WORLD

BARCELONA star Lionel Messi has reportedly told Ernesto Valverde the five games he wants to miss this season. Messi has been in fine form for Barcelona this term, driving Valverde’s men towards the La Liga title with Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid trailing in their wake. However, with the World Cup in Russia looming large, Messi may now start to ...

Majority of countries are making little or no progress in ending corruption, while journalists and activists in corrupt countries are risking their lives every day in an effort to speak out. This is according to anti corruption watchdog Transparency International. Publishing its 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index transparency international says there’s been a surge in the corruption burden in more than ...

A South Sudan court on Friday sentenced a South African ex-colonel to be executed by hanging, a Reuters witness said, after he was convicted of conspiracy and attempting to overthrow the government. Retired colonel William Endley, 55, had been providing advice to former-vice-president-turned-rebel-leader Riek Machar, whose forces have been fighting a civil war since 2013. Incidentally, Machar is currently exiled ...

The national chairman of the main opposition party in Cameroon, Ni John Fru Ndii, has declared that he will ‘not be presenting his candidature for the 2018 presidential elections’. The veteran politician founded the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in 1990 and has led the party since then. Speaking at the special congress of the party held in Bamenda, 77 year ...

Pope Francis has declared a a day of fasting and prayer for crisis-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Both countries have been dogged by security and humanitarian crisis over the past few years. The Holy Father has thus called for spiritual intervention asking the faithful to fast and pray on February 23 for peace. The event is also ...

MANCHESTER UNITED target Toni Kroos has asked his agent to look for a way out of Real Madrid, reports in Spain suggest. Kroos, 28, has been identified by Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho as a replacement for veteran Michael Carrick, who is set to retire at the end of the season. The Red Devils have a long-standing interest in the ...

CHELSEA boss Antonio Conte says he has absolutely “no interest” in discussing whether he will shake hands with Jose Mourinho on Sunday. Earlier this year Mourinho seemed to infer that Conte was a “clown”. Conte then suggested Mourinho had “senile dementia” before the Manchester United boss responded with a jibe about the Chelsea manager’s charge for match-fixing, which he was ...

GARETH BALE looks likely to leave Real Madrid this summer with Manchester United and Chelsea both potential options. That’s the view of Sky Sports pundit Guillem Balague. Gareth Bale’s future at the Bernabeu remains in doubt following his struggles with injury this season. Real Madrid are set for a mass overhaul of their squad in the summer following their disastrous ...

MANCHESTER UNITED have placed a £88million price tag on David de Gea because of the “Neymar effect”. De Gea is once again at the forefront of significant transfer speculation with Real Madrid refusing to give up on the goalkeeper. On Wednesday, the 27-year-old showed that he is arguably the world’s best with a stunning display against Sevilla in the Champions ...

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC has reported for Manchester United training once again – but is he ready to play again? Manchester United stars reported for duty at Carrington this morning ahead of hosting Chelsea this weekend. Paul Pogba was among the arrivals as well as Zlatan Ibrahimovic who is approaching full-fitness and could return to the team in the coming games. The ...