordon (Read full details)

PHOTO:AFP

Asmir Begovic will only move from Chelsea during the transfer window if the Premier League leaders can bring in a replacement before next week’s deadline, Blues manager Antonio Conte said Friday.

Conte’s comments came as Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed London club Chelsea had made an offer for the Glasgow giants’ Scotland international Craig Gordon.

Begovic, 29, is the reserve goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge behind Thibault Courtois.

But Premier League rivals Bournemouth are reported to have made an offer for former Stoke shot-stopper Begovic.

All Conte was prepared to confirm on Friday was that Begovic would start in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie at home to west London rivals Brentford, with Courtois one of several first-team regulars set to be rested.

“Tomorrow? Begovic (will) start,” Conte said. “Begovic is a Chelsea player. It’s important to understand this.

“Begovic is Chelsea’s player and I’m very happy to have him to stay in the squad,” the Italian added.

“I’m very happy for his commitment, his behaviours in and out of the pitch.

“Only if we have a good substitution he can go. Otherwise (Begovic will) stay here.

Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Begovic, who has made four Chelsea appearances this season, arrived a Stamford Bridge on a four-year deal in 2015 after Petr Cech moved across London to Arsenal.

While Conte refused to comment on the speculation linking Gordon to Chelsea, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was far less restrained.

According to British media reports, Chelsea have made a £3 million ($3.7 million, 3.5 million euros) offer for the 34-year-old Gordon.

But Rodgers said that was nowhere near enough to persuade him or the Celtic board to let Gordon go down south to Chelsea.

“There has been an offer but nothing that we would (make us) even think about moving him,” Rodgers said Friday.

“He is a player very much part of what we want to do.

“He has 18 months left on his contract and I want to keep him here to build a team around. We have no interest in selling him.

“When the club spoke to me about it, my message was very simple. He is not a player we want to sell,” the former Liverpool manager insisted.

Asked whether a £3 million offer for Gordon was insulting, Rodgers replied: “It is certainly not his valuation, that is for sure.

“I don’t want to put any numbers on it. The message is pretty clear. He is not for sale.”

Rodgers added: “I don’t want to be in the mind-set of moving a goalkeeper with four days to go, a goalkeeper we have been building up to become a Champions League goalkeeper.”

The Celtic manager said he hoped Gordon would stay loyal to the Hoops after they helped the former Sunderland keeper revive his career when former manager Ronny Deila signed him in 2014 after he had been out for two years with a knee injury.

“Craig is a clever man,” said Rodgers, a former Chelsea youth coach. “He has had a taste of the Premier League when he went to Sunderland and it didn’t quite work out for him.

“I know with the type of guy Craig is, he will be looking at Celtic as the club who brought him back in to resurrect that career that looked like it was disappearing.”

Begovic’s Chelsea future up for grabs as Blues eye Gordon

25 power stations generated 2,548GWH of energy in quarter 4 of 2016 (Read full details)

Egin Power Station

Total average of 2,548GWH of energy was generated by 25 power stations in the country in the fourth quarter of 2016.

The report release by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Abuja on Friday indicated that Egbin Power Plant contributed about 12.47 per cent of the average energy generated in the period under review.

The report said that the generation from Egbin represented the highest generation among the 25 power plants.

According to the report, an average of 2,497GWH of energy was sent out as Okpai Power Plant recorded the highest percentage of 12.13 per cent of average energy sent out.

it reported that daily energy generation attained a peak of 3,859.59MW on Oct. 15, 2016, while daily energy sent out on same date was 3,798.16MW.

Similarly, the highest daily energy generated per hour attained a peak of 92,630MWH on Oct. 15, 2016 and daily energy sent out per hour on same date was 91,156 MWH.

It also indicated that, the lowest daily energy generation of 2,522MW in The fourth quarter of 2016 was attained on Oct. 28, 2016, while daily energy sent out on that date was 2,472 MW.

It stated that the lowest daily energy generation per hour was also attained on same date with 60,546 MWH generated and 59,328 MWH sent out.

In November 2016, daily energy generation attained a peak of 3,707.09MW on Nov.22, 2016, while daily energy sent out on same date was 3,644.86MW.

Similarly, the highest daily energy generated per hour in the month under review attained a peak of 88,970MWH, while daily energy sent out per hour on same date was 87,477,156 MWH.

The report showed that daily energy generation dropped to 2,685.26 on Nov. 24, 2016, while daily energy sent out on same date was 2,640.99MW.

In November, the lowest daily energy generation per hour was also attained on same date with 64,446 MWH generated and 63,384MWH sent out.

For December 2016, daily energy generation attained a peak of 3,197.03MW on Dec.1, 2016, while daily energy sent out on same date was 3,153.86.

According to the report, the highest daily energy generated per hour attained a peak of 76,729MWH on Dec. 1, 2016, while daily energy sent out per hour on same date was 75,693 MWH.

The report indicated that the lowest daily energy generation attained in December 2016 was 2,737.34, while the lowest daily energy of 2,691.70 sent out of 2,691.70 was attained on Dec.4.

It further reported that, the lowest daily energy generation per hour of 65,696 MWH was also attained on same date, while 64,601 MWH was sent out.

25 power stations generated 2,548GWH of energy in quarter 4 of 2016

NSE moves 237.79m shares worth N2.19bn (Read full details)

Brokers on the floor of Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday moved a total of 237.79 million shares valued at N2.19 billion transacted in 2,725 deals in a positive trading.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was in contrast with a turnover of 146.49 million shares worth N1.19 billion achieved in 2,725 deals on Thursday.

Champion Breweries drove the activity chart with 83.79 million shares valued at N194.41 million.

It was followed by Zenith Bank, which sold 52.47 million shares worth N826. 58 million and Diamond Bank sold 13.69 million shares valued at N13.63 million.

UAC Property accounted for 11.73 million shares worth N40.56 million, while investors staked N15.45 million on 11.55 million shares.

Also, the market indicators sustained an upward trend with the All-Share Index increasing by 38.27 points or 0.15 pet cent to close at 26,328.22, against 26,289.95 recorded on Thursday.

In the same vein, the market capitalisation which opened at N9.045 trillion inched N13 billion to close at N9.058 trillion.

Total Nigeria led the gainers’ table, gaining N13.96 to close at N298.96 per share.

Nestle came second with a gain of N10 to close at N750 and 7UP Bottling gained N5.70 to close at N108 per share.

Zenith Bank appreciated by 50k to close at N16 and Stanbic IBTC added 48k to close at N17.48 per share.

Conversely, Guinness Nigeria led the losers’ chart, dropping by N1.65 to close at N649 per share, following investors’ reaction to its half year result for the period ended Dec.31, 2016 released to the market.

Mobil Oil trailed with a loss of 66k to close at N264.50 and Nigerian Breweries shed 47k to close at N142.03 per share.

NASCON dropped 40k to close at N7.83 and Access Bank declined by 22k to close at N6.73 per share.

NSE moves 237.79m shares worth N2.19bn